Chapter 19: Five Million—I'll Take This Script

“Damn, Cheng Cheng, did you really write this script?”

The next day, Jiang Nan called, unable to contain her excitement as soon as she spoke.

“Girls shouldn’t say ‘damn,’ it’s unbecoming,” Cheng Cheng replied seriously, not answering immediately but correcting her slang first.

Jiang Nan’s attention shifted. “Then what should I say instead of ‘damn’?”

Cheng Cheng: “Say ‘I plead not guilty.’”

Jiang Nan rolled her eyes. “Are you crazy?”

She quickly pressed on, “Come on, tell me—did you write the script or not?”

Cheng Cheng said, “Of course I wrote it.”

Jiang Nan was skeptical. “How come I never knew you had this talent before? And you never studied this, right? You didn’t buy it somewhere, did you?”

“Sigh,” Cheng Cheng sighed wistfully, “People have always been captivated by my extraordinary looks and ignored my inner genius. I’m a talented scriptwriter, director, singer, author, and chef all rolled into one—just delayed by my idol star career...”

“Alright, alright, cut it out!” Jiang Nan laughed, unconvinced. “You’re claiming all those talents? I don’t have time to call so many people!”

Cheng Cheng: “Do you think anyone would write a script for me in my current situation?”

Jiang Nan thought for a moment and said, “That’s true... So, the script really is yours?”

Cheng Cheng: “Absolutely genuine.”

Jiang Nan exclaimed happily, “That’s amazing! Cheng Cheng, let me play the female lead! I’ve always wanted to act! I haven’t been in a movie yet!”

“I wish I could,” Cheng Cheng said calmly, “But you know the current situation. If you star in my movie, you could face criticism, which wouldn’t be good for you.”

Jiang Nan stubbornly said, “I don’t care. Just say yes!”

Cheng Cheng negotiated, “How about this: let’s forget this film for now. When the time comes and my reputation stabilizes, I’ll invite you to be the female lead.”

After a brief hesitation, Jiang Nan agreed.

She knew playing the lead in “All or Nothing” was unrealistic.

Not to mention the agency’s likely refusal, her father would never consent.

“Alright! We have a deal. I’m reserving the female lead for you in one of my films! No backing out!”

Cheng Cheng laughed, “Of course, I won’t back out!”

Jiang Nan said, “Great, I’ll go convince my dad now. Wait for my good news!”

——

Jiang Nan’s family, the Jiang clan, had several branches. Her father, Jiang Wang, headed one that primarily operated a chain of cinemas. It was a comprehensive enterprise involved in cinema investment, construction, operation, and management, owning four cinema brands.

Jiang Wang was ambitious and unwilling to be confined to downstream industries. In recent years, he had ventured into film and television investments, recruiting several top directors in an attempt to integrate the entire industry chain.

This was also why Cheng Cheng wanted Jiang Nan to persuade her father to help with promotion.

“Dad, this is a dry-braised pomfret I learned from a master chef. It’s your favorite dish. Try it!” Jiang Nan pushed Jiang Wang to the table.

Jiang Wang, in his forties with streaks of gray hair, was tall and bore an elegant, scholarly air.

His aged but refined face suggested he had been handsome in his youth—still a distinguished gentleman now.

At that moment, looking at the “dark cuisine” before him, he was uncertain and suspicious.

Jiang Nan urged, “Dad, try it. I made it myself.”

“I’m scared precisely because you made it!” he thought but didn’t say aloud, awkwardly remarking, “Nan Nan, just say what you want. If you don’t, I’m really afraid to eat this~”

Jiang Nan pouted, “What are you saying? I just want to show my filial piety. What else could it be? What do you take me for?”

Jiang Wang twitched his mouth, thinking, “Do I not know what kind of person you are?”

Flattery with ulterior motives is always suspect!

Yet seeing his daughter’s pitiful expression, he reluctantly picked up his chopsticks and took a bite, willingly falling into the trap.

Jiang Nan looked at him expectantly, blinking her big, adorable eyes and asked, “Dad, how is it? Is it good?”

“It’s… really good,” Jiang Wang almost broke his years of cultivated composure, swallowing quietly before saying seriously, “Now that I’ve eaten, can you tell me what’s going on?”

Jiang Nan was genuinely annoyed. She called out coquettishly, “Dad! How can you be so distrustful of me?”

But the next moment, her delicate face blossomed into a smile, teasing, “But I really do need your help, Dad.”

She unfolded a map of Yan State and handed her father the printed script, saying, “Dad, take a look at this script.”

Jiang Wang revealed a look of “I knew it would be like this,” sighing helplessly as he took the script and began reading.

At first, he seemed indifferent, assuming his daughter’s latest whim was just another secondhand script she’d found somewhere. But the more he read, the more serious he grew, eventually asking with some surprise,

“Where did you get this script?”

Jiang Nan saw that her father was drawn in and said happily, “Dad, this script is pretty good, right? I’m not a kid; there’s no way I’d bring you an unreliable script!”

Jiang Wang said, “This script does have potential. There are few anti-fraud themed stories domestically, and the plot is very complete. But—”

He looked at his daughter suspiciously. “How did this script end up in your hands?”

Jiang Nan’s expression became awkward as she smiled sheepishly, “A friend of mine wrote it. He’s short on funds, so he came to me for help...”

“Tell me, who is it?” Jiang Wang sensed something was off and pressed, “Someone capable of writing a script like this, flawless even in format, can’t be a nobody. They must have several years of experience. Usually, such a script wouldn’t get to me through you.”

Jiang Nan looked at the floor, shuffling her foot, “It’s just a friend~”

Jiang Wang continued, “Which friend?”

In a low voice, Jiang Nan replied, “Cheng Cheng.”

Jiang Wang: “Who!?”

“Cheng Cheng!” Jiang Nan said urgently, “Dad, don’t look at his current troubles. He definitely has talent!”

Jiang Wang remained silent, quietly gazing at Jiang Nan.

Her silence and frantic explanation only confirmed his suspicions.

Jiang Wang spoke earnestly: “Nan Nan, it’s not that I don’t want to help. The problem is Cheng Cheng has basically been blacklisted. He’s offended capital, industry veterans, and audiences alike.”

“But Cheng Cheng did nothing wrong! He didn’t cheat! Suing those scoundrels was justified. You can’t blame Cheng Cheng; he’s innocent!” Jiang Nan insisted anxiously.

“But the world doesn’t care about right and wrong,” Jiang Wang said with a hint of pity in his eyes. He’d rather his daughter live in a fairy tale, always pure and kind, but this world was filthy. He couldn’t help but reveal these harsh truths. “Besides, you can’t know a person’s heart just by their face. Are you sure Cheng Cheng is innocent? At best, you two are just friends.”

Jiang Nan was at a loss for words, stubbornly looking at her father.

Then Jiang Wang changed the subject: “Here’s the deal. I’ll buy this script for five million. That’s enough for him to live comfortably for the rest of his life. But after that, the script has nothing to do with him.”

“No way!” Jiang Nan refused outright, pleading, “Dad, this script is Cheng Cheng’s hope for a comeback. As a friend, I can’t just erase it.”

Jiang Wang said, “Why don’t you ask him first? Maybe he’ll agree.”

Jiang Nan shook her head like a rattle. “No! I won’t even ask him! I know he won’t agree. I won’t put this burden on him.”

She stepped forward, linked arms with her father, and shook him gently.

“Dad, when you eat your meal, you have to be grateful. Just think about the delicious fish I made for you and say yes. Besides, his terms are very attractive: we don’t have to manage the filming or editing upfront, just help with promotion, and he’ll give us 30% of the profits! More income for us!”

Sure enough, the fish wasn’t cooked in vain.

Jiang Wang looked seriously at his daughter and asked, “Nan Nan, are you absolutely determined to help him? If I refuse, would you still use your own money?”

Jiang Nan nodded, tapping her head. “I will definitely help him. If you don’t, I’ll use my own money!”

“Alright,” Jiang Wang said, “I’ll help him this time. But remember, I’m not doing this for him, but for you. After this, you have to cut ties with him, understand?”

Ah...

Jiang Nan blinked and tried to bargain, “What if he succeeds this time?”

Jiang Wang: “Success is one thing, but if he fails, you can’t have any further contact with him.”

Jiang Nan: “Okay, I promise!”

She then planted a kiss on her father’s cheek and bounced off happily to share the good news with Cheng Cheng.

Jiang Wang watched her joyful figure and sighed.

Ah, this little chatterbox...

He knew well that with her personality, her promise wouldn’t hold. There would be plenty of reasons to backtrack later on, but he didn’t mind.

A script is one thing; making a film is another.

He didn’t have much faith in Cheng Cheng’s attempt.

Instead, he hoped this would make his daughter see Cheng Cheng’s true nature, and show her the difference between her father and other men:

Her father would give her everything she wanted, protect all her wishes, cherish her, and help her succeed.

The men outside would only deceive, hurt, and use her.

This was a battle between two men.

Dear daughter~

Don’t let outside men outwit your father anymore~

Jiang Wang picked up his chopsticks and ate the fish along with sips of water, sighing in his heart:

Cooking for your dad just because of another man—dad is really heartbroken~