138: Chapter 138 The Suffocation of Capital

Huaying Media Headquarters, top floor conference room.

Chen Tianba sat in the main seat, with seven or eight mobile phones in front of him, all displaying backend data from various platforms on their screens. Looking at the cliff-like drop in viewership, not only was he not panicked, but he actually laughed out loud.

"A bunch of country bumpkins from out of town, do they really think they can hurt me just by taking down a few dramas?"

He lit a cigar, the smoke rising slowly in the light. Several executives of Huaying sat around the conference table; they were all veterans who had worked with him for many years.

"Boss Chen, all platforms have indeed blocked our content now. The losses are significant," the operations director said cautiously.

"Losses?" Chen Tianba flicked the ash. "What is that little bit of advertising revenue share? The true lifeblood of our Huaying is talent management and film investment. Can they make platforms take down content and also make brands terminate contracts? Or make investors withdraw capital?"

He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the night view of the imperial capital.

"This is the imperial capital, not that small place of Yunzhou where he is from. Here, connections are everything. I, Chen Tianba, have been in the beijing elite circle for twenty years. I know more bosses, investors, and officials than he has ever met. He wants to play the capital game? I'll play along to the end."

Chen Tianba turned around and ordered the executives.

"Send out notice, we will hold a press conference tomorrow morning, saying we are being maliciously suppressed and calling for industry self-discipline. At the same time, contact the Beijing Chamber of Commerce and ask them to intervene. Also, arrange a few interviews for Liu Feifei, tell her to cry more, and hype up the public opinion again."

"Yes!"

The executives took their orders and left.

Chen Tianba sat back in his chair and picked up his phone to dial a number.

"Hello, is this Boss Li? It's me, Chen Tianba... Yes, yes, about that matter. Don't worry, our Huaying project is absolutely fine, the capital chain is very stable... What? You want to withdraw capital? Boss Li, we've been working together for so many years... Hello? Hello?"

The call was hung up.

Chen Tianba was stunned for a moment, then dialed another investor's number.

"Boss Wang, it's old Chen... What? You want to withdraw too? Why... Alright, alright, I understand."

After making five calls in a row, the results were all the same.

Chen Tianba's hands began to shake.

The next morning, the office area of Huaying Media was in an uproar.

"Boss Chen! Something big happened!" The marketing manager rushed into the office, pale-faced, "Thirteen endorsement brands sent termination letters at the same time, they are paying all the liquidated damages!"

"What?" Chen Tianba stood up abruptly.

"Also, the investors for the three dramas currently filming have all withdrawn their capital, and the crews have stopped working!"

"Additionally, the bank sent a collection notice, requiring us to pay off all loans within three days, totaling... totaling 800 million!"

One piece of bad news after another crashed down, and Chen Tianba felt his head buzzing.

He grabbed his phone and dialed the number of the President of the Beijing Chamber of Commerce.

"President Zhang, help me! Someone is messing with me, you have to help... What? It's not convenient for you either? President Zhang..."

The call was hung up again.

Chen Tianba slumped in his chair, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. He finally realized that this was not ordinary commercial competition, but a meticulously planned capital strangulation.

"Investigate! Investigate who is behind this!"

Half an hour later, the assistant rushed in with an investigation report.

"Boss Chen, we found it! All the brands that terminated contracts have the shadow of Huihuang Group behind them! The investors who withdrew capital also received warnings from Huihuang Group! Even the bank's collection is because Huihuang Group reported our financial problems to the regulatory authorities!"

"Huihuang Group..." Chen Tianba gritted his teeth as he spat out the name.

He stood up abruptly, grabbed his coat, and walked out.

"Prepare the car! Go to that courtyard in Houhai! I want to see just how much ability this person surnamed Chen really has!"

In the courtyard, the sun was just right.

Chen Fan sat on a stone bench by the fish pond, holding a handful of fish food, scattering it into the water one by one. The koi fish swam over to fight for it, and ripples spread across the water surface.

Su Wanqing was lying on a rattan chair nearby, covered with a thin blanket, resting with her eyes closed.

"Fan Zi, the news on the internet is all gone, you did that, right?" she asked softly.

"Mm." Chen Fan responded, "But this is just an appetizer."

"Will the boss of that Huaying Media come to make trouble?" Su Wanqing asked with some worry.

"He will." Chen Fan smiled, "And very soon."

As soon as the words fell, there was a rapid knocking on the courtyard door.

The bodyguard opened the door, and Chen Tianba rushed in with a few people, looking aggressive.

"You, the one surnamed Chen! Get out here!"

Chen Fan didn't turn his head and continued feeding the fish.

Chen Tianba strode to the fish pond, pointed at Chen Fan's nose and roared: "What exactly do you want to do? Why are you messing with my company?"

Chen Fan finally raised his head and glanced at him.

"Who are you?"

"I am Chen Tianba, the Chairman of Huaying Media!"

"Oh." Chen Fan nodded, "That company I acquired."

"What?" Chen Tianba was stunned.

Chen Fan took out his phone from his pocket, opened a document, and handed it to Chen Tianba.

"Take a look, at 12 o'clock last night, 51% of Huaying Media's equity was transferred to the name of Huihuang Group. The current Huaying is surnamed Chen, but not your Chen."

Chen Tianba took the phone, looked at the equity transfer agreement on the screen, and was completely dumbfounded.

"Impossible... This is impossible..."

"24 hours." Chen Fan took back the phone and continued feeding the fish, "From last night until now, Huaying Media's market value has evaporated by 60%, and it will be insolvent in three days. Those so-called connections of yours are not even worth a fart in front of real capital."

Chen Tianba's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground.

"Mr. Chen... I was wrong... Please spare me..."

Chen Fan looked at him, his tone flat.

"I can let Huaying go, but there are three conditions. First, hand over all control. Second, apologize publicly and admit to smearing my family. Third, you and Liu Feifei must withdraw from the entertainment industry permanently."

Chen Tianba was trembling, but could only nod.

"I'll sign... I'll sign everything..."

Half an hour later, Chen Tianba signed all the documents and left the courtyard dejectedly.

Chen Fan put away the documents, just as he was about to return to the house, the courtyard door was pushed open again.

Chen Muyang walked in with his schoolbag on his back, saw the documents on the ground that hadn't been cleaned up, and raised his eyebrows.

"Dad, cleaned up another one?"

"Mm." Chen Fan patted his son's shoulder, "Tomorrow, the prey on your side should also be netted."

Chen Muyang took out his phone, and a text message popped up on the screen.

【Young Master Li: Brother Yang, there's a high-end gathering tomorrow night, I'll take you to see the real beijing elite circle. I'll send you the address.】

Chen Muyang looked at the text message, a playful smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.

"Don't worry, Dad. This time, I will let them know what a real hunter's game is."

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