Yue Heng certainly had to make amends after causing trouble.
However, Su He rarely changed her mind once a decision was made.
They had left a terrible first impression on her, making cooperation practically impossible.
Just then, another platform extended an olive branch, even visiting her residence in person and presenting a gift of moderate value.
This approach, while not entirely comfortable, at least demonstrated respect for the author.
The representative from Taoli was a company executive.
They had likely heard some rumors, as they attached great importance to this collaboration.
When Vice President Xu's car pulled into the residential complex where Lu Yanbei's properties were located, he instantly felt that his personal involvement was the right decision.
After a servant ushered him into the living room, they politely said, "Madam is still working on her manuscript. Please bear with us for a moment."
Su He had been struck by inspiration that morning and had locked herself in the studio, even having breakfast there. She was currently at a critical juncture in her work, and everything else had to wait.
"No problem, I can wait as long as it takes," Vice President Xu replied jovially, not daring to voice any objections.
The servant served him tea and pastries, with utmost politeness and attentiveness.
Although Vice President Xu was an accomplished and successful elite, owning several properties in B City, the combined value of all his holdings couldn't match the price of this single villa. He couldn't help but gasp inwardly.
This was true wealth!
As Vice President Xu subtly surveyed the room's decor, a middle-aged man in a grey suit entered.
He was a member of Lu's legal team, named Chen, and had been specifically sent to help Su He review contracts, as Su He had complained that the contract clauses gave her a headache. Lu Yanbei, without a second thought, had provided her with assistance.
It was indeed a bit of an overkill for an elite member of the esteemed Lu's legal team to assist with contract review. However, he was more than willing to serve Mrs. Lu.
Upon entering, Lawyer Chen introduced himself and stated his purpose.
Vice President Xu vaguely recognized the man, recalling seeing him in certain circles. Upon hearing that he was a lawyer from the Lu Group, Vice President Xu had no doubts and handed over the contract.
Lawyer Chen browsed through it at a rapid pace, finishing in less than five minutes.
Overall, there were no significant issues with the contract.
This demonstrated their sincerity.
When Su He emerged from the studio, she signed the contract directly after consulting with Lawyer Chen.
Seeing Su He's flourish of a signature, Vice President Xu beamed.
He rose and shook Su He's hand. "Pleasant cooperation. Furthermore, the copyright fees will be transferred to your account within three days."
Su He nodded, expressing her satisfaction. "Pleasant cooperation."
After seeing Vice President Xu off, Su He curiously asked Lawyer Chen, "From what I know, most platforms only disburse funds to authors after the project enters the next development phase. They're quite proactive."
Lawyer Chen smiled and replied, "They are hoping to collaborate with the Lu Group, so why would they delay your copyright fees?"
Su He raised an eyebrow, instantly understanding.
So, it was the convenience brought by her status as Mrs. Lu.
In the past, she might have agonized over it, feeling that she shouldn't rely on a man to obtain certain things. But now, it was different. She was not only Lu Yanbei's wife but also the creator of the massively popular webcomic "Living with a Big Shot." She could accept this money with a clear conscience.
Thinking about the million-dollar sum about to be deposited, Su He felt elated. But then, considering the tens of thousands in taxes, she felt a bit less thrilled.
*
To demonstrate their sincerity, Taoli soon officially announced the progress of the comic adaptation. Simultaneously, discussions were underway with screenwriters and actors for a live-action adaptation, proceeding at a remarkably swift pace.
The news exploded within the industry as soon as it broke.
"Living with a Big Shot," with its humorous art style, engaging plot, and well-developed characters, had garnered a large and devoted fanbase. A comic adaptation at this point naturally had the support of many fans.
"Can the character designs for the comic adaptation remain the same as the original? I love them so much!"
"Yes, absolutely don't change them!"
"Can the plot respect the original work? No unnecessary third parties or affairs!"
Su He enjoyed reading her readers' comments when she was bored. Their praise was her motivation to create. However, as she scrolled through, things took a turn.
The deviation began when someone mentioned which actor would be a good fit for the live-action adaptation.
Many readers were idol fans, naturally hoping their idols would be cast in the live-action version. Initially, a few actor names were proposed, and the discussion about their suitability was quite normal. But as some fan groups with large followings intervened, the atmosphere started to become unpleasant.
"Idols should just focus on their singing and dancing stages, don't mess with TV dramas!"
"Exactly, that XX only knows how to stare blankly and pout. Don't let him act!"
"My idol is handsome and can handle any shot, why can't he act?"
"Acting isn't innate, is it? Doesn't everyone improve through acting in one drama after another?"
And so, all sorts of arguments erupted, escalating uncontrollably.
Seeing the discussions spiral and the arguments intensify, Su He decisively exited Weibo. Whenever such disputes occurred, she, as the original author, was inevitably drawn in.
Either they wanted her to agree with one side or to communicate with the producers to cast actors they deemed suitable. But no matter what she said, she would always end up being the one caught in the middle.
Su He had learned her lesson; staying out of it was the wisest choice.
As expected, two hours later, the fan war made headlines, with several trending topics on the hot search. One of them sarcastically suggested that she was using her fame to gain traction despite having little recognition.
Su He was speechless.
She had merely retweeted Taoli's official Weibo post without saying anything, yet she was still caught in the crossfire.
Fortunately, she had a good mindset and chose to ignore it.
The clear would clear itself.
While the internet was in an uproar, Su He was peacefully working on her manuscript in the studio.
She planned to depict the scene of Lu Yanbei's proposal.
In a studio filled with an abundance of flowers, the heroine stood with tears in her eyes. The male lead knelt on one knee, lowering his head to kiss her finger, with a massive diamond ring beside them.
So dazzling, so brilliant.
A romantic proposal scene, perfect!
Su He looked at her sketch, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
*
Lu Group
Cheng Jue entered the boss's office with a tablet and informed him about Mrs. Lu being cyberbullied.
Lu Yanbei frowned slightly. "What happened?"
"Madam has unfortunately become a victim of this. The fans of those idols are too extreme; their arguments have drawn Madam into it," Cheng Jue said, finding it baffling.
What did the fan wars have to do with the boss's wife?
Lu Yanbei held Ah Hao for a moment. "How is the progress on the studio you were preparing?"
Lu Yanbei had already made plans for Su He's career development. He knew she didn't want to sign with any company, so he planned to establish a related department to exclusively serve her.
"The office has been renovated, and we are currently in the recruitment phase," Cheng Jue replied.
"Urge them to speed things up and strive to get things on track as soon as possible." Lu Yanbei had invested a great deal to protect his wife.