Chapter 402 Accidents and Unexpected Events (12,000 words!)
Unfortunately, although the filming went smoothly, it got dark earlier than expected in the mountains that day.
The lighting wasn't good enough for filming, so everyone had to regretfully head down the mountain early.
Fu Kai said, "Although we didn't finish filming in one day, today's filming went very smoothly. Let's keep up the good work!"
Today's filming went very smoothly.
No force majeure factors occurred.
The biggest fear when filming on the road is uncontrollable factors.
When Lu Yanhe returned to the hotel at the foot of the mountain, he felt that his feet were almost numb from the cold.
However, the hot water in the hotel wasn't very hot.
Lu Yanhe first filled a bucket with hot water, intending to warm his feet, but it didn't have that effect at all.
Just then, Wang Biao came and knocked on the door.
"Brother Lu, you're still awake, aren't you?"
Lu Yanhe responded, "The door isn't locked, you can come in."
Wang Biao came in, holding a long, narrow object in his hand.
“Brother Lu, I bought a few electric kettles. I tested the water temperature here during the day, but it wasn’t very hot,” Wang Biao said. “I guess you’ve been filming on the mountain all day, so you must want to take a hot shower.”
Lu Yanhe looked at Wang Biao with surprise and said in astonishment, "Wang Biao, you're so reliable! I was just complaining that the water here wasn't hot enough."
Wang Biao smiled broadly and said, "Then I'll boil some hot water for you. You can soak in it for now, and I'll add the hot water to it later."
He came in directly, found a basin, heated up a basin of hot water for Lu Yanhe, and then poured it into his foot bath tub.
Now it's finally warm.
Lu Yanhe let out a satisfied sigh.
-
To be fair, the filming conditions for "The Road to Glory" were the worst Lu Yanhe had ever experienced.
Hot water is only one aspect; there are other aspects as well.
Lu Yanhe was asleep when he suddenly heard a strong wind howling outside. The howling wind sounded like the wailing of a monster, giving off an unsettling feeling.
Lu Yanhe wasn't exactly afraid, but he felt a little uneasy in this remote inn at the foot of the mountain.
Unfortunately, the heating in this room isn't working well, and no matter how much I wrap myself in the blankets, my feet just won't get warm.
When Lu Yanhe woke up the next day, he had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept well.
Shang Yongzhou thought the same thing.
The hotel owner made noodles for them for breakfast.
There are no special conditions here; it's just one bowl of noodles per person, no toppings, vegetarian, and one egg per person.
Lu Yanhe was truly hungry. He guessed it was because the cold weather made him burn calories quickly and get hungry fast. He finished his bowl and even wanted another.
However, he shouldn't eat anymore.
When filming, you need to pay special attention to controlling your body shape, because on the big screen, even a pound more or less can be very noticeable.
Wang Biao prepared two large thermos flasks for him, saying, "One flask contains chicken soup, which I had specially prepared in the kitchen. If you're hungry, you can have some. The other flask contains warm water."
Lu Yanhe was once again shocked by Wang Biao's preparations.
Wang Biao said, "Don't be too touched, Brother Lu. This was all prepared for you according to the requests of Sister Ziyan and Sister Siqi."
He had a bright smile on his face.
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Okay, thank you very much."
Wang Biao said with a proud look, "It's all what I should do."
After breakfast, we prepared to go up the mountain.
Of course, there's no makeup team on set; there's just one makeup artist responsible for all the actors' makeup and styling.
The main reason is that almost everyone in this movie appeared in their "natural" state, which is commonly known as appearing without makeup.
But compared to a completely bare face, there's still a difference.
Because we need to make things more "everyday" for both of them.
Both of them already have great looks because they take special care of their skin. Even without makeup, their skin doesn't look very "natural" on camera, so the makeup artist will make them look a little rough, oily, or even dull.
Fu Kai agreed to their request.
In fact, most actors would accept such a request unless they were deliberately trying to look ugly.
-
It takes more than an hour to get up the mountain.
Lu Yanhe was riding in his own van. After getting in, he put on his headphones and listened to music.
I was listening to the performance from the latest episode of "Idol Era".
He has always felt that he doesn't have much talent in music, so he has never dared to be a copyist—because he doesn't really know many songs, and they are easy to use up, like now, occasionally taking out a song when needed.
Nevertheless, he still enjoys listening to music.
-
"Your performance on this episode of 'Idol Era' didn't receive very good feedback. Some people say your performances are becoming increasingly perfunctory."
Zhou Pingan frowned as he looked at Li Zhibai, who was lounging lazily on the sofa, seemingly still half asleep, rubbing his eyes with one hand.
Li Zhibai nodded.
"Have you been too tired lately?" Zhou Pingan asked.
"Don't you know best whether I'm tired or not?" Li Zhibai said. "I was scheduled for another live stream last night. I've already done two live streams this month to sell products for others."
“These are all brands you endorse, it’s stipulated in the contract.” Zhou Ping’an said with a bit of helplessness. “If you’re too tired, you can ask for a break from ‘Idol Era’ and take a two-episode break.”
Li Zhibai said, "It's the end of the year, the most crucial time for voting. You're asking me to take two breaks to make way for Ma Zhiyuan?"
Zhou Ping'an's face stiffened.
"Why are you still targeting him like this? He's not even on the same level as you anymore."
“Who knows? If I can act, can’t he?” Li Zhibai said. “Anyway, the plays we act in don’t require much acting skills. No matter how exaggerated the acting is, fans will still buy it. By creating some topics and doing some marketing, we can become another Li Zhibai.”
Zhou Ping'an's expression froze.
He knew why Li Zhibai was acting so lifeless towards him again today.
He was finally getting a little better a while ago, but today he's completely ignoring me again.
It turns out someone else had tipped him off.
These were the words Zhou Ping'an said at a company-wide meeting a couple of days ago, when discussing Ma Zhiyuan's future development and positioning.
Zhou Ping'an cursed inwardly, wondering which gossipy woman had spread these words to Li Zhibai's ears.
“Zhibai, there’s no need for us to dwell on this so much. I just used you as an example in the company meeting to tell them that Ma Zhiyuan can pursue this path in the future, and doesn’t have to be an idol forever.” Zhou Pingan sighed. “I know you don’t like Ma Zhiyuan, but I’ve never let his issues interfere with your work. Is there anything else you’re unhappy about?”
"I'm asking you, there was a drama called 'Winter Hotel' that came to me before, but you turned it down, saying my schedule didn't match, is that right?" Li Zhibai asked with a stern face.
Zhou Ping'an's heart skipped a beat again. He said, "I think there is such a drama. Your schedule doesn't match up. You have other projects to film later. Liu Bige has signed on for a new movie, and you're going to be filming that movie, right?"
“If I remember correctly, Director Liu Bige’s new movie was recommended to him by Yan He in December, and that’s how he approached me, right? You turned down ‘Winter Hotel’ for me back in November.” Li Zhibai looked coldly at Zhou Ping’an. “I’ve tolerated many things in the past, but you turned down this drama, and then recommended Ma Zhiyuan to act in it. What do you mean by that?”
Zhou Ping'an really didn't know what to say at that moment.
He hadn't expected that Li Zhibai would even know about this.
"Do you really want me to change agents?" Li Zhibai asked. "I'm not joking with you."
Li Zhibai has actually said this many times.
But never before had Zhou Ping'an felt that Li Zhibai was serious as this time.
Zhou Ping'an also knew that this was a very unethical thing to do.
“Zhibai, the reason I turned down this drama is because it’s just a romance drama, and the female lead is Mengli,” Zhou Pingan said. “It’s not suitable for you at all, so I definitely had to turn it down.”
"Then why did you give it to Ma Zhiyuan?" Li Zhibai said, "I told you long ago that even if the resources you seek from me are wasted, I will not allow you to give them to Ma Zhiyuan. I don't even want to share garbage with him. I told you that long ago."
Zhou Pingan took a deep breath.
“He’s also one of my artists, Zhibai, don’t act like a child.”
"You think I'm throwing a tantrum, right?" Li Zhibai looked at him coldly, nodded, and said, "Fine, I understand. I have nothing more to say to you. You can leave now."
Zhou Ping'an: "Zhibai, you—"
"I don't want to talk to you anymore, you can go." Li Zhi waved his hand listlessly.
The more he acted this way, the more uncertain Zhou Ping'an felt.
If Li Zhibai had thrown a tantrum at him or thrown things at him, Zhou Ping'an wouldn't have felt so guilty or even panicked.
Zhou Ping'an knew best how volatile Li Zhibai's temper was.
Such a person, yet he coldly tells you to leave.
Zhou Ping'an knew very well that Li Zhibai was truly enraged.
“Zhibai, it definitely won’t happen again next time,” Zhou Pingan said immediately.
Li Zhibai glanced at the time and said, "The press conference for the second season of Friends is about to start. Aren't you going to go see Yan Liang's performance?"
Zhou Ping'an suddenly felt uneasy.
"If you're not going to leave, then I'll go find Yan Lianghao." Li Zhibai stood up and walked away without looking back.
-
"Friends Season 2 premieres today," Shang Yongzhou said to Lu Yanhe when he saw the notification on his phone.
The two of them are resting now, chatting in the car.
Lu Yanhe was quite surprised and asked, "Really? I didn't know that."
Shang Yongzhou said, "We are currently holding a press conference for the second season."
Lu Yanhe leaned over and looked at it with Shang Yongzhou.
Bai Jingnian is still the director of the second season of Friends.
Except for Lu Yanhe being replaced by Chen Ziliang, it's the same cast as the first season.
At such a press conference, a reporter did indeed ask: "Without Lu Yanhe participating in the second season, are you worried that the ratings for the second season will not be as good as the first season?"
“We have confidence in our show,” Bai Jingnian said. “Yan He has always said that Friends is a collective success, and none of us in the second season have slacked off. I hope that Friends can become a truly evergreen series.”
"The first season was filmed and broadcast simultaneously, while this season was filmed and then broadcast. It has eight more episodes than the first season, making a total of sixteen episodes. Is it still a weekly broadcast?"
"Yes, this season airs every Friday and Saturday night from 9:00 to 9:30. Please show your support."
...
Shang Yongzhou said, "Actually, it's a pity that you left after the first season was so successful. Everyone knows that the success of the first season was largely due to you. At that time, apart from you, there was no other highlight of the show. All the promotional strategies were created by you and your girlfriend, and they are now almost just copying your approach."
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "It's okay. I have a good relationship with the creative team of the first season, and I hope they can continue to make this series. It's a great sitcom that allows us to discuss many topics."
Shang Yongzhou nodded, "You do have enough confidence in yourself, and you believe that you will definitely have a more popular work than 'Friends' in the future, right? Because you should know that 'Friends' can bring actors something that is very difficult to obtain, and that is national popularity. This is something that 99% of film actors cannot obtain."
There are definitely fewer people watching TV series than watching movies.
This is the reality in China.
Lu Yanhe understood as well.
"It's alright, senior brother." Lu Yanhe smiled. "Just like you said, I have great confidence in myself. I will have a sitcom that is just as good as mine in the future."
"Is it the 'My Own Swordsman' that you exposed before?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
“You’re not going to act in that show,” Shang Yongzhou said.
Lu Yanhe: "But I'm a screenwriter, so it's the same."
Shang Yongzhou wants to say that actors and screenwriters are different.
The screenwriter is still behind the scenes.
The first thing audiences will always remember is the actor whose face they can see.
But seeing Lu Yanhe's relaxed and indifferent expression, he didn't say those words.
Shang Yongzhou didn't understand Lu Yanhe's confidence, and Lu Yanhe also knew that Shang Yongzhou didn't understand.
But he knew what he was doing.
He has no shortage of popularity; in fact, it has been the last thing he has lacked in the past three years.
Therefore, whether he appears on camera or not has little impact on him. The key is that he is cultivating the image of a "creator," or even a "creator." He is not a painter's brush, nor a pianist's five fingers. He is a creator. This is what he wants to express.
Becoming a movie star is not his ultimate goal.
-
"Yan Liang, Yan He didn't participate in the second season. Instead, Chen Ziliang will co-star with you in this drama. After working together with Chen Ziliang this time, can you share your feelings with us?"
A reporter asked.
Yan Liang immediately sensed that the reporter was deliberately trying to cause trouble.
To stir up trouble.
Yan Liang turned and exchanged a glance with Chen Ziliang.
The latter looked at him with a complicated expression.
Because Yan Liang wasn't very friendly to Chen Ziliang on set.
Yan Liang frowned slightly, then looked away and said, "Regarding our collaboration, everyone can just watch the show. Saying too much at this time will affect the audience's enjoyment of the show."
Wen Minglan immediately stepped in to smooth things over, adding, "Please stop judging each other as actors. Our relationships have changed a lot this season. Let's not let our real-life relationships affect the audience's understanding of the characters' relationships in the show."
At this point, the reporter who had just asked the question said, "We heard that Chen Ziliang, as a new actor in the second season, was ostracized by the actors from the first season. Is this true?"
The question caused an uproar, with everyone looking at them in astonishment.
Yan Liang was also somewhat shocked and at a loss for words. Before the press conference, they had anticipated many questions that reporters might ask, but they never expected that a reporter would specifically focus on Chen Ziliang's relationship with them.
The others were just as bewildered.
Neither of them had experience answering these kinds of questions, and most importantly, they didn't really get along with Chen Ziliang on set, and their relationship was somewhat strained.
Yan Liang couldn't help but wonder how Lu Yanhe would resolve this problem if he were here.
“I think this question is ridiculous.” Suddenly, an unexpected voice rang out.
Yan Liang was startled and turned to look.
The person speaking was Zhan Yun, who played Li Lili.
Her personality is somewhat reckless and impulsive.
As soon as she opened her mouth, Yan Liang subconsciously worried that she would say the wrong thing.
But Zhan Yun immediately continued speaking.
“Chen Ziliang debuted many years earlier than us, and he’s a big star. When did it become our place to ostracize him?” Zhan Yun looked at the reporter who asked the question with dissatisfaction. “Why do you feel that way? Is there something that makes you feel this way?”
The reporter chuckled and said, "I only heard about it."
"Who told you that? Who's so careless with their mouth?" Zhan Yun said aggressively. "Are you trying to frame us for bullying Chen Ziliang by spreading these rumors? Do you think we newcomers can bully a star of Chen Ziliang's caliber? Don't be ridiculous. And please, reporters, don't ask any more of these ridiculous questions. It makes you look very unprofessional."
Zhan Yun's aggressive accusations created a tense atmosphere.
Wen Minglan and Bai Jin sat on either side of Zhan Yun. Wen Minglan took Zhan Yun's right hand in hers, while Bai Jin looked at Zhan Yun with concern.
Of the three girls, only Zhan Yun usually has the personality to say whatever comes to mind.
Her words were sharp and barbed, even Yan Liang and his friends sitting next to her found them jarring, let alone the media.
The media erupted in discussion, as if a pot had been boiled over.
-
The fact that Friends Season 2 was already generating buzz before it even aired was something many people expected, given the success of the original series; a sequel was bound to attract attention.
However, no one expected or wanted to gain attention and go viral in this way.
Zhan Yun's remarks displeased the media reporters.
However, the reporter's question also upset many fans of the show and the actors.
Isn't this just deliberately picking a fight?
He got very close and asked them if they were at odds with Chen Ziliang.
What normal media outlet would ask this kind of question at the press conference for a new drama?
Both sides stuck to their own versions of events, and the end result was a heated argument.
After Lu Yanhe and Shang Yongzhou finished filming, on the way down the mountain, Shang Yongzhou's driver had gone down the mountain ahead of time to buy him shoes and socks. During the filming in the freezing cold, his shoes had gotten wet one pair after another, and the last pair of the day had also failed, while the previous ones had not yet dried.
Shang Yongzhou rode in Lu Yanhe's car down the mountain.
Shang Yongzhou sighed, his face twitching. "My feet are almost numb from the cold."
Lu Yanhe said, "Senior brother, why don't you take off your shoes and socks and cover yourself with your clothes? Otherwise, it will take more than an hour to get back, and you'll definitely catch a cold."
The car had the heater on, so I wasn't cold even after taking off my clothes.
Shang Yongzhou thought it made sense, so he did it.
Lu Yanhe immediately took out his phone and snapped a photo.
"This scene is worth taking a picture to commemorate. Tsk tsk, a dignified movie star is so embarrassed that he has to wrap his feet with his clothes."
Shang Yongzhou: "..."
Then, the two of them saw the news about the second season of Friends on their phones.
Shang Yongzhou asked curiously, "Why does this reporter look like he has ill intentions? He came prepared."
Lu Yanhe said, "It feels like it."
"Moreover, asking such a question at a press conference is malicious," Shang Yongzhou said.
Lu Yanhe: "Actually, Zhan Yun is right. They only became popular last year, while Chen Ziliang has been famous for many years. How could they possibly gang up on each other and exclude each other? Besides, with Chen Ziliang's personality, no one can get along with him."
Shang Yongzhou asked, "Do you have a grudge against Chen Ziliang?"
Lu Yanhe made no attempt to hide his feelings and nodded directly.
“When I participated in ‘Little Song Gathering’ before, he ridiculed me.” Lu Yanhe shrugged. “After that, we had several more unpleasant encounters, so we’ve never gotten along very well.”
"Then why did he join the second season?" Shang Yongzhou was surprised. After realizing what was happening, he sighed, "What Jingtai did was really underhanded."
Lu Yanhe: "They're a big TV station, why would they care about such a small thing as ours? If they want to use Chen Ziliang, then so be it. Anyway, I'm not participating in the second season. If I were to participate in the second season, I probably wouldn't be happy. Beijing TV would listen to my opinion and weigh the pros and cons, but I still won't participate."
“That’s true,” Shang Yongzhou said. “Actually, this kind of thing is the most infuriating. I’ve encountered this before. I made a movie, and it was very successful, but when the production company wanted to develop a sequel, I couldn’t participate because of scheduling conflicts. In the end, they found my rival to play the role, which made me so angry that I never worked with that film company again.”
"What happened in the sequel?"
"Sales are alright, but it's precisely because they're alright that I'm even angrier," Shang Yongzhou said, his face full of annoyance, clearly genuinely angry.
Lu Yanhe fully understood Shang Yongzhou's anger.
At this moment, Lu Yanhe and Shang Yongzhou seemed to have finally found some common topics to complain about because of their similar experiences.
Shang Yongzhou said, "So you just said that you sincerely hope the second season will be good. Chen Ziliang is in it, do you still hope it will be good?"
"Yes, I hope so, but I hope the character of Chen Ziliang gets criticized, and I hope his performance is not well received," Lu Yanhe said sincerely.
Shang Yongzhou burst into laughter.
-
Lu Yanhe messaged Yan Liang privately on his phone to ask how things were going.
This incident at a media conference must have made both Beijing and Taiwan quite unhappy.
After all, this is quite a scandal.
When a new drama premieres, it's a highly anticipated production, and nobody wants any negative events to affect its broadcast.
Yan Liang said: Zhan Yun was criticized by people from Beijing and Taiwan, and Bai Jingnian is still trying to explain things to them.
Lu Yanhe had also anticipated that Zhan Yun's remarks would definitely be criticized by Beijing and Taiwan.
After all, her words drew the ire of most media outlets.
This could negatively impact media reviews of the second season of Friends.
Yan Liang added: However, Chen Ziliang was scolded even more harshly.
Lu Yanhe was taken aback and asked, "What's going on? Why was he being scolded? I didn't see him say anything at the press conference."
Yan Liang said: This reporter was arranged by him, and the so-called discord and exclusion were just rumors spread by his team, just to deliberately play the victim.
Lu Yanhe was surprised to hear Yan Liang say this, and found it inexplicably ridiculous.
Chen Ziliang doing this kind of thing was both unexpected and reasonable; he was the kind of person who would do such a thing.
Lu Yanhe: This person is absolutely amazing.
Yan Liang: Beijing and Taiwan warned him and his team not to make any further moves, or they would directly put him on the sidelines.
Lu Yanhe: This can be considered as Beijing and Taiwan shooting themselves in the foot.
Yan Liang: Who told them to cast a scourge like Chen Ziliang in the second season? He deserves it. I really hope he won't be in the third season.
What was said without malice may have been taken to heart by the listener.
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized that it was true; they could actually find a way to prevent Chen Ziliang from acting in the third season and have him leave after the second season ended.
-
That evening, the second season of Friends premiered, again exclusively on television.
The show's ratings broke 2 as soon as it premiered.
This figure allowed the Beijing-Taiwan railway station, which had been on edge, to breathe a sigh of relief.
Although they kept saying that a show can't be carried by just one actor, they were still worried that if Lu Yanhe left "Friends", the audience wouldn't accept it.
The real-time viewership rating has now broken 2, which means that viewers still want to watch it.
That's perfectly normal. In a sequel to a blockbuster hit, even if one of the main actors isn't in it, there are still other main actors, right?
Moreover, Chen Ziliang, a popular star, has also joined the cast, and he also has a large number of fans.
People in Beijing and Taiwan were all beaming with joy and smiles.
However, the happy moment did not last long. From the start of its broadcast, the show's ratings kept declining, although the drop was not significant.
It gradually declined, and by the time the first episode was almost over, the real-time viewership rating had only reached 1.2.
This number is certainly precarious for Friends; it's barely passable.
Inside Beijing TV, the higher-ups, who had just been pleased with the 2% live viewership rating at the start of the broadcast, were now stunned. They immediately asked their subordinates, "What's going on? Why is the viewership rating continuing to drop? It's dropped by almost a percentage point!"
The ratings for the second season of Friends are not just a concern for Beijing TV alone.
The entire industry is watching the ratings of this TV series closely. Everyone wants to know if it can recreate its previous ratings success.
If the second season of Friends can replicate the success of the first season, it means that this low-cost sitcom and weekly broadcast model can be replicated.
Traditional television stations aren't limited to Beijing and Taiwan alone; other stations naturally want to replicate this success. In particular, it proves that domestically produced series can indeed be produced through seasonal broadcasts. The revenue from a single blockbuster drama can easily rival half of the national budget—this has long been proven.
That long-running series means you won't have to worry about the next two or three years.
This is why Friends has received so much attention from the industry.
It is a benchmark.
However, the ratings for the first episode of the second season started strong but then declined. Although the final episode still achieved an average rating of 1.54%, which was a good start, its overall trend was not optimistic.
The show's reputation was also somewhat affected as a result.
—It's clear that the creative team is trying their best to maintain the feel of the first season. However, after changing the screenwriter, another bad actor came in, making the show less natural than the first season. If the first season was refreshing, short, and fast-paced, without any dragging, this season's pacing is somewhat delayed.
Yes, I also think the second season isn't very good, at least not as good as the first season. The atmosphere of going from strangers to friends in the first season, the banter between friends, all felt different this season. Why did Chen Ziliang join this show? He's really not suited for this show at all; he seems out of place, like he wandered onto the wrong set.
—That's right, I can still persevere through the parts where Chen Ziliang isn't there, but I feel disgusted as soon as he appears.
...
These comments were deafening and overwhelming, even pushing the word "ugly" to the top of the trending searches.
Clicking on this trending topic reveals almost entirely content related to the second season of "Friends," demonstrating the extent of public discontent.
However, such opinions were actually within the scope of what Beijing and Taiwan had anticipated.
Sequels to any film or television series are often disliked because of the high quality of the original.
The key is whether the ratings can be maintained for tomorrow's second episode. If they can, then there shouldn't be any major problems.
If the ratings continue to decline, then there might be a problem.
This is a big problem.
The production cost of the second season of Friends was more than double.
The actors' salaries have increased several times over, not to mention the additional funding for other production aspects.
Of course, there are still many advertisements.
There were three product placements alone. Not to mention the theater sponsorships and others.
Beijing and Taiwan are now unwilling to see the second season of "Friends" collapse.
Therefore, after the first episode aired, many viewers expressed difficulty accepting Chen Ziliang replacing Lu Yanhe in the second season. Beijing TV, seeing these reactions, was also in a dilemma. Knowing full well that the appearance of a new character would inevitably be met with dislike, they still couldn't help but wonder: was Chen Ziliang simply too incompetent, hence the flood of criticism?
As for Chen Ziliang's situation this time, well, many people know that he was just waiting to be criticized for appearing in the second season; it was just a matter of seeing how long he could last.
Because once the audience becomes familiar with Chen Ziliang and begins to accept his presence, he will start to enjoy the benefits brought to him by this hit show.
However, his persistence comes at a high price. For example, he will face overwhelming criticism in the early stages, which will also affect others. He might not even be able to hold on until things start to look up, as he may be so heavily criticized that he can't recover.
That's why Chen Ziliang wanted to take a shortcut and gain the audience's sympathy and support by portraying himself as a newcomer who was ostracized in the crew.
This is a way to overtake others by taking a shortcut.
He can get the audience to accept him as soon as possible, instead of treating him as a newcomer and scrutinizing him.
However, things unfortunately went awry.
Instead of successfully exposing the phenomenon of other actors in the crew ganging up on him and targeting him at the press conference as he had hoped, Zhan Yun retorted.
Chen Ziliang almost couldn't help but question Zhan Yun on the spot: "Didn't you deliberately ostracize me, distance yourself from me, and treat me as if I don't exist?"
Chen Ziliang isn't stupid; he knows exactly how he's been treated on set.
He himself knew why everyone treated him so distantly.
He didn't hide the fact that he wanted to add more scenes for himself. This was the core reason, and Chen Ziliang himself knew it. But of course, he wouldn't say such a thing.
He simply found a side of the matter that was advantageous to him and wanted to use it as an excuse to make a fuss.
-
Chen Ziliang's situation became very difficult.
Because the ratings for the first episode started high but then dropped, it was ironically the show that received the most criticism after its premiere.
When these two things are put together, he becomes the person responsible for the high initial ratings followed by a decline.
On Saturday, Chen Ziliang still joined everyone in doing promotional work.
This was arranged long ago.
For the second season of "Friends", Beijing TV arranged a very intensive promotional campaign for them, just to promote the show.
Chen Ziliang and everyone gathered backstage.
The moment he appeared, the cheerful atmosphere instantly froze.
No one told jokes anymore.
Seeing this, Chen Ziliang snorted coldly, sat down in his seat, put on his headphones, and didn't bother to greet them. He took out his phone and started browsing various news online as if no one else was around.
Everyone else also took out their phones.
Fortunately, we live in an era of advanced and convenient tools, so even if there is someone you dislike present, you don't have to be completely unable to say a word just because they are there.
What you can't say aloud, you can say in a group chat using your phone.
Zhan Yun: I'm so annoyed by this person. Why did we have to let him participate in our promotional event today? So many people are criticizing him and don't want to see him. Hasn't Beijing TV seen this?
Bai Jin said: "Just bear with it. After all, he is one of the main actors in the second season, and his fame and popularity are higher than ours. Beijing TV also hopes to leverage his fame and influence."
Zhan Yun: If he really had that ability, why would he need to act in our show? He could just take on a leading role and have the entire crew revolve around him. He wouldn't need to be "ostracized" here.
Zhan Yun: It's disgusting. How could this man say such a thing?
Wen Minglan: We really don't pay much attention to him.
Zhan Yun: Ignoring him means ostracizing him? Seriously? Can't we be reasonable? Why doesn't he reflect on why we don't pay attention to him? I almost couldn't hold back when that reporter asked the question yesterday.
Wen Minglan: Luckily you held back, otherwise the news of our discord with him would have been out in the open, which would have had a significant impact on our later scenes, since we gradually became friends in the drama.
Zhan Yun: I really don't want to act with this person anymore. They even did something disgusting like hiring reporters to create hype.
Yin Xincheng: We were both big stars, but the feeling of filming with Yan He was completely different. Sigh, I actually understand Xiao Yun's feelings. I also hate pretending to be friends with him in front of the camera anymore.
Yan Liang: No matter what, let's endure everything until the second season finishes airing. Nothing is more important than our show. Even if Yan He were here, he would say the same thing.
Yin Xincheng also said: That's right, if Yan He were here, he would definitely say the same thing.
-
Lu Yanhe stood in the biting wind and sneezed three times in a row.
Upon hearing Lu Yanhe sneeze, Fu Kai quickly asked, "Did you catch a chill from the wind?"
Lu Yanhe nodded. "A little."
At this moment, Wang Biao came over carrying a large water jug.
"Brother Lu, would you like a drink? To warm you up?"
Today, Wang Biao's big pot of soup is not just chicken soup, but also chicken stewed with old ginger, which has a spicy ginger flavor.
Lu Yanhe nodded.
So, Wang Biao poured a cup of chicken soup and handed it to Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe took a sip, and the warmth spread from his throat to his stomach, making him feel especially comfortable.
"That feels good." Lu Yanhe felt as if his internal organs had been soothed.
Seeing this, Fu Kai said, "Your assistant is very reliable. Can I have a drink too?"
Wang Biao immediately looked at Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe smiled and nodded, saying, "Pour the director a glass too, we'll make more later."
In fact, when film crews come to such harsh conditions to shoot, they usually have a chef or nutritionist on set.
But as I said before, "Road to Glory" is a low-budget art film, and we didn't have the budget to do all that.
The crew's meals were all pre-ordered locally by the production manager.
Sometimes the hotel makes it, sometimes the restaurant prepares it and delivers it, and sometimes we simply find a local family to cook it for us.
Wang Biao's approach was destined to serve only Lu Yanhe.
First of all, it's difficult to buy a chicken every day, as chickens aren't available everywhere. When you can buy one, you have to buy several, cut them up, and put them in a freezer bag. Luckily, this freezing weather acts as a natural refrigerator, so they don't spoil.
Secondly, having chicken and other raw materials isn't enough; you also have to stew it every day.
Originally, Wang Biao planned to have the hotel kitchen cook it, but later he simply bought a clay pot himself and took it with him, since it was convenient to have a car anyway.
Every day, wherever they went, they would stew it, adding some tonics to ensure Lu Yanhe received sufficient nutrition.
Fu Kai was extremely jealous of Wang Biao's talent as an assistant.
It's not that only Lu Yanhe has an assistant, but rather that Lu Yanhe's assistant is exceptionally reliable, considerate of Lu Yanhe, and takes very good care of him.
It was quite a strange story that Lu Yanhe was filming "The Road to Glory" on set.
Because he had never filmed a scene on the road before, he had to change locations every few days, constantly on the road, and his accommodations were also different from time to time. He couldn't get used to it after a while and always had to face new changes in the environment.
Lu Yanhe couldn't feel familiar with the filming environment; every day was something new.
He gradually came to understand the character of Jiang Ying.
If he were to give an evaluation of Jiang Ying, he would say that Jiang Ying is a typical person with a "sharp face but a soft heart".
He has many common problems that are common among teenage boys, such as being easily provoked, having a bad temper and exploding at the slightest provocation, and being ruthless and unrecognizable to his family when he acts out.
However, he has one great advantage, which is also his fundamental characteristic: he has empathy and is inherently kind.
Therefore, these two sides constitute his awkwardness, but also his charm.
Lu Yanhe faced a major challenge in portraying the character: he didn't really know what it meant to act foolishly, and he couldn't quite get into the state of deliberately arguing with you or just looking at you without paying attention.
Because it lacks logic, and you can't make sense of it.
If you try to interpret this character logically, you've already made a mistake from the very beginning.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe has been calling Li Zhibai and Li Pengfei frequently these past two days.
Because the two people next to him are the closest to the character's outward appearance.
"Why do you dare to say whatever you want? Why don't I dare? What's there to be afraid of?" That's what Li Zhibai said. "At worst, I'll just quit being an entertainer. I'm not going to change myself just because I'm an entertainer. There's no need for that."
Lu Yanhe said, "So you've never had anything to worry about growing up?"
“I used to do very little. No matter what I did, I knew my family would cover for me,” Li Zhibai said. “Now I’ve toned it down a bit. I know some things aren’t so easy to deal with, so I’d better avoid causing them trouble.”
"Your parents will be very touched to hear that, right?" Lu Yanhe asked with a smile.
"That's not necessarily true. They don't really care that much about my affairs. As long as I don't cause trouble, no one cares about me." Li Zhibai chuckled. "Actually, when I was a kid, I would deliberately cause trouble to get their attention."
"Um?"
“Or maybe I deliberately stay silent when they're around, just hoping they'll come and ask me what's wrong.” Li Zhibai sighed as he spoke. “I'd forgotten all about it if you hadn't asked me. I used to really crave their attention when I was little.”
Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered that once, Li Zhibai went home specifically for his birthday, but no one in the family remembered it was his birthday. They even scolded him for some things he had done during that time, which made him so angry that he went back to their rented room that night.
From this perspective, Lu Yanhe suddenly understood why Li Zhibai, a rich second-generation and popular idol who was arrogant like a fool, both disliked and stayed by his and Yan Liang's side at the same time.
At this moment, Lu Yanhe suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the character Jiang Ying.
So, is his essence loneliness?
An almost instinctive loneliness and a resentment at being unable to integrate into this world gave him a hedgehog-like appearance.
Lu Yanhe sat in the van, lost in thought, pondering the character's state.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside.
Someone is shouting something.
Lu Yanhe snapped out of his daze and immediately opened the car door.
A gust of cold wind suddenly rushed in.
The shouts grew louder and more piercing.
"Quickly, give it your all!"
Lu Yanhe saw several people squatting or lying on the edge of the pond in front of him.
He rushed over and found that Fu Kai had somehow fallen into the pond, his lower body still thrashing about in the water, but his hands had already been grabbed.
In the dead of winter, everyone is wearing down jackets, and after getting soaked in water, they feel as heavy as if they were filled with lead.
It's hard to pull someone along.
So Lu Yanhe quickly went to help, pulling along with them, but he simply couldn't muster the strength.
Zou Dong followed, and seeing this, he pushed the two people aside and stretched out an arm, saying, "Director, hold my hand."
Fu Kai's face was white from the cold. Upon hearing this, he grabbed the hand that was on the shore to steady himself without hesitation and trusted Zou Dong's outstretched arm, hugging him tightly.
Zou Dong shouted, "Everyone else, let go first!"
Zou Dong's main advantage is that he is tall and strong, and his robust physique inspires a sense of security and trustworthiness.
Everyone did as he said and let go.
"Two more people, put your arms around the director's waist."
Under Zou Dong's arrangement, in less than five seconds, Zou Dong exerted force and pulled Fu Kai out of the pond like a radish being pulled out.
"Quickly, don't just stand there, come with me to change your clothes!" The production manager urged, making Fu Kai, who was sitting on the ground as if he had lost all his strength, get up and follow him.
Fu Kai was trembling all over.
Lu Yanhe felt cold just looking at him.
He turned around and called to Wang Biao, asking him to bring over the large pot of chicken soup.
He mumbled something and poured himself a full glass.
"director."
Lu Yanhe held the cup to Fu Kai's lips.
Fu Kai gulped down the drink and finally let out a groan.
"Holy crap—"
The production manager, a middle-aged woman, laughed and scolded, "Stop leaning on me for now, hurry up and come with me to change clothes! Otherwise, you'll have to go to the hospital for a shot, and the crew can stop filming."
I don't know if it was the last sentence that provoked Fu Kai.
He suddenly came to his senses, stood up shakily, and followed his older sister.
Lu Yanhe finally had time to listen to everyone's explanation of what had just happened.
It turns out that Fu Kai went to the pond to smoke and accidentally slipped in.
Fortunately, someone was watching nearby; otherwise, Fu Kai, who can't swim, might have really gotten into trouble in this nearly three-meter-deep pond.
"Where is my senior brother?" Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered.
With such a commotion, why hasn't Shang Yongzhou appeared?
When Lu Yanhe asked this question, everyone realized that Shang Yongzhou was also nowhere to be found.
They quickly turned around and started looking for it.
Someone found him behind a house about 20 meters away.
He stared blankly at a window on the wall.
They called his name, but he seemed not to hear them.
Then, as they approached and followed Shang Yongzhou's gaze, they both felt a chill run down their spines.
A figure was hanging behind the window, inside the house right in front of them.
"Ah—" Someone was so frightened that their scalp almost tingled, and they let out a terrified scream.
-
Two hours later, Shang Yongzhou, also wrapped in a fluffy blanket, sat in the car, his face still pale and lacking color.
Looking through the car window, Lu Yanhe saw Shang Yong sitting listlessly in the back seat and understood his state at that moment.
If it were him, things probably wouldn't have been much better.
Lu Yanhe knocked on the window.
Shang Yongzhou shuddered, then turned around and saw that the person outside the car was Lu Yanhe. He breathed a sigh of relief and opened the car door.
Lu Yanhe got into the car with two steaming cups of coffee in his hands, and handed one to Shang Yongzhou.
"Senior, have some coffee, even if it's just instant."
Shang Yongzhou held the paper cup with both hands, brought it to his lips, and took a sip.
"The person you saw... The police have conducted a preliminary investigation. I overheard them discussing it privately, saying that it's highly likely he committed suicide. Someone who lives nearby also came over and told us about his situation. They said he was sick, couldn't afford treatment, and had been dragging it out. They said he probably couldn't wait any longer, so he couldn't bear it anymore and left."
Lu Yanhe told Shang Yongzhou the story he had heard.
Shang Yongzhou nodded blankly.
He took a deep breath and asked, "How's the director?"
"We're telling everyone to pack up. We can't film today, so let's call it a day."
Shang Yongzhou's expression softened, and he nodded, "That's fine too."
Several things happened today, casting a shadow over the filming.
Fu Kai and Shang Yongzhou lost their motivation to film.
The same applies to Lu Yanhe.
However, Lu Yanhe did not expect that this matter would become a trending topic.
A body was unexpectedly discovered on the set of the TV series "The Road to Glory".
(End of this chapter)
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