Chapter 144: Honey Trap
No film managed to break the one billion yuan line. Four hundred and eighty million wasn’t the highest, but it was on the higher side.
The total investment for “Justice and Selflessness” was only twelve million Hong Kong Dollars. It raked in some cash especially when the film didn’t have too many negative reviews.
“He called me last night. Said he prepared a celebratory feast. I rejected it for you because you need to go back for New Year,” He Wei nodded.
“Thank you, Brother Wei.” Yun Xiangxiang smiled sweetly.
Actors didn’t have any rest days. He Wei wouldn’t decline it for her if he wasn’t accommodating her.
Other directors from Hong Kong would be there during the celebratory feast to congratulate them. This was a great opportunity to get into the Hong Kong circle.
“Don’t be happy too fast,” He Wei glanced at her. “I have already sent next year’s notification to Coco.”
“It doesn’t sound simple…” Yun Xiangxiang pretended to be on guard and looked at He Wei.
“The company has a New Year’s celebration. Attendance is compulsory. It’s on the sixth day [1] of the New Year. “Huan Yu Century Entertainment doesn’t hold annual celebrations. It only holds New Year celebrations.
It was on the sixth day. She even said that she would arrange a meetup between Song Mian and her friends on the fifth day. Wouldn’t that mean that she would have to start work the next day?
“You’ll start attending driving school on the seventh day. Try to get the driver’s license before June. “Flying Sky” may choose its actors and start filming in the second half of the year,” He Wei continued.
“”Flying Sky”?” Yun Xiangxiang reacted. “Is it the master thief film with Tiantian in it?”
He Wei nodded, “Lu Rong is already dead. Fly is the one who survived. The film is named after the male and female protagonists.”
“But I can only think about the Dunhuang Murals [2] and mythical stories when I hear of “Flying Sky”…” Yun Xiangxiang laughed silently.
She thought that it was great after mulling over it for a while, “The flying dragon in the sky breaks through its prison and escapes into freedom. It’s very good.”
Anyone would associate it with a different concept when they heard of it the first time. However, it had a nice ring to it after they knew what genre it was.
“I have an idea though. I’ll see if I can ask Austin to lend The Star of Peace and have it star in the film,” He Wei had also just thought about it. “You will be able to get Tiantian, no questions asked if you can get The Star of Peace into the scene.
The fake jewelry wouldn’t be as shockingly eye-catching as the real deal, no matter how much post-processing is done.
The marketing could create quite the topic if they managed to get a one hundred and eighty-eight-carat green diamond into the film.
Yun Xiangxiang hadn’t heard of a one hundred and eighty-eight-carat green diamond before. She believed that this alone was enough to pique many people’s curiosity.
“It shouldn’t be hard to borrow it,” Yun Xiangxiang considered Austin’s personality. “Having it appear in the film is also free marketing for MonRoe. It’s a win-win situation. Its safety is the hardest part…”
Transporting it from New York City to China and then sending it back would make it hard to hide it from jewelry thieves.
These people’s sense of jewelry was sharper than a dog’s sense of meat.
Yun Xiangxiang really couldn’t face Austin if she lost The Star of Peace.
“Don’t put the cart before the horse. We’ll think about it after I think of a perfect plan,” He Wei put this topic on hold. “Jiu Se” will start filming in March.”
“Villainess” changed its name to “Jiu Se”?” Yun Xiangxiang thought that a film’s artistic quality relied upon the fact that nobody knew what it was talking about after they saw its name. They needed to watch the film themselves to know.
The renaming to “Jiu Se” was a good move. Yun Xiangxiang actually liked the name “Jiu Se.” She thought that it sounded nice.
“Did Du Changrong tell you that he would split the profits in half after this?” He Wei suddenly asked.
“He mentioned it before,” Yun Xiangxiang still remembered that it was because Du Chanrong didn’t think that he could give her too much recompense.
“The investment in “Jiu Se” this time is wholly sponsored by the company. We didn’t find another investor.” He Wei asked Yun Xiangxiang, “Do you know what this means?”
“It means that the company is investing in me.” There were a lot of actors and actresses in Huan Yu Century Entertainment. It was rare to see them invest in their actors and shoulder the risk themselves.
A film being a hit wasn’t just a dependent feeling that it was a good script, or that it was filmed well, or that it had a lot of investments.
It also wasn’t dependent on all-out marketing.
The first thing was the actors’ influence. The second was the audience’s approval rate.
The actors’ influence would attract a lot of audiences who loved them. These audience’s acknowledgments would turn into natural cyber supporters.
Even though Yun Xiangxiang did decently in all three films, her influence wasn’t until a level where she could get everyone to watch a film just by saying it.
“Thank you, Brother Wei.” That was why He Wei must have put in a lot of effort for this decision to be made. The company wouldn’t agree to it otherwise.
“You are my actress. Naturally, I must think for you.” He Wei brushed it off, “The company has agreed to invest fifty million yuan. However, the condition for you to have a share of the profit is that the box office must exceed a hundred and fifty million yuan.”
“Fifty million!” Yun Xiangxiang felt incredulous. Du Changrong only wanted ten million…
“I cannot guarantee that you will enter big productions, but I must guarantee that your works are of top quality,” said He Wei smilingly.
A historical drama was different from a modern drama. The outfits, scenes, and props would cost even more money.
He Wei had perused the script before. The filming of transition from peasantry to nobility to authority must be able to show those layers.
They must also be able to display that era’s nobilities’ recklessness and luxuriousness during filming.
Either they wouldn’t do it, or they do their best if they would start it.
“I will do my utmost best,” Yun Xiangxiang was suddenly fired up.
Although He Wei didn’t say anything, she believed that He Wei made compromises other than the one hundred and fifty million box office as a condition for her to have a share in the profits.
Huan Yu Century Entertainment would come together to face a common enemy. However, Yun Xiangxiang’s experience in her past life told her that the internal strife was also quite intense.
“That’s mostly it. See what you can do and arrange your learning time,” He Wei rested his eyes.
Yun Xiangxiang crumbled when she thought of the matter of time.
The driving school was still okay. She was already an experienced driver. Driving wouldn’t stump her. Learning would be a breeze.
The start of “Jiu Se”‘s filming; Italy’s ad filming and magazine interview; He Wei even planned to accept NI.G’s endorsement. There was also a film festival in between.
It was fortunate that “The King’s Plan” wouldn’t require any roadshows, judging by Wu Zhao’s personality. She should be able to squeeze some time to learn.
The car went directly to the airport. They were boarding a private jet, not a helicopter.
Song Mian who was waiting asked Yun Xiangxiang when he saw her crumpled expression, “What happened?”
Yun Xiangxiang didn’t care that He Wei was beside them. She wrapped her hands around Song Mian’s waist and leaned on his shoulder, “Boyfriend, I can probably only accompany you during my time of doing homework after this.”
Yun Xiangxiang relied on him even more after that last shooting. A smile spread in Song Mian’s eyes, “That is quite fine. You’ll do your homework, and I’ll do my reading.”
Yun Xiangxiang immediately smiled until her eyes curved. She pushed him away, “You said that yourself!”
Yun Xiangxiang hopped on to the staircase after she finished. She even turned around and showed him a victory pose before she entered the plane.
Song Mian only knew that he actually fell for a honey trap then.
The beauty’s single hug and a dejected whisper made him so concerned, he forgot about everything.
He couldn’t complain about her girlfriend not having any time for him when he had fallen into his girlfriend’s trap now.
“Sigh, heroes have always fallen for beauty since ancient…”
Song Yao was greeted by his young master’s chilly glare before he even finished sighing.