Chapter 104: Signed Artists

In the deep autumn of Jingcheng, shrouded in a thin mist, Cai Wen sat in the hotel coffee shop, watching the swirling fallen ginkgo leaves on the avenue outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, his fingers unconsciously tapping the coffee cup. As the glass door opened and closed, a figure in dark blue swept in with the cold wind—Chen Daoming, clad in a woolen overcoat with a cashmere scarf draped casually around his neck, every gesture radiating the art of performance.

"Manager Cai, I've kept you waiting," Chen Daoming said as he took his seat, accepting the Pu'er tea handed by the waiter. "Feimin wants to sign artists."

Cai Wen slid the proposal across the table, its cover embossed with the golden characters "Trilogy of the Era." "That's right." He paused. "Regarding remuneration, we propose a seventy-thirty split."

Chen Daoming rubbed the script outline on the table with his fingertips, then chuckled lightly. "Manager Cai is certainly frank."

"Which is why we need talented newcomers even more." Cai Wen pulled a stack of data from his briefcase. "These are Box Office Xiang's records in Xiangjiang. Moreover..." he lowered his voice, "Boss Xiang said he will lead our signed actors to expand into overseas markets."

Chen Daoming's hand holding the tea cup paused slightly, interest sparking in his eyes. "Overseas markets? That's intriguing. Allow me two days to consider."

Three days after seeing Chen Daoming off, Cai Wen appeared again at the old-style tube apartment building in the Central Academy of Drama family compound. Wang Wang Zhiwen, wrapped in an old sweater, leaned against a mottled doorframe, a half-smoked cigarette in his hand. "Manager Cai, I just turned down three extra roles. Aren't you afraid your visit will be a wasted effort?"

"I'm only afraid you won't have the chance to waste it." Cai Wen stuffed a handful of warm, sugar-roasted chestnuts into his hand. "Boss Xiang wants to sign you. Are you interested?"

Wang Wang Zhiwen flicked the ash from his cigarette and suddenly laughed. "A seventy-thirty split? You certainly dare to set conditions. However..." He crushed out his cigarette butt. "However, I demand the right to choose scripts."

"Deal!" Cai Wen immediately produced the contract. "Boss Xiang said that true great actors should possess the ability to evaluate scripts."

Meanwhile, in a production tent at Hengdian, Xiang Fei sat face-to-face with Li Li Youbin. The tough actor, having just finished filming "Death Certificate," frowned as he held the invitation contract from Feimin Entertainment. "A seventy-thirty split?"

Li Li Youbin rubbed the profit-sharing clause on the contract. "Aren't you afraid I won't agree?"

"I am, but I believe in myself even more." Xiang Fei stood up to pour tea.

Li Li Youbin suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "Alright, I'll sign!"

When Cai Wen found Zhou Xun at a small theater in Hangzhou, the spirited girl was gnawing on a steamed bun backstage. "Brother Cai, I'm just an extra," she said. After Cai Wen explained the situation, he successfully signed Zhou Xun.

At the victory banquet, the crystal chandelier made Feimin Entertainment shine brilliantly. Xiang Fei, holding a glass of champagne, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Cai Wen chatting and laughing with Chen Daoming, Wang Wang Zhiwen, and others.

"Brother Wen, I owe it all to you." Xiang Fei clinked glasses with him. "From building the team to signing these four, in such a short time..."

"Don't rush." Cai Wen pointed to Zhou Xun, who was rehearsing a scene with Li Li Youbin in the distance. "This is just the beginning. I heard there's a student named Huang Xiaoming at the Beijing Film Academy, and Liu Ye at the Central Academy of Drama..."

Xiang Fei laughed aloud. "It seems we'll need to buy another floor for our office building!" He raised his glass. "To Feimin Entertainment, and to the future!"

Inside the banquet hall, amidst the clinking of glasses, Chen Daoming flipped through the script for a new project, Wang Wang Zhiwen engaged in a heated discussion about dialogue with the screenwriter, Zhou Xun excitedly mimed character movements, and Li Li Youbin slapped Cai Wen's shoulder while laughing. This newly risen entertainment company was like the morning sun at dawn, casting its light over the entire film and television world.