Soul Returns to Hong Kong: From Tailor Shop to Richest Woman

Lin Jieying understood the value of the script: "But if this story could really be made into a film... men in Hong Kong, or even Asia, would be fascinated. A modern gangster boss travels back in time to the Qin Dynasty's lowest level of labor camp, climbing up step by step through ruthlessness and the cunning of a modern gangster. This idea is so appealing."

"The mainland market will also be accessible in the future," Lin Ying said. "The overseas Chinese community can also command high prices. It's a huge market."

Uncle Lin didn't understand the big market, but he knew that this book was of extraordinary importance.

Lin Ying looked at Uncle Lin and said, "Uncle, before we have raised enough funds, we must keep this script a closely guarded secret. The fewer people who know about it, the better. We must not let anyone read it around, and we must never show the whole script in the ancestral hall."

Lin Jieying immediately understood: "I get it. If we let the news out now, those unscrupulous film companies in Hong Kong will smell the meat and they can churn out a shoddy concept film for you in three days."

"Therefore, the first priority of 'New Territories Wealth Creation' is to make money, train the team, and stabilize the hearts of our clansmen," Lin Ying said. "Once everyone has received real money and understands how the production team operates, and has gained confidence, then we will plan for 'Qin Pass'."

"Ah Ying, you're only thirteen, but you're more thoughtful than those uncles and elders in the village who are in their forties or fifties," Uncle Lin praised.

Lin Ying ignored the compliment and went straight to the rules: "Uncle, let's stick to the agreement we made on the second day of the Lunar New Year; I'm the core screenwriter, so I get 20% of the net profit. As for the credits, copyright, and auditing rights, Uncle Jianying, you can go directly to Lawyer Shen to go over the contract."

"No problem," Uncle Lin answered readily. "With the rules set in advance, relatives won't turn against each other over money in the future."

Lin Jieying took two scripts and said, "I'll handle the publicity. I'll write two press releases for you to review first. I won't exaggerate."

After thinking for a while, Lin Ying said, "Aunt Jieying, we can go all out with the publicity, but there's one thing: we can't put myself in the spotlight. We can say that Linjia Village is producing this, or that the plot is novel, but we absolutely cannot use the gimmick of a thirteen-year-old genius screenwriter."

Lin Jieying understood: "Are you afraid of attracting too much attention and causing trouble?"

"I still have so many books to read," Lin Ying said. "It's good that movies can make money, but don't let the messy stuff in the film industry bother me."

Uncle Lin made the final decision: "Listen to A-Ying. Anyone who dares to use her name to make trouble will be dealt with according to family rules in the ancestral hall."

Hearing this, Lin Lanying breathed a sigh of relief.

After seeing Uncle Lin and Aunt Jieying off, Lin Ying tidied up the table; without resting, she went to the landline and dialed Su Zhiming's number.

The next day at 3 PM.

Su Zhiming and Chen Meishan came to Taikoo Shing together.

Chen Meishan carried two boxes of Western-style pastries and handed them to Lin Lanying with a smile as soon as she entered the door.

"Uncle, Aunt, have some tea," Lin Ying said, inviting them to sit down.

After sitting down, Chen Meishan carefully looked at Lin Ying's face: "Ying, your mother said that you have to study and work on Professor Smith's transoceanic math problems lately. Don't overwork yourself."

Lin Ying smiled and said, "I've had enough sleep, I'm not tired."

Su Zhiming, holding his teacup, asked, "Ah Ying, you said on the phone that you had something to show me?"

Lin Ying nodded, went back to her room, took out a blue folder, and pushed it in front of Su Zhiming.

The cover reads: "The Gold Rush Era".

Su Zhiming took it and looked at Lin Ying in surprise.

"Uncle, haven't you always wanted to try your hand at film investment? You went to great lengths to help me get in touch with Professor Smith, doing him a lot of favors. This is your way of repaying you."

Su Zhiming was visibly taken aback, and Chen Meishan was also stunned: "Aying, you wrote a notebook specifically for your uncle?"

"I suppose so. My uncle has seen a lot of money in Central, he knows how money flows, and he knows what it's like when people are driven to desperation by money; so I didn't write about love and violence, but about finance, stocks, backdoor listings, fake accounts, and greed."

Su Zhiming immediately lowered his head and flipped through the script.

After reading only the first ten pages, Su Zhiming understood the script's intricacies. Unlike the frivolous gangster films on the market, the underground banks and trust loopholes depicted in the script were incredibly realistic. Coupled with the characters' greed and betrayal, the more Su Zhiming read, the more alarmed he became.

Chen Meishan couldn't help but lean over and take a few peeks. After reading a line of dialogue, she muttered softly, "How come all the people in this movie... are so incredibly wicked?"

"It's not just bad, it's greed," Lin Ying corrected with a smile. "If this project were given to someone who knows absolutely nothing about finance, it would just turn into a bunch of people throwing coffee and arguing in the office."

Su Zhiming stared at the script for a long time without saying a word.

Having worked in Central for many years, Su Zhiming had seen too many people turn their backs on those who had taken his favors, and he understood what it meant to be grateful on the surface but stabbed someone in the back. But the thirteen-year-old girl in front of him had calculated the debts of gratitude so clearly, using a notebook that could potentially earn him millions to repay his kindness, placing it on the table.

"Ah Ying," Su Zhiming put down the script, "this favor is too heavy."

"Uncle, it's not a free gift," Lin Ying continued.

Upon hearing this, Chen Meishan burst out laughing: "I knew it! Our Ah Ying is a shrewd strategist!"

Lin Ying pushed the documents aside: "The rules are exactly the same as the ones I gave to Uncle Su before; I will provide the script and core ideas, and you can find someone to film it and who to team up with, I won't interfere; but my share of the profits cannot be less than 20 percent of the net profit; and, Attorney Shen has the right to audit the accounts."

Su Zhiming wasn't angry; instead, he breathed a long sigh of relief. He was too familiar with talking about money; but if he didn't talk about money, he couldn't sleep at night with this notebook in his hand.

"Of course," Su Zhiming readily agreed. "Your notebook is worth the price."

"And another thing," Lin Ying added, "the development period, overseas copyrights, and television adaptation rights must all be specified in the contract. Making things clear upfront will prevent us from ruining our relationship over money later."

Su Zhiming wholeheartedly agreed with this statement. Only after holding the script in his hands did he truly realize that every industry is like a mountain, and the film industry is definitely not a place where you can gain a foothold simply by throwing money at it.

"Ah Ying," Su Zhiming said sincerely, "I'll most likely be working with the second brother on this script."

Chen Meishan gave him a gentle nudge in surprise: "You're going to find Zhihao? Don't you usually despise his behavior the most?"

Su Zhiming was a little uncomfortable: "I'm telling the truth. This is my first time entering the film industry. I don't know the rules of the film set, the director's team, or the distribution and scheduling. The eldest brother provides the money, and the second brother provides the execution. It's better to work with our own brothers than to throw money at those scoundrels outside."

Lin Ying nodded; this result was expected.

"This is the safest option; my eldest uncle understands financial operations, and my second uncle understands film production; if you can play this game well, you can make money."

Su Zhiming stood up and put the script into his briefcase: "Aying, thank you, Uncle."

"It should be Uncle Xie. Professor Smith is much more important to me than the script."

After seeing Su Zhiming and his wife off, Lin Lanying walked over, looked at the empty coffee table, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Three notebooks, three big deals, finally all handed over." Lin Lanying reached out and touched Lin Ying's hair. "Now, can you finally take a good rest?"