Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

Fan Zeping readily signed the investment agreement.

When Yang Che signed his name on the agreement, his chest itched, he felt restless, and his attention was extremely focused; this feeling was called pleasure.

The agreement was a personal one; Fan Zeping received 100% of the film project's profits, while Yang Che received a fee.

As for the Shanxi Film Studio, the agreement stipulated that they would spend 30 yuan to buy the studio logo. Fan Zeping understood this, after all, his brother wanted to have a say and organize the event himself.

"Hey bro, um, this Little Swallow..."

Fan Zeping winked as he said this.

Yang Che's face turned green: "Brother Fan, she has a boyfriend, a rich second-generation, his family is quite wealthy, and she earns a lot of money too."

Fan Zeping coughed lightly: "Look at you, I just wanted to have a meal with a big star and take a picture with him or something."

"That was just my petty thinking. You're the producer, you should be visiting the set often, and the crew should also have better meals."

Fan Zeping's tone was clearly perfunctory: "Haha, okay, okay."

Yang Che understood this perfectly. Was it wrong for the big boss to spend so much money to make friends with his girlfriend?

He wouldn't even consider casting her, let alone be someone you can touch.

Thinking of this, Yang Che sighed, "There are few opportunities in the film and television industry, and it's hard to get ahead. But there are so many young people who want to improve. You'll see when Brother Fan visits the set."

This is the truth. In most cases, the presence of a producer in a production crew is more attractive than that of the director, screenwriter, lighting technicians, and other crew members. There's no need for hints or anything; people take the initiative to be there.

Upon hearing this, Fan Zeping felt a rare sense of shame.

"Brother, I'm too lazy to do any phased payments. I'll just transfer the money to you all at once over the next few days so you can get started on your work. I'll have the finance department handle it once filming officially begins."

"Thank you so much. But we can't just check the accounts; we need to keep some people here to do the work."

Afterwards, Yang Che and Fan Zeping had lunch at the mine, accompanied by his assistant Li Liwu. They ate at a special restaurant with a professional chef, a meal that ordinary restaurants could not compare to.

Before parting, Fan Zeping took out a Nokia 3210: "Brother, take this, it'll be easier to contact you."

Wow, more than two thousand yuan, which is three months' salary for Yang Che's father.

Yang Che knew that this was because he had left his pager number when they exchanged contact information during dinner... He was currently using a Phoenix pager with a Chinese display.

"Okay, Brother Fan, I won't thank you. This machine will be deducted from my payment."

Fan Zeping was even more satisfied, but on the surface he showed great disdain: "That's too polite."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Yang Che rode down the mountain in a Santana arranged by Fan Zeping.

Watching the Santana leave the coal mine's office area, Li Liwu tentatively asked, "Brother-in-law, 400 million? You really want it?"

Fan Zeping glanced at his brother-in-law, then asked, "Is Yang Che good-looking?"

At that moment, Li Liwu, without any ulterior motive, instinctively said, "Not bad, looks like Leon Lai. What's up, brother-in-law?"

"You're 32, do you have that kind of ability to speak and act?"

Without waiting for Li Liwu's reply, Fan Zeping continued, as if answering his own question: "Good-looking, talented, eloquent, and bold—it would be strange if such a person didn't achieve something."

Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You want money to do something for yourself, fine, like this Yang Che, he can come up with a detailed plan and talk about it very logically.

Li Liwu chuckled a few times and then fell silent.

Talk about Yang Che, why are you talking about me?

Fan Zeping thought to himself that if his middle school son could be even a fraction as good as Yang Che in the future, then his life wouldn't have been in vain. He sighed as he thought this, then turned and went back to his office to arrange the payment. That was always his way; once he made a decision, he wouldn't hesitate.

Meanwhile, Yang Che was on his way to the Shanxi Film Studio located on Yingze Avenue. Sitting in the back seat of his Santana, he looked out the window at the Yingze Bridge that was just passing by. On both sides of the bridge were the newly opened Fenhe Park, which already looked very modern.

The city view not far away looks pretty much like what you see in the TV series "Conquest".

Yes, I see sunshine everywhere.

Happiness floats in the city sky

The new century arrived like a dream.

It warms my heart

......

Yang Che hummed Pu Shu's "New Boy" as he rolled down the car window, and the wind that rushed in through the crack made him squint.

Midsummer in mid-July was not hot.

This made Yang Che feel a little dazed. He had been reborn for more than ten days, but it seemed like it had never been hot.

This is different from his original memory. In his memory, the summer of 1999 was very hot, he was anxious, confused, and full of unease and hope for the future.

Well, he didn't know if this was a rebirth or a lot of extremely clear memories of the future. Those memories of the past or future seemed to be carried by low-resolution, noisy film, passing through a dark and deep tunnel, and as his subconscious continued to fall, they were coated with a pink dream filter.

Or was it just a dream?

It doesn't matter; the promised ideal future never came to pass, and it's already over.

Whether it's self-deception or escapism... it doesn't matter, let's dream a little longer.

........

Actually, he wasn't a third-tier screenwriter at a film studio. Just kidding, he had that business card made at a print shop.

Following the expected trajectory, Yang Che, who just graduated from the Art Department of Shanxi Normal University this year, will receive an appointment notice from the Education Bureau next month to become an art teacher at a middle school in Yangqu County, which is under the jurisdiction of Longcheng.

1999 was the last year that university graduates were guaranteed job placement. It was a year that still shone with the lingering glow of the planned economy, yet it also held boundless hope for the universe and the future.

He served as the school's only art teacher for three years, but because he refused the advances of a young lady from an official family in Yangqu County, he was unfairly treated and lost his chance to be transferred back to Longcheng. At the same time, his fiancée, who was a doctor in Longcheng, broke up with him...

Under the double blow, Yang Che resigned and went to Beijing to work. He started as a teacher in a painting training class and gradually worked in various industries. He studied literature at the Beijing Film Academy and got an MBA at Peking University. Over the years, he also honed a lot of skills. It seems that there is nothing he can't do except give birth.

I own houses all over the country, have a lot of savings, and stocks... so I don't have any problems making a living.

Regarding marriage, he's been married twice and divorced both times. The first time, his ex-wife cheated on him, and the second time, in 2012, his ex-wife cheated on him, and he also discovered that the daughter he'd raised for three years wasn't his own... He hasn't remarried since, but he's always had girlfriends...

At the beginning of 2026, at a college classmate's memorial service, Yang Che felt old for the first time. That night, he chatted with his college sweetheart, who was now a grandmother, about the past. When he woke up, he was back in early July 1999.

After spending a day adjusting to life at home, he thought it best to focus on the arts and culture scene first.

After all, when it comes to the transformation of China's entertainment industry, the millennium is always an unavoidable period. Television and online media became deeply involved in the entertainment industry, excessive exposure turned actors into stars, and the abolition of the centralized purchase and sales policy gradually commercialized film and television dramas.

During this transformation, there are so many information gaps, which is the opportunity. Even if Yang Che doesn't plagiarize songs or scripts, he can still make a fortune, earn a lot of money, and sleep with beautiful female celebrities.

The main reason is that the entertainment industry has a low barrier to entry; you don't need to use your brain much...

Why make life so tiring when you've been given a second chance at life?