Chapter 1529
Will Be Out There
Zhang Yuan took a colorful cocktail from the waiter and handed it to the Siamese girl next to him.
The other person gave an innocent smile and accepted the wine glass.
With big eyes and a high nose, her smile resembled a pure yet vibrant crabapple blossom.
This attracted a few more glances from Principal Wang, who was standing nearby.
Most of the exceptionally beautiful Siamese women are of mixed race, specifically Caucasian descent.
If he weren't mixed-race, he'd at most look like that guy from a K-pop group who dances on Crazy Horse.
It's not very good.
Because people in Southeast Asia, including some southern regions of China, tend to be dark-skinned, short, thin, with wide mouths and noses, and are prone to mandibular hypoplasia.
By acquiring Caucasian ancestry, one can turn these perceived flaws into advantages by significantly enhancing facial contours and definition.
Moreover, many of the most attractive Southeast Asian mixed-race individuals actually have Chinese ancestry behind their names.
Zhang Yuan had been to Southeast Asia several times, and whether it was Malaysia, Siam, or Indonesia, the local natives and Chinese could recognize him at a glance.
It's not just about looks, but also about charisma.
The Chinese are hardworking and intelligent, which may lead to marital and educational segregation between them and the indigenous people.
They look down on the lazy, greedy, and uneducated indigenous people.
In many areas, language barriers also exist, with local Chinese speaking Mandarin, Cantonese, and Hokkien.
Wherever Chinese people go, they are always among the smartest and most hardworking.
However, the downside is that it's too "civilized".
My neighbor hoards grain, I hoard guns; my neighbor is my granary.
There have been numerous anti-Chinese incidents and even massacres of Chinese people in various parts of Southeast Asia. Local authorities used these incidents to plunder wealth and alleviate internal conflicts.
When others keep attacking you, it's time for you to really reflect on your actions.
But what we should reflect on is not complaining and blaming others, but always thinking, "Why am I so unlucky? Am I not doing well enough?"
Instead, I should reflect on what I need to do to prevent these bastards from messing with me in the future.
He glanced at the Siamese girl beside him.
Although her smile was very attractive, it looked somewhat fake.
Especially that sense of innocence, it's a bit like "pre-made food," like someone who's been trained.
I glanced at Wang Sicong, who was following the girl.
The other person quickly realized he was being looked at and looked away.
"I'd like a Macallan, plain and simple."
Zhang Yuan raised his hand and ordered another glass of wine for himself.
He doesn't like adding ice; while diluted wine is smoother, it loses some of its flavor.
It needs to be strong and stimulating enough to let people taste the purest flavor.
"There's no point in trying to be clever," the eldest son of the Wang family suddenly said.
This was a retaliation for his earlier silent probing, and also an attempt to justify himself.
“You’re right.” Surprisingly, Zhang Yuan didn’t refute it.
This attitude left the other party speechless and also very upset.
He seemed to say, "Okay, okay, you're right about everything."
This ignited a fire in the heart of the arrogant young master.
"Don't put on airs. To do business, you must first understand the supply and demand relationship."
“Shouldn’t we first figure out the relations of production and the productive forces?” Zhang Yuan interrupted deliberately, then said with a smile, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted you. Please go ahead.”
It made the other person feel very uncomfortable.
“You are only a part of the supply side. It is Wanda Cinemas that holds the power of the supply side in the supply and demand relationship.”
"We won't show it to you, no matter how well you film it, it's useless." This person spoke quite bluntly.
It was far more than what Zeng Zongchong had done before.
That's why he's in that position; someone needs to make a statement.
For example, in the later struggle between Wanda and Huayi, he was the one who revealed the truth of the matter, and he was also the one who hurled insults at Feng Xiaogang on Weibo.
Later, in order to settle the matter peacefully, the king personally went to see the old king to plead for mercy.
Old Wang then expressed his stance through his son's online statement.
cry?
Crying counts as time too!
That's how we used to handle the production companies.
Even the biggest companies can't help.
But things are different. I didn't provoke you. You provoked me, so you're not in the right.
That's why I say the important things are productive forces and relations of production.
“If the relations of production do not adapt to the development of the productive forces, then the relations of production will be changed.” Zhang Yuan stood on Ma Xiansheng’s shoulders and spoke to him.
As part of the production relations, if cinemas restrict the production capacity of film and television works for their own benefit, then it is not the production side that will perish, but the cinemas.
This is the same as the housing market.
Can my money just sit idly in the bank?
If your land can't be sold as commercial housing, it'll really be a waste.
Heavy assets have their advantages, but they can also become a heavy burden if the market is unfavorable.
"You don't need to talk to me about this kind of thing. What you need to deal with now is not these theories, but the reality."
Principal Wang shook his leg, as if nothing you said would make a difference.
"I'm not going to waste my breath on you. You'd better watch yourself." Then she got up, left him behind, and walked away.
"If I can't win an argument, I'll just run away..." Zhang Yuan muttered loudly on purpose. The other person hadn't gone far when they paused, clearly having heard him.
"And yet, someone with so much money doesn't pay the bill."
Wang Si Cong quickened his pace in anger.
Zhang Yuan smiled, shook his head, and paid the bill.
After all, he was the one who invited them for drinks.
He anticipated that the conversation wouldn't be very pleasant.
I just wanted to make contact with them and test their attitude.
He had absolutely no intention of playing against the other side.
It wasn't that he was afraid, but that the other party wasn't qualified.
Playing chess with you would lower my standards.
What's the point of messing around with rich kids? Chatting and having fun is fine, but forget about making strategic plans.
My opponents are those middle-aged managers, and people like your father.
Zhang Yuan finished his drink in one gulp and thanked Devika, who was keeping him company.
"Please take care of the next few days."
"I hope you can show me the real Siamese culture."
After saying that, he got up and left alone, asking his assistant to take the other person back to their room.
The Siamese girl pouted and raised her thick eyebrows.
Is this a gentlemanly attitude from the Chinese people, or is he simply not interested in me?
You shouldn't have escorted me back to my room, then tried to come inside, and when I politely declined, you left feeling awkward...
Zhang Yuan completely broke the routine.
……
The next day he got up very early and took photos at various facilities in the hotel.
Afterwards, we traveled around Bangkok for a while, but we were constantly being filmed by people from Channel 7, so it can't really be considered a trip.
It wasn't until a day later, when I left Bangkok for Chiang Mai, that the number of people at the TV station had decreased significantly, as they were on a business trip.
"Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia."
"Curry, Bak Kut Teh, Indonesian Basil..."
Zhang Yuan observed the outdoor scenery through the car window while humming a song that had not yet been created.
He felt this was the most suitable Chinese song for Southeast Asia.
This song is quite suitable for "Lost in Thailand," as it's full of Southeast Asian flavor.
However, the infrastructure in Siam...
Along the way, once we left the city, the experience of modernity plummeted.
In response, Zhang Yuan would like to borrow a famous quote from a Chinese public intellectual.
"Siam, please stop your rushing pace, wait for your people, wait for your soul, wait for your morality, wait for your conscience."
What? No morals or conscience? Then it's fine.
After all, this is a country world-renowned for its sex industry; where would they get these things?
"Haha, you've finally arrived."
Upon arriving in Chiang Mai, Zhang Yuan had his driver take him directly to the set of the film "Lost in Thailand".
Xu Guangtou came to greet him with a smile.
"Damn, bro!"
Baoqiang and Huang Bo were also there.
Seeing a pretty girl beside him, Baoqiang rolled his eyes and stepped forward.
"When did you meet? I've never seen you before."
"I had never seen it before I came here."
Let me introduce you.
Zhang Yuan gave a detailed introduction to the three male protagonists.
Two are Golden Horse Award winners, the other being a well-known actor and director.
The Siamese girl didn't recognize the three of them, and she didn't watch Chinese plays.
But I knew Zhang Yuan before I came here because he watches Hollywood movies.
The Siamese girl was somewhat surprised to learn that these three men looked... well, not exactly strange, but rather a bit of an eyesore.
Do all the top stars in China look like this?
The audience was quite forgiving.
I thought only people who looked like Zhang Yuan could become famous.
Compared to him, Davika looked at him repeatedly and found him to be more outstanding in appearance and demeanor.
Zhang Yuan also looked at the three of them.
Baoqiang is confused about small things, but clear-headed about big things.
Xu Zheng is shrewd at making money, but his principles are vague.
Bo Ge, on the other hand, is like a knife that cuts tofu, smooth on both sides, and versatile.
The three people are three different types of intelligent people.
It's not easy to use it well.
But it is precisely because the three of them are all "elite" that they were able to create such a legendary drama.
"Lost in Thailand" is undoubtedly a milestone in the history of Chinese cinema.
However, this also created a problem, making Xu Guangtou overconfident.
Therefore, after losing Bao Qiang and Huang Bo to work together, the quality of their works declined significantly.
Because Xu Zheng himself is not a particularly funny person, he can only be described as somewhat funny. In the previous movie "Lost in Thailand", most of the comedic moments came from Bao Qiang.
The three of them together create a perfect chemical reaction. Without any one of them, the effect is greatly diminished.
So after greeting them, Zhang Yuan was thinking about how to keep the bald man in check and prevent him from getting too cocky.
"Did the filming go smoothly?"
"Everything went very smoothly, no one disturbed us, and the venue was used very well."
After sitting down, Xu Zheng replied.
"It's all thanks to my elder brother's good arrangements," Baoqiang added, raising his chin.
"Without your help, things definitely wouldn't have gone so smoothly."
"Yes, yes, it has to be our Boss Zhang." Brother Bo grinned and said.
"It's all what I should do." Zhang Yuan did not deny his contribution.
"Don't worry about filming. If you encounter any problems, just come to me."
"Okay, let's shoot a behind-the-scenes video first, then we'll use it for promotional materials." Zhang Yuan got up to get busy.
Following the traditional process is quite easy.
The set visit is over, and things are almost done.
The three men thought he was leaving and came to see him off.
"No rush," Zhang Yuan said, raising his hand in refusal.
“I read the whole script, and there’s a little scene that makes fun of Siamese specialties, namely ladyboys.”
"I think this part is there."
"Yes, you're very observant," Xu Zheng replied suspiciously.
Why bring this up?
It's the scene in the movie where Baoqiang and Xuzheng are in an elevator and encounter a beautiful woman. They call her a transvestite and get called an idiot.
This content garnered considerable attention during the promotional phase.
The comedic techniques weren't particularly sophisticated, but the market was good at the time, audiences were willing to watch, and they were easily amused.
They chose Rose, one of the "Top Ten Transgender Queens" in Siam.
Actually, I'm not that good-looking in real life; the signs of plastic surgery are quite obvious.
These few dozen seconds of footage made the other party a huge hit in the country, and they even signed a company to promote them.
"Yes, I carefully review every play that comes into my hands."
"This part is good enough," Zhang Yuan said expressionlessly.
"Let her go." Zhang Yuan pointed to the girl next to him.
"what?"
Seeing Xu Guangtou's bewildered expression, he did not repeat himself.
“But we originally planned to use the topic of ladyboys for publicity.” The bald man had planned it all out.
"Using transgender actors to create buzz is something that Chinese netizens love to talk about... vulgar content."
Human nature.
Xu Zheng has a knack for publicity and promotion.
They have insight into human nature and know what people want.
"Could you translate this for me and Davika? I'll have her make a cameo appearance in this film so that Chinese audiences can see it."
Zhang Yuan ignored him and spoke to the translator.
Upon seeing this, Huang Bo walked away with his hands behind his back.
Baoqiang then rolled his eyes again.
Is my older brother planning to pick up girls, or is he deliberately asserting his control over the work?
When a general is in the field, he may disobey some of the emperor's orders.
Today, I'm personally leading the expedition to see if I keep my word.
At the same time, press down on the director's bald head.
But he still offered an explanation.
"She's prettier and more eye-catching."
"Moreover, you have to be flexible and adaptable when doing publicity and promotion."
"You could first announce that this beautiful Siamese girl is a ladyboy, making everyone feel it's a pity."
“Clarify in a few days that she is not a transgender person and reverse public opinion.”
"This way, we can win over two waves of public opinion."
He raised two fingers.
"Really?!" The Siamese girl, after hearing the translation, covered her mouth in surprise and stepped forward to ask.
"of course."
"Consider it a thank you for taking me on this trip," Zhang Yuan nodded in response.
"That's how it was. The crew exchanged contact information with him, and then made the arrangements."
"I understand, I get it..." Xu Guangtou finally realized.
The Siamese girl's big eyes darted around just like Baoqiang's, and a smile appeared on her face.
Can I act alongside a top Chinese film star?
And they arranged everything for me with just one sentence.
If we could expand into the Chinese market, wouldn't we be able to make a lot of money?
She grasped the key point in a second.
The things I rarely have access to are things that someone can arrange with just a casual remark.
"Oh, right, there's a party in the Hangdong District tonight."
"Local cultural and tourism officials, as well as district leaders, will be present."
"There are also several local business owners and celebrities."
“You should come too.”
Zhang Yuan had his assistant copy down an address for them.
"Is this a bar or a club?" The three of them craned their necks to look.
Now that the matter was resolved, Huang Bo walked back with his hands behind his back.
“My home,” he replied.
"Brother, you bought a house in Siam?" Baoqiang asked excitedly.
Someone gave it to me as a gift.
"You can use it when you come to Chiang Mai in the future." He looked completely indifferent.
"Mr. Zhang is so generous. I'm planning to take my wife out after this shoot," Brother Bo said, readily accepting the offer.
It's not about taking advantage, but about showing closeness.
"Okay, see you then."
"I'll go take a look first; I don't even know what the house looks like."
After saying that, he went to rest in the villa area and took some videos of the community environment to help advertise for them.
When you're in the workforce, you're not always in control of your own destiny; work is work.
Seeing him leave, the three shook their heads and sighed repeatedly.
"Look at other people, they don't need to buy, someone gives them a house."
"And they even send women as gifts," Xu Zheng retorted.
“My older brother is enjoying life, what’s it to you?” Baoqiang said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
……
Once we got to the house, we took a look around.
It was just an ordinary big villa... Zhang Yuan looked around and felt nothing.
Modern style, with a touch of pastoral greenery and natural colors.
The yard is quite large, and there's even a swimming pool in the backyard.
The house has three floors and is fully furnished with appliances, so you can move in immediately.
The Siamese girl on the other hand looked around with great interest.
"Do you think this house is considered good in Siam?" he asked.
“Great!” Davika nodded, her eyes wide.
"It's very big, and the decor is excellent. You can even swim there. It's very high-end."
He seems young and inexperienced.
The girl ran around, taking selfies with her phone on various balconies and in the yard, pouting as she did so.
Zhang Yuan smiled as he looked at him.
Young women are easy to please; good food, drinks, and a nice house are all it takes to make them happy.
Mature women are a different story.
Admiring beautiful girls is also a kind of enjoyment.
But a cell phone ringing interrupted his thoughts.
"Have you offended Wanda recently?" Jiang Zhiqiang called him, sounding somewhat worried.
“They were domineering, so I didn’t agree.”
I gave a general explanation, and the other party understood, but did not offer any comments.
He only mentioned one thing.
"Guess how I knew you offended Wanda?"
Please explain.
"You're not planning to re-release 'Ip Man 1'?"
"Wanda Cinemas said that re-releasing the film is pointless and they won't give it any screenings."
Not even a little bit?
"Yes, not at all."
Zhang Yuan pondered for a few seconds before speaking again.
"What about other new films?"
"No problem for now."
Zhang Yuan understood the word "temporarily".
"It's alright, every little bit of money we make from re-releases is fine."
"It's their freedom to choose not to broadcast."
Boss Jiang noticed that his tone was calm, unlike when he was somber and gloomy during the legendary incident.
Do you think he's planning something again?
"Anyway..."
"You know how to handle it, right?" Boss Jiang answered immediately.
"Yes," he replied with a smile.
"There's one more thing I need to trouble you with."
"I would like to know the specific details of a film that is about to be released, including its box office performance and screening schedule."
What play?
"The King's Feast"
He spoke in a steady voice.
"Our Lu Chuan, Director Lu." (End of Chapter)