novellhall Chapter 10 Little Stutterer
Chapter 10 Little Stutterer
Fulimen Tea House.
Wang Yalin's manila envelope lay on the table, the script cover bearing the four characters "Mong Kok Streets" in thick, dark ink. Lin Dong flipped through a couple of pages and closed it.
"How much should I invest?"
Wang Yalin immediately replied, "Three million Hong Kong dollars is enough."
Lin Dong didn't answer, but turned his head to look at Li Jiaxin beside him. The meaning in his eyes was clear—are you interested? Will you act or not?
Wang Yalin noticed. Her fingers clenched tightly under the tablecloth. It's over. Lin Sheng is trying to promote someone he considers his own.
But the script for this role features an ordinary girl on the streets of Mong Kok, with short hair, no makeup, and a stubborn personality—completely different from Li Jiaxin's delicate, half-Chinese, half-Portuguese face. She can't play the role; forcing it would only be a disaster.
But if Li Jiaxin agrees, can she stop her? No. If Li Jiaxin doesn't agree, will Lin Sheng still vote? I don't know.
Wang Yalin's lips were pressed into a thin line as she looked at Li Jiaxin, her heart pounding in her throat.
Li Jiaxin shook her head.
Concise and to the point. Not a single word was spoken, yet the meaning was fully conveyed.
Wang Yalin's clenched fingers loosened instantly, but then clenched again—if Li Jiaxin doesn't act, will Lin Sheng still vote?
Li Jiaxin leaned back in her chair, her expression calm. She had long since lost her passion for acting. A film would take several months to shoot, earning her a few million yuan in salary, but after deducting commissions and taxes, the amount she actually received was just so-so.
Last night, her stock trading machine screen kept changing all night, with each change bringing in hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars.
Acting? There's no need for that anymore.
Wang Yalin shifted her gaze from Li Jiaxin back to Lin Dong's face, waiting nervously.
Andy Lau held his teacup, remaining silent. He had already done his duty as a friend by inviting Lin Dong. He wouldn't say another word.
Lin Dong thought for a moment and asked, "Who do you prefer for the female lead?"
Wang Yalin paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "The director prefers Li Zhi."
Li Zhi. A little stutterer.
Lin Dong's eyes lit up.
The girl in "Young and Dangerous" who stutters and looks up at Chan Ho-nam has the most heartbreaking face in Hong Kong movies.
She possesses a pure yet resilient spirit, and beneath her stubbornness lies a soft heart; she is the kind of woman that makes men want to protect her at first glance.
"Five million." He pushed the script back onto the table, his tone casual. "Hurry up."
There was a moment of silence on the table.
Lin Dong made no attempt to hide his interest in Li Zhi. From the moment he heard that name, the change in his eyes was clearly visible to everyone present.
Wang Yalin saw it, Andy Lau saw it, and Li Jiaxin saw it too.
Nobody saw anything wrong with it. In this industry, does a sugar daddy need to hide which actress he's interested in?
No need.
Li Jiaxin simply moved her hand from the table to Lin Dong's arm and hugged him tighter. The grip wasn't strong, but it was enough for him to feel—she was there. This was her place. You can have your fun, but don't forget me.
Lin Dong patted the back of her hand.
Wang Yalin took a deep breath, put the script back into the envelope, and her movements were several times more efficient than before.
"Mr. Lin, I'll start the pre-production work immediately. Actor contracts, crew setup, location scouting—all within a week. Could you please grace us with your presence on the first day of filming?"
"Okay." Lin Dong stood up. "Get the project approved as soon as possible, and start filming as soon as possible."
"Don't worry, Mr. Lin."
Wang Yalin stood up and bowed. There was a light of relief in her eyes—three million had become five million, the leading actress was Ding Lizhi, and the sugar daddy was present in person.
This project has come to fruition.
Lin Dong turned and walked out, with Li Jiaxin taking his arm.
Before he even reached the elevator, his phone rang.
"Mr. Lin, a few days ago you asked me to spread the word that we were recruiting professional managers, and one of them has come to us." It was Xiang Yeqiang's voice on the other end of the phone.
"Who?"
"Chan Yan-kin. Former CEO of Metro Radio, and a veteran of the film industry who has worked at Shaw Brothers and Capital Artists."
Xiang Yeqiang paused for a moment, then said, "He heard that you're going to set up a film investment company in Hong Kong and he's very interested."
"Who is he?"
"He started as a police superintendent. He resigned in 1976 to enter the entertainment industry, working his way up from screenwriter to producer, and from producer to management. He was the general manager of Capital Artists Records and the CEO of Metro Radio."
Xiang Yeqiang's tone was somewhat solemn, "This person has connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds, and he does things cleanly. Mr. Lin, you can meet him."
Lin Dong was silent for two seconds. When he released the information, he didn't have high expectations. There were many seasoned veterans in the Hong Kong film industry, but not many who truly understood management and could keep an eye on the money for him.
A person with a police superintendent background and experience in the entertainment industry took the initiative to approach you—it was like a dream come true.
"Xiang Sheng, make me a reservation, right now. Fu Lin Men."
After hanging up the phone, he turned to Li Jiaxin and said, "Don't leave yet, sit for a while longer."
Li Jiaxin didn't ask why, and took his arm as they walked back to the teahouse.
Twenty minutes later, a middle-aged man in his early fifties walked into Fu Lin Men.
He wore a gray suit, no tie, and his hair was neatly combed. His steps were neither fast nor slow, and his back was ramrod straight. It wasn't a deliberately erect posture; it was a habit formed over decades.
A police superintendent's true abilities cannot be hidden.
"Mr. Lin." He extended his hand, his smile perfectly timed. "Chen Xinjian."
Lin Dong stood up and grasped his hand. The pressure was just right, neither too soft nor too hard.
"Mr. Chen, please have a seat."
Chen Xinjian sat down, his gaze lingering on Lin Dong's face for a moment. He didn't scrutinize him much, but his professional observation skills were almost instinctively revealed.
Li Jiaxin poured him a cup of tea, and he nodded his thanks without giving her another glance.
"Mr. Lin, I heard you're looking for a professional manager." He got straight to the point. "My term at Metro Radio has just ended. I'm very interested in the opportunity you're offering."
Lin Dong leaned back in his chair and looked at him.
"Mr. Chan, I know your resume. You started as a police superintendent, entered the film industry in 1976, were the general manager of Capital Artists, and the CEO of Metro Radio."
He paused for a moment, then said, "With your qualifications, there aren't many places in Hong Kong that can afford to hire you. Why did you approach me?"
Chen Xinjian picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Mr. Lin, you know better than I what the Hong Kong film industry has been like these past few years. With the financial crisis, less than half of the film crews were able to start production last year. I've seen too many people who were spending money like water when they were successful, but who couldn't even afford to buy lunch on credit when they were down on their luck."
He put down his teacup, looked at Lin Dong, and said, "But you're different. You come from Wall Street, and your money operates systematically. Moreover, you need someone to keep an eye on all your investments."
Lin Dong looked at him and smiled.
This person has definitely done their homework.
"Mr. Chen, listen carefully." Lin Dong leaned forward slightly. "I, Lin Dong, don't care whether the film loses money or not. If it makes money, that's icing on the cake. If it loses money, that's my problem."
He stared into Chen Xinjian's eyes.
"But I don't want anyone cheating me out of my money. Not a penny less. Can you do this for me?"
Chen Xinjian did not avoid his gaze.
"Mr. Lin, I've been a policeman for eleven years, rising to the rank of superintendent. My greatest skill in life is knowing who's lying."
His tone was calm, as if stating a fact that didn't need proof: "I can spot the tricks in the ledgers with my eyes closed. As for the falsifications on set, I can tell just by standing there watching for a day."
Lin Dong nodded.
"Okay. Annual salary of four million Hong Kong dollars. Bonus of seven hundred thousand."
Chen Xinjian raised an eyebrow slightly. This number was significantly higher than when he was at Metro Radio.
"Mr. Lin, this price—"
"It's worth it." Lin Dong interrupted him. "What I need you to do is more than just keep an eye on the books. I need you to set up a film investment company for me in Hong Kong."
I've finalized three film investment projects, and you'll be in charge of overseeing them all. You'll be responsible for everything, from initial funding disbursement and progress monitoring to final settlement and auditing.
He held up one finger.
"The company's operating expenses are ten million Hong Kong dollars. This money—" He turned his head to look at Li Jiaxin.
Li Jiaxin is drinking tea.
Her hand holding the cup froze in mid-air as she glanced at Lin Dong.
"Jiaxin, you put up ten million."
She didn't ask why. Not a single question. She put down her teacup and nodded.
"it is good."
Chen Xinjian's gaze swept back and forth between Lin Dong and Li Jiaxin.
The woman's reaction was even more decisive than he had expected. Ten million Hong Kong dollars, without asking where it would be used or when it would be returned, she agreed with a single word.
Chen Xinjian has been in this industry for over twenty years. He has seen women take money from men's pockets and men spend lavishly on women, but this is the first time he has ever seen a woman take out her own hard-earned money and hand it over to a man without asking why.
He felt that Lin Dong was of even greater importance to him.
Chen Xinjian didn't linger on this topic, turning to Lin Dong: "Mr. Lin, what should we do with this money?"
"You'll be fully responsible for the company's registration, office, personnel, legal affairs, and finances," Lin Dong said. "I only have one requirement—speed."
"Understood." Chen Xinjian nodded. "The company will be up and running within a week."
"And another thing," Lin Dong glanced at him, "you have to sign off on every single expense for those projects. Not a single penny can be touched without your signature."
"The production crew needs expense reports, bring invoices. Actors need their salaries, bring contracts. Materials need to be purchased, bring price lists. If anything is missing, no payment."
"Mr. Lin, don't worry." Chen Xinjian looked at Lin Dong. "I've been in the police force for eleven years, and I've interrogated more people than you've ever met an actor. They can't outmaneuver me."
Lin Dong extended his hand.
"Mr. Chen, it's a pleasure doing business with you."
Chen Xinjian grasped his hand. This time, the grip was a bit stronger than when he entered.
"Lin Sheng, I won't let you down."