Fooling Huayu for Thirty Years

Chapter 351 "Cellphone" lost money? Serves them right! Dong Qing's 'relationship' exposed? Why is she willing to be a secretary?
"Given the current situation, whether or not the cinema industry in Beijing should suspend operations is still under consideration..."

"Please try to stay home as much as possible...keep the room well-ventilated, and wash your hands frequently!"

"Avoid going to public places if possible..."

"Some Hollywood films have announced changes to their release dates... It's unclear when The Lord of the Rings: The Second Ring will be released."

"Don't panic, everyone. The situation is still under control..."

At the end of 2002, a major event occurred.

The Wang brothers are now as anxious as ants on a hot plate.

Although there is no complete lockdown, it is clear to everyone that the film market is definitely the most affected.

According to assessments by cinema chains, box office revenue is conservatively estimated to drop by 5%.

Moreover, the more important the city, the greater the level of lockdown measures.

The Wang brothers were still not satisfied and used all sorts of connections to invite people to meals.

But the people from the theater chain also made it clear.

Even if cinemas don't close, ordinary people don't want to take that risk!

So even if we increase the number of screenings for your movie "Cellphone", it won't make any difference.

The Wang brothers are now in deep trouble.

Not to mention the investment in this movie, the previous publicity and distribution investment was also very large.

The market is currently in a slump, and it seems like this investment is unlikely to be recovered.

But even the people from the cinema chain couldn't help but criticize them.

The fact that we're allowed to stay open is already a lifeline. Given the current situation, just managing to stay afloat is already a good thing; what more could you possibly want?
The Wang brothers blushed with embarrassment after being spoken to.

But these two were never satisfied.

They also asked: When will this period be over?

They were exasperated: How were we supposed to know!

There was nothing the Wang brothers could do; they had no choice but to give up, even if they didn't want to.

However, since cinemas were still open, "Cellphone" was still showing in theaters.

But the box office... they were originally hoping for over 100 million.

But now that I've calculated it, I'd be lucky if it exceeded 3000 million.

These two were feeling really bad, and they were also suffering from severe internal heat, with their mouths full of large blisters.

If we calculate based on a box office of 3000 million, these brothers have really suffered a major setback this time.

The key point is that they spent a lot of money on the publicity and distribution beforehand, and these two brothers promoted the movie based on the expectation that it would gross over 100 million yuan.

Simply put, they really spent a lot of money.

Moreover, there is a special case.

The two brothers did not consult with other bosses, who were the investors in the film "Cellphone," before they made their decision.

Some things, they just decide for themselves.

It's like they saw that the preview screening went very well, so they decided to invest heavily in it.

They paid for it themselves, so how can they get the investors to share the marketing and promotion costs?

The Wang brothers' idea... is really damn cunning!

However, those investors haven't let the two brothers off the hook yet.

The phone has been ringing non-stop these days.

"Mr. Wang, isn't your operation a bit too reckless this time?"

"There was indeed an oversight, please forgive me, Mr. Zhang."

“We have a relationship, but this understanding…”

"We will definitely make Mr. Zhang satisfied."

Zhang Xinming directly addressed them as "Boss Wang," which clearly showed his dissatisfaction.

In fact, the Wang brothers had received several calls from bosses before.

Fortunately, they were able to handle it.

The method is very simple: they use substitution.

They were originally in advertising, and the most common payment method in the advertising industry is not money, but various forms of exchange.

For example, real estate and cars, anything that can be used to offset the cost is acceptable.

But this time, it's the other way around.

If the money for "Cell Phone" is a little short, then we brothers will advertise for you!
After discussing it, the investors agreed that it was acceptable.

Some people have also invested in a lot of projects.

Take Zhou Zhengyi, for example. He's almost finished with the demolition work, and he's already demolished a lot of houses.

He'll definitely be developing real estate in the future, and then the Wang brothers will be the ones advertising it.

But Zhang Xinming is different!

He's a coal mine owner; he doesn't need to advertise at all!
These days, coal is very valuable, so why bother with advertising? The key is in mining it.

As a result, the Wang brothers also had a headache.

Fortunately, they came up with a solution.

"In our future investments, Huo Siyan will definitely be our first consideration."

"Mr. Zhang can trust Huayi's film and television production capabilities..."

Surprisingly, this trick actually worked somewhat.

Zhang Xinming is one of the investors. After all, it's still uncertain whether "Cellphone" will lose money, but the Wang brothers made such a guarantee.

This can also be considered a kind of 'displacement'.

It's turned into a resource.

Well, Huo Siyan is by Zhang Xinming's side in another form?
Fortunately, Pengcheng Xiaoma is currently only working on QQ and hasn't started making games yet.

"Then let's leave it at that... I should add one more thing: communication technology is very advanced now, and you brothers don't need to be so autocratic when making decisions."

Zhang Xinming agreed, but that last sentence was clearly a warning to the Wang brothers.

The Wang brothers, of course, said all sorts of nice things on the surface, but in their hearts they were cursing them quite filthy.

This can be considered a solution to the problem of Zhang Xinming, the coal mine owner.
Small benefits, okay?

But then, the two Wang brothers did some thinking on their own.

"From now on, we must keep any news about potential financial losses a secret!"

"Got it! These guys just need to give us the money, that's all!"

"Damn it! I can't swallow this!"

The eldest son's words also expressed the second son's true feelings.

But now, there's nothing we can do if we want to cause trouble.

Because there are no new films by Ma Xun available on the market.

"Zhou Yu's Train" isn't Ma Xun's work either. They're still airing a TV series there, but unfortunately, "Love Through Time" is going to be rebroadcast.

There's nothing we can do!
So the Wang brothers could only get angry?

"By the way, what's Dong Qing all about? What does she do?"

"Yes! It's her! Let her talk too much!"

The Wang brothers' ruthlessness then came into play.

Their previous methods were very cunning. Although the box office of "Cellphone" has only been average since its release and it can't go any further, the social impact has already been generated.

It was the Wang brothers who spent money to make it happen.

The effects are undeniable; now, the two hottest topics are basically what people across the country care about most.

One is SA-RS, and the other is whether Cui Yongyuan is really like Yan Shouyi in "Cellphone," seemingly respectable on the surface but actually a scoundrel behind the scenes.

Cheating, all sorts of scandals and such...

In fact, some reporters actually asked about this directly during interviews.

Even with his excellent self-control, Cui couldn't help but lose his temper.

Then the reporter used some subtle hints to suggest that Cui was so angry because he had cheated on his wife!
Needless to say, the general public was definitely excited, and the reporter also received a bonus.

But Xiao Cui is in a much worse situation.

Even at this point, Cui Yongyuan only said that rumors stop with the wise.

That's true, but unfortunately, it's completely useless.

However, there was one person who spoke out very righteously!
That's Dong Qing!
From the social impact generated by the preview screenings of the movie "Cellphone," she went all out.

Articles continued to be published after that.

It must be emphasized that Dong Qing's articles are all based on sound reasoning, and the facts are clear and the logic is sound.

Even when he was criticizing, he did so in a very logical and reasoned way.

In a short time, Dong Qing gained a huge number of fans and her popularity skyrocketed!

Among stage hosts, she is already a shining star.

Will the Wang brothers let her go?

Find a ghostwriter and start cursing!
……

The building is equipped with a platform.

"Xiao Dong, you shouldn't get involved in that 'Cellphone' thing."

"Boss, I don't understand what you mean."

"Don't understand? Are you pretending to be confused?"

"Of course not! But, I ask you, sir, did I say something wrong? Did I spread rumors or slander anyone? Or did I hurt anyone?"

"Well... Xiao Dong, I admit that there's nothing wrong with the articles you publish online, but you need to know that you're a public figure, and you represent our TV station. You... well, you just can't say whatever you want."

"Boss, I didn't speak carelessly. I was just stating the facts, but..."

"You! Your question... wait a minute..."

Dong Qing has been very active lately, at least online.

In this public statement, Dong Qing admitted that it was planned in advance with Ma Xun.

However, after her article was seen by many netizens, it received a lot of praise and recognition.

Cool!
Dong Qing felt that the internet, as a medium, had a special advantage: it allowed for interaction!
Although she has interacted with the audience at the TV station for so many years, it really can't compare to the internet.

Moreover, her identity did indeed play a significant role, attracting many netizens who came specifically to see her.

More and more people are paying attention to her. Dong Qing even feels that even if she doesn't become a host, she can still make a name for herself online.

Interestingly, the more she wrote, the more she wanted to write, and the more she loved writing.

At first she was a little unfamiliar with it, but later she felt as if she had the strength of an ox!

After all, he was originally a host, and he had read countless commentary articles, even if he hadn't written them himself.

Ma Xun had originally told her that two or three articles would be enough at most.

But she couldn't stop once she started, and now she's published a dozen or twenty articles!

We live in the blog era, and the advantage of blogs is that you can write longer posts.

In short, Dong Qing is full of energy right now.

Okay, the boss has spoken to her.

And her current behavior... is she really that stubborn?
Actually, this is also part of the plan!

"Take a look for yourself!" The leader found a few newspapers and threw them in front of Dong Qing.

"This..." Dong Qing's face flushed with anger upon seeing this. "They're slandering us! This is spreading rumors!"

It turns out that the newspaper article contained news about Dong Qing and Xiao Cui having an affair.

Our mainland newspapers are alright; they can't go too far with their writing, but even in those newspaper articles, they still explicitly and implicitly say:

Dong Qing, you must be someone special to speak up for Cui Yongyuan like this!
Now, this is working!

Dong Qing's expression at this moment was one of utter rage. "How dare they do this! Boss, you don't believe me, do you?"

The leaders naturally couldn't believe it, but now...

"I certainly believe you, but look at what people are saying..."

"We will never yield!" Dong Qing's spirit was truly impressive.

pity.

The leader finally said, "Why don't you go back and rest for a few days?"

"I... okay."

Dong Qing had no choice but to obey his superiors.

However, according to Ma Xun, going back to rest was called "retreating to advance."

……

As planned, Ma Xun arrived in Xi'an once again.

The filming of "Heroes of Heaven and Earth" is currently in a very good state.

Of course, we must pay attention to hygiene and take preventative measures.

Ma Xun didn't say much; he donated one million yuan as soon as the pandemic began.

These days, donating a million yuan directly, especially in one's own name, is a considerable sum.

He wasn't doing it for fame; he genuinely wanted to make a contribution.

That's how it should be, because he knew many things that happened later.

It's not a conspiracy theory; many insightful people in our country have analyzed it later and concluded that it was the Americans who did it.

Especially the later one.

They themselves admit it.

In terms of prevention and control, this time it was much more relaxed than the later one.

This was also because the infectivity was not as high as it was later.

Of course, we cannot let our guard down.

The negative impact of this SA-RS incident is truly significant.

As for its impact on the film industry alone... Ma Xun read relevant analytical articles when he was in school.

Simply put, it reduced box office revenue by at least 50%.

It should also be clarified that the impact will linger for a considerable period of time after it ends.

Therefore, according to this analysis, the original box office for the movie "Cellphone" was 5600 million, but in reality, Feng Xiaogang and his team changed the release date.

But it was still affected.

In other words, "Cellphone" is indeed a movie that has the potential to gross over 100 million!
Nowadays, even 3000 million is a struggle.

Ma Xun really tricked the Wang brothers and Feng Xiaogang... Serves you right for messing with me!

Okay, let's not talk about that anymore.

Regarding this movie, Wang Yu just called.

He talked to Cui Yongyuan, as well as the Wang brothers and Feng Xiaogang's predicament.

Of course, Ma Xun wouldn't say, "I tricked them."

That's what he said.

"The production of the movie 'Cell Phone' is actually quite remarkable. The actors' performances, the use of camera angles, and so on are all excellent works."

However, the content of this movie is too offensive. Cui Yongyuan didn't provoke them, and as far as I know, he doesn't have any issues with his personal conduct.

The Wang brothers, Feng Xiaogang, and others have first harmed people, and then damaged the harmony of heaven.

As the saying goes, retribution may be delayed, but it will come eventually.

They deserve this retribution!

At the end, Wang Yu burst into laughter.

To summarize Ma Xun's words: He deserved it!

But when he said that, it became reasonable and well-founded.

After chatting with Wang Yu about some trivial matters, the call ended.

Just as Ma Xun was about to hang up, another call came in.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Dong Qing.

"Where are you?"

"So, you've finally found some free time?"

"You already know, why are you asking?"

Ma Xun clearly anticipated the actions of the leader who was setting up the stage.

The rumors and slander against Dong Qing were definitely orchestrated by the Wang brothers.

Fortunately, Ma Xun had anticipated the Wang brothers' actions!

"Don't worry, I should already be taking action on my end."

Ma Xun's words reassured Dong Qing, but the well-known host was also quite surprised.

"Are you no longer in the capital?"

Ma Xun had no choice but to tell the truth, "I still have projects here at Western Film City, but you really don't need to worry."

Are Dong Qingren's family worried?

"I... I'll come to your place, okay?"

"Ah, this... seems a bit difficult, doesn't it?"

Ma Xun wasn't lying; the situation in Beijing is currently very strict.

Dong Qing's meaning was simple: since she would probably be free for a while anyway, she might as well go find Ma Xun.

And then... hehehe...

The famous host is getting more and more flamboyant.

Ma Xun wasn't against Dong Qing coming; it would be good if she came, but there's something else going on here...

"Hey, wait a minute."

"what happened?"

"Oh, it's Sister Tao. I'll hang up now."

Zou Tao?

What did she come to see Dong Qing for?
Although the call ended, Ma Xun laughed.

Is Zou Tao jealous?

Surely they're not going to hire Dong Qing to mine minerals.

Cough cough, what are you thinking about?

However, Ma Xun immediately turned on his computer.

Sure enough, Wang Changtian and his men had already taken action.

Some articles debunking these rumors have already appeared online.

It's basically about 'exposing' his photos with Dong Qing, along with some seemingly plausible gossip.

This was something they had planned beforehand.

Wait a minute, could it be that Zou Tao came to see Dong Qing because of this?
It's getting more and more interesting.

Regardless of Zou Tao's situation, let's just talk about this bombshell.

This is absolutely the best counterattack against the previous rumors about Dong Qing!
Her real boyfriend, Dong Qing, is actually me, Ma Xun, this young master from Beijing!
This way, we can definitely help Dong Qing out of this predicament.

Don't forget, Ma Xun had already made arrangements beforehand.

Those two idiots, the Wang brothers... You wouldn't believe it, would you? Actually, your every move was part of my plan, and I even took advantage of it.

After this incident, Dong Qing will definitely be able to get into a rhythm.

She was wrongly accused, and now the case has been quickly overturned, and then...

Just then, there was a knock on Ma Xun's door.

who?

This is a luxury suite in a high-end hotel; it should be very safe.

So Ma Xun casually opened the door, but unexpectedly, a mature beauty rushed into his arms.

"How about I be your secretary?"

What is the situation?

What's worse, she was kissing Ma Xun while she was talking.

Moreover, it keeps going down.

hiss~
Being a secretary is fine, but why do you have to use your mouth too...?

(End of this chapter)