Chapter 40

（Continuing to ask for votes! Also: Going home for the New Year in the afternoon, probably won't be home until tomorrow, so the updates for tonight and tomorrow noon will be set to automatic. Dear readers, see you later!)

As Wu Cheng was singing and performing drunken boxing, in Kowloon's Yau Tsim Mong District, Chen Yaoxing had his subordinates and a group of underlings take over a theater. If it weren't for the movie tickets for "Five Lucky Stars" in their hands, many people might have called the police!

"Brother Xing is really giving too much respect to those surnamed Wu and Hong! Watching their movie is already giving them face, and we even have to buy the tickets ourselves."

"Are you stupid? Brother Jimo said that Brother Xing has a connection with that surnamed Wu. When Wu's movie was filmed in Kowloon, Brother Xing directly ordered that if anyone dared to touch his movie, their hands would be cut off. Do you see any place in Hong Kong where movies are filmed without paying taxes?"

"Didn't Xinji used to not collect taxes?"

"You're a new guy, and you still dare to talk back. You pretend to know when you don't. Which of the movies that Xinji didn't collect taxes on wasn't produced by them?"

At this time, Xinji was already producing movies. Xiang Huqiang had started participating in movie production two or three years ago, but it just wasn't very successful.

"I heard this movie is really good. Let's watch it first. If it's not good, we'll smash it!"

"Go to your mother! Try smashing it and see what Brother Jimo does to you!"

"I think it should be good. I've watched the trailer at least ten times..."

"Ten times? I watch it every day, not missing a single day."

"I heard that the movie tickets for this film have all been sold out these past few days. It's really popular!"

"Right! Making movies is so profitable. Brother Xing has a connection with that surnamed Wu, right? Why don't we ask Brother Xing to talk to him and let us join in the fun? There are also celebrities and beauties!"

"Right, right! Especially Zhao Yachi. I saw her before, and she's so beautiful and sexy, it makes me drool! If I could sleep with her, I'd die happy!"

...

"Brother Xing, they say on the streets that you and that surnamed Wu..."

Slap...

The woman in Chen Yaoxing's arms got a slap on her buttocks. Chen Yaoxing's low voice sounded in her ear, "Damn! Show some respect. That surnamed Wu, I have to call him 'Brother.' You call him 'surnamed Wu,' are you insulting me?"

"Sorry, Brother Xing, I didn't know! I just meant that you have a connection with him, so why not let him bring you into the movie business? It's so profitable..."

"Damn! What nonsense!" Chen Yaoxing immediately got angry and slapped the woman's head, "If you follow me, you need to be more observant!"

The four men sitting next to Chen Yaoxing chuckled. In half a year, the five once-naive boys had matured a lot and had the appearance of big brothers in the underworld.

Thinking back to half a year ago, when they were taken down by that young boy in just a few moves, they still felt a chill. They weren't saying they were very strong, but usually, the five of them together could handle seven or eight big men easily. In fact, Chen Yaoxing alone could handle three or four ordinary men, and with the four of them, they could charge into a group of a dozen thugs without hesitation.

But even with such strength, they were still taken down by that young boy in just a few moves.

However, this wasn't the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying was that after that young boy gave them a few pointers, their gang immediately started to develop.

Although the development funds were provided by him, he only provided a few hundred thousand at the time. But now, they had expanded their business to several million and almost taken over the entire Yau Tsim Mong District of Kowloon. Relying on hotpot restaurants, street stalls, and nightclubs as bases, they gradually expanded outward, and the speed of expansion still surprised them.

In their view, if Wu Cheng was willing, he could support another gang at any time. From his starting from nothing to now running his own company; from Zou Wenhui's willingness to spend nine million to buy the overseas distribution rights for his film; from TVB's willingness to broadcast his trailers... all of this showed that although he was young, his methods were not to be underestimated.

Although Wu Cheng didn't notify them about the release of his film this time, they still went to support it voluntarily. They weren't afraid that Wu Cheng would need them, but they were afraid that Wu Cheng would abandon them.

Abandoning them meant they would no longer be related, and if there were any opportunities to make money or if something really happened, they wouldn't be thought of. If Wu Cheng needed them, then if there were opportunities to make money, he would occasionally think of them.

Unfortunately, Wu Cheng had told them not to contact him unless it was important. So, they could only use this method to show their presence.

This was also why Chen Yaoxing got angry when he heard the woman's disrespectful words about Wu Cheng. If this were to reach Wu Cheng's ears, wouldn't it make it seem like he was being disrespectful?

...

While the Hongxing Society was organizing members to watch the film, the Xiang Huqiang and Xiang Huasheng brothers also sat together after watching the film and started chatting.

"It seems that this 'Five Lucky Stars' is really going to be a hit. East Dragon International has already made a big splash. Brother Ten, should we join in?"

"What do you mean?" Xiang Huqiang asked.

Xinji producing movies to launder money was no secret in the underworld. Although the movies they produced in the past didn't make money, they turned black money into white money, which was enough. But if there was a movie company that could help them make money, they wouldn't mind it.

"We invest ten million in East Dragon and get half the shares!"

"Do you think they'll agree?" Xiang Huqiang shook his head, "The overseas rights for 'Five Lucky Stars' are already worth nine million. Would they give up half the shares for ten million?"

"I mean, we don't care about 'Five Lucky Stars.' Whatever they make is theirs, but we need to be involved in the future films!"

"I'm afraid Wu and Hong won't give us face!"

"That's not up to them! Tomorrow, I'll send someone to invite Wu. It seems that Hong follows Wu's lead. As long as Wu agrees, Hong won't say anything."

"Let's hope he understands!"

"Better if he understands! Hehe..."

...

At this moment, Wu Cheng had no idea that the gangs were already planning to target him.

Although he knew that gangs entering the entertainment industry was inevitable, as it had already been proven in history, he thought it would at least wait until the 1980s. It seemed that the Yongsheng Film Company appeared in the 1980s.

At this moment, Wu Cheng was still drinking with three beautiful women. His song "Drunken Fist" had stunned the three women and ignited the passion in his heart, and he continued to drink heavily.

"Xiao Cheng, do you have any new songs? Sing another one!"

Wu Cheng's talent for singing songs on the spot made Deng Lijun envious. She took this opportunity to have Wu Cheng write more songs. Not all of them had to be songs she could sing; she just liked seeing Wu Cheng's proud little face when he sang, even if it wasn't very good.

"You wait!"

Wu Cheng wobbled over to the piano and started playing.

Seeing the prelude Wu Cheng played, Zhao Yachi knew what song he was going to sing, as she had heard it before when he was practicing.

Are you like me, bowing your head under the sun,

Sweating and working hard silently?

Are you like me, even if you are ignored,

Never giving up on the life you want?

Are you like me, always busy pursuing,

Pursuing an unexpected tenderness?

Are you like me, once lost and confused,

Wandering aimlessly at the crossroads?

Because I don't care what others say,

I have never forgotten

My promise to myself,

My dedication to love.

I know my future is not a dream,

I take every minute seriously.

My future is not a dream,

My heart follows the hope that moves.

...

"The lyrics are really well-written!" Lin Qingxia said, "It's just a pity about the voice..."

She said this awkwardly, glancing at Zhao Yachi, feeling it was impolite to criticize Wu Cheng in front of her. But Zhao Yachi just smiled.

Actually, Zhao Yachi thought, "It's a good thing his voice isn't good, or this little guy would attract so many girls! Even with a bad voice, a big star like Deng Lijun looks at him differently. If his voice were good, who knows what would happen..."

"It's a good thing his voice isn't good enough!" Deng Lijun giggled, "Otherwise, with Xiao Cheng's ability to sing, write, and play... and dance, there would be no place for us!"

After finishing "My Future Is Not a Dream," Wu Cheng continued to play "Exaggeration," the Cantonese version.

Someone asks me, I would say, but no one comes,

I wait helplessly, with words to say,

But there's no one to hear.

My mood is like a bottle cap waiting to be opened,

While my mouth grows moss.

...

"This seems to be about the entertainment industry!" Lin Qingxia wasn't sure how to describe it. She felt that Wu Cheng's writing was somewhat exaggerated, but it was also very good. Although his voice wasn't great, his piano playing and lyrics were excellent, and it evoked a sense of heartache.

Actually, Lin Qingxia felt it was exaggerated because she hadn't experienced the feeling of waiting for a breakthrough. She became famous as soon as she entered the industry, so she never experienced the lack of fame. Unlike many ordinary actors who spent their entire careers without seeing any hope of becoming famous, some gave up, but others continued to persist.

This heartache was something Lin Qingxia couldn't understand at the moment.

But Wu Cheng understood, as he had once written web novels hoping to become famous but never did. This feeling was the same as a small star hoping to become famous.

Of course, in this era, this song wouldn't have the same impact as it did in the future. The entertainment industry wasn't as exaggerated as it would be later.

"It's really heart-wrenching to listen to!" Zhao Yachi nodded, feeling emotional.

Compared to the others, she felt lucky from the moment she met Wu Cheng. So, at this moment, her gaze on Wu Cheng was filled with tenderness.

Among the three women, Zhao Yachi might be the one who understood this feeling the most, as Lin Qingxia and Deng Lijun had become famous as soon as they entered the industry.

But being in the entertainment industry, they could still understand the heartache, just in different ways.

The three women were all very emotional, and as a result of Wu Cheng's song, they all ended up drinking too much. The aftermath of drinking too much was something they didn't want to face.

Of course, if Wu Cheng knew that singing a few heart-wrenching songs would result in such treatment, he would be willing to sing for them every day, even until his voice was hoarse.