Chapter 33: Autumn in the City of Rams, a Clash of Titans!

Page 1 of 3

Autumn had arrived.

There was nothing better at this time of year than a hot pot of sliced meat.

Ma Xun and Sun Donghai found a restaurant on Ox Street and settled in for a meal.

They ate and chatted at the same time.

“The title The New Bund includes a place name, but the film’s main focus has to be the capital.”

“Exactly! That’s what Long Wu had in mind.”

“Then let’s divide the work this way. You put more effort into things here, while I head south.”

“Heh heh... Brother, that’s a fine arrangement, but this time I’m going south with you.”

“Why?”

“Brother, you haven’t forgotten why I entered the entertainment business in the first place, have you?”

“...Oh, right. I remember now. You wanted to sleep with Zhao Yazhi.”

“You really are vulgar.”

“Fuck! Sun Donghai, that’s exactly how you put it back then. Have you forgotten?”

“Of course not. Back then, we were uncouth men. Things are different now. We’re famous figures in the industry, so we have to speak with a little more refinement.”

“Refinement? Sun Donghai, did you take the wrong medicine before leaving home today? Your mind is full of filthy thoughts about men and women, and you’re talking about refinement? What a load of crap.”

“Look at you. The more you talk, the worse you sound.”

“Something’s wrong! You’re acting strange!”

“Long Wu and the others are going too.”

“Damn, so you really did get in touch with him.”

Hearing Ma Xun, Sun Donghai burst into laughter.

He did not mind being teased. His skin was thick, and besides, Ma Xun was not wrong.

“Long Wu said some Hong Kong and Taiwanese actresses will be accompanying us.”

Ma Xun understood immediately—and seized upon the key point.

“He didn’t tell me. He only told you?”

Sun Donghai hurriedly clarified, “I’m telling you now, aren’t I?”

Ma Xun rolled his eyes. “Just say it plainly. What is Long Wu after?”

“Heh heh...” Sun Donghai spoke as if presenting a treasure. “Our plan worked. Chen Zhitao of Ocean Film has arranged an enormous event this time. I hear some officials will be attending too. Long Wu wants us brothers to go and lend him our support.”

I see!

The Qin Ode versus The New Bund.

The plan had succeeded!

What Sun Donghai did not know was that Ma Xun had secretly laid another trap through Ye Quanzhen.

She must have passed the message along.

Otherwise, Chen Zhitao and Long Wu would never have become so openly opposed to each other.

Excellent.

Ma Xun would never tell Sun Donghai about Ye Quanzhen.

As for which Hong Kong and Taiwanese actresses would be there, Ma Xun had no interest in finding out.

That sort of gossip was far too boring.

Next, the two sides would fight it out with everything they had.

And he would profit from the chaos.

The New Bund would focus primarily on the capital market.

At Chen Zhitao’s request, The Qin Ode would head south to Guangzhou first.

As for my film, Heard About It, it would naturally focus on Shanghai and the Northeast.

At this time, the Northeast film market was actually excellent.

It was not only where the premiere of A Chinese Odyssey had been held; later films such as The Dream Factory and Be There or Be Square would also do extremely well there.

Feng Xiaogang was not careless in the slightest. Even before the film opened in the capital, he would run to the Northeast first.

Of course, that was also because his films belonged to the northern school of comedy.

The capital and the Northeast were his two most important markets.

Heard About It was a romance, so it had broader appeal. Targeting the Northeast and Shanghai markets was undoubtedly the right choice.

Since The New Bund was making the capital its main battlefield, we could simply avoid overlapping with it.

That arrangement made perfect sense.

However, Ma Xun still needed one more stroke of luck.

“Our advertisement should be airing by now, right?”

“Well, heh heh...”

Sun Donghai was just about to discuss the matter when someone else suddenly entered the restaurant.

“Hey! You two look like you’re eating pretty comfortably!”

It was Bai Xiaohang.

As soon as the man entered, he made straight for Ma Xun and Sun Donghai’s table, as though he had come specifically to find them.

“Buddy, what’s your problem?” Sun Donghai cast him a sidelong glance. His expression said it all: I’m not afraid of you.

Ma Xun could also hear the hostility in Bai Xiaohang’s greeting. He said at once, “If you want to talk properly, sit down. We’ve got more than enough chopsticks for one more person. But if you want to cause trouble, we’ll be happy to oblige.”

Sun Donghai added, “Exactly!”

Page 2 of 3

Bai Xiaohang gave it no thought and sat down immediately.

To be honest, neither Ma Xun nor Sun Donghai could quite figure him out.

Had they not already made peace?

Why was this man acting difficult again?

Bai Xiaohang was not polite. As soon as he sat down, a server brought him utensils. He took a bite of meat and then swallowed a mouthful of liquor.

“I’m not very smart. I went to a sports school from childhood and don’t understand much about dealing with people. But I especially hate being lied to. So let me ask you something.

“Do you know what I hate most?”

It was a strange question, and even the grammar was peculiar.

Ma Xun thought to himself that the man was probably telling the truth. All the points that should have gone into his intelligence had apparently been invested in his looks and height instead.

Six foot three, handsome, and built like a tower...

Unfortunately, he really was not very bright.

Sun Donghai immediately said, “As if anyone here has a brain that works!”

Ma Xun could not help looking at him twice after that.

The two men then began to compete over who could be more ridiculous.

“Then guess.”

“Fuck no, I’m not guessing!”

“Then I’ll tell you.”

“I don’t fucking want to hear it!”

“You have to hear it!”

“Damn it! Fine, go ahead.”

It was an utterly absurd exchange between two complete idiots.

Ma Xun sat off to the side, struggling not to laugh. He almost wanted to pretend he did not know them.

At last, Bai Xiaohang gave them the answer.

“I hate people who lie to my big brother most of all!”

The implication was unmistakable.

How could Sun Donghai fail to understand?

“Stop being sarcastic! Why would we lie to your brother? I’m telling you, that television series we agreed on before will be airing in a few days!”

Seventeen-Year-Olds Don’t Cry was about to air.

This was the stroke of luck Ma Xun needed.

Now that Sun Donghai had said it aloud, Ma Xun felt reassured.

By rights, Bai Xiaohang should have been satisfied with that answer.

But the man brought up another matter.

“What about that variety show?”

Sun Donghai finally lost his patience. “Bai Xiaohang, what exactly are you trying to say?”

“Nothing in particular. I just don’t trust you two. From now on, wherever you go, I’m going too!”

There was a distinctly provocative edge to Bai Xiaohang’s declaration.

“Fuck! Are you planning to follow us all the way home?” Sun Donghai was already starting to rise and confront him.

Ma Xun grabbed him and then said to Bai Xiaohang, “I understand what you mean. You want to keep an eye on us, right?”

Bai Xiaohang nodded. “This is a business deal worth tens of millions. I’m not going to give you two the chance to cheat my brother.”

His behavior was childish, but his concern was sincere.

Ma Xun smiled. “Fine. We can’t stop you anyway. If you want to follow us, then follow us. I’ll even tell you this: we’re heading south for Guangzhou very soon.”

What?

He had simply told Bai Xiaohang where they were going?

Bai Xiaohang drained his drink, nodded at Ma Xun, and rose to leave.

Sun Donghai was baffled. “Brother, why did you tell him?”

Ma Xun smiled. “You still don’t understand what he means?”

“What does he mean?”

“He’s afraid we’ll cheat his brother, so he wants to keep watch over us. But... he also wants to make sure the two of us stay safe. Understand?”

That made sense!

Still, Sun Donghai had one question. “Why take him south with us?”

Ma Xun explained, “The trip to Guangzhou will be a clash between dragons and tigers. Chen Zhitao and his brothers will be fighting Long Wu and the others. Even if we’re powerful outsiders, it won’t be easy to suppress the local powers. With Bai Xiaohang coming along, we’ll be a little safer.”

Sun Donghai finally understood. “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!”

In those days, public security throughout the country was nowhere near what it would become in later years.

Bandits and highway robbers were everywhere. Old Guo had even played one in Lost and Found.

And that film had been made nearly ten years later.

Guangzhou and Shenzhen were close to Hong Kong. Since both films were backed by Hong Kong capital, this confrontation was bound to be fierce.

With one more bodyguard, they would be much safer.

...

October 31.

Guangzhou.

Outside Yonghan Cinema, colorful flags fluttered and gongs and drums thundered.

“Wow! There are celebrities!”

“What movie is holding its premiere?”

“The Qin Ode! You don’t even know that?”

Our people loved a spectacle. Among the crowd, some knew what the film was about, while others did not.

But with celebrities in attendance, there was no harm in staying to watch.

The street outside Yonghan Cinema was completely blocked.

The cinema itself was not large, but it had a long history, and the entire building still retained the style of the Republican era.

Choosing this place for The Qin Ode’s premiere had clearly been a deliberate decision.

They had even hired a lion-dance troupe.

The atmosphere was extraordinarily lively.

At last, the celebrities arrived!

The red carpet was not long, but luxury cars soon pulled up.

At that time, nothing made a grander impression than a stretch Lincoln.

A black one came gliding over.

Once it stopped, someone hurried forward to open the door.

Leslie Cheung! Andy Lau! Ning Jing!

The appearance of the three stars triggered a long burst of screams.

The first two, however, were clearly more popular.

Many onlookers were lost in excitement.

Wait a moment. Weren’t they the stars of The New Bund?

What did they have to do with The Qin Ode?

Before long, another extra-long Lincoln arrived.

Jiang Wen! Ge You! Xu Qing!

The crowd erupted again.

A wave of frenzied shouting swept through the street.

The people who arrived later seemed even more popular than the first group.

But something seemed off.

Surely Leslie Cheung and Andy Lau should have been the bigger stars here?

Could this be Fu Hang’s handiwork—“fans” arranged to welcome the stars?

Never mind. There was no point worrying about whether they were genuine fans.

Ma Xun had watched the entire scene through the window.

At that moment, he was leaning out from the second floor of Yonghan Cinema.

Just the arrivals alone had already made the confrontation between the two sides feel like a battle between dragons and tigers.

The Qin Ode and The New Bund were clearly preparing for an all-out war!

And at that very moment...

“Brother Wu! Ha ha...”

“Mr. Chen! Ha ha...”

Ma Xun and Sun Donghai were with Long Wu.

Although they had not walked the red carpet, they were now facing the major investors.

The Chen brothers, Chen Zhitao and Chen Zhigu.

Of course, they were not alone. Several others stood beside them as well.

First among them was Zhou Xiaowen, the director of The Qin Ode.

He had an extraordinarily ordinary appearance. Under normal circumstances, no one would have believed he was a film director.

There was also the screenwriter Reed.

He had written Farewell My Concubine as well.

After that came several officials.

Some were from the Xi’an Film Studio, while others were from Guangzhou itself.

It was undeniably an impressive lineup.

Long Wu’s side looked rather shabby by comparison.

Ma Xun and Sun Donghai...

There was no need to sell themselves short!

The bosses began with the usual pleasantries, but soon enough, the subject turned to the films.

“Brother Wu, with such a strong cast in The New Bund, it ought to bring in at least ten million at the box office, shouldn’t it?”

The moment Chen Zhitao said this, Ma Xun realized something was wrong.

He was belittling them!

Exactly. With a cast this strong, earning only ten million would hardly count as success.

Long Wu’s expression darkened. He turned to Zhou Xiaowen and asked, “Director Zhou, you seem like an honest man. So tell me—how confident are you in your film’s box-office performance?”

Zhou Xiaowen did not hesitate.

“At the very least, it should break one hundred million.”

Over one hundred million?!

Their exchange was already thick with the smell of gunpowder.

But the fiercer their battle became, the happier Ma Xun was.