Ye Zhou stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in Jiang Tingyuan’s office, constantly peering downwards. After his thirty-fifth time looking down, Jiang Tingyuan, who had been working at his desk, finally took pity.
“If you want to see, just go downstairs and take a look,” Jiang Tingyuan said.
Ye Zhou’s face initially lit up with joy at obtaining permission from Boss Jiang, but he quickly suppressed his delighted expression and hesitated to speak: “I said I was here to accompany you at work, so it doesn’t seem right for me to leave…”
Jiang Tingyuan placidly watched Ye Zhou pretend to be courteous. After a long pause, he calmly said, “I see. In that case, forget it.”
Ye Zhou was just being polite, actually waiting for Jiang Tingyuan to let him go. How could he have expected that one second Jiang Tingyuan was talking about setting him free, and the next he had seized Ye Zhou’s fate by the throat again
“No, wait!” Ye Zhou blurted out. Realizing his tone seemed too eager, he lightly coughed and said, “I mean, today is the day the results come out. It must be busy downstairs. I’ll go see if there’s anything I can help with.”
Having said that, he immediately darted out of Jiang Tingyuan’s office.
Leaving Jiang Tingyuan’s office, Ye Zhou felt an unprecedented sense of relief, though it was still mixed with some anxiety.
He might soon see the people in charge of those three projects he had selected.
Thinking of those three projects that left one speechless, Ye Zhou didn’t know whether he should be happy about his precision in accurately picking three failures from a pile of profitable projects, or sad that there were so many great projects that could easily make money, but he could only watch them fly away from him, leaving only the worst three behind.
With a soft ‘ding’, the elevator arrived on the first floor.
Ye Zhou saw a group of people gathered at the company’s front entrance, staring at the LED screen mounted on the first floor.
He walked over to join them in craning his neck to look up at the screen. The screen, which should have been playing company ads, was now displaying the list of projects that had passed the second round of reviews for Jingzhe Pictures’ Dream Incubation Project.
In fact, once the review results were released, Jingzhe Pictures’ official website would announce them simultaneously. The company would also notify project leaders of the results within 24 hours of the announcement.
In short, project leaders who just wanted to know the results did not need to specially come to Jingzhe Pictures’ office to check.
So why were these people gathered at the company’s entrance, eyes fixed on the big screen?
A large number of them were not only here to see the results. After the second round of reviews ended, project leaders often needed to have a formal interview with Jingzhe Pictures’ senior management.
In addition to the project itself needing to be sufficiently outstanding, a calm and wise project leader was an eye-catching plus. Through this interview, Jingzhe Pictures would assess whether the project leader had the capability to steer the project.
Considering project leaders’ limited time, Jingzhe Pictures did not mandate a fixed time. Instead, project leaders who passed the second review could make their own interview appointments within five days of the list being announced.
To make an appointment, project leaders had to show up in person with proof of identity.
The timing of the interview was also very important to project leaders. Being able to book a good time slot could potentially increase the chances of passing the third round of reviews.
This was why every year when the second round results were announced, some project leaders would be waiting nearby, ready to rush over and book what they felt was the most suitable time slot as soon as they knew the outcome.
Of course, in addition to them, some who did not pass the review were also unwilling to give up and tried to communicate with Jingzhe Pictures’ senior management, persuading them to take another look at their projects and seeking a lifeline. But the probability of that happening was pathetically low. At least since the inception of Jingzhe Pictures’ Dream Incubation Project, it had only happened once.
Still, even just once gave a thread of hope to many project leaders who did not make it past the second round of reviews.
The screen was divided into two columns, each with ten project names.
Among the expectant crowd, some were delighted while others worried. Some with better psychological endurance managed to maintain their calm, but those with weaker mental fortitude could no longer control their emotions upon seeing the results.
Next to Ye Zhou, a man froze upon seeing his project was not on the screen. He stood there lifeless, his face instantly drained of color, tottering unsteadily.
Seeing his condition was off, Ye Zhou was about to go support him but saw the man steady himself. He slowly squatted down, shoulders quivering slightly, stifled sobs escaping him.
“We probably…really can’t carry on this time,” the man said despairingly, making listeners’ hearts ache.
He was not an isolated case. Clearly, many shared his fate. Some left with ashen faces and faltering steps after being eliminated. Others stubbornly went to the front desk to ask how they could meet with the person in charge of the Dream Incubation Project.
Ye Zhou could understand their feelings very well.
He had been through hardship too. Right after graduation, everything was ready to start shooting a film – actors, script, director, locations – but being unable to start filming due to the funds not arriving, they reluctantly disbanded in the end.
Another time, they were halfway through shooting but ran out of money. The whole crew tightened their belts, just to persist a while longer, but it was ultimately aborted.
For some, funds were just numbers, but for these dream chasers, a not particularly large amount could be the last glimmer of hope for their dreams.
Ye Zhou sighed, feeling stifled inside.
Just then, the previously quiet crowd suddenly stirred.
Ye Zhou wondered what was going on. Looking up, he saw the content on the big screen had changed at some point.
The list of twenty projects was gone, replaced by three huge and incredibly eye-catching names.
“Starlight Youth Development Program”
“FOX E-Sports Club”
“Tears Behind Bars”
At the end of these three project names was a line of big words:
‘The above projects will receive individual investment and are exempt from the third round of reviews.’
Ye Zhou’s mouth twitched. Although it didn’t specify him by name, the crowd’s exclamations and discussions still made him very uncomfortable.
“What’s this? Did Jingzhe Pictures suddenly add some new special mode? How can there suddenly be individual investment?”
“No idea, never heard of this before.”
“This should be a good thing, right? The quota increased by three compared to the original twenty.”
“Just don’t know what the criteria are for individual investment projects.”
“Did anyone notice the names of these three projects are a bit…hard to describe…”
“Starlight Youth Development Program- is that a gaming project?”
“An e-sports club…how is that related to e-sports? If you want to form a team, just go to the e-sports association. Coming to Jingzhe Pictures is a joke.”
“Wow, look at the last one, even more interesting. See that? “Tears Behind Bars”!”
“Could it be the criteria for personal investment is to see whose project is more absurd?”
“I think it’s to see who loses more money. Just hearing the names, the projects sound pretty ridiculous. They’re probably some scam companies trying to get investments.”
Such discussions were endless. But before Ye Zhou could react, someone at the scene made a move ahead of him.
Xu Cheng originally did not see the name of his submitted project on the second round name list and his mood had sunk to the bottom. Then there was a sudden reversal when he discovered his project had received individual investment. Before he could even feel happy, he heard people ridiculing their projects.
He had a nasty temper to begin with. Seeing these people get more and more out of line, Xu Cheng could no longer hold back. Shaking off his vice captain’s hand, he scowled with his baby face and retorted ruthlessly:
“If you have time to laugh at other people’s weird projects, why don’t you first care about the reason why such a weird project was selected, but your own project was not selected!”
Before his words even finished, a female voice sounded from behind him without waiting for the critics to refute:
“This gentleman is right. Rather than picking on others, why not look for problems in yourself.”
Xu Wei’s originally meticulous makeup now looked a bit disheveled. Her eyes seemed red, as if she had just cried. But those eyes now shone brightly, brimming with unshakable determination.
The one badmouthing others behind their backs was a fat man in his forties. Being publicly reprimanded like this, his face flushed crimson. After huffing and puffing for a long time, he managed to squeeze out:
“How could such crap projects get approved? Don’t tell me Jingzhe Pictures’ top brass have all gone blind!”
“Who are you calling a crap project?” Xu Cheng strode up to him in three steps, closing the distance between them.
Startled by his sudden approach, the middle-aged man reflexively tried to lash out. But before his hand even fully rose, it was seized in an iron grip from behind. The man struggled forcefully but found himself completely immobile, unable to break free at all.
He looked back in shock and fury. At some point, a burly man of 1.8 meters had appeared behind him.
He Feiyang’s face was black as he berated: “What are you doing? Are you really trying to get violent here?”
The middle-aged man really felt like crying now. All he did was vent some frustration over not making the cut with a couple mocking words, yet now the violent one seemed to be him instead!
Hearing the commotion, security guards quickly came over. After briefly asking questions, they prepared to take everyone to the security office for now.
Ye Zhou observed for a bit and figured those who had spoken must be the people in charge of the projects he invested in.
With them taken away now, what could he do except pinch his nose and fish them out!
Ye Zhou followed the group into the security office. Before the guards could call the police, he took them out first.
Luckily, Ye Zhou had been coming to the company with Jiang Tingyuan these past few days so the security guards recognized him. Otherwise, he might have had to call Jiang Tingyuan himself to come bail them out.
Ye Zhou brought the group to an empty meeting room.
Without waiting for them to ask, he went ahead and said, “You are the people in charge of Starlight Youth, FOX Club, and… Tears Behind Bars, right?”
They nodded blankly, confirming Ye Zhou’s guess.
“Nice to meet you all,” Ye Zhou extended his hand towards them with a smile. “I’m Ye Zhou, one of the investors in your projects.”
Hearing Ye Zhou’s introduction, He Feiyang, Xu Wei and Xu Cheng were first stunned, then immediately unable to maintain their composure.
The three shook hands with Ye Zhou in turn. Even the most even-tempered He Feiyang felt somewhat excited upon meeting this rare patron and money god for the first time.
“Was it you who invested in our projects?” Xu Wei carefully asked.
Ye Zhou first nodded, then hesitated and shook his head, feeling he couldn’t falsely claim the credit of a financial backer.
“I’m just one of the investors. The one who will actually provide you all with funds is our Mr. Jiang.”
Hearing this, Xu Wei gasped sharply. Her elegant face was filled with disbelief. “You mean…Jingzhe Pictures’ Mr. Jiang?”
“That’s right,” Ye Zhou pulled Boss Jiang into the water seriously1The expression “拉下水” means to involve someone in something, usually something troublesome or risky..
Well, he wasn’t wrong. The money would eventually flow out of Jiang Tingyuan’s hands after all. Rounding it off, Boss Jiang was participating in the investment too!
“May I ask a question?” Xu Cheng, who had not spoken since entering the room, suddenly said.
After obtaining Ye Zhou’s consent, Xu Cheng frowned and asked, “Why did you decide to invest in our projects?”
“They don’t seem as outstanding as the other projects.”
Although Xu Cheng had just gotten into an argument over the project names, he was clear himself that the likelihood of projects like theirs attracting investors was infinitesimal.
Although He Feiyang and Xu Wei did not say anything, they had the same doubts in their eyes.
Ye Zhou was stumped by the question. What could he say? He couldn’t just directly tell them he picked their three projects at first glance for looking the least likely to make money among the bunch of highly profitable projects, right!
Of course Ye Zhou would not say that. He put on an appropriately modest smile like the boss and said, “I’ll admit, your naming skills do need some work. But that doesn’t affect my expectations for the projects themselves.”
As if afraid they wouldn’t believe him, Ye Zhou gave examples to prove his sincerity.
He looked at Xu Wei and said, “Miss Xu, you must know as well that talent show programs in China have been stagnant for a long time without any eye-catching ones emerging.”
“I have high hopes for Starlight Youth. As long as it is polished carefully, I believe it has great potential to stand out as a dark horse. You won’t let me down, right?”
Of course not. What Ye Zhou was actually thinking was ‘Crash spectacularly, all the way to the ground! Bankrupt me!’
Unaware of his thoughts, Xu Wei’s heart burned with passion hearing Ye Zhou’s visionary words. She quickly nodded and promised, “Don’t worry, I will definitely work hard!”
This Boss Ye was too kind. Even if she had to give her all, she absolutely could not, would not let him lose money!
Ye Zhou then looked at Xu Cheng, his smiling face dimming somewhat, tinged with melancholy.
He lowered his head to look at his hands and heaved a long sigh. Improvising on the spot, he confessed, “To be honest, I don’t have high hopes for you all. Rather than calling it an investment, it’s closer to fulfilling a dream.”
“Since I was little, I’ve had an e-sports dream…”
After Ye Zhou blathered for a bit, he noticed the baby-faced young man before him had reddened eyes at some point!
He panicked, wondering if he had gone too far and made the other cry!
Just as Ye Zhou was about to say something to remedy the situation, the baby-faced young man grabbed his hand.
Xu Cheng held Ye Zhou’s hand tightly. His bright black eyes were filled with determination. After swallowing hard, he said hoarsely, “Mr. Ye, don’t worry. We will definitely work hard in competitions and fulfill…your dream together!”
Ye Zhou was stunned at first before patting his shoulder approvingly, face filled with gratification. “Go for it! Contact me directly if you need more funds. I believe you will succeed!”
Succeed in losing all my money! Go for it!!
Ye Zhou then looked to the next one, only to find the 1.8-meter tall guy had reddened eyes for some reason even though he hadn’t said anything yet.
Ye Zhou: …?
He Feiyang wiped his tears and gave Ye Zhou an enthusiastic hug. Choking up, he said, “Mr. Ye, there’s no need to say more. I understand. I will make a good movie and not let you down!”
No matter what, he could not let such a kind person like Mr. Ye lose the money invested in vain!
Never!!
Author’s note:
The Ridiculous Trio: If you bet your life on our victory, we will never let you lose!
Ye Zhou: Wait, wait…did you all misunderstand something??
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