Chapter 70

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

The legend of Yu the Great, who passed by his home three times without entering while taming the floods, now resonated with Chen Tiandu a bit.

Even during Christmas, his time at home would not be long, let alone during the Spring Festival.

Unlike traditional Beijingers, who look forward to the Spring Festival the most at this time of year, his family has always had the tradition of celebrating Christmas. This was mainly for his grandmother and mother. Every year, his grandfather would take his father and second uncle, carrying axes, to drive to a distant mountain and drag back a pine sapling amidst the disdainful gazes of their neighbors. They would then hang colorful lights and small gifts on it and set off a string of firecrackers.

Grandfather had endured the ten years of the Cultural Revolution. In that era, people were somewhat fanatical. The crackdown on "worshipping foreign things" was very severe, and Grandfather, who had married a foreign wife, was a key target. Grandmother suffered a lot with him, but she never complained and had not returned to her hometown for many years. Now, with a large family, Grandfather often felt guilty when he recalled those times. He was making up for it in his own way.

In a Beijing alley that placed great emphasis on the festive atmosphere of the New Year, their family's celebration of the Western Christmas was naturally met with criticism and cold looks. "Worshipping foreign things, vulgar, novel..." all kinds of comments were made.

Fortunately, their family had gotten used to it and continued to celebrate their own holiday.

Since Chen Tiandu was born, their family's Christmas celebrations had an additional activity: celebrating his birthday. So, besides the roast duck, there would be an extra cake.

On this day, the whole family gathered.

Second Uncle's family was also present. The two younger cousins, the older one was twelve and the younger one was eight, were still in school, with very simple minds. They didn't feel much about Chen Tiandu becoming a big star and continued to play all day.

If there was any difference, it might be that they thought the metal Transformers models Chen Tiandu brought back from America were simply too cool, and the toy guns looked just like the real thing. Indeed, they were from capitalist America.

"Perhaps there won't be many more Christmases to celebrate!" Grandmother Suli Fei, with her white hair, sighed. After Chen Tiandu blew out the candles, she handed him a polished wooden box, "Dear grandson, come here. This is your Christmas and birthday gift from Grandma. Happy 24th birthday."

"What is it, Grandma? I won't accept it if it's not good."

Chen Tiandu curiously took it, "My birthday is also on Christmas, so I should get two gifts. You should calculate how many gifts you owe me over the years." He complained while opening it and immediately exclaimed, "Wow."

The gift from Grandma turned out to be a vintage World War II camera.

The "LuftwaffenEigentum" (meaning "Air Force Property") inscription on the ROBOT camera was enough to prove its extraordinary origin.

Chen Tiandu, who studied film and television, naturally had a deep understanding of photographic equipment from various eras. This was almost the best camera of its time. Although similar inscriptions had appeared on Leica cameras of the same era, it's worth noting that, except for a few special models, there was little difference in performance, appearance, and design between military and civilian Leica cameras. In contrast, the ROBOT camera was designed specifically for the needs of war, with everything tailored for the convenience of military use.

As a military item, the camera was entirely black, with a prominent spring button that not only demonstrated its ease of operation but also served as a power source.

To facilitate quick shooting, the Germans thought of using the winding mechanism from toy robots to replace the motor. After winding it up, it could take about six consecutive photos, thus eliminating the inconvenience of manual operation. Its primary function was to be used by German Air Force pilots for aerial reconnaissance.

To make it easier for pilots to take photos while wearing thick gloves, the main knobs were made very large and simple, with rounded edges and a sturdy body. The "ROBOT" or "LuftwaffenEigentum" inscriptions on the back of the camera added to its military character. Nowadays, these German letters, worn by time, are a major selling point, making this camera highly sought after by camera enthusiasts around the world.

Chen Tiandu had more than once coveted this camera, almost getting his bottom beaten by his grandfather. He never expected that today it would be given to him as a gift by his grandmother.

"Do you like it, dear grandson? This gift should be enough to count as two." Suli Fei teased with a smile.

"I love it, I've wanted it for a long time. Thank you, Grandma, thank you." He even kissed his grandmother, then clearly saw his grandfather's face darken, "This thing can be our family heirloom. You better take good care of it, or I'll beat you up."

Ha, this stingy old man.

Chen Tiandu proudly waved it in front of the old man, deliberately annoying him. This made Chen Yonghe scold him, "You're already a grown man, yet you act like your little brother, without any respect." Chen Tiandu ignored it.

"I love you too, dear grandson." Grandmother patted his head.

It was a warm holiday, and only in front of his family did he feel like a child.

After Christmas, Chen Tiandu had to leave.

Others could take a break, but as a producer and director, he couldn't take a peaceful holiday.

Fortunately, before leaving, he received some good news. China Film had decided to introduce "The Sixth Sense" on a revenue-sharing basis, scheduled for release in May of the following year. It wasn't a good time, but Chen Tiandu didn't care about the box office. He only hoped that domestic film fans could see his work, which was enough.

Kate had gone back to Britain for Christmas, leaving only Kong Yiji, who was busy with him all day.

Matrix Films had hired a new CEO named Peck-Glarry, who was the former head of production at Paramount. He left Paramount after it was acquired by Sumner Redstone's Viacom in 1993.

Before that, Paramount was the only independent major film company, and the acquisition marked a new era in Hollywood, where major film companies became part of entertainment and media conglomerates.

Hollywood is often referred to as the "Big Seven," but only Paramount remained in Hollywood (geographically speaking). Paramount moved to Hollywood in 1927, while Warner Bros. moved to Burbank in 1930. RKO declared bankruptcy in 1957, and Columbia left Hollywood in 1973, following Warner Bros. to Burbank. In 1989, it moved again, setting up its headquarters in Calabasas. United Artists, founded by Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith, became a post-production and recording studio for Warner Bros.

Film people often have their own principles, and Peck was one of them.

He didn't want to be a money-making tool for the big capitalists at Paramount, so he chose to leave.

Hiring Peck-Glarry was indeed a stroke of luck. After leaving Paramount, he started his own production company and made a few low-budget films. Unfortunately, without the support of Paramount, his previous network gradually lost its effectiveness, and the films suffered significant losses, leading to financial difficulties and the eventual collapse of his company. He was then recruited by a headhunting firm and recommended to Matrix.

However, even in his down-and-out state, he remained proud. He didn't have high hopes for Matrix's future and only agreed to work there for a year, with the option to leave at any time. His annual salary was $300,000, a car worth no less than $100,000, at least two months of vacation per year, and a host of other demands.

Chen Tiandu didn't haggle and signed the agreement immediately, even asking if the company could help him rent a house.

Peck didn't expect Chen Tiandu to agree so readily, and his impression of Matrix improved. At least the company wasn't short of money. Only Kong Yiji was indignant, "This guy is already past his prime. Is he really worth that much?"

Chen Tiandu shrugged, "Maybe not, but he has what we lack. You should learn from him. If he leaves after a year, you'll have to take over."

Kong Yiji rubbed his hands together, "Since you have the money, why don't you just buy my Wushuang Film Company? One million dollars, no loss."

Chen Tiandu rolled his eyes, "No loss for you. I'll give you two thousand dollars. Take it or leave it."

Kong Yiji widened his eyes, "That's a bit too low, aren't you my brother?"

"Then you won't do it?"

"I'll do it, of course. You're too stingy. Is it in RMB?"

"Dollars, you're lucky."

"That's sixteen thousand, hehe, that's better." Kong Yiji beamed.

In the subsequent work, Peck quickly demonstrated his capabilities. He hired a few management talents, promoted some positions, and dismissed others. The previously lax company immediately improved, and efficiency increased significantly.

Even the previously undetermined film release dates were quickly negotiated with Warner Bros. and DreamWorks and swiftly confirmed.

Chen Tiandu nodded in approval. This was good; he could focus on making movies.