Chapter 274 The First Signs of Turmoil (17,000 words updated!)
“Yan He really doesn’t have time to participate in the show ‘Idol Era,’ Brother Qin.” Chen Ziyan sighed with a smile. “If he had any time to participate in this show, why would I refuse you? What kind of relationship do we have? He’s about to start school, you know that.”
The producer, whom Chen Ziyan called Brother Qin, said on the other end of the phone: "Ziyan, we're not asking him to be a regular on our show. Whatever performance he comes for, we're fine with it. One episode, or two episodes? It's all fine. You know, I'm very clear that we're making an idol competition show with weekly rankings. As long as you have a show, you can come and participate."
Chen Ziyan said, "I know, Brother Qin, but the problem is that Yan He doesn't have any performances that can be put on your show. Your show is called 'Idol Era.' How about this, you know, I also have an artist with me, Tu Song. He's a singer, and like Yan He, he debuted as an idol artist. I'll send him to your show, is that okay?"
"Tu Song? I don't even know who he is."
"You're exaggerating. He's already sung four OSTs in six months." Chen Ziyan snorted, clearly not genuinely dissatisfied. "He's very talented."
Brother Qin said, "Ziyan, you know perfectly well that our new show needs top-tier celebrities to kick off the show. I've put in a lot of effort to invite the most popular idol artists to our program and make it the ultimate stage for idol artists. Ma Zhiyuan, Li Zhibai, Liu Zhiyin... I've already secured these artists. Think about it, which other program can secure so many idol artists at once?"
“Others might not be able to, but you definitely can, I know that.” Chen Ziyan sighed. “It’s not that I’m not giving you face, it’s just that Yan He really isn’t going down the idol route anymore. You know that, he’s an actor now. To be honest, does he look like someone who’s suited for the idol route?”
Brother Qin said, "It's enough that he's famous. Why do you care what path he takes?"
"He only became famous after he stopped following the idol route," Chen Ziyan said with a smile.
Chen Ziyan argued with him for a long time, even saying that Lu Yanhe would never go on any idol-type programs again, before he finally gave up.
After hanging up the phone, Chen Ziyan's eyes darted around as she fell into deep thought.
When she's lost in thought, she's like a frozen, still painting; even the light in her eyes is quiet, as serene as water. However, no one who knows her would mistake this scene for seeing a woman with the elegant posture of someone in an oil painting. It's not that Chen Ziyan's posture isn't elegant, but rather—how should I put it? Women with elegant postures in oil paintings often evoke a sense of tranquility; to use a cliché, it's described as "peaceful and serene." These four words would absolutely never apply to Chen Ziyan. Those who know her understand this.
When she's quietly lost in thought, she's definitely pondering something, like right now.
"Idol Era"—that's a bold and domineering name.
Qin Zhikun's ability to create such a program at this time is a testament to his skill. He keenly sensed an upcoming trend. Chen Ziyan has never underestimated idol artists, because there have been precedents showing that such artists can also reach the top of the entertainment industry and earn the highest incomes.
Chen Ziyan was originally known as an actress, and all the artists she managed were actors. It wasn't until Tu Song and Lu Yanhe that singers and idol artists emerged. However, this doesn't mean she discriminates against or is prejudiced against idol artists. Rather, it's because she comes from a relatively conservative era, and idol artists, it must be said, have only been developing in China for a short period of about twenty years, or even less than twenty years strictly speaking.
Back then, talent shows weren't selecting idols in the true sense; they were selecting singers.
Chen Ziyan has her eye on the lucrative opportunity presented by "Idol Era".
She wants to get Tu Song on this show—Qin Zhikun hasn't said a word about this from beginning to end.
-
Before the start of the school term, Lu Yanhe bought some things and made an appointment with Lin Yu and the others to visit Teacher Liu Qin together.
I haven't seen her for more than half a year since the college entrance examination ended last year.
Lu Yanhe has always been very grateful to this teacher and cherishes the memory in his heart.
Knowing they were coming, Liu Qin had arranged to have lunch with them early on. She went to the market early to buy groceries and then came back to do the preparations.
Lu Yanhe and his group arrived at around 10:30 in the morning and went straight to Liu Qin's house.
This was the first time these girls had ever visited Teacher Liu Qin's home.
"Wow, you've all become handsome men and beautiful women, you've changed so much!" Liu Qin smiled gently as soon as she saw them. "That's wonderful."
Teacher Liu's smile seemed to erase the past six months, as if they were still in that school. Lu Yanhe actually missed his senior year at No. 13 Middle School. He hadn't told anyone, but he occasionally reminisced about it.
Without Liu Qin, his nostalgia for his senior year of high school would likely be much less.
Because her husband was at work and her child was at school, Liu Qin was alone at home.
"It's just in time that you came today, otherwise I would have had to greet you outside," Liu Qin said. "I've read every single copy of the magazine 'Jump Up,' which you all worked on together. You're all amazing. I'm not praising you like this just because you're my students. Really, you do whatever comes to mind and work hard to make it a success. That's a really good quality."
Because Chen Siqi wasn't in their class, she wasn't there.
Today, Lu Yanhe, Lin Yu, Chen Qin, Bai Yu, Li Pengfei, and Xu Zijun are here.
Lin Yu immediately said, "We were just doing some very ordinary things. The ones who really built the book from scratch were him and Chen Siqi. Do you know Chen Siqi? She's also from our school."
"Of course I know you. I follow news about each of you closely." When Liu Qin said this, she gave Lu Yanhe a special look, her eyes clearly pointing him out.
Lin Yu and the others knew what Liu Qin meant, and they all covered their mouths and laughed.
Li Pengfei grinned and said, "Teacher Liu, are you paying extra attention to someone's news? He's on the trending topics every day, and it's all I see when I open my phone. If he weren't my brother, I would have complained. Why are you pushing his news to me every day?"
Liu Qin glared at Li Pengfei and said, "Isn't this a good thing? If we didn't hear from Lu Yanhe for a while, I would worry that he might have lost his popularity."
"Oh dear, I thought you were going to say that fame or not isn't important, what's important is being happy and healthy," Li Pengfei said with a chuckle.
“Being happy and healthy is important, but at your age, isn’t this the time to work hard?” Liu Qin immediately glared at Li Pengfei again. “You’ve always been clever but lazy and irresponsible. I’ll have to call you more often and keep an eye on you.”
Li Pengfei looked shocked.
"No, Teacher Liu, you're too dedicated. I've already graduated."
"Does graduation mean I can't control you anymore?" Liu Qin glared at him.
Everyone chatted and laughed.
Liu Qin asked about the recent situation of each of them.
"After taking you guys under my wing, I'm now teaching a class of second-year high school students." Liu Qin smiled as she talked about her situation. "After they found out that I taught you guys in my previous class, they all kept asking me to invite you over so I could share my experience with them. Later, Lin Yu came over once, and they were all so excited. If you have time, you should come and talk to them too."
"Teacher Liu, are you sure you want me to go and talk to them?" Li Pengfei pointed to himself and said, "Shouldn't someone as ignorant and incompetent as me be a negative example?"
“A negative example is good; it lets them know what they shouldn’t do,” Liu Qin said immediately.
Li Pengfei was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting Liu Qin to say that.
Liu Qin naturally possessed authority over her students. However, her authority was never built upon any external or restrictive force, even though she was equally strict, even stern. Students weren't fools; they wouldn't harbor lifelong resentment towards a strict teacher just because they encountered one. Even when being punished, they could sense whether the punishment came from good intentions or malice.
Lu Yanhe joined everyone in helping Liu Qin make lunch. Except for Li Pengfei, that good-for-nothing, everyone else could lend a hand.
Even Liu Qin was surprised, not expecting that most of these children could help out—and not just blindly help out.
“There aren’t many young people these days who can actually do the work. How did you learn all this?” Liu Qin asked curiously.
Lu Yanhe said, "I have always cooked for myself, so I know some of the basics."
Lin Yu said, "Me too. I really enjoy being in the kitchen, especially making things that I want to eat. It's my hobby."
Xu Zijun and Bai Yu have been helping with household chores since they were young.
Chen Qin was trying hard to hide his incompetence, and luckily, he was not discovered.
Liu Qin listened, then glanced at Li Pengfei with disdain: "A negative example."
Li Pengfei: "...differential treatment."
Liu Qin seemed to be thinking of something. She looked at Li Pengfei, then at Xu Zijun, and smiled.
"Teacher Liu, did you know before that the two of them were secretly dating?" Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered something and asked.
Liu Qin: "I don't know."
No wonder.
"If Teacher Liu knew, would she let them break up?" Lu Yanhe asked again.
“Their grades haven’t dropped. At that point, how could I let them break up? That’s when they need stability the most.” Liu Qin said frankly. “If they were in their second year of high school, I would advise them not to date for the time being and to wait until after the college entrance examination. I understand that it’s normal for you to like someone at your age, but the college entrance examination is too important for your life.”
"Mm." Lin Yu nodded.
“But why didn’t you try to persuade Lin Yu and Chen Qin?” Li Pengfei immediately said, “They’ve been together for a long time.”
"They both had excellent grades after they got together, and they were very self-disciplined. They could also encourage and inspire each other. Why would I break them up?" Liu Qin said. "These things should be considered on a case-by-case basis. If dating affects their studies, then of course I should step in. If it doesn't affect their studies, why would I be the bad guy?"
Lin Yu and Chen Qin both blushed slightly.
Lu Yanhe: "I'm so lucky to have met you. Otherwise, I might not have had such a tolerant homeroom teacher."
“Everyone has their own teaching method, but all paths lead to the same goal. As long as the intentions aren’t malicious, ultimately everyone wants the students to do well,” Liu Qin said. “Our school isn’t particularly good. Last year, only five students were admitted to Zhenhua and Yuming, which is still the best result in recent years. If we use that kind of elitist, top-student-oriented education to teach you, many students will fall behind. We can only try to address the specific problems. I really feel sorry for Bai Yu. She has always been a very excellent and well-behaved child. I feel quite sad that you didn’t do well on the college entrance exam. More than that, I’m worried that you will be greatly affected by this result. Fortunately, you can write and have started publishing articles, becoming a writer. That’s great. You have a natural talent for writing. You must not give up, okay?”
Bai Yu nodded, "I will definitely persevere."
"I'll try to publish more books in the future and get my autograph. I'll use them as prizes for the kids who make the most progress each year I teach a new class," Liu Qin said with a smile.
Li Pengfei immediately said, "You'd be better off asking Lu Yanhe for a few autographed photos; that would be more effective."
Liu Qin: "During high school, I don't encourage them to idolize celebrities, even if the celebrity they idolize is my student. It's okay to like them, but they are not allowed to engage in those superficial idol-idol behaviors."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "I also agree with Teacher Liu's opinion."
Everyone worked together to cook lunch.
Before dinner, Li Pengfei picked up his phone and said, "Teacher Liu, shall we take a group photo together?"
"Okay." Liu Qin sat among the students, and Li Pengfei took a selfie with his phone. "We should have at least one new group photo every year from now on."
Liu Qin laughed and said, "Your house is so big, I'll eat at your house next time."
“I’m always welcome!” Li Pengfei said immediately. “I’ve never been to your house before, so I wanted to come and visit.”
Everyone ate and chatted with Liu Qin, laughing and joking, and then it was time for them to leave.
Liu Qin patted Li Pengfei's face seriously and said, "You can still mess around for another two years, but you can't keep messing around forever, you know? You need to find your own path as soon as possible."
Li Pengfei immediately saluted, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Liu Qin glared at him, annoyed by his unserious behavior.
She then looked at Xu Zijun and said, "You mustn't spoil him. His temper is getting worse the more you indulge him, you know?"
Xu Zijun nodded hesitantly, her ear tips turning red again.
-
After leaving Ms. Liu Qin's house, everyone went their separate ways.
Lu Yanhe needs to go to the company.
Zou Dong was waiting for him in the parking lot. Lu Yanhe said goodbye to everyone and got into the car.
I haven't been to the company for a long time. I used to go four or five times a month, but now I don't go for several months at a time.
The main problem is that there are almost no stage performances anymore, so he doesn't need to go to the company's rehearsal room to practice dancing.
When the car pulled into the parking lot downstairs at the company, that sense of familiarity washed over me again, like the sea.
Lu Yanhe got out of the car and went to the elevator with Zou Dong. He put on sunglasses; in public, he would often get his eyes flashed by the cameras if he didn't wear them, which had become an unconscious habit.
The elevator stopped almost every few floors, as people got in and out. When they saw Lu Yanhe, some recognized him, and some didn't.
Regardless of the reaction, Lu Yanhe maintained his head bowed and expressionless demeanor. Over the past few months, his popularity had soared; wherever he went, the attention and whispers around him were like a swarm of bees, a constant, low murmur. Over time, he had grown accustomed to this behavior typical of most celebrities.
When they reached the floor where Chen Ziyan was, Lu Yanhe and Zou Dong emerged from the elevator as if they had finally gotten away.
"Sister Ziyan." Lu Yanhe took off his sunglasses, revealing a bright smile.
Despite it being winter, Chen Ziyan was still wearing a black dress made of a particularly high-quality fabric with a velvety texture, which, combined with her long, wavy black hair, made her look elegant and intellectual.
Chen Ziyan nodded happily, "You're here. Sign these two supplementary agreements."
These two supplementary agreements pertain to the risk and compensation provisions of the collaborating brands. The Zhen Hongyu incident has caused concern among many brands; they fear it would be disastrous if their spokespeople were to encounter a similar situation. Therefore, brands are requiring supplementary agreements regarding risk compensation for the artist's actions and the brand image to be added to their contracts.
The artists' teams are naturally obligated to cooperate.
Lu Yanhe read the agreement, signed it, and sat down on the sofa.
"Sister Ziyan, what are you busy with?"
“I’m busy with a variety show, and I want Tu Song to be on it,” Chen Ziyan said. “But the producer of this show wants you to be on it.”
"I?"
“I have already declined. This show is called ‘Idol Era,’ and every episode brings together a group of idol artists to compete. Artists can promote their songs on this show and create the stage they want,” Chen Ziyan said. “You are no longer pursuing the idol artist route, so there is no need for you to go on this kind of show.”
"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan: "There's another reason I called you here today. You sent me the revised script of 'Lost in Thailand' before, and I've finished reading it."
Lu Yanhe had almost forgotten about it. He looked at Chen Ziyan with surprise and asked, "Sister Ziyan, what do you think?"
He was still inexplicably nervous at that moment.
Chen Ziyan nodded and said, "After this revision, the structure is better. It's almost a mature script that can be used directly for filming. Of course, I've never been a producer or director, so I don't know what the standard is for a script to be mature and usable for filming. I'm just speaking from the scripts I've seen."
Chen Ziyan's affirmation made Lu Yanhe's eyes light up.
"Really?"
"Yes." Chen Ziyan nodded. "But, are you serious about wanting to be your own director?"
Lu Yanhe hesitated instead. Did he really want to be a director? That night, when he emailed Chen Ziyan, he had just finished revising the script, and a surge of pride welled up inside him. But after some time, that passion had largely faded.
"I just said it in a moment of passion, but I don't know if I can be a director myself." Lu Yanhe shook his head. "It's not that simple. After filming 'Phoenix Terrace,' I felt it even more deeply."
Chen Ziyan smiled sincerely, spread her hands, and said, "I thought I would need to spend some time persuading you."
"I guess I'm still not suited to be a director, am I?" Lu Yanhe said with a smile.
“You don’t understand the production team, and you don’t have enough time to do this,” Chen Ziyan said. “Being a director is different from being an actor. In terms of time commitment, if an actor only needs to commit for three months, a director needs to commit for at least three years, from pre-production to post-production and promotion. It’s not that simple. Do you have three years to dedicate to it?”
Lu Yanhe smiled and nodded, "I understand, I didn't."
Chen Ziyan: "There's plenty of time ahead. If you want to be a director in the future, there will be many opportunities. For now, focus on your studies. However, I'm very surprised that you were able to write such a script. You are truly talented. You can write songs like 'Remembering' and 'Childhood,' and you can also write a movie like 'Lost in Thailand.'"
Lu Yanhe: "Actually, I didn't write it. I had a dream, and in the dream, I dreamed of this story."
“That’s talent. I’ve had so many dreams, but I’ve never dreamed of something like this before.” Chen Ziyan shook her head. “Do you want to act in this script yourself?”
Lu Yanhe said, "I am not really suitable for either of the two main characters in this script."
“Yes, I think so too.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “I thought you would write it in your own style.”
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that the main problem was that he couldn't write in his own style.
If written according to his age and appearance, the story itself would be difficult to believe.
“However, you could play the boy who attracts the attention of several girls,” Chen Ziyan said.
Lu Yanhe laughed. Indeed, this was the only role he could make a cameo appearance in. In the original film, Zhang Chao played the only handsome guy, a stark contrast to the treatment of the businessman played by Xu Zheng.
"Do you have any ideas about the actors in this movie?" Chen Ziyan asked.
Lu Yanhe shook his head.
Perhaps because he had seen the original film, he wrote the script with Xu Zheng and Baoqiang's images in mind. Even though the dialogue differed from the original film, the core message remained the same, just presented in a different way.
However, because of this, Lu Yanhe found it difficult to think of actors who could replace them.
Chen Ziyan said, "Do you want to sell the script directly to a reliable company to produce it, or do you want to find a company to cooperate with and find the production team ourselves? If it's the former, it will be much easier. We can just collect the money and get a share of the profits later. If it's the latter, it will be much more troublesome and we will have to worry about many things."
Lu Yanhe thought about it carefully and said, "Sister Ziyan, I hope to be able to participate in the production of this movie in some way."
The main reason is that he knows what the movie was originally supposed to look like, and he knows what it should look like to achieve a good effect. If you only provide a script—to be honest, after making two movies already, Lu Yanhe has more or less come to understand that even if the script is good, if the production team is bad, a good script can still be ruined.
Chen Ziyan nodded: "I understand. You are a screenwriter and a popular artist. I will act as a go-between to help you find a film company to cooperate with and try to get some rights so that you can become one of the producers who can control the film production. That also involves investment. Generally speaking, producers invest in films or represent investors. Are you planning to invest?"
Lu Yanhe was stunned when he heard this.
invest?
When Chen Ziyan saw Lu Yanhe's expression, she knew that he didn't actually understand these things.
"At first glance, the production cost of this movie shouldn't be very high. It's just a road comedy. The current film market actually favors comedies, but this genre might not appeal to investors because it's rather...rural," Chen Ziyan said. "The style of this story leans towards realistic satirical comedy, which means it's not as funny or lighthearted. This is quite different from the comedy films that have been popular in recent years. Of course, this doesn't prevent your movie from getting investment. The cost itself isn't high, and judging from the script, it was written by a popular star like yourself."
Chen Ziyan briefly explained, then added, "To have real control over a film, you either need to be an investor who covers the film's production costs, or you need to be a key member of the creative team who is specifically responsible for the film's production. As a screenwriter, you are certainly qualified to participate in the film's production, but a film often involves many parties, and your opinions may not necessarily be accepted by everyone."
Lu Yanhe finally understood what Chen Ziyan meant.
To put it bluntly, it all boils down to the word "power".
Chen Ziyan asked Lu Yanhe how much power he wanted.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that the more the better, but if he said it out loud, Chen Ziyan would probably think he was too greedy.
"When I was writing the script, I already had a rough idea of what the movie would look like in my mind. I was afraid that if they didn't film the rhythm and effects, and instead messed it up, I could make adjustments in time."
Chen Ziyan: "Hmm, if that's the case, I have an idea."
"Um?"
“We find directors ourselves first, and even actors who reach a consensus with us, and then we go together to find film companies that are willing to take on the project,” Chen Ziyan said, “so that investors get involved later.”
Lu Yanhe: "Is this alright?"
“Others may not be able to, but you can,” Chen Ziyan said. “Don’t forget, you are Lu Yanhe, not a complete newcomer.”
Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought.
-
Movies have attracted countless people, but the creation of movies has also been a waste of time for countless people.
He Han glanced helplessly at Liu Bige, who immediately understood what He Han meant. She nodded to the woman in front of her, who was confidently showing off her breasts and looking down at the two of them, and gave her a friendly smile. "Okay, that's enough for the audition. We'll let you know when we hear from you."
As soon as the others left, He Han sighed, "Who are all these people? They're crazy. I've seen so many actors, but I still can't find one I want."
Liu Bige rolled his eyes at her and said, "It's because you have too high expectations."
These days, they've been watching movies and choosing actresses.
After a long search, He Han still couldn't find one that satisfied him.
"Let's go eat something first, I'm hungry," Liu Bige said.
He Han nodded dejectedly.
The two went downstairs and left, intending to find a restaurant nearby to have dinner.
The sun was almost completely below the horizon. At this time of year, the sun always sets very early; it wasn't even six o'clock yet. The wind wasn't as fierce as before, but it was still freezing, chilly, and when it blew, it still seeped into your bones, causing considerable discomfort.
He Han wrapped his coat tighter around himself, thinking about the female lead he hadn't found yet, and felt that his future was bleak and hopeless.
He asked Liu Bige, "How's that 'Late Spring' you were eyeing before coming along?"
“I’m writing the script,” Liu Bige said. “Miao Yue and I are writing it together.”
"You can write it yourself, why do you have to drag her along?"
“In some parts, I didn’t write as well as she did,” Liu Bige frankly said, “especially those ambiguous parts about unrequited love.”
He Han gave him a disdainful look and said, "Are you just using that young girl to work for you for free?"
Liu Bige said, "How could that be? I've already paid the royalties."
"Tsk tsk, it's good to have a big tree to lean on." He Han was a little sour. Although his movie was also produced by Longyan Film Industry, the funding mainly came from a French foundation. He Han spent more than half a year trying to get the money, while Liu Bige went back to China and signed with Longyan. He had someone to pay for whatever he did. He was much more efficient than him.
Liu Bige said, "I told you to go back to China a long time ago, but you couldn't bear to leave."
“Nonsense, after all these years of hard work over there, who can just give it up?” He Han said.
As the two were talking, He Han suddenly looked surprised.
“That woman—” he muttered unconsciously.
"What's wrong?" Liu Bige asked.
He Han's eyes lit up as if a light bulb had been suddenly switched on. "That's the person I've been looking for!"
Liu Bige followed He Han's gaze.
A girl wearing a white knitted sweater and a light brown skirt got out of a car. She was wearing headphones, and her hair was thick, fluffy, and very thin. Her legs were covered by transparent white bodysuits, which outlined their subtle and smooth lines.
She was a very beautiful girl with a distant air, and her eyes held a hint of rebellious arrogance. It's rare to see such a look in a girl's eyes.
"Are you here to make a movie?" He Han rushed up to the other person, his eyes shining brightly, and asked with great enthusiasm.
The girl instinctively took a step back, looking at him warily.
The next second, two burly men in black suddenly rushed out and tackled him to the ground.
"Ah—" He Han let out a scream.
Seeing this, Liu Bige was instantly overwhelmed and rushed over, "Sorry, sorry, he's not a thug, it's a misunderstanding!"
-
"You wrote a screenplay?"
Chen Siqi looked at Lu Yanhe in surprise.
Chen Siqi is going back to Jiangguang tomorrow, so we're having dinner together tonight.
Lu Yanhe then began to talk about his script.
“Hmm,” Lu Yanhe said. “Sister Ziyan said it’s pretty good, and we’re planning to find someone to make it into a movie.”
Chen Siqi looked at Lu Yanhe in shock and said, "How many more things have you not yet brought out? How did you suddenly come up with another script? Weren't you supposed to be incredibly busy?"
Lu Yanhe said, "It's the story I wrote before. I've been trying to turn it into a script. On New Year's Eve, I suddenly had a feeling and revised it."
Chen Siqi took a deep breath; at this moment, Lu Yanhe truly surprised her.
She suddenly realized that there really are some geniuses in this world who are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
Chen Siqi never considered Lu Yanhe to be a genius, mainly because she never thought Lu Yanhe was the kind of person who was particularly gifted in a certain area, or rather, Lu Yanhe was not quite the same as the genius she understood.
But at this moment, Chen Siqi sincerely felt that perhaps Lu Yanhe was a genius.
That's why he's able to do so many unexpected things in so many areas.
"What's wrong?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Chen Siqi shook her head and asked, "Have you ever had your IQ tested?"
"ah?"
"I'm seriously considering something: is it a waste of your brains to be an artist?" Chen Siqi remarked.
Lu Yanhe was both amused and exasperated. "How valuable must my brain be for it to be considered a waste?"
Chen Siqi: "Although I haven't read your script yet, your creative ability and speed have already shocked me. You are studying at Zhenhua High School, filming, and working on a magazine at the same time, and you still have time to come up with a script. It sounds like a fairy tale to me."
Lu Yanhe: "Isn't it a bit too much?"
Chen Siqi's attitude made Lu Yanhe a little uneasy.
Is it because he wrote the script too quickly, which doesn't follow the creative process?
Chen Siqi: "It's nothing, forget it, don't worry about what I say, I've accepted it. There are such differences between people. Some people can only do one thing well at a time, but some people, like you, can do several things very well at the same time."
Lu Yanhe: "That makes me blush."
The two chatted and laughed, and then, at that moment, a disheveled He Han followed Liu Bige, who couldn't hold back his laughter, and pushed open the restaurant door.
Lu Yanhe saw them, his face lit up with surprise, and he waved.
"He Han and Liu Bige." As soon as Lu Yanhe mentioned their names, Chen Siqi knew who they were.
"What a coincidence." Liu Bige and He Han walked over and greeted each other with smiles.
Lu Yanhe introduced Chen Siqi to them.
“Oh—I know the other editor-in-chief of ‘Jump Up’.” He Han nodded immediately. “I just bought a copy to read.”
Lu Yanhe looked He Han up and down. He had some damp stains on his clothes and asked, "Where did you get this?"
He Han's face immediately darkened.
Liu Bige said with a smile, "He was just pinned down on the main road by two big men."
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi looked at them in surprise, especially at He Han.
"What's going on?"
He Han glared angrily at Liu Bige, "Can't you speak properly? Don't be so vague?"
Liu Bige then explained in detail what had happened.
"I finally found a female lead that I thought was perfect, but it turns out she wasn't interested in making movies at all. At first, she even thought I was a hooligan and a liar. I'm so angry," He Han muttered.
Lu Yanhe understood, nodded, and said, "That's a real shame. It's not easy to find someone you think is a good fit for the female lead, but there's nothing you can do if she doesn't want to act."
“No way, I’ve already secretly taken a picture of her car’s license plate. I have to find her again and convince her,” He Han said suddenly with great determination. “She is my muse!”
Lu Yanhe: "What if she keeps refusing to film?"
He Han said, "How could that be? Film is the most perfect art form, and no beautiful person would not want their beauty to be immortalized by art."
Lu Yanhe was utterly shocked. "?"
What's with this sudden poetry recitation?
Chen Siqi looked at He Han, at a loss for words. Clearly, she was also taken aback by He Han's appearance.
Liu Bige immediately explained, "That's just how he is. Sometimes when his emotions get the better of him, he gets very passionate. You'll get used to it."
He Han's highly infectious passion was indeed something Lu Yanhe rarely showed.
Even Chen Siqi couldn't help but ask, "Are all directors like this?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "No, please don't think that way. Directors Luo Yuzhong and Chen Lingling, whom I worked with before, were not like that."
He Han was still a little confused, "How am I?"
Chen Siqi immediately smiled and said, "It's nothing, I just felt a bit of the spirit of the Wei and Jin dynasties from you, that kind of unrestrained and unconventional style of a famous scholar."
Hearing Chen Siqi's praise, He Han's eyes lit up immediately. "You have good taste!"
Chen Siqi smiled.
Lu Yanhe was speechless.
He Han has a really thick skin.
-
Since we bumped into each other so unexpectedly, we decided to get together and sit at a table.
He Han chatted with Liu Bige about their experiences in the French film industry.
I only realized after chatting that the film industry in France is very different from that in China, and also different from Hollywood; it's a completely different system.
Liu Bige said, "So when I came back, I was quite unaccustomed at first. Domestic film companies have a lot more money, but many things are not so systematic. I have to introduce and explain them one by one. I wanted to make 'Late Spring', so I had to make a PPT for them and explain why I wanted to make this film, just like introducing a project. It felt like giving a presentation when I was in school."
Chen Siqi laughed and said, "Don't say that. Making PPTs is a growing pain that every professional has to go through. When I was making 'Jump Up' and talking to some e-commerce companies about cooperation, I had to make PPTs to show them the sales prospects of our book."
Lu Yanhe was surprised and asked, "Did you even make a PowerPoint presentation?"
“Yes.” Chen Siqi nodded. “At the time, we put in a lot of effort to get the carousel promotion from an e-commerce platform with a large user base.”
He Han looked at him with admiration and said, "You're only nineteen, right? To be the editor-in-chief of a magazine at such a young age is truly amazing. It would be impossible in France."
“In China… well, back in the days when magazines were all the rage, there were precedents for this,” Liu Bige said.
Chen Siqi pointed to Lu Yanhe and said, "It's mainly because of his fame that this magazine was able to get off the ground; otherwise, no one would have given us this opportunity."
Liu Bige asked, "Which magazines have the highest circulation in China right now?"
“Now, basically no one reads magazines anymore,” Chen Siqi said, shaking her head. “Mobile phones and computers have basically destroyed print media. Books can still be sold, but magazines and newspapers have almost all turned into online media.”
Liu Bige was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.
"Then why are you still making 'Jump Up' at this time?" Liu Bige wasn't very familiar with the environment of domestic print media. He thought it was just a matter of declining sales and the loss of its former glory. But after hearing Chen Siqi's words today, he realized that print media had basically collapsed.
“We started by making e-magazines, and then a publisher contacted us and said they wanted to publish a book,” Chen Siqi said. “At first, it wasn’t a magazine, but a themed book. Fortunately, the sales were pretty good, which allowed us to survive.”
Such words may sound a little strange. After all, it seems a bit odd for a nineteen-year-old girl to suddenly say in such an old-fashioned way, "It made us survive." Yet, the smile on her face is so sincere and natural.
Liu Bige saw something in Chen Siqi that was beyond her years—she already had a bit of a "workplace" vibe.
Unlike Lu Yanhe.
That's right, unlike Lu Yanhe.
Liu Bige carefully arrived at this conclusion.
-
There are always differences between people.
Some people are cheerful, some are introverted, some are irritable, some are gentle. Some people have fought their way through the bloodthirsty forest and become invincible, while others live in warm castles and are pampered, with pure and innocent light in their eyes.
But no matter what kind of person you are, you stand with two feet in the flow of time. Every step you take seems to give you the illusion that you are completely in control. In reality, few people realize that the direction of the water's flow brings about cumulative and subtle changes.
Just like the principle of water dripping on stone, everyone learned it when they were young, but no stone thinks it can be worn down by a drop of water.
-
When the sample copies of the sixth and seventh issues of "Jump Up" were delivered to Lu Yanhe, he had already started school.
Lu Yanhe walked into the school gate with two sample copies of the magazine. The damp and cold air was already filled with the scent of spring, the spicy aroma of trees and soil.
In a metropolis like Yuming, besides parks, only university campuses offer such natural scents.
Most of the trees are still bald, and they need the rain god to apply some hair growth serum to them.
However, after a harsh winter, some of the hibernating wild grasses have begun to grow again.
In this season of renewal, the case of Zhen Hongyu has finally reached a preliminary conclusion. Li You has been sentenced to prison for illegal fundraising, fraud, and other illegal activities. Zhen Hongyu has been cleared of suspicion, proving that she has nothing to do with Li You.
Zhen Hongyu issued a statement and announced that she would take responsibility and compensate the victims for any money that was not recovered.
Her fans were heartbroken and offered her comfort, saying, "Sister, you don't need to compensate us. This has nothing to do with you! You're a victim too!"
Zhen Hongyu replied: "I am a victim, but because I misjudged people, others used my reputation to deceive many people. I feel sorry. Since I have the ability to make amends, I choose to make myself feel less guilty."
Zhen Hongyu's remarks were instantly praised by many media outlets.
Lu Yanhe also saw it and was very surprised, mainly because he admired Zhen Hongyu's courage.
This compensation is at least several million. Zhen Hongyu could certainly earn that much money, but few people could actually do it.
Lu Yanhe sent a message to Zhen Hongyu, saying: If you need my help, just let me know and I will help you to the best of my ability.
Zhen Hongyu: I can handle it myself for now, thank you.
Lu Yanhe responded with a hugging emoji.
Zhen Hongyu said: If you have any future projects, please introduce more to me.
Lu Yanhe: Okay.
Lu Yanhe: Let's strive for the next collaboration.
Zhen Hongyu: Hmm, I haven't congratulated you yet. You've been nominated for the Red River Award. I've been acting for so many years and I've never won one.
Lu Yanhe: Just lucky.
Zhen Hongyu: If you put it that way, how can we possibly accept it?
Lu Yanhe: You guys will definitely win awards in the future!
Zhen Hongyu: Okay, then I'll take your kind words.
-
Zhen Hongyu's attitude finally turned her reputation around, and she regained everyone's support.
"It can be considered a successful public relations move, but the price paid was a bit high." At the dinner table, Qin Zhikun said to Chen Ziyan while winking, "If you were her manager, you probably wouldn't have handled it so...sacrificed so much, right?"
"It's hard to say. To eliminate future troubles, this is the best approach," Chen Ziyan said. "Otherwise, even if it provides temporary relief, there will always be people bringing up old grievances, and there will be no time or conditions to resolve them all at once."
"See? It's still top-notch agents like Ziyan who see things most clearly," Chen Hongyu, head of the content department at Bingyuan Video, said with a smile.
The reason they are sitting here is to discuss "Idol Era".
Qin Zhikun is the producer of "Idol Era". Bingyuan Video is the online broadcasting platform for "Idol Era". There is another person, Jiang Lan, the deputy director of Weicheng TV Station, which is the TV broadcasting platform for "Idol Era".
These people sat together, and naturally, they were discussing "Idol Era".
Among these people, Chen Ziyan's appearance seemed somewhat abrupt.
After all, she has nothing to do with "Idol Era".
But judging from how others treated her, it didn't seem like they had no connection.
"If we're talking about top agents in China, Ziyan is definitely second to none in the industry." Jiang Lan is also a woman, and although it's said that women repel each other, she clearly approves of Chen Ziyan's attitude. "Our show needs a senior agent to score from an agent's perspective as one of the reference points for the final competition ranking. If Ziyan doesn't come, finding another agent won't be convincing, especially since Ziyan hasn't managed any serious idol artists before, so she has no vested interest."
“I need to explain first that Tu Song, whom I manage, is an idol artist, and I also hope that he can join this program and perform as an idol artist.” Chen Ziyan immediately added, “As for me, as a senior agent representative, to score and record this program, of course I have no problem.”
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t that be unfair?” Chen Hongyu said. “Teacher Qin’s idea is to make each ranking a credible result, and finally create a quarterly ranking and an annual ranking. Through such a ranking, we can stimulate the development of our idol artist market.”
Chen Ziyan said, "Of course there is no problem. In fact, I also value this competition mechanism and ranking mechanism. There will be competition if there is a ranking, and competition will motivate fans. But I think we should come up with something stronger to attract the top idol artists. Currently, Li Zhibai, Ma Zhiyuan and Liu Zhiyin have signed contracts with the program, but what about the other idol artists? It is impossible to recruit everyone unless the ranking is made into something with a very high level of credibility."
Seeing that all three of them had taken her words to heart, she smiled slightly and said, "I do have an idea about the format of this program, which might further enhance its credibility."
"Go ahead," Qin Zhikun said.
“A ranking from a single program can never be a credible thing, but an award is different,” Chen Ziyan said. “We can unite all the well-known media outlets to create an award for idol artists, which will be decided by all the media’s scores and votes. The scope will be all idol artists in China, and the scoring and voting standards will be based on multiple dimensions such as their stage performance, popularity data, commercial endorsements, sales of their works, and even the viewership ratings of their performances.”
"What does this have to do with 'Idol Era'?" Qin Zhikun immediately asked, frowning.
Chen Ziyan smiled slightly and said, "Invite the judging panel of this award to the show 'Idol Era' to score the competing artists, and hold the award ceremony on the show 'Idol Era'. These are two separate things, but they overlap significantly. Artists may be too proud to participate in a show, but wouldn't they care about an award jointly selected by authoritative media? An authoritative award specifically for idol artists."
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Qin Zhikun and Chen Hongyu both realized what Chen Ziyan was planning to do. Having worked in the industry for decades, they knew the magnitude of the upheaval that Chen Ziyan's idea would cause in the entertainment circle if it were implemented.
Chen Hongyu hesitated for a moment and said, "Ziyan, what you're about to do isn't something that just a few of us sitting here can accomplish."
“But we can take the lead in making it happen.” Chen Ziyan looked sharply at Qin Zhikun. “You said you want to create the most authoritative and desirable stage for idol artists. How can a stage without the top idol artists be considered the most authoritative? Currently, there is a void in awards in this area in China. Why don’t we be the first? As long as we do it, all the major idol artist management companies will respond. We all know that now is the time to grow the pie. No one will refuse.”
Qin Zhikun's breathing became rapid with excitement. He imagined the blueprint that Chen Ziyan had created: an authoritative idol artist award tied to the program "Idol Era," combining credibility and influence. In the future, it wouldn't be "Idol Era" inviting top idol artists to participate, but rather they would have to participate regularly to maintain their status and influence over the judges.
Chen Hongyu said, "If it's a media award, what about other TV stations and video websites?"
Chen Ziyan said, "The Red River Awards ceremony is held every year on Weicheng TV. Does that mean the Red River Awards' coverage is limited to the dramas broadcast on Weicheng TV?"
Jiang Lan: "I think we can do what Ziyan suggested. It doesn't matter who does it."
"The four of us initiated this and sent out invitations to all entertainment media. Believe me, no media outlet will refuse," Chen Ziyan said. "This is a media award. We can study the scoring criteria and design in more detail."
"Go for it." Qin Zhikun nodded, his eyes shining, and his tone became more excited. "If we succeed, the era of idol artists will truly have arrived."
Chen Ziyan smiled slightly, "At that time, even if I score their performances on the show as a senior agent, it will not affect the award winners. The award winners will be authoritative media representatives. In fact, I do not want any of us individuals to influence the award winners. To make an award that can stand the test of time, we must respect the rules."
-
Lu Yanhe was astonished when he heard about what Chen Ziyan was going to do.
Lu Yanhe heard about it because Chen Ziyan hoped that "Jump Up" could give it her full support.
“Jump Up is now the best-selling business magazine in print media and has a great influence among young people,” Chen Ziyan said. “If we want this award to become authoritative and credible, we must include all the top-tier media, and this media is not just traditional media.”
Lu Yanhe understood what Chen Ziyan meant.
“Sister Ziyan, of course we support you in doing this,” Lu Yanhe nodded. “But as you know, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang are my friends, and we have a very close relationship, not to mention Cheng Hai and Tu Song. We’re from the same group, won’t this make people question us?”
Chen Ziyan said, "The final judging panel will consist of hundreds of people, or even more. The opinions of one or even ten people will not have a decisive impact. What we want is the most objective and genuine reaction from the media. The more objective and truthful it is, the greater the significance and value of this award will be."
Lu Yanhe understood. What Chen Ziyan actually wanted was not him, Lu Yanhe, but the influence of "Jump Up" as a print media in the magazine industry.
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
-
Preparing for an award, no matter how discreet the actions, will inevitably leave traces.
However, few people know what role Chen Ziyan played in it.
This also gave Lu Yanhe a new understanding of Chen Ziyan's abilities.
Previously, Lu Yanhe only knew that Chen Ziyan's abilities were not limited to being a talent agent. He knew that Chen Ziyan also invested in film and television dramas, as well as some work that did not have a fixed identity label and was similar to a broker.
This time, it's obvious that something big is about to happen, and Chen Ziyan is playing a very important role in it, which Lu Yanhe didn't expect.
It can only be said that Chen Ziyan's reputation in the entertainment industry over the years is well-deserved.
There are still many courses this semester. There are two fewer required courses than last semester, but three more elective courses.
It would be best to complete the required credits as soon as possible.
This is Lu Yanhe's simplest idea.
After completing all the required credits, things will be a bit easier in your second and third years, and you'll have much more free time.
Lu Yanhe now has classes almost every half day, and even three evenings a week.
Anyway, I won't be taking on any other work this semester.
“On weekends, you’ll either go back to reshoot ‘Phoenix Terrace,’ or shoot commercials or magazines,” Chen Ziyan had said before. “Because ‘The Golden Age’ became a hit, top fashion magazines have finally extended olive branches to you.”
It's not the cover, just an inner page. But it's still a breakthrough.
These were all just work. Lu Yanhe didn't take them too seriously, focusing instead on reading, studying, and writing scripts.
Indeed, ever since he finished writing the script for "Lost in Thailand," he has gained some confidence in writing scripts and has started looking through his laptop for the next script he could try to write.
Lu Yanhe had initially taken a liking to "In the Heat of the Sun," mainly because of the novel "Late Spring." However, after some thought, he decided to put it aside for the time being. He remembered that "In the Heat of the Sun" hadn't performed very well at the box office and hadn't caught up with a box office boom. Lu Yanhe felt that he shouldn't try making films that might not be commercially successful for the next few projects.
He searched high and low, looking for low-cost, easy-to-operate, and easy-to-shoot movie stories.
It also needs to have a history of box office success.
Then he remembered a movie called "Goodbye Mr. Loser".
This movie appeared out of nowhere, bringing comedic actors Shen Teng and Ma Li to the forefront of the public's attention.
Then I created a new document and found that I couldn't write anything at all.
After analyzing the film, he realized that while the script and story were good, the actors' performances were more crucial to the film's appeal. He believed that the effect of a comedy film could not be achieved with different actors, and that the irreplaceable nature of the actors was much stronger than in a typical film.
Having acted in the play himself, he understands the key moments even better.
He himself lacks the writing skills to write a brilliant and effective script on his own.
Simply remembering a few key lines isn't enough.
We have no choice but to give up.
Then, my attention turned to "How Long Will I Love U". I remember this movie had a pretty high box office. It's a light comedy with surreal elements and a bit of suspense.
I did write a dry first draft, but it was unusable. Even I felt that it only had a good concept and framework, but it didn't have the hilarious effect of watching a movie.
Why are they all comedies?
Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
How many comedies has he watched?
-
After all that fuss, nothing new came of it.
Lu Yanhe's confidence, built up by "Lost in Thailand," suffered a severe blow.
He had no choice but to put it aside for the time being.
Because the Honghe Award ceremony is coming soon.
Attending an awards ceremony is more than just showing up on the night of the event.
He will be cooperating with the organizers to record a video message inviting everyone to watch the awards ceremony live, as well as participating in related interview programs to talk about his feelings about being nominated, and so on.
A lot of preliminary work.
Fortunately, he was a man, so there wasn't much time spent on his styling. Chen Ziyan simply borrowed a designer suit for him and arranged for a makeup artist to style him that day.
Attending an awards ceremony and walking the red carpet are essential procedures. The red carpet was lined with spectators, and Lu Yanhe's appearance drew screams and cheers. Lu Yanhe wasn't unfamiliar with such occasions, but walking the red carpet and receiving such cheers and screams was a first for him. The atmosphere gave him a strong thrill, as if his adrenaline was pumping.
Lu Yanhe couldn't help but feel hopeful about winning the award, but he kept telling himself, "Don't even think about it, it's basically impossible for you."
In this year's Best Supporting Actor category, whether it's the media, online predictions, or information Chen Ziyan gleaned from within the industry, everyone says that getting a nomination is already the biggest encouragement for Lu Yanhe, and winning the award is almost impossible.
This was not a large-scale voting system, but rather the result of discussions among the judges.
Lu Yanhe's performance was a huge surprise for a newcomer, but compared to the other nominated actors, he didn't have the momentum this year.
The most promising actor is Lei Mingjia, who plays the lead role in "The Remains of the Day".
After entering the venue amidst cheers, Lu Yanhe first went to the backstage rest area for the guests, which was a reception room about the size of a basketball court, with drinks and snacks laid out.
As soon as Lu Yanhe entered, he went straight to find the crew of "The Golden Age".
Director Luo Yuzhong was surrounded by several people, talking to each other.
Both Huang Kairen and Jiang Yuqian have people around them.
Lu Yanhe didn't want to interrupt them directly and join in.
Fortunately, at this moment, Lu Yanhe saw someone he was somewhat familiar with: Teacher Jia Long.
"Teacher Jia!" Lu Yanhe quickly greeted him.
When Jia Long saw Lu Yanhe, he smiled kindly, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Little Lu, good luck today."
Lu Yanhe quickly said, "Thank you, Teacher Jia."
Jia Long put his hands on Lu Yanhe's shoulders and said with a smile, "You're really handsome. You're a promising young man. You've been nominated for the Honghe Award for your first acting role. I'm so envious. I've never been nominated before."
Lu Yanhe said with a smile, "That's because you act in more movies than TV series."
However, Jia Long has not actually won any prestigious awards in the film industry.
He's not the kind of actor who's going to win awards.
He was invited here today as an award presenter.
Jia Long asked, "I heard your next project is a movie? What kind of movie is it?"
"It's a drama film, directed by a new director, called He Han," Lu Yanhe introduced.
Jia Long nodded and said, "I look forward to your movie being released, and I will definitely go to see it."
"Thank you, Teacher Jia!" Lu Yanhe said hurriedly.
After exchanging pleasantries, Jia Long prepared to leave.
As Lu Yanhe looked at him, his mind inexplicably linked his image with that of the shrewd businessman in the movie "Lost in Thailand".
He was stunned.
Jia Long's usual on-screen image is that of playing various low-level characters in society.
The shrewd businessman in "Lost on Journey" is a successful businessman, but on his way home, his true and vulgar side is constantly exposed. His shrewd and mercenary appearance is actually a social disguise, and inside he is still an ordinary person who has achieved success through hard work and struggle.
Jia Long's image seems quite fitting?
Lu Yanhe hurriedly took out his phone and sent a message to Chen Ziyan, asking her if Jia Long was suitable.
The message had barely been sent when Jiang Yuqian suddenly appeared out of nowhere, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "With so many people around, why aren't you greeting everyone? What are you doing looking down at your phone all the time? Don't you have enough time to look at normally?"
Jiang Yuqian's tone carried a hint of a smile.
Lu Yanhe turned off his phone and smiled at Jiang Yuqian.
"I'll send a message to Sister Ziyan."
Although Jiang Yuqian did not receive a nomination, she was still in very good condition today. She showed no signs of disappointment in terms of her energy and other aspects.
Everyone knew that Jiang Yuqian was definitely sad, but even though everyone knew it, Jiang Yuqian still didn't show it at all.
Lu Yanhe admired her greatly.
"Are you nervous about your first nomination?" Jiang Yuqian asked him.
Lu Yanhe answered honestly, "A little."
Jiang Yuqian's eyebrows curved instantly, and she said, "Although I'm telling you now to keep a calm mind, you definitely can't do it, but I still have to tell you to keep your expectations up, but face it with a calm mind. Especially remember, during the awards ceremony, every nominee's expression will be captured by cameras, so don't have any moment where you don't manage your expression properly. Now everyone will be scrutinizing you with a magnifying glass."
After being given these instructions by Jiang Yuqian, Lu Yanhe felt somewhat relieved, which had made him a little nervous.
"Yes, I will."
"What are you two talking about?" Huang Kairen turned around and walked over, smiling at the two of them. "It's been a long time since I've seen Xiao Lu."
Before Lu Yanhe could speak to Huang Kairen, someone suddenly came over to the side—it was Chen Jiping.
He made a sound of surprise, and the smile on his face gave off an unsettling feeling.
He came for Huang Kairen.
"You actually came? I thought you wouldn't have come because so many of your fans objected to you coming." Chen Jiping put a hand on Huang Kairen's shoulder, suddenly leaned closer, and said in a teasing voice that only the few people there could hear, "An actor like you who relies on fans for a living, aren't you afraid of suddenly becoming unpopular if you don't listen to your fans?"
When Lu Yanhe heard Chen Jiping say such things to Huang Kairen, he immediately frowned.
He had met Chen Jiping once before; they were both guests on the show "Workplace Skills" last year. During that recording, he also got into an argument with stand-up comedian Chen Bing, resulting in a very unpleasant scene.
At that time, Lu Yanhe only thought that Chen Jiping had a bad temper, but he didn't expect him to be so rude and sarcastic.
Ironically, Chen Jiping is nominated for Best Actor this time.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
