Chapter 148 Wu Baige with a Crooked Butt

Liu Zhou and Zhang Tong looked at each other, but neither of them spoke.

Finally, Liu Zhou gritted his teeth and said:

"Zhang Tong, long time no see."

"Long time no see? Am I such a stranger to you now?"

"That was not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I just don't know how to face you, and I don't know what to say."

Liu Zhou couldn't help but lower his head slightly, and his voice became lower and lower.

Hearing Liu Zhou's words, Zhang Tong's expression also eased slightly, and his tone was not as aggressive as before. He said:

"How long do you plan to stay this time?"

"I should be able to stay for a while. In Hollywood, I don't have to worry too much about the post-production of the movie. I only need to go there when it is released."

"It's noon now, do you want to go have a meal together?"

"Ah? Okay."

"You agreed so quickly, don't you need to report to Zeng Li?"

Liu Zhou ignored Zhang Tong's words and asked:
"Where are we going to eat?"

"You come with me."

Liu Zhou got into Zhang Tong's car, but unexpectedly Zhang Tong took him to a residential community.

"Where is this?"

"What, are you scared?"

"What's there to be afraid of about having a meal? Is there a restaurant here?"

"Just follow me."

Zhang Tong led Liu Zhou inside, saying:
"I bought a house here and just moved in last month. I'll cook for you at home."

Zhang Tong saw that Liu Zhou looked a little hesitant and sneered:
"Why, dare not go up?"

"Who said I didn't dare to go up? You're a woman and you're not afraid of me, a grown man, so why should I be afraid?"

After saying that, he walked into the elevator first.

The house Zhang Tong bought is on the 16th floor. The neighborhood looks pretty good and the security is relatively strict. There are only two households on each floor.

After entering, I found that the house was indeed new, with three bedrooms and two living rooms, and it was estimated to be more than 150 square meters.

Liu Zhou looked around, then sat on the sofa and said:
"Do you have any vegetables at home?"

"Yes, don't worry, you won't starve, it's just home-cooked food."

Zhang Tong tied on an apron while talking.

"I don't pick."

While Zhang Tong was cooking, Liu Zhou felt a little bored, so he turned on the TV and started eating the snacks on the coffee table.

Zhang Tong, who was cooking in the kitchen, couldn't help but smile as he looked at Liu Zhou, who was eating snacks and watching TV with his legs resting on the coffee table.

In less than forty minutes, Zhang Tong prepared three dishes and a soup.

"So fast, it seems you often cook for yourself."

"Before I was famous, I usually cooked in the house I rented to save money. Although the situation is a little better now, I am used to cooking for myself."

“It’s good to cook by yourself. It’s clean and hygienic.”

Zhang Tong served him the meal, and Liu Zhou picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

“Yes, it tastes good!”

"Just eat as much as you like."

The two of them finished their lunch in this manner, chatting intermittently.

When Zhang Tong finished washing the dishes and sat next to Liu Zhou, he couldn't help feeling nervous and even a little embarrassed.

"Liu Zhou, don't you have anything to say to me?"

Seeing Zhang Tong looking at him intently, Liu Zhou couldn't help but avoid his gaze and whispered:
"say what."

"Liu Zhou, I've discovered that you're a jerk! I've still been staying in your studio, isn't that obvious enough? Do I, a girl, have to take the initiative to speak up about everything?"

Zhang Tong's eyes were a little red, and he even spoke with a tearful tone.

Seeing this, Liu Zhou felt unhappy and sighed:
"Zhang Tong, I was impulsive that day. I'm sorry, but I already have Zeng Li, so I can't promise you anything."

"Don't say sorry to me. I've already said that I did it voluntarily, and I don't need any promises from you."

"what?"

Zhang Tong threw herself directly into Liu Zhou's arms, tears streaming down her face.

Seeing that Zhang Tong was crying, Liu Zhou slowly put his hand on her shoulder and then held her in his arms.

After a long while, Zhang Tong finally calmed down and said to Liu Zhou with red eyes:
"It would have been great if you had met me first in college."

Liu Zhou remained silent, and only heard her continue:

"Liu Zhou, after that day I wanted to leave several times, but I hesitated every time, so I had to avoid you.

Fortunately, you are going to Hollywood this time. I thought that by avoiding you, you would be able to let go of this relationship, but I didn't expect that the more I couldn't see you, the more I missed you.

I feel like I’m such a jerk!”

"Don't say that about yourself."

"If I'm not a bitch, what am I? I know you have a girlfriend, but I still throw myself into your arms."

Seeing Zhang Tong was a little excited, Liu Zhou couldn't help but hug her in his arms. Unexpectedly, Zhang Tong suddenly raised her head, held Liu Zhou's face with both hands, and kissed her hard.

Liu Zhou was stunned for a moment, then responded immediately.

But then Liu Zhou saw Zhang Tong undressing him, and his mind cleared up. He pushed Zhang Tong away and said, panting:
"Zhang Tong, not now. I have work to do in the afternoon."

Zhang Tong also came to her senses from her previous emotions at this time, her pretty face slightly flushed, and then she straightened her clothes.

Suddenly, the room became quiet.

After a while, Liu Zhou said:
"Zhang Tong, I really can't make any promises to you."

"I know. I won't force it. If one day I find that I don't like you anymore, or the pain exceeds my love for you, I will take the initiative to leave you."

"What are you doing?"

"Liu Zhou, I'm not afraid of a girl like you, why are you so shy as a grown man?"

But this time Liu Zhou was not provoked by Zhang Tong's words, but said:

"Think about it yourself. I'm not a good man. I'm going back to the company first."

After saying that, Liu Zhou got up and left, taking a taxi back to the company office.

But when Liu Zhou returned to the office, he was still not in the mood to work.

I kept thinking about what she said just now at Zhang Tong's house.

I don’t know if it’s the man’s vanity at work, but Liu Zhou still seems to be a little happy inside.

But then he thought of Zeng Li, and the feeling of guilt rose again.

This made Liu Zhou feel uneasy and unable to concentrate on his work.

After finally getting off work, Liu Zhou went straight home.

In the following days, Liu Zhou did not go out and stayed at home with Zeng Li.

However, at the end of August, Zhang Weiping sent himself an invitation letter, inviting him to attend the celebration banquet of "House of Flying Daggers".

Just two days ago, "House of Flying Daggers" was officially taken off the screen after more than a month in theaters, with its domestic box office barely exceeding 1.5 million yuan.

Although this movie has a low reputation and its box office is nearly 100 million less than "Hero", it still makes more money than "Hero".

The investment in "Hero" is indeed too huge, and the pressure to recoup the investment is even greater.

But it was also "Hero" that paved a smooth path for "House of Flying Daggers" to go overseas.

In addition, Liu Zhou's "Xiu Chun Dao" also made some contributions, which made the overseas copyright of "House of Flying Daggers" sell particularly well.

According to conservative estimates, the profit that Zhang Weiping and Jiang Zhiqiang earned from this movie will not be less than 20 million US dollars.

Mainland martial arts films have been selling so well in recent years, especially those by Zhang Yimou. Even Liu Zhou is far behind him.

On the night of the celebration banquet, Liu Zhou and Zeng Li attended in their best attire.

Although Liu Zhou had not appeared for a long time, as soon as he appeared, he immediately became the focus of the scene.

Some people may not know this, but some well-informed people have long known that Liu Zhou has gone to Hollywood to make a movie in the past few months.

At that time, this news caused quite a stir in the circle.

In recent years, except for Jackie Chan and Jet Li, other Chinese who have made their way in Hollywood have returned to China because they couldn't make it.

Even Wu Baige, who was once famous in Hollywood, was blacklisted by major Hollywood film companies and returned to Hong Kong in disgrace because of the box office failure of "Windtalkers".

But I heard that Han Shanping wanted to invite him to make a movie.

Liu Zhou was helpless about this, of course he knew it was true.

Liu Zhou could not interfere with the decision-making of China Film. Just like before, as soon as the money from "The Swordsman" was divided, Han Shanping rushed to find Chen Shishi and asked him to make a blockbuster movie.

At present, Chen Shishi's "The Promise" has been officially launched and the casting is in full swing.

The most anticipated movie in mainland China right now is "The Promise" by Chen Shishi.

Not only China Film Group, but also the outside world has high hopes for poet Chen.

In everyone's mind, he is no less than the great director Zhang Yimou. Since Zhang Yimou can succeed, he can also be successful.

The same is true for Wu Baige. Although he failed in Hollywood, he is still an undisputed great director after returning to the mainland. After all, he has been successful in Hollywood and directed the classic series "Mission Impossible".

Liu Zhou couldn't stop China Film Group from inviting Wu Baige, but he felt that he could have a hand in the movie "Three Kingdoms".

It is really that Wu Baige made such a good classic film very petty. It is obviously a large-scale scene of two armies fighting, but it gives people a strong feeling of a fight between social groups.

And there’s also that damn “Mengmeng, stand up!”, which makes people’s scalp tingle.

Not only that, Wu Baige also made Liu Zhou very disgusted.

Among the many directors and actors from Hong Kong who have moved north, there are two who are the most disgusting, one is Chen Kexin, and the other is Wu Baige.

Historically, after Zhang Yimou's "Hero" was released, it grossed nearly 2.5 million yuan at the box office, which not only shocked the mainland, but also greatly shocked the Hong Kong circle.

Chen Kexin, who had failed in her career in Hollywood and was facing a lack of films to shoot, seemed to have seen a life-saving straw.

He was the first Hong Kong director to declare that "the mainland market is the final destination for Chinese-language directors."

He was also one of the first Hong Kong directors to go north to work.

However, Chen Kexin and Wu Baige, who has now returned to China, did not come here with the intention of working and expanding the market like directors Xu Ke and Chen Jiashang.

They just want to take advantage of mainland funds and markets, use mainland first-line actors to play supporting roles, and promote Hong Kong and Taiwan stars, in order to enhance their status and market value.

At that time, directors including Wu Baige and Golden Horse Award Chairman Zhu Yanping all expressed their opinions directly in public.

When it comes to directors and capital from Hong Kong and Taiwan, they want to take advantage of the opportunity to direct co-productions and take advantage of the nominations and awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Formosa Golden Horse Awards.

To lure mainland stars who are eager for awards into playing supporting roles for Hong Kong and Taiwan actors, directly suppressing the status and future of mainland actors.

Among them, Chen Kexin and Wu Baige were the ones who implemented this principle most thoroughly.

(End of this chapter)