Back to 80: My Literary Life

While Fang Minghua is celebrating Chinese New Year in China, in the United States, the super blockbuster "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is sweeping across North America.

On January 28, it was officially released in major theaters in the United States. In the first week of release, it was screened in 3,600 theaters in the United States, with box office revenue as high as 90 million US dollars.

At the same time, the film was simultaneously released in the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and other countries, and the box office was still hot. In the first week of its release in the United Kingdom alone, it earned 16 million pounds, equivalent to approximately 22 million U.S. dollars.

Naturally, Song Tangtang called her to tell her this news.

Every day at around two o'clock in the afternoon, Fang Minghua always receives a call from Song Tangtang. It is ten o'clock in the evening in San Francisco. Song Tangtang likes to lie in bed and talk on the phone with Fang Minghua.

Of course, Song Tangtang is not the only one, sometimes Li Li is also with her cousin.

"Minghua, I have some good news for you." Song Tangtang's excited voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Isn't it about the box office of the movie in which country?" Fang Minghua cut off his wife's words, half lying on the bed, and said lazily: "I'm not your boss, there is no need to report this to me every day."

"You are my husband. Wouldn't it be nice to make you happy?"

Nothing to be happy about

But the Chinese New Year couldn't dampen my wife's interest, so she asked, "Tell me, how much is the box office now?"

"It's not the box office. Coca-Cola, Warner Bros. and we have officially signed an agreement to become the sole marketing partner of the Harry Potter movie for US$150 million," Song Tangtang said.

"One hundred and fifty million, wow. Brother-in-law, the filming cost of this movie has been recovered."

It was Li Li's voice.

Why do you call me brother-in-law?

Forget it, just call her whatever you want.

Fang Minghua didn't feel much excitement: "We spent 150 million US dollars to purchase the marketing rights for the Harry Potter series of movies. I don't think it's us who gets the benefit, but Coca-Cola, right? But you all think this deal is a good deal, so you can sign it Come on."

Fang Minghua also knows the reason for Song Tangtang's excitement. In this way, before the box office revenue of the movie is calculated, he can make a large profit from this one sum.

Of course, the U.S. federal, state and city corporate income taxes must be deducted, which is about 31%. After deducting this rate, Shengshi Film and Television can obtain a profit of approximately US$30 million.

"I plan to repay the US$25 million I borrowed from Ashley Press and the interest first, and transfer the remaining profits back to China." Song Tangtang said on the phone.

"Don't be in a hurry to pay it back. I'm planning to film the second Harry Potter movie. Does the company have the start-up capital?" Fang Minghua asked rhetorically.

"Hehe. I know. I'm just making a statement now, lest you accuse me of not paying back the money I borrowed."

"Hey, Tangtang, are you trying to trick me like this? Be careful when I come back to deal with you!"

"How do you clean it up?"

"Spank you if you don't obey me!"

"Bah! Rogue! Lili is listening." Song Tangtang spat on the phone.

"Did she listen? Beat him up too!"

"Rogue!" This was Li Li's voice.

After teasing for a while, Song Tangtang said:

"Hey, Minghua, to be serious, are you going to pay my parents a New Year's greeting during the Chinese New Year?"

"Of course I went. I was in the third grade of junior high school. Didn't your parents call you to tell you?" Fang Minghua asked.

"Brother-in-law, did you go to my house to visit my dad?" The microphone was in Li Li's hand again.

"I'm going to visit you too. His old man said that after he retires next year, he will come to the United States to visit you and live there for a while. He said that the climate in Los Angeles is good and he wants to live there." Fang Minghua answered patiently.

Suddenly thinking of something, Fang Minghua hurriedly said: "Lili, tell Tangtang that you should go to Los Angeles when you have time and buy a larger villa. When your father goes to the United States, you can move to Los Angeles and live there for a while." On the other side of the phone, after a pause, Li Li's voice came again: "Brother-in-law, my cousin said this is unfair. You bought it for my dad, why didn't you buy it for his dad?!"

ah?

this?

"Okay, buy, buy, buy two villas, exactly the same."

Why is it that when the twins were little, they always fought over everything they bought? But no one’s.

There was laughter from the two of them on the other side of the phone, and Song Tangtang's voice was heard:

"Minghua, I'm kidding you. My parents don't know the inside story yet. Besides, my father has a bad temper. He thinks that Xijing is good, and he doesn't like anything in Yanjing or Shencheng! And with his status, he can't go abroad easily. , just buy it for my second uncle.”

"It doesn't matter. If you find it suitable, buy two more houses. The houses are not necessarily for living in, but can also be used for investment."

"I'll go check it out then."

The three chatted for a while, and Song Tangtang said again: "Okay, Minghua, call Lele and Ruirui, I want to have a chat with them."

"Okay, I'll call you downstairs."

After Fang Minghua finished speaking, he went downstairs and said to the siblings who were playing: "Come to my bedroom, your mother and aunt want to talk to you on the phone."

Ruirui, who was reading comics, immediately threw the comic book aside, jumped up and ran upstairs, and said:

"Oou, I want to chat with Xinxin! She can speak English and Chinese, which is really fun."

Followed slowly by his son Lele.

Fang Minghua shook his head.

Daughter Xinxin can now speak and receives bilingual education. Lili teaches her English and Lili’s mother teaches Chinese.

As a result, the child would babble in Chinese for a while, and then suddenly blurt out an English word, which sounded strange.

Fang Minghua didn't care when he heard Ruirui talking to her mother and aunt, and talking to her little daughter on the phone. He knew that they would talk for more than half an hour every day, and the long-distance call fee alone was two to three thousand yuan a month.

The two children were chatting with their mother and aunt in the room, and Fang Minghua sat beside them thinking about this.

How could he ignore his parents when thinking about buying a house in Los Angeles for his parents-in-law?

Unfortunately, his parents were not interested in going abroad at all.

In fact, Fang Minghua had wanted to invite his parents to travel to the United States a long time ago, but they both refused. You want me to go to the United States to play, but I don't know English and I'm blind and dumb everywhere. What's the point?

Besides, how can hamburgers be as delicious as our Xijing Roujiamo?

I can listen to Qinqiang and watch people play chess in Xijing. Is there such a thing in the United States?

Fang Minghua had to give up.

Of course, there are other ways.

If you have a granddaughter abroad, at least my mother will definitely go to see her.

But I can't say this now, I have to wait for the right opportunity.

The Chinese New Year passed in such a lively and chaotic way. As soon as the fifteenth day of the first lunar month passed, Fang Minghua packed her luggage and prepared to go to Yanjing.

The first Lu Xun Award Ceremony will be held in Yanjing.

Fang Minghua has been to many award ceremonies, and there is nothing to be excited about. Sometimes she even feels a little annoyed.

But she has to go this time.

The first Lu Xun Award Ceremony is of great significance. It would be inappropriate for her not to go.