Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 541 Rocket Girls
The premiere of "The Left Ear" at Wanda International Cinema in the capital was a dazzling affair, with lights shining brightly.

Celebrities in elegant attire, media with their cameras and microphones, and industry elites in suits gathered together in a noisy and bustling atmosphere, showcasing the extravagance and clamor of the entertainment industry.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Wang Sicong, sitting in the front row of the inner area, seemed somewhat out of place.

He slumped in his chair, the dark circles under his eyes clearly visible under the light, and his face showed utter exhaustion.

Seeing his appearance, Lin Gengxin couldn't help but laugh: "Young Master Wang, what's wrong with you?"
Those who know you're here for the premiere might think you've just had your life force drained by some spider demon.

Wang Sicong didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, waving his hand listlessly: "Don't even mention it. Starting a business is no human endeavor. It's a million times more tiring than when I formed an e-sports team."

"For your Panda TV?"

"Otherwise what?" Wang Sicong sighed, sat up straighter, and rubbed his throbbing temples.

"I used to think that investing and building teams was troublesome enough, but now that I'm running a company, I realize what a tangled mess it all is. Technology, content, traffic—aren't they all bottomless pits that burn through money and stress?"
The development of that low-latency live streaming technology alone almost drove my team crazy. Just when the technology was starting to take shape, problems with streamers and traffic generation arose one after another…

I truly admire Mr. Song now. How did he manage to build Tengda from scratch into a Fortune Global 500 company?

His heartfelt remarks reflected the shock and helplessness of a second-generation rich kid facing the real business world for the first time.

Lin Gengxin clicked his tongue in amazement: "Just hearing about it gives me a headache. Alright, alright, let's not think about company matters now that we're out relaxing."

I'm doing alright lately. Filming for *Xuan-Yuan Sword 2* just wrapped, and I've taken on a new movie, *Black & White*, which I'll be joining in a few days.

"Sure, good resources, you're on the rise." Wang Sicong said, trying to sound cheerful. "When you become famous, remember to do a few live streams on my Panda TV channel to boost my popularity."

"It's just a matter of a word!"

At that moment, Wang Sicong's lazy gaze inadvertently swept over a figure in the waiting area next to the stage and immediately froze.

It was a girl in a simple white dress, standing there quietly, somewhat detached from the surrounding atmosphere of competing for attention and exchanging pleasantries.

She has fair skin, a beautiful profile, and a cool and pure scholarly air, like a secluded orchid that has strayed into a glamorous place.

Wang Sicong gestured with her chin in that direction, her eyes brightening slightly. "Is that the female lead the director handpicked? Her name is Chen... Chen something again?"

Lin Gengxin followed his gaze and smiled knowingly: "Chen Duling. What do you think? The campus belle of Beihang University lives up to her reputation, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she has a very special aura." Wang Sicong readily admitted, staring intently at the white figure. "I'm single now, and I think she's quite nice."

Lin Gengxin chuckled and lowered his voice: "That's direct enough! I'll send you her WeChat later. But let me warn you, Ren Ling is different from the other girls in the industry."

After filming "The Left Ear," she went back to school. Director Ma wanted to sign her to Tengda Culture, but she politely declined. She's a genuine top student from Beihang University, with lofty ambitions.

"Really?" Wang Sicong did not back down; instead, her eyes burned even brighter.

His mother has always forbade him from having close relationships with female celebrities in the entertainment industry, feeling that those women are "too high-class".

Now, I've met a campus beauty with a clean background, a prestigious university degree, and who isn't involved in the entertainment industry. She perfectly meets my requirements for a girlfriend and is much more prestigious than those models or internet celebrities!

"Brilliant! That makes it even more interesting."

The two chatted for a few more minutes. With the premiere about to begin, Lin Gengxin got up and went backstage to prepare.

After the host's enthusiastic opening remarks, director Ma Xin led the main actors of "The Left Ear" onto the stage.

As a leading figure among the new generation of directors and a commercial film director who ushered in the era of billion-yuan box office revenue for Chinese-language films, Ma Xin is naturally the focus of media attention.

"Director Ma, with the success of 'Goodbye Mr. Loser,' will you feel immense pressure directing 'The Left Ear'?"

"Director Ma, what are your expectations for the box office of 'The Left Ear'?"

Ma Xin is already a seasoned veteran, handling all kinds of tricky questions with composure and ease.
"There's definitely pressure. If we don't make it well, we'll be letting down Mr. Song's trust and such a great story. As for the box office?"

He smiled, his words laced with confident humor, "Of course, the higher the expectations, the better. After all, we can't let the investors down, can we?"

Seeing that they couldn't find many juicy details with Ma Xin, the reporters quickly turned their attention to the main actors.

Lin Gengxin, a popular young actor, and Yang Zi, the second female lead, are both former child stars with high national recognition, making them the main targets of the attack.

The atmosphere reached a small climax when Yang Zi interacted with her good friend Zhang Yishan, who had come to support her.

The two immediately started their "banter" mode upon meeting, with Zhang Yishan jokingly remarking that Yang Zi's "appetite had increased" on set.

Yang Zi retorted that Zhang Yishan's acting skills had stagnated entirely because of her, and their familiar banter brought laughter to the entire audience, creating a joyful atmosphere.

After a lively interaction, reporters finally turned their attention to Chen Duling, who had been standing quietly to the side with a smile on her face.

"Hello Chen Duling, Director Ma just praised you highly, saying you are very talented."

We'd also like to know, given the high level of attention you've received with "The Left Ear," will you officially pursue a career in the film and television industry?

When the question was raised, everyone thought it was just another standard opening for a young girl to get an opportunity and step onto the road to stardom.

Chen Duling took the microphone, her expression slightly reserved, but her voice was very clear and firm: "Thank you for the praise, Director Ma, and thank you everyone for your concern."

I had no intention of entering the entertainment industry. Participating in the filming of "The Left Ear" was simply a very valuable and interesting experience in my life. My ideal..."

The girl paused, her bright eyes sweeping over the many curious faces below the stage, and said, word by word, "It's about the stars and the sea. I want to build rockets."

"puff!"

A few suppressed chuckles came from the audience, which were quickly followed by a good-natured and understanding laugh.

Everyone assumed that this was just a clever way for the girl to politely decline invitations from the entertainment industry and maintain her image as a top student.

The male reporter who asked the question also smiled, but then remembered the other identity of the female lead in front of him: the campus belle of Beihang University.

He looked closely at Chen Duling and found that there was no hint of joking on the girl's face. In her clear eyes, there was only calm certainty and an almost stubborn determination.

I was stunned for a moment, and instinctively asked, "Is your major really rocket building?"

"I guess so." Chen Duling nodded seriously, her tone calm, no longer as nervous as before. "My major is aircraft manufacturing and engineering, and my research focus is rocket recovery."

The question-and-answer session was like a mute button being pressed, abruptly stopping the bursts of laughter from the audience.

The atmosphere shifted abruptly from relaxed and entertaining to a subtle sense of shock and solemnity. The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

Who would have thought that this seemingly delicate girl on stage, who plays the heroine of a youth novel, actually harbors the roar of a rocket engine and the vastness of the universe within her heart? The contrast is simply too great!

However, some well-informed media professionals, after their initial surprise, showed a dismissive expression.

Some believe this is nothing more than a carefully planned publicity stunt for the movie, adding the "aerospace genius" buff to the innocent school beauty to attract more attention.

The reporter composed himself and keenly realized that this was an excellent news gimmick.

In the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, the appearance of such a striking "outlier" is sure to ignite a lot of discussion. He quickly followed up, saying, "Would it be convenient to share more details? Rocket recovery—it sounds like a concept from science fiction."

“It’s not science fiction.” Chen Duling shook her head. When she mentioned her favorite field, her eyes lit up instantly, as if stars were twinkling in them.

"Rocket recovery technology is a real field that is developing rapidly."

Simply put, it means enabling some components of a rocket to return to Earth safely and in a controlled manner after sending its payload into space.

After testing and repair, it can be reused, thus greatly reducing the cost of space launches.

The girl stood in the center of the stage, looking at the many faces below the stage that still held expressions of confusion and doubt, and began to explain further.

"Imagine how expensive the tickets would be if a passenger plane were scrapped after just one flight?"
Space launches now face a similar problem. Rocket recovery technology aims to enable rockets, like airplanes, to make multiple trips between Earth and space.

This simple analogy made some viewers realize the truth, but many others still thought she was exaggerating.

After all, in the common perception, rockets have always been disposable items, turning into dazzling fireworks after launch, and eventually falling into the sea or turning into dust in the atmosphere.

"Can this technology really be achieved?" The reporter asked the question on behalf of many people, his tone filled with uncertainty.

"Of course! And people are already doing it!" Chen Duling's tone rose unconsciously, filled with barely suppressed excitement and admiration.

"Mr. Song Ci is the most powerful promoter and supporter of this research!"
His Devon Manufacturing Company invested unimaginable funds and resources to overcome the challenges of rocket recovery technology. He truly is a person with a broad vision and a grand perspective!

"Mr. Song Ci? Mr. Song from Tengda Group?" The reporter didn't react for a moment, after all, in the public's perception, the richest man is closely associated with Internet technologies such as WeChat and Weibo.

“Yes, it is him.” Chen Duling’s voice became more and more impassioned, as if she had found a perfect opportunity to declare her ideals to the world.

"Please allow me to take this opportunity to give a shout-out to Devon's aerospace business!"

Dewen welcomes all those with ideals and genuine talent to join us! Our goal is truly the stars and the sea!

Harboring the ultimate romanticism, dedicated to realizing a civilization-level vision, hoping that one day humanity can become a multi-planetary species traversing between stars!

The girl's voice was firm and powerful, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating huge ripples on the scene.

Some people were so moved by her passion and lofty ideals that they couldn't help but applaud.

Some people felt that she was getting more and more "mysterious" as she spoke, as if she had been brainwashed by some grand concept, and they showed a smirk and confusion on their faces;

Many others were deeply attracted by her mention of "Song Dynasty poetry" and "Dewen manufacturing," and began to whisper among themselves in discussion.

The reporter wanted to ask more questions about the details of Song Ci and Dewen's production, but the host astutely controlled the pace and stepped forward at the right time.

"We are very grateful to Du Ling for sharing her extraordinary and admirable aspirations with us!"

The host's voice was infectious: "Whether she chooses to shine in the spotlight or soar on the scientific research track in the future, we sincerely wish her a bright future and a path full of flowers!"
Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, we will truly see the starlight of entertainment and the brilliance of technology converge once again in an unexpected way, illuminating each other!

"Next, please enjoy the youth masterpiece 'Left Ear,' directed by Ma Xin and starring Lin Gengxin, Chen Duling, Yang Zi, and many other outstanding actors!"

The lights dimmed, and the big screen lit up.

Wang Sicong sat in her seat, gazing at the direction where the white figure on the stage had disappeared, her expression complex.

Chen Duling's declaration about "the vast universe" and her heartfelt reverence when mentioning Song Dynasty poetry had given him an unprecedented shock.

He was initially attracted by the girl's appearance and temperament, but now he felt that she was surrounded by an aura that he could neither reach nor understand.

Looking down at the WeChat ID Lin Gengxin had just sent him on his phone, he felt a little hesitant for the first time about picking up girls.

That evening, the two topics, "Chen Duling's Starry Sky" and "Left Ear's Lead Actress Wants to Go Back to Build Rockets," skyrocketed to the top five of Weibo's trending topics list, like rockets (undoubtedly the reusable kind).

After watching the interview video from the premiere, netizens who clicked on the topic were collectively plunged into a brief state of confusion.

The trending topics list instantly became a colorful mess:
"Chen Duling's Reasons for Rejecting the Entertainment Industry", "What Exactly is Devon Manufacturing Company?", "Left Ear Premiere", "Humanity's Journey is to the Stars and the Sea".
Initially, public opinion focused on Chen Duling's unconventional career plan.

"This is the most hardcore rejection reason I've ever heard! Others: Not considering entering the industry for now. Chen Duling: I'm going to build rockets!"

"Beihang University's aircraft manufacturing... I'm sorry, I offended you, sister, please accept my deepest respect!"

"I used to think that top students entering the entertainment industry was a game-changer, but now I realize that they're just here to experience life and will eventually go back to save the world."

“When she talked about ‘rocket recovery technology’ and ‘Mr. Song Dynasty Poetry,’ her eyes lit up! That wasn’t acting; that was true faith!”

As Chen Duling repeatedly mentioned "Mr. Song Ci" and "Dewen Manufacturing" in the interview, the public's curiosity was completely ignited and quickly turned to this mysterious company that had been hidden behind the huge halo of Tengda Technology: Dewen Manufacturing!
For the first time, countless people realized that Song Ci, the richest man in China, had a business empire that extended far beyond WeChat and Weibo, which they used daily.

A nationwide campaign to "expose" Dewen's fabrication began spontaneously, driven by curiosity.

"Can anyone tell me what the background of Devon Manufacturing is? The name sounds like a small township enterprise, how is it related to building rockets?"

This question quickly became a top comment, and the replies piled up rapidly, piecing together the astonishing outline of a business empire.

"Just a heads-up: Devon Supply Chain, which shocked the global mining industry last year by acquiring a cobalt mine in the south, is Devon Manufacturing's subsidiary!"

“Jinling built a large automobile factory last year, which seems to be a Devon manufacturing plant.”

"I just checked the company information, and Devon Manufacturing covers fields including but not limited to: new energy vehicle manufacturing, aerospace new materials, avionics equipment, and solar photovoltaics—all cutting-edge manufacturing fields!"

"There's too much information, my CPU is overheating! Devon Manufacturing is mining in Africa, building cars in Nanjing, and tinkering with rockets all at the same time? Did Song Ci draw up this business plan while drunk?"

"It's not that I'm drunk, it's about perspective! I'm only now realizing that Tengda Technology is playing the information and internet game, the virtual economy; while Dewen Manufacturing is dealing with real cutting-edge industry and hard technology!"

The richest man is going to walk on two legs, focusing on both the virtual and the real economy, and doing both to the extreme!

"The case is solved! No wonder Chen Duling said that Song Ci was 'a person who truly had the world in his heart and a broad vision'."

We're still discussing movie box office numbers, and they're already planning to make humanity a multi-planetary species... That gap is bigger than the wealth gap between me and the richest man in the world!

"Tengda Technology: Responsible for earning money and supporting the family. Devon Manufacturing: Responsible for... changing the world?"

On Mtime and Douban, the discussion forums for the movie "The Left Ear" were completely "invaded" by these hardcore topics.

"I'm sorry, Director Ma, it's not that 'The Left Ear' is bad, it's just that rockets and interstellar colonization sound more exciting!"

"I originally wanted to watch some angst-filled youth literature, but I ended up being educated about the Industrial Revolution and the Space Race. This movie ticket was totally worth it!"

Overnight, Song Ci's second core industry, Dewen Manufacturing, which had always been cleverly overshadowed by the dazzling brilliance of Tengda Technology, was finally brought to the forefront of the world for the first time in a groundbreaking way.

It is no longer a vague name, but a vast hard technology empire spanning multiple cutting-edge fields such as mining, high-end manufacturing, new energy vehicles, and aerospace.

Its exposure was more than just a business news story; it was like a deep-sea bomb dropped into a lake, redefining the public's perception of "the richest man" and "Chinese enterprises."

(End of this chapter)