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Li Zhen is 25 years old this year. She graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and has three years of professional experience. She previously worked with a second-tier local Hong Kong celebrity and had built a solid reputation within the show business community, which was why Wan Xiaoquan recruited her.
Wan Xiaoquan was no stranger to Hong Kong. As early as ten years ago, he had obtained a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Green Card. He had even considered retiring there in the future and spending his old age in Hong Kong. He also had some connections within the local entertainment industry.
So after arriving in Hong Kong with the funds provided by Lu Chen, Wan Xiaoquan quickly settled into his role. Through headhunters and recruitment drives, he assembled a team in no time, demonstrating abilities that extended beyond his identity as a director.
However, his capabilities in this area only went so far, which was why Lu Chen needed to come personally to take charge. After all, his true profession and his passion were filmmaking.
Li Zhen was the assistant secretary whom Wan Xiaoquan had specifically arranged for Lu Chen. The petite and charming young woman had a round face and large eyes. When she smiled, a faint dimple would appear on her right cheek. Regardless of her actual abilities, she was at least pleasant to look at.
"Mr. Lu Chen, hello. I'm your assistant, Li Zhen."
After Wan Xiaoquan's introduction, Li Zhen bowed slightly to Lu Chen. "Please take good care of me."
As a Hong Kong local, Li Zhen spoke very standard Mandarin, with almost no noticeable accent.
That was one of the key reasons Wan Xiaoquan had chosen her.
The official languages of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are Chinese and English, while the native tongue of the Hong Kong people is Cantonese. As a result, many locals, including quite a few young people, speak only Cantonese, making normal communication with people from the mainland difficult.
Of course, as the mainland economy continues to exert greater influence over Hong Kong, the Mandarin-speaking population there has been steadily expanding. For those doing business with the mainland, not knowing Mandarin would be highly inconvenient.
Li Zhen was undoubtedly one such representative.
Lu Chen smiled faintly and extended his hand. "Hello, Miss Li."
Her name reminded him of Sister Li back in the capital, just one character difference. Fate worked in curious ways.
"You can just call me Ah Zhen."
Li Zhen blushed slightly as she shook hands with Lu Chen, her heart racing for a few seconds.
She was not some inexperienced girl fresh out of school, nor was she naïve and unworldly. It was simply that the new boss standing before her was exceptionally young and handsome, stirring a uniquely feminine sentiment within her.
After joining the workshop, Li Zhen had thoroughly researched her new employer. She knew that Lu Chen was a rising star in the domestic pop music and film industry, and she also knew that his girlfriend was Chen Fei'er.
If, at present, Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er enjoyed comparable popularity and recognition in the mainland, then in Hong Kong, he simply could not compare to his girlfriend. And even Chen Fei'er herself was far from matching the status of Hong Kong's top-tier local celebrities.
The reasons behind this were complicated.
If Li Zhen had not changed jobs, she might never even have known who Lu Chen was.
However, after listening to Lu Chen's works online and watching Autumn in My Heart, in which he starred, Li Zhen had become one of his fans. So it was only natural that she felt excited upon meeting her idol.
It should be noted that last year's Autumn in My Heart had not yet been broadcast in Hong Kong.
"Mm, Ah Zhen, I'll be counting on you from now on."
Lu Chen nodded, then introduced Zhang Xiaofang to her. "This is my assistant, Zhang Xiaofang."
Facing Zhang Xiaofang, Li Zhen appeared much more relaxed and natural. "Brother Zhang, I look forward to your guidance."
Zhang Xiaofang, who was not very talkative, shook her hand somewhat awkwardly. "Hello."
Wan Xiaoquan said, "Alright, let's talk in the car. We'll head to the workshop first."
The car had already been waiting outside.
This Mercedes business van was purchased specifically for Lu Chen's Hong Kong Workshop. It could seat seven people and came at a considerable price.
But it was a necessary expense. It was impossible to run a business in Hong Kong without a car, and a substandard one was out of the question. Otherwise, driving it out would easily invite disdain. In this metropolis, luxury cars from all over the world gather in abundance, and the city boasts one of the highest numbers of Rolls-Royces anywhere.
The Mercedes van was already considered low-key. In the future, Lu Chen would certainly need a dedicated personal car to truly match his status and position.
Although Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, the "One Country, Two Systems" policy allowed it to maintain its unique developmental trajectory. Whether in customs and culture or in legal regulations, it differs greatly from the mainland.
One could even say they are two different worlds.
The address of Lu Chen's Hong Kong film and television Workshop was in the West Harbour Commercial Centre area of Sai Ying Pun, not far from the University of Hong Kong. This district brings together Hong Kong's major television stations, including the headquarters of terrestrial and satellite channels, as well as numerous film, entertainment, and record companies of various sizes. It is the very heart and essence of Hong Kong's entertainment industry.
After crossing Victoria Harbour via the West Kowloon Highway and entering the dense commercial district filled with towering skyscrapers, the business van carrying Lu Chen and the others stopped in front of a 50- to 60-story office building.
The Workshop was located on the 59th floor of the Rongjin Building, in an office space of approximately 200 square meters.
Compared to Lu Chen's Workshop in the capital, the Hong Kong Workshop was undoubtedly much smaller in area. However, the rent was anything but cheap, exceeding 100,000 per month, equivalent to about 500 per square meter per month.
And even that was considered relatively affordable in land-scarce Hong Kong. In the areas east of Sai Ying Pun, Sheung Wan, Central, and Admiralty, office spaces of similar size could easily cost two to three million per year in rent. Rental prices there rank among the highest in the world.
Wan Xiaoquan had only been in Hong Kong for two months, yet several million had already flowed out like water on rent deposits, approvals, hiring staff, purchasing vehicles, and other related expenses.
Of course, the money was not wasted. Aside from the necessary investments, the early capital input also allowed Lu Chen to obtain a Special Administrative Region Green Card with relative ease. Otherwise, even as a well-known mainland artist, applying through regular channels would have required considerable time and effort.
As for ordinary people, it has become extremely difficult to obtain a green card nowadays, let alone complete the even more demanding process of changing residency.
With economic prosperity, a large population, a unique environment, and waves of investment from mainland buyers pouring into Hong Kong's real estate market, the city's average housing prices now rank at the top globally, surpassing even the capital.
A 200-square-meter office might not sound large, but for a newly established celebrity Workshop, it was already considered luxurious. Quite a few local Hong Kong artists run their own Workshops, yet very few can afford to rent such a "spacious" office in this prime commercial district.
As for the current staff of the Workshop, besides Wan Xiaoquan and Li Zhen, there were seven additional employees, including a front desk receptionist, general clerks, a finance cashier, an IT administrator, and marketing planners.
And there was also the Workshop's director… Chen Wenqiang.
(End of Chapter)