Lin Tianxiang was dragged away by his wife, leaving Lin Shishi in disarray. She tried to slip away but was stopped by a waiter, "Miss Lin, may I have the bill."
"The bill? Why should I pay? Didn't Mr. Lin sign for it? You should ask him!"
A hint of contempt flashed in the waiter's eyes. "Mrs. Lin instructed that they would not cover this bill, and it must be settled by you. Miss Lin wouldn't want to dine and dash, would she?"
Helpless, Lin Shishi asked, "How much is it?"
"Thirteen thousand eight hundred yuan."
"So much?"
Lin Shishi appeared glamorous but was penniless. Xie Sui did not give her money; her living expenses and necessities were all covered by the company, including clothes and jewelry. She could use them, but they were not hers. She didn't even have a few thousand yuan on hand, let alone over ten thousand.
In her distress, she took off her watch. "Here, you can have this. It's worth over a hundred thousand."
This was a gift from Lin Tianxiang. To win over a beauty, one had to give something in return, otherwise, it would be for free.
The waiter happily accepted. "That's fine, Miss Lin. Please take care."
Lin Shishi finally walked out of the restaurant, never having felt so humiliated in her life.
To her dismay, as soon as she stepped out, she saw Xie Sui leaning against a car with his hands in his pockets, a mocking smile on his face. Lin Shishi felt like dying.
She had no choice but to approach him ingratiatingly. "Brother-in-law, you haven't left yet?"
"Of course not. How could I miss such an exciting show? Lin Shishi, you should have at least vetted your sugar daddies properly. Mrs. Lin holds the reins of the company. A man like him is a leech. What good future can you have with him?"
Lin Shishi quickly replied, "I was wrong. I'm new here and don't know things well. From now on, I'll listen to whatever you say, okay?"
She reached out and tugged at his sleeve, her eyes full of flirtation, trying to seduce him.
Xie Sui slapped her hand away. "Stop being so suggestive. I've recorded everything you just did. If you dare to throw a tantrum with me again, I'll immediately send it to the press. I can make you famous, and I can ruin you in minutes."
With that, Xie Sui got into his car and drove off, leaving her behind.
Lin Shishi's face darkened with rage. How could he be so heartless? Was he trying to push her to her death?
Xie Sui, however, was not worried about her dying. That woman had a thick skin and wouldn't easily give up on life.
Upon returning to the entertainment company, the female CEO, Qiu Caizhi, along with the senior management, greeted him at the entrance. Seeing Xie Sui arrive, they said in unison, "Greetings, President Xie."
Xie Sui chuckled. "What's all this? Are we filming an idol drama?"
It indeed had the aura of a powerful CEO. Xie Sui waved his hand. "No need to be so formal; it makes me uncomfortable."
Qiu Caizhi explained, "This is to formally introduce everyone to President Xie. Many of them don't know you, so as to avoid offending you."
Xie Sui nodded. "Good. Since everyone is here, let's have a meeting."
"Certainly, President Xie. Your office is upstairs. Please."
In the conference room, the senior management of the entertainment company were all present, more than a dozen people. After all, it was a nascent company with no produced works yet, and Xie Sui had been footing the bill all along.
Qiu Caizhi introduced the people she had recently recruited. "This is the Director of Artist Management, Yang Yuzhen. She's very skilled at cultivating artists, and I poached her with a high salary.
This gentleman is the screenwriter Wu Yulong, who excels in martial arts dramas. He's currently writing many of our scripts.
And these are the two producers, Liu Ben and Si Xingyun, both highly regarded veterans in the industry."
Xie Sui said, "Welcome, everyone, to my team. I'm a rather lazy person and won't micromanage everything, so I'll rely on you all to work hard.
However, I won't mistreat you. As long as you perform well, your bonuses and salaries will be the highest in the industry. Money, after all, is meant to be spent when earned."
His demeanor of a wealthy patron secretly delighted everyone. They preferred bosses who were perhaps a bit naive with their money but demanding little in return.
Qiu Caizhi cleared her throat. "Now, everyone, please report on your current work progress and the artists currently signed. President Xie needs to be aware of the company's overall operational status."
Xie Sui continued, "I'll receive reports on this later. What I want to emphasize now is that my entertainment company will have no shady dealings, no casting couches, and no bullying or suppressing of artists. Everything must be fair, just, and transparent. None of the unethical practices from other companies should be found here.
I want artists to feel a sense of belonging to the company and to dedicate themselves to it wholeheartedly, not out of coercion. That is unacceptable.
Also, ensure the artists' safety. I will be assigning security personnel shortly to enhance our security measures.
Of course, artists who act prima donna will not be tolerated. Just like Lin Shishi this time, it doesn't matter who she is; anyone who harms the company's interests will be dealt with by me first."
Qiu Caizhi was shocked and exchanged glances with the others. President Xie was unlike other bosses.
In Hong Kong at present, artists held very low status. Frankly, they were just moneymakers, actors, and actresses. Without proper backing, they were lambs to the slaughter.
"Since President Xie has stated this, everyone will abide by it."
"Yes, we will certainly comply."
Xie Sui added, "Don't give me lip service. If I catch anyone slacking off even once, they're out. Life is not easy for anyone, so don't think you're superior to others. I dislike that the most. I want everyone to work in a warm and happy environment, not one filled with backstabbing and negativity."
Qiu Caizhi was deeply moved. "Having a boss like President Xie is our honor. We will strive our best."
She was the first to applaud, and the others followed suit. However, Xie Sui noticed that the two producers seemed somewhat dismissive, indicating they hadn't fully absorbed his message.
Director of Artist Management, Yang Yuzhen, was highly supportive. This plump woman, though not blessed with striking looks, exuded confidence. She wasn't insecure about her appearance, something many women find difficult to achieve.
Xie Sui kept her behind for a private conversation that lasted quite some time. When Yang Yuzhen emerged, she was filled with fighting spirit. With President Xie's backing, she was determined to attract all the outstanding artists in Hong Kong.
He then met with Stephen Chow, whose first film was still in production and not yet completed. He hadn't made a name for himself yet.
"President Xie, you're finally back. I've missed you dearly."
"I've missed you too. How is the company doing? If there's anything wrong, tell me. I guarantee no one will dare to retaliate against you."
Stephen Chow hesitated. Xie Sui reassured him, "Don't think of it as complaining; it's for your own good. Although artists appear glamorous, their lives are not easy. I understand that, and I hope to provide all artists with a positive and orderly space to perform, where everyone's talent can be fully utilized."
Stephen Chow was touched. "Thank you, President Xie. I knew you were a good person. Producer Liu Ben has been constantly threatening to exploit female artists sexually. I know of several newcomers who have been harassed by him.
There are also two assistant directors who have taken advantage of their casting power to harass newcomers."
Xie Sui's face darkened. "I understand. I'll assign you two bodyguards and two assistants. Work hard, and I look forward to your breakthrough success."
"I will do my best."
Stephen Chow himself lacked confidence. He wasn't following a mainstream path, and comedies weren't popular now; they couldn't compare to martial arts or gangster films. However, with President Xie's faith in him, Stephen Chow couldn't let him down.