National Tide 1980.

In the upper echelons of Hong Kong society, for most men and women, except those in their seventies or eighties, the end of a dinner party is never the end of social interaction, but rather the beginning.

So after 9 p.m., Ning Weimin and Yao Peifang, at the invitation of Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi, planned to get to know Wong Jim and Ng See-yuen, whom they had just met at the banquet that day, and have a good chat. So they changed their "battlefield" to have a second round of drinks.

The location was set at 348 Nightclub, the most famous nightclub under Hung Hon-yee's name.

348 Nightclub is a comprehensive nightlife venue that integrates a disco, nightclub, and karaoke.

Whether you enjoy a lively atmosphere and want to party, or you prefer a private environment where you can sing and play games with friends, you can find complete satisfaction here.

If I had to nitpick, I'd say there's something wrong with this.

It's probably because it's so popular that there are always people queuing outside every night, and it's very difficult to book a private room or booth.

However, given the relationship between Ning Weimin and Hong Hanyi, this is certainly not an issue; he is an anonymous VIP.

Originally, Xu Ke, the organizer of tonight's gathering, was worried about where to go for entertainment and was afraid of not being able to find a suitable place. However, Ning Weimin called Hong Hanyi directly on his mobile phone, and as soon as he spoke, Hong Hanyi immediately agreed, guaranteeing that the largest and most luxurious private room would be reserved for them.

This impressive lineup not only made Tsui Hark feel honored and made Wong Jim and Ng See-yuen more interested in Ning Weimin, but also expanded what was originally a small gathering of seven or eight people into a much larger event.

After all, it's a waste for just a few people to use such a luxurious private room. If it were just the few of them going, it would create an awkward atmosphere and make it difficult for everyone to relax and chat.

So, to liven up the atmosphere, Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi invited several actresses, including Fennie Yuen, Michelle Reis, and Rosamund Kwan, to join them.

Ning Weimin also invited several girls from Dachuan Entertainment, including Yue Yun, Yu Li, and Zhao Hui, to join in the fun.

In addition, there are some artists or models who originally frequented the 348 nightclub.

If anyone recognizes one of the important figures in their group, they will almost always rush over to offer them a toast and curry favor.

Before long, their private room was filled with dozens of people, including many professional singers with excellent voices who performed for fun.

For example, Sandy Lam and Alex To, who had just risen to fame, and Sally Yeh, who was already somewhat famous, all put on a great show, making it seem like a small-scale private concert for celebrities to exchange ideas.

Even so, the real stars of today's gathering are not taken too seriously by anyone.

Whether it's Ning Weimin, Yao Peifang, or Tsui Hark, Wong Jim, and Ng See-yuen, they all focused their energy on their own interests.

Nobody really cares which artist has a good voice; when offered a toast by an artist, people just take a small sip.

The distinction between actors and capital is like a natural chasm, clearly defined in this private room.

However, as the drinks flowed and the singing in the private room became more melodious, the leaders gradually shifted from the initial pleasantries to the main topic. The atmosphere among the big shots became increasingly lively, and even their titles became less formal and more casual.

Huang Zhan, holding a wine glass, laughed heartily, "Come on, cheers! Drink up! I love making friends, and it's a real honor to meet such a talented young man as Ning Sheng today!"

Ning Weimin raised his glass in welcome, his attitude sincere.

"Mr. Huang, you're too kind. Your film lyrics and music are truly brilliant. I've always hoped to have the opportunity to work with you. In the future, for any period drama films produced by Da Chuan Entertainment, I would like to give you priority. As for the remuneration, just name your price and I will not haggle."

Upon hearing this, Tsui Hark, who was standing nearby, immediately became anxious and quickly waved his hand to stop him.

"Hey, Ning Sheng, don't raise Uncle Zhan's price so quickly! I have several films that need his music, and if you spend so much money on him, I won't be able to afford him in the future!"

The whole table burst into laughter, while Wong Jim pretended to be dissatisfied, puffing out his beard and glaring.

"You old rascal Xu, you're stingy yourself and you won't let others have a good time. You're really my bad friend."

Ning Weimin looked at Tsui Hark and James Wong and smiled calmly, showing no bias.

"Director Xu, rest assured, Mr. Huang, this matter is actually easy to handle. How about this? In the future, if Director Xu wants to make any film, he must give me priority to cooperate. And as long as I invest, I will give priority to using Mr. Huang for the score. I will cover Mr. Huang's remuneration. How about we make a gentleman's agreement among the three of us? Wouldn't that be a win-win situation for everyone?"

Upon hearing this, Tsui Hark's eyes lit up instantly, and he nodded repeatedly.

"Okay, okay! I'll remember that! With you saying that, I feel much more at ease!"

Wong Jim listened with great pleasure and raised his glass again.

"That's great! Ning Sheng is indeed a man destined for great things, so generous! Just for those words, I, Huang Zhan, will definitely do my utmost to help you!"

Having just finished discussing the music, Wu Siyuan, not wanting to be left out, seized the opportunity to lean closer, his expression becoming more serious, and began to talk about serious matters.

"Ning Sheng, I also have something I'd like to discuss with you. Our Directors Guild is preparing a film called 'Twin Dragons,' with the aim of raising funds to buy a building so everyone will have a proper place to live. Jackie Chan, Tsui Hark, and Ringo Lam have all agreed to film it for free, and now we just need one last sponsorship. I wonder if you, Ning Sheng, would be willing to sponsor this film again, just like you did with 'The Banquet'? Of course, this is just an advance payment, not a donation. We will definitely return the principal. If you agree, we have some other benefits for you, and we absolutely won't let you lose everything and work for nothing."

When faced with Wu Siyuan's request, Ning Weimin glanced at Xu Ke and decided to give him face.

He nodded slightly. "Since Mr. Wu has spoken, I will naturally give him face. We are all friends, so please speak frankly. Whatever you need, as long as I can help, I will definitely do so."

Wu Siyuan was overjoyed.

“Ning Sheng is straightforward! I won’t beat around the bush. The budget for this film is HK$30 million. Golden Harvest is willing to contribute HK$22 million, but they want the overseas distribution rights. There’s a funding gap of about HK$10 million left. If you’re willing to help, I can arrange to give you the mainland distribution rights.”

Ning Weimin smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping lightly over Tsui Hark once more.

“Since Mr. Wu is so outspoken, I’ll be frank with you too. Money isn’t the issue, but I can’t make much money from the distribution rights in mainland China. Mr. Wu may not be familiar with the situation in mainland China; there are no private companies that can share the box office revenue. At most, I can only recoup some costs by selling the copies to China Film Group at a low price. That’s why I also want the distribution rights in Japan.”

Tsui Hark quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, that's the situation on the mainland. If we rely solely on distribution rights, we might have trouble even recouping a million dollars."

Wu Siyuan was slightly surprised, not expecting such a discrepancy to exist in reality.

To his surprise, Ning Weimin made demands that exceeded his expectations, leaving him somewhat at a loss for what to do.

After a moment of silence, he could only smile wryly and say, "I can't agree to this for now. After all, I approached Golden Harvest first, and I need to discuss it with them first. You know, Jackie Chan has many fans in Japan, so Golden Harvest values ​​the Japanese market very much. I'm worried that Golden Harvest might be unwilling."

Hearing this, Ning Weimin knew that the other party was worried about Golden Harvest's attitude, so he made a new suggestion. "I understand Mr. Wu's concerns, so how about we compromise? Why don't you ask Mr. Wu to ask Golden Harvest if I'm willing to contribute a little more money and share the film's production costs equally with them, would they grant me the distribution rights in Japan and mainland China?"

This worked! Wu Siyuan's eyes lit up immediately. After a moment's thought, he readily nodded.

“Ning Sheng, since you’re so straightforward, I think there’s something to discuss. To reduce investment risk, Golden Harvest might actually agree to give up some overseas profits. Putting aside everything else, saving seven million is enough to make a mid-budget film. I believe they can make the math. Wait for my news, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible after I’ve reached an agreement.”

Yao Peifang, who was standing nearby, was also quite shrewd. At this moment, she seized the opportunity and took the initiative to toast Wu Siyuan.

“Mr. Wu, this is such a great project, let’s not limit ourselves to just investment and cooperation. Several of our artists at Da Chuan Entertainment are also very good, such as Yue Yun, Yu Li, and Zhao Hui. They are all good-looking and talented, but they lack opportunities to appear on screen. Could you please give them a few roles?”

As she spoke, she subtly winked at the three girls.

Le Yun, Yu Li, and Zhao Hui weren't stupid; they immediately understood.

The three men quickly stood up with their wine glasses, walked up to Wu Siyuan, and respectfully and obediently toasted him together.

"We hope Mr. Wu will give us a chance. We will definitely perform well and will never let you down."

"Well..."

Wu Siyuan was starting to feel a bit of a headache. Being fawned over by so many beautiful women wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.

The main reason is that Golden Harvest already considers this film a sure thing and has already made arrangements for most of the roles in it.

He was worried that making promises too easily would displease Jiahe.

Tsui Hark seemed to have sensed Wu Siyuan's concerns, and at this moment, he chose to stand on Ning Weimin's side.

"Old Wu, this shouldn't be putting you in such a difficult position, right? Ning Sheng is the sponsor, and besides, he didn't ask for the female lead; a supporting role would be fine too. You can't be too biased, can you?"

To be honest, with his words as a basis, Wu Siyuan really blushed and found it difficult to refuse.

He thought about it and realized it made sense. There were two female leads in "Twin Dragons," so he could just give them both to Golden Harvest.

What's wrong with other roles taking care of Ning Weimin's artists?
Jiahe can't keep all of it in its own hands.

Besides, they are all investors. Does that mean Jiahe's money is more valuable than Ning Weimin's?

“Mr. Wu, please forgive us if we have caused you any trouble. We only want our artists to gain more performance experience, nothing more. They are all people who are enthusiastic about public welfare and actively participate in disaster relief activities. I think this time will be no exception. Since it is to contribute to Hong Kong films, they will definitely be willing to participate without any payment.”

In such crucial moments, it was Ning Weimin who made the final decision.

Although he spoke politely and voluntarily canceled the remuneration of his artists.

But the determination hidden in his tone was obvious to almost anyone. If Wu Siyuan were to refuse again at this moment, he would be acting inappropriately.

So his attitude finally became clear, and he hurriedly made a promise.

"What's the problem? Absolutely no problem! I'll arrange the roles, and I guarantee the three girls won't be mistreated!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Wu!"

Le Yun, Yu Li, and Zhao Hui spoke in unison, their voices filled with barely concealed excitement and gratitude, their eyes slightly reddening.

They bowed deeply, tilting their wine glasses slightly, their posture extremely respectful.

They returned to their seats and sat down again, but without exception, they all turned their bright eyes to Ning Weimin and Yao Peifang.

Because they were not confused at all, they knew that this opportunity was not given by Wu Siyuan out of generosity, but by the boss Ning Weimin and Yao Pei.

They used the company's reputation to pave this shortcut for them.

However, this scene evoked mixed feelings among the other female celebrities in the private room.

Michelle Reis and Rosamund Kwan sat not far away, watching these three mainland girls who originally had no roots in Hong Kong and could hardly get even a proper role, suddenly get on board with a top-tier production like "Twin Dragons" starring Jackie Chan and become leading actresses. Their eyes were filled with envy and a little sourness.

Their joy and gratitude were like a thorn, piercing the hearts of almost all the female celebrities in the private room.

Michelle Reis, holding her wine glass, clenched her fingers slightly, her smile faltering, her eyes brimming with envy. She had struggled for years to barely establish herself, while these three girls from the mainland, with just a word from Ning Weimin, had landed top-tier roles in a Jackie Chan production. Such luck was something she could only dream of. Rosamund Kwan, sitting to the side, held her champagne, glancing at the three girls with a complex expression. A bitter smile played on her lips, and she felt a pang of resentment: Why? Because they were from the mainland? It was all because they'd chosen Ning Weimin! If she could climb onto Ning Weimin's coattails, she'd have no trouble finding good roles and resources.

Yuan Jieying also looked envious, silently took a sip of wine, and her eyes were full of helplessness.

Although she has good looks and acting skills, she doesn't have such a strong backing. She can only get some opportunities by relying on Tsui Hark's appreciation. Compared to Yue Yun and the other two, she is ultimately a step behind.

Even those minor artists and models who originally came just to offer toasts and curry favor, seeing the treatment Le Yun and the other two received, were filled with envy and longing. Their gazes toward Ning Weimin instantly turned fiery, like ravenous wolves staring intently at a piece of fat meat.

At this moment, Ning Weimin had become the "golden goose" in the private room, and everyone wanted to take a bite.

Whether it was female celebrities who wanted roles or small directors and agents who wanted to attract investment, they all used the excuse of toasting to swarm around Ning Weimin.

Some people, holding wine glasses, approached him with coquettish manners to strike up a conversation; others pretended to be familiar with him and pulled him aside to talk about movies and investments.

Some daring female celebrities deliberately sat down next to him, speaking ambiguously and giving seductive glances, as if they couldn't wait to get close to him.

Yao Peifang knew that the most difficult moment of the night had arrived.

Her heart tightened, and she immediately put down her wine glass, quickly walked to Ning Weimin's side, and silently blocked the people who were surrounding them.

She maintained a polite smile, but her tone carried an undeniable sense of propriety as she pushed away the female celebrity who had gotten too close, while simultaneously defusing the situation with a smile. (End of Chapter)