Reborn in the Chinese Entertainment Industry: You're a Director, But You're a Casanova?

Liu Yuehua clutched the bill that had just been slipped through the crack in the door, feeling a heartache so intense he could hardly breathe.

"A pot of black tea and two plates of dim sum, and they want an extra 15% service charge? Are these Hong Kong hotel bastards out of their minds?"

"Eating just this little bit of food costs almost 1000 yuan."

"If this were near our school, this amount of money could rent a teahouse and listen to crosstalk for three days, with unlimited refills of tea and melon seeds." Liu Yuehua angrily slammed the bill on the table.

On the bed, Tang Yan was applying the complimentary body lotion provided by the hotel to her legs. As she did so, she subtly stretched out her proud, long legs towards Liu Yuehua when Liu Shishi wasn't looking.

She said sweetly, "Director Liu, this is a room my brother booked for us. He's already paid for it, so why are you still so upset?"

"You don't know anything." Liu Yuehua glared at her like she was a spendthrift. "Isn't the money Rong-ge paid money money? That's called sunk cost. I'd rather he give me the cash back for this hotel room, and we could just rent a small place. How many things could I do with the money left over?"

As they were talking, the phone vibrated. The caller ID showed Feng Chengcheng, and Liu Yuehua answered the phone.

A teasing voice came from the other end: "Old Liu, why didn't you tell me you were running off to Hong Kong? I could have at least seen you off."

"Screw you, spit it out."

"What happened to you? I went to your studio to set up your new computer, and Tong Yao was the only one there. I asked her and found out you went to Hong Kong to get help?"

"You dared to go something so dangerous? Shishi even brought a young girl with you. Were you going on business or a vacation?"

"Alright, alright, stop talking nonsense. Didn't we agree back then that you wouldn't get involved in my affairs? We need to share the risks. If things really don't work out, I'll have to rely on you to make a comeback."

"I didn't even need to get involved in this. My dad just got back these past two days, and I told him about it. He got so angry that he smashed a cup at home, saying that the Lu family was going too far."

"My dad asked me to tell you that he's going to personally arrange a meeting to bring Lu Chuan's father out and give him a good talking-to. Stop wasting your time in Hong Kong, come back quickly, and you'll see Lu Chuan kowtowing to you."

"No, Chengcheng, stop Master immediately! Don't let him get involved!"

"Are you crazy? You can't even find a distribution company, how are you going to release the film?"

"Did you know? Lu Chuan has hooked up with a CEO named Ma from China Film Group."

"Mr. Ma is making a fuss about your box office bet, saying that since it's a matter between young people, it should be done according to pure business rules, and it should be fair and voluntary."

"He spoke with all the major cinema chains, telling them not to give your film the green light just because of the professor's connections at Beijing Film Academy. He wanted to see if you had the ability to break into the market on your own."

"But my dad said that this Mr. Ma doesn't get along with the group of people from Beijing Film Academy who work at China Film Group. It seems that Lu Chuan is trying to establish his authority by killing you, and is planning to side with Mr. Ma's faction. You're an innocent victim. Mr. Ma just parachuted in and is planning to stir up internal strife to gain some influence."

"Understood. What did Lao Tian and Lao Xie say?"

"That's the problem. You don't know Old Tian's temper. He's the kind of person who's been banned from speaking for ten years."

"As soon as Mr. Ma started talking about fair competition, Lao Tian said directly, 'We students at Beijing Film Academy don't need the professors' influence to ask for screen time. As long as the film is good, the market will naturally recognize it.'"

"Now that's settled, the professors are all staying out of it to avoid any appearance of impropriety. My dad said you're not as worldly-wise as I am, and he's planning to team up with the advisors to help you sort this out."

"What do you, a science and engineering guy, know about social etiquette?" Liu Yuehua calculated the score perfectly.

"Master's old face is an invaluable asset that can hold the fort on New Year's Eve and make him well-connected within the Beijing elite circle. It's our strategic nuclear weapon."

"For a bullying brat like Lu Chuan, we have to get Master involved?"

"That's like using an anti-aircraft gun to kill a mosquito, what a waste!"

"The debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay. If Master steps in to settle things today, someone else will dare to shove an even worse one at Master tomorrow to repay the debt of gratitude."

"Tell your master that I haven't starved to death in Hong Kong yet. I've already caught a king. Let him go have his tea and ignore that bastard Lu Chuan. I can handle this myself."

"By the way, I have some money in my account. Go find director Gao Qunshu. He recently made a film that's not selling. I've already spoken to President Wang. Let's pool our money and take over this project."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Yuehua cursed and was about to take his anger out on Tang Yan in the master bedroom.

Knock, knock, knock—the door to the suite was knocked on.

Wearing a mask, Liu Shishi walked into the living room and opened the door. Standing outside was Zhang Guorong's assistant, who handed her an envelope.

"Mr. Liu, Brother Rong said the flu is bad lately. Hotels are crowded and dangerous, it's not safe."

"Furthermore, you will be staying in Hong Kong for some time. He has a vacant luxury house on Victoria Peak. Please move there first; it's quiet there."

Tang Yan and Liu Shishi's eyes lit up instantly when they heard about the hillside mansion; it was a place only the top tycoons in Hong Kong dramas could afford to live in.

"Are you going to be a wealthy wife? How romantic!"

When Liu Yuehua opened the envelope, there was no joy on his face. Inside, besides the key, there was also a property management receipt.

"The monthly property management fee and maintenance fee is HK$2, not even including the water and electricity costs for pumping water up from the hillside."

"Brother Rong didn't just give away a house, he gave away a bottomless pit."

The smiles on the two girls' faces froze, and Liu Yuehua turned his head away sharply.

"You think it's romantic, huh? A luxury villa on the hillside, right?"

"Okay, you can live with me, but this house doesn't accommodate idlers."

"Starting tomorrow, didn't Brother Rong introduce us to a few film crews to learn from? You two will both go to the film sets to work as extras or do odd jobs."

"Anyone who doesn't earn 1/15 of the monthly property management fee will sleep in the doghouse in the yard at night."

That evening, inside a multi-million dollar hillside mansion on Victoria Peak.

The huge crystal chandelier was off. On a long table in the dining room that could seat 20 people, there were three bowls of steaming instant noodles in buckets. The only light source was a table lamp pulled from the bedroom.

Under the dim light, where Liu Shishi couldn't see, Tang Yan was rubbing her thigh against Liu Yuehua's calf under the table.

Her eyes sparkled, her gaze alluring.

Wearing only shorts, Liu Yuehua, while feeling Tang Yan's delicate body, shamelessly took the only braised egg from Tang Yan's bowl.

"Director Liu, those are my eggs." Tang Yan exclaimed in surprise, pouting aggrievedly.

"The production team is on a tight budget. I am the brain, and I need proteins to think of a solution."

"Shishi has just recovered, I can't possibly eat her food, can I?" Liu Yuehua said without changing his expression as he ate the braised egg.

Just as Tang Yan was biting her lower lip, preparing to continue shuffling her foot upwards, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Liu Yuehua, bent over and hunched over, ran to open the door. Standing outside was Leslie Cheung, wearing a baseball cap and looking more haggard than a ghost.

He no longer possessed the composure he had shown a few days prior when he had just recovered; his eyes were sunken, and he appeared somewhat ill.

"Brother Rong, what's wrong with you in the middle of the night? Did you see a ghost?" Liu Yuehua greeted Leslie Cheung awkwardly, turning to the side.

Leslie Cheung gripped Liu Yuehua's arm tightly, his voice hoarse.

"Yuehua, you even pulled me back from the brink of death, you must have another way, right?"

"Please, brother, save me!"

(Completely hand-written, no AI, can generate at least 8K daily, seeking readers... The urban channel is extremely competitive, if you can't get through a round, you'll have to wait for the final blow...)

(If I still can't get up, I'm thinking of cutting it off...)