Back to the teenage years

Chapter 591 Sweetness

The setting sun casts a long shadow over the sky.

Above the sky, the afterglow of the sunset was rapidly receding.

As dusk approached, the crimson clouds gradually darkened, and twilight, like a piece of dark gray velvet soaked in water, slowly covered the horizon of Huangxing South Road and Xiaogudao Lane, turning it into a series of blurry silhouettes.

Night had fallen.

Liu Mingde met Lin Lin at the entrance of Xiaogudao Alley.

Lin Lin stood in the deepening night, carrying a bunch of shopping bags printed with luxury brand logos. Her long hair was draped over her shoulders, her face was pretty, and her neck was fair and slender. She was at least 1.7 meters tall and wore a green knee-length dress. The evening breeze blew, and the hem of the dress swayed gently. Her long, shapely legs gleamed alluringly under the streetlights.

Liu Mingde chuckled, opened the trunk of the black Audi parked by the roadside, and stuffed in bags and packages. After he and Lin Lin got back into the car, they started the engine, and the car glided into the dense traffic, heading straight for the Huatian Hotel amidst the myriad lights of the night.

The car was playing music, "Tian Mi Mi" (Sweet Honey).

Liu Mingde really liked this old song; Teresa Teng's gentle and sweet voice flowed quietly in the soothing, enclosed space.

Sweet

You smile sweetly
It seems that the flowers are blooming in the spring breeze
Open in the spring breeze
Where, where have I seen you?
Your smile is so familiar
I can't remember for a moment.
……

Liu Mingde held the steering wheel with one hand, his middle finger tapping lightly on it in time with the rhythm of the song. Suddenly, he asked out of the blue, "By the way, how was your time with that girl named Ji Ling today?"

Lin Lin stared blankly at the street scene rushing past the window. After a few seconds, she heard Liu Mingde's words and replied, "She's great. This girl has a carefree personality and is very easy to get along with."

Liu Mingde smiled and asked, "Did she buy anything?"

Hearing this, Lin Lin's lips curled into a mocking smile: "She only bought two strawberry ice creams, paid for them herself, and treated me to one." She then turned to look at Liu Mingde, who was driving: "You're not eyeing that girl again, are you?"

Liu Mingde's smile froze slightly, and he immediately put on a hurt expression: "Xiaolin, how could this be? I love you, how could you think of me like this?" He paused, lowering his voice: "Besides, do you even know who that girl is?"

Lin Lin gazed at the flowing neon lights outside the window: "Who?"

Liu Mingde said, "She is the apple of Ji Zhong's eye, the deputy mayor and director of the Public Security Bureau of Lijin. Her mother is the president of the Agricultural and Commercial Bank, and her grandfather once took charge of Zhuzhou."

Lin Lin was silent for a moment before saying, "None of the girls around Zhang Yunqi are ordinary."

Liu Mingde smiled and asked, "You're one of the girls around Zhang Yunqi, what's your relationship with him like?"

"good."

"You're no ordinary person either."

"Are you mocking me?"

"How could that be? In my heart, you've always been the most special girl in the world, one of a kind." Liu Mingde gently patted her soft hand with his right hand, a smile playing on his lips, and his tone naturally shifted: "By the way, speaking of the background of the people around Zhang Yunqi, I suddenly remembered your little boyfriend. He and Zhang Yunqi seem to be friends, right? What's their relationship like?"

Lin Lin never told Liu Mingde that she had already broken up with Song Junxian.

Of course, Liu Mingde didn't care, and he might not even remember the other party's name. Perhaps his remaining impression of Song Junxian was that last year he called people to beat up Song Junxian on Jiangxinzhou Island, and Zhang Yunqi stepped in to help Song Junxian and got into a conflict with him.

Hearing Liu Mingde mention it now, especially with the hint of mockery in his tone, Lin Lin couldn't help but worry that Liu Mingde might have some ill intentions towards Song Junxian. She subconsciously said, "They are good brothers, they would go to great lengths for each other."

She emphasized the words "to go through fire and water" very heavily!
Liu Mingde nodded and said nothing more.

The car passed through Furong Road and arrived at Huatian Hotel.

This is a hotel the two of them frequent. Huatian Hotel is the first five-star hotel in southern Hunan and is known as the "Number One Hotel in Southern Hunan". It is the first choice for high-end receptions, important foreign businessmen and Hong Kong and Macao businessmen in the area.

After parking the car, the two took the elevator directly to their suite.

The process was somewhat mechanical.

Liu Mingde's actions were more violent than usual, even bordering on venting.

Lin Lin tilted her head, looking at the gap in the heavy curtains, and remained silent throughout.

The stereo was playing Liu Mingde's beloved "Tian Mi Mi," but Teresa Teng's gentle voice was shattered by the violent impact. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling shone brightly, like a large, fat ox plowing a silent, parched field under the warm spring sun.

Three minutes and 38 seconds later, the wind suddenly stopped and the rain stopped.

Only suppressed breathing could be heard in the room.

Lin Lin leaned against the headboard, lit a slender cigarette, and the rising smoke blurred her delicate profile, revealing glimpses of her fair and jade-like shoulders.

Liu Mingde looked up at the carvings on the ceiling, his chest still heaving. After a long while, he finally spoke, "Xiaolin." "Hmm?"

"I..." Liu Mingde's Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally said, "I might need you to do me a favor."

Lin Lin exhaled a puff of smoke and calmly asked, "What kind of help?"

Liu Mingde said, "I'm in some trouble right now."

Lin Lin said expressionlessly, "I can tell."

Liu Mingde sat up and sighed: "Right now, only Zhang Yunqi can help me with this."

Lin Lin turned her head to look at him, her eyes scrutinizing him: "Why do you trust him so much?"

Liu Mingde shook his head, his tone carrying an almost helpless certainty: "You don't know his strength and background. Looking around Tianjin, besides him, I can't think of anyone else around me who can help me break this deadlock, or rather, who else is willing to wade into this mess."

Lin Lin asked, "Then why don't you go find him yourself?"

Liu Mingde sighed again and said, "Zhang Yunqi blocked me this afternoon and cut off all contact. There's nothing I can do if he doesn't want to see me. To use a phrase from your mainland, Zhang Yunqi might be playing hard to get! He's going to torture me to death, forcing me to give him a piece of my flesh before he might save me! And this is just my speculation; I can't quite figure out what he's thinking right now. But my situation is extremely urgent. Whether I can turn things around depends on this. This is a matter of hundreds of millions or even billions! If it works out, we'll leave here, and I'll take you back to Hong Kong to live!"

Lin Lin flicked her cigarette ash, ignoring Liu Mingde's "hundreds of millions" and the string of empty promises that followed, and asked in a flat tone, "So you want me to go find him? To sleep with him?"

Liu Mingde was taken aback by these words, and his face flushed with embarrassment: "That's not what I meant..."

"I can tell." Lin Lin took a drag of her cigarette and said, "If I could get into his bed, would you even have a chance to sleep with me?"

These words were like a needle, making Liu Mingde's heart clench!
After a moment, he suppressed his embarrassment and changed the subject as calmly as possible: "You know Yuen Woo-ping and director Zhang Xinyan, right?"

Lin Lin paused slightly, her fingers holding the cigarette between her fingers.

Liu Mingde continued, "You've always wanted to act, and now you have a great opportunity. Yuen Woo-ping and his team are preparing to film a martial arts drama in Beijing called 'Tai Chi Master.' It seems they've cast a relatively unknown young man as the male lead, named Wu Jing, but the total investment is six million, with a big director and a big production. Filming will be entirely on location in mainland China, and it's scheduled to start this year."

He paused, observing Lin Lin's reaction: "The owner of the production company, Yanjing Jiayuan Cultural and Art Center, is someone I've known for over ten years. They're currently finalizing a portion of their investment. I'll put up three million, with only one condition..."

Lin Lin unconsciously sat up straight, the blanket slipping off her fair shoulders. She almost forgot to smoke her cigarette: "What are the conditions?"

Liu Mingde said, "I'll let you play the female lead."

For a moment, the room was so quiet that the faint sound of a cigarette burning could be heard.

"Really?" Lin Lin's breathing became noticeably faster, and her voice trembled slightly without her even realizing it.

Liu Mingde did not answer directly.

He reached into his leather bag by the bedside, pulled out a brown paper document bag, and handed a document to Lin Lin.

This is a letter of intent for investment in the TV series "Tai Chi Master". The heading is clear, and the terms are well-defined. When Lin Lin turned to the last page, there was a signature with the name "Liu Mingde". There was a blank space next to it, which was reserved for the production company to stamp its seal.

Most importantly, in the "Additional Terms and Conditions" section, there is a line of clear handwritten text: "The investors have the right to recommend Ms. Lin Lin to play the role of Chen Shaoqi in the drama, subject to final confirmation."

Lin Lin's fingers felt a little cold.

She held the thin document, examining it word by word, especially the handwritten line. The feel of the paper, the printed text, and the highly targeted clauses were all authentic and verifiable.

She looked up at Liu Mingde, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "You...were prepared all along?"

Liu Mingde nodded, then stuffed the letter of intent back into the file bag, and said sincerely, "This was originally a birthday gift for you. I know you've always dreamed of becoming an actor and a star. After filming this big-budget martial arts drama, you'll have made your debut and will definitely gain fame in the entertainment industry. But now, I might need you to do me a favor."

"You want me to beg Zhang Yunqi? He won't agree..."

"You don't need to get involved."

Liu Mingde lit a cigarette: "Didn't you say that your boyfriend is Zhang Yunqi's good brother? Since they're so close, Zhang Yunqi will give him some face. Ask him to help me find Zhang Yunqi."

Lin Lin suddenly turned her head and stared at Liu Mingde!

The radiance that had shrouded that face in smoke, thanks to the female lead in "Tai Chi Master," was slowly cooling, solidifying, and fading away.

"Crack!" There was a sound.

A crisp slap echoed in the spacious, luxurious suite, but it was quickly drowned out by Teresa Teng's gentle and warm singing voice:
Sweet

You smile sweetly
It seems that the flowers are blooming in the spring breeze
Open in the spring breeze
Where, where have I seen you?
Your smile is so familiar
I can't remember for a moment.
******