Literary Master 1978

Maggie Cheung was the runner-up and the best photogenic lady in the Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1983. That year, Lin Chaoyang saw her poster outside a shopping mall when he came to Hong Kong.

After that, she signed a contract with TVB. In the first few months, she only starred in summer programs such as "Wild Wild" and "I Love Nature".

It was not until 1984 that she starred in her first TV series "Painting the Rainbow" that she was invited by Wang Jing to play the second female role in the comedy movie "The Frog Prince".

The box office of this movie was good after its release, which was considered to be the first shot for Maggie Cheung to enter the film industry, but it also exposed her immature acting skills.

To this day, "Modern Cinderella" is already her third movie, but her acting skills are still poor.

Especially since this is her first time to play the leading role, the pressure is even greater. On the set, she has to be ridiculed from time to time by director Wang Jing and the staff. Her nerves are always tense, and every day of filming is like a year for her.

So today, when she saw Wang Jing chatting and laughing with someone on the set, she couldn't help but feel a little envious.

"Brother Le, who are those two people? Director Wang is so polite to them!" Maggie Cheung asked Natalis Chan next to her.

Natalis Chan made his debut in a singing competition held by TVB in 1979, and then successfully signed with TVB and took the stage name of Le.

He first hosted "Happy Tonight" and then started acting. In the past few years, he has made many movies and has some connections in Shaw Brothers and TVB.

"That's Director Li Hanxiang's wife. I don't know about the beautiful girl next to her. I guess she is another relative."

When the two were talking, Maggie Cheung's eyes fell on Tao Yushu.

After coming to Hong Kong for more than half a month, Tao Yushu's clothes and dress have adapted to the local customs, and she is dressed like an urban beauty. Her bright and generous appearance and temperament make Maggie Cheung very envious.

This is not to say that Tao Yushu is much prettier than Maggie Cheung, but at this time, Maggie Cheung still had baby fat on her face. She was beautiful, but it was hard to call her glamorous.

Among the actresses she has worked with since entering the industry, both Cherie Chung and Anita Mui are of this type. The more they lack something, the more they value it.

Moreover, she always felt that Tao Yushu had a unique temperament, with both the bookish air and the charm of a mature woman, which was exactly what she wanted at her age.

Maggie Cheung's eyes were always on Tao Yushu. Noticing Maggie Cheung's attention to her, Tao Yushu looked over.

Maggie Cheung immediately withdrew her eyes in panic, pretended to be calm and chatted with Chen Baixiang, and then used the corner of her eyes to peek whether Tao Yushu was still looking at her.

The originally pure and moving temperament and image suddenly became flustered and sneaky. Tao Yushu couldn't help but smile at the corner of her mouth when she looked at her actions.

This heroine is really interesting!

After a while, the crew ended their lunch break and continued to work.

Tao Yushu and Zhang Cuiying are still here. She came here today to familiarize herself with the crew's work process, so she naturally has to stay longer.

Because she is pregnant and has been out all morning, Tao Yushu is a little tired after noon, so Wang Jing specially asked someone to find a chair for her to sit on.

In Shaw's studio, there are not many people who can have independent chairs, and even Maggie Cheung is a little envious of Tao Yushu's treatment.

Because she is a newcomer, even if she has played two dramas and is already the heroine, she can only find a stool to sit on.

If she brings a chair to the crew, it is not impossible, but she will inevitably be scolded by the crew for being a big shot.

In fact, the crew members are very curious to see this situation. Shaw's studio is strictly hierarchical, and Tao Yushu is a strange face.

It is said that Mrs. Li came with her, and she talked and laughed with the director on the set. The treatment is so high. Is she from the Shaw family? Or is she a relative of Miss Fang?

The random guesses of the crew staff have no channels to verify, and can only be spread by word of mouth.

Wang Jing, who offered Tao Yushu this treatment, had a very simple idea.

The little fat man said one thing to one person and another to another. Tao Yushu was brought to the set by Zhang Cuiying, so he naturally gave Zhang Cuiying face by doing this.

Besides, Zhang Cuiying treated Tao Yushu so politely, so her status must be extraordinary, and it would not hurt to make a good relationship with her.

After staying in Clearwater Bay for a day, Tao Yushu returned home at night and saw Li Shifei sitting at home again, and left only after dinner.

After he left, Tao Yushu asked Lin Chaoyang, "Old Li really wants to wait until your novel is finished before leaving?"

Lin Chaoyang smiled bitterly, "It seems so."

Having been an editor for several years, Tao Yushu naturally understood Li Shifei's thoughts. She just felt that there was no need for Li Shifei to waste time in Hong Kong.

Prices in Hong Kong are high, and Li Shifei's business trip here costs at least one or two hundred Hong Kong dollars a day. If he stays for ten days or half a month, it will be two thousand Hong Kong dollars.

"From your perspective, this is true, but Lao Li and Huacheng Publishing House don't think so.

I came to Hong Kong, and this opportunity is rare. Of course, they want to take my manuscript away directly to avoid unnecessary trouble.

If a novel sells well, it will make at least one or two million in net profit. What's the big deal about spending a little more on travel expenses?"

Listening to Lin Chaoyang's words, Tao Yushu smiled and asked, "So, you plan to give them the manuscript?"

"Don't worry, wait until the novel is finished."

After chatting about the new novel for a few words, Tao Yushu talked to Lin Chaoyang about what he saw and heard at the Clearwater Bay Studios today.

This was her first time to visit the set, and everything was new to her. She talked endlessly about what she saw and heard today.

Tao Yumo listened with great interest and begged, "Sister, take me with you next time there is such a good thing."

"Wait for a chance in the future."

Two days later, Lin Chaoyang took time to come to Ming Pao Building on King's Road in North Point.

Cheng Bo was still leisurely at the door. When he came upstairs, Dong Qiao was enthusiastic when he saw him. Dong Qiao's enthusiasm was naturally for a reason.

Ming Pao Publishing House has published three works of Lin Chaoyang so far, and they are old friends.

Since the publication of "Crossing Guandong" and "Chess Saint" in November last year, both novels have achieved remarkable results in Hong Kong.

Among them, the sales of "Crossing Guandong" exceeded 10,000 copies in the month of its publication, which is definitely a symbol of a hit in the book market in Hong Kong.

In the past six months, the cumulative sales of this novel have reached 44,500 copies, which can be called the hottest pure literary work in the Hong Kong literary world this year.

In addition, "The Chess Master" has achieved sales of nearly 26,000 copies in the three and a half months since it was published in Hong Kong.

Compared with the obscurity of "The Death of Van Gogh" when it first landed in the Hong Kong market two years ago, and could only rely on word of mouth to increase sales little by little, we can clearly see the changes in Lin Chaoyang's influence in the Hong Kong literary world and literary readers in the past few years.

"Your two works are really unexpected. The pure literature market in Hong Kong has not had such works with both good reputation and sales for a long time."

"If it continues to develop like this, it is very likely that the total sales of "Crossing Guandong" will exceed 100,000 copies in three years.

The momentum of "The Chess Master" is also not weak, especially the recent Go challenge between the mainland and Japan is in full swing. Now even we in Hong Kong have begun to pay attention to it. Maybe it will also drive some sales in the future."

"You haven't shown up in Hong Kong for so many days. How is it? Have you finished writing the new book? I plan to hold a welcome banquet for you. When do you have time?"

Dong Qiao enthusiastically pulled Lin Chaoyang to talk for a long time.

Lin Chaoyang came here today to settle royalties. He had already informed Ming Pao Publishing House about this before he came to Hong Kong.

When he learned that he was coming to Hong Kong, Dong Qiao was very enthusiastic and proposed to introduce Lin Chaoyang to his peers in the Hong Kong literary world, but at that time Lin Chaoyang considered finishing his new book first, so he declined his kindness.

"The new book is almost finished, wait until it's finished."

When the new book was mentioned, Dong Qiao's eyes became more eager.

"It's going to be finished so soon? Have you found a publisher?"

Lin Chaoyang smiled and dealt with him a few words, changing the subject. He came here today to settle royalties, not to discuss the publication of the new book.

Faced with Lin Chaoyang's request, Dong Qiao informed the finance department very happily.

"Crossing Guandong" sold 44,500 copies in 6 months, creating a code of 5.34 million Hong Kong dollars.

According to the contract, Lin Chaoyang's royalty rate is 20%, which is 1.068 million yuan. After deducting the advance payment, Lin Chaoyang received 828,000 Hong Kong dollars in royalties this time.

As for "The Chess Master", according to the current sales, the royalties are about 170,000 Hong Kong dollars after deducting the advance payment.

But because it has not yet reached the settlement period, there is no settlement this time.

With more than 800,000 Hong Kong dollars in royalties, Lin Chaoyang's purpose of this trip has been achieved.

As the saying goes, if you have food in your hands, you will not be worried.

More than 800,000 Hong Kong dollars can buy a 1,000-square-foot luxury house in Hong Kong today. Ordinary workers can save this much money by working diligently for more than ten years without eating or drinking.

With this money, their family can be more relaxed during this time in Hong Kong.

In a blink of an eye, it is already halfway through May. On this day, Lin Chaoyang finally completed his new work, and Li Shifei seemed happier than him.

Li Shifei stayed in Hong Kong for more than a week just to wait for Lin Chaoyang's novel to be completed.

During this period, he had been communicating with Huacheng Publishing House, and the result was already known, but Lin Chaoyang did not let him say it. Instead, he waited until the novel was finished that day and wrote a letter to Yanjing Publishing House.

Lin Chaoyang explained the situation in the letter and said frankly that this situation was not what he wanted to see, so he thought about it and decided to let Huacheng Publishing House and Yanjing Publishing House each make a price as the final offer for his new work.

This method is equivalent to the blind bidding in the bidding in the future, which avoids vicious competition as much as possible, but at the same time allows competitors to give the most sincere price because they are afraid of each other.

Li Shifei also approved this method after listening to it, and waited quietly for news from Yanjing Publishing House.

After finishing the novel, Lin Chaoyang planned to relax and take his family out for fun on weekends.

Tao Yushu proposed to go to Saigon. The Clearwater Bay Studio she went to with Zhang Cuiying before was in Saigon. Saigon is located on the eastern coast of the Hong Kong River, including the Clearwater Bay Peninsula, Tseung Kwan O New Town and more than 70 surrounding islands.

At this stage, Sai Kung has not been developed on a large scale. It is a simple village with few high-rise buildings and a weak commercial atmosphere.

The sea water is clear and the scenery is beautiful, which is very suitable for sightseeing. It is called the back garden of Hong Kong by Hong Kong people.

The family played here for a day and had lunch in a small restaurant here. The price was much lower than that near Ho Man Tin where Lin Chaoyang and his family lived now.

And after this day's contact, they found that many people in the vicinity were immigrants from the mainland, and there was no barrier to communication.

The next day, Lin Chaoyang took the Tao Yushu sisters to Taikoo City Center again, intending to buy a few sets of clothes.

But the Tao Yushu sisters walked around the mall and looked at the clothes with labels that cost hundreds or thousands of Hong Kong dollars, and they couldn't make up their minds to buy them.

Taikoo City was built in 1978. It has been under development for seven years and has not been fully completed. There are now nearly 50 high-rise residential buildings in the community, with more than 10,000 units occupied. It has been rated as one of the top ten housing estates in Hong Kong by the media.

In recent years, it has been regarded as a weather vane of the property market and has been favored by the middle class in Hong Kong.

Taikoo City Center is the supporting commercial center of the Taikoo City project, covering an area of ​​more than 110,000 square meters. In a place like Hong Kong where every inch of land is valuable, a large shopping center of this scale is naturally of high quality.

The mall has many department stores, specialty restaurants, supermarkets, cinemas, bookstores, ice rinks, banks, clinics and childcare centers, etc., with all kinds of entertainment and livelihood facilities, almost meeting all the daily needs of the surrounding residents.

"Since you're here, buy some clothes!" Lin Chaoyang persuaded.

"It's too expensive, too expensive, let's go somewhere else."

I just went to Saigon yesterday, and today I came to Taikoo Li to spend money. The huge difference in environment and consumption made Tao Yushu feel guilty.

"It's not so expensive that I can't afford it. I have to have a few decent clothes when I go out for social events."

Lin Chaoyang persuaded Tao Yushu to buy two sets of clothes, and also let Tao Yumo pick a few sets of clothes.

The price of the clothes was too expensive, and Tao Yumo was a little embarrassed, so she only picked a pair of jeans and a black leather jacket for herself.

"Why did you buy such a set in the summer?"

"Sister, you don't understand this. This is how Cherie Chung wore it in the magazine. This is called fashion!"

Tao Yushu didn't quite understand what her sister meant by "fashion". The clothes she picked were all dignified and elegant.

After picking out the clothes, Tao Yumo's eyes were attracted by the shiny and exquisite cosmetics displayed at the cosmetics counter in the mall, and she ran to the counter to look around.

At this time, a young man with long hair suddenly appeared and started chatting with Tao Yumo enthusiastically.

"Hello, pretty girl!"

Tao Yumo didn't understand Cantonese very well, and after a while of talking nonsense, she finally understood that the long-haired young man was a scout for a company called Guohua Film and Television.

"Pretty girl, our company is planning to make a movie now, and your appearance is particularly suitable for the image of a heroine. Do you want to come for an interview?"