Entertainment News: I'm Not a Scumbag After Rebirth!

Li Jun stood on the exhibition hall terrace, surrounded by the noise of the city.

He just hung up the last phone call.

On the other end of the receiver was Lao Fan, the director of the program acquisition department of a provincial satellite TV station known for its quick response and pioneering spirit.

"Director Li, are you sure you want it to be free, and only take a cut of the ad slots?"

Lao Fan's voice was a mixture of disbelief and excitement.

"Confirmed. During the May Day Golden Week, your channel's movie and TV channel will exclusively broadcast the show after 9 PM every night. The electronic version of the contract has been sent to your email."

Li Jun's voice was calm and even.

"A high-definition copy of the video will arrive at your station's server room in three hours. All trailer clips will be broadcast on your station tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM, along with a simultaneous press conference."

"You're going to poke a hole in the sky!"

Old Fan gasped, then burst into barely suppressed excitement.

"Let's do it. Huayi will monopolize the first round of theatrical releases, and we'll be the first in the country to have a simultaneous television premiere."

This was not a gamble made on a whim by Li Jun, but the product of his repeated deductions and precise calculations during the four days he had been missing.

He carefully studied the domestic media landscape in 2005:

Although the film box office market is growing, television remains the most widely covered and deeply penetrated entertainment medium.

DVD piracy is rampant, while online streaming media is still in its infancy;

Television stations, especially ambitious second- and third-tier satellite stations, have an insatiable thirst for high-quality, exclusive film content, but are hampered by high copyright fees and strict window period restrictions.

What Li Jun handed over was a double-edged sword.

For television stations, this means acquiring the premiere rights to a movie that is currently generating buzz and has the backing of the Super Girl Chengdu division champion at zero cost.

It is an unparalleled temptation.

For "Love is Not Blind," it was a choice to forgo the uncertain short-term box office returns in exchange for the terrifying exposure that reached hundreds of millions of television viewers overnight.

He contacted almost all the major satellite channels that had a more aggressive style or were indirect competitors with Huayi.

Ultimately, the three television stations, in utter shock, took on this hot potato and agreed to launch a joint campaign.

In addition to the free broadcasting rights, Li Jun also contributed a carefully prepared speech on how the film resonated with the public's emotions.

Of course, there is also the tacit acceptance that television stations may appropriately insert discussions about Huayi's monopoly on programming during broadcasts.

May 1st, 6:00 AM.

In Beijing, most of the senior executives at Huayi headquarters were still asleep or enjoying the last bit of their pre-holiday relaxation.

Wang Zhonglei was doing his morning exercise on the balcony of his penthouse apartment, happily planning the details of the grand premiere of "Love in the Wind City" that afternoon.

At that moment, his personal cell phone, office landline, and assistant's cell phone all started ringing frantically at almost the same time.

The first call came from a vice president of the theater chain alliance, who sounded extremely agitated:

"Mr. Wang! Something terrible has happened. That Li Jun has given away 'Love is Not Blind' to three satellite TV stations for free. They'll start airing it tonight, at the same time as our show."

Wang Zhonglei was momentarily stunned, even finding it somewhat absurd:

"Free? On TV? Are you out of your mind? Movies aren't shown in theaters but on TV? Is he drunk?"

"See for yourself."

The other party slammed down the phone.

Wang Zhonglei rushed into the living room, turned on the TV with the force of almost crushing the remote control, and quickly switched to those satellite channels.

The screen is showing the entertainment segment of the morning news, with a beautiful female anchor delivering the report in a clear, articulate tone that barely conceals her excitement:

"The highly anticipated film 'Love is Not Blind' announced a revolutionary distribution strategy this morning. Due to difficulties in scheduling screenings in traditional theaters due to non-market factors, and in response to the expectations of a wide audience, the production company has decided to collaborate with XX TV, XX TV, and XX TV to conduct a nationwide free television premiere during the Golden Week holiday from May 1st to 7th! This is the first time a domestic film has attempted a television broadcast completely simultaneously with its theatrical release, breaking the established distribution window and being regarded by industry insiders as a huge challenge to traditional film distribution rules..."

A short video that Li Jun had pre-recorded appeared on the screen at the right time.

He was wearing a simple shirt, with a corner of that old warehouse in the background, his expression calm and resolute.

"Movies are made for everyone. When a door is unjustly closed, we hope to open a window, let the light in, and let those who want to see it see it. Thank you to all the friends who supported 'Love is Not Blind.' See you on TV tonight."

Without accusations or complaints, it declared war on Huayi Brothers and the film scheduling hegemony it represents.

In the background, the busy figures of Tang Yan and Jia Peng can be vaguely seen, further emphasizing the tragic grandeur of this small team.

The coffee cup in Wang Zhonglei's hand fell to the marble floor with a "clang," splashing brown liquid everywhere.

His face turned from red to white, then from white to blue, and finally solidified into an iron-blue color.

He wasn't shocked that the movie was on television, which wasn't unprecedented in film history, but it was usually a secondary broadcast long after the film had finished its theatrical run.

What enraged him was the free access, the simultaneous release, and the public opinion blackmail against the film scheduling he spearheaded!

"He's insane! This is suicide! This is breaking industry rules!"

Wang Zhonglei roared at his assistant and marketing director who rushed over after hearing the news, veins bulging on his forehead:

"Immediately! Contact those three TV stations! Warn them! This is malicious competition, disrupting market order, and they must withdraw immediately!"

The marketing director was deathly pale, his lips trembling:

"President Wang has contacted them. The station's attitude is very firm. They say it's a normal program purchase and arrangement, in accordance with broadcasting regulations, and the audience response has been enthusiastic. The GG time slot has already been sold out. They even thanked us for unintentionally generating so much attention for them..."

"asshole!"

Wang Zhonglei kicked over a decorative vase next to him.

Amidst the flying debris, he felt a wave of dizziness.

He suddenly realized that he had made a fatal mistake: he was too focused on crushing the other party with the rules of the industry, but forgot that the other party had no intention of playing within the rules.

Li Jun's move was like flipping the table, taking the conflict from the theater manager's meeting room to the living rooms of hundreds of millions of television viewers.

Even more disheartening news followed.

Online public opinion monitoring shows that it started at 7:00 AM.

"Free simultaneous streaming of movies and TV shows"

"Love is Not Blind" Breaks the Monopoly

"Support Li Jun"

Keywords such as "..." are experiencing explosive growth in popularity.

The previous expressions of regret, influenced by Huayi's press releases, were instantly drowned out by a tsunami of support:

"Well done! To hell with those lousy movies dominating the theaters!"

"The whole family will watch the premiere on TV tonight! Supporting a truly excellent film!"

"Huayi's behavior is so blatant; they're forcing people to appear on television!"

"The picture quality of the TV series is definitely not as good as the theatrical version, but I'll watch it just for its sheer audacity!"

Even some previously neutral film critics and media outlets have changed their tune and begun to discuss issues such as the diversification of film distribution channels, audience choice, and industry monopolies.

Li Jun and his team transformed overnight from tragic losers into rule-challenging innovators, occupying the absolute moral and public opinion high ground.

Within Huayi, morale is even more volatile.

The "Love in the Wind City" team, who were originally looking forward to celebrating their victory, were now completely silent.

The afternoon premiere will still be held, and it will still be star-studded, but compared to the bombshell of the free-to-air television premiere, even the most lavish premiere will exude an awkward sense of extravagance and unpopularity.

Many of the previously agreed-upon media coverages have become ambiguous, with some even turning to question Huayi's views on the film scheduling monopoly and simultaneous television broadcasts.

Wang Zhonglei locked himself in his office and smoked one cigarette after another.

He knew he had lost the first round, and lost badly.

Li Jun gained maximum attention and sympathy with minimal cost, and placed "Love in the Windy City" in a negative position of bullying others.

Now, the key to determining the outcome has shifted to the quality of the two films themselves, and the subsequent positive word-of-mouth.

The latter is erupting violently among television viewers and in cyberspace at a speed he never expected.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Changsha, the preparation base for the Super Girl finals.

The raging storms outside seemed to be blocked by a barrier.

The atmosphere here is tense in a different way.

After the top seven were narrowed down to five, the remaining five contestants, Li Yuchun, Zhou Bichang, Zhang Liangying, and He Jie, were isolated in different suite areas for a final 48-hour closed sprint.

The production team assembled the best vocal, dance, and styling teams to tailor-make a performance plan for each person in the final.

The air was filled with the scents of high-end essential oils and sweat.

When they occasionally bumped into each other in the corridor, the girls would only nod quickly, their eyes filled with a mixture of fighting spirit and exhaustion.

This is the final battle, the ultimate fight that will determine our fate.

Fang Zhi's anxiety reached its peak.

She circled around Zhang Liangying like a restless squirrel, yet dared not disturb her practice.

The phone in my hand kept flashing on and off, filled with breaking news and debates about Li Jun's free TV broadcast.

She was afraid that this information would affect Zhang Liangying's condition.

"Liangying, have you seen the news? Li Jun is amazing!"

Fang Zhi finally couldn't hold back and whispered something while Zhang Liangying was drinking water.

Zhang Liangying put down the water bottle, wiped the sweat from her neck with a towel, and simply hummed in response, her face revealing little emotion.

She got it.

After Li Jun sent that brief message last night, he sent a longer one in the early hours of the morning, explaining his plans and reassuring her to focus on the competition.

She was indeed relieved, but she was also more aware that there could be no mistakes on her own side of the battlefield.

Li Jun dropped a bombshell on the business battlefield, and she needs to compete on the ultimate stage of Super Girl.

Her calmness made Fang Zhi even more uneasy.

On the other hand, He Jie's state seemed more overt.

Her room was often filled with heated discussions and even slightly choked voices, and the dance rehearsals were the noisiest.

Some staff members privately discussed that He Jie's team chose an extremely difficult song and dance track for her, attempting to turn the tide at the last moment by showcasing her ultimate stage presence.

Under pressure, He Jie's eyes held a fierce determination to go all out, but also a hint of barely perceptible apprehension.

In contrast, Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang appeared much more stable.

Li Yuchun maintained her unique personal style during rehearsals, exuding a calm and composed aura.

Zhou Bichang, on the other hand, strives for perfection in her skills, attempting to polish every detail to perfection. They are the strongest contenders for the championship, and have accumulated the most popularity and support.

From the outside perspective, especially among the media and fans who analyzed the match beforehand, Zhang Liangying's situation seemed to be the most dangerous.

Her strengths lie in her voice and emotional expression, but the final stage often favors performances with strong visual impact, unique stage style, or an overwhelming fan base.

In the first few episodes, she had a brief but stunning performance in "Under the Sea," but her subsequent performance was described as steady but lacking in explosiveness.

The third-place finish seems to confirm this view.

Some people see Li Jun's televised uprising not as a help, but as a distraction, even leading some viewers to have negative associations with using scandals and controversies to attract attention.

On online forums and message boards, the debates among fans have become increasingly heated:

"Zhang Liangying's temperament is too gentle. The finals require the domineering presence of a champion. Her chances are slim."

"Even Li Jun has gone off to work on the film revolution, so how could he possibly have the time or inclination to write good songs for her? She'll probably just stick to singing old songs."

"He Jie is going all out, Chun Chun is as steady as a mountain, but what about Liang Ying? She doesn't seem to have any special moves."

"I'm worried that her mindset will be affected by what happened with Li Jun. The worst thing in a competition is when someone has impure motives."

Even some of the more authoritative pre-competition predictions ranked Zhang Liangying last among the favorites to win the championship, believing that she was most likely to get third or fourth place.

These discussions, to varying degrees, reached the preparation base through various channels.

Fang Zhi was so angry that her liver ached, but she dared not let Zhang Liangying see it.

She noticed that during breaks from practice, Zhang Liangying no longer looked at her phone or paid attention to any news from the outside world.

She simply listened to a few melody demos repeatedly, scribbled in her notebook, and discussed them quietly with her vocal coach.

Fang Zhi had never seen such focus in her before.

It was as if the noise of the outside world, the wins and losses of the competition, and even the life-and-death struggle on Li Jun's side were all shut out by her.

All her energy was focused on one thing: the upcoming Super Girl finals.

The final dress rehearsal ended on the afternoon of May 3rd, the day of the live broadcast of the finals.

The five girls returned backstage from the studio, the air thick with the deathly silence before the final sprint.

The immense pressure caused He Jie's eyes to redden, while Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang also looked grave and remained silent.

According to the procedure, they need to report the final selected songs to the director team one last time before the show starts.

When the other three announced the names of well-known or adapted classic songs, it was Zhang Liangying's turn.

Under the watchful eyes of the director, music director, live broadcast director, and all the staff present, Zhang Liangying raised her head, her face still showing no dramatic expression, only a calm and resolute determination.

She spoke, her voice clear and steady, yet like a silent thunderclap, exploding backstage:

"I will be performing three songs tonight. They are all new songs."

The song titles are—"The Wind Rises," "Galloping Horse," and "Virtual."

Dead silence.

Utter silence.