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

Chapter 426 200 million RMB a day?
When the door clicked shut, Gulnazar immediately opened her eyes.

My first reaction was that the sound insulation was really bad, and my next thought was...

Who?
She had gone back to Xinjiang for half a month to rest, and her jet lag hadn't fully adjusted yet. Coupled with a "minor accident" that had just happened, she was having some insomnia and was trying to clear her mind of all the distractions. She never expected to have such an "unexpected joy."

Gulnazar first ruled out director Zhang Yimou or Christian Bale, because when she came back before, she saw that they were both drunk.

That means there can only be two women.

They're either old classmates or old friends.

Gulnazar suddenly flipped herself up, and her snow-white skin was suddenly illuminated in the darkness, revealing a large expanse of spring. It's a pity that no one could see it, and there isn't even a picture. Sigh.

Since no one was around, the girl didn't need to worry about her image.

She no longer felt guilty about eavesdropping; she pressed her ear against the wall, her naked body clinging to it like a gecko.

This position allowed the cool air from the air conditioner to blow directly onto her body, licking over her smooth waist and slightly parted thighs. But youth is wonderful; she didn't feel cold at all, but instead felt even hotter.

But after listening for a long time, there were only faint sounds of conversation. Gulnazar felt a little disappointed, but also a little happy.

"Is it really just talk? That's not like the boss."

"This shows that the boss isn't what you think. He can also have pure friendships with men and women. It was just an accident just now."

"What do you mean by accident? I saw him open his eyes."

"People open their eyes when they die. This doesn't mean he was deliberately taking advantage of you. It could just mean he was dying."

"Which side are you on?

"In short, although the boss grabbed your 'mummy,' it's very likely that it wasn't intentional. His hand just happened to be there, and he just pinched it casually, probably as a toy."

"Your breasts are the toys."

"Yes, I am, but aren't I you?"

"Your mother's."

Despite her complaints, Gulnazar eventually convinced herself that she hadn't heard anything until the person next door left.

This made her somewhat happy.

After all, no one wants to work with a womanizer who's obsessed with sex and will take any opportunity to seduce someone, especially if that person is otherwise impeccable.

Gulnazar has this kind of mentality.

The popularity of "Inception" has brought a large number of Chinese and foreign tourists to various parts of Xinjiang during this period, and has also made the name of a certain person resound throughout Xinjiang.

So much so that the treatment she received after returning home this time could truly be described as "triumphant and triumphant".

In the past, every time I went back, I would always face various overt and covert pressure to get married, as well as sarcastic remarks.

"What's the point of a girl drifting around alone in the world?" "The modeling industry is too chaotic." "She should come back sooner and find a guy to marry."
This time, it's all gone.

For more than ten days, my home has been constantly visited by visitors.

All the rumors and gossip about her getting married disappeared. Whether it was her cousin who grew up with her or her aunt who always gossiped behind her back, they all kept saying how successful her daughter, Baihtiyar, was.

Whenever guests come to her home, she greets them and recounts some of her experiences over the past few months, which always elicits countless exclamations of amazement.

The various local specialties she brought back—such as Brazilian coffee beans, Cannes souvenirs, Japanese beauty and skincare samples, Singaporean medicinal oils and small appliances—made her family look good among relatives and friends when she gave them away as small gifts.

Even when she accidentally let something slip, no one questioned her drinking. Even her uncle, who always chanted sutras before meals and was extremely strict about girls' clothing and food, pretended not to hear.

This moment truly felt like a heavy shackle had been removed from her body. She felt as if she had been freed from a cage that had imprisoned her for more than 10 years. In that instant, she really wanted to scream out loud.

Children who didn't grow up in that kind of environment simply can't understand how she felt at that moment.

When she returned to Beijing after her vacation, she had dinner with Li Ai, the Jiangsu TV host who had introduced her to the audition for "The King's Feast." This first benefactor in her life was very happy about her current situation and offered much encouragement.

After this experience, Gulnazar, who was already quite satisfied with her job, became even more devoted and single-minded, only wanting to work hard with Boss Chen.

However, girls naturally have a resistance to heartless and ruthless philanderers.

Now that it's proven that Boss Chen isn't a rabid beast who preys on anyone, she felt immediately at ease. She hadn't been able to sleep at all before, but this time, as soon as she lay down, a strong sense of sleepiness washed over her.

I was finally woken up by the alarm clock at 7:30.

Her flight to Shanghai was at 11 a.m., so she quickly got up, washed up, and put on makeup before knocking on the door next door.

No one answered.

The door opposite opened, and Linghu appeared in the doorway, looking at her coldly and saying, "You're five minutes late. The boss went to find Director Zhang."

Gulnazar exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! So early?"

Linghu didn't speak, he just looked at her calmly.

Gulnazar didn't say anything more. She knew that Zhang Yimou's room was on the third floor. She turned around and hurried there in her high heels.

When she arrived at the door of 302, she heard faint sounds coming from inside and breathed a sigh of relief. Without knocking, she stood at the door with a smile on her face.

Inside, Chen Nuo had just arrived. After exchanging pleasantries, he was telling Director Zhang why he hadn't slept much and had gotten up so early in the morning.

Of course, people who don't sleep well usually don't have very good breath.

So after listening to him finish speaking, Zhang Yimou's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

How could it not look bad?
Director Zhang got up early in the morning, hadn't even brushed his teeth yet, when someone came to his door and gave him a long lecture, almost pointing a finger at his forehead and saying, "Zhang Yimou, what are you up to?"

If it were anyone else, Zhang Yimou would have already lost his temper. He's not incapable of saying "get out" to anyone else.

But can the person in front of you be considered someone else?
In today's Chinese film industry, it seems that no matter how you look at it, he can't be included among others.

Besides, he did feel a bit guilty and in the wrong about this matter.

"Sigh, Nuozi, you don't know, I'm in a really difficult position too."

"Oh?"

“This scene wasn’t originally in the script, but Wei Ping told me that it was for the sake of subsequent publicity.”

"Director Zhang, do you think this kind of publicity is appropriate?"

Chen Nuo asked calmly.

After speaking, he looked quietly at Zhang Yimou, waiting for his reply.

Zhang Yimou and he locked eyes, and for a moment they were speechless. When he came to his senses, he realized that even though the air conditioning was on and the room was cool, he was covered in a thin layer of sweat. He couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself. This was what it meant to be "speechless and drenched in sweat."

He sighed and said, "I know, there's definitely something inappropriate about it..."

Chen Nuo remained silent.

Perhaps he should say something to give Director Zhang a way out?

After all, Zhang Yimou's statement was already a concession. As a junior colleague, shouldn't he have shown understanding of Zhang Yimou's predicament?

Moreover, does this whole thing have anything to do with him?
What is the relationship between Nini and him?

Calling them old friends is utter nonsense. At best, they're just acquaintances with some degree of affection, not even friends. Why would a fledgling actor risk offending the renowned director Zhang Yimou for someone like that?
No rational person would do that.

However, Chen Nuo still didn't offer any help; he remained silent, staring at Zhang Yimou.

Zhang Yimou was slightly embarrassed by this, then thought for a moment and said, "How about I call Wei Ping over and we discuss it together to see how to solve this?"

……

Zhang Weiping had drunk too much last night and was still in bed when he received the call. He vaguely heard Zhang Yimou finish speaking, and then he sat up abruptly, feeling a little incredulous at his ears.

"What does this have to do with him? Did he come to you on his own initiative? Is he right next to you now?"

"Yes." The voice on the other end of the line sounded very serious. "Wei Ping, I think you should come over."

"Okay, right away."

Zhang Weiping agreed and immediately got out of bed, feeling extremely angry.

No matter how big a star, how powerful, or how influential someone is, can they really interfere in their film crew's affairs? Can they just randomly show up and question them?

Whether the film should be shot this way or not, what does that have to do with him?
Absurd, laughable.

What happened to the sex scene between Nini and Christian Bale?
Adding such a explicit sex scene between a Chinese actress and a Hollywood A-lister would be a great way to generate buzz and attract attention, whether for future international competitions or promotional purposes.

What's the problem?
Besides, if there really is a problem, it should be Nini who has to address it, not him.
Zhang Weiping dressed aggressively and walked out of the room.

His room was right next to Zhang Yimou's, so as soon as he came out, he saw a pretty girl standing upright at the door of room 302. Hearing the noise, she looked over immediately.

Zhang Weiping knew who she was.

Chen Nuoxin's personal assistant, upon meeting him yesterday, made him inwardly grumble: "Isn't this guy afraid of rumors spreading because he has such a pretty young girl by his side? You know, he already has a girlfriend."

But he immediately realized what he was doing and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Things are different now. Two years ago, when he and Liu Yifei went public with their relationship, he was still afraid.

But now, anyone who dares to say a word against him will likely be overwhelmed by public opinion in no time.

Inception, a film co-invested and starring Chinese actors, became a global phenomenon, becoming James Cameron's third blockbuster to reach the $20 billion mark at the global box office. For the Chinese people, its significance extends far beyond the film itself.

Before coming to Nanjing, he had dinner with Wang Changtian, Yu Dong, Jiang Zhiqiang and others in Beijing. When they talked about this matter, they all felt great sympathy for Han Sanping. They all believed that if Han had shown the same courage he had when he invested in Chibi two years ago, he would be living a very successful life today.

It's worth noting that since its release in China, Inception's box office has been higher every day than the previous day. Two weeks have passed, and in its second week, it grossed $7960 million, or 5.1 million, bucking the trend and even surpassing the first week's 4.7 million by nearly 10%! It's directly approaching Avatar's 14 billion, leaving all filmmakers speechless.

Such a trend, such a bold spirit, even with the addition of 3D and IMAX, who has ever seen anything like it?

With a Douban rating of 9.8 and 17 user ratings, it topped the Douban Top 500 rating list.

Clicking in, I saw that almost no one gave a 4-star rating, whether it was a short or long review. They were all full of praise from various angles, and each one of them was more like a paid shill than a paid shill.

It's also on Weibo.

From media to film critics, from ordinary people to celebrities, everyone is vying to check in and recommend the film, some showing off their ticket stubs, others writing long articles, as if they would be out of touch with the trend if they didn't.

In short, it has become a topic of conversation everywhere, both online and offline.

This inevitably brings to mind Avatar from two years ago.

The same thing happened with Pandora. It swept through the entire Chinese film market with overwhelming force, becoming a phenomenal work. At the same time, its groundbreaking filming technology left Chinese filmmakers, both inside and outside the industry, sweating profusely and feeling an indescribable shock.

Later, even though "Monster Hunt" was heavily adapted into 3D and still sold a lot of box office revenue, the difference was still enormous, leaving many viewers extremely disappointed.

Who could have imagined that two years later, while movie fans around the world eagerly awaited the next Avatar—

A film primarily funded by Chinese capital has emerged, captivating audiences worldwide with its intricately plotted storyline, meticulously crafted special effects, groundbreaking creativity, and a top-tier international cast that surpasses even Avatar.

For the Chinese, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this was like hosting the 08 Olympics again.

Who is this "Zhang Yimou"?

Just look at which high school teachers recently became celebrities in the media, and you'll know.

When the teacher surnamed Wang spoke to the camera, he said, "Diligent and studious, calm and reserved, with a gentle personality, never causing trouble, he has always been a good student and a well-behaved child in the teacher's eyes. If he hadn't become an actor, he could have been a scientist," and so on.

—Does he even need to worry about his assistant being too beautiful and causing gossip?
……

When Gulnazar saw Zhang Weiping suddenly come out from next door, wearing slippers and shorts, and staring blankly at her, her heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that this old man has taken a liking to me?

She felt a little flustered for a moment, but then she remembered that things were different now. She was no longer the little model who had to accompany customers to drinks. So she put on a polite smile and greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Zhang."

Zhang Weiping came to his senses, and for some reason, his anger vanished completely.

Hearing Gulnazar's words, she suddenly smiled and said, "Okay, good morning. Is your CEO Chen inside?"

"Yes, it is."

"Okay, I'll go in and discuss something with him."

Zhang Weiping walked to the door and rang the doorbell.

After a while, the door opened, and Zhang Yimou stood behind it, seemingly wanting to say something to him beforehand. But Zhang Weiping didn't want to listen and walked straight in, his voice booming like thunder: "Nuozi, what's your opinion? Tell me! What does this film have to do with you? I didn't expect you to care about us like this. I, Zhang Weiping, will remember this kindness!"

……

Chen Nuo was surprised that Zhang Weiping seemed even more approachable than Zhang Yimou. At first, he thought it was Zhang Weiping, this business savvy guy, who was behind it all, but now... would someone as seemingly upright and honest as Zhang Yimou do something like this?

It’s true that people cannot be judged by their appearance.

Since Mr. Zhang was willing to listen and his attitude was good, he softened his tone and explained everything again, "...It's not just because Nini acted with me before, but also because I'm an actor myself. I understand what acting is like. If an actor has some doubts in their mind before acting and can't be single-minded, they can't act well. Mr. Zhang, Director Zhang, don't you agree?"

“Yes, yes, yes,” Zhang Weiping said loudly, “I understand, I understand perfectly.”

Chen Nuo nodded and said, "It wasn't her who asked me to come this time. In fact, she even told me not to come. But I told her not to worry. I've worked under Director Zhang before, and I know what kind of person he is. Don't let his serious demeanor fool you; if an actor has a problem and brings it up, he will never get angry. On the contrary, he will be very happy. Director Zhang, don't you think so?"

Zhang Yimou smiled, tapped him with his hand, and said, "Nuozi, you really do understand me."

Chen Nuo smiled and said, "That's why I came. In my experience, I feel that adding a sex scene between a man and a woman in a movie like yours, which is about great love and affection, seems contradictory and inappropriate. It might even give people the feeling that the priest has impure motives, which is very inappropriate."

"Of course, there might be things I haven't considered. Please tell me the truth, as it would be a learning opportunity for me. Director Zhang, Mr. Zhang, what do you say?"

Zhang Yimou was stunned.

He had been pestered by Zhang Weiping until he reluctantly agreed, but as a director, making such a big production meant he was always busy. Filming was just one part of his job, and adding a sex scene was something he considered optional and hadn't thought about it much. Now, after hearing Chen Nuo's words and thinking about it carefully, he found himself sweating profusely again.

“That’s right!” Zhang Weiping said. “That makes perfect sense. What do you think, Mouzi?”

Zhang Yimou gave him a deep look and said in a deep voice, "I think so too. I don't think we can add this scene."

Zhang Weiping scratched his head and said, "If we don't want to add it, then we don't want to. But... how should we do the publicity then? Sigh, it's giving me a headache."

"What do you mean?" Chen Nuo asked, somewhat puzzled.

Christian Bale, although he laughs at people for not being able to get leading roles and is indeed not a member of the $2000 million club in Hollywood, the fact is that Batman is a big star in any country. Would he lack publicity if he starred in Zhang Yimou's movie? What kind of nonsense is this?
Zhang Weiping glanced at him and said, "Nuozi, you don't know this, it's like this..."

After listening to Zhang Weiping's explanation, Chen Nuo finally understood. It turned out that after Leonardo DiCaprio rejected their offer, Zhang Yimou and his team were quite anxious, fearing they couldn't find a big star to act in the film. After receiving Christian Bale's interest, they inevitably made some concessions during contract negotiations. Aside from the excessively high salary, they didn't impose any restrictions on promotional activities. In short, they made no demands beyond the premiere.

After listening, Chen Nuo really didn't know what to say.

Having spent so long in Hollywood, he knows all too well how murky the publicity business can be. It's safe to say that no actor doesn't hate the publicity period, and no production company doesn't want actors to increase their promotional efforts and participate in every aspect. Therefore, it's common for them to fight tooth and nail over this, and sometimes even break off negotiations.

As a result, they signed such terrible terms, yet they still offered the other party a daily wage of 200 million RMB (Note 1)!
If we consider the 2-3 month production cycle of a film, it would definitely far exceed Bale's market value in Hollywood.

Isn't this a complete sucker?

You say you're making an art film, fine, but the problem is that this film, in terms of subject matter, investment, cast, and cast members, is all aimed at international awards and the global market, yet you've neglected a large part of the actors' promotion—that's like breaking your own leg and trying to climb stairs on one foot.

However, since things had come to this point, Chen Nuo was powerless to help.

He couldn't possibly go to Bell and ask him to change the contract, could he? Even the best of friends wouldn't do that.

Finally, seeing Zhang Weiping's expectant look, Chen Nuo could only agree to attend the premiere of "The Flowers of War" to support their acquaintances.

And that's how it was settled.

When Chen Nuo called Nini to tell her, she heard a sigh of relief followed by a joyful expression of gratitude, and her mood brightened as well. Perhaps this is what they mean by "giving roses and having fragrance linger on your hand"?

"No need, um, we've already headed to the airport... Haha, okay, see you in Beijing then, let's go to that roast duck restaurant again. Okay, bye-bye."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Nuo stepped out of the hotel and was immediately surprised to see a tall, slender girl standing by the car door with a smile.

Zhang Xiaofei waved to him and said, "Hi."

Chen Nuo waved and laughed, "Hi."

Can you say a few words?

"of course."

Then, Zhang Xiaofei led him aside and said with a serious expression, "Thank you." She then cupped her hands and bowed deeply to him.

Chen Nuo looked at the back of the girl's head and asked, puzzled, "What are you doing?"

Zhang Xiaofei slowly straightened up and said, "From freshman year until now, I've actually received a lot of care from you. I know that in my heart, but I've never said thank you. Thinking about it these past two years, I've felt really bad. Now that we've met, I don't know when I'll see you again. So I thought about it all night and decided to say those two words."

Chen Nuo said helplessly, "What did you say?"

Zhang Xiaofei chuckled but didn't respond, instead bringing up another matter: "Can you come to this year's class reunion? We knew you were filming in the US last year, so we didn't dare invite you. Are you free this year?"

Chen Nuo thought about it. There had been no news from Quentin, and he didn't know what was going on. He guessed that filming wouldn't be able to start this year.

Before this, he didn't plan to take on any other roles. For the next few months, he would simply be working on his collaboration with Netflix and filming some dramas with Fuji Television to air in Japan. Of course, there would also be some work in China and some year-end award ceremonies. Although there would be a lot to do, it shouldn't be as hectic as filming, leaving him with no free time.

He immediately nodded and said, "It should be fine. Let me know when you've decided on the time and place."

"Really? That's great!" Zhang Xiaofei laughed heartily. "When I mention it in the group chat later, some people will definitely be overjoyed, haha."

……

Chen Nuo's trip to Nanjing has come to an end.

It seemed like he hadn't done anything, yet it also seemed like he had done a lot, which made him feel quite good when he met Liu Yifei at Tomson Riviera in Shanghai.

Seeing the woman sitting on the sofa with a blank expression, he laughed and said, "What's wrong? Who are you trying to impress with that long face? Did you think I didn't buy you a birthday present?"

After he finished speaking, he saw a picture of a little girl on the coffee table in front of the woman.

Ok,

How could I have forgotten about this?

Note 1: It is true that Christian Bale was paid 200 million RMB per day for filming "The Flowers of War".

(End of this chapter)