Chapter 420 The Unexpected Phone Call
When these conditions were listed, Huang Weiming and the others looked somewhat displeased, but they still wisely accepted them.
The next day, the stock market of Hanhai Group crashed due to the negative impact of Yin Tianchou's death. Jiang Bai and his gang plundered wildly and made a lot of money.
Jiang Bai himself invested 10 billion and made about 2 billion, while the others also made a fortune.
Huang Weiming and his associates used fraudulent means to falsify accounts and handed over all the cash to Jiang Bai, totaling 32.8 billion yuan, plus two mainland listed companies.
Jiang Bai deposited all the money into his account at once, but the amount was too large, so he asked Zhao Wuji for help to distribute it, transferring hundreds of billions to Empire Enterprise under the guise of Wuji Enterprise loans.
Jiang Bai dispersed the rest of his money into more than twenty overseas accounts, which he could withdraw at any time and gradually transfer to China for diversified investments.
Of course, he didn't forget to pay back the debt owed to Portugal directly; he didn't want to have anything to do with that old gambling king.
Having dealt with everything, Jiang Bai left Hong Kong.
He didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place any longer. The Nangong family might come knocking at any time, and it was too unsafe for Jiang Bai to stay here.
On the contrary, Zhuge Yun, Ma Rixin, and Wang Bao did not leave.
They continued to divide the spoils here. Jiang Bai didn't bother with the acquisitions of listed companies or the reshuffling of local power structures; his reach couldn't extend that far.
I just instructed them to take care of Dou Bin of Hutchison Whampoa and Yang Yong of the Number Gang when they were handling things. They had done their part this time, so we couldn't treat them unfairly.
After dealing with all that, Jiang Bai took the people Yin Guoqiang had hidden from Huang Weiming back to Guangzhou.
Ji Mingjie and his wife hadn't seen each other for many years. They hugged each other and cried their eyes out. They were so grateful to Jiang Bai that they almost kowtowed to him.
In the end, Ji Mingjie was about to hand over all the shares, but Jiang Bai only asked for 27 percent, not more, and returned to Tiandu after completing his mission.
Upon returning to Tiandu, the first thing Jiang Bai did was to visit Jiang Yuqing. The two naturally spent some time together. Afterward, Jiang Bai apologized and told her that she couldn't go back to work for the time being, as she was also worried that the Nangong family would come looking for her.
Hong Kong is not our own territory after all, and it's inevitable that we'll be targeted, so this is the only decision we can make.
Fortunately, Jiang Yuqing also told Jiang Bai that she had been sent abroad to study, and the notice was only given yesterday. She could only say goodbye to Jiang Bai, but she would not return to Hong Kong because she had nowhere to go back and was going straight to France.
Reluctantly seeing Jiang Yuqing off, Jiang Bai was shocked to find himself with nothing to do again after leaving the airport that afternoon.
Jiang Bai had taken a two-week break from school, and he wasn't the type to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the education of the nation and the world. Naturally, he wouldn't voluntarily go back before the break was over.
So, with nothing to do and the house still not ready, he was temporarily staying in a hotel. Back at the hotel, he was bored and was wandering around the street when the phone rang.
The ringing never stopped. First it was Cheng Tiangang, then Wu Tianxi, and finally Zhao Wuji. Everyone was looking for Jiang Bai for one thing: the Nangong family.
Even Situ Feng from the Human Group called.
Without exception, they all warned Jiang Bai to be careful, though their tone of voice differed slightly.
Wu Tianxi said that Jiang Bai was too impulsive and told him to be careful. If things got really bad, he should go to Hebei to avoid trouble. Although he couldn't do anything to the Nangong family, the Nangong family would definitely not dare to launch a surprise attack on Wu Tianxi's residence.
Zhao Wuji told Jiang Bai that there would be no problem in Tiandu, and with Nangong Mingjie on their side, the other party wouldn't act recklessly for the time being.
As for Cheng Tiangang, his words made Jiang Bai's lips twitch. His first words to Jiang Bai were: "Jiang Bai, I heard you got into a fight with the Nangong family? It's nothing! I've disliked them for a long time."
One sentence almost made Jiang Bai curse: "You talk a good game, why don't you do it yourself!"
They have two top-tier experts and eight first-tier experts, which is stronger than the human group. How am I supposed to compete?
Jiang Bai ignored him and talked to him about Wu Tianxi's matter. He had promised to mediate before, and now was the perfect time to bring it up.
Cheng Tiangang thought about it for a while and then agreed. In the future, when Li Qingdi targeted Wu Tianxi, he would just make a show of it to reassure Wu Tianxi.
Jiang Bai nodded and then called Wu Tianxi, who was naturally very moved.
As for Situ Feng, he was much simpler and more straightforward. He called Jiang Bai for only one purpose: to ask Jiang Bai if he had any ideas on cooperating with others to organize an annihilation campaign to completely wipe out the people from the Nangong family who came to retaliate and to strike a blow against the Nangong family's arrogance!
Jiang Bai neither agreed nor disagreed with this. After thinking for a moment, he simply said he would consider it.
He then hung up the phone, thinking no one would call back, but his phone suddenly rang. A deep, hoarse voice, tinged with a sense of vicissitude, came through: "Are you Jiang Bai?"
"Who are you?"
Judging from the other person's voice, they must be quite old. Jiang Bai didn't remember knowing anyone like that.
"Nangong Qingyun!"
The other party gave his name, which made Jiang Bai feel a chill.
This is Nangong Mingjie's grandfather, the chief elder of the Nangong family.
The top-tier expert ranked thirty-second in the underworld is dozens of ranks higher than Jiang Bai, who replaced Nangong Qingmo and ranked eighty-sixth.
Although inwardly terrified, Jiang Bai's words were anything but gentle. He sneered and greeted him with a mocking tone, "Who do we have here? It's the Grand Elder of the Nangong family. Why have you remembered someone as insignificant as me?"
"Where's my grandson! I heard you didn't kill him, but took him away? Hand him over!"
Nangong Qingyun said coldly, without any politeness towards Jiang Bai, getting straight to the point.
He came for his grandson, Nangong Mingjie. As for why the other party knew his phone number and that Nangong Mingjie was in his hands, Jiang Bai was not surprised at all.
With the power of the Nangong family, if they couldn't even do this much, then they wouldn't have been able to survive for two thousand years and remain one of the four great families.
"You think you can just hand it over like that? Are you out of your mind? Old man, don't think you're so great just because you're a top-tier expert. Does the Nangong family think you're so special?"
Jiang Bai is not a good-tempered person at all, especially towards his enemies.
His conflict with the Nangong family was irreconcilable from the moment he killed Nangong Qingmo. Therefore, no matter who was on the other end of the phone, what their status or strength was, as long as they were from the Nangong family, Jiang Bai had no reason to be polite to them.
So Jiang Bai used the same method he had used to deal with Cheng Tiangang, and hung up the phone immediately after speaking.
He refused to believe that the old man would have the guts not to attack.
Chapter 421 Bargaining
As expected, Nangong Qingyun still couldn't bear to part with his beloved grandson.
Just as Nangong Mingjie told Jiang Bai, Nangong Qingyun only had this one precious grandson, Nangong Mingjie. His son died young due to injury and illness, leaving behind this only son, whom he doted on and regarded as his life.
How could they possibly let him fall into Jiang Bai's hands? Just because Jiang Bai hung up the phone after saying a few words, they wouldn't call back?
Less than a minute later, Nangong Qingyun called again: "Jiang Bai, what do you want!"
"Nothing much! I just invited your grandson to be a guest here. Your Nangong family is so fierce, I was scared, so I could only ask for a protective talisman. I was originally planning to kill him, but I didn't expect him to say that his grandfather is the Grand Elder and a top-level expert."
"Then I'll have no choice but to spare his life and take him to Tiandu. Such a good talisman is hard to find, isn't it?"
Jiang Bai smiled noncommittally, not hiding his purpose. He had captured Nangong Mingjie for this very reason.
Could it be because this guy is handsome?
"Jiang Bai! You killed seven members of our Nangong family this time! They were all very promising young people, the future backbone that the Nangong family was focusing on cultivating! And there was also an elder. This matter cannot be left like this! Even if you kidnap Nangong Mingjie, it won't do you any good!"
Nangong Qingyun said angrily, "Jiang Bai's matter this time is very serious, and it cannot be resolved with just a few words!"
"So what do you mean? Should I just stay home, wash my neck clean, and wait for you to come and chop my head off? Are you from the Nangong family who grew up eating shit? Are you stupid or am I stupid?"
"In short, I only have one thing to say! I'm not afraid of you. Come and fight me however you want, but I'll definitely kill your grandson first!"
Jiang Bai got angry when he heard this.
These powerful families are arrogant and domineering, as if the whole world owes them something. If the Nangong family wants to deal with me, am I not allowed to fight back? Am I just supposed to wait to be killed?
What kind of bullshit theory is this!
"Jiang Bai, what you've done is not the act of a hero! I originally thought that you, at such a young age, had already reached the first rank, and even Nangong Qingmo was no match for you. I thought you were a truly upright person. Now it seems that you are nothing more than a despicable villain who kidnaps people's relatives for blackmail!"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Qingyun angrily exclaimed, "That old man is actually using reverse psychology!"
Jiang Bai scoffed at this: "Old man, don't try that on me, I'm not buying it! I'll just say one thing: you settle this, or you can go collect your grandson's corpse!"
After saying that, Jiang Bai hung up the phone and completely ignored Nangong Qingyun.
He's still not strong enough. If he were, he would have gone out and wiped out the Nangong family in one fell swoop. What kind of thousand-year-old family is that? He would have destroyed them all in one fell swoop!
But he wasn't strong enough, so he had no choice but to do this to ensure the safety of those around him.
As for him, he wasn't really afraid. His strength was there, and he had just gained "super recovery," making him practically indestructible.
He didn't know how powerful a top-tier expert was, but killing him would probably be very difficult. Even if he couldn't beat them, escaping wouldn't be a big problem for him.
But if he can run, can the people around him run?
Those who ate with him, his women, and his close relatives—could they possibly escape?
So we had no choice but to resort to this drastic measure. Besides, that guy Nangong Mingjie is really annoying.
Three full minutes passed before the phone rang again. It was Nangong Qingyun again. As soon as he spoke, he said, "Jiang Bai, I can't suppress this matter. It's not a small matter. It concerns the reputation of the entire Nangong family. You've gone too far. If you had only injured them, it would have been fine, but you killed them and even ground their bones to ashes!"
"The family is in an uproar right now. Even if I am the Grand Elder, I cannot suppress this matter because of Mingjie alone."
"That's your problem," Jiang Bai replied lazily.
Just as he was about to hang up again, Nangong Qingyun, who seemed to have been prepared, quickly interjected, "Jiang Bai, don't be impulsive. This matter can be discussed. Although I can't stop the family from seeking revenge on you, I can help you slow down."
"I can give you half a month's respite, and I can even guarantee that the family head and I won't interfere afterwards. I can't guarantee anything else!"
This was the maximum that Nangong Qingyun could do. For his beloved grandson, he had even abandoned his principles and sacrificed the interests of the Nangong family.
Knowing full well that Jiang Bai was no weakling, how could he make such a guarantee, preventing the family head and himself from taking action?
Therefore, only seven first-rank masters remain who can deal with Jiang Bai.
It's true that top-tier experts are difficult to deal with, but even if they all came, it wouldn't be easy for them to kill Jiang Bai. Jiang Bai wouldn't be afraid; he had absolute confidence in a one-on-one fight, and even if he couldn't beat them, he could wear them down.
If the other side has more people, he can run away without any problem.
Moreover, he was not alone. Situ Feng also said that the group supported him in giving the Nangong family an unforgettable lesson, and even wanted to kill all the people sent by the Nangong family who had set a trap.
This is undoubtedly a good opportunity.
As long as the top-tier experts remain inactive, Jiang Bai's pressure will be greatly reduced.
Moreover... didn't Nangong Qingyun say that he could give him half a month to recover? Half a month is enough time to do a lot of things.
"Okay, I'll do as you say. As long as you do it, you can rest assured that your grandson will be fine. However, I still can't let him go. I will only let him go when I'm sure I'm safe."
"Furthermore, if anyone from your Nangong family tries to attack me, I need you to call me beforehand and tell me who they are and what their strength is! In short, I need all their information!"
After thinking it over, Jiang Bai agreed with Nangong Qingyun's suggestion, but still offered two points of his own.
"That's impossible! What I did was already a violation of principles and a betrayal of the family. I can't possibly sell out the family's information to you! That would kill him! Don't think I don't know you've already joined the Human Group."
"Given the temperament of those people on the other side of the Human Group, once they find out the information about the people our Nangong family sent, he definitely won't be coming back! I absolutely won't allow it! Each and every one of them is a treasure of the family!"
Nangong Qingyun was very agitated and roared almost hysterically.
"Then you should prepare to collect your grandson's body."
Jiang Bai responded coldly with just that one sentence, but it worked.
As expected, Nangong Qingyun fell silent upon hearing this. After a long while, he said, "I will try my best. I hope you won't hurt Mingjie, otherwise I won't let you off the hook!"
"Don't worry, your grandson is doing well."
Jiang Bai smiled slightly and then hung up the phone. He knew that the matter had been settled and he no longer needed to worry about the threat from the Nangong family.
Chapter 422 Can you please not come to me with this kind of thing?
Jiang Bai spoke without batting an eye, completely ignoring the fact that he had already broken Nangong Mingjie's limbs and severed his tendons. He wondered if Nangong Mingjie would tell his grandfather in tears, "This guy is a complete liar, lying through his teeth."
However, I think that opportunity probably won't come.
After hanging up the phone with Nangong Qingyun, Jiang Bai was in a great mood. He then told Situ Feng about his conversation with Nangong Qingyun, and Situ Feng said that he would report it to his superiors and come up with a solution as soon as possible, which reassured Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai strolled leisurely down the street, then found a place and ordered a bunch of meat skewers and two bottles of beer, enjoying his meal immensely.
However, halfway through the meal, Jiang Bai's phone rang; it was Ye Qingcheng calling.
This piqued Jiang Bai's curiosity. When he answered the phone, Cheng Daoyun's voice came through: "Little Bai, you haven't contacted me in so long. Have you forgotten about this old man? I called you but you didn't answer. It seems this old man has lost face. You answered Qingcheng's call right away?"
Jiang Bai was speechless. Actually, it wasn't that he didn't want to answer; his phone broke yesterday while he was out working. Think about it, he had no clothes left, so where would he get a phone call?
This phone was just bought today. Cheng Tiangang had mentioned this issue this morning, and Jiang Bai had already remembered it. He just didn't expect Cheng Daoyun to call him as well.
This is quite a rare guest. You know, the last time Jiang Bai contacted Cheng Daoyun was at the premiere of "A Better Tomorrow" a few years ago, when he just went to make a brief appearance.
Why are you calling me again now?
Jiang Bai gave an awkward laugh and replied, "Director Cheng, what are you saying? My phone broke yesterday, so I bought a new one. Not only could I not get through to you, I couldn't get through to anyone. I'm not the kind of person who forgets friends for the sake of a pretty face. Qingcheng only got through because she was lucky."
"Haha. Okay, okay, whatever you say, you're the boss. By the way, I need to talk to you about something today!"
Cheng Daoyun laughed and gave Jiang Bai a slight sarcastic remark, then stopped dwelling on the matter.
"Please speak!"
"Here's the thing, we have a role here, and I really can't think of anyone to cast, so I thought of you. You're the writer of the script for 'God of Gamblers,' right? After thinking about it, I think we should still ask you. You'd be perfect for a supporting role."
Cheng Daoyun then revealed his purpose.
"Director Cheng, I'm not doing this. I already had a headache from being caught red-handed last time. I'm not willing to do this kind of public exposure. You should find someone else! These days, young people like to be in the spotlight. Countless people would kill to get a role in your movies, Director Cheng!"
Jiang Bai wasn't just flattering him. After the release of "A Better Tomorrow," it was a huge hit, and both the lead actor and director became incredibly popular. Now, Cheng Daoyun has risen to the top tier in China, and countless people are scrambling to get their hands on his movies.
Why bother arguing with them?
There are plenty of young people willing to go there, not to mention those from outside, there are quite a few within our own company.
"Hehe, I knew you would refuse, but I still want to give it a try because I think you are particularly suitable to play Long Wu."
Do you think I'm suitable, or do you think I'm like a gangster?
If Jiang Bai remembers correctly, the person who played this role in his previous life was a member of the underworld, right?
Jiang Bai couldn't help but think to himself, but he didn't say anything and listened quietly.
He knew that Cheng Daoyun had more to do than just this; this participation was just a prelude, the main event was yet to come.
"Here's the thing, an old friend of mine wanted a script and came to me. We're very close, we've been friends for many years. He begged me and has been staying at my house for several days now. I really couldn't refuse him, so I had no choice but to come and ask you for help."
"The scripts you gave me for 'A Better Tomorrow,' 'God of Gamblers,' and 'A Chinese Ghost Story' are all excellent, so I naturally can't give them to you. Therefore, I hope that you, as a big boss, can take some time to do me the honor of writing a script for me..."
"Don't worry, the investor he found is well-funded. He just wants to make a name for himself. The script price can be several times higher than the market price without any problem. My old friend said that as long as the script is good, money is not a problem. Even if it doesn't make money, it's fine. He can lose money to gain publicity. It's all for the sake of making the company famous."
Cheng Daoyun finally revealed his purpose.
At first, Jiang Bai frowned, feeling somewhat unhappy.
Your friend's business is your friend's business. I'm not a professional screenwriter. I'm the boss of a company. Even if I write screenplays, I'm writing them for the company. Wouldn't I make money for myself?
You want me to use it to do you a favor?
There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
Your relationship with me, Cheng Daoyun, is fine, but it hasn't reached the point where you're making such an unreasonable request, has it?
However, after Cheng Daoyun finished speaking, Jiang Bai felt a little relieved, but he was still somewhat unhappy, as this matter had the air of betrayal.
Cheng Daoyun seemed to realize this as well, and then explained: "My friend is a top-tier director in China. He is actually very talented, but he went through several years of divorce troubles and didn't have any good projects during that time. He made two films that were poorly received."
"Now he finally has a chance to turn things around. Someone approached him and offered to invest in his film, saying they didn't care about the money. He begged me for help, and I really couldn't refuse. I know it's not appropriate… but if you can help, please do, boss. If not… then I won't force you."
Since things had come to this point, Jiang Bai couldn't be too rude. Besides, Cheng Daoyun was a decent person, kind and helpful, which was rare in this circle these days. Jiang Bai would give him some face.
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai said, "Where is your friend now? I happen to have a script on hand. It was originally going to be given to the company so that we could auction it ourselves. It's a pretty good script, but since you've asked, I can give it to him. But let me make this clear: I want at least half of the company's profits back from this script."
Jiang Bai did indeed write a movie script, but he didn't give it to Yao Lan. It was called "Police Story," and Jiang Bai was optimistic about the movie.
However, there was no rush to start filming because there were no suitable actors, and Cheng Daoyun was currently filming two movies, "God of Gamblers" and "A Chinese Ghost Story," which took up a lot of his energy, and he couldn't spare the time in the short term.
So I just left it there, but now I can give it to the other party.
However, this is a series of stories, and it's extremely profitable. Jiang Bai won't agree to a price that doesn't meet his expectations; his bottom line is half the profit.
Chapter 423 Xie An
This condition is extremely demanding; editors in the industry don't have very high status, and their editing fees are very low.
No matter how good a script is, it can only earn a few hundred thousand at most. Jiang Bai's desire to make half the profit is nothing short of wishful thinking.
Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would refuse.
But didn't Cheng Daoyun already say that?
The other party doesn't care about money or whether they can make a profit; they just want to create a sensation and make a name for themselves.
If that's the case, Jiang Bai feels that his asking price is reasonable. As for whether the other party agrees or not, that's not Jiang Bai's problem.
"Well… I told him that if he agrees, I will have him contact you; if he doesn't agree, then forget it."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Daoyun initially thought he had misheard and wanted to retort. However, after thinking about it again, he realized there was no problem. The quality of Jiang Bai's scripts was undeniable, and although only one of the three had been released, it had already caused a sensation.
In Cheng Daoyun's opinion, the other two are definitely no worse than "God of Gamblers".
A script of this quality deserves a higher price, especially since Jiang Bai isn't a poor screenwriter who's always looking for money.
Jiang Bai is a genuine big boss. Cheng Daoyun is also aware of Jiang Bai's situation. He is now worth billions and is fully capable of bidding himself. Why should he let others have it?
You asked me for help through connections, so I'll help you find a script. I can't let my boss lose money to help you gain publicity, losing both face and substance, can I?
Cheng Daoyun could never bring himself to say those words!
In fact, if the other party hadn't been his longtime friend and his wife's classmate, he would never have spoken up. Now that Jiang Bai had made his demands, Cheng Daoyun only thought about it and didn't object.
He only said that one sentence before hanging up the phone.
Just two minutes later, Jiang Bai's phone rang again. It was Cheng Daoyun's friend calling: "Hello, are you Mr. Jiang Bai? I am Xie An, a friend of Cheng Daoyun!"
Jiang Bai recognized the name; a few days ago, when he was bored, he had watched one of the director's films, which was quite good.
He was quite famous in his early years, and Jiang Bai liked him quite a bit. However, there were some problems with his films in the last two years. The plots were somewhat vague and the production was chaotic. Jiang Bai almost thought he had the wrong person at the time. He had to confirm several times before he found out that he was right. The difference in quality between the earlier and later films was huge, which made Jiang Bai scold him severely.
Now it seems there was a reason for it.
In that split second, Jiang Bai suddenly changed his mind. This director Xie An was not bad. Why should he hand over his script to someone else to film?
It's up to him!
However, instead of sending him to another company to film, he brought him to Empire Films!
Empire Pictures lacks everything, but right now the one thing it has in abundance is money!
Just yesterday, through Zhao Wuji's Wuji Enterprise, they obtained 10 billion yuan under the guise of a loan. Now, there are still more than 20 billion yuan lying idle in Jiang Bai's overseas accounts, and we don't know what they're doing with it.
Finding a director and filming it yourself is definitely a good option.
Of course, Jiang Bai also considered acquiring the cinema chain, but the money could not be made public for the time being and could only be transferred in small amounts. This plan could not be implemented for the time being, and they could only make movies and invest a small portion of the money.
With tens of millions at stake, I doubt anyone would bother Jiang Bai with this.
Unless he's really tired of living.
"Hello, Director Xie An, I know you. Director Cheng has already told me about your situation. Where are you now? I'm in Tiandu. If it's convenient for you sometime, I hope you can come over."
Although Jiang Bai had this idea, he didn't want to say it directly now. He needed a chance to express his meaning, preferably through an intermediary. But before that, he decided to meet Director Xie An first and see what he was like.
Therefore, an invitation was extended.
It's not that he's arrogant, it's just that it's a sensitive time right now.
Jiang Bai could not and did not want to leave Tiandu. He had already finished discussing the Nangong family's affairs, and there was no immediate danger.
But we can't completely trust that old guy Nangong Qingyun. What if the old man is lying to us?
What if the old man goes back and thinks about it, feels guilty, and decides to sacrifice himself for the greater good, even at the cost of his grandson, and comes straight here to kill us?
The chances are slim, but Jiang Bai has to be careful!
Sometimes people have a mental breakdown, and who knows when or what unusual thing they might do?
Therefore, he cannot leave Tiandu for the time being.
However, the other party clearly had a strong desire to recruit talent. After hearing this, he quickly replied, "Mr. Jiang, I'm not far away. If it's convenient, I'll come over right away. How about we have dinner together tonight and take a look at the script?"
Jiang Bai naturally couldn't refuse the request made by the other party.
The two then agreed on a time and place, ultimately choosing the Empire Hotel.
Of course, this was Jiang Bai's suggestion. Xie An said that he was not very familiar with Tiandu and had not been there for many years. He hoped that Jiang Bai would find a place for him to have dinner.
With the idea of keeping the benefits within the family, Jiang Bai recommended the Imperial Hotel, and the other party agreed without hesitation and then hung up the phone.
In the afternoon, Jiang Bai called Lin Wanru and asked her to go to the movies together, but unfortunately she declined because she had to teach a class and even urged Jiang Bai to hurry up and teach.
Jiang Bai promptly refused, then was astonished to find that he had no one to ask out to. Jiang Yuqing had left, Zhu Xinxin and Xia Yiyi were definitely in class today, and Ye Qingcheng was not in Tiandu either.
After thinking it over, Jiang Bai realized that there was only one person he could ask out: Wan Yingying. He thought about it and realized that after he slept with her last time, he didn't give her any explanation and just left without saying goodbye. He hadn't contacted her since, and he didn't know how her conversation with her son was going.
However, I imagine it won't be a pleasant experience, since no one would be happy in this situation.
She dialed the other party's number and asked Wan Yingying to come out to see a movie, but was told that the other party was busy with work and that her boss had instructed her to have a social engagement that evening, so she couldn't get away.
Left with no other choice, Jiang Bai went to the cinema by himself, watched a newly released comedy, and then returned to the hotel to catch up on some sleep.
When he woke up, it was already evening. Xie An called again: "Mr. Jiang, we have arrived at Lotus Hall. Have you arrived yet?"
"I'm at the hotel. I've been staying here recently because of some family matters. I'll be right down."
Jiang Bai responded with a smile. He heard Xie An use the word "we" but didn't mind.
Xie An came to buy his own script, but he was neither an investor nor a boss; he was just a director. He wasn't the one who provided the money; at most, he had the right to offer suggestions.
Whether or not to buy depends on the wealthy boss of the other party.
Chapter 424 The Tycoon
Who can blame them for being rich!
Jiang Bai's target price is 30 million. It is estimated that after deducting all the investment, publicity expenses, and the salary of a popular action star, the film should earn around 60 million. If the film performs well, it should be able to earn even more.
However, Jiang Bai wasn't greedy. Thirty million was about right; he'd leave some for others.
However, Jiang Bai estimated that the other party would not accept this price, for no other reason than... it was too high.
The most expensive screenplay in China is only a little over two million yuan. It's a screenplay adapted from a bestselling book by a popular author, and the copyright and adaptation fees totaled two million six hundred thousand yuan.
That's already the highest, and it even made the news.
Jiang Bai asked for 30 million right off the bat; the other party would probably find it hard to agree.
However, this is exactly what Jiang Bai wants. If the other party agrees immediately, why would he bother digging for it? He believes Xie An will like the script. After all, he is an action director, and this script is quite good.
If the other party refuses, Jiang Bai can take the opportunity to poach them.
After tidying up briefly, Jiang Bai went downstairs and headed straight for the Lotus Hall. Along the way, many people called Jiang Bai, including wealthy businessmen, officials, and even people from the hotel. It was no secret that Jiang Bai was staying here, and many people had gotten to know him.
As for the hotel staff, if they don't even know their boss, they shouldn't be doing this job.
After greeting them with a smile, Jiang Bai entered the Lotus Hall.
The waiter knocked on the door and led Jiang Bai inside. As soon as he entered, Jiang Bai noticed three or four people sitting inside: two men and two women.
The man in the very center was dressed in designer clothes, bald, and wore a gold necklace that weighed at least eight ounces and could be used as a dog leash. He also had ten thick gold rings on his ten fingers. He was fat and had a big ear, and he had an imposing manner. Two young women who were posing seductively and dressed provocatively were nestled beside him. Judging from his demeanor, he was definitely not Xie An.
Another refined-looking, somewhat scholarly middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses sat in the lower seat. When Jiang Bai arrived, he quickly stood up and came over to greet him. Without a doubt, this was Xie An.
"You are... Mr. Jiang?"
When Xie An saw Jiang Bai, he was somewhat surprised and asked uncertainly.
"Hello, Director Xie!" Jiang Bai greeted the other party with a smile, which was quite polite.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xie An warmly invited Jiang Bai to take a seat, which Jiang Bai accepted without hesitation.
From beginning to end, Jiang Bai ignored the nouveau riche man who was indulging in the pleasures of the woman.
"This is Mr. Niu Benben, the CEO of our New Earth Pictures! He is also the owner of Da Niu Mining! He has a lot of influence in Xishan and runs many energy companies!"
Jiang Bai ignored the rich guy, but Xie An naturally couldn't ignore his sugar daddy. He exchanged pleasantries with Jiang Bai and invited him to sit down, naturally introducing his boss.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai glanced at the other person in surprise, realizing he was a coal mine owner.
Coal mine owners in this world are still glamorous, but they haven't been completely wiped out to the point of being in dire straits. They still spend money like water, and news about their extravagant spending is commonplace.
However, Jiang Bai couldn't help but chuckle at the man's name and the name of his company.
New Earth is alright, but it's definitely not a name he came up with. The Big Bull Mining that follows, on the other hand, does have the style of this nouveau riche guy.
It matches his name perfectly.
Then Xie An introduced Jiang Bai. The nouveau riche who hadn't looked over before glanced at Jiang Bai, sat there without moving, and just nodded arrogantly. Jiang Bai ignored him. What was the point of talking to someone like that?
You've got some money to burn, and you don't even know who you are anymore?
Besides, are they really that rich?
That's not necessarily true!
For ordinary people, they are wealthy enough, and they make money quickly, creating the illusion that they spend money like water and have an endless supply of money.
That's only true for ordinary people. For the truly wealthy and powerful, these people don't really look up to them.
Jiang Bai's actions startled the other party for a moment, and then a look of dissatisfaction appeared on their face, but they didn't say anything, only glancing at Jiang Bai.
Perhaps he felt that Jiang Bai didn't respect him enough.
After all, since he made his fortune in the past few years, everyone greets him with a smile and treats him with utmost respect. Even those cultured people, including Xie An, treat him with the utmost respect.
Jiang Bai's cold attitude made him feel somewhat displeased.
He's seen plenty of intellectuals like that, who think they're superior just because they have some knowledge.
Aren't they just a bunch of stinking intellectuals?
They're incompetent, but they're all greedy for money! They'd call me grandpa if they wanted!
So although he was not very willing, he didn't say anything, waiting for Jiang Bai to say the price before he would try to negotiate.
"Mr. Jiang, did you bring the script?"
Xie An noticed these things, but didn't pay too much attention to them. He knew his boss's temperament; although he had a bad temper, he would forget about it in a moment and would be appeased with just a few words even if he was angry.
So he didn't pay too much attention to it, but instead turned his gaze to Jiang Bai and got down to business.
"I brought it."
Jiang Bai smiled and handed over the script, explaining that this was the focus of today's discussion, not the country bumpkin.
Jiang Bai handed over the script, and Xie An quickly got into work mode and started reading, while Jiang Bai drank his tea on his own, and the rich guy on the other side remained silent.
However, the quiet environment didn't last long. A scantily clad girl with heavy makeup spoke up, speaking in a coquettish, affected voice: "Mr. Niu, you promised me this time, you'd let me be the female lead! Director Xie seemed really into the script, it must be a good one. You promised me the female lead, you can't go back on your word!"
One sentence almost made Jiang Bai, who was drinking tea, spit it out. This heavily made-up young woman was actually not very old, only about twenty years old, but she had a worldly air about her. No matter where she stood, whether she was wearing makeup or not, any adult man could guess her profession.
Moreover, its appearance is actually quite ordinary, making it not a good choice.
They wanted her to be the female lead in this movie, and as soon as the poster was put up, it was already half a flop.
"Oh dear, Mr. Niu... didn't you say you'd cast me as the female lead? We agreed on that last time! I only followed you because of that, you can't go back on your word. You tricked me into being your first... you can't just turn your back on me!"
Another girl next to them spoke up, in the same sweet, coquettish voice, pulling Niu Benben's hand and snuggling him into her arms, saying the same thing as she did so.
But she was even more outrageous. She was actually quite good-looking, above average, and by ordinary standards, she would definitely be considered a beauty. Unfortunately, her makeup was too heavy, which ruined her natural beauty.
Chapter 425 You arrange things for that person.
Putting aside your nearly 27 or 28 years old, just looking at your worldly face, you're clearly a seasoned veteran. At this point, to shamelessly claim you're a virgin—are you trying to fool your father? Or are you trying to fool your father? Or are you trying to fool your father?
Jiang Bai felt his stomach churning instantly; he simply couldn't stand this shameless person talking like that.
But she seemed completely oblivious, her face alluring as she held Niu Benben and shook him repeatedly.
The wealthy guy, however, seemed quite pleased with himself. He proudly kissed the other man on the cheek and said happily, "Don't worry, Brother Niu always keeps his promises. You gave me your first time, how could I treat you badly?"
One sentence made Jiang Bai's lips twitch, and he was speechless.
But while he remained silent, the others wouldn't let him off the hook. Boss Niu Benben glanced at Jiang Bai, then at the people beside him, and suddenly pointed a finger at Jiang Bai: "Hey you, get that script arranged. Go back and revise it. You need two female leads! You understand? I want my darlings to be the female leads!"
After saying that, he kissed each of the two women on the cheek, and then said with great magnanimity, "Don't worry, money is no problem. I may lack many things, but I don't lack money!"
These words made Jiang Bai's lips twitch; he really didn't want to talk to this guy.
"You think you can just say it should be changed? Who do you think you are?"
Jiang Bai had no intention of cooperating with the other party at all. His purpose in coming here was actually to see Xie An. The appearance of this rich guy was a complete accident.
Jiang Bai completely ignored him, which angered the rich guy. He glared at Jiang Bai fiercely, then slammed his hand on the table and said, "Hey kid, what do you mean by this? Didn't you hear what I said?"
"Didn't you hear me tell you to revise the script?"
Jiang Bai continued drinking his tea, ignoring him and simply watching him quietly.
This made Niu Benben feel extremely humiliated. He glared angrily at Jiang Bai and said, "You just want money, right? Name your price! I have nothing but plenty of money!"
Just then, the door to the house was suddenly opened, and a man led several men and women into the house. Niu Benben stood up, immediately put on a smile, ignored Jiang Bai, and walked towards the door.
"Hello, Mr. Jiang! Hello! You've finally arrived, I've missed you so much!"
Niu Benben laughed and walked towards the door, heading towards a middle-aged fat man who was extremely obese and looked like a round ball.
As they spoke, they shared a deep hug.
"We're all on the same side, no need to be polite!"
The other person laughed and didn't refuse Niu Benben's hug.
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, gave each other a brief introduction of the people behind them, and then went inside.
As soon as they entered, Jiang Bai saw a timid figure with a youthful face and fair complexion.
Isn't that Wan Yingying, the one I had a one-night stand with a while ago?
How did Wan Yong's mother end up here?
Could this fat man who looks like a ball actually be her boss?
When Jiang Bai spotted Wan Yingying, Wan Yingying also saw Jiang Bai. She was visibly stunned and paused subconsciously before sitting down with her colleague. After sitting down, she kept glancing at Jiang Bai with a puzzled expression.
I don't quite understand why my son's homeroom teacher is here.
Unfortunately, she didn't have a chance to talk to Jiang Bai. Wan Yingying, who was not assertive and was somewhat weak and submissive, immediately attracted attention because of her beautiful appearance.
After greeting the visiting General Manager Jiang, Niu Benben immediately spotted Wan Yingying and, in the blink of an eye, abandoned the two heavily made-up women beside him.
The two women were originally quite presentable, but the appearance of Wan Yingying, a young and beautiful woman, immediately overshadowed the two roadside beauties and drew all of Niu Benben's attention.
His eyes lit up as he looked at Wan Yingying, and he subconsciously asked President Jiang beside him, "Brother Jiang, who is this young lady?"
"Haha, this is Wan Yingying from our office, the most beautiful girl in our company. What, Brother Niu, are you interested? You'd better hurry, Miss Wan isn't married yet." President Jiang laughed heartily, puffing on a large cigar, exuding an air of importance.
Instead of getting angry at Niu Benben's question, Niu Benben gave him an encouraging look, which made Jiang Bai frown, wondering what the relationship between the two was.
Frankly speaking, we're all men, and when we encounter a woman like this, it's understandable that we'd all have some thoughts.
However, what Jiang Bai didn't understand was why President Jiang would push away such a good woman as Wan Yingying so easily.
This isn't normal, is it?
Could it be because this guy needs something from Niu Benben?
It doesn't look like it!
The two exchanged a few words, their faces beaming with knowing smiles that any man could understand. Instead of drawing disdain, they elicited good-natured laughter, or rather, fawning laughter.
The only ones who weren't laughing were probably the two women who were originally sitting next to Jiang Bai and Niu Benben.
As for Wan Yingying herself, her face flushed slightly, and she subconsciously glanced at Jiang Bai before lowering her head and not daring to say anything.
"Miss Wan is so beautiful, it's such a waste for her to stay in the company as a clerk. Would you be interested in coming to my company to be my secretary? Don't worry! The monthly salary will be at least 100,000!"
With a generous wave of his hand, Niu Benben offered Wan Yingying a price that would be incredibly tempting to ordinary people.
Jiang Bai could clearly sense that people inside the room were casting envious glances at Wan Yingying, especially the two people next to Niu Benben, whose faces were green with envy. It wasn't hard to guess that Niu Benben hadn't offered them such a high price.
"No, no, it's fine now...it's fine now."
Wan Yingying still seemed a little weak, a stark contrast to her son Wan Yong's aggressive demeanor, which made Jiang Bai frown frequently.
Compared to her slightly weak and submissive personality, Jiang Bai preferred Xia Yiyi's fearless and rebellious nature.
If it were Xia Yiyi, she would have given Niu Benben a whole bottle of wine by now.
"Not interested? How about you become a star? Haha, I'm planning to start a film company and make a movie. Would you like to be the female lead?"
"To be honest, with your image, I guarantee you'll be a hit as soon as filming starts, maybe even better than that Ye Qingcheng from a while back. Let me tell you, in this industry, as long as someone's willing to spend money to promote you, you can become famous instantly! I, Brother Niu, don't have much, but I have plenty of money!"
Niu Benben said with a smile, his nouveau riche aura was on full display.
After saying that, he pointed at Jiang Bai and said, "Hey you, whoever you are, you arrange it, hurry up, tailor-make a leading lady for me based on Miss Wan's appearance, money is no object!"