Chapter Eleven: Why Not Become a Capital Magnate

Inside the nightclub.

"Is that really what he said?"
"Yes."

Ye Quanzhen kept her eyes lowered, her expression submissive. She repeated the words once more. Although Long Wu was not her boss, he maintained deep ties with the Taiwan side, particularly with the Bamboo Union Gang. That was precisely why she sang at this nightclub.

After Long Wu and his wife exchanged a few glances...
"It seems this Ma Xun fellow has quite a background!"
"He is definitely not from Hong Kong."
"Exactly! Then he must be..."
"I suspect he is close friends with Sun Donghai, so he might be one of those 'courtyard children' from the capital."
"This..."
"Ahem."

Long Wu coughed, and his wife understood the signal—it was time to stop talking. Ye Quanzhen, standing nearby, had heard everything. Given the events of the previous night, she was nearly certain that the couple’s words were meant to be relayed to Ma Xun.

"Miss Zhao, during your time in the mainland..."
"Brother Wu, I understand what I need to do."
"Good, good."

Ye Quanzhen was a clever woman. Some things did not need to be spelled out by a boss. She understood the implication perfectly. Yet, at this moment, she felt a strange sensation in her heart. She found herself actually looking forward to meeting Ma Xun again. The man was too mysterious, possessing a peculiar, magnetic charm.

***

Beijing, 1996.
The Tiantongyuan area had barely seen any development yet. The car pulled over to a quiet spot nearby. There was no one around, and neither of them stepped out. They didn't look at each other either, as if the scenery through the windshield were incredibly captivating.

Playing games again?
Ma Xun decided to break the silence first. "Sister Hong, if you don't speak up, I really can't guess what you're getting at." His tone was unserious, but his meaning was clear: they were both adults, so they should stop playing the "don't guess my thoughts" game.

"I'm going to North America soon."
Sister Hong replied, still refusing to look at him. Ma Xun understood her implication, but continued in his cavalier manner, "Are you hoping I'll stop you?"

Stop her... what did that even mean?
Sister Hong finally couldn't help but look at Ma Xun. "Then do you want me to marry him?"
"No, sister. This whole thing isn't something I wished for, is it?"

That was true; getting married was her own choice. Yet, Sister Hong said with a hint of resentment, "You aren't planning to advise me otherwise?"
Ma Xun appeared oblivious to the beauty's hidden meaning. "How could I advise you? Once you've made up your mind, even if I were to weep and beg, would you really change it? Stop it."

It had to be said, Ma Xun’s words made sense. Besides, wasn't this something Chen Hong had planned all along? And that famous director was a "top-tier" figure; it wouldn't affect the complicated relationship between them anyway. From Ma Xun’s perspective, there was even the potential to gain a "Cao Cao experience card" in the future, right?

However, Ma Xun could tell that Sister Hong was wavering.
"Ma Xun, you are so heartless."
"Huh? How so?"
"They say that a night of intimacy brings a hundred nights of grace. I'm not asking for a hundred nights, but can't you even give me a piece of advice?"

Sister Hong’s words were reasonable, but Ma Xun’s retort was even more lethal. "Sister, that's a bit too Qiong Yao-esque."

*Pfft.*

This comment made Sister Hong lose her composure.
"You are a bad man! A purely bad one!" Sister Hong was truly a lady from a distinguished family; she rarely used harsh words in her daily life. But with Ma Xun, she couldn't help but curse.
"Bad? I'm not the one who paved a blind path onto a highway."
This remark made Sister Hong laugh until she shook, though her frame was modest.

Ma Xun’s skin was getting thicker by the day. Since she had already called him a "bad man," he decided he might as well do something a bad man would do. His large hand reached over the gear shifter and pressed firmly onto Sister Hong’s fair, shapely leg.

Their eyes locked. People called her a celestial fairy, and there was truth to that—her features were exquisite, her temperament dignified. Yet, in front of Ma Xun, she would curse. If she were cursing, she couldn't be a fairy, could she? In front of Ma Xun, Chen Hong was just a woman. In other words, Ma Xun treated her as a woman.

"Are you not planning to be the director's wife anymore?"
"Who said that?"
"See, I gave you advice, and you won't listen."
"Ma Xun, that wasn't advice at all!"
"Isn't it just those two choices?"
"But I have to consider the future! As time passes, I'll grow old and lose my looks. Right now I can play young girls, but in the future, I'll only be able to play the girl's... ah... mother."

As they spoke, their hands pushed and pulled. Ma Xun moved to retract his hand, but Sister Hong caught it. And so, she remained that way.

In truth, every actress in the world faced this problem. Once you crossed thirty, it wasn't just a simple decline. Even in Hollywood, a woman's market value would be slashed in half after thirty, and that was considered a mild case. Sister Hong’s mention of her future acting career made Ma Xun reflect on the future.

Let’s put it this way: by the 2020s, if an actor who had once been incredibly famous was still trying to act at age fifty, it meant they were a failure. They hadn't managed to ascend to the status of "capital." If you were never famous, that was one thing—just grow old and become a veteran character actor, which was quite comfortable. But to have been famous and fail to become capital? That was a failure. (And no, I'm not pointing fingers at Brother Xiaoming, truly.)

In reality, this became a standard for judging the entertainment industry. Once someone became "capital," they rarely appeared on screen. For example, Gongsun Ce had invested in *Jiaren* magazine and controlled significant fashion resources. Or take Eddie Peng—why did he suddenly stop getting roles? Never underestimate the power of some people; they had already ascended. They no longer needed to act for others to watch.

*That’s it... why don't I become capital?*
As if struck by electricity, Ma Xun suddenly realized!
*Hmm~~*
Sister Hong seemed struck by electricity too, as if she had reached the same realization. She shot Ma Xun a look, her eyes filled with indescribable resentment. The "Number One Beauty" now had two red clouds on her cheeks, looking like she had returned to her Diaochan days from *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms*.

Ma Xun smiled and leaned in. "Sister Hong, I can give you a choice."
"What choice?"
"Earlier, when I was with Sun Donghai at Long Wu's nightclub..."
"I saw."
"Do you know what business we were discussing?"
"How would I know?"
"That is the choice. I can tell you what that business is."
"You... you trust me that much?"
"Have you figured it out?"
"But I don't know how to do business."
"Just listen to me. You take the lead, and I'll be behind you..."

Sister Hong’s face flushed; the phrasing sounded like something else entirely. Ma Xun placed a finger against her lips. "Whether you choose to marry the famous director or do business with me, it all depends on your choice."

It was better for her to figure it out herself. Ma Xun had already decided: he would become a capital tycoon. There was an unspoken rule in the mainland industry that once you ascended to capital, you rarely showed your face. Of course, that rule didn't exist yet, and Ma Xun hadn't shown his face much either. So, he would just be the capital. As for the one who showed their face... Sister Hong would be perfect.

Of course, if Sister Hong ultimately decided to become the director's wife as she had in his previous life, Ma Xun wouldn't make things difficult for her. After all, he wasn't firmly established yet; he could find another proxy.

So, what would Sister Hong choose?
"I still want to go to North America."
At these words, Ma Xun pulled his hand back, but she caught it again.
"Can't you give me time to think?"
Both her tone and her eyes were full of complaint, blaming him for being unromantic.

Ma Xun smiled. He wasn't unromantic; he simply wouldn't pour too much of himself into one woman. As for the matter of being obsessed with women... in ancient times there was King You of Zhou, who lit the warning fires to amuse his concubine; later there was Yin Kaka, who went all out to protect his beloved. Sister Hong was a great beauty, but Ma Xun was neither King You nor Yin Kaka.

He pulled his hand away and grabbed the back of Sister Hong’s neck, pressing her down.
"You bad thing!" Sister Hong resisted.
"You'll like it."
Ma Xun remained the stronger force.

***

The next day, Ma Xun and Sister Hong watched the sunrise together in the car. It was a trial run—the "you in front, me behind" mode—laying the foundation for their future cooperation. She confessed that she had never been so reckless in her life. Ma Xun just smiled without a word.

They parted ways afterward; she went to film, and Ma Xun planned to buy a courtyard house. Not only were property prices cheap, but there were no purchase restrictions. He had to seize the opportunity.

Just then, his mobile phone rang. It was Sun Donghai.
"Brother, I talked to my aunt."
"And? Your tone sounds like you've hit a snag."
"Well... it's not exactly a snag."
"What's the situation? Tell me."
"My aunt says they have a project with a bit of a problem. I figured, with your endless resourcefulness..."
"Stop the nonsense and tell me what the project is."
"A student production, something called... oh right, *Seventeen-Year-Olds Don't Cry*."

Huh?
Two images instantly appeared in Ma Xun’s mind. One was the "Big Black Bull" who handed out heart-shaped stones everywhere, and the other was... when Ma Xun watched this show as a child, Hao Lei had truly been the campus goddess.