Chapter 563 I was right

In China, people who work in the arts and entertainment industry have another name than celebrities: cultural and artistic workers.

That was a term from a long time ago, and almost no one uses it anymore. It has become a respectful title used in certain specific situations.

For artists, once you reach a certain stage and accumulate a certain level of achievement and reputation in the industry, you will become a "veteran artist with both virtue and talent".

Many veteran artists have actually been striving for this goal.

Lu Yanhe had never imagined that he would be associated with the title of "literary and artistic worker" so quickly, let alone that he would be called a "young artist with both moral integrity and artistic talent" by some media.

Seeing this evaluation from the media, Lu Yanhe felt ashamed.

However, after the Spring Festival Gala, when the song "Chinese Language" was played in the streets and alleys across the country, it became a real hit.

In the live stream, many people were also covering this song.

This song is catchy, with a simple melody that is easy to learn.

Chen Siqi's nephew, Jiang Huadong, was wearing headphones and humming along, saying that all his classmates were learning the song.

Indeed, even though the Spring Festival Gala is no longer what it used to be, it still retains its influence. As long as your work is good enough, you can still become famous overnight.

Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi stayed at her maternal grandparents' house for three days, and then went to Iceland together.

They stayed there for a week, enjoying their time alone without work or other people to bother them.

At this time, the shortlist for this year's Situ Film Festival was also announced.

Once again, no Chinese-language films were nominated for the main competition.

The fact that there were zero entries is actually not a big deal.

The Situ Film Festival favors auteur films, but there are indeed relatively few auteur films in Chinese cinema nowadays. The quantity is not high enough, so it is naturally difficult to consistently produce excellent works.

However, because Chinese-language films had performed so well in the past two years, showing signs of taking off, they have suffered setbacks at international film festivals in the last two years, which has greatly disappointed everyone and inevitably drawn criticism.

Some people even messaged Lu Yanhe, asking him what he thought of the situation.

Lu Yanhe thought to himself, what could possibly be an opinion on this?

The difference in the film industry and environment only shows that Chinese-language films in the past two years have not been quite in line with the Xituer Film Festival's style.

This year's Spring Festival film season was dominated by commercial blockbusters.

The domestic film industry is currently in an unstable phase of rapid box office growth.

The full potential of the market has not yet been fully explored.

The habit of going to the cinema is still being established.

At this stage, it's unrealistic to expect many auteur films to emerge in the current environment, as directors have been drawn away by commercial and genre films.

The only one that still regularly produces films by auteur directors is the China Youth Film Venture Capital Fund.

Lu Yanhe is increasingly convinced that any discussion of film that ignores industry and environment is just empty talk.

"It's a good thing that Chinese-language films can shine at international film festivals, but it doesn't mean that something terrible has happened just because they don't appear at international film festivals, or that the film industry is failing," Lu Yanhe said directly in a telephone interview with a media outlet. "The current stage of Chinese-language films is inextricably linked to our market. As the market gradually stabilizes, both commercial and art films will have their own stable production and sales industrial chains, and naturally, more auteur directors will emerge who can appear at film festivals."

"In the past two years, Chinese-language films suddenly experienced a boom, which was due to the opportune timing, as everyone produced works suitable for film festivals at that time," said Lu Yanhe. "Taking myself as an example, I made quite a few films suitable for film festivals in the past few years, so many of them were nominated. I've made fewer in the last two years because I also have my own career plans. I don't think there's a problem with Chinese-language films just because one or two film festivals haven't featured them. In the last two years, I've read many good scripts, and there will be more and more good films."

After Lu Yanhe's remarks were published by the media, they drew criticism from some people.

The criticism mainly focuses on: You yourself know that you haven't made many real films in the past two years, but have been making cheesy commercial films like "Burning Fire" and "Mist," and you still have the nerve to say that?

When Lu Yanhe saw these criticisms, he simply smiled noncommittally.

He has expressed the attitude he needed to express, and that's enough.

-

During their week in Iceland, Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi spent most of their time indoors.

They live in a small wooden cabin here.

The conditions are very good.

When the snowstorm isn't too bad, we'll go for a walk together—fully bundled up, looking like penguins.

In Iceland, for most of the time, the only people they could see were the two of them.

It was as if they were utterly alone in the vastness of the world. In such an environment, they huddled together, holding hands, trudging through the snow with difficulty, their hearts drawing closer together.

"If you asked me to stay here for six months or a year, I definitely wouldn't be able to adapt, but staying here for a week like this is really nice."

Chen Siqi leaned against Lu Yanhe's chest, and the two sat together by the stove to warm themselves by the fire. Her face was flushed red by the firelight.

Lu Yanhe said, "We will try to have more holidays like this every year in the future."

"Yes." Chen Siqi nodded. "After going back, it'll be endless work again."

"Don't you love your job?"

“Love is love, but not love is endless,” Chen Siqi said. “You probably can’t understand the feeling of having to deal with things as soon as you open your eyes every day. Although you also have a lot of things to do, the nature of them is quite different.”

"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded. "Putting aside everything else, just participating in some of Linghe's meetings is giving me a headache. I can't not participate even if I don't want to. Sister Ziyan insists that I participate, saying that it can enrich my life experience."

"Sister Ziyan, what you're saying hits the nail on the head," Chen Siqi laughed.

Lu Yanhe: "Actually, sometimes I feel that it's not that I don't understand, but I gradually realized that I seem to be subconsciously resisting understanding these things."

"Um?"

"Don't laugh at me for saying this, but I always feel that the higher the degree of socialization, the less emotional intelligence one has. So to some extent, I'm quite resistant to this kind of socialization."

Chen Siqi nodded.

"I see."

"Actually, my thinking might not be correct."

"Who cares if he's right or wrong, just do what you think is right now." Chen Siqi suddenly sat up straight, meeting Lu Yanhe's gaze closely. "Just like what I want right now—"

She used both hands to sandwich Lu Yanhe's face from both sides, like pressing down on a hamburger.

Lu Yanhe stared in surprise, his face contorted in shock.

Lu Yanhe was actually not quite sure why Chen Siqi had suddenly acted this way.

but--

Let her do whatever she wants.

He laughed.

-

After returning to China, Lu Yanhe quietly stayed at Ziyuan Bridge for two weeks, going through the script for the second season of "The Silent River" that he had been writing in installments from beginning to end.

As a result, fans who hadn't seen Lu Yanhe's live stream for a long time were surprised to see him live stream for two consecutive weeks, working at his desk for at least a dozen hours every day from morning to night.

Many fans were quite surprised to learn that he was writing the script for the second season of "The Silent River".

However, after Lu Yanhe did live streams like this for two consecutive weeks, everyone could see how focused and determined he was when he was writing the script, and suddenly they understood why his creative speed was so fast.

Some of Lu Yanhe's writer friends jokingly said: "We've been caught up in this."

Lu Yanhe's live-streamed videos of writing for over ten hours a day for two consecutive weeks were also made into a picture, prompting many readers of the author to urge him to update his work and write more in the comments section.

Liu Jiazhen posted a helpless emoji and said: "Luckily, Lu Yanhe is an actor, and only secondarily a screenwriter. He's definitely not a writer, otherwise I would be driven crazy by him."

Mingyin reposted Liujia Town's Weibo post, saying: I will never dare to say that I am hardworking again.

But in fact, Akane is a very diligent writer.

She writes one or two books almost every year, and sometimes even three.

After writing many scripts, Lu Yanhe truly understood why many people say that scriptwriting is just a routine job.

It doesn't need that much literary flair.

It is a form of conveying feelings through simple, descriptive writing.

Once the story is clear, the screenwriter only needs to write the story and dialogue carefully and methodically.

The more you write, the more proficient you become.

As for the quality of the dialogue (written or spoken), style, and rhythm, those depend on skill rather than diligence.

Lu Yanhe has maintained a high level of reading over the years. Initially, it was because he enjoyed reading, but also because he didn't want to be ignorant and unable to accurately convey subtle emotions when acting. When his life experience was not rich enough, he could only rely on reading to enrich his emotional experience, even if it was just fictional emotional experience.

However, Lu Yanhe gradually realized that extensive reading had a significant impact on the rhythm and flow of his scriptwriting.

From the very beginning when he had to think carefully before typing out each line of a script, to now, he hardly needs to think at all. After figuring out the main personality of each character and the development of the story, he feels like he has become a vessel, a "ruthless typing machine." He doesn't even know what he will type out until the next word is typed out.

Writing has become an intuitive habit.

Therefore, he wrote faster and faster, and more and more steadily.

The two weeks of intensive writing allowed him to rewrite "The Silent River" twice from beginning to end.

The script, totaling nearly 300,000 words, was adapted into a TV series of only 15 episodes.

There may be even less after editing.

He sent the script to Chen Lingling.

After sending it, he felt like half his life had been taken away, and he suddenly felt dejected and listless.

Unfortunately, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang both joined the film crew and couldn't accompany him.

Lu Yanhe searched around and finally found Peng Zhixing to have dinner and drinks with.

-

In February, Yuming was still under heavy snow and the city was locked in a slumber.

The heavy snow kept falling.

When it's this kind of weather, there are many options for eating out, but the most obvious choice is still hot pot.

Peng Zhixing said he had eaten at a very good old duck hot pot restaurant and wanted to take him there.

Peng Zhixing picked up Lu Yanhe by car.

Upon meeting him, Peng Zhixing laughed and said that he looked like he had been drained dry by a demon.

Lu Yanhe pouted and gave him the middle finger.

Both of them were dressed very simply—coincidentally wearing the same long black down jacket, covering themselves up completely to prevent the biting cold wind from getting in.

Peng Zhixing asked, "Have you finished writing your script?"

"I've finished writing, and I feel incredibly empty," Lu Yanhe laughed.

Peng Zhixing nodded: "I understand. When you concentrate all your energy and do your best to finish something, you suddenly fall into a sense of melancholy. I often finish recording a program late at night and drive home alone. In this huge city, which is usually bustling with people, there is no one there at that time, and I feel that kind of emptiness you mentioned."

Whether it's Lu Yanhe or Peng Zhixing, their creative processes rarely yield immediate feedback. Of course, this doesn't mean immediate feedback is the most valuable. But it's human nature to want feedback as soon as something is created—

What do you think of it?

How would you feel?

Very few people create a work entirely for themselves. Most people want recognition from others, or rather, to be liked by others.

Therefore, in the period between finishing the creation and seeing it on the public, there is both mental exhaustion and a feeling of being drained after a long period of creation, as well as anxiety about what will happen.

Lu Yanhe rarely takes the initiative to ask others out.

This time, he asked each person individually, "Do you have time? Let's go out for a meal and chat." Some people thought his actions were unusual, and even those who had work and couldn't come would call to ask if something was wrong, showing concern that made Lu Yanhe both amused and exasperated.

“Recording for ‘The Birth of an Actor’ will officially begin in March,” Peng Zhixing said. “It will be another very demanding job, so you should take a good rest.”

Lu Yanhe nodded.

That evening, they ate hotpot while chatting about the show and their future plans.

"How did you come up with the idea for the show 'The Birth of an Actor'?" Peng Zhixing asked.

Lu Yanhe said, "When I was filming 'The Mist,' I noticed that the American actors I worked with had very solid acting styles and foundations. When I asked them, I learned that they had all been performing on stage since they were young. Before they officially participated in film and television acting, they already had a lot of acting experience. I felt that our domestic film and television actors are actually quite lacking in this kind of stage performance experience. It just so happened that Sister Ziyan's agency signed several very talented actors who are not well known at the moment. I wanted to help them become famous, so I thought of making a show that compares acting skills."

Peng Zhixing said, "I'm not an actor, but I'm still quite nervous about this show."

“Nervous? Why?” Lu Yanhe asked.

Peng Zhixing said, "You are very outspoken, Chen Lingling is ruthless, and Chen Bige and Shang Yongzhou are two masters who have already achieved god-like status in acting. With you guys doing this show and evaluating the performances of dozens of actors, I am worried that some actors will break down on stage."

"Collapse...?" A big question mark appeared on Lu Yanhe's forehead.

"Didn't you realize that some actors might break down if you pointed out their mistakes?" Peng Zhixing asked.

"You'll break down if your problems are pointed out?" Lu Yanhe was even more surprised.

Peng Zhixing was silent for a moment, then said, "I suddenly feel that it is really necessary for you to do this program."

"Why?"

"Let me show you the real entertainment industry, not the film and television crew you're familiar with where everyone is so talented."

Lu Yanhe: "...Could it be that some of the actors they selected for the competition were unreliable?"

"Don't you know that while the production team needs talented actors and skilled performers, they need drama queens and 'actors' even more?" Peng Zhixing hit the nail on the head.

Lu Yanhe suddenly became energetic.

-

The voice-over asks, "Why did you want to participate in the show 'The Birth of an Actor'?"

Liu Zhiyin said, "Let's try out the possibilities of life."

Zhang Pingqing said, "I want more people to see me, to see an actor named Zhang Pingqing."

Liu Yu said, "I want to prove to others that I can act."

A voice-over asks, "What do you hope to gain from this stage?"

Wang Dashan said, "It's an opportunity to get training."

Cheng Hai said, "It's an opportunity to perform."

Wu Mingming said, "We gained an audience."

The voice-over asks, "Do you think you can gain the approval of your mentors?"

Zhen Hongyu smiled and said, "I hope so, but... they are all the best actors. Whether I can get recognition depends on my performance later on."

The voice-over asks, "Given your current status, fame, and ability, why did you agree to participate in our program? During our meetings, some people said that you should actually be here as a mentor."

Zhen Hongyu quickly waved her hand and said, "The lineup of mentors on your show is too intimidating. I'm not qualified. Don't flatter me to death."

She laughed again: "But why did I agree? First, I didn't have any scripts I particularly wanted to film, and this program would allow me to work with many great directors and actors, even if it's just a small film. Second, I haven't heard any genuine feedback about my acting in a long time. Basically, now when I act, I only hear praise."

A voice-over asks, "What is your representative work now?"

Cheng Hai paused for two seconds, then smiled wistfully and said, "Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang's former teammates?"

Cheng Hai looked somewhat dejected in the photos.

A voice-over asks, "Are you still in contact with them?"

Cheng Hai seemed to be giving a somewhat irrelevant answer: "They are all very good people, and our relationship has not changed at all."

A voice-over asks, "Do you consider yourself lucky?"

Zhang Pingqing nodded, "I'm very lucky. Although I've never been a big star as an actor, my life has always been smooth. I haven't encountered any major setbacks and have always been able to make ends meet. Even if I'm not a very outstanding actor, I don't have to worry about food and drink."

Liu Zhiyin said, "I am already lucky enough to be here and answer this question."

He Sha: "I'm not trying to play the victim, but it seems like I've always missed out on the most important opportunities in my life. You know what? I almost became the lead actress in director Chen Lingling's new film."

...

On the day the pilot episode of "The Birth of an Actor" was released, Yuehu TV and Aurora Video held a grand press conference.

Peng Zhixing presided over the meeting.

None of the three mentors attended; only Lu Yanhe showed up to support them.

When the preview clip, edited from the initial interviews, was played on set, Lu Yanhe was quite moved.

Especially the part where the sea is formed.

Lu Yanhe was actually quite worried for Cheng Hai.

He was also well aware that Cheng Hai's appearance on the show was a hurdle he needed to overcome.

When he answered that his representative work was the work of Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang, his former teammates, Lu Yanhe felt a pang of bitterness.

Life's circumstances are truly unpredictable.

Back then, Cheng Hai was among the most popular contestants in the show "The Young Swordsman".

But now he's fallen to this position.

Lu Yanhe sincerely hoped that he could make a comeback.

Liu Zhiyao was also present today.

An actress whose experience is somewhat similar to Cheng Hai's; she was once popular but is now past her prime.

She went on stage as a representative of the participating actors to give a speech, and before she could say more than a few words, tears started flowing.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. Media friends who know a little about my recent situation may know that I’ve been filming online movies for the past two years. Some friends have also asked me why they haven’t seen me for so long, whether I’ve stopped filming or not,” Liu Zhiyao said while shedding tears. “It’s not that I’ve stopped filming, it’s that the shows I’ve filmed are very difficult to reach you all. So, I especially want to thank Lu Yanhe for planning this program, which gives us the opportunity to return to the sight of so many viewers.”

After speaking, Liu Zhiyao bowed deeply in the direction where Lu Yanhe was sitting.

At that moment, Lu Yanhe turned green with fright.

He quickly stood up, waved his hand, then felt that wasn't enough and bowed back.

"..."

Peng Zhixing's words from that night echoed in Lu Yanhe's mind again—

—Let me show you the real entertainment industry.

—The production team needs drama queens and charismatic actors even more.

Regardless of how much sincerity Liu Zhiyao had in his words, thanking him so dramatically in front of so many media outlets must have been partly a show, right?

Lu Yanhe: "..."

In the entertainment industry, most people have a "showy" mentality to some extent.

However, the collaborators Lu Yanhe had encountered in the past, at least in their interactions with him, all presented a relatively authentic side of themselves.

-

As soon as the press conference ended, Lu Yanhe prepared to leave.

Peng Zhixing messaged him: Want to have dinner together later?

Lu Yanhe: Is anyone else there?

Peng Zhixing: Just me, I'll just grab something to eat. I'll find a restaurant.

Lu Yanhe: Okay.

He added: I was really embarrassed today.

Peng Zhixing: I saw your expression and couldn't help but laugh.

Lu Yanhe: Liu Zhiyao...did you know him before?

Peng Zhixing: I've heard of her, but we've never met. However, the most talked-about thing at today's press conference was the video of her bowing to you to express her gratitude, and you hurriedly bowing back. It's gone viral online.

Lu Yanhe: I don't want to hear it, stop talking.

Peng Zhixing didn't care whether he wanted to hear it or not, and sent him a GIF.

I don't know which unscrupulous netizen actually made a GIF of this scene.

In particular, it also highlights his initial "surprise" with wide eyes, his subsequent helpless waving of his hands, and finally his hurried bow to Liu Zhiyao.

The whole process was incredibly funny.

Lu Yanhe: "..."

He covered his face with one hand.

Seeing him like this, Wang Biao couldn't help but smirk.

They must have seen it.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Wang Biao went to open the door, but to his surprise, it was Liu Zhiyao who was knocking.

He was taken aback.

Liu Zhiyao asked, "Is Yan He here?"

Wang Biao said, "Please wait a moment, Brother Lu is on the phone right now."

He left the door slightly ajar and turned to look at Lu Yanhe.

Lu Yanhe looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Wang Biao mouthed: "Liu Zhiyao".

Lu Yanhe's face instantly darkened.

Wang Biao continued mouthing, "What should we do?"

Lu Yanhe sighed and gestured for her to come in.

We left too late.

"Hello, Sister Yao... Sister Yao." Lu Yanhe immediately changed his address.

With an apologetic smile, Liu Zhiyao said, "I just noticed that some of the things I said earlier may have caused you some trouble."

"No, no." Lu Yanhe waved his hand and said, "I just didn't expect it at first, I was shocked."

Liu Zhiyao said, "But I was telling the truth."

"Thank you, Sister Zhiyao. Actually, Yuehu TV and Aurora Video did a lot of work. I just had a nominal title," Lu Yanhe said. "I'm really looking forward to your performance on the show."

Liu Zhiyao hummed in agreement. "I'll do my best. Are you free later? If you are, let's have lunch together?"

Lu Yanhe: "I've already made plans with someone else. Let's eat together again next time."

He smiled and said, "Sister Zhiyao, I'm leaving now. See you when we record the show later."

He didn't leave Liu Zhiyao any room for maneuver, afraid that she might ask him if she could come along.

-

"This is just the tip of the iceberg."

Peng Zhixing said to Lu Yanhe with a smile.

Lu Yanhe put on plastic gloves, tore the roast chicken on the table apart, sprinkled it with chili powder, sighed in frustration, and said, "Now I'm starting to hesitate about whether to have bodyguards stand guard at the door of my lounge and not allow anyone to knock on the door without an appointment."

Peng Zhixing: "Actually, if you don't do this now that you're in this position, these kinds of things will keep happening. Many people will try every means to get close to you and find you."

As soon as Peng Zhixing finished speaking, Lu Yanhe's phone vibrated.

Lu Yanhe picked it up and glanced at it.

Fuli sent him a message: Are you okay? I saw a GIF online, you looked like you were about to break. [haha]

Lu Yanhe put down his phone.

"Brother Zhixing, what about you? Haven't you ever encountered something like this?"

“I’ve definitely encountered far more than you have,” Peng Zhixing said. “Besides, the experiences I’ve had are different from yours.”

Lu Yanhe: "Zhixing, how did you deal with it?"

“I’ll help if I can, but I’ll refuse those whose words and actions are too outrageous without hesitation,” Peng Zhixing said. “You probably can’t imagine how shameless some people can be to achieve their goals.”

Lu Yanhe: "I have encountered shameless people."

Peng Zhixing: "I suspect that the shamelessness I understand is not the same as the shamelessness you understand."

Lu Yanhe: "I feel like you're discriminating against me."

Peng Zhixing laughed heartily.

"But no matter what, this program is very good and meaningful," Peng Zhixing said seriously. "The more I learn about this program, the more I think so. Especially after watching the pilot episode released today, it is different from other programs on the market. The people the program has invited are all very representative and have their own stories. I just checked my phone and not only your segment with Liu Zhiyao was trending, but Cheng Hai and Liu Zhiyin were also trending."

“Sister Zhiyin is popular because she was already very popular, and Cheng Hai… is most likely someone Zhou Pingan bought for him to trend on social media,” Lu Yanhe said. “But it is true that when we were selecting people, we were very clear that we had to have some people with stories who could generate discussion.”

Peng Zhixing: "It's a bit of a pity that such a program only has twelve episodes; it could have been done more."

Lu Yanhe said, "If you make too much, it won't look good. Put the best content in the main feature."

Peng Zhixing: "Will you make a second season of this show?"

"If the response is good, then we'll do it," Lu Yanhe said. "Actually, I hope this program can spark a discussion about acting skills, what constitutes good acting, and what makes a good actor. I hope more people will participate in the discussion, instead of being defined by some conventional viewpoints. I saw some comments before about 'explosive acting,' 'plastic surgery-like acting,' and 'acting like a blind person'... Okay, that sounds arrogant, like I think everyone else is wrong. But it's not like acting without expression means being blind. Some performances are filled with unbearable sorrow, while others are genuinely indifferent. As a result, a group of people are stirring up trouble, thinking that all performances are the same. I even wanted to go up and debate with them, but then I thought better of it."

Peng Zhixing laughed uncontrollably.

"You're so excited."

Lu Yanhe said, "I want to be rational and calm, but I can't. Because once I know what is good, I can't stand people calling a deer a horse. The scariest thing is that many people are calling a deer a horse now, not because they don't know right from wrong, but because they lie through their teeth in order to chase stars and speak for their idols. That's the scariest thing, especially when a group of fans are making up lies in every possible way."

Peng Zhixing: "You don't seem to like your attitude towards fans very much."

“I…I really don’t like these fans on the internet right now, including my own,” Lu Yanhe said. “I don’t like how they, because they like someone, treat them like locusts, not allowing any other voices to emerge.”

What if someone tries to insult you in various ways?

"Let them criticize me. If their criticisms are targeted, I actually enjoy watching them," Lu Yanhe said. "I'm not trying to brag. Sometimes I block comments that are full of profanity, distort the facts, or contain discriminatory remarks. But if you just say you don't like me or that my acting is bad, I'm open to whatever you say. I'd be even happier if you could offer some constructive criticism and suggestions."

Peng Zhixing nodded.

"But we can only adapt to the status quo."

“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “I didn’t think I could fight against the status quo, but if I could change it even a little bit, that would be great.”

"Have you considered that the changes you want to make might not be a good thing for the current situation?" Peng Zhixing suddenly asked.

“I used to hesitate because of such thoughts, but I rarely do now,” Lu Yanhe said. “Unless we completely cut off contact with the world and our surroundings, we are influencing our surroundings and the world every moment. Good things and bad things are better than doing nothing. And I also believe that no matter how capable a person is, they cannot overcome the macro-historical process.”

"I believe I am doing the right thing, and I am determined to do it. Only by having this firm belief can I truly accomplish something. Otherwise, I will always be anxious and hesitant, and I will never achieve anything."

(End of this chapter)