Entertainment News: I'm Not a Scumbag After Rebirth!

"That's why I'm saying from a friend's perspective, if you just invest a little money, you can get hundreds of times the return."

Li Jun sidled up to Yuan Tao with a smile, fiddling with his fingers as if counting money.

Yuan Tao was speechless; it seemed Li Jun wanted to make money off him.

"How many."

Yuan Tao spoke expressionlessly.

"Two million."

Li Jun said it hesitantly and embarrassedly.

Yuan Tao turned and left without saying a word.

"One million five hundred thousand."

Yuan Tao ignored him and continued walking on his own.

"One million, one million."

"Let me think about it."

Yuan Tao sounded very tired; he was unable to make a rational judgment.

"Okay, I'll wait for your call."

After Li Jun finished speaking, Yuan Tao left.

He continued browsing in the bookstore, casually flipping through the books on the shelves. About twenty minutes later, the phone rang again.

"I agree."

Yuan Tao said there was a sense of calm in his voice.

With Huayi Brothers, the largest entertainment company in China's history, backing him, is it really worth considering Li Jun's script? It remains to be seen.

"Deal," Li Jun said.

"I've already had Xiao Wang take the contract over. He'll be waiting for you at the intersection of Chunxi Road. After you sign it, he'll fly straight back to Beijing, and the money will be in your account tomorrow."

"So efficient?"

"I must show you the utmost sincerity."

Yuan Tao's voice was relaxed and carefree, clearly indicating that making this decision had taken a lot of effort.

Li Jun smiled, but he remembered this kindness.

Yuan Tao was willing to invest one million yuan in a script by a novice screenwriter not because he was stupid, but because he saw greater potential in Li Jun—someone who could write hit songs and make artists famous, and was worth investing in.

This million is equivalent to making friends.

The only downside is that the friend fee is a bit expensive.

He walked out of the bookstore, and the crowds of people on Chunxi Road rushed towards him.

At the intersection, he saw the young man named Xiao Wang, who was clutching a briefcase tightly and looking around.

"Teacher Li!"

Upon seeing him, Xiao Wang rushed over, his forehead covered in sweat.

"This is the contract. Mr. Yuan has given you instructions. Please take a close look. Call me anytime if you have any questions."

Li Jun took the contract and stood by the roadside to look through it.

The terms are very clear, and that's the advantage of working with Yuan Tao. Everything follows standard procedures, and there are no tricks in the contract, nor does he bother with them.

He quickly reviewed the key terms and confirmed that everything was correct.

He took the pen from Xiao Wang and signed his name on the last page.

"alright."

He returned the contract.

Xiao Wang carefully put the contract into his briefcase, then bowed deeply.

"Teacher Li, I'll head back now. Mr. Yuan said the money will definitely arrive tomorrow."

Li Jun nodded, watching Xiao Wang's hurried departure disappear into the crowd.

One million. Just like that, it was in my hands.

Standing on the busiest street in Chengdu, he suddenly felt a little unreal.

My phone vibrated; it was a text message from Yuan Tao:

"Has the contract been signed?"

"Signed."

"Want to have dinner together tonight? I'm in Chengdu."

Li Jun looked at the text message, thought for a moment, and replied:

"Okay, you choose the location."

"Let's go to Shangri-La then, see you at seven."

Shangri-La. One of Chengdu's most luxurious hotels.

Li Jun smiled. Yuan Tao was reminding him that their relationship was no longer just that of "friends".

They are also partners, and partners need to be mindful of protocol and etiquette.

......

Chunxi Road, Shangri-La.

At 7 p.m. sharp, Li Jun appeared at the entrance of the Chinese restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel.

The waiter led him to a private room by the window, where Yuan Tao was already waiting.

The location is excellent; the two of them can sit by the window and enjoy the view below.

Yuan Tao looked a bit haggard, with very noticeable dark circles under her eyes.

But he was dressed in a well-fitting suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he tried his best to maintain the demeanor expected of an entertainment company executive.

"Teacher Li, you're here."

He stood up to greet him, his smile standard and polite.

"Mr. Yuan."

Li Jun nodded and sat down opposite him.

The private room was very large and decorated in a lavish, opulent style.

Outside the window is the night view of Chengdu, a dazzling display of lights and a constant flow of traffic.

Cold dishes, all exquisite Cantonese dim sum, were already laid out on the table.

"I ordered a few of their signature dishes, I don't know if they'll suit your taste."

As Yuan Tao spoke, he poured tea for Li Jun.

"Anything is fine with me, I'm not picky."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, chatting about the weather in Chengdu and their jobs in Beijing—trivial topics.

Dishes were served one after another, including abalone, sea cucumber, and bird's nest... each one was quite expensive.

Li Jun ate calmly.

He knew that the significance of this meal lay not in the act of eating itself.

Yuan Tao came here on important business.

The message he wanted to convey was that Huayi values ​​him and is willing to spend money on him.

Sure enough, after a few rounds of drinks, Yuan Tao put down his chopsticks.

"Teacher Li,"

He carefully considered the words:

"There are some things I'd like to ask you, and I'd like to hear your opinion."

"you say."

"You're different now."

Yuan Tao looked at him seriously and said.

"Invisible Wings is currently number one on all the music charts. You can see Zhang Liangying's popularity. Brands have already offered her seven-figure sums to be their spokesperson."

"The company is willing to pay two million for your song... Do you know what that means?"

Li Jun didn't speak, waiting for him to continue.

"It means you're rich."

Yuan Tao cracked a joke to lighten the mood.

"I'm sorry, the company has been undergoing major changes recently, and I'm under a lot of pressure. I can't help but think about company matters."

"Mr. Yuan."

Li Jun picked up his wine glass, swirled it gently, and interrupted Yuan Tao.

"If I tell you I'm going to make my own movies and start my own company, what do you think my relationship is with Huayi Brothers?"

Yuan Tao's expression froze. He clearly hadn't expected Li Jun to be so direct.

"Teacher Li...this..."

"I was just asking."

Li Jun smiled and downed the wine in one gulp.

Silence fell over the private room.

The night view outside the window was still dazzling, but the atmosphere inside the room had changed.

After a long silence, Yuan Tao finally spoke:

"If you really intend to do that, Huayi will be your biggest competitor, not your partner."

"I know."

"Then why did you tell me?"

Li Jun looked at him:

"We are friends."

He emphasized the word "friend," and Yuan Tao nodded as if he understood.

From now on, they will no longer be seniors and juniors, nor company and artist, but friends who walk together.

"I see."

Yuan Tao smiled:

"So this meal is a farewell dinner?"

"right."

Li Jun shook his head:

"A new beginning. Huayi bought my song, you invested in my script, and I will have no further relationship with Huayi. It will only be between the two of us."

He spoke casually, but Yuan Tao knew that some things were beyond redemption.

The young man in front of me is no longer the newcomer who needed Huayi's support.

He has his own capital, his own ambition, and his own path.

For the rest of the meal, the two of them talked about the script, the shooting schedule, and the casting.

They talked very professionally and intently, as if the conversation had never happened.

But Yuan Tao knew that something had changed.

He recalled the first time he met Li Jun, that young man who was still somewhat green but whose eyes sparkled.

Even back then, Li Jun was already cunning. He tricked him into demanding high copyright fees and would make no attempt to hide his emotions.

Li Jun, who is now sitting opposite him, is still young, but his eyes have become calm and profound.

Zhong Chu's affair completely broke his heart.

Yuan Tao found the company's indifferent behavior unacceptable.

But he had no choice but to undergo a major internal reshuffle, and more importantly, to retain the artists.

At this time of year, kicking out any artist could easily cause the company to collapse completely.

The only hope is that the two "Bingbing" actresses will become hugely popular in their upcoming films, so that Huayi can establish itself.

The dinner ended at 9:30.

Yuan Tao called a car, offering to take Li Jun home, but Li Jun declined.

"I'll take a walk and sober up."

He said.

The two stood at the hotel entrance, the night breeze of Chengdu carrying the warmth of early summer.

"Jun!"

Before parting, Yuan Tao no longer called him Teacher Li, but instead called him by his name:

"No matter what happens in the future, my personal advice is not to move too fast. In this industry, the higher you climb, the harder you fall."

Li Jun nodded seriously:

"Thank you, Mr. Yuan. I will remember that."

They shook hands and said goodbye.

Yuan Tao got into the car and left, while Li Jun stood there, watching the taillights disappear around the street corner.

Then he took out his phone and dialed Jia Peng's number.

"Where?"

"Still reading the script with Tang Yan! Jun-ge, the more I read this script, the more amazing it gets. I have a few new ideas..."

"Starting tomorrow, we'll buy equipment and hire people."

Li Jun interrupted him:

"The money has arrived."

"How much?" Jia Peng's voice became excited.

"A minimum of three million, we'll add more if that's not enough."

A gasp came from the other end of the phone, followed by Jia Peng's scream:

"Three million?! Holy crap! Jun-ge, you're like my own brother! This show is going to take off!"

Li Jun had over four million yuan, but he wanted to keep one million yuan for publicity, which was the most important part.

Li Jun calmly said:

"This money is for making the movie, and every penny must be spent wisely."

"Make a list tonight: cameras, lights, sound equipment, editing equipment... everything we need, prioritize them, and we'll go to the market tomorrow."

"No problem! Leave it to me!"

Jia Peng was full of enthusiasm, but he was still a little apprehensive:

"But Jun-ge... are we really going to start from scratch? Do we have to buy everything ourselves?"

Li Jun said, his gaze drifting towards the city lights in the distance:

"Because we're not just making this one film. We need our own team, our own equipment, everything."

He spoke calmly, but there was a resolute light in his eyes.

Yuan Tao saw that light, so he knew that some things were beyond change.

Jia Peng heard it too, and he was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night.

Li Jun knew that this was just the beginning.

The script fee of three million might seem like a significant investment to Huayi, but to him, it was merely seed money.

He wants to do more than just make "Love is Not Blind"; he wants to make more movies, make more artists famous, and build a real entertainment empire.

The evening breeze ruffled the hem of his clothes. He turned and walked into the heart of the neon-lit skyscrapers.

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was a text message from the bank reminding him that the money had arrived in his account.

......

The next day, at the entrance of the digital mall.

The roller shutter door of the digital mall was pushed up with a "whoosh," and dust swirled around in the beam of light.

Li Jun strolled inside with his hands in his pockets, followed closely by Jia Peng.

Jia Peng clutched a crumpled list in his hand, his eyes darting left and right, his lips twitching occasionally as if he had seen something too hot to handle.

"Jun...Brother Jun."

Jia Peng took two quick steps, lowered his voice, and secretly pointed to the top of the list with his finger.

"Am I seeing things? Are we really going to burn through our three million in savings like this?"

Li Jun was both amused and exasperated. He hadn't expected Jia Peng to be such a stingy person, even though he usually seemed quite generous.

Li Jun stopped and glanced at him sideways:

"Poor people can't be directors."

Jia Peng smiled wryly:

"Brother Jun, please stop teasing me. I've really seen something amazing."

"Our production team doesn't just want to make this one series; we want every single one to be a masterpiece."

Li Jun turned and continued walking, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

The shop owner was a skinny but shrewd man with a sharp eye. He could tell at a glance from Li Jun's imposing manner, and then from Jia Peng's distressed and trembling expression, yet he dared not speak out.

His face immediately broke into a wide smile as he greeted her:

"What kind of equipment do you two bosses want?"

He rubbed his hands together.

Li Jun didn't respond. His gaze swept around the store and finally landed on several dark, sturdy machines in a glass cabinet against the wall.

They stood there, clearly not belonging to the same generation as the surrounding plastic shells.

"Those few look alright, let's pick them up and try them out."

Li Jun pointed.

The boss was overjoyed. He jogged over, put on gloves, and respectfully brought out one.

"You're an expert! This is top-notch material for serious filmmaking. ARRI film, Zeiss lens—the resulting quality is simply amazing!"

The boss talked on and on, sprinkling in all sorts of fancy terms.

Li Jun just listened, occasionally reaching out to weigh it in his hand and glancing at it through the viewfinder.

Standing to the side, Jia Peng listened to the boss's occasional price quotes, feeling as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, tightening it more and more.

"Oh, Jun-ge, I'm feeling a little unwell."

Li Jun glanced at him:

"Look at you, so pathetic."

Li Jun interrupted the boss:

"This whole setup, including the lens assembly I just pointed out, those lights, and all the miscellaneous stands, tracks, and recording booms—all for a fixed price."

"The boss is efficient!"

The boss took out a calculator, typed away rapidly, and finally showed the screen to Li Jun.

Jia Peng stole a glance and almost lost his balance; the number was so long it made him dizzy.

Li Jun glanced at it, his expression remaining completely unchanged:

"Round it down, and include thirty boxes of the best blank tapes, plus a full set of cleaning and maintenance tools, and one on-site setup service. Okay, open the boxes and inspect the goods now. No way," he said, turning away slightly, "I heard the neighbor just got a new batch of Sony HD projectors..."

"Hey! Mr. Li! Mr. Li, wait a minute!"

The boss hurriedly grabbed him, his face showing an expression of extreme pain that had turned him numb.

Li Jun did not turn around and continued walking forward on his own.

"Sure! As you wish! Everything you want! Consider it supporting the development of domestic films! From now on, you're a VIP at our store!"

Li Jun then turned his head with a smile.

He's an expert.

......

The van, hauling a mountain of equipment boxes, chugged along to a rented old warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

After unloading, the cargo took up almost half of the warehouse, and the air was filled with the smell of engine oil and the metallic smell unique to new machines.

Jia Peng looked at the pile of metal and glass lumps and swallowed hard.

"Brother Jun, just like that, over a million is gone, right?"