Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 949 Unpredictable

Chen Fan didn't answer Zhou Yali's question immediately. He slowly took a few sips of tea before asking softly, "Are Yang Chenfeng and his group very popular in Hong Kong right now?"

Zhou Yali immediately replied, "It's alright. Anyway, the movie's box office has already exceeded ten million Hong Kong dollars, only a few hundred thousand less than 'Young Master'."

After a pause, she suddenly sighed deeply, "It's a pity that it had a chance to surpass 'Young Master' and become this year's box office champion, but it was secretly attacked. The right-leaning major theater chains did not show this movie, and many independent theaters suddenly pulled it from theaters, catching it off guard."

Ultimately, the Shuangnan Cinema Circuit couldn't sustain the business alone. After grossing over ten million Hong Kong dollars, it continued to be shown for a few more days, but then the audience dwindled, and it was finally pulled from the screens. Its final box office gross was just over ten million two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars.

Excluding the "One Dollar" cinemas that specifically showed old films in remote areas, there were more than 80 cinema chains in Hong Kong that year, including 19 Golden Harvest cinemas, 16 Shaw Brothers cinemas, 12 South Wing cinemas, 5 Edko Films cinemas, and then the Golden Princess cinema chain, which acquired 18 cinemas including Ritz-Carlton, Rock Sound, Cinemas, New Sound, and Golden Harvest.

The rest are independent theaters, meaning they only have one cinema.

The Shuangnan Cinema Circuit, also known as the Lianhua Cinema Circuit, is centered around cinemas such as Nanyang and Nanhua. It mainly screens mainland films and is the core of Zuo Dui Cinemas.

Without this theater chain, Zuo Dui's films wouldn't be able to get into theaters.

Therefore, the movie "Monk Comes Down the Mountain" was not shown in many cinemas, only about thirty in total, and the number of independent cinemas was even more than that of the Shuangnan Cinema Circuit, so its box office share was naturally very high.

When other major theater chains stopped showing the film and independent theaters suddenly pulled it from theaters, it was undoubtedly the Freedom Society pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Of course, they alone couldn't have done this.

The main reason is that "Monk Comes Down the Mountain" was so popular that it made local filmmakers wary.

Although releasing this film could generate very high revenue for cinemas, compared to the impact on the reputation of local film companies, this revenue is almost negligible.

Even to uphold the honor of local films, Shaw Brothers, which was at odds with Golden Harvest, would not allow "Monk Comes Down the Mountain" to become the local box office champion; otherwise, how could Hong Kong filmmakers save face?!

In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Fan saw through the power struggles within the Hong Kong film industry.

But it doesn't matter, the flowing water doesn't compete to be first, but to keep flowing endlessly.

Even if they win the box office championship, it won't make much difference to Zuo Dui Film Company at present.

What they need now is to regroup and make one good movie after another. Even if they don't make it to the box office charts, as long as they can make money, gain a good reputation, support the many actors and behind-the-scenes staff in the company, and keep them motivated, that would be a victory for the company.

So Chen Fan didn't care too much about winning the championship. He put down his teacup and was about to speak.

At this point, Zhou Yali continued, "Although it was only the runner-up at the box office, this movie was really popular, and almost the whole of Hong Kong was talking about the action scenes in it."

It's only because Yang Chenfeng and his group aren't in Hong Kong; otherwise, they could easily become big stars with just a few events arranged.

At this point, Zhou Yali suddenly laughed again, "Brother, you know what? Even Tsui Hark wants to collaborate with Yang Chenfeng. When we talked to him, he asked if we could invite Yang Chenfeng and his team to act in the film, saying that he had a very good idea and wanted to work with him."

I told him that as long as he was willing to come, I would do my best to get Yang Chenfeng to come to Hong Kong to film. If it weren't for Nansun Shi stopping him, he would have signed a contract right then and there.

Chen Fan was somewhat surprised. "He said he had a really good idea? Did he say what it was?"

Zhou Yali shook her head. "They didn't mention that."

He then shrugged and said, "I promised him I wouldn't interfere with his creative process, so I didn't ask any more questions. As long as it's not too outrageous, I let him film it himself."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly. "Aren't you afraid that he'll try to make special effects movies like Hollywood? Even 100 million Hong Kong dollars wouldn't be enough for him to squander."

In 2001, Tsui Hark spent nearly 100 million yuan on filming "The Legend of Zu," and almost lost his underwear.

But believe it or not, this film was universally panned back then, but it later became a landmark in fantasy films, which is really ridiculous.

Just as Chen Fan was lost in thought, Zhou Yali said with a smile, "No, because Shi Nansheng will keep an eye on him and won't let him do anything reckless."

Chen Fan snapped out of his daze, turned to look at Zhou Yali, blinked, and asked, "You gave them shares and dividends?"

Zhou Yali's pupils dilated instantly, seemingly shocked at how he had guessed it. The next second, she suddenly returned to normal, pursed her lips, and said, "It's boring to be able to guess everything."

Seeing her expression, the people around her couldn't help but chuckle.

Ye Yufeng went on to say, "Just because you're not quite there yet doesn't mean Young Master Biao is more capable?"

Fang Xiaoying also laughed and said, "Miss, it's not hard to guess. You've already said all this, so there are obviously only two possibilities."

Alternatively, you could restrict the authority granted to Shi Nansheng and her team, but this would restrict their actions and they might not be willing to give up Princess Jin's recruitment efforts and choose us instead.

Then there is only one other possibility, which is bribery.

By tying their interests to the company's, even if it's just for her own pocket, Shi Nansheng wouldn't allow the company's directors to make films haphazardly.

Most importantly, the finances are still under our control, so they can't make money by falsely inflating expenses during filming; they can only earn profits through profit sharing.

It's like dangling a carrot in front of them, using profit sharing as bait. Shi Nansheng will be careful to control costs, and the director will consider how to attract audiences and increase revenue.

After she finished speaking, Zhou Yali couldn't help but sigh and collapse, "How could you all have guessed it?"

Jiang Lili had Chen Fan on her right and her on her left. She immediately took Chen Fan's arm and said with a smile, "It's okay. With Xiao Fan and the others helping you, you'll soon be just as good as them."

Zhou Yali shook her head. "That would take many more years."

Jiang Lili chuckled, "You really have that little confidence?"

Zhou Yali narrowed her eyes and turned to look at Chen Fan. "Little brother, I'm really hurt right now. Just tell me, can I borrow it?"

Chen Fan finished eating, wiped his mouth with a napkin, slowly lit a cigarette, and chuckled, "No need to borrow. When I get back, I'll send them over directly. From now on, they're contracted actors with Qianfan Film Company." Zhou Yali's eyes widened instantly. "Really?"

Chen Fan looked at her and smiled, "Would I lie?"

He paused for a moment, then smiled and shook his head, saying, "Believe it or not, Hong Kong film companies have already approached them, wanting to take them to Hong Kong."

Everyone knows Leonardo DiCaprio's story, and he just doesn't believe the same thing won't happen to Yang Chenfeng.

Upon hearing Chen Fan's words, Zhou Yali quickly realized, "You mean someone is trying to steal the deal?"

Zhao Wanru's expression changed at this moment, and she said with a stern face, "If you can steal someone from someone else, then of course others can also steal someone from you."

She looked up at Chen Fan and asked, "Can Yang Chenfeng withstand the test?"

Chen Fan smiled and nodded, "Whether he can withstand it or not is not important. As long as he still acknowledges his grandfather, his grandfather can suppress him. If I don't say anything, he can't go anywhere."

Yang Zhenlong is an old-fashioned江湖人 (jianghu person), who values ​​keeping his word above all else. If possible, he would risk his life for a promise.

When he left Beijing, he said he would follow Chen Fan's arrangements and would definitely seek Chen Fan's opinion. Without Chen Fan's permission, Yang Chenfeng could not go anywhere.

Hearing him say that, Zhao Wanru breathed a sigh of relief.

However, she quickly added, "When you meet them, it's best to ask about this. If someone offers them a high price, you can explain the situation directly to them. In terms of money, Qianfan Company is no less than any film company in Hong Kong."

She paused for two seconds, then slowed her speech and explained, "They keep their promises because they value relationships, but relationships can't be used for personal gain; ultimately, it's about interests. You can't let them feel cheated, or they'll eventually part ways."

She was describing the relationship between the Zhou family and the six adopted sons of the four surnames. The six families had served the Zhou family for generations, and the Zhou family had given them ample respect and benefits, which fostered a closer bond. If they were only used without reciprocation, even adopted sons could turn against each other one day.

Chen Fan naturally understood this principle and nodded with a smile, "I understand, I will talk to them properly."

As the saying goes, it's better to guide than to block. At that time, Leonardo DiCaprio couldn't resist the temptation of huge checks and was determined to go to Hong Kong to make movies. If Yang Chenfeng and his team had really seen the conditions offered by Hong Kong film bosses, it would be impossible for them not to have any thoughts about it.

Chen Fan was counting on grooming him into an international superstar; how could he possibly ruin someone over such a paltry sum? Even without Zhao Wanru's reminder, he would have handled things meticulously, leaving everyone speechless.

……

After the meal, everyone went back to rest.

Instead of staying in a hotel, several luxury suites were arranged on the top floor of the company dormitory. Ye Yufeng and his three companions lived there, and a private suite was also reserved for Chen Fan and Zhou Yali. The level of luxury was several levels higher than the best hotels in mainland China.

Now that they're married, Jiang Lili naturally went back to her room with Chen Fan, while Zhao Wanru stayed with Zhou Yali.

When Chen Fan came out after taking a shower, he saw Zhou Yali and Jiang Lili chatting together on the sofa in the living room.

I don't know where they find so many topics to talk about all day long.
He shook his slightly damp hair, stood in front of the air conditioner to enjoy the cool air, looked at Zhou Yali, and asked, "What happened this morning when you said something about someone being hopeless and incapable of being helped?"

Zhou Yali turned to look at him, stunned for several seconds before she realized what he meant, "Oh, you mean a joint venture for traditional crafts, right?"

She sighed as she spoke, "Well, there's really not much to say. It's just that some people are stubborn and refuse to agree to a joint venture no matter what."

That wouldn't be so bad, we never intended to make money from this anyway. The problem is that when we advised them to register their patents promptly, they not only didn't appreciate it, but they also thought our people were meddling and suspected we were trying to steal their technology.

As she spoke, she pouted again, "Is it really that big of a deal? It's not anything particularly impressive, just some traditional crafts. It can certainly be worth a lot of money, since there are quite a few people interested in these kinds of retro techniques, so there's a market for them."

But to say it's worthless, it really isn't worth much. Not all traditional crafts possess high artistic and market value; some things just look special, but frankly, they're nothing special.

We meant well, but they misunderstood us.

That's fine, if they could really protect the traditional techniques, we wouldn't say anything. The key issue is that in China, "a new emperor brings a new court." Today they're in charge, and they can say they won't give it to us. But tomorrow, if someone else is in charge and it's a different foreign company coming to cooperate, will the new leader also refuse to give it to us?"

At this point, she couldn't help but shake her head repeatedly, "Managing by people can only solve the problem temporarily. Only by following the rules can we protect our interests. How can you not even understand such a simple principle?"

Chen Fan used the air conditioner as a hairdryer, not afraid of catching a cold. He shook his hair in the air and, feeling it was almost dry, walked over to the other sofa and sat down, saying with a smile, "It's normal to have different ideas. We'll just do our best. When I told my uncle about it, I really just thought of it as a public service."

After all, we have such a splendid traditional culture, with many wonderful things passed down from our ancestors. It would be such a pity if these were taken away by people with ulterior motives.

Jiang Lili looked left and right, wondering to herself, "Why hasn't my cousin gone back to sleep yet?"
You came all the way from Hong Kong early this morning and have been busy all day. Aren't you tired?
Zhou Yali had no idea what Chen Fan was thinking. After listening to Chen Fan's words, she pursed her lips and nodded. After a few seconds, she suddenly said, "Let's not talk about this. Brother, did you know that the Prince's Mansion in the capital is almost finished with renovations? It's estimated that we can move in by the end of the year. Do you want to go take a look when you have time?"

She was referring to the Ningjun Prince's Mansion, which she bought three years ago. When she bought it, the houses and layout were already completely unrecognizable, and it was definitely uninhabitable.

So Chen Fan personally designed it and then entrusted the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Construction to arrange for a professional unit to carry out the repair and decoration, restoring it as much as possible on the surface, while using various modern technological means to ensure the comfort of living inside.

The construction company initially said the project was expected to take three years.

If you count the time, a year and a half has already passed. If you move in by the end of the year, it will only be two years. It seems that the construction is progressing very quickly.

Chen Fan thought for a moment, just about to speak.

At this moment, Zhou Yali suddenly said with a mysterious look, "Brother, the house is a little different from your original design. Guess what it is?"

Chen Fan stared blankly at her. "How am I supposed to guess if it's all so unsubstantiated?"

Zhou Yali raised her head and laughed heartily, "So even you have moments you can't guess!"

Chen Fan was speechless and didn't say a word. It would be a miracle if I could guess it.

Zhou Yali shook her head smugly and laughed, "I won't make things difficult for you. Let me tell you, all the floor tiles in the Prince's Mansion have been replaced with gold bricks that only the emperor of the Forbidden City could use. Isn't that amazing!"

(End of this chapter)