Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 179 Relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law
The first snow in Beiping always carries a unique charm that is hard to describe, like an old friend who has been away for a long time, arriving quietly and unexpectedly.

Song Ci stood by the office window, her gaze passing through the swirling snowflakes, silently gazing at the ancient city, serene and solemn, immersed in a silver-clad world.

"President Song!" Zhang Yong, sitting on the sofa, called out softly, interrupting the chairman's thoughts.

Song Ci snapped out of her reverie, turned around, sat back down on the sofa, and smiled, "If this snow had fallen a day earlier, my flight back to Beiping would probably have been delayed. It seems I'm still quite lucky."

He picked up the cup of tea from the coffee table, took a sip, and asked, "How's the investigation going?"

Zhang Yong's expression tightened, and he quickly reported: "It was Xinlang and Kuaibo who were up to something, and of course, some other companies were also taking advantage of the situation that day."

Several moles have been handed over to the judicial authorities, but no valuable information has been obtained during the interrogation. The other party was very careful; all money transfers went through overseas accounts, making them difficult to trace.

Song Ci nodded slightly, his hands stroking the warm cup, his expression inscrutable. The result Zhang Yong gave was within his expectations.

Zhang Yong gazed at the chairman's handsome face, quietly waiting for him to make arrangements.

After a moment of contemplation, Song Ci changed the subject and asked, "What did the regulatory authorities say?"

"They said it would be a one-time exception!" Zhang Yong replied with a sigh of relief.

Although Tenda Weibo encountered some issues this time, the company responded promptly and brought the situation under control in a short period of time.

Furthermore, the blame was later shifted eastward, and the photos not only circulated on Weibo but spread throughout the entire internet, so the relevant departments could only let it go and stop pursuing the matter.

“This is a one-time exception!” Song Ci repeated, his tone carrying a hint of warning and vigilance. “The group’s internal control and compliance need to be rectified. You will personally take the lead in this matter, root out those bad apples, and we must not tolerate evil.”

"Don't worry!" Zhang Yong nodded, understanding what Song Ci meant by "this will not happen again." Seeing that the chairman did not raise any issues, he knew that he had barely passed this hurdle.

After giving the instructions, Song Ci stood up, walked to her desk, picked up two documents, and handed them to Zhang Yong. "Take a look!"

Zhang Yong looked curious and took the document with both hands. As a veteran accountant with a background in accounting firms, he only glanced at it briefly and knew that the first document was a financial statement of a certain company.

Although he didn't understand the meaning of the Song Dynasty poem, Zhang Yong still carefully looked through it. "This company actually had negative growth in the fourth quarter."

"This is Xinlang Company's unreleased fourth-quarter financial report," Song said, his words startling, tinged with a hint of contempt.

"Xinlang's financial report? It actually shows negative growth!" Zhang Yong said in great surprise and disbelief.

China's internet industry is booming. By the end of last year, the number of Chinese internet users had exceeded 2.1 million, a year-on-year increase of 53%.

Given the booming state of the industry, it's simply unbelievable that a long-established internet company like Xinlang would experience negative growth.

At the same time, he was also amazed by the chairman's incredible abilities, as he was able to obtain such unreleased internal information.

Song Ci sneered: "Xinlang hasn't released this financial report yet, but it shouldn't be delayed for long. Old Zhang, what do you think the stock market's reaction will be once the financial report is made public?"

Zhang Yong's eyes lit up, and he answered matter-of-factly, "With such negative news, Xinlang's stock price will definitely plummet!"

Song Ci's gaze was icy as he instructed, "Let's short Xin Lang in advance and teach them a profound lesson."

It's not in Song's nature to suffer a loss and not retaliate. If he doesn't fight back this time, the other party will definitely take advantage of him in the future.

As for Kuaibo, the other company that took action, let them run wild for a few more days, then find a suitable opportunity to deliver a fatal blow and completely crush them.

"Great!" Zhang Yong replied happily. This was a great opportunity to make money for free, and at the same time, he could avenge the company. It was a win-win situation.

Then, he eagerly picked up the second document and began to carefully read it. It was a letter of intent for investment, targeting an American company called "Rio Games".

"Riot Games! Mr. Song, you have high hopes for this company?"

After reading the document, Zhang Yong looked up at the chairman, his eyes full of surprise. Wasn't he supposed to be investing in the North American stock market? Why did he suddenly want to invest in a game company?

A slight smile played on Song Ci's lips, a hint of smugness in her expression, as she urged:

"This is a project I snatched from Penguin. Send someone to the US as soon as possible to sign the equity agreement. Penguin hasn't given up yet, and I'm afraid things might change if I delay. I must get the project finalized as soon as possible."

Zhang Yong immediately assured him, "Don't worry, President Song, I'll have the people from the investment department head off to the United States as soon as the snow stops."

The two chatted for a few more minutes. Song Ci picked up her teacup, gently blew on it, and the fully brewed tea leaves released a fragrant aroma. She savored the tea carefully.

Then he asked, "By the way, how is Weibo doing now? How many users does it have?"

Zhang Yong excitedly said, "As of yesterday, January 10th, Weibo has only been online for ten days, but the number of registered users has already reached 432 million. Based on the current growth trend, it is expected that the number of users will exceed 1 million by the 25th of this month."

Upon hearing this, Song Ci was also delighted. The current development momentum of Weibo is even better than he had predicted, which gives him more confidence in his future plans.

"I estimate that by the end of the month, the Weibo accounts of the other companies will also be launched one after another. At that time, our Weibo will be updated and the trending topics function will be enabled!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yong revealed a wicked smile. He understood the chairman's idea: in this way, the other companies would be completely caught up in the pace of catching up with Tengda and led by the nose by Tengda.

After finishing their business, Song Ci relaxed and leaned back on the sofa, ready to chat with Zhang Yong about everyday matters and learn from his experience.

"Old Zhang, what's the relationship between your mother and your wife like?"

Upon hearing this topic, Zhang Yong immediately laughed: "My wife, children, and I live in Beijing, while my parents live in our hometown and we don't see them often."

Our elders occasionally come to Beijing for a few days, or we go back to our hometown for holidays like Chinese New Year. Because we spend little time together, there are few conflicts, and the relationship between my mother-in-law and me is generally good.

Song Ci looked distressed, as if he had a headache. He and Liu Shishi were both from Beiping, so this situation did not apply to them.

He now lives in Jingyuan with Ms. Liu and rarely goes back to the old house. Liu Xiaoxian hasn't seen her son lately and is a little unhappy.

Seeing Song Ci's predicament, Zhang Yong, speaking from experience, offered some advice: "Ms. Song, conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law have existed since ancient times, but the key lies in your own perspective."

My mother and daughter-in-law are both my closest relatives; I can't hit or scold them. If there are problems, I can only patiently mediate. If the relationship really becomes strained, we should live separately; less contact naturally leads to fewer conflicts.

Song Ci sighed helplessly. These past few days, Beihang University has started its winter break. Liu Xiaoxian is not busy with work at the moment and wants to come and stay at Jingyuan for a few days. She said she wants to see the big villa. Naturally, he couldn't refuse. Fortunately, Shishi is not at home, otherwise it would be another headache.

"Old Zhang, go ahead and get busy. You need to hurry up with the things I just mentioned. Once you've finished these things, we'll hold the company's 2007 year-end summary meeting."

"Then I'll go to the investment department first!" Zhang Yong called out, picked up the letter of intent on the table, and got up to leave the chairman's office.

Time flies, and ten days have passed in the blink of an eye, bringing us to January 21st.

On this day, Tencent announced the official launch of its Weibo platform, and several Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities opened accounts on Tencent Weibo, clearly indicating a direct confrontation with Tenda Group. Just two days later, Sina Weibo followed suit, appearing out of nowhere.

On the same day, Tenda Weibo's registered user base surpassed ten million, a piece of news that undoubtedly added fuel to the already boiling internet market.

Two days later, NetEase and Sohu also launched their own microblogging products.

By the end of January, in just a few days, more than a dozen microblogging-like products had emerged on the market. A flurry of activity ensued, with major internet companies employing every trick in the book to grab users.

January 31st, the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, is the Little New Year in the south.

Outside, the snow was pristine and vast, while inside the garden, it was warm and cozy, like springtime.

After dinner, Song Ci sat on the living room sofa, intently watching the evening news. On the television screen, the anchor was solemnly reporting on the recent snow disaster, the scenes of which were deeply distressing.

"The snow this year is too heavy; the snow disaster has affected more than 20 provinces and regions," Liu Xiaoxian, sitting on the other sofa, couldn't help but sigh.

She looked anxious. Many students from Beihang University were unable to return to their hometowns for the Spring Festival due to the heavy snow and were still stranded at the school, which made her very worried.

Song Ci sighed helplessly, "A major disaster is inevitable. Tomorrow I will have the company donate some money to do my part."

Liu Shishi, who was standing nearby, also comforted them, saying, "Auntie, Yi Yi, don't worry too much. With everyone united and having faith in our country, we can overcome any disaster. Everything will be alright."

Upon hearing this, Song Ci grasped his girlfriend's soft hand, gently squeezed it, and smiled, "Shishi, what you said is very positive. By the way, you should also donate some money recently, no matter how much, it's just a small token of your appreciation."

Ms. Liu nodded slightly upon hearing this. She had already had this idea in mind, hoping to contribute her love to the people in the disaster area.

The heart-wrenching news broadcast ended quickly. Song Ci picked up the remote control, turned to her, and asked, "Mom, Shishi, is there anything you want to watch?"

Liu Shishi quickly declined, saying, "Let Auntie watch it. I don't have any programs I want to watch."

Liu Xiaoxian shook her head. She just wanted to spend time with her son and didn't care too much about what shows to watch.

So Song Ci changed the channel: "Then let's watch Donghai TV. Tengda Culture has a new drama airing today. Let's watch the company's new work together."

Liu Shishi asked curiously, "Is it the one that's been getting so much publicity lately, the one starring Fan Bingbing and Qiao Zhengyu called 'My Love from the Star'?"

“Yes!” Song Ci answered loudly.

Tengda Culture has high hopes for this big-budget drama with an investment of 50 million yuan, and has even signed a performance-based agreement with Donghai TV.

To boost ratings, Zhang Zhao requested the mobilization of various resources within the group, including Toutiao, Weibo, Qianqian Music, and TT Voice, for comprehensive promotion, which caused a huge sensation even before the show aired.

Song Ci was well aware of the potential of the drama "My Love from the Star," which was expected to become a huge hit in Asia. Naturally, she supported Zhang Zhao and had all departments fully cooperate in the promotion.

During the opening commercial break, Liu Shishi glanced at Liu Xiaoxian discreetly, her eyes darting around. She picked up the fruit plate from the coffee table, moved slightly closer to her future mother-in-law, and said ingratiatingly, "Auntie, have some fruit."

Watching this scene, Song Ci couldn't help but chuckle. The subtle interaction between the two women was somewhat unexpected.

Last week, Liu Xiaoxian moved in for a few days during her winter vacation. The day before yesterday, filming for "A Little Thing Called First Love" wrapped up, and Liu Shishi also returned to Jingyuan. He thought their relationship would be awkward or even tense, but he didn't expect it to actually go quite well.

Liu Shishi was extremely polite and filial, and kept trying to please Liu Xiaoxian, so Liu Xiaoxian naturally couldn't show any displeasure.

In addition, both of them were mindful of Song Ci's feelings, so although the future mother-in-law and daughter-in-law maintained a polite distance on the surface, the atmosphere gradually became more harmonious.

Liu Xiaoxian forced a smile: "Thank you, Shishi, please leave it for now."

She was utterly speechless; her son was determined to marry Liu Shishi. She had watched the girl grow up, knew her well, and felt a pang of guilt about forcibly separating the two.

Although he was unhappy about Liu Shishi entering the entertainment industry, he could only compromise for now. However, he had made up his mind that after she got married and had children, he would have Liu Shishi retire from acting and focus on being a wife and mother.

Regardless of the three people's differing thoughts, the commercials on TV quickly ended, the opening theme song finished playing, and then a voiceover appeared on the screen.

According to the "Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty," in the 44th year of the Jiajing reign (1566 AD), an unidentified flying object appeared in the skies over the Jiangnan region. This historical record foreshadowed the events that followed.

The scene quickly shifts to fifteen-year-old Lin Haitang, who is on her way to her husband's house with her servants. Unfortunately, the sedan chair she is riding in is driven off a cliff by a strong wind. Just when Lin Haitang thought she was going to die, a huge UFO suddenly appears in the sky, like a divine soldier descending from the heavens.

For a moment, time stopped, and everything froze. A young man dressed in futuristic attire slowly emerged from the UFO. This man was Zhou Jun, the male lead played by Qiao Zhengyu in the drama.

In the stillness of the space, Zhou Jun strolled leisurely to Lin Haitang's side and easily rescued her.

"New Year's Day, the special effects in this TV series are pretty good, no worse than those in a regular movie."

Looking at the scene on the screen, Liu Xiaoxian was very surprised. She was a discerning person and knew the exquisite technology and high cost behind these few minutes of special effects shots.

Song Ci nodded slightly, a hint of pride and satisfaction in her eyes. These special effects scenes were all meticulously crafted by Tiangong Special Effects, a subsidiary of Tengda Group.

Although there is still a gap between them and top-tier special effects companies such as Hollywood's Industrial Light & Magic, Tiangong Special Effects is already considered to be at a top level in China and even in Asia.

After years of development, Tiangong Special Effects has finally yielded results, and Song Ci is feeling particularly happy at this moment.

On the screen, time flies by like an arrow, and more than four hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the story officially begins.

Zhou Jun, who has lived a solitary life for hundreds of years, meets Lin Haitang, who has been reincarnated and is now the famous star Lin Qianyu. The two happen to become neighbors living across from each other, and begin a series of hilarious, heartwarming and touching romantic love stories.

Before they knew it, the first episode had passed quickly. Liu Shishi and Liu Xiaoxian were still engrossed in the story, wanting more.

Coming to her senses, Liu Shishi couldn't contain her curiosity: "Yiyi, tell me quickly what happens next? Does Zhou Jun end up with Lin Qianyu, or does he go back to his own planet?"

Liu Xiaoxian also looked at her son with interest. The TV series had a rigorous and meticulous plot, was captivating, and was indeed very interesting.

Song Ci kept everyone in suspense, then chuckled and said, "Spoilers would ruin the fun!"

“Tell me, darling, you’re the best.”

Liu Shishi shook her boyfriend's arm, pleading sweetly. Her cute and lively face, with a pleading look in her eyes, made it hard for anyone to refuse.

Watching this scene, Liu Xiaoxian couldn't help but roll her eyes, muttering to herself, "Here we go again, this display of affection is unbearable!"

However, she had to admit that Liu Shishi was indeed beautiful and cute, and her face was exactly the type her son liked best. The little girl was well-behaved, sensible, and knew how to be affectionate and clingy; no wonder she had her son completely under her thumb.

(End of this chapter)