The little "horse-riding battle" on the sofa ended without any further disaster.
To Liu Xixi's surprise, Liu Xiaoli merely scolded them a few times before turning around and returning to her room.
That left the young girl standing there in a daze.
She had already mentally prepared herself for a full storm of lectures and punishment, but instead it ended so lightly that it made her feel strangely uncomfortable.
It was as if something important was missing.
She even felt a little uneasy because of it.
Luo Zheng looked at her confused expression and couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, stop pretending to be innocent after getting off so easily."
He lightly tapped the tip of her delicate nose.
Only then did Xixi finally stop pouting.
A bright smile instantly bloomed across her face.
"Hehe, thank you, Cousin! It's so good to have you around!"
Before Luo Zheng could react, the graceful young girl immediately threw herself at him.
Fortunately, his body was strong enough. He only staggered slightly before firmly supporting her soft, raised hips.
"Get down first," Luo Zheng said helplessly, glancing at his watch. "I have something important to handle tonight, so I need to go out."
He paused before adding, "It's work-related, so it's not convenient to bring you along."
Xixi reluctantly slid down from his arms, but before her feet touched the ground, she leaned close to his ear and whispered in a warning tone,
"Mom just started liking you again. You absolutely cannot bring any girls back to stay overnight tonight."
Luo Zheng's lips twitched awkwardly.
"I won't."
He truly hadn't expected his "bad reputation" to have been so deeply engraved in Xixi's mind.
Still… this was not entirely a bad thing.
At least in the future, if too many "wings" appeared around him, he wouldn't need to explain much.
At eight o'clock that evening, inside a private room of a quiet bar near the hotel.
The lights were dim and warm, soft jazz floated through the air, and the table was filled with imported liquor bottles from all over the world.
The door opened.
A handsome young man stepped inside, accompanied by two bodyguards.
The two middle-aged men already waiting on the sofa stood up immediately.
"President Luo."
"No need to be formal. Sit."
Luo Zheng walked over calmly and took the seat opposite them.
His gaze swept over the two men.
One had mostly gray hair, neatly trimmed and combed back.
The other had jet-black slicked-back hair that shone as if half a bottle of styling gel had been poured onto it.
Both looked like seasoned elites in their forties.
The man who spoke first was Chen Guofu, Asia Production Director of Columbia Pictures.
"President Luo, I wasn't sure of your preferences, so I had them bring one bottle of every famous imported liquor in the place."
Luo Zheng nodded slightly.
He knew exactly who this man was.
In his previous life, Chen Guofu had been a major force behind numerous blockbuster films.
Among the many projects he supervised, most had crossed the hundred-million mark at the box office.
His capabilities were unquestionable.
That was precisely why Luo Zheng had spent a great deal of money and effort to poach him.
Of course, for a person like this, money alone was not enough.
One had to talk about ideals.
One had to talk about the future.
Fortunately, that was something Luo Zheng excelled at.
After all, in his previous life, as the owner of a film and television company, he had mastered the art of painting grand futures for employees and sweet dreams for actresses.
"I don't know much about imported liquor," Luo Zheng said with a faint smile. "Just arrange it however you see fit."
Beside Chen Guofu sat Zhang Hui.
Unlike Chen Guofu, this name was not familiar to Luo Zheng from his previous life.
But this man had been carefully selected through a headhunting firm.
His greatest strength was simple.
Steady.
Extremely obedient.
For a president, that was often more valuable than brilliance.
The wine was poured.
The three raised their glasses and clinked them together before drinking.
After setting the glass down, Luo Zheng straightened his posture.
The atmosphere immediately turned serious.
"Let's get straight to business."
He first turned toward Zhang Hui.
"Brother Zhang, I'm entrusting you with the position of President of Blue Whale Entertainment."
Zhang Hui instantly sat up straighter.
Luo Zheng continued slowly.
"But remember this clearly — the company's future is not limited to film, television, and music."
His voice became heavier.
"Cinema chains, film merchandise, licensing, theme parks, and even building our own terminal platform… all of these will become part of Blue Whale's future."
"We will build it step by step."
Zhang Hui's face flushed with excitement.
"President Luo, rest assured. The moment you give the order, I'll lead the charge."
Even Chen Guofu couldn't help but glance sideways.
For a company president to flatter the boss so smoothly…
This man really was incredibly "steady."
Luo Zheng, however, was highly satisfied.
Work capability could be tested later.
But attitude and loyalty often showed first.
He then turned to Chen Guofu.
"Brother Chen, do you have any thoughts?"
Chen Guofu immediately replied,
"President Luo's vision is extremely forward-looking. Especially the cinema chain strategy — I strongly agree that it will be crucial for the future of the film industry."
As a film professional, he instantly understood the importance of screening control.
A good movie alone was not enough.
To truly make money, one needed screens.
Many screens.
In that instant, his admiration for Luo Zheng deepened further.
Could a twenty-one-year-old really think this far ahead?
It was almost frightening.
Luo Zheng raised his glass again.
"Brother Chen, I'm handing the entire film production department over to you."
"Our first film has already been officially approved."
"This morning, I signed the contract with China Film Group."
Chen Guofu's eyes instantly lit up.
He had barely taken the position, and already there was a major co-production project.
This was far beyond his expectations.
"However," Luo Zheng continued, "Blue Whale Entertainment's registration isn't complete yet, so the film will first be signed under Marvel's name."
Chen Guofu nodded without hesitation.
"That's not a problem."
The company name did not matter.
The boss was still Luo Zheng.
That was enough.
After a few more drinks, Luo Zheng stood up.
"Tomorrow, Brother Zhang will accompany me to Hong Kong to formally establish Blue Whale Pictures."
He then looked at Chen Guofu.
"I'll leave Beijing matters in your hands."
"Rest assured," Chen Guofu replied seriously. "I'll do my utmost."
The two personally escorted Luo Zheng out.
Only after watching him disappear into the night with his bodyguards did they turn back inside.
Back in the same private room, after a few more rounds of drinks, the atmosphere loosened considerably.
Chen Guofu finally asked the question that had been bothering him.
"President Zhang, why does President Luo want to register in Hong Kong?"
"If it's a Hong Kong company, wouldn't that classify it as foreign capital? Wouldn't film production require import quotas?"
Zhang Hui smiled knowingly and deliberately lowered his voice.
"No need to worry."
"Blue Whale Entertainment itself will still be registered domestically."
Chen Guofu frowned.
"Then what's the point of going through Hong Kong?"
Zhang Hui leaned forward slightly.
"Because President Luo is building a capital structure."
He lowered his voice further.
"He has already arranged for an offshore company to be established in the Virgin Islands."
The moment those words were spoken, Chen Guofu froze.
Then his eyes widened.
He instantly understood.
Offshore Company A.
Fully controls Company B.
Company B controls Hong Kong Company C.
And Hong Kong Company C becomes Marvel Asia-Pacific.
Then Blue Whale Entertainment, though nominally domestic, can be controlled through proxy shareholders, loan agreements, equity authorization, and irrevocable power of attorney.
Marvel's money flows in legally.
Blue Whale remains domestic.
And the assets move seamlessly from left hand to right hand.
Perfectly compliant.
Perfectly legal.
Perfectly brilliant.
Chen Guofu stared blankly at the wine glass in his hand.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then only one thought remained in his mind.
Monster.
This level of foresight at twenty-one years old…
It was almost inhuman.
Compared to him, Chen Guofu suddenly felt as though his forty-plus years of life had been lived in vain.