Everyone who knew Zhou Yi saw him as a true businessman. And a true businessman valued profit over personal feelings. When enough money was on the line, someone like him would have the courage to break the rules.
That was why Lu Chen was so surprised. The trouble had only just begun, yet Zhou Yi was already thinking about backing out.
For this collaboration, Lu Chen had given up a considerable share of the profits. He had complete confidence in the box office potential of 'A Chinese Ghost Story'.
A film regarded as a classic in the Dream World was bound to shine here as well. With a production budget of 30 million, it could easily earn several times that amount, perhaps even ten times over.
Of course, Zhou Yi had no idea where 'A Chinese Ghost Story' originally came from, but there was no way he was unaware of Lu Chen's influence and popularity in the Mainland.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have worked so hard to make this partnership happen. So what had made him change his mind?
Lu Chen prepared himself for the worst but kept a calm expression. "Boss Zhou, you're making it sound too serious. Let's sit down and talk it through."
Since everyone already knew each other, there was no need for formal introductions. They all took their seats, and Zhou Yi personally picked up the teapot to pour Lu Chen a cup of hot tea.
Letting out a sigh, he said, "Young Lu, you're probably wondering whether Jiayang Film Industry, or I myself, have some grudge against Sheng Yitang, the force backing Honghua. I can tell you honestly that I've never offended anyone from the Jiang Family. If it were only Honghua's boss, Jiang Chenghua, I wouldn't be afraid of him. But his father, Jiang Tai... I'm not even qualified to speak to him as an equal. If I ever run into him, I keep my distance."
'So it wasn't a problem on Jiayang Film Industry's side?' Lu Chen paused in surprise. 'Then what was going on?'
Seeing the question on his face, Zhou Yi continued, "I've already asked someone to sound out Jiang Chenghua and find out what's really happening. We should have a definite answer within the next couple of days. But based on my guess..."
The boss of Jiayang Film Industry hesitated, as if unsure whether he should continue.
Lu Chen smiled faintly. "Just say it, Boss Zhou. Even if your guess is wrong, it doesn't matter."
Zhou Yi smiled and said, "I think Honghua wants a stake in this film. I heard Jiang Chenghua has been planning to set up his own entertainment company and enter the film and television industry. But under the current circumstances, it isn't easy for him to find a suitable partner, so..."
"So he picked my film as his stepping stone?" Lu Chen laughed. "To him, I'm just a newcomer from the Mainland, a nice fat sheep to fleece, right?"
An awkward look crossed Zhou Yi's face, making it clear he agreed.
"That's only my guess," he said. "We'll have to wait and see what they really want."
Lu Chen fell silent for a moment, lightly tapping the table with his fingers.
"Then let me ask you this. If Honghua really wants to invest in the film, and I agree to let them in, what will you do, Boss Zhou?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Yi replied, "Then I'll withdraw. I can't afford to offend the Jiang Family."
His answer was refreshingly straightforward. He openly admitted he was afraid.
Lu Chen caught the meaning immediately. "And if I refuse?"
Zhou Yi answered just as frankly. "Jiayang Film Industry is still willing to continue working with you. But we have no way of going head-to-head with the Jiang Family. If Jiang Tai personally steps in, then I'll have no choice but to withdraw."
Lu Chen understood. Although Zhou Yi said he couldn't afford to offend the Jiang Family, that was only if the head of the family, Jiang Tai, became personally involved. Otherwise, Jiayang Film Industry had no intention of walking away from the partnership.
Still, expecting Jiayang Film Industry to stand up against Honghua wasn't realistic. Seeking profit while avoiding risk, that was the classic businessman approach. Calling it shameless wouldn't be unfair, but to his credit, Zhou Yi was completely upfront about it. He laid everything out on the table without hiding anything.
Lu Chen wasn't angry.
After thinking it over, he said, "Let's leave it at that for now. Boss Zhou, please keep looking into Honghua and see if you can find out anything useful. If there are any expenses involved, our workshop will cover them."
"You're too polite, you're too polite!" Zhou Yi waved his hands repeatedly. "The moment I hear anything, I'll let your side know immediately."
Lu Chen nodded. For now, that was all they could do. Filming still had to continue tomorrow. You couldn't stop farming just because you heard a mole cricket chirp.
There was no way he was going to tuck his tail between his legs and run back to the Mainland. Without a fearless heart, what was the point of possessing the wealth of an entire world? How could anyone ever reach the true summit?
As they were leaving, Nie Mingzhu, who had remained silent the entire meeting, poured Lu Chen another cup of tea.
She said, "I really like this script, and I love the role of Nie Xiaoqian. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I hope we can continue working together happily."
Lu Chen wasn't entirely sure what Nie Mingzhu meant by saying that, but he accepted her goodwill all the same.
After leaving the Aoken Club, Wan Xiaoquan voiced his dissatisfaction with Zhou Yi as soon as they got into the car.
"That guy's way too slippery. He's not reliable at all. Are we really going to keep working with him?"
Lu Chen explained, "If we give up on Jiayang Film Industry now, it'll only make things more troublesome. First, we need to figure out what Honghua is really after. After that, we'll decide what to do."
It wasn't a bad thing that Zhou Yi had been so straightforward. If the time came, Lu Chen would have every reason to cut Jiayang Film Industry loose.
More importantly, during their conversation, Lu Chen had the feeling that Zhou Yi still had a trump card. He didn't seem nearly as afraid of the Jiang Family as he'd claimed. If anything, it felt like he had been testing Lu Chen's attitude.
The very next day, something happened at the Fa'en Temple set in Lion Rock Film City. Someone had thrown two dead cats onto the filming set. They were black cats, an especially bad omen, and both had their necks twisted.
"They were probably tossed in sometime before dawn," Wan Yong said to Lu Chen after he arrived at the set. "I already had Xiao Chen and the others dispose of them. We didn't tell anyone else."
It was nothing more than a disgusting act of harassment. They hadn't stolen anything or damaged any equipment; they were simply trying to make everyone feel sick and uneasy. Calling the police would be pointless.
The Hong Kong police wouldn't seriously investigate something this minor, and once the police showed up, the paparazzi would likely get photos and stir up the story in the media, causing even more trouble for the film crew.
Following Chen Wenqiang's advice, Lu Chen had him keep the incident under wraps and stop the news from spreading. Lu Chen was thankful he had arranged for two extra people to guard the set the previous night. Otherwise, any security loophole could have been exploited, and the other side might have caused even greater damage.
What he didn't expect was that before noon, word about the dead cats had already spread throughout the film crew. Everyone looked uneasy, and many crew members were too distracted to focus on their work.
Filming went just as badly. By the afternoon, some people were already asking to leave the production.
---
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 60 chapters on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395