Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 328: Sharing Fruit

"The Weibo Film of the Year is..." Li Hong glanced down at her cue cards, paused briefly, deliberately whetting the audience's appetite.

In an instant, all eyes were focused on the several renowned film directors on the left side of the front row.

Everyone knows that the award for best film of the year will most likely go to either "Aftershock" or "Let the Bullets Fly," both of which broke box office records for Chinese-language films.

Of course, it would be somewhat reasonable to award the prize to Teng Huatao's "Love is Not Blind".

This film is a prime example of a small investment yielding a big return, but it's unlikely to happen, given that Tengda has always been known for its transparent and open approach to business.

The mystery was quickly revealed. "The Weibo Film of the Year is 'Aftershock' directed by Feng Xiaogang. Congratulations, Director Feng."

Feng Xiaogang's face immediately lit up with a smile. He stood up and hugged Zhang Yimou and Jiang Wen beside him. He straightened his suit collar slightly and stepped onto the stage to accept the award.

On stage, Sa Beining calmly cooperated with Li Hong: "Let's give a round of applause to Mr. Wang Jian'er, Chairman of Dongying Group, to present the award to Director Feng Xiaogang."

At the center of the stage, Feng Xiaogang, who had become the focus of the entire audience, accepted the crystal trophy from Wang Jian'er with both hands. After taking a photo together, he began to deliver his acceptance speech:

"We are very grateful for the recognition from the organizer, Tengda Group, and Weibo users..."

In the audience, Li Bingbing tilted her head and said softly, "Director Feng's words were a bit too overly friendly to Tengda, weren't they? It felt a little..."

Huang Xiaoming picked up the thread and bluntly said, "A bit of a bootlicker, huh? Bingbing, you've been busy developing your career in Hollywood since last year and haven't paid much attention to the situation in China. You don't know how much the entertainment industry has changed."

Li Bingbing sat up slightly: "How should we talk?"

"In the past two years, many A-list celebrities have started their own businesses, opening companies and studios, and getting involved in investment and production."

Last year, Tengda Culture took the lead in investing in helping Director Teng establish a studio, so how could other big directors not have similar ideas?

After Huayi Brothers went public, it became financially powerful and felt it had the resources to support new directors. It wanted to reduce its over-reliance on Director Feng, so how could Director Feng not take action?

Li Bingbing nodded thoughtfully, understanding the principle that if one place doesn't want him, another will. Feng Xiaogang's actions were both to put pressure on the Wang brothers and to show goodwill to Tengda.

"It's not just Director Feng; it's said that Director Yi Mou and New Pictures also had a falling out."

"Rumors of discord between the two Zhangs have been circulating for a long time, yet they have worked together for so many years."

“This time is different.” Huang Xiaoming covered his mouth with one hand, leaned closer to Li Bingbing, and whispered something in his ear.

The director's timing in navigating the camera was superb, perfectly capturing Li Bingbing's wide-eyed, utterly shocked expression, which was then presented to viewers in the live stream.

"What are Huang Xiaoming and Li Bingbing talking about? They've shocked Li Bingbing so much! I'm curious!"

"What can leave top-tier actresses speechless is definitely a shocking piece of gossip that they want to know about."

Li Bingbing was stunned for a long time, looking incredulous: "It can't be a rumor, can it?"

"There's no smoke without fire, but one thing is certain: ever since Director Yi Mou publicly criticized Zhang Weipin..."

He's been called a businessman who only knows how to pursue profit and doesn't understand cinematic art; the relationship between the two Zhangs has reached a freezing point. Both Pegasus Media and LeEco Pictures are trying to poach talent from New Pictures.

The two whispered to each other while the awards ceremony was in full swing on stage. Sa Beining spoke with a powerful voice and witty remarks, showcasing the superb language skills of a CCTV host.

"The winner of Film Director of the Year is Director Jiang Wen!"

Li Hong then proceeded to shower Jiang Wen with praise for his masterpiece, "Let the Bullets Fly," and said, "Please welcome Mr. Han Sanping, Chairman of China Film Group, to the stage to present the award to Director Jiang Wen."

Li Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming chatted more and more enthusiastically: "Tengda really put a lot of effort into this event, inviting so many big names in the industry. It's even more lively than the Three Gold Awards ceremony."

Huang Xiaoming echoed, "We actors care about awards like the Golden Horse Awards, but the big shots don't. They're here today because of the richest man."

Tenda's successful hosting of this Weibo Night event will undoubtedly lead to unprecedented and unparalleled influence of Weibo on the entertainment industry.

Film of the Year, Best Actor and Actress; Best Artistic Contribution Award; TV Series Director of the Year; TV Series Actor and Actress of the Year—one award after another was announced, and pieces of the pie were distributed.

"The next award to be presented is probably what many Weibo users are most concerned about."

Li Hong blinked and waved her cue cards. "Let's see how outrageous this award-winning actor's Weibo data is. The Weibo topic has over 1 million views! Every single selfie gets hundreds of thousands of reposts."

Sabinen said passionately, "She is the unfulfilled dream and white moonlight of countless people in 'The Myth'; she is the representative of strong urban women in 'Go Lala Go!'"

She's also the intelligent, elegant, and understanding confidante in "iPartment 2." Congratulations to Liu Shishi, Weibo's Most Popular Actress of the Year!

As soon as the host finished speaking, Liu Shishi's image appeared on the large screen on the stage.

Tangren's top female star, dressed in pristine white, looked elegant and graceful. The moment she heard that she had won an award, a radiant smile bloomed on her delicate face.

Liu Shishi swayed gracefully as she stepped onto the stage, exuding a unique blend of gentleness and heroic spirit.

"Please welcome Ms. Liu Yan, President of Weibo, to present the award to our most popular actor!"

At this moment, the screen switched and split into four, with the camera focusing on Hu Ge, Nie Yuan, Yu Bo, and Tong Dawei. These four are all male celebrities who have worked with Liu Shishi.

The four men had different expressions, some joyful, some gratified, and some appreciative, all showing their congratulations to their former partner.

Li Bingbing stared at the big screen and nudged Huang Xiaoming lightly with his elbow: "Do all you men like this style?"

"Liu Shishi is indeed beautiful, but I prefer bright and glamorous looks."

"The difference between light and heavy makeup?" Li Bingbing nodded slightly, thinking of Huang Xiaoming's girlfriend, Yang Ying.

Compared to Liu Shishi, Yang Ying, though both were great beauties, had completely different styles. Yang Ying had classic thick eyebrows and big eyes, and was stunningly beautiful; Liu Shishi, on the other hand, gave people a cool and elegant sense of simplicity.

The electronic screen on the stage switched again, this time the director focused the camera on Song Ci (a type of classical Chinese poetry).

The richest man tilted his head slightly, gazing at the stage. His starry eyes reflected Liu Shishi's figure, and there was an unconcealable tenderness in his gaze.

Li Bingbing also noticed Song Ci's expression on the screen and chuckled, "It seems our richest man has a particular fondness for this one."

Huang Xiaoming, acting like someone who'd been there, commented: "There were rumors about the two of them online before, some true and some false."

However, Song Ci definitely preferred a pure and elegant style; this look in his eyes doesn't seem feigned, but rather an unconscious expression of a man's true feelings.

The live stream chat exploded with comments: "How could any woman resist the way Song Ci looks at a woman with his eyes like that!"

"Love at first sight, perfect chemistry between them."

"Something's not right! This isn't the first time Song Ci has looked at Liu Shishi like this; she did the same thing at the Xiaomi phone launch event."

"Men are all fickle; they all have this expression when they see a pretty girl."

"Then I have to defend the richest man. He doesn't really see other women that way." "Perhaps Liu Shishi's appearance perfectly matches the richest man's aesthetic."

"Liu Shishi looked bland and not pretty at all."

“My relative is a journalist. He told me some big news before: Liu Shishi and Song Ci have a special relationship. People who are interested can come to the forum to gossip. I can’t post it on Weibo.”

The Weibo Night awards ceremony is drawing to a close, and the two most prestigious awards are about to be presented.

Amidst great anticipation, Li Hong and Sabinen announced the names of the two award recipients.

"The exciting moment is about to arrive! Weibo King of the Year: Huang Xiaoming; Weibo Queen of the Year: Fan Bingbing! Congratulations to our King and Queen, please come up to receive your awards."

"Please give a round of applause to Mr. Song Ci, Chairman of Tengda Technology Group, to present the awards to the two individuals."

"Congratulations, Xiaoming." Li Bingbing sincerely congratulated his friend on winning the grand prize at Weibo Night.

Although the Weibo King award is not a professional award, it is a reflection of popularity. Nowadays, capital and brands value popularity the most, and winning the award helps to increase the commercial value of celebrities.

In the same row, Fan Bingbing smiled broadly, gracefully stood up to accept the blessings of the people around her, and prepared to go on stage.

As I walked through the aisle, I saw Zhang Ziyi sitting on the side, having quietly entered at some point, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Zhang Ziyi gritted her teeth, thinking that she had been having a run of bad luck these past two years, plagued by all sorts of negative news, and desperately needed a blockbuster work to salvage her reputation.

Huang Xiaoming followed behind Fan Bingbing, and as a well-known good guy in the entertainment industry, he very gentlemanly lifted her skirt.

Despite the strained relationship between Shuangbing and Li Bingbing, he is a close friend of both, and he also has a good relationship with Fan Bingbing, with whom he has worked on "Love Transfer 2" and "Sacrifice".

During the break between Song Ci and the first King and Queen taking the stage, the director turned the camera on several leading ladies sitting in the second row.

The expressions on their faces varied. Zhao Zhetian looked disdainful, Zhou Xun was indifferent, Zhang Ziyi had a frosty expression, and Li Bingbing simply closed her eyes, choosing to "out of sight, out of mind."

The genuine reactions of the leading actresses were a delight to netizens.

"The director can cut the shots!"

"I've long heard that the four Dan and two Bing are at odds, and it turns out it's true."

"It seems these guys are quite dissatisfied. By the way, what works does Fan Bingbing have this year?"

Not only netizens have this question, but several young actresses are also unwilling to accept it. Fan Bingbing didn't have any big hit works in 2010, and in terms of popularity and fan base, the others are no less.

Wang Luodan, in particular, felt that as the Golden Eagle Goddess last year, with both her film and television works becoming hits, this Weibo Queen title should be a sure thing.

Hearing Wang Luodan's indignant words, Wang Kai, who was standing next to her, thought for a moment and analyzed: "After all, the Weibo Night awards are popularity awards, not awarding Best Actress or Best TV Actress who need to have works to support them."

On Weibo, all you need is traffic. Fan Bingbing stunned Cannes last year in a dragon robe, which certainly generated a lot of buzz.

Wang Luodan pouted and muttered, "Just a red carpet star who only knows how to create hype."

On stage, Song Ci received the gilded trophy and flowers from the emcee and solemnly handed them over to the newly crowned Weibo King and Queen.

Then, guided by the host, he took a group photo with Fan Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming.

"Thank you, Chairman Song. Please return to your seat to attend the ceremony."

Following this, the two award winners delivered their acceptance speeches, and amidst flowers and applause, the first Tengda Weibo Night Annual Gala successfully came to a close.

At one o'clock in the morning, all was quiet. The bedroom in Jingyuan's home was filled with an ambiguous warm light, and there was still a lingering romantic atmosphere in the air.

Liu Shishi nestled lazily in her husband's arms, her disheveled hair and fine beads of sweat on her forehead indicating that the young couple had just enjoyed a passionate encounter.

Song Ci gently stroked his wife's hair with one hand while handling work messages on his phone with the other.

Liu Shishi was scrolling through Weibo's trending topics. Last night's Weibo Night event had an unprecedented impact, with celebrities coming and going, various press releases flying everywhere, and trending topics appearing one after another.

"Zhang Ziyi is quite cunning!"

Song Ci continued working with her hands and casually asked, "What's wrong with her?"

"She didn't even make it onto the red carpet!" Liu Shishi clicked on the relevant topic and shared the news she had seen with her husband. "After the event, reporters interviewed her and asked if she was acting like a diva. Yiyi, guess how she responded?"

Following the usual line of thought, Song Ci guessed: "Make an excuse and say you missed the red carpet time."

"Yes! She said she had been sick with a fever for the past few days. She was originally planning to walk the red carpet, but suddenly felt unwell, so she went back to the lounge to take fever-reducing medication."

After taking her medication, she missed the red carpet event and even posted a picture of her medical record on Weibo.

Her mental state last night showed no signs of illness whatsoever; this is clearly an attempt to shift the blame for her not walking the red carpet onto Tengda.

Song Ci frowned slightly: "She really said that!"

Liu Shishi nodded and showed her husband Zhang Ziyi's Weibo post on the screen. The post, though seemingly tactful, contained a hidden meaning: "Look, this is the medical record she posted."

"As expected of a top actress, she has some skills. Has Weibo officially responded?" Song Ci asked Miss Liu. His subordinates hadn't reported this matter to him yet, and he was very curious about how Liu Yan would handle it.

Liu Shishi then clicked on the official Weibo statement: "Weibo issued a notice, which mainly has two points."

First, they expressed gratitude to Zhang Ziyi for attending the Weibo Night despite being ill; second, they apologized for the staff's negligence that prevented her from walking the red carpet. It was handled quite gracefully.

"I understand." Song Ci nodded slightly, quite approving of Liu Yan's handling of the situation, which preserved the event's image while preventing the situation from escalating.

Since Zhang Ziyi has positioned herself as the weaker party, and netizens generally sympathize with the underdog, there's no need for Weibo to continue this entanglement.

"Honey, are you going to just let this go like this? Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"Who do I think I am? I don't need to worry about such trivial matters." Song Ci put down his phone and gently kissed his wife's forehead.

"If we want to take this seriously, we'll first have to prove that her illness is fake, and then we'll have to go and cause trouble for the hospital that issued the medical records. There's no need to go to such lengths for such a trivial matter."

Everyone in the entertainment industry knows the whole story, and if things escalate, it will negatively impact the Weibo Night event. There's plenty of time; Liu Yan will have ample opportunities to deal with her later.

“That’s true!” Once her husband said that, Liu Shishi stopped dwelling on the matter and continued browsing the trending topics. “Fan Bingbing is so glamorous! Honey, I also want you to give me an award.”

"There will be an opportunity. The Weibo Queen next year will most likely be either you or Yang Mi."

"How can the ratings for this melodramatic drama, 'The Temptation to Go Home,' be so high! Mimi is going to be popular again!"

"Madam, have you recovered your strength?" Song Ci's eyes burned with desire. "You'll be back at the film set tomorrow afternoon, so let's get to work."

(End of this chapter)