A widower's entertainment

Chapter 325 [The Big Bang] (Please Subscribe)
Zhang Wei didn't know how he got out of Xinghua Hutong; all he could think about was the million that Lin Youcheng and Charles had mentioned.

A whole million dollars!
Zhang Wei really didn't expect that Lin Youcheng would ask the American film company for a copyright fee of one million US dollars, and that the American people would actually agree to it. Lin Youcheng actually earned one million US dollars in foreign exchange copyright fees with "The Time Traveler's Wife".

This felt like something that could only happen in another dimension to him, an absolute dimensional reduction attack that still leaves him somewhat dazed.

Even after returning home, Zhang Wei still felt a sense of unreality, as if he were in a dream. Yes, unreality.

After washing vegetables and cooking, Zhang Hongfang, Zhang Wei's wife, noticed he was still looking dazed. Looking at him with a puzzled expression, she asked, "Old Zhang, what's wrong with you today? You seem distracted and spacing out. Is something wrong with the magazine?"

Hearing his wife's words, Zhang Wei snapped out of his daze, shook his head, and said, "No, nothing's wrong at the magazine."

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"No."

Zhang Wei didn't intend to tell his wife, Zhang Hongfang, about the impossible thing he had witnessed that day. Thinking about that unbelievable number, his heart was still pounding. He said, "It's nothing, I just learned about something incredible."

"What is it?"

Zhang Wei shook his head and did not answer. Regarding the one million US dollar copyright fee that Lin Youcheng's novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" was finally negotiated with Universal Pictures in the United States, Zhang Wei did not intend to spread the word about it, feeling that it was better to keep a low profile.

It was obvious that Zhang Wei didn't know that even if he wanted to keep Lin Youcheng's identity a secret, his foreign friends didn't care. Bowers and Charles didn't think that a million-dollar copyright fee was worth keeping secret, since there were even higher copyright prices in Hollywood, so it would naturally get out.

If the initial shock to the literary world came from the news that Lin Youcheng's science fiction romance novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife," was to be adapted into a film by an American film company, then the entire literary circle in Beijing was completely stunned by the news, or rather, by the unbelievable figure, when the film adaptation rights fee was announced.

big Bang!
An absolute explosion!

The impact of this number is far more direct than that of the Hugo Award, the highest honor in science fiction literature!
The entire literary and film circles in Beijing were completely shocked by this news. Some even doubted its authenticity, wondering if it was just a rumor. Otherwise, how could there be such an exaggerated rumor, mentioning a copyright fee of one million? How could that be possible?

Yes, how could that be!

This was the first thought that popped into the minds of everyone who heard the news.

The editorial department of People's Literature magazine was also discussing the news that the American Universal Pictures had bought the film and television adaptation rights to Lin Youcheng's novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" for one million dollars. They were all discussing it very enthusiastically, and were obviously stimulated by this amazing news.

"Director Zhang, did the company in the US really spend one million to buy the film rights to Lin Youcheng's novel 'The Time Traveler's Wife'?"

An editor stared wide-eyed at Zhang Wei, wanting to verify this somewhat unbelievable news once again.

"Is this news fake? It's just hearsay; how could there be so many rumors?"

The other editors in the editorial department also turned their attention to Zhang Wei. Clearly, they were all eager to get some information from him. They all knew that Zhang Wei had always been Lin Youcheng's editor and that they were quite close.

Looking at the curious and eager gazes of his editor colleagues, Zhang Wei knew that the news had already spread, and he had nothing to deny on Lin Youcheng's behalf. He nodded and said, "Yes, one million US dollars."

These words immediately caused an uproar.

Or rather, the editorial department was filled with the sound of gasping for breath.

That's a million dollars for the film adaptation rights!
This is too scary!
"My God, this is a million dollars in copyright fees! It's unbelievable that the United States would be willing to spend so much money to buy Lin Youcheng's novel. I really didn't expect that."

"That's outrageous! Who would even dare to dream of such a number!"

"Yes, when I first heard the news, I thought it was a joke. How could the price be so high? I never expected it to be true. I really can't believe it!"

"Is it really that valuable that Cheng's novel, 'The Time Traveler's Wife,' is in the United States? I heard it even won the Hugo Award from the World Science Fiction Association."

"A million dollars! That's incredible, absolutely incredible!"

"Yes, it's incredible. How could a science fiction romance novel be worth so much?"

Clearly, there was still some disbelief and skepticism in the editors' words. There was no way around it; such a fee for adapting a film was simply outrageous.

That's outrageously exaggerated!
Although it's now the 1990s, it was still 1990, and a copyright fee of one million was something they couldn't even imagine.

Clearly, the editors of the entire People's Literature editorial department were completely stunned by this confirmed news. They were all deeply shocked, wondering if the grass was always greener on the other side, or if Lin Youcheng's novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife," was truly so excellent that even the beautiful Chinese were willing to spend a fortune to buy the film adaptation rights and turn it into a movie.

Now, naturally, I'm also eager to know the answer Zhang Wei will give.

Zhang Wei, like his colleagues, was shocked and stunned by the number. He said, "The United States bought not only the film adaptation rights but also the TV series adaptation rights. In addition, Youcheng's side doesn't really care whether or not the film and television rights of this novel are sold. However, Universal Pictures is very anxious because I heard that it's not just that company that's interested in Lin Youcheng's novel."

This was something Bowles later discussed with Lin Youcheng, and it's why Charles ultimately agreed to the price. The most important reason was that Lin Youcheng's novel, *The Time Traveler's Wife*, was extremely popular in the United States, sparking huge discussions. Besides Universal Pictures, other Hollywood studios like Paramount Pictures had also taken notice of Lin Youcheng's science fiction romance novel. Lin Youcheng wasn't in a hurry; even if he didn't sell to Universal Pictures this time, other film companies would likely approach him later.

The editors at the editorial department were unaware of how popular Lin Youcheng's novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife," was overseas. They were only very clear that this unique work in the history of Chinese literature had now become one of the most dazzling figures in the history of Chinese literature because of such an incredible, even epoch-making, and almost science fiction-like copyright fee figure.

In terms of copyright royalties alone, it is absolutely terrifying, as if it has truly opened the door to another world, causing the entire literary world to boil with excitement.

That's right, it's boiling!
The film and television rights fee for Lin Youcheng's novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" is now so high that the entire literary world looks up to it as if it were a deity.

There was no particular reason; it was just that the one million dollar copyright fee was simply outrageous, making him the first person in the history of Chinese literature to receive such a high price.

Perhaps because the capitalist world in the United States is considered more prosperous, the fact that film companies in that capitalist country are so enthusiastic about promoting Lin Youcheng's novel proves its brilliance. Suddenly, discussions about Lin Youcheng's novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" have reignited, though these discussions are mostly about the number.

Wang Shuo and the other writers at Haima Film Studio had all heard the most astonishing news in the literary world, and they couldn't help but discuss it frantically, utterly shocked.

Ma Wei said with admiration, "I heard that at first, Lin Youcheng directly rejected Universal Pictures' offer. He knew they wanted to lower the price, so he didn't agree. Later, it was the people from the United States who finally managed to negotiate a deal for one million US dollars. That's really amazing."

"Yes, I never expected it, I really never expected it!"

"I had read Lin Youcheng's novel before, and I just thought it was very novel and unique. I didn't expect it to be so popular in the United States. I heard it even won the Hugo Award. Now a company is spending so much money to buy the copyright of this novel. I really can't imagine it. Anyone who hears this would say it's impossible."

“What’s impossible? I heard that some comrades from the Postal Savings Bank are going to Xinghua Hutong to communicate with Lin Youcheng. This matter also means a foreign exchange income. It seems that our Writers Association is discussing whether to hold a seminar on Lin Youcheng’s novel, ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’.”

Clearly, the reason why a symposium on "The Time Traveler's Wife" wasn't held before, but is now being re-held, is because this novel is now quite extraordinary and naturally deserves a thorough re-examination of Lin Youcheng's work by the entire literary community.

Listening to his friend's words, Wang Shuo was filled with admiration for Lin Youcheng and said, "As expected of Lin Youcheng, he's really amazing!"

"Who can argue with that? This copyright fee is something no writer can even dream of. One million US dollars, that's almost five million RMB."

The number elicited another gasp of astonishment, stirring up a storm of emotions within each person, leaving them quite unsettled.

Even writers and literary figures are finding it hard to remain calm after hearing about Lin Youcheng's copyright fee. The reason these writers set up this film and television studio was precisely to make money. It can be said that the domestic environment has long begun to value economic development. Otherwise, Ma Wei wouldn't have gone out of his way to open the Seahorse Dance Hall and work with the Seahorse Film and Television Studio to write stories. Now that Lin Youcheng's novel has been noticed by the United States, it has truly excited them, and they can't help but look towards the United States.

There was no way around it; Lin Youcheng's sum of money was simply too large, leaving them all stunned.

Of course, it wasn't just the people at Haima Film Studio who were stunned. Anyone who heard the news was also bewildered. Many of Lin Youcheng's friends couldn't resist their curiosity and wanted to find out if it was true or not, fearing that it was just a rumor that would become more and more exaggerated as it spread.

Zheng Xiaolong was still filming on set when he heard about this. Unable to contain his curiosity, he called Lin Youcheng to verify the news. The answer he received left him stunned.

"Director Zheng, what do you mean? Did Lin Youcheng really earn that much in royalties from his novel?"

Zheng Xiaolong snapped out of his daze, nodded, and said, "Yes, it's one million US dollars."

Well, the entire Yanjing Television Art Center erupted in another wave of incredulous exclamations.

There's no way around it; that million-dollar copyright fee is truly a terrifying figure.

What kind of science fiction concept is this?!

For these comrades in China, this is truly an unimaginable number, a series of numbers that could only appear in the world of science fiction!
"Lin Youcheng is really amazing!"

"I didn't expect the US to love science fiction so much!"

"What do you mean by 'love science fiction stories'? It's because Lin Youcheng writes good novels. Otherwise, why would capitalist companies be willing to spend so much money to buy Lin Youcheng's novels to make into movies? Lin Youcheng is really amazing!"

"Of course. I heard this novel won the Hugo Award, which is really impressive. He's the first person in China to do that."

"With just one million in copyright fees, Lin Youcheng is already number one in the country. Who else can do what he did, earning a million US dollars in foreign exchange with just one novel?"

……

These discussions arose in different parts of the country. Everyone who heard the news was deeply moved and wondered if this was the madness of the capitalist world. Such astonishing news naturally reached the higher-ups, and the Ministry of Culture was clearly aware of it as well. They were equally shocked, and of course, it was a great thing to be proud of.

This news was like an atomic bomb being dropped, causing an uproar throughout the literary world.

The power of this force was naturally unimaginable; it not only shook the literary circle, but also the film circle, the art world, and all circles of the literary and art federation.

That's right, it was completely overturned, as terrifying as a nuclear explosion, it was incredibly shocking!

(End of this chapter)