Back to 17, My Brother is the Cult Leader

Qingdao, Grade 8.

Fang Yuan's family and Huang Xiaoming's family agreed to meet at the movie theater entrance at 10 a.m.

They came from Huang Xiaoming's grandfather's house.

Fang Jianguo put on a new cotton jacket, combed his hair, and stood at the entrance of the movie theater, looking around.

Fang Yuan stood to the side, holding two cups of cola in his hand.

Huang Xiaoming arrived, wearing a red down jacket, his hair shiny, followed by his parents.

"Happy New Year, Uncle Fang!" Huang Xiaoming's voice was loud, and everyone at the door looked at him.

Fang Jianguo smiled and said, "Happy New Year!"

Huang Xiaoming's father shook hands with Fang Jianguo, and the two exchanged a few pleasantries.

Aunt Zhang pulled Fang Yuan aside and asked him all sorts of questions.

Fang Yuan handed a glass of cola to Huang Xiaoming.

"Let's go in," Fang Yuan said. "It's about to start."

The movie theater wasn't big, and it was about 70-80% full.

Fang Yuan and his group sat in the middle, slightly towards the back.

The film begins with the three production companies.

Among them is BJ Yuanchuang Culture and Art Studio.

Huang Xiaoming turned to look at Fang Yuan and gave him a thumbs up.

The climax of the movie begins in the airport waiting hall.

Amidst the cacophony of voices and the throngs of luggage, someone shouted, "Make way, make way!"

When Niu Geng went through security, he was told that milk could not be taken on the plane.

He couldn't bear to throw it away, and in front of everyone, he drank the whole bucket of milk in one go, leaving everyone present stunned.

Niu Geng, sitting on the plane, asked the flight attendant to "open the window to let in some fresh air."

After learning that the cabin was completely enclosed, he asked, "Can the plane stop while it's in the air?" and even fantasized, "I wish we could encounter a foggy day."

Aunt Zhang glanced back at Huang Xiaoming and whispered, "Son, you acted well!"

Huang Xiaoming nodded, his eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled.

Fang Yuan actually made adjustments to many plot points to better reflect the current situation.

It got even more exciting later on.

There are many wonderful lines.

"So, is this a standing ticket or a seat ticket?"

The staff member replied, "Airplane tickets are all for seated passengers."

"Go through security first, then you'll find 2B."

"Bro, which way do we get to the idiot?"

"Are you sent by God to punish me?" Li Chenggong exclaimed in despair.

"You say the plane should land, and it lands; you say the train should stop, and it stops."

I finally managed to ditch you on a bus, and then you managed to turn around and come back! I've discovered you're a devil!

The two stayed at a guesthouse. Li Chenggong couldn't stand Niu Geng talking in his sleep, grinding his teeth, and farting, so he went out for some fresh air. When he came back, he went into the wrong room and ended up in bed with a strange woman. He was innocently mistaken for a lover.

The whole place burst into laughter.

On the way, they encountered a female teacher begging for money, who had mortgaged her ID card to borrow money in order to treat her child's eye disease.

Niu Geng gave her all the money he had on him, and then never saw her again, thinking he had been scammed.

When he finally learned that the female teacher's story was true, Li Chenggong was moved and gave her all his money.

From airplanes to trains to buses to vans, tractors, and donkey carts, the two of them rode in every mode of transportation imaginable. Along the way, they encountered constant rollovers, landslides, and traffic jams, and Li Chenggong's noble image was completely destroyed.

Fang Yuan heard that during filming, Teacher Niu actually drank most of a bottle of milk, and the scene where he vomited milk due to motion sickness was not staged, but a real reaction.

Throughout the film screening, the entire theater was filled with laughter.

The scene where Li Chenggong gets beaten up while wearing bright red shorts was particularly hilarious, and the theater erupted in laughter.

The movie has ended.

The two families left the movie theater and stood at the entrance.

Huang Xiaoming's father said, "Fang Yuan, this movie is going to be a hit."

Fang Yuan said, "Thank you for your kind words."

"Let's go home and have dinner."

Fang Yuan received a phone call in the afternoon.

The number is from Beijing.

"Fang Yuan? Zhang Heping."

"Happy Chinese New Year, Mr. Zhang."

"Happy Chinese New Year! Hahaha, Fang Yuan exploded!"

"You're the one who exploded," Fang Yuan thought to himself.

"The box office figures for 'Lost in Thailand' on its opening day are out."

Fang Yuan remained silent and waited.

"Five million eight hundred thousand!"

Fang Yuan was taken aback.

"How many?"

"Five million eight hundred thousand! Nationwide box office on opening day!"

The total box office of "The Dream Factory" is over 36 million, but only over 4 million on its opening day.

"Mr. Zhang, that's all thanks to the director and lead actors!"

Zhang Heping was silent for two seconds: "You certainly know how to talk."

"I called to tell you," Zhang Heping said, "that this film is in the bag."

With several weeks to go, breaking 30 million in total box office revenue shouldn't be a problem.

It might even surpass "Party A and Party B".

Your share will be settled by finance department early; you won't be shortchanged.

Fang Yuan said, "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Fang Yuan stood on the balcony, looking outside.

Someone downstairs set off firecrackers, which made a lot of noise.

Huang Xiaoming pushed the door open and came in: "Whose call was that?"

"Mr. Zhang, let's talk about the box office."

"How many?"

"Five million eight hundred thousand."

Huang Xiaoming paused for a second, then laughed: "You're awesome."

Fang Yuan looked at him.

Huang Xiaoming asked, "How much money did you invest?"

"30% share"

"Damn, that's awesome!"

The phone rang again.

Fang Yuan glanced at the number; it was an overseas number.

"Fang? I'm Ellie."

Ellie's voice.

"Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year! Fang, we did it!!

"The Night of the Comet" has been selected for the main competition at the Berlin Film Festival.

Fang Yuan was taken aback.

Berlin Film Festival. Main Competition.

"I just received the notification. The organizing committee sent an email, and I've confirmed it."

Fang Yuan remained silent for a few seconds.

"Fang, are you listening?"

"exist."

Are you going or not? The film festival is in February.

Fang Yuan thought for a moment.

"I'm not going."

Ellie paused for a moment on the other end of the phone.

"Aren't you going? This is the Berlin Film Festival."

"I know. Going won't change anything. You should just go with the director."

Ellie was silent for two seconds.

"Fine. You're the boss, you call the shots."

Fang Yuan didn't respond.

"What about the copyright issue?" Ellie asked.

"We want to sell the copyrights; it would be even better if we could win an award."

"You are fully responsible."

"Full authority?"

"Yes. You decide which company to sell the copyright to and at what price."

"Fang, you really trust me."

Fang Yuan said, "Ellie, you're a boss too."

Ellie chuckled. "OK. I'll see what I can do."

"it is good."

Huang Xiaoming listened from the side, not understanding everything, but he did understand the words "Berlin Film Festival".

"Berlin?"

"Um."

"Main competition section?"

"Um."

Huang Xiaoming looked at him, opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"Fang Yuan, are you even human?"

Fang Yuan ignored him and turned to go inside.

Comrade Jianguo has already prepared a table full of dishes.

Huang Xiaoming sat down next to him and whispered, "Aren't you going to the Berlin Film Festival?"

"I'm not going."

Why?

"No time."

Huang Xiaoming shook his head, picked up his chopsticks, and took a piece of pork rib.

Fang Jianguo raised his glass: "Come on, Xiaoming, have a drink."

The three people raised their glasses and clinked them together.

"The movie is well made."

"The filming was good. I just wrote a script."

Someone was setting off fireworks outside the window, making loud banging noises.

Fang Yuan glanced out the window, then lowered his head to eat the ribs.