Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 28: Gambling on People
Inside the box, the white mist from the three cups of hot tea had almost dissipated, and a layer of coolness appeared on the surface of the tea, reflecting the halo of the dim chandelier light.

The cold wind slapped the glass outside the window, and the sound of cars on Xitucheng Road could be faintly heard, low and a little agitated.

Wu Chen and Mu Deyuan chuckled softly at what Zhang Zemin had just said.

"Ahem! How about this?" Zhang Zemin coughed lightly.
Wu Chen understood that this was the time to make the final decision.

Seeing this, Mu Deyuan put down his teacup.

"Wu Chen, you call me uncle, and even as an uncle I can't be stingy. I'll buy this ad. The price is 15!"

Wu Chen was delighted, knowing that the matter was almost settled, but he remained expressionless.

"But, your movie has to give me something real. My money didn't come from the wind, so I can't just throw it away for fun."

Wu Chen nodded, "Uncle Zhang, you tell me the conditions, I'm listening!"

Zhang Zemin leaned forward and his tone became serious:

"First, there must be no less than five pairs of women's shoes, and at least one copy of the sample draft must be included. I don't care how many seconds the scene appears in the movie, but it must not be a fleeting moment.

Second, the film must be completed. I don’t care whether it is released or not, but if it cannot be completed, you have to refund the money.

Third, after the movie comes out, you have to cut a commercial for me, and I'll use it as a promotional video on the DVD. If you agree to these three things, I'll invest $15!"

After hearing the conditions, Wu Chen felt much more relaxed.

If you take the money, you must do the job. These conditions are not harsh and fall within the normal range.

As for the requirement that women's shoe samples must appear in the film, not to mention anything else, it is written in the script alone, and there are even close-up shots of feet.

The penis is one of the most sexually attractive parts of the body.

In Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams", feet and shoes symbolize sex, which is why close-ups of feet easily trigger sexual associations.

Moreover, Chinese people have had a cultural tradition of "foot control" since ancient times.

In his previous life, Wu Chen also specialized in studying Quentin Tarantino's foot shots, and he is an expert in this area.

"Don't worry, Uncle Zhang, this 150,000 is absolutely worth the money. Once the advertising board is cut out, your stall will be packed with customers!" Wu Chen patted his chest and promised, his eyes full of confidence.

At this time, confidence is the best guarantee to reassure customers, and you must be more confident than your customers.

Mu Deyuan listened from the side, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

It's done!

"Okay, it's settled. We'll sign the contract later. 15. I'll have the money transferred to you today." Zhang Zemin stood up, pulled out a soft Zhonghua cigarette from his pocket, shook it gently, and handed it over. "Director Mu, would you like one?"

"Good cigarettes!" Mu Deyuan chuckled and borrowed a lighter.

"Uncle Zhang, I don't smoke!" Wu Chen chuckled and declined.

"Open the window to avoid secondhand smoke."

Zhang Zemin is also a very particular person, and Wu Chen saw all of this.

When talking about things, Zhang Zemin did not offer cigarettes first. He smoked while talking. At the moment the conversation was over, he quickly built a closer relationship and took other people's feelings into consideration.

It has to be said that every successful person always has his own reasons for success.

The negotiation was a very enjoyable one for both the host and the guests, and it ended around 1:00 p.m.

Mu Deyuan had classes in the afternoon, so he went back first, while Wu Chen walked a few more steps with him.

"Wu Chen, do you know what the maximum budget was when I came here?" Zhang Zemin suddenly stopped, lit a cigarette, blew out a smoke ring, and said slowly.

"Eighty, a hundred thousand, maybe?" Wu Chen paused in thought before finally guessing. Initially, he'd thought a hundred thousand would be good. After all, this wasn't a true advertisement, and it wasn't anything like Feng Xiaogang's "Endless."

This is also the reason why he does not specifically look for brand cooperation.

Because he couldn't offer such conditions, the other party would not accept his way of cooperation.

Zhang Zemin was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed softly: "You are such a talent, your guess is so accurate!"

Wu Chen smiled slightly and said nothing more.

"I'm a big gambler. I've probably told you about it before. Over the past decade or so in the business world, I've gambled a lot, and I've won and lost."

Zhang Zemin's eyes shifted as he spoke, as if he had thought of something. He then shook his head gently, "But I have a principle. I never gamble on things, I gamble on people."

"People?" Wu Chen was slightly surprised. He really didn't know such details. After all, Old Wu and Zhang Zemin were not that familiar with each other.

“I invested 15 yuan not because I believe your movie is great, but because I believe you can accomplish things.

Don’t let me lose this one!”

Zhang Zemin finally smiled and patted Wu Chen on the shoulder, then waved his hand in a dashing manner. The owner of the pair of light brown crocodile leather shoes seemed to be leaving the land of Beijing, stepping on the fallen leaves on the sidewalk, making a crisp "tapping" sound.

"Okay, don't send me off here. Wait for your good news."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang!"

The December sun slanted down, as thin as a piece of paper, without much warmth on the road.

Wu Chen watched the figure in the black coat disappear into the crowd.

Xitucheng Road was not deserted in the afternoon. A few students wrapped in down jackets hurried past on the roadside, holding buns in their mouths, and the heat drifted in the air.

Wu Chen rubbed his hands and looked up at the end of Xitucheng Road. The sound of low traffic could be faintly heard from the direction of the North Third Ring Road. The roofs of the cars reflected the sunlight like a thin silver ribbon.

The outline of Jimen Bridge is vaguely visible in the distance. The construction of Metro Line 10 under the bridge is still making a lot of noise and raising dust, like a busy construction site.

"It's time to get down to my business!"

Wu Chen grinned, finally pulled his sweater, and walked back to school against the cold wind.

First stop, Mu Deyuan’s office.

"I guessed you were coming. Please sit down." Mu Deyuan smiled and gestured, "How are you? Are you in a good mood?"

"I have to thank you for your help, teacher. Without you, this would not have gone so smoothly. Apart from anything else, whether the project can pass the school's review is a big problem." Wu Chen expressed his sincere gratitude.

The joy of success should first be shared with noble people, relatives, and old friends, rather than new people.

When sharing, the focus is not on your own joy, but on the help of noble people, the support of relatives, and the friendship of old friends.

This is both human nature and gratitude.

"You, you." Mu Deyuan nodded his fingers in the air with a smile on his face.

Although he didn't expect much return from Wu Chen, and he was also appreciating his talent, he was very pleased that Wu Chen had this attitude.

"I didn't help the wrong person!" Mu Deyuan sighed secretly.

He has met all kinds of people in these decades. For some people, you may help them ninety-nine times, but if you fail to help them just once, it will be your fault.

Some people only need help once, and they will be grateful for a lifetime!

"Let's talk about the project share. Once this is confirmed, we can start preparing for the rest," Mu Deyuan brought the topic back.

(End of this chapter)