Everyone was taken aback by what they heard.
What did that mean?
Putting up the money but not getting involved?
Was there really such a person?
They all exchanged bewildered glances.
Seeing everyone frozen in place, Zhao Yun stood up and cleared his throat: "Ahem, you all might not know President Zhou well yet. His style has always been generous, helpful, and not one to sweat the small stuff."
"President Zhou has also invested in many other projects, and it's basically the same approach."
Zhou You noticed that after Zhao Yun's explanation, everyone seemed lost in thought.
"Here's my initial idea: the fund will start at five million, and we'll pick a few people to handle the reviews. The fund will mainly support low-budget productions, with a maximum of two hundred and fifty thousand per project, and it can't exceed half of the project's total budget."
"This is for the long haul, to prevent anyone from exploiting loopholes, cutting corners, and pocketing the money instead of using it for filming."
"Of course, this is just my rough plan. We'll need to pool our ideas, or the money might not stretch far enough."
Zhao Yun noticed the joy on everyone's faces, but also a hint of worry: "You all know how rare it is for President Zhou to be willing to invest in documentaries. Our field barely turns a profit, so this five million is almost a pure loss. Please cherish this opportunity, don't waste it, and only take what you can handle."
Zhou Hao hadn't expected to stumble into something big today either. He was mulling over the pros and cons of this approach, but whether from his own perspective or the industry's, he felt he had to speak up.
"For an industry to thrive long-term, relying solely on outside funding won't cut it. But since there's no established habit of consuming documentaries yet, everyone's struggling. Now that President Zhou is stepping up to give this field a hand, since you're all here and love documentaries, you should think about the long-term development for yourselves and the industry. Don't drain the pond to catch the fish."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Absolutely, we need to stand on our own two feet."
"Honestly, I was about to give up. Lucky we've got President Zhou now."
"This money might not be much for other projects, but for us, it's pretty much enough."
Seeing that the excitement had settled and everyone was calming down, Zhou You continued: "Even though it's only five million for now, if the documentaries we produce turn a profit, that profit will go right back into the fund. I won't take a cent."
This got everyone even more fired up. It would also help curb waste—invest a certain share, get that share of the profit, and reinvest it, minimizing the risk of malicious fund siphoning.
"And if things go well, with no fund-draining or waste, this fund could even be expanded in the future."
Zhou You wasn't some naive do-gooder. He'd just freeloaded off a lot of documentaries before, and now he had a chance to give back. If it could become a virtuous cycle, that would be a good thing.
If it couldn't sustain itself long-term, he'd just have to pick a few directors he knew well to invest in.
Since there was a screening in the afternoon, they didn't drink at lunch, just ate and chatted, wrapping up quickly.
Afterward, Zhou You kept Zhao Yun and Zhou Hao behind.
"Brother Yun, you know my personality—I definitely don't have time to manage this. So I'd like you to take on more responsibility."
Zhao Yun shook his head, about to refuse.
"Don't worry, I won't put you at much risk. I've signed a long-term agreement with a legal firm. Every project will go through their review."
"No, it's not about fearing risk. I'm just wondering if I can handle the temptation of five million. Winning the lottery wouldn't even net that much." Zhao Yun couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
"One person makes it private, two make it public. Human nature can't withstand testing. You're both documentary directors, so you understand that logic."
Zhou You glanced at Zhou Hao as he spoke: "So I'll need you to put in some extra effort too, Director Zhou. You're a veteran in this field—you know roughly how much a documentary costs."
After a brief hesitation, Zhou Hao nodded: "Since President Zhou has put it that way, it wouldn't be right for me to stay out. I'll handle the tough job of reviewing and ruffling feathers. It's my way of contributing to supporting this industry."
Zhou You was pleased they'd both agreed: "Then find a few more people. I'm not very familiar with this field. Bring in anyone you know who's reliable."
Zhao Yun said to Zhou Hao, "Director Zhou has a wide network. You can bring in a few more. I'm thinking about whether Director Chen Weijun would be on board."
Zhou Hao nodded in agreement.
Zhou You thought it over. This amount of money was enough for new directors just starting out, but not necessarily for veterans like Zhou Hao.
"Director Zhou, you won't be bound by this fund. I can invest in your projects separately. This fund is mainly for nurturing new directors. Seasoned pros like you aren't included."
Zhou Hao's first reaction was surprise, followed by confusion. He wasn't some fresh graduate—he'd been through the wringer for decades and seen plenty of dark sides of human nature.
To most people, there's no free lunch in the world, and the freer it is, the pricier it gets. No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't figure out a reason for such an offer.
He couldn't help but ask: "President Zhou, I've rarely seen behavior like yours. May I ask what your original intention is?"
Hearing this, Zhao Yun and Zhou You both laughed.
"Director Zhou, I asked the same question. President Zhou told me it was out of passion. As I've gotten to know him, I've noticed something different—his hobbies really aren't like most people's." Zhao Yun shared what he knew first.
"Director Zhou, why do you like making documentaries?" Zhou You didn't explain much, just threw the question back at him.
Zhou Hao stood there, stunned for a few seconds: "Yeah, why do we make documentaries? No fame, no fortune—what are we after?"
"Compared to you all, I've given very little—just some money. And that money is like what I'd spend on a hobby. It won't break me."
"People really are different. You can't judge everyone by fame and fortune. I was being narrow-minded. My apologies, President Zhou." Zhou Hao apologized very sincerely, since doubting someone's motives without cause was indeed a bad move.
With the business mostly settled, Zhou You headed back to the screening room to watch the films. Xiao Bai was nodding off but stuck with Zhou You until the end.
Wang Le was also thoroughly engaged, partly out of curiosity about the industry and partly about Zhou You. He hadn't expected Zhou You to just drop five million on this.
Even though he'd grown up in a well-educated family, he hadn't dealt with much money, and this move really shook his worldview.
Five million—enough to buy four or five houses in Luzhou.
Wine meets its match among drinkers, poetry finds its audience among the learned.
Though acquaintances fill the world, how many truly understand the heart?