5 Let's go, I'll take you back
On Wednesday, the temperature in northern Beijing suddenly dropped, and the sky was blanketed by thick, overcast clouds, a vast, gray curtain. Without time to pack her warm winter clothes, Liu Yuwei threw a short down jacket over her light gray suit and hurried out. Yesterday, Liu Yuwei contacted the head of Starlight Media and arranged to meet that afternoon to discuss specific legal needs. She had originally wanted to ask Xiao Meng to go, but she had another project out on the field, so she had to bring another recently graduated guy from the team. In recent days, Liu Yuwei has been reviewing Starlight Media's materials and reviewing some film and television entertainment contracts and inquiries from publicly listed film and television companies over the past three years. Honestly, she's thinking, Tiancheng might not be the best choice. A law firm is like a hospital; doctors in different departments treat vastly different conditions, and the same is true for lawyers. Every industry relies on staying current with the latest trends. While entertainment law hasn't yet become a distinct field, many lawyers have sensed the market demand and are specializing in providing legal services to the entertainment sector. But the law firm was also open for business; there was no reason for a mere employee like her to turn clients away. … A cold wind whipped the fallen leaves from the ground, the weather freezing. The employees of Starlight Media in Building A of the Beijing North Cultural and Creative Park office area felt as if they were transported to the Xishuangbanna Starlight Night Market, a scene of intense heat and bustle. In the general manager's office, a man who had just entered removed his coat, revealing a three-piece suit and vest underneath. His straight figure was accentuated by the tailored ensemble. "Are you here for a business meeting? You're dressed like a peacock fresh off the red carpet!" Shen Cheng, sitting in the boss's chair, rubbed his chin and teased, "I wonder who you're spreading your feathers for? My female employees will go crazy when we get out." "There's an event tonight, no time for that!" Jin Lang raised his wrist; the meeting was still 20 minutes away. "So, why are you so busy? And why are you coming here? And you even personally recommended a law firm to me?" "Is it wrong for me to care about my own business? The cold winter hasn't even ended yet. One wrong step could capsize our entire business. It's always a good idea to see a few more law firms." Shen Cheng was Jin Lang's college classmate. They'd known each other for years and knew he was a steady hand. Despite all the arguments, he still felt there was something fishy going on, but unfortunately, he hadn't figured it out yet. "Mr. Shen, the lawyer from Tiancheng Law Firm has arrived," the female secretary announced, knocking on the door. The two of them moved to the conference room, where a young lawyer in a suit and tie was already waiting. Jin Lang's face was cold upon seeing the newcomer, but Shen Cheng politely inquired, "Who called me yesterday...?"
On Wednesday, temperatures suddenly dropped in northern Beijing, and the sky was blanketed in thick, overcast clouds, a gray haze like a vast curtain. Without time to pack warm winter clothing, Liu Yuwei threw a short down jacket over her light gray suit and hurried out.
Yesterday, Liu Yuwei contacted the person in charge of Starlight Media and arranged to meet that afternoon to discuss specific legal needs. She had originally wanted to ask Xiao Meng to go with her, but she had another project she was working on, so she could only bring another boy from her team who had recently graduated.
In the past few days, Liu Yuwei finished reading the information of Starlight Media, and also found some film and television entertainment-related contracts and roughly reviewed the inquiry letters from listed film and television companies in the past three years.
If you're honest, Tiancheng might not be the best choice. A law firm is like a hospital; doctors in different departments treat very different conditions, and the same is true for lawyers.
Any industry needs to keep up with the trends of the times. Although the field of entertainment law has not yet become a separate system, many lawyers have sensed the market demand and provide legal services specifically for the entertainment field.
But the law firm is open for business, and there will be no clients coming to it on their own initiative. It makes no sense for her, a worker, to push them away.
…
The cold wind blew the fallen leaves on the ground, and the weather was freezing.
The employees of Starlight Media in Building A of the Beijing North Cultural and Creative Park's office area felt as if they were at the Xishuangbanna Starlight Night Market, hot and noisy, because of the appearance of a certain figure.
In the general manager's office, the man who just walked in took off his coat, revealing a three-piece suit and vest underneath. His straight figure looked even more slender against the backdrop of the custom-made clothes.
"Are you here for a business meeting? You're dressed like a peacock just off the red carpet!"
Shen Cheng, sitting in the boss chair, stroked his chin and teased the other party, "I don't know who the screen is for. My female employees will go crazy when we get out."
"There's an event tonight, no time to bother!"
Jin Lang raised his wrist. There were still 20 minutes left until the meeting time.
"So why did you come here when you're so busy? And you even personally recommended a law firm to me."
"Is it wrong for me to care about my own business? The cold winter hasn't even ended yet. If we make even the slightest mistake, our entire business will be overturned. It's always a good idea to see more law firms."
Shen Cheng is Jin Lang's college classmate. They have known each other for many years and he knows that he is a steady person. Although he has given a lot of reasons, he still feels that there must be something fishy here. Unfortunately, he has not figured it out yet.
"Mr. Shen, the lawyer from Tiancheng Law Firm has arrived." The female secretary knocked on the door to inform them. The two moved to the conference room, where a young lawyer in a suit and tie was already waiting.
Seeing the visitor, Jin Lang's face was cold. Shen Cheng asked politely, "It seems that it was Lawyer Liu who contacted me yesterday. Is she not here today?"
"Hello, Mr. Shen. Lawyer Liu has gone to the bathroom. Please wait for a moment."
Before coming, Liu Yuwei had already told him that the client's boss's surname was Shen. Everyone recognized the face of the person next to him, so the person asking the questions must be Mr. Shen.
After waiting for five minutes, seeing that the person still had not shown up, Shen Cheng was about to ask his secretary to go and urge him, but the person next to him had already stood up, said "I'm going to the bathroom", and strode out of the meeting room.
…
The Cultural Industry Park was an important project of the Beijing North Development Zone in the past two years. This was Liu Yuwei's first visit. The park was strictly controlled and taxis could only stop at the door.
As she walked, Liu Yuwei marveled at the enormous investment made by the development zone government. As she continued against the wind, she decided to come back for a stroll on a nice day.
Liu Yuwei didn't know if it was the cold weather or her iced coffee at noon, but she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She'd suffered from menstrual cramps since she was little, so she never ate anything cold. Her period, which usually lasted a week, arrived on time this month.
She looked around and tried to find a convenience store but to no avail. She quickened her pace and decided to ask the girl at the front desk for help later.
At the front desk of Starlight Media, after Liu Yuwei stated her purpose, the person waiting nearby took the initiative to greet her and introduced himself as Chen, the secretary of President Shen.
Liu Yuwei grabbed Secretary Chen and asked the receptionist to escort her colleague to the meeting room. Women are always quick to understand these occasional awkward situations. Secretary Chen not only provided sanitary napkins but also kindly led Liu Yuwei to the bathroom door.
Before leaving, she patted Liu Yuwei on the shoulder and kindly reminded her, "Your clothes are dirty."
Liu Yuwei sat on the toilet, filled with despair. Her light gray wool trousers were stained with dark stains, and even a simple wipe didn't make them any better. Her abdomen felt like it had been beaten and twisted, causing her internal organs to tremble.
She checked her watch and saw she had five minutes left until the scheduled meeting. As the second party, being late was a big no-no. She tied her down jacket around her waist and opened the bathroom door.
Jin Lang saw Liu Yuwei's figure at the corner of the corridor.
She seemed to have just washed her hands, leaning against the countertop, slightly bent over and covering her stomach. The bright and clear mirror reflected her slightly messy hair and pale lips.
He watched her take out a lipstick from her bag, apply it in front of the mirror, then take a deep breath and turn her head.
Liu Yuwei happened to meet his gaze, and their eyes met. Jin Lang caught the fleeting look of surprise in her eyes.
His gaze stayed on her for only a moment, then turned away, as if he didn't dare to stay too long.
"Let's go this way. We don't have to go through the office area."
He said this expressionlessly, turned around and strode forward.
Liu Yuwei followed him silently, keeping a distance of three steps, and repeatedly reminded herself in her heart to put aside all distractions and to focus on work.
Before entering the meeting room, she felt that her outfit was really strange, so she unbuttoned her clothes at the waist and held them up with one hand to cover her back.
Shen Cheng briefly introduced the Starlight attendees. Besides him, Jin Lang, and Secretary Chen, whom he had just met, there was also a person in charge of the legal department. After the business greetings, the meeting officially got down to business.
"Thank you, Mr. Shen and everyone here, for giving Tiancheng an opportunity to communicate and cooperate." Out of politeness, Liu Yuwei glanced at everyone opposite him, nodded and smiled.
"Before coming here, we've conducted in-depth research on Starlight Media's basic situation, combining it with information publicly available on your company's website and the internet. In recent years, the country has been cracking down on the practice of shady contracts and tax evasion by film and television media companies. I'm sure everyone here is more aware of this than I am."
"Your company has only been established for a short time, and I believe you're in dire need of external professional legal support, which is why you've turned to us. Tiancheng has extensive practical experience in legal consulting, reviewing rules and regulations, and auditing contracts. I believe we can meet Xingguang's daily legal needs."
After Liu Yuwei finished speaking, she felt like she had exhausted all her strength. She unscrewed the bottle of mineral water in front of her, and the cold water in her mouth only irritated her nerves even more.
Jin Lang saw this scene. He tilted his head and explained to Secretary Chen that his throat was a little uncomfortable and he wanted a glass of warm water.
The secretary observed his expression and instantly understood his true purpose. Three minutes later, everyone had another cup of hot tea in front of them.
However, Liu Yuwei was unaware of all this, because the head of the legal department quickly posed the most incisive question after her opening remarks: "With all due respect, Tiancheng lacks benchmark cases in the entertainment industry."
Negotiating with clients is like a job interview. Fortunately, Liu Yuwei has accumulated a large number of "question banks" in his mind over the years, and can call upon templated standard answers at any time.
She nodded slightly and answered calmly.
"It is undeniable that Tiancheng did not have any film and television companies as clients before, but in the media field, we have provided professional legal services to many advertising companies and sports companies, and have received high praise and satisfactory feedback from our clients."
"Last year, Tiancheng handled a virtual character IP rights confirmation case that is similar to the digital asset protection issue your company faces. This ability to provide non-standard legal solutions is exactly the defensive moat that emerging film and television companies need most."
Seeing no response, Liu Yuwei continued, "As I mentioned earlier, my commercial team is primarily responsible for contract drafting and legal review, and we have extensive experience. In addition, Tiancheng also has specialized intellectual property and investment and mergers and acquisitions teams, each with deep expertise in their respective fields."
"In the future, Tiancheng will be able to provide comprehensive, one-stop legal services for Starlight in every aspect of its film and television drama development, including copyright registration, rights protection litigation, project financing planning and negotiation, ensuring that your company has no legal worries."
She took a sip of water, and the warm liquid slid down her throat. Seeing that the head of the legal department still looked serious, she thought for a moment and spoke again.
"In my opinion, while the entertainment industry has its own unique characteristics, it is essentially no different from other fields. We all need to provide precise and professional legal services based on the actual needs of the industry."
“As professional lawyers, we know that only by deeply understanding the specific needs of each client can we provide the most appropriate and high-quality services.”
As she spoke, there was a barely perceptible tremor in the tail end of Liu Yuwei's voice. She calmly placed her hands under the table and quietly pressed them against her lower abdomen, trying to relieve the pain from interfering with her thoughts.
"Therefore, I personally believe that, rather than simply applying past experience serving other clients, Tiancheng can tailor a brand-new, flexible and adaptable legal service plan specifically for Xingguang's specific circumstances. This is not a disadvantage, but rather a unique advantage, enabling it to better meet Xingguang's legal needs at different stages and in different business scenarios."
Liu Yuwei's explanation helped Tiancheng regain some ground. The two sides continued to discuss the future development direction of Starlight Media and the specific form and content of Tiancheng's legal services.
Seeing Jin Lang repeatedly looking down at his watch, Shen Cheng thought he was worried about affecting his subsequent schedule, so he told Liu Yuwei that after the meeting, Tiancheng would provide a detailed service plan and quotation standards, and the company would conduct further research and decision-making.
During the whole meeting, Jin Lang never spoke a word. His tense brain nerves and almost exhausted body made Liu Yuwei almost ignore his existence.
When the meeting was over, everyone stood up. Shen Cheng told Secretary Chen to see them off. Suddenly, everyone heard Jin Lang's cold voice, "Lawyer Liu and I are old classmates. It's been a while since we last met. Let's chat for a while. You can go first."
Liu Yuwei, like everyone else, was filled with surprise. She looked at Jin Lang and saw a perfectly balanced smile on his face, like the joy of reuniting with old friends.
But Liu Yuwei knew that he was an actor with superb acting skills.
After everyone left, they were the only two left in the conference room. Liu Yuwei leaned against the edge of the table, his voice a little frivolous, "Why, you still want to reminisce with me?"
Jin Lang stared at her quietly. Liu Yuwei's face was pale, and her red lips looked even whiter than a sheet of paper. A few strands of hair fell on one side of her cheek, making her look pitiful. When she asked the question, her eyes had removed the disguise and defensiveness that they had when they first met.
After a long while, without getting an answer, Liu Yuwei looked up and saw him staring out the window.
“Ah, it’s snowing!”
She whispered softly, surprise in her voice.
"Let's go, I'll take you home!" Jin Lang retracted his gaze, turned around, picked up his coat, and walked towards Liu Yuwei.
"Don't bother, I can just take a taxi myself."
Liu Yuwei subconsciously refused, but before she could finish her words, she had another spasm. She covered her abdomen and her body bent slightly uncontrollably.
"Just think of it as Party A providing a pick-up service."
Seeing that Liu Yuwei still didn't say anything, he sneered, "I've already hugged you, there's no need to be so stubborn now."
Liu Yuwei knew that he was trying to motivate her. Looking at the falling snow outside the window, she thought that it was difficult to get a taxi on a snowy day, and that if she walked to the park gate again in the cold wind, she would probably be half dead.
No longer struggling in her heart, she finally compromised and said slowly, "Then I'll trouble you."
She forced herself to stand up, put on her down jacket, and subconsciously tried to cover the stains on her clothes with her bag.
The next second, the scene in front of them suddenly darkened and their vision was blocked. Jin Lang approached without warning, and the two could feel each other's breath in an instant.
He draped his coat over Liu Yuwei's shoulders, then brought his hands together and tugged at the collars on both sides. The action seemed casual, but it was also filled with a certain degree of caution.
Liu Yuwei felt her body stiffen instantly, and a moment later, her entire body seemed to be enveloped and enveloped by his aura. She raised her head in a panic, only to see that he had already turned and pushed open the door to the conference room.
Jin Lang is tall, and his oversized winter coat easily covers Liu Yuwei's hips. But if she were to walk out with him wearing his clothes like this, if someone saw and photographed her, it would probably be a hot topic on the Internet tomorrow.
As if he saw through her thoughts, Jin Lang slowly said, "Go to the elevator that way and wait for me at B2. I want to talk to Shen Cheng again."
Liu Yuwei secretly breathed a sigh of relief, watched Jin Lang's figure disappear around the corner, and then slowly walked out with heavy steps.
Walking into the elevator, she leaned against the horizontal bar, feeling that all the strength in her body had been drained, and every brain cell was transmitting pain. This cup of iced coffee really hurt her badly.
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, before the door was completely closed, she saw Jin Lang striding out from another elevator.
Seeing her standing obediently by the glass door, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing an imperceptible smile, and he said, "Let's go!"
Through the thick coat and down jacket, Liu Yuwei vaguely felt a hand gently touching her lower back, but when she turned her head to look, Jin Lang had already walked in front of her, leaving behind a tall and slender back.
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