Chapter 262: Finding Chen Taotao

"Just this?" Chen Mo didn't understand.

Liu Piaopiao put on an innocent face and said: "Exactly, that person offered me a film contract for five thousand dollars per film, and I didn't accept it. Apart from this time, I've never had any dealings with anyone from TVB, you know!"

Chen Mo frowned.

He originally thought Liu Piaopiao didn't understand the rules, had messed up somewhere, and offended the TVB people.

Now it seems that's not the case!

Chen Mo carefully thought back to his previous life's knowledge about TVB, and suddenly understood.

At this time, Fang Yihua should be helping Sir Shao prepare for the establishment of the Metropolitan Film Company next year.

Signing Liu Piaopiao to five film contracts at five thousand each—was this an attempt to take advantage that backfired, making them angry?

If that's the case, then he's in the right on this matter, so we can't just let it go.

Chen Mo pondered for a moment and came up with a plan.

"Piaopiao, do you want to join a TVB variety show?"

"What? Can I?" Liu Piaopiao said, somewhat disbelieving.

Chen Mo said firmly: "If I say you can, then you can. Just wait for the news. This time the TVB people deliberately tried to sabotage you—I'll make them pay no matter what!"

"Yeah!"

Hearing Chen Mo's personal promise, Liu Piaopiao shouted excitedly, grabbed his head and kissed him.

At this point, continuing to chat would be boring.

Chen Mo swept Liu Piaopiao into his arms, one hand pulling Ann, then greeted Liu Li Li and Qin Huilian as they headed into the bedroom.

Tonight was a prolonged battle, with gunfire echoing until three in the morning.

Two days ago, Chen Mo had just spent a night carousing with Kristin, then sat on a plane for over twenty hours.

After returning, he didn't rest much and immediately launched into the battle.

That night, Chen Mo finally understood what it meant to be utterly exhausted.

The next morning, because Liu Piaopiao said Qin Huilian and Chen Jia Mu had written new scripts and wanted Chen Mo to take a look and give some feedback.

Therefore, Chen Mo took Liu Piaopiao and Liu Li Li together to the film company.

Ann and Qin Huilian were still asleep.

The night before, they had been scheduled later and stayed up later.

At the company, Liu Piaopiao pulled out Qin Huilian's script, and Chen Jia Mu also came over with his newly written script.

Plus Xian Shihui had also written a new script and wanted Chen Mo to give feedback and some investment.

This month he had been watching Li Yaofu's movie box office rise steadily, feeling anxious every day, afraid that Chen Mo would think he was useless and fire him.

Chen Mo first looked at Qin Huilian's script, which was adapted from a murder case from a few years earlier.

In Chen Mo's view, the idea was good, but there were some logical loopholes; it could only be considered barely passable.

Chen Mo then looked at Chen Jia Mu's script.

As a veteran screenwriter, the script's quality in all aspects was fine, but it lacked originality—still the old-fashioned clear-cut good-versus-evil kung fu film where grudges are formed first and revenge comes later.

With such a script, keeping costs under control would guarantee no loss, but it wouldn't make much profit either.

Chen Mo thought it over and gave Qin Huilian's script to Chen Jia Mu.

"Old Chen, improve Chin's script a bit, and then we'll count you as co-writers. In the future, when writing scripts, think of more fresh ideas—be innovative enough that audiences will buy in."

Chen Jia Mu felt a bit regretful but still agreed.

Finally, Chen Mo picked up Xian Shihui's script under his nervous gaze and began to read.

After Chen Mo's previous education, over the past two months Xian Shihui has also been working hard, even consulting Chen Jia Mu several times.

The script he wrote this time is of acceptable quality. Although it's still a Category III film, the plot has some substance; as long as filming goes smoothly, it can barely meet the standard for theatrical release.

Chen Mo was about to nod, but upon seeing the script's title, he hesitated.

"Bang!"

Chen Mo slammed the script in his hand hard onto the table.

"Xian Shihui, what are you trying to do? *Crazy Thrusting and Pumping Three Thousand Down*—what kind of ridiculous title is this?"

Xian Shihui was startled by Chen Mo, his voice trembling: "Mo... Mo Ge, I... I just wanted to learn from you... to create a gimmick..."

"Creating a gimmick? Screw your mother's head, is that how you make a gimmick?"

Chen Mo was furious at Xian Shihui.

"Go back, first change the title, then revise the script, enrich the plot a bit."

"Yes, yes, I'll fix it right away!" Hearing that Chen Mo hadn't outright rejected his script, Xian Shihui breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Mo glared at Xian Shihui and continued: "This time I'm giving you five hundred thousand in funding; if you can't get it into theaters, you won't make films anymore."

"Also, no sex scenes with the company's newly signed actors."

Upon hearing Chen Mo agree to let him film, Xian Shihui became excited all at once.

"Thanks, Mo Ge! I'll definitely give it my all—if I don't make money, I'll get out on my own."

Actually, Chen Mo had no other choice either; after all, the company needs to make money and support its people.

Now at the film company, there are still many actors previously signed by Jingkun for Category III films.

When Chen Mo first took over, there were dozens of Category III film actors here—some had been forced to sign contracts due to debt, others were sent by Fei Hong; in short, most were compelled.

When Chen Mo took over the flashlight film company, he let them decide whether to stay or leave.

Although most left, there are still seven or eight actors who have grown accustomed to it, with no other options, so they chose to stay.

These people also need to work and eat, right!

Chen Mo can't keep supporting them for free forever.

Besides, Xian Shihui seems unable to film anything other than Category III films for the time being.

Chen Mo allowed him to film, with no big demands—just get it into theaters and not lose money.

Besides, the cost isn't high, so just let him go ahead.

After finishing matters with the film company, Chen Mo took Liu Li Li back to the bar.

It's still morning now, and the bar hasn't opened yet.

In the hall, several lackeys were surrounding a young man, two of whom were exactly the lackeys who had been following Chen Mo yesterday and had been assigned tasks by him.

Seeing Chen Mo arrive, a lackey hurriedly stood up and walked to him, saying, "Mo Ge, we've brought the person you wanted."

Chen Mo's gaze swept past the lackeys and landed on Chen Taotao, who was surrounded by several lackeys behind them.

Yeah, that's him—I didn't get the wrong person.

Chen Mo pulled out a wad of cash and threw it to the lackey.

"You did well; take it and split it with the brothers."

"Thanks, Mo Ge!" The lackey happily took the money and led the other lackeys away.

Chen Mo looked at Chen Taotao and said, "Chen Taotao, right?"

"It's me. Who are you, and why did you have people seize me?"

Chen Taotao was both anxious and uneasy.

Although he had invested all his funds in Five Crab Group's stock, and the stock had already hit rock bottom, he still wanted to see if there was any chance to salvage it.

Unexpectedly, today at the entrance of the Gangdao Stock Exchange, several people suddenly stopped him, asked his name, and then forcibly brought him here.

Fortunately, these people seemed to have no ill intent and didn't lay a hand on him, so he wasn't too frightened.

Now seeing the lackeys' attitude toward Chen Mo, realizing it was all Chen Mo's doing, Chen Taotao urgently wanted to figure out the reason and then go to the stock exchange.

The stock market has already opened; his several colleagues should have arrived at the exchange by now, and if they can't reach him, they'll probably be worried.

Chen Mo saw the anxiety on Chen Taotao's face and chuckled, "You're anxious to go to the stock exchange?"

Don't rush; before any market-rescue news comes out, today's stock market will continue to fall.

The Five Crab Group stock you bought is basically a total loss; even if the stock crash passes, it'll be useless.