Chapter 4: Three Good Brothers
In the days following the New Year, Zhang Chen had been further refining the script for the descent. Since it was to be localized, it had to be as perfect as possible, at least logically consistent.
In later generations, a large part of people's complaints about movies revolved around 'logical inconsistencies.'
Hong Kong and Taiwan movies were famously illogical, and Zhang Chen had always had many questions:
Why were the bullets in the magazine in John Woo's movies always endless?
Why would Cao Shaoxin, a powerful eunuch, lead a large army deep into the desert to pursue a few rebels?
Why could Linghu Chong and five others easily defeat the tens of thousands of troops at Blackwood Cliff?
Why did so many police officers with batons and even helicopters let the unarmed Ah Zheng and Brother Long escape?
Why did Shan Ji suddenly have tens of millions in funds to appease the various Big Boss s of Hung Hing?
Of course, mainland movies weren't much better.
When people finished watching The Promise in the movie theater, they often had a feeling of 'What was this movie about? I think I watched it, but I also think I didn't.'
Why was a murder case triggered by a dumpling able to become an overnight sensation? Perhaps it was because it re-sorted the unclear logic of The Promise.
…
Beijing Railway Station
Even in 2004, with the diversion to Beijing West Station, the old Beijing Station's passenger flow remained undiminished. Every now and then, a surge of people would pour out of the exit, like zombies unleashed.
Zhang Chen followed the crowd out of the station. He had told his good brothers to pick him up in advance, but he didn't see any sign of them. Had those two unreliable guys forgotten?
As he was searching through the crowd, a voice sounded from not far away:
"Hey, the really handsome one, yes, I'm talking to you, don't look around, look over here…"
Zhang Chen quickly covered his face. He knew from the voice that it was that scoundrel Cao Bingkun. In broad daylight like this, it was utterly mortifying.
Sure enough, the people waiting nearby all looked over curiously, probably wanting to see how handsome the 'really handsome guy' that person was talking about was.
Zhang Chen looked in the direction of the voice, and Cao Bingkun was grinning at him mischievously, while Ning Hao didn't forget to add: "Welcome, Director Zhang, for inspecting the Central from the local!"
"Hao Zi, Old Cao, you're ruining me!"
Zhang Chen really couldn't bear to stay in the spotlight any longer. He made to escape, but the two of them stopped him, and the three of them laughed and hugged each other.
"Hahaha, do you know that Hao Zi and I are starving to death waiting for you?"
"Alright, no need to say more, I understand. We'll go eat right away, this one's on me."
"Sensible."
The young men walked arm in arm, laughing and joking. The two naturally took the luggage from Zhang Chen's hand.
Cao Bingkun, who played Xie Ruolin in lurk, was Zhang Chen's good brother at Beijing Film Academy.
Zhang Chen's directing class had a total of nine students. Four people shared a room, leaving Zhang Chen alone, so he lived with the junior college students. Cao Bingkun was his roommate.
Ning Hao was from the cinematography department, class of '99. He had already graduated and stayed in the capital to develop his career. He and Zhang Chen were both from Longcheng, Coal Province, definitely fellow townsmen, and had a very good relationship.
"Let's go, let's find a place first, eat and chat…"
His good brothers had gone hungry to pick him up, so he naturally wanted to treat them, but Cao Bingkun stopped him:
"No, let's take a taxi back to school and eat at our usual spot. The restaurants near the train station are expensive and terrible. Anyone who eats there is a fool."
As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately felt several invisible glares directed at him from nearby.
Cao Bingkun realized he had blurted out something that included others and quickly led everyone away.
…
The 'usual spot' was actually a small restaurant called 'Shi Wei Xian' (Food is Foremost), right outside Beijing Film Academy. The name had a nice artistic feel, but it was actually very low-end, without even private rooms.
But the food was good.
the return of the condor heroes said, 'Within a hundred steps of a poisonous snake, there must be an antidote herb!'
It's actually the same with schools. Cheap and delicious restaurants are always near schools.
What Cao Bingkun said earlier was actually correct. In places like train stations, they rely on passenger flow and don't consider repeat customers at all. Whether the food tastes good or not doesn't matter; you can eat it or not.
It's different outside a school. Here, if your food isn't good, you simply can't stay in business.
'Shi Wei Xian' was a hidden gem they discovered by chance. The few of them often gathered there. The food was delicious and cheap, which perfectly suited their status as poor students.
"Stir-fried Shredded Pork with Vinegar Sauce, Twice-cooked Pork. What else do you want?"
Cao Bingkun immediately ordered a few dishes they all liked, then handed the menu to Ning Hao: "Don't save money for this kid."
Twice-cooked pork was a popular dish, almost universally loved.
Stir-fried Shredded Pork with Vinegar Sauce was a Beijing dish that Cao Bingkun, a native of the capital, loved. And this dish had a strong vinegary aroma, which also suited the palates of Ning Hao and Zhang Chen, both from Coal Province, so it became a staple at every gathering.
Ning Hao didn't stand on ceremony either. After looking at the menu, he said, "Let's get another Boiled Fish with Chili Oil and nine Yanjing beers."
Boiled Fish with Chili Oil was very popular in the capital at this time; almost every restaurant had this dish.
The small restaurant served dishes quickly. In just a few minutes, the first dish, Twice-cooked Pork, was on the table. The three of them filled their glasses and toasted.
Refreshing! Drinking beer in the dead of winter, chilling to the bone!
"Old Cao, any recent gossip? Tell us a few for drinking!"
Cao Bingkun wasn't a gossipmonger, but he was definitely a rumor spreader. Hearing this, he immediately said, "Remember the incident before the New Year where a Central Academy of Drama student slept with Director Huang? There's a new development recently. The woman recanted, and it's said Director Huang was arrested."
"The female students at Central Academy of Drama are really pitiful. So young, and they have to survive under the teachers' oppression…"
Zhang Chen sighed. Compared to their Beijing Film Academy, Central Academy of Drama was indeed strict; first and second-year students were not allowed to take acting jobs.
This led many female students who had opportunities to act to compromise in order to get special permission from the department.
The group chatted about other gossip, and then Zhang Chen finally spoke: "Old Cao, have you found out what I asked you to inquire about?"
"Of course! When have I ever not handled your requests perfectly, my brother?"
"What is it?" Ning Hao asked curiously from the side.
"Chen Zi asked me to inquire about registering a film and television company."
"You want to register a film and television company?"
"Hmm, I have that intention."
Zhang Chen nodded, then asked Old Cao again: "So, what's the policy like?"
"There are quite a few preferential policies in the capital…"
Cao Bingkun spoke while eating, and Zhang Chen listened quietly.
His memory from later generations told him that many places actually had support policies for the establishment of film and television companies.
For example, Dongyang City, where Hengdian is located, had regulations that film and television companies within its jurisdiction were exempt from business tax for the first two years, and then 60% would be refunded each year from the second to the eighth year. This meant that for the next eight years, the company would only pay 10% of its net profit in taxes.
Logically, as the capital, which has the most concentrated film and television resources, there should also be similar policies, but he had never paid attention to this aspect before.
"Oh, Chen Zi, you're going to be a boss! Old Cao, we finally have a big leg to hug!"
After understanding what was going on, Ning Hao joked from the side, and Cao Bingkun joined in the teasing.
"Come on, let's have one, to General Manager Zhang!" Cao Bingkun looked like a sycophant.
"Cut it out, big leg? More like a mosquito's leg."