Chapter 151: Truly Pitch-Black

Sipping his drink, he quietly observed his surroundings. The place was packed, yet wonderfully serene. There were none of the stereotypical social butterflies fluttering about, hunting for conversations; instead, patrons gathered in small, relaxed groups, engaged in effortless, easy chatter.

Unlike the boisterous, high-energy bars back home, this place possessed that distinctly British, laid-back nonchalance woven deep into its bones—likely a legacy of a century under colonial rule. People came here seemingly just to find a cozy corner for a proper chat. He had once heard that British people rarely favored the direct approach of visiting each other’s homes like people back home did; practically all neighborhood socializing and friendly gatherings took place right here in the pubs.

They loved referring to these intimate watering holes as "pubs"—short for public houses. In their daily lives, these establishments held the same cultural weight as cafés in other Western nations, or teahouses in ancient China.

It was a pity he had missed the football season; otherwise, the atmosphere would have been far more animated. Still, the cocktails were decent enough. Zhuang Chen stood up, strolled over to the bar to pick out a few of the more expensive craft beers, snapped a few photos, and sent them to Zhang Hong just to show off a little.

The priciest bottle on the menu was tagged at 3,999. He ordered it opened right away—running into such a fine brew was a stroke of fate, an opportunity not to be missed.

The entire bar enforced a strict non-smoking policy, leaving the air delightfully fresh. Accompanied by the smooth, mellow tones of a saxophone, the ambiance felt undeniably sophisticated. In the tranquil quiet, Zhuang Chen thoroughly savored the moment. When he eventually visited London, he wondered what the true British gentleman style was really like.

Returning to the hotel, he sank luxuriously into the massaging bathtub. Experiencing Hong Kong firsthand made him truly understand what a fast-paced life meant.

Even the traffic lights seemed to cycle much faster than those back home; blink for a second, and you would miss your chance, left standing there foolishly waiting for another round.

He dialed a private number to arrange a meeting with Louis Koo. Outside of his work and acting, Louis was exceptionally low-profile, practically never appearing on variety shows, with interviews being absolute rarities. He was practically known as a torrential mudslide in the world of celebrity profiles.

Having shot to overnight fame with *The Return of the Condor Heroes* back in 1995, his career had been smooth sailing ever since. Over all these years in the spotlight, he had virtually zero negative press—easily making him one of the shining role models in the entertainment industry.

In his earlier years, he used to take on roles in outright terrible movies. Director Johnnie To had even confronted him, advising him not to just accept any script that came his way. But Louis had simply replied, "I need to work. There are a lot of people who need me."

At the time, people didn't understand, and he was even slammed with the humiliating title of "King of B-Movies." Yet, as the extent of his philanthropic work finally came to light in recent years, audiences truly began to understand him: he was a philanthropist who silently and selflessly dedicated himself without ever asking for anything in return.

Last year, a friend who could no longer bear to keep the secret finally broke the news on Weibo: the 99th Hope Primary School built through his donations had officially been completed. From 2009 to 2018, he had funded 99 Hope Primary Schools, 28 medical clinics, and 750 rural water cellars. It was no exaggeration to say he had poured the vast majority of his time and energy into charity.

The only thing anyone could ever possibly bash him for was the sun itself...

Netizens often remarked that no matter how terrible one of his movies looked, they would still buy a ticket, because every single admission fee might just contribute a brick or a tile to children in the impoverished mountains...

Watching his movies was, in itself, an act of charity...

When interviewed by reporters, he would only reply with a calm, understated remark: "If I can help, I help. As long as I have the ability, I'll keep doing it. I don't think these things are worth talking about in front of everyone."

Doing good deeds without seeking reward—
truly the realm of a Bodhisattva!

Last year, he finally won his very first Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Much like Leonardo DiCaprio, it felt like a consummation of his lifelong dedication. Upon receiving a positive reply, they scheduled their meeting for noon the next day, right at Daniel Wu's sushi restaurant.

Daniel Wu happened to be another actor he greatly admired, so this was a great chance to sit down and chat. Putting aside any debate over acting chops, as a major A-list star, remaining this low-profile, guarding one's core principles, and staying true to oneself without forgetting original intentions was entirely worthy of applause.

The paperwork for the Little Sun Foundation had basically been finalized over the past few days. He had asked Old Tan to pull some strings and help smooth things over; the next step was securing an office location, followed by recruiting talent. Ding Wei sent daily updates on WeChat regarding the general progress. With both funds and manpower secured, things were moving at a rapid pace.

Once Chen Xiaoqing finished his current projects, he planned to invite him out for a chat. The initial plan was to produce a couple of documentaries and release them online to build up some buzz. After all, even if a new foundation didn't rely on crowdfunding, having a higher profile would certainly make future work much smoother.

Louis Koo’s extensive, long-term experience in charity was the primary reason for this meeting. Ideally, forging a partnership would combine their strengths and make their philanthropic efforts even more efficient.

At ten o'clock the next morning, he drove out, arriving ahead of schedule at the destination: Shop No. 8, Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Langham Place—Monster Sushi, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant owned by none other than the heartthrob Daniel Wu himself.

Even Chen Luyu had once visited specifically to interview Daniel Wu. The two gold-lettered words on the signboard were particularly eye-catching. Word had it that Daniel, a massive sushi aficionado, had invented a brand-new style. Retaining a childlike innocence, he drew inspiration from the monster movies of his childhood, using the "monster" concept to create giant novelty sushi and Godzilla rolls.

Since it was still early and the restaurant had just opened its doors, Zhuang Chen stepped inside, only to actually run into Daniel Wu standing right behind the bar.

A brief conversation revealed that Daniel was there today specifically to accompany Louis Koo, which went to show that the two men shared a genuinely close friendship. Daniel led Zhuang Chen into a private dining room. After listening to a general overview of Zhuang Chen's intentions, Daniel finally relaxed with a smile, saying, "Ah, is that so? Well, if it's for charity, then Louis will definitely be thrilled!"

Noticing Zhuang Chen's slight confusion, Daniel explained, "He usually keeps a very low profile, but the truth is, it stems from a deep sense of insecurity. He rarely goes out, prefers quiet diners with very few people, and even has a fixed routine when it comes to choosing where to sit."

"He will never sit with his back to the door; he always has to sit facing the wall. That habit goes all the way back to his upbringing. Growing up in Mong Kok, you see too many things. The person sitting right next to you today might not even be around tomorrow."

"Life’s gatherings and partings are far too unpredictable; you never know what tomorrow brings, and no one can guarantee their own safety. Back then, human life was treated like a cheap game. Having spent time mixed up in the underworld, he witnessed violence and bloodshed day in and day out. At the time, he thought it was exciting, but looking back now, he realizes just how dangerous it all was..."

Zhuang Chen nodded. He had heard rumors that Louis had once been forced to run with underworld gangs before finally managing to break free with great difficulty. He hadn't realized the experience had left such a profound impact on him.

Daniel Wu let out a long sigh, helplessly remarking, "The entertainment industry is far too complicated. Only after truly diving deep into it did we realize that human beings could turn out to be such wretched creatures!"

"We've encountered and experienced too many things over the years, which is why neither of us expects too much from people anymore. This industry is crawling with absolute monsters and demons—some will betray you, some will envy you, and others will talk trash behind your back..."

"Louis once told me that back in the day, he had a close friend in the industry whom he thought he could confide in completely. It was only later that he found out the person spreading the most malicious rumors about him behind his back was none other than that very same friend."

"Both of us are massive anime fans. Honestly, the moment I close my front door and step inside my home, I'm just a kid again. I still make time to watch the cartoons broadcast on *Net Young* at noon. I love *Dr. Slump*, *Dragon Ball*, and *The Golden Robot*."

"Once you get famous and stand under the spotlight, every scrap of your privacy gets ripped open and exposed. And more often than not, the ones leaking the gossip are your own classmates, friends, or even family members. Who on earth can you trust anymore?"

"After going through it a few times, you finally realize that other people have mouths, and they can say whatever they please. I can't control it, and frankly, I don't even want to care!"

Checking the time and seeing that it was almost ready, Daniel stood up and said, "Since he's willing to meet, you two should have a good chat about charity. People are just better off keeping things simple. I'll go prep the sushi—you can taste my handiwork in a bit."