NABC Chapter 24: Screening
Chapter 24: Screening
"A Moment to Remember" was taken off the screens on August 12th.
The final box office figure was 1.123 million yuan, just enough for the media to write the headline "Director who broke 100 million yuan".
The entertainment section of a major portal website featured a headline in bold: "New director Liu Yu's debut film surpasses 100 million yuan, making him the second person after Zhang Yimou to achieve this."
In fact, Liu Yu wasn't too excited about the figure of 1.123 million.
It's not that I wasn't excited, it's that I was overly excited.
I was excited when it reached 503 million on the first day, and I was excited when it reached 1826 million in the first week. But I was already past the excitement when it broke 100 million on the night of the first day.
For him, this number now feels more like a period, bringing the film to a complete circle from beginning to end.
He put down his phone, leaned back in his chair, and stared blankly at the fluorescent light tubes on the ceiling for a while.
The box office revenue sharing wasn't finalized yet, but he had a rough idea of the figures. After deducting theater revenue sharing, distribution fees, marketing expenses, taxes, and various other miscellaneous costs, his net profit would be around 20 million.
He seemed to have never lacked money in either of his lifetimes, but something else was more valuable than money: he had a successful case study, a market-proven intellectual property, and a respected identity in the industry.
...
The celebration banquet was held in a large private room at the China World Hotel.
Liu Yu originally wanted to have a simple meal and be done with it, but Yu Dong said no, "This is a matter of breaking 100 million, not child's play, we have to make it bigger."
Yu Dong took the initiative to arrange the venue and also sponsored the drinks.
Liu Yu did not refuse. He knew that Yu Dong needed this celebration banquet to showcase Bona's achievements to the industry. A distribution company that had only been established for a short time had successfully bet on a movie that grossed over 100 million yuan. This was something Yu Dong could brag about for a year.
The private room was very large, with twelve tables and more than a hundred people.
The crew consisted of over fifty people, including about ten lead actors and main creators, about twenty school leaders and teachers, about ten people from Yu Dong's side, and some other acquaintances, filling the private room to the brim.
When Liu Yu arrived wearing a T-shirt, there were already people there.
Wang Chaowen, dressed in a flashy shirt, stood at the door greeting guests, looking like a wedding emcee.
Wang Chaowen's expression was complicated when he saw his clothes: "Brother, couldn't you wear something nice today?"
"I'm not going to receive an award, I'm just going to have a meal."
Wang Chaowen sighed and gave up.
People gradually arrived.
Liu Ye was wearing a black T-shirt and a baseball cap, looking as inconspicuous as a passerby.
Yan Danchen was wearing a dark green cheongsam. When she walked in, Liu Yu was talking to Tian Zhuangzhuang.
He caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye, his heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face. Tian Zhuangzhuang saw his eyes flicker, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, but he didn't say anything.
Yu Dong arrived late, and as soon as he entered, he couldn't stop smiling. He greeted everyone at each table, shook hands with everyone he met, and when he shook hands with Liu Yu, he shook both hands together and shook him vigorously several times.
"Liu Yu, let me tell you, this film is the best decision I've made this year."
Liu Yu thought to himself, "You haven't made many decisions this year, have you? Bona has only been established for a short time."
...
The dishes were served, and the wine was poured.
Yu Dong was the first to stand up and offer a toast, saying a long string of polite words, such as "Thank you to all the main creators for your hard work," "Thank you to the school leaders for their strong support," and "Thank you to Teacher Tian for your careful guidance." After saying that, he drank it down.
Then came Tian Zhuangzhuang, who didn't say much. He said, "Liu Yu is a young man with ideas. He has a long road ahead of him, so don't get carried away."
Liu Yu stood up, bowed deeply, and finished his drink.
Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Chen, also came. She had come all the way from school, wearing a newly bought shirt and with hair mousse, making her look much more energetic.
"Liu Yu, Teacher Chen has been teaching for so many years, and you are my proudest student."
After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became lively.
Liu Yu stood up, took his wine glass, and tapped the table twice. The private room fell silent, with over a hundred pairs of eyes watching him.
"Everyone, let me say a few words." He cleared his throat. "The success of 'Eraser' is not solely due to my efforts. Everyone here contributed."
He first raised his glass to the tables of the film crew, saying, "My fellow photographers carried their equipment and filmed in Tianjin in sub-zero temperatures, their hands were cracked from the cold, but no one complained. My brothers in the lighting crew arrived earliest and left latest every day; when I finished work, you were still packing up your equipment. My senior sister Lin Xiaoxi in the sound recording crew, in the dead of winter, wore only a thin shirt to record ambient sounds outdoors, and her lips turned purple afterward."
Liu Yu smiled, paused, and looked at the table with the lead actors. "Brother Ye and Sister Danchen never acted like divas on set. I told them how to shoot, and they did. If I said we should do another take, we did. Do you know what that means for a new director? It means trust. A hundred times more important than money."
Liu Ye stood up with his wine glass in hand and said, "Director Liu, please stop being so sentimental, I'm about to cry."
The whole audience burst into laughter.
Liu Yu finally looked at Yu Dong and Tian Zhuangzhuang.
"Mr. Yu, when I was still a freshman in college, you were willing to take on this project, to distribute the products, and to cover the advertising and promotion costs. I will remember this trust. Thank you, Teacher Tian."
He raised his glass, drank it all in one gulp, and the whole room erupted in applause.
Halfway through the drinking session, Liu Yu started handing out money.
He didn't tell anyone beforehand; he just felt he should give it to them.
Everyone in the crew, from the director of photography to the script supervisor, from the lighting technician to the driver, received 10,000 yuan each.
More than fifty people, more than 500,000 yuan went out.
The production manager, director of photography, art director, and sound recording supervisor will each receive 50,000.
The two lead actors each received 100,000.
When Liu Yu distributed money, there was no ceremony involved. He would just call the person over, hand them an envelope, and say, "Thank you for your hard work."
...
The banquet ended after 11 p.m.
The nights in Beijing in August are not cool; the wind carries the lingering heat of the day.
Liu Yu stood at the entrance of the China World Hotel, saying goodbye to Yu Dong, Tian Zhuangzhuang, and all the teachers.
Wang Chaowen, supported by Liu Xiao and Xin Hao, was already delirious, muttering, "Brother... next movie... I'll be the location producer..."
The taxi drove away, and Liu Yu stood at the door, lighting a cigarette.
Yan Danchen appeared sometime earlier and stood beside him without saying a word. The streetlights cast long, overlapping shadows of the two of them.
"Where do you live?" Liu Yu asked.
"Jianguomen," Yan Danchen said, "Let's take a taxi back."
"It's hard to get a taxi at this time."
"Then wait a while."
The two stood in silence for a while at the restaurant entrance. After finishing his cigarette, Liu Yu stubbed it out and threw it in the trash can.
He turned to look at Yan Danchen; her face was flushed, whether from drinking or the wind, he couldn't tell.
Liu Yu thought the cheongsam she was wearing today looked especially beautiful. Her hair was a little messy from the wind, but she didn't fix it and just let it flow freely.
"How about," Liu Yu said, "we go to my place for a bit? It's nearby, just a ten-minute walk."
Yan Danchen turned to look at him, the light from the streetlamp shining in her eyes, making them sparkle.
"it is good."
.....
The two walked side by side, occasionally bumping shoulders before separating again.
I got into the elevator, and the doors closed.
There were only two people in the cramped space. Yan Danchen stood in the corner of the elevator, her hands clasped in front of her, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.
Liu Yu stood next to her as the elevator began to ascend, the numbers ticking down one by one.
"Are you nervous?" Liu Yu asked.
"No," Yan Danchen said.
"Then why are you twisting your skirt?"
Yan Danchen looked down at her hands and noticed that she had twisted her skirt into several wrinkles, so she quickly loosened them.
"...It's a bit hot."
Liu Yu smiled but didn't expose her.
Liu Yu took out his keys, opened the door, and stepped aside to let her go in first. Yan Danchen walked into the entryway, changed her shoes, stood in the middle of the living room, and looked around.
She had been to this apartment a few times, always during the day, and always in a hurry. She had never stayed here so quietly as she was now.
"Would you like some water?" Liu Yu walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and said, "There's mineral water, juice, and beer."
"Mineral water is fine."
Liu Yu took two bottles of mineral water, opened one, and handed it to her. Yan Danchen took it, took a sip, and put it down.
The two sat on the sofa, a cushion separating them. The living room was quiet, save for the hum of the refrigerator and the distant sounds of cars on the street.
"You drank quite a bit today," Yan Danchen said.
"fine."
"You're blushing."
"Really?" Liu Yu touched his face; it was indeed a little hot. "Maybe it's from the heat."
.......
Liu Yu reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Her ears were small, and there was a tiny mole on her earlobe that was barely noticeable unless you looked closely.
His fingers lingered on her earlobe for less than a second before he withdrew them.
Yan Danchen didn't dodge, but her breathing quickened, and a faint pink tinge appeared on the skin above her collarbone.
"I like you."
Without any preamble or embellishment, just those three words, clean and crisp, like when he shouted "Attention!" in the army.
Yan Danchen looked into his eyes but did not answer immediately.
The living room was silent for a few seconds, those seconds seemed to stretch out, long enough for Liu Yu to hear his own heartbeat.
Then she smiled, without a hint of relief, shyness, or the smile of "you finally said it."
"I like you too." Her voice was very soft, as soft as a feather falling on cotton.
Looking at her, Liu Yu felt as if he had been waiting for a long time.
He leaned in and kissed her.
The moment their lips touched, Liu Yu felt Yan Danchen's body tremble slightly, like a leaf being blown by the wind.
Her lips were soft, with a faint coolness from the mineral water and a hint of alcohol; she had also had a few drinks tonight, but not many.
Liu Yu closed his eyes and felt her hand slowly and tentatively rest on his shoulder. Her hand was cool; her fingertips touched the skin of his neck, like a piece of jade warmed by the sun, cool and refreshing.
The kiss didn't last long; Liu Yu released her first, his forehead touching hers, their noses meeting.
Their breaths mingled, indistinguishable. Yan Danchen's eyes were closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, looked at him, and her eyes were glistening with tears.
"You know what," her voice was a little hoarse, "you're the first."
Liu Yu knew what she meant by the first thing she said, and his heart skipped a beat, but not violently.
"real?"
"Really." She lowered her head, her chin almost touching her collarbone. "So... be gentle."