Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 190 is all about making enemies.

As night falls, soft lighting illuminates a cozy bedroom in a high-end apartment building in Beiping.

The young and beautiful superstar Liu Yifei was sitting at her desk, intently watching Weibo on her computer screen.

Suddenly, a knock on the door broke the silence inside, and then an elegant and beautiful woman pushed the door open and entered.

With a look of concern and tenderness on her face, she asked softly, "Xixi, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Liu Yifei looked up and smiled sweetly, "Mom, I'm looking at the trending topics on Weibo. I'll go to sleep in a bit."

The beautiful woman, Liu Xiaoli, sat down at the head of the bed, sighed softly, and spoke with a hint of hesitation and helplessness.

"Then I have something to tell you."

Liu Yifei browsed trending topics on Weibo while chatting with her mother.

"What's wrong?" she asked casually, seemingly unaware of the unusual tone in her mother's words.

After a brief silence, Liu Xiaoli said with a hint of regret, "Your endorsement deal with Tengda Group's games has fallen through."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei immediately turned around anxiously, her delicate brows furrowed as she stared intently at her mother: "Does Tengda think the ten million yuan endorsement fee for two years is too high?"

"Probably!" Liu Xiaoli wasn't sure of the specific reason for Tengda's refusal. The other party's notification came quite suddenly in the afternoon, but the previous disagreement between the two parties was only about the endorsement price.

“I can lower the price!” Liu Yifei blurted out, a hint of resentment rising in her heart towards her mother. If her mother hadn’t insisted on a price of ten million, the endorsement contract might have been signed long ago.

Seeing her daughter's anxious and distressed expression, Liu Xiaoli felt a pang of sympathy and quickly patted her shoulder to comfort her, saying, "Qianqian, it's not that Mom is deliberately asking for a high price. Your endorsement is worth this price now."

"Once 'The Forbidden Kingdom' is released, your endorsement fee will go up even further. It's already 10 million for two years; Tengda is clearly getting a better deal. Don't worry, there are plenty of good endorsements; we don't need Tengda."

Liu Yifei looked increasingly dejected, her voice trembling with tears: "Mom, why don't you understand my thoughts! I just want to use this endorsement to build a relationship with Tengda Lala and pave the way for my future development."

"We stood up Huayi Brothers, and we're blacklisted by half of the Beijing entertainment circle. We've also offended people in the Shanghai circle before. And now, with what you've done, we've fallen out with Tengda... How am I supposed to develop my career in the Chinese entertainment industry now?"

Seeing Liu Yifei heartbroken and in tears, Liu Xiaoli panicked, and a feeling began to creep into her heart that her daughter was right. It seemed she had unknowingly offended all the major figures in the Chinese entertainment industry.

He reached out and stroked his daughter's back, trying to comfort her, "Xixi, don't cry! It's okay, your godfather will take care of you."

Liu Yifei burst into tears and cried even harder: "Even Huayi Company doesn't give him face, so why would Tengda Group, which is more than ten times stronger than Huayi, care about him?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaoli also felt a sense of crisis and could only try to calm her daughter down: "Okay, okay, Mom knows she was wrong."

I'll contact Tengda Group again right away and try to lower the endorsement fee. As long as we can cooperate with them and build a relationship, that's fine.

"Mom, contact them right now. Put it on speakerphone!"

Liu Yifei spoke with a hint of urgency, picking up her cute pink phone and handing it to her mother, staring at her with an urging gaze.

Unable to refuse, Liu Xiaoli reluctantly took the phone, opened her contacts, found Wu Jiajian's number, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed it.

The call connected quickly. Liu Xiaoli turned on the speakerphone, took a deep breath, and politely said:

"Hello Mr. Wu, I'm Liu Yifei's mother. I'm sorry to bother you so late. I just wanted to discuss Yifei's endorsement with you again. Manager Jiang during the day..."

Before Liu Xiaoli could finish speaking, Wu Jiajian interrupted her, his calm and distant voice coming from the receiver.

"Ms. Liu, I'm really sorry, we've already finalized the spokesperson appointment, so we can only cooperate again next time."

"It's settled!" Liu Xiaoli's heart sank. She was skeptical of the information Wu Jiajian had revealed. Had they changed people in just half a day? Could big companies really be this efficient?
"Ms. Liu, our CEO has already approved the spokesperson, and there will be no further changes." The other party's firm voice came through the receiver again.

"This!" Liu Xiaoli and her daughter exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with doubt and uncertainty. They forced themselves to suppress their panic and tried to keep their voices steady: "Mr. Wu, may I ask who your company has chosen as its new spokesperson?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, as if the other person was considering whether to reveal any information.

"It's not a secret. We'll make an official announcement in a few days anyway, so it's fine to tell you in advance. The company has chosen Liu Shishi as our spokesperson."

"Liu Shishi?" Liu Xiaoli looked puzzled, having no recollection of the name at all.

"Ms. Liu, things have come to this. Let's cooperate again next time!" After saying that, Wu Jiajian hung up the phone, leaving Liu Xiaoli and her daughter staring at each other.

"Xixi, this..." Seeing her daughter's disappointed face, Liu Xiaoli didn't know what to do for a moment. However, she felt that something was strange about the matter. The other party changed their mind too quickly.

Liu Yifei bit her lip, her eyes vacant, her heart filled with disappointment. But the person in front of her was her mother, who had always been by her side, and she couldn't bring herself to say a word of blame.

"Sisi, go online and look up Liu Shishi, the one who stole your endorsement, and see who she is."

Liu Yifei nodded, turned to face the computer, and began typing rapidly on the keyboard, searching online. Liu Xiaoli stood behind her daughter, squinting at the screen, her heart filled with resentment.

Using Baidu, they quickly found information about "Liu Shishi". The two of them carefully examined the information, and every piece of information that popped up on the webpage felt like a thorn in their hearts.

"An artist from Tangren Media?" Liu Xiaoli couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, then her face lit up with anger and indignation:
"It must be Cai Yinong's doing! I knew it! Tengda was very sincere at first, how could they suddenly turn their backs for no reason!"

The mother and daughter had a long-standing feud with Tangren Media, and the other party had every motive and reason to snatch this endorsement.

As for whether Tangren had the capability, Liu Xiaoli, blinded by anger, couldn't consider that at the moment.

"Is it really Tangren who's behind this?" Liu Yifei was still a little doubtful. Tangren is backed by Hong Kong and Taiwan capital, and they only have connections in Shanghai. How could they possibly influence Tengda, a giant in Beijing's entertainment circle?
"Who else could it be but Cai Yinong? She was the one who arranged for online trolls to smear you before!" Liu Xiaoli said with certainty, her anger burning inside. It was an undeniable fact that Tangren's artist had taken her daughter's endorsement.

Seeing that Liu Yifei seemed hesitant to speak, Liu Xiaoli waved her hand and said, "Alright, you don't need to worry about this. I'll handle it from now on."

For now, just focus your attention on promoting "The Forbidden Kingdom." If this movie is a huge hit, it will prove your box office appeal, and people will be coming to you with scripts begging you to act in their films.

"Alright!" Her mother was always assertive, and Liu Yifei didn't want to rack her brains over something that was already a done deal.

"Get some rest, Sisi."

After patting Liu Yifei on the shoulder to comfort her, Liu Xiaoli left her daughter's room and returned to her own.

Still seething with anger, he picked up his phone, opened a number, and dialed. "Mr. Chen!..."

On March 21st, around 1 p.m., the sun was shining brightly and there was a gentle breeze.

Song Ci's car drove directly through the ornate iron gate and slowly entered the tranquil and luxurious Jingyuan Villa. Driver Wang Shan, quick-witted and agile, got out of the car as soon as it came to a stop, opened the trunk, and unloaded the landlady's luggage.

Liu Shishi opened the car door and smelled the fragrance of flowers and the fresh scent of grass in the garden. She felt refreshed and relaxed, as if the fatigue from the morning flight had vanished in an instant.

"Madam, if you have nothing else to do, I'll head back to the company!" Wang Shan asked after unloading his luggage.

Liu Shishi smiled and waved her hand politely, saying, "Thank you for your hard work today, Master Wang. Please drive carefully on the road."

After watching Wang Shan drive away from the villa, Liu Shishi dragged her suitcase and led Jiang Yuanyuan and Lin Xia into the house.

Several pairs of clean slippers were already laid out in the entryway. The housekeeper, Sister Li, had been waiting at the door for a long time. As soon as she saw the mistress return, she quickly stepped forward to take the luggage and said respectfully, "Madam, you're back!"

As Liu Shishi changed her shoes, she asked with concern, "How has everything been at home lately?"

Sister Li replied with a smile, "Everything went smoothly."

"Where is the master? Has he come back for dinner on time?" Liu Shishi's words were full of concern for Song Ci. She wasn't checking up on him, but was afraid that Song Ci would miss meals when he was busy.

Upon hearing this, Sister Li reported in detail: "During the ten days you were away, your husband worked overtime until very late one day, went back to the community to accompany his wife two days, and spent the rest of the time having dinner at home."

Liu Shishi smiled and nodded, it was unclear whether she was satisfied with Sister Li's thoughtfulness or happy about Song Ci's structured life.

"Sister Li, go pour two cups of tea! Yuanyuan, Xiaoxia, please make yourselves at home. I'm going upstairs to change my clothes."

A moment later, Sister Li brought over two cups of fragrant hot tea: "Please enjoy."

Jiang Yuanyuan took the teacup and introduced, "Thank you, Sister Li. This is Lin Xia, Sister Shi's new assistant."

Sister Li greeted Ms. Lin warmly, "Hello, Ms. Lin, I'm Sister Li, the housekeeper."

Lin Xia looked dazed, as if she were in a dream. From the moment she got off the plane and was picked up in a Maybach to now being inside the super mansion, she had been in a daze.

She replied reservedly, "Hello, Sister Li, just call me Xiaoxia."

After Sister Li left, Lin Xia couldn't help but tug at Jiang Yuanyuan's sleeve and asked incredulously in a low voice, "Sister Yuanyuan, is Sister Shi's family so rich? This villa is too luxurious!"

Jiang Yuanyuan was already used to it and had long since become accustomed to it. "From now on, I'll be by Shishi's side and I'll get used to it."

Lin Xia looked around and felt that everything in front of her was beyond her imagination.

A short while later, Liu Shishi changed into comfortable casual clothes, her hair was gently tied up, and she instantly transformed from a fashionable star into a wealthy socialite as she slowly came down from upstairs.

Looking down at her, she suddenly noticed a fruit basket and two bottles of red wine on the coffee table. Slightly surprised, she asked, "Sister Li, where did the fruit basket and red wine come from?"

"Madam, it was delivered by Mr. Lei and his wife, who recently moved into building 8 next door!"

"The new neighbors are quite polite!" Liu Shishi's eyes lit up, and she felt a mix of anticipation and curiosity about her new neighbors.

Unfortunately, Mr. Song is not home at the moment, and it would be inappropriate for her to visit him alone. She can only wait until Song Ci gets off work to discuss whether or not to visit him in return.

As she approached the sofa, Ms. Liu casually turned on the television, and the sound of CCTV-1 immediately filled the room, bringing a sense of liveliness and warmth to the living room.

“Yuanyuan is going home, Xiaoxia, you can stay here. There are many empty rooms in the house, I will have someone prepare a guest room in a while. Let’s have dinner together tonight.”

After saying that, Liu Shishi instructed Sister Li, "Add a few more dishes tonight!"

Sister Li smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam!"

She knew that the mistress of the house would be back today, and Mr. Song would definitely be back for dinner. Moreover, since the mistress was a Hui Muslim and did not eat pork, she had made preparations in advance.

In the Modern Center Building, Song Ci was relieved to receive a text message from Liu Shishi in her office that she was safe.

He turned his gaze to the female CEO in front of him and said with a hint of apology, "What did you just say?"

Liu Yan was speechless. It turned out that the chairman hadn't listened to a single word he had said.

The only option was to report again: "President Song, we received a call from the public relations company of Sanlu Group."

The other party requested Weibo's assistance in blocking recent negative news about Sanlu Group, stating that Sanlu Group was willing to spend five million yuan on advertising on Weibo.

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in the depths of Song Ci's eyes, and he immediately recalled a long-forgotten memory.

However, he showed no sign of anything amiss on his face and asked calmly, "What negative news has the Sanlu Group been up to lately? What exactly do they want the company to do?"

Liu Yan explained in detail: "Recently, some netizens have revealed that the milk powder produced by Sanlu Group has quality problems and can cause infants to suffer from kidney stones."

They are conducting an emergency public relations campaign, hoping that Weibo will delete all negative messages, block and shut down similar information, control public opinion, and seize the initiative in the news.

Song Ci scoffed: "You think you can bribe Tengda with a mere 500 million? You're underestimating us."

Then, changing the subject, he asked calmly, "Do you think this advertising contract is worth accepting?"

Liu Yan hesitated for a moment, unsure of the chairman's thoughts, but still advised him with principle: "President Song, I think it's better not to accept it."

There's always a reason behind rumors. We don't know the truth about the Sanlu Group. What if these negative news stories are true, and Weibo is helping to promote problematic products? Wouldn't we be aiding and abetting wrongdoing?

Moreover, Weibo is still in its infancy. If we abandon our principles and block user messages just because of a small amount of advertising revenue, it will be a huge blow to the company's reputation and goodwill once it's exposed.

Song Ci squinted as she listened to Liu Yan's reasoned analysis, then nodded slightly, inwardly approving of her choice.

Some money can be earned, but principles and bottom lines cannot be crossed. Liu Yan's performance just now can be considered as successfully passing his test.

“We can accept normal advertising contracts, and then send someone to investigate before launching the product. If the product from the third-party platform is indeed problematic, we will sue them for fraud. All advertising fees received will be donated to the victims.”

The Song Dynasty poem has a melancholic tone, carrying a chilling and sinister feel, as if it wants to bring the Sanlu Group to its doom.

Liu Yan was shocked to hear this. He hadn't expected the chairman to be so aggressive. It was clear that he wanted to rip off Sanlu Group and completely break ties with them, giving them a good beating.

The office fell silent for a moment. After a long while, Liu Yan slowly replied, "Don't worry, I will handle this matter well. The danger on the third road may be our opportunity!"

(End of this chapter)