Chapter 68 Chapter 68
As the last scene of Guimen (The Ghost Gate) ended, Gu Xing Shi clearly heard the collective sigh of relief from the audience behind him.
Immediately afterwards, thunderous applause erupted, interspersed with whistles and shouts of "Exciting!"
Pei Zhuo Zhi sat in his chair in a daze.
He had seen this scene countless times in his dreams, and even during the advance screening, sitting in the audience, he had witnessed a similar spectacle.
Yet, at this moment, he still felt like he was in a dream.
He couldn't help but think, if it weren't for President Gu, this might truly have been just a dream.
"Director Pei, it's time for the interviews!" A staff member's words startled Pei Zhuo Zhi.
"Coming."
Pei Zhuo Zhi wiped his eyes and led the cast and crew onto the stage.
The response from the media present was incredibly enthusiastic.
Reporters have keen instincts; they can sense whether a movie is good or has the potential to be a hit. The audience's reaction was so positive, anyone with eyes could see it.
"Director Pei, what was the creative intention behind this film? Does the gate symbol at the end signify a sequel?"
"Qin Wen, hello. This is your first time as a lead actor. How did it feel, and did anything interesting happen during the process?"
"Qian Wei! Your performance in the film was stunning. Your acting has improved so much. What's the reason for that?"
"Yan Xiang..."
...
Gu Xing Shi stood in the audience, watching them with a cheerful smile.
He was like someone who nurtured a plant that everyone doubted, carefully tending to it until it finally bloomed.
This immense sense of accomplishment was irreplaceable.
Wen Yue stood beside him, his gaze involuntarily drawn to him.
Gu Xing Shi seemed different than usual at this moment, even more dazzling.
Perhaps because this was his stage.
Everyone treated him as a vine clinging to a large tree, but after absorbing the sunlight and rain, he had grown into a towering tree himself.
Wen Yue suddenly understood why, even though they collaborated happily, Gu Xing Shi still sought out other partners.
He didn't dislike him.
He just didn't want to be a vine dependent on a tree.
Gu Xing Shi had known what he wanted from the beginning. He was never a passive dodder; he wanted to be the one in control.
Realizing this, Wen Yue, far from feeling offended, was deeply moved, his Adam's apple bobbing subtly.
The slight resentment he had felt completely vanished, replaced by a deeper affection.
He thought, instead of keeping Gu Xing Shi in a gilded cage, he wanted to see him proudly riding a horse, galloping freely.
"President Gu," Wen Yue spoke, his voice slightly hoarse.
Gu Xing Shi looked at him questioningly: "?"
Wen Yue: "Next month, I'm hosting a dinner for Mr. Zhan of Tao Sheng Capital, the Lan siblings from Beijing Film, and some other industry figures. Would President Gu grace us with your presence?"
Gu Xing Shi was stunned.
The people Wen Yue mentioned included almost all the bigwigs in Beijing's film and television industry. For an ordinary person, meeting one of them would be incredibly difficult. Only Wen Yue could easily invite them all to a single banquet.
This invitation was priceless, a tremendous favor.
But why was Wen Yue doing this?
Gu Xing Shi subconsciously looked over and saw Wen Yue intently watching him.
That strange feeling arose again.
Gu Xing Shi's thoughts stirred, just as he was about to speak...
Pei Zhuo Zhi and the others on stage happened to be looking for him, and the reporters' cameras turned towards him as well.
The two could only postpone this conversation for now.
Gu Xing Shi went on stage, surrounded by everyone.
Everyone knew that this film could be considered something Gu Xing Shi had built from the ground up. Its successful release was largely due to his efforts.
The previously ridiculed new director and new screenwriter were now lauded for his discerning eye.
Especially Bu Qian Wei's acting improvement; Director Pei repeatedly denied any credit, claiming it was Gu Xing Shi's idea, which further piqued everyone's curiosity.
When Gu Xing Shi took the stage, almost all the cameras focused on him, and the reporters' questions came like a barrage, overwhelming him.
However, Gu Xing Shi remained calm and spoke eloquently to the media.
He would occasionally drop a witty remark to ease the tension, effortlessly controlling the atmosphere.
Wen Yue's lips curled into a faint smile as he looked deeply at him once more before turning to leave.
-
Compared to the enthusiastic atmosphere at the Guimen premiere, the screening of Yun Shan Chuan 2 (Cloud Mountain Legend 2) was followed by a long period of silence before sporadic applause broke out.
Fang Ming was jolted awake, rubbing his sleepy eyes and looking up at the brightly lit cinema, somewhat dazed: It's over?
Then he realized: He had actually fallen asleep?!!!
At the beginning of Yun Shan Chuan 2, he was excited by the grand scenery and exquisite costumes, and the appearances of various stars elicited gasps from the audience.
However, this excitement only lasted ten minutes. After that, the long and tedious plot caused him to constantly zone out, his eyelids drooping incessantly.
Although he tried to keep his eyes open, he ultimately failed.
Fang Ming turned to look around and found that many others were also drowsy and yawning.
This isn't right!!
Fang Ming felt a sudden pang of panic.
Yun Shan Chuan was so well-made.
How could Yun Shan Chuan 2 turn out like this? The plot was completely messy, the editing was haphazard, and the big-name stars seemed to be just making quick appearances before disappearing.
After watching the movie, he didn't even know what he had seen.
If he felt that way, the media reporters felt it even more strongly.
During the interviews, sharp questions were thrown one after another, and the director and actors on stage couldn't cope. The interview ended with the director leaving with a dark face.
The investors' expressions were even worse.
They could imagine how the reporters would write about it. Once the news spread, Yun Shan Chuan 2's reputation would be ruined.
Therefore, even if they were furious, for the sake of the box office, they could only grit their teeth and clean up the mess.
Fang Ming felt like vomiting, especially when he opened Weibo and saw the overwhelming positive reviews for Guimen. This feeling of frustration reached its peak.
What made it worse was that the investor who had bet with him earlier called him with malicious intent: "Mr. Fang, did you see the Dog Eye's prediction for Guimen's box office? 500 million! Seriously, if a domestic horror film really reaches a box office of 500 million, calling Gu Xing Shi 'Dad' wouldn't be a loss, huh~"
Fang Ming: "Screw off!"
He angrily hung up the phone.
But his uneasiness didn't subside. Fortunately, Yun Shan Chuan 2's screen time and box office were still higher than Guimen's for now.
This provided Fang Ming with a small measure of comfort.
But he hadn't been happy for two days when he was crushed by the overwhelming negative reviews of Yun Shan Chuan 2 online.
【I went to see Yun Shan Chuan 2 with high expectations, but I couldn't take it halfway through and left. It was a complete waste of my money. I should have gone to see Guimen instead!】
【The filmmakers clearly aimed for something big, but ended up delivering a huge flop!】
【Can the water army stop covering their mouths? Even if you report me a thousand times, I'm still going to say, Yun Shan Chuan 2 is terrible!!】
...
Although Yun Shan Chuan 2's publicity team tried to salvage the situation, the film's attendance inevitably plummeted. Conversely, Guimen's box office began to rise again, exceeding its opening day's numbers in recent days.
Fang Ming could only watch helplessly as Guimen's box office continuously surpassed Yun Shan Chuan 2's, and its screen time also increased, squeezing Yun Shan Chuan 2's survival space.
Fang Ming was furious, and even more angry that Yun Shan Chuan 2's box office was far below their initial projections, probably barely recouping their investment. The investors not only didn't make money, they would likely lose some.
Fang Ming hardly dared to go out recently, for fear of encountering the triumphant Gu Xing Shi. The thought made him gnash his teeth in anger.
He certainly didn't want to admit that his investment judgment was poor, instead blaming the failure of Yun Shan Chuan 2 on Gu Xing Shi.
He felt that the reason Yun Shan Chuan 2 received so many negative reviews was because Guimen's team had hired water army.
After all, in this period, the only real threat to Guimen was Yun Shan Chuan 2.
The more he thought about it, the more he believed it. His expression turned sinister, and a plan began to form in his mind.
-
Gu Xing Shi was very busy recently. With the success of Guimen, his social engagements increased.
Now that he held multiple positions, his artists' workload also increased, and he felt a bit overwhelmed.
He didn't regret it, but he was considering adjusting the management structure, dividing the various tasks among specialized personnel, so he could focus on the overall picture.
However, finding suitable candidates wasn't easy.
Actually, Gu Xing Shi had a suitable candidate in mind: Lin Xia Yu.
Lin Xia Yu was capable and had good character. Collaborating with her was very reassuring.
But talented individuals like Lin Xia Yu weren't only sought after by him.
He heard that many large companies had approached her. Previously, these companies had reservations because Lin Xia Yu was clearly tied to Bu Qian Wei, who, while beautiful, lacked ability, making her a less desirable asset. But now that Bu Qian Wei had become famous through Guimen, these companies had no more hesitation, offering incredibly generous terms that even surprised Gu Xing Shi.
Le Shi Entertainment was small, and couldn't afford such good treatment, but Gu Xing Shi knew that if he approached Lin Xia Yu, considering the favor of helping Bu Qian Wei through Guimen, and considering their personalities, they would most likely agree.
But he didn't want to do something that felt like taking advantage of their gratitude.
Especially recently, he heard that Lin Xia Yu had finally settled Bu Qian Wei's contract with her original company and seemed to be planning to start her own studio.
Although he felt a little regret, he put the thought aside.
But then, the internal phone rang, saying that Lin Xia Yu was visiting.
Gu Xing Shi was surprised.
He thought that she would be very busy setting up her own studio, so why would she suddenly come to see him?
Although puzzled, he went to the meeting room.
Lin Xia Yu was still dressed in a smart business suit, just as she was during their first meeting. However, her mental state seemed better than the first time, which was to be expected when someone is successful.
They had exchanged a lot before, so there was no need for much formality. After a casual chat, Lin Xia Yu straightened her expression: "President Gu, thank you for what you did for Qian Wei before."
Gu Xing Shi thought she was referring to Bu Qian Wei's role in Guimen, and waved his hand: "Qian Wei's performance also added a lot to the film. It was a win-win situation, there's no need to thank me."
However, Lin Xia Yu shook her head: "I'm not talking about that. Do you remember at the premiere, you told me that Qian Wei's acting wasn't the problem, it was a psychological issue. Actually, you didn't have to tell me, because Qian Wei isn't your artist. And it was my negligence as her manager, I didn't notice such an important thing. My prior leniency almost hurt her. If it weren't for you..."
At this point, Lin Xia Yu seemed to choke up, and after composing herself, continued, "President Gu, I know this may be abrupt, but Qian Wei and I really hope to join Le Shi."
Gu Xing Shi was stunned.
Heavens... a pie falling from the sky?!!!
Seeing him silent, Lin Xia Yu seemed a little nervous: "President Gu, I know my management skills are far inferior to yours, but I still have some skills. This is my future resource plan for Qin Wen and others... I hope you won't reject it."
Gu Xing Shi: "!!!"
He took the plan Lin Xia Yu had made and had to admit that professionals were professionals. This plan was simply amazing.
This wasn't just a pie!
This was clearly a chef with a full imperial banquet!
And this chef was worried, afraid that he would refuse.
Could he refuse?!
He wasn't crazy!
But he was still a little annoyed. If he had known it was a mutual attraction, why had he been so hesitant! He had wasted so many resources!!
Lin Xia Yu was a straightforward person, and after joining, she immediately began working efficiently.
However, Gu Xing Shi didn't expect her to make such a big splash right away.
She had actually sent Qin Wen and Bu Qian Wei to a CCTV (China Central Television) gala.
While a CCTV gala didn't necessarily bring traffic, it was a symbol of national recognition and status. Getting on it wasn't easy. Even Meng Yuan Sheng and Cheng Xin had only appeared once when they were in a limited-time group thanks to Xing Yao's resources.
And Lin Xia Yu didn't just send one; she sent two.
Gu Xing Shi was stunned. He hadn't expected to underestimate Lin Xia Yu so much.
Unexpectedly, Lin Xia Yu, upon hearing his praise, repeatedly shook her head: "This has little to do with me, it's mainly thanks to President Gu!"
Gu Xing Shi: "?"
Lin Xia Yu looked up at him in admiration: "Really, your backing is simply too useful... Cough, I mean, as soon as I said they were your artists, the review was much easier. Everyone knows that your artists have good character and won't cause scandals, so even CCTV is afraid of problems! I just had to persuade them slightly, and it was done. It's been the easiest time I've ever had getting resources..."
Gu Xing Shi: "???"
With CCTV releasing the list of performers for the gala, Qin Wen and Bu Qian Wei quickly trended on Weibo.
【Ahhhhhhhh!!! It's actually the CCTV gala! Our Bu Bu has really done well!!】
【Seeing Brother Qin on CCTV, I'm not surprised. I guess this is a necessary step for President Gu's artists!】
【Hahahaha, is this an inside-the-system manager sending artists to the system? [Dog head]】
【Let's be honest, is anyone still questioning President Gu's identity? It's more certain than my mother being my mother!】
【In the future, I can not only say I have connections in the entertainment industry, but I can also say I have connections in the system! [Dog head][Dog head]】
...
Gu Xing Shi upon seeing the trending topics: "..."
Just as he was speechless, he suddenly heard the system say:【Host, host, your son is going to report you!】
Gu Xing Shi:【???】
The system chuckled:【Before, there was an investor named Fang Ming who bet that if Guimen's box office exceeded 100 million, he would call you Dad. Based on the time Guimen exceeded 100 million, he has been your son for seven days, six hours, and fifty-three minutes!】
Gu Xing Shi:【...Don't mess around, let's talk business!】
The system:【Cough cough... Okay, this Fang Ming invested in Yun Shan Chuan 2. Didn't that movie flop terribly? He thinks it's your fault...】
Gu Xing Shi:【Wait, Yun Shan Chuan 2 flopped because it was bad, what does that have to do with me?】
The system:【He thinks Guimen hired water army to give Yun Shan Chuan 2 bad reviews, causing it to flop...】
Gu Xing Shi:【What is this, accusing someone without any evidence?】
The system:【In short, he's now trying to report Guimen, saying the film promotes feudal superstition and harms minors...】
Gu Xing Shi frowned.
Although this person's way of thinking was bizarre, his method was indeed insidious. He chose to report it at the moment Qin Wen and Bu Qian Wei were appearing on the CCTV gala. If successful, not only would Guimen's release be greatly affected, Qin Wen and Bu Qian Wei would also offend CCTV and get into big trouble.
Gu Xing Shi's expression turned cold. Now that he knew the opponent's methods, solving this wouldn't be difficult.
But, provoking him and trying to escape unscathed would be impossible.
Thinking of this, Gu Xing Shi asked:【System, 10086 hasn't had a good meal in a long time, right?】
The system:【Yes, hehehe, come on, host, my melon-eating knife is already thirsty!!!】
-
After making the report, Fang Ming was in a good mood, humming a song as he opened a bottle of wine for himself.
He was complacent about his tactics. After being in this industry for so long, he knew best that labels like "feudal superstition" and "harming minors" were difficult to remove once attached.
Then, not only would the film Guimen be affected, Qin Wen and Bu Qian Wei wouldn't have an easy time either.
Moreover, the report was anonymous and made through official channels.
Even if Gu Xing Shi had connections with the police, how far could his influence reach? He would never know who made the report, and could only swallow this bitter pill.
However, he never expected that instead of Guimen being reported and taken down, the official media announced that Guimen was collaborating with Baofu City to promote folk culture, turning the ghost village into a new tourist destination.
Fang Ming: "????"
How could this be?!
And why did this news come out at this time?!
This means that the official media confirmed Guimen's promotion of folk culture, making it impossible to claim it was feudal superstition, rendering his report useless.
Fang Ming was both envious and furious.
Why was Gu Xing Shi so lucky!
Even this couldn't kill him!
Just as he was venting his anger in his room, another investor called him, anxiously saying: "Do you know? Something happened to our movie!!"
Fang Ming was stunned: "Yun Shan Chuan 2? What could happen?"
"It's been reported!" the investor said furiously, "Oh, forget it, just check it online yourself!"
Fang Ming's heart pounded.
He immediately thought of a possibility.
No, no, no, impossible!
How could Gu Xing Shi's influence be that great?!
However, his report on Guimen had just been submitted, and before anything happened to Guimen, Yun Shan Chuan 2 was reported instead!
This was too coincidental.
Fang Ming was frantic and quickly opened Weibo.
Seeing the top trending topic, his heart sank.
The Melon-Eating System No. 10086:【I saw Yun Shan Chuan 2 at 5:20, and at 13:14 I caught a walking 500,000!】
Netizens—
【Whoa! As expected of the 10086 boss, a big melon as soon as they appear!!!】
【Welcome back, Boss 10086! Without your melons, we can't eat or sleep properly!!】
【Yun Shan Chuan 2 and a walking 500,000?? Is it what I think it is??】
【I used to think it was just a meme! I didn't expect that there really were spies! They were hidden too well!】
【I think we should investigate Yun Shan Chuan 2 as well? If a high-level member of the crew is a spy, maybe the film itself isn't clean either?】
【Just thinking about the fact that my money was earned by a spy makes me sick. Yun Shan Chuan 2, a movie that endangers society, should be taken off the shelves as soon as possible!】
...
Fang Ming was terrified.
He recognized the crew member mentioned by 10086. This person was usually quiet and unassuming, but unexpectedly, he was a spy?!
And he was increasingly panicked.
He had just reported Guimen, and Yun Shan Chuan 2 was reported immediately afterwards.
He reported Guimen for feudal superstition and endangering minors, and Yun Shan Chuan 2 was reported for having a spy and endangering society.
This was too coincidental!
At this moment, the investor called him again, gnashing his teeth and asking: "Did you report Guimen?"
Fang Ming was startled: "How... how did you know?!"
"Heh, the whole industry knows now!" the investor raged, "You idiot! Why did you provoke Gu Xing Shi?! Is a position in the system so easy to move?"
Fang Ming was desperate: "Now...it's not confirmed, right? Maybe he's just making it up?"
"Making it up? Can you make something like this up? You think everyone is as brainless as you! Besides, 10086 has never been wrong since their first Weibo post!" the investor took a breath, "Do you know, that spy has been caught, and Yun Shan Chuan 2 is temporarily removed from theaters pending investigation!!"
Fang Ming: "!!!"
He hastily asked, "Now that it's off, what about our investment?"
"Investment? It's gone down the drain, of course!" the other party almost laughed angrily, "Instead of worrying about this, you should worry about your stupid actions, causing so many people to lose their money, and whether you can even stay in this industry!"
Fang Ming's face turned pale.
It's over!
It's really over!