Chapter 428 The commotion is quite big (12,000 words updated!)
Lu Yanhe started negotiations for his salary the earliest, but while many others had already finalized their salaries, his was still unresolved.
Chen Ziyan wasn't in a hurry. Since she dared to offer such a price, it was obviously because Lu Yanhe was worth it.
If Huang Tai pretends to be stupid and insists on refusing to give it, then even if Lu Yanhe withdraws from the movie "Burning Fire", it will not have much impact on Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe just needs a commercial blockbuster, not necessarily "Burning Fire".
Negotiations have reached a stalemate.
Chen Ziyan explained the situation to Lu Yanhe. Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Okay, Sister Ziyan, let's do it your way. I don't know if I'm being narrow-minded, but in my opinion, isn't it just because they saw that the industry's reaction to the movie 'Burning Fire' was more enthusiastic than expected that they want to lower our price? They think it's a very good movie, so the initiative is in their hands. I definitely want to act in this movie, and I will definitely compromise and back down because of this."
Chen Ziyan nodded and said, "I agree with you."
Lu Yanhe: "If it really doesn't work out in the end, I'll just quit and that's fine. We didn't even have a formal contract to begin with."
"Well, the news that we're going to act in this movie has already been released by them, so if we withdraw, there will probably be some controversy."
"It's alright," Lu Yanhe said. "Let the controversy go. Anyway, the controversy surrounding me has never stopped."
Chen Ziyan smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, "You can't say that. Of course, it's always good to have as few controversies as possible. The more debts you have, the less you have to worry about them. In the end, it's just self-deception. You're not a deadbeat, so you still have to solve and face things little by little, right?"
Lu Yanhe also smiled.
-
Huang Tai originally thought that as long as she didn't back down and made her stance firm, Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan would definitely back down.
In fact, Lu Yanhe has only acted in two movies so far, and only one of them was a lead role. Under such circumstances, it is not low that they were able to give him a salary of eight million yuan. He is not the male lead, and he also received a 10% share of the derivative revenue from the role.
To everyone's surprise, Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan remained unmoved, showing no interest whatsoever in the film "Burning Fire," and never contacted them again.
This made Mrs. Huang somewhat uneasy.
Is this movie really that unappealing to Lu Yanhe?
Numerous actors, including some top-tier stars, approached him, all offering to lower their fees for decent roles. Huang Kairen, for example, only received 200,000 yuan for a cameo role in two scenes. Why could everyone else lower their fees, but Lu Yanhe couldn't?
Huang Tai pondered and pondered, and finally concluded that Chen Ziyan was unhappy because Shang Yongzhou had received a 20 million yuan salary. But what right did Lu Yanhe have to compare himself to Shang Yongzhou? What was Shang Yongzhou's status, and where did he stand? Moreover, Shang Yongzhou played the core protagonist of the film, from the main perspective. Wasn't his salary reasonable?
If Lu Yanhe were playing such an important role, then paying him a higher salary wouldn't be a problem. But Lu Yanhe is just playing the second male lead.
Huang Tai pondered for several days, but in the end, she still didn't want to let Lu Yanhe go.
Of course, she also knew that, at this moment, no one was more suitable than Lu Yanhe for the role she was discussing with him.
In terms of image, acting skills, fame and popularity, and past achievements, Lu Yanhe is the most suitable candidate.
Just then, the Jose Film Festival announced its new list of selected films.
"Rouge," with Lu Yanhe as the screenwriter, has entered the main competition unit.
The film "Lost in Thailand," written by Lu Yanhe, is included in the screening section.
One person has two films nominated for the Jose Film Festival.
-
"Was the film finished editing so quickly? How did it get submitted to the Jose Film Festival?"
“It’s not finished yet,” Wang Chong sighed. “But after our internal evaluation, the most suitable international film festival for ‘Rouge’ to compete in is Jose. Apart from here, the judging styles of other film festivals don’t really favor films like ‘Rouge’ that have a relatively low viewing threshold and a strong story. If we don’t make it to this year’s festival, then we either have to give up competing or wait until this time next year. So, we’ve sent over a rough cut, and for the next month or so, I’ll have to lead the team to continue editing.”
Lu Yanhe understood.
When asked, Jia Long said the same thing happened with "Lost in Thailand".
"I'm already very satisfied that we've only completed a rough cut and been shortlisted for the screening section," Jia Long said with a smile. "I hope we can edit a satisfactory version and make it to the premiere at the Jose Film Festival."
When Lu Yanhe heard what the two of them said, he finally understood that, well, neither of the two movies was actually finished being edited.
-
At the press conference of the Jose Film Festival, when the list was announced, the media reporters present enthusiastically raised their hands to ask questions.
Among them were Japanese media reporters.
Besides asking about the films from their own country that were nominated, what they were most concerned about was naturally Lu Yanhe, who had recently had several confrontations with Yong Shanhe.
When everyone present confirmed that this Lu Yanhe was indeed the actor Lu Yanhe they knew, everyone's face showed a look of astonishment and disbelief.
Lu Yanhe's work as a screenwriter was previously only widely known in China. For the overseas public, Lu Yanhe was primarily known as an actor. Those with a slightly deeper understanding knew him as the screenwriter of "Friends." But for a screenwriter to have a film adapted from his script selected for the Jose Film Festival was truly unexpected for many.
When answering questions from the media, Wu Yang, the artistic director of the Jose Film Festival, explained: "We have officially confirmed with the film company that it is indeed Lu Yanhe, the actor we know. As for why he suddenly became a screenwriter and wrote two film scripts, I think it would be better to ask him in person when he comes to the Jose Film Festival."
As a Singaporean of Chinese descent, Wu Yang has only been the artistic director of the Jose Film Festival for five years. Compared to Wintour Robbe of the Sylphy Film Festival and Picasso of the Venice International Film Festival, his experience is still very limited.
Wu Yang is also the first Asian artistic director since the Jose Film Festival began.
Immediately, someone raised their hand and asked, "We see that two Chinese films are in the main competition at this year's Jose Film Festival. Is this related to the fact that you, the director, are from China?"
Wu Yang immediately smiled and spread his hands, saying, "First of all, I am a Singaporean of Chinese descent. Although I maintain a very good relationship with Chinese film companies, the selection of films for the main competition is not decided by me alone. We have a very large but professional film selection team. Secondly, the two Chinese films selected for the main competition this time were unanimously approved by our team. Do you think any of them are not worth including?"
Wang Zhong's film "Rouge" was recently awarded Best Director at the Sitour Film Festival.
Fu Zhu's "South of the Yangtze River" was directed by a renowned director who had gained international fame even earlier than Wang Zhong.
Judging from the perspectives of these two film directors, it is indeed inaccurate to say that Wu Yang was acting out of personal favoritism or deliberately giving preferential treatment to Chinese-language films.
-
"That's great! Within two years, your work has been featured at all four major international film festivals."
Chen Ziyan said to Lu Yanhe, "With your achievements, there is no one else in the country who can match you."
No matter how great a director, actor, or screenwriter is, none of them have managed to attend all four major film festivals and have their works nominated within a year or two like Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe said, "It's mainly because I take a lot of photos."
“It’s true that you shoot a lot; there aren’t many people with a higher output than you,” Chen Ziyan said. “However, that may not be the case in the future. You’ve started a trend of shooting short dramas in the industry. And you may not have counted it, but because of your success with ‘Three Mountains’ and ‘Late Spring,’ there have been a lot more art films approved this year, because many A-list stars are willing to act in those art films with smaller budgets.”
Lu Yanhe was very surprised.
"Really?"
Chen Ziyan: "If you succeed, others will want to replicate your success path, which is normal. Look at Yan Liang's 'Gold Rush' and Li Zhibai's 'Moonlight Symphony,' both of which are short dramas with only a dozen or so episodes. There weren't so many short dramas before. In the eyes of film and television companies and platforms, these short dramas were not profitable."
"Is it profitable now?"
"Of course we can make money, it's just that we can't make as much money per show as before. But for everyone, this is actually a good thing. A show used to have 40 or 50 episodes, or even 70 or 80 episodes, and the cost would easily be hundreds of millions. Now, they are all short dramas, and the cost is only tens of millions. A slightly more high-quality one can cost hundreds of millions. The risk is much lower than before, and the cost of trial and error has also increased."
That's true.
"The first season of Friends was a success, so we made a second season. The 17th Floor was a success, so we also made a second season. It's not that we can't make longer shows, but this way, everyone's risk is reduced. Actors can increase their salaries with the filming of the second and third seasons, and the production pressure on the production companies and platforms is also greatly reduced," Chen Ziyan said. "Everyone knew this principle before, but without successful examples, this trend couldn't be reversed. Ninety percent of people were operating according to the conventions of an environment. Only when someone breaks the conventions will new conventions emerge."
Lu Yanhe nodded. He always benefited from what Chen Ziyan told him.
“I heard that Jiang Yuqian is in talks for an art film,” Chen Ziyan told Lu Yanhe. “She’s currently filming ‘Squid Game.’ I originally thought she would take on a more mainstream drama series later, but I didn’t expect her to start messing around again.”
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "Sister Yuqian still wants to change her career path."
Chen Ziyan said, "Of course, transformation is necessary, but we must stabilize our core business. If we can't stabilize our core business and blindly pursue transformation, we may end up destroying ourselves."
She laughed, "If I were Jiang Yuqian's agent, I would tell her very clearly that her problem is not that she wants to change her image, but that in order to change her image, she has drastically reduced her output, lost exposure and popularity, and is relying entirely on her past works and fans to keep going. That's the real problem. Look at her, how many dramas has she filmed in the past two years? How many variety shows has she appeared on? Without maintaining exposure, there is no popularity. If the dramas flop, isn't that a devastating downhill decline?"
Chen Ziyan's words incisively pointed out the problems in Jiang Yuqian's current career development.
Lu Yanhe listened and suddenly understood, realizing it was indeed true. Chen Ziyan always had a very accurate view of an actor's long-term development and a broad perspective. This incident with "Burning Fire" actually reflected the correctness of Chen Ziyan's advice to Lu Yanhe to star in a commercial blockbuster as soon as possible.
In the eyes of others, Lu Yanhe is already the most outstanding and representative male actor of his generation, with everything he could want and no shortcomings.
However, the fact that Huang Tai was willing to offer Shang Yongzhou a salary of 20 million plus a share of the box office revenue without any discount, but only offered Lu Yanhe a salary of 8 million, shows that in the eyes of such a top film company, Lu Yanhe actually had a big weakness - he had no experience in carrying commercial films at the box office, and his past film box office success was more of a coincidence than a business rule, and it was difficult to replicate.
If Lu Yanhe wants to take more control of his acting career, he needs to make up for these key shortcomings.
"The fact that both 'Lost in Thailand' and 'Rouge' have been shortlisted for the Jose Film Festival is definitely a good thing for you. Your foundation in film is mainly in these international film festivals. Currently, no other actor in China has made a more visible presence at international film festivals than you," Chen Ziyan said. "However, you only have 'Road to Glory' as the lead actor so far, and no other films. We should carefully select some film scripts for you later. I want to ask you, are you planning to write and produce your own scripts, or will you take on scripts from outside?"
“I don’t particularly like any of the scripts from outside, so if all else fails, I’ll just write my own,” Lu Yanhe said. “But if I’m acting in it myself, won’t we have to find someone to film it ourselves? It seems like a lot of trouble.”
“You write the script, you star in it, and plenty of film companies will be willing to take it on,” Chen Ziyan said. “The key is, do you have any ideas right now?”
"Yes, I have prepared several ideas, but, Sister Ziyan, you said I want to act in a blockbuster, and the scripts I'm writing now aren't those blockbuster scripts."
Chen Ziyan said, "As long as it's not an art film, it's fine. You have too many art films on hand. As for whether it has to be an action-packed, visually stunning blockbuster, that's not something we can start filming in a year or two after writing a script. These kinds of movies often require a long preparation period."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"Then I'll go back and think about what kind of movie script I should write for myself to act in."
“Okay, if you can figure it out in the meantime, we can announce it at the Jose Film Festival and give the film a chance to shine.”
"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.
-
What kind of script should Lu Yanhe prepare for himself?
He pondered for a long time, looking at his previous script library, looking it over and over again, but couldn't make up his mind for a long time.
The main reason is that he's too old to act in many movies.
Many of the good movies he's seen, such as genre films like Ocean's Twelve, or films like The Invisible Guest and Perfect Strangers, are not films that someone his age could star in.
In the film industry, films starring men in their early twenties that achieve outstanding box office results are almost always blockbusters, such as "The Lord of the Rings," "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "Spider-Man." They generally attract moviegoers not because of the actors' charisma, but because of the charm of the film's worldview and the characters.
The only films suitable for his age, films he can make now, and films that, as far as I can recall, have high box office returns are mostly youth films or romance films.
Lu Yanhe pondered for a long time what kind of movie he should choose to act in. First, it had to be one that could be filmed as soon as possible, so that there wouldn't be too much to prepare in advance. For example, "Burning Fire" took more than two years in pre-production, including world-building, setting up various elements, finding collaborators, and negotiating with directors. And it still hasn't started filming yet; they're just building sets.
After much thought, the fastest way to get filming started is to make a movie about youth and pure love.
Actually, when Lu Yanhe was filming "Late Spring", he had thought of "In the Heat of the Sun", but this film is still an art film.
We need a film that appeals to a broad audience. Lu Yanhe took a deep breath.
-
After taking a shower, Chen Siqi returned to her computer and saw an email from Lu Yanhe.
Um?
You Are the Apple of My Eye
First Love.
"love letter".
The Notebook.
Four names, followed by brief story summaries.
After reading it briefly, Chen Siqi called Lu Yanhe.
"Hello?" Chen Siqi asked, "What did you mean by the email you sent me?"
Lu Yanhe said, "I'm planning to write a script for myself. These are four stories I've prepared. Which story do you think is the best?"
Chen Siqi: "They're all youth romance movies, why did you suddenly want to make this one?"
The dramas Lu Yanhe filmed before were basically unrelated to these things.
Even "Late Spring" doesn't have a love theme.
Lu Yanhe said, "Sister Ziyan said that I have too few films in the pipeline and I need to start making movies. The ones that can start filming as soon as possible are of this type, which are relatively easy to film."
Chen Siqi suddenly realized.
“I see. I think I like all four of them. But the perspective of ‘Love Letter’ is from a female perspective, so you would be at a disadvantage if you played the role, right?” Chen Siqi said. “The same goes for ‘First Love’.”
Both films are indeed coming-of-age romance movies told from a female perspective. However, Lu Yanhe is well aware of how many fans these two films have gained for the two male leads; in fact, they have become life-changing films for them.
“If you asked me to choose, I think the best character among these four movies is ‘You Are the Apple of My Eye’,” Chen Siqi said. “‘The Notebook’ is too pure love. I feel that people don’t really like pure love movies these days. Moreover, its regret is a Romeo and Juliet type. In this day and age, if you really fall in love, who would really stop being together just because of their parents’ opposition?”
Lu Yanhe was enlightened.
really.
"But putting all that aside, my favorite story is 'Love Letter.' It's very beautiful. Although it's about unrequited love, it's actually about people's memories and longing for youth," Chen Siqi said. "It's about the kind of missed opportunities between two people, sigh."
Lu Yanhe laughed.
He had an idea in mind.
"Then both movies will be filmed."
"Huh?" Chen Siqi was taken aback.
"I'll make both 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' and 'Love Letter'," Lu Yanhe said. "The investment for these two films doesn't need to be very large; I can afford it myself."
Chen Siqi: "Do you have that much time?"
"I don't have any filming plans this year." Lu Yanhe said helplessly, "I was extremely busy last year, with almost no time to catch my breath when I was on or off set."
"Weren't you going to film 'Burning Fire'?"
"There's a bit of uncertainty now. It might not be filmed at all. But even if it is, it won't be anytime soon. They're still building the set. Once they've coordinated the actors' schedules and filming officially starts, it'll probably be at the end of the year or next year."
“No wonder you’ve started writing your own scripts,” Chen Siqi said. “I’ve never seen you act in a youth romance film before. Do your best and try to make my heart flutter again.”
Lu Yanhe: "What? You've already lost your feelings for me?"
Chen Siqi: "I'm referring to those moments when my heart flutters."
“It’s the same thing.” Lu Yanhe clicked his tongue twice. “Sure enough, I told you I love you more.”
Chen Siqi: "You'd better be."
The two exchanged a few words.
Chen Siqi said, "Will you be attending this year's Jose Film Festival?"
"meeting."
Chen Siqi: "Okay."
Are you going?
"We haven't decided yet, but Lin Yu and Li Bi will definitely be there," Chen Siqi said. "Both Chinese films have been shortlisted for the Jose Film Festival this time, and the major media outlets will definitely pay attention. Our film 'Jump Up' will definitely be there too. The online forum for film critics that we did before received a pretty good response, and many other overseas media outlets also reposted and reported on it."
Lu Yanhe: "That event last time was indeed unexpected. You guys are amazing; you just did it without hesitation."
"We have to thank Lin Yu. She has a good relationship with those film critics overseas, and she's the one who invited them all," Chen Siqi said. "We really hit the jackpot by having her in charge of our film and television division. Many media outlets know about her now, and some places are even offering high prices to poach her."
"That's amazing."
“After all, that online forum has a pretty big influence,” Chen Siqi said. “Almost all the film-related media in China paid attention to that forum, and our film channel’s news program even reported on the online forum activities.”
Lu Yanhe said, "Linyu is only a junior in college. Has she already signed an employment contract with us?"
“She hasn’t graduated yet, so how could she sign an employment contract with us?” Chen Siqi said. “They’ve all signed cooperation agreements. However, Lin Yu still has a lot of feelings for ‘Jump Up,’ and she won’t be at a disadvantage here. She told me not to worry, that she won’t leave.”
Lu Yanhe: "Well, that's good. It seems that our 'Jump Up' is becoming increasingly important in the film and television industry, and we really need it."
Lu Yanhe believed that Lin Yu would not leave easily. Even setting aside their classmate bond, the fact that she was a founding member of "Jump Up" magazine was enough to bind Lin Yu. Lu Yanhe didn't want Lin Yu to receive a lower treatment here than what was offered to her elsewhere.
Chen Siqi: "No matter how high the price offered by outsiders is, it can't compare to the space that Lin Yu has here. She calls the shots in all film and television-related sectors here, and she's already building her own team."
Currently, the only physical product of "Jump Up" is its monthly magazine. However, it has many online media brands. It has four or five media accounts focusing on film reviews and interviews, including Li Bi's video account.
Lin Yu is now in charge of all these related matters, and her authority and scope are considerable. Needless to say, the corresponding conditions and benefits she enjoys are also exceptional.
-
Lu Yanhe began to bury himself in writing his own script.
One film, "You Are the Apple of My Eye," and another, "Love Letter."
I watched it with my classmates back then.
While he was engrossed in writing screenplays at school, a movie suddenly appeared, stirring up the market during the off-season of March. In just three weeks, it raked in 700 million yuan at the box office, shocking the industry.
The movie is called "My Home That I Haven't Been Back For a Long Time," and it's a film with some suspense and thriller elements.
That evening, at six o'clock, Lu Yanhe finished writing his script in the library and was heading to the cafeteria for food when he ran into Miao Yue and Liu Bige on the way.
Night had fallen, and the two walked side by side. Liu Bige was still wearing a white shirt and black trousers, just like he always did, while Miao Yue wore a light green belted long dress, looking fresh and beautiful, a lovely sight to behold.
Lu Yanhe saw it immediately; he didn't miss it.
"Are you two taking a walk on campus?" Lu Yanhe asked, somewhat surprised.
Liu Bige explained, "We're planning to have dinner together and then go see that movie that's been doing really well at the box office recently, 'My Home That I Haven't Been Back For a Long Time.' Have you seen it?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "I haven't looked at it yet."
"Want to come with us?" Liu Bige said. "It's a huge hit; it's already grossed 700 million yuan at the box office."
"You two are on a date, I won't be a third wheel, you can go by yourselves."
“What kind of date is this? It’s not that serious,” Liu Bige said.
Miao Yue also said with a smile, "You've been spending all your time in the library lately. People on the school forum are even posting that you're practically turning the library into your dorm. Why don't you go out and explore a bit?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe joined them.
"How's your new movie coming along?" Lu Yanhe asked Liu Bige during dinner.
Liu Bige said, "You mean the one starring Li Zhibai? It's almost ready to start filming. The locations have been chosen, the actors have been selected, and we're just waiting for filming to begin."
Lu Yanhe: "No wonder you can now leisurely come out to watch a movie with Miao Yue."
"Since I'm a director, of course I need to know what kind of movies are high-grossing films in theaters."
“My senior classmate Shang Yongzhou rarely watches that many movies,” Lu Yanhe said. “He usually only watches movies on the themes he wants to watch.”
Liu Bige said, "He's an actor, he doesn't need to analyze films. I'm a director, it's different."
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "Actually, actors still need to analyze films, see how others act, and see what kind of movies audiences like to watch now."
Liu Bige said, "It depends on how the actor thinks about it. Everyone's situation is different. There are actors who have watched a lot of films but still act badly, and there are also many actors who never watch films and have very little experience but act well. However, among directors, I have never heard of a director who has watched few films."
Lu Yanhe thought about it carefully and realized that it was an undeniable fact, and that it really was true.
Miao Yue asked Lu Yanhe, "Do you usually go out and analyze films?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head.
"Rarely. Usually, I only look at the films that a director has made before when I'm planning to act in a certain type or theme of a film, and then I look for similar films and themes to see how others acted in them."
Miao Yue: "I thought you went to the movies often."
“I do go, but I don’t go to the cinema regularly just to watch movies,” Lu Yanhe said. “I usually go about twice a month.”
Miao Yue: "You go even less often than I do."
"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded. "That's because I've been relatively free lately and haven't been on set. If I were on set, I'd go even less."
Compared to the people around him in this industry, Lu Yanhe does watch relatively few films.
After dinner, they went to the movie theater together.
"My Home, Where I Haven't Been Returned" has been showing for three weeks, and in the evening screenings, a hall that can hold about a hundred people still has nearly half the seats occupied, which shows how popular the movie is right now.
Directed by Shen Mofan and starring Xu Yiren, this film tells the story of a girl who returns to her old home, which has been uninhabited for many years. In the middle of the night, she receives a phone call from someone who tells her to leave the house immediately or something terrible will happen.
Then, the girl experienced a series of terrifying events. When she realized she might have been possessed by a ghost, she accidentally discovered that it was all orchestrated by someone to drive her out of the house. She discovered that someone was hiding in her basement—a murderer wanted for murder two years prior.
After being wanted, the murderer hid in the basement of this old, uninhabited house, only to have the owner suddenly return. To avoid being discovered, he staged a series of ghost stories to scare the girl away, but he was eventually discovered. So, he decided to kill her to silence her.
The girl struggles to escape the murderer's pursuit within the house, using her wits and courage to eventually lock him in the basement through her own design, giving her the opportunity to call the police and escape.
The entire film is set against a backdrop of suspense, tension, and a pervasive sense of crisis.
The first half is almost entirely a one-woman show by Xu Yiren. This actress, whose reputation in the industry is not very good, is still very capable and has superb acting skills. She portrays a woman's fear and unease when encountering various strange events with great detail.
In the second half, when the actor playing the murderer appeared, Lu Yanhe realized that it was actually Chen Jiping.
Both of them are award-winning and highly sought-after actors in the last two years.
After the movie ended, seeing the female protagonist, played by Xu Yiren, escape and sit disheveled by the roadside waiting for the police car to arrive, a look of relief finally appeared on Xu Yiren's face as the police car appeared. The movie ended there.
Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief.
The film's high box office performance is certainly well-deserved. The overall tone remains consistent, and the main storyline runs throughout with virtually no unnecessary scenes. This is crucial for a thriller/suspense film.
"It looks good," Lu Yanhe said.
Liu Bige nodded and said, "It's rare to see such a smooth and successful completion, with no major mishaps at the end."
The biggest fear in suspense films like this is when the ending twist leaves the audience feeling disappointed and wondering, "How could it end like that?" The clever thing about this film is that it doesn't leave any suspense until the very end. The murderer appears halfway through the film, and the latter half is almost entirely a chase and struggle between Xu Yiren and Chen Jiping within the house. It becomes a contest of strength between the two, and the film's focus shifts to how Xu Yiren deals with Chen Jiping's pursuit and finds a way to survive in a dangerous and tense environment.
After watching the movie, Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered a Korean movie he had seen a long time ago called "Telephone". It was actually different from this movie, but the beginning was similar. The female protagonist returned home alone and then received a strange phone call. Of course, this movie involved the element of time and space, and two people from different time periods contacted each other through the phone call.
Lu Yanhe quickly typed the movie's name into his phone—before watching this movie, Lu Yanhe had completely forgotten that he had seen it before.
"Chen Jiping's portrayal of the murderer was so brilliant; he should be a strong contender for Best Supporting Actor," Liu Bige said.
Lu Yanhe nodded, "Yes, his performance gave me the creeps. This movie only had two actors, and they carried the whole thing. It's really amazing. Moreover, Chen Jiping's portrayal of the murderer was so chilling. At first, he called Xu Yiren to warn her that the house was haunted and that she should leave immediately. Later, after Xu Yiren found out, he said that he was a neighbor who lived nearby and had seen her move in alone, so he kindly came to warn her. When he discovered that Xu Yiren had already found the police's wanted poster with his photo on it, the change in his expression and eyes at that moment still gives me goosebumps when I think about it now."
"It's terrifying. I feel like I'll have nightmares when I get back," Miao Yue said.
Liu Bige hugged Miao Yue, smiling as he held her close, and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Lu Yanhe silently looked to the other side.
It was already past nine o'clock at night.
-
When Chen Ziyan saw the three script outlines that Lu Yanhe had taken out, she was still stunned, even though she had already witnessed Lu Yanhe's output.
"These... you wrote all of these recently?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan took a deep breath and told herself that there was nothing to be surprised about. Lu Yanhe's creative speed was just that fast, and it wasn't the first time she had witnessed it. There was no need to be so surprised.
She carefully read through the outlines of the three scripts, somewhat surprised, and said, "The first two scripts were written for you, right? They're both youth romance films?"
"Yes." Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan said, "If you only look at the outline, it seems... pretty ordinary."
Chen Ziyan also spoke the truth directly.
"I don't really see what's so good about these two stories."
"Yes, but if it were made into a movie, it would be very good, and many people would like it," Lu Yanhe said directly.
"Hmm?" Chen Ziyan asked, "Why?"
“Because everyone has such a story in their youth, or hopes to have such a story,” Lu Yanhe said. “Both stories are about regrets. One is the regret of trying and striving but not being able to be together in the end, and the other is the pure regret of missing out.”
Chen Ziyan: "Yes, I think they are all tragedies."
"It can't be called a tragedy. I've always felt that the reason why adolescence is so precious is because it has so many regrets," Lu Yanhe said. "Back then, liking someone was pure liking, and missing someone was also pure regret, without anything else mixed in."
Chen Ziyan said, "Do you think these two films can prove your ability to carry the box office?"
"These two movies will definitely do well at the box office," Lu Yanhe said with great confidence.
Needless to say, "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was a phenomenal film. If it weren't for the male lead's own self-destructive actions, its future prospects would have been very bright. At the time, he was the most sought-after male lead of his age group, without exception. Almost all suitable film opportunities were given to him first.
For many young people, "Love Letter" is a bible about unrequited love in their youth. When it was re-released in mainland China in 2021, it grossed 65 million yuan at the box office.
Since Lu Yanhe wanted to choose a movie to prove his box office ability, he naturally wanted to choose one with excellent box office results.
Chen Ziyan neither confirmed nor denied.
The box office performance of youth romance films remains a mystery, with no company able to predict their results. Some films miraculously rake in 800 or 900 million yuan, while others, even with A-list actors in leading roles, only manage 100 or 200 million yuan. Even with similar critical reception, the box office figures can vary drastically.
She looked at the third movie.
"The Telephone?" Chen Ziyan was surprised. "Isn't this a movie with two female leads, you..."
“Oh, I just remembered. Didn’t you tell me before that Sister Yuqian was in talks for an art film? She needs a commercial film, so I wrote this.” Lu Yanhe said, “Sister Ziyan, could you give this to Sister Yuqian’s agent for me? You don’t need to say that I wrote it. See if Sister Yuqian is interested in this script. If she is, I will write the script.”
Chen Ziyan looked at him in astonishment, "Did you tailor-make this script specifically for her?"
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Sister Yuqian is very different to me, and I don't want her career to decline."
Chen Ziyan: "Then why didn't you just give it to her yourself?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Because if I just give this to her directly, she will definitely accept it without even looking at it, but I don't know if she likes the story or not."
"Are you crazy? How could she not like the script you wrote?" Chen Ziyan shook her head and sighed. "Fine, I'll talk to her agent. If she's willing to act in it, which company are you planning to get to produce this movie?"
"We'll contact them when the time comes and see which one offers the best terms, then we'll cooperate with that one," Lu Yanhe said.
Chen Ziyan: "Yan He, sometimes I feel that you are more willful than I imagined, but I can't criticize you for your willfulness because you have the capital and strength to be willful."
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that he could be a little capricious with the scripts he produced because he knew they had a high probability of success.
Therefore, in these projects, he often subconsciously displays a strong and unquestionable attitude.
Lu Yanhe laughed and said, "Sister Ziyan, if one day I really become very willful, you must stop me."
"For example, doing things like tailoring scripts specifically for other actors, like you do?"
"Uh, will this harm my career?"
"No, but it would be very reckless," Chen Ziyan said directly.
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Then if one day my willfulness causes harm or affects my career, you must stop me. As for acting recklessly, just allow me to act recklessly occasionally."
Chen Ziyan shook her head with a sigh.
“You did this for Jiang Yuqian, but I don’t know if she can accept your kindness,” Chen Ziyan said. “If you don’t tell her that you wrote the script, given her current standards for accepting roles, she might not be willing to take on this type of film. She’s always been thinking about changing her image.”
Lu Yanhe said, "If she doesn't want to answer, then we'll talk about it again."
Chen Ziyan: "If she didn't want to act in this play, would you still have written the script in its entirety?"
I'll write when I have time.
Chen Ziyan nodded.
-
In April, the temperature finally began to rise steadily, and spring finally began to slowly reveal its true nature.
Spring is in full bloom, and the campus is bathed in bright sunshine.
Many girls have changed into long skirts, and as they walk around the school, their skirts sway gracefully, making them look very beautiful.
Lu Yanhe was writing a script when he couldn't keep up with his thoughts, so he simply put it aside and turned to look out the window.
The library's study rooms are on the eighth floor.
Sitting by the window here, you can overlook the campus.
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized that someone was secretly taking pictures of him.
Lu Yanhe glanced in that direction.
The person who was secretly taking the photos immediately put their phone down.
Lu Yanhe looked away and continued to gaze out the window.
He was pondering how to write the movie "Love Letter".
The male lead in this movie has significantly less screen time.
The few scenes in the original work, featuring a handsome, quiet man with a touch of youthful mischief, are all very fragmented. The reason they became a hit across Asia is entirely due to Takashi Kashiwabara's face and the resonance evoked by the theme of unrequited love and regret expressed in the film "Love Letter".
Lu Yanhe was pondering whether he should follow the original work and replicate this quiet and clean-cut image of a young man, or add a few scenes to make his character more three-dimensional and full-bodied, rather than just remaining on the surface of a picture.
A gentle breeze blew in through the slightly ajar window.
The pages of the books on the table were turned by the wind, making a series of soft, overlapping sounds.
Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered an evening from a few years ago.
He walked out of the school gate and, in the orange glow of the setting sun, saw Chen Siqi sitting on the steps beside the school gate. She had tripped and fallen, cutting her calf and bleeding a little; she couldn't walk.
Before that, Chen Siqi was a spoiled and willful girl in his mind. That was the first time she showed her vulnerable side in front of him.
When Lu Yanhe thought about it, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
My thoughts were brought back to the present.
Lu Yanhe began to ponder why "Love Letter" was so popular, and why the male lead, who only had a few scenes, was even more popular than the female lead, who was the main character.
It's simple.
He's like a character without a story or background; he only appears in the female protagonist's memories, in just a few fragments—all of which are the most memorable moments for her. Therefore, each of his appearances follows a path through the female protagonist's recollections.
Viewers who adopt the female protagonist's perspective feel as if they are seeing the person they had a crush on during their youth in her, speaking in the first person.
Precisely because he lacks any biographical background, there are enough blanks for the audience to fill in the gaps with their own memories of him.
Lu Yanhe suddenly understood the core significance of this character in "Love Letter": he didn't even need to speak; he only needed to appear whenever the female protagonist's heart trembled like a cicada's wing.
Lu Yanhe put aside his inner conflict and decided to write the script according to the original work.
-
As the script neared its final stages, Lu Yanhe returned to Ziyuan Bridge.
He often finds inspiration late at night, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
If I stay in the dorm, it's too easy to disturb my roommates.
Lu Yanhe was the first to write the script for "Love Letter".
He typed out the last word of the script at two in the morning.
He lived alone at Ziyuanqiao's residence.
He went out of the room, poured himself a glass of wine, stood by the window, and drank while looking at the starry sky outside.
It was a night filled with dazzling stars.
Only at this time, when many of the city's neon lights are turned off, will the starry sky shed its veil and appear twinkling before people's eyes.
He quickly finished half a glass of wine.
Lu Yanhe, with his limited alcohol tolerance, was already slightly tipsy.
I suddenly felt a bit sentimental.
Lu Yanhe took a picture of the starry sky and posted it on Weibo.
He said:
As I typed the last word of the new script on my computer, I couldn't sleep at this late hour. I suddenly wanted to call her, but she was probably already asleep, so I could only call her in my dreams.
-
Lu Yanhe had no idea that his Weibo post would cause such a huge stir the next day.
He didn't go to sleep until 4 a.m.
The following morning, Lu Yanhe's rare and heartfelt Weibo post quickly became a trending topic.
Lu Yanhe's female fans couldn't hide their excitement, as if the Weibo post was written for them.
Marketing accounts went on a frenzy, creating all sorts of topics and content to speculate on the relationship between Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi, and even asking if they were getting married.
Of course, such unfounded speculation can only attract a few people who are easily deceived.
Besides the public's uproar over the popular A-list actor's late-night confession, film and television companies and others in the industry also reacted immediately, calling Lu Yanhe, Chen Ziyan, Chen Siqi, and everyone else they could reach.
Lu Yanhe's phone was on silent, so calls couldn't get through and no one answered, which made things difficult for Chen Ziyan, Chen Siqi, and the others.
"A new script? I have no idea what kind of new script it is."
"He didn't tell me whether he was writing a TV series script or a movie script. He was still sleeping. I called him but he didn't answer. He must have silenced his phone."
"President Chen, I really didn't lie to you. Why would I deceive you? Don't worry, I will definitely convey your desire to cooperate with Yan He."
...
In the end, Chen Siqi couldn't help but put her phone in Do Not Disturb mode.
She really wanted to rush up to Lu Yanhe, pull him out of bed, and loudly question him about why he suddenly went crazy in the middle of the night and made such a confession, and now everyone who sees her has an ambiguous smile on their face!
Chen Siqi was truly annoyed. But when she opened Weibo for the nth time and read Lu Yanhe's post, an undeniable sweetness would overwhelm her annoyance.
"..."
Lu Yanhe didn't wake up until noon.
I woke up feeling groggy, my eyes still blurry. Looking at my phone, I saw dozens of missed calls and hundreds of unread messages. I was completely bewildered. I had just woken up and my mind was still reeling, so I was even more at a loss.
How... did this cause such a big commotion?
(End of this chapter)
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