Chapter 0655: A Small Favor

Lou Ye seemed a bit dull; to put it nicely, he was full of artistic flair, but to put it bluntly, he was a middle-aged man immersed in his own artistic world, unable to extricate himself.

If it were Zhao Fusheng from his previous life, he would have probably thrown the script in his face right now, flipped the table, and walked away.

He wouldn't have given Jiang Wen a good look either, since it was essentially Jiang Wen dragging Zhao Fusheng along to clean up Lou Ye's mess.

But now, Zhao Fusheng had long passed that impulsive stage; he was more willing to understand others and listen to what they had to say, even if the content was of no use to him.

"Although I disagree with what you say, I will be polite enough to hear you out."

Zhao Fusheng had read that in a book; he couldn't remember which one, but he found it very reasonable.

A mature adult does not casually express opinions about matters or people, because that is rash and meaningless.

"Fusheng, don't misunderstand. Old Lou didn't mean anything else." Seeing Zhao Fusheng lost in thought, Jiang Wen sighed inwardly, knowing he had to step in.

After all, it was Lou Ye's first meeting with Zhao Fusheng; they weren't familiar at all, and besides, Lou Ye's attitude was hardly that of someone seeking investment.

One might think he was the big shot.

The Chinese language is profound; the same term "big shot" can sometimes be an insult, and other times indicate someone with a high posture.

And now, it was clearly not the time for Lou Ye to put on airs.

Others might not know, but Jiang Wen was well aware of Zhao Fusheng's influence over Future Advertising. For a script like "Dream Journey," Future Advertising had directly invested a million and didn't interfere with anything, even helping the crew secure several advertising sponsorships.

The reason was simple: just one word from Zhao Fusheng.

Glancing at Jiang Wen, Zhao Fusheng nodded. He could afford to disregard Lou Ye's face because they were strangers, and although Zhou Xun, sitting nearby, was one of his favorite actresses, she didn't have enough influence to decide on investments worth millions.

In business, one must act like a businessman—both Jiang Wen and Zhao Fusheng understood that clearly.

What Jiang Wen could do for his friend Lou Ye was to help make connections and give him a chance. What Zhao Fusheng could do was to say a word and give Lou Ye the opportunity to showcase his abilities.

"Fusheng, this script is really good." Lou Ye seemed to understand Jiang Wen's intention. Although he was taciturn, he wasn't truly stupid, especially when it came to his profession; he was more professional than anyone.

"Old Lou, to be honest, I don't get it."

Zhao Fusheng looked at Lou Ye sincerely: "I'm not from the film industry. Although I've written two scripts, they were just for fun. Your script is different from anything I've encountered before, and different from 'Devils on the Doorstep.' But regardless, you're Old Jiang's friend, so you're my friend. I'll definitely help you with this."

Even though he didn't understand the script, that didn't stop Zhao Fusheng from knowing that "Suzhou River" was a good one. After all, in his memory, this film made Zhou Xun famous and won international awards.

In other words, this deal wouldn't lose money.

The invested money could be recouped, and he would gain the friendship of a sixth-generation director. Most importantly, someday Zhao Fusheng could proudly say, "I made Zhou Xun a star!"

For that reason alone, he couldn't give up on this film.

Of course, favors must be done with enough face to be remembered. Agreeing too casually would make people ungrateful and even suspect you of ulterior motives.

That's why Zhao Fusheng didn't commit outright, even though in reality, he could settle the matter with just a phone call to Zheng Yao.

Even the usually indifferent Zhou Xun's big eyes flickered when Zhao Fusheng said that. Clearly, his words ignited hope in them, who had been repeatedly rejected recently.

Pride always gets shattered in the face of reality.

Like Lou Ye, although he knew the scripts he wrote and the films he made wouldn't be bad, his previous bans made him realize that few in Beijing's film circle dared to invest in his films now. Apart from that foolish woman Nai'an, everyone else shied away at the mention of his name. If not for that, why would he ask Jiang Wen for help?

The same went for Zhou Xun. For her, this was her first film as the female lead. Regardless of the budget, it was a very important start.

"Thank you."

Lou Ye and Zhou Xun said those two words almost simultaneously.

Zhao Fusheng smiled, not taking their words to heart. He was no longer the person who had just been reborn and was amazed at seeing a big star.

Having seen too many important people, Zhou Xun and Lou Ye, in Zhao Fusheng's eyes now, were just ordinary people striving for life and dreams like himself.

"No need to be so polite. I can only make a phone call; whether it works out depends on them." Zhao Fusheng glanced at Lou Ye and said calmly, "I'm only in charge of advertising planning, not company management."

Jiang Wen interjected with a laugh: "Come on, you planners have it much easier than managers. You know, I didn't realize until I became a producer—there are things to deal with all day long, exhausting like a dog..."

Zhao Fusheng blinked and said offhandedly, "Come on, dogs aren't as tired as you."

"Pfft!"

Zhou Xun couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Jiang Wen's face turned red, and even Lou Ye was momentarily stunned, then his expression softened, and he couldn't hold back a burst of laughter.

Speechless, Jiang Wen glared at Zhao Fusheng and said bitterly, "Just you wait. When it's your turn on set, I'll get back at you!"

Zhao Fusheng paused, suddenly remembering that he had promised Yu Feihong that if she played the lead, he would make a cameo.

Judging by Jiang Wen's expression, it was clear he planned to take revenge.

Thinking of this, Zhao Fusheng let out a cold laugh: "You're not the director. What do I have to fear from you?"

Seeing his bluster, Jiang Wen showed a fierce grin: "Kid, have you forgotten? Lu Chuan doesn't like you either. What if I tell him to let me direct your cameo scene? Do you think he'd agree?"

Zhao Fusheng's vision went dark, and he suddenly felt like he had dug a hole for himself...