Huayu: This producer has no bottom line.

Chapter 119 Add-ons

When Ren Pingsheng returned to the studio, before he even opened the door, he heard laughter coming from inside.

He could recognize Bai Ke's laughter, but there was also a somewhat unfamiliar female voice mixed in.

He froze for a moment.

A female voice?

Pushing open the door, the scene before me was truly absurd.

Da Peng stood in the center, wearing the bob wig he used when filming "Report to the Boss," with one arm around Xiao Ai and the other holding a cell phone, speaking in a high-pitched voice.

"Oh my, where are you from, young lady? Do you have a boyfriend yet? Let me tell you, my nephew works at a state-owned enterprise, it's a very stable job. Don't let his short stature fool you, he's a very honest man. Give me your phone number, and then..."

Xiao Ai, with his arm around her, rolled her eyes and pretended to be shy.

Bai Ke was laughing so hard he was pounding the table while lying on his desk, and Zhang Yibo was recording him with a digital camera next to him.

Naza covered her mouth with both hands, her shoulders swaying, and her eyes curved into crescents.

She was smiling.

Although I laughed very restrainedly, it was indeed the first time I had laughed out loud in all these days.

"What are you doing?"

Dapeng suddenly turned around, his wig askew, obscuring one of his eyes.

"Holy crap, you're finally back."

He ripped off his wig and shoved his hand into Ren Pingsheng's face. "What kind of ridiculous idea was this, to have our junior sister ask for directions on the street? Some old lady just kept talking to her for two hours! Two hours! She practically followed her all the way to the company building, trying to set her up with someone. If I hadn't come back at the right time, the little girl would have been dragged back for a blind date!"

"So what are you doing?"

"What else could I do?" Da Peng slammed the wig on the table. "I just wanted to imitate that old lady and show everyone what kind of despicable things you've done."

Ren Pingsheng's lips twitched, but he held back.

He had anticipated the fighting prowess of the Beijing aunties, but he hadn't expected them to be this fierce.

However, if she was kept chatting for two hours, then her training volume for the day can be considered as having met the standard.

As for the results... seeing that she can now be amused by Dapeng, it at least shows that it's starting to work.

Ren Pingsheng nodded to Nazha, "Let's continue tomorrow."

Naza's smile froze for a moment, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she obediently nodded.

"it is good."

This time, at least they didn't duck or dodge, which is an improvement.

Ren Pingsheng didn't say much, but patted Dapeng on the shoulder, gesturing for him to follow him into the inner room.

As soon as the door closed, Dapeng gestured with his chin towards the outside, "Is this the treasure you found in that pile of documents? It's really good."

"Just mind your own business," Ren Pingsheng didn't respond. "How's it going in Shanghai?"

Upon hearing this, Da Peng's playful smile vanished instantly. "It's done. I've secured the observer position."

He took a document from his desk and handed it to Ren Pingsheng.

Ren Pingsheng took it and glanced at it. It was a guest invitation letter issued by Dragon TV, which listed Da Peng's name and the schedule for the program recording.

"How did you manage to negotiate this?"

Da Peng rubbed his hands together, recalling his experiences in Shanghai over the past few days, still finding it somewhat surreal.

"Master first had tea with Cao Kefan, and Cao Kefan relayed the message to Dragon TV. At first, they were not happy about it. After all, their channel emphasizes international high-end and thinks that our Northeastern programs are rustic and that they are afraid of lowering the standard and affecting their reputation."

He curled his lip. "Besides, Zhou Libo is their top star now. That bastard's coffee and garlic theory was clearly meant to exclude us. Dragon TV is afraid that if they hire a mentor, Zhou Libo will flip the table."

"So how did you finally back down?"

"It's because we're eyeing the market in the north. Master set a condition: the auditions for the 'Talent Show' in Northeast China will be handled by Ben San Media, guaranteeing at least 30 high-quality contestants from the north to go there. He also sent Senior Brother Shen Yang and Senior Brother Xiao Li to record three episodes as guest performers, and Master himself will attend the finals."

Ren Pingsheng knew exactly what was going on.

Dragon TV's revenue mainly comes from international brands and local companies in the Yangtze River Delta region. These clients are primarily located in economically developed areas such as East China and Central South China.

This is why the judges for the first season of the talent show in my previous life chose Zhou Libo, a representative of Shanghai culture, Gao Xiaosong, a cultural elite, and Annie Yi, a fashion icon from Hong Kong and Taiwan, without any representatives from the North.

To put it more bluntly, it's not that they don't want the northern market, but rather that they simply lack the resources and energy to develop markets outside the Yangtze River Delta region.

In 2010, Dragon TV's revenue was only over 8 million yuan, less than the 9 million yuan of Shanghai's local news channel, and far less than Hunan TV's 37 billion yuan.

With limited funds, they can only focus on their advantageous markets.

But Zhao Bensan's promise was tantamount to directly delivering the traffic from Northeast China to Dragon TV.

His and Xiao Shenyang's influence is undeniable. With them joining, the ratings for a single episode can increase by at least 20%, which is practically a free bonus.

"What did we get in return?"

"In return, I got to be an observer on the show, plus a designated spot and speaking time for Liu Laogen's Grand Stage," Da Peng said smugly.

"There's more than that, isn't there?" Ren Pingsheng waved the invitation letter in his hand. "If it were just for observers and male candidates, your master wouldn't have needed to make such a big fuss."

"You're really an expert," Da Peng said, his smile fading and his tone becoming more serious. "The real big prize is yet to come. Dragon TV spent 800 million yuan to buy the second-run broadcast rights for 'Country Love 3'."

Ren Pingsheng quickly did the math: 800 million was slightly overpriced than the market price, but Dragon TV wouldn't lose out. It not only filled the TV drama slot but also helped open up viewership gaps in the north.

Meanwhile, Zhao Bensan went even further, directly inserting Northeast dramas into the heart of the South.

"You think that's all?" Da Peng leaned closer. "Master also started a joint venture with Shanghai Media Group (SMG)."

"A joint venture?"

"Yes, Master has always wanted to open Liu Laogen in Shanghai, but the theaters there are all monopolized by SMG, and the approval process is very strict. This time, a joint venture was established. SMG will provide the theater resources and be responsible for management, ticketing, and regional market promotion, while Ben San Media will only be responsible for the content and artists."

Upon hearing this, Ren Pingsheng finally understood that this was Zhao Bensan's true objective.

"Anything else?"

"The two parties will also jointly produce a comedy program to replace the struggling 'Laughing Forest Assembly' on Dragon TV. In addition, SMG's IPTV will open a dedicated channel for Ben San Media."

Da Peng counted on his fingers, "In the end, my master also promised that the outstanding contestants selected from the talent show could be sent to Liu Laogen Grand Stage for a tour, with the box office revenue split between the two companies, and their subsequent development could also be handled by the joint venture company."

Ren Pingsheng threw the invitation on the table and went to the water dispenser to get a glass of water.

That was a brilliant combination of punches.

No one party makes a unilateral contribution; every clause is based on the interests of the other party.

Zhao Bensan wants a breakthrough in the southern market, a nationwide expansion of Liu Laogen Grand Stage, and increased exposure for artists under Bensan Media.

SMG wants to increase viewership in the northern market, the GG premium brought by the increased viewership, the GG of northern enterprises, and the extension into the offline performing arts industry.

Each link in the chain is interconnected, ensuring that everyone benefits and no one suffers a loss.

So rather than saying that Dapeng and Dragon TV reached a cooperation agreement, it would be more accurate to say that Zhao Benshan and Shanghai Media Group took this opportunity to reach a cooperation agreement.

Dapeng is just an extra in their grand scheme.