Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 653 The Conscience of the Wang Brothers

The black Mercedes-Benz sedan drove smoothly on the main road of Beijing. The windows slowly rolled up, shutting out the noise outside. Inside the car, only the slight sound of the air conditioning vents could be heard.

The Wang brothers sat in the back seat. Wang Zhongjun leaned back in his chair, a cigar between his fingers, the smoke slowly swirling around his fingertips, his eyes filled with contemplation and seriousness.

Wang Zhonglei leaned forward slightly, clasped his hands on his knees, and glanced at the street scenes rushing past the car window from time to time, as if he was thinking about the upcoming meeting.

The atmosphere in the carriage was somewhat heavy. After a long while, Wang Zhonglei broke the silence first. He looked at Wang Zhongjun and said, "Brother, what exactly is the attitude of that fake foreigner from Global Times?"

Wang Zhongjun took a deep drag of his cigar, slowly exhaling a smoke ring, his voice carrying a subtle, complex emotion: "What fake foreigner? His name is Pete. I've heard of him; he's a big shot in the media. The fact that he contacted us this time suggests he intends to use us as pawns."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhonglei immediately objected: "How can that be? Using us as pawns, who does he think he is?"

Wang Zhongjun glanced at his younger brother: "What's your rush? He keeps saying he wants to find a business partner, but isn't he just hoping we'll cause trouble for Zhang Chen? Heh, who would be so stupid if there were no benefit to it?"

Wang Zhonglei nodded, a touch of emotion on his face: "Back then, Huayi Brothers was the absolute leader in the domestic film and television industry. Whether it was film production, distribution, or artist management, we were in a leading position and enjoyed immense success."

But who could have imagined that Star Entertainment would emerge out of nowhere and rise to prominence in just a few years, stealing our glory? Now, when people mention top domestic film and television companies, they think of Star Entertainment first, not Huayi Brothers.

When Star Entertainment was mentioned, a hint of resentment flashed in Wang Zhongjun's eyes. He stubbed out his cigar and threw it into the ashtray next to him: "Yes, the rise of Star Entertainment really caught us off guard."

Huayi Brothers once thought of regaining its leading position and its former glory, but the only director they had to offer was Feng Xiaogang.

On the other hand, Star Entertainment has Zhang Chen, Ning Hao, Lu Yang, and Guo Fan, all of whom are capable directors who can stand on their own. Their works, whether at the box office or in terms of word-of-mouth, far surpass Huayi Brothers' films of the same period, leaving Huayi Brothers with no chance to fight back.

In the entertainment industry, Star Entertainment is like a monster room. It is just a company, but its strength makes all other film and television companies feel suffocated.

Wang Zhonglei sighed helplessly: "There's nothing we can do. The difference in strength is obvious. We're already considered capable of fighting, but we still suffered a complete defeat against Zhang Chen. Even if we're unwilling, we can only accept it and accept second place."
But then again, who wants to always be second best? Huayi Brothers has worked so hard for so many years, not to be running behind others.

His tone carried a hint of resentment and dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Wang Zhongjun's eyes suddenly hardened, and he looked at Wang Zhonglei and said, "But the situation is different now. Huayi Brothers has successfully gone public and has plenty of funds on hand."

Previously, due to limited funds, many of our plans couldn't be implemented. Now that we have money, we can go all out and accomplish something big.

As the saying goes, money gives heroes courage. Huayi Brothers may not have much else, but it has plenty of money.

With ample funding, Wang Zhongjun also wanted to challenge Zhang Chen's status in the industry and see if he could reclaim the glory that Huayi Brothers deserved.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhonglei's eyes lit up instantly. He excitedly said, "Brother, you're absolutely right! Before the IPO, we were not as strong as Xingchen Entertainment, so it was understandable that we were second to none."

But now that we're listed and have money, if we can only be number two, what's the point of going public? Wouldn't that be a waste of time?

We must seize this opportunity to bring Huayi Brothers back to the top of the industry and let everyone know that Huayi Brothers is still the leader in China's film and television industry!

Wang Zhongjun nodded slightly, his tone tinged with satisfaction: "Otherwise, why do you think I agreed to this meeting? If Global wants to use us as pawns, they'll have to offer enough benefits."

Zhang Chen is a prime example. Making movies requires a big appetite; it's not enough to just focus on the domestic market. We also need to expand into the international market. What we need to do is replicate Zhang Chen and Star Entertainment's international success.

Zhang Chen was able to get "Global Times 2" nominated for an Oscar and to get Star Entertainment's films to go abroad and be recognized by international audiences, so why can't Huayi Brothers do the same?
This offer from Universal is a godsend for us; they possess abundant international resources and established overseas distribution channels, making them exactly the kind of partner we need for our international expansion.

Wang Zhonglei strongly agreed: "That's right. Universal's strength in the international media field is beyond doubt. If we can reach a cooperation agreement with them, Huayi Brothers can use their platform to promote our films to the international market and let more international audiences see the works produced by Huayi Brothers."

At that time, we will not only be able to defeat Star Entertainment in the domestic market, but also compete with them in the international market, truly achieving Huayi Brothers' leapfrog development.

As they were talking, the car arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant.

The restaurant was luxuriously decorated, and many high-end cars were parked in front of it, making it a place frequented by celebrities.

The Wang brothers straightened their clothes, got out of the car one after the other, and were led by a waiter to a private room with excellent privacy.

Inside the private room, a man with black hair and blue eyes, clearly of mixed race, was already waiting. He was wearing a sharp suit and had a gentle smile on his face. He was none other than Peter, the president of Global Asia.

Upon seeing the Wang brothers enter, Pete immediately stood up, walked over warmly, and said in fluent Chinese, "Mr. Wang, Mr. Wang, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Wang Zhongjun extended his hand, shook hands with Pete, and said with a smile, "Mr. Pete, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. There was some traffic on the way."

Pete smiled and waved his hand: "It's okay, I just arrived not long ago. Come on, let's sit down and chat. The waiter has already prepared drinks and dishes."

After everyone was seated, Pete raised his glass and gestured, "Come on, let's have a drink to wish our upcoming collaboration a smooth success."

The Wang brothers also raised their glasses, lightly clinked them with Pete's, and each took a sip.

After setting down his glass, Pete's smile faded, and his tone became serious: "Mr. Wang, let's get straight to the point. I know that Huayi Brothers has been competing with Star Entertainment lately, and is at a disadvantage in many aspects."

Our Universal Group is very optimistic about the development potential of the Chinese film and television market, and we also admire Huayi Brothers' strength and foundation. Therefore, we are willing to help Huayi Brothers defeat Star Entertainment and become the true leader in the Chinese film and television industry.

Wang Zhongjun and Wang Zhonglei exchanged a glance, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes. They really were foreigners; they spoke so directly, without any preamble.

Wang Zhongjun asked calmly, "Mr. Pete, how does Universal plan to help Huayi Brothers?"

Pete's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile: "Dealing with emerging film and television companies like Star Entertainment is something our large media group has the most experience in. We're very familiar with this kind of thing."

First, we can leverage Universal's influence in the international film and television industry to suppress Star Entertainment's overseas development plans, making it difficult for their films to gain traction in the international market.

Secondly, we can use various media channels to release news that is detrimental to Star Entertainment, thereby affecting their brand image and audience reputation.

Furthermore, we can also engage in in-depth cooperation with Huayi Brothers in areas such as film investment and distribution, providing them with ample financial and resource support to help them launch more excellent works and seize market share.

As Pete explained in detail his plans for Star Entertainment, the Wang brothers felt a strange sensation rising within them.

They felt as if they were helping foreigners scheme against their own compatriots, and had the illusion of being traitors, a feeling that made them very uncomfortable.

Wang Zhonglei's expression changed slightly. He subconsciously clenched his fist, wanting to say something, but Wang Zhongjun stopped him with a look. Wang Zhongjun took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the discomfort in his heart, and said to Pete, "Mr. Pete, your plan does sound very attractive. When can we begin?"

Pete smiled, took a news report from his briefcase, and handed it to the Wang brothers: "Actually, we've already started taking action. You'll see when you take a look at this news article."

Wang Zhongjun and Wang Zhonglei quickly took the news and read it carefully.

The news report stated that renowned Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein publicly mocked the Oscar nomination for "Pacific Rim 2," claiming that the film did not deserve an Oscar nomination and that its nomination was purely due to luck. He also said that Zhang Chen's directing skills were not worth mentioning.

Upon seeing this news, the Wang brothers' expressions instantly became complicated, and they suddenly had the feeling that they had eaten shit.

"Is this Harvey Weinstein one of your men?"

Pete nodded enigmatically: "He's not one of ours, but we share the same goal. He has a personal grudge against Zhang Chen."

The Wang brothers exchanged a glance and suddenly felt a sense of absurdity, because they knew perfectly well that Zhang Chen's feud with Harvey Weinstein was entirely due to Huayi Brothers.

Wang Zhonglei couldn't help but say, "Mr. Pete, you may not know this, but the conflict between Zhang Chen and Harvey Weinstein actually originated from Huayi Brothers."

Back then, Huayi Brothers wanted to sell the overseas rights to "The Banquet," but we were tricked by Harvey Weinstein.

He initially offered a high price but only paid a very low deposit. When the movie was about to be released, he was only willing to pay a quarter of the originally agreed price, otherwise he would not want the film anymore. By then, it was impossible for us to sell the film to anyone else.

When we were at our wits' end, Zhang Chen extended a helping hand. His company took over the overseas distribution of "The Banquet," which helped Huayi Brothers out of its immediate crisis.

But it was precisely because of this incident that Zhang Chen offended Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein has always harbored resentment towards Zhang Chen, and now he's publicly mocking the Oscar nominations for *Pacific Rim 2*—clearly, this is revenge against Zhang Chen.

Wang Zhongjun also sighed, his tone tinged with guilt: "Yes, speaking of which, Huayi Brothers still owes Zhang Chen a favor. Now, to cooperate with Universal and join forces against him, it really doesn't make sense."

Pete's smile remained unchanged. He looked at the Wang brothers and said, "Mr. Wang, the business world is like a battlefield. In business competition, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests."

Zhang Chen's help to Huayi Brothers may only be out of commercial interests, and not because he genuinely wants to help you.

Moreover, this is a critical period for Huayi Brothers' development. Only by defeating Star Entertainment can you achieve your goals and become a leader in China's film and television industry.

As for so-called personal favors and feelings of guilt, they are utterly insignificant in the face of enormous profits. Are you sure you want to give up the opportunity to cooperate with us for the sake of those laughable personal favors?

Pete's words were like a shot in the arm, instantly dispelling the Wang brothers' sense of guilt.

Wang Zhongjun was silent for a moment, then his eyes gradually hardened: "Mr. Pete, you're right, profit is indeed the most important thing in the business world. Now that Universal has started to take action, Huayi Brothers will fully cooperate and hope that our cooperation can yield results as soon as possible."

Pete nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. I like Mr. Wang's decisive personality. I believe that with our joint efforts, it won't be long before we completely defeat Star Entertainment, and Huayi Brothers will return to the top of the Chinese film and television industry."

He raised his glass again: "Come on, let's have another drink, cheers to our cooperation!"

The Wang brothers also raised their glasses and clinked them with Pete's again, as if the guilt they felt earlier had never existed.

That's human nature. People you help may not be grateful to you, and they might even kick you when you're down on your luck. On the contrary, people who have helped you are very likely to help you again.

After finishing his drink, Pete began to discuss the details of the follow-up cooperation with the Wang brothers, including capital investment, resource allocation, and action steps.

The Wang brothers listened attentively, occasionally offering their opinions and ideas, and the atmosphere in the private room became lively again. However, beneath this enthusiasm lay untold complexities and entanglements.

As darkness fell outside the window, the restaurant lights came on, casting long shadows on the windows of the private rooms.

This meeting, which will determine the future direction of Huayi Brothers, is still ongoing, and the landscape of China's film and television industry is about to undergo a huge transformation because of this cooperation.

Looking at the eloquent Pete in front of him, Wang Zhongjun secretly made up his mind that no matter what the cost, he would make Huayi Brothers rise again and defeat Star Entertainment. He would not allow Huayi Brothers to remain subservient to others, nor would he allow Huayi Brothers' former glory to be taken away by others.

Wang Zhonglei pondered silently to himself. He knew that cooperating with Universal was a double-edged sword; it could either propel Huayi Brothers to new heights or plunge it into utter ruin.

Now that the opportunity is right in front of them, they have no reason not to give it their all.

Pete seemed to sense the complex emotions in the Wang brothers' hearts. He smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "Mr. Wang, you don't need to have too many concerns."

We at Global have extensive experience in business competition. As long as you follow our plan exactly, you will definitely be able to defeat Star Entertainment.

Furthermore, to demonstrate our sincerity, we will also help Huayi Brothers expand into the international market, making it a truly internationally renowned film and television company. At that time, you will certainly be glad you made today's decision.

The Wang brothers nodded; Pete had finally given them the promise they wanted.

They knew that from this moment on, the competition between Huayi Brothers and Star Entertainment would enter a new phase, and their fate would be inextricably linked with Universal Music.

The car was driving home again, the atmosphere inside even more somber than when it had arrived.

The Wang brothers leaned back in their chairs, closed their eyes, and their conversation with Pete kept echoing in their minds.

"Zhong Lei, haven't we gone too far?"

Wang Zhongjun's tone was questioning.

"It's not excessive at all. How is it excessive?"

Wang Zhonglei thought his brother had regretted it.

"Isn't that going too far? Then let's go even further!"

Wang Zhongjun seemed to have made up his mind, knowing clearly that once he started the war, there was no turning back. He could only forge ahead and fight with all his might for the future of Huayi Brothers and to regain the glory that belonged to Huayi Brothers.

(End of this chapter)