Chapter 132: An Admirer from Japan

“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars?” Yan Xu looked at Wick. For Hong Kong cinema, that was no small figure. In recent years, very few Hong Kong films had managed to enter the North American market. Most were released in the form of videotapes, while those actually shown in theaters were so rare they could be counted on one hand, and were usually relegated to midnight screenings or the like. Generally, ten thousand dollars or so was enough to buy the North American theatrical distribution rights to a Hong Kong film; some went for only a few thousand, or even a few hundred. A sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars had not appeared in many years.

If Yan Xu had heard that figure back in Hong Kong, he would have agreed without hesitation. It amounted to more than a million Hong Kong dollars, and at the time he had not even considered the European or American markets.

But now, having witnessed the audience’s reaction, Yan Xu was filled with confidence about the film’s chances of winning an award. Even a single prize could double the profits. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars was no longer enough to satisfy him.

“Mr. Wick, there’s no doubt that one hundred and fifty thousand dollars is an attractive figure. But it isn’t appropriate for this film. You’ve seen the audience’s reaction. Before long, word of mouth will spread through them. Just the tens of thousands of film fans here in Sitges—if every one of them watched the film once, that alone would bring in two or three hundred thousand dollars. What’s more, this film grossed nearly three million dollars in Hong Kong. With Hong Kong ticket prices, that means almost two million admissions in Hong Kong alone.”

Although Yan Xu did not directly say that the offer was too low, his meaning was perfectly clear.

“Your film achieved excellent results in Hong Kong, but things are different in North America. First, the film is unknown there. Then there are the differences between Eastern and Western cultures. All of this will require the company to mount a major publicity campaign, and the cost of that promotion will far exceed the production cost of your film.” Wick shook his head. He was very optimistic about the movie, but it would require a tremendous promotional effort to attract attention.

“Everything Mr. Wick says is true, but it isn’t quite appropriate to bring up differences between Eastern and Western cultures in the case of this film. Anyone with eyes can see that its production clearly incorporates the style and concepts of Western horror movies, so that won’t be a problem. As for the film being unknown, that is indeed a weakness. But after its appearance at Sitges, it will at least leave some impression on fans of fantasy and horror.”

Yan Xu’s reply contained agreement, but also a hint of rebuttal.

“Then what price do you think would be appropriate?” Wick asked, seeing Yan Xu’s determination. He knew that the offer of one hundred and fifty thousand could not be negotiated.

“One million dollars!”

Yan Xu was asking for an exorbitant sum. Even New Line Cinema’s low-budget films cost only a little more than that. With the film’s prospects still uncertain, the company would never spend so much to purchase it. Of course, business was a matter of give and take: one party named a price, and the other bargained it down.

…

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“No need to thank me!” Yan Xu smiled at the reporter before him, bringing one interview to an end. He slipped an arm around Guan Zhilin’s slender waist and struck several poses, allowing the reporters to take their photographs.

The several-day Sitges Film Festival was gradually drawing to a close. The final and most important event was the awards ceremony. Guan Zhilin had flown from Eastern Europe to Spain the day before the ceremony.

During this period, the film that had burst into prominence at the festival was Yan Xu’s Mansion No. 1. Although it had received some criticism, the praise far outweighed it, especially thanks to the film fans who passed the word along. Mansion No. 1 quickly became famous among the festival’s audiences, and for several consecutive days its theater attendance remained above eighty percent.

Although Yan Xu had hoped for a good beginning, the first round of negotiations with New Line Cinema still ended without a result. He had lowered his demand to eight hundred thousand dollars, but the gap between that and New Line’s offer remained considerable. Until everything became clearer, New Line Cinema did not dare make such a bold move. Both sides tacitly ended the negotiations, agreeing to discuss the matter again after the awards ceremony. If Mansion No. 1 performed well at the ceremony, New Line’s offer might rise accordingly.

Aside from New Line Cinema, more than a dozen other film companies had approached Yan Xu over the past few days, hoping to obtain the film’s distribution rights. They included not only American companies but also film companies from various European countries. There were many small firms, as well as major corporations such as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. But as Mansion No. 1 continued to reveal its brilliance, Yan Xu was no longer in a hurry. He, too, was waiting for the awards ceremony to end. Often, a single award meant a substantial increase in price.

This year’s awards ceremony was being held at an art hotel near the seaside. Influenced by the late abstract works of the Spanish masters Pablo Picasso and Francisco Goya, the hotel was filled with abstract artworks at every turn. Because of the sensation created by Mansion No. 1, Yan Xu, who had previously received little attention, had suddenly become a favorite subject. One interview followed another.

Guan Zhilin was experiencing such a scene for the first time. As a leading candidate for Best Actress, she had already won over countless film fans with her beautiful appearance and outstanding performance in Mansion No. 1.

She was clearly born for this profession. After only a few appearances, she had already made an impression on many media outlets. By the very next day, her photograph had appeared in numerous newspapers, accompanied by the nickname “Eastern Sprite.”

“When are you planning to stop holding me like this?” Guan Zhilin asked Yan Xu after the photographs had been taken.

Whenever reporters asked the two of them to pose together, Yan Xu would place an arm around Guan Zhilin’s waist. Later, as the requests grew more frequent, he simply left his hand there. This time, without Zhou Huimin’s little pinching hand to keep him in check on the red carpet, Yan Xu was thoroughly enjoying himself with his arm around Guan Zhilin’s tiny waist.

“Heh heh!”

With a beauty beside him and her delicate fragrance drifting over, Yan Xu’s eyes kept wandering over Guan Zhilin.

Her dress was even bolder than the one she had worn at the premiere. The dazzling red gown left her pure white shoulders and sensual collarbones completely exposed, while a small portion of her full, tender breasts was also visible. Most provocative of all was the deep cleavage disappearing into the dress, inviting endless speculation. The back of the gown was cut into a wide, plunging V. Although Yan Xu’s arm was supposedly wrapped around her slender waist, his palm kept brushing against the smooth, exposed skin of her back.

“Isn’t this more convenient for photographs?” Yan Xu said. His hand did not leave Guan Zhilin’s waist; instead, it slowly pressed against her bare back, openly taking advantage of her.

“Looks like Ah Min didn’t pinch you hard enough last time.” Feeling Yan Xu becoming increasingly shameless, Guan Zhilin did not shake off his hand. She had seen Zhou Huimin’s little act of pinching Yan Xu on the previous red carpet, and she had deliberately played along then as well. It seemed she rather enjoyed Yan Xu’s heated gaze. Whenever his eyes lingered on certain parts of her body, she felt a faint, secret thrill.

“You dressed this beautifully, didn’t you do it so people could look?” Yan Xu’s gaze fixed pointedly on her cleavage. His relationship with Zhou Huimin had become increasingly obvious within the industry. At the very least, everyone in the company knew exactly what was going on.

“You may look, but that doesn’t mean you can put your hands all over me.” Hearing Yan Xu’s shameless remark, Guan Zhilin shot him a slight glare.

“We’ve already kissed. What’s wrong with touching you a little?” Seeing her fierce expression, Yan Xu found her even more alluring. He suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered the words. He still remembered the revenge she had taken after their kissing scene in the film. The bruises on the inside of his thigh had remained for several days.

“You…” The moment Yan Xu mentioned that kiss, the buried memory rushed back to Guan Zhilin. She still remembered that her underwear had been a complete mess afterward. He had taken far greater liberties then than he was taking now. Yet there was no great anger on her face. Instead, a sweet smile appeared, and she leaned against him.

“Would you like to kiss me again?” Guan Zhilin brought her beautiful face close to his, wearing a faintly sinister smile. The two of them looked intimate, but only Yan Xu knew that as she spoke, a small hand had appeared at his waist.

Why did women always use this trick?

Just as Yan Xu endured the twisting pressure at his waist, a voice from behind suddenly freed him from his predicament.

“Excuse me, are you Mr. Yan Xu?”

The voice was respectful, and the speaker’s awkward English was even worse than Yan Xu’s spoken English.

Yan Xu turned around. Standing behind him was a short man of about five feet tall, apparently in his mid-thirties. He wore a suit and had the slightly bloated figure of a middle-aged man. The hair at the crown of his head was already thinning, but the sparse strands were still carefully groomed. Now the short man was looking at Yan Xu with a hint of humility, and even a trace of fanaticism in his eyes.

“I’m Yan Xu. And you are?”

Yan Xu studied the short man. He had an Asian face, and with such an awkward accent, there was an eighty percent chance that he was Japanese.

“So you really are Mr. Yan Xu! My name is Shinichi Ozaki, and I’m Japanese. I’ve long known of your reputation, Mr. Yan Xu, but I’ve never had the opportunity to meet you. To encounter you here is truly an honor.”

After confirming Yan Xu’s identity, Shinichi Ozaki became even more excited.

“I saw your Taxi Judge in Tokyo. I absolutely loved it. Your Midnight Butcher was excellent as well. I even bought a videotape and kept it in my collection. And this latest film of yours, Mansion No. 1, is truly outstanding. I’ve watched it several times over the past few days. Not only is the story wonderfully exciting, but the social tensions it reveals are also extremely sharp. Housing prices in Japan have begun to rise as well, and they’re rising very quickly.”

Looking at Shinichi Ozaki’s excitement, Yan Xu had not expected to encounter one of his Japanese fans in Spain.

To be continued…