Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 340 The Taste of Love

"The room is a bit small, please make yourself at home."

The host opened the door, invited the guest in, and took out a pair of disposable slippers.

Sit anywhere?
Liu Jing stood at the door, with a clear view of the room. There were two small sofas and a bed; it seemed that was all the seating options.

"I got it at the hotel," Tong Liya quickly explained when she noticed Liu Jing's gaze fixed on her.

"You know how to manage your money," Liu Jing muttered.

“The room fee has already been paid, why not take it? I also have a disposable toothbrush.” Tong Liya turned on the air conditioner, and the room was very warm.

This was Liu Jing's first time here; the location wasn't far from the Central Academy of Drama. Tong Liya had rented a standard room, which was about 30 square meters.

Although small, it has everything you need: a bed, a coffee table, a separate bathroom, and the balcony has been converted into a simple kitchen.

The room was very clean, and the bed was neatly made. Despite its small size, the room felt spacious thanks to the owner's skillful design.

There was a glass bottle on the coffee table filled with lilies, which were in full bloom.

There was also an unwrapped bouquet of flowers next to it, clearly a gift that had just been given to them.

"These flowers are nice." Liu Jing sat on the sofa, picked up a rose, plucked a petal and smelled it. "They smell very good, like the scent of love."

“Oh, then it must be sour.” Tong Liya suddenly laughed.

Liu Jing glanced at it; they were all adults, how could they not understand the meaning of those words?

The other party took him back to their small apartment, clearly indicating ill intentions.

He did indeed have some affection for this flower from the Western Regions, especially when she danced.

Perhaps influenced by Sister Li, he frequented dance troupes from a young age and was easily attracted to women who excelled in dance.

Two of the nine bonds are between dance students.

He had seen Jing Tian dance; her movements were stiff, not at all like a dance student.

I've also seen lion cubs dance; their postures are elegant, light, and fluid, a delight to behold.

Tong Liya is different; every smile, every gesture, evokes a desire in people that "the emperor will no longer attend court in the morning."

However, that's all there is to it. Things are different now than they were a few years ago. Back then, he was worried about finding a bond target, and when he met a suitable one, he couldn't wait to tie them up immediately.

With so many fish in the pond—plump, beautiful, and vibrant—he had a wide variety to choose from.

Besides, with his current resources, he could turn even a pig into a star.

System upgrades are becoming increasingly difficult; the next level costs tens of millions, and the level after that should cost a hundred million. He doesn't know if he'll be able to upgrade three times in his lifetime.

Ever since he learned that he would definitely have a relationship with a bond in the future, he has been extremely careful in choosing a bond, and he will definitely choose the best among the best.

Because this is not just about choosing a bond, but about choosing a lifelong partner; their character, appearance, talent, and personality all have to suit his taste.

At this moment, the man's possessiveness took over, and Liu Jing was genuinely a little jealous.

"Love is inherently sour; it's sweet for two people, but sour for a group." Liu Jing tore off petals and threw them on the ground.

Tong Liya poured a glass of water and handed it to Liu Jing. "A classmate gave it to me when I went to school yesterday. He must have had ulterior motives. I like lilies, so I untied the bouquet and put it in a vase. I was going to throw these roses away, but I was in a hurry this morning and forgot to take them with me."

"What are you thinking?" Liu Jing asked knowingly.

"It doesn't matter what he's thinking. He can't give me what I want, so I have no other intentions," Tong Liya smiled.

"Oh, really?" Liu Jing remained noncommittal.

"You can give me what I want, are you willing to give it?" Tong Liya suddenly sat in Liu Jing's lap.

"this world……"

“I can become the second Yang Mi.” Tong Liya said in a very firm tone before Liu Jing could finish speaking.

“Your competitors are very strong. If you eventually stand on the stage of ‘Silk Road,’ I will give you a chance.” Liu Jing reached out and lifted Tong Liya’s chin. The seemingly gentle woman’s eyes burned with ambition.

Faced with fame, fortune, and future prospects, tradition, family upbringing, and principles can all be discarded. Health, future, and reputation can all be sacrificed.

"Opportunity? What opportunity? To become one of your lovers, or one of your sex partners?" Tong Liya's eyes were burning.

"Do you want me to marry you?" Liu Jing smiled knowingly.

"Just like you won't marry Yang Mi, you won't marry me either."

She hooked her arm around Liu Jing's neck, her red lips like fire, and stamped her lips.

Opportunities are created, not fallen from the sky.

As for whether or not to get married, let's get into this circle first and get the pass before talking about that.

How could Liu Jing resist such an offer?

Summer clothes are already thin, and the netting had already torn before we could even catch the fish a couple of times.

Liu Jing was surprised. This woman looked quite thin, but he didn't expect her to be so well-endowed, which was somewhat unusual.

buzzing...

Busy catching fish and rabbits, I had no time to answer the phone.

"Phone call." Tong Liya pushed Liu Jing away and quickly got up.

Liu Jingneng could ignore it, but she couldn't ignore the presence of the phone, because it was sitting beneath her. In her moment of ecstasy, only this could make her restless.

"Practice hard. The other candidates are all very capable and have strong backgrounds. I went to great lengths to get you promoted. The opportunity is yours; whether you seize it is up to you." Liu Jing glanced at his phone; it was a call from his assistant.

While rejecting the call, he replied with a message saying he was hailing a taxi.

"Okay, I know they have connections, for example..."

boom……

Tong Liya opened her mouth, her departure truly resolute. I shouldn't have reminded her of the phone call. I wonder whose call it was? Could it be Liu Yifei?
"I really am a gentleman. From now on, please call me Liu Xiahui. With so many beautiful women to choose from, I actually have to go to work." Liu Jing quickly went downstairs and was actually hailing a taxi.

"Boss, I'll pick you up. Mr. Wang will be there in an hour." A text message arrived, and Liu Jing replied instantly, "No need for that. I'll be there in half an hour."

"Driver, can you get to Chunqiu Building in twenty minutes?"

The driver didn't say anything, but suddenly increased the speed by two steps.

Mr. Wang came to visit Chunqiu. The appointment was made a few days ago and was scheduled for 4 pm.

Liu Jing understood what they were talking about; it was definitely "The Message".

With the project successfully approved, the news could no longer be kept secret, and half of the entertainment industry was quick to react.

Investors are waving their money, eager to get in; actors are scheming to snatch roles; and sponsors and advertisers are scrambling to get involved...

The directors watched with skepticism, with many saying that the success of Liu Jing's two films was half luck and half hype.

The others aren't stupid. With the first two films being such gems, even if the third one is bad, it can't be too bad.

Where is Yuanyuan?

Bai Bing was speechless. As soon as she arrived at the company, she asked Yuan Yuan, "Is there no one in front of you?"

"Is she off rehearsing for another play? Her acting skills are beyond repair. Audiences like her, not because of her acting," Liu Jing complained.

“She went to Shanghai. Sister Min is coming back, isn’t she? She’s worried about the workers repairing the house, so she flew over herself to keep an eye on things,” Bai Bing explained.

"Oh, let's make some tea." Liu Jing didn't press further.

Zhang Min plans to return to China before the Olympics begin, but she doesn't want to live in Shanghai. Shanghai is her birthplace, and having children makes her miss her homeland even more. She owns two old villas there, which she recently had renovated by a property management team, and she plans to live there.

Sister Li personally arranged for a nanny and a childcare worker, Qianqian went to the United States to pick up the mother and daughter, and General Manager Wen purchased all the necessary maternity and baby supplies...

Liu Jing couldn't help but mutter to himself, "The division of labor is quite clear, but it seems like I have nothing to do, and they didn't even consult me."

"Xiao Ai went to Shanghai too." Bai Bing didn't move, but when she noticed the boss's unfriendly gaze, she suddenly realized, "Oh, I'll go for a drink, I'll go for a drink."

Liu Jing snorted. If it weren't for the appointment, he would have definitely used his assistant to cool off. "The premiere of 'Red Cliff' is next week, and Boss Wu has invited you to attend." The assistant made a cup of green tea, making things easier this way.

"Don't go."

"Hmm! I've already declined, saying you're busy with the opening ceremony and can't get away. If you attend, who knows how he'll hype it up. He'll definitely spread rumors that he's about to collaborate with you on some project."

Since its listing, hype has been a constant theme for Orange Sky. One penny can be hyped into ten, and something can be created out of nothing. Boss Wu tells one story after another in a convoluted and bizarre way.

He had figured out how to play the stock market, and the stock price soared, with the market value exceeding HK$2 billion, compared to HK$800 million at the time of listing.

Mr. Wang often remarked that he thought he was just planting a nail, but he never expected to make money from it.

Bai Bing had some spare cash and even bought shares of Chengmei, which earned her a warning from Liu Jing.

Chengmei is a castle in the air, unable to withstand much hardship. Once it collapses, the stock will be worthless, and people won't even have time to run away.

Those celebrities in the entertainment industry don't understand this principle. They don't have much financial management ability. If they can make money in the stock market or in investments, it's either because of the dividends of the times, insider information, or pure luck.

Since its market capitalization surpassed HK$70 billion, Golden Harvest's market value has remained stagnant due to the economic situation.

TVB's market value was 200 billion last year, 150 billion at the beginning of this year, and is now 110 billion, and is still declining.

One stock didn't rise, and the other fell, so many celebrities in the entertainment industry bought shares of Orange Beauty.

"Keep a close eye on Chengmei lately; I reckon they're up to something," Liu Jing guessed.

"Because of the release of 'Under the City Wall'? The Japanese are clamoring to blacklist you in Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia." Bai Bing scoffed. A blacklist might be possible in small countries, but a blacklist in South Korea is completely unrealistic. The boss and Samsung's little princess are practically inseparable, and after more than a year of acquisitions, New Life Pictures is now one of the leading entertainment companies in South Korea.

"Wang Jinghua has been so quiet lately? Wasn't Huo Wenxi going to set up a joint venture with her?" Liu Jing wondered.

"Heh, this top agent tried to use the same tactics he used against Huayi, but he didn't expect Old Wu to be just as formidable. Before the IPO, he weakened Wang Jinghua's influence through various equity arrangements. That's not all; he poured a lot of money into those artists. He also used profit-sharing and equity swaps to tie some artists to Chengmei's coattails. Wang Jinghua wanted to leave Chengmei with her artists, but found that many people remained silent." Bai Bing gloated.

"Tsk tsk, he can't command a hundred responses anymore. What about Huo Wenxi? Her methods are no less sophisticated than Wang Jinghua's. With two top agents joining forces, Old Wu might not be able to beat them," Liu Jing remarked in amazement.

"Huo Wenxi and Wang Jinghua aren't like me and Sister Yuanyuan. They're not on the same page. Besides, Huo Wenxi doesn't really want to start a joint venture with Wang Jinghua. Her ultimate goal is to create internal strife within Chengmei." Bai Bing said disdainfully. They can't see eye to eye; 1+1 doesn't equal 2.

“Give Huo Wenxi a hand and hasten Wang Jinghua’s departure. If Lao Wu, or rather Chengmei, can’t rely on the Beijing circle’s influence as easily anymore.” Liu Jing tapped his fingers on the table. A man without foresight will have immediate worries. Wang Jinghua’s departure is beneficial to him.

Recently, Qin Shi Capital has detected unusual fund movements at Chengmei, with funds flowing into Chengmei. The source of these funds is related to the right wing of Xiao Riwei.

With grain and money in hand, Lao Wu is definitely going to do something big next. Liu Jing doesn't believe he'll invest in film and television, because the funding channels are very secretive.

He had reason to suspect that this was directed at him, just like those madmen targeted Iris Chang back then.

“But we can’t affect Wang Jinghua.” Bai Bing rubbed her temples. She understood her boss’s concerns and had been trying to confirm them through other means recently.

"Young Master Wang is here, isn't he? He and Wang Jinghua used to be business partners. Others can't do anything about it, but he can. He's been wanting to get back at Old Wu for what he did to him back then. We're not begging him; we're just doing this out of brotherly loyalty, to get revenge for our brother. He has to do something, right?" Liu Jing said with emotion.

"What a good brother." Bai Bing murmured, always thinking he was shameless, but now he realized that he still wasn't shameless enough.

Liu Jingzheng was leisurely drinking tea when Mr. Wang arrived late.

At the shout of "Brother, get out!", Bai Bing choked on his drink.

"Brother, sorry, there was a traffic jam on the way. Sigh! Traffic in Yandu is getting worse and worse, especially since your Chunqiu Building is in such a prime location. Every step you take is blocked by traffic, one obstacle after another." Mr. Wang sighed, it was hard to tell whether he was lamenting the traffic or the grandeur of the Chunqiu Building.

Spring and Autumn Pictures isn't unique in the entertainment industry, but its office building is certainly one of a kind.

Huayi Brothers also has plans to build a building, but going public is their priority right now.

Mr. Wang was late, partly due to traffic, but he also wasted a lot of time admiring the Spring and Autumn Times Square. He had just secretly made up his mind that once Huayi went public and raised funds, he would definitely build a magnificent building as well.

Playing with female celebrities, cough cough, or working in a building like this must be very comfortable.

"Mr. Wang, Sister Bingbing, Sister Xun, hello, please have a seat." Bai Bing hurriedly greeted them. She glanced at the boss and noticed that he seemed somewhat helpless about the arrival of the two big stars.

How could Liu Jing not feel helpless? When he was filming a promotional video in Hengdian, Boss Wang mentioned these two beauties.

He actually brought them this time, so obviously there are other things planned later: dinner, drinks, and girls.

"Liu Jing, long time no see! You're such a busy man these days," Li Bingbing said cheerfully.

"fuss."

“We’re the ones who’re busy doing nothing, you’re busy with real business,” Zhou Xun said with a smile.

"This is new tea that just arrived from Anxi. Try it and see how it tastes." Bai Bing added some Tieguanyin tea to a cup and brewed it directly with boiling water.

Liu Jing's lips twitched. He'd added too much tea, and the water was too hot. His assistant's tea-brewing skills were getting increasingly sloppy.

"Wow! It smells so good." Li Bingbing exclaimed before even smelling it.

"Thank you," Zhou Xun said, making sure to express his gratitude.

"Brother, how's the opening ceremony going?" Little Wang didn't exchange pleasantries; he always felt that Liu Jing and he were kindred spirits.

"They're having a dress rehearsal right now." Liu Jing didn't want to go into too much detail, then asked, "I heard your IPO process has hit a snag?"

"Sigh! Listing on the main board is so difficult. If we had listed in Hong Kong back then, we'd probably be ringing the bell by now. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) requires three consecutive years of profitability, with cumulative net profit exceeding 30 million, and revenue exceeding 300 million in the most recent year, or cash flow exceeding 50 million. These are all manageable; if performance isn't enough, we can make up for it with data. Sacrificing some other interests, we can definitely meet the data requirements, but time is a hard requirement." Mr. Wang picked up his teacup and began to complain, "The main board is very strict in its review of related-party transactions, goodwill impairment, and other issues, especially for artist management businesses, which face an even higher level of scrutiny. According to Mr. Ma's plan, we were to list in the second half of this year, but now we're stuck there because of these issues."

“Good things come to those who wait. Valuations in the A-share market are generally higher than in overseas markets. Huayi’s choice to list in mainland China will result in a higher price-to-earnings ratio, allowing it to raise more funds,” Liu Jing reassured her.

"That's what Mr. Ma said too." Mr. Wang smiled. Besides the high price-to-earnings ratio, there were two other advantages that he valued most.

High liquidity makes it easy to reduce holdings.

The founders have strong control and are flexible in capital operations.

"Mr. Ma's vision is impeccable," Liu Jing praised, noting that he not only has excellent judgment but also great eloquence.

"Mr. Ma asked me to pass on a message: Does Spring Airlines have any plans to go public? He has a few friends who want to cooperate with Spring Airlines," asked Mr. Wang.

“Then ask Mr. Ma if Alibaba is still looking for shareholders? I have a few friends who want to cooperate with Alibaba,” Liu Jing replied.

"Haha, let's talk about our business." Little Wang laughed. If Liu Jingzhen agreed, it would be a big threat to Huayi.

"Liu Jing, I heard you're going to make a spy movie. Do you have a role that would suit me?" Li Bingbing was quick-witted, and the atmosphere was a little awkward. She felt it was time to speak up.

If we're talking about being straightforward, Da Hua is the one who directly asked for roles.

"Sister Bingbing, this time we're preparing..." Bai Bing explained the casting concept to the two leading actresses.

"This is a good thing. Scientific and standardized casting benefits production companies." Mr. Wang's eyes lit up, and it also weakens the director's control over the production team to some extent.

"Rules are made by people, and they are also implemented by people." Liu Jing sighed.

"Having a system is better than having none. I've long felt that our domestic film production methods are too backward. We've spent a lot of money on this, often with little to no return. Pushing things down to each stage, a dollar is only worth a penny. This isn't good for the film industry in the long run. Some people in our country keep talking about benchmarking against Hollywood, about looking up to Hollywood. I think we should look to Hollywood first for infrastructure and systems. Focusing only on top-level design without considering basic logic is like trying to draw a tiger but ending up with a dog that doesn't resemble a cat." Mr. Wang was indignant, clearly having a lot of opinions about some experts.

"Liu Jing, I want to play the role of Gu Xiaomeng. You name your conditions, I'm willing to do anything." Zhou Xun put down his teacup, his expression serious.

Mr. Wang's face darkened; he was somewhat displeased.

He had hoped to use this opportunity to discuss some matters, but Zhou Xun interrupted him, saying that any conditions could be proposed, which he found extremely offensive. "They want to poach you from Huayi," Zhou Xun implied, "would you really agree to that?"

"Haha, you're quick on the uptake, kid. I just noticed this novel and was about to buy the rights, but you bought it first." Young Master Wang laughed, putting Zhou Xun's topic to rest.

Bai Bing chuckled and refilled Zhou Xun's tea.

"It cost a million, it hurts me to death. And I paid for it myself, the company hasn't even reimbursed me yet," Liu Jing sighed.

The author asked for 500,000, but Liu Jing offered 1 million. The high price came with conditions: the subsequent novel rights would be sold to Chunqiu first, and the adaptation into a screenplay was also required.

"I'll offer two million, sell it to me," said Mr. Wang with a forced smile.

"Brother Lei, we're brothers, why are we talking about selling? I've reserved an investment share for you, we're brothers, no need for formalities," Liu Jing said with a smile.

"I heard that China Film Group spent 30 million yuan and took a 20% share." Mr. Wang felt uneasy and suddenly didn't want to invest anymore.

Bai Bing was stunned. Wasn't it supposed to be 20 million for a 20% share?
"I can't give you 20% of the shares. I still need to help Eagle King make money." Liu Jing sighed. He hadn't paid for the land outright; he was going to help them make money afterward.

"Eagle King," Boss Wang murmured. What exactly happened at the beginning of the year? He had been investigating for half a year but still hadn't found out anything.

"Xiao Dong, take Sister Xun and Sister Bingbing out for a stroll. I'm going to have a chat with Brother Lei."

(End of this chapter)