Chinese entertainment industry has been booming since 2008.

Chapter 206 Investment and Investment

Star Entertainment, CEO's Office.

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow on the floor.

Zhang Yang sat behind his desk, several documents he had prepared overnight spread out in front of him. The aroma of coffee filled the air, but he didn't touch a drop.

A knock sounded at the door, and Sun Yu walked in, his expression somewhat solemn, holding a sealed file folder in his hand.

"Mr. Zhang, we've found it."

He placed the file folder on the table, but did not open it immediately. Instead, he glanced at Zhang Yang first.

"Zhou Shanhe's side is more complicated than we imagined."

Zhang Yang nodded, signaling him to continue.

Sun Yu opened the file folder, took out a few pages of paper, and spread them out in front of Zhang Yang.

After reviewing the documents handed to him by Sun Yu, Zhang Yang leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window. The sunlight was warm, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

Sun Yu hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Mr. Zhang, what are your plans for using these things?"

Zhang Yang stood up and walked to the window.

"Didn't Zhou Shanhe threaten me yesterday? He said he would ruin my reputation, investigate me, blacklist me, and put me in jail."

His voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Then let him see who truly deserves to go to jail."

Seeing that Zhang Yang was determined, Sun Yu did not try to persuade him further, but instead steered the conversation toward "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds".

"Mr. Zhang, we've probably offended Zhou Shanhe badly this time. What if they restrict our screen time?"

"Don't be afraid. Money makes the world go round. At worst, we'll just buy more screenings. I don't believe those theaters will turn down money."

At that moment, Zhang Yang felt that the screening fee was really good; at least, he could get a lot of things sorted out by spending money.

If you don't believe me, just look at the films released during the 26 Spring Festival: "Pegasus 3" and "Awakening of Insects"—what kind of garbage were they?

"Pegasus 3" is alright. No matter what, it's at least a decent movie. So, calling it "Tiny Times" is a bit of an insult.

However, isn't "Pegasus 3" just another "Tiny Times"? When it was released, it received almost all the best screenings, while "The Swordsman" was almost exclusively shown in the early morning and midnight. Although it seemed to have a lot of screenings, it was actually very difficult for casual viewers to see the movie. Few people would have the patience to get up early or go to the movies at night.

As for "The Awakening of Insects," it's practically a scam. What's the difference between it and those early Hong Kong films that only sold trailers? This is truly...

They're treating the audience like fools.

"Man Jiang Hong" was fooled once, "Under the Light" was fooled again, "Article 22" did it again, and now "Awakening of Insects" wants to use the same method to deceive audiences. How could the audience possibly fall for it? It would be a miracle if the box office broke 10 billion. As for the next movie, whether it will continue to use this kind of deception, only God knows.

As for "The Swordsman," as soon as the idea of ​​competing in the Spring Festival film season was revealed, a large number of haters appeared online. It was really disgusting. If you simply don't like it, that's understandable. But to hate for the sake of hating is disgusting. It's like intelligent people biting people like mad dogs. They even have the absurd idea that watching movies is like donating money to the rich to buy organs. It's completely out of touch with reality. The key point is that so many people believe it, which is the most outrageous thing.

Seeing that Zhang Yang had no further instructions, Sun Yu left. Then, Liu He came in with a stack of documents.

"Mr. Zhang, we've made an appointment with Chengtian. Mr. Wu said we'll meet in his office at 3 PM the day after tomorrow."

"How is things going with Chengtian?"

Liu He flipped through the documents: "It's pretty much as you predicted, Mr. Zhang. Since Wang Jinghua left, Chengtian has suffered a serious loss of artist resources. The box office of the several films they invested in was not ideal. The investors behind them are getting impatient and are urging Mr. Wu to achieve results."

"What about the theaters?"

"The cinema chains acquired by Jiahe are not performing well. Mr. Wu wants to expand, but he doesn't have the funds. Now he's stuck in the middle, neither here nor there."

Zhang Yang nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Prepare an investment plan for 'PUBG,' where we can allocate a portion of the shares. Also, prepare an investment share for the movie as a backup."

Liu He's eyes lit up: "Mr. Zhang, you want to use these to exchange for Chengtian's cinema chain?"

"Not just the cinemas, but also the Tangyan contract."

Liu He nodded thoughtfully and didn't ask any more questions.

He knew that Zhang Yang never made a losing deal; whatever he gave away, he would get back even more.

Two days later, Zhang Yang arrived at the Chengtian Film and Television headquarters on time.

Mr. Wu's office is on the top floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Beijing skyline. Mr. Wu himself is in his early fifties, dressed in a suit and tie, with a gentle smile, but his eyes reveal a shrewd glint.

"Director Zhang, I've heard so much about you."

He warmly shook hands with Zhang Yang: "Please sit down and have some tea."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two sat down. Mr. Wu didn't rush into business; instead, he first praised the success of "Gu Jian Qi Tan" and then chatted about some industry gossip.

Zhang Yang patiently accompanied him around until General Manager Wu couldn't hold back any longer.

"Director Zhang, what good deed have you done for Chengtian today?"

Zhang Yang smiled, took two documents out of his briefcase, and pushed them in front of him.

"Mr. Wu, these are two projects; you can take a look."

Mr. Wu took it and opened the first document, the "PUBG" project investment plan.

His eyes slowly brightened.

As an industry insider, he was certainly aware of the "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" project, a flagship project of Star Entertainment, spearheaded by Zhang Yang and Liu Yifei, involving massive investment and widely viewed favorably within the industry. Securing a stake in the investment would be a significant boon to Chengtian's stock price.

He then turned to the second document, which was also a share of a movie.

Although it's not a top-tier production, with Jing Tian as the lead actor and Zhang Yang as the producer, it's a project that's highly likely to be profitable.

After looking at this easy target, Mr. Wu raised his head and looked at Zhang Yang with a complicated expression.

"Director Zhang, both of these projects are excellent, but there's no such thing as a free lunch. What would you like to exchange them for?"

Zhang Yang didn't mince words: "First, I want to take over Chengtian's cinema chain."

Mr. Wu's expression changed slightly, but Zhang Yang ignored him and continued, "Secondly, Tang Yan's contract will be transferred to Xingchen."

Mr. Wu remained silent.

He stared at Zhang Yang for a long time, then smiled.

"Director Zhang, are you... going to raid my house?"

"Mr. Wu, you flatter me."

Zhang Yang said calmly, "The cinema chain is a burden in your hands. Operating costs are high, and the profit cycle is long. Rather than dragging it out, it's better to liquidate it. As for Tang Yan..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I know someone is putting pressure on Chengtian, trying to lead her astray. Mr. Wu, that kind of money isn't something you can earn with a clear conscience."

Mr. Wu picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

"Director Zhang, do you know who is putting this pressure on you?"

"Know."

"Then you still dare to accept it?"

"Why wouldn't you dare?"

Zhang Yang looked at him and said, "Mr. Wu, you are a smart man. A smart man should know which side to choose when it comes to taking sides."

Mr. Wu remained silent.

After a long while, he put down his teacup and sighed.

"Director Zhang, I need to discuss the theater distribution with the board of directors. As for Tangyan's contract... we can discuss it, but the price won't be low."

"Price is negotiable."

Zhang Yang stood up: "I'll wait for your news."

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at General Manager Wu.

"Mr. Wu, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

"Please speak."

"Over the years, Chengtian has gone a bit astray, following trends, chasing hot topics, and doing whatever makes money. But in the film industry, it all comes down to content. You have the talent, so don't waste it."

Mr. Wu was stunned.

By the time he came to his senses, Zhang Yang had already walked out the door.

He stood there, staring at the closed door, and remained silent for a long time.

With the Lunar New Year approaching and nothing much to do, Zhang Yang continued to discuss issues related to the Miaoyan platform with Zhang Lin. Surprisingly, after Zhang Yang's guidance, Zhang Lin felt that many things she couldn't understand before suddenly became clear.

In the afternoon, Zhang Yang sat in his office, contemplating his future empire: film and television companies, variety show companies, game companies, special effects companies, the soon-to-be-acquired cinema chains, and the Miaoyan platform. It could be said that in this small corner of the entertainment industry, if he were to acquire a film and television shooting base and a video website, he could complete a closed loop.

Zhang Yang doesn't plan to invest only in the entertainment industry. He also wants to try his hand in other circles and invest in some well-known, promising companies so that he can have more connections to protect his family in the future.

Therefore, during this period, Zhang Yang had his subordinates collect a number of companies that needed investment in the near future.

I don't know it, I've never heard of it, I don't know it, I've never heard of it!

After being bombarded with over a dozen companies he'd never heard of, Zhang Yang was starting to feel a bit disappointed. Just as he was getting impatient, the latest set of information caught his eye.

Xiaomi Company!

Zhang Yang's lips unconsciously curved into a smile.

Lei Jun (Lei Jun)

This man, who would later be jokingly referred to by netizens as a protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel, is now just beginning his entrepreneurial journey. Xiaomi Technology is currently just a newly registered company, and it doesn't even have its first product yet.

But Zhang Yang knew what kind of behemoth this company would grow into in the future.

He closed the report, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.

My thoughts drifted back to the time and space he once lived in: Lei Jun stood on the stage, wearing his signature black T-shirt and jeans, and launched the Su-7. The fans below cheered wildly. After rigorous selection by the entire internet, the Su-7 finally broke through and caused an earthquake in the industry. It was also chased and bitten by countless smart people.

And now, this is just the beginning.

Zhang Yang opened his eyes, picked up his phone, and dialed Sun Yu's number.

"Sun Yu, I want to invest in Xiaomi Technology."

Sun Yu on the other end of the phone was clearly used to Zhang Yang's sudden investment decisions, but this time he couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Zhang, I checked, this company is newly established, and the team is quite strong, led by Lei Jun. But the mobile phone industry is too competitive, we..."

"cast."

Zhang Yang interrupted him: "It's not a small investment, it's a large investment."

Sun Yu was silent for two seconds: "Understood."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yang stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the spring sunshine was just right, shining brightly on the city buildings.

He recalled the anecdote about Ali Ma's entrepreneurial journey: In his early days, Ali Ma was approaching investors but was dismissed as a fraud. Later, Ali Ma succeeded, and those who had rejected him deeply regretted their decision.

Now, he is fortunate enough to stand at this point in time.

What he wants to do is not just invest money; he wants to use Xiaomi to get on Lei Jun's big ship, then infiltrate Shunwei Capital, and enter the circle of top entrepreneurs.

Even if he can't make it in the entertainment industry anymore, he'll still be a billionaire, the kind of billionaire he could never spend in hundreds of lifetimes.

This isn't greed; it's insurance.

In this unpredictable world, you must always have a plan B, a plan C, and even a plan Z.

The phone rang again; it was Sun Yu.

"Mr. Zhang, I've got in touch with them. Xiaomi Technology said they're having an internal roadshow next week. If you're interested, you can attend."

"Okay, let's make the arrangements."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yang returned to his desk, opened the report on Xiaomi Technology, and read it again.

Putting down the documents in his hand, Zhang Yang called Xu Wen in. Xu Wen was now considered one of Zhang Yang's confidants. After all, a bodyguard is someone you can't do without being a confidant.

"Xu Wen, there's something I need you to do!"

"Mr. Zhang, what are your instructions?"

Zhang Yang looked up at Xu Wen and said calmly, "Take some men to the United States and buy some Bitcoin."

Xu Wen was stunned: "Bitcoin? What's that?"

Zhang Yang then remembered that it was 2010, and Bitcoin was still an unfamiliar term to most people. He explained it simply: a virtual currency with a limited total supply, currently very cheap, but potentially valuable in the future.

Xu Wen was completely confused, but he still carefully wrote it down: "How much?"

Zhang Yang thought for a moment: "More than a million, I guess."

Xu Wen had been following Zhang Yang for so long and knew that this boss was a very discerning person. Therefore, if Bitcoin wasn't too expensive, he would definitely stock up on some Bitcoin this time!

Xu Wen wasn't stupid. This kind of opportunity was incredibly rare. It was like a joke: Li Jiacheng's driver made a fortune by following Li Jiacheng because he could often hear Li Jiacheng making phone calls in the car.

As Zhang Yang's bodyguard, Xu Wen wouldn't have much trouble making a fortune as long as he's not too stupid. Just like with Bitcoin, if he seizes the opportunity, he's bound to become a billionaire in the future.

After Xu Wen left, Zhang Yang leaned back in his chair and looked out the window.

Over a million bitcoins, at current prices, are only worth a few hundred thousand US dollars. This amount is nothing to him, but a decade or so later...

He recalled the news reports about Bitcoin millionaires, and the stories of people who achieved financial freedom by buying just a few Bitcoins early on. To him, the numbers in those stories were real, tangible codes to wealth.

He doesn't plan to get rich from this; he's already wealthy enough. But Zhang Yang is thinking further ahead: if one day he really needs money, capital that can be mobilized at any time, is not subject to any supervision, and allows him to take his family and leave, this is the best insurance.

Moreover, Bitcoin will be an excellent tool for managing relationships and handling expenses that cannot be transparently accounted for in the future.

As for whether Xu Wen would buy some himself or tell his relatives and friends about buying Bitcoin, Zhang Yang didn't care much.

Zhang Yang believed that Xu Wen wasn't stupid. Even if he wanted to hitch a ride, he would only take a small share for himself and wouldn't tell his relatives.

Zhang Yang finished dealing with his work, and then his phone, which was lying to the side, vibrated.