Chapter 312

Therefore, Jiang Heng has never urged for updates on the sequel content of Three Body.

Let Liu Cixin write at his leisure, for fear that he might suddenly go off track, causing the third part's plot to differ too much from the previous life.

Thinking of this, Jiang Heng also became somewhat worried.

He said to the assistant, "Book him a ticket and have him send it directly here!"

"Okay!"

In Yangquan, Liu Cixin anxiously gazed at the phone on the table, never having felt so torn between gain and loss.

The reason, naturally, is related to his situation.

The Niangzi Pass power station where he has worked for many years is about to be shut down.

Although, this place is like a 'Besieged City'; the oppressive, confining feeling has made him want to escape many times.

But after working here for over twenty years, suddenly leaving this place, he is still very reluctant.

Moreover, he also feels somewhat lost.

After this departure, he plans to develop in Jingcheng, adapting his sci-fi works into audiovisual form.

He basically won't write novels anymore; he feels that this novel Three Body has exhausted all his inspiration and imagination, and he fears he won't be able to write a work that can match Three Body in the future.

So after arriving in Jingcheng, the most likely outcome is to get a screenwriter position when the work is adapted; whether he will be successful depends on Jiang Heng's satisfaction with the sequel. Liu Cixin is also feeling anxious! "Hey, help me book a ticket to Hengdian? Okay, okay, no problem, no problem, thanks thanks!"

Liu Cixin thanked repeatedly, then after hanging up said to his wife: "They said to let me go to Hengdian and personally hand the manuscript to Director Jiang!"

His wife joyfully said: "Great, does that mean after he reads it he can immediately transfer the copyright fee?"

Liu Cixin said: "According to previous practice, it's like this!"

"That is to say, we will immediately have another one million coming in!" His wife excitedly paced back and forth a few steps.

"That's right!"

Liu Cixin could still keep his composure, his smile gentle.

At the same time, a sense of pride arose; after submitting the third part and settling payment, the three million yuan in royalties for the Three Body book were all in hand.

Plus, with the Three Body film selling big, Director Jiang gave him a one million yuan red envelope, making a total income of four million.

Adding the income from novel publication, the past two years' earnings have been quite good, qualifying him to feel proud.

His wife suddenly said: "Hengdian, there are many beautiful actresses there, right?"

"Probably, not few, right?"

"If you go, you must not mess around!"

Liu Cixin's face flushed slightly at the words: "What are you talking about? How could I? You don't even know me?"

"Hard to say; men turn bad when they have money. Otherwise, you could tell them, just say we two will go together."

"This, is not okay?"

"Look, I was just saying you have..."

"Fine, fine, let's go together, let's go together, just treat it as a trip!"

Liu Cixin called Jiang Heng's assistant again, expressing the desire to bring family members.

The other side readily agreed, without even consulting Jiang Heng; this much the assistant can decide on his own.

The next day, Liu Cixin and his wife first went from Yangquan to Shijiazhuang, then took a flight from there to Yiwu.

After getting off the plane, a driver from the crew of A Chinese Ghost Story came to pick them up, driving a Toyota Alphard.

"This car is quite comfortable to sit in, Old Liu; why don't we also buy one?"

Liu Cixin said: "This car must be quite expensive, right?"

Jiang Heng's assistant laughed and said: "Not that expensive, just one million yuan; it's the cheapest vehicle Director Jiang currently owns!"

"One million, Director Jiang really is rich!"

"Professor Liu, now that you're so famous, buying a car worth several hundred thousand yuan isn't easy!" Liu Cixin hastily waved his hand: "Too extravagant, I can't bear to!"

The female assistant smiled: "You see, what you're saying is that you can't bear to spend, not that you can't afford it; Professor Liu, you are still quite capable!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Cixin slightly puffed out his chest, thinking: "This girl truly deserves to be Jiang Heng's assistant; she knows how to speak, and I indeed really am quite capable!"

Thus, amidst alternating feelings of pride and anxiety, Liu Cixin arrived by car at the set of A Chinese Ghost Story.

When Jiang Heng had free time, he came over to meet them, wearing a somewhat tattered costume with black grime on his face.

"Director Jiang, what is this?"

Jiang Heng laughed heartily: "The scene we just filmed was a bit rough; sit, this must be your sister-in-law, right?"

"Not worthy, not worthy!"

But Jiang Heng said: "I'm very busy now; this way, you can spend a few days playing nearby, all expenses taken care of; the finance department will transfer the copyright fee within today or tomorrow."

Liu Cixin rubbed his hands, smiling foolishly: "No rush, no rush; we won't wander off, just stroll around the film city."

Seeing that the crew was indeed very busy, Liu Cixin and his wife immediately said their goodbyes; as a result, that afternoon around four o'clock, the one million yuan for the audiovisual adaptation rights arrived in the account.

The couple were overjoyed, found a specialty restaurant, and had a big meal (not worth mentioning).

On Jiang Heng's side, he took a break to glance at the electronic version of the third part written by Liu Cixin; overall it's not bad, not differing much from the previous life's version.

As for the scripts for the second and third sequels of Three Body, they can now begin to be polished.

After telling Liu Cixin about it, asking if he would be willing to join the screenwriting team, Old Liu naturally agreed gladly.

Jiang Heng also inquired about the situation at Niangzi Pass power station; Liu Cixin said it would be either at year's end or early next year, and the shutdown is certain.

Jiang Heng said: "Then let's first buy a set of housing in Jingcheng!"

"Jingcheng, buy a house?"

Jiang Heng nodded slightly; he often gives useful advice to those around him, whether they listen depends on how they think.

For example, Da Tian Tian is relatively stubborn, sometimes going back to insist on some mysterious 'tenets'.

Liu Cixin, on the other hand, is more pragmatic; after just a few seconds he said: "Okay, then I'll now buy a set of housing in Jingcheng!"

After leaving the film crew, his wife complained, "The houses in Jingcheng are so expensive—how dare you even think about buying one?"

Liu Cixin said, "What do you know? This is called 'Immortal's guidance'—what Director Jiang saw, heard, and knows is on a completely different level from ours; he can say this, what's there not to believe!"

"That's also true!"

However, after Liu Cixin flew to the capital, he first went to the publisher, where they were also waiting for the manuscript of Three Body 3.

Afterwards, he wandered all over Jingcheng looking for a place to live.

Meanwhile, Jiang Heng took a day off and rushed to Shanghai by car.

The film Let the Bullets Fly was finally going to be released; its original release date was set for early August.

But even by that time, Havoc in Heaven still drew crowds, with too many viewers watching it a second, third, or fourth time.

Seeing this, Jiang Wen and the investors dared not let the film be released as scheduled.

After repeated discussions, they decided to move the film's release to the National Day holiday.

And he called Jiang Heng, saying, "Look, you've driven my film all the way to the National Day slot—when it comes time for the premiere promotion, you'd better come help me hype it up!"

Jiang Heng smiled and agreed, choosing the Shanghai premiere for this event; at the venue, as soon as Jiang Heng appeared, the media reporters became somewhat frenzied and delighted, their cameras clicking nonstop.

Although the host knew Jiang Heng had returned, he also wore an expression of extreme surprise and delight.

Jiang Wen became even more excited, stepping forward to give Jiang Heng a big hug and laughing, "You could come—I'm really thrilled!"

Jiang Heng laughed heartily and thought, "Good thing it's not—you're not that important to me!"

Besides him, Zhou Yunfa also wore a humble expression, stepped forward, smiled, and shook hands, saying, "Director Jiang, congratulations—winning the global box office championship, truly a pride of us Chinese!"

(End of chapter)