Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 502 The Washing Machine: Let the Bullets Fly for a While
On New Year's Day 2009, with the conclusion of the Huayi incident, other cultural and sports news also emerged, demonstrating the arrival of a golden age of entertainment from various angles.

Especially in the film industry.

Xinlang Entertainment did a roundup of mainland film companies, which, in addition to the well-known Wanda Pictures, LeTV Culture, Wuyue Culture, and Wenjie, also provided detailed introductions to other film companies that are not well known to the audience.

For example, fiber optics and the Berna Alliance have been developing quietly all along.

These two companies were once rivals with their own unique strengths, and both had close ties to the Hong Kong film industry.

In this era, with several major mainland directors operating independently, Fiber Optics and Bernard have essentially monopolized the distribution of Hong Kong films in mainland China.

The Spring Festival films "An Empress and the Warriors" and "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon" were released at the beginning of 08. The latter ignited the Qingming Festival period with 2800 million yuan in its first week. This period was also the first time it was released this year, similar to how "Love is Not Blind" opened up the Valentine's Day period when it was released.

The release of low-budget films like "Butterfly" and "Missing" during the Lunar New Year and Spring Festival seasons at the end of the year was a wise move, as they avoided the fierce competition among major studios and directors.

Small companies, of course, have to survive in the cracks, but when we say "small," we're only referring to them relative to the other giants.

Without a renowned director at the helm, it's fair to say that Hong Kong films are one of the few remaining "sources" for Bernard and Fiber Optics. However, they are now facing further disruptions to the worldline caused by time travelers.

Hong Kong director Chen Kexin's film "Bodyguards and Assassins" was snatched away by LeTV Culture.

Bernard Yu Dong was furious. This was a major film for the 09 Lunar New Year season that he and Chen Kexin had already agreed upon, but it was unexpectedly snatched away by a wealthy and powerful businessman.

Regardless of the profitability or critical reception of Chen Kexin's "The Warlords," the current Chinese film market is such that anyone who comes in makes money, and audiences' awareness and ability to discern film quality are still not high.

With a few film critics praising it, some advertorials, and the ticket subsidy war between Damai.cn and Wenjie, any decent director can gain some influence.

Finally, after persistent communication, Chen Kexin stepped in to mediate and brought in fiber optics, which had print media promotion channels, and Yu Dong, who was good at marketing. The three companies officially announced their joint investment on New Year's Day.

On New Year's Day, the official figure for "Bodyguards and Assassins" was announced to be 1.5 million yuan, and the production team consisted entirely of Chen Kexin's trusted associates.

The martial arts director of "The Warlords" was Tung Wai, the cinematographer was Wong Yue-tai, and the art director of "Detective Dee" was Mai Kwok-keung, among others.

Meanwhile, what LeTV Culture did not disclose was that Chen Sicheng, the director they poached from Huayi Brothers, was also seeking the opportunity to direct his first film.

He set his sights on Li Chen, the good buddy from the TV series "Soldiers Sortie" produced by the world.

The script he had his eye on, based on the life of Li Chen, was also the mandate of the ambitious Chen Sicheng to rise to power: "Love Story of Beiping".

The story is based on a novel called "Invincible" published by Li Chen on his blog in 2007, which is also the prototype of Yang Zixi, played by Yang Mi in the previous life.

In Li Chen's novel, the prototype of the gold-digging woman Yang Zixi is named "Li Menglu," which comes from Da Hei Niu's two ex-girlfriends, Niu Mengmeng and Li Xiaolu.

In this life, Chen Sicheng is actually having an exceptionally difficult time, because he was hit hard by Boss Lu at the very beginning of his career, and now Boss Lu still has dirt on him (Chapter 256).

But despite his character, he was quite talented and perceptive. After joining Huayi, he rose rapidly, changing from an actor to a director, and became the assistant to Xu Zheng, who had studied at Wenjie.

Logically speaking, Chen Sicheng was also a student of Xie Jin Hengtong Art School, and was an alumnus of Yanzi and Bingbing, but the latter never really paid attention to him at Huayi.

The turmoil at Huayi at the end of this year, with coal bosses entering the industry, has indeed given Chen Sicheng an opportunity to rise to prominence.

How could he not seize the opportunity?

So Li Chen selflessly offered his story for adaptation into a script, and the project was officially launched within LeEco Culture.

Just like in the previous life, the latter brought in Teng Huatao as the producer for Chen Sicheng, and Zhang Yi and Mo Xiaoqi as the lead actors.

However, compared to the previous version, this version of "Beijing Love Story" will have two major changes: Tong Liya and Yang Mi will no longer play their original roles.

Needless to say, Yang Mi is now considered one of the top actresses in the Chinese entertainment industry, second only to Liu Yifei, alongside Su Chang. How could she possibly play a gold digger in this new director's debut film?

Before the onlookers could even react, LeEco continued its actions, announcing the official launch of the TV series "Dwelling Narrowness" directed by Teng Huatao.

And the documentary film "Legend of the Sea" by the famous sixth-generation director Jia Zhangke has been officially approved.

A documentary film that shows that the coal mine owners weren't actually thinking about making money.

On the one hand, Section Chief Jia is from their hometown, and everyone trusts him;
On the other hand, in the newly announced list of directors for the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, Chen Weiya, who worked on the Beijing Olympics, was appointed as the director and Jia Kezhang as the creative consultant.

This is yet another blatant attempt to learn from and imitate Wenjie, even though the position of creative consultant is worlds apart from that of Boss Lu's Olympic Games chief director.

But this is the path they've taken; although the coal bosses are moving slowly, they never stop progressing.

The publicly released "Dwelling Narrowness" and the secretly prepared "Beijing Love Story" were both well-received works in the previous life, except that "Bodyguards and Assassins" suffered a box office loss of around 4000 million.

However, the initial wave of black money entering the market was so fierce that it still surprised the Chinese entertainment industry.

That's fucking arrogant!

From December 31st to New Year's Day, Wanda, Wuyue, and LeEco showcased their strengths and flexed their muscles, while Wenjie also timely announced its opening plans for the new year.

First, the Travel Channel's "Ghost Blows Out the Light" seasonal drama officially launched;

Director Lu Kuan's sci-fi epic "Ball Lightning" is also about to be put on the schedule. Due to the fact that it is his first time directing a film with such a complex special effects industry, and the uncertainty of the post-production time, it is tentatively scheduled to meet the audience during the Labor Day holiday in 2010.
The collaboration between Wenjie and Wuyue, "My Love from the Star", will begin filming once Fan Bingbing's physical condition permits. It has now officially entered the preparation stage and casting work will begin immediately.

Finally, there's the continuation of Ning Hao's "Lost in..." series, a perennial tool in the film industry. Since "Lost on Journey" has already become a huge hit, he's going to rely on this path again and produce a stable output.

Although it didn't reach 200 million yuan in just 13 days like "If You Are the One," considering the cost and subject matter, it still has a very high return on investment.

This also shows that the mainstream of the current Chinese New Year film season is still comedy films with a light and humorous atmosphere and themes.

Even with the increased accessibility of the roads last year and the year before, it was difficult to break this viewing habit.

His film "Tangshan" grossed 1800 yuan on its opening day.

Last year's "Sky" swept all the major awards, and only by avoiding the Lunar New Year season was it able to achieve commendable screenings and box office results in China.

On New Year's Day at noon, an intriguing message circulated on the internet, which on the one hand confirmed the reason for Wendy Deng's change of stance during the change of ownership of Huayi last month;

On the other hand, it also caused a minor controversy for another protagonist in this news story.

The news report stated:

Avatar, tentatively scheduled for release in January 2010, has officially reached an agreement with China's Golden Harvest Cinemas.

Based on Wenjie's monopolistic access to high-end cinema resources in China, the agreement maximizes the interests of both parties through three core terms: exclusive screening rights, optimized revenue sharing, and joint promotion.

The agreement includes exclusive IMAX/4K screening rights, such as an exclusive first-month window. For example, Avatar would have exclusive screening rights for the first 30 days of its release. Other cinemas would have to wait until the first month ended before they could apply for technical certification to access the technology.

And the sales and revenue sharing agreement for Avatar merchandise at Wenjie Golden Harvest Cinemas and Wenjie Mall in China.

All these conditions are, in fact, a two-way constraint on both Wenjie and Fox.

Fox hopes that Avatar can be shown in high-end theaters, firstly to showcase the best visuals, and secondly to ensure ticket prices and generate more revenue.

But Wenjie thinks the same way, so they are very willing to be tightly bound together, without distinguishing between you and me.

No one knows the power of this movie better than the time traveler, and there's another very important point:
The popularity of Damai.cn and Gewara's e-ticketing services in the previous life also started with the difficulty of obtaining tickets for "Avatar".

The electronic ticketing war that started ahead of schedule in this lifetime has no end in sight, but just imagine that during the Lunar New Year season in January 2010, the tickets for Avatar, which swept the world, were completely monopolized by Wenjie in high-end cinemas in mainland China.

This one battle alone is enough to cause Damai.cn to lose a large portion of its high-quality customers.

This is also why Lu Kuan personally flew to the United States to negotiate before the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on December 20.

Firstly, this condition could also be used as bait to secure the position of Wendy Deng's 11% stake.

Secondly, it lays the groundwork for potential future competition and establishes a competitive advantage in advance.

As for creating favorable conditions for the screening and marketing of "Avatar", does it contradict his goal of industrializing the film industry and his ambition for Chinese films to go global?

They're completely unrelated.

This is similar to the question of whether or not Tesla should be refused permission to set up a factory in Shanghai, as it relates to the development of new energy vehicles in China.

First of all, the rampage of Avatar is completely unstoppable.

Secondly, under such circumstances, it would be better to study in depth like him, or even send Guo Fan and Lu Yang to the film crew for further training, so as to further improve the special effects capabilities of Butian Pictures.

And during the May Day holiday following Avatar, they used Ball Lightning to "reclaim lost ground".

However, netizens and ordinary people rarely have such vision and understanding. Coupled with the constant instigation of hostile forces and Nan Fang's agitation, arguments quickly emerged online labeling him a "traitor."

Special edition of Nanfang Metropolitan Daily:
"Cultural Colonialism Under Technological Monopoly: The Critics Circle Golden Harvest's Treasonous Collaboration with 'Avatar'".

Under the guise of learning Hollywood special effects, Lu Kuan was actually paving the way for cultural invasion for North American capital.

When the future Avatar occupies the IMAX screen exclusively, Chinese audiences will be forced to accept the aesthetic domestication under the hegemony of technology, which runs counter to the "industrialization of film" that it advocates, just like the compradors in the late Qing Dynasty using foreign gun troops to suppress the Boxers.

When Cameron's team arrived at Golden Harvest with 4K cameras, Chinese directors were at the mercy of others even when it came to film stock. How is this any different from the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, which designated ports for trade?

From "The Sky of History" to IMAX screening rights, Lu Kuan perfectly portrayed the drama of "the dragon-slaying boy eventually becomes the dragon himself".

When he rings the bell on Nasdaq with a subsidiary in the future, he will be stepping on the dignity of Chinese films that has been crushed by Hollywood's technical standards. The so-called industrial layout is nothing more than a cultural sacrifice under the guise of neoliberalism.

The special issue was filled with comments from netizens, but due to Boss Lu's consistent tendency to "slap himself in the face" and his correct stance proven by countless facts, it wasn't so easy for Nan Fang to steer the narrative.

There are voices from both the company and those who spontaneously questioned his "bringing the wolf into the house," but there are also many voices spontaneously defending him.

Even if the latter cannot understand the purpose of his actions for the time being, it is only out of trust and love for this person.

"First of all, Avatar was imported by China Film Group. Only then did we have the cooperation model with Wenjie, Fox, and Cameron. Do you understand the order of importance? If you want to criticize, criticize China Film Group."

"The washing machine is a way to learn from the barbarians and use their superior skills to control them. Nanfang's argument is completely about closing the country off. This is a difference in perspective, and there's no need to discuss it further."

"Nanfang, I'll go to your newspaper office and see for myself. If you have even one Japanese or American car, you're accused of being traitors to the nation and aiding the enemy. Is that argument valid?"

Lu Kuan's number one fan, film critic Zhou Liming, posted an article:
Nan Fang denounced the collaboration between Wenjie and Avatar as "cultural colonization," which is actually a misinterpretation of the essence of the globalized film industry with a closed mindset.

This move is not "inviting a wolf into the house," but rather a strategic breakthrough for the Chinese film industry to align with international standards.

Technology sharing is an essential path for industrial upgrading. If Chinese films want to break free from "workshop-style production," they must confront Hollywood's industrial system directly.

Cameron's team's 4K/IMAX technology represents the highest standard in current film production. By collaborating, Wenjie obtains technology licensing and personnel training opportunities, which is actually a pragmatic strategy of trading market access for time.

The accusation of so-called "aesthetic domestication" is essentially a contempt for the audience's right to choose.

Chinese audiences have long since developed a global perspective through films such as "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings," and their aesthetic judgment far exceeds the imagination of some conspiracy theorists.

Director Lu's "learn from the West" logic—cultivating the high-end market with "Avatar" and then using "Ball Lightning" to achieve technological feedback—is precisely the wisdom of using Hollywood ammunition to conquer Hollywood's territory.

If Chinese directors don't even have the courage to compete with top teams, then the so-called "cultural export" is nothing but a castle in the air.

. . .

Subsequently, Yenching University scholar Dai Jinhua and "Road enthusiast" Hu Xijin, among others, gradually voiced their support. The East Wind prevailed over the West Wind, and Nanfang's arguments did not gain any advantage for the time being.

Nanfang's only advantage is its ability to influence its print media audience, since print media offers no room for immediate discussion, debate, or falsification.

From this perspective, the internet is indeed a tool for eliminating the centralized control of public opinion, but in the end it will still be controlled by capital, or even more terrifyingly.

It all comes down to who's wielding the knife.

The premiere of "Let the Bullets Fly," a joint venture between Shanghai Film Group, Eagle Cinema, and Wenjie Cinema, was held on New Year's Eve at Wenjie Cinema's Guomao branch, which is currently the only high-end cinema in Beiping with an IMAX theater.

However, after the cooperation agreement between Wenjie and Fox was leaked during the day, other domestic cinema chains should carefully analyze and judge future trends.

After all, whether they are friends or foes, everyone can't criticize Mr. Lu's foresight and industry vision; otherwise, there wouldn't be so many imitators.

"The dragon-slaying hero has become the dragon himself? That new nickname 'dragon-slaying hero' is pretty cool." Liu Yifei joked with the man next to her as she browsed her phone's WAP app in the car.

"But you've chosen your nickname too late. In two or three years, you'll be thirty, which should be the age of dragon slayers."

"Isn't that right, Uncle?" Xiao Liu hugged her husband's arm and acted coquettishly, her porcelain-white cheeks flushed with the rosy blush of pregnancy, her voice sweet and cloying.

The washing machine looked incredibly tempting, but could only think, "Looks like you've been watching a lot of Korean dramas lately; you've even learned the common vocabulary."

"I have to say, it's really captivating, the kind of captivating that you know is melodramatic but still can't put down."

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "Domestic screenwriters can study this, take the essence and discard the dross, and especially bring back our cultural elements."

"Especially the currently popular older man type of characters, they're quite interesting."

Lu Kuan nodded: "The financial crisis had a great impact on South Korea. The popularity of the 'uncle culture' is, in a sense, a cultural reconstruction under social upheaval."

“In the past, it was all about car accidents, cancer, and handsome men. Now, the main audience of Korean dramas is women, who are less sensitive to these kinds of plots and characters. Especially after their quality of life has declined, they need a gentle, tolerant, and financially strong older man for them to fantasize about.”

During the financial crisis, the South Korean currency depreciated by more than 42.6% within six months, the stock market fell by 61.4%, and short-term capital flight reached US$2109 billion, which is close to the scale of the 97 Asian financial crisis.

Popular culture and film and television culture are also created based on social reality, which has also given rise to the popularity of "middle-aged man culture".

Korean women, seeing their husbands working long hours but barely earning any money, need some emotional comfort.

Liu Yifei scoffed, "How awful! What kind of wishful thinking is this!"

“One of the functions of cultural works is not shameful,” Lu Kuan said with a smile. “There are middle-aged men in Korean dramas, and there are also in our film and television works, but they are more subtle and are associated with power.”

"Really? I've never seen that before."

"It's the 'Dwelling Narrowness' produced by LeTV Culture, a coal mine owner. You probably haven't seen it. It's adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Liu Liu, which was published in 2007."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "Let me describe it to you like this—there is a young couple in the story who are suffering from poverty. Later, the girl couldn't bear the high housing prices and poverty, so she got together with a mature, steady, refined, and wealthy uncle who is a high-ranking official's secretary."

"Do you think that after this TV series is made, more people will like the handsome but poor childhood sweetheart boyfriend Xiao Bei, or the typical middle-aged man character?"

He was referring to the "uncle" in Chinese dramas, namely Song Siming, played by Zhang Jiayi, whose prototype is a high-ranking secretary in Shanghai.

Liu Yifei pursed her lips and said, "According to the story you told, this girl's behavior doesn't quite conform to universal values. I'm sure the TV series will spend a lot of time depicting her struggles."

The expectant mother, who has been binge-watching dramas lately, thought for a while and shook her head, saying, "I don't know, but I think it's hard to like the characters in these realistic dramas. They're either too miserable or too bad."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "The TV series hasn't been filmed yet, but I can make a conclusion: the male lead, Xiao Bei, will be the least popular character, while the middle-aged man, Song Siming, will be popular with both men and women."

"Why? Young male viewers should feel sympathy for Beckham, who has lost his beloved."

"The pressure from reality is too great, and the pressure from housing prices is too great," Mr. Lu explained. "If you ask the entire TV series to put themselves in Beckham's shoes, they would really be looking at themselves with green hats on their heads and being powerless to do anything about it."

"But it's different if you put yourself in Song Siming's shoes, right? Men fantasize about having power and wealth, and women are desperately throwing themselves at them and even having their children."

"What about women? Just like the South Korean female audience member I just mentioned, who doesn't want a romantic partner who can provide a sense of security? In reality, everyone needs emotional support."

Indeed, after the TV series aired, Zhang Jiayi's mature, uncle-like image was gradually established.

However, the TV series' values ​​are highly problematic, leading many female viewers to cry out:
Song Siming is described as "too manly" and "loyal and righteous," with some even saying, "If I were Hai Zao, I would find it hard to resist," and "It's worth being a mistress."

The "uncle culture" is a reflection of the spirit and social trends of an era.

However, our national conditions are different from those of South Korea. In South Korea, many middle-aged men are heirs of conglomerates, elite lawyers, or doctors.
The uncles at the University of Tokyo not only need to be rich, but also powerful, and everyone knows why.

"LeTV Culture is quite impressive. According to you, if this character is well-developed, this drama should also be a hit." The car stopped at the Wenjie Jiahe Guomao store, and Boss Lu helped his pregnant wife out of the car: "We'll see how the market goes, but we've also taken precautions. There's a serialized work on a Shanda novel website that's also about young people struggling with housing, and we've already bought the rights."

This novel, serialized on "Hongxiu Tianxiang," reflects the marital and romantic dilemmas faced by the post-80s generation amidst soaring housing prices and workplace pressures.

After being adapted into the TV series "Naked Wedding Era", it was broadcast live on Jiangsu Satellite TV. The premiere rating was 0.98%, and it ended with a final rating of 1.98%, firmly holding the top spot in the national ratings.

It should be considered a phenomenal work back then, sparking countless discussions and making the young actor Wen Zhang famous.

"A celestial being has arrived!"

"Ah! The fairy's belly is really big!"

Liu Yifei has not made a public appearance for a long time, and now her pregnant belly is almost impossible to hide, making it even more obvious than at the relatively private Huayi extraordinary shareholders' meeting last time.

"Hello everyone, enjoy the movie! Support 'Let the Bullets Fly'!" Xiao Liu greeted her fans with a smile, never caring that news of her marriage and pregnancy would be leaked.

Everything is natural.

Afei and Mia stayed close to her, not daring to be careless for a moment, lest some fans lose their minds and rush at them.

Lu Kuan frowned: "I believed your nonsense this time, but I will never take you out again next time. At most, we'll go to a less crowded place to relax."

"Hehe, what could possibly happen? We're several meters away from the crowd, who could possibly get through?"

Liu Yifei said contentedly, "I'm going to grow mushrooms if I stay at home. I'll suffocate if I don't come out, and you're not home with me."

"After the premiere of 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' on Valentine's Day, I promise I'll never go to crowded places again, okay?"

The washing machine sighed, "You'd better keep your word."

As the two entered the cinema, they were greeted by countless flashing lights and greetings from leaders and guests. Boss Lu smiled and responded to each one before heading to the two ticket machines.

That's right, Wenjie's online ticketing software is ready to launch. It is currently being tested and piloted in several cinemas in first-tier cities, and will be fully rolled out for the Valentine's Day release of "Under the Hawthorn Tree".

Just as the axis of evil predicted, Wenjie, China Film Group, and Beiping New Film Union are already preparing to launch a trial of Wenjie's online software.

"Is this our ticket machine?" Xiao Liu asked curiously, touching the screen a few times before comparing it with another ticket machine from Damai.cn.

"It seems a bit smoother than theirs?"

"Yes, we asked the factory to produce ticket machines using the latest resistive touchscreen technology, which will reduce lag."

"Don't underestimate this small detail; it brings a completely different experience to the audience."

Mr. Lu boasted, "We've also simplified the ticketing process. This machine also allows you to insert a bank card for online ticket purchases, and we've streamlined that process as well."

Liu Yifei curiously tried out each of the functions one by one.

Why are there Damai.cn machines in the cinemas of Jiahe?
Because the current ticketing war has not yet reached the point of exclusivity, and even the "Questioning World" has not been officially launched.

Even when the competition officially begins, apart from Wenjie and Wanda, no cinema is obligated to discard the machines of the less related party.

Most of them are placed in cinemas, and the audience can choose whether or not to use them.

After all, as long as Wenjie and Damai.cn do not completely cut off the other premium, both machines will still have users.

The technical level and services are largely the same; the main difference lies in the level of subsidies.

Alternatively, if the platform can offer a comprehensive and exclusive cooperation agreement, Lao Han will have sufficient reason to support him in returning all the machines from Damai.cn.

Otherwise, it would be a source of gossip, especially since he is currently in a crucial period of evaluation for promotion.

With some time to go before the premiere, the couple were studying the online ticketing machine, while two employees of the company stood nearby, scratching their heads in bewilderment.

Gao Jun and Xie Ning.

"Old Xie, you go ahead?"

"No, no, no, you go, Lao Gao."

Gao Jun said helplessly, "I'm asking for too much money. If I open my mouth, Mr. Lu will definitely be in a bad mood and will find an excuse to scold me again."

Xie Ning sighed: "To be honest, the budget for Butian Pictures has also been exceeded. I'm now thinking about how to report this, and I'm a little nervous."

The two subsidiary managers, who held great power but also bore heavy responsibilities, exchanged a glance, both showing expressions of helplessness.

Gao Jun hesitated for a moment.

The equipment and renovation applications for IMAX and 4K have been approved, but the funding has not yet been received (Chapter 468).

The plan outlines the construction requirements previously stipulated by Boss Lu:
There should be 2-3 IMAX theaters in first-tier cities, and at least 1 in the provincial capitals or sub-provincial capitals of the Yangtze River Delta, the Bohai Rim, the Pearl River Delta, and major cities in Southwest China.

The number of 4K large screens will double in first-tier cities, and no less than 5 in second-tier cities and key third-tier cities.

According to the final figures negotiated in the contract, the price for the complete IMAX package is 1800 million, the price for 4K is 400 million, and the final total price is around 17 billion.

This strategic directive was issued last August, and now various contract negotiations and preliminary procurement have been completed by one-third, and suppliers are about to start demanding interim payments.

Just at this crucial moment, those damned Ali, Lianxiang, and Baidu insisted on causing trouble, so the heavy burden of online ticketing fell back on Gao Jun's shoulders.

The former manager of the Beiping New Film Union Cinema Circuit was exhausted, and he knew the bitterness of facing various astronomical budgets.

Xie Ning was in the same situation, but his situation was much better, except that the special effects cost tens of millions more than the budget.

They say the squeaky wheel gets the grease, but this big boss of mine is different. Crying won't help. He's only slightly better than Cao Cao, who killed the grain officials.

"Gao Jun, what are you two doing?" Before the two could even react, Boss Lu had already strolled over with a smile.

Xie Ning blurted out, "President Lu, Gao Jun has something to ask you!"

Gao Jun: ? ? ?
Lu Kuan frowned and said, "Oh? Having trouble at work lately? Why didn't you mention it in the meeting the day before yesterday?"

Damn it! That bastard!

Gao Jun cursed Xie Ning's ancestors in his mind, then said with a wry smile, "Boss, the mid-term payment for IMAX might be delayed... otherwise the installation and construction progress will be slowed down."

How was the contract negotiated? Why was there absolutely no room for flexibility?

Don't we, as such a large client, receive any preferential treatment at all?
The expected stern question did not come; instead, the young boss in front of Gao Jun simply asked expressionlessly, "How much? Have you checked with the finance department?"

"Oh right, it hasn't gone through the process to you yet, it's about... around 7 million."

Seeing that he didn't speak, Gao Jun was already thinking of backing down. Otherwise, he would use his connections to find someone to negotiate the payment terms.

Xie Ning chuckled inwardly, thinking that if he complained later, he would be less attacked.

He and Gao Jun were very close, so he had no psychological qualms about shifting the blame; he could just finish the matter with a big drinking session.

"Six hundred million, I'll talk to the finance department later." Boss Lu suddenly reached out and patted Gao Jun on the shoulder: "Old Gao, why do you look so tired lately? You need to take care of yourself!"

"Ah?" Gao Jun was overjoyed: "President Lu, this...this..."

Where did this money come from?

He wanted to ask but didn't dare.

What do you mean? Are we asking if the company is short of money? Its cash flow is quite good, isn't it?

Gao Jun's mouth was practically stretched from ear to ear. He never expected happiness to come so suddenly. Finally, he could have a good New Year!

"Mr. Lu, actually, I have something to say here..."

Boss Lu put on a stern face: "Why are you here too?"

"This 6 million yuan is part of the new policy of the China Development Bank. We specially found someone to jump the queue so that the important ones would come first."

"How many years have we been working with those overseas studios or suppliers? It started in 2004 with 'Aberdeen', right?"

"After four or five years, you, Xie Ning, don't even have the ability to delay payments for this short period? Or do I have to personally go and sell my face?"

Xie Ning watched his boss walk away with a long face, while Gao Jun followed with a big smile, chatting about the progress of IMAX. He then turned back and gave Xie Ning a meaningful look.

Live it!

The two stood by the stage. Lu Kuan glanced at Liu Yifei, who was chatting and laughing with her best friend Tang Yan, and said to Gao Jun seriously, "Just proceed with the cinema business as planned. Focus your attention on online ticketing."

"For the next two months starting today, apart from Wanda, the others must at least enter the market first."

Public cinema chains like China Film Group are not allowed to engage in private deals or exclusive competition, but private companies like Wenjie and Wanda are allowed to. This is different from the forced choice between Tencent and 360 for users.

Gao Jun nodded in agreement, and then he heard some incredibly good news.

"Huayi is about to go public, so money is not a problem. Things will only get better from now on."

Things are getting better and better. Huayi has pledged its shares for listing, and Wenjie Mall and Zhijie will be listed as a whole in the next year or two, attracting huge amounts of money.

What he was worried about was how to spend the money and how to turn the funds into a competitive advantage.

Having money but not knowing how to spend it is more ridiculous than having no money at all.

However, Gao Jun now longs to experience this absurdity. Over the years, he has worked tirelessly to push forward the construction of the cinema under the exploitation of the big boss. It has been incredibly difficult.

Gao Jun couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It seemed that the rumors were indeed true; this man had long ago secretly dismantled the industry's second-largest player.

However, in terms of the current situation, Wuyue is now much stronger than Huayi Brothers. For Chinese films, this is not a loss, but rather an improvement.

"Xiao Lu!" Zhang Yimou and his group had just entered the room when they spotted the young director who had attracted everyone's attention.

Boss Lu and Gao Jun turned around, and Ren Zhonglun and Eagle King Li Shoucheng from Shanghai Film Studio arrived together. Even Zhao Benshan came over with a smile to support the movie.

As the year draws to a close, most prominent and wealthy people will be socializing and networking in Beiping, and there are always some personal relationships that need to be maintained personally.

Lu Kuan took the initiative, greeting the others first before shaking hands with Ren Zhonglun and saying with a smile, "Gao Jun was just complaining to me, is the Shanghai United team facing some difficulties? Is it not easy to handle?"

Ren Zhonglun knew he was referring to the competition between Wenjie and Damai.cn, and said helplessly, "President Lu, I already told you about the situation on the phone last time—"

He pointed upwards with his finger: "The connections with Fuxing are a bit too... plus Chairman Liu's deep roots in the Shanghai company."

"How about this? Wen Jie enters first, and I'll figure out a solution later. I definitely won't make things difficult for my friend."

"Okay, let's talk again later."

Hearing that the conversation had gone this far, and that the last sentence clearly implied the complexity of the situation, Lu Kuan immediately laughed it off and decided it was best not to bring it up again.

In any case, being able to remain neutral is the best news for Wenjie, a newcomer.

Zhao Benshan, a man of good interpersonal skills, said: "President Ren, you Southerners are a bit reserved when making friends. Look at all the Liu Laogen Grand Stages in the North, they've all been replaced with Wenjie equipment right away, and they're lining up... what was it again?"

“Exclusivity!” Zhang Yimou added with a smile.

"Yes, yes, yes! Friends should give each other face, and I'll definitely give that face."

Zhang Yimou smiled and said, "President Ren, I've known Xiao Lu since 02. It's right to make friends like him; it's much more humane than simple exchanges of interests or binding relationships."

"If possible, please take good care of them."

Ren Zhonglun said awkwardly, "Look, I really am a little embarrassed. After all, Shanghai Film Group and China Film Group have some differences in jurisdiction. If I could make full decisions like President Han, this matter wouldn't even need to be brought up by President Lu!"

"Haha! I appreciate your kind intentions, brothers. Today is the premiere of 'Let the Bullets Fly,' so let's not make President Ren so reluctant to come back to Beiping."

"Hahaha!" Everyone laughed.

They're all worldly people, and they know that's about it for this topic; the rest is up to the parties involved to discuss.

Li Shoucheng hadn't said much, but quietly pulled Boss Lu aside: "Mr. Lu, the cinemas in Hong Kong are fine, but what about Taiwan..."

"Forget about Taiwan, they're a bunch of frogs in a well, too low a priority." Boss Lu scoffed. Ever since that Golden Horse Awards in 02, he hasn't had much interaction with the Taiwan film market.

A few years later, due to the complete politicization of the Golden Horse Awards and the collective severance of ties with mainland film crews, the Golden Horse Awards will gradually fade from the mainstream stage of Chinese-language films and become a dried-up well.

Even with phenomenal Hollywood films like "2012" and "Avatar," the total box office for the Bay Area in 2009 was only $2 million, making it practically a barren land.

Li Shoucheng laughed and said, "What about the other thing you mentioned on the phone?"

“That’s right,” Boss Lu said in a low voice, “I might need to get some money back from the US in March, so I might have to go to Hong Kong.”

“Through a limited partnership fund, we will set up a domestic entity (SPV) in Hong Kong. Mr. Li’s Emperor Group will then do a small favor, a legal and compliant favor.”

Li Shoucheng was puzzled: "There's no question about it, of course there's no problem. Why is Lu Sheng taking this so seriously? Are you busy raising funds from abroad and then coming back to fight?"

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "No, I hope this money will stay in Hong Kong for a while, and then we can establish a joint venture with Eagle King in the mainland."

"When the time comes, Mr. Li will symbolically transfer Eagle King International's real estate and financial businesses in Hong Kong according to my requirements. I only need an empty shell, but this empty shell must be able to be filled at any time."

Li Shoucheng was startled. Thinking of the recent change of ownership of Huayi, he wondered if this old friend of seven or eight years would have designs on him.

Yet, he said it so openly and honestly, and seemed to have a clear conscience.

Mr. Lu smiled and said, "Mr. Li, don't think too much. Over the years, Wenjie and Eagle King have been allies who have gone through hardships together, and they will continue to be so in the future."

He pointed to the grand premiere that was about to begin: "As for my purpose, won't we talk about it in this movie? Let the dust settle for a while, it won't put my good friend in too much trouble."

Li Shoucheng laughed heartily upon hearing this, and the matter was settled.

At 8:30 p.m., the grand premiere ceremony of "Let the Bullets Fly," Jiang Wen's new film after the huge flop of her previous film "The Sun Also Rises," co-invested by Wenjie, Shanghai Film Group, and Eagle King, was held.

The event was attended by a large number of guests, including the three heads of the production company, who came to support this excellent film that was released on New Year's Day.

During the screening, the film's absurd and sharp lines elicited dozens of bursts of laughter, with scenes such as "making money standing up" receiving thunderous applause.

The confrontation between Huang Silang and Zhang Muzhi at the "Hongmen Banquet" scene left the theater completely silent. After the train metaphor at the end, the entire audience erupted in applause that lasted for three minutes.

At 10 a.m. on January 2, the box office results for the first day of "Let the Bullets Fly" were released, with 33 million yuan, setting a new record for the first day of box office during the Lunar New Year film season.

As of the 7th, "Lost in Thailand," which premiered on December 25th, is close to grossing 12 million yuan at the box office. "Let the Bullets Fly" has even more astonishingly broken the record of "If You Are the One," surpassing 1.8 million yuan in its first week.

In 2010, the film "Let the Bullets Fly" grossed a total of 6.54 million RMB. In 2009, the overall market environment was similar, so the final difference shouldn't be too significant.

While the coal mine owners are drooling with envy, they are preparing to pour their financial power into the domestic entertainment industry with even greater fighting spirit.
Meanwhile, the evil forces like Ali, Baidu, and Wanda, while watching Damai's backend grow steadily, could only swallow the bitter pill of having to give Wenjie's films high screen time.

They knew perfectly well that the profits gained by films like "Lost in Thailand," "Let the Bullets Fly," and the heavily promoted "Under the Hawthorn Tree" during the Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day seasons would sooner or later become bullets fired at them.

However, after arranging all the funds to support Wuyue and waiting for the listing and cashing out, Boss Lu has already officially devoted himself to the filming of his next movie.

On the afternoon of January 8th, the main cast of "Ball Lightning" gathered at the Wenjie Building for their first meeting and script reading, marking the official launch of this sci-fi blockbuster, the highest-budget production in China to date.

(End of this chapter)