Chapter 45

After Hai Bar Street is probably the most artistically charged area for bars in Yanjing City. These bars are either located by the Shichahai Lake, where the trees cast dappled shadows, or hidden in the quiet and low-key hutong courtyards, with an elegant environment.

Compared to the lively bars in places like the Workers' Stadium and Sanlitun Bar Street, this place is much quieter. Besides the regular bustling bars, there are many quiet bars and music bars, and there are often some excellent resident singers performing.

After arriving at Bar No. 5, a 24-hour alternative bar in Houhai, Lin Han ordered a "Absolute Zero" self-mixed cocktail at the bar, which was quite affordable, much cheaper than the bars in Qianhai.

The overall architectural style of the bar is mainly Chinese, with Western elements as a supplement. The courtyard is topped with glass, making it bright and spacious. A very modern and personalized band is performing on stage, and a professional DJ is responsible for setting the atmosphere.

Finding a seat, Lin Han began to listen to the singer's performance leisurely. The bar's occupancy rate was quite good, with more than 60% of the seats filled, but Wang Hao, that guy, still hadn't arrived.

The band's resident singer is a slightly overweight man with glasses, whose pitch, technique, and emotional investment are all quite good. He performed songs that Lin Han was not familiar with without any awkwardness. If he were to participate in something like "The Voice of China," he would probably do well, except for his appearance holding him back.

After about twenty minutes, Wang Hao finally arrived, panting, and gave Lin Han a light punch on the back, then walked around to the side, feigning innocence.

"Sorry, the traffic was a bit heavy, and it took some time to find a parking spot. I've been away for over a year, and I'm finally back to the colorful world. I'll treat you tonight!"

Lin Han raised his glass and said in surprise, "Wow, Director Wang is so generous today. Is there something good happening?"

Wang Hao pointed to his arm and face and replied with a complaint, "I've been traveling through mountains and rivers, earning a year's salary without a place to spend it. Do you know how much of a torment that is! We went from Kunming to Jiuzhaigou, from Yantai in Shandong to Datong's Yungang Grottoes, from Qingcheng Mountain to Emei Mountain, almost covering the entire country, and even went to Thailand and India for filming."

"Enjoying the beautiful landscapes of the country while working, you're doing pretty well, young man." Lin Han raised his glass and toasted with Wang Hao, then continued, "I can't wait to see the finished product. When will it be broadcast?"

"Who knows, we're just starting post-production. I've been free for a few days, but I'll have to follow the crew for post-production again. But this year has been very fulfilling. No matter how big the stars are, they all have to listen to us, even top-tier actors can only play supporting roles. It feels pretty good."

At this moment, Lin Han suddenly remembered a key issue, "Who is playing the Monkey King, Liu Xiaolingtong?"

"Who's Liu Xiaolingtong? That name sounds strange. The Monkey King is played by Zhang Jinlai, the sixth-generation Monkey King in their family. No one else would dare to take on the role of Sun Wukong except them."

Isn't Zhang Jinlai Liu Xiaolingtong? Lin Han was pleasantly surprised. If someone else played Sun Wukong, he, who had seen the Earth version of "Journey to the West," wouldn't be able to adapt, but if it's him, there's something to look forward to.

"He's doing a great job; he's the soul of the entire TV series."

As a child, Lin Han never realized that Tang僧 was played by three different actors. In his eyes, the image of Sun Wukong was the most vivid, and the others like Zhu Bajie were secondary.

A bottle of beer was placed on the table. After Wang Hao took a big gulp, he said again, "I heard you're doing pretty well now. Your new book has been picked up by the People's University Press. When do you plan to come back and continue directing?"

"Writing books is good for now. I'll take a break from directing. I'm not in a hurry."

"Writing books, no matter how good, isn't very useful. And you're even investing in science fiction novels. Do you see how many companies in China dare to produce science fiction films? Unless they're planning to lose money from the start."

Wang Hao sighed. He really didn't want to see a talented new director sink into obscurity. Writing novels can't compare to making movies.

However, Lin Han didn't feel the same way. He smiled and said, "Dude, after this book is published, I'll be a writer. This title is quite bright. My new book, 'I, Robot,' has an initial print run of 100,000 copies, which is much more than other books."

"Sure, at least the People's University Press won't mess around. They must have done market research to print so many. I wish you a million sales and to become a best-selling author!"

"A million is nothing; it should be ten million!" After drinking some alcohol, Lin Han also started to open up. The goal of his book isn't just a million; as a classic of science fiction, it should be seen by more people!

Wang Hao didn't pay much attention, thinking Lin Han was just talking big. He raised his glass, "Ten million it is, let's drink to that."

"Let's finish this bottle of beer!"

...

Lin Han, who hadn't had a drink for a long time, didn't know how he got home. He just felt a headache all over, and the original owner's body was damaged by excessive drinking, which allowed him to come to this world.

Opening his eyes, he walked to the living room, picked up a bottle of water, and drank half of it, relieving his slightly dry throat. The sun was shining brightly on the glass, and the rare good weather made his mood a bit better.

Drinking with friends is the best way to relieve stress. These days, he had been busy writing, with his nerves always on edge. This was a good opportunity to rest.

After taking a shower and throwing the alcohol-soaked clothes into the washing machine, he began to focus on the promotion of his new book.

"Science Fiction World" and the People's University Press joined forces to launch a large-scale promotion for the novel "I, Robot." One wanted to use this novel to attract higher sales and become a best-selling magazine, while the other wanted to capitalize on the momentum to whet the appetite of science fiction fans.

Therefore, promotions began on Weibo and in newspapers. The publisher's efficiency was very high, and they had already created a beautiful cover before Lin Han submitted his manuscript. After proofreading, the printing and binding were done quickly. Zhao Han's idea was to leverage the momentum of the novel anthology and get "I, Robot" to market as soon as possible.

"After 'The Country Teacher,' 'I, Robot' creates another masterpiece! A unique perspective tells the history of a robot, pioneering the three laws of robotics. Nationwide release on January 1, 2017!"

"Ten top science fiction authors jointly recommend the annual masterpiece 'I, Robot.' Meet at Xinhua Bookstore for a 20% discount on New Year's Day!"

"The most amazing science fiction 'I, Robot' receives industry praise. Order 'Science Fiction World' Issue 12 to read the groundbreaking work in advance!"

"Exclusive interview with Tong Yonglie: The future of science fiction literature is bright, strongly recommend reading 'I, Robot'!"

"An easy and unique science fiction novel, Lin Han creates the most complete robot series in science fiction history. No need to worry about not understanding the theories. Pre-order online to receive a free poster."

"The most beautiful robot story, the most accessible science fiction novel, available at major bookstores nationwide on New Year's Day!"