"Mr. Lin, Mr. Raymond Chow of Golden Harvest has arrived," Qin Lan reported while Lin BaoCheng was chatting with Run Run Shaw.
"Hmph!"
At once, Shaw's smile vanished. He said to Lin:
"Mr. Lin, I'll head into the screening hall. I won't meet that traitor."
"Manager Wu, please host Sir Shaw," Lin instructed Wu SiYuan.
"Sir Shaw, Miss Fang, this way please," Wu said, leading Shaw and Fang YiHua inside.
Lin knew the gist of their feud. Chow had left TVB, then competed with Shaw Brothers, hurting their business. Shaw had tried to suppress him but failed, and Chow carved out his own success. Thus, the animosity.
Shaw disliked Chow, and Chow surely felt the same.
Before Lin could step outside, Chow entered, accompanied by Golden Harvest's Leonard Ho.
"Mr. Chow, Mr. Ho, welcome to Starshine Cinema's grand opening," Lin said warmly, shaking their hands.
"Mr. Lin, this is our first meeting. Seeing you, I must admit — we're already old," Chow said with emotion. Lin was as young as his children, yet his achievements far surpassed his own. Their fortunes and social status weren't even comparable.
Lin controlled nearly half of Hutchison Whampoa, worth over HK$4 billion — more than Chow's entire wealth. And Lin's influence as Hutchison's de facto leader, plus his ownership of Asia Television and other ventures, made him one of Hong Kong's most powerful figures.
"Mr. Chow, you jest. You're only in your early fifties, still in your prime," Lin replied with a smile. He knew his youth made him stand out among Hong Kong's tycoons.
"Uncle Chow, Uncle Ho." "Mr. Chow, Mr. Ho."
Sammo Hung and Yuen Kwok‑Wun came over to greet them.
Though they had left Golden Harvest to join Starshine Pictures, Hong Kong's film circle was small. Out of respect for past ties, they couldn't ignore Chow's arrival.
"Mm," Chow nodded curtly. He wasn't here to cause trouble. To lash out would insult Lin, creating needless enemies. But he wouldn't show warmth either. A nod sufficed.
Hung and Yuen understood. Their defection had already offended Golden Harvest. Chow's coldness was expected. As long as appearances were kept, it was fine.
After a while, Zuo XiangQing entered. Most notable guests had arrived, so as chain manager he no longer needed to stay outside.
As showtime neared, Lin and the guests went to the screening hall. The cinemas officially began selling tickets. That day, only Snake in the Eagle's Shadow was shown, with all auditoriums screening it simultaneously.
In Central, one hall was reserved for Lin and his guests. The rest sold tickets to the public.
At that time, Hong Kong's average ticket price was HK$6. Prices varied by seat: HK$10 for premium, HK$8 for special, HK$6 for standard, HK$5 for rear. Averaged, about HK$6.
Starshine Cinema differed. Though seats varied, the differences weren't large, so all tickets were HK$6 — matching the average.
But since it was opening day, tickets were half‑price for the first three days: HK$3 each.
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow had been promoted for a week on TV and newspapers. By premiere day, many Hong Kongers knew of it.
With publicity, low prices, and Saturday timing, crowds flocked to buy tickets. The atmosphere was lively. Whether it lasted depended on the film's quality. Cheap tickets and hype couldn't save a bad movie.
Lin watched with his guests. Though he wasn't interested in old‑style films, as the company's owner he couldn't appear bored. He pretended to be engaged.
"This film is just average," Chow thought. Still, it wasn't bad. More importantly, Jackie Chan impressed him. He had real potential to succeed Bruce Lee.
"Perhaps I can lure Jackie away," Chow mused. Starshine had already poached Sammo Hung and Yuen's company. Chow wouldn't hesitate to compete for talent.
After the screening, guests departed. Lin escorted Shaw and Chow separately, then left the cinema himself.
Brigitte Lin and Guan ZhiLin left with him. Lin invited them to dinner. Because Guan was present, Brigitte accepted. Alone with Lin, it might look like dating — something she, entangled in emotional troubles, wished to avoid.
Lin had intentions toward both women, but for now he simply enjoyed dining with two beauties. The future was unknown, but the present was delightful.
After dinner, Lin escorted each home.