"Mr. Lu, if you have any good suggestions, feel free to mention them. We can also make some adjustments."
Zhang Chen cautiously inquired, since Lu Liang agreed too readily, it seemed unrealistic, as if he was there just to hand over money.
Lu Liang's expression grew colder, and he knocked heavily on the table. "Mr. Zhang, I am investing in this movie not for anything else but because I have faith in the script and your creative team. Keep the crooked practices of the entertainment industry away from this project."
"If you are making this movie to please investors, then I need to reconsider whether I still want to invest in this film."
Lu Liang spoke with justified indignation, embodying a sense of righteousness, as if he wouldn't tolerate any deceit.
Wu Tianzheng stood by the window, looking at the river view, when his fingers holding the cigarette suddenly trembled.
He couldn't help but turn back to look at Lu Liang.
Well said.
He almost believed him.
But who was it last night, cuddling and kissing, who also took that girl home, nearly fooling her into forgetting who she was?
Wu Tianzheng felt a surge of admiration and continued to focus on the river view while smoking.
It's no wonder the guy is rich. His talk is polished and utterly shameless.
It also reminded him of a coal businessman from years ago who, while hugging a hostess in a KTV lounge, kept insisting his drama was all about positive energy.
"Mr. Lu, you've misunderstood."
Zhang Chen was both shocked and delighted, and hastily explained.
In the past few months, trying to secure investments, they had met numerous investors and heard many absurd conditions.
Stuffing roles, sleeping with female stars, or wanting to act themselves, there was a myriad of bizarre investors.
They were all so overwrought it nearly gave them post-traumatic stress disorder.
One shouldn't suspect a noble person of base motives.
Lu Liang was different from them.
Worried that Zhang Chen might make things worse, Mary picked up a glass of Wuliangye from the table and filled it up, "Mr. Lu, you are different from those people. You truly love cinema, and I respect you for that. Cheers to you."
"Mr. Lu, we also toast to you."
Zhang Chen, Shen Teng, and others quickly caught on, each pouring a glass of strong liquor. Their feelings were all in the drink.
"Drink less, I don't appreciate that messiness typical of drinking tables here. A symbolic gesture will suffice."
Lu Liang raised his glass and took a sip, speaking earnestly, "I can see your sincerity. Do your best and don't forget why you started."
"The funds will be transferred to your company account by next Friday. If you need more money later, you can contact me."
Lu Liang did not want to invest as an individual because personal income tax was too high, nearly around 25%.
He planned to establish an investment company and invest in this movie under that company's name.
That way, the income could also be used to buy houses and cars, offsetting the high tax rate.
"Old Wu, why are you standing by the window in silence? Come over and join the chat."
Happy Mahua's main creative team consisted almost entirely of Northerners, each a legendary drinker.
They were so impressed by Lu Liang's speech that they kept toasting him in respect.
Even Mary downed two glasses without a change in her facial expression or heartbeat.
Lu Liang was alarmed and quickly pulled Old Wu to rescue the situation.
Wu Tianzheng entered the scene, immediately becoming the new target.
"Mr. Wu, I toast to you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet Mr. Lu." Zhang Chen raised his glass.
"Mr. Zhang, don't mention it. We're all friends here, helping each other is normal," Wu Tianzheng had no reason to refuse.
Since the contract was finalized, he was also set to earn a handsome referral fee from Zhang Chen. This drink was well-deserved.
Shen Teng, Mary, and Yan Fei also raised their glasses, unable to contain their enthusiasm.
Lu Liang was the major financier, and they dared not be too reckless.
Poor Old Wu became Lu Liang's shield. Lu Liang stood by, feeling secretly sorry for him for three seconds.
A meal that started as afternoon tea turned into dinner.
At dusk, Lu Liang found an excuse to leave early.
He called a designated driver to take him home.
He slept until past ten at night, and in the dim bedroom, a faint light suddenly appeared.
Lu Liang saw a message from Li Manli: "So annoying, the new manager who just came today is so arrogant and annoying, and he keeps touching me."
Lu Liang's lips curled into a smile. He felt the fishing line had been cast long enough, and it was time to reel it in, or the fish might slip away.
However, he still habitually let her hang on for a while, got up, took a bath, and only replied after half an hour, "I'm back."
"When did that happen?" Li Manli was always staring at her phone, and as soon as Lu Liang sent the message, she immediately replied.
"Just got off the plane, I'm a bit hungry, I'll come pick you up, and let's go out for some late-night snacks," said Lu Liang, cutting right to the chase.
It was evident that Li Manli was feeling conflicted, as her chat status kept showing that she was typing... intermittently.
After all, it was past ten, and anyone going out for late-night snacks knew what might happen next.
She didn't want to easily give herself away, yet she couldn't bear to reject Lu Liang.
After a while, Li Manli replied, "But I'm still at work."
"I'm almost there," said Lu Liang as he grabbed his car keys and headed out, giving her an ultimatum.
These past few days at Good Dream Film Company, he had seen far too many hardworking and beautiful girls.
He could just beckon with his finger, and they would likely follow one after another, all willing to please.
The threshold had been raised, and his patience had worn thin.
Old Meng tagged every woman with a fixed price, and he would abandon them once it was exceeded, even if she was a goddess.
Lu Liang didn't agree with this philosophy, but Old Meng had a point.
The world wasn't short of pretty girls. There was no need to waste time and energy without clear prospects.
Half an hour later, Lu Liang arrived on Qufu Road and spotted Li Manli standing at the intersection from afar.
She wore dark green work pants paired with a beige tight-fitting tank top, her fair waist exposed in the air.
Her long black hair, mixed with strands of blue and purple, added a certain allure to her pure features.
Lu Liang saw a black BMW stopped in front of her, the owner seemed to be hitting on Li Manli.
Li Manli stood with her arms crossed, looking around with an indifferent expression.
"Beautiful, where do you want to go? I'll take you..."
The BMW owner didn't finish his sentence before a deep horn sound came from a no-honking zone.
He wanted to get angry, but upon seeing the big 'B' car emblem, he muttered resentfully, "Think you're something special just because you drive a Bentley."
Though he said that, he still gently pressed the gas pedal, moved forward a bit, and yielded his spot.
The BMW owner got out of his car, intending to invite Li Manli again, confident with his youthful success, driving a BMW, and his self-rated 90-point appearance.
Normally, he was unbeatable at wooing girls, from high school students to mature office ladies, let alone a girl who apparently was just of age—this was a sure win.
However, he saw that the horn's blare had drawn Li Manli's attention, her previously icy demeanor turning into an erupting volcano.
That smile, as if all the flowers in the world had bloomed, how could there be such a beautiful girl.
The BMW owner couldn't help but smile as well, but the next second, his heart felt as if it were tightly grasped by an invisible hand.
She got into the passenger seat of that Bentley.
The young man remained silent, watching the dark Series 3, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat and on pins and needles.
Without uttering a word, he returned to his car, pressed the accelerator, and drove away.
Seeing this scene, Lu Liang couldn't help but laugh, and Li Manli glared at him, "You still dare to laugh."
Her lips were pouted high, "Didn't you say you were almost here? I've been waiting for over twenty minutes."
"There was an accident on the elevated road, so I'm a bit late," Lu Liang said with a light laugh, making up an excuse on the spot.
Li Manli was suspicious but still believed him.
She sighed, "I had an argument with the manager, I think I'm going to be fired."
"That's a good thing, you'll be free then," Lu Liang just heard her say that Mr. Zhang had resigned and a male manager had taken over.
"You think I'm like you? If I'm out of a job, I'll be eating dirt next month," Li Manli grumbled.
"As long as I'm here, how could I let you eat dirt? I promise you'll have mountains of delicacies every day until you want to puke."
"Is that really true?"
"Absolutely true."
Li Manli thought about it carefully, then suddenly shouted, "Then I want to eat sushi, the most high-end kind!"
Lu Liang made a face, "A block of cold rice and a piece of raw meat, what's so good about that?"
Li Manli stared at him with big, pitiful eyes, "Didn't you say you'd take me out for mountains of delicacies? Why can't I even have sushi?"
"Stop glaring, or your eyeballs might fall out. Fine, let's go for sushi then."
That look, Lu Liang found it hard to resist, so pure yet so longing, made him want to hold her tight and squeeze fiercely.
"Yay, let's go," Li Manli exclaimed excitedly, waving her little fists triumphantly.