As the conversation about the origins of Jinshu Media's name continued, more guests approached Lin Su's group. This time, it was senior officials from the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT). Chen Qing gave Lin Su a subtle nudge, prompting her to step forward with a smile.
"Good evening, Vice Minister Sun. It's such an honor to have you join us tonight," Lin Su greeted warmly.
"Supporting the nation's film industry is part of our duty. An event like this, naturally, we must attend," Vice Minister Sun replied, shaking Lin Su's hand. With a smile, he added, "By the way, Ms. Lin, that Forbes ranking of yours really put the spotlight on China. Quite an achievement!"
Lin Su remained humble. "You're too kind, Vice Minister Sun."
After exchanging a few polite remarks, Vice Minister Sun nodded briefly toward Chen Qing, who was standing slightly behind Lin Su, before moving on to mingle with other attendees.
Next came leaders from state-owned film production companies, followed by prominent figures from China's entertainment industry.
Lin Su felt like a mascot, constantly in the spotlight and making rounds of introductions and small talk. Yet, she pushed through the evening with determination. This was Jinshu Media's debut in the industry, and nearly every notable individual in the field had gathered. With her Forbes ranking adding to her prominence, she had no choice but to take the lead.
After all, this was ultimately his enterprise, and she needed to do her part to support it.
At one corner of the banquet hall, a middle-aged man with slightly crooked teeth, later infamous as Feng Pants, observed Lin Su's interactions with a mixture of envy and curiosity. He turned to the shorter, bespectacled man beside him, known to many as "Chef Liu" due to a later career pivot into food television.
"Who is that?" Feng Pants asked.
Chef Liu chuckled knowingly. "You don't know?"
Feng feigned indignation. "Should I?"
Liu stopped teasing and explained, "Have you heard of Forbes magazine? That woman, Lin Su, is ranked 387th this year, with a net worth of $500 million."
Feng Pants raised an eyebrow, briefly considering the astronomical gap between $500 million and Simon Westeros' $1.5 trillion. But the thought quickly passed. Even $500 million—equivalent to over 4 billion yuan—was an unfathomable fortune in mainland China, where no publicly acknowledged individual came close to that wealth.
Their conversation was interrupted as Lin Su, accompanied by Jinshu Media's CEO, Wu Shanlin, approached their side. Feng Pants and Chef Liu quickly straightened up.
The two men weren't merely guests tonight—they had recently been invited to join Jinshu Media. After confirming the company's strong backing, they had eagerly signed on.
Following introductions, Lin Su turned her attention to Chef Liu, who had been tasked with developing the script for Call for Love, a romantic comedy project personally greenlit by Simon.
"Mr. Liu," Lin Su began, "how is the script coming along?"
Chef Liu's earlier playful demeanor vanished, replaced by professionalism. "Based on the briefing materials and the song provided, I've developed several ideas. I'm currently gathering material and plan to feature a range of archetypal female characters, weaving them into a narrative reflective of the times."
Before Lin Su could respond, Chen Qing interjected, "Mr. Liu, please remember that Jinshu Media wants a comedy. Avoid overloading the film with deeper themes."
Chef Liu nodded. "Of course."
Lin Su, after Chen Qing had spoken, addressed Feng Pants. "This film is scheduled for release at the end of next year. I hope you both work closely together to create something exceptional."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jinshu Theaters' CEO, Luo Qian, approached to inform Lin Su that the SARFT officials were leaving. Lin Su excused herself to see them off, leaving Chen Qing behind to continue discussing the project with the two filmmakers.
As Lin Su returned, the conversation shifted to discussions with Director Chen Kaige about his upcoming film, The Emperor and the Assassin.
This project was a key topic of the evening.
In the original timeline, The Emperor and the Assassin was a commercial failure, but it now played a critical role in Jinshu Media's strategic plans. A central aspect of the project was the construction of the Qin Palace set, which would later become a cornerstone of China's burgeoning film tourism industry.
Historically, the foundation of the Hengdian World Studios was tied to Director Xie Jin's The Opium War, a politically significant film that made external involvement tricky. Now, with Simon spearheading efforts to reshape China's film industry, the Qin Palace project was an opportunity he wasn't willing to miss. Jinshu Media's task was simple: intercept and dominate this initiative.
After concluding discussions about the project, Chen Qing called Wu Shanlin and Luo Qian over for a private conversation.
"I personally selected both of you for these roles, and Simon himself approved the choices," Chen Qing began bluntly. "I'm telling you this tonight so you understand just how much Simon values this company. You must have noticed the Forbes ranking this year. Simon is never stingy with talent. If you prove yourselves capable, the opportunities are limitless. So, make sure you run your respective divisions well."
The two young executives, both in their early thirties, exchanged glances, momentarily stealing a look at Lin Su before nodding in acknowledgment.
They had met Chen Qing and Lin Su a few times before. It was clear that Chen Qing was the dominant figure between the two, but Lin Su's Forbes ranking had raised questions. If Lin Su had $500 million, why wasn't Chen Qing listed?
The most plausible explanation was that Chen Qing had intentionally kept herself out of the spotlight—a decision that made sense in their culture.
After a pause, Wu Shanlin asked, "Ms. Chen, since The Emperor and the Assassin is so important to our plans, why not sign Director Chen to an exclusive deal? I think he wouldn't refuse if we made an offer."
Chen Qing gave him a measured look. "Have you read the script for The Emperor and the Assassin?"
Wu nodded. "Of course."
"Then tell me—what kind of box office performance do you expect?"
Wu considered for a moment. "Director Chen plans to invest 70 million yuan in this project. With the right marketing, it could attract significant attention domestically. And given his reputation overseas, a $10 million investment could easily break even globally."
Chen Qing nodded slightly. "Your reasoning isn't wrong."
Wu frowned, sensing there was more to her response.
Chen Qing shrugged. "But Simon doesn't see it that way. To be clear, this is Simon's decision. Jinshu Media's strategy is to focus on commercial films, not art films. Director Chen's style is too artistic for our core objectives."
The two executives exchanged glances. Wu Shanlin raised an eyebrow, while Luo Qian remained silent but thoughtful.
Noting their reactions, Chen Qing smirked slightly. "Think of it this way: in any organization, juniors must listen to their seniors. And if that senior is a proven success, their guidance is even more valuable. Right now, Jinshu Media and both of you are like children in this industry. Until you've proven otherwise, you'd do well to treat Simon's words as gospel."
After a pause, Luo Qian asked cautiously, "Ms. Chen, what if Simon is wrong? You've told us before that Simon values local expertise because of the differences between China and the West. Shouldn't we have the autonomy to adapt to local conditions?"
Chen Qing raised an eyebrow. "Earlier, we discussed the origin of the name 'Jinshu.' Do you know who chose it?"
Wu Shanlin glanced at Lin Su, then back at Chen Qing. "Wasn't it you?"
"Of course not. Simon named it himself, inspired by Lu You's The Hairpin Phoenix."
The two executives exchanged another look. Wu Shanlin said, "Then it seems Simon understands Chinese culture, but perhaps not deeply. Shouldn't you explain the poem's meaning to him?"
Chen Qing chuckled darkly. "You still don't get it. If you ever meet Simon, you'll realize he doesn't choose things lightly. There's meaning behind everything he does. My job isn't to explain his decisions but to ensure you follow them. If you can't, there's always the door."
After a moment of silence, Wu relented. "Understood, Ms. Chen. We'll follow his vision."
"Not mine—Simon's."
"Got it," Wu replied.
Chen Qing turned her sharp gaze to Luo Qian, who nodded quickly. "I'll do the same."
The banquet ended around 11 p.m.
Chen Qing and Lin Su stayed until the very end, leaving with Zhu Momo and Li Youhu.
At the courtyard residence in Mao'er Hutong, Lin Lan emerged from the bathroom wearing a robe, drying her hair. She plopped onto the bed beside Lin Su, who was reading The Economist.
"Jie, I'm not trying to stir trouble, but doesn't it feel like Chen Qing is deliberately overshadowing you?"
Lin Su glanced at her sister. "That's exactly what stirring trouble sounds like."
"Fine, I *am
stirring trouble," Lin Lan admitted with a cheeky grin. She cuddled up to her sister and added, "Jie, can you find some time this weekend to talk to Dad and his group? Even if you don't care about his face, ignoring the provincial officials will only make things harder for our family later."
Lin Su sighed, clearly conflicted. "What do you expect me to do?"
Lin Lan hopped off the bed, retrieved a folder from her bag, and handed it to Lin Su. "Here, these are project proposals the provincial government put together. Take a look and see if anything interests you. If you find one, I'll get you more details."
Lin Su held the folder reluctantly. "Lan, I can't just use that money."
"I know," Lin Lan said, nodding vigorously. "But you also know Dad and the others are really hoping for something from Simon. Just a sliver of his $1.5 trillion could change everything for us."
"That's just a number, mostly tied up in tech stocks. It's not liquid."
"Sure, sure," Lin Lan said with exaggerated agreement. She hesitated before adding, "By the way, at tonight's banquet, weren't you discussing that film city project? That seems like a perfect fit for Zhejiang. Don't forget, The Opium War is being filmed there right now."
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+100 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]