Chapter 00204: The Great Benefactor (Part 2)
# The Great Benefactor (Part 2)
Chapter 204
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 204: The Great Benefactor (Part 2)
The office was now empty except for the two of them.
Leader Han, a seasoned administrator, knew it was time to lay all the cards on the table.
This matter had to be resolved.
"You said you support Xiao Li in making movies, but you still want him to stay with the martial arts team, right?" Chen Qi took a sip of tea and asked slowly.
"Exactly! Is that too much to ask?"
"Not at all. But if you keep him, are you still expecting him to compete?"
"Of course! He's only 18. Based on the average retirement age of martial arts athletes, he still has at least seven or eight years of prime time. Xiao Li is exceptionally talented. How many gold medals could he bring to the team every year? Let me be blunt—the whole point of being an athlete is to compete and win medals, isn't it? You must know how much effort we put into training our athletes. Do you know how poor our country is? Yet, our athletes still get to eat meat, have milk and eggs regularly, and are provided with one-on-one coaching, free meals, and accommodations. We take care of their lives like they're our own children. Xiao Li joined the team at 11, and his seniority started counting from then. He was even paid a salary back then. Now, he earns 88 yuan a month, and he gets a 500-yuan bonus every time he performs abroad. We’ve never mistreated him! Sure, he earned it by winning medals, but how do you measure the value of this system? How can he ever repay it?"
Leader Han spoke at length, then sighed.
"We’re not forbidding him from making movies. If he wants to make movies, fine, but he has to come back afterward. When he’s in good condition, he can compete. Isn’t that lenient enough? If he just leaves like that, what’s the difference between him and an ungrateful wretch?"
"I understand, I completely understand. Since I’ve come here today, could you perhaps show some leniency and make an exception?"
"Since you’re here to plead for him, I’ll give you face. Let Xiao Li write a self-criticism, and I’ll still support him in making movies."
"No, no. What I mean is, he can stay with the martial arts team, but only make movies, no competitions."
"No competitions?"
Leader Han’s eyes widened, and he shook his head.
"No, no, how will we win medals then?"
"You can train someone else!"
"Do you think a genius athlete just falls from the sky? Training takes money and time!"
"If you force him to compete, what if he slacks off?"
"He wouldn’t dare! If he does, he’ll never get anywhere in life!"
"If that happens, Xiao Li will be ruined, your reputation will suffer, and you’ll lose a national champion. It’s a lose-lose situation. Forcing things never works out. Since you support him making movies in your heart, why not support him all the way? Why do something that pleases no one?"
Chen Qi pleaded earnestly.
"We’re making movies to earn foreign currency. It’s best to resolve this matter between us. If I want Xiao Li, and you disagree, I’ll go to the higher-ups, and you’ll do the same. What will the leaders think of us then?"
"..."
Leader Han fell silent and sighed.
Everything Chen Qi said made sense.
"Alright, you’ve trained a champion, and it wasn’t easy. I’ll propose a condition: Xiao Li will continue to stay with the martial arts team but will be loaned to me. He won’t have to return to compete; he’ll just make movies for me. I’ll pay you 5,000 yuan every year as a loan fee. How about that?"
"A loan fee?"
Leader Han straightened his back.
When it’s time to reason, reason; when it’s time to negotiate, negotiate.
This kind of person is quite impressive.
"Xiao Li is a national champion and now a popular movie star. Many studios are eyeing him, not just yours."
"10,000!"
"I heard Beijing Film Studio paid 80,000 to get Liu Xiaoqing."
"Liu Xiaoqing was a one-time payment. This is annual. You said Xiao Li still has seven or eight years before retirement. That adds up to 70,000 or 80,000."
"70,000 or 80,000..."
Leader Han smacked his lips, pondering carefully, then firmly but somewhat sheepishly rejected the offer.
"Still too little!"
Chen Qi rolled his eyes.
After some haggling, they settled on 15,000 yuan.
Calculated over eight years, Chen Qi would only need to pay 120,000 yuan to secure Li Lianjie’s services for eight years.
When he reached retirement age, he could be transferred to a cushy position in the sports system, which would still keep him under control.
The sports system would be more than happy with that arrangement.
Childhood nostalgia aside, facts are facts.
Some of the scandals Li Lianjie would be involved in later were still unknown to most people at this time.
The news only hinted at them, and it was a sensitive topic. (This part has been edited due to sensitivity.)
There were other issues as well.
In short, Chen Qi didn’t fully trust him.
He wanted to use Li Lianjie’s martial arts films to break into the international market.
With Chen Qi’s guidance, Li Lianjie wouldn’t face the decade-long stagnation and decline he experienced in history.
He’d go straight to becoming an international star.
But if someone poached him, or he went abroad, or caused trouble in Hong Kong...
Then all of Chen Qi’s efforts would be wasted.
Although the East Factory had its own system, it wasn’t as strict as the martial arts team.
Keeping Li Lianjie’s work and identity tied to the sports system provided a strong constraint.
As mentioned earlier, he had to be kept within the system!
…………
Li Lianjie waited outside, feeling like an eternity had passed.
In reality, it was only about half an hour.
Finally, he heard laughter from inside, followed by the sound of the door opening.
Chen Qi and Leader Han walked out, all smiles, with no trace of animosity.
Leader Han said, "Xiao Li, you’ve really met a great benefactor. I won’t say more. You two go ahead and take care of your business."
"Sorry for the trouble today. Let’s have a drink sometime!"
Chen Qi shook hands with Leader Han and left with Li Lianjie.
"Brother Qi, how did it go?"
After walking a few steps, Li Lianjie couldn’t help but ask.
Chen Qi sighed.
"I had to humble myself today. You can make movies now, and you don’t have to compete, but all your ties will remain with the martial arts team. This is the best compromise I could get. This is as far as I can go. If you still want to leave, then let’s part ways amicably."
"No, no! I won’t leave, I won’t leave!"
The theory of asking to open a window by first proposing to tear down the house still holds true.
Faced with the prospect of a lose-lose situation with the martial arts team, Li Lianjie was thrilled to hear such terms.
He nodded repeatedly.
"As long as I can make movies, it’s fine. Not having to compete is even better. Staying with the martial arts team is fine; I’m used to it anyway. But Brother Qi, how did you convince him?"
"You’re being loaned to my company."
Chen Qi poked his chest and said, "To make this happen, I have to pay the martial arts team a hefty sum every year as a loan fee! For you, I’ve really gone all out!"
"This, this..."
Li Lianjie was stunned.
He hadn’t expected this and was at a loss for words.
"Brother Qi, you..."
"Enough! Save your words. Go pack your things and report to Beijing Film Studio tomorrow. Just make good movies for me, and that’ll be enough to repay me!"
Chen Qi turned his back, waved his hand, and rode off on his old bicycle, wobbling as he went.
"..."
Li Lianjie watched him disappear before heading back to the dormitory.
As he walked, he suddenly jumped three feet in the air, overwhelmed by excitement.
He quickly started packing.
Even though he couldn’t leave, at least he didn’t have to compete anymore.
He truly hated competing now and only wanted to make movies.
"With Brother Qi’s company, I’ll surely have a chance to shine. Brother Qi really is my great benefactor. He’s been so good to me; he definitely won’t treat me poorly!"
(End of chapter.)