Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 580 What I Want is the Queen of the Women's Kingdom
Two Academy Awards trophies are placed in the center of the study, with other trophies or certificates next to them.

Frank said enviously, "Mr. Oliver, I think you have a chance to win an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement!"

"Frank, I think you can too." After reaching a preliminary agreement on cooperation, the two began to flatter each other.

Oliver sat in his study and explained his ideas for filming "House of Cards" to the two men: "Use as dark a tone as possible to represent the corruption and darkness of politics and create a thrilling atmosphere."

We want the audience to feel a strong voyeuristic urge when they see the film, as if they are present at the scene of a political transaction, coldly observing everything that we cannot see.”

Oliver gave Liu Yimin several suggestions for script adaptation, advising him to exaggerate the parts that needed to be exaggerated, otherwise the audience might fall asleep.

"Sometimes, 110% exaggeration is too little, 150% is moderate, and 200% is more eye-catching. 150% is a middle ground, somewhere on the edge of the audience's pleasure threshold. Since the storyline has already been exaggerated by 150%, why not go all the way and pull it to 200% to trigger a frenzy among the audience!" Oliver shared his insights.

Oliver wanted to use a direct and forceful style to directly stimulate the audience. Frank initially thought Oliver was just Oliver, and he was just himself, but after discussion, he discovered that there were many things he could learn from Oliver.

Oliver was speaking so enthusiastically partly because the contract wasn't finalized yet, which meant there was still a possibility of breach of contract. He wanted to demonstrate his value to Liu Yimin and Frank.

On the other hand, regarding the director's fee, the more clearly you demonstrate your value, the easier it will be to get a higher price when negotiating later.

Both sides were still preoccupied with their own thoughts; Liu Yimin and Frank were essentially interviewing Oliver.

At 3 p.m., Liu Yimin and Frank finally left Oliver's villa in Los Angeles. Back at the hotel, Liu Yimin first called George of the *Paris Review* to remind him to return his manuscript.

On the other hand, the auditing team hired by Huanxing Pictures will report to Liu Yimin that Huanxing's first quarter audit report has been released, which mainly involves the investment expenses related to "Green Book".

"Liu, according to our audit, all project expenditures are normal, and every flow of funds complies with financial regulations. 'Green Book' raised a total of $17 million, of which Universal Pictures contributed $5 million."

Of this funding, approximately ten million US dollars was allocated to filming, while the remaining seven million was for marketing and distribution.

"Okay, thank you all." Liu Yimin closed the folder in his hand.

Even if it's a dirty trick, few people are foolish enough to act rashly at the very beginning of a collaboration.

That evening, Frank returned to the hotel. The custom-made Oscar necklace had arrived, along with a gift bag containing mostly attraction tickets or plane tickets to destinations—things Liu Yimin wouldn't need.

Frank asked Liu Yimin how much he thought Oliver should be paid for directing, and Liu Yimin replied, "Frank, you don't need to ask me about the specifics of the operations."

I will send the script for "House of Cards" by July or August if possible.

Liu Yimin had Frank drive him back to San Francisco, and Consul Zhao from San Francisco called Liu Yimin's hotel to congratulate him.

Many Americans wanted to congratulate Liu Yimin, but most did not know his hotel phone number in San Francisco.

As a result, some groups published articles or statements in newspapers congratulating Liu Yimin on winning the Academy Award.

He Fengshan's daughter, He Manli, called the hotel, wanting to conduct an interview about Liu Yimin winning the Academy Award.

"Ms. He, come on over!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, He Manli immediately drove to the hotel.

"Wow, this is the Oscars!" He Manli fiddled with the Oscar statuette in her hand, looking quite delighted. She had been a reporter for quite some time, but she had never actually seen an Oscar before.

"Professor Liu, congratulations! You've won the American Literature Prize and now you've won the most prestigious film award in the US and even the world. In a few days, you'll have won all the American awards," He Manli said with a smile.

"Haha, Ms. He, maybe you'll win the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism someday."

He Manli shook her head: "How difficult! I'm just a small-time reporter. Comrade Yimin, let's begin. I should be the first reporter to interview you after you won the Academy Award!"

"Correct!"

He Manli had Liu Yimin pose with the Hong Kong Film Award for a few photos, and then they took more than enough pictures.

Most of the questions He Manli asked were fairly standard, but two of them were a little interesting. One of them was a quote from Liu Yimin on the Oscar red carpet: "It is a pity that 'Hachi: A Dog' did not win an Oscar, not a pity for the film."

"Professor Liu, why did you say that? Were you expressing your dissatisfaction?"

Liu Yimin crossed his legs and said, "I wouldn't say I'm dissatisfied, but I think 'Hachi: A Dog' is an excellent film. The Oscars don't have a separate award for art films, so it's unfair to compare 'Hachi: A Dog' with a bunch of commercial films."

Regardless, the film *Hachi: A Dog's Tale* has proven itself to audiences worldwide.

He Manli asked Liu Yimin to comment on the Academy Awards, and Liu Yimin gave a brief evaluation.

"Professor Liu, thank you for accepting my interview," He Manli said with a smile.

Liu Yimin handed He Manli a business card: "This is director Frank. If you want to interview an Oscar winner, you can go to him. But he should be filming 'Green Book' right now and isn't at the company."

He Manli happily accepted the business card and said, "Professor Liu, thank you!"

"You're welcome. Just mention my name when you call him. Frank knows a lot of Hollywood stars. If you want to know the latest Hollywood news, he's a good option."

He Manli put the business card into her bag. She treasured it very much, as it might come in handy sometime.

"Professor Liu, when are you returning to China? My father would like to invite you to one last meal before you return!" He Manli said.

Liu Yimin said, "I'm returning to China tomorrow!"

“Then let’s do it tonight!” He Manli said enthusiastically.

"Okay, sorry to bother you then."

"No problem, no problem. When you come to the United States in the future, you can visit our home anytime you land in San Francisco."

He Manli took the manuscript back to the newspaper office first, while Liu Yimin waited for George. George hugged Liu Yimin and said, "Liu, congratulations!"

"George, where did you come from?"

“I haven’t left California recently, and I’ve already written down all the content of the manuscript.”

George handed the manuscript to Liu Yimin and praised him again for his writing. In the afternoon, Liu Yimin met with Li Congren, and in the evening, the two went to He Fengshan's house together.

Li Congren planned to use He Fengshan's story to inspire other stories about diplomats.

“You’re starting to sound more and more like a tabloid reporter,” Liu Yimin said.

Li Congren's magazine sales continued to increase, but the light in his eyes had faded: "Liu, I used to think that writing stories was a very impressive thing, but the more I wrote, the more I lost interest, and I became a bit numb."

"Just remember that you brought truth, goodness, and beauty to American students, and that is the greatest significance," Liu Yimin said.

He Fengshan said, "My grandson even bought this magazine; the stories have a very good direction."

"Good guidance" was a compliment that He Fengshan thought about for a long time before coming up with it.

The veracity of the story is unknown, but its direction is excellent!
At the banquet, He Fengshan happily drank farewell wine, and in high spirits, he sang Li Shutong's "Farewell":
Outside the long pavilion, along the ancient road, fragrant grasses stretch to the horizon. The evening breeze stirs the willows, the sound of a flute fades, and the setting sun shines beyond the mountains.

At the ends of the earth, my close friends are scattered. A pot of wine exhausts our remaining joy, tonight my dreams of parting are cold.

Back at the hotel that evening, Liu Yimin rubbed his head, not too drunk. He carefully tidied up the room and packed his things before resting.

I got up at 10 a.m. the next day, checked the room again, had breakfast, and then took a car to San Francisco Airport to begin my journey back home.

Having been away from home for almost a month, he was filled with eagerness.
As the plane landed at Yanjing Airport, Liu Yimin quickly disembarked, the April breeze stirring his heart. With his luggage in hand, he strode out of the airport terminal. Zhu Lin was anxiously waiting outside, but her unusual attire drew curious stares from those around her.

Zhu Lin covered his face with his clothes, and when he saw Liu Yimin, he waved to him happily.

Liu Yimin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Zhu Lin grabbed Liu Yimin's hand and quickly walked out. Once in the car, Liu Yimin saw the costume jacket lying on the back seat.

"Teacher Liu, are you tired?" Zhu Lin asked with concern, her eyes overflowing with affection.

"What happened to you?" Liu Yimin pointed to his head, where a hairpin was still stuck.

Zhu Lin said with frustration, "The Journey to the West cast had a performance today, and I just came from the CCTV stage. There was enough time, but unfortunately the monkey had a problem in the middle, which delayed it by two hours."

I was afraid you'd have to wait too long, so I came without changing my clothes.

Do we need to go back?

"No need, I'm fine today!" Zhu Lin said.

Liu Yimin blinked: "Let's go home, I'm sleepy!"

Zhu Lin skillfully turned the car around and drove towards the Overseas Chinese Apartment: "Teacher Liu, congratulations on winning the Latin American Literature Award and also the American Oscar."

"Has it already been published domestically?"

"It's been published! It's been published in all the major newspapers. The Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Dramatists Association even published articles in the newspapers to congratulate you!"

Zhu Lin couldn't wait to see what the trophy looked like, so he pressed the accelerator harder and faster. Liu Yimin couldn't help but say, "Slow down, slow down!"

Zhu Lin then eased off the accelerator, and Liu Yimin leaned back in the passenger seat, stretching his hand out the window to feel the gentle spring breeze.

"This spring breeze smells sweet," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Zhu Lin chuckled, "I wore too much perfume today."

"Look at you, so clueless about romance." Liu Yimin chuckled.

Back at the Overseas Chinese Apartment, Liu Yimin pushed open the door and asked, "Where are the two little ones?"

"I went to my parents' house. I should be taking them boating on the lake with Ximei," Zhu Lin said.

It was a bit hot and humid inside the Overseas Chinese Apartment in April, so Liu Yimin went over and opened the balcony window. Strong winds occasionally blow outside in April, and Zhu Lin, afraid the wind would blow dust in, kept the windows tightly closed when she wasn't home.

"Teacher Liu, have some tea." Zhu Lin poured Liu Yimin a cup of tea, and Liu Yimin took the Romulo Galagos Award and the Academy Award trophy out of his suitcase and placed them on the table.

Zhu Lin took a closer look at the Hong Kong Film Awards: "It's pretty much the same as the Hundred Flowers Awards."

“A layer of gold leaf, but here’s a gold necklace, try it on!” Liu Yimin put the necklace on Zhu Lin, the golden “Golden Image Award” pendant complementing her snow-white skin.

"It looks great!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Zhu Lin saw the name on the back of the necklace and hugged Liu Yimin with emotion. Liu Yimin sat on the sofa and asked Zhu Lin to take a look while wearing her costume.

Zhu Lin changed back into his magnificent royal attire and stood in the living room, twirling gently: "How is it, Teacher Liu!"

"Don't call me Teacher Liu, you should call me brother at this time!"

Liu Yimin laughed loudly as he got up, picked up Zhu Lin, and headed towards the bedroom. Zhu Lin hurriedly hugged Liu Yimin's neck, saying, "No, no, I need to remove my makeup and these clothes first."

Liu Yimin threw Zhu Lin onto the bed: "No need, what I want is the Queen of the Women's Kingdom!"

"what?"

Before Zhu Lin could react, Liu Yimin had already pounced on her, working with one hand while using the other to pull out the air conditioner remote from the corner and turn it on.

Zhu Lin was wearing so many clothes that she was momentarily out of breath: "Teacher Liu..."

"Slap!" Liu Yimin said sternly, "Call me brother!"

"elder brother!"

"Brother Yimin!"

"Brother Yimin!"

"What?"

"The clothes under the costume are too thick, I..."

"It's okay, I only need three points! With the right time, place, and people, let's get to work quickly, otherwise the two little ones will be back soon." Liu Yimin kissed her roughly, and Zhu Lin, seeing this, stopped talking and wrapped her arms around Liu Yimin's neck.

In the Summer Palace, the two little ones, under the care of their parents and Ximei, were happily chasing butterflies, showing no intention of going home.

Inside the room, the energy accumulated over a month couldn't be fully released overnight. On the floor, clothes were disheveled, costumes half-undone and half-covered. At this moment, there was no need for words of farewell; everything was understood without saying a word.

After some time, Zhu Lin gently picked up the mirror and looked at herself, then said angrily, "Teacher Liu, you've eaten all my makeup!"

"Hehehe!" Liu Yimin picked up the water in his teacup and rinsed his mouth.

Zhu Lin rubbed his ears: "Teacher Liu, how come you've learned to whisper in someone's ear after just one trip out?"

Liu Yimin hugged Zhu Lin tightly from behind: "Rest a little longer and adjust to the time difference."

"Your way of adjusting to time zone differences is really unique!" Zhu Lin gently pushed Liu Yimin down onto the bed.

The phone rang in the study, but neither of them mentioned answering it.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Lin woke up and saw that it was already dark. He quickly got up and went out into the living room.

The living room was eerily quiet in the pitch black. Zhu Lin rubbed his hair and turned on the light.

"Why aren't they back yet? Ouch!" Zhu Lin gasped, adjusted his posture, and walked towards the study.

Zhu Lin picked up the phone and called his parents. Hearing Zhu Lin's voice, his mother said, "The two little ones are sleeping here with us tonight. They're too tired, so we won't let them go back. Xi Mei's house is nearby, so I let her go back."

Remember to pick up the kids tomorrow. Don't worry if you don't have time; your dad doesn't have class tomorrow.

"Okay!" Zhu Lin added a few more instructions.

Zhu's mother couldn't help but say, "Don't worry, I have more experience taking care of children than you do. They're already asleep, so don't worry."

What time is it? Hurry up and cook something. If you don't want to cook, go out and buy something to eat; all the restaurants will close soon.

Zhu Lin stammered out a "okay" and quickly hung up the phone.

Zhu Lin looked up at the clock hanging in the study; it was already 9:30. Her stomach was rumbling, so she ran to the refrigerator and found some fruit and snacks.

Seeing that Liu Yimin was still asleep, she didn't rush to cook. Instead, she started tidying up the house. Looking at the clothes scattered all over the floor, Zhu Lin patted Liu Yimin's bottom with a sigh: "These are all costumes. How are we going to repay them now that they're in this state?"

(End of this chapter)