Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 505 Are you okay?
As night fell and the city lights began to twinkle in Beiping, a black Maybach cruised smoothly along the bustling streets.

Outside the car window, crowds thronged, and neon signs shimmered with a mesmerizing glow.

The car was completely silent.

Song Ci slightly turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the rapidly receding lights outside the window, and then pressed the window control button.

The bulletproof glass descended silently, and the gentle breeze of the early summer night immediately rushed into the carriage.

The evening breeze dispelled the faint smell of alcohol lingering around Song Ci, and also cleared his mind, which had been somewhat groggy from the banquet and his thoughts.

After a brief silence, he opened his mouth, his voice low and magnetic due to slight intoxication: "Tang Yue."

In the passenger seat, the head of the bodyguards quickly turned around: "Boss, what are your orders?"

Song Ci exhaled a breath of stale air, tinged with the smell of alcohol: "Check on a person. Sun Tongyu, former president of Taobao."

“Okay, boss.” Tang Yue replied immediately.

The scene from the banquet just now flashed through Song Ci's mind.

Liu Xiangdong's half-joking, half-serious probing remark ignited a long-dormant interest within him.

Times have changed, and circumstances have shifted. Now that Tengda is gaining momentum and the game is in its middle stages, perhaps it is time to meet the "father of Taobao".

Once the thought arises, it is difficult to suppress.

Just as he was about to speak again, his cell phone in his suit pocket vibrated evenly and continuously.

He took out his phone, a slight smile playing on his lips, and swiped his finger across the answer button. The screen lit up, and his wife Liu Shishi's beautiful face instantly filled the frame.

She appeared to be resting on set, still wearing an exquisite and elaborate period costume and adorned with pearl hairpins. Under the soft lighting, her bright eyes and white teeth, delicate features, snow-white skin, and stunning makeup made her even more captivating.

Liu Shishi looked at the camera, smiling gently, her eyes filled with concern: "Yiyi, is the party over?"

She habitually called him by his nickname.

"Mmm." Song Ci leaned back in the soft leather seat, letting out a comfortable hum.

Neon lights outside the car window occasionally flashed across his profile, flickering on and off.

Liu Shishi said softly, "I've already asked Sister Li to prepare some hangover soup. Remember to drink some when you get back. You don't have a high alcohol tolerance, otherwise you'll have a headache tomorrow morning."

"Okay, wife." Song Ci obediently replied, enjoying the timely concern despite being thousands of miles apart.

Looking at his wife's stunning ancient costume on the screen, he suddenly remembered something, and a smile flashed in his eyes: "Darling, I have good news for you."

Liu Shishi's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"I'm going to Donghai on a business trip in a couple of days," Song Ci said slowly, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense, "and then I'll go to Hengdian to see you."

"Really?!" Liu Shishi exclaimed in surprise, her voice rising unconsciously, "Honey, you're coming to visit the set!"

This surprise came too suddenly.

She originally thought it would be difficult to reunite with her husband throughout May, since he was going to the Dongfeng Space City deep in the Gobi Desert at the end of the month.

Seeing his wife's excited reaction, Song Ci's smile deepened, and he nodded gently: "Yes, I'll go over after the meeting."

He then explained: "The Donghai Free Trade Zone is about to be officially established, and I have been invited by the municipal government to attend a high-level business symposium."

Tenda has decided to establish its East China headquarters in the newly established free trade zone, and is among the first batch of core enterprises to sign an agreement to move in.

Although Liu Shishi was not entirely proficient in business, she had been around her husband for many years and had learned a great deal from what she saw and heard.

Curious, I pressed further: "Free trade zone? What specific benefits does this bring to Tengda?"

Song Ci initially intended to gloss over the matter with "preferential policies," but seeing the thirst for knowledge in his wife's eyes, he patiently began to explain.

"Simply put, it's an economic special zone with the main purpose of trade liberalization and facilitation, and it has many groundbreaking policies. Naturally, there are many benefits."

After a moment's thought, I picked out a few key points and explained them in layman's terms: "For example, Tenda has a lot of overseas business, such as WeChat's overseas promotion, Silicon Valley investment, and game overseas expansion, all of which require frequent cross-border capital flows."

Within the free trade zone, Tengda is permitted to establish a cross-border two-way capital pool. This allows for the allocation of domestic and international funds without requiring approval for each transaction, significantly improving efficiency and saving on exchange costs.

"Oh, that's definitely much more convenient." Liu Shishi nodded.

Song Ci continued with an example: "Tenda needs to purchase massive amounts of hardware equipment such as servers and routers every year to support the operation of its global data centers."

In the free trade zone, the import clearance of these equipment will be subject to new policies such as "enter the zone first, then declare," resulting in faster processing and simpler procedures.

At this point, his expression became slightly more serious, and he sat up a little straighter: "However, the most important thing is about data! The free trade zone will be built into a 'special zone for cross-border data flow'."

Subject to meeting security standards and regulatory requirements, applications can be made to transfer certain business data, such as anonymized international user behavior data and data used for AI model training, overseas, to places like WeChat's AI research center in Silicon Valley.

This will facilitate analysis and processing by experts there, driving algorithm research and product optimization. This is crucial for future competition with giants like Google and Amazon in the international market.

Liu Shishi listened very attentively. Although she didn't fully understand the technical terms, she was able to grasp the core concepts.

This was a "reform testing ground" with special policies, which was extremely important to her husband's career.

He nodded thoughtfully, then asked with concern, "With such a good policy, won't people in Beiping have different opinions?"

Song Ci understood his wife's concerns, gave her a reassuring look, and said calmly, "Don't worry."

This matter had already been discussed when the leader inspected the Donghai Free Trade Zone in March.

It is clearly hoped that innovative technology companies like Tengda will take the lead in supporting the relocation of some of their core and international business segments to the new district, thus setting an example.

This is a national-level strategy, not a local initiative.

Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi understood.

The high-ranking official who graduated from Peking University was her husband's powerful backer. It was his appreciation and support that allowed Tengda to develop with peace of mind. With this relationship, many things naturally went much more smoothly.

She relaxed her brows and smiled sweetly: "That's good."

Looking at his wife's gentle smile, Song Ci felt increasingly at ease, but also felt a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

With a soft sigh, he said with emotion, "Yes, for Tenda, this is an unprecedented opportunity. Financing, data, and regulations have all opened up and loosened restrictions."

If handled well, Tenda's globalization pace and development speed will definitely reach a new level.

He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice, "The government has provided a lot of resources and policy support to help us compete with American tech giants. This free trade zone is a crucial step in that process."

On the other end of the video call, Liu Shishi sensed the weight and determination in her husband's words and didn't ask any more questions about business.

She simply gazed at him tenderly and said softly, "But don't overwork yourself. There's always more to do."

The couple chatted casually through the screen, creating a warm atmosphere in the carriage that diluted the tension of their business rivalry.

Unbeknownst to them, the Maybach slowed down and drove into the Weijing Garden.

"I'm home." Song Ci looked at the familiar scenery outside the window and smiled softly at his wife on the screen.

"So soon?" Liu Shishi's face showed reluctance, but she quickly regained her gentleness. "Then get some rest! Don't forget to ask Sister Li to give you some hangover soup when you get off the bus."

"Yes, madam, don't worry." Song Ci readily agreed, her eyes full of warmth. "You too, don't push yourself too hard while filming, go back to the hotel to rest early after work."

"Okay." Liu Shishi waved at the camera.

The following morning, sunlight streamed into Hengdian World Studios, a place reminiscent of the water towns of southern China. Film crews hurried about, prop trucks came and went, creating a bustling scene.

The dressing room of the "Perfect Couple" crew, however, had a completely different, relaxed atmosphere.

"Are you alright... are you alright...?"

A catchy and addictive advertising voiceover came from Tang Yan's phone, breaking the silence in the room.

At this moment, the big star completely disregarded his image, staring at his phone screen, and burst into a hearty, even somewhat reckless, laugh:

"Hahaha... Oh my god, I can't take it anymore! Mimi's ad is so addictive! It's killing me with laughter!"

Tang Yan laughed so hard she almost fell over, tears welling up in her eyes. She clutched her stomach with one hand and nearly dropped her phone with the other.

The manager, Ji Rujing, was infected by the laughter. She shook her head helplessly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

"Yes, the idea was indeed unexpected. But to be honest, Yang Mi's popularity with the public is really high right now."

Coupled with the viral, catchy advertising effect, I heard that the Liuliumei product she endorses sold out on Taobao.

He thought to himself: The commercial value and influence of the post-85 generation of actresses are still rising.

Looking back on last year, she resolutely resigned from her position as vice president of Chentian Entertainment and joined forces with Tang Yan to start a studio.

Originally, they were ambitious and wanted to take advantage of this trend to push Tang Yan into the ranks of the post-85 generation of actresses and ride this wave of popularity.

Unfortunately, it is far from easy to do.

The fans of Liu Shishi, Liu Yifei, and Yang Mi are extremely powerful and immediately noticed, resorting to sarcastic and sarcastic remarks online.

They even went so far as to give Tang Yan the nickname "Aunt 83," excluding her from the "85 Flowers" group.

Under public pressure, they had no choice but to temporarily suspend this coordinated operation. Thinking of this, a hint of frustration and resentment flashed in Ji Rujing's eyes.

Tang Yan finally managed to stop laughing, but she couldn't help but play the advertisement again.

Seeing her friend Yang Mi's hilarious expressions and lines, I burst out laughing again. I watched it more than a dozen times before I could barely hold it in.

But the catchy advertising slogan "Are you alright?" seemed to have taken root in her mind, playing on a loop and refusing to leave.

"I can't take it anymore, if I keep watching this I'll start saying 'Are you alright?' instead of my lines today!"

Tang Yan patted her chest, took a few breaths, and tried to calm her aching stomach from laughing and her overly excited mood.

Turning to her agent, she asked with a puzzled look in her eyes, "By the way, Sister Jing, why did you come all the way to the film set to see me so early in the morning? Is there something important?"

Ji Rujing suppressed her smile and said seriously, "Well, I've come to talk to you about the new play."

I've secured a lead role for you; the script and contract details are almost finalized. I also wanted to check on how your filming is going.

Upon hearing this, Tang Yan turned around to examine her makeup in the mirror. While gently pressing her makeup with a powder puff to set it, she casually asked, "What film is it? Which company invested in it?"

She's currently very famous and has received many scripts, but a project that her agent has to personally handle must be a good one.

Ji Rujing introduced: "The drama is called 'Lady & Thief'. It is an idol drama set in the Republican era, focusing on love, misplacement, and adventure. It is a female-centric drama. The production company is Yaoke Culture."

"Yaoke Culture?" Tang Yan paused, looking at her agent through the mirror with unfamiliarity and confusion in her eyes. "Never heard of it. Is it a new company?"

“Yes, it’s newly opened.” Ji Rujing nodded and added, “The largest shareholder is Lü Chao, who just left Dongying Group to start his own business.”

“Lü Chao?” Tang Yan repeated softly, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she tried to search her memory. “The name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?”

Ji Rujing had already done his homework: "He was the producer of the TV series 'The Myth,' starring Hu Ge."

"Oh! So it was him!" Tang Yan exclaimed, putting down her powder puff and looking thoughtful. "The entertainment industry is booming these days, and there's a lot of hot money in it."

In the past two years, many state-owned enterprise executives and veteran producers like Lü Chao have started their own businesses.

They have connections and experience, making it easy to set up a platform. Once they release a hit product, the company can establish itself and take off.

“Isn’t the same principle true for celebrity studios?” Ji Rujing chimed in. “We also caught this wave of entrepreneurship. So, cooperating with a new company like this might not be a bad opportunity.”

Tang Yan nodded vigorously, then became more concerned about the project itself: "Sister Jing, what do you think of the prospects for the script 'The Lady Thief'?"

"After a preliminary assessment, the script is good, the character settings are interesting, and there is a fixed audience for Republican-era idol dramas."

Ji Rujing answered clearly and logically, "The production team was assembled by Lü Chaozan, and overall, it has the potential to be a hit."

Otherwise, I wouldn't have accepted the role so easily. After all, you don't lack acting opportunities right now; I'd rather have none than something bad.

Upon hearing this, Tang Yan's heart skipped a beat: "What about the male lead? Has it been decided? Who is it?"

Ji Rujing's expression was subtle: "Liu Kaiwei."

"Liu Kaiwei?" Tang Yan was stunned, then her brows furrowed, her tone filled with displeasure and doubt, "Mimi's ex-boyfriend? What kind of star is he? Does he even deserve to act alongside me? Is Yaoke trying to use me to elevate their status?"

Her reaction was intense, partly because she felt the other person was not a good match for her, and partly because it involved her friend's ex, which made things awkward.

“I’ve looked into this matter thoroughly,” Ji Rujing quickly reassured him. “Before Dongying Film Studio, Lü Chao was the general manager of Donghai Yinghuang, and he has a very good relationship with the Hong Kong entertainment circle.”

Liu Kaiwei used his connections in Hong Kong's entertainment circle to reach out to Lui Chao. Lui Chao's startup needed to cultivate good relationships, so this favor had to be given. Therefore, it was largely a matter of personal relationships.

Tang Yan's expression softened slightly, but her brows remained furrowed.

After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with probing and expectation: "Sister Jing, is it possible to replace Liu Kaiwei?"

Her cheeks flushed, and her voice softened, "How about giving the male lead to Ah Jin? He's a good actor and looks good, and..."

Looking at her flushed cheeks and love-struck eyes, Ji Rujing sighed helplessly. Just what he feared most had happened! This girl was perfect in every way, except that her love-struck tendencies would occasionally kick in.

She was so upset about Qiu before, and after finally getting over it, she started dating Luo Jin not long before trying to use her resources to get him an important role.
Seeing that Ji Rujing didn't speak, but just stared at her with eyes that said "I see through you", Tang Yan felt a little guilty but even more anxious.

She stood up, took her manager's arm, shook it gently, and said in a coquettish tone, "Sister Jing, please, please help me think of a way!"

Ji Rujing, having been shaken so much, said helplessly, "It's not entirely without a solution."

"Really?" Tang Yan's face immediately lit up with joy. "What method? Tell me quickly!"

Ji Rujing pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Perhaps we could try asking Liu Shishi to intervene."

"Shishi?" Tang Yan looked surprised. "Isn't it inappropriate to ask her about this?"

"Let me finish." Ji Rujing lowered his voice and revealed the key information: "In the equity structure of Yaoke Culture, Lü Chao holds 45% of the shares and is the largest shareholder."

There are two other shareholders, one with a very powerful background whose identity has not been disclosed, and the other is Liu Shishi's studio, holding 25% of the shares.

Tang Yan's eyes widened in surprise and delight: "Shishi is actually a shareholder of Yaoke? There was no word of it before!"

Realizing what this meant, Liu Shishi's investment effectively provided Yaoke with a channel for cooperation between Tangren Media and Tengda Culture.

This is a lifeline for startups, allowing them to multiply their valuations!
"Lu Chao's connections are impressive! He even managed to get Shishi on board!" Tang Yan composed herself and then asked, "What has Shishi been up to lately?"

"The Tang Dynasty drama crew is filming a period drama right next door in the Ming and Qing Palace Garden."

Tang Yan's eyes lit up, and a thought clearly emerged: "This is a rare opportunity! It's in the next set! I have to find time to go visit the set, catch up with Shi Shi, and have a good chat."

(End of this chapter)