Chapter 76

Mr. Zhu finally got his wish and invested in Jianghu Films' new movie.

This matter is actually related to Lu Ye.

Every day, Hu Zhenzhen receives many friend requests on WeChat. With so many people mixed together, she didn't notice President Zhu at first glance.

With the rumored 1 billion yuan investment circulating online, Mr. Zhu was worried, wondering if people would even consider this 10 million yuan investment.

Unable to contact Hu Zhenzhen, he decided to take another approach and contacted director Lu Ye through an intermediary.

An intermediary arranged a dinner, allowing Lu Ye to have a meal with President Zhu.

"Director Lu, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you. You made a really good film about the Dragon Slayer. My daughter watches it every day at home and always says how pitiful the little prince is."

As soon as General Manager Zhu sat down at the table, everyone started offering compliments.

Lu Ye had been to several business dinners with adults and knew they were just polite exchanges, so he smiled and casually replied with a couple of words.

"Mr. Zhu, you're too kind. You're very famous in the industry, a renowned investment expert. Nine out of ten of your projects are profitable. I'm so envious."

What Lu Ye said was true.

This is why Mr. Zhu is so popular in the industry.

He's very good at predicting TV dramas and movies; nine out of ten shows he watches become hits, and he rarely loses money.

Therefore, a large number of investors like to follow Mr. Zhu and invest in the same projects as him.

"Director, you're too kind. I'm not as amazing as people say. No investment is ever successful every time."

Mr. Zhu said a few words with a smile.

He had a kind face and a friendly personality, and he quickly won everyone over with just a few words.

Although it was a business dinner, Lu Ye wasn't forced to drink, which subtly won people's favor.

“I understand what Mr. Zhu means, but our script is still in the preparation stage, and I don’t know whether we need investment at the moment. I’m afraid you’ll have to contact Mr. Hu.”

After talking for so long, Lu Ye finally understood his purpose.

However, the investment was not something he could decide. Hu Zhenzhen's previous plan was also to invest solely in the company. Lu Ye probably guessed what his boss was thinking, so he naturally didn't dare to agree to President Zhu's request.

Mr. Zhu was aware of this, or rather, it was precisely because he was aware of it that he contacted Lu Ye.

“Director Lu, I also want to contact Mr. Hu directly, but the problem is that I don’t have Mr. Hu’s contact information.”

Mr. Zhu was a little embarrassed when he said it.

"I tried to add Mr. Hu on WeChat last time, but I guess he didn't see it, so he hasn't accepted my request yet."

Hu Zhenzhen doesn't easily add strangers as contacts.

Lu Ye understood what Zhu meant when he heard Zhu's words.

So it turns out they didn't want him to get direct investment in the film through back channels, but rather to act as a middleman.

Lu Ye did not agree immediately, saying, "Please wait a moment, let me report to President Hu. President Hu is a person who values ​​privacy, and I am afraid that giving you her phone number directly will only cause misunderstandings."

General Manager Zhu naturally agreed repeatedly.

Lu Ye stood up, walked to the corner of the private room, and made a phone call.

He didn't try to hide the call from anyone. Inside the room, General Manager Zhu was anxiously watching the situation, even his breathing became soft.

"Okay, I'm glad you don't mind."

Upon hearing Lu Ye's words, President Zhu knew there was hope.

Sure enough, when Lu Ye hung up the phone and came back, he immediately gave Hu Zhenzhen's phone number to General Manager Zhu.

"Mr. Hu said he had also heard about Mr. Zhu's story and looked forward to meeting you someday to discuss cooperation."

Mr. Zhu's eyes narrowed into slits with delight.

"That's great. I'll find some time to discuss this with Mr. Hu in detail."

If two people live in different cities and really want to discuss cooperation face-to-face, one of them always has to fly to another city.

Mr. Zhu was the one who took the initiative to seek cooperation, so logically he should have gone to S City and taken the initiative to talk to Hu Zhenzhen.

The two hadn't yet coordinated their schedules, so Mr. Zhu planned to talk to Mr. Hu about the time before flying to City S.

He eagerly opened his phone, only to find that Hu Zhenzhen had just accepted his friend request.

Mr. Zhu excitedly sent a message.

Mr. Hu, I've long admired your reputation and look forward to working with you.

Hu Zhenzhen replied politely. Mr. Zhu knew that it was more reliable to discuss this matter in person, so he arranged a time with Hu Zhenzhen.

The day after tomorrow afternoon, after confirming that Hu Zhenzhen was available, General Manager Zhu immediately bought plane tickets and set aside time to fly to City S.

The two didn't exchange more than a few words, but in Mr. Zhu's eyes, this was already a very good start.

So many people wanted to work with Hu Zhenzhen, and he succeeded. Isn't that amazing?

Mr. Zhu's smile never stopped; he was genuinely grateful to Director Lu Ye.

"Thank you so much, Director Lu, otherwise I really wouldn't have had the chance to get to know President Hu."

He genuinely thought so, and excitedly patted the recording director on the back, thanking him repeatedly.

"If Director Lu ever needs investment in the future, just let me know. I, Zhu, will definitely support you."

Mr. Zhu's words were well-intentioned, but both of them knew that this situation was highly unlikely to occur.

Lu Ye is a director under Hu Zhenzhen, and his future career is tied to Jianghu Film and Television. This means that the lack of investment will basically not happen to Director Lu.

However, Lu Ye still accepted his kindness.

"Thank you for your care, Mr. Zhu."

After exchanging a few polite words, the two were both quite satisfied with the meal.

Hu Zhenzhen does not resist others investing in her.

One person's strength is limited. Without affecting the film's content, Hu Zhenzhen is willing to have more investors come in so that the film can be made even better.

After all, she has a lot of uses for the money. In addition to movies, she also needs to take care of TV series, music, and the salaries of signed new talents.

By this calculation, Hu Zhenzhen's monthly expenses amount to an extremely long figure.

"Mom, are you free today?"

Jiang Chen came in carrying books.

Hu Zhenzhen had just hung up the phone and was looking at the movie script Lei Tao had sent her when she heard this. She turned around and asked, "Come over when you have time. What bedtime story would Xiao Chen like to hear tonight?"

This is a little unspoken understanding between the mother and son.

Whenever Jiang Chen wants Hu Zhenzhen to keep him company, he will come to her with a storybook. At this time, Hu Zhenzhen will definitely put aside her work and tell Jiang Chen a bedtime story.

Jiang Chen had already developed this habit.

He knew his mother had been very busy lately and had refrained from asking for bedtime stories for several days.

It wasn't until today, when he saw Hu Zhenzhen return early, that he took out the storybook.

"Would you like to hear about the Seven Princesses of the Deep Sea?"

Hu Zhenzhen glanced at the storybook in his arms.

"Um!"

Jiang Chen nodded heavily, took Hu Zhenzhen's hand, and went back to his room.

Ever since he started telling bedtime stories, Jiang Chen has had a wooden rocking chair in his room.

Sometimes Jiang Chen would fall asleep during the storytelling.

Afraid of disturbing him when she got up, Hu Zhenzhen changed to reading stories while sitting in the rocking chair.

Jiang Chen is already in elementary school.

He also replaced all these storybooks with text versions, no longer with illustrations like he did when he was a child.

"Deep in the sea lies a mysterious palace, where seven beautiful princesses reside. They are the queens of the sea. One day, the youngest princess, the seventh princess, discovers a mysterious cave..."

Jiang Chen wasn't sleepy at all today. Even after Hu Zhenzhen finished telling the story, his eyes were still wide open, and he didn't seem sleepy at all.

"Would you like to hear another story, Xiao Chen?"

Jiang Chen shook his head.

"Mom, can you tell me about the next movie?"

It's no secret that Jianghu Films' next movie is in preparation, and Jiang Chen, as the son of the company's boss, has firsthand information about it.

He would occasionally go to the company with Hu Zhenzhen, and there he would run into subordinates who came to report to their mother.

The film's script appears to have been polished for a long time.

Jiang Chen had acted in director Lu Ye's film crew for a few days and was very interested in acting, which is why he took the initiative to ask Hu Zhenzhen.

"certainly."

Hu Zhenzhen didn't expect Jiang Chen to ask about this.

She saw interest on Jiang Chen's face and asked him with a smile.

"Xiao Chen, would you like to try acting in a movie?"

Jiang Chen certainly wanted to; after acting in a TV series once, he became somewhat addicted to acting.

Jiang Chen was still young and only knew that he liked acting. He had no concept of his future career or whether his acting skills were good or not.

When Hu Zhenzhen asked, he nodded in agreement, "Is that okay, Mom?"

Jiang Chen scooted up a little and sat up against the headboard.

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for others?"

Jiang Chen has recently started to grow taller, but his personality hasn't changed much; he still likes to consider others.

Hu Zhenzhen said, "Of course it's no trouble. There are already child roles in the script. If Xiao Chen wants to try, Mom will take you to Uncle Lu's place for an audition."

Upon hearing the word "audience," Jiang Chen sat bolt upright in bed.

He has acted in films and television dramas.

But last time, Lu Ye invited him directly, and Jiang Chen had never actually seen what a real audition was like, so he was very interested in it.

When do the auditions start?

Seeing his impatient look, Hu Zhenzhen couldn't help but laugh.

"It will take a long time, don't rush."

The main actors will only be auditioned gradually after the script is completely finalized.

The character that Hu Zhenzhen mentioned is also an important figure in the movie.

Although her role is small, she plays a pivotal role in the film's plot twist.

Such an important role really needs a suitable and talented young actor.

Hu Zhenzhen didn't know if Lu Ye had any candidates, but Jiang Chen had left a good impression on him last time. Hu Zhenzhen thought she would take Jiang Chen to try out, and maybe Jiang Chen's acting skills would win him over.

She seemed quite relaxed.

If I can't play this role, there's another one.

It's not a problem to let my son have a small cameo role in a movie.

As for whether or not to use the footage from that shoot in the final cut, Hu Zhenzhen will not interfere.

The shots are the director's choice, and every choice has its meaning. Hu Zhenzhen wouldn't force the director to choose her shots just because a family member was making a film.

For her, the integrity of the story is always the top priority.

To her surprise, Jiang Chen, though young, thought much like her.

"Does this character really exist, Mom? I don't want Uncle Lu to write one just for me."

Jiang Chen is not old, but he already understands that it is not good to trouble people like this.

Especially after becoming closer to Hu Zhenzhen, Jiang Chen was extremely reluctant to cause her any trouble.

He wants to be with his mother the best in the world, so he cherishes and protects the atmosphere at home and the relationship between them.

"Of course, such characters really exist."

Hu Zhenzhen smiled helplessly. Seeing that Jiang Chen didn't seem to want to sleep, she simply let the child go to her study with her.

"Look, it's written in the script. This character really exists, and he's very important."

Hu Zhenzhen opened that page so Jiang Chen could see the script when that person appeared, saying, "If Xiao Chen doesn't act well, Uncle Lu won't use you."

Hu Zhenzhen was worried that her child would be disappointed if he didn't get selected, so she gave him a heads-up in advance.

This role is indeed important, and both logically and emotionally, we should choose a suitable child actor with good acting skills.

Although Hu Zhenzhen privately believed that her child was definitely not bad, she could not speak for others. The final evaluation of Jiang Chen's performance should be left to Lu Ye, the chief director.

"You might not get elected, Xiao Chen, you need to be prepared for that."

Hu Zhenzhen's words only fueled Jiang Chen's fighting spirit.

He's going to compete with other child actors this time, and he has to perform his best to get the role.

Once Jiang Chen understood this, he immediately perked up.

"Mom, you have to tell me in advance before you go to the audition!"

Jiang Chen was afraid she would forget, so he specially wrote a reminder on a sticky note and stuck it on Hu Zhenzhen's calendar.

[Tell Xiaochen two days in advance of the audition!]

The calendar on Hu Zhenzhen's desk is merchandise from a magical girl anime. Jiang Chen has stuck a piece of paper on the beautiful girl's face, covering half of it.

Jiang Chen only realized it after sticking it on, but it was too late to peel it off.

He drew a smiley face on a sticky note as a last resort.

Hu Zhenzhen suddenly thought of Xiao Jin, who was practicing painting, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay, don't worry, I won't forget."

Jiang Chen only went to sleep obediently after receiving Hu Zhenzhen's promise.

Two days later, Hu Zhenzhen received General Manager Zhu in her office.

Mr. Zhu came with sincerity.

He had already prepared a budget, clearly calculating the investment amount and the proportion, and showed it to Hu Zhenzhen.

Because of the 1 billion investment, his 10 million seemed insignificant, and he never thought of interfering with the production team, making his stance clear from the beginning.

"Don't worry, Mr. Hu, I understand the rules of filmmaking. The worst thing is for investors to interfere with the storyline."

“I would never do that. When I invest, I just invest; I don’t do anything unnecessary.”

He has a good reputation in the industry, and Hu Zhenzhen decided to accept Mr. Zhu's investment after conducting research.

After meeting him in person, Hu Zhenzhen felt even more at ease with him.

When choosing a business partner, you don't necessarily have to choose someone who is very smart, but you definitely shouldn't choose someone who is too cunning.

Just by looking at the contracts that General Manager Zhu brought, Hu Zhenzhen could tell what kind of person he was.

She didn't hesitate much.

After the lawyer confirmed that there were no problems with the contract, he readily signed it and asked Mr. Zhu to take one copy of the contract back with him.

General Manager Zhu had long heard that Hu Zhenzhen was a straightforward and outspoken person.

But he still didn't expect it to be this fast. People in the industry, even if they are fast, still need to have a drink before they can finalize a contract, and it will take some time before it is actually signed and implemented.

He flew all the way here, and he had barely settled into his seat in Hu Zhenzhen's office when the contract was signed.

That's too fast.

"Hey Mr. Hu, how about we grab a bite to eat?"

Mr. Zhu felt a little embarrassed when he asked the question.

After all the business has been discussed, it would be inappropriate to bring up dinner at this point.

Hu Zhenzhen noticed his embarrassment.

That was something she hadn't considered. Most business owners discuss business over meals, filling their stomachs at the same time.

Mr. Zhu was probably used to this approach. As soon as he got off the plane, he went straight to the Jianghu Film and Television building without even having a bite to eat. He was hungry at the moment, and he was a little embarrassed when he asked the question.

Fortunately, Hu Zhenzhen quickly responded with a smile.

"Of course I will. You've come all this way to S City, how can I not show you proper hospitality?"

Hu Zhenzhen stood up.

"Mr. Zhu, you haven't seen the filming base of Jianghu Film and Television yet, have you? Since you've decided to invest, I must take you inside to see it. How about we have lunch there today?"

That would be great.

President Zhu had long heard that Hu Zhenzhen had bought a large plot of land, which she intended to use entirely for film and television production.

Such extravagant things are not something most bosses would do. When Mr. Zhu first heard about it, he couldn't believe it until he saw the photos online and realized it was true.

"That's wonderful! I've been hearing a lot online about how beautifully your film and television base is built, Mr. Hu. I'm so honored to be able to go inside and appreciate the natural scenery, especially since you're personally showing me around."

Mr. Zhu has a naturally smiling face. He is a bit chubby, which makes him exceptionally approachable.

He never made people feel annoyed when he said such flattering things.

“Since you’ve already invested, I certainly can’t let your money go to waste. I’ll take you to see the situation there so you can have a better understanding of the situation.”

Whether a TV series is good or not, the set design and props may not be the most important things.

However, a good drama absolutely requires excellent set design and good actors. These elements are indispensable and must be combined to create a high-quality drama.

This applies to TV series, and it also applies to movies.

President Zhu also understands this principle.

He had seen the TV series "The Dragon Slayer". He actually had a general idea of ​​what the film and television base looked like, but no one would refuse to go and check it out in person.

Who knows, I might even get to know Mr. Hu better on the way.

That way, if there are any future investments, Mr. Hu might be willing to include him in the investment.

This kind of kindness cannot be bought with any amount of money.

The film and television base was neither too far nor too close to the company. General Manager Zhu rode in Hu Zhenzhen's car there, and along the way, he fulfilled his wish to get closer to her.

At least now they don't feel awkward after just a few words.

When they got off the car, Mr. Zhu felt good about himself and was already able to chat and laugh with Hu Zhenzhen.

He had visited several film and television bases and considered himself experienced.

But when I actually got off the bus and saw Hu Zhenzhen's film and television base, I couldn't help but be shocked.

"Mr. Hu, how big of a piece of land did you buy?"

Looking out, Zhu could hardly see the boundary. Generally, film and television bases like this only have key buildings and streets, which is enough for filming.

The filming base will be divided into several areas, which will be rented to different film crews.

However, the film and television base that is now in front of him can be described as a low-budget version of an ancient imperial palace.

Mr. Zhu was so surprised he couldn't close his mouth.

Hu Zhenzhen led the way, guiding him inside.

Mr. Zhu was always amazed by the exquisite carvings and paintings.

Mr. Zhu was surprised once again to see that the entire house was made of bamboo.

When Hu Zhenzhen led him onto a horse by the roadside and walked further into the film and television base, President Zhu was no longer surprised.

Well, it's just riding horses around the film and television base. Given Mr. Hu's style, it would be perfectly normal for him to bring out a pumpkin carriage.

He immediately found a reason for Hu Zhenzhen in his mind, and reluctantly put away his naive and ignorant attitude.

Hu Zhenzhen, on the other hand, thought he was frank.

Even if most people are surprised, they wouldn't show it as obviously as President Zhu.

After all, he was a big boss, and the fact that he could express his surprise so frankly made him seem better to Hu Zhenzhen than those who put on airs.

"Mr. Zhu, you must be tired from walking around. There's a cafeteria up ahead. How about I take you for a quick bite?"

The two had already agreed to eat in the cafeteria here, and General Manager Zhu had no objection, nodding in agreement with Hu Zhenzhen's suggestion.

It was already winter, and as he rode his horse along, the wind felt like knives scraping his face.

Mr. Zhu came from a city where the wind doesn't blow much, and he was quite uncomfortable from the wind, even getting off his horse in a rather disheveled state.

Hu Zhenzhen noticed and wanted to help him up.

Chen Kai, who had been waiting there, acted even faster, helping Zhu up the moment he dismounted.

"Mr. Zhu, are you alright?"

Hu Zhenzhen asked a question out of concern.

"It's alright, it's alright. It's just that the wind is strong in S City, and I'm not used to it yet. Please come in, Mr. Hu. I'll have a cup of hot water to calm myself down."

Hu Zhenzhen went in first. As soon as she entered, the warmth of the heating system dispelled the chill from her body.

"Do you have hot water? Pour me a few cups!"

The film crew's meal times are not fixed, and currently only Hu Zhenzhen's employees are in the canteen.

She has visited several times, and the employees here all know her.

Upon seeing Hu Zhenzhen arrive, he acted swiftly, brewing tea with a large pot of freshly boiled water.

"Mr. Hu, would you like to have lunch here?"

Recently, Jianghu Film and Television has only one new director filming a sitcom, and the cast and crew come to eat every day at 11:00 am.

It was well past lunchtime, and since Hu Zhenzhen had arrived, the chef was naturally preparing to cook again.

"Just cook a few dishes, I'll bring General Manager Zhu to have a look around the base."

After drinking a cup of hot tea, Mr. Zhu felt much better and smiled at the chef, echoing Hu Zhenzhen's words.

"It's okay, I don't have any dietary restrictions, you can cook whatever you want."

The chef was then relieved and went back to work.

"Mr. Hu, I have truly learned something new today. I had heard that the blueprints for your film and television base were drawn by a master craftsman, but now that I have seen it, I know it is all true."

"It lives up to its reputation, it truly lives up to its reputation."

Hu Zhenzhen had put a lot of effort into the base, and she was happy to hear what General Manager Zhu said.

"Indeed, it wasn't easy to invite those masters back then."

She mentioned it casually, and on a whim, added an extra item to their itinerary for the day.

"Mr. Zhu, since you're so interested, I'll take you to the film and television base behind here later. It's even more exciting there."

"Huh? There's more?"

Mr. Zhu exclaimed in surprise.

Before coming, he had specifically inquired about it and had not heard of Hu Zhenzhen having any other film and television bases.

"It's not completely finished yet, but it's almost done."

Hu Zhenzhen casually pointed behind her.

“Look, it’s that mountain further north.”

Oh, and another mountain further north.

Wait a minute, something seems off.

Mr. Zhu choked on his water and coughed for a long time before he was able to speak.

"A mountain!"

Is Jianghu Films planning to make a movie about the Monkey King? They even bought an entire mountain!