Chapter 13 – The Simp Is Forcibly Loved by the Overbearing CEO 13

“Is that so? You’re certainly very motivated, hahaha… Um, if I may be so bold, are things going well between you and Qianqian?”

Wang Yunfei asked tentatively.

“Director Wang, are you concerned about me, or are you concerned about your Qianqian?”

Shuang Yu raised an eyebrow, his smile holding a profound meaning.

The latter’s heart skipped a beat. The words “your Qianqian” made the hair on his body stand on end. Could it be… he knew about his past with Yan Qianqian? No. Impossible. He had been very discreet about that matter; no outsider should know!

Wang Yunfei clenched his jaw and feigned ignorance with a placating smile. “I suppose I’m like an elder to Qianqian. The child has had a hard life, and I’ve always hoped she could find a good, caring partner.”

“An elder of the ‘godfather’ variety?”

Shuang Yu asked again with a smile.

Everyone knew what “godfather” meant in the entertainment industry.

“President Bai, don’t take it too far. You can doubt me, but you can’t doubt Qianqian’s character. What you’re saying is an insult to a young woman’s integrity.”

Even Wang Yunfei couldn’t stand his repeated probing and lost his temper.

“Qianqian doesn’t have a father. She once told me that to her, you are like a father figure. She respects you very much, so I don’t think it’s wrong to describe your relationship as that of a godfather and goddaughter?”

Shuang Yu tilted his head slightly, explaining with a puzzled look.

His innocent expression made one wonder if he was genuinely so naive that he didn’t understand the underlying meaning of “godfather.”

“Ahem, is that so? It seems I misunderstood. Have you two had a fight?”

Wang Yunfei chuckled awkwardly and quickly picked up his water, taking a large gulp to cover up the tense atmosphere.

Shuang Yu’s lips curved. “A wise bird chooses a good tree to nest in. I understand this principle. I am not worthy of her. Let’s not talk about her. Why did you ask me here today?”

So they did have a falling out!

Wang Yunfei’s heart leaped into his throat again, but he was unwilling to give up on the money that was almost in his grasp.

“Ahem, it’s like this. The film is almost ready for production, and we’re about to start casting. As for the funding, you’ll need to make the payment.”

He sharply noticed that the moment he mentioned money, Shuang Yu’s expression changed.

“Two billion is not a small sum…”

He frowned, his tone hesitant.

“Since we’re still in the early stages of preparation, we don’t need that much money right away. One or two hundred million will be enough.”

Wang Yunfei, afraid he wouldn’t get the money, quickly added.

“Have you brought the movie’s budget and materials?”

Bai Shuangyu didn’t mention paying at all, asking for the budget sheet instead.

This rich man’s foolish son seemed to have gotten smarter… Wang Yunfei gritted his teeth and nodded, taking out the budget sheet and shooting-related documents. He was certain this idiot wouldn’t understand it anyway. The waters in this industry ran deep. If any Tom, Dick, or Harry could understand it, what would be the point of having producers!

As it happened, just as Wang Yunfei handed the documents to Shuang Yu, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Shuang Yu gave him an apologetic smile. “Excuse me, Director Wang. I also invited two friends from the industry. They’ve arrived at the door, I’ll go get them.”

As soon as he left, the restless Wang Yunfei called Yan Qianqian, intending to demand why Bai Shuangyu’s attitude had changed so drastically. Hadn’t she guaranteed that Bai Shuangyu would invest in his movie? But his questions were destined to go unanswered, because Yan Qianqian had already blocked him!

Standing at the entrance of Beloved was a young man in a plaid shirt and black-rimmed glasses, along with Gao Yiwen, whom he had met briefly at the banquet. “Shuang Yu, this is the director I mentioned to you, Lu Zihan. Old Lu, this is the investor I told you about, Bai Shuangyu.” Gao Yiwen smiled as she made the introductions.

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. After the banquet, she had immediately contacted the person who sent her the message, never expecting it to be Bai Shuangyu. She had thought he was a worthless nouveau riche, but after spending time with him, she found that he was very much to her liking. Her contract with Star Brilliance Entertainment was expiring next month, and she planned to open her own studio, so she was currently working hard to expand her network.

And Lu Zihan was a rare independent film director in the country and a friend of Gao Yiwen. In their previous life, their fates were not much better than the original owner’s. Gao Yiwen, having offended Yan Qianqian, was severely suppressed by her after she became the boss’s wife. She was framed for drug addiction and eventually died of an overdose. Lu Zihan died even earlier than both of them. His independent film couldn’t secure funding due to its subject matter, and he eventually committed suicide by jumping off a building due to depression.

The work he left behind was eventually picked up by Yan Qianqian. She plagiarized Lu Zihan’s work, claiming she wrote and directed it herself. With Lu Zihan’s work, she won major awards abroad, successfully transitioning into a renowned female director both at home and internationally.

“H-hello, are you really willing to invest in my film?”

At this point, Lu Zihan was already showing signs of depression. His work was constantly rejected, and he couldn’t find any funding, which not only overwhelmed him but also led to severe self-doubt. He felt that what he wrote was garbage and that no one would ever be willing to invest in it.

“Your work is excellent. You don’t need to doubt yourself.”

Shuang Yu praised him with a faint smile.

“Y-you don’t have to comfort me… If it were really a good work, I wouldn’t be so anxious… Before you, I’ve already met with no fewer than twenty investors…”

Lu Zihan said with a bitter smile.

The way to help him regain his confidence was, naturally, to let him see what real garbage looked like. This was also why Shuang Yu had invited both of them. “We’ll talk about our matter later. Actually, I have a meeting with Director Wang Yunfei today. He also has a project he wants me to invest in, but as you know, I don’t understand films, so I’d like to ask for your help in evaluating it.”

Upon hearing Wang Yunfei’s name, both of them frowned in unison. In the industry, Wang Yunfei’s reputation was terrible. No one would invest in his films anymore, which was probably why he had approached an outsider like Bai Shuangyu. Lu Zihan was a kind person who wouldn’t hold prejudices against anyone, but he also didn’t want to see others get scammed. Although he was young and relatively inexperienced, he could still help review the script and investment costs without a problem.

The three were about to enter the restaurant when a woman’s mocking voice came from behind.

“Well, well, isn’t it Young Master Bai!”

Shuang Yu frowned slightly and turned around to see a few unexpected people: Sheng Xiaoran, his sister Sheng Xiaojing, and the person he least wanted to see… Feng Yan! The three of them also had varied expressions upon seeing them. Sheng Xiaoran frowned, Sheng Xiaojing was disdainful and contemptuous, while Feng Yan looked intrigued.

“President Sheng, Miss Sheng, President Feng, what a coincidence.”

Shuang Yu greeted them with a detached expression.

“Are you sure it’s a coincidence and not premeditated? Nouveau riche, you didn’t find out in advance that Qianqian was coming and deliberately show up to ‘run into’ her, did you?”

Sheng Xiaojing sneered, her words harsh. She glanced sideways at Lu Zihan and Gao Yiwen, then let out another piercing laugh. “Is this Operation: Make Her Jealous? You don’t actually think that showing up with Qianqian’s rival, Gao Yiwen, will make her jealous, do you? And who is this loser? Your little follower?”