Reborn in the Chinese Entertainment Industry: You're a Director, But You're a Casanova?

(Preview: Some content in this chapter may be disturbing to some readers; details are based primarily on firsthand accounts from the individuals involved.)

At the end of March, Liu Yuehua asked Tian Zhuangzhuang to help expedite the application for a pass under the guise of an exchange related to the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Before the Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, many filmmakers from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong arrived, and even some foreign filmmakers were present.

At a film and television trade fair organized by the local government, Liu Yuehua sat in a secluded booth with a movie preview machine on the table.

Standing opposite him was Desmond, a filmmaker from France.

Desmond had only watched ten minutes of the clip, and his face was flushed with excitement. He spoke in broken Chinese:

"You're a genius!"

"This is the most ingenious suspense film set in a confined space that I've ever seen!"

"Mr. Liu! On behalf of Jade Films of France, I am willing to purchase the European distribution rights to this film for 500,000 euros!"

50 euros is equivalent to more than 500 million RMB, making him an instant millionaire. It seems this Desmond is quite the artist; perhaps he should learn from businessmen and negotiate a lower price.

Just as Liu Yuehua was about to sign the letter of intent, a Hong Kong publishing mogul, Boss Pi, with a slicked-back hairstyle and frameless glasses, walked over with several bodyguards and reporters, all smiles and gentle manner.

"Please wait a moment." Boss Pi placed his hand directly on Desmond's contract.

"Mr. Desmond, I suggest you don't buy this film." Mr. Pi's tone was very polite.

"Why, Mr. Pi? This is free trade." Desmond frowned.

"Actually, I personally have high hopes for this film, and I hope Mr. Desmond can grant my request." Mr. Pi smiled slightly.

Desmond's expression softened upon hearing this. Who could resist someone who shares their taste and aesthetic sense?

"But that doesn't conflict with the rules, does it? I only buy the European rights, while you guys usually only handle the Southeast Asian section, right?" Desmond couldn't help but ask.

"Our company is preparing to expand and is planning to enter the European market. We are very willing to use Director Liu's excellent work to enter the European market. You offer 500,000? I'm willing to offer 800,000." Boss Pi patiently and meticulously explained to Desmond with a smile.

"Alright, Mr. Liu, I'm very sorry. I wish you both a better cooperation." Desmond glanced at Liu Yuehua, put away the contract, and walked away listlessly.

Boss Pi turned to look at Liu Yuehua, his smile unchanged.

"When did Director Liu arrive from Beijing?"

"I've been in Hong Kong for so long now, I wonder how my friends in Beijing are doing?" Liu Yuehua sat in his chair without moving, quietly watching his performance.

"Director Lu asked a friend of mine to say that he would take good care of you." Boss Pi casually pulled out a check, "HKD 20 to buy out all the prints of your two films. I'll take them back and burn them onto discs."

"I heard Director Liu started out making borderline erotic films? How about I include these DVDs with my Category III movies as a bonus, giving Director Liu some free publicity?"

Paying HK$20 to buy out all copyrights is a blatant humiliation.

Liu Yuehua glanced at the check, stood up and smiled. He tore the check in half and stuffed it into Boss Pi's pocket.

"Boss Pi should save the money to buy himself a better coffin. We'll see about that."

Watching Liu Yuehua's departing figure, the bodyguard beside Boss Pi became furious. "Brother Pi, should we have someone cripple him?"

"Let him go." Boss Pi's smile became even more amiable. "In Hong Kong, without my approval, he can't even rent a video rental shop."

"Ah Yang, go keep an eye on him."

……

April 1st, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong.

Some filmmakers held a cocktail party here tonight. Liu Yuehua didn't have an invitation; he sneaked in by following the waiter's cart during the security shift change.

Upon entering the party, Liu Yuehua's eyes widened.

The buffet table was filled with Australian lobster, caviar, salmon, and rows of free red wine and whiskey.

Holy crap, these capitalists are fucking corrupt.

While cursing under his breath, Liu Yuehua unceremoniously picked up the red wine, worth tens of thousands of yuan, and drank it all in one gulp.

In my past life, I worked in a state-owned enterprise. Although I had seen and eaten at such places in private, I was never as blatant as these Hong Kong capitalists.

If his suit hadn't lacked large pockets, he would have loved to pack it up in a plastic bag and take it with him.

"What a fucking waste! This could buy so many meals for my crew!" Liu Yuehua watched as the celebrities took only one bite of the small cakes and then threw them away, his heart aching so much he could hardly breathe.

After eating and drinking his fill, Liu Yuehua felt a bit bloated, so he took a glass of free champagne and went to the hotel gym to digest a little and figure out how to break Yang's trap.

As soon as he pushed open the gym door, he vaguely saw a figure on the edge of the window.

The man had already pushed most of his body open the window and was straddling it.

Liu Yuehua was stunned for a moment. In the dim light of the gym, he could see the face clearly. It was filled with exhaustion and despair, and a lifeless aura that had been tormented by severe depression.

Leslie Cheung.

Any normal person would probably yell "Don't jump!" or rush over to plead with him, "Brother, there are still many people in this world who love you."

But Liu Yuehua knew all too well that for someone suffering from physiological depression, any moral or emotional comfort was utter nonsense; only more outrageous magic could defeat magic.

(After discussing with a few author friends, we realized that this part about advising the protagonist to save lives might make some readers uncomfortable. After all, we could feel earlier that the protagonist's methods were not quite illogical, so we deleted about 600 words of that content...)

(It's roughly the same feeling that Yu Hua and Mo Yan had towards Shi Tiesheng—they didn't treat him as a patient, nor as a human being.)

"Do you think that if you jump, those people who hate you will cry?"

"You're wrong. If you jump, those paparazzi can make millions in bonuses tomorrow by selling your bloody photos."

"Gossip magazines that profit from human suffering can sell out, and those tycoons in the entertainment industry will celebrate with champagne to say they've gotten rid of one of their eyesores."

"Listen, it's okay to want to die, but don't die such a pathetic death."

"See this? I dare say it's the most outstanding masterpiece in all of Asia."

"But today I've been blacklisted by a local tyrant. You come down here as a co-producer of my movie, you help me keep things under control, I'll sell this movie all over the world, and together we'll slap those arrogant, lousy Hong Kong distributors in the face until they're so angry they'll vomit blood."

"How about it? Dare to pull off one last heist with this penniless bastard in this shitty world?"

The wind kept blowing.

Looking into Liu Yuehua's mercenary and shameless eyes, the older brother saw that although he was shameless, he was very real.

It was a genuine feeling that he hadn't experienced in a long time amidst the hypocrisy of fame and fortune.

After a long silence, the older brother finally smiled.

He hadn't laughed in a long time.

He pulled his leg back from the window, walked up to Liu Yuehua, and looked at this cunning young man, his tone carrying a long-lost vitality.

"Young man, you are absolutely the most shameless and shameless person I have ever met."