1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

Liu Chia-liang's high-profile response was like pouring cold water into a boiling oil pan, instantly causing an uproar in the entire Hong Kong film industry.

Newspapers were filled with headlines like "Summer Movie Showdown" and "The Ultimate Showdown of Kung Fu from North and South."

Radio and television entertainment news followed suit frantically, and in tea restaurants on the streets, the hottest topics of conversation revolved around the war of words between Cheng Xuemin and Liu Jialiang.

Cheng Xuemin sat by the window of his room at the Great Wall Hotel, watching newsboys waving newspapers with huge headlines like "Liu Jialiang slams his fist on the table to accept the challenge! 'Martial Arts School' takes on 'Shaolin Temple'!" A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Fu Qi pushed open the door and came in, holding a thick stack of the day's newspapers, his face showing excitement and a hint of worry.

"Teacher Cheng, look! Every newspaper in Hong Kong is full of news about your competition on the front page! The buzz has really built up!" Fu Qi spread the newspapers on the table, pointing to the headlines.

"Liu Jialiang is really desperate this time. He's made some tough threats, saying he'll show you, a northerner, what authentic Southern Kung Fu is all about!"

Cheng Xuemin casually picked up a copy of the Oriental Daily News, glanced at the photo of Liu Jialiang with his eyes wide open and his fiery remarks, and said indifferently, "It's good that he's in a hurry."

"The more anxious he is, the louder he shouts, the more media coverage he gets, and the more we save on advertising costs."

Fu Qi was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized, gave a thumbs up in admiration, and said:

"Brilliant! Teacher Cheng, you're truly brilliant! Your technique of luring the snake out of its hole and using its own strength against it is masterful!"

Liu Jialiang is now in a very difficult position. If he doesn't accept the challenge, he'll lose face; if he does, it's like giving our "Shaolin Temple" free publicity!

Cheng Xuemin put down his newspaper, walked to the window, looked at the bustling crowd below, and said, "In Hong Kong, even the best wine needs advertising. Good films aren't enough; you need to know how to promote them."

Since Master Liu is willing to perform this play with us, we should make the drums and gongs even louder.

From that day on, while fully devoting himself to the post-production of "Shaolin Temple," Cheng Xuemin also transformed into "Hong Kong's number one sharp-tongued critic."

He was no longer content with merely exchanging insults with Lau Kar-leung from afar; instead, he extended the conflict to the entire Hong Kong film industry.

After finishing his heavy editing and dubbing work at the Great Wall Photo Printing Plant every day, he would take some time to accept brief telephone interviews from a few newspapers with which he had good relations, or directly ask Fu Qi to release a few sharp comments.

He commented that Raymond Chow, the boss of Golden Harvest, was ambitious, but his works were too commercial and lacked cultural depth.

The article mocks Mona Fong of Shaw Brothers for adhering to outdated film studio systems and lacking innovation, lamenting the waste of the empire built by Sir Run Run Shaw.

The assessment of Cinema City's Karl Maka and others is that they are quick-witted and have novel approaches, but their works lack depth and are like fast food, which becomes tiresome after a while.

He even lamented that New Wave directors like Tsui Hark were "too highbrow for the masses, critically acclaimed but not commercially successful."

He not only critiques companies and directors, but also celebrity gossip.

When a popular young actor was embroiled in a scandal, he commented that young people should focus on their acting skills; when a porn star appeared on a magazine cover, he praised the film for its story, not its gimmicks.

His words are sharp and incisive, often hitting the nail on the head, and carrying a condescending mainland perspective. Every time, he accurately hits the sore spot and sore spot of the Hong Kong film industry, sparking even greater controversy and discussion.

Hong Kong media are ecstatic!
Cheng Xuemin is practically a walking headline-generating machine! A single sentence from him can generate buzz for days.

Opponents called him "arrogant and conceited," "pretentious," and "attention-seeking"; supporters, mainly young viewers and some film critics who were impressed by his work, felt that he "dared to speak the truth," had "unique insight," and "broke the stagnant waters of the Hong Kong film industry."

This war of words, ignited by Cheng Xuemin himself, made "Shaolin Temple" and Cheng Xuemin's name household names in just a few days, with their popularity soaring far beyond the effect of any commercial advertisement.

Fu Qi couldn't stop smiling as he read the massive amount of news about Cheng Xuemin and "Shaolin Temple" in the newspapers every day, exclaiming that the publicity effect was something that couldn't be bought for millions!

While publicly provoking conflict, Cheng Xuemin was secretly carrying out another, more secretive and important plan.

Preparations for "Redemption".

One evening, Cheng Xuemin avoided reporters and, dressed alone in an ordinary shirt and trousers with a baseball cap, took the Star Ferry across the harbor to Central, Hong Kong Island.

Following the address, he entered a slightly old but secluded office building.

Fu Qi from Great Wall Motors was already waiting there, with a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and exuding a capable air standing beside him.

"Teacher Cheng, this is Attorney Chen. He's very experienced in handling local affairs and is absolutely reliable," Fu Qi introduced in a low voice.

After shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with Attorney Chen, Cheng Xuemin got straight to the point.

Accompanied by lawyer Chen, he carefully inspected several vacant villas and warehouses located in Mid-Levels and Kowloon Tong on Hong Kong Island.

These places are relatively quiet, have enough space, and few neighbors, making them easy to manage in a closed environment.

It is also very suitable as a preparation base and internal test shooting location for films with sensitive themes such as "Redemption".

Cheng Xuemin finally settled on an old villa in Kowloon Tong with a separate courtyard and garage. Although the rent was high, the privacy was excellent.

“This will do,” Cheng Xuemin decided. “Please have Attorney Chen complete the leasing procedures as soon as possible, using… um, the name of ‘Oriental Film Studio’.”

This was a shell company he had his aunt, Gu Qiuna, register in the United States for the purpose of handling some cross-border funds and sensitive matters.

After settling the venue matters, Cheng Xuemin returned to the hotel and immediately drafted an encrypted telegram, which he sent to Los Angeles, USA.

Recipient: Gu Qiuna.

The telegram was concise: "Auntie, a meeting in Hong Kong is about the new film. Come quickly. —Scholar-Min"

Three days later, a flight from San Francisco, USA, landed at Kai Tak Airport.

Among the passengers, a young woman with an outstanding temperament, wearing a well-tailored beige suit skirt and wide-brimmed sunglasses, walked out of the gate with a small leather suitcase.

She was Cheng Xuemin's aunt, Gu Qiuna.

Compared to before the Lunar New Year, Gu Qiuna appeared even more shrewd and capable, with a sharpness and confidence that came from years of hard work in the business world.

During her recent return to the United States, thanks to the huge royalties from the continued popularity of "Yesterday Once More" and the astonishing sales of the subsequent English songs provided by Cheng Xuemin, she has already established a firm foothold in the Chinese community and music scene in Los Angeles.

They registered and established "Oriental Film Company," and began to get involved in film distribution and cinema acquisition, showing their ambition.

Cheng Xuemin personally drove to the airport to pick him up.

The uncle and son-in-law met, exchanged few pleasantries, and gave each other a tight hug.

Sitting in the Toyota Crown that Cheng Xuemin had rented, Gu Qiuna took off her sunglasses, carefully examined her nephew-in-law, and smiled:

"Well done, Xuemin, you're a celebrity in Hong Kong now! Your news is all over the newspapers every day, you're really getting cocky!"

As Cheng Xuemin drove, he chuckled and said, "Auntie, please don't make fun of me. I was forced into this. In Hong Kong, if you don't make a scene, nobody will pay attention to you."

The car didn't return to the Great Wall Hotel, but instead drove directly to the Kowloon Tong villa that Cheng Xuemin had just rented.

The environment here is tranquil and shady with green trees, a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Upon entering the villa, Gu Qiuna looked around at the simple yet well-equipped environment and nodded in satisfaction: "The location is well chosen; it's quiet enough."

"Auntie!" Feng Jiazhao, the eldest brother-in-law who had already been settled here, greeted his aunt, Gu Qiuna, with a slightly surprised expression.

"Jia Zhao, you've come to Hong Kong this time too?! Not bad, not bad. From now on, you and Xue Min will team up and dominate the entire Hong Kong film industry!" Aunt Gu Qiuna was also very surprised to see her eldest nephew Feng Jia Zhao, and said with a smile.

Actually, Aunt Gu Qiuna is not much older than her nephew Feng Jiazhao, only about ten years old!
However, because his brother-in-law Feng Jiazhao spent those ten years being sent down to the countryside, he suffered for several years.

So even though he's more than ten years younger than his aunt Gu Qiuna, when the two of them stand together, you'd definitely say his aunt is his sister.

"Auntie, you're making fun of me!" Brother-in-law Feng Jiazhao scratched his head and said with a smile, "It's all thanks to Xuemin! He brought me here to broaden my horizons this time!"

Aunt Gu Qiuna nodded and said, "Yes! No jokes, no jokes! But Jia Zhao, you really should follow Xue Min and go out more often to see the world!"

"If I have the chance sometime, I'll take you to America to broaden your horizons!"

The three of them then sat down on the sofa in the living room. Cheng Xuemin brewed some Longjing tea for them and then took out the script outline and some character settings for "Redemption" and handed them to Gu Qiuna. "Auntie, the reason I urgently invited you here is because of this script."

Gu Qiuna took the thick stack of manuscript paper and began to carefully read through it.

As she read on, her expression gradually changed from curiosity to surprise, and finally to solemnity and excitement.

She reads very quickly, but she will carefully consider the key points repeatedly.

After reading for over an hour, Gu Qiuna finally let out a long sigh, put down the manuscript, and looked intently at Cheng Xuemin, saying:
"Scholar, this script... has a grand scope! World War II background, Hong Kong perspective, human redemption... this is definitely a Hollywood A-list production!"

She stood up excitedly and paced around the living room: "You want to use this film to break into the international market? You have such a keen eye!"

These themes, involving war, humanity, and hope, are exactly what European and American film festivals and the mainstream market love!
This is on a much higher level than a simple kung fu movie!

Cheng Xuemin nodded and said, "That's right. Kung Fu films can open up the market, but to truly gain recognition, they must break through in terms of artistic and intellectual depth. 'Redemption' is an attempt in that regard."

However, this film is highly sensitive and uses all foreign actors, making it very difficult to get approved for production in China.

I plan to bypass the mainland and produce primarily in Hong Kong, using our US-registered 'Oriental Films' as a co-production with your company.

“I understand!” Gu Qiuna immediately grasped Cheng Xuemin’s strategic intentions. “Operating under the name of an overseas company avoids policy risks, and the target is the international market and awards! Xuemin, you’ve made a brilliant move!”

She sat back on the sofa, leaned forward, and lowered her voice: "What do you need me to do? Funding? We've made another $500,000 in the US from record sales revenue as of the end of last month!"
Excluding the expenses I incurred during this period for expanding my cinemas, I currently have about $500,000 in available cash, which I can invest entirely!

Cheng Xuemin's heart skipped a beat. Five hundred thousand US dollars was a huge sum of money at this time, which showed that his aunt's development in the United States in the past six months had indeed been quite good.

However, he waved his hand and said, "Auntie, funding is one thing, but it's not the most urgent issue right now."

Our department has provided substantial support for our new film, and we have enough start-up funding. What I need most right now are actors!

Indeed, as Cheng Xuemin said, if we are going to use all foreign actors, we have to use US dollars to hire them!
However, Cheng Xuemin's Eastern Depot currently has no US dollar foreign exchange reserves; all of its revenue comes from the sale of copies of "Shaolin Temple" in China.

However, with Liao Gong's approval, the ministry directly allocated 500,000 US dollars in foreign exchange funds to Cheng Xuemin.

of course!

This $500,000 in foreign exchange needs to be exchanged for RMB by Cheng Xuemin's Eastern Depot; it wasn't allocated to him for no reason.

After all, it was agreed long ago that everyone would be responsible for their own profits and losses!

The ministry will not allocate a single penny more, especially not a single penny of precious US dollars; don't even think about it.

Fortunately, Liao Gong made the decision directly and approved 500,000 US dollars in foreign exchange. Otherwise, Cheng Xuemin might have really used his own money to send his aunt to the United States to sell English pop songs and earn US dollars to raise funds for the production.

Therefore, Cheng Xuemin, who currently has 500,000 US dollars, is not in urgent need of foreign exchange funds; rather, it is the foreign actors who are in need.

"An actor?" Aunt Gu Qiuna asked, equally puzzled.

"Yes, foreign actors. Especially for major roles, they need to have a pure European or American face, but they can't be too famous, their pay has to be controllable, and the key is... they have potential and can act."

Cheng Xuemin looked at Gu Qiuna and continued, "Auntie, you're in the US, so you have a lot of opportunities to get in touch with people on the periphery of Hollywood. I'd like to ask you to help me find a few actors, especially... those 'potential stars' who aren't famous yet but have talent, are willing to work hard, and don't have high salaries."

He specifically emphasized: "We're not looking for established stars who command high salaries and have a big ego. We're looking for 'rough gems,' actors who are still working as extras in various film crews, waiting for their chance. Especially..."

In Cheng Xuemin's mind, several images of future superstars before their dazzling rise to fame flashed by, but he couldn't say them explicitly. He could only give a vague hint, saying:

"For example, are there any young male actors who have a unique temperament, a touch of melancholy or resilience, three-dimensional features, and a sense of story?"

Or perhaps... a young actress who isn't a traditional blonde, but has a distinctive look and expressive eyes?

Gu Qiuna was a smart woman. Although she didn't understand why her nephew-in-law was so persistent in discovering unknown talents, she had an almost blind trust in Cheng Xuemin's judgment.

After all, he can write hit songs like "Yesterday Once More" and direct blockbuster films like "Tai Chi," so his judgment must be reasonable.

“I understand!” A businessman’s shrewdness flashed in Gu Qiuna’s eyes. “It’s like mining. Find those rough stones that big companies have overlooked. The cost is low and the potential is huge!”

Don't worry, leave it to me! I know some good independent agents and casting directors in Los Angeles, and I'm very familiar with the periphery of Hollywood and those struggling actors. I'll go back and cast my net!

She became more and more excited as she spoke: "War films about concentration camps need tough-guy male actors, as well as resilient female characters... and those intellectuals who look a bit down on their luck... I think I have a direction!"

Cheng Xuemin added, "Auntie, time is of the essence. I hope you can shortlist a group of candidates within a month and send them their photos, basic information, and audition videos. The more candidates, the better, and we will conduct the final interviews to determine the final selection."

"No problem! Leave it to me!" Gu Qiuna decided. "I'll get started as soon as I get back! 'Oriental Films' also needs to sign some promising actors, so this is a win-win situation!"

After the business was finished, the atmosphere relaxed.

Gu Qiuna teased, "Xuemin, you've given me a really big task this time. How are you going to thank me?"

Cheng Xuemin smiled, took an envelope from his briefcase, and pushed it in front of Gu Qiuna: "Auntie, this is the payment for the next manuscript."

Gu Qiuna curiously opened the envelope. Inside were two handwritten musical scores, with flowing staff lines and English lyrics. One song was titled "Casablanca," and the other "Hotel California."

Although Gu Qiuna is not a professional musician, she has been running a record company for many years and has basic taste.

She hummed a few lines of the melody softly, and her eyes widened instantly!

The melodies of these two songs are extremely beautiful and moving, and the lyrics are profound and meaningful, carrying a charming sadness and romantic atmosphere. Their artistic level is in no way inferior to the previous "Yesterday Once More"!
It even feels more mature and classic!

"Xuemin! This...this was written by you again?" Gu Qiuna's voice trembled with excitement.

She could almost see these two songs dominating the Billboard charts!
"Well, I just thought about it in my spare time," Cheng Xuemin said casually. "Auntie, you can handle it as you see fit. Copyright matters are the same as always."

"My God! Xuemin! You're a genius!" Gu Qiuna excitedly hugged her nephew-in-law, kissed him on the cheek, and exclaimed:

"With these two songs, my position in the American record industry will be even more secure! Don't even mention helping you find actors, I'd do anything, even steal people from Hollywood!"

The two men, uncle and aunt, both laughed.

Cheng Xuemin knew that using future classic songs as bait would not only firmly bind his aunt, his capable assistant, but also provide Oriental Film Company with a continuous stream of funds and brand recognition for its development in the United States.

Gu Qiuna only stayed in Hong Kong for three days.

During these three days, in addition to finalizing the specific requirements and standards for casting with Cheng Xuemin, she also secretly learned about the situation in the Hong Kong film industry through her own channels.

Therefore, we have a more intuitive understanding of Cheng Xuemin's current situation and the competition that "Shaolin Temple" is facing.

On the day she left, Cheng Xuemin once again drove her to Kai Tak Airport.

Just before crossing the border, Gu Qiuna hugged her nephew-in-law tightly and whispered in his ear, "Xuemin, Hong Kong is a place where all sorts of people mingle. You need to be careful when you're alone."

Regarding Liu Jialiang, if cooperation is possible, great; if not, don't force a confrontation. Don't worry about the situation in the US; your aunt will handle everything perfectly for you!

"I know, Auntie, don't worry. Be careful on the road." Cheng Xuemin nodded.

Watching his aunt Gu Qiuna's figure disappear at the end of the security checkpoint, Cheng Xuemin took a deep breath, turned around and left the airport.

He knew that his aunt was returning to the United States this time with the important task of uncovering "treasures" for the film "Redemption".

He secretly hoped that his aunt's keen eyes could find those "true gold" that had not yet shone but would shine brightly in the vast pool of lower-level actors in Hollywood.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the flames of public opinion have been ignited, post-production of "Shaolin Temple" is in full swing, and the summer box office showdown with Lau Kar-leung is about to begin.

……

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