A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 226 Lin Shenghao!
This is Lin Jianlu's second time attending the Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony.

However, he didn't say he attached much importance to it.

The last time he came was two years ago. At that time, he needed to promote his work, so when the Hong Kong Film Awards invited him, he went to sing on stage for them for free.

But this time, he was simply there as a guest.

Singing is impossible.

The Hong Kong Film Awards organizers suggested that Lin Chien-lu present an award, but Lin Chien-lu declined.

Just after noon, actresses like Leung Wing-ki and Rosamund Kwan started changing clothes and carefully adjusting their makeup, but Lam Kin-lu remained dressed normally. She even went to ATV, signed two contracts, and opened champagne. Basically, she was busy with whatever she needed to do, indulging in food and drink without restraint. Tsai Chung-hsin had another talk with the two minority shareholders of ATV, mainly the Cha family. They reached an agreement. As the saying goes, don't be fooled by their tough talk; they are actually quite weak inside. When the financial crisis hit, the stock market was hit first, but then it was the real estate developers like them who were also hit hard. Their cash flow was stretched very thin, and they simply couldn't withstand this level of impact.

Ultimately valued at HK$11 billion, and with the two contracts totaling HK$3.62 million, Lin Jianlu acquired the remaining 32.92% of ATV's shares, effectively turning ATV into his sole proprietorship.

After the equity acquisition agreement was signed in front of all board members, the champagne was opened, and the guests were seen off, Lin Jianlu immediately signed and approved two more plans upon returning—the first phase of ATV's digitalization, with a budget of HK$1.2 million, was approved, starting with the variety show department.

Firstly, ATV's variety show department was small and rarely produced any flagship programs, and it also had limited equipment, making overall replacements less costly. It was, in a way, an experiment.

Secondly, when producing variety shows, everyone only had a few camera positions. To be honest, it was far less sophisticated than the variety shows of later generations. But in fact, the effect was not good. Ultimately, it was still a cost issue. Although videotapes could be repeatedly washed and reused, the cost was still not low, and editing was also wasteful. Let's go completely digital. Get a set of equipment and use it for variety shows first. With more digital cameras and more lenses, it is easier to create effects and evoke emotions. It is not only convenient for editing, but also reduces the cost of post-production.

Thirdly, ATV plans to focus on variety shows next. Once the equipment is upgraded and everyone is familiar with it, they will launch a major program next year, starting with "Super Girl".

The second plan, the first department of the satellite TV station, the news department, was officially established, with a budget of 7000 million yuan approved. The establishment of the satellite TV news department actually means that the satellite TV station has begun full-scale preparations.

In short, nearly HK$11 billion has been invested so far. ATV is now completely its own, so there's no need to keep score with outsiders. Let's just keep throwing money at it!

After finishing all that, they opened some champagne to celebrate. It was almost five o'clock. Lin Qingxia changed her clothes and touched up her makeup in her office. Then the two of them went downstairs, grabbed a quick bite, and headed to the Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony. This year's Hong Kong Film Awards were held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. When Lin Jianlu arrived, it was almost seven o'clock, and the red carpet was at its liveliest.

All sorts of flowers and plants were vying for attention there.

There was a waiting area. When Lin Jianlu and Brigitte Lin walked hand in hand, those who stayed behind on the red carpet were mostly higher-profile celebrities. Upon seeing them approach, those who were seated quickly stood up, and those who were standing stopped chatting, all offering respectful greetings.

"Hello Lin Sheng!"

"Hello Lin Sheng!"

Lin Jianlu nodded in response.

Actually, Brigitte Lin attracted far more attention than him—several acquaintances were surprised upon seeing her, exclaiming, "Wow, Sister Brigitte, you've suddenly become so young! So beautiful..."

Well, in fact, Lin Qingxia had not appeared in public for more than a year due to her pregnancy and childbirth. Even after she took office at ATV and was promoted to "Mrs. Lin", she did not choose to make a high-profile appearance. She did not even let ATV report the news of her taking over as CEO. Instead, she took office quietly and gradually sorted out the personnel relationships within ATV.

So even old friends like Wang Jing and Leslie Cheung hadn't seen her for over a year, let alone others—the changes were too great. Pregnancy and childbirth are things that many people believe accelerate a woman's aging process, but Lin Qingxia has defied the aging process in the past year or so.

Moreover, unlike Rosamund Kwan, who hadn't aged much and whose minor physical changes and improved complexion had long been overlooked in the almost constant media reports, Brigitte Lin's sudden return after more than a year of absence was a complete transformation—she looked like she was back in her thirties!
After chatting briefly with a few acquaintances, Lin Jianlu turned around and saw Yuan Yongyi. There was a sense of embarrassment and unease in the crowd, so Lin Jianlu deliberately went over to her and said in front of so many people, "Don't pay attention to him, that bastard is about to go bankrupt! Focus on filming! It will pass."

Yuan Yongyi was stunned for a moment at first, but soon her eyes welled up with tears as she nodded repeatedly, "Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Lin!" Perhaps she was too excited, because she opened her arms wide, so Lin Jianlu simply hugged her and patted her back gently—well, her recent situation was quite awkward.

Of course, ultimately it's her own fault.

Whether it was youthful naiveté or simply greed, it was her own choice back then. There was a businessman in Hong Kong named Lo Siu-fai, who was said to be quite wealthy and a stock market expert. Especially in the early 1990s, he was a frequent front-page figure in the financial sections of major Hong Kong newspapers. At that time, Anita Yuen debuted in a beauty pageant and was kept by him for two months at a price of HK$1 million per month. Although Anita Yuen claimed that it was a romantic relationship, being kept is being kept. HK$1 million is still a lot of money, not to mention in 1993, even now. If it wasn't being kept and it was just a romantic relationship, would he be stupid enough to give you that much money every month?

That wasn't even a gift, it was cash!
As a result, the seeds of disaster were sown.

Recently, Lo Siu-fai suddenly brought up the matter of his past relationship with Anita Yuen to the media, which quickly became the biggest scandal in Hong Kong. Anita Yuen cried in front of the reporters' cameras and repeatedly claimed that it was just a relationship that lasted only two months, but her reputation quickly collapsed exponentially.

A few days ago, while having tea and chatting with Tsai Chung-hsin, Lin Chien-lu asked him about it. Tsai Chung-hsin had been a lawyer for many years and later worked in private equity, so he was very well-informed in the industry. He told Lin Chien-lu directly that Lo Siu-fai was about to go bankrupt.

In fact, he was just a show-off all along, gaining fame solely through media hype and then repeatedly taking out loans. As a result, when the financial crisis hit, it was the first thing that ruined him.

He was already on the verge of bankruptcy last winter, but he resorted to his old tricks again. He chartered a luxury yacht and took seven or eight models out to sea to show off his wealth. He also hired people to take photos and bought newspaper ads, which actually got the bank to trust him and give him another loan. However, just a month later, the second wave of the financial crisis hit Hong Kong, and he went bankrupt again. The reason he brought up the old story of keeping Anita Yuen as a mistress was simply because he wanted to create news and show off his power so that he could get a loan from the bank to stay afloat.

Loan fraud is just a financial operation; no one should laugh at anyone else. As long as you can get the money and make a fortune and establish yourself successfully, then you're a master, worthy of respect, and not shameful.

Isn't this what internet companies have always done?

They create a concept, claiming it's a new market segment or a blue ocean, and then start raising funds like crazy. They burn through the money until they go public, raising the biggest sum yet, and then continue burning through cash. If they succeed and turn a profit, they're a big shot, awesome! If they fail, leaving behind a mess, a stock price collapse, or even bankruptcy and delisting, well, there's nothing to say. Success and failure are common occurrences in business!
Extending this further, throughout history, how many self-made kings rose up in rebellion, risking their lives? When they first started out, how much capital did anyone have? If they won the gamble, they were crowned emperor; if they lost, they died and their kingdoms perished!

There's nothing shameful about it.

It's just a game where the winner takes all and the loser is condemned!

But you at least have some basic principles, okay?
They were with you for two months back then. Even if there was no lasting relationship, at least there should have been some remnants, right? If you're out of options, find your own. Bringing up their past and ruining their life is just despicable. Lin Jianlu never denied his lustful nature, but he had a deep contempt for this heartless and cruel behavior.

In his past life, he held one view: if a former boyfriend or girlfriend, or a divorced couple, started talking about how the other person was, Lin Jianlu would immediately end all contact with that person.

He believed that this one small incident was enough to show that the other person was of bad character and lacked manners.

Yuan Yongyi nestled in his arms, sobbing softly, as if she were crying.

But this was, after all, the Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, and she was about to walk the red carpet with so many people around her, so she quickly stopped crying and raised her hand to wipe her tears.

Lin Jianlu took out a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to her. She thanked her again and took it to quietly wipe her tears.

He turned around and glanced around.

The celebrities, big and small, who had been standing there silently watching Lin Jianlu comfort Yuan Yongyi, all quickly lowered their heads or turned their gazes away upon seeing this.

…………

The organizers had their own plans and arrangements, but Lin Jianlu raised her hand to check her watch and said directly to Ge Fuhong, "Then let's not go any further and go in through the side door!"

Ge Fuhong was stunned for a moment, then quickly communicated with the organizer, who immediately said, "You go first, and the others can line up later."

No one objected, so Lin Jianlu quickly walked onto the red carpet.

He was dressed in a casual suit, with no particular style to speak of, but the moment he appeared, the scene immediately went wild—the flashbulbs in the reporter's photo area went off like a galaxy, while the fans in the viewing area erupted in huge cheers.

Lin Qingxia couldn't help but laugh when she saw this.

She's dressed like a completely different person today—Lin Jianlu still remembers the first time she came to the Hong Kong Film Awards two years ago, walking the red carpet with Brigitte Lin and Sylvia Chang.

Back then, Brigitte Lin had already gained some weight, yet she boldly wore a V-neck dress that revealed her back. But now, Brigitte Lin, known as "Mrs. Lin" in the entertainment industry, attended the Hong Kong Film Awards again after two years, wearing a clean and elegant white dress. She walked arm in arm with Lin Jianlu, and as Lin Jianlu walked quickly, she followed suit, showing no interest in the flashing lights and cheers on the red carpet.

The majority of the moviegoers were probably fans of Lin Chien-lu's songs, so there were all sorts of heart-wrenching shouts, but Lin Chien-lu ignored them all. On the other hand, in the reporter's photo area, after initially focusing their cameras on Lin Chien-lu, everyone's attention was later drawn to Brigitte Lin.

"Qingxia, you are so beautiful!"

"Can you stand there for a moment? Give me a shot!" "Qingxia, have you taken some kind of magic potion? How do you maintain your youthful appearance?"

Lin Qingxia smiled brightly the whole way, but she just followed Lin Jianlu closely and basically ignored the other side. It wasn't until they reached the interview area that she encountered two TVB hosts and were blocked from her way, at which point she had to stop.

Well, I was forced to give a few words in the interview.

"I didn't want to come either, but they insisted that I come to support them and prevent our Media Asia Films from being bullied."

"Yes, we made a movie called 'The Myth.' The promotion hasn't started yet, but it will definitely be released in the second half of the year. When you see the press release, you'll know it's going to be good."

"New album, maybe in the second half of the year, I don't have time to record it right now."

"My works... I've always had works, I've never worried about them, I just haven't had time to record them."

Then we entered.

As usual, it was a social gathering—as soon as he walked in, almost everyone instinctively stood up. Those who knew him greeted him and shook hands, while those who didn't stand there nodded and smiled.

I ran into Sammo Hung and we chatted for a bit about post-production.

Several chairmen and vice-chairmen of the Hong Kong Film Awards organizers quickly approached us and chatted for a while.

Cheng Long came in quickly and came over. "Wow, I just saw you walking up when I got out of the car. How about we have a drink sometime? How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow... I think tonight. A friend is coming over in the morning, and I have a meeting in the afternoon. I might not have time in the evening either. I've been so busy lately! Damn it, all for a few bucks, sigh..."

Cheng Long laughed heartily, "Don't talk like that. You make money so fast, that's why you say that. You don't know how hard it is for us to make money!" — Shi Nansheng immediately retorted, "You call making money slow?"

Cheng Long pointed at Lin Jianlu, "He's much slower than him!"

Just then, Rosamund Kwan arrived, squeezed into the group, grabbed Lin Jianlu's arm, and whispered in her ear, "I received news that you took Vivian and Zhou Haimei to look at houses!"

Lin Jianlu chuckled, then turned around and hugged her waist without hesitation, whispering in her ear, "Tell me your source, and I'll send someone to silence you tonight."

Rosamund Kwan burst into laughter at his remark.

In short, the scene was chaotic and noisy everywhere.

A moment later, Stephen Chow came over and reached out his hand from a distance, calling out, "Mr. Lin!"

Lin Jianlu laughed and said, "Brother Xing, don't call me that. We're old friends. They're just joking with me and calling me 'Lin Sheng.' Just call me A-Lu."

Stephen Chow was stingy, but not stupid. His smile became a little awkward at this moment, but he still insisted, "No, the title 'Mr. Lin' suits you perfectly! Uh... I don't know if you have time these few days. Well, I'd like to invite you for tea, Mr. Lin. I have something to ask you."

As he spoke, the people who had been surrounding Lin Jianlu gradually dispersed—not necessarily to avoid contact with Zhou Xingchi; no matter how wicked the Xiang family was, they wouldn't have that much of a deterrent effect. It was just that as soon as Zhou Xingchi spoke, everyone understood that he was asking for help.

So they consciously avoided it.

To be honest, Lin Jianlu doesn't actually have much influence in the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

Whether he invested in Media Asia Films or bought ATV, he never intended to focus his business on Hong Kong, a tiny place, and he never intended to get deeply involved in the entertainment industry here. In Hong Kong, he had only one principle: I just sell goods, do acquisitions, and set up my own business. It was only because of Hong Kong's special status that I opened a factory here to produce some cultural and entertainment products.

Therefore, as long as no one provokes me, I will not interfere in your disputes.

However, there was no way around it. Although Media Asia Films' influence was limited, it was still a major force in the Hong Kong film industry. ATV, needless to say, could never beat TVB no matter how many decades it had been, but it was still one of only two television stations in Hong Kong and TVB's only rival.

The film "The Myth," with an investment of up to 2000 million US dollars, brought Hong Kong film mogul Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan's go-to director, Tong Chi-lee, to his side.

He himself first became famous throughout Asia, and then globally. Anyone who was even remotely associated with him would immediately become a sensation. In the entire Chinese music scene, he was a precipitous leader, several precipitous figures ahead of him. Music industry giants were either his friends who praised him highly, or they were indebted to him because his songs became wildly popular. Wang Fei mentioned on a show that Lin Jianlu praised her singing as "ethereal," and immediately the name "Queen of the Crying Fairy" spread throughout Hong Kong and Taiwan. While others were just divas, she was elevated to a unique celestial queen just because of this one comment.

In short, he has been the undisputed king of traffic in the Chinese entertainment industry for the past two years.

Singing his songs generates traffic, saying he's your idol generates traffic, even a casual comment from him generates traffic, and if you're rumored to be dating him, the traffic is like a tidal wave!

Therefore, he felt that he had no power, but everyone else thought that he was powerful.

Not to mention, the so-called "Governor of Hong Kong" claim, though seemingly laughable to the wise, is actually believed by many in Hong Kong, not just in the entertainment industry, but also in the business world. Choi Chung-shun is one of them; he always thought that Lam Kin-lu was carrying some kind of secret mission. Whether it's Lam Pak-yan, or the recent richest man in Hong Kong, Li Chao-chi, or the Cha family, they all most likely believe it as well. Therefore, none of them want to have a conflict with Lam Kin-lu. If you want to buy, I'll just be a little reserved and sell it to you.

Even those closest to you, your own people, and even your bedmate, should actually believe it.

Ge Fuhong and her husband, Boss Qiu, clearly believed that Lin Jianlu had a complicated background. Lin Qingxia, Rosamund Kwan, and Vivian Chow also firmly believed that Lin Jianlu was from the capital.

Oh dear, I can't explain it clearly.

In short, the result is that even the big capital in Hong Kong would give way or back down when facing Lin Jianlu, let alone a small entertainment industry. Xiang Jia Yongsheng is arrogant and domineering in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, but when it comes to Lin Jianlu, they are so scared that they dare not provoke him at all. For their own film, the last movie that Li Lianjie stayed with Yongsheng, they specially invited Liang Yongqi to play the female lead.

Before taking action against Stephen Chow, Boss Xiang specifically sent Wang Jing to sound him out.

Therefore, everyone thinks you are very strong, they are afraid of you, and dare not offend you, so you naturally gain power.

"Brother Xing, I've heard about your situation, but to be honest, it's not my place to get involved. This isn't anything else; it's purely a struggle for profit. If you want to start your own business, then of course you have to bear the pressure of doing so. That's how the underworld works. Why do people work so hard in the underworld? To make money! If you have something to offer, everyone will support you. If you're unwilling to share your profits with others, then they'll hate you. That's perfectly normal."

"Just bear it yourself! At least he wouldn't dare send someone to kill you, right?"

"As for asking me for help, what help can I offer? I have no connection with the Xiang family, and it's not my place to negotiate. I'm just a nobody in the underworld! I should even call you Brother Xing! Although I'm not afraid of them, it's not worth provoking them, is it?"

“I don’t want you to share any of the profits with me. I don’t need that money. I respect your idea of ​​starting your own business, and I don’t want everyone to talk about me and say, ‘Look at Ah Lu, he’s taking advantage of people’s misfortunes!’ When Yong Sheng was about to blacklist Zhou Xingchi, he took the opportunity to stand up for him, ostensibly to protect him, but actually to reap the benefits!”

His words were very straightforward.

Stephen Chow looked extremely embarrassed.

These words basically revealed all his thoughts, motives, and even worries—yes, he had long wanted to ask Lin Jianlu for help, but he was always afraid of falling into a wolf's den after escaping one, afraid that Lin Jianlu would take the opportunity to ask to invest in his company or his plays, and so on.

"No...no! I know you, Lin Sheng, have never been that kind of person."

He left after awkwardly saying a few words.

It's an unsolvable problem, but ultimately it's because he has such poor interpersonal relationships. He's been in the film industry for so many years and has been famous for so many years, but when it really matters, not a single person is willing to stand up for him, not even to plead with Win's Entertainment on his behalf. Everyone avoids him like the plague and doesn't want to talk to him.

That's probably why the Xiang family dared to take action against him.

Just as Lin Jianlu was about to turn around and look for someone after a brief moment of peace, a fragrant breeze wafted over, and the next instant, an absolutely stunningly beautiful face appeared timidly before her.

"Hello Lin Sheng!"

(End of this chapter)