Chapter 206: Tonight, Meat Is on the Menu

The Western restaurant had an elegant, private atmosphere—quiet and comfortable overall.

The two sides sat facing each other: Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian on one side, Claude across from them.

"This is escargot in butter. You don't eat it straight from the shell—you use a little spoon to scoop it out."

Liu Tianxian took the snail, as big as a bronze bell, from Fang Hong's hand—the kind that still had its shell.

Then, with her own little spoon, holding her fingers in a delicate orchid pose, she scooped out the butter and snail meat inside and fed it into Fang Hong's mouth.

She asked, "How is it?"

"Not bad at all."

Fang Hong pressed his lips together—it was rich and silky.

Seeing the two of them, Claude smiled and said, "Mr. Fang and Ms. Liu are quite the loving couple."

The negotiations earlier had put him under a lot of pressure; after several rounds he hadn't been able to gain any advantage.

Now that work was off the table, he felt much more relaxed!

"Hehe, my husband rarely goes abroad and doesn't really understand foreign customs, so I'll fill him in." Liu Tianxian said it in French—Fang Hong couldn't understand a word.

"If I may ask, you have the radiant bearing of a pearl—you must be the well-bred young lady type. But your husband doesn't seem to come from such a high family. How did the two of you end up together?" Claude asked, curious.

Their bearings didn't match at all; by rights they shouldn't have had much to do with each other.

"We have a saying in China—fate. As long as you don't dislike each other and feel it's a good fit, you can keep seeing each other. It's not that complicated."

Liu Tianxian chatted on at ease: "Actually, I'm usually pretty wild—I'm nothing like how I seem to you right now."

Claude gave a soft chuckle: "I envy you both, having such a beautiful love. I once had a beautiful first love too."

"Thank you!" Liu Tianxian acknowledged it, then added, "Then your first love must have become your wife."

"No, she became someone else's wife." Claude spoke with a hint of regret.

Liu Tianxian offered a silent moment of condolence and said nothing.

Seeing the two of them had run out of things to say, Fang Hong, sitting beside her, asked, "What's he blabbing about?"

"He said I look like a fairy, but you're pretty shabby, so why would I be with you—it doesn't make sense." Liu Tianxian teased him with a perfectly straight face.

"Damn, am I really that bad? That foreigner is talking out of his ass." Fang Hong was unhappy.

He couldn't stand hearing anyone say something bad about him in front of Liu Tianxian.

"Oh come on, watch your language."

Liu Tianxian nudged him with her elbow: "I stood up for you—I told him I think you're fine, and that's all that matters."

"Right, foreigners don't know how to appreciate a Chinese handsome man."

Fang Hong's words struck Liu Tianxian as funny. He touched his own face and added, "Then tell me—am I getting more and more handsome?"

"Yes, very handsome." Liu Tianxian nodded seriously.

"See? You even said I'm handsome. What the hell do foreigners know about looks?" Fang Hong still sounded annoyed.

Liu Tianxian felt like laughing inside but said nothing—she couldn't let this man get any more smug.

"Let me tell you, foreigners are really promiscuous—especially the French. Don't be fooled by their image as some romantic country; they have affairs all over the place. There's that Crazy Horse show, where they just look at women's naked bodies, and then there's legalized prosti—"

"Oh stop, I know."

Liu Tianxian cut him off.

The other man had only said one slightly negative thing about him, and he'd gone and dragged the whole of France through the mud—wasn't that holding a grudge a little too tightly?

Claude couldn't understand what the two of them were talking about and quietly enjoyed his meal on his own.

After the three of them finished eating, they returned to Ubisoft to continue negotiations into the evening.

The negotiations were still the same—on certain core issues, neither side could convince the other. Apart from letting the other party make money, Fang Hong didn't want to give up any rights.

The talks reached an impasse. Claude said, "My assistant has already booked a hotel room for you. She'll take you there to check in. Get some rest tonight."

This was a tactic to keep them waiting, to let them know he wasn't in a rush, hoping to seize the initiative.

"Mr. Claude, we don't have that much time. If you're hesitating, we'll come back next time—of course, that's assuming we haven't already given the game to another operator to publish." Fang Hong shut the door on him outright.

In other words, if you stall, we'll find another game publisher. There are plenty of game publishers in this world—the United States has them too. You're not the only one.

This left Claude a bit uncomfortable. He thought for a moment and said, "Let me think it over tonight. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

As long as he'd been given time, that was fine—Fang Hong said nothing more. One night was no big deal.

"Wait a moment."

Just as the two of them were about to leave under the assistant's guidance, Claude called them back, took a bottle from his wine cabinet, and walked over to them.

"This is our local apple cider—a gift for you to try. Welcome to France."

"Thank you, Mr. Claude."

Liu Tianxian took the apple cider—a bottle like champagne. It was a local specialty, second only to wine.

Fang Hong understood—this was a goodwill gesture, meant to keep them steady.

The man was running a publicly listed company, so naturally he had to discuss things with a few directors.

Led by the female assistant, the two of them headed to the hotel room—it was nearby.

Once inside, they looked around. It was a typical European-style suite—very large and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bright moon outside and the dazzling city nightscape.

"Sir, Madam, if you need anything, please let me know. Good night!" The female assistant stood at the door, said her piece, and was about to bow and close it.

Liu Tianxian sensed something was off and hurried forward: "Only one suite was arranged?"

"Mr. Claude only instructed me to book one." The female assistant politely closed the door.

"What's wrong?" Fang Hong stepped forward and asked.

"Nothing."

Liu Tianxian shook her head, glanced at the bottle of wine in her hand, and said, "How about we have a drink?"

"Sure."

Fang Hong didn't refuse; instead, he felt a little anticipation, his heart surging. He also knew the two of them were about to live together.

This was the prelude to setting the mood; nurture it a bit and it might just be nurtured all the way to the bed—tonight, he was going to break his fast.

Liu Tianxian, unaware of his many thoughts, took two transparent goblets from the cabinet here and went to wash them in the bathroom.

Then she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, handed one goblet to Fang Hong to hold, and poured him a drink.

The liquor poured out with a "gurgle," and Liu Tianxian said, "You mentioned Ubisoft—do you think they'll agree to your terms?"

"Probably, I don't know. If they don't agree, I'll find someone else; doesn't matter, it's just a bit more hassle." Fang Hong wasn't sure either.

Big companies are full of nonsense, always wanting to throw their weight around—but then again, they have the clout to back it up.

Liu Tianxian clinked glasses with him with a "ding," and the two of them drank every last drop in their goblets together.

Then she poured them full again. Liu Tianxian turned to look at the night view outside the window: "Look outside—so beautiful, the moon is so round."

"Mm, it is pretty, but I still prefer China, it feels familiar." Fang Hong also turned, gazing at the unfamiliar night view outside.

Liu Tianxian clinked his glass again and said as she drank, "If I asked you to settle abroad with me, would you come?"

"No." Fang Hong shook his head and took a sip.

"Why?"

Liu Tianxian turned to look at him, her eyes filled with incomprehension.

"Because I'm not used to it, and I don't understand what they're saying. Over time I'd feel lonely, and besides, my mom can't go either." Fang Hong said.

"If—I'm saying if—your mom has passed on, and we're both old, with me by your side, would you come with me?" Liu Tianxian's gaze was fixed.

"I don't know, maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't!" Fang Hong had no idea what the future held either.

"You won't even lie to me a little?" A smile bloomed on Liu Tianxian's face.

"Feelings obtained through deception won't last."

Fang Hong had simply lied too much in the past, played too many games; now he was unwilling to lie anymore.

Once you're past the stage of deception, sincerity is better! "Mm, that makes sense."

Liu Tianxian expressed her approval, clinked glasses with him again, and drank the wine in her hand once more.

"Drinking this much, aren't you afraid of getting drunk?" Fang Hong said.

"Then do you want me to get drunk?" Liu Tianxian countered.

"Of course I do—if you're drunk, I'll have my chance." Fang Hong laughed.

Liu Tianxian gave a charming smile. When this man talked about risqué topics in front of her, she didn't mind.

She took a sip of wine: "But sorry to disappoint you, this is a beverage wine, you can't get drunk on it."

"Not getting drunk is fine too—saves you saying I took advantage of you." Fang Hong joked and took a sip.

Liu Tianxian laughed and patted his chest.

The two drank another glass, and Fang Hong said again: "If you give me a chance, I don't need you drunk—there's always a way; if you don't give me a chance, there's no way no matter what."

What he said was rather convoluted, but Liu Tianxian understood—this man actually thought things through pretty clearly.

The two drank and chatted, getting a little tipsy. Liu Tianxian started acting silly again, raising her glass to the moon: "Raise a cup to sing—how brief is life?"

"'Don't let the golden goblet face the moon in vain,'" Fang Hong was also seized by poetic inspiration, his words no longer coming out smoothly.

"It seems we've watched snow together, watched the moon, chatted about poetry and lyrics, and discussed the philosophy of life. Have you watched snow with another girl, watched the moon, gone from poetry and lyrics to discussing the philosophy of life?" Liu Tianxian draped her arm over his shoulder and leaned close to his ear.

She squinted her eyes; her slightly tipsy state was mesmerizing.

"No, I've only watched snow with you, watched the moon, gone from poetry and lyrics to discussing the philosophy of life. Not with any other girl—watched snow, watched the moon, gone from poetry and lyrics to discussing the philosophy of life."

Fang Hong's words were starting to tangle, and he was spouting piles of nonsense, not even knowing what he was saying himself.

Early the next morning, Fang Hong woke up on the sofa and immediately slapped himself across the face.

Damn—such a good chance yesterday.

"What's going on, hitting yourself?" Liu Tianxian stood at the bedroom door, tying her hair and teasing.

"I hate myself for being useless." Fang Hong said.

"Don't talk about yourself like that, you're already great." Liu Tianxian laughed.

"You said that wine couldn't get you drunk." Fang Hong pointed at the empty bottle.

"I say something and you just believe it? How can you be this cute?" Liu Tianxian giggled.

That wine was fine in small amounts, but drink too much and you'd get drunk—and it hit especially hard.

"Your credibility with me just took a massive hit."

Fang Hong crossed his arms and made a big "X" at her.

Liu Tianxian pressed her lips together, smiling indifferently, and went back to her room to tidy herself up.

When she came out, she was once again that beautiful, elegant sight.

The two had breakfast together, then went to Ubisoft again; this time the negotiations went much more smoothly.

The other side agreed to hand over the service rights and also agreed to remote server assistance—the update data would be controlled by Jade Rabbit.

As for user data, it would be shared between the two parties.

The profit split remained unchanged: Ubisoft 70%, Jade Rabbit 30%, covering the global market except for China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.

Operating costs were borne by Ubisoft; development costs were on Jade Rabbit's side.

Keeping China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia was the back garden Fang Hong had reserved for himself; giving it all to the other side meant losing his base entirely.

The reason the other side could be so agreeable was that they needed a game like this, and this game sold quite well in China.

The reason it wasn't making money overseas was that the Skins were all on trial—bring them over, end the trial, and they could make money.

Next came signing the contract. Liu Tianxian couldn't make sense of it, so she hired a lawyer to handle the signing.

The next few chapters will fast-forward to filming.

(End of chapter)