So what if I work with celebrities?

"Don't ask me where I come from, my hometown is far away, why am I wandering..."

Eighteen-year-old Qi Yu had a very beautiful voice; her singing was ethereal yet powerful, and for a moment, the drinking and chatting in the karaoke bar stopped.

"This song... Mr. Xu, how did you find it? The movie's huge success must have a lot to do with this song, right?" Zhang Che asked.

"Director Zhang, it was all a coincidence. I happened to run into Li Taixiang's friend while I was filming, and things started to get between us..."

Hsu Tsan clinked glasses with the creative team, taking large gulps of Taiwan Beer. At that moment, Chi Yu came down from the stage, holding a drink, and, guided by staff, went from one aisle to another to offer toasts.

"Brother Zan? What are you doing here?" Qi Yu asked in surprise, then saw Zhang Che standing to the side and was too excited to speak.

"Why are you singing at a nightclub?"

"They paid me a fortune, guess how much?"

"Two thousand yuan?"

"Five thousand!"

Qi Yu held up five fingers and said with a smile, very proud of her current status. Five thousand yuan per performance almost puts her at the level of a top-tier singer.

Who would have thought that a song she casually recorded during her summer vacation would become a hit across the island? She went from an unremarkable girl next door to a sought-after pop star.

"That's half mine!" Xu Zan joked.

Qi Yu shook her head, then lowered her head and whispered, "Brother Zan, my dad has been looking for you all day. Could you give him a reply tomorrow morning? It seems he needs to talk to you!"

Xu Zan nodded. Although he didn't know what this uncle Qi Jishui wanted, he knew that it was best to try to meet the demands of his friends in officialdom.

After Qi Yu sang a few songs from the album "Olive Tree", she left with her older brother Qi Lu.

The empty stage didn't last long. Soon, a spotlight shone on the entrance, and a woman wearing a black cheongsam embroidered with peonies gracefully walked onto the stage.

Goodbye, my love! Goodbye, my love, who knows when we'll meet again...

Teresa Teng's voice was gentle and tender, like a lover confiding in her. Middle-aged men simply couldn't resist such a perfect voice.

She just finished recording a TVB special in Hong Kong, and her first time back on the island was to perform at the Sapphire Cabaret. She is definitely a hardworking singer.

The lights in the karaoke room shone on her cheongsam, making the sequins of the peony flowers sparkle and making her look so beautiful.

Xu Zan raised his glass and slowly savored the wine. At first glance, Teresa Teng looked like a girl next door. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was tall and had a pair of long, fair legs.

However, the proportion of her head to her body makes her face appear very large.

However, the sweet girl style is very much in line with the aesthetics of this era.

"By the way! I'm filming my next movie, 'Miss Granny.' I wonder if it will be a big hit?" Xu Zan thought to himself.

In her previous life, Xu Zan had seen many versions, including those from the Chinese entertainment industry, the Korean entertainment industry, and the Thai entertainment industry... but she still thought the Korean version was better.

The plot is quite simple: an old lady is disliked at home, but when she returns to her twenties, a series of hilarious events unfold.

Xu Zan thought of incorporating Shanghai-style music from the Republican era into the drama, such as "The Wandering Songstress," "When Will You Return?" and "Night Fragrance."

Getting Teresa Teng to do the voice-over... sounds like a great idea.

Older generations may not immediately understand the sudden rejuvenation, but the songs and storylines will surely resonate with them.

Moreover, this is a comedy, so it can be released during the Chinese New Year period.

So, who should be chosen as the actor?

The next day, at 8:00 AM.

Xu Zan made a phone call to the Qi family.

"Hello, this is Xu Zan. I'm looking for Uncle Qi."

"Mr. Xu, please wait a moment."

After a while, Qi Jishui answered the phone, sounding very happy. "Little Xu, I heard you went to learn acting from Director Zhang Che?"

"Not really, just some exchanges. Uncle Qi, did this news spread so quickly?" Xu Zan asked.

"No, Xiaoyu said it this morning."

The two talked for a while about the "Olive Tree" album, which, with the support of the Hung Foundation, has sold a total of 170,000 copies.

Hong Jianjinghui is now preparing to promote her songs in Southeast Asia, and with the support of the movie "Joyful Encounters", the album is expected to sell well in Southeast Asia.

At a hometown gathering, Xu Zan helped Qi Jishui's daughter become a singer, earning five thousand yuan for a single performance, far exceeding the monthly salary of a working class.

"I need to meet you for a dinner appointment. Do you have time?" Qi Jishui asked.

"have!"

It turned out that Qi Jishui had invited some legislators and members of parliament to dinner, and one of the guests was Mei Changling, the chairman of China Film Studio.

This person holds great power over the state-run film industry in Taiwan. If you befriend him, even a few films leaking from his fingers could be enough for a small director to have a very prosperous year.

Especially this year, with the president's death and turmoil on the island, the higher authorities instructed China Film Group to produce a series of patriotic films.

Xu Zan heard that Liu Jiachang, who was far away in America, had set off to return.

After confirming the address and time, and ascertaining any dietary restrictions for the guests, he made reservations at the restaurant in advance, selecting dishes of medium to high quality and drinks.

These officials put on airs, finding fault with wines that are too high-end and unacceptable those that are too low-end, so mid- to high-end wines are their first choice.

For dishes, a good balance of meat and vegetables is essential, and the dish should be visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious. If there are any special wild game dishes, those must be served.

Around 6 p.m., Xu Zan stood at the door waiting for Qi Jishui to arrive.

"Uncle! Over here!"

"Seize the opportunity later. I heard there's a big move coming up from above, with a huge investment," Qi Jishui said in a low voice.

He went inside and glanced at the menu, very satisfied. The menu featured a good mix of hot and cold dishes, meat and vegetables, and the drinks were delicious but not extravagant.

After greeting the guests in the lobby for a while, the six people entered the private room one after another.

Xu Zan sat at the very back, near the door. Qi Jishui introduced them, "I've found a helper today who can drink at least two jin of liquor! Let's see who's the first to pass out under the table."

"Hey! You old Qi, you cheated!"

The guests were amused by him, and after a while of joking around, they started talking about their experiences in officialdom. It wasn't anything major, just stories of who was keeping a mistress or whose mistress was cheating on him.

Anyway, he can't stop talking about love.

Mei Changling didn't say much, but he picked up his glass and drank. His attention was mostly on Xu Zan at the door. When Lao Qi said his name, he immediately knew that he was a director.

A director who has made films with tens of millions in box office revenue at such a young age naturally has a limitless future.

Mei Changling understood perfectly what Lao Qi meant. He wasn't angry; instead, he wanted to test the young man's abilities.

"Hey! Director Xu, right?" Mei Changling paused for a moment, and the private room fell silent. "You're so young to have made such an excellent film; you must have a lot of ideas about filmmaking, right?"

"I do have some ideas. I want to make some interesting and thought-provoking films," Xu Zan said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Oh," Mei Changling said, raising his cup. Xu Zan immediately stood up and respectfully clinked glasses with it.

How much do you know about patriotic films?

"I've seen a lot..." Xu Zan recounted many patriotic films made during the War of Resistance against Japan, as well as in the 1950s and 1960s, based on his memory.

"If you were to make a patriotic film, what kind of story would you choose?" Mei Changling asked.

"Hmm... the Eight Hundred Heroes of Sihang Warehouse!" Xu Zan began to recount the history of the final stages of the Battle of Shanghai.

Upon hearing this, Mei Changling swirled his wine glass and said, "I'm playing tennis tomorrow morning..."