I Have 10 Trillion Dollars only Usable For Simping
Chapter 305 - 297 Accelerates Cultural Victory

Chapter 305: 297 Accelerates Cultural Victory

"Choose between scoring 700 on the Gaokao and 7 million yuan? Xiao Bai, why are you looking that up?"

In the dormitory, Luo Peng stood curiously beside Bai Zheli, staring at his laptop.

Without glancing away, Bai Zheli absorbed the online comments and adjusted his glasses, "I’m doing research for my graduation project."

Indeed.

They had a little more than half a year left in their college careers, and the graduation thesis was already on the agenda.

"Do you even need to think about this question? Even a fool knows which to choose."

Luo Peng said with a smirk.

"Pengzi, if it were you, which one would you pick?"

Li Shao from the next bed seemed interested in this question too, chiming in.

"Of course, the 7 million! Isn’t that obvious?"

Luo Peng didn’t hesitate.

"Peng ge, but I saw some street interview videos on Xingkong, and all those interviewed high school students chose the 700 points," Bai Zheli turned to say.

"You just said it yourself, they’re still high school students."

Luo Peng laughed and then glanced at the posts on the computer screen, casually asking, "What did they say?"

"Some say that scoring 700 points on the Gaokao gives you more possibilities in life in the future, while others say if you can achieve 700 points on the Gaokao, you’ll definitely earn more than 7 million later on."

"That’s a fairly honest opinion."

Luo Peng smiled and then pointed at the laptop, "But you see, look at these posts online, what do the top comments say?"

Bai Zheli had already read them.

Unlike the short videos he scrolled through, the online community’s attitude towards this question was completely different from those high school students’, even polar opposites. Without exception, the top few comments all chose the 7 million.

Luo Peng patted his shoulder.

"That’s reality. Those high school students are still living in their ivory towers, untouched by the harshness of the world and human warmth, their heads filled with dreams and far-off places. Ask them the same question in a few years, and they’ll be just like these netizens, facing reality."

"Xiao Bai, let me interview you. If you had to choose between 7 million and scoring 700 on the Gaokao, what would it be?"

"7 million."

Bai Zheli answered without any hesitation,

Luo Peng burst out laughing, looking around, "See, Xiao Bai is clear-headed after all."

Jiang Chen was watching a movie, a Hollywood blockbuster, looking quite relaxed.

"Xiao Bai, how many points did you score on the Gaokao again?" Li Shao asked.

Bai Zheli thought for a moment.

"I think it was 658."

Li Shao glanced at Luo Peng, "658, what’s the big difference from 700?"

"..."

Luo Peng didn’t answer and instead asked, "Shao ge’er, what about you, how would you choose?"

Li Shao wasn’t as decisive as them, his eyes reflecting contemplation as if he was weighing his options.

Luo Peng laughed.

"No way? Shao ge’er, we’re all seniors now; you can’t still be as naive as those high school kids, can you?"

"You know, every year tens of millions of people take the Gaokao in China, and how many can score 700 points? It’s something that can honor the ancestors."

Luo Peng’s smile grew.

"Shao ge, but do you know how many people in a population of over a billion can earn 7 million in their lifetime?"

Of course, Li Shao had no answer.

"I can tell you this much: not even 4 million households. And that includes the total assets of the entire family, with about 400 million households across the country. So, getting that 7 million means you can elevate your family to the top 1% standard of living in the nation."

Perhaps owing to his family background, Luo Peng appeared to be cavalier, but his understanding of the country’s economic conditions was remarkably clear—not like those young people brainwashed by the internet, oblivious to the depth of society.

Miss Shi had no great concept of money.

In fact, to some extent, many young people now share her outlook.

Take for instance those keyboard warriors pronouncing judgments on Xingkong; each one dreams big, judging by their words, you’d think Shenzhou had fully realized its great rejuvenation, boasting an average income of a million, beating the world hands down.

"Shao ge, let’s not even use our own school as an example, let’s talk about Qingbei. Do you know the average monthly salary of Qingbei graduates five years after graduation, according to an industry survey? Between 18,000 and 20,000 yuan, you heard me right. That’s it. Qingbei graduates’ income surely far exceeds the domestic average, doesn’t it? But how long would it take to earn 7 million?

Xiao Bai, you do the math for me."

"350 months."

"Exactly, 350 months, which is roughly 30 years."

Luo Peng sighed, "Shao ge’er, that’s the reality. Even if you scored 700 points, so what? You would still need a long time to cash in on that, still need to strive in university, struggle in society, and only after who knows how many years could you take a break, have the capacity to repay your parents. But choose 7 million, and you can immediately, right away, improve your life and your family’s life. Today’s bronze is better than tomorrow’s gold, after all. Besides, being young with money is completely different from being old with money. On this question, even a second of hesitation isn’t a disrespect for money but disrespect for truth."

Li Shao was left speechless.

"Of course, if your family already had 7 million, that would be a different story, then you could completely opt for the 700 points, adding more possibilities to your life."

"Peng ge, can I include what you just said in my paper?"

Bai Zheli looked up.

"Of course, just add a footnote credited to the future finance star Luo Peng."

Luo Peng patted his shoulder and turned to walk towards Jiang Chen.

"What are you so absorbed in watching?"

"Damn, Jiang Chen, broad daylight and you’re actually watching a porno, sneaking around by yourself, that’s so sneaky..."

After glancing at it for a few moments, Luo Peng slightly furrowed his brow, "Which country is this from? It’s not professional at all compared to Dongying; how about I give you a website, with Chinese subtitles, plot, super thrilling..."

"Have another careful look. Is this a porno?"

Jiang Chen said, annoyed.

Luo Peng took a closer look and realized he might have misunderstood.

"Is this... Cleopatra?"

Correct.

What was playing on Jiang Chen’s computer was indeed the second most expensive movie in film history, which nonetheless ended in a financial disaster: "Cleopatra."

For the creation of this epic, the production company invested a total of 44 million US dollars, yet the box office return was only 24 million US dollars.

Bear in mind, this was half a century ago!

As a result, "Cleopatra" remains one of the most financially disastrous films in movie history.

"I’ve watched this movie many times as a kid. I heard that to make this film, the production nearly reconstructed the entire city of Rome; it was absolutely mind-blowing." Luo Peng leaned in closer, "Great minds think alike, eh? I also think this movie is a classic. Despite the dismal box office, it’s definitely an epic masterpiece. The leading lady Elizabeth, she was the woman of my dreams when I was young..."

As he spoke, he changed the subject.

"I have that kind of version, wanna check it out?"

"..."

Jiang Chen ignored him.

Luo Peng didn’t mind, he moved his chair over, reliving childhood memories, commenting as he watched.

The nearly four-hour-long movie, in the end, was not watched through to completion.

Luo Peng sighed with a sense of longing,

"When can our country produce a blockbuster of this magnitude? Even if it’s bad, I would go to the movie theater to support it."

"Wait until you’re old, see if you can wait that long."

Li Shao interjected, "The biggest investment for a domestic movie now is just one billion, while ’Cleopatra’ is already half a century old. The gap in the film industry is more than just a little bit."

"We have lots of top-tier wealthy people in the country now, why are they reluctant to pour money into movies?"

Bai Zheli asked.

"It’s quite simple, because of the limitations of the market."

Li Shao explained: "Why does Hollywood dare to invest heavily? Because when they make a movie, they can release it to the global market, and the whole world is willing to pay for it. But it’s difficult for Chinese-language films to go international. Those movie companies may not lack money, but they are not foolish. Why would they want to spend a billion or two billion taking a gamble? To change this situation, fundamentally, it’s necessary to start with cultural exportation. As our country strengthens, this process is already gradually beginning, just that the pace is not fast and might require a rather long period of time."

"When the world starts to become familiar with, and accepts Eastern culture, then there will be people willing to take the risk, and the more people take risks, the more the film industry will progress."

"Insightful."

Luo Peng nodded in agreement.

"Strong national power can lead to cultural victory, and cultural victory will drive a complete triumph."

Jiang Chen looked at Li Shao, who was speaking, and something stirred within him.

He originally saw the opportunity to collaborate with Thomas Felton as simply a chance to "make money."

But now it seemed the significance of this matter was not as superficial as he had thought.

When poor, one looks after oneself.

When well-off, one should contribute to the welfare of the world.

Once you reach a certain position, what you do, even if not intentional, might influence the whole world invisibly.

Like if this movie were actually made.

Many records would be broken.

For instance, Hollywood has never had an Eastern actor in a leading role before.

Remember.

What’s being broken here isn’t just a mere record, but also the deep-seated perceptions in people’s minds!

Once there’s the first, the second and third... suddenly, it seems not that hard to accept anymore.

If the West could force open the gates of our country with powerful ships and guns back then, why shouldn’t we now use "financial power" to blast open their cultural defenses?

Li Shao wasn’t wrong.

As national power grows and cultural exportation reaches a certain level, the domestic film industry will naturally take a significant leap forward.

But remember.

Film itself is also a means of cultural exportation, a part of cultural outreach; it has the responsibility to expand outward and not just complacently wait to reap the benefits of others’ efforts.

Li Shao would never imagine that what he thought was just an ordinary dorm room chat, like any other day, would change Jiang Chen’s ideology.

Jiang Chen glanced at the time on the bottom right corner of his laptop, then closed his computer and stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

Luo Peng was puzzled.

"I’m going to accelerate cultural victory."