Chapter 499: Can't Let Go
At noon, the sun was shining brightly in Hengdian Film and Television City.
The crew of "Breakup Guru" had just finished a morning of intense filming. Director and lead actor Deng Chao was sitting alone on a folding chair next to the monitor.
He held the phone close to his ear in one hand and used the other hand to pick up the chopsticks and fiddle with the rice in the lunch box.
On the other end of the phone, Sun Li's voice came through clearly, with a rare stubbornness and a hint of anger: "I don't want to donate!"
Deng Chao's face darkened instantly, and he lowered his voice, almost pleadingly, "Wife, my dear queen, the situation is really different this time.
Didn't you see the commotion online? It's terrifying! This isn't normal, if we don't shed some blood, the netizens won't let us off easily."
He and Sun Li are recognized as a top-tier couple in the circle and are well-known. At this moment, they have become the focus of netizens' "attention".
The two had privately agreed to donate 300,000 yuan to show their support. This figure wasn't particularly high compared to previous donations, but it wasn't shabby either.
But before he could even take action, online public opinion shifted dramatically overnight. 300,000 yuan? If he gave it out now, he'd probably be instantly criticized, labeled a "stingy person" or "rich but unkind."
After a long silence, Sun Li's voice was filled with hesitation and struggle: "Why don't we wait a little longer? Maybe the heat will die down in a couple of days."
Deng Chao knew clearly where his wife was facing this hurdle.
In her early years, she had kindly sponsored a poor college student, but the other party turned against her and blackmailed her.
What started out as a good deed turned into a chilling farce. Since then, she has been extra cautious about donating money.
But the situation is pressing now, so he sighed helplessly: "There is no escape, wife.
Donating now is like sacrificing one's own flesh and blood, but it can also help you maintain your reputation. Once netizens put you on the spot and force you to donate, the atmosphere will completely change! Donate sooner and feel at ease!
Sun Li heard her husband's determination and knew that this matter was difficult to avoid. After a moment of silence, she compromised and said, "Then tell me, how much do you want to donate?"
"Three million?" Deng Chao considered it over and over again, and based on the current public opinion and his own situation, he gave a compromise figure.
Currently, netizens’ “psychological price” for first-line stars is around two million, but there are two people in his family, which means the donation is more important, so if he donates less, he will definitely be compared.
But husband and wife are one, and the amount cannot be simply doubled based on the number of people. He felt that three million might be enough to barely pass.
"No! Are you crazy? Donating so much!" Sun Li's voice suddenly rose. "Deng Chao, don't you know what's going on in our family?"
Family members know their own affairs best. After the broadcast of "The Legend of Zhen Huan", she returned home to give birth to a child and almost completely missed the commercial bonus period brought by the drama.
Although this drama has raised her national recognition and popularity by several levels, it takes time and subsequent works to turn fame into real money.
Deng Chao is in a critical period of transformation into a director. The success or failure of "The Breakup Master" is unknown, and money needs to be spent everywhere.
She now wishes she could split every penny in half and manage the family's wealth carefully.
Deng Chao sensed his wife's excitement and knew that three million had indeed touched her bottom line, so he had to give in: "Then two million."
This is the "baseline" for A-list celebrities. Fearing his wife would object again, he quickly added, "It can't be any less! My Lady! Look at what's happening now!"
Chenglong donated again, totaling 20 million! Huang Xiaoming also donated 10 million! Our 2 million is already a minimum amount considering we are husband and wife!"
"One of them is an international superstar and has plenty of money! The other is a shareholder of Huayi and made hundreds of millions just after the company went public. How can you compare with them?" Sun Li muttered in rebuttal, her tone still dissatisfied but obviously relaxed.
She had also seen the news and knew that what her husband said was true. After struggling for a long time, she let out a long sigh and said very reluctantly:
"Alright, alright, let's just make it two million. Donating money and being compared to others is just a big deal!"
The more he spoke, the more frustrated he became. He couldn't help but vent his anger on Liu Shishi: "It's all Liu Shishi's fault! She has so much money and nowhere to invest it, yet she had to donate it so ostentatiously! She's putting it on such a high pedestal, how can anyone get off it?"
Deng Chao's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked around. Seeing that the staff around him were eating or resting, and no one seemed to be paying attention to him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The investor of "Breakup Master" is Liu Shishi Studio, and the producer is the general manager of her studio.
There are many informants on this crew. If this word gets to their ears, it will offend the investors for no reason, which would be a disaster without cause.
"Shh! Auntie, please keep your voice down! How can you say such nonsense?"
Sun Li knew she had said something wrong, so she snorted and didn't continue the topic.
The donation amount was finally decided, and then he changed the subject, probing subtly, "By the way, I heard you're going to Mauritius with that girl from Tangren Film and Television in a few days?"
Deng Chao remained calm upon hearing this. "Yes, we're going overseas to film, and the crew is moving as a team. It'll only take a few days, so we'll be back quickly."
Sun Li said "Oh" meaningfully, "She's just a little girl, going with you to such a faraway place, she's unfamiliar with the place. As a director and a senior, you have to take good care of her and make sure nothing happens to her."
Deng Chao could hear the tone behind his words, and his heartbeat accelerated, but his tone remained steady: "Don't worry, the crew has made unified arrangements, and safety will be absolutely no problem. It's just normal work."
"That's good." Sun Li stopped talking, "My son and I will be waiting for you at home."
After hanging up the phone, Deng Chao looked at the completely cold lunch box in his hand, and even the last bit of appetite disappeared.
In the rest area on the other side of the crew, Gulinaza took a few sips of her lunch box and gently put it down. To look her best in front of the camera, she has a strict diet.
His eyes inadvertently fell on director Deng Chao, who was frowning and speaking humbly into the phone not far away.
He nudged Liu Yan beside him with his elbow and whispered, "Brother Chao is reporting to the Empress again, right? I guess he's probably worried about the donation issue."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yan looked up and glanced at Deng Chao's gloomy expression, feeling the same way.
"That's right, the director and the queen are both top stars, their names are almost on the hot search list. By the way, Nazar, have you donated yet?"
Gulinaza nodded, but her delicate face was twisted into a knot, full of worry. "I donated it, 500,000 yuan."
When Liu Yan heard this, a hint of envy flashed in her eyes.
The girl next to me just made her debut last year with the role of Xiaoxue in "Xuan-Yuan Sword". It has only been about half a year. This is already a considerable achievement and is much better than me.
I can't help but sigh: "You young people are still so powerful."
Guli Nazha saw that Liu Yan had misunderstood, and she felt so upset that she couldn't say anything.
The 500,000 yuan wasn't her own money at all, but rather a company arrangement. Cai Yinong decided that the company would advance the payment and then deduct it from her subsequent income.
When she joined Tangren, the company paid for her tuition and her father's high medical expenses.
She was just a newcomer in "Xuan-Yuan Sword," with a pitifully low salary and still owed money to the company. How could she possibly save enough to donate? But the boss had a request, and she, a newcomer, couldn't refuse.
Liu Yan rested her chin on her hand, also worried: "I don't know how much I should donate. You know my situation. I have always been an unknown person and don't have much savings."
She was lucky. Her good friend Dapeng's TV series "屌丝男士2" became a big hit after it was broadcast some time ago. She got some popularity thanks to the role she played in the TV series, but she has not had time to cash in on this popularity yet.
Gulinaza gently suggested, "Just do what you can. I think netizens are mainly targeting A-listers and big names, so they shouldn't be targeting us as closely."
"Alas, this is all I can do." Liu Yan sighed, "I really envy you, Nazha. You're so beautiful, your company is supporting you, you have great resources, and you can even get to know someone like Yijie."
As she spoke, her eyes unconsciously dropped to her chest, which was particularly conspicuous by her tight costume, and her voice became even lower: "Unlike me, it seems that all others can see and remember is this."
Upon hearing this, a hint of bitterness appeared on Gulinaza's lips.
Outsiders only see that she reached the peak of her career as soon as she debuted, and was able to work with Liu Shishi and Hu Ge, and was called "Liu Shishi's successor."
But who knew that this so-called "future No. 1" hadn't even taken the top spot, and seemed to have been subtly "abandoned"? The road ahead is full of uncertainty.
The two of them had their own thoughts. When they looked at each other, they saw similar helplessness and struggle in each other's eyes, and they sighed softly at the same time.
A little further away, next to a temporary rest shed, Wu Jing and Xie Nan, who came to the crew for a friendly guest appearance, had just finished lunch and were walking along the edge of the set.
Wu Jing rubbed his swollen temples and sighed, "Nannan, I really want to thank you for lending me the money in time."
He poured all his energy into the film "Wolf Warrior", which he directed and starred in, and tried to raise money and investment everywhere, but he kept hitting a wall. His original capital had already been invested, and his cash flow was extremely tight.
"Why are you being so polite to me?" Xie Nan smiled gently. She and Wu Jing had a stable relationship and were planning to get married. It was natural for her to support her boyfriend's career.
Wu Jing was still a little dejected.
His inherent chauvinism made him feel that borrowing money from his future wife, even for serious matters, would be somewhat embarrassing.
Xie Nan noticed her boyfriend was in a low mood and changed the subject: "How much funding does Wolf Warrior need right now?"
Wu Jing took a deep breath and spoke out the number with difficulty: "We still need 40 million."
"Wolf Warrior" is a military film that requires the mobilization of large equipment such as aircraft and tanks, which is costly and has an initial budget of 120 million yuan.
Even though the support from the army saved him a lot of money, he only managed to raise 80 million yuan after mortgaging his entire fortune and asking for help from others. There was still a huge funding gap.
Xie Nan was also anxious, but as a host, although he had a good income, he was powerless to do anything about the 40 million gap.
"What about the film and television companies in the industry? Have you tried big names like Tengda Culture and Enlight Media?"
"We've tried everything." Wu Jing shook his head, looking unwilling. "They say that domestic military action films and tough-guy themes are too new, there's no successful precedent, and the market risks are too high, so they're unwilling to invest."
Xie Nan frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up: "Look at this crew, it was invested by Liu Shishi's studio, and the producer is the general manager of the studio, and he will come to monitor the progress tomorrow.
Would you like to find an opportunity to talk in person? What if the studio is interested in this subject? Liu Shishi is famous for her wealth and power.
Look at her investment in Deng Chao's transitioning director and Xu Zheng's Lost in Thailand. She has a unique vision. For her, an investment of 30 or 50 million yuan might not be a big deal.
Wu Jing perked up upon hearing this and nodded seriously, "You're right! This is a way. I'll definitely find a chance to talk to the producer tomorrow. If I can really get some investment, then this cameo of mine will be totally worth it!"
At the same time, Beihang University, Office of the Dean of the School of Astronautics.
The afternoon sun shines through the glass window onto the mahogany desk piled with books and drawings. The air is filled with old books, ink, and a faint scent of tea.
Academician Xia sat upright at the table, his gray hair combed meticulously, a pair of reading glasses on his nose, and was concentrating on reviewing a technical report.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," Academician Xia replied calmly, without even looking up.
The door was pushed open, and Liu Xiaoxian walked in with a folder in her hand and handed over a document.
"Dean, the demonstration and approval documents you requested regarding the location for the first hovering test of rocket recovery technology have been preliminarily completed."
Academician Xia looked up, took the document, and asked with concern, "Thank you for your hard work, Xiaoxian. Which one did you choose?"
As he asked, he quickly opened the folder and glanced at the summary of the site selection report on the first page.
"After a comprehensive assessment of multiple factors including safety, airspace, meteorology, geology, and logistical support, the final recommendation was to place it in the EJNQ region of Alxa League, Inner Mongolia."
Academician Xia did not respond immediately. He leaned back in his chair, squinting his eyes, as if he was retrieving the map and information of that vast area in his mind.
After a moment, he nodded slowly and analyzed carefully: "The edge of the Ejina Badain Jaran Desert is very good. There is a lot of land and sparse population, and there is very little interference from infrastructure.
The most critical thing is that there must be a large uninhabited area around the rocket hover test site as an absolute buffer.
This is to prevent the rocket from being unstable in the initial stage, causing loss of control, explosion or falling fragments, which may cause any casualties or property damage.
It would be best if there were no civilian facilities within a ten-kilometer radius. In this respect, Ejina is blessed with unique conditions.”
After a pause, as if thinking of a more crucial issue, he turned to look at Liu Xiaoxian with a serious expression: "What about airspace control? This is the top priority.
Although our experimental rocket is small, it will become an aerial vehicle once launched. During the test period, the airspace must be designated as a no-fly zone at the highest level to ensure it is absolutely clear and there is absolutely no risk of civil or general aviation aircraft straying into it."
This question goes to the heart of the matter.
Rocket tests, especially low-altitude, high-dynamic vertical take-off and landing tests, have extremely high requirements for airspace cleanliness. Any interference may have catastrophic consequences, and the difficulty of approval is far greater than that of general scientific research projects.
Liu Xiaoxian was well prepared and replied calmly, "Please rest assured, Dean. Principal Huai has personally coordinated with the relevant departments, and the airspace issue has been basically resolved. Applications for flight bans during the testing window will be handled with special consideration and priority."
This rocket recovery technology, which was ambitiously promoted by his son Song Ci and has abundant funding, is still at the forefront of private aerospace exploration.
Many sensitive policy checkpoints are handled much more conveniently in the name of Beihang University's affiliated laboratories and joint projects than as a purely commercial company.
President Huai’s strong support and endorsement of the school’s credibility played a crucial role. In essence, it was a perfect linkage between industry, academia and research.
Academician Xia's face lit up with satisfaction when he heard this. He picked up a pen and signed his name in the approval column. "I'm relieved that President Huai has come forward."
He put down his pen, handed the document back, and instructed, "Alright! Now that the location is set, there's no time to lose. Start building the launch site immediately."
According to the design plan, we will first level the land, pour concrete for the launch and landing pad, and build a temporary tracking and control center and fuel storage and refueling area."
As expected of a top aerospace expert, the instructions were clear and unambiguous: "Notify the logistics and transportation departments that arrangements can begin for the transportation of rocket test pieces, fuel, and all test tracking equipment.
The journey is long, so safety must be ensured, especially when handling flammable and explosive materials, and operating procedures must be strictly followed."
Finally, after a moment of thought, he added, "I will personally communicate with my old friends at Dongfeng Aerospace City and ask them to provide necessary assistance in measurement and control, meteorology, and data sharing."
"I understand, Dean. I will implement it immediately." Liu Xiaoxian took the document and felt relieved. The project that her son had invested countless funds in was finally going to start its first experiment!
(End of this chapter)
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