Chapter 694 Awards Come One After Another (10,000-word update!)

This wasn't the first time Lu Yanhe had spent the Lunar New Year with Chen Siqi's family.

However, this is usually the only time he meets with them.

Chen Siqi never asked him to meet them.

Thinking about it, neither he nor Chen Siqi actually had a normal upbringing.

Of course, Lu Yanhe is better off. At least before he transmigrated, he was a child who grew up in a normal family environment, and he did not lack any love. It's just that after coming here, the original owner's experiences created a contradictory mentality in him. Sometimes, he even forgets everything before he transmigrated and will adopt the original owner's perspective, shrouded in a kind of extreme loneliness, hatred, and anger.

And Chen Siqi—

Lu Yanhe thought to himself, fortunately Chen Siqi still has her maternal grandparents, so in all these years of fighting with Liu Wei'an, she doesn't need to fight for love from her father. She also has some normal people who love her, letting her know what normal love is like.

Lu Yanhe suddenly realized what was happening.

Chen Siqi said the wedding wouldn't include traditional elements—like a ceremony for the parents. Besides the reasons she mentioned, was her husband's side also taken into consideration?

Lu Yanhe didn't have a single person who could attend the wedding as a representative of his family.

After realizing what was happening, Lu Yanhe smiled.

He is 24 years old this year, as is Chen Siqi.

Getting married at this age seems a bit too early.

However, if we start counting from when they started dating, he and Chen Siqi have been dating for six years.

Lu Yanhe had a sudden, almost supernatural thought: why not get married next year?

He didn't ask Chen Siqi.

He probably knew what Chen Siqi was thinking.

Chen Siqi never mentions when she will get married because she knows he has been very busy with work all these years and has hardly had any time to rest.

It's also because I don't want to rush him or put pressure on him.

Lu Yanhe didn't feel any pressure.

To this day, he can no longer imagine what it would be like to marry another person.

He just has one inherent flaw: he always wants to do the best when he does something.

Marriage is the same.

Getting a marriage certificate is easy, but you can't just go through the motions when it comes to a wedding.

Lu Yanhe's eyes lit up.

"How about we get our marriage certificate as soon as we get back?" Lu Yanhe suddenly asked.

Chen Siqi slammed on the brakes.

Lu Yanhe was almost hit on the windshield.

Fortunately, he obeyed traffic rules and fastened his seatbelt as soon as he got in the car.

Chen Siqi looked at him in shock, "What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"

Lu Yanhe hadn't come to his senses yet.

Chen Siqi then asked, "Did you think I was pressuring you to get married?"

"No." Lu Yanhe shook his head. "I was just thinking that having a wedding is a lot of trouble, with all sorts of things to do, but getting a marriage certificate is much simpler. Anyway, we've been dating for so long, right?"

Chen Siqi: "...Do you know how much trouble it would cause if we got married now?"

Lu Yanhe: "What does it matter to us if our marriage causes any big storm?"

Chen Siqi: "I'm not talking about public opinion, but about our respective companies, partners, and so many employees behind us."

Lu Yanhe: "Just keep things the same as they are now after we get married."

"A prenuptial agreement?" Chen Siqi said. "Are you sure? Will we still keep such clear divisions after we get married?"

“It’s not really clear-cut right now.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “What I mean is, these things aren’t that important. Are we going to stay single forever just because of these things?”

“I didn’t say we wouldn’t get married in the future, but you said we’d get the marriage certificate as soon as we get back, how can it be that fast?” Chen Siqi said. “Have you discussed it with Sister Ziyan? What about your Linghe? What if, I mean, what if we end up getting divorced, how will we divide these things?”

"I never even thought about divorce."

"You've put me on the moral low ground right now," Chen Siqi said helplessly. "I just wanted to think all the possibilities through beforehand, to avoid impulsiveness and regret. Even if we two are determined to stay together for life and never separate, it doesn't guarantee security for the people around us. They don't feel safe."

Lu Yanhe: "..."

Chen Siqi: "Also, you don't think I'll say yes if you don't propose to me properly, do you?"

Lu Yanhe was deflated.

"never mind."

Chen Siqi stared intently at Lu Yanhe.

"Hey." She reached out and poked Lu Yanhe.

"what?"

Chen Siqi raised her hand and pinched Lu Yanhe's nose.

"You know very well that I am very willing to marry you. You are the person I love most in this world."

Lu Yanhe's attitude softened.

"Then why did you say so much just now?"

“Who told you to suddenly say this to me while I was driving? And why did you say it so bluntly?” Chen Siqi said. “If you had arranged a really romantic place to formally propose to me, why would I have argued with you so much? I would have said yes first and then argued with you.”

Lu Yanhe: "...I just suddenly thought of that too."

“I know you suddenly thought of this and acted on impulse, which is why I talked to you for so long,” Chen Siqi said. “I don’t want this to be something you brought up suddenly on a whim.”

"No, I'm talking about the timing."

"The timing is the same," Chen Siqi emphasized.

Lu Yanhe's heart had been soothed.

"I understand." Lu Yanhe nodded. "I will prepare well."

What should we prepare?

"A grand proposal."

“You’d better not make a big fuss,” Chen Siqi said immediately. “I can’t stand being proposed to by you in front of everyone.”

"Um."

"Also, if you find out I'm not wearing makeup, you're not allowed to beg me; we have to change the date."

"..." Lu Yanhe said, "Can't you just put on makeup every day?"

“I’m not a celebrity. I work so hard every day, I don’t have time to take care of myself every day,” Chen Siqi said confidently.

Lu Yanhe: "...Why don't you just beg me? I don't have any demands."

“Okay,” Chen Siqi said. “Then I’ll beg you.”

Lu Yanhe stared at Chen Siqi in shock.

Chen Siqi had a "what's the big deal? Of course you can" expression on her face.

Lu Yanhe uttered an "uh," and said, "No, let me do it."

Chen Siqi: "What's wrong? You can't handle it when I propose to you?"

"I can't stand people saying that you forced me into marriage," Lu Yanhe said bluntly.

"Heh." Chen Siqi rolled her eyes. "Fine."

-

Every couple has a completely different way of getting along.

Lu Yanhe already knew this.

However, Lu Yanhe sometimes couldn't help but reflect on whether the love between him and Chen Siqi, which had come from their student days, was too familiar and clingy, lacking the awkward collision that comes from unfamiliarity.

In contrast, Zhan Yun and Yin Xincheng, who had just started dating, always went on dates secretly, making them more exciting.

Their relationship has been the subject of much attention ever since the Lingyun Awards (TV series category).

Both teams were overwhelmed by the media's questions.

The team's unanimous response was: it was just a joke on the red carpet.

Despite this, the media persisted in asking Yin Xincheng whether he liked Zhan Yun.

Even in Yin Xincheng's comment section, there are a lot of people asking these questions.

If it weren't for the fact that they happened to be on the Spring Festival Gala, they would probably have been trending on social media the whole time.

After the Spring Festival Gala's popularity waned, fewer people cared about this matter.

But there are still some.

Yin Xincheng and Zhan Yun met up for a meal during the Spring Festival.

When they were spotted, the two just laughed and said they were just good friends.

Their strategy is simply to deny it.

Of course, they also have a very convenient disguise.

After so many seasons of Friends, the cast members are already quite familiar with each other, so it's perfectly normal for them to go out for a meal together.

As long as they aren't photographed engaging in intimate behavior, it can be explained as just friends.

In fact, even their team didn't know much about their situation. Only a few other members of the Friends cast knew.

-

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the second season of "My Own Swordsman" premiered.

In an interview, Huang Kairen revealed that he has successfully lost weight and has finally regained his handsome appearance.

Liu Zi, who just won an award, and Huang Kairen recorded a variety show together.

People asked him curiously why he had gained so much weight recently, whether it was due to too much work pressure or something else.

Huang Kairen said awkwardly, "I just gained weight from eating too much, and I'm lazy and don't move around much. There's no other reason."

"Handsome guys can gain weight for fun, and lose it just as easily," the host said. "After the first season of 'My Own Swordsman' aired, everyone was very interested in the progress of Bai Zhantang and Tong Xiangyu's relationship. Does anyone have anything to share with us?"

“You’ll have to watch the show to find out,” Huang Kairen said immediately. “We can’t spoil the plot.”

"What does Brother Huang think of Sister Zi in private? In what ways are Sister Zi similar to the character Tong Xiangyu, and in what ways are they different?" The host had no choice but to change the direction of the question.

“Well, the most similar thing is that they are both people who are very resilient to life. Although they often say that they can’t do it anymore, they are tired, and it’s meaningless, they have never really compromised or given up.” Huang Kairen said with a smile. “As for the differences, Sister Zi is not as shrewd as Tong Xiangyu. Sister Zi is quite emotional and confused in life and is easily deceived.”

Liu Zi suddenly looked at Huang Kairen in shock.

How did you know?

"Huh?" The host, thinking Liu Zi was just doing it for fun, immediately followed up with, "How did you know?"

Huang Kairen could only say, "For example, I saw a producer wanting you to act in a movie. He didn't have a script or a director, and he just talked to you. You thought he was very sincere because he talked to you every now and then, so you agreed. But when your agent found out, he was very helpless. After investigating, he found out that the producer hadn't even secured any investment yet and was just trying to use your name as the lead actor to attract investment."

Liu Zi remembered this incident and laughed.

"That's true." She sighed. "Ugh, don't even mention it. My manager scolded me terribly afterward."

“However, these are all minor matters,” Liu Zi said. “I wish I had only been scammed about something this small.”

Huang Kairen and the host both sensed something was amiss, but neither dared to press the matter further.

The hosts immediately changed the subject.

"Brother Huang, do you consider yourself a shrewd person in general?"

"I guess so." Huang Kairen nodded. "I always think things through before I do anything."

Liu Zi suddenly leaned over and asked seriously, "So, did you think about gaining weight beforehand?"

Huang Kairen: "..."

He was speechless and choked with emotion.

-

This scene became a viral meme online.

Liu Zi's innocent and curious expression when she asked this question was turned into a meme and became one of the most popular new images during the Spring Festival.

Lu Yanhe burst into laughter upon seeing it.

To some extent, Huang Kairen's statement was actually quite controversial.

In the social media arena, unless you have the talent to make your self-praise sound insincere and not boastful, any positive self-evaluation will attract dislike or even condemnation from many people.

However, Liu Zi's single sentence wiped out all such risks.

Although Huang Kairen became a source of amusement because of this incident, he also gained more goodwill from everyone because of the "teasing" he received.

Lu Yanhe knew all too well that these days, being serious wasn't a good thing for a celebrity. He couldn't help but ask Chen Siqi curiously, "Do you think I've become much more relaxed in the last year or two?"

Chen Siqi: "Which aspect are you referring to?"

"This aspect of being an artist."

Chen Siqi shook her head: "I don't think so."

"ah?"

“You can’t really relax, can you? People have expectations of you, they’re not just treating you as a joke,” Chen Siqi said. “Of course, everyone likes people who aren’t pretentious, but if one day you’re really arrogant in front of the camera, like Li Zhibai, the audience may not say it, but their liking for you will definitely be diminished.”

"Why?"

“Expectations and expectations are different,” Chen Siqi said. “You know, we often do surveys, right? We rank celebrities. If it’s a survey of high school students about which male celebrity they most want to be their boyfriend, then you’ll definitely get a lot of votes. But once the survey is expanded to college students or older girls, Li Zhibai’s votes will surpass yours.”

"Doesn't this show that people actually prefer male celebrities who are more authentic?"

“No, you’re wrong,” Chen Siqi said. “But if this list changes your boyfriend status to your liking status, your votes will surpass yours. The main reason for this difference is that for many girls—especially relatively mature college students—your aura is too strong, making everyone feel that becoming your girlfriend would be very stressful. This reflects everyone’s basic impression of you.”

Lu Yanhe: "I still don't understand why, in this case, I can't appear too relaxed."

“No, pay attention, I’m not talking about being relaxed, but rather that you can’t act really casual,” Chen Siqi said. “For example, if there’s a documentary program that follows you and Li Zhibai for a week, and if Li Zhibai’s daily routine for that week is just eating and sleeping, people won’t be surprised at all. They might even think that’s just who he is. Moreover, because of his laziness and lack of ambition, many people feel like they’re seeing themselves in him, without any pressure, and they like him even more. But if it’s you, a lot of people will be very disappointed. Even if you’ve never emphasized how hard you work or how diligent you are, in people’s expectations of you, you’re not that kind of person. This will make them feel disillusioned because the image you present is different from what they expect.”

Lu Yanhe vaguely understood.

Ultimately, it comes down to what the audience expects of you, and whether you have met those expectations.

The more famous a public figure is, the more they are bound by this image.

"Of course, if you just eat and sleep for those seven days, and then spend two hours writing a script on the last night, then it's a different story," Chen Siqi said. "Once you get a result that meets everyone's expectations, your laziness in the previous seven days will be rationalized, or even mythologized. Well, people will think you're amazing because of the achievements you've made in the past few years. To be honest, people judge you by the results."

"What about Yan Liang?"

"Process theory." Chen Siqi said frankly, "A large part of Yan Liang's core fan base believes in the principle of 'heaven rewards diligence.' They believe that if you can't be a genius, you should be a hard worker and reap what you sow."

Lu Yanhe nodded, understanding.

Although Chen Siqi's views are stereotypical and worldly, they are undoubtedly very reasonable.

For fans to idols to have something that fans need, there must be something that makes them worship and follow them.

Just like a rich kid doesn't aspire to be another rich kid, he only aspires to be another rich kid who is even richer than him.

Sometimes, when fans watch their idols, they are seeing an imagined version of themselves—a successful version of themselves, a dream they can't achieve but hope to realize.

For the general public, the image Lu Yanhe has cultivated is that of a success story of miracles.

-

"If Yin Xincheng really gets together with Zhan Yun, how many people will be disappointed?"

"To be frank, Yin Xincheng is not good enough for Zhan Yun."

"Zhan Yun is the most popular actress who came out of 'Friends'. Even Yan Liang is not as popular as Zhan Yun. This is an indisputable fact, even though Yan Liang has starred in several hit dramas."

"Many urban girls projected themselves onto Zhan Yun. Although Yin Xincheng is also very popular, to be honest, he didn't get as much attention as Zhan Yun in the show 'Friends.' So why should he be Zhan Yun's boyfriend in a romantic relationship?"

"I know some people will criticize me, saying that gender equality means there's no definitive conclusion that in a relationship, the man must be better than the woman. But putting aside these self-deceptive notions, girls, ask yourselves honestly, when you were looking for a boyfriend, didn't you want someone you admired who was better than you?"

Just after the Lantern Festival, Yu Jiang suddenly posted a lengthy message on his personal social media, bringing the previous rumors about Zhan Yun and Yin Xincheng back into the public eye.

Yu Jiang's article immediately became a trending topic after it was published.

Not only did many of her readers express agreement in the comments section, but this issue also gained a lot of support and endorsement online.

Many people believe that Yin Xincheng is not a good match for Zhan Yun.

Many people say that Yu Jiang directly expressed their feelings.

It's not just their heartfelt sentiments, but also their attitude towards life.

Some people said directly: "This actually has nothing to do with gender equality. To put it bluntly, when I look for a boyfriend or husband, of course I want to find someone stronger than me. I have a desire for strength, and there's nothing wrong with admitting that. It's perfectly normal for men to want women to be beautiful and for women to want men to be strong."

The number of likes exceeded 10,000.

The worst thing about celebrity gossip is when it becomes a topic of discussion in the public sphere.

Yin Xincheng and Zhan Yun had just gotten together when Yu Jiang suddenly stirred things up, and their relationship suddenly became more than just a matter between the two of them.

The discussion was in full swing.

Everyone is jumping out to express their opinions.

Subsequently, some people cited Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi as examples.

-

Just then, the second season of Friends aired its final episode.

Lu Yanhe and his six friends reunited to hold a celebration banquet for the end of this season.

The various opinions and discussions from the outside world did not seem to affect the mood of the six of them at all.

At the celebration banquet, everyone happily cut the cake.

Afterwards, they flew together to Japan, South Korea, and Singapore to participate in three Friends meet-and-greets with the audience.

The frequency of their exposure means they are in the eyes of those who follow them almost every day.

However, despite such intensive exposure, not a single media outlet had the opportunity to interview them about the recent online controversies.

They waited until they returned to China and appeared at the airport, where a large group of media and fans surrounded them, making it impossible to move.

In front of so many people, a nosy media outlet loudly asked, "Yin Xincheng, Zhan Yun, have you seen the recent online controversy?"

Yin Xincheng and Zhan Yun pretended not to hear and walked forward wearing sunglasses.

But those media outlets are like leeches, sticking to them relentlessly and refusing to let them go.

He asked again and again.

Finally, someone actually shouted, "Yin Xincheng, you're afraid to answer. Is it because you're guilty and feel unworthy of Zhan Yun? Can you give a straight answer?"

The veins on Yin Xincheng's forehead bulged out.

Lu Yanhe glared angrily at that person.

He took off his sunglasses and looked over coldly.

"You like asking whether someone is good enough or not so much. Do you think you're qualified to ask such questions?"

Yan Liang pulled Lu Yanhe aside and said, "Ignore him, let's go."

Lu Yanhe put his sunglasses back on.

The fans who came to greet him at the airport applauded enthusiastically.

"Well said!"

"Yin Xincheng, we support you!"

"Yin Xincheng, if you like Zhan Yun, just say it openly and don't pay attention to those people."

The atmosphere at the scene suddenly turned into an encouragement rally.

Yin Xincheng's face inexplicably turned awkward.

Zhan Yun was also embarrassed.

Bai Jin and Wen Minglan walked at the very back, exchanged a glance, and tried very hard to manage their expressions so as not to be photographed or have their micro-expressions interpreted.

The six of them got into the nanny van together.

Their team all got into the car behind.

The reason they didn't separate was because they started recording a show as soon as they landed.

This show is defined as a group variety show called "Friends", but in reality, it only takes one day to film. Everyone sits together, chats, and gossips.

It's mainly intended as a bonus episode for viewers who enjoy the show.

-

"Thank you," Yin Xincheng said to Lu Yanhe after getting into the car.

Lu Yanhe: "It's okay. I'm glad you held back. Sometimes, some of the media you encounter can really make you have a heart attack."

“Yes,” Yin Xincheng sighed. “Every time you think you’ve gotten used to this kind of ecosystem, something unexpected always happens.”

There were cameras filming inside the car, so they couldn't say many things directly.

For example, Yin Xincheng and Zhan Yun have already started dating.

Yin Xincheng and Zhan Yun have reached a consensus: neither admit nor deny, but neither will they take the initiative to show it.

The other members of Friends also followed this principle.

Seeing the two of them like this, Lu Yanhe suddenly thought that it was fortunate that he did not go public with his relationship with Chen Siqi immediately after they got together.

With so much public opinion and controversy, and even people like Yu Jiang who have turned their relationship into a social issue to debate, even the strongest bond might be burned in two.

It's not easy.

-

Two days later, it was the Blue Ribbon Awards ceremony again.

Lu Yanhe participated with everyone.

He was nominated for Best Screenplay for both Friends and My Own Swordsman, and won the award for Best Screenplay for My Own Swordsman.

The Blue Ribbon Awards also prepared a special award citation: "The Legend of Martial Arts inherits the style of classical Chinese novels in the form of a sitcom, uses chapters to create an episodic series, and uses ordinary people to reflect the world of martial arts. In this small space, it uses the past to reflect on the present. The essence of a drama is well-deserved."

The award was presented by Luo Yuzhong.

When Luo Yuzhong read these words, Lu Yanhe's eyes turned red.

As it turns out, this was just the beginning.

Yan Liang won Best Supporting Actor for his role in "The Summit," marking his second win.

The Best Actress award once again went to Liu Zi from "My Own Swordsman".

The grand prize, Best Television Series, surprisingly went to Friends, shocking everyone in the venue.

Wen Yang personally went on stage to read the award citation: "Friends is a sitcom, and of course, a TV series. Good works can transcend subject matter and form, and transcend inherent aesthetic standards and past award barriers. Friends is a new trend. It tells the story of a group of young people's lives, friendships, and love in the city. When it gains popularity and is pursued by this era with a tone that seems more relaxed and simple than realism, perhaps we should also notice that the meaning of realism is also being given new contemporary significance with the development of the times."

Lu Yanhe was completely stunned as he listened to the award speech.

Tonight was a wonderful gift from Wen Yang and the Blue Ribbon.

These two award citations are the best commentary on the world's "My Own Swordsman" and "Friends," a commentary from a mainstream award.

The Golden Tripod Awards' neglect and disregard for them has now been truly swept into the ashes of history.

The entire cast of Friends took to the Blue Ribbon Awards stage together, joyfully enjoying the moment of glory.

-

That night, Friends was a huge success.

Most importantly, it represents the significance behind this grand prize.

In particular, the Blue Ribbon Award citation for Friends received a huge response online.

Of course, after Friends won the award, many people jumped out and said that a show like Friends should not have won such a big award, and that it could not represent the level of Chinese TV dramas.

There's always a group of people who evaluate a work in this way.

It's useless no matter how popular or recognized it is, because it's not serious enough and doesn't conform to the mainstream of past history.

Controversy arose one after another.

When Liu Yu, the chairman of this year's Blue Ribbon Awards jury and a former Blue Ribbon Award winner for Best Actor, was interviewed, he responded to such doubts by saying, "At this moment, even if I give you ten thousand reasons, there will still be people who do not agree. So, I think we should wait and see about this result and let time tell us whether this result is correct or not. At least all of us judges agree with this result."

Lu Yanhe really hadn't expected this outcome.

He is content.

What surprised him even more was that the Honghe Awards, the last of the three major TV drama awards that had not yet been presented, announced its nominations shortly afterward.

Friends has once again received nominations for Best Writing and Best Television Series.

In addition to the Blue Ribbon Awards, the Red River Awards have also included Friends in their considerations.

This significance is undoubtedly a response to the controversy surrounding Friends' award.

Lu Yanhe posted a Weibo message thanking the nominees for the Honghe Award, and then joined the production team.

The 17th Floor Season 3.

The final season.

The second season of "The Seventeenth Floor" performed very well, continuing the popularity of the first season. Although the word-of-mouth declined slightly, it still managed to maintain its core audience.

The third season of "The Seventeen Floors" will prioritize filming Jiang Jun's scenes, as he will soon be joining the cast of "Doomsday".

Lu Yanhe and Chen Bige had no objection to this arrangement, and naturally, the others had no objection either.

This time, the filming period for the third season of "The Seventeenth Floor" lasted 120 days, mainly because it was the finale. Feng Qiyue wrote 22 episodes, and there was more content to film than in the previous two seasons.

Fortunately, there are far fewer ensemble scenes this season, so with the scheduling coordinated, even though Lu Yanhe is the male lead, he only needs to be on set for sixty days.

This is because, in the end, this drama is still a story told from the perspective of Chen Bige, the female lead. The male lead, Lu Yanhe, doesn't actually have much more screen time than the other main supporting characters.

After Chen Bige joined the crew, she asked Lu Yanhe a question.

Do you have any scripts for me to act in this year?

“This year—” Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, “There are no suitable ones for the time being.”

Chen Bige nodded: "Then I'll take on other projects. Director Feng Yu has a script for me to act in, but it will take quite a long time to film. If I take this project, I won't be able to take on any other projects this year."

Bong Yu is a director with a very personal style. If you say he's commercial, his auteur expression is very strong. If you say he's going for art films, he likes to play with dark humor and fast pace.

If Lu Yanhe were to find a director to compare himself to, he would say that Lu Yanhe is more like Guan Hu during the time when he was making films such as "Killing" and "The Chef, the Actor, and the Scoundrel".

Lu Yanhe was very curious and asked, "Director Feng Yu's past films have mostly been male-dominated, with few female characters. What kind of films is he going to make? What kind of roles would he cast you in?"

Chen Bige: "A femme fatale in a village."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe immediately found it quite interesting.

"Adultery, sex, barbarity, a desolate place, moral decay, contradictions of human nature?" Lu Yanhe asked.

“That’s the idea, and the whole thing is even more melodramatic,” Chen Bige said. “But every character is very vibrant. You can tell from the script that they’re not the kind of people you can raise in the city. I like these wild but vibrant characters. Raise the Red Lantern was too depressing for me. I like Feng Yu’s script because the people in it are all ready to fight at the drop of a hat.”

Lu Yanhe smiled and nodded.

"When will filming begin? I want to visit the set; I want to see it."

Chen Bige said, "There is time to film. Feng Yu asked me to give him four months of his schedule, but based on his filming style, I am prepared to postpone it."

Does it take him this long to film?

“His style is such that in the first month, you can basically forget about shooting any useful footage,” Chen Bige said. “I had worked with him once before, so I know his style. He can basically only work with people he knows well. People who don’t know him well can’t stand his style.”

Lu Yanhe nodded.

Directors at the level of Feng Yu can basically make films however they want, as long as they don't lose money, they'll definitely have investors willing to play along.

For a director like him, as long as he has a long-time collaborator who knows his style and helps him control costs and make a budget, he can still make a profit even if it takes a year to film, as long as the box office doesn't flop.

Like Chen Bige, her normal salary for a movie is between eight and fifteen million, depending on the production cost and market prospects of the film. But when she makes a film about Feng Yu, she will basically not ask for more than ten million, because Feng Yu's films are not the kind of films that go viral at the box office, at most two or three hundred million, and his best box office performance in the past was 310 million.

Of course, actors should be like Chen Bige, whose fees are negotiated on a per-film basis, depending on the film. Since they don't rely on acting fees to support their families, there's no need to refuse any role for a fixed price.

Lu Yanhe said, "If the movie 'Raise the Red Lantern' is released this year, will you be unable to promote it?"

"It depends on when it will be released. If it's in the second half of the year, I'll definitely go and film Feng Yu's movie. I'll probably have to take leave, but I can only take leave for a day or two at most. I can't take more than that," Chen Bige said. "The first half of the year is relatively better. The schedule for 'The Seventeen Floors' is easier to coordinate. As for Feng Yu, I'm basically the only one in the movie."

Lu Yanhe understood and nodded.

“It’s okay, if it really doesn’t work out, we won’t do any promotional work,” Lu Yanhe said casually. “As long as it wins an award at the Situ Film Festival.”

Lu Yanhe is very confident this time that "Raise the Red Lantern" will win the award at the Situation.

It truly has the perfect timing, location, and people.

Chen Bige: "Are you going to Satur this time?"

“Go ahead, ask the crew for three days off to attend the premiere and participate in some interviews,” Lu Yanhe said. “However, if the screenings of ‘Raise the Red Lantern’ and ‘Tropical Rainy Season’ can’t be on consecutive days, I’ll have to give up the promotional activities for ‘Raise the Red Lantern.’ I have another film, ‘Tropical Rainy Season,’ which is also in the main competition. You know, that film needs me to show up and support it more.”

Chen Bige: "You really are... You don't care about your own son, but you go and support someone else."

“With Director Wang Zhong and you there as my own son, my absence as a screenwriter won’t have much of an impact,” Lu Yanhe said. “If I don’t attend the event for ‘Tropical Rainy Season’ and it doesn’t win any awards, to be honest, there probably won’t be much media attention on the film.”

There were no famous directors, no other famous actors, and no big companies doing media relations behind the scenes.

The only highlight of "Tropical Rainy Season" is Lu Yanhe.

Huang Tianlin was also very concerned about whether Lu Yanhe could attend the premiere and media promotion activities of "Tropical Rainy Season" in Situ.

Fortunately, the official team at Situ still hopes that Lu Yanhe can attend events for both films simultaneously.

Lu Yanhe is now so popular in the world film industry that he is one of the most sought-after movie stars at top international film festivals.

Because he is being followed by media from all over the world, he is extremely famous and has great news value.

Therefore, in the end, "Raise the Red Lantern" and "Tropical Rainy Season" were scheduled to be screened on two consecutive days, so Lu Yanhe only needed to ask the crew for one more day off.

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Lu Yanhe genuinely hoped that "Raise the Red Lantern" could win the highest award at the Situation.

Whether or not they can win an award depends on the competition from other films in the same year.

Lu Yanhe wouldn't be so arrogant as to think that the movie "Raise the Red Lantern" could kill anyone he encounters.

Even Zhang Yimou himself wouldn't be this arrogant.

He can only hope that there won't be any truly phenomenal masterpieces among the films in this year's Situation main competition.

If it's like "The Shawshank Redemption" versus "Forrest Gump," then there's nothing that can be done; it just depends on which one the judges prefer.

As for "Tropical Rainy Season", Lu Yanhe has not seen the finished film yet, and does not know what "Tropical Rainy Season" will be like or what kind of results it will achieve.

Linghe has acquired the distribution rights for "Tropical Rainy Season" in China.

Therefore, even from a purely practical standpoint, Lu Yanhe certainly hopes that "Tropical Rainy Season" will perform well.

Of course, being able to enter the main competition unit of Situ is already a very good achievement.

For Lu Yanhe, this might not be anything new.

But for Huang Tianlin, it meant that as a film director, he had officially entered the field of vision of the world's top film festivals, from a promising and talented newcomer.

With such a resume, his next work will definitely be given priority attention by the four major international film festivals.

Lu Yanhe felt that if he could help a director like Huang Tianlin reach such heights, he would be very happy, and it would also be a significant achievement in his film career.

(End of this chapter)