One Billion Dollar Gamble

This month has been full of unexpected twists.

But none of it affected Cao Cheng.

He had already done all he needed to do—now it was just a matter of watching quietly.

Instead, Cao Cheng was more focused on the entertainment industry.

Not only had Lin Zhi wrapped up filming, but the three other budding actors Cao Cheng had nurtured had also finished their projects.

Wang Yue, An Ya, and Jiang Mengqi!

After about a year of training, their skills had skyrocketed.

Cao Cheng had visited them twice during this period, giving them extra guidance.

Achieving breakthroughs requires accumulated experience.

For example, after six months of study, Cao Cheng would help them "unlock" their potential, leading to sudden "eureka moments" where they distilled the essence of what they’d learned and made rapid progress.

Without that foundation, even taking an "enlightenment pill" wouldn’t have much effect.

These three were already among the most talented actresses in the "Twelve Beauties" group.

They had trained at the eco-park, then honed their craft in theater troupes with additional coaching.

Their skills were undeniably strong.

Moreover,

they had no shortage of stage opportunities or real-world experience in the theater.

The only thing they lacked was prolonged exposure to working under the camera.

So,

all three joined this film.

An Ya even landed one of the leading roles.

Wang Yue played a minor nurse role with limited screen time, but it gave her a taste of working on a film set.

Jiang Mengqi played a classmate of the female lead, with slightly more scenes than the nurse, also as a way to familiarize herself with the process.

It wasn’t that Cao Cheng had handpicked An Ya for the lead role.

He had promised them that if they worked hard, they would get major or at least supporting roles in films.

But he couldn’t have all three as leads at once.

Especially since this was a movie.

An Ya’s opportunity as the second female lead was something she earned through her own efforts.

She had made the most progress over the year.

In the theater troupe, she had won recognition from everyone, as well as a few admirers who secretly fawned over her.

In any case,

her debut role was as the school beauty Qiu Ya in Goodbye Mr. Loser.

What a coincidence—both their names contained "Ya."

……

Filming had started in April and lasted nearly three months. Cao Cheng had visited once during production.

This wrap party marked his second visit.

Cao Cheng was the primary investor.

He had also acquired the theater troupe, though most of the personnel remained unchanged.

At the banquet,

everyone kept toasting Cao Cheng.

No one had any complaints about this investor—he was generous with spending, ensuring the entire crew received bonuses and enjoyed excellent accommodations.

It was hard to imagine such a film, with almost entirely "new" actors, receiving so much attention from its backer.

Though Cao Cheng had only visited once,

he occasionally sent representatives to check in, making the crew feel so appreciated that they pushed themselves to do their best.

During the meal,

Cao Cheng sat at the head table, with An Ya and the others to his right.

Everyone knew these three were Cao Cheng’s protégées, likely to be heavily promoted by Miracle Media.

And perhaps there was something more between them…

Though nothing was openly acknowledged.

But given their beauty and Cao Cheng’s youth and wealth, people naturally speculated.

Who doesn’t love gossip?

Plenty of whispers circulated in private.

But when Cao Cheng was present, no one dared to speak carelessly.

To his left sat the director and other key figures.

The atmosphere was lively, with endless toasts and chatter.

……

Naturally, the conversation turned to the film’s post-production.

Issues like editing and promotion needed immediate attention now that filming had wrapped.

Cao Cheng smiled and said, "The production budget was under 50 million, but with marketing included, the total cost will likely reach 100 million."

"Everyone,"

"especially the core team, I expect full commitment during the nationwide promotional tour after release."

"This may not be the first film I’ve invested in, nor the most expensive, but I have extremely, extremely high expectations for it."

"And for all of you, this is your first major project—its importance goes without saying."

"Whether Mahua can successfully pivot depends on this."

"While I’m confident this film will turn a profit and deliver a solid ROI, I still need everyone’s support."

"So here’s my promise: if this movie hits 1 billion at the box office, I’ll personally give each of you a hefty bonus."

"……"

"……"

The moment he said this,

the room fell silent.

As the head table quieted, the surrounding chatter gradually died down too.

Soon, the entire hall was hushed.

Aside from a few drunk murmurs, most people sobered up instantly.

No one knew what had happened at the head table,

but even those seated there were stunned.

How much?

1 billion at the box office?

Wasn’t this… basically saying he didn’t plan to give out bonuses?

But then again, Cao Cheng had never been stingy.

Yet on second thought, it still seemed impossible.

What domestic films had ever crossed 1 billion?

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons—look at its director and cast.

Lost in Thailand—same.

Breakup Buddies…

Suddenly, the pressure felt heavier than during filming.

Cao Cheng glanced around. "What? Does everyone think it’s impossible? Is 1 billion really that hard?"

"……"

Only then did people snap out of it, offering awkward laughs or avoiding eye contact.

"Is 1 billion really that hard?"

Listen to this guy… Who even talks like that?

The mood turned noticeably somber, and emotional energy was quietly being harvested.

The director stammered, "Mr. Cao, while we do have some confidence in this film, 1 billion… that’s a bit of a stretch."

Once the director spoke,

others nodded in agreement.

Finally, Cao Cheng chuckled. "Then what’s your box office prediction?"

The director said, "I think 700 million is achievable."

Shen Teng added, "600 million."

As others chimed in, Cao Cheng understood their limits.

Fair enough.

At its core, this was a low-budget film with no big names attached—no major production, no famous director, no A-list stars.

Or, to put it another way:

A shoestring budget.

Non-mainstream actors.

Limited promotion.

For such films, a 50-million budget covering production, marketing, and even salaries was already pushing it.

Though Cao Cheng mentioned total costs reaching 100 million, no one took that seriously.

Would they really spend that much on promotion?

It’d never break even.

Forget 600 or 700 million—what if it barely made 100 million?

Plenty of star-studded films had flopped below that mark.

And this was a no-name project.

The earlier optimistic estimates were just lip service to Cao Cheng—no one genuinely believed it could cross 700 million.

It was absurd.

Only Cao Cheng knew the true potential of this film.

Even as critics and rival studios trashed it—calling it cringeworthy, trashy, lowbrow—

But that didn’t stop it from earning close to 1.5 billion yuan at the box office.

And this was achieved with minimal promotional efforts—just roadshows and some social media marketing.

If the publicity had been better, coupled with strong early word-of-mouth, this film could have easily started at 2 billion.

If the return on investment hadn’t been this promising, why would Cao Cheng go through the trouble of funding it?

Miracle Media had privately invested in quite a few films and TV shows, often just providing money without getting involved in anything else.

But this one was different.

Cao Cheng had personally shown up.

Keep in mind, he could cultivate his skills just by lying around these days. For him to make the trip in person was a rare occurrence.

……

After everyone had their say,

Cao Cheng understood.

But he simply smiled and said, “I get your concerns. How about this—let’s make a bet on the box office.”

Ever since becoming the "Chosen One," Cao Cheng had developed a fondness for gambling.

The stakes didn’t really matter.

What he cared about was the steady stream of emotional energy he harvested during the betting period.

So,

he seized every opportunity to place a wager.

“Let me be honest with you—after the script’s meticulous revisions, increased budget, and refined details, I personally believe this film is near perfect. Sure, there might still be some flaws, but they won’t stop it from being a critical and commercial success.”

“Therefore,”

“I’m leaning toward a minimum of 1 billion.”

“Feel free to bet against me. If it doesn’t hit 1 billion, I’ll double everyone’s salaries and fees.”

Whoosh—

The moment he said it,

the room fell into stunned silence.

Who bets like this?

Then, with a shift in tone, Cao Cheng added, “But if it exceeds 1 billion, no big bonuses for you—just sit back and watch others collect theirs. I’ll give you one last chance to reconsider. Do you really think it’ll cross 1 billion?”

Everyone had been drinking,

but their minds were razor-sharp.

Because this was about money.

And it was a dilemma.

If the film didn’t hit 1 billion, their pay would double—for someone like Shen Teng, that meant an extra 2 million.

Not exactly pocket change.

Plus, none of them genuinely believed a movie like this could break 1 billion.

If it did, wouldn’t that mean their whole crew was about to blow up overnight?

How could fame come that easily?

So,

after a few seconds of hesitation, most stuck to their original predictions—600 million, 700 million, maybe 800 million at most.

Forget 1 billion, even 900 million sounded like a fantasy to them.

After all, Huang Bo was an award-winning actor. Xu Zheng was both a celebrated actor and a renowned director.

And Stephen Chow? He was a legend, a once-in-a-century talent.

Even their films only made around 1 billion.

Who were they, exactly?

Only a madman would dare dream their movie could hit 1 billion…

……

After everyone made their choices,

Cao Cheng was delighted.

Soon, they’d be supplying him with an endless stream of emotional energy.

They’d probably regret it so much it’d eat them alive.

This harvest was going to be massive.

Right now, none of them were particularly famous.

But once the film hit theaters and crossed 1 billion, their fame would skyrocket—and so would the backlash of negative emotions.

Cao Cheng might even leak today’s bet to the fans.

Another wave of emotions.

Pure bliss!

……

The drinking resumed quickly.

It was a wrap party, after all—everyone was in high spirits.

The bet was just a minor sideshow.

And they hadn’t yet sensed the malice behind it…

Cao Cheng got drunk too and eventually left the restaurant with Wang Yue and others supporting him.

The three women had also wrapped up their theater commitments and would be returning with Cao Cheng.