CH 16

Huang Chuan didn’t think that he would meet the President of Huading at the parking lot. First, he was stunned and then greeted him with a happy face. “I didn’t expect to meet President Yan here. Why don’t we have a potluck together?” At first, he wanted to use Huading’s internal staff to pave the way for him so that he could get the small project under Huading’s banner. Who would have thought that he unexpectedly bumps into Huading’s President here? Of course he will spare no effort to worm his way into being a friend with Yan Mu.

Yan Mu slightly wrinkle his eyebrows after he managed to take a good look to the person who’s talking to him. Then he saw Lu Chengyu is standing a few steps away from Huangchuan, Yan Mu walks across Huangchuan and went beside Lu Chengyu without saying any words.

When Huangchuan saw Yan Mu’s action, he immediately remembers what’s his uncle has told him before. It seemed like there was really something fishy is going on between Assistant Lu and President of Huading. He starts to speak up, “It’s rare to meet both President Yan and Assistant Lu today. There is a new French restaurant opened in the Eastern District recently. If you have time, why don’t we all go there?”

Lu Chengyu raised his eyebrows and looks at Yan Mu. He can see Yan Mu looks displeased towards Huangchuan right away. Apparently, he didn’t seem to like him very much.

“That’s okay, thank you for Mr Huang’s gracious invitation but I have other things to do this evening, so I can’t go.” Lu Chengyu continues to speak, “Mr Huang must be busy, I won’t take any more of your time, I’ll leave first.”

When Huangchuan heard Lu Chengyu’s refusal, he saw that Chengyu already has gone before he manages to stop him. Obviously, Chengyu is not in the mood to eat with him now. Huangchuan looks at Yan Mu, he hopes that Yan Mu will agree to eat with him due to his relationship with Third Uncle as in giving him face because he is Third Uncle’s nephew.

“No need, thank you,” Yan Mu answered briefly and go to his car. Under Huangchuan’s gaze, Yan Mu drove his car away.

“Aren’t you two just stinky money? Why the hell put on airs?” Huangchuan kicked the building pillar with one leg and spit, “Even that little toy boy is acting up, peii [1].“

[1] 呸 [pēi]: pooh!; to spit (in contempt)

As soon as Lu Chengyu’s car left the parking lot, he saw Yan Mu’s car coming from behind. Chengyu slowed down his car and rolled down the window, he waved to Yan Mu, “See you tomorrow, boss.”

Yan Mu was stunned. When he was ready to wave back to him, he saw Lu Chengyu’s car is already in front of him. Yan Mu looked at his hand and closed the window.

When Lu Chengyu drove past a public square, he saw Liang Company’s real estate advertisement on the big screen there. In the advertisement, Liang Company’s high-grade community area looks splendid and magnificent, just like a fairyland. At the same time, the advertisement also declares that living in this community is a symbol of good status and high-quality taste.

The slogan for this advertisement looks quite vulgar [2] but it didn’t stop the local tyrant to buy houses from this community considering how they like to show off their financial status to everyone else.

[2] vulgar slogan: Liang stated that if you buy houses in our community, then you have status and high taste, if not, then you don’t have status or taste.

When Chengyu failed in Liang Company’s interview, he did not pay much attention to Liang Company’s affairs. He only knew that although the house in Liang Company’s community was expensive, it was quickly sold out. Only a few years later, the quality problem appeared in this community area, and Liang had to spend a lot of energy and money to settle the matter.

But later on, Huading took everything and read at Shunraikitranslations babe.

“Do you have no eyes? Want to die?!”

When Lu Chengyu heard the roar in front of him, he slowed down his car and looks in front of him. He found that a car was parked in front of him and there were some fruits and vegetables scattered on the ground. The object of scolding was Chen Jin, who has already worked in Liang Company.

Lu Chengyu frowned and he did not want to entangle in this problem. Who knows that when he was just about to change lanes and go around, Chen Jin suddenly looked up at him and the next moment, both of them look at each other. Now, Chengyu was too embarrassed to leave.

Lu Chengyu parks his car beside the road and walks to the driver who was still shouting at Chen Jin, he knocked on his car’s window. “What is this, buddy?”

“What are you doing? Do you think you have more people, you can bully me?” The driver looks tall and strong and he was not afraid when he sees a young man who looked like a refined person knock on his car’s window, he yelled, “It’s easy to walk on such a wide road and yet bump onto my car, doesn’t this show that he got no eyes? Isn’t this harmful?”

Lu Chengyu smiled and waited for the man to finish yelling, then he leaned on and place one of his hand on top of the car’s roof and raised his eyebrows: “Buddy, this is the entrance and exit of the square. There are many pedestrians walking here. Look at the place where you parked. It’s less than one meter from the zebra crossing. You are lucky that you didn’t crash into someone today. If someone gets hurt, it’s won’t be a small matter.”

“Why? Are you threatening me for money?” The driver raises up his voice. It seems like if Chengyu admits that he is threatening him, the driver will use his fist and beat up Chengyu.

“That’s a terrible thing to say, do you think that my brother is lack of money?” Lu Chengyu inserts his head through the car’s window and grabs the driver’s shoulder, “This matter, is this how you are going to ask for forgiveness to the victim family?”

(T/N: Chengyu means that if the driver really hit someone with a car, will he say things like “threatening for money” to the victim’s family for the accident that he caused although he was the one wrong.)

After Lu Chengyu put his hand on the driver’s shoulder, the driver’s face change to red and then to white. After apologizing, he threw down several banknotes, step on the accelerator and drove away quickly.

Lu Chengyu picks up and gave the money to Chen Jin. Seeing that Chen Jin didn’t take the money, he stooped down and pick up the fruits and vegetables that had not been damaged on the ground. He put the money together with the fruits and vegetables, “Where do you live? I’ll drive you back.”

Chen Jin looked at the bag full of vegetables and fruits and he shook his head, “No need, I live quite close from here. Thank you for just now.” He doesn’t want to meet Lu Chengyu at all. Only when he doesn’t see this person that his feelings will fade.

“No need to say thanks.” Lu Chengyu had nothing to say with Chen Jin. He had some complicated feelings about Chen Jin. In the beginning, Chengyu cares about Chen Jin because Chen Jin’s family conditions were not very good. Who knows that Chen Jin had feelings for him, and Chengyu refused Chen Jin. Finally, Chen Jin was with the man that related to the accidental death of Chengyu’s parents. Although this has nothing to do with Chen Jin and he knows that Chen Jin did nothing wrong to him from beginning to end, he is unwilling to have much contact with Chen Jin.

Chen Jin reluctantly smiled and looked at Lu Chengyu’s car that was parked by the roadside. He nodded to Lu Chengyu and walked across the sidewalk to the opposite side of the street.

Lu Chengyu turned around and got on his car. He closed the window and switch on the air conditioner, only then he felt less hot compared of being outside. He looked at Chen Jin’s back, shook his head and then he drives back home.

Chen Jin shook his leg and throw away all the fruits and vegetable later on in love.

During the weekend holiday, Lu Chengyu went to the 《Soaring Birds》’s studio to see the filming’s progress. As soon as he entered the studio, he heard Zhang Shuo’s voice shouting at an actress. When Zhang Shuo saw Chengyu is coming, he reluctantly suppressed his anger and greet Chengyu.

As the investor in the film, Lu Chengyu seldom appeared and did not attend the opening ceremony before. Therefore, when others saw that the director is being extremely polite to a handsome young man, they wonder which star’s younger brother and so on, ready to play a part in this movie.

After learning about the shooting progress, Lu Chengyu did not say anything but watched the performances of the actors behind the monitor. To be honest, the heroine’s acting skills in this movie is not outstanding, but fortunately, the success of this movie lies in the wonderful plot and the laughing factor between several male actors’ ridiculous conflict. Whether or not the heroine is just the decoration of the film is not so important.

Several male actors in this movie are not well-known actors. Although they have some strength, they have a mediocre look. In the past, they were just acting as passerby A or B in TV dramas. No one would have thought that these people would become the new generation of powerful actors because of this movie. Even one of them won the title of film emperor in a few years later.

After they finish shooting several scenes, Zhang Shuo called several leading actors to greet the investor. Only then did everyone know that this handsome young man was not an artist, but the movie’s investor.

The several leading actors who have been called by the director to meet Chengyu has spent a lot of time in the entertainment circle. After listening to the director’s introduction, they all came forward to greet Lu Chengyu. Lu Chengyu used a gentle tone while speaking to these actors and he also took some photos with them and asked for their’ signatures.

The action taken by Chengyu really make these several actors feel excited. With their status in the entertainment circle, they don’t have many fans, but now the investor himself is taking pictures with them, even asked for their signature. This investor really gives them face and didn’t take his identity as an investor to embarrass them. In this circle, it is not a new thing for investors making things difficult for the actors.

One of the male stars, Gao Boyang, felt that Lu Chengyu seems so familiar. After he spends some time thinking, he finally remembered and said, “Mr Lu looks very similar to the person who was popular in ‘Q University’s Grass HD Photo’ in Weibo some time ago, but you look more energetic than him.” This statement is very appropriate because whether or not Lu Chengyu is the person in ‘Q University’s Grass HD Photo’, Boyang meant to praise Chengyu.

After Gao Boyang said this, several other people looked at Lu Chengyu. Lin Mengmeng, the actress, nodded her head and said, “Yes, you really look like him, I have even forwarded that post in Weibo.” The people who mix around in the entertainment circle are not stupid, they can tell one or two gossips.

In his previous life, Lu Chengyu used to work as a manager to an actor and also mix around performers and production crew in drama team, thus he knew that it was not easy for actors, they just say these things to please the investor. Chengyu smiled and said, “You two are really worthy of being stars, you can recognize me.”

All people like to hear praises, so does this actor and actress. When Gao Boyang and Lin Mengmeng heard this, the smiles on their faces became somewhat sincere.

Zhang Shuo listened to their conversation, but his face showed some contemplative expression. Finally, his face became a little hesitant. Lu Chengyu, who is good at observing people’s feelings, began to ask, “What’s wrong, Director Zhang?”

Zhang Shuo looked at Lu Chengyu, laughed a few times and rubbed his hands and said, “I need a gentle college student to appear in the next few scenes but after a while, I can’t find any suitable actor for it. Now you are here, and the role is quite suitable…” He wanted to say that it would save a lot of money, and Lu Chengyu was the popular person in ‘Q University’s Grass HD Photo’ before, which might be a selling point of the film.

But when he thinks that the other party neither doesn’t lack money nor want to enter the entertainment circle, he did not say the rest of his words.

Lu Chengyu immediately understood what Zhang Shuo trying to say. He remembered that there was such a college student role in 《Soaring Birds》, but only for a few scenes. The significance of this ‘Mr Perfect’ [3] college student’s appearance is to produce a funny element by comparing the downfall and helplessness of the male actor’s grass-root [4] nature.

[3] 高富帅 [gāo fù shuài]: “Mr Perfect” (i.e. tall, rich and handsome) (Internet slang)

[4] 屌丝 [grass-root]: self-deprecating (A self-deprecating person knows his own weaknesses and shortcomings and isn’t afraid to point them out, often in a humorous way)

“Are you asking me to make a guest appearance?” Lu Chengyu touched his chin and laughed, “No problem, then Director Zhang must remember to pay my salary.”

Zhang Shuo laughed and said, “Isn’t this salary comes out from your own pocket?” But he was relieved that Mr Lu was indeed a very good man. Chengyu did not meddle on how he directs the movies, gave funds on time, good-tempered, talkative and reasonable. As a director, he was lucky to meet such a good investor.

A person can achieve this much although he is just a young man, Zhang Shuo really doesn’t know what kind of person he will be in the future.