Actor: Thank you.

Business banquets are for work, not for personal life.

Zhang Yuan understood this principle, and so did Zhang Yuqi, who was beside him.

But the remaining young women didn't quite understand.

It's understandable since they've just debuted.

Tan Songyun, who loves to eat, even unconsciously turned the table around when Zhang Yuan picked up food for her.

Zhang Jianing, Tang Yixing, Mao Xiaotong, Re Yizha, Tan Songyun...

Among these people, only Tang Yixing could be considered to be from a family of officials; the others rarely, if ever, had ever seen such a table of precious ingredients.

Poor people can't afford to eat seafood every day.

Many children from ordinary families have never seen a lobster, let alone eaten one, even by the time they reach their twenties or thirties.

This meal, including food and drinks, would cost over ten thousand yuan. When we looked at the menu beforehand, the girls didn't dare to order anything.

I can't bring myself to do it!

Before the crackdown on lavish spending of public funds on food and drink began, such extravagant restaurants were common.

Many traditional courtyard houses in Beijing have been converted into private restaurants, with surprisingly high prices.

While talking to Vice President Li, Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over several girls.

By observing their reactions to high-end food, one can roughly judge their personality.

Those who eat and drink as they please are either worldly-wise or carefree.

Those who are timid and hesitant, and appear nervous, are likely to have an underlying sense of inferiority in their personality.

Having met thousands of people, experience makes it easy to quickly discern a person's general personality.

He prefers confident girls, bright and elegant like flowers blooming in early summer.

Insecure girls tend to become talkative or gossipy, always harboring malicious intentions, and often have personality flaws.

"Come on, let me toast you pretty girls."

"I look forward to your future success in the entertainment industry, and hope you'll visit Hengdian often," said General Manager Li, raising his glass in a gesture of respect.

"I did it, you guys can do whatever you want."

Zhang Yuan stopped him from saying what he was about to blurt out.

“Mr. Li, they are all young, just starting out in the workforce, and haven’t been tested on alcohol yet.”

"You don't need to do it anymore, just do whatever you want."

"If you want a drink, I'll drink with you." He then pointed to Zhang Yuqi.

"Or perhaps Yuqi has a high alcohol tolerance."

He specifically invited Zhang Yuqi over so that he could have a woman to drink with.

I'll help shield these young girls.

“Yes, let’s drink.” Zhang Yuqi wisely raised her glass and warmly greeted the other person.

She originally intended to befriend such an important person, and it was entirely voluntary.

The remaining girls mostly just took a sip.

Mao Xiaotong is a "one-drink-and-you're-out".

Tang Yixing isn't much better.

On the contrary, Tan Songyun, who looks the youngest, drank half a cup in no time. He seems quite healthy, being able to eat and drink so much.

She must be the kind of person who's carefree and heartless.

The girl felt good about Zhang Yuan's initiative in stopping them and his lack of the typical greasy middle-aged man's attempts to force them to drink.

And then I thought, since she's always been quite kind, is she really the kind of person who forces others to have children, as rumored?

It doesn't look like it.

To understand a person, you must use your eyes, not your ears.

Ears only listen to rumors; you can only truly know a person by looking at them face to face.

What they are seeing now is only a small part of their own personality that Zhang Yuan wants them to see.

From being able to get in touch with important figures at Hengdian World Studios by following him, to easily enjoying a lavish meal, to his gentle care for them, this is just his bright and kind side.

But at least he has this side.

If you go to a dinner party in Huayi... they'll start by teaching you how to drink, especially if you're a girl.

Those guys from Huayi, aren't they all seasoned veterans tested by alcohol? They were all forced into it.

In the early days, most artists were willing to accept the drinking culture.

But the younger generation, not to mention celebrities, ordinary people are increasingly dissatisfied with the drinking culture.

Actually, what most people are dissatisfied with is not the drinking.

Instead, they were forced to drink, using drinking as a means of discipline and depriving them of their independent personalities.

Cheng Hao, Fan Bingbing, Zhou Xun and their generation were quite used to drinking parties, but by the time it came to Qianqian and Yang Mi's generation, even though there were only a few years between them, their attitude towards socializing had already changed.

Yang Mi isn't a big drinker, so she's particularly empathetic about this, which is why the artists she signed later didn't have to drink with her.

Zhang Yuan's attitude towards these girls was that it didn't matter whether he drank or not.

"I called you here today because I have some good news to tell you." President Li didn't expect this kid to act as a "protector of the flower."

If you don't let them drink, then why did you call them here?
Just want to eat one meal from me?
Oh well, I might as well eat it, it's reimbursable anyway...

"Our Hengdian Group frequently comes into contact with all kinds of companies."

"It's not just film and television, but also other industries, such as gaming."

"You also invested in the movie 'Reign of Assassins,' which is currently being filmed at our film studio, right?"

"Yes." Zhang Yuan calmed himself down, waiting to see what the other person wanted to say.

"Not bad, not bad, this movie is sure to be a huge hit." The old man sang a celebratory song.

"Since it can sell well, we need to develop it in depth."

"Just a few days ago, our company hosted a game studio that wanted to draw inspiration from works produced at the film and television city."

"My idea is that 'Reign of Assassins' is a martial arts film, and it also has John Woo's name on it."

"Why not partner with a game company and develop this IP?"

Zhang Yuan raised his eyebrows. This is a good thing!
They proactively introduced me to opportunities to make money.

After a detailed conversation, I learned that they are a newly emerging mobile game studio.

Smartphones are not yet fully widespread, so mobile games are currently a blue ocean market.

Currently, browser games, also known as web-based games, are quite popular.

It was from this point on that Japanese game developers, like the rest of the country, "selected the wrong technology path."

Many Japanese companies are focusing their efforts on developing browser games, with very few making mobile games.

This is also related to the closed nature of the mobile phone market in island nations. For the next ten years, a lot of people there will still prefer to use flip phones, and mobile games are indeed not suitable for the domestic market.

This led to Huaxia Mobile Games Company later almost monopolizing the Asian market and even dominating the world.

Just like public opinion, if you don't take control of the market, someone else will.

"Mobile games are great." Zhang Yuan placed his smartphone on the table: "With the widespread adoption of smartphones, this is the future trend."

"Mr. Li has a keen eye."

"Hehehe, you're too kind."

"I also love using Apple products."

Zhang Yuan casually praised Apple products, as Apple was basically the only choice for high-end consumer electronics at the moment.

Apple is a terrible company, especially when it comes to exploiting software developers.

The commission rate is shockingly high.

This is the result of "monopoly." Since everyone uses Apple products, I can just sit back and make money.

Until later, they encountered a tough opponent in China, namely Tencent.

Apple wanted to charge for WeChat, but Tencent directly refused, saying, "If you're so capable, then don't install WeChat on any Apple products."

Every Chinese person can live without an Apple product, but cannot live without WeChat.

Banning WeChat is tantamount to abandoning the mainland market.

A bully hires a bandit; let's see who's more of a scoundrel.

This explains why the Chinese leadership is so accommodating to foreign investment. If it were North America, conglomerates would undoubtedly use this as an excuse to confiscate your company.

"That's great, let me toast you." He quickly raised a glass first.

"I'm not very familiar with this industry. Have you ever dealt with these kinds of adaptation copyright matters before?" Zhang Yuan asked tentatively.

You should ask him, because if someone introduces you to a way to make money, there must be some benefit to it.

I can't tell him; I need him to give me a hint.

"You've come to the right person."

“Generally, the licensing fee for turning movies and TV series into games is at least 2 to 3 million.”

"The price can be tens of millions, depending on the work."

"It depends on how you negotiate."

"I think with the big stars involved, 'Reign of Assassins' should be able to gross over 500 million."

"Here's what I'll do. I'll give you their contact information, and you can talk to them yourself." Martial arts movies already have gangs, characters, and kung fu, so they're the easiest to adapt; you can just use them directly.

Several girls who were eating with their heads down looked at each other when they heard this number.

I was initially shocked by the exorbitant price of the dishes on the table, and I ate with trepidation.

Now, upon hearing this, it seems that the movies they invest in don't even need box office returns; they can easily rake in millions just from a game adaptation rights. The money they make... is as easy as the Yangtze River flowing through Tan Songyun's meal.

Unlike the shock of Zhang Yuan's ease in controlling the actors' lives that day, today's meal, only halfway through, has already refreshed the wealth perspectives of these young women who have just entered the industry.

I often hear that top-tier actors can earn millions in salary for a single film, while Hong Kong and Taiwan superstars can earn tens of millions.

But this is just hearsay, so take it as bragging.

Just like when you see Ma Yun earning billions a year, you might just sigh and think that it's good to be rich.

But if a primary school classmate earns millions a year, you'll probably feel empty inside for a long time, and your mouth will even feel sour.

Hearing about it and seeing it happen are completely different things, just like seeing someone else win the lottery versus winning it yourself.

Now it's happening right in front of me, and for the first time I've ever felt that wealth is so close to me.

But what they didn't know was that this was just the beginning!
Because Zhang Yuan is very strange.

Strangely, the other party asked me to liaise with the game company.

That’s it?
And what about you, the person who introduced us?

Has the prevailing societal trend of avoiding extravagance not reached Hengdian Group?
The fact that the other party didn't mention kickbacks or profit sharing not only left him confused but also made him cautious.

If they don't want small things, it means they want big things!

Seeing the change in his expression, Vice President Li secretly chuckled to himself.

You're quite radical.

Okay, he's a smart person.

Intelligent people are easy to talk to.

"Now that we've covered this small matter, there's actually something much bigger to discuss today." He didn't mince words and spoke directly.

"We, Hengdian Group, would like to establish a long-term partnership with you."

"Look, the set design alone for the two dramas, 'Empresses in the Palace' and 'Reign of Assassins,' cost around 4000 million yuan."

"These are all costs."

"But it can also be an asset!"

The man raised his glass and looked at him.

"Our Hengdian World Studios has been developing rapidly over the years."

"Our goal is to become the Hollywood of the East."

"We can say without any shame that our goal is to be number one in the world!"

"So we want to beat other film and television bases, whether they are in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangdong province."

This man, holding a wine glass, made a bold statement.

But Zhang Yuan knew that although it sounded exaggerated, it was the truth.

"In that case, we need to attract more investors like you."

"Our goal is to continuously expand the scale of the film and television city and create more jobs."

"Could you elaborate on what this so-called cooperation entails?" Zhang Yuan clinked glasses with him.

"Okay, you're straightforward, so I'll be frank too."

"Since these two films have already cost a lot, there will be more films in the future, and more filming locations will be needed."

"We at Hengdian World Studios hope to sign a three-year cooperation agreement with you, with a total investment of 100 million yuan."

"Therefore, we will increase the rental priority of these scenarios and your revenue share."

"Originally we split it 50/50, but now I can give you 70%."

Oh... Zhang Yuan understands.

Seeing the huge investment in the production of "Empresses in the Palace", they wanted to tie me to Hengdian World Studios!

Once the scene is no longer in use, renting it out can generate subsequent revenue, and the other party relinquishes this portion of the profit.

Filming requires sets, and where to build them depends on the investment opportunities.

The other party wanted me to schedule all my future filming projects in Hengdian.

This way they can acquire more fixed assets.

More fixed assets mean more market capitalization and performance.

By repeatedly borrowing resources to generate profits, Hengdian World Studios has enormous ambitions, with profits generated at every level.

But one hundred million is not a small number.

Zhang Yuan thought to himself that Hengdian really thought highly of him.

It's estimated that the huge investment in "Empresses in the Palace" gave them confidence.

People only care about the matter itself; he spent real money before the other party became willing to do so.

"Such a large sum, I need to think about it."

"We'll definitely have to think about it, but there's no rush. Let's just express our intentions today," Vice President Li replied with a smile, not pressuring him at all.

I asked how I could find a way to make money, and I genuinely didn't want any benefits, but it turned out I had much bigger intentions!
Three years and 3 million yuan—both the timeframe and the amount of capital are staggering.

He guessed that the other party was asking for an exorbitant price, waiting for him to haggle down.

Not only the year and funding, but also the compensation should be negotiable.

That's why Hengdian has developed so well; they have a long-term vision and don't get greedy for small gains.

"Okay, I'll think about it when I get back. Let's keep in touch more often."

"Keep in touch."

The two sides then had a very pleasant conversation, and even ordered several more dishes and bottles of wine.

We ate from noon until after 3 p.m. before we finished.

"Walk slowly."

"I'm not leaving; I still need to film in this precious place."

"That would be even better. I'd prefer you never leave in your life," the other person said cryptically.

After exchanging pleasantries and saying goodbye, Zhang Yuan turned to look at the group of girls who were "freeloading".

"Alright, I'm just taking you guys out for fun today. It'll be good for you to meet more people."

"There are many opportunities here in Hengdian. If you get acquainted with the higher-ups at the film studio, you might be able to get more work and earn more money in the future."

"I wish everyone success." After offering a few words of advice, he turned and left without looking back.

Zhang Yuqi greeted the girls and then followed him, saying, "I thought you called them over because you wanted to hang out with someone."

"I already told you, it's not easy for them since they just debuted, don't overthink it."

"I just think these guys have potential and I want to sign them, so I'm making more contact with them."

"Oh..." Zhang Yuqi nodded and said, "So you wanted to trick them into going home to play."

Zhang Yuan: …

"Stop talking nonsense." He couldn't be bothered with this woman with such strong desires.

"In short, I have achieved my goal."

"It's even better than I imagined." Zhang Yuan clenched his fist and strode confidently toward the film set.

Meanwhile, the foodie team was moving towards the exit of the film studio.

The girls, who were usually very talkative, fell silent.

If a lavish meal is a minor thrill, then a multi-million dollar IP adaptation fee is a major shock.

The impact of such investments, often reaching hundreds of millions, is no less than the impact of the fat man and the little boy on the island nation.

At this time, Wang Jianlin of Wanda Group had not yet become arrogant, nor had he uttered the classic "small goal" statement.

In most people's eyes, the unit "hundred million" is most often seen in the number of live bacteria in Yakult.

A gust of wind swept through the street, and the men's minds cleared up a little.

"I never knew he was so amazing!"

"Yeah, look how polite the CEO of Hengdian is to him, he wants to cooperate."

"Is a figure of one hundred million really something that people in our line of work can come up with?"

The group was astonished and could hardly believe their ears.

Little did they know that these women would all earn substantial incomes later in life, easily making tens of millions for a single film during their peak years.

This is the era.

The era hasn't arrived yet; this number is simply staggering.

"So you're really capable, no wonder you own your own company."

Women are naturally drawn to strong men.

The rich are the strong!
Not to mention these people, even Zhang Jianing, who came with them, was thinking, "Should I get to know him a little more?"

Even a peek from between someone's fingers could make me incredibly wealthy.

And so, each with their own thoughts, yet all sharing similar ideas, they parted ways... (End of Chapter)