Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 200 Investing in the Future
Wu Yuchen frowned immediately upon hearing the name Xie Na.

To be honest, he already thought Xie Na's professional skills were mediocre and didn't particularly like her hosting style. But that was fine; he would just ignore her shows and remain a casual observer. What made him feel grateful to Xie Na was the character she displayed in her relationship with Li Xiaoran—a true example of ingratitude.

When Xie Na first arrived in Beijing as a struggling migrant worker, she had a very difficult time. She lived in a basement and couldn't even afford to eat a single bite of food every day. Then, Li Xiaoran, who couldn't bear to see her suffer, took her to her home to eat and live with her. Li Xiaoran not only never charged her a penny, but also took care of all the housework, such as buying groceries, cooking, and washing clothes. She also gave Xie Na gifts such as high heels. Moreover, Li Xiaoran, who had already become a star at the time, recommended many opportunities to Xie Na.

When Li Xiaoran was popular, Xie Na often promoted her close friendship with Li Xiaoran, saying that Li Xiaoran was her best friend. But when Li Xiaoran fell on hard times, Xie Na didn't say a word. Later, in an interview, when asked what Li Xiaoran was doing, Xie Na simply said, "It's like she completely disappeared for those few years."

So you're saying it's not my fault I didn't know where she was, that she just disappeared on her own? Do you really have a "good friend" like you who doesn't contact me for years?
Don't assume she's unreachable. Later, when Li Xiaoran appeared on "Happy Camp," she was asked if she knew what nickname Xie Na had saved her number in his phone. Li Xiaoran said it was probably "Xiaoran" or "Ranran." Xie Na's expression immediately turned sour, and he tried to brush it off, but it was ultimately discovered that she hadn't saved Li Xiaoran's number in her phone at all; she had already deleted her!
Just when everyone was in disbelief, Li Xiaoran quickly explained that they usually don't make phone calls and communicate via WeChat. He Jiong also quickly stepped in to smooth things over and changed the subject, managing to get away with it.

Wow, what great sisters!

Is it even necessary to help someone like her?

As for the claim that she betrayed Li Xiaoran, Wu Yuchen didn't know if it was true or not, but that didn't affect his negative impression of Xie Na.

Wu Yuchen wouldn't have cared if he didn't know, but if he did, he definitely wouldn't want Li Xiaoran to get closer to her. However, he also knew that this was Li Xiaoran's freedom to make friends, and he couldn't forcibly interfere, so he pinched his fingers a few times and said:
"Xie Na? I don't like this name at all; it feels like it clashes with yours."

Li Xiaoran was taken aback by his words and stared at Wu Yuchen strangely: "Huh? I mean, you can tell fortunes? You could even tell from the clash of names?"

"That's right. Since you already know, I won't hide it anymore. Actually, when I was a child, I met an old beggar. He saw that I had a full forehead and extraordinary bones, so he gave me a secret manual called 'The Mysteries of Six Ren.' After mastering it, one can know the past and the future a hundred years in advance..."

Li Xiaoran tilted her head and asked, "So, have you mastered it?"

"I've achieved a minor level of mastery now, and I can foresee the past 20 years and the future 20 years in advance!" Wu Yuchen said, patting his chest.

Li Xiaoran clung to Wu Yuchen's arm in a gesture of adoration: "Master, may I ask, how do I become a billionaire?"

Wu Yuchen did some quick calculations and then said, "If you buy three or four more of these apartments, upstairs and downstairs, and wait 15 years, you'll naturally become a billionaire."

Li Xiaoran silently calculated in her mind that the current market price of this house is 5000 per square meter. 160 square meters, 4 units would be 640 square meters. 640 square meters of houses would be 1 million? That's 15 per square meter.
"You're spouting nonsense, don't believe me!" Li Xiaoran sneered.

Wu Yuchen shook his head as if the boy was hopeless: "In short, I don't have a good impression of Xie Na. You should be careful when you associate with her."

Li Xiaoran patted him on the shoulder: "Stop joking, you've never even met her!"

Wu Yuchen asked casually, "How did you meet him? I've never heard you mention him before."

Li Xiaoran adjusted her position and snuggled closer to Wu Yuchen.

"When we were on set, I saw that it was really tough for her, a young girl working as an extra. She was only 18 and had come to Beijing to be a struggling artist. I could tell she had suffered a lot..."

Wu Yuchen suddenly understood: "Are you thinking about when you were an extra again?"

Li Xiaoran nodded. A few years ago, she was also an extra, playing a maid, and was treated like a grandson by the crew. Seeing Xie Na now was like seeing her younger self, and she felt a pang of nostalgia. Back then, Xie Na had Wu Yuchen helping her, and now she wanted to lend a hand to someone else.

Wu Yuchen curled his lip and sighed, "Sister Ranran, you've forgotten the old for the new!"

Li Xiaoran slapped him on the shoulder and said irritably, "What do you mean by newcomers and old friends~"

Wu Yuchen feigned a pitiful expression: "What am I going to do? Sigh, this huge house will have nowhere to stay from now on! How tragic!"

"Didn't you say you were going to the US to try for the Olympics in the next few months?" Li Xiaoran looked up at him.

Wu Yuchen hugged her and rubbed her: "I just don't want any outsiders to move in."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoran's heart softened, after all, this had always been her and Wu Yuchen's little haven.

Then Wu Yuchen added, "If you want to help her, just recommend some opportunities for her. There's no need to help her at home. People want to be self-reliant. Staying in someone else's house means you're still a guest, and you might not be used to it."

Li Xiaoran seemed thoughtful, but then she felt that Xie Na didn't seem to have a particularly strong personality, and Xie Na seemed quite looking forward to it when she mentioned it last time.

Li Xiaoran pouted: "It's all your fault, you're making me break my promise!"

Wu Yuchen gently bit her pouting lips: "Just say that my disagreement is affecting my happiness index, and see if she dares to object!"

Li Xiaoran laughed and gently pinched Wu Yuchen's waist: "Why are you so domineering!"

"You said it yourself, I'm a great director who brings glory to the country!"

"Tch, shameless!"

"If I were both shy and embarrassed, you might not even like me!"

Wu Yuchen and Li Xiaoran chatted and laughed, no longer mentioning Xie Na. With his influence, it was impossible for Li Xiaoran to become close to Xie Na. There was no need for him to deliberately target Xie Na now. What would it look like if word got out that a big director like him was messing with an 18-year-old girl? It would be too petty, and it would also cause Li Xiaoran to misunderstand.

However, it's impossible for her to climb back up. They can just have Cai Yinong subtly hint at cutting off her path to Hunan TV. Wouldn't it be better to just let her fawn over Li Xiaoran for the rest of her life?

The preview screening on Saturday was naturally arranged by China Film Group at the Great Hall of the People. Although it wasn't on a particularly auspicious day, a large number of people came to show their support, including some who hadn't received invitations. After all, Wu Yuchen's current momentum is undeniable; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he has caught up with or even surpassed Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige. It's just that due to his age, people haven't yet elevated him to a very high level.

When the movie ended, the lights in the Great Hall came back on, and thunderous applause erupted.

People kept coming up to congratulate Wu Yuchen, including Xie Jin, who was previously widely regarded as China's greatest director. Xie Jin had been in poor health since filming "The Opium War" and had missed the premiere of "Mr. Donkey." He was specially invited by Zhu Yongde, the head of Shanghai Film Studio, to attend this event.

Xie Jin came over and patted Wu Yuchen on the shoulder, saying:
"It's so well made! Although your movie might be a bit controversial after its release, I really understand this feeling at my age! You dare to make it, you're capable of making it, the future depends on you!"

"Thank you for your kind words, Teacher Xie. I still have a lot to learn and practice!" Wu Yuchen said modestly.

Zhu Yongde, standing to the side, said with a smile:
"Good art films are not afraid of controversy, and the ideas in our films should be at the forefront of the times. Director Wu, don't worry about the details; we're all counting on you to bring us an Oscar this time!"

The people standing around echoed the sentiment. Since the news broke a few days ago that "Love" was going to compete for the Oscars, many people have had some expectations for it. After all, it is a film that has already won the Golden Lion, and it is made by Wu Yuchen, who has continuously shocked America.

Wu Yuchen quickly said, "President Zhu, please don't put pressure on me. After all, so many excellent films have failed before, and all I can say is that I will do my best!"

Wu Yuchen didn't want to create too much hype now, because if he didn't win, it would be a huge disappointment for many. It was best to maintain the current level, not raising expectations too high, so that if he succeeded, it would be a wonderful surprise.

Xie Jin also understood this principle, so he said on Wu Yuchen's behalf, "Just do your best. Actually, being nominated is a victory!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen couldn't help but feel a bit of goodwill towards Xie Jin. This was really helping him relieve stress; he truly deserved to be called a senior figure!
With Xie Jin's statement and Wu Yuchen's own attitude made clear, everyone else knows how to respond to the film "Love" they watched today. They can praise the movie, but a quick mention of it is enough. If they really want to rave about it, they can wait until it's nominated for an Oscar.

At this moment, Jiang Wen walked over with a smile, clasped his hands in a fist and said:

"Director Wu, I admire you! The style of your film 'Love' is completely different from your previous film 'Mr. Donkey.' The last one was dark humor and extremely absurd, while this one is realistic and cold. You use different visual styles to express different themes with ease. You are truly amazing!"

"Director Jiang, you flatter me. I'm still waiting for your new movie to be released!"

"I can't compare to you in that regard!"

When Jiang Wen last came to see "Mr. Donkey," his "Devils on the Doorstep" wasn't even finished filming yet. Now, Wu Yuchen's "Love" has already won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and is premiering, while his "Devils on the Doorstep" is still in editing. Therefore, Jiang Wen truly admires Wu Yuchen's filmmaking speed; he makes movies quickly and well, something Jiang Wen simply can't match.

Actually, it wasn't that Wu Yuchen was shooting fast; his speed was just normal. It was Jiang Wen who was genuinely shooting slowly. However, Wu Yuchen wouldn't say this aloud. Instead, he gave a thumbs-up and smiled, saying:
"Director Jiang, slow and steady wins the race. Nezha was pregnant for three years and six months before he was born. Director Jiang's movie will definitely be amazing!"

Jiang Wen waved his hand and shook his head, saying:
"Hey, Director Wu, I don't want to suffer like Nezha. I'm just here to share in your good fortune. I just hope you can bless me so that the censorship will go smoothly!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen realized that his words, though unintentional, might actually come true. Nezha was disliked by his father from birth, defied the Dragon King who represented the rules, and was even driven to suicide. Wasn't this just like Jiang Wen and the fate of the character in "Devils on the Doorstep" in their previous lives? Thinking this, Wu Yuchen could only smile at Jiang Wen and wish him good luck.

After most people left, Han Sanping and Hou Keming came over. Hou Keming said to Wu Yuchen with a happy smile:
"Now that you've come this far, there's not much more we and the school can teach you. But when you have some free time, remember to come back to Beijing Film Academy and give a lecture. I've already made a reservation for you!"

After thinking for a moment, Wu Yuchen said, "Dean Hou, let's wait until next year. I have a lot of things to do this year."

"Okay, it's up to you."

Hou Keming then added with a smile, "We've already spoken with the Golden Rooster Awards. They said they've specially moved the event forward this year just for you! Go and have a good chat with them then."

The Golden Rooster Awards recently announced its nomination list, and "Mr. Donkey" was prominently featured, receiving multiple nominations.

Wu Yuchen couldn't help but ask, "The award results are already out?"

Han Sanping laughed and said, "You underestimate yourself and your Dean Hou too much. If you don't award it to 'Mr. Donkey' this year, you might as well not hold the Golden Rooster Awards anymore. You'll be criticized to death!"

Wu Yuchen now is not the same as he was a fledgling entrepreneur just two years ago. Back then, the Golden Rooster Awards would say he was a newcomer, too young, and needed more experience, so they only gave him the Best Directorial Debut Award.

But now, Wu Yuchen has not only won both the Golden Bear and the Golden Lion, achieving a double Golden accolade, but has also directed box office hits such as "The Classic" and "My Sassy Girl," and even earned the title of a Hollywood director with three films in the United States. Who would dare say he still needs to hone his skills?
Moreover, not to mention that Wu Yuchen has strong support from Beijing Film Studio, all the major film studios, including China Film Group, Shanghai Film Studio, Xiaoxiang Film Studio, and Xi'an Film Studio, have cooperated with Wu Yuchen and received his investment. Now, Wu Yuchen's reputation for being righteous and charitable has spread far and wide.

Who would dare to stop a director who is both highly capable and knows how to get along with people?!
Moreover, in terms of the work itself, "Mr. Donkey" has extremely high artistic value. Winning the Golden Bear and Best Actress awards at Berlin was well-deserved, and this was something many people expected.

Therefore, Han Sanping's words made it clear that he had come to present the award to him this year, and that he should make sure to arrange his time accordingly.

These words made Wu Yuchen a little embarrassed. Could it be considered that he had pulled off a stunt?
……

The streets of Beijing were bustling with people in September. Although autumn had arrived, the sun was still quite hot. However, a well-dressed, bespectacled, and refined young man felt a chill in his heart.

He traveled from Shenzhen to Beijing specifically to seek investment from his former idol, but was ridiculed to his face and couldn't save face.

"I could hire a few college students to do something better than this in less than three months. It's not worth 500,000 at all!"

Ma Huateng felt his tie was a bit tight around his neck, so he pulled it off and let out a long sigh. He took off his glasses, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked exhausted.

He and a few others pooled together 50 yuan to create a chat software platform called QICQ, modeled after the wildly popular ICQ from overseas. Over the past few months, the number of users has been steadily increasing, and now the servers are completely overwhelmed by the massive amount of data. However, the company isn't making any money; it has absolutely no revenue streams or methods. Currently, the company can't even pay next month's salaries; they've had to cover this month's expenses themselves.

Out of desperation, he decided to sell the software. He went to many people along the way, but none were willing to buy it. He wanted to sell it for 100 million, but just now Zhang Sohu wouldn't even give him half that amount, and even belittled it as worthless.

However, his journey wasn't entirely fruitless. Some of the people he visited kindly advised him to try seeking venture capital, which gave him a basic understanding of venture capital. He plans to inquire about it when he returns to Shenzhen.

Just as he was about to head to the train station, the phone in his pocket rang...

At Miracle Films, Wu Yuchen sized up the refined and slender young man before him. He was dressed in a neat suit and tie, looking quite formal and indicating that he valued this meeting.

Wu Yuchen raised his hand and said with a smile, "Don't be shy, have some tea, let's chat while we drink."

Ma Huateng smiled shyly and said, "Director Wu, I really love your movies. I've seen every single one of them. I've seen 'My Sassy Girl' in the theater more than once!"

Wu Yuchen chuckled upon hearing this and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Oh? Did you go with your girlfriend? You're not secretly cursing me, are you?"

Ma Huateng quickly waved his hand and explained, "No, no, I don't have a girlfriend yet, I'm single! Your movie is so good, how could I possibly criticize you!"

Wu Yuchen laughed and said, "After my movie was released, I heard that some of my male compatriots suffered a bit. I'm afraid you'll be one of the victims!"

Ma Huateng wasn't very eloquent, so he just smiled when he heard this.

Wu Yuchen didn't take it to heart, knowing this was typical of a science and engineering man, so he smiled and said to him:
"What a coincidence! I didn't expect you to be in Beijing. I thought you were in Shenzhen, and I only found out you weren't there when I contacted your company. But that saves me some trouble."

Ma Huateng placed his hands on his knees: "Director Wu, I didn't expect you to contact me, after all, you are a great director, and also from the arts and culture world..."

"I'm young too! The software you guys developed is quite interesting, I'm very optimistic about it. I heard you're currently looking around to sell your company?"

Ma Huateng nodded.

Wu Yuchen took a sip of tea and asked, "How did it go? Was it successful?"

Ma Huateng honestly shook his head: "It wasn't too smooth. Director Wu, someone from our company called and said you want to buy it. May I ask what you want to buy it for?"

Wu Yuchen waved his hand: "It's not buying, it's investing. How could I have time to develop your tech company!"

Ma Huateng's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "You mean venture capital?"

Wu Yuchen nodded: "The concept of venture capital is still rarely mentioned in China, but it's very common in Silicon Valley, America. Since you're familiar with it, I won't beat around the bush. 2000 million yuan, 40% equity."

Ma Huateng was immediately taken aback by the 2000 million yuan Wu Yuchen mentioned. After all, he had only intended to sell the software for 100 million yuan that morning, but now Wu Yuchen was willing to invest 2000 million yuan for only 40% of the shares. Although his family was well-off, he had never seen such a huge sum of money as 2000 million yuan.

Seeing that Ma Huateng didn't respond, Wu Yuchen asked, "What? You think the money isn't enough? Or do you want US dollars?"

Ma Huateng quickly waved his hand: "No, no. Director Wu, why are you willing to invest in us? To be honest, I approached many people before, but none of them were optimistic about us."

This really piqued Ma Huateng's curiosity. After all, he had consulted so many people in the industry, but none of them were willing to pay even 50 yuan. Then a big director from the arts and culture world suddenly appeared and offered 2000 million yuan. This was something he couldn't quite process and found too amazing!

"Haha, I just used your software to chat with friends and found it interesting. I'm investing so much money in you because I'm optimistic about your future. Maybe in a few years you'll be able to go public like Sina, NetEase, and Sohu, and then I can become a shareholder of a listed company."

Upon hearing this, Ma Huateng was thrilled. The internet boom in the United States was driving the development of the internet worldwide. Wu Yuchen's words resonated with him, and perhaps they could even go public.

With Wu Yuchen's 2000 million, the server issue that's been troubling them is no longer a problem.

Wu Yuchen added, "Don't worry about making money from the software for now. Focus on building up your user base first. Once you have users, we can figure out how to make money. It's just a matter of conversion."

Ma Huateng felt that Wu Yuchen in front of him was simply an angel, and even felt a lot of guilt. He had taken 2000 million yuan from him and burned it, and Wu Yuchen told him not to worry about making money. What else could he be but an angel?

He clenched his fist excitedly and said, "Thank you so much, Director Wu. We at Tencent will definitely live up to your expectations and make this software a success!"

Then, Ma Huateng gave a slightly embarrassed smile and said, "Director Wu, could you give me your autograph?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen couldn't help but laugh and said, "I thought you were in a hurry to sign the contract with me first!"

……

After Ma Huateng left, full of energy, Wu Yuchen leaned back in his executive chair with a tactical flourish. Had he really acquired 40% of the future Tencent empire so easily?
It feels a little unreal, but upon reflection, it makes perfect sense. Tencent and Ma Huateng were just starting out. According to an interview with Pony Ma in his previous life, the concept of venture capital in China was still very vague at the time. If it weren't for a friend's introduction, he would never have considered seeking venture capital because he lacked that understanding.

Wu Yuchen then thought of his other investments. Starting in 96, he had successively invested in Yahoo, Cisco, Microsoft and other Internet concept stocks. Now, the Internet wave is in full swing, and Nasdaq is soaring.

Even if he sells his stocks and pays a lot of taxes to the Americans, the amount in his stock account is still in the tens of figures, and that's in US dollars.

I'll go to America a month from now. The first thing I'll do is sell my stocks there. I've already made enough money; there's no need to wait until next year's peak.

(End of this chapter)