Pirates began to dominate the Chinese entertainment industry.

Just one minute later, my phone rang with a text message.

Hilton, 1503.

Is this a place to have serious business to discuss?

------

Ji Yun walked into the grand hotel lobby.

The place was opulent and grand, exuding an old-fashioned, old-money vibe.

The Hilton in JA District is a foreign-owned five-star hotel and the first Hilton hotel in mainland China. It is a landmark building that is well-known to the people of old Shanghai.

Back when Ji Yun could afford to stay in a five-star hotel, this hotel had already changed hands.

This time I have a chance to give it a try.

He went up to the 16th floor, and after repeatedly checking that no one was in the hallway, he knocked on the door.

A moment later, the lock was released, and the door opened a crack.

Tao Hong tilted her head to the side, revealing half of her face, smiling broadly as she dried her wet hair with a white towel.

When she saw Ji Yun arrive, she made room for him to enter.

This mature and sophisticated woman had just finished showering and was wrapped only in a bath towel, revealing her fair arms and ankles.

"You sit down first, I'll dry my hair." Tao Hong left those words and went into the bathroom without looking back.

Ji Yun was left to rest alone on the large sofa.

The bathroom is well soundproofed, so the hairdryer isn't noisy at all; instead, it makes a soft, gentle sound that has a touch of tranquility.

Ji Yun didn't stand on ceremony. She opened the wine cabinet, took out a bottle of red wine, opened it, and began to drink by herself.

A few minutes later.

The bathroom door opened, and Tao Hong came out.

Seeing Ji Yun drinking alone, a smile appeared on his face.

He stepped forward, took the glass, and took a sip.

But Ji Yun reached out and blocked it.

Tao Hong narrowed her eyes. "What, you look down on me? You don't want me to use your cup?"

"How could that be? My sister-in-law just finished showering, it wouldn't be good if she smelled of alcohol. Besides, it wouldn't be convenient for her to go home if she was drunk," Ji Yun said with a smile, inviting her to sit down.

Tao Hong also chuckled.

As expected of a former swimmer, her skin is fair and radiant.

She hadn't been drinking, yet her face was flushed, exuding a unique charm of a mature woman.

"Then let's not drink anymore, let's talk about serious business."

Ji Yun put down her wine cup and adopted a posture of listening attentively.

"Old Xu was already tempted, but there were some conditions he couldn't say directly."

If you can still negotiate, I can help you talk to him.

It depends on what you think.

Tao Hong looked at Ji Yun with a smile, her eyes sparkling, her tone carrying a hint of probing and a deeper meaning.

Ji Yun understood.

Her meaning was clear: Xu Zheng still had reservations and needed someone to encourage him from the sidelines. And she was naturally the most suitable person to persuade him.

As for how much effort she can put in, that depends on what Ji Yun does.

"That would be wonderful, of course. I really would like to invite Professor Xu," Ji Yunduan said slowly, taking a sip of her wine.

"But sister-in-law, business is business. I still hope that Teacher Xu is willing to come because of the script and the project itself, and not because of some other personal favor."

Tao Hong was slightly taken aback, not expecting this young man to speak so bluntly.

"The way you're talking, little brother, makes it sound like I need you to do something for me." She smiled even more seductively, leaning forward slightly, her bathrobe collar loosening to reveal her collarbone and fair skin. "I just think you're a sincere junior brother and want to help you. If you don't appreciate it, then forget it."

"I appreciate it, of course I appreciate it." Ji Yun put down her teacup and met her gaze calmly. "I am extremely grateful for your help, sister-in-law. As long as the film goes well, I will definitely thank you properly."

Tao Hong's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal.

"Okay, then I'll wait for my brother's movie to be a huge success." She stood up, walked to the window, her back to Ji Yun, and her tone suddenly became indifferent. "I'll put in a good word for you with Lao Xu; it'll benefit him too."

Ji Yun raised a glass: "My sister-in-law has really gone to great lengths for her senior brother's career."

Tao Hong glanced at him and suddenly smiled. This time, her smile was genuine, lacking the deliberate allure she had shown before.

"You're more sensible than I thought." She walked back, sat down again, poured herself a glass of water, and said, "Alright, we've finished talking about the important stuff. Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Ji Yun thought for a moment and asked, "Does Teacher Xu have any other concerns?"

"He's just worried that your company isn't reliable, that the funding will run out halfway through filming, or that nobody will buy the film after it's finished," Tao Hong said, taking a sip of water. "If you can show him how serious you are about this project, he won't care so much about the pay. He's a film fanatic; if there's a good script, he'll even pay out of his own pocket."

Ji Yun nodded thoughtfully.

The two chatted for another ten minutes or so, their conversation ranging from Xu Zheng's career plans to Tao Hong's own acting experience, and then to various interesting stories in the entertainment industry. The atmosphere gradually relaxed, like ordinary friends chatting over tea.

"Little brother, you're quite an interesting person." She leaned back on the sofa, arms crossed. "You're not that old, but you talk and act like a seasoned veteran. You'll definitely do well in this industry in the future."

"You flatter me, sister-in-law." Ji Yun smiled and offered another toast.

Tao Hong watched his every move with composure and thought to herself, "This kid is capable of getting things done."

Ji Yun finished her last cup and stood up.

"You're leaving after you've finished drinking?" Tao Hong, still wearing her bathrobe, got up as well.

Ji Yun raised an eyebrow, her steps steady, and went straight out the door: "Now that business is over, it's time to take care of personal matters. I've booked a room next door; if you have any personal matters to attend to, you can come and find me there."

Tao Hong stood there, her body trembling.

------

in the afternoon.

Ji Yun yawned as he got up. His young body was even more robust than he remembered, with an amazing recovery ability.

He sat down next to the food cart and began to eat.

Main dishes: Australian Angus beef steak, fresh abalone, crispy roasted pigeon;

Soup: West Lake Beef Soup.

dessert......

High energy expenditure leads to a high appetite.

He had just eaten half a meal when the phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Xiao Zhao.

He picked up the phone and held it to his ear; a voice came through the receiver:

"Mr. Ji, the script has been sent to Wang Baoqiang. I just contacted his agent, and he declined."

Ji Yun frowned.

"What reason?"

"He didn't say anything, and hung up after only a few words. Judging from his tone, he didn't think much of us."

Ji Yun wasn't surprised at all; such things are very common in the film and television industry.

Xu Zheng only managed to have a brief chat with Tang Ren because he took the initiative to visit him and used his connections to get in touch with him.

Wang Baoqiang is signed with Huayi Brothers, the number one film and television company in mainland China.

Although the company's reputation isn't great, it is indeed very powerful and has considerable control over the Chinese entertainment industry. At its peak, the boss could really ban a big star just like that.

Although Wang Baoqiang had a tough time before his debut, he won the Golden Horse Award for Best New Performer and the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for his debut film, "Blind Shaft." The following year, he became a huge star with his role as Sha Gen in "A World Without Thieves," and since then, he has never lacked acting opportunities, producing a classic role almost every few years.

He is capable in his career and also has good fortune.

Unlike Xu Zheng, who was going through a low point, Wang Baoqiang was at the peak of his career. They had no connection or relationship, so if they couldn't offer a large sum of money, they really couldn't win him over through conventional means.

In that case, we'll have to find another way.