Chapter 587 Am I That Kind of Person?

Qi Sheng couldn’t be bothered with such trivial matters, so he had Daniel Hillman, the head of the newly acquired event organizing company, handle them.

Once the event preparations were complete, the broadcasting platform would be Xingchen Video.

…

Over the past few months, the interior renovation of the Twin Towers was finally completed thanks to a rush job by Shengxuan Decoration.

Of the two buildings, Qi Sheng assigned the North Tower, which had more floors, to Xingchen Video for its use.

Last month, after extensive testing, Xingchen Video officially launched on all major app stores.

With too little content in the early stages, Qi Sheng simply decided to make Xingchen Video free to use.

It was free, and its video quality was on par with iQiyi, Youku, and Tencent Video.

Even if users voted with their feet, it was obvious which one they’d support.

Of course, Qi Sheng wasn’t running a charity.

The initial lack of content meant the free promotion period would serve to build a user base.

Once the library of high-quality dramas and variety shows grew, the platform would naturally switch to a paid subscription model.

Initially, Zhang Wei had been somewhat worried about this free-to-use strategy.

But after Qi Sheng’s three billion yuan arrived, Zhang Wei wholeheartedly supported his boss’s brilliant decision.

They hadn’t even finished spending the previous two billion.

Now another three billion had arrived. It was an incredible boost.

“For Universal Entertainment, stick to the old rule: just charge them the production cost for each drama.”

Qi Sheng casually instructed Zhang Wei, “As for variety shows, you need to put more effort into them. Don’t be stingy when it comes to hiring big-name celebrities. The production of *Sister Lang* was excellent. We need to increase investment in similar high-quality shows.”

“Rest assured, Chairman Qi. The hype around *Sister Lang* is still going strong. As per your instructions, we haven’t been quick to sell the naming rights.”

“Golden Classic made the highest offer after the show blew up, paying 200 million for the title sponsorship. They’re also interested in securing the rights for the next season.”

“Right now, total investment and sponsorship revenue is close to 600 million yuan. After deducting production costs, the profit is around 400 million.”

Zhang Wei looked at his boss with a gaze full of admiration.

The explosive popularity of *Sister Lang* had also taken him by surprise.

If the boss hadn’t been so confident, the sponsorship revenue might not have even reached half of what it was now.

The first episode aired without any sponsors, and then the show blew up.

Advertisers nearly blew up his phone, all of them wanting to ride the wave of its popularity.

“I have faith in your work, but there’s one thing you must remember: be extremely careful with casting for *Sister Lang*.”

“Don’t blindly chase popularity at the expense of the show’s reputation. I want *Sister Lang* to become an evergreen program for Xingchen Video.”

Qi Sheng was just giving Zhang Wei a heads-up.

He didn’t want the guy to get blinded by money and ruin the show’s reputation.

“Ahem, I understand.”

Zhang Wei scratched his head in embarrassment. ‘I can’t believe the boss saw right through my little scheme,’ he thought.

“Oh, right, Boss. There happen to be a few actresses here auditioning for the second season of *Sister Lang*. Should I… make some arrangements for you?”

Zhang Wei wore a knowing smile that all men would understand. Clearly, his “arrangements” had a special meaning.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Am I that kind of person?”

Qi Sheng glared at Zhang Wei, but he had nothing better to do anyway.

“Who’s here for the auditions?”

“Wang Ou, Hu Jing, and Lü Yi… They’re the only three auditioning today.”

Zhang Wei, ever the professional, procured the headshots for the three actresses.

They were decent-looking and seemed young for their age, having maintained their appearances well.

Well, they were actresses. Their fame and body of work were what truly mattered.

“Have Wang Ou come over.”

Qi Sheng thought for a moment. “And have Hu Jing come too.”

“Understood.”

Zhang Wei took the hint and left, returning shortly with the women.

“Please, go on in. I won’t be joining you. This audition is crucial. You both know how popular *Sister Lang* is. This is an incredible opportunity.”

Standing outside the chairman’s office, Zhang Wei only offered this brief piece of advice.

Given Wang Ou and Hu Jing’s experience, they were hardly naive young girls who wouldn’t know what to do.

“Don’t worry, President Zhang. We understand.”

Wang Ou and Hu Jing exchanged a glance, a sense of competition tinging their shared awkwardness.

Just getting on the cast list for *Sister Lang* wasn’t enough to guarantee a career resurgence.

If they could lock down a spot in the final group, now *that* would be a massive win!

…

Inside the conference room, Qi Sheng heard a knock, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

“Come in.”

As soon as he spoke, the door was pushed open.

Two familiar, meticulously dressed figures walked in.

He found them familiar because he had seen their previous acting work.

Needless to say, there was Wang Ou, Yang Mi’s arch-nemesis and one of the few actresses in Chinese entertainment with truly exquisite acting skills.

As for Hu Jing, the role that left the deepest impression on Qi Sheng was undoubtedly Gao Xiaoqin from *In the Name of the People*.

No man could refuse a mistress as sharp and capable as Gao Xiaoqin.

That role had brought Hu Jing a small taste of fame in the country.

As for the wealthy Malaysian husband she had previously married, he was nowhere near as rich as the public thought.

Otherwise, why would she, at her age, bother trying to ride the coattails of *Sister Lang*?

“Chairman Qi.”

Seeing Qi Sheng’s face up close, both Wang Ou and Hu Jing were stunned by his good looks.

The awkwardness and gloom they had been feeling instantly vanished.

Although they had already come to terms with the fact that they might have to give something up…

…if the other party was a man like Qi Sheng, they had the strange feeling that they were the ones getting the better end of the deal.

“Hello. Please, have a seat.”

Qi Sheng rose from his executive chair and walked toward the guest area.

His tall and imposing figure made Wang Ou’s and Hu Jing’s eyes light up.

Men love beautiful women until the day they die. How could a woman not feel her heart flutter when faced with such a handsome man?

“Filming for the second season of *Sister Lang* won’t be starting right away. The production team will be very selective about the contestants.”

Qi Sheng’s meaning was already crystal clear.

“Chairman Qi, I have a talent to demonstrate.”

Wang Ou was the first to stand up. She performed a split on the high-end hardwood floor, showing off her impressive flexibility.

“Not bad.”

Qi Sheng looked at Hu Jing and asked with a smile, “Do you have a talent to show me?”

“Chairman Qi, my talent is a bit… special. Could we move to a different location?”

Hu Jing glanced at the figures walking past the window, still a little worried.

“There’s a lounge in there. You can demonstrate all you want.”

The lounge Qi Sheng had someone set up earlier now came in handy.

A hidden door connected the lounge to the office.

Inside, it was fully equipped with a bed, a sofa, and a bathroom.

Once inside the lounge, Hu Jing completely relaxed.

For this audition, Hu Jing had cunningly worn the costume of her most iconic character, Gao Xiaoqin.

A red patterned dress, nude pantyhose, and white high heels.

The air of a mistress instantly materialized around her.

Without any coyness, Hu Jing pushed Qi Sheng onto the sofa and naturally straddled his lap.

Wang Ou, who had followed them in, felt the pressure seeing Hu Jing’s bold move.

She thought about how Yang Mi had signed with Qi Sheng’s company and was now getting a constant stream of resources.

The dramas she was filming were all major productions far beyond Wang Ou’s own reach.

Not to be outdone, Wang Ou also sat on the sofa and boldly placed Qi Sheng’s hand on her long, black-stockinged leg.