Night settled over Hong Kong beneath a sky scattered with faint starlight.
Inside a private dining room at the Peninsula Hotel, the atmosphere was far more tense than the elegant surroundings suggested.
The large round table was filled with exquisite dishes, each one carefully prepared, yet not a single pair of chopsticks had moved.
On opposite sides of the table, Luo Zheng and Albert Yeung sat in silence, each calmly sipping tea as if waiting for the other to make the first move.
Beside them, Huo Wenxi, Ah Sa, and Ah Jiao exchanged uneasy glances.
The three women clearly felt the pressure in the room.
Among them, Ah Jiao was the most confused.
She had been suddenly informed to attend this dinner without any explanation.
Even Ah Sa, who usually shared everything with her, had remained unusually vague.
Still, judging from the cold tension between the two men, she could already tell that tonight's gathering was anything but friendly.
At last, Albert Yeung slowly placed his teacup down.
"President Luo," he said with a faint smile, "although I admire your talent greatly, some matters should not be pushed too far."
His tone was calm, but the warning beneath it was obvious.
Luo Zheng smiled lightly.
"Chairman Yeung is a respected senior in the industry. Why lower yourself to argue with someone like me?"
He paused, then deliberately took a step back in tone.
"I admit I was a bit aggressive regarding Sister Wenxi."
He lifted his gaze.
"But what's done is done."
"Let's speak plainly. Name your price."
The moment those words were spoken, the room grew even quieter.
Albert Yeung picked up his teacup once more, studying the tea leaves floating inside.
After a moment, he said slowly,
"Wenxi is the successor I personally cultivated."
"She is priceless."
Only then did Ah Jiao finally begin to understand what this dinner was truly about.
Luo Zheng wasn't here for a casual meal.
He was here to poach Huo Wenxi from Emperor Entertainment.
No wonder Chairman Yeung had such a dark expression.
Luo Zheng, however, did not believe the "successor" speech for even a second.
This was clearly bargaining.
Albert Yeung wanted to raise the price.
So Luo Zheng decided to skip the formalities.
"One supporting role in a Hollywood film," he said directly, "plus one Hong Kong film project with box office earnings exceeding thirty million."
The room fell still.
That was his opening offer.
Albert Yeung's eyes narrowed slightly.
Then, as expected, he countered immediately.
"One lead role in a Hollywood production."
"Plus investment rights in the film."
"And cooperation on five movie projects, each with a Hong Kong box office no less than fifty million."
His tone was firm, as if he had already grasped the rhythm of the negotiation.
Luo Zheng gave a faint, amused smile.
"Chairman Yeung, I came with sincerity."
"But your appetite is a little too large."
Albert Yeung laughed.
"President Luo, business is all about give and take."
"There's always room for negotiation."
Luo Zheng nodded.
"Fine."
"Since Chairman Yeung is willing to talk, let's stop circling around the matter."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Two Hollywood supporting roles."
"One of them comes with a twenty percent investment share for Emperor Entertainment."
"Plus cooperation on three Hong Kong film projects, each guaranteed to exceed thirty million at the local box office."
The moment he finished speaking, Albert Yeung barely paused.
"Deal."
Even Huo Wenxi was slightly startled by how quickly he agreed.
But Albert Yeung knew exactly what truly mattered.
The Hong Kong projects were secondary.
What he really valued was the Hollywood connection.
Ever since the news of Luo Zheng's major investment in Tencent spread, Albert Yeung had understood one thing very clearly—
this young man was no pretender.
He had real capital.
Real resources.
And real access to Hollywood.
Compared to that, Huo Wenxi, Ah Sa, and Ah Jiao were not irreplaceable.
The chips Luo Zheng offered had already exceeded his expectations.
There was no need to push further.
Luo Zheng smiled.
"Chairman Yeung is truly straightforward."
He turned toward the door.
"Waiter, bring the wine."
The atmosphere instantly relaxed.
Albert Yeung laughed heartily.
"From now on, Wenxi, Ah Sa, and Ah Jiao will be under President Luo's care."
"Of course."
Luo Zheng replied without hesitation.
In truth, Huo Wenxi had always been his real target.
As for Ah Sa and Ah Jiao, they were more like an added bonus to the deal.
Especially Ah Jiao.
Originally, Luo Zheng had considered leaving her out entirely.
But the Twins duo had just started rising in popularity.
Turning away a profitable asset for no reason simply wasn't his style.
Soon, wine glasses were raised around the table.
The tense negotiation turned into a lively celebration.
Even Huo Wenxi, after a brief moment of silence, joined in with the sisters.
Only Ah Jiao remained slightly dazed.
It took her a while to process what had just happened.
They had been… transferred.
Just like that.
Sold as part of a business deal.
And apparently in exchange for only a few film cooperation projects.
The thought left a strange feeling in her chest.
Meanwhile, Ah Sa's happiness was far easier to read.
It was written plainly across her face.
As the dinner continued, she gradually relaxed and began serving food to Luo Zheng, pouring him wine with almost wifely attentiveness.
After the dinner ended, Luo Zheng naturally took Ah Sa with him.
Huo Wenxi and Ah Jiao returned to Emperor Entertainment to settle the remaining arrangements before officially leaving.
Inside the car on the way to another hotel, Luo Zheng held Ah Sa gently by the waist with one hand while making a phone call with the other.
He had already thought of how to fulfill one of the promised Hollywood roles.
Saw happened to have a suitable supporting role left—
the police partner.
Originally, it had been played by an Asian actor anyway.
Replacing it with someone from Emperor Entertainment would not feel out of place.
As for who Albert Yeung chose for the role, that was no longer Luo Zheng's concern.
Once the call ended, his attention returned entirely to the woman beside him.
The moment his lips brushed against her ear, Ah Sa's body immediately softened.
By the time they arrived, she no longer had the strength to resist.
The next morning, Luo Zheng was awakened by the vibration of his phone.
Fortunately, he had switched it to silent mode the night before.
Otherwise, the call would have disturbed the peaceful figure sleeping beside him.
He glanced at Ah Sa curled up under the blanket, then quietly took his phone and stepped onto the balcony.
The first call he returned was to Liu Xiaoli.
Even though there had only been two missed calls from her, he called back first.
"Auntie, I went to bed early last night."
"How is Qianqian adjusting to the set?"
On the other end, Liu Xiaoli replied softly,
"She's doing fine."
Then after a pause, she lowered her voice.
"Qianqian asked me to remind you…"
"There are too many temptations in the entertainment industry."
"Take care of your health."
Luo Zheng paused for a moment.
That did not sound like something Qianqian would say.
It sounded far more like Liu Xiaoli herself.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"Don't worry."
"I'm very self-disciplined these days."
"Ever since experiencing a certain senior's charm, ordinary beauties no longer catch my eye."
The response came immediately.
"What nonsense are you saying!"
Then the line disconnected.
On the other side, Liu Xiaoli's face was already flushed with embarrassment and anger.
Meanwhile, Luo Zheng simply laughed and put the phone away.
The second call was to Andy Lau.
As expected, it was about the film.
The script for Infernal Affairs had been finalized.
The crew was nearly assembled.
Only the cast remained undecided.
Apparently, many Hong Kong actors had already started making moves behind the scenes, hoping to secure a role.
Originally, Luo Zheng had not planned to interfere with casting.
But since Andy Lau had brought it up personally, he decided to set aside an afternoon to discuss it with the senior crew.
As for the remaining missed calls, he ignored them completely.
By the afternoon, Ah Sa had finally recovered some strength.
Still, she could not help but feel slightly dazed.
Relationships were supposed to be beautiful.
At least, that was what she had always imagined.
But with Luo Zheng…
everything seemed different.
She remembered what Ah Jiao had once casually mentioned about her own relationship.
A short while.
Ten minutes, maybe a little more.
Yet with Luo Zheng…
half an hour felt like the bare minimum.
The difference was so absurd that a strange thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Could it be…
that Edison Chen had a problem?