Chapter 416: Just Met!

Upon hearing the middle-aged man’s disdainful mockery, Bai Runqi sneered coldly and said mercilessly,

“They don’t even know how to act! All they do is glare and flare their nostrils! And now, I’m supposed to sweet-talk them? Do you really think Bai Runqi would sell out for a bit of money? If I had known you’d shoved so many useless people into this project, I wouldn’t have taken this job even if you offered me five hundred million!”

After a pause, Bai Runqi smirked and continued,

“However, there is a solution! If you let me choose the cast and handle the direction, I’ll definitely finish the job without throwing in the towel!”

“Hmph, you’re really good at flattering yourself. You think you’re Ang Lee, an international director? Choose the cast? Can you invest in it? You don’t want to do it anymore? Fine, I’ll let you go! But we’ll do this according to the rules—you pay the penalty, and then you can leave!” the middle-aged man sneered.

“I can leave, and I will definitely pay the penalty!” Bai Runqi replied.

“Alright! You’ve got guts! But Director Bai, the contract clearly states that if there’s a breach, the penalty must be paid within fifteen days! Otherwise, it will multiply!” the middle-aged man said with a mocking look at Bai Runqi.

This left Bai Runqi stunned.

He didn’t have several million to pay as a penalty, but if he had a little more time, he might figure something out.

But fifteen days… that was a real predicament!

Besides, if it weren’t for his lack of money, he wouldn’t have accepted such a terrible film.

What surprised him even more than the terrible movie was the money-wasting investors and clueless artists behind it!

All these factors made Bai Runqi, who was already skeptical about the film, feel even more disillusioned.

“Runqi, we’ve known each other for years. I don’t want things to get ugly between us! I know you’re proud and aloof, but in this industry, if you don’t have capital or background, your pride is just a joke! Look at you, you’ve offended quite a few people, and now the investors aren’t even paying attention to you! Our capital here just wants to make a movie for fun, their demands aren’t high, and seeing you without much work, they just brought you in as director… You should be satisfied with that! Who would’ve thought you’d be so stubborn! But in the end, what have you achieved? Are you not just ruining everything?”

Seeing Bai Runqi remain silent, the man smirked, feeling superior, like he was looking at a dog with no home.

He couldn’t believe that after this speech, Bai Runqi would quit the job.

However, before he could gloat any longer, a sudden voice interrupted from behind.

“How much is the penalty? I’ll pay it!”

The voice belonged to Shen Fei.

When Bai Runqi was angrily scolding and smashing the camera, Shen Fei had already seen him.

From start to finish, Shen Fei had observed everything and understood what had happened.

But none of these details seemed significant enough to warrant his direct involvement.

Even though his net worth had exceeded a billion, he wasn’t the type to interfere in every injustice or play the role of a self-righteous hero.

As for why Shen Fei had stepped in, it was all because of Bai Runqi.

At this moment, Bai Runqi was exactly as the middle-aged man had described: due to his bad temper and offending people, he was being sidelined by the industry and even blacklisted.

But give Bai Runqi some time.

In three years, he would explode with talent, and in the years to come, he would frequently make award-winning films, leading Chinese cinema to the international stage and making the whole world take notice of Chinese film.

It was precisely because of Bai Runqi that Chinese cinema would find its place on the global stage. Bai Runqi would become an icon of cultural export and film confidence, bringing Chinese cinema to its peak.

Years later, Bai Runqi would be regarded as a giant in the international film industry, frequently featured in the media and even becoming the subject of textbooks.

Just his ability to propel Chinese cinema to the international stage would make him a legendary figure, a god-like existence in the industry. When Shen Fei first saw him, he was shocked.

But he didn’t care about the honors attached to Bai Runqi.

What mattered to him was Bai Runqi’s ability to create a box-office miracle single-handedly.

Investing two hundred million, and the box office earned five point eight billion.

Investing six hundred million, the box office reached eight point nine billion.

Investing one point two billion, and the box office even approached ten billion.

This left international film moguls astounded.

Bai Runqi was referred to as a film genius, which was no surprise. He was not only the director but also the screenwriter and involved in the film’s cinematography, script, and even the music, all of which became classics.

His films created countless cinematic miracles, and he was frequently invited to international Cannes Film Festival and interviewed by both domestic and foreign publications.

Though these were all events that happened later, it was Bai Runqi’s outstanding achievements in his past life that left Shen Fei deeply impressed.

Otherwise, Shen Fei would have probably missed out on another great opportunity.

After confirming Bai Runqi’s appearance and name, Shen Fei stepped forward to take on the responsibility of paying the penalty.

As soon as he spoke, the attention of the middle-aged man and Bai Runqi turned toward him, apart from the staff.

“Shen… Shen Fei?”

“Mr. Shen!” they both said, utterly surprised.

They were very familiar with this wealthy businessman who was currently trending and often the subject of online discussions.

“Hey, you guys know me? Well, let’s get to the point. How much does he owe in penalties? I’ll pay it!” Shen Fei said, smiling as he turned to the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man glanced at Bai Runqi and then looked back at Shen Fei, asking,

“Mr. Shen, do you know Director Bai?”

He was thinking, if Bai Runqi knew this wealthy businessman, then their company and he himself could ride on his coattails.

“Just met. This is the first time I’m seeing him today,” Shen Fei replied calmly.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 417: The Rich and Foolish Country Tycoon!

Just met today?

The first time?

Upon hearing this, the man was speechless.

They were meeting for the first time, probably didn’t even know each other’s names, and now they were supposed to directly pay a penalty for breach of contract?

It seems this country tycoon really wants to live up to his “country tycoon” title!

If Bai Ruiqi were a famous director, then there wouldn’t be any problem with Shen Fei knowing him. Isn’t this just a common practice in the entertainment industry?

But is Bai Ruiqi a famous director? No.

In the entertainment world, especially in film and television, the director’s field is always full of talent.

And Bai Ruiqi doesn’t even rank among the directors.

On top of that, Bai Ruiqi had a terrible attitude. He once openly threw a tantrum in front of a famous director, making many directors both angry and helpless.

It wasn’t just directors—many top-tier celebrities, even background actors, had been ruthlessly criticized by Bai Ruiqi.

If Bai Ruiqi were truly talented and famous, that would be one thing. But who is Bai Ruiqi? Very few people in the entertainment industry even know him.

He only holds the title of assistant director in a film crew!

And that assistant director position, which sounds like it’s helping the main director, is actually just a jack-of-all-trades job—dealing with script issues, criticizing actors, and other tasks that are normally the director’s responsibility.

Bai Ruiqi, however, was clueless, not only stealing the director’s tasks but also giving the director attitude!

How could anyone not blacklist him?

As for Jiexing Media, hiring Bai Ruiqi as a director was just because they saw he was inexpensive and had some skills in filmmaking.

The investors didn’t have high demands for the film, so after careful consideration, they brought Bai Ruiqi in.

Jiexing Media gave him an opportunity, expecting him to appreciate it. But instead, Bai Ruiqi showed no self-awareness and threw tantrums.

Now he even wanted to quit!

If it weren’t for knowing Bai Ruiqi’s financial situation, the man would have thought he was serious about quitting.

But Bai Ruiqi didn’t have that much money.

Under the pressure of the penalty, the man was confident and certain Bai Ruiqi wouldn’t act so recklessly!

Yet, here comes another rich and foolish country tycoon willing to pay Bai Ruiqi’s penalty?

This…

They were a qualified media company, so what’s a few million in penalties?

More importantly, if Bai Ruiqi left, they’d have to find another director. Directors are easy to find, but their capabilities? That’s another story!

And Bai Ruiqi was cost-effective—low fees and high abilities. Even if he had to form his own crew, it wouldn’t be an issue.

It was his temper that made him unpopular in the industry. Otherwise, Bai Ruiqi would have been a famous director years ago.

In short, if Bai Ruiqi quit now, Jiexing Media wouldn’t be any better off. The film, even the man himself admitted, was awful. If they replaced the director, it was uncertain whether they could even get one with the necessary skills.

Though the investors didn’t have specific demands, they surely wouldn’t let them make the worst movie in history. The company knew that the reason investors chose them was to promote a few rising stars.

After much deliberation, they decided to give the big-tempered Bai Ruiqi a chance.

Bai Ruiqi had the talent, and if he could bring his skills to save this bad film, that would be great. If he could turn it into a good movie with his own efforts, even better!

But after such a short time, Bai Ruiqi was ready to quit?

Anyone in this situation would be upset.

And now, another country tycoon popped up. This was giving the middle-aged man a headache.

“Mr. Shen, this is your first time meeting Director Bai, and I know you have money, but this can’t be treated like that! If he leaves, I can’t explain it to the company! How are we going to make this movie?”

“Isn’t this perfect? You can shoot it however you want! I overheard what you two just said—the investors want to promote a few new talents, right? Isn’t this the perfect opportunity? Just let Director Bai go, and you can add anyone you want without worrying about the quality of the film! I think anyone who wants to pursue a future career in this field wouldn’t dare to take on the director’s role now!” Shen Fei raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Pursue a career?

That should be based on whether you even can, right?

With Bai Ruiqi’s temper, forget about pursuing anything; there aren’t even any directors who’d dare to use his crew…

Though he muttered this in his heart, the middle-aged man didn’t dare to complain.

“Mr. Shen, you’re right! But if the company had sufficient funds, we wouldn’t be in a position where the investors make the decisions! Unfortunately, Jiexing Media isn’t that capable and doesn’t have enough funds. Otherwise, we wouldn’t back down—not just a few people, even one, we wouldn’t give up! But if it’s like this, it’s unlikely that Bai Ruiqi will remain as the director!”

The man smiled and continued,

“To be honest, Bai Ruiqi’s reputation in the industry is terrible. He has no representative works. We were giving him a chance! But now he wants to quit just like that? That’s not acceptable! If he leaves, we’ll face a lot of trouble!”

Unbeknownst to the man, Bai Ruiqi was furious after hearing this.

“So, after all that, you expect me to thank you? In terms of salary, I didn’t ask for much, did I? In terms of ability, I’m not lacking, am I? Isn’t it just my temper? If you can tolerate it, fine. If not, I’m out! I came to be a director, not a servant! Those actors you brought in, do they have any professional ethics? Every day, they don’t even know their lines! I asked them to be more professional, and they went straight to their benefactor! This, don’t blame me—no director could change the root of this awful film! With the current progress, it’s uncertain if we can finish filming in half a year!”

Seeing the man’s indifference, Bai Ruiqi felt like he was punching a cotton ball, and his anger only grew.

“Fine! I get it now. Your company and those capitalists are just a bunch of pits and crevices! You have no shame, but I, Bai Ruiqi, still have some self-respect! If I continue filming this crap, it’s like swallowing a dead fly in my career as a director! That’s why I won’t compromise this time!”

After expressing his thoughts, Bai Ruiqi said quietly,

“Thank you for recognizing my ability. But what I want to pursue isn’t this kind of directing job, so no matter what, I won’t continue as the director, even if I have to pay the penalty!”

“Ha! You’re so high and mighty! What about us? If you leave, who’s going to be the director?”

Seeing Bai Ruiqi’s firm attitude, the middle-aged man quickly responded.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 418: A Losing Business Deal!

After the man finished speaking, he stopped looking at Bai Runqi and turned his gaze to Shen Fei.

Although Shen Fei’s reputation on the internet was not very good, his online moniker was that of a “local tycoon”!

He had spent money buying semiconductor companies and purchasing land.

“Mr. Shen, would you be interested in entering the entertainment industry? How about investing in our company, Jiexing Media’s new movie? If you invest, we can completely disregard the other investors. Whatever you want, we’ll do it your way!” the man said with a forced smile.

Before Shen Fei could speak, Bai Runqi immediately said in a deep voice,

“Mr. He, do you have a conscience? Who would want to see this lousy script? Yet you still want to bring Mr. Shen into this? Do you really think the investors are interested in the script? Of course not! They just want to use this movie to promote their own ‘cash cows’!”

“Hey, I’m not asking you, Bai Runqi, whose side are you on? Don’t you look down on those ‘cash cows’? If Mr. Shen invests, he could easily meet your demands to replace the actors! Otherwise, would those capitalists agree to your tough demands?” the man said irritably.

This time, however, Bai Runqi did not look at the man but focused his attention on Shen Fei, speaking seriously:

“Mr. Shen, this is our first meeting, and I admire your willingness to step forward and generously offer to pay my penalty fees. I respect your sense of justice, but I will not accept your kindness! This penalty, even if I have to sell my house, I’ll pay it myself!”

“Also, I’m not exaggerating when I say this: whoever invests in this movie will regret it! Even if you bring in a few big-name actors, it won’t change the fact that it’s a bad film! If you want to enter the entertainment industry, you could easily invest in another project. Don’t focus only on this one! Let me say it plainly—whoever invests will lose money!”

Bai Runqi’s words caused the man’s face to darken immediately.

“Bai Runqi, you’ve gone too far!” the man said with a serious face.

“Even if I’ve gone too far, I haven’t gone as far as you! Mr. Shen offers help, and I can’t just stand by and watch him go down a pit! Let’s not even mention that, Mr. He, deep down, don’t you think the script is bad?” Bai Runqi replied coldly.

The man was stunned into silence.

Clearly, he was angered by Bai Runqi’s words.

But judging by the state of the current domestic films released, how many bad movies are there?

Don’t the investors realize that the quality is poor?

But what does it matter? Those capitalists don’t care.

If we really considered script quality and the movie’s production value, at least two-thirds of domestic films would disappear!

While the man simmered in frustration, Meng Fan suddenly spoke up and asked,

“What’s the name of this movie?”

“Chasing Dreams in the Entertainment Circle… The name is so tacky! The script is just a hodgepodge of ideas, and unfortunately, I’m just an execution director who can’t say much! Otherwise, I’d definitely make the scriptwriter take a good look at the garbage they wrote!”

Bai Runqi grew more agitated as he spoke.

This anger seemed even stronger than when he had complained about the forced casting of actors.

Upon hearing Bai Runqi’s words, the man almost couldn’t hold back and cursed out loud.

A naive, rich tycoon had just appeared, and Bai Runqi not only didn’t seize the opportunity to cling to the big leg, but he was also saying all this nonsense.

Wasn’t that just foolish?

Shen Fei, however, smiled knowingly.

“That’s indeed a terrible name!”

He had heard about this movie in his past life.

It became notorious for its extremely poor reception.

Whenever a new bad film appeared, this one would be brought up and ridiculed.

Over time, the movie became an example of the worst kind of film.

Shen Fei remembered that the investors had poured millions into the film, but its final box office didn’t even break a million.

The main reason it became well-known was because its trailers, cleverly edited, attracted a lot of attention. But when viewers actually saw the movie, they began criticizing it endlessly.

As for the movie’s content, it’s essentially about a group of young people struggling to achieve their dream of becoming stars…

The film’s goal was to inspire the spirit of perseverance in youth, but it was poorly executed, with a confusing plot and irrelevant content.

As viewers said, even if this movie didn’t get released, no one would have cared to watch it.

Because of this, the film had maintained its status as a “worst film” in the minds of the public.

In his previous life, Bai Runqi had become famous afterward, but had never been associated with this film. This time, Bai Runqi was genuinely done with it.

“Mr. Shen, you’re mistaken! If you invest, you’ll be the boss! How should the script be changed? How do you want to shoot it? It’s all up to you!” Mr. He hastily said.

“This movie holds no interest for me,” Shen Fei responded directly.

Then, after a pause, he suddenly smiled and added,

“But I’m interested in your company, Jiexing Media!”

“Mr. Shen, what do you mean by that?” Mr. He was stunned.

“What you think I mean! I’m interested in acquiring your company! Give this message to your boss! If they’re willing, then I think we can discuss it!” Shen Fei said calmly.

“??”

Upon hearing this, both Mr. He and Bai Runqi looked confused.

They were familiar with rich tycoons, especially after the example of Duan Guoan.

But Shen Fei was a different case entirely.

Over the past six months, Shen Fei’s popularity on the internet had only increased.

First, there was the scar cream business, then he acquired a tech company, and even started a real estate company. All of this seemed not enough—now he was venturing into the entertainment industry?

“Mr. Shen, I still advise you to reconsider! Honestly, Jiexing Media doesn’t have a single notable work to its name! If you acquire this company, you’re just making a losing deal!” Bai Runqi said solemnly.

Hearing this, Mr. He almost wanted to punch Bai Runqi.

However, Shen Fei simply said,

“It doesn’t matter! I’m entering the entertainment industry, and the reason I’m acquiring your company is simply because of its solid organizational structure! The rest will depend on future management!”

Bai Runqi was speechless.

Since this was Shen Fei’s plan, he decided not to say more.

Before Bai Runqi could recover, Shen Fei continued,

“Director Bai, if I successfully acquire Jiexing Media, what are the chances of signing you? Of course, once you join my company, the entire production process will be under your control!”

At this, everyone was utterly stunned.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 419: He’s Offering Too Much!

Jiexing Media, a small company with no notable works, neither hot nor cold.

Yet, Shen Fei proposed to acquire it.

And not only that, he even wanted to sign Bai Runqi!

Moreover, he was willing to give Bai Runqi full control over all aspects of the filming process?

He Xī, the general manager, was stunned.

Although he had seen many strange things, he still froze when he heard Shen Fei’s words.

He couldn’t understand what Shen Fei meant.

Leaving aside the fact that he worked at Jiexing Media, Bai Runqi himself was problematic. He had a bad temper and low emotional intelligence. If he entered the industry, wouldn’t he offend people everywhere?

Today was the first time they had met, and now Shen Fei wanted to specifically acquire a media company for Bai Runqi?

Who would not think Shen Fei had gone crazy after hearing this?

Furthermore, based on the conditions Shen Fei had offered, even top-tier directors wouldn’t receive such treatment. So why should Bai Runqi get it?

Not only was He Xī thinking this way, but Bai Runqi, one of the key figures in the event, was also thinking the same.

Furrowing his brow, he looked at Shen Fei and said seriously,

“Mr. Shen, I’m not a person with good judgment, so please don’t make a joke at my expense.”

“Director Bai, I’m serious!” Shen Fei replied.

“Then are you crazy?” Bai Runqi asked.

“I’m not!” Shen Fei smiled.

“This doesn’t make sense, Mr. Shen! If you’re not joking, then why would you say something so absurd? Although I do want to achieve something in this industry, I know my own limitations! Based on my qualifications and how others evaluate me, I know I don’t have the qualifications to receive such treatment!” Bai Runqi said with a bitter smile, mocking himself.

“Actually, I’ve always wanted to venture into the film industry! And you, with your firm views on film, are exactly what I, as a spectator, would like to see! So when I saw you and heard what you said, I got this idea. But no matter what, would you be willing to sign with me?” Shen Fei confessed.

Bai Runqi, hearing this, stared at the floor for several seconds before lifting his head and speaking in a loud voice,

“Mr. Shen, I need to warn you in advance, in the film industry, even people who have worked with me don’t like me, and they all treat me like a joke! My reputation is at rock bottom! In such a situation, you say you want to acquire a media company just to amuse me? And everything will be under my control?”

Clearly, Bai Runqi didn’t believe him.

But if asked if he wanted this opportunity, his answer would definitely be yes.

However, he knew his own situation and understood he wasn’t worthy of such good conditions.

“Also, Mr. Shen, I have no representative work since my debut! This crappy film is my first time as a director, so my experience is, without exaggeration, zero! Under these circumstances, do you still dare to say such things?” Bai Runqi didn’t hide any of his circumstances as he spoke to Shen Fei.

He stared intently at Shen Fei’s subtle expression.

To be honest, he was suddenly afraid to hear a rejection from Shen Fei.

The terms Shen Fei offered were simply too tempting.

If he missed this, he didn’t know when another opportunity would come.

But he didn’t want to accept just because of his temptation. That would be irresponsible to Shen Fei.

However, after hearing everything Bai Runqi had said, Shen Fei smiled and said,

“It’s alright, Director Bai! Do you think those external conditions are important? Can they fully represent you as a person?”

After a pause, Shen Fei continued,

“Director Bai, I just want to ask you one thing: Do you have confidence? I can fully support you financially, as long as you can create good work and bring in good box office results to repay me!”

“This…” Bai Runqi hesitated.

Even though he was usually very confident and even arrogant, at this moment, he couldn’t give Shen Fei a firm answer.

After all, Shen Fei was offering far too much.

“Hmm? Director Bai, I know my image online is that of a silly rich person, but that doesn’t mean I’ll casually waste my money. After all, it’s not easy for me to get this money! I saw how passionate you were earlier, so full of confidence, but now you won’t even say you have confidence, and that disappoints me. I can’t afford to gamble anymore!” Shen Fei spoke directly.

Seeing that Shen Fei was about to turn to leave, Bai Runqi panicked.

There might not be another chance after this one.

He knew that with his reputation in the industry, no other capital investor would be like Shen Fei.

“Wait, Mr. Shen, I’m very confident!”

Bai Runqi immediately said, sounding firm.

This made Shen Fei pause in his steps, a smile forming in his eyes.

“Really?” Shen Fei turned to look at Bai Runqi.

Bai Runqi nodded and said,

“Really! Mr. Shen, as long as you provide the funds and don’t interfere with my arrangements, my abilities won’t be any worse than those of top directors! I’m even confident enough to say that the films I make will definitely compare to those classic films!”

Every word was filled with Bai Runqi’s confidence.

“Alright! Since you say so, I believe you!” Shen Fei smiled lightly.

With that, their conversation ended.

Shen Fei turned to look at He Xī.

He Xī, however, was already stunned by what had just transpired.

One was willing to speak, and the other was willing to accept.

A wealthy businessman and a person with a bad reputation in the film industry had actually reached an agreement like this?

“What’s your name?” Shen Fei asked, raising his chin.

“He Xi! Mr. Shen, I’m the production director at Jiexing Media!” the man replied.

“Alright, He Xi, please go back and tell your boss that I wasn’t joking when I said I want to acquire the company! If your boss agrees, you can contact me!”

Shen Fei handed over a business card, paused for a moment, and then added,

“If they don’t agree, it’s fine. I’ll still pay Bai Runqi’s penalty fee!”

“Mr. Shen, are you serious?” He Xi asked in confusion.

“Yes! Just follow through!” Shen Fei replied.

Meanwhile, Bai Runqi, hearing this, felt uneasy again.

“Mr. Shen, don’t…”

Shen Fei interrupted him directly,

“Director Bai, don’t say so much! Since you’re willing to sign with me, I should cover the penalty fee for you! This small amount of money is nothing to me! If you feel bad about it, just work hard and produce results to repay me!”

Hearing this, Bai Runqi stopped being pretentious.

“Alright, then I’ll thank you in advance, Mr. Shen!”

—————- END —————-

Chapter 420: The Third Purpose…

After the discussion concluded, He Xi, the production director of Jiexing Media, left hurriedly with Shen Fei’s business card. At this stage, the situation had developed beyond what a mere production director could handle.

After everything was settled, Bai Runqi exchanged WeChat contacts with Shen Fei and also left. For Bai Runqi, the events of today felt like a dream. If Shen Fei truly provided him with the promising conditions he mentioned, his future prospects would be exceptionally bright—something that even many top directors couldn’t achieve.

Unbeknownst to Bai Runqi, his fate had already shifted under Shen Fei’s control.

After bidding Bai Runqi farewell, Shen Fei returned to the dining table leisurely. As soon as he sat down, Han Xinyan urgently asked,

“Hubby, did I hear you right just now? Are you really planning to step into the entertainment industry?”

Han Xinyan had witnessed everything that had just happened but couldn’t agree with Shen Fei’s decision. The sudden turn of events was baffling. Not only had Shen Fei rushed to get involved, but he even declared his intentions to enter the film and television industry.

This all happened too quickly! Besides, the current entertainment industry was a losing business. Investors often poured in huge amounts of money but saw minimal returns, as good scripts were scarce. This made an already stagnant industry even gloomier.

And yet, Shen Fei—without much thought—wanted to enter this field? On top of that, he offered a top position to Bai Runqi, a director widely rejected and mocked by the industry.

Even though Shen Fei’s bold and risky decisions over the past six months had often yielded success, Han Xinyan still found this move hard to accept.

Seeing Han Xinyan’s deep frown, Shen Fei smiled lightly and said,

“What’s the big deal? Don’t you remember when we launched the scar cream? Back then, countless agencies wanted to represent us for free, but I said no, remember? At that time, I already had the idea of entering the entertainment industry. You know as well as I do, this industry has no ‘off-seasons.’ The market is massive! It’s simply too tempting for me to pass up.”

Hearing this, Han Xinyan sighed helplessly. She did recall Shen Fei mentioning this before, but she still couldn’t fully accept his decision—especially his choice of hiring Bai Runqi.

“I get that you want to enter the entertainment industry, but don’t you think you’re being a bit impulsive? Just because of some commotion, you suddenly acquired a mediocre company and hired a director with no experience and a terrible reputation? Anyone would call you an amateur. I don’t understand—what exactly are you thinking?” Han Xinyan asked, puzzled.

“What else could it be? I simply believe in him! What’s wrong with the company? When we acquired Pinker, it was barely surviving, and now look at how well we’re running it.” Shen Fei shrugged.

“That’s different! Fine, let’s not talk about the company. What about Bai Runqi compared to Tang Xingwen? Back then, Tang Xingwen’s ideas might have sounded unrealistic, but he at least had accomplishments in his previous company. And Bai Runqi? He’s a complete novice! How can you even compare the two?” Han Xinyan retorted.

“You’re right—there’s no comparison. But, Xinyan, don’t forget that I have an eye for talent! I believe in Bai Runqi. Just based on his passionate words earlier, I trust him!” Shen Fei said confidently.

Of course, he knew how irrational his actions seemed. But no matter what, he was determined to sign Bai Runqi. After all, Shen Fei was well aware of the achievements Bai Runqi would attain in his previous life. Once he recruited him, Shen Fei’s success in the film industry would be inevitable.

“What if he doesn’t deliver the results you expect?” Han Xinyan questioned again.

“Well, then it’s on me for misjudging him! It’s just a small company; acquiring it doesn’t cost much. I can afford to treat this as a hobby,” Shen Fei replied casually.

“Tsk, you’re really playing the role of the ‘rich fool’ to perfection,” Han Xinyan said helplessly.

“What’s wrong with that? The image suits me, doesn’t it?” Shen Fei chuckled.

He knew that both He Xi and Bai Runqi likely saw him as a gullible big spender. But he didn’t mind.

Han Xinyan sighed again, smiling bitterly.

“I can’t argue with you, but one thing: when you stirred up the commotion earlier, what you said to Jiexing Media and Bai Runqi was filmed by many people on their phones. If this gets online, netizens will surely have a field day mocking us again.”

Her concern was clear, but Shen Fei’s reaction was unexpected—he laughed even more.

“Xinyan, do you think I looked handsome just now?”

“Huh?” Han Xinyan looked at Shen Fei in confusion. When she noticed his grin, she gasped, “You did it on purpose?”

“Of course! The faster people talk about this, the better!” Shen Fei replied.

“…What’s the purpose of this?” Han Xinyan asked, still baffled.

“For one, I want to create panic for Jiexing Media. Think about it—once word spreads, many other media companies will approach me for cooperation. That’ll force Jiexing Media to keep their price low.”

“Second, I’m paving the way for Bai Runqi. No matter what we produce in the future, we’ll have access to abundant screenwriting talent and connections.”

After stating these two points, Shen Fei suddenly smirked and added,

“And, of course, there’s a third purpose…”