My Virtual Girlfriend-Chapter 143: Shock in the Circle (8000 Words, Request for Full Subscription!)

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Shock in the Circle (8000 Words, Request for Full Subscription!)

Although Zhao Group is indeed a giant domestic conglomerate, its influence isn’t in the entertainment circle.

The film and television industry is a very magical trade. Unlike other industries, which can rely on money, film and television depend much more on luck, personnel, vision, and various other factors.

Countless capitals have entered this circle, only to become the ultimate bearers of loss, with some losing everything down to their last penny.

And there are those capitals that, relying on their wealth, buy and buy—companies, film libraries, talents—only to result in losses of tens of billions, not to mention that the films they make are all flops.

So, although they didn’t want to be enemies with the Zhao Family, if a direct confrontation did occur, they weren’t afraid.

After all, in the film and television industry, they were the true local bosses. There were too many ways for them to ensure that the Zhao Family would face defeat in this field.

Moreover, the opponent this time was just an illegitimate son of the Zhao family, who might not even be able to mobilize many of the Zhao Group’s resources.

Even though they didn’t want to become enemies over a trivial matter, if they were truly being plotted against, then they could certainly hit back!

Thinking of this, Xu Zhaoqing made his decision. He looked at Director Zhang, "We won’t go to Qin Island. I’ll go back and discuss with my brother on how to handle this."

"We can’t just sit here and wait for death if the other party is well-prepared!"

Director Zhang "Hmm" in agreement.

The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with a fighting spirit!

...

At this moment, Chen Yan had no idea that a series of coincidences had made Director Zhang and Xu Zhaoqing stand against him again.

If he knew...

He would surely say, "Are they sick or what? Do they have a persecution complex? A nitwit welcoming another nitwit: total idiocy!"

Sadly, he was oblivious to these matters.

Right now, he was happily organizing interviews.

Even though most of the effects of "Divine Summoning Incense" took place in the film industry, it had still brought Chen Yan quite a few talents in the gaming sector.

Thus, in the following days, Chen Yan, alongside several gaming company veterans, interviewed waves of job applicants for game-related positions, and from them, a large pool of talent was selected.

The company expanded from six to thirty people, including departments like planning, programming, art design, brand marketing, and distribution.

This was the maximum number of people that could be accommodated under the company’s current structure.

If they hired more, it might take a year or even longer just for the "digestion" and "assimilation" of the new staff.

As expected, the veterans naturally became the leaders of their respective departments, transitioning from working individually to committing "group crimes".

Because there were more people, the office area in the main hall became crowded, so Chen Yan decided to move back into his general manager’s office.

And Yu Qiao Qiao, who was working for the company temporarily, had her workstation moved to the clay sculpture room.

With a batch of new talent recruited, Chen Yan felt even more confident about producing the new game.

But since the team was still meshing, they couldn’t yet go full force into game production, so they simply assigned some simple tasks related to the new game to help the departments adjust through these smaller projects.

Meanwhile, Chen Yan devoted more of his attention to Lu Man’s affairs.

Thanks to Yang Rou’s selection, Chen Yan used "Xiao Ha’s Instant Camera" to vet potential hires, and Chenlu Film Company was established even faster than Chenyu Game.

All department heads were experienced elites from the industry—while none had been as exemplary as the three-and-a-half-star talent of Yang Rou, each of them was at least two-and-a-half stars.

It was then that Chen Yan realized Yang Rou’s importance.

If Chen Yan had been the president of the film company, it might have taken several months just to settle in.

But with Yang Rou as president, thanks to her years of achievements and experience in the circle, it only took a couple of days for the departments to fall into line and establish an effective operating mechanism.

They even began internal research and analysis for the company’s first project "Lost Love in Twenty-Three Days" and started to form the crew...

Following the conclusion of Chenlu Film Company’s recruitment, many people in the circle who came to interview or were just keeping an eye on Chenlu Film Company started to spread news about it in various corners of the industry.

On a film set during a shooting break, a director and a producer were chatting. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"Director Qiu, haven’t you heard? Lu Man’s new company has poached Yang Rou to be the president."

"Yang Rou? Which Yang Rou?"

"Which else? That gold-medal producer who was behind hits like ’Strange Tales of Liaozhai’ and ’Listening to the Wind’. She’s the one who has made several blockbuster movies and also punched out hits in TV dramas and variety shows."

"Oh, her! Really? She actually switched over? Wasn’t there news about Xu Brothers Film Company and Director Zhang blacklisting Lu Man’s company? Wouldn’t she be challenging Xu by joining Lu Man?"

"It’s not just her. Let me tell you, several other big shots in the circle have joined the new company. Each one of them is a well-known figure."

"Really? Tell me more"...

In a certain WeChat group within the industry.

[Did you hear? President Qin, Producer Liu, Mr. Wang and others have all joined Chenlu Film Company.]

[President Qin? Producer Liu? Weren’t they doing well at their own companies? Why would they join another company?]

[I don’t know. Maybe they see potential in that company. I heard they resigned immediately and paid the penalties for non-compete clauses to join the new company.]

[What Chenlu Film Company? I’ve never heard of it.]

[It’s the new company that Lu Man just established at a press conference a few days ago.]

[No way? A small startup company managing to attract so many big names? Looks like the financial backing behind it is indeed extraordinary.]

[Absolutely.]

...

The effects of Divine Summoning Incense were indeed impressive, which allowed Chen Yan to harvest a large batch of talents from within the circle. This drew the eyes of everyone in the film and entertainment circles towards the newly-emerged Chenlu Film Company, and added a mysterious halo around Chen Yan.

After all, if a startup company could attract so many elites, it must bear some unique qualities.

And...some top-level bosses in the circle who knew the rumors about the Zhao Family’s illegitimate son reinforced their own speculations.

Of course, they could never know about Chen Yan’s special prop.

They could only make guesses based on the most reasonable explanations.

But...just as Xu Zhaoqing said in the lounge, the film and television industry is a very magical trade. Sometimes throwing money at it doesn’t work. Everything depends on the product itself.

So now, even if Chenlu Film Company is the hot topic, attracting everyone’s attention, all are quietly observing, waiting for Chenlu Company’s first work to be released.

At that time...

Whether Chenlu Film Company will be standing tall and triumphant or whether it will become another case of a capital giant failing miserably after burning money will be crystal clear...

Compared to those neutral gazes, Director Zhang and the Xu Brothers were watching Chenlu Company very closely.

They knew the significance of Chenlu Film’s first work more than anyone else.

So...they were secretly pulling strings to ensure that Chenlu Film’s debut would be a flop...

...

While the game company was slowly integrating and preparing for the new game, Chen Yan spent most of his time at the film company.

After all, his goal aligned with Lu Man’s: ensuring that Chenlu Film’s first movie, "Lost Love in Twenty-Three Days", would hit a box office of five hundred million.

Then, he could give the villa as a gift to Lu Man, achieving an 8-15x cash back! Earning him several billion more!

After another meeting for "Lost Love in Twenty-Three Days" had just concluded.

During the break, Chen Yan turned to Yang Rou, who was writing something on his right, and asked, "President Yang, how much do you think this movie can make at the box office?"

Hearing Chen Yan speak, Yang Rou looked up.

With an expressionless face, she glanced at Chen Yan, pondered for a moment, and said, "Hard to say. We’ve only got a rough draft of the script. Until we have decided on the production team, actors, distribution company, and so on, we can’t really forecast anything."

Chen Yan hesitated before asking, "Do you think it could reach five hundred million?"

Upon hearing Chen Yan say this, Yang Rou’s usually emotionless face revealed a look of astonishment.

After a moment, she shook her head without hesitation, "Impossible."

Listening to Yang Rou’s words, Chen Yan frowned deeply.

He knew Yang Rou’s abilities.

She was a three-and-a-half-star talent as assessed by the system. In the film and television industry, she could even warrant another star.

Although Chen Yan didn’t know what the system deemed as the top-level talent’s star rating, he thought that four and a half stars definitely qualified as high-level talent.

Furthermore, Yang Rou’s specialty was her insight into film and television works.

So if she said this movie couldn’t possibly reach five hundred million, there was a high chance it wouldn’t.

Thinking of this, Chen Yan quietly asked, "Is there any way to make it reach five hundred million?"

Yang Rou looked at Chen Yan and said definitively, "Yes."

Chen Yan looked at her with a glint of hope, "What’s the way?"

Yang Rou, "Box office manipulation."

"If President Chen is willing to spend the money, then regardless of the box office, it can be manipulated. Five hundred million is just a number, after all."

Chen Yan: ...

Chen Yan looked at Yang Rou.

If it were anyone else who had said this, Chen Yan would have thought they were teasing him or being sarcastic.

But...Yang Rou’s words. She probably thought this was an actual solution.

Chen Yan thought it over.

If he were to manipulate several hundred million in box office receipts, he’d probably have to invest hundreds of millions himself, and end up earning less than he would be spending.

And...once this became public, if Lu Man found out, she would definitely cause a huge scene, and there’d be no villa, no high return cash back.

Unworkable... unworkable...

Chen Yan looked at Yang Rou and said, "Something else. Anything else?"

Yang Rou looked at Chen Yan and was silent for a while.

Then she proactively asked, "President Chen, are you making a bet with someone?"

Chen Yan glanced at Lu Man, who was chatting with Yu Qiao Qiao in a corner of the meeting room, and nodded, "Sort of."

Yang Rou didn’t speak.

She lowered her head to look at the records made over these days.

After reviewing them for a full five minutes, she raised her head again and pondered for a while.

Then she said, "The script for this movie is very good. Although it’s a low-budget film with a female-centric narrative, it really fits the market."

As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Man, "Lu Man’s looks are a bit too beautiful, but I have seen her casual off-screen appearance. With a make-under and slight adjustments to make her look more ordinary, she could match the female protagonist quite well."

Then she looked at Chen Yan, "So if the script is fine-tuned and we select the best people for all roles, plus we choose the right release slots and pour resources into marketing without holding back, four hundred million is possible."

"Five hundred million... with some luck, it could possibly be achieved."

She paused and added, "Actually, if the movie is well made, I think a baseline of over two hundred million is no problem. It could be a hit."

"But...reaching five hundred million really requires perfection in every aspect and some luck as well."

Hearing Yang Rou say this, Chen Yan fell silent.

Reaching perfection in every aspect and needing luck to reach five hundred million...

Luck was something he couldn’t control.

But could he help achieve perfection in every aspect?

As this thought struck him, Chen Yan looked at Yang Rou, and then at Lu Man, when suddenly a burst of inspiration hit him.

He suddenly remembered that the assessment on the back of the photo from "Xiao Ha’s Instant Camera" was not fixed.

He had used it to test "Hidden Guardian" before. Several unforeseen events had happened later, so when Chen Yan picked up the photo again, he found that the evaluations on the back had significantly improved.

In that case, this instant film could change according to the project’s development.

So...could he use it to assist in selecting the best possible configuration?

With this thought, Chen Yan suddenly felt like everything might just be possible!

He looked at Yang Rou, and then smilingly said, "Thanks a lot, President Yang! You really have solved a major problem for me!"

Saying that, he promptly left the main seat and ran out of Chenlu Film Company, heading towards Chenyu Game Company.

Looking at Chen Yan’s retreating figure, a question mark slowly appeared on Yang Rou’s beautiful face...

What had she solved?

Wasn’t she telling him... it was impossible?

...

Chenlu Film Company now shared an office location with Lu Man’s Celebrity Studio, and both were on the same floor as Chenyu Game Company, just separated by a corridor.

Therefore, it only took Chen Yan a few seconds to arrive at the game company.

The dozens of new employees at the game company were enthusiastically discussing small projects related to the new game under the guidance of the veterans.

Seeing Chen Yan come in, some of the new employees curiously looked over.

Unlike the few veterans who had stayed on for "passion", Chen Yan offered these new employees quite high salaries and benefits.

So he just nodded slightly at the employees and headed straight to his office.

Once in the office, Chen Yan closed the door, opened the drawer, and took out "Xiao Ha’s Instant Camera" and the instant film.

He had been recruiting talents these past few days and needed to use the camera for taking photos, so he left it here; luckily, it now came in handy.

He took out the instant camera and placed the folder containing the plans for "Lost Love in Twenty-Three Days" on his desk.

He then put in an instant film cartridge and snapped a photo of the folder.

The photo with the image of the folder slowly began to appear.

Chen Yan returned the camera to the drawer and started fanning the photo—it wasn’t clear if this helped, but it was common practice to speed up the development of instant film images.

---

I originally wanted to write 10,000 words, but I couldn’t manage it. So here’s an 8,000-word update instead.

This doesn’t count toward what I owe, consider it an extra.

So I’m asking for your monthly tickets!! And full subscriptions!