Chapter 00251: You Belong to the Proletariat
# You Belong to the Proletariat
Chapter 251
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 251: You Belong to the Proletariat
Ed Harris and his companion concluded their two-month stay in Hong Kong and returned to the United States.
Hong Kong had left a deep impression on them, and they had plenty of praise for *The Orphan’s Lament*.
But in the end, talk was cheap—results were what truly mattered.
Sentiment alone wouldn’t cut it.
The entertainment industry was a brutal battlefield.
No one remembered a failed chef unless he had cooked something as unforgettable as *Braised Intestines in Nine Turns*.
The crew held a wrap-up banquet in the canteen of the Clearwater Bay studio—every penny counted.
However, the next day, Chen Qi personally hosted a separate dinner for Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi.
Nansun Shi sported a neat short haircut and dressed with her own distinctive flair.
Originally from Shanghai, she later moved to Hong Kong, studied abroad, and upon returning, worked at a television station before joining Cinema City alongside Tsui Hark.
None of the trio—Raymond Wong, Dean Shek, or Karl Maka—had much talent for management.
Nansun Shi was the real backbone, keeping the company running smoothly with her rare administrative skills.
The two entered a restaurant and were led to a private room where Chen Qi was already seated, with Xiao Mo standing guard by the door.
"Miss Shi, I’ve long admired your reputation!"
"This is our first meeting—how could you have heard of me before?"
"In Hong Kong, countless people know how to make films, but few understand management. Without you, Cinema City wouldn’t even know how to file their taxes properly."
"Hahaha, Mr. Chen, you certainly know how to flatter!"
Nansun Shi laughed heartily.
She had heard plenty about Chen Qi from Tsui Hark, and the mutual respect between them was evident in their conversations.
The three took their seats, ordered dishes, and Chen Qi poured the wine.
Raising his glass, he declared, "First toast—to Director Tsui’s invaluable help in completing *The Orphan’s Lament*!"
"Second toast—I’ll be returning to the mainland soon, so I’ll have to trouble you with overseeing post-production... Third toast—though we belong to different companies, we can still be friends. Since we’ll soon part ways, let’s drink to that!"
Without even touching a bite of food, he downed three glasses in quick succession.
Tsui Hark’s face was already flushed.
He loved drinking and this kind of atmosphere—his bones were steeped in the romanticism of a chivalrous hero.
His drunken rendition of *The Swordsman* with James Wong and Lo Ta-yu was a legendary display of unbridled passion.
As they ate, drank, and chatted, Chen Qi finally broached the subject: "Director Tsui, since I’ll be leaving soon, I’ll ask you one more time—are you really not considering joining the leftist faction?"
"Why bring this up again? We agreed not to discuss it!"
Tsui Hark scratched his head, visibly frustrated.
Nansun Shi smiled and said, "Mr. Chen, please understand—making films requires funding. If the box office fails, no one will invest. We need box office success as a foundation. Right now, everyone in Hong Kong is chasing the Taiwanese market. What can we do when the mainland remains closed?"
"I admit the mainland is closed off, but as I’ve told Director Tsui—Taiwan has a population of 20 million. How big can its market really be? After spending months here, my biggest takeaway is that local filmmakers lack ambition, content to stay within their tiny bubble."We should aim for overseas markets—for America! That’s where the real opportunities lie.
With your talents, it’s a waste to confine yourselves to Hong Kong!
"If you don’t want to join the leftist faction directly, that’s fine. We can invest and help you establish your own company. Wouldn’t that be better than being high-level employees at Cinema City?"
"This..."
The two were visibly tempted—the offer was undeniably attractive.
Before they could respond, Chen Qi pressed on: "Hong Kong keeps saying the mainland wants revolution, wants to eliminate the rich—but that’s all misinformation. If we really want to debate this, it’s simple. Both of you are successful figures in Hong Kong—which class do you think you belong to?"Are you proletarians, or capitalists?
"Don’t just think about yourselves—even tycoons like Run Run Shaw and Raymond Chow, can they truly be called capitalists? Do they control the means of production? Land, food, industry, energy, real estate, finance... At best, they dabble in property, barely scratching the surface of capital. Beyond that, what do they really own? What do *you* own?"You think you’re on their side, but in truth, *we* are the ones who share your path.
"Director Tsui, *you belong to the proletariat*!"
*Pfft—*
Tsui Hark nearly spat out his drink.
Nansun Shi’s lips twitched as she said, "Mr. Chen, this... this is..."
"I’m just speaking off the cuff—don’t take it to heart. But my earlier proposal was sincere. Come, let’s drink!"
Having said his piece, Chen Qi happily moved on, leaving the couple unsettled.
---
Late at night.
After finally finishing the meal, the two returned home.
Tsui Hark took a shower and sat in the living room smoking, clearly preoccupied.
Nansun Shi emerged, drying her hair, and asked, "Still thinking about what he said? His words were exaggerated—don’t dwell on them. The only real offer was helping us start our own company."
"No, I wasn’t thinking about that."
He stubbed out his cigarette and asked, "How did *All the Wrong Clues* perform at the box office?"
"7.47 million—a great result. It’s currently ranked sixth."
"What did Karl and the others say?"
*Huh?*
Nansun Shi blinked in surprise at the man who usually paid no attention to such matters.
"You know how the company works. As the director, you’ll get a fee, maybe a small bonus. The box office profits aren’t yours to share."At year’s end, it’s the three bosses who take the dividends—they’re the shareholders.""So Chen Qi was right.
We’re just high-level employees."Nansun Shi sat across from him and asked seriously,"Are you tempted?""I’m hesitating.""In my opinion, we really could start our own company.
You handle the creative side, I’ll manage operations, and we can hire more people.
A small company is entirely feasible.
Whether we lean left or right depends on the market.
The leftist faction only has eight theaters, and their films don’t sell in Taiwan—that’s what we need to consider carefully.
"He talked about breaking into America, but is America really that easy to conquer?"Why don’t we wait and see how *The Orphan’s Lament* performs before making a decision?"Nansun Shi was undoubtedly a wise partner, breaking things down logically. Left or right didn’t matter—whichever side offered a bigger market was the way to go. After some thought, Tsui Hark nodded."Alright, that sounds reasonable.
We’ll wait."--- Hong Kong’s education system consisted of three years of junior high, two years of senior high, two years of pre-university, and three years of university. Completing senior high earned one a"Form 5"qualification. Many Hong Kong celebrities only had a Form 5 education—some didn’t even reach that level. Those like Michael Hui and Wong Jing, who were actual university graduates, were rare. Outside a secondary school. Chingmy Yau had taken two months off for filming and had now returned to school, though her mind was no longer on studies. As classes ended, she waited by the gate, backpack slung over her shoulder, until she spotted a familiar car approaching in the distance. She eagerly waved. Sliding into the car with practiced ease, she grinned."Master, why are you picking me up today?""Taking you out to eat!""What are we having?""How about steak rice?""Mhm! I’ve been craving steak rice!"They soon arrived at the restaurant. True to its popularity, the place was packed. It was Chingmy’s first time there, and she clung to Chen Qi’s sleeve as they squeezed through to find seats. Hong Kong’s cuisine was a fusion of East and West. The steak here was pan-fried on an iron plate, seasoned with soy sauce, pepper, and minced garlic, served with rice or bread and borscht. Chingmy ordered the rice set but kept sneaking spoonfuls of Chen Qi’s borscht, her joy unmistakable. Watching her eat, Chen Qi smiled."Ah Zhen, I’ll be heading back in a few days."Her spoon froze."Back to the mainland?""Yeah.""..."Her head lowered, and when she looked up again, her eyes were glistening with tears."Master... can’t you stay?"
(End of Chapter)