Chapter 1784: Everyone Happy

"The film is finally finished, Brother Yan?"

In the company, Wang Yan rarely cooked a big pot of food; upon hearing the news, his good brother abandoned his work and rushed back to the factory for lunch. It had been a long time since he had last seen Wang Yan; he had only visited during the initial filming to see the excitement, and after that, they had not met again, maintaining contact solely by phone.

Now, meeting again after such a long time, and with the filming being such an unorthodox venture, the good brother inevitably had mixed feelings.

"It's finished."

Wang Yan seemed unable to detect the resentment in his good brother's words; he simply nodded with a smile, ate and drank, and did not forget to urge his good brother to eat more.

Liu Qiangdong was both helpless and greedy because the food was so fragrant, yet he also had a temper, making him feel out of sorts and unable to enjoy his meal fully.

He could not help but ask, "How did the filming go?"

"It's acceptable; in Director Weng's words from the film studio, I filmed above standard. It's guaranteed not to lose money; it's just a matter of how much profit we make. Post-production is currently underway at the studio; once it's done, I'll take you to see it, and you'll know—it won't be a waste of money."

"It's not that I want to lecture you, Brother Yan, but your decision to make a movie was immature. You're usually so steady; how could you be so confused now? With that two hundred thousand, our company could definitely have developed faster than it has now."

"Didn't we delay anything? Everything is still thriving. Moreover, I added an advertisement for our company's seasoning in this movie; I personally grilled the lamb skewers. I've seen the developed footage; it's incredibly enticing. When it screens nationwide, do you think our seasoning won't become famous?"

"With this fame, our seasoning will surely promote even faster; we could secure loans of several million more. Wouldn't the company develop even faster then? The investment is temporary, but the returns are lasting; good brother, keep your vision long-term."

"The present is what matters, Brother Yan; if we lose the present, what good is a long-term vision? Let's leave it at that for this time, but you must not be so impulsive in the future."

Wang Yan said with a chuckle, "But didn't you invest along with me?"

"That was because you were pulling money out; I didn't need much cash anyway. Since that was the case, it was better to process it directly through our company's accounts, treating it as a company investment."

Liu Qiangdong sounded somewhat displeased, yet he broke into a smile, "Actually, I also felt that you, Brother Yan, know too much, and you are always so confident; you shouldn't do things without certainty. At the very least, even if we don't make a huge profit, making a small profit without loss should be no problem."

"See, you understand perfectly well? You're just taking this opportunity to scold me to satisfy your urge to talk, right?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Liu Qiangdong ate large mouthfuls of food, muttering, "Brother Yan, your cooking is truly delicious..."

Just as his good brother had said, when Wang Yan asked for the money, his good brother had initially refused, but Wang Yan was determined; following their shareholding ratio, he withdrew two hundred thousand, extracting fifty thousand for his good brother.

However, since money had previously been withdrawn for personal consumption, and his good brother worked all day with few expenses—plus all work-related costs were reimbursed through the company accounts—he still had quite a bit of money left.

Unable to stop Wang Yan, he decided not to withdraw the money personally either; instead, he processed it as a direct company investment, ensuring he had a stake in it, supporting his big brother's dream, and accompanying his big brother in this madness.

He was actually quite willing to support him; after all, this was truly a good big brother who had led him in striving together, taught him to improve and advance, and pointed out the direction of his life. Furthermore, as he had said, his big brother was indeed awesome, knowing so much and possessing such strong abilities; if he wanted to make a movie, he must have something substantial. Even if it lost money, two hundred thousand was not much, and it would at least allow Wang Yan to give up the idea.

But on the other hand, he still needed to express his stance. He could not let Wang Yan act so recklessly all the time; otherwise, what would be the point of running the company? What would be the point of him following Wang Yan in this recklessness? He might as well leave early.

Wang Yan was now comforting his good brother; of course, he knew this was wrong, but doing business was ultimately just a side endeavor for him. Therefore, his good brother's feelings had to be cared for, since all major and minor matters in the future would depend on his good brother; if he ran off, finding someone reliable, capable, and willing to work hard without complaint would not be easy in the short term.

After comforting his good brother and offering some encouragement, while also arranging work for the upcoming period, the two of them went about their respective tasks.

Wang Yan still devoted considerable energy to the company; production scale needed to continue expanding, and other products needed to be promoted. Breaking free from the current reliance on barbecue seasoning was the primary task at hand. Only in this way could the company survive and grow stronger.

Therefore, while waiting for the film's post-production, Wang Yan continued to resolve the company's issues: on one hand, recruiting more people to expand seasoning production; on the other, supervising the production and promotion of soy sauce, vinegar, chicken essence, and so on, while also solving logistical problems for everyone.

Liu Qiangdong, meanwhile, led the team outside, continuously expanding in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, working tirelessly without complaint for the company's development and growth.

Fortunately, the seasoning formula was still confidential, and others had not cracked it yet; otherwise, Wang Yan would not have been so leisurely. After all, to compensate for the sharp decline in revenue from the main business, he would have had to personally go out to develop markets and fill the gap in reduced performance, unlike now, where they could develop steadily and comfortably.

However, it probably wouldn't last much longer; having this half-year was already quite good, after all it wasn't anything particularly high-end. Wang Yan planned to completely release the formula by the beginning of next year.

This half-year was sufficient for the company to blossom throughout the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region; even if others cracked the seasoning formula, their expansion would be gradual, impossible to snatch all the business at once. So, there was still plenty of time.

By then, the movie would be released, and the advertisement would be out; although the film might not be a massive blockbuster, relying on its novel and interesting subject matter, it would still achieve considerable reach. With the boost from the movie advertisement, factories that had cracked the formula would absolutely not be able to compete with them; one could say they would already be in an invincible position.

During this period, Wang Yan also visited the film studio several times to participate in post-production; after all, he was the director, so he had the final say on interpretations. Matters that could not be determined during the process were accumulated to a certain extent before being brought to him for resolution...

It was also during this period that Guo Zongbao's wife and child arrived in Jingcheng; Guo Zongbao took them to the hospital for check-ups, and the results were good, indicating that a cochlear implant could be installed. Thus, Guo Zongbao used up his family savings, and the company lent him another few tens of thousands of yuan, allowing his wife to undergo the surgery and regain her hearing.

At the same time, he did not send his wife and child back to their hometown; instead, he asked Wang Yan for help in solving his child's schooling problem. They found a dormitory within the factory to settle down, and his wife joined the production line as well; the couple worked together to repay the debt, truly diligent and conscientious.

The child was arranged to attend a fairly good school, with the factory's delivery driver picking them up and dropping them off on the way; everything was arranged quite properly. Guo Zongbao was happier than ever; he worked every day with a smile, his body filled with inexhaustible strength, and his output was even higher than before.

Influenced by this, others who had families and children also wanted to bring their wives and kids over, hoping to be like Guo Zongbao. After all, they were all earning several thousand a month, making in one month what others made in a year; bringing their wives and children here was no problem, especially since the wives could also work in the factory, earning another few thousand a month—it was simply like picking up money.

Even though they knew this money wouldn't last forever, they would at least have a foundation and savings; settling down in Jingcheng should not be a big issue, and Wang Yan even helped them solve their children's schooling problems—how wonderful that was.

Thus, the seasoning production team expanded somewhat again; the female comrades were all quite capable, with no trace of delicacy. Or rather, even if they were delicate, under a salary of several thousand a month, all traces of it completely vanished...

After the film's post-production was completed, Wang Yan invited Han Sanping, Liu Qiangdong, the main cast, and the entire 'Winter Goes, Spring Comes' group to watch the full two-hour film together in the screening room of the film studio.

As the credits rolled on the screen, warm summer scenes of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region appeared, showcasing the current state of development, while the music played was 'On the Field of Hope'.

Our hometown~

"Good!"

Han Sanping led the applause, and the others enthusiastically clapped and cheered, fully expressing their recognition of Director Wang Yan's abilities and their wonderful wishes for the film's profitability.

As for the student actors like Xin Baiqing, needless to say, their feelings had shifted from wanting to die when they first learned the director was a lamb skewer vendor, to gaining recognition during the filming process, and now to beautiful expectations upon seeing the finished product. They were already thinking that after this film's release, they would be proper actors with representative works, having officially stepped onto the path of performing arts.

The 'Winter Goes, Spring Comes' group simply marveled at how awesome Wang Yan was, while also watching their own performances in the drama: for instance, Cao Ye watched the background painting with tears welling in his eyes; Tao Liangliang listened to his saxophone playing with great excitement; Little Northeast saw his cameo and felt fresh novelty, and so on.

Guo Zongbao watched with his wife and child, feeling utterly delighted; he finally had a presentable movie, allowing his wife and child to see him on the screen. It was no longer like before, when his child asked him what he had acted in, and he was left speechless.

Liu Qiangdong was also quite happy; he didn't understand movies, but watching it himself, he felt it was good and believed it should make money. Especially seeing the product placement scenes inside, he felt the seasoning would surely become even more popular; the two hundred thousand was not wasted, and it simultaneously proved his big brother's directing ability.

Shen Ranran, the female lead, also had tears welling in her eyes; she looked beautiful in the movie, and this was her highest level of acting performance to date. She thought of the many hardships she had faced after coming to Jingcheng, and of Wang Yan's help; what could be more heart-moving than someone making a movie specifically for her?

Shen Ranran knew Wang Yan wasn't doing it entirely for her, but since she was part of the reason, she chose to pretend it was all because of her...

At this moment, Zhuang Zhuang's eyes were also misty with tears, because all the songs in this movie were sung by her. She still could not forget Wang Yan accompanying her when she first stepped into the recording studio, and that he had even sung a song specially written by him. She now had a work of her own and could also be called a singer.

One movie, and everyone had gained something; truly, everyone was happy.

Han Sanping laughed loudly, patting Wang Yan on the shoulder: "You really gave me a surprise, hahaha..."

"Factory Director Han, haven't I given you surprises before?"

"Before, there was no finished film after all." Han Sanping's smile grew even wider, "When filming started, I told you that if you achieved sixty or seventy percent of expectations, you could make a profit. Now, seeing the finished product, it's not just sixty or seventy percent? It's simply one hundred and ten or twenty percent!"

"The dialogue is concise and humorous, neither long-winded nor boring; the topics explored are profound, yet all kept within bounds, with no excessive content, and expressed in a very accessible way, lowering the threshold. The performances of these new actors are also unexpected; I think they are better than many who have acted for years, full of spirit and very authentic; this is all due to your excellent guidance..."

"This movie can make money, and it can even make dollars. We originally planned to release it in December, but now I feel we might even win an award; with an award, it will sell well. Let's wait a bit longer; the Berlin Film Festival is in February next year; let's register and see our luck. If we really win an award, the money earned overseas will be more than what is earned domestically; what do you think?"

"Originally, I thought that since others would crack our seasoning formula, we could just use the movie to run some advertisements. But since Factory Director Han says so, let's wait a bit longer; it's just another three or four months either way. If we really win an award, we can place advertisements in newspapers upon our return, and we could earn quite a bit more domestically."

Since Han Sanping said so, how could Wang Yan disagree? He just needed to state the situation as it was. After all, participating in exhibitions abroad was not actually mandatory for him; what he had always demonstrated was merely recovering costs and making some profit.

Han Sanping naturally understood Wang Yan's words: "I've also heard that some people have started selling seasoning under your name, at prices much cheaper than yours, claiming the taste is quite similar."

This was not something he needed to concern himself with, but only because of Wang Yan did he pay attention to it frequently.

After a moment's thought, he said, "How about this: I'll make some calls and secure a loan for you. Expand your company, and once the film releases next year, you won't have to worry about sales."

"Thank you so much, Director Han; you are a bodhisattva who has saved my life."

"Enough with the useless talk; focus on deciding what your next project will be—that is the real issue. I can tell you clearly that I will definitely invest in your next film, and not just four hundred thousand; even one million four hundred thousand is no problem. Work hard; your future as a director is no worse than your business career. In fact, they complement each other. Need I say more? Just the advertising you embedded in this film—wouldn't others have had to pay for that?"

After offering some words of encouragement, Han Sanping departed in high spirits.

Shen Ranran, her face streaked with tears like pear blossoms drenched in rain, walked up to Wang Yan and said, "Brother Yan, thank you."

Before Wang Yan could speak, Zhuang Zhuang interjected, "Ranran, this is wonderful news; why are you crying? Are you anxious for the release? Didn't you hear Director Han say that releasing after the festival screening is even better..."

"No, Sister Zhuang; it's just that this is my first time playing a female lead, and Brother Yan filmed me so beautifully. When I think about everything that happened before, I just feel like crying."

Wang Yan, however, broke into a smile: "The revolution is far from over. Without this film, your situation would remain unchanged, exactly as it was before."

Tao Liangliang beamed with a fawning smile: "But you're here, Brother Yan. You're a famous director now, your films are magnificent, and your relationship with Director Han is rock-solid. Arranging a role for Ranran should be a piece of cake."

Without waiting for Wang Yan to speak, Shen Ranran pushed him away: "Brother Yan doesn't owe me anything; on the contrary, I am the one who owes Brother Yan. Brother Yan, I..."

"Don't talk about owing anything; we're all family, so of course we'll find a way to help you."

Zhuang Zhuang, noticing the peach-blossom eyes with which Shen Ranran gazed at Wang Yan, stepped forward and took Shen Ranran's arm: "Alright, Ranran, stop crying. Brother Yan, didn't you say we were going to celebrate?"

Wang Yan nodded with a smile, raised his arms in a cheer, and led everyone off to eat and drink...

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