Chapter 75 Dinner
"Just be thankful you haven't signed the contract yet. Otherwise, if this movie doesn't get released in theaters, you'll have to pay the penalty."
…
Two figures, one big and one small, squatted on the side of the road watching the traffic.
"What should we do now?"
The warm yellow light cast a shadow on Xi Yu's long eyelashes. She had lost some weight over the years, but her overall spirit was much better than before, and she also knew how to dress herself better.
When she just returned to China, many directors in the circle tried to recruit her to act, but she rejected them all decisively.
She is very clear about her own positioning. She has no acting skills and cannot have the same sense of conviction as an actor who can perform without props. Moreover, the entertainment industry is so strict with female stars that she cannot bear the fact that she is "ten pounds heavier on camera".
Although their working circles are close, Shen Xiyu really doesn't have much idea about the entertainment industry.
"I don't know." She answered Revy truthfully.
"We're quite funny. We've been in the industry for so many years, and yet we've been tricked like this." Chen Xiyu laughed at him. "It'll damage your reputation if you tell anyone, Director Wei."
Seeing her bright smile, Ruiwei was a little dazed for a moment. It seemed as if the days had gone back to when they had just returned to China. At that time, they were also like this, squatting on the street and counting heads.
As time went by, they supported each other and built up their reputation in the circle. After achieving success, he felt that his life was not as happy as before.
The little girl who argued with him angrily over the script has grown up, put on high heels, and spoken more tactfully.
He suddenly felt very grateful for this incident. He hadn't seen Shen Xiyu like this for a long time.
"Come on, now that things have come to this, let's go drink." The girl stood up and brushed off the non-existent dust on her body.
…
*
However, Old Xu is a man of loyalty. Even though he almost had a quarrel with the two of them last time, he did not say that he would ignore their project.
Half a month later, he brought good news.
"A company CEO has read the script and is willing to invest." He called Shen Xiyu, "But he's an outsider, so you should be prepared for some blind command and forced recruitment."
Shen Xiyu breathed a sigh of relief. Their line of work couldn't afford to waste time. Actors' performances, from entering and exiting the roles, all required careful attention to their state. Especially since both she and Wade were people who constantly strived for perfection, wasting one more day would not only cost money but also affect the work.
They generally do not give priority to investments from outside the circle. In this case, it is very likely that the actors have hooked up with the investors, which is the same as "bringing money into the group", and it is easiest to add random scenes.
But now they have no choice but to try their best.
"Come have dinner with the investors tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, and we can discuss the details."
Shen Xiyu guessed that he must have had some unpleasantness in private communication with Wade, otherwise he would not have bypassed him as the director and hit him here.
Although the boundaries between the functions of director and screenwriter were not so clear when Shen Xiyu and Wade collaborated, Wade gave her the greatest limits and freedom.
But every industry has its own rules, and Old Xu usually wouldn't go past Wade and talk directly to himself.
It seems that Wade is angry again.
Sometimes, Chen Xiyu actually admired Wei De. They had both returned to China at the same time, and both had tempers at first, but as time went on, his temper had long since been worn out. But Wei De, on the other hand, was different. He still maintained the air of a snotty artist, and that hadn't changed. It was truly a miracle that he had managed to survive in this industry and achieve what he had.
*
At the entrance of the Yun Mansion Banquet the next night.
"I don't want wooden actors." Wade still had some complaints about today's dinner. "You know what kind of people those CEOs are."
"You haven't even met her yet, can you please stop jumping to conclusions?" Shen Xiyu drove him all the way here and was really annoyed by the noise.
It also allowed her to experience the hardship of raising a naughty child at a young age.
After arriving at the place, he was still mumbling and complaining.
"Are you going or not?" Shen Xiyu couldn't stand him and stood at the door. "If you don't go, we'll drive away and you can go and get the investment yourself."
“…”
In the box, Xu Wei had been there for a while. Besides him, there were a few other people in the box, one of whom was a familiar face, someone both Shen Xiyu and Wade knew.
The boss of Shiyang Jiye, the largest film and television company in the industry.
Lin Yang.
Shen Xiyu thought it was not good. Why did this person appear here? Didn’t he say he was an investor from outside the circle? Why did so many people come?
Xu Wei saw the two of them come in and stood up to greet them, "Xi Yu, Wade, this is the investor's assistant, Mr. Li."
Wade stretched out his hand to shake hands with the person opposite him, but in fact he had been unhappy for a long time. He sent an assistant, which showed that he didn't think highly of their play at all.
After the two sat down, Shen Xiyu looked at Lin Yang, but asked Lao Xu.
"Old Xu, why haven't I heard you say that President Yang has also made an appearance?"
Xu Wei knew something was wrong when he saw her like this. Shen Xiyu had sold the copyright of a book to Shi Yang Jiye a few years ago, and promised to let her personally revise the script. Who knew that their company did not inform Shen Xiyu when filming started, and hired a new screenwriter. When the film was released, it was also completely changed. Although the box office was not low, it was a big bad movie. Shen Xiyu, the original author, was also scolded. It was an extremely shameful stroke on her resume.
Since then, Shen Xiyu has never cooperated with their company again.
He told others that there was no opportunity, but in fact, he had secretly formed a grudge against him.
Ultimately, it was Xu Wei who did something inappropriate. At that time, it was Lin Yang who contacted him about the investment and said that he had a personal friend who was interested in the project and could help introduce him.
He felt that interests were eternal, and Shen Xiyu would not refuse the investment just because of a momentary impulse. Besides, Xu Wei had also invested money, so if the film could not be made, he would also suffer losses.
So he kept the matter secret and ignored Lin Yang, the middle link, from Chen Xiyu and the others.
Who would have thought that Lin Yang would come along today.
Even the battle-hardened Xu Wei felt a headache at this scene.
Fortunately, Shen Xiyu and Lin Yang are both smart and decent people, and will not embarrass each other at this time.
Lin Yang took over the conversation naturally.
"I came here uninvited." The man raised his glass. "The investor is a friend I introduced to you. He can't come today, so I'll drink a glass on his behalf."
After drinking half a cup, Shen Xiyu didn't give him face and raised his cup to drink a few sips.
"But this investor is a personal friend of mine." Lin Yang was afraid they might misunderstand him, so he quickly explained, "He has nothing to do with our company."
"Who wants to have anything to do with your company?" Wade had long been unhappy with this guy. He had screwed Shen Xiyu so badly back then, and now he was still hanging around her like nothing had happened.
Shen Xiyu turned his head and glared at him, signaling him to shut up.
Lin Yang was not annoyed. Wade was well-known in the circle for his bad temper and low emotional intelligence. He didn't give face to anyone except his old partner Shen Xiyu.
But this guy is extremely lucky. Every movie he makes is a hit, with both box office and good reviews. Even people in North America call him "the light of China's sixth generation of directors."
There's nothing you can do about this kind of person.
"Director Wei is still as full of character as ever."
Lin Yang is still capable of getting things done. As a profit-oriented businessman, he doesn't care much about Wade's harsh words.
Shen Xiyu didn't believe that he was simply here to attend an appointment on behalf of a friend. As the boss of such a big film and television company, why would he have nothing to do? It just so happened that his friend took a fancy to the script and happened to be busy, so he just happened to come.
You're kidding me.
…
The meal was almost over, but Lin Yang refused to talk about business. Bottles of wine were poured onto the floor, and everyone at the table had to drink along. As long as the contract wasn't signed, they would always have the initiative.
Shen Xiyu finally realized that this was just a discussion about cooperation with him, and the assistants and investors were all a cover.
But she had no choice but to drink with them. Wade had a cold and was taking medicine. Old Xu was just a middleman, and asking him to go out and drink with them was not a solution.
The girl drank one glass after another. The wine was cold, but the fire in her heart was burning. Shen Xiyu was almost unable to hold back his anger. This was clearly a way to make things difficult for them. No matter how good her alcohol tolerance was, she would not drink like this with him.
She could feel that Wade beside her had become furious several times, and it was only because she was quick enough to step on his foot under the table that he didn't stand up and walk away with her in anger.
Shen Xiyu's head hurt a little, but not to the point of being confused.
"Boss Yang, what do you mean?" She smiled politely, "Today we want to see who drinks first, right?"
"That's definitely not the case. I'm just happy. I'm happy to see the great author Shen and Director Wei." Although Lin Yang spoke nicely, his back teeth were almost broken. How could this woman drink so much and still be conscious at this level?
"Then we should talk about business." Shen Xiyu stared at him and restrained his smile.
Seeing that she was no longer pretending, and knowing that she would most likely not drink with him, Lin Yang got straight to the point.
"My friend is indeed interested in this investment, but..." He changed the subject, "I've done you a big favor this time. I'm not sure if this film will pass the review, which is a hot potato in the industry."
"Just say what you want to say." Wade said bluntly.
"I think it's not too much to ask for the copyright of the 'Train Station Series'."
…
Shen Xiyu came out to get some fresh air under the pretext of going to the bathroom, and stood at the door of the hotel again. The blue veins on his head ached slightly, and his brain nerves were throbbing.
The "Train Station Series" is Shen Xiyu's most popular work, and it's what silenced many of her doubters back then. Focusing on train stations in ten small cities across China, the series traces the stories of a diverse group of passersby in various situations. Among them are students, pregnant women, elderly people carrying urea bags, couples, and lost children.
This work was completed very quickly while Shen Xiyu was visiting various places, and most of it is a true record.
Do you really want to sell the copyright of such a work?
Now there are voices in the industry condemning her for being too commercialized, saying that she has completely detached herself from the literary circle and is an out-and-out "film and television celebrity."
Shen Xiyu knew how ironic this title was for an author.
But she actually has a clear understanding of her own positioning. She returned to China to create film and television works with Wade. Most of her scripts are original, and she did not deliberately consume her previous achievements.
The "Train Station Series" is not suitable for film and television adaptation, as it involves too many sensitive topics. If the copyright were to be handed over today, it would not only ruin the work but also confirm the industry's assessment of her.
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The author has something to say: Hold on to Liang Liang, he will come out in the next chapter, let him take a rest [cat head]
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