Chapter 42: Siyuan Pictures

Ah Hai, great job! Chen Bingwen forcefully patted Gao Zhenhai on the shoulder. This piece of information is worth a thousand taels of gold! Ask your friend again if you can find a way to contact Ng See-yuen, or find a reliable middleman to bridge the gap! As fast as possible!
After saying this, Chen Bingwen pulled out a thousand Hong Kong dollars and handed them to Gao Zhenhai. Treat your friend to a good meal, and if it is not enough, come to me for more!
Understood! I will get on it right away! Gao Zhenhai was instantly energized, took the money, and dashed out immediately.
Gao Zhenhai's efficiency was extremely high.
In less than a day, a slip of paper with Ng See-yuen's office phone number was delivered into Chen Bingwen's hand.
Along with it came a piece of intelligence regarding Ng See-yuen's schedule.
Ng See-yuen was set to meet a potential investor at the Eiga Tea House in Kowloon Tong at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
The Eiga Tea House was not far from the Kwun Tong factory, only a ten-minute drive away.
After weighing his options, Chen Bingwen decided to intercept the deal directly.
Although in his past life the total investment for *Drunken Master* was only five hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars, in case a butterfly effect occurred and someone else was willing to invest, all his efforts would go down the drain.
At two-thirty the next afternoon, Chen Bingwen arrived at the tea house ahead of schedule and chose a secluded spot by the window.
He ordered a pot of Longjing tea, his gaze casually sweeping across the entrance.
At two-fifty, a middle-aged man wearing a beige jacket and exuding an air of scholarly refinement walked in.
This person was none other than Ng See-yuen, followed by a young man who looked like an assistant.
Ng See-yuen glanced around the room, seemingly searching for the person he had an appointment with.
Chen Bingwen stood up and walked straight over.
Mr. Ng, pleasure to meet you. Chen Bingwen extended his hand with a perfectly measured smile. I am Chen Bingwen.
Ng See-yuen was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting to encounter a stranger here.
He quickly sized Chen Bingwen up—young, composed, and not looking like a film fan.
He hesitatingly extended his hand: Mr. Chen? Do we... know each other?
We have never met, but we are kindred spirits in spirit, Chen Bingwen smoothly bluffed. *Snake in the Eagle's Shadow* was filmed with breathtaking brilliance, and Mr. Jackie Chan has a boundless future. Hearing that Mr. Ng is currently preparing a new film, *Drunken Master*, I specifically waited here to discuss an investment with Mr. Ng.
A flash of surprise crossed Ng See-yuen's eyes, followed instantly by vigilance.
The person he had an appointment with had not yet arrived, yet the young man before him knew his project inside out.
Mr. Chen is very well-informed. However, I have already made an appointment with someone...
I know. Chen Bingwen interrupted him, his tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable confidence. But I believe the terms I can offer Mr. Ng are perhaps more generous than that gentleman's, and also more fitting for the production *Drunken Master*.
He made an inviting gesture: Would Mr. Ng mind sitting down for a chat? The time it takes to drink a cup of tea will not delay your important matters. If we cannot reach an agreement, it will not be too late for you to wait for your guest then.

Ng See-yuen looked at Chen Bingwen's resolute gaze, then thought of the meager budget and the locked doors he kept encountering while fundraising for *Drunken Master*. He hesitated for a moment and nodded: Fine, Mr. Chen is a straightforward man, so let's talk.
The two of them sat down at Chen Bingwen's original table.
The assistant tactfully retreated to the side.
What industry is Mr. Chen in? You are interested in film investment? Ng See-yuen went straight to the point.
Food. Chen Bingwen answered concisely. Hong Kong's Chen's Dessert Shop, perhaps Mr. Ng has heard of it?
A flash of realization crossed Ng See-yuen's eyes, followed closely by a hint of doubt.
The name Chen's Dessert Shop seemed familiar as if he had seen it somewhere, but he couldn't recall the exact location for the moment.
Yet someone who sold desserts wanted to suddenly invest in a movie? The span was simply too wide.
Feigning a look of familiarity, Ng See-yuen said: I have heard a little. Mr. Chen is young and promising. However, film investment carries no small amount of risk, especially for kung fu comedies. Although the market is hot, the competition is also fierce. Why does Mr. Chen look favorably upon *Drunken Master*?
What I look favorably upon is Mr. Ng, as well as Jackie Chan. Chen Bingwen looked directly into Ng See-yuen's eyes. The success of *Snake in the Eagle's Shadow* proved your vision and Jackie Chan's potential. I heard that *Drunken Master* is a script based on the youthful anecdotes of Wong Fei-hung, incorporating humorous combat and commoners' daily lives. The theme is novel, and I believe it is well worth investing in. Therefore, I wanted to find Mr. Ng to see if I could invest in this project.
Ng See-yuen gave a wry smile: Mr. Chen hits the nail on the head. To shoot this theme effectively indeed requires a relatively large capital demand, which is why I am running around looking for money.
I can invest two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars. Chen Bingwen calmly dropped a bombshell.
Both Ng See-yuen and the assistant beside him drew in sharp breaths.
Two hundred thousand!
The previous production of *Snake in the Eagle's Shadow* had a budget of eight hundred thousand.
This impromptu filming of *Drunken Master* currently only had an investment of fifty thousand, which was indeed somewhat stretched.
The investor Ng See-yuen was meeting today originally had investment intentions, but at most it would be fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars.
Now the young man before him casually offered two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars, making Ng See-yuen feel truly unbelievable.
Mr. Chen... for real? Ng See-yuen's voice was even slightly trembling.
Absolutely true, Chen Bingwen nodded. Furthermore, I will not interfere with the creative process, I will not force actors in, and I will not meddle in the filming. The script, casting, and shooting will all be subject to the opinions of you, Mr. Ng, and Jackie Chan.
Joy surged wildly in Ng See-yuen's heart; this was simply a pie falling from the sky!
But he quickly calmed down; there is no such thing as a free lunch in the business world.
Since Mr. Chen is so generous, you must want something in return?
Of course. Chen Bingwen smiled slightly. What I want is the exclusive product placement rights for the film *Drunken Master*, as well as the right to a box office share proportional to my investment.

Product placement? Box office sharing in proportion to investment was an industry standard, but the concept of product placement, which was still extremely fresh in 1978, was somewhat unfamiliar to Ng See-yuen.
Simply put, it means naturally integrating elements of my Chen's Desserts into the scenes, props, or dialogue of the movie.
Chen Bingwen explained: For example, when the protagonist is tired from practicing martial arts, he drinks a bowl of our Chen's tangerine peel and red bean soup at a roadside stall; or in the background of a certain scene, the signboard of our Chen's Dessert Shop appears; or we can even have a character deliver a line like 'After the fight, let's go to Chen's to have a bowl of dessert to moisten our throats.' It must be natural, not abrupt, and become a part of the plot.
Ng See-yuen furrowed his brows.
He pursued the purity and artistry of cinema, and had an instinctive repulsion to forcibly shoving advertisements into a movie.
Mr. Chen, this... I am afraid it will affect the viewing experience of the film, and the audience will be pulled out of the immersion.
Mr. Ng worries too much. Chen Bingwen was well-prepared. The background of *Drunken Master* is the commoners' life in the late Qing and early Republic eras; roadside stalls and dessert shops were common elements of that era anyway. A steaming bowl of dessert made with solid ingredients can not only showcase the fireworks of daily life in the marketplace, but also provide a relaxed and warm buffer point after intense combat scenes, enriching the layers of the movie. The key lies in how to design it cleverly and naturally, making it serve the plot and the characters rather than acting as a stiff billboard. I believe that with Mr. Ng's mastery, this is by no means a difficult task.
He paused: A twenty-thousand-dollar investment—if the placement effect is good, in the future, Chen's can also become a long-term partner of See-yuen Film Co.
Ng See-yuen fell into deep contemplation.
Full funding of two hundred thousand, no interference with creation, only asking for product placement and a box office share... This condition was simply too tempting.
Although product placement gave him some misgivings, what Chen Bingwen said also made sense. If handled properly, a bowl of dessert could indeed become the finishing touch of everyday marketplace life.
Moreover, the other party clearly stated they would respect the creative process, with everything premised on naturally integrating into the plot.
Internally, he weighed things fiercely.
On one side was the massive capital to resolve his pressing emergency and the possibility of long-term cooperation, while on the other was his adherence to cinematic art.
The pressure of funds and the urgency of the summer release schedule ultimately gained the upper hand.
Mr. Chen, I need to think about it, and also discuss it with the director and the lead actor. Ng See-yuen did not agree immediately.
Understood. Chen Bingwen handed over his business card. Mr. Ng can contact me at any time. However, time waits for no one, and the window for the summer release slot is very short. I believe the addition of Chen's will make *Drunken Master* even more brilliant.
Without saying anything more, he stood up and took his leave.
Leaving Ng See-yuen staring at that concise business card, his heart surging with emotions.