Actor: Thank you.

The dinner table is like a battlefield, a place where people interact and exchange pleasantries.

It's common to discuss business over drinks.

The deal was reached and everyone was happy.

Even if the deal falls through, you can pretend to be drunk and act as if nothing ever happened.

Or if they regret the deal, they can simply say the next day that they have a blackout and don't remember what they said.

In some parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, accounts are settled only after everyone has sobered up and everyone acknowledges and remembers them, for a deal to be considered done.

If even one person denies it, we have to start all over again.

Every place has a different culture.

At today's dinner table, everyone could see that Xiao Wang and Zhang Yuan were initially quite cheerful, but after a few words, they turned on each other.

But soon, the two of them were drinking and laughing again, as if nothing had happened.

Xiao Wang wanted Zhang Yuan to help persuade Ning Hao to join Huayi, but it won't be that easy.

Zhang Yuan wanted to persuade Xiao Wang to give up blocking Liu Qianqian, but that was even more difficult.

Those around him sensed a chill, but also felt that Zhang Yuancai was formidable.

Not only did they not suffer any losses, but they were also able to act like seasoned veterans and not take it seriously at all.

How dignified!
If it were someone else their age, they probably wouldn't be able to hide their expression; they'd have to look sullen.

This actor truly deserves to be called a good actor both on and off screen.

People think he's amazing because he can stay calm and collected.

It doesn't matter if the other party refutes it on the spot.

What the others didn't know was that neither Xiao Wang nor Zhang Yuan expected that a single word from them would get the other to do something for them.

So what is there to be disappointed about?

Both of them were just testing the waters.

Once the probing is done, it's time to get back to normal.

"Everyone, come and eat with us at Huayi."

"Once the company goes public, everyone will get a big bonus!" Xiao Wang stood up and said domineeringly.

"it is good!"

“The boss is awesome!”

"We swear to follow President Wang to the death!"

"President Wang is like my second parents!"

Seeing a group of grown men shamelessly calling him "godfather," Zhang Yuan thought to himself that when it comes to shamelessness, the entertainment industry is definitely among the top.

I can't even bring myself to say it.

"The company's recent financial report is quite good."

"Everyone, please do your best in making 'The Message,' and let's boost the company's morale and raise the release price!"

At this moment, Huayi's focus has been entirely on the listing and stock price.

"Little Zhang," Wang Zhonglei said casually, putting his hand on Zhang's shoulder after sitting down.

"You'll be one of the key contributors once the company goes public."

"You'll have a seat at the victory celebration banquet."

"At the same time, your company is doing quite well; you've made money from several TV series."

“We at Huayi will also be able to share in the profits from this year onwards, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

As he spoke, he slapped his shoulder hard with his big hand.

This is a reminder that he also owns shares in my company.

Zhang Yuan chuckled and agreed, saying it would definitely bring substantial profits to Huayi.

But deep down, I knew this was indeed a troublesome matter.

Now, most of the films he invests in are under the umbrella of the film industry on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The television dramas, on the other hand, are all under their own company's name.

For ordinary TV dramas, it's fine; if a show can earn tens of millions, that's considered pretty good.

However, the TV series "Empresses in the Palace" that he discussed with director Zheng Xiaolong is already in the preparation stage.

Director Zheng and his wife, like Ning Hao, are not just going through the motions; they are truly meticulous.

Things take a long time to do.

But this show is completely different from ordinary TV dramas!
His profits are in the hundreds of millions.

It was a groundbreaking work that pioneered sky-high actor salaries, sky-high film acquisition prices, and sky-high advertising fees.

It was only after this show that the price of a TV series exceeded 100 million yuan.

As a result, television stations were completely outmatched by online platforms in terms of funding and gradually began to decline.

So he plans to take on the entire project and use it as a "retirement fund".

Conservative estimates put the total revenue at over 10 billion.

Is this 30% going to Huayi?
Grandma!

However, if you want to bypass Huayi, you cannot use your own company and its license.

Even if you use another company's filming permit, you still have to pay a licensing fee, which means you're essentially giving away profits to that company.

It's not worth it no matter what.

Therefore, the most cost-effective way is to find a way to get rid of Huayi from his company.

Difficult!

This is a classic example of how it's easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away.

But times change, and everything comes at a price.

This was the price he had to pay to achieve his goal back then.

Now it has become a tool for the other party to restrict him.

This matter must be resolved before the filming of "Empresses in the Palace" begins. If it is not resolved before filming starts, especially if it is delayed until after the show airs and becomes a huge hit, and Hua Yi gets a taste of success, then it will never be resolved in this lifetime.

His company currently only earns tens of millions a year, but after "Empresses in the Palace," that number will jump to hundreds of millions!
Even after its IPO, Huayi's annual revenue was only a few hundred million.

They will absolutely not budge.

Therefore, this matter is both difficult and urgent.

This big problem weighed on his mind, making him very unhappy.

I still have to put on a smiling face for Xiao Wang.

However, he soon received some news that made him feel a little better.

"what?"

"How did that happen?"

"How's it going?"

"Okay, I understand. I'll give him a good talking to when I get back."

After answering a phone call, Wang Zhonglei looked rather grim. He talked for a while before hanging up, his appetite for drinking waning considerably.

"How is Mr. Wang?"

"Is there a problem with the company?" Chen Guofu, a senior executive at Huayi Film Company, was worried that problems with the company would affect the production team, so he quickly asked.

"No, there's nothing wrong with the company, it's just a small matter at home."

"It's okay, everyone keep drinking."

He didn't say anything because family scandals shouldn't be aired in public.

But Zhang Yuan, with his sharp ears, heard the voice coming from his phone.

If it weren't for his good acting skills, I would be laughing out loud right now.

Because the phone call that made him turn pale was from his wife.

The incident involved his daughter taking something from a classmate at school, which led to a home visit by the teacher.

Saying "take" is just for the sake of sounding good.

"There are successors!" Zhang Yuan thought to himself.

At the last company party, that girl was so rude to me, so I repaid her with kindness and taught her a skill.

I'm so kind.

Not only did he receive "bad news" from home, but it also cheered him up.

Good news has also come from my side.

After receiving a phone call, Zhang Yuan's face beamed with a broad smile.

"Why are you so happy? Is something good happening?"

Seeing this, Su Youpeng nudged him with his elbow.

"The TV series we collaborated on with Youku has been basically completed and will be broadcast soon."

"This is the first TV series in the country to premiere simultaneously on both the internet and television. I've made a small contribution to history."

"Congratulations!" said Brother Youpeng after hearing the good wishes.

It is indeed worth celebrating; any first place deserves congratulations.

"Oh, that's great." Xiao Wang also raised his glass in a gesture of respect.

"However, although online video traffic is high now, most of it is pirated video."

"I'm afraid the potential of legitimate works on online platforms is not great."

"It means even less to production companies, in particular."

"After all, the copyright fees are pitifully low," Wang Zhonglei poured cold water on his enthusiasm.

“I disagree with President Wang on this point,” Zhang Yuan retorted without backing down.

The table fell silent again.

Here they are again!
It made everyone else nervous.

Why don't you two go outside and have a fight...?

"Online platforms are the future."

“I believe the internet will replace traditional media, including television, print media, and radio,” Zhang Yuan replied sincerely and in a loud voice.

He was stating the truth.

"Possibly," Xiao Wang gently shook his head, "but when will it be able to replace it?"

"According to my research, online copyright prices and paid subscription rates for online videos are much lower than those of traditional channels."

"This market is flooded with all kinds of pirated products, and nobody pays for the genuine ones."

"Moreover, this pirated content on online platforms also affects the revenue of cinemas, which is quite shameful and hateful!"

Wang Zhonglei said indignantly.

Every time Hua Yi's movie is released, pirated copies will circulate all over the internet within a few days.

Then Xiao Wang launched into a tirade against domestic copyright issues while praising the West, especially Hollywood, for its robust copyright protection measures.

Genuine CDs and DVDs sell very well in the market.

What he didn't know was that North America's once-proud CD market was later destroyed by its own streaming giants, such as Amazon and Netflix.

The tide of time rolls ever forward; if you fall behind even for a moment, you will be crushed by those who come after you.

Xiao Wang's statement reflects a biased perspective; he feels that piracy is affecting his income, so he extends his dislike to online platforms as well.

In his view, websites like Tudou and Youku are at odds with Huayi in many ways.

“Right now, only one sub-category of online platforms is doing well.” Xiao Wang raised his index finger: “Music streaming!” “Although there’s a lot of piracy, as long as the singer has enough influence and enough fans, there will be a lot of revenue from legitimate content.”

He drew his conclusion based on his own experience.

"Mr. Wang, you're absolutely right!" Zhang Yuan chimed in, "Oh, I met Mr. Chen at the annual meeting before."

"This person is quite popular, isn't he?"

"Haha, it's really good. We're planning to hold a press conference for him to release the song soon, so please pay attention then."

Hua Yi and Tianyu Media have been at odds for a long time. In addition to Zhang Liangying and Chen Shengsheng, several other actresses who came from Hunan TV, such as Shang Wenjie and He Jie, were also recruited by Hua Yi.

Everyone cheered that they would definitely attend, and some even asked to go to the press conference to show their support.

These are all ways to please the boss.

Su Youpeng glanced at Zhang Yuan, thinking to himself that he and Xiao Wang had gone back and forth several times during this meal, neither willing to give in.

I just don't know who will have the last laugh.

From his perspective, he couldn't imagine what chance Zhang Yuan had of winning.

Is he slacking off and not filming properly?

It's not good for him either; it damages his reputation.

Moreover, it would affect the stock price of Huayi's IPO, which would not benefit him either.

Youpeng was puzzled; at least he couldn't see the point in opposing Xiao Wang.

After finishing their meal, everyone saw Wang Zhonglei off to his car before leisurely dispersing.

Shortly after the car started, Xiao Wang sobered up and made a phone call to his older brother.

"That kid wasn't convinced."

"They also want to use Liu Qianqian's matter as a bargaining chip."

"He's dreaming!" the king replied with a cold snort.

"If he doesn't behave himself, once he's free to do something after the company goes public, he'll be the next Liu Qianqian."

"That's true, but judging from his attitude, I think Ning Hao's situation should be fine."

“If there were really something wrong with him, he wouldn’t use something so important as a bargaining chip.”

This is reverse thinking.

If Ning Hao's film has problems, would he dare to use his own woman as a bargaining chip?
If you want to make an exchange, you have to be sincere enough.

He wants to use this to exchange for something as important as unlocking Xiaolongnu's secrets, so he probably wouldn't dare to play any tricks.

Because if it's discovered that they're playing tricks, not only will they not be able to unlock it, but they will also face even more severe retaliation.

They are thinking in reverse; Zhang Yuan is thinking in reverse reverse.

Two negatives make a positive.

Ning Hao has many suitors; let Hua Yi go and snatch them up.

Zhang Yuan didn't bother with it.

He continued working methodically and maintained a very good condition.

The other crew members were initially worried that he might be discouraged because Wang Zhonglei had rejected his request at the dinner party that day.

But I found that he hadn't changed at all.

Gao Qunshu exclaimed that it was professional!
After finishing work that day, he had just arrived at his hotel room when he received a phone call.

"Zhang Yuan, are you resting?"

Little Dragon Girl called him, but her tone wasn't as lively as usual.

Slightly subdued.

"Just got off work, are you resting too?"

"Mm," she replied simply.

"Zhang Yuan, there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you."

"Why are you being so serious? Just say it." Zhang Yuan changed and lay down on the sofa.

"First of all, you should get to know me."

"The education I received from childhood neither allowed nor supported me to swear."

Zhang Yuan recalled that she indeed never swore or used foul language.

Liu Xiaoli is the same; she sets a good example and has done a good job of educating others.

“But I really want to curse you.” Her tone suddenly changed, becoming sharp, and then she gasped for breath, sniffed, and her voice trembled.

"Jiazhen is dead."

"Fengxia is dead."

"Youqing is dead."

"Erxi is dead."

Even Kugen is dead!

"Didn't you say you'd recommend some healing books to me?!"

It's depressing... Zhang Yuan held back his laughter, afraid that if the other party pushed him too far, he would really start cursing.

This is what Mr. Yu Hua is like.

His writing of books is no different from the King of Hell's roll call.

And everyone can find new and creative ways to die.

They died of illness, drowned, crushed to death, shot, died in childbirth, or choked to death on beans.

The novel "To Live" should be renamed "A Thousand Ways for the Working Class to Die".

Yu Hua has a very advanced mental state; he leaves sadness to his readers and brings joy to himself.

After all, he was the kind of person who could get Shi Tiesheng to play goalkeeper while he was in a wheelchair; what wouldn't such a person do?

"Yes, they're all dead," Zhang Yuan replied with a forced smile.

"But aren't you still alive?"

Liu Qianqian: ...

You mean I should go too?

"In books, you'll find beautiful women; in books, you'll find houses of gold."

"Of course, there might be a knife hidden in the book."

"In short, look at the fates of the characters in those books."

"What does it mean to be alive?"

"To live is to live; only by living is there hope."

"Only by living can we pursue flowers, meadows, and the sky."

"Apart from life and death, there is nothing of great importance in life."

"The difficulties you are facing now make you feel like the sky is falling and you can't get out of it."

"But in five or ten years, it will just be an ordinary part of life."

"Besides life, you also have a healthy body, a loving family, good looks, and a lot of wealth."

"You are already happier than 99% of people."

"Besides, you are still young and have a bright future ahead of you."

After he finished speaking, there was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

"If you want to help me, can you speak and act properly?"

"Don't always use folk remedies."

"Folk remedies can cure serious illnesses. In your current condition, most doctors can't treat you, only I, Dr. Zhang, can."

In fact, his methods for "treating" Xiaolongnu and Li Bingbing were the same: treating the symptoms and using a breakdown therapy.

Both women are strong-willed, and it's generally useless for ordinary people to persuade them with kind words and gentle persuasion.

We need to use certain methods to make them understand on their own.

"Sigh." Sisi sighed deeply, "You're just deliberately bullying me."

"And they're just making up some high-sounding excuses."

Her tone was no longer angry, but rather quite coquettish.

She gently scolded him.

Let's not talk about these things anymore.

Actually, before she called, she had a vague feeling that the other party wanted to do something.

She was quite angry because she cried for several days after reading the book.

"There's one more thing. I heard that you pleaded with President Wang on my behalf at the dinner party?"

Zhang Yuan scratched his temple.

Even after all this, you still call him "General Manager Wang," that's really too polite.

"Yes, I did do that."

"You don't need to do that."

"Afraid of affecting my career and dragging me down?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, I am a little worried," she answered frankly, while also feeling touched.

There are very few people willing to stand up for her now.

It is said that true friendship is revealed in times of adversity, but how much true friendship exists in the world?

"You don't need to worry about it, I have my own considerations."

"I'm doing this not just for you."

"And for myself."

"Keep pretending. Can't you just admit it openly?"

"You men are really strange. You always say that women are two-faced, but you yourselves are often two-faced too."

Xiaolongnu thought he was just shy and didn't want to express his feelings directly, which was quite cute.

Zhang Yuan shook his head remotely, saying, "To be honest, you still don't believe me."

I really have my own plans.

"By the way, there's something I'd like you to do for me."

"Since you're free, how about I send you a job?"

"Oh, aren't you afraid that with my involvement, the film won't be released?" Little Dragon Girl thought Zhang Yuan was going to arrange a movie role for her.

"I'm scared, it's such a hassle."

"I can't let your relationship prevent me from making money."

"Hmph!" She snorted, her voice tingling with sarcasm. "You're always like this, your words are so unpleasant."

"It's because you think the truth is unpleasant to hear."

"And I'm not asking you to act in movies."

"Not a movie?"

"Is that acting in a TV series?" She frowned. The other person should know that she had decided to temporarily stop acting in TV series.

She was injured while filming "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

"This isn't a TV drama." Zhang Yuan rubbed his fingers together. "You're asked to sing the theme song for a TV drama." (End of Chapter)