Chapter 1512
Insatiable Greed
Zhang Yuan had no idea what kind of taste foreigners had.
But he found out today.
The other person kept talking about having a crush on Asian women, and he thought they were talking about Song Hye-kyo.
did not expect
Your white people's aesthetic sense...
That makes sense, because it's very common for white women to be curvy, so people need to change their tune.
These kinds of girls, with their ribs showing when they take off their clothes, are very common in China.
After all, our average bra size is smaller than that of white people.
Unlike some people who habitually falsify data due to a lack of expertise, the Japanese are actually an A-cup in most parts of the world.
Therefore, people who exaggerate "data" are more likely to appear on their side.
If you learned the precise cutting techniques of Nvidia and Intel, and made a couple more cuts, you could even get F-rated per person.
I imagine that old Jewish man also enjoyed it and had a lot of fun.
Maybe foreigners just like this.
People with high noses and big eyes are not particularly rare.
The more rural the village, the more "monkey-like" the appearance, the more people like it.
However, even if Song Hye-kyo wasn't his target, he still couldn't agree to it.
“Smith,” Zhang Yuan said earnestly.
"As a manager of a company, my requirement for myself is that I will never force artists, especially female artists, to do anything that crosses the moral line."
"Normal interaction is fine."
"But selling your body is not allowed."
“Selling one’s body through illegal means is even more unacceptable.”
"China is a country ruled by law."
"This is also my professional ethics as a practitioner."
"The most I can do is give you the opportunity to have a meal and chat together. As for what happens next, that depends on your personal charm."
"Wow!" Smith exclaimed, his face flushed and his eyes wide.
"I didn't expect you to say that."
"It seems you are a very responsible entrepreneur."
“That’s true.” Zhang Yuan straightened his body.
“I have always said that I am the best collaborator you can find.”
"Because I am far superior to my peers in both ability and willpower."
He understood that the other party's bringing this up, besides personal desires, still had the flavor of a test of obedience.
It all depends on whether you "go to the island" or not.
I don't care what you do in North America.
This can't be done on my turf.
People with self-respect and principles are respected.
No one respects those who are obsequious and servile.
"If you really need a female companion, I can help you find a 'professional'."
However, he did not completely block this path.
You still need to maintain good relationships; there are people who specialize in this kind of work.
How could I not recognize such a high-tech product?
"Since you are a person of principle, then there's no need for that."
"We will be visiting your company for a meeting in two days. Please be prepared."
"no problem."
Zhang Yuan agreed and asked the company to start preparations immediately.
Forget all those fancy welcoming ceremonies, just put up some banners and get down to business.
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation, print it out, and display the company's past work.
Most importantly, there's the data.
We need to showcase our production, distribution, and profitability capabilities.
And most importantly, future potential.
There are advantages to not being listed on the stock exchange; if all else fails, you can still cross-share with another company by offering a small number of shares.
This way, having the backing of a major Hollywood company will give the company a greater boost when it goes public in the future.
The only thing to be careful about is not being "possessed" by foreigners.
After much effort to prepare, the inspection team arrived on time.
Everything is proceeding according to procedure.
His boss personally presented the PowerPoint presentation, and he did so with great enthusiasm and expression.
"For two consecutive years, our cross-strait film industry has become the film company with the highest box office revenue during the Spring Festival, the most popular period in China."
"I believe this trend will become the norm."
"Therefore, our profitability far exceeds that of other similar companies."
"Not only that, we also have a dedicated special effects production team and a post-production team."
"There are also animation studios that are profitable in the long term."
"We are more professional than any other Chinese company."
"And among our shareholders are many owners of Hong Kong film and television companies."
"It also brings together the two largest publishing companies in China, and they have also invested in it."
"I believe that whether it's a collaborative filming or a release in mainland China, it will be successful."
"Or, for what Hollywood struggles most—film censorship in mainland China—we can provide Legendary Pictures with sufficient support."
Zhang Yuan confidently gestured in front of the projection screen.
There were foreigners recording the video nearby; they'll take it back to the company for their records.
So he spoke English the whole time.
"Just like I've always said."
"I am the best Chinese partner you can find."
clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap...
A round of applause broke out, and the foreigners clapped with smiles.
The assistant turned on the room lights, and Zhang Yuan went up to shake hands with each of them.
“If you have time, we also have some films that are currently being shot, and you can visit the locations.”
“We’ll consider that. You’re absolutely right, my friend.” Smith hugged him, acting like a close brother.
"Thank you for listening. I have prepared a dinner."
"Please do me the honor of visiting my home."
Fine wine and food were prepared in the large courtyard.
Prepared according to the menu of a state banquet, the red wine was not priced below 5000 yuan per bottle.
The eating, drinking, and chatting continued as usual, and they even invited a group of people to play instruments, dance, and sing to add to the fun.
He even specially invited someone to accompany him, which pleased the foreigner greatly.
None of these are the most important things.
Importantly, during the banquet, Zhang Yuan took the time to give everyone a set of high-end ceramic tableware.
In English, ceramics and China are both referred to by the same noun, so this item naturally represents China.
Moreover, foreigners really like high-end tableware, and almost every middle-class or above family will prepare several sets of high-end porcelain plates for holidays or banquets.
Hermès also likes to create bundled deals and will even force customers to buy them together.
This is for everyone.
After dinner, he even took Smith aside to sample brandy and cigars.
“Good stuff from Mozambique.” He pulled a box out from under the table.
“Even better than this?” Smith glanced at the top-grade cigar in his hand.
I've never heard that Mozambique produces cigars.
"Of course," Zhang Yuan nodded in reply.
The other party opened the box, a red light flashed before their eyes, and then they immediately closed the lid.
"For business." Zhang Yuan raised his wine glass and clinked it with the other person's.
Inside this cigar box is a ruby worth millions of Chinese yuan.
This is the same principle as 53-degree soy sauce-flavored mineral water.
"Yes, it's definitely better than the Cuban stuff," the other person replied, beaming after taking a sip.
"It seems you really want to make this deal."
“We need each other,” Zhang Yuan emphasized again.
What he wanted was equal cooperation, not to be treated like royalty by foreign lords.
"Of course, I've always thought highly of you, ever since we first met."
"However, if we want to reach a cooperation agreement, we need to consider the investment we made last time regarding Pacific Rim."
“I understand, this will be our first collaboration, and it will be a good start.” Zhang Yuan held up his hand when he heard him say this.
The other person also extended their hand and shook hands with him.
Then, Smith moved closer and whispered a few words in his ear.
Zhang Yuan's expression shifted slightly, and he whispered a few more words in the other person's ear.
Finally, they exchanged a wink and ended the conversation.
After seeing the group off, he stood alone in the courtyard for a while, smoking the remaining half of his cigar.
"Boss, I'm leaving now." After finishing her business, she said goodbye and prepared to leave.
"Are you...worried about something?" she asked, concerned, noticing his state.
“A few days ago, after dinner, Smith told me that he was very interested in you.”
"That's a good thing, it means I'm very charming." He didn't seem to care at all.
"He means he wants to sleep with you."
"That's fine, just go for it." He shrugged. "Sleeping won't hurt you."
Maybe we can even get some foreign resources.
Zhang Yuan: ...
The other party's reply was his statement.
I refused because I believe an honest boss shouldn't sell female artists' bodies for commercial gain. I swallowed those words back.
"I saw on the news that you haven't been spending time with Sa Beining lately," he asked, turning around.
The two got together while filming "The Grandmaster".
He was even photographed by paparazzi on set.
Because this person never hides anything and loves to show off.
“That is a problem…” Zhang Ziyi raised her eyebrows and thought for a moment.
Zhang Yuan was even more speechless.
So you forgot you have a boyfriend?
She's certainly willing to go all out; no wonder she became so famous at such a young age.
Her classmates Zeng Li, Yuan Quan, Qin Hailu, and their group were indeed no match for her.
They dare to wear their ambition on their sleeves.
"So, I'm the one blocking your opportunity?" Zhang Yuan squinted at him.
Realizing something was amiss, he quickly changed his tune.
"No, I actually really dislike this kind of thing."
"Remember this." Zhang Yuan turned his head away, no longer looking at him, and said this with his back turned.
"I won't let you do that."
"As for yourself, you'd better watch yourself. If you cause trouble, especially if a scandal affects your work."
"Don't blame me for being ruthless."
"clear."
He left trembling with fear.
Zhang Yuan then drew a smoke ring.
"damn it!"
"There are troubles both inside and outside the home."
"It's not right to let this scoundrel deliver the cannons."
Zhang Yuan sensed something was wrong.
Because Commissioner Smith has too big an appetite!
I've already given them gifts, and they're quite expensive.
But the other party had just made some subtle indications.
To reach a cooperation agreement, no problem.
I want to deposit one million US dollars in bearer bonds into a Swiss bank account!
After the other person said that, his perception of them changed.
When I look at you, you seem like a sign advertising your sale in Seoul.
They're trying to extort me!
And you're just an inspection specialist, yet you dare to do this.
If your boss, Tull, finds out, won't he destroy you?
But he didn't lose his temper on the spot; instead, he suppressed it.
Money is a small matter; cooperation is the big deal.
We need to get through this first.
A local official is more powerful than a distant one; if this person deliberately tries to trip me up, I'll be in real trouble.
Because he was originally the head of Legendary Pictures' international business division, any future collaborations would inevitably involve him.
He held back for the time being.
They indicated they would pay $30 upfront, with the remainder to be paid once the deal was finalized.
The other party agreed, which put his mind at ease.
The fact that it's a bearer bond indicates that the other party is also careful. If you really want to investigate, you can trace the source of this kind of bond, but under normal circumstances, whoever has it in their hands owns it.
Just like Bitcoin, blockchain technology claims to be untraceable, but if major powers like the US and China really want to investigate, they can still find out.
Nothing in this world is 100% safe, especially when it involves people.
Meanwhile, regarding the investment in "Pacific Rim".
The other party indicated that preparations for filming the movie were already underway.
We urgently need an injection of funds.
If they don't provide the funds, they will look for other sources of funding.
But it will affect cooperation.
We only remembered the business matter after we finished discussing personal matters.
This is common in large companies; many senior executives, once they gain power, prioritize their own needs before considering the company's.
After all, if the company goes bankrupt, I can go to another one; it's not like it's mine.
The local gentry and officials, including those of the "pure stream" faction, shared this view during the late Ming Dynasty.
Of course, he became obedient when Dorgon whipped him later.
He stated that it was impossible to offer $7000 million.
Especially since no cooperation has been reached yet.
This matter was discussed for a while.
The other party eventually indicated that the investment contract could be broken down into several stages.
The initial investment of US$1000 million will be used to launch Legendary Pictures' first collaboration with film companies across the Taiwan Strait.
Based on this play, we will establish a joint venture in China.
He agreed, but not entirely.
My agreement does not equate to my consent.
In times like these, we should learn from our neighbors to the south.
He readily agreed, but the money couldn't be transferred so quickly.
That's a whopping $1000 million.
Such a large sum cannot be easily given away with just a few words.
How can I make payment if you don't deliver the goods?
He was still on guard.
The other party is going back in the next few days, and then we'll have a meeting to discuss it.
We'll wait for the results and then observe how things unfold.
After these few days of interaction, he has gained a new understanding of these foreigners.
They are more greedy and impetuous than I imagined.
No wonder he came from a bandit background; there's a story behind it.
In addition to being cautious about large sums of money, he also had other backup plans.
"Haha, my Chinese friends."
The next day, Harvey called him back.
"I consulted many friends in the financial industry about that deal."
"They are not optimistic about the profitability of their next film, believing that the huge success of 'Fast & Furious 5' was a fluke..."
"Just tell me how much it costs." Zhang Yuan didn't bother to reply.
Just like selling used cars, those car dealers see a car that's hard to sell, has a bad reputation, and once they buy it, it's stuck with them.
When you go to buy it, they'll point to the same car and say it's popular, in high demand, and that buying it is a steal.
Even those who work in shops, restaurants, and factories can be killed without committing any crime.
"4500 million US dollars."
"Impossible. I won't consider anything less than $5500 million."
"I think I should look for other financing channels."
"Don't worry, my friend."
Just as he was about to hang up, the other party quickly stopped him.
"We can discuss the price."
The true nature of the old Jewish man has been revealed without a doubt.
Price reductions are often in the tens of millions of US dollars. Whether there's a chance or not, it's a gamble. If a fool hits the target, it's a huge loss.
Zhang Yuan had already inquired around and had a general idea of the prices.
The highest offer was $6000 million, but that job involved banknote cleaning, which he refused.
Other companies offered prices ranging from just over 5000 to 5600.
He followed the bidding process, removing the lowest price and the highest price, and then considering all factors.
"5500 is still too high."
"This is my bottom line, and higher prices mean higher commissions, don't you think?"
He knew this guy didn't want to just earn commissions.
"Okay, I really hate you sometimes."
"SON OF BITCH!"
The fact that the old Jewish man started cursing means the business is almost done.
If you're too polite, you're sure to suffer a great loss.
"We're in the same boat."
"Also, if you want to close this deal, you'll have to provide me with some additional services."
"Tell me, which pretty girl have you got your eye on?" the fat man said casually.
Zhang Yuan: ...
Vulgar, tasteless, pandering to popular tastes!
You should go to Hollywood!
Oh.
"I'm not interested in women."
“WHAT THE FUCK!” the old Jewish man cursed.
"I didn't expect you to be like this... Fine."
Zhang Yuan: ...
He misses Seele a little.
“I want Legendary Pictures boss Tull.”
"Also, there is all the information on Smith Collins, the manager of the overseas business division."
"I need to know everything, from his career trajectory to his personal hobbies!" (End of Chapter)