Huayu: The Big Players Behind the Scenes

With the Golden Horse Awards approaching,

Zhuang Huai'an took his newly appointed assistant Zhang Lu to Hong Kong, stayed for two days, and then went to Taiwan.

"Brother, we've been waiting for you!"

In the airport parking lot, Jiang Wen, dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses, with a cigar in his mouth, looked every bit the gangster boss.

Zhuang Huai'an circled him, clicking his tongue in amazement: "Brother, what's up? Are you filming Young and Dangerous?"

"Ha, you think gangsters are as badass as me? A bunch of social scum!"

Jiang Wen was a little unhappy with what her younger brother had said. With her own aura, she was more like a godfather than a tyrant!

Zhuang Huai'an ignored him and gestured towards the flying goddess behind him with his lip, "You bought it?"

"I don't live in Hong Kong often, why would I buy a car?"

Jiang Wen pulled him into the car and explained, "Boss Yang, these past few days in Hong Kong I've been staying at the Yinghuang Hotel and riding in a Rolls-Royce. With this kind of treatment, I don't even want to go back to Beijing."

Hearing this, Zhuang Huai'an wasn't surprised. Boss Yang was Jiang Wen's biggest friend. He had lost tens of millions investing in his movies without batting an eye, so these expenses were a minor matter.

Jiang Wen's trip to Hong Kong this time wasn't to wait for Zhuang Huai'an, but rather to beg for alms again.

He is currently filming "Warriors of Heaven and Earth," which was originally a Sino-Japanese co-production, but because the budget kept exceeding the limit and the scriptwriters were stingy, they dared not invest any more. So Jiang Wen set her sights on the top-ranking boss, Mr. Yang.

Jiang Wen had approached Zhuang Huai'an about this matter, but he ignored it. Although he and Jiang Wen had a good relationship, Jiang Wen wasn't the director of "Warriors of Heaven and Earth," and the film ultimately lost money. The female lead was someone he disliked, so there was no need to do him a favor.

The driver was one of Boss Yang's men, so the two couldn't talk freely on the way. They exchanged a few words here and there and soon arrived at the Yinghuang Hotel.

"Tsk, Mr. Yang has done a pretty good job with this gimmick."

Zhuang Huai'an looked down at his feet. Under the transparent glass were gold bricks. No one would have imagined that the most valuable thing of the now famous Yinghuang Company would be this gold more than 20 years later.

Jiang Wen curled her lip. "Isn't this what Hong Kong people are all about? They need to create a buzz when doing business and show off when traveling. It's a bad habit they brought from Shanghai."

Tsk, what a classic regional topic.

The three of them entered the elevator and went straight to the 10th floor.

"Boss Yang is really generous; he got a presidential suite for each of us brothers, and you're staying next door to me."

After settling into their room and sitting down, Zhuang Huai'an's phone rang. Without checking his phone, he smiled and said to Jiang Wen, "I bet you a hundred bucks, it's definitely Boss Yang calling."

"No gambling," Jiang Wen shook her head. They had just settled in when the phone rang. Wasn't it obvious? 100 yuan was still money.

Zhuang Huai'an gave him a disdainful look, then picked up the phone and answered it.

"Haha, Director Zhuang, I'm so sorry for not welcoming you sooner!" Albert Yeung's hearty laughter rang out.

"Mr. Yang, you're too kind. We'll get to know each other better after a while. Aren't we friends?"

To be fair, Mr. Yang is a man of good character. Even though he knows he can speak Cantonese, he still insists on speaking the difficult-to-pronounce Mandarin.

"Yes, yes, they're all friends."

Boss Yang's tone carried a hint of joy, "It's like this, Director Zhuang, you came to Hong Kong in a hurry last time, and I didn't have time to properly entertain you. Fortunately, Yinghuang is hosting a banquet tonight, and some artists will be attending. I hope you will do me the honor of attending."

"Sure, that's perfect, I'd also like to chat with my colleagues in the Hong Kong entertainment industry."

Zhuang Huai'an readily agreed. After all, Boss Yang had helped him during the World Cup, and he couldn't let him down.

They're all "friends," after all.

"Alright, then I'll be waiting for your arrival."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Wen looked at him with a strange expression.

Zhuang Huai'an took out a cigarette and tossed it over, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Something's not right with you."

Jiang Wen, cigarette dangling from her lips, pointed at him and said, "Didn't you always look down on those people? Why are you being so enthusiastic today?"

In the past, when the two chatted, they also gave sharp comments on the current Hong Kong entertainment industry. At that time, Zhuang Huai'an was like a general pointing out the flaws in the industry, writing passionately, and even finally drawing a conclusion.

Among the heroes of our time, only Zhuangzi and Jiang Ziya are worthy of the title.

"Hey, it's just playing along."

Zhuang Huai'an waved his hand, "Isn't that how the entertainment industry is? They smile on the surface, but curse behind your back. I don't like the people here, but I still approve of the film system here."

Jiang Wen, being a shrewd person, immediately understood upon hearing his words and pressed further, "So, you're trying to use the film rating system here to cause some trouble?"

"Jiang understands me best."

"You have a plan?"

"It's all here." Zhuang Huai'an, with a cigarette between his fingers, tapped his head with his thumb. "We have the right timing and the right place; all that's left is for the right people."

"I understand. No wonder Boss Yang cares so much about you," Jiang Wen nodded and commented sharply, "You two are like a turtle seeing a green bean, you've hit it off."

"What are you saying? What are you saying?"

Zhuang Huai'an glared at him, annoyed, and retorted, "That's called mutual affection... Bah, that's called a win-win situation!"

"Yes, yes, just like Pan Jinlian looking at Ximen Qing," Jiang Wen mocked him.

Zhuang Huai'an fell silent.

Jiang Wen continued, "But I have to warn you, in Hong Kong, only Yinghuang is a decent business. The rest are all scum, especially that guy in sunglasses, he dares to defile the company name of that son of a bitch."

"Damn it, if Boss Yang hadn't held me back last time, I would have smashed his glasses! Damn it!"

Zhuang Huai'an, of course, knew who he was talking about. He genuinely disliked that bastard and spoke with a sense of shared indignation.

"He's just some nobody named Sunglasses King, daring to bully my brother. I won't stand for it! Damn it, let's take him down!"

"Should we take him down?"

"We must take him down!" Zhuang Huai'an said firmly. "Not only will we target his company, but I'll also take down his people!"

"Garlic bird, garlic bird, this matter needs to be considered carefully."

Seeing his younger brother getting carried away, Jiang Wen felt a little embarrassed. He genuinely disapproved, but he also genuinely couldn't do anything about it.

After all, that bastard really does have some skills.

Zhuang Huai'an wasn't joking, but Jiang Wen was right. This matter could only be discussed in detail, since he didn't actually have the ability to blacklist anyone at the moment.

Therefore,

Let's set a small goal first: to earn a billion next year!

in the afternoon,

Yang Chen also brought two employees from Company 91.

This was something Zhuang Huai'an had planned long ago, since Yang Chen was the one who had to discuss the specifics of the cooperation.

The banquet organized by Boss Yang was held in the banquet hall of the Yinghuang Hotel, which saved the group of people from having to go there.

He thought he had achieved great success, but Zhuang Huai'an underestimated the arrogance of Hong Kong actors today.

The actors from Yinghuang Group were quite accommodating, all taking the initiative to come forward and greet them. However, among those invited, only Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and Fatty Wong came over to exchange a few words.

Mr. Yang, who was standing to the side, turned pale, and Jiang Wen was so angry that she laughed.

Damn it, you're not even going to act anymore, are you?

Zhuang Huai'an calmly surveyed the banquet hall.

The "Two Chows and One Jackie" (Chow Yun-fat, Chow Sun-chung, and Jackie Chan), considered the face of Hong Kong cinema, were absent, along with the Four Heavenly Kings.

In the corner, the dwarf and the yellow dog were gathered together, talking amongst themselves, without even glancing in their direction.

Tsk, it really does live up to that lyric.

That year I was 19, at a grand banquet, standing there like a lackey.

It's quite fitting for the occasion.