Chapter 24 - love movies

"Mr. Lu, do you have any good suggestions? Please feel free to share them—we're open to making appropriate adjustments." Zhang Chen asked cautiously. Lu Liang had agreed far too readily, as if he'd simply come to hand them money, which made him feel quite uneasy. Lu Liang's expression turned stern. He rapped the table sharply. "Mr. Zhang, the reason I'm investing in this film is for one thing and one thing only: I believe in this script, and I believe in your core creative team. Don't bring any of the unwholesome practices of the entertainment industry into this project." "If you're making this movie just to curry favor with investors, then I'll have to reconsider whether I still want to put my money into it." Lu Liang spoke with righteous fervor, projecting the image of an upstanding man who would not tolerate the slightest hint of impropriety. Wu Tianzheng stood by the window, gazing out at the river view. His cigarette-holding fingers suddenly twitched a few times. He couldn't help glancing back at Lu Liang. What a fine speech. He'd almost believed it. But who was it that just last night was kissing and cuddling that girl, then taking her home and charming her so thoroughly she'd nearly forgotten her own name? A surge of admiration washed over Wu Tianzheng. He took a drag on his cigarette and turned his attention back to the river scenery outside the window. It's no wonder the man's so rich, he thought. He reels off lines like that without a trace of guilt. It also reminded him of those coal tycoons from a few years back—men who'd sit in KTV private rooms with hostesses in their arms, spouting nonsense about how "our production needs to promote positive energy." "Mr. Lu, you've got it all wrong." Zhang Chen was equal parts shocked and delighted, scrambling to explain himself. Over the past few months, in their quest for investment, they'd met countless investors and heard all sorts of outrageous demands. Stuff like forcing their relatives into roles, demanding favors from actresses, or even insisting on starring in the film themselves. They'd encountered every kind of shady character imaginable. The whole ordeal had drained them mentally and physically, leaving them on the verge of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. They really shouldn't have judged a gentleman's intentions by their own petty minds. Lu Liang was nothing like those other investors. Ma Li, worried Zhang Chen would only dig himself a deeper hole, picked up the bottle of Wuliangye on the table and filled a glass. "Mr. Lu, you're nothing like those people. You truly have a passion for cinema. I admire you—here's to you." "Mr. Lu, we'd like to toast you too!" Zhang Chen, Shen Teng, and the others quickly followed suit, each grabbing a glass of two-liang baijiu. All their gratitude and relief were poured into that toast. "Take it easy on the drinking," Lu Liang said, lifting his glass and taking a small sip. He spoke earnestly. "I can see your sincerity. Keep up the good work, and never forget your original aspiration." "The funds will be transferred to your company's account by next Friday. If you run short of capital later on, feel free to contact me." Lu Liang had no intention of investing as an individual. The personal income tax on investment gains was simply too high—nearly 25% when all was said and done. He planned to set up an investment company and use the company's name to fund the film. That way, he could offset the hefty tax bill by reinvesting the profits into assets like real estate or cars. "Old Wu, why are you standing by the window being all quiet? Come over here and join the conversation." The core creative team of Mahua FunAge were mostly northerners, and every last one of them was a heavy drinker. They were utterly impressed by Lu Liang's words, and they took turns toasting him to show their respect. Even Ma Li knocked back two glasses in quick succession, her face remaining completely composed, not a trace of drunkenness in her eyes. Lu Liang was secretly alarmed and quickly pulled Old Wu into the fray to save him. As soon as Wu Tianzheng joined the group, he became the new target of their toasts. "Mr. Wu, I'd like to propose a toast to you," Zhang Chen said, raising his glass. "If it weren't for you, I'd never have had the chance to meet Mr. Lu." "Mr. Zhang, you're too kind," Wu Tianzheng replied, with no good reason to refuse. With the investment deal sealed, he was in line to earn a handsome referral fee from Zhang Chen. This toast was well-deserved. Shen Teng, Ma Li, Yan Fei, and the others all raised their glasses too. They were brimming with enthusiasm, and they needed an outlet for it. Lu Liang was their golden ticket, so they didn't dare pester him too much. Poor Old Wu was left to serve as Lu Liang's human shield. Lu Liang stood off to the side, silently feeling sorry for him for a good three seconds. What had started as an afternoon tea meeting stretched on into dinner. By evening, Lu Liang made an excuse and slipped away early. He called a designated driver to take him home. He slept soundly until just past ten o'clock that night. In the dimness of his bedroom, a faint glow suddenly flickered on his phone screen. Lu Liang picked it up and saw a message from Li Manli: "Ugh, I'm so mad! The new manager who just started today is such a jerk—super annoying, and he keeps trying to touch me!" A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lu Liang's lips. He thought to himself: The fishing line has been out long enough. If I don't reel it in soon, the fish might just get away. Still, he stuck to his usual routine of keeping her waiting. He got up, took a shower, and replied only half an hour later: "I'm back in town." "When did you get here?" Li Manli had been glued to her phone. Her reply popped up the second his message was sent. "Just landed. I'm a bit hungry. I'll come pick you up—let's go grab a late-night snack." Lu Liang cut to the chase. It was obvious Li Manli was feeling conflicted. The chat interface kept showing the "typing..." status, flickering on and off. After all, it was past ten o'clock at night. Any girl with half a brain would know what inviting her out for a late-night snack implied. She didn't want to give in to him too easily, but she couldn't bring herself to turn him down either. After a while, Li Manli finally replied: "But I'm still at work..." "I'm almost there." Lu Liang grabbed his car keys and headed out, giving her an ultimatum. Over the past couple of days at Haomeng Film Production Company, he'd seen no shortage of hardworking, beautiful girls. All he had to do was snap his fingers, and they'd be throwing themselves at him, ready to do whatever he wanted. It had spoiled him, wearing thin his patience. Old Meng had a rule for dealing with women: he'd put a price tag on each one, and if pursuing her cost more than that, he'd walk away—even if she looked like a goddess. Lu Liang didn't fully agree with that philosophy, but Old Meng had a point. There were plenty of beautiful girls in the world. There was no need to waste time and energy on someone whose feelings were still up in the air. Half an hour later, Lu Liang arrived at Qufu Road. From a distance, he spotted Li Manli standing at the intersection. She was wearing dark green cargo pants paired with a tan form-fitting tank top, her fair waist exposed to the air. Her long black hair was streaked with hints of blue and purple, adding a touch of allure to her otherwise innocent face. Lu Liang noticed a black BMW parked in front of her. The driver seemed to be chatting her up. Li Manli stood with her arms crossed over her chest, glancing around with a look of indifference. "Hey beautiful, where are you headed? I can give you a..." The BMW driver's words trailed off as a deep honk blared in the no-horn zone. He was about to fly into a rage—until he caught sight of the Bentley logo. He muttered under his breath: "Big deal, driving a Bentley..." Grumbling as he was, he gently pressed the accelerator, inching the car forward to make room for Lu Liang. The BMW driver got out of his car, determined to give it another shot. He was confident in his appeal: a young, successful guy driving a BMW, with what he considered a 90/100 face. His pickup lines had never failed him before—whether it was high school girls or mature office ladies. How hard could it be to win over a girl who looked like she'd just turned eighteen? He was certain he'd score this time. But then he watched as Li Manli's attention was drawn to the honking. Her icy, unapproachable expression instantly melted into a radiant smile, like a volcano erupting with passion. That smile alone made it feel like every flower in the world had bloomed at once. How could anyone be this beautiful? The BMW driver found himself smiling back—until his heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. She climbed into the passenger seat of that Bentley. The young man fell silent, staring at his dark-colored 3 Series. A lump formed in his throat, and he suddenly felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. Without a word, he got back into his car, slammed on the gas, and drove away. Witnessing this entire scene, Lu Liang couldn't help but laugh. Li Manli shot him a pouty glare. "How dare you laugh!" Her lips jutted out indignantly. "You said you were almost here—why did I have to wait twenty minutes for you?" "There was a car accident on the elevated highway. That's why I'm a bit late," Lu Liang chuckled, lying smoothly. Li Manli looked skeptical, but she chose to believe him anyway. She sighed. "I got into a fight with my manager. I'll probably get fired now." "Isn't that a good thing? You'll be free from now on," Lu Liang replied. He'd just heard her mention that Zhang Qian had resigned and a new male manager had taken over. "You think everyone's like you? If I lose my job, I'll be broke by next month," Li Manli mumbled unhappily. "With me around, how could I ever let you go hungry? I'll treat you to all the finest delicacies every day—guaranteed to make you sick of them." "Really? Are you serious?" "Absolutely." Li Manli thought for a moment, then suddenly perked up. "Then I want sushi! The most top-of-the-line kind!" Lu Liang made a face of disgust. "A cold rice ball with a piece of raw fish on top—what's so good about that stuff?" Li Manli widened her big eyes and looked at him pitifully. "You said you'd treat me to all the finest delicacies. How come you won't even let me have sushi?" "Quit staring at me like that—you'll pop your eyes out. Fine, sushi it is then." He couldn't resist that look—innocent yet seductive, making him want to scoop her up into his arms and squeeze her tight. "Yay! Let's go!" Li Manli cheered, pumping her fist in victory.