Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 333 The Power Is in My Hands
At six o'clock in the afternoon, the setting sun cast its rays.

Inside the office, Song Ci was reviewing a document at her desk, and asked her secretary a question without looking up.

"Is the flight arranged?"

Song Xueying stood in front of the desk, holding the chairman's suit in her hands: "We have already reported to Binhai Airport and the Air Traffic Management Bureau, and it can take off at any time."

With a flourish of his pen, Song Ci signed his name, closed the document, and casually placed it on the table: "I've already approved this stack on the left. Take it."

“Okay.” Jiang Tiantian, the office director, immediately stepped forward and hurriedly picked up the thick stack of documents.

Song Ci got up and stretched: "What are my work arrangements for tomorrow morning?"

Song Xueying blurted out: "At 9 a.m., Huang Sheng from the game department will report to you on the League of Legends league; at 10 a.m., Zhang Zhao from Tengda Culture will come to headquarters to report on an acquisition case."

At 11:00 AM, Tang Jun from WeChat and Yan Minjia from EasyPay, the two presidents, will jointly report to you on the second quarter mobile payment subsidy plan.

As Song Ci reached into the sleeve of his secretary's open suit jacket, he instructed, "Huang Sheng's report is postponed to 10 o'clock. Tell Zhang Zhao to come over another day."

"Yes, Chairman." Song Xueying picked up the boss's briefcase, followed him out of the office, and locked the door.

Song Dynasty poetry moves with a swift and vigorous pace, always leading the way.

Jiang Tiantian followed closely behind, holding the documents and lagging behind by half a body length.

"Mr. Zhang will be flying to Shenzhen tomorrow to attend an IT summit and will stay for at least three days; I will be participating in an important foreign affairs reception the day after tomorrow, at which time I may have to hand in my mobile phone, which will make communication inconvenient."

Ms. Wang will also be taking a few days off tomorrow to rest during her pregnancy. Non-urgent matters can be handled by Mr. Zhang and me when we return. For extremely urgent matters, Chen An will make the decision on the spot.

Jiang Tiantian nodded in agreement: "I understand, Chairman Song."

At the same time, the crew of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" was also present.

Inside the dressing room, Liu Shishi, who had already finished her work, stared at her beautiful face in the mirror, her brows furrowing slightly: "Have those reporters still not left?"

Jiang Yuanyuan spread her hands, looking helpless: "No, they're all blocking the outside of the film set and won't leave. They insist on interviewing you."

"I wish I hadn't made it official." Liu Shishi said with a bitter face. The news of the announcement last night had spread throughout the country after fermenting during the day, and reporters from all walks of life rushed to the scene and blocked the film crew's entrance.

"After all, President Song is the richest man in the country, and his influence is undeniable. You could either disguise yourself and rush out later, or hold a reception," Cai Yinong suggested softly, patting the woman on the back.

She rushed to the film set from Donghai early in the morning, worried that something unexpected might happen after Liu Shishi's official announcement, and thought she would come over to help take care of it.

Just as the top female reporter was hesitating about whether she should hold a press conference to deal with the reporters, her phone rang.

"Hello, husband?"

The roar of an engine came from the other end of the phone: "I'm boarding the plane right away, I'll be in Bincheng in an hour."

Liu Shishi's eyes lit up instantly, and she beamed with joy: "You're coming over here!"

"I've thought about it, and there are some things I should explain to you in person."

"what's up?"

"Let's talk tonight."

"Okay, honey, see you in a bit."

As soon as the call ended, Cai Yinong inquired curiously, "Is President Song coming over?"

Liu Shishi nodded slightly: "She said she wanted to come over and talk to me about some things."

Cai Yinong said thoughtfully, "Managing a wealthy family is not child's play; there's a lot to learn. I reckon President Song will have to give you a long lecture."

The eldest sister was completely bewildered: "What's the trick to this?"

Cai Yinong vaguely guessed the purpose of Song Ci's trip: "The business world is like a battlefield, and the social circles of wealthy wives are also very complicated. Before, you were just a star, and all you had to do was act well."

Now you are the wife of the richest man, and you and President Song are one. Sometimes you represent him, and the will of the richest man.

Feeling the responsibility and mission on her shoulders as the wife of the Song family's matriarch and the richest man's wife, Liu Shishi's face was serious, and her voice was firm and resolute:

"Although I don't understand it now, I can learn. I will become a qualified Mrs. Song and a good helpmate to my husband."

Cai Yinong stood behind the top female star and helped her smooth the stray hairs at her temples: "No rush, you're still young, take your time."

Liu Shishi lay on the dressing table, idly scrolling through Weibo.

Upon seeing a top-rated comment, Liu Mei frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes: "This Li Jiaxin is inexplicable, mocking me as a nouveau riche."

Cai Yi Nong craned his neck and squinted at the screen of Yi Jie's phone. He saw a comment that had received many likes and stood out starkly under the last Weibo post Yi Jie made last night.

"She couldn't wait to show off after marrying into a wealthy family. She must have come from a poor family and never seen the world. She's a nouveau riche."

"And these Hong Kong female celebrities who liked her post are all clueless." Liu Shishi snorted coldly, "I posted a few pictures just to retaliate against those sour-tongued haters who say I'm not favored. Why are they getting involved?"

Opening the list, you'll find that quite a few influential figures on social media have liked Li Jiaxin's posts, and their IP addresses are all from Hong Kong, which is really infuriating.

“I guess she’s jealous of you.” Cai Yinong understood perfectly, fully comprehending why this famous former Miss Hong Kong was like this. “She married into the shipping magnate Xu family in 2008, but unfortunately, she was not recognized by her husband’s family and had little wealth. It can almost be said that her dream of marrying into a wealthy family was shattered.”

"I know Li Jiaxin, but who are these people? I don't recognize them at all!"

Cai Yinong worked as a reporter in Hong Kong in his early years and knows a lot about Hong Kong's wealthy families: "Xu Ziqi is the second wife of the Li family of Henderson Land Development; Qiu Yongxian is the second daughter of the Qiu family of Asia Television... They are both socialites of Hong Kong's wealthy families."

"Are they all in cahoots?"

“No, that’s not it.” Cai Yinong shook his head. “People like Xu Ziqi and Li Jiaxin come from ordinary families and entered into wealthy families through marriage.”

Qiu Yongxian and her ilk are themselves wealthy heiresses, and their husbands' families are also prominent and influential. They are key figures in Hong Kong's high society and would never deign to associate with such people.

"They're not all the same group, but they're all in such unison mocking me. That's weird." Liu Shishi pouted, a little unhappy, but then she thought, "Could it be that I've been too high-profile and made people jealous?"

“Xu Ziqi and Li Jiaxin went through a lot of hardship to marry into wealthy families, so they might be jealous of you; as for Qiu Yongxian and the other heiresses, they probably just look down on you.”

Liu Shishi felt a pang of regret, realizing that her impulsive actions last night had been too high-profile and had put her in the spotlight: "Should I delete this Weibo post?"

Cai Yi-nong shook his head: "You've already posted it, deleting it now would only make you seem like you're trying to cover it up and lack confidence."

"This won't work, that won't work, it's so annoying!" Liu Shishi looked distressed. Suddenly, she noticed that several people had tagged her on Weibo, so she quickly checked it out.

"Who is this Chen Lan? I don't even know her. Why is she inviting me to Hong Kong?"

“The wife of the CEO of Hong Kong Huaguo Star Film and Television Company,” Cai Yinong explained after glancing at her.

Liu Shishi looked puzzled: "Where is Chen Wanzhen? That person is strange; she invited me to visit Australia."

"She is the third concubine of the gambling king."

"Oh, Chaolian's mother." The top sister suddenly realized, then clicked on another person's Weibo, "I know Fu Mingxia, the diving champion, what's she doing in Hong Kong?"

Cai Yinong truly lives up to his reputation as a Hong Kong expert: "Her husband was the former God of Wealth of Hong Kong."

"An official?"

"I used to, but I no longer work in the government office."

Liu Shishi nodded as if she understood something. From the different attitudes these wealthy women had towards her on Weibo, she gradually figured out some of the tricks of the trade.

“Those who look down on me actually look down on my husband; those who take the initiative to be nice to me are probably asking Mr. Song for something.”

Cai Yinong, being more knowledgeable and experienced, had a more comprehensive view of things than Yi Jie: "Actually, the attitudes of these socialites and wealthy women are not important. What is important is the stance of the wealthy families they represent. As for whether they are friends or foes, President Song should know the answer."

"Should I leave them hanging and not respond?" "Hmm, let's at least ask President Song's opinion before we talk about it."

Liu Shishi browsed the trending topics, and the top ten were all about her official announcement. The comment section was also bustling with activity.

"Liu Shishi is really something, rising to the top in one step and squeezing into the circle of top socialites."

"Those people all come from long-established Hong Kong elite families. This is going to be interesting."

Time passed by, and it was already 8 p.m. Liu Shishi had finally managed to sneak out of the film crew in disguise and was waiting for her husband to arrive at the Wanda Hotel.

Song Ci's private jet had just landed at Bincheng Airport.

Meanwhile, at 8:00 AM Eastern Time, whether by coincidence or to join in the fun, Forbes magazine released its 2011 list of the world's richest people ahead of schedule.

Wealth is always a topic of interest, and this list caused a sensation across the United States as soon as it was released, while also spreading rapidly across the ocean.

Yahoo, Google, and other major portal websites immediately reposted the Forbes rich list in their finance sections. When the news reached China, the entire internet world was in an uproar.

Among the world's top ten richest people, Mexican telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim once again topped the list with a net worth of $740 billion, while Microsoft founder Bill Gates and investment guru Warren Buffett ranked second and third respectively.

But what shocked the Chinese people the most was that Song Ci, the founder of Tenda Technology Group, was prominently listed on the list. With a net worth of US$322 billion, he surpassed Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal to become the sixth richest person in the world, as well as the richest person in Asia and the richest Chinese person in the world.

"My goodness, Song Dynasty poetry is so lucrative? Forbes must have miscalculated!"

"Can't you read the explanation for being on the list? Thanks to WeChat's global expansion, Tenda's valuation has skyrocketed again, and Song Ci also holds shares in the company."

"I never imagined that Song Ci not only founded Tengda Group, but also holds shares in so many American technology companies."

"Liu Shishi is ecstatic. Yesterday, she was the wife of the richest man in mainland China, and today she has transformed into the wife of the richest man in Asia. I seriously suspect that she knew yesterday that her man had become one of the world's top ten richest people."

However, the online uproar and heated discussions seemed to have nothing to do with Song Ci and Liu Shishi. The couple were making love in the hotel, completely ignoring the outside disturbances.

. . . . . .

Hong Kong, the Xu family home, inside the study.

"Father, you wanted to see me?" Young Master Xu reeked of alcohol.

Old Master Xu's face was as cold as ice. Looking at his good-for-nothing son, a barely perceptible look of disgust flashed in his eyes: "You're already fifty years old, and you still spend your days indulging in pleasure!"

Seeing his father's anger, Young Master Xu panicked and said, "Father, I was just having a small get-together with friends."

"Shut up, don't try to argue with me!" Old Master Xu slammed his hand on the armrest, his face growing increasingly grim. "I called you here because I have something to tell you."

"Father, please speak."

"Your stupid wife only knows how to cause trouble and make enemies for the Xu family for no reason!" Old Master Xu scolded angrily.

Young Master Xu's heart tightened, and he bowed deeply: "Father, please tell me, who has Jiaxin offended?"

Old Master Xu snorted coldly: "What does it have to do with her that Madam Song Ci has officially announced her marriage? Instead, she goes and makes sarcastic remarks."

Young Master Xu breathed a sigh of relief, unconcerned: "So it was that junior from the mainland."

"You damned bastard!" Old Master Xu slammed his hand on the desk, furious.

At this point, he was completely disappointed in his son. With such a useless appearance, if he were to pass on the family business to him, he would probably squander it all in a few years.

Old Master Xu was disheartened and sighed. He had already made up his mind that after his death, it would be best to hand over the family business to a trust institution for management.

"I don't want to say much more. Tell your wife to delete the comments on Weibo and publicly apologize to Mrs. Song Ci. How dare you mock someone from a humble background? You're simply ignorant and arrogant."

Although Xu Shao held Song Ci in contempt, he dared not disobey his father's orders: "Father, please calm down. I will go and instruct Jia Xin to do as he says."

Hong Kong, the Li family home, inside the study.

Old Master Li's sharp gaze fell on his youngest son: "Tell your wife not to associate with that stupid woman from the Xu family anymore."

Young Master Li bowed respectfully: "Your son has already warned her."

"Ziqi is usually quite sensible." Old Master Li nodded slightly, quite satisfied with his second daughter-in-law's filial piety and manners.

Have you looked at this list?

Young Master Li spoke first: "It's really unexpected. I didn't realize that Song Ci had such amazing financial resources."

Li Ershao, however, was somewhat dismissive: "The Forbes list can only count assets that are publicly known. No matter how strong Song Ci is, how can he compare to our old families? It's utterly absurd that he could surpass Cheng Shibo to become the richest Chinese person."

"Foolish!" Old Master Li frowned, his teacup slamming heavily in his hand. "You understand this principle, how could Song Ci not understand it? How do you know that 322 billion US dollars is his entire fortune?"

The two brothers exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief in each other's eyes: "Father, you mean he's still holding back? How could he possibly have accumulated such terrifying wealth at such a young age?"

Grandpa Li did not answer directly, but sighed with deep emotion: "The younger generation is truly formidable. When we old folks are buried, who in the world will be our match?"

"Father, why worry so much? No matter how talented Song Ci is, he has nothing to do with us. We live in harmony and don't interfere with each other, so why should we care about him?"

Old Master Li shook his head in disappointment, then turned to his eldest son: "How's the matter I asked you to investigate?"

“Father, the company you asked me to investigate, Zhongxin Investment, has been increasing its holdings in Standard Chartered and HSBC, and has now made a takeover bid with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.”

Old Master Li tapped the rosewood tabletop lightly with his fingertips: "The visitors are up to no good!"

Young Master Li's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately realized: "You suspect that Song Ci is the person behind Zhongxin Investment?"

"Although there is no concrete evidence, it is probably true!" Old Master Li squinted and pondered in his heart: "If it is just Song Ci's personal opinion, then it is fine, but if it is the opinion of the North, then it is terrible!"
Director Wang reminded me some time ago that the influence behind Song Dynasty poetry will increase significantly during next year's imperial court conference.

Hong Kong, the Fok family home, study.

Old Master Huo was giving Young Master Huo a serious lecture: "Although the North has always been kind to our family, your grandfather has passed away after all."

"It remains to be seen how much influence we'll have after next year."

After careful consideration, Young Master Huo said cautiously, "Since Father said that the higher-ups value this richest man, we should try to get closer to him."

"Then do you know why the higher-ups value him so highly?"

"Please enlighten me, Father."

Mr. Huo organized his thoughts: "Since the rise of the Internet in the last century, countless billionaires have emerged in Silicon Valley, USA."

Now, more than a decade later, these tech billionaires, with their considerable power, have begun to participate in the power game, vying for influence with old money families.

Song Ci was a leading figure among China's tech billionaires. Although the national conditions were different, he was destined not to be like the American tech billionaires.

But his strength should not be underestimated, especially considering his youth and the prime of his life.

Young Master Huo suddenly realized: "Father is absolutely right."

"This only concerns a small aspect of his personal life! On a larger scale, the country needs him to take up the banner of internet technology and compete with the United States for international discourse power in the new era of technology."

Therefore, as long as he holds the right position, the country will support him.

"I've learned something, son!" Only now did Young Master Huo realize that this young tycoon's power and background far exceeded the imagination of the world. "I have an immature idea."

"tell me the story."

"If we rashly approach Song Ci, it might arouse his suspicion. It would be better to start by going through his wife and showing goodwill to her."

Old Master Huo nodded slightly: "That's feasible! Have your fiancée try to get in touch with Mrs. Song. Let's show some sincerity by offering a few big brand endorsements so that Song Ci can see the Huo family's goodwill."

(End of this chapter)