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

As evening fell, He Dazhu hurriedly returned home. Upon hearing that he was going to the Peninsula Hotel to meet a foreign director, he turned around and went into his room to tidy himself up.

When he came out, he had changed into a blue striped shirt that Lin Lanying had made for him, and his hair was neatly combed.

"Is this outfit okay for me?" He Dazhu straightened his cuffs. "Will it embarrass you?"

"Alright." Lin Lanying looked you up and down. "Speak less and listen more at the dinner table tonight. Nod when someone offers you tea, and tell the truth when someone asks you a question."

"I understand." He Dazhu patted Lin Qian on the shoulder. "Tonight's main character is A-mei. We're going to support her."

At 7 p.m., the Peninsula Hotel was brightly lit, with thick carpets in the corridors and soft music playing.

When the Lin family of four pushed open the door to the private room, it was already occupied. Besides Boss Peng, Su Zhihao was also there. He was wearing a black suit and, seeing the Lin family enter, stood up and waved, "Aying! Brother Dazhu! Over here!"

Lin Ying walked over: "Second Uncle is here too?"

"It's a multi-million dollar deal. Old Peng gets all the meat, but I should at least get some soup," Su Zhihao chuckled. "I'm just here tonight to sit in on the proceedings."

Boss Peng, sitting next to the head of the table, turned to introduce Lin Ying to the blond foreigners after she sat down. He spoke in English, which most of the people present could understand.

"This is our screenwriter, Ms. Lin," Boss Peng said, pointing to Lin Ying.

There were three people sitting opposite me: a middle-aged foreign director with slightly curly hair, and a male and female producer and collaborator.

They already knew the screenwriter was young, but when they actually saw eleven-year-old Lin Ying sitting there with her parents behind her, they still looked surprised.

After exchanging greetings, before all the dishes had been served, the two sides got down to business.

The foreign director flipped through the translated English script draft, looked at Lin Ying, and asked in English, "Little girl, I've read the beginning. I like the setting of the Western castle and magic school, but I have a big question. Western audiences don't understand what 'talismans' are, nor do they understand 'sword cultivation' and 'array formations.' If you use so much space to write about these Eastern elements, the audience won't understand, and they'll find it boring."

Lin Ying reached out and grabbed a clean napkin, asked the waiter for a pen, and drew two parallel lines on the paper.

She also answered the director in English, speaking fluently: "This storyline is called the setting. The other storyline is called the emotion."

Lin Ying pointed to the paper: "Foreign audiences don't need to understand how to draw talismans or the principles from the beginning. Because in all movies, the first thing the audience sees is always the emotion. They can understand an exchange student from abroad who is looked down upon, ostracized, and ridiculed by a pure-blooded mage, but ultimately turns the tide of battle in his own way. As long as the emotions are there, the mystery of the setting will not only not bore them, but will become the most attractive hook for them."

The foreign female producer in charge of distribution nodded after listening and replied in English, "So, you think we should prioritize emotions and then develop the setting?"

"Yes." Lin Ying pushed the tissues to the middle of the table. "Don't make the movie like an educational documentary. Just show the power and beauty of Eastern spiritual practice."

The foreign director pressed further: "Okay, I can accept that. But in the final battle, when the villain's dark magic descends, for the sake of visual effects and the habits of Western audiences, could you change the way the protagonist breaks the deadlock? Don't use those incomprehensible paper figures; have him pick up a wand and use more powerful magic to defeat the dark magic. That would make the conflict more direct."

Lin Ying looked at the foreign director and said without hesitation, "No."

"The protagonist absolutely cannot use a magic wand." Lin Ying looked the director straight in the eye, unyielding. "This isn't just a matter of setting; it's the very core dignity of the entire script. If the protagonist ultimately defeats magic with magic, then he's merely a Western vassal who learns quickly. What's the point of his identity as an Eastern swordsman then?"

She put the pen back on the table: "He has to draw his sword, he has to use the Eastern formations that you Westerners look down on and don't understand, to break the deadlock when everyone is most desperate; his arrogance in the early stages must be refuted by the contrast in the later stages. That's the thrill, that's why the audience is willing to pay."

The foreign director was stunned for a while before turning to look at Boss Peng.

Boss Peng smiled and said, "Director, what Miss Lin said is the bottom line. This is something that absolutely cannot be touched."

The big boss spoke up, and the partner in charge of distribution stepped in to smooth things over, smiling and saying that the contrast between Chinese and Western cultures was great, and as long as they didn't get hung up on the setting, they agreed to this emotional reversal arrangement.

The atmosphere gradually relaxed. Su Zhihao leaned close to He Dazhu's ear and whispered, "Brother Dazhu, look at your daughter, she's got a sharp tongue than me."

He Dazhu, holding his teacup, smiled and said, "It's because my sister is clear-headed. We adults can't help her, so we just stay here and make sure no one thinks she's too young to be easily fooled."

Su Zhihao was taken aback for a moment, glanced at He Dazhu a couple more times, and then burst into laughter: "Brother Dazhu, you've improved! You've improved!"

The meal went smoothly, and Lin Ying answered a few more detailed questions about the visual presentation of the costumes and weapons. Two hours later, the meal ended.

The foreign director reached out and shook hands with Lin Ying: "Ms. Lin, I understand your core message. Your concept is excellent."

"It's a pleasure working with you," Lin Ying replied politely.

Several foreigners left early because they were flying to the United States the next day to work on special effects pre-production.

The door to the private room closed, and Boss Peng leaned back in his chair and sighed, "Thank goodness you came tonight, Ying. These foreigners wanted to rewrite the script using their own methods. If you hadn't stood your ground, there would have been a lot more trouble later on."

"I'll draw the line, and they can just follow it." Lin Ying picked up her teacup to moisten her throat.

"But this is just the beginning." Boss Peng stood up, dusted off his suit, and said, "They're going back to the US tomorrow to work on the storyboard. In March, the entire live-action crew will fly to Iceland to shoot snow scenes and castle exteriors."

Boss Peng walked up to Lin Ying: "Foreigners have different ways of doing things than we do. Once the second draft of the English storyboard is out, you'll have to personally oversee it. If anyone changes the lines or the logic of the formations on set after filming starts, Ying, you'd better be prepared to fly to the set."

Lin Ying nodded: "The rules remain the same. As long as the contract is in place, I'll oversee things on-site."

On the way home, the neon lights outside the window rushed past; Lin Qian, unable to sit still in the back seat, leaned over and shouted, "Sister! Iceland! America! You're going abroad to film a movie!"