1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

"Xuemin, don't feel too much pressure!"

"Actually, you saved Lao Hu!"

Seeing that Cheng Xuemin's expression was not good, he felt that he had done a bad job of keeping it a secret from Hu Jian of China Film Group.

Xie Jin, who was standing nearby, saw this, patted Cheng Xuemin on the shoulder, and said a word of comfort.

"Old Xie! Actually..."

Cheng Xuemin wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything more.

Although the struggle was indeed brutal!

But actually, Comrade Hu Jian wasn't a bad person, and he wasn't even that stubborn; it was probably just a matter of his stance.

And Xie Jin was right!
Cheng Xuemin actually saved Lao Hu a little; otherwise, their "Tai Chi" would have gone back with more than 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange earnings.

However, Hu Jian, the leader of the China Film Group, gave away the global distribution rights of "Romance on Lushan Mountain" and "Tai Chi" to the Japanese without any prior consultation.

If this happens when we go back, not to mention that the Japanese will use the China Film Group's authorization agreement to disrupt Cheng Xuemin's already signed global distribution plans.

This one freebie alone would get Hu Jian straight in.

This is a foreign exchange earnings of over 20 million US dollars. It was really caused by Hu Jian's unauthorized free transfer that led to constant disputes. Even if he doesn't go to jail, he will still lose his life.

So Xie Jin was right; preventing Hu Jian from signing a direct agreement with the Japanese saved Hu Jian's life.

"How many?"

Finally, Xie Jin inquired about how many US dollars Tai Chi ultimately sold for!
Cheng Xuemin shouldn't have kept it from Lao Xie, so he whispered to him about Taiji's final foreign exchange earnings.

The old man Xie Jin was so shocked that he jumped up.

"Keep your voice down! My dear Director Xie, don't make such a fuss, or Director Hu will hear you!"

We finally managed to fool Director Hu for the time being, but if Lao Xie's sudden outbursts startle him again, how will we manage?
"no……"

"Is there really that much?"

Xie Jin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock. He held up two fingers and asked in a trembling voice.

“Twenty million nine hundred thousand!” Cheng Xuemin nodded, then added, “We’ve already received an advance payment of six million six hundred thousand US dollars, which has been remitted back to Hong Kong through the consulate!”

"Really more than 20 million?"

"This is incredible! This is incredible!"

Xie Jin was utterly dumbfounded and horrified, repeatedly saying, "Xuemin, this time you really... really... truly a formidable young man!!"

Xie Jin knew about the ten million US dollar military order!
When he and Director Xu of their Shanghai film studio learned about this, they were shocked and seriously pessimistic.

If you were asking for a million US dollars, that would be fine!
Although it is also a channel for cultural export, with everyone working together, we might be able to achieve the annual foreign exchange earnings target.

But you, Cheng Xuemin, are young and impetuous. In front of your old leaders, you slammed your fist on the table and made a pledge to generate ten million US dollars in foreign exchange. These old comrades really thought you were a precocious prodigy who was arrogant and boundless.

I really never thought that Cheng Xuemin alone could earn ten million US dollars in foreign exchange.
To know!
Even the Shanghai Film Studio, which is located in the entire city of Shanghai, barely managed to generate ten million in foreign exchange earnings for the entire year.

Moreover, even though Shanghai has always been one of the top provinces and cities in the country in terms of foreign exchange earnings, it only earns a little over ten million.

But Cheng Xuemin was incredibly arrogant, saying he wanted to take charge of Chinese films and broaden the horizons of filmmakers. In reality, film is a cultural channel and the best way to earn foreign exchange and US dollars.

Who the hell dared to imagine back then that movies could generate foreign exchange?
How many US dollars has China Film Group earned for the country in total over the past few decades in terms of cultural export and exchange?
fart!
We're already grateful that the government didn't have to subsidize it!

In the eyes of these filmmakers, Chinese films simply have no market overseas due to cultural differences!

Almost all of them have to pay money to beg others to exchange ideas or to come and see their work!
Let's not talk about things further away!
Xie Jin photographed "Lushan Romance," and this time he brought Bolin to participate in the competition and exhibition with high expectations and confidence, but what was the result?

As always, it was a complete flop, without even making a ripple.

The film festival organizers didn't even invite them to the closing ceremony. How embarrassing is that?

So ultimately, it all comes down to cultural differences and language barriers—these are natural barriers.

As long as we do not achieve breakthroughs in our methods of cultural export, this natural barrier will continue to exist.

and so!
After the Lushan Love affair ended in failure, Xie Jin was extremely worried about Cheng Xuemin's evasive tactics.

After all, his love affair in Lushan was free of any burdens or political obligations to win an award.

But Cheng Xuemin's Tai Chi was like a military order made in the lake, promising ten million US dollars in foreign exchange. Wouldn't they all be doomed now?

But what Xie Jin never expected was...
More than 20 million!

That's over twenty million US dollars!
This is more than double the amount of the ten million beauties that Cheng Xuemin pledged in Haizi!
How could Xie Jin not be excited and trembling?
"calm down!"

"Old Xie, you're an old comrade now, what kind of storms haven't you seen?"

"This achievement... if you, Lao Xie, were to film and direct it, you could generate just as much foreign exchange earnings for the country!"

Cheng Xuemin smiled and teased Xie Jin.

But this joke really hit a nerve, striking right at Xie Jin's sore spot.

He immediately sighed with regret, saying, "It should have been, it should have been! If I had been in front of Lao Wang and Yang back then, and argued my case for Tai Chi's script, wouldn't this be mine?"

"Yeah yeah yeah!"

"Little Huang, Little Huang! You're amazing! Take this achievement back with you, and all those old guys at Yan Film Studio will have to rank behind you!"

This is the first and only film director in the country to generate US dollar foreign exchange for the country, and damn it, it's a foreign exchange achievement of more than 20 million US dollars.

If he were to return to China, wouldn't Huang Jianzhong, the Tai Chi director, be promoted to the top in one fell swoop and become incredibly arrogant?

honestly!
Xie Jin was truly filled with regret, genuinely lamenting that he hadn't persisted.

If he had snatched Cheng Xuemin's script "Tai Chi," which was meant to generate foreign exchange, from Yanying Film Studio back then, he, Lao Xie, would have been the one to shine when he returned.

So, how could Xie Jin, this veteran comrade, not feel envious and jealous of Huang Jianzhong, this young director?

When they go back this time, the ones who will regret it the most will definitely be the old directors and comrades from Yan Film Studio!

"No, no! Director Xie, you know me! It's all thanks to Xuemin, all thanks to him!"

"From the script to Bolin, everything about Tai Chi was done by Xue Min through hard work. I just... I just hitched a ride!"

How could Huang Jianzhong not be happy inside?
Because Xie Jin was right!
He's going to bring back a foreign exchange earnings of over 20 million US dollars this time!

Although everyone knows that this is all thanks to Cheng Xuemin, the pioneer of reform and opening up, it doesn't stop Huang Jianzhong from being the director of "Tai Chi"!
If it were really a matter of rewarding merits, his ranking might even be ahead of Cheng Xuemin's.

Of course, even if Huang Jianzhong were to be placed at the front, he wouldn't have the face to be there.

After all, people in the industry know that he was just a minor director in the Tai Chi production team.

"You rascal...you hitched a great ride! So many veteran comrades and directors are green with envy!"

"Wait!"

"When we get back, let the people from your Yan Film Studio be envious and resentful!"

Xie Jin joked with Huang Jianzhong again!

This reminded Cheng Xuemin that perhaps when he went back this time, Chen Kaizi might be beaten to death by his father again.
Anyway, Cheng Xuemin had heard at the Yan Film Studio that Chen Kaizi's father had given him quite a beating!
That was a real beating, meant to kill!

It seems to be related to the selection of the director for his own "Tai Chi" production team.

"Hehe!" Huang Jianzhong didn't reply this time, he just chuckled憨厚ly, wishing he could fly back immediately.

"So, you've already gone through the consulate and sent the good news home?" Xie Jin then asked Cheng Xuemin in a low voice.

Since it's all been done through the consulate, there's no reason for them not to quickly share the good news with their families.

After all, that's what consulates do.

"They should be calling home soon!" Cheng Xuemin nodded, glancing at his watch. It wasn't completely dark in Bolin yet, so it wasn't completely light in Yanjing.

Consul Wang is definitely going to send good news back home, but he'll probably have to make the call later.

After all, this is fantastic news, and who wouldn't want to be the first to announce it?

However, Cheng Xuemin also said that while it was good news to report, it was not to publicize it on a large scale. He instructed Consul Wang to call back to China and report to Liao Gong as soon as possible.

What Liao Gong decides to do next is beyond Cheng Xuemin's control.

……

"yawn!"

In Yanjing, at the Yanjing Film Studio, in the early morning!
Chen Kaizi, along with Li Shaohong and Tian Zhuangzhuang, went to the Beijing Film Academy together. Suddenly, Chen Kaizi started yawning repeatedly.

"No, you're not a sucker! Did your father beat you up and give you internal injuries? I've been seeing you coughing all the time!" Li Shaohong rubbed her frozen hands and teased Chen Kaizi with amusement.

"No way? Kai, did your dad beat you up again last night?"

"This doesn't make sense! What's the reason this time? My son is so grown up, and I'm still beating him like this?"

"Uncle Chen wasn't this irritable before. Is he going through menopause lately?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang went even further, making fun of Chen Kaizi and his son as well.

"do not talk!"

Chen Kaizi got angry as soon as the matter was mentioned, and asked indignantly, "How come that kid is so lucky that he even went to the Bolin Film Festival? Won't he embarrass our Yan Film Studio?"

"Sour, sour, sour! I think you're just jealous and envious, Kai!" Tian Zhuangzhuang laughed and scolded again. "They brought Tai Chi with them, you've seen Tai Chi before, Kai, tell me the truth, how was their filming?"

"So do you think it will win an award?" Although Chen Kaizi was arrogant and thought he was superior to everyone, when it came to the Tai Chi project led by that kid, he was indeed unquestionable.

"It's probably hopeless! I heard Tai Chi is going to participate in the exhibition, and the film he's competing in is another one of his movies! It's the one Xie Jin from the Shanghai Film Studio called 'Romance on Lushan Mountain'!"

"I heard from the people at China Film Group who were reviewing the film that sent out 'Lushan Romance' is extremely explicit. There's even a scene where the male and female leads are kissing!" Li Shaohong, who was very resourceful, shared the inside scoop she had heard with her friends.

"Huh?! There's a kissing scene? Are the movies they send out really that explicit?" Chen Kai was shocked on the spot, and even more excited than before.

"Really? I heard it's a very explicit romance film, but it can't be this explicit, can it?" Tian Zhuangzhuang was also dumbfounded.

"Of course! That's what the people from China Film Group's censorship department said, how could they be wrong!"

"Otherwise, how can we explain it? They're aiming for awards. If the standards aren't in line with international norms, what kind of awards can they possibly win?" Li Shaohong said confidently.

"So, if it's released domestically, will it be censored?" Chen Kaizi asked curiously again. Li Shaohong shrugged, kicked a pebble under her foot, put her hands in her trouser pockets, and said, "How can I say for sure! I'm not a leader at China Film Group!"

"They'll probably delete it!" Tian Zhuangzhuang nodded, echoing Chen Kaizi's words, then curiously asked Chen Kaizi, "Hey Kaizi, why did your father beat you up last night? Didn't he just come back from filming?"

"It's because he heard that Huang Jianzhong went to Bolin, and he's just jealous and envious!"

Chen Kai muttered two sentences, "What else could be the reason?"
His father had gone out with Mr. Xie to film on location and hadn't been at the factory since.

When I got back to the factory yesterday, I learned that Huang Jianzhong, that lucky guy, went to Bolin with that kid Cheng Xuemin. He was incredibly glamorous!
His father then realized that the factory and the old factory director had strongly recommended him to be the Tai Chi director, but he had been misled by that scoundrel Chen Kaizi, who boasted in front of the young comrades, and that's how he missed the opportunity to be the Tai Chi director.

So his father always felt that Chen Kaizi had ruined his life; originally, it should have been his father who went to Bolin this time.

So when his father came back and heard that Huang Jianzhong had gone to Bolin, he was furious and definitely beat his son!

"Haha! They definitely deserve a beating!" Tian Zhuangzhuang laughed again, quite unkindly.

"Kai, you should just pray that their Tai Chi won't be effective in Bolin!"

"Otherwise, if they return home in glory... I suggest you run away from home for a while!"

"Go away, go away, how could that be! They just went out for a stroll at most, how could they really win an award based on a kiss?"

Although Chen Kaizi spoke so toughly, he was actually terrified inside.

……

The morning air in Haizi was slightly chilly.

Mr. Wu sat in his office, holding a copy of the People's Daily in his hand, but his eyes were not on the words.

The Bolin Film Festival has been open for five or six days, but things seem to have been muted in China. Apart from the consulate reporting that "everything is normal," there has been no further news about the films.

"Mr. Wu, please have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up!" Knowing Mr. Wu's anxiety these past few days, the secretary brought him a cup of hot tea and said softly, "The consulate should have news soon, so don't worry too much."

Old Wu put down the newspaper, took the teacup, nodded, and said, "Sending Xiao Cheng to try this bypassed China Film Group this time was indeed too risky!"

The lack of news from Bolin made Old Wu increasingly anxious.

The secretary sighed and said nothing more.

He knew how much pressure Wu Lao was under in supporting Cheng Xuemin's "film foreign exchange earnings" plan for the sake of cultural reform.

They not only have to face questions from China Film Group, but also criticisms of "violating the system".

Everyone is waiting for a result, a result that can prove "Chinese films can be worth US dollars".

At 10 a.m., the office phone suddenly rang.

Mr. Wu stood up almost immediately, walked quickly to the phone, and picked up the receiver with slightly trembling fingers: "Hello, Mr. Liao!"

Liao Gong's voice came through the phone, trembling with excitement: "Old Wu! Great news! Incredibly great news! We just received news from Bolin that 'Tai Chi' has become a hit in Bolin!"

Old Wu's heart sank suddenly, then jumped up again, and he asked tremblingly, "Master Liao, are you saying that news has come back from Bolin that Xiao Cheng's Tai Chi is popular?"

"Yes! Old Wu!"

"The Consulate General called early this morning to say that the film 'Romance on Lushan Mountain' did not receive a good response at the film festival. The festival organizers said that it was not shortlisted for the next stage and did not win any awards."

"But Tai Chi is different!"

"Xiao Cheng showed 'Tai Chi' in a nearby cinema, and the audience response was extremely enthusiastic!"

"I heard from the consulate that Xiao Cheng has signed copyright contracts with publishers in more than a dozen countries, with a total foreign exchange earnings of 20.9 million US dollars!"

"We already have a deposit of US$6.6 million, which has been transferred from the Federal Reserve Bank to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in Hong Kong, and then transferred back to the central bank!"

"Two... twenty-nine hundred thousand?"

The receiver in Mr. Wu's hand slammed against the telephone with a "bang," and he staggered back a step. Fortunately, his secretary caught him in time, preventing him from falling.

Old Wu stared wide-eyed, unable to believe his ears!

When Cheng Xuemin made the pledge of "ten million US dollars", he was still very nervous.

If you feel you can complete half of it, no, even one-fifth or one-tenth, then you've succeeded.

But now, this young man has not only completed the task, but has exceeded it by more than double!

"This...this is real?" Old Wu's voice trembled more than ever before as he asked urgently, "Mr. Liao, is this real? Are you sure you didn't mishear? It's twenty million nine hundred thousand US dollars? Not RMB?"

"Damn it, I'm not that old yet!"

"Little Wu, you don't even believe what I say anymore? Do you think I'm old and blind, and can't understand anymore?"

From the other end came Liao Gong's unprecedented cursing, but Old Wu, who was listening, was not afraid at all; instead, he burst into laughter.

Everyone knows that the 20.9 million US dollars in foreign exchange was so shocking and exciting that these old guys completely forgot about their image!

"Alright! Are you done celebrating?" After Old Wu finished laughing, Liao Gong said, "However, the contract is still on its way to China, so until the contract arrives, or until Xiao Cheng and the others return!"

"Keep this news to yourself, don't spread it around too much! We'll discuss and study it internally after the contract arrives!"

"After all, the foreign exchange earnings are impressive, but we also need to give China Film Group an explanation!"

Old Wu nodded repeatedly, saying, "I understand! I understand, I understand, Mr. Liao. More than 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange earnings! Damn... what was our national foreign exchange earnings in the first half of the year again?"

"You old codger...you should be secretly happy!"

Liao Gong on the other end of the line chuckled and scolded Wu Lao again, then hung up the phone.

According to the head office's announcement in October, the total revenue for the entire country in the first half of the year was only a little over 200 million US dollars in foreign exchange.

That's the total foreign exchange earnings from more than 30 provinces and municipalities across the country.

But that kid Cheng Xuemin is something else!

A film sent to Bolin for an exhibition unexpectedly generated over 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange revenue for the country.

It's higher than the total foreign exchange earnings of a major foreign exchange earning province for the whole year!
This made the old man, Xiao Wu, so happy that he almost lost all his old teeth.

More than 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange!
Their cultural sphere, when it makes a move, is quiet and then suddenly generates over 20 million US dollars!

"Hey Xu, come over here, I'll treat you to a movie!"

"Ah, yes, yes!"

"It's the movie you've been trying to recruit into the army for. Since you happen to be in Yanjing, I invited you to come and watch the movie!"

"Okay, okay, I'll wait for you!"

Then Liao Gong made another phone call, inviting several good guys to come and watch a movie together!

They must have watched the original copy of "Tai Chi" sent over by Yanying Film Studio!

Since that kid is so successful in Bolin, shouldn't we old folks at home support him?

I was originally thinking that after the person came back, I would simply have Lao Xu take him to the army to lay low for a while and also give him some experience.

But now, there's no need!
He wanted to show Lao Xu, and ask him if he still had the same idea of ​​poaching people to the front lines.

Is the front line really that short of just one soldier like Xiao Cheng?
Now that he has returned home with more than 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange earnings, is it more important to send him to be a low-ranking soldier or to keep him in Yanjing to continue generating foreign exchange?

……

"Second Uncle, what brings you here again?!"

At home, Feng Jiayou is genuinely terrified when her second uncle comes to visit!

Two days ago, my second uncle suddenly returned from the front line to Beijing to report on his work and also came to visit us. The whole family was overjoyed.

But then I found out that my second uncle had come with a mission from Commander Xu!

She was going to take her man south to the southern front!

The wild monkeys over there started causing trouble again, so Commander Xu personally ordered his husband, Cheng Xuemin, to return to the unit and head south to the front lines.

But how could Feng Jiayou bear to leave her man and go to the front lines again?
Fortunately, her second uncle heard that her husband had already led a team to Bolin, so he returned empty-handed. But who knew he would come again today.

She welcomes her second uncle to visit, but if he comes to her house to try to persuade her, she won't listen, she just won't listen.

"What? Jiayou, you're not welcoming your second uncle back anymore?"

"Besides, an elder brother is like a father, and your father's home is also my home. Uncle, isn't this a way of coming back to your own home?"

Uncle Feng Jingchuan greeted his niece with a smile, then asked, "Has your dad not come home from get off work yet? I just came back from the lake and didn't see him!"

"Second Uncle, can we not let Xuemin go to the front lines?" Feng Jiayou said pitifully. "It's not that we lack awareness, but that we're afraid to go!"

"But Uncle, you saw it too, my little squirrel is so small..."

"Stop, stop! You're making it sound like your second uncle is some old-fashioned warlord!" Feng Jingchuan really couldn't stand his niece's pitiful act, which made it seem like her husband would be killed on the front lines!

With all that talent of hers, it would be a real waste if he didn't go to the front lines to make a name for himself!

"Jing Chuan is here!"

At this moment, Feng's mother pushed her bicycle in. When she saw her second brother-in-law, she frowned just like her daughter, but still greeted him with a smile.

This second uncle rarely visits, as his family lives in the Guangxi Military Region.

It's fine if they don't come to the door, but once they do, it can be deadly!
They actually wanted to conscript her son-in-law to the front lines, saying that the wild monkeys over there were causing trouble again, and that her son-in-law, the god of war among the wild monkeys, should go and teach them a lesson.

Incidentally, he also helped the military train a group of elite soldiers as capable as his son-in-law.

But now, how could Feng's mother bear to let her son-in-law go to the front lines to risk his life?

Besides, her son-in-law is so successful now, he doesn't need to go to the front lines to risk his future!

"Sister-in-law, I just came from the commander-in-chief's office. He said that Liao Gong invited him to watch a movie today!"

"They said it was filmed by that kid Xuemin!"

When Feng Jingchuan saw his sister-in-law, he was as timid as a mouse seeing a cat. He didn't even dare to wait for his elder brother to return. He wanted to quickly report the good news he heard from the commander-in-chief today to his family!

……

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