Repayment

As November slowly arrived, a chill crept into the air in Los Angeles.

After returning to Los Angeles and meeting with Chen Shiyu, Irene went back to campus at USC.

As she walked into the familiar classroom with her books in her arms, the room fell silent for a moment before filling with even more chatter.

She picked an empty seat at random, and a tentative greeting came from beside her.

"Irene, I haven't seen you around since the semester started. Have you finished shooting your new movie?" Hannie Charles asked in a saccharine voice, her makeup immaculate.

Irene looked up and gave her a polite, distant smile. "Yes, we wrapped not long ago." They had gotten along fairly well at first, but Hannie's overly aggressive maneuvering during the filming of Legally Blonde had left a bad impression on Irene, so she had gradually distanced herself from her.

"What's the movie about? Give us a little hint." Another guy leaned over, his face full of curiosity about the inside scoop on Hollywood.

"It's a story about youth and choices," Irene replied without giving anything away, striking just the right official tone. "You'll have to see it when it comes out to find out the details."

Hannie seemed unwilling to give up. She leaned forward and lowered her voice as she extended an invitation. "Are you free on Friday? Let's invite Vivian and get together. It's been so long since we've seen each other. We can celebrate your return."

"Sorry, I already have plans on Friday," Irene replied evenly.

She did have plans: she was meeting with a bank manager. She planned to pay off her previous loan first, then arrange a loan for her next movie.

Her next action film would need even more funding. Although she still had money to spare, there was no need to invest all of it, since she had other ventures to consider.

Hannie had hit a soft wall, and her face fell. She had been bragging to the class about how close she and Irene were, so being unable to even get her to dinner was hard to swallow.

She pursed her lips and spoke just loudly enough for those nearby to hear. "Let's not bother Irene. She's a famous director now, with a packed schedule. Why would she want to have dinner with people like us?"

Irene heard the sour remarks but barely reacted. It wasn't worth it.

Smart people wouldn't go out of their way to offend a director with limitless potential, especially when they needed access to her resources too. As for the envy and gossip of fools, she had even less reason to waste her energy on them.

Seeing that Irene wasn't reacting, the others decided there was no point and looked away.

Just then, the bell rang, and everyone returned to their seats.

After class, Irene didn't linger. She had arranged to catch up with Vivian at a coffee shop near campus.

Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across the wooden table. Irene stirred her coffee, savoring this rare moment of peace.

"How have things been in class lately?" Irene asked with a smile, her tone light.

Vivian shrugged. "Same as ever. Whenever people bring you up, the sourness in the room could practically break through the ceiling. Hannie didn't get anywhere with you just now, so she'll probably be sulking all day."

Irene shook her head helplessly. "She's too calculating. There's nothing wrong with that; I just don't like it."

"After getting a taste of Hollywood, how could she just let it go?"

"What do you mean?" Had something else happened that she didn't know about?

"During summer break, she interned on a film set as an assistant director. She spent the whole first month of the semester bragging about it. If you'd come back sooner, you would've heard all about her internship."

"So you see, even though I don't like it, there are people who admire her drive. But I'm curious—what kind of movie was it?" Irene's eyes filled with curiosity.

"I think it was some kind of action movie. I wasn't really paying attention," Vivian said casually, though Irene still caught a faint hint of envy in her words.

"The timing of this film's production was bad—it clashed with the start of the semester, so I couldn't ask you to take time off and join the crew on your own. Next time, I'll save you a spot."

Vivian was one of Irene's few close friends at film school. She was thoughtful, and the two of them had always gotten along well. Hannie had been one of them too, but she'd taken the wrong path.

"I know." Vivian lifted her coffee and reassured her with understanding. "You've got a lot on your plate, so don't feel bad. Besides, you look thinner than you did in the spring. Making a movie must be exhausting."

"It is exhausting, but it's also fulfilling. Watching each shot in my head come to life is wonderful. Everything's moving in the right direction." Irene leaned back in her chair, relaxing as she spoke.

"That's great." Vivian exchanged a smile with her.

On Friday, Irene went alone to the Merrill Lynch branch in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Her account manager, Morley Leonard, a shrewd banker in his middle age with every hair combed perfectly into place, was already waiting outside his office.

"Director Irene, welcome. Please come in." Morley stepped aside to usher Irene into his office, which overlooked part of the city.

"Thank you, Mr. Leonard." Irene sat down gracefully, exchanged a few pleasantries, then got straight to the point.

"Here's the six million dollars in principal, along with all the interest accrued to date according to the contract. Please verify the amount." She took a check from her handbag and gently slid it across the desk to Morley.

Morley took the check and quickly scanned the amount and signature, confirming that everything was in order.

His smile grew more sincere, and his admiration was unmistakable. "Director Irene, I have to say, you've repaid the loan far sooner than we initially expected. This has unquestionably been a very successful partnership. Congratulations on your film's box office success."

"Thank you." Irene maintained her graceful smile. "A successful partnership is worth continuing, and that's another reason I'm here today."

"Oh? If you have something in mind, please feel free to tell me directly, Director Irene." A flicker of surprise crossed Morley's eyes, quickly replaced by keen interest.

"I'd like to know what kind of financing Merrill Lynch could offer for my next project, given my proven ability to turn a profit and my clear plans for future growth."

Morley hadn't expected Irene to request financing on an even larger scale so soon after paying off a loan that would have been enormous for an ordinary person. Such ambition and boldness were rare in a young female director.

"That's a very exciting question, Director Irene," Morley said, choosing his words carefully. "In theory, repaying a six-million-dollar loan ahead of schedule is the strongest possible proof of your creditworthiness and ability. We could offer you a larger credit line. As for the exact amount, that would depend on the details of your next project. You might also be able to use equity in your studio or a share of the future project's revenue as collateral."

Irene didn't answer right away.

He watched her reaction, then continued, "May I ask what your next project's budget will be?"

"I'm planning to make an action film next, so the budget should be between thirty and fifty million dollars. Based on a thirty-percent investment share, I'll need a loan of about twelve million." She paused briefly before putting her offer on the table. "I'd be willing to put up no more than ten percent of the equity in my personal studio as additional collateral. But I'd like the interest rate to be fifty basis points lower than the figure you just estimated."

Morley's mind raced. A twelve-million-dollar loan, backed by equity in her studio—that was already beyond what he had initially expected.

The young director sitting before him was clearly confident in herself. She had asked for double the loan without a moment's hesitation.

"Director Irene, your proposal is very attractive, but I'm afraid I can't give you an answer right away. You'll need to provide a more detailed business plan, and we'll have to conduct a series of assessments. Still, I believe it's entirely possible for me to secure a highly competitive interest rate for you."

"Excellent. When I actually need the money, I'll have all the materials you've asked for ready. Let's leave it there for today. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Leonard." Irene rose and reached out her hand.

Morley rose at once and shook her hand formally.

"I look forward to working with you again."