A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 199 Statement

“I don’t know! I’ve never loved his money! I know he’s very rich and famous. When we started dating last year, he was already an Asian superstar. But I never care how much money he has. I love him as a person. It has nothing to do with whether he has money or not! If he runs out of money, I can support him!”

On the television in the corner of the study, an interview suddenly popped up, though Lin Jianlu's mind was completely elsewhere. When she heard the familiar voice, she looked up.

Liang Yongqi.

She's been enjoying great success lately.

Although her Cantonese album last year flopped, her new album "Short Hair," released in July this year, is the second super album touted as being entirely produced by Lin Jianlu, following Chen Shuhua's "Chasing the Light." Given her relationship with Lin Jianlu, which is known to almost everyone in Hong Kong and the entire Chinese-speaking world, it became an instant hit upon release.

No one's fame can last a lifetime, nor can anyone's talent. But at least for now, Lin Jianlu became a sensation last spring, his reputation as a great talent spreading throughout mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and even the whole of Asia. This year, his English album became a global hit. His creative ability has even won over discerning and proud European and American music fans. In the short term, no one will question his reputation as a great talent.

The vast majority of his fans still have high expectations for his new work.

Knowing that Lin Jianlu's second Mandarin album would be released in August, Liang Yongqi and Ge Fuhong chose to release "Short Hair" in July—which received excellent reviews and sold extremely well!
In its first week of release, the album sold over 100,000 copies in Hong Kong, achieving double platinum status. In Taiwan, it sold an astonishing 170,000 copies in its first week. Combined with sales in Southeast Asia, it's no exaggeration to say that "Short Hair" propelled Leung Wing-ki to A-list status within a week of its release.

When "Nocturne" was released, "Short Hair" sold over a million copies across Asia in just over a month—over 28 in Hong Kong alone, and over 50 in Taiwan!

Suddenly, the gloom of poor sales from her previous Cantonese album dissipated, and Leung Wing-ki was increasingly praised by the media as a "new generation pop diva"—basically reaching the level of So Wai-lun, though her overall influence seemed slightly lower. However, in Hong Kong, her popularity far surpassed that of So Wai-lun.

She was quite popular with audiences when she acted in movies. In slightly larger productions, she was usually the second or third female lead. In smaller productions, she would play the lead role, but she was not considered the kind of actress who could carry the box office. She was just a pretty vase or a pure girl. In addition, her first album did not perform well. Therefore, no matter how arrogant and domineering she was in the industry, relying on Lin Jianlu's influence, in terms of actual achievements, she was basically a lower-tier actress in the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

But now, with an album that sold millions of copies across Asia, she has a solid foundation and immediately rose to the top tier once the title of "Little Queen" was bestowed upon her.

Well, considering what's going to happen next, she'll most likely benefit from being the "ATV boss's wife," and might even become one of the top stars, comparable to some of the top-tier divas.

Oh, there is one... she really loves to show off!

Oh well, what a fool I was!
Let her be!
But when she spoke, she was quite sincere—she's made a fortune! The royalties from just one album are in the tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars. Next, Ge Fuhong will probably be organizing her concerts. She's also been getting a lot of endorsements lately. She's really busy with work. Maybe one day if she really falls on hard times, she can really rely on her to support her.

Ha...bullshit! How could I possibly be in trouble!
I won't spend her money anymore!

After a pointless daze and a moment of reflection, Lin Jianlu lowered her head and continued copying the manuscript.

I drafted the outline countless times before finally putting pen to paper. After finishing, I revised and adjusted it word by word, and now it's basically ready for the final draft.

From beginning to end, Lin Jianlu did not rely on anyone else or hire a writer; he handled everything himself. He did this because he did not want anyone to know or spread the word, and he also felt that no matter how good someone else's writing was, they would definitely not be able to understand the intention of the letter as well as he could, so what they wrote would definitely not be as good as his own.

Then of course I'll write it myself.

This is a handwritten letter.

The plan is to go straight to the Heavenly Court.

Yes, this is addressed to the top leader of the Ministry of Truth—about ATV.

Aside from a brief introduction at the beginning that he had acquired 67.08% of the shares of Asia Television Limited, thus achieving absolute control over ATV, he basically only talked about three things—

First, I hope that after I have gained initial control over ATV, the organization can appoint a comrade with rich experience in organizational work to establish a Party branch at ATV. Specifically, I hope this work can be completed before the end of December 1998. This is a request, and naturally, it is also a statement.

Secondly, since he was new to ATV and lacked relevant experience, he felt quite at a loss as to where to begin. Therefore, he hoped to find energetic and capable individuals from mainland China who had long been engaged in media and communications work to come to ATV as freelancers to assist him in his work. Lin Jianlu specifically mentioned two names: Tan Xisong, director of the CCTV Advertising Center, and Zhao Fengshou, deputy director of Beijing Television.

The former has been carrying out advertising reforms at CCTV in recent years and has achieved remarkable results. He is a rare expert in mainland China who understands media, communication studies, economics, and operations. Even though Lin Jianlu has never had any dealings with him, he has heard a lot about his reputation in the TV station circle.

The latter was an old acquaintance of Lin Jianlu, in his early forties, very capable, and with a solid background.

Yes, the key point is that he has a solid foundation, but he is also down-to-earth and doesn't show off.

Inviting these two here doesn't mean they'll immediately assume a position of power, but after two years, I believe that with their own abilities, they'll be able to integrate and gradually begin to take control.

Third, Lin Jianlu said that after taking over ATV, he plans to establish a satellite TV department and hopes that the organization can consider allowing ATV to obtain operating rights in mainland China and, at its discretion, allow the newly established satellite TV department to broadcast on satellite.

Once ATV obtains the operating rights in mainland China, and even broadcasts via commercial satellites in mainland China, it means that the newly established satellite TV department under ATV will become a provincial-level television station within the domestic media system!

Moreover, it's one of the top-tier provincial television stations—there are only a handful of provincial television stations in China that are still broadcasting satellite TV!

Yes, this is exactly the level I'm looking for!

In addition, near the end of the letter, he also inquired about when CCTV's production of "Water Margin" would premiere and whether ATV could purchase the rights to broadcast it simultaneously in Hong Kong.

Sigh, just this one letter.

It was handwritten and sincere from beginning to end. To put it bluntly, it all boils down to one thing: I am very willing to align myself with the organization! I hope the organization will send someone over so we can settle down in Hong Kong together!

Although the situation in Hong Kong is completely different from that in the mainland, and the party organization has established a branch here, it is not possible for it to truly play a leading role for the time being. But I, Lin Jianlu, still hope that the red flag will be planted on the roof of ATV!

Let's take it slow!

After copying it, I checked it over and found no mistakes. It clearly and plainly expressed my meaning, so the reader should not misunderstand it because of its obscure or implicit language.

that's enough.

As long as the meaning is conveyed, that's enough.

As for how the decision is made, that's not something I can interfere with—the key is in making a statement! Even if things don't work out, having made a statement makes things easier!

So they folded it and put it in an envelope.

In fact, if the series of things mentioned in the letter were actually done and implemented, it would inevitably have a certain negative effect on the Hong Kong media industry. The most vocal people in Hong Kong are the various media outlets, shouting slogans such as freedom, and what they fear most is that the capital will send people to control public opinion in Hong Kong!

Lin Jianlu didn't know how things had developed in his previous life. He guessed that the higher-ups were a bit hesitant to act rashly, so they hadn't done much work in that area. But now that he had acquired ATV, and despite spending a hefty HK$700 million to acquire it, he didn't expect ATV to make much money for him at all. This made him much more relaxed!
At worst, we'll lose money every year!
I'm not afraid of losing money!

As long as the united front value is in place and the stance is in place, then the 700 million, including the money lost later, will all be worthwhile!

Because the real money-making opportunities are in the US stock market, in Yahoo, in Amazon, and in the future, in Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba, as well as in Hong Kong, the capital, and Shanghai—buildings and land!

By spending his own money to buy ATV and supporting it, all he had to do was show that he was loyal to the government.

Making money is nothing!
…………

November 4, 1997, Tuesday, the fifth day of the tenth lunar month.

The crew of "The Myth" had only been filming normally for a few days when Lin Jianlu announced that the entire crew would have a day off. This time, everyone, including Tang Jili and Hong Jinbao, understood and no one complained.

Yesterday, various media outlets were reporting on it all day long.

The value of ATV, how much did Lin Jianlu actually spend to buy the shares from the Lin family? Is Lin Jianlu a chivalrous white knight or someone who takes advantage of others' misfortune? What does it really mean that a Hong Kong television station was sold to a mainlander? Why did Lin Jianyue, the second young master of the Lin family, disappear recently? And... how much money Lin Jianlu has, like how many women he has, has become a mystery, and so on.

So, I guess I'll be going to ATV to do some reception today!

Who wouldn't understand such a momentous event?
I left home at 8:30 in the morning and arrived at the ATV building on Broadcast Drive a little after 9:00. I walked in with my head held high and gathered all the ATV employees. Everyone was there by 9:40, and we started a meeting.

The main purpose was for the new boss to make an appearance, to let everyone know that everything is as usual, and to express his great appreciation for the efforts of the previous boss, Mr. Lin Baixin, during his time at ATV. He was also very satisfied with ATV's work, discipline, and stage presence. He also highly praised the work of the previous CEO, Mr. Li Baoan!

And so on, blah blah blah.

First, reassure the employees and tell them not to be anxious.

Not only will there be no layoffs, but the company will also establish a satellite TV department and set up "Dragon TV Chinese Channel" and "Dragon TV English Channel" to carry out a full digital reform. Once the full digitalization is implemented, Lin Jianlu, as the chairman of the board, will strive to promote "Dragon TV Chinese Channel" to satellite within three years and achieve global broadcasting!
We will vigorously establish and integrate the news department, and send resident reporters to major regions around the world. Initially, there will be about 30 reporters, and within five years, we plan to increase the number to 200 to 300. We will also cooperate with organizations such as Xinhua News Agency, Reuters, and Associated Press to broadcast real-time news, first-hand footage, and first-hand interviews from around the world to the people of Hong Kong. Furthermore, we will actively promote Hong Kong, this beautiful Pearl of the Orient, to the world!
To expand the variety show department, we plan and launch several new variety shows, talk shows, music programs, etc., over the next three years, striving to produce two to three hit variety shows every year!

Once Dragon TV Chinese Channel is established and successfully launched on satellite, it will immediately begin setting up a sports channel, becoming the only television station in Hong Kong capable of broadcasting major global sporting events 24 hours a day.

Furthermore, cultural tourism channels and other related programs could be launched at any time!
Finally, ATV will vigorously integrate its drama series division. ATV will form a powerful alliance with many film and television companies and studios in mainland China, as well as many film and television companies in Taiwan and Media Asia Films in Hong Kong. From now on, ATV's contracted actors will be the first choice for all roles in Media Asia Films, and soon a large number of actors will be arranged to go to the north to participate in a series of co-produced TV series!

In short, don't worry about whether I can make it happen, or even when I'll start. I've already painted a rosy picture for you. Rest assured, as long as you're with ATV and work for me, your future is bright, opportunities are plentiful, and money will flow in endlessly. — The effect was quite good. Originally, regarding the arrival of a singer like Lin Jianlu, some were hopeful, some were confused, and some were apprehensive. But after Lin Jianlu finished speaking in a very simple and straightforward manner, most people in the audience started to see stars in their eyes.

It seems the new boss is indeed an expert in the arts and culture world, and quite wealthy. His blueprint is much more ambitious than that of the previous boss, Uncle Lin!
The feedback from female staff and female artists was the most direct: "The new boss is so handsome! So manly!"

Yes, Brigitte Lin became the CEO of ATV as she wished, but she is not yet the new leader. It was clearly stated that during the transition period, Brigitte Lin would temporarily serve as the acting CEO until ATV was completely stable. Only then would the selection of a capable person be made and the official CEO candidate be discussed.

In fact, Lin Jianlu had a suitable candidate in mind—Shi Nansheng.

Back in the 1980s, this woman was in charge of the daily operations of Cinema City, which was then engaged in fierce competition with Golden Harvest. She had no shortage of administrative experience, and could even be described as very capable.

She has worked with Tsui Hark for many years. When she produces a film, Tsui Hark always manages to achieve both artistic merit and commercial success, resulting in both critical and commercial acclaim. However, once she is no longer the producer to keep Tsui Hark in check, his unrestrained ideas become like a wild horse. As a result, no matter how gorgeous the visuals or how good the special effects are, the audience is left confused, and the film flops upon release, both critically and commercially.
Therefore, Shi Nansheng is both knowledgeable in art and adept at popular culture, and is very good at controlling the audience's tastes!
Moreover, she is not only very good at handling and controlling the daily operation and ecosystem of an arts and culture commercial company, but she is also a very high-level financial talent - she has not only managed the accounts for Cinema City for many years, but also often manages the film crew!

Although the company she previously managed was relatively small—Cinema City was nowhere near the size of ATV—she certainly had the ability to judge a great deal from a small perspective; all she lacked was an opportunity!

But unfortunately, now is not the right time.

If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper. Although there is no engagement, no wedding, and no marriage certificate, Brigitte Lin is considered to be without a spouse. However, in May of this year, photos of her with a pregnant belly spread throughout Hong Kong. Basically, everyone knew that she was pregnant with Lin Jianlu's child. Now that she has recovered her figure, she has obviously given birth. That is to say, regardless of the gender, she has given birth to a child for Lin Jianlu!

So, she already had fame, experience, and age, and now she's been given the label of "Mrs. Lin." With Brigitte Lin representing Lin Chien-lu as CEO, everyone is speechless.

But Shi Nansheng is not an option.

She wasn't Mrs. Lin, and she had no experience working in the television industry. No one would find it inappropriate for her to come and be Brigitte Lin's assistant, but if she were to be parachuted in as the boss, everyone would be dissatisfied.

So, let Mrs. Lam have her wish.

The CEO of Asia Television Limited and General Manager of Forbidden City Film Company—sigh, she holds two positions at once. Perfect timing, let her work at ATV for a few days, then she can head north to deliver the letter.

…………

"Didn't you say you had a mansion here? Why did you put me in a hotel?"

"What are you saying? You'd have to be willing to go even if I took you! How about you go with Rosamund Kwan tomorrow? Or Wang Zuxian would be fine too! Leung Wing-ki is on her period right now, so she can't go. Ching-ha just finished her postpartum period, so she'll have to wait another two weeks!"

"Pah! Only someone with your thick skin could say something like that! Don't even think about it!"

"Hehe..." Gong Li suddenly came over and gave her a heads-up beforehand, so Lin Jianlu asked Lin Xilei to arrange a hotel for her. She herself couldn't get away and didn't finish work until nine o'clock at night. After having some late-night snacks, she rushed over for a rendezvous.

She was particularly emotional when meeting someone she knew well.

Despite a few sarcastic remarks, once they embraced, they were inseparable, their passion quickly escalating until Lin Jianlu had had her fill. As usual, she was basically paralyzed and unable to move.

However, as she gradually came to her senses, she saw Lin Jianlu smoking and quickly said, "Stop smoking! Didn't you see I've quit!"

Lin Jianlu turned to look at her. "What's wrong? You really want to have a baby?"

"What, you don't want to admit it anymore? You said it yourself, as long as I dare to give birth, you dare to admit it!"

Lin Jianlu paused for a moment, then stubbed out her cigarette, looking rather amused. "You really don't plan to get married?"

She glanced at Lin Jianlu sideways. "What do you think? Ever since that day, I've quit smoking, started exercising, and been trying to conceive. And now, I'm asking you for a sperm! If I really get pregnant... will you acknowledge it?"

"I'll acknowledge it! Why wouldn't I? As long as it's my child, I'll acknowledge it!"

"Don't talk nonsense! Before that, I hadn't slept with anyone for over two years. This is my first time since then. If I get pregnant, whose else could it be but yours?"

"Ha! Success!"

In private, Gong Li is actually incredibly good at being coquettish, completely lacking the super aura of the so-called "Empress Gong" that Lin Jianlu later became known for. She's incredibly feminine! It's only after they're in bed that you see that strong-willed feeling in her bones again—Lin Jianlu could sense that although she finally made up her mind not to marry anyone else and instead chose to have a child with Lin Jianlu at the age of thirty, this matter seemed to carry a bit of grievance for her.

understand!

Lin Jianlu's life now is basically filled with this or that, and he can always find some sense of grievance in the girls—well, it's not just a girl's problem, as long as you're human, who doesn't want to be exclusive? Who wants to be one of the few?
Lin Jianlu agreed with this and didn't think that the other person's grievances were undeserved.

He wasn't so arrogant as to think that a girl who slept with him was the one who got the better deal—no, he always felt that he was the one who was greedy and taking advantage of the girl.

So whenever a girl feels wronged, he's willing to comfort her a little.

For someone like him, looks, temperament, status, talent, fame, and even wealth are all there. As long as he's willing to lower his head and say a few sweet words, almost no girl can resist being charmed.

In a moment of confusion, that feeling of grievance vanishes instantly, leaving only infatuation, attachment, and longing.

A little coaxing can work for many days!

With a little coaxing, she quickly cheered up again, snuggling in Lin Jianlu's arms and acting coquettishly. It was as if the decision to give up a marriage that was so close and within her grasp suddenly didn't seem so regrettable anymore.

When the two of them came back from taking a shower together and were snuggling in bed chatting, she suddenly asked, "I was watching TV last night and saw that you bought ATV? That's one of the two biggest TV stations in Hong Kong, right? They said you spent seven or eight hundred million Hong Kong dollars to buy 67% of it? How much money do you actually have?"

Lin Jianlu laughed, "Why do you care how much money I have! Anyway... even if you stop acting and stop making money in the future, I can still support you and raise a few kids without any problem!"

Gong Li laughed, "How many? You want me to have several for you?"

"So what? If you want to act, then go ahead and act. There's only one condition: be my woman, no kissing scenes, and no nude scenes. Everything else is up to you. When you're not acting, just have kids and play around! I'll raise them!"

She laughed, a strangely complex look in her eyes, but her words were stubborn and arrogant: "Tch! What a show of arrogance! Just like you're rolling in billions! Raising children is expensive! I don't want to be raised like the previous generation did, treated like little dogs!"

She paused, then said, "Hey, I have a question for you! I'm thinking of transferring my household registration to Hong Kong so I can have two children with you. What do you think?" Lin Jianlu looked up in surprise, "Transferring your household registration?"

"Hey! Move over here!"

She agreed, then quickly explained, "But don't misunderstand, I didn't ask for your consent. This is my own business. Since you don't want to marry me, it's none of my business! I'm just asking for your opinion for reference!"

Lin Jianlu couldn't help but laugh.

Because of her proud and aloof little appearance.

She quickly laughed, a hint of embarrassment at being seen through, and lightly punched Lin Jianlu. But she quickly wiped the smile off, trying to prove herself, "I'm serious! I'm not under your control! And don't try to treat me like your lovers, putting me all under one roof, sleeping in whichever room you want! I can't stand that! I'll buy my own house, I can afford it!"

"There's this one thing. I've seen everyone saying that this financial crisis is pretty severe, and Hong Kong seems to have suffered a lot. It might never recover! I'm a little scared. What if I buy a house, settle down here, and even transfer my household registration here, but things here just get worse and worse? That would be a real problem!"

“I want my child to grow up in a more developed environment. If the opposite happens, and this place becomes more and more impoverished as the child grows up, and the child can't even find a job when they grow up, then it's better to stay in the capital!”

Lin Jianlu laughed and patted her bottom. "Buy with confidence! It's not just Hong Kong. If you have enough money, you can buy a house in the capital or Shanghai! This isn't just for living; it's an investment. Buy it and wait for the price to rise! If you don't have enough money, just tell me and I'll make up the difference!"

Gong Li stared straight at him and said, "You mean... no matter whether it's Hong Kong or the capital, housing prices will continue to rise? My apartment in the Asian Games Village is already 9,000 yuan per square meter, how can it go up?"

Lin Jianlu's answer was simple and straightforward.

"can!"

…………

"Hello, Mr. Li!"

"Hello, Mr. Lin!"

After November, Lin Jianlu was busy filming and also had a lot of business activities. Occasionally, he would go to the music factory one or two hours to record a song for Zhou Huimin.

This was basically the busiest period of his life since he transmigrated.

However, despite being busy, I am very happy.

His series of business acquisitions were not simply spending money; in his own view, they were practically picking up money—yes, he's going to pick up another big sum of money today!

The person I'm meeting is Li Jiajie, the vice president of Henderson Land Development Company Limited, the richest man in Hong Kong, and the eldest son of Li Zhaoji, a famous real estate developer. Previously, Lin Jianlu offered HK$8 million for the 40% stake in the International Finance Centre under construction held by his family, but it was rejected. The Li family insisted on demanding HK$10 billion, but in the past two days, they suddenly contacted me again, saying that the price could be discussed again.

So, Lin Jianlu first raised the price to HK$8.5 million, and then to HK$8.8 million, stating that this was the final offer and that he would not raise the price further if it was not accepted. The Li family finally relented and agreed to the deal at HK$8.8 million!
Then everyone's happy, let's sign the contract.

Assets, whether stocks, real estate, commercial real estate, or anything else, are never something you can just buy whenever you want. Many times you have a lot of money in your hands, but the things you want to buy simply won't be sold. And many times you have a lot of assets but lack cash, and when you want to sell, there are no buyers!

This thing is subject to change, depending on the time and circumstances.

Buying Yahoo stock at any time before 99 would have guaranteed a profit! But Lin Jianlu already had more than 8% of the shares, making him a major shareholder. Major shareholders of listed companies are required to make advance announcements when reducing their holdings. Even if they wanted to run away, they would have to make two announcements and gradually reduce their holdings to below 5% before there would be any possibility of them running away secretly!
Therefore, we can't buy any more!
However, besides Yahoo and Amazon, there are many other internet stocks on the American stock market, but Lin Jianlu is completely unfamiliar with them and dares not buy them.

So besides that, what else is worth buying at the bottom?
In his view, taking advantage of the 97 financial crisis to buy up a batch of commercial buildings at extremely low prices would be an ideal investment that would generate rental income and stable appreciation over the next twenty years, while also enhancing his social image.

The Wantong Building has been acquired for 8.8 million yuan, and a 40% stake in the International Financial Center has also been secured!

Almost perfect!
After signing the agreement, everyone popped champagne to celebrate the successful collaboration. This was different from a one-off deal like buying a certain percentage of shares in the Wantong Building. This time, Lin Jianlu took the initiative to invest, and from now on, they would be partners in the construction and operation of the international financial center.

"Mr. Lin is a young man of great talent. He is not only a successful artist, but also decisive and skilled in business investment. We will have plenty of opportunities in the future. We hope that Mr. Lin can spare some time to chat with us more often!"

"Mr. Li, you flatter me! Of course, you certainly will!"

Given Hong Kong's unique position and the Li Zhaoji family's special influence and social status in Hong Kong, Lin Jianlu felt that this top-notch second-generation rich kid in front of her would likely be a member of the Negotiation Conference in the future. Well, even if he didn't, the Li Zhaoji family's influence in Hong Kong's political and business circles was far beyond what Lin Baixin could match. In addition, this young master's speech and behavior not only lacked any ostentatious air, but also had a rather refined feel. Lin Jianlu was still quite willing to get to know him a little.

However, he was well aware that he was still far from reaching the level of other people's family businesses.

To truly witness a major turnaround, we have to look at how much money Yahoo could make in 1999!
…………

The money in my hand was spent like water flowing out of my pocket.

Wantong Building.

Asia Television Limited (ATV) holds a 67.08% stake.

The land on Man Yiu Street, New Harbourfront, Central.

40% stake in the International Financial Centre.

2% stake in Hong Kong City Telecom.

Every transaction involved a listed company, so announcements were required. However, apart from the ATV transaction where Lin Jianlu was directly involved, the other transactions were mostly company-to-company. Hong Kong is currently in chaos, with all sorts of things happening: suicides, bankruptcies, and selling assets to pay off debts. Not only are the people of Hong Kong overwhelmed, but even the media itself is feeling the pressure. Therefore, for the time being, news is news; it's just reported, and no one is digging into it yet.

Therefore, the general public's perception of Lam Kin-lo's "bottom-fishing" in the market is still limited to his involvement in the resale of ATV, and no media outlets have yet connected him with the numerous resale transactions of buildings and land.

The acquisition of Hong Kong City Telecom's shares was entirely entrusted to HSBC by Lin Jianlu. Only after accumulating 2% of the shares was the share transfer completed with HSBC. Under the current market conditions, the impact on Hong Kong City Telecom's share price was limited, and it did not affect the ownership of the shares, so no one paid attention to it.

In short, almost three billion Hong Kong dollars have already been spent quietly.

And on November 11th, coincidentally, Singles' Day, the lease renewal negotiations between Lin Jianlu and the Hong Kong government finally came to a swift conclusion. The lease for the 46,900 square meter plot of land on Man Yiu Street in Central was renewed for another 50 years, with the final price settling at 48 million US dollars – approximately HK$3.74 million.

The price is significantly lower than the HK$5.4 million lease renewal price negotiated between Lam Pak-yan and the Hong Kong government in 1994.

Four days later, with the help of Wu Minghua, Lin Jianlu's newly hired administrative assistant, Lin Jianlu signed another large real estate giant in Hong Kong, acquiring two properties under construction in mainland China from Wu Guangzheng, the son-in-law of Hong Kong's first daughter: 87.5% equity in Capital Times Square and 51% equity in Shanghai Times Square.

The former is valued at HK$1.6 million, and the latter at HK$1.4 million.

By this time, Lin Jianlu had looked across Hong Kong and found that the number of potential targets suitable for acquisition, affordable for him, and guaranteed to appreciate 100% after acquisition was gradually decreasing. He could only wait for the remaining suitable properties to be discounted further.

In fact, by this time, he had already spent nearly HK$36 billion!

Having maximized their lending capacity and collateral value, they only had about HK$18 billion to HK$19 billion left to use. Gradually, their passion faded, and they stopped thinking about the capital market and the real estate market all day long. They began to focus their attention back on filming.

On November 18th, despite limited experience in shooting green screen scenes and a somewhat bumpy filming process, with director Lin Jianlu frequently giving the entire crew a day or half a day off, the scenes for "The Myth" filmed at the Hong Kong Studio were finally completed!

Lin Jianlu will have a few days to rest, but the director trio of Tang Jili, Hong Jinbao, and Zhang Yimou will have to rush to the mainland as soon as possible for the second round of location scouting. The crew will be going to the mainland for location shooting before the end of November—the filming locations even include the Tianshan Mountains and Baiyin in Gansu Province, so it is conceivable that the mainland will probably be shooting for more than two months, which is during the coldest time of the year and will not be very comfortable!

During this rare break, Chen Shuhua flew over from Taipei with her child.

Su Huilun originally didn't want to come, but when Chen Shuhua was packing her luggage, she changed her mind and ended up flying over on a business class charter flight with him.

Chen Shuhua came over with important business; she and Wang Fei were going to record "Meet in 1998" for the Spring Festival Gala, and they needed to submit it for review at least symbolically. But Su Huilun came over purely because she had been holding back for over a year and was really craving it. She had given birth more than eighty days ago and couldn't resist anymore.

(End of this chapter)