Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 372 The Hardships of Starting a Business
In mid-December, a cold wind howled.

On the private tarmac at Beiping Airport, the richest man's Gulfstream jet was poised for takeoff, its engines roaring.

Two flight attendants stood quietly on either side of the gangway, waiting for the arrival of the aircraft's owner.

Song Ci strode in, followed by Li Ying, Lin Hao, his secretary, bodyguards, and others. The group walked steadily, ascending the gangway and entering the cabin.

As he walked, the richest man asked, "Have you finished communicating with President Zeng?"

Li Ying quickly followed behind and replied, "Everything is arranged. We're just waiting for you to arrive in Mindong so we can formally sign the shareholding agreement."

Song Ci nodded slightly. His trip to Mindong City to meet Zeng Yuqun and others was precisely to finalize the establishment of Ningde Times.

Inside the cabin, the flight attendant gently reminded everyone to fasten their seatbelts. A moment later, the plane taxied, accelerated, and took off.

Connecting to the in-flight Wi-Fi, Song Ci casually opened Weibo to browse trending topics: 1. Liu Shishi's "Search" in Harbin (photos).

Harbin Daily v: A whole bunch of behind-the-scenes photos of Liu Shishi's new movie are here! Harbin and this beautiful woman are a perfect match. @LiuShishiv, @SongCiv
Today, Liu Shishi is filming the movie "Caught in the Web," directed by Chen Kaige, in Harbin. The story revolves around a case of cyberbullying. We look forward to Liu Shishi's performance in the film.

Welcome to Harbin! In winter, Harbin is as beautiful as a poem or a painting, as melodious as a cold and elegant Song Dynasty poem!

Coupled with a nine-grid image, the comment section was already buzzing with activity, with countless netizens and fans leaving messages and replies:

"Send us more photos, let us see the strength of the Harbin Daily!"

"Chen Kai is doing well now; he even managed to get a top actress to make a movie!"

"Good, good, good. Bingcheng City knows how to ride the wave of popularity, making a perfect use of the Tang and Song poetry couple."

"Looking forward to Shishi's new movie, when will it be released? I will definitely support it."

In the photo, amidst the snow-covered landscape, Liu Shishi is wrapped in a thick down jacket, her beautiful hair falling naturally over her shoulders, exuding elegance and ease. Her hands are tucked into her winter gloves, revealing bright eyes, white teeth, and exquisite features, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Seeing his wife bundled up tightly, Song Ci chuckled and casually gave the Weibo post from the Harbin Daily a thumbs up.

"She's probably looking at Senior Sister's photos." Lin Hao, sitting next to her, glanced at Song Ci's gentle smile and couldn't help but tease her.

Song Ci chuckled and nodded: "She's filming in Gang Ge's hometown of Bingcheng. It's been snowing heavily there for several days, and the weather is a bit cold."

"That's how the weather is in Northeast China, but there's heating indoors in winter, so I don't think it's as cold as Nanjing," Lin Hao chimed in. He and Lu Yu had just traveled to Harbin and felt that although the temperature in Northeast China was low, it was much more comfortable than the damp cold of Nanjing.

After a few casual words, Song Ci's expression turned serious, and he got down to business: "Haozi, how's the business license I asked you to get coming up?"

Lin Hao immediately suppressed his smile, his expression becoming extremely serious: "I've already registered your business, but for the industry you're planning to enter, approval from the market supervision bureau alone is far from enough."

New energy vehicle manufacturing qualifications require approval from both the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. As for drones, they similarly need to pass the approvals of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Song Ci waved his hand, indicating to his good brother to rest assured: "Haozi, I have all the information. You help me set up the framework of the new company first, and I will gradually resolve the qualification issues."

Seeing that Song Ci was serious, Lin Hao asked solemnly, "Tengda has already reached the pinnacle of the industry. Are you really planning to start a second business from scratch?"

The cabin fell silent for a moment. The passengers and flight attendants held their breath, never expecting to hear such a bombshell news: the founder of Tenda Technology Group, China’s largest internet company, was preparing to start a second business!

Song Ci turned to look out the porthole. The sky was a clear, bright blue, and the sunlight shone on his handsome profile, giving him a golden halo and making him radiant.

The richest man's gaze was sharp, and although his voice was not loud, every word carried immense weight, as if he were recounting a grand poem about the future: "At the pinnacle, only eternal changemakers can remain."

The land of China is facing unprecedented changes in a century. This era needs pioneers, not those who merely maintain the status quo. Starting a business is undoubtedly difficult, but how can we possibly back down?

The Song Dynasty poems became increasingly passionate and spirited, carrying a sense of self-assurance: "The road ahead may be full of thorns, but compared with the glory of leading the trend of the times, this journey is nothing more than a small wave before the vast ocean of stars."

The cabin was completely silent, everyone still immersed in the shock brought by the richest man's bold words.

Lin Hao was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses, his eyes revealing sincere admiration: "I will do my best to help you set up the framework of the new company."

But your energy is limited, and Tengda Group can't do without you. The new company needs someone like Zhang Yong who can handle things independently and help you manage the daily operations.

"I already have someone in mind for the new company's CEO." Song Ci was confident. He had his eye on Wang Fengying, the general manager of Great Wall Motors, and had already commissioned a headhunter to make contact.

He believed that Wang Fengying, the Iron Lady of the automotive industry, would follow him in starting a business. After all, Zhang Yong and Wang Jing were successful examples, and now the two of them were worth over 10 billion yuan and ranked high on the rich list. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Lin Hao, knowing his good brother always planned things out before acting, stopped worrying: "Regarding funding, will it be Tengda Group investing, or Shanhai Capital injecting capital?"

“No need for that. I’ll invest $1 million myself first. That’ll be enough for the initial period.” Song Ci shook her head, rejecting Lin Hao’s suggestion.

Although Tenda has ample cash reserves, it is best to avoid getting involved with the new company for the time being, as the company is about to engage in a fierce cash-burning war to compete for market share in the mobile payment market.

Lin Hao knew very well that the richest man's true net worth far exceeded the figures publicly displayed on the rich list, so he had no worries about his new company not having enough money.

I couldn't help but marvel. With such substantial capital, coupled with Song Ci's foresight and wisdom, it's entirely possible they could create a manufacturing giant. When their good buddies advance in both the internet and manufacturing, that would be truly remarkable.

At this moment, Secretary Song Xueying suddenly stepped forward, came to Song Ci's side, her eyes burning with utmost seriousness, and asked, "Chairman Song, may I work for your new company?"

Song Ci gave his secretary, who had been with him for many years, a meaningful look, and after a moment's thought, nodded gently: "Okay."

Song Xueying was overjoyed. Her position at Tengda was awkward. Although she was the chairman's secretary and the group's senior management respected her, she had always found it difficult to obtain equity incentives.

She also has her own ambitions, and perhaps she can truly unleash her potential at the new company.

Song Xueying believed that as a top student from Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, she was capable and might be able to obtain shares like Wang Jing and become a core executive in the new company.

"Thank you for your guidance, Chairman Song. I will not let you down."

"We'll do the handover next spring. Remember to find a suitable successor." Song Ci considered it carefully; he needed a trusted confidant to keep an eye on things at the new company.

Having known Song Yuying for a long time and having been by her side for many years, she was indeed a suitable candidate for the position, so he decided to give her a chance to showcase her talents.

Song Xueying bowed slightly, expressing her gratitude to Song Ci: "Don't worry, I will select a few suitable secretaries for you to choose from." Meanwhile, in Harbin, on the set of the film "Caught in the Web," Liu Shishi was performing with complete focus in front of the camera.

"Click!" In front of the monitor, Chen Kaige held the walkie-talkie, his brows slightly furrowed: "Shishi, you're too 'perfect'!"

The woman was stunned for a moment, a look of confusion appearing on her face.

Chen Kai took a few steps closer and came to the lead actress's side, carefully giving her pointers: "Your character is not a machine, but a living person, with emotions such as fear, hesitation, and even regret."

Think about it, how can anyone always maintain a dignified and elegant demeanor in daily life? There are always times when you're tired and need to relax, and then you need to be more natural.

Liu Shishi's cheeks flushed slightly as she realized that she had not entered the inner world of the character "Yang Jiaqi" and was merely mechanically completing the task according to the script's lines and actions.

After several retakes, Chen Kaige finally showed a satisfied smile: "That's right, a real person should be like this, with flaws and emotional fluctuations."

After a busy morning of filming, Liu Shishi returned to the rest area and carefully reflected on Chen Kaige's guidance, feeling that she had benefited greatly.

One can't help but admire Chen Kaige, a renowned director in the industry, whose unique approach to filming and directing actors is truly admirable.

After a morning of interaction, Liu Shishi felt that Chen Kaige's aesthetic concepts and in-depth character deconstruction had given her a deeper understanding of acting and a slight improvement in her acting skills.

Just as the top female executive was lost in thought, her assistant, Su Xiaoxiao, came over with her phone and said, "Sister, here's your call."

Liu Shishi took the phone and answered: "Hello, Si Cong!"

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Sis, how's filming in Harbin?"

How did you know I was in Harbin?

"It's trending on social media, and your brother-in-law even liked it. The whole internet knows about it."

"Okay, I've been filming all morning and haven't had time to check Weibo yet."

Young Master Wang then changed the subject mysteriously: "By the way, sis, guess who I ran into on the plane today?"

The woman tilted her head playfully, thought for a moment, and said, "You called me specifically, so it must be someone I know. My husband definitely couldn't be it; he went to Fujian Province today. Could it be Chaolian?"

"Not her."

"Then I can't guess."

“It’s Wang Xiaofei!” Wang Sicong’s words revealed a hint of disgust and disdain. “I went to Donghai today, and when I got on the plane, I saw that it was him sitting next to me. What bad luck! I immediately called the flight attendant and said I would pay any amount of money to change my seat.”

Liu Shishi could already picture the scene and how embarrassed Wang Xiaofei must have been: "I heard that his family is not doing well recently. There are rumors online that his family lost the betting agreement and lost control of South Beauty."

"Serves him right, he should accept his loss! Let him pretend to be something he's not. One of the Four Young Masters of Beijing, does he even deserve that title!" Young Master Wang gloated. "Let me tell you something, sister. Without South Beauty, Xu Xiyuan's dream of marrying into a wealthy family has been shattered, and he's preparing to divorce Wang Xiaofei."

Is it really that realistic?

Wang Sicong scoffed: "Otherwise what? Getting married after knowing each other for only ten days, if it wasn't for money, what else could it be but love?"

The eldest sister gently shook her head. She no longer cared about Wang Xiaofei's family; the previous conflict was like a passing cloud. "Let's not talk about them anymore. Si Cong, what have you been busy with lately?"

"I'm starting a business!" Young Master Wang perked up and answered seriously, "I acquired a gaming team, formed the IG esports club, and am preparing to establish the 'China Esports Club Alliance'."

Following the model of football and basketball leagues, the league should be responsible for the registration, management, transfers, and event supervision of domestic professional esports teams, and a clear system for transactions, transfers, and loans should be established.

"That's impressive, Si Cong. The e-sports industry is booming, with all sorts of game tournaments popping up everywhere. If you can really pull this off, it'll be amazing."

"Hehe." Wang Sicong smiled smugly, "Sis, why don't you try investing in a club? Teams are very cheap these days, it won't cost much."

The eldest sister was in high spirits; she's very interested in investing these days: "Sure, you can help me find one."

Young Master Wang confidently assured him, "Sure, leave it to me. I heard that a real estate company owner in Fujian Province is planning to set up a team; I'll help you make contact."

The two chatted for a few more minutes before ending the call.

"It's so cold!" A gust of cold wind swept over her, and Liu Shishi shivered. She quickly put on a beige knitted warm hat, which made her look even more playful and cute.

Overlooking the rest area next door, Liu Shishi noticed that the female lead, Gao Yuanyuan, and the male lead, Zhao Youting, were intimately cuddling together, oblivious to everyone else. Curious, Liu Shishi asked her assistant, "Xiaoxiao, what's going on between them?"

Su Xiaoxiao shrugged and gossiped, "They're together now."

"Falling in love on set?"

"It should be. Anyway, the two of them are very open about their relationship and don't hide it at all. Now the whole crew knows about their relationship."

Recalling Gao Yuanyuan's several past relationships exposed online, Liu Shishi sighed softly, "She's over thirty now, which is indeed the age for marriage and starting a family. I hope this relationship of hers will come to fruition."

Not far away, Gao Yuanyuan, who was whispering to Zhao Youting, seemed to realize that someone was watching her. She looked up and saw Liu Shishi and her assistant staring at her from the next rest shed. She smiled awkwardly and nodded to the host.

Zhao Youting followed her gaze and asked, "Yuanyuan, do you know Liu Shishi?"

"We've met a few times, but our relationship is just so-so," Gao Yuanyuan said with a hint of melancholy.

She was filled with regret. Back then, she filmed Tengda Culture's first drama, "So Young," and had the opportunity to become Tengda's top female star. Unfortunately, she didn't take a liking to Tengda Culture back then and missed the chance.

Who would have thought that a little-known company would become a super giant in the industry in just a few years? The films they co-produced with Hong Kong cinema in the last two years have received lukewarm responses, wasting their golden period of development.

With the rise of the new generation of actresses born in 85, her situation in the industry is becoming increasingly awkward. She hopes to turn her career around with this film directed by Chen and take it to the next level.

Zhao Youting exclaimed, "She's really popular. I just checked Weibo, and the Harbin Daily posted a few pictures of her, which immediately became a trending topic, bringing a lot of buzz to 'Caught in the Web.' Some experts online have analyzed that her fans alone could increase the box office by at least ten million."

(End of this chapter)