How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 284 Younger children have to wait in line even more (2-in-1)

A twenty-year-old girl is at the age when she loves to fantasize and dream about everything.

Especially when there is an opportunity to be in a relatively enclosed space, one can amplify and immerse oneself in this aspiration.

At the celebration banquet, Li Yunxiao and the others were only one table away from Wang Yao, and it felt like they could touch him if they took a few steps.

Unfortunately, Wang Yao was surrounded by older and more experienced seniors. However, the women were inexplicably excited when they thought that after the banquet, President Wang might ride back with them in the company car and that more stories might happen on the way.

But unexpectedly, a Cheng Yaojin suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

When everyone saw Wang Yao get into the Porsche driven by Yang Mi, it was as if they heard the sound of hearts breaking; their initial anticipation instantly turned into disappointment.

"Is that Senior Yang Mi?" Li Yunxiao whispered as she watched the Porsche drive away, leaning against the car window.

"It really is beautiful," Chen Lijun exclaimed.

“Yes.” Jin Chen clicked his tongue.

"Mr. Wang and Sister Mi are still working so late?" Li Yitong joked with a smile.

"It's been so tough. Success really doesn't happen without a reason," Li Yunxiao remarked.

Jin Chen glanced at Li Yunxiao, whose face was full of innocence.

Sister, you don't need to be so empathetic. Their hardships might be different from your understanding.

"Check your belongings, don't forget anything." Huo Siyan got into the car, a smile on her face but a hint of gloom in her eyes.

Yang Mi's appearance here at this time was clearly arranged by Qin Lan, who probably didn't want her to have a chance to get close to Wang Yao.

Is it really necessary to be so guarded between sisters?

Mr. Wang has so many women around him, shouldn't we sisters work together to try and win them over? Do you, Qin Lan, really think you can outmaneuver Zhang Meng?
However, she had long since outgrown the stage of getting jealous over trivial matters. Having established herself at Huayi for so many years, she had become very composed and had developed her own set of skills in forming cliques and pleasing the boss.

"Sister Siyan, you have a great capacity for alcohol!" Li Yitong said with a smile.

Although no one dared to try to get them drunk at the banquet, there were still polite toasts. Huo Siyan basically handled all the toasts by herself, drinking at least a bottle of baijiu, and now she was surprisingly clear-headed and not drunk at all.

"You've got some talent and you've been drinking a lot, so you've all gotten this good. You're all lucky to have caught up with such a good era. If it were in the past, you wouldn't be able to leave the table without each of you drinking at least eight ounces. You should thank President Wang for protecting you," Huo Siyan said with a smile.

"Sister Siyan, was it really necessary to be able to drink in the entertainment industry back then?" Jin Chen asked curiously. She could drink, but because of warnings from her family and company requirements, she couldn't drink outside.

"It's not just now, it's now, and it will be the same in the future. Because people in power love to drink, others have to know how too. If they don't know how, they have to learn, otherwise they won't be able to get into any circle. This is called 'what the superiors do, the inferiors follow.' And if pretty girls like you don't develop your drinking capacity, it's quite dangerous," Huo Siyan said meaningfully.

The girls immediately sat up straight, their little minds starting to fill in the blanks.

"I noticed that President Wang didn't drink any alcohol all night, so since President Wang doesn't drink, we company employees don't need to drink either, right?" Li Yunxiao asked blankly.

"Possibly, but it's mostly for your protection." Huo Siyan blinked.

"President Wang is such a good person," Jin Chen remarked.

Huo Siyan glanced at her with a smile but didn't reply.

Young, promising, good-looking, of good character, and most importantly, wielding enormous power—such a person is either a naturally good person or a more terrifying existence than the bad.

"Sister Siyan, what's the relationship between Sister Mi and President Wang?" Li Yitong asked curiously.

"Don't gossip," Huo Siyan said, trying to cover for Yang Mi. "Yang Mi has another engagement with President Wang. All the A-level artists in the company have the opportunity to get President Wang's private contact information. Besides, President Wang is different from other big company bosses. He's down-to-earth and loves making friends."

Who knows what Yang Mi wanted to meet with Wang Yao for so late at night? She just said, "Let's just believe her."

"Wow, I can even be friends with President Wang?" Li Yunxiao's eyes widened instantly.

To her, Wang Yao was no different from a school principal. She had studied at the Yue Opera Academy for two years and was able to see the principal at the opening ceremony every year, let alone befriend him.

"Of course, as long as you have enough personal value, you can make friends with anyone." Huo Siyan observed the expressions of the girls.

“A-level? We’re only C-level.” Li Yitong wrinkled her nose.

"All you need to go from C-level to A-level is one hit work. Our variety show should gain us a lot of fans. If we accumulate more points, we can apply for another TV series or variety show." Jin Chen was full of ambition.

Li Yunxiao and Chen Lijun are still students and have not yet graduated. They have signed the lowest level E trainee contract, so they can only passively accept resources assigned by the company and cannot apply for them on their own initiative.

However, once they graduate or reach adulthood, they can automatically be promoted to a D-level contract.

"You're dreaming. How many hit dramas are there nationwide each year? Don't think you can do it just because Nazha and the others became famous overnight. That's all luck. For us, it's better not to be so ambitious. Focusing on building up popularity and experience is the right way." Huo Siyan gave them a slap on the wrist.
"Moreover, there are hundreds of artists in the company, all lining up to compete for quality resources. Let's just wait and see."

"It's okay, we're still young, we have plenty of time," Li Yunxiao said, encouraging Chen Lijun while holding her hand.

“Younger children have to wait in line even more,” Chen Lijun couldn’t help but complain.

Upon hearing this, Jin Chen awkwardly touched his nose, while Li Yitong seemed to be deep in thought.

Is there any way to cut in line?
"Why are you picking me up so late? Is something wrong?" Wang Yao asked curiously, watching Yang Mi bounce up and down with the speed bumps.

"Hehe, I'm about to start filming and won't see you for over a month, so I was afraid you'd forget about me. I just wanted to show my face." Yang Mi said with a grin.

"Come on, did you get into some trouble?" Wang Yao chuckled.

Filming for "The Island" was about to begin, but because it was a small production, it could be completed in less than a month. Then, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" finished airing, and "Palace" took over the time slot. After "Palace" finished airing, "The Island" was ready to be released and make a profit.

Moreover, since she politely declined Yang Mi's offer last time, the awkward period hasn't passed yet. Given her personality, she shouldn't be in such a hurry to launch a second offensive. So, it's highly likely that either Qin Lan sent her to monitor Huo Siyan, or she has something to ask of her.

After all, Yang Mi isn't some naive and innocent girl; she's quite shrewd.

"Mr. Wang really knows me inside and out. It seems my acting skills still need some work. You've figured me out completely." Yang Mi stuck out her tongue.

"Speak," Wang Yao said, pretending not to understand Yang Mi's lewd words.

“I have a friend who wanted me to inquire whether he could come to Xinghuo,” Yang Mi said with a smile.

The company's internal artists are divided into two factions: one is the Tianhuo faction, which is directly under Tianhuo Entertainment and mainly consists of Wang Jinhua's team; the other is the Xinghuo faction, whose contracts are signed with Xinghuo Cooperative, but are managed by Tianhuo.

The former refers to artists directly affiliated with the Tianhuo system, while the latter represents artists from the main lineage. Studios of artists like Fan Bingbing belong to the collateral lineage.

Outsiders all assumed that Star Society was also a subsidiary of SkyNet, but insiders knew very well that these were two unrelated companies. Starfire belonged entirely to Wang Yao, and the relationship between them varied depending on how close they were.

"Who is it?" Wang Yao asked, frowning.

"The actress I worked with in both 'Beauty' and 'Palace' is named Tong Liya. She's beautiful, a great actress, and has a lot of potential," Yang Mi introduced.

Wang Yao raised an eyebrow slightly. It was quite a coincidence. He had originally wanted to cast Tong Liya as the eldest sister in "Red Relics," but he hesitated because she seemed to have already signed with Huayi Brothers.

“I remember her, Zhao Feiyan, right? But didn’t she sign with Huayi? She even attended the Huayi Night last month,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

"It's just a cooperative relationship. Her company is called Xiaqi in Jinling. They used to specialize in advertising, but this year they started to transform into film and television. Fan Wei's hit drama 'The Boss's Happy Life' was invested in by them at the beginning of the year. After making money, they started to cooperate deeply with Huayi. But she doesn't like the current model, and there's an older brother in the company who keeps harassing her," Yang Mi explained.

"Who is it?" Wang Yao raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Have you heard of Wu Xiubo?" Yang Mi asked.

"I've heard a little about it." Wang Yao smiled. "She can come, it's also a B-level contract. The company can help cover the penalty for breach of contract, which will be deducted gradually later. But you need to make our company's competitive system clear to her."

"I knew President Wang was so righteous, he would definitely stand up for what's right!" Yang Mi was overjoyed upon hearing this and began to rant about Wu Xiubo and play the victim for Tong Liya.

She was indeed a chatterbox; she didn't stop talking the whole way, all the way to the company dormitory parking lot.

"Do you live far away?" Wang Yao glanced at the time; it was almost 1:30. He didn't recall the journey being that far and seriously suspected that Yang Mi had taken a detour.

"It's alright. If I drive fast on the way back, I should be home by a little after 2 a.m.," Yang Mi said casually.

"Then don't go back, just make do for one night," Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Huh?" Yang Mi was stunned for a moment, then blushed instantly, lowered her eyes and said shyly, "Isn't that a bad idea? There are so many people in the dormitory, what if someone gets bumped into us?"

“Nazha is still in Paris doing research, the room has been empty, you can make do for the night.” Wang Yao glanced at her.

"Huh?" Yang Mi was taken aback upon hearing this.

So you were just making do at Naza's place for the night?

"What's wrong?" Wang Yao asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Yang Mi waved her hand with an awkward smile.

"I'm going to the Forbidden City tomorrow, if you're free you can be my tour guide," Wang Yao said casually.

"Okay." Yang Mi nodded with an awkward smile. After being arranged to stay in Nazha's dormitory by Wang Yao, Yang Mi first reported the situation to Qin Lan, then relayed the good news to Tong Liya, and then slumped onto the sofa, falling into a state of empty self-doubt.

Can't we even make do for one night?

The next morning, Yang Mi appeared in front of Wang Yao with dark circles under her eyes.

"Didn't sleep well?" Wang Yao raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I'm having trouble sleeping in this bed, shall we go?" Yang Mi smiled.

"You don't need to drive." Wang Yao waved his hand and led her into a Mercedes-Benz RV.

"What task did Mr. Wang assign me today? I'm familiar with the Forbidden City, but asking me to be a tour guide is really difficult, I'm an art student." Yang Mi didn't stand on ceremony and lay down in the car.

"You can just be the mascot; I'll have someone else to explain things," Wang Yao said with a smile.

When the car arrived at its destination, Yang Mi got out and was stunned when she saw Guo Degang and Yu Qian: "Oh, aren't these the Emperor and Empress of Crosstalk? What happened when the theater closed down and they became tour guides?"

Yang Mi has been a fan of crosstalk since she was a child. She often went to watch Guo Degang's performances when she was in school. Last year, when Guo Degang was filming "Three Smiles", the two met in Hengdian. Afterwards, she appeared on Guo's show and became an online friend. At that time, Yang Mi also wanted to ride on the popularity of Deyun Society's first female disciple.

If it were anyone else poking at Guo Degang's back like that, he would have already turned pale. But he didn't care at all about Yang Mi's conditions: "You unfilial disciple, you unfilial disciple, such a big thing happened to your family and you're still here trying to hook up with a rich man."

“Don’t drag Mr. Wang into your personal feud. He’s an entrepreneur, not a tycoon,” Yu Qian chimed in, trying to smooth things over.

"If Mr. Wang had told me you brought her, I wouldn't have come," Guo Degang joked.

"What? I'm Cao Jin?" Yang Mi said with a mischievous smile.

"Tsk!" Guo Degang glared.

"Stop joking around, you two. Mr. Wang's time is precious, unlike you two unemployed bums," Yu Qian said with a smile.

"I invited you two here today mainly to study the cultural relics in the Forbidden City," Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Wow, Mr. Wang's mouth is really after my head!" Guo Degang exclaimed in surprise.

Wang Yao explained the arrangements made with the Red Mansion in Bali.

"That's great! This is great! Spreading Chinese culture is our duty!" Yu Qian said with a beaming smile.

He was a complete playboy, especially fond of old things. Being able to spread them overseas with Wang Yao's help was definitely a good thing for an enthusiast like him.

He was just worried that no one would play with him.

"I'm good at opera singing and storytelling, and I can talk about the past and present with some knowledge, but I'm a complete novice when it comes to cultural relics. Brother Qian is the expert." Guo Degang was more cautious and dared not take on any work easily.

"Leave professional matters to professionals. Teacher Guo said that book reading can be combined with cultural relics to explain the stories behind the relics, which is edutainment. Teacher Yu is an expert and can host an interview program with more experts."
"Many cultural relics at the Red Mansion in Bali have fallen into disrepair over the years. I checked and found that there is a severe shortage of relevant personnel in China. I'm also planning to produce a variety show, tentatively titled 'I Repair Cultural Relics in the Forbidden City/Red Mansion,' to promote these traditional crafts and commercialize some related products, providing some commercial support to give back to the archaeology profession," Wang Yao explained his ideas.

"This is a great act of merit," Guo Degang said with deep respect.

He has been promoting Peking Opera for the past few years, and the price he has to pay behind the scenes is enormous; it's simply a thankless task.

It's truly remarkable that Wang Yao has such thoughts at such a young age.

"The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people. President Wang is truly righteous," Yu Qian remarked.

"Don't just talk the talk, give money if you have it, and do your work if you have it," Yang Mi cheered from the sidelines, arms crossed.

"Where are you?" Guo Degang chuckled, turned around and cupped his hands, saying, "I know that Mr. Wang is giving me a chance to help me since my theater is closed recently. I naturally have to appreciate his help. Please let me know if you need anything."

The storm surrounding Deyun Society hasn't subsided yet, and this is arguably Guo Degang's darkest hour. So he sought help from Tan Hui to see if there was any way to ease the situation. Tan Hui was currently focused on his plans after the huge success of "22" and didn't have time to deal with him, but he mentioned it to Wang Yao out of politeness.

Just in time, Wang Yao needs some creators with a grassroots feel and an understanding of the lower-tier market, and Guo Degang is the best candidate. In addition, the "Red Heritage" project needs someone knowledgeable and well-connected to help manage it, and Yu Qian is the perfect fit.

Actually, Ma Weidu is also suitable, but unfortunately he is too close to Huayi, and he is too self-serving, which could easily lead to mistakes. He is not worth entrusting with important tasks.

"Teacher Guo, you flatter me. Every cloud has a silver lining. Public opinion is only temporary. I am still very optimistic about the future development of Deyun Society. However, I am more interested in the storytelling industry. Would Teacher Guo be interested in introducing me to some relevant teachers and experts?" Wang Yao smiled.

The traditional art of storytelling will only change its form, not disappear, because the human need to listen to stories will always exist. Many novels on Xinghuo Literature Network are already beginning to emerge, and it's time to develop audiobook versions of these stories.
Especially in the core business of 'film and television editing', some storytelling skills and systems are needed to increase the fun and process. The scripts for film and television editing are very different from those for marketing accounts and need to be more distinctive. This is something that broadcasting professionals across the country cannot train or adapt to in the short term.

Therefore, the江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit of the storytelling industry is needed to drive it.

"Oh, Mr. Wang, are you really going to start a medical career? The storytelling industry is almost starving. There are only a few experts left who are drawing salaries without working. The enthusiasts in the field are all struggling to make ends meet. I estimate there are only one or two hundred people in the whole country who can be employed." Guo Degang said with some surprise.

Storytelling is his second most important professional art after crosstalk, but he believes that the industry has lost all commercial value, especially after the advent of the Internet. With so many entertainment options available, fewer people listen to storytelling anymore. He never expected that Wang Yao would want to enter the market.

"The requirements aren't that high, as long as it works. But it's not about telling old stories; it's about using the tradition and system of storytelling to cultivate new talent. There will be someone to handle this for you; I don't really know much about it," Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Just do what I tell you to do, why are you talking so much?" Yang Mi chuckled.

"You have no manners." Guo Degang rolled his eyes at her. "Alright, I'll definitely get it done for you."

As they walked and chatted, Yu Qian, who was very familiar with the people at Gu Bo, took Wang Yao on a tour and introduced him to several leaders. With Yu Qian as guarantor and Yang Mi acting as a mascot, Lao Deng was completely charmed.

Considering Tan Hui's influence, and the fact that he's helping with publicity for free and promoting the Palace Museum's cultural tourism and creative projects, why wouldn't they accept such a free investment?

They quickly reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with Gu Bo, especially the cooperation with Bali Honglou, which aroused the interest of many people.

After all, if some cultural relics could really be brought back from the Dream of the Red Chamber, that would be a major event.

After finalizing the collaborations on "Red Heritage" and film and television storytelling, it was already evening when Tan Hui arrived with a convoy of Rolls-Royces to pick up Wang Yao for dinner.

"Such a grand display?" Wang Yao chuckled, looking at the row of brand-new cars.

"It's all thanks to Mr. Wang's support. This car is a gift for you." Tan Hui pointed to the customized Phantom with license plate number 京A88888 leading the way.

"Isn't this license plate Mr. Li's?" Wang Yao raised an eyebrow slightly.

The owner of this license plate is Li Xiaohua, a reclusive tycoon and a leading figure in luxury car ownership, who made the news just last year.

“Mr. Li is now a shareholder of Xingmei, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me to ask him for a car, right?” Tan Hui smiled broadly.

"You should keep it for yourself. I prefer making RVs," Wang Yao said with a smile and a wave of his hand.

Yang Mi, Guo Degang, and Yu Qian clicked their tongues behind them, their eyes fixed on the car, indicating that they didn't quite understand the world of the rich.

"Alright, let's go eat. Ren Quan is already here." Tan Hui didn't seem to mind, as if it were expected.

"Then we'll take our leave now." Guo Degang was very perceptive.

“Let’s go together,” Wang Yao said with a smile. Tan Hui glanced at Wang Yao, then smiled at Guo Degang: “Sure, it’s a private gathering.”

Guo Degang and Yu Qian hesitated for a moment, then got into the car.

Ren Quan looks much more prosperous after not seeing him for several months; it seems he's been having a lot of social engagements lately.

"Oh, Mr. Wang, is this Mr. Wang, the major shareholder of our company? The Mr. Wang who is about to become the world's leading cinema chain?" Ren Quan teased upon meeting him.

“It’s Mr. Wang, who’s about to withdraw his investment.” Wang Yao chuckled.

"Huh?" Ren Quan was startled and looked at Wang Yao uncertainly: "Really? Don't scare me?"

Kanpianer.com has been doing very well recently. It's so good that it has earned nearly 100 million yuan in commission revenue from just one movie, "22". This is because the movie had a long-term focus on marketing and promotion, relying entirely on online organic traffic. The online ticket purchase rate reached a staggering 60%, and the combination tickets with Michelle were sold out multiple times. This directly brought Kanpianer.com more than 3 million new annual members.

Currently, Kanpianer.com has over 700 million annual members, and its revenue and net profit in Q3 exceeded 6000 million yuan. Its valuation has long been firmly at 30 billion yuan, and many investors in the industry, including Tencent, have repeatedly sought to invest and cooperate with it.

The main factors behind the exceptionally high revenue are the unique services offered by the Tianhuo brand, Mixue, and the one-day store manager program. Without these additional services, user stickiness and growth rate would not have been so rapid.

These three core profit drivers are all in Wang Yao's hands, and even the core technology of Kanpianer.com currently relies on Wang Yao.

If he really intends to withdraw his investment, the profits from watching movies will definitely decline significantly, which would be a fatal problem.

Moreover, Wang Yao is the major shareholder with 25% ownership. If he were to cash out and withdraw his shares, it would be a fatal blow, and the valuation would likely be significantly reduced.

"Just kidding, but with the current revenue, we can definitely consider Series B funding. The new mobile app is ready to launch," Wang Yao said with a smile.

看片儿网目前应该能占据票房市场15~20%以上的份额，700万年费会员只是一个开始，未来至少有5~10倍的增长。

The mobile version we developed has finished testing, so we can ask the movie streaming site for payment now.

"That scared me to death." Ren Quan punched Wang Yao and then invited everyone to sit down and eat.

"What's the valuation?" Tan Hui asked with interest.

"At least 30 deals, and we're prepared to sell 20% of our stake in the Series B round," Ren Quan said with a smile.

"That's too little. I'll chase after 30 myself," Wang Yao said.

This offer is actually quite standard, but Wang Yao would definitely have been willing to accept this valuation two months ago. However, with the current boom in the film and television market and the limitless imagination, he definitely wants to pay as much as possible.

"Boss Wang really doesn't let his brothers have a drop of soup," Tan Hui laughed.

Kanpianer.com's growth trend and revenue are even stronger than Xingmei Cinema. Moreover, the mobile internet era is just beginning, and its future valuation may reach tens of billions. It is indeed worth considering holding it for the long term.

“Who would complain about having too much money?” Wang Yao laughed.

Guo Degang listened to the bigwigs discussing valuations that were often in the hundreds of millions, his mind racing with mixed feelings, and he was distracted.

"It got into its nose," Yu Qian whispered a reminder.

"Brother Qian, how much do you think Deyun Society will be worth in the future?" Guo Degang asked in a low voice.

"What does its value have to do with me? I don't own any shares. You should discuss it with your wife," Yu Qian chuckled.

Guo Degang's lips twitched slightly as he pondered to himself.

“There’s no point in arguing here. We still have to listen to the evaluation agency. But if Tencent really wants to invest, they’ll definitely try to lower the price. I suggest we see what our peers think. Anyway, it’ll be two years before we go public.” Wang Yao took a bite of the secret sauce that Yang Mi had helped him prepare.

"Actually, Director Hu and his team wanted to acquire a shell company first, like Tianwang, which went public through a backdoor listing," Ren Quan said.

Upon hearing this, Tan Hui instantly perked up.

Whether Tianwang will use Tianhuo as a shell company is now the most talked-about topic in the domestic business circle. After all, if a shell company is used, a behemoth with a value of at least tens of billions will emerge in the media field, and Xingmei, as the major shareholder of the shell company, will naturally be the biggest beneficiary.

But precisely because Xingmei is still the major shareholder, Tan Hui feels even more uncertain.

"Mobile internet development won't be that fast. Even if it grows to 2-3 times its size next year, it's up to you to choose. I'll cooperate," Wang Yao said calmly.

“Then let’s study it some more.” Ren Quan nodded.

"However, we need to pay the mobile version fee, otherwise it will affect user growth," Wang Yao reminded.

"Don't worry, we'll sell everything we own to pay you the 10 billion yuan technology buyout fee by the end of the year." Ren Quan chuckled.

"What kind of technology is so expensive?" Tan Hui asked, somewhat surprised.

"Mr. Tan, there's no need to ask so many questions. Raising money to invest is the right thing to do," Ren Quan said with a smile.

"Mr. Wang went abroad, it couldn't have been just for tourism, right? Is there some new information? Hulu suddenly buying domestic copyrights, it must be related to you, right?" Tan Hui asked with a smile.

This is the main dish for today's meal.

Hulu suddenly stirred things up, and all the collaborations were closely related to Skynet. Anyone with a brain could see the network of relationships behind it.

"It's the Star River Project. Hulu wants to expand into the Chinese market, and I happened to have been providing content services for MS and doing a pretty good job, so I recommended it to them. This project doesn't offer much profit; it's all just hard work."

"I also want to leverage international traffic to promote Chinese culture and build a foundation for future overseas expansion. But if you ask me if I have any good projects, I do have one: cloud computing and AI, both are quite good." Wang Yao smiled.

"It's all high-tech?" Tan Hui was a little intimidated.

In recent years, China has seen an overwhelming number of high-tech projects emerging, but 99% of them are complete scams. Many former big players in the industry have lost everything, so everyone is extremely cautious about technology.

“Photovoltaic new energy is also an option, and the government promotes it. It’s just that the investment scale is larger and the payback period is longer, but I feel that it’s no worse than the film and television industry,” Wang Yao continued.

"You're going to do all of this?" Tan Hui's eyes widened.

They naturally knew that Wang Yao also had a shell company called Xinghuo Technology, which claimed to be a high-tech company. They originally thought it was used to promote the game and streaming media industry, but they didn't expect that he would actually get involved in it.

Everyone's doing well in the arts and culture scene as artists, why do you suddenly want to be a scientist?

"It's already in preparation. Are you interested?" Wang Yao asked with a smile.

"I'll pass," Ren Quan said with a smile. "I'm too busy with the movie website right now, and I also have a restaurant business to take care of."

He is a very cautious investor. He was willing to work with Wang Yao on the movie website because the investment was small, it aligned with his own understanding, and there was also support from Hu Mei and others.

He had heard about these high-tech things Wang Yao mentioned many times in the CEO training program, and he was so familiar with them that he was practically tired of hearing about them. However, he would not easily get involved in fields that he was completely unfamiliar with.

"How large is the investment?" Tan Hui asked, somewhat eager to try.

"Around 10 billion," Wang Yao said.

"SkyNet is burdened with 60 billion yuan in debt, how can you still come up with so much spare money?" Tan Hui's eyes widened.

“That debt belongs to Skynet, not me,” Wang Yao said with a light laugh.

"Well, that makes sense. Let me think about it." Tan Hui pursed his lips.

Investing tens of millions is definitely meaningless and shameful, but hundreds of millions of yuan could go down the drain. Xingmei is indeed developing well now, but it has not reached the stage where it can throw money around everywhere.

Private financing is an option, but I'm worried that the project risk is too high.

Even though he felt that Wang Yao was confident enough to take out so much money to make a fuss, people are still afraid when facing the unknown.

Looking at Ren Quan and the other person's performance, Wang Yao increasingly understood why Ya Hu, with its wealth and leisure, missed out on Google, YouTube, and Facebook, why Tencent missed out on e-commerce and group buying, and why Alibaba missed out on Didi and Pinduoduo.

Besides cognitive limitations, the human tendency towards laziness and timidity can indeed affect judgment. If he hadn't firmly believed that these industries would succeed in the future, he probably wouldn't have been able to make the decision to invest in anything risky.

Even if they are optimistic about a stock, they might choose to wait and see to play it safe.

However, this would mean missing the best opportunity to buy at the bottom and enter the market.

"Oh, by the way, I heard that Huayi is going to form a joint venture with Qiandu to establish a subsidiary." Ren Quan changed the subject.

"Hmm?" Wang Yao narrowed his eyes.

"Where did this news come from?" Tan Hui asked, somewhat curious.

The incident where Sina tried to block Ms but was ridiculed instead is still a source of amusement in the industry, especially since Mr. Wang Zidong, the current CEO of Ms and founder of Sina, updates his Sina Weibo account every week.

The content is just reporting MS's daily/monthly active users and new user data, which is purely disgusting to Sina.

This is exactly the kind of scene that netizens love to see; Wang Zidong's Weibo followers are almost five million.

Each time it's posted, even if it doesn't trend on Weibo, it still generates a lot of organic discussion and is even jokingly referred to as the core support for Weibo's monthly active users.

What's most disgusting about this move is that Sina doesn't dare to impose any traffic restrictions or other technical suppression on Wang Zidong, because if they do, it will undoubtedly trigger an even more terrifying public opinion crisis.

This blatant scheme is almost impossible to break unless Sina CEO Cao Ge also registers an account on MS and shares Sina's data.

But the premise is that the old data must be better than Ms's, otherwise it's just asking for ridicule.

Behind this amusement lies the investment community. As Baidu's promotion of Meilishu intensifies, people are finally understanding why Tianwang is so firmly tied to Ms., and even invested in Sogou.

It's because Qiandu is being unethical, trying to steal Mulan Street's market share. Therefore, in many people's eyes, Tianwang and the Qiandu system are already in direct competition.

Huayi's current collaboration with Qiandu is bound to attract controversy.

“I am, after all, a shareholder of Huayi,” Ren Quan said with a smile.

"This is a good thing. The collaboration between Huayi and Qiandu can add a lot of activity to the entertainment industry," Wang Yao chuckled.

"President Wang has a grand vision, but interestingly, the news has caused quite a stir among the artists in Huayi Film and Television Department. Many of them have come to me to inquire about Tianhuo's treatment," Ren Quan said with a smile.

"Someone wants to switch jobs? Welcome! Just let Sister Hua handle it." Wang Yao's smile deepened.

"Aren't you afraid that Huayi will plant spies in?" Ren Quan laughed.

"What's there to be afraid of? Only those with a guilty conscience are afraid." Wang Yao scoffed lightly. "However, there are a few people at Huayi who I really value, such as Deng Chao. If there's an opportunity, I can introduce him. The Tianhuo Group lacks a new generation of talents who can carry the box office."

"Okay, I'll ask for you." Ren Quan chuckled.

"I'm going to pick someone up." Tan Hui stood up and returned shortly with a woman. "Let me introduce you, Li Xiaoran."

"Mr. Wang, I've heard so much about you. I'm Li Xiaoran." Li Xiaoran's smile was dignified yet alluring.

"Hello, Ms. Li." Wang Yao stood up and shook hands.

I'm somewhat intimidated by this actress who hasn't yet recovered from the negative news surrounding the revenge killing.

“She used to be under my company, but she’s been in trouble lately, falling out with a lot of people in the industry. Your ‘Dance Through the Millennium’ program is pretty good, so let her make an appearance,” Tan Hui said.

"Dance for a Thousand Years" is being filmed halfway through and broadcast halfway through to facilitate audience interaction, voting, and adjustments. There are a total of 12 episodes, and only the first 4 episodes have been filmed so far. There are at least 8 more celebrity guest slots left, which are reserved by Wang Yao specifically for celebrities who want to gain popularity later on.

"Welcome. I heard Miss Li is a beauty queen at the Beijing Dance Academy. I'm sure she'll bring a lot of new highlights to the show." Wang Yao smiled. Anyone can be on the show as long as they're paid.

"Mr. Wang, you flatter me." Li Xiaoran hadn't expected Wang Yao to be so easy to talk to.

"What a compliment! It costs money. What's the price?" Tan Hui joked.

Li Xiaoran was stunned for a moment.

"How about a discount for someone from General Manager Tan's company? 50." Wang Yao pondered for a moment.

"Oh? That high? No need, no need, I can act as a friend without paying a fee." Li Xiaoran quickly waved her hand, her face slightly flushed.

Her skin is incredibly fair and cool-toned, but it turns pinkish when she's slightly emotional or excited.

"What are you thinking? We're the ones giving it to him." Tan Hui scoffed.

"Huh?" Li Xiaoran was stunned again.

"Xiaoran, please don't take offense. Even our own employees have to pay to appear on shows," Yang Mi said with a smile.

Because of what happened some time ago, Li Xiaoran is currently unable to find acting roles. Although her family has helped her resolve the situation, people in the industry are still somewhat worried about the risks.

But this is only temporary. She is a second-tier actress, and although your show is quite popular, it doesn't have to be something that I have to pay for her.
"Okay, let's do it this way." Tan Hui made the decision and winked at Wang Yao.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill and were about to leave, Tan Hui pulled Wang Yao aside.

"This young lady comes from a well-connected family, and her early life was very smooth, so she developed a spoiled and pampered temperament. A few years ago, after the old man passed away, people in the circle stopped giving her much face."

Her family isn't too keen on her becoming an actress, so family relationships aren't great. This incident has had a huge impact, and people in the industry are even less willing to use her. Could you see if you could let her pursue a variety show career and have her temporarily managed by Tianhuo? That way, I can explain things to them.”

"Why are you putting this hot potato here? Of course I've heard of her reputation." Wang Yao chuckled.

“I need to do you a favor, brother. She’s really not going to make it big. After a few years, she’ll probably get older and start thinking about getting married and giving in to her family. The film and television industry is so risky these days, I don’t dare use her. What if something goes wrong again and the project can’t be launched? The losses could be eight or nine figures.” Tan Hui said in a deep voice.

"How about we put it abroad? We're not afraid of it overseas." Wang Yao stroked his chin.

"Yes, yes, yes, I just saw that the Xinghan Project has a lot of overseas web dramas, and Xingmei invests in them. Let her film them, as long as she doesn't mess with Xingmei." Tan Hui clapped his hands in approval.

"Alright then." Wang Yao thought for a moment, then decided to go for the money.

Wang Yao returned to the RV.

"Mr. Wang, can I invest in that cloud computing thing you mentioned?" Yang Mi leaned over and asked in a low voice.

"You?" Wang Yao was somewhat surprised.

"Although it's not a lot, I guess I can be considered an angel investor." Yang Mi's face flushed slightly, not from shyness, but from embarrassment.

After all, a few million is nothing compared to a project worth 10 billion, and she didn't understand what Wang Yao was talking about.

But she dared to gamble.

She knew how Ren Quan and Wang Yao got together—through investment.

Identity is very important. If she only ever acts as an artist, she would have to wait in line for an unknown amount of time to get close to someone.

But if she were to switch roles to become an investor, she was confident that she would be more at ease in both private conversations and interactions.

She doesn't care about the return on investment.

She simply felt that betting her entire fortune on the opportunity to get close to Wang Yao might be the most valuable investment of her life.

Wang Yao sized up Yang Mi, and finally nodded with a smile: "Okay, you'll come with me to poach people tomorrow."

When Yang Mi was surprised to actually receive permission, her heart started pounding wildly for no apparent reason.

Wang Yao actually gave her a chance?!

"it is good!"

(End of this chapter)