Chapter 506: Too Embarrassed to Collect a Debt?

In early July, just as Li Ye was preparing to leave school, Director Xiong from the Chang'an Film Studio suddenly came to Jingda to find Li Ye.

"Oh my, it's fortunate that I, your brother, came in time. If I were a day late, we would have missed each other. It's all my fault, all my fault. I've been really busy these two months, running all over the country..."

Director Xiong was clearly hot; he grabbed the open front of his shirt to fan himself, but the sweat on his face still flowed down his neck, soaking his white undershirt.

Li Ye got him a cup and poured him a glass of cool boiled water.

"I say, Brother Xiong, you have to complain to the studio. Ever since our movie was released, you've been running outside for almost two months, right? Why not change someone else to let you rest?"

Ever since *A Wanderer Returns Home* was released, Director Xiong had been outside coordinating and handling various trivial matters. When he saw Li Ye last month, he had complained about "passing his own door without entering," full of exhaustion and grievances.

But today, Director Xiong wasn't complaining. Instead, he chuckled and said: "Change someone else? There's a group of people lining up who want to replace me. Hmph, they're dreaming."

"Brother Li Ye, was it easy for us to plant trees and water them these past two years? Now that it's time to bear fruit, I'm not bragging to you—if I'm not given a deputy director position by the end of this year, there would be no justice."

Fine! It was Li Ye's rashness. From the early preparation to the filming and release, *A Wanderer Returns Home* had taken over two years. Now that the box office had exploded, it was time for everyone to enjoy the results and reward merits.

"By the way, Brother Li Ye, there are two more things."

Because the matter of Li Ye's *Flying Wind* selling its copyright three times had been spread far and wide by many people, the Chang'an Film Studio had originally requested to share a portion of the overseas box office.

Director Xiong said frankly: "Just these days, the studio has received many letters from overseas audiences, all saying that our movie has had a very good reaction locally, and several countries' film festivals have sent us invitations to participate."

"The overseas box office data sent to us by Mr. Pei is also very astonishing."

But this time, it was a whole car, and it wasn't just local specialties; there were also many white spirits, canned goods, malted milk extract, and Li Ye even saw dozens of boxes of Pengcheng Red Bull.

"Overseas dividends? Study it?"

Li Ye was a bit surprised.

Director Xiong smiled: "That's fine, I'll have someone unload it for you immediately. Also, there's a small token of appreciation sent to you separately. I'll have the car sent directly to your house later."

In the past, Director Xiong would mail some local specialties to the Wanderer Literature Society quarterly, which was just a matter of a few baskets.

Li Ye said not to be polite, but he wasn't polite at all. Over the years, Director Xiong had helped him get many good things, all through regular channels with invoices. Only a fool would refuse.

After all, no matter how well it sold domestically, it was still RMB. Mr. Pei had invested so much foreign exchange, and he needed the overseas box office to recover his capital.

If this thing were labeled as bribery, it could reach the standard of "a huge amount."

*A Wanderer Returns Home* had decided to be released domestically and overseas simultaneously at the beginning of filming, so there was definitely overseas box office.

"Hi, brother, you are a smart person, I won't hide it from you."

Director Xiong picked up the water Li Ye had poured for him, gulped it down, and then said: "This time the studio asked me to visit the capital and brought a batch of gifts for your literature society."

"But the timing is unfortunate, as it coincides with the school holiday. Do you see if we should unload it at school now, or should I find a place to store it and send it over next semester?"

"So the studio keeps urging me to ask if the overseas dividends we agreed upon can be studied?"

Li Ye thought for a moment and said: "Better store it at school. There are still a few students from the literature society who haven't left, and the school still has teachers on duty."

"Brother Xiong, don't always be so polite. We haven't known each other for just one day or two."

Li Ye swallowed his saliva: "Brother Xiong, is this what you call a visiting gift?"

However, when Li Ye and Director Xiong left the dormitory building, they saw a fully loaded 130 truck.

It really wasn't that Li Ye was making a fuss, but there were too many gifts.

The mainland didn't have overseas distribution channels at the time, so the Chang'an Film Studio didn't have much hope, just taking a shot in the dark.

Li Ye couldn't help but ask: "Brother Xiong, tell me the truth, is there something going on with you coming to find me today?"

However, what surprised the Chang'an Film Studio was that Mr. Pei agreed to share ten percent of the profits with the Chang'an Film Studio, making people exclaim "Boss Pei is generous."

But today, Director Xiong suddenly said something about "studying it." So, was it that some people were insatiable and thought ten percent was too little?

Actually, Mr. Pei was a standard businessman and wasn't very generous. The generous one was Li Ye.

But no matter how generous Li Ye was, he couldn't indulge certain people's bad habits.

So Li Ye smiled lightly and said: "Why, does someone in your studio feel that ten percent is too little?"

"No, no, no, Brother Li, you misunderstood," Director Xiong said hurriedly: "It's not that it's too little, it's that we're afraid that if it's too much, they won't honor the account."

"It was originally agreed to settle the account at the end of June, but it's already early July and there's been no movement. I originally wanted to find Mr. Huo Renqiang to probe, but he's been on vacation these past few days."

"So I thought about asking you, brother, to help ask—when will the remittance come?"

Li Ye was stunned for several seconds before laughing: "Brother Xiong, you can formally inquire with the Hong Kong side about this kind of thing! Huo Renqiang is on vacation, but there should be others on duty, right?"

Director Xiong sighed and said: "It's really embarrassing to ask them directly! A few days ago, our studio held a big meeting, and everyone said Boss Pei is righteous, having sprinkled over ten million dollars in investment in Chang'an City..."

"I won't hide it from you, brother. Two years ago, when our Chang'an Film Studio met the film studios of the capital, Shanghai, August 1st, and Jilin, they all looked at us with their noses in the air, and we could only roll up our sleeves... sigh."

"But now, go ask—who dares to look down on our Chang'an Film Studio? In the future, there won't be four major film studios in the mainland, but five."

Director Xiong said a lot, but the theme was one meaning—because of Mr. Pei, our Chang'an Film Studio had raised its head and exhaled.

In the eighties, the film and television industry in the mainland was not very developed. There was only so much funding each year, and only so much filming capacity for a few movies. Everyone's life was tight.

But the Chang'an Film Studio suddenly had a big foreign investor, and suddenly it became powerful.

"Sigh, I won't hide it from you, brother. In just these two months, our studio has earned more than the previous ten years combined! We didn't invest much money in this movie!"

"Mr. Pei gave such a great favor, and now we still have to urge for the overseas money—it's really hard to open our mouths!"

"And..."

Director Xiong looked at Li Ye and said in a low voice: "I'll tell you the truth, brother. The other studios are all eyeing Mr. Pei! If we are not sensible, then in the future..."

Looking at the hesitant Director Xiong, Li Ye seemed to see the small suppliers who supplied big enterprises decades later.

Clearly, they were the rightful creditors, but they could only accompany them with smiles and look at their faces, and even the words to ask for money were spoken in a low voice, carefully, for fear of offending the financier and being replaced as a supplier.

Did the Chang'an Film Studio not want that ten percent overseas dividend now?

No, the filmmakers in the mainland still had very straight spines at this time!

They were afraid of being pried away from the big financier Mr. Pei by their peers, so they wanted to probe the wind through Li Ye without hurting the harmony.

*A Wanderer Returns Home* had opened up the pattern for the Chang'an Film Studio, and they were hoping for a second and a third.

And other film studios definitely had the same idea. Maybe they had already promised many preferential conditions. Otherwise, why would the Hong Kong side, which always did things according to the rules, suddenly postpone the agreed overseas dividends?

"Brother Xiong, I'll help you ask about this later, but I think! No matter who we cooperate with in the future, we still have to keep our own spines straight."

"Oh my, I knew you were a friend, brother. This matter really has to be handled by you."

Director Xiong happily put his arm around Li Ye's shoulder, but clearly didn't take Li Ye's words to heart.

That was also true. The status of film investors was inherently very special, not to mention someone as righteous as Mr. Pei.

Two hours later, Li Ye dialed Ah Qiang's phone number.

"Is this Mr. Huo?"

On the other end of the phone, it was quiet for a full five seconds before Ah Qiang's voice sounded nervously.

"I am Huo Renqiang. Are you Mr. Li?"

"I am Li Ye. Ah Qiang, what's wrong with you? Why is your voice like this?"

*Boss, isn't it because I was scared by you? Why are you calling me 'Mr. Huo' so properly? In gangster movies, this is the rhythm of receiving a lunch box! * ===== CHAPTER 507 =====