Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 367 Coming out on top
After the host introduced the identities of the three foreign guests, the Bazaar Charity Night officially began.

The theme of this year's charity gala is "Aid to Trafficked Children" and "Relief for Impoverished Children with Serious Illnesses." All funds raised that evening will be donated to the China Children's Relief Charity Foundation to support these two charitable projects.

On stage, Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, Chen Kun, Huang Xiaoming... the annual "Top Ten Charity Stars" shone brightly, passionately sharing their charitable experiences and receiving applause and praise from the audience.

Looking at the stars on stage, Liu Shishi turned slightly to her husband and said, "Su Mang contacted me before, asking if I would be willing to serve as the 'Charity Star,' but after consideration, I declined."

Song Ci glanced indifferently at the celebrities and dignitaries in the hall, clinking glasses. "Refusing was the right thing to do. Nowadays, the Bazaar Charity Night has gradually changed its flavor, becoming more like a stage for celebrities to compete for attention and exposure."

After saying that, he glanced at Delphine and the other two, and smiled with a hint of self-deprecation: "Speaking of which, I was also fueling the flames, accelerating the transformation of the charity into a place of fame and fortune."

Liu Shishi reached out and gently grasped Song Ci's hand: "But in any case, raising funds is always beneficial to charity."

Song Ci nodded slightly. After all, things have two sides, so she stopped dwelling on it: "By the way, Shishi, how many Hope Primary Schools has your poetry charity foundation built so far?"

When the topic of building schools came up, Liu Shishi's eyes lit up and her words were full of pride: "We've already built 12 schools! Sister Tong is really capable, managing the foundation so well."

“Our family is not short of money. I will invest another 1 million into your foundation another day to build more schools.” Song Ci’s words were gentle yet firm, carrying a transcendent realm of “when you are successful, you should help others.”

Liu Shishi's eyes sparkled with a smile as she playfully replied, "Mr. Song is truly generous; I will certainly use your money wisely."

At this moment, it was Liu Yifei's turn to give her acceptance speech on stage.

The fairy sister wore a pink halter dress, which made her skin look as white as snow. She was beautiful and charming. Even when standing with several top actresses, her aura was not inferior at all.

Liu Shishi suddenly remembered something and asked, "Honey, why did Tengda Culture suddenly withdraw its investment in the movie 'The Assassins,' which she starred in with Zhou Runfa?"

Song Ci remained calm, feigning ignorance: "I don't know, maybe the people below don't think much of this project."

Liu Shishi frowned slightly, looking somewhat helpless: "It's so annoying. With Tengda Culture withdrawing its investment, no company in the industry dares to take over the investment for a while."

Her fans went to my Weibo and made sarcastic comments, saying I was jealous of her collaboration with Chow Yun-fat and was deliberately trying to sabotage it. Can you believe it?

Song Ci chuckled and reassured her, "Don't worry, 'Let the Bullets Fly' was a huge hit at the beginning of the year. With Chow Yun-fat's box office appeal alone, companies will be willing to invest. Besides, the female lead is Liu Yifei. 'The Assassins' will definitely not lack investors."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi tilted her head slightly and looked at her husband with great interest: "You call her Liu Tianxian?"

Song Ci said seriously, "What's the problem? After all, I grew up watching her TV dramas, and I'm actually a fan of hers too."

Liu Shishi glared at her husband and teased, "More like a hater!"

Song Ci himself couldn't help but laugh: "How can you falsely accuse an innocent person out of thin air?"

After the "fruit-sharing" segment, the charity auction officially began, and hotel staff started serving dishes in an orderly manner.

Song Ci glanced at the menu. The appetizers were rose-salt grilled tuna and figs, served with shepherd's purse, winter melon, and bird's nest soup. The main courses were three: slow-roasted beef, pumpkin and mashed potatoes, and red wine sauce, with a dessert at Deep Bay Garden at the end.

"Distinguished guests, the most exciting part is the charity auction!"

"The first item up for auction is a limited-edition handbag provided by Dior, one of the sponsors of this charity event, with a starting bid of 10 yuan."

As soon as the host finished speaking, a murmur of discussion arose in the audience.

The global president of Dior was sitting in the room. If he could win the bid for this bag, he would not only be the first to win, but he might also leave a deep impression on the brand's senior management. It would be a win-win situation.

Sensing the enthusiastic atmosphere, Delphine, wearing simultaneous interpretation headphones, pondered for a moment, then leaned slightly towards Song Ci and said:
“Mr. Song, if the person who ultimately buys this handbag is a celebrity, once Dior has investigated and confirmed that she has a good image and no negative news, she will become a Dior brand ambassador.”

Song Ci was taken aback for a moment, but then he understood the deeper meaning and had to admire Delphine's quick wit; this move was definitely a sure win.

First of all, for Dior, granting someone the title of brand ambassador is harmless.

Moreover, the person who can bid for this handbag must be a celebrity with a certain status and financial strength in the industry. Dior is not at a disadvantage by cooperating with such a commercially valuable person.

After receiving Delphine's promise, Song Ci looked around and spotted Sha Xiaoli standing not far away. She raised her hand to signal Sha Xiaoli to come over.

Seeing this, Sha Xiaoli quickly stepped forward and leaned closer: "Chairman Song, is there anything you need?"

She was instructed by Su Mang to be on standby near table number one tonight, to take good care of the rich couple and their three important guests, and to ensure that their needs were met promptly.

"Miss Delphine... please pass this message on to the auctioneer, and it will be announced after the auction ends."

Hearing the richest man relay Dior's president's last-minute decision, Sha Xiaoli was deeply shocked and felt a pang of regret.

If this news had been announced before the auction, the bidding for the first item would probably have skyrocketed to an astronomical price, and countless female celebrities would have been willing to pay for this title.

He quickly composed himself and replied respectfully, "Chairman Song, I'll make the arrangements right away."

Looking at Sha Xiaoli's slender figure, Liu Shishi said, "I always feel that she is being a bit too attentive. With her position, she doesn't need to do these small things herself. It's really hard on her to stand by and accompany us the whole time."

Song Ci chuckled lightly, her words carrying a clear understanding of the world: "They just want to advance. Although the executive editor-in-chief has considerable power, compared to the position of president of a fashion group or editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, their status is worlds apart."

After saying that, he skillfully cut off a piece of tender and juicy roast beef with his knife and fork. Seeing that his wife was keeping her figure and not touching her utensils, he naturally forked the beef and brought it to her lips, saying softly, "It tastes good, why don't you try it, honey?"

In front of everyone, Liu Shishi's cheeks flushed slightly, yet she couldn't help feeling sweet at her husband's affectionate gesture. Her lips parted slightly as she enjoyed being fed by her husband in public, her eyes brimming with undisguised happiness.

The couple, who were engrossed in their poetry, were completely absorbed in their romance, oblivious to everyone else. Meanwhile, Zhao Liying kept her attention focused on table number one.

After seeing the Dior president talk to Song Ci, and then Song Ci briefly meet with the executive editor of Harper's Bazaar, she couldn't help but secretly speculate that if she bought that Dior handbag, there might be an unexpected surprise.

"12!" Zhang Ziyi shouted first, raising her number paddle to start tonight's charity auction.

"15!" "18!"

At the same table, leading actresses Zhou Xun and Zhao Zhetian were not to be outdone and followed suit by raising their bids.

"20 million!"

Li Bingbing turned to his friend who had suddenly made a bid: "Xiaoming, what are you doing here?"

Huang Xiaoming grinned and looked at his girlfriend beside him with doting eyes: "Baby likes it, so I'll get involved too." Seeing that this popular young actor, known as the "Little Giant of Chinese Entertainment," looked so in love, Li Bingbing shook her head helplessly. There were some things she couldn't say more about.

The eight people at their table were originally arranged to be four actresses and two male actors, plus Huang Xiaoming and Chen Kun, all of whom are top-tier celebrities in the industry.

However, Xu Jinglei gradually faded from the spotlight after offending the top female star last time and basically no longer participates in such events, so there was an empty seat at this table.

Huang Xiaoming's girlfriend, Yang Ying, a former model, filled the gap. Although everyone present was unhappy, they turned a blind eye out of consideration for Huang Xiaoming.

Li Bingbing leaned closer and whispered, "By the way, Xiaoming, Quan just told me that it's rare to see Jia Yueting, the boss of LeEco, here. Let's go and offer him a toast later."

"Great!" Huang Xiaoming was filled with excitement, feeling extremely grateful to Ren Quan, and felt that it was a wise choice to invest in LeEco with him.

LeEco's market value has now exceeded 100 billion yuan, surpassing Huayi Company, and its stock price has tripled since their initial investment, making them incredibly wealthy.

Yang Ying, standing nearby, shook her boyfriend's arm and asked sweetly, "Xiao Ming, what are Lian Bingbing talking about that makes her so happy?"

"We're going to toast Boss Jia later, Baby, do you want to come with me?"

"Of course I'll go." Yang Ying would never miss an opportunity to network with industry bigwigs!

However, compared to Boss Jia, she hoped to climb up to that richest man. Her gaze swept through the crowd to the sweet scene of Liu Shishi being fed by the richest man, and a flicker of jealousy flashed in her eyes.

"Xiao Ming, should we go and pay a visit to President Song?"

Huang Xiaoming hesitated. Subjectively, he wanted to go, but the difference in social circles was too great, and it would seem presumptuous to rush forward: "We'll see. I'll go if there's a suitable opportunity."

At that moment, Jing Tian, ​​sitting next to Liu Jiang, the founder of the fashion group, held up his number plate: "50!"

This price is already very high for a Dior handbag, and most female celebrities choose to give it up.

On stage, Wu Dawei slammed his small hammer down with a clang: "Miss Jing Tian has bid 50! Anyone else bidding? 50 for the first time! 50 for the second time..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted. "52."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Zhao Liying, an artist under Tengda Culture, was bidding for a film.

Yang Mi, Yang Zi, and Wang Luodan, who were sitting at the same table, all looked at Zhao Liying in surprise. They didn't expect that even though several top actresses had given up, she would actually raise her paddle!
The wealthy and powerful Miss Hua Jing exclaimed, "58!"

Zhao Liying blurted out, "60!"

Jing Tian glanced at Zhao Liying sideways, then slowly raised his paddle: "65."

Looking at the ambiguous smiles on the faces of the female celebrities at the table, Zhao Liying bit her lip, struggling internally. She actually had no money! After subscribing to the company's shares, she was penniless and was currently living on borrowed money.

Wang Luodan chuckled: "Some people shouldn't try to put on a brave face."

These words completely ignited Zhao Liying's competitive spirit. She thought to herself, "At worst, I'll just have to swallow my pride and borrow money from Liu Shishi." She immediately steeled herself and decided to fight to the bitter end: "70."

Seeing Zhao Liying's determination, Jing Tian put down the number plate in his hand and decided to help her.

"...70 for the third time. Congratulations to Zhao Liying on winning this limited edition Dior handbag."

As the auction gavel fell, Ke Lan took a deep breath and excitedly announced, "I have some very good news for Li Ying."

Ms. Delphine just promised that the celebrity who wins the bid for this handbag, provided they pass Dior's character review and are deemed virtuous, will become a Dior brand ambassador!

This statement caused a huge stir in the audience. 70 yuan to become a Dior brand ambassador was like a windfall.

Many female celebrities regretted their decision, never expecting the Dior president to act so unpredictably.

"Liying, congratulations." Qiao Zhengyu, as the company's top leader, took the lead in offering his congratulations.

Zhao Liying was overjoyed, glad that she had made the right bet; indeed, the bold get to enjoy the world first.

The group of people at the table were all quick-witted and immediately understood the situation. They regretted missing such an important opportunity and immediately focused their attention on table number one.

At this moment, Liu Rong, who had also come to attend the charity gala, came to this table. After congratulating Zhao Li, the Best Actress winner, she instructed, "After Mr. Zhang, Mr. Liu from Weibo, and I toast Chairman Song and his wife, you should also go and say hello. Don't be impolite."

“Okay, Mr. Liu.” “Understood!” The celebrities responded in unison, filling their wine glasses with red wine.

After returning to the table, Liu Rong picked up her wine glass and winked at Liu Yan and Zhang Zhao, who were at the same table. The two understood and tacitly picked up their glasses and headed towards table number one.

"Mr. Song, Madam, we would like to propose a toast to you both."

Upon seeing that it was three senior executives, Song Ci naturally wouldn't refuse them. He and his wife stood up and raised their glasses, saying, "Thank you for your hard work! I can only drink a little, so I'm not a big drinker."

"Please feel free to drink, we'll drink it all!" After clinking glasses with the big boss and the top female boss, the three of them downed their glasses of red wine in one gulp.

"Madam is absolutely radiant today; she outshines all the female celebrities present."

The two ladies, Liu Rong and Liu Yan, looked at Zhang Zhao in disbelief, never expecting that such a burly man would flatter his wife so much. Not to be outdone, the two ladies also showered him with compliments, making Liu Shishi beam with joy.

The toasts from the three presidents of Tengda seemed to have opened the floodgates for the evening's social gatherings. Everyone left their seats, clinked glasses, toasted each other, and busied themselves expanding their networks.

Seizing the opportunity, the Tengda Group of Stars toasted Song Ci and Liu Shishi together. Being in a good mood and surrounded by the company's artists, Song Ci unusually drank most of a glass of red wine with them.

The richest man raised his glass in celebration: "Congratulations, Liying, on becoming China's first Dior brand ambassador. As your career reaches new heights, becoming a brand ambassador will not be a dream."

"Thank you, Chairman Song. I appreciate your kind words." Zhao Liying said with great enthusiasm, downing the glass of red wine in one gulp.

Song Ci smiled and shook her head: "That's not how you drink red wine, that's how you drink baijiu."

After the Tengda stars left, Song Ci clinked glasses with three distinguished guests, Delphine, Henri Pinault, and Nick Hayek. After finishing his glass of red wine, he beckoned to the waiter to remove the wine glasses, making it clear that he would no longer accept toasts.

(End of this chapter)