Chapter 16 of 100

Chapter 16

15 min read3,779 words

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The next day, when Chen Jiaxuan knocked on Lin Han's door with a box of milk, Lin Han was still not fully awake. He opened the door groggily and said to her, "So early, what do you want?"

"Early morning is the best time to start the day. Get up and go running. After running, you'll feel energetic all day." Chen Jiaxuan showed off her sportswear and pushed Lin Han into the room, "Quick, quick, go change your clothes."

"I'm not going, I want to sleep. I was reading a novel until two or three in the morning, I'm too tired now!"

After saying that, Lin Han yawned and ignored Chen Jiaxuan, turning around and heading back to the bedroom. The warm room had heating, and he fell back asleep on the bed.

However, Chen Jiaxuan was not about to let him off so easily. "Whether you write novels or make movies, you need a good body. Health is the capital of revolution. After running a few laps, you'll feel refreshed and can write a lot more."

"I'm not going, you go by yourself." Lin Han buried his head in the pillow and mumbled, it was still so early to go running, and running in the morning, especially in the cold winter, was not a wise choice.

Determined to get Lin Han up, Chen Jiaxuan ignored the gender difference, pulled back the blanket, and opened the window, letting the cold air rush in.

Lin Han, who was sleeping, immediately curled up into a ball. The sudden cold air woke him up completely, so he had to get up reluctantly and said, "Auntie, I'm afraid of you. You go out first, I'll change my clothes."

After achieving her goal, Chen Jiaxuan walked out with the air of a victorious general, leaving Lin Han shivering in the cold wind.

After putting on his sportswear and grabbing his keys, Lin Han followed Chen Jiaxuan out of the neighborhood and started warming up in the nearby park, then began jogging.

"Do you know? I've always felt guilty. If I hadn't recommended you to direct 'Beyond the Solar System,' you wouldn't be in this situation. You might have been able to direct a movie on your own by now, without having to take the blame."

After running for a while, Chen Jiaxuan supported her knees and panted, "I've finally figured out the inside story of 'Beyond the Solar System.' Despite the appearance of a big investment and a big production, the crew was actually harboring filth."

Lin Han saw a bench nearby and walked over to sit down, asking in surprise, "Can you tell me what really happened?"

Chen Jiaxuan leaned back against the chair, looking up at the gloomy sky, and said softly, "Actually, this crew was purely for money laundering. They used a big IP and good actors to cover up. They claimed a 300 million investment, but probably 250 million was laundered into personal accounts. No wonder no director was willing to take it on; we were the ones who foolishly stepped up to be the scapegoats."

Using movies to launder money was something Lin Han had seen many times on Earth. The latest example was Donnie Yen's 'Ip Man 3,' which was even caught by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television as a typical case.

The actual cost of 'Beyond the Solar System,' which claimed a 300 million investment, was very low. The special effects were few and poor, often mocked as "five-yuan special effects." There were not many sci-fi scenes, and not many props were needed. They only had to pay a few actors and deliberately inflate the costs of publicity and distribution. Money came in from one hand and went out from the other, with only a few tens of millions actually used for the movie.

The Film Bureau's website listed many co-productions with overseas partners, but many of these films were never seen on the market, yet they continued to be produced every year. Movies that should make money make money, and those that should lose money lose money. Those who rush into the film industry with enthusiasm are bound to lose money, not make money.

So as long as the movie could be released, it was considered a job well done, regardless of the box office. Therefore, when 'Beyond the Solar System' received poor reviews upon release, the investors had no emergency measures to respond, allowing the situation to develop without any crisis management.

The old hands in the entertainment industry were unwilling to direct this movie, and the investors chose a new director to take the blame. A new director wouldn't fight for power within the crew, wouldn't demand a high salary, and could be the scapegoat afterward. Lin Han was used to the fullest extent.

Money laundering in the entertainment industry was not uncommon, but at the time, Chen Jiaxuan and Lin Han were so elated by the opportunity to direct such a well-known movie right after graduation that they had no energy to worry about other things. They were so excited by the unexpected opportunity that they didn't think clearly.

But the facts proved that there was no such thing as a free lunch. The failure of the entire crew was attributed to Lin Han alone, and without any backing, he couldn't clear his name.

After understanding the truth, Lin Han was not too surprised. Instead, he comforted Chen Jiaxuan, "What's done is done, we can't do anything about it now. Just be more careful in the future. I'll probably keep writing science fiction novels."

"Do you think writing novels doesn't require an agent? Who will help you expand the copyright of your novels, or negotiate with publishers? I've specifically looked into the literary agent system in the United States, which is very suitable for you. You can focus on writing, and I'll handle everything else. I can find suitable publishers, market your books, and even handle translations into other languages without bothering you."

In fact, the literary agent system in China was still in its infancy. Writers usually had to approach publishers themselves or contact book reviewers and media to promote their new books.

Lin Han rubbed his chin, realizing he hadn't thought of this. Chen Jiaxuan was indeed the best choice to be his agent. She was originally from the entertainment industry and was well-versed in publishing, film, and even animation, games, the internet, and legal knowledge.

"It sounds good. I believe you can fight for my best interests. But I can't afford to hire you now. Let's talk about it when I become a best-selling author?"

Chen Jiaxuan shrugged, "But I want to sign a contract with you now. 10% commission. I have a keen eye for talent. You'll be famous sooner or later, and I don't want anyone else to snatch you away. Let's get it done now."

A 10% commission was not much, and it was even considered a fair price. After all, a literary agent had to fight for the writer's best interests, protect their rights when their works were pirated, and manage at least 20 different ways to realize the value of a work, such as digital rights, film and television adaptations, stage plays, and magazine serializations. These tasks were impossible for a writer to handle alone, or they wouldn't have time to write.

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