191: Chapter 191 Using a big name as a tiger's skin

At 7:30 PM, Wu Yue came to knock on the door.

"Let's eat first, let's eat first. You must be hungry, right? Let's go, let's go get some food."

Lin Chuyan had been so engrossed in studying the script that he didn't notice the time, and only then did he realize he had almost missed dinner time.

"Let's go, let's go, I'm starving."

"I didn't want to disturb you and was thinking of getting you takeout, but then I thought since we're here, we might as well go out to eat."

"Hmm, I've finished reading the script."

"How is it?"

"I'll take it! The role itself isn't much, but the story is well-written, making the whole romance very moving. Plus, the plot isn't complicated, so it'll be easy to film. I expect the ratings won't be low either. As for the box office, it's hard to say—it depends on how it turns out."

"Alright, I'll read the script after we eat. Let's go, we can talk on the way. Xia Zhi and I have already picked a restaurant."

Just as they were about to leave, Xia Zhi stopped them: "Brother, are you going out like this?"

"It's fine, right? We're in Hong Kong. I doubt many people recognize me. They don't really stan mainland artists, do they? The most popular artist here right now is so confusing... what's his name again?"

Wu Yue added: "I think his surname is Jiang. I forgot his name too, but he looks so average and is fat, and his Singing is terrible—it sounds like wailing. I don't understand the local aesthetic..."

Xia Zhi couldn't remember the name either, but she knew how he became famous: "Brother, this Jiang guy is like you—he debuted through a talent show, was the champion, and the center of a boy band. Talent shows are about cultivation; even if it's a fat son, he's still raised by your own family, right? But with that face, he's destined not to become popular in the mainland... Oh right, Brother, you're getting more and more famous now, and it seems this Jiang guy has gained a nickname."

"What?"

"The Hong Kong Lin Chuyan."

"What the hell!"

"Yeah, well, there are a lot of people who hate him and a lot who like him. Everyone just thinks he's like you..."

"Alright then..."

"So," Xia Zhi returned to the original topic, "there should be quite a few people here who recognize you."

"Fine, but... whatever." Lin Chuyan decided to let loose for once. He was tired of wearing a hat every day. "It's fine. Don't artists here often go out to buy groceries and get recognized? Let's go!"

Seeing that he was in high spirits, Wu Yue and Xia Zhi didn't try to persuade him otherwise.

The group took the hotel elevator downstairs.

And then he was recognized.

The elevator door opened halfway down, and a girl walked in and bumped into him. Her expression shifted from disbelief to surprise: "Lin Chuyan!"

"Huh? Oh, yes, hello, hello."

"You came to Hong Kong! When did you arrive?" The girl was a bit incoherent. "Are you here for a vacation? Or to film? No, I have to tell my best friend, I saw a real-life Lin Chuyan. My best friend and I both really like you!"

There were too many questions, and Lin Chuyan didn't know how to answer: "Thank you, thank you! Please keep liking me."

Fortunately, she didn't really care about what she had just asked: "I definitely will!"

After getting out of the elevator, Lin Chuyan took the initiative: "By the way, do you want a photo together?"

The girl's eyes lit up: "Is that okay? I didn't dare to ask..."

"Of course you can. Come, give your phone to my assistant, she'll take a picture for us."

The group found an inconspicuous corner and quickly got it done.

Xia Zhi returned the phone and whispered a reminder: "By the way, if you post this on social media, please keep it confidential for us and don't include the hotel name."

"Okay, okay, thank you!" The girl said goodbye to them, "Thank you, Lin Chuyan, I will keep supporting you!"

After the girl walked away, Lin Chuyan took out his room card: "Xia Zhi, here's the card. Help me go to my room and get a hat. Look around, it should be on the sofa or the table."

Xia Zhi took the card and went back, holding back her laughter.

Lin Chuyan shrugged, not knowing what to say.

He had thought about just heading out, but ended up running into a fan before even leaving the hotel.

If it were any other time, it would be fine, but since they were going out to eat, if he ran into a few more fans, they wouldn't be able to eat dinner at all.

However, he still rejected the idea of changing hotels that Xia Zhi had mentioned.

It would be one thing in the mainland, but it shouldn't be a big problem at the Rosewood.

Still in Tsim Sha Tsui, the three didn't walk far. They didn't look for a restaurant with private rooms, but instead found a nearby tea restaurant called "Chee Kei" to grab a meal.

Lin Chuyan ordered a bowl of beef brisket lo mein and a cup of barley water; the taste was quite good.

The noodles were the bamboo-pressed type. As someone from Guangdong Province, one bite in, and the feeling came right back.

The waiters were as arrogant as ever, and there was no such thing as customer service.

People were coming and going all around, it was very noisy, and the diners were all eating with their heads down. Because of this, no one recognized him.

Wu Yue chatted with Lin Chuyan while eating: "Then I'll talk to them about the salary tomorrow."

"Sure, how much are you planning to ask for?"

"10 million."

"...Isn't that a bit much?"

"It is, but the hovering blade just broke 1 billion. It's hard to say how much of a role you played, but hey, this is called Leveraging Influence—we have to brag about what needs to be bragged about. Besides, it's not really bragging; you were a lead actor and had a significant amount of screen time. When filming, they said you were the sixth lead, but look at when it was released—who isn't talking about you?"

"Alright..."

In fact, what Lin Chuyan was thinking was: The salary for the hovering blade was 300,000 back then...

However, he did get 3 million for the long season in the end. This time he's the male lead, so that's okay, right?

Wu Yue swallowed the wonton in his mouth and continued: "the hovering blade is at 1 billion now. The final box office... the producers will get about 400 million. If you were to take this role with your current status, wouldn't you have to ask for 7 or 8 million?"

"Besides, 10 million isn't non-negotiable. You ask for the sky and they pay on the spot. Tomorrow I'll ask them how long this film will take to shoot. I heard that movies here are shot relatively quickly. If it's really fast... the bottom line is 5 million, can't go any lower."

"Hmm, you make the call on this, I'll listen to you."

"Don't forget the long season is about to be released. I have confidence in you. Later in October, you also have the Golden Melody Awards. Once you win the Best Newcomer award, it's equivalent to a grand slam of the three major awards—that's enough momentum, right? Taking advantage of this momentum, when a moment of romance is released, they can weigh it themselves."

"You're making me more and more confident, Brother."

Wu Yue was simply Lin Chuyan's daily source of blood-pumping motivation.

However, things soon changed.

The three returned to the hotel after dinner, and Wu Yue started reading the script.

Unlike Lin Chuyan, he read fast and finished it in less than an hour.

"Xiao Yan, this script is good! It's really awesome!"

"It is quite good, that's why I decided to take it."

Wu Yue started pacing around the hotel room: "The problem now is, reading the script, it feels like the investment won't be too big. I'm just afraid they won't be able to afford that much of a salary."

"How should I put it, actually, if the script is good enough and the creative team is good, a little less money doesn't matter."

"That's true, but this film has a bit of a 'small investment, big return' vibe, you know? I just feel there's a chance—a chance to become... let's not say a massive hit, but a small hit is possible, right?"

Wu Yue knew the score about the various summer blockbusters and Valentine's Day romance movies on the mainland market right now—they were just plain rotten. But even if they were that rotten, they could still easily rake in hundreds of millions at the box office. Where is the justice in that?

Now, a romance movie with solid quality and a capable cast was placed right in front of him. Guess how much the final box office will be?

Besides, Lin Chuyan's reputation was also on the line... Don't forget, we are also traffic artists! Can't you be a traffic artist if you have talent? Who made that rule?

"No, 5 million is out of the question. Didn't they say it? It will be released in the two straits and three regions. The Hong Kong market is small, but if we take it to the mainland, I feel it can at least make several hundred million..."

Wu Yue didn't dare to guarantee it, but he felt there was great hope: "Here's the deal, same old rules. Tomorrow when we talk about the salary, you just listen and don't say anything. I'll handle everything."

Is it starting?

Lin Chuyan nodded, suddenly remembering the image of Brother Yue when he went to the Jianjia Entertainment office to talk to Director Li Li about the price of the ending theme song for burning life. He looked so tall and imposing.