Huayu: This producer has no bottom line.

Chapter 14: Will the salary increase?

"Enter".

Pushing open the door, Gong Yu sat behind the table, with two printed documents spread out in front of him.

One is a screenshot of a report from Xinlang.com, and the other is a screenshot of comments from Renren.com.

"sit."

Ren Pingsheng sat down without taking the initiative to speak.

Gong Yu pushed the two printed copies towards him. "Have you looked at them?"

"I've seen it."

"Charles just called me," Gong Yu said, tapping his fingers on the table again, "and wants me to give him an explanation."

Charles is the English name of the big boss, Zhang Chaoyang.

"So now I need an explanation from you," Gong Yu said in a light tone, "Did you choose Ms. Cang?"

"Yes."

Did you know beforehand that this would cause controversy?

"Know."

"reason?"

"Because the controversy itself is the goal."

Gong Yu stopped pointing, the office became quiet, and the hum of the air conditioner was particularly clear.

Before he could ask any further questions, Ren Pingsheng pulled out a document from his side and handed it over.

"This data is as of 10 a.m. today. In less than 24 hours since it went online, the number of views on the Sohu video site has exceeded two million."

Gong Yu took it and turned the page.

What is the highest number of views for a single piece of content since Sohu Video was launched?

Gong Yu did not answer directly, but he knew, of course, that it was a recording of last year's Olympic opening ceremony, worth 2.7 million.

Those numbers were achieved through the combined efforts of the entire site.

As a result, a poorly made joke quickly caught up with it in less than a day.

"Good-looking data doesn't mean there aren't any problems," Gong Yu put down the file. "You've seen the reports about Xinlang and Wangyi, and Renren even named them. Do you know what that means?"

"It means we won."

Gong Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Gong, why did Xinyi choose to report this news?"

Before Gong Yu could answer, Ren Pingsheng chimed in, "Because the traffic is on our side, they're jealous. If they didn't care, they wouldn't bother writing this article at all, just like Wang Yi."

Did you read that comment on Renren.com carefully?

Gong Yu picked up the printout again.

"Although the title raises questions, the main point of the article is that internet video platforms should find a balance between innovation and regulation."

Ren Pingsheng raised a finger, "I don't think this is criticism, but rather leaving room for definition."

Gong Yu flipped the printout over and looked at it again, following Ren Pingsheng's train of thought.

"If the People's Network really thinks there's a problem, one word, 'vulgar,' is enough. There's no need to go through all this trouble and talk about balance."

Gong Yu's fingers rested on the edge of the printed document, and the office fell silent for a few more seconds.

"The current situation is that those who criticize us are actually helping us lose."

Ren Pingsheng told us about his script, "Originally, we only had a few publicity channels, but after Xinlang reported it, Wangyi followed up, and Renwang commented on it, the whole internet knew that Sohu had made a movie starring Aoi Sora."

"Do you think those people who blindly follow the crowd and criticize online have even read it?"

Gong Yu's lips twitched, unsure whether he wanted to laugh or curse.

"So you mean these negative reports are actually a good thing?"

"It's not a good thing, it's a bad thing that can be exploited," Ren Pingsheng shook his head. "The real bad thing is when no one discusses it or reads it. When content is uploaded and then quietly sinks to the bottom, that's when it's truly doomed."

The office was quiet for a while.

Gong Yu leaned back in his chair and changed his posture.

"You're braver than I thought."

"It's not that I'm bold, it's that I've weighed the pros and cons."

"What are we weighing?"

"Ms. Cang has no criminal record in China, her entry procedures are complete, and her identity is that of an artist, nothing else. Our videos contain no pornographic content, not even bordering on pornography. Legally, there is nothing wrong with them. Morally, she is indeed controversial, but there is a fine line between controversy and violation."

"As long as we don't cross the line, the criticism will eventually die down. Because there's no leverage, the criticism won't last long, and all that will remain are the view counts."

Gong Yu stared at Ren Pingsheng, and in his mind, he raised Ren Pingsheng's importance by another level.

Every word this young man in his early twenties uttered proved that this was a scheme he had planned beforehand, not something he tried to fix afterward.

"I'll handle Charles's situation, but next time you make such a decision, consult me ​​first."

"Okay," Ren Pingsheng stood up.

"Also," Gong Yu took a piece of paper from the drawer, "the Spark Project has been officially approved. I've revised the framework. Take it back and take a look. If you have any questions, just contact me."

Ren Pingsheng took the paper and glanced at it.

The budget has increased significantly from the initial trial level.

He didn't show any surprise. Gong Yu was a shrewd businessman. The data was there for all to see; it would be foolish not to invest more.

"Thank you, Mr. Gong."

"Don't thank me, getting the data up is the best thanks you can give."

Ren Pingsheng opened the door, took two steps outside, and then thought of something else.

"Mr. Gong, shouldn't I still have the authority to appoint personnel to the innovation team?"

"over you."

"I might need to hire some people."

Gong Yu raised his eyelids slightly, "I'll approve the HC for you, but don't bring me any monsters or demons."

"rest assured."

The door closed.

The corridor was empty, with only the emergency lights emitting a dim yellow glow.

Ren Pingsheng stood at the elevator entrance and looked down at the paper again.

The increased budget means the second quarter is secured, and it also means we can get our hands on something bigger.

But money can only solve half the problem.

Because the first season was small in scale, he did all the work of writing, directing, cinematography, and post-production. But if he continues to do this, he'll eventually die of overwork.

He needs more people, but not many, just two will suffice.

A photographer who can handle the workload, and a post-production editor who can persevere.

But these two people have to be right. It's not a matter of whether they have formal training or not; it's about having the right mindset.

What he wants is unrelated to traditional film and television; normal people would only oppose him.

The elevator doors opened, and Ren Pingsheng had just stepped inside when his phone vibrated.

It was a text message from Dapeng: "Pingsheng, I heard President Gong contacted you. Are you alright?"

Ren Pingsheng thought for a moment and replied with four words: "The budget has been doubled."

As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, Da Peng replied: "So, will my salary increase?"

Looking at the screen, Ren Pingsheng smirked and put his phone back in his pocket.

Back in the office area, Xiaolin and Sister Zhao stared at him anxiously, fearing he would bring back bad news.

"Stop looking at it, get back to work," Ren Pingsheng casually tossed the documents in his hand onto the table.

"Sister Zhao, could you talk to HR and ask them to send me all the resumes of photographers and post-production staff they've recently received, including all of them with their portfolios?"

The next day, Ren Pingsheng sat in front of the computer, scrolling the mouse wheel rapidly.

The resumes sent by the HR department consisted of a bunch of average-looking senior talents, nothing particularly remarkable.

He only perked up when he clicked on a resume for someone named Luo Hongming.

Looking at the resume with four job openings, Ren Pingsheng initially didn't realize who this genius was.

He opened an audio file less than three minutes long in the attachment, and suddenly an extremely captivating male voice came through his headphones.

"This is outrageous!"

Ren Pingsheng sat up straight instantly, staring at the young man with black-rimmed glasses on the resume, his eyes changing.

"Bai Ke, you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep."