Actor: Thank you.

Shortly after leaving Mr. You Benchang, Zhang Yuan made an appointment with Gu Yongqiang by phone.

After finishing his business in Hengdian, he will return to the capital to meet with him.

Ostensibly, the purpose was to discuss future project collaborations, and indeed, there were several projects to discuss.

Just then, Zeng Jia called him again.

"The detailed contracts for the three girls have been drafted and I have sent them to your email."

"Take a look to see if there are any problems or special requirements, and then I will use that as a basis to discuss the details with the other party."

"Okay, I'll look at it when I rest tonight." Zhang Yuan was very satisfied with his work efficiency.

"These girls are in your management. Remember to give them plenty of opportunities to appear in public, even if they are minor characters, so they can make a lot of money."

"The most important thing for a newcomer is to survive, to eat, and to get one foot in the door in this industry."

"Understood, I will contact more film crews," Zeng Jia said confidently.

"But don't go too far. Don't go to unprofessional film crews, and don't just look at the money."

“You know about what happened to Yang Mi before, like with the crew of ‘The Mermaid Empire’,” Zhang Yuan said, making a point of mentioning it.

Zeng Jia is a first-class donkey trainer, and she is also very skilled at training cattle and horses.

Therefore, she and Yang Mi got along very well.

I'll make money if I can; I don't care what you say.

But that's the problem. Sometimes, for the sake of money and work, we become a little less particular.

"Yang Mi was somewhat famous, but he was once imprisoned."

"These newcomers are like lambs to the slaughter..."

Zhang Yuan felt that it was entirely possible for someone to get drunk and then drive a train.

I dare not speak of anything else, but in the entertainment industry, he is absolutely a moral exemplar.

It's a mess outside.

"I understand." Zeng Jia smacked her lips a few times.

This doesn't limit my creativity.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing," she added.

"Of the girls you provided information to, three of them have been reported."

"Now, only Tan Songyun hasn't contacted us proactively."

"So I contacted her again to inquire about her interest in joining the company."

"The other party's words were vague, and it seems they are still unwilling."

"Should we use some methods?" Zeng Jia asked in a low voice.

"If they don't cooperate, you'll retaliate?" Zhang Yuan raised his voice: "Then I'll be just too much like Hua Yi."

Zeng Jia: ...

How come Huayi became an adjective in my boss's mouth?

"In life and in business, you must keep your word."

“I conveyed to them through another newcomer that even if they don’t come to our company, they can still act, and everything will be as normal.”

"This is a promise I made to them, and I cannot go back on my word."

Zhang Yuan pondered, recalling that Tan Songyun had always worked independently in her previous life and had never been signed with a company.

I initially thought she was like many other artists who didn't want to share profits with the company.

I've already taken her out for lavish meals and tours, and she's still like this.

It's probably not just a matter of money.

Some artists don't like being tied down by their companies.

Because once you sign with a company, you may find yourself unable to control your own destiny, having to play roles you don't like or attend events you don't want to participate in.

Everyone has their own ambitions, and we cannot force them to.

"Let me emphasize this again," Zhang Yuan said, deliberately making his tone more serious as he reiterated.

"Do not do anything to Tan Songyun."

"On the contrary, you need to talk to people properly."

"Make it clear that you're willing to be friends, and that you can introduce her to suitable jobs in the future."

"The support or opposition of people's hearts is accumulated little by little."

"Okay," Zeng Jia replied with just one word.

But I felt a little conflicted.

Doesn't this limit my ability to perform?

My boss's ethical standards seem a bit too high, out of step with this industry.

Zhang Yuan put down his phone and rubbed his temples.

Zeng Jia is a sharp knife; it depends on how you use it.

Moreover, as employees, even those in management are still employees.

Compared to Yang Siwei, she is better at external expansion and has great ambitions.

However, she often overlooks the internal impact when handling matters.

Like in this case, if Tan Songyun hadn't come to their company, they would have targeted him, intervened to blacklist or rectify him.

The most direct way is to kick her out of the "Empresses in the Palace" production team.

It's not difficult to do these things for a newcomer.

But if we actually do it, what will the three people who are planning to sign the contract think?
What will the other artists in the company think?

I want to rob the imperial treasury, and I want to seduce the empress.

What kind of skill is it to bully a new female student?

That's real skill – winning over Zhang Ziyi is something other celebrities would admire too.

So you can't play pranks on people, you have to get along with them.

The market can accommodate more artists.

Besides, the ocean is vast because it embraces all rivers; a great mind is one that can accommodate all things.

Although I still don't know who You Rong's girlfriend is, what she said makes sense. We need to learn to be more tolerant in order to achieve greater things.

That evening, the filming of his fight scene with Lin Xilei was bumpy, but it was finally completed.

As Mr. You Benchang said in the film, it is impossible to attain enlightenment in three lifetimes.

The past mind cannot be grasped, the present mind cannot be grasped, and the future mind cannot be grasped.

When Zhang Yuan was filming action scenes with Lin Xilei, he seemed to have gained a little more understanding.

When filming scenes with an opponent, he always considers their rhythm and works together to coordinate.

But now he feels that others are others, and he is himself.

Since we cannot attain the three lifetimes, the most important thing is to do our best in the present moment.

Regardless of the other artists, I have to do my best.

There was absolutely no "leniency".

If you can't keep up, that's your problem, go practice.

If the other party feels ashamed and then strives to improve, it will also help their work, and the final product will be better.

If the other party not only fails to keep up but also makes no progress, then it's best to reduce future cooperation and see through their true character.

It's all good.

It's true that communicating with senior colleagues is beneficial; it can make your mind clearer.

After filming, he specially invited John Woo to have a late-night snack to talk about mobile games.

He gave a general overview of the jobs that Hengdian Group had introduced.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, but Director Wu blinked a few times after listening, as if he was somewhat troubled.

Zhang Yuan immediately sensed that something was wrong.

This old guy is suspicious!

"Director Wu, do you have any objections to what I said?" Zhang Yuan asked tentatively, his mind racing with various possibilities.

"No, no." Wu Baige squinted and waved her hand, revealing her signature smile.

"It's just..."

"Regarding the game adaptation of the movie, I, well... I've also contacted a company."

Zhang Yuan: …

You old rascal, with your thin eyebrows and small eyes, you're quite the troublemaker!

"Please give me a detailed introduction." Zhang Yuan showed no sign of turning hostile; on the contrary, he had a kind and honest smile.

But his only kindness is his smile.

"By the way, logically speaking, you, as the project manager, should have taken the initiative to tell me, the investor, about this, instead of me having to ask you before you told me."

Wu Baige was embarrassed by his retort.

what does it mean?

As the producer, you negotiate with outside companies without informing the film's copyright holder.

Or do you think this movie is yours?

Having filmed so many movies in North America, have I picked up the habits of North American gangsters?

Zhang Yuan's face was smiling, but his eyes were cold.

They stared intently at each other, like two knives.

Wu Baige also noticed that although they hadn't worked together much, the young man in front of him had an aura that was in no way inferior to many middle-aged investors. It made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Even if Wu Baige is a senior figure, she has no grounds for this.

Once Zhang Yuan establishes his stance, he can then command respect.

“A Taiwanese company approached me, wanting to develop online games.”

"Take our movie for example, it will involve film promotion and distribution, and then its release."

"Yes," Zhang Yuan nodded, "that's pretty much what I thought."

It's nothing more than riding the coattails of the movie's popularity to attract audiences to play.

Previously, "My Own Swordsman" also sold its game rights, and the resulting online game was quite popular.

In recent years, Huaxia Games has found its own path, which can be summed up in two words: "free"!
Compared to the early model of foreign gamers selling game cards, Chinese online game companies collectively use free-to-play to attract players and increase the player base.

Then, they attract players to spend money through various in-app purchases.

What if regular players don't make any purchases?
It's okay, those who don't spend money will become human NPCs for the big spenders!

This model is too advanced!

Most second-rate online games don't have many players, but as long as there are a few big spenders who manage the servers, a project can survive.

In the early days, online games developed by Taiwanese and Korean developers were very popular in mainland China. They were basically based on the same template, and a playable game could be produced in a few months to a year.

The restaurant Wu Baige contacted was called Treasure Island Flying Fish, which was quite well-known.

snort!
Zhang Yuan sneered inwardly. Wu Baige really always favored Taiwan and Hong Kong, no matter what she did, whether it was acting or doing business.

Ultimately, it was a mutual benefit, and the people from those two places respected him more.

"So, how's the talk going?" Zhang Yuan asked, still all smiles.

"What's the progress, the price, and the specific procedures?"

"Well..." The other person was still hesitant and couldn't quite explain it.

As Zhang Yuan listened, he seemed to begin to understand.

This guy doesn't seem to be deliberately unable to explain; he just seems to not understand games very well.

"You mean online games, right?"

"Yes, that's right." Wu Baige nodded helplessly and replied in an accented tone, "I didn't know you were also in talks here."

"Otherwise, I would definitely put you first."

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant." Zhang Yuan quickly shook his head: "I was asking if the manufacturer you contacted is making an online game, the kind that's played on a computer, right?"

"Yeah."

Seeing that the other party still wanted to explain and looked guilty, Zhang Yuan forcefully raised his hand to interrupt.

"Director Wu, you may not know much about him."

The game I'm talking about is different from the game you're talking about.

"You play it on the computer, I play it on my phone."

"You can play this kind of game on a mobile phone? Aren't you only allowed to play games like Snake?" Wu Baige asked, looking confused.

Zhang Yuan rubbed his forehead.

How can something be done well when these outdated people are still making movies and dominating the Chinese film and television industry?

His thinking is old and rigid; he doesn't understand anything new or interesting.

"It seems you're not very professional."

But for Zhang Yuan right now, this situation might not be a bad thing.

"I'm talking about mobile game developers, which doesn't conflict with your side at all; they are two different types of licenses."

"Oh, that's great!" Wu Baige breathed a sigh of relief.

The way it looked just now was like a parent coming home, glancing at their child "doing homework," then touching the TV and finding it was hot.

“No, that’s not good,” Zhang Yuan interrupted abruptly.

At the same time, he stood up and grasped John Woo's hands.

"Director Wu, this won't do!"

"You don't understand the gaming industry; you can't even distinguish between online games and mobile games."

"This makes you vulnerable to being bullied. If manufacturers see that you don't know anything, they will definitely try to cheat you."

“It’s okay, I have a professional consultant…” Before Wu Baige could finish speaking, Zhang Yuan shook his arm so hard that he almost dislocated it.

It physically interrupted the other party.

"Well then, you're not a professional, but I am!"

"Let us young people handle this kind of thing."

“You’re already busy enough, and you also have to deal with things on set. I can’t bear to see you running around on both fronts.”

"Let my people handle all the negotiations with the Formosa Online Games Company."

"That will help you lighten your load!"

Zhang Yuan spoke with righteous indignation.

You're an old man, you don't understand games.

Besides, you're too busy, and I'm afraid you'll get tired.

Also, don't think I don't know what you're up to!
Making a film is fine, but why are you interfering in selling the copyright? You're just trying to make money off it.

Do you think you can fool me?
Big Dog Bro is really something, blindly believing in this kind of stuff.

I need to talk to him later and explain how formidable he is.

Don't let yourself be scammed so badly that you don't even recognize your own home.

Zhang Yuan stated the impressiveness of the statement with utmost concern.

"You said I'm helping you with this, and it takes me a lot of time and effort. Shouldn't you thank me?"

[Received a thank you from John Woo, +1 for the camera work!]

Seeing Wu Baige nod in annoyance, Zhang Yuan was very satisfied.

See, he should thank us...

“Then we’ll let bygones be bygones regarding the fact that you didn’t tell us investors beforehand,” Zhang Yuan said, displaying a magnanimous attitude.

But it also serves as a reminder to the other person, "I'm watching you!"

look in my eyes!

He has insights into educating seniors.

Guang recently "taught" him and Sunglasses Wong, two old-timers from Hong Kong.

I feel great.

Zhang Yuan strode away, in high spirits.

He immediately called Big Dog Brother and said he would handle the matter.

They even asked him if he wanted to deal with Wu Baige.

Dog Brother is usually quite particular, but sometimes he's overly "cherishing of talent".

We should treat Wu Baige with the utmost respect, considering her to be a highly capable person.

Well, since that's his friend's attitude, he'll stop making trouble and save himself the trouble.

Because after dealing with this old gangster, he still had to deal with another one.

He's just a veteran in the investment and entrepreneurship industry.

"Long time no see, still as charming as ever."

A few days later, Zhang Yuan, having finished filming "Reign of Assassins", arrived at the Youku office building in Beijing.

This time, it had been more than half a year since the last visit.

As I walked to Boss Gu's office, I looked around and noticed that it was noticeably more popular than before.

Moreover, everyone seemed to be in a hurry, as if they were ready for battle at any moment.

The atmosphere in the whole company was quite tense.

But Gu Yongqiang himself is very capable and has a deep understanding of human nature.

When we met, I couldn't see any nervousness in him; he was as polite and gentle as ever.

"You too, but it seems like you have more gray hair." Zhang Yuan pointed to his head: "Running such a big company must be hard work."

"You also need to take a rest."

"Only you know how to care about me." Boss Gu asked his secretary to pour tea, then sat down opposite him with a smile: "I like dealing with young people like you."

"I feel energetic, and I feel much younger."

"That's right, look how tired you are, like a grandson. You're young, but you're already past your prime..." Zhang Yuan took a sip of tea and looked at the other person's eye bags and dark circles.

He may be shrewd, but his physical condition cannot be hidden.

"Being young is great. I'm here today to try and make you relax and look younger," Zhang Yuan said bluntly.

"Yes, we should talk about it."

"Especially the TV series 'iPartment', as well as Guo Degang's crosstalk performances and storytelling."

“These are all excellent submissions, and it’s time to continue discussing cooperation.” As always, Boss Gu was hands-on with everything, big or small, demonstrating his thorough understanding.

"No, no, no..." But he shook his head repeatedly.

“That’s not what I’m here to talk about,” Zhang Yuan said calmly after taking a deep breath.

"What I want to discuss is deeper cooperation."

"It's the kind of cooperation we talked about before."

"I want to join Youku as an investor!" (End of Chapter)