Chapter 162: The One and Only Man (Begging for monthly votes, begging for tips)

Liu Tianxian ran back to the car and didn't leave.

When Fang Hong arrived, he saw her sitting in the passenger seat with a cold face, ignoring everyone, not saying a word.

"Look at you, I was just asking, and you're mad again." Fang Hong put the packed things away and started the car.

Liu Tianxian's gaze was fixed outside, as if she hadn't heard anything.

"Actually I really didn't mean it that way, I trust you." Fang Hong said while driving.

"Hmph!" Liu Tianxian snorted — if he trusted her, why even ask.

"When others said it, I was just confused for a moment, that's all, no other meaning. If you were a lesbian I'd actually be happy about it." Fang Hong said.

"What would you be happy about?" Liu Tianxian didn't understand.

"Happy that I'm the one and only man in your life, from the past to now, and into the future." Fang Hong turned his head, glanced at her, and smiled.

Liu Tianxian laughed too: "Dream on. It depends on how you behave. If you don't behave well in the future, I'll dump you and find someone else."

She said it with a hum, just joking.

"Don't I behave well enough?" Fang Hong said.

"Everything else is fine, it's just that sometimes you come across as a bit vulgar — in outside terms, a bit lewd." Liu Tianxian still remembered how this man had once drooled over her face.

But she didn't blame the man — some people's habits are very hard to change, and he had already been restraining himself quite a bit.

As long as he doesn't flirt with other women, it can be fixed.

"That's because your charm is boundless." Fang Hong argued.

"Whether my charm is boundless or you can't help yourself, improving in this area would make you a much better man. Didn't you once want your mom to change some of her habits? Actually, this is my expectation of you too." Liu Tianxian spoke sincerely.

Fang Hong said nothing, his face expressionless, just looking at the road ahead, but in his mind he was reflecting on his own issues.

The reason he could succeed was that he constantly reflected on himself.

The car arrived at Liu Tianxian's home. Fang Hong didn't get out. After Liu Tianxian got out, she waved and told him to be careful on the road.

"Hey!" Liu Tianxian walked a couple of steps, then turned back.

Fang Hong paused the motion of starting the car and looked at her.

Liu Tianxian walked to the side of the car, held onto the body: "Don't take what I said earlier to heart."

She was afraid of hurting the man's pride.

"Am I that fragile?" Fang Hong said.

"That's good then."

Liu Tianxian laughed lightly: "Also, about Zeng Yike's matter, just bear with it for now. I'll see if I can persuade her to come out and clarify things herself."

"Okay!" Fang Hong nodded.

Anyway, his plan was to stall it out this year; if he couldn't stall it, he'd use the last resort — deal with the person involved.

Of course, he still had to prepare for both contingencies, set things up in advance.

What he feared most was things slipping out of his control, or his memory being wrong — if that happened, the capital he relied on would be greatly diminished.

As long as things stayed within his control, it was fine. If they slipped out of control, he could only take drastic measures and cut through the chaos with a sharp blade.

"Go on, give the fish to your mom to eat, don't let it get cold." Liu Tianxian stepped back a few steps.

Fang Hong nodded, started the car and drove home. When he got home, his mom happened to be home too.

Generally, even when Xu Liyun went out to socialize with people, she wouldn't stay long — most of the time she was at home.

"Mom, your daughter-in-law told me to bring this for you." Fang Hong put the packed fish on the table.

"You two went out to eat?" Xu Liyun was quite surprised, and also a little touched inside.

That girl still remembered her! "It was a date. She also said she'd come visit you when she's free." Fang Hong said.

"Good for you, son."

Xu Liyun patted Fang Hong's shoulder, looking quite delighted — it had been so long since any good news had come.

She was at home every day, waiting eagerly for news.

"Keep at it, son, I still want to hold a grandchild." she said.

"You're looking way too far ahead. At most we've got one stroke of the character 'eight'." Fang Hong said.

"Soon there'll be the second stroke. Mom believes in you."

As long as she could hear good news from her son, Xu Liyun was very happy, and her appetite opened up too.

Conveniently, she didn't have to cook — whatever they couldn't finish, she'd give to Heizi.

The short film "The Gallows" that Fang Hong had arranged earlier was shot in just a few days, and editing wasn't troublesome either — it had been filmed in documentary style to begin with.

The film was handed over to Warner and would be released at the end of October.

Yu Xian reported this to Fang Hong first thing in the morning, and "The Conjuring" was still in post-production.

In other words, as long as "The Gallows" was released, Jade Rabbit could be stalled until "The Conjuring" came out, replenishing some blood.

Recently "Bad Genius" was also still in theaters, and later there was "Fleet of Time" coming up too.

Early in the morning, Fang Hong came to the office as usual. No sooner had he arrived than Liu Tianxian followed right behind, as if they had arranged it.

Fang Hong teased: "Miss Liu, coming this early to experience what working is like?"

Company staff kept streaming in, and when they passed, most would glance at the two of them, usually in groups of three or five, gossiping among themselves.

But gossip was gossip — they wouldn't spread the two's business around carelessly. They all knew the rules.

"If you can come to work, so can I!" Liu Tianxian wore sunglasses and a hat, with a jacket on — the temperature had dropped recently.

But her lower half was still jeans, just a looser pair, no longer as tight as before — her butt still looked quite perky.

Jeans were naturally good at showing off one's figure.

"I can't afford to pay your salary." Fang Hong said.

"Cheapskate, who wants your salary? I'm here to discuss the script with Bao Jinjin and the others." Liu Tianxian tossed her head and headed toward the screenwriters' room. Fang Hong smiled and walked toward his own office. Today he was meeting someone — Shi Zhimao.

A Chinese woman director from Pixar, the first Chinese woman director ever, who later won an Oscar, is a Chongqing girl.

Fang Hong needs a director who understands what style Westerners want to watch, to produce his animation.

Although his animation is already drawn, its style and ideology must still align with the West; he must understand Western audiences, otherwise too many Hua Guo elements will confuse them.

It was not easy for Fang Hong to lure her over—he spent months persuading her, talking until his throat was dry.

"Miss Shi, isn't it better here in the country?" Fang Hong set a glass of water before her.

"Yes, it's warmer here; abroad, you have to watch your every word," Shi Zhi Mao said, cradling the glass.

If the domestic animation industry hadn't been a desert, she wouldn't have gone abroad.

In short, the pay was low and the profits too small.

Fang Hong sat in his seat: "You've seen my company—it's small, but I'm especially passionate about animation and have always wanted to make great animation."

"Director Fang's company does have real energy," Shi Zhi Mao remarked.

They hadn't yet gotten to the real matter—just testing each other.

"So, Miss Shi, would you be willing to join?" Fang Hong asked casually.

Shi Zhi Mao smiled but said nothing.

"Don't worry about compensation—it stays exactly as we agreed," Fang Hong said, offering her a package similar to Yao Qi's in the Special Effects Department.

That meant a million-yuan annual salary, with bonuses for good performance, though the trial-and-error million was off the table.

He couldn't promise trial-and-error money to everyone.

"If that's the case, I have no problem joining—but I'd like to settle down here. I'm just not sure if there's housing available," Shi Zhi Mao wanted a home.

"The company will provide you housing, but I'll be clear—it's rented, and you pay nothing," Fang Hong wouldn't buy her a house.

No contribution yet, and already asking for a house? What's she thinking?

Shi Zhi Mao was slightly disappointed but nodded: "Alright, thank you, Director Fang."

She knew it wasn't realistic for him to buy her a house; she'd just hoped to leverage her talent for some leverage. Since that didn't work, she let it go.

After all, everyone has greed.

Even in the United States, they don't just hand out houses—you have to fight for them yourself.

What's offered here won't be less than what the United States gives.

They reached an agreement: Shi Zhi Mao would start soon and build up the Animation Department. The special effects animators and artists were already there; he just needed to select and assemble them.

As for the people in the United States, they had already settled their affairs and returned to the country.

The Animation Department was still placed upstairs, alongside Special Effects and Games, on an entire floor they had rented.

And many technologies across these three departments were shared.

At noon, Liu Tianxian went out to eat with Bao Jinjin, Jiao Huajing, and the other screenwriters—all women—and Fang Hong didn't go; even Wang Ran didn't go.

It would've been awkward for him to go alone.

In the afternoon, Fang Hong called Lu Dabo and gave him an assignment.

"What? Where am I supposed to find this?" Lu Dabo looked troubled.

The Principal asked him to find a handsome man—preferably with high emotional intelligence—who could portray both female and male forms.

Since they didn't know whether Zeng preferred men or women, they had to find someone with exceptionally high emotional intelligence to test the waters.

"Figure it out—go to bars, KTVs, the music scene," Fang Hong flipped through Zeng Yike's file; this person liked going to bars.

Going to the music scene meant finding someone familiar with Zeng, so they could approach Zeng naturally.

He only needed to capture intimate moments between Zeng and men—photograph them. Ideally, if they could get them into bed, that would be perfect.

That is, whoever seduced Liu, he'd do the same to Zeng—same tactics.

Lu Dabo thought for a moment: "Are you in a hurry?"

"Get it done within six months. If you can't, I won't blame you," Fang Hong said.

He wasn't sure this would succeed.

If it failed, he'd have to use extreme measures—threats, intimidation, throw them into the Pacific Ocean.

"Alright, leave it to me."

Lu Dabo patted his chest—this was the most lenient the Principal had ever been with him.

Previously, success was mandatory, absolutely required, no exceptions.

Fang Hong patted his shoulder: "If you pull this off, I'll find you a wife."

"Good, thank you, Principal?"

Lu Dabo was stunned—he thought the Principal was going to gift him a girl, but now he learned he was being asked to get married himself.

So he got nothing out of it.

"What do you mean, 'ah?' Don't you want me to find you a wife?" Fang Hong retorted.

"I'm happy. Very happy," Lu Dabo groaned.

"Show me a smile."

"Hahaha!"

Lu Dabo opened his mouth wide—his smile was ugly.

"Good. Your smile moved me. Go now—I believe you can do it," Fang Hong signaled he could leave.

Lu Dabo turned, his lips moving, muttering something under his breath.

Once outside the office, he mimicked Fang Hong's tone: "Your smile moved me."

(End of Chapter)