I Treat You as My Sister, But You Want to be My Wife?!
Chapter 171: Let’s Make Money Together_1

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Let’s Make Money Together_1

Yikang Pharmaceutical held a press conference to announce the development of a new drug effective against leukemia, which had shown success in clinical trials, and it caused an uproar in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Dongyan Guild edited the press conference video into a five-minute clip and had all of the guild’s streamers share it.

This leukemia drug immediately went viral across the entire network and topped the trending searches.

Those tycoons who had earlier refused to invest in Yikang Pharmaceutical saw this news and lamented, beating their chests and regretting their decision deeply.

They had missed a chance to make a fortune.

That very day, many investment tycoons reached out to Meng Baitao.

They inquired whether he needed money, offering any amount he desired.

Some wealthy consortia even wanted to buy Yikang Pharmaceutical’s shares at a premium of twenty percent.

As for these offers, Meng Baitao naturally refused them all.

Yikang Pharmaceutical was hardly in need of money at this point.

The two billion invested by Shen Dong had not even been fully spent.

And now that the drug development was successful, getting a loan from a bank would be all too easy.

There was no immediate need to accept investments.

Indeed, banks were calling to say that there was no hurry to repay earlier loans, which could be deferred.

They also asked whether Yikang Pharmaceutical needed another loan, stating that the banks could offer loans at the lowest interest rates with the longest terms possible.

Suppliers and distributors contacted the company one after another, expressing their stance.

Yikang Pharmaceutical had become an instant hot commodity.

A rising star in the pharmaceutical industry was ascending.

In the following days, Yikang Pharmaceutical’s stock hit the upper limit stop every day.

Given this trend, the market wouldn’t be satisfied until their stocks had multiplied several times over.

...

That day,

Shen Dong received a call from Xu Zheng.

Xu Zheng said excitedly, "Mr. Shen, I’ve read your script and it’s fantastic. I want to direct it and also play the male lead, Chen Yong. What do you think?"

Xu Zheng had previously been known for shooting comedies, starting with comedic TV shows and then transitioning to the big screen, where he achieved notable success.

Later on, he directed Titanium Embarrassment and became a celebrated new director.

Whether as an actor or a director, Xu Zheng had always been involved with comedies.

As an aspiring actor and director, Xu Zheng hoped not to be pigeonholed as merely a comedy talent.

In people’s subconscious, comedy actors and directors were thought to lack depth and were seen only as entertainers.

Xu Zheng did not want to be perceived in this way; he felt it necessary to produce a profound film that would introduce audiences to a different side of himself.

To show that he could not only act in and direct comedies but also take on tragedies.

However, everyone who approached him about making a film wanted him to stick with comedy, and he was unable to write an impressive tragic movie script himself.

He had been waiting for such a film to come along, and now his wait was finally over.

"I Am Not a Pharmacist" was the movie tailor-made for him.

He wanted not only to direct it but also to star in it.

He believed that through this film, he would definitely change people’s perceptions of him.

"Of course, there’s no problem," Shen Dong said with a smile. "Actually, even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have extended an invitation for you to play the male lead. I think you’re perfect for the role of Chen Yong."

"Thank you, Mr. Shen," Xu Zheng thanked him excitedly.

The last time Wu Jin called him, he had mentioned that Shen Dong had an excellent eye for talent.

It seems that was indeed the case.

Otherwise, why would Shen Dong want to invite me to direct this movie, and insist that the role of Chen Yong was meant for me and no one else.

Everyone thinks that I can only act in comedies, direct comedies, but only Shen Dong invites me to act in tragedies, to direct tragedies.

Shen Dong’s vision is truly impressive.

Xu Zheng felt like he had met his benefactor and was extraordinarily excited.

"Director Xu, I have a list of actors I favor for some of the other roles in the movie. I’ve made a list and I’ll send it to you to take a look," said Shen Dong.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zheng’s excitement dissipated instantly.

As a responsible director, what I dread most is others arbitrarily stuffing people into the cast.

You see, choosing the right actor for a character requires strict vetting.

There’s a saying that there are no mediocre roles, only mediocre actors.

A good actor can create a full-fledged character, making even a simple role stand out impressively.

If an actor lacks acting skills, even a good role can be ruined.

If Shen Dong had only wanted to cast a couple of extras, that would have been fine—those roles are of little consequence.

But Shen Dong actually said he had drawn up a list of actors, and that was problematic.

Regarding the quality of the movie, Xu Zheng felt he must stand his ground and argue his case.

"Mr. Shen, as a director, I definitely have to choose suitable actors. If they are not suitable, I will not select them, and this is also for the quality of the movie. I hope you can understand," Xu Zheng said rather tactfully.

If Shen Dong insisted on forcing a large number of unsuitable actors upon the film, Xu Zheng would rather not act as the director or the lead actor.

He was someone who valued his reputation; he could not let a movie ruin his good name.

This was a matter of principle. There could be no compromise, even in front of Shen Dong, the biggest name in the movie industry who you wouldn’t want to mess with.

I’ve heard Shen Dong owns a live-streaming guild with many hosts.

Xu Zheng thought that Shen Dong probably wanted those hosts to play the roles in the movie.

When Shen Dong heard what Xu Zheng said, how could he not understand what Xu Zheng meant.

Knowing Xu Zheng would stand firm like this reassured him.

It showed that Xu Zheng valued the movie highly, which reflected a responsible attitude.

Shen Dong smiled slightly, "Director Xu, don’t misunderstand, I am only recommending these actors to audition, just to give them a chance. If you think they are not suitable, we can drop the matter. You have complete freedom in choosing the actors. How does that sound?"

"Fine," Xu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, there was nothing more to say; Shen Dong’s face had to be given due respect.

Besides, the ultimate decision still lay with him.

If he found Shen Dong’s recommended actors unsuitable, he would not choose them, and there would be nothing Shen Dong could object to.

"Then it’s settled. As for all the various preparations for ’I Am Not a Pharmacist,’ I’ll count on you," said Shen Dong.

"No problem, I’ll take care of it," Xu Zheng immediately responded with a pat on his chest.

Being a top director, pulling a team together and managing everything from casting to shooting is quite straightforward.

"Director Xu, when you have an estimate, let me know how much investment the movie needs. Once everything is set, call me, and I’ll find investors," Shen Dong said.

Regarding the amount of investment, Shen Dong had no intention of hogging it all.

He had already decided to take a fifty percent stake and leave the rest for other investors.

Making money alone can attract criticism and make it difficult to progress in the industry.

It’s far smarter to make money together with others.