Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 197 All the main actors gathered
Time flies by, and before we know it, it's the end of May.

As the days grow longer and the weather becomes increasingly hot and humid, summer is quietly approaching.

At Hengdian World Studios, film crews start and finish shooting almost every day, enacting stories of joy and sorrow.

Compared to previous years, this place is now showing a more prosperous scene, with bustling traffic and people, a vivid portrayal of the booming development of the film and television industry.

The staff dormitory on the second floor of the Xiaobailou building at Hengdian Tangren Film and Television is bathed in the first rays of morning light.

Liu Shishi sat quietly at the table, browsing Weibo's trending topics while chatting happily with her two senior brothers sitting on the sofa.

"Shishi, you really kept this from me and Lao Hu for a long time. By the way, when are you going to introduce Boss Song to me and Lao Hu?"

Yuan Hong held the tea that Lin Xia had just served him, but the fragrant tea leaves did not relax his mind in the slightest.

Staring at Liu Shishi's slender back, his expression revealed a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

This latest casting decision for "Chinese Paladin 3" is another blow to Yuan Hong.

Cai Yinong only gave him a supporting role as the third male lead, which was a huge blow to him, and he was filled with disappointment and resentment.

If this continues, once the company signs new artists, he will likely become a completely marginalized figure at Tangren Media.

Since he can't rely on Cai Yi-nong, he has to find a way to save himself and seek another way out.

After learning that her junior sister's mysterious boyfriend was Song Ci, the big boss of Tengda Group, a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart.

Now all I can think about is how to latch onto a powerful figure and find a way to survive in my acting career.

Unfortunately, Liu Shishi was in Beiping for a while before coming to Hengdian just recently, when "Chinese Paladin 3" was about to start filming. Only then were the three treasures of Tangren reunited here.

Hu Ge, standing to the side, looked at Miss Liu with the same anticipation, her eyes gleaming with longing.

I also secretly hoped to get to know Song Dynasty poetry, build a connection, and broaden my horizons.

Three days ago, on May 27th.

After a month of negotiations, Tengda Culture and Southern Cinema Line joined forces and invested 3.12 million yuan to successfully acquire several companies, including Baoli Culture and Oriental Shenlong Cinema, from Baoli Group, shocking the entire entertainment industry.

As of mid-May 2008, there were 35 cinema chains, 1484 cinemas, and a total of 3769 screens in China.

After acquiring Poly Dragon Cinema, Southern Cinema Company now owns 679 screens.

With 18% of the total number of screens nationwide, a massive proportion approaching one-fifth, it rightfully earns its title as the largest cinema chain in the country.

With the expansion of its production team, Tengda Group has become a behemoth in the entertainment industry.

It was fine if we didn't have the chance to get involved with such a large corporation before, but now that Liu Shishi and Song Ci are lovers, we can't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Liu Shishi knew perfectly well what her two senior brothers were up to, so she helplessly pursed her lips and replied crisply:
"Mr. Song will be visiting Hengdian in a while, and I'll introduce him to you."

Yuan Hong, who was straightforward by nature, was excited upon hearing this and blurted out before Hu Ge could, "Okay, it's settled then. When Chairman Song comes to Hengdian, I'll treat him to a meal."

Hu Ge's lips twitched slightly, and he shook his head almost imperceptibly. He could understand his good brother's difficulties and anxieties.

Tangren Media's limited resources are currently being poured entirely into him. Yuan Hong has great ambitions, but if he wants to play the male lead, he has to find other opportunities and make a living elsewhere.

Browsing through the trending topics for a while, Weibo is full of news about the disaster.

Feeling depressed, Liu Shishi clasped her hands together in devout mourning for a while, then lost all interest in going online. She closed her laptop and prepared to chat with her two senior brothers to pass the time.

She walked straight to Hu Ge and sat down opposite him. Tilting her head, she asked curiously, "Old Hu, what kind of person is Yang Mi? I heard you've worked with her before."

According to K-sister, Yang Mi volunteered herself for the lead role of Xuejian, which she won herself.

So Liu Shishi couldn't help but become interested in this brave and fearless girl.

"Yang Mi!" Hu Ge looked up and tried hard to recall. He first met Yang Mi in 05 when they were filming "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: Xiaoqian".

However, as they got busy with their own lives, they gradually lost contact, and with the passage of time, his impression of her became very faint.

After calming down, Hu Ge said seriously, "She is outgoing, cheerful, brave and independent."

Moreover, she had very high emotional intelligence, and she was adept at navigating the social circles of the film crew, thriving in the industry. She was naturally suited for a career in entertainment.

Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi rested her chin on her hands and teased with a grin, "You speak very highly of her! Do you have feelings for her? I've met her before; she's a delicate and beautiful woman."

A blush crept across Hu Ge's handsome face, and a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

During filming, he did develop feelings for the lively and beautiful Yang Mi, but before he could act on them, the production wrapped up.

Later, he got a girlfriend, and since the two lost contact, the faint feelings between the young man and woman faded away.

Now that Liu Shishi has brought it up, Hu Ge can't help but feel a strange emotion. The memories of working together on the film back then, the laughter and joy, all come flooding back into her mind.

Liu Shishi, with her sharp eyes, immediately noticed the change in Hu Ge's expression and teased, "Oh dear, Old Hu, you're actually blushing! Looks like you really have feelings for Yang Mi!"

Hu Ge was extremely embarrassed and hurriedly waved her hands, trying to cover it up: "Shishi, don't talk nonsense, that's not true. Mimi and I haven't seen each other for two or three years. Maybe she has a boyfriend now."

Having finally found an opportunity to tease Hu Ge, Liu Shishi wasn't about to let him off so easily. Raising an eyebrow, she confidently replied:
"Leave this to me. I'll make sure you find out if Yang Mi has a boyfriend when we're filming."

If it is, we'll pretend it never happened; if not, I'll be your wingman and guarantee that once this movie is finished, you'll win the heart of your sweetheart.

Seeing that the eldest sister was getting more and more out of control, Hu Ge looked embarrassed and quickly changed the subject: "Let's not talk about Yang Mi anymore, Shishi, can you introduce Chen Xiao to us?"

Your big movie with him, "First Love," is coming out soon, right? You should know Chen Xiao quite well, right? Old Yuan is secretly determined to crush him when filming later.

“Yes, tell me about Chen Xiao,” Yuan Hong chimed in from the side. He felt that Chen Xiao had “stolen” his second male lead role and was still resentful about it.

He boasted to his good friend that he would crush Chen Xiao in acting skills and show the connections his true abilities.

However, he wasn't stupid. As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle." He decided to ask Liu Shishi for information first, and then make a move depending on the specific circumstances.

"Chen Xiao..." Liu Shishi deliberately dragged out her words, her cunning gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them.

After whetting Hu Ge and Yuan Hong's appetite, he slowly began to speak: "How should I put it? Chen Xiao's first impression is that he's a bit arrogant. And his acting range is very narrow."

Hu Ge and Yuan Hong exchanged a glance, both looking puzzled. Arrogance was understandable; Chen Xiao was a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama and had been scouted by the large company Tengda Culture while still in university.

He was the male lead from the very beginning of his career, and his second role took him to the big screen. With such a dazzling start, he has every right to be arrogant.

However, Liu Shishi's statement that "her acting range is very narrow" left the two of them completely baffled.

Seeing the puzzled looks on their faces, the woman chuckled and patiently explained, "Young people are bound to be impetuous and arrogant; it's perfectly normal for them to be proud and confident."

Hearing Liu Shishi's condescending tone, Yuan Hong couldn't stand it and burst into laughter: "Shishi, the way you're talking makes it sound like you're much older than Chen Xiao."

Miss Liu glared at Yuan Hong and actually said that she was much older than Chen Xiao, implying that she was old?

She retorted angrily, "Should you say it or should I say it?"

"You go ahead, I won't interrupt anymore," Yuan Hong said, raising her hands in surrender.

Liu Shishi rolled her eyes at Yuan Hong and then said, "Chen Xiao is so handsome."

Of all the men I've ever met, only my husband, Mr. Song, can slightly outshine him. He has the face of a natural leading man; there are many roles he simply can't play.

The two looked at each other after hearing this, speechless for a moment, unable to refute it at all.

Yuan Hong clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turning white, her heart filled with helplessness.

In terms of appearance and temperament, Chen Xiao was indeed more in line with the aloof and otherworldly image of the white-robed sword immortal than he was, but he was just unwilling to accept it. Why did others always take away his opportunities?

Liu Shishi was also afraid that if Yuan Hong and Chen Xiaowan started a fight, she would be caught in the middle and put in a difficult position, so she gave a half-joking suggestion.

Hu Ge, being observant, noticed the resentment and anger deep in her good friend's eyes, and quickly cracked a joke to ease the tension:

"It's a good thing that Chairman Song didn't enter the entertainment industry, otherwise he would have been a cut above us in terms of looks alone. He is truly blessed by God."

Liu Shishi nodded in agreement with a proud look: "Sister Jing once suggested that Mr. Song debut as an idol, but unfortunately he had no interest at all."

Upon hearing Wang Jing's name, Hu Ge's curiosity was piqued, and she inquired with a gossipy look, "Shishi, was someone behind that blogger who openly criticized Ms. Wang Jing and you last month instigated by someone?"

Liu Shishi pursed her lips and nodded again: "I heard from Mr. Song that it was Liu Yifei's godfather's doing. Hehe, it's a pity they were also confused, they got the wrong target, and they offended Sister Jing badly."

Coupled with the ban imposed by Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, "Fairy Sister" is basically unable to make a living in China and has reportedly signed with an American agency. As for that blogger, their account has also been permanently banned—they brought it upon themselves.

"So that's how it is!" Hu Ge suddenly realized. He had felt something was amiss back then, and that someone must be pulling the strings behind the scenes, deliberately targeting Wang Jing and Liu Shishi.

Hearing about his old partner, "Fairy Sister's" situation, he felt a mix of emotions. Although he and Liu Yifei were not particularly close, they had worked together before, so he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

In the small dormitory, the three of them remained silent, and the atmosphere became slightly heavy for a moment.

At this moment, assistant Lin Xia rushed over, leaning against the door frame, and said breathlessly:

"Senior Sister Shi, Teacher Hu, Teacher Yuan, the other three main actors have arrived. President Cai wants you to go to the conference room to meet them."

"People are so quick to forget. I was just talking about Yang Mi and Chen Xiao, and now they're here so soon."

Hu Ge stood up with a smile and patted his good friend on the shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Old Yuan, go and meet him. We'll be working together for at least four months, so we should at least give him some face. It'll make things easier on set later."

Yuan Hong took a deep breath, straightened her back, and replied loudly, "Let's go, let's go together!"

As the saying goes, one should not lose face even if one loses the battle. Yuan Hong will defeat Chen Xiao with her acting skills in a fair and square manner, and she will not stoop to other petty tricks.

The three of them walked together to the small conference room on the first floor of the white building, where they saw the other three main actors sitting together, having a lively conversation.

Upon seeing the arrival of three leading artists from Tangren Media, Yang Mi and the others stopped to talk.

In an instant, six pairs of eyes met, and the two sides sized each other up, their eyes filled with scrutiny and inquiry.

Yuan Hong squinted, staring intently at Chen Xiao, while Liu Shishi and Hu Ge's gazes were much calmer, casually sweeping over the three people opposite them.

Yang Mi's attention was focused on Liu Shishi. After not seeing her for a while, this leading lady of Tangren Media had become even more gentle and outstanding.

A simple dress accentuates her graceful figure, giving her an ethereal and otherworldly air, like a delicate daisy blooming by a mountain spring, cool yet gentle.

"Chen Xiao, how have you been lately?" Liu Shishi waved first to greet him, a perfectly timed smile on her face.

She and Chen Xiao had a fairly good relationship, and since they were going to promote the movie "First Love" together later, she naturally took the lead in breaking the ice.

Chen Xiao smiled casually, exuding a carefree and unrestrained air: "Senior Sister, please take good care of me in the future."

After saying that, he gestured with one hand to the tall woman beside him and offered to introduce her: "This is Tang Yan. She is my senior from the Central Academy of Drama. She plays Zi Xuan in the drama."

As soon as she finished speaking, a tall, elegant woman with long, slender legs stepped forward gracefully, smiled sweetly, and said in a soft voice, "Hello everyone, I am Tang Yan. I look forward to working with you in the future."

Seeing that Tang Yan had already introduced herself, Yang Mi, not to be outdone, introduced herself in a unique, sweet Beijing accent:
"Hello everyone, I'm Yang Mi! Hu Ge, long time no see." She said, and even winked playfully.

Hu Ge smiled and nodded, then introduced Liu Shishi and Yuan Hong, her words full of politeness and familiarity.

Inside the conference room, the six main actors of "Chinese Paladin 3" gathered together.

Upon closer examination, the connection between Hu Ge and Tang Yan is truly remarkable. Both are from Donghai, and their shared accents and hometown sentiments naturally bring them closer.

Yang Mi and Liu Shishi are both girls from Beiping (Beijing), and they share a similar straightforward and decisive nature; Chen Xiao and Tang Yan are both graduates of the Central Academy of Drama, and are not strangers to each other.

Everyone was a vibrant young person. After a few pleasantries, the initial awkwardness disappeared, and they quickly became friends, chatting enthusiastically with laughter echoing throughout.

Without keeping everyone waiting long, Cai Yinong, president of Tangren Media and producer of "Chinese Paladin 3", arrived at the conference room in high heels.

Seeing that the lead actors were good-looking and full of energy, he nodded in satisfaction.

Tangren Media's TV dramas have always adhered to an unwritten but deeply ingrained standard: regardless of whether the plot is detailed or the acting is well-developed.

The cast must be handsome men and beautiful women, enough to firmly attract the audience's attention.

(End of this chapter)