Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 386 Turbulence Begins
The celebration banquet hall was packed with guests, bustling with activity and filled with laughter and cheers.

In a corner of the hall, Cai Yinong looked around: "Shishi, where is Chairman Song?"

Liu Shishi gently swirled the wine glass in her hand, and fine golden bubbles rose in the champagne.

“He went home first. Today is the Lantern Festival, and he went to his parents’ house to eat tangyuan (sweet rice balls).”

Her husband was just there to support her today. He left after finishing his business with Han Sanping, since his circle and the entertainment industry were ultimately not on the same level.

"By the way, Sister K, I just discussed a great film project with Chairman Han. I'm afraid the producer will need your help." Sister Yi's tone was light and cheerful. After thinking it over, she decided to ask Sister K for help with the pre-production of "American Dreams in China".

"The movie! No problem, I've got it covered." Cai Yinong's eyes lit up, and his smile widened.

With "Goodbye Mr. Loser," she successfully transitioned from television producer to film producer and established initial relationships with major cinema chains. She was eager to pursue new film projects.

The woman nodded slightly, her expression calm yet revealing a hint of certainty: "We can discuss the specific details another day. My husband is very optimistic about this project and believes it has the potential to be a huge success."

"Great!" Cai Yinong was even more excited. If it weren't for the occasion, she would have liked to immediately pull the top sister to finalize the project.

Just then, a commotion arose not far away. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Fan Bingbing walk into the hall. Her bright red dress was dazzling and instantly attracted everyone's attention.

"Why is she here?"

The first sister thought for a moment: "Director Ma previously directed 'The Golden Era,' which was produced by her studio. Now Director Ma is a director with a box office of over 1 billion yuan. I wonder how many people in the entertainment industry want to get in touch with him."

Cai Yinong squinted at the glamorous Fan Bingbing: "This one is really shrewd, adept at social maneuvering, and knows how to assess the situation."

"Guests are always welcome." Liu Shishi smiled slightly, not taking it to heart at all. The huge success of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" gave her impressive box office results, making her career comparable to the "Four Dan and Two Bing" (a group of four top actresses).

The two then talked about their new drama "Silent Notebook," while Yang Mi was arguing with her boyfriend Liu Kaiwei.

"Mimi, how can you publicly support Zhao Wenzhuo? You'll offend Zhen Zidan if you do this!" Liu Kaiwei gripped his phone tightly, looking anxious.

It turns out that Yang Mi's recent interview with reporters, in which she strongly supported Zhao Wenzhuo, had become a trending topic, which shocked Liu Kaiwei.

Yang Mi frowned slightly, puzzled by her boyfriend's panic: "Brother Zhuo is my friend, I trust his character, what's the problem?"

Liu Kaiwei looked serious and anxiously analyzed the pros and cons for his girlfriend: "Honey, Donnie Yen is a prominent figure in the Hong Kong film industry. If you do this, you will offend the entire Hong Kong film circle, and you might be blacklisted!"

Yang Mi was taken aback, then chuckled softly, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world!
She is a top-tier actress, the leading lady of Tengda Culture, a giant in the entertainment industry. How could she be blacklisted by the declining Hong Kong entertainment circle?

But on second thought, I can understand my boyfriend's concerns, after all, he himself is not a big star, and his father, Liu Dan, is just an ordinary actor at TVB.

Still immersed in the glory days of Hong Kong's film and television industry, they are inevitably blinded by their own limited perspective and unable to see the bigger picture.

Yang Mi took a deep breath and said patiently, "Kaiwei, times have changed! After the millennium, many Hong Kong filmmakers went north to develop their careers. The entertainment industry today is no longer what it used to be."

Liu Kaiwei looked worried: "Mimi, you should clarify this on Weibo. After all, Zhen Zidan is..."

"Enough! I know what I'm doing." Yang Mi interrupted impatiently, a hint of disappointment flashing across her delicate eyes. This was the first time she felt her boyfriend was so lacking in vision and understanding.

Every time Tengda Culture holds a semi-annual meeting, it analyzes the film and television industry landscape in detail. The data clearly shows that the Hong Kong film and television industry is declining. It is utterly absurd that Yang Mi would be afraid of being blacklisted by the Hong Kong film and television industry!
"Okay, alright." Liu Kaiwei stammered, not daring to speak, unconsciously shrinking his shoulders under his girlfriend's powerful aura. The vast difference in their social standing made him feel inferior.

Not far away, Chen Sicheng took in the whole scene, a mocking smile curving his lips, making no attempt to hide his contempt for Liu Kaiwei's cowardly behavior.

"Director Chen, don't make fun of her," Tong Liya said, waving her phone. "Mimi is being targeted right now." The latest developments were clearly displayed on the trending topics list on the screen.

Li Chen curiously leaned closer: "What happened?"

Tong Liya turned her phone towards the two of them: "See for yourselves."

On the screen, Shu Qi's newly posted Weibo post was particularly striking: "@甄子单v is the most dedicated actor I've ever seen. He works despite injuries and never complains. Such a person would never bully others. Some people should reflect on their own actions."

The words clearly point directly to Zhao Wenzhuo, forming a stark contrast to Yang Mi's previous statements.

“Interesting…” Chen Sicheng stroked his chin. “This is no simple matter. But Mimi is part of our ‘Beijing Love Story’ team, so we have to show our support.”

Li Chen looked troubled: "Is this... appropriate?" The Zhen Zhao incident was shrouded in mystery, and he really didn't want to get involved.

"What are you talking about?" Yang Mi arrived gracefully, a champagne glass swirling between her fingers.

Tong Liya grabbed her best friend's arm, her spirits high: "Shu Qi is criticizing you online, and we're discussing how to support you."

"Ya Ya is the best friend ever!" Yang Mi felt a warmth in her heart and secretly thought that she must find a good match for her good friend.

Seeing Tong Liya's stance, Li Chen could only force a smile: "Honey, we all support you."

Just as the "Beijing Love Story" production team reached a consensus, the online battle on Weibo had already spread to the entire celebration banquet.

Fan Bingbing was chatting warmly with Ma Xin when she heard the news, a glint of light flashing in her eyes. "Director Ma, please excuse me. Looking forward to our next collaboration."

Fan Bingbing gracefully took her leave, then turned and went to a quiet corner to dial her agent Mu Xiaoguang's number. "Mr. Mu, have you seen the trending topics?"

A steady male voice came from the other end of the phone: "You want to get involved? The situation is still unclear."

Fan Bingbing's red lips curled slightly, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes: "It's not important. My target is Shu Qi. I've been so tolerant, do you really think I have no temper?"

In January of this year, the cover star of Harper's Bazaar's New Year issue was originally scheduled to be Shu Qi, but Su Mang temporarily changed it to Fan Bingbing.

Shu Qi was naturally indignant that her important fashion resources had been snatched away, and she made several veiled attacks on Fan Bingbing on Weibo.

Fan Bingbing was in the wrong, so she chose to tolerate Shu Qi's online sarcasm. However, the other party became unforgiving and escalated the situation, even using some underhanded tactics, which completely enraged Fan Bingbing, who then decided to stop backing down.

"how do you want to do it?"

A hint of coldness flashed in Fan Bingbing's eyes: "An eye for an eye. I'll return the favor exactly as she arranged for her online trolls to fabricate dirt on me!"
Also, isn't she targeting Yang Mi? Let's go with the flow and add fuel to the fire. Yang Mi's become incredibly popular lately, with over 30 million Weibo followers; we need to guide her properly.”

Mu Xiaoguang understood immediately: "I will arrange it well and handle it cleanly."

Meanwhile, Liu Shishi was also discussing the Zhen-Zhao incident with an acquaintance, curiously inquiring, "Tian Tian, ​​what exactly is going on between Zhen and Zhao?" Jing Tian, ​​who had previously worked with Ma Xin on a campus drama, had also come to offer her congratulations. As the female lead in the drama "Special Identity," she knew the inside story very well.

When asked by the lead actress, he sighed helplessly, "It was indeed Donnie Yen's problem. He made significant changes to Zhao Wenzhuo's scenes, which caused the production to stop for several days."

Miss Jing's delicate face was full of conflict. This matter had caused quite a stir. On the one hand, she wanted to maintain the unity of the crew; on the other hand, she felt that Zhao Wenzhuo had been treated unfairly, which put her, the female lead, in a very difficult and awkward position.

"With the mess that 'Special Identity' is making, it's bound to flop! When will I be able to act in a movie that's both critically acclaimed and commercially successful?"

Jing Tian was dejected. He had thought that with two kung fu superstars joining the cast of "Special Mission," the box office was expected to be a huge hit. But then Zhen and Zhao turned against each other, and it was obvious to everyone that the movie was doomed.

The eldest sister gently comforted her: "Director Ma is about to adapt my husband's novel 'Left Ear' into a film. This is the youth film genre that Tengda Culture excels at. Why don't you give it a try?"

"Great! Great!" Miss Jing's eyes lit up, and she had already begun to plan how to secure the film's resources.

"Shishi, come quick, it's time to smash the ice sculpture!" Hu Ge's call interrupted their conversation.

Liu Shishi patted Jing Tian on the shoulder, then gracefully stepped onto the celebration stage. On the stage, a crystal-clear ice sculpture of "one billion" shone brightly under the lights.

Director Ma Xin, producer Cai Yinong, and the four lead actors stood in front of the ice sculpture, each holding a small golden hammer and forcefully striking it. Each strike was accompanied by applause and cheers from the guests, bringing the celebration banquet to a climax.

The following morning, on Xinwai Street in Beiping, the headquarters building of Huaying Group stood majestically in the rising sun.

Early in the morning, Zhao Haicheng, the head of the production center, had just stepped into his office when he was invited to the top floor by the chairman's secretary.

"Chairman Han, you wanted to see me?" Zhao Haicheng stood respectfully in front of the mahogany desk.

"sit!"

After his subordinates were seated, Han Sanping got straight to the point: "Haicheng, you don't need to worry about the 'Chinese Partners' project."

Yesterday I spoke with Chairman Song of Tengda, and the film will be produced by Liu Shishi's studio. Chairman Song will personally communicate with Mr. Yu regarding the authorization from the three founders of New Oriental.

Zhao Haicheng's lips twitched, suppressing his inner turmoil: "Since the richest man is willing to step forward, that's all the better, but..."

Seeing his capable subordinate hesitate to speak, Han Sanping raised his eyes and said, "Just say whatever the problem is."

Zhao Haicheng forced himself to explain: "I had already discussed this project with director Chen Kexin."

Director Chen has already distributed 70% of the investment shares; the buyers have all been found, and they're just waiting for authorization to sign the contracts.

Han Sanping was clearly taken aback, not expecting his subordinates to be so efficient. He realized that he hadn't discussed the project with his subordinates yesterday before promising it to Liu Shishi's studio, which was indeed a bit thoughtless.

Which companies are the investors in the distribution business?

"Hong Kong Le'an Film Studio, Huanya Film Studio, and Stellar Media."

Upon hearing that it was one of these companies, Han Sanping relaxed and leaned back in his chair, his tone quite disdainful: "Hong Kong capital! They're not qualified to bargain with Huaying and Tengda!"
That's settled then. You'll assist Liu Shishi's studio in completing the project. As for Chen Kexin, tell him we'll collaborate on the next project.

"What a hardship!" Zhao Haicheng sighed inwardly, feeling utterly helpless against his leader's domineering attitude.

As the saying goes, those above open their mouths, while those below run themselves ragged. The chairman happily secures projects and collaborates with the richest man, but how much talk and explanation do they have to expend to explain things to Chen Kexin?

He couldn't help but feel a little resentful towards Han Sanping. Since he had chosen to cooperate with Tengda, why didn't he do it earlier? His matter was just one step away from completion, but unexpected complications arose.

However, no matter how unhappy he was inside, he dared not show it on his face. After all, in the system, a higher rank can have an absolute advantage! "Don't worry, Chairman Han, I will communicate with Chen Kexin properly."

Zhao Haicheng returned to his office in a daze, unable to help but complain about how Han Sanping had handled the matter unethically. However, since his superior had given the order, he still had to complete it.

I breathed a sigh of relief, dialed the number of the famous director Chen Kexin, and told him the whole story.

On the other end of the phone, Chen Kexin was extremely angry: "President Zhao, how could you do this? Although we haven't signed a contract yet, we've almost finished discussing everything."

As you know, I have already distributed a portion of the shares to Mr. Jiang of Le'an Pictures and Mr. Lin of Huanya Pictures. Neither of them are easy to deal with.

"How am I supposed to explain this to them? You have to give me an explanation!"

Since he was in the wrong, Zhao Haicheng smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Director Chen, I didn't mean for things to go wrong."

After all, it was just a verbal agreement. Chairman Han was unaware of the project's progress, yet he awarded the project to Liu Shishi's studio. It's just a movie; we can collaborate on the next project.”

"President Zhao, if Huaying doesn't give us an explanation, things will be very difficult for me!"

After a few words, Zhao Haicheng gradually lost patience. No matter how much he pleaded, Chen Kexin was still relentless. Zhao Haicheng suddenly lost his temper, his tone turned cold, and he was no longer as polite as before.

"Director Chen! I can't give you an explanation. If you want an explanation, go ask Chairman Han or the richest man in Asia!"

As for Boss Jiang and Boss Lin, Chen Kexin, you may be afraid of them, but Huaying doesn't care, and I think the richest man cares even less. That's settled then. If they're unhappy, let them show their tricks!

After ending the call, Zhao Haicheng couldn't help but curse under his breath: "Explanation? Damn it, even Hong Kong entertainment circles have to consider the opinions of Huaying and Tengda when they try to expand northward."

With just a word from Chairman Han and the richest man, the entire mainland film and television industry would have nowhere to hide. You dare ask me for an explanation? You truly don't know what's good for you!

As Zhao Haicheng settled things with Chen Kexin, the entire entertainment industry was in turmoil due to the Zhen-Zhao incident.

Actress Shu Qi publicly supported Donnie Yen yesterday, and after her clear confrontation with Yang Mi, she instantly became the target of attacks from Yang Mi and Zhao Wenzhuo's fans.

Netizens posted clips of her filming action-romance movies online and launched a barrage of insults against her, with various vulgarities flooding the Weibo comment section.

Director Feng Xiaogang, who had collaborated with Shu Qi on two films titled "If You Are the One," spoke out in support of his longtime collaborator. However, he was met with ridicule and sarcasm from netizens, who jokingly referred to him as "Shu Qi's protector." Amidst the uproar, Feng Xiaogang was so frightened that he quickly disabled comments on his Weibo account and withdrew from the matter.

Following Feng Xiaogang, Hong Kong director Wang Jing joined the fray, posting on Weibo: "Everyone in the industry knows that Zhao Wenzhuo has character issues, and I support Donnie Yen."

As one act ends, another begins: several lead actors from the hit drama "Love Story of Beiping" voiced their support for Yang Mi on Weibo, indirectly siding with Zhao Wenzhuo. This battle of factionalism in the entertainment industry is evolving into a direct confrontation between mainland and Hong Kong forces.

(End of this chapter)