The email was sent to Ji Ling from the promotion department of Tian Sheng Entertainment. It stated that Shen Dongqing was about to start filming a new movie and was looking to bring in some product placements, inviting Ji Ling’s agency to meet and discuss the partnership on a specific day.
Tian Sheng Entertainment is Shen Dongqing’s former employer and one of the most famous entertainment companies in the country. It controls a huge presence in the industry, with a roster of shining stars that dictate trends in the entertainment world.
The boss of Tian Sheng Entertainment is Luo Tao, the younger brother of the famous Luo brothers in the business world. Back in the days when original music was thriving, he was actually a singer. Later, he switched careers and joined his brother, starting his own business.
After all these years, under the protection of his older brother Luo, his entertainment company has become a powerhouse. Even with the Luo family’s backing, it’s clear that Luo Tao’s ability to create stars is impressive.
Logically speaking, Ji Ling’s company was too small compared to giants like Tian Sheng Entertainment. He never should have had a chance to even get an invitation for such a major production. Tian Sheng Entertainment simply sent Ji Ling an invitation, mentioning only a meeting. His company was one of many invited to the event, part of a round of interviews Tian Sheng Entertainment was conducting to select a partner.
This opportunity was priceless for Ji Ling’s company. Receiving the invitation definitely had something to do with Shen Dongqing.
For a long time, the ‘fishing line’ he had set up was already halfway in, but he had to remain patient and continue casting.
Details about the movie would not be disclosed in advance. Only after the agency was confirmed would they know the cast and specific content.
All Ji Ling knew was that it was a holiday-season entertainment film, likely to be a lighthearted project. The more comedic the movie, the more opportunities for product placement, and naturally, the competition would be fierce.
Shen Dongqing’s movie would have no trouble attracting product placement companies, but the reason Tian Sheng Entertainment was holding this selection process was simply to see if anyone had any fresh ideas to make the placements even more lucrative.
Ji Ling and his team worked day and night on possible proposals. Their company was too small to compete with the big, professional agencies, so they had no choice but to come up with innovative ideas.
The meeting was being held in a well-known hotel conference room in the city. Coincidentally, this hotel was part of the Yan family’s business empire. Ji Ling remembered that he had once visited it with Yan Yixuan—back when he had borrowed money from Yan Yixuan, and the two had spent the night at this very hotel.
When Ji Ling and his team walked into the hotel, he felt a bit of awkwardness, but he quickly pushed those unnecessary thoughts aside. The hotel’s grand and spacious conference hall was packed with various GG agencies[mfn]‘GG agencies’ (广告公司) refers to advertising agencies or marketing firms that handle product placements and sponsorships in films and other media.[/mfn] and media companies—far more than Ji Ling had expected. Everyone there was eager to stake a claim in the upcoming blockbuster, and the managers from the professional GG companies looked sharp and capable, dressed in crisp suits, exuding confidence. Compared to them, Ji Ling, with Mo Yulan by his side, felt somewhat insignificant, blending in among them.
The meeting had organized the companies in a set order, and naturally, Ji Ling’s turn was placed near the end. Once it started, the promotion managers showcased their proposals, each one speaking passionately, full of enthusiasm.
Ji Ling glanced over at the audience but didn’t spot Luo Tao, the president of Tian Sheng Entertainment.
There were so many people at the meeting, and not every person presenting their proposal was punctual, so the event was running late. Ji Ling kept checking the time—it was almost mealtime, yet there were still many people ahead of them.
“We might get cut,” Mo Yulan whispered, noticing the issue too.
Ji Ling frowned.
The big companies had already presented, and the smaller teams, like theirs, were insignificant and likely to be passed over.
As it was almost their turn, someone from the organizing team stood up and addressed everyone: “Due to time constraints, we’ll be ending the meeting here. Teams that haven’t presented yet can email your proposals to the company inbox…”
“Wait a minute,” Ji Ling stood up and interrupted.
“Give me three minutes,” he said, signaling for Mo Yulan to follow him.
“Just three minutes,” Ji Ling insisted as he walked toward the front, locking eyes with the Tian Sheng Entertainment staff. After a brief hesitation, they agreed.
“We understand the GG placements for this film can easily be handled by the big GG companies,” Ji Ling began. “But our focus is on ensuring that the product placements don’t feel forced or disrupt the flow of the film. We want to creatively connect our products with the film,” Ji Ling began.
Half a minute.
“The reason comedy films are comedies is because they make people laugh. When we do product placements, if we can make the placements funny as well, integrating the humor into the film, it’ll create a win-win situation.”
Another half a minute.
Mo Yulan followed Ji Ling’s lead, playing a clip of a product placement from a variety talk show on the screen.
The room erupted into laughter.
One minute.
“This is the effect we want from a creative product placement—combining variety-style humor with GG placements in the film. We can hire a professional entertainment creative team to design unique scenes for each product. Our goal is to make the audience laugh when they see the product,” Ji Ling explained.
“That’s all, thank you.”
In less than three minutes, Ji Ling quickly wrapped up his company’s pitch and walked off the stage with Mo Yulan.
For Ji Ling, those three minutes were less about seeking a business partnership and more about promoting his own company. With so many major GG agencies, product suppliers, and producers present, there was a good chance someone might take an interest in them and decide to collaborate.
Afterward, Ji Ling waited for Tian Sheng Entertainment to announce their GG partner. But Tian Sheng didn’t contact them at all, meaning they probably didn’t even make it to the second round of selection.
A while later, Tian Sheng Entertainment announced they had chosen another major GG company to handle product placements for Shen Dongqing’s new movie.
Just as Ji Ling thought the matter was over, he received a call.
“Mr. Luo Tao, the president of Tian Sheng Entertainment, would like to meet with you. Are you available tomorrow afternoon?”
Yes, of course he was available—he had to be, even if he wasn’t.
Ji Ling hung up the phone, his mind spinning, wondering what this unexpected olive branch really meant.
The next day, as scheduled, Ji Ling arrived at Tian Sheng Entertainment’s headquarters.
The company’s office building, located in the new industrial district, featured large glass windows, casting light and shadows in a way that felt modern and stylish. Ji Ling stood outside for a moment, taking it all in, then entered the lobby where a receptionist guided him upstairs to the executive meeting room.
Luo Tao was already waiting for him.
Luo Tao had been one of the most handsome singers in his prime, the best singer among the handsome ones. Even now, as a businessman, he hadn’t lost his charm—if anything, he was even more dazzling, impossible to ignore.
When Luo Tao saw Ji Ling, he stood up, extended his hand first, and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Ji.”
Ji Ling shook his hand. “Hello, Mr. Luo.”
After they sat down, Luo Tao didn’t immediately get to the point of why he’d invited Ji Ling. Instead, he asked about Ji Ling’s company, and Ji Ling answered each question without holding back.
Ji Ling had a vague sense of what Luo Tao might be implying.
Luo Tao was relaxed and informal, speaking casually, which made Ji Ling sound more mature in comparison. After a while, Luo Tao smiled and said, “Your three-minute pitch last time was interesting, but that was just a small idea. It doesn’t really meet our needs.”
Luo Tao hadn’t been there last time, so Ji Ling was unsure how he knew about the pitch.
But Ji Ling didn’t ask. Instead, he simply said, “Yes, because we can’t offer a full GG service for such a big IP, and our company leans more toward entertainment promotion, so we had to think outside the box.”
Luo Tao nodded. “You understand how to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses. You really know how to focus on what’s important and understand what the other party needs. I admire that.”
He shrugged in a helpless gesture. “We can’t cooperate with you, but we want to buy your idea. We’ll hire a more professional team to handle the design. I hope you understand.”
Ji Ling graciously responded, “No problem.” Just getting the chance to meet Luo Tao had been a big win for him.
“This is a company-to-company matter,” Luo Tao suddenly shifted the tone of the conversation. He crossed his legs and looked at Ji Ling with a smile. “Now, let’s talk about something more personal.”
He stared at Ji Ling, his gaze intense. “In addition to running this entertainment company, I’m also an investor. I’m passionate about getting involved with emerging companies in their early stages, and I’m looking for long-term, high returns.”
A long-awaited sense of excitement slowly spread in Ji Ling’s heart, and he smiled, filled with confidence. “Since you’re looking for high returns, Mr. Luo, I’m sure you’ve done your research. Do you think my company can meet your expectations?”
Luo Tao slapped his thigh, bursting into laughter. “Alright, let’s cut to the chase. I’m going to invest in your company. The exact amount will depend on your company’s market valuation. But I have one condition.”
Luo Tao looked at Ji Ling, who immediately asked, “What’s the condition?”
“I want to be involved in your management.”
Ji Ling slowly narrowed his eyes. “You mean, you want to be a partner?”
Luo Tao laughed. “I don’t have time for that. My own company already gives me enough headaches. But if I invest, I’ll need to be involved in the big decisions. I’ll interfere with the company’s direction to protect my investment.”
He spoke sincerely to Ji Ling, saying, “The control of the company will still be in your hands, so don’t worry about that.”
But Ji Ling knew that in most cases like this, once the company started growing, the entrepreneurs would eventually be overtaken by the investors. However, at this moment, the company needed to develop, and money was always crucial. Plus, Luo Tao had abundant resources in the entertainment industry, making him the perfect angel investor for Ji Ling’s company.
Ji Ling quickly started calculating in his mind, weighing all the possibilities and ideas for the future. After a while, he finally said to Luo Tao, “Alright, Mr. Luo, I agree to your terms.”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
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