Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 315, Section 313: Meeting with Hangzhou Ma
September 28th, Hangzhou.

The morning mist over West Lake had not yet completely dissipated, and sunlight filtered through the thin mist, casting shimmering golden spots on the lake's surface.

Wang Sheng was in his suite at the West Lake State Guesthouse, having just finished a delicate Hangzhou-style breakfast, and was now reviewing the inspection report from yesterday that Li Tingting had prepared.

A soft knock sounded on the door.

"Enter."

Li Tingting pushed open the door and entered: "President Wang, Director Liu from the Municipal Party Committee Reception Office just called and said that the head of a local enterprise is very eager to meet with you."

Without even looking up, Wang Sheng casually asked, "Which company? What do they do?"

Li Tingting paused for a moment, then said clearly, "The other company is called 'Alibaba,' and the founder is Ma Yun. Director Liu specifically emphasized on the phone that although this company is in the internet business, it is a big name in Hangzhou and even in the Zhejiang business community, and is highly regarded by provincial and municipal leaders. He said that this Ms. Ma... has excellent eloquence and is also very insightful."

Alibaba?

Ma Yun?

Wang Sheng paused slightly in the hand holding the briefing, looked up, and a hint of surprise and amusement flashed in his eyes.

Isn't this Jack Ma, who later stirred up a storm and was known as "Big Ma"?

Although Alibaba was far from reaching the massive scale of its future business empire at that time, in the harsh winter of the internet industry in 2000, the name already possessed a certain uniqueness.

At the beginning of this year, in January 2000, Alibaba completed a crucial round of financing in its history—a $25 million investment led by SoftBank's Masayoshi Son.

This huge sum of money, coming against the backdrop of the bursting of the dot-com bubble and global capital avoiding internet companies like the plague, made Alibaba one of the very few internet companies that "had enough money in hand and weren't worried" during the harsh winter. With ample resources to hone its internal strength, it laid a solid foundation for its future rise.

At this time, Alibaba's B2B business (mainly targeting small and medium-sized enterprises through "China Suppliers") was struggling to develop but had already begun to show results. In Hangzhou and even within Zhejiang Province, thanks to its unique business model and Ma Yun's strong personal appeal, it had indeed accumulated a certain reputation and government relations.

The Hangzhou government intends to support the internet as a new economic growth point, and Alibaba is undoubtedly one of the most prominent local "calling cards".

As for why Ma Yun is interested in movies.

After a moment's thought, Wang Sheng understood.

It is well known that Ma Huateng (Brother Ma) is obsessed with martial arts culture. His nickname "Feng Qingyang" comes from "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," and his company culture is also deeply influenced by martial arts.

This love for the virtual world, for stories, and for creating heroes and legends is in line with the core of film art.

Although he may not have yet ventured into film investment in such a high-profile manner at this time, his curiosity and yearning for the world of film probably already existed. His visit to this "leading figure in the Chinese film industry" was mostly out of this personal interest and the instinct to expand his network.

Thinking about this, Wang Sheng felt that meeting this future tycoon, who had not yet fully gained momentum but had already begun to show his potential, seemed quite interesting.

“Since Director Liu personally made the request, and this Mr. Ma is so influential, let’s meet him.” Wang Sheng put down the briefing and said to Li Tingting, “Let’s arrange a time, at the hotel coffee shop, to have a brief chat.”

“Okay, Mr. Wang. I’ll reply and make the arrangements right away.” Li Tingting nodded in agreement and turned to go out to make the contact.

……

At 10:30 a.m., in a corner of the lakeside coffee shop at the West Lake State Guesthouse.

Wang Sheng sat on the sofa, slowly sipping a cup of Longjing tea, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the picturesque lake and mountain scenery outside the window.

A moment later, led by Li Tingting, a figure walked over quickly.

The newcomer was thin and wiry, wearing a slightly oversized shirt and glasses. He was unremarkable in appearance, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, sparkling with shrewdness and an almost instinctive enthusiasm.

It was a much younger Ma Yun. "Mr. Wang! Hello, hello! I've heard so much about you, your name is legendary!" Ma Yun smiled before speaking, her voice loud and clear with a slight local accent. She extended her hands humbly, but her confidence and infectious energy were palpable.

Wang Sheng stood up, shook hands with him, and said in a calm manner, "Mr. Ma, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please have a seat."

"Oh, Mr. Wang, you're too kind. I'm so sorry to disturb your rest." Ma Yun sat down, leaning slightly forward, appearing very engrossed. "I heard you were in Hangzhou yesterday, so I quickly asked someone to help me get in touch. I had to come and meet you, to learn from you!"

"Mr. Ma, you're too kind. I've heard of Alibaba in Beijing. It's remarkable that they were able to secure such a large investment from SoftBank before the internet winter," Wang Sheng said with a slight smile, pointing out the source of the other party's confidence.

A hint of surprise flashed in Ma Yun's eyes, which then turned into even greater enthusiasm: "President Wang, you're so well-informed! Yes, we did make some money at the beginning of the year, but these days, the internet business is tough, and everyone is still figuring things out."

"I can't compare to you, Mr. Wang, who's incredibly successful in the film industry, making one blockbuster after another! I've been too busy to see 'My Sassy Girl,' but the young people in my company are talking about it every day!"

His words were half flattery and half sincerity.

Wang Sheng and the business miracles he created are no secret in any business-conscious circle.

“I’m lucky, I’ve caught a good era.” Wang Sheng said casually, then asked, “Mr. Ma, are you interested in movies?”

"Interested! So interested!" Ma Yun slapped her thigh, her eyes shining. "President Wang, to be honest, I've loved reading martial arts novels since I was a child. I've read Jin Yong and Gu Long over and over again."

This movie, just like a martial arts novel, can create dreams! It can vividly bring to life the heroes and tales of chivalry that people have in their hearts! And its influence is so huge! Isn't that interesting?

He spoke eloquently, revealing a clear appreciation and desire to explore film as a medium that shapes popular culture and transmits values.

“Indeed, film is the art of creating dreams, and it’s also a good business,” Wang Sheng nodded in agreement.

“Yes! That’s why I really admire you, Mr. Wang. Not only can you create wonderful dreams, but you can also build such a big and successful business!” Ma Yun continued, “We in the internet industry are actually creating dreams, creating a virtual world that connects everything. In a way, it’s quite similar to the movies!”

He then steered the conversation to a broader scope, discussing the future of the internet and how e-commerce can change the way small and medium-sized enterprises survive, his words filled with a strong sense of conviction and persuasiveness.

Although Alibaba's model had not yet undergone the rigorous market testing of later generations, the blueprint he outlined was already quite rudimentary.

Wang listened quietly, occasionally interjecting with a question or two, which always hit the nail on the head.

He discovered that, setting aside the later added accolades, Ma Yun already possessed the core qualities of a top entrepreneur—keen insight, strong persuasiveness, and an almost obsessive optimism in the face of adversity.

Ma Yun didn't expect this hasty meeting to result in any concrete cooperation.

His main purposes for this trip were twofold: first, to satisfy his curiosity about this legendary producer; and second, to leave an impression on a top figure in the Chinese film industry and expand his network. Having more friends means having more opportunities, especially when it comes to someone like Wang Sheng, who spans multiple fields such as film and investment.

The two chatted for about half an hour, discussing everything from movies to the internet, from business models to opportunities of the times, and they found themselves quite compatible.

"So, Mr. Wang, the future world will definitely be a world that combines online and offline. Information flow, capital flow, and logistics will all be integrated!" Ma Yun waved her arm, making a gesture of integration, thus concluding her argument.

“Very insightful.” Wang Sheng nodded, raising his teacup. “I wish Mr. Ma’s Alibaba will realize this dream soon.”

"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Wang!" Ma Yun quickly raised her coffee cup and lightly clinked it with Wang Sheng's. "I also wish Mr. Wang's Shengying Media to produce more and better movies, conquer all of Asia, and go on to Hollywood!"

The two exchanged a smile and drank their cups dry.

The meeting ended in a friendly atmosphere.

Ma Yun left satisfied, feeling that her trip was worthwhile, at least she had become a familiar face to the public.

Wang Sheng watched Ma Yun's departing figure, lost in thought.

(End of this chapter)