Yuan Fenghui believed the Xie family might venture into the film and television industry in the future.
What Yuan didn’t know was that Jinhu Group already owned a film and TV company, though Xie Jinghu wasn’t keen on it due to its low profits.
As a minority shareholder with 5% of Jinhu Group, Xie Qian technically owned part of the film company. But Xie Qian kept a low profile. His group shares couldn’t be accessed until he turned 18, so mentioning the film company now was pointless, and he never brought it up.
It wasn’t surprising that Xie Jinghu was dismissive. The mainland’s film and TV industry was indeed small-scale. Last year’s total box office was 1.5 billion, the year before 1 billion—a tiny pie split among multiple films and companies. To Xie Jinghu, the earnings were negligible.
The film market was small, and TV wasn’t much better in Xie’s eyes. A drama like *The Princess’s New Clothes*, with a record-breaking 70 million in licensing fees, was a rare unicorn.
By 2019, the mainland’s annual box office would exceed 64 billion, a 42-fold growth from 2004. The entertainment industry’s revenue model would shift beyond production, with capital flooding in and “big entertainment” becoming a buzzword. Such a boom was hard to predict in 2005, tied to economic growth, technological advances, and innovation. As a prescient observer, Wen Ying was confident in the industry’s future.
That evening, the confident Wen Ying, banking on this industry, got a reality check from the academic whiz.
Xie Qian gathered the three struggling students in a room, pulling out a stack of study guides from his suitcase and handing them out.
For a fleeting moment, Li Mengjiao considered a change of heart: Xie Qian’s care was so heavy, maybe pushing him into the industry was a way to deflect the pressure?
Wen Ying’s head nearly sank into the pile of books. There were so many, her eyes spun like mosquito coils, her brain dizzy.
At the critical moment, Yuan Fenghui saved Wen Ying. Returning to the hotel from outside, carrying the chill of night dew and a hint of fatigue in her expression, Yuan was swamped. She’d planned to have dinner with Wen Ying’s group but was called away by a phone call, only returning past 9 p.m.
“Wen Ying, come out for a bit.”
Yuan paused, then added, “Both of you, Xie Qian too.”
Li Mengjiao and Wang Shuang looked on eagerly, but Yuan had no intention of including them. Not only did she not rescue them, she tasked Yun Chen and Zhang Yangning to act as wardens, ensuring they studied.
Li Mengjiao & Wang Shuang: “…!”
—Why did Wen Ying, a fellow academic struggler, get special treatment?
Yuan wanted to discuss Tianjiao’s second project with Wen Ying.
“After National Day, it’s about time to start shooting.”
Post-National Day, *The Princess’s New Clothes* would be nearing its finale. Yuan wanted to strike while the iron was hot, ensuring Li Mengjiao had a hit drama every year.
Of course, Li Mengjiao could take roles from other companies, but those prioritised their own profits and talents, not necessarily aligning with Yuan’s plans for her.
Tianjiao’s project, fully under Yuan’s control, was her top choice.
Wen Ying thought for a moment. “Are you worried about the script?”
Wen Ying had finished the script long ago, and Tianjiao had paid her. But after *The Princess’s New Clothes* aired, audience feedback gave Wen Ying new insights. Even without Yuan’s prompting, Wen Ying planned to tweak some details before shooting.
Yuan smiled. “I’m not worried about the script. That’s your expertise, and you decide how to revise it. I’m asking if you want to increase your investment. To be clear, this isn’t mandatory. You need to think it over. A show’s success and profits involve luck, so investing requires caution.”
For Tianjiao’s second project, Wen Ying had planned to invest 2 million, which she’d discussed with Yuan, who agreed. Now Yuan was asking if Wen Ying wanted to up the amount.
Wen Ying could afford 2 million. With *The Princess’s New Clothes*’ licensing profits, she’d earned over 1 million, plus income from her bestselling book. Yuan could roughly estimate Wen Ying’s finances.
Xie Qian’s mind worked fast. “Teacher Yuan, is this about the Miracle Group?”
Yuan nodded. “It’s related to them, but not just them. Yu Tianlin joining Zhang Guangzhen’s drama has triggered a chain reaction, pushing their budget to 30 million.”
Wen Ying started to get it.
Because Cao Shao’s drama raised its budget, Tianjiao’s second project needed to follow suit?
But Yuan didn’t seem to care about Cao Shao’s show, even with Yu Tianlin involved. Was it worth Tianjiao matching their budget?
Wen Ying hesitated. “If it’s to improve the show’s quality, I support raising the budget. But if it’s just to spite the Miracle Group… that AscendancyI don’t think that’s your style.”
A battle-winning general needs courage and decisiveness, not to be swayed by anger!
If Yuan was raising the budget out of spite, Wen Ying wouldn’t invest a single penny, let alone 2 million.
An irrational Yuan wasn’t the Yuan Wen Ying knew.
Wen Ying trusted Yuan wouldn’t make such a mistake, but since Yuan skipped dinner, rushed off after a call, and only returned to the hotel now, Wen Ying worried some new development had rattled her, clouding her usual clarity.
Xie Qian’s mind, unlike most, zeroed in on the key point.
—How did Yuan know Cao Shao’s budget jumped to 30 million?
—Was the funding already secured, so Cao’s group let it slip?
Wasn’t Zhang Guangzhen still revising the script? Xie Qian was curious whose side Yuan’s informant was on—Guan Zong or the Miracle Group—to get unannounced news so fast.
Neither Wen Ying nor Xie Qian blindly followed Yuan’s lead. Both had their own minds and would question her decisions, needing a solid explanation.
If Yuan pitched this to Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, or Zhang Yangning, those three might eagerly roll up their sleeves and pool their pocket money to help Yuan take on the Miracle Group. But for serious matters, Yuan sidelined the naive and talked to the sharp ones.
Questioned by two sharp high schoolers, Yuan wasn’t annoyed; her smile grew.
“I did get word. Zhang Guangzhen is coming to Hunan tomorrow, along with Cao Bo’s big-spending coal tycoon. Their arrival isn’t the point, nor is whether Cao Bo’s budget goes up or down. The key is I just finalized a deal with Huang Yongjuan to compose our new show’s songs. Given the unique theme, the soundtrack could easily ride the drama’s wave to big profits. So, should I raise the budget or not?”
