Chapter 105: A Bowl of Chicken Soup to See You Off

So, dinner naturally took place at the Cantonese restaurant.

After confirming that Chef Liao was the head chef, a few of his signature dishes were ordered, totaling two or three hundred yuan.

When ordering, the waiter was told that they had been referred by Chef Zhao from Sichuan cuisine and hoped to have a chat with Chef Liao once he was free.

Back at the hotel, Zhang Lanzhi unusually coaxed Weidong softly and warmly, persuading him to change into new clothes.

She even fretted over how to match the outfit with sneakers and offered to buy new shoes.

But Weidong was indifferent.

If it didn’t match, he wouldn’t wear the full set of beige-gray dress pants. Instead, he stuck with the deep blue work pants Fengchu had bought, paired with sneakers.

He also left the brand-new shirt untucked, and just put on the suit jacket loosely — a casual style that had become popular later on.

He had seen those young handsome guys in short videos dress just like that.

Weidong even tried unbuttoning two buttons at the collar and slightly tousled his damp hair in front of the mirror, giving off a bit of a rugged charm.

Later jokes said men’s prime was brief; a twenty-year-old basketball enthusiast was indeed at his peak.

Waiting outside the bathroom, Zhang Lanzhi surely widened her eyes but also felt there was something uniquely compelling about him.

Perhaps it was money that emboldened him.

Now, Weidong walked naturally in such a hotel without any awkwardness, boldly ordering dishes and chatting with his secretary by the floor-to-ceiling window.

He showed none of the nervousness typical of someone from the countryside, afraid of being looked down upon in the country’s first five-star hotel.

Even Zhang Lanzhi loosened up after hearing his jokes. “You complained so much on the train dining car; isn’t this the same? Don’t let the hotel’s reputation intimidate you.”

The secretary chuckled, “Alright, I’ll serve you some soup.”

Because they had business to discuss, no alcohol was consumed. Besides, Weidong felt it would be a waste of money to drink here.

Unexpectedly, someone approached from behind and, with surprising delight, patted him on the shoulder: “Weidong? What are you doing here?”

The boss and secretary turned around, surprised to see Jin Zhuoqun.

“Ah? You’re in Yuezhou too? Come, sit down.”

Jin Zhuoqun introduced the people behind him: “This is Weidong, the young talent who brokered the photo factory and Triumph factory’s collaboration with Sunshine Daily for the photo exhibition. Twenty years old, already driving all over the country, and has donated 300,000 yuan to the giant pandas!”

He knew exactly what to say. Everyone present was impressed — whether they cared about official channels or just business — their faces were full of astonishment.

Truly, young heroes emerge early; wealthy and well-connected, making the beautiful women nearby seem insignificant.

After all, most people would think if you could donate 300,000 yuan, you must have three million, or even thirty million.

In 1984, that was an unimaginable sum.

No one believed he had that much money, so he must have an extraordinary background.

Weidong smiled and stood up: “I’m just busy with some small business in Sichuan. Brother Zhuoqun has been very supportive. I have work to discuss today; I’ll catch up with you all another day.”

This helped Jin Zhuoqun hold the scene without getting involved.

Looking around, the seven or eight men were either bearded with bushy hair or handsome and refined, dressed in stylish suits, trench coats with pointed collars — clearly not ordinary people. Naturally, Weidong didn’t feel the need to flatter them.

Jin Zhuoqun was cooperative, smiling as he introduced each person — actors, directors, photographers, scriptwriters — then they moved to a large round table in the distance where others were waiting.

A few polite words exchanged, serving as a formality.

The secretary returned and said, “That guy in the trench coat looks familiar from a movie. Didn’t expect to see him here on a business trip. He called me last week from Pingjing.”

Weidong was unfazed: “We were in Jiangzhou last week. We won’t stay here tomorrow; we’ll move near the university and probably stay a few days.”

The secretary resumed work: “Still about the plastic bag matter?”

Weidong was deep in thought: “I’ve been thinking. The plastic bag business is hard to scale quickly, and the profit margins are thin. Plus, transporting goods from Yuezhou to Jiangzhou is tricky. Does that mean my big truck will just shuttle back and forth like this?”

Suddenly he questioned himself, why not?

If it weren’t for the deputy director of the exhibition speaking up, it would have been hard to get that machine back. The planned economy didn’t allow enterprises outside foreign trade departments to participate in the Canton Fair. It was only thanks to the leadership’s intervention that the machine was allowed to be transported back via the foreign trade bureau’s exhibition vehicles.

Staying a few days was also to confirm the departure of these exhibition vehicles so he could return to Jiangzhou to pick up and transport goods to Shangzhou.

It was complicated.

But in reality, he had a big truck and had taught Gou Dan and some others to drive. Why not open a dedicated route from Yuezhou to Jiangzhou to transport goods and make good money per load?

Keeping the truck parked every day at the spicy hot pot outpost was a waste.

The key was figuring out what could be transported back from eastern Guangdong for sale, and whether such operations were legal.

Also, wouldn’t it be wasteful to drive empty to eastern Guangdong?

He became lost in thought.

Zhang Lanzhi, familiar with his moments of sudden inspiration, glanced at him a few times.

She quietly served him some dishes before returning to her own soup and food.

After several rounds of small talk and drinks, Jin Zhuoqun stepped over: “Do you need any assistance with your work here?”

Weidong quickly jotted down some points in his notebook. The secretary poured tea for both of them.

Raising his teacup, Jin Zhuoqun said, “We’re mainly here to discuss projects with food and plastic factories. How about you? Still busy in Pingjing?”

Jin Zhuoqun thought a moment and then hit the table for emphasis, pointing upward.

“I’m working with them on a documentary about the reform era, focusing on Yuezhou’s former leadership.”

Weidong immediately understood: “Oh, you invited him to write for the photo exhibition?”

Jin Zhuoqun replied, “Yes and no.”

Lowering his voice and leaning closer, he added, “His hometown lies between Guozhou and Jiangzhou. Have you heard of it?”

Weidong had never delved into such matters: “Only that they’re from Sichuan. Why? Did my hometown produce a marshal?”

Jin Zhuoqun focused intently: “I know, but the old marshal’s health is failing, and this one is the rising star... He has a brother who was a martyr in Jiangzhou during the war. I want to make a drama about this.”

If the previous encounter amazed everyone else, now it was Weidong’s turn to be stunned and look at them in awe.

This guy really had a keen sense for angles.

And it seemed he had indeed heard about the drama before in a past life.

It turned out he was the one who had saved it up.

Even if Weidong himself looked down on such things, he had to admit it was a brilliant move.

“Yeah, whenever you come across something, you turn it into gold. Impressive!”

He truly couldn’t find better words.

Jin Zhuoqun just smiled: “So, will you participate as an investor in the drama?”

Weidong first asked about the cost: “How much do you need?”

Jin Zhuoqun, learning from past mistakes, answered: “The whole story should be filmed in Jiangzhou, keeping costs low. About 800,000 yuan to complete. Neither of us is in it to make money.”

Weidong frowned at the price: “800,000? I don’t have that much now. Besides, I need to think about what benefits I’d get. If it’s advertising, I get better results using the panda brand. I don’t need to rely on these connections.”

Jin Zhuoqun chuckled: “Lao Yu told me about your partner still detained in Shangzhou. Think about it: if such a matter exists, even just having a meal or a photo together, would you still be at risk?”

Weidong nodded: “That’s tempting, but not worth 800,000. I’m very cautious — no illegal acts, no tax evasion, and I don’t go against policy. So this is just icing on the cake. I can do it or not.”

Jin Zhuoqun changed tactics: “I’ll make you the producer, the financier. This drama will be ‘Produced by You,’ with your name prominently ahead of the director’s. Then when you negotiate business elsewhere, showing this drama will have immense clout.”

Weidong considered seriously: “That’s worth tens of thousands, but it’s a long-term thing. When are you planning to start? I don’t have money now.”

Jin Zhuoqun smoothly replied: “No rush on timing. We first get the project approved, then decide on filming in two or three years.”

Weidong inwardly marveled: this bargaining tactic only increased the value!

And he really bet on the right thing.

Seeing Weidong silent, Jin Zhuoqun leaned closer again: “As producer, you decide which actors to cast. You have complete say.”

He emphasized the verbs twice, knowing they were all here with the secretary, hoping to win favor.

Unfortunately, Weidong, never having been involved, didn’t catch the hint: “Oh, that sounds interesting. Send me the list of actors you can contact. How old was the lead when this happened?”

Jin Zhuoqun answered expertly: “He was 29 when he heroically died, so the supporting cast can be quite young.”

Weidong still missed the implication but had an idea forming in his mind: “Okay, I’ll think about it. I can verbally agree, but I definitely can’t pay this year. I have to invest in production... Yes, you can help prepare. I’m launching a tape recorder, using the panda brand for advertising, then airing it on the brick channel — hopefully before a popular drama. That would be the best effect.”

Jin Zhuoqun immediately applauded: “See! I knew your 300,000 donation to the pandas would pay off big. This timing is perfect — ‘Huo Yuanjia’ is hot right now, no ads! If the panda ad airs now, it’ll be a hit!”

He was truly shrewd and perceptive.

Weidong planned to focus only on his professional strengths: “That’s basically it. I’m also working on snacks, cameras, tissues — all can operate like this. It depends on the first returns; maybe your drama investment will pay for itself.”

Jin Zhuoqun was eager to start filming immediately: “No problem! I’ve got this covered. Now I’m more confident. Imagine if I get the project approved — even without filming, pitching your ads to the brick channel will be much easier.”

Weidong had to admit: “Alright, I agree to invest the 800,000, but you can’t force me to pay now. I need to run ads on the brick channel first, sell some products before I have the money.”

Jin Zhuoqun wasn’t worried: “Your business is stable. With some connections in the capital pushing, you’ll soar. If you win a few awards, it’ll be a top brand. These awards are just about networking and pulling strings.”

This chain of reasoning was so clever that Weidong poured himself another bowl of chicken soup: “Then I hope you make it happen. We each get what we want. Let’s toast with soup and wish you success!”

Now, it remained to be seen what grand spectacle this chicken soup would bring forth.