A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 208: The Signature!

Three days later, the news came that the American Football League had successfully sold a broadcasting contract for the 1997 Super Bowl – for free, giving it to CCTV and even covering the travel expenses of the negotiators.

Even so, the professional league was overjoyed.

In North America, especially in America, American football is the undisputed number one sport. Based on this, the American football professional league has an exceptionally large influence in North America. However, once outside of North America, it has almost no influence.

God knows how much they want to expand their influence abroad!
God knows how much they covet that huge market of 12 billion people across the sea!
During the contact between the two sides, Lin Jianlu learned that CCTV had previously broadcast a videotape of a Super Bowl from a certain year. It was only after the American Football League went through a lot of roundabout ways and pulled a lot of strings, including the influence of the American Embassy in China, that the videotape was finally sent to CCTV and broadcast once.

But it only happened once.

The sports atmosphere in China is not bad, but there is absolutely no interest in rugby. As a national media outlet, CCTV at the time had neither the intention to expand its broadcasting of rugby nor the intention to promote this sport to the United States. So, it couldn't refuse out of politeness and just broadcast it once to get by.

But this time, they took the initiative to contact us.

Moreover, it wasn't a pre-recorded broadcast; it was a live rebroadcast.

In Zhang Aijia's words, for the American Football League, securing this CCTV broadcast is already worth 20 million US dollars!
As soon as the contract was signed, the president of the professional rugby league personally called Zhang Aijia's mobile phone, chatted with Lin Jianlu for a few minutes, and repeatedly expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation between the two parties.

Yes, it's just like what Sylvia Chang said: "I'm already satisfied even before I've taken the stage."

Because this has already transcended the issue of commercial value in the normal sense.

To some extent, it can be understood that CCTV is using this live broadcast to express an attitude to the entire American business community and even the world: We support him!
The phone call from the president of the American Football League clearly told Lin Jianlu that they understood!

This is a unique brand for China's forestry industry!
…………

Gao Yuanyuan called three days later.

A little embarrassed but also a little happy, she asked hesitantly, "Honey, are you still angry with me?"

"exist."

"Oh, honey... I'm so sorry! Sister Chen Hong told me everything, we talked for a long time, and I think she's right. I was being immature and made promises to others without thinking. But I told Sister Chen Hong that it's not really Chen Hao's fault, it was just that I wanted to show off and be capable, so... Don't be angry..."

Lin Jianlu gave a mumbled "humph," and asked, "You passed the audition?"

She giggled, "The person who auditioned me is Sister Chen Hong, do you think I'll pass? Hehe! Honey..."

Oh dear... how should I put it, each person has their own unique charm when they act coquettishly.

Currently, Lin Jianlu is most susceptible to the coquettishness of Wang Zuxian and Yu Feihong—their voices are worlds apart. Wang Zuxian's Taiwanese Mandarin is very sweet, an incredibly sweet voice, but in reality, she is aloof and usually quite serious, rarely acting coquettishly. Yu Feihong's voice is a bit hoarse and not sweet, but once in bed, it becomes clear that she is not aloof or arrogant at all; on the contrary, she is very clingy and loves to act coquettishly, yet possesses an indescribable charm that always makes Lin Jianlu feel a sense of ethereal beauty.

Therefore, when they act cute, their wishes usually come true.

Then there's Vivian Chow, who is also incredibly sweet when she acts coquettish.

These are liqueur-filled chocolates with a unique Hong Kong style, sweet and warm, and they melt in your mouth.

Following her in line was Alyssa Chia—her coquettishness was exceptionally cute and alluring.

I recently discovered that Fan Bingbing is actually quite good at acting cute. Before, on set, this little girl used her position as Chen Hong's assistant to block out others and make it difficult for Zhao Yanzi and Zhang Ziyi to get close to her. Another thing is that she is very good at acting cute, with a charming and adorable tone and even a cute expression.

In contrast, Gao Yuanyuan is not very good at acting cute.

She's incredibly stupid.

To be honest, Lin Jianlu had dated a few girlfriends in his previous life, but he was completely clueless about women's ability to act coquettishly. It wasn't until this life, when he had met so many girls, some he had slept with and some he hadn't, all of different ages, that he gradually came to realize that acting coquettishly is truly a talent!
The talent of being a woman—sigh, that sounds like nonsense. Being a woman is a gender; you're born that way, so how can you talk about talent? But, based on Lin Jianlu's experience and comparisons across his two lives, it really is a talent. He even feels now that being a man also requires talent.

Some women, regardless of their age, exude elegance and charm simply by standing there. Other men, the moment they appear before you, instantly radiate a strong and masculine aura. Some women, with just a few words of coquetry, can charm 99% of men, who will willingly offer them everything they desire. And some men, the moment they open their mouths, can send 99% of women into a frenzy, unable to resist exchanging a few words or making eye contact for three seconds before their hormones surge.

Eighteen-year-old Gao Yuanyuan's talent in this area is even considered below average.

Sixteen-year-old Fan Bingbing's talent in this area has already reached over ninety points.

Putting aside the fact that everyone has their own aesthetic perspective on appearance, the former can only be described as pure and pretty, still a little girl, while the latter has already begun to show her innate charm.

But, how to say it?

Even if Gao Yuanyuan relies solely on her looks, she's still a super pretty girl!

Lin Jianlu likes her; he likes his little girlfriend.

When Liu Xiaoli reported, she said that in the literary and artistic circles in the capital, people like to call Gao Yuanyuan "little concubine" behind her back. Yes, it's impossible to shut people up, but Lin Jianlu quite likes this nickname.

Gao Yuanyuan was her "little concubine".

So, after a few pretentious words, he forgave her, saying, "Sigh, you..."

…………

The Super Bowl is fast approaching.

In the large, spacious rehearsal room that Sylvia Chang rented for Lin Jianlu in New York, the group's rehearsals were basically complete and even quite proficient.

Just then, the pre-ordered but modified costumes arrived, and everyone changed into their performance outfits. Charlize Theron's custom-made, shimmering silver outfit that showed off her beautiful back immediately attracted everyone's attention.

A group of backup dancers who came from the capital watched with pursed lips, filled with envy.

Everyone knew that this girl was about to become famous.

But there was nothing everyone could do about it, and they all understood that this was, after all, America, and the girl in front of them was a genuine Western woman, and a very beautiful one at that.

Everyone felt inferior and acknowledged that they were not as beautiful as the foreign women—this inferiority complex, especially when facing foreigners, was almost ingrained in their bones.

Only Li Xiaoran disagreed.

Her modified flight attendant uniform accentuated her already incredibly sexy figure, making her even more curvaceous. Without even looking in the mirror, Li Xiaoran knew that she was in no way inferior to this foreign woman, and even her skin was whiter and smoother—after all, she had slept with that man!
Everyone knows that man is a womanizer, and everyone knows that man has many girlfriends. But if you ask around in the circle, how many girls want to get into his bed, and how many of them actually succeed?

I am a success!
Although it was a bit slow, he persevered in his dance team for over a year, rejecting countless suitors before finally reaching this day. But after all, he succeeded!

This foreign woman, ever since she caught that man's eye and was given an important role, has been constantly flirting lately. Li Xiaoran even saw her actively chasing after him to his dressing room. Although she only stayed for a few minutes, probably not enough time to pull down her pants, the signs were already clear. Usually when everyone is practicing together, she has a cold and aloof, pure and noble demeanor, but as soon as she meets that man, she immediately smiles so sweetly and flirtatiously!

What's infuriating is that she actively fawned over that man, all in English, which she couldn't understand at all!
Asking about seeing a deer in the forest is something I absolutely dare not ask!
Just kidding, even his own boss wouldn't dare ask—Chen Hong has such a grand presence, who in the entire domestic film and music industry doesn't know President Chen?
She was widely recognized as that man's mistress and concubine, but have you ever seen her dare to be jealous?

Having followed President Chen for about four or five months, I genuinely fear and admire her. Her intelligence, ability, and control are truly beyond my reach. I only dare to be obedient in front of her. I usually just banter with that little girl Fan Bingbing to get a little bit of my witty banter.

However... wasn't it because President Chen fought so hard that Xu Qing couldn't hold her head up that she gradually rose to power?
Yes, that's the idea. You can tease him, but you can't show him that you're jealous!

Ha... Watching that woman stand there, proud as a white swan, accepting the flattery of a bunch of American guys around her—even though she couldn't understand it, it was definitely flattery!

Li Xiaoran grew angrier the more she thought about it. In front of so many people, she turned around and walked away, her high heels clicking as she quickly reached the door of Lin Jianlu's lounge. Without knocking, she pushed the door open and went straight in.

She saw it!

Just as he had noticed long ago that the foreign woman was trying to seduce Lin Jianlu, she must have also realized that she was Lin Jianlu's woman. So, while he was observing her, she must have been observing him as well—it's good that she saw it! I want her to see it!
You're still a long way from taking the top position!
She sneered inwardly, a mocking smile on her face. Just before entering, she turned back, and coincidentally, met the gaze of the foreign woman. Li Xiaoran's smile turned contemptuous, and she walked straight in, seemingly ignoring her. But the next moment, all the expressions on her face quickly disappeared.

There were three people in the lounge.

Lin Jianlu stood there, Zhang Aijia was kneeling on one knee to straighten his trousers, and Lin Xilei was adjusting his tie—hearing footsteps at the door, the three of them turned around and looked over.

All three of them completely dominate Li Xiaoran's niche.

Needless to say, Zhang Aijia is someone no one knows how much power this personal agent of Lin Jianlu wields, nor does anyone know whether Lin Jianlu actually slept with her or not. In short, no one dares to mess with her. Even President Chen always treats her with a mixture of respect and distance when he mentions her.

She couldn't even afford to offend Lin Xilei.

As is well known, Lin Jianlu has two assistants, one in charge of the mainland and one in charge of overseas affairs.

No matter how capable President Chen is, he is not yet qualified to truly access and take over Lin Jianlu's high-end connections. Those matters are usually managed by Liu Xiaoli, the captain of his dance team. Although she is usually low-key, she actually controls many of Lin Jianlu's important resources.

It is even said that she was Lin Jianlu's chief steward in the harem.

All his girlfriends and lovers in the capital were under her jurisdiction, with her responsible for arranging their food, clothing, housing, and transportation. This included everything from buying and renovating houses to setting credit card limits, giving them pocket money, and arranging cars.

Logically speaking, based on information revealed in Mr. Chen's casual conversations, Lin Xilei shouldn't have that much power, because Lin Jianlu actually has two agents managing many things in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even the United States. However... it is said that Lin Xilei is one of the people he trusts the most.

She gave an awkward laugh, forcing a tremor in her chest as she turned and closed the door—in truth, Li Xiaoran knew that even in America and New York, Lin Jianlu's girlfriends and lovers weren't around. It wasn't her place to help him change clothes or put on shoes; she was, at best, a minor mistress, and had to wait her turn to be ranked and gain seniority. But, well, she still came in, purely to give the foreign woman a signal.

"Um... I came in to let Brother Lu take a look and see if this suits me."

The two women exchanged slightly strange glances, but quickly looked away and continued with their work. Lin Jianlu, however, smiled and waved to her, "Come here!" She couldn't help but look at her with admiration, saying, "You know what, you really are the most suitable person to wear this kind of clothes."

The so-called "curvy figure," "slim waist and long legs," "fair skin and beautiful face"—to be honest, at least in China, Lin Jianlu has never seen another girl with such a harmonious and voluptuous figure as Li Xiaoran.

What many girls consider sexy is, in Lin Jianlu's opinion, already disproportionate.

Any imbalance in proportions will inevitably result in a loss of aesthetic appeal.

But Li Xiaoran is different. Her curves are both exaggerated and harmonious, with extremely beautiful proportions.

Lin Jianlu hugged her, cupped her little face, and kissed her, praising her, "Great! Great! Wear it like that!"

…………

He wore a sharp, high-end custom-made suit and a military cap with a five-pointed star on his head.

If this outfit appeared in China, it would most likely be ridiculed as neither authentic nor fashionable. But once it was put on, Lin Jianlu looked in the mirror and immediately decided, "Great! This is it!"

Americans love this.

That's called individuality.

When shooting the album cover, Lin Jianlu had considered these situations. So, although he personally doesn't really appreciate the so-called artist's personality, he still specially pieced together the outfit on the cover to suit the American taste. That outfit was too fragmented and not suitable for performing on stage, nor could it allow for many movements. This was enough.

Then he opened the door and went out. This immediately drew gasps of amazement from everyone in the practice room—"Wow!"

Handsome!
To East Asians and Chinese, Lin Jianlu's handsomeness is pure, unadulterated handsomeness, regardless of trends or fashion; it's purely based on his looks and charisma. To Americans, his Eastern face remains highly recognizable and represents a rugged kind of handsomeness.

Add to that his artist-like demeanor, and wow, he's even more handsome.

After being praised by everyone, Lin Jianlu turned around and gave Zhang Aijia a look. Then she opened the door and went out, inviting in a senior official from the American Football League.

With the Super Bowl just days away, they want to come over and check on the rehearsal progress.

The music has been rearranged and linked together, combining the original arrangements of the three songs. Now that the rehearsals are complete and everyone has changed into their performance costumes, it's time to show the audience what's real.

Dance when you're supposed to, sing live, and do some kicking.

Charlize Theron shows off her beautiful back.

Twelve and a half minutes.

When the music stopped, the senior official from the American Football League who had come to watch the rehearsal was full of praise. Then Lin Jianlu walked off the stage, went over, and the two shook hands. The official couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, Lin, the superstar aura you exude is truly the strongest I've ever seen! Even this young lady's beautiful and sexy back can't hide your charm and sexiness!"

"Yay! Thank you!"

The other party was very satisfied.

That means everything is basically ready.

Lin Jianlu was already quite confident that he could get his hands on the 20 million US dollars in the contract.

…………

1998 1 Month 25 Day.

Capital, night.

When Feng Xiaogang got home, it was already past 9:30.

As soon as he entered, Xu Fan smelled the strong stench of alcohol emanating from him. "How much have you been drinking?"

Feng Xiaogang looked weary from drinking. "Hey, I didn't drink much, just bragging."

When he spoke, his chin was slightly raised, and his eyes held a rather arrogant and dismissive look—in just over half a month, he had gotten used to it and was no longer showing his displeasure to his wife alone.

This is his normal posture now.

arrogant!

The film "The Dream Factory" grossed 3800 million yuan in just half a month after its release, which proved him right away and made him one of the most commercially successful directors in the domestic film industry.

Their industry standing changed overnight.

So his facial expression and his demeanor changed without him even realizing it.

He's starting to show the air of a big director.

Every gesture he makes exudes confidence and style.

Well, he's gradually starting to resemble the "Master Kai" that he's always admired.

After he sat down on the sofa, Xu Fan poured him a glass of warm water and put it down. When asked about the drinking party that evening, he waved his hand, lit a cigarette, and lazily replied through the hazy smoke, "Two brothers, one named Wang Zhongjun and the other Wang Zhonglei, run an advertising company. They've made some money, and they're from the compound, so they have some connections. That's why they asked someone to come to me; they also want to start a film and television company."

Xu Fan said "Oh," and then seemed relieved.

In recent years, with the relaxation of policies, the domestic film and television industry has gradually begun to prosper. Many people have started film and television companies to make a living in this industry. Apart from those who were already working in this industry within the system, advertising companies are relatively close to it and are not uncommon. There are already quite a few precedents.

But Feng Xiaogang is backed by Forbidden City Film & Television, one of the most prestigious private film and television companies in China. And the only company that can barely be ranked alongside it, Longxin Film & Television, is actually the same company.

It's just that the man's two women are in charge.

There are occasional minor squabbles in private, but they collaborate more often.

Within the industry, it is generally understood that these two companies are the same entity—the former operates under the guise of a public-private partnership and focuses primarily on film investment, while the latter is purely privately owned and focuses primarily on television dramas.

"You didn't promise them anything, did you?"

"Hey! What can I promise? Two rich kids from the compound think they've got a bit of money now and that making movies and TV shows can make them even more, so they want to come in for a meal. Let them come in if they want. I'm just going out of politeness to sit down and give them a few suggestions. How could I possibly make a movie for them?"

"Exactly! We won't even let them take pictures!"

Feng Xiaogang smoked a cigarette, his eyes squinted, and he let out a soft "hmm" through his nostrils.

Xu Fan suddenly asked again, "Hey, you called this morning while I was shopping. So, what's the news? Is the company planning to give a 600,000 yuan bonus?"

Feng Xiaogang nodded, suddenly perked up, sat up, flicked his cigarette ash, and said, "No problem! It's already grossed 3800 million at the box office, it'll definitely make over 4000 million in the end! The company will get more than 1300 million, and after deducting production costs, it'll net several million. Shouldn't they give us a share?"

"Exactly! I heard that Zhang Yang also got a share of the profits from his movie 'Spicy Love Soup,' supposedly 60! Your box office is higher than his, so it should at least be about the same!"

Feng Xiaogang nodded and hummed in agreement, but his eyes immediately wandered away.

Xu Fan was still excitedly calculating how to use the 60 yuan when he suddenly asked, "Have you bought everything?"

Xu Fan immediately snapped out of his daze and followed his train of thought, "Don't worry, the Moutai and Xifeng are both introduced by acquaintances, they're internal special editions. Bringing them over for the New Year won't be embarrassing at all!"

Feng Xiaogang nodded in satisfaction, then hummed in relief, but then sighed, "It's getting harder and harder to see him! He's just too famous. There's only one festival that's keeping him out of it—the Spring Festival Gala. No matter how busy he is, he can't just skip the Gala, can he? Since he's coming back for the Gala, he'll basically be staying in the capital for the first few days of the year!"

Xu Fan nodded and said, "Yes."

Feng Xiaogang laughed, "Alright! He already got quite a bit last year, I wonder what he can get this year! But with his personality, he definitely won't take advantage of us. Last year when we went, we didn't know what we could offer, what kind of gifts did we give? This year is different, this year with this bottle of wine, plus the tea I bought, he'll at least give us a few more red envelopes! ... Did I tell you the other day? Jiang Wenli told me that she ran into Liu Xiaoli on the street, accompanying her aunt to buy New Year's goods. She asked around and said that the red envelopes prepared by the courtyard house this year are 10,000 yuan each!"

"I told you... if you really want to talk about it, it's because they're rich!"

"Hey! That's right! We're only making a little more money. Those guys don't even make money the same way we do. They sing a few songs on stage and they earn 20 million! That's money! Otherwise, how could they have the money to buy the TV station? That's one of the two biggest TV stations in Hong Kong!"

"Hey, speaking of which, we're pretty familiar with Brigitte Lin. You know, she's in charge of both Forbidden City Films and Asia Television now, so she should be the top of all his concubines, right? Anyway, I think she should be ranked ahead of Chen Hong! No matter how capable Chen Hong is, she only works in television dramas! The two major sectors she manages are really extensive! Should we try to get closer to her? I heard she had a son with him! That way, maybe you can go to Hong Kong to direct some films in the future? And I can at least act in a TV series or something, right?"

"Hmm, I can consider it. I'll try to strike up a conversation next time there's a meeting in the Forbidden City."

"it is good!"

After chatting for a while, the couple suddenly fell silent again.

Feng Xiaogang stubbed out his cigarette, put his hands behind his head, and leaned back on the sofa. His eyes were fixed on a certain spot on the ceiling, and he seemed to drift off into his own thoughts again—as if savoring something. A strange smile appeared on his face and in his eyes.

Suddenly, he spoke again, almost as if murmuring, "Hey! Who would have thought I'd turn things around again!"

Xu Fan laughed, patted his leg, and looked at him with admiration.

"The Dream Factory" is not just a box office hit; since its release, the film has also received rave reviews. Feng Xiaogang's reputation in the industry has soared, and it's no exaggeration to say that he has made a comeback.

After uttering a remark, he suddenly fell silent again.

In fact, lately, the couple has felt like they're floating in the sky.

With more phone calls and invitations in my circle of friends, everyone has become more polite and started to flatter me. When we meet, people address me as "Director Feng" with much more respect. Even Xu Fan is now rarely called "Little Xu" anymore. Younger people generally call her "Sister Xu" or "Sister Fan," while older people generally use the more affectionate "Fan."

After the initial excitement, the couple has been sitting together whenever they have a spare moment. They often fall silent after only a few words, seemingly savoring the sweet taste of their success.

But suddenly, Feng Xiaogang raised his hand to check the time, "It's past ten o'clock, go to sleep, go to sleep quickly!"

Xu Fan was taken aback. "Huh? You drank too much and aren't feeling well? Why do you want to go to bed so early today?"

Feng Xiaogang has a personal habit of working on scripts and reading at night, and he rarely goes to bed before midnight. But today, he said, "I have to watch the Super Bowl live broadcast tomorrow morning!"

The Super Bowl, which was scheduled for the afternoon of January 25th in American Pacific Time, was actually broadcast live in China early on the morning of January 26th – CCTV had been promoting this event for the past few days.

Xu Fan was taken aback. "You can even understand rugby?"

Feng Xiaogang had already stood up. Upon hearing this, he exclaimed "Hey!" "Why would I watch that stuff! The key is Jian Lu's halftime show! We'll meet again before the New Year, so if we watch it, we can just casually mention a little detail, and Jian Lu will know exactly what's going on! He'll know we're on his side!"

Xu Fan came to his senses. "That's right. We should take a closer look."

So Feng Xiaogang got up and walked towards the stairs, exclaiming as he went, "Hey! American football! Hey... CCTV is suddenly going to broadcast the American football final live. Just think about it, what a huge honor! No wonder, Jianlu is no longer a part of our lives!"

"It's become incredibly popular!"

…………

On January 21, Lin Jianlu had already taken his team and flown to San Diego.

We inspected the venue and conducted a complete rehearsal on the actual site, including the construction of a temporary stage, etc.

Many of his fans and football fans arrived in San Diego several days in advance. Somehow, these fans found out which hotel Lin Jianlu was staying at and began to gather downstairs. They even got so hyped up that a group of people brought a large speaker and started playing "21" on the lawn downstairs. The hotel tried to get them to leave but to no avail. Lin Jianlu was even forced to appear at the window of the presidential suite to greet his fans. As a result, this news became a hot topic on the five major television networks in the United States that very night!

The news that Lin Chien-lu will be performing at this year's Super Bowl halftime show has been a major focus of the NFL's publicity in the past month or two. With Columbia Records also providing support at the same time, it can be said that Lin Chien-lu's first public appearance in America has become the hottest and most anticipated event in the entire American entertainment industry recently!

Almost without exception!

In contrast, Michael Jackson is still embroiled in the child abuse scandal, Mariah Carey is still embroiled in divorce proceedings, and Madonna had just given birth to a daughter with her personal trainer in 1996. They reportedly broke up last year, but before New Year's Day, it was revealed that she had been a victim of domestic violence, and photos of her with a swollen face and a crooked mouth and eyes were taken. Almost every superstar who dominated the first half of the 1990s had their own troubles.

In contrast, Lin Jianlu's red was so intense it almost turned purple.

His influence and appeal have solidified his status as a new generation of global superstar.

***
Brothers, please give me a few more monthly votes!
I want to be in the top 100!
Please, please! Thank you so much!
(End of this chapter)