Chapter 600: Without Heart

Fang Hong insisted that Yu Pangzi sign, not that he be removed; secretly signing an agreement that sells the company like this means Bona without Yu Pangzi has no soul.

This company already bears Yu Pangzi's brand; only he can be allowed to helm it. Anyone else might not do as well as he did, and could easily lose half of Hong Kong's market share.

Moreover, a company like this needs time to sort out its business and clarify its operating model.

A year or two would pass in the blink of an eye, and during that year or two many problems would arise; if mishandled, the company really might be done for.

That's why Fang Hong kept saying that a Bona without Yu Pangzi would be better off disappearing.

Liu Tianxian and Liu Xiaoli cannot shoulder a company like this; they lack the ability, the methods, and the connections.

Hand it to them, and the company would be in free fall.

So this dog only Yu Pangzi can be; no one else will do, and it's not like it's some good dog anyway.

Taking the opportunity, a reporter asked: "Since Bona and Jade Rabbit have no relationship, I'd like to ask Liu Tianxian—do you agree to signing this unfair agreement?"

Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Tianxian; Yu Pangzi also pinned his hopes on her.

Liu Tianxian had originally not wanted to weigh in, wanting her man to handle everything, but since the reporter had aimed the spear at her, she could only say a few words.

"I don't know where this 'unfair' you're talking about comes from—you haven't even read the agreement."

Liu Tianxian rebutted first, adjusted her sitting posture, then said: "Like Fang Hong just said, the current film and television industry situation is very grim, and the future is unpredictable. This agreement only allows both sides to cooperate more deeply and develop together.

With capital invading the film and television industry, the industry has lost its purity and innocence; you all know that in recent years there have been many bad films, and the just-past Spring Festival Slot is the best proof—nine out of ten films were unsatisfactory.

While capital keeps expanding, Fang Hong is only trying a more viable path, to preserve the purity of the film industry and push it forward rather than backward. He can't do it alone—doesn't he need to unite more like-minded people, broaden the road of cinema, and bring more good works to the audience and the public?

Bona is an established film and television company; they've made many classic works. Fang Hong choosing to cooperate with Bona is precisely because of this."

Her explanation was quite on point; everyone else was saying Fang Hong was making the film and television industry retreat, while only she said he was making it advance.

Of course, only she could address him by name here.

Fang Hong glanced at her with approval.

Liu Tianxian pressed her lips into a smile and patted his arm; the little interaction between them was naturally captured.

Put nicely, it's two hearts beating as one; put unkindly, it's a shameless couple.

"So that means you hold a favorable attitude toward the agreement Bona is signing? You're standing with Jade Rabbit?" the reporter asked.

"I neither approve nor oppose; I stand with no one. As long as the two sides have discussed it and it's beneficial to both sides' development, that's fine.

Of course I believe that as long as they can sit down and talk, they can work out a plan both sides can accept, because Fang Hong and General Manager Yu are both filmmakers; they understand film, they understand this industry, and they understand even more that only cooperation can lead to lasting development." Liu Tianxian spoke very nicely.

Earlier she sidestepped the trouble of taking sides, and didn't mention that she and her mother, as Bona's largest shareholders, weren't considering their own interests but only siding with the Principal.

Isn't this a simp? People were already cursing Liu Tianxian as a simp.

Though what she said later seemed to say nothing, it was actually leaning toward Jade Rabbit—whatever plan Jade Rabbit puts forward, they should sit down and talk it through properly.

Yu Pangzi and those Bona people certainly understood Liu Tianxian's meaning,

"Earlier the Principal said that whether General Manager Yu can be Bona's Chairman is up to you; General Manager Chen said that if General Manager Yu doesn't sign the agreement, you would remove General Manager Yu—is that so?" the reporter asked.

This hit the nail on the head; everyone inevitably turned their gaze to Liu Tianxian.

"Here I need to explain on Fang Hong's behalf first; perhaps you've misunderstood his words."

Liu Tianxian patted Fang Hong's leg and said again: "What he meant is, he's Jade Rabbit's Chairman and can't make decisions for Bona. For example, on the matter of Bona's privatization, Fang Hong isn't anyone at Bona, nor does he hold any position; General Manager Yu just lets him take charge and resolve it—that has a somewhat coercive implication.

Moreover, General Manager Yu always acts as Bona's controller, and Fang Hong correcting him on this wasn't wrong.

Of course I support Bona's privatization; our own film and television enterprises making our own stories should return to China.

Although Fang Hong and I are in a relationship, I hold a neutral stance; I'm also on Bona's side, hoping Bona gets better and better, and even more hoping they can sit down and talk properly."

Well, in Liu Tianxian's mouth it became Yu Pangzi's fault, which left Yu Pangzi very deflated; this young couple is cut from the same cloth.

Clearly it was the Principal and Chen Zhixi pressuring him, yet it turned into him pressuring those two.

Of course some people also felt Liu Tianxian made sense—Yu Pangzi always acted as Bona's Chairman and never took Liu Tianxian seriously.

His own problems he always pushed to the Principal; what's the point of having him as Chairman? Isn't he just a complete waste?

Some people had already started siding with Liu Tianxian, feeling she made a lot of sense; the sympathy for Yu Pangzi just now had faded considerably.

Liu Tianxian looked at Chen Zhixi and asked: "Did you just say something about removing General Manager Yu?"

"I did say it, but let me explain—I was telling General Manager Yu to get clear on his position and straighten his attitude. He's no longer Bona's largest shareholder; he has no control over Bona. Our cooperating with him is for the good of both sides." Chen Zhixi's attitude when speaking to Liu Tianxian was very good.

Gone was the earlier aggressiveness and arrogance.

"Although General Manager Chen's attitude was somewhat improper, it was also to promote cooperation and let both sides have equal dialogue; I think General Manager Yu will understand."

In Liu Tianxian's mouth, black all turned white; all the fault went to the weaker side.

Chen Zhixi took a long look at Liu Tianxian; that mouth really was formidable.

"Of course removal isn't just talk; it has to go through the board. If General Manager Yu makes a major decision-making mistake in office, does something that harms Bona's interests, the board of course has to consider removing him and appointing a new Chairman.

I don't think the board would tolerate someone harmful to Bona running Bona; we all hope the person sitting in that position is someone with a sense of responsibility."

Liu Tianxian spoke very intricately; ordinary people couldn't quite follow the logic, only feeling that Liu Tianxian's words had no flaws.

You don't even side with Bona, so why let you be Chairman? Her emotional intelligence is very high; she simply didn't fall into the trap the reporter set.

Removal does exist—it's when General Manager Yu makes a major decision-making mistake that harms Bona's interests.

Could not signing the agreement also be a mistake, also harming Bona's interests? With this kind of thing, as long as someone says you did, then you did.

Liu Tianxian stood with her man in her heart, but she couldn't say so out loud; she had to be impartial, after all her status was different now.

Fang Hong and Chen Zhixi could pressure Yu Pangzi, but she couldn't—first, her personality isn't like that, and second, she is, after all, Bona's largest shareholder.

Some people present couldn't help but look at Liu Tianxian with new respect; this girl doesn't show her hand, yet who would have thought that mouth of hers could talk so well, acting as a buffer between the two sides' fierce clash and dissolving it invisibly.

True enough, they share the same bed—none of them are simple characters.

Actually Liu Tianxian has always been very smart and eloquent; she just didn't want to get entangled with people, preferring to live her own life well.

This time she came to accompany Fang Hong.

"That agreement to be signed is of no benefit to Bona; it harms Bona's interests." Yu Pangzi chimed in at the right moment, really unable to hold back.

Other Bona people also nodded in agreement, hoping Liu Tianxian would uphold justice and side with them.

"You can sit down and talk it out, find a plan that benefits both sides. And I still don't understand — you say that agreement has no benefit, but where exactly does it hurt Bona?" Liu Tianxian had read the agreement and didn't see how it hurt Bona.

She thought it was a perfectly normal cooperation agreement — of course, she was looking at it from her man's perspective.

"My point is to bring him into the Dominate the World Alliance family, share resources and channels. I don't know if General Manager Yu looks down on our small temple or what, but he's been unwilling all along." Fang Hong was pinning a label on him.

Dominate the World was the umbrella name he had given his own business empire — essentially an alliance.

"I haven't looked down on Dominate the World. Not only have I not looked down on it, I actually long to be part of this big family." Yu Pangzi explained helplessly.

"Then General Manager Yu simply doesn't respect Dominate the World!" Chen Zhixi was at it again.

"General Manager Chen, why do you keep saying I don't respect? I respect the Principal, I respect Tianxian, I respect you, General Manager Chen, I respect every single person here. I just want General Manager Fang to give me a guarantee — a guarantee that Bona can keep developing. Is that wrong?" Yu Pangzi spread his hands, looking utterly helpless.

He felt Chen Zhixi was deliberately making things hard for him.

Watching her husband suffer, the Peacock Princess felt bad too — these three people were tormenting her husband.

"You just want to secure your position as Chairman." Chen Zhixi pointed out.

"Yes, so what? I said Bona is like my son. Is it wrong for me to want to keep my son?" Yu Pangzi said.

"As far as we know, you haven't treated your 'son' well. Revenue has declined in recent years — that's a fact, right? You want General Manager Fang to guarantee you, but how? Should he foot the bill for your stupidity?

We're cooperating with you now to save Bona, to let Bona develop sustainably over the long term. I think you should thank Tianxian, thank General Manager Fang.

Without Tianxian, Bona's privatization would have a long road ahead. Tianxian just made it clear she supports your privatization. Without General Manager Fang, Bona would definitely go through growing pains."

Chen Zhixi stopped talking about respect and instead had Yu Pangzi thank those two.

"Thank you! Thank you! I'm very grateful to Tianxian and General Manager Fang for their support of my work and of Bona."

Yu Pangzi had his spirit broken by the three of them tag-teaming him — one kept saying he didn't respect this, didn't respect that.

One kept saying the agreement was for his own good, for Bona's good, yet refused to give any guarantee.

One dumped all the dirty water on him, saying he was pressuring her man — who could stand being treated like this?

He was clearly the victim here!

And the people on Bona's side didn't dare speak up — the moment they did, Chen Zhixi would furiously snap at them with the same old line: you don't respect, you have no right to speak.

It was very hard, very painful. Some people even quietly wiped away tears.

This meeting was livestreamed in front of everyone, letting all see Yu Pangzi of Bona's dejected, helpless side, and the tearful eyes of some Bona people.

And the Peacock Princess, her face flushed red, eyes brimming with tears, silent and unwilling.

Truly, the Principal let everyone see what absolute power looks like. This is a society ruled by power — without strength, even wearing clothes is a crime.

Without strength, even offering incense requires the right posture.

Without strength, anything you say will be turned around to be your fault.

This meeting didn't produce any result either. It was always meant to corner Yu Pangzi suddenly — just a show of force.

To show the outside world what Bona's situation looks like now — a way of flexing muscle.

"Hahaha, the most pitiful man on the entire internet!"

"Seeing Yu Pangzi of Bona's struggles, I feel my life isn't so hard after all."

"He's holding up a whole company; we're only holding up a family."

"Can only say Chen Zhixi is too wicked, trained him like a quail."

"Feels like the Principal and Chen Zhixi went a bit overboard."

"Liu Tianxian still spoke very reasonably."

"Definitely still biased toward the Principal, otherwise she wouldn't be sitting there."

"This world is just a shabby troupe!"

"Sympathize with Yu Pangzi, boycott the Principal!"

Wangyi who saw this information and video online chatted away happily, posting their own views — some sympathized with Yu Pangzi, some were indifferent.

But most were just watching the show and making jokes. Yu Pangzi's reputation wasn't good either — he had abandoned his first wife.

When someone like that has dirt exposed, few sympathize; they just think he deserves it. But some still try to stir things up, calling the Principal and his people demons.

Delusionally trying to use public opinion to smear Fang Hong and his people.

But the netizens' reaction was fairly mild. Entertainment industry people, however, had a more pragmatic view of the matter — they didn't discuss the humiliation Yu Pangzi suffered, only whether he would sign that agreement.

What would happen next?

Of course, this meeting made many people look up to Liu Tianxian — they hadn't expected her to be so wise.

Every word she said made sense, favoring her man while still giving people a good impression.

Huayi, Enlight, Alibaba, Tencent and others didn't stay quiet — their spokespersons said: "If Bona needs help, they will provide support."

This was a direct slap in Fang Hong's face — meaning if Bona resists to the end, they will keep supporting Bona.

They simply didn't put Jade Rabbit in their eyes.

Of course they all wanted Yu Pangzi to keep causing trouble.

But the slap in the face came quickly. Yu Pangzi went against expectations and publicly stated: "Bona doesn't need anyone's help. We are willing to sign that agreement with Jade Rabbit."

This statement directly shut down outside interference.

Their help was useless to Yu Pangzi — just empty noise, deliberate. Bona already held 51% of the shares; if he kept resisting, he wouldn't even keep his Chairman position. What use was that help?

So he had no choice but to say it to the reporters.

This left the entertainment industry feeling wistful — it seemed Bona would truly be Jade Rabbit's vassal from now on.

The landscape of the film and television industry had completely changed.

From now on it would be the Jade Rabbit faction, the Alibaba Group faction, the Tencent faction, the Wanda faction — Huayi and Enlight no longer made the cut.

And these two companies had already thrown in with Alibaba and Tencent, not truly independent — though of course they were freer than Yu Pangzi.

Jade Rabbit was an absolute capital force in the film and television industry — after all, Bona brought Hong Kong's film and television market share.

When Yu Pangzi announced he would sign that agreement, things outside went calm. No one spoke up anymore. It was done.

But the undercurrents below were still surging, not yet over.

Yu Pangzi had no choice. Now Fang Hong wanted him to sign another agreement, one that would amend Bona Company's charter.

One, a shareholders' agreement restricting the transfer of equity, granting existing shareholders the right of first refusal when equity is transferred — to prevent outsiders from intervening.

This was to shut out Alibaba, Tencent, and any third parties stirring up trouble.

Two, shareholders must act in concert on major decisions; if disagreements arise, the largest shareholder decides.

Three, provisions on the allocation of board seats, clarifying the board's decision-making mechanism — for instance, specific decisions require a specific ratio of approval, meaning whoever holds more equity calls the shots.

These two clauses further strengthened Yuanmeng Tiancheng's rights within Bona.

Of course there were also profit distribution mechanisms, clearly defined conditions and pricing for option exercise, and a whole series of charter amendments.

"After this agreement is signed, can you guarantee I won't be replaced as Chairman of Bona?" Yu Pangzi picked up his pen.

"Of course. Not only that, we also support you in taking Bona private and relisting it on the A-share market," Fang Hong said.

Hearing this, Yu Pangzi had nothing more to say. He signed the agreement. As for the challenges and attacks to come, they'd deal with those later.

If Bona and he couldn't withstand it, did he really think his Principal could? Worst case, they all die together.

Bona's people watched Yu Pangzi sign two agreements in a row and were deeply disheartened. Although their rights and positions were preserved, nothing else changed.

They just felt that their "child" no longer belonged to them — they had raised it for someone else.

"Welcome as our new like-minded member. Past grievances are behind us; let's all look forward." Fang Hong brushed it off lightly, dissolving every grievance into thin air — the bullying had been for nothing.

Though Yu Pangzi was seething inside, he could only resign himself to fate. He had been worn down until he had no fight left.

(End of chapter)