After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

Tan Yunxiao swallowed the meat in his mouth and grinned sheepishly.

"Miss Xu, those who practice martial arts expend a lot of energy. This little bit is just enough to cover the basics."

Xu Zhiyou opened her mouth slightly and turned to look at Jiang Yichen.

Jiang Yichen rubbed his temples helplessly.

You'll get used to it.

"When these guys were in the capital, the food expenses for the Qilin Opera Troupe were a huge sum of money every month."

Xu Zhiyou immediately patted her chest and assured him.

"Jiang Yichen, from now on, I'll cover all the food expenses for your Shanghai branch!"

Jiang Yichen smiled and shook his head.

"No need, Boss Xu. I can still support these fellow apprentices without any problem."

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, Xu Zhiyou insisted on paying the bill.

............

As I stepped out of the seafood restaurant, a night breeze blew by.

Xu Zhiyou looked at Jiang Yichen.

Where do you plan to stay next?

"How about we come to my place? I have plenty of empty rooms!"

Jiang Yichen waved his hand.

"Su Yao has already booked the hotel in advance. I have important business to attend to tomorrow."

Xu Zhiyou was a little disappointed, but still nodded obediently.

"Alright, if you need any help with the branch office location selection and renovations, feel free to contact me anytime."

Jiang Yichen nodded in agreement.

The two groups went their separate ways.

The next morning.

Shanghai, Star Entertainment Headquarters.

The atmosphere in the CEO's office was frighteningly tense.

Gu Ruanxing sat behind her large desk, her face ashen.

She held several film project evaluation reports in her hand, and the more she looked at them, the more her brows furrowed.

Snapped!

Gu Ruanxing slammed the report heavily onto the table.

Secretary Li, standing opposite, trembled with fear.

"President Gu..."

Gu Ruanxing took a deep breath, suppressing her anger.

"Is this the list of films you compiled for the National Day holiday, after searching all the major production companies across the country?"

Secretary Li was sweating profusely, and he lowered his head, not daring to look Gu Ruanxing in the eye.

"Mr. Gu, it's too close to the National Day holiday."

"Those powerful production companies have already fixed their release schedules."

"These are all that are available on the market right now."

Gu Ruanxing let out a cold laugh.

"These?"

"A domineering CEO falls in love with a cleaning lady?"

"And this one, a horror movie with a budget of less than two million, even the poster looks like a mosaic from the last century!"

"You expect me to use this garbage to compete with Brilliant Entertainment for the National Day box office?"

"Go and gamble against that old fox Wang Jianye?"

Gu Ruanxing's chest heaved violently with anger.

Jinhua Culture's sudden breach of contract directly disrupted all her plans.

Star Entertainment doesn't even have a single film that's even remotely decent enough to be considered highbrow.

The National Day holiday film season is just around the corner.

If we really use these terrible movies to make up the numbers, not only will the betting agreement be completely lost.

Star Entertainment's reputation in Shanghai cinemas will also be damaged.

Gu Ruanxing rubbed her throbbing temples.

Is it really going to be that we're going to fall into Bai Yanqiu's hands this time?

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

The receptionist leaned half her body in, her voice slightly agitated.

"Mr. Gu, Mr. Jiang Yichen has arrived."

Gu Ruanxing suddenly raised her head.

Jiang Yichen?

Why did he suddenly come to Shanghai?

Moreover, upon hearing this name, Gu Ruanxing's mind involuntarily conjured up the scene from that morning at the hotel in Beijing.

Jiang Yichen was completely naked.

And there was the wad of banknotes I'd thrown on the blanket.

Gu Ruanxing's ears felt slightly hot, but she quickly composed herself and resumed her aloof and powerful CEO persona.

"Let him in."

Secretary Li felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly withdrew.

Soon, Jiang Yichen pushed open the door and walked in.

He was wearing a simple white shirt and casual trousers today, looking neat and tidy.

"Mr. Gu, it's been a long time."

Jiang Yichen walked to the chair in front of the desk and sat down quite naturally.

Gu Ruanxing felt inexplicably annoyed by his nonchalant demeanor.

"Why aren't you in Beijing working on your new album? What are you doing in Shanghai?"

"What, your new album sold so well, are you here to brag about it?"

Jiang Yichen smiled.

"The new album is doing quite well, but I'm not here today for music-related matters."

He took a silver USB drive out of his pocket and gently placed it on Gu Ruanxing's desk.

Gu Ruanxing glanced at the USB drive.

"What is this?"

"A sample of the film." Jiang Yichen leaned back in his chair, his tone calm.

Gu Ruanxing was stunned.

"Movie?"

She frowned slightly and looked Jiang Yichen up and down.

"When did you start making movies?"

Jiang Yichen explained, "I recently invested in a low-budget comedy called 'Crazy Stone'."

"Just finished editing, just in time for the National Day holiday."

"I heard that Star Entertainment has recently encountered some trouble with theatrical release scheduling and is short of films."

"I figured we should keep the good stuff in the family, so I brought it over to you."

Upon hearing this, Gu Ruanxing was not pleased at all; instead, she snorted coldly.

"Jiang Yichen, do you think making movies is as easy as writing songs?"

"You're a musician, why are you crossing over into film?"

"Is it still a low-budget comedy?"

Gu Ruanxing pushed the USB drive back.

I appreciate it.

"But what I need now is a big-budget production that can carry the box office, not a student's homework that's just for playing house."

"Your film doesn't even have a single actor whose name you can recognize, does it?"

Jiang Yichen did not take back the USB drive, but looked directly into Gu Ruanxing's eyes.

"Mr. Gu, you didn't even look at it before jumping to conclusions?"

"What if, by chance, my childish game helps you win the betting agreement?"

Gu Ruanxing looked at Jiang Yichen's confident eyes and her heart stirred slightly.

The previous film, "Red-Clad Ladies," was like that.

The same applies to the current "East Wind Breaks".

Could he create a miracle in film as well?

Since she had nothing better to do, Gu Ruanxing bit her red lips and reached for the USB drive.

"OK."

"Then I'll see what you're really up to."

She plugged the USB drive into the computer and opened the video file inside.

The opening credits of "Crazy Stone" appeared on the screen.

Jiang Yichen stood up.

"Mr. Gu, please take your time looking through this. I'm going outside for a coffee."

He knew that the charm of this film needed no explanation.

Once you get inside, you'll never get out.

Jiang Yichen walked out of the office and closed the door behind him.

Gu Ruanxing leaned back in the boss's chair, arms crossed, her eyes filled with a scrutinizing gaze.

The movie begins.

The dilapidated tenement buildings in the old town of the mountain city.

When Guo Hai, who plays Bao Shihong, appears, he has a weathered look on his face and speaks in a thick Chongqing dialect.

Next, the trio of Dao Ge appeared.

The strong sense of everyday life and dark humor immediately hit you.

Gu Ruanxing's tightly furrowed brows unconsciously relaxed.

The cinematic language, the narrative rhythm.

This doesn't look like something a novice team could produce at all.

Ten minutes later.

When he saw that Blackie was trapped in the sewer, he called Brother Dao for help, but was scolded by Brother Dao instead.

Gu Ruanxing finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

She quickly covered her mouth and glanced at the tightly closed office door.

Then, her attention was completely drawn to the plot.

The multi-narrative structure and the interconnected coincidences.

Every foreshadowing element was perfectly echoed later on.

This ingenious script design is simply amazing.

An hour later.

The movie is more than halfway through.

Jiang Yichen's character, Mike, a top international assassin, has finally made his appearance.

Gu Ruanxing looked at the man on the screen, dressed in a black suit, wearing sunglasses, and acting all cool and aloof.

His eyes lit up instantly.

This guy actually looks quite handsome in a suit.

Next comes the famous scene where Mike is blindfolded by a thief at the airport and his suitcase is stolen.

When Jiang Yichen took off his sunglasses and angrily cursed, "I'll fuck your ass!"

Gu Ruanxing could no longer hold back.

"Hahaha……"