Chapter 149

Chapter 149

Lu Mingzhu, all the way over in Hong Kong, didn’t know what was happening in the capital and had no idea that the original body had once sent a dream to Zhang Shuo. If she knew, she’d probably complain about how unfair heaven is.

Up to now, she’s never sent a dream to her mom.

And what about the original body?

She could meet her and even send dreams to Zhang Shuo. If she wanted, she could even send dreams to Lu’s dad and Lu Pingan.

Was the original body really the chosen one?

After New Year’s, Lu Mingzhu brought the finished script of *The Swordsman* to Da Ming Film Company.

After reading it, Wang Tao couldn’t stop praising it.

He started out in dramatic literature but later thought there wasn’t much of a future in it. He wasn’t great at writing scripts but was a natural at management. He changed careers and ended up as a film company exec, even though he often got sidelined. Lu’s dad and Ming Hui headhunted him with a high salary to run the whole company.

Ming Hui, Lu’s dad, and now Lu Mingzhu all gave him the reins, and he thrived.

“So, what do you think?” Lu Mingzhu asked.

He gave a thumbs up, “Compared to *Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Frontier*, it seems like you’ve leveled up.”

Lu Mingzhu shook her head, “It’s not that I’ve gotten better, but writing about the Four Great Beauties ties you to history, which limits you. This novel, though, is totally free.”

Wang Tao smiled, called his secretary to get Tan Hong, the director of *Xi Shi* and *Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Frontier*, and handed him the script, “Check this out.”

“The *Swordsman* script?” Tan Hong was excited, greeted Lu Mingzhu first, then grabbed it and sat down to read.

He was instantly hooked.

He was a guy in his thirties, with sharp features, round glasses, and his hair parted three to seven, so shiny a mosquito could slip on it.

His suit and diamond watch were top-notch, showing he came from a well-off family.

Without some money, it’s tough to get into directing, just like studying.

After getting company shares, Lu Mingzhu looked into the key players, including Tan Hong, who was the talented son of famous Shanghai director Tan Fei, followed in his dad’s footsteps, and studied in the U.S.

Tan Fei’s now a director at Feihua Film Company.

Feihua Film Company, where Xie Junhao has shares, gets its “Fei” from Tan Fei, who’s also a shareholder.

It’s said that Lu’s dad was pretty upset when he poached Tan Hong.

Tan Hong isn’t just a film director—he’s also great at shooting posters, handling almost all of Xia Lin’s advertising shoots.

Recalling this, Lu Mingzhu glanced at the photos hanging on the walls of Wang Tao’s office, all of the company’s actors, mostly of Xia Lin.

They were her stills from various films.

Natural, without filters.

Some were delicate and touching, some were charming and affectionate, some were heroic and spirited, some were pure and elegant, some were dignified and grand—truly deserving the title of Hong Kong’s most beautiful woman.

Women who focus on their careers indeed seem more attractive.

Feeling somewhat inferior, Lu Mingzhu believed that as long as Xia Lin continued to focus on her career as she did now, she would surely become a legend.

A legend in the film industry.

By then, all her past actions were forgiven.

Tan Hong suddenly interjected: "We must have Xia Lin play the role, only she can bring the Golden Phoenix to life! Xia Lin is exceptionally beautiful, elegant and noble, and has an unyielding spirit within her. She is both cultured and skilled in martial arts, absolutely perfect."

Lu Mingzhu was momentarily stunned.

Wang Tao laughed: "You really like Xia Lin, don't you?"

He then explained to Miss Lu: "Director Tan is very famous in the industry; his cinematography is breathtaking. One of the conditions for inviting him was that he would only direct films starring Xia Lin, and he is very selective with scripts, only filming quality ones. So far, he has only directed two films for our company."

Miss Lu smiled: "I have seen 'Xi Shi,' it was indeed brilliant. Xia Lin has lost a lot of weight, frowning and holding her heart, utterly convincing, capturing the essence of Xi Shi."

What’s most impressive is that Tan Hong rarely changes the script.

When he does, it’s usually an improvement, which aligns perfectly with Miss Lu’s expectations for a director.

Tan Hong earnestly said: "You should check out 'Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Frontier,' it was filmed on location, the visuals are even more epic and majestic. Xia Lin is incredibly dedicated, she rides horses and plays the pipa herself."

"Alright." Since it's a film produced by our own company, Miss Lu could watch it anytime without heading to the theater.

Tan Hong was brimming with enthusiasm, praising Xia Lin endlessly: "There is no more talented actress than Xia Lin; she’s the star; everyone else fades into the background."

Miss Lu agreed: "Indeed."

Putting her personal life aside, Xia Lin’s talent is undeniable.

Tan Hong went on and on about Xia Lin’s talent, until Wang Tao kept nudging him. He reluctantly ended the topic and said to Wang Tao: "We need to invest in making 'The Swordsman,' Xia Lin’s star will rise even higher."

After a pause, he added: "A box office hit would be a win for the company."

Wang Tao didn't know what to say.

Miss Lu spoke up: "Mr. Wang, I suggest we first make a copy of 'The Swordsman' script for Director Tan to study, and then we can discuss our matters, how about that?"

"Good!" Wang Tao had no reason to disagree.

"Make two copies! One for Xia Lin later." Tan Hong seemed to just realize, "No wonder the handwriting seemed so familiar, it's written by Dafeng. Miss Lu, when did our company secure the film rights to 'The Swordsman'? I had dinner with friends recently, they said their company wanted to film it but couldn't find the author, the newspaper refused to disclose it."

Miss Lu was surprised.

From his tone, it seems that discerning people are not just limited to her father.

Is 'The Swordsman' better than she imagined?

Wang Tao replied to Tan Hong with some annoyance: "We just acquired it, hurry up and assemble the crew, I'll have someone assess the investment amount, then we'll custom-make the costumes and props, and select the main roles."

"Xia Lin is the female lead." Tan Hong's insistence was unwavering.

Wang Tao glanced at Miss Lu, seeing her nod, he agreed to Tan Hong's request: "Xia Lin, it is Xia Lin."

Tan Hong was still worried, "Make sure that little lover of Chairman Ming doesn't snatch the lead role from Xia Lin, she has no talent for acting, can't even cry, just stares with her eyes, yet insists on being an actress! Pah!"

"Got it, got it." Wang Tao said.

Only then did Tan Hong leave satisfied with the two copies of 'The Swordsman' script, eagerly looking for Xia Lin.

Xia Lin hasn’t been working lately; she’s been training at the company.

She never stopped honing her skills, and after working on "Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Frontier," she became even more focused.

Wang Tao said to Lu Mingzhu, "Sorry if I embarrassed you."

"Not at all, the company values someone as genuine as Director Tan," Lu Mingzhu still admired him. As long as he maintained his passion for filmmaking without violating laws and morals, other small issues could be overlooked.

Wang Tao promptly presented the prepared contract and invited a lawyer to witness it, setting it for a five-year period.

The terms were very generous.

Zhi Wei invested her copyright, receiving a 20% share of the profits.

Moreover, Lu Mingzhu signed a screenwriting deal with the company under the pseudonym Dafeng, earning a screenwriting fee of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars, less than what original scripts command but consistent with Dafeng's status in the industry.

Lu Mingzhu was very pleased.

With "The Swordsman," she could earn from multiple sources: serial fees, publication taxes, copyright dividends, and screenwriting fees. When the company turned a profit, she would receive half.

In the future, there would also be TV drama copyright fees.

Reflecting on it, it seemed like one project could support her for life.

Provided the quality met the standards.

Lu Mingzhu felt optimistic about the future.

It turned out she wasn't lazy or careless, but that her previous serial income wasn't high enough to motivate her.

Money was the main motivator for work.

Wang Tao walked Lu Mingzhu out, descending the stairs, and said with a smile, "Miss Lu, you are the boss of our company. Make sure to assign your next project to our company for production. You write one, we film one. Don't think about Ruyi Film Company or Feihua Film Company; they're our competitors now. Don't promote their development."

Lu Mingzhu gave a slight smile, her eyes bright, "First, let's see how 'The Swordsman' performs at the box office. If the box office is low and there's no profit, would you still consider cooperating with me?"

"I believe in your talent," Wang Tao said sincerely.

Although Lu Mingzhu wasn't very attentive in this regard, the box office proved her talent was undeniable.

Her thoughts were lively and free.

It was often this unintentional display of free-spiritedness that captivated people, especially evident in the novel "The Swordsman," which inspired countless people.

Wang Tao himself liked "The Swordsman" very much.

When they reached the ground floor, Xia Lin approached them.

"Miss Lu, thank you for giving me this great opportunity," she smiled beautifully, but her attitude was very respectful, "Do I have the honor of inviting you to dinner?"

Lu Mingzhu was surprised, "Why invite me to dinner?"

"I have a request," Xia Lin was straightforward.

Hearing this, Lu Mingzhu smiled, "Let's hear it, though I may not be able to help."

Xia Lin politely smiled at Wang Tao, "Would Chairman Wang be willing to join us for the meal?"

Wang Tao declined, "You have matters to discuss, I won't intrude."

He probably guessed what Xia Lin was asking for.

Thus, Xia Lin invited Lu Mingzhu to a famous Cantonese restaurant nearby, ordering two tables of dishes. One table was for the seven or eight bodyguards accompanying Lu Mingzhu, and the other was for her and Lu Mingzhu to enjoy.

When she was at her best, she acted with great consideration.

Lu Mingzhu said, "Since there are only two of us, let's order fewer dishes to avoid waste."

"I didn’t expect Miss Lu, with all her wealth, to still value frugality." Xia Lin was surprised and handed the menu to Lu Mingzhu, "You order; I don’t eat much anyway."

Lu Mingzhu ordered two dishes and passed the menu back to her, who then ordered two more dishes and a soup.

The dishes were simple, light, and elegant.

The bodyguards’ table was a full feast, much more lavish.

Xia Lin personally served soup to Lu Mingzhu, "First, thank you and Mr. Lu for letting bygones be bygones."

"What’s done is done; no need to dwell on it. Let's focus on our careers from now on!" Lu Mingzhu's father didn’t mind, and she had no right to dwell on it, "Tell me the reason you invited me to dinner."

Hearing her words, Xia Lin's eyes showed deep gratitude.

To be honest, she was lucky to have dealt with Mr. Lu. After making a mistake and receiving some punishment, it was over. He didn’t hold a grudge, and her peers couldn’t kick her while she was down.

And her career was still intact.

Not only was it unaffected, but the company also let her play the lead role, and she was developing better and better.

But her success inevitably attracted some unwanted suitors.

Thinking of her recent suitors, Xia Lin felt annoyed and confided in Lu Mingzhu, "I’ve changed my ways and don’t want to go back to how I was. My current assets are enough to let me live a luxurious life, so I don’t want to rely on men anymore; men can’t be trusted! After breaking up with Louis, I just want to focus on my acting career."

Lu Mingzhu was surprised, "You broke up with Louis?"

Xia Lin nodded, "Miss Lu, you need to be more careful and not fall for men’s sweet talk. After being with Louis for so long, I found out he has a wife and children at home, and he only treated me as his mistress! It infuriated me; he even proposed with diamond rings, calling me his angel!"

"An angel as a mistress? Ridiculous!"

Although when she was with Lu Mingzhu's father, he had three concubines, the main wife was not present, and she knew beforehand. He had no intention of marrying her, and she had no intention of marrying him either. It was purely transactional—money for protection.

Louis was different.

Xia Lin had accepted Louis' pursuit with a serious attitude, only to end up empty-handed.

At this point, she sighed, "After this incident, I will never trust men again. Men’s promises are nothing but lies!"

She was so angry, but Lu Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh.

It’s a classic case of learning the hard way, but fortunately, it wasn’t too late.

Luckily, Louis had some decency left. Xia Lin, who initiated the breakup, had not lost any of her beauty. Instead, she looked even more radiant, whispering, "Lately, there’s been a suitor I find particularly bothersome. I’ve turned him down multiple times, but it hasn’t worked. Suddenly, I remembered something from the past and thought you might be able to help."

"Oh?" Lu Mingzhu raised an eyebrow.

Xia Lin said, "It’s that Li Qingyun! I saw him dating Miss Lu Qi last year. Do you know? He actually came to pursue me."

Lu Mingzhu was greatly surprised, "Really?"

This twist was completely unexpected.

Is it true that Li Qingyun moved on to someone else while Lu Feifei was still abroad?

"Really, I'm not lying to you," Xia Lin's expression was hard to describe. "I heard from Mr. Lu Changgen last year when I was filming an ad for Mingzhu Diamond Jewelry Store that the seventh daughter had gone abroad."

"That's correct!" Lu Mingzhu nodded.

Xia Lin continued, "So when Li Qingyun started pursuing me, I didn't agree. You know what he said?"

Lu Mingzhu asked directly, "What did he say?"

Xia Lin imitated Li Qingyun's voice and tone, "Miss Xia Lin, we are the same kind of people, starting from the bottom, striving through hard work, hoping to rise to the top in the future, to climb the ladder and be on top, no longer be looked down on."

She mimicked him perfectly.

Lu Mingzhu laughed, "That’s just like him, speaking his mind. What did you say?"

Xia Lin said, "Mr. Li, how can you say that?"

Then, she imitated Li Qingyun again, "We both started in the slums, and now we’ve both made it. After years of struggle, you've become a big star, and I have a successful clothing factory. I finally feel worthy to pursue you. Miss Xia Lin, please accept my pursuit. I may not have the deep pockets of those rich guys, but I have a sincere heart, admiring you, revering you, ready to work hard to build a future for you, unlike them, who only want to play games with you, not truly liking you."

Lu Mingzhu chuckled, "Isn’t he just after your looks, your money, and your fame? If it really happened, his clothing factory wouldn't have to worry."

Xia Lin’s star power was undeniable.

These days, anything Xia Lin endorses drives people wild.

So, she was still the advertising spokesperson for Mingzhu Diamond Jewelry Store.

Xia Lin hadn't thought of this, and after Lu Mingzhu's reminder, it hit her, "I thought he really liked me, that he was too poor before and felt inferior to pursue me, and now that he's achieved a little success, he couldn't wait to appear before me."

It was all fake!

Lu Mingzhu couldn't help but smile.

Li Qingyun was very calculating, but unfortunately, although Xia Lin wasn't highly educated, she had been in the film company for many years, mingling with many wealthy merchants and playboys, and wasn't as naive as Lu Feifei, easily deceived.

Xia Lin said angrily, "No wonder he wouldn’t leave me alone—he had an agenda."

"Next time he bothers you, just directly expose his schemes," Lu Mingzhu advised Xia Lin, "But I also need to ask you for a favor."

"What favor?" Xia Lin instinctively asked.

Lu Mingzhu said, "Please have someone take photos of him pursuing you, as a gift for my seventh sister."

Xia Lin agreed immediately, "No problem."

After a pause, she added, "I can also provide the love letters Li Qingyun wrote to me, several of them, each expressing his admiration and love for me."