Three days later, in the evening.
The private room of the renowned Japanese restaurant was serene and elegant.
Seated around the table were several core members of The Chaos of War: director Li Mo, male lead Qin Lang, female lead Chen Jing, and Su Qianqian.
The table was laden with exquisite dishes.
Director Li Mo personally picked up the sake decanter, first pouring a small half-cup for Qin Lang and Chen Jing.
Then, he took the freshly squeezed corn juice nearby, filled a glass, and handed it to Su Qianqian.
"Qianqian, you drink this," Li Mo's voice was noticeably gentler than usual, even carrying a hint of reverence.
He raised his own glass, his gaze sweeping over the three present, his eyes complex—filled with both excitement and emotion.
"This toast, I must offer to everyone, especially to thank Qianqian."
Li Mo's voice was spirited, a far cry from the despondency of the audition day:
"Just three days ago, I was still worrying whether this production was doomed—the team disbanded, the funding chain broken, even the two leads were hesitating..."
He glanced at Qin Lang and Chen Jing, both of whom offered slightly apologetic smiles.
Li Mo took a deep breath and continued, "But now? It's a complete turnaround."
"The Gu Consortium—a top-tier global financial giant, whose headquarters had never before ventured into entertainment production—has personally stepped in to invest in The Chaos of War."
"Do you know what this means?"
Without waiting for an answer, Li Mo went on:
"It means The Chaos of War is a project that even elite capital sees potential in. From now on, it’ll be the industry’s benchmark and flagship."
"Those opportunistic media outlets, always quick to catch wind, flooded the internet with coverage the moment Gu’s investment intent was signed."
"Even the CEO’s office of Shen Media publicly endorsed it, calling it a 'masterpiece of profound historical depth.'"
Li Mo’s voice trembled with barely contained enthusiasm:
"You wouldn’t believe it—these past few days, film studios have been offering their best soundstages, begging us to pick one."
"Top-tier VFX and sound teams, who usually look down on TV productions, have proactively reached out."
"Costume designers, prop masters, producers—even elite resources outside the industry—are scrambling to attach their names to this project."
As he spoke, his eyes returned to Su Qianqian, sitting quietly in her seat.
The young woman wore a cream-colored cropped blouse paired with light-blue high-waisted jeans, her long hair cascading softly. Fresh and delicate, she sipped her corn juice, her expression docile, as if none of this concerned her.
But Li Mo saw right through it.
He’d long guessed who stood behind Su Qianqian.
Yet, knowing was one thing—witnessing the Gu heir mobilize the consortium’s resources for such a small project on her behalf was another. It left him awestruck.
After all, plenty of starlets and models had been linked to Gu Chengyu, but none had ever drawn the Gu Consortium into their affairs.
Typically, Gu Chengyu would provide money, while Shen Que handled the industry connections to elevate them.
Mindful of Qin Lang and Chen Jing’s presence, Li Mo avoided any direct mention of Gu Chengyu or Su Qianqian’s personal ties.
Instead, he raised his glass to her again. "Qianqian, thank you."
"Thank you for choosing Lin Wan, and thank you for indirectly saving this production."
Su Qianqian flushed slightly, lifting her glass. "Director Li, please don’t say that. The script is excellent, the role is wonderful—I’ll do my best."
The careful deference in Li Mo’s tone didn’t escape Qin Lang and Chen Jing.
Exchanging a glance, they silently acknowledged the truth: the only person in the crew capable of drawing Gu’s involvement was this astonishing girl.
A sugar daddy arrangement, perhaps—but to climb into Gu Chengyu’s orbit was a meteoric stroke of fortune.
Both, or rather all three—including Li Mo—assumed this was the case, not daring to imagine otherwise.
Qin Lang raised his glass with a smile. "Director Li, let’s skip the formalities. With this opportunity and these resources, we should unite and make this a timeless classic."
"Come, let’s toast—to The Chaos of War’s roaring success!"
"To roaring success," Chen Jing echoed warmly, her encouraging gaze lingering on Su Qianqian.
Four glasses clinked together with a crisp, bright sound.
The private room brimmed with warmth and camaraderie.
