Upon hearing Li Yan’s words, Qiao Pan was genuinely surprised and delighted. He was well aware that the film had only officially premiered today, and its performance was yet unknown. Receiving Li Yan’s recognition was entirely due to Qiao Pan’s tireless dedication to "Springtime Leaked," with hardly any rest. Regardless of whether this film succeeded or not, he would need a break afterward, and it wouldn’t be possible to push himself so hard for the next one. However, Li Yan’s olive branch at least provided him with another chance to prove himself.

"Great! Great! Thank you so much, Old Li, you’re truly my benefactor!" Qiao Pan patted Li Yan’s shoulder heavily and then earnestly added, "You also have your team. Sometimes I might act like an old hand, joining in, which might not be suitable. It’s better to collaborate on a case-by-case basis. If one project doesn’t perform well, we won’t collaborate on the next, and there’s no need to worry about the difficulty of inviting a god and then dismissing them. Haha... of course, this way we can also join forces with Boss Mo and Boss Chu, and everyone works together!"

He was a shrewd person, and while Paradise Group could afford losses, the fall of the entire Heavenly Film division didn’t matter much to them, but he couldn’t afford such a risk. So he didn’t want to tie himself to one company; taking the path of independent project planning and production was more suitable, ensuring he wouldn’t abandon Chu Yi, a friend who supported him during tough times.

"That works. Today, you can also let the word out for us. Besides investing in more than five films, we’ll also be involved in large-scale productions. If ’Springtime Leaked’ achieves high box office returns and good profitability, we might invest in at least two films with budgets over a billion. Haha, then you won’t have to worry about financial constraints like this time," Li Yan laughed and dropped a hint.

To him, it seemed like an insignificant matter, but Mo Yan and Chu Yi were utterly astonished. The two exchanged wry smiles, realizing that Paradise Group was serious. They could only wait and see the trial outcomes, as the large group indeed had substantial financial backing!

Qiao Pan seemed as if he’d been hit by a bomb. Just having involvement in five films already excited him immensely. At least two major investments exceeding a billion appeared to include him as well, making him almost unable to believe his ears. If he truly had that much funding to work with, he was indeed confident he could produce box office hits. In that case, it wouldn’t just be a comeback but a chance to become a renowned, influential, and powerful producer!

"President Li, are we getting the word out privately that Paradise really has these intentions, or is it just a publicity stunt?"

Mo Yan and Chu Yi also looked at him the same way. If it was merely blowing their own trumpet, it wouldn’t be surprising. Many films, when being released or as box office figures just start rolling in, claim to have excellent box office and will undoubtedly be profitable, even suggesting plans for sequels. In reality, this is often just another topic or gimmick. Years later, one might find no signs of any sequels, and who would bother questioning it? Whether it truly made money or was a loss, no one pays attention then.

Li Yan seriously replied, "Genuinely! I have plenty of funds on hand; an investment over a billion is nothing significant. The key is to see the outcome of this film. A good return rate inspires confidence! Of course, for an investment over a billion, a mature project plan is necessary. Those are matters for the future. Tonight, you can release this information to encourage more talented screenwriters to create great scripts. Arts and such are ephemeral; a good story is everything!"

In fact, there were things he left unsaid. Paradise Group’s current investments weren’t that substantial, and even if he applied, approval wouldn’t be a given. With such a large trial investment, it was indeed risky. However, his own investment company needed to proceed; funds needed circulation, and investments in the stock market had similar risks. When the time came, they could jointly invest in films. Moreover, wasn’t there the precedent of "Springtime Leaked" achieving great sales and high returns? And it wasn’t specified that the second film would have such significant investment.

Upon receiving confirmation, Mo Yan and Chu Yi felt as if they’d come across a future giant! Even if they couldn’t match Heavenly Film’s growth rate and couldn’t compete, they could still share a piece of the pie. This affirmed their intention to continue cooperating with Li Yan.

Chu Yi was even more moved, pondering if this was the same outsider who’d come to the company last year to discuss collaboration. Indeed, one truly benefits from being under the protection of a big tree!

Qiao Pan, slightly overwhelmed with joy, needed a moment to calm down. He indicated he needed to be alone to carefully consider how to announce this news with the most impact.

As Mo Yan and Chu Yi complimented Li Yan on his promising future and boldness, a few celebrities who had been courteously polite earlier now approached Li Yan for enthusiastic conversations, seeking to exchange private contact information with him. This puzzled Mo Yan and Chu Yi as to how sharp their instincts were.

Only Li Yan knew that while the three of them had been speaking with Qiao Pan, a celebrity’s assistant not far away had been feigning texting but was actually listening to their conversation. Surely, they relayed the news about investing in five films this year, including two major productions over a billion, to their employers, prompting these celebrities to change their attitude towards Li Yan. Investments of millions and billion-dollar productions promised different slices of the cake for them. (To be continued. For more, please visit www.qidian.com and support the author, support legitimate reading!)