Chapter 484 Many people thought he had already won Best Actor.
For a star of Lu Yanhe's caliber, making a trip is quite a hassle.
Personal trips are secondary; work matters are the primary concern.
This circle values pomp and circumstance, and it also values face.
If you only bring one assistant to the film set, that's being low-key and focused on filming. But if you only bring one assistant to an event, especially a large one, then you're considered "stingy."
This isn't just one person's opinion; it's an industry consensus.
In addition, there are security concerns.
At the airport, countless media outlets and fans waited, just to see you appear. They swarmed around you, eager to catch a glimpse of you, and upon seeing you, they lost control of their emotions, filled with excitement and exhilaration. This is still a relatively positive aspect.
There were also some malicious trolls or bystanders deliberately creating chaos. At this point, the two assistants would have absolutely no chance of controlling the situation.
It's not as safe abroad as it is in China.
Why are so many high-profile celebrities always accompanied by several bodyguards wherever they go, even when they just go to buy a cup of coffee? There are always several bodyguards on standby around to protect the celebrities.
Because it's to prevent robbery, or even kidnapping.
Kidnapping hasn't disappeared these days.
Lu Yanhe had previously been operating domestically, but now, Chen Ziyan had designed a path for him to become a global superstar, which would inevitably require him to operate overseas. Relying solely on service-oriented companies would not be enough.
That's why it's said that Lu Yanhe needs a powerful brokerage firm.
A brokerage firm with resources and connections in business, logistics, and even both legitimate and underworld circles, capable of providing Lu Yanhe with comprehensive services.
In this respect, domestic brokerage firms are indeed not as professional as global brokerage firms abroad.
Those are companies that have been around for decades, accumulating a wealth of resources and establishing networks all over the world.
In China, there are basically no companies that solely focus on artist management; they mostly combine film and television business with artist management.
The development stages are quite far apart.
Chen Ziyan added, "In addition, I plan to arrange Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang to join your team."
Upon hearing these two unfamiliar names, Lu Yanhe looked puzzled.
Chen Ziyan said, "Your sister Qingzhen and I brought them up from the ground up in this company. They are both top students who graduated from prestigious universities. They are highly qualified in all aspects, especially in foreign languages. We want to train them to be in charge of the company's overseas affairs in the future."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe suddenly understood.
“They worked under us for a year before, and they’ve learned and seen everything they needed to know about running a company. Now it’s time for them to get involved in the artist’s business,” Chen Ziyan said. “Because we’ll be doing overseas business in the future, and you’re the only one who can give them this opportunity to practice, so we can only put them in your team.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
“Sure, no problem. This way, my team will be expanded,” Lu Yanhe said.
Chen Ziyan said, "Yes, our company will take care of their salaries and travel expenses. It won't be charged to your team's accounts. Although I know you don't mind, I still want to make it clear to you."
"Okay." Lu Yanhe nodded. "You can arrange it."
“Right now, our company is in dire need of agents who can work independently; we have assistants all around,” Chen Ziyan said. “To provide this kind of high-end agency service, it’s no use poaching experienced agents from outside; they don’t meet our needs. We can only train them ourselves. So, I plan to train people through these steps: first, they come to work as our assistants to gain a comprehensive understanding of our positioning from the perspective of company operations; then, they go to your artists’ teams to learn specific business operations and accumulate experience; and finally, they start to gain experience on their own.”
Lu Yanhe: "It sounds like it takes a long time to train someone."
“Yes.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “But if you want to truly cultivate a qualified senior agent who can stand on his own, such experience is essential.”
Lu Yanhe asked, "Sister Ziyan, you could also consider going overseas to find young people who are just starting out and want to become agents, and signing them to our company. They can work for our overseas business just as well."
Chen Ziyan: "We don't have overseas resources to train them at this stage. Let's wait until Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang have gained experience by your side before letting them develop. We have to take things one step at a time. We haven't even taken a step yet, so let's not think about things that far ahead."
“That’s true.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “Alright then.”
-
Two more people suddenly appeared in the team. Zou Dong was fine; after all, he was a bodyguard, mainly responsible for security, so the extra people were none of his business.
Wang Biao, who was Lu Yanhe's assistant, suddenly felt a sense of crisis.
No one had told him what Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang were there for, and he had no idea who they were or what arrangements Chen Ziyan had made for them. His first thought was that they were his competitors.
Because Chen Ziyan didn't assign them any specific positions; she just let these two people join the team directly.
Unfortunately, Wang Biao was much younger than the other two, who were five or six years younger than him and were also top students from prestigious universities.
Even Wang Biao couldn't help but complain, thinking to himself, "These two are so highly educated, what are they doing here as assistants?"
Of course, Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang were also somewhat frustrated.
In this regard, Chen Ziyan kept it a secret not only from Wang Biao, but also from Wang Qingqing and Song Jiang, not telling them her considerations. Therefore, Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang experienced a significant change, suddenly going from high-achieving students, similar to "management trainees," to Lu Yanhe's assistant.
Although that was Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe knew what Chen Ziyan was planning. She was going to say nothing for now, observe their reactions, and test their patience. Lu Yanhe had been tested in the same way when he first joined Chen Ziyan's team. Chen Ziyan wasn't the type to break things down and explain everything from the start; she would let you experience it yourself, feel it, and understand it for yourself before offering guidance.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe did not offer them any explanation.
As for how to divide the work among the three, Lu Yanhe asked Chen Ziyan.
Chen Ziyan: "Let's leave them for two days and see what they do on their own. It will also allow me to observe each of their personalities."
A person's character cannot be judged by what they do when things are going well, but by how they behave when things are not going well.
On the very first day, Wang Biao had some friction with Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang.
On this day, Lu Yanhe was going to record interviews with the nominees for the Fei Hong Award.
This was the first time Lu Yanhe had brought a five-person team out to work. He was actually completely unfamiliar with Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang, so Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang treated him with excessive respect.
Lu Yanhe waved his hand twice, saying they could order whatever they wanted, but neither of them changed their minds.
Lu Yanhe decided to leave it at that for now. He figured that given enough time, they would naturally find out what kind of person he was.
However, Wang Biao seemed to disapprove of the two men's obsequious manner towards Lu Yanhe, and said with a sidelong glance, "If others see you like this, they'll think that Brother Lu is so high and mighty that even his own team members act like this in front of him."
Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang blushed at the same time.
Wang Biao said, "Brother Lu never cares about these things. As long as you do your job well, there's no need to act like a superior and subordinate in other aspects. It's not like we're in a superior-subordinate relationship in the company."
Wang Biao's sarcastic remarks were an undisguised attack.
When Lu Yanhe heard Wang Biao say that, he instinctively wanted to dissuade him and tell him not to speak so harshly.
But then she thought that Ziyan wanted to take this opportunity to observe their personalities, and this was the best time to do so.
He shouldn't get involved at this time.
With that thought in mind, Lu Yanhe stopped caring about anything else.
Wang Biao's words made Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang's faces turn red and then pale; they were probably mortified.
Lu Yanhe pretended not to hear, put on his headphones, and looked out the window.
When they arrived at their destination, he took off his headphones and got out of the car.
Wang Biao followed behind Lu Yanhe on the left, carrying a bag, while Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang could only follow behind.
Interviews are actually a very simple thing.
Peng Zhixing was in charge of interviewing the nominees for the Fei Hong Award this time.
Lu Yanhe's old friend.
These interviews will also appear in a special edition of Peng Zhixing's interview program.
Because it was Peng Zhixing, Lu Yanhe was very relaxed and didn't even look at the interview outline.
As soon as Lu Yanhe met Peng Zhixing, he told him about this.
"You didn't read the outline?" Peng Zhixing asked in surprise.
"No, I fully trust you," Lu Yanhe smiled. "Ask me anything."
Peng Zhixing: "Now I'm under a lot more pressure."
Lu Yanhe: "What's causing you so much pressure? You have to interview so many people. Shouldn't you be under the least pressure when interviewing me?"
“That’s true, there are just too many big names nominated for the Fei Hong Award this year,” Peng Zhixing said. “I’m overwhelmed.”
"You have that kind of ability, that's why the organizers invited you."
Peng Zhixing is certainly not one of the top hosts right now.
However, thanks to the program "The Days of Youth," Peng Zhixing's popularity has soared in recent years, and his hosting and interviewing skills have also improved rapidly. He hosts almost all of the major events for Aurora Video, and he is also a regular interviewer for the "Jump Up" self-media program. He has transformed his extensive practical experience into his own abilities and charm, which has brought him to the attention of mainstream awards such as the Fei Hong Award.
Generally, these mainstream awards invite experienced and well-known hosts to conduct interviews with the nominees.
Lu Yanhe hugged Peng Zhixing and said, "I haven't washed my face yet, I'll go and freshen up first."
Peng Zhixing nodded and said, "No rush, you go and prepare it first."
Lu Yanhe went to his dressing room.
The makeup artist was already waiting for him.
"Hello, Yan He."
Lu Yanhe greeted her, "I'm counting on you today."
Upon seeing this, both Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang showed expressions of surprise.
Clearly, in their minds, a star of Lu Yanhe's caliber wouldn't be so polite as to say "I'm counting on you today" to a makeup artist.
Wang Biao could guess what they were thinking just by looking at them.
Wang Biao had also had those thoughts.
At that moment, Wang Biao felt a sense of psychological pleasure, thinking, "So what if you're college graduates from prestigious universities? You're still inexperienced newbies."
For a fleeting moment, Wang Biao's hostility towards them lessened somewhat.
-
The interview between Lu Yanhe and Peng Zhixing lasted for almost an hour.
That's how it is with interviews with acquaintances; they're generally not on guard, and there's a lot to talk about.
He and Peng Zhixing not only had many interactions on the show "The Days of Youth," but also had a close personal relationship outside of the program.
This also allowed Peng Zhixing to ask many questions that other hosts couldn't.
For example, Peng Zhixing would ask, "Who do you think is your main competitor for this Flying Goose Award nomination?"
If someone else asked him this question, Lu Yanhe would definitely not give a direct answer.
Because it was Peng Zhixing, Lu Yanhe dared to speak.
"Of course it's my senior brother, Shang Yongzhou."
At this point, Peng Zhixing would immediately ask, "Is it because you think everyone else's performance is inferior to yours?"
If a ladder were offered to him, Lu Yanhe could immediately explain things more clearly.
“No, of course not. The other nominees are also very strong. It’s just that my senior and I were both nominated for the film ‘Road to Glory,’ so the judges will probably compare us more,” Lu Yanhe said. “Moreover, to be honest, the competition this year is too fierce. If it were any other year’s nominee, I think I would have a much greater confidence in winning. This time, when I saw the nomination list, I had a feeling that no matter who wins, there won’t be too many faults. Whoever wins will have a reason to win.”
The fact that such words were spoken in Peng Zhixing's interview was purely out of respect for Peng Zhixing.
Peng Zhixing nodded. "This year has indeed been a highly competitive year, many people say so. Don't you feel it's a pity?"
"No." Lu Yanhe shook his head with a smile. "This is quite good. Rather than one person winning the award alone, I quite like to see this kind of big competition. I'm also very curious to see who will be the winner this year."
"If you weren't the winner, wouldn't you really resent the judges for not choosing you?"
"Hmm—" Lu Yanhe pondered, "If I said I couldn't, would you believe me?"
“If someone else said it, I wouldn’t believe it, but you said it, so I believe it.” Peng Zhixing laughed. “For you, this is just an award. Do you know how exaggerated it is? Everyone is surprised that you haven’t won a single Best Actor award from the three major domestic awards. Many people thought you must have already won it.”
"I've only won two Best Supporting Actor awards, right? Both were for 'Three Mountains'."
“That’s right, that’s what makes you so terrifying. I’d say the same thing if I were your friend.” Peng Zhixing shook his head and sighed, “You’ve never won Best Actor, but everyone thinks you have. That’s the industry’s recognition of you.”
Lu Yanhe smiled and waved his hand, saying hurriedly, "Don't flatter me like that, I wouldn't dare accept it."
“Since we have this opportunity, I actually have a few more questions I’d like to ask you. You can choose to answer them or not. If you don’t want to answer a question, I’ll cut it out of the final cut,” Peng Zhixing said.
Lu Yanhe nodded, "It's okay. Like I said, Zhixing, you can ask me anything, and I'll answer you."
Peng Zhixing said, "I've noticed that in the past two years, your works have been nominated for almost every top international film festival, and you've also won some awards. The popularity of your series like *Friends*, *The 17th Floor*, and *The Silent River* on streaming platforms has made you a fan favorite across Asia. You've also held fan events in many countries, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. Will your focus continue to be primarily on domestic film and television productions, or will you... pursue an international career path?"
This was the first time Lu Yanhe had been asked such a question.
Because the film "The Mist" has not yet been officially released, and some collaborations are still under negotiation and not yet publicly disclosed, although many media outlets know that Lu Yanhe is quite famous internationally, they did not expect him to pursue an international career. After all, so far, all the films and television dramas he has produced are Chinese.
Lu Yanhe was surprised by Peng Zhixing's keen insight, but also felt that this was a pretty good opportunity.
It's a good opportunity to clarify things now, rather than being questioned by some people later.
"I will definitely focus on filming movies and TV series in China, but I will also pursue the international route you mentioned," Lu Yanhe said with a smile. "I still hope that I have the ability to take Chinese movies and TV series overseas, so that more audiences around the world can get to know me and Chinese movies and TV series. However, sometimes we must also admit one thing: if we don't follow their rules, integrate into their circles, and get to know them first, then they may not be willing to give us the opportunity to get to know them."
Peng Zhixing nodded.
“Just like how South Korean TVN wanted to adapt the shows ‘Friends’ and ‘Rouge,’ I think it’s a great thing,” said Lu Yanhe. “The fact that Chinese-made films and TV dramas can be adapted into versions in another country and language is both an affirmation of the original and an opportunity for more people to see the story. I warmly welcome film and television production companies from other countries to discuss adaptation with us, whether it’s film and television dramas, stage plays, or some other form.”
Peng Zhixing said, "There are indeed relatively few domestic films and television dramas adapted into other versions."
“There will be more and more in the future. I really like many of the films and TV series that came out this year, and many of the stories are also suitable for adaptation into other versions,” Lu Yanhe said. “Including ‘My Home That I Haven’t Been Back For a Long Time,’ I believe that foreign film companies will definitely be interested in this movie.”
Peng Zhixing nodded and asked, "Yan He, will you participate in films and television dramas from other countries in the future?"
"Of course I'll take the opportunity if it's good. To be honest, I want to become an actor known worldwide," Lu Yanhe said. "If I only act in Chinese-language films and television dramas, many people may never watch them, so I won't be able to achieve this goal. Of course, putting aside this utilitarian goal, as an actor, if I encounter a good story and a good character that moves me, how could I possibly refuse it, right?"
Lu Yanhe smiled as he said this.
"Actually, I have already signed a contract with an American film company for a movie, and I hope it will be released soon."
Peng Zhixing showed a look of surprise.
"Huh? This movie has already been filmed?"
"We'll film it next year," Lu Yanhe said. "I still need to finish filming 'Love Letter' first."
Peng Zhixing nodded.
Could you please share more details?
"Let's keep it a secret for now," Lu Yanhe said. "Anyway, if you're interested, you can look forward to it. It's what I just mentioned. It's a role that I've never played before and that really moved me. I believe that viewers who have been following me will be pleasantly surprised when they see this role. It's really different from the roles I've played before."
Peng Zhixing: "Then I'll look forward to it!"
-
After the interview, Peng Zhixing took off the microphone and confirmed with Lu Yanhe: "Yanhe, are you sure you can include the part about you signing on for an American movie in the final cut?"
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "It's fine as long as no information is revealed about which specific film it is."
Peng Zhixing said, "You've really given me a huge favor by bringing such explosive news onto my show."
"It's because you're the interviewer today. If it weren't you, I wouldn't have said anything, for fear they'd edit it incorrectly."
Peng Zhixing: "Do you have any other work scheduled later? You're my only interviewee today. I've finished my work. If you're free, let's have a drink together."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
-
Beside him, Wang Biao calmly instructed Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang: "That's just Lu Ge's personality. If it's someone he approves of, he'll treat them well. He's a very warm person. You should keep that in mind and not treat him like a big star with a big ego."
Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang were embarrassed and didn't know what to say when they heard Wang Biao, who was five or six years younger than them, give his explanation.
Wan Qingqing hesitated for a moment, but still took the initiative to say, "Okay, thank you, thank you for the advice."
After being thanked by Wan Qingqing, Wang Biao's initial "guidance" attitude disappeared, replaced by embarrassment.
He said, "What advice? I've just spent more time with Brother Lu, so I know him better than you guys. But don't be fooled by his current success. Wherever he goes, people praise and flatter him. There are plenty of people who want to harm him, so we have to be extra careful when we're around him and not cause him any trouble."
Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang nodded.
Wang Biao sighed.
“When I first started working as Xiao Lu’s assistant, I did some things that caused him trouble. He didn’t scold me; he just quietly cleaned up my messes. I felt so bad back then. I would have preferred him to scold me. So, to avoid feeling so bad, you should all change your behavior. Stop being so obsequious. Xiao Lu is uncomfortable with you acting like this, and others will misunderstand his behavior.”
This time, Wan Qingqing and Song Jiang nodded sincerely and agreed.
Zou Dong listened to their conversation from the side, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
That's true, Wang Biao has been by Lu Yanhe's side for quite some time now.
The impulsive and outspoken boy has gradually become more composed.
When it comes to giving advice to others, he has a whole set of methods.
-
An extra chapter has been added; this is a testament to our sincerity.
Still asking for monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
