Chapter 27: The Second Bucket of Gold Plan

  Since ancient times, China's traditional antique trading market has a term called "pick up the leak", which means to buy very valuable antiques at a very cheap price, and the seller is often unaware of it.

  In fact, in the film trading market, there is also a saying "pick up leaks". For example, a future Chinese blockbuster movie "Lost on Journey" was previously rejected by investors when its director and screenwriter were looking for funding. However, it was later picked up by a company, filmed and released, earning 1.2 billion yuan at the box office with an investment of only 300 million yuan! It can be said that this is a huge leak.

  But in American film history, there have been many leaks. If you want to talk about the most incredible one, you can't help but mention a movie called "The Blair Witch"!

  The Blair Witch, an experimental film shot by college students with a DV camera, had a total investment of only $200,000, but the global box office reached a staggering $248 million!

  This is a miracle, a heaven-defying miracle!

  If there's only one reason why this film was successful, it's because these stupid student directors were lucky enough to touch the goddess of luck's big aunt, turning the movie into a "pseudo-documentary" and becoming the originator of future "pseudo-documentary" films. Later films like "The Blair Witch Project", "Paranormal Activity", and "The Descent" are all successors of this mode.

  It's now 1998 and The Blair Witch Project is about to be completed but has yet to be released.

  Yi Feiyang's plan was simple and direct: no matter what method he used, he had to get his hands on the copyright for this play!

  If we say that Yi Feiyang's first pot of gold was obtained through "extortion", then this time, the means he used is "fraud"!

  I am despicable! I am shameless!

  To achieve my goal, I can be ruthless!

  Yi Feiyang just wants to make a fortune in this land of gold, America!

  Marx said that the primitive accumulation of capital is bloody, but Yifeng feels that his own primitive capital accumulation has become much more civilized.

  These past few days, Yi Feiyang had let Fatzi Jack and Bunny Bill collect all the materials related to "The Blair Witch", including the two college students Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez who directed this play.

  Jack and Bill were puzzled, why would China suddenly take an interest in these two young university students? Was it just because they had made a low-cost small movie with their hands? It was said that the film was even shot with a DV camera, how rough, how simple, what's so special about it.

  They didn't understand, but the two still followed Yifeng's instructions and soon contacted the two college students. After a conversation, they agreed to meet at a coffee shop near Hollywood in three days.

  On the day of the meeting, Yi Feiyang specially dressed up to make himself look spirited and like a successful businessman, rather than a shabby guy. You see, in America, although it's touted that everyone is equal, people still have a preference for wealth over poverty, and if you're dressed brightly, they'll look up to you more.

  As for Jack and Bill, the two guys dressed up as Yi Fei Yang's followers, one fat and one thin, they complemented each other quite well.

  The coffee shop looks very lively inside.

  Yi Feiyang and they arrived early, ordered three cups of coffee and waited.

  Time slowly passed by, and one after another pushed open the door of the coffee shop, but none of them were the person Ye Feiyang was waiting for.

  Yi Feiyang is fine, but Fat Jack and Bunny Bill are getting a bit anxious.

  "This is ridiculous, these college students are so sloppy! Whether it's dating or handing in assignments, they've never been enthusiastic!" Bill had a grudge against universities because he was expelled from school and had an even worse impression of college students.

  "Let's wait a bit longer, maybe they'll be here soon," Fat Jack comforted.

  "What's going on? Maybe these guys had planned to ditch us all along! I think we should give them a call and ask."

  "That's good too, if they really don't come, we won't have to wait anymore!"

  ……

  Yi Feiyang tapped his fingers on the table.

  "Never mind," he said, "we'll wait another ten minutes, and if they really don't come, we'll leave!"

  Yi Feiyang's words left no room for doubt.

  Helpless, the two guys had no choice but to fall back into their chairs and continue waiting.

  Time passed for another seven or eight minutes.

  Originally calm and composed Yi Feiyang also felt a bit annoyed deep down, but he tried his best to control his emotions and not let them show.

  Just as Yifei Yang let out a sigh and decided to end the date, the coffee shop's door opened and four people walked in from outside - two men and two women, all dressed very casually, looking like young people who were not worldly-wise.

  That freckled white youth, chewing gum, looked over at Yi Fei Yang and waved his hand in greeting: "Hey buddy, are you the one who wanted to meet with us?" As he spoke, he sat down uninvited with his companions.

  "Hello, I'm Yì Fēi Yáng." Yì Fēi Yáng extended his hand.

  The white young man chuckled and shook hands with him, "I'm Daniel, he's Adiado... you can also call him Cuban because he's a real Cuban!" Then asked: "Brother, are you Korean or Japanese?"

  "No, I am Chinese," Yì Fēi Yáng said.

  "Chinese? An ancient and mysterious nation. But I still like the Japanese, I like their ninjas!" Daniel mimicked throwing shuriken, "They look cool when they run, and the motion of throwing shuriken is also cool!"

  "Oh damn, I also like ninjas, they look more handsome with swords! I have a Japanese long sword in my hand, it's said to be an antique from the Edo period!" Another young man, Ediado, laughed.

  "No way, buddy, you actually have such a treasure, how come I didn't know?"

  ……

  The two men talked to each other, directly ignoring Yi Feiyang and his group.

  As for the two white girls beside them, they kept making eyes at Yi Fei Yang, flirting with him.

  For them, they had never seen a Chinese man with such a deep and handsome appearance. The Chinese students in the university were either short and timid or lacked confidence, even walking with their heads down, as if afraid of being laughed at by others.

  As Daniel and Edgard were so arrogant, Jack was almost unbearable with Bill, about to explode.

  Yi Feiyang, however, took off his jacket and hung it on the chair as if nothing was wrong, lit a cigarette, raised his legs, and listened with great interest to Daniel's nonsense.

  Watching Yi Feiyang's elegant posture, like in the movie "The Godfather", the two girls' eyes shone even brighter.

  Daniel and Edyardo chatted with each other for a while, then turned back to Yifei Yang and said, "Oh right, buddy, you didn't call us here just to drink coffee today, did you?"

  Yi Feiyang smiled, now it's time for the main topic.

  "My assistant should have told you that I am very interested in the DV film you shot." Straightforward and without beating around the bush.

  "Our DV movie? Haha, your news is quite up-to-date! We just finished filming this DV not long ago, and the editing has only been done halfway!" Daniel smiled.

  "If I can, I'd like to spend $30,000 to buy the copyright of your play!" Yì Fēi Yáng said, exhaling a mouthful of smoke.

  Daniel glanced at Ediardo, who looked at Yifeiyang and asked: "Are you from the film company?"

  "No, I'm not."

  "Do you have your own cinema?"

  "No, I don't."

  ……

  "Huh, buddy, we don't get it. You're not from a movie company and you don't have your own cinema, so why do you want to buy our copyright?"

  "I've said it before, I'm very interested in this play of yours."

  "But this play is an experimental piece."

  "I know this."

  "We shot it on DV."

  "I know this too."

  ……

  Daniel and Edyardo looked at each other.

  Daniel suddenly laughed, "Although you're very interested, we won't sell the copyright to you!"

  "Why?" Yì Fēi Yáng asked.

  "It's simple, your offer is too low!"

  "If I remember correctly, this play of yours cost only $20,000 to make. You've already made a profit of $10,000 just by selling it once. Isn't that enough?"

  "Of course it's not enough. If we take this play to the theater circuit, who knows what we might get!" Daniel said slyly.

  "Yes, this is our lifeblood, and we won't sell it to you easily!" Eddardo said.

  Yi Feiyang laughed, "Then how much money do you want?!"

  "Take it or leave it, twenty million!" Daniel said with a wide grin, "We'll only consider it at this price."

  "Not bad, one less and it's not worth it!" Edyardo added, "Our blood and sweat is at least worth this price!"

  The two men spoke with great confidence, as if they had already won over Yifei Yang.

  "Two hundred thousand?" Yi Feiyang tapped his hand lightly on the table.

  Next to them, Rabbit Bill and Fat Jack were almost frantic, don't answer, these two guys are simply crazy about money!

  They anxiously looked at Yi Feiyang, hoping he would immediately refuse, but would Yi Feiyang?