Chapter 54

Until noon the next day, Xu Huan had not yet accepted Su Xingyao’s verification.

Instead, there were over a dozen strangers trying to add Su Xingyao as a friend.

It was unclear who had leaked his phone number in the industry, but the people trying to add him were all from entertainment companies, including agents and executives.

Unbeknownst to Su Xingyao, ever since the recent surge of popularity on variety shows, several entertainment companies had been aggressively reaching out to him, extending offers.

This included some of the top three companies in the industry.

After reviewing these contacts, Su Xingyao selectively accepted a portion of the requests.

He was well aware of his current situation.

The show he was on wasn’t very complex, and he could manage on his own for now.

But if he wanted to continue down this path, it would be impossible without outside help.

Having a company backing him would make the journey smoother.

However, a talent agency was, to some extent, a ^[1]“double-edged sword” refers to a situation, action, or object that has both positive and negative consequences. It is something that can be beneficial in one aspect but harmful in … Continue readingdouble-edged sword.

If the wrong choice was made, it could easily turn into an abyss.

Once the verification went through, several entertainment company contacts eagerly began communicating with Su Xingyao.

After receiving a few initial proposals, Su Xingyao did not rush to give a final answer, instead, he said he needed some time to think.

—

Yesterday, Xu Huan had spent until after 2 a.m. sending documents to investors at the film festival and only returned home after that.

Dragging his tired body, he collapsed onto his bed and slept until the afternoon.

The one-week film festival was still ongoing today, and logically, he should have gone to the venue earlier.

However, ever since securing the project, for nearly a year, he had been running around to secure investment.

Even for those investment opportunities that had only a 1% chance, he had tried to make contact.

However, obtaining investment had become increasingly difficult, especially for an unknown director with no full-length film credits.

The sent-out messages either sank into silence or attracted the attention of scammers.

Over the course of a year, the high-intensity travel and repeated rejections had already exhausted Xu Huan mentally and physically.

Especially last night, the documents he submitted were contemptuously thrown into the trash right in front of him.

Humiliated and bitter, Xu Huan had to pick up the papers from the trash can.

He felt a bit lost, uncertain about how long he could continue pursuing his dream.

Having struggled through all this time, his meager savings had almost been completely depleted.

People have to make a living, and Xu Huan was well aware that if he couldn’t get investment again, he would have to bow to reality sooner or later.

In the cramped, subsidized apartment, sunlight streamed through the window onto Xu Huan’s face.

The intense natural light pierced through, making it hard for him to open his eyes.

After waking up, Xu Huan, still not fully awake, habitually opened WeChat first.

Although he had long since given up hope, he couldn’t help but squint and check if there was any new friend request.

The sunlight reflected off the screen, and Xu Huan’s eyes suddenly widened.

He focused on the screen and saw that, during his sleep, he had received a request!

sssssu: Hello, Mr. Xu. May I ask if we could talk about your new movie?

His heart raced wildly when he saw these words.

Xu Huan instantly became wide awake and quickly clicked to accept the request.

But, in his excitement, his fingers trembled, causing him to misclick several times and almost hit the “deny” button.

After accepting the friend request, he looked at the message from the system, feeling somewhat at a loss. He fumbled on the screen, wondering how to introduce himself.

Before he could send his “hello,” the other party sent him a voice message.

sssssu: Hello, Mr. Xu. This is Su Xingyao.

sssssu: I watched your short film and promotional materials at the Huning International Film Festival yesterday and learned that you’re working on a new movie.

sssssu: I’m very interested in this project, and if you have time, would you be able to discuss it further?

Xu Huan, who had been so excited at the thought of an investor showing interest in his project, was now frowning after reading these messages.

He focused on the first part of Su Xingyao’s introduction and softly read the name.

“Su Xingyao?”

Su Xingyao had become very popular recently, and Xu Huan had seen clips of him being widely circulated.

He hadn’t followed the variety show specifically, but through the fragmented information online, he had a very good impression of Su Xingyao.

A highly talented but very low-key and mysterious artist.

Now, this huge star had suddenly reached out to contact him, saying he was interested in his project and wanted to discuss it further…

The news left Xu Huan doubting for several seconds whether he was still dreaming.

Because he clearly knew that he hadn’t met Su Xingyao yesterday, nor had he sent any materials to him.

So… how did he know all this?

Having previously fallen victim to scammers posing as industry insiders, Xu Huan became more cautious this time. The excitement he felt earlier had faded, replaced by a more careful demeanor.

He didn’t rush to agree to Su Xingyao’s request but instead asked him a question.

Xu Huan: Hello, Mr. Su, sorry to ask, but did we meet yesterday?

After typing this, Xu Huan, worried that he might be too forward, cautiously explained his concerns.

Xu Huan: If I remember correctly, I don’t think I’ve ever sent you any materials.

Unaware that Xu Huan had mistaken him for a scammer, Su Xingyao found these few sentences a bit strange.

But recalling the events from yesterday, Xu Huan still patiently explained the situation to the other person.

sssssu: I watched your short film at the New Talent event yesterday.

sssssu: As soon as I walked out of the exhibition hall, I accidentally scattered your materials.

sssssu: At that time, I didn’t recognize you. Later, when I remembered who you were, I couldn’t find you.

sssssu: I had to ask a friend to help me find your contact information that night.

Upon reading Su Xingyao’s message, Xu Huan stood frozen in place.

He had indeed bumped into someone yesterday, and that person kindly helped him collect the materials that had scattered everywhere.

However, at that time, he had heard that several investors who liked to invest in new directors were in the main exhibition hall, so he hurriedly rushed over to seize the opportunity.

His mind was focused entirely on this, and he hadn’t paid any attention to the person’s appearance.

So, that person was… Su Xingyao??

Realizing this coincidence, Xu Huan felt most of his concerns dissipate.

The remaining bit of caution was simply a reflex from having been scammed many times before.

There were too many things that couldn’t be explained clearly over the phone, so they arranged to meet up for dinner that evening to discuss everything in person.

Before heading out, Xu Huan put on his most formal outfit, neatly arranged his materials, and tucked them into a folder under his arm.

As he stepped out, the warmth of the setting sun bathed him, and he began to sweat.

Looking at his reflection in a mirrored building while dressed in long sleeves and pants, Xu Huan couldn’t help but think that, in this outfit, he looked more like someone who would scam others.

Soon, Xu Huan arrived at the private room.

Su Xingyao was already there.

When Xu Huan saw the person waiting for him in the room, his first thought was that this person seemed to be glowing.

Although he was wearing just a plain, ordinary T-shirt, his aura was exceptional, like a dazzling pearl—elegant and beautiful.

Xu Huan had never seen someone so stunning in his life.

When he confirmed that the investor who had contacted him was really Su Xingyao, Xu Huan felt as if an unbelievable stroke of luck had suddenly fallen from the sky.

Even in the second before entering the room, he couldn’t fully believe that someone as unremarkable as him could have been noticed by Su Xingyao out of so many new directors, and that Su Xingyao had gone out of his way to find his contact information that very night.

“Mr-Mr. Su, hello…”

Although Xu Huan had made several short films, he had always worked with amateurs or students and had never formally interacted with such a big star.

Sitting face-to-face with Su Xingyao, he felt incredibly awkward, even a little embarrassed.

Su Xingyao could tell that he was nervous, so instead of immediately discussing the investment, he first engaged in many film-related conversations.

Xu Huan was most at ease talking about films—both domestic and foreign, whether it was art films or blockbusters, he knew them all well.

As they continued talking, he gradually relaxed.

Soon, Xu Huan realized that Su Xingyao was very different.

As a director, Xu Huan was naturally well-versed in the film industry, which was completely normal for him.

But Su Xingyao was the same.

He possessed a wealth of professional knowledge, rivaling that of industry experts.

In today’s increasingly impatient entertainment industry, it was truly surprising to encounter an artist so diligent and thoughtful about studying film.

After all, he had heard too many stories from senior figures in the industry about stars who didn’t even know what their film was about after finishing shooting.

Seeing Su Xingyao’s professionalism, Xu Huan couldn’t help but feel deep admiration and respect for him.

He also began to feel more confident.

Su Xingyao was not someone who knew nothing and was just casually dabbling in film investment for fun.

With this understanding, Xu Huan felt even more guilty.

“Mr. Su, I must apologize. When you added me before, I took you for a scammer…”

Although this wasn’t something he needed to bring up, Xu Huan still felt the need to apologize in person.

After finally realizing why the two sentences from earlier had seemed so odd, Su Xingyao smiled lightly and wasn’t offended.

He used this moment to jokingly steer the conversation back to the film investment, asking Xu Huan,

“Then, would you be willing to be scammed by me?”

Xu Huan immediately understood his meaning and quickly nodded, “I would, I would.”

After saying this, he hurriedly took out the project materials he had brought and handed them to Su Xingyao with both hands.

He quietly waited for Su Xingyao to finish reading before carefully explaining the film’s concept to him.

If it were anyone else, Xu Huan wouldn’t have so easily shared these confidential details.

But the person in front of him somehow gave him a sense of complete trust and faith.

After listening to Xu Huan’s sincere introduction, Su Xingyao probably had a clearer idea of the situation.

As he had suspected, Xu Huan was a grounded person, someone with a strong attitude toward film.

Once everything was smoothly discussed, they arrived at the most critical part—the funding.

Su Xingyao opened the financial feasibility section of the project materials and asked Xu Huan,

“Mr. Xu, is your expected investment five million?”

Hearing Su Xingyao calmly mention the investment amount, Xu Huan nodded, then shook his head.

With the development of the times, the entertainment industry had experienced inflation as well.

Now, making a movie often requires investments of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions.

Small-budget films, which once flourished, had almost disappeared.

But with such high costs, much of it was spent on actors and unnecessary expenses, with very little actually allocated to the film itself.

Xu Huan was a frugal person, and he didn’t intend to hire those high-cost stars for this film.

So, sticking to the principle of saving wherever possible and never spending a penny unnecessarily, he had ultimately set his budget at five million.

However, after nearly a year of setbacks and rejections, Xu Huan had developed a bit of PTSD when it came to this amount.

So even though this investment figure was already quite tight, he was still afraid that, as a newcomer, quoting too high a price might make Su Xingyao think he was asking for too much.

Glancing at the costs Su Xingyao mentioned, he carefully explained,

“The five million cost is just an estimate… There are many areas during filming where we can save on expenses. If we’re frugal, the actual cost could probably be reduced to… around three… three and a half million.”

After saying this, Xu Huan nervously looked at Su Xingyao.

But unexpectedly, Su Xingyao didn’t react like other investors, who would complain about the high costs.

Instead, he directly and honestly told him, “Three and a half million probably won’t be enough.”

Xu Huan nodded honestly in response, “It indeed won’t be enough.”

“But I’m very good at saving money when it comes to filmmaking,” he added.

Su Xingyao nodded without saying anything, then looked down and pulled out his phone to check the bank balance he had specifically looked up today.

“I can’t quite manage five million, but would an investment of four hundred and thirty thousand be okay?”

Su Xingyao smiled, saying, “I must admit, I’m very interested in this film. But the highest amount I can put forward right now is this.”

Su Xingyao knew very well that if the filming budget was too tight, many details would have to be cut, which would affect the overall completion and quality of the film.

But he really couldn’t come up with a larger investment at this time.

He had had poor resources in the past and didn’t receive much for his appearances.

Later, when he went to the Shen family to return the card that Shen Liangyu had given him, he also deposited a large sum of money into that card to repay the Shen family for the expenses of raising him over the years.

So now, all he had left was this sum.

And out of the four hundred and thirty thousand, most of it wasn’t earned from his fame as a star.

It came from his years of working and writing songs, earning royalties that he had gradually saved up.

So, after investing in this film, he would be left with practically nothing.

Given Su Xingyao’s sincerity, Xu Huan naturally understood and felt grateful.

He nodded eagerly at Su Xingyao, “This is enough, more than enough.”

Then, still somewhat in disbelief, he asked Su Xingyao,

“Mr. Su, are you… really going to invest? This could be a high-risk investment for you.”

Su Xingyao was amused by Xu Huan’s words.

“Of course. High risk, high reward. And besides, we’ve had a meal together, you can’t just let me leave empty-handed, right?”

At that moment, Xu Huan’s heart finally settled.

He secretly swore to himself that no matter what happened, he would never let down the person who wholeheartedly believed in him.

After happily finalizing the investment, Su Xingyao and Xu Huan each went back to their respective homes.

When Lu Jiuxu saw Su Xingyao’s face full of joy, he knowingly asked,

“How did the talk with Xu Huan go today?”

Su Xingyao smiled brightly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a radiant grin, “Quite pleasant.”

Then he patted the pockets of his pants.

“Although, it’s a bit empty here…”

Su Xingyao wasn’t trying to make Lu Jiuxu feel sorry for him.

After complaining about being broke, he made a gesture as though adjusting his glasses to show he was serious.

“From now on, Mr. Su must work twice as hard to support himself and the crew.”

Mentioning this, Su Xingyao glanced at Lu Jiuxu again.

He had subtly brought up the topic of his medical and living expenses several times before.

But each time, Lu Jiuxu had clearly avoided the subject.

After being rejected several times, Su Xingyao didn’t dare bring it up again.

Although Lu Jiuxu didn’t seem to need the money, he still felt uneasy about owing him.

In the past, when he had some family wealth, it wasn’t a problem.

But now, with the favor still unpaid and having invested in a film, Su Xingyao was left with nothing.

He felt that his “debt” to Lu Jiuxu was growing harder to repay.

While he was thinking about this, Lu Jiuxu, he didn’t know when, had walked up to him.

After handing him a cup of hot milk, Lu Jiuxu finally spoke.

“Then, Mr. Su, could you part with it?”

Su Xingyao took a sip of milk before softly asking him, “Part with what?”

Lu Jiuxu curved his lips into a smile.

“Recently, I’ve been considering developing in the entertainment industry.”

He continued, “I don’t plan to get too involved, but I’d like to start by investing in a film to ^[2]“Test the waters” is an idiom that means to try something out in a small or cautious way to see if it will be successful or if it’s worth pursuing further. It’s like … Continue readingtest the waters.”

When Su Xingyao heard Lu Jiuxu’s words, his eyes brightened.

“Mr. Lu, are you saying that you want to invest in our little broken production?”

After receiving an affirmative answer, Su Xingyao was a little excited.

“To be honest, our budget is still a bit short.”

Previously, the five million yuan budget from Xu Huan was already an extremely low estimate. In reality, to make the film perfect, even doubling that amount wouldn’t be enough.

But if Lu Jiuxu were to invest, it would be a huge help to their small, struggling production team!

Upon learning of Lu Jiuxu’s intention, Su Xingyao put down his cup and ran upstairs.

“I’ll go get the project list for you, you can take a look.”

Lu Jiuxu grabbed his wrist, stopping him from leaving.

“Wait.”

He handed the milk, which Su Xingyao had just taken a sip from, back into his hands. Once he made sure Su Xingyao finished it, Lu Jiuxu spoke with a double meaning.

“Mr. Su, even if you’re supporting the crew, you don’t need to make it so hard on yourself.”

Lu Jiuxu kept his word, blinking not once as he generously invested thirty million.

With his investment, everything became much simpler.

The Lu Group had a very professional legal team and experts, and with their help, the film planning progressed very smoothly.

Once Su Xingyao and Xu Huan had taken care of the film’s investment, the production team of The Voice of Heaven sent him a notice.

The third round of The Voice of Heaven was about to begin.