Luo Zheng had barely ended his call with Ah Sa when his phone lit up again—this time, not once, but twice. The timing was almost comical. One call came directly to his mobile, while the other rang through Liu Yan's phone. It was obvious what had happened. When people couldn't reach him, they naturally went looking for the person closest to him.
Rather than choose one and offend the other, Luo Zheng simply smirked and answered both at once, switching on the speaker.
"Hello, brother—"
"Hello, Ms. Liu—"
The two voices overlapped perfectly before falling into an awkward silence.
For a brief second, neither of the callers spoke again. Each had clearly recognized the other's voice, and neither expected to be sharing a line.
Luo Zheng leaned back in his chair, completely at ease. "You two called at the same time. Hanging up on either of you wouldn't be polite, so I figured we'd just handle this together."
On the other end, Peter Lam was the first to recover. A hearty laugh broke the silence. "Brother, you always know how to handle things smoothly. Nothing urgent on my side—I just wanted to confirm that Hollywood project mentioned in the papers. I assume President Yang called for the same reason."
Albert Yeung let out a low grunt, effectively confirming the guess.
Luo Zheng wasn't surprised. Ever since the Disney collaboration news broke, it had been like tossing a stone into a still lake. The ripples were spreading fast, and everyone in the industry wanted a piece—or at least a closer look.
"The project is real," Luo Zheng said calmly, deciding not to beat around the bush. "But if you're thinking about investment, you can forget it. This is Disney's lead project. They're not going to let outsiders share the core profits."
Albert Yeung immediately cut in, his tone shifting. "We wouldn't dare think about investment at that level. But… regarding casting—could you give some consideration to our artists?"
Peter Lam, on the other hand, stayed quiet. Media Asia simply didn't have anyone suitable to push forward in a Hollywood blockbuster. He knew better than to force the issue.
Luo Zheng paused for a moment, considering his words. Then he replied with a measured tone, "It's a Western fantasy pirate film. The setting and tone are very specific. If Asian actors appear, it would feel out of place—unless it's for minor roles with limited screen time."
The meaning was clear.
Albert Yeung understood immediately. He laughed it off with a few jokes, not pressing further. There would always be another opportunity. At this stage, maintaining a good relationship with Luo Zheng was far more important than forcing an advantage.
After a few more casual exchanges and a promise to meet in Hong Kong later, the call ended.
But Luo Zheng knew this was only the beginning.
Sure enough, his phone barely had time to cool down before the next wave arrived.
Calls from Han Sanping, Wang Zhonglei, Zhang Yimou, Zhao Benshan, and Andy Lau came one after another. Every single one of them was asking the same question—was the Disney collaboration real?
And when they received confirmation, their reactions were almost identical: surprise, disbelief, and a hint of envy.
Han Sanping even directly asked about investment opportunities, only to receive the same polite refusal.
Wang Zhonglei had clearly considered asking as well, but he held back. He knew his company's current position and didn't want to embarrass himself. Still, this only strengthened his determination. No matter the cost, he had to build a deeper connection with Luo Zheng—even if it meant taking losses in future collaborations.
For him, the value wasn't in a single project.
It was in the bridge Luo Zheng had built to Hollywood.
Zhang Yimou, as expected, focused more on artistic aspects, asking about filming techniques and production scale. Zhao Benshan, meanwhile, was more grounded, asking about the progress of the "Getting Home" project they had previously discussed.
By the time Luo Zheng finally finished handling all the calls, it was already lunchtime.
He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long breath.
For the first time, he felt a hint of regret about releasing the news so early. This level of attention was exhausting.
It seemed he really did need a dedicated operator to filter calls in the future.
As for Liu Yan… she had far more important roles to play.
—
In the afternoon, Huo Wenxi returned, bringing with her the company's only signed artist—Jane Zhang.
"You look exhausted," Luo Zheng remarked, glancing at them. "Where did you go?"
"To find a vocal coach for Liangying," Huo Wenxi replied, stepping aside to reveal the young woman behind her.
Luo Zheng looked up—and froze for a moment.
Jane Zhang's appearance was… unexpected.
A loose T-shirt paired with a denim jacket, revealing a slim waist. Ripped jeans, slightly dark skin, and long brownish hair tied up high. Her bangs partially covered one eye, giving her a distinctly unconventional look.
It wasn't ugly—but it certainly wasn't polished.
In fact, it was far from what one would expect from a future star.
Seeing Luo Zheng's expression, Huo Wenxi quickly explained, "This is how she used to dress while singing in bars. I haven't had time to redesign her image yet."
"Didn't the company assign a stylist?" Luo Zheng asked.
"She hasn't debuted yet. After she does—"
"Stop."
Luo Zheng cut her off directly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"From now on, every artist in the company—new or established—gets a full support team. Assistant, driver, stylist. Bodyguards can come later, but these three are non-negotiable."
Huo Wenxi blinked, genuinely surprised. "Even newcomers?"
"As long as they're signed artists, they get the full package."
Jane Zhang, sitting quietly nearby, felt her heart tighten. She had initially thought the boss was impulsive and unpredictable. But hearing this… she realized she might have judged him too harshly.
Liu Yan, however, remained completely unfazed.
Compared to some of Luo Zheng's other spending habits, this was practically conservative.
—
After wrapping up discussions about the Artist Department, Luo Zheng leaned back, watching as Huo Wenxi and Jane Zhang prepared to leave.
For a brief moment, he considered asking Huo Wenxi to stay behind.
There was something in her demeanor—a subtle tension, a restrained distance—that only made her more intriguing.
But she gave him no opportunity.
She ignored his messages.
Avoided his gaze.
The more she resisted, the stronger his desire to break through that barrier became.
He silently made a decision.
Before Ah Sa and Ah Jiao arrived in the mainland… he had to resolve this.
—
Just as his thoughts began to drift, the phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed a familiar name.
Fan Bingbing.
Luo Zheng raised an eyebrow slightly before answering.
"Hello, Bingbing. What's going on?"
"President Luo~"
Two simple words, yet her voice carried a playful, teasing tone that seemed to twist and linger in the air.
It was soft, sweet… and dangerously captivating.
For a split second, Luo Zheng felt his composure waver.
But he quickly steadied himself, adopting a more serious tone. "Be normal. Is no one around you?"
"No," she replied lightly. "I just finished bathing… and I missed you."
Luo Zheng glanced out the window, amused. "Bathing in the middle of the day?"
"Because I missed you so much… I'm practically drooling."
He paused.
Then couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
This woman was becoming bolder by the day.
As he considered how to respond, Liu Yan, sitting nearby, listened quietly.
Her expression didn't change—but something flickered in her eyes.
Drooling?
She understood that feeling more than she wanted to admit.
Just… usually at night.