I couldn't help but nod in agreement with what he said. It seems that Jin Shaoyan has a deep understanding of how to make a good movie!
Li Shishi slammed her hand on the table, somewhat out of control, and said, "I disagree! I disagree!" It was the first time I'd ever seen her like this. Perhaps Jin Shaoyan's words had provoked her, especially the first part about Li Shishi's identity.
Jin Shaoyan leaned back in his chair and said, "Ms. Wang, the company is doing all this for your future. In fact, we all believe you have the potential to become a star, which is why we decided to invest heavily in your development..."
Li Shishi interrupted him, saying, "I don't need it!"
Jin Shaoyan put both arms on the table, leaned closer to Li Shishi, and said somewhat sinisterly, "According to the new contract, we have the right to make appropriate modifications to the plot."
I blew smoke into his face as he leaned in, and Jin Shaoyan choked, waving his hands and coughing as he sat back down. I said casually, "Well, that didn't mean you had to turn a feature film into a pornographic one—"
Jin Shaoyan finally couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and said, "Miss Wang, why are you doing this? What you're filming is a pile of garbage. Do you think anyone will watch it? I don't know why you're so infatuated with Li Shishi, but everyone knows what kind of person she is. Even if you attribute the stories of Princess Wencheng and Florence Nightingale to her, Li Shishi is still Li Shishi—a prostitute."
Li Shishi suddenly stood up and splashed a cup of tea on Jin Shaoyan's face. After doing this, she seemed a little dazed, but quickly calmed down and said sadly, "Fine, I give up. I declare that I am withdrawing from filming from this moment on."
Jin Shaoyan shouted, "You can't just say you won't film! Can you afford the penalty for breach of contract? This time it's 500,000!"
Li Shishi turned to look at me, and I waved to her with a smile: "Cousin, you go first, I'll handle the rest." I had already anticipated this outcome from the moment Jin Shaoyan proposed to shoot pornographic films.
After Li Shishi left, Jin Shaoyan and I were left staring at each other. I chuckled coldly, while he lowered his head, somewhat dejected, and tidied the tea stains on his clothes. Although I was no match for him in a fight, he always seemed hesitant and restrained whenever he encountered me.
I said, smoking a cigarette, "You should have said those words earlier?"
Jin Shaoyan couldn't help but ask, "Why? If you had said so earlier, she wouldn't have splashed me with water."
I said, "Yes, but the tea was still hot."
Jin Shaoyan sighed and continued drying himself. I suddenly felt his helpless expression was very similar to Jin Er's; this small gesture made me feel a sense of familiarity. Jin Shaoyan looked up, his expression already cold again. He said, "Mr. Xiao, are you really planning to pay that penalty for breach of contract?"
I stubbed out my cigarette in the ashtray: "Tomorrow, same time and place. I'll bring the money, you bring the contract. Any problems?"
Jin Shaoyan was probably not used to me speaking to him in such a condescending tone, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "No problem..."
After leaving the restaurant, I found Li Shishi waiting for me by the car. She was walking slowly with her arms around her shoulders, not looking heartbroken at all. When she saw me approaching, she smiled at me and said, "You've redeemed me?"
I knew she was still upset, so I changed the subject and asked, "Do you think I should give him cash or a check tomorrow?"
Li Shishi smiled slightly and said, "You wouldn't have brought 500,000 yuan in cash with you, would you?"
I quickly said, "Hey, do you think he might copy me and light his cigarette with a check?"
Li Shishi glanced at me and said, "Do you think everyone is as bored as you?"
I nodded: "That's true, a gentleman wouldn't do that."
Li Shishi turned to look at me and sighed softly, "Cousin, you are a gentleman."
See? That's women for you. I tried so hard to help her, and she actually yelled at me...
The next day, the sky was overcast from morning till night, with thick, leaden clouds pressing down overhead. By the afternoon, a strong wind was blowing, giving the impression that a storm was brewing. I figured it was about time, so I put on a coat and went to the bar. I had already spoken to Sun Sixin and asked him to prepare 500,000 yuan for me.
When we arrived at the bar, Sun Sixin greeted me and said, "The money is ready. Our turnover for the first half of the month was exactly 500,000, but it's all in small amounts. Brother Qiang, do you want to transfer it or convert it into larger sums? I'll get it done for you right away."
I said, "Exchange...exchange for what? Let me see it." Suddenly, a wicked idea popped into my head. Did Jin Shaoyan really need that 500,000? He clearly wanted to mess with me; he definitely knew 500,000 wasn't a small sum for me. He messed with me, so I'd disgust him!
Sun Sixin looked troubled and said, "...Brother Qiang, it's not easy to carry."
I said, "Stop talking nonsense and hurry up."
Sun Sixin had no choice but to take out stacks of crumpled change from the safe. Although they were all sorted, they looked uneven and the denominations ranged from 100 to 5 yuan. Sun Sixin kept bending and straightening her back until she had a whole counter full of banknotes. These bundles of money varied in size and thickness and gave off that pungent smell that you only hear about in old books and magazines.
I couldn't help but chuckle and exclaimed, "500,000? That's a lot?"
Sun Sixin pinched her nose and asked, "Brother Qiang, should we change it?"
I said firmly, "Change it! You must change it!" I casually tossed him several bundles of 100-yuan bills, "Change them all to one-mao coins."
Sun Sixin, with a pained expression, sorted through the money and pointed to a customer who was drinking with his back to us, saying to me, "Oh right, that friend knew you were coming and had been waiting for you."
I nodded and said, "Go ahead." But as he reached the door, I called after him, "Remember, Gang Beng'er too!"
I walked up to the man, and he sensed someone approaching and looked up. I was startled; it was none other than Li Tianrun!
When he saw it was me, he tossed a small, blue, olive-shaped pill onto the table without a word. The pill bounced twice before coming to rest, gleaming mysteriously in the dim light of the bar…
I was immediately filled with excitement and exhilaration. Forgetting about Li Tianrun's purpose for coming, I clutched my heart and asked, "Could this be... the legendary Viagra?"
Chapter Seventy: Counting Money Until My Hands Cramp
“This medicine dissolves instantly in water and takes effect immediately when drunk; it will be slower if taken dry,” Li Tianrun said bluntly.
"How long can it last?"
"lifetime!"
I exclaimed, "Damn it, you can't just fool people like that. Does that mean we have to endure this for the rest of our lives?"
Li Tianrun was speechless: "Director Xiao, stop joking. You should know what this is—it's a medicine that can restore people's memories of their past lives. Our boss already knows about Wu Song's situation, and he's willing to provide you with one of these pills so that Wu Song and Minister Wang can settle things. He knows that Liangshan has problems with manpower selection, so he doesn't want to take advantage of you."
It was only then that I realized what was happening. I carefully picked up the pill, brought it to my nose, and smelled it. It had a very unique, pleasant fragrance that made my mouth water just from the smell. I asked, "What will happen if I take it?"
"If you can recall everything from your past life, then it depends on who you were in your past life."
As everyone knows, I've always claimed that I was Zhao Yun in my past life, but that's just a slogan. Liu Laoliu once said that if a person is still attached to their past life at the moment of reincarnation, it will somewhat affect their personality and appearance in the next life. Those remembered by history will even develop a more serious "strongman mentality." Personality aside, I'm already very dissatisfied with my appearance in this life. Coupled with my shameless nature, I seriously suspect that I might have been a scoundrel in my past life, or at worst, a lackey or pimp. If I were a eunuch, that would be even worse; it might lead to psychogenic impotence. So I really don't have the courage to take it—besides, this medicine isn't for me.
But that didn't stop me from wanting to chew it up; it smelled so good that I brought it to my nose and inhaled deeply. Li Tianrun snorted and said, "When I first saw it, I felt the same way as you. Our boss said that this medicine contained a very special ingredient called 'temptation grass,' which only he could cultivate in the world. The fragrance you smell now is from it."