Chapter 539: Have to Give to Gain

Lu Dang Cheng is a newly reclaimed city in Macau, where major integrated resorts like Studio City, Venetian Hotel, and Galaxy International are located.

The area's hallmark is its lavish architecture and scale-accurate replicas of world landmarks.

Coming here feels like stepping into a shopping paradise and an amusement park.

This place is a standard modern metropolis—clean, tidy roads lined with numerous luxury hotels, entertainment complexes, and shopping centers, forming Jin Guang Da Dao.

It later became known as the Concert Capital and a top vacation destination.

Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian are staying at the Venetian Hotel, a grand building with European palace-style architecture.

Its opulence rivals a royal palace; it is the world's most heavily invested hotel, extremely luxurious, featuring a casino and integrated entertainment facilities.

When in the mood, you can gamble a few rounds here.

Of course, their accommodation and meals are covered by the film festival—they don't pay out of pocket—but if they gamble, they pay themselves; the festival doesn't cover it.

They only cover your food and lodging, not your entertainment.

Guests and celebrity attendees coming for the film festival are also provided with complimentary hotel stays.

Of course, not just Venetian Hotel—other hotels along the street too.

This area has over twenty luxury hotels and sixty thousand guest rooms, more than enough for all the celebrities and stars.

As for fans, no arrangements are needed—those who chase stars all the way here usually aren't short on money; they should be contributing to the city's GDP anyway.

This is a tacit understanding between Fang Hong and the Macau side.

The Macau International Film Festival is held precisely to attract visitors here—to tour, to play, to gamble a little.

Many celebrities and stars love to gamble—it's too numerous to count.

Many celebrities and stars come here to gamble a few rounds and get photographed, but they don't care; who doesn't play?

After finishing the film festival, if the urge strikes, they gamble a few rounds and leave a few million behind—perfectly normal.

The Macau International Film Festival is held at Galaxy International Convention Center, a venue typically reserved for hosting international dignitaries and political events.

This time, the Macau side pulled through and secured this venue for the film festival.

There was no choice—the Principal went all out, so they had to follow suit; they had agreed upfront to provide all possible resources and cover half the funding.

Speaking of Tan Sijiang, he got angry—he heard the Principal had arrived in Macau, so he organized a dinner.

This dinner wasn't just the two of them—it included Liu Tianxian, Macau International Film Festival Executive Committee Chair Hou Miao, and Jury Chair Han Jianü.

These were all people from Fang Hong's side.

On the Macau side were Tan Sijiang, Director Cui, Councilor He, and other senior officials—all previously met, so they knew each other.

Also present was a wealthy heiress, representing the gambling tycoon family.

Macau has three major families: Ho, Cui, and Ma!

"Principal, you've really done me a favor this time," Tan Sijiang said with a smile upon seeing Fang Hong—they were close enough to speak without formality.

They met at the entrance to a private room.

Fang Hong wore a suit and tie, his hair slicked back in a pompadour, gleaming with oil; he shook hands with Director Cui and the heiress, nodding politely to each.

Everyone had either met before or at least heard of each other—no introductions needed.

The heiress smiled warmly, shook Fang Hong's hand, and carefully sized up the legendary Principal.

The Principal's reputation was well-known—he had stirred up storms repeatedly; it was impossible not to know him.

The heiress was now a middle-aged woman, no longer the delicate beauty of her youth, but radiating the dignified elegance of a successful woman, standing out clearly.

Liu Tianxian smiled as well, shaking hands and nodding politely to everyone.

She wore an orange dress, revealing her fair legs, her hair styled in a pompadour, carrying a handbag—fashionable and beautiful, yet exuding a commanding aura.

Hou Miao and Han Jianü also knew these people—they had all interacted during the organization of the Macau International Film Festival.

"How can you say I've harmed you when this is clearly a good thing?" Fang Hong finally gripped Tan Sijiang's hand.

"It should've taken just a few million to handle—now you've blown it up to this scale, and I've worn out my tongue running around," Tan Sijiang complained.

A few million was one thing, but five million? He ran every errand to make it happen.

"It's all worth it. There's an old saying: if you don't sacrifice the kids, you won't catch the wolf—you must give up to gain," Fang Hong smiled.

The others chuckled softly.

"The Principal speaks truly—there are always difficulties at the beginning," the heiress said.

"Yes, yes, yes," Tan Sijiang nodded repeatedly.

This massive publicity campaign, plus Liu Tianxian as Image Ambassador, has indeed increased Macau's tourist numbers.

As the Macau International Film Festival draws near, more fans have come to see the stars—many celebrities have confirmed their attendance.

Stars like Fan Xiaopang, Guoji Zhang, Li Bailian, Chen Daoming, Deng Chao, and Huang Jiaozhu are all coming; their arrival will bring massive crowds, and their visits have already been announced.

Huang Jiaozhu owes Liu Tianxian a favor—he repeatedly asked her to mediate for him; that debt must be repaid.

Not just these people—Zhang Huijun from Beijing Film Academy and Film Bureau official Zhang Hongsen will also be present.

This lineup was truly pulled off by this man. Zhang Huijun and Zhang Hongsen were not invited by Fang Hong—they came on their own.

Zhang Huijun, as Principal of Beijing Film Academy, came to support his own people—he had previously supported the Macau Film Festival, and now, with changed circumstances, he's supporting it again.

Zhang Hongsen came just to see the spectacle—to see what kind of film festival the Principal had pulled off.

The results are undeniably excellent—otherwise Tan Sijiang wouldn't have organized this dinner, nor would so many Macau leaders and celebrities be here.

Everyone is here because they see the Principal's influence.

As for the remarks just now—they were just jokes, said in passing.

"Let's go inside and chat," Han Jianü pushed open the double wooden doors of the private room.

Inside was a vast, luxurious private room: a massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, soft carpets covered the floor, and the decor and furnishings were opulent European style.

The group entered the room, where a large round table sat in the center—perfectly sized for their group.

Not far from the round table was a large floor-to-ceiling window, beyond which shimmered a dazzling cityscape of neon lights and the harbor.

This place is by the sea; the ocean is in the distance, but since it's night now, all you can see is the continuous flickering of lights along the shore.

The scenery is beautiful; dining here while taking in the view is a real pleasure.

Fine wine and delicacies were already laid out on the table—big lobsters, crabs, each one taking up nearly an entire plate, truly enormous.

There were also other fish, clams, oysters—being by the sea, the seafood is bound to be more plentiful—and local specialties like Portuguese chicken and Eight-Treasure Roast Duck, a very lavish spread.

Fang Hong pulled out a tall chair for Liu Tianxian. Liu Tianxian smoothed her hem and sat down, then pushed aside the chair next to her so he could sit beside her.

"The Principal and Miss Liu really are an enviable couple." Superintendent Cui took his seat.

"You have to dote on your own wife yourself." Fang Hong said this and sat down.

"Hahaha!" Everyone present laughed.

The two groups sat down in clearly separate sides—Fang Hong, Liu Tianxian, Hou Miao and their group on one side; the Macau contingent on the other.

Liu Tianxian set her bag aside, looked at the people across the table and smiled: "My man here—don't be fooled by how brash he seems at work; he's actually a very careful person."

"I can see that. The Principal is very responsible—otherwise we wouldn't have handed this film festival over to him to run." Superintendent Cui nodded.

How big a deal this one was, they had seen with their own eyes—it's just that the money involved was a bit much.

"So you see, you can't judge a person by their looks; you have to look at what's inside. Appearances are easily deceived by." Liu Tianxian was covering for Fang Hong.

Outsiders didn't have a good impression of her man, so in occasions like this she tried her best to say good things about him.

After all, among these people were business celebrities who knew and were familiar with many people in Neidi, and word might just spread.

"It seems you, Tianxian, saw clearly the Principal's inner qualities before you fell for him!" Superintendent Cui said.

"You bet."

Liu Tianxian admitted it without hesitation, resting her hand on Fang Hong's hand on the table: "He does have a lot of good qualities inside."

"Each to their own taste. When it comes to a person, as long as you like them yourself, that's enough. Whether it suits you or not, after spending time together you know best yourself."

Superintendent Cui looked at the people around him, then heard him continue: "I've more or less watched them come this far. Seeing the two of them stay so affectionate all along, seeing the Principal keep to his original heart—that proves the Principal is definitely not a bad person.

Of course, I'm comparing him to the majority of ordinary people. Among ordinary people who have reached the Principal's level, how many still remain the same after marrying Tianxian?"

The others all nodded, agreeing with what he said.

To have built a career to the Principal's level, and at such a young age, and to have dated Liu Tianxian for so many years—one would think he'd have long grown tired of it.

But the affection between them was simply deep.

They had seen too many people living in debauchery—people who played around wildly. Finished with women, they played with men; finished with men, they played with those neither male nor female—utterly outrageous.

"Of course I'm saying this just among us; everyone here knows each other, there are no outsiders." Superintendent Cui added.

"Let's have a toast!" Councillor He stood and raised his glass, signaling everyone to drink.

The table was too large, so everyone had to stand up. They clinked glasses with a "ding"—drinking was casual, some downed it in one go, others took just a sip.

Then they sat down again. Tan Sijiang said, "You've all worked hard on this film festival."

"It's only right. My personality is this: once I take on a job, I have to do it well, do it perfectly." Fang Hong spoke with quite a roguish, worldly air.

He clapped Hou Miao on the shoulder beside him and said, "This is the person who plans the gaming competitions for Swan Castle. Every year he plans over a hundred major and minor global tournaments—extremely experienced."

"Hero Glory?" Superintendent Cui asked.

"Yes, I've been planning the competitions for this game since the very start—it's already the third year. Next year I'll also be planning the Honor of Kings competitions." Hou Miao said.

"Sometimes the insiders don't plan as well as the outsiders." Superintendent Cui said.

Even if she hadn't watched those film festivals, she knew a bit about them—after all, she had some past connections with the entertainment circle.

In any case, none of them had been run very well.

"True enough." Tan Sijiang agreed.

Liu Tianxian sat beside him, peeling shrimp into Fang Hong's bowl, listening to their conversation without interrupting.

(End of chapter)