Actor: Thank you.

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, after a week of rest, the entire Chinese continent was like a giant awakening from a sweet slumber, with each highway acting like a blood vessel, delivering cells of all sizes to every part of the body.

Meanwhile, in the large courtyard house in Houhai, Zhang Yuan also started his annual internal gathering.

He didn't want to use the term "annual meeting".

Because this term has been distorted by many companies.

It turned into a grand spectacle where leaders watched their employees sing their praises while they made a fool of themselves.

He hopes everyone can be more casual.

Of course, we also prepared a lot of gifts for the raffle.

In addition to iPhones and iPads, there are gold jewelry items, and the grand prize: a Mercedes-Benz C200.

He had already spoken with Yang Siwei, who was in charge of organizing, before the event even began.

Company management is strictly prohibited from participating in the lottery.

Anyone who dares to cheat will be expelled.

We can't turn every family gathering into a pork feast.

Many companies call it a lottery, but in the end, the prizes are distributed according to rank.

It's better not to smoke at all; fake democracy is worse than no democracy at all, and it will only make people dislike you.

And please don't come up with disgusting things like "rest coupons," "hardship coupons," or "leave coupons."

Zhang Yuan had been disgusted in his past life, and he had to break this cycle of disgust.

Not only should it not be disgusting, but it should also have enough positive stimulation.

He arrived at the courtyard early in the morning and had a large table placed to the side of the entrance.

Similar to the area and table for buying incense after entering a temple.

The table was piled high with cash, stack upon stack.

He told Zeng Jia and Yang Siwei to just sit there.

When someone from the company comes, the two of them settle accounts for each person, based on their position and the number of years they've been with the company.

Zhang Yuan personally handed the cash red envelopes to the employees.

We need to do something a little more down-to-earth.

Not only were the company employees happy, but visiting friends were also envious and would spread the word, letting everyone know that their family would receive money after the New Year.

He greeted them one by one, and soon a Cayenne drove into his garage.

"Director Zhang, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Happy New Year, sister-in-law."

He also invited Zhang Yimou to have dinner together.

Not only for dating him, but also for the rest of the company to see.

Zhang Yimou's mere presence boosts morale; after all, what actor wouldn't want to work with him?

"Come over here." He pulled the family of five to a corner of the garage.

There's a large vehicle here covered with a black dust cover.

"Please unveil it yourself."

"Oh, is this it?" Zhang Yimou's eyes lit up.

That's just what he likes.

Zhang Yimou has only a few hobbies.

He likes expensive cameras and luxury watches... He picked up this hobby from Ken Takakura when he was filming "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles".

Another thing is that I like luxury cars.

Besides that, he enjoys running and golf.

Compared to most of his peers, his hobbies are quite healthy, which explains why he's in such good spirits.

Lifting the car cover, a brand-new G63 with a white exterior, black wheels, and a blacked-out grille appeared before them.

Like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class that was given as a prize, it was also brought from the south by Jiang Zhiqiang, and it was only unloaded from the cart last night.

Zhang Yimou was so happy his face was full of wrinkles.

It wasn't just because he liked the new car, but also because of Zhang Yuan's efficiency.

We agreed on it before the Lunar New Year, and it was done right after the public holiday.

happy!

I love this exhilarating feeling.

He keeps his word and does what he says, making him a completely different person compared to his partner Zhang Weiping from previous years.

I feel comfortable and at ease.

If a car worth millions can be this convenient, then other things can't be any different.

boom!
Zhang Yimou couldn't wait to get in the car and start the engine.

The iconic sound of an AMG's large V8 engine boiling water immediately came from the underground parking garage.

Zhang Yuan never quite understood why so many girls liked boxy SUVs like the G-Class.

Zhang Yimou's wife also likes it very much and said she wants to drive it to buy groceries and pick up the children from school.

Zhang Yuan thought that the gas cost for this thing alone would be a huge burden.

There's a theory that women like big cars because it's a form of external compensation for their relatively weaker physical constitution compared to men.

It's not just women; men are the same. The shorter a man is, the more likely he is to buy a large car.

Pan Changjiang's car is a Dodge Ram pickup truck...

This is also the origin of the North American proverb, "The more luxurious the car, the smaller the XX (smaller part of the car)."

After the test drive, I invited him upstairs.

They pulled Yang Siwei aside and specifically asked him to answer public concerns about his multiple pregnancies.

"I think we should just be honest."

"Often, a sincere apology is the lowest-cost public relations approach."

"Because once you start making up lies, you have to keep making them up to cover them up."

This is Zhang Yuan's understanding of Zhang Yimou's matter.

Overall, Zhang Yimou's merits far outweigh his demerits.

The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics alone is enough to outweigh most of the mistakes he could have made in his life.

Besides, if the policy changes in a few years, he won't be considered wrong.

Many people later spoke out in defense of Zhang Yimou.

So what can we do? Times change.

Just like now, even issuing a press release can't directly confront the country; one can only admit mistakes and express deep remorse.

Under this premise, they then feign pitifulness and traditional values ​​to gain sympathy.

"I will have Yang Siwei follow up on the whole process."

"After you pay the fine in a while, we will arrange to post a public relations statement on Weibo."

"There will be online trolls working together to express sympathy for you across the internet, as well as convey their willingness to continue supporting your work."

Zhang Yimou and his wife exchanged a glance.

This wasn't the treatment they used to receive. Zhang Weiping was always making a lot of noise, and he was always pushed forward when things got tough.

Unlike here, everyone here sounds professional!

After making the arrangements, I went to the reception room to meet the person.

As soon as Zhang Yimou arrived, not only the employees, but all the artists present stood up.

Happy New Year, Director Zhang.

"Director Zhang, it's been a long time."

"Nice to meet you, Director Zhang."

Everyone saw hope and rushed forward to introduce themselves and greet each other.

Jiang Xin, with his large physique, got excited and rushed forward, twisting his hips so hard that he almost squeezed Jiang Xin out of the way. He was quite the character.

With the rise of environmentalism and animal rights activism worldwide, there are now calls in China to boycott animal performances.

But you can't stop animals from performing.

His situation is similar.

He didn't have his men prepare any performances, like monkey shows.

But you can't stop artists from showing themselves, especially in front of Zhang Yimou.

Some sang, some made jokes.

In his excitement, Baoqiang even did a few somersaults in front of everyone, drawing cheers from all sides!
Especially our international star, Ms. Zhang, last year Zhang Yuan even had to force her to dance.

Tell her that Stallone is very satisfied with the training videos she sent, and ask her to come to Hollywood to meet him in person.

Zhang Yuan felt there was a high chance.

She was so happy that she spontaneously started dancing in public.

I didn't force her; she jumped on her own.

The artists are excited when Zhang Yimou comes.

But when Ning Hao arrived with his wife and children, everyone's feelings were completely different.

More than anything, it gives me a sense of security and peace of mind.

Everyone knows what happened to Ning Hao in the past year.

Zhang Yuan spent a lot of money to "get it back" for him.

People feel at ease because they have a role model. They know that even if they encounter trouble, as long as they have a good relationship with Zhang Yuan, he will do everything he can to help them.

Without any worries, they can act more boldly.

As a result, Zhang Yuan could feel that everyone had become more united.

This is what the proverb calls "twisting the rope".

It takes certain people and things to unite everyone from the loosely connected into a cohesive whole.

Not only Zhang Yimou and Ning Hao, but Xu Zheng and his wife Tao Hong were also invited by him.

"Brother Shanzheng, Sister Taohong, let's have a private chat in the back room."

"Lost in Thailand" was released after the Lunar New Year and grossed over 5000 million yuan!

That's already quite remarkable; the bald man's face beamed with joy.

"I've already prepared the bonus; I'll have the finance department transfer it to your account tomorrow."

"Hehe, thanks." The bald man revealed a somewhat "petty bourgeois" smile.

"I'd like to speak with you two privately to discuss some more in-depth topics."

"Firstly, Ning Hao's film needs revisions and reshoots, and we need your help."

"It's nothing, we're all friends." Xu Zheng waved his hand with a smile. "Also, 'Lost in Thailand' was well-made and did quite well."

"Although the box office didn't break 100 million, I think it's great."

"You said before that you wanted to direct your own movies."

In this respect, he and Deng Chao are somewhat similar; both are quick-witted and thoughtful, and as they act, they realize that they should take charge of their own lives.

"Hehehe, I do have that idea." He glanced at his wife.

"I'll need your help a lot more." Peach Blossom smiled, revealing her signature arched eyebrows.

“Of course, I fully support it,” Zhang Yuan said, leaning forward slightly.

Both husband and wife felt that his demeanor had changed, becoming more aggressive.

"However, I think our cooperation can go even further."

"As you've probably heard, Zhang Yimou and Da Nao have now signed contracts with film companies from both sides of the Taiwan Strait."

"There will be equity incentives."

"We will definitely benefit greatly from the company's future IPO."

"You've all seen the benefits that Huayi's IPO has brought to its artists and directors."

The two nodded vigorously; how could they not know, and how envious they were!

"Now I'll give you a solution too."

"If you want to act in movies or TV shows in the future, I will fully support you, whether you are a director, producer, or executive producer."

"I think you have a lot of potential to be discovered."

"I will also give you very good treatment, including salary and profit sharing."

“But all of this is predicated on…” Zhang Yuan raised his finger and pointed outside.

"You have to sign a contract with the company, just like those guys outside, and sign a long-term contract."

"Provided that the quality of your work meets the requirements, I can also allocate shares to you."

"We'll make you a shareholder of the company, just like Zhang Yimou and Ning Hao."

A glint of light flashed in Xu Zheng's eyes!
Excitement, joy.

Good news at the start of the year.

At this time, he was not the great director who later broke the Chinese box office record with "Lost in Thailand".

He's just a middle-aged male actor; you could call him a top-tier actor, but not exceptionally so.

But fewer people are asking him to act in TV dramas, and he hasn't been able to make movies that gross over 100 million yuan.

Overall, its strength is only average.

Therefore, the conditions offered by Zhang Yuan were quite tempting.

Not to mention him, even the peach blossoms are excited.

Can he get shares like Zhang Yimou?

Forget about signing a long-term contract, even just having sex with him once would be worth it.

But Xu Zheng remained clear-headed.

He smiled broadly, but was secretly plotting something before finally speaking.

How much equity will be given?

"How much did Director Zhang and Director Ning receive?"

I want a comparison and reference.

"No rush, you can think about it first."

"While I'm at it, I'll also think about my future works."

"Take your time, let's talk again when you've thought it through."

Zhang Yuan employed a delaying tactic.

First, I'll stir up your emotions and make you think about it.

You got the feeling, but I stopped.

Otherwise, if I take the initiative too much, the other party might easily overestimate themselves.

This trick works on women too.

After saying this, he invited the two of them out of the study.

His plan was to give Zhang Yimou 2%, and Big Head and Bald Head 1.5% each.

But I can't say that right now.

Because Xu Zheng's strength at this time was not on the same level as the other two.

His 1.5% will have to be taken slowly.

Don't be fooled by the single-digit number of shares; it goes without saying that based on Huayi's share price after its listing.

One point is over 100 million.

This was the stock price in 09; the total value of listed companies will continue to rise in the future.

A single point could be worth hundreds of millions.

Human desires grow with the environment, and the couple at this time were not as greedy as they would become later.

As for being shrewd and opportunistic, what if they rebel?
Zhang Yuan was certain that as long as he remained a level above them, he wouldn't be afraid even if they rebelled.

To forge iron, one must be strong oneself; if you're afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind, you shouldn't attempt anything great.

We need a fierce and powerful army!

Before long, it was lunchtime.

The Hong Kong business owners also came to his house for dinner for the first time.

They were mainly summoned under the pretext of meeting with Zhang Yimou.

But that's just an excuse.

The group was in high spirits and even before the meal, they pulled him aside to discuss plans for the future IPO, emphasizing the need to prepare early.

Zhang Yuan said he wasn't in a hurry.

Because he had something else to announce.

Dang Dang Dang!
After everyone was seated, he did what Americans do before giving a toast: he tapped his glass with a spoon to make a crisp sound, attracting everyone's attention.

He then stood up steadily and raised his wine glass.

"Today we are celebrating together, and I will do so as is my usual practice."

"We won't spout any of the nonsense that other leaders like to say."

A few soft laughs came from the other tables; everyone was suffering from the same thing.

Not to mention the company, even the leaders and sponsors at the awards ceremony spouted a bunch of nonsense.

"First of all, welcome back to Director Ning Hao for working with everyone!"

Big Head stood up, and everyone around him applauded.

"Also, congratulations to Mr. Xu Zheng on the box office success of his new film."

The bald man also got up.

"Finally, let's all welcome Director Zhang Yimou to our big family."

The applause was deafening.

Zhang Yimou smiled, clasped his hands together, and waved his thanks in all directions.

Seeing the enthusiastic atmosphere among the hundreds of people inside and outside the company, he felt great.

"Next, I have something else to announce."

Zhang Yuan turned his gaze to those Hong Kongers.

"Everyone is familiar with them; most of them work in office buildings in Wangjing."

"So next, I plan to have directors Ning Hao and Zhang Yimou set up their own studios and offices in Wangjing."

Yang Siwei immediately understood; no wonder he had told me to leave the room empty while waiting for these two.

Actually, that's not all!

“There’s more.” Zhang Yuan said with a smile, but his attitude was firm.

"I think, since both of the great directors, as well as most of our collaborating artists, work in the capital,..."

"I plan to establish the headquarters of Cross-Strait Film Industry in mainland China in an office building in Wangjing, Beijing!"

"To make it convenient for everyone to communicate closely at any time!"

The actors were naturally happy to do so, as it would be much more convenient for them to visit the famous director while working at the company.

If there's a role, we can contact each other immediately.

It's a good thing for them, but not for everyone.

The faces of the Hong Kong business owners stiffened slightly.

Zhang Yuan had repeatedly expressed his desire to establish an office in Beijing to facilitate the promotion, review, and processing of his works.

After all, the important departments of mainland film and television are all located in the capital.

But these guys, for their own convenience and to gain a geographical advantage, wanted to have more say, so they kept dragging their feet and refusing to agree.

Zhang Yuan mentioned it twice and then stopped.

They thought he had given up.

Do not!
What I need to do, I must do!

This is not just a matter of office location.

This is a matter of company control!

Previously, every time I had a meeting, I had to take a long flight to Hong Kong.

Okay, from now on, you all have to come to the capital!

I'm the one who calls the shots in this company.

The land is mine, the people are mine, and the power is mine!

The Hong Kong business owners understood that Zhang Yuan wasn't making a scene, but rather using this method to demonstrate his ability, strength, and determination.

Zhang Yimou and Ning Hao are both in Beijing now, but they're going to Hong Kong for meetings?
There is no door!

Bringing Zhang Yimou to the company is not only to enhance the company's overall strength, but also to strengthen one's own voice.

After all, I was the one who did the work, and they came here specifically because of me.

"It must have been quite tiring for everyone from Hong Kong to have come all this way."

"So we will arrange a remote conferencing system during the renovation."

"Unless it's a major event, everyone doesn't need to be there in person every time."

Zhang Yuan smiled and gave them some "space".

But what constitutes a major event is up to me! (End of Chapter)