Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 50 The Walking Money Bag (Fourth update, please subscribe!)
Kowloon Tong, the set of "Drunken Master" by Siyuan Film Company.

The air was filled with the unique smell of dust, sweat, and boxed lunches.

Jackie Chan was repeatedly practicing a difficult kicking move in front of a simple set, his costume soaked with sweat.

Director Yuen Woo-ping stared intently at the monitor, his brow furrowed, occasionally calling for a stop to make adjustments.

Wu Siyuan stood at the edge of the film set, holding a newly delivered newspaper in his hand, a hint of smugness on his face.

The headline in the newspaper's entertainment section read: "The King of Dessert Soup Crosses Over! Chen's Steakhouse Invests 200,000 Yuan in Wu Siyuan's New Film 'Drunken Master'."

Just like Chan Ping-man's idea of ​​warming up the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets, Ng See-yuen also wanted to warm up the Hong Kong and Taiwan markets before the release of "Drunken Master".

Chen Bingwen's investment of HK$200,000 is undoubtedly the best selling point.

Headlines like "King of Dessert Soup" and "Investment of 200,000 Hong Kong Dollars" naturally attract readers' attention.

So, after discussing it with Chen Bingwen, this news report came about.

"Mr. Wu, there was a phone call just now!" Assistant A-Qiang jogged over and whispered, "It's Producer Li from Shaw Brothers again, asking if you're free for tea tonight."

Wu Siyuan waved his hand, his tone a little impatient: "Just say I have an appointment to discuss the script tonight, let's do it another day."

He paused, then added, "From now on, just handle these kinds of probing calls as best you can."

Ah Qiang nodded in agreement, but secretly he was astonished.

Since Chen Bingwen's investment of 200,000 yuan arrived three days ago, and the contract was signed that allowed him to forgo revenue sharing in Hong Kong and Taiwan and only take the copyrights from Japan and Southeast Asia.

After Wu Siyuan intentionally or unintentionally leaked the news.

The phone in Wu Siyuan's office never stopped ringing.

Previously indifferent film company owners, producers, and even some independent directors have all come knocking on Siyuan Pictures' door like sharks smelling blood.

The reason is simple: a "layman investor" with a lot of money, strange demands, who only wanted overseas copyrights and seemed unfamiliar with the rules of the film industry has appeared!

At this time, the Hong Kong film industry was undergoing a period of change and transformation, with large film companies having ample funds while new directors and independent producers faced a shortage of funding.

Moreover, the financing channels for films are relatively limited, mainly relying on investments from large film companies and a few wealthy businessmen.

For some new directors and independent producers, it is difficult to obtain sufficient funding.
The emergence of Chen Bingwen, the "King of Dessert Soup," was like a piece of fat meat falling from the sky.

"Mr. Wu, is Mr. Chen really only interested in the Japanese and Southeast Asian copyrights?"

A-Qiang couldn't help but confirm it again; he always felt there was something strange about this deal.

Wu Siyuan glanced at him, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "A contract signed in black and white, how could it be fake?"

Chen Sheng is in the business world, and his ideas are different from those of us in the arts.

He was optimistic about the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets and was willing to take a gamble, so we were happy to easily get paid to make the film.

As for how to issue it," he shrugged, "who knows? Maybe he has other ways, or maybe he just has too much money to burn."

Anyway, it won't do us any harm.

He patted Ah Qiang on the shoulder: "Alright, keep an eye on the set, I'm going to make a phone call."

He turned and walked towards a quiet corner, but in his heart he was thinking: Chen Bingwen's money was a real lifesaver, not only solving the immediate crisis, but also raising the value of Siyuan Film Industry.

People in the industry are now speculating about the background of this "King of Dessert Soup".
Who will be his next investment target?

This question soon lingered in the minds of many more people.

Office at the Kwun Tong factory.

Chen Bingwen was discussing the details of the franchise manual with Ling Peiyi.

“Director Ling, the selection criteria for franchisees must be further refined.” Chen Bingwen pushed the draft franchise manual to Ling Peiyi, pointing to the “franchisee qualifications” clause: “The clause ‘having certain catering experience’ seems reasonable, but in fact it may keep truly capable people out.”

Many high-quality investors may not have a background in the catering industry, but they may have accumulated mature operational capabilities in other industries.

What we really need isn't people with restaurant experience, but people who know how to run a business.

Ling Peiyi nodded and quickly took notes: "Understood. I will add the specific terms and design a detailed background check form."

In addition, I suggest introducing a reward and punishment mechanism to control the loss rate of raw materials through unified distribution.

Just then, Gao Zhenhai knocked on the door and came in to report, "Brother Wen! A guest is looking for us!"

Chen Bingwen frowned slightly and said to Ling Peiyi, "I'm sorry, Director Ling, we'll continue later."

"Please go ahead with your work." Ling Peiyi closed the folder, her posture professional.

When Chen Bingwen went downstairs, he saw that in addition to Gao Zhenhai, there was a middle-aged man in a floral shirt who looked quite like a director.

The man was carrying a bulging briefcase and was looking eagerly at the bustling scene in the Kwun Tong production area. When he saw Chen Bingwen come out, he immediately put on a smile and went to greet him.

"Mr. Chen! I've heard so much about you! My name is Luo Qi, and I'm a director!" The man extended his hand warmly.

Luo Qi?

Chen Bingwen had a vague impression of this name. He was a director under Shaw Brothers who was good at making martial arts films. His style was tough and he had a certain status in the industry.

He shook hands calmly: "Director Luo? It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask what brings you here?"

"Oh my, Mr. Chen is truly a promising young man!" Luo Qi didn't answer directly, but instead showered him with compliments, "I read the newspaper that you invested in Wu Siyuan's 'Drunken Master,' that's quite a big move!"
"You have a good eye! Wu Siyuan is lucky to have met a mentor like you!"

He changed the subject, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of mystery, "But Mr. Chen, Wu Siyuan's movie is still a bit small-scale. It's just a small-scale kung fu comedy, not good enough for a big stage."

I have a script in my hand, that's what you call a big production!

It tells the story of the Liangshan heroes gathering together to resist the tyranny of the imperial court. The scene is grand and full of chivalrous spirit!

It will absolutely cause a sensation in Hong Kong and sweep across Southeast Asia!

As Luo Qi spoke, he pulled a thick stack of script outlines and several hand-drawn concept sketches from his briefcase and shoved them into Chen Bingwen's hands without a word: "Mr. Chen, take a look! This momentum! This character!"

"As long as the funding is in place, I guarantee it will be ten times better than 'Drunken Master'! The box office will definitely break ten million!"

Chen Bingwen casually flipped through the few rather hastily drawn concept sketches, which depicted common scenes of ancient battles.

He knew perfectly well that Director Luo was treating him like an inexperienced sucker, trying to fool investors with vague concepts like "big production" and "chivalrous spirit."

“Director Luo,” Chen Bingwen pushed the script back, his tone indifferent, “I’m an outsider to film, and my investment in ‘Drunken Master’ was just a coincidence.”

Your project sounds very ambitious, but my current focus is on Chen's business, and I don't have any new film investment plans at the moment.

Luo Qi's smile froze for a moment, then he forced a smile again: "I understand! I understand! Chen Sheng is a man destined for great things!"
But movies offer quick returns on investment!

How about this? Why don't you take a look at the script first and get a feel for it?
Or, shall I arrange a dinner so you can meet the lead actors? They're all top-tier heartthrobs and beauties!

"Thank you for your kind offer, Director Luo." Chen Bingwen declined decisively, "There's no need for the dinner."

"Keep the script for now. We can talk again later if there's an opportunity." He gestured for him to leave. "Ah Hai, please see Director Luo out for me."

Gao Zhenhai immediately stepped forward: "Director Luo, this way please." Luo Qi looked a little embarrassed, awkwardly put away the script, and muttered: "Mr. Chen, you should reconsider, it's definitely a good project to make money." In the end, he left the Kwun Tong factory under Gao Zhenhai's "escort".

"Brother Wen, what about Director Luo?" Gao Zhenhai returned after seeing the person off, hesitant to speak.

"Put him on the list of people to be cautious about contacting," Chen Bingwen said calmly. "In the future, you'll have to help me block similar big directors."

Tell them I'm not interested in projects that are just empty concepts.

"Understood!" Gao Zhenhai nodded.

However, Luo Qi's arrival seemed to open Pandora's box.

In the following days, Chen Bingwen's peaceful work rhythm was completely disrupted.

First, several self-proclaimed "independent producers" came to my door with all sorts of scripts, including ghost movies, feature films, and even adult films. They all boasted that their projects were "the next box office miracle," with a clear goal: to get money.

Next came some owners of small film companies, who lowered their stance even further, expressing their willingness to give up some of their shares, just asking Chen Bingwen to "help his brother out."

There were even two stylish young directors who called themselves “New Wave” directors, who brought experimental script outlines and tried to impress him with “artistic value” and “potential for international awards.”

Chen Bingwen was greatly disturbed.

He instructed Gao Zhenhai to make arrangements within the factory to prevent any unauthorized "film professionals" from entering.

But the phone kept ringing; nine times out of ten, the voicemail messages in the office were from people recommending themselves for various film projects.

"Brother Wen, this can't go on like this." Gao Zhenhai looked at the stack of notes, a headache forming in his head. "Why are these people acting like sharks that have smelled blood?"

Chen Bingwen rubbed his temples and smiled, "Ah Hai, this proves two things. First, the Hong Kong film industry is indeed short of money, especially for small and medium-sized productions."

Secondly, our investment in "Drunken Master" has been exaggerated by Ng See-yuen or others, intentionally or unintentionally. In their eyes, I am now just a walking "money bag".

However, our foundation lies in the real economy, in the bottling of Chenji products, and in the expansion of our franchise network.

Investing in movies is just one piece in my strategy, part of a longer-term brand plan, not something I do to be a spendthrift.

Nine out of ten of these projects that come to us are unreliable.

"What if there really is a good one?" Gao Zhenhai couldn't help but ask.

Chen Bingwen smiled slightly: "If someone is truly good, they will let their abilities speak for themselves, rather than relying on empty words to deceive people."

Remember, what comes to you uninvited is often not a windfall, but a trap.

What we need are projects like "Drunken Master," with a clear positioning, core selling points, and that align with our brand image.

Other options are not being considered at this time.

He paused, then continued, "However, this also gave me an idea."

The Hong Kong film market has huge potential and a large audience base.

In the future, once Chenji's foundation is more solid and its cash flow is more abundant, it may be possible to establish a dedicated film and television investment department to systematically screen projects, instead of passively waiting, but actively seeking out high-quality content that can truly synergize with our brand strategy for investment.

That's what makes a long-term business.

Gao Zhenhai seemed to understand, but seeing Chen Bingwen's determined expression, he nodded vigorously: "Understood, Brother Wen! I'll keep a close eye on things and not let those shady characters bother you!"

Chen Bingwen smiled and turned his gaze back to Ling Peiyi's report.

However, Chen Bingwen was unaware that amidst all this noise, a truly influential figure in the film and television industry was setting his sights on him, the suddenly emerging "King of Sweet Soup".

In the top-floor office of Shaw Brothers Studio.

A briefing on the setbacks in expanding into the Japanese market was on Run Run Shaw's desk.

"Sixth Uncle," Fang Yihua gently placed a cup of hot tea on the table, "Toho is not very interested in our 'One-Armed Swordsman'. They prefer local productions or Hollywood blockbusters."

Songzhu was willing to negotiate, but their asking price was very low, and their profit-sharing ratio was very demanding.

Shaw leaned back in his large leather chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, producing a dull sound.

The Japanese market proved to be a tough nut to crack than he had anticipated.

Shaw Brothers invested a lot of resources, but the results were minimal.

He needs a breakthrough, a work that can move Japanese audiences, and more importantly, he needs to get through the distribution channels.

"The Japanese market is our top priority for the next ten years," Shaw said in a deep voice. "We cannot give up on it."

We'll continue to reach out to other publishers; we can be more flexible with the terms.

“Yes, Sixth Uncle,” Fang Yihua replied, knowing full well Shaw’s dedication to the Japanese market.

Just then, her assistant knocked softly on the door and came in, handing her a copy of the entertainment section of the Oriental Daily News that had just been delivered, and whispered a few words in her ear.

Fang Yihua glanced at the headline, "The King of Desserts Crosses Over! Chen Ji Invests 200,000 Yuan in Wu Siyuan's New Film 'Drunken Master'", and the subtitle "Exclusive Rights in Japan and Southeast Asia".

She frowned almost imperceptibly.

After the assistant left, Mona Fong handed the newspaper to Run Run Shaw: "Sixth Uncle, take a look at this."

Someone invested in Ng See-yuen's new film, but the terms were quite strange.

Shaw took the newspaper, his eyes scanning the headlines and contents, lingering for a moment on the words "Giving up revenue sharing in Hong Kong and Taiwan, monopolizing the copyrights in Japan and Southeast Asia".

After he finished reading the news, he casually tossed the newspaper onto the table.

His face was expressionless, but Fang Yihua knew that he was thinking.

"Abandoning their core base in Hong Kong and Taiwan to gamble on Japan and Southeast Asia?" Run Run Shaw asked doubtfully. "Either they have too much money to burn, or they have other motives."

Even we are struggling in the Japanese market right now, so what makes this Chen Bingwen so confident?

Or is it that he has someone backing him up, trying to gain a foothold in the Japanese market?

Fang Yihua's heart skipped a beat: "Sixth Uncle, do you mean he might be a front man for some forces?"

Or perhaps he himself wants to get involved in distribution, starting with the Japanese market, which we haven't fully mastered yet?

“Anything is possible.” A cold glint flashed in Run Run Shaw’s eyes. “The Japanese market is the breadbasket of the Shaw family for the next ten years, and we cannot afford to lose it.”

We must not let our guard down at the slightest sign of trouble.

This Chen Bingwen is behaving strangely, and his motives are unclear. Yihua, have someone investigate him.

Let's see what he's really up to.

"Understood, Sixth Uncle." Fang Yihua nodded in agreement.

Shaw Brothers is at a critical and difficult stage in its expansion in the Japanese market. Any potential disruptor should be viewed with caution, even if the other party seems like a small fry at the moment.

(End of this chapter)