This city simulation game can affect reality.

On the afternoon of the 25th, Chen Jun drove to the city center and arranged to meet Zhuang Qingsong at a well-regarded restaurant.

For the two of them, Chen Jun only booked a small private room, but the food and drinks on the table were of a very generous standard, presenting a dignified yet unpretentious manner.

"When Mr. Zhuang visited the resort last time, I was too rushed to properly entertain him, and I've felt really bad about it ever since. Today's meal is a way of making up for that regret."

At the start of the dinner, Chen Jun raised his glass and toasted the other person first.

"Mr. Chen, you're too kind. I had a great time at the resort last time, and thanks to you, I even got to see a puppet show for free." Zhuang Qingsong waved his hand with a smile, looking quite casual.

"Everyone has witnessed Mr. Zhuang's screenwriting ability. To be honest, without your finishing touch, the performance would have been much less effective."

Following the usual etiquette of social occasions, the two exchanged pleasantries, starting with some polite formalities.

Most of the time, Chen Jun didn't actually like this kind of perfunctory politeness, but sitting opposite Zhuang Qingsong at this moment wasn't entirely pretentious.

This guy is genuinely talented and doesn't have the aloofness that some artists have.

It's not tiring to be around them at all.

Picking up food and drinking wine.

After several rounds of toasts and drinks, quite a few dishes had been eaten. As both sides opened up and the atmosphere became increasingly harmonious, Zhuang Qingsong steered the conversation to business: "I wonder how far along the preparations are for our resort's puppet troupe?"

"The course at the Woodcutter's Hut is already halfway through. There are still about half a month left until the fifty-day deadline. By then, this group of students will be considered to have graduated."

Chen Jun took a sip of wine: "After the apprentices graduate, we will consult with them. Those who are willing to stay as the initial core members of the puppet troupe will have formal labor contracts signed with the resort to formalize all the procedures."

If you want to run a puppet troupe as a long-term business, you definitely need to obtain the necessary permits and licenses.

Employees also need to have a reasonable status guarantee, rather than simply being treated as temporary workers.

Zhuang Qingsong nodded in agreement, and then talked about his own progress: "I have also prepared some preliminary creative materials. These ideas are not quite in line with the performance style of the drama troupe, and a lot of the content cannot be fully developed, but they are very suitable for puppetry."

This is why Zhuang Qingsong wanted to partner with a resort.

The performance framework of traditional drama troupes is too restrictive, and many of the ideas in his mind simply cannot be realized.

At this point, a new art medium is needed as a stage.

In this respect, the puppet troupe of the woodcutter's hut is not a traditional folk opera troupe in the strict sense.

It's more like a new style that combines classical techniques with contemporary aesthetics, inherently carrying an experimental and innovative character.

"Speaking of scripts, I happen to have something I'd like to ask Mr. Zhuang for help with." Chen Jun clinked glasses with the other man and smoothly took over the conversation.

"Please feel free to speak."

"The Double Ninth Festival is just around the corner, and I'd like to take this opportunity to hold a small-scale themed performance at the resort, which can also be considered a form of promotion. Everything else is fine, but right now we're just missing a script that can hold its own."

Chen Jun also considered finding some ready-made jokes online and piecing them together, since there's no shortage of performance material these days.

These small-scale performances, which incorporate trending topics from the internet, make it easy to gather enough material for a show.

However, most of that content is superficial, lacks depth, and has no truly innovative core ideas.

Asking Zhuang Qingsong for help was also a way to further test his professional level.

After all, if the puppet troupe gets on track, long-form works with complete storylines, often lasting several hours, will be indispensable.

This is not something that can be easily copied from the internet.

Moreover, once it becomes standardized and commercialized, copyright issues must be taken seriously.

"I do have some short clips that I've accumulated in my spare time. With some editing and organization, they should be usable. I wonder how much time Mr. Chen needs for the script content."

"A performance of about three or four hours is enough to last one night."

"Okay, I'll go back and organize it, and then modify some details according to the atmosphere of the Double Ninth Festival. I'll send it to you for review as soon as possible," Zhuang Qingsong readily agreed.

"Thank you in advance. As for the payment, please name your price." Chen Jun never liked owing favors, especially when it came to money.

"Hey, don't talk about payment. Just consider it a favor between friends." Zhuang Qingsong clearly didn't take this to heart. "Although we haven't had much contact, dealing with Boss Chen always gives me a feeling of instant familiarity."

"Let's keep things separate. I also feel a strong connection with Mr. Zhuang, but even close brothers need to keep clear accounts. You can't refuse to discuss money matters," Chen Jun insisted.

The magnetic field between people is bidirectional. Some people, like Chen Jun, don't get along at first sight, and they can't even exchange a few words.

But Zhuang Qingsong is clearly a different kind of person.

Even setting aside the cooperative relationship, he wouldn't mind getting to know the other party.

"Alright, since Boss Chen has put it that way, it would seem pretentious for me to refuse again. But let's make this clear: if you're not satisfied with the script, don't hold back out of politeness."

Zhuang Qingsong smiled and said, "The payment will be according to industry practice; you can give me whatever you think is appropriate."

Neither of them were difficult to communicate with, and the matter was settled amicably in just a few words.

The ensuing banquet was equally enjoyable, with the two discussing everything from the current state of the industry and business trends to their personal insights, and even some interesting anecdotes from their past experiences.

Zhuang Qingsong was not much older than Chen Jun, and the two were both ambitious young people with aspirations, so they had a lot in common.

......

After saying goodbye to Zhuang Qingsong, Chen Jun took advantage of his trip to the city to visit the land management agency around 3 p.m.

As soon as I entered the lobby, a receptionist in uniform greeted me and asked, "Hello sir, what kind of service do you need?"

Chen Jun had done his homework beforehand, and with a clear goal in mind, he asked directly, "Hello, I would like to inquire about the specific policies and procedures for changing the nature of land use."

The staff member maintained a professional smile: "Please take a number here, and then go to the comprehensive service window on the third floor for detailed consultation."

"Thank you." Chen Jun nodded his thanks, took the number slip as instructed, and then took the elevator to the third floor.

If the change of land use is not properly handled, many subsequent planning and expansion projects will be hampered and difficult to carry out.

Chen Jun did not want to take risks in the gray areas of policy; such a way of playing on the edge would do more harm than good to the company's long-term development and reputation.