When Ma Rong actually came down the stairs, a middle-aged man who happened to be passing by greeted him warmly: "Where are you going? Have you had dinner?"
Ma Rongzhen nodded and said: "There is a party tonight, I have to go there now."
"It must be in a high-end hotel!"
The middle-aged man said in a rather exaggerated tone: "You are a big star now, you can't stay here for a few days, right? You will definitely stay in a hotel every day from now on, grandma has such a blessing!"
Ma Rongzhen smiled faintly and did not answer the other party's words.
The other person was his neighbor, and he didn't usually have much contact with each other. At most, he only nodded when they met, and Ma Rong really knew that this person had a hidden contempt for him - his former self.
Since "A Chinese Ghost Story" starring Ma Rongzhen was released on Hong Kong Island and became a box office hit, as the actor of Yan Chixia, an important character in the film, his fame and popularity have suddenly increased significantly.
There were reporters interviewing him, some calling him to ask him to make a movie, and some wanting to be his agent.
Ma Wing-chen's rented house in Tin Shui Wai suddenly became crowded, and the neighbors all greeted him with smiles and warm greetings, regardless of whether they knew him or not.
In the past, many neighbors knew Ma Rongzhen, but few of them had such a friendly and enthusiastic attitude.
Usually when people talk about him, they say that his wife cheated on her and failed in her career, and is so miserable that she can only be laughed at.
Now that he has turned over, everything has changed.
Human relationships are warm and cold, and the world is hot and cold, it's nothing more than this.
After experiencing prosperity, vanity, and displacement, Ma Rongzhen had already taken a dim view of it, but he did not let it get to his head.
After greeting the other party with a few polite words, he turned around and prepared to leave.
Tonight, Lu Chen Studio and Jiayang Pictures held a celebration party at the Shangri-La Hotel to celebrate the box office of "A Chinese Ghost Story" exceeding 50 million. Ma Rongzhen will definitely attend.
At this moment, a black Mercedes-Benz stopped steadily beside him.
Ma Rongzhen couldn't help being surprised.
Tin Shui Wai, where he rented, is a civilian area in Hong Kong. The urban construction and environment cannot be compared with the prosperous commercial area. There are privately built houses everywhere, and the narrow streets are filled with sewage and garbage.
A million-dollar luxury Mercedes-Benz appears here, which is almost like winning a lottery.
The next moment, the window of the back seat of the Mercedes-Benz rolled down, and a fat head poked out.
"Brother Marco!"
Ma Rongzhen was stunned for a moment. After a closer look, he recognized the other person: "Boss Gao?"
Ma Rongzhen has been in the industry for decades, and he was once famous back then. He knows many people inside and outside the industry. Although he has not had much contact with him since he became a street artist, his memory has not been lost.
The boss of Gao Hongdegao is Gao Sheng Pictures, which has now been renamed Gao Sheng Entertainment. He is a well-established figure in the film and television entertainment industry, with a smooth and shrewd personality.
Ma Rongzhen had previously filmed a movie produced by Gao Sheng Pictures, which was pretty good at the box office, and he and Gao Hongde had developed some friendship. However, when he was down and out, he wanted to ask Gao Hongde for help, but he was turned away.
Now seeing Gao Hongde again, Ma Rongzhen couldn't help but recall his past and felt a little lost.
Gao Hongde opened the car door and walked out. With a smile on his face, he reached out and patted Ma Rongzhen on the shoulder, and said in the tone of an old friend: "We haven't seen each other for more than ten years, right? I didn't expect you to still remember me."
Ma Rongzhen was awakened by Gao Hongde's slap. He smiled lightly and said, "It's been ten years."
He was really very emotional.
If he were a narrow-minded person who had experienced something like Ma Rongzhen's, he would definitely not have a good look at Gao Hongde, and might even make some sarcastic remarks to vent his resentment for being rejected.
But Ma Rongzhen had no prejudice against Gao Hongde. There were many people who rejected him at that time, and most of the reasons were his own fault. He couldn't blame others for his fate.
Of course, Ma Rongzhen would not regard Gao Hongde as a friend. He was just curious about the other party's purpose.
"Boss Gao, what do you want from me?"
Gao Hongde said: "Are you going to Shangri-La to attend the celebration party tonight? I just happened to give you a ride on the way. How about we chat with you for a while?"
Dropping by? Ma Rong felt really dumbfounded, but he didn't refuse: "Then trouble Boss Gao."
In fact, he had already guessed a lot about Gao Hongde's intentions.
The two of them got into the car together, and the Mercedes-Benz restarted and slowly drove out of the narrow street.
The middle-aged neighbor looked at the luxury car going away with great envy, opened his mouth and spat on the ground.
Ma Rongzhen, who was so miserable that he couldn't even eat meat, turned over. Who would have thought?
In the car, Gao Hongde looked out through the car window and said, "Brother Ma, you have been really wronged over the years. Now that the clouds have cleared and the moon is shining, why are you still living here?"
Ma Rongzhen smiled and said nothing.
Seeing that Ma Rong really didn't take the bait, Gao Hongde simply said bluntly: "Brother Ma, the treatment given to you by Lu Chen Studio is not high, right? I have a movie that will start shooting soon, how about you help me? The salary package is easy to say!"
As expected!
Ma Rongzhen didn't have any surprises, and Gao Hongde was not the first to ask him to film a movie. The popularity of "A Chinese Ghost Story" completely turned him over, and various invitations came one after another.
After thinking about it, Ma Rongzhen said sincerely: "Boss Gao, I can't answer you right now. Why don't we make an appointment to have a good talk? What do you think?"
This is where Ma Rong is really tactful and sophisticated. He doesn't care about the grudges of the past, and he sells himself without even a few words. It is most appropriate for his agent to negotiate remuneration and other matters.
A smart agent can protect the artist's interests to the greatest extent.
Although Ma Rongzhen does not have an agent now, with his current reputation, it is not difficult to hire a reliable one.
Another reason why Ma Rongzhen is reluctant to agree rashly is because he still doesn’t know whether Lu Chen needs him. If Lu Chen asks him to shoot a new film, he will be willing to do it even if he doesn’t get a penny of pay!
It is precisely because I am used to seeing the warmth and coldness of the world that I understand how difficult it is to provide help when times are critical.
Gao Hongde also didn't expect to be able to deal with Ma Rongzhen in just a few words, but since the latter didn't refuse on the spot, it meant that there was a possibility of cooperation, and it was just a matter of the price.
As long as it's worth the price, Boss Gao is not afraid of spending money. He smiled and agreed: "No problem!"
The two were chatting and laughing, talking about interesting anecdotes in the industry, as if they were old friends they hadn't seen for many years.
The Mercedes-Benz drove out of the street and entered the avenue, and immediately merged into the rolling traffic.
Xiangjiang is shrouded in night and the lights are blurred.