Teng Huatao then smiled at Sun Li. "President Zhou, your girlfriend is so spirited and striking—unforgettable at first sight. She'd be perfect for acting in films too."
"That's mostly up to her. Besides, she's not a professional performer. If she wants to have fun, a cameo now and then is fine."
Sun Li really wasn't interested in acting. If she could occasionally make a brief appearance, like a scene playing the flute or drum, she'd be willing. She knew her limits—she only reached for what she could grasp and never fantasized about things out of reach.
Along the way, they were introduced to several other investors. The film had a total investment of over 9 million yuan, with Zhou You contributing more than 3 million, Tencent also putting in over 3 million, and his own company covering the rest.
"Love Is Not Blind" grossed 320 million yuan at the box office. After the theater chain took 40%, and deducting taxes, promotion, and other expenses, they ended up with about 160 million. Based on their investment ratio—Zhou You only provided capital, no other channel resources, accounting for 30%—after taxes, Zhou You would pocket roughly over 40 million.
In short, his funds suddenly became much more abundant.
Sun Li listened nearby, her beautiful eyes shimmering. Her big eyes blinked as she stared at Zhou You, her face full of shock and disbelief.
When Zhou You first came to learn the flute, Sun Li had thought of him as a naive sucker. Aside from driving a decent car, nothing about him suggested he had money. It was only through continuous interaction that she realized he was a good person, and that night, fueled by alcohol, they became intimate. She never expected to stumble upon such a goldmine.
Teng Huatao was envious too. As a director, he enjoyed fame and fortune, but compared to Zhou You, he still fell short.
"Don't envy me, you two. Investment is a high-risk game. Director Teng knows best—did you see 'Mr. Tree' that came out a while ago?"
"I did. It was well-made, with good acting. The theme just wasn't popular, so the box office was disappointing."
"That was my investment too. A few million down the drain."
"Oh, so President Zhou was the investor. Admirable, admirable. Even though that film didn't do well at the box office, it had a decent reputation in the industry. I heard it even won a few awards," Teng Huatao said awkwardly, quickly flattering him.
"Art films aren't a big deal. I've also invested in quite a few documentaries—those are even harder to make money from. Purely a hobby. Once CCTV airs them next year, you'll probably see them," Zhou You casually showed off.
Teng Huatao knew about Zhou You's documentary investments; he'd first heard of them through Zhao Yun, who had mentioned it. But he hadn't expected Zhou You to have so many projects. He grew even more respectful toward Zhou You—anyone bold enough to invest was no ordinary person.
The traffic was stop-and-go the whole way, but they finally reached the hotel. The celebration banquet was scheduled for the evening, so Zhou You and the others checked in first.
As soon as they entered the room, Sun Li closed the door and threw her arms around Zhou You. "President Zhou, President Zhou—ha ha, everyone calls you that. I almost couldn't hold it together in the car. You looked so serious, it was hilarious!"
"Teacher Sun, got a problem? Feel like I'm not the same little Zhou who takes your scolding, obeys you, and learns the flute?" Zhou You lifted Sun Li up. Though she was 175 cm tall, she had a slender figure with long legs accounting for half of it, weighing at most 120 jin.
Actually, Zhou You wished Sun Li were a bit plumper. She was still a little thin, but it was fine. Sometimes, being too thin made things uncomfortable.
"Stop messing around. We're about to eat."
Thinking about the time, he decided against it—too short, not satisfying enough.
After tidying up a bit, they headed to the banquet hall. Though it was a celebration, not many people showed up. Many actors couldn't make it due to scheduling conflicts.
The investors had already arrived. Ye Shengde from Tencent Pictures sat at the head of the table, with Zhou You and two other investors on either side. Sun Li sat next to Zhou You.
The main cast members were nearby, with another table for the supporting roles.
Seeing the big investors nearby, the other actors came over one by one to toast. Zhou You stood up each time but mostly just took a sip—his alcohol tolerance was limited, and he needed to pace himself.
Sun Li, sitting beside him, received plenty of attention from the main cast. At first, she felt a bit out of place. Though she wasn't a fan of celebrities, as an ordinary person meeting these screen stars, her natural reaction was a lack of confidence.
But as more people came to toast with smiles, Sun Li gradually got used to it. Turns out, celebrities were just people too—they had to socialize and put on a happy face in such settings.
When the drinking had gone on long enough and the atmosphere was right, Zhou You chatted with Ye Shengde beside him.
"Mr. Ye, what area do you mainly handle at Tencent Pictures?"
"A bit of everything, mostly film and TV investment," Ye Shengde replied, dressed in a suit and tie, looking every bit the business elite. He was polite to Zhou You, since he was just an employee—or a high-level one at that—while Zhou You was a true investor.
"That's a lot of power, deciding the fate of many films," Zhou You flattered.
"Just working for the company, making money for it. Not like you, President Zhou—your own boss, free and easy," they exchanged compliments.
"When you lose, it's your own money. How many projects do you have to invest in before you hit a profitable one? It's tough."
"By the way, Mr. Ye, have you heard of a guy named Zhang Yiming?" Zhou You finally got to the key point. Honestly, aside from people at Tencent Pictures, few outside the circle had probably heard of him.
Ye Shengde paused, searching his memory. "I have heard of him. He came to us a while ago asking for investment, but we didn't think much of his project, so we turned him down."
Zhou You was thrilled. He'd asked around before and no one knew this person. He was still a nobody now—who would have thought he'd rise to fame in a few years, carving a path through the cracks between giants?
"I've heard about him from a friend too. I've invested in a lot of projects, and I like this kind of angel investing. Even though many fail, one success can cover the losses. Could you help make an introduction?" Zhou You barely suppressed his racing heart.
"No problem. I'll send you his contact info later. He's in Beijing right now. I'll take you to see him tomorrow—he'll thank me for bringing him an investor," Ye Shengde said casually.
Hearing this, Zhou You stood up with his glass. "I'll toast to you, Mr. Ye. As investors, we need to make friends far and wide. If you ever need my help with anything, just say the word. I'll do what I can."
Ye Shengde quickly stood up too. "President Zhou, you're too kind. More friends mean more paths. It's just a small favor."
As one of the investors, Ye Shengde knew that from this single project alone, Zhou You would pocket at least 40 million. As an employee, his annual salary of a few hundred thousand was already generous, and even with a good project, his bonus would top out at a few hundred thousand.
Throughout history, how many people got rich just by working for someone else?
New writer, new book—please keep reading, recommend, and add to your collection.
A rookie author hoping for a round of recommendations.
Thank you all for your trouble.