novellhall Chapter 15 The Dark Horse Takes Flight
Chapter 15 The Dark Horse Takes Flight
March 30th, Tsim Sha Tsui.
An hour before the press conference began, when Lin Dong and Li Jiaxin entered the hotel lounge, the main actors, including Xiang Yeqiang, Wang Jing, and Andy Lau, had already arrived.
Xiang Yeqiang stood up to greet him, his smile even more sincere than usual. "Mr. Lin, come, come, sit here."
He personally pulled out a chair and waited for Lin Dong to sit down before sitting down beside him. Wang Jing and Andy Lau sat on either side, while Li Jiaxin sat next to Lin Dong, her hand resting on his arm.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xiang Yeqiang changed the subject.
"Mr. Lin," he picked up his teacup, his tone even lighter than before, "that news in the newspapers these past few days—Miss Li's unrealized profit of over twenty million in US stocks—has spread throughout Hong Kong. I, Xiang Yeqiang, have been in Hong Kong for so many years, and to be honest, I've never seen such accurate insight."
He put down his teacup, folded his hands on his knees, and lowered his posture considerably.
"Mr. Lin, I won't beat around the bush with you. You've worked on Wall Street, so your judgment is definitely much better than a country bumpkin like me."
I work in the film industry; I don't know anything about stocks. But if it's convenient for you anytime, Mr. Lin, just mention it—just one sentence—and I'll remember it for the rest of my life.
Wang Jing sat beside him, holding a teacup, a smile on his chubby face, but didn't say a word. Andy Lau sat upright, his gaze fixed on the table, as if there was something in that cup of tea worth studying.
Of course they wanted to too.
But why? Lin Dong invests in movies because movies can help him promote people, and he helps people speculate in stocks because Li Jiaxin is his person.
Who do they think they are? Only by making a good film and creating something of value do they have the right to speak.
Wang Jing knew this better than anyone else, and Andy Lau knew it even better than him.
Lin Dong picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"As for the stock market, I rely on some news and trends from abroad, and occasionally I catch a wave of opportunities." He put down his teacup, his tone calm. "It's not always accurate."
Xiang Yeqiang nodded immediately.
"And I only touch US tech stocks." Lin Dong looked at him. "I'm not familiar with Hong Kong stocks, and I don't invest in them casually."
The words weren't harsh, but Xiang Yeqiang understood. The boundaries were clear—US stocks, tech stocks, and nothing else.
"If there's a really big market move, I'll invest heavily myself." Lin Dong's tone became a bit more serious. "If you trust me, you can use a small amount of money to follow along. But I have two rules."
Xiang Yeqiang sat up straight. "Lin Sheng, just tell me, and I'll do as you say."
"First, don't ask about the code, the timing, or the principles. If I let you in, you come in; if I let you leave, you leave. Don't ask why."
"Secondly," Lin Dong held up a second finger, "you bear the profits and losses yourself. I won't take responsibility if anything goes wrong, and don't say a word about it to anyone else."
He looked at Xiang Yeqiang, his tone was calm, but every word he spoke was unquestionable.
"If you can accept this, I'll call you next time. If you can't, just pretend you didn't hear this. We'll continue to cooperate as usual."
Xiang Yeqiang didn't hesitate for even a second.
"Mr. Lin, of course, no problem." He smiled and raised his teacup. "It's my good fortune, Xiang Yeqiang, that you're willing to give me pointers. I know the rules, I'll keep my mouth shut, and I'll take responsibility for my mistakes. Come, let's have tea instead of wine."
The two teacups clinked together.
Wang Jing and Andy Lau also raised their teacups, but their cups were always a inch lower than Lin Dong and Xiang Yeqiang's.
The press conference is scheduled for 10 o'clock.
The hotel's banquet hall was fully decorated by Wang Jing—a long table covered with red velvet, a statue of Guan Yu in the center, and roast suckling pigs and several plates of fruit on either side of the incense burner.
Three cameras were set up side by side in front of the table, covered with red cloth, waiting for the moment to be lifted.
The process went smoothly. Xiang Yeqiang, representing the production company, went on stage and said a few polite words.
Wang Jing took it and gave a brief introduction to the cast and story of "Prince Charming," his chubby face beaming.
Then came the offering of incense—Lin Dong, Xiang Yeqiang, Wang Jing, Liu Dehua, Li Jiaxin, Zhang Jiahui, and others took turns receiving three sticks of incense to pay homage to heaven, earth, and people.
Flashes of light came from all directions, illuminating the incense table in a blinding white glow.
Finally, the red cloth was lifted.
Lin Dong and Xiang Yeqiang each grabbed a corner, causing the red silk to slip down, exposing the lenses of three cameras to the light simultaneously.
Wang Jing shouted in a powerful voice, "The Dark Prince - filming officially begins!" and applause and camera shutters rang out.
According to the schedule, the next step is for the main creators to accept media interviews, which can also be considered as a form of advance publicity.
Andy Lau, Li Jiaxin, and Zhang Jiahui were invited to the front of the stage. Wang Jing stood between the two, answering reporters' questions with his pregnant belly sticking out.
Everything was proceeding as planned—until the topic started to veer off course.
"Mr. Lin!" A tall, thin reporter wearing glasses shoved the microphone through the crowd. "There are reports that Ms. Li Jiaxin has profited over 20 million through US stocks, and sources indicate that you were behind it. Is that true?"
"Mr. Lin, since you're helping Ms. Li with stock trading, will you also be involving other celebrities?"
"Mr. Lin, with a net worth of two billion US dollars, how much of your portfolio is actually held in the US stock market?"
Microphones were shoved one after another in front of Lin Dong. The actors on stage, such as Andy Lau and Li Jiaxin, became mere background figures.
Lin Dong raised one hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today for the opening ceremony of 'Prince Charming.' This is director Wong Jing's masterpiece, and it's the project that Andy Lau, Jiaxin, and the other leading actors will be dedicating themselves to over the next few months. I hope you will all focus your attention on the film."
His tone was not harsh, but his gestures were clear—that's enough.
Most reporters wisely withdrew their microphones.
But then another person squeezed up from the back of the crowd. He was in his early thirties, wearing a wrinkled plaid shirt, with an Apple Daily reporter's badge around his neck, and the microphone in his hand was almost poking Lin Dong in the chest.
"Mr. Lam! There are rumors that your two billion US dollars in the United States are of dubious origin, and that you were forced to renounce your citizenship and return to Hong Kong because you were helping Wall Street launder money. How do you respond to this?"
The banquet hall fell silent for a moment.
Apple Daily. In 1998, this newspaper was pushing paparazzi culture to its extreme in Hong Kong—stalking, taking photos secretly, fabricating stories, and paying for news; they used every despicable means imaginable.
Lin Dong looked at the reporter, his gaze moving from the reporter's face to the press card on his chest, and then back to his face.
"You can get out now."
The sound wasn't loud, but everyone in the banquet hall could hear it clearly.
The reporter froze for a moment, then blushed. "Mr. Lin! I'm a reporter, I have the right to conduct interviews—"
Xiang Yeqiang had already stood up. He waved towards the door, and two security guards immediately came up from both sides, grabbing the reporter's arms on either side.
"What are you doing! I'm a reporter! You can't—"
He was dragged out, and in the struggle, the microphone fell to the ground and was kicked into a corner by security. The banquet hall doors opened and closed, his shouts being shut out like a fly being thrown away.
Xiang Yeqiang turned around and smiled at the reporters present. "Excuse me, everyone. Today we'll only talk about the movie, nothing else. Please continue."
The microphone was turned back to Andy Lau and Li Jiaxin. Wang Jing promptly took over the conversation, using his usual slick tone to bring the atmosphere back on track.
The flashbulbs went off again, as if the scene from just moments ago had never happened.
Lin Dong turned and walked towards the lounge. Xiang Yeqiang followed.
"Mr. Lin, that reporter—"
"You can handle it."
Xiang Ye nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Having worked in Hong Kong for so many years, he has a hundred ways to shut up a paparazzi from Apple Daily.
Lin Dong knew this in his heart. His anger wasn't impulsive.
First, Apple Daily isn't worth tolerating. Second, it's a message to the Hong Kong entertainment circle—Lam Tung isn't someone to be trifled with; anyone who wants to use him for their own purposes should think twice.
The two entered the lounge. Two men in black suits were already waiting at the door.
The taller one is called A-Qiang, and the shorter one is called A-Wei.
Chen Xinjian found him.
Yesterday, Chen Xinjian completed all the formalities for Tengda Film and Television Investment Company—registration, lease, and personnel structure were all settled in one go.
Also submitted were these two personnel files. Ah-Qiang and Ah-Wei were both retired G4 members—the Hong Kong VIP Protection Unit.
Chan Yan-kin used all the connections he had in the police force back then.
The most crucial thing was the gun license. Chen Xinjian obtained Class C security personnel licenses for the two of them—licenses that allowed them to legally carry firearms to perform security duties.
In Hong Kong, the licensing process for armed security guards is extremely rigorous, requiring qualifications in character, physical fitness, firearms handling, and employment documentation.
But who is Chan Yan-kin? He started as a superintendent in the Criminal Investigation Department, served in the police force for eleven years, and was promoted to Chinese superintendent in 1975. He could know the entire Hong Kong police system with his eyes closed.
For him, obtaining two gun licenses was just a matter of making a phone call.