1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 53 Backers and Backers

Zhai Yuan originally thought that it would be a bit troublesome to get out this time, but he didn't expect that the man in front of him could take care of it with just a few words.

An hour later, in a private room of Yangcheng Restaurant.

Zhai Yuan and He Zilang sat opposite each other.

"Assistant He, have you heard my story too?"

After a few simple chats, Zhai Yuan already understood why He Zilang helped him today.

In addition to the impression left by the movie screenings at Kim Mau Ping, another reason was the antagonistic relationship between his boss and the foreign councillor.

The enemy of the enemy is the friend.

"What? You don't call me Uncle He now?" He Zilang looked at him with a teasing smile.

"Eat some food!" Zhai Yuan changed the subject directly, and he was not done taking advantage of others.

The food tastes delicious.

He Zilang spoke again: "After the screening of that foreign movie, has there been no big news recently?"

Zhai Yuan picked up the baked shrimp balls with chopsticks and put them into the bowl, saying casually: "The world is bad, business is hard, and now I am living off my savings."

He Zilang laughed and said, "No way. I heard that you just dealt with the guy who stole your video parlor business. The court hearing hasn't even ended yet, but you went to the Housing Authority to apply for business licenses. This isn't called living off the land, it's called reorganizing."

Zhai Yuan raised his eyebrows and looked at He Zilang in surprise.

I thought to myself, what's wrong with this person? Why is he staring at me all day long instead of doing his job? He even knows about my court session today.

"Do not misunderstand."

He Zilang waved his hand and smiled, "As assistants, we are here to help the boss solve problems. The boss has to accompany those business celebrities, so I will check if there are any missed pearls in the nearby pile of rocks."

Zhai Yuan smiled and said, "I am Mingzhu?"

He Zilang nodded, then shook his head: "The foreign film incident was indeed well done, but it has been a bit weak recently. It took so long to deal with Deng Zecheng, and the means were not glorious."

Zhai Yuan felt that these officials were still not down-to-earth enough.

I am a poor guy from a housing estate, but I was able to defeat the other party by making a small investment into a big one. I have already used up all my resources, so why should I care whether it is glorious or not.

Seeing He Zilang looking at him with a smile, Zhai Yuan's heart suddenly moved.

Even the court session I attended today is clear to me, so it is impossible for the other party not to know his own situation, so what he said is worth pondering.

After a few seconds, Zhai Yuan and He Zilang looked at each other and spoke slowly:
"I am very optimistic about the film market in the next few years, so I want to start with the video hall business in Sau Mau Ping and set up a new type of mini cinema. If all goes well, it will be fruitful in two years at most."

"Mini cinemas have fewer seats, lower rents and lower business risks. Compared with the current cinemas with one to two thousand or two to three thousand seats, they are more suitable to be packaged as high-end venues to attract young people with money."

"Of course, all this is premised on the fact that my development in Kwun Tong goes smoothly. Otherwise, I will have to deal with firefighting today and inspections tomorrow. I will have to work hard just to deal with them. How can I have time to entertain customers from other districts to spend money here?"

After hearing this, He Zilang picked up the teacup and blew the floating tea leaves slowly.

The box was quiet for a while.

After finishing a cup of tea, the voice rang out again.

"It's a good thing for young people to have ideals. As long as you do things in accordance with procedures, I believe no one will deliberately make things difficult for you."

After the official answer, He Zilang put down the teacup, without even looking up, and added lightly: "Let's try it first."

……

South Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon

After four hours, the trial of Hong Kong's first foreign copyright infringement case finally came to an end.

"After deliberation by the jury, the defendant Deng Zecheng's criminal facts are clear and the evidence is conclusive, so he is found guilty of the first charge of infringing the copyright of the movie "Jennifer's Revenge" and the second charge of forgery and using false documents."

"In accordance with the Copyright Ordinance and the Crimes Ordinance, I hereby order the defendant, Tang Zecheng, to be confiscated for the unjust enrichment of HK$64,000 he made through the film and to be fined HK$200,000 as compensation to the copyright holder."

"Because his forgery and use of false documents did not cause serious consequences, the jury unanimously agreed that the sentence should be reduced as appropriate, and therefore sentenced the defendant Deng Zecheng to one year in prison, to be executed three days later."

"Adjourn the court!"

The crowd dispersed, and the relevant staff accompanied Shen Wei to count Deng Zecheng's assets to serve as compensation for his infringement of Zhai Yuan's film copyright.

Two hundred thousand is not a small sum of money. In this era, it can buy a three-bedroom, one-living-room villa in the city.

Of course Deng Zecheng couldn't come up with so much cash, so he could only mortgage his assets.

"Thank you for your hard work, this is a little gift from my boss."

Before liquidating Deng Zecheng's assets, Shen Wei handed two horse racing tickets that he had prepared in advance to the staff.

Each horse racing ticket can be exchanged for one thousand Hong Kong dollars at the racecourse.

This way of giving small gifts is safer than giving cash directly, and there is no need to worry about investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

For this reason, many lottery winners have people come up to them and pay a higher price to buy their tickets as soon as they leave the racecourse.

Just like these two thousand-yuan horse racing tickets, Shen Wei actually spent two hundred yuan more on each one.

But the benefits are immediate.

In the subsequent asset liquidation, except for the two public housing properties that Deng Zecheng bought at original prices in Sau Mau Ping, all the televisions, VCRs, tapes, etc. in the remaining public housing estates were disposed of at very low depreciated prices.

For example, a Hitachi sit-down TV that cost more than 23,000 yuan was only worth 15,000 yuan after being used for just three or two months.

In the end, after counting all the items, Deng Zecheng still owed Zhai Yuan more than 10,000 yuan.

So he was ordered to pay off the principal and interest within two months.

……

In the detention room of Yau Ma Tei Divisional Police Station.

When Deng Zecheng learned that all his property was sealed, he was in tears.

And he would have to go to jail in three days.

The first thing he thought of was to ask his brother-in-law Shi Binghui for help.

However, when the call was connected, the sound of sister Deng Leling sobbing was heard on the other end.

"Your brother-in-law was suddenly taken away by the ICAC for investigation half an hour ago. Even visits were not allowed. They said he would be sentenced to at least 20 years in prison this time!"

Deng Leling's voice was hoarse: "Even my gold and silver jewelry and bank deposits were confiscated. Ah Cheng, who did you offend this time?"

After hanging up the phone, Deng Zecheng's hands and feet were cold.

Who did you offend? Just a housing estate boy!

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't guess it. However, in order to reassure Zhai Yuan, He Zilang made a few phone calls and all the negative information about Shao Yahui was turned upside down.

"Want me to die? Don't even think about it!"

Deng Zecheng held the phone in his hand, the hatred in his eyes growing deeper.

He dialed a number without hesitation, and a man's steady voice quickly sounded on the other end.

"Ah Cheng, what's the matter?"

"Brother Darong, I know you've had your eyes on my sister, and now's your chance."

Deng Zecheng got straight to the point and quickly recounted what happened today, saying, "I'll call my sister tonight to ask her out and ask her to meet you at the place where we drank last time. It depends on your ability to deal with her."

"But I would like you to help me get a letter of forgiveness from that housing estate boy and help me apply for an appeal so that I don't have to go to jail. You must have a way."

"Besides, haven't you always wanted to open a new cinema chain? Believe me, the video hall built by that housing estate guy must be suitable for you..."

After hanging up the phone, Deng Zecheng showed a grim smile on his face.

The person who was addressed as Brother Darong in the phone call he just made was not someone else.

He is the boss of Dayong Film Company, the leader of the Xiangjiang Lianshunle Society, and the godson of the owner of the Ma Jiao rice restaurant.

Deng Guangrong.

As long as my sister Deng Leling serves this big boss well tonight, I still have a chance to turn things around!
You poor bastard from a failed housing estate, no matter what backer you find to deal with that loser Shao Yahui, this time I will get you kicked out of the house!
If I can't beat you within the rules, don't blame me for using unconventional tactics. Do you think my years in the film industry are fake?
(End of this chapter)