Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 62: Traffic Generation Strategy

The afternoon sun in July cast long, lazy dappled patterns of light on the ground through the glass windows of Shengying Media's dispatch center office.

The air was filled with dust stirred up by an old electric fan.

Wang Sheng was writing furiously at his desk, the nib of his pen gliding across the manuscript paper with a soft, scratching sound.

The script outline for "Harmony Brings Prosperity" has been refined considerably, and the characters' dialogues and key plot points are gradually becoming more detailed.

He immersed himself in pondering the plot and jokes, further integrating his memories with the aesthetics and context of 1996.

Just then, Wang Sheng's Nokia 2110, which was on the table, started beeping.

Wang Sheng glanced at the caller ID; it was Han Sanping's office number.

"Hello, factory manager."

"Shengzi."

Han Sanping's voice came through the receiver, the background noise was very quiet: "I've made an appointment with Lao Yu from Beijing TV. The day after tomorrow, the 26th, at 7 pm, to discuss the joint production and advertising revenue sharing. You decide on the location, pick a quiet place where it's easy to talk, and send the address to my assistant once you've decided."

Wang Sheng's spirits lifted; this was important: "Understood, Factory Director. I'll arrange the location. Inform Assistant Pan once it's finalized."

"Yes, this meeting is very important. Beforehand, please clarify our demands and bottom lines so that you are fully aware of them," Han Sanping instructed.

"Don't worry, I guarantee it won't let you down."

……

On another corner of the city, Li Xiaoran walked out of Xinhua Bookstore, carrying a heavy plastic bag containing several brand-new cookbooks: "A Complete Guide to Home-Style Dishes," "Delicious and Quick Dishes," and "Chef Teaches You How to Cook."

Then she went to the department store and bought a new wok, a soup pot, and a bunch of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Back at her place, she laid out the recipes on the coffee table, tied on a newly bought floral apron, and looked as serious as if she were about to tackle some performance challenge.

The kitchen was filled with an atmosphere of both effort and slight frantic activity throughout the afternoon.

The sizzling sound of oil in the pan, the clattering sound of chopping vegetables, occasionally turning into slightly flustered tapping sounds, and her muttering to herself, "Should I put the oil in first or the scallions, ginger, and garlic first?" all mingled together.

……

In the evening, Wang Sheng received a call from Li Xiaoran, whose voice was filled with excitement and a hint of nervousness, inviting him to dinner.

Wang Sheng didn't want to spoil the mood. After finishing his work for the day, he got up and went to the appointment.

……

Pushing open Li Xiaoran's door, a unique aroma mixed with the fragrance of food and a faint burnt smell wafted out.

On the coffee table in the living room, three dishes were already laid out: a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, which looked decent, though the egg pieces were a bit broken; a plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes with chili peppers, whose knife skills... well, let's just say they had a postmodern, irregular aesthetic, but at least they were shredded; and next to it was a dish of cold braised meat bought from a deli, which was considered a meat dish.

Steam is rising from the rice cooker; the rice is cooked.

Li Xiaoran took off her apron, her face slightly sweaty, but she smiled and looked at Wang Sheng with bright eyes: "You're back? Wash your hands and eat! I haven't learned how to cook complicated meat dishes yet, so why don't you try these two vegetarian dishes first? I only added salt and MSG."

She emphasized it, as if she had accomplished something remarkable.

Wang Sheng washed his hands, sat down, picked up a piece of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and put it in his mouth.

The flavor was very home-style, with a good balance of saltiness. The tomatoes were a bit too soft and mushy, but the eggs were quite tender. There was just a little too much oil.

He then tasted the shredded potatoes; they were fairly crisp, and the aroma of chili peppers was also present.

"How is it?" Li Xiaoran asked nervously, her hands unconsciously twisting together. "It's pretty good." Wang Sheng nodded, giving a fair assessment: "It tastes just like ordinary home-cooked food, good with rice."

This compliment clearly pleased Li Xiaoran greatly. She beamed with joy, as if she had won some great performance award, and quickly served Wang Sheng rice: "That's good, that's good! I'll try something else next time!"

The two ate a simple home-cooked meal in a warm atmosphere.

Somersault Cloud squatted on the chair next to it, tilting its head to look at the two two-legged creatures.

While they were eating, Li Xiaoran seemed to suddenly remember something and asked curiously, "Hey, Wang Sheng, have you decided who to cast as the female lead in your drama 'Harmony Brings Prosperity'? It feels like you need an older sister with a lot of life experience, right?"

Wang Sheng shoveled rice into his mouth without looking up: "Hmm, we need to find an actress around thirty years old, someone who can hold her own on stage, with a bit of a fiery personality and a touch of maternal warmth. I'll ask the factory's arts department to help us find someone suitable."

"Oh." Li Xiaoran nodded. She had only asked casually to satisfy her curiosity. After hearing the answer, she didn't say anything more and continued to happily eat the dish she had cooked that had received "affirmation".

……

at the same time.

In another residence in the capital.

Zhao Baogang dragged his slightly tired body home.

He spent a busy day at the Beijing Television Art Center, where the work atmosphere and creative pressure were exceptionally high.

After washing his hands and sitting down at the dining table, his wife, Ding Xin, had already set out the food.

During meal breaks.

Ding Xin casually mentioned, "Hey, Baogang, guess what I heard today? Wang Sheng from Beijing Film Studio, the one who made such a big splash with his wedding movies, he's going to organize a TV series."

Zhao Baogang paused slightly as he picked up some food with his chopsticks. He looked up, a mixture of interest and wariness on his face: "Wang Sheng? Making TV dramas? What genre?"

He had long heard of this young man who had emerged out of nowhere and almost reshaped part of the ecosystem of the Beijing Film Studio. His keen market sense and strong execution ability were already well-known in the industry.

"Xiao Ran told me it's a family comedy."

While serving him food, Ding Xin said, "He is both the director and screenwriter. Moreover, he has already contacted Zhao Benshan and Guo Da, and even invited Fan Wei."

This was all information she extracted from Li Xiaoran.

Li Xiaoran didn't think much of it and just said it.

"Zhao Benshan? Guo Da? Fan Wei?" Zhao Baogang's brows furrowed slightly.

This cast is truly impressive, especially for a TV series.

These days, people like Zhao Baogang may not understand what a "traffic star" is, but they do understand what a "big shot" is.

Zhao Benshan and Guo Da, just for the sake of these two comedy giants vying for the title of the second generation of sketch comedy kings, most viewers in Beijing will also have a taste of their talent. After all, TV dramas are free, and in this era, watching TV is the main family entertainment activity.

In addition, comedians on the Spring Festival Gala have a huge influence in Beijing, the Gala's home base.

Wang Shengyi's move, with its massive scale, demonstrates his ambition and power.

"A family comedy? Like 'I Love My Family'?" He pondered, subconsciously tapping the rim of his bowl with his chopsticks.

With his keen market sense, Zhao Baogang immediately realized that this was not just about having another competitor.

Wang Sheng's move is likely a test of the true strength of the Beijing TV drama industry. The resource integration capabilities and the ability to judge audience tastes involved behind this have made this veteran of the industry wary.

(End of this chapter)