Chapter 557 Another Path

July 7th, the Lesser Heat, the sun is blazing.

Guangzhou, the headquarters of Southern Cinema Circuit.

The secretary led a slender woman to the office door and stopped her there, saying, "Ms. Zhao, Mr. Zhang is waiting for you inside, so I won't go in."

"Thank you." Zhao Liying smiled warmly and gently knocked on the door.

A strong, resonant voice rang out: "Come in."

Pushing open the door, Zhao Liying was slightly taken aback. The Southern Cinema Line president's office appeared somewhat...disorganized at the moment.

Several half-open cardboard boxes were piled in the corner, and the documents and books that were originally on the bookshelf had been moved out and casually stacked on the desk, giving the impression that a relocation was underway.

Zhang Zhao was bending down to pull out the last few documents from under the desk when he heard the noise, looked up, and patted the dust off his hands.

"Liying's here! Is this your first time visiting the Southern Cinema Line headquarters?"

“Yes, Mr. Zhang.” Zhao Liying’s gaze swept over the surrounding boxes and cages, and she asked curiously, “Are you… moving?”

Zhang Zhao's smile widened: "In a few days, I'll be going back to work at the group headquarters."

Zhao Liying's mind raced. It wasn't yet time for the rotation of senior executives at Tengda Group, so Zhang Zhao's sudden trip north could only be explained by…

A thought struck her, and with a mixture of probing and certainty, she asked softly, "You've... been promoted?"

"Yes!" Zhang Zhao nodded heavily, beaming with pride, as if he had become several years younger.

"Thanks to Chairman Song's trust, I have been transferred back to headquarters to take charge of the entire entertainment sector!"

"Ah!" Zhao Liying exclaimed in surprise.

She had recently heard that Tengda Group had undergone organizational restructuring and formally established a major entertainment business group.

It comprises five departments: China Literature Group, Tengda Culture, Tiangong Special Effects, Southern Cinema Line, and Mtime.com, and is responsible for the integrated development of IPs and the entire chain of production, broadcasting, promotion, and distribution.

Zhang Zhao's move to the north to assume the position of Executive President of the Digital Media and Entertainment Group represents a significant step forward, placing him within the group's core power structure.

"Congratulations, Mr. Zhang!" Zhao Liying said repeatedly, her tone sincere.

Many thoughts flashed through Liu Rong's mind, but in the end, she lost to Zhang Zhao in this silent competition.

However, for her, Zhang Zhao was the one who guided her to sign with Tengda Culture and a benefactor in her career. His promotion was entirely beneficial to her.

People are in high spirits when they have a happy occasion. Zhang Zhao was radiant and led her to the reception area: "Sit down and let's chat."

He even personally poured Zhao Liying a cup of the finest Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao tea. The tea soup was bright and the aroma was enticing, making Zhao Liying feel flattered.

She sat quietly on the sofa, playing the role of a perfect listener.

Listening to Zhang Zhao share some inside information about the group's restructuring, which was quite rare for him, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

This leader, known for his dignified and aloof demeanor, was overjoyed to have defeated his old rival, and his words became noticeably more frequent.

"In Guangzhou, everyone speaks Cantonese. When I first came to Southern Cinema, I really wasn't used to it."

Zhang Zhao took a sip of tea, a look of relief on his face. "It's wonderful that I've been appreciated by Chairman Song and entrusted with such an important task, allowing me to return to Beiping."

"It must be because you have achieved outstanding results that you have caught Chairman Song's eye," Zhao Liying complimented aptly.

She knew that Tengda Culture's performance was equally impressive, and Zhang Zhao's ability to surpass Liu Rong and rise to the top must have been due to his achievements in the Southern Cinema Circuit that impressed the higher-ups.

Zhang Zhao leaned back comfortably on the sofa, a smug look on his face: "As for achievements, we have made some progress."

After I arrived, I introduced entertainment facilities such as claw machines and mini karaoke rooms in the lobbies of all cinemas.

These aren't old machines; they're all smart devices that support WeChat QR code payments and have interactive screens.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "There is enough space for a cinema, so I'm trying to integrate a small boutique bookstore and a cultural and creative retail area."

They specialize in selling merchandise based on well-known IPs from the Tengda Games platform. Market feedback has been excellent, and it's very popular with young audiences.

Zhao Liying seemed to be deep in thought.

The majority of cinema revenue comes from box office revenue sharing, but it is highly volatile and heavily dependent on top films and popular release dates.

The other part comes from snack and beverage revenue and advertising revenue.

Zhang Zhao's move, through innovation in scenario-based consumption, has opened up a new and stable path for revenue growth.

Compared to his achievements, Liu Rong at Tengda Culture seems to be more "conservative than ambitious." No wonder Zhang Zhao was the ultimate winner.

"I heard that you've chosen to stay with Tengda Culture?"

Zhao Liying straightened her expression and spoke from the bottom of her heart: "President Zhang, you know better than I how fierce the competition in this industry is."

Going independent, building a team, attracting investment, and negotiating projects all require tremendous effort, and the success or failure in the end is still uncertain.

Rather than going far away, I'd rather stay with the company. With Tengda Group as my backing, I can face any storm without fear.

A hint of undisguised approval flashed in Zhang Zhao's eyes. What he had been increasingly appreciating about Zhao Liying lately was precisely this ability to assess situations and her clear-headedness.

"You are a smart person! Yang Mi is energetic and ambitious, but she is not as wise as you and cannot see the big picture."

Her decision to leave Tengda Culture, influenced by Zeng Jia, was extremely foolish.

In the end, she will find that after all the twists and turns, and all her energy spent, the height she can reach may not be as high as staying at the starting point.

Zhao Liying nodded in agreement.

Yang Mi is a top-tier actress, second only to the leading lady. If she chooses to stay, she will receive stock options that are no less than what Yang Mi herself would receive.

Now she has chosen to be a speedboat sailing alone through the storms, missing out on the biggest wave of dividends from Tenda Technology's future IPO, and losing at least hundreds of millions.

Zhang Zhao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said unhurriedly, "Liying, you were recruited into the company by me, so you can be considered one of our own."

After I take over the entertainment division, the company's core resources will be allocated towards you in the coming years. I hope you won't let me down.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang!" Zhao Liying's eyes shone brightly. The network of connections she had carefully cultivated over the years was finally bearing fruit.

Zhang Zhao put down his teacup, his tone guiding, "Liying, have you thought about the longer-term future, such as... a career change?"

Zhao Liying was taken aback: "You mean to switch to behind-the-scenes work?"

“It’s not just behind the scenes.” Zhang Zhao paused for a moment, then said frankly, “Actors’ prime years are relatively limited.”

Once you become a top star, have you considered gradually transitioning to a public relations or operations role within the group?

He frankly admitted that he was in a position of great need for capable people upon assuming office.

Tengda Culture is mostly staffed with COO Wang Jing's old team, while Southern Cinema Line was short-lived, with its core members being promoted by former president Liu Rong.

He urgently needs trustworthy and capable new talent in his team.

Zhao Liying was recruited by him. Although she is currently an artist, if he is willing to cultivate her, it would not be difficult for her to transition into the group's management with her experience in the film and television industry.

"Me?! Is that okay?" Zhao Liying pointed at herself, looking surprised.

Her life plan, at most, considers staying at Tenda and developing her career until her contract expires in 2018.

As for whether to renew the contract after it expires, or to open an independent studio and invest in some film and television projects, it all depends on the circumstances.

She never dared to imagine getting promoted within the group and moving into management.

“Why not!” Zhang Zhao smiled confidently, his tone filled with absolute pride in the Tengda platform.

"Chairman Song likes to talk about ecosystems. The entertainment industry is still too small for a behemoth like Tenda."

We have a broad enough stage for you to complete the evolution of your ecological niche in the future.

In a few years, leveraging your extensive experience and influence in the film and television industry, you can start in key positions such as production, operations, and distribution.

I think it's entirely feasible to gradually advance to a higher position like Vice President and Content Officer!

Zhao Liying's eyes lit up as she listened, her heart pounding with excitement.

If this were to happen, she would no longer be just a celebrity, but a senior manager at Tenda.

Participate in formulating the annual strategy for the entertainment industry and decide on the allocation of billions of dollars.

Her vision will expand from the success or failure of one or two films to how to revitalize the entire entertainment industry. Just imagining it is enough to excite her.

He immediately stood up, bowed slightly, performed a solemn salute, and said sincerely:

"Mr. Zhang, thank you so much for your guidance! If that day ever comes, you will truly be the greatest benefactor in my life!"

Zhang Zhao nodded readily, accepting the gratitude: "My decision to promote you is both a matter of public and private duty."

From a professional standpoint, as the head of the entertainment division, I must achieve results surpassing those of my predecessors to live up to Chairman Song's trust. From a personal standpoint, I need trustworthy people.

But you also need to work hard. First, you need to reach the pinnacle of your acting career and become one of the top people in the entertainment industry.

Then, I can speak for you with conviction. The group believes in 'the capable rise, the mediocre fall,' and as long as you have solid achievements, you can rise to a higher position.”

“I understand!” As Zhao Liying sat down again, ambition began to grow within her.

“The company’s artists are all lucky,” Zhang Zhao suddenly remarked. “Chairman Song is an upright man with lofty aspirations. He has never had any ulterior motives towards you female stars.”

That's why the group has a relatively clean and upright atmosphere, with little room for petty scheming. Without those troublesome matters to deal with, you can focus on building your career for the next two years.

Zhao Liying remained silent, knowing that Zhang Zhao's words were true. The boss was upright, and many of the lower-level executives also became more restrained.

Most of the unspoken rules in the industry are based on mutual consent; coercion and intimidation are truly unheard of.

However, a pang of regret couldn't help but rise in her heart. Boss Song was exceptionally handsome, and female celebrities had often gossiped about him in private; it wasn't that she hadn't considered him.

Unfortunately, the other party is like a person in the clouds, and you can't even see them normally, so that little bit of wishful thinking can only remain at the level of fantasy.

Zhang Zhao, of course, was unaware of Zhao Liying's fluctuating thoughts at that moment. Suddenly remembering something, he added:

"When I returned to headquarters this time, Chairman Song also assigned me an important task."

I will organize a special meeting to advance this in a while; you are welcome to attend. It might be one of the directions for your future career transition.

At the same time, on the top floor of Tenda's headquarters.

The office was cool and comfortable with air conditioning.

Song Ci was relaxed, leaning back on the sofa, looking down at her phone.

On the screen, an app called "Kuaishou" kept refreshing with short videos, the content of which was still quite rough.

Huang Sheng, president of Toutiao, sat opposite him, reporting rapidly with a sense of urgency in his voice:

"Chairman Song, Kuaishou officially launched on July 1st, completing its strategic transformation from a simple GIF creation tool to a comprehensive short video platform integrating 'content + social'."

They moved very quickly.

Upon hearing this, Song Ci put down her phone and calmly said, "Kuaishou has only been online for a week, there's no need to rush."

The short video market won't take three to five years to develop and cultivate before its market structure is finalized; it's still a long way off.

Huang Sheng was infected by the chairman's composure, and his anxiety eased a bit. He chuckled and rubbed his hands together: "I understand, Chairman Song."

Watching others start running always makes me feel uneasy.

I hope Douyin can be developed and perfected as soon as possible and launched quickly so we can seize this valuable first-mover advantage!

"Being the first to act doesn't necessarily guarantee victory." Song Ci shook her head slightly, her tone calm and resolute. "The core competitiveness of short videos ultimately boils down to two things: content ecosystem and intelligent recommendation."

It's not a bad thing for Kuaishou to educate the market first, cultivate user habits, and remove cognitive barriers.

We can take advantage of this window of opportunity to refine the algorithm engine to be more precise, maximize the product experience, and lay a solid foundation.

At that time, leveraging Tengda's resource advantages, catching up and surpassing others will not be difficult.

Memories of his past life surfaced in his mind.

ByteDance relied on Toutiao and Neihan Duanzi to provide its initial content, while Kuaishou accumulated its early users thanks to the GIF era.

In this life, he had already taken Spark Live and Huya Live as pioneers in the integration experiment, accumulating a large number of live content creators and operational experience.

When the time is right, the essence of these two platforms can be directly "sacrificed" and transformed into a raging fire that ignites Douyin.

Then, by leveraging the two super traffic portals of WeChat and Weibo for precise traffic acquisition, a combined force can be formed to secure victory and completely crush Kuaishou.

Huang Sheng composed himself, his thoughts clearing, and remembering another important matter, he continued his report:

"Chairman Song, as you instructed, I have conducted in-depth research on foreign video content platforms such as YouTube."

A common thread emerges: a thriving content platform is inextricably linked to the support of professional and well-organized MCN (Multi-Channel Network) agencies.

I believe this business needs to be planned and developed as early as possible.

Song Ci nodded approvingly. As the agents and managers of internet celebrities, MCN agencies have a symbiotic and interdependent strategic partnership with platforms.

They can incubate content on a large scale, manage creators, and connect with commercial resources, making them an indispensable part of the platform's thriving ecosystem, which he naturally wouldn't overlook.

“Your judgment is very accurate,” Song Ci affirmed. “Right now, the live streaming industry is booming, and the live streaming guild system that accompanies it has begun to take shape.”

Essentially, live streaming guilds are the professional branches of MCN agencies in the live streaming field, and both fall under the category of online performance brokerage agencies.

Regarding the initial incubation of this area, I've entrusted Zhang Zhao with the task, allowing the film and television companies and artist management businesses under the Greater Entertainment sector to conduct pilot programs.

He paused slightly and then outlined his strategy: "As for the future, when Douyin rises, as the platform, our responsibility is to set rules and manage MCN agencies."

Let professionals do what they do best; the platform focuses on being both a referee and an infrastructure builder.

(End of this chapter)