A few days after signing the letter of intent, that planner, Liu, called again, his tone even more enthusiastic than before, even a little obsequious.
"Brother Zhang, I have great news! Mr. Wang, the biggest investor in our film, is very interested in Ms. Ling and Ms. Ye! He's arranged a dinner for tomorrow night at the 'Royal Dynasty Club' in private room 888. He'd like to invite you two to get to know each other and discuss the allocation of promotional resources for the film's later stages. This is a golden opportunity!"
Upon hearing the words "club," "dining," and "investors," Zhang Shaozhong immediately felt alarmed.
Although he has only recently graduated, news about this kind of issue still frequently appears online. Wasn't that a certain popular "Happy Boy" who recently committed suicide by jumping off a building?
This tactic is all too familiar.
This isn't a meal and a chat; it's clearly a trap!
He covered the microphone and lowered his voice to tell Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier what had happened.
Upon hearing this, Ye Meier's eyebrows shot up, and a hint of ferocity flashed in her eyes: "Accompany me to drink? Make me drink with those fat, lousy mortals? What are they! Do they even deserve it?!"
Although Ling Qingxue didn't speak, her eyes instantly turned cold, and her aura seemed to freeze.
Sending her to that kind of occasion would be like sending a phoenix into a chicken coop; it would be a great insult to her.
Zhang Shaozhong quickly said into the phone, "Planner Liu, I'm sorry, but Teacher Ling and Ms. Ye already have plans for the evening and it's not convenient for them. Besides, they're not very good at socializing, so..."
"Hey! Brother Zhang!"
Liu, the planner, interrupted him, her tone leaving no room for argument, "This is President Wang! Our sugar daddy! He specifically asked to see him, how can we not give him face? It's just a meal, getting to know each other, it won't cost us anything! Besides, President Wang has a lot of resources. If we can please him, the subsequent publicity, even the female lead in the next movie, won't be a problem! Young man, you need to know how to seize opportunities!"
The implication in those words is quite obvious.
Zhang Shaozhong's face darkened.
"Producer Liu, I think we've already made things very clear. We're only responsible for filming and don't participate in any off-screen socializing. If Mr. Wang wants to discuss work, we can arrange it during the day, in a formal setting."
His tone hardened.
There was a moment of silence on Liu's end, and when he spoke again, his tone was colder: "Brother Zhang, don't be so stubborn. In this industry, you'll suffer if you don't know the rules. President Wang is no ordinary person. If you offend him, not only will you forget about making this movie, but you'll also have a hard time surviving in this industry! I advise you to think it over carefully!"
After saying that, he hung up the phone without waiting for Zhang Shao to reply.
Zhang Shaozhong put down his phone, his face grim. He knew trouble was brewing.
"What's wrong? Kid, what are they saying over there?"
Seeing that his expression was off, Ye Meier asked.
Zhang Shaozhong repeated Liu's threatening words.
"You bastard!"
Night Enchantress flew into a rage and slammed her hand on the coffee table, instantly causing several fine cracks to appear on the surface of the solid wood coffee table!
"You dare threaten me? Believe me or not, I'll drag that damn CEO Wang out right now and suck him dry!"
Ling Qingxue's face was also frosty as she coldly said, "How dare a mere mortal merchant be so presumptuous? In our realm, such a wicked person would have been cut down by the sword long ago."
Zhang Shaozhong quickly calmed the two murderers down: "Gentlemen, please calm down! This is a society governed by law! We can't act recklessly! We need to resolve this in a civilized manner!"
His mind raced.
A direct confrontation is definitely not an option; the other party is rich and powerful, and will employ both overt and covert tactics.
Call the police?
Without concrete evidence, the police can't intervene in such "invitations."
It seems the only option is to find a way to make the other party back down.
"It seems this movie won't be made."
Zhang Shaozhong sighed, "I'll refuse them right away."
However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease.
The next day, articles began appearing online alleging negative things about the "Tales of Immortals and Demons" duo, such as "acting like divas," "demanding exorbitant prices," and "faking livestream data." Although these were all unfounded, it was clear that someone was deliberately stirring up trouble. A group of paid trolls also flooded the livestream room, spamming it with insults.
Immediately afterwards, a platform manager with whom they had previously collaborated and had a good relationship secretly resent a message to Zhang Shao, saying that someone had contacted them to restrict the recommendation resources for their live stream.
The other party's retaliation came swiftly and ruthlessly!
"Damn it! This is outrageous!"
Zhang Shaozhong clenched his fists in anger as he watched the constant stream of negative news and the declining live streaming data.
Ye Meier was furious, pacing back and forth in the living room: "I can't stand this humiliation! Kid, give me that CEO Wang's address! I'll teach him a lesson tonight!"
Although Ling Qingxue didn't speak, the chill emanating from her fingertips revealed that she was not at peace either.
She looked at Zhang Shaozhong: "Do you have a good plan?"
Zhang Shaozhong forced himself to calm down.
He knew that the other party was using overwhelming capital and resources, and that the three of them, as "individual business owners," would definitely suffer losses if they went head-to-head.
However, they also have "advantages" that the other does not have...
A plan gradually took shape in his mind.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
"Since they don't play by the rules, then we shouldn't play by the rules either."
Zhang Shaozhong looked at Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier, "Fairy, eldest sister, tonight... let's go meet that President Wang!"
Ye Meier's eyes lit up: "Oh? So you're finally going to make your move?"
Ling Qingxue also cast an inquiring glance at her.
"It's not about taking action, it's about... reasoning with them."
Zhang Shaozhong said meaningfully, "In a way that they can 'understand'."
He whispered his plan to everyone.
After hearing this, Ye Meier revealed an excited yet cruel smile: "This is fun! I love it!"
Ling Qingxue pondered for a moment and nodded slightly: "Alright. A small punishment is enough to make them back down, but do not harm mortals."
That evening, following the address sent by Planner Liu, Zhang Shaozhong led Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier to the outside of a top-tier 888 private room at the extremely luxurious and secluded "Royal Dynasty Club".
Pushing open the heavy door to the private room, one finds it filled with smoke. A portly, bald, middle-aged man (General Manager Wang) wearing a gold chain is drinking with two beautiful women, while Planner Liu and several of his henchmen sit beside him.
Upon seeing that Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier had actually arrived, President Wang's eyes lit up instantly. He pushed aside the beautiful woman beside him and flashed what he thought was a very charming, greasy smile: "Oh! Miss Ling, Miss Ye! We've been waiting for you! Please, have a seat! Please have a seat!"
Liu, the planner, also quickly stood up, a smug smile on his face, as if to say: See, in the end, we still had to come, right?
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