I entered Huayu Entertainment in 2016.

Chapter 120: 3 Short Dramas

"A show of force! Heh!" Wang Zian sneered. "How boring! I thought it was some big company, like Huayi!"

Upon hearing the name Huayi, Liu Haochun's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she turned to look at Wang Zian.

A few days ago, someone did contact her, using Huayi's name. Their attitude wasn't bad, but the condescending scrutiny made her uncomfortable.

"No!" Sister Hong shook her head, her tone firm: "Huayi wouldn't dare do such shady things now. Besides, if they've investigated our company, they should know our background."

"So how do you plan to resolve this matter?" Wang Zian asked.

"If this were the entertainment industry, the usual procedure would be to send a lawyer's letter! Or directly collect evidence and file a lawsuit, but this is short video!"

Hong Jie's tone was very frank, and her implication was clear: in traditional circles, lawyer's letters and legal teams can be used to deter people, but the short video industry is still in a stage of unregulated growth, and many rules have not yet been established. Those who hide in the gray area and spread dirty water are not afraid of a lawyer's letter.

Moreover, from the company's current public perspective, it is a social media influencer company.

Wang Zian tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, at a moderate pace.

Then he flattened his hands, looked at Sister Hong, and spoke in a low voice, but each word landed steadily on the table.

"We'll be transitioning to film and television production in the future. They—" His gaze shifted to the side, sweeping over Zhou Ye, Tian Xiwei, and Liu Haochun, "are all key actors for the company in the future."

"They're not just simple internet celebrities or bloggers; they're actors. So we must show our stance on this matter."

"I will not allow my people to be slandered like this!"

These words warmed the hearts of Tian Xiwei, Zhou Ye, and Liu Haochun, as if they had been gently patted on the back.

"Then we can start with the artists in their company," Sister Hong said calmly, as if it were a matter of course.

Having been in this industry for so long, she knows all too well how to deal with these underhanded tactics.

You should respond in the same way your opponent plays their cards.

Wang Zian and Lao Li remained expressionless, knowing this was standard procedure.

Zhang Ruonan picked up the mineral water bottle and took another sip. She had been involved in business with her mother since she was a child, so this level of confrontation was nothing new to her.

But Tian Xiwei, Zhou Ye, and Liu Haochun, who were hearing these words for the first time, felt a ripple in their hearts.

Tian Xiwei's pupils dilated slightly.

She thought they were just there to film a video, but she never expected to hear such things while sitting in a conference room.

She glanced at Zhou Ye beside her. Zhou Ye's jawline was taut, and his lips were pressed into a straight line.

Liu Haochun, who was sitting at the very edge, pulled his hand back from the table to his knees, his fingers gently twisting together.

None of the three of them spoke, but there was a faint, suppressed tremor in the air, as if they were touching the edge of reality for the first time.

Wang Zian's gaze swept across their faces one by one, and after a moment's thought, he said, "You all continue to follow the news online. I'll handle this!"

His tone was a little softer than before, as if he was taking their feelings into consideration while making the decision.

Sister Hong looked at him with some surprise, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she nodded.

She didn't press for the reason. The longer she stayed in this industry, the more she understood that there was no need to delve into the details of what her bosses said.

He merely glanced at the three of them.

The topic was briefly mentioned, and the tense atmosphere in the meeting room eased slightly.

Wang Zian turned to Lao Li, switching his tone back to work mode.

"Mr. Li, you need to start preparing for our short drama project."

Upon hearing this, a crack finally appeared on Old Li's usually calm and unyielding expression, and an overwhelming excitement seeped out from the crack.

He opened the folder in his hand, inside was a printed and bound plan, the edges of which were slightly curled from being turned over.

"I've been writing them for a while now. I've read those three scripts you gave me several times; each one is fantastic!"

"Are we manpower enough?" Wang Zian asked.

"We hired a group of people a few days ago, including photographers, lighting technicians, track technicians, and makeup artists. So far, we're able to manage."

Old Li's tone shifted from excitement to pragmatism. He flipped to the last page of the plan and tapped the personnel allocation table with his finger.

"We have enough manpower to make short dramas now, but we definitely won't have enough in the future."

"Then let's take it slow!"

Wang Zian nodded without urging him, "However, we need to start recruiting some recent graduates next."

New people, fresh minds, and strong creativity. The older generation guides them and reminds them of the rules; this combination of experienced and new faces ensures stability.

Old Li nodded and quickly jotted down a note in the blank space of the plan.

Wang Zian turned to Zhang Ruonan, his tone slightly softer, carrying a hint of pleading.

"Sister Nan, you're back. I'm leaving the interview process to you."

Zhang Ruonan put down her water bottle and nodded decisively. "No problem, I guarantee I'll pick the best employees for you."

"But it's settled then, I'll take care of picking the people, but you'll have to arrange for someone to help me lead them. You can't just dump everything on me."

···

After the meeting ended, Sister Hong got up and left first.

She also needs to assign people from the public relations department to monitor the public opinion data tonight.

The meeting room quieted down, leaving only Old Li sitting in his seat flipping through his shooting plan, and a few girls still feeling a bit tense.

Wang Zian dragged his chair half a meter closer to Lao Li, and the two began to discuss the specific filming plan for the upcoming short drama.

The three short dramas we're filming this time are actually three music short films, with three songs as their core framework.

Previously, when Wang Zian was editing videos for the girls, he felt that there were too few popular songs online, and it was always the same few songs, so he simply wrote his own.

He can sing, but songwriting isn't his forte. However, he has a unique "cheat code" that others don't have.

He flipped through the playlist from another time and space in his memory, picked out three of the most suitable songs, and planned to turn these three songs into a story.

The three songs are "Red-Clad Ladies", "Escape from the British Museum", and "Warm a Cup of Tea".

A patriotic story set in the Republican era, a fantastical tale about a national treasure lost overseas traveling through time, and a heartwarming story of ordinary people in a modern city finding solace in each other.

The Republic of China era, fantasy, and reality—three completely different worlds, three completely different emotions.

He has already decided on the casting arrangements.

He plays all the male leads himself, not because he's narcissistic, but because he's currently the only male actor in the entire team who can hold his own on camera. If he doesn't play, who will?

The female leads take turns.

To be honest, Zhou Ye was originally cast as the female lead in all of these short dramas.

The female lead in all three songs has a very important role, and Zhou Ye's face and acting skills are more than enough to carry the performance.

Didn't they hire more people later?

Since the company has already signed Xiaotian and Haocun, it can't be too biased.

In the end, Prince An had no choice but to change his mind.

Zhou Ye has the classic face of a female role performer, with delicate eyebrows and a straight nose. In addition, he has trained in ballet, which gives him an innate charm. He is a star as soon as he steps on stage to sing, recite, act, and fight.

Let her film "Red Silk", playing a female lead in a Republican-era opera troupe.

Tian Xiwei's round, baby-faced features and those irresistibly sweet dimples are perfect for "Escape from the British Museum".

Imagine her playing a Chinese jade teapot with intertwined floral patterns that emerges from a glass display case in human form. Imagine her standing inside the case, patting the transparent glass wall with her hands, her round almond-shaped eyes filled with pitiful pleas. That would surely break the hearts of everyone watching.

Although Liu Haochun has never studied acting, she has a very special talent: her eyes can speak.

Even when she doesn't speak, the emotions flowing in her doe-like eyes are more moving than any lines of dialogue.

Moreover, as a graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy majoring in folk dance, her body proportions are exceptionally good.

Those dancers have wrists that reach past their crotches, long limbs, and excellent body proportions; they would look absolutely stunning in modern clothes.

And then there's her face; it has this kind of tenacious, indomitable spirit about it.

He suggested she film "Warm a Cup of Tea," playing a girl who works hard quietly in the city; he'd be sure it would be a great success.