Hong Kong Entertainment 1979: A Beating Up the Manager at the Start

Although Zheng Hai and Paul Smith were summoned for questioning by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), there is still no news regarding the approval of "Operation Hurricane".

Li Jiangbo wasn't in a hurry. After all, the Film Censorship Division was currently under investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Once the investigation was over, the film should automatically pass censorship.

He had actually been waiting for news about soft drinks in mainland China, so that he could try other things and acquire RTV next year.

Who knew that the soft drinks from the mainland would arrive so late, and we don't know what went wrong.

However, Li Jiangbo was not in a hurry; he knew the saying that haste makes waste.

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was September 25th.

Rosamund Kwan had already contacted her close associates at the company, hoping they would come to the Peninsula Hotel tonight for her birthday party.

Li Jiangbo, Zhu Lin, Chung Chu-hung, Anita Mui, and others were among those invited by her.

At 6 p.m., Li Jiangbo drove towards the Peninsula Hotel.

When he arrived at the hotel entrance, the banquet was about to begin.

Li Jiangbo handed the car keys to the valet, took out a ten-yuan tip, straightened his clothes, and walked towards the hotel lobby.

As soon as he entered the lobby, Guan Shan came up to him and warmly shook hands with Li Jiangbo.

"Mr. Li, welcome, welcome! Jia Hui has been talking about you all day."

Li Jiangbo smiled and said, "Mr. Guan, you're too kind. Jia Hui is eighteen years old; she should have come."

Guan Shan led Li Jiangbo inside, saying as they walked, "There are quite a few people here today, including Jia Hui's friends and some of my business associates. I'll introduce them to you later."

Guan Shan took Li Jiangbo to the banquet hall and then left, as he still had to greet other guests.

Li Jiangbo entered the banquet hall and found it to be quite nicely decorated, with flowers, ribbons, balloons, and everything else you'd expect.

He thought to himself: Guan Shan really spoils Jia Hui.

He hadn't walked more than a few steps when someone recognized him and greeted him warmly.

Li Jiangbo smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, took a glass of red wine from the waiter, but his eyes were searching for familiar faces in the crowd.

Then a chubby boy and a rather slovenly-looking man squeezed through the crowd and came to Li Jiangbo.

"Boss, you're here too?"

Li Jiangbo smiled and nodded, then raised his glass to clink glasses with Wang Jing and Xu Ke.

"I heard that Paul Smith from the Film Censorship Division was called in for questioning by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)?"

Li Jiangbo took a sip of his drink. "Yes, someone reported them for accepting bribes."

Xu Ke snorted coldly, "Serves them right! Those foreigners should have investigated long ago."

Li Jiangbo didn't respond, but Fatty Wang laughed and said:

"Did those foreigners offend you?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Ke poured out all the difficulties he had suffered at the electricity inspection department, like pouring out beans.

It turns out that Xu Ke had faced a lot of difficulties when he was working as a director and dealing with the film censorship department.

Extortion and bribery are commonplace. Sometimes they even demand that the director take them to Malan!

Li Jiangbo and Wang Jing were dumbfounded. Was it really that difficult to pass the review?

Just as the group was chatting animatedly, a well-dressed, handsome, pale-faced scholar approached Li Jiangbo and extended his hand.

"Mr. Li! It's an honor to meet you! I'm Peter Man, an actor from RTV. I've been looking for an opportunity to get to know you, and I never expected to run into you here."

As the saying goes, one shouldn't hit a smiling face. Although Li Jiangbo disliked being disturbed, he still reached out and shook hands with Peter Wen.

Hello, hello.

Just as Li Jiangbo was about to pull his hand away, Peter Wen refused to let go and instead gripped it even tighter.

"Mr. Li, we're practically colleagues. I've been acting at RTV for a few years, though mostly in minor roles, but I truly love acting. When will there be an opportunity for you to give me a hand?"

Li Jiangbo smiled and pulled his hand out with a little force.

"I definitely will if I have the chance, absolutely."

Peter laughed and said, "Then you go ahead with your work, I'll be going now."

Li Jiangbo smiled and nodded, watching Peter Wen leave.

As he watched his retreating figure, Li Jiangbo fell into deep thought. If he remembered correctly, this Peter Wen should be Rosamund Kwan's first boyfriend after entering society.

The two apparently met while filming a movie called "GG," and under Peter Man's financial advances, Rosamund Kwan quickly fell into a whirlpool of love.

In this life, Li Jiangbo has greatly reduced Guan Zhilin's desires with money. I wonder if the two will still be together?

At seven o'clock, Rosamund Kwan emerged from the dressing room, surrounded by Zhu Lin, Cherie Chung, and Anita Mui.

Rosamund Kwan looked much more mature in a bright red dress.

After Guan Shan delivered his congratulatory speech, the banquet officially began.

Rosamund Kwan was surrounded by people and sat down at the main table, while Li Jiangbo sat to the side.

As everyone began to eat, Rosamund Kwan quietly asked Li Jiangbo.

"Boss, where's that precious treasure you were talking about?"

Li Jiangbo was exasperated and ignored Guan Zhilin, but chatted enthusiastically with Guan Shan next to him.

Rosamund Kwan's lips looked like they had an oil bottle hanging from them, and she looked unhappy.

She muttered, "That damn boss, that lousy boss, he doesn't keep his word."

While poking at the food on the plate with his chopsticks, he vented all his resentment on eating.

Halfway through the meal, Rosamund Kwan was called onto the stage by Kwan Shan to wait for a friend to give her a gift.

Guan Shan's friends came forward one by one, some giving him gold bracelets, some jade necklaces, some designer handbags...

Rosamund Kwan accepted it with a smile, saying thank you, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

When it was Peter Man's turn, he was seen carrying a huge gift box as he walked up to Rosamund Kwan.

Happy birthday, Jia Hui!

After saying that, he opened the gift box. "This is a leather jacket made of ferret that I specially ordered from a boutique. I hope you like it."

A gasp rippled through the audience, and people below began whispering amongst themselves.

Rosamund Kwan paused for a moment, then smiled politely, "Thank you, Peter, but it's too expensive."

"No, no, it's worth it no matter how expensive it is, as long as you like it."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Wear it another day, and I'll treat you to dinner at the most upscale restaurant."

Rosamund Kwan's smile froze instantly, but she still accepted the gift and placed it aside.

He cursed inwardly, "How could I possibly know such an idiot? Does it make you look rich?"

After presenting the gift, Peter Wen didn't linger and walked straight off the stage.

As he passed the main table again, his gaze lingered on Li Jiangbo.

He deliberately raised his voice so everyone around could hear, "Hey, Mr. Li? Did you deliver it?"

Li Jiangbo raised his head, looked at him, and didn't say anything.

Peter Wen continued provocatively, "No way, no way? Mr. Li, as Jia Hui's boss, actually came empty-handed?"

The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Li Jiangbo.

Guan Shan strode over, about to say something, but was interrupted by Li Jiangbo.

"Mr. Peter, who said I didn't bring a gift?"

After saying that, he took out a photograph and waved it in front of Peter Wen.

Peter laughed until tears streamed down his face. "Hahaha, everyone, look at this! Who gives a photo as a birthday gift?"

Unfortunately, to his surprise, no one echoed his sentiments, and he could only awkwardly stop laughing.

After Peter looked closely at the photograph, he asked in confusion, "What is this?"

"A yacht! Just ordered from Hanscat's, it's called 'Jia Hui.' Once it arrives, Jia Hui can sail it however she wants."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Rosamund Kwan covered her mouth, her eyes instantly reddening, thinking: So this is the precious treasure the boss was talking about!

Peter's face contorted into a kaleidoscope of expressions. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then realized he didn't know what to say.

Li Jiangbo patted Peter Wen on the shoulder, "Next time you give a gift, remember to check the weather. Giving a mink coat at this time of year?"

Peter Wen's face instantly turned bright red. He dared not linger any longer and was about to say that he needed to use the restroom, preparing to make a hasty retreat.

Li Jiangbo, however, wouldn't let it go, "Mr. Peter Wen, you're not planning to make a quick getaway to the bathroom, are you?"

Peter Wen smiled awkwardly, "My stomach hurts, my stomach hurts."

Having said that, he slunk away.

After Peter left, the banquet continued, but the atmosphere was even more lively than before.

Wang Jing leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Boss, you really ordered a yacht?"

Li Jiangbo looked at him suspiciously, "What are you ordering? That's Zhao Dong's boat."

Wang Jing paused for a moment, then smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"Boss, your move... it's brilliant!"

Li Jiangbo picked up his wine glass and said to Zhu, Zhong, and Mei beside him:

"I'll ask Jia Hui to come to the company tomorrow and talk to her about life principles."

Having said that, he turned and left before the banquet was over.