Chapter 943: Investment Capital Kidnapping

The producer looked at Tao Yueyue with a dark face as his smile lines deepened. This sight reminded her of her stern instructor during military training. Then, he laughed out loud. "It really is the childish opinion of a child!" He continued to speak to everyone, "You all must remember for me that Little Ai is the core of the movie. After the film is shot, you also have to create topics to increase his popularity." He pointed at the director with his cigar, his eyes like two flashlights. "If you take the money to do business, then things have to be done well. This truth is very simple, right? I’ve finished speaking. Who agrees and who opposes?"

Tao Yueyue felt nauseous from disgust. Since he took out money, it was as if the person taking the money was his own slave. It was really a hideous and ugly face of an adult.

Everyone had no choice but to nod. The director said, "That's for sure. We will definitely film Little Ai well."

The producer nodded in satisfaction. Cai Zhengkai crossed his arms and said, "Without acting skills, if we just create topics for him, what is left in the end is infamy and ridicule."

"What are you saying?!" The producer glared at him and the cigar in his hand was folded in half. "If you don't want to play the role, then don’t. A bunch of people would fight over the lead role. Figure out where you actually stand, performer!"1

"He was just joking, just joking." The agent was busy mediating. "Zhengkai, hurry up and apologize!"

Cai Zhengkai said reluctantly, "I've drunk too much, sorry."

"Did you drink too much?" The producer picked up a bottle of Wuliangye and poured it into a cup until it began flowing out. There was only silence on the dinner table, except for the movement of the wine flowing onto the tablecloth. "Cai Zhengkai, you can eat anything you like, but you cannot simply say anything you want to. Punish yourself with a cup and I will pretend that nothing has happened."

"This… this is too much." The agent smiled. "Let’s change it into a small cup since the filming starts this afternoon."

"You’re allowed to speak?!" The producer glared daggers at him.

Little Ai had an arrogant smile on his face as he grabbed the cup, walked around the table, put it in front of Cai Zhengkai, and said strangely, "Drink, big star."

Cai Zhengkai’s nostrils kept flaring as he grabbed the glass and drank it before rushing to the bathroom.

The producer wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, "Okay, everyone should continue to eat. Order whatever you want."

He and Little Ai left the table together.

The dinner table was like a classroom after the headteacher left. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the happy air was restored as if this scene had never happened.

Tao Yueyue said in anger, "I won’t eat anymore."

Lin Dongxue bid farewell to everyone, accompanied her to leave, and walked out of the restaurant. Tao Yueyue said, "This kind of person is too hateful. He tyrannically abuses people. He should be arrested!"

Lin Dongxue smiled bitterly and shook her head. "This is beyond our control. The police represent justice, not kindness."

"I will think of a trick to teach him a lesson!"

"You can’t. You might get satisfaction out of it, but wouldn’t the crew be the ones that suffer in the end?"

"I don't understand. Why would you want to work for this kind of person and satisfy his unreasonable demands? It's investment capital kidnapping! It's disgusting."

"Shall we go back to the house, rest for a while, and watch TV?"

"No, no, I want to go for a walk."

Lin Dongxue walked out with her. "I can call your Uncle Chen to check the backing of the management and see if the money for the film comes from the correct means."

The two went out for a stroll. Tao Yueyue said, "I don't think it's interesting to be here. It's better to go home. I miss Uncle Chen."

"Why? Are you planning to make up with him?"

Tao Yueyue thought for a while. "As long as he is willing to admit his mistakes."

"Okay, I'll convince him and ask him to apologize to you… Then, should we bid them goodbye?"

"Let’s wait until after the afternoon filming. After all, the opportunity is rare."

"You’re going to be a police officer in the future. You will still have a chance to see it." Lin Dongxue pointed to a place. "Last time, I caught a murderer there with your Uncle Chen. The one who killed the Japanese actor… By the way, what kind of police officer do you plan to be?"

"Of course it's the criminal police to catch the bad guys!" Tao Yueyue smiled. "I plan to get a bachelor’s degree at the police academy. Taking exams is my specialty. I should make use of my specialty. This will also help in the future."

Lin Dongxue stroked Tao Yueyue's little head. "This little kid. You are so cute when you’re innocent, and so firm when you’re serious. It’s no wonder I like you."

"I like you too!" Tao Yueyue took Lin Dongxue's hand."I sometimes wish that when I was born, you were my mother."

Wandering around, they found a lot of cars parked under the hotel. It turned out that the reporters had already arrived. The two of them mixed into the scene. The crew were paying homage to the statue of Guan Yu. This was originally a Hong Kong custom. With the return of Hong Kong, the mainland film and television circles also added such a custom to the opening ceremony.

The surrounding reporters held up cameras and snapped photos. Tao Yueyue saw a short woman in a red dress among the crew and said, "Wow, it's Xia Xiaolou, who’s playing me!"

"Those legs are really long and white. No wonder they’re stars!" Lin Dongxue praised.

Then came the Q&A session for reporters. Lin Dongxue and Tao Yueyue found two places to sit down and mixed in to watch the show.

The format of the questions and answers were almost the same as on TV. The reporter’s questions were very nosy, such as "Miss Xia, I heard that you have renewed a five-year contract with the company. How can you balance your career and relationship?", "Mr. Cai, do you and your newlywed wife have any plans to have children?", "Mr. Cai, you have to play a serial killer in this drama. Is this a big challenge for you?"

A celebrity is a celebrity after all. They’ve received special media response training. Their answers were not hurried or slow, avoiding the important points and answering vaguely while donning a flawless smile throughout.

The press conference lasted for an hour, and then the reporters left one after another. Cai Zhengkai's amiable face returned to its usual gloominess. He took a cigarette from the agent and smoked it himself.

Tao Yueyue was very nervous and didn't dare to step forward. Lin Dongxue said, "Come on!"

When they got to Cai Zhengkai, Lin Dongxue asked, "Mr. Cai, I have a small request…"

"Taking pictures?"

"Ah, yes!"

Cai Zhengkai took a violent drag of the cigarette, put it out in the ashtray held by his agent, and said, "Take it!"

He asked the agent to take the mobile phone, bent down, put his arms around Lin Dongxue and Tao Yueyue, smiling very brightly. Lin Dongxue noticed a detail: His hands were vacant in the air and he did not put them on their shoulders. She thought that this person really respected his fans.

"Okay." The agent put down the phone, and Cai Zhengkai suddenly put away his smile as if he changed his face.

"Thank you!" Lin Dongxue accepted the phone and thanked him.

Tao Yueyue tugged at the corners of her clothes. "I saw Xia Xiaolou go out. Let's take a photo with her too!"

"Don't you dislike her?"

"I can show it off to my classmates." Tao Yueyue smiled.

"Let's go!"

The two chased out thinking that Xia Xiaolou was probably going to the bathroom. They were going to wait at the door of the bathroom, but when they passed the staircase, they saw her hugging and kissing another man. Both of them were shocked…

1. Back in the olden day, people in China were classified under 5 classes and performers were ranked the lowest, so it could also be a degrading term if used like this.