Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 418 Who? (Bonus chapter for Martial God Invincible 1, combined with another chapter)

A thousand kilometers away in Beiping, Xiao Liu walked out of the Capital Theatre of the Beijing People's Art Theatre alone, under a gloomy sky.

At roughly the same time in Shanghai, Bingbing followed Xu Dawen, who was pushing Xie Jin's wheelchair, and turned the corner to enter the Hua Mao Hall.

To be honest, Lu Kuan was somewhat surprised to see such a radiant and captivating young actress at first glance.

Then, at a glance, Xie Jin, dressed in a dark blue Zhongshan suit with an 80s Shanghai Film Studio badge pinned to his left chest, was seen waving at him from his wheelchair.

His slightly hunched back, hunched over from years of working at his desk, was sunken into the cushion of his wheelchair, yet he still maintained the uprightness unique to an artist. Beneath his swollen eyelids, the eyes that had once seen through the humanity in "Hibiscus Town" remained clear and bright.

Xie Jin greeted everyone, showing particular kindness to Lu Kuan. Perhaps it was because he was old and talkative, but he held Lu Kuan's hand and kept babbling on and on.

Bingbing greeted everyone familiarly, and when it was his turn, he simply shook hands lightly and secretly tickled the man's palm.

It felt like a feather brushing against you, or a cat's paw gently scratching you.

Her movements were so quick that no one else could see anything amiss, except for Lu Kuan, who could sense the ambiguous flirtation in that instant.

Ren Zhonglun, as the host, invited everyone to take their seats. Xie Jin and Xu Dawen, two senior figures, were naturally invited to sit in the main seats, and after some polite refusals, they accepted.

Lu Kuan and Li Shoucheng stood on either side of him, and Bingbing naturally sat down next to him.

When there are ladies at the dinner table, especially beautiful ladies, the focus of the conversation and jokes naturally shifts to them.

Ren Zhonglun joked, "I invited Director Xie to dinner today, but I didn't expect you to bring your female apprentice. The old lady really knows how to manage a household; we should learn from her."

Xie Jin shook his head helplessly: "She knew I was discharged from the hospital and came to visit me. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Ren Zhonglun waved his hand: "Don't mention it. It's more lively and fun with more people. It's great, great."

Bingbing has never been one to back down from a stage. The higher the level of fame and fortune, the more confident and assertive she becomes. She smiled and retorted to Ren Zhonglun:
"Mr. Ren, I just handed the keys to the van to the receptionist at Huamao Pavilion. If you're worried about the cost of this meal, I can sell the car and treat you!"

"Hahaha!" Everyone laughed, marveling at the actress's ease and skill in social situations.

Logically speaking, for an actress like her to joke with the president of Shanghai Film Group, the second largest film company in the industry after China Film Group, is somewhat presumptuous.

However, firstly, she came with Xie Jin, the undisputed pillar and meritorious director of Shanghai Film Studio, and can be considered his apprentice;
As a top figure in the industry, Ren Zhonglun had naturally heard some vague rumors about another famous director who was calmly drinking tea at the scene.

In the current entertainment industry, mentioning photos doesn't just refer to the turmoil in Hong Kong at the beginning of this year.

Who can forget that tense and exciting birthday party on August 25, 2005?
That was the first photo scandal of our time!
It's just that because someone's power was too great, and the two people involved eventually became a couple, now no one mentions it anymore.

Chinese drinking culture is divided into north and south. In the southern region of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, there is no custom of serving wine at banquets; guests are allowed to choose according to their preferences.

If you want to drink, someone will accompany you; if you're not in the mood for alcohol, you can just have a small sip.

Lu Kuan sat next to Xie Jin, and the old man praised his book "The Sky of History" over and over again, full of concern for the younger generation. Everyone at the table also flattered him and did not hold back their praise.

This balance was broken by the arrival of an uninvited guest.

"I'm late! I'm late!" A charming waitress led a man with thick eyebrows and big eyes into the room.

Xie Jin asked in surprise, "Jiang Wen, what brings you here?"

Everyone turned to look as Jiang Wen strode into the private room, his black leather jacket open, revealing a slightly wrinkled plaid shirt underneath.

He sported his signature buzz cut, the stubble of which was graying, making his angular face appear even more rugged.

"Hey! I need to see Xu's second son in Hengdian. I heard you were discharged from the hospital, so I thought I'd come and check on you!"

"As soon as I got to the hospital, I heard from San'er that you had come to the Shanghai Film Studio, so I contacted General Manager Li of Eagle King and shamelessly came to freeload a meal."

Jiang Wen greeted everyone politely with her hands clasped together. Lu Kuan glanced at Li Shoucheng's expression and knew that he must have called them over.

Then, considering his strong support after the huge flop of "The Sun Also Rises," I guessed he wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the "Let the Bullets Fly" project.

Xie Jin nodded. The old man lost his son in his later years, and his third son was his nephew, who would help take care of him at the hospital.

Jiang Wen also had a close relationship with Xie Jin. In 1986, he overruled objections and invited Jiang Wen, who was only 23 years old at the time, to star in "Hibiscus Town" as Qin Shutian.

At the time, Jiang Wen had just graduated from the Central Academy of Drama and had only appeared in a few works such as "The Last Empress," but Xie Jin thought that he had "a certain spirit in his eyes," and this choice completely changed Jiang Wen's fate.

Since the guest was a guest, Ren Zhonglun asked the waiter to bring more chairs and bowls. Jiang Wen walked over to Bingbing's side in a carefree manner.

"Beautiful lady, could you please move to another seat? I'd like to have a few drinks with Director Lu and learn from him."

Bingbing's eyes sparkled, and her red lips curved slightly: "That won't do. I finally have a chance to get close to the great director. Director Jiang, don't bully me."

Huo Wenxi was quite familiar with Jiang Wen, and he chimed in with a smile, "Director Jiang, you should ask Director Lu about this. Even if Bingbing agrees, he can't agree, can he?"

"Do you think she'd give up sitting with a stunningly beautiful woman to squeeze in with a grown man like you?"

Jiang Wen, looking like he was begging for mercy, accepted Ren Zhonglun's arrangement and sat down next to Li Shoucheng: "Ladies, I'm convinced! Please have mercy on me!"

Lu Kuan raised his glass and said, "Old Jiang, let me toast you. I'm really sorry, but I really have no interest in men."

The whole room burst into laughter, and today's elegant banquet finally became somewhat lively.

After several rounds of drinks, and having toasted each other twice, with Jiang Wen making a point of expressing her appreciation to Xie Jin with two drinks, she took the initiative:
"Director Lu, we've actually known each other for quite a while, but we haven't kept in touch much over the years, which I regret."

"Yes, it was in 2003 at Cannes. Director Jiang, as a member of the jury, took good care of our domestic film crew."

Jiang Wen waved his hand dismissively: "No, I didn't really help much. I thought 'Shoplifters' was a sure thing to win the Palme d'Or, but it was snatched away by 'Elephant,' which is about an American shooting."

As the crowd listened to the two exchanging pleasantries, they remarked that nowadays, only the Oscars and the Palme d'Or remain unfulfilled awards for young directors.

However, he is not yet thirty years old. Forget about the Oscar for now, the Palme d'Or is an honor he can achieve within ten years.

"President Ren, President Li, Director Lu, I actually have a project on hand that I'd like to introduce to you."

Jiang Wen wasn't very assertive today. She used her lateness as an excuse to make rounds and offer toasts, only to reveal her true intentions later.

It seems that he has become more pragmatic after being battered by life and career.

Li Shoucheng was well aware of the situation and chimed in, "Director Jiang, in short, the dinner table is lacking some accompaniments to the meal and drinks. Director Xie is here today, so you may speak up."

"Tell me about it? Okay, then I'll tell you." As soon as Jiang Wen heard that someone was going to support her, she shamelessly asked and answered herself, then grabbed the wine glass on the table, took a swig, wiped her mouth, and that carefree attitude came out.

He took out the script from his bag, seemingly prepared, and tactfully handed it to Xie Jin first.

It wouldn't be wise to just go straight for Boss Lu with only one book, even though that was indeed his biggest goal for the day.

After "The Sun Also Rises" suffered a huge loss of over 4000 million yuan, Li Shoucheng couldn't help but hesitate about his next painstaking work.

In short, with an industry expert like Boss Lu readily available, it's best to listen to his opinion first.

"This script is adapted from the story of 'The Thief of the Official' in Mr. Ma Shitu's 'Ten Tales of the Night'."

"It's about the Republican era. A bandit leader bought the position of county magistrate, but when he took office, he found the whole county to be dirt poor, even worse off than when he was a bandit!"

He chuckled as he spoke, revealing a set of bright white teeth, looking just like a mountain bandit who had just finished robbing a bandit.

"I'm thinking, this story has some interesting spice! Bandits becoming officials, and officials being even more corrupt than bandits—isn't this a blatant 'Exposing the True Colors of Officialdom'? But we can't just read it verbatim; we have to add some spice..."

After a long and eloquent speech, he didn't forget to add the finishing touch at the end: "The original title of this script was 'The Tale of the Thief Official,' until I saw Director Lu's interview in Berlin today, where he mentioned a sentence—"

"Don't rush, let the bullets fly for a while!"

Jiang Wen slapped his thigh, looking like a clumsy storyteller: "These words just popped into my head in an instant, they're absolutely brilliant!"

"I thought to myself, why not call it 'Let the Bullets Fly'!"

Everyone burst into laughter at his exaggerated gestures. Apart from a few leaders from the CICC sponsorship team, everyone present was from the film industry and was a top figure in the field. They immediately started talking about Jiang Wen's project.

Xie Jin is the one who cares the most about this. Everyone knows that he helped Jiang Wen achieve her first Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actor, but no one knows that Xie Jin was also Jiang Wen's mentor in directing.

During the filming of "Hibiscus Town", Xie Jin adopted a "collective creation" model, requiring actors to participate in script revision.

Jiang Wen's suggestions, such as "Qin Shutian dancing in the rain" and "pasting white couplets," were adopted. This open creative environment cultivated Jiang Wen's early ability to deeply control the characters.

Old Jiang and Li Shoucheng's main target today was actually Boss Lu, but he seemed rather uninterested, only glancing at his phone occasionally.

Why hasn't Xiao Liu, the clingy one, made a move all day?

His girlfriend was quiet, which must mean she was up to something. He figured he could just call her back after the dinner, so he didn't think much of it at the time.

"Director Lu, what do you think of this script?"

Everyone present was quite sensible; the script was currently in Lu Kuan's hands, and he was flipping through it extremely quickly, seemingly finishing the first draft of dozens of pages in less than two minutes.

"The core of the story is quite sharp, and the dialogue in this scene of the Feast at Hongmen is brilliant."

The young director tapped the script lightly: "Zhang Mazi's line, 'I just want to stand up and still make money,' is unique."

"The downside is that the narrative pace is too fast, and the screen time of the three main characters needs to be rebalanced."

"Zhang Mazi's obsession with 'fairness' could be more frantic, Master Tang's cowardice should be tinged with pathos, and Huang Silang's hypocrisy should be elegant to the core."

He smiled and handed the script to Bingbing, who was standing next to him, saying, "Let's refine it a bit more, but I think the prospects are pretty good."

"Wow! As expected of Director Lu, he captured the essence of the core characters in the script in just a few words!"

Jiang Wen jumped up from his chair as if he had a spring in his butt. He filled his small 2.5-ounce jug with wine and charged straight at Boss Lu. His buzz cut seemed to stand on end, and he looked like a big cat whose butt had been poked.

"Director Lu, I'm relieved to hear you say that. Thank you for taking care of me! Thank you for taking care of me!"

Even a hero can be brought down by a penny; Old Jiang has finally bowed down for five pecks of rice today.

Lu Kuan gave him face and stood up to drink with him. Ren Zhonglun interjected, "Director Lu, how about this?"

"Shanghai Film Group and Eagle King just established a joint venture, and with Wenjie also involved, how about we use Director Jiang's script to set up a deal and collaborate on something together?"

Li Shoucheng's eyes lit up. He couldn't have been happier with this. He had the backing of a big shot like Lu Kuan, and he could also share the risks together.

He was genuinely scared; the Eagle King had indeed been having a run of bad luck this year, so he had to be more cautious.

After drinking, Boss Lu said something with a smile that made Jiang Wen's wide grin return to normal:
“Wenjie can participate, but I will send a producer to strictly calculate expenses according to the Hollywood system’s filming process.”

He chuckled and patted Jiang Wen, who looked utterly dejected: "Old Jiang, don't mind him. A director's creative freedom must be guaranteed, but the interests of investors are also important. We can't let it become a vicious cycle."

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Jiang Wen had no temper with this mainland tycoon who was nearly twenty years younger than her, and immediately gritted her teeth and agreed.

This scene greatly pleased Li Shoucheng, for it was a case of the wicked needing to be dealt with by other wicked men!

Suddenly, Boss Lu asked, "About what's the movie's budget?"

Jiang Wen, reeking of alcohol, was about to blurt out a figure like "aim high, and you'll get somewhere in between" to bargain.

Then I thought that the person in front of me was probably the most professional director, producer and marketing expert in the country right now. There was no way I could fool him. On the contrary, I would only embarrass myself.

He then honestly replied, "I need to finalize the cast first, then scout locations; it's too early to say."

"Okay, let's talk about it in more detail then."

The capitalists were very satisfied; this demonstrated their work ethic, not just empty promises.

Having a script is the first step in making a movie. Even if the second step is to cast the actors, can we then arrive at a relatively accurate budget figure?

impossible.

These are all fabrications in novels or used to deceive wealthy, gullible coal mine owners.

The budget for a film is relatively fixed. Besides calculating the approximate price of the actors, the most important thing is to scout locations on location.

Examine the rental costs, accessibility, and filming permits of the actual filming location, and weigh the cost-effectiveness of set construction versus green screen effects.

Like Goose City in "Let the Bullets Fly", the production team spent 3000 million in the previous life. Is it possible to reduce this number?
Perhaps under the "pressure" of a professional producer, while trying to meet the director's creative needs, it is possible to continue to refine cost accounting.

Therefore, Jiang Wen didn't dare to be presumptuous and simply gave an arbitrary figure to fool the investors, which was considered relatively honest.

The leader of the "Overspending Sect" encountered an extraterrestrial demon, and it seems that his meridians will be completely destroyed, and his former glory will be gone!
The banquet was a lively affair, with guests and hosts enjoying themselves immensely. Everyone was tipsy and excited, and the party ended when the fun was over.

"Director Lu, shall I send someone to take you back to your hotel?" Xu Pengle, vice president of Shanghai Film Group, was in charge of client reception today. He was responsible for liaising with the cinema chain and was a man of many social standing.

Bingbing pushed Xie Jin's wheelchair for Xu Dawen. The old director's face remained calm and composed: "Director Xiao Lu, come with us. We'll take you back to your hotel. We can chat some more on the way."

No one present saw anything wrong with it, and Xie Jin's high regard for this young director was evident from the Berlin Film Festival.

During the Berlin Film Festival, "History of the Sky" was released in North America. At that time, it did not yet have the support of the Berlin Golden Bear and the Oscar for Best Director. The box office was dismal, and it was ridiculed and belittled by reactionaries and onlookers in China.

In addition to the strong support from veteran directors such as Lao Tian and Zhang Yimou, Xie Jin, a highly respected senior director hailed as "the conscience of Chinese cinema," insisted on giving an interview to Xinmin Evening News despite his illness, and spoke out in support of "The Sky of History."

The film's later triumphs, including the capture of the flag and the global frenzy, were marked by the cheers of countless supporters.

But the old director who once shouted "We must not let it freeze to death in the wind and snow" showed a deep and touching love for it.

Xie Jin was old, sick, and frail. Xu Dawen pushed his wheelchair to the bathroom to help him get ready. Bingbing naturally went into the elevator with Boss Lu, intending to wait for Xie Jin's driver at the restaurant entrance.

Huo Wenxi watched the elevator doors close with a gloomy expression, guessing that a beautiful and popular actress was going to interfere with his business today. Looking at the timid and tall girl next to him, he was really having a headache.

She pulled Tang Yan aside and gave her a few words of advice with a cold expression. The latter nodded obsequiously, looking melancholy.

"Mani, this is too..."

"What are you afraid of? The hotel was arranged by the Shanghai Film Group. Even if you run into them..." Huo Wenxi looked around, his voice lowering slightly, "You should know that men are all gluttons."

. . .

The elevator doors closed silently, shutting out the noise of the outside world. As it descended, you could look down at the Bund through the glass curtain wall, where cruise ships on the Huangpu River were leaving trails of light as they sailed toward Lujiazui.

In the enclosed space, the lingering scent of perfume on Fan Bingbing's fingertips mingled with the faint smell of alcohol on Lu Kuan's body, while the warm light from the ceiling cast a fan-shaped shadow under her eyelashes.

The gluttonous ghost was unaware that his stereotypes were being instilled in another actress, who was watching Bingbing look at him with adoration.

How is Huayi?

Bingbing parted her red lips slightly, her eyes alluring: "You come up here and ask Huayi, but don't you ask me?"

"Oh? How are you?"

"very bad!"

Boss Lu glanced at her and calmly smiled, "Is it that bad? The second female lead in the co-production 'The Forbidden Kingdom,' the spokesperson for Dior J'adore perfume in China, and the deputy head of the Xi'an Film Studio's acting troupe."

"Whether it's film star status, salary, organizational background, or the favor of international big names, the gains in the past two years have been considerable."

Bingbing's face darkened, and the broken diamonds in her earrings shimmered coldly as the elevator lost its balance. Then, she smiled brightly again, took the man's arm, and intimately and affectionately rubbed it against her body.

The red light of the elevator's security camera flashed in the corner, like a silent eye.

Seeing that Lu Kuan did not resist, the leading lady was secretly pleased and skillfully probed, "I asked Teacher Xie to let you go together. He has already left. Would you like to ride in my car?"

"You really know how to do things; even the old man has become your pimp."

"Go to hell, that sounds awful!" Bingbing laughed so hard her fingers traced the stainless steel handrail, the metal surface reflecting the corners of her lips.

The elevator entered the lobby on the first floor. The two maintained a normal social distance as they left. The waiters along the way were highly professional, bowing slightly to greet them, but their curiosity remained undiminished.

These two?
Well, that's not surprising.

The crystal chandeliers overhead twinkled, and the revolving doors at the foot of the Peace Hotel led them to Nanjing East Road. The early spring night breeze, carrying the damp sound of ship horns from the riverbank, rushed towards them.

Bingbing's van was driven from the underground parking lot to the roadside by the hotel staff, and Boss Lu sat in the back seat without any resistance.

Huo Wenxi watched from afar as he closed the car door, feeling much more at ease.

I'm not afraid of you being wild, I'm afraid of you being pretentious.

Even though Tang Yan is still a young and inexperienced girl compared to the leading actresses, she's still good for casual conversation. It shouldn't be something he finds too distasteful, right?
Lu Kuan looked at Bingbing in surprise as he got into the driver's seat: "Why are you driving yourself? And it has a Shanghai license plate?"

The leading lady glanced at him through the rearview mirror: "The license plate was purchased by the co-organizer of the last Todio event. Most high-end luxury events are held in Shanghai, so it will be more convenient in the future."

"It was too late last night to call a driver, and I was afraid he would let it slip, so I drove here myself."

She didn't boast or say anything superfluous like "it's only a four-hour drive, not too tiring," but focused on watching the car's navigation system.

No wonder you're not drinking tonight.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to take good care of you if you drink."

Bingbing laughed and said, "It wasn't convenient to talk about this in the elevator. I just received news that Huayi is preparing to issue more shares, and the shareholders' meeting will be held in a couple of days to make a resolution."

"Before that, the core shareholders will be asked to go back and negotiate, probably because they want to continue to distribute the profits."

Bingbing was a skilled driver, and the vehicle silently glided to the curb of Zhongshan East Road. The tinted windows reflected the unfinished giant square hole of the Shanghai World Financial Center on the opposite bank.

This future tallest building in China, which will not be completed until August, looks like a calendar page that has been torn off.

Lu Kuan hesitated for two seconds: "In your opinion, is there any chance of this share issuance happening?"

“It’s quite difficult.”

"First of all, Ali and Wendy Deng may not take the challenge. Secondly, Huayi's existing shareholders also have some complaints, feeling that the Wang brothers are diluting their shares."

“After the previous two share issuances, everyone gritted their teeth and followed through. Now, many celebrities from various companies have called me to inquire about their intentions this time.”

Bingbing knows what her core mission is. Since this network was set up in 2002, it has been constantly expanding and evolving.

From her initial intention to seize Huayi Company to now dragging Ali and Wendy Deng into the trap, she has taken every step steadily and firmly, striving to do things well and provide the most accurate information.

Lu Kuan sat in the back seat with his legs crossed: "Then I'll help these two brothers out and put some pressure on them."

"How will you give it? Will you cut the screenings of 'The Forbidden Kingdom' in April?" Bingbing thought he was going to use the same old trick he used two years ago, forcing Huayi Brothers to release films with "The Banquet".

"That's one thing. Another thing is that Wenjie Holdings will hold its mid-year meeting in May, at which time I will announce the company's decision to go public."

The annual meeting turned into a mid-year conference, and he had his own plans.

Bingbing was startled when he heard the accelerator pedal being pressed down hard.

Huayi's previous IPO was a huge success, with a price-to-earnings ratio as high as 69.71 times, far exceeding other companies in the same industry. Its market value reached 119 billion yuan on the first day. What is the logic behind this?

In 2009, the State issued the "Cultural Industry Revitalization Plan", which listed the film and television industry as a key area for support.

Huayi's listing is seen as a landmark event in the implementation of policies, attracting a large influx of capital, which is due to the favorable policy environment.

Meanwhile, Huayi, as the first listed film and entertainment company in China's A-share market, filled a gap in the capital market and became a rare target sought after by investors.

In addition, with the launch of the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) in 2009, Huayi, as one of the first batch of companies, enjoyed policy dividends and the enthusiasm of the capital market, which was a favorable position.

The "human resources" mentioned refer to the artist and director resources under Huayi Brothers.

But what about this life?

What if Wenjie really publicly announces its own "Schrödinger's listing," which may be true or false?

Huayi's scarcity premium as "China's first listed film and television company" has been lost, and its valuation has been drastically cut.

For example, when the SME board was launched in 2004, Suning Appliance, as the "first listed home appliance chain", had a price-to-earnings ratio as high as 48 times, while Gome, a later entrant, only had a price-to-earnings ratio of 28 times.

The same applies to the film and television industry; the market will only give excessive valuations to pioneers.
Secondly, 2008 was on the eve of the global financial crisis, and domestic IPO approvals had already been substantially tightened.

Huayi's original plan to be among the first batch of companies to list on the ChiNext board is now uncertain. If Wenjie secures its listing spot ahead of schedule, regulators may follow the unspoken rule of "interval between listings of companies in the same industry" and postpone Huayi's approval.

Because the difference in strength between the two companies is too obvious, even if Huayi wants to find another way, doesn't Wenjie have one?

Let's discuss positioning again—

Prior to December 2008, according to the "Measures for the Guidance of Initial Public Offering of Stocks" issued in 2001, the guidance period for listing was clearly stipulated to be at least one year.

Given Wenjie's qualifications, even if it announces its listing plan in May, there should be no problem with relevant departments giving it the green light and completing the preliminary procedures within a year.

Needless to say, the sponsors and underwriters should be international giants who come to negotiate with utmost respect.

Having figured this out, Bingbing, whose fervor for power, status, and wealth was no less than that of a man, excitedly peered through the rearview mirror at Lu Kuan, who was resting with his eyes closed.

The neon lights outside the car window swept across his sharply defined profile, highlighting the sharp lines of his Adam's apple.

His jawline outlined a cold, austere curve in the night, like a sculpture polished by time, exuding an aloof and noble air.

“I understand. My film ‘If You Are the One,’ Ali’s Taobao Mall, and Wendy Deng’s Alispace are all on the verge of launch and have no choice but to go public.” “If Wenjie also announces its IPO, they will be in a dilemma. They can only continue to support Huayi and support the share issuance.”

Mr. Lu added, "What Huayi urgently needs to expand right now is its cinema resources. In addition, after being cut by Golden Harvest in April, their need for cinemas is even more urgent."

He stretched comfortably: "Take this money and build movie theaters! The more the better. This son will eventually have his own 'wild father'."

Bingbing drove into the Grand Hyatt in the Lujiazui Financial District and turned into the underground parking garage.

She suddenly hesitated and said, "The shares we hold..."

This is a question that the leading actress has always wanted to ask but never dared to—

With only 7% in hand, how can I possibly fight against the two founders, King and Queen, plus my allies Ahri and Wendy Dunn?

However, this time she still couldn't get an answer from Boss Lu.

She wasn't curious about the secret; she craved that trust, even though she knew it was difficult for the other person to give it.

“Go back and talk to a few celebrities now. We need to have double insurance.”

"Double insurance?"

"This is the best opportunity to secure a controlling stake at the shareholders' meeting before Huayi goes public."

The two did not get out of the car for the time being. Bingbing turned around and looked at Lu Kuan in the back seat with eyes as black as ink and unfathomable.

It's like it's been tempered with ice, or like it's been filled with fire.

"You joined forces with them to propose a bet against the issuing party."

"This is your right as minority shareholders who do not participate in the share issuance, which is to require the issuer to meet valuation targets or performance indicators at a certain point in the future."

"Otherwise, the issuing party will have to pay the difference in cash or transfer the shares to you minority shareholders free of charge at a fair price in order to restore the original shareholding ratio."

This was the suggestion made by Zhu Jinling, the chief legal counsel of Wenjie, who enjoys a high reputation in the industry.

According to my country's Company Law and related judicial interpretations, minority shareholders have multiple avenues to protect their legitimate rights and interests, such as how to deal with such share issuance.

If minority shareholders are not given the means to survive through performance-based agreements and embedded clauses in share issuance agreements, major shareholders like Ali, Wendy Deng, and the two kings can arbitrarily dilute and suppress them.

This violates the personal and fair nature of joint-stock companies and partnerships.

Now, what Lu Kuan instructed Fan Bingbing to do is to raise his arms and shout out a bet. What are the benefits of this?
If Mr. Lu has acquired and collected absolute control of the voting rights by then, everything will be fine;
If not, he will create a black swan event for Huayi, causing the aforementioned conditions of the betting agreement to be met, thus diluting the shares of the two kings and their supporters, Ali and Deng Wendi.

With one in and one out, the major events can be decided.

As for Bingbing's motivation for proposing a bet against minority shareholders, she was simply fighting for her own legal rights. The company's artists had no reason not to respond, especially since Xinlang, which he and Chen Tianqiao actually controlled, would also support her.

In other words, do the King and Queen not support it?
As mentioned earlier, they are also afraid that Ahri and Wendy Dunn will turn into barbarians, right?

After raising Huayi like a little fat pig for years, giving it a slap and stuffing it with pig feed, it's finally almost time to harvest it.

With their minds focused on the game but their opponents unprepared, they have virtually no chance of winning.

Now we'll see just how much they can drag their rival Ahri and arch-rival Wendy Dunn into the swamp—

It's impossible to completely drown them, but as long as we can give Wenjie Mall a chance to overtake them and give Weibo a chance to completely leave its competitors behind.

That's enough.

What he wanted was never an empty shell of control over Huayi; he wanted to gain Huayi's cinema chain achievements without any tactical effort, and to strategically strike at two competitors.

This is the greatest significance of the plans made over the years.

After a thorough and insightful explanation, Bingbing understood that she was the key figure in Ali, Huayi, and Deng Wendi's plan, and that "If You Are the One" was the core of their pre-IPO plan.

If, as mentioned above, a performance-based agreement is proposed and performance targets are demanded, and if he does not actually hold the decisive equity, he might very well stage a walkout and withdraw from the competition.

This will completely ruin the plan.

The two of them, with the same gait and demeanor as before countless past pleasures, entered the elevator and the room.

Then close the door.

Bingbing's slender fingers trembled slightly as she rested on the doorknob, her fingertips turning a pearly white from the force.

As she stepped aside to let Lu Kuan enter first, the hem of her silk skirt brushed against his trousers, making a rustling sound like a venomous snake slithering through withered leaves.

The leading actress's heart was practically pounding with excitement.

He hasn't changed; he's still himself.

As Mr. Lu took out his phone, he continued to give her detailed instructions on the operation.

The main concern is that Bingbing is not knowledgeable about business and legal matters, and due to confidentiality requirements, it is not appropriate to consult outsiders about such issues.

But ever since she entered the room, the smug leading lady's mind was no longer on Huayi Strategy.

"I didn't drink just now, how about I drink with you to my heart's content tonight?" She couldn't hide her excitement, deliberately slowing her pace as she walked towards the minibar, her hips swaying more deliberately than usual.

Bingbing waited for a while without getting a reply, then turned to see him fiddling with his phone.

"what happened?"

"It's nothing, it just ran out of power. I was wondering why..." The washing machine suddenly felt a chill run down its spine: "Universal charger, please charge it for me. I have something to do later."

I was planning to call Xiao Liu after dinner, but I ended up talking to Bingbing about Huayi's travel tips the whole way, and now that I'm thinking about it again, I'm completely lost.

The main problem is that Ah Fei usually takes care of these trivial matters, which led to a momentary lapse in attention tonight.

But it's not a big problem.

Bingbing walked over with a charming laugh, the wine bottle in her hand looking like congealed blood under the light: "What's going on so late? Doesn't the richest man ever sleep?"

Her red lips parted slightly and then tightened, a habitual little gesture that made her lip appear even fuller, exuding her sexual tension.

Then, her fingers, painted with cherry-colored nail polish, slowly caressed the bottle, conveying a strong message: "Drink Lafite... or... drink me?"

The leading lady's voice trailed off like a honeyed whisper, her eyes full of allure as she looked at the man in front of her. She could almost imagine him smiling and inviting her to sit on his lap.

Then her breath, carrying the scent of red wine, brushed against his chin, and as she tilted her head back, she deliberately let her eyelashes brush against the side of his neck, feeling his blood surging.

Bingbing knows exactly how to present herself at her best.

This time, however, the plot seemed to have taken a slight turn, or perhaps the man before him had lost his usual impulsiveness. After a long pause, he said calmly, "Bingbing..."

"Knock knock knock!" An uninvited voice interrupted him: "Is Director Lu here? This is Tang Yan. I want to talk to you about something."

Huo Wenxi spent a considerable tip to find out where the two of them were staying. He initially tried to find the owner of the room but couldn't, so he went straight to the den of thieves, the den of lecherous thieves!
If the naive and innocent girl really was naive and innocent, perhaps she would have actually offered herself to Huo Wenxi as requested.

But she witnessed Mr. Lu proposing to her in Sicily.

Before going upstairs, the dilemma she faced no longer existed. For her, only by firmly becoming a member of the Hou Party could she have a chance of survival.

With a tense expression, Tang Yan raised her hand shakily again and knocked twice more firmly.

"Boom boom boom!"

She wasn't fighting alone at this moment; she carried her best friend's unwavering support, even though they hadn't been in contact since that initial warning phone call.

Because she didn't know what would happen next, what if Lu Yikuan and Fan Bingbing really...

how to say?
The leading lady in the room instantly turned fierce, her skin beneath the silk fabric burning hot.

Everything is about to go as planned, so why is this female entertainer from Eagle Queen here at this time?

A natural judgment came to mind: was she here for an exchange of equal value?
But isn't she Liu Yifei's best friend? How come...

Bingbing's skin beneath the silk fabric was incredibly hot. At this moment, she was as annoyed as a young girl experiencing love for the first time being interrupted, her chest pounding with uncontrollable irritation.

"Get out!" Without even asking Lu Kuan's opinion, she opened the door and sternly reprimanded him.

Outside the room's floor-to-ceiling windows, cruise ships on the Huangpu River sounded their horns, the sound waves causing the glass to vibrate and tremble. Tang Yan, who was standing in front of the door, had never seen anything like this before and was speechless for a moment.

But judging from Fan Bingbing's neat and tidy appearance, it should be...

"I...I'm looking for Director Lu, it's none of your business."

Bingbing leaned closer, one hand on the doorframe, her voice suddenly turning cold as she asked, "Was it Huo Wenxi, or Liu Yifei who sent you?"

The overhead light in the corridor cast a chilling shadow under the eyelashes of the leading lady. At this moment, she had lost all trace of her previous allure, resembling a king cobra awakened, every scale radiating a deadly coldness.

These words didn't really scare Tang Yan, but...

Boss Lu stood up and looked at Tang Yan, whose face was deathly pale, outside the door. He couldn't tell whether she was there to stand up for her best friend or to stab her in the back.

It would be unseemly if she were to have a conflict with Bingbing outside the door and it were discovered.

"Tang Yan, come in first."

Fan Bingbing and Tang Yan couldn't help but look at the powerful and wealthy richest man in mainland China—

The leading lady's red lips suddenly lost their color, her meticulously drawn wild eyebrows twitched slightly, and her usually affectionate peach blossom eyes were now somewhat dazed.

Fine beads of sweat glistened on the tip of her delicate, innocent nose, and the shadows cast by her eyelashes resembled a spiderweb ruffled by the wind, leaving fragmented lines on her cheekbones.

One was as sharp and beautiful as a poisoned rose, the other as fragile and innocent as a pear blossom battered by rain; yet, both harbored intense questions within them.

What does he want to do?
What does he want to do?
As Lu Kuan sat in the Hua Mao Hall that evening, Liu Yifei, who was in a state of turmoil at the entrance of the Capital Theatre, was also thinking about this question.

Around 6:30, Afei picked her up and drove north along Dongdan Street, then turned left onto Andingmen East Street, and then crossed the Yonghegong Bridge to enter the Second Ring Road.

As dusk settled and the city lights began to twinkle, neon lights outside the car window cascaded down like a galaxy.

The evening rush hour on Chang'an Avenue had not yet subsided, and the traffic flow formed ribbons of light in front of the traffic lights, with the brake lights turning the asphalt road surface dark red.

Commuters in down jackets hurried along the sidewalk, their breaths dissipating in the warm light of the shop windows, much like Liu Yifei's fleeting thoughts at that moment.

She took off her shoes, tilted her head slightly to rest against the cold car window, curled up in the leather seat in the back, and glanced at her phone every now and then.

It's already past six o'clock. Ren Zhonglun from Shanghai Film Studio must be fulfilling his duty as host. He should be at a drinking party right now, right?

Should we give them a call?

The key question is, what should be said after the call?
My best friend told me that Fan Bingbing went to Shanghai specifically to find you. How do you explain the washing machine?

It was too abrupt, and too much of a preconceived notion.

What happened to the trust you kept pledging when you two fell in love?

Proud and haughty, she was unwilling to actively disrupt this balance.

Before the truth is known, any piece of information can arouse mutual suspicion.

Liu Yifei unconsciously rubbed the edge of her phone with her fingertips. The neon lights outside the car window flickered, making her dark pupils light up and down.

Tang Yan's fragmented narration over the phone and Yang Mi's deliberate text messages were like two blunt knives alternately cutting into her heart. Even the most rational person would inevitably start to overthink at this moment.

Moreover, this was the first time a pure-hearted young girl like Xiao Liu had faced such a perilous situation after they had become engaged.

On one hand, there was her uncontrollable, wild imagination:
Is he perhaps tonight in a hotel in Shanghai, twirling the ends of Fan Bingbing's chestnut hair with his fingers, just like last night in the bedroom at Wenyuhe Mansion, when he was twirling his own damp long hair? Accompanied by the sound of cruise ship horns on the Huangpu River outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

On one hand, there's the positive aspect used to combat negativity and disappointment:

The Sicilian sunshine and the scent of mint, the montage of Cinema Paradiso, the legendary kiss at Bad Ischl in Austria, and countless intimate nights of union of body and soul...

Xiao Liu patted his head, his head throbbing with pain, trying to clear his glazed eyes and distract himself.

"hooligan."

"Hmm? Miss Liu?"

"Don't call me Miss Liu, call me Sister Xixi."

Afei is half a year younger than Liu Yifei. He started making a living in the underground boxing scene when he was a teenager. He is extremely introverted and the kind of person who won't say a word even if you hit him a few times.

He kept a steady hand on the steering wheel, and upon hearing this, he awkwardly touched the tip of his nose, too embarrassed to agree.

“I heard from Lu Kuan that he initially sent people to Yanbian to help you find your relatives. Did anything happen after that?”

"No, the boss lied to me."

"what?"

Ah Fei said matter-of-factly, "Not long after, he told the truth: all that talk about finding relatives was nonsense. He just wanted to keep me here to work for him."

Hearing his bewildered explanation, Liu Yifei couldn't help but smile: "He lied to you, and you don't blame him?"

"Fortunately, that's just the kind of person the boss is, I know him." Besides Lu Kuan, Liu Yifei is the person Afei has the most contact with and is closest to.

Besides, she didn't need to keep any information about Boss Lu a secret, and before she knew it, she was talking more.

Xiao Liu became even more curious: "What do you know about him?"

She really wanted to know what kind of person Lu Kuan was in the eyes of this cold-faced bodyguard who had been with him for six or seven years.

After all, she always has a biased perspective, so it's inevitable that her views will be somewhat prejudiced.

Perhaps to distract himself from his chaotic thoughts, Xiao Liu temporarily put aside his inner turmoil and began to talk to A Fei with great interest.

"Um... I'm not very good at speaking." Afei said, turning the steering wheel with a hint of unease, clearly not being good with words.

"The boss... is the kind of person who's bad in a very direct way; he's very frank."

“When I asked him about the results of his search for his relatives, he told me directly that he had lied to me.”

Looking in the rearview mirror, Xiao Liu saw that the usually silent and reserved bodyguard had a rare, honest smile, an expression quite similar to Bao Qiang's.

“He told me that he was also an orphan, I was also an orphan, and his senior brother Zhuang Xu was also an orphan.”

"Just let me take the surname Lu and be his younger brother. That way, I'll have a companion in this world, and I won't have to think about all this."

Hearing this, Liu Yifei couldn't help but smile broadly, and the image of the washing machine's calm expression flashed through her mind.

Seeing that he could no longer hide his previous nonsense, he then smoked a cigarette and pretentiously made a series of arrangements, as if he had the whole world under his control.

His behavior is utterly despicable!
But he was indeed very good to Afei. As far as she knew, he owned many courtyard houses and properties in Beiping, as well as the only villa in Wenyuhe Mansion with an outsider's name on it.

For Xiao Liu, who knows Lu Kuan well, she knows this is an extremely rare instance of heartfelt communication, and that he truly considers A Fei someone he can entrust with his life.

As the Maybach crossed the Yonghegong Bridge, the neon lights of the Second Ring Road flashed across the car window like fire. Liu Yifei looked out the window at the ginkgo branches that were suddenly rushing past and suddenly chuckled.

He may be the most ruthless profit-driven animal in the world, but that's precisely why his occasional displays of tenderness are so heartwarming.

The deception that Afei confessed to was backed by Zhuang Xu's silent support and by his own.

He never hid his philandering ways from his own eyes, and he disdained to deceive himself at his birthday party for the sake of pretense.

Perhaps, for him, he never wanted to use the lies he was best at to embellish the relationship with those he was close to, yet he openly exposed his arrogant nature.

The girl sighed, took out her phone and sent him a message saying "drink less alcohol," then quietly closed her eyes and waited to arrive at their love nest.

She didn't want to think anymore about how Fan Bingbing got to Shanghai, how he knew her itinerary, or whether anything might happen between them tonight.

The Maybach drove into the manor gate with its automatic license plate recognition system, and Liu Yifei, as usual, strolled back by herself.

As she strolled along the path, the fragrance of the early cherry blossoms she had carefully selected wafted towards her. Gazing at the ever-burning lamp in front of the porch in the distance, waiting for the departing loved one to return home, Liu Yifei suddenly felt that all her turbulent emotions were like these fallen leaves scattered on the ground—

When the wind blows, it spins and rushes off into the unknown distance, disappearing without a trace.

Liu Yifei strolled around the manor for half an hour, walking along the paths the two of them had walked before, stopping at the streetlights where they had stopped, and lying on the lawn where they had lain.

She didn't ask the housekeeper to cook; she just hastily made herself a salad and ate it to comfort her poor stomach.

Perhaps out of sheer boredom, the girl went to the gym to walk slowly uphill, trying to numb herself and clear her mind through physical activity so that she could sleep peacefully tonight.

Then I took a shower and went to the sauna, subconsciously trying to revisit and experience my past with my boyfriend.

She arrived home at 7 PM, after the evening rush hour, and checked her phone at 10 PM, but there was still no reply.

Unbeknownst to Liu Yifei, Tang Yan was being pulled into Bingbing's room with a terrified expression.

She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting lightly like dandelion seeds scattered by the wind, until she drifted off to sleep.

The night was as dark as ink, and the manor was quiet, with only the sound of the river gently lapping against the shore in the distance.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Yifei suddenly woke up from her sleep, as if pulled back to reality by some invisible force.

She opened her eyes. The bedroom was filled with only a small patch of warm light from the wall lamp, and the shadows of the trees outside the window swayed gently in the night breeze.

I glanced at my phone again and realized I'd only slept for two hours; it was just past midnight.

Liu Yifei cleared her mind and simply got up and went into her study to read the script of the play "Sunrise" and ponder her Chen Bailu.

Both were young women in their early twenties, from scholarly families, and Fang Dasheng were childhood sweethearts.

During her student days, she yearned for beautiful ideals, but later left her hometown due to practical difficulties. She changed her name to "Bai Lu" and became a socialite in Shanghai.

Until she came to the realization of her dependent nature as a "plaything," she committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills in despair, ending this double torment of material and spiritual suffering with her death.

Only a warm yellow desk lamp was lit in the study, casting a soft outline on Liu Yifei's profile.

Her fingertips traced the yellowed pages, trying to touch Chen Bailu's broken yet stubborn soul.

Xiao Liu, trying to distract herself, became completely absorbed in the film. She always had this focused quality, seemingly forgetting the passage of time.

Liu Yifei experienced a part of Chen Bailu's life and witnessed her tragic end.

As dawn broke, the waiter burst through the door and found her curled up at the head of the bed, clutching half a torn photograph in her hand—it was of Fang Dasheng from many years ago, with "Zhu Jun Shou" written in pencil on the back.

The sun outside the window was climbing above the Bund's spires, bathing her eyelashes in golden light, but it could no longer warm her gradually cooling body. Chen Bailu ultimately did not live to see the sunrise; she left herself forever in that long night, using death as her final, silent protest.

shock!
Xiao Liu suddenly felt that something was wrong!

Even though she tried her best not to think about Lu Kuan and Bingbing tonight, how could she not think about Chen Bailu...?

Why does she look so much like Fan Bingbing?

A jumble of thoughts flooded Liu Yifei's mind. She recalled the several times Chen Bailu had confronted her after they became engaged last year, and how similar they were to Chen Bailu!

After being controlled by Jin Ba, Chen Bailu said resentfully, "I love life, but what is life? It's the wrong bet in a casino, it's the overdrafted check in a bank!"

Bingbing cried in Brooklyn at night: "I want to be an actress, but I'm always forced to create my own scandals and rumors. I'm branded with a maid's seal on my face, but I don't even have the courage to refuse those cruel contract terms!"

Chen Bailu scattered banknotes into the air, then walked barefoot across the pile of bills towards the balcony: "Money? Money is my life, but life... I didn't want it anymore a long time ago."

Bingbing grabbed Xiao Liu's arm, her expression bitter: "I don't envy you in any way, I only envy that you met him so early. I don't need anything else."

Perhaps the only difference between them is their ending—

Before swallowing the pills, Chen Bailu murmured to herself, "The sun has risen, and darkness remains behind. But the sun is not ours; we must go to sleep."

Then, like a rose that has burned out, it blooms its last brilliance in the darkness, but ultimately cannot wait for its own sunrise.

After being rejected by Liu Yifei, Bingbing's phoenix eyes revealed coldness and despair: "Before I met him, even the gaps between my bones were covered with ice. He ignited a wildfire in my body!"

"Liu Yifei! Why! Why can you be someone who adds fuel to the fire with him, while I can only be leftover ashes!?"

Xiao Liu broke out in a cold sweat as he watched, the figures of Fan Bingbing and Chen Bailu shifting and intertwining before his eyes.

Then, with a loud "bang," I was suddenly awakened by the sound of a door closing downstairs!

She abruptly looked up from the script, her pupils contracted sharply, and her body tensed instantly.

who? !

(End of this chapter)