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As soon as he stepped into the private room, Ma Rongzhen immediately spotted Lu Chen seated in the main seat.
Compared to Wan Xiaoquan and Zhang Xiaofang, who were sitting beside him, Lu Chen gave off the impression of a star shining in the darkness, someone you could pick out from a crowd at a glance and instantly remember.
First of all, he was handsome. Lu Chen's looks were different from the trendy pretty-boy idols currently popular in the entertainment industry. While not to the point of being absurdly good-looking, his facial features were sharply defined, with sword-like brows, bright eyes, and a high nose bridge. He carried a rare sense of determination and steadiness uncommon among young people, giving others the instinctive feeling that he was someone trustworthy.
'This is the boss of the film company?'
Ma Rongzhen found it a little hard to believe and froze for a moment.
If one had to say, Wan Xiaoquan looked more like the boss, while Lu Chen seemed more like one of his signed celebrity artists or the male lead of a new film, that would have been the more normal arrangement.
While he was still distracted, Lu Chen had already stood up with a smile and proactively stepped forward to extend his hand.
"Uncle Ma, I've heard a lot about you!"
Having survived in the entertainment circle for decades, Ma Rongzhen reacted immediately and shook Lu Chen's hand.
"Hello."
Seizing the moment, Chen Wenqiang introduced them, "Brother Ma, this is my current boss, Lu Chen. He's from the Mainland and recently opened a film and television studio in Hong Kong. The office is in Rongjin Building, with over two thousand square feet of space."
A knowing person needed no further explanation. As an old Hong Kong native, Ma Rongzhen immediately understood the implication behind Chen Wenqiang's words.
Rongjin Building was located in the Sai Ying Pun business district of Western District. Although office rents there weren't as expensive as those in Central or Admiralty, the area was packed with television stations, newspapers, magazines, and film and entertainment companies. Rent had never been cheap there, let alone for a space of over two thousand square feet.
Chen Wenqiang was subtly hinting at Lu Chen's financial strength.
Ma Rongzhen immediately became more respectful. "So it's Boss Lu. Truly young and accomplished!"
Lu Chen laughed. "Uncle Ma, you're a senior in the industry. Just call me Lu Chen. 'Boss Lu' sounds awkward."
After experiencing life's ups and downs and seeing all kinds of human coldness and warmth, Ma Rongzhen was genuinely moved by Lu Chen's respect and courtesy. He hadn't expected anyone to still address him as a "senior."
Hong Kong's entertainment industry was a place where people fawned over the successful and stepped on those who had fallen out of favor. Popular stars were praised by everyone, while washed-up artists were kicked around by all. The younger generation didn't care whether you were a senior or not, they only cared about your fame and backing.
Ma Rongzhen was currently scraping by in Lion Rock Film City. Plenty of people there knew him, yet even an ordinary stagehand could casually order him around.
Although Lu Chen came from the Mainland, with Chen Wenqiang present, it was impossible for him to be completely unaware of Ma Rongzhen's current circumstances.
Precisely because of that, Lu Chen's attitude was all the more valuable.
Chen Wenqiang added a few more words: "Mr. Lu Chen is currently a very popular star in the Mainland. In just over a year since debuting, he has already released two solo albums and starred in two phenomenal TV dramas. This trip to Hong Kong is specifically to shoot a movie."
Listening to this, Ma Rongzhen found his emotions impossible to describe.
He didn't suspect Chen Wenqiang was exaggerating Lu Chen's achievements, because there was simply no need to do so. Regardless of Lu Chen's background, as long as he could pay him to film a movie, that was already more than enough.
Lu Chen smiled. "Let's sit down and talk."
Everyone took their seats again, and Chen Wenqiang introduced Wan Xiaoquan and Zhang Xiaofang to Ma Rongzhen.
Ma Rongzhen also introduced his "assistant," Xiao Wu, to Lu Chen and the others.
Xiao Wu sat stiffly to one side, not even daring to breathe loudly.
He had only ever seen scenes like this in movies and television before.
It all felt a bit like a dream.
Chen Wenqiang called over a waiter to order food. The menu was handed to Lu Chen first. After casually ordering a few dishes, Lu Chen passed it to Ma Rongzhen.
"Uncle Ma, order whatever you like."
Ma Rongzhen quickly waved it off. "No, no, I'm fine with anything. You all go ahead."
After a pause, he cautiously asked, "Mr. Lu, has your movie script been completed yet?"
Lu Chen passed the menu over to Chen Wenqiang and said with a smile, "The script was finished a long time ago. If Uncle Ma wants to read it, you can do so right now."
He nodded at Zhang Xiaofang, who immediately pulled a thick stack of manuscript pages from his briefcase and handed them to Ma Rongzhen.
"Thank you!"
Ma Rongzhen practically snatched the script over impatiently and immediately began reading.
He read with extreme seriousness and focus, to the point that he completely forgot about Lu Chen and the others. It wasn't until the waiter brought in the first hot dish that he finally snapped back to reality, as if waking from a dream.
Although he had long been starving, and the aroma of the dishes was extremely tempting, Ma Rongzhen's mind was completely elsewhere. Clutching the script tightly, he stared straight at Lu Chen and asked, "Mr. Lu, which screenwriter wrote this script?"
It was simply too well written!
Although the story was adapted from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio, it incorporated many brilliant elements. The personalities of the main characters were vivid and distinct, their character portrayals lifelike, while the plot was full of twists, turns, and one climax after another.
There was currently a strange phenomenon in Hong Kong's film and television industry: scripts were often carelessly cobbled together, relying entirely on celebrity idols showing off their looks and acting cute. Screenwriters were overly eager for quick success, focusing solely on catering to and pleasing audience tastes, only to often achieve the opposite result.
The decline of Hong Kong cinema was closely tied to the absence of truly master-level screenwriters.
Most of the outstanding writers of the older generation had already faded away.
Having been in the industry for decades, Ma Rongzhen had acted in countless productions and read an untold number of scripts.
Yet the script for A Chinese Ghost Story in his hands stirred within him a long-forgotten impulse, the irresistible urge an actor feels when encountering an excellent script.
The role of Yan Chixia in this script felt as if it had been tailor-made specifically for him!
Ma Rongzhen had an intense feeling that if he missed out on this film, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
At that very moment, he truly wanted to shout at Lu Chen:
"I'll take this role, even if you don't pay me!"
But the last remnants of his rationality forcibly suppressed that impulse.
Because today, he had already lost too much composure.
If he had been dealing with a shrewd boss, that alone would have been enough for the other party to manipulate him completely.
Of course, Ma Rongzhen couldn't really work for free, he still had a family to support.
Chen Wenqiang smiled and said, "Our boss wrote the script himself, and he's also the male lead."
As he answered, Chen Wenqiang glanced at Lu Chen, silently seeking confirmation.
Lu Chen understood what he meant and gave a slight nod.
Chen Wenqiang had a very sharp eye. The moment Lu Chen first saw Ma Rongzhen earlier, he had already felt that Ma Rongzhen was exceptionally suitable for the role of Yan Chixia, whether in appearance or temperament.
Of course, his current aura was still lacking somewhat, but for a veteran actor of his caliber, that shouldn't be a problem.
After receiving Lu Chen's approval, Chen Wenqiang's smile grew even brighter as he continued, "I recommended you to him for the role of Yan Chixia. I wonder if you'd be interested?"
Interested? Interested?!
Ma Rongzhen gripped the script tightly in his hands as a voice inside him roared wildly.
A roar so powerful that even his very soul trembled in response!
(End of Chapter)