November 24, Taipei. (Note 1)

"It's rare to see you so nervous." Chen Chong leaned against the door frame, fiddled with the jade toy in his hand, and joked: "I always thought you were very nervous and a girl who didn't know the height of the world."

"Go, who is the girl..." Zhang Aijia swayed left and right, looking at the image in the mirror, and said, "Tonight is the Golden Horse Award, and there is also the Elizabeth Taylor award, which is very popular. How can I not be nervous? Do you think this dress is good?"

"It's pretty good." Chen Chong praised without sincerity: "You look good in whatever you wear."

"Serious!" Zhang Aijia didn't appreciate it, glared at him, frowned slightly, and said, "I think it's too gorgeous."

"This is the Golden Horse Award." Chen Chong imitated her tone just now and said, "In an occasion that is highly anticipated, the more gorgeous the better, so that you can show your beauty and charm."

"The Golden Horse Awards are not a dance hall, they are very solemn." Zhang Aijia said hesitantly: "I'd better change that little suit dress."

"Don't." Chen Chong quickly stopped him and said, "That's too professional. The Golden Horse Award is the only big prize in the Chinese film industry. It only once a year, and it's not about working. Just wear this. The dress that Wang Rongsheng tailored for you is very suitable for going on stage to receive the award." (Note 2)

"How do you know I will win the award?" Zhang Aijia turned around for a while, continued to look in the mirror, and said without any confidence: "If you don't win the award, but you're wearing a peacock with an open-screen look, you'll be laughed to death."

"Don't worry, this year's Golden Horse Film Queen, you'll be sure to get it." Chen Chong stuffed the toy into his pants pocket, walked over, stood behind her, looked carefully for a while, and said, "It's pretty good, just wear this one, it's simple and generous, and it's very suitable for you."

Aijia Zhang pulled the wrinkles of her clothes around her waist and asked curiously: "How can you be sure that I can get the Golden Horse Queen?"

"Because Elizabeth Taylor is coming."

"Can I win the award? What does it have to do with her?" Zhang Aijia said in confusion, "The Golden Horse Awards Organizing Committee has long announced that it has invited her to present the awards. At that time, "Crazy Job" had not been released in Taiwan."

"There has been no host before the Golden Horse Awards, only the emcee. Last year, I carried out reforms and got two hosts." Chen Chong explained: "There will definitely be a host this year. As for the convention, it must be one man and one woman. The man has already decided Jiang Guangchao, but the woman has not decided for a long time. Why? Because Elizabeth Taylor is coming, he needs to find a female host with good English to facilitate communication and interaction."

“So what?”

"You are so stupid." Chen Chong intimately teased her short hair and said, "Taiwan can show off, and there is no other actress except you who has a good English level?"

"A lot." Zhang Aijia said casually: "For example, Hu Yinmeng..."

"Yes, Hu Yinmeng." Chen Chong stopped the conversation and said, "She has had such a big deal with Li Ao recently. I heard that she has been warned by the cultural department of Taiwan. But the organizing committee also chose her as the host tonight instead of looking for you. Isn't it obvious?"

Zhang Aijia understood, she smiled and said, "You are catching up on the wind and shadows. Maybe there are other reasons. Besides, besides Hu Yinmeng, there are many people who know English, such as Teresa Teng."

"Teres Teng is a singer, not a movie star. Besides, her fake passport storm has not yet passed, which is more troublesome than Hu Yinmeng. The Golden Horse Awards has already given her a lot of face to invite her to be a guest this time. How could she be the host?" Chen Chong sneered and said, "Of course there are many people in Taiwan who know English, but few who can act in movies, and even fewer people can shake the stage. After all, you are the most suitable host, but the organizing committee doesn't look for you. This is obvious. Those old and unconventional things do not want to make a mistake in being a host and a recipient."

"Speak nonsense." Zhang Aijia was half-believing and half-doubted about it. She smiled and said, "You can calculate it so much, then you can calculate it again. Can "Crazy Jones" win the best drama?"

Chen Chong immediately replied: "I can't get it."

"Why?"

"Because before I come to Taipei, I always can't write a guarantee letter for filming in the mainland. If I don't write a guarantee letter, I won't have a visa." Chen Chong laughed and said, "How can a boss who has been to the mainland for a month or two, the movie he invested in will win the best movie? Sister An probably will be implicated by me this time, and she will come to Taipei in vain."

After saying that, Chen Chong looked at his watch and said, "Beauty, stop pitying yourself. You have to go to the hotel to pick up Sister An and the others. It would be too late if you don't leave."

Zhang Aijia looked in the mirror for a few seconds before grabbing her bag, walked out, and said as she walked: "You think too much, the Golden Horse Awards are not the Executive Yuan, so where does so much politics come from?"

"For us, movies are movies, and for those old men, everything is politics..."

Tonight is the 16th Golden Horse Awards Ceremony. "Crazy Joe" won seven nominations including "Best Drama", "Best Drama Director", "Best Drama Actress", "Best Drama Original Screenplay", "Best Drama Photography", "Best Drama Editing", and "Best Drama Soundtrack".

Influenced by the impressions of later generations and the weak Taiwanese films, Chen Chong did not attach much importance to the Golden Horse Awards, whether in terms of influence or authority. However, in 1979, the Golden Horse Awards was the only major award in the Chinese-language film circles between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and the three regions. This time, "Yu Po" Elizabeth Taylor was specially invited to present the awards. Zhang Aijia said that it was highly anticipated and could be afforded.

The Taiwan market is an indispensable part of the Hong Kong film industry chain, and Hong Kong filmmakers attach great importance to it, so those who were shortlisted for the awards, including Anh Hsu, Chen Yunwen, Tan Jiaming, etc., who were shortlisted for the awards, all rushed to Taipei, and none of them were absent.

Zhang Aijia was wearing a dress and it was inconvenient to drive. After she sat in the passenger seat, she complained: "You men are more comfortable. You guys are always in a suit wherever you go, so there is no need to pay attention to it."

"Suits are also very particular." Chen Chong started the car and cried poorly: "Last month in the United States, someone was dragged to customize two suits, one for $5,000. These tailors are really unscrupulous. If you make ten or eight sets, you will have to go bankrupt."

"What is $5,000 for you?" Zhang Aijia said with a smile: "You are a world-class rich man on the cover of Forbes. I heard that before you came to Taipei, you bought a building in Hong Kong, which is much more expensive than the suit you have on you."

"It's just a small building, only 7 floors." Chen Chong said lightly: "It's mainly to put magazines and film companies together, so you don't have to run around in the future, so it's convenient for office work."

"Your film company and magazine company have not had 100 employees, right?" Zhang Aijia said in pain for him, "Just rent a floor, you need to buy a whole building?"

"I am a rich man, and I'm not short of money." Chen Chong said while driving: "In addition to movie magazines, I have recently bought a newspaper and two magazines, and the film company has also recruited many newcomers."

"You bought a newspaper?"

"Yes, Xinbao." Chen Chong said without looking sideways, "There are also Far East Economic Review and ****."

Xinbao is the abbreviation of Xinbao Financial News. It is the first newspaper in Hong Kong that mainly focuses on financial news. It has a wide influence and is considered to be one of the most credible and authoritative newspapers in Hong Kong.

"Far East Economic Review" and "****" are two international current affairs, political and economic magazines published in Hong Kong. They use middle-class and workplace elites who understand English as their readers. They have hundreds of thousands of copies, and their subscribers are all over Asia. They also have many readers in North America and have great influence.

Zhang Aijia has a good family background and has been flying around Hong Kong and Taiwan all year round. Naturally, she is very clear about the value of the magazines Chen Chong mentioned. She was surprised and asked: "Hasn't you been in the mainland recently? When did you acquire these magazines, and how did you acquire them?"

"It was acquired through HSBC Bank." Chen Chong explained: "As the saying goes, it's good to lean on a big tree to enjoy the cool air. I went to the door to buy it myself, but the others ignored it. After changing to HSBC, I got it done in just a few words."

Zhang Aijia was stunned for a while after hearing this. After a while, she asked, "Are you going to develop into the financial industry? Will you still make movies in the future?"

Before Chen Chong could answer, she said again: "But that's true. You have such a strong ability to make money, it's a pity not to do finance. It's not as hard-working as Wall Street or Silicon Valley earns more in ten days."

"You, where did you hear me?" Chen Chong laughed and said, "I didn't say that the film company has expanded its recruitment. My main business is still a movie. Don't worry, you won't leave it alone."

"Go, who wants you to care?" Zhang Aijia gave him a blank look and said, "I wish you could make more money to support me. Be a concubine and spend whatever she wants."

Chen Chong glanced at her and said nothing.

"By the way, I heard from Sister Ling that you went to the mainland this time and brought Director Hu with you too?"

"You women just love gossip." Chen Chong sighed and said, "I said it specifically, don't spread the word about this, she actually told you."

"Tell me what's wrong?" Zhang Aijia said unconvinced and said, "Why can't I know?"

"You know nothing. If she doesn't say it, I'll tell you in the future, but it's not convenient to say this now." Chen Chong comforted: "Director Hu has several industries in Taipei. If the news leaks out and is sealed by the government, the losses will be huge."

"Are you really going to let him go to the mainland to film?" Zhang Aijia was very worried and said, "When you go to the mainland to film, you will definitely be banned by Taiwan, and it will be very troublesome at that time."

"Yes, so I asked Director Hu to deal with all the industries in Taipei first, and then talk about filming in the mainland." Chen Chong parked the car at the entrance of the hotel where Ann Hui was staying, and did not rush to get off. He explained: "Director Hu went to the mainland and was very warmly welcomed. He grew up in Beijing since he was a child. This time he found his sister who had been away for decades and didn't even want to go back to Hong Kong."

"It's not what you brought to you." Zhang Aijia gave him annoyed look, sighed, and said, "The current situation is really a headache. You have to be careful when making a movie."

"Anyway, don't spread this matter first." Chen Chong reminded him, and then said, "If you wear a dress, don't come out. I'll go find Sister An and Sister Yunwen."

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Note 1: The specific award date for the 1979 Golden Horse Awards was not found, this date is the plot that needs to be set.
Chapter completed!