allonlinenovel Chapter 52 Longtao Entertainment
Chapter 52 Longtao Entertainment
The lawyer's letter has been sent, but when and how the other party will respond is unknown.
Bai Li guessed that such a large entertainment company was unlikely to simply back down; they were probably racking their brains for a solution, but who knows, they might also be secretly plotting something bad?
Just as Bai Li had predicted, the other side was indeed up to no good.
The director and the public relations team stayed in the office for an hour or two, surrounded by smoke and in a tense atmosphere, with heated discussions rising and falling. Finally, a "brilliant plan" that they thought was flawless was born.
First of all, there's absolutely no way they'll apologize! That would be tantamount to publicly humiliating themselves and admitting they're wrong.
Not only will they be criticized by netizens, but it will also damage the reputation of Longtao Entertainment. When the senior management of the head office comes to their door to demand an explanation, they, the instigators, will be torn to pieces.
They definitely won't pay compensation; 160 million in damages is practically like cutting off a piece of their own flesh.
The one who tied the knot must untie it.
The director slammed his hand on the table and declared emphatically:
"Whoever posted the blog should apologize! They say we instigated this behind the scenes and deliberately smeared us, but that's just empty talk. Does it count? Do they have any solid evidence? We'll stick to the fact that this was entirely the blogger's personal behavior and has nothing to do with the company. If they really want to sue, let them go after that person and not bother us."
The more the director spoke, the more reasonable and well-founded his arguments seemed.
Once the idea was made up, he immediately put it into action, directing his subordinates to quickly draft an apology.
Then, logging into the blogger's account and publishing the article with a simple tap of the finger, the action was completed in one smooth motion without the slightest hesitation.
The blogger never expected that the company would so readily offer him the role of "scapegoat" at this critical juncture.
Originally, he was just following orders, thinking that he would gain a lot of resources after completing the task, smoothly enter the headquarters, and start a successful acting career. However, reality was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, shattering his beautiful dream.
The blogger stared at the grand-sounding apology on the screen, filled with anger and despair.
Trust is like a building collapsing; it vanishes in an instant.
It's unimaginable that such a company would keep its promises. Do those promised resources even actually exist?
Am I really just a tool that can be used and then discarded?
The blogger's eyes gradually reddened, his hands clenched into fists, and his body trembled slightly with anger.
How can I survive with a company like that?
"Since you're so heartless, don't blame me for fighting to the death! If we're going to die, we'll die together."
He gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes.
In Bai Li's view, the following plot developments were an utterly absurd dog-eat-dog farce.
Never underestimate an unknown nobody; you have no idea how much dirt they have on you that you don't know about.
Take Longtao Entertainment's branch offices as an example. They have more than 500 registered streamers, including about 100 top streamers with over 100,000 followers.
It may seem glamorous, but it is actually a den of iniquity.
Some livestreamers secretly slander their peers in group chats, using harsh and malicious language; some secretly date; and some even engage in casual sex with fans, behaving in a vulgar and despicable manner.
Bai Li patiently waited for several days, but instead of receiving a decent response from Longtao Entertainment, she was met with a barrage of explosive negative information.
"What's going on? It seems like the other side self-destructed first?"
I heard that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The blogger didn't reveal everything to save himself some trouble, and there's something even more explosive to come.
Bai Li was still watching the commotion when, out of the blue, President Li appeared to apologize.
"Mr. Bai, I am truly wronged. I only learned about your disagreement with Longtao Entertainment after seeing the lawyer's letter online."
Mr. Li's face was full of apology, and his words were full of sincerity.
"After I heard the news, I didn't waste a moment and rushed over to find out the whole story. It turns out that one of my subordinates was dishonest. As for the person involved, I've already taken down that fabricated article. It's all our fault for poor internal management, which has caused you unpleasantness. Let me toast you first. In this matter, we at Longtao Entertainment are at fault, no matter how much we've done wrong."
At the dinner table, having said all that, Mr. Li naturally picked up his wine glass and stood up.
Although Mr. Li was quite old, he was extremely humble at the moment, speaking with an air of profound modesty. He held up a wine glass and bowed, ready to clink glasses with Bai Li.
If it weren't for Mr. Li's recent introduction, who would have thought that the person in front of him, with a peaceful demeanor and a smile as warm as Santa Claus, was the head of Longtao Entertainment, a large entertainment company?
Bai Li narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly what was going on.
Mr. Li's words, seemingly sincere, actually contained a hidden meaning. The implication was quite clear: I knew nothing about this matter; it was all my subordinates making a mess. I have already "put righteousness before family" and dealt with the person. I have made my stance clear, so please stop pursuing this matter.
Bai Li secretly pondered, "The CEO of such a large entertainment company has actually condescended to come to my door to apologize."
This Mr. Li is probably not as harmless and amiable as he appears on the surface. In fact, he's a cunning old fox, and who knows what he's up to.
However, Bai Li also knew that it wasn't time to completely break off relations yet, so it was better to remain calm and see what he was trying to do.
Thinking this, Bai Li gracefully raised her wine glass, stood up elegantly, and smiled slightly:
"Mr. Li, how can this be your fault? Why are you apologizing? In fact, I should apologize to you. This is my first time doing business in the entertainment industry, and I haven't figured out many of the rules yet, so I easily panic when something happens. Now that I've calmed down and thought about it, I realize that I was indeed a bit too arrogant this time. I'd like to offer you a toast."
Mr. Li was taken aback, his hand holding the wine glass paused in mid-air, and a thought began to run through his mind.
He was worried that Bai Li would disrespect him, but Bai Li's actions greatly exceeded his expectations.
Despite her young age, she spoke flawlessly, giving herself a way out while also portraying herself as innocent. Her skill in controlling her tone was in no way inferior to that of a seasoned veteran who had been in the industry for many years.
Before coming here, Mr. Li had used all his connections to thoroughly investigate Bai Li.
Upon investigation, I was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat.
Someone who bought an entire small Crown Plaza building and possesses this level of cash flow is no ordinary person.
Strangely, no matter how hard he tried and how many inquiries he made, Bai Li's life story and past experiences were shrouded in an invisible fog, and he couldn't find anything about her.
He even pulled some strings to check the files, but still found nothing. It was as if all traces of her had been deliberately and cleanly erased.
Even finding a little bit of information is good, but the worst thing is finding nothing at all! That's something that ordinary rich people can't do.
Could he be some kind of powerful figure who can make the earth tremble with a stomp of his foot? How could such a person end up in their circle?
Because he couldn't find out Bai Li's background, President Li came to her door in person today, ostensibly to apologize, but actually to take the opportunity to find out the truth.
But just by meeting face to face, President Li knew that Bai Li was not someone he could afford to offend.
—Bai Li is too young.
At such a young age, he can amass enormous wealth, casually buy an office building, open an entertainment company, hire a large group of people, and go on a wild goose chase. Who knows how much money he has already burned through?
Without the support of an incredibly wealthy family with an unimaginably deep fortune, who would have such confidence and courage?
Seeing Bai Li clink glasses with him with a friendly expression, President Li's heart pounded. In his eyes, Bai Li was already a cunning and shrewd fox.
On the surface, they appear to be all smiles and polite manners, seemingly harmless, but they might already be plotting how to kill themselves with a snap of their fingers.
The more beautiful Bai Li's smile was, the more frightened President Li became, feeling a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingle.
Feeling uncomfortable under Bai Li's subtle smile, President Li subconsciously tensed up, as if his bladder was being lifted by an invisible force. He was on high alert, giving Bai Li his utmost attention to answer every question she posed.
"The apology letter was of course announced through our headquarters' official Weibo account. The live streaming department is just a tiny, insignificant branch of Longtao Entertainment. The company's core focus is still on film and television dramas. We are currently preparing for the second season of 'Palace Lost'."
At this point, Mr. Li paused slightly, glancing discreetly at Bai Li's expression. Seeing that her expression remained unchanged, he continued:
"I see that you have a lot of talented people under you, many of them are hidden talents. If any of them are interested in developing their careers in film and television and expanding their business, they can let me know anytime, and I can help arrange for them to join a production team."
Lost in the Palace?
It sounds familiar.
After a moment's recollection, Chen Hao's face instantly appeared in Bai Li's mind.
I ran into Chen Hao in a coffee shop while accompanying Jiang Mingfei to choose a role. He was extremely arrogant and conceited because he had acted in "Palace Lost". He left a deep impression on me.
Thinking of this, Bai Li couldn't help but sneer. It seems that getting into a production team by bringing your own investment and getting roles through connections is not an isolated case in the Chinese entertainment industry; it has become an unspoken rule.
Ultimately, isn't it because of the fact that there is a leader like Mr. Li, who is well-versed in the "rules of the industry" and skilled at cultivating connections, who is pushing things along from behind?
They control the allocation of resources, wantonly disrupt the normal order of the industry, turn the film and television market, which should be a fair competition, into a mess, and make it difficult for countless newcomers with dreams and real skills to make a living.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Li."
Bai Li collected her thoughts, put on a polite smile again, and said calmly:
"I don't have a suitable person under me right now, but since President Li has come in person today and sincerely opened the door to reconciliation, I'm not unwilling to give him a way out."
"To be honest, I've had some extra money lately, and on a whim, I thought I'd invest in a TV series for fun, just to expand my business empire. But the difficulty is that I'm new here and haven't yet built up a reliable production team."
"If you could introduce me to a few reliable directors or production teams, it would really solve my urgent problem. I trust your judgment and connections."
To be honest, Bai Li disliked Mr. Li's way of doing things from the bottom of her heart, but she also knew very well that Mr. Li, a seasoned veteran, had been able to stand firm in the fiercely competitive and turbulent entertainment industry for decades, and that the connections and resources he held in his hands were unfathomable.
Now that President Li has taken the initiative to extend an olive branch, adopting such a humble posture and speaking with great goodwill, how could Bai Li easily let go of such an opportunity?
It's always better to have one more friend than one more enemy. If we feign compliance for now, things might go more smoothly in the future.
Mr. Li readily agreed and immediately followed up, "Mr. Bai, what kind of drama are you planning to invest in? How about I invest some too?"
"Let's just put together a fantasy-themed project, something to play around with," Bai Li said casually, without making it clear.
Upon hearing the words "fantasy martial arts," Mr. Li's trigeminal nerve involuntarily twitched. He thought to himself, "Why choose fantasy martial arts of all things? This genre is not easy to work with. One wrong move and you could lose everything. I hope Mr. Bai doesn't suffer a huge setback right from the start and lose everything."