1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

"Boss, Raymond Chow's men called again, saying they're having a reconciliation dinner at the Peninsula Hotel tonight. They absolutely have to do us the honor, and we can name our price!"

After finishing a phone call, Yuan Changren said to Yuan Heping with a bitter face.

"The Peninsula Hotel again? How many times has this happened in the past two weeks?" Yuan Heping scratched his head in frustration and said:
"That Mr. Lei from Golden Princess sent over a check, saying it was an advance payment for the manuscript. He doesn't even need the script outline; he just wants you to agree to cooperate!"

“Karl Maka from Cinema City is even more ruthless!” Yuen Chang-yan said in a low voice, “He said that as long as we are willing to reveal our names, they will contract the martial arts choreography for their new movie to our Yuen Clan, and we’ll take an extra three percent of the commission!”

The two brothers exchanged a glance and saw the same helplessness and an almost absurd sense of comicality on each other's faces.

These people might normally scoff at Cheng Xuemin, that northerner, or engage in verbal battles in the newspapers.

Now, however, they are like sharks that have smelled blood, surrounding the two insiders, trying to dig out the person they could never have imagined, nor dared to imagine.

"Let them dig! Let them dig! Dig as hard as they can!" Yuan Heping finally couldn't hold back any longer and cursed, saying with a desperate, reckless attitude:

"When they actually dig out that genius, and see who's really dumbfounded! Will Raymond Chow's face turn green, or will Lei Juekun's eyes bulge out? That'll be a real show! That'll be truly spectacular!"

Yuan Changren was also affected by his brother's emotions, and with a bitter smile tinged with a hint of vengeful pleasure, he said:
"At that time, I'm afraid all the bigwigs in Hong Kong's film industry will be dumbfounded! Let's see if they still dare to look down on us!"

Despite keeping it a secret from the outside world, the Yuan brothers couldn't help but feel uneasy in the face of increasing pressure and increasingly tempting offers.

That night, the two brothers quietly went to the Great Wall Hotel again and knocked on Cheng Xuemin's door.

Cheng Xuemin had just finished filming a night scene for "Redemption," his face showing fatigue, but his eyes remained clear.

After listening to Yuan Heping's apologetic and worried account, he did not express understanding as easily as he had last time.

Instead, he remained silent for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the sofa armrest.

Only a desk lamp was lit in the room, casting a dim, yellowish light that stretched the three people's shadows long on the wall.

“Teacher Cheng!” Yuan Heping said in a heavy tone, “The situation is getting increasingly tense, and we’re afraid… sooner or later we won’t be able to keep it a secret anymore.”

Raymond Chow and Lui Cheuk-kwan are no pushovers. What if...what if they really do trace it back to you? Would that...what if it affected your new movie, *Shaolin Temple*?

Cheng Xuemin raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the anxious faces of the Yuan brothers. Suddenly, he smiled, a smile tinged with coldness and calculation.

"Master Yuan, why do you think they're so eager to find this screenwriter?"

Yuan Changren blurted out, "Of course it's because 'The Thousand Faces of Dunjia' is a box office hit! Who doesn't want to make money!"

“That’s right, because it’s a box office hit.” Cheng Xuemin nodded and said, “But they want to poach talent not just for the money, but also because…”

They felt threatened, or rather, they saw a new game they couldn't understand or control. They were afraid.

He stood up, walked to the window, looked down at the neon-lit streets, and with his back to the Yuan brothers, slowly said, "The Hong Kong film industry may seem lively, but its structure has been stagnant for a long time."

"Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, Golden Princess, and Cinema City—these major players divide the market among themselves. It seems there's already a set pattern for what kind of films can make money and what kind can't."

The sudden emergence of unconventional films like "The Thousand Faces of Dunjia" that still manage to become box office hits is tantamount to telling them that the rules of the game may be about to change.

Their eagerness to poach talent stems from their desire to bring this variable back under their familiar control, or at least prevent it from falling into the hands of their rivals.

He turned around, the dim light casting a play of light and shadow on his face, and continued, "Since they're so eager to search, let them keep searching. The more they search, the more uneasy they are."

"The success of 'The Thousand Faces of Dunjia' is like a mirror, reflecting their anxiety. This anxiety may not be a bad thing for us."

"You mean..." Yuan Heping seemed to understand somewhat.

“What we need now is time,” Cheng Xuemin nodded and said.

The film "Shaolin Temple" is about to be released, and the filming of "Redemption" is also in a critical stage.

These two new movies are crucial to the success or failure of Cheng Xuemin's Eastern Depot. After all, it's almost June, and their Eastern Depot has only incurred expenses and hasn't earned a single US dollar in foreign exchange so far.

Therefore, Cheng Xuemin needs to speed things up.

A minimum guarantee is also a must. "The Shawshank Redemption" is to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival in France, and Cheng Xuemin doesn't have much time left, only a little over a month.

He followed Cheng Xuemin back to the sofa and sat down. His tone became calm and firm as he said, "If they want to dig, let them wander around in circles."

“Master Yuan, you two brothers, continue to deal with things according to the story we discussed. Be sincere, tell the truth, and insist that it was a friend who did not want to reveal his name who helped you, and that you know nothing else. The more muddy the water, the better.”

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "Sometimes, an unseen opponent is more likely to distract us than a visible one, and it also allows us to make our plans in secret."

"After a while, I'll write another note for Master Yuan and the others, to give them another push!"

"Oh?! Okay, okay! Don't worry, Teacher Cheng, we know how to cooperate with you!"

"Anyway, we'll handle what's going on outside and we'll make sure they don't interfere with your important business here."

The Yuan brothers were overjoyed when they heard that Cheng Xuemin was going to write a new script for their Peace Film Studio!

To know!
Whether it's Tai Chi, The Great Wall's Ghost Story, the Ghost Story series, or their Thousand Faces of Dunjia, they're all guaranteed box office success!
As long as Cheng Xuemin helps write the script, it's guaranteed to be a box office hit. Just wait and you'll make a fortune!
After seeing the Yuan brothers off, Cheng Xuemin also showed a strange expression on his face!

Everyone's looking for that genius of "Qimen Dunjia"?

If those people knew that this Qimen Dunjia technique was created by Cheng Xuemin, wouldn't they be dumbfounded and their Daoist hearts shattered instantly?
Anyway, without saying much else, Cheng Xuemin is actually quite looking forward to the day when Jiahe and the others uncover his pseudonym, "Qimen Dunjia".

Then, Cheng Xuemin continued to devote himself to the post-production of Shaolin Temple and the simultaneous filming of The Shawshank Redemption!
The rainy season in Hong Kong is long and lingering, and the humid air feels like it could be wrung out of water.

The door to the mixing room at Great Wall Cinema was pushed open, and a smell of film developing solution mixed with the cool air from the old air conditioner wafted out.

Cheng Xuemin rubbed his bloodshot eyes and gently placed the last reel of the completed "Shaolin Temple" sample film on the workbench with a soft click.

After dozens of hours of non-stop work, every detail of the sound—the whistling of clubs cutting through the wind, the deep shouts of monks breathing, the roar of waterfalls rushing down, and even the subtle breathing rhythms of the characters—has been precisely embedded into the sound track between the perforations of the film.

He walked to the window, abruptly pulled back the heavy curtains, and the afternoon sun pierced through the dark clouds, casting dappled light and shadow on his tired yet still sharp face.

"Mr. Fu!" Cheng Xuemin's voice was a little hoarse from directing the mixing for a long time, but it carried a relieved calm as he said, "You can pass the notification on now!"

"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, in Standard Screening Room No. 1, there will be an internal preview screening. We kindly request that our familiar film critics attend!"

"Also, send a formal invitation to Sir Shaw and Mrs. Fang."

Fu Qi took the film canister, which was still warm from the machine, and felt it was incredibly heavy. He quickly nodded and said, "Okay, no problem, Teacher Cheng! I'll arrange it right away! You should go back and rest; you look terrible."

Looking at Cheng Xuemin's sunken eye sockets and the newly sprouted stubble on his chin, he couldn't help but offer some advice.

Cheng Xuemin waved his hand, grabbed his coat draped over the back of the chair, and said, "No, I'm going to check out the lighting for the night scene at 'Redemption'."

After saying that, he strode out of the mixing room without looking back, his silhouette stretching long in the shadows of the narrow corridor.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the small circles of the Hong Kong film industry.

The next morning, before 8:45 a.m., a large crowd had already gathered at the entrance of the Great Wall Film Company's No. 1 Standard Screening Room.

Invited media reporters set up their cameras, and flashes of light occasionally pierced the dimly lit corridor.

The invited film critics and people from the arts and culture circles conversed in hushed tones, the atmosphere heavy yet revealing an undisguised curiosity.

Sir Shaw and Ms. Fang Yihua did not come in person, but instead sent a manager.

The rest are basically leftists themselves!
The most eye-catching person was Chen Wen, the director of the first version of "Shaolin Temple". He was dressed in a simple Zhongshan suit and arrived early. He sat alone in the front row, slightly to the left, with his back straight and his hands clasped tightly on his knees, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

The whispers around him seemed irrelevant; his entire being was absorbed in anticipation, scrutiny, and even a barely perceptible unease as he looked toward what he was about to see.

What will this project, which he poured his heart and soul into but was abandoned halfway through, look like now that it has been taken over by a young man from the mainland?

He kept thinking about Cheng Xuemin's "Tai Chi". That film was indeed full of spirit, but "Shaolin Temple" has a more profound subject matter and a larger scope. Could he handle it?

At 8:58, the lights in the screening room dimmed one by one, leaving only the faint green light of the emergency exit.

The cacophony of voices instantly subsided, replaced by a tense silence.

The heavy velvet curtain slowly opened, revealing a snow-white screen. The film reel, clicking through the projector's shutter, was exceptionally clear in the silence.

There's no lengthy intro; it cuts straight to the scene.

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, in the chaos of the world, the Yellow River floodplains were desolate, and smoke and dust obscured the sun.

Yu Chenghui plays the villain Wang Renzhe, who rides his horse with a fierce and ruthless gaze as the camera sharply sweeps over the miserable state of the forced laborers.

Immediately following, the young Jueyuan, played by Li Lianjie, witnesses his father's murder, flees in the rain, and collapses in front of the Shaolin Temple gate... The pace is so fast that it's breathtaking.

Chen Wen leaned forward slightly.

The cinematography and narrative rhythm are completely different from the literary and research-oriented style he originally designed!
Cheng Xuemin's shots are full of dynamism and power; every frame is like a taut bowstring.

As the gates of Shaolin Temple opened and the grand scene of monks practicing martial arts unfolded in the morning light, Chen Wen couldn't help but let out a soft breath.

That wasn't a performance, that was real kung fu!
In the long takes, Li Lianjie and many actors who are national martial arts champions performed Shaolin staff techniques, fist techniques, and knife techniques with great skill and realism.

There are no fancy editing techniques, it's all about solid long takes and real skill!

The dull thuds of clubs clashing, the whooshing sounds of leaps and bounds, and the shouts of exhalation and contraction, combined with the sound mix finalized just last night, exploded like thunder in the screening room, making eardrums buzz and hearts surge.

"This...this isn't a movie at all, it's a martial arts documentary!" A film critic in the back row couldn't help but whisper to his companion, his voice trembling.

"Look at those eyes! Li Lianjie, that handsome guy, his eyes are so expressive! The transformation from an innocent boy to a vengeful messenger is so nuanced!" Another veteran film critic adjusted his glasses and murmured.

When the film reached its climax, with the thirteen monks rescuing the Tang Emperor and launching a surprise attack on the palace on a rainy night, the entire theater was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The combat design cleverly utilizes terrain, water tanks, and bamboo poles to create a realistic fighting experience, maximizing the tension.

Cheng Xuemin's masterful use of sound is on full display at this moment.

The sounds of rain, clashing swords, shouts, the thuds of bodies hitting the ground, and the distant beat of the watchman's drum... all intertwine to create a thrilling symphony of battle.

Director Chen Wen's hands, which were resting on his knees, had been clenched into fists.

The muscles on his face twitched slightly; it wasn't anger, but a physiological reaction to extreme shock.

He kept comparing the footage he had shot back then with his own in his mind.

Those narratives that focus more on artistic conception and have a more literary and artistic pace appear so pale and powerless in the face of Cheng Xuemin's presentation style, which is full of primal vitality and has a fast pace like a torrential downpour.

He originally thought that Cheng Xuemin had at most made some progress on the basis of "Tai Chi", but he never expected that the other party would actually take a completely different path, full of wildness and power!
This isn't just surpassing, it's subverting!

The film ends with a poignant and powerful rendition of the Shepherd's Song and a shot of Jueyuan receiving his vows, his gaze fixed firmly on the distance.

When the word "finished" appeared on the screen, the theater fell into a deathly silence that lasted for several seconds.

then!

Wow! ! !
Like a dam bursting, applause erupted without warning, quickly turning from sporadic bursts into a thunderous torrent!
Before the lights were even turned on, many people had already stood up excitedly, clapping enthusiastically, their eyes all fixed on the projection room, searching for the young director.

Director Chen Wen was the last to stand up.

He slowly stood up, his movements somewhat stiff. He took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, as if trying to suppress the surging emotions in his chest.

He turned around and saw Cheng Xuemin standing at the entrance of the screening room, his back to the light of the corridor, his face hidden in the shadows, only his tall and straight features were clearly visible.

Chen Wen pushed through the crowd and strode up to Cheng Xuemin.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, and all eyes were focused on this historic meeting between the old and new generations of Shaolin Temple directors.

The reporters' cameras were pointed at them.

Chen Wen reached out and grasped Cheng Xuemin's hands tightly, shaking them vigorously, his voice choked with emotion:
"Director Cheng! You are truly a formidable young man! I, Chen Wen... am completely convinced!"

"You captured the very essence of 'Shaolin Temple,' the very spirit of Shaolin Kung Fu, the very spirit of Chinese martial arts, the very soul of the art that I wanted to capture back then but couldn't!"

With a humble smile, Cheng Xuemin shook Chen Wen's hand in return and said, "Director Chen, you flatter me."

"It was you and your predecessors who laid the foundation. I just stood on the shoulders of giants and made some new attempts. Without your previous explorations, there would be no Shaolin Temple today."

"No! It's not an attempt! It's a success! A huge success!" Chen Wen shook his head vigorously, turned to the surrounding crowd, and raised his voice several octaves, as if to announce to everyone:

"Ladies and gentlemen! I, Chen Wen, am making this statement here today! Director Cheng Xuemin's 'Shaolin Temple' will surely be recorded in the history of Chinese cinema! This is a true kung fu film! This is a blockbuster made by the Chinese people themselves!"

Before the frenzied atmosphere in the screening room had subsided, the media, with their keen sense of smell, had already surrounded Cheng Xuemin and Chen Wentuan.

"Director Cheng! Share your thoughts! What are your expectations for the box office?"

"Director Chen, do you really think that this film, 'Shaolin Temple,' has surpassed your initial vision?"

"Director Cheng, what is your opinion on director Lau Kar-leung's 'The Martial Arts School'?"

Cheng Xuemin responded appropriately, his tone calm yet powerful: "Thank you all for your support. 'Shaolin Temple' is the result of the hard work of our entire crew."

"As for the box office, let the audience judge. I have confidence in our film."

Regarding Liu Jialiang, he cleverly avoided direct comparison, saying, "Master Liu is a master of Southern Kung Fu, and I respect him very much. The market is large and can accommodate works of various styles."

However, the media coverage was far from mild.

That afternoon, newsstands in Hong Kong were flooded with sensational headlines:
"The internal screening of 'Shaolin Temple' was a huge success, and director Chen Wen was truly impressed: 'The younger generation is truly formidable!'"

"True Kung Fu Shocks Hong Kong! Will Cheng Xuemin Create Another Box Office Legend?"

"Sir Shaw's strong support and Chen Wen's admiration have made 'Shaolin Temple' a hit even before its release!"

"Northern kung fu films crush Southern kung fu? Lau Kar-leung's 'The Martial Arts School' faces its strongest challenge yet!"

Radio and television entertainment news broadcast the grand occasion of the preview screening around the clock, with exciting fight scenes and Chen Wen's excited praise constantly stimulating the public's senses.

In tea restaurants and on trams, people were no longer discussing Cheng Xuemin's previous sharp remarks, but rather the dazzling real kung fu and stunning audio-visual effects in "Shaolin Temple".

This wave of enthusiasm, endorsed by official media and industry authorities, swept through the city like a tsunami, and unsurprisingly broke down Liu Jialiang's last psychological defenses.

……

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