Chapter 1454: A Benefactor

In fact, the main reason Wang Anquan thought of submitting his script to Future Films was largely due to Zhao Fusheng, because he knew that both Jiang Wen and Zhao Fusheng owed him a favor after Yu Nan agreed to star in The Sun Also Rises.

Jiang Wen understood this as well.

But originally he was confident that The Sun Also Rises would be a box office hit, only for the facts to prove he was overthinking it.

Under these circumstances, when Jiang Wen heard that Wang Anquan planned to submit a script, he made it clear: “If your script is good, I can introduce you to Ye Jing. But don’t mention Zhao Fusheng—there’s no need.”

Wang Anquan wasn’t stupid; he didn’t intend to use a favor from a big tycoon at this moment, so he followed Jiang Wen’s advice and, with Jiang Wen’s introduction, contacted Ye Jing.

Ye Jing valued personal connections; as soon as Jiang Wen spoke, Ye Jing readily agreed.

Of course, he also told Jiang Wen that no matter how close Wang Anquan and Jiang Wen were, he would still need to see the script before deciding whether to invest.

After all, it wasn’t a small matter but an investment worth millions or more.

Originally, they were just meeting briefly to discuss the situation, but unexpectedly, Zhao Fusheng appeared at Future Films.

This gave Wang Anquan, who had already lost hope and confidence in this art film, a sudden feeling of “when all hope is lost, a new path emerges.”

Wang Anquan felt that the difficulties that had troubled him for so long might be resolved in one go.

Because things in this world are often like that: opportunities that some people struggle hard to obtain are often just a word from those in power.

“What script are you discussing?”

Sure enough, after everyone sat down, Zhao Fusheng asked Ye Jing with interest.

Ye Jing was taken aback, then looked at Wang Anquan: “Let the director introduce it to you.”

Wang Anquan nodded repeatedly, thanked Ye Jing for giving him this opportunity, and began to introduce his script to Zhao Fusheng.

The script was titled Tuya’s Marriage. It told the story of the increasingly arid grasslands. Bater, the husband, becomes disabled after digging a well, while Tuya, the wife, is hardworking, kind, and spirited. She single-handedly shoulders the burden of the family and takes care of the children, but prolonged labor causes lumbar degeneration, even risking paralysis in her legs. To avoid holding Tuya back, Bater, bedridden, decides on divorce. Faced with reality, Tuya has no choice but to agree. However, she insists on a condition for remarriage: her new husband must help her support Bater. Thus begins Tuya’s difficult journey to find a husband.

The story has three main characters. Tuya is a Mongolian woman. Her husband Bater becomes disabled from an injury while digging a well. Her own lumbar degenerates from long-term labor. Forced by circumstances, Tuya divorces her husband and decides to find another man to help her take care of Bater together. She eventually marries Sengge, but ends up crying uncontrollably when Bater and Sengge fight at the wedding.

Bater is Tuya’s husband, disabled from an injury while digging a well. He divorces Tuya so she can have a better life. After separating from Tuya, Bater attempts suicide by slitting his wrists in a welfare home and is eventually brought back by Tuya to live together. When Tuya marries Sengge, Bater starts a fight at the wedding.

Sengge is a young man native to the grasslands. His wife’s repeated betrayals make him appreciate Tuya’s virtues. After getting drunk and freezing stiff in the wilderness, he is rescued by Tuya while she is herding, which sparks his admiration for her.

“This film of yours is aiming for awards, isn’t it?”

After hearing Wang Anquan’s account, Zhao Fusheng glanced at Wang Anquan, then at Yu Nan, and said with a smile: “If I’m not mistaken, you’re planning to have Miss Yu play Tuya?”

Wang Anquan nodded, without hiding anything, and said bluntly: “That’s right, I’m aiming for awards, and the inspiration for the story also comes from her.”

Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly. He believed the first part of Wang Anquan’s words.

As for the latter part, Zhao Fusheng dismissed it as nonsense!

Did he really take him for an ignorant fool? Yu Nan as his muse? Hah, don’t flaunt your romance in front of him. Did he think he knew nothing?

But Zhao Fusheng was gracious enough not to call Wang Anquan out on the spot. Whatever Wang Anquan liked to do was his own business. Zhao Fusheng didn’t want to meddle in the relationship between actors and directors, nor did he care to ask.

What he cared about was only the result!

“The script is decent.” Zhao Fusheng glanced at Wang Anquan and said flatly: “But with this kind of film, nine times out of ten, the box office will basically be zero.”

He wasn’t an outsider; having written scripts and made films himself, he knew which films could make money and which couldn’t.

For a film like Tuya’s Marriage, not to mention commercial box office, if released domestically, it would basically lose money. The theaters probably wouldn’t even want to screen such a film.

The reason was simple: no one liked to watch it.

Wang Anquan smiled bitterly at Zhao Fusheng’s words. He knew that what Zhao Fusheng said was the truth.

That was the status of art films in China today. Theaters were generally pessimistic about art films; they preferred to screen Hollywood or commercial blockbusters rather than these art films.

They lose money!

Only fools would screen them!

“But the script is really good.”

Yu Nan suddenly spoke up.

She genuinely liked this script, and Wang Anquan had said more than once that if she could star in this film, it might win awards at international film festivals.

For an actress who mainly made art films, winning awards at major international film festivals was an irresistible temptation.

It was like any basketball player—no one could refuse the call of the NBA.

By the same token, Yu Nan was in that mindset now. She desperately wanted to attend international film festivals, walk the red carpet, and become a Best Actress!

“The script is decent.” Zhao Fusheng chuckled lightly, not minding Yu Nan’s interruption, and continued: “But as I said, you need to show me why Future Films should invest in this film.”

Wang Anquan and Yu Nan both fell silent. They knew Zhao Fusheng was right.

Running a film company wasn’t running a charity. If you wanted someone to invest real money, you had to demonstrate your value.

Coming empty-handed with a script and asking for investment—

Hah, you’re already beautiful enough!

After a moment of silence, Wang Anquan looked at Zhao Fusheng and said: “Chairman Zhao, just say what you want. Yu Nan and I will do as you say.”

He had figured it out: although Zhao Fusheng owed him a favor, it was clear that the other party wouldn’t give up his interests because of that.

Glancing at Yu Nan, Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly: “Director Wang, you have your ideals, so I won’t say much. But Miss Yu, if you don’t mind, would you consider signing with Future Films?”

What?

Everyone was stunned, including Ye Jing, who looked at Zhao Fusheng in surprise.

No one expected that Zhao Fusheng’s target was not Wang Anquan but Yu Nan.