Chapter 127 Two-Way [VIP]

Chapter Summary: Always repaying with the utmost goodwill

The next day, in Jincheng.

As soon as I stepped out of the hotel, a wave of heat hit me.

After getting into the car, Mu Zhi and her group headed to a local arts center.

The first stop of today's roadshow was a small meet-and-greet with local media and nearly 900 fans to promote the film.

The makeup artist glanced at her phone: "The temperature in Jincheng today is 39 degrees Celsius!"

He couldn't help but smile wryly: "Have we gone from one furnace to another?"

Minmin: "Luckily, the venues we're doing our promotional tours are shopping malls and movie theaters, which are all indoors and have air conditioning!"

Mu Zhi, who had just finished filming her new drama the day before, felt that it was better than filming in Shashi.

She no longer needs to wear a hat and long clothes, which allows her to stay cool and breathable.

The agent sent over a large suitcase full of summer clothes.

Mu Zhi's outfit today consisted of a black and white patterned tank top, loose light-colored jeans, and a black square pendant necklace.

It's a cool and stylish outfit with a touch of sexiness.

We arrived at the event venue.

As Mu Zhi got out of the car, she was surprised to find fans waiting outside in such hot weather.

Upon seeing their idol appear, the fans scurried over from the shade.

Mu Zhi couldn't help but speak:

"It's too hot outside, I'm going to get heatstroke soon."

"You all need to go back or find a place with air conditioning to rest right away. Don't wait outside, understand?"

The fans nodded obediently: "Okay."

Mu Zhi and her group walked for two minutes with umbrellas before entering the first floor of the venue.

In just two short minutes, they were scorched by the sun and looked like wilted vegetable stalks in a field. But once they entered the air-conditioned environment, they felt like they had come back to life.

Mu Zhi touched her arm; it was wet. She couldn't tell if it was Minmin who had been yelling, "It's so hot! It's so hot!" She quickly pulled out sunscreen spray and sprayed it vigorously on Minmin's exposed chest, back, and arms.

Is it unevaporated water vapor from the spray or sweat from the heat?

It's most likely the latter.

Mu Zhi suddenly felt that the sun in Shashi was much friendlier.

Before leaving home that morning, she checked her fan community online and saw that many fans had arrived at the event early, and quite a few were complaining about the weather.

"It's so hot, it's unbearable."

"This weather is almost melting away all my love for Zhibao."

"Sisters, I've definitely lost weight (sweating profusely)!"

"My face, my body are raining (despair)."

Most fans managed to snag tickets and get into the event venue, thankfully.

When I got out of the car just now, I wondered if the fans waiting outside had left.

Minmin was walking when she saw Muzhi stop.

"Sister Zhizhi, what's wrong?"

Mu Zhi took out her phone and tapped a few times. Min Min's phone received a WeChat message. When she opened it, she saw that Mu Zhi had just transferred a five-figure sum of money to her.

"Minmin, do me a favor."

"Huh?"

After the meet-and-greet event began.

Mu Zhi appeared on stage with director Wan Zhou, Tai Feng, and other key members of the production team.

The packed audience chanted "Mu Zhi" in unison, a scene even more enthusiastic than the press conference announcing the release date.

Of the nearly 900 moviegoers, at least two-thirds were Mu Zhi's fans.

Director Wan Zhou and Tai Feng, among others, have been touring the event for over a week and clearly felt the enthusiastic atmosphere at today's meet-and-greet, with the audience in high spirits.

With Mu Zhi joining, they took on a lot of the workload of the event, especially the interaction with the fans. Many of Mu Zhi's fans came, and the host randomly selected fans of Mu Zhi to ask questions that were mainly directed at their idol.

"Zhibao, the crew filmed in Tibet for more than four months, shooting at many scenic spots. Which scenic spot impressed you the most?"

Muzhi: "Many scenic spots in Tibet, including the natural scenery along the way, are very beautiful. Because of Asang, I have a deep impression of Namtso Lake. I believe that after everyone goes to the cinema to see 'Countdown', they will fall in love with Tibet, just like Asang and I."

"Zhibao, between Shashi and Jincheng, which do you think is hotter?"

Without hesitation, Mu Zhi replied, "Of course it's Jincheng. The weather here and your hospitality are melting my heart."

Director Wan Zhou and Tai Feng: ...I never expected Mu Zhi to have such a humorous side.

The next person to be called upon to stand up and ask a question was a little girl wearing glasses.

Taking the microphone from the staff, she pushed up her glasses and said excitedly, "Sister Zhizhi, I've watched all of your works. I've watched your last movie, 'Back to 17,' countless times. I really, really love your portrayal of 'Zhou Can'!"

I'm taking the college entrance exam next year. Could you please say a few words of blessing to me?

Perhaps she was too excited, because the little girl's words were stammering.

Mu Zhi listened patiently the whole time. After the little girl finished speaking, she asked what her name was, and then said, "Lele, I hope you can focus on your studies for the rest of the time and get into your ideal university next year. Good luck!"

"Sister Muzhi, what was your first thought after watching the release date trailer?"

Mu Zhi said frankly, "I miss my long hair a little."

This made the fans at the scene laugh...

With Mu Zhi in high spirits and relaxed and at ease, the other main creators were often amused by Mu Zhi's conversations with fans, which also swept away the fatigue from more than a week of non-stop work.

The event venue was filled with laughter and joy.

The faces of the 20-odd fans who were outside in the shade, holding small handheld fans or waving fans, were flushed from the heat, stubbornly waiting to see Mu Zhi one last time before she left.

"Hey, isn't that Sister Minmin?"

A fan suddenly spoke up.

The others followed her gaze and saw that it seemed to be Minmin, the executive manager of the idol, and her male assistant.

"Holy crap! Is it coming towards us?"

What are they doing here?

"Maybe we should leave quickly."

When Minmin and her male assistant walked over, they were so frightened by the fans that they almost ran away.

"Wait a minute, I have something to give you."

Minmin, holding an umbrella in one hand and a drink in the other, jogged forward a few steps.

The fans who were stopped also noticed what Minmin and her male assistant were carrying, which looked like milk tea.

Could it be for them?

"These are drinks that Sister Zhizhi bought for you, one cup for each of you."

"Sister Zhizhi told me to buy one or two cups of room temperature drinks. I thought it was too hot, so I usually add ice. If it's inconvenient, I'll wait until they're warm before drinking them."

Seeing that the fans were a bit reserved and didn't dare to come forward immediately to take the drinks, Minmin took the initiative to hand over two cups and then handed over two large bags of milk tea to the fans so that they could share them.

Before leaving, I only reminded him of one thing: Be careful to avoid heatstroke!

He didn't say anything more to tell the fans to leave or go home.

Minmin herself has also been a fan of celebrities and knows that many fans may have liked Muzhi for three or four years. When their idol comes to their city, it is the first time they have the opportunity to meet their idol in person. Some fans even come from neighboring cities or other cities.

I've come all this way, and I don't want to leave right away. I want to stay a little longer.

To those who don't follow celebrities, idol worship might be an incomprehensible behavior, or even seem brainless.

But Minmin understands that for many fans, idols are a source of spiritual nourishment, a little sweetness in the repetitive and monotonous daily life, like stars in the sky, unattainable yet illuminating their own world...

Not only were the fans waiting outside given milk tea.

Nearly 900 movie fans inside the event venue were also included.

Before the event, Mu Zhi had spoken with Director Wan Zhou.

The meeting was drawing to a close.

Director Mu Zhi and Director Wan Zhou, along with Tai Feng, gave a few words of advice to the audience: "Everyone should take precautions against sunburn and heatstroke when going out later," and then waved goodbye and left the stage.

The host announced: "It's very hot outside today. Our 'Countdown' production team has prepared a surprise for everyone. Please be patient and sit in your seats for a moment."

Then staff carried several large insulated boxes filled with ice to the front and back doors, allowing the audience inside to leave in an orderly fashion, row by row, and as they walked out of the doors, staff randomly distributed ice cream, milk tea, bottled drinks, canned drinks, etc.

Fans at the scene posted photos of the milk tea, ice cream, and drinks they received on the fan forum.

Other fans online were extremely envious when they saw this:

"Ahhh, Zhibao bought me a drink?! My child is so envious!"

"I also want the drink that Sister Zhizhi bought for me!"

"My daughter is so sweet, her love for her fans is mutual [heart emoji]"

"Muzhi really spoils her fans. Last time, during a brand event, it rained, and she even had her staff buy umbrellas and raincoats for the fans."

......

Actually, many of Mu Zhi's fans attended the press conference for the release date of "Countdown" and today's meet-and-greet, mainly because they wanted to see their idol and support her.

Another reason is to outdo Tai Feng's fans and give their idol the respect he deserves.

The time when they received an award together at the Boiling Night event and it went viral, they were met with sarcastic remarks from Tai Feng's fans, which caused some unpleasantness.

Now that the two stars' movie is about to be released, and the director is a big name, Mu Zhi's fans are thinking that they must send more people to crush Tai Feng's fan base.

There have been some frictions recently.

Tai Feng's fans are usually quite laid-back, and they usually work with actors who aren't considered "idols." But this time, they're secretly competing with Mu Zhi's fans.

At the press conference announcing the release date, Mu Zhi's fans stole the spotlight and tried to gain some advantage verbally. They attacked Mu Zhi's fans by saying that Tai Feng was the lead actor in "Countdown" and that the director always brought Tai Feng to the roadshow, while Mu Zhi's role in the movie was so small, to show off their superiority.

This angered Mu Zhi's fans.

Yes, the lead actor in "Countdown" isn't our idol.

They really weren't keen on giving their all to support them.

But thinking about it carefully, to put it bluntly, if "Countdown" flops, it won't have much impact on Tai Feng's film resources, but it will be very important to Mu Zhi.

They need to demonstrate to the director the idol's box office appeal and the support #TreeBranch# provides for the film, flexing their muscles for a potential second collaboration in the future.

Putting aside the fan-circle debate, Mu Zhi was quite stunning in the trailer, and I believe her acting in the movie will be even more outstanding. After the movie's release, as long as the quality of the movie holds up, she will definitely reap more benefits than Tai Feng.

Another film I have in the pipeline is "Model of the Times," which will be released during the National Day holiday. It's unlikely that a patriotic film like this will reap much benefit, especially since many celebrities are already in it, so I don't need to go all out to support it.

There's only one film this year, "Countdown"!!!

The fans ultimately decided to give their all to support "Countdown"!

The fans who received the drinks today were even more excited and started enthusiastically recommending the movie to everyone they knew...

At 10:30 p.m., the creative team behind "Countdown" finished their promotional tour at the last cinema.

After a day of roadshows.

Director Wan Zhou and Tai Feng have gotten to know Mu Zhi better.

At the last press conference announcing the release date, Mu Zhi left them with the impression of being quiet and reserved. She would only respond when prompted by the host, director, or media reporters, and her answers were very official and conventional.

Today, however, he seemed very relaxed. Wan Zhou exuded an air of authority without anger, Tai Feng was aloof, and Mu Zhi became the one who would cheer him on and liven up the atmosphere when it cooled down. She was especially friendly and patient when answering questions from fans.

Mu Zhi simply laughed it off, saying, "Press conferences are formal occasions, and they receive a lot of attention, so there's pressure to avoid making mistakes. Promoting in shopping malls and cinemas isn't as formal, and the audience there is very enthusiastic."

In fact, during the promotional tour, those who buy tickets to come and support the film are mostly fans who like the director or actor. Most of the questions they ask are very friendly, and they shower them with compliments.

Therefore, Mu Zhi always reciprocates with the greatest goodwill when doing roadshows.

August 6th, 3 days before the film's release.

The film "Countdown" was screened in more than a dozen cities across the country.

The production company is confident in the quality of the film and also wants to seize the last days of the summer movie season to secure more screenings.

On the first and second days of the preview screenings, director Wan Zhou, Tai Feng, Mu Zhi, and other members of the creative team flew to two cities and visited five or six cinemas a day.

During the post-screening Q&A session, the audience members gave the film very positive feedback.

August 8th, the day before the movie's release.

The film "Countdown" held a preview screening at a large cinema in the northern part of the city. In addition to the main creative team, many well-known directors and big-name celebrity friends were invited to attend.

By leveraging the influence of other directors and stars, the film's impact can be expanded.

The preview screening has ended.

Mu Zhi got home at 10:30 p.m., which is considered an early finish tonight.

The main creative team had originally planned to have a dinner together, but considering they had to fly to other cities early the next morning to continue their roadshow and had to get up early, they canceled it.

The movie will be released in a few hours.

Mu Zhi took some time to go online and check out the movies that were competing with her at the same time.

Today's box office rankings: In first place is a patriotic film called "The Horn of Victory," which has been in theaters for half a month and has grossed nearly 2 billion yuan. Today's box office is still over 10 million yuan, making it a strong and persistent competitor.

The second-ranked film is an animated film with a total box office of over 700 million yuan, and today's box office is over 4 million yuan.

There are a total of 6 movies being released tomorrow, August 9th.

Box office pre-sale rankings:

The number one film is the science fiction film "Earth Diary", with 60 million views.

Second on the list is the road movie "Countdown," which grossed 50 million.

The third-ranked film is the romance "The Love of the Woodpecker" with 20 million yuan.

The fourth-ranked film is the romance movie "Life Swap" with 8 million views.

......

Four of them are romance films.

The day after tomorrow is Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), and a bunch of romance movies are being released.

"Countdown" is a road trip romance film, and its pre-sale success, besides the appeal of the director and actors, also benefited to some extent from the Valentine's Day promotion.

Based on pre-sale figures and positive reviews from preview screenings, the box office performance is expected to be good in the first three days of release.

However, the posts on forums and the predictions from marketing accounts for the final box office of "Countdown"—and also the predictions from movie ticketing apps—are around 700 million.

The premise is that the overall market will not be drained by the sci-fi film "Earth Diary".

The box office performance of "The Trumpet of Victory" will not be suppressed in the future.

We'll have to wait and see how "Countdown" performs at the box office and what audience reviews it will receive, as well as its final box office results.

[Author's Note]

Wishing Zhibao's movie great box office success!! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 00:15:58 and 23:54:39 ​​on August 22, 2022!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Ye Zhirou and Mua Little Fox (1 bottle);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!