Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

Broadcast Drive, Asia Television.

The sunlight outside the window was exceptionally bright, and the atmosphere in the conference room was as warm as the spring day. The cork of the champagne popped open with a "pop," the foam overflowed, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of alcohol and victory.

"Cheers!!"

Lu Chen raised his glass and lightly clinked it with the executives present.

"You all fought brilliantly in this battle." Lu Chen looked at the radiant Huang Xizhao and Li Zhaoxiong and said with a smile, "A 91% viewership rating is more than just a number; it's a milestone for ATV."

"It's all thanks to the boss's scripts and financial support!" Huang Xizhao took a big gulp of champagne, still a little tipsy. "Now everyone outside is saying that TVB is old, and ATV is the future! The GG department just sent over another report; 70% of the GG slots for next quarter have already been booked!"

Everyone burst into laughter; the feeling of dominating the wireless network was just too exhilarating.

"However..." After the laughter subsided, Huang Xizhao put down his wine glass, his expression becoming slightly serious. "Boss, although we won this round, TVB didn't just sit idly by. Uncle Shao is really desperate this time, and he's actually bleeding money."

"Oh? That old miser is quite something." Lu Chen wasn't bothered at all, but instead asked with great interest.

Huang Xizhao pulled out a intelligence report from his briefcase: "According to our informant within TVB, Uncle Shaw held an emergency meeting last night and announced a total investment of six million to remake Jin Yong's 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes'! Moreover, he gave a firm order: the entire station is mobilized, with three directing teams working simultaneously to rush to broadcast it during the July summer vacation season. Now the entire TVB is working non-stop, saying they want to create an unprecedented martial arts epic to win back the audience they've lost."

"The Legend of the Condor Heroes..." Lu Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

According to the original timeline, the classic 83 version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" should have only begun preparations at the end of this year and aired next year. Unexpectedly, due to the strong rise of ATV, Uncle Shaw was forced to play this trump card ahead of schedule, and the investment scale is even larger than before!

However, this is indeed a common practice in the wireless industry.

In my past life's memories, whenever ATV chased after TVB with phenomenal dramas like "The Land of Love" or "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," TVB would unleash its trump card: adaptations of Jin Yong or Gu Long's works. "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" forced TVB to cancel its series, and TVB immediately retaliated with "Chor Lau Heung" and "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber." Later, when ATV released "The Land of Love," TVB launched another wave of Jin Yong dramas.

After all, in this era, who doesn't like Guo Jing and Huang Rong? Who doesn't dream of martial arts? Moreover, an investment of six million, although not as much as the Legend of Sword and Fairy, was definitely an astronomical figure in 1982. At least ATV's The Legend of the Condor Heroes didn't have such a large investment, which shows that that stingy guy was really going all out this time.

"Boss, this is troublesome." Li Zhaoxiong said with some worry, "Jin Yong's dramas have a huge influence, and this time they're even doing location shooting. They're obviously targeting our 'Chinese Paladin'. Our 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' is good, but it's still a bit weak compared to the 'Legend of the Condor Heroes' IP."

The atmosphere in the meeting room cooled down a bit. Everyone there was in the TV drama business, so they naturally knew the significance of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".

"What's there to be afraid of?" Lu Chen suddenly laughed, a nonchalant laugh. "Jin Yong dramas are certainly impressive, but they are traditional martial arts. Audiences have just enjoyed a divine feast like 'Chinese Paladin,' so going back to watch Guo Jing practice the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms will ultimately feel a bit bland... Since they want to stick to tradition, then we'll do something more avant-garde."

Lu Chen stood up, walked to the whiteboard, picked up a marker, and wrote seven large characters:

I Have a Date with a Zombie.

"Zombies?"

Huang Xizhao and Li Zhaoxiong exchanged glances. "Boss, are you going to make a film like Lam Ching-ying's? Someone jumping around in Qing Dynasty official robes?"

"No," Lu Chen shook his finger, his eyes gleaming with reminiscence, "that's too corny. What I want to film is modern zombies."

"Imagine it," Lu Chen began to describe that bizarre world, "Zombies are no longer hideous monsters, but handsome, immortal men in trench coats and sunglasses. They don't drink human blood, they drink expired blood plasma, and they mingle in modern cities. And the Taoist priests who catch ghosts aren't old men wielding peach wood swords, but stunning beauties wearing miniskirts, showing off their long legs, and holding extendable demon-slaying sticks! We need a love story that transcends time and space, a subversion of myths and legends, and a grand theme of saving the world from the apocalypse! Kuang Tianyou, Ma Xiaoling, Jiang Chen..."

As Lu Chen continued his narration, Huang Xizhao and the others' mouths gaped wider and wider.

This...this is way too imaginative!

Ghost hunting while wearing a short skirt? A zombie dating?

However, despite its imaginative premise, the world-building and plot are surprisingly logical, prompting Huang Xizhao to slap his thigh in exasperation: "If this show were made, the middle-aged and elderly audience might not know about it, but today's young viewers would definitely love it!"

"Not only do we have to film, but we have to film it well," Lu Chen said seriously. "The success of 'Chinese Paladin' proved the importance of special effects. The special effects team we worked with last time was quite good, so I've decided to officially establish a special effects company called—'Purple Aura Special Effects.' We'll sign all the technicians who came back from Hollywood and recruit a group of talented young people. From now on, we'll not only take on special effects projects for ATV's own productions, but also for Hong Kong and even the whole of Asia. This 'Zombie' is Purple Aura's next touchstone. I want to show Uncle Shaw what a generation gap really is!"

"Yes, boss!"

……

into the night.

Dundas Street, Mong Kok.

The flashing neon lights bathed the city that never sleeps in an ambiguous pink hue.

A black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up in front of a nightclub called "Hero Bar". The door opened, and Lu Chen, dressed in a casual suit, stepped out accompanied by Tian Yangsheng.

"Boss!"

Ahua and Feiji, who had been waiting at the door, quickly came to greet them.

Today, Ahua looks much more composed than before. Having experienced that great battle and undergone a transformation in his mindset, he now exudes the aura of a true leader.

"No need for such a big fuss, I'm just here for a drink," Lu Chen patted Ahua on the shoulder. "You've worked hard these past few days. You deserve all the credit for bringing Wanzai to the fore."

"I didn't actually do much; it was mainly the boss who planned and orchestrated things. Otherwise, I would definitely have messed it up!" Ahua said modestly, then made a gesture of invitation, "Boss, the private room upstairs is ready, the best spot."

The group entered the bar.

The heavy metal music was deafening, and the dance floor was filled with wild, chaotic dancing.

Lu Chen sat in a semi-open booth on the second floor, swirling a glass of Louis XIII in his hand, his gaze casually sweeping across the lobby downstairs.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

Near the bar, a girl wearing tight jeans, a black tank top, and a plaid shirt tied around her waist was skillfully opening a beer.

She had a breathtakingly beautiful face, with long, wavy hair casually draped over her shoulders, and a wild and stubborn look in her eyes. Especially her figure, which, wrapped in a tight-fitting outfit, accentuated her curves and was incredibly alluring.

Qiu Di, the woman who was supposed to suffer with Hua Sheng, has now been poached by A Hua at a high price ahead of time.

"Boss, that's Qiu Di," Ahua said in a low voice, following Lu Chen's gaze. "Last time, as you instructed, I poached her from her old food stall. This girl is quite capable and has a fiery personality; ordinary thugs wouldn't dare mess with her."

"Tell her to come up." Lu Chen put down his wine glass, a smile playing on his lips.

A moment later, Di came up carrying a tray.

She had clearly been instructed and knew that the young man sitting in the middle was the legendary big boss. She looked somewhat flustered, but more curious.

"Boss, here's your wine." Qiu Di put down the wine, her voice clear and crisp.

"sit."

Lu Chen pointed to the seat next to him.

Qiu Di paused for a moment, glanced at Ahua beside her, and Ahua immediately glared at her: "The boss told you to sit, so sit!"

Qiu Di pursed her lips and sat down casually; her wildness was quite to Lu Chen's liking.

"Are you having fun here?" Lu Chen poured her a glass of wine, his tone gentle.

"It's alright," Qiu Di said, taking the drink without being coy. "It's much better than at the food stalls. Nobody dares to cause trouble when they're drunk, and you earn more. I heard that's one of your rules, boss?"

"I guess so. How were your results?" Lu Chen asked.

"I was the top salesperson last month." A hint of pride flashed in Qiu Di's eyes as she mentioned this. "I sold five hundred dozen beers."

"Five hundred threshings? That's quite a lot of work."

Looking at her face, which bore a striking resemblance to "Fan Bingbing," Lu Chen couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "She truly deserves to be the template for plastic surgery faces in later generations; her looks are indeed quite stunning." Moreover, because it was a movie world, her beauty was elevated to an even higher level.

"Since you're so capable, it's time to give you more responsibilities!" Lu Chen took out an envelope from his pocket and gently pushed it in front of her. "This is a bonus for you. Starting tomorrow, you'll be promoted to supervisor of this bar. Your salary will double, and you'll also get a private lounge."

"Huh?" Qiu Di was stunned. "But... I've only been here for a month, and I don't have much experience..."

"If I say you can do it, you can do it." Lu Chen leaned closer, looking into her eyes, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "What? You don't want to? Or are you just wasting your money?"

The two were very close, and the pleasant scent of Lu Chen's cologne enveloped Qiu Di. Looking at his handsome face so close to hers, her cheeks instantly flushed red.

Hong Kong Island is a place of extravagance and debauchery, but for a helpless "northern girl" like her, every step is fraught with difficulty. Who wouldn't want to find a backer? Especially not a wealthy and handsome one like him.

"I...I do. Thank you, boss." Qiu Di lowered her head, her voice barely audible, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

"Don't worry," Lu Chen reached out and gently tidied her slightly messy bangs. "Work hard, and in the future... there will be a better position waiting for you."

Seeing the two chatting happily, Ahua gave Feiji a wink, and the two quietly retreated to the outer perimeter.

"Looks like we're going to have a new boss lady?" the plane asked innocently.

"Shut up," Ahua said in a low voice. "From now on, when you see Qiuti, be even more polite than you are to me. She's the woman the boss has his eye on."

"oh!"

……

Two o'clock in the morning.

Villa No. 77, Yau Yat Tsuen, Kowloon.

Lu Chen returned home with a faint smell of alcohol on him.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, two dark figures darted out.

"Woof! Woof woof!"

The lively and energetic Cola, with its glossy black fur, pounced on Lu Chen's lap, its tail wagging like a propeller; behind it, Sprite sat quietly, tilting its head to look at Lu Chen. These two little guys were already six months old, completely lacking the awkward stage that normal puppies go through, and were still so beautiful.

Lu Chen squatted down, rubbed Cola's head, and then stroked Sprite's chin, instantly relaxing. The scheming and danger outside were all forgotten in that moment.

Push open the door.

A dim floor lamp was left on in the living room.

Ruan Mei, dressed in a cotton floral pajama set, was curled up on the sofa, holding an account book. She had recently passed her accounting exam and was now working in Jiahe's finance department. However, being a new employee, she was still a bit overwhelmed with work, but stubbornly refused to let her supervisor send someone else to do it for her. The supervisor then "generously" allowed her to take the work home to finish. It seemed she had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Hearing the noise, she groggily opened her eyes, saw Lu Chen, and immediately put on her signature sweet smile.

"You're back?"

Ruan Mei rubbed her eyes, ran over barefoot, helped Lu Chen take off his coat, and sniffed him like a puppy.

"You've been drinking? Quite a bit."

"It's a celebration party, after all, it's inevitable." Lu Chen casually put his arm around her slender waist and kissed her pure and beautiful face. "Why don't you go sleep in bed?"

"Wait for you... Oh, I haven't finished my work yet!" Ruan Mei pouted and held up the account book in front of Lu Chen.

Listening to her rambling on and on, Lu Chen felt a warm glow in his heart.

"Okay, okay, I'll be more careful next time," Lu Chen picked her up in his arms and strode upstairs. "To punish me for coming home late, I'll repay you with my body tonight."

"Ugh! You're so mean! You haven't even showered yet..."

"Let's shower together!"

……

The bathroom was filled with steam, and the spring scenery was breathtaking.

After a night of passion.

Lu Chen leaned against the headboard and lit a cigarette. Ruan Mei nestled against his chest like a kitten, her fingers tracing circles on his skin, the blush still lingering on her face.

"husband……"

Ruan Mei suddenly remembered something, "I have something to tell you."

"Hmm? Are you going to bring back some cats and dogs again? You can decide these small things yourself," Lu Chen said with a smile.

"Oh, no, that's not it!" Ruan Mei lightly punched him. "It's about the neighbor next door, about Uncle Piao."

"Uncle Piao? What happened to him?" Lu Chen asked.

"I heard he got a promotion, but the price is that he'll be sent to work at MIT. The whole family is having a hard time deciding," Ruan Mei said, playing with Lu Chen's hair.