Chapter 11 This is called making money

After doing a favor for Xiao Yueyue, Zhang Yuan knew that it would not be long before the two of them would meet again in the underworld.

After a brief episode, he returned to the hotel room.

"Yuan, I didn't realize you had such a strong sense of justice." Director Gao Qunshu saw him coming back and joked, "You two are standing up for a waiter. Do you know each other?"

"I don't know him." Zhang Yuan sat down and took a sip of water: "But I also came from a poor background. I was also looked down upon and bullied by others."

"So when I saw this kid being bullied just now, I thought I would help him if I could."

"Thank you for troubling us, brothers." As he said this, he raised his glass to express his gratitude.

Everyone present was deeply touched by his words.

Director Gao Qunshu did not graduate from Beijing Film Academy, but from the Central Academy of Drama, so he can be considered a latecomer.

Although Sun Honglei has a diploma from the Central Academy of Drama, his major was in musical theatre and he was an auditor in a junior college class. He only received a certificate of completion when he graduated.

This is even more true for the others present here, all of whom come from grassroots backgrounds.

On their way up, they have been looked down upon and bullied by their more powerful and well-connected peers. They can only swallow their anger and bear the consequences.

Apart from anything else, when Director Gao was promoting "Conquer", he was called a "grassroots team" many times.

Only those who have experienced it understand how difficult it is to be born into a lower class family.

"One family does not speak two languages."

"Yes, we all come from the lower classes and help each other."

"Zhang Yuan did a good job. He should stand up when he sees injustice..."

During the conversation, drinks were flowing.

After a few more bottles of liquor, the atmosphere became even better.

By the time the banquet was over, it was already two o'clock in the morning.

The restaurant owner who was waiting downstairs to finish cleaning was yawning. When he saw them coming out, he hurriedly came up to greet them attentively and humbly.

Obviously, he already knew that the crew had "scolded away" the drunkard.

"Don't make things difficult for the waiter." Zhang Yuan left with others after saying this.

As they walked out of the hotel, director Gao Qunshu pulled him aside, obviously wanting to say something to him alone.

"Yuan, this time, thanks to you, our film was sold successfully." The director smiled happily, holding a cigarette in his mouth.

"I've staked my entire fortune on this movie. If I lose, I'll have to work to pay off my debts."

"It's all for the crew, it's my duty." Zhang Yuan said righteously, then asked curiously: "Director, how much did it sell in the end?"

"I wouldn't tell you if someone asked me, and I won't keep you in suspense." Gao Qunshu stretched out his hand.

"500."

"That's good." Zhang Yuan thought to himself, this movie sold for 450 million in the previous life, and now it's 50 more, not bad.

"Although the profit is not much, it is better than making no profit or losing money." After saying this, Gao Qunshu took out a thick manila envelope from his briefcase and handed it to Zhang Yuan.

"This is?"

"It's just a small gift, just accept it." Patting Zhang Yuan on the shoulder, Gao Qunshu gave him an appreciative look, and then left alone.

Zhang Yuan weighed the envelope and judging from its thickness and weight, it should contain 10,000 yuan!
"The film sold 500 million yuan, and Director Gao should have made about 80 yuan. Giving me yuan as a thank-you fee is not a small amount."

Don't be greedy. Besides, he has been reborn for just over a month and has already earned 13000 yuan from the crew of "Conquest", which is quite a lot.

At the beginning of the 21st century, an ordinary worker might not earn this much in a year.

I returned to the rental house and slept until dawn thanks to the alcohol.

Early the next morning.

"Fuck, so much money!!!"

Zhang Yuan opened his eyes at the shout of his roommate Zhao Jin.

Zhao Jin, who was standing aside, was holding the opened kraft paper envelope with trembling hands. He stared blankly into the envelope with red cheeks, and it was unclear whether it was due to excitement or the redness reflected by the stack of red bills.

"What are you doing!" Zhang Yuan snatched it back and glared at the other person fiercely.

Zhao Jin wiped his saliva with the back of his hand, his eyes sparkling with stars, still staring at the bag of money.

"You, you, where did you get so much money? Didn't you say the pay was only 3000?"

People's ability to adapt is indeed very strong. When he heard that Zhang Yuan earned 3000 a month a few days ago, this guy thought it was a sky-high price.

Now when I see that 3000 yuan, it becomes "only yuan"...

Zhang Yuan slapped his forehead. He drank too much yesterday and threw the envelope on the table when he returned to his room. How careless!
Fortunately, although my roommate was noisy, he was not a bad person. If he had met someone who was greedy for money, he would have taken the money and ran away without saying a word. "Call me daddy!" Zhang Yuan looked at him jokingly.

"Why?"

"You said it yourself. If I have the ability to sell movies, I will be your real father in the future."

Zhao Jin was choked by him and couldn't speak.

Zhang Yuan put the money in his pocket, thinking that he would go out to a bank and open an account to deposit the money.

"3000 is the film fee, and this ten thousand is the remuneration." Zhang Yuan looked proud.

"How can the remuneration be so high? Are you a pimp for the director?" Zhao Jin couldn't figure it out even if he was beaten to death.

You are quite imaginative... But there are people in the entertainment industry who really do this.

"Didn't I tell you a few days ago that I helped the director sell the film? Now that the film has been sold, this is the thank-you fee from him."

Zhao Jin was stunned. He thought Zhang Yuan was bragging.

"I'm going to be out for a while. I'll bring you some dumplings stuffed with sauerkraut later. It's my treat." Zhang Yuan put on his clothes and prepared to go out.

"I'm not eating anymore." Zhao Jin fell on the bed in frustration: "I feel sour enough already, I can't eat anything sour."

After Zhang Yuan left, the man hammered the wall in the room for a long time in frustration.

As a group performer, he already earns over ten thousand yuan a month, while he still has to go hungry. The gap makes him feel insignificant and desperate.

After saving the money, Zhang Yuan had some free time.

I found a bench to sit down and started planning for the future.

"The living conditions in the rental house are too poor, and there are too many people and too many eyes. It's not safe either. I have to find a way to change the environment."

"Nowadays, a small courtyard house in the capital costs just over a million yuan."

Before the 90s, the price of a courtyard house was only tens of thousands of yuan. However, with the housing reform in the 90s, by 93, the price of a courtyard house had risen to 1 yuan per square meter.

Zhang Yuan remembered that the courtyard house Murdoch bought in 04 was only RMB 4 per square meter. The courtyard was right next to the east gate of the Forbidden City and was considered to be the best location in China.

"I'll buy one when I save enough money, so I have a place to stay."

Nothing major happened in the next few days, so he didn't go to the gate of Beijing Film Studio with his roommates to wait for work.

Now he no longer looks down on small roles like those played in extras.

He is waiting for an opportunity.

Soon, the opportunity came.

"Qunshu, you are really lucky. The film was shot smoothly and sold smoothly."

On this day, director Gao Qun and Shu Zheng were having dinner with a few friends in the circle and talked about "Conquer".

He boasted a lot at the dinner table and enjoyed himself to the fullest.

"Hey, Dawei, why do you look so sad? You are the best among us, so why do you have to be sad?"

"Don't mention it. My old lady has given me a difficult problem." The person who spoke was called Li Dawei, also a director.

And like Zhang Yimou, he also graduated from the Photography Department of Beijing Film Academy.

"They found a novel written during the Republic of China and wanted to remake it. They asked me to adapt the script."

Li Dawei took a sip of wine and said, "I'm good at carrying the camera, and I've practiced being a director, but I really don't know how to change the script!"

As soon as Gao Qunshu heard the words "change the script", he immediately became excited.

"I have an acquaintance in this matter!"

At this time, Zhang Yuan, who was walking alone on the street, picked up the phone after hearing the ringtone.

"Zhang Yuan, I was drinking with some director friends and happened to be talking about the script."

"Are you interested in coming over for a meal?"

Zhang Yuan threw away the cigarette butt in his hand and perked up: "What script?"

"It's a novel from the Republic of China that they want to adapt into a TV series. I haven't read it. It's called..." Gao Qunshu turned around and asked.

"Oh, yes, it's called The Golden Age."

As soon as these four words appeared, Zhang Yuan's ears began to buzz like thunder.

He knows so much!

(End of this chapter)