A song from Chengdu revived a closed-down pub.

After hanging up the phone, Su Fan sent the framework of the two plans to Sun Zheng's email address.

Sun Zheng did not rush to make a decision.

The first plan is very simple.

All parties hold shares in accordance with the agreement, with clear rights and responsibilities, and the benefits are also readily apparent.

If the project succeeds, his 25% stake will bring him a very substantial return.

In contrast, the second employee stock ownership plan is much more complicated.

Not only should an employee stock ownership platform be established, but also an internal share allocation, performance evaluation, and repurchase mechanism should be set up.

How to assess contributions, how to protect the interests of the core team, and how to prevent excessive decentralization of management authority—rules need to be established in advance for each of these aspects.

Sun Zheng didn't have any free time after that.

He consulted several professionals familiar with corporate governance and, through his connections in the entertainment industry, inquired in detail.

Only after making inquiries did he realize that this was the equity structure used internally by NetEase Cloud Music.

The company's management rights were not dispersed, but truly capable employees were able to share in the benefits of the company's development through an internal shareholding platform.

This is one of the key reasons why NetEase Cloud Music has been able to attract a large number of technical and content talents in a short period of time.

NetEase Cloud Music's current growth momentum is truly astonishing.

Not only has the user base grown rapidly, but the platform's content ecosystem has also become increasingly complete.

Many people who were previously overlooked in other companies quickly gained recognition for their abilities after joining NetEase Cloud Music.

The enthusiasm that comes from someone working for a company is completely different from that of someone striving for their own career.

The more Sun Zheng studied it, the more feasible he felt the plan was.

It wasn't that his awareness suddenly increased, nor that he was willing to share his benefits with others for no reason.

It's because he understands very well that what the animation industry truly lacks has never been a few offices and a few pieces of equipment, but rather outstanding talent.

Director, screenwriter, key animator, animator, special effects artist...

Any crucial step can potentially determine the final quality of a work.

You might be able to hire people based on salaries alone, but you might not be able to retain truly capable people.

However, if they become part of the company's interests, the situation is completely different.

Moreover, his decision to cooperate with Su Fan this time was not just to make a quick buck.

If he only wanted to make money, he could have used the cash he got after leaving Beifeng Entertainment to invest in a few more secure projects. There was no need for him to plunge headlong into the high-risk animation industry.

After figuring this out, Sun Zheng finally made up his mind.

He sent a message to Su Fan.

"The second option is to follow the employee stock ownership plan."

Su Fan only replied with two words.

"OK."

After the equity direction was determined, Sun Zheng quickly convened an internal meeting with the core members of Shan Hai Pictures.

The meeting was held in the small conference room of Shan Hai Film Studio.

Everyone in the company was present.

Before the meeting began, Sun Zheng did not reveal much, only telling everyone that a new shareholder would be attending the meeting via video.

No one paid much attention to this.

Shanhai Pictures has just completed the acquisition and will undergo restructuring next.

It's not surprising that more investors are coming in at this time.

The conference room fell silent the moment the screen at the front lit up and Su Fan appeared on the screen.

Everyone stared blankly at the screen, unable to react for a moment.

Several seconds later, the production director subconsciously turned his head to look at Sun Zheng.

That look seemed to ask:

What's going on?

Wasn't it said that we were supposed to meet the company's new shareholders today?

How did Su Fan get out?

Sun Zheng was clearly satisfied with everyone's reaction. He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then introduced, "Su Fan is the new shareholder of Shan Hai Pictures and the company's most important partner going forward."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the conference room.

"Is Su Fan really a shareholder of our company?"

"Mr. Sun, why didn't you mention this at all before?"

"I thought we were just having a regular meeting!"

……

Everyone started talking at once, and the surprise on their faces quickly turned into barely concealed excitement.

They were excited, primarily because the person sitting on the other side of the screen was Su Fan.

Su Fan's fame in the entertainment industry today is vastly different from what it used to be.

Every time he makes a move, he produces unexpected results.

More importantly, he not only owns Han Tang Entertainment, but also internet platforms like Dianping.

They have almost everything: funding, publicity, distribution channels, and business resources.

For a small animation company that has long relied on outsourcing to barely stay afloat, the help that such a shareholder can provide goes far beyond just an investment.

Some people have already secretly taken out their phones, trying to take a picture of the scene on the screen.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Su Fan smiled and reminded them, "Taking photos is fine, but today's meeting involves the company's next steps, so please don't post it online for now. Shan Hai Pictures hasn't released any works yet, so there's no need to rely on shareholders' names to generate buzz."

The person holding the phone awkwardly lowered their hand.

However, everyone looked at Su Fan with a more serious expression.

If Su Fan only wanted to use his fame to inflate the company's valuation, he could have publicly announced the investment in Shan Hai Pictures in a grand manner.

But he didn't do that.

This shows that he was truly prepared to take action first.

Once everyone had calmed down, Sun Zhengcai gave a general overview of the employee stock ownership plan.

After finishing speaking, he placed the documents in his hand on the table and looked around: "I called everyone here today for two reasons: first, to announce the company's upcoming equity arrangements, and second, to discuss the future development of Shan Hai Pictures. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in person."

After he finished speaking, the conference room fell silent for a moment.

The group looked at each other, and finally Cheng Yu, the original founder of Shan Hai Pictures, spoke first.

"President Su, President Sun, I'd like to clarify first, what will happen to the 20% of shares we originally retained after the restructuring?"

Su Fan explained, "Your original shares will not be directly cancelled. Instead, a professional institution will assess the value of the company's existing assets, liabilities, and team, and then convert them into initial equity after the restructuring based on the assessment results. What belongs to you will still belong to you. In addition, you can continue to obtain new internal shares through the employee stock ownership platform based on subsequent projects and actual contributions."

Cheng Yu continued, "If the company raises funds in the future, will our equity be continuously diluted? In the end, will the original team lose its voice?"

"Normal financing cannot be completely without dilution, but the employee stock ownership platform will reserve shares in advance and set up corresponding protection clauses. No matter how much capital is introduced in the future, the core team cannot be arbitrarily removed, and the rules cannot be temporarily modified to erase the interests of the original members. However, protection does not mean that the shares will remain unchanged forever. If someone occupies a position but does not participate in company affairs for a long time and does not make new contributions, the company will also gradually repurchase his internal shares in accordance with the agreement."