Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 379 Famous Scene

The Four Seasons Hotel, private banquet hall. As dusk settles, the crystal chandelier casts a soft glow, illuminating the joyous reunion banquet of the Song and Liu families.

"Uncle, Aunt! Uncle, Aunt!" Liu Yuqing greeted her elders one by one with a smile and a voice as clear as a silver bell.

Liu Xiaoxian reached out and gently stroked her niece's hair. She had missed her dearly since they hadn't seen each other for a while.

"In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yuqing has grown into a beautiful young woman. She's become more and more lovely. I wonder which lucky young man will be able to marry her in the future."

Song Zhang chuckled and teased, "Does Yuqing have a boyfriend at school?"

"No, no." Liu Yuqing's ears turned red, and she waved her hands repeatedly. "I'm still young, and I don't want to be in a relationship right now."

Liu Shishi smiled and said, "My sister has quite a few suitors at school. I heard it when I went to pick her up from school this afternoon. The 'Tsinghua University beauties' have at least a reinforced company of suitors."

"Sister-in-law!" The little girl stomped her feet in embarrassment and burrowed into her aunt's arms.

As the streetlights outside the window began to twinkle, Song Zhang glanced at his watch: "It's almost six o'clock, why isn't New Year's Day here yet?"

Liu Xiaoxian turned to her daughter-in-law: "Shishi, go and call Yuandan. Don't get so busy that you forget the time."

"He's meeting with guests upstairs. I'll go check on him." Liu Shishi gracefully stood up, slightly lifting her skirt, and left the private room.

Watching Liu Shishi's graceful figure disappear into the distance, Liu Yuqing rested her chin on her hands and softly praised, "Sister-in-law, you have such a beautiful demeanor, so elegant and gentle."

Song Zhang nodded slightly, quite satisfied with his daughter-in-law, and turned to his in-laws, saying, "Shishi's parents, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

The two kids got their marriage certificate a while ago, and Song Ci and I discussed it the other day. We're planning to have the wedding on New Year's Day next year. What do you think?

Mrs. Liu was overjoyed: "This is a joyous occasion! The wedding should mainly be arranged according to the children's wishes, to see what kind of wedding they want."

"Whatever my son-in-law says." Father Liu readily agreed, and the Song family truly had no complaints about their daughter.

Song Zhang looked apologetic: "I'm quite busy with work, so I'll have to trouble you to take care of the wedding."

“Father-in-law, you’re busy. Saving lives is the most important thing! I don’t have a job, so I’ll take care of the details of the wedding.”

Liu's mother quickly responded that she had heard from her daughter that her in-laws were preparing to run for academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences next year, which would be a great honor for the family.

Mr. Liu also chimed in at the opportune moment: "Old Song, you're busy with important matters, you don't need to worry about the child's wedding."

Liu Xiaoxian gently nudged her husband's arm: "Are you confident about next year?"

Sensing the eager gazes of everyone at the table, Song Zhang, though somewhat confident, dared not speak out of turn:

"I am qualified in terms of academic achievements and social contributions. My teacher will recommend me next year. There shouldn't be any problem with the candidate review. However, no one can say for sure when the faculty votes."

Noticing the new silver strands at Song Zhang's temples, Liu Xiaoxian gently held her husband's hand and softly comforted him, "Being a candidate is already a great honor. Even if you don't make it in the end, it's still a valuable experience. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Looking at her uncle and aunt's clasped hands, Liu Yuqing felt a little envious. Her uncle and aunt had been loving and devoted to each other for nearly thirty years, which was the most precious kind of happiness in the world.

Suddenly I realized that perhaps it was because of their parents' example that my brother was so deeply in love with my senior sister, and that they had such a harmonious and loving relationship.

Over there, Liu Shishi, wearing high heels, went upstairs to the hotel's meeting room. Tang Yue and the others who were guarding the door immediately bowed and greeted the landlady upon her arrival: "Madam."

"Is the gentleman still inside discussing matters?" Liu Shishi asked softly.

Tang Yue nodded in response: "The boss is currently meeting with guests."

"Who is he meeting?" Liu Shishi paused slightly. If her husband was meeting an important guest, it would be inappropriate for her to interrupt him.

"It's Ms. Wang Fengying, President of Great Wall Motors. If you want to come in, that's fine," Tang Yue replied, tactfully pushing open the carved wooden door.

Upon hearing that he was a businessman, Liu Shishi no longer hesitated and gracefully walked into the reception room.

Inside, Song Ci and Wang Fengying chatted happily.

Although he had some knowledge of the manufacturing industry, many of his doubts were cleared up after Wang Fengying explained things in detail. He couldn't help but sigh that it's like being in a completely different world.

"Mr. Wang, do you think the company still needs to conduct research and development on new materials?"

"As far as I know, rockets and satellites all require high-strength, low-density, high-temperature and low-temperature resistant functional materials. If Mr. Song wants Dewen Manufacturing to make achievements in the aerospace field, investment in the research and development of new materials is indispensable."

"Then let's invest!" Song said resolutely, inwardly sighing that money really doesn't last long. He and Wang Fengying had just roughly calculated that if they wanted to expand their major business empires, they simply couldn't support it without an investment of two or three hundred billion US dollars.

As he was pondering this, he caught a glimpse of the door opening out of the corner of his eye, and his wife gracefully entered, a gentle smile immediately appearing on her face: "Shishi, what brings you here?"

"Honey, are you done talking? Mom and Dad are waiting for you." Liu Shishi walked gracefully to her husband's side, her gaze falling on the middle-aged woman opposite them. "And who is this?"

"This is Ms. Wang Fengying, President of Great Wall Motors. She will be my partner from now on." Song Ci stood up and introduced the two to each other: "President Wang, this is my wife, Liu Shishi."

Wang Fengying, not daring to be negligent, addressed the proprietress across the street: "Hello, Madam, I've long admired your name."

Liu Shishi understood immediately. She knew that her husband had always wanted to build cars, and the man in front of her must be the president of her husband's new company, whose status was comparable to that of Zhang Yong and Wang Jing of Tengda Group.

So, giving him face, she politely bowed and said in a poised and generous manner: "Hello, Mr. Wang, I hope you will take good care of my husband in our future work."

"Madam, you flatter me. It was President Song who gave me a lot of guidance."

After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Shishi warmly invited, "Today is my husband's birthday. A small feast has been prepared downstairs. Mr. Wang, why don't you join us for a get-together?"

It was the boss's birthday and he was hosting a family banquet. Wang Fengying was not going to be so tactless: "I have other things to do. I won't disturb Mr. Song and his wife. I'll host another day. I hope Mr. Song and his wife will do me the honor of attending."

Song Ci glanced down at her watch: "It's getting late, so let's call it a day. Mr. Wang, we can discuss this further another day. Secretary Song, please see Mr. Wang off for me. You two will be working together in the future, so you can exchange ideas more often."

Upon arriving at the spacious and bright banquet hall, Liu Shishi took Song Ci's arm and said with a smile, "The birthday celebrant has arrived, you can serve the dishes now."

After greeting the four elders, Song Ci jokingly teased her younger cousin, "Isn't this Liu, the campus belle from Tsinghua University?"

Liu Yuqing playfully wrinkled her delicate nose: "Doesn't the richest man welcome me?" Liu Shishi gently punched her husband's shoulder and scolded, "Don't bully your little sister."

Song Ci, the birthday celebrant, took his seat at the head of the table and said, "I asked the hotel manager, and the Four Seasons Hotel has very authentic Cantonese cuisine. Let's order a few dishes to try!"

At the banquet, the family was filled with laughter and joy, enjoying a harmonious and happy time together.

After finishing her meal and feeling satisfied, Liu Shishi instructed the staff to bring out a cake.

As the candles were lit and the candlelight flickered, Liu Shishi gazed tenderly at her husband, who was wearing a crown, and sang a birthday song with her family, offering her beloved husband her best wishes.

With her hands clasped together and eyes closed, Song Ci made a wish: "May my parents, wife, and relatives be safe and happy!"

Time flies, and two short weeks have passed in the blink of an eye. In the blink of an eye, it's January 14th, the premiere day of the two movies, "Goodbye Mr. Loser" and "The Banquet".

That morning, director Ma Xin started the discussion on Weibo: "Director Lu, do you still remember our promise from last year? Are you ready?"

As early as last year during the "Cai-Yu dispute," Lu Chuan, a rising film director, looked down on Ma Xin because Ma Xin came from a television drama background. After a verbal exchange on Weibo, the two became enemies.

Ma Xin's remarks were both a challenge to Lu Chuan and a veiled attempt to create hype.

Lu Chuan was fully aware of Ma Xin's intentions. His film, "The Banquet," had an investment of nearly 100 million yuan and featured many top-tier stars; he was brimming with confidence in this labor of love.

Therefore, Lu Chuan was extremely disdainful of Ma Xin's hype tactics and immediately responded: "Some people should spend more time on film production."

These dismissive remarks thoroughly enraged Ma Xin, further escalating the conflict between the two directors. However, this exchange of barbs also officially kicked off the 2012 Spring Festival film season battle.

In the evening, the premiere of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" was held in the screening hall of Wanda International Cinema. Many celebrities came to show their support, and artists from Tengda Culture and Tangren Media were all present.

Director Ma Xin and the four lead actors, Liu Shishi, Shen Teng, Hu Ge, and Yang Mi, stood on the stage to be interviewed by reporters.

"Director Ma, what are your expectations for the box office performance of this film?"

Holding the microphone, Ma Xin took a deep breath and uttered the bold statement that had been pre-arranged:
"Goodbye Mr. Loser is definitely a film worth looking forward to. With the addition of many excellent and popular actors, I think the box office will not be less than 6 million yuan."

As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

It's worth noting that in the history of Chinese-language films, only "Let the Bullets Fly," "Aftershock," and "The Flowers of War," which is about to reach the 600 million yuan mark, have ever grossed over 600 million yuan. All three of these films were directed by top directors in the film industry.

As a newcomer director in the film industry, Ma Xin's setting such high goals for his debut film inevitably makes people think he is too arrogant.

After Ma Xin's bold statement, the reporters turned their attention to the three lead actors who had previously worked together on "Chinese Paladin 3": "The three of you, this is your second collaboration after 'Chinese Paladin 3.' What are your special feelings about it?"

Upon hearing this question, a complex emotion flashed in Yang Mi's eyes. Back then, she and Hu Ge were deeply in love, but now everything had changed.

Liu Shishi, the film's leading actress, was the first to answer reporters' questions: "In recent years, everyone has become more mature in terms of acting skills and character. Director Ma just mentioned that the box office could reach 6 million, and I think that's entirely possible."

I'm confident that together with Lao Hu and Mimi, we can continue the glory of "Chinese Paladin 3" into "Goodbye Mr. Loser."

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. Hu Ge and Yang Mi followed suit, offering their support for the director and expressing optimism about the box office performance.

"Mr. Shen Teng, I'm a reporter from Toutiao Entertainment. As a comedian who has appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage many times, what are your expectations for your first film role?"

Shen Teng smiled, secretly relieved. Although he had appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage many times and had a high level of national recognition, his popularity still lagged behind that of top-tier celebrities like Liu Shishi and Yang Mi, and he had previously been overlooked by reporters.

"I am very grateful to Director Ma for giving me this opportunity. I still remember the scene when he came to the Happy Twist Theater to invite me. As a newcomer to film, I am grateful for the care of everyone in the crew. This filming experience has been very rewarding, and I would like to continue to participate in more films in the future if I have the opportunity."

After the creative team answered several questions from reporters, the screening of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" officially began.

As the cinema dome darkened, the gilded dragon logo pierced the sky like golden scales, followed by the Tengda Culture logo slowly blooming on the giant screen.

In the shadows of the audience seats, several whispers could be heard. Luo Yuhao, half-lying down, lowered his voice and asked, "Haoyu, when are we going to find Liu Shishi?"

Cai Haoyu gently waved his hand, signaling his friend to calm down. He glanced at the crowd of people watching the film with bated breath: "Let's wait until the screening is over. If we rush up now and disrupt the premiere, we'll offend people and all our efforts will be wasted."

Liu Wei, sitting next to me, quietly agreed: "Let's do it that way! Have you brought all the documents?"

Cai Haoyu patted the bulging briefcase in his arms: "Not a single item is missing!"

These three individuals are the founders of the Donghai miHoYo Studio. They went through many twists and turns to obtain three premiere tickets and are now lurking in the darkness, waiting for the crucial moment after the show ends.

When the movie started playing on the screen, Cai Haoyu and his two friends composed themselves and focused on watching the film.

Shen Teng's character, Xia Luo, drunkenly stumbles into the school beauty's wedding. Despite his suit and tie, he can't hide his shabby appearance. He is quickly exposed by Liu Shishi's character, Liu Xuemei, and his disheveled appearance elicits soft laughter from the audience.

Liu Shishi's appearance caused a stir. The once gentle and lovely "white moonlight" on the screen now had dark circles under her eyes and furrowed brows, looking exactly like a common woman whose edges had been worn down by life.

The plot accelerates dramatically after Xia Luo falls asleep in the bathroom and travels back to 1997. Using his future memories, he gains incredible power, confronting teachers, pursuing the school beauty, and even appropriating hit songs by Pu Shu and Dou Wei, transforming himself into a pop superstar who is famous throughout the country.

"What a loser!" Luo Yuhao couldn't help but sneer. "With your first pot of gold after being reborn, why are you going to become a singer instead of investing in Song Dynasty poetry?"

Liu Wei was amused by his friend's STEM-minded thinking: "Movies are just for fun. Investing in Song Dynasty poetry is too difficult. The richest man would never look at Xia Luo."

Cai Haoyu gazed at the screen, his voice filled with emotion: "Some people are born with extraordinary vision, which even those who are reborn cannot match."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Wei suddenly widened his eyes.

On screen, Yang Mi, who plays Qiu Ya, emerges from the water in a fiery red swimsuit, her curves creating a breathtaking arc.

Amidst the shimmering water, she tossed her long hair and smiled sweetly, captivating not only Yuan Hua, played by Hu Ge in the drama, but also the male audience members below the stage.

Liu Shishi, sitting in the front row, subconsciously turned to the side, her gaze sweeping over Yang Mi's impressive curves, then glancing down at herself, a helpless smile playing on her lips, "Just average."

Her fingertips unconsciously traced the armrest of the seat as she muttered to herself, "It wasn't this different before, could it be that Mimi really had plastic surgery..."

(End of this chapter)