Chapter 132: Buying manuscripts from Big Liu

In early November 2002, several major events occurred in the domestic entertainment industry.

The most sensational was the nude photo incident of Hong Kong's Liu Jialing, which had alarmed the big leader, and Li Shoucheng also had to shut down the *East Weekly* that caused trouble.

The big sister Mei Yanfang still maintained the style of a Jianghu child in this matter, angrily rebuking the malicious magazine despite her illness, and even Hong Kong stars like Liu Dehua and Liang Chaowei took to the streets to protest.

On the blog network, which had become the number one position for domestic public opinion and traffic, countless blog posts were forwarded, setting off a huge anti-black and protection of vulnerable female artists activity!

Counting down, the most concerned in the mainland entertainment industry were the three works of two directors.

The casting of *Chinese Paladin* by Seeing Lu Kuan and Wenjie Culture, and the project of *Shoplifters* which had been filed with the Film Bureau.

And the project of *Cell Phone* by Feng Xiaogang of Huayi, which is a project he collaborated with the famous Beijing circle screenwriter Liu Zhenyun.

One is the king of New Year films verified by the market, and the other is a newly promoted popular person in the entertainment industry, a genius director with no two in the country.

The appropriate-aged actresses in the mainland entertainment industry all opened their bloody mouths, trying to find opportunities from these few works.

Boss Lu's phone was about to be blown up. He asked Sun Wenwen to reply to the information one by one, stating that everything is subject to the audition results.

Of course, the roles arranged in advance will not be repeated.

For example, Liu Yifei's Zhao Linger, this is to make money for himself.

For example, An Yixuan's Anu or Lin Yueru, this is exchanged for Wu Anguo poaching technical backbone from Xiji Animation for him.

As for the Wu Dun and that graceful god-daughter he met at the celebration banquet, Boss Lu can consider talking about it later.

Of course, it cannot be known by Protector Wu...

Otherwise, this Taiwan will not be able to go in the future!

Other actresses and actors who think they have a deep relationship with Boss Lu:

Like Zhou Xun, Chen Kun, Huang Xiaoming, etc., they all recommended themselves, but these big names are more concerned about his *Shoplifters*.

There are also leaders from all walks of life calling to say good things, some even called Han Shanping and Ouyang Changqing.

For example, the youngest Golden Horse Award winner, Xiao Lu.

After all, it can be seen from the script introduction that this is another drama film aimed at film festivals. Who is not greedy!

Even Dong Jie called for the first time to flirt.

Ugly reject!

On the evening of November 3, 2002, Boss Lu turned off his phone impatiently, carried his bag, took a train for a night to Yangquan, Shanxi, and found a car to rush to Niangziguan.

He came to "gold rush."

Since he decided to run a special effects company, it is time to acquire some famous works that have not yet been developed.

The first stop is to take the engineer Liu Cixin directly,

This engineer of Niangziguan Power Plant who holds a secure government job is quite like a martial arts expert hidden in the city.

Before coming, he contacted the *Science Fiction World* magazine in Chengdu, explained his intention to buy the film adaptation rights, and learned the address of Big Liu's home.

Boss Lu bought a local map atlas at the station entrance and prepared to fill his stomach first, hungry in his belly.

Niangziguan is a relatively niche tourist city. The grandpas and grandmas who exercised early in the morning curiously looked at the backpackers from other places.

Seeing Lu Kuan didn't see it as an outsider and chatted with them, and found a shop with a good reputation.

The turbid air peculiar to industrial cities was blown away by the morning breeze. Seeing Lu Kuan looked at the noodles on the table and moved his index finger.

"Auntie, what is this called?"

"Mung bean noodles."

The fat aunt in the breakfast shop was concise. It was the first time she saw tourists from other places so early, quite rare.

Seeing Lu Kuan habitually took boiling water to scald the tableware and finished it in a whirlwind.

"Give me another bowl! Big bowl!"

This shop's hygiene is good. The fat aunt put a large bowl of mung bean noodles on the table.

Her fingernails were far away from the bowl mouth, and there was no risk of ruining his appetite.

Mung bean noodles, also known as Xiaohelao, is a pasta made by mixing mung bean flour and white flour.

After cooking, add pepper, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, coriander and other seasonings. It is as long as hanging noodles and as thin as hair powder, with a unique flavor.

Seeing Lu Kuan followed the map to the residential area where Liu Cixin lived, and knocked on the door without response.

The neighbors who came and went asked enthusiastically and pointed him to a new address, the nearby gymnasium.

The plastic track was crowded, and the residents of the small city took advantage of the morning light to exercise.

Boss Lu followed a tall man with a round head from a distance, and followed him for two positions behind.

The power plant engineer was conceiving his recent *Supernova Era* in his mind, and did not notice the follower behind him at all.

Liu Cixin finished exercising, and the crowd on the red particle track dispersed. He wiped the sweat on his head and curiously looked at the backpacker behind him.

"Anything, young man?"

"Nothing, just exercising with the big writer."

The slash youth Liu Cixin reacted: "Hello, are you the Mr. Lu who called the magazine?"

Seeing Lu Kuan had just finished eating and was exercising. At this time, his stomach was a bit turbulent, and he stood by the railing with Liu Cixin smoking.

"Have you had breakfast? Let's go eat something together!"

Seeing Lu Kuan smiled and waved his hand to explain, which made Liu Cixin laugh.

"Say it earlier, you just stop me."

Boss Lu smiled: "The Japanese writer Haruki Murakami has a habit, he likes to think about writing while running. I guess you are the same, so I didn't disturb you."

Haruki Murakami published an essay collection in 2015 called *What I Talk About When I Talk About Running*.

It details his feelings of enlightenment and clearing his mind in running exercise, but it cannot be said clearly at this time.

Lest the science fiction writer with a huge brain hole find clues to see through his identity as a time traveler.

The two returned to the residential area, and Liu Cixin made a cup of honeysuckle tea for the uninvited guest.

The emerald green leaves curled enchantingly in the boiling water, and the fragrance overflowed.

The two rested for a while, and Boss Lu got straight to the point.

"Writer Liu, I mainly came here this time to buy the adaptation rights of a few of your novels."

This is his precaution. *Avatar* invasion is still 8 years away, and the box office of *Titanic* is still hanging over the heads of the Chinese people and cannot be surpassed.

He already has the action of forming a special effects team, but what about the theme?

In addition to copying foreign science fiction films, there are many excellent medium and short stories by domestic treasure writers that can be adapted.

This president, who is concurrently serving as the leader of the copyright department of Wenjie Culture Media, came to do this.

Liu Cixin had guessed it in his heart before, but he was still confused.

In this era, there are very few people who watch science fiction novels, let alone movies, and he came to buy adaptation rights?

Domestic science fiction films? Stop kidding.

Liu Cixin lit a cigarette by himself.

"Little brother, just call me Big Liu. Why do you think of making science fiction films?"

"As far as I know, this field in China is still a wasteland, and there is no place to stand!"

Seeing Lu Kuan smiled: "I am a director, I need excellent works to adapt scripts, it's that simple."

Liu Cixin couldn't help but look up and down. This image and temperament are more credible as an actor.

But he didn't seem to have any reason to lie to himself. Who is rushing to send money?

"In this universe, everyone who has lived has a star shining in the sky."

This is the classic line of *2001: A Space Odyssey*. Seeing Lu Kuan was afraid that Liu Cixin would not believe it, so he showed the basic skills of science fiction fans.

Liu Cixin is a fanatical fan of Clarke, the author of *2001: A Space Odyssey*.

He once stated in an interview: All my creativity and ideological core are just clumsy imitations of Clarke, not worth mentioning.

"Big Liu, I know you are writing *Supernova Era*, and I have also read many works by He Xi, Wang Jinkang and others."

"From a professional perspective, it is undeniable that a large part has the potential for adaptation."

Seeing Lu Kuan secretly slandered that I have seen what you haven't written yet.

Liu Cixin laughed dumbly: "Sorry, I still find it too difficult to associate your image with a director."

The directors in the hearts of the Chinese people in this era are all middle-aged and elderly people like Zhang Yimou and Tian Zhuangzhuang with gullies on their faces, wearing a duck-tongue cap and wearing old Beijing cloth shoes. Where are such young guys.

"Then look at this script of mine."

"*Inception*?"

Text workers always have a natural sense of closeness to text. He, a writer of this level, has no reading barriers to the text of the script format.

An expert who is proficient in dream analysis is wanted because of his cooperation with a company...

Liu Cixin felt like ants crawling in his heart. The wording in the script is very concise. If he can use his brilliant pen to polish it again, it should be a very attractive short story.

Unlike the grand narrative that often appears in his novels, this is a science fiction action type story that takes place in the field of consciousness structure, exploring the boundaries of human consciousness, memory and reality.

He closed the manuscript unfinished, and no longer doubted Seeing Lu Kuan's director status.

The lighting and photography arrangements between the lines of this script, and two pages of storyboard manuscripts.

People are idle and have nothing to do to fool themselves.

"Which novels do you want to buy the adaptation rights?"

"*The Wandering Earth*, *Devourer*, *Chaos Butterfly*, *Country Teacher*."

He directly put forward his conditions: "500,000 for each, pay the deposit first, and someone will find you to sign the contract later."

Big Liu was stunned.

You gave too much!

Science fiction writers will not pay attention to science fiction films. Liu Cixin is a die-hard science fiction film enthusiast.

Of course, he also fantasized about adapting his works to the big screen, but compared to the current environment, it is no different from a daydream.

Even the base camp of science fiction writers, *Science Fiction Magazine*, is struggling to survive.

When it was most strapped, the editors of the magazine had to sell books on the street with full staff.

They all relied on love to spend a long time.

But now suddenly a young man who claims to be a director offers a package price of more than one million for a work with less than 1,000 words and less than 100?

Are you kidding?

In 2009, Liu Cixin's phenomenal work *The Three-Body Problem* was published, and the manuscript fee standard was 150 per thousand words.

And when a pair of director couples in Guangdong bought out the adaptation rights, they only paid a consideration of 100,000 yuan.

What is the difference from cabbage?

Liu Cixin smiled and waved his hand: "Don't do business like this. I feel guilty if I give you this package for 500,000."

No one doesn't love money, but when the income he gets far exceeds his psychological price, he is afraid that the money will be hot!

The city he is stepping on, the housing price has not even passed a thousand.

What is the concept of 2 million?

"Doing business pays attention to willingness. I don't think I will lose money, and Writer Liu should not be self-effacing."

Boss Lu is just buying a horse bone for a thousand gold, and through Liu Cixin and *Science Fiction Magazine*, he announced his generosity to a group of science fiction writers.

These are all material libraries for his future filming and script adaptation.

Even if he doesn't shoot it himself, take it to adapt and sell it, which one is not dozens or hundreds of times the income?

Liu Cixin saw his expression and attitude not like faking, and couldn't help but shake his heart.

Love for power belongs to love for power, who doesn't want to progress, who doesn't want to improve life?

The two chatted for a few words, and after a while, Liu Cixin patted his thigh: "Brother, then I will be disrespectful."

He has an introverted personality and also brings the shyness in the bones of scholars.

In the final analysis, it is Seeing Lu Kuan and Wenjie who take advantage, and he also showed considerable sincerity, giving a market price far exceeding this time point.

It can only be said to be a win-win.

Seeing Lu Kuan pulled out his backpack and took out several stacks of cash and standard contracts prepared by Sun Wenwen.

In the era without online trading tools, he didn't carry too much cash with him.

Liu Cixin looked at a stack of red tickets and felt a little frightened, thinking that this young man's courage is really not small.

Liu Cixin handed Seeing Lu Kuan a cigarette again: "Why do you think of making science fiction films? Is the investment very large?"

"First save the script. At present, the domestic special effects level and film market capacity do not have the conditions for science fiction films to come out."

"If you want to see your film appear on the big screen, I guess you have to wait two years."

Liu Cixin also paid attention to science fiction-related matters daily: "There is no soil for science fiction films to survive in China for the time being, let alone movies, even writers are almost unable to support themselves."

The family knows their own affairs, he still has an iron rice bowl.

There are too many writers in the magazine who can't even eat, and sometimes he has to save food and clothing to help a few good friends.

"It's okay, you just create in the future, I will keep in touch with the magazine, and I will continue to acquire suitable works."

Liu Cixin was so excited that his face turned red. No writer doesn't want to see his work recognized, especially the direct consideration provided under market economy conditions.

The two talked happily, Liu Cixin took Lu Kuan to visit Niangziguan for a while, and drank a big bowl of wine in the evening, and then sent him to the train back to Beijing.

(End of chapter)