Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 366 (364): The Victory Banquet in Turmoil (Part 3)

Kunlun Hall.

The main table is located at the very front of the banquet hall, a prominent position, yet it maintains a subtle distance from the lively and bustling areas behind it.

Wang Sheng sat calmly in the main seat.

To his left was Stephen Chow, who was all smiles but couldn't hide a hint of nervousness, while to his right was Jackie Chan, who exuded a warm and composed aura.

After a brief social gathering, Han Sanping got up and went to the private room upstairs, where leaders from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, other factions of China Film Group, and relevant departments in Beijing were seated. The conversation there concerned policies, resources, and higher-level planning.

The main table in the hall became Wang Sheng's personal "battleground."

After one round of drinks, before all the dishes had been served, the first group of people to "toast" arrived.

Leading the charge were Xiang Huaqiang and his wife.

Mrs. Xiang, still holding her husband's arm, smiled warmly and said before even speaking, "Mr. Wang, congratulations! 'Shaolin Soccer' is truly remarkable, bringing glory to our Chinese films!"

Although Xiang Huaqiang held a prominent position in the Hong Kong underworld and had a considerable grudge against Stephen Chow, he was extremely humble in front of Wang Sheng at this moment. He raised his glass and said, "Mr. Wang, you are young and promising, I admire you! I'll toast you, I'll drink it all, you can do as you please."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the white wine in his glass in one gulp.

Wang Sheng did not get up, but simply nodded slightly, without drinking any wine.

"Mr. and Mrs. Xiang, you're too kind." His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Seeing this, Mrs. Xiang immediately smiled and replied, lowering her voice slightly: "Mr. Wang, China Star has always hoped to have a deeper cooperation with Shengying."

As you know, we have some good projects and artist resources, such as Andy Lau and Stephen Chow, with whom we have had excellent collaborations. We hope to hear more of Mr. Wang's guidance on future co-productions.

She deliberately obscured her relationship with Zhou Xingxing, who was by Wang Sheng's side, with a hint of subtle probing and clinging.

Wang Sheng glanced at the expectant couple, but remained noncommittal, only giving a slight nod to Li Tingting, who was standing not far away.

Li Tingting stepped forward, smiling as she handed over a plain white business card with only Wang Sheng's name and a private work phone number on it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Xiang, Mr. Wang's schedule is quite full recently. If you have any specific cooperation intentions, you can make an appointment with my secretariat to discuss them in detail."

Although they did not receive an immediate commitment, obtaining this business card was an important first step for the Xiang couple.

The two quickly accepted the gift, offered their congratulations, and then politely withdrew.

Next up were Xu Ke and Lin Xiaoming, who seemed to have reached some kind of tacit agreement to come together.

With the stubbornness and eagerness characteristic of an artist, Xu Ke spoke directly before Lin Xiaoming could even open his mouth: "Director Wang! The special effects in 'Shaolin Soccer' have given me a lot of inspiration! I'm currently working on a script for an Eastern fantasy story about Di Renjie, hoping to break away from the traditional tropes of martial arts films. I need an investor with your vision and courage..."

He spoke quickly, his eyes burning.

Lin Xiaoming, on the other hand, was more diplomatic. He raised his glass in a toast, downed it in one gulp, and then added with a smile, "Mr. Wang, Huanyu has several mature series film projects, in the police and action genres, which have been market-tested. As long as you agree, the script and main creative team can be adjusted according to the requirements of the mainland, and the cooperation method is entirely negotiable."

He subtly expressed his willingness to relinquish control.

Wang Sheng listened quietly, his gaze shifting between Xu Ke's imaginative face and Lin Xiaoming's shrewd smile.

He had some reservations about Tsui Hark. This "old eccentric" artist's visual imagination was indeed outstanding, but his unbridled creative desires often clashed with cost control, so he needed to evaluate him carefully.

As for the genre films that Lin Xiaoming mentioned, while they are safe choices, they lack originality.

A moment later, he looked at Li Tingting again. Li Tingting understood, and took out two more business cards, handing one to Xu Ke and the other to Lin Xiaoming.

"Director Xu's idea is very creative, and President Lin's project also has great potential. We'll discuss the specifics at another time." It was the same formulaic sentence, but it ignited hope in Xu Ke's eyes and made Lin Xiaoming's smile even brighter.

Subsequently, Wen Juan, Liu Weiqiang, Wang Rui, and others stepped forward in turn.

Wen Juan and Liu Weiqiang emphasized the influence of the "Young and Dangerous" series and their desire to transform their careers; Wang Rui directly stated that he had several comedy scripts that could be quickly developed and were ready to be used at any time. Wang Sheng's approach was exactly the same: listen, occasionally ask one or two key questions, and then let Li Tingting decide whether to hand over the business card that represented "entry qualification" based on his micro-expressions and the tendency of his questions.

Those who received a business card were secretly delighted, while those who didn't showed disappointment but dared not harbor any resentment. They could only force a smile, finish their drinks, and awkwardly retreat. Throughout this wave of toasts, Wang Sheng's glass remained full, and he didn't touch a drop of alcohol.

No one thought he was being rude; on the contrary, it only highlighted his superior status.

……

At that moment, Jung Tae-won walked over with three glamorous Korean stars.

He smiled broadly, adopting a posture even more humble than that of Hong Kong filmmakers: "Mr. Wang, congratulations! The miracle of 'Shaolin Soccer' has shocked us even in South Korea!"

He was telling the truth. At this moment, Wang Sheng was already a symbol of turning lead into gold in the Asian film and television industry.

It's just a pity that his identity is too unique.

He turned to the side and introduced the three actresses behind him: "This is Ms. Son Ye-jin, who just won the Busan Film Critics Award for Best New Actress for her role in 'Sun-hee and Jin-hee,' and has unlimited potential."

This is Ms. Han Ga-in. Although she's a newcomer, her looks and demeanor are widely recognized as top-tier in Korea.

Finally, he emphasized the beautiful woman with exquisite makeup, captivating eyes, and a radiant aura: "Ms. Kim Hee-sun, whom you have met, is our top artist at Taewon Entertainment. She has always greatly admired Mr. Wang's talent."

Kim Hee-sun stepped forward, a sweet smile on her face, and said in fluent but slightly accented Chinese, "Mr. Wang, congratulations again. I've been looking forward to seeing you again and learning from you."

The moment her gaze met Wang Sheng's, a fleeting hint of intimacy and resentment flashed across her face.

She noticed Jackie Chan, the international superstar next to Wang Sheng, but her attention was clearly more focused on Wang Sheng.

Jackie Chan, sitting to the side, was naturally a shrewd and calculating individual.

He was initially looking at the three distinctive Korean beauties with admiration, especially the famous Kim Hee-sun.

But when Kim Hee-sun spoke, the fleeting emotion in her eyes and the subtle familiarity in her tone made him instantly understand, and he remained silent.

However, Jackie Chan seems to know what Wang Sheng likes...

Wang Sheng nodded slightly to Kim Hee-sun in response, without saying anything more.

He said to Jung Tae-won, "President Jung, you're very kind. The distribution of 'Kung Fu Soccer' in South Korea will rely heavily on you. As for new collaborations,"

Wang Sheng paused for a moment, then immediately held his breath when he saw Zheng Taiyuan. "We can talk about the film distribution business we mentioned earlier."

"That's great! Thank you so much, Mr. Wang!" Zheng Taiyuan was overjoyed; that was exactly what he wanted to hear.

Jung Tae-won, as if he had drunk fine wine, downed half a glass of baijiu and, with a flushed face, led the three actresses away.

……

This wave of intensive social interaction has temporarily come to an end.

Jackie Chan moved closer, lowered his voice, and said with a knowing smile between men, "Mr. Wang, you're quite charming."

Wang Sheng smiled at him: "He has power and charm."

"Brilliant! Brilliant!"

Jackie Chan expressed his admiration.

Subsequently.

Under Wang Sheng's introduction, Big Ma and Little Ma exchanged business cards with Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow, and Zhao Benshan.

Both Little Ma and Stephen Chow are not talkative.

Big Brother Ma chatted with Jackie Chan and Zhao Benshan with great interest, talking about everything under the sun.

(End of this chapter)