Chapter 1118: Long Divided, Must Unite

When the cat's away, the mice will play. Zhao Fusheng's appearance at Future Group made many realize that he was the true controller of the company.

Previously, many had urged Zheng Yao to make some attempts, since as a comprehensive industrial group, Future Group's main businesses were only advertising and film production.

As for the Future Investment Fund, no one considered it, after all, it was a subsidiary personally overseen by the boss.

For a company to grow stronger, increasing revenue and reducing expenditure is an inevitable process. Reducing expenditure naturally avoids unnecessary waste, while increasing revenue is undoubtedly the most important part.

Venturing into multiple industries is an inevitable choice, but which specific industries to enter requires careful consideration.

…

…

Often, when people look back and try to recall their past, they subconsciously choose some important events as time markers. But sadly, those important events are often not happy ones.

Zhao Fusheng was actually the same, except those memories were left in his previous life. In this life, he worked hard to change the future, so that when the day came for him to look back, there would be no more sorrowful memories.

"Are you really determined to enter the real estate industry?"

Turning around, Jiang Wen, having finished filming the TV series "Soldier Assault," returned to the capital and invited Zhao Fusheng out for a meal. During the meal, he brought up this matter with Zhao Fusheng.

"Ye Jing told you?" Zhao Fusheng smiled and asked Jiang Wen.

Jiang Wen nodded: "He mentioned it when chatting with Xue Yuanfang. But have you thought it through? Are you going into real estate?"

Zhao Fusheng shook his head, explained his intentions, and finally said: "The Xue family certainly wants to win me over, but I don't want to become their appendage. So this is the best solution—each takes what they need."

Jiang Wen didn't fully understand, but having grown up in the大院, he could grasp the general idea even if he wasn't clear on the details. In short, Zhao Fusheng hoped to maintain his independence rather than become a white glove for some family.

A white glove—if done well, you're someone's money bag; if done poorly, when they fall, you fall too. Even competitors, if they want to make a move, will target the money bag first.

Politics is too dangerous; Zhao Fusheng would never dare to get involved.

"By the way, the filming is done. For post-production editing, you'll be responsible for finding someone," Jiang Wen said to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: "Leave it to Lan Xiaolong. He's the screenwriter and the original novel author. You can help out occasionally; I think it'll be fine."

Jiang Wen was already used to this guy's hands-off attitude. He nodded helplessly, then winked and said, "Let me tell you, during this shoot, I discovered a few promising talents. Should we sign them to our company?"

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback. He knew that "Soldier Assault" had indeed produced several good actors. Whether it was the drama fanatic Duan Yihong or Zhang Yi, both would achieve great success later, not to mention Wang Qiang and the originally scheduled director Chen Kaige.

He just didn't expect Jiang Wen to have such a sense of ownership, already considering bringing these people under the wing of Future Film.

After thinking it over, Zhao Fusheng smiled and said, "It's up to you. Contact the company and send someone to approach them. As long as they don't have an agency, or if they're interested themselves, we can talk."

Jiang Wen nodded. He was himself a shareholder of the company and also a good friend of Ye Jing, the current head of the film and television company, so it was appropriate for him to handle this matter.

"You should help Ye Jing more with the film and television side of things," Zhao Fusheng said sincerely to Jiang Wen. "You know I can't keep focusing on this all the time. Bai Jie will gradually return to the group."

Jiang Wen nodded. He naturally understood Zhao Fusheng's meaning. As the group grew larger in the future, Zhao Fusheng, as the boss, could only occasionally pay attention to developments here. He had to oversee the overall situation, so he needed someone to take charge of the film and television sector.

And Ye Jing was the person Zhao Fusheng had chosen.

Of course, now Jiang Wen might be added to that.

Old Jiang was a man with a cold exterior but a warm heart. In Zhao Fusheng's view, he was actually well-suited for behind-the-scenes work.

In real life, aloof people might truly be aloof and unfeeling, while those who appear gentle and kind on the surface might actually be calculating. But in the entertainment industry, it wasn't like that, because there was no room for such behavior.

In the entertainment circle, everyone was acting. For example, the Golden Eagle Best Actress, Maimaiti Dilidala, did you really think she was a foodie? Did you really think she was cute and naive, knowing nothing?

That's called a persona!

As for the loyal uncle types, or the outspoken International Zhang—please, take some time to browse Zhihu or Tianya. Which of these entertainment insiders doesn't have a shady past?

Back in the day, International Zhang's beach oil-rubbing incident was no less scandalous than the 'Chicken-Fondling Colonel' or the 'Sleep-Debt Beauty'; she's just been whitewashed now.

To use a trendy phrase, none of the people Granny Rong stabbed were good people.

"Alright, I get it." Jiang Wen naturally didn't know what Zhao Fusheng was thinking; he smiled and nodded at him.

"Let's find some time to get together with the Wang brothers and Zhao Baogang," Jiang Wen said to Zhao Fusheng after a moment's thought.

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback. "Something up?"

Jiang Wen was too lazy to complain about the guy's slowness. Helplessly, he said, "Boss, our TV series is finished shooting. We're about to edit the final cut. Don't you need to consider promotion and distribution?"

"Ah?"

Zhao Fusheng blinked, then realized what Jiang Wen meant. He chuckled. "Alright, alright, whatever you say."

He knew that Jiang Wen was doing this to help him maintain connections within the circle. After all, it wasn't just the TV series; with 'Kung Fu Hustle' completed and set for release at the end of the year, this would be a war without gunpowder.

In fact, as the Future Group emerged, such confrontations gradually faded. Whether film companies or investors, they made movies to earn money; no one would be foolish enough to clash head-on.

Everyone was a businessperson. Although Future Films had taken some people's rice bowls, the scale and influence the Future Group displayed were far more formidable than a single film company. If Zhao Fusheng were truly pushed to the brink, he might lose money just to cause trouble for them, and they couldn't afford that either.

A true businessperson wouldn't get into a fight over a high-investment project; after all, everyone was a merchant, and it wasn't worth falling out over money.

Of course, except for periods like the summer blockbuster season or the Christmas season. Zhao Fusheng wasn't a god, nor did he have the clout to make other companies' films steer clear when his own was released.

Fair competition, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and making money together from the public—that was the true way of the film and television industry.