Internet moguls are being held hostage by the entertainment system!

Chapter 218 Changing the entertainment industry is nothing to brag about.
Four Happiness Meatballs, Northeastern Stew, and Chive Dumplings – these three dishes were prepared from day to night.

Chen Xiu, who had just finished eating and picked up a leek pancake, found herself having to patiently watch He Jiong's live performance.

"Hmm~"

He Jiong took a bite of the Four Happiness Meatballs, then closed his eyes and shook his head, looking as if he had tasted the most delicious food in the world, and then he was about to make a big fuss about it.

"Oh my god, this stuff is so delicious! It's so good!"

"These meatballs are so delicious, wow!"

For the sake of the show's effect, Wang Zhonglei also chimed in.

He spent the whole afternoon picking corn on the mountain, and his enthusiasm for picking corn only increased after hearing that Chen Xiu had chopped a small mountain of firewood.

Physical exhaustion, coupled with the large amount of energy consumed, makes everything Wang Zhonglei eat taste delicious now.

That furrowed brow and pouting expression makes him seem a bit hypocritical.

Chen Xiu watched their performance silently, then turned to exchange a glance with Meng Ziyi. They both felt that the show at the dinner table was quite entertaining.

Huang Sanshi suffered multiple setbacks from Chen Xiu that afternoon, but now, after being praised by He Jiong and Wang Zhonglei, he instantly felt like he was back to his old self!
"Today, Zhong Lei ordered Four Happiness Meatballs, which is called Braised Lion's Head in the South, right? Chen Xiu, you call it Braised Lion's Head there, right?"

"Hmm, it does look somewhat similar."

Chen Xiu gave a very conservative answer. Not being good at lying, he found it really hard to call the meatballs of varying sizes made by Huang Sanshi "braised lion's head".

Upon hearing this, Huang Sanshi continued to chuckle and explain to everyone: "This braised lion's head is made with diced fatty and lean meat, seven parts fat and three parts lean..."

"Ahem, it's alright, Teacher Huang, please continue."

Chen Xiu coughed twice, and as she took the beer from Meng Ziyi, she gave her a speechless look at Huang Sanshi.

The ratio of meatballs in braised lion's head is indeed 7:3, but that's seven parts lean and three parts fat!

What legitimate braised lion's head meatball restaurant would dare to make it with a 70% fat and 30% lean ratio? What you'd taste like is just a piece of fatty pork!
Chen Xiu was utterly speechless at Huang Sanshi's arbitrary manipulation of data and his pieced-together theories. However, considering that they were recording at the moment, she gave him some face and did not expose him on the spot.

As Chen Xiu drank his beer, he noticed the speechlessness in He Jiong's eyes, and he probably knew what kind of person Huang Sanshi was.

Throughout the dinner recording, Chen Xiu barely spoke, mostly listening to Huang Sanshi talk, and only ate chive dumplings.

After finishing his meal, Huang Sanshi began to reminisce about the past.

When he boasted that he could drink 40 jin of baijiu in one meal when he was young, Chen Xiu almost rolled her eyes.

How can someone become so greasy?
The question popped into Chen Xiu's mind, and then she heard the phone ring in the Mushroom House.

As He Jiong ran inside to answer the phone, Wang Zhonglei suddenly made a hand gesture.

This gesture startled Huang Sanshi, who was engrossed in his boasting, because it meant: pause recording!

The recording of the show is not always done in one continuous shot. For example, when He Jiong runs to answer the phone, the camera will definitely cut to the room when the show airs, so the recording outside can be paused.

Generally speaking, unless there is a major accident, guests cannot unilaterally stop the recording of a variety show. However, Wang Zhonglei is different from ordinary celebrities. If he wants to pause, the production team can only cooperate.

After making the gesture, not long after, two members of the production team suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Mushroom House.

"Mr. Wang, filming has been temporarily suspended. Do you have any questions?"

"It's alright, you can continue filming the situation inside. I just wanted to have a private chat with Mr. Chen outside for a bit, is that alright?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Sanshi stared wide-eyed at Wang Zhonglei, while Meng Ziyi kept a close eye on Chen Xiu. Only Liu Xianhua was confused about the situation.

Strangely, the two people being watched didn't seem surprised at all.

After the production team said that this wouldn't affect the recording, Huang Sanshi, Meng Ziyi, and Liu Xianhua were asked to go inside to cooperate with He Jiong's recording.

At the dining table, only Chen Xiu and Wang Zhonglei remained, sitting face to face.

Watching Chen Xiu drink, Wang Zhonglei first turned off the recording equipment used during filming under the table before speaking.

"Mr. Chen, there's something I don't understand. Could you please help me clarify it?"

Chen Xiu, holding her wine glass, turned around and looked at Wang Zhonglei with an ambiguous expression.

"please say."

Why are you willing to take the initiative to cooperate with Enlight Media, but repeatedly refuse Huayi Brothers' good intentions?

"You knew about this?"

"What Wang Changtian said can't be wrong, can it?"

Chen Xiu pursed her lips, thinking: I didn't expect Wang Changtian to be such a show-off. But judging from his tone, he probably didn't tell Wang Zhonglei the reason he gave.

After downing his beer in one gulp, Chen Xiu said, "That's right, I have indeed established a long-term cooperative relationship with Enlight Media in the film business."

"why?"

"When collaborating with others to make a film, you naturally want to find someone who is wholeheartedly dedicated to making films. Isn't Huayi Brothers a tourism real estate company?"

"That was before! Starting this year, we have re-established film as a key business for the company," Wang Zhonglei said in a low voice, his expression resolute.

"laugh!"

An uncontrollable sneer, like a slap in the face, landed heavily on Wang Zhonglei's cheek.

His eyes were wide open as he stared intently at Chen Xiu, his face alternating between pale and flushed, as if he were about to slam his fist on the table at any moment.

"Mr. Chen, is what I said ridiculous?"

"It's not ridiculous..."

Chen Xiu shook her head and poured herself another beer: "It's arrogance, Mr. Wang. Do you think the industry will stand still and wait for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Huayi abandoned its pioneering position in the film and television industry and turned to try fields it was not good at. Although it seemed to be profitable in the early stages, the wrong direction will make it difficult to move forward in the later stages. The direction of the film and television industry has changed drastically in recent years, and you can no longer keep up."

Wang Zhonglei was taken aback. With his professional skills, he could tell that Chen Xiu's words made sense.

However, when people are debating, they often value their own momentum more.

Some mistakes can be corrected privately, but when faced with an opponent, not only can you not admit them, but you must also try to refute them from other angles.

Thinking of this, Wang Zhonglei's eyes narrowed, and he said disdainfully, "President Chen said the industry has changed? I don't feel that way at all!"

"Isn't the entertainment industry still the same entertainment industry? As for movies, apart from higher box office, I haven't seen any changes."

"If Mr. Wang is happy to pretend to be asleep, then that would be even better."

Chen Xiu clapped her hands lightly twice, and before Wang Zhonglei could react, her tone became leisurely and indifferent when she spoke again.

"The entertainment industry may still be the same entertainment industry. But the film and television industry is changing every year."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhonglei, who had already transformed into a human-shaped ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) device, was about to refute.

Chen Xiu had already raised one hand, opening her palm and holding it out in front of him.

At this moment, the four people who had finished their phone calls also came out of the Mushroom House one after another. However, when they saw Chen Xiu and Wang Zhonglei sitting opposite each other, He Jiong and Huang Sanshi reached out and stopped the two young men, signaling them to stop.

Unaware that there were four listeners beside her, Chen Xiu slowly lowered her hand.

“Zhang Yimou’s ‘Hero’ ushered in the era of domestic blockbusters. Since then, the production costs of movies have been rising and the box office has been getting higher and higher. Isn’t that a change?”

"Stephen Chow's films laid the foundation for the Spring Festival film season, and the many blockbusters that followed solidified this foundation, making the Spring Festival the most popular film season of the year and cultivating the habit of watching movies with the whole family. Isn't that a change?"

"The year-on-year increase in the current film box office market and the emergence of various types of films have led to a decline in quality and a change in the preferences of moviegoers. Isn't this also a form of change?"

"The film and television industry is constantly changing. When a phenomenal hit movie appears, countless people follow suit and imitate it, but those who lead the trend are as rare as morning stars."

After finishing his long speech, Chen Xiu stopped and took a sip of beer.

He Jiong and Huang Sanshi, standing to the side, were speechless. They felt that Chen Xiu's words were simple and easy to understand, yet they were also thought-provoking. However, they had not noticed them before, and no one had ever told them.

This was the first time Meng Ziyi had ever seen Chen Xiu like this. Her eyes, which were full of stars, were filled with admiration. She slowly raised her hand as if she wanted to clap, looking hesitant and timid.

The only one who was completely confused was Lanminghua, because his Chinese wasn't good and he couldn't understand much...

Setting down her glass, Chen Xiu poured more wine while asking a question to the stunned Wang Zhonglei.

"Mr. Wang, do you know why this is happening?"

"what why?"

Why are there so few trendsetters and so many followers?

"I do not know."

Wang Zhonglei said insincerely that he actually knew the answer to this question very well, but he couldn't say it.

Chen Xiu hadn't expected him to answer, and the hand swirling the wine glass showed complete indifference.

"The world is bustling with activity, all for the sake of profit. Those who follow the trend are simply doing it spontaneously because they think that a proven subject matter is profitable. If you ask them to try new subjects, they are either worried about the risks or they lack the ability to make good films."

He Jiong and Huang Sanshi both widened their eyes, thinking: No wonder they had to pause the recording, is this part something we can talk about?
Ignoring the reactions of others, Chen Xiu continued, "I've never been a fan of the intrigues of the entertainment industry, and I especially hate it when people take advantage of me. Since you don't want to try, then let me try to forge a new path. You can follow along!"

Wang Zhonglei's pupils dilated in shock, instantly recalling Feng Kuzi's warning: Chen Xiu was clearly pushed out by those internet people to cause trouble...

He stared at Chen Xiu with a flustered expression, finally grasping the key point of today's conversation for the first time.

"You...you want to change the entertainment industry?!"

This question struck He Jiong and Huang Sanshi like a hammer blow, surprising them and making them want to hear Chen Xiu's explanation.

Chen Xiu held a wine glass in one hand, looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, his expression leisurely with a hint of drunken languor, and his thin lips moved as he uttered a sentence.

"Changing the entertainment industry is nothing to brag about."

(End of this chapter)