Chapter 75

Project Clear Sky.

As the name suggests, this plan is related to eliminating the corrupt practices in the entertainment industry.

This plan was not proposed by provincial leaders, but rather by [unclear - possibly a government official] who observed the current state of the entertainment industry and called for reforms.

This conference not only invited Hu Zhenzhen, but also many well-known entertainment company bosses and tycoons who frequently invest in the entertainment industry.

Hu Zhenzhen made a special trip to the capital.

"Ms. Hu Zhenzhen, this way please."

The meeting was held in the municipal conference room in the capital, and the attendees flew in from all over the country; half of them were familiar faces.

As soon as Hu Zhenzhen entered the room, she spotted the sign with her name on it, sat down in that spot, and greeted Mr. Li, who was sitting nearby.

She was no longer a newcomer in the film and television industry. After the huge success of "The Dragon Slayer," Hu Zhenzhen participated in a couple of social events and got to know many company bosses.

Looking around now, half of them are people Hu Zhenzhen has met before.

In terms of wealth, Hu Zhenzhen's assets surpass those of most people, but she may not necessarily hold the top spot.

But when it comes to reputation, Hu Zhenzhen is undoubtedly number one in the conference room.

These people had all heard of her name to some extent, and when she came in, they turned their gazes toward her, either directly or indirectly.

In such a formal setting, it was difficult for strangers sitting far apart to communicate. Even if some people wanted to get to know Hu Zhenzhen, they were hesitant to speak loudly and were unable to interact with her.

She arrived at the perfect time, neither too early nor too late, just in the middle.

The people inside would occasionally speak in hushed tones, but generally remained quiet.

When the senior leader who was presiding over the meeting arrived, the meeting room became even quieter.

"I think you all have a basic understanding of the purpose of inviting you here today."

"We have been planning the Clear Sky Project for a long time. It has five basic components and aims to provide the public with a harmonious and friendly audio-visual environment."

"In recent years, illegal and criminal activities have frequently occurred in the entertainment industry, which has seriously affected..."

The meeting began with a speech from the top leader.

It mainly discusses the various chaotic phenomena in the entertainment industry.

Hu Zhenzhen's company was only established not long ago, and it was very disciplined. She was willing to discipline her employees and signed artists, and there were no problems in this regard. She stood up straight.

But not everyone can stand up straight like her in the meeting room.

The more detailed the leader's explanation, the more people sitting below lowered their heads.

Starting with tax issues and moving on to unforgivable criminal offenses, these words would cause a stir wherever they are spoken.

"Based on what I understand, everyone here performed without major errors."

"However, not every company is without problems. Please conduct self-examination and self-correction, and make up for any omissions and problems within three days. After three days, we will deal with companies that are still unwilling to make corrections."

The meaning behind the leader's words is very clear.

It seems that quite a few companies with minor issues were found during the investigation, giving everyone a temporary chance to rectify the situation.

If the hole cannot be patched up within this timeframe, then all will be dealt with according to the original punishment.

Hu Zhenzhen sighed inwardly.

There's going to be long queues at the tax bureau.

She was momentarily distracted, and before she knew it, her boss had called on her.

"Mr. Hu of Jianghu Film and Television is doing a great job. I have seen the tax reports. Mr. Hu's company pays taxes without any prompting, unlike some companies that require the tax company to urge them three or four times before they will pay part of the tax."

His words were both a suggestion and a warning.

"Companies that refuse to cooperate with our work will certainly not be on the meeting invitation list. Please take this as a warning and take the initiative to regulate your own behavior."

After saying this, the leader glanced at Hu Zhenzhen and smiled in acknowledgment.

Hu Zhenzhen was caught off guard and could only manage a smile and a nod to him.

Then the leader said, "The Clear Sky Project needs several leaders, and I think President Hu should be willing to take the lead and be the first."

This is a direct and straightforward way of giving Hu Zhenzhen a chance.

Her eyes lit up, and she immediately agreed.

"Of course we are willing. Jianghu Film and Television has always been willing to cooperate with the government."

Hu Zhenzhen agreed readily; her company had virtually no weaknesses in this regard.

The leader only mentioned a few leaders, but the selection process for the rest hasn't been announced yet. It's obvious that this will bring benefits, and regardless of how people usually get along, there will still be competition.

Mr. Li looked up and waited for Hu Zhenzhen to finish speaking before politely introducing himself.

"Over the years, Zhongnan Film & Television has also actively cooperated with the government. In terms of taxation, we pay taxes promptly and without delay. In terms of artist management..."

Mr. Li spoke at length, displaying considerable confidence. The senior leader glanced down at the documents, confirming that most of what he said was true, and praised him generously.

“Very good. Zhongnan Film and Television has done a good job over the years. The Clear Sky Project needs a leader like President Li to lead it.”

In just a few minutes, two leaders had been chosen, and the rest of the people were getting impatient.

The leader has said that several leaders will be selected, but in theory, the number will probably not exceed five, and may even be only three.

These company owners are understandably anxious to see their opportunities slip away when they are right in front of them.

They only regretted not doing their job well enough, lacked confidence, and dared not recommend themselves like General Manager Li.

And that is indeed the case.

With so many people present, there are bound to be a few bosses who have a clear conscience, and at this moment, they would volunteer to step forward and be the leader.

The specific benefits of being the leader are not yet clear, but for everyone, having such a high-ranking leader speak up means there is absolutely no harm in becoming the leader of the Clear Sky Project.

The group of people, each with their own thoughts, finished the meeting.

After the meeting, the top leader specifically asked these leaders to stay behind for a small meeting.

After learning that there was a small meeting, the bosses who wanted to leave early felt even more uncomfortable.

"I should have raised my hand to volunteer too."

As he emerged from the government building, Mr. Huang, usually so cheerful and entertaining, muttered to himself, clearly unwilling to accept the situation.

The boss, who was standing next to him and overheard this, immediately laughed.

"Come on, if you really got elected, wouldn't you recommend yourself?"

His implication was quite clear.

Isn't it just that they have a guilty conscience and know the company's problems, which is why they don't dare to raise their hands to be the leader?

These words angered Mr. Huang, but he couldn't refute them.

Because his company did have some accounting problems, he didn't dare to speak up in the meeting just now.

But does that mean those who spoke out really have a clear conscience and no fault whatsoever in their accounting?

Mr. Huang didn't believe it from the bottom of his heart.

Huang was particularly disdainful of Hu Zhenzhen, who had been praised by the leadership.

She's just putting on a good show. There's no such thing as a perfect person in this world. Doesn't Hu Zhenzhen want to make money?

Mr. Huang pursed his lips and left, looking rather unhappy.

Since the authorities are going to crack down on this, he has to go back to his company and clean up the mess from the past, at least to avoid being caught red-handed.

However, the boss who had just retorted to him had a completely different opinion from this Mr. Huang.

"Sure enough, staying in one place for too long will narrow your vision. I only realized how many talented people there are when I came to this meeting."

As soon as he got in the car, he started going over the details with the driver.

"That Ms. Hu Zhenzhen, she must do such a good job that she was remembered by the top leader and praised by name."

The driver, who was usually his conversation partner, immediately asked, "Is he the Mr. Hu who filmed 'The Dragon Slayer'?"

"Yes, yes, that's her. You'll probably see her online tomorrow. She's the leader of this Operation Clear Sky."

"If you ask me, a capable person is capable no matter where they go. When Ms. Hu first opened the milk factory, I thought it was just a small-scale operation, but now it seems that she is good at everything she does!"

The driver was caught off guard by this unexpected revelation: "Mr. Hu is the leader? And what about you, boss?"

If this were any other boss, a driver who speaks his mind would have been fired long ago.

But Mr. Zhu still liked the driver's straightforwardness; sometimes, an unintentional remark could remind him to be careful with his words and actions.

"I'm just a cooperating member. We equipment manufacturers usually just invest in movies and TV series. When it comes to cracking down on the entertainment industry, how could an outsider like me be the leader?"

He knew perfectly well that he had never intended to compete for this spot in the first place.

"But President Hu is really amazing. Her entertainment company has only been open for less than a year, and with so many senior figures sitting there, the leader only praised her."

Mr. Zhu smacked his lips, savoring the taste.

"This might be a warning to them; the higher-ups are watching what these companies have been doing all these years."

The driver agreed, saying, "The boss is right. If you don't want anyone to know, then don't do it in the first place."

"Indeed, it seems we need to be more discerning when it comes to investing. From now on, we can't just look at the script; we also need to consider the partners we're working with."

"What if we encounter someone who violates regulations or laws? If the film is halfway through and the actor and the company are both arrested, wouldn't it all be a waste?"

Thinking of this, General Manager Zhu became much more alert.

"Over the years, I haven't lost much money investing in TV series and movies, so I've become less vigilant. This serves as a reminder that I can't be so careless next time I invest."

He reminisced about his past partners.

The more you recall, the more shortcomings and violations those companies can be found.

Mr. Zhu used to not care much about these things, but now it seems that they are all hidden dangers.

After thinking for a while, he spoke with admiration again.

"Mr. Hu is truly amazing. In such a complex environment as the entertainment industry, he has managed to achieve this level of success."

After hearing him praise Hu Zhenzhen several times, the driver couldn't help but laugh and say, "Boss, if you're worried about problems with your partners, why not just invest in President Hu? Investing in her is definitely the right thing to do."

This serves as a reminder to General Manager Zhu.

He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That's right! Why don't we just cooperate with Jianghu Company from now on?"

Mr. Zhu suddenly understood.

"Mr. Hu's Jianghu Film and Television and Jianghu First Line have a good reputation in the industry. They can handle film and music all by themselves, and even have film and television bases for shooting."

The more he talked, the more reassured he felt about investing in the TV series produced by Jianghu Film and Television.

"You've really reminded me. I definitely need to get Mr. Hu's contact information. If we can cooperate, we'll be on a big ship."

Perhaps it was Heaven's ears that Mr. Zhu's eagerness reached them, because just a few days later, he really got the opportunity to work with Hu Zhenzhen.

The announcement of the Clear Sky Project sparked a wave of discussion.

The fact that the authorities are willing to step in and rectify the chaos is good news for everyone.

[Great! At least we won't have to watch those demons and monsters causing trouble anymore!]

[Could you please investigate Lü Qian? That video he posted last time—the one of him rolling his eyes, kneeling on the ground, and convulsing—was supposed to be dancing. Is that really okay?]

I am reporting that DaXigua Film & Television has serious tax problems!

A group of enthusiastic netizens quickly flocked to the official Weibo account to report the incident.

At this time, Hu Zhenzhen also issued a press release as required by the authorities to promote the Clear Sky Project, setting an example for other companies in the entertainment industry.

Mr. Li and a music company owner also posted on Weibo.

However, among these people, Hu Zhenzhen was the most famous and had the most followers on Weibo, so she was naturally regarded as the first person to stand up and take the lead.

Under the boss's leadership, Jianghu Film and Television and the top artists in the industry naturally also expressed their opinions.

Set a good example and abide by the law!

[Never before, and never again. Follow in President Hu's footsteps and support Operation Clear Skies!]

This statement immediately drew cheers from the crowd.

[Couldn't they learn from the actors in the film and television industry? Those A-list actors who are usually so vocal are all silent now.]

[Your sister Hu is still your sister Hu. Just a few days ago, and she's already quietly getting things done again. Whose sister is leading the official team? It's mine!]

[I'm so proud! All the kids I support are good kids! The "mommy fans" are laughing hysterically, not worried at all about their image collapsing.]

Many marketing accounts that are following this issue are desperately trying to find topics related to Hu Zhenzhen.

With the start of Operation Clear Sky, this wealthy businesswoman is sure to become the center of attention once again.

Marketing accounts are masters at leveraging traffic, so of course they won't miss this opportunity.

Not long after, news that Jianghu Films was preparing a new movie was unearthed by marketing accounts.

Hu Zhenzhen didn't deliberately hide this matter, but Jianghu Film and Television wasn't popular enough to attract attention just by preparing a movie, so not many people knew about it.

"Boss, I heard that General Manager Hu is preparing a new movie! Our chance has come!"

When this news went viral, Mr. Zhu's driver happened to see it and excitedly relayed it to him.

Mr. Zhu himself opened his phone a little later and saw the news trending on social media, and he was extremely excited.

"I'll try to find someone right now to see if I can get Mr. Hu's contact information. I don't know how big the investment for this film is. Is it too late to invest now?"

He was not overthinking it.

Given Hu Zhenzhen's current popularity, there are definitely a lot of people chasing after her and investing money in her.

Moreover, Hu Zhenzhen already has money and is very likely to fully invest in the film, since she didn't seek investors for the previous film, "The Dragon Slayer."

Several of the people who attended that meeting actually added Hu Zhenzhen on WeChat.

One of them was familiar with General Manager Zhu, so he gave him General Manager Hu's account and asked him to add it himself.

Mr. Zhu was just mustering up the courage to come up with his opening line for requesting to be friends with someone.

Usually, it's a group of people who take the initiative to add him; he hasn't added anyone on his own initiative in a long time, so he really didn't know how to start the conversation.

Just as I was hesitating, I heard the driver say, "I'll go."

"President Zhu! Look at the trending topics! Everyone's saying President Hu is going to invest 1 billion yuan in this movie!"

How many?

One billion!

Mr. Zhu gasped and quickly switched to Weibo.

As it turned out, the driver wasn't exaggerating; more than one person was sharing this information.

He traced the source and discovered that the message originated from employees on the front lines of the industry.

Because the film's budget was so high, the staff discussed it privately with friends when they heard about it, and now screenshots have been leaked by their friends.

As the protagonist of the screenshot, Xiao Yang was extremely nervous.

After much deliberation, she took the initiative to go to her supervisor's office and apologize.

"Manager Li, I want to confess something. The person in that screenshot circulating online is me."

It's not that Xiao Yang is too honest.

The truth is, her profile picture is a selfie of herself, and her colleagues can tell who it is at a glance. She has no way to hide it.

When she discussed this matter with others, she specifically instructed her friends not to spread it.

Unexpectedly, as soon as news of the movie broke, the screenshots were so openly viewed by the entire internet.

Xiao Yang was so embarrassed that he just wanted to crawl into a hole.

"Supervisor, I really didn't mean it. I promise I will never talk about work with anyone again."

She was genuinely afraid of losing her job.

After all, Ms. Hu is a one-in-a-million good boss. It was only after coming to the front line of the business that she understood what it means to treat employees as human beings.

There's no 996 or 007 work schedule; instead, there are bonuses for exceeding work targets and occasional company-funded team building activities.

Xiao Yang often tells his friends that he wants to retire at the company for the rest of his life, living such a blissful existence.

If she really lost her job because of that blabbermouth friend's actions, she would be angry for the rest of her life.

"I already know."

Xiao Yang felt uneasy seeing his supervisor's ambiguous smile.

"Your profile picture is too obvious. I recognized it the moment I saw it. Don't worry, I already apologized to President Hu on your behalf."

Xiao Yang was both touched and apprehensive that his supervisor had taken responsibility.

"Sister Li, what did General Manager Hu say? Did he scold you?"

She was already mentally prepared that if her supervisor was really punished for this, she would share the punishment with him and not let him take the blame for her alone.

Xiao Yang had already figured out how to pay his mortgage after his salary was deducted, but then he heard Li's words.

"Mr. Hu said: 'Okay, that saves on advertising costs.'"

Manager Li chuckled, and seeing that Xiao Yang's expression had relaxed, he tapped on the table.

"However, this is still a reminder to you. Although Mr. Hu doesn't care about what got out this time, he might not care next time. It's best not to mention sensitive issues to others."

Xiao Yang learned his lesson after suffering a loss.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll never say it again!"

"Alright, go out now. You don't need to worry about what's being said online for now."

Manager Li calmed her down with a few words and sent her away.

The rumors of a billion-dollar investment on the internet have been circulating for a long time. In Hu Zhenzhen's eyes, this is free publicity, but in other people's eyes, this news has caused quite a bit of trouble.

Mr. Zhu is one of them.

"Do you think Mr. Hu can accept my investment of 10 million? Would he think it's too little?"

As he hesitated, the driver, being straightforward, advised him directly: "That's a lot, enough to make a movie. I heard the other day that the Black Shark movie that was released this summer was a low-budget film, only costing a few million."

Although the driver's example was a bit extreme, it did comfort Mr. Zhu.

He made up his mind, "Never mind, I'll add Mr. Hu first."

The driver chimed in, "That's right! Getting a ride is a win!"

After many twists and turns, just as the application was sent out, Mr. Zhu heard the driver exclaim "Oh!"

He quickly asked, "What is it now?"

The car was parked in front of their house, and the two discussed the matter, but couldn't get out of the house to drive away for a long time.

This time, the driver handed over his phone directly, saying, "Boss, you'd better work hard and try to cooperate with President Hu. Xu Jie has officially joined the front line of the underworld!"

"Boss, once you're working with President Hu, could you get me a signed photo of Xu Jie? I've liked him for so long."

"It's not even close to being done yet."

Mr. Zhu chuckled, feeling a bit more relaxed because of what he said.

"Are you so sure that Mr. Hu will cooperate with me?"

The driver smiled sheepishly, "I have faith in you, boss!"

Compared to other martial arts films and television series, martial arts films and television series were originally not very prominent.

To date, the only person in the industry who has made a name for himself is Su Zhao, who has gone viral on short video platforms.

Su Zhao's song became a hit, but it hasn't had a chance to be tested by concerts and various programs yet.

The general public has little idea of ​​his true skill level.

But Xu Jie is different; he has released five albums to date, each one a classic.

Nine out of ten people who enjoy listening to music have heard Xu Jie's songs.

A singer of his caliber is actually willing to join the front lines of the entertainment industry.

From the audience's perspective, this further demonstrates the company's strength.

[Holy crap, the rumors weren't false after all!]

Wherever my husband goes, I'll go. From now on, the entire Jianghu frontier will be our new home!

[If you don't understand, just ask. My child hasn't heard of Jianghu Yixian. Is this company any good?]

This question stumped people.

It's not that the company is doing poorly, but rather that it doesn't have many tangible results to show for itself right now.

The knowledgeable fan, who was trying to figure out how to explain, was stunned and didn't know how to answer.

At this point, Hu Zhenzhen's fan group, which few people knew about, finally stepped up its efforts.

They just sent over an emoji, that was it.

The emoji uses a photo of Hu Zhenzhen with two lines of large text photoshopped onto it.

Q: Why are top-tier players in the martial arts world so powerful?

Answer: She's the boss!

This meme is just too straightforward.

It's simple, powerful, and irrefutable; even casual viewers who click in will nod in agreement.

[Sister Hu is awesome!]

This is the comment with the most likes under the emoji.

Even the employees at Jianghu Company couldn't help but smile and give it a thumbs up when they saw it.

"Mr. Hu's fans are quite interesting. This is the first time I've ever seen a boss have more fans than an artist."

These past two days, Su Zhao has been busy with the promotional song for his new movie.

He has been taking composition classes for a week now, and today is no exception.

Just after class ended, before Su Zhao could even leave, his composition teacher, Mr. Guo, brought up the matter.

Su Zhao then learned about the situation online.

Teacher Guo was so engrossed in reading the funny comments in the comment section that after exchanging a few words with Su Zhao, he started laughing to himself.

What he didn't notice was that Su Zhao, sitting opposite him, stared at his phone without smiling for a long time.

Su Zhao's eyes fell on the emojis in the comments section.

Inside, Hu Zhenzhen has him in her left hand and Xu Jie in her right.

How come there's suddenly someone else?

He needed to catch up quickly, otherwise her gaze would only be drawn to more people, and she would no longer remember him, who seemed so insignificant.

Su Zhao's eyes hardened. "Teacher, I'll be going now. I have some new ideas about composition!"