Chapter 169: The Underground Party Member who topples cities and countries

A continuous drizzle that lasted for seven days turned Hengdian into a gray world.

The cold rain delayed the upcoming summer heat wave for a while, and also cooled down Chen Nuo's overheated brain.

Although daily work continued as scheduled,

when he watched the rain silently in his hotel room, he could indeed think clearly about many things.

For example, discovering that the world doesn't seem to revolve around him.

Otherwise, near the start of filming, why does this rain show no signs of stopping?

Although most of *The Message* is indoor scenes, the opening ceremony has to be held outdoors, right?

Standing in the rain always feels a bit wrong.

In Chen Nuo's view, this God clearly has the intention of deliberately going against him.

Don't say he is superstitious; just like when *The Zhang Zhang Yaba* wrapped up. It wasn't until work was finished that the rain fell, and everyone said it was like divine help.

Sure enough, it succeeded later.

Nowadays, everyone says that at the end of June, it is the time when the rainy season ends. It is really unusual to have such a long rain.

It would be strange if Chen Nuo felt comfortable in his heart.

It was only at this time that he came to his senses a bit.

When did he start to have a hot head?

Was it when he received that copy of *People's Literature* from Qi Yifei, saw the familiar two words *The Message*, and based on his knowledge from his previous life, believed that this work would surely be a great success?

No, go further back.

Was it when he dug Fan Fan Binbing, the future money-making queen, into his command, and made Huayi, the arrogant tycoon in the industry, have to swallow the bitter fruit without being able to speak?

No, go further back.

Chen Nuo felt it should be from the time Chen Bicheng turned half of his savings into 60 million in a bank card and handed it to him.

His mentality changed.

Especially hearing Chen Bicheng say he wanted to buy a house, but the money wasn't enough, and he wanted to find a way to move some more from somewhere, scrape it together, and see if he could buy that house that he and Pan Chengrong both liked very much.

After retirement, they would move to Shanghai, look at the Huangpu River where the world's heroes emerge, and bring up their grandchildren; that would be considered a life without regrets.

Chen Nuo didn't speak at the time, but the desire for money in his heart instantly went from 1 to 100.

This is the starting point.

If it weren't for this rain that made him anxious, he would probably still be immersed in his superior feeling of being able to do anything after rebirth.

"What are you thinking about?" Qi Yuntian walked over, stood with him, and looked at the dark blue small town in the rain outside the window.

In order to save funds, in this three-star hotel, the entire *The Message* crew currently only has two people enjoying the treatment of a luxury single room.

One is Jiang Wen, and the other is Fan Fan Binbing.

As for the reason, the former naturally needs no explanation.

The latter not only has the Hundred Flowers Best Actress award.

More importantly, she can make money!

As of now, 2007 is only halfway through, and Fan Fan Binbing has already brought the company more than 10 million in after-tax income.

Not only did she earn back the breach of contract fee Chen Nuo paid for her, but there was even a surplus.

May I ask, in which team would such a super sales champion not have some special treatment?

As for the others. Chen Nuo is already in the same room as Qi Yuntian, who else has anything to say?

Including the other female lead, Liu, she also lives with the assistant assigned by the company.

At the time, she seemed to want to throw a little temper, but Chen Nuo glared, and she obediently didn't make a sound.

Mainly during the period before coming to Hengdian, Chen Nuo also made up his mind and ran to Teacher Songwen's small courtyard every day to accompany her in reading.

Not only accompanying reading, but also accompanying training!

Zhang Songwen was really so happy that he couldn't sleep for those twenty-something days.

The consequence of practicing acting with Chen Nuo was that Liu Yifei didn't mumble about wanting to go to Africa to see lions anymore.

At least when she was in front of Chen Nuo, she didn't dare to say this again.

Chen Nuo vaguely felt that he had established preliminary prestige in this woman's heart.

Otherwise, how could it work!

After leaving Liu Xiaoli's wing protection, Liu Yifei was almost going to heaven.

It looked like she couldn't wait to find back all the childhood she lost. After taking the salary the company gave her, she only knew how to play, buy, and shop all day long.

She didn't want to do any proper business, lazy to an extreme.

It was simply two extremes compared to the other artist under the company who had taken on a new look.

One is busy making money, sometimes even sleeping on the plane, and starts fishing for gold as soon as she gets off the plane. Chen Nuo regards her as the apple of his eye and wishes he could fly over to be her male pet.

What about the other one?

She jumps when poked, and doesn't know how to do anything but bask in the sun when not poked; she's really becoming a cat that only knows how to bask in the sun!

Therefore, knowing that Fan Fan Binbing lived in a single room and she could only live in a standard room, Liu also knew she was in the wrong and didn't dare to make a sound.

Hearing Qi Yuntian's question, Chen Nuo suddenly asked: "Do you think it is necessary for us to pull in some more funds?"

Qi Yuntian was stunned and asked: "What do you mean? The money in our account is still very abundant, right?"

Chen Nuo's idea was also sudden, feeling a bit like waking up from a dream, "It's not that meaning, but... is it more appropriate to find some partners to share the risks together?"

Qi Yuntian smiled.

The beautiful Qi hadn't smiled so brightly for a long time.

"I thought you were really fearless; so Chairman Chen, you also know that making movies will lose money?"

Chen Nuo ignored his sarcasm; he was too familiar with Qi Yuntian, this was obviously having words within words.

Somewhat surprised, he said: "What do you mean? If you felt there was a risk early on, why didn't you remind me?"

Qi Yuntian shook his head and said: "Which sentence did I say I felt there was a risk? I just discovered that you are also afraid, so I find it a bit interesting. It seems that what my dad said is really right."

Chen Nuo was stunned and said: "What do you mean, what does this have to do with your dad, Professor Qi?"

Qi Yuntian chuckled: "No relation? He recommended a novel casually, maybe the original intention was to find some sense of existence. As a result, it was taken seriously, and his only son was coerced to throw the little bit of family assets he had saved up after working hard for two years into this novel, following that chairman who believed his evil. You say whether it has anything to do with him?"

Chen Nuo couldn't help laughing while listening, and finally laughed out loud: "It sounds like it really has something to do with it."

Qi Yuntian said: "More than a little! The day you said you wanted to invest tens of millions to make this movie, my mom and I didn't let him sleep! I don't understand his economic theories and models, but I just wanted him to give me a definite answer, whether the crazy chairman of my company is reliable or not."

Chen Nuo was laughing to death; it turned out there was such a thing in the Qi family.

Thinking about it, it's true. Although he is the absolute major shareholder of the company, Qi Yuntian can't do anything about what he wants to do, but speaking of which, among the 70 million expected investment, Qi Yuntian's two-layer shares are also more than 10 million!

As long as it's a normal person, even if they don't make a sound, how can they not be worried and uneasy in their hearts?

Chen Nuo laughed for a while before stopping, feeling that the constant suppression in his heart had dissipated a lot, and asked curiously: "And then, what did your dad say?"

Qi Yuntian shrugged and said: "At five o'clock in the morning, he came over and shook me awake, telling me that the possibility of our movie losing 10% is 9.52%, and the possibility of losing 20% is 3.12%. The possibility of losing more than 30% is 0.81%."

Chen Nuo was stunned and said: "Is this data you said true or false? You remembered even two decimal places?"

Qi Yuntian looked at him strangely: "What's hard to remember about this? Just a few numbers, can you forget after listening once?"

Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment, then nodded very naturally and said: "That's true. 9 point... um, it really only takes listening once, how could I forget, hehe. I just thought you were sleeping, were you clear-headed even when you were muddled?"

Qi Yuntian said: "You don't know, I sleep very lightly."

"Oh, actually I am too. Um, anything else? You continue."

Qi Yuntian said: "In short, according to my dad's estimation, if our film investment is under 100 million, the possibility of losing money will not exceed 12%. The possibility of making money is over 88%, and there is more than 40% possibility that the return rate will reach over 50%. So, our whole family unanimously feels that what you are doing seems reckless, but actually, you are well-prepared. Haha, it's just that my dad said you don't look like someone who would think so much. Now it seems... it seems he is right?"

How come Professor Qi also speaks ill of people behind their backs? But since he is good at academics, I don't want to argue with you.

Chen Nuo hummed and asked: "How did your dad calculate this? Is it reliable?" Qi Yuntian spread his hands and said: "Whether it's reliable or not, go ask the doctoral students he leads. I'm an undergraduate in business school, what the hell do I know. But he returned from Princeton and has been teaching for so many years, it should still be somewhat reliable, right?"

Chen Nuo frowned and said: "Prince... what?"

Qi Yuntian looked at him and said: "Don't ask. It has nothing to do with you. Anyway, regarding this investment, if you are only considering it from a risk perspective, I don't think it's necessary. In terms of money, after all, my dad hasn't made many mistakes. But... if it's from the perspective of future development, I think we don't have to eat alone this time."

Chen Nuo nodded: "You continue."

Qi Yuntian said: "Not to mention anything else, we can build a crew and film movies ourselves, but we have no theater chains, no manpower, and no connections that can reach the sky. The distribution of this movie still has to be given to others to do, right? There are only those few companies in the mainland that do distribution."

"The bad news is that Huayi Brothers, which has done the best distribution in recent years, is our mortal enemy and will definitely not take our work. The good news is that there are more people in the industry who are jealous of it than those who are jealous of us."

"Whatever China Film, Shanghai Film, Sil-Metropole, Bona, and Enlight Media that just popped up this year, in short, they all find it unpleasant, and we definitely have to find one party to cooperate with."

Chen Nuo asked: "Who do you suggest looking for?"

Qi Yuntian said: "My opinion is still to find China Film."

"The reason is that on *Crazy Stone*, we cooperated very happily, which can be considered a good start, and we also have some trust in each other. At the same time, in terms of distribution, Huayi dares to mess with any company. But it definitely doesn't dare to mess with Han Zong, right?"

Qi Yuntian suddenly changed the topic and said: "Speaking of this, I suddenly remembered something. China Film is currently planning a tribute film, which is a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the National Day, and it is expected to start filming at the end of next year. Last week, people from China Film specifically called me, saying that it has been filed in advance. This time, Han Zong is preparing to organize the literary and art circles to make a super blockbuster, and wants you to spare some time no matter what in the second half of next year."

Chen Nuo said speechlessly: "There is still more than a year, is it necessary to say it now?"

Qi Yuntian chuckled: "I guess it's also afraid that you will disappear again. What if this time it's not four months, but four years? What to do?"

Chen Nuo said unhappily: "Alright, stop it. I said it won't happen again, and I mean what I say."

Qi Yuntian laughed: "Just kidding. They might be afraid that you will run to Hollywood to film again, and, I guess there is some important role for you? I don't know either."

He became serious again and said: "In short, I think China Film is indeed a good partner, because in the past two years, it hasn't had any outstanding works in terms of distribution or investment. Speaking of which, it was our *Stone* that gave it some face, and beat that *The Banquet* in the New Year slot."

"Their distribution manager, Geng Xiaochuan who came to the meeting last time, also said that Han Zong said he owed you a meal. Although I don't know if it's true, it shouldn't be very fake."

"This time, doing distribution for us, it definitely has no reason to disagree. And, I'm thinking, is it necessary for us to bind more deeply with it? In other words, will we do distribution in the future? Will we have a competitive relationship with it?"

Chen Nuo shook his head: "No."

He thought for a while and decided to take this opportunity to reveal his future company development plan to Qi Yuntian.

Saying a thousand words and ten thousand words, after suffering for so long, it's almost time for him to eat some rebirth dividends.

He has no interest in doing any theater chain distribution.

It's already 2007!

The traffic era is not close, not far, and those famous TV series and movies he remembers are about to emerge.

He doesn't use his advanced vision to engage in investment, and then take the opportunity to sign some suitable artists, stuff them into these works, and promote both works and people, earning from both ends.

Go invest an unknown amount of manpower and material resources to engage in theater chain distribution?

With wave after wave of major events in the future, how many hundred-billion assets does he have to withstand the losses?

How stupid would he be to do this kind of thing?

To put it ugly, even if the former has a butterfly effect like last year's World Cup, and eight out of ten invested movies and TV series collapse, as long as two or three survive, he won't lose.

If he can promote one or two money-making female demons like Bingbing, that is a mountain of gold and a sea of silver.

Do you really think he doesn't recognize the Two Beauties of the Western Regions?

Don't know what is a Korean wave idol?

Nonsense.

Chen Nuo told Qi Yuntian about his general ideas, and Qi Yuntian said: "To put it plainly, our Huanxin company will just be the content provider at the very upstream of the industry. As for the leftovers in the middle and downstream, let's not go and fight with dogs, right?"

Chen Nuo smiled: "Your tone is very arrogant, not humble enough, but I like it a bit. That's about what it means."

Qi Yuntian chuckled and nodded: "In that case, those little models and little actors who wanted to sign with our company before, I'll make an appointment to talk again. If it's suitable, sign a few, don't rush to promote them, put them there for a year or a year and a half, and look at their character. It's also quite good to make a reserve for the future."

Chen Nuo felt that Qi Yuntian's 9-point-something percent thing that he could remember after listening once didn't seem to be bluffing, and he wasn't bullying him, a poor student with 400 points.

This person really has the ability to draw inferences about other cases from one instance.

Chen Nuo nodded approvingly: "I agree with General Manager Qi's idea, doing it this way is to my liking."

Qi Yuntian chuckled: "Yes, master. Since that's the case, then I think, on this play, let's release some shares and let China Film enter the game."

"Anyway, we won't tear our faces apart in the future, friends can be made long-term, so this favor is worth investing."

"We won't lose either, after all, in future distribution, we have to rely on China Film's people to deal with Huayi."

"Huayi is determined to fight us to the end this time. Feng Xiaogang's new film started filming almost at the same time as us. This time he actually went to film a war movie, and it is another big production with an investment of over 100 million. Isn't this clearly aimed at us?"

"This time, we and them should be a head-on confrontation."

"Since that's the case, binding China Film thoroughly to our chariot, and letting them fight Huayi for theater chains and screening quantities for their own money, is definitely more invested than letting them just do distribution."

That's the logic.

Chen Nuo felt that his previous lone-wolf approach, although it might earn more money in the short term, allowing him to buy that Tomson Riviera apartment sooner.

But just as Qi Yuntian said, if the vision is longer, no matter what, he should be the host, inviting everyone to eat.

Share risks and share benefits. Only then can one walk steadily. Only then can one sleep peacefully after buying the house.

Running a company is not acting; you can't jump from one crew to another and start a new game, so everything must be calculated for the next five or ten years.

He seemed to have been too eager for success before.

Fortunately, this rain came!

Chen Nuo thought clearly and asked again: "We feel that letting people buy shares is selling a favor, are you sure people will recognize this favor? If the conditions are not good enough, then there is no need."

Qi Yuntian said: "Will they recognize it? Brother Nuo, do you know, ever since the news that Jiang Wen is coming to our crew to play a role spread, I have received at least ten calls a day asking if we are short of funds."

"Geng Xiaochuan from China Film has been saying he wants to treat me to a foot massage for almost a month. And this is still under the condition that we strictly block the news that Choi Min-sik, Jeon Do-yeon, and Takeshi Kitano will come to guest star. Seriously, if it weren't for the fact that sharing benefits will go further, I really wouldn't be willing to take it out and share the cake with them."

Chen Nuo couldn't help asking: "Aren't you afraid that we won't film well and end up smashing the movie in our hands?"

Qi Yuntian laughed and said: "If you and Jiang Wen can't film this play well, then just accept your fate."

Chen Nuo chuckled and didn't ask any more.

He has already felt at ease with Qi Yuntian regarding company matters, and he has never interfered in specific operations.

He is responsible for the general direction of decision-making, while Qi Yuntian is responsible for execution. This pair of original small artists and small agents has formed a tacit understanding.

Fully handed over to Qi Yuntian to talk to China Film.

Although according to Professor Qi's calculation, the probability of their project losing money is only 12%.

However, if China Film is willing to enter the game, wouldn't it be better if their own 12% investment drops to 1.2%?

By the end of the conversation, both felt somewhat satisfied.

For Chen Nuo, this conversation, although sudden, was extremely important and could definitely be considered a meeting that determined the company's fate.

At this meeting, he and Qi Yuntian jointly determined the company's future development direction, and will formulate strategic arrangements more purposefully in the future.

At the same time, the question of who is the enemy and who is the friend in the future period was also clarified. Must win over one side and strike the other.

Also established the leadership team with Chairman Chen as the core and General Manager Qi as the executor.

Except for no one standing up to applaud, the first Hengdian meeting could be considered a complete success.

It should be said that this was a very meaningful meeting, a glorious meeting, a meeting that will be recorded in the future.

Coincidentally, just as the meeting closed, Chen Nuo suddenly looked at the outside seriously, "This is..."

Qi Yuntian opened the window in front of him, reached out to probe, and nodded: "That's right, the rain has stopped."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 170 =====