Chapter 548 A Bigger Perspective

July! Midsummer, the morning light is blazing.

Liu Shishi hurried downstairs. Lately, she had been feeling sleepy, and this morning she was even later than usual, so she had to ask the director to adjust the filming schedule.

Upon reaching the first floor, the faint sound of arguing broke the tranquility of the early morning.

She frowned, followed the sound, and discovered that it was coming from the CEO's office at the end of the corridor.

"Who is Sister K arguing with so fiercely so early in the morning?" Liu Shishi wondered, and stood outside the door listening for a while.

After a moment's thought, I raised my hand and gently knocked on the door. Since I'd run into them, I figured I should go in and try to reason with them.

"Come in!" Cai Yinong's voice, clearly tinged with anger, came from inside.

Liu Shishi pushed open the door and entered. The atmosphere inside the office was somber.

Cai Yinong sat behind his desk, his face ashen, his chest heaving slightly, clearly very angry.

Across from him, Lin Gengxin sat there with his neck stiff, his young and handsome face flushed red.

Upon seeing that it was the top female star who entered, Cai Yinong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and forced a somewhat unnatural smile, speaking with concern:

"Shishi, what brings you here? I heard from Su Xiao that you've been looking tired lately. Why don't you skip the day and take a rest? Your health is the most important thing."

Liu Shishi gently shook her head and sat down beside her: "No need, Sister K. I'm generally okay, I just get sleepy easily."

There are only about ten days left in filming, so there's no need to take any more time off and delay everyone's schedule.

"Then you have to decide for yourself." Cai Yinong sighed. "It's okay if the crew wraps up filming a few days later. Don't push yourself if you're tired. Your health is the most important thing."

"Yes, I know." Liu Shishi responded, turning her gaze to Lin Gengxin, whose breathing had not yet calmed, and asked gently:

"Sister K, what's going on between you and Ah Xin? You're arguing so hard you're red in the face, we could hear the noise from far away."

Cai Yi-nong glared at Lin Geng-xin irritably, then turned his head away in a huff, not wanting to say anything.

Facing Liu Shishi, Lin Gengxin dared not act rashly, but his grievance and resentment were still written on his face as he explained in a muffled voice:

"Senior Sister, Sister K doesn't agree to me taking on any acting roles! There are good movie opportunities outside, which I got through my own abilities, so why can't I take them?"

Cai Yinong snorted coldly, turned his head, and said in a sharp voice: "The company is about to launch a new project. You are an artist that the company is promoting. You should prioritize cooperating with the company's drama!"

What? Just because "The Left Ear" was a box office hit, you think you're all grown up and can fly now? Have you forgotten who nurtured you step by step?

"That's not what I meant!" Lin Gengxin said excitedly, feeling that Cai Yinong was completely avoiding the main issue and blurring the concept.

"Sister K, I am grateful for the company's training! But when I film internal company dramas, my pay is only one-third or even less of what I would pay for external dramas!"

Now that a big company like Warner Bros. is offering me high-quality film resources with good roles, why shouldn't I take it?

One sentence pierced the veil of secrecy. A brief silence fell over the office.

Liu Shishi had already understood the whole story.

The movie "The Left Ear" became a hit after its female lead, Chen Duling, a beauty from Beihang University, said "build a rocket" at the premiere.

This sparked a wave of memes and discussions across the internet, greatly boosting the film's pre-release buzz.

On its opening day, the film raked in 56 million yuan at the box office with 25% of the screenings, making a strong start. In its first week, the film grossed over 285 million yuan, becoming a phenomenon in the youth film market.

The female lead, who was focused on "building rockets," indeed turned around gracefully after completing the promotional activities, returned to school, and had no lingering attachment to the turmoil of the entertainment industry.

As a result, the huge popularity and traffic generated by the film fell on the other leading actors, including Lin Gengxin and Yang Zi.

Especially the male lead, Lin Gengxin, saw his popularity soar and his commercial value skyrocket thanks to his outstanding appearance and performance in the drama.

As a shrewd businessman, Cai Yinong naturally saw the window of opportunity presented by this wave of popularity and wanted to strike while the iron was hot by quickly casting Lin Gengxin in the company's new drama to squeeze out as much profit as possible.

Liu Shishi's gaze swept over the two faces. One was ashen-faced, stubborn with a hint of annoyance at being misunderstood; the other was flushed, aggrieved yet defiant against being bound.

In a flash, he grasped the crux of the argument.

She couldn't help but sigh inwardly. K-sister's treatment of her and Hu Ge was truly exceptional; she was incredibly tolerant and generous.

However, the company is somewhat stingy with its other artists, pressing them too hard on their pay and always trying to tie them to the greatest value with the lowest cost.

After a moment's consideration, she felt that this might be an opportunity to have a good talk with Cai Yi-nong about the company's future.

So, in a calm tone, she asked, "Ah Xin, what kind of roles are you taking on outside?"

Lin Gengxin perked up and explained in detail: "Sister, it's a movie called 'Black & White,' invested by Warner Bros., and directed by Director Tsai, who also directed 'Meteor Garden.'"

After listening, Liu Shishi nodded and immediately made a decision: "Okay, I'll take charge of this. You can accept the movie roles as usual and act well."

Upon hearing this, Lin Gengxin was overjoyed. He glanced cautiously at Cai Yinong, whose face had instantly turned extremely pale, gritted his teeth, and quickly stood up.

"Thank you, Senior Sister! Thank you, Sister K! Well... I'll head out now. Please call me anytime if you need anything!"

The office door was gently closed.

Liu Shishi straightened her expression and calmly looked at Cai Yinong: "Sister K, now that there are no outsiders, let's have a good talk about the management of the company's artists."

Cai Yinong sensed an unusual aura emanating from Shishi and instinctively sat up straight: "Shishi, what do you want to say?"

"Tangren Film & Television has grown and thrived under your leadership, and your contributions are immense," Liu Shishi said solemnly.

After acknowledging the other party's achievements, he immediately changed the subject, saying, "But now that the company has reached the stage of striving for an IPO, your management mindset must change."

"Change? How to change?" Cai Yinong's mind was a bit confused at the moment. He was both unhappy about being "lectured" by the top female star and confused about his sore spot.

"Sister K, you have to acknowledge and accept a reality: after artists grow up, pursuing higher personal rewards is human nature and also a market rule."

Liu Shishi's voice was clear and calm, "Tengda Culture is strong enough, isn't it?"

After their artists become popular, they proactively establish studios for them and create a celebrity partnership system to achieve win-win cooperation.

She stared into Cai Yinong's eyes and said, word by word, "As the president, you should design a system that ties the company's interests with the artists' interests."

The goal is to create a community where everyone prospers, rather than excessively extracting value by suppressing salaries.

Cai Yinong remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together, clearly engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

Liu Shishi sighed softly and added the last, and most important, sentence:

"The company is the platform, and the artists are the resources. If I make you famous, you have to repay me with low pay."

K, this old way of thinking might have worked ten years ago, but it really doesn't work today.

She slowed her speech: "When an artist's status is not high, the company invests resources and gives them exposure opportunities. At this time, the low pay is tacitly agreed upon by both parties."

But for someone like Ah Xin, who has already become famous and whose market value has skyrocketed, how can you expect to stay the same as before?

K-sister, let's face the market rules. Low pay is a benefit during the development period, not a permanent privilege.

Cai Yinong was rendered speechless by the first sister's progressively detailed and logical remarks. His face turned pale and then red, and he felt a mix of emotions.

It must be admitted that what the top sister said hit the nail on the head, reflecting a cold and real reality.

When Lin Gengxin got emotional just now, he even said something as harsh as "I'll just sue to terminate the contract if necessary," which was practically a complete breakdown in relations.

“…You said it.” After a long silence, Cai Yinong finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, his voice dry, “But I need time to think about it.”

“Sister K, I know you may not be able to fully understand it right now.”

Liu Shishi stood up, her tone softening, "The old model of low pay and strict contracts that locked artists in is not sustainable."

The current mainstream is a more open and collaborative partnership mindset. Large, well-performing companies like Tengda Culture and Huace Film & TV exemplify this.

She picked up her handbag, ready to leave: "I'm going to the film set. You think about it carefully by yourself."

Seeing Liu Shishi get up to leave, Cai Yinong shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake off the jumbled thoughts in his mind: "I'll see you off."

"No need, Sister K," Liu Shishi politely declined, her voice gentle. "You should be alone for a while and think carefully about what I said."

She had only taken two steps when she suddenly remembered something and turned back to add, "Sister K, my sister-in-law lives on the second floor. If she needs anything, please look after her."

“No problem, don’t worry.” Cai Yinong stood there in a daze, lost in thought.

······

At 9:00 a.m. sharp, the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing was brightly lit, making the entire space magnificent, solemn and dignified.

The hall was packed, with major media outlets ready and waiting with their cameras and microphones.

On the backdrop, a huge banner proclaimed, "4G China, Within Reach: Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony between China Mobile, Tenda Technology, and Huawei Technologies," heralding the beginning of a new era in communications.

On the dais, three leaders representing the strongest forces in China's science and technology and communications fields sat side by side.

In the center is Xi Guohua, chairman of China Mobile, which controls the nation's telecommunications lifeline, with Song Ci and Ren Zhengfei seated on either side.

Behind them are the Chinese national flag and a huge cooperation logo, the composition full of power and symbolism.

The host solemnly announced the official start of the signing ceremony.

Three waiters in sharp suits and white gloves presented the cooperation agreement, bound in red brocade, to the three men.

At that moment, the entire venue was silent, with only the sound of camera shutters clicking like dense raindrops, recording this historic scene.

The three VIPs each picked up a pen and signed their names. The documents were then exchanged and signed again.

When Xi Guohua, Song Ci, and Ren Zhengfei finally stood up, holding documents and facing the camera, the flashbulbs went off at an all-time high, making it as bright as day.

Thunderous applause erupted in the Golden Hall and lasted for a long time.

After taking a group photo, the three leaders returned to the podium and entered a more intense Q&A session with Chinese and foreign journalists.

The first to ask a question was a reporter from CCTV's Finance Channel: "Hello, Chairman Xi, President Ren, and Chairman Song. This tripartite strategic cooperation is hailed by the industry as a golden combination."

Could each of you elaborate on the significance of this collaboration, which surpasses previous ones, and its potential impact on the future landscape of the 4G industry in China and globally?

Xi Guohua stepped forward without hesitation, her voice booming:

"China Mobile will devote all its efforts to ensuring the success of this cooperation, using the most advanced 4G network, the widest channel coverage, and the most attractive subsidy policies."

We want the fastest internet and the best service to reach every corner of China in the most accessible way!

Ren Zhengfei's answer, imbued with the pragmatism and ambition of a technologist, stated: "Huawei will provide the most advanced 4G terminals and solutions."

Our independently developed HiSilicon chips will ensure a user experience that is "one step ahead and rock-solid".

This collaboration represents a collective showcase of China's transformation from "Made in China" to "Intelligent Manufacturing in China"!

When it came to Song Dynasty poetry, he slightly adjusted the microphone, calmly and vividly described it:

"Chairman Xi and President Ren have described the 'road' and the 'vehicle'. What Tengda Technology wants to do is to build an 'intelligent transportation system' and 'service system' that support it and are geared towards the future."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, and continued, "The TenOS system will serve as the soul, deeply empowering the partner terminals and ensuring a smooth experience for every application."

Tenda Cloud Computing, as a powerful backend, provides big data and computing power support for mobile network optimization and Huawei's terminal services.

We will jointly build a digital ecosystem integrating hardware, software, network, and services.

Immediately afterwards, a reporter from Toutiao Technology asked: "Chairman Song, you just mentioned the ecosystem."

Does this mean that future 'HuaTeng' series phones running TenOS will have a closed ecosystem, serving only the Tenda group?

Song Ci smiled calmly: "On the contrary. A healthy ecosystem must be open and mutually beneficial."

We welcome developers from all over the world to create more excellent applications based on TenOS. Only through fierce competition can true prosperity be achieved.

The logically sound and insightful answer once again drew applause of approval.

Just then, a reporter from the Science and Technology Daily stood up when called upon by the host, and his question was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake:

"Hello Mr. Song. About fifteen minutes ago, the latest issue of Time magazine's Asian edition was officially released, and you became the cover figure for this issue."

The cover is titled 'THE CONNECTOR'! The related topic has already topped the Weibo trending list.

The reporter spoke quickly and excitedly, “The article in the weekly magazine shows that you mentioned in an interview that accumulating wealth has made you feel tired.”

I would like to take this opportunity to ask you, what is the ultimate goal that will not tire you out and that you are willing to keep striving for?

At the same time, how would you define yourself as a 'connector'?

The scene erupted in uproar!

Time magazine cover! Asia's richest man says "wealth makes me tired"! Either of these two pieces of information is enough to ignite a heated discussion.

Many reporters in the back rows quickly looked down and took out their phones to confirm, and a chorus of suppressed gasps and whispers erupted from both the stage and the audience.

Faced with the unexpected external factors, Song Ci was slightly taken aback. He did not expect Time magazine to choose to release it today, but his expression quickly returned to its previous calm.

His deep, steady gaze swept across the entire room, seemingly possessing a magical power that gradually quieted the noisy atmosphere.

Speaking into the microphone, a humble yet confident smile curved his lips, and his voice remained calm and unhurried:

"Time is a very good magazine, and Editor-in-Chief Tan's interview was very pleasant. Regarding 'The Connector'..."

He paused for a moment, carefully considering the most precise expression, "I believe that true connection is not simply connecting A and B online; that is only the most basic physical connection."

What Tenda Technology wants to do is to build a deeper and more vibrant digital ecosystem.

A 'field' where information, creativity, capital, and even trust can grow freely, match efficiently, and ultimately contribute value to the overall socio-economic development.

He raised his hand and pointed to the backdrop behind him, “Just like today, Tenda is joining hands with China Mobile and Huawei.”

Within this grand ecological blueprint, we are jointly building a 'digital highway' that starts with 4G and leads to a smart future.

Under the spotlight, Song Ci's composure and poise reveal a level of control that transcends age.

"As for wealth..." he suddenly chuckled, his laughter carrying a philosophical undertone, "when it accumulates to the point of becoming a number, it does indeed bring a kind of mental fatigue."

"I often think late at night about how to transform these cold numbers into effective energy that drives social progress and improves people's well-being."

Money that simply lies dormant in a bank account, without being invested, used to promote industrial upgrading, or created more jobs… is meaningless.

"So, what won't tire me out?" Song Ci's voice suddenly rose and became more serious:

"It's because we've seen excellent Chinese manufacturing like Huawei running on the digital highway we've built."

We see that through mobile networks and our devices, children in remote mountainous areas can access quality education.

It's about seeing how our products make life a little bit more convenient for every ordinary user.

Beside him, Ren Zhengfei turned his head and gazed at Song Ci's handsome profile, which appeared even more angular under the light, his face revealing undisguised admiration and respect.

Suddenly, I felt as if I were in another world. The vision and perspective of this young man in front of me were much broader and more expansive than my own when I was struggling to make a living.

It truly lives up to the saying, "Talented people emerge in every generation, each leading the way for decades!"

Deep in Xi Guohua's eyes, there was also a great deal of recognition for this young entrepreneur who possesses both a global vision and a deep sense of national responsibility.

The Song Dynasty poet succinctly concluded this exposition with a single sentence, his voice calm yet weighty: "The weariness brought by wealth stems from the fact that it is merely a static result."

The joy of creation lies in its dynamic and infinite process. Tenda Technology and I will always enjoy and dedicate ourselves to continuing this process.

After a moment of silence, as if digesting these resounding words, the entire audience erupted in the most enthusiastic and prolonged applause of the day!

All the reporters were frantically taking notes. They knew that this was not just Asia's richest man's view on wealth, but also the first time a world-class business leader had publicly revealed his core business philosophy, which was of extraordinary significance!

After the applause subsided, another reporter from the *Beiping Daily* seized the opportunity to ask a question, which was even more direct and even carried a hint of provocation:

"Mr. Song, according to an article in Time magazine, Bill Gates was the trendsetter in the technology industry for the first twenty years."

For the first decade, Steve Jobs led the way. The article explicitly states that for the last decade, you have been at the forefront of the internet.

The reporter paused, then emphasized, "But the reality is that one of them is getting old, his ambition has faded, and he is about to step down as chairman of Microsoft."

The other one tragically died young.

Yet you are so young, like the rising sun, with plenty of time to realize even grander dreams and careers.

Does this mean you believe your future achievements will surpass those of these two legendary figures in the history of science and technology?

This is an extremely sensitive question, and whether the answer is yes or no, it could be over-interpreted by the media.

After listening to Song Ci, there was no arrogance or unease on his face. Instead, he showed an even gentler and more humble smile.

"First of all, I must correct a point of view. The insignificant achievements that Song Ci and Tengda Technology have made today are by no means the result of one person's efforts alone."

We have caught up with a great era, a golden age in which a country is rising vigorously and fully supporting scientific and technological innovation!

It is the support of the country, the support of countless users, and the result of the tireless efforts of tens of thousands of employees at Tengda Technology.

I simply happened to stand at the forefront of this collective force, becoming merely a symbolic representation.

This humble statement won the favor of many people in the audience.

Then, he changed the subject, his tone calm yet brimming with confidence and strength, moving everyone present:

"Mr. Bill Gates and Mr. Steve Jobs are milestone figures in the history of global technology."

They defined the era of PCs and mobile internet, and their achievements and spirit will be forever remembered and admired.

But this does not mean that the torch of technological innovation can only be passed on to them.

This does not mean that the mission of leading epochal change can only be undertaken by Westerners.

"What I would like to express on this occasion is that we Chinese, our Chinese entrepreneurs and scientists, possess extraordinary wisdom, perseverance and grand dreams!"

We are based on this land that boasts the world's largest market, the most complete industrial system, and the most hardworking people.

We are fully capable and confident that we will forge our own path in the upcoming Long March of science and technology.

To create great products and an ecosystem that belong to this era and benefit users worldwide!

Song Ci spoke with a powerful and resonant voice; he did not claim that he would surpass anyone.

But what he demonstrated was the absolute confidence and historical responsibility of a rising Eastern technological power and its leader!

"As for the future..." he smiled slightly at the end, calm and composed, "Time will tell."

What Tengda and I need to do is lower our heads, calm our minds, and continue to build our 'road,' to create real value. Thank you.

(Only one update)

(End of this chapter)