Chapter 135: The Birth of a Box Office Miracle
“If you think it’s bad, then leave, or work to improve it, instead of complaining.”
“……”
After President Shen single-handedly steered public opinion in the right direction, not only were people in the music scene and film industry impressed with him, but even those in the novel, dance, and television drama circles began to strongly support him.
Yu Hua: “Damn it, Shen Qing said everything I wanted to say but didn’t dare to. He’s amazing! Next time, I’ll definitely give him a signed copy of *To Live*.”
Liu Cixin: “Recently, some people have said that *The Three-Body Problem 1*, which I published in May, has problematic ideas. Actually, I don’t want to explain too much. This novel will have a second part, so please look forward to it. Also, I highly recommend everyone watch *My People, My Country*. It’s excellent!”
Chen Kaige: “Shen Qing is a young man who dares to speak the truth. I know my words today will be attacked by some people, but I still want to support Shen Qing and not let him be isolated.”
Fan Bingbing: “Shen Qing is a very upright and patriotic person. I hope everyone can support him, and also support our films.”
Zhang Liangying: “What Shen Qing says, is what I say!”
Those public intellectuals, knowing their lives were important, dared not show their faces for the time being. They found it hard to believe how quickly the public opinion environment had changed!
It’s all Shen Qing’s fault.
Damn it, I’ve remembered your name. Just you wait.
……
Shen Qing didn’t care about these people’s opinions. In the future world, public intellectuals would be a group everyone would shun.
What he was doing now was accelerating this process.
It was he who, at the turn of 2006 and 2007, first categorized ‘public intellectual’ as a derogatory term.
Once this impression was formed, it could not be erased.
As soon as people thought of public intellectuals, they knew they weren’t good.
But were there people who supported ‘public intellectuals’?
This was beyond doubt. In a large forest, there were all sorts of birds.
……
Currently.
President Shen’s work focus had shifted to relaxation and entertainment.
These days, he hadn’t attended many events. As for roadshows, Feng Xiaogang, Ning Hao, Fan Bingbing, and others were handling them.
He, Zhang Liangying, Deng Ziqi, Xiao Jingteng, and Zhao Lei were all busy overseeing the renovation of the recording studio every day.
The four of them were very excited.
Especially Deng Ziqi, who couldn’t sleep thinking about singing in this recording studio, which had an investment of over ten million.
Meanwhile.
The media’s enthusiasm for the film had not diminished at all.
Because *Curse of the Golden Flower* was released on December 14th. Since it was a Thursday, it only grossed 7 million yuan on the first day.
At this time, *My People, My Country*’s daily box office, due to state-owned enterprises, schools, and organizations organizing group viewings, still maintained 17 million yuan, with the total box office reaching 260 million yuan.
This release, after only half a month, had already set a new record for domestic commercial films.
The film industry was in jubilation: the spring for domestic films had arrived!
At this moment.
Zhang Yimou was under immense pressure…
All sorts of media were watching him.
Fortunately, on the second day, Friday, *Curse of the Golden Flower*’s daily box office exceeded 17 million yuan, regaining some face.
However, *My People, My Country* earned 20 million that day.
The gap was still not small.
And films like *The Knot* and *Confession of Pain* had already given up the struggle.
They had been released for several days, one grossing 10 million yuan, the other 15 million yuan, with daily box office less than a fraction of *My People, My Country*’s.
Now, the only one that could compete was *Curse of the Golden Flower*, so everyone’s attention naturally focused on it.
Soon.
Time came to December 16th, Saturday, and *Curse of the Golden Flower* welcomed its first weekend.
Zhang Yimou, along with Chow Yun-fat, Gong Li, Liu Ye, and Jay Chou, were on roadshows in Beijing and Shanghai.
The effect was quite good.
Over two days, they grossed a total of 40 million yuan.
At this point, *Curse of the Golden Flower*’s cumulative box office reached 64 million yuan.
Based on this data, it wasn’t impossible for *Curse of the Golden Flower* to break 200 million, but *My People, My Country* might be heading towards 400 million.
Zhang Yimou: “Alas, such bad luck.”
In the original timeline without Shen Qing, Old Mouzi’s *Curse of the Golden Flower* had crazily raked in 291 million yuan at the box office.
It could be said to have dominated the scene.
But now, it encountered *My People, My Country*.
The market was only so big, and the audience’s money was limited. Many people wouldn’t watch other films after seeing one.
It was inevitable that *Curse of the Golden Flower*’s box office would be lower than in the previous life.
By the time the second weekend arrived, Old Mouzi didn’t want to struggle anymore, as the box office was basically set.
The first weekend grossed 40 million, the second weekend only 30 million, and weekdays dropped to around 5 million.
This momentum wasn’t great.
But the upcoming New Year’s Day holiday gave Old Mouzi hope, “We must break 200 million, keep pushing!”
……
The two weekends of December 30th and 31st, 2006, were designated as workdays. After a long week, people across the country welcomed the 2007 New Year’s Day holiday.
The public’s movie-watching fervor reached its peak for 2006.
The late shows at major cinemas were almost all fully booked.
Movie fans who couldn’t buy tickets for *My People, My Country* had to go see *Curse of the Golden Flower*. However, *Curse of the Golden Flower* didn’t have many showtimes, and many people still couldn’t get tickets.
Therefore, *The Knot* and *Confession of Pain* also benefited.
On this day, Zhang Liangying was not in Beijing. She and Ye Yiqian were invited by Zhejiang Satellite TV to attend a New Year’s Eve gala.
Shen Qing did not go with them.
He was busy writing songs in Beijing.
The recording studio wasn’t finished yet, so he had to write at his studio.
Ahem, I have several singers to nurture under my wing…
Making money is indeed not simple.
If one had no original ideas in their head, pure originality, how difficult would that be? No wonder those big companies signed so many people, only for them to fade into obscurity in the end.
“Damn it, I must control the number of signed artists. Three is already enough to give me a headache. I’ll sign fewer in the future…”
“However, I can sign a few actors. After all, nurturing actors only requires investing in film and television dramas. Occasionally copying a few scripts can elevate their status, and then I can just lie down and count the money.”
“Awesome!”
Looking at the dozen or so A4 papers on his desk, Shen Qing carefully locked them up and put them into the safe.
These were the first album he had prepared for Deng Ziqi.
Little Deng, it’s your turn to shine.
If this album doesn’t make a hundred million, I’ll make you cry!
……
Glancing at the time, it was exactly six in the afternoon. Shen Qing decided to go out for a drink with Huang Bo; it was too boring to be alone in Beijing.
As he reached the company entrance, he bumped into Fan Bingbing, who was lingering outside.
Little Fan saw Shen Qing and mustered her courage to walk over: “President Shen, hello. I was just about to come in to find you…”
Shen Qing saw she was dressed beautifully and had applied exquisite makeup. He smiled and asked, “What’s up? Is there something you need?”
Fan Bingbing chuckled: “Yes, want to go see a movie? I know you’re spending New Year’s Eve alone in Beijing, so you must be bored. I came to keep you company.”
Shen Qing: “Let’s go!”
The cinema was showing *Curse of the Golden Flower*.
Many female servants appeared on the big screen, all of them pushing up their chests, especially Gong Li’s.
In the middle row, third from the back, Shen Qing coughed and whispered into Little Pang’s ear: “Doesn’t it hurt when they push their chests up so tightly?”
Little Fan chuckled: “Of course it hurts. I usually wear loose clothing; I don’t like to be constricted so tightly…”
At this moment.
Little Fan looked at the young man standing close to her. Seeing him sniff, she smiled and said, “You keep looking at my chest, do you like me?”
Shen Qing answered a question with a question, saying indifferently, “You’re so fair. How do you usually take care of your skin?”
