Chapter 376 Just a little bit of ambition
According to the original plan, Lu Yanhe was to prepare to return to China after the premiere of "Late Spring".
However, the feedback received after the screening of "Late Spring" led many media outlets to list the film as a strong contender for awards.
Many film media outlets have even stated directly that "Late Spring" is definitely going to win an award; the only question is what award it will win.
This kind of positive sentiment made everyone at Longyan Film Industry and the "Late Spring" crew feel incredibly elated.
If this leads to an award, then it will have a completely different meaning.
Just look at the current status and treatment of "Three Mountains" and director Wang Zhong in China, and you'll know.
The value and significance of international awards are self-evident.
-
Chen Ziyan analyzed to Lu Yanhe: "Among the current prediction agencies, you are in the first tier of candidates for Best Actor at this year's Venice International Film Festival. The closing ceremony is in three days. If you do receive a notice inviting you back to attend the closing ceremony, you may not be able to make it in time."
Lu Yanhe looked incredulous. "Sister Ziyan, do you think I can win Best Actor?"
Chen Ziyan: "Although I don't think the chances are great, you still have to have dreams, what if?"
Lu Yanhe's performance in "Late Spring" has indeed received great acclaim.
This play gave him a lot of room to perform, and the critics gave it high praise.
However, it's not accurate to call it the top seed.
In comparison, Rubeus Hales from the UK and Chen Pinghe from "White Pearl" are the biggest favorites this year.
After Lu Yanhe came to Venice, he also went to see "The White Pearl".
He didn't particularly like the movie, but Chen Pinghe's performance was superb and brilliant. He portrayed a simple, honest, and gentle man who gradually became consumed by greed, wanting to seize the family's property, and even attempting murder in the end. The transformation throughout this process was subtle and gradual, demonstrating excellent control.
Lu Yanhe hasn't seen the movie starring Rupert Hales yet, but according to the media, it's also an outstanding performance.
Lu Yanhe's order of precedence was after theirs.
This is at least the case in the prediction lists of many forecasting agencies and media outlets.
Chen Ziyan said, "The Venice International Film Festival has had its share of tiebreakers, although every time it produces such a result, it gets criticized."
Lu Yanhe laughed.
“Sister Ziyan, my work in Venice is finished. I’m not even thinking about the Best Actor award anymore. It’s probably out of the question,” Lu Yanhe said. “I’d better go back to class. Liu Bige and the others are here. When the film wins an award, they’ll be there to accept it.”
Chen Ziyan: "Don't you want to stand on the awards stage? If the movie wins an award, you will be recognized by everyone."
Lu Yanhe shook his head. "I want to go up on the award stage. When I really have a good chance of winning the award, I will definitely sit in the audience and wait for that moment."
Lu Yanhe eventually returned to China.
Chen Ziyan stayed in Venice to accompany Huang Zhongjing and the others.
Lu Yanhe's return to China surprised some media outlets.
"Yan He, why are you back? Everyone says 'Late Spring' has a good chance of winning an award, doesn't it?"
"Some media outlets say you have a great chance of winning the Best Actor award. Aren't you going to save it for the closing ceremony?"
"Are you not confident about winning the award?"
...
Lu Yanhe was surrounded by a large group of reporters at the airport.
Their overwhelming momentum made Lu Yanhe laugh and say, "Don't forget I'm an injured person. If you're too enthusiastic, don't blame me for lying on the ground and faking an accident."
The reporters looked at each other in bewilderment at Lu Yanhe's teasing remark, and then burst into laughter.
Lu Yanhe looks very relaxed; he doesn't seem to have returned disappointed.
Why did you come back so early?
Seeing everyone's expectant eyes, Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "I have to rush back to class. I've already asked the school for a few days off, and I can't ask for any more. Director Liu Bige and the others are still in Venice."
"In that case, if 'Late Spring' wins an award, wouldn't you be unable to witness that moment?"
“It’s okay, I’ll watch the live stream,” Lu Yanhe said. “Besides, I believe the film ‘Late Spring’ will win many awards; this is just the beginning.”
"So it's now confirmed that 'Late Spring' will win an award?" a reporter immediately asked.
"I'm not a judge, how would I know?" Lu Yanhe shook his head. "Didn't you ask what would happen if we won an award?"
Lu Yanhe kept his mouth shut, much to the frustration of the reporters.
In fact, there really wasn't any news about Lu Yanhe.
How could there be any news? At this point, the judging panel probably hasn't even finalized a list yet.
It's just that various media outlets are discussing and predicting.
After finally dealing with the media, Lu Yanhe got into the car and prepared to go home.
Due to health issues, Lu Yanhe has not been staying at the school these days, and Zou Dong has been picking him up and dropping him off.
Upon arriving at Ziyuan Bridge, Lu Yanhe sent a message in the three-person group chat: I've arrived.
Yan Liang: I'm still on my way.
Li Zhibai: I just came in.
Lu Yanhe: One after the other.
Li Zhibai: Why don't you go and get something for me first, if you haven't gotten off the bus yet?
Lu Yanhe: ? Why didn't you say so earlier? I'm already downstairs! I'm an injured person!
Li Zhibai: I forgot.
Lu Yanhe: You can send Yan Liang to fetch it; he's still on his way anyway.
Li Zhibai: @Yan Liang.
Yan Liang: I'm offline. Do not disturb.
Yan Liang: I just got off the high-speed train, it will take me more than an hour to get here.
Li Zhibai: Damn.
Lu Yanhe: What is it? Why don't you get it yourself and make me get it?
Li Zhibai: Didn't I forget? It only took a few minutes to get there.
Lu Yanhe: Okay, okay, send me the address, I'll go.
Li Zhibai immediately sent over an address.
Lu Yanhe sent the address to Zou Dong and said, "Brother Dong, I need to trouble you to take me there. I need to pick something up for Li Zhibai."
Zou Dong nodded and agreed.
Lu Yanhe asked in the group again: What did you ask me to retrieve?
Li Zhibai: A friend brought it to me. Since none of you were there at the time, I asked him to leave it at the Mountain Retreat Club next door.
The Mountain Retreat Club is the most upscale club in the Ziyuan Bridge area.
Li Zhibai was a regular there.
They would certainly be happy to accept it on behalf of Li Zhibai.
Upon reaching the door, Zou Dong said, "I'll go get it."
Lu Yanhe: "It's okay, I'll go. If you go, they might not give it to you readily. They'll have to call Li Zhibai to confirm your identity. It's not that I can't walk, I'll just walk a little slower."
Zou Dong nodded and went with Lu Yanhe.
At this time, the mountain retreat seemed to be almost deserted.
Zou Dong opened the door, and Lu Yanhe walked in.
"Bang—bang—" Suddenly, several explosions resembling gunshots rang out.
Before Lu Yanhe could react, Zou Dong pulled him behind him and led him towards the door.
Lu Yanhe's wound, which had almost healed, was suddenly torn open, causing him to turn pale with pain.
The next second, Zou Dong's serious and solemn expression suddenly froze.
Colorful pieces of paper and strips of paper fell from mid-air, and many people rushed out from behind the walls on both sides of the door.
"Happy birthday!"
Leading them were Li Zhibai, Yan Liang, and a few others.
As a result, when the group rushed out excitedly, they saw that Lu Yanhe's face was full of pain, his features were distorted, and his face was pale.
"..."
-
Lu Yanhe had really forgotten that today was his birthday.
In the blink of an eye, he has been in this world for three years.
He always remembered his birthday before he traveled to this world, not his current one.
He finally came to his senses, gasped a couple of times, let out a breath, and looked at the large group of people who had appeared in front of him.
Li Zhibai, Yan Liang, Peng Zhixing, Song Linxin, Liu Zhiyin, Qin Zhibai...
Chen Siqi, Li Pengfei, Chen Qin...
Mao Jiayang, Xiao Jing, Zhou Mukai, Wang Xiao...
Lu Yanhe shook his head with a smile and said, "What kind of surprise are you guys trying to pull? It almost turned into a disaster."
Zou Dong looked embarrassed and apologized to Lu Yanhe, saying, "Sorry, I made a mistake."
Lu Yanhe: "Brother Dong, you reacted so quickly. I have to thank you. Blame these people for scaring us."
Li Zhibai and the others never expected that their carefully prepared surprise would end up like this.
Zou Dong, the bodyguard, was too professional. Hearing the sound of two cannons, he mistakenly thought someone was shooting at Lu Yanhe. Of course, in retrospect, this was even more absurd, but at that moment, Lu Yanhe didn't realize it either.
"Are you feeling better? Should we go to the hospital to get checked out?" Yan Liang asked.
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "It's over now, I'm much better."
-
Li Zhibai booked the entire Shanju Clubhouse today and threw a small party, inviting Lu Yanhe's friends and classmates over.
Sure enough, the courtyard inside the mountain retreat was all set up, with a buffet and a live band playing music.
Last time, Chen Ziyan organized a large party for his birthday, but this time, the party was entirely with people Lu Yanhe knew.
Lu Yanhe hadn't expected that Li Zhi would call out to Wang Xiao.
Li Zhibai had dealt with Mao Jiayang and his group before, but Wang Xiao genuinely didn't know them.
Chen Siqi whispered in Lu Yanhe's ear, "He specifically showed me the list, afraid of missing anyone."
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, no wonder.
Li Zhibai and Yan Liang organized this party and prepared this surprise for Lu Yanhe, which took them almost a week from start to finish.
She had to book the venue, prepare food and drinks, contact people, confirm the time, and all of this had to be done in secret from Lu Yanhe so that he wouldn't suspect anything.
Li Pengfei put his arm around Lu Yanhe's shoulder and asked, "Your neck shouldn't be injured, right? You can hook your arm around it?"
"You've already made the promise, don't you feel guilty asking this question again?"
Li Pengfei chuckled and said, "I only remembered it after I checked the box."
Lu Yanhe asked, "What have you been doing lately?"
Li Pengfei: "I go hiking in the mountains with people everywhere, embracing nature and living in harmony with it."
Lu Yanhe: "I envy them. They can completely immerse themselves in nature."
Li Pengfei: "When do you have time? I'll take you there."
Lu Yanhe: "Sure, how long does it usually take?"
“There are itineraries that last two or three days, and some can last ten days or half a month,” Li Pengfei said. “Take it slow. Since you’ve never done a similar activity before, let’s start with something simple and basic.”
Lu Yanhe nodded and said okay.
Lu Yanhe said, "However, I definitely won't be able to make it for the next two or three months."
"Your injury hasn't healed after all this time? Didn't you say there were no fractures?"
"There's no fracture, but it's still a very serious injury. I don't even know where my little toe got twisted, but it has a fracture," Lu Yanhe explained. "My thigh injury hasn't fully healed yet."
Li Pengfei frowned as he listened.
"How did it get so serious?"
Lu Yanhe: "Thank goodness, it's a miracle there were no broken bones."
Li Pengfei: "You're already injured like this before you've even filmed any action scenes. When you do film action scenes in the future, won't you be lying in the hospital right away?"
Lu Yanhe: "Pah!"
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and then said, "However, with my physique, what kind of action scenes could I possibly film?"
Li Pengfei: "These past few years you've been learning horseback riding and archery, I thought you just wanted to make martial arts movies."
Lu Yanhe: "I want to film it, but I don't have the ability."
“Practice makes perfect. Do you think every actor who makes martial arts films is a trained martial artist?” Li Pengfei said. “They all get it through practice.”
Lu Yanhe glanced at him sideways, "You make it sound so easy."
Li Pengfei: "I'm not an actor, of course I can say it so easily."
Lu Yanhe: "..."
I have nothing to say.
-
"The ending theme song you sang for 'Late Spring' is really beautiful," Lu Yanhe said to Song Linxin. "Did you write it yourself?"
“Yes.” Song Linxin nodded. “I was quite surprised when the director approached me and asked me to write a song for him.”
Why are you surprised?
“You’re clearly capable of writing songs, so why did you ask me to write them?” Song Linxin said.
“I think you’re more suitable. He never even mentioned inviting me to write a song,” Lu Yanhe said with a smile.
Liu Bige was clearly not interested in the songs he had written before, and preferred Song Linxin's style.
That's just the kind of person he is; he always only wants what's most suitable.
Song Linxin said, "We were all waiting for you to come back to record 'The Days of Youth,' but you just didn't come at all."
"There's no way I can participate in your activities because I'm so physically disabled. What would I do here? Be a mascot?" Lu Yanhe said. "I'll come for the last episode. I promised Director Zhenzhen that I would come and record the season finale with everyone."
Song Linxin said, "Really? Why did she tell us that you won't be participating in the recording of the later episodes? Uh—"
Song Linxin suddenly realized, "Could she also be trying to surprise us?"
Lu Yanhe also came to his senses.
"Well."
Song Linxin: "What kind of surprise can this create? Whether you come or not, don't Li Zhibai and Yan Liang know?"
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "I haven't told them yet."
Song Linxin: "Then I'll pretend I didn't hear it."
The two of them looked at each other and smiled at the same time.
-
In the past six months, Song Linxin has sung several OSTs for TV dramas and movies, and she seems to be making a run for the top spot in the OST market.
Compared to her, Yoo Ji-eum and Jin Ji-baek focused more on music variety shows like "Idol Generation" and music festival performances.
I don't know how this trend started, but music festivals are springing up everywhere, and singers suddenly have more stages to perform on.
Li Zhibai and Yan Liang have received many performance invitations from music festivals recently.
Lu Yanhe was also unable to accept the invitations because he was filming and was injured.
Almost every music festival wants to recreate their classic performance of the three of them on stage together, but it's too difficult to get all three of them to schedule together. Moreover, getting them to perform together would cost a fortune, something that most music festivals can't afford.
Liu Zhiyin talked to Lu Yanhe about her troubles.
"I'm a bit unsure of my niche and style," she said. "When I was in a girl group, I mainly focused on dance music or K-POP, but this type of music isn't particularly popular in China. If I don't do that, I'll lose what I'm best at. I've tried changing styles several times, trying to find the one that suits me best, but so far, I haven't received any particularly good feedback."
Lu Yanhe said, "Zhiyin, I think your current performances mainly revolve around 'Idol Era' and music festivals. On 'Idol Era,' you can focus on your strongest K-POP style, occasionally pulling out one or two songs to try out innovative or other styles, and see how the audience reacts. As for music festivals, from what I understand, the audience is more tolerant. You can be bolder and more innovative on this stage without worrying about disappointing them. Just openly tell them you want to try a new style, and tell them you're one of the first audience members. Their tolerance is much higher than that of the average audience member. It mainly depends on the feedback. Of course, I think you can try any style, Zhiyin. Your stage presence is very strong. I've seen many of your performances, and I like almost every single one of them."
Liu Zhiyin looked at him in surprise, "Huh? You've seen many of my performances?"
“Yes, I’m a loyal viewer of ‘Idol Era’, and I also really enjoy listening to music. I listen to a lot of music variety shows and new music.” Lu Yanhe said, “I know you’re very popular on ‘Idol Era’ right now, and you’re in the top tier.”
This show is perfect for Yoo Ji-eum, who has experience in girl groups.
Her accumulated stage presence was fully unleashed on this show.
Lu Yanhe added, "I think the most important thing for you right now is to break through the circle and let people who don't pay attention to K-POP music see your stage. You can sing in some places you don't usually appear in, so that more people can get to know you."
Liu Zhiyin said with a smile, "I've been planning this for a while. Last month, I even participated in a charity program on CCTV to sing for children in mountainous areas."
Lu Yanhe: "I saw that video. I've never seen you sing such a cute and gentle children's song before."
To be honest, Liu Zhiyin's voice is better than Lu Yanhe's.
Her singing voice is more distinctive and has greater depth than Lu Yanhe's.
Liu Zhiyin: "Your insight and judgment have completely exceeded my expectations, Yan He. How can you have such keen insight at such a young age?"
Lu Yanhe laughed, "No, it's just that I've seen and heard a lot, so I'm just parroting what others say."
Liu Zhiyin: "If parrots can have such insights when they mimic speech, I'd better go and learn from them too."
She smiled at Lu Yanhe, "I'm so happy to see your new film so popular at the Venice Film Festival. I don't know if I've told you this before, but honestly, since my debut, it's been very difficult for me to make friends with other artists. But in the show 'Young Days,' I met a group of wonderful people like you, and we didn't lose contact after the show ended. I don't know how many times I've experienced that before. With you guys, I don't have to worry about being betrayed or anything else. On the contrary, you all genuinely helped me establish myself in China, and I'm really touched. I rarely felt genuinely happy for other people's achievements before, but your achievements make me feel that way."
Lu Yanhe smiled at Liu Zhiyin and said, "Sister Zhiyin, you are a very good person. The reason you couldn't be a kind person before was because the people around you didn't show you kindness. But now that we have shown you kindness, you have let down your guard."
Liu Zhiyin smiled happily and said, "Okay, I accept your praise. I also think I am a very good person."
“You can definitely become the top female idol in our country,” Lu Yanhe said. “I believe in you.”
Liu Zhiyin: "OK, I'll try my best!"
She made a gesture to encourage herself.
-
Lu Yanhe's birthday party was a private affair.
So many people came, but in the end, not a single photo was posted online.
Lu Yanhe was especially happy.
This shows that his friends are really reliable.
However, although no one else posted it, Lu Yanhe himself wanted to.
This was a moment that surprised and delighted him, and he wanted to share it.
So, he finally posted the group photo on his social media, saying, "I rushed back from Venice because I had a full day of classes tomorrow, and I completely forgot that today is my 21st birthday. Fortunately, in life, you may forget important days, but your friends won't. A huge surprise and a lot of emotion!"
In the group photo, Lu Yanhe stands next to a three-tiered cake, closing his eyes and making a wish.
Everyone stood around him, looking at him with smiles.
Lu Yanhe made three wishes at the time: first, that he and those around him would be healthy and have good fortune; second, that all his efforts would be rewarded and his hard work would be fruitful; and third, that there would be world peace.
The three wishes were made in my heart and not spoken aloud.
No one was told.
-
The next day, Lu Yanhe returned to school.
When his classmates saw him, they looked surprised. Many of them hadn't expected that he would actually abandon the Venice International Film Festival and come back to class.
You should know that even Miao Yue hasn't returned yet.
Although Lu Yanhe tried very hard to maintain good relationships with his classmates, it seemed that his efforts always ended up backfiring.
Apart from a few individuals, Lu Yanhe's relationships with most of his classmates were unremarkable and unremarkable.
Of course, this is actually normal.
Few people can truly maintain good relationships with everyone.
Lu Yanhe finished his class attentively. After class, because he was too lazy to do anything else, he decided to stay in the classroom to study until the afternoon class.
The afternoon class is in another classroom in this building.
Zhou Mukai knew that he had difficulty moving around, so he asked if he wanted Zhou Mukai to bring him lunch.
Lu Yanhe said okay, just bring a little bit.
Zhou Mukai went to the cafeteria to eat by himself and brought back a box of chicken leg rice for Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe ate with great relish.
At noon, only the two of them remained in the classroom.
Lu Yanhe saw Zhou Mukai take out his laptop from his bag, seemingly intending to study there for a while as well.
"Aren't you going back at noon?" Lu Yanhe asked.
With more than two hours to spare, Zhou Mukai could easily go back to his dorm for a nap before coming back.
Zhou Mukai said, "It's hot, and I don't want to travel back and forth. Anyway, I'll just be writing my thesis when I get back."
Lu Yanhe nodded and asked, "Are you planning to pursue a master's degree?"
Zhou Mukai hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, "I haven't decided yet."
He asked, "And you?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head. "I haven't decided yet. Actually, I want to pursue a master's degree. These past few years at Zhenhua have been very rewarding. I really want to see what kind of way of thinking I will have after I get my master's degree. I often feel the changes in my own way of thinking during my university years."
Zhou Mukai nodded. "If that's the case, why haven't you made up your mind yet?"
“Because the work of artists is very busy, if I continue to pursue a master’s degree, many of my jobs will have to be postponed indefinitely,” Lu Yanhe said. “I have many things I want to do, and I often feel that there is not enough time.”
Zhou Mukai nodded and said, "You are successful at everything you do. Indeed, every aspect takes up your energy."
Do you enjoy your work as an editor at Jump Up?
"Well, it has little to do with whether I like it or not. Editing has broadened my horizons quite a bit, and I've come into contact with many people and things that I've never encountered before." Zhou Mukai laughed. "Now that you mention it, I actually like it. Except for being a little flustered at the beginning and not quite sure what to do, I got used to it afterward."
Lu Yanhe nodded, “With the increasing number of business segments of ‘Jump Up’, I was worried that everyone would be too busy and cause the quality of the magazine to decline. Fortunately, you have joined us.”
"Editor-in-Chief Chen is very capable. Although the number of business areas has increased, she has divided the tasks for each person. Moreover, when there is a shortage of manpower, she has also allocated funds to hire temporary part-time staff to handle many miscellaneous tasks," Zhou Mukai said. "The magazine has always been the highest priority. We have nearly three to four issues of manuscripts in reserve. In addition, we are now generally producing the magazine two months ahead of schedule, so the quality can still be guaranteed."
Lu Yanhe: "She has always been a very capable and resourceful person."
“Sometimes I’m surprised. It’s actually her first time working on a magazine, but she handles things with such calmness and skill, as if she’s already solved and dealt with them many times before. She’s not intimidated at all,” Zhou Mukai said.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that Chen Siqi was that kind of person. She knew she couldn't be intimidated. She was the editor-in-chief and had to shoulder all the responsibilities. So, no matter how big the problems or difficulties were, she demanded that she remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of her.
-
Chen Siqi walked under the blazing sun with a parasol in hand, pushed open the door of a coffee shop, and was greeted by a refreshing breeze that made her feel invigorated.
However, the cafes next to the university always seem to be packed.
She finally found a seat, sat down, and ordered an Americano.
Lu Yanhe didn't finish class until 5:40 PM, so she decided to work here for a few hours and wait for him to come out.
Unlike Lu Yanhe, Chen Siqi has very few classes this semester. She completed almost all the required elective credits in her first and second years, so she only has required courses in her third year.
So, she happened to have a meeting with an advertiser this morning, and then she came to wait for Lu Yanhe this afternoon.
After a small sales surge in its July summer special issue, the August issue of "Jump Up" magazine experienced a significant drop in sales.
This change in data made Chen Siqi somewhat worried.
Any decline in sales figures in any period would make Chen Siqi rack her brains to figure out the reasons.
In the era of print media, she could not afford to be careless.
The new media business is going very smoothly.
However, traditionally published periodicals are like rowing against the current.
Advertisers often urge Chen Siqi to abandon print magazines, believing that they have already built up their brands and could use the time spent on magazines to operate other business segments, which would be more profitable.
Chen Siqi just laughed it off, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
Should "Jump Up" be stopped?
She never considers that option.
Of course, from a capitalist perspective, she understands why so many people advised her to give up.
But that wasn't the reason she wanted to create "Jump Up".
A magazine, after more than two years, has become more than just a business or a matter of initial passion.
It has become a stable publication channel for many writers and teachers, and also provides a hopeful destination for young people who want to engage in literary and artistic creation.
It brought together a group of creators who had scattered across the country with the decline of print media. They were reunited to publish their latest works in a monthly magazine, including short stories, essays, and miscellaneous notes.
Now, Chen Siqi often faces a problem: she has too many articles, but only a limited space in each issue, resulting in an ever-increasing backlog of articles.
For many articles suitable for publication on new media, they will negotiate with the authors to publish them on new media platforms, while still paying the high fees required by the magazine.
However, fictional creations are not actually suitable for publication on new media.
Chen Siqi has been thinking about how to solve this problem for some time now.
Either increase the number of issues published each year, or increase the number of pages in each issue.
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, and Chen Siqi hasn't decided yet.
Similarly, there was another matter that Chen Siqi was planning.
She wants to promote "Jump Up" overseas.
Replicating every issue is certainly unrealistic, but Chen Siqi thought about making it into a book like a Mook and publishing it overseas.
Then, make it into a series.
Chen Siqi's motivation wasn't commercial; she simply had the ambition of a young person and wanted to further expand the reach and influence of "Jump Up."
Chen Siqi thought and thought, typing out all sorts of ideas in her notebook.
An afternoon passed in the blink of an eye.
My phone vibrated twice. Lu Yanhe had sent a message: "I'm done with class. Where are you?"
Please vote for me!
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
