Chapter 439 This happened so suddenly!
"Sorry, I've let you down."
At 11:30 p.m., Huang Kairen sat in Lu Yanhe's room and said helplessly.
Lu Yanhe: "Brother Huang, don't mess with me. How am I supposed to respond if you say that?"
"Haha, I was just kidding," Huang Kairen said, then sighed. "If I had even a little bit of fame overseas, I wouldn't be targeted by these trolls and cause this kind of trouble."
Lu Yanhe: "Even if you become a superstar overseas, those who want to criticize you will still criticize you. They can find fault with you in any way they want. If they want to find fault, they will always find a reason."
Huang Kairen nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Actually, I'm still quite nervous."
"Is it all because of these online controversies?"
"No, to be honest, I didn't take it to heart at all. All I can think about right now is the premiere of 'Rouge' tomorrow," Huang Kairen said. "It's my first time competing at an international film festival like this, and I'm the lead actor. I'm nervous. I want to know everyone's opinion of the film as soon as possible, but I'm also afraid to know."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe was both amused and exasperated, but he also understood Huang Kairen's feelings.
Because it was the same when he first attended a film festival.
My current composure, calmness, and serenity are simply because I've experienced a lot.
Lu Yanhe also sincerely hopes that Huang Kairen's performance in the movie will be recognized by everyone.
It was truly a long and winding road for Huang Kairen to finally appear in this movie.
-
The next morning, Lu Yanhe gave interviews to two overseas media outlets in his hotel room, and that was pretty much the end of the day.
At noon, he ate bread with Zou Dong and Wang Biao in his room. After a quick meal, he started changing clothes and getting his hair and makeup done. Since he wasn't an actor in "Rouge," he didn't prepare a formal suit this time. He simply made himself look presentable and was ready to leave.
At the hotel entrance, he unexpectedly bumped into Fellaina Ricci. She greeted him with delight. Lu Yanhe paused for a moment before recognizing her: a famous Spanish actress and a jury member for the main competition at the Situ Film Festival that year, where "Three Mountains" was filmed.
"Hi!" Lu Yanhe smiled brightly and shook hands with Felena Richie. "It's been a long time."
Felena Richie said, "Although it's been a long time since I've seen you, I've watched several of your films. Oh, you're so charming."
She held Lu Yanhe's face in her hands, and a smile appeared on her face... to use common parlance—a kind of aunt-like smile.
Lu Yanhe was a little confused, not understanding why Felena Ritchie would suddenly treat him with such "kindness".
Clearly, she's not old enough to be considered "loving" yet; she's close to forty, but not quite forty.
Lu Yanhe could only obediently say, "Ms. Richie, thank you for your compliment."
“Just call me Fellaina,” she said. “I’ll be at the premiere of Rouge later. I heard you wrote the script for the movie, but unfortunately you didn’t act in it.”
Lu Yanhe said with a smile, "Because there are more suitable actors."
Felena Rich's eyes were full of admiration for Lu Yanhe: "You act so well, you should act in more plays in the future."
Lu Yanhe said, "Yes, I've been acting all along."
Felena Rich immediately asked, "Then why didn't you bring them to Jose this time?"
Lu Yanhe could only say, "Filming hasn't started yet; it won't begin until this summer."
Felena Rich finally smiled with satisfaction and said, "Then see you at other film festivals."
Lu Yanhe said, "I don't know if the film I'm going to make will be invited by film festivals. This film is not a typical film festival film."
Felena Ritchie said, "If you need, I can help you get recommended to major film festivals. With your current achievements, I believe that major film festivals would welcome you to participate with your work."
Lu Yanhe was flattered and quickly thanked him.
“Remember, I’m a fan of yours, and I really enjoy your performances,” Felena Richie said. “I hope we’ll have the opportunity to work together someday.”
Lu Yanhe smiled and nodded, saying, "There will definitely be an opportunity."
Felena Richie wanted to continue talking to him, but her companions, perhaps running out of time, urged her on, "Felena, we have to go. Mr. Favrein is waiting for us."
“Oh!” Felena Rich gave Lu Yanhe an apologetic smile. “I really wish I could talk to you a little longer, but I have an appointment with someone else, so we’ll have to talk another time.”
"Okay, sure." Lu Yanhe nodded with a smile. "We'll see each other again this afternoon. I hope we can find a chance to chat some more then."
Felena Rich: "Believe me, this afternoon you definitely won't have time to have in-depth conversations with anyone. At times like this, as the protagonist, you can only be accommodating and greet everyone."
She smiled, said goodbye to Lu Yanhe, and left.
Lu Yanhe then got into the car and set off.
Setting off at this time is not to attend the premiere or walk the red carpet immediately, but rather because there is another task at hand.
He needs to attend an exhibition themed "Film and History" hosted by Shang Yongzhou.
This event was organized by local museums in Jose and the Jose Film Festival.
As the ambassador and convener of this film festival, Shang Yongzhou is responsible for upholding the prestige of the event.
Lu Yanhe, Chen Bige, and Huang Kairen all received invitations from Shang Yongzhou to attend the event.
After all, it's Shang Yongzhou, so they have to show up and support him.
Besides them, Jia Long also brought Wang Dashan along.
Besides these few Chinese celebrities, many foreign celebrities also made an appearance.
Several familiar faces appeared, and when British actress Lily Winton appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers.
She is the female lead in the most popular Hollywood film series in recent years, "The Golden Throne," and enjoys immense popularity, making her one of the most popular female stars in the world today.
Shang Yongzhou waited for her on one side of the red carpet photo area and politely gave her a cheek kiss.
Lily Winton and Shang Yongzhou seem to be quite familiar with each other.
Lu Yanhe was puzzled when Lin Yu reminded him in his ear: "Shang Yongzhou acted in a foreign film before. The second female lead in that film was Lily Winton. She hadn't acted in 'The Golden Throne' yet; she was an unknown newcomer."
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized.
No wonder Shang Yongzhou is considered one of the most representative male actors in China today.
He not only holds a high position domestically, but has also starred in overseas films. This resume is indeed representative.
-
At the event, Lu Yanhe had the opportunity to meet Lily Winton and exchange a few pleasantries.
Lily Winton had never read his work and didn't know who he was. She was just speaking to him politely.
Lu Yanhe simply chatted with her politely.
After Lily Winton was called away by the others, Wang Biao whispered in Lu Yanhe's ear, "Brother Lu, why weren't you very enthusiastic towards her?"
Lu Yanhe: Am I not enthusiastic? I'm alright, pretty normal.
“Okay,” Wang Biao said. “I thought you didn’t like her very much.”
Lu Yanhe was reminded by Wang Biao's words.
Don't you like her?
Lu Yanhe didn't think about where he had given that impression.
He was wondering if Wang Biao mistakenly thought he wasn't enthusiastic towards Lily Winton, would Lily Winton herself have the same impression?
Lu Yanhe didn't want to leave such an impression on his first meeting.
So he asked Wang Biao one more question: "Was I being cold just now?"
"Not indifferent, but compared to your encounter with Felena Richie just now, it makes me completely believe that your expression and tone in front of Lily Winton were an act."
"Huh? Was my acting that bad?"
"Maybe I'm just overthinking it," Wang Biao said. "After all, I know you, Brother Lu, very well."
However, Wang Biao did not think much of it.
Someone inside the venue filmed the scene of Lu Yanhe meeting and talking with Lily Winton.
They came to film Lily Winton, and incidentally filmed Lu Yanhe as well.
After the video was posted online, many people said that the Asian man's smile in the video was fake and that they could not feel any sincerity.
This is public opinion appearing on external websites.
Upon seeing this, Chen Ziyan immediately became anxious and tried to control the related public opinion.
However, traditional methods were completely ineffective on the internet. She had no one online who could help her.
Lily Winton's fame and influence are so great, and she has so many fans, that this kind of public opinion is getting more and more intense.
As Lu Yanhe finished attending the exhibition and was about to leave, after a short rest, he was heading to the red carpet for the premiere of "Rouge" when he noticed several people pointing and whispering at him.
At first, Lu Yanhe thought he had been recognized, so he politely nodded and greeted them. However, he soon realized that something was wrong. The way people looked at him and the expressions on their faces were not quite right.
Lu Yanhe hesitated, then asked Wang Biao, "Why are they looking at me like that?"
Wang Biao also shook his head: "I don't know."
Lu Yanhe learned the whole story from Chen Bige.
Chen Bige asked, "What's going on? Do you dislike Lily Winton?"
"No." Lu Yanhe was completely confused, having no idea why he suddenly started to dislike Lily Winton.
I found that video online and watched it.
In the video, Lily Winton was always very friendly to him, but for some reason, his smile, while warm and friendly, was somewhat stiff. Moreover, when he joked and laughed with Lily Winton, there was a deliberate and artificial enthusiasm, as if he was just going through the motions.
Lu Yanhe immediately understood why he was being attacked by the masses because of this video.
If he saw this video, he would have the same question.
However, Lu Yanhe couldn't remember why he had that expression when he was talking to Lily Winton.
He's not usually the type of person who can't manage his facial expressions.
This is the first time this has happened.
Chen Ziyan had already called in a hurry.
Wang Biao handed his phone to Lu Yanhe and said, "Brother Lu, Sister Ziyan is calling, she wants to see you."
Lu Yanhe received it.
"Yan He, I've seen the video."
Lu Yanhe sighed and said, "It was truly an unintentional mistake. I didn't even realize that my expression was like that at the time."
Chen Ziyan: "It's nothing, you're probably just too tired, that's why your expression is out of control."
tired?
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that he hadn't been too tired these past few days, which was good. Compared to last year, he had been having a very comfortable time lately.
Chen Ziyan said, "Please explain on your overseas social media accounts that you have been busy with your schedule recently, are very tired, and are not in good condition. So, it was your first time meeting Lily Winton. Because you really like her, you tried your best to cheer yourself up and have a warm conversation with her. Unexpectedly, it backfired and caused this misunderstanding. Please explain to Lily Winton."
Lu Yanhe knew that this was the most suitable public relations approach he could think of in the short term.
He edited a message on his phone first, checked it twice to make sure there was no ambiguity, and then posted the status, tagging Lily Winton.
-
After sending the message, Lu Yanhe saw that many people were cursing him.
Those who were harsher on him said that he shouldn't think he was a top star in China; compared to Lily Winton, he was nothing.
Lu Yanhe read through the lines one by one, his heart heavy.
He put down his phone and asked Wang Biao, "Wouldn't my appearance on the red carpet for 'Rouge' under these circumstances be a bad influence on the film?"
"Attracting negative attention? How could that be?" Wang Biao immediately said, "Brother Lu, it was just an unintentional mistake, not deliberate. Everyone will understand."
When Lu Yanhe heard Wang Biao say that, he smiled instead.
Ten minutes after he sent out his explanation, Lu Yanhe logged back in to check everyone's comments.
As expected, many people in the comments section were not convinced and continued to question his attitude towards Lily Winton.
The entertainment industry is the most unreasonable place. Whether someone likes you, dislikes you, trusts you, or doesn't trust you depends entirely on the audience's mood. Effort is useless, and explanations are useless.
Lu Yanhe had anticipated this outcome long ago—if any explanation were effective, there would be no need for public relations firms to exist.
Lu Yanhe wasn't worried that this matter would cause him much trouble. Even if the topic was hotly debated for a few days, the hype would eventually die down. Lu Yanhe's immediate explanation had already put a stop to the controversy in the public eye, preventing it from becoming a stain on his reputation later.
But this will take time.
And the red carpet for the premiere of "Rouge" is happening right now.
There were certainly no shortage of media reporters at the scene of this film that was nominated for the main competition.
If he were to appear on the red carpet for "Rouge" at this time, many media outlets would likely focus their attention on him and his relationship with Lily Winton.
Lu Yanhe hesitated, wondering if he should just skip walking the red carpet altogether.
This will also reduce some of the attention people are paying to him and this matter.
Thinking this through, Lu Yanhe contacted Jiang Zixin and shared his thoughts with her.
-
The sudden incident involving Lu Yanhe caught the entire crew of "Rouge" off guard.
Jiang Zixin and Zheng Huairen are having a headache over this matter, and they keep contacting their friends to see if there is any way to cool things down.
But they encountered the same problem as Chen Ziyan.
They were completely unfamiliar with the environment abroad and didn't know how to handle such matters.
The premiere of "Rouge" is just around the corner, and the red carpet event is about to begin.
At this time, the key figure behind their film was caught in a wave of negative public opinion.
Zheng Huai-ren didn't even have time to contact Lu Yan-he.
In fact, they were also thinking about how to mitigate the impact of this incident on the premiere of "Rouge".
Unexpectedly, at this moment, Lu Yanhe took the initiative to suggest not walking the red carpet.
-
Wang Chong frowned, somewhat annoyed, and said, "Why not walk the red carpet? Just because of that incident? What kind of incident is that? Who can guarantee that their expression will always be perfect? Didn't Yan He already explain that he wasn't in good condition?"
Zheng Huai-ren said, "Sigh, the person who must be the most upset and unhappy about this is Yan He himself. He didn't even call us, but sent a message to Jiang Zixin saying that he wouldn't walk the red carpet with us and would go straight into the venue, not wanting to cause any more trouble for the film."
Huang Kairen and Chen Bige stood to one side. When they heard Zheng Huai Ren say that, Huang Kairen glanced at Wang Zhong. The director still looked displeased—he clearly wanted Lu Yanhe to walk the red carpet with them.
For filmmakers, having their films selected for the main competition at the Jose Film Festival, walking hand in hand on the red carpet at the premiere, and receiving the attention of media from all over the world is both a ceremony and an honor.
Not to mention, Wang Zhong himself had a strong preference and appreciation for Lu Yanhe.
Chen Bige hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll call Yan He first and ask him what he really thinks."
Chen Bige took the phone from her assistant and went to the side to call Lu Yanhe.
Wang Zhong's face was grim and his expression was grim.
Huang Kairen wanted to say something at this moment, but he didn't know what to say.
There was absolutely nothing that could be done.
This feeling of embarrassment also made Huang Kairen uncomfortable.
Five minutes later, Chen Bige returned.
“Director, I spoke with Yan He on the phone. Let’s go. He’s confirmed he won’t be walking the red carpet with us,” Chen Bige said. “He doesn’t want this negative publicity to bring more controversy to the film. He also asked me to persuade you not to worry about him. He’s just waiting for us in the screening room.”
Seeing that Chen Bige also said the same thing, Wang Chong sighed, nodded, and said, "Alright then, let's go."
They should have been in high spirits as they walked down the red carpet, but a shadow fell over them at this moment.
-
Lu Yanhe sat in the car, waiting for Wang Biao to communicate with someone and see where he could avoid the media and enter the movie palace.
After much effort, a staff member came to pick him up and led him through another VIP entrance.
Just then, my phone rang.
Lu Yanhe picked it up and glanced at it. It was a message from Shang Yongzhou: Have you gone in yet? Or are you still outside?
Lu Yanhe said: Premiere? Cinema Palace? I came in through the VIP entrance, I didn't walk the red carpet, senior brother, have you arrived yet?
Shang Yongzhou said: We're almost there, come out.
Lu Yanhe: You don't want me to come pick you up again, do you?
Shang Yongzhou: I came to pick up Lily Winton. I brought her here, and she got into such a mess. You left without saying a word. I just found out what happened.
Lu Yanhe: Sigh, it's my own fault for not controlling my expression.
Shang Yongzhou: Stop talking nonsense and come out quickly. You and Lily will walk the red carpet together later. I've already spoken to her.
Lu Yanhe was taken aback: Huh?
Shang Yongzhou: I invited you here, and I can't just sit idly by and watch you cause trouble at the event I organized. Besides, you've been calling me your senior brother for so long, so I have to fulfill my responsibilities as your senior brother.
Lu Yanhe suddenly found himself at a loss for words, unsure how to describe his sudden surge of emotion.
Shang Yongzhou usually doesn't say much.
He suddenly pulled this stunt!
(End of this chapter)
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