Chapter 1136: Cheating Acquaintances Without Discount

The matter of cooperation was thus settled.

Many people think that certain major events are only negotiated in a solemn atmosphere, but in fact, that is just people's imagination—just as a farmer might think the emperor eats from a golden bowl. Without being in that environment, people always have all sorts of unrealistic guesses.

Actually, it wasn't that complicated. Zhao Baogang wanted to make a killing, Huayi wanted to stir up a big commotion, and at Future Film, Ye Jing hoped to send certain signals to the outside world through such cooperation.

Thus, they hit it off immediately.

As for Zhao Fusheng, well, he was just a screenwriter; other matters weren't important.

Besides, knowing that a drama that could make money when filmed, writing it was no big deal. Zhao Fusheng also knew he didn't have to quarrel with money.

He wasn't stupid.

Moreover, even a fool, when faced with something he wants, will show a different side than usual.

"How did the talks go?"

Jiang Wen finally finished his business and sidled up to Zhao Fusheng, asking with a smile.

Ye Jing and Wang Zhonglei had already gathered with Zhao Baogang, the three of them murmuring about something, clearly discussing the investment shares.

Hearing Jiang Wen's words, Zhao Fusheng smiled and nodded: "Pretty much done, basically no major issues."

"That's good." Old Jiang said reassuringly: "I was worried you might not give them face."

After all, their status was different now. These people's friendship with Zhao Fusheng wasn't as close as his and Yu Feihong's. If Zhao Fusheng was really provoked, it wasn't impossible for him to smash a cup, curse, and walk away.

In the end, with Zhao Fusheng's current wealth and status, he didn't need to kowtow to these people, nor would he ever have to beg them for anything. On the contrary, these people might need to beg him someday.

That was the reality now—somewhat cold, but clearly laid out before their eyes.

"Not really. They and I aren't the same kind of people anyway," Zhao Fusheng said indifferently.

"By the way, when are you leaving?" Jiang Wen asked Zhao Fusheng.

"I'll leave after I finish the script." Zhao Fusheng smiled and casually said to Jiang Wen: "Your wife is about to give birth. Do you want to come out and earn some milk money?"

Jiang Wen frowned: "Will there be enough time?"

Zhao Fusheng shrugged: "Probably. To set up the project and form the crew, it won't be until after National Day at the earliest. By then, your wife Zhou Yun will have finished her postpartum confinement. What, are you planning to retire from acting?"

Jiang Wen shook his head, simply ignoring Zhao Fusheng's teasing.

As soon as the train entered the mountainous area, the scenery immediately changed.

Zhao Fusheng laughed: "If you're free tomorrow, how about we take a train ride together for a spin?"

"Huh?"

Jiang Wen looked completely baffled, having no idea what Zhao Fusheng was up to.

A faint, enigmatic smile appeared on Zhao Fusheng's face, but he didn't continue.

…

…

The next day, Zhao Fusheng really dragged Jiang Wen onto a train.

The train jolted along roads lined with tall thorny bushes, now panting heavily as it climbed slopes, now swiftly sliding down into valleys. The sun, sinking among the treetops, cast a strangely serene and desolate light on these roads. The mysterious vistas hidden in dense shadows, the emerald-green peaks, seemed to lure the train toward a wrong turn, a deep pool, or a steep slope.

"You dragged me out here just to write a script?" Jiang Wen looked at Zhao Fusheng helplessly, suddenly feeling that this guy was too much.

His wife was pregnant, and here he was being pulled away from home by him—it was downright outrageous.

"It's not like I'm locking you up for half a year and not letting you go home." Zhao Fusheng glared at Jiang Wen: "We'll go back tonight. I just need a little inspiration."

He paused, then looked at Jiang Wen and said: "Let me tell you, this drama is invested by Xinbaoyuan, Huayi, and Future Film. If you direct it, I've secured you a five percent box office share. You decide whether to join."

"Five percent?" Jiang Wen was taken aback: "Why a share? Can't I just take a flat fee?"

Zhao Fusheng was too lazy to praise the guy anymore. He glared at him and said: "Are you a pig? Didn't I tell you that if this drama is done well, the box office could break a hundred million?"

Box office breaking a hundred million!?

Jiang Wen didn't even catch what Zhao Fusheng said before; just the four words 'box office breaking a hundred million' made his eyes light up.

There was no help for it. In this era, aside from the unreasonable film *Shaolin Temple*, in recent years only Ma Dajun's earlier film *The Flag Flies* had surpassed a hundred million at the box office. But the problem was, that was a mainstream film with government backing. In many places, schools and military units were organized to watch it, so the high box office was normal.

As for legitimate commercial blockbusters in China, none had yet broken the hundred million mark.

Even the films Zhao Fusheng had produced earlier, though they performed well domestically, still hadn't crossed the hundred million threshold.

The reason was simple: the domestic film market at that time was just that small. With a total box office of only a few billion by 2008, what could one expect?

In fact, even ten years later, the domestic film market was still quite unhealthy.

Commercial blockbusters captured eyeballs and box office but couldn't deliver much nutrition or depth. Low-budget films faced a one-in-a-hundred chance of survival, with almost no room to exist. Yet even so, countless people rushed in, just like the countless extras in Hengdian, dreaming of being the extraordinary among the ordinary, all aspiring to become the next Zhao Baozi.

But to be honest, didn't they know their own level?

The difference was that extras wasted their own lives, while blockbusters and low-budget films lost the investors' money. Neither the creative team nor the production team would earn less.

Just as a later Weibo influencer said: it could be a money-laundering tool, a scam tool, genuine passion, or truly a hidden gem...

But the problem was, no one could guarantee that.

Even Zhao Fusheng couldn't guarantee that the films that achieved high box office in later times would still get high box office if he brought them out early. After all, a film's success depended heavily on release schedule, timing, and even promotional strategy.

So he could only carefully follow the trajectory of history, trying not to change too much.

Sometimes, when he thought about it, Zhao Fusheng himself felt quite helpless.