The battle for traffic in Chinese entertainment

Chapter 500: The Problem with "The Three-Body Problem"

Sun Man asked as soon as she got on the bus.

Where is Xu Xing?

"After I changed rooms, I stayed in the room and didn't come out. In the morning, they asked me to bring in a bottle of red wine. For lunch, I had braised shrimp, chicken drumsticks, and broccoli for one person. But I didn't go in and didn't see if there were any other women there."

Xiaoyun gave a concise and to-the-point report.

Sun Man shook her head.

"That means there's someone else present; he doesn't have a preference for drinking red wine alone."

"Oh..." Xiaoyun nodded, "But is it possible that it was prepared for Sister Man?"

"Did I ask you to prepare the flowers?"

Sun Man asked again.

Xiaoyun slowly shook her head.

"No……"

"Then that's not me."

Sun Man smiled.

Xiaoyun couldn't figure out why she was laughing, so she asked her.

"Shall we go straight to Xing-ge's room?"

“No need,” Sun Man shook her head. “Go to your place first. Just head to the airport at 3:45 and go up at 3:30. Didn’t you tell him my flight number? He wants me to go up; he’ll contact me.”

"Oh."

Xiaoyun nodded again.

Sun Man immediately opened her laptop, and the car fell silent.

After a while.

Xiaoyun couldn't resist.

"Brother Xing, isn't this unfair to Sister Man...?"

“Don’t say things like that again,” Sun Man said without looking up, “and don’t have such thoughts.”

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was wrong."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Xu Xing was still somewhat angry.

She had promised herself to be a pure, self-disciplined, and unpretentious young man, but she insisted on coming.

After arriving, she had work to do, and instead of playing quietly by herself or going back first, she lied, causing Xu Xing to break her strict adherence to being clear-headed.

Although she was indeed conscious, she was still disrupted.

Although the experience was not bad, did Xu Xing really enjoy it?
"I didn't lie on purpose. I really felt like I was drunk. I don't usually have such a low alcohol tolerance, but... maybe in front of Xing-ge, I had no resistance at all. I was so afraid that Xing-ge would hate me. My head was all dizzy. I wanted to say goodbye to you... but I don't know how I ended up hugging you. I seduced you. Xing-ge, you hate me, right? I hate myself too."

Liu Haocun lay on Xu Xing's lap, his eyes red, pitifully muttering as he admitted his mistake.

Xu Xing couldn't bear to see it either.

Sigh, in the end, she was just afraid that Xu Xing would hate her, what's wrong with that?
I helped her tidy up her messy hair.

Xu Xingcai asked softly.

Do you still think I hate you now?

"At first, it seemed like he didn't dislike me. Xing-ge seemed very excited and liked me a lot, but after he found out I was lying, it seems like he started to dislike me."

Liu Haocun spoke with some caution.

Her big eyes welled up with tears, like pear blossoms in the rain, making her look pitiful.

Xu Xing sighed.

"What will you do if I really start to hate you?"

"I, I, I..."

Not knowing what to say, Liu Haocun lowered his head with a gloomy expression, hesitantly taking the initiative.

Although Xu Xing has not yet made any requests.

But this perfect position seems to be a hint.

Xu Xingzhen was truly... filled with emotion.

"When in the beginning did I ever hate you?"

She lifted her little face, smiling so hard that her little tiger teeth were showing.

Xu Xing felt it with her hand; it was pointed.

Liu Haocun's cheeks flushed, and he lowered his head again.

This time, she became aware of the problems her little tiger teeth might cause.

However, it is also difficult to avoid.

Because her face is too small, it can't grow big.

Xu Xing is too...

Fortunately, Hsu Hsing remained gentle and patient throughout.

In the quiet afternoon, the sunlight filled the room, making everything look like a beautiful painting.

Time seemed to slow down very, very slowly.

But actually, time wasn't slow; it was just that her efficiency was too low.

Seeing that it was already past 2:15 on her phone, Xu Xing had no choice but to offer to help her.

Then, carrying the dazed and almost unconscious Liu Haocun to the bathroom, he helped her take a quick bath, put on the little dress she had taken off before going to the shower, and then carried her to the mirror where they had just been to dry her hair. Only then did she finally recover and look at Xu Xing in the mirror, smiling sweetly.

"It's getting late. You should go back and prepare to join the film crew. I also need to get ready to head to Hong Kong."

As Xu Xing spoke, she combed her hair and tied it into a ponytail for her.

“Mmm,” Liu Haocun nodded immediately, “It’s a pity we’ve been too busy lately. Once we’re less busy, we…”

She looked hopeful but hesitated to speak.

"Okay, we'll see you when you're done with your work. I'm basically never finished with my work, so you might have to go back to your hometown in Northeast China to see me. The filming location for my next movie is there."

Xu Xing smiled.

"It must be very cold."

She shrugged her shoulders, mimicking a shiver.

Xu Xing bent down and hugged her from behind.

"You don't need to go out."

"Then, does that mean our relationship can't be told to our agent either?"

Liu Haocun smiled, but still asked with some concern.

Xu Xing shook his head.

"It's impossible to keep it from them. I'll have my assistant contact them later, and we'll arrange things more securely when we meet again."

"Oh, oh," Liu Haocun nodded, then asked hopefully, "So we're dating now, right?"

Xu Xing smiled as gently as she had when she watched her clumsy efforts before.

"Of course not, but you can think of it as such."

"..."

Liu Haocun's smile froze for a moment, then he forced another smile.

Because Xu Xing, who was holding her tiny self in his arms in the mirror, was also smiling as he looked at her and asked her a question.

"Ouyang Nana should have given you a clue about my situation, right? Most of the rumors about me are true, so you should have expected that, right?"

"Um……"

Liu Haocun nodded slowly.

She tried hard to keep smiling, but it seemed impossible.

It was her guess, her expectation, her choice, but... After Liu Haocun shifted his gaze from Xu Xing in the mirror to himself, he suddenly smiled.

"Well, there's still a bit of wishful thinking."

"And there's disappointment, isn't there? Everyone says—"

"No."

"There is definitely a chance. It may look good on the outside but is actually rotten inside. It's a one percent or one in a thousand chance. But once it's extinguished, you'll still be disappointed."

"Yes, a little..."

"That's right. Be honest with yourself. There's no need to deceive yourself. Calm down. Once you get back and let go of your impulse, you might have a better choice."

"No—" Liu Haocun stopped himself. "Okay, I'll calm down. Then, what about our relationship?"

She shifted her gaze back to Xu Xing's eyes.

"We'll always be friends."

Xu Xing smiled.

Liu Haocun grinned again, revealing his two canine teeth.

"I'm so happy today, Xing-ge."

Xu Xing released her embrace, straightened up, and smiled as she offered her blessings to Liu Haocun in the mirror.

I hope you can be happy every day from now on.

"Mmmmmmm!"

Liu Haocun nodded repeatedly, his smile growing even wider.

Then, she saw Xu Xing in the mirror turn around and speak to a woman who had appeared behind her at some point.

"Sorry for taking up so much time." That was Xu Xing's closest assistant, Sun Man.

He said she wasted his time.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Are you waiting for me to throw myself into your arms?"

On the way to the airport, Sun Man could no longer bear Xu Xing's gaze.

Xu Xing shook his head.

"When I don't know what to do or what to think, looking at you calms me down."

"Sigh," Sun Man sighed, "I finally got used to our relationship, can you please stop creating these awkward situations every now and then?"

"it is good."

Xu Xing nodded.

"That's also awkward."

Sun Man frowned and criticized.

But the next second, he couldn't furrow his brow anymore.

Because Xu Xing kissed her.

It wasn't until they reached the airport that Sun Man weakly pushed Xu Xing away.

"You just kissed someone else, and then you kiss me? Isn't that annoying?"

"You haven't adapted well yet."

Xu Xing smiled.

Sun Man rolled her eyes at Xu Xing.

"It's very difficult to adapt, okay?"

The plane landed in the port city, and by the time I got back to the villa, it was almost six o'clock in the afternoon.

Erika arrived shortly afterward.

She first congratulated Xu Xing on winning the Best Screenplay award at the Golden Rooster Awards, and then talked about some promotional arrangements for "Childhood Games".

Erika was overjoyed to learn that Xu Xinghui would be attending the global premiere on the 28th of next month, and even cracked a joke.

"It seems you really value this show. I was prepared that you wouldn't attend the premiere. When I came here today, I was even thinking that I would receive a pre-recorded short video to play at the premiere."

"Isn't this show the most important collaboration between Zheng Rong and Netflix?"

Xu Xing smiled as well.

Erika shook her head seriously.

"You are. There's only one reason why everyone is so excited about this show: Your Name."

After praising Xu Xing a few more times, Erika changed the subject.

"I know you've always been a big fan of the great science fiction novel 'The Three-Body Problem.' Netflix has always wanted to adapt this novel, which is of great significance to China and the world. Now we've finally been fortunate enough to acquire the rights, and everyone knows that 'The Three-Body Problem' can't be without you, China's most influential superstar on the world stage. So, join us! I've brought a check with any amount you can write on it as your payment."

Erika's smile was incredibly genuine.

Xu Xing shook her head with great regret.

"It's such a pity, Erika. I really can't act in it because I had already agreed to act in 'The Three-Body Problem' on Tencent Video. The director in charge of filming this series is Yang Lei, who was willing to film my immature 'The Beginning' when I first started out. That series has special meaning for me, and I can't refuse his invitation."

"..."

Erika felt even more regretful than Xu Xing.

This was the most important thing for her to do in Hong Kong, but Xu Xing's reason for refusing left her completely at a loss as to how to persuade him.

Acting in two versions of "The Three-Body Problem" at the same time?
Things that are meaningless to ordinary actors are even less likely for a superstar like Xu Xing to waste her time on.

Erika knew that Xu Xing had been filming on set since her comeback, and that she had a lot of scenes to film.

The most crucial issue is that since Xu Xing has joined Tencent Video's "The Three-Body Problem," it means that Netflix will lose the overseas rights to another of Xu Xing's works.

Although WeTV hasn't made any particularly big moves, simply uploading dramas created in mainland China, its user base is steadily increasing as the influence of Chinese-language dramas expands in Southeast Asia.

Given Tencent's strength, WeTV is destined to be a formidable competitor.

With Disney+ entering Indonesia this September, it has officially joined the streaming wars in Southeast Asia. Netflix is ​​facing increasingly fierce competition, and Erika's work pressure is also increasing.

Besides daily operations, the most important thing is to maintain a good relationship with Hsu Hsing and bind Netflix tightly to this "moat" in Southeast Asia.

But the difficulty is also increasing.

Xu Xing's response also raises the issue that Netflix's rights acquisition department did not have Erika confirm Xu Xing's casting before purchasing the distribution rights to "The Three-Body Problem".

Erika even suspected that they deliberately purchased the overseas rights to "The Three-Body Problem" from Tencent Video after they already knew the inside story about Xu Xing's role in the series, in order to embarrass her.

They now have an excuse to face competition from Disney+, but Erika's inability to invite Xu Xing, or even the fact that Xu Xing was snatched away by Tencent Video, will inevitably draw criticism from headquarters.

An accusation that is completely untenable.

She was the one who maintained the relationship between Netflix and Xu Xing. Why did the copyright acquisition department know that Xu Xing had been snatched away by Tencent Video before she did?
Erika couldn't explain it at all.

Whether she defends herself or not, given that Xu Xing has confirmed she will not appear in Netflix's "The Three-Body Problem," it all indicates that her relationship with Xu Xing is not stable.

In some ways, Erika has indeed become lax.

Due to the pandemic, Erika and Hsu Hsing have hardly met offline this year. Apart from a minor role in "Don't Look Up," Erika has not made any further efforts to "please" Hsu Hsing.

Erika also considered whether Netflix Asia could reduce its reliance on Heo Haeng, given that Korean dramas are performing well in Asia and the Korean film and television industry has been lobbying and trying to win her over.

In comparison, Xu Xing and Zheng Rong were far too domineering in front of her.

Erika now definitely prefers to work with the Korean film and television industry.

So, just when she was at her most relaxed, the question about "The Three-Body Problem" was raised...

After pondering for a long time, Erika, still clinging to a sliver of hope, asked again.

“Xing, is there any possibility that you could act in our ‘Three-Body Problem’? Whatever the possibility, tell me so I can think about how to resolve it. I must admit, it’s a hurdle I have to overcome.”

“I’m really sorry, Erika,” Xu Xing shook his head again, “I can’t change my mind about *The Three-Body Problem*. Perhaps Netflix could try negotiating with Tencent Video to co-develop this version of *The Three-Body Problem* and release it simultaneously on Netflix and WeTV. The production budget for this sci-fi series in China isn’t high, and considering the cost of special effects shots, a co-production isn’t impossible for Tencent Video to accept.”

"For Tencent Video, the most crucial aspect of the 'Three-Body Problem' project is not launching it on WeTV to compete with Netflix for Asian users, but rather producing a high-quality film that meets the expectations of Chinese audiences. You can first spread the word in China about co-producing 'Three-Body Problem' with Tencent Video, and you should be able to see that most Chinese people support this kind of collaboration."

Before the release of Penguin's "The Three-Body Problem" in its previous life, there was a precedent in China of a terrible film version of "The Three-Body Problem" that was so bad it was buried by name, so most people thought that Penguin would mess it up.

Before Netflix released "The Three-Body Problem," even though Tencent's version of "The Three-Body Problem" was already quite good, many people still felt that Netflix's version might also be quite good, but it would be a Western-style narrative.

Netflix's "The Three-Body Problem" only became completely awful after it was released online.

If Netflix and Tencent were to co-produce something now, Netflix would definitely be the one paying and Tencent the one in charge.

Given the growing number of Chinese dramas attracting viewers overseas, it's not impossible that Netflix might, based on Xu Xing's choice, first collaborate with Tencent to produce a version of "The Three-Body Problem," and then produce their own Netflix version of "The Three-Body Problem" in the future.

After Xu Xing finished speaking, Erika thought for a while before laughing again.

"Thank you so much! Luckily, you saved me! At least I have a way to reply to my boss, and it should be feasible."

"You're welcome. We've always supported each other."

Xu Xing smiled.

"Moreover, even if Netflix fails to reach an agreement with Tencent Video, Netflix's 'Three-Body Problem' project will have to be temporarily shelved. With the release of 'Childhood Games,' those minor issues can be resolved."

"I am equally confident!"

Erika's confidence stemmed from the fact that the show should do well, not from solving her problems.

Although she could sense that Xu Xing seemed to have even more confidence in this drama than in "Signal" and "Someday or One Day".

But Xu Xing didn't act in it, which is completely impossible.

At the dinner, Erika was still preoccupied with her conversation with Xu Xing in the afternoon, and showed little interest in the greetings from the Hong Kong film and television industry, giving only perfunctory smiles.

As a result, many people came to ask Hsu Hsing if Netflix lacked confidence in "Childhood Games," which required Hsu Hsing to explain that if they lacked confidence, there wouldn't even be a premiere.

Although Xu Xing came here to give them confidence, she didn't intend to repeat herself over and over again.

"That was only held because of Young Master Xing."

The person next to him laughed loudly to the left.

An awkward silence fell over the room, and Xu Xing was also somewhat speechless.

He played a role in "Childhood Games" and had been consciously trying to get to know Hsu Hsing, but Hsu Hsing hadn't really responded.

Looking at Guo Biting, who was extremely embarrassed beside him, Xu Xing felt that she seemed to have gained some weight, and then he remembered that she had just given birth last month.

What a boring dinner.

The good wife, Wen Yongshan, was unable to attend because she was filming in mainland China.

Many men flirted with Xu Xing, but they were all ordinary types.

As the dinner was drawing to a close, Erika came over and asked Xu Xing to have a private chat with her.

"Will you stay in the port city for a few more days to rest?"

“I have a cameo role in a movie soon,” Xu Xing said helplessly. “I’ve already booked my flight for tomorrow morning.”

"Okay, I had prepared a little surprise for you."

Erika said regretfully.

"A surprise is never too late."

Xu Xing smiled.

Then, following her seemingly meaningful gaze, I was quite surprised to see Guo Biting.

No way!
Xu Xing was a little surprised.

She had just given birth and came from a wealthy family, so how could she possibly get into Erika's unlicensed car?
Seeing Xu Xing's expression, Erika smiled.

She originally wanted to bring people from South Korea, so Xu Xing would need to stay in Hong Kong for a few days.

Looking at Guo Biting was a deliberate attempt to see if Xu Xing was interested, and it seemed so.

Then we'll think of a solution later...

(End of this chapter)