Chen Kangtuo and Hao Qiong dragged the jelly-legged Boss Li out after 20 minutes.
Boss Pei quickly brought some water to him. "Boss Li, drink some hot water quickly."
Li Shi sat paralyzed on the chair and took a sip from the teacup with both hands. The paleness in his face did not go away at all. "Boss Li, do you feel better?" Pei Qian asked with concern.
Li Shi waved his hand weakly. He did not even have the strength to speak.
Terrifying!
Li Shi thought it was very simple at first. Wasn't it just half an hour? You could survive by just gritting your teeth.
He also put a sneaky clause with Boss Pei by saying 'persevere in this project' rather than 'clear it'. That meant to say that he would be considered a win as long as he persisted to the end without clearing it.
The idea was voluptuous, but the reality was all bones.
Li Shi was nearly scared to death by the first project he entered into. He gave up on the fourth project. His legs gave way on the spot, and he had to be brought out by Chen Kangtuo and Hao Qiong.
There was only one thought left in Li Shi's unsettled heart: he must not underestimate Boss Pei at any time!
Take this haunted house challenge as an example. It did not seem scary on the surface. The process was not long, and there was no staff acting as spirits or ghosts. However, it was enough to scare a person half to death when they really experienced it!
Thinking back carefully, these projects were indeed not complicated but full of psychological cues.
To put it bluntly, it was to do everything possible to make the guests scare themselves!
He had to say that the effect was outstanding.
Boss Li held the teacup with trembling hands, feeling that he could often wake up in shock for at least a month.
The bloody head on the ceiling, the mirror in the bathroom... the rustling TV in the dimly lit living room...
These were common scenes at home, but they had now left him with a deep psychological shadow in his heart.
Boss Li who had always had the image of a mature man with a successful career was scared like a chicken waiting to be slaughtered. Pei Qian could not help but feel a little embarrassed.
Sigh, Boss Li just wanted to make some money. Therefore, even though he ruined my good plans so many times, his crime is not punishable by death.
I feel a little guilty, letting him experience such a scary haunted house just to hear some stuff from me.
Pei Qian felt that it was possible to temporarily cross out Boss Li from his notebook. Oh, no, push him down the list temporarily.
"Boss Li, you've worked hard. Your feedback on the haunted house is of great significance to us! Thank you very much!" Pei Qian's expression was extremely sincere.
Li Shi's pale face was now confused. "Huh? What feedback did I give?"
Pei Qian smiled. "Your screams are the best feedback. I have decided to give you information on the 'Top Student, Come Quick' as a form of gratitude.
"That's right, Dream Realization Ventures is selling their shares of 'Top Student, Come Quick'. This is my decision. Moreover, I hope that you will sell your shares away as soon as possible. These are my heartfelt thoughts; there is not a single word of falsehood!"
Pei Qian looked very serious.
There was no lie here. Pei Qian was indeed selling his shares, and he really hoped that the others would sell their shares, too. However, he hid his true intention: hoping that the 'Top Student, Come Quick' project would lose money.
Boss Li would definitely think that Boss Pei was going to sell all his shares in hand and cash out this way. He would naturally follow suit. The other investors would naturally dump their shares if they threw theirs together.
In actual fact, Pei Qian was planning to keep some shares in hand so that these shares would become worthless when the project fails.
That way, it would be a stop-loss order[1] even if this project could not make too much of a loss.
Li Shi observed Pei Qian's expression carefully before nodding. "I understand. I'll sell the shares in my hand if that's the case."
Pei Qian could not help but smile.
Done!
Boss Li had more than 20% shares in his hand now. Selling it together with Dream Realization Ventures would definitely smash their confidence in this project instantly!
Boss Li's shares would probably still be able to profit a little if it was successful. No one suffered; it was perfect!
Afternoon, Fu Hui Investments...
Li Shi was in his office, his eyes shut in deep thought. He was rather shocked in the morning at the Thriller Hostel, but work could not wait.
The information that he exchanged for with his life should be reliable.
Boss Pei said Dream Realization Ventures was selling their shares. It was indeed his thinking and recommended that Li Shi should sell his shares with him. Boss Pei should not be lying.
Li Shi decided after considering it for sometime.
Sell!
However, he had to think about how to sell.
The transfer of shares of a non-listed company generally required an internal offering. That meant that a shareholder would have priority to purchase the shares.
If no shareholders were willing to buy the shares, they would then sell the shares to outside parties if the shareholders agree during the shareholder meeting.
In other words, all the shareholders would know if Li Shi wanted to sell his shares in the first place.
The shares that Boss Pei sold were basically gobbled up by these internal shareholders as well. There were no new shareholders.
However, Boss Pei did not sell a lot of shares so these shareholders held their suspicion, but they did not think that Boss Pei was going to exit.
Then again, Li Shi was going to sell all of the 20% shares he held in his hands away. The exit was too obvious. There was no way the other shareholders would not know that he was trying to exit!
Most shareholders only invested in this project because Li Shi invested in it. The other investors would definitely panic if Li Shi were to sell his shares together with Boss Pei. If that were to happen, everyone would lose confidence in this project and sell their shares, too. The valuation of the company would then collapse instantly!
If that really happened, Li Shi would probably not be able to sell his shares for much of a profit.
Therefore, Li Shi felt that he should not sell this way.
He invested a total of four million yuan into such a good project. Its valuation would plummet if he were to throw it in such a way.
Profiting only a few hundred thousand after so much trouble?
Not possible!
Therefore, he had to sell them... but not in this way!
Li Shi searched for the contact info of the other investors. He decided to hold a mini-phone conference. The other investors replied in no time. They set the meeting to one hour later.
Li Shi took advantage of this time to sort his thoughts out a bit. He then recorded all the points that were needed to be spoken later.
One hour later, the telephone conference started on time.
"Boss Li, what is so urgent?" One of the investors on the 'Top Student, Come Quick' app asked.
Li Shi decided not to waste time and go directly to the point. "Boss Pei is probably cashing out. I'm also about to sell off all my shares."
There was a moment of silence, and then doubtful voices came. "Huh?"
"What? Are you sure?" "Now?"
"Where did you hear about that? Is it reliable?"
Obviously, most of them were skeptical and were unwilling to believe it instinctively. Everything was going well with the 'Top Student, Come Quick' app. It might be burning money fast, but the money was all exchanged for data!
They could continue to burn money until it gets listed to the stock market. The investors would profit many times over then!
This project was far from going downhill, and yet he wanted to exit now? That seemed rather unreasonable.
"I don't have to lie to you. Think about it. Isn't it the best time to cash out when the 'Top Student, Come Quick' app is on fire?
"Moreover, do you really think this project can be listed? Even if it could, how much money do we have to burn? A company must have at least three years of operating history before it can be listed!
"I would have no doubt that this company will be listed after three years if Boss Pei were to persist, but Boss Pei is going to withdraw now. Do you think this project will be able to last three years then?
"How much more money will be burnt according to the current rate of burning? Which of you would have so much money to burn? Who could guarantee that you could find financiers?
"Have you thought about what would happen when the money's gone?"
Everyone fell silent again.
Obviously, most investors understood and recognized Boss Li's views.
This project was credible only because of Boss Pei. If Boss Pei were to withdraw and confidence were to crash, then there would only be one ending to this project:
Get nothing back! A voice came from the phone after sometime. "Boss Li, why are you telling us these?"
Shouldn't he make a fortune in silence and sell his shares first? The confidence of this project by outsiders would be crushed if everyone were to sell now. No one would be able to profit from it!
Li Shi smiled. "What I mean is... I cannot just sell off stupidly since I've decided to sell.
"People would not want something cheap, but they would grab it if we desperately raise the price.
"Now, let us maximize our own interest. The best way is not to panic and sell to external parties in a frenzy but to continue stirring up the popularity of this project and then find a suitable buyer to sell all the shares at a high price 'unwillingly'!"
There were voices of approval on the phones immediately. One of them pondered for a while before talking. "Speaking of which... Boss Li, a vice president of Xude Education showed a strong interest in 'Top Student, Come Quick'. He wanted to buy the shares I had in hand. I hesitated and had yet to reply to him."
Boss Li smiled. "It sounds like this is the 'suitable buyer'."
Li Shi had plans in his head after hanging up the phone.
All the investors were now grasshoppers on the same rope. Their interests were all aligned. They wanted to sell their shares at as high a price as possible so there was no need to worry about someone leaking this secret.
The next step was for everyone to work out a way to continue the enthusiasm of the 'Top Student, Come Quick' project so that it would be of greater appeal to Xude Education.
Then... Xude Education would definitely continue to acquire shares of 'Top Student, Come Quick' to become a major shareholder of 'Top Student, Come Quick'. Li Shi and the rest would be able to cash out with huge profits.
As for Xude Education...
Li Shi did not have a good impression of this educational institute.
Xude Education sounded legit, but it was in fact a bad company. They posted false propaganda, made fake promises, and the salesperson had multiple identities when getting students to enroll. It could be said that they did anything to get money. Of course, such a company had grown to a large scale with its ubiquitous propaganda, aggressive marketing, and training of its sales personnel.
Many students were still naive about worldly affairs. Their parents also hoped they would become prominent in the future. Xude Education, therefore, managed to fool them all with their marketing tactics. It was very hard for money to be spit out once it was given to them.
Li Shi could not be like Boss Pei where every penny he earned was clean. He could only assume as much social responsibility as possible, for example... investing in Upwind Logistics which did not make much money.
Nonetheless, he still despised the behavior of Xude Education which was defrauding students.
Li Shi would not feel the least bit guilty letting such a black-hearted company take over.
[1] This is an order that limits the loss of a broker.
Chapter 421 Venturing into a Sinking Market was Wise!
February 18th, Friday...
School had not reopened, but Pei Qian was already extremely busy.
Tomorrow is Beautiful was going to premiere on Tuesday. However, until now, Pei Qian had not made time to go to Fei Huang Workspace to see how the film had been edited.
The day ahead of Pei Qian was going to be very full. He considered leaving the outcome of the film to fate if he ended up having no time to watch it before the premier.
In any case, there was no point watching the final cut of Tomorrow is Beautiful anymore. Even if he found problems with it, he could not change anything. Now, Pei Qian was on a car to Lincheng.
Lincheng's 'Fish-Catching Complex' was more or less done. It had one Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0 branch in a core commercial district, three Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 1.0 branches in lower-tier commercial districts, a Fish-Catching Take-Out branch, twenty Upwind Courier stations, and a huge warehouse for ROF Computer-Installation with four distribution points around the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branches.
They had been working on the entire set of branches for two months, and things had finally come to a close recently.
Today was going to be the first day of operations. Pei Qian wanted to look at how well-received Fish-Catching Internet Cafe would be in Lincheng City.
It shouldn't be that well-received, right?
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, and ROF Computer-Installation were considered more expensive brands, and Lincheng's purchasing power was quite low. Pei Qian didn't think the businesses would appeal to them.
As for Upwind Logistics... he was sure everyone would like it, but it would not generate profits.
Of course, there were other possible outcomes... less desirable outcomes.
If they happened, Pei Qian would have to plan ahead for rainy days and think hard about where he could spend the additional income.
While in the car, Pei Qian sneezed. After that, as if recalling something, he whipped out his cell phone and called He Desheng. "Why does it seem like 'Top Student, Come Quick' has become... more popular?"
On the other end of the line, He Desheng sounded obviously confused. "Boss Pei, I'm not sure either..."
Before this, Pei Qian had asked He Desheng how he could make other investors lose confidence in the project. He Desheng answered 'sell the shares', and Pei Qian deeply agreed with the suggestion.
Pei Qian had also told Li Shi, in no uncertain terms, to start selling his shares as well. He had done that in the hopes of damaging investors' confidence.
Yet, a strange thing happened: all the shares that Pei Qian had sold had ended up being eaten up by various other investors. It was almost as if none of them felt fearful at all.
Li Shi had not even sold his shares. Pei Qian could not figure out what he was thinking.
Could it be that Li Shi doesn't believe me?
...it's very likely. This isn't the first time either.
What made Pei Qian more anxious was that money was still being poured into Top Student, Come Quick's application, so that its figures and popularity were increasing!
With each passing day that things didn't slow down, Pei Qian felt more unsure.
After much consideration, Pei Qian finally said reluctantly, "Keep selling, then..." There was no other way. Pei Qian had a bad feeling that if he allowed things to carry on like that, there would be a huge problem.
He had to sell his shares as soon as possible so that the other investors' confidence would be affected. Then, all of them would sell their own shares as well!
Even if he reaped profits from the sale of his shares, he had to suck it up. That was the only way to cut his losses.
"Alright, Boss Pei," replied He Desheng. "Should we sell them all or stop once we hit a certain level?"
Pei Qian paused to think. No matter what, they could not sell all their shares.
That would turn the investment into a purely profitable one, right? Thus, Pei Qian replied, "Well... We should keep at least twenty percent. Don't go any lower than that! What's more, you should only sell a maximum of five percent of the shares in each transaction. Don't sell more than that."
Pei Qian had been holding close to sixty percent of the shares in the company before this. After several transactions, he had less than fifty percent left. Still, he had a majority and controlling share.
However, he would hit 20% several transactions later.
Pei Qian thought that it would not matter if he lost the controlling share in the business. Once everyone else sold their shares and the project collapsed, Pei Qian would buy all of his shares back and regain control. Then, he would be able to continue incurring losses. No one would fight for shares with him after the project collapsed. He could buy the unwanted shares and then sell them to a couple of heroic buyers who would be happy to take over them.
Once he had about twenty percent left, he would earn less and still be able to maintain his place as a shareholder. That meant he would have the right of first refusal for the sale of shares in the future.
He Desheng could not understand what Boss Pei was trying to achieve, but he was used to it by now. Thus, he did not ask any more questions.
"Alright, Boss Pei. Don't worry. I'll get it done."
After hanging up, Pei Qian thought about other irksome projects.
For instance, the shared phone booths...
At first, Pei Qian had given up fighting for this project. However, he had heard some good news recently.
Zhang Wang had spent all the revenue generated by the shared phone booths into manufacturing even more. He had plans to increase capacity in Jingzhou's shopping malls and set up more shared phone booths.
However, the new shared phone booths were not developing as smoothly as the first batch!
The reason for this was simple: there were only so many shopping malls with especially high traffic in Jingzhou City. Even if Zhang Wang continued to create shared phone booths, there would only be so many people who would want to experience them!
That had been the only good news that Pei Qian had heard recently.
On top of that, Zhongdian Chinese Network was showing signs of improvement as well. At the very least, the writers in the authors' class were uploading fewer and fewer chapters.
As for the two games departments and the cell phone business...
Pei Qian did not have time to think about them for now.
"Hello, Boss Pei. I am the one in charge of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe in Lincheng City. My name is Xiao Peng."
A bright, young fellow with a crew cut opened Pei Qian's car door and respectfully introduced himself. Pei Qian shook Xiao Peng's hand as they left the shopping mall's parking lot together and took the elevator up. This was the biggest shopping mall in Lincheng and the core of the Fish-Catching Complex here. Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0 was located on the fifth floor of this shopping mall.
"How's the current situation?" Pei Qian casually asked.
Xiao Peng smiled and said proudly, "Boss Pei, it's very good!"
Pei Qian was stunned. "Huh?"
Xiao Peng did not seem to have noticed the astonishment on Boss Pei's face at all. Instead, he continued speaking in a proud tone. "The four Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branches, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Upwind Logistics, and the like have all started operations today. We're following your instructions strictly and avoiding any promotional events.
"Still, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's reputation and image are obviously well-known to everyone. People were already queuing at the entrance before we opened for business. Now, the internet cafe is almost full!
"Fish-Catching Take-Out is proving to be unexpectedly popular as well. The working adults, especially, choose Fish-Catching Take-Out for their meals during work. It seems like the businesses are more well-received here than in Jingzhou!
"It goes without saying that Upwind Logistics and ROF Computer-Installation are doing well, too. The orders are going through the roof. It's a good thing that our warehouses are all stocked, and we won't run out..."
Xiao Peng spoke frankly and confidently, obviously proud of those results.
Lastly, as if afraid that Boss Pei would think he was trying to claim credit, Xiao Peng added, "Of course, this is all because Boss Pei has laid a good foundation in Jingzhou. That's why the businesses became so well-known in Lincheng. This is the perfect illustration of the saying, 'Where water flows, a canal is formed'!"
Pei Qian's mind was filled with question marks.
Before Pei Qian could speak, the elevator arrived with a 'ding'.
All the seats in the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe were taken up, and the waiters were shuttling back and forth, serving various drinks. The atmosphere inside looked very lively.
There was no sign of an opening promotion or sale!
Even so, the internet cafe was filled to the brim. Several people were even waiting for empty seats in the resting area!
Pei Qian felt light-headed.
The worst-case scenario that Pei Qian had been prepared for was that the internet cafe would be seventy percent full and that they would start making profits on their first day.
He would never have thought that reality would turn out worse than his own imaginations. Lincheng's Fish-Catching Internet Cafe looked even more popular than Jingzhou!
What's more, according to Xiao Peng, it was not just Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. All the businesses in the Fish-Catching Complex were doing well!
Pei Qian was at a loss as to what to do.
Seeing Boss Pei become speechless, Xiao Peng felt awkward. He quickly said, "Boss Pei, I have to say that your decision to enter Lincheng was absolutely correct!
"Lincheng's economy is developing slower than other cities'. That's why a few famous restaurants and entertainment businesses enter the city.
"Fish-Catching Take-Out doesn't stand out in Jingzhou. However, in Lincheng, it immediately became a high-end take-out brand. Its packaging is exquisite, and the food is healthy. Anyone who consumes Fish-Catching Take-Out in their office immediately looks a class higher than the rest. That's why it's so popular among the working adults!
"On the other hand, Lincheng is completely lacking in high-end internet cafes, and Fish-Catching Internet Cafe fills that gap perfectly. It's even located in the core commercial district. People nearby have the highest purchasing power in Lincheng. That's why the internet cafe is a hit!
"I can only say that Boss Pei's decision to venture into a sinking market was very wise. The outcome is unexpectedly good!"
Pei Qian was speechless.
His throat closed up.
Pei Qian had realized that everything Xiao Peng said was true. No matter how low the level of economic development was in a city, there would always be a group of richer people.
Places like that normally lacked high-end restaurants and entertainment facilities.
It was the same a few years ago when what foreigners saw as fast food brands entered the local market. Within a short time, the locals saw those brands as high-end and started rushing like ducks to try them.
It was only a few years later, when China's economy developed further, that those brands looked ordinary to the locals. They became nothing more than fast food brands again.
Now, the same thing was happening to the Fish-Catching Complex in Lincheng. Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, and the other businesses' goods and services were coincidentally priced below the upper limits of what Lincheng's rich could afford.
At the same time, they were presentable and healthy. Their value was obviously higher than other brands. That was why they were so well-received among Lincheng's residents!
Pei Qian stood at the entrance of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, remaining silent for two full minutes.
Then, he turned around and walked away.
Xiao Peng was stunned. "Huh? Boss Pei, are you leaving? Aren't you going to see how the other internet cafes are doing?"
With his expression dark, Pei Qian replied, "There's no need!"
Xiao Peng could not help but feel emotional. "Boss Pei is really swift and decisive. With a single look, he could tell that victory is his. He doesn't even want to look any further. "Everyone always says that Boss Pei is like a general. Today, I've seen for myself that it's true."
Xiao Peng watched as Boss Pei stepped into the elevator and then quickly followed suit. Finally, he walked Boss Pei to his car.
"Boss Pei, you're welcome at Lincheng to offer guidance any time!" Pei Qian forced a smile, boarded the car, and then left. He had traveled all the way to Lincheng, thinking that even the worst-case scenario could not be that bad.
He would never have thought that the Fish-Catching Complex was bound to fail from the moment he selected Lincheng City.
This was infuriating!
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Chapter 422 Row Piece Rate
February 21st, another Monday of not wanting to go to work...
Last weekend, Pei Qian got deeply hurt by Lincheng's Fish-Catching Complex. He had lied in bed like a corpse for two full days after that.
Of course, it was not that he had done nothing during those two days. He continued to observe Lincheng's Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and the 'Top Student, Come Quick' application.
In the end, the more he saw, the worse things looked. The situation was spiraling out of control!
Lincheng's Fish-Catching Internet Cafe had seen an overwhelming number of customers over the weekend. ROF Computer-Installation and Fish-Catching Take-Out's orders also showed no signs of slowing down. There was only one word to describe the situation: profit!
Strange things were happening for 'Top Student, Come Quick's application as well. It was becoming more and more popular, to the point that Pei Qian was beginning to panic. He kept feeling like the company was going to be listed at any second. Of course, Pei Qian knew that a company could only be listed after three years of operations. However, he could not possibly let the project continue growing at that pace. Pei Qian felt hopeless. There were only two days in the weekend, but he was already starting to think about ways to spend the unexpected earnings. What if he opened tens more Upwind Courier stations in Lincheng?
What if he increased the budget Zhang Yuan had for the yet-to-be-built E-Sports Club?
W
Ai, how worrying! Pei Qian had spent the entire weekend thinking about this, but he could not come up with a good-enough resolution. Thus, he had had no choice but to cast those thoughts aside.
When Monday came around, he could only roll out of bed early in the morning, wipe his tears, and keep working. He had important things to do today.
The movie was going to premiere tomorrow. Boss Pei was completely unsure about how it would turn out. If only there had been a pre-screening... If the pre-screening went badly, at least Pei Qian would be able to relax.
However, he had been worried that the pre-screening would turn out well and that they would end up selling out their tickets on the first day. What if there was a long line at the cinema on the day of the premiere and he got stuck in a vicious cycle?
That single misstep would bring him everlasting grief.
Thus, after much consideration, Pei Qian decided against a pre-screening. Since he had already chosen an awkward date like February 22nd, that meant he was ready to skin the sheep. On the day of its premiere, the film's sales and reputation would drastically fall short. Then, the situation would steadily deteriorate until its sales died completely.
That was the ideal scenario for Boss Pei.
"I've been too busy recently. I haven't had the time to check out the film's progress. I wonder how preparations are going. The film's summary and timings should already have been released on the ticketing software, right?
"I left all of those things to Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce. I wonder if what they did would match my expectations.
"Logically, both of them are new, and they lacked resources. They should not have been able to get good timings. They didn't put much effort into advertising either, did they? Hmm, I can relax, then.
"I'll wait and see. While I'm at it, I'll check out how good the films that would be premiering on the same day are and whether they would be better than Tomorrow is Beautiful or not."
After some thought, Pei Qian decided to download a ticketing application on his mobile phone, Gou Yan.
There were three main things he wanted to see:
Tomorrow is Beautiful's publicity...
Tomorrow is Beautiful's row piece rate[1]..
Lastly, other films that would premiere on the same day as Tomorrow is Beautiful and whether they would be better or not...
He only had to verify those three main points to tell if the film would fail or not.
He accessed the pro version of the Gou Yan application and then navigated to the 'coming soon' section. Indeed, Tomorrow is Beautiful was there.
Pei Qian was stunned. Something seemed out of place.
Tomorrow is Beautiful was in first place on the 'coming soon' section. What's more, the little label attached to the film said that 37 thousand people were waiting to watch it!
In other words, among all the films that were going to premiere during this period, Tomorrow is Beautiful was the most anticipated!
Pei Qian immediately felt like something was wrong. However, as a veteran of a hundred battles, Boss Pei quickly calmed himself down.
He quickly looked through the other films but discovered that none of them looked impressive. There were romance films, comedy films, action films, and drama films. However, they were the type that one wouldn't feel interested in watching after seeing their titles and posters.
Logically, some Western films should have been premiering at this time as well, but there weren't any.
"What a pity. Why aren't there any Western films joining in the fun?!"
Pei Qian wanted to beat his chest and stomp his feet.
"Look on the bright side. It doesn't mean anything that Tomorrow is Beautiful is the most anticipated film on this application. After all, the other films in the running look repulsive. Just because Tomorrow is Beautiful won them, it doesn't mean the film would suc
—
"Wait.
"All the films that would be premiering at the same time look repulsive. It doesn't sound like a good thing either...
"Doesn't that mean Tomorrow is Beautiful won't have competition?
"That's not right. Other films have already premiered as well."
Pei Qian navigated to the 'now showing' section to see what films were screening.
At the moment, films that had been released for the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day were still screening. Compared to those, Tomorrow is Beautiful no longer looked that outstanding
Pei Qian quickly scanned the more popular films.
'Party for Love' was a romance film starring young, hot actors. It had a rating of 7.1 and had been screening for eight days. It earned 18.4 million yuan on its first day and had made a combined total of 127 million yuan so far. It was expected to generate a total revenue of 190 million yuan.
'Dangerous Partner' was a European action film. It had a rating of 7.5 and had been screening for 10 days. It earned 14.46 million yuan on its first day and had made a combined total of 87.77 million yuan so far. It was expected to generate a total revenue of 135 million yuan.
'Legends of the Night' was a domestically-produced action film, based on a well-known novel. It had a rating of 6.8 and had been screening for 15 days. It earned 17.68 million yuan on its first day and had made a total of 124 million yuan so far. It was expected to generate a total revenue of 138 million yuan.
There was no need to read about the other movies because they could not compare to the first three.
After browsing those three films, Pei Qian relaxed slightly.
There was one movie with young, hot actors, one European film, and one domestically-produced action film based on a well-known novel. They all shone in their respective genres and looked much more enjoyable than Tomorrow is Beautiful.
All of those movies had already been screening for some time, but they were still selling tickets. That meant they would create quite an obstacle for Tomorrow is Beautiful. Pei Qian could not help but feel satisfied.
Once again, Pei Qian accessed Tomorrow is Beautiful's page, wanting to see what kind of materials had been prepared for publicity.
Tomorrow is Beautiful
There were both Mandarin and English titles.
Film / Sci-fi / Suspense / Drama / 2D
Lu Zhiyao / Zhang Zuting / Lin Ruyi / Zhu Xiaoce
Premiering on February 22, 2011 / 93 minutes There will be two post-credits scenes.
Description:
In a world set in the future, the advancement of technology has caused the ordinary person's standard of living to deteriorate. People live on fast food and snacks, have three hours to wander around outside, and are forced to watch omnipresent advertisements. A couple in love (played by Lu Zhiyao and Lin Ruyi) become unhappy with this way of living. They set their minds on fighting their unfair state and courageously pursue their own dreams. However, they have no idea what kind of fate awaits them...
Underneath that were the cast list, the trailer, and some screenshots.
It was worth mentioning that Pei Qian had found his own name on the cast list. He was listed as the film's scriptwriter, but there was no picture.
"Hm... the description doesn't match my expectations, but it's about right. Few people would read films' descriptions anyway."
At first, Pei Qian had considered using dishonest advertising to publicize the film. For instance, he had thought about giving it high accolades like 'a sci-fi and romance film' or 'a soothing movie'. That way, once the movie premiered, and the audience found out that they had been lied to, they would definitely curse the film to no end. The film's reputation would then crumble.
However, Boss Pei could not possibly have gotten involved in such minor matters. What's more, he had been so busy that he had forgotten about his idea altogether.
Still, reading the current labels and description, Pei Qian guessed that the film would probably not attract too many people. In any case, it was far too late for him to change anything now.
He had no choice but to leave things as they were.
Pei Qian scrolled down, wanting to read people's comments.
"Lu Zhiyao stars in this film. I expect it to get one star."
"Zha Zhuti is very good at choosing films to star in. I'm guessing this won't be bad. I can't wait!"
"Sci-fi fans are remaining cautiously optimistic towards domestically-produced sci-fi films."
"A second-tier director and the toxicity in the box office are forcing their way into the sci-fi genre. I don't think Zhang Zuting alone would be able to carry this film. I think it'll fail!"
"Local citizens filming a movie set overseas... even the voices would be in English and the subtitles would be in Mandarin? Excuse me? What kind of crazy piece of work is this?!"
"The cast is not bad. I don't think it will sell out, but I don't think it will be that bad either. It should be able to make a hundred million yuan."
"I can't tell what this movie would be like. Its advertising strategy was so aggressive, but I wonder if the investors would lose all their money..."
Reading the comments gave Pei Qian mixed feelings of joy interspersed with melancholy.
The movie had not even premiered. That was why the comments did not stand for anything yet. Still, people could voice their opinions based on the trailer, posters, cast list, and other content.
Lu Zhiyao was still the most talked-about part of Tomorrow is Beautiful.
Zhang Zuting had been a movie king before, but he was considered an outdated actor by now. In the eyes of the local audience, he was no big shot. On the other hand, while Lu Zhiyao had been named the toxicity of the box office, he still had a solid place as one of the top few young men in the industry.
However, it was precisely Lu Zhiyao's bad name that caused the audience to harbor little hope for this film.
Some people were even hoping that the investors would lose all their money. This was comforting to Pei Qian.
Pre-screening comments did not count for much, but one could vaguely tell from those comments whether the audience would support the film or not. So far, Pei Qian was happy with what he was reading.
"This is good. As long as the film's reputation crumbles, its tickets wouldn't sell.
"I invested thirty million yuan into this film. I would have to generate a hundred million in revenue before I can recover my capital. That's almost impossible."
Pei Qian heaved a sigh of relief.
He was just about to exit the application when he remembered another important
thing.
He had to see the film schedule!
Few time slots, taken together with the comments at the moment, would assure Pei Qian that the film would fail.
Pei Qian quickly clicked on the 'real-time box office' section to see the film's row piece rate for the next day.
Once the page loaded, he became dumbfounded.
Tomorrow is Beautiful's row piece rate was 37.7%!
He checked the next few films. Party for Love's row piece rate was 24.6%; Dangerous Partner's was 19.7%; Legends of the Night was 9.2%. The others were zero percent.
Pei Qian refreshed the page to confirm Tomorrow is Beautiful's row piece rate of 37.7%. He had thought that something was wrong with his eyes, so that he had seen the decimal point in the wrong place.
What the f*ck?!
Pei Qian was shocked and confused as if he had just understood the situation.
Why were there 37 thousand people waiting to see Tomorrow is Beautiful?
It hadn't made sense at first. Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce, and the rest of Fei Huang Workspace should not have had the resources to advertise the movie to such an extent.
They could have found other companies to advertise the movie, but they would have made various harsh demands. Huang Sibo and the others would not have left Boss Pei out of the picture.
Now, looking at the row piece rate, Pei Qian finally understood that neither Huang Sibo nor Zhu Xiaoce had been responsible for the movie's advertising. Neither of them could have asked for such a high row piece rate!
Something was very wrong. There must have been a mole in the works!
[1] A film's row piece rate shows the rate of screening of the film within a specified period.
Chapter 423 Premiere of the Film
The more Pei Qian thought about it, the stranger it seemed. He quickly called Huang Sibo.
There might have been a mole, and the deal could not be undone. However, Pei Qian still could not stop himself from asking.
Even if he was to die, he had to find out the cause!
"Hello? Boss Pei?"
Huang Sibo sounded rushed and busy.
Pei Qian decided not to waste his time and to cut straight to the chase. "Who was in charge of the film's publicity?".
Huang Sibo was stunned. "Huh? Shenhua Film. Didn't Boss Lin tell you about it?"
With a 'plop', Pei Qian dropped the phone call.
Huang Sibo looked at his cell phone screen, lost.
"How strange. Wasn't Boss Pei the one who had asked Boss Lin's Shenhua Film to help out with the movie's publicity?"
After hanging up, Pei Qian immediately called Lin Chang.
"Hello? Boss Pei, what's the matter? The movie is only premiering tomorrow, right?"
Pei Qian's heart thudded as he heard Lin Chang's words.
Indeed, this fellow was responsible!
Pei Qian tried to suppress his pain as he said, "Did you use Shenhua Film's resources to help with Tomorrow is Beautiful's publicity?".
At the other end of the line, Lin Chang paused and then smiled. "That's right, Boss Pei. Did you find out? Aiya, I wanted to give you a surprise on the day of the movie's premiere.
"Don't worry about it, Boss Pei. I didn't spend too much money. I only used some of my spare funds to make something happen. It's no big deal, no big deal at all." Pei Qian was so enraged that he couldn't even speak.
Listen to this! Is that something a human would say?! He didn't spend too much money? He only used some of his spare funds to make something happen?!
How did you get me a row piece rate of close to forty percent with that?!
Lin Chang realized that Boss Pei had not given him any response. Thinking that the latter was moved, he quickly said, "It's true! I'm just returning the favor. Boss Pei, please don't take it to heart.
"What's more, the subsequent row piece rate would depend on the movie's occupancy rate and reputation. It might not remain above thirty percent.
"Of course, a film that Boss Pei has invested in would be exciting for sure. I'm just giving your film a little push.
"Boss Pei, if you really feel bad, you can give me a symbolic advertising fee after your movie reaps huge profits."
Once again, Pei Qian was speechless.
After my movie reaps huge profits?
I already have one foot in my grave! Don't you think it's a bit too late to try and make it up to me?!
Pei Qian listlessly asked, "Who told you about the movie...?"
Lin Chang laughed. "What? Boss Pei, are you going to thank him face to face? I don't think there's a need. It's no secret that Fei Huang Workspace has been working on a movie. I just had to ask around.
"All in all, you don't have to worry too much about it, Boss Pei. As long as you settle Ah Wan, what would this little bit of publicity resources count for?
"Once Ah Wan comes home, I'll help you advertise every single film you make in the future, Boss Pei!" Once again, Pei Qian was speechless.
If you keep going on about this, Lin Wan will never make it back to the Lin Family!
Pei Qian finally understood what had happened. Obviously, Lin Chang had misunderstood him and 'lent a helping hand' of his own accord, to thank Pei Qian for trying to persuade Lin Wan to leave the company.
Yet, Boss Pei was in pain. How is this thanking me? You're playing me! Pei Qian sniggered. "Boss Lin, I'll settle this with you if the film really becomes popular!"
With a 'plop', Pei Qian dropped the call.
Lin Chang looked at his cell phone screen, obviously shocked.
"Boss Pei is Boss Pei indeed. Even the way he thanks others is unique." Although Lin Chang had made everything sound easy, he had had to put in a lot of work into getting such a high row piece rate.
Fortunately, the other films weren't that interesting. That was how he managed to obtain such a high row piece rate for the premiere of Tomorrow is Beautiful.
"It looks like Ah Wan will be coming home
soon."
Lin Chang fantasized about it
...
February 22nd, Tuesday...
At midnight...
Pei Qian sneakily went to the cinema on the topmost level of Huanyu Tianjie, wanting to watch the first screening of Tomorrow is Beautiful.
Huang Sibo, Zhu Xiaoce, Lu Zhiyao, and Zhang Zuting were all not in Jingzhou. They had gone to publicize the film and meet with fans in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
Pei Qian guessed that they were in a cinema in a big city, waiting for the first screening of the movie.
Pei Qian had sneakily come to this theater, for fear that there would be too many people in the day and he would fail to control his words and actions.
As long as he was not surrounded by people he knew, he would not lose control of himself and affect his image as Boss Pei.
Before entering the cinema, Pei Qian first looked at the shared phone booth with Modest's painting on it. There were still people singing inside so late at night.
As he looked at Modest's seemingly-mocking expression, Pei Qian felt his eyelid twitch. He quickly turned away and walked briskly towards the cinema. He did not want to break down even before the movie started.
He had bought tickets too late so he didn't manage to find a good seat. He had no choice but to sit in a corner.
Still, it was not a bad seat for Pei Qian.
On one hand, he was not looking for a good experience. He only wanted to see how the film had turned out. On the other hand, Pei Qian guessed that there would be many couples in the theater. Sitting in a corner would ensure that he didn't feel like a third wheel.
The moment he sat down, he felt speechless
mon
A couple was seated right beside him. He had tried to avoid them, but he still failed in the end!
Pei Qian could only focus on munching his popcorn and hope that it would divert his attention from the couple beside him.
The theater was about seventy to eighty percent occupied; it was not full. For a midnight show, this was not bad. After all, this was Jingzhou and not a big city like Beijing or Shanghai.
Of course, a 'not bad' occupancy rate for others meant a 'horrible' one for Pei Qian!
"Calm down, calm down. I have to remain cool and collected.
"The people who came to watch the first screening must be hardcore fans of Lu Zhiyao. He's one of the first-tier young actors in the country. It's normal that he would have hardcore fans that would do that.
"The movie's occupancy rate would surely drastically drop once all the hardcore fans have watched it."
Pei Qian tried to encourage himself as he munched on his popcorn.
After midnight, the staff switched off all the lights in the cinema, causing it to slowly become dim.
Right at the beginning was a bunch of company logos, including Fei Huang Workspace's and Shenhua Film's.
The chatter in the cinema slowly quieted down. Everyone turned their attention on the big screen.
The movie had officially begun.
A montage played as the main cast was introduced and the background music played.
A fast-food meal was on the table. Crumbled pieces of paper and empty beer cans were on the ground, beside the actor's feet. White noise was coming from a little screen broadcasting commercials.
There was a half-empty packet of crushed potato chips...
Through those shots, one could vaguely make out the sci-fi character of this film. The way the table looked, the advertisements in the house, the cramped but high-tech space... all of those things seemed to hint that this story was set in the future.
The white noise slowly became clearer. A well-produced but seemingly uninteresting variety show was playing on the screen. Someone spoke in perfect English, and subtitles appeared at the bottom of the big screen.
Lu Zhiyao was seen, sitting on the ground with his back towards the camera. He leaned against his bed, focused on his own television screen.
All of a sudden, the words 'Quiz Results' appeared on the screen. At the same time, the word 'Congratulations' and a bouquet of flowers burst out onto the screen. That meant that the male protagonist had won, and he had just earned a sum of money from the variety show.
"Yes!"
Lu Zhiyao shouted excitedly, clenching both his fists and waving them in the air. After a short celebration, he went to the food outlet and prepared to buy a can of beer...
All of a sudden, Pei Qian realized that he had seen this scene before. After this was the beer-drinking scene!
While they had been filming this scene, Boss Pei had personally offered Lu Zhiyao some 'guidance' on his acting... Pei Qian's heart sank. Why was this film revealing their trump card so soon?!
Pei Qian did not remember this being the first scene in the movie's rough cut. Having this as the starting scene had the effect of drawing people in with the film's strengths!
The theater was completely silent. Even the sound of people eating popcorn dissipated.
Pei Qian immediately had a bad feeling about this.
The movie looked very different from the rough cut!
Lu Zhiyao did not pick up the beer can that he had thrown out. Instead, he sat slumped onto the ground and against the bed. He hugged his knees with his arms and buried his head deeply into his arms.
This was the introduction.
The scene immediately changed. The screen no longer showed the male protagonist's capsule but a view of the outside. After midnight, the outside world became the world of the poor. The tall buildings that stood erect and pointed to the night sky that looked like growing tombstones.
The audience could vaguely see the rooftops and balconies of the tall buildings' penthouses. Many rich people had been eager to build their retro or vintage homes on the topmost floors of skyscrapers.
They even made sure to emit enough light at night, so that their houses continued to glow against the night sky. That way, all the poor people—who came out to walk around after midnight-could look at them with respect and admiration.
Colorful neon lights flashed at the bottom of the buildings. They looked completely different from the fairytale-like views at the top of the skyscrapers.
The faint glow of the stars and the bright neon lights on the ground seemed to be connected by luminous 'tombstones'. The scene was absurd.
Thousands of flying cars, glowing in various colors, shuttled between the skyscrapers. They looked like shooting stars in the night sky, converging into a multi-colored river.
In contrast, poor people held their umbrellas in the drizzle and walked on the roads. They looked indifferent to everything happening above their heads. Instead, they shopped for various strange-looking, unappetizing snacks and engaged in cheap forms of entertainment, haggling over a couple of yuan. They looked like they had become used to all of this.
There was a television screen playing a program in one of the roadside shops. A poor person had gone into the outside world at the 'wrong time' and had ended up being severely punished. The host gave a 'sincere warning' to all citizens to only go outside during their respective time slots and not to break the rules.
Pei Qian had never seen this part before.
That was because most of those scenes had been created using special effects. That was where most of the funds Pei Qian had invested had gone into.
As he looked at the magnificent background and the realistic special effects, Pei Qian became increasingly nervous.
"Calm down, calm down. That's all the special effects. It was just a couple of minutes. The rest of the film wouldn't be that impressive."
Once again, Pei Qian grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth, trying to calm his nerves.
Chapter 424 Boss Pei was Moved to Tears
The film was still playing.
After walking around for three hours outside, Lu Zhiyao returned to his own capsule and continued living his dry life.
A lot of time had been spent at the beginning, introducing the details of life in the future such as relief meals, expensive snacks, quizzes in variety shows, and the like.
Lu Zhiyao could act exceptionally well in those scenes. A poor person at the bottom tier of society... his entire life and all his emotions would revolve around those simple things.
He would rejoice after winning a sum of money from a television program. He would fly into a rage after losing all his money in a
quiz.
Sometimes, he would feel empty and disappointed. Then, he would lie down in his capsule and keep absolutely still.
Other times, he would look at the tempting advertisements and the way that the upper-class members of society lived in the skyscrapers... and feel incomparable envy.
The commercials on the television screen were obviously meant to act as the background to the story. Nevertheless, a lot of effort had obviously gone into producing them.
Lin Ruyi finally made an appearance. She and Lu Zhiyao slowly developed a romantic relationship. Then, she suggested participating in a talent show...
Pei Qian was very familiar with everything that happened after that; he had written the framework of the script. What's more, he had watched the rough cut of the film before.
Still, he could not help but be immersed in the film as he watched it. His emotions rose and fell with the main characters.
Thanks to the flawless editing, the timing of every scene in the movie was just right. It was just enough to leave an aftertaste in the audience's mouths, and yet help their transition into the next scene.
The actors' exquisite skills brought every refreshing character to life on the big screen, portraying them perfectly and helping the audience to deeply resonate with them.
The outstanding background music contributed to the audience's emotions as well, causing them to feel everything consistently with the story's progression.
The well-made props and expensive, otherworldly special effects gave the entire a film a unique sci-fi vibe. While bringing the audience out of the current world, it gave them a mysterious sense of reality. It was almost as if the movie was depicting a real, future world...
That was the power of film.
At the end of the day, a simple story's framework would be pale and weak. However, when turned into a film, it would include a huge amount of detail and engage the audience's other senses to provide a whole new experience.
All of those details were perfect. Even the commercials in the film didn't look out of place. In fact, it was almost like there was some meaning in the seemingly irrelevant commercials!
ds
As Pei Qian subconsciously stuffed his mouth with popcorn, only one thought filled his mind.
Was this the f*cking script I wrote?
The framework was not much different from his, but the final product looked very different from what he had imagined!
He couldn't tell much from the first half of the film, but by the second half, the entire story seemed to deteriorate steadily, revealing the film's malicious fangs!
During the showdown between Lu Zhiyao and Lin Ruyi, the entire theater sucked in a cold breath together.
Obviously, the audience had been shocked by that scene. They had found it hard to accept at that moment.
However, nobody cursed at the screen like Pei Qian had imagined.
Instead, everyone watched on intently!
Even Pei Qian did not feel angry or poisoned by Lu Zhiyao's toxicity. Instead, he felt slightly shocked as he expectantly waited for the plot to develop.
Soon, he realized that there was a big problem here.
This shouldn't be happening. Why aren't I feeling angry at this point? Isn't this supposed to be a very toxic scene?
He ate another handful of popcorn and tried to rationalize his emotions.
Perhaps it was because the film had created a unique sense of alienation.
In the beginning, a lot of time had been spent showing the audience the details of the protagonist's daily life. They had learned that the protagonist ate instant food, watched television programs, and went out to wander around at midnight.
However, that did not make the audience one with the protagonist. In fact, it turned them into outsider observers, completely separated from and unaffected by what was happening.
The camera angle made the audience feel like they were looking through a surveillance camera-cold and impersonal. They were observing the male protagonist's life in this world, without becoming emotionally involved.
That lessened the sweetness of watching the male and female protagonists date, but it also lessened the pain they felt when their relationship ended. Not only could the audience feel what the main actors were feeling, but they could also feel those emotions through something like a layer of glass. They would not experience intense fluctuations in their emotions.
All of a sudden, Pei Qian realized that he had made a mistake.
A film was a form of art, but the same script could produce very different films in the hands of different directors!
That was because the director would inject his personal ideas during the filming process. The camera angle, various other details in the background, and the pace of story-telling... All of those could affect the audience's perception of a story.
That was the exact reason why scripts that looked extremely boring could turn into historical classics in the hands of directors with strong styles!
Obviously, Zhu Xiaoce had understood this story very differently from Pei Qian... Of course, the director would shoot the movie based on his own understanding. Thus, after the editor tied up the loose ends, the movie became very different from what Pei Qian had intended to express initially.
Most 'toxicity' had been gotten rid of. What replaced it was a deep sense of pity.
What the female protagonist did was hateful, but the audience could not hate her.
The male protagonist was miserable and foolish, but the audience could only feel a bit of sympathy for him. They felt sorry for his situation but angry that he did not stand up for himself.
In the end, when the male protagonist finally struck it rich and became a member of the upper society, the audience did not feel happy for him. Instead, they could clearly see that he had lost himself.
The audience suddenly perceived the male protagonist as a stranger. They could sense that he had lost his true self in the whirlpool of materialism and wealth.
Wealth had not made him better. Instead, it took control of his life and turned him into an even sorrier worm.
In the end, the male protagonist, played by Lu Zhiyao, was schemed against by the judge, played by Zhang Zuting. He ended up in huge debt and lay down on his bed, like a living corpse.
From the screen, the audience watched as the woman-whom the judge had replaced the male protagonist with—did the exact same thing as Lu Zhiyao had done before. The story had obviously descended into a vicious cycle, making the audience feel helpless...
The screen went black.
The movie had ended.
The ending song played, the singing sounding exceptionally sad and desolate.
This had been the song that the female protagonist, played by Lin Ruyi, had performed when she took part in the talent show. The judges had made fun of her, saying that she had been out of tune. At the time, the audience had not thought much of the song.
However, when played at the end, the song seemed slightly different. Between the two versions, the one at the end had an inexplicable meaning attached to it.
Pei Qian looked around at the other people in the theater.
What's going on? Wasn't the ending toxic enough? Shouldn't you be standing up and asking for a refund by now?
Shouldn't you at least be scoffing or asking 'what the hell is this?!
The entire cinema was silent. Nobody stood up, and nobody made a sound.
The credits rolled.
Pei Qian realized that his name was listed first under the team of scriptwriters. There was even an additional line that said 'special thanks'.
That did not comfort the shocked Boss Pei.
The first post-credits scene was of the judge, played by Zhang Zuting, sitting in his villa and nonchalantly enjoying his holiday. He gently swirled his red wine as the dark red glow bounced off the judge's face.
The woman seated across from him had heavy makeup on. It was the lady host that the judge had pushed to replace Lu Zhiyao after the latter's reputation crumbled.
All of a sudden, a police siren sounded outside. There was chaos. The woman panicked, stood up, and left. The judge panicked as well. He stood up, dropping the glass of red wine on the floor and sending glass pieces across the room.
Some time passed. The judge did not come back.
Yet, the previously-flustered female host walked back in, sat down, and poured herself some red wine in another intact glass. Then, she downed it in one go.
The camera remained on her delicate red lips. The corners of her lips curled up slightly into an inexplicable smile.
The credits rolled again.
The second post-credits scene was set in the male protagonist's capsule.
The male protagonist was still lying down on the bed, looking paralyzed. However, he had already grown long hair and a bear. There were wrinkles and age spots on his face, hinting that a lot of time had already gone by.
All of a sudden, there was a lot of noise outside, and a police siren sounded.
With a 'bang', the capsule's door flew open. Someone threw something inside and then turned to leave.
A faint, angry roar could be heard. It seemed like a poor person was in a violent and intense fight with an official who had been sent to maintain order.
n
The male protagonist walked towards the door, confused. What lied on the ground was a pistol, covered in blood.
Bam! The lights in the theater came on.
Everyone in the theater looked like they had just woken up from a dream. One by one, they stood up.
Nobody complained about or dissed the movie. Instead, everyone remained silent. It was almost as if they hadn't recovered from the emotions invoked by the movie.
Some people began discussing the movie in whispered tones.
"The film was amazing. Was it really shot by a local director?"
"That's right. The creativity... the amazing plot twists... I'm dumbfounded!"
"My heart feels a bit loaded after the movie..."
"I think it'll make a good drama."
"I feel like it was quite deep. There were many parts I didn't understand. Let's wait for a review." "All things aside, Lu Zhiyao acted quite well in this movie. He didn't make me feel uncomfortable at all!"
The couple beside Pei Qian stood up and followed the crowd out of the cinema.
"It was not the romance film I expected, but it was surprisingly nice." "That's right. I think the film was hinting at us to cherish our loved ones. Sweetie, we have to treat each other well."
"The movie was very moving. I can't stop crying," said the girl as she wiped her tears with a tissue. She turned her head slightly to glance at the seat beside her. Then, she whispered, "Look, even that young man is moved to tears."
At that seat, Pei Qian kept stuffing his mouth with popcorn as tears flowed down his cheeks.
Finished! This film is finished!
Why the h*ll would the audience's comments be like?
'It's worth watching again'? 'It's pretty good"? The plot was deep'? 'I can't wait for the official review'?
What the h*ll is happening?!
The audience has gotten the movie completely wrong! I only wanted to make it as toxic as possible for all of you!
Burp! Pei Qian burped as he cried. He seemed to have eaten too much popcorn...