Pirates began to dominate the Chinese entertainment industry.

Chapter 91: The Harvest is in Hand, Press Release (Day 3 of 10,000 words daily, please subscribe)

I spent a few days in Hong Kong.

The box office of "Lost in Thailand" finally reached 2.1 million yuan before the Olympics, making Tiandao Culture famous overnight.

In addition, there was news of Golden Harvest's resounding victory in the acquisition battle.

Ji Yun's name has become a legend in both mainland China and Hong Kong, spanning both finance and entertainment.

On the very night the controlling stake was secured, he was invited to a private dinner by Mr. Fok Man-hei.

A detached villa in Repulse Bay.

When Ji Yun arrived, she discovered that although it was supposed to be a private banquet, the people there were the same ones.

Xiang Hua and Chen Zi changed into formal attire, Miss Fang changed into a dark red cheongsam, Huo Wenxi sat to the right of her boss, and even Zhou Yougen reappeared.

However, the atmosphere was completely different from last time.

Last time it was a test; this time it's about building a relationship.

They sat separately around the huge dining table, exchanging glances.

"Director Ji, our company has collaborated with Golden Harvest on many films. Now that you're in charge, shouldn't we renegotiate our collaboration?" Mr. Yang raised his glass.

Ji Yun put down her chopsticks.

"Yang Sheng, it's too early to talk about cooperation now. Golden Harvest has just come under my control, and there are many things that need to be adjusted. Organizing the film library's copyrights, upgrading and renovating theaters, approving new projects... it will take at least three months. When that time comes, I will definitely talk to you first."

The words were polite, but the meaning was clear: I'm busy right now.

Mr. Yang's smile remained unchanged, his tone inquiring: "Good, I like doing business with straightforward people. By the way, Director Ji, you handled that battle with Orange Sky brilliantly. Everyone in Hong Kong's business circles is saying that your relationship with Goldman Sachs is quite special?"

"Goldman Sachs is just willing to lend me money."

Ji Yun picked up her teacup. "Business is business, and personal relationships are personal relationships. Yang Sheng thinks so highly of me, isn't it because I have real money in my hands?"

Mr. Yang was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter: "That's true. Just the fact that you were able to rise during the financial crisis tells me you're no ordinary person."

To be honest, in Hong Kong's film industry, connections are paramount. The people here tonight are among the most influential in the Hong Kong film circle. We'll be exchanging information and resources.

"Then thank you very much, Yang Sheng."

Ji Yun raised her cup, first toasting him, then looked around and drank the wine in her cup in one gulp.

Everyone smiled kindly and returned the courtesy to this young man of his nephew's generation.

The snobbery in Hong Kong's entertainment circle is even more blatant than in the mainland entertainment industry.

The dinner party drew to a close amidst polite exchanges of business cards.

Huo Wenxi made an excuse to answer a phone call, and when she returned, she told her boss, "Boss, Director Ji is taking a flight in a few days, I'll go see him off."

Mr. Yang glanced at her, then at Ji Yun, and smiled meaningfully: "Of course, of course."

Director Ji, don't let Miss Mani's kindness go to waste.

-

As I stepped out of the villa, the sea breeze greeted me.

"Let's go, I'll see you off," Huo Wenxi said with a smile.

She wasn't wearing a suit today; instead, she wore a black halter-neck dress and her hair was casually draped over her shoulders.

She took off her coat and hung it on her forearm, and the two walked side by side on the Repulse Bay boardwalk.

The driver followed them slowly in a white van.

"Have you thought it through?" Ji Yun asked.

"Mr. Zou contacted me last night."

Huo Wenxi didn't answer directly; the sea breeze made her voice broken. "Golden Harvest's film library restoration project has just started and needs resource support from mainland cinemas. Of course, what he actually said was that the guy surnamed Ji doesn't even have a secretary in Hong Kong; this young man is sitting alone on this old relic, so someone has to speak up for him..."

'

Ji Yun hesitated for a moment, then asked, "So you agreed?"

'

"...Yes." Huo Wenxi stopped and looked up at him, readily admitting, "I've thought about it for many days, and today I'm speaking up in front of Yang Sheng, which is also a way of telling him."

"Aren't you going to do it here anymore?"

"Is your company that big?" she asked with a smile. "I've been bothered by those photos from earlier this year for so long, so I'm going to the mainland to relax. Maybe I'll come back sometime."

Huo Wenxi smoothed her hair, which had been ruffled by the sea breeze, and relaxed her posture. "The boss gave me a chance back then, so naturally I can't just leave without a word. It just so happens that Yinghuang is also expanding into the mainland, so I'll go there first and see if he'll agree."

The sea breeze tousled her long hair, the ends lifting to reveal her snow-white shoulders and collarbone.

She extended her hand: "Please take care of me in the future, new boss."

Ji Yun smiled and shook hands: "Welcome to Tiandao Culture."

The news of Golden Harvest's acquisition has finally been officially announced to all Hong Kong media.

At the press conference, Zou Wenhuai, Li Ying, Huo Wenxi, Xiang Hua and others were all present.

Ji Yun sat in the middle seat, with Li Ying and Zou Wenhuai on her left and right.

Behind them, a huge LED screen displayed the classic Golden Harvest logo: four gold bricks stacked together on a red background, a golden signboard that has stood for half a century.

"Mr. Ji, what was the total cost of your acquisition of Golden Harvest?"

"Mr. Ji, there are rumors that you have other capital backing you, and Goldman Sachs is just one of them. Is that true?"

"Mr. Ji, you're only 18 years old. How did you manage to buy a listed company, make movies, and invest in US stocks all at the same time?"

Ji Yun pressed his hands down, and the entire room fell silent.

"First of all, my birthday is August 10th, so I'm 19 now."

"The first question: The total cost of the acquisition was approximately HK$3.5 million, funded by commercial loans from Goldman Sachs and Tiandao Culture's own funds."

The second question: Tiandao Culture is a wholly-owned subsidiary of myself, with no external capital involvement.

"Mr. Ji!" A bespectacled financial reporter suddenly raised his hand, stood up and interrupted him, "You said the funds came from Goldman Sachs loans, does that mean you personally have a huge debt?"

"If the cinema chain faces cash flow problems during renovations, will you follow in the footsteps of Orange Sky Wukebo?"

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

This is a very sharp question.

Ji Yun smiled. Actually, someone had already asked this question.

Last night, in the living room of a suite at the Peninsula Hotel.

Li Ying, dressed in a gray suit dress, turned the tablet over so he could see Goldman Sachs' internal investment ratings.

In the risk level column, it is clearly written in large red letters: High Risk.

"See that?" She pointed at the screen, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Goldman Sachs has rated your investment as high-risk."

Li Ying closed her laptop, crossed her legs, revealing a section of her shapely calves.

Ji Yun remained calm and smiled, "Then why did Goldman Sachs still lend me the money?"

"Because Golden Harvest is still worth 3 million now." She blinked. "As for the future... didn't I say that I invest based on the people?"

Li Ying didn't say anything more, but looked up at him with expectation in her eyes.

Looking into her eyes, Ji Yun recalled the kiss they had secretly shared in the suite after winning the acquisition battle.

Ji Yun snapped out of her daze, facing the cameras and recorders all around, leaned forward slightly, and spoke calmly as if stating a fact: "It's true that two-thirds of the funds I used to acquire Golden Harvest came from Goldman Sachs' commercial loans. They were willing to lend me money not only because they valued my successful precedent, but also because of Golden Harvest's growth potential after the reforms, and the rise of the entire domestic film and television industry."

He paused, unscrewed the water bottle in front of him, took a sip, and then changed the subject, "As for following in Wu Kebo's footsteps, you overestimate him. He failed not because he borrowed money from others, but because he didn't understand investment or content creation."

"Golden Harvest's film library contains more than 400 classic Hong Kong films. Who among you here hasn't seen them? Yet their copyrights are now almost undervalued by the market."

These are the core barriers that money can't buy in the future era of online streaming.

"As for the money needed for the renovation of the cinemas... Golden Harvest's 49 cinemas in Asia are all located in prime business districts. In my eyes, they are not outdated burdens, but untapped gold mines. I see the value of those properties very clearly."

"In addition, I will personally invest HK$5000 million in Golden Harvest, and filming will resume within six months."

The entire room fell silent for a moment.

The first applause seemed to come from somewhere, followed by a second and a third, flooding the entire press conference hall like a tidal wave.

On the balcony of a detached villa in Kowloon.

Zou Wenhuai leaned back in a rattan recliner, with the day's evening newspaper spread out on his lap.

The front-page headline reads: "Mainland boy takes over Golden Harvest, Hong Kong film giant welcomes second-generation leader."

The accompanying photo shows Ji Yun speaking at a press conference. He is sitting in the center of the stage, next to himself, with the BRICS logo of Golden Harvest behind him.

Zou Wenhuai stroked the logo with his fingers and looked at it for a long time.

He exhaled, folded the newspaper and put it in the drawer, stood up from the deck chair, walked to the balcony, and looked at the sea in the distance.

At the moment he sold his shares, he thought that the name Golden Harvest would soon be forgotten.

But that kid surnamed Ji actually flew over empty-handed and walked into his tea room empty-handed.

With just a few words, he spurred Goldman Sachs to resume lending, revitalized the stagnant waters of Hong Kong, and transformed his old, worn-out cotton-padded jacket into a gleaming golden garment.

Zou Wenhuai leaned against the railing and suddenly smiled.

He murmured to the sea breeze, "If I succeed in one project, I can close my eyes in peace."

Los Angeles, USA.

Liu Yifei put down her phone, her delicate face still glistening with water droplets from her shower.

The morning sun in Los Angeles shimmered with tiny golden rays.

She casually wiped her face with a bath towel, turned around and called out to the living room, "Mommy, I have to go out for a bit. Ji Yun asked me to help him register two scripts in Hollywood."

Liu Xiaoli was sitting on the sofa flipping through "Hollywood Professional Agents" when she heard this. She looked up, her brows furrowing slightly. "What's he up to now? Is he trying to make movies in Hollywood?"

"He's a director with 200 million box office earnings now."

Liu Yifei walked barefoot across the white plush carpet, picked up her laptop and placed it on the sofa. She opened the emails sent by Ji Yun, which contained two files: one titled "The Hangover" and the other "Inception."

Liu Xiaoli came over to take a look, but after looking at it for a long time, she found one too brain-teasing and the other too American, and she couldn't understand either.

But her instincts told her that this kid surnamed Ji was up to something again.

It was the same when I was making a movie, and it was the same when I was trading stocks.

"I've arranged for a dialogue coach for you; he'll be here soon. And you have an agent in Hollywood now, why don't you ask him first?"

Liu Xiaoli spoke of it casually.

Liu Yifei suddenly realized what was happening and dialed her agent's number.

The man across from her, named Tom, spoke very enthusiastically. After all, Liu Yifei was now the first Chinese actress signed by William Morris Agency. Although she hadn't received any serious film contracts yet, her reputation preceded her, and the company's executives still had high hopes for her.

However, when Liu Yifei said, "A friend of mine wants to register two scripts," the enthusiasm on the other end of the phone seemed to have been turned off, instantly turning into a perfunctory, businesslike response.

"What kind of friend? A screenwriter? Does he/she have an agent? Has he/she worked in Hollywood?"

Liu Yifei paused for a moment: "He is a director from our country, and his debut film grossed 200 million yuan at the box office in mainland China."

O

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Tom's voice carried a subtle tone, polite yet nonchalant as he said, "Oh, two hundred million."

He paused deliberately, as if waiting for Liu Yifei to understand his meaning.

"Renminbi," Liu Yifei added.

"Heh, RMB." This time, the other party didn't even bother to hide it, his voice carrying a hint of "I knew it" laughter.

Liu Yifei tightened her grip on her phone.

She heard Tom flipping through papers on the other end of the phone, his voice ethereal: "Crystal, do you know how much our company's smallest project last year grossed worldwide? One hundred and twenty million US dollars."

Liu Yifei pursed her lips, looking somewhat aggrieved.

His tone wasn't particularly harsh, but his flippant manner was more infuriating than harshness itself.

"A project with a budget of 20 million US dollars wouldn't even qualify as an independent production in Hollywood."

If your friend is truly talented, let him take on a low-budget film in the US first to test the waters. Once he's built up a reputation, then we can discuss scripts.

"He wrote this script." Liu Yifei interrupted him, her voice calm, but her cheeks were already slightly puffed out.

There was another two seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Tom said in a helpless tone, as if to say, "I've already given you a lot of face," "Crystal, you're not a full-time screenwriter, and this isn't your project. I suggest you focus your energy on the audition on Monday. Also, I finally managed to get in touch with Natalie Portman's agent. Building a good relationship with her will really help your career." Liu Yifei hung up the phone.

She tossed her phone onto the sofa, hugged a cushion, and pouted so hard you could hang an oil bottle on your lips.

Liu Xiaoli put down her book and remained silent for a while before speaking, her tone casual: "Don't blame him for being snobbish. The situation in our country is what it is; he can't do anything about it if he doesn't want to. You haven't even established yourself in Hollywood yet, so you can't endorse your friends. In the end, you need to make yourself stronger before you can help him. And if you want to make it here, you have to endure these hardships."

These words are both rational and cruel.

Liu Yifei pursed her lips and remained silent.

Although I understand this principle, I just can't get over the anger in my heart.

She had originally planned to ask her agent to help push her, but even her own agent couldn't get through to her.

If Ji Yun were to call and ask about the situation at this moment, what would she say?

He said, "I'm sorry, my agent thinks we're both too incompetent. Should I spend some money and find someone else?"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She buried her face in the pillow and let out a muffled wail.

Just then, her laptop beeped with a news notification from Shu Chang.

Liu Yifei did not look up.

Liu Xiaoli glanced at the screen subconsciously, but her gaze froze.

After about three seconds, she reached out and poked her daughter's arm.

"Sissi".

"Um."

"Take a look at this."

Liu Yifei raised her head and glanced at the screen with a still indignant expression.

Then it was as if she had been put on pause; she became completely still.

There is a photograph on the screen.

In the photo, Ji Yun is wearing a dark gray suit and sitting in the center of the stage at the Peninsula Hotel press conference, with the Golden Harvest logo with a red background and gold bricks behind her.

The title consists of only one line: "Mainland China's New Generation Investors Make a Flash Attack on Golden Harvest - The Director of 'Lost in Thailand' Plans to Acquire a Hong Kong Film Giant."

Liu Yifei's mouth was agape in an "O" shape, and she felt dizzy.

He snatched the computer and frantically swiped his fingers down the touchpad.

She first saw the words: "Young mainland director, director with 200 million yuan in revenue, taking over, personally controlling, the most legendary film and television company in the Eastern Hollywood, the youngest chairman of a listed company in history..."

I also saw that Ji Yun's original words at the press conference were quoted by the media: "I will personally inject HK$5000 million into Golden Harvest, and filming can be restarted within six months."

Then came Chow Man-wai—a Hong Kong film godfather whose name even her mother had heard of—looking at Ji Yun on stage as if she were looking at an heir.

She stared at the photo for a long time, then suddenly burst out laughing, her eyes crinkling like a cat that had stolen a fish.

"Mommy, what did you say before?" She turned to look at Liu Xiaoli, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

Liu Xiaoli's expression was quite interesting. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but then felt that nothing she said would be quite right.

Finally, he managed to squeeze out only one sentence: "This Ji Yun is really..."

"

"What really is it?" Liu Yifei tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Tell me, didn't you say he didn't have much of a career? Didn't you say he wasn't good enough for you?"

"Alright." Liu Xiaoli turned her head away, pretending to tidy up the magazines on the coffee table.

She was speechless after being rebuked, her mind still in turmoil.

Who would have thought that just six months ago, that kid was a pirate on the verge of bankruptcy, and he could only meet them because of Tangren's name.

But in just six months, he became a billionaire again, and a director with a net worth of 200 million...

Now, even the prestigious Golden Harvest, a core member of the Hong Kong entertainment circle in everyone's mind, has been bought by this young director.

Who in her generation didn't watch "Fist of Fury" in a video rental store? Who doesn't know the significance of that golden logo?

Can men really rise to prominence so quickly? Can they grow into towering giants, figures revered by the entertainment industries of Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, all within just six months...?

The phone screen lit up.

Tom's text message popped up, in that friendly tone that said, "I'm not embarrassed at all": "Crystal, we can talk about that script again. I'd be happy to help with your friend's work, of course. Also, could you help me arrange a phone call with him? I can be his personal agent."

"He must have done his research!"

Liu Yifei chuckled and turned her phone screen to show Liu Xiaoli.

Liu Xiaoli looked at the text message and even smiled mischievously. She then reached for her phone and dialed back herself.

The call was connected.

Tom's voice was so warm it was like he was a completely different person: "Crystal! That's great, you called back! I was just... Mr. Tom, hello, I'm Crystal's mother."

Liu Xiaoli's voice was gentle yet powerful: "My daughter asked me to tell you something."

She paused for a moment, glanced at Liu Yifei who was curled up on the sofa, covering her mouth and laughing uncontrollably, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

"You don't need to worry about those two scripts. We'll handle it ourselves with a lawyer."

She hung up the foreigner's call with a cheerful expression, gently placed the phone on the coffee table, and turned to ask her daughter, "Sissi, is your junior high classmate who's interning at a law firm in Los Angeles?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Liu Yifei nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"Call her. It's such a small thing, we don't need to ask foreigners for help."

After saying that, she glanced at Liu Yifei and blurted out for no reason, "Your Ji Yun is really something."

Liu Yifei was just smiling, and subconsciously wanted to nod, but suddenly alarm bells went off in her mind: something's wrong, this is a trap.

...What do you mean by "that"?!

Although Liu Yifei's face flushed slightly, she still vehemently denied it.

She snorted, avoided her mother's teasing gaze, climbed to the window, and seemed to glow in the sunlight.

Liu Yifei picked up her phone and sent a message to Ji Yun: "Director Ji, the script will be finished soon! Also, my mom said you have something."

After sending it, she felt it wasn't enough, so she added another message: "Very big!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world...

Hong Kong Island.

Ji Yun was bombarded by Hong Kong media and constantly approached by Hong Kong celebrities, which was quite boring, so she simply fled back to her hotel.

He had just sat down in the suite, turned on his computer, and picked up his phone to prepare for work in mainland China when he came across Liu Yifei's message. He paused for a moment when he saw "My mom said you have something," and then saw the last "very big" addition.

I almost spat my tea all over the monitor.

He stared at the screen for three seconds, figured out the reason, and smiled as he placed his phone face down on the table.

It's surprising that such a proud woman like Liu Xiaoli would say something like that.