Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 174 Black Swan Box Office Explosion

The last two days of September were as lively as a boiling hot pot in the entertainment news.

News about the three major films came one after another, keeping the editors extremely busy, their keyboards clattering loudly.

"The Founding of a Republic" is like a distinguished old marshal; after more than half a month of release, its box office has exceeded 2.5 million yuan.

When the daily box office data reports were delivered to the China Film Group office, Han Sanping would still smile and nod, saying, "We're holding up."

This film is designed for the long run, and thanks to its unparalleled cast and special significance, it still maintains a respectable daily box office of several million.

The publicity team has already started the second round of material distribution, focusing on "the patriotism behind the all-star lineup".

The real battleground is between the other two films.

On September 29, "The Message" premiered in major theaters.

After the first screening, the film critics' reactions made Wang Zhonglei beam with joy.

"A new height for domestically produced spy dramas!"

"The entire cast delivered excellent performances, and the scenes between Zhou Xun and Li Binbin were absolutely brilliant!"

"The suspense was off the charts, and the final twist gave me goosebumps!"

When the box office figures for the first day were released, cheers erupted in the Huayi Brothers' publicity department office—1200 million!

This is a weekday!

The next day, the 30th, the box office reached 1530 million.

The curve on the data chart rises sharply, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

Wang Zhonglei was making tea in his office when he told the publicity director who came to report, "It's a sure thing. We've already secured the top spot for the National Day film season."

"But Mr. Wang," the publicity director hesitated, "Black Swan is coming out tomorrow, and the premiere at the Beijing Film Academy is quite a spectacle—"

"Arthouse films." Wang Zhonglei waved his hand, his tone confident. "Winning an award at Venice is one thing, box office success is another."

Even if Liu Yifei's acting is excellent, can she carry a film to box office success? The genre, cast, and buzz surrounding "The Message" have all been tested by the market.

He paused, took a sip of tea, and said, "But we can't let our guard down. Send the word out to increase our investment in new media, focusing on the suspense and the explosive acting. I want to see 'The Message' firmly hold the top spot during the seven-day National Day holiday."

At the same time, in the offices of Light Chaser Animation Studios, the atmosphere was a different kind of relaxed tension.

As Jiang Yu flipped through the reviews of "The Message," he said to Chen Ming, the head of publicity and distribution at Light Chaser Pictures, who was sitting opposite him, "The competition is very strong."

"Mr. Jiang, you are very strong." Chen Ming nodded, "But our film is not weak either. You saw the effect of the premiere at the Beijing Film Academy; the industry reviews were extremely high. Now the key is whether the general audience will buy into it."

How many midnight screenings are scheduled?

"1200 shows in key cities across the country." Chen Ming pushed up his glasses. "This is mainly because of the subject matter and length of 'Black Swan.' If we schedule it too close together, the attendance rate might not be good."

"That's enough." Jiang Yu closed the report. "Word-of-mouth films rely on building momentum. If we hold steady on the first day, things will pick up later."

He glanced at his phone; Liu Yifei had sent him a message ten minutes earlier: "I can't sleep."

Jiang Yu smiled and replied, "If you still can't fall asleep after counting a thousand sheep, I'll tell you a bedtime story."

The other party replied instantly: "Then tell me now, I've already counted to one thousand and one."

"7

October 9, Wednesday.

Los Angeles, an AMC theater on Sunset Boulevard.

At 7 p.m., the first batch of audience members entered the venue.

In the cinema lobby, the poster for "Black Swan" occupied the most prominent position, with half of Liu Yifei's face hidden in shadow, her eyes...

The goddess was both fierce and fragile, and black feathers drifted down from her cheeks.

The poster features a striking slogan: "Winner of the Venice Best Actress Award, the most thrilling performance of the year."

David stood in the corridor on the second floor of the cinema, his palms slightly sweaty.

Standing next to him was Mark, the head of the North American distribution company.

"2100 theaters," Mark said, looking at the crowds queuing downstairs. "For a non-blockbuster film, this opening scale is already quite risky."

"It's worth the risk." David stared at the poster. "After the Venice screening, the boss and I knew this film would be a success."

"The word-of-mouth screenings have been very well received," Mark admitted, "but what about the average viewer? They don't care about film festival awards."

Just then, the first screening ended.

As the audience members emerged from the theater, many still looked dazed.

David pricked up his ears, trying to catch the chatter of the departing audience.

"My God—I couldn't breathe during the last dance!"

"That Chinese girl acted so well, I never expected it—"

"This isn't your average thriller, this is art!"

"I'm going to recommend it to all my friends!"

David and Mark exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement in each other's eyes.

October 1st, 10:27 AM.

Jiang Yu was awakened by the sunlight.

To be precise, it was the warm, non-scorching light of an autumn morning, shining through the gap in the loosely drawn curtains and falling directly on his eyelids.

He frowned and instinctively turned to avoid it, but his arm brushed against the soft top of the head of the person next to him.

Liu Yifei was still asleep, curled up on her side, half her face buried in the fluffy pillow, her breathing even and long.

She did stay up quite late last night, scrolling through Douban reviews, checking Weibo trending topics, and worrying about the North American box office. In the end, Jiang Yu had to forcibly confiscate her phone before he could get her into bed.

"Don't think about it anymore, what's meant to happen will happen." That's what he said at the time.

"But what if—" she blinked in the darkness.

.

"There's no 'what if'," he interrupted her. "Your performance is impeccable, the film is of excellent quality, the rest is up to the audience and the market."

That's what he said, but Jiang Yu himself wasn't entirely unsure.

But at this critical juncture, he had to be more steady than her.

Now, the sun is shining brightly, and the person next to me is sleeping soundly, while the 17 unread text messages on my phone screen are like a row of mysteries waiting to be revealed.

Jiang Yu gently moved Liu Yifei's hand away from his waist, got up, leaned against the headboard, and picked up his phone.

The moment the screen unlocked, his gaze was drawn to the message at the very top.

Han Sanping, 08:17.

The content is as concise as a telegraphic code, yet every word carries immense weight: "Midnight screenings grossed 238 million, setting a new record for domestic art films."

Jiang Yu stared at the line of text for a full ten seconds.

Then, the corners of his mouth slowly turned up, forming a confident and relaxed arc.

In this day and age, for a psychological thriller with an art-house focus to achieve 238 million midnight screenings despite the strong competition from "The Message," it's beyond just "success"—it's phenomenal.

He could almost imagine how many people in the film industry were discussing that number right now.

Those theater managers who were previously taking a wait-and-see approach are probably already making urgent adjustments to their film schedules.

Keep scrolling down.

David's text message was the second one, sent at 6 a.m. in Los Angeles.

This workaholic probably didn't sleep all night again.

"Boss! Big news! Opening in 2100 theaters, midnight screenings grossed a whopping $148 million!! As of 8 PM last night, opening day figures are projected to exceed $6.5 million!! The reviews are phenomenal! 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, 9.1 on IMDb!! Buddies, we've caught a real black swan!"

Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow.

Over 650 million? And it's a Wednesday, a working day?

This data is 30% better than his most optimistic estimate.

North American audiences have always been quite receptive to psychological thrillers and artistically compelling films like this. For a film starring a relatively unfamiliar Asian face, "Black Swan" has achieved such a good opening, exceeding the scope of "good" and entering the realm of "amazing".

What surprised him even more was the word-of-mouth.

With an IMDb score of 9.1, this score would be considered a masterpiece in any year.

A 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes means that almost all professional film critics have given it a positive review.

He put his phone back on the bedside table and turned to look at Liu Yifei beside him.

She was still asleep, the morning light casting a soft veil on her face, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows under her eyelids, as serene as an innocent child.

No one could have imagined that this very face would portray such extreme madness, vulnerability, and destruction on the big screen last night.

Jiang Yu reached out and gently brushed aside a stray strand of hair from her cheek.

My fingertips brushed against her delicate skin; it was warm and real.

"Time to get up, Mr. Liu," he said softly, his tone carrying a gentleness he himself didn't realize. "Your report card is frighteningly beautiful."

Liu Yifei fully woke up at 10:50.

The first thing I did upon waking was to reach out and fumble around on the bedside table with my eyes still closed: "My phone—where's my phone—?"

His voice was still hoarse and groggy from just waking up.

Jiang Yu had already prepared a fully charged phone and handed it over along with warm water: "Take your time and keep your heart racing."

Liu Yifei took the phone, took a deep breath, unlocked the screen, and first opened Douban Movies.

She held her breath as soon as the page for "Black Swan" refreshed.

8.8 points.

The short comment section was refreshing at a visible speed: "Just came out of the midnight show, and I'm completely stunned—is that really Liu Yifei?"

"During the last thirty minutes of his solo dance, my palms were sweating profusely, and I got goosebumps all over!"

"From innocent white moonlight to dark and crazy, the transformation is so smooth, it's frighteningly smooth!"

"The Venice Film Festival Best Actress award is well-deserved! Those in China who called her just a pretty face, aren't they ashamed of themselves?"

"Jiang Yu has such a great eye for scripts! This role is practically tailor-made for Liu Yifei's transformative performance!"

"This isn't a black swan, it's a nuclear swan! Explode!"

Positive reviews flooded in, with almost no deliberate negative reviews.

Occasionally, one or two criticisms will be quickly drowned out by a flood of praise.

Liu Yifei scrolled down the list one by one, her eyes gradually welling up with tears.

She then switched to Weibo.

On the trending topics list, topics such as "Liu Yifei Black Swan", "Liu Yifei's acting skills" and "Black Swan midnight performance" were prominently featured, each followed by a red "hot" or "boiling" label.

Clicking through reveals a flood of spontaneous positive reviews and powerful viewing experiences from audiences, with many film and television influencers even providing lengthy analyses.

"It seems... it's really okay?" She looked up at Jiang Yu with bright eyes, her tone filled with disbelief and trepidation.

"It's more than just 'okay'." Jiang Yu pulled her out of bed and carried her to the dining table like a child. "Go wash up quickly, there'll be even more 'okay' news waiting for you after dinner."

At 3 PM, Light Chaser Pictures' official Weibo account was updated on time.

There were no fancy copywriting, no sentimental words, just a simple and elegant poster design and a short text.

[Black Swan Film Achieves Box Office Success on Opening Day in North America]

截至洛杉矶时间9月30日22：00点，《黑天鹅》在北美2100家影院开画，首日票房报收672万美元。

.

The film's reputation continues to grow, with a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a stable 9.0 score on 1MDb.

Thank you to all the viewers for your support! Black Swan, take flight!

On the poster, a black swan silhouette spreads its wings as if about to take flight, with the striking number below: $6,720,000.

The number of reposts and comments exploded within five minutes of this Weibo post being published.

"How much?! 672 million?! US dollars?!"

"672 million on the first workday — is this data erroneous?"

"That's over 40 million RMB, right? In a day?!"

"97% on Rotten Tomatoes! 9.0 on IMDb! These ratings are incredible!"

"So how much did this movie cost? $1500 million? This is a third of the money back in just one day?!"

The media reacted even faster.

Ten minutes later, the headlines on major movie portals had changed to breaking news:

Black Swan raked in a whopping $672 million on its opening day in North America, a critical and commercial success!

Liu Yifei's starring film conquers the North American market, achieving stunning opening results!

Light Chaser Pictures releases another blockbuster, recouping nearly half of its 1500 million yuan investment on the first day!

Industry insiders began sharing and discussing the news wildly. One top director exclaimed in a private chat group, "These numbers would be the opening weekend performance for a B-movie in Hollywood. Jiang Yu has made the right bet again."

Another producer replied, "It wasn't a gamble, it was foresight. From the choice of subject matter to the casting, every step of this film was frighteningly precise."

.

What shocked the industry even more was the subsequent release of North American box office predictions.

According to "sources," several authoritative box office forecasting agencies have raised their North American total box office forecast for "Black Swan" to over $1.5 million, and its global box office is expected to reach $3 million or even higher.

"3 million US dollars — how much would the net profit be?"

"Conservatively speaking, chasing this wave could earn me a small profit, in US dollars."

"Liu Yifei has truly soared to new heights. Which other actress in China has achieved something like this?"

"Not to mention in China, you can't find many like them even in Asia."

In Huayi's office, Wang Zhonglei stared at the news on his computer screen in silence for a long time.

The tea on the table had gone cold, but he didn't even think to take a sip.

The publicity director knocked and came in, holding the latest box office data report, his face not looking too good: "Mr. Wang, 'The Message' is expected to gross around 1600 million today, but 'Black Swan's' screenings have started to increase, and many theaters have allocated prime-time slots to them."

"Understood." Wang Zhonglei waved his hand, his voice sounding somewhat tired. "Promote according to the original plan, no need to panic."

After the director left the office, Wang Zhonglei rubbed his temples and muttered to himself, "Art film—ha, this isn't an art film, it's a commercial nuclear bomb."

October 2nd, the second day of the National Day holiday.

Jiang Yu's biological clock made him wake up naturally at 7:30.

Instead of checking his phone immediately, he quietly got out of bed and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

There were ingredients in the refrigerator that his aunt had prepared last night. He fried eggs, baked bread, and heated milk.

As the simple breakfast was laid out on the table, rustling sounds came from the bedroom.

He pushed the door open and found that Liu Yifei was already awake, sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, staring longingly at the phone on the bedside table, wanting to touch it but not daring to, just like a primary school student waiting for the teacher to announce the final grades.

"Let's see," Jiang Yu laughed, leaning against the doorframe. "What's meant to happen will happen."

Liu Yifei took a deep breath, as if she was about to do something extremely important.

She reached out her hand, but pulled it back the instant her fingertips touched the phone case. She looked up at Jiang Yu and asked, "How about you help me take a look?"

"Look for yourself." Jiang Yu walked over and shoved the phone into her hand. "Your report card, of course you have to open it yourself."

Liu Yifei gritted her teeth and unlocked the screen.

There aren't many unread messages, but they are all crucial.

The first message was from Jiang Xuerou, sent around 7 AM: "Yifei! The domestic opening day box office figures are out! Guess how much? (blurred with excitement.jpg)"

The second item is an official data chart sent to the work group by the head of marketing and distribution for the domestic team of Chasing Light.

Liu Yifei's fingers trembled slightly as she opened the PDF file.

The few seconds it took to load felt like an eternity.

The file is open. Clear tables, prominent numbers.

Black Swan's opening day box office in China (October 1): 2082 million RMB.

She blinked and looked at it carefully again.

The thousands separator is clearly visible: 20,820,000.

That's right, 2082 million!

This is more than 5 million higher than the 15.3 million reported by "The Message" yesterday!

Despite the strong word-of-mouth for "The Message" and its two-day release, "Black Swan" achieved a comeback and topped the charts on its first day!

"what!"

A short gasp escaped her throat. She abruptly covered her mouth, her eyes widening instantly as she looked at Jiang Yu with disbelief, as if to say, "Am I dreaming?"

Jiang Yu smiled and nodded, walked to the bedside and sat down, rubbing her messy hair: "What did I tell you? Have confidence in the audience."

Liu Yifei still couldn't believe it, looked down at the data again, and then suddenly lunged forward and hugged Jiang Yu's neck: "20"

82! Our champion on day one!

"It's you, it's you!" Jiang Yu was knocked back by her bump, and he smiled as he put his arm around her. "It's Teacher Liu's champion."

"What about North America? Has the data for North America come out on the second day?" Liu Yifei released him and asked eagerly.

"It won't be released until the afternoon." Jiang Yu glanced at the time. "But David sent a message at midnight saying the trend is stable and there's no need to worry."

That being said, Liu Yifei spent the entire morning in a state of excited yet anxious waiting.

She would browse Douban for new movie reviews, check audience feedback on Weibo, and then worry about whether the North American ratings would decline.

At lunchtime, she poked at the rice in her bowl, showing little appetite.

"You have to eat, even if you can't," Jiang Yu said, putting a piece of pork rib into her bowl. "You might have to do an interview this afternoon, and you can't do it without energy."

"I'm nervous—" Liu Yifei whispered.

"What's there to be nervous about?" Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow. "We've already won the first day's championship, and our reputation in North America is booming. Now it's our opponents who should be nervous."

That's right.

At 2 PM, Light Chaser Pictures released its preliminary box office report for the second day in North America:

[More good news from North America the following day]

Black Swan grossed another $651 million on its second day of release (Thursday)!

After two days of release, the cumulative box office has exceeded 1300 million, reaching 1323 million US dollars!

Its reputation remains strong, with a 96% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 9.0 rating on 1MDb!

Earning over $1300 million in just two weekdays is a trend that can no longer be described as "stable"; it's downright "strong."

Based on the patterns of the North American market, box office revenue is bound to surge again over the next three days.

The media has truly gone mad this time.

If yesterday's news carried a hint of probing and shock, today's press release is nothing but jubilation and certainty:

"Two films hit the box office! 'Black Swan' tops the domestic box office charts on its opening day, surpassing 'The Message'!"

"The film starring Liu Yifei continues to be a hit in North America, raking in over $1300 million in just two days!"

Is Liu Yifei, the Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner, a box office draw with a box office appeal that transcends both China and the US?

Kang Woo creates a "money-printing machine" film; "Black Swan" has huge global box office potential.

Online, the hashtag "Liu Yifei is a hit in both China and the US" quickly rose to the top of the trending searches, followed by the word "explosive" in deep red.

Clicking in, the real-time Weibo posts refreshed at a rate of dozens of messages per second: "The Philippines is awesome! Champions in both China and the US!"

"These box office results must be incredibly envious of all the top actresses in China, right?"

"People used to say Liu Yifei was just a pretty face, doesn't that make you feel ashamed now?"

"Jiang Yu has an amazing eye for talent! The casting for this film is superb; no one else could have achieved this effect!"

"I've already watched it twice, and that final solo dance gives me goosebumps every time I see it!"

Fans were overjoyed, passersby marveled, and haters temporarily fell silent. This report card was so impressive that even the haters didn't know where to begin criticizing it.

The industry was in uproar and reassessed.

With this series of solid data, Liu Yifei's commercial value and box office performance have been elevated to an unprecedented level.

Producers and directors who were previously skeptical of her career transition are now forced to re-evaluate this 22-year-old actress.

An executive from a film company said at a private gathering, "I used to think Liu Yifei was a top-tier celebrity, but now I see she's a top-tier actress with top-tier box office appeal. This combination is unique among domestic actresses."

"Jiang Yu is the biggest winner," another person chimed in. "His company was the main investor in the film, and most of the profits went into his pocket. I heard that the total cost of the film's production and distribution was less than $2000 million, and it has already recouped most of the cost in just two days in North America."

""

"A money printing machine—" someone exclaimed, "A veritable money printing machine."

During the following National Day Golden Week, the film market completely became a stage for the technical prowess of "Black Swan".

Domestically, it engaged in a seven-day close battle with "The Message".

The daily data for the two films was compared, which the media called a "battle of the titans" during the National Day holiday.

It's clear to anyone with eyes to see that the scales of this "battle for supremacy" have already tipped.

10月2日，《黑天鹅》2366万，《风声》2200万。差距拉大到166万。

October 3rd marked the peak of moviegoing during the National Day holiday.

"Black Swan" earned 2471 million, setting a new single-day box office record; "The Message" earned 2380 million, also performing well, but was 91 behind.

10月4日，《黑天鹅》2220万，《风声》2050万。差距170万。

On October 5th, box office revenue began to decline.

Black Swan earned $2118 million, while The Message earned $1900 million. The gap widened to $218 million.

On October 6, the overall market declined.

Black Swan grossed $1920 million, and The Message grossed $1750 million.

October 7th, the last day of the holiday.

Black Swan grossed $1755 million, and The Message grossed $1620 million.

With the seven-day holiday over, "Black Swan" has grossed a staggering 1.49 million yuan, firmly suppressing "The Message" which earned 1.31 million yuan, and leaving "The Founding of a Republic," which has been in theaters for several days, far behind.

Almost single-handedly, it boosted the overall box office during the National Day holiday, with daily box office revenue exceeding 6100 million yuan.

Media coverage has bordered on the "myth": "Art-house film grosses nearly 1.5 million in seven days! Liu Yifei goes head-to-head with 'The Message' and 'The Founding of a Republic' without a hitch!"

"A black swan event swept through the National Day holiday, rewriting the box office ceiling for art-house films!"

"From Venice to the National Day holiday, Liu Yifei has achieved a double conquest in terms of both acting skills and box office success!"

Those in the industry say they don't understand it.

Previously, the box office benchmark for domestic art films was Chen Kaige's "Mei Lanfang," which grossed 1.17 million yuan.

Black Swan broke this record in just seven days, and it's almost a certainty that it will surpass 2 million. Based on this trend, the final price is likely to be over 2.5 million.

For countless directors struggling to find funding to shoot art films, it was as if they had seen a dazzling ray of light in the darkness.

An independent director wrote on Weibo: "It turns out that audiences are willing to pay for movies with depth and good acting. It's not that audiences don't like art films, it's that we haven't made art films like 'Black Swan'."

What shocked the industry even more was the composition of the audience.

The audience for traditional art films is mainly film buffs and highly educated people. However, the audience profile of "Black Swan" shows that young viewers account for as much as 65%, of which more than 70% are female.

Many young girls went to the cinema expecting "Liu Yifei's transformative work," but came out amazed by the film itself.

"I originally went to see the show because of Liu Yifei's beauty, but I was shocked by her acting skills —"

"I was stunned for days after watching it; I was so immersed in the character of Lin Xin—"

"I'm going to watch it a second time; there are many details I didn't understand the first time."

These genuine audience feedbacks are more powerful than any promotional copy.

Inside Huayi Company, the atmosphere was somewhat delicate.

"The Message" is their flagship product that they had high hopes for before its release this year. It has a substantial investment, a strong cast, and excellent quality.

It has achieved both critical and commercial success since its release, which should have been something to celebrate, but it just happened to encounter the monster "Black Swan".

At the daily meeting of the publicity department, after the director finished presenting the data, the meeting room fell silent.

"Actually—our results are already very good," someone whispered. "1.31 million in seven days, that would be the top box office during the National Day holiday in previous years."

"We're in second place now." Wang Zhonglei tapped the table, his tone unreadable. "And we're in second place because we're being overshadowed by an art film."

Everyone fell silent.

"However," Wang Zhonglei changed the subject, "losing to 'Black Swan' isn't shameful. The film's quality speaks for itself, and Liu Yifei's performance was truly phenomenal. If we do our own promotion well and strive for a long run, our total box office might not be inferior."

That being said, the lead actors themselves had mixed feelings.

When asked for her opinion on "Black Swan" during an interview, Zhou Xun smiled and replied tactfully: "Yi Fei's performance was excellent. I also saw the movie, and it was very moving. It's a good thing that the cinema can accommodate different types of good films."

Back in the dressing room, she told her agent, "That kid is incredible. 22, a Willis Award winner, and still doing so well at the box office. What were we doing at 23?"

The agent sighed, "Times have changed. But Xun'er, you have a long road ahead of you, don't overthink it."

Li Binbin's side, on the other hand, was a different kind of porcelain-like state.

She simply invited a few friends to go hiking, turned off her phone, and completely escaped all the troubles.

"Out of sight, out of mind," she told Peng Yin. "What's meant to be mine will be mine, and what's not meant to be mine can't be forced. I've also seen Liu Yifei's film; she really acted well and had great presence."

Even so, while climbing the mountain, she couldn't help but think: what if "The Message" had been shown for a few days later, what if "Black Swan" hadn't gone to Wellington, what if—but there are no "what ifs" for a beggar.

While the domestic National Day film market was in full swing, across the Pacific Ocean, "Black Swan" welcomed its first weekend.

The North American box office statistics are updated every Monday morning.

Monday, October 10.

When David opened his mailbox and saw the notice, he jumped up from his chair.

"Oh, what a stroke of luck!" He stared at the screen, rubbing his eyes repeatedly.

The complaint clearly states:

Black Swan's North American opening weekend (October 2-4): $3413 million.

Cumulative gross in its first five days: $4742 million.

Weekend box office ranking: No. 1.

First weekend champion! Five days, fifty million US dollars!

This data would be considered excellent for any commercial blockbuster, but for an art-house thriller with a budget of $1500 million, it's simply a miracle!

David dialed Jiang Yu's number with trembling hands.

It was evening in China this time, but Jiang Yu answered the call quickly.

"Boss! 3413 million! First weekend champion! 4742 million in five days! We've reached the top! Weekend champion in North America!" David's voice cracked with excitement.

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Jiang Yu's cheerful voice came through: "Understood. Thanks for your hard work."

「辛苦？Boss，你太淡定了！你知道这意味着什幺吗？这意味着《黑天鹅》的北美最终票房至少1.5亿起步！机构已经调高预测到1.7亿到1.9亿了！全球票房可能沖4亿！4亿啊！」

"Yes, very good." Jiang Yu's voice remained calm. "Keep up the promotional pace, and don't let up on maintaining our reputation."

After hanging up the phone, David was still so excited that he paced around the office.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to the team group chat: "Everyone! It's my treat tonight! The most expensive restaurant! Let's celebrate!"

On the other side of the world, Jiang Yu put down his phone and looked at Liu Yifei, who was already asleep beside him.

She was exhausted after a long day and was curled up on the sofa, covered with a thin blanket, breathing evenly.

Jiang Yu walked over quietly, squatted down beside the sofa, and watched her for a while.

The moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft outline on her face.

He reached out and touched her cheek very lightly.

"Teacher Liu," he whispered, his voice as soft as if afraid to disturb a dream, "you've taken flight."

When the news reached China, it caused a more dramatic shock than the previous single-day results.

"North American opening weekend champion! Nearly $50 million in five days! Liu Yifei conquers Hollywood!"

"Global box office targets $4 million! Jiang Yu's investment has been a huge success!"

"Highest opening weekend record for an Asian actress starring in a Hollywood film! Liu Yifei has made history!"

"From a box office smash to a box office savior, Liu Yifei only needed one film, *Black Swan*!"

Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and other Asian media outlets also rushed to report on it.

The Japanese magazine "Kinema Junsho" headline reads: "A Miracle for Chinese Actresses: Liu Yifei and 'Black Swan' Sweep the Globe."

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo wrote: "Liu Yifei, the light of Asia? She has proven herself with her acting skills and box office success."

Across Asia, Liu Yifei's name, along with "black swan," has become a phenomenal buzzword.

Her Instagram followers surged by 100 million in a week, most of whom were from overseas.

Many foreign viewers first became acquainted with her through the film "Black Swan," and then searched for her previous works, only to be amazed by her period costumes in "Chinese Paladin" and "The Return of the Condor Heroes," gaining her another wave of fans.

The Red Star House's work email inbox has been overwhelmed.

Invitations to endorse international brands, cover shoots for fashion magazines, and film scripts—collaboration offers from all over the world came like snowflakes.

Assistant Xiao Wang spends most of his day just sorting through these emails.

"Sister Li, the head of Bulgari Asia wants to invite Sister Yifei to dinner —"

"Sister Li, Hollywood's CAA talent agency has sent a collaboration invitation—"

"Sister Li, American Vogue wants to shoot a feature article—"

"Sister Li, a French director sent me a script, saying it was written specifically for Sister Yifei—"

Sister Li rubbed her temples, feeling both happy and troubled: "Schedule everything. Remember, all collaborations must first go through General Manager Jiang; only after he approves can we proceed with further discussions."

Those voices of envy and doubt that once circulated in the industry have now mostly turned into silence or complex praise.

Liu Yifei won this battle decisively, achieving a comprehensive victory in box office, critical acclaim, awards, and international influence, with virtually no weaknesses.

At a gathering of industry professionals, several producers sat together and chatted.

"What level do you think Liu Yifei is at now?"

"Domestically, she's a top-tier actress, in a league of her own. She has an award for Best Actress from Willis, box office success with 'Black Swan,' and international influence—now Hollywood looks ugly to her."

"Guan Jun is young, only 22. What was Gong Li doing at 23? What was Maggie Cheung doing at 23?"

"Jiang Yu is truly amazing; he single-handedly pushed her to this point."

"It's not entirely Jiang Yu's credit; she also has the talent. Could someone else have won the Willis Award for Best Actress for 'Black Swan'? Could it have achieved the same box office success?"

"That's true—so it's a mutually beneficial relationship."

To sum it up in layman's terms: "Liu Yifei is about to achieve legendary status in one fell swoop!"

October 8th, the first working day after the National Day holiday.

At 10 a.m., the conference room of Light Chaser Pictures was full of people.

The core members of the publicity team, event team, and public relations team were all present.

Despite working overtime for seven consecutive days, no one looked tired; instead, they were filled with excitement and anticipation.

Jiang Yu sat in the main seat, flipping through the final data in his hand.

Jiang Xuerou stood in front of the projection screen and said in a loud voice, "I will now summarize the final data for 'Black Swan' as of 10:10 on October 8th."

Clear charts lit up on the screen.

Domestically: After seven days of release, the cumulative box office reached 1.52 million RMB. It topped the daily box office charts for seven consecutive days. The number of viewers exceeded 400 million. The Douban rating remained stable at 8.7.

"In North America: After eight days of release (as of October 7th, Los Angeles time), the cumulative box office reached $6058 million. It was the number one film on its opening weekend, and the number of theaters showing it increased to 2300 in its second week. It has a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes (down 1 percentage point, but still excellent) and a 9.0 rating on IMDb."

"Other regions worldwide: Major European screenings (UK, France, Germany, Italy, etc.) have begun, and Asian screenings (Japan, South Korea, etc.) are also underway."

(The film) began its run in South Asia this week. Preliminary estimates indicate that it has grossed approximately $800 million outside of North America.

"Therefore, as of now, Black Swan's global box office has exceeded $6850 million. At the current rate, it is expected to surpass $1 million before the end of this weekend."

Jiang Xuerou put down the laser pointer and looked at Jiang Yu: "President Jiang, my payment is almost complete."

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds, then erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Everyone was beaming with pride.

This is a miracle they helped create, a miracle destined to be written into the history of Chinese cinema.

After the applause subsided slightly, Jiang Yu slowly began to speak, "As you all have seen, the results are excellent and exceeded expectations. This is the result of the joint efforts of the entire Chinese and American team. I would like to thank you all."

He paused, scanning the room: "But the battle isn't over yet. Don't stop the marketing, and keep maintaining our reputation. Domestically, breaking 2 million is a sure thing, but I hope you can aim for 2.5 million. David's team will continue to follow up on the North American and global markets."

"In addition," Jiang Yu smiled, "all colleagues involved in the 'Black Swan' project will have their bonuses doubled this month. The project celebration banquet will be held as soon as I return from the United States. You can choose the location, and there is no upper limit on the budget."

"Yay!" The conference room erupted in cheers. Some whistled, others slammed their fists on the table in excitement.

After the meeting, Jiang Yu returned to his office.

He didn't sit down immediately, but walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at the bustling traffic on Chang'an Avenue below.

The autumn sun shines brightly, and the city returns to its usual busy rhythm after the holiday.

In Jiang Yu's eyes, the landscape of this place has undergone subtle yet profound changes due to the intrusion of a "black swan."

The phone on the table vibrated; it was Han Sanping calling.

"President Jiang, have you looked at the data?" Han Sanping's voice was tinged with amusement.

"Just finished reading it." Jiang Yu turned and leaned against the window. "What instructions does President Han have?"

"It's not really an instruction," Han Sanping laughed, "I'm just letting you know that China Film Group has decided to add 500 million yuan to the marketing budget for 'Black Swan,' and reinvest it in second- and third-tier cities. This film can't just be a hit in first-tier cities; it needs to reach a wider audience."

"Thank you for your support, Mr. Han."

"Of course," Han Sanping paused, his tone becoming earnest, "President Jiang, what you've done this time isn't just about how much money you made or how many awards you won. You've proven that Chinese actors can star in world-class films, and that Chinese films can succeed globally. This is more significant than box office numbers."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yu remained silent for a long time.

He looked out the window again; the sunlight was blinding, but he didn't look away.

Yes, this significance is more important than box office revenue.

In the media, discussions about Liu Yifei and "Black Swan" continue to be overwhelming, and Jiao Pi has begun to shift from simply praising the box office success to deeper discussions:

The Liu Yifei Phenomenon: How Should Chinese Actors Navigate the Path to Internationalization?

"The Potential for Commercialization of Arthouse Films: Insights from 'Black Swan'"

Jiang Yu's Production Philosophy: How to Balance Art and Film?

Analysis of Light Chaser Animation Studios' Business Model: Why Are They Always Able to Seize "Black Swan" Events?

Of course, the most eye-catching headline remains: "Exclusive Estimate: 'Black Swan' May Bring Over $1 Million in Net Profit to Light Chaser Pictures! Jiang Yu Once Again Demonstrates His 'Golden Touch' Skill!"

The title of "walking money machine" has been firmly attached to Jiang Yu and his Light Chaser Pictures by major financial media outlets.

Meanwhile, at Jiang Yu's Yintai Apartment.

Liu Yifei just finished a brief phone interview, part of a special program on the movie channel, where she was asked a few questions about her understanding of the character and her filming experience.

After hanging up the phone, she nestled on the sofa, hugging her knees, gazing at the bright autumn light outside the window, somewhat dazed.

The past eight or nine days have felt like riding a roller coaster without seatbelts, wildly tumbling between the highest and lowest points.

From the anxiety and sleepless nights before the release, to the surprise of watching the first screening, to the awe-inspiring performance in North America, and then the overwhelming lead throughout the National Day holiday —

Praise, amazement, adulation, and analysis poured in from all directions, almost overwhelming her.

My phone kept vibrating, and the number of unread text messages had increased to "99+".

She received congratulations from friends, compliments from people in the industry, interview invitations from the media, and cooperation intentions from brands—she opened a few, looked at them, and then withdrew.

It's too noisy, the whole world is too noisy.

She remembered what her mother said on the phone last night: "Xixi, Mom saw the news and knows you succeeded. Mom is more interested in knowing if you're tired?"

She replied with a smile, "I'm not tired, I'm happy."

Now that she's alone and quiet, she dares to admit: Tired, really tired. Not physically, but mentally. That feeling of constantly being on edge, afraid to relax, lest she make a wrong move, is more exhausting than filming night scenes for three months straight.

My phone vibrated again. This time it was a message from Jiang Yu: "What do you want to eat tonight? Let's celebrate, but we can only eat at home, it's too crowded outside."

Looking at this simple and unadorned message, Liu Yifei suddenly felt that the chaotic, floating, and aimless feeling in her heart had suddenly become real.

No matter how fierce the storm outside, no matter how many people praise or doubt her, there will always be someone who remembers her most ordinary needs and gives her a safe haven where she can let down her guard and curl up in peace.

She smiled and typed quickly on the screen: "I want to eat your sweet and sour pork ribs, and stir-fried pea shoots."

Keep it simple.

send.

A few seconds later, the reply came: "Okay. Liu Pi is home."

Liu Yifei's eyes suddenly welled up with tears as she looked at the message.

She sniffed and responded with a kitten head emoji.

She put down her phone, stretched out a big yawn, and her bones made a slight clicking sound.

Outside the window, the autumn afternoon sun was shining brightly, the sky was a clear, deep blue, and a few white clouds drifted lazily by.

The short vacation is over, but for her, the real vacation is just beginning.

A new journey seems to have just begun.

The wings of "Black Swan" have already spread, and it will continue to soar into a wider sky, creating even more waves across the globe.

After experiencing this intense and inspiring performance and this highly anticipated success, she herself needs time to reflect, absorb, and heal from the wounds inflicted by the role, in order to prepare for her next leap forward.

But before that, let's have a proper meal first.

Sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried pea shoots, simple home-style dishes, and the person who cooks for her.

As she thought about it, a gentle and bright smile appeared on her lips, like the cleanest ray of sunshine in this autumn.

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