Chapter 232: The Man Who Knows 113 Ways to Look Cool

When Chen Nuo saw the news that *The Message* was banned, he was under the urging of his gold-medal fitness coach, lifting the 80kg weight for the sixteenth time.

His Japanese level had improved by leaps and bounds during this period of intensive communication with the Japanese.

Hearing the news broadcast on the TV in the gym, he understood every word.

The body that originally had no strength suddenly had energy again. With a fierce push upward, amidst the surprised voices of the onlookers, he finally broke through his limit once again.

The seventeenth time.

He sat up, feeling somewhat dejected in his heart.

It seems that whether it was physical strength or the movie *The Message*, they had all reached their limits.

It was time to leave.

Qi Yuntian was on the side, arms crossed, looking at him faintly: "Brother Nuo, do you really have to put on this melancholy act? Didn't you tell me three days ago that the Japanese government would definitely take action in these two days and *The Message* was finished?"

"Didn't you also ask me to suggest to Shota Nakamura that he should go online to engage in illegal video websites, the paid-viewing kind, and then put *The Message* on it to sell to the ambitious Japanese youth to watch?"

Chen Nuo said: "Have you exercised? Do you know that after every strenuous exercise, people will be exhausted for a while? Am I acting? I'm fucking resting!"

Qi Yuntian said with a look of understanding: "So it's resting. Understood, then have you rested enough? Can we talk about business now?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Chen Nuo really hated this kind of rebellious onlooker like Qi Yuntian, who refused to honestly express admiration, but instead wanted to puncture his image, so he was very displeased, and his tone was also very bad.

Qi Yuntian continued: "Let's talk about the results of my investigation after I went back this time. Of course, I already told you on the phone before. It was indeed a fruitless effort. It seems our opponent this time is really careful."

Chen Nuo was open-minded: "Anyway, I estimate I won't return to the country for a long time. We'll talk when I go back."

Qi Yuntian nodded: "That's what I thought too. And that Hong Kong director you mentioned, I've already signed him. His request is that he has a new script he's writing, saying it's based on you, and he hopes you can look at his script when the time comes. If you can act in it... he'll do whatever you want. I agreed. Brother Nuo, I have to say, he seems to be your fan."

Chen Nuo smiled. Regarding this weird director Peng Haingshang who had some talent, he held more of a thought of not letting Huayi feel comfortable, and hearing Qi Yun, he also said indifferently: "Then I'll take a look when the time comes."

Qi Yuntian continued: "Finally, it's the final profit calculation of our *The Message* this time. This is top secret, Brother Nuo, you must not go around saying it. Do you know why?"

Chen Nuo asked cooperatively: "Why?"

Qi Yuntian couldn't help laughing and said: "Because I'm afraid others will be jealous."

A box office of 361 million, the first in domestic film history, brought not only overwhelming news reports, but also their company's bank accounts that were about to burst.

65.3 million was their final calculated net profit.

Although it was only screened for 21 days in Japan, it finally sold over 2.15 billion yen. Although it didn't break any records, it was undoubtedly the best result for a Chinese red film in history. After splitting with the Nakamura father and son, the after-tax income it brought them was actually over 30.4 million.

Finally, the Korean market, although it hasn't been taken off the screens yet, only has a little bit of tail left, and the number of viewers reached over 5.12 million.

The box office ranked third in the 2008 Korean ranking, second only to *The Good, the Bad, the Weird* starring the three major Korean superstars Song Kang-ho, Jung Woo-sung, and Lee Byung-hun, and the thriller *The Chaser* by Korean genius director Na Hong-jin.

As of today, it is over 32.121 billion won, which is 160 million RMB when converted, and the final after-tax amount they received is about 42 million.

Besides these three main countries, the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions added up to about 15 million in income, plus the scattered small countries in Southeast Asia, the final combined income is also about 20 million.

Up to this point, *The Message* excluding subsequent copyright transactions, the final after-tax profit of Huanxin Company is 170 million.

Falling on Chen Nuo's personal head is 130 million.

130 million. This is his income for almost the whole year of busy work.

He calculated the money in his account.

Besides this 130 million, out of the 50 million he earned before, he first had to take out 40 million, and together with the 60 million Chen Bicheng gave him, pool together 100 million in reserve funds for Chen Bicheng's real estate business.

After this, there was about 140 million left in his account.

This money is not much, but not little either; it feels like by the end of the year, buying a house and a small nest would be almost all gone.

It seems that this year's money-making plan still depends on *Twilight* and the few sudden advertising endorsements from the US.

"You said you'd accompany me to the US to discuss endorsements, besides Harry Winston, which other company was it?"

"Mattel."

Speaking of Mattel, it is estimated that 99% of Chinese people don't know what kind of sacred entity this company is.

But speaking of a brand under this company, it has to be the other way around.

This brand is "Barbie."

Mattel Toys, the world's largest toy merchant.

It has kept Hasbro, which owns many well-known toy brands like *My Little Pony* and *Transformers*, in the position of the eternal second for decades.

There is no profound reason for this,

Because no matter how many Autobots, airplanes, ponies, and puppies you add up, they can't beat a Barbie.

This made the face of Mattel Toys' Vice President and General Manager of the Brand Management Department, an old lady named Lucy Handler, show deep pride, and she talked about it with great eloquence.

"Perfect figure, measurements of 39, 18, 33, golden hair, fresh appearance, and several drawers of beautiful clothes. This is our Barbie." "Every year we produce about 120 brand-new styles of Barbie dolls, and we sell them to over 150 countries around the world. American girls aged 3 to 11 own an average of 10 Barbie dolls each, British girls an average of 7, French and German girls have 5, and in your country's Hong Kong, little girls also own an average of 3 Barbie dolls each."

"But in mainland China, this number is currently almost 0."

"Our Barbie was selected by Interbrand last year as the most valuable toy brand, with an estimated value of 2 billion USD, a value only slightly lower than *The Wall Street Journal*, and higher than Starbucks, Pampers, and Siemens, which are flourishing in the Chinese market. But when they are popular in the Chinese market, we can only sigh across the ocean."

"Chen, needless to say, China is an undeveloped virgin land for us, and it is the most reliable and potential source of growth for our company's future performance. This is indeed one of the reasons why Mattel favors you. Because you possess a perfect image in both the East and the West."

"Your breakup news in China not long ago almost shook our belief, but... in the end, our board of directors decided to let you become the global spokesperson for our Mattel company. I hope you won't let this decision of ours become a joke in the mouths of those people at Hasbro in the future."

Qi Yuntian immediately took the excuse: "Ms. Handler, please rest assured, if anyone really becomes a joke in the future, it must be that batch of people who looked at your current decision with mocking eyes, but finally watched your rapidly growing Barbie sales and were dumbfounded."

Lucy Handler, the silver-haired old lady, laughed, the whole room of Mattel people laughed, and Chen Nuo had to laugh along.

For something like Barbie that costs one or two hundred yuan, he had no guilt in endorsing it. Because girls, after all, have to buy dolls, right?

Lucy Handler turned her head to him and said: "Chen, do you agree with your agent's statement?"

Chen Nuo didn't follow Qi Yuntian's words, but instead said quite earnestly: "I will do what I should do, and I hope to establish a long-term and stable cooperation with your company."

Lucy Handler showed an appreciative expression: "Your speech on the Oscar red carpet moved me for the first time, and now, it's the second time."

The old lady spoke better than she sang, but in the subsequent business negotiations, she didn't give an inch.

The focus of the confrontation between the two sides was not on Chen Nuo's 4-year, 7-million-USD endorsement contract with Mattel,

Because the 5-year, 10-million contract provided by Harry Winston, and the global spokesperson contract where Harry Winston would provide a full set of jewelry for Chen Nuo and his female companion for free when attending international film festivals or major award ceremonies, was infinitely more high-end than this toy factory Mattel.

The reason they rushed from New York, where Harry Winston's headquarters is located, to El Segundo, California, to listen to these old antiques from Mattel brag about how awesome Barbie is, was,

Mattel is about to launch Barbie's new Asian boyfriend, "Chen."

Mattel initially delusionally wanted to buy out the image and name usage rights of "Chen" from Chen Nuo's side for 5 million USD at once, which was refused by Qi Yuntian without blinking.

This kind of thing, of course, cannot be discussed well in one or two days, and both sides also upheld the position that business is business and friends are friends.

Moreover, the spokesperson contract had already been signed, so Mattel also took Chen Nuo to visit their Barbie production line and gave him three limited-edition Barbie dolls.

One was a flight attendant Barbie with long straight black hair, one was a nurse Barbie with wavy black hair and a short skirt, and one was a teacher Barbie wearing only one stocking on her foot.

When the negotiation reached the fifth day, there was finally a result.

Mattel still compromised.

The reason was that Mattel didn't value the future sales of "Chen" much; after all, Barbie's boyfriend "Ken" for so many years only had that little shipment volume every year.

Since they wanted a split, then split it.

So from now on, for every "Chen" Mattel sells, Chen Nuo's side will receive 1 USD.

Indeed, boyfriends like Ken or Chen, in front of the 58 million Barbie dolls sold every year, are estimated to not even count as a fraction of a fraction.

In Mattel's expectation, they might only give out a few tens of thousands or a hundred thousand USD every year. Counting inflation, it's acceptable.

However, for Chen Nuo, this is a long-term, even pension insurance contract that benefits his descendants.

The time on this image authorization contract is different from other contracts; it is written as 99 years.

Especially with a clause stating that after Chen Nuo passes away, this authorization fee will also be paid by Mattel to his descendants.

Until the 99-year contract expires, at which time his grandson or great-grandson will renegotiate new contract terms with Mattel.

After signing, Qi Yuntian said with great emotion: "With this contract, Brother Nuo, you finally have the qualifications to compete with civil servants in the marriage market."

After signing the contract, Chen Nuo's annual advertising endorsement income finally approached 40 million RMB, reaching 39 million.

On the Forbes Celebrity List, now he can honestly rank in the top twenty based on endorsement income alone.

In the income share, domestic Li Ning and diapers contributed 9 million, while the two newly received American endorsers contributed 30 million; although there is a bonus brought by the Oscars, it can also be seen that today's Americans are wealthy.

Making Chen Nuo have to sigh, this is what fucking making money is.

Finally mixed for a few years, nowadays he is also a person who has 100,000 in his pocket every morning when he opens his eyes.

After the advertising endorsement was signed, Qi Yuntian flew back to the country with the contract, while Chen Nuo and his driver/bodyguard Linghu boarded a plane from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon.

Not early, not late, just in time for the start of filming on April 10th, they arrived in the City of Roses, Portland, the most livable city in the United States, which is picturesque with mountains and water.

And at this time, the entire *Twilight* crew, if they weren't all scraps collected by Summit Entertainment from all over Hollywood, from photography to lighting and sound effects, without a single big name, would have long ago lost their temper and disbanded.

After all, the dignified male lead, the core of the whole film, hadn't participated in a single script reading among the actors before filming started, let alone meeting with other crew members, even the female lead hadn't met him.

Even if you are this year's Academy Award Best Supporting Actor winner, even if you are the world-famous Joker,

Isn't that too disrespectful to people?

Especially for the film's heroine, the young, beautiful, and proud Kristen Stewart, she was almost furious.

She had been on stage since she was nine, and so far had worked with many actors, including big names like Jodie Foster.

Where is there such a thing?!

With this attitude, can he act well!?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 233 =====