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

Chapter 533 Slim but Well-Busted
"...Who could have imagined that, in the past week, American television screens would be dominated by a Chinese TV series?"

Even more incredible is the data Netflix just released: in just one week, their membership has increased by a full million.

The only news even more outrageous than this million new members is the rumor that Taylor Swift and Noel Quinn had a one-night stand in the bathroom at the recent White House Music Night.

Yes, you read that right. According to a well-known tabloid, this outrageous news comes from a White House cleaner who has discovered solid evidence.

However, as of now, the evidence has not been released, and no White House staff member has come forward to confirm the veracity of this rumor.

Therefore, there is a 99% chance that the latter is merely a sensationalist piece of gossip fabricated by tabloids without any evidence, yet another tactic used by the Republicans to damage the president's popularity. Everyone knows that Chen's appearance on the White House red carpet could mean the potential change of heart of hundreds of thousands of young voters, something his opponents certainly wouldn't want to see. Therefore, it becomes logical that having these young people's idol display disrespect for the president could potentially secure their votes.

Alright, that concludes our discussion of these dirty tricks in the political arena.
For me, it's actually far less interesting than the following data.

A week has passed, and when we open the "Eagle Catches Chickens" page on IMDB, let's see its rating.

The first episode, "Infantry," received a score of 9.7 from 12482 ratings.

Episode 2, "One, Two, Three, Wooden Man," received a score of 9.3, with 11307 ratings.

Episode 3, "Where is Hell?", received a score of 9.5 from 10864 ratings.

Episode 4, "The Man with the Umbrella," received a score of 9.2, with 10102 people rating it.

Episode 5, "Playing Marbles," received a score of 9.4 from 9687 ratings.

Episode 6, "The Glass Bridge," received a score of 9.6 from 9435 ratings.

Episode 7, "I'm an Eagle," received a score of 9.8 from 10992 ratings.

Episode 8, "The Tramp," received a score of 9.7 from 10321 ratings.

Episode 9, "Choice," received a score of 9.9 from 15276 ratings.

Average score: 9.57.

In contrast:

《权力的游戏》S2上线一周后，打分人数最多的一集为6500人，《行尸走肉》S3的这个数据是8000，《绝命毒师》S5是7000，而《生活大爆炸》S6是3200人。

Apart from Game of Thrones Episode 2 receiving a 9.6 rating, which is slightly higher on average, all other episodes scored lower.

In terms of the number of ratings alone, the most popular show, The Walking Dead Season 3, only has slightly more than half the number of ratings for the finale of The Eagle and the Chicks.

Netflix executives are probably already popping champagne and celebrating wildly.

They understood that while their viewership numbers still couldn't compare to those super-popular dramas airing in prime time on traditional television, the significance of the IMDb data lay in the fact that they were gaining a highly loyal core user base. And their rumored investment of one hundred million US dollars had already yielded substantial profits.

For a company that relies on a subscription model, viewers who are willing to spend an entire night binge-watching an entire season, rate it on IMDb, and write long posts on Reddit and Twitter are far more valuable than the tens of millions of TV viewers per episode. Their behavior means that, given good content, online video viewers will exhibit more active engagement and a higher level of loyalty than TV viewers.

If the formula "Netflix + super popular star = high popularity" holds true,
In the future, a new type of media company—note that it will focus on producing streaming content, rather than the original video rental company—will be born.

The market had previously priced Netflix according to the logic of a "video rental company," with its expected price-to-earnings ratio remaining around 28 times. But now, I believe that Netflix's business model has been reset.

I expect Netflix’s global subscriber base to grow from 2800 million to over 4000 million in the coming year, representing a year-on-year growth of approximately 42%.

Driven by both user growth and increased ARPU, I have readjusted my earnings forecasts and target valuation for Netflix, raising my six-month price target for Netflix from $95 to $135, maintaining a "Buy" rating, and emphasizing:
Netflix has transformed from a traditional video rental business into a high-growth original streaming content platform, and its long-term valuation logic is being rapidly reshaped by the market, which deserves the attention of all investors…

"Sister Tong, what are you looking at? Wow, Morgan Stanley... So professional."

A voice came from the side, startling Tong Liya, who was engrossed in watching. She turned around and saw Jiang Ruijia from the same drama crew.

She put away her phone, and with it, her wandering thoughts—

Netflix's stock price is currently $83, while her cost price for the $500 million investment was $69. Although Netflix's stock price surged another 8% after the market opened on Monday, if the prediction made by the Morgan Stanley analyst in the Wall Street Journal, translated by Eastmoney, is accurate, it seems that her good days are yet to come.

whee.

Listening to my husband was definitely the right thing to do; we're going to be rich now!
She ignored Jiang Ruijia's loud chatter, instead casually smiling to reveal her two canine teeth, and asked, "Are you done?"

Jiang Ruijia said, "Alright, my brother asked me to come and call you."

"Oh, let's go then."

Tong Liya had no idea that in the original world where the shift had not occurred, she did not appear in "Police Story 2013".

In that timeline, the actress playing Jackie Chan's daughter in her current role in the film is named Jing Tian.

At this time, Jing Tian did not join the crew of "Police Story 2013". Instead, she was recording a variety show called "The Birth of an Actor" in Hengdian.

Because in the eyes of some powerful figures behind her, this variety show can pave the way for her better than Jackie Chan's movies, and is even regarded as a springboard to push her to the top and open up international resources, which is more important than any commercial film.

As for Tong Liya, on that unaltered timeline...

She became somewhat popular around this time in her previous life because of "Beijing Love Story," but she never proved herself on the big screen, nor did she have the halo of being the female lead in "Let the Bullets Fly." Therefore, she was never on Jackie Chan's casting list from beginning to end.

Coincidentally, Jiang Ruijia, who was standing next to him, was the same.

In the original world, after filming "Under the Hawthorn Tree," this girl, who came from the Shanghai Film Studio and was once highly anticipated at film festivals, did not actually get any more good opportunities to boost her career, and her film career thus stagnated at that debut film.

But in this life, everything has changed.

Because the ending of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" is different this time—someone won the Berlin Film Festival's Best Actor award for this film, and the entire crew of the film also rose to fame.

That's why Jiang Ruijia had the opportunity to "snag" a small role in Jackie Chan's movie, a role that originally didn't belong to her.

Even more coincidentally, the reason this opportunity fell to her was because the Xinjiang girl named Guli, who was originally supposed to play this role, had not yet entered the Chinese entertainment industry at this moment in this life—she was busy running around with someone all day, embarking on a completely different life journey...

Because of someone's butterfly effect, these huge causal chains have brought about more or less deviations in the originally predetermined fates of these girls. Where will these deviations lead their futures?
It is still unknown.

But Jiang Ruijia, born in 1991, looked like a little sister next to Tong Liya, who was eight years older than her. When the conversation turned to the person whose role Tong Liya had taken from her, she asked with a curious look, "Sister Tong, do you know Gulnazar?"

"I don't know him," Tong Liya said casually. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, I thought you were all from XJ, and..."

"What else?"

"...Didn't he teach you acting? I thought you introduced her to Brother Nuo."

Tong Liya's acting skills have indeed improved under Chen Zha Nan's tutelage. Hearing this nonsense about teaching acting, she didn't react at all and maintained a smile, saying, "Oh, no, you misunderstood. I don't know him. Besides, I haven't been in contact with him for a long time."

Jiang Ruijia sighed and said, "Oh, what a pity."

"What do you regret?"

"I should have volunteered myself, sigh."

Outsiders might not understand this, but these days, under Jackie Chan's guidance, the crew has been studying together after work every day. The older Hong Kong crew members have already thoroughly investigated all the gossip and rumors about the various characters in the "study materials".

For example, Wong Chi-wah got lucky during an audition when he went crazy and tore his borrowed designer clothes to shreds. He ended up losing a lot of money, but he got the role.

For example, Huang Qiusheng and Francis Ng were both vying for the role of "Lang Kun". Of course, if Huang Qiusheng had gotten it, the role wouldn't have been called "Lang Kun". Originally, producer Johnnie To and director Pang Ho-cheung favored Huang, but at the final decision, someone who was both the lead actor and executive producer decided to cast Francis Ng.

The reason is that Francis Ng and Sandra Ng have had a good relationship since "Portland Street Blues". Sandra Ng is the wife of Chen Kexin, and Chen Kexin's relationship with someone... need I say more?

and many more.

Naturally, everyone knows exactly who the unfamiliar face in the film is, and why she was chosen to play the female lead.

So Tong Liya understood what Jiang Ruijia meant, and couldn't help but smile and say, "It's all fate, Jiajia, you're actually already very good."

"Ugh~ I just don't understand why I was so stupid back then. Why didn't I go up and ask if you needed an assistant?"

Tong Liya laughed and said, "Haha, if you really need something, you're not studying anymore?"

Jiang Ruijia said, "If I could be his assistant, why would I need to study? I would drop out of school without hesitation. You see, I've known Brother Nuo for much longer than she has, but... sigh, he's already famous all over the world. And her Weibo account, do you know how many followers she's gained in just a few days, Sister Tong? I regret it so much, really, the opportunity was right beside me, but I was too shy and didn't seize it!"

Tong Liya laughed uncontrollably and asked, "She has a Weibo account? I heard that newcomers at Huanxin don't have Weibo accounts."

"She wasn't a celebrity before, she just took pictures of herself eating, drinking, and having fun all the time. At first, nobody knew who she was. Then one time at the airport, she was photographed with Brother Nuo, and that's when people found out that she used to be Chen Nuo's assistant. But after that, she posted less, just one or two pictures occasionally... Hey, I'm getting off topic. Did you know that her account gained more than 200 million followers in just a few days? It was trending on Weibo yesterday and today!"

Tong Liya was a little surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Really? So many people are watching pirated versions?" "What else can we do? We can't watch them in China."

Tong Liya nodded, sighed, and said, "It's good that I can see it."

Netflix's stock price will definitely rise even higher.

As we were talking, we arrived at the hotel's conference room.

Lead actor Jackie Chan was in the center, with director Ding Sheng to his right and producer Chen Ziqiang, a core member of the production team, to his left. Liu Ye, Jing Gangshan, and others were also present. Almost the entire creative team was there.

Tong Liya walked over and sat down in the first row next to Jackie Chan.

Although Jiang Ruijia didn't have many scenes, she was lucky this time and got a seat on the far side of the first row.

We're all in the same production crew, so we see each other all the time and don't need to exchange many pleasantries.

After everyone was seated, the lights gradually dimmed.
Then, the laptop screen appeared projected onto the wall:
"Eagle Catches Chicks"

Episode 4, "The Man with the Umbrella".

While watching, Tong Liya discovered that there was yet another version.

This is the third version, with each iteration boasting a clearer resolution, more accurate color calibration, and aligned subtitle timelines. Most importantly, the translation's tone has been significantly adjusted to better reflect Mandarin language habits, making it much smoother than the earlier literal translations.

That's right. Although it's a Chinese drama, she still had some difficulty with the Cantonese dialogue in the original version, so the subtitles made it much easier for her to watch.

Unlike the somber atmosphere of the third episode—the scene in the third episode where Kara Hui and Chen Nuo walk out of the hospital and have a tearful conversation left the entire conference room completely silent after watching it.

In the ensuing lively discussion, everyone said that Sister Hong was definitely going to make a comeback this time, and that her coffee table was probably piled high with scripts from various production companies.

In contrast, the fourth episode is noticeably faster-paced and more direct.

This is the episode where Xie Jiajun first showed his talent, and it is also Gulnazar's second appearance.

Watching the Xinjiang girl's innocent and naive performance on camera, Tong Liya, like Jiang Ruijia, couldn't help but think to herself, "What great luck..."

Seriously, I'm not bragging, but this acting is definitely worse than hers. How can she play the female lead in such a globally popular drama?
The fourth episode is about 50 minutes long, and in Tong Liya's opinion, she watched it almost in one go.

The moment the lights came back on, there was a two- or three-second silence in the conference room, followed by a gradual increase in hushed conversation.

Subsequently, Cheng Long and Ding Sheng expressed their opinions, but Tong Liya didn't listen to them much.

She could still see the image from moments before: the man in the drama speaking to Gulnazar and exchanging the candy she was holding with an umbrella for his own.

So that's what "the person holding the umbrella" means.

Thinking of this, Tong Liya couldn't help but think again, wasn't he just such a person in her life, holding an umbrella for her? No matter how strong the wind and rain, with him there, she would never have to worry about getting wet.

I really want him to come back from Fujian soon so I can see him again.

……

……

The girl was so engrossed in her phone that she didn't even hear Chen Nuo calling her several times. In desperation, he patted her on the shoulder.

Gulnazar only then came to her senses.

"Ah! Oh, boss, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Chen Nuo asked helplessly. "What are you looking at so intently?"

Gulnazar pursed her lips, revealing a half-smile, half-crying expression, "I... I'm seeing people on Weibo criticizing me."

Chen Nuo burst out laughing and asked, "Did someone insult you? What did they say about you?"

"Insulting me..."

Gulnazar hesitated.

Because the insults were just too nasty.

What are the consequences of gaining a million followers? What are the consequences of trending on Weibo for two days?
Her once tranquil comment section is now flooded with comments from countless fans. Some wish her well, some like her and praise her, and of course, some criticize her, expressing all sorts of sarcastic and sarcastic remarks about her acting skills.

One line in particular hit the nail on the head: "How can you be so badly subpar among a group of good actors? Don't you ever have sleepless nights?"

When the girl saw this sentence, she was truly heartbroken.

She really wanted to retort, "How did you know I couldn't sleep at night back then? If the producer, director, and executive producer hadn't all said I was suitable, do you think I wanted to act in this role?"
Hey.

They became famous.

But the taste of fame doesn't seem to be very pleasant.

"Alright, if you don't want to talk about it, then forget it," Chen Nuo said. "What I mean is, after I get off the plane in Jinjiang, you and Linghu will take the plane back to Beijing. Don't forget to go to the company and bring the trophy back with you."

Gulnazar said, "I know, boss, but... are you sure you don't need me to come with you? How about letting Brother Linghu go back, and I'll stay with you?"

Chen Nuo said, "No need, what's there to be afraid of once I'm back in China? I'll wear a hat and mask, who will recognize me? Besides, I have friends to pick me up, so don't worry. You've all worked hard this time, go back and rest for a few days, and take a look at the house you're renovating. Once I get back to Beijing, I won't have time for that again."

Seeing that the other party still had the same attitude after she had said it several times, Gulnazar had no choice but to nod and say, "Okay, Mr. Chen, I understand."

Thus, Chen Nuozhen, alone at Jinjiang Airport in Quanzhou, Fujian, carrying a bag containing two days' worth of clothes, calmly disembarked from the G650 while being seen off by Linghu and Gulnazar.

After refueling here, G650 will fly directly to Beijing via the route applied for yesterday to take Gulnazar and Linghu back, and then come to pick him up two days later.

However, the people waiting for him at the bottom of the gangway were quite a large group.

As soon as Chen Nuo stepped out of the cabin, he was startled. There were about a dozen people scattered around, a dark mass from above. A red carpet was laid out on the ground, and what was even more outrageous was that there was a little girl, about eight or nine years old, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her purpose was obvious.

He quickly walked downstairs.

Then, a leader-like person immediately came forward, his smile brighter than the flowers in the hands of the children next to him.

"Mr. Chen, the silver-loving gentleman, has come to our Quanzhou, Fujian. It seems..."

What Chen Nuo didn't know was that Quanzhou Jinjiang Airport had been busy since yesterday after receiving a notice from its superiors to arrange the landing of his G650. This was the first time that Quanzhou Airport had received a private plane from abroad, and the level of attention it received was truly extraordinary.

This little girl is the niece of one of the airport leaders. She took a day off from school on Monday to come and present him with flowers. This shows just how adept the leaders of this hometown of overseas Chinese are at getting things done.

After listening to the airport director's welcoming speech—and to emphasize, it wasn't that Chen Nuo disrespected the leader's title, but rather that he genuinely didn't quite understand what the man was saying—Chen Nuo, being from Xichuan, was quite empathetic. Therefore, he pretended to understand—took the flowers from the girl's hand, even bending down to hug her and kiss her cheek.

Then, he watched the little girl laugh, skip around, turn around, run a few steps, and hug a middle-aged woman's leg. Chen Nuo couldn't help but laugh too; the fatigue of the long flight and the pressure from the wicked things he had done in the White House seemed to vanish instantly.

Perhaps this is what it feels like to come home.

After saying goodbye to the enthusiastic leaders of Quanzhou Airport and firmly refusing their farewell, he put on a hat and mask, and carried a bouquet of flowers to the road outside the airport. Then he saw a Volkswagen Tharu parked on the side of the road with the passenger window rolled down. Gao Yuanyuan, wearing a pair of large sunglasses, smiled at him with her gums almost showing.

Chen Nuo's mood immediately improved.

Chen Nuo tossed his bag into the back seat, got into the passenger seat, and turned around. Before he could even speak, he smelled a familiar fragrance, and then a figure leaned over him.

One hand quickly pulled off the mask from his face, while the other gently held his head, and her lips almost immediately covered his.

In that instant, the temperature in the air seemed to rise suddenly.

Gao Yuanyuan's emotional actions immediately stirred his emotions as well. As they kissed, his hands became restless and slipped under the hem of Gao Yuanyuan's clothes.

Aside from those unreasonable foreign women like Ivanka Trump, Gao Yuanyuan stands out among his other women, being both slim and well-endowed. Perhaps only Tong Liya can be considered her equal.

He was very aroused, so he used a little skill, kneading her a couple of times. Gao Yuanyuan's breathing became heavier and heavier, and her hands followed his lead, becoming restless. He moved downwards, and the woman moved downwards. Each got what she wanted.

After a while, when she could no longer help but make some noises, the woman separated from him, her voice low and a little hoarse: "How about... I drive the car somewhere else first? Then we... wait a while before we go."

Chen Nuo thought for a moment,
That person has lived here for almost a year, so a little longer won't make a difference. As for the car, it's unclear whether Gao Yuanyuan chose it from the rental company, but the tint on the back is so thick and black that he couldn't see anything inside when he walked over.

He immediately nodded and said, "Okay."

(End of this chapter)