The script Luo Zheng handed over was never meant to be an ordinary film project.
From the very beginning, this was a story he had intended to use as a weapon on the international award stage.
To better fit the tastes of overseas judges and festival audiences, he had already made several deliberate adjustments to the original concept.
The road-journey comedy elements were toned down considerably.
Instead of leaning into episodic humor, Luo Zheng sharpened the social realism.
Along the journey, the story now highlighted harsher realities—bureaucratic indifference, institutional coldness, the ugliness of naked monetary relationships, and the discrimination born from the widening urban-rural divide.
The road itself became more than a path.
It became a mirror.
A prism through which one could glimpse the fractures and resilience of Huaxia society.
As for the protagonist, Luo Zheng no longer wanted him to be driven by a simple promise alone.
He dug deeper into the psychology of persistence.
Why would a man continue forward even when everything around him mocked the very meaning of his journey?
That was the true heart of the story.
Even the cinematography had been reimagined.
The warm dramatic framing of the original had been replaced with colder, documentary-style visuals.
The music was stripped back.
Less sentimental scoring.
More silence.
More weight in the images themselves.
And most importantly, the ending had been transformed.
The protagonist would arrive at his destination only to find that everything had changed.
The hometown was no longer the one in his memories.
The promise itself had become almost absurd.
Instead of closure, the ending would leave the audience with reflection.
A lingering ache.
Since this was intended as a co-production with China Film Group, Luo Zheng had positioned it as a Huaxia story told through an international lens.
At its core, it would still showcase the integrity, endurance, and humanity of ordinary people.
A story about hardship.
A story about dignity.
And precisely because of its heavy realism and strong authorial expression, it fit the aesthetic preferences of international film festivals almost perfectly.
Across the table, Zhao Benshan was completely immersed in the script.
His eyes moved rapidly across the pages, the seriousness on his face deepening with every paragraph.
Even the coffee in front of him had long gone cold.
Beside them, Liu Xixi's cup was already empty.
Judging by her slightly puffed cheeks and the way she quietly rubbed her little stomach, she had clearly gone for several refills while the adults were talking.
Luo Zheng couldn't help but glance at her.
At this rate, she probably wouldn't sleep tonight.
Seeing that the little girl was beginning to fidget restlessly, Luo Zheng lightly tapped the tabletop.
The sound finally pulled Zhao Benshan out of his daze.
He looked up in embarrassment.
"Oh! I'm sorry, terribly sorry!"
He carefully closed the script and tucked it away like treasure.
"Little Brother Luo, this script is truly excellent. I got too absorbed in it."
Luo Zheng smiled faintly.
"It's fine, Old Brother."
He stood up and gently pulled Xixi to her feet.
"Since everything is settled, let's continue this once we're back home."
Zhao Benshan quickly stood up as well.
The two men shook hands firmly.
There was excitement in his eyes.
This film—
he already knew it could change everything.
By the time they returned to the hotel, the corridor had fallen into quiet evening silence.
Luo Zheng walked Xixi to the room door.
Just as he was about to turn away, the door suddenly opened from inside.
Liu Xiaoli stepped out.
Her expression softened the moment she saw her daughter.
"Mom, you're back?"
Xixi's voice was full of delight.
"Did your work finish?"
Liu Xiaoli smiled and nodded.
Then her gaze shifted toward Luo Zheng.
"I need to speak with your cousin for a moment."
"You go inside and rest first."
Xixi looked between the two of them curiously.
Then, though reluctant, she nodded.
"Alright…"
Only after she entered the room did Liu Xiaoli turn and walk away.
She didn't say anything.
She merely gave Luo Zheng a meaningful look.
He followed.
The two walked in silence until they reached the emergency stairwell.
The heavy door closed behind them with a muted thud.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Liu Xiaoli carefully glanced around first.
Only after confirming no one was nearby did she finally turn to face him.
Her gaze was sharp.
"Little Zheng."
Her voice was low.
"What you saw today is not what you think."
"Don't spread rumors."
The moment those words left her lips, Luo Zheng almost laughed.
"Aunt."
He took a step closer.
"If there's really nothing to hide…"
"Then why are you explaining so much?"
His voice carried a teasing edge.
"Or are you feeling guilty?"
"You—!"
Liu Xiaoli instantly lost her composure and stepped back.
For a moment, her expression became visibly unsettled.
Because he was right.
She was guilty.
Not because anything truly improper had happened—
but because she had been caught privately meeting another man.
And from Luo Zheng's perspective, it was impossible not to misunderstand.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
"Xixi missed the audition for The Story of a Noble Family because of you."
Her tone sharpened.
"I was only looking for connections to secure another chance for her."
"What you saw was merely socializing."
In one sentence, she skillfully redirected the pressure back onto him.
If it had been anyone else, they might have felt immediate guilt.
But Luo Zheng already knew far too much.
He smiled coldly.
"Aunt, that still doesn't explain why you were meeting another man alone."
Liu Xiaoli's face flushed with anger.
"Luo Zheng, stop talking nonsense!"
Without another word, Luo Zheng calmly took out his phone.
The camera photo was displayed clearly on the screen.
"I have proof."
The moment Liu Xiaoli saw it, her face turned pale.
Her fingers tightened against her chest.
For a moment, she even swayed slightly.
Yet despite the perfect opening, Luo Zheng didn't press further.
There was still a line he wouldn't cross.
At least not before she and his uncle formally separated.
That was the boundary he still kept.
In the end, the conversation broke apart without resolution.
Liu Xiaoli left with resentment burning in her eyes.
Luo Zheng simply watched her go.
There was no rush.
He had time.
Plenty of it.
The next morning, Dong Jie was already awake.
Despite the faint exhaustion in her movements, she carefully adjusted Luo Zheng's tie with the attention of someone seeing off someone important.
"Brother Zheng…"
Her voice was soft.
"When will we meet again?"
Though she was older than him, the way she called him carried no hesitation.
To her, Luo Zheng's calm maturity gave an unusual sense of security.
Luo Zheng lightly tapped her forehead.
His expression turned serious.
"Did you forget your role?"
Dong Jie immediately smiled and leaned closer.
"This little girl knows her mistake."
Her cheeks were flushed, glowing with warmth.
Satisfied, Luo Zheng gently lifted her chin.
"Don't worry."
"We'll meet again soon."
"I have a film collaboration with China Film Group."
"I'll return after arranging matters in America."
The moment she heard China Film Group, Dong Jie's eyes lit up.
"That means…"
"Can you arrange a role for me?"
Luo Zheng gave her a measured look.
She instantly realized she had been too eager.
Quickly, she softened her expression, her eyes turning slightly misty.
After a brief pause, Luo Zheng finally smiled.
"If there's a suitable role, I'll keep it for you."
Sometimes, a promise cost nothing.
Yet it was enough to comfort someone completely.
More than ten hours later, the plane landed smoothly in New York.
At the VIP passage, Marvel President Bill was already waiting personally by the car.
He quickly opened the door.
Luo Zheng nodded and entered with Xixi.
Behind them, Liu Xiaoli silently clenched her teeth.
Her gaze lingered on the closeness between the two.
But she said nothing.
For now, she could only endure.
Soon after, Marvel Headquarters.
Conference Room.
This time, not only were the executives present—
even the major shareholders, Carl Icahn and Franklin Templeton representatives, had arrived in person.
Everyone wanted to know one thing.
What was Luo Zheng's next move?
The Berlin Film Festival had proven his talent.
Now they wanted proof of his ability to make serious money.
The conference room door opened.
Luo Zheng stepped inside first.
Behind him followed Bill Jemas and Avi Arad.
One was the company president.
The other, the CEO.
Both now stood firmly behind him.
Luo Zheng took the main seat.
His hands rested on the table.
His gaze swept across the room.
"Good."
"Everyone is here."
His voice was calm but carried undeniable authority.
"I dislike wasting time."
"The company has five major tasks that must begin immediately."
"They will proceed simultaneously."
He paused.
Then looked at every face in the room.
"If anyone has objections…"
"Raise your hand before speaking."
The room instantly fell silent.
Every executive and shareholder felt the pressure in that moment.
For the first time—
they truly saw the aura of a leader.
And the storm Luo Zheng was about to unleash on Marvel…
was only just beginning.