June 29 arrived in the blink of an eye. Lin Yuan's two films had been in theaters for a week.
Today was the day the weekly statistics would be released, yet he was not with the crew, waiting for the results to be compiled.
It was practically like not checking your exam scores on the day the college entrance exam results were announced.
In New York Central Park, Lin Yuan had brought Liu Yifei to a patch of grass by the lake. After setting up a tent, they sat in their chairs and had a picnic.
The bright sunshine and the sweet young girl put him in an incomparably good mood.
"Today is the day the box office results come out. Aren't you worried at all?" Liu Yifei picked up a strawberry with a toothpick and offered it to him.
Lin Yuan did not take it. Instead, he opened his mouth and pointed at it with a finger.
The Celestial Fairy was not about to indulge him. She smacked him lightly and stuffed the strawberry into his hand.
"I'm not worried. We won't lose money," Lin Yuan replied with a smile.
"Wasn't your goal to defeat The Mummy Returns? It can't be that easy to win, can it?" Liu Yifei asked.
"We can talk about work later. Right now, I should focus on keeping you company. I won't get to see you for a while," Lin Yuan said.
In a few days, Liu Yifei would return to China with her mother.
She had completed all her studies and needed to return home for foundational acting training, preparing for Yanying's entrance exam early next year.
"Then you still didn't have to turn off your phone. What if someone needs you urgently?" Liu Yifei replied.
"I don't want any trivial matters disturbing me today. I'll turn it back on later. Nothing will be delayed," he said with a smile.
Seeing that Lin Yuan had made up his mind, Liu Yifei did not try to persuade him further. Smiling, she leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the brilliant sunlight.
Over the past few months, the two of them had not met often.
Lin Yuan had been busy with his films' releases and promotions, while Liu Yifei had been busy keeping up with her studies.
They had not seen each other for two months, yet when they met today, they did not deliberately chatter nonstop. Instead, they quietly kept each other company with perfect mutual understanding.
After being busy for so long, it was nice to settle down and rest for a while.
Lin Yuan popped the strawberry in his hand into his mouth and reclined in his chair as well.
Though he looked highly confident, there was still a trace of unease in his heart.
There were still many uncertain factors standing between him and complete victory.
First, both Jurassic Park 3 and The Fast and the Furious had to surpass The Mummy Returns in profit before he could be considered the winner of his bet with Director Sommers.
Jurassic Park 3, which had received only a 5.9 rating on IMDB in his previous life, had risen to 6.4 in this life due to Lin Yuan's involvement. Its reviews were slightly better than its rival's 6.2.
But could Jurassic Park 3, which had nearly lost money in his previous life, truly beat The Mummy Returns in profits?
And when it came to The Fast and the Furious, that was even more worrying.
If Jurassic Park 3 could still be considered a major production on the same level as The Mummy Returns, with production budgets both around 100 million dollars—
Then comparing the profits of The Fast and the Furious, which had cost only 30 million USD, to those of The Mummy Returns was a little absurd.
Fortunately, because of the joint marketing campaign, quite a few viewers who had watched Jurassic Park 3 and still wanted more chose to continue with The Fast and the Furious.
Unfortunately, that audience flow was mostly one-way.
Because Lin Yuan did not have much screen time in The Fast and the Furious, it was difficult for it to draw viewers toward Jurassic Park 3.
Otherwise, he would have felt more at ease.
Whatever. He had done everything he could.
Two films against one. The advantage was his.
But even if he achieved a box office victory over The Mummy Returns, it would only mean he had won that bet.
He still had an even loftier task requirement hanging over him.
First stage of the mission: Star in a Hollywood film and surpass The Mummy Returns at the global box office.
This mission did not consider profit, only absolute box office revenue.
Jurassic Park 3 had a lower marketing budget than in his previous life, while The Mummy Returns had received a higher one. Could it really win at the box office?
A breeze brushed across their faces. Bathed in sunlight, they gradually drifted off to sleep.
They slept deeply, and the exhaustion from their many days of running around was swept away.
"Time for lunch."
By the time Lin Yuan was awakened from his dream, it was already noon.
He saw that Liu Yifei had filled the picnic table with all kinds of carefully prepared food.
There was Western food such as bread, bacon, hot dogs, and milk, as well as Chinese pan-fried dumplings, meat pies, steamed buns...
"Here, drink more so you can grow taller." Lin Yuan picked up a bottle of milk and handed it to her.
Liu Yifei took it casually and handed him a slice of bacon. "Wrap it in a meat pie, and put on some music while you're at it."
At that, Lin Yuan turned on the speaker he had brought with him, and a cheerful song poured out:
"It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A."
Staying at the Y.M.C.A. was fun.
"You can get yourself clean."
You could get yourself clean.
"You can have a good meal."
You could have a good meal.
"You can do whatever you feel."
You could do whatever you felt like.
"It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A."
Staying at the Y.M.C.A. was fun.
Hearing the cheerful classic song Y.M.C.A., an image immediately sprang into Lin Yuan's mind: that blond president who always liked to wear a red tie.
He twisted his body, swinging his fists left and right in rhythmic motions.
Before Lin Yuan's rebirth, 2024 had been an American election year. He wondered whether that old friend had managed a second victory and been elected again.
"Playing that song could bring unnecessary trouble. If I were you, I wouldn't play it in public." A burly bald man emerged from the woods.
Lin Yuan looked up and saw Vin Diesel walking toward him with a smile.
Lin Yuan understood what he meant.
Y.M.C.A. was sometimes interpreted in an alternative way and had become a song associated with certain special groups who liked men.
But Lin Yuan, who possessed Master Hand-to-Hand Combat, Master Swordsmanship, and the Master Flying Dagger Technique, did not particularly care about any minor trouble that might arise.
After the real combat experience during his trip to Hong Kong Island, he had never worried about his personal safety again.
He had yet to use the Master Hand-to-Hand Combat he had just acquired in actual combat, and his hands were itching a little.
Unfortunately, New York Central Park's security was fairly good. After all, this was the heart of New York.
While Lin Yuan was letting his imagination run wild, Vin Diesel had already approached.
"Uncle, what brings you here?" Lin Yuan greeted him with a smile.
Through Lin Yuan, Vin Diesel had long since become familiar with Liu Yifei.
After the two exchanged greetings, Vin Diesel complained, "I finally found you. You actually turned off your phone. Don't you know what day it is today?"
"Don't be in such a hurry. It's lunchtime. Have some bread and bacon." Lin Yuan picked up a slice of bread and placed it in Vin Diesel's hand.
"You still have the appetite to eat? Aren't you at all anxious to know the box office results?" Seeing how unhurried Lin Yuan was, Vin Diesel was furious.
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