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

We had a brief chat about how to sell films, but the old boss clearly wasn't too interested in the process.

Then, changing the subject, his gaze deepened, and he said:
"China Film Group has indeed not earned much US dollar foreign exchange from its exported films over the years, and the country has had to pay for their promotion. This may be related to our previous policies!"

"So I'm quite curious, Comrade Xiao Cheng, why is it that your film 'Tai Chi' can make foreigners willingly spend more than 20 million US dollars?"
Tell me the difference!

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this. Wang Yang's heart tightened, and he quietly nudged Cheng Xuemin's arm.

The old leader is asking for my opinion on reform and opening up!
This is no small matter. To downplay it would be insignificant, but to overstate it would risk making a mistake. Although Yanying Film Studio has been striving and fighting against China Film Group.

But now that things are really getting serious, the old factory director, Wang Yang, is even more nervous than Cheng Xuemin.

Cheng Xuemin, of course, understood the weight of his words. After considering them for a moment, he slowly spoke:
"Old leader, I'm young and don't dare to offer any sweeping reform suggestions. But I think that Chinese films might be lacking a testing ground for export."

"An experimental field?" The old leader raised an eyebrow and asked with interest, "Tell me your thoughts."

“China Film Group is now micromanaging everything, from production to distribution, requiring approvals. Each studio has little autonomy,” Cheng Xuemin continued, speaking slowly but clearly.

"If we could give a certain studio some special privileges, such as letting Yanying Studio be responsible for overseas distribution without having to report to China Film Group on everything, we could try it out for a year or two without interference."

If we can earn US dollars and it's successful, we can gradually expand; if it's not successful, it means this path is not viable, and it won't hinder the overall plan.

After he finished speaking, the reception room fell silent.

The old leader nodded and praised Cheng Xuemin, saying, "It's good to be young; your mind works fast!"

He didn't comment on whether the method would work or not, but instead turned to chat with Liao Gong about everyday matters, saying, "I heard that your son recently gave you a great-grandson?"

Liao was taken aback when he heard this. They had just started talking about the reform of Chinese films, how did it suddenly turn to his great-grandson?
But they were all quick-witted and soon realized what was going on, laughing and saying, "That's right! He got jaundice right after birth and spent almost a month in the hospital!"

Cheng Xuemin was stunned and didn't understand what this meant.

Is her desire for power so obvious?
His suggestion to establish only one experimental field clearly indicates that he wants to take charge of that field himself, but isn't that a bit too hasty and obvious?
Wang Yang, who was standing nearby, realized what was happening, quietly tugged at Cheng Xuemin's sleeve, and stood up, saying:

"Old leader, Mr. Liao, General Xu, Elder Chen, Elder Wu... It's getting late, so we won't disturb your rest any longer. We'll head back now."

Upon seeing this, Cheng Xuemin quickly stood up and saluted to say goodbye along with Wang Yang.

As he walked out of the small building, he quietly asked Wang Yang, "Old factory director, what happened just now? Why did our old leader suddenly start chatting about family matters?"

"Silly boy, this means the meeting is over!"

Wang Yang patted him on the shoulder, his tone excited, and said, "The old leader didn't refute your opinion, he's been thinking about it! This trip today was worthwhile!"

The atmosphere in the reception room changed as soon as Cheng Xuemin and Wang Yang left.

The old leader put down his teacup, his tone approving, and said, "This young man is incredibly clever! He actually thought of what we're working on before we even got there."

"Oh?" Liao Gong's expression turned to surprise again, and he asked curiously, "Old leader, what do you mean..."

"The experimental field—isn't that the special economic zone we've been wanting to establish?" The old leader was genuinely pleased this time, and continued with a smile:

"This kid didn't say it outright, but he conveyed the meaning. He's neither flamboyant nor lacking in ideas. He's much better than those young people who just shout slogans."

Mr. Chen nodded in agreement regarding the economics, praising it as follows:
"Yes, he knows he's young and doesn't dare to talk big, so he uses the term 'experimental field,' which is both safe and practical."

It seems Yan Film Studio has truly struck gold this time.

He nodded and continued, "I was wondering why you suddenly asked me to transfer his father-in-law from the Foreign Languages ​​Bureau!"
Looking back now, I realize how insightful his father-in-law's suggestions for reform and opening up were. At the time, I was puzzled; how could his father-in-law, who specialized in foreign languages, be so knowledgeable about economic reform?

"Perhaps those suggestions were given by this kid," the old leader said bluntly, adding, "Next spring, I plan to go south and take his father-in-law with me."

Let him talk to this kid more; maybe he'll come up with some better ideas.

Liao Gong smiled and nodded, saying, "The reason you transferred his father-in-law to the lake was because you valued this kid; he can come up with some clever ideas from time to time!"

"Whether it was resolving the issue of the rolling mill order from the Economic Commission last time, or generating foreign exchange from the film this time, wasn't it always a lucky coincidence that he pointed out our predicament?"

"Yes!" the old leader said with emotion.

"We're all feeling our way across the river, and sometimes the ideas of young people are more flexible than those of us old folks."

This Cheng Xuemin needs to be nurtured; perhaps he'll be able to shoulder even greater responsibilities in the future.

……

The black sedan drove away from the lake and sped towards the Yan Film Factory.

Cheng Xuemin leaned back in his chair, watching the street scene flash by outside the window, still savoring the conversation he had just had with his former leaders.

The proposal for experimental fields was not rejected, which is the best possible outcome.

The old factory director, Wang Yang, sat beside him, his fingers unconsciously stroking his briefcase, a smile never fading from his lips.

Every now and then, he would turn his head to the side and look at Cheng Xuemin with the eyes of someone looking at a national treasure.

"Old factory director, don't look at me like that. I'm not smiling." Cheng Xuemin felt uncomfortable being stared at and joked with a smile.

"Blooming? You've really struck gold!" Old factory director Wang Yang patted him on the shoulder, his voice full of excitement and exclamation, "More than twenty million US dollars!"

"How many years has it been since our Yanying Film Studio has been this glorious? When we get back to the factory, I'll broadcast it over the loudspeaker and let the whole factory know how awesome you are!"

Cheng Xuemin raised an eyebrow and said, "Old factory director, why don't you wait a little longer...?"

"What are you waiting for!" Old factory director Wang Yang interrupted him, saying, "The old leaders in Haizi have all given their approval, so what's there to wait for?"

"Don't people from China Film Group like to badmouth others? I'll show them that Yan Film Studio isn't someone to be trifled with!"

As they were talking, the car arrived at the entrance of Yanying Film Studio.

When the gatekeeper saw that it was Cheng Xuemin and the old factory director Wang Yang, his eyes were full of curiosity. Had Cheng Xuemin also returned from Bolin?

And I heard that the former factory director himself went to the airport to pick him up.
Could it be some good news?

As soon as Cheng Xuemin got out of the car, he saw several employees peeking around in the distance.

They knew Cheng Xuemin had gone to Bolin, but they didn't know the specifics. They also heard that the old factory director had personally picked him up at the airport and that he had returned in a special car in the lake. They were all wondering what was going on.

"Comrade Xuemin, you're back? What about Bolin?" A deputy factory director, feeling important, couldn't help but ask. Cheng Xuemin smiled and nodded, saying, "Thanks to everyone's support, we haven't brought shame to our factory."

He didn't say much and followed the old factory director, Wang Yang, toward the office building. Just as they reached the corridor, they bumped into Liang Xiaosheng, who was carrying a stack of manuscripts.

When Liang Xiaosheng saw Cheng Xuemin, he was stunned for a moment, then greeted him with a bitter face: "Xuemin, you're finally back!"

Cheng Xuemin stopped and ran into this guy. He hadn't had a chance to tell him before going to Bolin.

He then instructed, "Old Liang, don't stop!"

"From now on, let's go full speed ahead and finish the manuscripts for the next two martial arts novels as soon as possible."

"It won't be long before the people from 'Story Club' come wielding knives to urge us to update our magazine."

"You're urging me to update with a knife?" Liang Xiaosheng's eyes widened as he asked, "Xuemin, are you kidding me? The storm of the last public outcry hasn't completely subsided yet. If I write again, won't I be criticized and denounced again?"

Anyway, Liang Xiaosheng was really scared. He was really scared by what happened at the last literary congress. He stopped writing altogether and didn't dare to ghostwrite for Cheng Xuemin anymore.

But now, Cheng Xuemin suddenly wants to go all out on his own, and even says that the story club will come knocking on his door, wielding a knife and urging him to update?

What's going on?
"Don't worry, no one dares to fight you anymore. They're probably begging you for help right now!" Cheng Xuemin patted him on the shoulder and continued, "Don't worry, no one dares to mess with you anymore. They're probably begging you for help right now!"
"If you don't write now, you'll never catch up, even if you write until your hand breaks. Believe me, the era of Chinese martial arts is coming soon."

Liang Xiaosheng still hesitated, gripping the manuscript in his hand even tighter: "But..."

“No buts!” Cheng Xuemin interrupted him, saying, “If you’re really unsure… never mind, you’ll find out soon enough!”

You're not even proactive in making money, no wonder you can't even get a wife now, Lao Liang!

Anyway, the old factory director is rushing straight to his office to turn on his loudspeaker and make a message to the whole factory.

Once the old factory director finishes speaking, Lao Liang, you'll know!

After saying that, Cheng Xuemin followed the old factory director, Wang Yang, into the factory director's office.

Liang Xiaosheng stood there, watching their backs, his mind filled with doubt. He would find out soon enough.

Is there some big news? Is the old factory director going to make a public announcement over the loudspeaker?
Thinking of this possibility, Liang Xiaosheng simply followed, intending to listen as closely as possible outside the old factory director's office to see what big news the whole factory was going to broadcast!

But then the old factory director paced back and forth in his office, holding some documents in his hand, his face flushed with excitement.

This made Liang Xiaosheng even more eager, thinking to himself, "Old factory director, hurry up and make a public announcement!"
But then the old factory director walked to the window, looked at the workers coming and going downstairs, took a deep breath, turned to look at Xuemin, clearly suppressing some kind of excited emotion, and asked Xuemin, "Xuemin, did I really broadcast it?"

Cheng Xuemin smiled. "On the way back just now, old factory director, you looked so eager!"

Why are you suddenly getting nervous?
He then smiled and shrugged, saying, "Old factory director, if you don't want to broadcast, no one is forcing you."

However, I guarantee that the People's Daily will report on it before our factory does tomorrow morning.

When the time comes, everyone will see the news in the newspapers, and it will be the same thing!

"How can they be the same?" Old factory director Wang Yang was stunned for a moment, then slammed his hand on the table and said, "Our own factory, how can we let the newspaper beat us to it!"

"We, the film studio, should be the first to acknowledge our own contributions!"

He immediately picked up the phone on the table, dialed the landline in the broadcasting room, and said, "Xiao Zhang, turn on the factory-wide broadcast immediately, I have important news to announce!"

Not long after, the factory's loudspeaker began to emit a static sound.

The staff working in the studio, the screenwriters writing scripts in the office, and the actors training on the playground all stopped what they were doing and looked up at the loudspeaker with curiosity.

"Attention, comrades! Attention, comrades!" The voice of the old factory director, Wang Yang, echoed throughout the entire Yanying Factory through the loudspeaker.

With barely suppressed excitement, he shouted, "Now, I have some incredibly good news to announce to everyone!"
Comrade Cheng Xuemin from our Yan Film Studio led the main creative team of "Tai Chi" to the Bolin Film Festival, earning the country 20.9 million US dollars in foreign exchange. This received enthusiastic praise and high regard from the leaders of Haizi Village…!

boom!
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly causing an uproar at the Yan Film Studio.

The director, cinematographer, and prop master who were recording in the studio almost simultaneously dropped all their tools on the ground in shock.

The screenwriters in the office were so shocked that their pens snapped in mid-air, their eyes wide with disbelief.
The actors on the playground, the staff of the guesthouse, and the family members of the staff in the residential compound were all shocked when they heard the old factory director's announcement over the loudspeaker. They stood there stunned for a long time, unable to react.

Then came an extremely enthusiastic response from the entire Yan Film Studio!

"Over twenty million US dollars in foreign exchange? Did I hear that right?"

"My God! How much food do we need to buy?!"

"Comrade Cheng Xuemin, you're amazing! Didn't those people from China Film Group say that nobody watches our martial arts films? How come we're making so many US dollars in foreign exchange now!"

Liang Xiaosheng was already outside the old factory director's office when he saw the old director pacing back and forth, his emotions extremely suppressed and agitated, which made Liang Xiaosheng extremely anxious.

I'm really curious what kind of news or announcement they'll be broadcasting.
But when Liang Xiaosheng heard the old factory director shout out a staggering 20.9 million US dollars in foreign exchange over the phone, he was stunned into silence.

Now I finally understand why Xuemin told him to hurry up and write a martial arts novel!
Because of his "Tai Chi", it became a hit in Bolin!
I earned over 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange!

This means that martial arts films are no longer vulgar dramas, but good films, good material, and good novels that can generate foreign exchange for the country!

He rushed back to his office desk, picked up the martial arts novel manuscript, and his hands were trembling with excitement.

"The era of martial arts... is truly coming!"

Liang Xiaosheng muttered to himself, then immediately picked up his pen and began to write furiously.

He knew that Xuemin hadn't lied to him; if he didn't write now, he really wouldn't be able to catch up later.

In the old factory director's office, Cheng Xuemin heard the cheers outside and a smile appeared on his lips.

The old factory director, Wang Yang, stood by the window, watching the bustling scene below, his eyes slightly red.

He had waited for this day for far too long.

Yan Film Studio no longer has to be subservient to China Film Group; it can finally hold its head high!

……

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