Huayu 1995

Chapter 163 The System's Perverse Pleasures (Bonus Chapter for 5800 Monthly Tickets)

After a long journey, we finally landed in Hong Kong.

Yau Nai-hoi from Milkyway Image was there to pick me up at the airport, but he was late because of traffic.

Su Chao and Lü Bu waited at the airport for a while.

"Brother Chao, what's wrong?"

Lu Bu, who came along, noticed that Su Chao seemed a bit down and assumed he was envious of the big city of Hong Kong.

The capital city is considered the most prosperous city in mainland China, but it still lags far behind Hong Kong.

"I didn't bring a fishing rod, so I'm afraid I won't have a chance to fish during my stay in Hong Kong."

Su Chao let out a long sigh.

Victoria Harbour will most likely not allow him to cast a few lines.

I need to keep a very low profile these next few days.

Hong Kong in 1995 was anything but peaceful.

When the "Young and Dangerous" film series is released next year, things will likely become even more turbulent.

I'm handsome.

What if someone gets jealous after seeing this and hires dozens of thugs to attack me?

This man was killed because he was too handsome. He died in Causeway Bay, with twenty-four stab wounds. Even his penis was cut off because it was too long.

Lost in thought, You Naihai soon arrived by car.

"Chao Zai?"

It was the first time he had met Su Chao, and he was surprised that Su Chao was so young and handsome.

If they're willing to go out, then Hong Kong's wealthy women will be in luck.

"Brother Hai?"

Su Chao also didn't quite recognize You Naihai.

After all, Yau Nai-hoi was just a screenwriter. He later became a director, but he rarely stood in front of the camera.

"Haha, it really is you. I've come to pick you up. My mentor originally wanted to come in person, but I heard that you have a strong foundation in screenwriting, and I'm also a screenwriter, so I volunteered to come and pick you up. We're both new to the industry, so we're bound to have common topics."

Yu Naihai laughed heartily.

He is Wai Ka-fai's apprentice. If Su Chao comes to Hong Kong with Wai Ka-fai, then he will be Su Chao's senior apprentice.

Although Su Chao declined the invitation, the two can still address each other as brothers.

"Haha, you're going too far. 'Barefoot Boy' is one of my favorite movies. The hunting dog will eventually die on the mountain, and the general will inevitably die on the battlefield... If you're new to the industry, you're being too modest to write such a good story."

Su Chao immediately found the right angle and delivered a powerful "Bone-Melting Palm" strike to the other party's flattery.

Johnnie To directed "Barefoot Kid," screenplay by Yau Nai-hoi, and starring Aaron Kwok, Maggie Cheung, Wu Chien-lien, Ti Lung, Paul Chun, Kenneth Tsang...

In addition, there was music composed by Hu Weili, and martial arts choreography by Liu Jialiang...

The lineup is absolutely amazing.

What impressed Su Chao even more was that this film had no individual heroes, but rather a portrayal of complex human nature and the various aspects of life behind the scenes of the martial arts world.

The male protagonist, Guan Fengyao, is illiterate, penniless, and so poor that he can't even afford a pair of shoes.

Forced by the pressures of life, he followed his father's last wish and traveled from the countryside to the provincial capital to seek refuge with his father's close friend, Duan Qingyun.

A poor boy ventures into the big city...

It really made Su Chao feel a sense of identification.

Thinking of Aaron Kwok, who was murdered in an alley, Su Chao often reminds himself to always keep a low profile.

Avoid making enemies unless absolutely necessary.

Once you've made an enemy, don't give them a chance to turn the tables.

"Haha, haha~"

Yu Nai-hai laughed heartily as he drove.

Although it was pulled from theaters after only 12 days and only grossed HK$397 million, "Barefoot Kid" was indeed one of his proudest works.

This young man from the mainland is a nice guy.

The two chatted animatedly all the way and arrived smoothly at the hotel that had been booked for Su Chao.

It's not in a bustling area, nor is it a high-end hotel, but it has the advantage of being quiet, and you can see a large number of high-rise buildings and the bustling city from the window.

The person who handled the matter was very dedicated.

"You should rest first. We'll have drinks together tonight. My mentor and Inspector Du will be there too..."

It wasn't really a welcome dinner for Su Chao, this young man from the mainland.

The point was that everyone was going to drink together, but there was no need to make it so clear. It would have been nice if Su Chao had thought of it as a private dinner for him.

"Brother Hai, don't rush off yet. I have a script here that I'd like you to take a look at..."

Su Chao took out "My Sassy Girl" from his bag.

Yau Nai-hoi and Yau Tat-chi, known as the "Double Yau," were two of Johnnie To's most capable lieutenants.

Some netizens in later generations called Yau Nai-hoi the left hand of Milkyway Image, Johnnie To's Jing Wuming, closely following Johnnie To step by step, and every step and every footprint could form an inexplicable tacit understanding with Johnnie To.

If Yau Nai-hoi had said a few kind words about the script, Johnnie To might have been willing to seek help from Shaw Brothers for it.

Milkyway Image was just a production company; the Shaw Brothers were usually the ones who provided the initial funding.

If Milkyway Image isn't interested, Su Chao can go find Wong Jing.

But Wong Jing must be very busy right now. If you count the time, the Best Partner Film Company, which he co-founded with Andrew Lau and Manfred Wong, is currently working on the classic yet controversial "Young and Dangerous" film series.

Classics are defined by their influence.

The controversy stems from its influence.

In fact, the values ​​of the Young and Dangerous movie series and the Young and Dangerous comic series are completely opposite.

The Young and Dangerous comics began to depict the dangers and cunning of the underworld from the very first 100 chapters.

Although the fight scenes in the comic are exciting, you won't feel the same way you do in the movie that makes you want to join the underworld.

Some of the scenes were very disturbing.

Some people who have retired from the underworld still get killed even when they're having a meal. Da Fei's girlfriends all met tragic ends, despite his attempts to protect them. And those Chen Haonan cherished died one after another.

The first and second installments of the Young and Dangerous movies were completely adapted to focus on brotherhood and loyalty among gangsters.

They changed almost all the disturbing parts of the original work, and it almost turned into a gangster novel.

It was only after that that things slowly started to get back on track.

Wong Jing is ambitious and wants to create classics. If you bring him a romance script, he might not be interested, since this type of film has little market in Hong Kong these days.

Things are a bit better in Taiwan.

However, Taiwan's purchases of Hong Kong films have shrunk significantly, and the prices are not as high as before.

Su Chao is quite keen to collaborate with Milkyway Image. Milkyway Image's defining characteristic is—freedom.

You can disregard the market for the sake of the film's message.

That's why you can disregard the film's message for the sake of the market.

However, the latter will have to go through growing pains.

Since Milkyway Image isn't in much pain yet, it's hard to be sure that Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai are willing to "waste" their time.

As for making romance films, these two are certainly not unfamiliar with the craft.

Films like "Needing You," "Zhong Wuyan," "Love on a Diet," and "Dragon and Phoenix Fight" are all considered to be of good quality.

Furthermore, Wong Jing is too mercenary, mercenary to the point of having no bottom line. If you give him a script, he might refuse it while simultaneously copying a similar one.

The people at Milkyway Image wouldn't do that, not because they're particularly good people, but because they're just too arrogant.

"You wrote it?"

It took Yu Naihai more than half an hour to finish reading it, and then he looked completely bewildered.

His mentor, Wai Ka-fai, returned from the mainland and said he had met a promising young man who inspired him to create "The Birth of a Character".

It means there is potential.

but……

Look at the script for "My Sassy Girl" in my hand, it's more than just potential!

Master, do you think I have any potential?
"This is just a commercial film, full of romance, nothing special."

Su Chao felt a little embarrassed by his gaze.

"What's wrong with commercial films? Romance is a popular theme too. When we screenwriters read scripts, we're not looking for commercial or art films. Art film screenwriters wouldn't look down on commercial film screenwriters, would they? We're looking at the structure and the plot..."

Yu Nai-hai clearly had a very high opinion of Su Chao's script.

He praised the script extensively.

Do you think... Mr. To and Mr. Wai will take on this film?

This is what Su Chao really wants to ask.

"This...I don't know either..."

You Naihai wasn't just making excuses for Su Chao. Although he had followed these two for many years, he still couldn't quite figure out their personalities.

Especially when Milkyway Image was about to be established.

There's a feeling of having been frustrated for years, and finally being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that I'll never again have to make movies I don't want to make just to survive.

That is precisely why Yu Nai-hai was unable to make a judgment.

Do Inspector To and his mentor like this script?

This is a no-brainer.

"It's alright, Hai-ge, could you take this to Teacher Wei for me? He said he wanted to train me to be a screenwriter. He always has to take a look at the students' assignments."

Su Chao was not in a hurry.

He simply wanted to glean insights into the current artistic pursuits of Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai through the people around them.

In fact, it was pretty much what I had guessed.

After You Naihai left with the script, Su Chao called Lu Bu to go out and play together.

"Brother Chao, we don't know anyone here, and we don't understand what they're saying..."

Lu Bu paused for a moment.

That's not right. Chao Ge can understand what Hong Kong people say, and they can communicate freely.

"Come on, let me show you around Tsim Sha Tsui!"

The two quickly integrated into this modern metropolis.

Lu Bu was completely overwhelmed by what he saw.

Only Su Chao didn't take it seriously.

He had spent time in Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai in his previous life. Having seen so many big cities, he found everything outside of them uninteresting.

In Bangkok, Nana Plaza is more interesting; some ladyboys are even more beautiful than the women.

Kabukicho in Tokyo is also a must-see.

Hong Kong actually has places like that, but Su Chao doesn't plan to visit them.

It is said that when men reach a certain age, their attention will shift away from women.

For example, fishing, or playing with beads...

Su Chao's combined age across his two lifetimes is nearly fifty.

He doesn't dislike women.

Because of his past life experiences, he may never again fall completely in love with a particular woman.

But I wasn't in the mood to seek out thrills in the wild.

I drove around Tsim Sha Tsui.

The random shop was found very easily.

The system really has a twisted sense of humor.

This time, the random shop spawned in a women's lingerie store.

This is no problem for Su Chao.

His skin had long since thickened to the point that he was no longer ashamed of such trivial matters.

Lu Bu watched as his brother Chao swaggered into an underwear store.

He knew he should go in to protect Su Chao, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he couldn't take that step.

Su Chao's arrival caused a group of women who were making their selections to gasp in surprise.

I exclaimed in disbelief, "Damn it! You're not going to be in front of my interview clothes!"

"gentlemen?"

"I'm so sorry I had to pick out a gift for my girlfriend..."

Su Chao appeared somewhat shy.

His reasons were valid, and besides, he was handsome enough, so he managed to sneak in.

They quickly and successfully approached the random shop.

Giving up on attributes is too expensive; 600,000 is too much. Selling yourself to a rich woman for just six points of dialogue attributes isn't worth it.

The song was bought.

They certainly wouldn't pass up the script blind box that costs 500 yuan.

(End of this chapter)