The first day's box office in more than 10 other cities was 2.9 million yuan in total, while in Shanghai, which had a population of nearly 10 million, the film earned only 15,000 Yuan on its opening day.
What the hell had happened?
Qin Guan's livelihood was on the line. This was so cruel!
Was he going to act like a sitting duck though? Of course not!
After discussing this with his agency, a strategy for the fans in Shanghai was implemented online. Qin Guan's team uploaded a map of the surrounding cities, local cinemas and public transportation routes. The map also included nearby restaurants and coffee bars. One could call it a tourist guide for cities around Shanghai.
"Are you worried about waiting in a long line, but still want to buy a ticket? Are you in Shanghai, looking for tickets to the most popular limited-budget film? Please read this and take a short fun trip to watch Qin Guan's film!"
The map included Suzhou, Wuxi, Jiaxing, even Hangzhou, which shocked fans all over the country.
Even though Shanghai was such a big city, only two of its cinemas were showing the film. In other cities, the film's time slots were getting more and more popular, but Shanghai remained completely indifferent.
After standing in a long line for an entire day in vain, the fans had gotten angry. All the booking websites were useless. There was a traffic jam on all the highways and roads around Shanghai on the weekends. There were even posters and slogans about Qin Guan on a few cars. These people were all loyal fans of Qin Guan.
They blasted "Hundred Family Surnames" through their loudspeakers as they headed away from Shanghai happily.
The number of people in down-town Shanghai decreased significantly. Some reporters were even waiting for the fans to come back with news.
This was not just a simple problem of the entertainment circle. People's livelihoods were in danger all over the country. The business would suffer a great loss.
Meanwhile, more and more people fell in love with the film's black humor and twists. The film received public praise online. Both Qin Guan's fans and curious common people went to the cinema to watch it. Only famous films stood the test of time. By the time Qin Guan finished his work with Director Zhang, the film had an outstanding box office of 48.8 million Yuan, which meant that it had earned back 10 times its budget.
If one subtracted the share of the cinemas and distribution agencies, as well as the initial investment, Qin Guan had earned a net profit of nearly 10 million. He certainly deserved his Lucky Boy title.
Meanwhile, Chen Hong was preparing for the lawsuit. She had gone too far for "The Promise" by using improper means. The simple problem had become more complicated because of her.
Everything had gotten out of control. Her friends in Shanghai were angry and they needed an outlet.
Tiancheng had fallen silent, so Chen had to go to court alone. People refused to give up until all hope was gone. Everyone hoped that she would be more honest in the future.
Director Zhang was happy to hear the news. The whole crew was pleased, so Qin Guan's final scene was finished in a harmonious atmosphere.
The scene depicted the bursting point of hostility among brothers, father and sons, as well as husband and wife. Of course, Jay Chou was not included. He was a greenhand, so it would be better for him to stay in shallow waters. His job was just to destroy the palace with his troops after everyone else's story had ended.
The royal family began its weapon-less battle in the small hall.
Qin Guan had committed suicide earlier. He had escaped death narrowly, but he was still weak, so he was lying in an armchair, his face and lips looking pale as he panted. There were blood stains on the bandages around his chest.