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Chapter 2644 The Art of the Deal

The two brothers, Wang and Wang, have been making a name for themselves in the entertainment industry in recent years.

Since establishing this film and television company in 1994, they have been making waves in the Chinese entertainment market.

They have signed many top-tier directors and actors, and the box office share of their films has been increasing year by year.

However, after the emergence of Huayu Film & Television, the situation of the Chinese brothers has been deteriorating.

After all, compared to China Entertainment Film & Television, which dominates the domestic entertainment industry, they know in their hearts that they can only be considered a follower.

It's important to know that Huayu Film & Television is backed by Tianchao Group, whose financial strength is unfathomable.

Mr. Zhou's team of artists ranges from veteran actors to rising stars, and his dramas have maintained the number one market share in the industry for several consecutive years.

More importantly, there's the resource synergy between Huayu Film & Television and various subsidiaries within the China entertainment group…

The offline promotion of Tianchao Internet Cafe, the online traffic of QQ, the e-commerce monetization of Taobao, and the filming locations of Mingju Real Estate are all exclusive resources that Chinese brothers cannot buy with money.

Both Wangs are shrewd and know that if they want to make a name for themselves in this industry, it's not enough to just work hard making movies; they need to connect with real bigwigs in the financial world.

So they organized a dinner party, going through several layers of connections to reach President Zhou, hoping to invite President Zhou and Su Ning to have a meal together.

When Mr. Zhou received the invitation, he initially wanted to decline.

Moreover, President Zhou is all too familiar with the routines of these kinds of dinner parties.

First, they would gather around a table to build relationships, and then they would become sworn brothers and discuss cooperation.

Finally, after you've had your fill of food and drink, they'll immediately present you with a cooperation proposal for your review.

After all, President Zhou doesn't think the two kings are particularly formidable figures, and Suning, who is extremely busy, isn't very enthusiastic about the domestic entertainment industry.

At the same time, Suning finds this kind of thing the most annoying. He usually tries to decline social engagements if he can, and if he can't, he'll just sit for a while and then leave.

But the two Wangs were really too much trouble, and they actually got a lot of big shots in Beijing's elite circles involved.

After all, the headquarters of the Tianchao Group is located in Beijing, and sometimes you really can't afford to offend the people in the Beijing circle.

"Tonight, Bingbing will be keeping me company. She's from Northeast China and she's really good at livening up the atmosphere."

"I promise it's just a get-together among friends, and we won't discuss business."

"President Zhou, please rest assured, we will absolutely not discuss business, it's just a meal to get to know each other."

"..." After thinking for a moment, President Zhou still conveyed the invitation to Su Ning.

When Su Ning heard the name Bingbing, he couldn't help but be a little surprised.

This name has two layers of meaning for him...

In later generations, Bingbing became a household name and a top-tier female star, a focus on the red carpet, a regular on the covers of countless magazines, and her salary for one film could equal the annual profit of a listed company.

In this timeline, Bingbing is currently just a newcomer actress.

She wasn't considered the top star among the Chinese-American brothers; there were several more famous senior sisters ahead of her. However, she had already gained some fame in the industry due to her outgoing personality and amazing drinking capacity.

Moreover, there are many female celebrities named Bingbing in later generations, and almost every one of them is very talented. Those who can fight their way out in that fiercely competitive industry are not ordinary people.

Su Ning thought for a moment and said one word: "Okay."

……

The dinner was held at a highly private members-only restaurant in the Summer Palace.

The private room was exquisitely decorated, with a traditional Chinese ink painting of lotus flowers hanging on the wall, a snow-white tablecloth covering the round table, custom-made bone china tableware, and perfectly adjusted lighting.

Not too bright so as not to be dazzling, not too dark so as not to be unable to see the food clearly.

The waiters were all dressed in Qing Dynasty palace attire, making diners feel as if they had traveled back to the Qing Dynasty.

However, considering the backgrounds of the two kings, Su Ning wasn't surprised.

At this moment, the two Mr. Wangs stood at the door of the private room to greet us, one in front and one behind, with an extremely humble and low-key attitude.

Mr. Wang, dressed in a dark suit, shook hands with Su Ning and said repeatedly, "It's an honor to have you here, Mr. Su. Your presence is truly an honor."

"Mr. Wang, you're too kind."

The CEO personally pulled out a chair for Suning and invited him to sit down, which shows that he is experienced in such occasions.

This alone shows that the two kings are truly shrewd.

Mr. Zhou sat next to Suning, and the two exchanged a glance.

President Zhou's lips curled up slightly, as if to say, "Since we're here, we might as well make the best of it."

Bingbing is indeed the trump card arranged by the two kings.

Today she wore a well-tailored dress in a simple color, with delicate but not overly bright makeup. Her hair was pulled up, revealing her slender neck, and she wore a pair of small pearl earrings. She looked both straightforward and dignified, typical of girls from Northeast China.

When Bingbing stood up to pour wine for Su Ning, her posture was upright and neat. The angle of the bottle and the position of the glass were perfectly matched, and not a drop of wine was spilled. She was obviously a veteran at the drinking table.

After Bingbing finished pouring the wine, she picked up her glass and said generously to Su Ning, "President Su, I've heard of you before. Tianchao Auto, Tencent QQ, Alibaba—I may not know much about business, but I know that someone who can accomplish so many great things must be an extraordinary person. This glass is for you. Please feel free to drink as you like. I'll drink it all."

After saying that, she tilted her head back and downed the entire glass of baijiu in one gulp.

After putting the cup down, he didn't change his expression or even frown. He took a tissue from the tissue box and gently dabbed his lips, his movements as clean as if he had just finished filming a scene.

Suning has seen many people who can drink a lot—in business settings, there are quite a few women who can drink, but most of them either look sullen or start to speak incoherently after drinking.

There aren't many people like Bingbing who can still talk and laugh freely, have clear eyes, and speak logically after drinking.

Su Ning also picked up her glass, took a sip, and nodded with a smile after putting it down. "Good capacity for alcohol. I'd heard before that girls from Northeast China could drink a lot, but today I've seen it for myself."

Bingbing smiled and generously refilled Su Ning's glass. "Mr. Su, you're right. We Northeasterners are all about honesty when it comes to drinking; we don't play games."

As she spoke, she used serving chopsticks to place a piece of sweet and sour pork on the plate in front of Su Ning.

Their movements were so natural that it was as if they weren't strangers who had just met, but old friends who had already shared several meals together.

"Try this. This dish is also made in the Northeast style. I specifically told the kitchen to make it according to the old-fashioned sweet and sour pork. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the sauce is sweet and sour."

"Thank you."

The two CEOs toasted Su Ning a few times, and as expected, no business matters were discussed during the meal; the entire conversation revolved around interesting anecdotes and gossip from the entertainment industry.

At the dinner table, Bingbing and the two bosses, Mr. and Mrs. Wang, worked together seamlessly, exchanging pleasantries.

When Mr. Wang recounted a funny incident that happened during filming in Hengdian, Bingbing immediately chimed in, vividly adding details and describing in detail how the director was furious, how the actors looked completely innocent, and how the crew members were frantically searching for props.

Everyone in the private room was laughing so hard they were doubled over, and even a seasoned veteran like President Zhou couldn't help but laugh until tears streamed down his face.

Therefore, Bingbing's ability to warm up the atmosphere at drinking parties is absolutely rare and hard to come by.

After a few rounds of drinks, Bingbing completely relaxed.

She actually played two rounds of rock-paper-scissors with President Zhou. She lost the first round, but she didn't cheat. She picked up her glass and drank it, then slammed the glass on the table, rolled up her sleeves, and said, "Let's play again!"

Bingbing won the second round. President Zhou smiled, shook his head, and picked up his glass. Bingbing was still standing next to him, slapping the table and shouting, "President Zhou, fill it up! Don't let the fish stay in the water!"

Mr. Zhou was no pushover either. Years of experience in the entertainment industry had honed his drinking capacity to a level as formidable as his negotiation skills. The two went back and forth for several rounds, each gaining and losing, advancing and retreating with equal force. Bingbing, with her competitive spirit, grew increasingly determined. Su Ning leaned back in her chair, watching this scene with a faint, enigmatic smile, and gently placed her glass on the table.

Bingbing brought a lively atmosphere to the table, but every now and then she would naturally turn around to pour some wine or serve some food to Su Ning, so that Su Ning wouldn't feel left out in the midst of the merriment.

After all, Suning is the main character of today's banquet. If Suning is disappointed, it would be a complete failure.

This sense of propriety isn't something you can fake; it's something you develop through countless similar situations.

Su Ning couldn't help but recall the overwhelming entertainment headlines surrounding Bingbing in another time and space...

Stunning looks on the red carpet, a seat on the jury at international film festivals, and exorbitant salaries reported by the media – climbing from a small-time actor to the top is not all about luck.

The woman in front of you definitely has a certain something about her. She's straightforward, bold, and decisive. She can hold her own against men at the dinner table, whether it's drinking or fighting, and yet she can also be gentle and considerate, pouring drinks and serving you food.

This kind of personality is a rare find in the entertainment industry...

Too many female stars are either aloof, pretentious, or too uninhibited to rein themselves in. Su Ning has rarely seen anyone like her who can control herself perfectly and strike the right balance.

After finishing her last round of rock-paper-scissors, Bingbing smiled sweetly and sat back down in the seat next to Su Ning. She turned her head and asked softly, "Does President Su think we're too noisy?"

"Fortunately."

Su Ning thought to himself, "I'm not a monk, I have all the same emotions and desires."

In this position, Suning can remain calm and restrained, yet decisive and ruthless.

But when faced with such a direct gesture of goodwill from a woman, there's really no need to pretend to be aloof.

Taking advantage of his drunken state, Su Ning smiled slightly at Bingbing.

In another life, many people could only admire stunning beauties like Bingbing, who were once incredibly popular, from behind a screen.

Now everything is reversed. Bingbing goes to great lengths to get close to him, using every trick in the book at the dinner table just to get him to look at her more, while Su Ning calmly enjoys being fawned over.

Isn't the reason why a person strives to this extent just to turn the admiration they once looked up to into the admiration they once looked down upon?

After the banquet, Su Ning naturally took Bingbing away, and Bingbing got into the car without saying a word.

……

Suning really had a great time that night.

Bingbing isn't the kind of woman who's coy and hesitant. She knows what she wants and how to make a man happy.

Bingbing has a variety of tricks up her sleeve and is very uninhibited; she has almost no bottom line when it comes to sex.

As long as Su Ning gave a slight hint, Bingbing would take the initiative to respond, calling him "President Su" in a soft voice that was completely different from when she was playing drinking games at the dinner table during the day.

In this life, Su Ning has been on edge in the business world for too long. Every day he faces deals worth hundreds of billions, open and covert struggles with competitors, and power struggles with various forces. He rarely has a chance to relax.

Even when dealing with Zhuang Zhuang and Shen Ranran, Su Ning always acted willingly.

But that night, Su Ning completely relaxed, as if she were taking off her invisible armor piece by piece and throwing it on the ground. She and Bingbing played around for most of the night before finally falling asleep.

The next morning, Suning woke up feeling refreshed.

He glanced at the woman still fast asleep beside him, then lifted the covers and got up to get dressed.

Suning didn't deliberately move quietly; by the time the belt buckle clicked shut, Bingbing had already woken up.

His eyes were not open, he did not move, and he did not make a sound.

He simply quietly sensed the change in Su Ning's demeanor, as he transformed back into the calm, composed, and all-encompassing head of the Tianchao Group.

Su Ning took a card out of the inside pocket of his suit and casually placed it on the bedside table.

It was a personal card with only a name and phone number printed on it. There was no title or company name; it was just a clean name and a string of numbers.

Then Suning turned and walked towards the door.

As she reached the door, Su Ning paused, and without turning her head, said, "If you're awake, go back to sleep. I'm a bit of a germaphobe, so don't mess around in the future."

Bingbing pulled the blanket up to cover half her face and replied in a sleepy, languid voice, "Okay, Mr. Su, take care."

The door opened and closed again, and the sound of leather shoes gradually faded away down the corridor.

Bingbing listened intently until the footsteps completely disappeared at the end of the corridor. Then she immediately sat up from the covers, grabbed the card from the bedside table, and held it up in front of her eyes, looking at it over and over again.

The card has very simple text: white background with black lettering, just the words "Suning" and a phone number. The paper is a thick, special type of paper, which feels very high-quality in your hand.

But for Bingbing, this little card was more valuable than any contract her Chinese-American brother had ever given her.

This isn't a business card; it's Suning's personal phone number.

Who is Suning?

The head of Tianchao Group, whose subsidiaries include Mingju Real Estate, Tianchao Automobile, Tencent, Alibaba, Huayu Film & Television, Kunyu Shipping, etc.

Each one of them is a giant in the industry whose every move can shake the world.

The number of people in the entire world who can get Suning's private phone number can be counted on one hand.

Bingbing carefully put the card away, then lay back down on her pillow, a wide smile playing on her lips.

Last night, she was ordered to warm up the atmosphere; the task assigned by the two bosses was to make Suning happy.

Before she went, Xiao Wang called her into his office and gave her some instructions: "President Su is not a good person to socialize with. When you go, don't be too deliberate. Don't let people think you're here on a mission. Just liven up the atmosphere and make President Su relax."

What if President Su isn't interested in me?

Mr. Wang smiled and said, "Then just consider it a free drink."

What Bingbing has received now exceeds the scope of the tasks assigned to her by the two CEOs.

I suddenly realized that although the resources my Chinese-American brothers have provided me over the past few years have been quite good...

She played the second female lead in several TV dramas, the female lead in one movie, and also did some advertising endorsements...

But compared to Huayu Film & Television, it's nothing.

Shen Ranran, a minor actress with no connections, was forced to dance and drink with customers in private rooms a few years ago.

And now? She's the leading lady of Huayu Film & Television, a top-tier actress, able to pick and choose scripts at will, and receiving countless advertising endorsements.

Isn't it all thanks to Suning?

Bingbing was naturally unaware of these details between Su Ning and Shen Ranran; she only knew that Shen Ranran's resources visibly improved after she got together with Su Ning.

Bingbing is certain that Shen Ranran's acting skills and dedication are top-notch, but she definitely has the support of Suning behind her.

Now she has the opportunity herself, having obtained Suning's private number, which is like a key in her hands.

She wanted to enter this enchanting palace in her own way.

As for Suning's final request, Bingbing was naturally more than happy to accept it, since no woman would willingly sell her body.

After all, selling one's body is very dangerous; it will slowly corrupt one's own soul.

...(End of this chapter)