My teacher is Bruce Lee, who dominated Hollywood.

Chapter 101 The Hesitation of "Lady White Snake"

Chapter 101 The Hesitation of "Lady White Snake"

The backstage area was completely blocked by various media outlets.

Sun Yongen and the other top three contestants were overwhelmed by layers of flashing lights, and reporters' questions rose and fell, with cameras practically pointing at their noses.

This small open space has become the most vibrant and bustling center of Hong Kong's world of fame and fortune.

Outside the corridor, the girls who had been eliminated in the finals were packing their bags in a dejected manner. They carried makeup cases in twos and threes, occasionally glancing up at the girls with envious eyes.

Zhao Zhi had already changed into a long dress, put away her swimsuit, wiped her eyes, and was preparing to leave from backstage.

Suddenly, a gentle voice rang out: "Miss Zhao, please wait."

As Zhao Zhi was adjusting her skirt, she turned around, a trace of loneliness still lingering in her tired eyes.

When she saw that the person calling her was a young man she had never seen before, a hint of wariness flashed in her eyes.

"Who are you? Only staff members can come backstage, right?" Her voice was clear and bright, and perhaps because of her job as a flight attendant, it sounded both polite and a little distant.

"Qin Han, producer at Han's Film Company." Qin Han saw through her thoughts, took out a business card and handed it to her, presenting it to her without being offensive, while maintaining a certain distance.

"Ms. Zhao's analogy of wisdom and fine wine on stage just now was very impressive. In a producer's eyes, your answer and performance were perfect, and you are very suitable to be an actress."

Zhao hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took the business card, his eyes landing on the four characters "Hanshi Film Industry".

"Han's Film Company? I've never heard of it before?" she muttered to herself, her wariness deepening.

At this moment, the top three contestants were about to walk towards the backstage exit when the spotlights flashed again, illuminating half of the corridor in white.

In contrast, the corner where the two were located seemed so dim that it didn't even deserve to be a backdrop.

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Qin." Zhao Zhi put the business card into his handbag, as if to shut out this awkward small talk as well. "However, I only participated in the beauty pageant to represent Hong Kong. Since our paths have crossed, I'll go back to Japan and continue flying. It's much more comfortable than playing someone else under the spotlight."

This refusal was tactful, yet it also carried a hint of arrogance.

Qin Han was well aware that the Hong Kong entertainment industry in 1973 was far from the kind of adored figure it would be in later years.

Under the Shaw Brothers studio system, actors received a fixed salary and signed a "contract of servitude." To a well-educated girl like Zhao Zhi, who had a respectable job, being an actor was no more prestigious or free than being a flight attendant.

"The routes to Japan are indeed excellent, especially with Pan Am now; their benefits are top-notch among their peers." He continued, changing the subject as the girl continued, "Speaking of which, you must have heard of that Pan Am flight that made an emergency landing in Tolo Harbour the other day, right?"

Mentioning this, Zhao Zhiming became even more excited: "You mean that aviation miracle? It's all over the industry; apparently, the situation was extremely desperate!"

"If no one had informed them of the situation in Tolo Harbour, the captain intended to attempt an emergency landing in Victoria Harbour. That would have been suicidal. The crew later said privately that God was guiding them from the cockpit."

Qin Han smiled, his expression unchanged: "God was probably very busy that day, so I had to do it in his place."

Zhao Zhi's intelligent eyes scanned Qin Han's face repeatedly, his breathing quickening slightly: "Could it be—you're the one who was rumored to be directing the emergency landing?"

Qin Han smiled slightly, as if discussing a trivial matter: "I simply made the guess with the highest probability of survival."

Zhao covered her mouth. As a professional flight attendant, she knew all too well the fear of running out of fuel at 10,000 meters altitude.

At this moment, Qin Han's image in her eyes was no longer that of a scheming "entertainment businessman".

"How could you be so sure that the forced landing at Tolo Harbour would be successful?" she asked curiously, her initial awkwardness softening considerably: "If there were fishing boats on the water—"

"Because this winter is just too hot." Qin Han fanned himself with his hand. "Since the weather is so hot, the red tide in Tolo Harbour may break out earlier than expected. Once the red tide breaks out, the fishing boats will naturally leave that area of ​​water."

"I'm lucky, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here chatting with you right now."

This half-true, half-false explanation only added to his mystique.

Zhao listened intently, her slender fingers stroking the edge of her handbag.

She began to re-examine the man in front of her: a person who could think so much in such an extreme environment would never waste time here with a Miss Hong Kong who had failed to win the pageant.

"Mr. Qin, you didn't tell me all this just to show off your heroic deeds, did you?" A smile returned to her face, and her attitude softened considerably.

"I just want to tell you that my eye for talent is just as accurate as my eye for choosing a landing site." Qin Han smoothly cut to the chase: "Ms. Zhao, is your aversion to the entertainment industry due to Shaw Brothers' outdated employment model? A few hundred Hong Kong dollars a month, working sixteen hours a day, locked in a studio in Clearwater Bay, that kind of life is indeed not suitable for you."

Zhao Zhi smiled and nodded: "Since Mr. Qin knows, why bother coming to me? My salary at Japan Airlines is enough for me to live a very comfortable life in Hong Kong."

"Because Han's Film Industry offers you a different option," Qin Han said confidently. "No long-term contracts, only project-based collaborations."

"You can audition for Shaw Brothers or choose to go to Golden Harvest; it's your choice. Han's Film Company is only responsible for securing your salary and profit sharing, and helping you choose suitable scripts. In short, you just need to do your best, and we are your personal steward."

The term "profit sharing" was still very unfamiliar to the Hong Kong entertainment industry in 1973.

"Yes, box office revenue sharing." Qin Han's smile widened. "The movies you starred in made a lot of money, so of course a portion of the box office revenue should go to you. The so-called 'double success' isn't just about fame; it's about translating that fame into real income."

Zhao lowered his head in deep thought.

Although the job of a flight attendant is respectable, it is worlds apart from the "Han-style model" described by Qin Han.

"It sounds like a perfectly woven dream." She looked up, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "If I want to audition, should I choose Shaw Brothers or Golden Harvest?"

"Shaw Brothers has the most orthodox training system, while Golden Harvest has the freest working environment." What Qin Han wanted was for this girl to think for herself, rather than making decisions for her.

For a smart girl, the answer she comes up with herself is the one she is most likely to accept.

What I need to do is give her plenty of advice and then wait quietly.

"Let me give you an example: you can first go to Shaw Brothers and audit some of their acting training. If you're not satisfied with the conditions they offer, you can always tell me."

"I'll take you to Golden Harvest, or another studio, right away, until you get a satisfactory contract. Remember, with Han's backing, actors don't need to cater to the whims of studios."

Although Zhao Zhi was still somewhat confused, Qin Han's strong sense of confidence was like a warm current, washing away all the self-doubt she had just felt due to her failure to be selected.

So there are still people who support me?

"Okay, Mr. Qin." She took a pen out of her bag and quickly wrote down a contact number on a piece of paper: "This is my phone number and address. If I have time, I can go for an audition, but—let's go to Shaw Brothers first."

"But regarding the specifics of cooperation, I need more time to digest the 'models' you mentioned."

"Of course, a good actor is always worth waiting for." Qin Han took the note, looked at the elegant handwriting, and felt reassured.

After saying goodbye, Qin Han returned to the VIP room on the second floor.

When the door was pushed open, the bigwigs inside were sitting together, commenting on the final awards ceremony.

"Oh dear, our great producer Qin is back." Cai Lan turned around first, fanning himself with a folding fan, a knowing teasing expression on his face: "How about it, fourth place in the back garden, you've already snatched it up, you flower thief?"

"We just talked about work, there's no need for all this scheming." Qin Han sat back on the sofa, picked up his cup, and took a sip of cold tea.

"Oh?" Run Run Shaw stopped spinning the walnut in his hand and asked loudly, "Whom did you recommend her to?"

"I gave her two choices, Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest." Qin Han put down his teacup. "However, she seems to be more drawn to a long-established brand like Shaw Brothers. I estimate she'll be auditioning in Clearwater Bay in a couple of days."

Li Xiaohe laughed heartily from the side: "Sixth Uncle, did you hear that? Qin Sheng still cares about you, sending the best seedlings to your territory first."

"Qin Sheng, in all my years, I've rarely seen a business method like yours," Shaw said in a somewhat strange tone. "You've pushed her into my audition room. What if my director takes a liking to her and she signs a long-term contract with Shaw Brothers? Wouldn't you have ended up with nothing?"

Qin Han burst into laughter: "Mr. Shao, have you forgotten the 'packing system' I mentioned to you before you left? It wasn't her who brought her to the audition, it was our Han Company!"

Run Run Shaw shook his head with a wry smile: "It seems that the Hong Kong film industry will really have to learn to adapt to this Han-style."

The walnuts in his hand crackled again: "So, what if she had chosen Jiahe? What would you have done?"

Qin Han downed his cup of chilled tea in one gulp and chuckled, "Mr. Shao, what's the difference between Jiahe and Shao to the Han family?"

"I want her to act in a martial arts drama based on the works of Mr. Jin Yong; the script adaptation is done by Han's own team."

"Whether it's Golden Harvest or Shaw Brothers, they're nothing more than 'processing plants' for turning my ideas into reality."

Jin Yong, listening from the side, burst into laughter: "Sixth Uncle, the younger generation is truly formidable!"

"But Mr. Qin, I haven't handed over the copyright to you yet, so don't go around using my name to swindle people!"

""

Qin Han bowed to Jin Yong and said, "Master Cha, just you wait. I'm going back to America the day after tomorrow to catch up on my work."

"No need to wait for the movie's release. As soon as a sample clip of 'Enter the Dragon' comes out, I'll send you a preview and see if it suits your taste!"

Tomorrow is the five-day deadline agreed upon with Xiang Qian. After figuring out the biggest problem with the Japanese, I naturally need to get back to the United States as soon as possible. There's still a lot of work waiting to be put on the agenda.

"Yamato Foods—let me see what kind of monster you really are!"

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