The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

"It's time to start production on 'The Journey of Flower'."

In the office, Shen Mo picked up his phone. On the other end of the line was Li Yitong, who was out rushing to a gig.

"We've held the copyright for a while now; it's time to let it shine."

Li Yitong's voice came from the other end of the phone, "Then I suggest inviting the original author to serve as the chief screenwriter. No one understands the soul of this story better than her."

"Indeed." Shen Mo nodded and turned to Chen Zhixi, who was sitting opposite him.

"Zhixi, you're in charge of this. Invite the original author to the capital and provide her with the best creative environment. Zhang Wei's team will assist her and provide professional advice on the film and television adaptation."

Chen Zhixi nodded, indicating that he understood.

"Regarding the director," Li Yitong pondered for a moment on the phone, "I think Lin Yufen is still the most suitable. Her ability to handle the fantasy genre is obvious to all, and her narrative style also meets our expectations."

Shen Mo nodded slowly. Li Yitong had mentioned Lin Yufen to him before. He was the original director of "The Journey of Flower" and also directed "Chinese Paladin 3" and "Eternal Love".

Li Yitong's voice continued on the other end of the phone.

"However, she is currently in Tangren, and we need to communicate with Cai Yinong first."

"Let's leave this to Zhixi as well," Shen Mo said, looking at Chen Zhixi. "We'll also entrust the production of this film to you."

"My expected investment for this film is 5000 million. Once the director is in place, you and she can calculate it and then send me a specific budget."

Having honed his skills through these projects this year, Chen Zhixi's abilities already show signs of becoming a future billion-dollar producer.

Chen Zhixi smiled confidently: "Thank you for your trust, President Shen and President Li. Don't worry, I'll contact Tang Ren right away."

"Do you two have any instructions regarding the actors?"

"I'll take the lead role!" Shen Mo picked up the script outline beside him. "Yi Tong will take the lead role."

"Li Qin stood up for us at the Hundred Flowers Awards, so we can't let her sit idle. Let's give her the second female lead role."

"As for the second male lead, let's leave it to Li Xian."

"Other minor roles can be played by trainees from the company. I think Tang Bao is quite cute, so I'll give her to Tian Xiwei."

"As for the other characters, you can give them a few when you talk to Tang Ren."

Chen Zhixi laughed, "I understand. This is the second collaboration between the original cast and crew of 'My Love from the Star.' There's no need to worry about the actors' acting skills, and the show's popularity is off the charts. They can't wait to get on board, so it won't be difficult."

However, three days later, Chen Zhixi brought a message with an embarrassed expression.

"Tang Ren's Cai Yinong would like to meet with you to determine whether to cooperate."

Shen Mo suddenly stopped swirling the teacup, looked up at Chen Zhixi, and suddenly smiled. This was the second person to come to him.

When Shen Mo and Chen Zhixi arrived at the private room on time, Cai Yinong was already seated inside.

"Mr. Shen, I've long admired your name."

Cai Yinong stood up, her smile polite, but her gaze swept sharply over Shen Mo and Chen Zhixi.

"Producer Chen, we meet again."

"Mr. Cai, you're too kind."

Shen Mo calmly sat down, and Chen Zhixi sat down beside him, his posture respectful yet composed.

The conversation started with their first collaboration, Li Yitong's cameo appearance in the Tang Ren drama, and the atmosphere was very pleasant.

Soon, Cai Yinong steered the conversation to a deeper level.

"Mr. Shen, Mohen Capital has recently gained a strong reputation in the market. It's truly a force to be reckoned with."

She took a sip of tea, her posture elegant.

"In recent years, Tangren has also been seeking diversified development and has several promising film and television projects. I wonder if there is an opportunity to work with Mohen Capital to expand the market together?"

She avoided discussing "The Journey of Flower" and Lin Yufen, instead placing her bets on a more macro-level project collaboration.

She hopes to open the door to private equity funds from this perspective. Moreover, in her view, even if they cannot invest, Mohen's own marketing capabilities can still help future film and television projects.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo's lips curled into a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.

"President Cai's information network is indeed very efficient."

His tone was calm, revealing no emotion.

"Mohen Asset Management is just starting out, and thanks to the support of friends in the industry, it has indeed received a lot of attention."

Instead of responding to the idea of ​​"making the pie bigger together," he subtly steered the conversation away from the topic, pointing out that the other party's true intentions were not what they seemed.

Cai Yinong's smile remained unchanged as he went with the flow.

"Excellent capital platforms are always highly sought after."

"To be honest, Mr. Shen, I am indeed very interested in Mohen Asset's unique investment perspective and outstanding track record."

"Whether it's about capital or collaboration on future projects, I believe we have plenty of room for dialogue."

She frankly revealed part of her intentions, linking capital cooperation with project cooperation, which increased her bargaining power.

Shen Mo leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady as he looked at Cai Yinong.

"President Cai is a straightforward person."

"The core of Ink Trace Capital's selection logic lies in finding and binding high-quality partners who will accompany us on our journey."

"We have always respected Tangren's production expertise and industry standing."

He abruptly changed the subject, precisely steer the conversation back to the present moment.

"Just as we value director Lin Yufen's unique control over the fantasy genre, we believe she is the key to the success of the 'The Journey of Flower' project."

"Our invitation to Director Lin was based on our pursuit of professional competence. We hope to collaborate with the best creators to produce the best works."

He paused, giving the other party time to process the information, before offering a more constructive solution.

"In fact, I believe our cooperation can be on a higher level."

"First and foremost, ensuring that the high-quality project 'The Journey of Flower' finds its most suitable director is fundamental and our common goal at present."

"Secondly, if Mr. Cai is confident in Mohen Asset's investment model, we welcome you to join us."

"This may better demonstrate the depth and sincerity of our cooperation than a single project investment."

"Finally, based on the successful cooperation and mutual trust in the first two steps, the collaboration between Mohen and Tangren on future film and television projects will naturally follow."

The reason they avoided talking about Lin Yufen and the collaboration on "The Journey of Flower" was that Cai Yinong wanted to get involved with No. 1 Private Equity Fund.

When you realize that you have achieved your goal, there is no point in trying to stop it.

Her smile became more genuine as she raised her glass in a gesture of respect.

"President Shen has a clear mind and a broad perspective, which is admirable."

"Just as Mr. Shen said, Tang Ren will fully support and cooperate with Director Lin."

"As for myself, I look forward to the opportunity to participate in Mohen Asset's investments."

If we follow past practice, when Lin Yu goes out to film, Cai Yinong will definitely let Tang Ren get involved and take a share of the investment.

But now that private equity firms have entered the market, the investment share in "The Journey of Flower" doesn't seem so important anymore.

"I hope this is the beginning of a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership between our two companies."

"President Cai is wise."

Shen Mo raised his glass and gently clinked it against hers; everything was understood without words.

When Mohen Media officially announced that it would produce a new project, "The Journey of Flower," with another 50 million yuan investment, and Shen Mo and Li Yitong would be co-starring for the second time.

This news was like a bombshell dropped on the entertainment industry, instantly igniting the entire internet.

At Huayi's high-level meeting, Wang Zhonglei listened to his subordinates' report and snorted coldly.

"Young man, you're taking too big a step; be careful not to fall."

In their view, betting such a high amount of money on a fantasy drama is extremely risky. You should know that the investment in "Chinese Paladin 3" was only 30 million a few years ago.

Wang Zhongjun, who had rushed back from the United States, glanced at his younger brother and said, "Calm down, don't look at them with prejudice."

Although he was disdainful of Mohen, this emerging media company, he had to admit that Mohen's unconventional and daring style had indeed stirred up the stagnant waters of the industry and brought a strong sense of pressure.

For small businesses in the industry, the continuous release of large-scale productions by InkSign has further accelerated the market's prosperity, giving them more opportunities.

If this TV series continues to be a huge hit, it may even force other big-budget productions to emerge in the industry.

Therefore, even while the project was still applying for registration, countless small and medium-sized enterprises in the industry had already contacted Mohen, hoping to join the cooperation.

Compared to the complex mindset within the industry, the fan base was caught up in a simple frenzy.

【Ahhh! A second pairing! It really is a second pairing! My favorite CP is the best!】

[We're still not satisfied with "My Love from the Star," and now they're giving us a refill? Inkhen really knows what we want to see!]

[A 50 million investment! Is this setting a new standard for fantasy dramas? Shen Mo as Bai Zihua, Li Yitong as Hua Qiangu—I'm absolutely grateful for this casting!]

[Official candy is the most lethal! Does the crew need someone to sweep the floors? I can bring my own food!]

……

Related topics quickly dominated the top five of the trending search list, and the fans' enthusiasm pushed the anticipation for "The Journey of Flower" to its maximum.

However, beneath the surface of revelry, there are undercurrents.

Dilraba's fans, however, are expressing their indignation on her behalf: "Why isn't our Dilraba in this drama? Mohen is treating us like dirt!"

Fans of the five actresses ask this question daily: [When will they debut? Will they have a cameo role in this drama?]

Then they left messages on the official Mohen account, fighting for resources for their idols, fearing that their own idols would be marginalized in Mohen's territory.

Aside from the fans, more doubts and criticisms followed.

"Fifty million? Has Inkmark gone mad?"

"Is the success of 'My Love from the Star' so easy to replicate? They really dare to keep betting heavily on it!"

"Fifty million? Could this be money laundering? I suggest the authorities investigate InkSign's accounts!"

"The higher they hype it up now, the harder it will crash. Fantasy dramas are all the same old formulas; what new tricks can they possibly pull off?"

"Mohen is indeed moving too fast, making continuous large investments. Can its cash flow keep up? It seems a bit too eager for quick success and instant benefits. Be careful of a backlash."

Despite the turmoil in the outside world, Mohen, who was at the center of the storm, remained unusually calm.

Shen Mo only reposted the official announcement on his personal Weibo account, with a brief caption of just four words: "A new beginning."

Li Yitong then reposted and commented, "Xiao Gu, you're here."