Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 943 I'll leave it to you to take responsibility

Zhao Wanru arrived in a hurry and took Zhou Yali with her.

On the bus to Hong Kong, Zhou Yali lay there, utterly dejected, muttering, "Why? Why did you do this to me?"

Zhao Wanru slapped him across the back of the head, showing none of the gentle and dignified demeanor she displayed in front of her nephew.

That's true. If she were truly a gentle and dignified person, her daughter wouldn't have such a lively personality.

Besides, what family doesn't have sisters? A youngest sister with several brothers is bound to be gentle and dignified.

Anyway, the eldest daughter of the Zhao family in Los Angeles is not.

With a slap that landed squarely on the target, and feeling the familiar sensation of the hand, Zhao Wanru slapped again.

Zhou Yali covered her head, her face contorted with grief, and said, "Why did you hit me twice?"

Zhao Wanru naturally wouldn't say she hit her daughter on the head. She was so disappointed in her daughter that she used her One-Finger Divine Skill to hit her right on the head. "What a great learning opportunity this is! It's rare for someone to trip us up, and your cousin has given us a solution. All you have to do is follow his advice. Why aren't you here? You're waiting for me to do it for you. Why don't you just give me the whole company?"

Zhou Yali moved away slightly and said weakly, "I have no objection."

Anyway, I already have Wanmuchun, and Dr. Engelbart is in charge of managing it, so I don't have to worry about it at all. It's fine to let one of them go.

Besides, Mom wouldn't do anything to herself.

However, the atmosphere seems a bit off right now?
Before Zhao Wanru could explode in anger, Zhou Yali grabbed her arm and gently shook it back and forth, shamelessly laughing, "Mom, Mom, why are you angry? I was just joking. Look at you, you're getting anxious again."

Zhao Wanru flicked her finger on the forehead again and said irritably, "Let me make this clear to you, you are fully responsible this time, and you must resolve everything within four days, or I'll make you regret it."

Zhou Yali covered her forehead, looking dejected, and said, "Why four days?"

"nonsense."

Zhao Wanru glared at her again and said, "Today is the 2nd, and the groundbreaking ceremony is on the 6th. It's only four days at most. Aren't you going to attend the groundbreaking ceremony?"

Zhou Yali gasped and blinked. "But Mom, I don't even know who the filmmakers in Hong Kong are, or what books our company's library contains. How are we going to solve this?"

Zhao Wanru hummed twice, "Think for yourself."

Zhou Yali leaned against her mother, frowning and deep in thought, until the car stopped in front of the company's rented office building. She suddenly realized what was happening, straightened up, looked out the window, and asked, "Are we here yet?"

Zhao Wanru turned to look at her, "Do you have any ideas?"

Zhou Yali turned her face around, grinned sheepishly, and said, "No."

Seeing her like this, Zhao Wanru couldn't help but shake her head and sigh, "You can't compare, you can't compare. You're both of the Zhou family bloodline, how come Xiaofan is so smart and you're so stupid?"

Zhou Yali pushed open the car door and got out. Holding onto the door, she looked at her mother getting out of the car opposite her and said with a smile, "Mom, I think you've got one thing wrong."

Zhao Wanru got out of the car and straightened her clothes. Just then, she heard her words and immediately turned around and walked over, asking, "What is it?"

Zhou Yali said confidently, "Don't compare me to anyone, especially not to my younger brother. Whether in the United States or China, I have never met a peer who is more capable than him."

Zhao Wanru was slightly taken aback, then lowered her eyes thoughtfully. After a few seconds, she nodded gently, "Hmm, that makes sense."

Zhou Yali immediately beamed with joy, took her arm, and laughed, "Am I right?"

Zhao Wanru looked at her, feeling a little tired. "My dear daughter, why don't you learn from the virtuous and try to be like your cousin?"

Zhou Yali took her arm and led her inside, smiling, "I'm still learning, so let's take it slow."

Seeing her shameless attitude, Zhao Wanru could only shake her head and sigh.

The two entered the elevator and went up to their rented office.

Qianfan Company rented three floors here. The sixteenth floor was used by behind-the-scenes staff, but not by directors and producers. The seventeenth floor was for artists. Regardless of their status, they worked here when they weren't filming. At most, minor stars had open rooms, while major stars had small private rooms.

What they call "office work" is actually a training session.

Learning is a lifelong pursuit. Unless you're a big star, you have to keep learning here even when you're not filming.

In addition, given that Hong Kong has not yet produced professional agents, many celebrities find jobs on their own and drive themselves to work, without drivers or assistants.

Out of a desire to adapt to local customs, Qianfan Company does not plan to bring over the American system for the time being, but will wait until the time is right.

Maybe this year, maybe next year.

In short, it was several years earlier than when Florence Chan founded "Hengxing Entertainment" in 1987.

The 18th floor is where senior executives, directors, producers, and other high-ranking company personnel stay, so Zhao Wanru and Zhou Yali went directly there.

Stepping out of the elevator and into the office, I found only a handful of people in the more than 1,000-square-meter floor.

That makes sense. The behind-the-scenes staff we found are all on the sixteenth floor, the child actors are on the seventeenth floor, and we haven't been able to recruit a director or producer. Apart from Fang Hongchang, there are only administrative and financial staff working here, so of course it's empty.

Without needing to be greeted, the two simply nodded to the receptionist who greeted them respectfully and headed straight for Fang Hongchang's office.

There wasn't even a nameplate hanging on the office door. Fang Hongchang was originally the vice president of the head office. He came here to assist in the establishment of the branch office and would not be holding any position here. He would just hand over his duties and leave once the general manager of this branch office was selected.

Upon seeing Zhao Wanru and the other woman enter, he immediately stood up and greeted them, "Madam, Miss."

Facing Fang Hongchang, Zhao Wanru was much more polite, nodding with a smile, "Hongchang, are the documents ready?"

Zhou Yali, who was standing next to her, also greeted him obediently, "Uncle Hongchang."

Before leaving Shekou Industrial Park, Zhao Wanru called Fang Hongchang and asked him to compile a list of prominent filmmakers in Hong Kong. She also met with Liao Yiyuan to ask for his advice.

Yes, without a doubt, this move was proposed by Chen Fan.

Besides this, there's also the issue of verifying whether it's truly freedom, which is always rife with behind-the-scenes machinations.

All of Chen Fan's previous analyses were just speculations. This time, Zhao Wanru and Zhou Yali went back to confirm his speculations and begin their counterattack.

With Chen Fan's "foresight," he could have easily drafted a list, recommending a group of future big names, and let them directly follow his plan to recruit people.

However, this is where the problem arises.

How do you, Chen Fan, know who is powerful and reliable in the Hong Kong film industry?
Previously, one could attribute one's foresight and extensive knowledge to international publications, but this time that won't work because it doesn't make sense.

Without a doubt, this approach was immediately rejected.

Fortunately, Zhao Wanru and Fang Hongchang are not pushovers either. Before, they were just anxious because they had no direction. Now that they have a clear idea and Chen Fan has provided a solution, it would be strange if they still couldn't solve the problem.

After receiving the call, Fang Hongchang instantly understood everything and immediately took action as instructed by Zhao Wanru.

He took out a stack of documents from the drawer, placed them on the table, and said, "It's ready. The list was prepared beforehand. In addition to our own analysis, after receiving your call today, I also made a special trip to visit General Manager Liao. He and Fu Qi and others also gave a lot of advice."

Zhao Wanru pulled out a chair and sat down, picked up the documents and looked at them, then casually asked, "How's the investigation into the Freedom Association going?" Fang Hongchang was about to speak when the receptionist came in with a teacup, so he turned back to his seat, took out a cigarette and lit it.

After the clerk left and closed the door from the outside, he said, "No need to investigate. I just made a phone call to the investigation company we work with, and they told me that it was indeed the case."

Zhao Wanru was taken aback upon hearing this, then looked up and asked, "Why didn't you tell us before?"

Fang Hongchang clicked his tongue and said, "The other party said that they had just found out. When I called, he was just about to call me."

However, I suspect that someone within their company has been bribed; otherwise, such a coincidence wouldn't have happened.

Zhao Wanru lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "Replace them."

Fang Hongchang nodded. "Understood. I'll get started right away."

He paused for a moment, then added, "However, we have already paid a year's worth of consulting fees, and that money is non-refundable."

Zhao Wanru said without hesitation, "We can't let small things cause us to lose big ones. Money is a small matter. If we continue to cooperate with them and they sabotage us again next time, we won't even know how we died."

At this moment, Zhou Yali, who was sitting next to her drinking tea, raised her head and said loudly, "Mommy, I don't think the investigation companies here are reliable. After all, we are outsiders. It's not as good as the Freedom Association, which has been operating for so many years."

I'm wondering if it's necessary to bring in people from the US, or if we should just set up our own investigation department?

Zhao Wanru turned to look at her, her face full of satisfaction, and smiled, "The fact that you can think this way means you've made progress, which is very good."

She paused for a moment, then said, "Then I'll leave this matter to you."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yali was stunned. "Huh? You're giving it to me again?"

Her mind raced, and she quickly came up with an excuse: "Didn't you say you were going to hire a local as general manager? Why don't we let him do it?"

Zhao Wanru said helplessly, "I just praised you, and you immediately let me down. Appointing this local as general manager is just a way to gain the trust of the local film industry. Are you really planning to hand over all the work to him?"
"Remember this: this person only has authority over matters related to the film. All other necessary departments must be controlled by our own people, especially finance, artists, and the investigation department. Otherwise, you'll eventually be sidelined."

Zhou Yali's lips twitched slightly. "Oh, I see."

His face immediately fell, and he thought with a bitter expression, "Set up an investigation department? How should I do that?"

Fortunately, she wasn't really stupid. She knew that this investigation department had to deal not only with the market, but more importantly, with keeping abreast of the dynamics of various film companies, especially the Freedom Society.

This would require a very thorough understanding of Hong Kong. Therefore, the idea of ​​transferring personnel from the United States would not be feasible.

We can't bring in people from the US, we're not familiar with this area, and we can't rely on the future branch manager.
How do we even begin?

Or... how about we ask my bro?

Fang Hongchang watched this scene from the side, just smiling without saying a word.

The young lady isn't very magnanimous; it would be bad if she got herself into trouble.

Most importantly, angering the young lady could "endanger his family," and he dared not do that.

After they finished talking and Zhao Wanru turned around, Fang Hongchang's expression turned serious, and he said, "I will reduce our cooperation with the investigation company. As for the general manager candidate, based on our own analysis and the suggestions given by General Manager Liao and the others, we have initially selected two candidates."

Zhao Wanru looked at the list and asked without looking up, "Which two?"

Fang Hongchang immediately said, "The first one is Chen Shufen."

Zhao Wanru immediately flipped to her file, and after a glance, she looked up, her eyes full of surprise, "This person isn't in the film industry?"

Fang Hongchang nodded and said, "She has indeed never worked in film, but she is very knowledgeable about the Hong Kong entertainment industry. You can see that from her resume."

Seven years ago, she took charge of Hong Kong's Capital Artists Entertainment Limited and invited foreign musicians to perform in Hong Kong, causing a sensation throughout the city. Under her leadership, the first 'Chinese Singer Solo Concert' was held in 76, discovering many big-name singers.

Given the close relationship between film, television, and music in Hong Kong's entertainment industry, Florence Chan wields considerable influence over Hong Kong's arts and culture professionals. Even film or record company executives give her face.

After he finished speaking, Zhao Wanru nodded slightly, but did not immediately comment. Instead, she asked, "What about the other one?"

Fang Hongchang said, "The other person is named Shi Nansheng."

While Zhao Wanru was going through the documents, he said with a hint of hesitation, "This person has no experience in managing an entertainment company, but she has held many important positions in television and radio stations, and her administrative abilities are very good."

Zhao Wanru flipped to Shi Nansheng's file, her brows furrowing slightly as she asked, "Why her?"

Fang Hongchang said, "I chose her from among several people recommended by General Manager Liao. The reason I chose her is related to another person."

Zhao Wanru: "Who?"

Fang Hongchang, "Tsui Hark".

Zhao Wanru raised her head, frowned, and thought for a moment, "Is it one of the leading figures of the New Wave cinema, the director of 'Butterfly Murders'?"

Fang Hongchang nodded and said, "Yes, it's him. According to the information we've gathered, Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi are now a couple. If we can get Nansun Shi to come, then Tsui Hark will most likely come too."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "As far as I know, Lei Juekun, the owner of Golden Princess Cinemas, has acquired a 51% stake in Struggle Film Company, giving him a controlling position. One of the conditions for his controlling stake is to expand and reorganize Struggle Company."

Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi are among their targets. According to information provided by the investigation company, they have reached a very close agreement and are just waiting to finalize the details before finalizing the collaboration.

I contacted Tsui Hark before, but he declined. Now, by approaching Nansun Shi, there's a much better chance.

Zhao Wanru raised an eyebrow and a cold smile appeared on her lips, "Seven or eight parts, that means no agreement was reached."

She was about to continue when she suddenly stopped, turned to look at Zhou Yali, and raised her voice, "Yali, I just told you to handle this matter. Now tell me, who do you choose?"

Zhou Yali frowned slightly, thought about it carefully, and said without hesitation, "Only children make choices; adults want both!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wanru's eyes lit up immediately. "How did you come up with that? I mean, I want them all."

Zhou Yali grinned, "I heard from my younger brother that if you don't have the ability, you need to choose who to do first and who to do later. If you have the ability and resources, you will definitely do it on a larger scale and in a more comprehensive way."

Although it wasn't her own idea, Zhao Wanru still nodded with satisfaction, "Not bad, not bad. Your dad is right. Letting you follow Xiao Fan around will allow you to learn from him over time, and you'll definitely improve."

She then turned around, placed the documents on the desk, and said to Fang Hongchang, who was smiling happily, "Hongchang, I trust your judgment. Let's follow Yali's suggestion and find a way to poach them all."

She paused for a moment, then turned to look at Zhou Yali, "Although we want them all, we'll definitely have to differentiate them once they're inside. So, who's older and who's younger?"

Zhou Yali thought for a moment and said, "After all, we are a film-focused company, so Shi Nansheng should be the general manager. Chen Shufen has a wide network of contacts, so we can consider making her the deputy general manager and concurrently the artist director."

She shook her head as she spoke, "Although I didn't stay in Hong Kong for many days, my impression is that the entertainment companies here are too rough, like makeshift troupes, with the left and right teams all the same."

"As long as we're willing to invest money, use the corporate framework that has been developing in the US for decades as a reference, and provide ample room for management personnel to grow, attracting them shouldn't be a problem."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wanru's eyes lit up, and she said with a smile, "Great! Then I'll put you in charge of this. Remember, four days!"

Zhou Yali, "..."

(End of this chapter)