Chapter 130: Panting on the Phone

Chen Bicheng and Pan Chengrong stayed in Jingcheng for a total of four days.

They were surprised that Chen Nuo had disappeared for several months, saying he went to suffer, only to find he had gained so much weight, but they were also relieved.

Given Chen Nuo's current situation, naturally, he couldn't go anywhere, so the family of three basically spent these few days chatting in the hotel.

Chatting about the world, chatting about houses.

Chen Bicheng had been to Tomson Riviera to see it, and he had taken a fancy to a top-floor fully furnished duplex in Building A.

The first floor is equipped with a terrace, living room, dining room, kitchen, media room, independent suite, and nanny room, while the second floor has a living room, study, wine cellar, master suite, and guest suite.

Adding it up, it's almost 1,000 square meters, with an asking price of 150 million, which comes out to 150,000 per square meter.

In China at this time, it's simply ridiculously expensive.

But Old Chen went to see it in person and expressed that he couldn't put it down.

The 270-degree luxurious river view at the corner of the Huangpu River and the forest of high-rises by the river quickly conquered the coal boss from Long'an—oh no, now it's the developer bumpkin.

Chen Bicheng said it looked better than the river at home.

Although Chen Nuo felt it was nonsense—when the water rises in the summer, aren't they clearly about the same?

However, what's most valuable about this house isn't just the 270-degree river view from the top floor, but the interior design.

"Mr. Tomson said it himself: from design to renovation, from flooring to furniture, all the decoration in this house is handled by Versace Home." During the chat, Chen Bicheng actually had a bit of culture, saying the English "Versace" and not "Fan Si Zhe."

Pan Chengrong also seemed to like it very much: "Chen Nuo, if you have time, go take a look; it really is beautiful, it looks better than the one at home in Long'an."

Chen Nuo agreed while eating grapes: "Mm."

Chen Bicheng sighed, deeply feeling that the money he had earned in half a lifetime was worth nothing on the Shanghai Bund: "It's a pity, not enough money. Can only wait and see. But this money can't stay in my account anymore; I transferred it to you a few days ago, have you checked? Received it, right?"

"Checked, the receipt is in my pocket, do you want to see it?"

"No need to see. Just keep the money with you for now, see if I can get some money from somewhere this year to go buy the house."

This seemed to be the first time Chen Nuo had seen Chen Bicheng so obsessed with an object.

It seems that after filming *The Dark Knight*, he really needs to go out and earn money.

Having relied on Old Chen to eat, drink, and play for so many years in his previous life, he strives to pay it back in this life.

The family of three was eating, drinking, and chatting, which was actually quite nice.

Until the third day, which was also the day before they returned to Sichuan.

Pan Chengrong angrily threw a newspaper in front of Chen Nuo and said: "Explain, what is your relationship with this Fan Fan Binbing?"

Chen Nuo looked up and saw a huge headline on the entertainment section of the *Jingcheng Daily*: "Is it an audition or a secret date? Chen Nuo secretly meets Fan Fan Binbing."

So much so that before boarding the plane back to Sichuan, Pan Chengrong was still urging Chen Nuo to calm these rumors down as soon as possible, so as not to let Little Wen see them and get hurt.

"How much ecstasy soup did Angelababy pour into my mom? Why is she so protective of her?" Chen Nuo was truly a bit puzzled.

Qi Yuntian laughed: "Just don't worry about your official girlfriend's business. You'd better think about how to handle your scandal. This matter, eight out of ten, is someone playing tricks behind your back; what do you want to do?"

Chen Nuo said: "Who do you think it is? Is it Huayi, is it Fan Fan Binbing, or Huayi and Fan Fan Binbing, or Huayi's rival?"

Qi Yuntian hesitated: "Fan Fan Binbing is impossible, right? It could be Huayi, or it could be someone else."

Chen Nuo thought for a while and said: "I think it's Huayi."

Neither of them said whether it was the media stirring it up themselves.

Because almost simultaneously, several media outlets online suddenly broke the news that when Fan Fan Binbing went to audition for the female lead in Director Zhang Yi's new film, Chen Nuo had secretly plotted with her in the tea room for a long time, not knowing what they had done.

When they came out, Fan Fan Binbing's face was flushed, suspected of being aroused. Chen Nuo's expression was satisfied, suspected of having done something.

Described so realistically, it was as if they were on the scene; you say there's no one pushing this behind the scenes—who would believe that?

On the day the scandal broke, Zhang Yi called, saying the mole had been found; it was exactly that beauty with long legs and black silk stockings who had been pouring tea for them.

The beauty was fired on the spot, and Zhang Yi even held a press conference the next day to clarify and started spending money to suppress the news.

But it was of no use.

Because Chen Nuo's Yang Guo had truly achieved fame, but his news was truly scarce.

Four months, and this was the only time he had shown his face.

The paparazzi who followed him that day had to take photos and publish articles even about such a boring thing as him meeting Zhang Yi. You can imagine how much heat there would be if he suddenly had such a tantalizing erotic affair.

Listening to Zhang Yi's tone of extreme guilt on the phone, Chen Nuo comforted him a few times in turn. Told him to forget it and save the money.

It's just a scandal; who in the entertainment industry hasn't had a scandal? Chen Nuo didn't take it to heart either.

But Pan Chengrong took it to heart, so he could only take it to heart a little too.

Qi Yun said: "If it's Huayi, them playing this hand, I don't quite understand. Because this matter doesn't hurt you much; it can only be said to be disgusting. And Fan Fan Binbing didn't get anything good out of it either; now she's being scolded so badly online, I can't even bear to look."

Speaking of this, Chen Nuo was also a bit puzzled.

Indeed, in this matter, Fan Fan Binbing truly didn't gain any advantage.

The comments Chen Nuo saw online targeting him were mostly: "Nuo Nuo, I beg you with blood, don't be deceived by that fox spirit Fan Fan Binbing."

"That woman Fan Fan Binbing is so much older than you; if you want to date, find someone of a suitable age, moms will support you."

"Finding Fan Fan Binbing is worse than finding a dog. Nuo, I like you because of *The Return of the Condor Heroes*; isn't Liu Yifei good? Why find an old woman like Fan Fan Binbing?"

"Everyone stop talking about Chen Nuo; he must have been seduced by that slut Fan Fan Binbing."

"Sisters who like Chen Nuo, don't be fooled, it's absolutely a rumor; how could Chen Nuo take a fancy to that kind of woman!"

And the comments Fan Fan Binbing received online were mostly: "Bitch, get out of the entertainment industry immediately."

"Slut, your whole family #!! $@#$%$@"

"Look in the mirror, you old woman still want to hook up with our Chen Nuo? Ask all the 'Nuo Mi' if they agree?"

"Cheap slave, played-out #%￥@￥！#￥！"

"Shameless fox spirit, you @#￥@￥"

In short, more than half of the comments had to be censored, otherwise they couldn't be posted.

It was naked cyberbullying.

Chen Nuo thought about it and could only say: "Maybe Huayi and Fan Fan Binbing have some conflict."

Qi Yuntian said: "No matter what conflict they have, how do you think we should handle it now? I'll say first, my opinion is cold treatment. Let them stir it up however they want; in short, ignore it. Anyway, it doesn't have much to do with you; the public opinion is attacking her now."

"Okay?"

Handling it this way didn't actually make Chen Nuo feel good. It also didn't meet Pan Chengrong's requirements.

However, at this juncture, he didn't have any good methods either. After all, he was about to go to Cannes and then go to film; if he really wanted to do something, he could only do it after filming.

On May 13th, Chen Nuo and Qi Yuntian booked a flight after 7:00 PM, departing from Jingcheng and flying to Cannes, France, that small southern coastal town with only 30,000 people. It's about 13 hours from Jingcheng; sleep on the plane and you'll arrive the next morning.

Angelababy and Xia Yehe's departure times were both a day later than his, departing from Shanghai and Hong Kong respectively, arriving almost at the same time to facilitate his airport pickup.

Chen Nuo also showed off a little this time; he bought first-class tickets for the two women, letting Angelababy and Xia Yehe rest well on the way.

As for what they did after resting well, who knows.

But Chen Nuo was quite proud of this.

Qi Yuntian was also speechless about this: "Calculate how much net worth you have? It's just first class; is it worth it?"

Chen Nuo really wanted to say: buying first class for my girlfriend while I sit in business class—something even Kris Wu couldn't do, I did it; why can't I be proud?

He and Qi Yuntian were in a good mood before boarding the plane, but once they boarded and sat down, Chen Nuo and Qi Yuntian's mood wasn't so good.

Because they saw Fan Fan Binbing, and she was sitting in first class, walking past them from not far away with a fragrant breeze to the other end.

The two thought Fan Fan Binbing hadn't seen them, but before the plane took off, Fan Fan Binbing walked over and said politely: "Mr. Qi, can we swap seats?"

The key is that there weren't only the three of them in business class.

Although it wasn't as crowded as economy class, it was about the same as the first-class seats on high-speed trains in the future, and there were many eyes.

Fan Fan Binbing's temperament and appearance were really obvious in the eyes of others.

Originally, he and Qi Yuntian were sitting in the corner of the front row, sunglasses and hats worn tightly, and Qi Yuntian was also blocking him quite well.

But as soon as she walked over, Chen Nuo already heard the discussion beside him.

"Who is this woman, she looks so temperamental."

"Just don't know what she looks like under the sunglasses."

"She seems to have come from first class?"

"Could she be some star?"

It can only be said that it's fortunate Fan Fan Binbing's fame isn't as great as it would be ten years later. But she couldn't be allowed to stand here anymore, otherwise, it would definitely be over.

Chatting is fine too.

Anyway, the Joker quite likes listening to people talk about some human ugliness. Chen Nuo nodded.

Qi Yuntian was happy instantly.

Yes, free cabin upgrades—who wouldn't be happy?

Qi Yuntian went to first class happily, and Fan Fan Binbing sat down next to Chen Nuo.

Not long after, the plane started taxiing.

At this moment, Fan Fan Binbing finally made a move; she turned her whole body over and said very softly: "Chen Nuo, the news these past two days wasn't stirred up by me."

Chen Nuo said: "Then who stirred it up?"

Fan Fan Binbing was dressed much more gorgeously today than the day of the audition, in a Chanel spring suit, elegant and noble, with a pair of slender jade legs in black silk stockings under the skirt. A pair of large sunglasses was worn on her face, revealing only her bright red lips and pointed lower face.

She had actually thought about it before coming.

In the matter of stirring up rumors with Chen Nuo, she was both a victim and, in fact, a beneficiary.

She knew it was Wang Zonglei's trick.

However, things had reached this point, and she was helpless.

She didn't want to take the blame, but she couldn't tear her face with Wang Zonglei either.

After all, in her current situation as a street rat, if she didn't have Huayi's support, she didn't know how long it would take to calm this storm.

Her plan was to come and explain, just to remove herself, and not say too much. Anyway, as long as she acted a bit pitiful, the other party shouldn't hold it against her.

Weren't the men she met all like this?

Fan Fan Binbing said softly: "I don't know. Today is the same; it's not that I wanted to buy the same flight as you, it's that the company told me to go to Cannes to walk the red carpet and avoid the limelight by the way. It was only after I got on the plane that I discovered you were there too. Don't misunderstand, this is all someone deliberately designing us."

"Who is this person?"

Fan Fan Binbing bit her lip, putting on a pitiful appearance, "I'm still investigating this..."

Chen Nuo revealed a mocking smile and said: "Investigating what?"

Looking at the curve of the other party's mouth, Fan Fan Binbing suddenly felt a bit panicked and said: "Investigating who is messing with us."

The plane left the ground at this moment and started flying toward the sky.

"What's there to investigate? Isn't it just Wang Zonglei or Wang Zhongjun?" Chen Nuo said indifferently.

Fan Fan Binbing was shocked and subconsciously denied: "No, it's not..."

"Not what not." Chen Nuo lowered his chin slightly, revealing a pair of eyes from the upper edge of his sunglasses, "I don't have time to joke with you. Either you tell the truth, or you go swap your seat back. Giving you one last chance."

It wasn't the look of a man looking at a woman.

Fan Fan Binbing felt that it was the eyes of a prairie wolf that had been hungry for a long time, seeing an elk, full of an unreasonable aggressiveness.

She stared at the man blankly for a while,

And for some reason, the energy in her heart suddenly leaked out, and she said a bit exhaustedly: "It's Wang Zonglei. This time it was Wang Zonglei who caused the matter. He has always wanted to sleep with me, but I'm not willing. So he wanted to use your matter to continue to make my reputation stink."

"Why aren't you willing."

Fan Fan Binbing said: "Because I think he doesn't look like a man, only knowing how to play some tricks behind the scenes, worse than a woman. If he were a bit bolder and said it directly, I might have agreed. But he doesn't dare."

Speaking of this, she became somewhat self-abandoning.

Like an elk lying down in front of a lion, exposing its soft chest and abdomen, she poured out all the words she had been holding in her heart for the past two years.

"When Sister Jinghua left, they said they wanted to promote me to be the top sister of Huayi, but last year they signed Zhou Xun and Lin Xinru, and kept letting Li Bingbing go against me."

"They gave Zhou Xun *If You Are the One*. The role in *A World Without Thieves* was originally mine, but it was given to Li Bingbing."

"Li Bingbing's sister, Li Xue, is now the deputy manager of the artist management department, and this year she got *The Knot* for her; I still have nothing."

"It was said that I would be the female lead for *A Battle of Wits* with Andy Lau in Hong Kong, but the contract hasn't been signed until now. I know how to get it signed. Either I go sleep with Wang Zhongjun now, or I renew the contract."

"Now, Wang Zonglei stirring up rumors about me and you is just to make me completely unable to leave Huayi."

"If I hadn't been unable to afford the breach of contract fee, I would have left when they signed Lin Xinru last year. Weren't the public opinions all saying at the time: the princess has arrived, the maid can only stand aside."

Fan Fan Binbing suddenly glanced at Chen Nuo and said: "That day during the audition, I felt I had already acted well enough; why did Gao Yuanyuan win in the end? I really don't understand. If I could have secured that role, everything would definitely be different."

The plane started to climb continuously and finally stabilized.

Fan Fan Binbing saw the corners of Chen Nuo's mouth curling up to both sides, revealing a strange smile.

She felt this smile was a bit scary and shrank back into the backrest.

"Do you want to leave Huayi?"

Fan Fan Binbing froze and smiled bitterly: "I want to, actually my contract with them expires next year, but, if I leave Huayi, where can I go? Besides Huayi, who dares to sign me? Who dares to guarantee I have work?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the other party say indifferently: "I'll sign you."

Fan Fan Binbing froze, a bit unable to believe her ears: "What did you say?"

"You didn't hear wrong."

"You want to sign me?"

"Mm."

"Not..." Fan Fan Binbing was both angry and amused, feeling the other party was saying something fantastical, "How is that possible..."

"There's nothing impossible, and no need to wait until next year. How much is your breach of contract fee?"

Fan Fan Binbing was completely frozen this time. "What do you mean, are you serious?"

"I said, I don't have time to joke with you. Asking you, how much."

Fan Fan Binbing, although still not believing it, answered subconsciously while looking at the other party's gaze: "20 million. It was originally 10 million, but after Sister Jinghua left, they signed a supplementary agreement with me... If it weren't for this money being too much, I would have long since..."

"20 million, right? I'll help you pay it. Just sign a long-term contract with me. How is your profit sharing with Huayi?"

Fan Fan Binbing's brain was a mess; she felt the other party was joking, but listening to that overbearing tone, it didn't seem like it, so she answered subconsciously: "For filming, it's 5-5, others are 4-6."

"For filming, I'll give you 4-6, and for all other advertising endorsements and commercial appearances, it's 3-7. The sky is high for birds to fly, the sea is wide for fish to leap; use all the ability you have."

Fan Fan Binbing finally came back to her senses at this time and said in disbelief: "Chen Nuo, are you serious or joking? This is 20 million!? You... you wouldn't be playing with me, would you?"

Chen Nuo finally smiled at this time and said: "Do you think you're fun to play with?"

Fan Fan Binbing took off her sunglasses instantly.

Also, the plane had already started to glide steadily, night had fallen, and it was still early for dinner; except for the flight attendants walking by occasionally, no one would notice their small corner.

She widened her fox-like eyes and asked: "What are you after?"

Chen Nuo also took off his sunglasses and smiled: "What do you think?"

I'll explain the estimation method for Fan Fan Binbing's 20 million breach of contract fee.

I checked, Huayi Brothers' earliest listed financial report was 2006, and its net profit was 24 million. I estimate 2004 and 2005 were not far off, perhaps slightly lower.

I calculated based on 20 million.

Before it went public, because it was the first stock in film and television, there was no industry P/E ratio to refer to; after going public, it was 67 times. But that was stirred up; the brokerage firm gave it a P/E ratio of around 30 times.

But I personally feel that brokerage firms also have water.

The valuation given by capital before might have only been 20 times.

So I determined that the 100% equity market value before going public was 400 million.

Wang Jinghua left Huayi and took away so many artists without paying a breach of contract fee because she gave up her 50% stake in Huayi Brothers.

That is 200 million.

In other words, the breach of contract fees for the more than twenty artists under her added up to 200 million. Many of them were bigger stars than Fan Fan Binbing. So I think Fan Fan Binbing's initial breach of contract fee might have been the middle-to-high value, 10 million.

Later, Huayi signed a supplementary agreement to increase it to 20 million, which should be reasonable.

Fan Fan Binbing's performance income in 2005 was 15 million, which is also documented.

The opening price of Jiangcheng Riviera and that 20 million Versace renovation are also true.

That's all.

In short, I tried my best to make it reasonable.

If you feel I'm kidding, hehe, just treat it as watching a monkey show.

Suggest reading two chapters together.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 131 =====