Chapter 38 Tianyi Nobleman

"Sister Man, why don't you just give me the money? Why did you come here in this hot weather? I'm not going to run away with your money, am I?"

Xia Chi didn't expect Feng Man to actually agree to lend him 100,000 yuan.

What he didn't expect was that Feng Man actually asked to go with him to inspect the project.

"Stop talking nonsense! Who knows if your judgment is reliable? If this money goes down the drain, who am I going to ask for it?"

Feng Man said this, but she had other ideas in her mind.

The divine beast can tell the future, if this short play project is really reliable, I will invest 100,000 yuan, and if it makes 80 million, then I can just lie down and be financially free.

Xia Chi was angry but dared not speak out, he could only recite the allegorical saying in his heart...

【Tsk~ Buying a pancake for three cents and looking at the thickness is really stingy.】

[The stingy son wears a white hat, he is so stingy. ]

[The stingy guy became even more stingy after completing his apprenticeship.]

【……】

Feng Man's fists hardened.

For the sake of financial freedom, I endure.

As they were talking, the car drove to the agreed location - a place on the outskirts of the city known as the "top short drama shooting base."

In fact, it is a row of renovated abandoned residential areas, with cheap blue paint on the exterior walls and an exaggerated LED sign hanging at the door: "Dream Film and Television Factory"

But someone arrived before them.

Yuan Yuzhen.

Not to mention Xia Chi, even Feng Man was deeply surprised.

But then again, who has a grudge against money?

Yuan Yuzhen, wearing a sharp Chanel little black dress, was chatting with a middle-aged man with a broad smile. Upon seeing the two, she waved, "Manman, Xiaoxia, come here. Let me introduce you. This is Director Huang He, the person in charge of this project."

【Yellow Crane?】

Xia Chi looked at the shifty man in front of him.

How to say it?

I just felt that his whole body, even his name, gave off the feeling that he would run away with his sister-in-law and the money tomorrow.

"Teacher Xia! I've heard so much about you!" Huang He enthusiastically shook Xia Chi's hand, his strength so strong it made him feel uncomfortable. "I've watched your 'Monster Hunt' at least ten times! Every frame is a work of art."

…

Xia Chi, Feng Man and Yuan Yuzhen were all a little embarrassed.

["Monster Hunting Record" hasn't aired yet.]

Did the director do a quick search on Baidu and mistakenly attribute the movie to "Monster Hunt"?

[I didn't even recognize it, and I've watched it at least ten times.]

Huang He didn't realize he was wrong, and said flatteringly, "I heard that Teacher Xia wants to invest in our drama?" He looked me up and down, "With your temperament and image, why don't you stay and be our male lead? Our new drama will start filming soon."

Xia Chi chuckled: "No problem, no problem."

[Oh my goodness, the abacus beads are falling on my face.]

[This is a plan to get something for nothing. Not only do they want to save the investment, they also want to save the film salary! ]

Yuan Yuzhen asked, "What kind of films has Director Huang made before?"

Huang He laughed awkwardly yet frankly: "Haha, that's been quite a busy job." He counted on his fingers, "Since the beginning of this year, I've already filmed five or six short dramas, including "The Domineering President's Substitute Wife," "The Domineering President's Contract Lover," "The Domineering President's Magical Love," "The Domineering President Falls in Love with Me, a Divorced Parent," and "The Domineering President Runs Away with the Baby."

【Since the beginning of this year?】

Five or six?

There is too much information to react to all at once.

"Ha," Yuan Yuzhen sighed, "They say short dramas are popular, and it seems to be true. The overbearing CEO is even busier than 996."

"The market waits for no one! What matters is quick, profitable, and effective." The director doesn't shy away from the fact: "Short films are like that. Those who got in first have already made a killing. Those who got in later want a quick return on their investment, not a work of art!"

Yuan Yuzhen asked without hesitation, "Then... did Director Huang make his investment back?"

Huang He was embarrassed for a moment, then suddenly laughed out loud, "Of course I have to. If I don't go back to my original intention, can I still shoot five movies in a row? I can't afford the compensation."

After saying that, he led a group of people into the base.

The base was divided into several areas. In the so-called "top-of-the-line studio," several old cameras were mounted on rickety tripods. A dozen young people, most of them recent graduates, were bustling about.

"Our team's average age is 25, and we're full of energy!" the director proudly introduced. "This youthful vibe is exactly what short plays need these days!"

Xia Chi noticed a girl wearing glasses in the corner working hard in front of a computer, with a look of despair written all over her face. In front of her was a pile of paper documents, covered with dense comments.

"That's our assistant screenwriter, Xiao Tang." Huang He followed Xia Chi's gaze and explained, "He's mainly responsible for polishing the details of the script."

Yuan Yuzhen: "Can I read the script?"

Huang He: "Haha, it's a trade secret, a trade secret. However, I can reveal that this time the script is adapted from the work of a well-known screenwriter, and the IP licensing fee alone cost several million!"

【cut……】

If they really spent a lot of money on an IP project, they would frame the authorization letter and display it. Why would they be so secretive?

[It's just a ghostwriter I found online, a hundred bucks an episode... and then I asked that assistant writer to revise it...]

Yuan Yuzhen: One hundred yuan?

Feng Man: One episode?

The gap is quite big, and it has broken the bottom line of cognition.

Maybe that's what the skit is about...

It's okay as long as I can make money.

Yuan Yuzhen comforted herself in this way.

“Is this your equipment?”

Feng Man asked, pointing at several machines that were almost rusting.

Huang He's expression froze for a moment: "Ah, these are spares, spares. The main equipment is being debugged in another shed..."

Yuan Yuzhen: "Then let's go and take a look..."

Huang He refused: "Well... the equipment is under maintenance today..."

He was afraid of showing his weakness, so he quickly invited the three distinguished guests to sit in the simple office on the second floor. The walls of the office were covered with all kinds of exaggerated data charts and photos of internet celebrity actors, and Huang He excitedly introduced them to them.

"This is our upcoming filming of 'The Overbearing CEO and His Butler,' and we expect the single episode to generate over 100 million hits..."

Over 100 million...

Even someone like Yuan Yuzhen, who often makes big promises to others, felt like she was seeing the grandmaster.

Yuan Yuzhen was an expert in her field and immediately asked a professional question: "Director Huang, what is your profit model?"

Huang He's eyebrows immediately lit up with joy: "Advance guidance, advertising placement, membership revenue sharing, and peripheral development, we have already negotiated cooperation with more than 20 brands!"

He took out a beautiful PPT, which was full of exaggerated words and unverified data. It didn't even have the most basic risk analysis. With this level, it couldn't even pass the preliminary round of the college student entrepreneurship competition.

"This is our business plan. We estimate a payback period of two months, with annual profits starting at 50 million!"

Feng Man and Yuan Yuzhen swallowed their saliva together.

no……

It’s almost the same as what Xia Chi said.

The value of Xia Chi, this charlatan, suddenly became as low as Huang He's.

The two looked at each other.

Instead of giving the money to Huang He, it would be better to give it to Xia Chi and let him run away.

So here comes the question.

Is Xia Chi planning to dig a hole and bury himself?

His eyes went straight to Xia Chi.

Xia Chi was scratching his face next to him.

A pimple suddenly appeared on his cheek this morning, and he was so engrossed in picking it that he forgot everything else.

Feng Man took the opportunity when Huang He went out to get some water to ask him.

"Is this the play you plan to cast?"

Xia Chi: "Ang——"

Feng Man: "If you feel wronged, just tell me directly. Your sister Man wouldn't let you just hang around in a group like this."

Xia Chi: “…”

[It really seems like a scam...]

[But the hexagram clearly shows that this drama, the 'Li Fire' hexagram, meets the 'Tian Yi Gui Ren', which means it will be a huge hit.]

What's going on?

Xia Chi could only explain, "Hey, Sister Man, short dramas are just like that. They're shoddy, full of flaws, and the logic is illogical and full of melodrama. As long as the audience enjoys watching them, that's all."

Feng Man looked around and frowned: "Don't you feel anything is wrong?"

【feel.】

Xia Chi felt guilty when asked.

【Did I calculate it wrong? 】

【How about... let's do it again? 】

He snapped his fingers deftly.

['Li Fire Gua' meets 'Tian Yi Gui Ren', is this correct?]

[But this time the hexagram seems to have changed a little...]

[The wealth star is sinking, and gold and jade are turning to ashes. Oh my god, this is such a vicious hexagram.]

[When the White Tiger opens its mouth, it is actually a pig-killing dish.]

What do you mean, even though the show is a huge hit, I won’t fight for a penny?

What's going on? What's going on? What's going on?

Xia Chi rubbed his hair.

Suddenly, an exaggerated engine roar came from downstairs.

The three of them came to the corridor and looked down.

A pure black extended version of Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly drove into the shooting site, and the car door slowly rose. A man wearing GUCCI sunglasses that were enough to cover half of his face took slow steps in limited edition AJs. Two assistants jogged behind him. The left one held an anti-UV black plastic umbrella, and the right one held a glass of iced American coffee. The condensed water droplets on the wall of the glass dripped onto the Hermès handbag.

[Who is this person? He looks familiar.]

Xia Chi narrowed his eyes and identified it carefully.

[Wow——Isn’t this the famous…]

【Oil King Hao Shuai. 】

Hao Shuai AJ tripped and got a piece of dust on him.

Who, who is scolding me.

Looking around, no one was talking, but there were three people leaning on the second-floor railing looking at him.

Hao Shuai suspected that he had misheard, and after walking a few steps forward, he heard someone chattering again.

My bangs aren't set with hairspray, they're set with Arowana hair oil. Even an ant with a stick can't climb up.

[When he arrived, the entire Daqing Oilfield was waving to me.]

[It is recommended that the country include it in the strategic oil reserves. The oil content is enough to solve the energy crisis.]

“…”

Hao Shuai's face turned pale.

With a whoosh, Director Huang He rushed over, his face as bright as a chrysanthemum. "Oh my, Master Hao is putting on a really grand show today!"

Hao Shuai slowly took off his sunglasses, brushed the non-existent dust off his sleeves with his fingertips, and said casually, "Oh, my driver drove the wrong car. I wanted to be more low-key and drive a Porsche, but he insisted that this car was comfortable to sit in."

【puff--】

Suddenly, a voice laughed in my ear.

[Can your driver decide which car to drive? Keep making up stories.]

Hao Shuai was a little angry.

Huang He was completely unaware of this, with a smile on his face. He bent over to fan Hao Shuai, his lips as sweet as honey.

"Look, look, my style and temperament are so different from those of us rough people. I am indeed a top student of Cambridge University. I am different because I have studied abroad."

【puff--】

[Cambridge? The Cambridge International English crash course is pretty good, who are they trying to fool?]

“…”

Hao Shuai's face turned red.

Huang He quickly pulled him to the table: "Hey, come sit down and have a rest. It's been a week since we last met. Is the old man okay? What have you been busy with recently?"

"Hey, let's not mention my father. Keep a low profile."

Hao Shuai waved his hand modestly.

Huang He continued to flatter him: "Oh, you are being too modest, aren't you? Mr. Hao was a leader in the business world back then, and now you are even better than him. If our crew didn't have you as the backbone, how could we have come this far with such unity?"

[Where did you find this director? He's acting like a grandson.]

[Weary soldiers and weak generals, what a makeshift team, alas...]

The sigh was real and long, as if it was right next to my ear.

Even the director scolded him, who is so uncultured? Hao Shuai looked at Huang He's reaction and acted as if he didn't hear anything.

It's really strange.

Hao Shuai narrowed his eyes and slowly scanned the set.

Except for a few unfamiliar faces standing by the railing on the second floor, everything seemed normal.

A colleague leaked the news this morning, saying that someone had come with money to snatch the leading male role from him.

"I heard there's a new person in the group, so I came to take a look."

The wrinkles on Huang He's face deepened. He loved this kind of scene where people were driving up pork prices. "Oh, you're really well-informed," he said, deliberately raising his voice an octave. "Teacher Xia—Teacher Xia?"

Xia Chi was still standing on the second floor picking his face. Upon hearing this, he slowly came downstairs and walked over.

Hao Shuai took a quick look and asked, "Who is this person?"

Xia Chi loves to watch short videos and barely recognizes Hao Shuai, but Hao Shuai may not know Xia Chi.

Xia Chi really has no presence in the circle. On the other hand, Hao Shuai, relying on his family's wealth, has become a familiar face in several big productions - although he either plays the follower of the male lead or the cannon fodder who cannot survive more than three episodes.

His acting skills are mediocre, and his looks are just average compared to internet celebrities. He was rejected by all the major film crews and lost his temper. So he had to switch to short dramas, hoping that at least he could get the leading role to satisfy himself.

Who knew that things would change? He invested a few hundred thousand in a short play, but someone was competing with him for the leading male role. I heard that the person who stole his limelight this time was just a supporting actor. He had no qualifications and was just relying on that face that was gifted by God to keep up appearances.

Now I finally see the real person.

Xia Chi's tall and thin figure walked over, wearing old canvas shoes, jeans that were washed to a pale color and had holes in the knees, and a wrinkled plaid shirt on his upper body, the collar of which was loose, revealing half of his collarbone.

At first glance, he looks just like an extra, until you see his face.

This man had very well-formed brow bones, which made his eye sockets appear particularly deep. His eyelashes were thick and long, and his nose bridge looked like it was carved with a knife, with a slightly raised joint in the middle. Especially his eyes, which were clearly black and white, as if they were done in an ink painting with thick ink. Reflecting the bright sunlight, they looked like an untouched forest.

Poor.

Nothing special.

Only the face is okay.

I thought it was a god descending to earth, why did I have to make such a grand ceremony today?

Hao Shuai felt sour in his heart.

That's all.

[He's not that handsome either.]

The other side also said the same thing.

Hao Shuai: “???!”

It was that unsophisticated voice just now...

"I've long heard of you. Nice to meet you. I'm Xia Chi."

Xia Chi smiled and stretched out his hand.