Chapter 358 Entertainment First
Huo Wendong got his hands on some new things again.
Bang Daomang stood to the side, grinning as he accompanied him. "Young Master, the company hasn't been doing too well lately. A few investments went down the drain."
Huo Wendong stared fixedly at his new toy, wiping it while furrowing his brows. "Whoever screwed it up is responsible for it. Damn it, a bunch of useless trash. Lu Chengwen is raking in money like crazy, and I still haven't managed to land a single major investment."
"We have strong financial backing. Are we afraid of not having projects? Wasn't there a hydropower station project before? I heard it requires an investment of several hundred billion…"
Huo Wendong finally turned around and looked at Bang Daomang.
"Do you even know how many years it takes to complete a power station project? I need something fast, short-term, and highly profitable to keep up with that damn girl! Besides, projects like that require too many qualifications. Just the design and approval process alone is a nightmare."
"Not to mention having to attend a ton of meetings every day with engineers and scientists, listening to them go on and on… I have my own life! If I'm working myself to death, who's going to take care of my treasures?"
Bang Daomang thought to himself:
Useless rich second generation. Even when given opportunities, you still can't make use of them. All you care about is playing with antiques at home.
But what he said was:
"Young Master, these treasures meeting you is like finding a true soulmate! Look at this piece—its color, its shape, and the details of these patterns…"
Huo Wendong put down his treasure. "What I need is the kind of thing Lu Chengwen is doing—something that can turn the world upside down in just ten days, like magic, transforming everything before your eyes. Something big that everyone can see and touch!"
"A district reconstruction plan of this scale—according to regulations, each province can only run a maximum of two such projects at the same time. Because the higher-ups need to oversee the overall allocation of labor, resources, and raw materials… So, unless we wait for Lu Chengwen's project to finish, even if we want to do one now, no one will cooperate."
"What's Long Aotian up to lately? Has Lu Chengwen's project not started yet? That amusement city!"
"Uh… it should be about to start?"
Just then, someone knocked on the door. "Young Master, Mr. Long is here to see you."
Huo Wendong immediately tensed up. "Put everything away, now!"
Then he pointed at the door. "Have him wait in the reception room! Don't bring him here!"
…
Huo Wendong stared at Long Aotian for a full forty seconds without saying a word. He didn't move. He didn't even blink.
Before this, he had just listened to the most passionate, the most logical, the most impassioned… and, of course, the most outrageous business pitch he had ever heard.
Long Aotian, with complete confidence and utter certainty, was demanding another seven billion.
Huo Wendong's brain had shut down.
He just stared straight at Long Aotian.
Long Aotian looked at him. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Huo Wendong sighed and looked up. "It's just that I can't beat you up. Otherwise, I swear I'd…"
Long Aotian looked genuinely surprised. "Huo Shao, why would you say that?"
"You… Huh? And who is this…"
At that moment, Luo Shiyin walked in, smiling as she approached Huo Wendong. "President Huo, don't you recognize me anymore?"
"Oh, it's you."
Huo Wendong sneered.
To him, she was just a girl he had played with. Nothing more.
But to Long Aotian and Luo Shiyin, he was just a rich fool they had toyed with—and were about to keep toying with.
And so, to Bang Daomang's complete bewilderment, Huo Wendong transferred another ten billion to Long Aotian.
And even gifted Luo Shiyin one of his favorite antiques.
Walking out of Huo Wendong's villa and getting into the car, Long Aotian couldn't help but laugh.
"Shiyin, having you around is truly a blessing. Six months… sigh… just six more months, and I'll finally be able to… be with you for real."
Luo Shiyin thought the same.
Less than six months left. I have to… figure something out.
I must return to Brother Lu within six months.
Why is it that the more I look at Long Aotian now, the more annoying he seems? Just seeing him irritates me!
All I can think about is Lu Chengwen.
…
Lu Chengwen attended a banquet.
Earlier that day, he had presided over the pre-sale launch ceremony for several high-end communities in Chengwen District.
Selling houses before they're built wasn't unheard of in the real estate industry.
However, the laws and regulations in this world were slightly different from those of his previous world. To prevent the real estate market from developing into a bubble, obtaining the necessary permits and documents for pre-sale was extremely complex.
Of course, none of that was a problem for Lu Chengwen.
Behind him stood Mayor Zhao, who personally backed the project. Mayor Zhao placed immense importance on this development and was well-informed, receiving no fewer than three briefings on it daily.
Every three to five days, he attended a special meeting to review its details and progress.
Thus, within his jurisdiction, he authorized the Dasheng Group to proceed with early sales.
Because he knew—if Dasheng collapsed, he would lose a valuable asset.
Many of Chengwen District's essential facilities still depended on Lu Chengwen to build them. Some crucial structures and commercial areas even required him to donate them for free.
The banks didn't want Lu Chengwen to fall either.
Lu Chengwen was a behemoth. If he went down, he'd drag a whole group of people down with him—maybe even half of Xuecheng.
Especially since behind Lu Chengwen stood the other three great families.
The shantytown redevelopment problem was resolved, but if all four families started running into trouble, then Xuecheng's entire commercial landscape would be facing a grim future.
So, Mayor Zhao and a group of officials attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, delivering speeches that injected a powerful dose of credibility into the project.
Major media outlets reported on it, making the Cheng Wen District project a sensation before it even hit the market.
Especially the high-budget promotional film for Modern City.
From the video, Cheng Wen District looked like a jewel of the northern country!
So beautiful, so prosperous, so modern…
But of course, that wasn't enough.
Leng Qingqiu was more than willing to spend money in this regard.
So, a grand gala was staged.
Leng Qingqiu invited numerous A-list domestic celebrities to the event, pouring billions into star appearances alone.
Xuecheng was in an uproar.
No one could have imagined that those untouchable TV stars would all come to Xuecheng to participate in the opening concert of a local tycoon's real estate project.
With official endorsement and the overwhelming influence of celebrity promotion, Cheng Wen District exploded in popularity.
Almost no one questioned the strength of Dasheng Group or the credibility of Modern City.
Dasheng Group and the other three major families saw their stock prices surge again, and the sales office's phones were ringing off the hook.
Meanwhile, Lu Chengwen once again became the talk of the town.
Seeing the star-studded lineup on TV, people felt like… it was almost as grand as the Spring Festival Gala!
What other place, without a national holiday or a festival, could host such a massive event solely backed by a rich individual?
Lu Chengwen dared.
Or rather, Leng Qingqiu dared.
But at the gala, Lu Chengwen still didn't take the stage to speak. Instead, the beautiful host invited Leng Qingqiu up.
Leng Qingqiu was stunning, poised, and elegant.
Dressed in a purple evening gown and wearing luxurious high heels, she walked onto the stage, making most of the female celebrities secretly envious.
She spoke fluently and gracefully, interacting effortlessly with the female host.
When the host got nervous, Leng Qingqiu even skillfully picked up the conversation and covered for her mistakes.
Meanwhile, in a backstage lounge, the great President Lu was busy attacking Jiang Shihan.
He didn't recognize a single one of these celebrities—every one of them was a fictional creation of that idiot "I Am Furious." Lu Chengwen had no feelings toward them.
He hadn't heard their music, nor had he watched their shows.
At first, he was a bit curious, thinking that with his status as a wealthy tycoon, he could chat with some celebrities.
But the moment he approached them, he was hit with a vibe that made him extremely uncomfortable.
These celebrities had absolutely no bottom line.
Many female stars secretly slipped him notes, their intentions all too obvious.
In fact, they weren't even being secretive about it anymore—it was practically blatant.
They just wanted to get involved with him. They just wanted to sleep with a capitalist in exchange for resources.
And it made sense.
Sleeping with him once would be more beneficial than struggling in the industry for ten years.
If he casually invested a few billion and designated someone as the female lead, she'd immediately have a large-scale, tailor-made film project to star in.
Such temptation was like a drug in the entertainment industry, driving people insane.
Even if he wasn't funding a film, his businesses had countless brands under their name. One endorsement deal alone was enough to make these women desperate.
For top-tier actresses, endorsement fees started at tens of millions per year, with those on the international track or at their peak even securing annual deals worth billions.
These earnings were crazier than acting!
Filming required spending days on set—after all, not every scene could be done by a body double or an assistant.
But endorsement deals?
They were pure profit.
All you had to do was lend your face and name, and the money rolled in.
A few photoshoots, a handful of commercial events each year, and they'd earn more than an ordinary person could in a lifetime…
And their faces would be plastered all over the world, essentially advertising themselves.
Of course, there were also the more "high-class" female celebrities.
They wouldn't degrade themselves so openly or act so blatant and direct.
They maintained an air of distinction and refinement, interacting with Lu Chengwen in a way that preserved their celebrity aura and professional grace, all while showering him with admiration for his career and achievements.
Lu Chengwen understood their motives were even more ambitious.
They wanted to marry into wealth.
Ridiculous.
To the public, they were superstars, untouchable, godlike figures standing at the pinnacle of humanity.
But to the truly rich, they were nothing more than commodities.
Their products weren't tangible goods but their fame, their image, and perhaps… their skills in bed.
At first, Lu Chengwen thought he'd be having the time of his life, flirting with a horde of stunning celebrities, throwing them seductive glances, and picking one to take home for the night.
If he had fun, he might even invest in a film for her.
But!
Lu Chengwen was completely disgusted by this circle.
Too damn direct, ladies—where's the thrill of the hunt?!
He felt like the prey, while they were the well-dressed, seductive hunters.
Looking back, Jiang Shihan was still the most beautiful in his eyes.
Lu Chengwen, burning with "rage," leaned into Jiang Shihan's ear and whispered, "Come with me. I need to find a place to deal with you."
Blushing, Jiang Shihan stood up and took Lu Chengwen's hand, leading him away.
And so, in a certain empty lounge—
Boom! Boom! Boom!