Chapter 0231: Asking an Exorbitant Price

Haidong Island, located south of the Leizhou Peninsula, looks like a slipper lying on the vast blue sea. The tropical monsoon climate keeps it green year-round with flowers blooming in all seasons, earning it the reputation of the Hawaii of the East. It is the only tropical coastal tourist city in the country, boasting ten major scenic resources: sunshine, sea, beaches, climate, forests, animals, hot springs, caves, fields, and local customs.

Fortunately, as New Year's Day approached, there weren't many tourists here. Today's shoot was near a beach. Although the appearance of the big stars Liu Dehua and Zhou Feifei drew a crowd around the set, the strict security measures kept things under control.

“Director Zhao, what brings you here?” Liu Dehua asked Zhao Fusheng. He had planned to call Zhao Fusheng after the shoot to ask what he wanted to discuss last night, but now Zhao Fusheng had come directly.

Hearing Liu Dehua's question, Zhao Fusheng blinked and said with a serious expression, “Well, I wrote an outline for a script last night. I wanted to talk to you about it then, but I thought you were too tired, so I came today. How about it, do you have time?”

“Director Zhao is so dedicated. With that kind of effort, you’d excel at anything,” Zhou Li, who had just walked over, said with a smile, prompting Liu Dehua and Zhou Feifei to nod in agreement.

“Yes, Director Zhao, you need to balance work and rest. Rest when you should, so you can work more efficiently,” Zhou Feifei also nodded.

After all, Zhao Fusheng had no conflict with her, and in a sense, he had even helped her twice.

“It’s fine, I’m young,” Zhao Fusheng said with a smile. He gladly accepted everyone’s goodwill but didn’t take it to heart.

Most people are like that—they hear many truths but still can’t live their lives well.

Of course, some truly can’t live well, while others fail because they never really understood those truths.

It’s the same as many people not liking travel not because they prefer staying home, but because they have no money.

“Back in the day, when I was young, I was just as driven as Director Zhao,” Liu Dehua said. He entered the TVB artist training class in 1981, graduated in 1982, and then acted in a series of TV dramas. In one of them, he worked with the legendary Chow Yun-fat, who praised him. Later, he rose to fame with the film *Boat People* and became a TVB-promoted heartthrob.

“It’s the same for everyone. When you’re young, you crave success,” Zhou Li nodded with a smile.

Although he hadn’t spent much time with Zhao Fusheng these days, he had intended to build a connection. Since Zhao Fusheng wasn’t aloof, their conversations had moved beyond superficial pleasantries.

“By the way, you mentioned a script—have you finished it?” Liu Dehua then asked Zhao Fusheng.

A script?

Zhou Li was startled. He hadn’t paid attention when Zhao Fusheng mentioned it earlier, but now he was surprised: “Director Zhao wrote a script?”

“Yes, Director Zhou. Director Zhao has expanded our commercial into a movie script,” Liu Dehua said with a smile.

Although he hadn’t seen the actual script yet, since Zhou Li was the commercial director and knew it was a good story, Liu Dehua didn’t hide it from him.

Zhou Li’s expression changed instantly. Zhao Fusheng was truly someone who could surprise you. He had already produced three astonishing plans since entering the industry, and now he had come up with a movie script. If word got out, many people would be interested in him.

“Is it the one you mentioned the other day…?” Zhou Feifei finally came to her senses and asked Zhao Fusheng.

After all, she was a woman, so it was more appropriate for her to ask: “Could you tell us a bit about it?”

The earlier shoot was just for the commercial story. Everyone only knew the general plot; only Zhao Fusheng knew the specifics.

Zhao Fusheng smiled. There was nothing to hide. He handed the script to Liu Dehua: “Here it is. But only Brother Hua can read it, because he’s my boss.”

“Boss?”

The group exchanged glances, staring at Zhao Fusheng and Liu Dehua in surprise, wondering what was going on and why Liu Dehua had suddenly become Zhao Fusheng’s boss.

Sensing everyone’s gaze, Liu Dehua quickly waved his hand and looked at Zhao Fusheng: “Director Zhao, don’t set me up. When did I ever say I’d be your boss?”

He paused, then suddenly smiled: “But if you’re willing to come work with me, the position of planning director would definitely be yours.”

Zhao Fusheng smiled: “Chairman Han of Aipu Mobile said the same thing.”

Ah?

Everyone gasped. If Liu Dehua’s words were just a joke that most would laugh off, the mention of Han Pojun’s name made it clear to everyone that they needed to reassess Zhao Fusheng.

A person’s reputation is like a tree’s shadow. It’s said that people strive for recognition, and throughout history, some would even sacrifice their lives to be remembered.

Although Han Pojun might not reach the level of being remembered in history, someone who could spend tens of millions on a commercial naturally commanded everyone’s respect.

Liu Qiangdong, who doesn’t know his wife’s beauty; Jack Ma, who regrets founding Alibaba; Wang Jianlin, who has nothing; Ma Huateng, from an ordinary family; Pan Shiyi, who owns no property; Ding Lei, who farms and raises pigs.

Any one of these people—you could say they’re showing off, but you have to admit that a single word from them can decide the fate of many.

Han Pojun was undoubtedly a big shot on par with these people. So his formal invitation meant, to Zhou Li and the others, that Zhao Fusheng was no longer on the same starting line as them.

Even Zhou Feifei’s eyes flickered with a strange light. She hadn’t expected Zhao Fusheng to have such ability.

“Chairman Han’s judgment goes without saying. Director Zhao, are you really not considering it?” At that moment, Wang Jinghua’s voice came from behind, finally easing the tension.

Zhao Fusheng turned around with a smile and said to Wang Jinghua, “Sister Hua, you said it yourself—I’ll think it over. That’s what I told Chairman Han too.”

If he told everyone the truth, they would probably think he was crazy for giving up such a great opportunity.

But for Zhao Fusheng, he would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

Besides, in this life, who is the phoenix and who is the chicken is still uncertain.

…

…

After the small talk, Zhao Fusheng looked at Liu Dehua, who was reading the script, and said with a smile, “Brother Hua, I plan to sell this script to you.”

“Sell it to me?”

Liu Dehua was startled, then raised the script in his hand: “You mean…”

Zhao Fusheng nodded: “I don’t know much about the situation in Hong Kong, so I can’t offer much advice. You need this script, and the role suits you. Selling it to you is only natural, isn’t it?”

Hearing his words, Liu Dehua’s expression was complicated.

Zhao Fusheng’s words were half true and half false. If Liu Dehua had been confident at first, after Wang Zhonglei’s statement that day, he actually had little confidence.

Although Heavenly King Liu was famous, the problem was that he had no money.

To be precise, even if he could afford to buy the script, with Hong Kong cinema in decline, Liu Dehua couldn’t guarantee that taking this script to seek investment would get anyone willing to fund the film.

And if Wang Zhonglei stepped in to buy Zhao Fusheng’s script, Huayi Brothers would become the main investor. Then Liu Dehua felt that apart from taking a share of the box office as his fee, he wouldn’t get any other benefits.

But he never expected Zhao Fusheng to be so considerate, not mentioning Huayi at all, and directly selling the script to him.

Moved, Liu Dehua said solemnly, “Director Zhao, since you think so highly of me, I won’t let you down. A flat fee of 500,000 Hong Kong dollars for the script, no problem?”

500,000, and in Hong Kong dollars?

Everyone was stunned. Those unfamiliar with the market thought Liu Dehua had lost his mind, daring to offer such a high price.

After all, the best screenwriters in mainland China only got a few thousand yuan for a script. Even in Hong Kong, a gold-medal screenwriter’s work was reportedly worth at most 200,000 to 300,000 Hong Kong dollars.

But right before their eyes, Liu Dehua had offered Zhao Fusheng 500,000 Hong Kong dollars for the script.

If not for their days of close interaction, everyone would have suspected that Heavenly King Liu had completely lost his mind.

But the facts were before them. Liu Dehua had already spoken, and everyone’s eyes were on Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly and gently shook his head: “Brother Hua, that’s too much.”

Then he continued, “Besides, I have conditions.”

“Huh?”

Liu Dehua was taken aback. Because there were people around, he didn’t dare ask—could Zhao Fusheng be dissatisfied with the amount?

Not just him, but Zhou Li, Zhou Feifei, and Wang Jinghua all thought Zhao Fusheng was acting strangely. Even Dong Chenxi wanted to pull him back.

Come on, that was 500,000 Hong Kong dollars, which at the current exchange rate was at least over 500,000 RMB. The other party had offered such a high price, and he wanted to lower it? Was he crazy with joy?

Zhao Fusheng looked at Liu Dehua and said calmly, “Brother Hua, if this story were made into a movie, how much do you think the box office would be?”

Hearing this, Liu Dehua’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Zhao Fusheng. He suddenly felt that he couldn’t see through this young man.

Because Liu Dehua knew that since Zhao Fusheng asked that, he must have more to say.

For a moment, the great Heavenly King Liu Dehua didn’t know how to answer.