Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 199 Humanity and Sophistication
On June 1st, the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly.

Tenda Technology Group, China's largest internet company, has reached a significant moment in its development: the grand opening ceremony of its new workplace relocation was held.

The newly erected science and technology building appears even more majestic and magnificent in the morning light.

The plaza in front of the building was decorated with lanterns and colorful flags, and various flowers were scattered throughout, creating a festive and lively atmosphere.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially began with the booming of cannons and the sound of cheerful music.

Most notably, despite their busy schedules, several official leaders still took time out of their busy schedules to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which undoubtedly added more weight and brilliance to the event.

Several high-ranking leaders, dressed in formal attire, entered the venue with smiles on their faces and steady steps. Their demeanor and bearing became the focus of attention for the entire audience.

Following the host's enthusiastic introduction, each leader took turns to the stage to deliver a speech, expressing their best wishes and expectations for the future development of Tengda Group.

Then came the exciting ribbon-cutting ceremony, where several leaders and Song Ci, holding golden scissors, jointly cut the ribbon for the new workplace building that embodies the company's dreams and hopes.

This symbolizes that Tengda Group will set sail from a new starting point and embark on an even more glorious chapter.

The 39th floor of the Science and Technology Building is the office of several core senior executives of the group, including Song Ci's chairman's office.

After a grand and meaningful ribbon-cutting ceremony for the relocation of her new workplace, Song Ci returned to her spacious, bright, and magnificent new office, exhausted.

He walked straight to the sofa, loosened the bow tie around his neck slightly, and let out a long sigh.

Following closely behind, Zhang Yong and Wang Jing also showed signs of fatigue. The three of them tacitly sat down together on the guest sofa.

Song Ci leaned back, sinking into the soft sofa, and sighed with relief, "It's finally over! I'm exhausted, both physically and mentally! Now that the leader has left, we can finally relax!"

Although the ribbon-cutting ceremony was short, he accompanied the senior leader throughout the entire process, always keeping a close eye on things, speaking and acting with utmost care, and daring not to be careless in the slightest.

In such situations, it's not just physical strength that's tested, but more importantly, psychological pressure. You have to stay on edge the whole time and not relax for a moment.

Wang Jing nodded in empathy, as the person in charge of the ribbon-cutting ceremony knew all too well the hardships involved.

With so many leaders and several high-ranking officials coming, the security work alone felt like a heavy burden on our shoulders.

The site is bustling with people and the process is complex. Any small detail could harbor hidden dangers, and no mistakes can be tolerated. The consequences of the slightest error would be unimaginable.

"Finally, we made it through!" Zhang Yong sighed. When dealing with these leaders, who had a powerful aura, they had to be careful with their words and actions and play along.

After being under intense mental stress, the feeling of exhaustion suddenly overwhelms you when you finally relax.

After calming herself down, Song Ci's face showed a hint of pleasure.

"Although the chief has been very busy with official duties recently, presiding over Olympic-related matters, he still took the time to come to the scene, which really gives us a lot of face."

Zhang Yong echoed, "That's true. It shows that the leaders have a very high opinion of our Tengda Group."

With the leadership's attention, subordinates will also have a higher opinion of Tengda, and it will be easier for company employees to handle matters with relevant departments.

At this point, Song Ci's eyes lit up: "The leader just praised the company's donation of 100 million yuan to the disaster relief effort! It's clear that the higher-ups are watching what we do all the time."

Last month, a major disaster struck, and Tengda Group took the lead in donating 100 million yuan, shocking the entire nation.

Affected by the financial crisis, the global economy is now in a downturn, and countless companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. However, Tengda Group has generously donated funds to shoulder the social responsibility of a large enterprise.

This thoughtful gesture was highly appreciated by the higher-ups.

Song Ci has finally gained national recognition and earned the title of a philanthropic entrepreneur.

After a moment of reflection, Song Ci straightened up slightly, her expression serious, and turned her gaze to Zhang Yong: "By the way, Lao Zhang, there's something important that you need to handle personally."

The leader has just given his approval; the Beiping government will be the first to pilot this, opening an official account on Weibo. You should contact the relevant departments in Beiping tomorrow and get this done as soon as possible.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yong exclaimed with delight, "Great! This is fantastic news! If Liu Yan knew about this, he'd be laughing in his sleep!"

He naturally understood the significance of this matter. The official support for Tengda Weibo, especially with the capital government taking the lead, had an undeniable influence, and other regions would inevitably follow suit.

In this way, Tenda Weibo will gain official authority, giving it a crushing advantage over other companies' products in the fiercely competitive social media arena. This will reshape the landscape of the Weibo competition and trigger a major industry revolution.

"In two months, the world-renowned Olympic Games will open. We need to get the process of opening Weibo accounts for participating athletes, especially those who are expected to win gold medals or awards, done as soon as possible."

"Once the Olympics are over, I want this Weibo battle to come to a complete end!" Song Ci said confidently, full of ambition, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Today, there are nearly 2.5 million internet users in China, and Tenda Weibo has exceeded 6000 million users, accounting for a quarter of all internet users in the country. Its user base far exceeds that of all similar products.

Even with the user base driven by QQ, Tencent's Weibo cannot compete with Tencent's. It only needs one hot topic that attracts nationwide attention to completely secure Tencent Weibo's victory.

Zhang Yong nodded and solemnly replied, "President Song, rest assured, this matter has been handled with great care and efficiency."

Zhang Yong was reliable and rarely made mistakes, so Song Ci always trusted him. After giving him a brief instruction, she said nothing more. She then turned to Wang Jing and asked:

"Sister Jing, CCTV Director Jiang contacted me by phone some time ago and said that Han Sanye from Huaying had contacted him on behalf of Huayi Company, hoping that Tengda Culture and Southern Cinema Circuit could cooperate more with Huayi."

Wang Jing looked surprised and asked in confusion, "Huayi is also a giant company in the Beijing circle. We have always kept to ourselves. Why did Third Master Han step forward for Huayi and even ask Director Jiang for help?"

Song Ci patiently explained: "Huayi will be listed next year. Once the listing is successful, it will be the first private film and television stock."

In recent years, the government has been strongly supporting the development of the cultural and entertainment industry, hoping to find a model film and television company. Huayi has deep roots in Beijing's entertainment circle, extensive connections, and is favored by leaders, who hope they can successfully go public.

However, the blockbuster "The Forbidden Kingdom" suffered losses, and Huayi Brothers must deliver outstanding performance in the future if it wants to successfully go public.

"What Master Han means is that Tengda Culture and Huayi are both leading companies in the Beijing entertainment circle. It would be mutually beneficial to cooperate. At this critical moment, we need to help Huayi out." Wang Jing seemed to understand something and instantly grasped the core of the matter. The higher-ups wanted to establish a model, but there were only a handful of companies with such qualifications, such as Tengda Culture, Huayi, and Guangxian.

Since Tengda Culture is not going public for the time being, Huayi, which is already one of the core companies in the Beijing entertainment circle, is the first choice.

"How does Third Master want us to help?"

Song Ci frowned slightly. He didn't really care about Hua Yi, but he had to give face to Director Jiang and Master Han, so he had to at least show some respect.

That's how human relationships work. Today I'll lend you a hand, tomorrow you'll help me out. The Beijing entertainment circle is inherently intertwined. Tengda Culture's core team is from Beijing Film Studio, and it also has countless connections with Huayi Brothers.

After much deliberation, I made a decision: "Sister Jing, please tell Zhang Zhao and Liu Rong that in the future, Tengda's dramas can appropriately use people from Huayi."

Furthermore, prior to its IPO, Huayi Brothers' films received preferential treatment in terms of screenings by southern cinemas.

However, remember that all assistance to Huayi is limited to Tengda Culture and Southern Cinema Circuit; don't expect any resources from the group.

"Go and talk to Master Han, just be polite and respectful. I won't get involved in this."

Wang Jing nodded: "I've got it!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Ci recalled Huayi's soaring stock price after its listing and hurriedly added:
"The company isn't a charity, and we can't help for nothing. We need to ask Huayi to give up a few percent of its shares."

Wang Jing chuckled lightly, her brows revealing a shrewd understanding of the world: "Then I'm afraid the Wang brothers would be more than happy to have such a thing."

They've implemented a celebrity shareholding plan, hoping to boost investor confidence after the IPO. Since we're willing to invest, how could Huayi possibly refuse?

“That’s true! Sister Jing, Lao Zhang, if you have any spare money, you can buy some Huayi shares now. It’s a sure thing.” Song Ci suggested, as a perk for her right-hand men.

He remembered very clearly that Huayi was incredibly successful after its listing, with its stock price soaring all the way up, and its market value once exceeded 800 billion at its peak.

Investing now and selling after the IPO could yield at least several dozen times the return; such lucrative opportunities are rare.

"President Song, you think so highly of Huayi?" Zhang Yong, who had been listening quietly without saying much, couldn't help but ask in surprise.

The last time the chairman was so confident in his assertion that stocks could make money was back when Shanda's boss, Mr. Chen, acquired Xinlang Company, causing the stock price to soar. At that time, he listened to Song Ci's advice and made a small profit, tasting the sweetness of success.

Now that the chairman is strongly recommending shares of Huayi Company, and these are unlisted original shares, he is naturally very interested and eager to try.

Wang Jing was also eager to make a move. Although there was no precedent for private film and television companies to go public in China, her own chairman was a "god of wealth" with an extremely accurate eye for things.

Since Mr. Song personally recommended buying it, it is indeed worth considering acquiring a portion of Huayi's shares.

Song Ci saw right through their intentions. He had made a fortune in the American stock market, and he didn't mind letting his confidants share in this small amount of money, so he offered some advice:
"Huayi's performance was already quite good. In the past two years, the entertainment industry has become increasingly prosperous. In addition, the higher authorities have been willing to support it. There is no reason why it should fail to go public."

The Wang brothers and the group of privileged children behind Huayi have extensive connections and influence in Beijing, so they're guaranteed a smooth ride with the authorities.

All that's left is to tell a good story, convince shareholders of Huayi's future, and get them to willingly buy shares. Fabricating stories and creating hype—that's something people in the entertainment industry excel at.

Wang Jing was well-versed in the ways of the entertainment industry. After listening to the chairman's reasoned analysis, her eyes lit up, and she began to plan how to rip off Huayi and make a fortune.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yong couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "The entertainment industry is getting more and more complicated."

I heard that a few years ago, some coal mine owners got involved and invested huge sums of money, but they ended up getting nothing and were taught a lesson.

"It hasn't been quiet for more than a few years, and real estate tycoons are already throwing money around in the entertainment industry. I wonder if they can make it work."

A faint smile appeared on Song Ci's lips, a smile that revealed a knowing composure.

Even Wall Street's big capital can't outmaneuver Hollywood. While China's entertainment industry started later, it's no less adept at navigating its complexities. Real estate tycoons simply can't compete with these seasoned veterans of the entertainment world.

Only when the era of internet traffic arrives in a few years, and internet capital enters the market on a large scale, intervening in all aspects from IP incubation, film and television production, and hype and promotion, will the entertainment industry understand what a sugar daddy is.

After discussing a few things with Zhang Yong and Wang Jing, the two hurriedly said goodbye and left. They had just moved to a new workplace and had a lot of work to do, so they couldn't afford to waste a moment.

Song Ci returned to her desk, logged onto Weibo to browse trending news, and took out her phone to call Jiang Tao.

"Chairman Song! Congratulations on Tengda Group's relocation today." Jiang Tao's gentle and polite voice came through the phone as soon as it was connected.

Song Ci leaned back in her chair and said in a light tone, "It's a real pity that Director Jiang couldn't be here today."

"I really have no choice but to apologize. The station director had an emergency meeting today and I can't attend to support Chairman Song."

Jiang Tao responded with great regret, saying that he had heard that a high-ranking leader would be attending the Tengda ribbon-cutting ceremony, and he had originally wanted to join in the fun, but unfortunately the station director was in an emergency meeting and couldn't get away.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Song Ci got down to business: "Director Jiang, I have made proper arrangements for the matter that Chairman Han asked you to handle."

Later, Tengda Culture and Southern Cinema Line, both subsidiaries of the group, will cooperate with Huayi Company to support their IPOs.

Jiang Tao was overjoyed to hear this: "Thank you for your consideration, Chairman Song. Chairman Han and I belong to the same system. We see each other all the time during departmental meetings, so we're quite familiar with each other."

I don't know where he found out about my acquaintance with you, so he asked me to step in. I was in a bind and couldn't refuse, so I had to swallow my pride and ask Chairman Song for a favor.

Song responded in a friendly and humble tone: "Director Jiang, you're being too polite. It's just a small matter, don't worry about it. As long as you ask, I'll definitely help if I can."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tao felt extremely pleased and laughed heartily: "Since Chairman Song says so, then I won't stand on ceremony! I happen to have a small matter I'd like to ask Chairman Song for help with."

Song Ci was slightly taken aback. Why had the other party suddenly become so impolite?
In his memory, Jiang Tao was the youngest deputy director of CCTV, and he was usually extremely careful and cautious in his work. Today, he was acting a bit strangely, which was not in line with his usual low-key style.

Although he was quite surprised, out of politeness and consideration for their past relationship, he forced himself to reply, "Please give your instructions."

(End of this chapter)