mijobooks Chapter 94 Oda: I was here first!
Chapter 94 Oda: I was here first!
Chapter 94 Oda: I was here first!
Tian Xiwei nestled in her sofa, her fingers flying across the screen of her phone. The chat box of her account, "Weiguang Xianglin," was filled with countless chatter records of arguments with fans of "The Lost Tomb."
"A low-budget film like 'Fame and Fortune' dares to try and piggyback on others' success? If it even grosses over 100 million, you've already won!"
"Heh, wait until it's released on August 12th, then we'll see how we utterly crush you!"
Tian Xiwei was furious. She typed back furiously, even using Chongqing dialect, "What do you know! Lin Feng's movies are real movies, yours are just rubbish!" "Let's see how it fares when it's released. You'll be crying then!"
Even though the air conditioner was set to 26 degrees Celsius, she was so anxious that sweat beaded on her forehead. She grabbed the iced cola next to her and gulped down a large mouthful. This scene was just like when the web series "The Lost Tomb" and "The Beginning" were competing against each other last year, and she was also in the same position, guarding the screen and charging into battle.
Just as she was getting into her rant, her phone suddenly popped up with a video call request. It was Lin Feng. She quickly wiped her sweat, and when she answered, she instantly switched back to her sweet girl mode, her voice soft and gentle: "Brother Feng!"
On the screen, Raymond Lam is wearing a simple white T-shirt. "Did he get into another online argument?"
"No way!" Xiao Tian retorted stubbornly, her cheeks slightly puffed out, but she couldn't help but proudly wave her phone, sharing her "achievements," "I just shut down someone who said your movie was bad so badly they deleted their account! They said 'Fame and Fortune' was definitely going to flop, and I just showed them ten highlight clips from 'The Beginning,' from the plot logic to the cinematography, leaving them speechless. In the end, they just deleted their account and ran away!"
"Can't you be a little more careful? If someone finds out it's you, we'll be in big trouble." Lin Feng shook his head helplessly.
"Don't worry, I'm using a secondary account. The profile picture and nickname are randomized, so nobody knows it's me," Xiao Tian assured him, patting his chest. "Besides, I just can't stand them talking badly about you! Brother Feng, your movie is so well-made, why are you being attacked by those people who only care about traffic!"
"Okay, stop playing around. I'm going to Chongqing for a promotional event in a couple of days, and I'll take you with me, okay?"
"Really? That's great! Brother Feng, I'll be waiting for you!" Tian Xi jumped up from the sofa excitedly. After hanging up the phone, she immediately opened the chat box with Li Yitong and typed quickly: "Sister Yitong! I can do a roadshow with Brother Feng the day after tomorrow!"
Still playing on our home turf in our mountain city!
Not long after, Li Yitong sent a video call. On the screen, she was touching up her makeup in front of the mirror. "Boss, are you confident? This time it's a head-to-head battle. The other party is Lu Han, a top star. The publicity and fan base of 'The Lost Tomb' are overwhelming."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Xiao Tian mimicked Lin Feng's usual calm tone, sitting up straight. "Didn't we do that once last year? 'The Beginning' still managed to win through word of mouth, didn't it? This time, the script and filming for 'Fame and Fortune' were both polished by Brother Feng through countless sleepless nights, so it's bound to be good!"
"This is different," Li Yitong sighed, tapping the dressing table lightly with her fingertips. "I'm currently in the same production crew as Lu Han, and I've witnessed firsthand the craziness of his fans. The scale of their support and the energy they have for rushing to events at offline venues are truly something else. During the previous city roadshows, the boss and his team were practically driven crazy by the crowds, weren't they?"
"What's the use of high popularity if the movie is bad?" Xiao Tian snorted. "Brother Feng said that fans can only determine the box office results in the short term, not the final word-of-mouth and long-term box office."
"Alright, you're all confident. I'll book a few more games for the boss then."
On August 5th, "The Lost Tomb" was officially released, and its box office exceeded 160 million yuan on the first day. Fans holding up light boards and banners with Lu Han could be seen everywhere in cinemas across the country. Social media was full of hashtags such as "Brother is so handsome", "Lu Han is the box office king" and "The Lost Tomb is a big hit". The trending topics dominated the list, and the public opinion field was almost completely dominated by fans.
At the same time, Raymond Lam and the crew of "Fame and Fortune" embarked on a nationwide roadshow, from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to the Yangtze River Delta region. In every city they visited, they faced organized mobs from Lu Han's fans.
At the cinema entrance, a bright red banner proclaiming "Lu Han, Box Office King" was particularly glaring, along with slogans like "Shameful Attempts to Extort Money!" and "Fame and Fortune."
Shouts of "Damn it!" echoed throughout the event, and some radical fans even managed to sneak into the roadshow venue.
On August 6th, "The Lost Tomb" broke 100 million yuan at the box office again. On August 7th, the cumulative box office reached 400 million yuan. Lu Han's fans became even more arrogant, flooding the internet with comments like "400 million yuan box office slaps Raymond Lam in the face".
Someone even photoshopped a meme of Raymond Lam kneeling and begging for mercy, accompanied by the text "Low-budget attempt to embarrass a top star, only to bring shame upon himself," which went viral on various social media platforms.
Some members of Raymond Lam's team began to waver. Li Yi approached him privately, saying, "Brother Lam, why don't we avoid a direct confrontation? That way we can avoid getting criticized and ease the public opinion."
Raymond Lam shook his head, looking at the street scene rushing past the window, and said, "Wait a little longer, let the bullets fly for a while longer."
On August 8th, Raymond Lam arrived in Chongqing with his film crew. The moment the plane landed at Jiangbei International Airport, Raymond Lam took a deep breath, his eyes filled with the relief of returning home after a long absence.
This roadshow in Chongqing was completely different from the oppressive and chaotic atmosphere of the previous cities. Before even leaving the airport arrival gate, cheers could be heard rising and falling.
"Raymond Lam! Welcome home!" "Director Lam, the people of Chongqing support you!" "Make a name for yourself, this film is a must-see and a hit!" The shouts were deafening, and dozens of fans wearing matching support outfits held up light boards and banners that read "Raymond Lam's Hometown Support Association" and "Chongqing Film Fans Support Director Lam".
Airport staff and passing travelers couldn't help but stop to take photos. Many local elderly people recognized Raymond Lam, waving and shouting, "Little Raymond, you're back! Keep it up!" and "We're all waiting to see your movie, we'll definitely support you!"
The roadshow venue was set at Wanda Cinema near Jiefangbei. Even before the afternoon opening time, the cinema entrance was already packed with people.
The roadshow officially began in the afternoon. The cinema was packed, with people even standing in the aisles. Most of them were locals. As soon as the host finished introducing the creative team, thunderous applause erupted from the audience and lasted for a full half minute.
A local reporter asked first, "Director Lin, what's different about doing a promotional tour in your hometown compared to other cities? With the box office pressure on 'The Lost Tomb,' does the support from your hometown give you more confidence?"
Lin Feng took the microphone and said, "Returning to this mountain city is like returning to my roots. Every face here, every local accent, makes me feel especially at ease."
"The roadshow in the first few cities did encounter some minor setbacks, but I always believe that the core of a film is its content, and the people and movie fans in Chongqing have given me the strongest support. This confidence is more important than any box office data."
As soon as he finished speaking, shouts of "Director Lin, rise up!" and "You'll definitely become famous and a star!" erupted from the audience, shaking the ceiling of the theater.
Some fans even stood up, holding microphones and shouting, "Director Lin, we only support good works! I've watched 'The Beginning' three times, and I also went to see 'Take My Brother Away' in theaters. When 'Fame and Fortune' is released, my whole family will go. We absolutely support you!"
Liu Haochun stood next to Lin Feng, looking at the scene before her. She quietly tugged at Lin Feng's sleeve, "Brother Feng, the people from our hometown are so kind." Lin Feng smiled and patted her hand.
After the roadshow, Raymond Lam walked home with Liu Haochun, who was carrying a large fruit basket, which was specially bought for Raymond Lam's parents.
"Are you a little nervous?"
"A little, after all, this is my third time visiting your parents' house, and I'm always afraid I haven't done enough."
"It's okay, my parents like you more than they like me."
Reaching his front door, Lin Feng knocked. The door opened quickly, and Tian Xiwei, upon seeing him, hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. "Brother Feng! You're finally back! I've been waiting for you forever!"
"Xiaofeng is back? Haochun is here too?" Lin's mother, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen. She took the suitcase from Lin Feng's hand, but her eyes immediately glanced at Liu Haochun behind her. Her smile instantly widened. "Haochun, come in and sit down. It's hot outside. Come and enjoy the air conditioning. Auntie made you some chilled plum juice."
"Hello Auntie, hello Uncle." Liu Haochun quickly handed over the fruit basket with a polite and well-behaved smile on his face. "This is fruit I bought for you, just a little something."
"Oh dear, child, you're already here, why did you bring anything? It's too formal," Lin's mother said chidingly as she took the things, but then pulled Liu Haochun's hand and led him to the living room, asking as they walked, "Are you tired from filming lately?"
Tian Xiwei stood there, watching Lin's mother fawn over Liu Haochun, and muttered to herself, "I was here first, and I'm clearly the future daughter-in-law!"