Huayu: The Big Players Behind the Scenes

"Boss Yang, I originally had a few scripts that were very suitable for the Hong Kong background, but it seems that my peers are not very welcoming to me. Since that's the case, I won't make myself disliked. Let's just let it go this time and cooperate again in the future if there's an opportunity."

Thank you for your hospitality. I have some business to attend to at my company, so I'll be heading back to Beijing now.

Looking at the text messages on his phone, Mr. Yang was exhausted.

"Damn it, a bunch of idiots! Short-sighted idiots!"

"Boss," Huo Wenxi said, seeing that Boss Yang was furious, he quickly brought over some blood pressure medication and poured a glass of warm water, "I found out some news. It's Huang Qiusheng spreading rumors outside. He said that Director Zhuang came to Hong Kong this time to take away the jobs of local artists..."

Today, Huang Qiusheng is not yet Huang Gou, but rather enjoys considerable prestige in the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

"Damn it, this foreigner's illegitimate son spent half his life making Category III films before finally getting ahead, and he dares to spout such nonsense!"

Mr. Yang was so angry he laughed. This guy is a director who has won the three major European awards. Why would he leave the mainland market and overseas markets to come to your tiny place and steal your job?

That guy made a hundred million from just one movie, damn it!

Boss Yang grew angrier the more he thought about it, and finally couldn't hold back, saying, "Spread the word: starting today, he's not allowed to act in any film produced with Yinghuang's involvement. Similarly, Yinghuang won't invest in any film he acts in, no matter how big the cast is!"

Huo Wenxi's eyes widened; this was a blatant ban.

"Boss, is it appropriate to go to such lengths for Zhuang Huai'an?"

"You don't understand," Boss Yang patiently explained to his trusted lieutenant, "Putting aside the fact that he's a successful director, the Beijing Film Academy is backing him up. Moreover, I got some news from Jiang Wen that Han Sanping, the powerful vice chairman of China Film Group, is also very close to him. There are rumors that he's about to be promoted."

Yinghuang's time in Hong Kong has come to an end. If it wants to develop, it has to go north. But even if it goes north, without connections, who will pay attention to it?

Am I supposed to invest in some terrible movies? Then why would I even bother going to the mainland? Aren't there enough bad movies in Hong Kong already?

Seeing Huo Wenxi's thoughtful expression, Boss Yang took a sip of water and continued, "Director Zhuang's value to me far exceeds that of Huang Qiusheng by a hundred times. If we can facilitate this cooperation, Yinghuang wouldn't be afraid to blacklist even a few more scoundrels like him!"

Huo Wenxi nodded, and was about to speak when her phone rang. She walked to the side to answer it, and a moment later, her expression changed drastically as she walked back.

"Boss, something's up. Long Wu has leaked information that, for the sake of the company's development, China is implementing a new, comprehensive ban on Huang Qiusheng, and that includes our company's Du Shaqiang!"

"What?!" Boss Yang was furious again. Wasn't this a raid?! "Was Sha Qiang involved in this too?"

"Yes... he was the first to respond to Huang Qiusheng..." Huo Wenxi lowered her head. She already knew about this, but since Sha Qiang was one of her own artists, she didn't mention his name earlier.

"Fine, fine, Mani, you're even keeping it from me now!" Boss Yang felt utterly exhausted. Even Huo Wenxi, who had been with him for over a decade, didn't understand him. He really couldn't manage these teammates.

On the other side of Shenzhen, in a hotel suite.

Jiang Wen had just hung up the phone.

"It's Long Wu," he said to Zhuang Huai'an. "He said he wants to cooperate with you. To show his sincerity, he will step in to blacklist Huang Gou and Du Gou. At the same time, Boss Yang also called me and said the same thing."

Zhuang Huai'an's eyes flashed, and he sneered, "Heh, no wonder you're a local bully, your information network is excellent."

"What are you thinking?" Jiang Wen sat opposite him and tossed him a cigarette.

"What's your brilliant insight, bro?"

Jiang Wen exhaled a puff of smoke and said in a deep voice, "To be honest, although the couple's background is not clean, it was due to the circumstances. They were among the first to go north, and now they are well-regarded in their hometown. If it's just a simple collaboration, there's no problem."

Zhuang Huai'an smiled and said jokingly, "I thought you would advise me to just stop playing with them."

"We both know that this is something that can't be easily turned against."

Jiang Wen sighed, "Today, the two of us brothers are talking behind closed doors. Due to policy restrictions, our hometown can't have much contact with this place, but cultural exchange is something the higher-ups have always encouraged. Otherwise, why do you think I would accept Mr. Yang's investment? Even if I'm down on my luck, as long as I'm willing to swallow my pride, I can still find connections in the mainland."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Huai'an was somewhat surprised. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary second-generation rich kid from a mining company. He only learned about many things in the entertainment industry through marketing accounts. He really didn't know anything about such secretive matters.

"You can think of me as a pilot project, a pilot project for exchanges between the two sides."

Jiang Wen chuckled self-deprecatingly, "You could say my pilot project was a success, or you could say it was a failure. Anyone with eyes could see that the chances of the Japanese wanting to release it were very small, but Boss Yang didn't say a word and still invested in 1000 copies. It wasn't that he was stupid, but rather a pledge of allegiance, a toll for the project."

No wonder.

Zhuang Huai'an nodded, and based on what Jiang Wen said and what he already knew, he quickly deduced the cause and effect.

At this moment, Yang Chen finished his call and came out of the room.

Seeing his grim expression, Zhuang Huai'an chuckled and asked gloatingly, "Did you get scolded?"

"Um..." Yang Chen said awkwardly, "After I told my uncle about it, he was silent for a while, and then he started scolding me. He said that I'm 35 years old and still as naive as a child."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Huai'an and Jiang Wen exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Yang Chen was also present at the banquet earlier. He was furious at the disregard shown to Zhuang Huai'an; as the saying goes, "A subject should die for his lord."

Slapping his boss in the face is slapping his own face; slapping his own face is slapping his uncle's butt.

Can this be tolerated?

So he decided to tattle!

He embellished the story over the phone and went on and on.

But Uncle Yang is a high-ranking leader, how could he be fooled by a few words from him?

And what's the big deal about this?

Tell the parents?

If they truly said something they shouldn't have, then Uncle Yang might have a chance to give them a warning.

But the other party is just being disrespectful to you, without saying or doing anything substantial.

In the current rather delicate atmosphere, should Uncle Yang, like he did at the Greater Bay Area Night in later years, specifically name names?

Don't be silly, kid. Be stable, and you'll be executed later.

This is the standard procedure.

Zhuang Huai'an didn't expect Yang Chen to file a complaint over something like this. It's not that he's immature, but he's just had it too easy and hasn't experienced the harsh realities of the United States.

"Well, so what are your plans?"

"I don't know, let's talk about it after the Golden Horse Awards."

Zhuang Huai'an shook his head. This kind of thing is like a toad crawling on your foot; it doesn't bite, it's just disgusting.

"Before that, there's something else I need to take care of."

Jiang Wen asked curiously, "What is it?"

"Tell our parents!"

Zhuang Huai'an laughed heartily as he came up with a terrible idea.