Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 553, Section 551: I Have Dreams Too
Inside the banquet hall of the Berui Hotel, the lights were dazzling, and glasses clinked.

Wang Sheng calmly walked off the stage and returned to the main guest seat.

This table was filled with true "insiders" and core partners, such as Han Sanping, Jackie Chan, Ma Yun, Zheng Taiyuan, Little Ma, and Ouyang Changlin. Although the atmosphere was not as noisy as outside, the invisible undercurrents and intertwined networks of interests were more intense than anywhere else.

Here, the main focus is on building relationships and discussing business. As for the exquisite and expensive food and drinks in front of you, they are just supporting elements to enhance the atmosphere. Just eat and drink well.

Jackie Chan, sitting in the VIP seat, was sizing up a young woman.

The girl was wearing an elegant pale yellow dress, with light makeup and delicate features like a porcelain doll. It was none other than Son Ye-jin.

He immediately recalled the last time Zheng Taiyuan had so eagerly introduced Kim Hee-sun to Wang Sheng.

The ambiguous relationship between Kim Hee-sun and Wang Sheng, and the subsequent visible increase in Kim Hee-sun's resources in South Korea and even Asia, were well known to those in the industry.

"Wang Sheng's luck with women is truly unstoppable..." Jackie Chan thought to himself with envy, but his face remained expressionless.

Having navigated the entertainment industry for decades, he knows the rules all too well; some things are better left unsaid.

He came to Chen Liang's wedding today not only to offer his sincere congratulations, but also because he had two important things he wanted to discuss with Wang Sheng.

First, his starring role in "New Police Story," in which he poured a lot of effort, is about to be released in mainland China.

He had high hopes for this film, seeing it as an attempt to return to the hardcore action style of Hong Kong films.

But in today's mainland market, distribution channels are king, and film scheduling determines survival.

Shengying Media's control of "China Film Shengshi Cinema Circuit" and its influence throughout the distribution network is a force that no film company can ignore.

He needed a word from Wang Sheng to get Shengying's publicity and distribution resources to be tilted towards him, so that he could secure a sufficiently ideal number of screenings from various cinemas.

Secondly, it was something that made him somewhat anxious.

After the global success of "Night at the Museum," he went on to make several Hollywood films, such as "Around the World in 80 Days" and "The Medallion," but they were not well received at the box office or in terms of critical reception, which was a blow to him.

Hollywood's assembly-line production model didn't seem to suit him quite well, so he shifted his focus back to the Asian market.

But the Asian market is also changing rapidly, and he urgently needs to find new breakthroughs and projects that can ignite the market.

After establishing Jackie Chan's Emperor Motion Pictures, he became a capital player and understood the importance of good projects and strong partners.

He wanted to ask Wang Sheng, the universally acknowledged "Midas touch," if he had any new ideas that they could collaborate on.

Seeing that Wang Sheng's seat was temporarily empty, Jackie Chan stood up with a smile and cupped his hands to Ma Yun, who was sitting next to Wang Sheng: "Ms. Ma, excuse me, I need to borrow your seat. I need to say a few words to Chairman Wang."

Although Ma Yun is also an internet giant, in this setting, his seniority and relationship with Wang Sheng are obviously slightly inferior. He smiled and stood up with great poise: "Mr. Cheng, please make yourselves at home. You two chat, please chat."

He voluntarily gave up his seat.

Jackie Chan sat down, leaning slightly towards Wang Sheng, and lowered his voice: "Mr. Wang, congratulations on President Chen's happy occasion."

"Mr. Cheng, you're too kind. It's an honor for you to come." Wang Sheng raised his glass and clinked it with his.

“Of course.” Jackie Chan took a sip of his drink and got down to business: “Mr. Wang, I have a movie called ‘New Police Story’ that’s going to be released next month. What do you think about the publicity and distribution in mainland China…”

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Sheng waved his hand decisively: "Mr. Cheng's film is beyond reproach. Leave the publicity and distribution to Shengying, don't worry, the number of screenings in theaters will definitely not be low. After the Twilight craze passes, it will be just the right time to pick up your tough-guy action film. The market needs different types."

These words were spoken with absolute certainty and without the slightest hesitation, fully demonstrating Wang Sheng's strong control over market scheduling and his confidence in the Jackie Chan brand.

Jackie Chan felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders, and his smile widened even more: "With Mr. Wang's words of comfort, I'm relieved! Thank you!"

"We're all on the same side, let's not talk about these things." Wang Sheng smiled.

“There’s one more thing,” Jackie Chan pressed on, his tone slightly probing, “Mr. Wang, as you know, I haven’t been making many films in Hollywood these past few years.”

"Now that I've shifted my focus back to Asia and my own company is up and running, I was thinking, could we collaborate again, Mr. Wang? Any new ideas you have? Could you mentor me?"

Wang Sheng gently twirled the wine glass in his hand, pondering for a moment.

Jackie Chan's commercial value, his reputation for action comedies, and his international fame remain top-tier.

Partnering with him carries manageable risks and promises returns.

“A new project…” Wang Sheng’s lips curled into a meaningful smile, “I do have a good idea, quite suitable for you, Mr. Cheng, and it also has the potential to sell globally.”

However, there are too many people here and too much to discuss in a few words. How about this, if you're free tomorrow, let's schedule a time to talk in my office?

"I'm free! Of course I'm free!" Jackie Chan was overjoyed. As long as he could get Wang Sheng's "idea," time was not an issue at all. "I'll visit Mr. Wang at the company tomorrow morning!"

The two spoke in hushed tones, while Ma Yun, sitting nearby, listened intently. He had long coveted the film and television industry; although Alibaba's main business was e-commerce, he had always believed that culture and entertainment were a huge future source of traffic and monetization.

Upon hearing that Wang Sheng and Jackie Chan were going to collaborate on a new project, his mind immediately became excited.

Seeing that the two seemed to have finished their conversation, Ma Yun couldn't help but move closer, a shrewd smile spreading across his face: "Chairman Wang, Mr. Cheng, are you going to launch another big project? It sounds very tempting. I wonder... if there's any opportunity for me to invest? Although Alibaba is just starting out, we can still offer some financial assistance."

Upon hearing this, Jackie Chan laughed and smoothly passed the buck to Wang Sheng: "Mr. Ma, I can't make that decision. Now, I'm working with Mr. Wang, so the project arrangements are all up to him."

Wang Sheng looked at Ma Yun's longing eyes, but he knew exactly what was going on.

Nowadays, the film projects of Shengying Group in mainland China are no longer in the situation where they need to beg for investment everywhere.

In addition to Shengying itself and its deeply intertwined China Film Group, the list of investors includes a number of powerful and unique "national team" investors.

These state-owned assets made large-scale purchases and held the shares for a long time when Shengying Media was listed on the A-share market, pushing Shengying's market value to an astonishing height.

They cannot easily sell the stocks they hold (due to market stability and strategic holdings), but they also need to maintain asset liquidity and a certain rate of return.

Therefore, investing in the key film projects of Shengying Group with stable expected returns has become a very important channel for these investors to "recover" and turn over funds.

They don't even need to wait for the final return of the project; based solely on the investment contract signed with Shengying and the expected box office revenue, they can extract low-interest loans from the banking system for other operations.

There are too many ways to play the game of capital here, and the waters run too deep.

Simply put, Wang Sheng has a lot of good projects in his hands, and there are plenty of state-owned enterprises waiting in line to invest in them. It's not up to outsiders, especially private capital with a relatively simple background (at this stage) like Ma Yun.

“Mr. Ma,” Wang Sheng said with a perfectly measured hint of regret, his tone sincere, “I understand your intentions. However, to be honest, investors are lining up for Sheng Ying’s key projects right now, many of them are old friends, so it’s really difficult to arrange anything. Next time, next time there’s an opportunity, I will definitely give Mr. Ma priority consideration.”

This statement was perfectly tactful, both clarifying the current situation and saving face for the other party.

Ma Yun was a smart man, and he immediately understood the crux of the matter. In China, especially at this level of business, certain rules must be followed. Although somewhat disappointed, he could only express his understanding: "I understand, I understand! I understand Chairman Wang's difficulties. Then I'll wait for Chairman Wang's next opportunity!"

However, Ma Yun was clearly not completely giving up. He asked from a different angle, "Chairman Wang, what if... I don't participate in Shengying's project and invest in making my own movie? Do you think that's feasible? To be honest, I've had a martial arts dream since I was a child, and sometimes I think about whether I could make my own movie for fun."

Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng's mind instantly conjured up the later classic, "Gong Shou Dao," which featured Ma Yun himself as the lead and a host of kung fu stars as his sparring partners. He couldn't help but chuckle, taking a sip of his wine to conceal the smile on his lips.

"Movies, after all, are entertainment." Wang Sheng put down his wine glass, looked at Ma Yun, and said with a hint of teasing, "As long as you're not in it for the money, and you're just using your own money to fulfill a dream, of course you can make a movie. But Ms. Ma, let me remind you, if the movie turns out bad and gets criticized by audiences and critics, you'll have to take the blame. That's much more exciting than bad reviews on e-commerce platforms."

Ma Yun felt a little embarrassed by his words, but she still pressed on, unwilling to give up: "Isn't there... a way to avoid being scolded?"

Wang Sheng looked at him, then glanced at Jackie Chan, who was also looking over with curiosity. A mysterious smile appeared on his face, and he slowly said:
"Yes, I have."

Jackie Chan and Ma Yun immediately perked up their ears and asked in unison, "What is it?"

Wang Sheng leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the elegantly dressed, lively figures in the banquet hall. Then, in a tone that was half-joking and half-serious, he clearly stated:

"As long as you're rich enough."

Jackie Chan and Ma Yun were both taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening and burst into laughter at the same time.

"Wang Sheng, what you said... is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Jackie Chan slapped his thigh and laughed. Having been in the entertainment industry for many years, he knew the power of capital. Although Wang Sheng's words were straightforward, they revealed the essence of the matter.

Ma Yun chuckled, pointing at Wang Sheng and shaking her head, "Chairman Wang, what you said... is rough but true! I'm convinced!"

Yes, as long as you have enough capital, even if a film is terrible, you can use powerful publicity to cover up negative voices, use resource exchanges to shut some people up, and even create your own evaluation system.

While this may sound ironic, it is an undeniable fact in the realities of business.

The three chatted and laughed, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

However, sitting opposite them, Son Ye-jin watched Wang Sheng chatting and laughing with big shots like Jackie Chan and Ma Yun with ease and confidence, and a hint of resentment almost couldn't be hidden in her beautiful eyes.

Having grown up in South Korea, where there's a strict hierarchy between seniors and juniors and the influence of conglomerates permeates every corner of society, Son Ye-jin understands all too well what Jung Tae-won meant.

He was treating her like a beautiful gift, trying to slip her into the hands of Wang Sheng, a "big shot" who held vast resources and capital.

Son Ye-jin didn't actually have much resistance to this; in fact, she even had a slight expectation for it.

For a young actress like her, who aspires to further her acting career, the opportunity to have something happen with someone as young and handsome as Wang Sheng (compared to most South Korean chaebols and tycoons) who truly controls international entertainment resources would undoubtedly be a huge shortcut.

Didn't you see Kim Hee-sun?
However, from the moment she sat down until now, Wang Sheng's attention has been completely occupied by Jackie Chan and Ma Yun. He hasn't even looked at her properly more than a few times. When his gaze occasionally sweeps over her, he nods politely and distantly, as if she were just an insignificant decoration.

This feeling of being completely ignored left Son Ye-jin, who was always quite confident in her looks and charm, feeling frustrated and aggrieved.

She could only try her best to maintain a sweet and proper smile, but her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her skirt under the table.

(End of this chapter)