Let's not talk about the prepared foods for now.
Yesterday, Big-Beard Zhang brought the script for 'Legend of the Condor Heroes' for Ian Song to review.
Ian was quite satisfied with it; the whole series stayed true to the original work and didn’t have any cringe-worthy changes.
With the script finalized, it was time to start pre-production: assembling the crew and casting actors. The role of Raina Huang was already reserved for Cynthia Murong, so the biggest decision left was choosing who would play Jason Guo.
Since Song Entertainment hadn’t signed any other artists yet, Ian simply handed the casting of Jason Guo over to Big-Beard Zhang.
Big-Beard Zhang’s connections were impressive; as soon as word got out, more than ten companies reached out to recommend their own artists.
In the end, Big-Beard Zhang settled on a top-tier second-line actor named Paul Cao to play Jason Guo.
Ian’s company was the sole investor in the series, with a tentative budget of 200 million yuan—subject to increase if needed. Cynthia’s episode fee was set at 500,000 yuan, down from her previous 700,000, since she was starring in a drama funded by her own company. Still, Ian reciprocated by ordering that the company not take its usual cut from her acting income.
As for Tonia’s commission, the company would pay it directly.
The series would have 50 episodes, with Cynthia appearing in 38, earning her a total of 19 million yuan.
Since everyone knew that every TV series Big-Beard Zhang directed was a guaranteed hit, Paul Cao’s agency even slashed his fee to get him the role—so Paul was paid 200,000 yuan per episode.
Adding the supporting cast, the total actor payroll for the series reached about 50 million yuan.
Big-Beard Zhang’s director fee was set at 5 million yuan, plus 5% of the show’s net profits.
'Legend of the Condor Heroes' was now in full swing. Cynthia Murong put aside all her other commitments and threw herself into intensive training for the role of Raina Huang.
That day, Gaopeng Shangguan brought good news.
He had successfully acquired a large pharmaceutical factory in a city near Flame City.
Ian went to inspect the factory and was quite satisfied.
With the pharmaceutical factory in hand, it was time to start producing medicine.
Before Gaopeng bought the factory, Ian had already planted vast amounts of medicinal herbs on one of the Divine Temple’s planets and put demon cultivators in charge of managing them.
Time inside the Divine Temple flowed at a ratio of one to one hundred.
So those herbs had already matured, been harvested, and stored in the warehouse.
All Ian had to do now was transfer those herbs to the pharmaceutical factory’s warehouse, process them into powder, and then blend them into pills according to the formulas.
As for the formulas for the three miracle medicines, Ian handed them straight to Gaopeng Shangguan. He wasn’t worried about leaks, since some key ingredients simply didn’t exist in the Main World.
So even if someone got the recipes, they still couldn’t manufacture the three miracle pills.
Gaopeng, for his part, was deeply moved by Ian’s trust.
He promised to move into the factory and stay until all three miracle medicines were successfully produced.
And judging by how Cynthia Murong was treated, this boss was super generous. I mean, not everyone can just give away 200 million yuan in red envelopes on Weibo.
"What do you think of Jane Liang?" Ian asked, looking at Tonia.
Tonia replied, "I’ve always believed in her potential. She’s taken a lot of roles these past few years, but none of them really fit her temperament. If we can sign her, I’d cast her as Nancy Mu. She’s even said she’s willing to sign without a bonus!"
Ian smiled and shook his head. "She’s still an A-lister—even if she’s not as famous as Cynthia, it wouldn’t be right not to give her a signing bonus. Give her fifty million, and you handle the rest!"
"Isn’t fifty million a bit much?" Tonia was shocked—and moved. She knew Ian was offering so much because Jane was her former protégé.
"Not at all—don’t forget, I’m loaded!" Ian laughed. "You handle the rest of the artists. There are plenty of supporting roles in Legend of the Condor Heroes—let’s get them some screen time!"
"Don’t worry, Boss Song—I won’t let you down!" Tonia was fired up. Ian had promised her real authority before, but now she could tell he meant it.
After Tonia left, Coco Guan walked in, her tone playful: "Boss Song, there’s someone named Faye Shangguan outside asking to see you."
"What’s she doing here?" Ian was a little surprised. "Let her in."
A few moments later, Faye Shangguan stepped into Ian’s office.
"What brings you here?" Ian asked with a smile.
"I’m totally idle these days—came to ask Boss Song for a job!" Faye grinned. Back when she became a field agent, she’d kept it secret from her family.
Gaopeng Shangguan had ordered her to quit that job more than once—the risks of field work were just too high.
At first, Faye refused. But after Ian brought her back from the US, Gaopeng pulled some strings and got her sidelined.
'Isn’t fifty million a bit much?' Tonia was shocked—and moved. She knew Ian was offering so much because Jane was her former protégé.
'Not at all—don’t forget, I’m loaded!' Ian laughed. 'You handle the rest of the artists. There are plenty of supporting roles in Legend of the Condor Heroes—let’s get them some screen time!'
'Don’t worry, Boss Song—I won’t let you down!' Tonia was fired up. Ian had promised her real authority before, but now she could tell he meant it.
Ian was briefly stunned, then smirked, "You know, I actually have a job that fits those conditions."
Faye’s eyes lit up. "What job? Tell me!"
Ian leaned in and softly said two words. Faye’s face instantly turned red, and she glared at him, "Dream on!"
Ian shrugged. "You know it’s a dream—does a job like that even exist with those conditions? If you find one, introduce it to me!"
"I’m totally idle these days—came to ask Boss Song for a job!" Faye grinned. Back when she became a field agent, she’d kept it secret from her family.
Gaopeng Shangguan had ordered her to quit that job more than once—the risks of field work were just too high.
At first, Faye refused. But after Ian brought her back from the US, Gaopeng pulled some strings and got her sidelined.
So now she was stuck with nothing to do.
"What kind of job do you want?" Ian asked directly.
Faye thought for a moment. "First, it’s gotta be pretty free. Second, the pay can’t be bad—at least five million a year, or I’ll run out of money. If there’s a company car and house, even better. Oh, and I want at least ten days off every month!"
Ian was briefly stunned, then smirked, "You know, I actually have a job that fits those conditions."
Faye’s eyes lit up. "What job? Tell me!"
Ian leaned in and softly said two words. Faye’s face instantly turned red, and she glared at him, "Dream on!"
Ian shrugged. "You know it’s a dream—does a job like that even exist with those conditions? If you find one, introduce it to me!"