Chapter 13: Adaptation

The reason I dared to write about the treasure of the Indian temple is because, before my time travel, I had written a web novel about India titled "Rebirth in India: Superiority Achieved." During the process of writing that book, I conducted extensive research on India. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple treasure was a crucial part of my research. This treasure was discovered only in 2011, and despite interventions from both the temple's owners, the Valmara family, and the Indian government, the treasure remained untouched. Given the current circumstances, there seems to be even less hope of its discovery. Therefore, I decided to bring it to light. My intentions were twofold: to reveal the treasure sooner and to make the most of the opportunity.

As Tony Monet diligently worked on his various manuscripts (including "National Treasure" for the New York Post, "Treasure of the Indian Temple" for the Brooklyn Weekly, and "Revolutionary Road" for Carl), an unexpected visitor arrived. The visitor was a middle-aged man of apparent importance. Upon their introduction, the man identified himself as Michael Orwell, the manager of the Whiskoff Theater.

"Good day, Mr. Monet. I am Michael Orwell, the manager of the Whiskoff Theater," he said.

"Hello, Mr. Orwell. May I ask the purpose of your visit?" inquired Tony with curiosity.

"Well, recently, I've been reading your work 'Titanic'," began Michael, "and I was deeply moved by the sincere love between the main characters. Hence, I'd like to discuss the possibility of acquiring the opera adaptation rights for this piece. Would you consider such an arrangement?"

Though Tony had never seen an opera before, neither in his previous nor current timeline, he was aware that operas, particularly those on Broadway, were well-received in the United States. Especially at a time when the film industry wasn't as advanced, operas were a popular form of entertainment.

With these thoughts in mind, Tony's mind began to wander. He pondered the state of Hollywood at this point in time – even if it existed, it probably wasn't as grand. Perhaps, he mused, it might be wise to invest in Hollywood beforehand, securing a stable future for his descendants.

Just as Tony's mind wandered, Michael misinterpreted his thoughts as hesitance. In response, Michael quickly added, "Mr. Monet, rest assured, we will ensure that you're satisfied with the adaptation fee. Would two thousand dollars suffice?" (Adaptation fees were generally higher than regular writing fees.)

Upon hearing this price, Tony pretended to "consider" for a moment before nodding and replying, "The fee isn't of utmost importance, but the adaptation must not deviate too much from the original."

"Mr. Monet, what do you mean by 'deviate too much'?" Michael asked curiously.

Only then did Tony realize he had used a phrase that was ahead of his time. He awkwardly explained, "Uh, I mean making excessive exaggerations or alterations that diverge from the essence of the original. For instance, turning 'My Uncle Jules' into a story where Yule is actually a millionaire, and his actions are merely tests for his brother and sister-in-law."

Quick to reassure, Michael responded, "Rest assured, we won't make haphazard changes. Your novel's scenes are already quite suitable for the stage, so major alterations are unnecessary."

Tony thought to himself, "Of course the scenes are suitable for the stage – the novel itself was adapted from a movie!"

To his surprise, Michael continued, "However, I find your suggested adaptation for 'My Uncle Jules' rather intriguing!"

"If you are interested in adapting 'My Uncle Jules'," Tony began, "I actually have a more interesting concept based on the Tulip Mania incident from the Netherlands." He proceeded to provide a rough recap of his pre-time travel side story, "True and False,"

"I believe you could actually turn this concept into a captivating novel as well. It would undoubtedly be remarkable!" Michael suggested.

But Monet waved his hand and said, "No, I declined. Firstly, I find this story too short to be developed into a lengthy piece. Secondly, Guy de Maupassant is one of the three greatest short story writers in my opinion. Out of respect, I don't want to make significant changes to his work."

Michael nodded in agreement, "I understand your perspective, but I'm still curious. Besides Mr. Maupassant, who are the other two notable short story authors?"

Monet responded casually, "Mr. Chekhov from Russia and Mr. O. Henry from your country!" He mentioned these three as they were recognized as the world's three greatest short story masters in the future.

After a brief chat, they returned to the main topic. First, they signed the contract, then Michael handed over a prepared check to Monet before taking his leave.

After Michael departed, Shan Shan curiously asked Monet, "Mr. Monet, was Mr. Michael planning to turn your novel into a drama?"

Monet paused for a moment, then realized that "drama" likely referred to opera in this context. He nodded and answered, "Yes, he intends to adapt it into an American opera. Do you enjoy watching performances? I can take you and your sister to the opera when the time comes."

Shan Shan joyfully replied, "Sure, we love watching performances! But I've heard that American opera is different from our Chinese opera, and I'm not sure if I'll understand it."

"There are some differences, but overall, they both rely on singing. The main distinction is probably in the choice of music. If you're not familiar with the stories, it might be a bit challenging. It's similar with Chinese opera. For instance, a foreigner like me who doesn't know the story of 'Yang Family Warriors' would have a hard time understanding 'Silang Visits His Mother'," Monet explained.

Suddenly, Shan Shan nervously asked, "Um, Mr. Monet, I've had a question I've wanted to ask you for a long time, but I never found the right opportunity."

Without waiting for Shan Shan to finish, Monet waved his hand and said, "Feel free to ask whatever you want!"

"You're clearly British, so how come you're not only fluent in Chinese but also seem to have a deep understanding of many things about China?"

Fortunately, Monet had already prepared for this question. He adjusted his emotions slightly, tilted his head up at a 45-degree angle, and answered with a touch of sadness and choked voice, "Because when I was in London before, I had a relationship with a girl from your China. She taught me Chinese and introduced me to the rich culture of China. Unfortunately, she fell seriously ill and passed away later. To avoid painful memories, I decided to leave London and boarded the Titanic. Little did I know, I would encounter a disaster at sea."