Chapter 85: A Sudden Opportunity
Chapter 85: A Sudden Opportunity
The old steward acknowledged and was about to take his leave when Yan Zhongqing unexpectedly called him back. Instantly, he turned around.
“Continue contacting Blood Thorn. But don’t send small-time people this time. Get some elite assassins directly from abroad. We must not let that kid Lin Mu escape again! This time, we have to succeed in one strike!”
Mentioning Lin Mu, a cold gleam instantly flashed in Yan Zhongqing’s eyes.
“Since we’re already enemies with him, there’s no turning back. Whatever it takes, he must die!”
“No problem, Family Head. I’ll contact them right away.”
“Good. Wait, come back. When is Langshi arriving?”
“Young Master is already on the plane. He should arrive at the airport around 3 pm this afternoon,” the old steward replied.
“Hmm, go pick him up. With Langshi back, I’ll feel much more at ease.”
Yan Zhongqing nodded.
“Yes, Family Head. The tender matter is already settled. It’s scheduled for the evening of the tenth at Tenglong Auction Hall. You still need to consider it carefully. I’ll take my leave now.”
The old steward bowed slightly, then retreated.
Once the old steward left, Yan Zhongqing immediately made a phone call. Surprisingly, his tone was extraordinarily polite. He could only be heard agreeing repeatedly without a single question, just like a subordinate.
Shortly after, Yan Zhongqing hung up the phone, and a broad smile instantly spread across his face.
Just one phone call. He already knew the reserve price for this bid. The Yan Family was certain to win the tender now and could flexibly control the situation.
Good news lifts the spirits. Lin Mu was already forgotten in Yan Zhongqing’s mind. After all, for the head of the Yan Family, Lin Mu was just a tiny stumbling block, not even worthy of his serious attention.
On this day, Lin Mu had just stepped out of the school gate after class when he was stopped by Xing Weilong, who was waiting beside him.
“Brother Lin! I’ve been waiting for you so long, even the flowers have withered!”
Xing Weilong lunged towards Lin Mu, ready for a bear hug.
“Hey! Stop right there!”
Lin Mu swiftly dodged backwards, stretching out a hand to ward off the chubby guy’s over-familiar advances.
“What do you want?”
“Brother Lin, what do you mean? It’s got to be something important, of course.”
Xing Weilong looked miserable.
“But it’s dinnertime. I need to go home for dinner.”
“No, don’t go home! My treat today! Hilton Hotel. Whatever you want to eat, Brother Lin, order anything.”
The chubby guy waved his hand grandly, looking like he was ready to conquer the world.
“Really? That generous? No tricks?”
Lin Mu eyed the chubby guy suspiciously.
“Brother Lin, how can you say that? Treating someone to dinner should definitely be done somewhere classy! Money is no problem. The key is getting you to honor me with your presence.”
Xing Weilong grinned.
“Alright then. I’ve never been to the Hilton. Consider this me taking advantage of your offer to see the world.”
After saying this, Lin Mu dialed Song Yuru’s number, telling her he wouldn’t be home for dinner that night and that she and the others should eat without him.
Song Yuru didn’t ask much, just urged him not to drink too much and to come home early, then hung up.
The two of them rode in the chubby guy’s car and soon arrived at the Hilton Hotel. Looking at the richly dressed people coming and going, Lin Mu felt a pang in his heart. Countless people outside suffered hunger while this place seemed like paradise.
“Come on, Brother Lin, let’s head in!”
Seeing Lin Mu staring blankly at the entrance, the chubby guy said, somewhat confused.
“Yeah, let’s go in.”
Lin Mu pulled back his wandering thoughts. Society was like this; there was nothing he could do about it.
Help the world when prosperous; mind yourself when poor.
Right now, Lin Mu wasn’t prosperous yet, so naturally, he couldn’t worry about so much.
“Brother Lin, let’s go to the 29th floor.”
Xing Weilong seemed to come here often. Familiar with the path, he led Lin Mu straight to the elevator. Every server they passed along the way seemed to know the chubby guy, nodding and greeting him constantly.
“Fatty, is this Hilton Hotel owned by your family?”
Lin Mu gave the chubby guy a puzzled glance.
“Of course not! Hilton Hotels are all directly owned. No franchises. No one but the Hilton family can use their name to open a hotel. So even if we were rich, we couldn’t open one!”
Xing Weilong laughed heartily.
“Is that so?”
Lin Mu felt something was off about this. Something was weird.
The moment they stepped out of the elevator, two servers approached them immediately.
“Master Xing, welcome. This way, please.”
One server gestured politely to the side, leading them to a VIP room.
Entering the private room, Lin Mu was momentarily dazzled by flashes of gold. Even the chairs were gold-trimmed. All the tableware, even the plates, were inlaid with various gemstones. Everything gave off a sense of dazzling opulence.
“Brother Lin, go ahead and order. Whatever you like, order as much as you want.”
Xing Weilong handed him a thick menu.
“Forget it. I’m not good at ordering. You do it.”
Lin Mu shook his head and pushed the menu back towards the chubby guy.
“Okay, then I’ll order.”
Xing Weilong opened the menu skillfully and rattled off over twenty dishes in one breath. Seeing how fast he named the dishes, Lin Mu suspected he wasn’t even looking at the menu but had it memorized.
“Fatty, now I finally know why you’re so fat! It’s only two of us! Can we eat this many dishes?!”
Lin Mu sighed, looking at him as if he was unbelievably hopeless.
“Brother Lin, I don’t come here often! Only once or twice occasionally! After listening to you last time, I went back and started dieting. I eat very little now, basically like being a monk.”
Xing Weilong sounded a bit wronged. The reason he had ordered so many was simply because he himself was desperately craving them.
“Fine, eat. It’s fortunate to enjoy good food. I’m going to the restroom.”
Lin Mu pushed back his chair and stood up.
“Sir, let me show you the way.”
A server smiled, opened the private room door, and escorted Lin Mu out.
“Thank you!”
After Lin Mu followed the server out of the room, Xing Weilong also stepped out. He gestured to summon a server in the corridor and whispered close to his ear, “Find a few girls to join us.”
“Of course, Master Xing. Just a moment, they’ll be right over.”
As if nothing had happened, Xing Weilong returned to the private room, casually sitting there, waiting for Lin Mu’s return.
As Lin Mu walked back along the corridor after using the restroom, he passed by another private room. Through a slightly ajar door crack, he glimpsed a face that seemed vaguely familiar.
But the door quickly closed tight. Lin Mu wasn’t sure if he’d just imagined it.
Inside that room, a stunning beautiful woman with exceptional charm held the attention of everyone present. She was Yao Xianxian, the hottest female star in Huaxia, a triple-threat superstar in acting, singing, and modeling.
“Miss Yao, we invited you primarily to discuss the leading role in our next film. We’d like you to play the female lead. Have you looked over the script?”
A portly middle-aged man sat opposite Yao Xianxian, watching her with a beaming smile.
“President Wang, I’ve read the script. It’s quite promising. I’m also very satisfied with the compensation offer. But who is going to play the male lead?”
Yao Xianxian smiled slightly.
“Do you have any suitable candidates you could recommend?”
A woman seated nearby looked over.
“I don’t really have anyone in mind; I’m still just a newcomer myself. Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m even up to the role.”
Yao Xianxian spoke very modestly.
“Miss Yao, you are far too humble. To our knowledge, your last two movies were both huge box office successes. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have specially invited you to Donghai for this meeting.”
“President Wang is really too kind. Xianxian can only be counted as a beginner. People are just lifting me up because they see something in me.”
“I believe with your popularity and this excellent script, this film will definitely be a hit everywhere!”
President Wang laughed heartily.
“I wouldn’t dare guarantee anything. But I will strive my absolute best to bring the character to life.”
Yao Xianxian carefully avoided making any absolute promises.
Beside her, the Director immediately nodded several times, privately praising this woman as truly extraordinary. Her words and actions were smooth and flawless; she handled discussions with the investor bosses with perfect ease.
That’s precisely why he insisted Yao Xianxian be the female lead. Experienced on big stages, incredibly beautiful, and exceptionally modest and sensible with no serious negative publicity – such female stars were rare in the entertainment industry these days.
“As for the male lead… because of the script’s requirements, we need someone outside the industry. I actually have someone in mind. I just don’t know if he’d be willing.”
Yao Xianxian gave a light smile, speaking tentatively.
“Oh? Xianxian, don’t hesitate, tell us.” Director Hu prompted.
“I met him during my concert. I invited him on stage to sing a duet with me, but he refused. Honestly, it was a bit embarrassing.”
Yao Xianxian’s cheeks flushed slightly red, looking utterly captivating.
“Oh? Someone actually turned down Miss Yao’s invitation? I quite want to meet this young man!”
President Wang slapped his stomach and roared with laughter.
“Do you know where we could find this young man?”
The Director also showed some interest. After all, a youth who could reject Yao Xianxian was genuinely unusual.
“He’s a student at Donghai University. Should be easy to find. His name is Lin Mu.”
Yao Xianxian covered her mouth with a light chuckle.
“Alright, we’ll send someone to look for him. If he agrees, have him come for an audition. If he’s suitable, we’ll follow Xianxian’s suggestion. If not, we’ll choose from the candidates we already have.”
Director Hu effectively settled the matter.
Lin Mu and Fatty devoured a table piled high with food. Even with his stronger-than-average physique, stuffing in that much nearly burst Lin Mu. Watching Fatty still eating, Lin Mu sincerely admired him.
Though the food was delicious, Lin Mu simply couldn’t eat another bite. As for the girls Fatty had called up, Lin Mu didn’t even spare a glance, directly telling them all to leave.
This frustrated Fatty immensely. Girls he’d practically had on his plate flew away. Yet he didn’t dare argue with Lin Mu. He could only take his frustration out on the food, eating ferociously with a vigor that made Lin Mu stare in disbelief.