Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 422 Life's greatest joys are yet to come.

On the white wall of an office, a news program is playing on an extra-large high-definition television screen.

The time displayed in the upper left corner is "11:32:49". The "LIVE" logo in the lower right corner indicates that this is a live broadcast.

The office was extremely luxurious. Behind the boss's desk sat a bald, elderly white man, and around him were seven or eight middle-aged white men in dark suits, some sitting and some standing, their eyes glued to the screen.

On the screen, a brown-haired, brown-eyed, and impeccably made-up female anchor is speaking to the camera:

"Time Warner TWX shares opened slightly higher this morning and are currently trading at $18.82, up more than 5.1%. Over the past month, the stock has risen more than 30%. The core driver of this surge is undoubtedly the global box office performance of its subsidiary, Warner Bros.' Inception."

"Next, let's connect with Michael Connor and hear his report from the Wall Street scene."

The camera pans to a street where a bespectacled man in a dark gray suit is holding a microphone with the NBC logo, facing the screen.

"Hi, Michael."

"Hi Marissa."

“Tell me what you know about the Dao right now, Michael.”

“Okay, Marissa, I’m outside the New York Stock Exchange right now. Time Warner’s stock has seen another surge since the market opened. The reason is that its Warner Bros. production, Inception, has been soaring since its North American premiere on July 8.”

"As of today, its cumulative global box office has exceeded $18.7 billion, making it the third highest-grossing film of all time—behind only Avatar's $27.88 billion and Titanic's $21.8 billion."

"It's currently in its sixth week at the North American box office. Surprisingly, it still managed to gross $7900 million in the past week, with a 23% drop in box office revenue, securing its fifth consecutive week at the top of the box office! To date, it has grossed $5.48 million in North America, making it one of the strongest performances since Avatar last year."

"However, overseas markets are even more proof of his success."

"In Japan, it has topped the weekly box office charts for four consecutive weeks, with a cumulative box office of $1.52 million, approaching Avatar's $1.56 million. Some box office analysts even believe that it is very likely to surpass Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to become the highest-grossing foreign film in the Japanese market."

"The South Korean market is even stronger, having already grossed $8700 million, surpassing Avatar's record in South Korea to become the highest-grossing imported film in South Korean film history."

"It is worth noting that this week, the box office performance in the Chinese market has shocked all analysts."

Since its official release on August 8th, the film broke the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for an imported film in Chinese film history with $73 million in just one week, surpassing the previous record of $67.8 million set by "Transformers 3" to become the new champion of the highest-grossing opening weekend in Chinese film history.

The female anchor pressed further, "So, the boom in the Chinese market is the core driver behind Time Warner's stock price surge this time?"

"Yes, that's a fair assessment. Wall Street analysts believe that the frequent good news from the Asian market has created spontaneous 'secondary dissemination' on social media platforms, which may further stimulate the European and Latin American markets."

"In a new research report released this morning, UBS has significantly raised its 12-month target price for Warner from $16 to $21.5, citing the reverse marketing effect from the Asian market."

The scene cuts back to the studio, where the anchorwoman smiles and says, "Thank you, Michael. It seems the movie not only excites the audience but also gets the investors' hearts racing."

“That’s it,” said a white-clad man in the office.

Just as someone next to him was picking up the remote control, the bald, white-haired man behind the boss's desk suddenly said, "Wait a minute."

The female TV presenter was unaware that her NBC morning business news show had almost lost a little bit of viewership.

She continued calmly, "Next, let's connect with another guest—Mr. Mason Collins, a senior analyst at Goldman Sachs Asset Management—to hear his predictions on the future trend of Warner's stock price."

The scene shifts, and a neatly styled, calm-looking middle-aged white man appears in the right-hand column of the screen.

Good morning, Mason.

Good morning, Marissa.

At that moment, most of the people in the office were looking at the man on the television with displeasure.

"Warner's stock price surged again today, but Mason, you seem to have a different opinion?"

Mason Collins nodded and said, "Yes, Marissa. I think the current stock price reflects investors' overly high expectations for Warner's earnings. You know, although Inception is a co-production, Warner is actually only one of the three major production companies in this film."

"According to the contract filing documents we obtained, the largest source of funding is Re-Born Pictures from China, which holds a 45% stake. Another Chinese production company, Hengdian, is also involved, holding a 15% stake. This means that the two combined hold more than 60% of the shares."

"In other words, Warner Bros.' box office revenue from this film was not as high as the market had imagined."

The female anchor pressed further, "So, you think Warner's current stock price increase is overvalued?"

Mason Collins nodded and said, "Absolutely. I think the current stock price of $18.8 has fully, or even prematurely, reflected the box office success of Inception, and is actually a bit overheated."

The female anchor nodded: "I see."

Mason Collins added seriously, "I'll add a bonus message—everyone in Hollywood seems to be singing Warner Bros.' praises right now, but in reality, they've shown surprising stupidity and indecisiveness on the Inception project."

"My sources tell me that they originally had the opportunity to invest in this film independently, just like 20th Century Fox did with Avatar, and have full control. But they gave it up."

"Furthermore, during a crucial follow-up investment meeting, they could have increased their share, but they remained hesitant. Ultimately, another Chinese company was brought in—Hengdian Film & Television. It is precisely this retreating attitude that has led to them now holding less than 35% of the production share."

"This makes one wonder: under Barry Mayer's control, Warner Bros. is turning into a massive but slow-moving monster. In contrast, RE-BORN PIC has demonstrated remarkable efficiency in several key investment decisions. Ultimately, it secured nearly 5% of the shares, making it the real big winner of the Inception box office success."

"Perhaps many people have never heard of this company before, but I can tell you that it is actually a private Chinese film and television company wholly owned by Chen Nuo."

The female anchor exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, I didn't realize that. It's actually Chen's own film company. So, Mason, how much money do you think Chen will make from the success of 'Inception'?"

Mason Collins shook his head and said, "I don't know exactly how much of a stake he has in Re-Born. I can't calculate the exact number because the company's ownership structure is not currently disclosed, but one thing is certain: it's definitely not a small amount."

The female anchor pressed on, unwilling to give up, "What's the exact number? How much do you estimate there will be in the end, Mason?"

NBC's morning financial news isn't exactly a hit, with its daily morning viewership hovering around 2.3%. However, today, the phenomenal success of a blockbuster movie has clearly boosted its popularity.

Therefore, at this moment, approximately 7.5 million Americans are attentively listening to Mason Collins's answer.

This includes everyone in this luxurious office.

Mason Collins seemed to know this as well. He appeared to think for a moment, then looked directly at the camera with a smile that was definitely not friendly, and said, "If Inception's final box office really does reach more than $20 billion, according to the current industry's generally estimated revenue-sharing structure... Chen Nuo might get $3 million."

"OMG!" the female streamer exclaimed in surprise, "3 million!? Are you sure you didn't miscalculate?"

“No. I swear. 300 million, at least.” Mason Collins waved the calculator in his hand, the numbers obscured, only a long string of seemingly endless zeros visible.

After Mason Collins finished speaking, he laughed at the NBC live broadcast camera.

He felt that the resentment he had accumulated after selling his shares at $16 and missing out on the opportunity was finally released through these words.

Motherfucker, nobody's going to have an easy time!
……

The TV screen had been off for a while, but no one in the office spoke.

It was as if the sound of "3 million US dollars" was still echoing in the room.

Finally, it was the old white man behind the boss's desk who spoke up: "If one day you let me be mocked by name by that bitch Mason Collins on NBC, you'd better shoot me first."

"No, no, Mr. Murdoch."

"Absolutely not! We are definitely not those idiots at Warner."

“Mr. Murdoch, I swear, I will die before you.”

The white-clad men in the office started talking all at once.

“I hope so.” Rupert Murdoch, though 80, was still in good spirits. He looked at the man closest to him and said, “Tom, how much do you think it will gross at the box office? Will it surpass Titanic?”

Tom Rothman, head of Fox Studios, said without hesitation: "Very likely. Especially in Asia, the performance of the Chinese market has exceeded expectations. If the momentum continues in North America, seeing $22 billion is not a pipe dream."

"So what do you think Fox should do now?"

"I immediately contacted Quentin Tarantino to inquire about the new film he had in hand."

"Very good. Then go now."

"Yes."

"and many more."

Tom Rothman stopped abruptly and turned around, saying, "Rupert?"

Rupert Murdoch looked at him intently and said, “News Corp. is not Time Warner. I don’t give second chances to people who make mistakes. Remember that.”

"Yes!"

Tom Rothman left, and Rupert Murdoch looked around again and said, "Alright, gentlemen, let's talk about something else now. What can Fox get out of this Warner Bros. movie?"

"Gentlemen, Warner is a giant zombie in Mason's air, but Fox will never be."

"So, now all of you get moving!"

...The Bible always says that when the end of the world comes and God begins to judge all living beings, He will settle accounts with sins, "and people will be punished, and evil will be punished."

That morning, when Mason Collins, seemingly eager to stir up trouble, did some math calculations for Americans who weren't particularly good at math, he ripped away the veil before many people's eyes, and it felt like a day of reckoning had arrived for many.

This is not just the General Staff Office of 20th Century Fox.

Charlize Theron stared at her stock account, tears welling up in her eyes.

Of the millions of dollars spent on filming "Dorp," only a pitiful $40 remains today. If she hadn't listened to Chen Nuo and bought Warner Bros. for $10, she would be in an even worse situation today!
Whatever you buy goes down, whatever you sell goes up.

As a result, TWX Warner is now the only stock in her account that's in the green, while the others are losing so much that she doesn't even want to look at them.

If only I had bought all of TWX's back then!
This thought had been constantly on her mind this month, growing stronger with Warner's stock price. Today, when she saw a popular Fox News anchor, speaking with the air of someone announcing the resurrection of Jesus and the coming of Judgment Day, say, "...$3 million," she felt as if she had fallen into the deepest abyss.

The man who bought her house and moved into her bedroom has now made 3 million from a movie!
And her total net worth is less than 30!
This left her stunned for a long time before she subconsciously picked up the phone and dialed a number.

This time, she would do anything if he was willing to help her again.

But all I heard from the receiver was a busy signal.

At that moment, the person listening to the busy tone on the receiver wasn't just the South African pearl; there was also a refined-looking middle-aged white man.

In this unique office in Silicon Valley, California, he put down the phone, shrugged at the man and woman on the other end, and said, "Can't get through, busy."

Lorraine Eisner laughed triumphantly and said, "Reed, I told you so."

Reed Esting said helplessly, "It's not too late now. By the way, Lorraine, could you ask him for me when you have time? Why hasn't his script come out yet? Does he need our help? Have you discussed the final cast with him? Can he act in it himself? Can filming start this year?"

Hearing Reed Hastings' series of questions and seeing the impatient look on his face, Lorraine Eisner felt extremely pleased.

However, she didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at the blank-faced man beside her and chuckled, "Well? Ted? What did I tell you before? Chen has no precedent for failure. Before you bet with me, please think about your wallet. And what did you say? You believed in yourself? Hahaha, OK, thank you for believing in yourself. I'll accept your $10. Thank you."

Ted Sarandos tried desperately to calm himself down, but he couldn't help but retort, "Don't get too cocky, Rory. His movies and his TV shows aren't necessarily the same thing, you..."

"Haha, I love seeing you so stubborn, little Ted. How about we make another bet? $50, I bet..."

"Shut up, Rory." Ted Sarandos couldn't take it anymore and stood up. "Reed, I'm leaving now." With that, he walked out of the office, his face pale.

Reed Hastings said helplessly, "Lorraine, you're being too harsh on him."

Lorraine Eisner didn't understand what being sarcastic meant. She was raised to never give her enemies a chance to breathe. She said, "Forget about that coward, Reed. It's clear now that Chan never jokes about his work, and his undefeated streak continues. So, I strongly suggest putting 'House of Cards' on hold and focusing on this one thing! I don't want a half-hearted, half-finished product!"

A month ago, Reed Hastings would never have taken these words seriously, but now… He rubbed his temples and glanced at the pile of documents on his desk—Qwikster's press release, churn reports, CW content contracts. 80 subscribers had cancelled, and the stock price had plummeted from $42 to $9. While his colleague was reaching the pinnacle of his career, his reforms of Netflix seemed to have failed miserably.

Wall Street analysts, like sharks smelling blood, are all clamoring that "Netflix is ​​courting death."

And what about Chen Nuo? He caused Warner Bros.' stock price to rise by nearly 50% in a month, earning $3 million from just one movie!

No wonder he placed an order for his dream GS550 without batting an eye when he went to Nevada, and even had it customized to his astonishment.

Perhaps this person should really reassess the importance of the project he proposed.

Reed Hastings finally made up his mind and said, "Let me think about it some more, Lorraine. Now, let me finish this damn congratulatory call. I don't understand why his line is always busy!"

……

There's no other reason why Chen Nuo's phone line was busy.

That means he was really on the phone the whole time.

In August, Hengdian is no cooler than anywhere else.

Especially when someone is fuming.

"MTF, who the hell is this Mason Collins?! Can you Americans hire hitmen? Do you have the connections? I really fucking want to get someone to kill him..."

"Calm down, Chen."

“Alison, do you know how many phone calls I’ve received in the last three hours? James Cameron called just minutes ago to ask if it was true. Do you know what time it is in China right now? I was already getting ready for bed, and now I’m walking down the street in the cool breeze talking to you about this.”

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"This is a denial."

"Impossible. Because this isn't a rumor. So this will only get us into bigger problems, and Forbes won't care about your statements anymore. They have ways of doing things, Chen. So don't lie. Calm down, and listen to my advice now."

Chen Nuo took a deep breath and said, "Go ahead."

"You should get used to life in the spotlight sooner rather than later. I mean, you need to be prepared that life in the US will be just like it is in Japan, South Korea, or China."

"From today onwards, everything you do—what you wear when you go out, who you meet—may be captured by countless hidden cameras. Every time you appear in public, every social media post, every time you walk the red carpet, and every choice of collaborator will be magnified and analyzed under a microscope."

"Your relationship with this world has been completely changed."

Hearing these sinister words, Chen Nuo smiled, looked back, and saw Linghu silently following a few steps away. Apart from that, there were only the dim and lonely streetlights and the shadows of the trees swaying in the wind.

Damn it, that's alarmist.

"So scary?"

"Yes. But this is a change that countless Hollywood actors dream of."

"Oh?"

"This means that from now on, even in Hollywood, you have the right to fail. Before this, no non-European or American actor had achieved the success and status you have today. You are no longer the small actor who would be brought back to square one after losing money on one or two movies. Even if you keep making films and fail again and again, there will always be people who believe in you and that you will return to the top someday."

Chen Nuo laughed and said, "Like Nicolas Cage?"

“And John Travolta.”

"And Leo."

"Aha, yes, so from today onwards, you must adapt to it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you'll be quite surprised the next time you set foot on American soil."

"ok, I get it."

The phone call ended. At that moment, the voice on the other end of the line disappeared, leaving only the rustling of the wind in the treetops. The streetlights shone alone.

Chen Nuo suddenly felt like laughing. All the struggles, all the desperate gambles, all the bets of the past had now been rewarded with the words, "You have the right to fail."

The phone rang again.

But he neither answered nor looked at it.

Instead, I enjoyed this peaceful night and felt a sense of security that came from within.

Before this, he had been racing to reach his current state, his pursuit of success was endless, because he didn't know when a failure would take everything away from him.

Now, according to Allison, he can finally take a break.

He picked up his vibrating phone, looked at the name on the screen, and then paused for a moment.

It really means Cao Cao Cao Cao has arrived.

He answered the call.

Leonardo DiCaprio's voice sounded as if he had just heard the Queen was pregnant: "What the fuck! I just saw the news that you're making $3 million from this movie?! Tell me, that's all a rumor."

"It is indeed a rumor," Chen Nuo said with a smile.

"Phew, I knew it..."

“3 million is too little,” Chen Nuo interrupted. “I’m confident I can get 4 million.”

"...Are you kidding me?"

"No, I invested over 1 million US dollars and made 4 million back. Is that incredible? It's perfectly normal."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a torrent of profanity.

Under the streetlights in Hengdian, Chen Nuo was like a small extra who didn't go home at night. Listening to Xiao Li's jealous curses on the phone, he felt extremely happy and lightheaded. Finally, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Laughter echoed through the empty streets.

There is no greater joy in life than this moment.

(End of this chapter)