Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 93, Section 92: Gao Yuanyuan's Clever Stratagem

In October, Beijing is already deep in autumn. The sky is a clear and vast azure, and the sunlight is golden and warm, less scorching than summer and more refreshing.

Two brand-new tour buses chartered by the Beijing Film Studio would stop at the guesthouse every morning, carrying directors and deputy directors of thirty film studios from all over the country, embarking on a two-day in-depth tour of Beijing.

Han Sanping personally oversaw the operation, while Wang Sheng was entrusted with the important task of "chief escort," following up on the entire process.

These past two days have been packed with activities, yet they've been well-balanced.

On the first day, we visited the solemn and magnificent Forbidden City and strolled along the long corridors and blue waters of the Summer Palace. On the second day, we climbed the majestic Badaling Great Wall and experienced the heroic spirit of "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is no true man". In the afternoon, we visited the Dingling Underground Palace of the Thirteen Tombs, which is full of royal grandeur.

Wang Sheng, dressed in appropriate casual wear, moved among the various "regional officials" with a humble attitude and appropriate words.

He not only knows the historical anecdotes of the scenic spots like the back of his hand, but he can also intersperse interesting stories about the development of the film and television industry in Beijing to liven up the atmosphere.

He carefully observed the preferences of each factory manager. Some liked history and culture, so he would talk more about the stories behind the cultural relics; others were concerned about market trends, so he would cleverly steer the conversation toward the prospects of TV series distribution.

This maturity and thoughtfulness far beyond his years earned him the genuine appreciation of many factory managers who had only "heard of" him before.

Han Sanping seized every opportunity to strengthen the concept of "alliance".

Whether taking a photo in front of the bronze lions in the Forbidden City or gazing into the distance from the Great Wall's battlements, he never forgets to pat a factory director on the shoulder and exclaim in a loud voice: "Brother, look, the Forbidden City is so big, built brick by brick; the Great Wall is so long, connected brick by brick."

Our thirty-one factories are like these bricks and tiles, each a single stone. Only by working together and focusing our efforts in the same direction can we achieve great things! The current difficulties are temporary. As long as we are united, better days are ahead!

At the banquet, the Beijing Film Studio extended its utmost hospitality, serving a variety of Beijing-style dishes, including Peking duck, Donglaishun hot pot, and Tan family cuisine, with fine wine and food, providing meticulous care.

Amidst clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, Han Sanping enthusiastically painted a rosy picture: "This year, our gathering in Beijing is because my brothers have given me face! Next year, we'll go to Old Zhang's place at Xi'an Film Studio to see the Terracotta Warriors and eat mutton stew! The year after, we'll go to Director Huang's place at Pearl River Film Studio to experience the southern charm! Our alliance isn't just about making money; it's about staying in touch and deepening our friendship!"

These words warmed everyone's hearts. The past few days of sightseeing and feasting not only eliminated the initial awkwardness of working together, but also established a camaraderie of "sharing weal and woe" through heartfelt exchanges.

Although everyone knows in their hearts that the road ahead will not be smooth sailing and that there will inevitably be competition for interests, at least at this moment, an atmosphere of unity and working together to find a way out has begun to take shape.

On the afternoon of October 3, as the last batch of factory directors boarded their return trains or planes, this grand "Thirty Princes' Alliance in the Capital" came to a successful conclusion.

Han Sanping and Wang Sheng stood on the platform, watching the departing train, and both breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Shengzi, you've worked hard these past two days." Han Sanping patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder, his eyes full of appreciation: "You handled things well, not bad."

"Factory manager, you're the one who's worked hard, you've managed the overall situation very well."

Wang Sheng laughed and said, "Next, we'll see if the fire of 'Harmony in the Family Brings Prosperity' can be lit."

"Well, let's do our best and leave the rest to fate." Han Sanping's gaze was deep: "But we also need to be fully prepared."

After seeing off the various "lords," Wang Sheng immediately threw himself into the company's busy affairs.

Post-production of "Harmony Brings Prosperity" is in full swing, and the distribution matters that have been initially contacted with various studios also need to be followed up, as well as the company's daily operations... We're so busy we barely have time to breathe.

……

Time slipped quietly to October 5th, Saturday, the 23rd day of the eighth lunar month.

That evening, in an ordinary residential community in Haiding District of Beijing, a warm atmosphere filled one household.

Today is Gao Yuanyuan's seventeenth birthday.

The Gao family's living room wasn't large, but it was kept clean and tidy.

A beautifully decorated birthday cake with seventeen colorful candles was placed in the center of the table.

Mr. Gao, Ms. Gao, and Gao Yuanyuan's brother, Gao Yong, sat around the table, all with loving smiles on their faces.

"Yuanyuan, hurry up, make a wish and blow out the candles!" Gao's mother urged with a smile.

Gao Yuanyuan wore a brand new pink sweater today, which made her face look even whiter and more delicate.

She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her face was filled with happiness and an indescribable excitement.

A moment later, she opened her bright eyes, took a deep breath, and blew out all the candles with a "whoosh".

"Wow! Happy birthday!" The older brother, Gao Yong, led the applause, and the parents joined in with smiles.

"Yuanyuan, what did you wish for? Can you tell your mother?" Gao's mother asked curiously.

Two blushes rose on Gao Yuanyuan's face. She looked at her parents, then at her brother, and said in a soft voice, but with great anticipation and determination, "I...I hope that I can become a big star in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Gao's parents and Gao Yong were all stunned for a moment, and then they all laughed.

Mr. Gao, a gentle engineer, adjusted his glasses and smiled, "Good, my daughter has ambition! Being a star is great, glamorous and dazzling."

Gao's mother nodded repeatedly: "That's right, our Yuanyuan is so pretty and sings so well, she might really become a star!"

In her view, this was just an unrealistic romantic fantasy that teenage girls often have, like wanting to be a scientist or a teacher when they were young. It shouldn't be taken seriously, but birthday wishes should be encouraged.

Gao Yong, a few years older than his sister and already working, jokingly replied, "Great job, little sister! When you become a big star, don't forget to ask your brother for some autographed photos!" The family thought it was just a little girl's birthday joke and offered encouragement and support, speaking in a lighthearted tone, as if coaxing a child.

However, Gao Yuanyuan's subsequent reaction exceeded their expectations.

She suddenly jumped up from her chair, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at her family, her voice rising with excitement: "Really? You...you really support me becoming a big star?!"

Her surprised and delighted expression, as if she had won the lottery, completely baffled her family.

Gao's mother instinctively replied, "Of course I support her! I support whatever my daughter wants to do!"

Gao Yong chimed in, "That's right, it's great that you have a dream, little sister!"

Gao Yuanyuan cheered immediately, like a happy little bird. She first rushed over and hugged her mother tightly, then turned around and hugged her father. Finally, she jumped up and hugged her brother's neck, excitedly babbling incoherently, "Great! Great! You guys are so good! I knew you would support me!"

Gao's parents and Gao Yong were caught off guard by the sudden, enthusiastic hug. They looked at each other, all thinking the same thing: What's wrong with this girl today? It's just a birthday wish, why is she so excited?

But seeing Gao Yuanyuan's genuine joy, no one wanted to spoil her mood. Gao's father could only smile and pat his daughter's back: "Alright, alright, you're such a big girl now, why are you still so impulsive? Let's cut the cake."

Gao Yuanyuan released her brother, stood still, put her hands on her hips, and with a solemn expression that said, "I can finally announce it," she took a deep breath and said, "Dad, Mom, Brother! I'm not just saying this casually! I really have a chance to become a star!"

"Oh?" Gao Yong raised an eyebrow, noticing his sister acting unusually today. "What opportunity? To participate in the school's arts festival?"

"No, that's not it!" Gao Yuanyuan pouted, a hint of pride in her voice. "It's Shengying Media! The most powerful Shengying Media in Beijing! Do you know it?"

“Shengying Media?” Mr. and Mrs. Gao exchanged a glance. The name seemed familiar, but they couldn’t quite place where they had heard it before.

They are just ordinary wage earners and don't pay much attention to things in the film and television industry.

Gao Yong, being younger and more well-informed, hesitated and asked, "Is it... that company that was all over the newspapers lately, the one that does those exorbitantly priced wedding video recordings?"

"Yes, yes, that's it!"

Gao Yuanyuan nodded vigorously, her eyes shining brightly: "But they're amazing! They not only do wedding planning, but also produce TV dramas and commercials! Their boss is Wang Sheng, who is very young, very capable, and a recipient of the National Youth Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Award!"

She began to recount her story at length, from how she was selected to participate in the filming of the "Chinese People" choir, to how Sister Li Tingting talked to her and said that President Wang thought highly of her and wanted to sign her as a trainee to train her to be a singer and actress in the future... The young girl had a good memory and spoke eloquently, describing the process vividly, especially emphasizing the strength of Shengying Media and Wang Sheng's "discerning eye".

"Sister Li said that we'll sign a one-year trainee contract first, and once I turn eighteen, if both parties are satisfied, we'll sign a formal five-year management contract! The company will train me and give me opportunities!" Gao Yuanyuan concluded, her face flushed with excitement as she looked at her family with anticipation.

The Gao family's living room was completely silent.

The smiles on Gao's parents' faces froze, and Gao Yong also dropped his joking expression.

Only then did they realize why their daughter had reacted so strongly to the suggestion of "supporting her to become a star."

It turns out that this was not just a child's whimsical idea, but that they already had a real "way" to get there!
“Shengying Media…Wang Sheng…” Gao’s father murmured to himself, his brows furrowing slightly.

He was instinctively wary of anything involving contracts, especially those that lasted for several years.

The entertainment industry, at any time, is seen by most ordinary people as a complex and even somewhat dangerous circle.

Gao's mother grabbed her daughter's hand and asked worriedly, "Yuanyuan, is this...is this reliable? It's not a scam, is it? How could such a good thing fall into our laps? And we have to sign such a long contract..."

Gao Yong calmed down and asked in a deep voice, "Sis, are you sure the people you've been in contact with are legitimate people from Shengying Media? Do you have any proof? Have you read the contract terms?"

Faced with a barrage of questions and worries from her family, Gao Yuanyuan panicked: "Of course it's true! I went to the Beijing Film Studio! There were guards on duty! Sister Li is Mr. Wang's assistant, she was dressed very formally, and she even gave me her business card! The contract... I haven't seen the details of the contract yet, but Sister Li said we'll discuss it in detail next Saturday. Dad, Mom, Brother, you have to believe me! Wang Sheng is a big shot, he's been featured in the China Youth Daily! How could he lie to a young girl like me?"

Seeing their daughter's eager and earnest expression, Gao's parents softened.

They knew their daughter well; though sometimes naive and innocent, she wasn't a thoughtless child. Her certainty suggested there was some truth to it.

After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Gao looked at his wife and son and slowly said, "Yuanyuan, it's not that your parents don't believe in you, nor that we want to stop you from pursuing your dreams."

But this concerns your future, so we must be careful.

So, next Saturday, your parents will go with you to the Beijing Film Studio to meet that Assistant Li and see what's really going on with Shengying Media.

"Regarding the contract, we need to understand it thoroughly before deciding whether to sign it, okay?"

Gao's mother quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, let your dad and your brother go and check it out!"

Gao Yong nodded: "That's right, little sister, we can pursue our dreams, but safety comes first."

Although Gao Yuanyuan was eager to sign the contract immediately, she also understood that her parents' concerns were for her own good.

She nodded obediently: "Yes! I know! We'll go together next Saturday! You'll see when you get there, Shengying Media is amazing, and President Wang is even more amazing!"

Her heart was filled with boundless anticipation for the future, as well as the joy of receiving initial understanding and support from her family.

……

(End of this chapter)