Lin Zhao followed Chen Qing through the sprawling construction site, which stretched over two kilometers from east to west. The area was filled with the noise of demolition and leveling, and dust filled the air. After walking for what felt like an eternity, Lin Zhao felt as though her heels had lost all sensation. She often had to pretend to shield her chest from the dust, which only added to her exhaustion. By the time they returned to the car an hour later, she felt as though her soul had left her body.
Having grown up in the city, Lin Zhao had always been well cared for, if not outright pampered. She had never experienced such hardship before.
Looking at Chen Qing, who, despite being slightly dusty, still radiated energy, Lin Zhao couldn't help but admit, albeit reluctantly, that this woman was far more capable than she was.
After waving goodbye to the construction site manager, Mr. Liang, through the car window, Chen Qing turned to the disheveled Lin Zhao beside her and teased, "Your stamina is so poor, it's a disgrace to the name 'Zhao,' which means 'the sun and moon shining together.' You might as well call yourself Lin Daiyu."
Lin Zhao was speechless.
She even felt a lump in her throat, a mix of grievance and self-pity, realizing how inadequate she was.
Chen Qing, of course, didn't mention that she had been the women's 5,000-meter running champion every year during university. It wasn't that Lin Zhao was weak; it was just that Chen Qing was exceptionally fit. Glancing at her watch, Chen Qing instructed the driver to speed up.
It was already past 11:30 AM.
They had a lunch appointment and needed to return home to shower and change. While being a little late wasn't a big deal, they couldn't afford to be too late.
Chen Qing then turned to the silent Lin Zhao. "Now that you've seen the construction site with me, what are your thoughts?"
Lin Zhao hesitated, unsure of what to say.
At first, she had tried to pay attention to Chen Qing's conversation with Mr. Liang, but as time went on, her focus had shifted entirely to the pain in her feet.
When no response came, Chen Qing continued, "If we're just talking about returns, this isn't the best investment. The total investment of 2 billion yuan is even higher than the deal I discussed with Mr. Wang this morning, and the potential for appreciation is lower. However, the key lies in the land itself. Even though it's not as close to Xiangshan as originally planned, it's still nearby. As for Xiangshan... well, it's pointless to explain too much to you now. You'll understand in time, provided you can get closer to our boss."
Lin Zhao remained silent but quietly committed Chen Qing's words to memory.
Chen Qing went on, "And then there's Mr. Liang. He's also worth mentioning. He's the project manager for another large villa project we acquired in Changping, covering 800 acres. That project started in 1992, and several previous owners tried to cut corners, but Mr. Liang, the contractor, was the only one who actually got things done. He built over a hundred villas, advancing more than 200 million yuan out of his own pocket. Last year, when we took over this nearly failed project, our boss personally instructed that all other creditors' debts be minimized, but Mr. Liang was paid in full—238 million yuan—and was given the even larger 2,500-acre project near Xiangshan. So, Sister Daiyu, what are your thoughts now?"
Lin Zhao shot Chen Qing a weak glare, expressing her displeasure at being called "Sister Daiyu." However, after a moment's hesitation, she finally spoke. "Your boss values people who work diligently."
"Who doesn't like such people?" Chen Qing chuckled. "Mr. Liang had the best outcome in that project, but it could have been even better."
Lin Zhao was puzzled.
Chen Qing explained, "As the largest creditor, he actually had the opportunity to take ownership of the project before we did. With everyone else neglecting their responsibilities, even the municipal government would have supported handing the project over to him to prevent it from becoming an abandoned project. If things had gone that way, he would have transitioned from being a construction company owner to a real estate developer, directly entering Beijing's real estate circle. As for the 800-acre villa project, the land value alone has tripled over the years, now worth over 600 million yuan. With the capital region starting to restrict approvals for villa land, villa prices in Beijing are bound to rise rapidly. Once the project is completed, he could have made even more, potentially becoming one of the country's top tycoons. Now, what are your thoughts?"
Lin Zhao was once again speechless.
This time, she understood.
Choices matter.
The difference between a contractor and a real estate developer can sometimes come down to a single decision. Miss that opportunity, and it might be gone forever.
Lin Zhao also realized that Chen Qing was hinting that she, too, was facing one of the most important choices of her life.
Returning to the city, Chen Qing took Lin Zhao to a large mansion in the Nanluoguxiang area. After a quick shower and change of clothes, they set off again, heading east to a restaurant outside Dongzhimen.
Lin Zhao, now wearing a long dress at Chen Qing's request, felt somewhat numb.
In just half a day, how many houses and outfits had they gone through?
As they got out of the car in front of the restaurant, Lin Zhao glanced up at the sign: "Meizhou Dongpo Restaurant." An interesting name, clearly indicating a Sichuan cuisine establishment.
Noticing Lin Zhao's gaze, Chen Qing smiled as they entered. "The name is nice, but the restaurant's background is even more interesting. You'll learn about it in time. For example, the calligraphy on the plaque you just saw has quite a history."
Lin Zhao remained numb.
As soon as they entered the restaurant, Feng Kuazi, who had apparently been waiting in the lobby, rushed over with an awkward, buck-toothed smile. "Ah, Director Chen, we were starting to think you weren't coming! Please, come in. Oh, and who is this?"
After greeting Chen Qing, Feng Kuazi seemed to notice Lin Zhao for the first time. His eyes briefly lingered on her chest before quickly looking away.
"I did say I might be late," Chen Qing replied, then gestured to Lin Zhao. "This is Lin Daiyu. You can call her Daiyu."
Feng Kuazi clearly misheard and, pretending to be curious, glanced at Lin Zhao again. "Lin Daiyu?"
Lin Zhao instinctively disliked the man and simply walked on the other side of Chen Qing, remaining silent.
Chen Qing laughed. "Anyway, treat her like a princess. I'm just the maid here."
Under normal circumstances, Feng Kuazi would have found a way to flatter Chen Qing, but sensing the unusual dynamic, he decided not to overstep. He instructed a waiter to arrange seats for Chen Qing's two attendants, and the three of them soon entered a private dining room.
As Chen Qing entered, a group of men and women—about a dozen in total—rose from their seats around a large round table. Despite the casual banter, their tones and expressions carried a clear sense of respect. No one dared to suggest a penalty drink for being late. The table was set with tea and snacks, but no dishes had been served yet.
It was already 12:30 PM, meaning this group had been waiting for at least half an hour.
After some small talk, Feng Kuazi instructed the waiters to start serving the dishes.
As the conversation flowed, the group's attention inevitably turned to Lin Zhao.
So tall, so... well-endowed.
Well, it was hard not to notice.
Chen Qing finally offered a proper introduction. "This is Lin Zhao. The 'Lin' is the same as in Lin Xiangru, and the 'Zhao' is the same as in Wu Zhao."
Everyone knew Lin Xiangru—the man who carried thorns to apologize—but Wu Zhao required some prompting before a few guests realized it referred to Wu Zetian, also known as Empress Wu.
Wow!
The name was so grand that no ordinary family would dare to give it to their child. Moreover, the girl's stature and demeanor suggested she wasn't from an ordinary background.
It was better to err on the side of respect.
Lin Zhao simply nodded slightly at the group, appearing somewhat shy, which others interpreted as aloofness.
That was understandable.
As Lin Zhao sat down with Chen Qing, she glanced around and immediately recognized several faces she had only seen on TV or in movies. For example, the male lead from the recently popular drama Kangxi Incognito Travel, his wife, who played the fiery Wang Xifeng in Dream of the Red Chamber, and Ge You, who had won the Best Actor award at Cannes for To Live. There was also a man who had starred in The Last Emperor a few years ago. She couldn't remember his name, but he seemed refined and scholarly, probably surnamed Chen.
The others she didn't recognize were likely also from the film and television industry.
While Chen Qing knew most of the people in the room, there were a few unfamiliar faces.
Feng Kuazi took the initiative to make introductions, and the group soon engaged in lively conversation. Lin Zhao listened attentively.
There was a pair of brothers surnamed Wang who ran an advertising company called Huayi. They had come uninvited.
During the conversation, they mentioned that they had just finalized an investment in Chen Kaige's upcoming film The Emperor and the Assassin.
Another guest, a former colleague of Feng Kuazi surnamed Zhao, nicknamed "Big Gangzi," had been recommended to direct a TV series currently in preparation called A Romantic Affair. The screenwriter was another guest at the table, a writer surnamed Hai. The series would be produced by another former colleague of Feng Kuazi, Mr. Liu, whose company was called Hairun.
There was also a middle-aged man who had recently left Beijing TV and was preparing to start a television production company called Enlight Media.
Huayi, Hairun, Enlight...
Lin Zhao thought about it. She hadn't heard of these names before. It seemed that everyone here was trying to break into the film and television industry, and their eagerness to please Chen Qing was likely aimed at securing investment.
After all, with projects involving hundreds of millions or even billions of yuan, even a small share of the funds would be a windfall for these companies.
"By the way, Director Chen, this is Xiao Xu, Shuo Ye's girlfriend. She's also a top student at the Beijing Film Academy, in the same class as Jiang Anqi," Feng Kuazi said, seizing an opportunity to introduce a young, delicate-looking woman to Chen Qing. He then turned to the girl and added, "Xiao Xu, why don't you toast Director Chen? If she takes a liking to you, she could send you straight to Hollywood."
The girl glanced at Chen Qing's expression, then picked up a glass of wine and approached. "Director Chen, I'd like to propose a toast."
Chen Qing didn't brush her off. Instead, she adopted the demeanor of a flirtatious rogue, smiling as she appraised the young woman. She casually clinked glasses with her, took a small sip, and asked, "Are you really classmates with Anqi?"
"Yes," replied Xiao Xu, her eyes lighting up as she thought of Jiang Anqi's current success. She looked at Chen Qing with even more hope. "Director Chen, I hope you'll look out for me in the future."
"You're Shuo Ye's girlfriend, of course I'll look out for you. By the way, do you have a management company yet?"
Xiao Xu shook her head. "Not yet."
Wang Xifeng, who had been sitting to Chen Qing's right, noticed the two chatting and tactfully moved aside to make room.
Once Xiao Xu sat down, Chen Qing said, "Then sign with Jinshu, just like Anqi. Coincidentally, Hairun is preparing a TV series that would suit you perfectly. You can take the lead role."
Xiao Xu didn't hesitate, nodding obediently. "Thank you, Director Chen."
Chen Qing smiled warmly. "Call me Sister Chen. The more I look at you, the more I like you. Come to me if you need anything in the future."
"Okay, Sister Chen."
The others in the room simply watched the scene unfold, but Lin Zhao noticed that Chen Qing was already holding the girl's hand. She couldn't help but feel exasperated. Was this woman really female? She seemed even more flirtatious than a man!
After casually acquiring a new "little sister," Chen Qing quickly turned her attention back to the group.
Since her boss had given the directive, Chen Qing had been scouring the country for promising film and television production companies.
Rongxin Da was the first one she had approached.
The company had been founded by two women who had left the Beijing Film Studio. Last year, they produced their first TV series, an adaptation of Cao Yu's classic play Thunderstorm, which had received positive reviews. With some connections in the industry, a deal was quickly reached.
Chen Qing had allocated 50 million yuan from the profits Jinshu had earned from projects like Keep Cool, Kangxi Incognito Travel, and Super Girl to establish various shell companies for investment.
This was to avoid the awkwardness of having multiple film and television companies trace back to the same parent entity.
Rongxin Da received an investment of 6 million yuan for a 60% stake. The other shareholders, with Jinshu's introduction, took out a 4 million yuan loan to invest, bringing the total to 10 million yuan. The company planned to produce two TV series.
Additionally, Jinshu and Rongxin Da agreed that Rongxin Da would not establish an artist management department and would prioritize using actors signed to Jinshu's management company for their projects.
At this stage in China's film and television industry, the role of stars was far less prominent than it would later become. Rongxin Da had no objections and even transferred a highly promising actress to Jinshu's management company.
The actress was named Zhou Xun.
This was part of the barrier strategy Chen Qing and her boss had devised.
First, Jinshu would do its utmost to develop relationships with domestic television stations, creating a barrier in TV series distribution channels.
This barrier would help subsidiaries distribute their films and TV series more effectively. Conversely, if conflicts arose, Jinshu's resources and connections could easily be used to impose a blacklist.
Second, Jinshu's management company would build another barrier around celebrities.
The film and television production companies Jinshu invested in would be required to prioritize using actors signed to Jinshu's management company.
Given the immaturity of China's film and television industry at this stage, the role of stars was not yet prominent, making such agreements relatively easy to secure. By the time the industry matured, Jinshu's management company would be well-established and unafraid of competition.
Third, overseas channels, primarily for film projects. Subsidiaries' films seeking international distribution would have to go through Daenerys Entertainment's global network.
This was yet another barrier.
After all, at this stage, domestic films could rarely break even relying solely on the local market. Overseas sales were often necessary.
Finally, there was the financial barrier, which was the easiest to understand.
The primary means of controlling Jinshu, the direct line, was through funding.
Just as Chen Qing had directly withdrawn most of Jinshu's surplus funds this time. If necessary, not just Jinshu, but other subsidiaries could also have their funding cut off.
All these measures were preemptive steps taken in light of China's restrictions on foreign investment, with the core aim of ensuring the Westeros system's control.
At the lunch gathering, aside from the unexpected appearance of the Wang brothers, Hairun and Enlight had already been in discussions with Chen Qing. They would follow a model similar to Rongxin Da's, with the main difference being the equity split. Hairun, having some existing foundation, would have a 50-50 equity split, with the investment shell company holding 50%.
50% was the bottom line.
Given that private film and television enterprises in China were just starting out, the Westeros system was confident of maintaining at least half the decision-making power. Anything less was non-negotiable.
Enlight, on the other hand, was starting from scratch. The corresponding investment shell company would hold 70%, with the remaining 30% funded through a loan, accompanied by a赌 agreement. With the same 10 million yuan in startup capital for two TV series, the former Beijing TV executive, Mr. Wang, would only receive his 30% stake if the project succeeded. If it failed, he would get nothing.
Compared to Hairun's Mr. Liu, who had been in the industry for years, Chen Qing wasn't particularly optimistic about Enlight's project. However, she reported it to her boss, who surprisingly approved it.
There were also some proposals that didn't get approved.
For example, a company in Guangzhou called Giant, run by a man surnamed Deng. Chen Qing thought he was quite adept at stirring up publicity—a skill sorely lacking in China's production talent pool. Unfortunately, her boss didn't agree.
Upon further investigation, Chen Qing discovered that the company had significant financial issues and was all hype with little substance.
Additionally, two companies that had agreed to invest in Jiang Wen's Devils on the Doorstep—Zhongbo Media and Huayi—had also expressed interest in collaborating with Jinshu. However, her boss vetoed these as well. Chen Qing understood this decision. Devils on the Doorstep was a sensitive project, and Jinshu's focus was purely on entertaining the masses, not delving into deep reflection or profound themes.
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.