Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 433 Oil!
When preparing for and budgeting "Mojin: The Lost Legend", the domestic box office ceiling was 10 billion to 12 billion yuan. Wan Da also made the estimate based on this data. Don't listen to Ye Ning's claim of 20 billion yuan at the press conference. That was just for the media and the audience. If he really believed in 20 billion yuan, he wouldn't have only approved 1.8 million yuan for Li Qiutang's production costs.

But things are different now. This year's "Transformers 4" grossed 19.7 billion yuan in mainland China, already approaching the 20 billion yuan mark.

If we make reasonable predictions based on market growth, the highest box office for a single film in the domestic market next year will definitely exceed 20 billion yuan.

With this achievable ceiling in place, given Vanta's style, they dare to raise the price!
If we're going to do something, we should aim for the highest and best. I have the best directors, the best teams, and the best resources in China. I'm also making the biggest IP. Why shouldn't I dare to touch the 20 billion ceiling?
The next day, Li Qiutang learned that the production team had gone over budget and that several producers had met with Ye Ning the day before to ask for more money.

He didn't think much of it; it was only 4000 million, and each of the four production companies could contribute 1000 million.

He only cares about spending money; when they're short of funds, the producers and executive producers go to the investors for more.

He continued filming diligently every day, adhering to his own pace and high standards for film quality.

However, Ye Ning still came to visit the set. As the producer and executive producer, she couldn't just let him pay for it whenever she mentioned budget overruns. She had to come and see for herself.

Li Qiutang understood what the investor was thinking, so he showed Ye Ning the set that had been built on site, the working conditions on site, and the clips that had been edited together, which made him more confident in investing.

Anyone with eyes can tell from the moment they stepped into the "Mojin: The Lost Legend" studio that this film cost a fortune.

Wanda lacks experience in producing blockbusters. If they were to assemble their own team to make such a mega-blockbuster, who knows how many problems would arise.

“Director, the previous one didn’t work,” the QC 3D tuning director’s voice came through Li Qiutang’s walkie-talkie. “It’s worn out.”

"Are you dressed?" Li Qiutang muttered. "Send the footage back to the monitor, I'll take another look."

Li Qiutang was still reviewing the previous footage when she heard the camera operator say, "Director, let's keep that last clip."

According to Li Qiutang's experience, if a photographer claims to guarantee one shot, it's highly likely that he didn't turn on the camera, or turned it on a few seconds too late and didn't capture the whole shot.

Li Qiutang glared at him and said, "Let me finish reading this first."

This is how the crew works every day: ten thousand problems are waiting to be dealt with, and every piece of footage takes a lot of time and effort.

Ye Ning was taken to see the edited footage, while Li Qiutang handled the crew's work on set.

After 10 hours of shooting, I only managed to get one usable clip.

"Honey, wanna grab a late-night snack? My treat." It's almost midnight, and she actually has the leisure for that.

Before Li Qiutang could speak, Liu Yifei grabbed his arm and dragged him outside: "Come on, you've been working all day, you should relax. It's been so long since we went on a date."

Li Qiutang had no choice but to go out with her.

"Isn't her name Cindy?"

"Why call her? To be a third wheel?" Liu Yifei laughed.

In the city, it would be really hard to find food at this time, but it's different at the film and television base, where all kinds of snacks and restaurants are open 24 hours a day.

It was called a date, but it was really just the two of them going out for a stroll and a meal. However, it was a rare opportunity to steal such a chance amidst their busy filming schedules.

"Don't pull me, it's hot." The autumn heat was still there, and Li Qiutang didn't want her to be close to her.

Liu Yifei punched him lightly, feigning anger, and said, "You just proposed last month, and now you won't let me touch you?"

"Ugh, it's so hot."

"What's wrong with touching you?" She became even more enthusiastic, pulling Li Qiutang's arm into her lap. "Is it illegal for me to touch my own husband?"

"It's not illegal, it's not illegal." Li Qiutang let her hug him, but he was really a little hot.

The two found a roadside food stall, sat down, ordered a few dishes, and ate and talked.

"Honey, try this oyster, it's very fresh and tender."

"Honey, have you eaten the chives?" "They also have braised turtle here, do you want some?"

Li Qiutang said irritably, "Are you trying to kill me with this? It's so hot."

"Are you tired from work? Eat something good to replenish your energy and blood."

Li Qiutang laughed and said, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were dissatisfied with me."

Liu Yifei rolled her eyes and remained silent.

Neither of them ate much. Liu Yifei suddenly complained to Li Qiutang, "Ugh, why do you have to impose alcohol control on the set? This is the perfect time for a little drink."

Li Qiutang laughed and said, "I can turn a blind eye to other people secretly drinking, but you can't."

He then mocked her, saying, "You talk like you're some kind of wine connoisseur, someone who gets red in the face after two cups and collapses after three. What are you drinking?"

"That time in Australia..."

"Oh dear! That happened hundreds of years ago, why are you bringing it up!" Doesn't Liu Yifei have any pride? Of all the people who witnessed that incident in Australia, only Li Qiutang did, and she still ended up marrying him!

Li Qiutang wasn't about to let her off the hook. She gestured and said, "I thought you'd drunk ten or eight bottles back then. This is just a big bottle, you were as drunk as a dead dog."

"Are you ever going to stop?!" This is considered one of the darkest moments in her life.

"She lay there calling for her mother."

Liu Yifei is blushing now.

"But you have a good drinking habit." The time in Australia was also the only time Li Qiutang saw Liu Yifei drunk. "When she was drunk, she just lay there and didn't make a fuss."

"A person's character is reflected in their drinking habits," Liu Yifei said, then leaned closer and laughed, "That's when you started having designs on me, wasn't it?"

"Tsk, I've said it hundreds of times, and you're still saying it." This time it was Li Qiutang's turn to get impatient.

"Hey, don't be shy. Tell me again, did you like me back then? A woman doesn't have a chance if she doesn't get drunk." I don't know where she learned these things, it must have been taught by Shu Chang's group of good friends. "When I'm drunk and lying in your arms, doesn't it feel a bit like a concubine in a drunken stupor, and then you fall in love with me at first sight and keep pestering me?"

"Stop flattering yourself," Li Qiutang said bluntly. "You almost threw up all over me. What 'Drunken Concubine' nonsense?"

Liu Yifei chuckled and continued to tease her husband: "Hey, tell me honestly, when I was drunk and lying in your bed, didn't you take advantage of me or anything?" She then raised an eyebrow.

"What do you take me for? I'm the righteous young man."

"You don't even have any thoughts about a beautiful woman like me lying next to you?" Liu Yifei's smile was a little mischievous, yet also a little amusing. The sketch Li Qiutang had drawn of her sleeping was now tucked inside Liu Yifei's book.

"It's impossible to say there isn't one."

"Yes, you did. Tell me," she said, getting even more excited. "Did you secretly kiss me?"

"How could I, someone without a title or status, do such a thing? What if you wake up and accuse me of indecent assault?"

"I saw you sleeping there, so I thought about it."

What are you thinking about?

"I was thinking, such a pretty girl, I wonder which bastard will end up with her." Li Qiutang laughed as she said this, "Back then I never thought I would pursue you. In the end, I'm the one who got lucky, oh dear."

Liu Yifei just laughed and said, "Look at you now, acting all innocent after getting the benefit."

Li Qiutang took his wife's hand in a flattering manner and kissed it: "I'm so lucky to have married such a wonderful wife."

"Oily!" Liu Yifei wiped her hands with a tissue, complaining, but her face was still beaming.

(End of this chapter)