Chapter 192: Not Suitable for Marriage

This year is destined to be a year of conflict, but Fang Hong's resources aren't strong enough to crush it with overwhelming advantage.

The entertainment industry is like this—always competing, always has been, always will be.

But these competitions, these behind-the-scenes deals, ordinary people never see.

Yutu has a twenty-million-yuan annual budget for Propaganda Department use—this money funds star packaging, marketing, and company image maintenance, something outsiders don't know.

This money is necessary; every popular star has marketing expenses, Liu Tianxian included, it's just a matter of how much.

Regardless, in a war of attrition, the advantage is ours! "General Manager Fang, hello."

Chen Sicheng knocked and entered.

He originally came to meet Chen Zhixi, but Chen Zhixi went to Shanghai, so the matter fell to Fang Hong.

"Chen Zhixi has already briefed me on your matter. Don't worry—follow the contract." Fang Hong gestured for him to sit, showing great courtesy.

He is very courteous to anyone who can make him money.

"Good!"

Chen Sicheng relaxed.

This was only the second time he'd met the Principal; the first was at the premiere of The Big Man, but they hadn't spoken then.

He'd only watched from afar—this time, up close, he added: "There's another matter—I want to adapt this TV series into a film."

"Sure. Whatever you need, just say it—Yutu will fully support you." Fang Hong was very straightforward.

"Thank you, General Manager Fang."

This made Chen Sicheng feel slightly embarrassed!

Before coming, he thought the Principal was hard to deal with—that's what people in the circle said.

Now looking again, the man clearly had guts.

Fang Hong stood up, walked around his desk, and leaned against the desk beside him: "Have you started writing? When do you plan to shoot?"

"Not yet. It'll take a few months, and with pre-production, probably next year." Chen Sicheng looked up slightly at him.

"Take your time."

Fang Hong patted his shoulder and chatted: "Last time I noticed a girl came with you—she your girlfriend?"

He meant Yaya, from the last premiere of The Big Man.

He hadn't actually seen her—but that didn't stop him from making small talk to build rapport; Chen Sicheng was one of the rising young directors.

This guy had ability; later, Wang Baoqiang became a director partly thanks to his support.

In this circle, it's all connections, all small circles.

"Sort of," Chen Sicheng said.

"What do you mean 'sort of'? I don't understand what you're saying," Fang Hong laughed.

"How to put it."

Chen Sicheng leaned back in his chair, relaxing: "I'm just a wanderer—I'm afraid I can't give my girlfriend the one-and-only love she wants."

He just wanted to date, not be tied down.

"Then why chase her? And once you caught her, you act like this?" Fang Hong was curious.

"I chased her because I liked her, and it was sincere—but if during this process I met another woman I liked, I'd chase her too, because I'd feel drawn again." Chen Sicheng wasn't afraid to speak honestly to Fang Hong.

The fact they could discuss this proved Fang Hong held him in high regard—wanted to be friends with him.

Fang Hong smiled. Was this the speech of a player? He said: "Someone like you isn't suited for marriage."

"You could say that."

Chen Sicheng tilted his body slightly, looking relaxed: "Aren't you thinking the same thing, General Manager Fang?"

"Me? I think simply: the person I like likes me back, and we live out this life well enough." Fang Hong said.

"Simple happiness—General Manager Fang lives with clarity."

Chen Sicheng smiled faintly, then shook his head: "I can't. Facing one person for too long—I'd get bored."

"Lights off, they're all the same—why obsess? Family harmony is what matters." Fang Hong said.

Chen Sicheng nodded, said nothing—he couldn't be like the Principal, but he didn't judge either.

Everyone's experiences differ, so their views differ—he craved novelty.

Ending that topic, Fang Hong asked: "Do you have time this first half of the year?"

"I have a drama to shoot—is there something you need, General Manager Fang?" Chen Sicheng asked back.

"I have a film—a sci-fi action movie—still needs a second unit director. Interested in joining?" Fang Hong invited.

He meant The Knockout 1, the past life's The Witch.

"Sure!" Chen Sicheng nodded immediately.

He'd always wanted to direct films—this was a perfect chance; why not take it? Acting? Only if you had nothing else to do.

Who actually acts if they can truly direct? "Good. Wait until Chen Zhixi returns, then coordinate with him." Fang Hong said.

They chatted a bit longer, then parted—this was a kind of familiarity.

The behind-the-scenes team for The Witch 1 remained the original core crew; now Yutu had multiple production teams, so it didn't interfere with other filming plans.

The assistant director is Chen Sicheng and Wen Muye.

Guo Fan went to shoot Your Desk Mate—he has no time to assist Fang Hong.

The female lead is confirmed as Liu Tianxian; the villainous action actor is confirmed as Xie Miao and Li Zhuomei. Xie Miao needs no introduction—he's from a martial arts background, his fight scenes have both power and grace.

He just got married, right in the middle of supporting his family; hearing he'd act in a film, especially opposite Liu Tianxian, he accepted without hesitation.

He too had a dream of the big screen, but times changed and opportunities vanished—martial arts films have declined! As for saying Fa Ge ruined him—that's nonsense; he was small and should've studied, not squandered himself. Now he can't even read properly.

Besides, very few child stars achieve glory again as adults—they lose that childhood spark.

That Li Zhuomei is only eighteen now—the female assassin from The Knockout.

Bring her here not just because she's small and creates that contrast, but because she can fight.

National Wrestling Champion, later Hong Kong Women's MMA Champion, Asian SJJCF Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Double Champion. Basically, she can fight.

The movie's plot involves an S-class mutant—extremely strong, incredibly fast, immune to bullets—so you need someone who can really fight to play it.

Casting these two to play the ultra-tough S-class mutants is to push Liu Tianxian to her limits.

Time passed quickly, and before long it was Little New Year; Yutu Company had already begun letting staff go on leave, except those essential for duty.

The box office profits for "The Big Shot" had also been calculated, and this time the calculation method was different from before.

Even if they keep arguing over profit-sharing ratios, it won't be settled overnight.

Domestic box office: 380 million yuan, revenue: 90.06 million yuan; overseas, mainly South Korea: 120 million yuan—so the movie earned 210 million yuan in box office.

There's also video rights revenue; now that online piracy has been cracked down on, high-grossing films have demonstrated their value, so video rights fees have risen.

They sold for a total of 25 million yuan; overseas was roughly the same price.

The movie can be sold to multiple video platforms—iQIYI, Tencent Video, Youku, and other video and TV platforms.

So for this movie, Fang Hong has earned about 260 million yuan so far; additionally, "The Genius Girl" sold for 20 to 30 million yuan.

Video rights have a term limit—ranging from one to two years.

After the term ends, you must pay again; if you don't pay, it gets taken down.

Of course, this isn't exclusive rights, so Fang Hong can freely upload the film to Bilibili to enrich its content.

Currently, Bilibili has little content—mostly user-generated material or anime; this is the first time films have been added.

This makes the platform's users messy and diverse, with no clear positioning.

Who cares? Let it develop like this for now; we'll figure out proper operations and large-scale content production once we have the money.

Liu Tianxian had been away for nearly twenty days and returned to Beijing; during this time, she even took a detour to Wuhan to visit her father's family.

Liu Xiaoli doesn't stop her from interacting with her ex-husband's family.

"It's almost the New Year—why aren't you staying home to help your mom with chores? What are you doing here?"

Liu Xiaoli, wearing an apron and cleaning the house, saw Fang Hong step in through the snow and wind and couldn't help scolding him.

"I'm done with the housework, Auntie."

Fang Hong didn't mind Liu Xiaoli's tone; seeing her wipe the table, he stepped forward and took the cloth from her: "Let me help you!"

"Oh no, no need, I'll do it myself!" Liu Xiaoli pushed him away.

"I'm best at this—let me wipe it properly." Fang Hong took the cloth from her hand and started wiping the table.

He acted as if he belonged there.

Liu Xiaoli was helpless—how could this guy be so shameless?

"Auntie, you're alone—why doesn't Xiao Fei or Yifei help you?" Fang Hong almost said the pet name.

"Expect her? She comes home, lies down, then goes off to exercise." Liu Xiaoli complained.

"Exercise?" Fang Hong didn't understand.

"She says she's about to film a martial arts movie, so she's training her body and strength—upstairs on the third floor." Liu Xiaoli said.

Fang Hong understood—"The Four Great Constables" and "Lucy" are both martial arts films; no problem.

"Then you should tell her—work is secondary, household chores are primary."

"It's her own business—she decides for herself." Liu Xiaoli picked up a broom and swept the floor, speaking casually.

Liu Tianxian isn't a little girl anymore; her mother no longer interferes in many things.

Otherwise, Fang Hong wouldn't keep coming here so often—it's clearly tacitly approved by Liu Tianxian.

"Oh!"

Fang Hong wiped the table swiftly—"swish, swish"—finished in seconds: "Auntie, I'm done. Is there anything else? If not, I'm going to find Yifei."

"Wipe the windows too," Liu Xiaoli pointed.

"I'll come down and do it later—don't move yet, wait for me." Fang Hong tossed the cloth aside and ran upstairs.

Liu Xiaoli watched his back and shook her head—she'd wondered why he was suddenly so kind, helping her wipe the table.

Turns out he was just fishing for information to find out where her daughter was.

On the third floor, Fang Hong entered a room like a training hall—spacious and empty, the floor covered with soft mats.

You won't get hurt if you fall on them.

Along the walls stood various weapons—swords, spears, halberds—and modern fitness equipment.

Fang Hong saw Liu Tianxian wearing a short-sleeved top and loose shorts, her long, powerful legs visible, her hair tied in a ponytail, doing physical training.

She was drenched in sweat! Outside, snow and wind raged; inside, she burned with heat—two entirely different worlds.

(End of Chapter)