Chapter 76 The First Valentine's Day

Winter hotpot is indeed appetizing. Liu Shishi especially likes the unique spicy taste of this restaurant. She nodded and praised it frequently: "Yi Yi, let's come again next time, okay?"

Song Ci nodded slightly, scraped the foam off the soup with a smile, and threatened: "It's okay to eat spicy hot pot occasionally, but be careful not to eat too much or you'll get acne."

Liu Shishi looked at her boyfriend sitting opposite her and felt that every move he made was dignified and proper. Thinking about the way she had eaten just now, she couldn't help feeling annoyed. As soon as she went out, she forgot her mother's instructions and went back to her old ways, lacking the gracefulness and elegance of a woman.

Song Ci noticed Miss Liu's expression and understood her thoughts after a little thought. She began to worry about gains and losses again. This had happened more than once in the past six months. She decided to talk about this matter today and resolve her worries.

"Shishi." Song Ci stared at his girlfriend, his tone friendly and his smile gentle and heartwarming.

"Huh?" Liu Shishi looked at her boyfriend in surprise.

Song Ci leaned over and took out a small black gift box from the coat hanging on the chair, "This is for you."

Miss Liu's heart was pounding. She quickly reached out to take the gift and opened it excitedly. Inside was an exquisite heart-shaped pendant diamond necklace, which sparkled brightly under the light.

Liu Shishi was a little disappointed. "It's not a ring!"

Song Ci laughed dumbly, hearing a hint of disappointment in Shiye's tone. Although he understood what she meant, it was too early to say anything. "I'll put it on for you, Shishi."

"Yeah." Liu Shishi's face was flushed and she was a little shy. Her desire to get married was clearly revealed in front of the little brother.

Liu Shishi straightened her posture, and Song Ci stood behind her and put the necklace around her snow-white swan neck. The shining diamonds bloomed around her neck like countless stars, interpreting endless luxury and nobility.

Song Ci buried his head in Shi Ye's fragrant shoulders, leaned over to hug her soft body, and smelled the faint fragrance on her hair.

"Shishi, I like you who are lively, straightforward, natural, and real. When we get along in the future, we should be as casual as before, and don't deliberately pursue graceful manners."

Liu Shishi was a little confused by her boyfriend's sudden intimate behavior, but her remaining rationality was stronger than the tenderness and beauty brought by the intimate touch.

Although she was happy for the brother's thoughtfulness, she still said stubbornly: "I am a dancer and I have always had good manners."

Song Ci did not argue with his girlfriend, they both understood each other and stopped at the limit. He just snuggled up to her quietly, enjoying the peace and warmth of the moment.

Miss Liu closed her eyes and let Song Ci hug her. After a while, she noticed that her boyfriend let go of her arm and prepared to leave.

She quickly took his broad and strong hand, met Song Ci's puzzled gaze, and smiled sweetly: "Yi Yi, I also have a gift for you. It's in my bag. I'll give it to you right away."

It was the same black gift box, but Liu Shishi’s Valentine’s Day gift to Song Ci was a silver Longines watch.

"I remember you are used to wearing the watch on your left hand. Let me help you put it on." Liu Shishi gently covered the watch strap on Song Ci's wrist and then carefully buckled it.

Song Ci stared at Shi Ye who was bending down to help him put on the watch, and felt very touched. Miss Liu had carefully prepared gifts for him on his birthday and Valentine's Day.

Every little thing she did showed her love for him. He secretly decided that on Shi Ye’s 18th birthday next month, he would definitely show her his feelings.

"Smile, Yi Yi." Liu Shishi pinched her boyfriend's cheek playfully.

Liu Shishi looked at her smiling boyfriend for a few times and nodded with satisfaction. The boy looked elegant and gentle with the watch she gave him. He looked even more handsome and elegant. He could really charm thousands of girls. She had to keep a close eye on him!

"Yi Yi, smile more often and don't always look expressionless." My boyfriend is okay when he is with me, but he always has a cold face when there are outsiders around. Such a handsome boy should smile more.

Song Ci didn't say anything either. It would probably be difficult for him to change his personality. What's more, he was arrogant in his bones, which made it even more difficult for him to get close to others.

Liu Shishi knew that her boyfriend didn't listen to her words, but she just said it casually. As long as the young man's tenderness and smile were left to her, there was nothing else she could ask for.

After lunch, Liu Shishi took Song Ci to see a movie, a love movie "Mandarin Duck and Butterfly" starring Chen Kun and Zhou Xun.

Song Ci didn't want to go at first. He had watched all the excellent movies in his previous life, and he didn't want to watch movies he had never seen in this life. However, he retreated again under Shi Ye's empty eyes and changed his habit once again.

It was an ordinary love movie with a bland plot. Song Ci felt that the plot and pictures were very average, but Liu Shishi watched it with great interest.

On the way back from the cinema, the two passed by a flower shop on the corner. Song Ci specially selected a bouquet of flowers that best expressed his feelings, beautiful champagne roses and gave them to Miss Liu.

This bouquet of champagne roses, symbolizing happiness and exclusive love, was wrapped in colorful wrapping paper, carrying the sentiments of Song Ci and becoming the messenger of love between him and Liu Shishi.

February 23rd is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the annual Lantern Festival.

People who need to work outside can no longer enjoy the warmth of the festival. They can only say goodbye to their family, relatives and friends early and return to the city to work hard.

All parts of the country are no longer as relaxed and leisurely as they were during the holidays. Work and production have resumed one after another, and the country is once again busy.

Peking University started school the day before yesterday. Song Ci returned to the campus after a month-long absence and resumed his study life in the new semester.

At noon, the three roommates had already gone to the cafeteria to have lunch. Song Ci stayed in the dormitory because of something, so he asked his roommate to help him get some food and bring it back.

At this moment, he was sitting at the desk in the dormitory, staring at the computer screen and browsing a piece of news. He was also holding a mobile phone in his hand, talking to someone, and nodding from time to time to show his agreement.

Song Ci was reading an exclusive news item published in the entertainment section of Toutiao.com this morning.

Reporters reported that Tengda Southern Cinema Chain invested 36 million yuan to acquire Jiangsu Yangtze Cinema Chain, Oriental Cinema Chain and Donghai Daguangming Cinema Chain.

Together with the cinema chains and theaters that had been acquired in Guangdong Province, Southern Cinema Chain Company has since become a cinema chain giant with 52 theaters and 262 screens, ranking among the top three in the country.

In 2005, the three-year trial contract for the reform of the domestic cinema system expired. Just after the New Year, Tengda Southern Cinema Company took the lead in launching the merger and reorganization of cinema chains. It can be imagined that this year will definitely be a turbulent year for the film and television industry.

The person who was talking to Song Ci was Liu Rong, the general manager of Southern Cinema Chain Company. She had just signed an acquisition agreement on behalf of the company that morning.

After calculating the time, Song Ci returned to the dormitory after class at noon, and then he immediately called his boss to report the matter.

Last year, that is, in 2004, the cinema chain structure in South China was confusing. In March, Yangcheng Film Company and Jiayu Real Estate cooperated to establish Jinyi Cinema Line.

At the end of the year, Guangdong Film Company took action and joined forces with Huaying Group and Xinlian Cinema Line to form a new cross-provincial cinema chain, Huaying Southern Shinkansen.

In the second half of 2004, Liu Rong joined Tengda Culture and established Tengda Southern Cinema Line in Guangdong Province with the support of Song Ci. With sufficient funds and his own extensive network of contacts, he successively acquired the South China Cinema Line and Pearl River Cinema Line in Guangdong Province.

After mergers and reorganizations, the cinema chain structure in South China has gradually emerged as a three-way competition among Tengda Southern, Huaying Southern Shinkansen, and Jinyi.

After consolidating the basic foundation, Liu Rong shifted his focus beyond South China and gradually moved into East China.

After three months of negotiations and premium acquisitions, we finally successfully acquired shares from Jiangsu Film Company and Donghai Daguanming Group, completing full control of Yangtze Cinema Line, Oriental Cinema Line and Donghai Daguanming Cinema Line.

Song Ci remembered reading a film and television industry report in his previous life. By the end of 2004, 36 cinema chains had been built in China, with a total of 1,188 cinemas and 2,396 screens. By this calculation, Tenda Southern Cinema Chain Company accounted for 11% of the country's screens, second only to China Film Group.

"Mr. Song, this is the current situation. The company is now the largest cinema company in South China and East China."

There was a hint of pride and joy in Liu Rong's words. From nothing to something, Southern Cinemas is like her child. She is naturally happy about its current achievements.

Song Ci was also very satisfied with Liu Rong's work results over the past six months, and praised her generously, "Sister Liu, you have worked hard and made great contributions. Thank you for your hard work."

Liu Rong said modestly: "It's all thanks to President Song's trust and support."

Liu Rong was speaking from the heart. It is difficult to acquire cinema chains because most of them are state-controlled, and it takes a lot of effort and connections to coordinate.

It is simple to say, as long as the money is in place and the purchase is made at a premium, everything can be negotiated.

Song Ci provided sufficient funds and trust, which enabled her to cut the Gordian knot and generously acquire cinema chains, quickly achieving the current scale of Southern Cinemas.

Song Ci did not want to say much about the polite compliments. The remuneration promised to Liu Rong before would naturally be fulfilled one by one. Southern Cinemas still had to look to the future.

"Any follow-up arrangements?"

Liu Rong sorted out his work ideas in his mind, "I plan to stop the acquisition in the near future and focus on renovating old cinemas. At the same time, I will strengthen publicity to attract more cinemas to join Southern Cinema Line Company."

Song Ci nodded slightly. It was right to proceed step by step. Liu Rong really needed to spend time to digest and integrate the newly acquired cinema. "You are the one who makes the decision on these matters."

After communicating with Liu Rong for a few more words, Song Ci hung up the phone. Overall, the work of Southern Cinemas was on the right track, and Wang Jing had sent people to keep an eye on the financial aspects, so he didn't need to worry too much.

By filling in the puzzle of cinema chains, Tengda Culture has opened up all links of film investment, production, distribution and screening.

The only weak point is that the company still lacks a director with market appeal and who can take on the responsibility. After thinking about it, Song Ci decided to let the company launch a director support program.

Just as he was about to call Wang Jing to discuss supporting the director, Lin Hao and his friends happened to return to the dormitory with lunch. Song Ci temporarily put the matter aside and discussed it later.

"Why did you give me so many dishes?" Song Ci opened the lunch box and asked his roommate in surprise.

The dishes I brought for him included Kung Pao Chicken, Braised Lion's Head, Stir-fried Pork, a chicken leg, and two vegetarian dishes. It was really rich.

Lin Hao curled his lips and said enviously, "This is the Lantern Festival lunch prepared by the beautiful lady Shen for you. She saw that you didn't go to the cafeteria to eat, so she specially selected a few meat dishes for us to bring back."

"Sisi called me!" Song Ci stroked his forehead with one hand, extremely speechless. The dishes looked tempting and indeed whetted his appetite.

But it is the most difficult to accept the favor of a beautiful woman. He already has a girlfriend, so how can he accept the kindness of another girl?

Song Ci held the chopsticks in his hand, feeling hungry. He looked down at the delicious food in the lunch box, feeling conflicted. He didn't know whether to eat or not. He felt really uncomfortable.

"You're so pretentious. The school beauty is chasing you, so just be happy that you have something to eat." Lin Hao muttered to himself when he saw Song Ci's awkward look.

Song Ci was immediately furious when he heard this, and questioned, “I’m being hypocritical? You three have been acting strangely recently. You knew I had a girlfriend, but you deliberately helped Shen Sisi to play wingman. Tell me, why did you do this?”

Song Ci's aura of superiority was revealed. The three people avoided his sharp gaze, hesitating and not daring to say a word.

"Fatty Lin, tell me first, don't you keep calling me Senior Sister all the time? Why did you suddenly backstab her and help Shen Sisi?" Song Ci pointed at Lin Hao and asked sternly.

Seeing that he couldn't escape, Lin Hao explained with a sad face, "Old Four, if I didn't help her, the girls in her dormitory would play a prank on me. I couldn't do anything about it. I'm a grown man and I can't get violent with them."

Song Ci was thoughtful, looking at Tang Xiaochuan and Lu Yugang, "What about you two?"

Tang Xiaochuan stammered, “Student Shen introduced me to a work-study program in the school broadcasting room.”

At this point, both roommates had confessed, and Lu Yuguang had nothing to hide, so he scratched his head and confessed somewhat embarrassedly.

"That old man, I'm dating Shen Sisi's roommate Sun Jingyi."

So that's how it was. Song Ci immediately understood why the three roommates behaved abnormally, and couldn't help but sneer, "Good job, you guys."

Lu Yugang looked at Song Ci, whose face was somewhat gloomy, and said awkwardly: “Old Four, don’t take these things to heart, Shen Sisi is also pursuing you.”

Lin Hao also nodded and agreed: "A good man doesn't fight with a woman. There is nothing we can do about it."

Song Ci sighed. It seemed that he had to think carefully about his relationship with Shen Sisi. It would be better for both of them to break up as soon as possible.

On March 8, the weather was fine and Song Ci came to the company early in the morning to personally attend an important meeting on the reorganization of Tenda Technology Group.

These days are a critical period for the company's development, so he decided to stay in the company to handle affairs. The 10th was Shishi's birthday, so he simply asked for three days of leave from his class teacher.

Today happens to be Women's Day, and Song Ci instructed the office to give a bouquet of flowers to each female employee to thank them for their contributions to the company and family. The corporate culture and employees' sense of belonging to the company are embodied in these little things.

Around 9 o'clock in the morning, in the company's spacious and bright conference room, Song Ci sat in the middle at the head of the simple and quaint black conference table. It was rare for him to wear formal clothes. The suit and tie matched his handsome face, and he had the mature temperament of a domineering president.

On his left was Zhang Yong and on his right was Wang Jing. All the senior executives of Tenda Technology and Tenda Culture were present and attended the meeting in order.

(End of this chapter)