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

The air in the office seemed to freeze for a moment after Wang Yang asked his question.

The noise outside the window is blocked out by the glass, making it seem distant and unreal.

The sunlight shifted slightly across the floor, illuminating the dust particles that floated slowly in the air.

As Cheng Xuemin met the old factory director's scrutinizing yet concerned gaze, his expression became serious and solemn.

Then he nodded, slowly opened his mouth, and said in a clear and steady voice, "Old factory director, last night in the lake, I gave a detailed report to Director Liao and several other relevant leaders."

“Every detail of the process, from the Cannes Film Festival competition to the contacts and negotiations with the Japanese side, especially the cause and terms of the performance-based agreement, as well as the risk assessment and confidence we made based on the film's quality and the Palme d'Or, has been explained!”

He paused slightly, as if recalling every word and expression from that brightly lit, solemn conference room.

"The leaders listened very carefully and asked very detailed questions."

"In particular, regarding the risk assessment and subsequent performance guarantee of the $400 million bet, I reported on what I thought...

Cheng Xuemin picked out the important points and gave a brief report to the old factory director.
Upon hearing this, the old factory director leaned forward slightly, his fingers unconsciously curling up as he stared intently at Cheng Xuemin, and asked, "And then? What... did the leaders say?"

"In his concluding remarks, Liao Gong said..." Cheng Xuemin's voice unconsciously mimicked the old man's steady and powerful tone, "Comrade Cheng Xuemin fought a brilliant battle on this trip to Cannes!"

"Not only did it win the Palme d'Or, but it also opened up a new chapter and set a new benchmark for Chinese films and culture to go global."

Furthermore, in the complex international business environment, they dared to seize opportunities and, through wisdom and courage, secured substantial and tangible benefits for the country! This four hundred million US dollars in foreign exchange is of extraordinary significance!

Upon hearing this, the old factory director, Wang Yang, visibly relaxed his tense shoulders and let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

The other half of my heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally felt at ease!

affim!

It is a clear and highly affirmative statement!

It's not about offsetting merits and demerits; it's about praise and setting the tone!

He felt the cold sweat that had been trickling down his back ever since he received the telegram finally dissipate!
Cheng Xuemin paused, looked into the old factory director's eyes, and said, word by word, "The leadership has instructed me to prepare as soon as possible to go to Hong Kong again next week for the next round of substantive negotiations with the Japanese representatives."

"The core of the negotiations is to ensure that Japan fulfills its commitments under the agreement and implements the $400 million in foreign exchange support as soon as possible in a manner that is most favorable to us, as agreed by both parties."

"At the same time, we should also take this opportunity to lay a more solid foundation for possible technology introduction and equipment cooperation in the future."

We must ensure that, while protecting our core interests, all details are finalized to guarantee that the $400 million is fully and accurately secured, and that it achieves its maximum strategic value.

The office fell silent again!

But this time, the air was no longer filled with worry and solemnity, but with a heavy, powerful determination and expectation.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a golden edge on Cheng Xuemin's profile and shoulder, making his seated figure appear exceptionally upright!
The old factory director listened quietly, the rhythm of his fingers tapping lightly on his knees gradually becoming slow and firm.

The wrinkles on his face smoothed out, and a fire seemed to flicker deep in his eyes—the sharp gleam of a seasoned veteran seeing the dawn of victory.

After a long silence, he slapped his thigh hard, making a crisp crack, and leaned slightly forward from the force of the blow, saying decisively:

"Good! Good! Good! I understand! Xuemin, with your words and Liao Gong's clear instructions, I feel completely reassured and at ease!"

"What a brilliant way to promote honors! Quietly implement them! This eight-character policy is accurate and well-defined! We'll follow it exactly as it is, without any hesitation!"

He stood up abruptly, his movements abrupt due to his excitement, causing the sofa to shift slightly backward and scrape against the floor with a soft hissing sound.

He strode over to the desk, and before even sitting down, he grabbed the old-fashioned black telephone and deftly began cranking the handle on the side.

Then he slammed the receiver to his ear, his other hand already on the number dial, his index finger knuckles turning white from the force!
"Hello, is this the switchboard? Connect me to the publicity department, I need Section Chief Wang! Yes, right now!"

The old factory director, Wang Yang, had a loud and energetic voice that seemed to penetrate the telephone line and hit the listener's ears directly.

As he waited for the call to be transferred, he slammed his palm heavily on the glass plate spread out on the table, staring intently at Cheng Xuemin, and speaking rapidly:

"Xuemin, I'll personally oversee the publicity and celebration for Golden Palm at the factory!"

"The ministry must have a unified plan. Our Yanying Film Studio must take the lead and do a good job! We must do it with great momentum and high standards!"

"We want the entire factory, the entire industry, and the people of the whole country to know that Chinese films have reached the pinnacle of the world!"

"This is a political task, but more importantly, it's an inspiring and wonderful thing!"

The call seemed to have connected, and the old factory director immediately raised his voice into the receiver, "Hello! Section Chief Wang? This is Wang Yang!"

"Listen up, immediately issue the order: at 10:00 AM, hold an emergency meeting for all middle and senior managers in the factory's main conference room!"

"Yes, everyone, not a single one can be missing! All group leaders, department heads, directors and producers from all film crews at the studio, everyone must be present! There's something important to announce! It's extremely important!"

He paused, then said in an unquestionable tone, "Also, have Xiao Liu from the broadcasting station get ready to broadcast the important announcement at 10 o'clock sharp!"

The content… I'll give him the draft after the meeting! Anyway, get this hype going! Let every worker in the factory feel like there's some incredibly joyous occasion!

"Bang!" The old factory director slammed down the phone, his crisp voice echoing in the office.

He walked back to the sofa but didn't sit down. He put his hands on his hips, his chest rising and falling slightly from the excited commands he had just given.

He looked at Cheng Xuemin, his eyes almost gleaming with light: "As for you..."

He took a deep breath, as if to calm his overly excited emotions, but the eagerness and sense of entrustment in his tone were even stronger.

"Go to Hong Kong for negotiations! This is a tough battle, and also the final one! Just tell me what support you need!"

"The factory needs people, and it needs materials! No, not just the factory, but with Director Liao's instructions and the ministry's coordination, whatever you need, I'll go and get it for you! I only have one request..."

He leaned down, placed his hands on his knees, and fixed his piercing gaze on Cheng Xuemin's eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately, as if trying to nail each word into the other's heart:

"Xuemin, just like in Cannes, bring out all your wisdom and courage to win this final and toughest battle beautifully!" "Bring back that four hundred million US dollars safely and securely! This isn't about money; it's about national prestige, it's about the spirit of Chinese filmmakers and cultural figures!"

"This is a tangible achievement of our country's reform and opening up on the international stage! We can only succeed, we cannot fail!"

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling directly on Cheng Xuemin's face, casting a pale gold hue on his sharply defined profile and illuminating the calm and resolute light in his eyes.

He met the old factory director's earnest, ardent, almost burning gaze, slowly stood up, and straightened his spine.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead reached out and firmly grasped the old factory director's hand, which was resting on his knees and had slightly bulging veins.

"Don't worry, old factory director!" Cheng Xuemin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried immense weight!

Every word was clear and steady, like a pebble thrown into still water, creating ripples that left no room for doubt. He said, "I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

"I will bring back every single one of these four hundred million US dollars and hand it over to the country!"

"Good! Good! Good!" The old factory director said "good" three times in a row, and then firmly grasped Cheng Xuemin's hand and shook it vigorously.

He straightened up, exhaled a long breath, as if releasing all the excitement, pressure, and anticipation in his chest. A smile returned to his face, this time a smile of relief and trust.

"With you saying that, I'm just waiting to drink the victory celebration wine!"

He let go of her hand, walked back to his desk, picked up the cigarette pack on the table, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then remembered something and handed the cigarette pack to Cheng Xuemin.

Cheng Xuemin waved his hand to indicate that he wouldn't smoke!

The old factory director lit a match, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, let the pale blue smoke swirl in his lungs, and then slowly exhaled.

Amidst the swirling smoke, his expression relaxed considerably, but his eyes remained sharp.

"Oh, right, Xuemin!" The old factory director seemed to suddenly remember something, pointing with his finger holding a cigarette, "When will we officially announce the good news of the Palme d'Or to the whole country?"

"Does the ministry and higher authorities have a rough timetable? The factory can cooperate and keep track of the pace of the publicity."

"This is the most joyous occasion for our Yanying Film Studio, no, for the entire Chinese film industry in many years! We must make sure it's a grand occasion!"

Cheng Xuemin sat back down on the sofa, leaning back slightly, and tapped his fingers lightly on his knees as he pondered, saying:

"Regarding the specific timing, neither Liao Gong nor Wu Lao from the ministry have given clear instructions yet."

"However, I reckon they'll wait until the first payment for the global distribution rights of 'Redemption' is confirmed before officially announcing it to the public!"

"Oh?!" The old factory director's hand, holding a cigarette, froze in mid-air. His brows furrowed slightly, but quickly relaxed, revealing a look of sudden realization. He said, "I understand! That's a good start! The leaders have really thought things through!"

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaled slowly, and continued, "The Palme d'Or is an artistic achievement, it's about prestige; the global copyright fees are real foreign exchange earnings, they're about substance."

"Once the substance is settled, and both appearance and substance are presented together, that's what makes it truly perfect and impressive!"

"This will silence everyone's criticism and make it seem like we deserved the award, not only because of its artistic merit but also because the market recognizes it!"

The more he thought about it, the more he realized it made sense. He nodded repeatedly, tapped the ash off his cigarette lightly on the edge of the ashtray, and smiled expectantly: "That's fine, that's fine! A few more days won't make a difference."

"Once the distribution rights for 'Redemption' are in our accounts, the weight and confidence we have when we announce the Palme d'Or will be completely different!"

"Our victory celebration will be even more spectacular then! Scholar, this is double happiness for you, no, triple happiness! The Palme d'Or, royalties, and that four hundred million dollars… Incredible, absolutely incredible!"

As the old factory director spoke, he couldn't help but rub his hands together, as if he could already see that exciting scene, the day when Yanying Film Studio, Chinese cinema, would stand tall and be the center of attention.

"Old factory director, this is all thanks to the collective effort, the result of everyone's joint hard work!" Cheng Xuemin said modestly at the right time.

"Hey! That's true, but the credit definitely belongs to you!"

The old factory director waved his hand, interrupting Cheng Xuemin's modesty, "Without you, Cheng Xuemin, there would be no 'Redemption,' no gamble at Cannes, and none of this would have happened!"

"The factory knows this, the department knows this, and the higher-ups know it even better! This is your achievement, and no one can deny it!"

He took another drag of his cigarette, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, who are you planning to take with you to Hong Kong this time?"

"We need to set up a negotiation team as soon as possible. Whoever you have in the factory, just call them out! If we need cooperation from other units, I'll submit a report immediately!"

After a moment's thought, Cheng Xuemin said, "As for personnel, a working group has already been established, so our factory doesn't need to send any more people!"

"After all, this trip to Hong Kong was just for business negotiations, and there were no film promotion, distribution, or production tasks involved!"

"Which leader from the industry is leading this? That's great, that's great! Xuemin, you should try to get along with him better in the future and maintain a good relationship!"

The old factory director, being a seasoned veteran within the old Yanjing system, probably already knew something.

Upon hearing that it was the leader in charge of the industrial sector, he nodded repeatedly and instructed Cheng Xuemin again and again!

"I know, I know. You can rest assured about this old factory director. I know what I'm doing!"

Cheng Xuemin nodded in agreement, agreeing that it was essential to cultivate good relationships.

Even just getting to be recognized would be good!

Furthermore, he is the leader of the working group, and Cheng Xuemin is the deputy leader. If this 400 million US dollars in foreign exchange cash is successfully brought back to China, the achievement will be remarkable!
At that time, Team Leader Jiang will more or less remember Cheng Xuemin's good points!
After all, Cheng Xuemin earned those four hundred million US dollars by leading the charge!

The old factory director nodded, forcefully stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, and said, "This matter should be handled as soon as possible! You get ready quickly, and I'll be your logistics manager here at the factory!"

Just then, a series of slightly hurried footsteps approached from outside the office door, accompanied by a strong male voice filled with obvious urgency:
"Director Cheng? Is Director Cheng here? Old Director, is Director Cheng with you?"

Before the words were even finished, the office door was slammed open from the outside!
……

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