A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 172 Hey!
Zhao Mingxin came to sign the contract.

Lin Jianlu made the connection, and the cooperation between Sony Columbia and Capital Audio-Visual Publishing House was a perfect match. Originally, it was not an urgent matter to introduce it to the mainland for sale, but since someone in the mainland took the initiative to express their willingness to cooperate, it would not be bad to do it now.

Of course, I dare not overestimate the sales volume; I'll just try to make as much profit as possible if I can sell a little.

Moreover, the prices in mainland China are actually too low. It's no wonder that, to this day, neither Hollywood blockbusters nor global record industry giants really value the mainland market. They mainly sell outdated cassette tapes, which only cost 10 to 12 yuan a box, and they still can't sell them. In addition, piracy is rampant, and the government doesn't pay much attention to cracking down on piracy.

It's better than nothing.

The phenomenal success of a book like "Cold to the End" is purely exceptional! And no one has been able to replicate it to this day!
Even Lin Jianlu himself dared not say that he could successfully replicate it!
We sat down and chatted until noon, then had lunch together.

Zhang Aijia was quite interested in the suddenly appearing Jiang Qinqin. She had met Zuo Xiaoqian once, but had never met Jiang Qinqin. "Oh, Miss Jiang, hello! You are so pretty and beautiful! You should act in Qiong Yao's TV series!"

The whole room burst into laughter.

Upon learning the reason, and that Jiang Qinqin had already decided to film Qiong Yao's next drama, "Princess Pearl," Zhang Aijia laughed heartily, saying, "Hong Kong people think Ah Lu is a beauty pageant expert, and I completely agree!"

After dinner, while drinking tea and relaxing, Sylvia Chang brought up another interesting story from America.

Regarding Chris Martins—Chris Martins provided backing vocals for many songs on Lin Jianlu's entire album "21," making him a collaborator. During the collaboration, Martins repeatedly expressed his desire to work with Lin Jianlu—"He's extremely worried now because if you don't go to promote the album, he can't get any exposure and can only appear on some radio programs. His manager has contacted me many times, asking when you're going to come!"

He added, "He's very good at self-promotion. Maybe that's how people are over there. They love to brag! Now, many people in the music industry there know that he participated in the recording of your album. It's even rumored that a small record company has taken a liking to his voice and wants to make another album for him."

"Moreover, his agent somehow found out that I was interested in organizing a small tour for you, and even called me specifically to say that the price was negotiable and that he hoped to bring him along!"

Well, it's roughly the story of a down-on-his-luck singer who experiences a miraculous comeback!

"21" is incredibly popular. In less than a month, it has already sold over 300 million copies in the American market alone. According to Zhang Aijia and Zhao Mingxin, whether it's the distributor Columbia Records or industry professionals, musicians, radio hosts, etc., they generally believe that the album still has a lot of staying power. Of course, when one person succeeds, everyone benefits. It's an old story.

Moreover, during previous phone calls, Sylvia Chang had mentioned many times that many people in the American music scene were quite interested in Lin Jianlu—and this interest was expressed in various ways.

Many agents, representing singers, and some record labels have expressed goodwill in wanting to collaborate. However, many others have resorted to attacking Lin Jianlu's music and his identity as an Asian and Chinese person in order to gain attention and fame. Rap ​​artists reacted the fastest, with many publicly stating that Lin Jianlu's rap is inferior to their own and expressing their desire to challenge Lin Jianlu to a live showdown.

Some quick-witted individuals have even secretly released albums in New York's underground rap scene that are blatantly dissing Lin Jianlu—primarily targeting his Chinese identity. It's outright racism. These are just small-time artists who can only produce and distribute their records in small batches underground. Without labels or the opportunity for public release, they're incredibly audacious, daring to put anything and everything in their lyrics.

"Ha, they're all just here to freeload! Talking to them is helping them out!"

"However, be careful. America is not Taiwan or Hong Kong. The complexity there, especially just the entertainment industry, is something that ten Hong Kongs couldn't match!"

“I’m increasingly agreeing with your decision back then. That’s exactly how we should do publicity – get famous first! Once you’re famous, the record company will definitely protect you. They’ll pour money into it, and we won’t have to worry about any of this messy stuff! They’ll handle the public opinion!”

"As long as you remain popular, you'll never have to pay attention to anyone!"

…………

We were chatting when we heard the sputtering of a motorcycle outside.

Before long, with Old Song accompanying her, Jiang Wen went straight into the room.

Upon seeing Sylvia Chang, he exclaimed "Hey!" and took the initiative to shake her hand—this year's Golden Horse Awards were awarded to him by Sylvia Chang, the chairperson of the jury, and it was a huge trophy!
However, after the handshake ended, he waved his hand and said, "You guys chat, I'm here to get something!"

Then he simply left.

Zhang Aijia asked curiously, "What did he come to your house to take?"

Lin Qingxia immediately laughed, "A cigar!"

So he started telling the story—Last year when the renovation was being done, Lin Jianlu hadn’t made any plans for this, but later, Lao Xue frequently traveled between Taiwan and the mainland, often bringing Lin Jianlu some cigars. He wouldn’t accept money, saying it was for Lin Jianlu to use when entertaining guests. Lin Jianlu had only smoked a few, but he told Jiang Wen, “If you want cigars, come to my house and get them!”

Jiang Wen is a cigar enthusiast, but these things are quite expensive. A good cigar can cost ten or twenty US dollars at a duty-free shop, and it's not uncommon for them to cost tens or even hundreds of dollars. Buying a small amount is fine, but if you buy too much and exceed the limit, you have to pay customs duties. Jiang Wen smokes cigars, often five or eight a day. His wife travels between France and the mainland to bring them back for him, and some of his friends also bring them back when they come back from abroad. Only when he really doesn't have enough do he go to the embassy district in the capital to find more.

But even for him, the monthly cost of smoking cigars, which starts at three to five thousand dollars, is a bit too much to bear.

He's not as good at making money as Lin Jianlu!
I've been so happy ever since I got Lin Jianlu as my source of goods!
This spring, in March, Lao Xue found a professional team from Ganggang to renovate a room in the Daozuofang building. They spent more than ten days renovating the room and installed professional dehumidification, humidification, and temperature control equipment. They even used a whole wall of cedar wood, which is said to be the best for maintaining cigars.

And so, a cigar room inexplicably appeared in the courtyard.

Old Xue could use the procedures for Taiwanese businessmen. As long as the quantity wasn't too large and the imported cigars were for personal use, he could basically pay taxes at the standard of five yuan per cigar. In just two months, he filled an entire wall of his cigar room with them.

He said Rolling Stone would reimburse him.

Hey……

And that's how the story begins.

Jiang Wen comes almost every Monday, riding his motorcycle. Regardless of whether the homeowner is home or not, he greets Lao Song and heads straight to the cigar shop. Each time, he selects four or five boxes, about a hundred cigars, puts them in a bag, and leaves.

Although Lao Song would definitely report to Xu Qing and Lin Qingxia afterward, they all knew that Jiang Wen was Lin Jianlu's good friend, so they just knew and didn't care.

Last month, Jiang Wen even made a small plaque for me. He wrote the inscription himself, framed it, and brought it over. He stood on a stool and personally attached it to the plaque. It's called "Wanqie Palace"—he explained to me, "Wanqie Palace means 'Wanqie Gong' (meaning 'Wanqie Gong', which means 'Wanqie Gong', meaning 'Wanqie Gong')!"

Later, he enjoyed smoking a Montecristo No. 2 cigar, and he even wrote a small note by hand and placed it on the cabinet in the cigar room. The note, written in a mix of Chinese and English calligraphy, read, "This M2 is delicious, brother, please buy more!"

His calligraphy is quite good; it's very elegant.

The story of "Jiang Wen taking it himself" has spread far and wide in the capital's social circles, and it's considered a strange and wonderful tale—fortunately, others don't think they have the same level of affinity and friendship as Jiang Wen and Lin Jianlu, so they don't want to follow his example.

But there is actually another similar example.

This time it's Dou Wei.

He doesn't smoke cigars, but he likes Lin Jianlu's motorcycle.

At first, he just asked Lao Xue to order it for him, and then he went through the procedures for Taiwanese businessmen to import it and register it. Lin Jianlu himself wasn't that picky about the model or brand of the motorcycle, but Lao Xue somehow managed to get him a limited edition motorcycle with some kind of name.

He himself never mentioned it, but before the Spring Festival, Lin Jianlu went to Dou Wei's house to visit Wang Fei and her daughter. Dou Wei saw the car and liked it at first sight. When they met again later, he brought it up, and Lin Jianlu immediately said, "If you like it, you can have it; it's a gift for you."

But he didn't want that; he only wanted a key.

Every ten days or so, when he felt like riding his motorcycle, he would come over with the keys, regardless of whether the house was occupied or not. He would knock on the door, head straight to the room where the motorcycle was parked, and push it away.

After riding for three to five days, having had my fill, I'd fill up the tank and bring it back.

But Dou Wei is not Jiang Wen. Jiang Wen loves to show off, likes to boast, and is eloquent, so "Jiang Wen taking it himself" is a well-known story. But apart from his best friends, few people know that Dou Wei took it himself.

…………

There was a small gathering before I left.

The main purpose was to welcome Zhang Aijia back, and the secondary purpose was to come back for a visit. They hadn't treated anyone yet—Lin Jianlu's old habit of treating people and never caring about the cost of food and drinks.

However, this time it's not a big banquet, just a small gathering of old friends.

Besides Brigitte Lin, Hsu Ching, and Sylvia Chang, who all went, Maggie Cheung was still staying in Beijing and was also invited. The other main guests were Han Shanping, Zhang Heping, Jiang Wen, Zhang Guoli, Zhang Zien, Feng Xiaogang, Gong Li, and a few members of the "Old Sisters-in-Law Group," Jiang Wenli, Jiang Shan, Chen Xiaoyi, and Xu Fan.

There was also Zhou Xiaowen, who heard from Zhang Zien about the event and came over to tag along.

Jiang Wumei claimed that his brother was on the phone when he happened to be there, so he came over to tag along—he is actually a well-known actor, but in this small circle, he is indeed a little less qualified and not qualified at all.

"Lady" and "older sister-in-law" are hard to define. Historically, when people get together, ladies don't pay much attention to seniority or status.

Anyway, another table of more than a dozen people was gathered.

In terms of Lin Jianlu's hospitality, this could only be considered a small gathering.

Eat, drink, and brag.

The room was full of heavy smokers, especially Jiang Wen, whose cigars produced huge plumes of smoke when he smoked them.

Fortunately, most women in this era smoked, and those who didn't smoke were already used to it, so no one complained. However, Brigitte Lin only sat for a short while before saying goodbye and leaving.

After she left, Jiang Wen belatedly realized what was happening and asked a question. At this point, the group of women got excited and started denouncing him as a heavy smoker. Jiang Wen was surprised and asked, "Is this...scientific? I've never heard of it!"

So a group of women started lecturing him, giving him all sorts of lessons about pregnancy and other related topics.

Jiang Wenxiao felt embarrassed and his momentum subsided. He muttered under his breath, "When my wife was pregnant and giving birth, she was French and never mentioned it!" This immediately provoked an even louder accusation that he didn't care about his wife.

In the end, Jiang Wen raised her hands in surrender.

Seriously speaking, in a gathering of friends, no matter how awesome you are, you can't beat a bunch of older women.

Jiang Wen has a daughter, born in 94, named Jiang Yilang. The child's mother is French. Jiang Wen brought her to visit during the Chinese New Year. Lin Jianlu even met the mother and daughter. However, it is said that the two have not registered their marriage yet. The child's mother often takes the child between France and the capital, which seems unstable.

It's hard to say now. Lin Jianlu is now recognized as the number one handsome man who has conquered the mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. But if you go back ten or eight years, the kind of handsome that Tang Guoqiang and Zhu Shimao had was that of a pretty boy. They weren't the most handsome at the time. In China, you have to say Jiang Wen, and in Japan, there's Takakura Ken. That's what you call handsome. They have a kind of strong and majestic beauty.

Of course, the older women all agree that Jiang Wen is a handsome man, but they are also undeniably captivated by Lin Jianlu's good looks—he not only possesses the rugged masculinity that their generation admired, but he is also handsome.

That's the principle behind men and women being together.

Women, regardless of beauty or ugliness, wealth or poverty, or age, only know how to fawn over the strong.

The group attacking Jiang Wen was actually a form of coquetry.

Jiang Wen decisively admitted defeat.

But nowadays, the older women almost never act coquettishly towards Lin Jianlu anymore. To put it simply, when he first debuted and became famous, he was like a lamb among wolves. In the capital, he was often surrounded and teased by a group of older women. In Taiwan, not only older women, but even older women would directly touch his abs. In Hong Kong, he was always forced to play mahjong with his mother, lose money, and be teased and provoked.

In short, I tease you because I love you and like you.

But now, as Lin Jianlu becomes more and more famous, his influence grows, his connections expand, and his power increases, people who have known him for a long time are increasingly understanding his personality—of course, it is also related to his increasingly shameless behavior, not only with more and more scandals, but also with his ability to fight back without batting an eye in real life—in short, when older women try to coax him, they no longer gang up on him.

They switched places and started a drinking contest, with her occasionally teasing him, saying things like, "No way! She drank her glass, but I don't? Why should I? What's your relationship? What's wrong with me keeping my distance?"

Oh my...

In such situations, Sylvia Chang is very adept at expressing herself freely. She was a leader of a women's wing in Hong Kong back in the 1980s, and she has a strong sense of the underworld. At this moment, she appears to be very adept at maneuvering and strategizing.

Gong Li is very good at persuading people to drink; she's incredibly good at it.

Actually, Lin Jianlu first met her at the party that Han Shanping organized for Chen Kaige. Later, they ran into each other everywhere and drank together many times, gradually becoming familiar with each other. So... well, her impression of her changed drastically once again.

Lin Jianlu admires her series of big screen images around 2000, which are tough, dashing, and even occasionally exude a domineering feeling—but he doesn't like her appearance in "Flirting Scholar".

To be honest, she is definitely beautiful, but she is not the type of person who relies on her looks. Simply casting her as a pretty face is really incongruous with both herself and the film "Flirting Scholar".

She still looks even more stunning and captivating when she plays roles that exude a powerful aura.

However, this woman, who exudes domineering presence on the big screen, is actually incredibly good at being charming and persuading people to drink in real life.

This is why Lin Jianlu can practically drink a thousand cups without getting drunk; otherwise, he definitely wouldn't have been able to handle it.

Maggie Cheung wasn't as boisterous as him, but she was great at playing the straight man. With a group of older women taking turns, wow, they probably downed about three bottles of Louis XVI. Given his alcohol tolerance, his face turned a little red by the time he was almost finished.

This is a unique treatment for popular people.

As the drinks were almost finished, Zhou Xiaowen kept pestering him with something, so the group of women couldn't continue to harass him.

The four-day withdrawal of "The Emperor's Shadow" was a huge blow to director Zhou Xiaowen. Not only did it cause the Hong Kong investors to lose 40 million, but it was also a huge blow to his own morale. But now, it seems that he is gradually coming back to his senses.

He recently took on a job, a low-budget art film, produced by Shanghai Film Studio, called "A Story About Love," with a total investment of 120 million yuan. It's like Lin Jianlu's "Believer" music video was used to shoot three parts of the film, which is quite unexpected for him. He just considers it a job.

He had his own ideas. He knew that a TV series or a big-budget movie wouldn't be enough to turn things around anytime soon, and he didn't dare to expect Lin Jianlu to go against the grain and vote for him. But he felt that he could manage a TV series.

It's called "The Legend of Empress Lü," and he's currently working on the script with a group of screenwriter friends, planning to film forty episodes.

Needless to say, it's all about attracting investment!
Han Shanping and Zhang Heping currently prefer to invest in Forbidden City Film Industry, which focuses on film. After finishing "Kangxi's Private Visits", they are not so keen on investing in TV series. But that's okay, Lin Jianlu has several companies that mainly produce TV series!

Lin Jianlu thought for a moment and then nodded.

It's not much money, give it a try.

There's a shortage of TV dramas in China right now, so as long as they're not too bad, they can always make money.

Besides, while domestic productions might lack the skill to make big-budget commercial films, they excel at making historical dramas and serious series. Zhou Xiaowen's "The Emperor's Shadow" was indeed quite good, and a director who can afford to invest 4000 million yuan in a large-scale historical film shouldn't have too many problems making a historical TV series.

At a gathering before the Lunar New Year, Zhang Jizhong introduced Lin Jianlu to a CCTV producer named Liu Wenwu. Liu was planning a large-scale historical drama adapted from a novel by Er Yuehe called "Yongzheng Dynasty." CCTV wanted to produce it, and the investment was substantial. CCTV's economic situation had been improving in recent years, and its profits had increased rapidly due to a series of bidding wars. However, if it could attract external investment, it would still be willing to do so. Lin Jianlu agreed at the time.

Well, now that things have come to this, Lin Jianlu has decided to continue down this path.

How much money they make is secondary; the important thing is to make it easier to squeeze people in.

So, after negotiations, he used his investment in "Kangxi's Private Visits" to make up the money he had invested in Forbidden City Film Company. Now that the TV series is finished and hasn't been sold yet, he will buy it back at the original price.

They packed it all up and threw it into a film and television company called "Red Heart".

We invited Mr. Guo Baochang to serve as the art director, Zhang Zien as the deputy director, and Chen Hong is currently the general manager.

Previously, we planned to invest a large sum in "Yongzheng Dynasty," which would be accounted for through the "One Heart" fund. Now that Zhou Xiaowen has also approached us about a historical drama, we might as well put that in as well.

"Go find Zhang Zien later, I want to see the script once it's finished!"

After finally getting rid of him, Lin Jianlu got up and rushed to the toilet; she had been holding her pee for far too long.

After releasing the pent-up emotions, I felt completely relaxed.

As Lin Jianlu pulled up her pants, washed her hands, and then washed her face, a woman suddenly pounced on her from behind, grabbing her waist from behind. Startled, Lin Jianlu looked up in the mirror. The woman's head was completely buried in Lin Jianlu's back, obscuring her view. Unlike Zhang Aijia, the woman didn't seem to have been this rough with the other older women. "Stop it! There are so many people here! Let go!"

The woman wouldn't let go; instead, she hugged him even tighter.

The problem is that we can't see who it is!
"Stop messing around! If you don't let go, I'm not going to be polite! Who are you?"

She finally spoke, and it was immediately recognizable as her older sister-in-law, Jiang Wenli. But before she could speak, she reached down and grabbed a lump of something, saying, "See deer, don't move!"

A unique, slightly husky voice.

What the hell!

Having been drinking, her reactions were slow. Lin Jianlu was stunned for a full two seconds before she came to her senses. She grabbed her wrist and pulled hard. With her meager strength, her grip went numb, and she had no strength left to hold on to anything. Lin Jianlu simply shoved her away and asked in a low voice, "Are you crazy?"

Her face was flushed, whether from the alcohol or embarrassment, she couldn't tell, but her expression was full of sorrow, "I'm not crazy! I'm just heartbroken!"

Lin Jianlu was speechless.

Just last month, three days after returning from filming the "Believer" music video, Gu Changwei was caught by her again. This time, even Xu Qing went with them. A group of people cornered Gu Changwei and his new lover naked in the house, causing quite a scene. "Why can he mess around like that? I have someone I like too! I want to too!"

"Hey……"

After a few seconds of hesitation, Lin Jianlu pointed at her and said, "Xu Qing is so good to you, and you treat her like this?"

These words only made things worse, as they brought tears to the old woman's eyes. "You still bring her up? If she hadn't kept talking about you, I wouldn't like you that much!"

Lin Jianlu paused for a moment, then glanced around and saw that people were coming out of other private rooms.

So he whispered to scare her, "Shut up! Go to the restroom, I'm going back now!"—After saying that, he ignored his sister-in-law's reaction and went straight to his private room. Luckily, no one noticed.

Gong Li was a little tipsy. When she saw Lin Jianlu open the door and come in, she smiled foolishly at Lin Jianlu with a cigarette between her fingers. When their eyes met, she walked over to her and asked, "Are you alright?"

She giggled again, then suddenly stood up, propped herself up on the table, raised one arm, wrapped it around Lin Jianlu's neck, leaned in and kissed him, then continued giggling, "Jianlu, you're so beautiful!"

The room immediately erupted in cheers and jeers.

Xu Qing is still here!

The girl was also about seven or eight parts drunk. Ever since her man opened the door and came in, she had been staring at him, her eyes filled with infatuation. When she saw Gong Li's actions, she was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and slammed her hand on the table, "Fuck you! Gong Li, don't go too far!"—Even before she was with Lin Jianlu, despite Gong Li winning all sorts of awards, Xu Qing's princess-like temper was still no match for her, let alone now?

She's no longer just a "little princess" in Beijing's elite circles; she's now the "big princess"!

It is generally acknowledged within the industry that she is the rightful mistress of Lin Jianlu's courtyard house.

Gong Li turned around, her expression both straightforward and weak, "You're lucky! Can't I even have a kiss to satisfy my craving?"

The room was filled with noisy people.

Lin Jianlu shook his hand with a wry smile and returned to his seat.

Xu Qing didn't take it seriously. She cursed once, but the other party backed down and gave up.

But judging from her expression, it was clear that a grudge had been formed—it was just a matter of whether she would remember it when she sobered up tomorrow.

Feng Xiaogang made a few jokes, and the matter was over.

Without a sound, Jiang Wenli, the older sister-in-law, returned. At first, she was a little timid, but when she found that Lin Jianlu didn't even glance at her, she became bolder and stared at him intently—anyway, most of the women at the table did the same thing, so it wasn't surprising at all.

On the way back after the event, Xu Qing was a little drowsy. She leaned on Lin Jianlu's shoulder, said a few words, and then fell asleep. Zhang Aijia, on the other hand, was in good spirits. She chatted and laughed all the way to the hotel. As she got out of the car, she waved, and Lin Jianlu followed. She stood on tiptoe and whispered in her ear, "Be careful. Some things are fine to play around with, but don't get involved with others. Once you get involved, you'll never be able to get rid of them."

Lin Jianlu turned back to look at her, giving her a sidelong glance.

She laughed, half drunk and half wild, "I'm pretty good at judging people. Every single one of those women at this table today wants to devour you!" She lightly tapped Lin Jianlu's chest with her finger, "Be careful!"

Then she turned and walked towards the hotel lobby, saying, "The next Michael Jackson is way more appealing than Tang Sanzang's flesh!"

…………

Return to port.

Continue recording.

Drinking. Playing cards. Meeting friends.

Unwilling to continue selling herself, she told Rosamund Kwan what Leung Wing-ki had promised, and the beautiful woman hesitated for less than a minute before agreeing.

That evening, Lin Jianlu took her back to his luxurious villa halfway up the mountain.

Hey……

Emmmmmm……

Zhang Aijia and Ge Fuhong accompanied him to meet Hung Kam-po.

Tang Jili was also there.

Let's drink and chat happily.

When everyone is working together to make money, the proper way is to divide the pie according to each person's contribution. Why do you have to ask me to help you make money? However, whether it's "Ip Man" or "Fearless," we can make it, but not right now. We need to talk to each other first and come up with a script that can make money in America.

"Myth" is better.

The reason is super simple.

Leaving aside the fact that films about national heroes in modern history almost always involve them fighting foreigners for thematic elevation, the foreigners who are being fought are unlikely to like it. Simply focusing on modern Chinese history would certainly be looked down upon by Americans, but ancient Chinese history, combined with the novel concept of time travel and the kung fu genre, could still sell—provided, of course, that it can be accepted into the North American film market. This requires that the person in charge of box office success must have enormous fame in America before the film is even made!
Therefore, Lin Jianlu must have absolute control over this film!

And the absolute power to cut off the first and largest piece of the pie!

Without my face, no film could get into North America!

Before "Rumble in the Bronx," Jackie Chan had been trying to sell his films to America for many years, at least a dozen films, but it didn't work; the proud Americans didn't recognize him.

They could only release videotapes and couldn't get the opportunity for a large-scale theatrical release.

Up until "Rumble in the Bronx," Jackie Chan's entire filmmaking process had become increasingly geared towards pleasing the American market. The story, actors, background, and so on were almost entirely tailored to the American market's tastes. Moreover, over the years, with so many of Jackie Chan's films released on videotape in the North American market, his audience base had accumulated to a certain extent. Thus, he finally got the opportunity to be publicly screened in the North American film market.

The result was a resounding success, grossing over 30 million US dollars at the North American box office.

The distributor then directly acquired the North American distribution rights to almost all of Jackie Chan's past films. These films had actually entered North America in the form of videotapes long ago, and many viewers who love this kind of film had seen them over the years. However, in the past two years, this series of films were still brought into the theater system and re-released on a large scale. Many kung fu fans and Jackie Chan fans, even though they had already seen the videotapes, still went to the theaters to contribute to the box office.

The publisher made a fortune, and Jackie Chan's influence in America was further enhanced.

So, it is said that Jackie Chan is now preparing for his first official Hollywood film.

Aside from his own face, the entire production team is Hollywood-style—the screenwriter, director, and other actors are all based on Hollywood principles, with very few Asian faces.

This actually made Sammo Hung, Stanley Tong, and even Wong Jing quite unhappy with him—in their view, it was almost as if Jackie Chan had abandoned the entire Hong Kong film industry and the entire behind-the-scenes world of Hong Kong cinema and gone ashore on his own.

If you're going to Hollywood to cause trouble and make a fortune, bring your brothers with you!
Fortunately, things are going well now. Nobody expected that Lin Jianlu, whom they had high hopes for and wanted to bring in to make kung fu movies to revive the Hong Kong film market, would suddenly become a sensation in Hollywood before they could even finalize the deal. As a result, their goals have suddenly been upgraded. Not only do they want to target the Hong Kong and other Chinese-language markets, but they also have the opportunity to break into Hollywood and make money from the big Americans!
Let's chat!

The intention to cooperate was immediately agreed upon, and the method of cooperation was immediately agreed upon!
The mainland and Hong Kong are co-producing a film, tentatively titled "The Myth." They are working on a serious script. Tang Jili is the initial screenwriter, contributing the overall concept and direction. It will be difficult for others to take the director position, but Sammo Hung can co-direct.

Of course, at the same time, we can also consider whether there are other suitable films.

Firstly, the decision to make "The Myth" was not finalized and there was still some uncertainty. Secondly, even if "The Myth" is ultimately made, this collaborative model can continue, and a second installment can be prepared.

But the second film will have to include some modern urban action scenes. Jackie Chan's example is good. It will also be filmed overseas and will try to cater to North American tastes as much as possible. There's no other way. These days, the richest people are Americans. If you want to make money from them, you have to cook what they like to eat!
They had a great time chatting.

Once again, the misinformation spread unavoidably, so Hung Kam-po solemnly sent a pound of tea—yes, Taiwanese high-mountain oolong tea—and Lin Chien-lu had to clarify and explain again. Fortunately, it wasn't a big deal, and everyone laughed it off; it was just a funny incident and that was the end of it.

When we drink together at night, there are more people.

Sammo Hung's action choreography team included Yuen Piu, Yuen Wah, Yuen Kwai, Tsang Chi-wai, and two heroines, Yuen Chau and Kara Hui. Lam Kin-lu invited Leung Wing-ki, Wong Jing, Chingmy Yau, Tsui Hark, and Nansun Shi. Wong Cho-yin even came along—wow, you don't realize it when you see it in a movie, but seeing her in person, Kara Hui is truly breathtaking!

Moreover, she doesn't possess the so-called heroic spirit of Brigitte Lin; her strength and ruthlessness come from her eyebrows, eyes, and bone structure.

It might even seem a bit fierce.

But she was humble and was smiling as much as she could. Moreover, it was the first time Lin Jianlu had ever been addressed as "Mr. Lin." Hmm, it felt rather strange. "Hello, Mr. Lin!"—It seems that in Hong Kong, the title "Mr. Lin" is usually used to address middle-aged people who are at least forty years old!
Of course, it definitely means respect.

Lin Jianlu had been in Hong Kong for a long time and had become quite familiar with people there, having heard many stories about her.

She is known for her action roles, but in fact, she has a congenital heart disease and has been in and out of the hospital many times, even experiencing cardiac arrest. In addition, she broke her leg twice while filming a movie—she's really tough!

She was popular for a while in the 1980s, starring in action movies like "The Inspector Wears Skirts," but by the 1990s, she had already lost her popularity. In an effort to reinvent herself, or perhaps to continue making a living in the industry, she even went to Paris to shoot a set of sexy photos. However, the release of the photos drew a lot of criticism, leading to a decline in acting opportunities. As a result, in recent years, she has only been able to act in TVB dramas, playing minor supporting roles.

There's a certain regret that beautiful women shouldn't be allowed to see their hair turn white.

However, one can sense that Sammo Hung's willingness to bring her to this dinner party indicates that he somewhat wants to give her a helping hand, even though she can actually be considered someone Jackie Chan promoted.

"If there's a chance in the future, I hope Mr. Lin will remember me and give me a job!"

"Hi...you flatter me! I really enjoy watching your movies, let's have dinner together!"

But as soon as he said that, Yuan Biao and Yuan Qiu burst into laughter. Hong Jinbao quickly explained with a smile, "Ah Hong is only 37 years old this year. She doesn't deserve to be addressed with the formal 'you'!"—a little embarrassed, in other words, she was two years younger than Chen Shuhua and a full six years younger than Lin Qingxia.

But Lin Jianlu wouldn't let such words fall to the ground. "I don't respect Sister Hong's age, but her courage and fighting spirit, which is just as admirable as any man's!"

These words were righteous, and they made these martial arts choreographers and stunt performers feel respected. So, in an instant, even the most mindless person immediately quieted down, and no one dared to laugh anymore.

Kara Hui was extremely grateful and reached out her hand a second time, shaking hands and repeatedly saying thank you.

Everyone sat down and chatted about matters of the martial arts world.

It was supposed to be a gathering of acquaintances, but they weren't really that close.

Moreover, it was clear that among Sammo Hung's men, Eric Tsang was the most eloquent, subtly praising Lam Kin-lu in his words. But he was clever enough to always say the right thing, thus keeping the atmosphere of the banquet lively and praising Lam Kin-lu to the skies.

Of course, this isn't new information; Leung Wing-ki hates him!
She was young and couldn't keep secrets. When chatting, she would often say whatever came to mind, and she would insist on talking about whatever happened that day. In short, in her words, Zeng Zhiwei was lecherous, despicable, and "very annoying."

Yes, his reputation has never been good; more than one person has said so.

However, it must be admitted that he is quite capable in the film industry. He is quick-witted and good at networking. Otherwise, he would not have been able to rise from a small-time stuntman to where he is today. He is a well-known figure in the Hong Kong entertainment industry and is a real big shot among a group of small actors and newcomers.

Normally, a girl like Liang Yongqi, who has only been in the industry for a little over a year, would be greeted with a "brother" and offered a toast even if she had a powerful manager like Ge Fuhong. Of course, that's impossible now.

Even if she hadn't run into him head-on, given Liang Yongqi's current stubbornness, if something had actually happened, she probably would have dared to point her finger at Zeng Zhiwei and yell at him—the confidence that comes from having a powerful man behind her is something only she knows!
Of course, it depends on who she's dealing with; she's not a newcomer to the industry anymore.

For example, she was very willing to say a few nice words to Sylvia Chang, even though she probably didn't like Sylvia Chang very much. But she was very willing to be friends with people like Chingmy Yau, who were Wang Jing's women and posed no threat to her.

Midway through the banquet, she found the conversation of the "adults" quite uninteresting, so she took the initiative to sit down with Qiu Shuzhen and they chatted enthusiastically about something, though it was unclear what they were talking about.

Suddenly, Lin Jianlu offered him a cigarette.

He instinctively took it, and as he turned his head, Wang Zuxian smiled, lit the lighter, and handed it to him.

Hey……

Lin Jianlu looked deeply into her eyes, leaned in, and lit a fire.

…………

At 8 p.m. Eastern Time on May 16, the latest Billboard 100 Singles Chart was released. While it may not be as amazing as it once was, what is still particularly striking is that 15 songs from "21" once again filled the top spots on the chart—this time, it can be said that 15 of the top 18 songs are on the chart!

And of course, they took all ten spots!
There have been minor changes in the internal rankings, but their overall dominance remains unshakable!

"HandClap" has once again topped the singles chart, achieving a consecutive number one finish!
On the album charts, "21" unsurprisingly continued its reign at number one.

However, Columbia Records in America, as the distributor, has already communicated with Sylvia Chang by phone. Based on the current situation, "Yeah" is simply too strong. Next, they only plan to promote "HandClap" for another week, that is, at least surpass "Baby"'s two weeks at number one, to achieve a three-week winning streak, and then they will start promoting "Yeah"—they are not 100% sure, but at least 99% confident that it can start with a three-week winning streak, and maybe even a six-week winning streak!
Currently, it is tentatively scheduled that the music video for "Believer" will be released globally on a large scale in about six to seven weeks, that is, around the beginning of July, while also pushing the song to the top of the charts!

In fact, as long as "Yeah" can sit firmly for three to four weeks, the trend of "21" becoming a global bestseller will be fully formed!
If the upcoming album "Believer" can become a hit as hoped, it is hoped that its music video can achieve a level of viral success that breaks through to a wider audience. Otherwise, it will not have the same significance as the original intention when the decision was made to shoot and produce the album, in terms of promoting and selling the album.

The next one to follow is "Moves-Like-Jagger".

There are two reasons.

Firstly, in addition to rock, this song also has a distinct electronic music style, but it is not the mainstream electronic music in the current American market. Instead, it clearly has some pop electronic music, which is a wonderful style that blends electronic music and pop music. It is very unique. Moreover, since the album was released, this song has received high praise and has consistently ranked high and extremely well on Billboard.

Secondly, Lin Jianlu's design in the song includes a repeated chanting of "I-got-the-moves-like-jagger." Since its release, fans, musicians, and music critics have quickly understood that this is a tribute to Mick Jagger, the lead singer of the Rolling Stones. If someone wants to create hype, this topic would be fantastic. It's a collaborative effort, and given the proactive gesture and tribute from a globally rising superstar and future king of pop, Mick Jagger wouldn't refuse. With everyone working together to generate buzz, it would be a truly remarkable story!
So, to some extent, with a little effort, this could easily surpass "Yaeh" and stay on the top of the charts for a few weeks. Columbia's strategy is that if the music video for "Believer" doesn't become a huge hit, they won't push it too hard. They'll only help it stay on the charts for one or two weeks at most. Then, they'll put more resources into "Moves-Like-Jagger" and help it stay on the charts for three or four weeks.

Following "Moves-Like-Jagger", the next major release to be promoted is "Shape-of-You".

This is another incredibly popular song with excellent reviews and a consistently high ranking.

Stylistically, it's somewhat reminiscent of English folk music, which American mainstream society naturally likes and even generally considers to be more sophisticated than their own North American country music!

It's the ancestral temple!
Things from the ancestral temple have an elegant accent, let alone such amazing works of art!

Then, there's another one I really want to recommend: "I-Surrender".

It's a typical adult ballad, very grand. Lin Jianlu's singing style and voice, in the eyes of professionals, even pushed the song to a very brilliant level. Many musicians have praised it as a rare male "powerful voice" in the European and American music scene in recent years, "comparable to Celine Dion"!
In short, these songs have distinct characteristics and styles, and they are already quite popular and well-received in North America. They have been innovated and enriched, representing a certain distinct musical style. This means that songs that appeal to a certain segment of fans will be promoted and charted!
The trend of huge sales is already confirmed, but no matter how popular "Yeah" is, there will still be people who aren't interested. So, what about "Moves-Like-Jagger"? Are you interested? Still not interested? What about "Shape-of-You"? Or "I-Surrender"? Surely one of them will appeal to you and make you open your wallet to buy the record, right?
Try to attract fans who like all styles of music!
Strive to capture them all in one fell swoop!
In fact, up to this point, including the two weeks of number one single for "Baby" and the three weeks of number one single for "HandClap", the album "21" has a very high probability of already having seven number one singles!

If it succeeds, it may dominate the Billboard charts for up to six months!

This will be an unprecedented and enormous success!
According to Columbia Records' estimates, at this stage, they can basically achieve their ambitious goal of selling over 2000 million copies worldwide within a year of release—already on par with Michael Jackson's "Dangerous"!

Of course, even at that point, the potential of "21" has not been fully explored. "Levitating" has a bright and upbeat rhythm, and many people like it. Although selling records is no longer a problem and the goal has been achieved, we still need to push it hard and strive to continue to dominate the charts!

Moreover, the R&B in Lose-Control is also quite unique!
Since its release and immense popularity, "Lose-Yourself" has generated a tremendous response in the American rap scene. Many big names and small names in the rap world have been discussing the song. Some have been provocative, and quite a few at that. That's how it is in the rap world; everyone is just trying to gain fame and ride the wave of popularity. However, even so, the song has still garnered considerable praise and recognition in the rap scene for its hardcore rap style, coupled with a certain degree of rap rock charisma.

To put it bluntly, if we really wanted to push it, it could dominate the charts in no time!

Then of course we should keep pushing!

And... well, there are many. For Columbia Records, every song on the album "21" is worth promoting and charting.

So, in fact, their intention is that Columbia will be pushing the album "21" for the entire year ahead, and for this reason, the release of some artists' new albums will even be delayed!

Make sure you get at least six number-one singles!

Strive to win eight to ten songs!

We guarantee to dominate the singles charts for more than 15 weeks!
Strive to achieve 30 weeks!
Ensure that annual sales exceed 1500 million units!

Strive to exceed 2000 million copies!

It's even said that Colombia is already making preparations – the name may be adjusted and changed depending on the final results, but ultimately, they want to launch an extremely luxurious commemorative edition!
Its packaging must be designed to be extremely luxurious, and it must be packed with CDs and vinyl records!
There are even rumors that they plan to make them numbered, with only 10,000 sets available worldwide, each with a clear serial number, thus giving them absolute collectible value—this is quite popular in Europe and America!
Yes, I heard they're planning to price it at 9999 US dollars per set!
If this goes through, and if it actually sells, those 10,000 sets will generate $9999 million in sales – that's way more ruthless than the "10 Million Celebration Edition" that Rolling Stone Records did back then!

Lin Jianlu seriously doubted whether he could sell such a set for 10,000 US dollars!

Of course, he hoped it would sell out in a single day—that would mean 3300 million US dollars in royalties for him!

…………

As usual, the scene in Hong Kong was filled with the sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers.

Not only in Hong Kong, but also in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and even Korea and Japan, there is now a great deal of noise and excitement – ​​authoritative media outlets from all over the world have joined in, paying attention to the latest Billboard rankings every Saturday morning, and then reporting on it extensively and giving it all the praise!

Lin Chien-lu's fame and influence in Hong Kong and Taiwan need no further explanation. Since "Baby" topped the charts and became the first Billboard number one single from the album "21", and received extensive media coverage and praise in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, "21" began to sell like hotcakes.

Southeast Asia has long been a dumping ground for Taiwanese and Hong Kong record labels. Lin Jianlu's "Cold to the End" was a huge hit there, demonstrating its significant influence. English culture is even more dominant than Chinese culture there. This time, with "21" being heavily promoted by global giants like Columbia Records, the parent company of Sony Columbia, and supported by Billboard and Hong Kong media, it has become a phenomenal success in Southeast Asia. Its sales have far surpassed those of "Cold to the End"—although the dance music style of "Super Cool" helped boost sales, and "Cold to the End" sold well among non-Chinese communities, English songs were still more effective at capturing that market segment!
As for Fuso—please, Columbia Records is just a subsidiary of the massive Columbia Group, and the entire Columbia Media Group was acquired by Sony!
Therefore, in recent years, all the artists under Columbia Records have been selling like hotcakes in Japan. Even their performance opportunities, such as commercial performances and concerts, are at least twice as many as those of artists under other international giants. "21" even sold out there earlier than Hong Kong and Taiwan!

Moreover, the market impact of "21" this time is far greater than that of "Cold to the End", which only relied on a dynamic dance song "Bei Er Shuang" to enter the Japanese market and achieve some sales!
As for Korea, well... before Korea's own entertainment industry officially took off, to put it bluntly, it was a dumping ground for cultural and entertainment products shared by Hong Kong, Japan, and America!

So, five weeks after its release, Zhao Mingxin himself said that sales in Hong Kong had exceeded 40 copies and sales in Taiwan had exceeded 70 copies. Without a doubt, among Chinese singers, no one is qualified to be compared, and there is no so-called sales record to break.

In these areas, the benchmark that "21" needs to be compared to is still Michael Jackson.

Furthermore, it surpassed the 42 copies sold in Hong Kong that Dangerous had recorded, and it might not even have taken a week—not to mention in Taiwan, where Dangerous's sales record was only 47 copies, so this figure is already far higher.

These data are all reliable and accurate, because although Epic Records was the producer of "Dangerous," Columbia Records was the distributor. Therefore, Zhao Mingxin had access to firsthand data.

Comparing first-hand data with second-hand data, at least in Hong Kong and Taiwan, even comparing English albums, Lin Jianlu has comprehensively surpassed the global superstar Michael Jackson!

***
Thirteen thousand today!

(End of this chapter)