To be frank, Wang Zhengdao’s meticulously prepared script, though agonizingly bleak and steeped in hardship, was remarkably true to current social realities, authentically mirroring the joys and sorrows of the contemporary lower class, which resonated deeply with Wang Zhuo after he read it.
Despite Wang Zhuo already being a wealthy man, his grassroots nature remained firmly ingrained, allowing him to deeply identify with many of the plot points in the drama.
“I really like this script of yours,” Wang Zhuo stated seriously. “In my opinion, this show should be titled Struggle, not that idol drama about some returnee chasing women with the twenty million his father gave him.”
“You are absolutely right!” Xiao Lu, who handed the script to Wang Zhuo, beamed with delight, as if she had found a kindred spirit; the others shared the same expression.
Wang Zhengdao smiled, a truly radiant grin. After over a year of decadent living since his release from prison, this was the first time he had received affirmation from his son. For him, this approval was more potent than spending a night with his dream girl—it gave him a feeling of vindication!
“You seem older than me, don’t you?” Wang Zhuo asked Xiao Lu with a chuckle. “You don’t need to use honorifics when speaking to me; it sounds awkward. Just call me Wang Zhuo.”
Xiao Lu nodded vigorously, and Wang Zhuo, noticing her resemblance to Guan Yingying, mused that if this girl ever became a big star, Guan Yingying would essentially have a celebrity look-alike.
“Son, since you like the script so much, why don’t you invest a little?” Seeing the moment was ripe, Wang Zhengdao finally revealed his true purpose: “Investing in Dad’s project would be keeping the gravy in the family, after all.”
Wang Zhuo considered this and was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. He pulled it out to see an unfamiliar local number.
The number ended in 778899—clearly not a spam call, a scam, or someone soliciting sponsorship. He signaled to his father and directly pressed the answer key.
“Hello, may I speak with Jiang Zhuo?”
A distinctive female voice came through the phone. Wang Zhuo paused, then asked, “Is this Miss Ning Yao?”
The voice immediately let out a light laugh. “Is my voice particularly memorable, or is your hearing exceptionally good?”
The living room of the villa was vast, but the others could still faintly overhear the conversation. They exchanged glances, all wondering if this Ning Yao was that Ning Yao!
“Of course, it’s because Miss Ning Yao’s voice is so captivating!” Wang Zhuo quipped casually.
Ning Yao said, “It’s like this: I’d like to invite you and Siyuan out for a meal. There’s something important I need to discuss with you. Would you grace me with your time, and when might you be available?”
Wang Zhuo considered it and asked, “Could you give me a hint about what it concerns?”
“It’s hard to explain in a few sentences,” Ning Yao laughed. “Are you busy right now? If not, I can take a few minutes to explain in detail.” “That works,” Wang Zhuo nodded, gesturing toward his father, and stood up to walk outside.
Once he left the living room, Wang Zhengdao was the first to ask, “Was that Ning Yao on the phone with him?”
Everyone nodded. The heavyweight director murmured, “I think Ning Yao is looking for him to beg for money.”
“Brother Hu, do you know what’s going on?” asked the handsome leading man, a popular star.
Director Hu chuckled lightly. “Ning Yao actually graduated with a directing degree. She got sidetracked into acting by chance and has been doing it for over a decade. I heard recently she wants to return to directing and is looking everywhere for investment.”
“Oh,” the handsome actor realized suddenly. “No wonder Wang Zhuo sounded like he wasn’t very familiar with her when he answered; so that’s the situation.”
Xiao Lu asked with a touch of worry, “Will this affect us?”
“Not at all,” Wang Zhengdao chuckled confidently. “We are not in competition with Ning Yao. Even if my son invests two hundred million in her film, it won’t affect a single penny of ours.” Everyone was immediately relieved, thinking it made sense; with Wang Zhuo’s immense wealth, if he favored a script, would a few tens of millions in investment really matter?
Director Hu’s guess was spot on; Ning Yao was indeed seeking financial help from Wang Zhuo.
The television series she was planning to shoot required a budget of about forty million. At present, that level of funding was considered upper-middle tier. The reason she couldn't secure it from acquaintances was that she insisted on being a full-time director and refused to act in any capacity. Countless investors had told her that if she appeared in just a few episodes, funding would be instantaneous, but she stubbornly refused, which is why she hadn’t raised enough capital until now.
For a late-blooming star like Ning Yao, her personal savings were modest—only a few million, even with friendly support from peers. She was still short by a funding gap of fifteen million. After another fruitless attempt at the Jiangzhou Jade Collectors’ Association gathering, she suddenly thought of Wang Zhuo and got his contact information from Siyuan.
After hearing her explanation, the word Struggle once again crossed Wang Zhuo’s mind, and he asked with a smile, “May I see the script first?”
“Of course!” Ning Yao’s spirits lifted instantly upon hearing a glimmer of hope. She asked, “When are you free? We can discuss the details in person.”
Wang Zhuo thought for a moment. Aside from the research on his sober-up medicine, he had temporarily delegated all other work to Qi Fei and the others; he didn’t seem overly busy. He replied, “I’m available almost anytime. If you’re free, I’ll be heading back to the city in half an hour.”
Ning Yao laughed in surprise. “What a coincidence. I’m also in the suburbs and heading back to the city shortly.”
Wang Zhuo suddenly recalled that Ning Yao drove a silver Jeep Liberty. As he had just entered the villa complex, he did recall seeing one. Could it be that she lived in this very villa community?
Acting on the thought, he immediately activated his X-ray vision, scanning the entire wetland villa area. He quickly located a Jeep Liberty parked by the road. Following the car, he looked into the adjacent villa and saw Ning Yao standing by the pool in the front yard, talking on her phone!
“By the way, do you drive a Liberty?” Wang Zhuo asked in a casual tone. “I happened to see one just now; there aren’t many of those cars in Jiangzhou.”
“You know my car?” Ning Yao was quite surprised. She had seen him that day at the gathering when she got out of the driver’s seat, but she hadn’t noticed Wang Zhuo at all.
Wang Zhuo laughed, not answering, but asking in return, “The car I saw was also silver. Could you possibly be in the Wetland Villa area too?”
With this statement, it was like the undercover agents had exchanged their recognition phrases. Ning Yao asked for his villa number and quickly drove over.
Seeing Wang Zhuo return after making a single phone call, bringing Ning Yao with him, caused several jaws to drop in the living room.
Ning Yao was wearing a form-fitting dress that accentuated her figure. Her hair reached her shoulders, falling loosely with a slight wave. She wore mid-heel shoes, and as she walked, her waist swayed gracefully, exuding charm. She wore a pair of large, tinted sunglasses, clearly wishing to remain unrecognized by strangers.
Wang Zhengdao immediately fawned over her, and Director Hu and the others instantly shrank from their eminent status to that of mere juniors. Wang Zhuo was secretly delighted to see their pretenses crumble before Ning Yao.
“Are you also discussing scripts?” Ning Yao laughed. “What a coincidence!”
“The script is right here. Let’s take this opportunity to have Miss Ning Yao give it a once-over,” Wang Zhengdao said, offering the script with both hands in a charming smile.
Ning Yao then took out her own script from her handbag to show Wang Zhuo. Sitting on the opposite end of the sofa, she reviewed Wang Zhengdao’s script. Wang Zhuo realized how dramatic life truly was; he had originally come here just to swap cars with his father, only to get dragged into the entertainment industry!
Flipping through the script bound with printed paper, Wang Zhuo grew increasingly astonished and surprised. Ning Yao’s script dealt with the exact same theme as Wang Zhengdao’s, yet the content was vastly different. Her script told the story of a divorced woman raising two children alone, achieving success step by step with the help of several caring men.
The struggling protagonist in Wang Zhengdao’s script relied on his own hard work, whereas the heroine in hers succeeded by borrowing strength from others, with men solving every crisis she faced, surrounded by several devoted admirers—the protagonist’s aura shone on the show every moment!
Comparing people is always revealing. Looking at Ning Yao’s script alone, it was a work with elements for success; it might not become a massive hit, but it guaranteed a certain viewership. However, when contrasted with Wang Zhengdao’s script, it instantly became the ugly duckling beside the swan. The entire story of Struggle devolved into a bourgeois soap opera. Even with a strong cast and brilliant direction, it was handicapped by its inherent weakness!
After briefly skimming the script, Wang Zhuo placed it gently on the table. The handsome and beautiful people in the room showed eagerness to read it, but Director Hu signaled them to hold back with a look.
Ning Yao, however, frowned more deeply the more she read, growing more disheartened until her expression finally settled into a wry smile. When she put the script down, she didn't know what to say.
After a long pause, she managed a strained smile and asked, “May I have a cigarette?”
“Of course, absolutely,” Wang Zhengdao quickly went to find a lighter.
Wang Zhuo stopped his father and smiled at Ning Yao. “If you don't smoke, don't force yourself.”
“I apologize; I lost my composure,” Ning Yao, after all, was accustomed to high-pressure situations and quickly regained her calm, smiling helplessly. “These two scripts are worlds apart. I’m having trouble processing it right now.” Hearing this, Wang Zhengdao nearly floated; this script was his own creation, and to outperform the script brought by the stunning Miss Ning in mere minutes felt even better than winning the lottery!
“A world of difference… After reading this script, I’ve already decided against filming mine,” Ning Yao shook her head repeatedly, clearly shaken.
Just as Wang Zhuo was about to speak, Ning Yao preempted him, asking, “Could you introduce me to the copyright holder of this script?” Upon hearing her words, everyone except Wang Zhuo visibly changed expression, especially Director Hu, whose eyes nearly popped out.