Chương 27: The Meaning of Wealth

In "Striving Youth," Murong Feng's favorite character is, of course, Huazi, whom he portrays. However, the character he admires most is Xu Zhisen, the billionaire and biological father of Fang Zhanpeng, played by Taiwanese actor Zhang Chengguang.

Xu Zhisen is a successful businessman who eagerly wants to impart his understanding of wealth, business, and life to his son. He continuously provides opportunities for Fang Zhanpeng to pursue his dreams, guiding him through failures and teaching him how to truly take control of his life and wealth.

Several scenes in the presidential suite where Xu Zhisen is staying are pivotal, as they include almost all his lessons to Fang Zhanpeng.

…Xu Zhisen makes Fang Zhanpeng do push-ups, then explains why successful people in the U.S. often excel in sports during school. He teaches that business is not just about calculations but also about momentum and ruthlessness: "This is mine, that is mine too, you get out of here!"… Murong Feng gains insight.

…Xu Zhisen has Fang Zhanpeng do ridiculous things like balancing an ashtray on his head while standing on the sofa, then earnestly tells him that a successful businessman listens to others' advice but never to absurd opinions. Murong Feng laughs but then falls into deep thought.

…Xu Zhisen warns Fang Zhanpeng against "alleyway thinking," a common mistake of the lower middle class and failures, where one's life lacks flexibility, akin to walking in a narrow alley with only options to move forward or retreat. This leads to immense pressure and potential failure if control is lost. Therefore, knowing when to brake is crucial. Murong Feng is startled by the profundity of this advice.

…Xu Zhisen explains how to approach feelings: "The world of emotions is purely imagined; there is no cost-performance ratio, no return on investment, no value, only price. Living in it, you're walking on clouds, not solid ground, making it uncontrollable and immeasurable. This uncertainty is unsettling.

A poor person worries about next month's salary and rent, while a rich person can plan for the long term. But planning 50 years ahead can lead to sadness, knowing they won't be around. Hence, people prefer tangible things in an ever-changing world, opting for a limited, reliable life. What do you want to hold on to?"

"Only yourself! Strengthening yourself is the only thing that matters. How can you make yourself stronger? Fang Zhanpeng, you need to understand that you can't rely on Mi Mi to make you stronger. She's as young and confused as you are. You won't learn anything valuable from her. But business can make you stronger. In business, you learn to sort out threads, overcome challenges, and achieve your goals."

The above dialogues from "Striving Youth" had a significant impact on Murong Feng. While others might merely see Xu Zhisen's charismatic billionaire persona or envy Fang Zhanpeng for having a great father, Murong Feng, already a billionaire, found Xu Zhisen's every word and advice to be like a bell tolling in his mind. He desperately needed someone to tell him what wealth truly meant and what he should strive for in life.

The dialogue about emotions particularly resonated with Murong Feng. To seize one's own strength and become stronger to hold onto love was an undeniable truth. Reflecting on his own experiences, he realized if he had succeeded in his career and earned more money back then, Nian Nian, who had always loved him, would not have left. The degradation of love often stems from a shift in the balance of power between partners.

Since winning the lottery, Murong Feng had gone through various psychological stages—from initial excitement to confusion after buying a house and car. After receiving his teacher's calligraphy, he became enlightened and started to appreciate life. He lived with a mindset of a common person, enjoying an unrestrained life without monetary constraints.

However, acting in this drama profoundly influenced him. From Huazi, he felt the spirit of striving—not merely the ambition to succeed but the drive to pursue one's desires, even a beautiful love. From Xu Zhisen, he deeply understood the meaning of wealth. Wealth could change one's lifestyle, but life itself needed to be controlled by oneself. Only by constantly growing stronger could one overcome obstacles and achieve true desires, including a beautiful love.

Standing in the luxurious Park Hyatt suite, which cost 10,000 RMB a night and required a seven-day advance reservation, Murong Feng gazed at the lavish decorations and exquisite furnishings. From the 67th-floor windows, he looked out at the bustling traffic on Guomao and the Third Ring Road, the cars appearing as tiny as ants below.

Murong Feng suddenly had an epiphany. Yes, everyone has dreams and wants to enjoy a better life. Wealth is not the ultimate goal but merely a tool to achieve the more significant objective of a beautiful life. Now that he had money, it didn't mean he had no dreams left. What he truly wanted was a life of freedom, where he, his loved ones, and his friends could live joyfully, unburdened by financial constraints. He realized he shouldn't just rest on his fortune; he needed to strive harder to become stronger.

This day of filming left a lasting impression on Murong Feng, so much so that he often reflected on it even years later. He would frequently remark that his true mentor in understanding wealth was Xu Zhisen.

After filming the suite scenes, the "Striving Youth" crew held a wrap-up ceremony. The young cast and crew members, filled with excitement, shouted, jumped, and cried tears of joy and sadness, expressing their deep attachment to the warm and joyful group they had become. Their days and nights of filming had forged strong friendships, culminating in a jubilant circle where they shouted, "Strive, youth, who do I fear when I'm this young?"

That evening, the production company, Huayou Entertainment, hosted a celebration party to mark the completion of "Striving Youth." The guest list included Huayou Entertainment's actors and staff, as well as partners and sponsors. At this party, Murong Feng met the investor and owner of Huayou Entertainment, Wang Lei, a renowned figure in the entertainment industry, for the first time.

It was Tang Qing who introduced them. Tang Qing, representing Mercedes-Benz, had secured the largest sponsorship for "Striving Youth" and had invited lead actor Lu Ye to be the spokesperson for the soon-to-be-released C-Class series. At this point, she was Huayou Entertainment's biggest partner.

Murong Feng wore a blue BOSS Homme suit that night, looking exceptionally handsome and attracting many of the actresses from the crew who came over to chat with him. When Tang Qing pulled him aside to introduce him to Wang Lei, Murong Feng felt a great sense of relief and whispered, "Janney, thank goodness you came. I was about to get overwhelmed by their perfume!" His relationship with Tang Qing had become as close as that of siblings, allowing him to speak more candidly.

Tang Qing glanced at him and teased, "Feeling proud of being so popular with the girls, Murong?" Murong Feng could only smile wryly, as he didn't have such thoughts at the moment.

Tang Qing then briefed him on Huayou Entertainment's current situation. The company was undergoing rapid development, signing numerous well-known artists and expanding its business into various areas, including television, film, music, and model management. They planned to go public on NASDAQ within 1-2 years. Given the substantial financial gap, Wang Lei was seeking new investors. Tang Qing, knowing that Murong Feng had significant funds, asked if he was interested in investing in Huayou Entertainment.

Murong Feng was intrigued. Over the past days of filming, he had gained some understanding of the financial flows and profit models in the entertainment industry. If well-managed, it could indeed be a lucrative business.

As they approached Wang Lei, a man in his 40s who looked surprisingly young for his age, possibly due to his long-standing involvement in the entertainment industry. He wore a stylish white Armani suit, a blue floral pocket square, and smoked a cigar while conversing with others.

Seeing Tang Qing and Murong Feng approach, Wang Lei politely excused himself from his current conversation and warmly greeted them. After shaking hands with Tang Qing, he extended his hand to Murong Feng, saying, "Janney, thank you for coming! And you, Murong Feng, are the first newcomer I've seen who refused to do promotional activities as requested by Director Wang Yi!"

Murong Feng smiled modestly. "I'm grateful for Director Wang's recognition."

Tang Qing, always straightforward, said, "Mr. Wang, you've been looking for investors, haven't you? It turns out the right person has been under your nose all along. Murong has some funds; you two should talk." Wang Lei was taken aback, but seeing that Tang Qing was serious and noticing Murong Feng's calm demeanor, he realized that Murong Feng might be more than just a casual actor. Understanding Tang Qing's background, he realized why Murong Feng had insisted on filming only one drama and refused to participate in promotional activities—it was likely just a pastime for him. This realization significantly altered Wang Lei's attitude towards Murong Feng.

Wang Lei briefly introduced Huayou Entertainment's current situation and financial needs to Murong Feng. Based on evaluations by professional financial consulting firms, Huayou Entertainment's overall asset scale was nearly 300 million RMB. Wang Lei was willing to release about 30% of the equity in exchange for the required funds, amounting to 100 million RMB. Murong Feng, considering this, realized he couldn't manage the entire investment himself, nor did it fit his investment strategy. However, he was open to partial investment. After some contemplation, he excused himself to call Zhou Haitao.

After discussing with Zhou Haitao, who found Huayou Entertainment a promising project, especially considering its potential for significant stock price increase upon listing, Murong Feng decided to invest 20 million RMB through UBS Private Banking and personally contribute another 20 million RMB, totaling 40 million RMB.

Returning to Wang Lei, he conveyed his willingness to invest, albeit partially. Wang Lei, although initially hoping for a complete investment, was still pleased. From his perspective, having multiple investors would help avoid diluting his control over the company in future funding rounds.

Raising his glass, Wang Lei smiled at Murong Feng and said, "Welcome, Mr. Murong, as a new shareholder of Huayou Entertainment!" The three of them, along with Tang Qing, clinked glasses and smiled.

Seeing this interaction, some of Huayou Entertainment's contracted celebrities, unaware of Murong Feng's true status, felt a pang of jealousy. Little did they know that the newcomer they looked down upon was now one of their bosses.