Reborn in the Hong Kong entertainment industry in the 1980s

Philip slowly refilled Hu Xiaoxiao's wine glass, reciting stories about red wine and his appreciation of fine wine as if reciting poetry.

Hu Xiaoxiao listened patiently to him finish speaking and praised, "Mr. Philip is very good at appreciating wine, just as he is very good at doing business."

After taking a sip of red wine, Hu Xiaoxiao changed the subject and said, "Speaking of business, Shengshi will allocate some of its focus to distribution."

Both Hong Kong and mainland China produce a large number of films every year, especially mainland China, where the number of films is increasing annually. In Hong Kong, Shengshi Group, with its largest cinema chain, is highly sought after by film companies for distribution. After entering the mainland market, Shengshi has partnered with major film companies and has plans to build the mainland's premier cinema chain, making its future distribution business in mainland China very promising.

"I wish Miss Xiaoxiao's business continued success." Philip offered his congratulations, but a pang of jealousy welled up inside him. So young, so much younger than him, yet she had become a regional film mogul, wielding absolute power—far more powerful than him.

“Yes,” Hu Xiaoxiao said. “Shengshi’s distribution business will not only focus on domestic productions but also on importing films internationally. *The Magic Contract* is tentatively set to be Shengshi’s first film imported from Hong Kong. However, if Mr. Philip has other ideas, Shengshi will not wait for Hamlet Company’s response; we will cooperate with other Hollywood film companies. Mr. Philip, if any imported films clash with *The Magic Contract*, I can only apologize in advance.”

Philip's face instantly darkened. "Miss Xiaoxiao, what do you mean by this? You're the female lead in 'The Magic Contract,' shouldn't you be contributing to the film and earning more money? How can you make 'The Magic Contract' take a backseat for other films?"

Hu Xiaoxiao responded with the pragmatic attitude of a businesswoman: "If 'The Magic Contract' doesn't bring more profit to Shengshi, why should I accommodate 'The Magic Contract'? No matter how much money 'The Magic Contract' makes, it's meaningless to me if Shengshi doesn't get a share. As for the female lead, I've already received my salary, and no matter how much the others earn, it's none of my business."

“Miss Xiaoxiao, I didn’t say we wouldn’t give the distribution rights to Shengshi. It’s just that business matters need to be discussed in detail. Let’s take it slow, shall we?”

“That’s right, Mr. Philip is right. If you want to talk, we’re happy to oblige. If you prefer to take your time, we can talk for a year or two. However, screen time is very scarce, and the quota in mainland China is even tighter. They won’t wait for anyone. I think Hamlet Company understands this all too well.”

Every year, countless foreign films attempt to enter the mainland Chinese film market. However, quotas are limited, leading to fierce competition among film companies to secure even a single quota, employing a variety of tactics. Some film companies even lower themselves to collaborate with mainland companies in co-productions, as co-productions are not subject to quota restrictions.

It is believed that with the development of the mainland film market, there will be more and more co-productions.

Although Hu Xiaoxiao starred in "The Magic Contract" as the female lead, "The Magic Contract" was not a co-production. Firstly, Shengshi's mainland companies did not participate in the investment, and secondly, without mainland approval or permission, the film could only enter the mainland film market by competing for quotas.

As the director of Hamlet's Company and the producer of "The Magic Contract," how could Philip not understand these principles? Why was he willing to pay Hu Xiaoxiao such a high salary? Wasn't it because he valued the film and television giant company that cooperated with Shengshi? Wasn't it all to leverage Hu Xiaoxiao's connections, hoping for some leniency when it came to allocating quotas, and to secure as many screenings as possible?

Now that Shengshi is going to cooperate with other Hollywood companies, it will definitely only help the Hollywood film companies it cooperates with to secure quotas and screenings, and among these companies, there must be competitors of Hamlet's Company.

Philip began calculating the gains and losses of various interests, trying to secure as much benefit as possible. Hu Xiaoxiao stood up and said, "Mr. Philip likes making money, and so do I. So, I'll choose to cooperate with whoever can bring me more profit. You two continue your discussion. I'll be leaving now. I'm going back to my country tomorrow and need to buy some souvenirs for my friends."

After saying that, Hu Xiaoxiao picked up her bag and left.

Philip was about to chase after her in a hurry, but Dong Peiyu stopped him and said with a smile, "Mr. Philip, I am the one representing Shengshi to discuss the issuance with you. You'd better not trouble Miss Xiaoxiao."

What else could Philip do? He could only sit down and discuss the letter of intent with Dong Peiyu.

He was extremely annoyed. Wasn't it said that beautiful women were not very bright? How come this Miss Xiaoxiao was as cunning as a fox, and he couldn't gain any advantage over her?

That evening, Hu Xiaoxiao received a call from Dong Peiyu. The negotiations for the distribution rights were progressing smoothly, and the remaining work could be handed over to the distribution department staff of Shengshi Feilai Hollywood.

Dong Peiyu laughed and said, "When Philip saw that you were more concerned with interests and less ruthless than him, he finally got anxious and took the initiative to negotiate the issuance more than we did."

“He’s in a hurry, but we don’t need to be,” Hu Xiaoxiao said calmly.

Hu Xiaoxiao's methods for dealing with unscrupulous merchants have always been simple, direct, and deadly.

This can be achieved entirely through strength. Whoever controls the resources holds the power.

Faced with absolute power, no amount of scheming or trickery can hide.

Having put that matter aside, Hu Xiaoxiao packed several large suitcases and couldn't wait to return to China.

After returning to China, besides eating every day, she spent her time searching for Chinese-style clothing to match her stage costumes. To this end, she made a special trip to the mainland and asked Mr. Wang, the general manager of the company she was working with, to help her select a costume that suited her taste and a prop that perfectly matched her image.

Filming for "The Magic Contract" began immediately after the project commenced. The film had been delayed for too long, and once production started, they were constantly working to meet deadlines.

The actor who plays the male lead Noah is named John, a rising star that the Hamlet Company has been heavily promoting in recent years.

Although John hasn't been famous for long, he's nearly thirty years old and rose from humble beginnings as an actor. He has solid acting skills and is very dedicated.

Perhaps due to his considerable life experience, he is more composed than younger actors.

After filming the earlier scenes, today was finally his first scene with the female lead, Li Lin. This scene also marked the first time he met Lin Lin in the movie.

The film set is ready. A three-story bookstore has been rented. The bookstore is very large and has a rustic feel due to its age, which perfectly matches the scene in the script.

John had already changed into his costume, wearing a white shirt underneath a gray casual suit.

He has a pair of deep, captivating ice-blue eyes, slightly wavy brown hair, and striking, sculpted features with a defined jawline.