A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 170 Reaching the top!

Even Ge Fuhong, a seasoned veteran of the underworld, suddenly panicked.

After hesitating all night, she finally decided to head north. Before six o'clock in the morning, she arranged for someone to book a ticket for her. After picking and choosing from the newspapers she had accumulated over the past few days, she finally decided to only bring this thin copy.

Lin Qingxia's pregnancy is no small matter.

Her influence and status in the Chinese entertainment industry over the years have been dazzling. And this is a pregnancy, with her baby bump clearly visible in the photos. This is definitely not a scandal or something that can be compared to holding hands with two girls at the same time—although as long as she is not married, it is still a scandal.

Moreover, this reporter's coverage is tantamount to tearing down Lin Jianlu's stronghold!
The revelation of six women he was secretly keeping in the capital is a serious matter, no matter where it is. Whether it will damage his popularity is one thing, but the key issue is that his social reputation will likely suffer!

A reputation for sexually assaulting women seems to be sealed on the tip of one's tongue.

The entertainment industries in Hong Kong and Taiwan are actually quite tolerant in this regard. Each has its own historical issues, and the atmosphere is not formed overnight. However, even here, any scandalous news about a debuting artist will be questioned. If it is a confirmed case that a male celebrity is unfaithful, his commercial value will plummet, and almost no one is exempt.

In the previous year, Lin Jianlu had already embarked on a development trajectory that left everyone stunned. He was one of the few artists who had been involved in so many scandals and had even been confirmed to have multiple girlfriends at the same time, yet he was still tolerated and even continued to be loved by so many fans in Hong Kong and Taiwan. No, he was the only one.

However, this incident occurred at the very moment when "21" became a huge hit. Being overturned in this way has caused a really big stir. If it were an ordinary artist with a good public image, this would have completely ruined their career, and they might never be able to make a comeback.

Even for Lin Jianlu, the risk was extremely high.

In addition... there are some little thoughts that are not for outsiders to know. In North America, despite working with Zhang Aijia for a long time, she still does not dare to completely trust her. If she wants to keep track of the real-time situation there, Lin Xilei cannot withdraw under any circumstances. After hesitating several times, she still does not dare to take Liang Yongqi north—firstly, this girl is not smart enough to do such a delicate thing; secondly, the capital is Lin Jianlu's old lair, and there are no ordinary people living in that courtyard. If she rashly takes Liang Yongqi there, she may immediately cause a lot of trouble in her husband's eyes.

This is something you shouldn't do.

However, Lin Jianlu's frequent trips to the capital and long stays made him feel a real sense of being out of control.

Therefore, whether or not we dare to believe it, we can only temporarily trust our only ally.

On her way to the airport, disregarding the fact that it was still early, she called Chen Hong. Chen Hong was already up, and Lin Jianlu had actually slept at her place last night, but had gone for a run early in the morning. This reassured Ge Fuhong considerably—firstly, it proved that Chen Hong was still very favored, even though she hadn't yet entered the courtyard house, her status was secure; secondly, Lin Jianlu's routine was normal, indicating that her mindset was relatively stable.

Then he called Lin Xilei again.

The atmosphere over there was a bit noisy, probably at some kind of banquet—to be honest, Ge Fuhong's heart tightened again. There was no way around it; firstly, her English was inferior to Zhang Aijia's, and secondly, her base of influence in Hong Kong and Taiwan was very solid. Normally this was an advantage, but now that Lin Jianlu had suddenly become popular in Europe and America, it had become a disadvantage. This meant she couldn't, like Zhang Aijia, easily extricate herself from the situation and immediately devote herself entirely to socializing in America.

In doing so, it was almost as if Lin Jianlu had handed over his entire business in Europe and America to Zhang Aijia—all the connections, all the details and anecdotes were in her hands, so how could he possibly compete for the right to speak?

Compared to girls her age, Lin Xilei wasn't stupid. This was evident from the fact that Lin Jianlu, despite not touching her for a long time, always trusted her, valued her, and even spoiled her. However, it was no use; she was completely outmatched by a seasoned veteran like Zhang Aijia.

It's just giving myself an extra pair of ears.

All that is known is that Sylvia Chang is now thriving in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston, and has an audience wherever she goes—sigh!

At this moment, I couldn't help but feel a little impatient again, but after thinking about it again, I could only suppress it - Lin Xilei had indeed done a good job, and I couldn't ask for more!
She's just a 21-year-old girl!
Not every 21-year-old in the world can be as extraordinary as Lin Jianlu.

After offering a few words of comfort and encouragement, Ge Fuhong hung up the phone. With the car nearing the airport, she dialed Zhang Aijia's number again—her voice was light and cheerful, and you could tell from her voice that she was beaming with pride.

Ge Fuhong mentioned that she had already booked a plane ticket and was about to go to the capital. Zhang Aijia said that she also planned to fly to the capital in the next couple of days. Since Ge Fuhong was in such a hurry, she would buy a plane ticket as soon as she finished her business here.

Somewhat unexpectedly, just as the call was about to end, Zhang Aijia suddenly said, "Old Ge, don't worry, and don't be afraid! The sky isn't falling! His scandalous affairs have been going on for a long time, this time it's just a bit bigger, but it might not really matter! Even if it falls apart in Hong Kong and Taiwan, we already have the global market!"

What could Ge Fuhong say? She could only hum in response, barely acknowledging that she accepted the other person's comfort.

However, to everyone's surprise, Zhang Aijia then said, "You don't need to worry about me. I won't shake you off, and I can't. We both know how smart he is. He won't allow me to shake you off, understand?" Ge Fuhong was stunned for a moment and couldn't say anything.

Zhang Aijia continued, "So, let's not get into any palace intrigue between us sisters. The person you should really be wary of is your business partner! That Chen Hong is definitely not a simple person. You can use her, but never completely trust her! If that girl doesn't have a chance, fine, but once she does, she can easily overthrow you! There's only one thing: she's pretty, and A-Lu likes her. We can't compete with that, understand?"

Ge Fuhong took a deep breath and said, "I understand!" Then she added, "Thank you for being so open and honest!"

Zhang Aijia said "Hi" and suddenly became more casual, "Don't laugh at me, I don't know what Lin Xilei said to you, but I have a feeling that things will get harder and harder for me to handle things here in America, so I might have to bring in another agent from here!"

Then, she suddenly sighed, “Sister! America sold 26 copies in the first week, 81 in the second week, and 126 million in the third week. Outside of America, the main global channels sold 18 copies in the first week, 69 in the second week, and 102 million in the third week. In just three weeks, the global sales exceeded 420 million copies. We all know what that means, but in the past, we all thought it was too simple—do you know how much pressure I’ve been under lately?”

"This is just the first single and the first music video. As I told you a few days ago, Columbia has adjusted its promotional strategy and decided to give up on 'Baby' and not guarantee it a third week on the charts. They judged that the pressure of this song continuing to dominate the charts was too great, and that two weeks at number one would be enough. So, they are now promoting 'HandClap'. If nothing unexpected happens, this song will be number one this week."

"That's two number-one singles! An album with two number-one singles has a huge impact, and its global sales are almost enough to reach the final eight to ten million copies! And yet, he, the person in question, hasn't even participated in the promotion yet! His third music video, which he values ​​most, hasn't even been released! You and I both know what kind of person he is, and we both know how talented he is. There's no reason why something he values ​​so much shouldn't be a hit!"

"I called him the day before yesterday, and he was editing the video. Apparently, it's almost finished. I believe this music video will be amazing. When it airs, it'll probably be a bombshell! It'll also likely be his third number one single!"

"And his album is universally acknowledged in the American industry; almost every song has the potential to be a number one single! Oh, by the way, Columbia is planning something big next week—to take all ten of the top ten! You know, what does it mean when all ten of the Billboard charts are from the same album? It's shocking the world; there's never been a precedent for this on Billboard before! This is even more explosive than getting a few more number one singles!"

"He's famous! Lao Ge! He's already a sensation, and he's going to be a superstar! The top star in the world! We really can't protect him anymore, we'll really have to rely on him to make a living from now on! I just talked to Columbia again this afternoon, and they've adjusted their sales forecast for this album. Their latest goal is to push the album's global sales to over 20 million copies within a year—20 million copies, Lao Ge!"

"Michael Jackson's 1982 album *Thriller*, now 15 years old and widely considered the king of sales, has only sold 5800 million copies worldwide! Just a few years ago, before all the negative press, how popular was Michael Jackson? His 91 album *Dangerous* sold 1400 million copies in its first five weeks! But even that album, according to data I heard the other day, only sold a little over 2100 million copies worldwide in its first year! Do you understand? Columbia is now defining Alfredo as the next Michael Jackson!"

"Invitations and interviews are everywhere! The media is exploding. Just like I guessed, now that the 'HandClap' music video has aired and he's made an appearance, the whole of America is talking about his Chinese identity. It's a double-edged sword. I'm really afraid Colombia won't be able to control the public opinion! Americans are actually quite xenophobic! Especially white Americans! Seriously, I'm under immense pressure every day!"

"Old Ge, think about it. Compared to the millions or tens of millions of albums sold here, compared to how a poorly managed public opinion could lead to the backlash of the white consumer class in America, affecting sales by millions or even tens of millions less, what are his few scandals in Hong Kong? He just slept with a few girls, right? Let alone his girls in the capital, even actresses like Rosamund Kwan and Brigitte Lin, once they're separated from Ah Lu, are just two actresses who are already past their prime or about to be past their prime!"

"She's still an actress who can only work within a small Chinese community!"

"And... if the album sells 20 million copies, he can earn 120 million US dollars in royalties! The two of us can get 1.2 million US dollars in commission! Besides, royalties are nothing to a singer! Celine Dion went to Las Vegas to perform, two shows a week, and that's 7 million US dollars! She signed a contract for 50 shows, totaling over 100 million, close to 200 million US dollars! The Rolling Stones' world tour in 1994, with over 100 shows and over 6 million audience members, earned a total of 320 million US dollars!"

"According to Columbia Records' current positioning of Ah Lu, his future market value and influence are aimed at reaching the level of the next Michael Jackson! We don't expect him to actually reach that level, but being one level below is fine too! A world tour for a year, 100 shows, selling two or three hundred million in box office revenue! Wouldn't that be awesome?"

"Rice dollars! That's all money, Lao Ge! Even if we just drink the soup, we can each earn tens of millions of rice dollars a year!"

"So... just listen to me, be firm, call those brands, Coca-Cola, Adidas, McDonald's, call them all. Do you think all that advertising money spent on those newspapers, magazines, and TV stations every year is just for nothing? In America, Nike absolutely will not allow any newspaper or TV station to publish negative news about Jordan! We have to stop them no matter the cost! At least stop the major TV networks and newspaper groups, and those other small newspapers and radio stations won't be able to create any buzz at all!"

"Make it clear to them that Lu Han is going to become a global sensation! But even after he becomes a sensation, we can still discuss renewing his contract, and we won't ask for an exorbitant amount! However, they have to unite and put pressure on all the media outlets one by one, so that from now on, no negative news about Lu Han, whether from Hong Kong or Taiwan, can be published without our review! If they can't do this, we will not renew his contract!"

"..."

Ge Fuhong remained silent for a long time, simply listening to Zhang Aijia's endless chatter.

So much so that even after the car had arrived at the airport terminal and stopped on the side of the road, she didn't get out for a long time.

How to put it, it feels very strange—in the past, she always thought she was quite strong, experienced, and capable, and everyone respected her. But suddenly, as Zhang Aijia spoke with some excitement and enthusiasm, she found herself feeling a strange sense of emotion without realizing it!

Sylvia Chang is indeed from a prestigious family!
She's not particularly noticeable most of the time. Although her agency has been around for quite some time, it hasn't achieved anything particularly remarkable. It seems more like she's just dabbling in it. But when it comes to crucial moments and she gets serious, she... suddenly exudes the aura and shrewdness of a wealthy heiress.

As for myself... I only started out by being a mistress to men. I may not be inferior in terms of professional skills, but I am far behind in terms of ambition!

"If 'HandClap' can successfully become the number one single, according to Zhao Mingxin's assessment, it should be able to hold out for three to four weeks. If not, we'll give up decisively. If the music video for 'Believer' can be edited in time, we'll release that song. If not, we'll replace it with 'Yeah,' which is also very popular here! It was fourth last week, and it's likely to be second this week, just behind 'HandClap.' It could take the number one single at any time!"

"His album has so many great songs. The word-of-mouth from the public, musicians, industry insiders, and even the media is absolutely phenomenal! And... Columbia Records now sees hope for another Michael Jackson. They won't allow a gap in their output, nor will they allow anyone to cause trouble! Once Columbia puts in the effort, even if it doesn't last long, they can still hold it off for a few months! Other record companies, no matter how envious or resentful, will have to give them face and allow them these few months!"

"And before long, starting with our third number one single, we'll be able to directly negotiate endorsements with the headquarters of all these big brands, including Coca-Cola! What Asia region, what Greater China region, they're no longer qualified to negotiate endorsements with Ah Lu individually! With that, do we still need to be afraid of them?"

"Have you received any calls from these brands yet? We've breached the contract and caused such a huge uproar, with scandals all over Hong Kong and Taiwan. If Ah Lu hadn't become famous enough to be in America, or to that extent, they would most likely have called you. In serious cases, they might have even broken the contract or sued us for compensation!"

"Since they haven't called you even after almost a day of this, it means they're reluctant to let go. They all know how famous A-Lu is in America now! So let's turn the tables and control them! No matter how much money they spend, no matter what methods they try, we must suppress them!"

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Aijia was almost in full force, even though what she was saying wasn't anything new—the success of the album "21," the bright prospects for the future, or her idea of ​​asking the brand to help put out the fire—it wasn't new, and the two of them had discussed it before. But at this moment, listening to her talk, Ge Fuhong unconsciously felt a sense of reassurance.

In the end, she surprisingly admitted her shortcomings to Zhang Aijia, saying, "It's my fault. I was just focused on making money and negotiating contracts. Sigh, it's my fault. I should have listened to you yesterday and made that call. I'll make it right away, and I'll demand that they come out and put out the fire today!"

After hanging up the phone, she felt much more at ease.

Get off the bus and board the plane.

She had already landed in the capital a little after 10 a.m.

Lin Jianlu's beautiful mainland assistant came to pick her up in a car. Ge Fuhong was very polite and took the initiative to shake hands and greet her. She knew this girl. She had known her for a long time last year when she was just one of Lin Jianlu's backup dancers and was considered the captain. Later, she became Lin Jianlu's personal assistant.

Yes, she's incredibly beautiful, the kind that's stunning at first glance and grows on you the more you look at her!
Based on her understanding of Lin Jianlu, she couldn't help but wonder how such a beautiful girl could become Lin Jianlu's important assistant in such a short time—her looks and temperament were almost certainly Lin Jianlu's type!

In fact, according to Lin Xilei, who has been to the capital and even stayed in a courtyard house, Lin Jianlu's women in the capital are also very wary of her—although, according to Chen Hong's information, this girl can no longer be considered a girl, as she is already 38 years old this year!

But... Lin Jianlu still likes this kind of food!

Aren't they all this type, from Brigitte Lin to Chen Shuhua?

Once in the car, I casually asked her what Lin Jianlu was doing, and she replied that she didn't know—she hadn't even seen Lin Jianlu for two days!
Yes, that's normal.

However, Lin Jianlu must have given prior instructions, since Ge Fuhong had also called Lin Jianlu before boarding the plane, so Liu Xiaoli still brought the car and took her to the courtyard house. Ah, it was indeed a very charming building.

It seems that this type of architecture is extremely rare in Taiwan, and even less so in Hong Kong.

It truly deserves the title of a luxury mansion!
So they went in together and soon met Lin Jianlu.

He seemed to be entertaining guests, with Xu Qing sitting beside him. The guests appeared to be a couple, and the man was extremely ugly. As soon as Liu Xiaoli entered with Ge Fuhong, Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan immediately stood up. Xu Qing paused for a moment, then also stood up.

Lin Jianlu's expression seemed normal, showing neither anger nor anxiety. She simply raised her hand and pointed casually, "This is my agent, Ge Fuhong, you can call her Sister Ge! Sister Ge, this is my girlfriend, Xu Qing, this is my buddy, Feng Xiaogang, a director. And that's his wife, Xu Fan!"

So everyone quickly greeted each other.

Mr. and Mrs. Feng were extremely polite and humble, while Xu Qing remained calm, shaking hands with a smile, and then, as the hostess, offered them her seat and personally washed their cups and changed their tea.

This was Ge Fuhong's first time in the capital and her first time at Lin Jianlu's base. After sitting down, she only exchanged a few polite words with Xu Qing and did not speak on her own initiative. She simply sat to the side and listened to Lin Jianlu talking to the couple.

They seem to be talking about a movie called "Party A, Party B," which is planned to have an investment of 400 million RMB in mainland China. It is a joint investment by Forbidden City Film Studio and Beijing Film Studio. This movie seems to be extremely important to the director named Feng Xiaogang. The gist of it is that the higher-ups have given him the tacit approval to return to directing films, and the main reason is that Lin Jianlu is willing to invest.

Therefore, he was exceptionally humble, and every word he uttered sounded like a request for instructions or a report.

But Lin Jianlu didn't seem to have any airs, and was even reluctant to listen to his report. He just waved his hand and said things like, "Go ahead and do it, I'll cover for you!" and "Just perform normally!"

Feng Xiaogang was extremely grateful.

She sensed something was off when he came in, and now, looking at him again, her eyes welled up with tears as she spoke, and she unconsciously choked up again. Lin Jianlu patted his knee, "There are plenty of good days ahead! Stop crying! Hold it in!" Then she turned to Xu Qing and instructed, "Go find me a cake of that Pu'er tea that Qingxia brought over last time!" Xu Qing agreed and got up to go find it. Lin Jianlu then said to Feng Xiaogang, "Hong Kong people love Pu'er tea, so they bought me a lot. I can't drink much, so can you help me drink it off?"

"Oh! Oh! Thank you!"

As he wiped away his tears, Feng Xiaogang thanked him again.

Soon, Xu Qing found a cake of Pu'er tea and handed it to Lin Jianlu, who then passed it on to Feng Xiaogang. Unexpectedly, Feng Xiaogang took it and said, "Why don't you sign it? I can't bear to drink this. Please sign it so I can keep it as a souvenir!"

Lin Jianlu laughed loudly, "Go to hell! Take it back and drink it, come back for more when it's gone!"

Feng Xiaogang grinned, revealing a mouthful of rotten teeth, "Hey! Hey! Fine, whatever you say!"

After sitting for a short while, Liu Xiaoli suddenly came in again, saying that there were more guests. So Feng Xiaogang and his wife immediately got up, but before they could say goodbye and leave, the new guests had already come in.

Surprisingly, Ge Fuhong actually saw a face that she also recognized.

So when the person introduced them, she couldn't help but ask, "Ah Liang, what brings you to the capital?"

This man is Wan Ziliang. Although he's not a top star in Hong Kong, he's a familiar face to many viewers, known for playing imposing, older brother-like characters. However, after his divorce from Tien Niu last year, he seems to have semi-retired. "Hello, Cherie Chung! I've come here to take on a role in a drama."

After the initial introductions and a brief chat, Ge Fuhong finally understood that Wan Ziliang had been brought by three mainland directors to pay their respects—one named Zhao Baogang, another named Zheng Xiaolong, who seemed to be co-investing with a Malaysian company in a TV series called "A Lang in the Capital," with Wan Ziliang as the male lead. Zhao Baogang appeared to be working for Lin Jianlu, and Zheng Xiaolong seemed interested in collaborating as well. However, the director named An Zhanjun seemed to be of a lower status, appearing somewhat indebted and hesitant to speak.

In addition, these two directors seem to be quite familiar with Feng Xiaogang and his wife over there.

Well, this is a completely different circle now. It will take a long time to figure it out. Ge Fuhong just sat quietly to the side and listened, not expecting to understand everything.

She could clearly sense that Lin Jianlu had indeed become an important hub in the capital!
In the capital, he seems to be deeply involved in all kinds of movies and TV series. It sounds like this movie, "A Lang in the Capital," is a collaboration between the Capital Television Art Center and Malaysia, without Lin Jianlu's investment. But his subordinates still brought the lead actor Wan Ziliang and director An Zhanjun to pay a visit. So you can imagine that in the field of music, where he is even more accomplished, his status in the mainland should be even higher. Oh, after listening for a while, I realized that it was a collaboration between the Capital Television Art Center and Malaysia, but with a small investment from Forbidden City Film Industry. And Forbidden City Film Industry is generally recognized as Lin Jianlu's territory.

Lin Jianlu remained the same, wielding his brush with ease.

He seemed to be able to chat with anyone, and could always come up with insightful opinions on anything. As a result, the guests not only felt a sense of warmth and comfort, but also developed a great deal of respect for him.

After sitting for a short while, both groups of guests tacitly got up, said their goodbyes, and left.

Lin Jianlu personally escorted Wan Ziliang to the courtyard under the corridor, holding his hand and saying, "Brother Liang, come to the capital more often in the future. You don't have to come just for work! Give me a call before you come, and I'll arrange for someone to show you around, let you see our great capital, and taste the delicious food here!"

Wan Ziliang thanked him again, shook his hand firmly and sincerely, and then took his leave.

He didn't look away until the guests disappeared behind the hanging flower gate, and then turned back into the house.

There were no outsiders left at this point. The family's housekeeper and his assistant, Liu Xiaoli, had all gone into the tea room to help tidy up the table and wash the teaware. Lin Jianlu casually sat back down. Only then did he smile and ask Ge Fuhong, "You must have brought the newspaper? Here, let me see the original!"

Ge Fuhong smiled, opened her bag, and handed him the newspaper.

Upon seeing this, Xu Qing stopped tidying up the tea table and casually went over to sit on the armrest of Lin Jianlu's sofa. She also looked at it and laughed, "Tsk tsk tsk, what a grand display! This is a whole set of four pages!"

Lin Jianlu laughed, "What else could it be but good news?"

Xu Qing was indeed quite sharp-tongued. "Of course it's a good thing! Thanks to you, I've also made it into the Hong Kong newspapers! It's just a pity that the scandal didn't even make the headlines!"

Lin Jianlu laughed again, slapped her on the bottom, and said with a laugh, "Get lost!"

Frankly speaking, at this point, Ge Fuhong's anxiety had basically disappeared—he was indeed as calm as he had imagined, and as Zhang Aijia had predicted.

The situation in Hong Kong and Taiwan is already in an uproar, but he obviously doesn't take it seriously here.

He quickly finished reading and looked up as if to ask a question, but then saw that Ge Fuhong was still standing. "What are you doing? Sit down!" Ge Fuhong suddenly came to her senses, smiled shyly, and sat down. Lin Jianlu then asked, "Last night, Sister Aijia called me to talk about this matter and told me her solution. She told you about it too, right? What do you think?"

At this point, Ge Fuhong had no more hesitation and said directly, "I have already made the calls separately. I made the calls while waiting for the flight. As Aijia expected, the brands have basically agreed to help suppress the news!"

She paused, then added, “I’ll fly back today or tomorrow and meet with them one by one! We have to discuss this issue in detail! A top singer, genius, and idol who’s famous throughout the Chinese-speaking world and is about to become famous globally has become their brand ambassador, so they have an obligation to protect your image from being harmed! Just like Aijia said, Nike will not allow the American media to publish any negative news about Jordan! Even if it does, they must help put out the fire and suppress it. They absolutely cannot stand by and watch the show, let alone retaliate by claiming breach of contract or demanding compensation! If they can’t do that, we will voluntarily terminate the contract!”

Lin Jianlu smiled and nodded, leaning over to pat Ge Fuhong's knee. "Don't be too nervous! You know, my bottom line has always been that at worst I'll quit the industry! It's no big deal. Put pressure on me if necessary, and if I can't handle it, we'll just break up! It's just a matter of my reputation being ruined and me not being able to make a living from this anymore, it's okay! Go ahead and do it! I agree with whatever you do!"

Ge Fuhong nodded seriously and assured him, "Okay! Don't worry, I will definitely handle the media in Hong Kong and Taiwan within three days! And this kind of thing will never happen again!"

…………

That noon, Ge Fuhong stayed at Lin Jianlu's large courtyard house and had lunch with him.

I met Brigitte Lin, who was heavily pregnant, and also met two other women associated with Lin Jianlu. One was Jiang Qinqin, who was said to have been cast as the lead actress in a Qiong Yao TV series, and the other was Zuo Xiaoqian, who was filming another mainland TV series as the lead actress. However, it was said that she didn't have any scenes to film today, so she went back to school.

Two such beautiful and young girls!

Lin Jianlu's assistant, Liu Xiaoli, booked a flight back to Hong Kong at 4:30 pm. Ge Fuhong timed it perfectly, having finished her meal before heading back to the airport, saying she would continue making phone calls while waiting at the airport. However, during a bathroom break, she called Chen Hong and arranged to meet her at the airport.

After arriving at the airport and sending the driver away, they waited a short while before Chen Hong arrived in an Audi A8. The two found a place to sit down at the airport and chatted for a while.

Actually, we talk on the phone all the time, but there's not much new information to exchange. We just like to sit together and strengthen our relationship.

Chen Hong said that Lin Jianlu has a childhood best friend who is now the captain of the security team at her agency. He has gathered more than a dozen people and trained them for a month or so. They are about to be put to great use. She has already contacted Li Zongsheng, Lin Yilian, Xin Xiaoqi, Zhou Huajian, Wu Bo, Zhao Chuan, and even the recently popular Richie Jen. This is the first group. Next, they will start arranging for them to run commercial performances all over the country!
In addition, Ge Fuhong already knew that Lin Jianlu had registered a new film and television company called "A Red Heart," which had already taken the lead in investing in a TV series called "Sunset in the Forbidden City." In fact, that company now belonged to Chen Hong. So, a smart person is a smart person. Not only did she think that Chen Hong was smart, but Lin Jianlu must have seen it too!
In short, everyone is doing well and progressing together.

Chen Hong is very favored. Although it is said that she still lives in a small two-bedroom apartment rented for her by Lin Jianlu, in terms of career, she caught up with or even surpassed Xu Qing as soon as she started!

As for Ge Fuhong, looking back on her previous handling of the situation, she felt it was too slow and too weak. Fortunately, Lin Jianlu did not complain or blame her, and still had complete faith in her.

I'll go back and take action against those brands!

Less than an hour later, everyone waved goodbye. Chen Hong drove away, while Ge Fuhong checked in and boarded the plane.

…………

Lin Jianlu's philandering life in the capital was exposed on May 7th, immediately sparking a massive uproar. By May 8th, when Ge Fuhong flew to the capital and returned the same day, the discussions not only didn't stop but intensified—it was the same old story: various writers came out to write articles, either criticizing or envying him, and then his lovers and friends were besieged for interviews!

The phenomenal sales and high praise of "21," as well as the album's huge success in America, were instantly pushed out of the spotlight, relegated to the margins of newspapers.

However, no one knows what happened behind the scenes on May 8th and 9th. In short, starting from May 9th, the discussion about Lin Jianlu's private life in various media in Hong Kong and Taiwan, including newspapers, radio and television stations, suddenly decreased. Even if there was discussion, the vast majority of it was similar to the argument that since she was not married and did not force anyone, it was her private life!
What right do we have to interfere in or discuss other people's private lives?
Where exactly are the boundaries of the media's so-called right to report and the public's so-called right to know? Is it necessary to dig into people's privacy like this? Even if someone has moved to the capital, do we have to go to the capital to photograph their private residence and use their private life to boost sales?
Have you considered the harm you've caused to others?

Have you ever thought that a genius like Lu Zai, who only appears once every few centuries in a nation, went to America and conquered the whole of Europe and America, bringing glory to the country and the nation? As our own people, do we really want to slander him, tear him apart, and ultimately destroy him?
We should cherish him, love him, and protect him!
Wow, the argument just popped up all of a sudden.

By May 10th, even these arguments had weakened considerably; they still existed, but were no longer the dominant voice. This was because, with the release of the weekly Billboard charts at 8 PM Eastern Time on Friday, May 9th, by the morning of May 10th in Hong Kong and Taiwan, major media outlets suddenly shifted their focus, loudly praising 21st Century's remarkable achievements once again.

"HandClap" has officially topped the Billboard Hot 100!

This is the second number one single from the album "21", and also the album's third consecutive week at number one!
Moreover, after topping the Billboard 200 album chart in its second week of release, "21" has continued to hold the number one spot for three consecutive weeks, now in its fourth week!

Album charts directly compare sales figures!
Meanwhile, even more astonishing than these two pieces of news was that all fifteen songs from "21" collectively broke into the Billboard Top 20, and even secured a spot in the Top 10—Columbia Records had only just begun their push, and hadn't even planned to achieve this this week; the original plan was for next week. But they did!
This is the first time in Billboard's many-year history!
This is an achievement that even top Western superstars, global kings and queens of pop, such as Michael Jackson and Madonna, who were at the height of their fame, never achieved!
It swept all ten spots and topped album sales charts in the US for three consecutive weeks!
At this point, we can officially say that "21" has reached the top!
Lin Jianlu has reached the summit in America!
***
Continue with more long chapters!

(End of this chapter)