A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 201 The Feeling of Wealth
Today we're recording "Meet in 1998".

When Lin Jianlu arrived at the music factory with Chen Shuhua, Wang Fei had already arrived and was practicing singing in a small practice room. Her two managers, Chen Jiaying and Qiu Likuan, were waiting in the reception room. When Lin Jianlu arrived, they quickly got up to greet her.

"Mr. Lin, thank you for taking such good care of Afei!"

Lin Jianlu shook hands with each of them, then waved her hand dismissively, saying, "Hey! Don't mention it!"

Wang Fei's status in the Hong Kong and Taiwan music scene goes without saying, but Chen Jiaying was the one who stepped forward to take over her management contract when she was in the most difficult time, that is, when she had a falling out with Cinepoly Records and Law Da. He helped her re-sign her contract with Cinepoly Records and supported her to rise to the top all the way afterward.

Their abilities, skills, and standing in the industry are not to be underestimated.

Although Wang Fei's management affairs are usually handled by Qiu Likuan, in reality, Wang Fei, Na Ying, and even Sun Nan who used to work in the Hong Kong music scene all have their management contracts with the management company jointly owned by Chen Jiaying and Qiu Likuan—a company with considerable influence in the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

Moreover, Qiu Likuan is no ordinary person.

She started her career under the guidance of Taiwanese director Zhu Yanping, working her way up from script supervisor and production assistant to producer. She is a capable and shrewd person. When Lin Jianlu visited the set of "My Fair Princess" before, she learned that Lin Zhiling was also signed and strongly recommended to Qiong Yao by them.

Sure enough, since they rarely met, Chen Jiaying seemed to want to express her gratitude all at once. Hearing Lin Jianlu's casual statement, she smiled and said, "We really want to thank you. Although we don't see you often, we've always known that you've been very supportive of our artists! I heard from Xiuqiong before that you recommended A-Ling to join the cast of 'Princess Pearl'! When she comes back after filming is finished, we hope to treat you to a meal, depending on your availability!"

Lin Jianlu smiled and said, "You're too kind! We'll see how time is then!"

"it is good!"

Then they greeted and shook hands with Chen Shuhua. Although Chen Shuhua had come to Hong Kong for events in the past, her management affairs were basically handled by her mother, so it seems that she did not know these two big agents.

So we just smiled and shook hands.

The two women seemed to have discerned something from Chen Shuhua's now plump and radiant appearance, and their attitude became even more friendly and humble, even chatting with Chen Shuhua for a few moments.

Even before her comeback, and even now that Chen Shuhua has become popular again, these two don't need to fawn over her as much. They are top-tier managers who are on par with Ge Fuhong, and they treat singers of Wang Fei and Chen Shuhua's caliber as equals.

In other words, one needs to show exceptional humility when facing powerful figures in the financial world, such as those who own a television station or multiple film and television companies in mainland China and Hong Kong.

After chatting for about two or three minutes, Wang Fei came over.

She was much better behaved than when we recorded "Red Bean" together. She entered the room with a big smile, saying, "Oh, greetings to the TV station director!" and then warmly greeted Chen Shuhua, "Hello, Sister Shuhua!"

Lin Jianlu had already sat down on the sofa and asked her with a smile, "Is my daughter doing well?"

Wang Fei replied earnestly, "Okay! Thank you so much for caring about her, godfather!"

They sat down and chatted for a while. Luo Dayou also came over, and Lin Jianlu immediately stood up when she saw him. They chatted for a bit longer before getting up and going into the recording studio.

Wang Fei's two agents didn't leave; they obediently sat and waited outside the recording studio. Even before nine o'clock, Ge Fuhong arrived, and the three agents sat side by side outside.

But they were overthinking it.

It seems that the conflict during the recording of "Red Bean" knocked down a lot of Wang Fei's pride. Of course, it may also be that the amazing results and outstanding reputation of "Red Bean" after its official release made even someone as proud as Wang Fei have to admit some things. So, she was very well-behaved during this recording.

Sing it however you're told.

Frankly speaking, recording songs for top artists like Wang Fei and Chen Shuhua is a real pleasure for the producer, as long as they are obedient, have fewer of their own opinions, and do whatever the producer says.

These two voices, each with its own unique characteristics, are both top-notch.

The singing skills of these two people are absolutely top-notch.

Even in terms of singing and business, the two are among the very top tier of the Chinese music scene.

We taught the song twice, did two trial runs, and then made careful adjustments. We finished recording it before midnight.

What a perfect match!
Lin Jianlu immediately made the decision, "It's settled then!"

Seeing such incredible work efficiency, Chen Jiaying turned to Ge Fuhong and said, "A genius is a genius! Only Lin Sheng could make Afei so obedient!"

Ge Fuhong smiled without saying a word.

"Red Bean" has sold over 170 million copies across Asia in just one month since its release, and its popularity continues unabated. It is expected to reach the historic heights of 250 million or even 300 million copies sold in the future! It is enough to rival Chen Shuhua's resurgence with "Chasing the Light" and compete for the historical title of the best-selling album by a Chinese female singer!
Even someone as popular as Wang Fei had never been this popular before. It's no exaggeration to say that with just one hit song, Lin Jianlu helped her reach new heights, elevating her singing career to a whole new level—anyone would be impressed! Wang Fei was no exception!

She's just a bit of a sassy artsy young woman, not stupid!
…………

We ended up having lunch together.

Chen Shuhua was a man of few words, mostly just sitting next to Lin Jianlu and watching him make his moves. However, Wang Fei frequently took the initiative to talk to her, and the two gradually started chatting.

As they were finishing their meal, Lin Jianlu suddenly said to Chen Jiaying and Qiu Likuan, "I've already spoken to CCTV, but some relationships still require you to work on them yourselves to break the deadlock. She hasn't been invited to the Spring Festival Gala for so many years, so she's never been involved in anything. You understand why! Later, you two should accompany her to the capital. I have an assistant there who will help you arrange a meeting. Be sincere, and you'll get through this."

The two agents immediately nodded in agreement, their faces full of gratitude. Qiu Likuan even stood up and raised her glass, saying, "Thank you for always taking such good care of us! We'll book our tickets and head over in the next few days. Thank you!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank it all.

Lin Jianlu waved her hand instead, "Hey! Sit down, sit down!"

However, the next moment, Wang Fei actually stood up, holding a wine glass, looking quite serious, and said, "Lu, I'll drink it, thank you!"

After she finished speaking, she tilted her head back and downed the drink.

Wang Fei had seen people drink before, but this was the first time she had ever seen someone so proactively thank someone. Even Lin Jianlu found it unusual. "Oh, this is rare, sister! What are you thanking me for? Tell me!"

She opened her mouth as if to speak, but quickly came to her senses. She was actually very clever; she knew exactly when she could be arrogant, when she could be individualistic, and when she should obediently lower her head. And now, she quickly realized that Lin Jianlu was teasing her.

He glanced at her sideways, a half-smile playing on his lips, a self-deprecating yet not self-deprecating expression, a mix of embarrassment and genuine embarrassment, and said, "Uh... anyway, thank you!"

Neither of her two agents dared to interject or speak up at this moment, and could only give her meaningful glances. She received the signal, but instead of showing any respect, she became disdainful. To her, taking the initiative to stand up and offer a toast was already considered blatant flattery, so she became arrogant and very worldly. "Anyway, they've looked down on me for so many years, only you have always respected me!" Hearing her sincerity, Lin Jianlu smiled instead, and her desire to tease her vanished instantly.

As she spoke, she refilled her glass, saying, "...How about we have another drink? Let me show my appreciation."

Well, Lin Jianlu understood the implication of her words, but since she spoke so sincerely, given Lin Jianlu's current status in the underworld, he was unusually accommodating. He actually picked up his glass, clinked it with Wang Fei's, and then drank it all in one gulp.

…………

In the afternoon, I went to Media Asia Cinema for a while, got more than twenty signatures, had a discussion, and raised the issue of facilitating the collaboration between Media Asia Cinema and ATV regarding actors and filming. Then I went to take a look at the construction site of the International Finance Centre from afar—it consists of Tower A and Tower B. The shorter tower has already been topped out, but the scaffolding in many places has not yet been removed. You can see it from a distance, so interior decoration should have already begun inside.

Other issues may be open to discussion, but the foundation of Hong Kong's rapid economic development in recent years, stemming from the inherent diligence of the Chinese nation and the high efficiency of social operation fostered by involution, cannot be denied.

Long before the mainland developed its characteristic of being an infrastructure powerhouse, Hong Kong had already gone down this path.

Without prior notice, I didn't go in. I stood in the drizzling rain for a while, and then didn't even get in the car. I asked the driver for a cigarette, lit it, and walked along the road, smoking as I walked towards the Wantong Building. It's such a strange feeling. This construction site is huge, and once it's completed, it will be a huge commercial complex, 40% of which belongs to me. There's such a large piece of land over there, which is mine, and I can use it until 2054. If I walk along the road for about four or five hundred meters, there's another building over there, which is also mine!

And they're all located in Central, Hong Kong Island, where land is incredibly valuable!
A feeling of wealth I've never experienced before!
It gives the feeling that the family is already well-off!

After standing at a distance on his own land for a while, Lin Jianlu turned to Lin Xilei and said, "Remember this for me. Hire a landscaping company or something to clean up this area, plant some flowering trees and flower beds, design some benches for people to rest on, and transplant a bunch of big trees. Spend... a million or so to make it look nice. We can't let it continue to be barren like this; it's an eyesore!"

Lin Xilei's eyes widened. "Turn it into a park? Brother, wouldn't that be a waste of money?"

Lin Jianlu shrugged. "How much could it cost! It's just sitting there empty anyway, it's not really suitable to grow rice here, is it? But... it doesn't seem like it's a bad idea, it's dozens of acres! Maybe we can harvest 100,000 catties of rice a year!"

Lin Xilei remained silent and shrugged.

But she's no longer the little girl I first met last year. In just over a year, she's gained a lot of experience and her perspective on things is no longer so simple. "But once you turn it into a park, everyone will assume it's a park. And when you want to build a high-rise, someone might sue you!"

Lin Jianlu chuckled, gesturing around the area. "In this place, when have ordinary people ever been able to live like capitalists? This isn't the mainland!"

Just kidding! This is a capitalist system!

…………

I took a walk and went to Wantong Building.

Lin Jianlu was determined to renovate, but the renovation plan was still underway. Lin Jianlu's current visit was just to take a look around his territory and mark it off.

The property management company manager received the news quickly, rushed over, and accompanied the person on a tour.

The financial crisis had a huge impact on Hong Kong. Even the wealthy and powerful had to cut their losses to protect themselves, and countless small companies went bankrupt in an instant. In the Wantong Building, two tenants also declared bankruptcy. Fortunately, they were only less than a month behind on rent, and the desks, chairs and a dozen computers they left behind could barely offset some of the value.

Lin Jianlu waved his hand, interrupting the manager's report.

He didn't listen to any of that—he always considered his own management skills to be terrible and had never intended to get involved.

I need to see Wu Minghua again tomorrow. That woman is shrewd and capable. She has once again facilitated Lin Jianlu's acquisition of two properties in mainland China from Wharf Holdings as promised. Lin Jianlu has officially hired her as his administrative assistant and plans to entrust her with the management of his assets in Hong Kong, especially his fixed assets.

Use it for a year, observe the results, and if it works, continue using it and use it extensively; if it doesn't work, replace it.

As a time traveler, Lin Jianlu always understood that his strength lay in strategic prediction. And what strategy was all about was making money from the appreciation of something over a long period of time in the future. As for the specific operations, he shouldn't embarrass himself by doing so. Whether the operations were good or bad, or how much he made in the daily cash flow, didn't really matter.

Lin Jianlu didn't have that time either.

You'd be better off spending that time with your lover.

Oh, right, I didn't realize it at first. When I woke up that morning, I thought about it and felt something was off. Then, in a sudden moment of confusion, it suddenly occurred to me that Wu Minghua's husband is named Cai Zhongxin. But it seems that later, there was a second or third person at Alibaba who was also named Cai Zhongxin!

In my hazy memory, he seems to be that extremely crucial figure in the key process of Alibaba's eventual rise!
It's very likely the same person—if so, then this Tsai Chung-hsin is more worthy of investigation than his wife.

Hmm, let's test Wu Minghua's abilities first.

…………

Around 6 p.m., the car dropped Lin Jianlu off at Zhou Huimin's apartment building.

Seeing Lin Jianlu get out of the car, Lin Xilei rolled down the window, leaned against it, resting her chin on her arm, looking a little tired. "Are you staying here tonight? Do you need me to come pick you up?"

Lin Jianlu thought for a moment, "You don't need to come over." So Lin Xilei rolled up the car window, got out of the car, got into another car next to her and left, while the car that Lin Jianlu usually rode in, including the driver and bodyguard, remained downstairs.

Knock on the door, and Zhang Min opens it.

Having seemingly had a good night's sleep, she appeared to have shed her fatigue and fear, instantly radiating beauty. In terms of looks and features alone, Lin Jianlu always felt she was at the bottom of the so-called "Four Great Actresses" of Hong Kong, surpassing Rosamund Kwan, Li Jiaxin, and Wang Zuxian. However, she had to admit she possessed a unique brilliance, a spirited yet sharp edge that gave her a distinctive allure, making her a worthy contender for the "Four Great Actresses."

Besides, even if she's ranked last among the Four Great Actresses, she's still one of them. Girls with ordinary looks can't even come close to her – Vivian Chow's looks are in no way inferior to hers, but even if Vivian Chow has powerful backers, she can't become a "Big Actress". Her features and temperament have already determined that she's not bright and dignified enough. No matter how popular she becomes, she can only be a "Little Actress".

She's more than capable of playing a charming or mischievous girl, but when it comes to other roles, Vivian Chow's temperament is considered too gentle and too pretty.

In Lin Jianlu's opinion, if we're not too picky, actresses like Wang Zuxian and Zhang Min shouldn't be considered "huadan" (young female roles). Their temperament, looks, and acting skills are all at the level of "qingyi" (mature female roles). But unfortunately, the titles of the "Four Great Qingyi" (Xia Yu Fang Hong, Xia Zhilin, and Hong Ying) are too prestigious. They started late and were forced to be relegated to the "huadan" category. Actresses like Guan Zhilin, Li Jiaxin, and Zhou Huimin, who are just pretty faces, are the real "huadan".

"Hello, Mr. Lin! I'm so sorry to have troubled you!"

"you are welcome!"

As soon as Lin Jianlu entered the room, Zhang Min immediately bent down and squatted down to get him a pair of men's slippers. She was about to reach out to help him take off his shoes when she seemed a little hesitant. But seeing that Lin Jianlu was going to take them off himself, she quickly reached out, grabbed the shoes, and helped Lin Jianlu take them off.

When she straightened up, there was an awkward look on her face. Her eyes met mine, and there was a hint of humility and avoidance in them. Her smile also unconsciously carried the cautiousness of someone living under someone else's roof.

Lin Jianlu thought for a moment and said, "No need for that! You're Vivian's good friend!"

She pursed her lips, nodded, nodded again, and finally managed a smile, saying, "Thank you!"

Just then, Vivian Chow peeked out from the kitchen. "Oh! You're here!" she exclaimed, and then quickly ran out, still wearing an apron and wielding a spatula, before leaping towards him.

Lin Jianlu caught her, covering her little bottom, and the two kissed in front of a certain light bulb. Then Zhou Huimin jumped down, waving a spatula, and said, "Sit down and have a cup of tea, it'll be ready soon!" She then said to Zhang Min, "Min, make the tea!" and rushed back to the kitchen like a shooting star.

Zhang Min hurriedly went to boil water and get tea leaves, but after searching for a long time in Zhou Huimin's tea cabinet, she turned around awkwardly and said, "I heard that you like to drink Taiwanese high mountain oolong tea the most, but I don't see that Vivian has any here... So, besides that, what else do you like to drink?"

Lin Jianlu chuckled as soon as she sat down, "Anything is fine! Black tea or green tea is both good."

He's too lazy to deny it anymore.

Some say he's obsessed with birds, keeping hundreds of thrushes in the capital and hiring over a dozen beautiful women to help care for them. Others say he loves Taiwanese high-mountain oolong tea, claiming he only drinks tea from tea trees grown at altitudes of 500 to 800 meters. He didn't have a preference initially, but after collecting so much high-mountain oolong, his cabinets in the capital and Hong Kong are overflowing. He couldn't help it, and gradually he really did drink more and more—seriously, I'm too lazy to debunk these rumors!
On the contrary, people like Zhou Huimin and Wang Zuxian have some black tea and green tea. Lin Qingxia has helped him collect some Pu'er tea in his villa in the Mid-Levels and his courtyard house in the capital. Chen Hong has also collected many good teas and wines that he liked after drinking them. These are things that only close friends would know.

As for the rumors circulating outside, let them be!

Zhang Min quickly boiled water in the electric kettle, made a cup of tea, and carefully brought it over, saying, "Mr. Lin, please have some tea!"—After she put down the teacup and stood there looking flustered, Lin Jianlu waved her hand, "You really don't need to be so polite!...Go to the kitchen and help her out!"

She immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay! Then you can sit down!" and then turned and ran into the kitchen.

But soon, she was kicked out by Zhou Huimin again—similar to Wang Zuxian's choice. After Zhou Huimin made money, she bought herself a small house, about 60 square meters. The kitchen was also small, and it's no exaggeration to say that it really couldn't accommodate two people working at the same time.

So Zhang Min could only stand awkwardly at the kitchen doorway, but instead of facing this direction, he stood facing the glass door of the kitchen and looked inside—the awkwardness was palpable.

I had actually dealt with Chingmy Yau a few times at previous drinking parties. Besides, I later took care of Leung Wing-ki, Chiang Chin-chin, and Tso Hsiao-chien, so I had plenty of experience. It was easy for me to know that girls like Chingmy Yau, Leung Wing-ki, and of course, the one in front of me, who had been hanging out with big shots since their debut, were actually quite naive.

Doing good deeds is doing them straightforwardly, and doing bad deeds is doing them without any pretense—there's no way around it, if you're always being pampered and protected, you won't gain experience or learn any new tricks.

Jiang Qinqin and Zuo Xiaoqian are alright. The infighting in the courtyard, including the alliances and rivalries among these women, and Xu Qing's team battle against Chen Hong, are quite enlightening. Liang Yongqi, since entering this situation, especially since moving into the big villa, has also unconsciously begun to learn about infighting and has become more cunning. But it seems that people like Qiu Shuzhen and Zhang Min are basically the exclusive favorites of their respective bosses. So, despite being famous for so many years, they still give people the impression of being a bit naive and innocent in private—though they do have a nice butt.

She must have changed her clothes; she seemed to be wearing Vivian Chow's clothes—a fitted short T-shirt on top and very short denim shorts on the bottom, which tightly covered her buttocks, revealing two long, fair legs below.

Well, she wasn't exceptionally tall, probably around 165 to 166 cm, but her proportions were excellent, and her figure was far more curvaceous than Zhou Huimin's. After staring at her for a while, I looked up unexpectedly and found that her face, reflected in the semi-transparent glass door of the kitchen, seemed to be getting redder and redder, with her head down and looking very awkward.

Lin Jianlu suddenly realized, oh, the glass door was reflecting his image. He had been staring at the woman's slender waist, perky buttocks, and long legs, and she must have seen it reflected in the glass door—sigh! This only added to his reputation as a lecher!
But it doesn't matter anymore. Since her debut, especially in the last year or so, ever since she first tasted the sweetness of Brigitte Lin, Lin Chien-lu has become increasingly open about the fact that she is indeed a womanizer!
I might as well just keep an eye on her.

Not long after, she suddenly looked up and stared at Lin Jianlu for a while in the mirror-like glass door—wow, how should I put it, as expected of actors, their eye acting is really great!

A feeling that is both clear and hazy.

…………

Today's meal was quite lavish.

Four dishes and two soups.

As the hostess, Zhou Huimin chatted with Lin Jianlu for a while, and then took the initiative to pull Zhang Min along, constantly pointing out Lin Jianlu's current awkward situation, but she only touched on it briefly.

After dinner, Zhou Huimin went to make everyone a cup of tea again. Everyone sat down in the living room, and Zhang Min finally started to cry. It seems that Boss Xiang is ruthless enough. He is a man of the underworld. Once he found out that this woman had ideas, he decisively abandoned her and even tacitly allowed his wife to hunt him down.

It turns out that Zhang Min also had a role in the hugely flop film "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils: The Legend of the Heavenly Mountain," starring Gong Li and Brigitte Lin. She played A Zi in that film. With Gong Li, Brigitte Lin who had just successfully created the new "Invincible East," and Zhang Min, it's hard to really blame the production team for the film's failure. The main reason is likely that the three actresses didn't have the market presence to guarantee box office success. The plot was probably also weak. Another point is a question that Wang Jing once discussed: since Li Lianjie became famous, his style of period martial arts films and wuxia films were popular for many years, but in recent years, Hong Kong audiences have become increasingly tired of them.

There's no breakthrough, no innovation; every movie tells the same old story, and even the best action sequences get boring.

This is also the fundamental reason why "Once Upon a Time in China and America," which was released during the Lunar New Year, was publicly promoted as the last Wong Fei-hung film directed by Li Lianjie—to capitalize on lesbian sentiment and sell one last wave of sales!

Even if Li Lianjie wanted to bid on it, no one would dare to, because it would most likely be unsellable!
Well, we've gone off on a tangent.

By the end of 94, Zhang Min had basically broken up with Boss Xiang. They agreed to remain friends and then transitioned to a so-called "cooperative model," where Zhang Min would invest money, and Win's Entertainment would be responsible for setting up the production team, filming, and distribution. In 95, they filmed "One Thousand and One Nights: Dream Lovers," featuring a cast including Leung Ka-fai, Ng Sin-lin, Chen Pak-hsiang, and Lo Ka-ying. After its release, it was a huge flop, resulting in a complete loss of money.

Zhang Min is quite clever. With just one movie, she figured out that Win's Entertainment was trying to exploit her and take back all the money she had earned from them over the years. So, after "One Thousand and One Nights: Dream Lover" flopped, she simply invested in her own company, "Zhang Min Film Production Company," and started her own business.

At the time, she offered to have Win's Entertainment distribute the film on her behalf, in exchange for the tacit consent of both Mr. Xiang and his wife to allow her to start her own business. As a result, she was able to film her second self-invested film, called "Chasing Girls 95: A Dream," with Li Lichi as the director, Liu Qingyun as the male lead, and herself as the female lead. She even specially invited the famous screenwriter Vincent Kok to write the screenplay.

As a result, they lost again, and lost badly.

At this point, Boss Xiang must have seen through her abilities and started to make his move.

He took over her company for HK$50, along with the copyright of her investment in "Chasing Girls 95: Dreamy Dream," and said it was to "save her." He then hoped that Zhang Min could continue to be his mistress, and that she could also be involved in some of Win's Entertainment's film investments, especially "good films."

But this time, Zhang Min declined.

Then, overnight, all the film offers Zhang Min had received from Win's Entertainment and other companies, even after the breakup, vanished instantly. The film contracts she had already accepted were subsequently canceled with apologies from the production companies, who said they planned to find someone else and asked Ms. Zhang not to make things difficult for them. Meanwhile, in the films she was currently filming, someone stormed onto the set and caused trouble, ultimately forcing her to fire Zhang Min.

Even so, Zhang Min was still able to hold on. Although the investment in the two films had cost her more than ten million yuan, she had been famous for so many years and still had some savings. As long as she didn't invest recklessly, frankly speaking, it was still the wealth that most ordinary people could not earn in a lifetime. She initially thought so too. But soon, around June or July of this year, she began to discover that someone was following her.

Then, Mrs. Xiang sent a message to her through someone else, telling her to return all the money she had earned from Yong Sheng over the years, or she would never have a peaceful day!

She was terrified. Several times she asked friends to plead with them, and even offered to give them some money, but without exception she was rejected – they demanded that she return everything!

Boss Xiang still wielded considerable power. Perhaps Lin Jianlu never took them seriously from the very beginning. Zhang Min begged almost every influential friend she had met over the years. According to her own tearful account, she even considered finding a more powerful figure and offering herself to him for two years, but still no one dared to take her offer.

In other words, even if you wanted to sell your body, no one would dare to buy it!

This is why the recent financial crisis has raged and devastated Hong Kong, causing chaos in the market and a host of problems. Even within the gangs and Win's Entertainment, various issues are arising. As a result, Xiang Tai's pursuit has been temporarily slowed down, allowing Zhang Min to stay in Hong Kong for a few more months and giving her the opportunity to seek help everywhere. However, in just half a month or a month, dealing with a woman like Zhang Min who has lost her support is too easy for Xiang Tai.

So, she's preparing to flee to the mainland to make a living.

Until yesterday, she only came to say goodbye, but unexpectedly she was forgiven by Vivian Chow and even got together with Lam Kin-lu. Her future seemed to have taken an unexpected turn for the better.

Well, Lin Jianlu was too lazy to distinguish between the truth and falsehood of these words.

Firstly, Zhang Min is indeed in a bad situation. Secondly, Lin Jianlu is only looking at the big picture and doesn't bother to distinguish the truth or falsehood of the specific details within that big picture. Finally... Hong Kong films are indeed finished, but the golden age of Chinese films and TV dramas has only just begun. As one of the four leading actresses of Hong Kong who has left behind so many classic works, Zhang Min still has a lot of value. If you squeeze her out a little, her net worth is definitely not comparable to hers, which may be around 30 to 50 million.

Only those who can't see the future and are narrow-minded would play the game of discarding someone after they've served their purpose!

"Well, I don't have many connections in Shanghai right now. If you're planning to go to Shanghai, I can't help you much. But Shanghai isn't the only option in mainland China. The capital is also great, especially for an actor like you. The capital is the center of arts and culture. I have several film and television companies there. If you're willing to settle in the capital, firstly, no one will threaten you, and secondly, my companies can also hire you to act in their films."

"Besides that, if you're willing, you could actually go to an arts school there and become a visiting professor or something, giving classes and teaching acting to students on a regular basis. Your fame, qualifications, and acting skills are more than enough. If you want to do that, you can choose between Beijing Film Academy and Central Academy of Drama, and I'll arrange it for you."

"Staying in Hong Kong isn't a problem. Boss Xiang is indeed capable, but I don't think your beauty alone is enough to make him lose his mind. If he asks me for people, I will. You can go to ATV or sign with Media Asia, it's up to you. Recently, Qingxia became the CEO of ATV, but she has actually been setting up the talent agency department at Media Asia. If you want to sign there, she will welcome you."

"However, I have to be upfront about this. You know that the Hong Kong film market is declining, so your opportunities to play the female lead in movies will definitely decrease, or even disappear. On the other hand, you will still have a great advantage in competing for the female lead or second female lead in TV dramas. If you are willing to take on roles in mainland China, you should also be prepared to act alongside mainland actresses. It's not easy to get the female lead role either."

"..."

It's hard to say whether it was out of respect for Vivian Chow or because of her own attractive buttocks, but Lin Jianlu talked to her quite a bit, though not in a rambling way. For her, who was at her wit's end, each word was basically a new way out.

She was incredibly grateful and repeatedly stated, "I'm fine with anything! I'm fine with anything! If there are any roles available at ATV, I'll take them! Even if ATV doesn't need me, I'm willing to film in mainland China. I speak Shanghainese very well, and I can also speak Mandarin. I have no problem filming in mainland China! As long as you take me in, I promise I'll be absolutely obedient and won't cause you any trouble! As long as it's with Win's Entertainment..."

Well, this woman is terrified, or rather, she's about to drown. If you gave her any thorny branch, she would grab it tightly immediately. Moreover, Lin Jianlu didn't offer any conditions that would embarrass her.

so be it!
In my past life and into this one, I haven't actually watched that many of her movies, but even just one, "The Kung Fu Cult Master," with just that one scene where she immediately turns around, is enough to make me want to give her a shout-out. If you add "Fight Back to School" to that, well, she's basically already got a place in my heart.

Before they had even finished drinking a pot of tea, the matter was settled, so Lin Jianlu didn't linger and immediately got up and left.

However, once he left Zhou Huimin's community, he dialed Wang Jing's cell phone again.

The call connected quickly, and Lin Jianlu didn't give him any chance to react, immediately asking, "Was it you who gave Zhang Min the idea? Tell the truth!"

On the other end of the phone, Wang Jing was taken aback and remained silent for several seconds. Lin Jianlu scoffed and immediately became certain—she had guessed it. Zhang Min and Zhou Huimin had a friendship, even a very good one, Lin Jianlu believed. Before she was desperate, it was reasonable for her to repent for the past and go to say goodbye and apologize to her former good friend. However, the timing and circumstances of her going to apologize were quite strange upon closer inspection!
The only people in Hong Kong who can roughly understand that he has been relatively free lately and has the leisure to deal with other things, and who is currently infatuated with Vivian Chow, besides his own woman, are his manager Ge Fuhong and a few close friends—Wang Jing is number one!
"How could that be, boss! I have a grudge against her! She even forced Mr. Xiang to send people to beat me up back then, and they beat me up badly! I wouldn't even enjoy watching her suffer, let alone give her any advice!"

"Hmph! Old Wang... I considered you a friend! Keep making things up!"

On the other end of the phone, Wang Jing was silent for a moment, then suddenly started chuckling. "She came to me for help, how could I possibly offend Mrs. Xiang for her sake! But after all, we've worked together on so many films, and in all of Hong Kong, the only one who can help her, and is likely to be willing to help her, is you! You're originally from the mainland, with a complicated background, and you're so famous, even if Mr. Xiang is powerful, he wouldn't dare to mess with you. Now you've invested in Media Asia Films and acquired ATV, so you have the capital to protect her. So I'll just give you a few pointers... Wow, how did you guess that?"

Depend on!
Sure enough!

Lin Jianlu had to admit she was a little disappointed—no wonder Zhang Min seemed so strange today, helping her change her shoes and deliberately standing there with her backside exposed! Zhou Huimin clearly had plenty of clothes to change into, yet she insisted on dressing like that!
As expected, it was Wang Jing, that lecherous bastard, who came up with the idea!
But Zhang Min didn't have to do that at all. Even if it was just for Zhou Huimin's sake, or because she still had residual value to be extracted from in the future, he could have helped her. Do you think I am such a lecherous and greedy person in your eyes?

"Depend on!"

"Don't rely on me, boss! I'm so ugly and fat! Go rely on her! I can vouch for you, she broke up with Mr. Xiang almost three years ago and hasn't dated anyone since! I guarantee you, if you beckon her pinky, she'll throw herself at you! A flower raised in a vase can't survive without its owner!"

(End of this chapter)