As Fan Yu stood downstairs, bored out of his mind.
Two people walked out of the elevator.
"Xiao Lu, this drama is really good. I heard a backer has invested a hundred million yuan in it."
A woman in her thirties followed beside the young man, script in hand, trying earnestly to persuade him.
Lu Han looked impatient. "No stunt doubles, and there are so many action scenes. How am I supposed to film it? If you want me to take this role, add another ten million to my fee."
"How is that possible? Xiao Lu, your fee is already the highest. That backer will never agree to it."
The agent cried out in alarm.
Lu Han shrugged. "If my fee doesn't go up, I'm not filming it."
The two headed outside, leaving Royal Entertainment Company.
"Who is that?"
Fan Yu watched Lu Han's departing back and asked the receptionist.
"Hello, sir. He's our company's rising star, Lu Han."
The receptionist's eyes were filled with envy.
Lu Han was a recently popular celebrity. It was said that one drama had earned him three million followers on the blogging platform overnight and sent him straight into the top ten of the Qiandu trending rankings. Royal Entertainment Company was now packaging Lu Han with all its might, hoping to turn him into a leading idol star of the era.
Fan Yu nodded slightly. Lu Han had only just become famous, yet he was already acting like a big shot. He probably would not last long.
To be honest, celebrities only made money for a few years. Once their popularity faded, they would no longer be famous. By then, in many film and television dramas, they could only play supporting roles.
If they failed to manage themselves properly during those few years, celebrities could easily lose their popularity and be eliminated.
Someone like Lu Han, who relied purely on popularity and had little acting skill, could easily end up shelved or blacklisted if he kept throwing his weight around.
At that moment, Yang Fei also walked out of the elevator. She was a middle-aged woman of around thirty-seven or thirty-eight, but she had maintained herself exceptionally well. She showed none of the aging one would expect at that age and instead looked barely over thirty—mature and charming.
When she saw Fan Yu, Yang Fei stepped forward. "Boss."
Fan Yu smiled. "Hello, Manager Yang."
In the general manager's office upstairs, Fan Yu sat in his chair while Yang Fei stood across from him.
Fan Yu carefully reviewed the documents in his hands. Over this period of time, he had gradually adapted to his identity and was now able to understand some of the company documents.
After closing the Royal Entertainment Company file, Fan Yu said, "The company's current operating model is acceptable, but this star-making plan still isn't perfect. Relying solely on looks and taking the popularity route isn't a long-term solution. We need to invest more in people with acting talent and good character if we want to go further."
Yang Fei frowned. "That's just how the market is now. Popular idol stars are the fastest way to make money. This is an era for young people. Those with acting talent need at least a good script before they can become popular."
"There are too few good scripts these days. They're worth their weight in gold. If we use the method Director Fan mentioned, the company's profits may be affected."
Fan Yu waved his hand. "President Yang, you can't put it that way. Popular idol stars are always at the center of controversy. If a bad scandal breaks out, it will affect the company's reputation. It's better for us to produce quality film and television works and prove ourselves through strength. That is the foundation."
Yang Fei felt that this new boss was too old-fashioned and did not understand how to keep up with the times. Although popular idol stars lacked acting skills, they guaranteed traffic and could quickly bring in money for the company. Only profit was the best proof.
Ignoring what Yang Fei was thinking, Fan Yu took out the script for The Richest Man in Xihong City, which he had rushed to finish the previous night. "President Yang, take a look and see what you think of this script."
Yang Fei accepted the script and began reading it carefully.
After finishing it, Yang Fei's eyes lit up. "A comedy centered around a super-rich protagonist—it's exactly the kind of subject the current market likes most. If this movie is released, the box office will definitely be very high."
"Boss, can we buy out this script?"
Although Yang Fei was profit-driven, she was quite capable. At a glance, she saw the enormous potential of Tomato Tycoon.
"Yes, I've already bought this script. It can be used for filming immediately. However, I want to personally oversee the selection of the male and female leads. We can't let one person ruin the entire film."
Yang Fei nodded. "All right, Director Fan. I'll contact some comedy stars right away, and you can decide on the candidates then."
Fan Yu shook his head. "No need. I plan to use people from our own company for this film. It will also be a good opportunity to create a comedy star for our company."
"Director Fan, isn't that a bad idea? If we use newcomers, their acting skills and experience will be difficult to compare with those veterans. I'm afraid the box office will drop significantly."
Yang Fei frowned.
Fan Yu smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I already have a plan. It definitely won't affect the box office."
After getting into the car, Fan Yu pondered for a moment.
His plan was actually very simple. As long as they generated some buzz online, Tomato Tycoon could become popular before it was even released.
This was an era of internet information bombardment. The internet was the most powerful public relations tool.
Just then, Liu Tianfeng called.
"Hello, Boss. Do you have time?"
Fan Yu asked, "What is it?"
Liu Tianfeng said, "Bitcoin has started appearing in large quantities. If you have time, Boss, it would be best if you came over."
Fan Yu replied, "All right, I'm heading over now."
Inside an office building on Financial Street, Fan Yu arrived on the nineteenth floor.
This was the office space Fan Yu had prepared for Liu Tianfeng. As soon as he entered the company, Liu Tianfeng, who had been waiting, came forward to greet him.
"Boss, take a look."
Fan Yu sat in front of the computer. Liu Tianfeng pointed at the data on the screen. "Since midnight last night, Bitcoin has begun trading in large quantities. It's attracted the attention of many investors, and some people have already started buying Bitcoin in bulk."
Fan Yu stared at it for a while, and the corner of his lips curled upward.
"Looks like those big players are preparing for their first test."
"What's the current price of Bitcoin?"
Liu Tianfeng said, "Five yuan."
"What was it when we first started buying?"
"One yuan."
"It's already gone up fivefold in two days?"
Fan Yu said calmly, "How much Bitcoin have we bought now?"
"Ten thousand coins. Boss, you told me to conceal our identities, so I used more than a hundred accounts and bought at different times each day. That's why we haven't purchased very much."
"No, the pace is still too slow. Do you know anyone skilled in market operations? Find a few people to help you buy Bitcoin together. Only then can we gain the greatest profit."
Liu Tianfeng thought for a moment, then nodded. "I have a few university classmates. I heard they're all working in Magic City now. There shouldn't be any major issues with their character."
"Good. Contact them immediately. Give them the best possible salaries and benefits. Make sure they are all in place today."
"Yes, Boss."
Liu Tianfeng took out his phone, walked to the side, and began making calls.
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