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

Chapter 442 Shameless, infighting, and untrustworthy

"What? You're in China?"

Upon hearing the words coming from the receiver, Chen Nuo immediately rolled off Liu Yifei.

"Yep, hahaha, yes, I just arrived. By the way, I applied for a long-term visa this time, which allows me to stay for up to a year. The visa officer at your LA consulate asked me why I was staying in China for so long. I said I wanted to discuss the new movie with you. He immediately stamped my visa and even asked me to get your autograph for him. Hahaha."

Quentin seemed unaffected, his raucous laughter continuing as usual. Chen Nuo breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "So where are you now?"

"Huqian".

"...Fujian?"

"Correct."

"Be specific?"

"I don't know either. I got off the plane, just hopped on a random bus, and only now have I found a small hotel to stay in. It's a very small county town. Nobody speaks English, and nobody recognizes me. There's a sea nearby, and I even saw a small bookstore on the road. It's nice—quiet, perfect for writing. I really like it and plan to stay for a while."

Hearing this, Chen Nuo felt very conflicted.

He actually had a lot to say, but after listening to Quentin's rambling on for so long, he didn't know how to start.

Liu Yifei then came over, looking at him with curiosity. She hadn't put her clothes back on yet, her upper body was smooth and flawless, like a little white lamb that had just taken a bath, pink and soft, with a slight warmth.

Chen Nuo carefully considered his words, but his hand unconsciously touched the medium-sized white porcelain bowl on her body. He accidentally used a little too much force, which immediately earned him a light but firm punch from Liu Yifei.

"Damn..." Chen Nuo gasped.

Damn, this woman's broken palm really hurts.

On the other end of the phone, Quentin ignored his silence and continued talking to himself:
"The purpose of my call was actually to say sorry. I think... I might have messed things up."

Chen Nuo quickly replied, "Don't say that, it's not a big deal, we just need to wait for the storm to pass."

"No, no, no, you don't understand..."

“I understand!” Chen Nuo quickly interrupted, “What’s there not to understand? To be honest, I also have a similar…hobby. It’s normal, really, it’s nothing. Don’t say sorry, those people are just making a fuss over nothing.”

"Oh?" Quentin's tone shifted, and he suddenly asked with interest, "You have one too?"

"Pretty much, haha."

"Hahaha, I know you're talking nonsense, but thank you for your comfort anyway." Quentin's laughter was genuine. "But that's not what I wanted to talk about. It's something else."

"what?"

"I... registered a Twitter account."

"what?"

Quentin's words surprised Chen Nuo even more than his sudden arrival in China.

Having known him for so long, he knew all too well that, like Nolan, Quentin was the kind of person who was completely averse to social media accounts.

In fact, it wasn't just the two of them.

From Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg to Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and even Kate Winslet, most of these truly top-tier directors and actors in the film industry maintain an innate distance from social media. It's not resistance; they simply disdain to use it.

Not to mention now, even ten or twenty years from now, they will still have no trace of social media accounts, going against the trend of the internet age.

However, people have different attitudes toward Chen Nuo—who became the world's first super social media user with 40 million followers just two weeks ago.

People like Nolan and Leonardo DiCaprio are relatively tolerant, thinking that "since we already have it, it's okay to use it occasionally," which is a kind of pragmatic attitude.

Quentin, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. He's the kind of guy who'll seize any opportunity to repeatedly urge you to delete your account; he's incredibly talkative.

He said to Chen Nuo more than once:

"Social media accounts destroy the mystique of a film; the work itself should be a way for a filmmaker to communicate with the public."

"Celebrities should live on the screen, not in likes and comments."

"The more you see, the harder it is for your work to move people, because you are putting yourself in front of people too cheaply."

These are all reasons, and Quentin could talk for hours on any one of them, from Akira Kurosawa to Godard, from Charlie Chaplin to Béla Tarr.

Since the two began collaborating on the script for "Chinese Laborers," Chen Nuo has been "brainwashed" by his remarks more than once, and has actually been somewhat influenced by them.

In his previous life, he was an internet celebrity who rose to fame through social media. Subconsciously, he always felt that "having many fans is a good thing," so he would instinctively want to maintain a certain level of activity and not let his popularity decline. But recently, things have changed a bit.

Especially after acquiring a stake in Facebook, he hasn't posted a single update on Facebook in over a month, let alone any daily interactions. The same goes for Weibo—his last Weibo post was a few months ago on Liu Yifei's birthday, "@Liu Yifei Happy Birthday".

Last month, "No Man's Land" was released, but he didn't even bother to post a poster, let alone add any promotional text.

Fortunately, he was the boss, so no one dared to say anything about his lying around doing nothing.

If it were anyone else, management would have already jumped out to demand that they "exert influence," "mobilize fans," and "build a good reputation." After all, in this day and age, a Weibo account with millions of followers that doesn't post "long articles," doesn't share "thoughts," and doesn't post stills or behind-the-scenes footage is practically a criminal waste of resources.

However, the final box office result of 4.05 million yuan for "No Man's Land" was still quite good, just 0.01 billion yuan short of tying with "The Founding of a Republic". Chen Nuo didn't know if President Han's current situation would have any impact on this; he would only know after asking.

So when Chen Nuo heard Quentin say that he had registered a Twitter account, he was quite surprised.

She asked incredulously, "What? You must be joking with me, right?"

"Haha, I'm not kidding. After this call, I'll throw away this number, hahaha, then nobody in the world will be able to find me. I plan to spend a year polishing this script again. I've never really been satisfied with it before. I can't lie to myself that this script isn't my best one. Like you said, do I understand China? No, I don't. So how can I say I can write a good story about the Chinese people?"

……

After hanging up the phone.

Chen Nuo felt a mix of emotions.

It was clearly his own inappropriate handling of the situation, yet Quentin took the blame for him, leaving him indebted to Quentin. At the same time, he also secretly admired the sycophant's ability to let go of the blame.

No wonder people say that Quentin Tarantino's greatest strength is his screenplays.

No wonder this person has said since his debut that he will only make ten movies in his lifetime.

The former refers to ability, while the latter refers to mindset.

With the right skills, a good mindset, and a willingness to spend time honing and studying, how could one not succeed?
Knowing that the largest number of Chinese working in the United States are from Fujian, I decided to take this opportunity to suspend the film and spend a year collecting first-hand information along the Fujian coast to solidify the script and bring the characters to life.

If he could learn that spirit, his achievements would be so much greater. Sigh. At least after reading Iris Chang's books, he wouldn't have given up the opportunity to continue his studies; he might be a historian by now. And when Quentin talks about it, he wouldn't be clueless. It's truly embarrassing.

Liu Yifei asked, "What's wrong? Did he come to China?"

"Okay, it's here. I'll tell you later, I'll check Twitter first."

Chen Nuo opened the Twitter app on his phone.

There was no need to search at all. As soon as he clicked in and refreshed the page, a tweet from ABC News immediately caught his eye.

"Breaking News: Our latest sources say the suspected account was indeed registered by Quentin Tarantino himself. The Hollywood director, embroiled in a private life scandal, has chosen this flamboyant and impolite way to respond to public criticism, which has surprised everyone. His agency was unaware of this beforehand."

Below this news article is a photo of a middle finger that has been blurred out.

It was a very large man's hand, with clearly defined knuckles. Chen Nuo had reason to believe that it wasn't an online photo, but rather a picture taken by this person pointing directly at another person's hand.

Liu Yifei peeked over and looked at it with him, then exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, he posted this? Isn't he afraid of being scolded to death?"

"What's there to be afraid of? He's already come to China, there's such a thick wall standing there, who can criticize him?" Chen Nuo was really emotional, and even started speaking in Sichuan dialect.

Quentin is fucking awesome.

That's the true spirit of a protagonist—sober while everyone else is drunk. Thumbs up! If this happened 10 years from now, Chen Nuo would definitely send him a rocket.

No wonder he said he came to China and planned to spend a year revising the script. After doing something like this, it certainly needs a year and a half to calm things down.

Chen Nuo suddenly felt he should ask if this tactic was learned from him.

But when I picked up my phone and dialed again, the phone was already switched off. Well, now it's really impossible for anyone to contact this crazy director. Quentin made it very clear earlier that he'd contact him if anything came up, and not to bother him.

Liu Yifei asked again, "Then what about your movie? Are you not going to make it?"

Chen Nuo sighed, "What else can we do? The director is in this state, how can we film it?"

"Really!?" Liu Yifei exclaimed in surprise. "That's great! So you can rest for a long time this time? Okay, okay, then come with me to celebrate Changchang's birthday next week."

"Why would I go? They didn't invite me. Wouldn't it be awkward? I'm not that thick-skinned."

"What? Of course not. I've known Changchang for a long time. She won't say anything if I take you there."

"No, I have to invite Han Sanping to dinner, I don't have time."

"It's not now, it's December 1st, it's still a long way off."

"Hey, let's talk about it later. Come here, we haven't finished our business yet."

"No. If you don't agree, I won't let you do it."

"Damn it, you're going to hit me? You come here... don't move."

clap clap!

"Did you do something wrong? Will you hit people again?"

"Aaaaaah, you actually dared to hit me! I'll fight you to the death!" As it turned out, Liu Yifei was different from Fan Binbing—she really did fight back when she was hit. The two rolled and struggled on the bed for three or four rounds, until Chen Nuo finally twisted her arm and pinned her down.

"Ah—!" she cried out, still defiant, struggling as she screamed.
Her body was soft and fragrant, and her buttocks were plump, like a fleshy cushion, twisting and turning between Chen Nuo's legs.

"Stop fooling around." Chen Nuo's hand reached down, as if kneading a steamed bun.

"How dare you spank me!" Liu Yifei said angrily.

"You hit me first."

"Then you can't fight back!"

"What kind of logic is that?"

"This is—this is—ah!"

Liu Yifei suddenly screamed, and then, as if she had been struck by a pressure point, her body went limp.

……

Chen Nuo knew that Shu Chang was Liu Yifei's friend, and a long-time friend at that.

Not long ago, it was Liu Yifei's birthday. Shu Chang sent her a happy birthday WeChat message right at midnight on August 25th. Like Chen Nuo, she also posted a public blessing on Weibo, which made Liu Yifei very happy.

Not only Shu Chang, but also celebrities like Jane Zhang, Hu Ge, and Ady An have good relationships with Liu Yifei. Add to that a number of close friends outside the industry, mostly her classmates from different periods, both Chinese and American. Among them are also many close friends of Liu Xiaoli, such as Xu Qing, who has been a best friend of Liu for over a decade.

But Chen Nuo had almost no interaction with these people. When the two of them were together, Liu Yifei rarely mentioned her relationships with her friends. Chen Nuo couldn't tell what she was thinking; and being his personality, he was too lazy to ask.

This time, however, Liu Yifei unusually took the initiative to ask him to accompany her to Shu Chang's birthday party. Although he joked about it, he was actually too embarrassed to refuse. After coaxing Liu Yifei into obediently "serving" him once, this girl who claimed to be a germaphobe, he readily agreed.

Then, Shu Chang was genuinely terrified by the news.

When Liu Yifei casually said, "Chen Nuo is coming to your birthday party," she was stunned. After a long while, she stammered, "You...you're serious? Don't tease me, Qianqian."

"Why would I tease you? He even told you to get a new invitation." Liu Yifei rolled her eyes. "But don't take it seriously, that's just how he is, he talks in a weird way."

"I..." Shu Chang opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything. After a while, she came to her senses. "When did he come back? There was no news about him on Weibo."

“He came back the day before yesterday. He travels everywhere by private jet now, so he's not so easy to be discovered.”

“No wonder…” Shu Chang nodded, then asked, “But didn’t you say before that the plane he ordered wouldn’t be delivered until next year?”

"Yes, that's for next year, and that one was bought. This one is rented. He always says I spend money recklessly, but I think he's the one who's wasteful, spending money like water without any sense of thrift."

"Haha..." Shu Chang chuckled dryly, still not fully recovered. "How come he has time to come to my little gathering... Isn't 'Let the Bullets Fly' going to the Golden Horse Awards? Isn't he going?"

"Why would he go there!" Liu Yifei took a sip of juice. "Have you forgotten what happened last year? His Golden Horse Best Actor trophy is still lying in Taipei. With his temper, do you think he'd even go?"

"Oh right, I forgot..." Shu Chang said with a wry smile.

Liu Yifei sighed, "I thought he could finally take a break this time, but he took on another TV series. After your birthday, he'll have to fly to Hong Kong to film a TV series."

"A TV series? He's going to make a TV series? What kind of TV series is it?"

"Yes, I don't know the specifics, but it's a collaboration with an American company. Production and filming are all in Hong Kong. He's going there this time to do some pre-production work."

"Are you going with me?"

"What am I going to do?"

"No, you forgot, that person... isn't she in Hong Kong? Aren't you worried, huh?"

"I... I'm alright... I heard that his TV series will need a lot of actors this time. Are you going to the casting? Do you want me to sign you up?"

Shu Chang was a little excited, "Really?"

"I'm not kidding you, he collaborated with a DVD rental company in the US this time and filmed it in Hong Kong."

Shu Chang said, "Okay, it's a deal then. Just let me know when the time comes."

"Hehe, so this meal is on you?"

"No problem. If you really get elected, I'll treat you to a lavish meal."

"Hahaha, okay."

The two girls laughed for a while, then asked comfortably, "By the way, will Auntie be able to come back this time?"

"No, she's incredibly busy in Japan. She asked me to wish you a happy birthday so she can make it up to you next time she comes back to China. Also, she bought you a birthday present, which will be sent back in a couple of days."

Shu Chang said sincerely, "Thank you, Aunt Liu. I'll send her a text message later. Qianqian, I said that Huanxin's Japanese branch has your name on it and Aunt Liu is in charge of managing it. It seems that he really cares about you and doesn't treat you like an outsider."

Liu Yifei smiled, then snorted and said, "You're just using me... What's so good about it?"

"Don't pay attention to what a man says, look at his actions. He's entrusted you with such a large family business, he really treats you like family. Have you two talked about when you're going to get married?"

"Huh? Marriage? No, no, what is it?"

"Hehe, that's not necessarily true. He loves you so much, he might propose to you someday."

"Impossible, impossible." Liu Yifei blushed slightly and shook her head, saying, "Impossible, he's not that kind of person."

Shu Chang said, "Why not? You're so cute, kind, and virtuous. If I were him, I would definitely marry you sooner rather than later, otherwise I wouldn't feel at ease."

"Hehe, it's not that exaggerated."

Seeing that Liu Yifei finally seemed genuinely happy, Shu Chang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She really shouldn't have said anything earlier, sigh.

Then, she couldn't help but get a little excited.

Chen Nuo is coming to her birthday party. She should tell her agent this as soon as they finish eating. If handled well, this might be more effective than her starring in two seasons of "Palace 2"!

Shu Chang asked casually, "By the way, Qianqian, you came to have dinner with me, where did he go?"

Liu Yifei said, "He went to see President Han."

"President Han? Which President Han?"

"Han Sanping".

Shu Chang asked in slight surprise, "Huh? Didn't I hear they've already fallen out?"

……

Just as Shu Chang said.

The falling out between Han Sanping and Chen Nuo is now an open secret in the entire mainland entertainment industry.

Why can't it even be called a secret?

Because, although major media outlets have never reported on it, some entertainment accounts on Weibo always have some gossip and rumors, mysteriously recording some scattered, unclear, seemingly true or false information.

For example, how did "Inception" start with such difficulty, and how was it viewed with skepticism by everyone? A large domestic film company had promised to invest and create a masterpiece that would make Chinese films proud on the world stage, but ultimately broke its promise.

For example, it was precisely because of this powerful but incompetent person that Nono had to mortgage her property and borrow money everywhere, betting her entire fortune on the movie Inception. It was a do-or-die situation, a gamble with a slim chance of survival.

For example, when *Inception* was released, as a Sino-foreign co-production, especially with Chinese investment being the majority, it should have been released simultaneously worldwide. However, it was released almost half a month later than in South Korea. The reason for this wasn't because Huanxin Film Company discriminated against Chinese audiences, nor was it due to any problems with the censorship process. Rather, it was because that bastard who broke his promise was making things difficult for all the Chinese fans and moviegoers, and also for Nono (the film's creator), and wanted the film to flop in China to save face.

So, who is this shameless, incompetent, untrustworthy, and detrimental person who only knows how to fight among himself?

Sometimes, these writers refer to him as Han Xiping.

Sometimes, people call him Han Sanx.

Sometimes, it is referred to as the X-screen.

In addition, there is a more subtle way of calling him, which is to refer to him only by his title and nickname, such as "Chairman of China Film Group, Zuo Shandiao".

Anyway that's it.

For some reason, netizens seem to have guessed the man's identity, saying he's Mr. Han Sanping, the head of China Film Group. They even spontaneously offered their condolences to Mr. Han's ancestors for eight generations. One can only praise the netizens in the Weibo comment section; their average IQ is indeed 130.

And this is part of the pressure that Han Sanping mentioned.

The final part of the pressure is related to the ongoing wave of IPOs sweeping through the Chinese film industry.

Currently, there are three listed film and television companies on the A-share market: Zhejiang Huace, Beijing Enlight Media, and Hualu Baina. Meanwhile, Huayi Brothers, New Classics Media, Shanghai Film Group, and China Film Group are also in the review and listing preparation stages.

It can be said that China Entertainment is currently fully embracing the arrival of the capital era.

As the national team in the film market, China Film Group certainly cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

This is not the first time China Film Group has planned to go public. They had considered it as early as 04, but it was halted due to policy changes.

This time, China Film Group, together with seven other companies including CNR Media Group, Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, China Unicom, and China International Television Corporation, jointly established China Film Co., Ltd., with China Film Group holding 93% of the shares and the remaining companies each holding 1%. They plan to submit China Film Co., Ltd. to the IPO preliminary review list in December.

Unexpectedly, during the process of submitting the prospectus, they suddenly encountered pressure from within.

"Xiao Chen, I want to apologize to you."

Han Sanping slammed his fist on the table indignantly and said bitterly, "If it weren't for the villains around me at that time who made me listen to their slander, I would never have gone back on my word, and I wouldn't be being talked about like this today. Believe me, I, Han Sanping, have done some insignificant things. I dared to invest 2 million in Chibi, so why would I be afraid of this?"

(End of this chapter)