Huayu: You were supposed to be a top star, but you've become capital?

Lin Shen couldn't help but smile when he heard the name LeEco.

Some time ago, Gan Wei even sent a message to him through Yang Mi of the Teddy Sisters group, asking if he was interested in investing in LeEco, but Lin Shen declined at the time.

Hearing Jia Shikai so seriously juxtapose it with penguins and kiwis, he almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Yes, and LeEco too." Lin Shen suppressed a laugh and continued, "Once these platforms control the broadcasting channels, who will hold the initiative?"

Jia Shikai fell silent. Having worked in this industry for so many years, he knew all too well the weight of the word "channel".

"...The initiative was completely handed over, and our companies became appendages of the platform."

Lin Shen snapped his fingers: "That's right."

Jia Shikai's expression changed, and Lin Shen smiled at him: "The era of platform dominance is coming."

The office fell silent for a moment. Jia Shikai picked up his teacup, but his hand trembled slightly, so he put it down again.

"You mean... from now on, all our companies will have to cater to the platform's wishes?"

"right."

"That……"

"That may not be a bad thing. The initiative has been handed over, but the platform needs content, and we can create content, so it's still a business transaction."

Previously, we sought investors; now we seek platforms. But it doesn't matter who we seek from, the key is that you can't rely on just one.

Jia Shikai thought for a moment and asked, "So you mean we should bet on the platform right now?"

"It's not a bet," Lin Shen corrected him.

"It's about cooperation. Maintain good relationships, stay in touch, and get to know each other better. But don't expect taking sides to solve problems. Today you're on the Beijing side, tomorrow on the Shanghai side, and the day after, when the platform is up and running, which side will you be on?"

Jia Shikai nodded, then asked, "What about Feng Kuzi's side...?"

"Ignore him," Lin Shen said casually.

"Let him insult me ​​if he wants, let him make insinuations if he wants, I won't take the bait. It's like he's punching cotton. When the platform era truly arrives, who will remember his cliques and backgrounds?"

Jia Shikai looked at him and suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

He watched Lin Shen grow up to where he is today in just over two years, from a newcomer to someone he can now sit down with and talk to about industry trends and the future.

The key point is that what Lin Shen said actually made perfect sense to him.

Jia Shikai leaned back in his chair, digesting the information for a while before letting out a long sigh:

"Damn, now that you mention it, I feel a chill down my spine."

Lin Shen smiled: "Don't worry too much, they need time, things won't change in a year or two. Besides, our relationship with the platform is pretty good."

"That's true." Jia Shikai nodded. "Kiwifruit thinks highly of you."

He suddenly realized something and looked at Lin Shen: "You said you had something to tell me this afternoon, is this it?"

"No," Lin Shen shook his head, "I've already chosen my third script."

Jia Shikai's eyes lit up: "Oh? It's settled? Nirvana in Fire?"

"No, but it's also a Noon Sunshine drama," Lin Shen said. "You can talk to them about it and see if you can choose another one of their dramas for next year."

Jia Shikai was taken aback: "An imposter?"

"Um."

Jia Shikai frowned: "What are you thinking? I've read the script for 'Nirvana in Fire,' and the story of the Ming family is indeed good, but 'Nirvana in Fire' is clearly a male-centric story, which would be a bigger boost for you, right?"

Lin Shen's lips twitched: "I get a headache just looking at the script for 'Nirvana in Fire'."

"Headache?" Jia Shikai asked, puzzled. "How does it hurt?"

Lin Shen fell silent, then sighed.

"Old Jia, have you read the complete script?"

"I watched the first few episodes, and then flipped through the rest."

Lin Shen looked at him, her expression somewhat complicated: "Have you noticed a problem?"

"What's the problem?"

"A small border country with 70,000 elite cavalry," Lin Shen said, enunciating each word clearly.

Jia Shikai nodded: "Yes, what's wrong?"

Lin Shen continued, "Then the old emperor killed all 70,000 elite troops."

"……Um."

"Kill them all."

Jia Shikai blinked, not seeing anything wrong with it: "And then?"

Lin Shen looked at him and suddenly didn't want to explain anymore.

"Then the old emperor, with his throne firmly secured, even sent an unfavored prince to the army." He paused. "Do you know the name of that unfavored prince?"

"Prince Jing."

"What is Prince Jing doing in the army?"

"...Leading troops?"

"Yes, leading troops." Lin Shen nodded. "Do you know how many soldiers were left after those 70,000 elite cavalrymen of the small border country were wiped out?"

Jia Shikai was stunned.

Lin Shen answered for him: "I don't know, but it won't affect Prince Jing's ability to lead troops, nor will it affect his later struggle for the throne, nor will it affect his becoming emperor. The killing of 70,000 elite cavalry is just that—killing. It won't affect anything afterward."

Jia Shikai opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

Lin Shen continued, "Prince Yu, a mere prince, can rebel whenever he wants, and mobilize troops as if they were his own security guards. In the court, the Crown Prince and Prince Yu were fighting like that, and the old emperor just watched from the sidelines like it was a play."

"Well... it's about dramatic conflict..."

"I know," Lin Shen nodded. "I understand, but the question is—who will I play?"

Jia Shikai was taken aback.

"I play Mei Changsu," Lin Shen said, "a character who is sick from beginning to end, coughs up blood frequently, and whose lines are full of political intrigue and scheming. I can understand why the audience likes him, but as an actor..."

"I have to admit, this role is giving me a bit of a headache."

Jia Shikai thought for a moment, then tried to offer a consolation: "Perhaps the historical context was different?"

Lin Shen waved his hand: "I thought so at first, but I felt relieved after reading the original work."

"Have you let it go?"

"Yes, it's a female-oriented novel." Lin Shen nodded. "That's not surprising."

Jia Shikai didn't understand: "What do you mean?"

Lin Shen explained: "It's a female-oriented novel. There are 100,000 mercenaries who don't get involved in politics. No matter how powerful the forces are, they're just background figures. The focus is on romance."

In male-oriented fiction, there's a harem of three thousand women, but no explicit content; the women are just embellishments, the focus is on leveling up and defeating monsters. Can these things be compared?

Jia Shikai paused for a moment, then laughed.

"Your mouth..."

"To be honest," Lin Shen shrugged, "I'm not against female-oriented dramas, but if I were to act in one, I'd need to figure out the logic before I could get into character. I can't quite grasp the logic of this script right now, so forget it."

Jia Shikai was taken aback by his words, and after a long while, he asked, "Then... what about 'The Disguiser'?"

"I've watched 'The Disguiser.' It's fast-paced, the characters are well-developed, and the character Mingtai has depth," Lin Shen said.

"Besides, the quality of Noon Sunshine's productions is guaranteed. Could you help me talk to them and see if we can finalize the deal?"

Jia Shikai nodded and didn't try to persuade him further: "Alright, an imposter it is. I'll go talk to him."

He paused, then asked, "With this one, are the three male leads I promised Huanrui complete?"

"Mm." Lin Shen nodded, visibly relieved. "Once this contract is signed, I'll officially be a free agent again."

Jia Shikai certainly understood what he meant.

The condition for leaving Huanrui was that Lin Shen had to star in three dramas as the male lead, with the prize money split 6/4, Lin Shen taking 6 and Le Kai taking 4.

Given Lin Shen's current salary, it would be a lie to say he wouldn't feel bad about giving away 40% of it.

Although part of the money went to Lucky Film, Huanrui also took a cut in real money.

"Alright, I got it," Jia Shikai said. "So what are your plans now? Set up a studio affiliated with Lucky Film, or...?"