Chapter 205 Future Development
In this situation, does Jiang Bai still expect to win money with Yao Lan and the others?
Keep dreaming!
If people discover that they are in cahoots with Jiang Bai and allow them to enter, they should be overjoyed and celebrate that the other party has lost their mind.
Jiang Bai agreed to each of their requests.
So everyone wisely refrained from delving deeper into the issue.
They then turned their attention to Jiang Bai's money.
"Regarding real estate, I don't need money right now. I haven't used up the investment from last time, the project is progressing, and I still have several hundred million in the bank. I don't need it for the time being."
Ma Changyang was the first to speak. Last time, he cooperated with Jiang Bai, absorbing 800 million yuan of Jiang Bai's funds and giving up 80% of his shares.
The company currently has ample funds, and he already owns only 20% of the shares. If Jiang Bai injects more funds, his shares will inevitably be diluted.
More importantly, this money is useless once it's deposited; it just sits in the bank.
From both a moral and logical standpoint, Ma Changyang felt there was no need to attract any more funds.
"It's the same for me. Last time, the headquarters provided enough funding, and now our Empire Online is growing exponentially. We have ample funds and a surge in customers, so we don't need any money for the time being."
Chen Fang, who was in charge of Empire Online, Jiangbai's biggest online shopping strategy, spoke up after Ma Changyang.
He naturally didn't have Ma Changyang's concerns. He didn't have any shares in the company for the time being; to put it bluntly, he was just a high-level employee.
There is really no need for Empire Online to inject any more funds, at least not in the short term.
"Yes, we are expanding our logistics operations. The funding is in place and we are gradually rolling it out. If the group has spare funds, 200 million yuan would allow us to expand even faster. I want to first capture the entire southern market before the end of the year, and then expand to the north after the new year."
"We aim to expand nationwide next year. There will be additional funding needed then, but the total amount will not exceed 500 million yuan."
Compared to the previous two Zhou Jie's Empire Logistics, this one is now asking for money, though not in large amounts.
"Okay, I'll transfer 500 million to you. 200 million will arrive in your account tomorrow. I'll keep the rest at headquarters. You can withdraw it whenever you need to discuss it with Yao Lan."
With a large amount of cash on hand, Jiang Bai was generous and, more importantly, he had nowhere to spend his money. So, as soon as Zhou Jie asked, Jiang Bai readily agreed.
"In terms of film and television, with the funding we received last time, our business has begun to expand significantly. Last month alone, we invested in four films. In addition, the company has some idle funds, so Empire Pictures does not need money for the time being."
After the other three finished speaking, Yao Lan noticed that Jiang Bai was looking at her. She shrugged and smiled helplessly.
Other companies need a lot of capital to expand, and sometimes they have to borrow money from banks. But for them, they have too much capital.
Jiang Bai took out 1 billion last time, and he still hasn't used it all.
How long has it been?
It's only been a little over a month, how are they supposed to process this money?
Several people started speaking up, putting Jiang Bai in an awkward position. He was astonished to find that he now had money but nowhere to spend it...
Having a large sum of money lying around, not knowing where to use it, are we just going to leave it in the bank and let it depreciate?
"If they don't want it, I will. Imperial Entertainment needs a lot of funds. Xu Jie and I have discussed it, and we still have a lot of room for development in the entertainment market in Tiandu. Moreover, we are preparing to expand to surrounding cities."
"This requires a lot of money. The money we raised last time has almost been used up to open three KTVs and two bars."
"Although our entertainment industry is making a fortune every day, not a penny is idle. All the income is used for expansion. In just one month, we opened two bath centers and a massage parlor. All of this money comes from the turnover."
"That's exactly when we need funds!"
Li Qiang and Xu Jie exchanged a glance, and Li Qiang stepped forward and spoke.
Jiang Bai was overjoyed at these words and quickly asked, "How much do you need? Just name your price."
"Well... although we are constantly expanding, we dare not take too big a step. After all, we are not familiar with other cities. We plan to start in Suzhou first, using Suzhou and the two surrounding cities as the starting point. Hmm, roughly estimated... two hundred million will be enough."
After hesitating for a moment, Li Qiang told him his target price.
This greatly disappointed Jiang Bai!
I almost couldn't help but shout, "What are you afraid of! Expand! Two hundred million isn't enough! I have so much money, you can't just let me lose it all!"
"I'm counting on your rapid expansion to make my money grow! I still have a mission! Within a year, the total assets of Tiandu and its surrounding areas must reach 20 billion!"
"We're far from it! If you don't expand, I'll be starving!"
Jiang Bai could only think these words in his heart; he simply couldn't say them aloud. This involved his deepest secret, which he couldn't share with others.
So Jiang Bai could only put on a gloomy face, ponder for a long time, and then say, "Take bigger steps, don't be afraid, I'll give you 500 million, and if that's not enough, I'll give you more!"
"Five hundred million? But we can't use that much right now! Our plan…" Li Qiang opened his mouth, wanting to speak.
But before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bai interrupted him: "Your plan can be changed. Do it my way!"
This left Li Qiang speechless. In the end, he could only sit down dejectedly, saying nothing more, and begin to think about how to modify the plan and spend the five hundred million.
However, regardless of the circumstances, a large-scale expansion is inevitable.
Although Li Qiang saw this as risky, Jiang Bai thought it was well worth it. Expansion meant recruiting people, and recruiting people meant gaining prestige points.
The increase in prestige points is the key to Jiang Bai's success. Currently, the Imperial Enterprises can provide Jiang Bai with more than 500 fixed prestige points every day. Although this is not a small amount, it is still far from enough.
Jiang Bai needs his company to keep expanding, and then increase his prestige points income.
At the same time, it expanded its asset base near Tiandu.
Although there are some risks, at present, profitability is not a big problem, and even if it cannot make a profit, as long as it can maintain its operations, Jiang Bai will not be at a loss.
"You guys keep dawdling. I have 2.5 billion here. You've only taken 1 billion. What am I supposed to do with the remaining 1.5 billion? Let it lie in the bank and raise rats?"
After Li Qiang sat down, Jiang Bai was shocked to find that he had nowhere to spend his money, and said with a somewhat displeased expression.
"this..."
After these words were spoken, the people around looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
It's not that they don't want the money, it's just that they have nowhere to spend it right now.
"Boss, having so much spare cash is indeed a problem. Other companies are desperately trying to raise funds, but we have more money than we can use. If we just leave it in the bank, we'll make a big fool of ourselves. I do have a way to use this money."
Chapter 206 Acquiring Marriott
The speaker was none other than Ma Changyang, who had spoken first earlier.
Just when Jiang Bai was at his wit's end, he spoke up, which gave Jiang Bai a jolt.
"Oh? Old Ma, do you have any good suggestions? Tell me about them."
"I don't know, boss, do you still remember Chang Shiyun?" Ma Changyang smiled slightly and asked, keeping everyone in suspense.
"Old Chang? I was having dinner at his place the day before yesterday. How come you're talking about something related to him?"
Jiang Bai was taken aback for a moment, then asked curiously.
Chang Shiyun was an old acquaintance, so Jiang Bai was naturally familiar with him.
Jiang Bai was a frequent visitor to Chang Shiyun's Marriott. Over the past year, many things had happened there, and Chang Shiyun and Jiang Bai naturally became acquainted.
However, Chang Shiyun's Marriott Hotel is considered one of the best in Tianjin, with excellent management and considerable revenue.
Jiang Bai really couldn't understand what he had to do with his money.
"Old Chang's good-for-nothing son lost a lot of money outside. You know that although his hotel is profitable, its annual profit is only around 300 million. That spendthrift son lost 200 million last year alone, and this time he lost even more, 400 or 500 million."
"Old Chang only has one son, and he can't just abandon him. Besides, he invested all his wealth into opening Marriott and borrowed a lot of money from loans and private lenders. Given Old Chang's shrewdness, he should have been able to pay off all the losses within three years."
"But with such a spendthrift son, all the money he's earned in the past few years has been squandered. Now that Lao Chang's debts are due, not only has his spendthrift son gambled away all the money he could have used to pay them back, but that spendthrift son also owes people hundreds of millions. People are chasing him for debt every day, and he's in big trouble."
Hearing Ma Changyang say this, Jiang Bai immediately understood: "You mean, you want me to take over the Marriott Hotel?"
This is undoubtedly an excellent choice. Marriott has a superb location, nice decor, and has only been open for two or three years, so it can be used for a long time and is quite profitable.
It can also consume some funds, so for Jiang Bai, who has a lot of idle funds, Marriott Hotel is undoubtedly a very good choice.
"Yes, although Marriott has some debt, it's around 500 million, which is within an acceptable range. This hotel has a prime location, with 30 floors and nearly 400 rooms. The building belongs to the hotel, so we don't have to worry about the lease relationship. Profitability is guaranteed, and the reputation is good. It's an excellent asset no matter how you look at it."
Jiang Bai unconsciously nodded in agreement when Ma Changyang said this.
Marriott Hotels is undoubtedly an excellent purchase option.
"I think you're not the only one who knows about this. There are plenty of wealthy people in Tiandu. Don't you think there are others who have designs on Marriott?"
Jiang Bai asked subconsciously.
Chang Shiyun ran into big trouble because of his spendthrift son, and had to sell the Marriott Hotel.
But such a good place must attract a lot of attention. Jiang Bai didn't believe that those guys in Tiandu with noses sharper than dogs would give up this great opportunity to annex Marriott.
"Yes, of course. Local companies like Hang Seng Hotel and Zhang Changgeng's Haojiang Group, as well as international chains like Hilton and several large local enterprises are all interested in Marriott. I heard they've recently started contacting Marriott."
"However, these vampires all want to take advantage of Lao Chang's misfortune and kill him. They are offering very low prices, and Lao Chang is hesitant."
Ma Changyang actually had a good relationship with Chang Shiyun, which was common knowledge, and Jiang Bai knew it too. So it was understandable that he was indignant from Chang Shiyun's perspective at this time.
"If we take it, how much will it cost? If we join, will it cause the price to be inflated? What are your countermeasures if other people compete?" Jiang Bai asked after thinking for a moment.
"According to the assessment, Chang Shiyun's Marriott Hotel, including the entire hotel building, should be priced between 2 billion and 2.5 billion. However, he has 500 million in debt and is in a hurry to sell. Boss, your remaining 1.5 billion is a sure thing, and I estimate that it won't cost that much. If you talk to him properly, he'll even be willing to sell for 1.3 billion."
Ma Changyang's words drew nods of agreement from those around him; if this deal could be finalized now, it would undoubtedly be a very worthwhile one.
As for competitors, Ma Changyang didn't mention them at all, which puzzled the higher-ups around him. Only Li Qiang and Xu Jie, who had more experience with these matters, knew the truth.
Given Jiang Bai's current status in Tiandu, if he were to set his sights on the Marriott Hotel and make a purchase, who would be so foolish as to compete with him?
Aside from that overseas hotel chain, I'm afraid that if others heard Jiang Bai was going to make a move, they would immediately back down.
What else can we do?
A duel with Master Jiang?
Is he tired of living?
Is it Zhang Changgeng's Haojiang Group that has this confidence, or Hang Seng Group? Or perhaps other large local companies?
Although everyone knows that Master Jiang is not a domineering person and would not use any unconventional methods to deal with legitimate business rivals, no one needs to offend Master Jiang for a little money, right?
It's important to know that behind Jiang Bai stands Zhao Wuji, and his Wuji Enterprise, that super aircraft carrier.
If Jiang Bai is truly angered, no other means are needed. Just a word to Zhao Wuji, and in less than a month, Zhao Wuji will use business acumen and his vast capital to crush anyone who dares to oppose Jiang Bai.
This is still the most conventional business approach; if we used other methods...
Um... it can be solved in a minute.
Therefore, Ma Changyang was confident that no one would be courting death over this matter.
Moreover, if Jiang Bai were to join, Ma Changyang believed that, in his heart, Chang Shiyun would be a million times willing, as long as Jiang Bai didn't go too far.
"I see… Alright then, you can tell Chang Shiyun that I can take it all at once, or he can keep a portion of the shares and invest through capital injection. However, I want to take the majority stake, but I won't interfere with the hotel's operations. If he's willing to cooperate with me, let him choose one."
Jiang Bai noticed Ma Changyang's strange expression and understood its meaning. He stopped dwelling on the competitor and spoke his mind directly.
He's decided he wants Marriott.
"I know, I'll contact him right away."
Ma Changyang responded with a smile.
The meeting then continued, resolving Jiang Bai's funding issues and proposing opinions and plans for the group's future development. These had already been prepared, and Jiang Bai listened to everyone's opinions.
This established the path for Imperial Enterprises to expand in five areas, setting the tone, starting the engine, and going all out.
Chapter 207 "A Better Tomorrow" to Premiere
After Jiang Bai finished his meeting, Ma Changyang contacted Chang Shiyun and conveyed Jiang Bai's previous opinions to him.
Jiang Bai ultimately acquired Marriott Hotel for 1.3 billion yuan and repaid 200 million yuan of its debt.
The remaining money will be returned after Marriott Hotels gradually becomes profitable.
The creditors naturally agreed, as they knew Jiang Bai's reputation. The bank offered preferential terms and extended the loan period. The individual creditors' debts were not large, and most of them had already been repaid.
With only a small amount of debt remaining, amounting to only tens of millions, naturally no one would come to Jiang Bai's door to collect the debt.
As for Chang Shiyun himself, although he had hundreds of millions after paying off his son's gambling debts, he had lost the will to continue starting a business and was rehired by Jiang Bai to work at the Marriott Hotel.
Jiang Bai, taking advantage of the situation, also did Chang Shiyun a favor by making a call: no underground casinos in Tiandu or the surrounding area were allowed to accept his son's customers, and as for the Portuguese side... they would definitely not accept them either.
The guy had money but nowhere to go, so he changed his ways and became addicted to alcohol and women. He stopped gambling, but he changed girlfriends every night and was a groom every day, still spending money like water.
Chang Shiyun didn't know whether to be happy or sad about this.
Having accomplished all this, I spent a few days at the group, handling some work and taking the opportunity to meet and get to know the senior executives of various departments and companies, gradually expanding my authority.
It's not that Jiang Bai doesn't trust Yao Lan and the others; on the contrary, he trusts them completely. What he's doing now is just going through the motions, letting everyone know about him, and also preparing for his eventual disappearance.
Compared to the previous situation where Jiang Bai was elusive and no one recognized him, it's clearly better for him to appear for a while than not to appear at all.
This is a disguised way of supporting Yao Lan.
Think about it, even the big boss is here, knows everyone, and has established his authority, yet still entrusts the company to Yao Lan. What kind of trust is that?
Does that mean Yao Lan's position is even more secure?
It's a very simple principle.
Jiang Bai had thought he would soon return to a leisurely state with nothing to do, but a phone call forced him to abandon that idea.
The person who called Jiang Bai was an old acquaintance, Cheng Daoyun, the director of "A Better Tomorrow".
"Director Cheng, what's wrong? Why are you calling me?"
After answering the phone, Jiang Bai asked enthusiastically.
The two got along well, and Director Cheng took good care of Jiang Bai at the time, so Jiang Bai naturally wouldn't speak ill of him.
"And you're asking me why I contacted you? You're the owner of the film company, the investor, the screenwriter, and the third male lead. Our movie premieres tomorrow, and you didn't even know?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Daoyun said irritably.
After filming wrapped up, during post-production, he already knew Jiang Bai's identity.
Jiang Bai had no intention of keeping it a secret at all; not only Cheng Daoyun, Zhou Fa, and Di Hu, but everyone else knew.
"Premiere tomorrow?"
Jiang Bai was taken aback; he really didn't know about this.
"I knew you didn't know. I really don't know how you became a boss! President Yao called me and said that the documents for the premiere have been given to you for several days, but you haven't made a sound. I guess you don't want to participate. So... I couldn't help but call you."
"Why are you afraid I won't do a good job making this movie and you don't want to attend the premiere?"
Director Cheng said angrily, clearly dissatisfied.
Jiang Bai's indifference to this film as an investor can be interpreted as him being wealthy and indifferent.
But you're still the screenwriter and the third male lead, aren't you?
I don't participate in post-production; you just record the voiceover and send it to me directly, without even exchanging a glance.
There was no sign of them even during the initial publicity campaign.
Forget all that, how come you can't even be bothered to attend the premiere?
That's a bit too much to say.
"Um... I've been a bit busy lately... I forgot about it for a moment..."
Faced with the questioning from Director Cheng, who was practically an elder, Jiang Bai could only respond with a forced smile. He couldn't find any good reason, so he could only give this reason that wasn't really a reason at all.
"Okay, okay, I know you're the big boss, so be busy. But you should at least attend the premiere tomorrow."
Although Director Cheng couldn't say he fully understood Jiang Bai's situation, he knew that Jiang Bai was the boss of a large corporation and naturally very busy, so he didn't continue to criticize him on this issue.
It's just an invitation for Jiang Bai to attend the premiere tomorrow.
"this..."
To be honest, Jiang Bai was reluctant to go. He's not one to seek the limelight. He only got the role of the third male lead because Director Cheng had to recruit him; it was a case of being forced into it.
Should we let Jiang Bai continue now?
Jiang Bai was somewhat unwilling.
He's not used to living in the spotlight; it would seriously affect his quality of life. Playing the third male lead as a side job is enough for him, even if it's just for fun.
Should we let him continue doing this job?
Are you kidding me? He's the big boss of an imperial enterprise, the well-known Jiang Ye in the entire Tiandu City. Now he's going to become a low-class actor?
If people found out, they'd laugh their heads off.
Ordinary people naturally envy these celebrities, but only when they reach a truly high level do they understand what kind of status these so-called celebrities are in the eyes of truly powerful people.
Naturally, with the change in his identity and mindset, Jiang Bai was unwilling to go further down this path.
Although he himself doesn't actually have any particular opinion about actors.
But this doesn't mean he enjoys living the life of a star in the spotlight.
Such a life would be dazzling and glamorous for most people, but for Jiang Bai, it would be absolutely uncomfortable.
"What, you're not willing?" Director Cheng on the other end of the line sounded somewhat displeased.
"No, not at all. I can go, but I have one request. I'll just hang out with them and not introduce myself to anyone. I'll just treat it as meeting some friends. You know... well, I'm a bit sensitive about this, so I don't want to be too in the public eye."
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Bai put forward his conditions.
Director Cheng didn't say anything after hearing this.
Given that Jiang Bai is so young yet has taken control of such a large conglomerate, Director Cheng had already imagined Jiang Bai as a rich second-generation heir or a scion of a wealthy family.
Such a person is fine to dabble in, to make a living in a few places, but would you really let him go down this path?
Even if Jiang Bai agreed, Director Cheng felt it was somewhat unlikely.
After all, everyone in the industry knows that those big, wealthy families and powerful clans have a lot of rules and regulations, and they look down on actors and other low-class people the most. They always say things like actors are heartless and prostitutes are unfaithful, which makes people angry.
It's unrealistic to expect their descendants to follow this path...
Just take it as a hobby and experience it for yourself. Do you really expect them to make this path their life's goal?
Chapter 208 Seeing Ye Qingcheng Again
After much deliberation, Jiang Bai agreed to Cheng Daoyun's request to attend the premiere of "A Better Tomorrow".
The premiere was held in Tiandu, mainly because the headquarters of Empire Films is located there.
Frankly speaking, having Empire Pictures' headquarters here is not conducive to the company's development.
The film industry is largely concentrated in Beijing, where the environment is more suitable for the development of such enterprises.
Or perhaps Guangzhou in the south, or Hong Kong.
Although there are quite a few film companies in Tiandu, not many are truly outstanding.
This is a financial center, but not a cultural center.
Empire Pictures didn't relocate simply because Empire Corporation is located here.
However, the geographical disadvantage is obvious. Although Tianjin has been vigorously encouraging the development of the cultural industry this year and even held a film festival, the gap with Beijing is still obvious.
The next evening, Xiao Tian picked up Yao Lan and Jiang Bai early and they headed to a large cinema in the central area.
That was the venue for tonight's premiere. The main cast, including Di Hu, Zhou Fa, and Cheng Daoyun, arrived early, and of course, Ye Qingcheng, whom Jiang Bai hadn't seen in a long time, was also there.
In addition, there were Yao Lan from the production company, representatives from the cinema chain, and some news media.
Even the best wine needs advertising; no matter how good a movie is, if it's universally criticized or ignored, it won't achieve good results.
Having been in the film industry for many years, Yao Lan is extremely familiar with the tricks of the trade, and naturally, she didn't forget to invite a large number of media outlets this time.
However, Empire Films is, after all, a second-tier film company and cannot be considered a true behemoth. It is an emerging company with considerable power, but its development time is too short and its output is limited.
In addition, Yao Lan is too young. Although she has been in the entertainment industry for several years, she used to work for the struggling Ma family and act in movies as a hobby for the young master. Naturally, she doesn't have many connections.
So despite our best efforts, we were able to invite mostly second- or third-rate media outlets and tabloids, but very few of them were truly respectable.
Although it was a helpless situation, there was no better way.
Although all Jiang Bai needed to do was make a phone call to Zhao Wuji, everything could be taken care of, and every single major media outlet in the country would be guaranteed to be there.
But Jiang Bai had no intention of doing so.
Does everything depend on Zhao Wuji?
He's not your biological father!
They want to take care of everything for you.
Upon arriving at the cinema, Jiang Bai and his group met Cheng Daoyun and his party in the lounge.
After fighting Zhao Hu with Zhou Fa and Di Hu, Jiang Bai went straight to Ye Qingcheng, who was standing there silently.
Even after several months apart, she remains as beautiful and captivating as ever, inspiring love at first sight.
It has to be said that Ye Qingcheng is the most beautiful woman Jiang Bai knows, without a doubt.
Even Lin Wanru and Jiang Yuqing are a step below Ye Qingcheng.
Her skin, as smooth as mutton fat, shone brilliantly under the light; her bright eyes, like stars in the night sky, illuminated the heavens; and her bright red lips radiated an alluring glow.
From any point of view, from any aspect, it is so perfect and flawless.
"Long time no see, how have you been?"
Jiang Bai was quite familiar with Ye Qingcheng, and he didn't even think about being polite or courteous. He plopped down next to Ye Qingcheng, right next to her, without any attempt to hide it.
"What else can I do? I've been doing the promotions lately. I just went home for a bit and almost couldn't get back. But thankfully, my sister is there for me. She's got my back, and my older brother can't do anything about it!"
Ye Qingcheng, who was playing on her phone and fiddling with something, did not feel any resistance or unfamiliarity with Jiang Bai's actions.
After Jiang Bai sat down, he raised his head, smiled, and said smugly.
It was as if being able to run away from home again was such an amazing thing.
What's so fun about using a mobile phone?
Jiang Bai was a little confused. It wasn't a smartphone; the world's mobile phones were still stuck in the Nokia color screen era.
Of course, this world isn't called Nokia, it's called Giano, but it's pretty much the same.
Unless you send a text message, it seems to be of no use at all.
"Snake... I like playing this game. When I went back recently, someone taught me how to play it."
Holding her delicate pink phone and waving it around, Ye Qingcheng seemed very excited about her game.
Jiang Bai was stunned and speechless.
"I think this movie will do quite well, and then you won't have the chance to play again!"
Jiang Bai shook his head and smiled helplessly.
Ye Qingcheng sometimes acts like a child, so innocent and adorable.
Unlike Jiang Yuqing's simple kindness, Jiang Yuqing is kind, but she is also shrewd and has worked for several years, encountering all sorts of people. Although she is kind, she is not naive at all.
But seeing how she managed to subdue Lin Wanru in one night, establishing some kind of gentleman's agreement and completely ensnaring Lin Wanru, it's not hard to see Jiang Yuqing's intelligence.
But Ye Qingcheng... she was truly foolish...
It's not that they're mentally challenged; it's that they seem completely detached from the world, as if they've never been exposed to anything outside of it, and they're clueless about everything.
Moreover, he is enthusiastic and curious about everything, and sometimes he seems like a child.
Jiang Bai really couldn't understand what kind of family could raise a girl like Ye Qingcheng.
This... has absolutely no chance of survival!
"Well, who knows? But during these promotional events, several people have said they want me to act in movies or something. They seem to be quite wealthy. But Brother Di Hu said they aren't good people and didn't let me agree."
"Brother Bai, why are there so many bad people?"
Ye Qingcheng tilted her head and looked at Jiang Bai, asking with a curious expression.
He glossed over what had happened before, not mentioning it much, and didn't even seem to care about it.
It's not hard to guess that this girl didn't suffer any loss.
But thinking about it, it makes sense. With Di Hu and Zhou Fa around, and the experienced Cheng Daoyun, and with Yao Lan arranging most of the itinerary, nothing should happen except for a few lustful flies.
After all, they all knew about their close relationship with Ye Qingcheng, so they would naturally try their best to protect this girl.
There are a lot of bad people in this world.
Ye Qingcheng is a typical "why" person, and Jiang Bai didn't want to explain too much to her, because that would lead him into an endless stream of questions, so he just gave her a perfunctory answer.
Seeing that the other party agreed, he nodded thoughtfully.
It's unclear whether she genuinely knew what was going on or was simply trying to appease Jiang Bai.
This left Jiang Bai speechless, but he also understood Ye Qingcheng's character. Don't be fooled by how well she spoke and how she seemed to listen to Jiang Bai.
But she definitely belongs to the type who lets things go in one ear and out the other, and is completely carefree.
It would be difficult to make her remember anything she was told.
Chapter 209 Explosive Box Office Success
Originally, this girl should have suffered a loss, cried, and then obediently gone home.
By sheer coincidence, I landed this leading role, officially entering the entertainment industry.
For the simple-minded Ye Qingcheng, Jiang Bai didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.
After thinking about it, I realized that this responsibility could only fall on my own shoulders, since I was the one who brought her into this situation.
Moreover... Ye Qingcheng is so beautiful and innocent, it would be a lie to say that Jiang Bai is not moved.
Many people can see Jiang Bai's feelings for Ye Qingcheng.
The girl herself vaguely sensed something, and she didn't resist it; in fact, she felt a sense of closeness to it.
But when it comes to love and affection, Jiang Bai is afraid that Ye Qingcheng hasn't figured it out yet.
Instead of dwelling on the issue with Ye Qingcheng, he inquired about her recent situation and shared some of his own recent experiences.
The two people, who hadn't seen each other for a long time, chatted enthusiastically.
"Can you two stop being so lovey-dovey the moment you meet? The premiere is about to start, let's go out and meet the media, film critics, and selected audience members first."
Just as the two were chatting happily, and Jiang Bai's words made Ye Qingcheng giggle repeatedly, Cheng Daoyun's voice interrupted their conversation.
Then, Jiang Bai and Ye Qingcheng left the reception room amidst Yao Lan's ambiguous gaze.
The group entered the largest hall of the cinema and were greeted with applause.
Most of the responses were polite, not overly enthusiastic, since Zhou Fa and Di Hu were, after all, somewhat past their prime.
Jiang Bai and Ye Qingcheng are also complete newcomers!
In the end, Cheng Daoyun was just a second-rate director.
Empire Pictures is not exactly a powerful company.
How much of a sensation do you expect a movie made by this combination?
Before the audience appreciates it, its influence is negligible; even a polite applause is considered a great gesture.
This was because the initial publicity was quite effective; Ye Qingcheng was unbelievably beautiful, attracting countless male admirers.
Although Zhou Fa and Di Hu were past their prime, they still had some background, which prevented them from losing too much face.
Once on stage, Cheng Daoyun and the other main characters greeted the audience. They then shared their thoughts and expressed their gratitude. During the event, the host, trying to liven up the atmosphere, asked some questions that the audience was curious about.
Zhou Fa and Di Hu were both experienced and gave appropriate answers.
Cheng Daoyun was meticulous and thorough.
Ye Qingcheng showed no stage fright whatsoever, which surprised Jiang Bai.
She seems to have been born for the stage; even without saying a word, she is the most beautiful sight among all the people around her.
The host asked her a couple of casual questions, and she immediately revealed her adorable and innocent charm, attracting admiration from many.
Throughout the entire film, Jiang Bai, who served as the screenwriter, producer, and third male lead, never uttered a single word.
Moreover, he wasn't exactly the type of handsome young heartthrob, and he was rather quiet, though his triple identity was surprising.
However, after a brief moment of surprise, not many people paid attention.
Jiang Bai was satisfied with the result.
After Jiang Bai finished rambling on with a bunch of pointless nonsense and questions, it took almost an hour before the movie finally started.
Zhou Fa and Di Hu appeared before the audience.
With its opening intense gunfight, the film instantly captivated the audience.
"That's amazing..."
"Wow, that's awesome. I didn't know the gangs in Taiwan were so ruthless..."
"Di Hu's skills are still sharp!"
"Zhou Fa is so handsome!"
Such praise was endless.
Then, Ye Qingcheng's appearance drew gasps of amazement, with many praising her beauty.
As for Jiang Bai...
There don't seem to be many reviews.
In fact, Jiang Bai's acting skills are really just average. He was forced into playing the role of the third male lead, and the fact that he wasn't criticized is only because of the exciting plot of this movie, which left the audience with no time to savor it.
In short, Jiang Bai's performance was decent, not outstanding, but not terrible either.
It received some scattered comments, but most people's attention was focused on Zhou Fa, Di Hu, and Ye Qingcheng.
After a tense and exciting film lasting over an hour, the screening room remained silent for a long time.
This made the main creators very nervous, and even Jiang Bai, who had high hopes for the success of the film, was somewhat worried.
However, soon, thunderous applause and jeers from the audience brought relief to everyone who was holding their breath.
The film was undoubtedly a success.
It captivated the hearts of countless viewers.
Prior to this, similar films did exist in China, but they were subject to strict restrictions, and some aspects were not allowed to be shown.
The fact that "A Better Tomorrow" was able to be broadcast this time was largely due to the efforts of Director Jin, who was recently transferred from Tianjin Radio and Television to the State Administration of Radio and Television.
In retrospect, all the effort was worthwhile...
The film was a great success, and Empire Pictures' first major success was clearly a resounding success.
And indeed, after the film's premiere, a deluge of praise followed.
The reporters, who had already received bribes, went to great lengths to recommend this excellent film.
Some people, even though they had received benefits, still had doubts before coming and were worried about how to write this movie.
They were afraid that if the filming was poor, the response would be lukewarm, or if the writing was too over-the-top, it would damage their reputation.
But now, with all their concerns gone, these people are going full steam ahead and starting to report on it like crazy.
With the film's wide release the following day, the whirlwind of "A Better Tomorrow" began to unfold.
The box office on the first day was impressive, with many moviegoers drawn by Ye Qingcheng's captivating beauty.
On the first day, the box office reached 16 million nationwide.
This result can only be considered average; many films released at the same time achieved better results.
However, it was this box office of 16 million and the audience of hundreds of thousands that immediately propelled "A Better Tomorrow" to new heights.
With overwhelmingly positive reviews and strong recommendations from many, the 1,700 cinemas that screened the film on its second day achieved a 100% occupancy rate, with even midnight screenings being completely sold out.
In just one day, it broke the opening day box office record three times, reaching 48 million yuan.
From then on, "A Better Tomorrow" became an unstoppable hit, with box office revenue soaring and the number of theaters showing it increasing until it reached 6,000. On the fourth day, it even broke 100 million yuan against the market trend.
This caused a huge sensation.
The film ran for a month and grossed a billion yuan at the box office, becoming the record holder and the one that broke the Chinese box office record.
Aside from a mediocre opening day, it secured the top spot in its opening week.
For four consecutive weeks, it held the top spot, leaving the second place far behind, and claimed the title of the year's box office champion.
The previous box office record of 600 million yuan has been completely broken, almost doubling in value.