The literary era since 1979

The next day, Fang Yan took Shi Tiesheng and Chen Ximi to visit two courtyard houses on Lama Temple Street.

The first one is close to the Forbidden City. It is a large house with three courtyards. I renovated it myself right after I bought it, so you can move in directly.

The second apartment is close to the office, but it is just a one-room apartment. Fangyan originally bought it as a temporary place to rest during lunch break. However, it has been in Hong Kong for all these years and no one has taken care of it. The whole yard looks desolate and dilapidated, with fallen leaves and weeds all over the ground, and it looks lifeless.

However, Shi Tiesheng and Chen Ximi prefer the second house. The price is secondary, but the main reason is that it is close to the company.

After all, both of them had difficulty walking, and what was more important was that it would be a pleasure to redecorate the seemingly dilapidated house into a wedding house that suited their taste. Seeing their firm attitude, Fang Yan did not try to persuade them, but asked someone to draft a transfer contract and prepared to sell and give away the house at half price.

"This...isn't this appropriate?"

Shi Tiesheng looked at the price and found it hard to accept for a moment.

"Let's not be polite between us."

Fangyan waved his hand.

Seeing the two of them trying to decline, Gong Xian immediately interrupted and said, "This is what we wanted. If you keep putting it off, we won't go to your wedding that day!"

Chen Ximi agreed generously, "Now that it has come to this, it would be too hypocritical for us to refuse."

After their eyes met, Shi Tiesheng said nothing more and he and Fang Yan each signed their names on the contract.

"You chose a great date for your wedding."

Gong Xing said that after getting married, it would coincide with the world premiere of "The Intouchables", and she could take the opportunity to go to the United States for her honeymoon.

“When will The Intouchables be released?”

Although Shi Tiesheng is nominally the screenwriter of the film, it is actually just a false title. He has been hospitalized in the United States for treatment.

"It will be at the beginning of next spring, which is called spring break in the US. Who knows, it might even be in time for the Oscars in March or April."

Gong Xing's words surprised Chen Ximi and his wife. Doesn't that mean they still have a chance to attend the Oscars ceremony?

"At least a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay is a must."

Fangyan smiled. Francis Coppola was very fond of "The Intouchables" and regarded it as his comeback work in Hollywood. Of course, Fox also attached great importance to it. After all, this was the first Oscar-winning film invested by its subsidiary "Searchlight".

Shi Tiesheng and Chen Ximi looked at each other, their hearts burning with excitement, but the most urgent task at the moment was to organize the wedding.

Watching the two people walking away, Gong Wei snuggled in Fang Yan's arms and murmured, "They are so happy."

"What's there to envy?" Fang Yan grinned, "I think we are pretty happy too."

Gong Xing hummed, and clasped Fang Yan's hand tightly with his five fingers. An inextricable deep affection rippled in his eyes, and his eyes were full of autumnal charm.

………………

After making clear arrangements for matters in the mainland, the group set off back to Hong Kong, including Zhu Lin, who had just returned from visiting his relatives.

Gong Xing sat in the seat next to him and fastened his seat belt. "Is everything okay at home?"

"it is good!"

Zhu Lin showed a relieved smile. The rumors caused by "Journey to the West" had always been the biggest worry for his parents, but now that he won an award at the Venice Film Festival and returned home in glory, the rumors were also clarified, which put this worry to rest in an instant.

When I think of this, no words can express my gratitude enough.

"Don't mention that."

Gong Xing asked the flight attendant for a glass of orange juice.

"Hot water, thank you."

Zhu Lin looked around, curious: "Just now I wanted to ask, did my brother go back to Hong Kong early?"

"Yes, the movie 'Across the World' in which he starred will be released soon, and he has to go back to work with Director Xu and Nan Sheng to promote the movie."

Gong Xi said with a smile.

"Is it the one that Xiaoxian also starred in?"

Zhu Lin was impressed immediately.

Gong Xing nodded. "Once Upon a Time" is not only a work that broadens Wang Zuxian's acting range, but also Xu Ke's counterattack against Wu Yusen.

Seeing her frown, Zhu Lin was puzzled: "What's wrong?"

Fang Yan seemed to know what was going on. “Are you worried that Director Xu’s “Across the World” will lose to Rainie Wu’s “A Better Tomorrow”?”

Gong Xing said that although the box office of "A Better Tomorrow" was not as good as "A Better Tomorrow", it also achieved a box office of more than 1800 million in the Hong Kong market. It was called by the media as a representative work of violent aesthetics that is not inferior to "A Better Tomorrow". I am afraid that Xu Ke will not win so easily.

"I'm still here, have you forgotten who came up with the idea for the script of Across the World?"

Fang Yan smiled confidently, "Even if you don't trust Director Xu, can you not trust me?"

"That's true." Gong Xing sighed, "How did the two people who were close friends in "A Better Tomorrow" suddenly become enemies who will never talk to each other again? Sometimes you men are really childish like children. You can't just part ways amicably, but you have to fight to win or lose!"

"This is not just a simple dispute of wills."

Fangyan shook his head and laughed, looking through the porthole at the vast sea of ​​clouds and blue sky.

…………

Ming Xia and Xu Ke Film Studio have been making every effort to promote "Once Upon a Time" with a bigger fanfare than that of "A Chinese Ghost Story" and "A Better Tomorrow". It is obvious that Xu Ke has hardly held back in order to completely defeat Wu Yusen.

Newspapers, television stations and other media were all hyping that "Once Upon a Time" was the first film by Rongsheng Zhang after he won the Venice Film Festival Best Actor Award.

Movie fans, especially Zhang Guorong's fanatical fans, lined up in front of almost all major cinemas, scrambling to grab advance tickets.

In terms of momentum, it far surpassed "Hard Boiled" at the time, and in terms of the grandeur of the premiere, Xu Ke was not willing to lose to Wu Yusen.

"I don't know if Fang Sheng and the others will come?"

"Just rest assured, they will definitely come."

Shi Nansheng had a smile on her face. Not to mention that Fangyan was the screenwriter and consultant of the film, Gong Xing and her company were also the investors of the film.

How could they be absent on the big day of the release of "Along the World"?
Just as the two were worrying about when Fangyan and his group would arrive, a Cadillac extended sedan suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

The fans crowded on both sides of the red carpet may not recognize this car, but the knowledgeable entertainment paparazzi recognized it at a glance.

As the car door opened, Gong Xing and Zhu Lin were seen wearing cheongsams that matched their respective temperaments, one was dignified and intellectual, the other was bright and elegant.

Fangyan was in the middle of the two women, and with flash lights chasing her all the way, she walked towards the Xuke couple who had been waiting for a long time. "Director Xu, are we not late?"

"No, no, you guys came at the right time!"

Shi Nansheng said some polite words, and then suddenly reminded him that Zou Wenhuai was present in person on behalf of Jiahe, and it seemed that he was here just for him.

Zou Wenhuai did not come alone, he was accompanied by He Guanchang and Cheng Long.

It is obvious that he is waiting for the rabbit by the tree, and the rabbit he is waiting for is the dialect.

As soon as we met, we either congratulated each other on winning the Golden Lion Award for In the Mood for Love or on being shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Fangyan greeted him with a smile, "Are things going well for Aaron and Golden Harvest in Hollywood?"

“TOEFL, TOEFL.”

Zou Wenhuai laughed heartily. "Die Hard 2", which was released in this summer, continued the success of the first film and had a global box office of over 2.7 million US dollars.

Cheng Long's mouth was grinning like a lotus. With the great success of "Die Hard 2", all the main creative team members were promoted. The director established his position as a top Hollywood action director through this film, and he himself was sent into the ranks of Hollywood's top action stars, on par with Schwarzenegger, Stallone and others. Not only did he receive a salary of 1500 million US dollars, but he would also receive dividends from the box office in the future.

"The media generally gave high praise to the sequel to Die Hard."

Seeing that the two were only busy laughing, Ho Kwun-chang quickly added: "It can be said that the film is getting better in all aspects, it is done with ease, the chemistry is interesting, although it is still a show of personal heroism by Ah Long, but the plot is not outdated at all, the fighting scenes are also smooth, it is a successful commercial film."

Fangyan nodded, but quickly said something that disappointed everyone, that is, "Die Hard 3" would not be filmed in the short term.

After all, a storyline can be repeated once or twice, but not three times. Too much repetition will only squeeze the future potential and value of the series.

"That's the case, Mr. Fang, can you consider the "Ghost Blowing Out the Light" and "Jurassic Park" you mentioned before?"

Zou Wenhuai cast a meaningful look at him, and Cheng Long and He Guanchang followed his eyes and looked at Fangyan eagerly.

Hey!
Wait for me here!

Fang Yan saw through it but didn't say anything. "I have already written the script for Ghost Blows Out the Light. Golden Harvest can prepare it by then. As for Jurassic Park, Aaron is already a top Hollywood action star and has box office appeal around the world. I think Spielberg and Universal Pictures will not refuse if I recommend Aaron to play the leading role." Then he turned to look at Cheng Long, "You have to reserve a good schedule next time."

"Thank you Fangsheng! Thank you Fangsheng!"

Cheng Long was so excited that he could hardly control himself. He didn't look like a "big brother" at all. If you didn't know him, you would think he was saying "henchman" in dialect.

Fang Yan smiled, but saw that Zou Wenhuai and He Guanchang had no intention of leaving and were still staring at him with a smile.

Zou Wenhuai said, "Mr. Fang, we have another unwelcome request..."

"I knew that Boss Zou's visit to the premiere this time was definitely not just for Aaron's matter."

Fangyan said half-jokingly.

"indeed so."

Zou Wenhuai and Ho Kwun-chang looked at each other and said bluntly that "Farewell My Concubine" and "In the Mood for Love" had successively shined at European and American international film festivals. They were both envious and admired them, so they wanted to ask Golden Harvest if there was any opportunity to help Fang Yan.

Fangyan was shocked. Golden Harvest has always relied on commercial films to make big money. When did they start pursuing artistic works and winning awards?
Could it be that, like in "Personal Tailor", the vulgarity has reached its limit and we want something more elegant? Be careful of being allergic to elegance!
"To be honest, we at Golden Harvest want to use the European Film Festival as a platform to try to enter the European market."

Ho Kuan-chang said that although Golden Harvest has made a name for itself in Hollywood thanks to Jackie Chan, its influence cannot yet cover the entire Europe and the United States. When Golden Harvest saw films such as "Farewell My Concubine" and "In the Mood for Love" gradually conquering European audiences, it undoubtedly provided a new idea for the company.

"Well, it's a coincidence. I plan to focus on literature for some time to come."

Fang Yan raised his hand and said, "We need to put the movie aside for now."

"Why?"

Zou Wenhuai, He Guanchang and others were shocked.

"I may be transferred back to the mainland soon, and my future work focus will also be shifted to the mainland."

Fangyan secretly revealed that he was going to return to "People's Literature" to be the editor-in-chief. Compared to movies, he really wanted to join the ministry!
"This is such a pity..."

Zou Wenhuai sighed.

"Boss Zou, you don't have to be like this. Although I'm back in the mainland, my branch is in Hong Kong, and my wife's career focus is also in Hong Kong. In the future, mainland film studios will also make more joint ventures with Hong Kong. I think there will be a lot of cooperation between us."

Dialects do not make words final.

"With Fangsheng's words, we feel relieved."

He Guanchang breathed a sigh of relief.

After chatting with them for a while, Fang Yan turned his attention to Gong Xing, who was talking passionately with Li Zhi, Lin Qingxia, and Wang Zuxian.

"Hey, our great writer is here!"

Wang Zuxian joked: "Congratulations, you've been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature."

Fang Yan shook his head: "It's just a nomination, don't mention it again."

Lin Qingxia comforted him softly, "With your work and ability, you will get this opportunity sooner or later."

"What worries him most right now is that he doesn't know what to write next?" Gong Xing's eyes were full of pity.

Fangyan has indeed reached a bottleneck in his creation, but it’s not that he can’t write anything, but that he doesn’t know how to compete for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

After all, the judging criteria for this thing are too abstract and illusory. For example, "The Piano Teacher" tells the story of a goddess who appears to be an ascetic goddess at the Vienna Conservatory of Music, but secretly hides in the toilet to self-harm with a razor blade and secretly smells the paper towels used by students. When a little wolf-dog student breaks into her perverted world, the two of them go from slapping each other in the piano room to tying each other with belts in the garage. If you don't know, you might think you're watching a literary version of "Fifty Shades of Grey".

So works like Yu Hua's "To Live" often seem out of place because they are not perverted enough.

"Write more novels like Farewell My Concubine, In the Mood for Love, and Love Letters. I love reading these kinds of novels."

Wang Zuxian’s eyes suddenly lit up.

"Just let nature take its course."

Lin Qingxia said with a smile, "The more you try to force something, the less likely you are to get it."

Gong Xing nodded in agreement, "Qingxia is right. Just write whatever comes to your mind. Don't tie your hands and feet."

Listening to their concerned words one by one, the haze hanging over Fangyan's head gradually dissipated, and he became energetic again.

"I'm obsessed! Writing is not for the purpose of winning awards. The public can admire it, but creators cannot make it their goal."

"Yes, don't forget your original intention when you embarked on the path of literature."

Gong Xing held his hand tightly, with a hint of expectation in his eyes, "Didn't you say you wanted to write more novels that the common people would like to read?" (End of this chapter)