MWC – Chapter 132 Ming’s Ambition

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On the movie screen, “Lost in Space” was playing.

The premiere was so popular that tickets were hard to come by.

This was because the big star, Nicole, along with the film’s main cast and crew, were all seated in the front row.

At premieres, the seats closest to the front are the most coveted.

However, Lu Ming was seated in a VIP box on the second floor, with a sheer curtain drawn down, watching the movie through the veil.

On his left sat Pamela, and on his right sat Hanzhu.

After meeting with Cheng Lingyu, he went home to pick up Hanzhu for the movie.

Except for moving and one trip to the supermarket with Lu Ming, this was Hanzhu’s first time going far from home, and everything seemed new and exciting to her.

Dressed in a bright red gown, even her embroidered shoes were red, making her look as festive as a bride. Perhaps because she was so happy, she looked even more stunning. At this moment, she was watching the movie with some nervousness.

Although there was a movie screening room at home, those movies were not as good as this one.

Seeing Hanzhu’s expression, Lu Ming nodded. This film would do well.

Originally, this series was meant to build momentum slowly, but Nicole’s involvement drew a lot of attention. Especially since Nicole had been with Renault Pictures since her debut and had now switched to a nearly defunct film company, the new work quickly became a hot topic. In fact, many media outlets were waiting to see how this capricious superstar would fail.

Unexpectedly, Nicole’s sexy captain poster in a spacesuit became a sensation throughout the empire.

The design of the spacesuit captain was something Lu Ming had described and had someone draw and modify. In this era, it was extremely stunning, and having Nicole wear it fulfilled every man’s dream.

Sexy, cold, and mysterious with a futuristic touch.

“Lost in Space” had good screenings on its first day in the East Sea and Imperial City markets, as well as in other major cities.

Smaller cities were eagerly waiting for screenings as there were few copies and no pirated versions yet. So, it would be shown in rotation from big cities to smaller ones.

It looked like the film would be a great success.

This was something Lu Ming hadn’t expected. What was meant to be a comeback had immediately become the most anticipated film among moviegoers in the empire.

It must be said that stars with their own traffic are treasures in any era.

Lost in thought, Lu Ming smiled and asked Hanzhu, “How is it? This movie was my idea, including how to do the special effects. I gave a lot of suggestions. Isn’t it great?”

This was true. During the same period in his previous life, sci-fi movies and series were just starting out, providing a lot of references.

Some series from the fifties and sixties still looked good even in the new century.

“Ah…” For the first time, Hanzhu seemed not to hear what Lu Ming said, fully immersed in the movie.

On the other side, Pamela listened to Lu Ming’s words. If anyone else said these things, she would think they were bragging.

Yes, you are an outstanding defense attorney, an extraordinary invisible tycoon, and even one of the editors of a women’s magazine.

But how could you know about making movies?

However, when these words came from this man’s mouth, those around him believed it to be true. This man never needed to boast.

He would only brag to those closest to him, but even then, he wouldn’t say anything unrealistic.

In the film, the speed at which the alien girl, played by Pu Xiuna, spoke suddenly surpassed that of Captain Nicole. Just as Captain Nicole was about to speak, the alien girl would beat her to it.

Tense music played.

Hanzhu let out a small cry and buried herself in Lu Ming’s arms.

Lu Ming was stunned. Could a sci-fi movie have such an effect?

He gently held Hanzhu and whispered in her ear to comfort her. Her fragrance and softness made him unable to resist kissing her tempting white earlobe gently.

Hanzhu blushed and leaned lightly in her master’s arms, her eyes curiously watching the screen again.

Lu Ming lightly held this stunning beauty, and the dim light in the box added to the romantic atmosphere.

Lu Ming felt a sense of euphoria. Looking to his left, he saw Pamela, who had changed outfits eight times in one day. Now, she was wearing a black evening dress, exposing her elegant shoulders and back, with pale green painted toenails and crystal high heels that highlighted her beautiful curves.

On his right was Hanzhu, who resembled a delicate beauty from the feudal era, giving him the satisfaction of a nobleman holding a delicate concubine. On his left was this Western beauty with blonde hair, blue eyes, and snow-white skin, making him feel as if he was walking towards the future, meeting a modern, sexy woman.

Lu Ming was momentarily dazed. His left hand unconsciously reached out to gently hold Pamela’s long-nailed jade hand.

Pamela initially struggled but soon allowed Lu Ming to hold her hand. Lu Ming gently applied pressure, and to his surprise, she leaned slightly towards him, resting lightly on his left shoulder.

Lu Ming was momentarily stunned, then immensely pleased.

He gently held their waists, with each hand holding their delicate hands. One felt like smooth, soft, boneless flesh, while the other was as tender as bamboo shoots, with long nails that were incredibly seductive.

This contrast was simply perfect.

Lu Ming felt an immense sense of satisfaction and sighed inwardly.

Ah, life, what more could one ask for!

Suddenly, there were footsteps outside, “Boss, brother?”

The voice was as tender as a girl’s. The veil was gently lifted, and standing outside was the stunning star Nicole in a silver evening dress.

Pamela and Hanzhu quickly straightened up in a panic.

Lu Ming reluctantly released their hands.

There were armed guards outside who wouldn’t let anyone near the box, but Nicole was an exception. Especially since she identified herself as Lu Ming’s sister, everyone knew her and didn’t dare stop her.

Nicole looked at the scene inside the box in surprise, her big eyes blinking as she examined the two female companions beside “Brother Lu.”

Lu Ming looked at her and coughed, “What’s the matter?” He felt slightly apologetic towards Nicole since he had promised her not to pursue a sexy image anymore. However, after discussions with the directors, they concluded that a sexy Captain Nicole would attract more box office sales.

“Brother, you were telling the truth!” Nicole’s deep blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

“What?” Lu Ming was baffled.

“You mentioned that there are beautiful sisters-in-law at home…”

Lu Ming froze for a moment, then remembered. He had said that to gain the upper hand in an argument, claiming he had several concubines more beautiful than her but couldn’t touch them because he used a secret formula.

“Brother, I’m fine. I heard from Director Wei that you were here, so I came to say hello. Well, I’m leaving now!”

Lu Ming nodded, “Let’s chat another time when we have a moment.”

Nicole lifted the large skirt of her evening dress with both hands and suddenly leaned forward, kissing Lu Ming on the cheek. Then, she quickly turned and left, running all the way out of sight.

Lu Ming was stunned. What was she doing?

He then looked at Hanzhu and Pamela, helplessly saying, “She did that on purpose for revenge. I used to scold her all the time!”

Hanzhu opened her beautiful eyes wide, not understanding what her master was explaining. She said, “If you scolded her, she must have done something wrong. But she seems nice. Did she apologize to you by stepping out of the screen?”

Pamela chuckled softly, “Yes, a big star indeed.”

Afterward, when Lu Ming tried to hold Pamela’s hand again, she wouldn’t let him.

For a moment, Lu Ming silently cursed Nicole, causing her to sneeze several times.

Sitting in the center of the front row, Nicole kept giggling to herself. “Let’s see how you handle this at home.”

…

The headquarters of the “Free Forces” Club was located in a newly constructed four-story building on a piece of land owned by Huaxia Group in Wolong Bay.

This ivory-colored building wasn’t very tall but covered a large area. It had more than 200 rooms, including banquet halls, meeting rooms, offices, and guest rooms.

To Lu Ming, the style of this building somewhat resembled the White House.

Club members referred to it as the Freedom Building.

The building was divided into four areas. The Free Forces Club occupied the northern section, the last half of the building. This area had no military elements, appearing more like a peaceful membership club for sharing ideas and socializing.

The eastern section housed the offices of a new subsidiary of Huaxia Technology.

The western section was where the Wang-Lu Law Firm relocated. Their office space in Jibird Building was insufficient and hard to expand, as they couldn’t evict the original tenants. So, they moved here.

In fact, Liu Hanming had already proposed merging his firm with Wang-Lu Law Firm.

The general plan was set: the new firm would be called Lu Qianxing-Liu Hanming-Wang Da’an Law Firm.

Lu Ming, Liu Hanming, and Wang Da’an would be the named partners, i.e., the three bosses, but their shares would differ.

Lu Ming would hold 45%, Liu Hanming 35%, and Wang Da’an 10%. The remaining 10% would be reserved for senior partner lawyers.

Once finalized, the Freedom Building’s western section would also be the new site for Lu-Liu-Wang Law Firm, providing ample space for future expansion.

The southern section was the office of Lu Ming’s Independent Prosecutor’s Office.

Of course, this office didn’t occupy many rooms, just the second-floor office area in the southern section.

At this moment, Lu Ming was meeting several guests in the reception room on the third floor of the southern section.

Lu Ming, dressed in a stylish black and white tailcoat, looked refined and scholarly. However, those who knew what he had accomplished in less than a year would feel a deep sense of inscrutability towards this cultured young man. His adversaries would likely feel an even greater sense of fear.

Pamela sat beside him, participating in the reception. She wore a stunning white silk gown that accentuated her sensual beauty. Her embroidered blue crystal high heels peeked out from beneath the hem, revealing her alluring snow-white feet.

Compared to the elegantly dressed Lu Ming and Pamela, the people across from them looked rather rustic.

They were Wang Zili and several fishermen.

“I know there’s been talk recently that I colluded with Western nobles to take over your fishing grounds,” Lu Ming said, smiling at Wang Zili.

“If I hear someone saying that, I’d slap them!” a young fisherman said indignantly.

Actually, two of the fishermen who came with Wang Zili were already members of the Free Forces Club.

During their downtime from fishing, they participated in club activities, received military training, and discussed ideals and the future.

They felt they had entered a new world, no longer aimless.

They had immense respect for Chairman Lu, viewing him with awe. However, the ones speaking weren’t these two club members. In front of Mr. Lu, they dared not speak much.

The Free Forces Club had a membership fee of 5 yuan per month.

However, if someone had financial difficulties, they could apply for an exemption. Upon approval by the club’s executive committee, members aligned with the club’s ideals would receive a fee waiver and a monthly allowance of 5 yuan.

These two had received membership fee exemptions.

At this moment, they were both thinking about how rumors about Mr. Lu had indeed spread in their village, but they had since died down.

Wang Zili shook his head, “Some country folk are just ignorant. Mr. Lu has helped us so much, but some people think he has ulterior motives. However, wise people end such rumors, and they have already subsided.”

Lu Ming smiled, “Yes, the court awarded Pearl Island to me. Perhaps that was the result of my collusion with Western nobles.”

It’s quite ironic. When Pearl Island truly became his, the rumors that he coveted the fishermen’s seafood should have been confirmed. However, the rumors automatically died down. 

Why? Because now, these thousands of fishermen genuinely depend on him for their livelihood.

Wang Zili had an awkward expression on his face.

Seeing Lawyer Lu meeting him with an incredibly beautiful Western noblewoman, he felt something was off. 

After all, the rumors were that he had colluded with Western nobility to covet the fishermen’s catch. 

Indeed, he was upset and here to hold someone accountable.

“I’m not going to run in the 49th district election!”

Wang Zili smiled wryly, “Mr. Lu, don’t be angry. I apologize to you. The rumors were started by my uncle. He believed that if I competed with you, I would definitely lose, so he did something very unwise. Please forgive me.”

Lu Ming was slightly taken aback, and the fishermen beside Wang Zili were also surprised.

Lu Ming hadn’t expected Wang Zili to candidly admit that it was his family’s doing behind the scenes.

Wang Zili’s uncle, Wang Shengtang, had been the 49th district’s representative for five consecutive terms and was now pushing his nephew as his successor.

In fact, ever since the 49th district was established, its representative had always been from his family.

Wang Zili looked sincere, “Mr. Lu, please be magnanimous and don’t cut off the livelihood of the nine villages in Wangdian, with thousands of fishermen! I am willing to leave with my uncle.”

The fishermen who had looked at him with blame now seemed sympathetic.

Lu Ming looked at him. Whether Wang Zili was genuinely sincere or just pretending, he had to admit that this was a capable individual, well-suited for politics. He appeared to be a simple fisherman but had a personal charisma. It was no wonder Wang Shengtang had chosen him as the family’s representative.

Lu Ming waved his hand, “I really won’t run, and I will fully support you in running for the 49th district.”

Wang Zili was stunned and smiled bitterly, “Mr. Lu, please don’t mock me. I’m just a country bumpkin, barely qualified to be a representative. I don’t want to run. I just hope you will treat the residents of the 49th district well in the future.”

Lu Ming smiled, “I’m serious. I will support your candidacy, but on the condition that you leave the Justice Party and join the Depeng Party. I will be your sponsor.” He glanced at his watch. “You have five minutes to consider.”

Wang Zili hesitated, then gritted his teeth, “Okay, Mr. Lu, I agree!”

The fishermen, like being on a rollercoaster, were now even more shocked, some looking at Wang Zili with disdain.

Lu Ming smiled internally. Wang Zili was quite the character, thick-skinned, and decisive. He didn’t care about the villagers’ changing impressions of him. After all, gaining always involved losing something.

Given a chance, he might become an excellent politician.

Lu Ming smiled, stood up, and extended his hand, “Alright, I hope we will cooperate happily in the future!”

Wang Zili stood up, regaining his simple villager demeanor, and humbly shook Lu Ming’s hand with both of his, “Mr. Lu, I know nothing. I will vote however you tell me to!”

Lu Ming nodded, “I have other guests to meet. Feel free to explore and enjoy yourselves.”

A beautiful woman in a red professional suit entered and gestured for Wang Zili and the others to leave.

Lu Ming turned to Pamela, smiled, and said, “Next!”

Seeing Lu Ming’s slightly bent arm, Pamela had no choice but to gently take his arm.

…

In another guest room down the corridor, larger and more luxurious.

The guests were the Northern Party Minister of the Depeng Party, Du Jiahe, the party whip Wei Baozeng, and several other prominent party members, including Chairman Dong Wenquan of Dong’s Gold Industry, whom he had met before.

Being invited by Lu Ming rather than the other way around indicated a subtle shift in status.

Seeing an exquisitely beautiful Western lady holding Lu Ming’s arm, some members couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“I won’t be running for the 49th district representative!” Lu Ming’s first words stunned everyone.

At this moment, Lu Ming signaled, and a pretty secretary brought over a district map and unfolded it beside him.

Lu Ming pointed to a green-colored area on the map, “I will be running for the representative of this district! The third district, right?”

Everyone was taken aback. It was the most important district for the Justice Party, currently represented by Yang Guiren, who ran a film company and had connections with many Western high-society figures.

The third district was also one of the most prosperous areas in Beiguan. The New Era Shopping Mall owned by Liu Laocai was located there.

Wei Baozeng smiled bitterly, realizing that Lu Ming wouldn’t attempt something he wasn’t confident about.

Du Jiahe and the others frowned, puzzled, thinking Lu Ming was crazy.

Initially, the elder had recommended him to run in the 49th district as a wild card. Unexpectedly, after various lawsuits, Lu Ming had become the fishermen’s savior and had a good chance of winning the 49th district.

This was great news for the party, as they would gain a stronghold in the 49th district.

But this guy was abandoning a sure seat to run in the third district?

Du Jiahe frowned, about to speak.

Lu Ming continued, “I will fully support Wang Zili in running for the 49th district. He will leave the Justice Party and join our Depeng Party.”

The representatives were stunned, and Du Jiahe was also surprised.

Lu Ming added, “However, if I run for the third district, I have a condition. If I win, I hope the party and the allied independent representatives will fully support me in joining the Seven-Member Committee!”

Du Jiahe’s eyes sharpened.

The Seven-Member Committee was the governing body of Beiguan, consisting of seven members representing the council.

The elder was a committee member but would retire due to health reasons this term.

The party hoped to fill this position, but none of the candidates were as influential as the elder, making it difficult to secure the seat.

However, Du Jiahe looked at Lu Ming, thinking he was too young and inexperienced.

Lu Ming smiled, “Minister Du, you have plenty of time to consider. The elder is quite open-minded. He once told me, ‘A young person should either soar like the wind or remain still like a mountain. Qianxing, you are a gust of wind.'”

Du Jiahe pondered, noting that many decisions were no longer referred to the elder, wondering if he had agreed to Lu Ming’s bold proposal.

Lu Ming smiled, “I hope to hear good news. I will finalize the decision with Representative Wang Zili.”

Wei Baozeng smiled wryly, thinking his junior brother was quite something, securing a loyal supporter even before running for office.