Start by Spending One Billion [Entertainment Industry]-Chapter 49

Ms. Sheng Quan from China was preparing to host a banquet at her newly purchased estate.

The timing of the event was set quite flexibly, allowing her invited guests ample time to clear their schedules in advance.

At first, figures in the film industry didn’t think this had much to do with them, but the media eagerly reported every detail about the grand occasion.

Hosting a banquet after buying a new estate wasn’t unusual—many people invite friends and family to visit their new homes.

However, as the exact date of the event was finalized, public interest grew exponentially.

Initially, the buzz stemmed from the lingering hype around the "estate changing hands." Later, people noticed that every confirmed attendee seemed to be a heavyweight.

"Mr. Wells is actually going? He hasn’t made a public appearance in ages."

"Ms. Lauren has confirmed her attendance."

"Fili has also indicated he’ll be there with a gift."

The confirmations from these high-profile, affluent figures sparked widespread speculation.

Most wondered about Sheng Quan’s identity and background—what kind of influence could draw so many prominent figures?

Guests spanned business, legal circles, and even politics.

Some even speculated she might be a princess from Asia, only to be corrected that China isn’t a constitutional monarchy—no queens, let alone princesses.

With "big names flocking in," the upcoming banquet quickly became the hottest topic among netizens. By the end, its perceived prestige ranked among the top-tier events of recent years.

While the public was still dissecting the guest list, savvy individuals were already scrambling to secure an invitation.

This was why the guest list snowballed. In Country A, the stature of such banquets depended on the weight of the names on the invitation list.

To achieve this effect, Sheng Quan had invested heavily in "philanthropy" and "business ventures."

As a non-citizen of Country A, she needed a reliable professional with local nationality to navigate the process. Considering she might not visit often, she also required a long-term agent. Ultimately, Sheng Quan hired one—Lane, an alumnus of Gu Zhao’s university.

However, Lane wasn’t actually recommended by Gu Zhao. Oddly, when Sheng Quan asked him, the usually meticulous and confident workaholic admitted:

"I don’t fully trust my judgment in people, but I know a respected elder who might recommend the right person for you."

And so, Lane got the job.

Like Gu Zhao, Lane was a genius of the same age.

To this day, Sheng Quan wondered if Gu Zhao had included "appearance" in his criteria when consulting the elder, because Lane was strikingly handsome.

His ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍features even bore a slight resemblance to Gu Zhao’s, though where Gu Zhao leaned toward an Asian aesthetic, Lane embodied classic Western beauty.

His flawless features were one thing, but despite not being young, he exuded a youthful charm, especially with those strikingly clear blue eyes.

He even had a rare head of pure, golden hair.

Of course, Gu Zhao wouldn’t recommend just a pretty face.

His exact words were: "His life pursuits differ from mine, which is why he’s less known. But you can trust him with any task—he’ll handle it well."

"Of course, if he underperforms, don’t hesitate to fire him."

After a pause, Gu Zhao added, "He’s quite skilled at winning people over. You might want to keep that in mind."

Sheng Quan didn’t dwell on the "winning people over" part—she was surrounded by charmers.

But she soon understood what Gu Zhao meant by "different life pursuits."

Lane was undoubtedly talented, but his personality and work style were polar opposites of Gu Zhao’s.

Gu Zhao was a relentless workaholic, squeezing productivity into every minute, with hobbies like sipping coffee while overtime.

During his interview, Lane had smiled and fluently stated in Mandarin:

"I hope you’ll allow me to work no more than four hours daily. Trust me—that’s all I need to complete any task you assign."

He even presented a detailed vacation schedule, complete with reasons—though these were almost comically vague. Sheng Quan had never seen someone list "worked for a month straight, need three days off" as a valid excuse.

The three days of rest naturally did not include the holidays Sheng Quan already had.

Sheng Quan: "So this is how you maintain your beauty."

In the end, she hired this "four-hour gentleman," even though his salary was exorbitantly high.

When Lane heard Sheng Quan say he was hired, his confident smile faltered for a moment before widening even further.

"Thank you for your trust. I’ll do my best."

Sheng Quan later learned that due to Lane’s "pretty vase appearance" and his seemingly unreliable personality, he had never managed to secure a stable job since graduating.

When she asked about his previous sources of income, he answered with complete honesty:

"Stocks, investments—these are enough for me to live comfortably every day."

After a pause, he added:

"Of course, the initial capital came from family support. They’ll only fund me until I’m thirty-five, so I had to find a new job."

Sheng Quan wasn’t entirely surprised. Someone like Lane, brimming with confidence, retaining a youthful charm at his age, and still able to negotiate vacation time so casually despite never landing a suitable job, clearly had substantial financial backing.

What did surprise her was that Lane was actually related by blood to Gu Zhao.

The golden-haired, blue-eyed beauty smiled and said, "In your Chinese terms, I should call him my cousin. We come from the same family. Ryan could also receive financial support from the family."

Ryan must be Gu Zhao’s English name.

Lane shrugged at this point, making a helpless expression:

"But he refused the family’s support. In fact, I haven’t seen him since he came of age. Him reaching out to me is even more unbelievable than me finally getting a job."

Sheng Quan suddenly understood.

No wonder she thought they looked alike.

No wonder Gu Zhao always gave off the vibe of a meticulously groomed elite from a prominent family.

The family genes were strong, producing two geniuses like Gu Zhao and Lane—and both so strikingly handsome.

In some ways, Lane really was similar to Gu Zhao. For instance, he could quickly decipher Sheng Quan’s expressions:

"Don’t misunderstand—our family isn’t some illustrious dynasty. It had its glory, but now it’s decayed. Ryan was right to leave."

"If it were truly powerful, it wouldn’t only support us until thirty-five. From what I know, our ancestors enjoyed lifelong privileges."

It was clear he felt some regret about not being able to live off the family fortune forever like his forebears.

Sheng Quan even suspected that his earlier claims of struggling to find work were just excuses—he simply hadn’t wanted to work.

Of course, Lane denied this, insisting:

"I came for my dear brother. I was curious about who could make him reach out to me."

Sheng Quan: "And now? Has your curiosity been satisfied?"

"Absolutely."

Despite their blood relation, Lane’s smile was the polar opposite of Gu Zhao’s.

Gu Zhao exuded restraint whether he smiled or not, while Lane… When he curved those clear blue eyes and focused that enchanting, almost elven gaze on someone, his expression carried a mix of sincerity and temptation:

"After spending time with you, I have to admit—you’re worth his effort."

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Sheng Quan chuckled. "Flattery won’t work on me. No matter how sweet you are, I won’t approve your afternoon off. Remember our deal: finish your work, and then you can rest as much as you want."

For subordinates who’d go to war for her, she was exceedingly considerate.

But for someone like Lane, who clearly just wanted to slack off, Boss Sheng had a heart of steel.

The devastatingly handsome man, who had looked utterly sincere moments ago, sighed and returned to his seat. Ever the opportunist, once he realized Sheng Quan wasn’t swayed, he swiftly switched to professional mode:

"I should’ve known. You are Ryan’s boss, after all."

Though Lane seemed like the epitome of laziness, his competence matched Gu Zhao’s claims. Every task Sheng Quan assigned was executed flawlessly.

Of course, this came at a steep price.

In Country A, where money talked, substantial funds allowed Sheng Quan to build an unimaginably vast network in record time.

Especially with Lane—a genius who knew every rule of Country A—by her side.

He seemed born for the world of clinking glasses and backroom deals, gliding through every circle with a charming yet trustworthy smile, turning the money Sheng Quan allocated into maximum returns.

The only thing he couldn’t quite grasp was why, without anyone demanding it, Sheng Quan would always reinvest double the funds he spent back into China.

The money spent in Country A could at least be said to bring Sheng Quan extensive networking opportunities and exposure, as well as lay a solid foundation for the "Starlight Cup."

But spending it in China without any publicity? To Lane, it seemed like throwing money into the water.

"You could say I'm being overly sentimental, or that I'm just seeking peace of mind." Sheng Quan readily admitted that this was a purely heartfelt decision, devoid of any profit-driven considerations. "At least part of the charitable funds I invest here will go toward the development projects of Country A's government."

"Even though I know it's a trade-off for what I want, it just doesn’t sit right with me. I have to give back double to my own country before I can feel at ease."

Of course, this was only possible because money wasn’t an issue for her. If she were pinching pennies, she definitely wouldn’t do this.

Seeing that Lane understood but still didn’t quite relate, she gave him a blunt analogy:

"It’s like you’re forced to buy an expensive silk ribbon for someone else’s mother for work, but you’ve never gotten your own mother such a gift. If your finances allowed, wouldn’t you also buy a ribbon for her?"

Lane thought for a second and answered honestly:

"My relationship with my mother is terrible. Rather than a ribbon, I’d prefer to gift her a pair of handcuffs."

"But I understand your point. You love your country deeply, so for the upcoming banquet and media coverage, I’ll do my best to steer things in a direction you’ll appreciate."

Sheng Quan quickly realized what Lane meant by "a direction she’d appreciate."

The next day, she stared at the "gift" before her, lost in thought.

Lane smiled and reassured her:

"Don’t worry, this is completely legal in Country A. The estate is your private property, and here, you have every right to do this. No one will question it."

His slender right hand rested on his left shoulder as he gave a slight bow of respect. His emerald eyes lifted to meet hers, glinting with anticipation.

"I believe you’ll enjoy this welcome gift."

Sheng Quan looked at the "gift" and fell silent.

Gu Zhao was right—this guy really knew how to win people over.

She resisted, held back… but no, what Chinese person could withstand such a "gift"?

"...Well done. Starting now, you get an extra day off every month!"

A day later.

A strikingly clear photo began circulating across Chinese social media.

A grand, historically imposing castle complex stood quietly—none other than the recently viral "Jones Estate."

And in front of it, a vibrant red Chinese national flag fluttered proudly in the wind.