National Tide 1980.

However, no matter how good Bubble Palace is, it's still someone else's property.

For Ning Weimin, his favorite house in France is definitely his own private property.

For example, apartments on the Champs-Élysées, the Château de Saint-Tropez, and the Château de la Cité in Burgundy.

This is what they mean when they say that no matter how magnificent someone else's gold mine is, it's not as good as your own dilapidated thatched house.

Besides, their own property is also quite rare.

Take Château Lafite Rothschild in Burgundy as an example. When Ning Weimin flew to France, his vineyards were already undergoing winter pruning, and the main fermentation in the cellars was basically finished.

Therefore, at this time of year, the major wineries in Burgundy hold dinners focused on wine tasting.

On the third weekend of November, there will even be a "Three Days of Glory" where major wineries gather to hold a joint banquet and a grand showcase of new wines.

It must be said that these French people, living in a country rich in natural resources and enjoying high welfare, really know how to enjoy themselves, and are always looking for all sorts of reasons to hold banquets and parties.

So, following the principle of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," he also took the opportunity to tour his winery and discuss film collaborations.

In mid-November, Ning Weimin invited several old friends from the French film industry to meet and taste wine at Château de la Château de la Château in Burgundy.

His invited guests, besides Alain Delon and Catherine Deneuve, included director Luc Besson, actor Jean Reno, and singer Patricia Kass.

These people were not only key members of the "Taken" film series, but also people whom Ning Weimin believed could be further strengthened in the future, with their interests deeply intertwined.

Therefore, given that the first two films in the "Taken" series were huge hits in the global market, and the videotape market was also booming, especially with this year's "Taken 2" grossing nearly 200 million francs and ranking fourth in the French annual box office,
The purpose of inviting these people here was not just to eat, drink, have fun, and discuss cooperation. Ning Weimin also prepared an extra share of the film's profits for everyone in the name of Fog Studio, which can also be regarded as taking this opportunity to hold a celebration party for everyone.

That evening, the banquet was held in the cellar foyer of Jinpo Winery. Warm candlelight illuminated the oak barrels, and the air was filled with the aroma of new wine and the creamy scent of cheese.

Everyone sat around the long table in the wine cellar, holding crystal goblets, sipping freshly aged Burgundy red wine and local specialty cheeses and delicacies, chatting about the latest fashion trends in Paris, as well as interesting stories from the art and film worlds, in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Alain Delon, who has once again become a French film superstar thanks to "Taken," jokingly raised his wine glass, his tone full of admiration.

"Ning, the wines from your winery are getting more mellow and of better quality every year, just like our cooperation, which is becoming more and more harmonious and successful."

Catherine Deneuve, who genuinely admired Alain Delon, laughed and chimed in, "Hearing you say that, I'm a little jealous. Ning, don't forget our friendship. If anything good happens, you should think of me first."

The portly Luc Besson expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Ning Weimin. "Right now, all I know is that the success of the *Taken* series is a stroke of luck for all of us, especially the box office and video sales of the second film, which exceeded everyone's expectations. So I propose a toast to the ever-growing success of *Taken*. And to Mr. Ning for creating this film series, let's pay our respects..."

However, Ning Weimin smiled and raised his hand, signaling everyone to calm down, with a gentle yet composed smile on his face.

"Everyone, this achievement is not solely due to my efforts. It is the result of everyone's contributions that made 'Taken' a success. I only came up with the idea and provided the funding. The real creators are not me, but all of you here today. Without your hard work and dedication, this film would never have been successful. I remember all of your contributions."

As he spoke, he gestured with his chin toward his secretary, Qin Jun.

Qin Jun immediately came over carrying an exquisite black velvet tray.

Several milky-white envelopes were neatly arranged on the tray.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the tray, their faces showing curiosity and confusion as they wondered what was inside.

"Besides wine tasting and discussing future collaborative projects, I have a little surprise for everyone today."

Ning Weimin picked up the envelopes from the tray and handed them to everyone one by one, his tone relaxed yet full of sincerity, "Because the success of Taken Part 2 far exceeded expectations and boosted the sales and rentals of the first part's videotapes, this is an extra bonus from Fog Studio to everyone as a thank you for your hard work, and also as an early celebration of our increasingly better cooperation in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, the group opened the envelopes one after another.

Catherine Deneuve, who played the ex-wife of the protagonist in both "Taken" films, was the first to open the envelope.

When he saw that the amount on the check was a full two million francs, a soft light instantly appeared in his eyes.

Without waiting for anyone else to react, she got up and quickly walked to Ning Weimin's side.

She didn't give him a chance to refuse; she excitedly hugged him, her cheek pressed against his shoulder, her voice gentle and sincere.

"Oh, Ning, you are so generous! This surprise has touched me so much. Thank you for always remembering our contributions."

Her embrace was gentle and sincere, and the emotion in her eyes was impossible to hide, completely different from her usual aloof and elegant persona in public.

Putting everything else aside, just from her somewhat out-of-control and overly intimate reaction, everyone could tell that the amount on that check was definitely not a small sum.

The second person to laugh was Alain Delon.

He held the check for the same amount as Catherine's, a hearty smile spreading across his face.

After waving the check in his hand, he hugged Ning Weimin, his tone filled with sincere admiration.

“Oh, my old friend, you always manage to surprise us! This check is enough for me to buy another large luxury yacht. Thank you so much! You're so generous; you didn't have to do this!”

"Don't say that, you're a superstar! Without your outstanding performance, this movie wouldn't have been so successful."

Ning Weimin's affirmation made Alain Delon laugh even harder.

But at that moment, for the first time, a voice of doubt arose from among everyone: "What? There's still some left for me?"

It's Jean Reno.

Compared to the previous two, Jean Reno, who played the villain in the first "Taken" film, received a smaller check, which was one million francs.

Nevertheless, he felt somewhat unworthy of it.

In fact, he didn't even pick up the envelope. He frowned slightly, looked at Ning Weimin, and spoke in a sincere yet somewhat awkward tone.

"Mr. Ning, I only acted in the first one; I didn't participate in the second one..."

Ning Weimin understood his thoughts, and waved his hand with a smile, his tone gentle but firm: "Of course you'll get a share. The first part is the foundation of the entire series. Without the classic character you created, there would be no success later on. This share of the profits is what you deserve, so don't feel guilty. However, the amount will be a little less, and I hope you don't mind."

Sure enough, after saying that, Jean Reno's expression became much more natural.

He has always been calm and reserved, and he is very particular about his actions, unwilling to accept rewards that do not belong to him.

He picked up the envelope, opened it, and was still pleasantly surprised to see the amount on the check. However, he ultimately did not refuse, nodded his thanks, and happily accepted it.

As for the one who was truly overjoyed and took flight, it has to be Patricia Casey.

This girl played Alain Delon's daughter in the movie and also sang the movie's theme song.

She wasn't particularly striking in appearance to begin with, but she was a singer with a very strong personality. She was very fortunate to have gained a large number of fans through her role in "Taken," which boosted her fame and record sales. When she saw the million-dollar check, she was very self-aware and didn't even bother comparing herself to others.

She smiled brightly, held up the check in her hand, waved it at Ning Weimin, and expressed her deep gratitude.

"Wow! Boss, you're the best boss ever! You're so generous and considerate. I'll do whatever you ask me to do from now on!"

And then there's director Luc Besson, who was probably the most patient of all, and the last one to open the envelope.

This guy, in both appearance and talent, is practically like Wong Jing in the French film industry.

His complete disregard for criticisms of film commercialization and his lack of interest in assembly-line production methods demonstrate that he is an extremely down-to-earth and pragmatic person.

If one had to pinpoint the difference between him and Wong Jing, it would probably be that Wong Jing is more efficient and his films are more vulgar.

Wang Pangzi's advantage is that he can shoot a finished film in a very short time, but his disadvantage is that he makes more bad films.

In contrast, Luc Besson, while not as efficient as Wong Jing in filming, has the ability to achieve both artistic and commercial success.

Even under the worst objective conditions, he can still keep his films at a passable level.

At this moment, Luc Besson was squinting, his chubby face puffed out, repeatedly checking the two million francs figure on the check, his finger lightly tapping the check, his tone full of incredulous surprise.

"So much? Am I seeing things? Ning, this is equivalent to you paying me double! Are you serious?" As a director, his income is actually far less than that of the stars who play the lead roles.

Moreover, he is currently only well-known in the European market and has not yet made a film like "The Fifth Element" that has been truly recognized by Hollywood, so it is only natural that he was completely shocked by this number.

But that wasn't all. Seeing his surprised expression, Ning Weimin actually took another brand-new check from his assistant and handed it to Luc Besson.

"And this, five million francs, belongs to the entire crew, and I'm giving it to you as well. During filming, not just us, everyone in the crew gave their all—lighting, set management, makeup, props… They all worked so hard, and I hope you can help by distributing the work to them according to their quotas. Don't let anyone who worked so hard for 'Taken' be treated unfairly."

This left not only Luc Besson stunned, but everyone else as well.

No one expected Ning Weimin to be so generous, remembering even ordinary crew members and not forgetting a single one.

Luc Besson was truly shocked by this.

He solemnly accepted the check, grasped Ning Weimin's hand tightly, and spoke with great excitement.

"Mr. Ning, you're so thoughtful! Thank you for remembering not only us but also the entire crew. Rest assured, I will distribute the tasks fairly and will not let you down!"

The others were also moved, and they all looked at Ning Weimin with the eyes of someone looking at a sage.

For no other reason than that this is something that has never happened before in the French film industry.

In comparison, Ning Weimin is simply a "breath of fresh air in the industry".

After all, these extra bonuses weren't written down in the contract at all; they were unexpected "ultimate benefits."

This practice of sharing good fortune not only earned their sincere admiration, but also greatly increased their trust in Ning Weimin.

Some things don't need to be said. Even a fool, after witnessing such a scene, would be completely devoted to Ning Weimin and believe that following him would lead to a bright future.

And here are two bystanders from the modeling world at this gathering, and their feelings at this moment are pretty much like this.

You should know that Ning Weimin is a very calculating person, and he often does things with the intention of killing multiple birds with one stone.

This time was no different; he had some personal motives involved and actually invited two more models to the party.

One was an old acquaintance of his from China—Qu Xiao's best friend, Shi Kaili.

The other is Monica Bellucci, the future Earth flower he unexpectedly discovered.

In 1991, Monica Bellucci was already 27 years old, which was not considered young.

Moreover, she is a rising star in both the European modeling and film industries.

She has been a model for less than three years and has only been interested in acting in film and television dramas for a year.

At that time, she was just a model under Elite Model Management, without even a personal agent, and had just enrolled in acting classes in order to become an actress.

But this year, she has clearly begun to show the potential to be fed by God.

That year, she appeared in the Victoria's Secret Spring 1991 catalog, sharing the stage with Eva Hertzgaova and others.

Monica gradually gained attention in the Italian and French fashion circles and began to appear on the covers of magazines such as Vogue and Elle.

In the second half of the year, she began to participate in shooting advertisements for big brands such as Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and YSL, which gave her the opportunity to become a supermodel.

She also completed filming her television debut, "Life with Children," and her film debut, "Affair."

In short, Monica Bellucci in 1991 was in a rather delicate period before she became a superstar.

She not only began her ascent to the pinnacle of the fashion industry as a model, but also officially launched her acting career with two works.

She walks the runway and shoots commercials while systematically studying acting and honing her skills, showing considerable ambition and hard work.

Ning Weimin discovered her by chance when he turned on the TV in the hotel and saw a YSL Saint Laurent commercial.

Therefore, Ning Weimin not only quickly found this "hidden gem" that had not yet truly shone through Saint Laurent, but also won over this great beauty quite easily.

Although out of consideration for his personal dignity and the reputation of Pierre Cardin, Ning Weimin was too embarrassed to directly snatch her agency contract from Elite Model Management.

However, the huge contract he presented, which included five years of advertising endorsements with Pierre Carton and leading roles in six movies, completely stunned the other party.

The top-tier asking price of 200 million francs left Elite Model Management and Monica Bellucci with absolutely no courage to negotiate.

At first, Monica had some reservations when she saw this unexpected windfall, worrying that she was being targeted by some old, lecherous super-rich man.

Driven by significant interests, and after much deliberation, she decided, accompanied by her agent from Elite Models, to come to the winery to meet Ning Weimin.

One can imagine what Monica Bellucci, young and eager for success, would feel upon seeing Ning Weimin, who is so young and handsome and generous.

At least one thing is certain: even if she wasn't part of this group, witnessing this scene, she couldn't help but be moved to tears by Ning Weimin's sincerity and his kindness towards his staff. (End of Chapter)