Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 486 Managing Trainees

On a weekend afternoon, Liu Shishi walked slowly in front of Poly Auction House with her assistant and bodyguards, her graceful figure and natural aura exuding confidence.

A brown octagonal cap was casually placed on her hair, making her already delicate face appear even more exquisite.

A gradient silk scarf was loosely wrapped around her snow-white neck, complementing her misty blue trench coat and creating a graceful and elegant look.

As soon as I stepped onto the steps in front of the auction house, I saw a familiar figure, leaning lazily against the door playing on his phone. It was none other than Young Master Wang.

"Hello, Si Cong, what have you been up to lately?" Liu Shishi greeted him with a smile.

Wang Sicong looked up at the sound, a lazy smile spreading across her face: "Senior Sister, it's been a long time."

"What else could I be busy with? Just working on my Panda TV, of course. It's officially opening on May 1st." Though his tone was casual, his eyes shone when he mentioned his business.

Liu Shishi nodded and smiled slightly: "Congratulations! I wish you continued success in your career."

"You're the one who should be congratulating me." Wang Sicong stood up straight, gave a thumbs up, and exclaimed in amazement, "My brother really did a fantastic job this time!"
He surpassed Bill Gates! Retaining his title as Asia's richest person, and still second in the world! My WeChat Moments were flooded with news about him last night.

Liu Shishi smiled, clearly in a good mood, but only replied demurely, "He was just lucky. Let's go in."

"Okay." Wang Sicong quickly followed.

The auction house's account manager was already waiting respectfully by their side, and became even more attentive upon seeing the two of them appear together.

The presence of the richest woman and the eldest son of Wanda Group makes them undoubtedly the most important guests at this auction.

Guided by the manager, the two passed through the security gate and entered the main auction hall.

Liu Shishi looked around the room with curiosity; the spacious and bright space had a unique character.

The arrival of the two instantly caused a noticeable commotion. Almost all eyes turned to them, filled with suppressed gasps and whispers.

"It's actually Liu Shishi! This is the first time I've seen her in person, her temperament is amazing."

"Why is the richest man's wife here! What amazing treasures are up for auction?"

"Her husband just became the world's second richest man yesterday."

Many people subconsciously took out their phones and quietly pressed the shutter.

The staff led the two distinguished guests to the best seats in the center of the first row.

A female auction assistant, dressed in a smart suit and holding the number 8818, immediately stepped forward and bowed slightly.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Liu. I am your auction assistant. Please feel free to signal me if you have any bidding requests."

After saying that, he handed the beautifully produced auction catalog to the guest.

Liu Shishi nodded slightly, gracefully took her seat in the middle of the first row, opened the thick picture album, and let her slender fingertips glide over the beautiful color pictures page by page.

Wang Sicong sat down to the side, leaning back in her chair, and asked half-jokingly, "Sis, did you see something you like today? Give me a heads-up, so I don't accidentally snatch it from you."

Liu Shishi's gaze lingered on the catalog, her tone casual: "Today, I mainly wanted to find a suitable birthday gift for my father-in-law. He's a doctor, so he's not particularly interested in antiques and treasures; for other things, it's up to me to see what catches my eye."

Upon hearing this, Wang Sicong understood immediately and silently kept the words "birthday gift" in mind, planning to prepare a generous gift for him at the time. He replied aloud, "I came for Wu Guanzhong's paintings; my old man loves them."

As the two chatted in hushed tones, the lights in the venue were slightly adjusted, and a senior auctioneer dressed in a dark suit and white gloves walked onto the stage.

After a concise and appropriate opening, the auction officially began, and the atmosphere in the room gradually heated up. The first item was a mid-Qing dynasty famille rose porcelain vase, and bidding erupted one after another.

The auctioneer spoke at a steady pace, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, precisely capturing every subtle paddle-raising gesture from the audience, skillfully manipulating the emotions of the room.

“这位先生出价80万！80万一次！左边女士85万！很好！90万有没有？90万！后排先生95万！……”

Once the gavel falls, the final price is often several times higher than the starting price.

Following that, calligraphy and paintings, jewelry, and Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain took turns on the stage, with the silent yet intense competition between on-site bidders and telephone bidders.

Liu Shishi watched quietly, as if she were enjoying a wonderful performance.

Finally, the electronic screen flashed, and the auctioneer raised his voice slightly: "Next is lot number 0048, a rare Ming Dynasty edition of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic."

Comprising ten volumes, all exceptionally well-preserved with clear ink and excellent printing, these are truly rare and valuable medical classics. Starting bid: 200 million yuan.

Liu Shishi closed the album and whispered to her female assistant beside her, "This is it, make sure you get it."

The female assistant instantly perked up, gripped the number 8818 in her hand, and prepared to go.

"Two million!" As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, someone in the back row raised their paddle.

"220 million!" Someone else immediately followed suit.

"240 million!"

Those interested in medical classics were mostly collectors or institutions within the medical field, resulting in a relatively rational and slow bidding pace. When the price climbed to 400 million, only two bidders remained, locked in a tug-of-war.

The experienced female assistant initially remained still and calmly observed the situation. Only when the auctioneer shouted "460 million for the first time!" did she decisively raise her bidding paddle.

"Lady No. 8818 has bid 480 million!" The auctioneer's voice was filled with excitement.

The previous bidder hesitated for a moment after seeing Liu Shishi make a bid, but finally shook his head and gave up.

The auctioneer waited a few seconds, and seeing no further response, decisively brought down the gavel: "Clang! Congratulations to Ms. No. 8818! Sold for 480 million yuan!"

A faint smile appeared on Liu Shishi's lips. She had obtained the "Huangdi Neijing" and her mission was complete.

After several lots, Wang Sicong's target, Wu Guanzhong's painting "The Soul of the Pine," came up for auction. After several rounds of fierce bidding, he successfully purchased it for 3400 million yuan, a swift and decisive move that showcased his considerable wealth.

As the auction drew to a close, the atmosphere was expected to become rather subdued, but the final, most anticipated item was unveiled with great fanfare: a glass-type imperial green jadeite bangle.

Its color is rich, vibrant, and pure; its texture is as delicate as solidified fat; it is incredibly translucent; and it gleams with a lustrous sheen under light. It is flawless and can be considered one of the finest jadeite among thousands.

A murmur of surprise and admiration immediately rippled through the crowd.

Liu Shishi's beautiful eyes were instantly drawn in, and she stared intently at the perfect close-up on the big screen.

I suddenly remembered that although my mother-in-law's birthday is next year, it's just right to prepare these exquisite materials in advance since they are so appealing.

"Starting bid: 1500 million!" As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, bidding paddles sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

"2000!" "2200!"

"2500 million! The telephone bidder offered 3000 million!"

The competition instantly intensified, with prices soaring by millions, clearly demonstrating that this bracelet's allure far surpassed that of the other auction items. Liu Shishi remained calm, simply whispering to her assistant, "Give it a try."

The female assistant understood immediately and joined the fray once the price broke through 3500 million.

"Number 8818, 3800!"

"A phone call on the 19th, worth 3900 million!"

"Lady No. 8818 has bid 4000 million!" The assistant raised the paddle again without hesitation.

The entire room fell silent for a moment, holding their breath at the extravagant spending of these two women.

Finally, when Liu Shishi's assistant quoted 4200 million, the competitor who had made the phone order fell silent.

"4200 million, final bid!" The gavel slammed down. "Sold! Congratulations again to Ms. 8818 for winning the final item of this auction!"

The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause, both for the exquisite jade and for the beautiful and incredibly wealthy tycoon's wife.

Amid applause, Liu Shishi rose gracefully and, surrounded by her assistants and staff, walked backstage with Wang Sicong to complete the handover procedures.

On Monday morning, March 25th, sunlight bathed the glass curtain wall of the Tengda Technology Building in a flowing golden glow.

The flow of people going to work was endless, and the air seemed to still hold the lingering warmth of the weekend's heated discussions.

As employees swiped their cards to enter, their conversations in small groups frequently included phrases like "Chairman Song," "Bill Gates," and "second in the world," with each person's face beaming with pride and excitement.

A strong boss means a stable and promising company, and it's also about everyone's job and stock options. This sense of pride is real and tangible.

"Good morning, Chairman Song!" "Good morning, Chairman!"

Amidst greetings, Song Ci entered the hall, her posture upright, and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. As she habitually scanned the room, she noticed many unfamiliar young faces in the company today.

Their formal attire couldn't hide their youthful inexperience; none of them wore Tengda employee badges, creating a stark contrast with the other employees who hurried by and clearly identified themselves.

Turning his head to look at a familiar-looking middle manager beside him, who seemed to be a director in the human resources department, he immediately asked, "What's the situation with those people?"

The director, caught off guard by the big boss's sudden response, immediately straightened up, following his gaze, and quickly replied:
"Chairman Song, these are the candidates who have come for the third round of interviews. The final round of selection for the Group's 'Rising Star' management trainee program this year is today."

Song Ci suddenly remembered that, in response to the call to "stabilize growth and ensure employment," Tengda Group launched its largest spring campus recruitment in history, with the "Rising Star" program being the top priority.

The program aims to select the best graduates from top universities and systematically train them as future middle and senior managers and core technical personnel. It involves a huge investment of resources and has extremely high expectations.

It seems that these energetic yet slightly nervous young people are the fresh blood for Tenda's future.

"Hmm." Song Ci nodded, said nothing more, and strode confidently toward the elevator lobby.

Tenda's elevator system uses an intelligent traffic diversion algorithm, which effectively alleviates congestion during the morning rush hour. The employees, who were originally queuing quietly in front of several elevators, became even more solemn upon the arrival of the chairman.

Song Ci was already used to this kind of attention, and walked calmly toward elevator number 2, which would take her to the first floor the fastest.

While waiting for the elevator to descend, I caught a particularly intense gaze from the corner of my eye beside me. Turning my head, I saw a young man in a black suit.

The suit was slightly oversized and of ordinary quality. She carried a worn-out backpack and had the youthful innocence of someone fresh out of school on her face. Yet, her eyes were bright and clear, and she was staring at him intently, her gaze filled with pure admiration and excitement.

Song Ci's heart stirred slightly, and she took the initiative to speak, her voice calm yet carrying a cool aura: "Are you here for a job interview?"

The young man was taken aback, clearly not expecting the richest man to speak to him.

When she realized that all eyes were on her because of those words, her face flushed red, and she stammered nervously, "Yes, yes, Mr. Song! Hello!"

Which school did you graduate from?

When the school was mentioned, the young man straightened his back unconsciously, a hint of pride flashing across his face, and his tone became much louder and clearer: "Mr. Song, I am a graduating student of this year from the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University."

"Oh? From Guanghua!" Song Ci raised an eyebrow, revealing a rare hint of surprise. It was actually his junior. "Professor Qin Chaoyang, do you know him?"

"I know him!" the other person answered quickly and urgently, their face flushed with excitement. "Professor Qin is the head of the Finance Department, and he even taught us an elective course this semester."

"Ding." The elevator arrived, and the metal doors opened smoothly.

Song Ci stepped in, and just before the elevator doors closed, she looked at the still excited young student and said, "Good luck."

The elevator doors slowly closed, isolating the outside world.

The Guanghua student stood there, stunned, surrounded by envious or encouraging glances. He took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and silently cheered himself on.

At this moment, on the seventh floor of the building, in the Toutiao Video office area, is the vice president's office.

Chen Mingyu held a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea, its steam rising gently, and placed it on the tea table in front of the guest.

"Thank you, Mr. Chen." Upon seeing this, Dong Dapeng quickly bowed and respectfully accepted the teacup with both hands.

The person in front of me is the vice president of Toutiao Video, a high-ranking and powerful figure. For him to personally pour me tea is undoubtedly a great honor.

Chen Mingyu sat down on the sofa and sighed, "Dapeng, speaking of which, you're one of the veterans of Toutiao Video."

There was a bit of an unpleasantness with Mr. Zhou before, but I've always firmly believed in your talent. Let bygones be bygones, don't dwell on it too much, and keep your eyes on the future.

Back then, it was Zhou Juan who overruled all objections and resolutely rejected the "Men's Diary" project, a decision that almost caused Dong Dapeng to leave in a huff.

Later, by a twist of fate, he was personally selected by the chairman and assigned to Tengda Culture.

Upon hearing this, Dong Dapeng gave a bitter and helpless smile: "President Chen, you're too kind. We're all doing this for work, but our perspectives and considerations are different, which I understand!"

He was telling the truth. Zhou Juan was the president of Toutiao Video, while he was just a content creator with some ideas. Within the vast Tengda system, it was already a blessing that the other party didn't continue to target him, so how could he dare to "nitpick"?

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Chen Mingyu's eyes, and he nodded slightly: "It's good that you think that way."

Ultimately, both Toutiao Video and Tengda Culture are sister companies under the Tengda Group; they're all part of the same family.

"Men's Diary 2" will be launched on the platform soon, and the company will strictly follow the contract and pay you 15% of the profits as a creative incentive.

You took on multiple roles as director, screenwriter, and lead actor; thank you for your hard work. I hope the second installment can continue the success of the first and become another phenomenal hit.

When his masterpiece was mentioned, Dong Dapeng's eyes lit up instantly, and a confident glow returned to his face.

"Mr. Chen, don't worry! I have full confidence in the second part! Whether it's the production budget, the script polishing, or the star-studded guest appearances, it's all a significant improvement over the first part."

With the positive reception and established fanbase from the first film, I predict the second film will only achieve even greater success!

(End of this chapter)