Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 274 The First Person

Weibo has been online for over a year, and celebrities have become quite adept at how to generate buzz and trend on social media, which mainly involves feuding, creating controversy, and finding trending topics.

Wang Luodan pondered to herself that she didn't yet have the strength or status to provoke a top actress. Among the three young actresses at the table, Yang Mi was an artist from the same company, and they saw each other all the time, so it wasn't appropriate to confront her directly.

As for Liu Shishi, over the years she discovered that the chairman was deeply in love with her, and the two were already engaged, their relationship unbreakable. Wang Luodan knew the situation was hopeless, so she didn't try to provoke Tangren's top star.

After much thought and weighing the pros and cons, the only option seems to be to piggyback on the fame of Liu Yifei. Moreover, this mutual bidding will allow both parties to trend on social media and increase their exposure, making it a win-win situation. It's definitely better than Liu Yifei putting on a solo act.

With that in mind, after Liu Yifei made her bid, Wang Luodan didn't hesitate and boldly raised her paddle, directly calling out 200,000.

Liu Yifei glanced expressionlessly at Wang Luodan, who had recently become very popular. She knew that today's charity auction would be eventful, so she had already made ample mental preparations.

Noticing that her classmates were all looking at her with amusement, Liu Yifei felt a sense of helplessness.

Her current position in the entertainment industry is quite delicate. The leading actresses see her as their strongest competitor and are subtly trying to suppress her.

Meanwhile, other young actresses and rising stars see her as a target to surpass, all wanting to seize the opportunity to step on her and rise to the top.

What's most frustrating is that my mother's haphazard actions have left me isolated and helpless in the entertainment industry, putting me in a rather difficult situation.

A wave of emotion washed over Liu Yifei. She had her own pride and principles, and now that others had made their move, she couldn't easily back down, lest she become a laughingstock.

So Liu Yifei took a deep breath and elegantly raised the number plate in her hand again: "21".

"Yifei has made another bid. Are there any other kind-hearted people who want to make an offer and take this lucky dress home?" The host on stage spoke enthusiastically, trying his best to stir up the atmosphere.

"22 million!"

"25 million!"

Other actresses were also drawn to the dress and, not wanting the two young actresses to steal the spotlight, followed suit by holding up signs.

For a time, the sounds of bidding rose and fell, and the atmosphere became increasingly heated.

At another table next to the main table sat the most famous actresses in the entertainment industry. The atmosphere at this table was even more tense and subtle than at the table of younger actresses.

Seeing that Fan Bingbing's eyes were fixed on the large screen in front of him, Zhao Zhetian teased, "Bingbing, are you tempted? If you are, then make a bid!"

Fan Bingbing smiled charmingly, maintaining the perfect demeanor of a female star: "No rush, this is just the beginning! Let the little girls have some fun first. There are fifteen items up for auction today, and the main event is yet to come."

Zhao Zhetian nodded: "That's true! These young girls have been making quite a splash lately, with millions of followers on Weibo. Their popularity is terrifying."

Zhou Xun sighed from the side, "New talents replace the old ones; isn't that always how the entertainment industry is?"

Of the actresses present, only Fan Bingbing is a post-80s generation; the others are all post-70s and are now in their 30s. For female celebrities, the golden age of their acting careers is only a few short years.

Zhao Zhetian feigned envy: "Even the most talented newcomers can't compare to you guys. Some are starting companies, some are becoming directors, and I'm the only one whose future is still uncertain!"

Fan Bingbing couldn't stand Zhao Zhetian's pretentious attitude and said sarcastically, "We're just trying to earn a little money through hard work."

Unlike you, Sister Yanzi, who works for Boss Ma, those big bosses can make a fortune just by letting a little slip through their fingers—far more than we could earn in years of hard work.

When Zhao Zhetian heard Fan Bingbing call her Yanzi, the smile on her face instantly froze. Although she became a household name and a big star because of her role as Xiao Yanzi, she did not like others calling her that.

"Jin Suo, Ziwei is here today too. It's a rare reunion. Let's go say hello together later."

Fan Bingbing was furious. Zhao Zhetian really knew how to rub salt in the wound. Everyone in the industry knew that she and that Lin Gege had fallen out and were practically strangers.

But I wouldn't lose face, and as long as I'm thick-skinned enough, it'll be the other person who's embarrassed. So I gritted my teeth and spat out a few words: "Fine!"

At this moment, the host on stage slammed the auction gavel and shouted, "Anyone else bidding! 500,000 for the first time, 500,000 for the second time, 500,000 for the third time..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Bingbing, who had been silent all along, suddenly raised his sign: "55."

The host looked in the direction of the voice and excitedly exclaimed, "Li Bingbing has offered 55!"

Zhou Xun nudged Li Bingbing with her elbow and asked softly, "Why the sudden bid?"

"It was just a fleeting attraction. This dress is indeed quite beautiful."

Li Bingbing casually replied that she had only made the decision on the spur of the moment, and simply didn't want Liu Yifei to easily win the auction item.

Since the release of "The Forbidden Kingdom" last year, some of the fans of that "fairy sister" are still making annoying comments on her Weibo.

The idol pays the price for the fans' actions, so this debt should naturally be placed on Liu Yifei's shoulders. Moreover, suppressing this rising star is also a tacit consensus among these "old guys".

"58!" "60!" "62!"

After raising her sign one more time, Li Bingbing stopped and didn't follow up. If she continued, it would seem like she was deliberately targeting the younger generation, which would probably attract gossip from others.

Despite some setbacks and extra expenses, Liu Yifei finally managed to acquire her dream evening gown.

"Congratulations, Yifei, you've won the fifth treasure."

"Thank you, Hu Ge." Liu Yifei smiled and nodded, thinking that bidding on one item would be enough. After the event, she could release a few press releases and ask her fans to help promote it, which should get it trending on social media.

The feeling of being deliberately argued with was absolutely awful, and she didn't want to experience it again. She made up her mind to end her charity auction trip here today, and then she could relax and watch the show.

The charity auction proceeded smoothly, with a new item being displayed on stage, while the audience mingled and chatted in small groups.

At the table of leading actresses, as everyone chatted casually, Zhang Ziyi gently twirled the wine glass in her hand and asked, "Bingbing, when will your studio's self-produced drama, 'Jin Daban,' air?"

Fan Bingbing picked up her wine glass, took a sip of red wine, and felt the silky liquid spread in her mouth. She replied calmly, "It was broadcast on Jiangsu Province's city channel the day before yesterday."

"How are the ratings?" Zhang Ziyi asked eagerly, her eyes shining.

Her joint venture film and television company with Enlight Media has been established for some time, but it is still small-scale and she has not dared to make large investments.

This drama, "Jin Da Ban," was fully funded by Fan Bingbing's studio. She wanted to see how it fared and learn from Fan Bingbing's experience. Fan Bingbing looked smug: "Not bad. It should have no problem getting a second run on satellite TV."

Zhang Ziyi's eyes lit up, and she complimented, "Congratulations! With this experience, you can easily transition into becoming a producer in the future."

Fan Bingbing nodded with deep feeling. After filming "Jin Da Ban", the studio's production team was finally established. With valuable experience, it would be much easier to film new dramas later.

The other actresses had different thoughts, but they all understood that Fan Bingbing had taken a crucial step. Her studio had already laid the foundation to upgrade into a formal film and television company, unlike their companies which were still at the initial stage of investment and had not yet ventured into the core area of ​​film and television production.

Seeing his old rival so smug, Li Bingbing recalled the huge loss he suffered last year, and a nameless anger welled up inside him:
"Although the film and television industry is booming now, not every drama can make money. Teacher Fan, you should take it easy. If the next drama loses money, all your hard work over the past few years will be for nothing."

"No need for Teacher Li to worry. With my name, Fan Bingbing, people will buy into the movies and TV series I star in." Fan Bingbing glanced at his opponent, displaying strong confidence.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she covered her mouth and chuckled softly: "Teacher Li, what's wrong with that investment company you, Xiaoming, and Ren Quan were working on? If you don't have any good projects, you can consider my studio's next drama."

Upon hearing this, Li Bingbing thought to herself that her old rival was really giving her face. She had just been thinking about how to steer the conversation towards her company, and the other party had immediately offered up a topic of conversation:

"Oh dear, Ren Quan manages that company, and I haven't really been involved. But I heard that he invested in LeTV last year, and its valuation has already doubled."

Everyone was shocked. They never expected that Li Bingbing would make such a name for himself, having already left the entertainment industry to start investing in the internet sector. Among them, he had made the biggest investment.

Fan Bingbing, realizing her small studio couldn't compare to LeTV, wisely kept quiet. In this unspoken exchange, Li Bingbing emerged slightly victorious.

"Is Huayi Company about to go public?"

"Yes, at the end of the month."

"I don't know if Huayi can successfully go public."

"It should be fine. Huayi has been preparing for so long and has brought in so many people to invest."

"If Huayi succeeds, Enlight Media and Bona will follow suit and launch their IPO plans. Other companies will probably be eager to follow suit. Huace and Hairun are both watching and waiting."

The discussion grew increasingly heated as everyone chimed in.

Li Bingbing and Zhou Xun exchanged a glance, a complex emotion flashing in each other's eyes.

As artists under Huayi Brothers, none of them have subscribed to company shares. If Huayi Brothers successfully goes public, it will make them seem like they have no foresight.

"What do you guys think? If Huayi goes public successfully, could we team up and start a company together, achieve some success, and go public in a few years?"

Zhao Zhetian suddenly made a suggestion. She had been following Boss Ma recently and had learned a lot of tricks. If they could recruit one or two top actresses, just that title alone could fool a lot of stock investors.

As for the minor conflicts between the individuals, they were insignificant compared to the enormous profits from the company's IPO.

Zhou Xun, Zhang Ziyi, and the others did not reply. Firstly, the prospects for the film and television company's listing were uncertain, and secondly, they did not quite trust Zhao Zhetian.

Fan Bingbing, however, had some ideas. She understood that if she wanted to turn her life around and become a capital investor, she couldn't just rely on making movies and TV dramas. She had to learn from Huayi and go public to raise funds.

"Sister Wei, this isn't the right place. Let's talk in detail another day, and you can also take a look at my studio."

Upon hearing Fan Bingbing's invitation, Zhao Zhetian smiled broadly and said, "Okay!"

Seeing that Zhao and Fan had been at loggerheads just moments before, but now seemed to have reached an agreement, the group realized that the entertainment industry was no different; when faced with huge profits, anything could be compromised. They began to seriously consider Zhao Zhetian's proposal.

On stage, the host slammed down a small hammer: "Fifty thousand for the third time, congratulations to Liu Shishi for winning this Tiffany timepiece."

Watching Liu Shishi gracefully walk onto the stage, lifting her skirt slightly, exuding confidence and charm with every gesture.

Zhao Zhetian couldn't help but sigh, "Speaking of which, this Tangren's top female star is truly the number one among the new generation of actresses, and her momentum is unstoppable."

Zhang Ziyi asked in surprise, "Shouldn't it be Liu Yifei?"

Zhao Zhetian shook his head and patiently explained: "Liu Yifei became famous early, has many fans, and is widely known in the country. She has indeed developed very well, but now she has been blacklisted by Huayi and has gone overseas. She will inevitably face difficulties in the future."

In contrast, Liu Shishi, backed by Tangren Media, a leading company in period dramas, has established her own studio and ventured into film and television investment. She has achieved remarkable success in both television and film.

Furthermore, I also discovered that the roles she plays are all carefully selected, perfectly matching her temperament—gentle and unassuming, never vying for attention. With such a well-established persona, it's easy for her to attract fans.

Most importantly, she's only 22 years old. At our age, who could compare to her in terms of career achievements?

Listening to Zhao Zhetian's reasoned and well-founded analysis, the leading actresses present recalled the career development of this top Tangren Media star and realized that she had taken every step very steadily.

She has popular and unforgettable characters in TV dramas, and she is also a leading lady in movies with box office earnings of over 100 million yuan. Her development momentum is indeed very strong.

"Is there any way to reduce the size of the pie?" The entertainment industry pie is only so big, and the leading actresses don't want anyone else to take a slice.

Fan Bingbing shook her head: "If you can't suppress it, don't mess with Liu Shishi."

Zhou Xun asked curiously, "Does Liu Shishi have any powerful connections? But I heard she has a good relationship with Tengda."

"I don't know the specifics, but Mr. Zhang from Tengda Culture warned me not to mess with the top female star. So it's best if we don't touch Liu Shishi."

Xu Jinglei, who had barely spoken throughout the banquet, suddenly laughed and said, "You're really bold to let people call you 'Number One Sister' so openly."

"What, Director Xu, do you want to test the mettle of this top actress?"

“It’s not impossible.” Xu Jinglei chuckled. She had recently taken a liking to a script called “Du Lala’s Promotion Diary” and wanted to turn it into a movie.

The female lead in the TV series version of this drama is Liu Shishi, and she is thinking about how to use Liu Shishi's popularity to boost the box office of her own movie.

Someone was willing to test the waters, and the others were more than happy to oblige. They quickly reached a consensus.

"Alright, just let us know if you need our help. The future belongs to them, but the present belongs to us. Let the girls hone their skills for a few more years."

(End of this chapter)