Deceiving Chinese Entertainment Industry for Thirty Years 13

Chapter 13: Axue and the Sixth Prince

“Brother, should we start a company?”

“Dude, no rush.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you, but there are some things…”

“I want to hear what your conscience says.”

“Testing me? Haha… alright, how about a 70/30 split?”

“Your conscience…”

“Oops! What are you thinking! You take 70%!”

“Not bad, you have some conscience, but let’s make it 60/40.”

“Good brother! My 70/30 offer was a test! Not bad, not bad.”

“I knew that’s what it was!”

Some things needed to be discussed. As the saying goes, even brothers should settle accounts clearly. (This emphasizes the importance of clear agreements, even between close friends.)

Moreover, Ma Xun and Sun Donghai weren’t actually brothers.

Still, Sun Donghai, that guy, had some conscience.

And Ma Xun didn’t want to take advantage.

Actually, even a 50/50 split would have been acceptable to Ma Xun.

But Sun Donghai immediately offered a 70/30 split.

Ma Xun understood he had to compromise.

A 60/40 split seemed relatively fair.

No one lost out, no one gained an unfair advantage.

Currently, the business was primarily led by Ma Xun.

But he knew very well.

Without Sun Donghai’s “connections and resources,” the deal wouldn’t have happened.

In this day and age, “connections” are incredibly important in business.

So, next…

Ma Xun needed to make Sun Donghai gradually less important.

Thus, after they parted ways.

He went to Wangfujing.

Found the Chanel counter.

“Good afternoon, sir, may I help you?”

“Number 5, wrap it up.”

“Oh, sir, are you sure… you don’t want to take a closer look? Or perhaps I could introduce some others?”

“No need.”

“Okay, um… is this a gift for your girlfriend?”

“No.”

This saleswoman was quite talkative, especially when she heard Ma Xun say “no.”

Her eyes lit up.

Apparently, most men who buy this perfume are buying it for their girlfriends.

But I, Ma Xun, don’t follow the usual path.

The person I’m giving this to is an older woman.

Sun Donghai’s second aunt!

The second aunt had helped them so much.

Of course, he needed to give a sufficiently good gift.

Although Sun Donghai repeatedly said there was no need for a gift.

They’re family.

But she’s your relative, not mine.

She doesn’t even want to reveal her name.

Moreover, Ma Xun knew there was more than one director at CCTV.

If he could get to know more directors through this drama, “Seventeen Years Old, Don’t Cry,”

Then Sun Donghai would become less important.

In this day and age, business is all about relationships.

Take our film and television investment, for example.

People outside the industry probably don’t know.

Our country actually has many support policies for the film and television industry.

This is a cultural front line, and it’s highly valued.

For instance, the movie channel itself has a supporting function.

Television movies, these are essentially for training new directors.

Directors like Guan Hu rose to fame this way. His movie “Get in the Car, Let’s Go” made Huang Bo and Gao Hu famous.

There’s also the Young Director Support Fund.

Many people don’t know that Xu Jinglei is a key recipient of support.

Fifteen thousand yuan a year… but Old Xu said the support is still insufficient.

Probably not enough to cover her taxes.

Poor students using their scholarships to buy iPhones?

It just goes to show, there’s nothing new under the sun.

However, not all support is improper.

Some is legitimate.

For example, Guo Fan.

He’s a model of excellence.

Ma Xun thought about all this without feeling resentful.

If you ask whether he was envious, of course he was.

Take Xu Jinglei, she’s a princess of the Beijing entertainment circle (Beijing Entertainment Circle). Guan Hu is also a “second-generation director” (son of a director). I wasn’t born with those connections.

So what?

Networking, you build it yourself.

It’s not too late.

Let’s not say we absolutely need government support.

In the future, I just hope the government doesn’t forget Ma Xun.

“Sir, it’s wrapped.”

Ma Xun paid.

The saleswoman kept throwing him flirtatious glances.

Her mind was already conjuring a romantic novel scene.

*Tell me… this perfume is for me… say it!*

Unfortunately, Ma Xun left directly.

Next, he planned to buy some good cigarettes, good wine, or high-end pens.

These things are most appealing to cultured people.

Unexpectedly, he encountered a woman wearing sunglasses.

Ye Quan Zhen.

…

Jingshan Park.

From here you can overlook the entire Forbidden City.

Today wasn’t a holiday.

There weren’t many tourists.

The Capital City is a tourist city that doesn’t need advertising.

But to Ma Xun, it wasn’t as popular then as it would become later.

He remembered a few years ago, the Forbidden City still allowed filming.

“Wong Fei-hung: Lion’s Roar.”

This was the last movie filmed in the Forbidden City.

And now, he had a beautiful woman beside him who had starred in numerous Wuxia films. (Wuxia films are martial arts films).

“Chanel No. 5?”

“Yes.”

“For your girlfriend?”

“No.”

Ye Quan Zhen hadn’t been looking at him when she first asked.

Now, she couldn’t help but turn her head.

“You’re a grown man, why are you lying?”

Her words held a hint of resentment.

Coupled with her cool temperament, Ma Xun dared say.

90% of men would feel a surge of tenderness.

“I’m not lying,” Unfortunately, Ma Xun was among the remaining 10%.

Ye Quan Zhen gave him a displeased glance.

“I thought, given our relationship…”

“Wait, what relationship do we have?”

Ma Xun’s interruption made Ye Quan Zhen somewhat shy.

“It’s, it’s…”

Seeing her bashful look, Ma Xun felt like teasing her.

“Don’t lie.”

Yes, you just asked me not to lie. Don’t be a hypocrite!

Ye Quan Zhen really wanted to protest at this point, her eyes conveying the message: You haven’t told me the truth.

However, she didn’t dare.

Because their relationship was clear.

Ma Xun was in charge.

So…

“I’m willing to be your Axue.”

Ye Quan Zhen said this demurely, then looked away.

Right, the Forbidden City is beautiful.

Ma Xun understood immediately.

Axue, that is, Yingxue.

It was the role she played in “Fire Cloud Legend.”

This Axue is an orphan, raised along with Qingxia’s Yingxia, by the Sixth Prince.

Then trained to be an assassin.

Yingxia is skilled with fire, known as the Fire Cloud Evil God, and has killed countless people.

Yingxue is skilled with a bow and arrow, ruthless and heartless.

However, in the movie, there’s a scene where Yingxue tattoos a golden dragon on the Sixth Prince’s back.

It really makes one’s heart flutter.

But then again, the movie that launched her career was called “Snow is Burning.”

Which “snow”?

Ma Xun smiled, “But I don’t want to be the Sixth Prince.”

As soon as he said this, Ye Quan Zhen turned to look at him again, her eyes full of surprise.

“Why? Could it be… because he rebelled?”

Ma Xun shook his head, “Not really. Mainly because I’m not as perverted as him. Also, he’s really stupid. If I were him in the movie, I would have kicked the emperor off his throne a long time ago, and the 3,000 women in the harem would have been well prepared.” (This refers to the vast number of concubines in an emperor’s harem.)

Ye Quan Zhen couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Now you’re telling the truth, especially about the 3,000 women in the harem.”

Making fun of me?

Ma Xun’s face changed slightly, and he pretended to be angry, “Since you consider me the Sixth Prince, then you, Axue, dare to speak to the Prince like this?”

This made Ye Quan Zhen stop laughing.

“Axue certainly wouldn’t dare, but you weren’t the Sixth Prince before, and besides, you lied.”

Ma Xun frowned slightly, “How can you be sure that was a lie?”

Ye Quan Zhen seized the opportunity and said, “Then who did you give that Chanel No. 5 to?”

Ma Xun felt somewhat helpless.

He bought the gift because he knew very well.

Sun Donghai’s second aunt, that kind of cultured older woman, would definitely love this gift.

Chanel No. 5 is more than just a perfume; it carries many stories.

Ma Xun intended to use this to perform a series of small moves on the second aunt’s heart.

Older women like her are easily swayed.

But now…

“What if I tell you the truth?”

“Then tell me.”

Ye Quan Zhen became serious, and Ma Xun became serious as well.

“This Chanel No. 5, I intend to give it to a woman in her forties, with sallow skin, an overweight figure, sharp-tongued, and arrogant.”

After listening, Ye Quan Zhen burst into laughter.

“Still lying!”

Ma Xun was helpless this time, “Believe it or not, I’m telling the truth.”

“Really?” After laughing, Ye Quan Zhen finally began to consider the truthfulness of Ma Xun’s words.

“Why?”

“It’s none of your business, and I won’t tell you. Besides… am I not the Sixth Prince?”

Ma Xun became assertive again.

Ye Quan Zhen smiled, “Fine, you’re the Sixth Prince, and I’m the Prince’s pawn, the Prince’s hound. No matter what you do, I…”

At this point, she noticed that Ma Xun had moved very close.

This made Ye Quan Zhen nervous.

But Ma Xun didn’t do anything, just got closer, and then said.

“Are you trying to seduce me? Is this a beauty trick set up by Wu Ge?” (This suggests a possible counter-intelligence operation involving a male character named “Wu Ge.”)

Ye Quan Zhen could neither nod nor shake her head.

She could only smile sadly, “Anyway, you’ve seen through me.”

“A double agent?”

This question was quite sharp.

“If you can help me escape control, then I’ll be your Axue.”

Ma Xun could tell this was the truth.

“So you’re planning to offer your body this time?”

This question was rather aggressive.

Ye Quan Zhen met his gaze this time, “Can you hug me?”

Strange.

But Ma Xun could certainly fulfill this request.

So he reached out and embraced the cool beauty.

Actually, Ye Quan Zhen had some unspoken words, namely that after filming “Snow is Burning,” she had become averse to being touched by men.

It was a psychological problem, but she could usually manage it.

It didn’t affect her filming.

She would feel resistance, fear…

But now, she felt warmth.

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(End of Chapter)

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