Chapter 113 Story [VIP]
Chapter Summary: Treat her like a woman and win her over.
Mu Zhi refused without hesitation: "Sorry, I'm not free. I have an appointment and work to do."
It's not an excuse; I really did make plans with someone.
Mu Zhi had arranged to discuss the role in "Escape from the Game" with director Xu Kuan, but because she was delayed by talking to her agent, she asked Minmin and the others to go ahead first.
She was about to drive there.
When Mu Zhi rejected him, He Junzhi's smile froze instantly, and he looked at Mu Zhi in disbelief.
How dare you refuse me?
"Miss Mu, it's extremely difficult to book a table at Beicheng Xiangting."
Beicheng Xiangting is a very famous restaurant in Beicheng. Many big-name celebrities have visited it. I haven't been there, but I have heard that it is very difficult to book a table.
She also understood the implication in He Junzhi's words, suggesting that she put other things aside.
Mu Zhi took out her phone and glanced at it, a hint of anxiety showing on her calm face: "I'm sorry, I really have something to do."
Excuse me, could you please move aside?
He Junzhi, as the eldest son of the He Group, is always the one being fawned over; no one has ever dared to refuse his invitation a second time.
Although Mu Zhi politely declined, He Junzhi intuitively felt that the woman in front of him did not take him seriously at all.
He Junzhi put his hands in his pockets, his face showing impatience, and his tone became cold.
"When is Miss Mu available? Let's make another appointment."
A hint of surprise flashed in Mu Zhi's eyes. She had thought the other party would be so angry that they would turn around and leave, but it turned out that they were determined to sit down and talk.
Actually, I didn't need to guess what He Junzhi wanted to talk to me about; it was probably similar to what Ji Peng's manager wanted to say when we met at the Star Awards.
Since there were no plans to terminate the contract early, she and He Junzhi didn't have much to talk about.
Being bothered by a piece of chewing gum is quite annoying.
Mu Zhi gave a timeframe that would cool down the other party's enthusiasm without going too far: "One week later."
He Junzhi stared at Mu Zhi, his eyes containing a hint of anger, but he suppressed it.
He pressed his tongue against his left cheek and grinned through gritted teeth: "Fine, one week from now."
"Miss Mu, I admire how you, as a woman, have made a name for yourself in the entertainment industry in such a short time. So I would like to make friends with you. I believe you will be interested in the topics we will discuss."
"Look forward to it, see you then."
After saying that, He Junzhi left with his assistant.
One week later.
A Western restaurant.
Mu Zhi came to the appointment alone.
Perhaps angered by Mu Zhi's previous rebuttal, He Junzhi intended to give Mu Zhi a hard time by replacing Beicheng Xiangting with a well-known Western restaurant that was not difficult to book.
However, perhaps for the sake of convenience in conversation and to demonstrate their wealth, they booked the entire restaurant.
After Mu Zhi sat down, He Junzhi didn't rush to start talking about serious matters.
"Let's order first. Miss Mu, what would you like to eat?"
He handed the menu to Mu Zhi.
Upon opening it, I found that it was written in English and French.
If He Junzhi had investigated the original owner, he would know that "Mu Zhi" was not good at English and naturally did not understand any French.
Mu Zhi wondered if He Junzhi was doing this to make a fool of her. She calmly flipped through the menu page by page.
Seeing that Mu Zhi did not order immediately, He Junzhi pretended to be calm and flipped through the menu, introducing several dishes of the restaurant to Mu Zhi. Then he suggested that Mu Zhi try the restaurant's signature dishes.
Ask Mu Zhi if she needs any help.
Mu Zhi closed the menu and smiled slightly at He Junzhi.
"No."
Turning to the waiter standing to the side, he rattled off several dishes in fluent English.
He Junzhi looked surprised: "I didn't expect Miss Mu to speak English so well."
Mu Zhi smiled, a hint of shyness in her smile: "I did my homework beforehand, memorizing the names of several dishes on the way to the restaurant. We actors are best at memorizing lines."
He Junzhi: "..." He couldn't tell whether Mu Zhi's words were true or false.
Then he asked Mu Zhi what kind of wine she wanted to drink.
Mu Zhi said she rarely drinks, so she's fine with anything.
Seemingly to demonstrate his knowledge of wine, He Junzhi eloquently explained a great deal about wine to Mu Zhi, covering topics such as wine classification, origin, and vintage.
Mu Zhi's polite smile gradually became perfunctory.
When the dishes were served, He Junzhi stared at Mu Zhi's hands, wanting to see if she knew how to use a knife and fork correctly.
Unfortunately, the result was unfortunate.
It was only after a while that I realized that Mu Zhi must have taken a special Western dining etiquette class. Judging from her attire, posture, ordering food, drinking, and dining tonight, Mu Zhi did everything very well and was quite proper.
She was more like a socialite than any of the socialites he had dined with.
"Miss Mu, I'm very happy to have dinner with you tonight."
"I didn't expect that Miss Mu would be even more beautiful and charming off-camera."
Hearing the other person's words mixed with "ambiguity" and "flirting," Mu Zhi, sitting opposite, twitched her lips slightly and felt a chill.
I can probably guess what He Junzhi's eagerness and showing off was all about at the dinner table tonight.
He Junzhi did not regard Mu Zhi as a talent that the company/his own camp needed to recruit.
Instead, he treated her as a woman and tried to win her over.
By engaging in a series of sophisticated and pretentious behaviors at the dinner table, He Junzhi aimed to showcase his extensive knowledge and sense of superiority as someone from an upper class, much like a peacock displaying its plumage to attract the opposite sex.
So that Mu Zhi would develop a sense of admiration for him.
In He Junzhi's view, as the eldest son and heir of the He Group, he was still a minor when countless women showed interest in him. They all coveted his vast and powerful family fortune and wanted to marry into the wealthy family.
No woman can resist the charm of him and his family.
He used a bit of his masculine charm on Mu Zhi, said some ambiguous things, and made Mu Zhi fantasize about their relationship. Then, the things they were going to talk about would be much easier to accomplish.
Now, let's get down to business.
He Junzhi deviated from the expected approach and asked a question first: "Miss Mu, would you be interested in hearing a story?"
Mu Zhi patiently gestured to He Junzhi to speak freely.
If she says she's not interested in listening, He Junzhi will probably come up to her again and invite her to listen to his "story" again.
Let him say whatever he wants to say all at once tonight.
Don't waste her time anymore.
She wanted to hear what kind of empty promises He Junneng could make for himself.
"This story begins 33 years ago..."
33 years ago, the He Group was just a company of average size.
He Hongshuo, the chairman of a group that ranks among the top three on the rich list, is just a boss with a net worth of hundreds of millions.
He Hongshuo had a fiancée, but at a dinner party, he fell in love at first sight with a female celebrity who was very popular in the industry at the time. He then launched a fierce offensive, and soon the two got together and began a secret relationship.
Two years later, they secretly registered their marriage.
One year after their marriage, He Hongshuo's marriage to a female celebrity was exposed, and at the same time, the female celebrity was also rumored to be having an affair with a director she had worked with.
The couple already spent little time together, and He Hongshuo was unhappy that the actress refused to publicly announce her marriage and that she inevitably had contact with other men during filming. He wanted her to take this opportunity to retire from the entertainment industry, but the actress refused. The rumors only added fuel to the fire, and the two had a falling out and divorced.
He Hongshuo married his fiancée soon after his divorce.
"The entertainment industry in the past was not as open-minded as it is now. A female star cultivated a pure and innocent image, but she secretly got married, which was a huge blow to her fans and moviegoers. Some fans even jumped off buildings because they couldn't accept it."
The female celebrity's career plummeted. She went back to her ex-husband, became pregnant, and attempted to force her way back into the limelight, but failed. Too ashamed to stay in Beicheng, she retired from acting.
During the storytelling, He Junzhi made no attempt to hide his disdain whenever he mentioned "female celebrities."
The story is over.
He Junzhi looked at Mu Zhi and said sarcastically, "The shameless female celebrity in the story is He Zhiyue's mother, and He Zhiyue is my father's illegitimate child, a bastard."
His eyes flashed with ruthlessness, a fierce glint mixed with barely suppressed excitement: "I am the rightful heir to the He Group. Lanxing Media is merely a subsidiary of the He Group. He Zhiyue is nothing more than someone who works for me..."
"Once I take over the He Group, I'll be in charge of everything. Miss Mu, you're a smart woman; you should start planning for yourself sooner rather than later."
After hearing this, Mu Zhi's face remained calm, only slightly furrowing her brows as she looked at He Junzhi.
He said in a calm tone, "I have absolutely no interest in the secrets of the wealthy families you've been telling me."
The story He Junzhi told was told before he was even born 33 years ago.
It's obvious which character in the story he heard the version from.
A version of a story told from one's own perspective is naturally more advantageous to oneself.
One-sided accounts should not be taken at face value.
The most ridiculous thing is, does He Junzhi want to ruin Mu Zhi's impression of the boss by belittling He Zhiyue, so as to make her leave Lanxing Media?
Mu Zhi said with a serious expression, "Mr. He, if I may be so bold as to say this, if you are really going to inherit the He Group, it will be at least several years before you do, by which time my contract with Lanxing Media will have expired."
He Junzhi choked, but Mu Zhi didn't give him a chance to waste words and continued:
"I hope you can be clear on one point: whether now or in the future, my choices are not limited to Lanxing Media and Zhongxing Media; there are many other companies in the industry as well."
"I will prioritize which company can best support my acting career. Your stories about wealthy families are irrelevant to me."
Tell He Junzhi to show some sincerity if he wants to poach people, instead of talking nonsense.
He Junzhi thought to himself: The woman sitting in front of him is indeed capable of rising through the ranks in just two or three years. She is very clear-headed and realistic. She is not as easily led by the nose as he imagined.
They had no choice but to put tempting offers on the table.
“Miss Mu, I have been waiting for you for a week to finally have the opportunity to meet you. Of course, I have come with sincerity.”
Zhongxing Media has reserved a partner position specifically for you. Once you join, you'll be an owner of Zhongxing Media, just like Teacher Mao. I'll add another 10% to the revenue share offered by Lanxing Media.”
Then, in one fell swoop, they launched a crisis against Mu Zhi.
"The entertainment industry is very realistic and cruel, especially for female artists. Once they get older and pass 30, it becomes very difficult to play leading roles. In another two years, they will have to play mothers."
Miss Mu, you'll be 24 after the New Year, right? You still have a few years left; you need to start planning for the rest of your life.
Mu Zhi: "..."
He Junzhi didn't notice the slight ripple in Mu Zhi's calm expression, and continued to state the facts with a "I know your situation" look on his face.
“You are just an artist working for Lanxing Media. At least half of your earnings are taken by the company. You have to pay taxes, buy costumes, and give out benefits, bonuses and red envelopes to the team during holidays.”
I checked, and you're going down the movie route to look sophisticated...
He paused for a moment, then a mocking smile appeared on his lips: "By the way, I heard that your next film has already been cast. You're working with a new director for the second time, and the male lead is a newcomer from the company."
"You just finished playing the lead role in a big director's movie, and they're already eager for you to mentor newcomers. If you stay with Lanxing Media, will you have a good future?"
"The combined salary from all the dramas you've done since your debut isn't even as much as a single historical drama starring actresses of your generation. Most of your earnings probably come from endorsements, right? In a couple of years, when even younger girls emerge, brands will likely look for someone else..."
Mu Zhi began to have doubts: Was this person really here to poach her?
Finally, He Junzhi made a surprising turn, saying, "Miss Mu, I really look forward to you joining Zhongxing Media. If we could have a capable wife like you by our side, I believe Zhongxing Media would grow and thrive very quickly. I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart!"
Every word she uttered seemed to be hitting a landmine.
Mu Zhi endured it all, trying to remain calm, so she didn't immediately get up and leave.
She forced a smile and asked in a gentle tone, "Mr. He, you just mentioned wanting me to become a partner of Zhongxing Media. I'd like to know how many shares you'd give me?"
He Junzhi laughed loudly, "This is not a problem, everything is negotiable... As long as you are willing to join us, everything is negotiable."
At this point, Mu Zhi finally understood.
He Junzhi hadn't even thought about how many shares to give, nor had he made any serious promises. He was just thinking of getting something for nothing and luring people over first.
It seems that Mao Hongjun isn't very bright.
After listening to He Junzhi's drawing of a "pie" that was utterly unappetizing.
Mu Zhi immediately replied: "Mr. He, since I signed with Lanxing Media, from a newcomer to my current position, the company has provided me with a lot of support in my career. For example, the resources in film and television, and the career planning, are all tangible and real."
I am very grateful for the company's support and have no intention of terminating my contract at the moment.
You claim to be the future successor of the He Group, and Lanxing Media, as a subsidiary of the He Group, is developing better and better. Isn't that a good thing? There's no reason for you to poach your own people.
A firm and clear refusal: "Sorry, I have no intention of joining Zhongxing Media."
Mu Zhi's words were not tactful at all, and she didn't give He Junzhi any face.
His face was extremely grim, and his tone carried a warning: "Miss Mu, has our negotiation fallen apart?"
"That's right. And there's no need to talk about it again next time. I have to go now. Thank you for dinner."
After Mu Zhi finished speaking, she put the napkin that was covering her lap on the table, picked up her bag and coat, and stood up.
As Mu Zhi passed by He Junzhi, He Junzhi turned around and stared at her.
"etc."
"Miss Mu, I'm giving you one last chance. Think it over. Do you think He Zhiyue can protect you if you dare offend me? From now on..."
Before she could finish speaking, Mu Zhi already guessed what He Junzhi was going to say next. Her patience had run out, and she turned and left.
Did they want to scare her into terminating her contract and signing with the empty shell company, Star Media?
What era are we living in? He Junzhi should think twice before trying to play the ban game.
No matter how powerful the He Group is, that's in the business world; its influence doesn't currently extend into the entertainment industry. Besides, He Junzhi currently only holds a third of the president's position within the group, so he doesn't have much real power.
Otherwise, we wouldn't be so angry to see Lanxing Media thriving.
She doesn't need a boss's protection. If He Zhiyue loses the battle with He Junzhi in the wealthy family, she can simply sign with another company.
Mu Zhi is annoyed by He Junzhi and hopes that the boss, with the male lead's halo, will have the last laugh.
As soon as I stepped out of the restaurant, I was hit by a cold wind.
Mu Zhi shivered from the cold and remembered that she had drunk two sips of red wine and couldn't drive.
I took my phone out of my bag, intending to hail a taxi home.
A car parked not far away turned on its headlights, and then the door opened and a person got out.
Mu Zhi's first reaction was that they were paparazzi, and she was about to turn around and leave.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the person had very long legs and was striding straight toward her, quickly reaching her.
It is He Zhiyue.
[Author's Note]
The next chapter will be a story by Listening to Brother Yue. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 00:35:41 on August 8, 2022 and 00:22:33 on August 9, 2022!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Jiu 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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