Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 146 Life-saving straw
Unfazed by Zhang Zhao's cold attitude, Wang Luodan confidently stated:
"Mr. Zhang, is this wishful thinking? How will you know the result if you don't try? I don't believe there is a cat in this world that doesn't steal fish."

Zhang Zhao shook his head dismissively: "You still don't understand. Some people in this world are destined to do great things and will not be burdened by beauty."

With the chairman's family background, looks, and wealth, he could find any woman he wanted. You'd better not get your hopes up; he treats Liu Shishi differently.

Wang Luodan seemed to have heard a huge joke and couldn't help but let out a string of silvery laughter: "President Zhang, so according to you, Chairman Song and Liu Shishi are truly in love?"

Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhao nodded seriously: "At least for now, I think the chairman is indeed sincere towards Liu Shishi." He naturally wouldn't tell Wang Luodan that they were childhood sweethearts, and no matter what she did, it would be in vain.

Wang Luodan was immediately stunned, her laughter stopped abruptly, and she exclaimed in disbelief, "Could it be that Chairman Song is actually a lovesick fool?"

Lu Yi, standing to the side, couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. His old classmate had been protected by a powerful figure since he first entered the entertainment industry, and his career had been smooth sailing ever since.

The key point is that the big shot actually put his heart into talking about real feelings with her. How come Liu Shishi is so lucky? Why can't she encounter such good things?

Seeing that Wang Luodan was still stubborn, Zhang Zhao didn't bother to say anything more, but considering that she was an artist from Tengda Culture, he still gave her a word of advice.

"Since you have such ambitions, I won't stop you, but I won't support you either. If anything happens, it has nothing to do with me. You'd better watch yourself."

Wang Luodan was naturally unwilling. If Zhang Zhao stood idly by, she probably wouldn't even be able to see Song Ci normally, so how could she rise to power?

He hurriedly advised, "Mr. Zhang, you're being too cautious. What could possibly go wrong? Or are you afraid of offending Liu Shishi?"

The woman surnamed Liu is just average-looking, with a plain appearance. If she were truly favored, why would she go to Tangren? I don't believe she and President Song can stay together forever.

Look at those business tycoons, aren't they all keeping their wives at home while having affairs on the side? Chairman Song is still young, after all. Once he's seen all the beauties in the entertainment industry, will he still be able to stay devoted to one person?

By then, the man surnamed Liu will naturally fall out of favor. Mr. Zhang, if you give me a hand now, and I can become the chairman's woman, I'll repay you in the future and speak well of you.

Zhang Zhao sneered. Wang Luodan was really adorably naive, actually trying to make empty promises to him. As the head of a subsidiary of Tengda Group, he was capable of handling things independently, although his status was not as high as that of group bigwigs like Zhang Yong and Wang Jing.

However, his future prospects cannot be determined by a few words of advice. If he wants to make progress now, he needs to achieve results rather than resorting to pimping.

The two men had completely different perspectives and viewpoints, and Zhang Zhao had no interest in continuing the conversation, so he directly told them to leave:
"You two should go back. Our Tengda Culture doesn't have those kinds of troublesome things. We hope that you actresses will also respect and love yourselves, and not do anything frivolous or indulgent that would embarrass the company."

In short, you are all adults and have to be responsible for your own actions. If something goes wrong, you're on your own and don't expect me to help you sort things out.

Also, remember to keep your mouth shut; don't gossip about the chairman's private affairs.

"President Zhang!" Wang Luodan said indignantly, wanting to continue speaking.

Zhang Zhao's gaze was icy as he sternly rebuked, "Get out. I have work to do."

Seeing that persuasion was hopeless, Wang Luodan stomped her foot in anger and turned to leave in a huff. She refused to believe that she wouldn't be able to get her hands on the young and handsome chairman without Zhang the butcher.

Lu Yi glanced at Zhang Zhao, and seeing the general manager's ashen face, he didn't dare to speak. He bowed slightly and quietly followed him out of the office.

Zhang Zhao's face was grim as he stared intently at the departing figures of the two men. He was deeply displeased. Wang Luodan had been far too presumptuous today. It seemed he would have to teach her a lesson and show her that artists were merely pawns of the company.

Stepping out of the office, Wang Luodan's face immediately darkened. Things were completely different from what she had planned. Zhang Zhao refused to help at all. It seemed she would have to think of another way. She wondered what connections Liu Shishi had made to get close to the chairman.
He glanced at Lü Yi in front of him, and then, as his mind raced, he asked, "Lü Yi, you and Liu Shishi are classmates. Do you know how she got together with Chairman Song?"

Lu Yi looked bewildered, shook his head slightly, and asked curiously, "If you hadn't told me today, I wouldn't have known about the relationship between Liu Shishi and Chairman Song. By the way, how did you find out about this?"

Wang Luodan was on guard. Could Lü Yi be trying to trick her into revealing information? However, seeing that the other party looked confused and seemed genuinely unaware, she decided to tell her after some thought, since Liu Shishi was now their common enemy.

"I only found out last time when Qiao Zhengyu let it slip that Chairman Song was the screenwriter of 'Nightclub.' He visited Liu Shishi on set and had dinner with Qiao Zhengyu and Yan Ni."

The idea that she was spotted by director Xu Zheng at first glance now seems like complete nonsense. Liu Shishi was just a woman who relied on men for connections; she probably got the movie lead role by sleeping around.

After speaking, Wang Luodan frowned and pondered. Everything is difficult at the beginning. The most troublesome thing now is how she can get in touch with Song Ci. Otherwise, many of her ideas cannot be put into action. She urgently needs a strategist to help her come up with a plan.

Lu Yi seemed to understand something. No wonder Liu Shishi had such a good start; she was a resource-rich person. Looking at Wang Luodan's determined face, he hesitated and asked, "Luodan, do you really want to pursue Chairman Song?"

Wang Luodan glanced at her good colleague and snorted irritably, "Is that not okay? What, do you also think I'm inferior to Liu Shishi?"

Lu Yi thought to himself, "In some ways, you really can't compare to Liu Shishi. Although my old classmate isn't particularly stunning, her pure and gentle first-love face is very appealing to young men. Maybe the chairman is into Liu Shishi's type."

However, these words could not be spoken aloud. Instead, he said tactfully, "Some things are just hearsay, and we don't know if they are true or not. Didn't President Zhang just say that perhaps Liu Shishi and Chairman Song don't have that kind of relationship?"

"Not what kind of relationship? I don't believe it. Liu Shishi and Chairman Song can be dating in a legitimate way. Lü Yi, I advise you to be more careful. We are the people of Tengda Culture. We can't be outdone by an outsider."

As Wang Luodan walked out, she wondered if she should talk to her agent, Zeng Jia, to see if she had any good ideas on how to get close to the chairman.

Lu Yi pursed her lips. She thought her old classmate and the chairman were quite a good match. As for whether Liu Shishi would continue to use Tengda Culture's resources, they would just have to wait and see. If Chairman Song really showed favoritism, there was nothing she and Wang Luodan could do about it.

Located on Longhua Middle Road in the bustling Donghai XH District, the Greenland Center Building houses the headquarters of Tangren Media Group. From afar, this modern office building soars into the clouds, and the glass curtain wall of Tangren Media Group's floor reflects the sunlight, seemingly announcing its unique position in the film and television industry.

In the morning, Liu Shishi walked into the building and took the high-speed elevator directly to the 17th floor where Tangren Company was located. The elevator doors slowly opened, and the first thing that caught her eye was a simple yet well-designed reception area.

The black marble reception desk is dignified and elegant, with the four large golden characters "Tangren Film & Television" engraved on it. The characters are vigorous and powerful, exuding a unique artistic atmosphere.

The receptionist, dressed in a smart business suit and with a smile on her face, greeted Cai Yinong and Liu Shishi as soon as they arrived at the company: "Good morning, Mr. Cai! Good morning, Sister Shishi!"

Cai Yinong nodded expressionlessly, and Liu Shishi followed closely behind her, a faint smile on her pretty face, politely responding to the greetings from the Tangren employees.

She couldn't help but feel secretly proud. Liu Shishi was now a senior figure, and everyone in the Tang Dynasty treated her with great respect.

The production crew of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" in Hengdian has completely stopped work. Liu Shishi did not return to Beiping. A few days ago, she came to Donghai with Cai Yinong.

Although Song Ci had prepared accommodation for her in Donghai, Cai Yi Nong has been under a lot of pressure lately, so she is temporarily staying at her boss's house to keep her company.

Following Sister K into the spacious office area, rows of desks were neatly arranged in the bright and airy space, piled high with various documents, scripts, and film and television materials.

Tangren employees were either intently staring at their computer screens, carefully editing video clips, or gathered in a corner, enthusiastically discussing scriptwriting, their ideas constantly sparking.

The walls are covered with posters of classic films and television series produced by Tangren Media, including well-known masterpieces such as "Chinese Paladin," "The Little Fairy," and "The Legendary Twins," which seem to tell the story of Tangren Media's past glory and honor.

Walking deeper into the corridor, you'll find rows of independent studios, the workplaces of the company's core personnel, including directors, artists, and producers. At the very end, in the innermost office, is Cai Yinong's CEO's office.

Following her into the office, Liu Shishi sat obediently on the sofa, wondering why Cai Yinong had specifically called her to the company today.

Cai Yinong temporarily disregarded Liu Shishi, and after sitting down at his desk, he quickly got into work mode and began dealing with the mountain of documents piled up on his desk.

A few minutes later, the assistant knocked and entered. Without even looking up, Cai Yinong eagerly asked, "How were the ratings for the premiere of 'Young Warriors of the Yang Clan' last night?"

Yesterday, September 26th, the TV series "Young Warriors of the Yang Clan," co-produced by Tangren Media and Huayi Brothers Media, premiered on the Oriental Movie Channel. Tangren is currently facing a severe crisis, and the entire company is pinning its hopes on this series, seeing it as a lifeline.

The assistant was overjoyed. She knew the importance of "Young Warriors of the Yang Clan," as it represented the hopes of the entire village. She quickly replied, "President Cai, the premiere last night achieved a viewership rating of 7.41%, ranking second in the Donghai region."

Upon hearing the premiere's ratings, Cai Yinong breathed a sigh of relief, as this was the only good news he had heard since September.

As the Hu Ge car accident continues to unfold, Tangren Media's partner brands have begun to question the company's safety management capabilities.

From the brand's perspective, such a serious accident involving its flagship product is undoubtedly a severe test of Tangren Media's professionalism and sense of responsibility.

Suddenly, a wave of contract terminations swept in, and one by one, the previously stable partnerships collapsed like dominoes, dealing a heavy blow to Tangren and causing the company to suffer heavy losses.

As a key project of Tangren Media in 2006, the production team of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" seemed to have lost its soul and was completely paralyzed after losing the support of its core actors and facing external pressure.

With filming stalled, the company facing cash flow difficulties, and a growing crisis of trust in its partner Tengda Culture, Tangren Media is finding itself in a precarious situation.

Faced with such a dire situation, Cai Yinong and the company's senior executives naturally would not sit idly by and had to quickly adjust their strategies to find a way out.

A film and television company can only regain market attention and trust and escape its current predicament by quickly launching new series.

Therefore, Tangren Media changed its previous practice of producing one drama per year, and a tense but orderly preparation work has quietly begun.

"Strange Tales of Liaozhai" is a new film and television project that Tangren Media is about to launch. This drama is Tangren's work to turn around and get out of its predicament, and Cai Yinong has decided to hire a super strong cast.

To this end, she contacted Singapore's national treasure actress Fan Wenfang to participate in the series, and in a unique way, she divided the series into four units, striving to create a blockbuster work that could quickly attract the audience's attention.

Unfortunately, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Even with the company's round-the-clock preparations, "Strange Women from Liaozhai" will not be able to start filming until November at the earliest, and if all goes well, it will not be broadcast until next year.

The only way to solve the company's financial pressure at present is for "Young Warriors of the Yang Clan" to become a huge hit and fetch a good price. There is no other way. Fortunately, the pilot episode of this drama has good results and has the potential to be a big hit.

Cai Yi-nong remained calm. It had only been one day since the broadcast, and it was too early to be happy and relaxed. He instructed his assistant:
"We should instruct the publicity department to increase online promotion, release more behind-the-scenes footage and stills, and make sure to increase its popularity. At the same time, we should contact the media and ask them to say more positive things about 'Young Warriors of the Yang Clan'."

"Okay, I'll take care of it right away." The assistant kept Cai Yinong's words firmly in mind.

Cai Yinong thought for a moment, then continued, "Also, I'm planning to hold an offline fan meeting, tentatively scheduled for the end of October. You'll be responsible for coordinating the schedules of the lead actors."

"Okay." Seeing that Cai Yinong had started working again and had no further instructions, the assistant left the office. She had been very busy these past few days and had to make the most of every minute.

After working for about an hour, Cai Yinong finally cleared out the backlog of documents. He stretched his sore neck and turned his gaze to Liu Shishi, who was lost in thought.

His eyes held a hint of expectation and trust. His eldest sister was like a rough diamond, showing initial promise but not yet shining brightly in the film and television industry. Now it was time to give her more responsibility.

(End of this chapter)