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

Calm down, don't act impulsively! Zhou Yawen told herself this three times in a row:

Don't be swayed by money.

Don't go against the investors.

She had taken Lin Ying's words to heart that day; over the past two weeks, she had taken her well-organized outline out for a walk and had come to a complete understanding of the true nature of the capitalists in Hong Kong. Those so-called big producers, film bosses, and middlemen from major newspapers were all wolves in sheep's clothing! Each one of them was better at making empty promises, and each one of them was more shameless in their greed!

Compared to these peers, and looking back at this unscrupulous businessman, Zhou Yawen sadly realized that Su Zhihao was actually a rare exception, possessing a conscience. He might try to lower the price, but he actually paid, and the contract terms were clear, with lawyers meticulously outlining the rights and responsibilities. More importantly, he had the ability to actually buy the project with real money.

Zhou Yawen forcefully suppressed the churning anger in her chest.

A gentle smile slowly appeared on her face, and she extended her right hand to the person opposite her.

"Boss Su, our last collaboration was due to my lack of experience in the film and television industry," Zhou Yawen said, her voice devoid of any resentment. "Today, let's get to know each other again."

Su Zhihao raised his eyebrows slightly as he looked at Zhou Yawen's outstretched hand.

He came prepared today. Since Zhou Yawen was able to ask Lin Ying to act as an intermediary and arrange the meeting place in Taikoo City, it meant that this female teacher must already know that "Night Taboo" was sold at a loss. He expected that as soon as Zhou Yawen sat down, she would slam the table and scold him for being a black-hearted and unscrupulous businessman, or she would inevitably make some sarcastic remarks with barbs.

But this woman not only held back, but also took the initiative to shake his hand with a smile.

Su Zhihao immediately understood the situation; this Teacher Zhou was definitely not the kind of pushover intellectual; the reason she was able to swallow this humiliation today was not because she was easy to bully, but because she had wandered around the cannibalistic circles outside and witnessed even more despicable behavior than Su Zhihao himself.

The balance of power has shifted. Once she yields to reality, the business will be completely back in Su Zhihao's hands.

"Hahaha, easy enough." Su Zhihao laughed heartily, extended his hand to shake hers briefly, then separated immediately. "Miss Zhou, it was business before, and it's business today too. At the business table, there's give and take, so it's best if we can make things clear."

"That's what I meant too." Zhou Yawen withdrew her hand and sat back down on the sofa.

Lin Ying sat quietly on the single sofa, showing no intention of interrupting. Today, she was only acting as a middleman, providing the venue.

In the center of the mahogany coffee table, three thick kraft paper document bags were neatly arranged.

The sound of rain in the old building.

The Thirteenth Letter.

The Silent Witness.

On the cover of each document bag, the book title, completion date, approximate word count, current publication status, and copyright ownership statement are clearly marked in pen.

Lin Lanying brought out a plate of freshly cut oranges from the kitchen and placed it on the coffee table. She smiled and said, "You two can talk about business slowly. There's a slow-cooked soup simmering in the kitchen. I'll go in and keep an eye on it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lin." Zhou Yawen nodded politely.

Su Zhihao didn't touch the fruit. He picked up his teacup, took a sip to moisten his throat, and said, "Miss Zhou, I'm a rough guy who came from Kowloon Walled City. I speak bluntly, so please don't mind."

"Mr. Su, please speak frankly," Zhou Yawen replied with a smile.

Su Zhihao leaned back casually on the sofa: "When it comes to business, I've always trusted Xiaoying's judgment the most. After all, we've collaborated several times. When I first entered the film industry and gambled my entire fortune, it was all thanks to the script 'Death by Light' that she gave me. In the subsequent films, she always hit the mark and never failed."

Zhou Yawen nodded: "Everyone outside knows that Lin Ying is a screenwriter of masterpieces."

"But there's one thing I need to make clear to you first," Su Zhihao continued. "When Lin Ying negotiated the price with me, it was based on the film's profit sharing. Her share is only based on the film making a profit; if the film doesn't make a profit, she won't get a single penny."

He paused, then pointed to the file folder on the table: "The things on your side are completely different from hers."

Zhou Yawen didn't interrupt, waiting for him to continue.

Su Zhihao continued to play the businessman: "These are novels adapted into TV series. TV series have an incredibly long production cycle. They're filmed in dozens of episodes, and how the TV stations will negotiate their schedules and broadcast fees is all unknown right now. We're not even sure if they'll be able to finish filming them."

"If anything goes wrong, all the money will be lost; the entire risk rests on my shoulders. Therefore, I cannot leave you any profit share."

Su Zhihao spoke frankly and clearly, every sentence was stated explicitly. Zhou Yawen, on the contrary, found this approach more acceptable.

Su Zhihao looked at her: "I will only choose to buy out the first-run adaptation rights of the TV series you hold in one go; this is the major premise for everything you've discussed with me today."

Zhou Yawen did not show any disappointment after hearing these words.

Instead, she smiled and said, "I know I won't get a share of this contract from you. I already sold 'Night Taboo' to you in black and white last time, and there's no use in me regretting it now. The contract is clear, and I'm not the kind of person who can't afford to back out."

Zhou Yawen didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "But these three books are brand new, full-size volumes. I can buy them outright, but as for the price... Boss Su can't possibly offer me another 150,000, can he?"

Su Zhihao was a shrewd man, and he immediately understood the implication. He laughed and said, "Miss Zhou, you're an English teacher at a school, but when it comes to business, you're quite as sharp as ever."

"If you've been ripped off once, you should learn to be smarter," Zhou Yawen retorted.

"Well said!" Su Zhihao stopped wasting words and reached for the first file folder on the far left. "Talk is cheap, let me check the goods first."

Just as Su Zhihao's hand touched the brown paper bag, Zhou Yawen's hand pressed on the other end of the document bag. The two were separated by a coffee table, each holding one end.

Su Zhihao looked at her, puzzled.

"Boss Su, let's make the rules clear first." Zhou Yawen held the file bag with a serious expression. "Today, you are only allowed to look at the first three chapters of the manuscript, the character relationship chart, and the story synopsis of these three documents. If you find anything you like, we can schedule a formal time later. Bring your lawyer, sign the full confidentiality agreement, and then we can discuss in detail how to read the full text."

Su Zhihao clicked his tongue and released his grip on the file: "Fine. Playing the victim first, that's cautious enough."

Zhou Yawen then withdrew her hand and pushed the file bag in front of him.

Su Zhihao opened the seal of "The Sound of Rain in the Old Building" and pulled out a thin stack of documents inside. The first page contained the story outline.

[An old-style Western-style building. A night of continuous rain.]

Thirty years ago, a fall was ruled an accident. Thirty years later, residents of the building began receiving unsigned old photographs. On the back of each photograph was written the same sentence: "Can you hear the rain upstairs?"

He flipped to the character relationship chart, a dense, intricate network drawn on the paper. It depicted the entanglements and intertwined interests of the residents of the old building.

"This is interesting." Su Zhihao himself enjoys suspense stories: "In a building, every household is hiding a secret?"

"Yes," Zhou Yawen added from the side, "On the surface, it uses the suspense of a ghost story to pull the audience in, but in reality, it dredges up a case from thirty years ago. Each episode can start from the dark secrets of a family, peel back the layers, and finally bring everything back to the main storyline of the fall case."