Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 103 The Top Ten Richest People
When Liu Shishi asked the question, Yang Mi introduced, "These three are my classmates from the Beijing Film Academy's acting class. We'll all be colleagues in the future."

As soon as Yang Mi finished speaking, Yuan Shanshan, beaming with excitement, said, "Song Ci, I'm your fan. Last month, my roommate and I voted for you every day during the online campus heartthrob poll. Can we exchange contact information?"

Seeing Yuan Shanshan's fangirl-like expression, Liu Shishi felt a warning bell ringing in her heart. This girl was as beautiful as a flower, and if her little brother got entangled with her, she would be a major rival in her love life.

She felt increasingly regretful for secretly signing her boyfriend up for the school heartthrob competition. Before Song Ci could speak, she quickly interrupted and refused, "No way."

Liu Shishi's firm refusal made the scene a little awkward. Song Ci coughed lightly and said, "Thank you for voting for me!" to ease the dull atmosphere a little, but her distant and indifferent attitude was very obvious.

"Yang Mi, we have to go now. See you again sometime!"

The young man's attitude was reassuring, but Liu Shishi was still worried that the girls might get involved with their boyfriends, so she quickly said goodbye and pulled her boyfriend away from the store.

Watching her crush's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Yuan Shanshan stomped her foot in frustration and complained, "Why is this woman so petty? I haven't even said a few words to Song Ci. It's not like I'm trying to steal her boyfriend. Why is she so nervous? We're not bad people."

Jiao Junyan winked at Yuan Shanshan and chuckled, "You looked so infatuated just now, your eyes practically popped out of your head and were glued to Song Ci. His girlfriend definitely wouldn't be happy. Honey, do you know Song Ci's girlfriend?"

Yang Mi sighed softly, her mood low: "I met her once at an audition. But she has connections and a background. She's about our age and has already landed a leading role in a movie."

Zhang Xiaofei was dumbfounded. Her roommate had just said that they, as freshmen, were still a long way from becoming movie heroines, and now Yang Mi was telling her that someone her age was already a world ahead. She found it unbelievable: "Really?"

Yang Mi originally intended to bring her infatuated roommate to annoy Liu Shishi, but not only did she fail to achieve her goal, she also made herself even more depressed. Seeing that Zhang Xiaofei still didn't believe her, she frowned slightly and replied irritably:
"Would I lie to you? Her movie will be released next Spring Festival. Come on, Shanshan, stop looking. She's already gone far away. Your crush is already taken, so don't think about him anymore. If you want a man, find one at school. Xu Sanjin from the directing class next door is pretty good. His family is rich."

Yuan Shanshan was still unconvinced. "Hmph, that girl's looks are just average. She's not good enough for my idol. We're all pretty good-looking, and as for her figure, I think she's far inferior to you, Mimi."

She knew perfectly well how turbulent Yang Mi's breasts were when she was restrained. Even she, a woman, couldn't put them down after touching them. How many men in the world could resist?

Yang Mi shook her head. What's the use of being pretty? How many people in the entertainment industry don't have a good future? "Don't think about such things. Everyone has different fates. Maybe your crush just likes the innocent type. Let's go see a movie."

Upon hearing this, the girls all hung their heads in dejection, completely losing their interest in looking at the shoes. They secretly kept Liu Shishi in their hearts, making her their role model.

The encounter between everyone in front of the Jimmy Choo women's shoe store was just a small interlude during the National Day holiday.

This was the second meeting between the two future top stars. Unlike their brief eye contact the first time, Liu Shishi remembered Yang Mi's name this time.

After a day of sightseeing, Song Ci and Liu Shishi returned to their neighborhood. The night was deep, and the starry sky was exceptionally bright. Gazing at the countless stars was mesmerizing.

All around was quiet, except for the occasional chirping of insects in the distance, weaving a melodious nocturne.

Downstairs in the same building, at the same spot, Song Ci and Liu Shishi, this couple, were now embracing tightly and passionately kissing.

Ms. Liu kept her eyes closed, the shopping bag in her hand had fallen to the ground at some point, and she was only focused on hugging her boyfriend tenderly and affectionately.

With one hand around his girlfriend's slender waist, Song Ci's other hand roamed freely over Liu's body, from her waist to her slightly perky breasts, feeling the delicate smoothness of her skin even through her clothes.

Liu Shishi was teased by her boyfriend and occasionally let out an alluring moan like a cat's meow. She felt as if she were floating on clouds, her body burning hot and her whole body soft and boneless.

After an unknown amount of time, their lips slowly parted. Liu Shishi's eyes were filled with affection, she was panting heavily, her body was limp, and a blush rose on her face. Her beautiful face seemed to show both shyness and joy: "You bad man, you have taken liberties with an innocent woman in broad daylight."

Song Ci raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "It was clearly dark outside. How can you call something frivolous when it's something you both love? Look how passionate you were just kissing."

Liu Shishi turned her face away shyly, "Pah, you smooth talker. I never thought that someone who was so honest when they were young would be so bad now."

"That was when I was a kid. Now that I'm all grown up, I just want to do whatever I want." After saying that, Song Ci grabbed his girlfriend and tried to touch her again.

Liu Shishi was so frightened that she quickly begged for mercy, "Yiyi, please let me go. My mother just urged me to go back and pack my clothes."

Seeing that it was indeed getting late and today wasn't the right time, Song Ci decided to let Xiao Qingmei off the hook. He picked up the shopping bag that had fallen to the ground and handed it to Miss Liu, asking with concern, "Do you want me to take you tomorrow?"

Liu Shishi declined her boyfriend's offer: "No need to trouble you. We're traveling with a tour group, and the tour guide has arranged a bus."

Song Ci nodded slightly. Although the itinerary of the group tour was tight, it was indeed more worry-free. "Let's go upstairs, get ready and get some rest."

Hearing her boyfriend's words of advice, Liu Shishi nodded, a sweet and playful smile spreading across her face.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief and tenderness under the starlight. She tiptoed, leaned forward slightly, pursed her lips, and blew a kiss to Song Ci. "My willful boyfriend, see you in five days."

After the National Day holiday, on the morning of October 12, 2005, the Hurun Research Institute released the latest issue of the "Hurun Rich List" magazine. The entry threshold for this issue's "Rich List" was 500 million yuan, and the number of people on the list was 400.

This is the seventh consecutive year that the Hurun Research Institute has released the "Rich List". The wealth of the listed billionaires was calculated up to September 30, 2005.

Among them, Huang Guangyu, founder of Pengrun Investment Group, is the richest man in mainland China with a net worth of 140 billion yuan. Yan Jiehe, boss of Pacific Construction Group, and Chen Tianqiao, chairman of Shanda Network Company, follow closely behind with a fortune of 125 billion yuan and 117 billion yuan respectively.

Song Ci, chairman of Tengda Group, ranked 7th on the list with a net worth of 82 billion yuan, surpassing the Lu Guanqiu family of Wanxiang Group.

After seven years of promotion and hype, the Hurun Rich List has become incredibly influential in China. Its release not only reflects the current wealth and industry distribution of China's richest individuals but also sparks widespread discussion across society regarding wealth, entrepreneurship, and economic development. At the same time, the list provides an important window into understanding China's economic development and entrepreneurial spirit. Ordinary people consider it a major topic of conversation, and anyone who makes the list inevitably becomes the focus of public attention.

The 2005 list included a wide age range of billionaires, ranging from promising young entrepreneurs to seasoned business leaders.

Some of the new generation of wealthy individuals work in the IT industry. Among the top ten richest people, three are from the internet industry, demonstrating the enormous potential and appeal of the internet sector.

Among the top ten richest people, three are particularly noteworthy. Huang Guangyu has retained his title as the richest man in mainland China, and his Gome Electrical Appliances has become the largest home appliance retailer in the country, making him a household name.

Yan Jiehe is the richest man to have improved his ranking the fastest due to the rapid development of Pacific Construction Group. His personal wealth increased from 15 billion yuan last year to 125 billion yuan, a net increase of 110 billion yuan. His ranking soared from 66th to 2nd. Such an exaggerated increase in just one year naturally became the focus of the media.

Of course, the most talked-about person is Song Ci. This 19-year-old business tycoon suddenly appeared on the list and became one of the top ten richest people in mainland China with a net worth of 82 billion yuan. As time went on, it gradually ignited the entire China and the Internet.

"This is so frustrating!" In the Tengda Group office, Song Ci hung up another phone call, slammed her phone on the desk in frustration, and felt utterly helpless.

Since he ranked seventh on the Hurun Rich List a few days ago, the news media have begun to delve into his background.

After his identities as a rising literary star, the bestselling author born in the 80s, a top scorer in the college entrance examination, and the founder of Tengda Group were successively revealed, his phone was constantly ringing off the hook, and he hardly had a moment to spare.

The awe of subordinates, the shock of relatives and friends, the enthusiasm of teachers, and the admiration of classmates completely disrupted the rhythm of study and life, and the carefree life of the past was gone forever.

Some media reporters, unable to find him in person, heard some rumors and rashly went to Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beihang University to inquire about his parents' situation, forcing Song Zhang and Liu Xiaoxiao to temporarily hide at home to avoid the limelight.

When he returned home the day before yesterday, his parents questioned him for over an hour, demanding that he explain everything about Tengda Group in detail.

Liu Shishi, on the other hand, remained unfazed by his becoming one of the top ten richest people. Apart from being curious about whether he really had 82 billion yuan in wealth, her attitude towards him remained the same as before.

According to Ms. Liu, what she likes is Song Ci as a person, the little brother she grew up with and who was innocent and carefree with her since childhood. Even if Song Ci were penniless one day, the poet would be willing to support him, which moved and comforted the wealthy Song Ci.

Seeing the chairman's annoyed expression, Zhang Yong asked with a smile, "Where did this call come from this time?"

From the time he entered the office, only about twenty minutes had passed, and Song Ci had already received seven phone calls. Looking at her boss's frustrated expression, she sighed inwardly that this was a happy kind of trouble.

However, Zhang Yong was still somewhat shocked. He hadn't expected that the chairman would have such a high net worth without him even realizing it. The key was that he was only 19 years old, and his future was limitless. With more experience and knowledge, he would surely become a very important figure in China's business world.

Song Ci curled her lip, recalling the other party's morally blackmailing words, and scoffed, "The Red Cross."

Zhang Yong adjusted his glasses, his expression grave, and said cautiously, "The commotion you've caused this time is quite significant. Now reporters are staking out the company every day, but that's not the most important thing."

Furthermore, leaders of the Beiping government have contacted me by phone several times, saying that a high-ranking official wants to visit the company to inspect and guide its work, and would also like to meet you.

Song Ci sighed, a faint melancholy lingering in her heart. "Sigh, I knew I'd be on the list after meeting with Hurun last time, given the size of Tengda Group now. But that guy promised to lower my ranking, yet he still put me in the top ten richest people, making it so outrageous."

When Song Ci learned that he was ranked seventh on the rich list, he felt very uneasy. Although he had a clean family background and a clean record, the source of his wealth was not as vulnerable to scrutiny as the previous tycoons who had fallen from power.

His family background is far from that of ordinary entrepreneurs, and he also has the added advantage of being a famous writer, so dealing with the government shouldn't be too difficult.

However, he will likely be approached by many social organizations seeking donations, and he will be under scrutiny by many people with ulterior motives. It is unlikely that he will be able to act as freely as before.

Song Ci was aware of this, so he always kept a low profile to avoid being constantly targeted by those Red Cross charity foundations, who would try to morally blackmail him. They were like a leech, impossible to shake off.

"Old Zhang, if those people from the Red Cross call again, just say you can't make the decision and ignore them. I have money to spend myself, why should I let these clueless people benefit?" Thinking of the Red Cross's reputation, Song Ci shook his head in denial and instructed Zhang Yong.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yong said seriously, "President Song, we still need to do charity work. We should donate some money, otherwise it will affect your and the company's reputation."

Song Ci nodded, understanding the reasoning behind it. After a moment's thought, he slowly arranged, "We definitely need to donate. Toutiao.com donates every year, right? But let's skip the Red Cross Charity Foundation; that organization doesn't really do anything."

From now on, I will personally donate 500 million yuan to Project Hope every year, and the company will donate another 1000 million yuan. I will have the company's finance department handle this matter, and I will announce the news on the company's official website tomorrow.

Starting next year, on New Year's Day every year, Lao Zhang, please arrange to transfer this money to the Hope Project account.

Also, remember to get receipts, donation certificates, and information about the impoverished students from them, and then publish all of this on the company's official website for public scrutiny.

Zhang Yong nodded and noted down his boss's requirements.

"Many media outlets and magazines want to interview you, but since they can't reach you, they've all been calling the company or me. Even Li Hong from Headline Star asked me to ask when the chairman will support their program."

After some thought, Song Ci realized that some things couldn't be avoided, and instructed, "Old Zhang, please make arrangements for the inspection by the high-ranking leader as soon as possible. If there are any matters in the group that require government coordination, you can also take the opportunity to bring them up."

As for visits from other news media, please decline them for me. It's not advisable for me to appear in public recently. I should keep a low profile and avoid this period. A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind. My foundation is still shallow, and I cannot afford to be too prominent.

"I understand, Mr. Song. I will report the leader's inspection to you promptly!"

(End of this chapter)