Chapter 510 Spring Breeze Blows Again (11,000 words updated!)
"Brother Lu, why are you being so polite to Zhao Yuan? Didn't you say that he basically left the film 'Love Letter' to his apprentice and that he was just a hands-off manager?"
After the meal, Lu Yanhe personally escorted Zhao Yuan back to his hotel before heading back to his own.
On the way, Wang Biao asked Lu Yanhe, puzzled.
Lu Yanhe said, "Although he has become a hands-off manager, firstly, he is an editor introduced by Director Luo Yuzhong, and he is also a senior and well-known editor in the industry. If I don't give him this courtesy, I have to give it to Director Luo. Director Luo is my teacher. Do you understand the relationship between us?"
Wang Biao nodded in relief.
"I see."
"Secondly, I haven't openly discussed his hands-off management with him, and others don't know about these things. So if I'm not showing him enough respect now, then it's my problem; I'm not respecting him enough."
Wang Biao suddenly realized something.
Lu Yanhe laughed, "And another thing I learned from Sister Ziyan is that when entertaining someone, either don't entertain them at all, or try your best to do everything perfectly. Don't entertain them and make them feel like you're just being perfunctory."
Wang Biao: "I know that, but I don't want to entertain someone like Zhao Yuan. He doesn't do any work but enjoys all the perks. Why should he..."
Lu Yanhe looked at Wang Biao thoughtfully, thinking of his past self.
There was a time in the past when he was like that.
But things gradually changed a little.
People change in a person sometimes, not overnight. At first, you think it's just a little bit, then little by little, and before you know it, time has passed, and when you look back suddenly, you realize that such a big change has already happened.
-
After watching the complete first cut of "Love Letter," Lu Yanhe was actually more satisfied with Li Fenglei.
The version edited by Li Fenglei is basically what Lu Yanhe imagined.
The biggest challenge in communication between the director and the editor lies in whether the latter can understand the former's ideas.
Even in normal conversation, two people can't always fully understand each other, let alone something involving creation.
Creation is too subjective.
Everyone has their own understanding.
Lu Yanhe wasn't saying that the movie had to be made in a certain way—
However, he knew what "Love Letter" would look like when it was made, and he knew what style of film it was, so he would undoubtedly work in that direction.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe, who is not actually that "obsessive" or "stubborn," actually has quite firm requirements when it comes to editing.
It absolutely has to be this way.
Zhao Yuan had mentioned before that using letters to connect the main plot and occasionally including flashback segments would make the movie seem a bit disjointed, but Lu Yanhe still insisted on editing it this way.
After learning that Li Fenglei was actually the chief editor of the film, Lu Yanhe decided to poach him.
However, as mentioned earlier, if he wanted to poach Li Fenglei, he couldn't do it without going through Zhao Yuan.
If Lu Yanhe hadn't met Li Fenglei through the editing of "Love Letter," he could have done this—it's normal poaching, perfectly reasonable. But Li Fenglei was brought over by Zhao Yuan, and if Lu Yanhe poached him behind Zhao Yuan's back, that would be considered stealing someone else's talent. He needed to find a way to both poach Li Fenglei and get Zhao Yuan's approval.
-
After sending Zhao Yuan away, Lu Yanhe continued filming "Burning Fire".
On set, Shang Yongzhou brought up "Love Letter" with Lu Yanhe, saying, "I didn't expect that your first time directing would be such a film... a film that reminisces about the past. How old are you? Why would you think of making a film like this? I thought that only people who have been away from their student days for at least ten or twenty years would feel moved by this kind of subject matter, like someone my age."
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Senior brother, please don't discriminate based on age."
Shang Yongzhou curled the corners of his mouth slightly.
"The movie was well made, I really liked it," Shang Yongzhou said to Lu Yanhe. "I'm not just being polite, I really enjoyed your movie."
Lu Yanhe was very happy with Shang Yongzhou's liking and support.
"Thank you, senior brother."
“If you need me to attend the preview screenings of the movie in China, just send me a message,” Shang Yongzhou said. “I think you always seem a little hesitant to bother me.”
"No, it's just that I feel you have an artistic personality, and I don't want to put you in a situation that makes you uncomfortable, or force you to do so."
"When...when did I make you think I was more of an artist?" Shang Yongzhou was quite surprised.
"Senior brother, you always put yourself in the role when you act."
“That was on set,” Shang Yongzhou said. “When I’m acting, I don’t like to be disturbed and I don’t want a lot of social interaction. Outside of the film set, I’m not a hermit living in the mountains, drinking tea and gazing at the moon every day.”
When Shang Yongzhou said this, there seemed to be some resentment in his voice.
This made Lu Yanhe a little curious. Was his senior brother often mistaken for this?
But thinking about it, it makes sense. Lu Yanhe first met Shang Yongzhou at the "Enjoy Life While You Can" party.
At the time, Shang Yongzhou did not let Lu Yanhe perceive any aspect of him as being socially inept.
They are not lacking in any way when it comes to this kind of ability.
"Okay, okay." Lu Yanhe smiled. "Senior brother, I understand. Please come and support us when 'Love Letter' is released."
"If you can't remember verbally, then remember to send an invitation."
"...You've got so many problems, senior brother," Lu Yanhe complained, but his eyes were smiling.
Shang Yongzhou also laughed.
Shang Yongzhou asked, "After 'Love Letter,' do you plan to continue directing?"
"I don't have that idea for now," Lu Yanhe said. "I have a lot of films to shoot later, and for me right now, the thing I don't have enough time for is time."
Shang Yongzhou nodded.
"Too."
Lu Yanhe asked, "Senior brother, I'm planning to reboot Friends. Would you be interested in making a cameo appearance in the show later?"
Shang Yongzhou was somewhat surprised.
"Are you really planning to reboot Friends? I thought it was just a rumor circulating online. Didn't you swear before that you wouldn't do it again?"
“Yuehu TV has secured the copyright. It’s not that I don’t want to produce ‘Friends,’ it’s that I don’t want to produce ‘Friends’ with Beijing TV,” Lu Yanhe said frankly. “Moreover, Yuehu TV is very sincere. Although they are interested in the ratings and popularity of this show, I can also feel their love and respect for this work during our communication. I am willing to cooperate with a TV station that respects this work.”
Shang Yongzhou nodded.
"After I finish filming 'Burning Fire' and take a break, when are you filming 'Friends'? Send me a message and I'll come and help you out."
“If you’re willing, I’ll have them contact your agent. We can’t take advantage of you,” Lu Yanhe laughed. “The payment you’re owed still has to be made. And now you’re being so casual, thinking you can just send a message.”
Shang Yongzhou: "I'm just helping you play a role."
“In that episode, it’s not just about making a cameo appearance. I want you to appear as a date for one of the girls in our show,” Lu Yanhe said. “We’ll build up the hype beforehand, showing how handsome and charming this date is, and how he’s a famous actor. Then, when you appear, the audience will be thrilled. Before the episode officially airs, I’m going to keep your cameo a secret and give everyone a big surprise.”
Shang Yongzhou smiled.
"Okay, I understand. So you want me to be a decorative figure in your show, right?"
"The Best Actor award is due to his perfect comprehension."
Shang Yongzhou nodded with a smile.
For a top actor like Shang Yongzhou, making a cameo appearance in a hit drama is actually quite common.
It's uncommon in Chinese-language dramas because there are basically no series in Chinese-language dramas. Before they air, no one knows how popular they will be, so naturally no top actors will risk making a cameo appearance if the drama flops—unless it's an adaptation of a big IP with a large fan base, or a production by a famous director.
This time, Lu Yanhe made a very comprehensive plan for "Friends". The theme of each episode and the development of the main plot were sorted out based on his memory.
He has already started writing the script.
This kind of 20-minute episode series, especially a slice-of-life drama, doesn't require a lot of writing, but it's quite challenging.
Fortunately, Lu Yanhe remembered many plots and lines from Friends, and through his work as an actor, screenwriter, and director, he gradually accumulated a lot of experience and understanding in creative work.
He has too many accolades to back him up now.
It's really easy for people to lose themselves in such a halo.
Lu Yanhe had to constantly remind himself to stay clear-headed—in order to avoid actually believing that he had written these scripts and characters himself, and to become complacent and think that he was a truly gifted creator.
This is why Lu Yanhe often asks people he trusts to look at his scripts and footage, and offer suggestions.
Lu Yanhe wasn't really trying to get anything from them; he just wanted to verify his memories through their reactions.
Excellent creators may produce works with their own style, which are very different from those of others.
But at least they have the eye to see what is good.
-
On the other hand, ever since Li Yuefeng drank with Lu Yanhe that night, he seemed to really consider Lu Yanhe his friend. Basically, whenever the two of them were on set at the same time, Li Yuefeng would run over to Lu Yanhe and chat and laugh.
Li Yuefeng would frequently invite Lu Yanhe out for meals and drinks. Lu Yanhe found Li Yuefeng's enthusiasm almost overwhelming and often refused, but this didn't seem to dampen Li Yuefeng's enthusiasm at all.
Lu Yanhe: "..."
And once March is over, April arrives, a time when all things flourish.
The lingering chill and cold of winter have completely dissipated, and the clamorous heat and dryness of summer have not yet had a chance to invade this land.
After getting up in the morning, if he's not in a hurry to go to the film set, Lu Yanhe likes to go downstairs for a walk, to enjoy the breeze.
Sometimes, he would also encounter Wanrenhai.
Lu Yanhe admired him quite a bit. Despite having so much work as a director every day, he still had so much energy and would always take time to walk around by himself in the morning.
She's incredibly self-disciplined.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that he had actually been this self-disciplined before.
But gradually, I lost my self-discipline.
People really do gradually become lazy.
He was no exception.
Looking back on his senior year of high school, he was incredibly diligent, which he found unbelievable.
How did he manage to plan and arrange almost every minute of every day, except when he was sleeping?
In this rhythm, Lu Yanhe wrote the script for the reboot of Friends while filming the movie Burning Fire.
Final draft of Friends.
-
Bai Jingnian and Hu Siwei both came to the "Burning Fire" production team to read the script of "Friends".
After Lu Yanhe finished filming, he went to a hot pot restaurant with the two of them for dinner. While eating, they talked about the script of "Friends".
"Why did you change your name?" This was Hu Siwei's first question.
Actually, when he and Bai Jingnian received the script, their first thought was to ask this question. They almost thought Lu Yanhe had written a completely new story, until they flipped through a few pages and saw that it was still the same people and the same familiar style.
Lu Yanhe said with a smile, "If the 'Friends' reunion is like the 'Old Friends' show, wouldn't it be just like the 'Friends' show?"
Lu Yanhe knew that this was a joke only he understood, and it would be difficult for Hu Siwei and Bai Jingnian to grasp it. However, even if they didn't understand the joke, the name "Friends" still had a comprehensible meaning—just as Lu Yanhe had mentioned earlier.
Bai Jingnian said, "Besides the name, I have nothing to say. You still have to write this script. It's authentic and brings back the flavor of the first season."
What was the first season like?
It's probably like... a fairy tale set in the city?
There are genuine feelings and genuine emotions between people, and there are sparks that fly when different personalities clash, yet they can also share the same breath.
Relationships between people can be incredibly complex and ever-changing, but they are not based on love for love's sake or hate for hate's sake. Every change has a reason behind it, even if the characters seem naive in a realistic context. But that doesn't matter, because some naive behaviors of adults can also be endearing.
Lu Yanhe brought these six people back onto a simple, direct, unpretentious, and charming path.
In one episode, Bai Jin's character, Zhou Zhixi, works as a part-time massage therapist and receives a call from a handsome man. The two exchange glances and fall for each other, only to later discover that he is actually married. Bai Jin angrily shouts that she has been cheated on—
Throughout this entire passage, Lu Yanhe writes in a very simple way, entirely from Bai Jin's perspective, from initial attraction to happiness, and then to anger.
Lu Yanhe didn't attempt to discuss the issue of "mistresses" in this section, nor did he offer any explanations or lecturing. The unfolding story felt like a common chapter in life, something "not a big deal." It ended with Bai Jin complaining to some friends that she had been deceived and became a mistress, when a fly happened to fly into her mouth. She coughed violently and cursed, "Eating a fly really feels like eating a fly! Ugh—ah—"
Hu Siwei sighed sincerely and said, "Yan He, it's still you. Finally, we've finished writing this script. Friends can definitely be launched now. Friends it is, it really is Friends."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Hu Siwei said, "Can I take a picture of the script cover? You can write the line you just mentioned on it: 'Friends reunited,' and it becomes 'Friends' again. I'll post it on Weibo."
Hu Siwei wants to do some publicity.
"OK."
So Lu Yanhe wrote that sentence on the script cover.
"But many people have seen my handwriting, and they will know that I wrote this sentence."
"We need to make everyone guess that you wrote it, but we won't admit it yet," Hu Siwei said. "This way, we can keep everyone's attention on the show."
“That works too.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
Bai Jingnian clenched his fists with some excitement.
“Then we can start preparing for filming right away,” Bai Jingnian said. “I originally thought Yan He wouldn’t be able to finish the first draft until the end of the year. You’re so fast! It’s only been a little over a month and you’ve already written the script. And it’s basically ready to be filmed right away.”
Lu Yanhe smiled.
“Because this story has been lingering in my mind for several years,” Lu Yanhe said. “During the years I was not involved in this series, I kept thinking about what this story should be like.”
"Mm." Bai Jingnian nodded.
Hu Siwei said, "However, in our current script, it's as if the characters Chen Ziliang and Zhang Lan never existed. Is that a good thing?"
“Neither admitting nor denying, just handling it in a down-to-earth way, I think that’s the best approach,” Lu Yanhe said. “Anyway, in the ending of the third season, Zhang Lan left them and went to England, so there’s no need to explain the whereabouts of these two characters in the new season.”
“That’s true.” Hu Siwei nodded after hearing what Lu Yanhe said. “Let’s do it this way then.”
Lu Yanhe: "Hmm."
He raised his glass and said, "Brother Siwei, Director Bai, we're finally back together again. Cheers!"
"cheers!"
A little later, Hu Siwei posted the Friends cover on his social media.
He doesn't have many fans, but those who follow him are mostly die-hard fans of Friends.
When they saw the cover and the handwritten sentence on it, it seemed to have said everything they wanted to know, even though it didn't explicitly state anything.
Fans who had given up on the show because of the third season suddenly found themselves "like wildfire that cannot be extinguished, and springing back to life with the spring breeze" that night.
-
Is Friends really coming back?!
—Is "Friends" going to be renamed "Old Friends"? Seriously, that's such a cheesy name.
So, will Lu Yanhe return or not?
—I said, has anyone considered this? Hu Siwei is from Beijing and Taiwan. Is it possible that he was just saying that Friends is going to have a fourth season? Or maybe they think the third season of Friends was so bad that they decided to change the name of Friends to Friends?
—Are you telling a horror story upstairs? If so, I'm really going to blow up this Beijing-Taiwanese internet cafe.
—Upstairs, watch your mouth, or you might get arrested by the police.
—However, I'm actually a little nervous right now. Up until now, it's always been others saying that Lu Yanhe is coming back, but Lu Yanhe himself has never confirmed it.
—Lu Yanhe has absolutely no need to return to the Friends series now, so why would he? Put yourself in his shoes; given Lu Yanhe's current status, he no longer needs to act in sitcoms to build his popularity.
—Why are you speaking so pragmatically? If Lu Yanhe were this pragmatic, he wouldn't have played so many non-lead roles. I believe in Lu Yanhe.
—What's the point of you believing in Lu Yanhe? Do you really think Lu Yanhe cares about your belief? If he really cared about us fans who love Friends, he wouldn't have left in the first place.
—But did you all carefully read the line of text on the cover of Hu Siwei's post?
—What's wrong with that line of text?
—Isn't that Lu Yanhe's handwriting? Lu Yanhe posted his handwritten font on Weibo before. You can compare it and you'll see that it's Lu Yanhe's handwriting.
—Holy crap?! It's actually true?!
...
#Is that Lu Yanhe's handwriting?# has finally made it to the trending topics.
Hu Siwei watched as everyone excitedly flooded the comments section of his Weibo post with over 20,000 messages from Friends fans within six hours, and then disappeared, satisfied.
OK, the Friends series didn't falter because of the third season; it continues.
People are still paying attention.
The objective has been achieved.
Hu Siwei pondered carefully how to proceed with the promotional campaign. How could he raise and maintain public anticipation, prevent the hype from fading, and ensure the show's triumphant return amidst widespread attention?
Right now, it's all the behind-the-scenes staff releasing information; it'll be time for the actors from "Friends" to step in later.
For example, when Yan Liang is on a show, he could mention that he is preparing to join a production team to film a drama, but the drama is in the confidential stage and cannot be told to everyone yet, thus keeping everyone in suspense and letting everyone guess in the direction of "Friends".
At this moment, Hu Siwei's mind was filled with thoughts of how to make "Friends" even better.
Two months ago, he wouldn't have dared to even think of it.
-
"Are you really going to return to Friends?" Li Yuefeng asked Lu Yanhe on set.
Lu Yanhe held up the script in his hand, covered his mouth, and said "hmm" to Li Yuefeng.
Li Yuefeng's face immediately lit up with surprise.
“Friends is saved.” He blurted out this sentence without thinking, which startled Lu Yanhe.
Li Yuefeng said, "I actually really enjoy watching Friends; it's one of my favorite shows."
"Yeah?"
“Well, I wanted to find a sitcom to act in later, but Wu Bai disagreed, he just wouldn’t agree. He said that the existence of a show like Friends was an exception, and there weren’t any particularly good sitcom scripts in China. Besides you, no one else could do it.” Li Yuefeng sighed. “I didn’t really watch it as a sitcom. I just really liked the feeling of those people being together, like friends.”
Lu Yanhe nodded, then, as if remembering something, asked, "After we start filming this season, would you like to make a cameo appearance in a role and have some fun?"
Li Yuefeng asked with some surprise, "Is that okay?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Well, I plan to invite some friends to make guest appearances in the new season."
“Sure,” Li Yuefeng nodded. “I want to go.”
Lu Yanhe: "Okay, I'll call you then."
Li Yuefeng: "Then it's settled."
Lu Yanhe wasn't really sure how to describe his impression of Li Yuefeng. Li Yuefeng still acted in a rather pragmatic way, but it seemed that if he truly considered someone a friend, he would be slightly better in this regard. This time, Lu Yanhe was filming "Burning Fire" with Li Yuefeng, and his impression of him was much better than when they were filming "Seventeen Floors".
In comparison, the difference lies in the fact that Li Yuefeng wasn't as unguarded towards him back then as he is now.
Looking back, although Li Yuefeng and he joked and laughed together back then, it was clear that everything they said and laughed about was carefully considered before they acted. Lu Yanhe himself was a very perceptive person, and naturally, he wouldn't reveal his true emotions to someone like Li Yuefeng. The two of them finished filming the scene in this superficial manner, and after filming wrapped, they said goodbye to each other.
This time, Li Yuefeng felt that Lu Yanhe considered him a friend, which was why he had Wang Biao remind Wu Bai. He lowered his guard against Lu Yanhe and felt he could be friends with him. His true nature was revealed. Lu Yanhe, on the other hand, was the typical person who believed, "If you're good to me, I definitely won't be bad to you." Gradually, Lu Yanhe also began to accept Li Yuefeng as a friend.
Lu Yanhe himself found it amazing.
He really doesn't like actors who are particularly opportunistic and always try to put others down in their roles.
Li Yuefeng treats other actors like competitors in almost every film crew.
Even in "Burning Fire," he only set aside Shang Yongzhou and Lu Yanhe, two people who were obviously impossible to crush. In the daily promotional materials, Li Yuefeng was still the third most important person, second only to these two.
But Lu Yanhe gradually accepted Li Yuefeng's existence.
After getting to know Li Yuefeng a little better, he even felt that Li Yuefeng was quite similar to Zeng Qiao. Both of them were the kind of people who, because they were still in the rising stage of their careers, felt very insecure and even very competitive in this industry.
Li Yuefeng is competing for his own status and popularity, while Zeng Qiao is competing for his acting skills and how others perceive him; both have a utilitarian side. If Li Yuefeng is proactive in standing on the shoulders of others, then Zeng Qiao is passively refusing to associate with those he looks down on, and is very "protective of his own reputation."
Everyone has similarities, but also differences.
Lu Yanhe pondered the two of them, and then recalled the scripts and roles he had acted in. He realized that the roles he played might really be limited by his own age and the age of the characters. So no matter what the personality or setting was, in terms of the complexity of the character, they were relatively simple and pure, without duality or even multifacetedness.
Humans are round, multifaceted. In drama, however, people are often symbolic, even if they are two-sided or multifaceted, they are only a few facets, and it is impossible to truly present a three-dimensional character.
Why can some characters give people a three-dimensional feeling? Is it because this drama has captured all the complexities of them?
No, it's that this person has already established a realistic personality in the audience's mind, and the audience can imagine what's not shown in the play.
Lu Yanhe then went to watch the film "Burning Fire" to see Li Wushang, the character he played.
Why did he always feel that this role was easy to play from a literary perspective?
Because his role in the script was too simple.
Li Wushang is a highly symbolic character. The dean's child, a privileged son, well-protected and initially arrogant, he gradually becomes involved in events with the arrival of Wei Yang (played by Shang Yongzhou), which profoundly impacts him and causes significant changes. Ultimately, he discovers that his father is not his biological father, but rather his father's killer. At that moment, Li Wushang's character undergoes a complete transformation.
Nevertheless, what Lu Yanhe imagined was a young man who shattered himself from the truth and betrayal, and reshaped a new personality.
Yes, it's still the same pattern of character development.
Therefore, there are clues to follow.
The most difficult performances are those that leave no trace, like a gazelle hanging its horns on a tree.
But is Lu Yanhe's understanding of the character Li Wushang superficial?
No, that's not it. The character is just like that. The reason this character works in the script is because, as Lu Yanhe understands it, there are "traces to follow." Otherwise, it wouldn't be a commercially viable script. It's not exploring human nature, nor is it delving into a complex core.
If Lu Yanhe were to attempt to portray Li Wushang in a more in-depth or complex way, it would deviate significantly from the style of the story itself.
It's not certain that they can truly establish the character.
Once Lu Yanhe understood these things, everything became clear to him.
Well, figuring these things out might not have given him a higher pursuit of performance in the role of Li Wushang, but as an actor, he gained a deeper understanding of the character and how to portray him.
Lu Yanhe thoroughly enjoyed these moments of "sudden enlightenment".
-
Chen Siqi exclaimed three times in a row, "I'm impressed."
Lu Yanhe looked at Chen Siqi in the video with a somewhat bewildered but clear gaze, not understanding, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Chen Siqi asked, "Have you ever had an epiphany with me? Has it given you a deeper understanding of human nature and people?"
Lu Yanhe immediately laughed, then shook his head like a rattle-drum.
"No."
Chen Siqi: "You're becoming more and more of a performance artist. Just being friends with Li Yuefeng can make you think so much."
“I didn’t expect it either, and it wasn’t something I came up with on my own initiative,” Lu Yanhe said.
Chen Siqi: "However, there are many differences between people. It's not just Li Yuefeng and Zeng Qiao. If you stay in our editorial office for a week, you will find out how many differences there are between people."
"The editing room... what's wrong with them?" Lu Yanhe sounded like something was off.
Chen Siqi sighed.
“Everyone has their own ideas and aesthetic preferences. As the magazine has been running for longer and longer, everyone has become more and more familiar with their work and has developed their own opinions,” Chen Siqi said. “There’s nothing wrong with that. However, I often hear them arguing during planning meetings now, which annoys me a bit.”
Lu Yanhe could almost picture that scene.
"It's just like when our film crew has a creative meeting."
Everyone has their own ideas.
Everyone thought their idea was better.
Chen Siqi said, "However, this is probably an inevitable path. I won't talk to you about these troublesome things. After you finish filming 'Burning Fire,' you probably won't go to the United States to film 'Mist,' right?"
"No, I'll be going back to school for my graduation ceremony after filming wraps up," Lu Yanhe said. "Can I rest for a while? What's wrong?"
“Let’s go on a graduation trip together,” Chen Siqi said. “We haven’t gone out together in a long time. While we both have time, I want to travel together more. I’m afraid that once you become famous all over the world, you won’t be able to travel normally abroad anymore.”
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized, smiled and nodded, and said okay.
Chen Siqi looked at Lu Yanhe calmly.
Even though the two are separated by a screen, it seems that their gazes can penetrate each other's hearts.
“I miss you,” Lu Yanhe suddenly said.
Chen Siqi: "Me too."
Chen Siqi said, "I'll come see you this weekend."
"Great!" Lu Yanhe's eyes lit up instantly.
Chen Siqi's lips curled up. "Have you been waiting for me to say that?"
Lu Yanhe nodded vigorously, as if pounding garlic.
Chen Siqi: "Then why didn't you just tell me?"
Lu Yanhe seemed embarrassed and said, "I'm afraid of delaying your business."
Chen Siqi: "Jump Up is running very well now. Each department has formed its own operating system. I don't actually have many things to manage anymore. I just look at these reports every day."
Although Chen Siqi spoke so casually, Lu Yanhe knew that it was definitely not that easy or that simple.
Neither of them was willing to tell the other about the difficulties they faced at work.
Never.
Lu Yanhe said, "Wait until you move in."
Their house is almost finished being renovated, and they can move in this July.
Chen Siqi: "Okay."
"By the way, how's the Japanese version of 'Jump Up' coming along?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Chen Siqi has always wanted to promote "Jump Up" overseas, and Japan was the first country she chose because Japan's publishing market is one of the slowest shrinking markets in the world.
Chen Siqi said, "It's almost done, and it will probably be released in Japan this summer."
In Japan, "Jump Up" is not in magazine format, but rather in Mook (theme book) format.
Chen Siqi said, "It may not sell very well, and it may even result in losses, but I will persist in doing it."
Lu Yanhe supports Chen Siqi's decision.
Chen Siqi said, "After I started the magazine 'Jump Up' and its derivative brands, I understood why some products continue to be produced even though they don't make money. Compared with other derivative brands, 'Jump Up' is not very profitable. However, 'Jump Up' is the foundation of our business. From cultivating authors to a group of fixed and loyal readers, and to stable content output, the direct profit value it creates is not large, but the scope it indirectly covers is very large."
“I’ve figured something out,” Chen Siqi continued. “The purpose of creating the international edition of ‘Jump Up’ is twofold: first, to expand its overseas influence; and second, because this magazine is a starting point from which we can expand and radiate in different directions. I’m planning to create a movie version of ‘Jump Up’ for Lin Yu and her team.”
Lu Yanhe laughed.
Are you finally ready to take this step?
Over the past two years, Lu Yanhe has watched Lin Yu step into the spotlight time and time again, from film critic of "Jump Up" to international film critic forum, from film and television review self-media to film review program on Yuehu TV. Lin Yu has actually gradually built her personal brand.
Chen Siqi said, "This way, she can focus more on this, which is currently the area that is most helpful to you."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
He has never denied that Lin Yu, the "Jump Up" film and television media platform, and even the entire editorial team, have played a very important role in his career development.
Many of the promotional efforts for their works were done from scratch by Chen Siqi and Lin Yu.
That was an idea that would surprise even a time traveler like Lu Yanhe.
Not to mention, the international film critics' platform that Lin Yu established greatly helped his reputation in the international film industry.
This was something Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi never expected when they first started working on the magazine "Jump Up".
Looking back now, all I can say is that life is a huge butterfly effect. You never know how big a storm a decision you make at this moment will unleash three, five, or even ten years from now.
-
Lu Yanhe actually felt very comfortable filming on the set of "Burning Fire".
"very good."
After the performance, Wanrenhai always said this.
Lu Yanhe has acted in so many plays, and he has been praised after every performance. This play, "Burning Fire," is a perfect example.
Contrary to Lu Yanhe's expectations, Wan Renhai turned out to be an encouraging director.
Why is it described as encouraging?
Because, even though he said "very good," the next second, Wanrenhai would say, "Let's protect another one, Yanhe."
There are still some things I'm not satisfied with.
Wan Renhai's attitude towards Lu Yanhe wasn't limited to just one person; in Lu Yanhe's observation, Wan Renhai treated every actor this way.
Wanrenhai is very protective of the actors' emotions.
He has almost never lost his temper with actors.
But it's a different story for staff in other departments and jobs.
It's like a bomb.
But every time he lost his temper, Lu Yanhe felt that he couldn't be blamed for it.
After all, there have been instances where they finally managed to film a satisfactory scene, only to have the cameraman forget to turn on the camera and miss the shot.
At that time, not only was Wanren Hai angry, but even the actor himself wanted to get angry.
A satisfying scene, with that specific emotional state, is something you can't force. It's infuriating if it's ruined by such a basic mistake.
Of course, overall, the atmosphere on the set of "Burning Fire" was very good.
Lanming Hall owes its success to the two lead actors who never caused trouble and set a good example.
In the "Burning Fire" production team, apart from Lu Yanhe and Shang Yongzhou, no one else stayed on set for long.
The filming lasted for more than 100 days. Since the other crew members didn't have scenes to film every day, they would leave the crew to take on other jobs when they weren't filming.
Every day, different people come and go. Lu Yanhe wasn't used to it at first, but he got used to it later.
Lu Yanhe was even happier when Huang Kairen came to play his role.
Huang Kairen's new agent has arrived; he is a very experienced and high-profile agent, Long Fei.
This time, Long Fei accompanied Huang Kairen.
After arriving at the film set and briefly greeting Shang Yongzhou and Lu Yanhe, he went to find Lan Mingting and Wan Renhai.
Huang Kairen looked Lu Yanhe up and down carefully and said, "Don't you seem to have grown a little taller?"
Lu Yanhe said, "I don't think so. My clothes size hasn't changed at all."
Huang Kairen: "Your outfit makes you look taller."
Lu Yanhe was not short to begin with.
He smiled and said, "Brother Huang, how many days are you staying this time?"
Huang Kairen said, "Three days, I told the production team it would be three days."
"Okay, I'll take you to eat something delicious," Lu Yanhe said. "What has Sister Zixing been up to lately? I haven't contacted her in ages."
“She’s filming ‘China in Classics.’ You also said that you dragged her to be the producer of ‘Love Letters’ for you, which made her postpone a lot of her work and rush to do it all now. She’s so busy every day that I haven’t seen her for a while.” Huang Kairen looked at Lu Yanhe with some resentment.
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized what was happening and quickly cupped his hands in apology, "I'm sorry, Brother Huang, I was wrong."
Huang Kairen snorted.
"Next time you hire her as a producer, you should also ask me to direct this show."
Lu Yanhe was both amused and exasperated.
"I understand, I'll try my best."
"Are you free later tonight?" Huang Kairen suddenly asked. "I have something I'd like to hear your opinion on."
Lu Yanhe said, "Okay, I don't have any scenes tonight. I should finish work around five or six o'clock."
"Okay." Huang Kairen nodded. "I'll come find you after I finish eating."
"Aren't you going to eat with me?" Lu Yanhe asked, somewhat surprised.
Huang Kairen said, "Long Fei will probably invite you all to dinner tonight, so there won't be time for us to eat alone."
“Oh, right. It’s your first day on set, so everyone’s definitely going to welcome you.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “Alright, after you finish eating, you can come back to the hotel with me.”
Huang Kairen nodded: "Mm."
(End of this chapter)
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