In the spacious Boeing 767 cabin, during the long 16-hour journey, Simon felt the same as on the ground.

Work, eat, sleep.

When I woke up again, the plane had entered the airspace of southern Australia. Looking through the porthole, downtown Melbourne and the Port Phillip Bay surrounding the city were clearly visible.

It is winter in Melbourne at the end of August. The temperature difference between the four seasons in the coastal city is usually not too big, but it is not something that can be resisted by a summer outfit in Los Angeles.

In the cabin bedroom, Janet helped Simon dress up as usual. She looked at him wearing a dark woolen sweater and black slacks, then put a black short windbreaker on Simon, and finally nodded with satisfaction.

Said: "This will make you look more mature."

Simon looked at the light pink coat on the woman with a smile and said, "So, is there anything else you want to explain, such as some topics that must not be mentioned in front of your family?"

"Tony hates people talking about the time when he was beaten by a girl when he was a child." Janet tilted her head, obviously deliberately 'reminding' her, but she quickly took out a watch from her bag and handed it over, saying: "Here.

, just bring this with you. You definitely don’t mind trying to please my old man a little, right? I’ve already set the Melbourne time for you.”

Simon took a look and saw that this was the Patek Philippe stainless steel model 1518 that Janet's father's brother Anthony Johnston brought to him on his twentieth birthday at the beginning of the year. This was Patek Philippe's first perpetual calendar watch.

As a classic luxury watch brand, more than 90% of Patek Philippe's watches are made of precious metals. The number of stainless steel models produced is said to be only single digits, so it has become the most precious collection. The most rare thing is that this watch is made in

Watches from the Second World War were still new.

He happily took it and put it on his wrist. Simon smiled and said: "You have kept it all this time. I thought you planned to keep it as a collection."

"Dad only likes to collect watches, but I don't. Moreover, the collection value of watches is actually very low. No matter how expensive and luxurious watches are, they are all mass-produced and recent. But a brand like Patek Philippe, which is good at making complex function watches, is worth it.

Collect it. But as long as you like it and are rich enough, of course you can collect whatever you want," Janet said, and suddenly laughed again: "The old man really likes the gold watch paragraph in "Pulp Fiction", I just want to save it.

The gold watch’s method is too vulgar, haha.”

After talking and laughing, after finishing the final tidying up, the Boeing 767 roared and landed on the runway of Melbourne Airport.

When Simon got off the plane, he looked at the watch he had just put on. The time was 5:23. Because the days are shorter in winter, the sun was already setting here.

When everyone got off the plane, Simon saw Janet's eldest brother Anthony Johnston and some other people coming up to him at a glance. He greeted everyone warmly. Anthony turned to Simon again and said: "Let's go back quickly, everyone.

They’re all waiting for you.”

After completing some necessary procedures in a completely formal manner, everyone quickly left the airport.

Jennifer and other entourage were arranged to go to a hotel in the city center, while Simon and Janet rushed to Johnston's house by car. Departing from the Melbourne Airport in the western suburbs, after more than half an hour's journey, the car entered the eastern suburbs.

A manor shaded by green trees on the banks of the Yarra River.

When the car stopped in front of the main building of the manor, Simon got out of the car and couldn't help but stop and look at the building in front of him. This was obviously an English-style castle with a Gothic spire, but there was no Palace of Westminster.

The dense arc-shaped columns look square and majestic against the backdrop of the golden sunset.

However, Simon stopped because of the style of this building.

Anthony Johnston came over, stood beside him and looked at his mansion side by side, and said with a smile: "I have seen some of the concept drawings of "Batman" you drew. Is this house suitable for Wayne?"

Manor? Oh, but I can’t lend this to you. There are still some similar buildings around Melbourne. You can choose slowly in the next few days."

Of course Simon would not want to use Janet's house as a filming location. Even if Melbourne could not find other castles suitable for Wayne Manor, there were many in the UK, many of which were even abandoned. He just thought this coincidence was very interesting at this time.

.

Janet came over and held Simon's arm, saying: "Dad, they are coming out, let's go over."

At this time, a group of people came out of the castle. Janet had already shown Simon photos of her family, and Simon could roughly identify the identities of some people.

Raymond Johnston, who happens to be 70 years old this year, is tall and thin, with gray hair and sharp eyes. He has the tough temperament of an old western cowboy and is obviously not someone who is too easy to get along with. Tracey Johns

Dun was Janet's mother. Compared to her overbearing husband, this old woman had a much softer temperament. After everyone got closer, Janet flew into her mother's arms as affectionately as a bird.

After introducing each other, in addition to Janet's parents, there were also Janet's eldest brother Anthony Johnston's family of four and her second brother Norman Johnston's family of three.

Simon did not see Janet's aunt Veronica Johnston and two other brothers David Johnston and Patrick Johnston. He actually also knew that Anthony Johnston's eldest son did not see either.

Appearing, this actually avoided some slight embarrassment, because Raymond Johnston's eldest grandson is Janet's nephew Brandon Johnston, who is also 20 years old this year, the same age as Simon.

As night falls, the Johnston family has prepared dinner in advance.

In the castle, after settling into the room, Janet left Simon directly with her father and brother. Like a little girl, she hugged her mother and went to the kitchen together. She watched the chef and servants busy with dinner, and ate a piece of dessert regardless of the image.

Then he asked his mother: "Mom, even if David and Pat can't come back from England, what about the iceberg? She's not here either."

Traci Johnston no longer expected her daughter to change the name of her sister-in-law, and said helplessly: "Your aunt went to Perth a few days ago. It seems to be about a mine in Western Australia."

Janet was puzzled: "She is in charge of the company's finances. Shouldn't it be her father and brother who are responsible for this kind of thing?"

Traci Johnston opened her daughter's little hand and stretched out a piece of cake, saying: "I don't know this, but your father and brother have left, who will entertain the guests?"

"Then I'll wait for her to come back. She will definitely come back in the next few days, right?" Janet said, facing her mother's confused gaze, she took the initiative to explain: "She has done a lot of things for me and Simon, of course I want to thank you.

Hehe, it’s really strange to say that she has never been so enthusiastic before.”

Tracey Johnston said in a doting tone: "Your aunt has always been the best to you. What's so surprising? You girl, you just don't know how to be content."

"Okay, okay," Janet hugged her mother again and said suddenly, "Wow, I understand."

Traci Johnston was a little dissatisfied with her daughter's surprise. She helped her straighten her crooked collar and said, "What?"

"I have brought my boyfriend back," Janet analyzed with some pride: "Auntie must not have wanted dad to talk about her again, so she deliberately avoided it."

Tracey Johnston's expression became more helpless, and she pushed her daughter again: "Okay, don't make trouble here, go and accompany the guests."

"Just call him Simon, 'guest' or 'guest'," Janet smiled and leaned into her mother's ear: "Mom, what do you think of him?"

Tracey Johnston smiled and said: "Your dad thinks it's very good, I can watch it too."

Janet was dissatisfied: "It's just good, isn't it?"

"Sure enough, daughters have to turn to outsiders," Tracey Johnston patted Janet, looked at the chefs and servants around, and then said: "Your father said that there is one thing about this child that is very satisfying. What do you think about it?"

If he is good, he will be good to you."

Janet hummed twice and asked, "What else?"

Tracey Johnston smiled and said: "It's quite profitable. It's enough to support a little prodigal like you."

Janet pouted dissatisfied and continued to ask: "What else?"

"How can you praise your boyfriend after your mother?" Tracey Johnston pretended to be dissatisfied and blamed him, then whispered: "You two get along with each other on weekdays. Isn't there any problem with him?"

Janet pretended to be wrong, her face turned red and she imitated her mother's tone just now: "How can you chase your daughter and ask her about her boyfriend?" After saying this, seeing her mother glare over, Janet quickly added:

"It's no problem. He has always been normal and should have completely recovered."

"I heard that mental illness is difficult to cure and can be hereditary." Tracey Johnston was still a little worried: "Will he throw things or hit you in private?"

Janet immediately shook her head: "Of course not."

The mother and daughter whispered small words, and dinner was prepared before they knew it.

The men who were chatting in the living room turned to the living room. A large family of eleven people, old and young, together with the servants and servants surrounding them, made it very lively.

In the following days, Simon also settled in the Johnston family's mansion, and he also gained a deeper understanding of the family.

The Johnston family is centered on the Johnston Holdings Group. Seventy percent of the family's business is in ore mining and smelting, the other 20% is transportation, and the last 10% is animal husbandry and other peripherals.

industry.

Raymond Johnston, 70, still serves as the chairman of the family group and is based in Australia. Janet's aunt Veronica Johnston is the group's chief financial officer. Anthony Johnston and

Norman Johnston serves as the group's chief executive officer and president respectively, Anthony Johnston is mainly responsible for European business, and Norman Johnston is responsible for Asia and Africa.

Johnston Group's business in North America and Latin America appears to be somewhat weak.

In addition to Anthony Johnston and Norman Johnston, Raymond Johnston's other two sons, David Johnston and Patrick Johnston, are not interested in family affairs. David, 25,

Johnston and 22-year-old Patrick Johnston are both still studying in the UK. In Janet’s words, David Johnston is a standard nerd, and Patrick Johnston is a standard dandy.

At first, Raymond Johnston thought that he would be passed down in a single line like his father and grandfather. After unexpectedly having two sons, he devoted all his energy to training Anthony Johnston and Norman Johnston.

My son and second son are also very good.

So, when it was the turn of the three Janet siblings later, Raymond Johnston was no longer so strict with them and did not force them to inherit the family affairs, so the current result occurred.

As for the main purpose of Simon's trip, "Batman", with the help of the Johnston family's strong connections in Melbourne, it had been basically finalized before he arrived.

It is expected that helicopters will be used in the filming of "Batman". Helicopters are prohibited from flying over Melbourne. This is similar to the problem encountered by "The Matrix" in the original time and space. However, compared with the "Matrix" that almost stopped filming due to this,

", before Simon came to Australia, Melbourne had already issued a brand-new law that relaxed the ban on helicopters in urban areas.

Simon came here in person this time to sort out the selected filming locations. The company had sent a special location scout here a few months ago. For several months, Simon had been working on it non-stop through faxes.

The remote control is good for viewing, so this aspect is not a big problem.

In addition, regarding the tax refund issue, the Melbourne Film Office finally agreed to grant 15% of the entire "Batman" project's Australian expenditure as a tax refund.

This ratio is not high compared to Australia's support for local films, but compared to other foreign films shot in Australia, this tax rebate ratio is already very good.

Moreover, the tax refund agreement signed with Daenerys Entertainment is also very loose, which is what Simon values ​​most.

Because usually, if overseas films want to get tax rebates, it is not just as simple as shooting in Australia. In most cases, they also require the participation of local Australian funds and the hiring of a certain proportion of local Australian filmmakers. Even the crew is required to be in Australia.

There are certain limits on daily expenses in Australian cities, and you must spend a fixed amount of money every day to get a tax refund. If there are some problems in some aspects, the tax refund may be lost or reduced.

In comparison, the contract received by Daenerys Entertainment only requires the hiring of 30% of local Australian employees, and does not require the participation of Australian funds. There is no limit on the crew's expenditure in Australia. After the filming of the film is completed, Daenerys Entertainment
Chapter completed!