As the luxury car drove away, the diners, who had been acting nonchalant just moments before, immediately started buzzing with excitement.
"What kind of car was that? It looks so expensive!"
Most people aren't experts on car brands, but the difference between a regular car and a luxury one is obvious to the naked eye. The luxury of a luxury car lies in the fact that even if you don't recognize the brand, you can tell at a glance that it must be incredibly expensive.
"That's a Bugatti Veyron," someone who knew about cars immediately chimed in. "And it's a limited edition, worth at least 25 million."
"Wow! 25 million!"
"Someone that rich eats jianbing?!"
"Maybe it's just the unique taste of the wealthy. Or maybe they're nouveau riche, but even so, to be that rich is pretty impressive."
For them, the fact that the owner of a 25-million-yuan luxury car came to eat jianbing was a great topic of conversation. After all, it had nothing to do with them, and by the end of the day, they would probably forget about it.
But for Yan Hui's family, this was a hugely uplifting event.
As soon as they got home, Yan's Mother excitedly urged Yan Hui to rest in his room: "You don't know when they might call you for an audition, so don't work night shifts these next few days. Make sure you're in good shape. And what about that face mask? Shouldn't you be using it?"
Yan Hui didn't rest when he got home. As soon as he arrived, he went to the kitchen with the dishes to wash them. Hearing his mother's words, he just smiled: "They might have just been saying it casually. Don't get your hopes up too much, Mom."
After ten years of ups and downs, he had grown accustomed to fleeting opportunities. At first, he would still feel excited and hopeful, but later, those feelings would always turn into disappointment. Over time, he had learned to take things in stride.
Acting is a profession that favors the young. He hadn't made it big by the time he was twenty, and now that he was thirty, his chances seemed even slimmer.
"How can you say there's no hope? You're such a good actor! And that girl, even though she's young, she seems really rich. I heard them say that car was worth over 20 million. Someone that rich wouldn't just play around with you. It must be real."
Yan's Mother knew better than anyone how much her son loved acting. When Yan Hui found out about the family's situation, he insisted on coming back. She never said it out loud, but deep down, she felt guilty for holding him back. Now that there was such an opportunity, she naturally hoped he could seize it.
Seeing her tone grow more and more sorrowful, Yan Hui knew she was starting to blame herself again for the family's struggles. He sighed inwardly but forced a smile and said soothingly:
"Alright, Mom. If they call me, I'll definitely go to the audition and try to land a role."
Only then did Yan's Mother cheer up again, continuing to nag her son to rest.
Yan Hui didn't listen to her. Their house didn't have hot water throughout, and while the weather wasn't particularly cold, constantly handling cold water was still uncomfortable. So he always took on the task of washing the dishes, not letting his mother lift a finger.
Deep down, he also felt guilty. Guilty that at over thirty years old, he still hadn't achieved anything, leaving his parents to worry about their livelihood and even struggle to cover his father's medical bills.
Yan Hui lowered his eyes, letting the cold water run over his palms as he carefully washed the dishes.
For the first time in a long while, he felt a pang of regret. Maybe, back then, he shouldn't have entered the entertainment industry at all.
****
"Ahhh, this is the life!!!"
Sheng Quan, with a face mask on, flopped onto the plush, oversized bed, feeling utterly content.
As soon as she stepped into the hotel, the dedicated butler had thoughtfully prepared a full-body massage service for her to relieve the day's fatigue. During the massage, freshly cut fruits and just-made pastries were placed within her reach, ready for her to enjoy at any moment. If she wanted soothing music, it was there. If she wanted a cinematic experience, that was available too.
The masseuse had soft hands, applying just the right amount of pressure. Whenever her eyes lingered on a particular fruit, another attendant would immediately hand it to her.
What made Sheng Quan happiest was that all of this was free. Because she had booked the most expensive penthouse suite for half a year, she had automatically been upgraded to the hotel's gold card membership, and these services were part of the perks.
The life of the wealthy is truly delightful.
While basking in this luxurious comfort, Sheng Quan didn't forget her money-making plans. Glancing at the balance in her account, she directly called the hotel butler and asked for Director Wan Bao's phone number.
The butler asked her to wait for a moment, and three minutes later, he called back with Director Wan Bao's number, expressing his eagerness to assist her.
This was another benefit of being wealthy that Sheng Quan had come to appreciate.
High-end hotels like this, which were far beyond the reach of ordinary people, had extensive networks that rivaled even banks. As long as the guest's status was high enough, they were more than willing to help with small matters like providing contact information.
This was also why Sheng Quan had spent most of her time in the hotel researching these past few days. Now that she had resources, she needed to figure out how to use them.
The life of the wealthy was even more seamless than she had imagined. For example, if she was willing to spend the money, the hotel could assemble a professional investment team for her within an hour.
Now that she had identified her target and the system's funds had been transferred, Sheng Quan felt fully confident.
In the first few days after arriving, Sheng Quan had thought the system might be a bit of a scam—it hadn't even left her enough money to buy a phone. But now, she felt it was incredibly thoughtful.
This wasn't just a hotel; it was like the magical gourd from *Calabash Brothers*, granting her every wish without hesitation.
Humming a tune, she removed the face mask. These masks were expensive, but the bathroom was stocked with two full boxes, and before she could finish them, someone would replenish the supply, just like the array of expensive skincare and makeup products on the table.
Since coming here, Sheng Quan hadn't stayed up late, and her skin had been in great condition. So she couldn't really tell if these high-end skincare products were making a difference, but applying them still gave her a boost of happiness.
Once again, she marveled at how wonderful the life of the wealthy was.
After her skincare routine, Sheng Quan used the hotel phone to call Director Wan Bao.
The first time, he didn't answer. She checked the time and decided to try again in ten minutes.
Director Wan Bao was a minor character in the novel, mentioned only briefly. But perhaps because of her transmigration, Sheng Quan found that her memory had improved dramatically. For instance, she could now recall the exact lines from the novel about Director Wan Bao.
In the novel, a popular character had watched *The Road of Life* and loved it, but couldn't find any information about the director. When they asked someone, this was the reply they got:
"Director Wan is a good person and very talented, but he's just had bad luck. Before *The Road of Life*, he made a flop. While filming this one, the investors suddenly pulled out. He refused to compromise on quality, so he scraped together his own money to keep going. In the end, this good series bankrupted him and left him with health problems. Later, someone else took over, and *The Road of Life* became a hit, but by then, it had nothing to do with him anymore."
The entertainment industry may seem glamorous, but those familiar with it know it's a money-eating machine. Whether it's TV dramas, movies, or even releasing music, everything requires money.
There are many directors who have gone bankrupt filming TV series. Once production starts, money burns every second. You either have to finish before the budget runs out, or the director has to scramble for funds. That's why wealthy investors are so highly sought after in the industry.
Director Wan Bao was clearly one of those directors who had been drained dry by the series he was filming.
The series was good, and it became popular, but he, who had contributed the most, got nothing in return.
The novel didn't mention what happened to Director Wan Bao afterward, but Sheng Quan guessed that something tragic must have occurred, possibly even his death. Otherwise, even if he didn't make money, a director capable of creating a hit series would have no trouble finding work. He wouldn't be mentioned with such regret.
As she was recalling the plot, the phone rang.
When she answered, a tired male voice came through: "Hello, sorry I missed your call earlier. What can I do for you?"
At this point in the story, Director Wan Bao was in the middle of filming *The Road of Life* and desperately seeking investors.
Even without knowing the plot, Sheng Quan could tell from his tone that things weren't going well for him.
She confirmed once more, "Are you Director Wan Bao?"
"Yes, I am. And you are?" On the other end of the phone, Wan Bao couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose. He had spent the day trying to secure investments, doing his utmost to showcase the brilliance of his script and the lucrative returns it could bring to investors. However, due to the lackluster performance of his previous project, not many were interested.
The sudden withdrawal of funding had thrown everything into chaos. To make matters worse, the investors had cleverly structured the contract to avoid any penalties. Wan Bao was at his wit's end, but giving up on this project was out of the question—it was a labor of love, poured with all his heart and soul.
He had a strong feeling that if this project could be fully realized, it would be a massive hit.
Yet, no investor seemed to believe him. After all, every director pitching for funding said the same thing.
Wan Bao was now relying entirely on his personal savings to keep things afloat. But he knew that if this continued, he wouldn't last much longer. Stopping now, however, would mean all his previous efforts would go to waste. So, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and press on.
As his mind wandered through these thoughts, a crisp female voice came through the phone: "Hello, my name is Sheng Quan. I have some interest in *The Road of Life* and would like to make a personal investment. Would it be possible for you to send me the project presentation materials? I’d like to delve deeper before making a decision."
Investment?!!
Wan Bao's eyes lit up instantly. His headache vanished, his fatigue dissipated, and he suddenly felt as energized as if he had just downed a liter of energy drink. Even his previously weary tone became lively:
"Of course, of course! Miss Sheng, please give me your email, and I’ll send it over right away…"
Then, thinking it might not be enough, he quickly added, "Or, if you’re currently in the country, I can come to you immediately and explain everything in detail. It won’t take much of your time."
Sheng Quan: "..."
It was clear that Director Wan Bao was in desperate need of funds.
But this worked in her favor. The more eager he appeared, the easier it would be for her to negotiate terms. After all, they had never met before, and there was a chance Wan Bao might not be the type to accept investors dictating cast members.
If possible, Sheng Quan didn’t want to switch projects. Based on her recent analysis and research, *The Road of Life* was the most suitable project for investment at this time.
She promptly provided the address of the hotel where she was staying. Upon hearing the name of the hotel, Wan Bao felt a wave of relief.
This hotel was renowned for its luxury, with even the most basic rooms costing over 50,000 yuan per night. The fact that Sheng Quan was staying there indicated that she had substantial financial resources, and the amount she could invest would likely be significant.
He was at the end of his rope, and this sudden opportunity felt like a lifeline. Without a second thought, he hung up, booked a ticket, and took the earliest flight to Shanghai.
He didn’t even stop to question the authenticity of the call. In his current situation, even a one percent chance was worth pursuing with everything he had.
Four hours later, Wan Bao arrived at the hotel, its exterior exuding understated opulence.
To be honest, he had never stayed here before.
His most famous work had only achieved modest success, and the investment he had painstakingly secured had fallen through. As a relatively unknown director, he lived a frugal life.
It was now 1 a.m., and as he stood at the entrance of the luxurious hotel, feeling out of place, a cold breeze brought a moment of clarity to his investment-fueled excitement.
Only then did he start to ponder the myriad of questions swirling in his mind.
Who had referred Sheng Quan to him? In his excitement, he hadn’t even asked. She hadn’t mentioned how much she was willing to invest either. What if she only offered a small amount? And was this call even real? Could it be a prank? He had heard of similar hoaxes before. If it turned out to be fake, this whole night would have been a waste.
With a sense of unease, Wan Bao approached the hotel staff and mentioned Sheng Quan’s name. His heart pounded, fearing they might say, "We have no guest by that name."
Fortunately, that didn’t happen. The staff smiled and said, "Miss Sheng has informed us. Please follow me, sir."
Wan Bao breathed a sigh of relief.
As he was led into a private elevator and watched it ascend directly to the top floor, his excitement reignited.
He knew that this hotel had only one suite on the top floor, and it was naturally the most expensive.
The fact that Miss Sheng, who was staying in such a room, had reached out to him for investment…
He had made the right bet.
Having rushed from another city without even changing his clothes, Wan Bao’s mind raced with these thoughts.
When he saw two hotel-assigned bodyguards stationed outside the room, along with a duty manager and two attendants, his confidence soared. This wasn’t just a stroke of luck—it was a golden opportunity!
If he didn’t seize this chance… No, he *would* seize it.
Wan Bao quickly adjusted his mindset and mentally prepared his approach to negotiating with Miss Sheng.
His stance was clear: whatever the terms, as long as the money came through, he was willing to agree.
