I walked over and turned on the light. The intense glare of the light made the room instantly bright beyond measure, and people only then came to their senses, realizing that what had just played was merely a movie.


    "Clap, clap, clap, clap!" Enthusiastic applause broke out, and everyone surged towards me. They hadn''t even had time to wipe the tears from their faces before they were smiling and shaking hands with me.


    "Mr. Corleone, I''ve seen the most unforgettable movie of my life!"


    "This isn''t a movie! This is an unparalleled work of art!"


    "Mr. Corleone, you are a great artist!"


    ...


    Praise filled my surroundings, and I just humbly smiled, accepting their hugs and congratulations.


    "Boss! I never thought movies could be shot like this! The camera can actually be used like this! The editing can be done like this! Even Chaplin, DeMille, and Griffith would be impressed if they saw this movie!" James said to me in a deep voice. He was clearly still not over his excitement.


    After the fat man put away the film, a group of people ate together in the shed, and laughter echoed over the courtyard, lingering for a long time.


    "Boss, even I didn''t expect your level to be so high. There''s one thing I''m very curious about. Teachers never taught this at school, and it''s not in the books either. How do you know so many editing and shooting techniques that we''ve never seen before!?" Berg frowned and asked.


    I looked at his shiny head and was completely stumped by his question. I couldn''t exactly tell him that I had seen it at film school!


    "Well, this, this, this is talent, understand?" I quickly found a topic to cover up: "Have we placed ads in newspapers and on the radio?"


    "Boss, I was just about to tell you! My goodness! You''ve been so busy cutting the film this week that you haven''t seen it. Now the whole of Los Angeles has been completely crazy about our movie. All the newspapers have that poster, and the radio stations bombard listeners'' ears 24/7. Even if you go out, trams, taxis, and vegetable markets will give you posters and flyers. Most people have collected the posters, and all 100,000 copies have now been distributed. It is said that this poster has become a hot item. Many people even came to our company specifically to ask if we had any stock left, including bookstore owners who are willing to pay a high price to order from me," Gans said, foaming at the mouth and his face flushed.


    "No way!?" I was really shocked.


    "Boss, we''re just waiting for the 200 theaters to start screening and then sit at home counting money!" Berg rubbed his fingers together, his eyes smiling into a line.


    His words, however, sounded like thunder in my ears, making me suddenly want to cry without tears.


    "Boss, what''s wrong!? " Two people crowded in front of me at the same time.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "It''s over, it''s over, how could I be so stupid!?" I looked at them foolishly, unable to say a word.


    The fat man and Gans were scared by me. They supported me to the chair from both sides, poured tea, poured water, pinched shoulders, and patted backs, asking me what was wrong.


    "What are you laughing about! This time I finally understand what ''even the wise may err'' means. 200 theaters, and we only have one master tape now. What do you want me to play for the other 199 theaters with?! " I felt like my head was about to explode. I cursed myself for being stupid and not thinking of this problem.


    "Yeah! Boss! How did we forget about copying!? " Berg also suddenly realized and slapped his own head hard.


    "Just a copy, find a company to copy it!" Gans said indifferently, casting a disdainful look at us two.


    "Just find a company to copy it!? Give me the money! I only have five thousand dollars left in my hand now. For 200 theaters, if we rotate the copies, we also need at least forty copies. Forty copies, no less than twenty thousand dollars will not work. At this time, where do you let me get twenty thousand dollars from!? " I roared, and immediately no one spoke in the whole room because of my shout. They stared at me blankly and understood my meaning.


    Isn''t this dying before achieving one''s ambition!? Damn it! I curse wildly! Thinking of my wisdom in this life, boasting of being the smartest in the world, how could I forget this link!


    Back in film school, I had done shooting, editing, and marketing, but I never took over the screening part and didn''t think of copying. Now it''s good, the last step of the Long March is really stuck. Isn''t this killing me!?


    Twenty thousand dollars! This number is like a bright Damocles sword hanging high above my head, hanging over all of our heads, hanging over the head of DreamWorks. If we don''t have this money and can''t make forty copies, then our previous efforts may turn into nothing.


    What should I do!?


    I asked three consecutive questions, but no one answered.


    "Boss, why don''t you and Fatty go back and raise some more?" Gans mustered up the courage to glance at me and Fatty.


    Fatty shook his head like a rattle drum: "Impossible! Impossible! When dad gave me that money last time, he already threatened that there would be no next time. If I ask him for another twenty thousand dollars, don''t even think about coming back. You can go straight to our house to collect my body."


    "I can''t raise any more either. You know our family situation. Mom pawned her jewelry for me to make a movie!" I also lowered my head helplessly.


    Is it really going to end up in vain after all the hard work!?


    Although I am reluctant, the facts are in front of me. It is absolutely impossible for me to raise another twenty thousand dollars.


    "Boss! This movie belongs to everyone, and DreamWorks also belongs to us all. When there are difficulties, we should solve them together. I have a little money here, you take it and use it, although it''s a bit less," Gis took out a small stack of crumpled bills from his pocket and put it on the table in front of me.


    No one saw more clearly than me. That was his salary! The salary just issued! Not a penny has been moved!


    "Boss, this is my salary!"


    "Mine!"


    "And mine!"


    ...


    Dozens of people rushed to my desk in turn and put their salaries in front of me.


    "Boss, with this money plus what we already have, there should be no problem making 20 copies," Fatty looked at the money piled on the table and saw a glimmer of hope.


    He was right. With this money, making 20 copies was absolutely possible, but these were the hard-earned money of Gis and others. If we just used it like this, even if they didn''t say anything, how could my conscience be good!? Moreover, whether the movie will finally succeed is still an unknown number in my heart. It''s okay if it succeeds, but if it fails, this money is equivalent to being wasted. In that case, what I owe them is not just money, but 40 emotional debts! I can''t afford this debt, nor do I want to pay it back!


    "Put it away, put it all away!" I said loudly.


    "Boss! Don''t be stubborn! Everyone is willing, for the company, for this movie, not to mention using our salaries, even if you want my old bones, I won''t frown either! If it weren''t for you pitying me, maybe I, Gis, would have been gone from this world a long time ago, let alone living so well, not to mention going to the movies!" Seeing that I didn''t accept it, Gis was so anxious that he grabbed the money and stuffed it into my drawer.