The underground parking lot of China Film Group was quiet except for the low hum of engines.
Inside a black Mercedes-Benz, two men sat in the back seat with smug expressions.
Zhang Weiping leaned back comfortably, a faint sneer on his face as he looked at the man beside him.
"Old Liu, then it's settled. Don't mess this up when the time comes."
Liu Yanming smiled with confidence, his tone carrying the pride of a veteran who had ruled his field for years.
"Don't worry. In the film world, New Pictures may be the boss, but when it comes to television dramas, Hairen still calls the shots."
He let out a cold chuckle.
"Sniping an outside company that just entered the mainland market? That's not difficult at all."
Zhang Weiping immediately burst into laughter.
"Good! Very good!"
His eyes narrowed with malicious satisfaction.
"That brat offended both of us. Let's see how long he can keep smiling."
The laughter of the two men echoed through the car, making even the driver in front feel a little uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Luo Zheng was still in Han Sanping's office.
After discussing the film reform policies, the conversation naturally shifted toward Hong Kong.
Han Sanping looked at him thoughtfully.
"This film you're so confident about… is it really that good?"
Luo Zheng smiled.
"It's more than good."
He leaned slightly forward, his tone calm but firm.
"If everything goes as planned, it could very well become the film that pulls Hong Kong cinema back from the edge."
Han Sanping's eyes sharpened.
Such praise from Luo Zheng was not something to be taken lightly.
After all, this young man had already proven his vision in Hollywood.
Han Sanping nodded slowly.
"In that case, the import issue can be discussed."
He paused, then added with official seriousness,
"But it still needs to pass mainland censorship."
"Of course."
Luo Zheng nodded immediately.
"Once the final cut is ready, I'll personally bring it to you for review."
"Good."
Han Sanping's expression softened.
"If you have more projects like this in the future, China Film Group is willing to fully support them."
The meaning behind those words was obvious.
Support meant investment.
Resources.
Distribution.
Policy protection.
Luo Zheng naturally understood.
For a company like Blue Whale Entertainment, having China Film Group as a strategic partner would be a massive advantage.
"It would be Blue Whale's honor to work with China Film."
Han Sanping laughed.
"You're young, but you understand the ways of the world better than many veterans."
"You flatter me, Chairman Han."
After leaving China Film Group, Luo Zheng had barely switched on his phone when it immediately rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and smiled.
"Hello, Miss Dong. What's the hurry?"
The voice on the other side came with obvious grievance.
"Brother Zheng, why are you still calling me that? Of course I'm in a hurry—I miss you."
A smile tugged at Luo Zheng's lips.
"Isn't that title good enough? I even thought of a song because of it."
There was a sharp intake of breath from the other end.
"A song?"
Dong Jie's voice instantly rose in excitement.
"You wrote a song for me?"
Her sudden outburst startled several crew members nearby, but she no longer cared.
Her heart was already pounding.
In her mind, this meant something far more important.
It meant Luo Zheng hadn't forgotten her.
Not only that—
he had been thinking about her.
Even if it was just a casual remark, for a woman already emotionally invested, it was more than enough.
Luo Zheng, meanwhile, had simply spoken on impulse.
Actually writing a song?
Impossible.
He didn't even know how to read sheet music.
But empty promises cost nothing.
"We'll talk about the song later."
He smoothly changed the topic.
"You've already joined the crew of The Story of a Noble Family, right?"
"Yes."
Dong Jie quickly answered.
"I joined even before Xixi."
Then, before Luo Zheng could ask further, she immediately added,
"Don't worry, everyone on set likes her very much."
A faint smile appeared on Luo Zheng's face.
Good.
That was exactly what he wanted to hear.
"Alright. I'll visit the set in a few days."
He lowered his voice slightly.
"Don't tell Xixi yet."
Dong Jie's eyes brightened instantly.
"Okay. I'll wait for you."
After hanging up, a sweet smile remained on her face.
Then suddenly—
a voice came from behind.
"Who were you talking to? You look way too happy."
Dong Jie jumped in surprise and quickly turned around.
Standing there was Shu Chang, looking at her with playful curiosity.
Relieved, Dong Jie glared at her.
"You scared me."
Shu Chang giggled.
"Quick, tell me. Was that your boyfriend?"
Dong Jie tried to keep a straight face.
"And what if it was? What would a little girl like you know?"
Shu Chang pouted and immediately chased after her.
"Hey! Don't run away, I'm not done asking!"
By the next morning, the news had already spread across the entire crew.
Dong Jie's boyfriend was coming to visit.
Naturally, this was entirely Shu Chang's doing.
But instead of stopping it, Dong Jie quietly let the rumor spread.
In fact, she even encouraged it.
She understood very clearly why Liu Yifei was treated so well on set.
Even the director and producer treated her with extraordinary care.
Because Han Sanping had personally spoken for her.
And behind that stood Luo Zheng.
As the female lead, Dong Jie had no such backing.
She had talent, yes.
But in this industry, talent alone was never enough.
That was about to change.
As she looked toward Liu Yifei in the makeup room, a trace of jealousy flickered in her eyes.
For the next few days, Luo Zheng was almost overwhelmed with work.
Blue Whale Entertainment's mainland branch was rapidly expanding.
Under Huo Wenxi's leadership, the artist management department had already taken shape.
The remaining departments followed quickly.
Film planning.
Production.
Investment.
Public relations.
Everything was moving at high speed.
During this period, he received countless calls.
Some from Liu Yifei urging him to visit the set.
Some from Fan Bingbing, who had become noticeably more proactive.
Especially after news leaked that Huayi Brothers wanted to cooperate with Luo Zheng.
Her enthusiasm visibly increased.
The photos she sent became more daring with each passing day.
Even Luo Zheng had to admit—
she was becoming increasingly bold.
That afternoon, after finalizing early preparations for Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots with Zhang Hui, Luo Zheng finally decided to leave work early.
But the moment he stepped out of the company building—
chaos erupted.
A large crowd of reporters surged forward from all directions.
Microphones were thrust toward him.
Cameras flashed endlessly.
"President Luo! Is it true your Hollywood film made over ten million dollars?"
"President Luo! Was The Man from Earth really made for only fourteen thousand dollars?"
"President Luo! What do you think about the rumors involving Angelina Jolie?"
The questions came like a storm.
Fortunately, the bodyguards he had hired quickly moved in and shielded him.
Even so, the crowd outside the building continued to grow.
Reporters.
Fans.
Curious pedestrians.
Seeing the situation becoming difficult to control, Luo Zheng raised his voice.
"Everyone, please calm down."
His voice carried authority.
The crowd gradually quieted.
He glanced at the front row reporters.
"I'll answer your questions."
The atmosphere immediately turned electric.
Luo Zheng smiled faintly.
"First of all, thank you for your concern regarding my film."
He paused deliberately.
"The movie officially completed its theatrical run yesterday."
A hush fell over the crowd.
"This morning, I received the final numbers."
He let the suspense build for another moment.
Then—
"The final global box office exceeded 23 million US dollars."
The crowd exploded.
Gasps.
Shouts.
Utter disbelief.
More than 23 million dollars.
That was an astronomical number in the current domestic entertainment market.
But before anyone could fully process it—
Luo Zheng calmly delivered the second blow.
"And according to the revenue-sharing agreement…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"My personal earnings from this film alone have already exceeded ten million US dollars."
This time—
the entire scene completely lost control.