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

There was a regular and restrained knocking on the door of Shen Mo's office.

Today he arranged to meet with the heads of several companies under the Mohen Group to give a briefing.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and Zhong Lifang, dressed in a dark gray business suit with a thick folder tucked under his arm, walked in steadily.

She is the CEO of Mohen Cinemas. After Mohen acquired and integrated Huayi and Xiaoma Cinemas, she was entrusted with an important task by Shen Mo.

"Mr. Shen, I apologize for disturbing you."

Zhong Lifang wore a professional smile.

"Cube, sit."

Shen Mo gestured to the chair opposite her.

Zhong Lifang sat down as instructed, opened the folder, and pulled out several key reports and data charts, laying them out in front of Shen Mo.

"I'm here to report to you on the integration and development of Inkmark Cinemas."

She spoke succinctly, pointing to the first chart.

"As of this month, the number of cinemas operated by Inkstone Cinemas has increased from 20 at the time of the initial merger to 40."

"Of the 20 new cinemas, 12 were acquired through the acquisition of high-quality individual cinemas or small-scale cinema chains in the region, while the remaining 8 were newly invested and constructed."

Shen Mo glanced at the clear growth curve and regional distribution map on the chart and nodded slightly.

"The speed isn't slow. What about the distribution?"

"Currently, there are 40 cinemas, which have basically completed the coverage of major first-tier and quasi-first-tier cities across the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou."

Zhong Lifang switches to the next map.

"The coverage rate in first-tier cities has reached 85%, and the contribution to box office revenue exceeds 70%."

"Our next strategic focus will shift to promising second- and third-tier cities."

"We have initially selected 15 target cities, and preliminary research and site selection work has begun."

She paused, then added.

"In terms of expansion strategy, we adhere to the principle of combining light and heavy assets."

"We will rapidly expand our presence in core business districts through leasing or partnerships, while considering purchasing properties in high-potential locations for long-term holding."

"At the same time, we are also upgrading the hardware facilities of our existing cinemas, focusing on promoting high-specification halls such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema to enhance the viewing experience and differentiate our competitiveness."

"Last quarter, the average occupancy rate and revenue per screen of the 10 renovated old cinemas increased by 22%."

As Shen Mo listened to the report, his fingers tapped lightly on the table as he pondered.

"How are the cash flow and team integration going?"

"In terms of funding, thanks to the support of the company headquarters and the profitability of some cinemas themselves, the pace of expansion is within a controllable range, so the cash flow is still relatively good."

"The team integration has been basically completed, and a unified management, scheduling, procurement and membership system has been established."

"The integration of Yuan Huayi and Xiaoma's teams went smoothly, and the core members have been dispersed and retained in various parts of the country."

"Well done."

Shen Mo affirmed the results brought by Zhong Lifang, and he was very satisfied with her ability and efficiency.

"As for the cinema chain, you can continue to proceed steadily according to the plan."

Just then, there was another knock on the door.

As Shen Mo called out "Come in," a short-haired woman in her thirties walked in from outside.

When she stood in front of Shen Mo, Shen Mo looked at Zhong Lifang.

"There's another thing I wanted to talk to you about today."

Zhong Lifang's expression turned solemn as he awaited instructions.

"Let me briefly introduce you. This is Wang Jing, an outstanding talent we recruited from Fiber Optics."

"Wang Jing, this is Mr. Zhong Lifang, General Manager of our Ink Trace Cinemas."

"Hello, Mr. Zhong, I'm Wang Jing."

"Hello, Miss Wang."

After exchanging greetings, the two remained silent, awaiting Shen Mo's instructions.

Shen Mo took out a brief internal memo from the drawer and pushed it in front of the two of them.

"Over the past two years, the company has acquired controlling stakes in several newly established, small animation production and special effects companies through its investment department."

"These companies each have their own strengths, but they are small in scale, have scattered resources, weak risk resistance, and lack a unified strategic direction."

He looked at the two people in front of him.

"I have decided to completely merge these companies, integrate their technology, talent and IP resources, and establish Inkwave Animation as an important part of the group's strategy in the fields of animated films, TV series and high-end film and television special effects."

"I'd like to entrust this new company to you, Wang Jing, as the general manager."

"You used to work in film art direction and also served as a producer for several years, so I think it's no problem to hand this responsibility over to you."

Wang Jing hadn't expected Shen Mo to entrust her with such a great responsibility, especially since she had only recently joined Mohen.

However, she nodded in agreement without hesitation.

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Shen. I promise I won't let you down."

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhong Lifang's eyes. This young woman beside him had actually been entrusted with such an important task.

But what was the purpose of calling me here?

Shen Mo turned to look at Zhong Lifang.

"Cube, you have some relevant experience from the integration of our Ink Trace Cinema chain."

"Therefore, regarding the merger of InkSign Animation, I hope you can assist Wang Jing in developing a specific merger plan to minimize resource consumption."

Zhong Lifang nodded and agreed.

Shen Mo looked at Wang Jing again.

"The initial framework for the merger is already in place with the legal and finance departments. What you need to lead is business integration, team cohesion, and determining the core direction for the future."

"At this stage, the merged InkSign Animation has a primary and clear task."

He leaned forward slightly and emphasized his words.

"We will provide full support to ensure the production of director Tian Xiaopeng's animated film project, 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back'."

"We discovered and invested in this film a couple of years ago."

"It is a 3D animated film that presents a fresh interpretation of Sun Wukong, a figure from traditional Chinese mythology."

"Director Tian and his team have been preparing for this for eight years, and pre-production has been underway for a year and a half."

"They didn't seek our help during the early stages of production, but now they're encountering some difficulties."

"Funding, technology, and talent—you can provide them on a priority basis within a reasonable scope, as long as the project requires them."

"Monkey King: Hero Is Back?" Wang Jing noted down the name.

"right."

Shen Mo's eyes revealed high expectations.

"I have seen some sample footage and designs, and its production quality, core story, and visual style have reached an unprecedented level in the current domestic animation industry."

He paused.

"I have high hopes for it, and it's not just a movie that might make money."

"I believe it has the potential and the qualifications to become a pioneering work in the rise of Chinese animation."

"Its success will greatly boost the confidence of the entire Chinese animation industry and will also be the most dazzling debut for our Mohen Animation."

Wang Jing was moved by the weight of Shen Mo's words. She could see how much Shen Mo valued this film, and her expression became even more solemn.

"Understood."

"I will make 'Monkey King: Hero Is Back' my top priority project after the merger with InkHen Animation, and I will personally oversee the communication with Director Tian's team. Fall in love with reading, starting now..."

"To ensure that the merged resources can efficiently support the project's post-production and future marketing phases."

"Um."

Shen Mo was satisfied with her reaction.

"Get started on the merger as soon as possible."

"Please take good care of things at the theaters, Mr. Zhong, and also keep an eye on the animation."

Zhong Lifang and Wang Jing exchanged a smile.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Shen. I will not let you down with the cinema division."

"I will also do my best to help President Wang with the integration of the animation."

Wang Jing smiled and nodded to Zhong Lifang.

"I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Zhong."

Shortly after the two left, Shen Mo went to the conference room of Mohen Capital.

Zhao Feng and Chen Jun had been waiting here for a long time. An open laptop and several beautifully bound documents occupied most of the space on the table.

Shen Mo went straight to sit down opposite them.

Zhao Feng spoke quickly and clearly, reporting on the specifics of the two Mohen funds, and then explained Mohen Asset's long-term investments.

"Regarding US stocks, our holdings in Apple, Tesla, Amazon, and Nvidia have been gradually increasing, consistently generating steady growth, with total unrealized gains exceeding $5 million."

"Tesla, in particular, has seen its stock price nearly triple since we first bought in, as Model S production ramps up and market acceptance increases."

"Regarding Alibaba, which went public in September this year, we closed out all our positions at $120 a few weeks ago, down from $85 at the time of the IPO. The profit from this swing was $54 million."

Shen Mo nodded.

"It's indeed not suitable for Alibaba to hold positions in the short term. There are too many counterfeit goods in their e-commerce sector, and they've been ordered to rectify the situation by higher authorities. This isn't something that can be resolved in the short term."

"By the time they finish their rectification, the price will have dropped by more than half. Then we can enter the market."

Zhao Feng nodded, indicating that he understood.

"In the Hong Kong stock market, our holdings in Penguin have been steadily increasing, and Penguin's stock price performance has far exceeded our expectations. At present, our holdings have reached 1.8%."

"Regarding A-shares, we have increased our holdings in companies such as Kweichow Moutai and BYD, but there has been no significant increase in returns at this stage."

Shen Mo listened, his gaze sweeping over the key data in the report, and nodded slightly.

Zhao Feng is indeed becoming more and more adept at specific operations and trend analysis.

After Zhao Feng finished sharing, Chen Jun also began his sharing.

"ByteDance's latest round of financing valuation is more than 30 times higher than when we entered in the angel round."

"Mr. Zhang asked me to send his regards and express his gratitude for the platform incentive program and overseas acquisition suggestions you sent him some time ago."

A faint smile appeared on Shen Mo's lips.

Zhang Yiming and his algorithm empire are growing at an astonishing pace, and the long-term value of this early investment and strategic partnership is immeasurable.

"Mr. Shen, there's one more thing. Xiaomi's Series E financing has officially started."

Chen Jun lowered his voice.

"Xiao Mi asked us if we wanted to invest more."

Shen Mo's gaze sharpened as he took the folder Chen Jun handed him and quickly began to peruse it.

The document clearly outlines the expected size of Xiaomi's latest round of financing, pre-investment valuation, and core terms.

The numbers are staggering; both the amount of funding and the valuation indicate that this will be one of the most eye-catching deals in the domestic venture capital market this year.

"The valuation has increased significantly since the Series D funding round."

Shen Mo quickly calculated in his mind, tapping the valuation figures with his fingertips.

"Currently, top domestic and international venture capital firms, sovereign wealth funds, and even some industrial capital are actively engaging with us."

"Based on Xiaomi's current valuation of 550 billion and a financing price of 2%, if we want to maintain our 1% share, we need to invest an additional $1100 million."

Shen Mo leaned back in his chair.

"1100 million... US dollars."

He repeated the number, his tone revealing little emotion.

Funding is not a problem.

"The value of this investment far exceeds the figures on paper."

He looked at Chen Jun and said, "Follow up on this and handle it as the highest priority."

"Understood, Mr. Shen."

Chen Jun then brought up another matter.

"In addition, I received news from Mr. Zhang of Toutiao that the first World Internet Conference will be held in Wuzhen next month. It will be a very high-level event, and founders and investors of top domestic and foreign Internet companies will be in attendance."

"Mr. Zhang would like to invite you to attend."

"Wuzhen? The Internet Conference?"

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow slightly, and a memory from his past life suddenly flashed through his mind.

Outside of the official agenda, a "legend" circulates every year after the conference in the secluded restaurants in the alleys of Wuzhen.

Ding Lei's dinner party, the Dongxing banquet...

Those leaked group photos, to some extent, better depict the power structure and interpersonal relationships on the internet than the speeches on stage.

A hint of amusement and ambition flickered across the corner of his mouth.

Now that we've been given a second chance and are in this position, why not take the initiative and leave our mark on this "dinner party scene" from the very first event?

"I will go, Mr. Zhang."

Once Shen Mo made his decision, his thoughts immediately became clear.

"Also, if you contact President Lei privately for me, he will definitely go."

"After the conference, please arrange for him to have dinner with me."

"Not just CEO Lei."

Shen Mo tapped his fingers lightly.

"Didi's CEO Cheng, Magnesium's CEO Wang, Bilibili's CEO Chen, Kiwi's CEO Gong, and Tencent Video's CEO Sun..."

"These gentlemen, please pass on a message to me privately in my own name."

He looked at Chen Jun, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

"Just say that Shen Mo thanks everyone for their trust, support, and pleasant cooperation with Mohen over the years."

"At this grand industry event, it's a rare opportunity for everyone to gather in this water town of Jiangnan. After the event, I'd like to host a small get-together for some old friends and new partners."

Chen Jun instantly understood Shen Mo's intention.

The list just now consists of Mohen's strategic partners, either through investment or cooperation.

"I'll take care of it right away."

Shen Mo continued.

"Remember to find a local private restaurant in Wuzhen that is distinctive, private enough, and has authentic cuisine, and book it all."

"The time is set for the evening after all the official agenda items of the conference have been completed."

"Keep the atmosphere relaxed, but don't lower the standards of hospitality."

"You handle the details and make sure everyone feels comfortable and respected."

"Yes, Mr. Shen."

Chen Jun closed his notebook.

"Oh, right," Shen Mo called out to him, adding a sentence with a hint of deeper meaning in his tone.

"The news about the dinner party... doesn't need to be kept secret. It can be released to the public a week before the meeting."

"If other people contact you about participating, please select them and send them to me."

Chen Jun understood immediately: "Understood."

Currently reading: Chapter 230, progress report. The latest chapters are available here.