Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 230 Climbing to the top
Seeing Cai Yinong and Liu Shishi playing riddles, Tang Yan was itching to find out more.

She moved closer to her friend and peered down at the documents in her hand, trying to see what had made her so excited.

"This...this..." Tang Yan was so shocked that she couldn't speak after just one glance.

Seeing Tang Yan's expression, Hu Ge also became curious: "What is it? Shishi, can you tell me?"

Liu Shishi held her head high, feigning composure, and said casually, "It's nothing, this is the latest Hurun Rich List, and my husband is on the list again."

"I see. Tang Yan, you're making a fuss over nothing. It's not unusual for Boss Song to be on the list. If I count, this is his fourth time on the list, isn't it?"

Hu Ge suddenly realized that he was naturally used to Song Ci being on the rich list.

Tang Yan was so excited she was almost incoherent, her voice trembling: "The richest man! But he's the richest man this time!"

Hu Ge was shocked upon hearing this, her eyes widened, and she turned to look at Liu Shishi: "What, the richest man! Is this true, Shishi?"

Although Liu Shishi was also inwardly turbulent and extremely excited, she pretended to be calm on the surface, nodded slightly, and gave Hu Ge an affirmative answer.

The document she was holding was printed out by Cai Yinong; it was the 2008 Hurun Rich List, freshly released this morning.

With a net worth of 467 billion yuan, her Mr. Song surpassed many business tycoons and overtook Gome CEO Huang Guangyu to become the richest man in mainland China.

The report analyzes that, affected by the global financial crisis, the assets of many real estate tycoons who were once highly successful and on the list have shrunk significantly.

For example, Yang Huiyan, the head of Country Garden and one of the two rising stars in the post-80s business world along with Song Ci, saw her wealth plummet this year, shrinking from 1300 billion yuan last year to 330 billion yuan.

Although almost all industries have been affected by the financial crisis, thanks to the steady improvement of its gaming and Weibo platform businesses, Tengda Group's valuation has been soaring and climbing.

A professional third-party assessment agency believes that Tenda Group's current valuation is no less than US$140 billion.

This is why, compared to the decline in wealth of most of the billionaires on last year's list, Song Ci's net worth has steadily increased.

"Shishi, let me see quickly!" Hu Ge was anxious, clearly showing that men are more eager for wealth and power.

"Here you go!" Liu Shishi smiled and shoved the rich list into the hands of the top guy. Sharing is caring, and good news should be shared with everyone.

Hu Ge looked down at the money and muttered to himself, "467 billion! Other tycoons' wealth fluctuates, but President Song's is truly stable!"
For some reason, I have a feeling that with the internet industry booming, once he's in the top spot as the richest man, it will be very difficult for anyone to challenge his position.

Yang Mi's eyes darted around, full of cleverness. Who knows what mischief she was up to? She said with a grin, "Old Hu really knows how to talk. Look how happy he's made Shishi."

At this moment, Miss Liu, the top female host, beamed with joy: "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Hu. I'll treat you tonight, and I'll use Mr. Song's card."

Tang Yan clapped excitedly: "This is great! Let's share in the joy of the richest man's money!"

As Song Ci ascended to the throne of the richest man, and the main actors of the "Chinese Paladin 3" crew were laughing and joking, someone in Beiping was also overjoyed.

In the studio, Fan Bingbing, who hasn't taken on any acting roles recently and has also unusually avoided going out to participate in commercial performances, is discussing the pre-production work of the TV series "Jin Daban" with director Ma Xin.

Fan Bingbing said enthusiastically, "Director Ma, then the matter of the production team is settled. I'll need your help in assembling the 'Jin Daban' production team from now on. It's already noon, why don't you stay and have lunch with us?"

Ma Xin laughed and said, "Then I'll shamelessly freeload a meal."

"Look at what you're saying, we'll have to rely on you a lot for this project in the future." Fan Bingbing's friendly attitude was like a breath of fresh air.

Although her studio has gradually gotten on track after a year of development, it is no longer the makeshift operation it once was.

However, it still cannot compare with the large film and television companies in the industry in all aspects, and it still needs to rely more on the support of Tengda Culture.

Although Ma Xin is not a top-tier director, she is a rising star director with some fame in the industry, and she has been noticed by Tengda, so she naturally wants to win her over.

Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open. Fan Bingbing was about to lash out, complaining about who was so impolite as to barge in without knocking.

But upon recognizing the visitor as his agent, Mu Xiaoguang, he had no choice but to suppress his temper and swallow his words of reproach.

Mu Xiaoguang looked excited and walked straight towards Fan Bingbing, his steps hurried, clearly carrying important information.

"Bingbing, good news... Director Ma is here too!"

Ma Xin stood up, greeted them politely, and then prepared to leave: "Mr. Mu, I've finished talking with Bingbing. You two can continue."

Mu Xiaoguang quickly stepped forward and shook hands with Ma Xin: "Director Ma, you're too kind! It's nothing, I'll just tell Bingbing and leave."

Fan Bingbing looked at him with bright eyes: "Brother Guang, what good news?"

"Just now, the president of Montblanc Asia Pacific spoke with me on the phone. They have decided to invite you to become their jewelry brand ambassador. Congratulations, Bingbing, you have finally achieved your dream."

"Bingbing, congratulations!" Ma Xin quickly offered his congratulations as well.

Anyone in the entertainment industry understands the value of endorsements from high-end international luxury brands. These endorsements are a significant indicator of a celebrity's status and influence in the fashion world, and are opportunities that countless stars dream of.

"Really?" Fan Bingbing jumped up, overjoyed.

Mu Xiaoguang joked, "Would I lie to you about something like this?"

Happiness came a little suddenly, and Fan Bingbing was still in a dream, somewhat dazed: "It's not that I don't trust you, Brother Guang, it's just that the other party wanted to use Li Bingbing before, how come they suddenly changed their minds and chose me?"

Mu Xiaoguang paused briefly and glanced at Ma Xin: "This morning, the latest Hurun Rich List was released, and Chairman Song of Tengda Group topped the list of the richest people in mainland China with a net worth of 467 billion yuan."

Fan Bingbing listened thoughtfully and said, "I understand. Lifeng Group is doing this to give Chairman Song face."

Regarding the Montblanc endorsement, she and Mu Xiaoguang had discussed it with Zhang Zhao as early as the end of August, hoping to ask Song Ci to put in a good word for them.

It's unclear how Zhang Zhao persuaded Song Ci, but in any case, Boss Song eventually agreed to find a suitable time to communicate with the senior management of Lifeng Group.

However, nothing came of it. Although the three of them were anxious, they didn't dare to ask Song Ci how things were going.

As time went by, I had already given up hope, but today I received an unexpected surprise.

Fan Bingbing secretly guessed that the senior management of Lifeng Group probably hesitated at first, after all, the original candidate Li Bingbing's backer, Ms. Deng, was not easy to deal with.

However, with Mr. Song becoming the richest man in China today, the brand, considering his influence, has finally made up its mind to choose itself as its spokesperson.

"We must not forget those who dug the well when we drink the water; we should thank Chairman Song and General Manager Zhang properly." Fan Bingbing nodded: "Of course. I'll contact General Manager Zhang now to see if he's free tonight."

Last time, she and Mu Xiaoguang specially prepared a card with 100 million yuan, but Zhang Zhao didn't know if the matter could be completed.

Now that she has successfully secured the endorsement, she should repay the favor properly and maintain good interpersonal relationships in order to ensure a long-term partnership in the future.

Mu Xiaoguang, being shrewd, didn't neglect Ma Xin even in his excitement: "Tonight is a celebration banquet, and I hope Director Ma will do me the honor of joining us."

Ma Xin was more than happy to agree and readily agreed: "President Mu and Bingbing are too kind. I'll just take advantage of their kindness."

At the same time, the atmosphere was heavy in an artist's office at Huayi Company.

Li Bingbing also received the news that Montblanc had given up on her as a spokesperson.

The superstar was furious. Her almond-shaped eyes widened, and she cursed, "That bitch Fan Bingbing! I'll make her pay sooner or later!"

Seeing his friend's outburst of anger, Ren Quan quickly tried to calm him down: "It's come to this, calm down, Bingbing!"

Li Bingbing, completely disregarding her image, turned bright red and looked at her sister: "My endorsement deal has been snatched away. What's the company's attitude?"

Li Xue gave a wry smile: "Sister, the two CEOs Wang are still holding a grudge about the last internal share subscription. What kind of attitude do you expect from the company?"

In preparation for its IPO next year and to boost investor confidence, Huayi Company launched a celebrity shareholding plan, requiring all its artists to subscribe to a portion of the shares as much as possible in September.

Li Bingbing's reasoning was unclear; perhaps he felt that he had already subscribed once in 2007, so when he subscribed again in September, he didn't buy a single share, just like Zhou Xun.

The Wang brothers were furious. Even at the internal price of 3 yuan per share, two of Huayi Brothers' leading actresses, Li Bingbing and Zhou Xun, refused to buy shares in the company. What were the shareholders supposed to think? It was obvious that even their own artists didn't have a positive outlook on the company's listing prospects.

Li Bingbing muttered an explanation: "It's not that I'm short of money. I just bought the house, and celebrities have high expenses. Besides, I already subscribed to a property last year. They can't keep focusing on just me."

Li Xue rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that her sister still had the nerve to mention last year when Huayi Shares' subscription price was 0.53 yuan per share, practically a freebie. It all boils down to her sister not being optimistic about film and television companies going public.

The company couldn't be relied upon, but since the spokesperson hadn't been officially announced yet, Li Bingbing still held a sliver of hope: "If I ask Deng Wendi to step in again, is there any chance of salvaging the situation?"

Li Xue shook his head: "I've inquired, it's impossible. The rival company has asked Song Ci to step in, and he just became the richest man today. Wanbaolong can't possibly refuse the richest man's request."

Ren Quan also sighed for his friend: "If Montblanc hadn't agreed, that would have been fine, but since he had already promised Song Ci to give the endorsement to Fan Bingbing, if he went back on his word, he would have completely offended the richest man."

No company dares to easily offend Tengda now. While Weibo might not significantly boost a brand's sales, spreading negative rumors can easily destroy it.

Enraged, Li Bingbing blurted out, "Damn it! The richest man in China is meddling in such trivial matters in the entertainment industry! That bitch must have slept with that guy surnamed Song!"

Seeing his friend lose his temper, Ren Quan hurriedly tried to dissuade him: "Bingbing, be careful what you say, or the walls may be overheard."

Li Bingbing glanced around subconsciously, and seeing that the doors and windows were tightly closed, she felt slightly relieved, but still stubbornly insisted: "What am I afraid of in my own office? Besides, can't I say anything about what she did?"

However, he wisely refrained from mentioning Song Dynasty poetry again, but he had nowhere to vent his anger and felt extremely uncomfortable.

After a moment of silence, Li Bingbing remembered something and gritted her teeth, ordering, "That bitch released a smear campaign against me last time, causing me to lose my endorsement. Xiao Xue, you also need to find some online trolls to expose all her old stories from when she was in Hong Kong. I want an eye for an eye."

It's common for celebrities to release announcements and playfully tease each other in the entertainment industry. Upon hearing this, Li Xue calmly responded, "I'll arrange it in a bit."

Seeing his friend sulking, Ren Quan deliberately changed the subject: "Bingbing, I've made up my mind to gradually stop taking on acting roles and focus my energy on business."

Li Bingbing's attention was indeed drawn: "Are you really sure? In the entertainment industry, if you don't move forward, you'll fall behind. Once you retire, there won't be a place for you anymore."

She knew her friend had the idea of ​​going into business, but she had been hesitant before, after all, actors' income is not low, and not everyone can succeed in business.

Ren Quan said solemnly, "I've thought this through carefully. I plan to invest first. No matter how glamorous a celebrity's appearance is, their status is still vastly different from that of a film and television company boss."

Not to mention other business tycoons. If we want to turn things around, the only way is through business; acting won't get us anywhere.

Actually, there was something else he kept to himself but didn't dare to say aloud: he really admired Fan Bingbing. She was daring and determined, resolutely leaving Huayi to start her own company and already moving into the capital market. How many artists have that kind of courage?

"Investment? Investing in film and television?"

Ren Quan shook his head: "No, nobody can predict TV ratings or movie box office numbers; it's too easy to lose money. I'm planning to invest in the internet!"

"internet?!"

"Yes, the internet industry is booming right now. Look at how many people on the rich list are in the internet industry."

Song Ci became the richest man in just a few years. I don't aspire to reach his level, but I can certainly make more money through investments.

Ren Quan was burning with enthusiasm. He was also spurred on by Song Ci becoming the richest man in China, which made him finally decide to go into business and invest in the Internet.

Li Bingbing was also tempted by Ren Quan's words. Her friend was always reliable, and since it was an investment, she could also take a stake.

On a sudden impulse, he suggested, "Quan, why don't we jointly invest in setting up an investment company, with you in charge? We can also recruit a few more people. I think Xiaoming is also very interested in investment, so we can invite him along."

"can!"

Li Bingbing's suggestion was exactly what Ren Quan wanted to hear. One person is weak, but three people have a lot of power. Naturally, the more capital one has, the better. If one doesn't have enough capital, one can't get involved in good projects.

Li Bingbing was worried about having to spend real money: "Ah Quan, the internet industry is very complex. The four giants, TBAQ, are blocking all other companies. Are you confident?"
If all else fails, we might as well stick to investing in the film and television industry. After all, we know the ins and outs of film crews inside and out, so at least we won't get scammed.

Ren Yuan, on the other hand, looked confident: "Bingbing, you can rest assured. Don't you know my personality? I will never be reckless."

After thorough investigation, I've identified a promising investment target: LeEco. I've already met with Mr. Jia, the CEO of LeEco, and he's a very ambitious and visionary individual.

Li Bingbing got a headache as soon as he heard the word "dream": "LeTV! I've heard of it. It's a video website, but it's always losing money. Is it reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable. No internet company doesn't lose money at the beginning. Look at how big companies like Tenda are losing money to develop TT Video, and you'll understand that the future of video websites is bound to be bright."

If you're still worried, we can visit Mr. Jia sometime and he can explain the industry landscape to you; then you'll understand.

Seeing his friend looking radiant and speaking with great confidence, Li Bingbing smiled trustingly and said, "Ah Quan, I trust you. You can make the decisions about the investment."

(End of this chapter)