Yue Heng, having caused trouble, naturally sought to make amends.
However, Su He rarely changed her decisions once they were made.
Her first impression of them had been extremely poor, making cooperation practically impossible.
Just then, another platform extended an olive branch to her. They personally visited her residence and presented a gift of moderate value.
Such an approach, if not entirely comfortable, at least demonstrated respect for the author.
The person sent by Taoli to communicate was a company executive.
Perhaps having heard some rumors, they placed great importance on this collaboration.
When the Vice President Xu drove his car into the residential complex owned by Lu Yanbei's real estate company, he instantly felt that his personal involvement was the correct decision.
After being invited to the living room by a servant, he was politely informed, "Madam is still busy with her manuscript. Please wait a moment."
Su He had been filled with inspiration since waking up that morning and had locked herself in her studio, even having breakfast there. She was currently at a crucial juncture in her work, and all other matters had to be postponed.
"It's alright, I'll wait no matter how long it takes," Vice President Xu replied cheerfully, not daring to express any objections.
The servant served him tea and pastries, with courtesy and attentiveness.
Although Vice President Xu was an accomplished elite in his field, owning several properties in City B, the combined value of all his properties did not compare to the price of this single villa. He couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
This was true wealth!
As Vice President Xu discreetly observed the room's decor, a middle-aged man in a gray suit entered.
He was a member of Lu's legal team, surnamed Chen, specifically assigned to review contracts for Su He, as she had mentioned that the numerous clauses gave her a headache. Lu Yanbei, without a word, had sent him to assist.
It was certainly overkill for an elite member of the prestigious Lu's legal team to help review a contract. However, he served Madam Lu with genuine pleasure.
Upon entering, Lawyer Chen introduced himself and stated his purpose.
Vice President Xu vaguely felt the man before him looked familiar, as if he had seen him on certain occasions. Hearing that he was a lawyer from the Lu Group, Vice President Xu had no doubts and directly handed over the contract.
Lawyer Chen browsed through it at a rapid pace, finishing within five minutes.
Overall, the contract presented no significant issues.
This indicated that the other party was indeed sincere.
When Su He emerged from her studio, she signed the contract directly after consulting with Lawyer Chen.
Seeing Su He's bold signature, Vice President Xu beamed with delight.
He stood up and shook Su He's hand. "Happy collaboration. Furthermore, the copyright fee will be deposited into your account within three days."
Su He nodded in satisfaction. "Happy collaboration."
After seeing Vice President Xu off, Su He curiously asked Lawyer Chen, "As far as I know, platforms usually pay authors after the next development stage. They are quite proactive."
Lawyer Chen smiled and replied, "They are hoping to collaborate with the Lu Group, so how could they possibly withhold your copyright fees."
Su He raised an eyebrow, instantly understanding.
It turned out her status as Madam Lu had brought her convenience.
If it were in the past, she might have agonized over it for a long time, feeling it wrong to rely on a man for certain things. But now, it was different. She was not only Lu Yanbei's wife but also the creator of the wildly popular online comic, "Living with a Tycoon." She felt entitled to this money.
Thinking of the million-dollar sum that would soon be in her account, Su He's heart fluttered with joy. But then, she recalled that taxes alone would amount to hundreds of thousands, and the prospect suddenly seemed less appealing.
*
To demonstrate its sincerity, Taoli soon officially announced the progress of the comic adaptation. Simultaneously, negotiations with screenwriters and actors for a live-action adaptation were underway, proceeding at a remarkably swift pace.
As soon as the news broke, it caused a stir within the industry.
"Living with a Tycoon," with its humorous art style, exciting plot, and well-developed characters, had garnered a large following. An adaptation at this time naturally had the support of many fans.
"Can the character designs for the comic adaptation be the same as the original manga? I love them!"
"Yes, please don't change them!"
"Will the plot respect the original work? No messy third parties!"
Su He enjoyed reading her readers' comments when she was bored. Their effusive praise fueled her creativity. However, as she scrolled, things started to take an odd turn.
The conversation veered off course when someone mentioned which actors would be a good fit for the live-action adaptation.
Many of Su He's readers were fans of idols and naturally hoped their favorite stars would be cast in the live-action version. Initially, a few actors' names were mentioned, and there was a discussion about their suitability, which was quite normal. But as some fan bases of traffic-driven idols intervened, the atmosphere began to change.
"Idols should just focus on their singing and dancing stages, not ruin TV dramas!"
"Exactly, that xx only knows how to stare and pout, don't let him act!"
"My idol is handsome and can handle any shot, why can't he act?"
"Acting isn't something you're born with, is it? Doesn't everyone improve through one drama after another?"
Thus, various flame wars erupted, escalating to an uncontrollable level.
Seeing the thread spiral out of control and the verbal disputes intensify, Su He decisively exited Weibo. Every time such a commotion occurred, she, as the original author, was inevitably drawn in.
Either she was pressured to agree with one side or asked to communicate with the producers to cast actors they deemed suitable. But no matter what she said, she always ended up being the one caught in the middle.
Su He had learned from experience that staying out of it was the wisest choice.
As expected, two hours later, the online squabble made headlines, with several trending topics appearing on the hot search. One of them insinuated that she, with her limited fame, was leveraging traffic for attention.
Su He was utterly speechless.
She had merely retweeted Taoli's official Weibo post without saying anything, yet she had still been caught in the crossfire.
Fortunately, she had a good disposition and simply ignored it.
The clear will be vindicated.
While the internet was in an uproar, Su He calmly worked on her manuscript in her studio.
She planned to depict the scene of Lu Yanbei proposing to her.
In a classroom adorned with a dazzling array of flowers, the heroine stood with tears in her eyes. The male lead knelt on one knee, bowing to kiss her finger, with a massive diamond ring beside them.
So striking, so radiant.
A romantic proposal scene, perfect!
Su He looked at her drawing, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
*
Lu Group
Cheng Jue arrived at the boss's office with a tablet and informed him about Madam's cyberbullying.
Lu Yanbei's brows furrowed. "What's going on?"
"Madam has unfortunately become a victim of unwarranted attacks. The fans of these popular idols are too fervent; in their arguments, they ended up involving Madam." Cheng Jue also found it inexplicable.
What did the owner's wife have to do with the fan wars?
Lu Yanbei steadied himself for a moment. "How is the progress on the studio I asked you to prepare earlier?"
For Su He's career development, Lu Yanbei had made plans long ago. He knew she didn't want to sign with any company, so he intended to establish a relevant department solely to serve her.
"The office has been renovated and is currently in the recruitment phase," Cheng Jue replied.
"Urge them to expedite the process and strive to get everything up and running as soon as possible." To protect his wife, Lu Yanbei had gone to great lengths.