Chapter 809 It's dangerous for your husband to be home alone.
"Did you have someone do this?"
Chen Pinhe walked into the house with a dark face and asked Zhang Yuezhen.
Zhang Yue was sitting on the sofa, holding a tablet computer, seemingly looking at something.
Even though Chen Pinhe looked furious, Zhang Yuezhen wasn't worried at all.
She put down her tablet, picked up a cup, took a sip of water, and said, "You mean the Ma Zhiyuan thing? Yes."
Zhang Yuezhen nodded, readily admitting it.
Chen Pinhe: "Why?"
He looked at Zhang Yuezhen with a suspicious expression.
Could it be that she already knows?
Zhang Yuezhen shrugged. "He has a foul mouth, so I have no choice but to teach him a lesson. Shouldn't I? We went through so much trouble to cultivate Ning Yao, and he went around telling people that Ning Yao only got resources because she slept with you. If we don't stop these kinds of rumors, they will have endless consequences for both you and Ning Yao."
Chen Pinhe was taken aback.
Ning Yao?
Chen Pinhe frowned.
"Ma Zhiyuan spread rumors that Ning Yao slept with me?"
“Yeah, otherwise why would I have someone teach him a lesson?” Zhang Yuezhen rolled her eyes at Chen Pinhe. “Originally, I was quite happy that he was criticizing Lu Yanhe, but who knew that his mouth was so foul, and he turned around and brought it up to our family.”
"When did he say that? Where did he say it?" Chen Pinhe felt relieved.
Fortunately, Zhang Yuezhen was unaware of Lu Yanhe's situation.
Ever since he heard from people in the company that Zhang Yuezhen had hired someone to beat Ma Zhiyuan, he had been on edge.
On his way home, he kept wondering if Zhang Yue really knew.
Zhang Yuezhen said, "He told a reporter, and luckily that reporter is an old friend of mine, so he immediately contacted me, otherwise this matter would have gone viral."
Chen Pinhe was taken aback.
So, it wasn't something Ma Zhiyuan said in a public setting?
He looked at Zhang Yuezhen with surprise and suspicion.
Zhang Yuezhen looked at him with a joyful, innocent, and naive expression, her eyes always clear and innocent.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Yuezhen asked.
Chen Pinhe snapped out of his daze and shook his head. "It's nothing."
Zhang Yuezhen: "To be honest, Ning Yao is a very talented young girl and deserves to be nurtured. When you come across a suitable role, please mentor her."
Chen Pinhe nodded, but seemed somewhat absent-minded.
"What are you thinking about?" Zhang Yuezhen stretched out a finger and tapped Chen Pinhe's nose.
Chen Pinhe shook his head. "It's nothing."
However, a long-standing doubt in his mind was growing stronger.
—Zhang Yuezhen, did you already know about Lu Yanhe's relationship with him?
"Old Chen, I swear, I have absolutely not told anyone about this."
"How could I possibly tell her what our relationship is?"
“I haven’t told anyone a word. If the news has really leaked, it definitely can’t be a problem on my end.”
...
Everyone denied it outright, and everyone swore that the news couldn't possibly have leaked from their place.
Chen Pinhe hung up the phone and sat in his study, remaining silent for a long time.
Ma Zhiyuan's words in the live broadcast room scared Chen Pinhe so much that he broke out in a cold sweat.
When he saw the related entries about Lu Yanhe's illegitimate child, he felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing his heart.
Everything can no longer be hidden.
Everything has been exposed.
At that moment, Chen Pinhe experienced the darkest hour of his life, and no one could understand his feelings at that time.
Fortunately, Ma Zhiyuan did not reveal his name, nor did he steer the conversation toward who Lu Yanhe's biological father was.
Moreover, most people simply don't believe what Ma Zhiyuan said.
Not long after, Ma Zhiyuan apologized directly to Lu Yanhe.
This matter has come to an end.
Chen Pinhe was still shaken.
His career almost suffered a devastating blow in that short period of time.
-
"Although Ma Zhiyuan has apologized now, he may still cause trouble in the future."
Li Zhibai said to Lu Yanhe with a serious expression, "What if this matter is really exposed one day? Have you thought about how to deal with it?"
Lu Yanhe said, "I had been avoiding thinking about this before, but after what happened with Ma Zhiyuan, I was forced to think it through. The reason I told you about it this afternoon is because I'm afraid you might see this news online or hear it from someone else someday. As for myself—"
Lu Yanhe paused for a moment before saying, "I've made up my mind. In any case, I will not respond to this matter."
"Huh?" Yan Liang looked surprised.
Lu Yanhe said, "No matter what it is biologically, I never want to say that I am Chen Pinhe's son. In any case, I have not done anything wrong, I have a clear conscience, and no one can force me to acknowledge my father, right?"
“That’s true.” Li Zhibai understood Lu Yanhe’s meaning. “I understand.”
Li Pengfei said, "Can I tell my dad about this?"
"Why are you talking to your dad?" Lu Yanhe asked, puzzled.
Li Pengfei said, "Tell him not to cooperate with Chen Pinhe again."
Lu Yanhe: "Uh, there's no need for that. I hope this message ends with each of you."
“Okay.” Li Pengfei nodded. “Then I’ll say he’s your biggest enemy in the entertainment industry. Given how much my dad likes you, he definitely won’t work with Chen Pinhe anymore.”
“But Yanhe, I’m worried about something,” Yan Liang said anxiously to Lu Yanhe. “Ma Zhiyuan not only said you were an illegitimate child in the live stream, but also said things about your mother—”
“He’s talking nonsense.” Lu Yanhe shook his head directly. “When Chen Pinhe met his current wife Zhang Yuezhen, I was already in my mother’s belly. If anyone is a mistress, it’s her, not my mother. My age is the proof.”
Yan Liang let out a long sigh of relief.
He nodded: "That's good."
Yan Liang had been struggling with this matter for a whole day; he wanted to ask, but dared not; he wanted to speak, but dared not.
Are humans born with original sin?
This question is not without an answer.
For some people, there is an answer.
Lu Yanhe also understood Yan Liang's concerns.
He shook his head. "Alright, let's leave this topic at that. I don't need you all to join me in this fight against a common enemy."
Li Zhibai: "Get the hell out of here! Either you have the ability to keep it a secret forever, or you shut up. Do you think we're Zhou Ping'an, those idiots who use others' power to bully others and act as accomplices to the tyrant!"
-
As Zhou Ping'an got out of bed, he suddenly sneezed.
"Are you alright? It's getting cold, don't catch a cold." His wife also sat up.
"It's nothing." Zhou Pingan shook his head. "You go to sleep first. I just remembered that I still have one phone call to make."
"It's so late, who are you going to call?" his wife asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Vice President Ma," Zhou Ping'an said, "Alright, go to sleep. Don't ask about work-related matters."
"All right."
Zhou Pingan put on his coat, walked out of the room, and went to the window to let the cold wind blow on him.
For some reason, he really wanted to call Lu Yanhe at that moment.
But what should we say?
Zhou Ping'an gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Zhou Ping'an never claims to be a good person.
However, he never felt that he was completely bad.
He would occasionally think back on what Lu Yanhe had done and wonder if he would have supported that child more if it weren't for Vice President Ma.
Zhou Ping'an himself came from a small place.
He achieved what he has today entirely through his own hard work.
When Lu Yanhe was fifteen years old, he first met Lu Yanhe and took a second look at him because of his upbringing. So, behind the scenes of that talent show, he took the initiative to suggest that they tell more about Lu Yanhe's story to attract viewers to the show.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe, who had no background, no professional skills, and was truly just an ordinary person, received overwhelming attention after the show aired.
But later—
Zhou Pingan let out a deep sigh of relief.
At that time, he told Lu Yanhe to quit being an entertainer and focus on his studies. He must have been somewhat sincere about it, right?
Zhou Ping'an didn't know whether this was a romanticized version of himself from his memories, or whether he had genuinely felt compassion at the time.
However, at that time, he simply could not go against Vice President Ma's wishes.
He wasn't so naive and kind as to go against his superior for Lu Yanhe's sake.
If you're going to leave the entertainment industry, then leave.
Anyway, he's not suitable for it.
Zhou Pingan stood in front of the window, lost in thought for a long time.
He did not call Vice President Ma.
Of course, he didn't call Lu Yanhe either.
He just sat silently, lost in thought for a while.
-
On September 25th, the final round of promotional activities for the National Day film season began in earnest.
Doomsday was the only foreign film released during the National Day holiday.
Other foreign films can't even get in.
Protection of domestically produced films.
Many people believe that the reason why "Destruction Day" was able to be released during the National Day holiday is because two of the three main actors in the film are Chinese.
But those who really know the inside story know that this is because Lu Yanhe is on the list of producers for this film.
Linghe also faces a decision: whether to hold advance screenings of "Flypaper" during the National Day holiday.
To put it bluntly, it's about making a quick buck at the National Day holiday box office.
Because "Flypaper" is scheduled for release in November.
This is a short period, with no extended holidays.
This is very detrimental to the box office performance of the film.
But Linghe hesitated for a moment and gave up on this approach.
Since "Flypaper" is to be released globally simultaneously, it cannot be misattributed or outwardly complied but inwardly defied.
If "Flypaper" had started preview screenings during the National Day holiday, it might have been able to earn tens of millions of yuan at the box office through limited screenings. However, while some people saw it first, a large number of others did not. At every subsequent promotional event, there would inevitably be some voices saying, "I've seen it, and I have a different opinion."
Sound is extremely important during a movie's theatrical run.
Praise or criticism, does the East Wind prevail over the West Wind, or the West Wind prevail over the East Wind?
There's no need to prematurely exhaust potential box office potential just for a few tens of millions in revenue.
-
The release of "Doomsday" was a boon.
Jiang Yuqian gained immense popularity in the summer thanks to the film "Red Eye Flight," acquiring a global fanbase.
Her character in "Red Eye" was so well-developed and captivating.
Not to mention, she and Jiang Jun collaborated again after "The Squid Game".
The movie "Doomsday" even helped Jiang Yuqian land the cover of V Magazine's October issue.
This is also Jiang Yuqian's first time appearing on the cover of V Magazine.
The cover of fashion magazine V is often an important indicator of an actress's status.
Whether you've been there or not, it's two different situations.
The domestic release of "Destruction Day" also garnered significant attention due to the leading roles played by Jiang Jun and Jiang Yuqian.
The story that Jiang Jun was originally intended to be played by Chen Pinhe has been brought up again by many marketing accounts.
The story of Lu Yanhe helping Jiang Jun snatch a role, which led to his feud with Chen Pinhe, has once again spread like wildfire.
For a time, many of Chen Pinhe's fans were criticizing Lu Yanhe.
-
"Go ahead and curse." He Lan saw the insults in Lu Yanhe's comment section. As Lu Yanhe's former die-hard fan and now die-hard movie fan, she wasn't angry at all because of these insults. "Chen Pinhe voluntarily withdrew from the role. Everyone knew that back then. Now, he's trying to save face."
Chen Siqi smiled when she heard He Lan's mutterings.
She asked, "Helan, are you going to Spain for the National Day holiday?"
“Yes, I made plans with my classmates to go there.” Chen Siqi nodded. “Could you reschedule your flight and come back two days later to meet with the local publisher for me? Will that conflict with your other plans?”
“There’s no conflict, it’s fine,” Helan said. “I’d be happy to have two more days.”
“Okay, then I’ll reimburse your round-trip airfare when you get back, consider it a business trip,” Chen Siqi said. “That way I won’t have to go myself. We’ve discussed publishing collaborations for six books.”
Helan was pleasantly surprised.
"Is this a MOOK based on the theme of 'Jump Up'?"
"Two MOOKs and four novels by contracted authors," Chen Siqi said. "Sigh, physical books are so hard to produce; I'm working on them one by one."
He Lan said, "We've already done a great job. We're still growing even now, going against the market trend. When we were selecting publishing brands at the end of last year, we were the only young brand that had been established for nearly ten years. We were also the only private enterprise to receive the overseas communication influence medal. Many of my classmates from Zhenhua have been subscribing to this magazine."
“That’s simply because the students at Zhenhua are really united and very supportive of the businesses, brands, and works of your Zhenhua alumni,” Chen Siqi said with a smile.
He Lan nodded: "That's true, we at Zhenhua are quite united."
“This is a good thing,” Chen Siqi said. “As long as it doesn’t violate principles, sticking together is something that can make things happen more easily. If students from every school can help each other out when they can, the development of the school can be much faster.”
"Siqi, how is your relationship with your college classmates?" Helan asked curiously.
"I regret it very much," Chen Siqi suddenly said, leaving He Lan completely baffled.
“During my four years of university, I spent all my time working on ‘Jump Up,’ and I wasn’t really close to my classmates,” Chen Siqi said. “Looking back now, I should have grabbed them and worked with me on ‘Jump Up.’ Otherwise, we wouldn’t be developing so fast now, but we don’t have enough trustworthy people to entrust with important tasks.”
Helan: "..."
She thought Chen Siqi regretted not getting along better with everyone in college and cultivating good friendships.
A strong, independent woman.
He Lan genuinely felt that Chen Siqi was a born strong woman.
She's not decisive and doesn't like being called "President Chen" by people in her inner circle, but her way of thinking is that of a strong, boss-like person.
This is the most precious thing.
He Lan felt that Chen Siqi was completely gifted in this respect, and had mastered it without any teacher.
"Are you going to the preview screening of 'Doomsday' on September 30th with everyone?"
“Go,” Helan said. “After watching it, I’ll grab my suitcase and head to the airport. I have to write a review as soon as possible.”
"ha?"
He Lan said, "Lin Yu's company has launched a film review contest. Any film review that is used by a self-media platform can earn a fee. I need to earn some pocket money. A trip to Spain is too expensive."
"Didn't I already reimburse your airfare?"
“Hotel accommodations are also very expensive,” He Lan said pitifully to Chen Siqi.
Chen Siqi: "..."
-
Jump Up is a promotional partner for Doomsday in China.
Lin Yu took the lead.
"This film is a Hollywood blockbuster, which is fundamentally different from the types of films we have promoted in the past. Before we do any promotional activities, we must remember two things. First, we must always understand that Chinese audiences are tired of Hollywood blockbusters, so the promotional focus must not stop at the six words 'Hollywood blockbuster'. Second, special effects, grand scenes, top-notch audiovisuals, and the fact that you can only fully enjoy it by watching it in a movie theater... these key information points are still the core elements that make audiences willing to buy tickets. Whether it's hard advertising or soft advertising, these are essential elements."
"Publicity resources can be appropriately tilted towards Jiang Jun and Jiang Yuqian, but it cannot be reduced to a promotional video showcasing the actors' handsome, cool, and beautiful images. These things cannot attract the audience."
"Acting skills, suitability for the role, and positive reviews of Chinese actors by foreign media... these are the key factors that can make people buy tickets."
Promotional materials were produced one by one.
Yuehu Terrace, leaf vein network, aurora borealis, ice field...
These platforms that Lu Yanhe collaborates with extensively have also become the platforms for distributing these promotional materials.
We can all earn advertising revenue together.
On its first day of release during the National Day holiday, "Doomsday" surpassed the box office of the three films that premiered the previous day, becoming the top-grossing film of the day with a single-day box office of 110 million RMB.
The release date for "Doomsday" in other countries is October 12th, but in China, due to the National Day holiday, it was released almost two weeks earlier.
This single-day box office performance is the best opening day result for a Hollywood film in the past year.
Chen Siqi sent a message to Lu Yanhe, saying: Guess if Chen Pinhe is at home stomping his feet in anger right now.
This movie was originally directed by Chen Pinhe.
As a result, it now belongs to Jiang Jun.
Lu Yanhe reposted the opening day box office report of "Doomsday" on Weibo and tagged Jiang Jun separately, saying: Congratulations, Teacher Jiang Jun!
In the comments section, someone said: Why didn't you tag Jiang Yuqian and congratulate her?
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, "Because he sent it to Chen Pinhe."
That's not how it works, of course.
He silently pretended not to see it.
About half an hour later, Jiang Yuqian messaged him privately: What are you doing? Why do you only @Teacher Jiang Jun and not me?
Lu Yanhe: You want to compare this too?
Jiang Yuqian: Yes, I'm jealous.
Lu Yanhe then took a screenshot and posted a second Weibo post: @ two people at the same time, you can only get one trending topic for "Doomsday." @ only one person, and the other person will rush to give "Doomsday" a second trending topic: #JiangYuqianIsJealousOfJiangJun#
Jiang Yuqian appeared in the comments section: You bastard! No sportsmanship at all!
Lu Yanhe: When it comes to superstars, the only way to win is through unconventional means; what's the point of talking about martial ethics?
Jiang Yuqian: I'm going to your house with a knife right now, open the door if you dare!
Lu Yanhe: @Chen Siqi, wife, come back quickly. It's dangerous for your husband to be home alone.
Jiang Yuqian: ...
Chen Siqi @ Jiang Yuqian: Sister, could you please buy me some medicine for treating mental illness on your way here?
-
Lu Yanhe – a born topic master.
"Lu Yanhe's popularity and fans have never been as good as Li Zhibai's, even though he won so many awards and became so well-known overseas. No one would say that Li Zhibai is more popular than him."
"Being famous and having a large following are not entirely the same thing," Zhou Ping'an explained to the company's agents in their group chat.
It was late at night, 11 p.m., on National Day. The agents who received the video call were cursing under their breath, but in front of their bosses, they had to put on a fake smile and enthusiastically support them.
"Director Zhou is absolutely right."
Zhou Pingan said, "What I'm trying to say is actually very simple. People like Li Zhibai have a lot of fans because of their talent and personality. People like Lu Yanhe are popular because of more than just their talent. Your artists may not have Lu Yanhe's abilities and responsiveness, but you can help your artists create these kinds of topics. If you go to Weibo now, you'll see how much goodwill people have towards Lu Yanhe's Weibo post and the comments section. Even casual viewers are enjoying it."
The agents were taken aback upon hearing this.
Zhou Ping'an: "Many artists just can't become famous. Of course, there are reasons for that, but it's also related to your ineffective actions. Were the interactions between Lu Yanhe, Jiang Yuqian, and Chen Siqi pre-planned? No. But let me ask you, can't things like this be pre-planned? Isn't that the same concept as creating a CP (couple pairing)?"
Zhou Pingan said, "During this National Day holiday, each of you should seriously consider what kind of topic marketing you can do for your artists, including what kind of script to present it with, and send it to my email after the holiday."
After saying that, Zhou Ping'an nodded and dismissed the meeting.
A group of agents logged off and began cursing.
You know it's National Day, right? You know I'll send it to your email after the holiday, right?
How are we supposed to have a proper holiday if you do this?
Today, I also need to write a script to present it.
They're not screenwriters!
If Lu Yanhe knew that his actions late at night would become a tool for Zhou Ping'an to manipulate his agents, would he still have done it?
The answer is yes.
What Zhou Ping'an does is none of his business.
The following day, Doomsday performed very well at the box office, remaining stable at just over 100 million yuan with almost no decline.
With the box office performance of the past two days as a foundation, the total box office of "Doomsday" is basically heading towards 1 billion.
This also means that Doomsday's box office in China alone could exceed $100 million.
This performance, following "Red Eye," once again demonstrates to the world film industry the appeal of Chinese actors in the Chinese market.
Hollywood movies starring only foreign actors are increasingly losing favor with Chinese audiences.
If you want higher box office returns and more money, OK, Buried, Hurricane 2, Red Eye, and Doomsday are examples right in front of you.
You need to offer roles that Chinese audiences will like to Chinese actors, rather than just cameos that are merely tools for them.
Chen Ziyan said, "After the box office results of 'Destruction Day' came out, many Hollywood projects started looking for roles that Chinese actors could play."
“There aren’t that many roles.” Lu Yanhe said with some helplessness, “Hollywood also follows the trends.”
“Of course, they’re not stupid,” Chen Ziyan said. “Hollywood is the one that chases the hottest topics the most, okay? Stars, superstars, it’s all Hollywood that has put them in this position.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan said, "However, we don't know if Hollywood will learn from this experience."
"Um?"
"After the Chinese film market developed, for several years, many Hollywood blockbusters and big productions would include a Chinese or Asian character in them," Chen Ziyan said. "If you look at the movies from those years, they were basically all like that. But later they realized that using Chinese actors didn't necessarily guarantee that the Chinese market would buy into it. Gradually, the craze subsided. Later, Chinese films started to achieve high box office returns, and actors were no longer so eager to play supporting roles in Hollywood movies."
Lu Yanhe said, "You think that if Hollywood keeps copying the practice of inserting a Chinese character into a movie, it will still fail, right?"
“Of course, even a fool would know it would fail,” Chen Ziyan said. “Look at how you found roles for them. You were meticulous in your selection process, making sure they were a good fit before recommending them. How much does Hollywood know about Chinese actors? What kind of roles do they know? How do they know their performances will satisfy the audience? The same goes for Chinese actors. Do they understand the rules of the game in Hollywood? Do they understand what a good script and a good production team are? There are so many popular stars in China, not to mention their mediocre acting skills, and none of the ones I just mentioned are good. Who knows what projects they'll be lured into? The success of films like *Buried Alive* and *Red Eye Flight* is because you fully understood Li Zhibai and Jiang Yuqian, and you ensured that these projects weren't just hastily put together. So, both sides had to work together for it to succeed. Just look at Jiang Yuqian. To be honest, if you hadn't specifically written *Red Eye Flight*, where would you have found a leading lady who perfectly matched her image and acting skills? That's truly a matter of luck, okay?”
Lu Yanhe understood what Chen Ziyan was saying, and he knew that Chen Ziyan was right.
really.
Chen Ziyan said, "Jiang Yuqian has now truly established herself in Hollywood. With the outstanding box office results of 'The Squid Game,' 'Red Eye Flight,' and 'Doomsday,' as long as she has a reliable agent to help her plan her projects for the next few years, she will definitely become a popular actress."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"She won't lack roles in Hollywood."
As if Chen Ziyan's prediction had come true, not long after, news came from Hollywood that a highly anticipated art film director from last year's awards season was in contact with Jiang Yuqian, inviting her to star in his new film, "The Window".
This work is a new release that appears on various highly anticipated lists.
Lu Yanhe was particularly happy.
As a result, not long after, he heard some news that didn't make him very happy: Chen Pinhe was the intended candidate for an important role in "The Window Sill".
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
