Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion-Chapter 906 - 643: Investment and Speculation

Bang!

After closing the door, Link led Lin Zhilin to the dining table.

A few days after returning from the competition, Lin Zhilin called him to meet up, and he had chosen this newly renovated high-rise apartment in the East District as their date location.

To show how much he valued this date, he had earlier reserved a table at the French restaurant downstairs, complete with red wine, steak, foie gras, and a fruit salad, among other delicacies.

"Wow, this looks amazing!"

Locking eyes on the oval dining table arrayed with dishes and Bordeaux wine, Lin Zhilin praised cheerfully.

"I wasn't sure what you liked to eat, so I just ordered all my favorites. Next time, you can choose the menu."

"This is already exquisite enough, Link. You really know how to be a thoughtful boyfriend."

Lin Zhilin gazed at him happily, her rosy lips naturally curling upward.

Link smiled lightly and pulled out her chair, inviting her to sit down.

He opened the red wine, and with soft music playing in the background, the two started eating and chatting. Link asked about Lin Zhilin's work. After her contract with an agency on Taiwan Island had ended, she had come to the mainland last month to further her career, continuing to work as a model and actress.

But being an outsider, establishing herself in the Capital City wasn't easy—especially given her stunning looks. Last year, she had been voted "Taiwan Island's Most Beautiful Woman" by Taiwanese media, which, in the entertainment industry, made her a target for many.

Link asked her what plans she had.

Lin Zhilin said she was no longer young, and she was preparing to transition into the film and television industry. However, with the mainland entertainment circle being so deeply factionalized, many directors seemed to prefer using their usual connections, making it hard for outsiders to break in.

Link understood her perspective. The domestic film industry had been developed primarily through regional film studios, including the Capital City Film Studio, Chang Chun Film Studio, Chang'an Film Studio, and Ocean Film Studio, among others. Even though many of these studios had since gone bankrupt, the directors, editors, and actors who used to work there had continued to thrive independently, creating their own cliques.

In recent years, people from Hong Kong Island and Taiwan Island had also come to invest in the film industry, as had numerous emerging film and talent agencies.

Everyone was using different tactics to grab their share of the pie.

For Lin Zhilin to establish herself in the mainland entertainment industry, the best approach would be to join a strong talent agency.

Currently, the more well-known agencies domestically were those tied to Hong Kong Island, such as Emperor Entertainment Group, TVB, Media Asia, and Milkyway Image. On the mainland, agencies were generally less dominant but included companies like Huayi, Chengtian, Tangren, Light Media, Tianyu, and Hairun.

However, joining such agencies inevitably meant exploitation—endless forms of exploitation.

Under those circumstances, she might as well stay in Taiwan Island to continue her career.

After some thought, Link asked if she would be interested in starting a film and talent agency on Taiwan Island—engaging in film investment, production, distribution, and talent management, just like the other film companies.

The reason he asked this was that she struck him as a worthwhile investment.

First of all, she was stunningly attractive. Collaborating with a beautiful woman, even if it meant losing tens of millions, wasn't too bad a trade-off.

Secondly, she had studied overseas and even attended the University of Toronto, earning dual degrees in Western Art History and Economics—her education far surpassed that of many stars in the entertainment industry.

She clearly knew what kind of women men liked, as evidenced by her playing up the "sweet but naïve" persona, which also showed she was smart.

Moreover, she had been in the entertainment circle for years without ever being embroiled in any messy scandals or career-ending controversies. She had even consistently ranked among the top ten earners on the Huaxia Forbes Celebrity Income List for several years running—far outperforming many actresses.

Lastly, she had spent a few years working in Taiwan Island's entertainment industry, building some connections there, which would make starting something new a bit easier.

"Starting a film production and talent management company? I don't have any experience in that field. If I just plunge in, I'm afraid I might lose everything."

Lin Zhilin said playfully in a sweet tone.

"Leave the professional work to the professionals. We're the investors; we don't need to have any experience ourselves. All we need to do is hire knowledgeable people to handle it. If they perform well, we reward them; if they don't, we replace them."

Link shrugged as he spoke.

"So what would I do?"

Lin Zhilin asked thoughtfully.

"You'd be the boss, the figurehead manager and supervisor. Additionally, if you want to act, instead of relying on another agency's resources, why not bring your own investment into projects? Pick the roles you want and invest in those films. As producer and actress, even the directors wouldn't dare challenge you."

"Haha, that does sound appealing."

Lin Zhilin blinked repeatedly as she mulled it over, her tone shifting slightly in excitement as she seemed to forget her usual sweet façade.

Link continued, explaining that in recent years, with supportive policies and encouragement, the mainland was placing great emphasis on collaborating with Taiwan Island. Starting a film company there to engage in projects on the mainland came with certain institutional advantages, including ease of distribution and preferential box-office revenue-sharing policies.

While Taiwan Island's film industry had declined significantly since the 1990s, every year it still produced a few films of high quality and solid box-office returns. Particularly, as Hong Kong Island and mainland cinema became increasingly commercialized, Taiwanese art films still retained their charm.

Link's insights came from data collected by the Golden Shell Investment Company, which was why he saw potential in collaborating with Lin Zhilin. If she declined, it wouldn't matter—he'd simply find someone else.

Resting her chin on her hand, Lin Zhilin smiled sweetly at him. "Mr. Lin, we've discussed so many details, but there's one very important thing you haven't mentioned yet."

"What?"

Link asked while cutting into his steak and eating.

"Funding, of course! Making movies requires a lot of money."

Lin Zhilin placed her delicate hands flat on the dining table, leaning in slightly, her slender swan-like neck arching gracefully.