Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 255 Sisterly Love
As dusk settles and the city of Beiping is gently enveloped in the night, in a luxurious KTV room, lights flicker and dynamic music rises and falls, surging from the speakers.

Several elegant female celebrities sat lazily around the sofa, holding microphones in their hands, their exquisite faces beaming with excited smiles.

They are none other than the seven sisters of the "Teddy Sisters Group," who have recently been generating a lot of buzz in the entertainment industry.

The eldest sister, Qin Lan, was immersed in the world of music, singing "Rice Fragrance," a song that became a hit last year.

Her voice was melodious and moving, and the other sisters sang along softly, occasionally cheering and applauding.

After finishing her song, Qin Lan reluctantly put down the microphone, picked up the juice on the table, took a sip to moisten her throat, and then her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Have you heard? The auditions for the TV series adaptation of 'The Myth' are scheduled for April 5th! With an investment of 50 million, this is a rare big-budget production in the industry."

Huo Siyan nodded vigorously, her eyes revealing eagerness: "I'm already preparing, and I'll submit my resume to the production team tomorrow."

This drama is a joint production of Dongying Film Studio, Emperor Entertainment Group, and Tengda Culture. It's a powerful collaboration; if the lead actor can land the female lead role and performs well, it's guaranteed to be a huge hit.

Li Xiaolu leaned back on the sofa, lost in thought: "For such a big production, the competition must be extremely fierce. I estimate that almost half of the actresses in the industry will audition for the role. Moreover, we don't know the details, so it will be very difficult to stand out."

The people present were all seasoned veterans of the entertainment industry, and they naturally understood how much rigor there was in the auditions for film productions. What appeared to be fair on the surface actually concealed hidden tricks.

Just as everyone was discussing among themselves, Fifth Sister Gan Wei, with a mysterious look on her face, deliberately kept everyone in suspense: "Sisters, I have some good news to tell you!"

Unable to contain her curiosity, Xiong Naijin eagerly shook her best friend's arm: "Weiwei, tell us quickly, don't keep us in suspense."

The other sisters also turned their attention to Gan Wei. Everyone knew that the fifth sister had a good marriage. Last year, she married Mr. Jia of LeTV and became a wealthy wife that everyone envied.

Gan smiled brightly, her heart filled with pride. She loved the feeling of being surrounded by her sisters and being the center of attention.

He deliberately paused slowly for a while, whetting everyone's appetite, before finally speaking: "Sisters, the audition for 'The Myth' was fairly fair this time."

Wang Luodan and Lü Yi from Tengda Culture are unavailable. Emperor Entertainment's Hong Kong actresses have been in a slump since last year's incident, and the only usable actress, Bai Bing, isn't interested in them.

The three production companies were deadlocked, so they specially invited Cheng Long, the eldest brother, to organize a public audition. "So for this audition, everyone will have to rely on their own abilities."

"Sister Weiwei, did your brother-in-law tell you this?" Seventh Sister Yang Mi pouted.

Thinking to themselves, everyone should pray that Liu Shishi, the most well-connected actress in the industry, doesn't make a move, otherwise the other actresses will just be there to make up the numbers.

Although Mr. Jia has some influence, he is far from being as wealthy as the richest man in China, and probably won't be able to find out about Song Ci's activities.

Gan Wei nodded slightly. Her boss, Jia, had originally intended to acquire the online rights to "The Myth," so he had specifically investigated the situation of the show. Unfortunately, the rights had already been snapped up by TT Video, a subsidiary of Tengda.

Qin Lan was clearly not in the mood to continue singing at this point. She adopted the demeanor of a leading lady and earnestly addressed her group of friends:
"Since this audition is relatively fair, I think everyone has a chance. The key is to find the feeling of the role."

How about we practice tonight, give each other some feedback, and whoever passes the audition, we sisters should sincerely wish her all the best!

The group of women, naturally not wanting to offend their eldest sister, all stood up, stretched, and prepared to begin an impromptu performance. They had all seen the movie version of "The Myth," so they all stood up, stretched, and prepared to start an impromptu performance.

Just as everyone was getting ready, Yang Mi felt a vibration in her jeans pocket. She took out her phone and saw that it was Zeng Jia calling. She quickly told her friends, "I'm taking this call, I'll be right back."

After saying that, he hurriedly pushed open the door and left the private room, went to the corridor, looked around, and found a quiet corner to answer the phone.

Inside the private room, Xiong Naijin watched Yang Mi's departing figure, rolled her eyes, and muttered under her breath, "She has to hide from her sisters when she takes a phone call, all mysterious."

Li Xiaolu crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly: "Speaking of which, Mimi has a very good chance of getting the role in the drama 'The Myth.' She was just named one of the Four Little Actresses and is currently very popular, which is a huge plus."

Moreover, she previously starred in CCTV's "Wang Zhaojun," and her ancient costume appearance during the Qin and Han dynasties was very pleasing to the eye, which would undoubtedly make her stand out to directors.

Listening to Li Xiaolu's very professional comments, the women had different thoughts, and a hint of hostility arose in their hearts.

This includes Qin Lan, who just moments before had confidently vowed to bless each other and seemed incredibly magnanimous.

With a budget of 50 million, let alone the fact that these women are just superficial sisters, even if they are biological sisters, they will tear each other apart.

Gan Wei, feeling superior, confidently said with an air of self-importance, relying on her marriage into a wealthy family, "Mi Mi is currently very popular. It would be reasonable if she could win the lead role in 'The Myth'."

"She's not the only one among the 'Four Little Actresses.' The two Lius (Liu Yifei and Liu Shishi) received far more votes than her back then. Maybe Liu Yifei and Liu Shishi also auditioned!"

Li Xiaolu's tone was sour, making it easy to sense her intense jealousy.

She felt quite bitter. Last year, she finally became the Golden Eagle Goddess, which is an official award, but compared to the current four little actresses, her popularity is still far behind.

When she was voted on, she only ranked eighth, which led some netizens to sarcastically call her a "water queen," which infuriated her.

Huo Siyan thought for a moment: "It's unlikely that Liu Yifei will audition. The 'Fairy Sister' is proud and arrogant. After filming 'The Forbidden Kingdom,' she announced that she would no longer take on TV series and would focus on developing her career in the film industry. She probably won't turn back this time."

However, it's hard to say for sure about that top actress from Tangren Media. She's known as the chosen one of ancient times, and period drama costumes are definitely her forte. The key point is that there are rumors of her close relationship with high-ranking executives at Tengda Media. Considering this, Liu Shishi is indeed the strongest contender for the lead role in *The Myth*.

Speaking of Liu Shishi, Qin Lan looked on with envy: "Tangren Film and Television really knows how to market. They have all sorts of 'chosen ancient beauty,' 'gentle and refined,' and 'the pinnacle of elegance in the entertainment industry.' The key is that netizens actually buy into it. Liu Shishi has millions of fans, which is truly enviable."

Li Xiaolu nodded in agreement: "That's why the entertainment industry has changed. You have to know how to market and create hype. There's no future in just acting honestly. Now, as long as you have exposure and trend on social media, people will pay attention."

"Attention translates to popularity, which in turn attracts production teams and brands. Look at the four young actresses and four young actors this time; each one has an endorsement deal. That's the benefit of popularity."

Xiong Naijin's eyes darted around, already planning how to show off her sisterly bond and ride on Yang Mi's popularity.

Outside the private room, the lights were dim. Yang Mi leaned against the wall and put her phone to her ear: "Jia Jie."

"Why is it so noisy over there? Is it convenient to talk?" Yang Mi shielded her ears from the noise with her hand. "It's convenient, Sister Jia, just say it. I'm singing karaoke with my friends!"

"I've been too busy lately, and I only remembered to call you today. I haven't had a chance to congratulate you on becoming one of the Four Little Actresses yet."

Yang Mi looked distressed: "Don't even mention it. I still feel the pain of the money I spent on vote-buying. It hasn't been easy for me to earn money these past few years."

The fierce vote-buying battle among the four young actresses last month still haunts her. Wang Luodan is the face of Tengda Culture's female stars, so the company definitely paid for the vote-buying; she herself felt no pressure.

Liu Yifei debuted and became famous early, so she must have accumulated a considerable fortune over the years. Besides, she has a wealthy godfather, so getting some votes is just a drop in the ocean for her.

Not to mention Liu Shishi, even if Tangren Media didn't pay for it, it was still paid for by the richest man in China.

She was all alone, and Rong Xinda ignored her because her contract was about to expire. In order to keep her in the top four, she spent all the money in her own wallet. Every time she thought about it, she felt full of resentment.

Zeng Jia comforted him, saying, "It's just a little money. No pain, no gain. It's all worth it; the endorsement deal is here! Okay, I have something important to discuss with you."

Yang Mi's expression tightened: "Sister Jia, you speak, I'm listening."

Zeng Jia didn't mince words and directly stated his purpose: "I've inquired about 'The Myth,' and the female lead, Liu Shishi, isn't playing the role. You can give it a try."

CCTV has already ordered this drama, so the ratings should be good. Given your overall qualifications, and the fact that Cheng Long knows you, you have a very good chance of getting the lead role.

"I was planning to go to the audition. I was still worried about Liu Shishi, but now I'm completely relieved."

Yang Mi was overjoyed. She was confident that Liu Shishi, the most well-resourced actress, wouldn't compete with her, and that none of the new generation of actresses could rival her.

Zeng Jia reiterated, "I'm telling you this news so that you'll prepare for the audition seriously."

"This is a rare opportunity, and I know what's important."

"By the way, can I ask you something?" Zeng Jia's tone was full of gossip. "Last time you went on a trip to Switzerland, for so many days, didn't you try to get closer to Song Ci?"

"Song poetry doesn't really pay attention to us."

Zeng Jia shook his head, looking regretful: "I gave you a chance, but you didn't do it. I didn't expect you to steal Liu Shishi's boyfriend, but at least you could become acquainted with her and leave a good impression."

"Sister Jia, Song Ci really has no interest in us female celebrities. I can't belittle myself, can I?"

With his status and devastatingly handsome face, what woman could resist him if she were truly interested?

"Of all the beauties in the world, she only chooses one, loving only Liu Shishi; I shouldn't try to get close to her."

Yang Mi had a bitter pill to swallow. At that time, she and Hu Ge were deeply in love, and it was obviously not appropriate for her to show too much enthusiasm for Song poetry.

Moreover, Liu Shishi was extremely wary of her, and she didn't even have many opportunities to talk to Song Ci, so how could they get closer to each other?

"Never mind, I was just saying it offhand. You're just like me, destined to be a workaholic. Let's build our careers ourselves." Zeng Jia smiled helplessly, ending the conversation.

Yang Mi also sighed. Since she had chosen the path of the entertainment industry, she would never give up until she achieved success and fame.

Yang Mi returned to the private room, where warm yellow lights streamed in. She saw several of her girlfriends huddled together, chatting animatedly. The atmosphere was lively. Curious, she went up to them and asked, "What are you talking about?"

A sly glint appeared in Huo Siyan's eyes as she smiled and explained, "Honey, come quick! These days, it's all the rage for celebrities to invest, but I'm worried we can't afford to invest in big film and television projects."

"However, why don't we sisters pool our money and start a trendy brand? Online stores are really popular right now. If we leverage our fan base, business shouldn't be bad."

Upon hearing this, Yang Mi immediately became wary. They usually sang songs and had meals together, showing off their sisterly bond, and they got along quite well. But asking her to spend money was out of the question.

She couldn't help but think to herself, "Does Huo Siyan have any business sense? She's even mobilizing her fans. All of your fans combined don't even equal my individual fanbase. She wants me to spend money and is also trying to bleed my fans dry. Does she think I'm a three-year-old child, so easy to fool?"

Speaking of investment, Yang Mi immediately recalled her trip to Switzerland, where she eagerly sought advice from the richest man on how to make money. Although Mr. Song's attitude towards her was lukewarm, he still gave her a polite suggestion: "Buy a house."

Even disregarding Shi Shi's feelings, the richest man probably wouldn't deceive a minor celebrity like her. So, she's been closely monitoring housing prices in Beiping lately.

It's truly astonishing what you find when you do research: since the millennium, housing prices in the capital have risen almost every year and every month. Especially after the Olympics, they nearly doubled in just six months.

She was so scared that she quickly bought an apartment. If housing prices continue to rise like this, the salary she earns from filming a movie will only be enough to buy a toilet in the Third Ring Road area.

Now it was time to put on an acting show. Yang Mi looked worried and sighed, "Second sister, I'm really powerless when it comes to investing."

I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, but I spent a lot of my own money on vote-buying before, and my agency took most of the endorsement fee for my new deal. Now I'm dirt poor, my pockets are emptier than my face."

The group had originally planned to take advantage of Yang Mi's generosity, but seeing her feign poverty, they were naturally unwilling to give up.

Huo Siyan still had a smile on her face as she held Yang Mi's fair and delicate hand with a slightly strong grip, as if they were secretly competing.

"Seventh Sister, there's no rush. Your contract is about to expire. I imagine that no matter which agency you switch to, the new company will have to give you a signing bonus when one of the Four Little Actresses joins. When you have some extra money, just support your sister a little."

Upon hearing this, Yang Mi was furious but laughed inwardly, her dissatisfaction only growing. Good heavens, you've even calculated my signing bonus for my next agency! You've got me cornered!
However, looking around, she was outnumbered and outmatched, and among her other sisters, she didn't have any particularly close relationships with them.

Left with no other choice, Yang Mi could only feign compliance and force a smile onto her face.
"Second sister, don't worry, I will definitely support you in launching your streetwear brand. When your brand releases new products, I will definitely get my fans to buy them."

Seeing Yang Mi's forced smile, Huo Siyan felt a surge of annoyance. So what if she's one of the Four Little Actresses with a lot of fans? What's with all the arrogance? Sooner or later, I'll give her a taste of her own medicine and make her suffer a great fall.

(End of this chapter)