Free Web NovelChapter 94: Chapter 94: From Investment to Partnership
Wei Feng was taken aback for a moment, but years in the entertainment industry had given him a thick skin.
He didn’t show any embarrassment. Instead, he made himself right at home, knocking before entering the office and saying enthusiastically, "President Wu, hello! I never expected you to be so young! Truly a man of great promise. And with Miss Qi, you two look like the perfect couple!"
That last part wasn’t just empty flattery. After all, Wu Yun’s own looks were rated at 89, and with the bonus from his chairman’s aura, he could give many of the pretty-boy idols in showbiz a run for their money.
"President Wei, please have a seat!" Wu Yun gestured to the sofa in front of him, then turned to Qi Fei. "Qi Fei, come join us. We’ll probably be relying on President Wei’s help quite a bit from now on."
Name: Wei Feng
Skills: Master of Film and Television Investment freewebnσvel.cѳm
Master of Film and Television Company Management
Artist Management (Proficient)
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Once Qi Fei and Wei Feng were seated, Wu Yun began, "President Wei, allow me to make a formal introduction. I’m Wu Yun, and this is Qi Fei, a sophomore in the acting department at the Modu Drama Academy. My original reason for founding Modu Phoenix Entertainment Co., Ltd. was for her."
"Of course," he added, "I’m also looking to make some money in the entertainment industry."
Hearing this, Wei Feng understood. ’Another beauty under the protection of a powerful patron.’ He smiled apologetically. "President Wu, with Miss Qi’s natural advantages, as long as her acting is decent and she has a good script, I’m confident she can become a household name on screens big and small in a very short time. When I first arrived, I was marveling at how a young woman could be so stunningly beautiful. That’s why I kept pushing to recommend an agent to her. It seems my efforts were completely unnecessary!"
Wu Yun laughed. "Don’t worry about it. It’s just a professional habit, President Wei."
Wu Yun continued, "President Wei, I’m very satisfied with your résumé and track record. I have no doubt about your abilities. I would now like to formally invite you to serve as the General Manager of Modu Phoenix Entertainment Co., Ltd. What are your terms?"
The time for a decision had come. Wei Feng’s smile vanished, his expression turning serious. "President Wu, besides paving the way for Miss Qi, are you looking to make a quick score and leave the business, or are you planning to build something sustainable?"
"Furthermore, I’d like to know how much capital you are prepared to invest?"
Wu Yun hadn’t expected this question. He thought about the 299 million yuan balance in his account. One hundred million was earmarked for Pinduoduo, and another forty to fifty million had to be reserved for next month’s rebate capital. That meant he could use 150 million this month.
On top of that, the system was now at Level 6, and he had already received a full quarter’s allowance. However, he still had 243 million in spending rebates coming in for each of the next two months.
’Pinduoduo will be the real cash furnace once it’s online,’ he mused, ’but the initial development and expansion phases won’t be that expensive. So, the funds for this quarter are more than enough.’
As for the next quarter, based on his calculations, he would be due for another upgrade!
Wu Yun fell silent for a moment before speaking. "President Wei, let’s put it this way. My original plan was just to ensure Qi Fei’s career is a success. Whether I make a lot or a little, I don’t really care."
But then, Wu Yun recalled that document on the entertainment industry’s development trajectory. Remembering the high rates of return on short-term investments in certain upcoming films and TV shows, he decided to commit to a major investment after all.
"However, the short-term returns in showbiz can be ridiculously high. With an experienced expert like you on board, President Wei, it would be a waste not to build something sustainable."
"Therefore, I’ve decided to invest 150 million this month. And as long as it’s needed, I can follow that up with an investment of 100 million each subsequent month."
"One hundred fifty million!"
"One hundred fifty million!"
Qi Fei and Wei Feng exclaimed in unison.
The difference was that Qi Fei was both touched and worried. However, she knew it was best not to interrupt men when they were discussing business; doing so could cause things to take an uncontrollable turn.
Wei Feng, however, was stunned. A funding plan of this scale would put them in the top ten of all domestic entertainment companies, at the very least! Maybe even near the top. An initial 150 million, with another 100 million per month to follow—this was like a fierce dragon crossing the river, ready to dominate!
Wei Feng was convinced that with such ample funding, he could completely shake up the entertainment industry. Wu Yun’s words had sealed his decision.
"President Wu, I’m in. As for salary, the industry average will be fine. But I was wondering, are you open to taking on a partner? I’m extremely optimistic about the company’s future, and I’d like to invest some of my own money!"
After careful consideration, Wei Feng shared his thoughts. He had worked for others for twenty years. Even though he’d earned tens of millions for himself, at the end of the day, he was still just a high-class wage earner.
’If I’m going to do this, I want to be a boss myself, even if it’s just as a minority shareholder.’
Wu Yun was surprised. His original plan had been to offer stock options, just as he did for the general managers of his other companies. But if Wei Feng wanted to invest, that was also an option. It would make him even more dedicated to the company’s success. ’Wealth should be shared,’ Wu Yun thought. ’Hogging all the profits for yourself will only lead to alienation and ruin.’ Of course, the non-negotiable condition was that he, Wu Yun, had to maintain a controlling stake. Otherwise, the deal was off.
Besides, what Wu Yun truly valued were Wei Feng’s connections and resources within the industry. Even though he had been reborn from the year 2022, the number of surefire hit TV series and movies he could recall was limited.
Thousands of TV shows and movies were released every year, but less than one-tenth of them were actually profitable. Once he invested in all the projects he remembered and had planned for, how would the company continue to grow? This was where an industry insider’s importance truly became apparent.
Not that Wu Yun lacked confidence; he was sure he could build an empire before 2022 arrived.
"No problem, President Wei. How much do you want to put in? I’ll start with 150 million, and we can divide the shares based on our investment ratio." Wu Yun decided to stick with the 150 million figure, since several projects would require funding soon.
Wei Feng thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "I’ll put in 50 million. President Wu, that’s my entire net worth. I won’t be able to contribute to any future funding rounds, and I’m prepared for my shares to be diluted as a result!"
There were several reasons why Wei Feng dared to invest so much money so readily. First, he had been contacted by a very well-known headhunter in the recruitment industry, whose years of stellar reputation served as a guarantee.
In addition, the headhunter had revealed some information about Wu Yun, namely that he was the legal representative of multiple companies—a fact that couldn’t be faked.
Most importantly, the contract would only be signed after the capital was presented. If you couldn’t produce the funds, he’d just turn around, walk away, and blacklist both the headhunter and the potential employer.
"Done! Based on that ratio, I’ll hold 75% of the shares, and you’ll have 25%, President Wei. Your salary will be set at the industry standard. As for Qi Fei..."
"Miss Qi is no problem at all!" Wei Feng interjected shrewdly. "I have high hopes for her. When we establish the talent agency, we can sign her to the most flexible contract possible!"
"In that case, President Wei, here’s to a successful partnership!" Wu Yun stood up and shook Wei Feng’s hand.
Afterward, Wei Feng asked for more details about the company and was somewhat disappointed to learn that this current office wasn’t actually the headquarters for Phoenix Entertainment.
Wu Yun quickly explained, "President Wei, this is the office for another company I recently founded. Phoenix Entertainment’s offices are on the 16th floor of the Zhen Dan Mansion next door. It’s just as nice, though a bit smaller at only a thousand square meters."
Wei Feng was both delighted and shocked. He was delighted because, for a film and television company, the office is its public face. Being able to hold business meetings in Lujiazui would instantly earn them more respect.
He was shocked by Wu Yun’s financial might. An entire floor used as an office... one could only imagine that the investment in this other company was no less than the investment in Phoenix Entertainment. He wondered inwardly why he had never heard of any prominent family or major figure in the country with the surname Wu.
