Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 555: Buta gets a promotion and a raise, and reaches the pinnacle of life. The crazy villagers of Shara
As the sky gradually darkened, the film production team's convoy finally arrived at Xiala Village.

As soon as the convoy arrived at the entrance of Xiala Village, the members immediately got off the vehicles and began busy preparations at the village entrance:
Install the big screen for the movie, set up the projector, install the sound equipment, set up the lighting, start the generator...

A series of work is proceeding in an orderly manner.

It is worth mentioning that these tasks were not performed by white technicians, but mainly by local black people.

White technicians only provided guidance and collaboration, and the main work was left to the black people.

"It seems that the expansion and training of the film projection team is progressing smoothly. The locals can get started so quickly." Betty obviously noticed this and said with a smile.

"Buta has put a lot of effort into this aspect, and he has helped me a lot." Lin Yuan nodded.

The film production team that came with the old director could not stay in Congo for a long time.

They were just technicians, responsible for helping to train enough projectionists locally, and then they would leave their equipment behind and return to New York alone.

The final film tour screening work will still be handed over to people hired locally.

After Buta came to the film projection team, in addition to being responsible for presiding over the film projection work, he also took over the work of recruiting personnel and forming a team.

Thanks to his efforts, there are now nearly 200 local employees.

As these employees mature, they can serve as seeds to expand into more projectionists.

At that time, the film projection team could leave the Kisangani area and tour the entire Congo region.

In a country as big as Congo, at least 30,000 film projectionists would be needed, which would be a massive undertaking.

Don't think that 20 film projectionists sounds exaggerated, but Congo is the second largest country in Africa. If we only look at villages without considering towns, there are nearly villages across the country.

If a projection team is set up in every 30 villages to tour and show the films, then nearly 7 projection teams will be needed.

Assuming that each projection team has 5 to 7 people, projectionists is actually relatively few, and the manpower is simply stretched to the limit.

Betty also understood Lin Yuan's plan. She smiled and said, "I've already registered the company for you. I just need you to complete the organizational structure and inject capital."

"I won't thank you," Lin Yuan replied. "I'll tell Buta the news shortly and congratulate him on becoming the general manager of the Congo Film Projection Company."

With more than 7000 projection teams and more than 30000 employees, an organization of this size naturally cannot be managed in a fragmented and arbitrary manner.

An effective management and assessment organization must be established, so Lin Yuan set up a film projection company to specifically handle this work.

The company's senior management is naturally mainly composed of parachuted employees of Linyuan Pictures, but the position of general manager must undoubtedly be reserved for a local, and Buta is of course the most suitable candidate.

At this time, Buta, who was wearing a plaid Versace suit, had no idea that a huge pie had fallen on his head.

He was standing in the distance, pulling a tall black woman.

It seemed that the black woman had concerns and was unwilling to come with Buta.

After trying to persuade him for a while without any results, Buta had no choice but to walk towards Lin Yuan alone.

As Buta walked in, Lin Yuan took two steps forward and hugged him.

"I haven't seen you for just a few days, and you've gained a lot of weight. If you continue like this, you won't be able to wear those brand-name suits soon. Don't expect me to get you a new one." Lin Yuan teased with a smile.

"Have I really gained weight? That's a work-related injury! You have to reimburse me for the new suit!" Buta protested.

"Work injury?" Lin Yuan asked curiously.

"During the recent movie screenings, the villagers in every village we visited were so welcoming. They desperately fed us food, and we had no choice but to eat." Buta said helplessly, spreading his hands.
“Those villagers believe that if we don’t eat, they will suspect that we will not come to show movies again.

Therefore, in order to leave the village smoothly, we had to eat too much food every day. Except for me, the other members of the projection team also gained a lot of weight!

How can this not be considered a work-related injury?"

"Hahaha, now that you mention it, it really is a work injury. Don't worry, Buta, if the suit really can't fit you anymore, I'll buy you a new one." Betty on the side laughed and said happily.

"Beautiful Miss Adams, I finally meet you. Thank you for taking the trouble to purchase so many tasteful suits for me." Buta said enthusiastically.

Although this was the first time he and Betty met, they had already known each other through the time they bought suits.

Betty still found this funny guy from Sap quite interesting.

She smiled and said, "Mr. Buta, this suit suits you very well. You look very handsome."

"No, no, no, I completely pale in comparison to you. I knew you were beautiful from the photos and news, but after seeing you in person, I realized the camera can't even capture one tenth of your beauty.

"Only a woman as beautiful and intelligent as you can be worthy of a godlike man like Lin Yuan." Buta complimented in an exaggerated tone.

"Hahahaha, thank you for the compliment." Betty replied with a big laugh, obviously in a good mood.

If anyone else had said what Buta said, it would have sounded pompous and insincere.

But it makes much more sense when it comes from Sap, who is known for his exaggeration.

What's more, Buta's words focused on praising her and Lin Yuan's good match. These words touched Betty's heart. Even though they were a bit exaggerated, they made Betty in a good mood.

Lin Yuan said disdainfully, "Originally I wanted to tell you good news, but now I think you might be a sycophantic traitor, so I need to reconsider whether to withdraw my decision."

"Stop! I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart. You can insult my personality, but you can't insult my loyalty!" Buta shouted exaggeratedly.

"Okay, stop teasing him. If you don't give him the position of general manager, who else can you give it to?" Betty said with a smile.

"General Manager?" Buta was confused.

"Well, I have registered a company responsible for touring film screenings in Congo. From now on, all playback equipment, screening operations, and personnel rewards and punishments will be placed within this framework. I plan to appoint you as the general manager of this company," Lin Yuan said.

Upon hearing the news, Buta was stunned.

More than half a month ago, he was a poor man who could only ride on a large flatbed boat, and now he is about to become the general manager of a company?

"Lin Yuan, I don't have the ability to handle such a high position. I'm worried that I'll be a hindrance and ruin your business." Buta refused in panic.

"Don't worry about that. The fact that I've appointed you as general manager shows that you're capable enough." Lin Yuan consoled him, "I'll arrange a whole management team for you, and they can take care of the professional matters.

Your most important job is to expand the staff as quickly as possible, and you have recently proved that you can do this job well.

I need you to help me expand the team of projectionists to over 3 people within a year."

Upon hearing the number of 30,000, Buta, who had been relaxing, immediately tensed up.

"3... 3 people? Such a big company wants me to be the general manager? Lin Yuan, I really can't afford it." Buta originally thought it was just a small company, but didn't expect it to be a behemoth.

And from what Lin Yuan said, 3 people is only the goal for the first phase, and it may even grow larger in the future.

This made Buta worry again whether he could control such a huge beast.

"You really don't want the position of general manager? The annual salary is 200 million US dollars, and there is a 3% dividend bonus." Lin Yuan said with a smile.

"2...200 million US dollars annual salary? And 3% dividends? I'll do it! This general manager position is mine!" Buta said immediately.

Are you kidding? How could you possibly give up such a high-paying job?

Buta agreed instinctively without even thinking about it.

After agreeing, he said distressedly, "Lin Yuan, if we show movies for free and provide free medical treatment and medicine and food, won't the company go bankrupt soon?"

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "This will be a platform that covers Africa's second largest country and penetrates the grassroots level directly to the people at the bottom. Are you actually worried about losses?"

"Advertising investment?" Buta asked uncertainly.

"Advertising is only a part of it. It can also provide sufficient lubricant for our business expansion. Just for this reason, I am willing to do it at a loss." Lin Yuan replied with a smile.

Once Lin Yuan has built up a favorable impression throughout Congo through the film screening team, the resistance encountered when Lin Yuan's overall development plan is expanded to the whole country will inevitably be greatly reduced.

After hearing Lin Yuan's explanation, Buta still seemed confused.

But Lin Yuan did not explain it to him immediately. He said that Buta would gradually understand it in the future work.

After finishing the business, Lin Yuan pointed at the woman in the distance and said, "That's your ex-wife, right?"

"Well, but we have reconciled and remarried." Buta replied.

"Don't you want to introduce her to us? Why don't you bring her here?" Lin Yuan asked.

"She felt a little embarrassed and didn't want to come over." Buta said helplessly.

"Then should we go and meet her? Is it appropriate to do so?" Lin Yuan asked.

"Of course it's suitable! I was worried that she wouldn't dare to come over, and you wouldn't want to go over either." Buta happily took a step forward and led the way: "Come, I'll take you there."

Lin Yuan took Betty's hand and walked towards the woman with a serious expression.

Betty nodded beside her. She could fully understand Lin Yuan's worries at this moment.

Like Lin Yuan, Betty also had no good feelings towards Buta's wife.

She married Buta because she was attracted by Buta's slightly "sensational" aura.

Who doesn't know that Sap is just trying to be rich?

Apart from the suit, every Sap is struggling to make ends meet. Being penniless is considered the worst, and being in debt is the norm.

Apart from attracting the attention of the public in the slums and becoming the focus of public attention, Sap is not suitable to live with at all. He can be said to be the most unqualified husband and father.

But she still chose Buta, which shows that she is quite vain.

But if it was just vanity, it wouldn't make Lin Yuan hate her.

After all, there are almost no women who are not vain, it’s just a matter of degree.

Wanting women to be less vain is just like wanting men to be less lustful, both are against human nature.

This is the underlying setting engraved in our genes.

What really made Lin Yuan dislike Buta's wife was her act of abandoning their son.

There are also cases in China where wives abandon their husbands and children and run away alone because of poverty. This can be said to be a very common phenomenon in poor families.

Buta's wife might have had her reasons, but Lin Yuan still looked down on her. If the husband was reliable and responsible, and his wife abandoned the child to be raised by him, while this behavior should be condemned, at least the child would still have food to eat and grow up.

But Sap is obviously an extremely unreliable husband and father. Leaving the child to such a father is no different from ignoring the child's life or death.

Therefore, Lin Yuan disliked Buta's wife very much:

Before, for the sake of my own life, I just left without caring about the child's life or death.

Now that you see Buta is on the rise, you want to come back and take advantage of the situation?
If Buta is just Lin Yuan's friend, it is not appropriate for him to interfere too much in Buta's personal life. As long as he is willing, outsiders should just keep quiet.

Kebuta is also Lin Yuan's capable subordinate and will be responsible for important affairs in Congo and the entire African region in the future.

If such an important subordinate has a bad wife at home, it would be like a bomb that could explode at any time.

How many men who could have had a bright future have had their lives ruined by their foolish wives?
So Lin Yuan planned to meet Buta, his "unable to share hardships" wife. If she was really unreliable, he would try to persuade Buta.

Under Buta's guidance, Lin Yuan and Betty came to Buta's wife.

Buta's wife seemed quite reserved and seemed to be burdened with a heavy burden.

"This is my boss, world-renowned action star Lin Yuan."

"This is Miss Adams, from a prominent American political family."

"This is my wife, Rita."

Buta introduced them one by one.

"Hello, Miss Rita. I heard that you left Buta before. I'm curious about what opportunity brought you back together?" Lin Yuan chose to get straight to the point. He didn't beat around the bush and test the waters slowly.

Although this way of communication is not very friendly, it allows Lin Yuan to see Rita's truest side the fastest.

Hearing Lin Yuan's words, Buta instinctively wanted to intervene and speak for his wife, but Betty pulled his sleeve and signaled him to hand it over to Lin Yuan.

"Buta brought a film projection team to the Kato community in Kisangani to screen movies. I happened to be doing odd jobs there some time ago and saw him..." said Rita.

"I guess you didn't take the initiative to look for him." Lin Yuan had already seen the answer from Rita's eyes, which was not what he expected.

Rita lowered her head and said with some guilt, "I abandoned him and the child in the first place, so how could I have the nerve to take the initiative to reconcile with him? It's just that seeing that he is living a good life and that our son's life should be more secure, I feel much more at ease."

"Then how did you meet again?" Lin Yuan asked.

"It's Buta," Rita said.

"Buta?"

"Well, he secretly included a missing person notice with my photo in every movie poster. My friends saw the missing person notice and ran to inform Buta," said Rita.

After hearing this explanation, Lin Yuan was speechless.

He hadn't expected that Buta would secretly smuggle in his own merchandise while promoting the movie.

The film screening was such a sensation that it was publicized throughout the Kisangani area that it was no wonder he was able to find a wife.

Even if his wife is not in Kisangani, he will find her sooner or later as the projection team travels across the country.

"Lin Yuan, I'm sorry, I secretly included my own product in the publicity. But I didn't embezzle any money. I paid for the printing of the missing person notice myself." Buta explained anxiously.

He was quite frightened. After all, he had smuggled the missing person notice without consulting Lin Yuan in advance. In many companies, such behavior would be considered a serious dereliction of duty and would result in direct dismissal.

"Mr. Lin, please don't blame him. He just wants to help his son find his mother. I have already hurt them both. Please don't let him lose his career that has just improved because of this incident." Rita pleaded.

"As long as you don't punish him, you can punish me in any way you want." Rita said anxiously.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Lin Yuan stopped the couple: "This is too melodramatic. Are you filming a TV show?"

Lin Yuan looked at Rita and said, "He's the one who made the mistake. If I want to hold him responsible, I have to punish him. What good will it do me to punish you?"

Lin Yuan's answer left Rita speechless.

Then, Lin Yuan looked at Buta helplessly and said, "Buta, why didn't you tell me? Would I stop you?"

Buta said guiltily, "I did this for some unknown reason. I was afraid you would laugh at me."

"Laughing at you?" Lin Yuan asked curiously.

"I know you've always hated the term 'suck-up', right? You've always looked down on men like us who choose to forgive our wives when they make mistakes. I'm worried that you'll look down on me..." Buta said with some guilt.

"Then why did you confess today? If you didn't say it, I wouldn't ask, right?" Lin Yuan asked.

"Because Rita told me that if people want to get along with each other for a long time, there must be no deception or concealment. Sincerity is the foundation of a long-term relationship." Buta replied, "So even if it means losing my job, I still have to tell you. Otherwise, I won't feel at ease."

"Stop, stop, stop! You're being ridiculous again! I told you it's not a big deal, and I can't fire you for it." Lin Yuan said helplessly, "If you feel guilty, work hard to make up for it."

"Thank you, Lin Yuan."

"What are you thanking me for? Remember what Rita told you: sincerity is the most solid foundation for long-term relationships between people." Lin Yuan said, "I won't interfere in your private affairs. Take care of them yourself."

"I will," Buta replied happily.

"The movie is about to start, it's time for you to go on stage." Lin Yuan said, pointing to the stage not far away.

"Ah! It's about to start. I'll go get busy first." After saying that, Buta hurried away with his wife.

After they left, Betty smiled and asked, "Just let it go like that? Do you think Rita can accept it? It feels like lifting you up high and then letting you down gently."

Lin Yuan shook his head and said, "It's not up to me to decide whether to accept it or not. It's up to Buta to make his own choice. I will only consider intervening if his wife is extremely bad and affects the work I have assigned to Buta.

Now it seems that he may not be a good person, but he is not that bad either. Let Buta deal with it himself."

Betty nodded. "A poor couple has many sorrows. We are not qualified to judge the Buta couple. Who knows what kind of life they went through back then?"

"Yes, I will announce Buta's personnel appointment tomorrow and let the company's management arrive here as soon as possible." Lin Yuan replied.

"Okay, the business is done. Now it's time for my mental massage." Betty said with a smile.

"Spiritual massage?"

"Yes, go to the movie screenings. What I like most is to see others staring at your movie with their mouths wide open in amazement and cheering. For me, that is the greatest enjoyment." Betty said with a smile.

"I like it too. Sister Betty, let me go with you." GAKKI, who had finished arranging the screening team's check-in for tonight, came over and took Betty's hand.

"You guys go, I won't go." Lin Yuan said.

Lin Yuan has become a little numb to seeing everyone praising him, and he even feels a little embarrassed to see it all the time.

If Betty and GAKKI-chan like it, just let them go.

"Then we'll go first. You stay in the thatched house and wait for us to come back." Betty threw a coquettish glance and pulled GAKKI-chan towards the open space at the village entrance.

Lin Yuan turned around and waved to Saragama.

Saragama immediately understood and followed the two women, taking charge of security.

After doing all this, he returned to the thatched hut alone.

Light a fire, grab the rock grilling slabs, and grill some delicious venison.

Although he had eaten venison for several days, he didn't feel sick of it at all.

How could you get sick of such a juicy and plump piece of meat?

While Lin Yuan was enjoying the delicious barbecue, the sound of a movie playing came from a distance. Tonight's movie was still "The King of Spy Wars".

"I have to say, the sound effects are really good. Playing in such a spacious venue, the sound is quite clear. Even some bass tracks are not lost." Lin Yuan exclaimed.

The next moment, cheers from afar were like thunder, even drowning out the movie soundtrack.

Obviously, "The King of Spy Wars" lived up to expectations and received rave reviews again.

Compared with the fishermen in the Barkawi slum, the villagers of Shara Village are obviously even more unworldly. How could they resist the visual shock from "The King of Spy"?

So from the beginning of the movie, and almost throughout the entire movie, the villagers of Xiala Village kept cheering.

In the end, their voices became hoarse from shouting, and they had to take out their African drums and express their excitement by beating them.

When the movie was over, everyone should have gone home.

But Lin Yuan heard the opening theme music of "The King of Spy Wars" playing again:

Are you not planning to sleep tonight and staying up late for the second time?

Sure enough, the sound of a movie soon confirmed Lin Yuan's guess.

The hoarse cheers and drumbeats continued to fill the night sky.

It wasn't until after one in the middle of the night that the show finally ended.

For the villagers of Xiala who usually go to bed before 8 o'clock every night, this is an unprecedented stay-up-to-watch movie.

Betty and GAKKI-chan returned to the thatched hut contentedly under Saragama's escort.

As soon as they entered the house, Betty said with a smile, "Did you know? Buta was detained by the villagers of Shara."

"Withheld? Why?" Lin Yuan was also surprised.

"You didn't go there, so you didn't see the villagers of Shara go crazy when the movie was played tonight." Betty said, "They immediately demanded that the movie be played a second time, otherwise they wouldn't let Buta leave.

After the second screening of the movie, the whole village was crying."

"Crying? What does this have to do with confiscating Buta?" Lin Yuan asked.

"They're forcing Buta to show movies in the village for seven consecutive days, threatening her with death," Betty said. "But don't worry. Gary's gone to negotiate, and there's going to be a result soon."

After hearing the answer, Lin Yuan didn't expect that his movie could make the Xiala villagers, who always lie down and are super lazy, stand up and fight hard?

(End of this chapter)