Chapter 21: Investment

With their status in the room, when Su Shiyi and Gu Pan got up and actively began socializing, the guests instantly turned into ^[1]“sharks smelling blood” is a common metaphor in English that describes people reacting aggressively or opportunistically when they sense an advantage.sharks smelling blood. They maintained calm exteriors, but their urgency was palpable—glancing around nervously, fearing someone else might get ahead of them. If they could teleport, they’d already be standing by the two women’s side.

Everyone knew Gu Pan’s situation. Not only had she changed her surname to Gu, but her relationship with Young Master Gu was an unspoken yet intimate bond, one that everyone understood. Over the years, she had always been generous with her spending. As for Su Shiyi, the newcomer in the circle, she had made a high-profile splash not long ago. Just the fact that the Gu family allowed her to stir up such hype was enough to indicate her high status.

What were they waiting for? Opportunities to latch onto wealthy benefactors like this didn’t come every day. Charge!

In an instant, Su Shiyi felt like she had walked into a massive sales conference. The people around her abandoned their usual aloofness as renowned directors, screenwriters, and producers. They showered her and Gu Pan with praise, from head to toe. They even balanced their compliments perfectly—praising both of them equally. Although the wording differed, the level of flattery and even the word count were strikingly consistent.

Tsk, no wonder they’d risen to their current positions. Few among them had low emotional intelligence.

This scene, where big shots in the industry vied to play the role of sycophants—no, wait—investor courters, was genuinely satisfying.

Of course, being industry bigwigs, some of their projects weren’t half bad. Su Shiyi didn’t particularly care about the teams or celebrities involved, what interested her most was the scripts. Once her preferences became clear, the teams focused on star-studded casts or flashy special effects quietly withdrew, seeking other investors instead. Those who remained were confident in their content.

From the many options, Su Shiyi selected a variety of genres: sci-fi, comedy, fantasy, pet-themed films, romance, and animation. These included both popcorn flicks aimed at making money and artistic films aspiring for awards. Such an evenly spread approach left the film professionals baffled about her true preferences.

What style did this Gu family heiress actually like? Surely, she wasn’t just picking randomly, right?

But they guessed correctly. The chatter gave Su Shiyi a headache. The projects that managed to make it to the film festival weren’t terrible, but none of them particularly captivated her. So, she decided to invent her own random investment game: invest five million in each project, regardless of the profit-sharing ratio.

There would inevitably be losses and gains among these ten films. Once all of them were released, she’d check the total change in her assets. If she made a profit, she planned to donate the earnings to charity—it was easy money, and she didn’t really care about it. But if she incurred losses…

Well, if she lost, so be it. At the very least, she’d enjoy the thrill of tracking box office results. If she lost everything, she could always go crying to Father Gu.

Su Shiyi: cat rolling gif

Although five million wasn’t much for a film, especially since these weren’t low-budget projects, the recipients still left beaming with joy. Investments from the Gu family didn’t just signify money. With Su Shiyi’s name appearing in the investor column, every stage of production could avoid unnecessary troubles.

Moreover, she was low-maintenance and rarely made demands! If only certain other investors, who loved meddling in areas they didn’t understand, could learn from her!

Now, this was the attitude of a true wealthy woman—so magnanimous!

While Su Shiyi invested fifty million in total, Gu Pan invested even less. She casually picked a few modern romance films, not intending to act as a major backer, and spent just over ten million in total.

“Not many high-quality projects this time,” Gu Pan quietly complained to her after slipping away from the crowd. “It feels like most people are just here to cash in. They even dared to report such inflated production costs—there might even be legal risks. That one I invested a few hundred million in before was worth it, the box office profits doubled.”

Su Shiyi was amazed. “Wow, Panpan, you’re so good at picking films! Is there some secret to it?”

“Nope,” Gu Pan said blankly. “I just have a gut feeling about which ones will make money and which ones will lose. Even my brother asks for my opinion sometimes when choosing investment projects.”

Su Shiyi: “…”

Got it. While she didn’t have this cheat-level intuition, she had Gu Pan!

Without hesitation, she informed Kevin to add five million more to each of the five films Gu Pan had chosen.

While Gu Chen consulted Gu Pan for reference as a businessman, Su Shiyi could trust her entirely—no one knew better than her how accurate Gu Pan’s intuition was!

If the female lead Gu Pan could lose money, then the world would surely end.

This instantly increased Su Shiyi’s chances of making a profit. She was already thinking about where to donate the earnings.

Gu Pan, touched, exclaimed, “Shiyi, I didn’t expect you to trust me so much!”

Well, even if Su Shiyi didn’t trust herself, there was no way she wouldn’t trust the female lead.

Holding Gu Pan’s hand affectionately, she said, “Of course! We’re besties. By the way, my Billion Island is under construction. Want to invest a little? We can split the profits from the tourism industry.”

Gu Pan readily agreed, saying Kevin could contact her secretary Catherine to handle the funds. As for why Su Shiyi wanted joint investments, Gu Pan figured it was probably just for fun—some people in their circle did that.

Pooling funds wasn’t necessary, but it spread the risk and strengthened friendships.

Su Shiyi: Perfect. Billion Island’s tourism industry is guaranteed to be a money-maker √

If it wouldn’t seem too abrupt, she would’ve dragged Gu Pan into every investment. Even if she didn’t need the money, who could resist the joy of earning it?

Money earned through her own (borrowed protagonist luck) abilities felt far more fulfilling than what the Gu family gave her.

With their socializing quota for the day fulfilled, and after enjoying the company of handsome men and beautiful women, the two were about to leave early when a middle-aged man caught their attention.

He stood out, not because of his presence but because his attire was out of place. Although he wore a three-piece suit, it was clearly off-the-rack and poorly tailored. The suit was new but not a recognizable brand to those present.

His expression was uneasy as he awkwardly held a wine glass, seemingly making compliments. However, those around him either shook their heads politely before walking away or ignored him altogether. A few didn’t even bother with formalities, turning their backs immediately and leaving him to sigh in frustration.

One person stayed to talk for a while, but the man’s expression shifted from hopeful to disappointed before he firmly shook his head. Unsurprisingly, that person eventually left too.

Gu Pan looked somewhat distressed. Su Shiyi asked, “Who’s that?”

“That’s Wei Qiu,” Gu Pan whispered. “He directed a few award-winning films before, a really talented director. But he offended someone in the industry and gradually got pushed out. I thought he’d retired by now… He’s always been proud, coming from generations of scholars. His family isn’t wealthy, but he’d never compromise for money.”

For him to appear here today, he must’ve relied on old connections. Yet, given his personality, Gu Pan found it hard to believe he would humble himself like this, even if he were starving. Surely, he’d have switched careers rather than return to the film industry.

But here he was, humbling himself and asking for help. Why?

Noticing Gu Pan’s concern, Su Shiyi thought this girl was truly kind-hearted. Since they had encountered him, they might as well lend a hand. After all, with the Gu family’s influence, they didn’t need to fear anyone trying to suppress him.

“Let’s go talk to him,” Su Shiyi suggested. “If he’s looking for investment and has a good enough script, we can help. I wouldn’t want to see real talent go to waste.”

Whether it made money didn’t matter—adding quality films to the domestic market could also be considered a form of charity.

Gu Pan’s eyes lit up. “Exactly what I was thinking!”

The two, both generous and compassionate, walked toward Wei Qiu like financial deities. When they stopped in front of the dejected director, his expression shifted from disbelief to a flicker of hope, then to pure elation.

The Gu sisters arrived, and Wei Qiu naturally knew about it. However, with so many people at the venue, not everyone dared to approach them recklessly. After all, those who surrounded the sisters were typically among the industry’s top players.

But when they proactively approached him, Wei Qiu instinctively straightened his back, his gaze eager. “Miss Su, Miss Gu, I have an excellent script. Are you interested?”

Su Shiyi nodded. “Tell us about it, Director Wei. What’s the genre?”

“A coming-of-age youth campus film!”

As soon as he said this, Gu Pan immediately understood why others turned away. Director Wei was indeed talented, but he… previously specialized in directing interstellar sci-fi films.

The leap between these two genres was simply too vast. The grand narratives Wei excelled at were worlds apart from the sensitive and intricate storytelling required for youth campus films.

Su Shiyi, unaware of this context, listened attentively without any preconceived notions.

The movie was to be an adaptation of the IP July Green Plum, a novel from Lujiang Literature City. It tells the story of a high school girl who participates in a ^[2]Model United Nations (MUN) is an educational simulation where students role-play as delegates representing different countries in the United Nations (UN). Participants debate global issues, draft … Continue readingModel United Nations (MUN) activity and meets the exceptional male lead. Motivated by her crush on him, she strives to get into the prestigious university he attends, pushing herself to excel during her senior year.

After the college entrance exams, the female lead successfully gets into the diplomatic academy where the male lead studies. However, their relationship does not blossom into a beautiful romance. In the original ending, the female lead confesses her feelings, but the male lead gently declines. Even so, she thanks him, acknowledging that it was because of him that she achieved her academic success.

In the end, the female lead joins the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the male lead thrives at the United Nations. Years later, they meet again through work, exchange a smile, and offer each other their blessings—then part ways.

Su Shiyi: …

A contemporary romance with plot-driven storytelling, a non-romantic ending for the leads, and a niche topic like Model United Nations with a high entry barrier. Combining these elements, unless written by a top-tier author with exceptional skill, such a story would struggle to gain popularity on Lujiang. Even without his past conflicts, Director Wei would find it challenging to secure investment for this script.

As expected, Su Shiyi searched for the novel July Green Plum on Lujiang Literature City after learning its title.

It had 104 bookmarks, no ranking for paid votes, just over a hundred bottles of nutrient solution, and the comment section was closed.

At this level, it could only qualify as a completed VIP work. Even after finishing its 300,000-word story, the author might have earned just a few dozen dollars. Checking the author’s profile, Su Shiyi found no other noteworthy works—this was the only one.

Which begs the question: How did Director Wei even find this unremarkable novel in the vast sea of Lujiang?

“It was written by my daughter,” Director Wei said with a bittersweet smile. “Online readers didn’t like her novel, and some even left hurtful comments… She started writing to escape the pressures of reality, but it ended up causing her severe depression. She’s in so much pain every day. I want to turn her work into a film, to show more people that it’s actually a wonderful story.”

That explained everything.

As Wei Qiu, he had his pride. But as a father, he was willing to humble himself and fight for his daughter. This wasn’t a hot IP, and no one besides him would want to adapt it.

Gu Pan’s eyes grew misty, and even Su Shiyi felt a twinge of emotion.

She asked directly, “How much money do you need?”

Investing already? Wei Qiu froze, his heartbeat racing.

“Ten… no, eight million would be enough!” He quickly recalculated. “I’ll direct without taking a fee. The film rights for the novel won’t cost much, and we won’t hire any A-list actors—just young talents with real acting skills. I’ll personally select them. The campus setting is simple, and post-production won’t be expensive. As for marketing… I’ll promote it within the industry myself, even if it costs me my reputation.”

For the Gu sisters, this was just a small sum of money, but Wei Qiu wasn’t sure if they would be willing. He was even more worried that she might want to change the script. Earlier, someone approached him, saying they were willing to invest but only if the script was altered into a “commercially appealing youth film.” He refused.

Fortunately, Su Shiyi gave him a definite answer.

“I’ll invest in this film,” she said, words that brought tears to Wei Qiu’s eyes. “But isn’t eight million a bit too little? I really like the Model UN theme of this novel. It’s rare in the market, and I want to see it.”

“I’ll add a zero to your budget—80 million. Go all out, and promotional costs will be calculated separately.”

Wei Qiu was so overwhelmed that he bowed on the spot. “Thank you so much!”

“Don’t worry, Miss Su. I’ll do my absolute best to make this film and won’t let you down!”

—

When it came to the investment, all Su Shiyi had to do was say the word—Kevin would handle the follow-up.

On the ride home, Gu Pan couldn’t help but ask, “Shiyi, why did you invest in the entire project? Do you think this film will do well?”

Su Shiyi shook her head. “You know how niche the Model UN theme is. It’s highly professional and revolves around international politics. It’s an academic activity with a high entry barrier. Many viewers will probably fall asleep in the theater. I’m pretty sure July Green Plum is going to flop.”

“Then… were you moved by Director Wei’s love for his daughter?”

“It was touching, but not to the tune of 80 million,” Su Shiyi admitted frankly. “I genuinely like the Model UN theme. To be honest… when I was younger, my dream was to be a diplomat.”

Before Gu Pan could exclaim, Su Shiyi added, “Then I realized in middle school that English was too hard, so I gave up. I figured being a salted fish would be much more enjoyable.”

Gu Pan: …

She had thought this was going to be an inspiring story about chasing dreams, but you gave up so easily!

Su Shiyi scratched her head. “Actually, we had a Model UN in high school too. I thought it was a chance to reignite my dream, so I seriously filled out the academic test, hoping to secure a spot.”

Gu Pan asked, “Wow, did you make it?”

“Nope,” Su Shiyi replied confidently. “The test had eight questions. I managed to look up the first three online but couldn’t make sense of the rest. Model UN is way too hard. Like I said, it’s an academic activity with high barriers to entry.”

Gu Pan: …

What could she say? Classic Su Shiyi.

It wasn’t even something to be proud of, yet you managed to say it so righteously!

“That’s why I’m willing to invest in this theme,” Su Shiyi concluded casually. “It lets me fulfill my dream while also fulfilling someone else’s. One investment, double the happiness—it’s worth every penny.”

As for whether the film flops or not… who cares?

“Actually, I have quite a lot of dreams.”

She counted her dreams one by one on her fingers. “I had so many dreams as a kid—I wanted to be a painter, a scientist, a writer, and so on. I don’t remember everything clearly now, though. It’s a pity I didn’t keep a diary back then.”

Gu Pan said, “You still have a chance to achieve those dreams! You could start learning to paint, write, or do scientific research now. Age isn’t an issue—we’re still young, so we should bravely chase our dreams!”

Su Shiyi nodded in agreement. “Exactly! That’s why I want to invest in more films with themes like this. Let them fulfill their dreams on screen, and by rounding up, it’s like my dreams are fulfilled too!”

Gu Pan: ???

What’s going on? Achieving dreams works like that now? Shouldn’t you also make an effort yourself?

It was as if Su Shiyi could read Gu Pan’s thoughts. She added, “I am putting in effort! I mean… I at least opened my mouth to talk about it! Plus, I used my brain cells to analyze whether the Model UN scenes in this novel were professional or just gimmicky. See? I’ve put in quite a bit of work.”

Gu Pan: …

Thanks for the invite. Her native language is speechlessness.

What can I say? Su Shiyi’s existence truly shattered the worldview Gu Pan had built over the past twenty-something years. She liked this lively and animated friend a lot, but sometimes… she was just too much of a clown.

#MyFriendMightBeAnIdiot

#DailyDoubtsAboutWhoTheRealProblemIs

While Gu Pan was questioning life, Su Shiyi dialed Gu Lang’s number. After all, she had just spent so much money.

“Dad, I think I might be throwing 80 million down the drain. Look at me—I went out for two hours and spent money like crazy. My ability to waste money is still top-notch.”

Gu Lang chuckled lightly. “Two hours? I just made 800 million in the past ten minutes. I’ll transfer it to you. Don’t call again and waste my time over such a small matter.”

Su Shiyi: …

Why does her dad’s flexing feel so… charming and likable?

—

Back at the Gu family home, Su Shiyi enjoyed a luxurious bath. Her oversized bathtub was prepared with a full bottle of Romanée-Conti red wine from Burgundy for the best red wine bath experience.

Hmm, yesterday at Billion Island, she’d used a milk bath made of fresh VAN milk and Juliet roses. Alternating between the two was nice too.

She lounged in the jacuzzi as her outstretched arms received a beauty treatment. On the ceiling, a projector played ^[3]Natsume’s Book of Friends (夏目友人帳) is a Japanese anime and manga series created by Yuki Midorikawa. It follows Takashi Natsume, a boy who can see spirits (yōkai) and inherits a mysterious … Continue readingNatsume’s Book of Friends, and with a slight parting of her lips, someone fed her a snow strawberry.

Ah, how comfortable! Bathing truly cures all unhappiness—though she was already happy every day.

But who could say no to being even happier? She certainly couldn’t.

When the arm treatment was done, the beautician adjusted her position and started on her face. First came a layer of the same golden facial mask used at the ^[4]Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is a luxury five-star hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, located on the Palm Jumeirah. It’s known for its Ottoman-inspired architecture, lavish interiors, and world-class … Continue readingJumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel. To be honest, these Dubai elites knew how to make things extravagant—using gold as the mask fabric was a stroke of genius.

Next to the bathtub was a small faucet, but instead of tap water, it dispensed SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. This popular internet joke was something Su Shiyi brought into reality.

Of course, it wasn’t the best essence out there—she was just using it casually. If it weren’t for the fun of the joke, she would’ve gone straight for La Mer instead. Heh.

While the beautician focused on her face, the manicurist made her entrance. Spread out before Su Shiyi were thousands of base designs, accompanied by various embellishments like diamonds, jade, and pearls. The diamonds alone came in an array of colors: white, yellow, green, pink, blue, purple, red, and more. Even the pearls boasted a variety of hues, resembling a real-life version of a penguin-themed account.

Jade wasn’t her favorite, so she ruled it out first. Su Shiyi casually instructed the manicurist to pick a base color and decided to mix pink diamonds with pink pearls. Perfect—every diamond present was well-behaved, with no cheap fragments under a carat sneaking in.

On a whim, Su Shiyi called Kevin and asked him to log into her Lujiang account to send a few Deep Water Torpedoes as encouragement to the author of Green Plums in July. Of course, with Kevin, “a few” would naturally be interpreted as “a few thousand.”

During the call, Kevin also reported on recently completed tasks. The finalized architectural designs for the riverside villas on Billion Island were ready, and construction could begin as soon as Su Shiyi approved them. Meanwhile, the restructuring of shares in the Sunflower Company, where Li Deyuan worked, had been completed, and all relevant information about the company’s artists had been sent to her email.

“As for the five million you mentioned allocating to help women facing challenges with divorce, the funds have been disbursed after thorough selection.”

Oh, right. She’d almost forgotten about that—it was just five million, after all.

“That’s great,” Su Shiyi responded nonchalantly. “As long as it helps them.”

“One of the women, Xue Lanying, graduated from a music academy and was once considered a genius composer with the brightest prospects in the industry. However, she vanished from the scene after getting married. Our investigation revealed that she has endured years of domestic violence and psychological abuse from her husband.”

“We’ve arranged for her to see a psychologist and hired a lawyer to file for divorce on her behalf. She wishes to publicly thank you on Weibo, using her experience to encourage more women to break free from abusive relationships. Would you approve?”

Without hesitation, Su Shiyi agreed. “Why not? This is a very meaningful thing to promote.”

“Understood. I’ll get back to her.”

Su Shiyi hummed her acknowledgment, hung up the phone, and resumed enjoying her luxurious red wine bath.

At the time, she didn’t realize that this simple decision would spark an earth-shaking storm of public opinion by the next morning.