Chapter 254: Femme Fatale, Nomination, Three-Person Games

After the banquet ended, Fan Bingbing issued an invitation to Wei Jin for an artistic exchange.

Thinking of Fan Bingbing's allure, Wei Jin suddenly felt a bit feverish; it had indeed been a while since he had "flipped the tablet" of this femme fatale.

Driving all the way to the Golden House, the moment she changed her shoes, Fan Bingbing pounced on him; she had waited too long.

After some lingering intimacy, the two completed their collaboration.

Having received the angel investment, Fan Bingbing was very happy, a moving flush appearing on her face, but she did not forget her primary job; after a short rest, she knelt down to handle the aftermath.

In the bathroom, Wei Jin couldn't help but sigh; Fan Bingbing was truly a natural femme fatale, every frown, every smile, and every movement filled with the most primal temptation.

"What is wrong with you today?"

At this moment, Fan Bingbing leaned against Wei Jin's chest, the flush on her face not yet faded; facing the man's confusion, she gave him a sharp, sideways glance.

"How long has it been? Aren't you afraid I'll go find another man?"

The movement of Wei Jin's hand paused; what did this woman mean? Did she expect him to work for her for the rest of his life? But on second thought, Fan Bingbing was almost 29 years old; it was understandable that her needs were a bit intense.

However, understanding was one thing, but Wei Jin did not have the habit of using the same equipment as others, so the movement of his hand couldn't help but increase in intensity.

"Hmph, I'll feed you full tonight."

"Uncle, I just missed you."

Wei Jin got a layer of goosebumps; this woman really knew how to play, but this wasn't her usual style.

"Speak, what have you set your eyes on?"

"I heard the company has a big-female-lead TV series?"

Fan Bingbing put on a pitiful appearance; this was a project Wei Jin personally pushed, definitely a high-quality one. As for *Mojin: The Lost Legend*, other than the female lead, the other female roles were far too inferior.

"The female lead in this drama isn't quite suitable for you, or why don't you try the second female lead? The character is very brilliant."

Wei Jin wasn't trying to fool her; in *Zhen Huan Zhuan*, Concubine Hua was clearly more suitable for Fan Bingbing.

"Then I'll consider it..."

Fan Bingbing didn't refuse outright, but she wanted to see who exactly could make her play a supporting role.

"Uncle, then are there no other projects suitable for me?"

"Hmm, there is a low-budget suspense film, you could try that."

Wei Jin pondered for a moment and spoke; truth be told, Fan Bingbing's acting skills were qualified. It wasn't impossible to consider her for *The Piano Tuner*.

"Is it your script?"

Fan Bingbing didn't ask the silly question of whether Wei Jin was directing it; the latter's status and position destined him to never again engage in low-budget films.

"Yes, the director will be Cao Baoping. You might even be able to hitch a ride and bring back a Golden Horse Best Actress, though you'll have to wait a while."

Cao Baoping had read the script and expressed great interest, but unfortunately, he had just taken on a TV series, so it would likely be a few months before the project could start.

"Mua~~ Uncle, you are so good, leave it to me tonight."

Fan Bingbing cast a flirtatious glance and quickly lowered herself.

That night, Fan Bingbing, who had been empty for several months, got her wish and was filled to the brim. On December 18, *Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame* was released.

The cinema lines gave as many screenings as possible, but at most they gave 40%, with the remaining 20% given to *A Simple Noodle Story*, 30% to *Inception*, and the remaining 10% to other films.

Shanhe Cinema Line gave a little more, but only 50%; the schedule was simply too crowded.

On the first day of the film's release, the box office hit 28 million, and in the first three days of the weekend, the box office hit 77 million.

Seeing these figures, Xu Laoguai let out a sigh of relief; at least 200 million was absolutely no problem, and with the copyright sales added, profit was definitely guaranteed.

At the same time, the fourth-week box office for *Inception* also came out: 122 million.

The domestic box office totaled 624 million, and the global box office was a terrifying 990 million USD.

Following this trend, breaking the domestic record and reaching one billion globally was without suspense.

Han Sanping was already pondering holding a celebration banquet; China Film Group had made a huge profit this time.

However, where there is joy, there is sorrow. After the box office for *A Simple Noodle Story* reached 160 million with difficulty, it was slashed and slashed again; the daily box office could be described as a waterfall.

As the Producer, Zhang Weiping did not think it was a problem with the film itself; he once again unleashed his Dazui, starting to bombard the issue of screen allocation, and then went on a map-wide attack.

"China Film Group is the sole hegemon," "monopoly of power," "suppressing dissent," "Han Sanping is Zuoshandiao, engaging in a personality cult"... Although everyone tacitly accepted Han Sanping's nickname of Zuoshandiao, by shouting it out like this in front of the media, Zhang Weiping had thoroughly offended the head of China Film Group.

Sure enough, Han was still very petty; he backhanded an application for an Extended Key for *Inception*. As a Sino-US co-production, it had the qualifications.

"Han Dong, you are too ruthless; Zhang Weiping is probably going to hate you to death, haha."

On the phone, Wei Jin said with a hint of teasing; although the reputation of *A Simple Noodle Story* had already collapsed, if the screen allocation were higher, there would still be a chance to get more box office. Han Dong's move was cutting off someone's path to wealth.

"Hmph, didn't he say I was Zuoshandiao? I am just showing him what Zuoshandiao's style of doing things is like, to help him remember."

Han Sanping was no pushover; Zhang Weiping had kept Zhang Yimou too tightly under wraps all these years, eating alone on every project, so it was hard for China Film Group not to target him.

"By the way, do you think *Inception* should have a celebration banquet?"

"Han Dong, the main creative team isn't here, what kind of celebration banquet are we having? Let's just make money quietly."

Wei Jin complained; Han Sanping was just fond of grandiosity and loved to engage in political achievement projects. Regardless, *Inception* was an English-language film; holding a big celebration banquet wouldn't look good on the surface, and besides, other companies hadn't enjoyed the dividends, so there was no need to make others jealous.

"Alright then, just send Yifei a red envelope when the time comes, haha."

Time entered late December, and the Golden Globe Awards nominations were announced. *The Hunt* received a total of four nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor.

The news spread back to the country, causing a stir. The media began to predict how many awards Wei Jin would win for this English-language film. The issue of censorship once again became a hot topic; such an excellent film was forced to be adapted into a foreign-language film because of censorship, which was simply intolerable. A large number of netizens and media pointed their fingers at those old stubborn people.

Quite a few directors also stood up this time, and Ning Hao was among them; he had not forgotten about the *No Man's Land* incident.

Seeing that the matter had signs of intensifying, the Department Head of the censorship group and Director Tong of the Film Bureau specifically called Wei Jin, hoping he could come forward to explain.

He still had to give face to Director Tong; after all, they had already reached a reconciliation, and for nearly a year, they hadn't targeted him again. Bringing this matter up now would be a bit beneath him, and besides, it was impossible to topple this group of people through such an incident.

After pondering for a while, Wei Jin posted a Weibo.

"Thank you all for your concern for *The Hunt*. Whether it wins an award or not, the honor belongs to Huaxia. It has nothing to do with whether it is a Chinese-language film or an English-language film. Please be rational."

Although the person involved had made a statement, public opinion was still somewhat turbulent; Wei Jin was a bit caught off guard.

Perhaps there was an arrangement in the dark; Zhang Ziyi relieved Wei Jin of the pressure, as the "Ink Splashing Incident" instantly shifted the public's attention away.

Even though Zhang Ziyi was on the set of *The Grandmaster*, she could not fend off the gossip-hungry media.

They kept pestering her about why she was dumped, questioning if she had lost all her Hollywood resources and was forced to return home in disgrace, and of course, most of it was about the Ink Splashing Incident.

It infuriated Wong Kar-wai so much that he lost his temper and refused to let the media visit the set.

At the end of December, the fifth-week box office figures for *Inception* were released: 68 million.

The domestic box office reached a cumulative 692 million, officially breaking the record set by *The Martian* and topping the national box office chart; however, global box office figures were hit by the sniper fire of *Avatar*, dropping significantly to close at 1.033 billion USD.

With this, apart from the domestic market, *Inception* entered a routine disposal phase globally, with theaters retaining only the minimum number of screenings, and the media began reporting frantically: "*Inception* breaks domestic film box office record, reaching new heights!"

"The Huaxia film market, the 700 million era is coming!" "Nolan, another great achievement, *Inception* global box office exceeds 1 billion USD!"

Although his record had been broken, Wei Jin was not discouraged; *Avatar* had already been released, and it was only a matter of time before the record changed hands.

Domestically, the Extended Key for *Inception* had been approved, and the film would enjoy the New Year's bonus for one last week before being pulled from theaters.

In its second week of release, *Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame* grossed 108 million, with a cumulative domestic box office of 185 million.

This result was much better than Wei Jin had anticipated; after all, it had overlapped with the *Inception* schedule for over ten days, so having these results was already quite good.

Withdrawing his thoughts from the film market, Wei Jin was pondering whose "brand" to flip tonight when a knock sounded at his office door.

"Come in."

"Boss Wei, *Peacock Feather* has wrapped up."

Jiang Xuerou pushed the door open and entered, speaking directly to report.

"Mm, then proceed with post-production. You can use the video website channels later; just make sure to retain the copyright."

Wei Jin was not too optimistic about this drama, but he had to give Zhouyi some face, and it would also help win Jiang Xuerou's heart.

"Alright, but..."

Hearing this, Wei Jin looked up; Jiang Xuerou seemed to be hesitating.

"What is it? Is there something else?"

"Boss Wei, can the group spare some work for the signed artists of Zhouyi?"

Jiang Xuerou asked, seemingly after a fierce internal struggle.

"Director Jiang, if it were the Zhouyi Three Treasures, I could give them a behind-the-scenes role, and I could consider them for group projects at my discretion, but the current ones really have no value for cultivation."

The Zhouyi Three Treasures referred to Zhang Jing, Yu Bo, and Yang Junyi; all three had genuine Kung Fu skills, so it would be no problem for them to work as martial arts directors at Shanhe Media or play some roles.

But Zhang Jing had already terminated his contract, Yu Bo was flirting with the Hong Kong Circle, and Yang Junyi was planning to retire from the industry entirely; Zhouyi no longer had any artists worth showing off.

"Instead of letting them continue to follow you, it's better to let go. Those who are truly suited for this line of work will eventually become popular."

Wei Jin's words were very realistic, and the meaning was very clear: those people would not be getting contract renewals.

Zhouyi's development to this day had a lot to do with the uneven distribution of artist resources; forcing those who couldn't become popular was the inevitable outcome. In this regard, Tangren was much better, at least they had a Hu Ge to show off.

"Boss Wei, there is a new actress in *Peacock Feather* who is quite good."

Seeing that it was impossible, Jiang Xuerou began recommending a newcomer; she did not believe her own judgment was truly that poor.

"Fine, if you insist, Starry Sky Culture is about to start signing externally, you might as well let her try out."

"Alright, Boss Wei. Also, *The Myth* is about to start airing."

Jiang Xuerou was new to the job and still had some trouble distinguishing what was important, but Wei Jin did not mind.

"Mm, just keep an eye on the ratings and report back later."

Chen Zhiming had already reported the specific details of this drama while in North America.

It was acquired by CCTV at a price of 1 million per episode; strictly speaking, this price was a bit low, but to maintain a good relationship between the two parties, Shanhe Media was willing to concede some benefits.

It was just that Wei Jin hadn't expected CCTV to hold onto it for so long before releasing it; it seemed they intended to use it as their opening drama for the coming year.

The total investment for this drama was 40 million for 50 episodes. CCTV had already made a profit of 10 million in the first round alone. With subsequent second and third rounds plus online copyrights, the entire drama would bring in at least 60 million in profit, and with Shanhe Media's 60% stake, it was a decent profit.

However, hearing the news about *The Myth* reminded Wei Jin of Xiaobai; the look of Princess Yu Shu was quite alluring.

But since they were both assistants, he couldn't favor one over the other, so Wei Jin planned to call Liu Yan and have a friendly match tonight.

In the Yanjiao Villa, a match came to an end.

Wei Jin held the two beauties, one large and one small, in his arms, his expression lingering on the experience.

Whether it was Bai Bin or Liu Yan, they would not refuse any of his requests. In front of the two women, Wei Jin could expose his quirks without reservation; being with them was truly relaxing.

However, Wei Jin also knew that he had very little time to spend with them, perhaps only a few times a year, so he naturally had to seize the opportunity.

Wei Jin's hands were already becoming restless, and Liu Yan and Bai Bin were cooperating with exceptional enjoyment.

"Xiaobai, *Zhen Huan Zhuan* is about to start, go find Director Jiang and get a role."

Wei Jin was not acting on a whim; Bai Bin's period costume look was indeed stunning, and after *Scarlet Heart*, he hadn't given her any high-quality resources, so he felt he should compensate her.

"Mm, I know, Boss."

Having just been nourished, Bai Bin still had a flush on her face. Hearing this, she revealed a sweet smile; the boss still had her in his heart, it was just that the time they could spend together was too little.

Thinking of this, Bai Bin took the initiative to lean down and began doing some oral arithmetic.

"Liu Yan, the same goes for you. If you're interested, don't worry about anything."

Liu Yan's talent was something Wei Jin could never resist, and every time they met, he had to love her fiercely.

Although he couldn't give her a title, Wei Jin would not treat her poorly in other respects.

"I don't need to, Boss."

Liu Yan adjusted her posture to make the boss more comfortable; she was clear-headed and knew she was already very lucky.

In terms of status, as the lead host of Shanhe Media, she was respected in the circle.

In terms of resources, for a hit variety show like *Keep Running*, Wei Jin had given her the position of a main guest without a second thought.

In terms of wealth, although Wei Jin hadn't given her much cash over the years, the several properties under her name alone were worth tens of millions, not counting the money she had made investing with Wei Jin.

So, with Wei Jin doing this much, Liu Yan had no extra thoughts; she felt that things were just fine as they were. In a few years, she could act spoiled to the man and have a child, and her life would be complete.

Thinking of this, Liu Yan pressed tightly against the man and said in a coquettish voice:

"Boss, please don't go easy on me tonight."

Xiaobai, beneath him, heard this and also raised her head to say: "Boss, same for me. Neither Sister Liu Yan nor I have any plans for tomorrow."

Seeing his Assistants so eager to improve, what could Wei Jin do? He had no choice but to keep them company all night. This time, Zhang Weiping was very firm and didn't give Zuoshandiao a chance to mock him; he even gave up the New Year holiday, and before the one-month theatrical run was finished, A Simple Noodle Story was pulled from theaters directly.

This film would, in all likelihood, become a major stain on Zhang Yimou's film career.

It broke 100 million in box office in 4 days, but by the time it was pulled, the box office was only 186 million.

Compared to the production cost of 28 million, the film was undoubtedly a massive profit, but it came at the cost of his reputation.

With this, the first contestant eliminated from the New Year Slot had appeared; The Treasure Hunter and Storm Riders 2 didn't count, as both were just cannon fodder that couldn't even make it onto the playing field.

The former wanted to rely on Zhou Dong's drawing power to turn things around, but unfortunately, the opponents were too strong; it had been showing for over 20 days, yet the box office was under 40 million, though it was said the Taiwan market box office was not bad.

The latter wanted to play the nostalgia card, but while the performances of the two heavenly kings were fine, the plot had too many fatal flaws; the "Brother Feng, Brother Yun" lines contributed by A Sa and Tang Yan alone made the audience roast it directly—this is what you call a female lead? Are they repeaters?

However, to be fair, the special effects in this film were actually quite good; at least they didn't scam the audience, as the money was truly spent.

It was a pity that with a production cost of over 100 million, the box office was only a little over 30 million so far; Emperor and Orange Sky had taken a massive tumble, and Wei Jin reckoned that Boss Yang was probably going to have an unstable Dao heart. Second update today (End of this chapter)