Reborn, my online friend is the real me.

Liu Yifei didn't have time to have that meal with Su Yu before she transferred in Shanghai and went to Japan.

When Su Yu received her message, he was sitting in a Hunan restaurant downstairs from his company.

His phone vibrated. He picked it up and saw, "Su Yu, I'm sorry, I had to change my plans at the last minute and fly directly from Pudong to Tokyo. The album production team is pressing me hard, and the Sony producer is already waiting for me at the recording studio. I won't be able to eat."

Su Yu stared at the line of text for a few seconds, then said, "It's nothing, you're busy. We'll talk when you get back."

Anxi posted a sad emoji, along with a GIF of a little person squatting in a corner drawing circles, and then added, "I'll treat you properly when I get back. You order, I'll pay."

The box office for "Our Times" is still rising. After the May Day holiday rush, the box office dropped a bit on weekdays, but rebounded on weekends.

Theater managers discovered that this film wasn't just for young people; some middle-aged people in their thirties and forties were also bringing their families to the theater.

Someone posted online, "I'm not going to see a coming-of-age movie, I'm going to cry about my own youth," and the post was shared tens of thousands of times.

By late May, the box office had finally surpassed the 70 million mark.

Seventy million was a respectable figure in the mainland Chinese film market in 2006.

It's not a phenomenon like "Hero" or a blockbuster like "The Promise," but it's good enough for a new director's first feature film.

During an internal meeting at China Film Group, Han Sanping projected the box office curve of "Our Times" onto the screen, saying, "This film is our project with the highest return on investment this year."

......

When the box office surpassed 50 million, piracy also appeared.

Su Yu saw it on a forum. Someone had uploaded a candid cinema recording of "Our Times". The picture was distorted, and occasionally someone's head would pass in front of the camera. The sound was also recorded live in the cinema, with laughter and coughing sounds.

China Film Group responded quickly. Distribution Director Zhao called to say that they had contacted law enforcement and that the pirated links were being gradually removed.

Old Zhao's tone was very serious, and Su Yu could hear the helplessness hidden beneath that seriousness; one can clean up the mess for a while, but not forever.

China Film Group decided to hold a celebration banquet.

When Han Sanping called, he said, "The box office has surpassed 70 million yuan. This is China Film Group's highest return on investment project this year. We need to hold a celebration banquet to celebrate."

Su Yu thought for a moment, then put down his pen. "President Han, I won't be attending the celebration banquet. I have a lot of classes and can't get away. Besides, I'm currently working on a new script, and I've reached a crucial point in it, so I don't want to interrupt my train of thought."

Han Sanping paused for a second on the other end of the phone, then laughed, "Okay. If you don't come, I'll drink for you. You have to come to the next celebration banquet."

"Definitely. Mr. Han, there's something else. I'm almost finished with my new script. Would you like to take a look?" Su Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, making a muffled sound.

Han Sanping's tone changed from "celebrating victory" to "investment".

"Okay, show it to me when you're done; investment is not a problem."

......

After hanging up the phone, Su Yu leaned back in his chair. He knew that Han Sanping was serious when he said "investment is not a problem."

A director who grossed 70 million at the box office will certainly not lack investment for his next film.

He also knew that there was still one thing left to discuss with China Film Group: copyright.

When China Film Group and Qingdao Film Studio invested in the film, they did not compete with Su Yu for the film's copyright.

It wasn't that they didn't want it; it's just that Su Yu was a freshman at the time, and he was making a youth film that nobody thought would be successful. Who would compete with a newcomer for the rights?

The box office is booming, and DVD, TV broadcasts, and overseas distribution are all profitable.

With all the copyrights in hand, Su Yu went from being an ignored newcomer to a hot commodity.

When Han Sanping talked about copyright on the phone, his tone was very reserved, and he was testing the waters as he spoke.

Su Yu understood what that meant: an overseas film distributor had approached them, interested in the overseas distribution rights for "Our Times".

China Film Group wants a piece of the pie, or rather, it wants to take the whole pie.

A few days later, Su Yu called Han Sanping back.

He'd figured it out this time. He didn't want trouble, and he was also aware of his own limitations. The overseas distribution business was too murky; a 21-year-old student like him couldn't navigate it.

He chose to sell the entire package outright, regardless of whether he made a profit or loss later, it was no longer his concern.

After listening, Han Sanping gave a number on the other end of the phone.

They bought out all rights except for online distribution: DVD, television broadcasting, and overseas distribution. Su Yu switched the phone to his left ear, stood by the window, and looked at the hazy sky outside.

"Mr. Han, twelve million?"

"Twelve million, after tax. The money will be transferred to your company account." Han Sanping's voice sounded like he was talking about something very ordinary.

Su Yu quickly did the math in his head, "Okay. Mr. Han, I agree."

Han Sanping laughed with satisfaction on the other end of the phone, "Good. I'll have the legal department draft the contract. Su Yu, China Film Group will give you priority investment in your future projects."

"it is good."

.........

On June 1st, "Our Times" ended its run, with a total box office of 71.07 million.

China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) released the final box office figures on its official website, which were then reprinted by major portal websites, with headlines that were increasingly exaggerated.

"New director Su Yu becomes famous overnight," "A dark horse in the youth film industry with 71 million yuan," "How much did a second-year student at Beijing Film Academy earn? Let's do the math."

When Mu Deyuan called Su Yu to his office, Su Yu stood at the door and knocked on the doorframe. Mu Deyuan was looking at a document.

He looked up and saw Su Yu, took off his glasses and put them on the table, leaned back in his chair and looked him up and down.

"No plans for the future, right?" Mu Deyuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable certainty.

Su Yu took two steps forward and stood in front of the desk: "Not for now, Teacher Mu. I'm preparing to focus on writing the script and teaching."

Mu Deyuan nodded slightly, put his glasses back on the table, and said, "Focus on your classes for a few days and don't get carried away."

When Su Yu came out of the office, his back felt a little stiff.

He understood the look in Mu Deyuan's eyes: "You're lucky, kid, but luck isn't skill. You need to establish a solid foundation before you can grow tall."

Su Yu gave red envelopes to the crew: 50,000 yuan to each of the main creators and 5,000 yuan to each of the other staff members.

The lead actors received more than they should have. Luo Jin received 100,000 while filming "GG," and exclaimed, "Su Yu, are you sure you're not mistaken? You gave me so much?"

"No kidding, don't forget me if you get a raise in the future."

Luo Jin paused for two seconds, then said, "I won't forget. I'll film your next movie for free."

Liu Yifei's share was larger, and Su Yu had the finance department transfer it to her personal account.

When Liu Yifei called from Japan, Su Yu was having lunch at the company.

"Su Yu." Her voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding a bit distant, as if she were making the call in an empty room.

Su Yu leaned back in his chair, placed his chopsticks on the lunchbox, and asked, "Did you receive the money?"

"I received it." Liu Yifei paused, then softened her voice. "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? You didn't even take any payment back then."

"It's not about money." Liu Yifei paused again, as if considering what words to use.

"Thank you for yelling at that reporter in the hallway that day, and thank you for suing them. My mom said you're really brave."

Su Yu picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip. "I was in a rush that day; I'm not usually like that."

"I'm almost done recording my album." Liu Yifei's voice was a little anxious, and she spoke a few beats faster. "I'll find you when I get back to China."

"Okay, I'll wait for you." After saying those four words, Su Yu realized he had been a bit too serious, so he quickly added, "Anyway, you still owe me a meal, you can't get away with it."

Liu Yifei laughed on the other end of the phone. Her laughter was soft but clear. "Okay, I won't run away. I'm hanging up now. Time to go into the studio."

"Um."