Chapter 90

Upon arriving at the dining area, Shen Zhenghui immediately sensed something was amiss. How could a dining place be so large, and even have a dance floor? The entire venue was set up as a buffet, offering a variety of Taiwanese flavors, Western dishes, and Japanese cuisine, with everything one could imagine. There were already quite a few people present, and at a glance, most of the women were beautiful, while the men were a mixed bag, though if one paid close attention to entertainment news, they could recognize that these were all big or small celebrities.

"Is dinner a buffet?" Shen Zhenghui found it hard to believe, thinking that for a serious evening meeting, a private room would be more appropriate.

"Mr. Shen, this is a specially arranged meeting for you with Taiwanese celebrities. Tonight, celebrities of all sizes will be here," said Iwamatsu Gen with a knowing smile. "You can take a good look at the Taiwanese entertainment industry."

Chairman Chai also had a warm expression. "Mr. Shen, you can take a good look at our Taiwanese actors and singers. We hope you can select one or two with potential for further collaboration."

Only then did Shen Zhenghui realize what these two were up to. He couldn't just storm out, so he said reluctantly, "Sigh, all the talented Taiwanese actors have been picked by Hong Kong."

"Although many female celebrities have gone to Hong Kong, I still have a lot of talent in Taiwan!" Chairman Chai said in surprise. "There are quite a few female celebrities tonight! Mr. Shen, you can take a good look."

"I hope to see actresses of the caliber of Lin Dongfang, Wang Xiaoqian, and Zhang Aijia, but it seems Taiwan has stopped producing such level of stars."

Chairman Chai could only laugh awkwardly at such a harsh comment.

However, Shen Zhenghui also realized his harshness and tried to make amends. "Of course, maybe there are some new talents from the 1980s."

"So you like the 1980s generation!" Iwamatsu Gen interjected. "I happen to know one, I'll introduce her to you later."

Shen Zhenghui was speechless at this typical Japanese man's forwardness. He took some snacks he liked, put them on a plate, and said to the two, "I'll just look around. You don't need to worry about me."

Iwamatsu Gen and Chairman Chai understood and walked away, soon disappearing into the crowd. Iwamatsu Gen, holding a glass of wine, was surrounded by several girls chatting with him, and his accent made it hard to tell he was Japanese. Chairman Chai occasionally greeted some young boys, pulling them aside for a few words. Shen Zhenghui could see that these young people were still quite green.

Shen Zhenghui found a quiet spot to sit down, planning to eat and then leave.

To say this dinner party was specifically for Shen Zhenghui was a joke. He could see that most of the people at the party were young, good-looking, and fresh faces, mostly signed by agencies but not yet debuted. The middle-aged men and women being fawned over were veterans or big shots in the entertainment industry, and even some elderly figures were surrounded by young girls chatting and laughing.

No wonder Iwamatsu Gen was so at ease in such a setting. This Japanese man was adept at leveraging connections, and as the person in charge of Spring Day Films' external relations in Hong Kong and Taiwan, he was very familiar with the local entertainment scene. A few words from him could easily capture the attention and ambition of these young girls. Given the underdeveloped film industry in Taiwan, the entertainment industry was one-legged, and Taiwanese stars needed to expand beyond Taiwan to gain more influence, making the competition even more intense.

Shen Zhenghui coldly observed this grand dinner party, unaware that he was also being watched.

A large, fat man walked up to Shen Zhenghui, smiled, and sat down opposite him. Behind him was a young girl who looked very nervous.

"Hello, I'm Feng Zhiduan," the man introduced himself.

Shen Zhenghui had no memory of him, blinked, and responded, "Hello!"

Seeing that Shen Zhenghui didn't recognize him, Feng Zhiduan didn't get angry and introduced himself further. "Mr. Shen, I'm a partner of Chai Zhiyi. I also invested in the drama 'Meteor Garden.'"

"Oh, hello, hello!" Shen Zhenghui's face lit up with recognition as he shook hands with Feng Zhiduan. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Feng."

"I'm also meeting you for the first time," the other man said politely. "Chai Zhiyi usually handles external relations, and I spend most of my time in Taiwan. I've heard a lot about Spring Day Films. If I hadn't seen your movies, I wouldn't have recognized you. I thought the executives of big companies like yours would be old men like me!"

"You're too kind. Spring Day Films is just a small company in Japan. Also, you don't look old at all," Shen Zhenghui smiled and raised his glass.

"Yuxin, sit down!" Feng Zhiduan said to the girl behind him, who sat down shyly, avoiding eye contact with Shen Zhenghui.

Shen Zhenghui thought, "Is this another attempt to get me to follow the rules of the game? This fat man is really creepy!" But he kept a smile on his face.

"This is my niece, Huang Yuxin," Feng Zhiduan sighed. "She really likes your performance in 'Cruel History of North High School,' so I brought her to meet you."

"Oh..." Shen Zhenghui was surprised by Feng Zhiduan's excuse. He looked at Huang Yuxin, who looked very nervous.

"Yes... I really... like your performance in the movie... especially the fight scene," the girl said in a cute, breathless voice.

"Really? Thank you," Shen Zhenghui smiled. "I went through a lot to shoot that scene."

"Your performance... was excellent." Based on her ability to deliver lines, she didn't seem to have what it takes to enter the entertainment industry.

"Huang Yuxin is a taekwondo athlete, a bronze medalist at the Asian Cup last year, and a silver medalist at the district games. She's been selected for the national Olympic team," Feng Zhiduan introduced. "She loves action movies."

"Yes, the fight scene you shot looked very realistic," the girl finally spoke normally.

Shen Zhenghui looked at the girl's slim figure and was surprised. He turned to Feng Zhiduan, "This weight class is at a disadvantage in competitions, right?"

Feng Zhiduan nodded. "Indeed, she's also a bit short. With Chen Shixin in Taiwan, she has no chance to stand out."

"Auntie!" Huang Yuxin looked displeased.

Feng Zhiduan ignored his niece's pout and eagerly asked Shen Zhenghui, "Mr. Shen, do you think Yuxin has a future in the film industry?"

If it were a regular aspiring actress or signed artist hoping to use connections, Shen Zhenghui wouldn't have given it a second thought. Hoshina Migi's Queens had more than enough signed artists, and Shen Zhenghui, not being from Taiwan or Hong Kong, had no interest in discovering new actresses. However, since the girl was a taekwondo athlete, Shen Zhenghui had to think more carefully. In planning his new movie, a female action star was a crucial element. After the decline of Hong Kong action films, the cultivation of action stars was facing a generational gap. Shen Zhenghui carefully examined Huang Yuxin's appearance, making her a bit uncomfortable, but he could see that the 19-year-old girl was a good prospect, with a sweet and charming face that didn't look fierce.

Shen Zhenghui stroked his chin. Feng Zhiduan sensed a glimmer of hope and continued, "Mr. Shen, although I'm in the industry and Yuxin's uncle, the Taiwanese entertainment industry is too narrow. The main genres are idol dramas. I'm hesitant about bringing Yuxin into the industry, fearing it might ruin her future."

For Taiwanese actresses, or rather, for almost all actresses, their ultimate goal is to marry into a wealthy family or find a good husband, right? Shen Zhenghui thought sarcastically but kept a smile on his face.

"Do you think Yuxin has the potential to develop in a broader space?"

"I can't make any promises," Shen Zhenghui took a sip of his drink. "Mr. Feng, as partners, I'll be honest with you. Your niece, if she debuts as an action star, should have a smooth path, provided her skills meet the requirements. However, being an action star is very demanding. If she's not fully committed, I don't think she should choose this path. The hardships Chen Guosheng and Li Lianjie went through are well-known. It's even harder for women."

Shen Zhenghui didn't realize he had used the wrong examples. Huang Yuxin was already so excited at the thought of being compared to Chen Guosheng and Li Lianjie. "I'm not afraid of hard work," she said excitedly. "Please help me."

At that moment, Iwamatsu Gen arrived with a young, fashionable, and sexy girl. "Mr. Shen," he called, "let me introduce you to Miss Cai. Her music is very swinging." Iwamatsu Gen pulled the girl, whom he called Cai, to sit next to Shen Zhenghui, smiled at Feng Zhiduan, and said, "Old Feng, hello," before eagerly introducing the newly debuted singer Cai Linlin to Shen Zhenghui, praising her to the skies, saying she would become a sensation in Taiwan, which made Cai Linlin quite embarrassed.

Cai Linlin's appearance sounded the alarm for Huang Yuxin's competition. However, Shen Zhenghui's expression seemed to be wearing a mask of "fake." Shen Zhenghui was thinking of dragging the shameless Iwamatsu Gen out and letting a thousand horses trample him. Feng Zhiduan, seeing this, stood up immediately. "Mr. Shen, Mr. Iwamatsu, take your time. Yuxin and I will go for a walk."

Yuxin was pulled up by her uncle, who said, "Mr. Shen, I'll visit you when I have the chance!"

Shen Zhenghui nodded and turned to Cai Linlin, saying politely, "Miss Cai, hello!"

Iwamatsu Gen leaned close to Shen Zhenghui's ear. "Mr. Shen, this girl is just 19. I told her you can help her with movies. Later, you can take her to your room."

"Mr. Iwamatsu, since meeting Taiwanese celebrities is part of our job, can we be a bit more professional?" Shen Zhenghui frowned.

"Ah!" Iwamatsu Gen slapped his forehead. "I forgot Miss Aizawa is staying in the same room as you. How about I get a room for her?"

"Enough," Shen Zhenghui cut him off. "I'm very tired today. Do you want me to report to President Hoshina that you're not doing your job in Taiwan?"

"You're really not approachable," Iwamatsu Gen said resentfully, standing up. "Lingling, let's go. I'll introduce you to some producers."

Cai Linlin stood up awkwardly, forcing a smile at Shen Zhenghui, and was reluctantly pulled away by Iwamatsu Gen.

Seeing them leave, Shen Zhenghui finally breathed a sigh of relief.