Chapter 484: Tear Up
Time flies, and the calendar quietly turns to late March.
On Saturday evening, the 23rd, the Wanda International Cinema in Beijing was star-studded as the premiere of the movie "Tiny Times 1" kicked off here.
This movie has been a hot topic since its preparation, and the focus is undoubtedly on director Guo Jingming.
In the film industry, cross-border directing is not without precedent, but most of them are photographers or actors like Zhang Yimou and Jiang Wen who have been deeply involved in the industry for many years and have accumulated rich experience.
Guo Jingming is completely different. As a pure "outsider", he serves as a director with huge traffic and controversy.
Such a situation is extremely rare and can be regarded as a bold adventure, thus attracting countless curious, scrutinizing, and expectant eyes.
Tonight is the time to test the initial results of this adventure.
The cinema hall was already packed with media reporters and enthusiastic fans.
When the four female protagonists of "Tiny Times" Yang Mi, Guo Biting, Ni Ni and Huo Siyan appeared one after another, the flash lights instantly became as bright as daylight, and fans screamed one after another.
The four actresses have very different styles, but they are tied together because of this movie and become known as the "Sisters of the Times".
Interestingly, Yang Mi and Huo Siyan are both members of the "Teddy Sisters Group", and this relationship has added some topicality to the film.
That night, Gan Wei, another important figure in the sister group, was also present.
In recent years, video platforms have risen rapidly, LeTV is in the limelight, its market value has soared, and Gan Wei's status and position have naturally risen.
As soon as he stepped into the inner screening room, many female stars came forward to chat with him. Everyone was laughing and talking, showing the social skills of the circle.
Gan Wei was in high spirits and had a cordial conversation with director Guo Jingming, her words full of support and optimism for the project.
In the audience, moviegoers and invited guests entered one after another.
In an inconspicuous corner, two women, also fully armed and with their hats pulled down low, sat down quietly.
Liu Yuqing looked at Guo Jingming, who was socializing with various parties in front of him, with a slight smile on his face, and muttered softly, "He's so short."
Liu Shishi, who was standing beside him, couldn't help but smile when she heard this: "Don't judge a person by appearance. He has come this far from being a writer, so he must have some talent."
She has not been filming recently and has more free time, so she was asked by her sister-in-law Liu Yuqing to come here. On the one hand, she wanted to support Yang Mi's new movie, and on the other hand, she also wanted to see the quality of the popular "Tiny Times".
"I can't get into his books at all," Liu Yuqing curled her lips, her tone a little disapproving. "It's all just a pile of flowery words and whining. As for his movies, you'll only know if they're just all show after you've seen them."
After a pause, as if suddenly remembering something, he leaned closer to Liu Shishi and said, "By the way, sister, is there going to be a Weibo Night next week? Please help me get some tickets. I want to go to the event with my roommates to see the excitement."
"Yes, it's at the end of the month." Liu Shishi agreed readily. "How many tickets do you want?"
"Four."
The 2012 Weibo Night was a major annual event, boasting a stellar star lineup. The reason it was delayed until the end of the month was to accommodate Song Ci's schedule, with the final date set after the national conference.
While the two were chatting in low voices, the movie premiere officially began.
The lights came into focus, and the host's enthusiastic voice resounded throughout the theater: "Next, let us give the warmest applause to our 'Sisters of the Times' for their shining debut!"
Amidst passionate music and thunderous applause, the four leading actresses, Yang Mi, Ni Ni, Guo Biting and Huo Siyan, dressed in high-end custom-made gowns, walked into the center of the stage with graceful manners.
In an instant, the flash lights flashed wildly, recording this dazzling scene.
As the queen of traffic, Yang Mi is very popular and naturally wants to occupy the center position.
With a charming smile and confident steps, she seems to be standing casually, but she is precisely in the golden position that is most likely to be captured by the camera.
She wore a bright silver deep V long dress, showing off her proud figure and sparkling jewelry.
How could Nini be willing to accept this?
This new one of the "Four Little Flowers" reached the peak of her career with her debut in "The Flowers of War" and is now on a strong momentum.
With the support of LeTV, she has a sense of pride in her heart and is aiming for the leading position among the 85 flowers such as Yang Mi.
Wearing a dark green velvet dress, she exudes a powerful aura in her retro elegance.
With a spin, the hem of her skirt opened up like a flower, and "floated" just half a body length in front of Yang Mi, with a perfect smile on her face.
Guo Biting appeared in a white lace long dress, and her long straight black hair made her look more like a goddess.
She seemed to be a little slow. After seeing Nini's movements, she did not force her way in. Instead, she let out a soft "ouch" as if she was tripped by high heels.
She staggered forward weakly, and her hand "accidentally" rested on Nini's arm, forcing her to turn slightly sideways, while also creating a gap for herself to enter the camera.
With a bit of panic and innocence on her face, she said, "Ni Ni, I'm sorry, the ground here is a bit slippery."
Huo Siyan wore a peach pink tube-top miniskirt and stood slightly to the side with a smile on her face. She skillfully adjusted the angle to ensure that her sweet profile and perfect leg lines could be captured by the side camera.
She even boldly bent down to adjust the hem of her skirt. This action instantly made her the focus of the fans' cameras below the stage, triggering screams and silently diverting attention.
During the press interview session, this atmosphere of hidden wit was pushed to a climax, almost becoming a public Shura field.
"Mi Mi, I heard that Director Guo's crew sometimes need to wait for you to coordinate your schedule. How long has the longest wait been?" The reporter asked a sharp question, directly pointing out the rumors that Yang Mi was "overtaking other filming schedules" and "making the entire crew wait in vain."
A hint of displeasure flashed across Yang Mi's eyes, but her smile remained bright, and she responded quickly: "Thank you Director Guo and the crew for your understanding and tolerance. We are like a family and understand each other."
The reporter then asked Ni Ni, "Compared to your previous experience filming with Director Zhang Yimou, did you need to make any major adjustments in your acting style when working with Director Guo?"
Ni Ni smiled slightly, chin raised slightly: "Actors are like water, they take different shapes when placed in different containers. What's important is professionalism. I can adapt to any director's requirements."
After saying that, he glanced at Guo Biting meaningfully, as if pointing at his nose and mocking the other person's dull acting skills.
Guo Biting's smile froze on her face instantly, and her voice was soft but weighty: "I'm a newcomer who started out as a model, and I do need to learn.
I am very grateful for the guidance from the seniors on the crew, especially Sister Ni Ni, who was particularly caring towards me on the set."
The audience in the audience watched these scenes and exclaimed that it was wonderful. They couldn't wait to watch the movie.
Huo Siyan was asked about her love life. Celebrity romances have always been a hot topic.
She covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes moving as she giggled, "I'm fine, but Nini receives flowers every now and then."
Nini's gentle smile froze for a moment, and she secretly gritted her teeth.
Isn't what Huo Siyan said clearly telling the reporters that she is in a relationship? She is indeed in a passionate relationship with Feng Shaofeng, but she has no intention of making it public.
Once a female celebrity's love affair is exposed, it will be difficult for her to maintain her pure image, which will deal a heavy blow to her career.
The four actresses chatted with each other, smiling sweetly, but every word they said was full of wit and sharp words, as if they wanted to peel off the skin of each other in public.
The male actors standing by could only maintain an awkward but polite smile, feeling at a loss as to what to do in the fierce aura confrontation between the female stars, and wishing they could shrink into the background.
Below the stage, Liu Yuqing was stunned. "Oh my God! Sister, are they always like this?"
Liu Shishi was not surprised: "Where have we come from?
In order to grab resources privately, there are even methods ten times more exciting than this. In the entertainment industry, smiling faces and stabbing people in the back are the norm.
Then he raised his chin slightly, and said with a hint of detachment: "However, when you reach a certain level, no one will dare to put these little tricks in front of you."
There was an absolute confidence and indifference in his voice, which was the confidence of standing in the clouds and overlooking the struggles of all living beings.
On the stage, director Guo Jingming looked at the four heroines in front of him, who were smiling but hiding the swords and swords, and his heart was already wailing.
I was thinking to myself, "This is crazy! This is all crazy!"
From arguing over the ranking to the dress brand, from arguing over press releases to interviews, now they're going to fall out at the premiere?!
Yang Mi, why are you glaring at me? Ni Ni, who can't hear the hidden meaning in your words? Guo Bi, stop pretending to be a naiveté! Huo Siyan, why are you stirring up trouble?!
Seeing the reporters' eyes getting brighter and their questions getting more and more tricky, and the atmosphere about to get completely out of control, Guo Jingming quickly rushed forward and interrupted:
"Thank you so much to all the media friends for your support of our 'Tiny Times' and our four leading actresses! Time is limited, so let's end the interview here!
I believe everyone can't wait to see this wonderful work that embodies all of our hard work and is full of 'friendship' and 'love'! Next, please enjoy the movie! Thank you! "
As soon as he finished speaking, without giving any time for reaction, he signaled the staff with his eyes.
The lights dimmed instantly, the music changed forcefully, and a dragon symbol lit up on the big screen.
The subtle noise in the audience quickly died down, replaced by the exquisite dialogue and oversaturated images coming from the screen.
The film opens with a montage of decadence and extravagance. The director obviously knows how to quickly create a dizzying "upper-class" visual spectacle.
Liu Yuqing had watched it for less than twenty minutes when her brows furrowed. She leaned close to her sister-in-law's ear and said disdainfully, "What a lousy movie! What the hell is this?"
Liu Shishi nodded slightly, crossed her legs gracefully, and looked at the screen with a kind of distance that was almost scrutinizing.
The display of luxury goods, luxury cars and mansions in the film may make ordinary audiences marvel and envy.
But for her, the wife of Asia's richest man, it not only had no impact, but even seemed extremely funny and embarrassing.
The platinum bag in a deliberately slowed-down close-up, the limited edition watch placed casually on the table, the "elite feeling" that was painstakingly created with material things, in the real top circle that she comes into contact with on a daily basis, is actually a slightly cheap and petty behavior.
"It's just a petty bourgeois fantasy." Liu Shishi thought to herself. The narrative rhythm of "Tiny Times" is slow and jumpy, and the plot is advanced entirely by coincidences and howling lines.
Guo Jingming's work as a career changer appears extremely clumsy and amateurish in terms of technique.
At this moment, a thought flashed through my mind like lightning: "I think I can make this kind of movie."
Once the thought occurred to me, it stuck. Yeah, why bother shooting it myself?
As long as the capital is in place, an experienced executive director team will be hired, and ten or eight assistant directors will be assigned to handle specific matters. She, Liu Shishi, can just be the figurehead director and control the overall direction.
At that time, if Song Yiyi comes to make a cameo appearance for a few minutes, tens of millions of "wife fans" will definitely buy tickets crazily.
Thinking of this, a mischievous and complacent smile appeared on his face, as if he had already seen the words "Liu Shishi's cross-border directorial success, both word-of-mouth and box office explosion" on the news headlines.
"Sister, what are you thinking about?" Liu Yuqing caught sight of the unusual, almost "evil" sly smile on her sister-in-law's face and asked curiously, "Your smile makes me feel uneasy. You must be thinking of something bad!"
"Nothing." Liu Shishi quickly collected her thoughts and returned to her usual calmness.
He gently patted the back of his sister-in-law's hand and suggested, "Yuqing, this movie is really boring. Let's go back. It's a waste of time to continue watching it."
Liu Yuqing readily agreed. She had been feeling uneasy for a while now. "Great minds think alike! Sister, there's a new barbecue restaurant near the school. The food is amazing. Let's go get some!"
"Eating skewers?" Liu Shishi's eyes suddenly lit up.
After becoming Mrs. Song, she only frequented high-end hotels and Michelin restaurants. It had been a long time since she had experienced the down-to-earth happiness of the "common people".
"Good idea! Let's go! If it tastes good, bring some back for your brother so he can have a taste of this worldly life too."
The aunt and sister-in-law smiled at each other in tacit understanding, and like students who had successfully skipped class, they lowered their bodies and quietly left the table when the movie plot was about to reach a climax of a false and exaggerated quarrel.
Liu Shishi sent a message to the assistants waiting outside, informing them to go directly to the parking lot to meet her.
As night fell, Liu Yuqing had a barbecue and returned to the quiet Tsinghua campus.
"Sisters! I brought you some midnight snacks! They're still hot, so eat them while they're hot!"
Liu Yuqing pushed open the dormitory door and raised the skewers of meat and grilled vegetables wrapped in layers of tin foil and thermal bags in his hand.
"Hurray! Yuqing, you are the best!" Liu Jiajia, who was watching TV series, and He Ying, who was reading a book, immediately cheered and surrounded her excitedly.
The moment you open the tin foil, the heat mixed with the aroma of barbecue instantly fills the entire dormitory, making you salivate.
Zhang Zetian, who was sorting out study abroad materials at his desk, couldn't help but take a deep breath, turned his head and said with a smile: "What a nice smell!
Yuqing, didn't you go to the premiere of Tiny Times? It ended so quickly? How was the movie?
Liu Yuqing took off her coat and took out a makeup remover pad while snorting in disdain, "Don't even mention it, it's a complete rubbish. I couldn't stand it after half an hour and left with my sister."
Liu Jiajia, munching on a skewer of grilled chicken wings with relish, lamented, "Ah? Is it really that bad? I quite like Guo Jingming's books. I was planning to read Tiny Times tomorrow."
"I sincerely advise you not to waste your money and time." Liu Yuqing said sincerely, "The whole movie is full of exaggerated materialism, the plot is incomprehensible, and the acting is awkward.
If you want to watch a movie, forget about Tiny Times. You can check out Peking Meets Seattle, which opens tomorrow. It stars Wang Kai and Lü Yi, and the trailer looks pretty solid.
He Ying nodded in agreement. "I've heard that too. 'Peking Meets Seattle' is a Tengda Culture production, shot on location in the United States. The quality should be good."
When the topic turned to "America," Liu Jiajia naturally looked at Zhang Zetian: "Hey, speaking of America, Xiaotian, have you decided to study abroad? Are you really going?"
Zhang Zetian nodded, a complex expression of anticipation and trepidation on his face.
"Well, the exchange student spots have been confirmed, and the paperwork is almost complete. We're expected to depart in mid-to-late August."
Then he looked at Liu Yuqing who was removing her makeup and invited her, "Yuqing, you can also consider applying to study abroad. It would be great if we could go out together and have someone to accompany us."
She knew the wealth of her roommate's family, so arranging her to study abroad would not be difficult.
Liu Yuqing shook her little head like a rattle: "No, no. I'm in a foreign country, I'm not familiar with the people, and I'm not used to the food. It's boring just thinking about it. I still prefer to stay in China."
She has a lively personality and likes to be in a lively environment. She has no interest in traveling across the ocean to study alone.
But then he said, “But when you leave in August, I can go see you off and take a trip to the United States for a summer vacation!
We can fly over together then, and I'll help you settle in first, and then we can play for a few days before coming back."
He Ying recalled an incident from the New Year and asked curiously, "By the way, Xiaotian, during the New Year, didn't you say your family arranged a very important blind date for you? What happened afterwards? I haven't heard you mention it again."
The smile on Zhang Zetian's face froze for a moment, and a look of embarrassment and loss flashed across his face.
He lowered his eyelids and spoke in a softer voice: "There's nothing more to it. The other party probably doesn't like me." He spoke lightly, but the frustration in his words was faintly discernible.
The blind date that was carefully arranged by her family elders with great favors ended up in nothing, which was undoubtedly a big blow to her self-confidence.
Liu Yuqing keenly caught the fleeting unnatural look on Zhang Zetian's face and quickly spoke up to smooth things over, changing the subject:
"Oh, what era is it now? Are you still into family-arranged blind dates? How old-fashioned! We should definitely be free to fall in love and find someone we like on our own."
Liu Jiajia had already eaten and drunk her fill. While helping to clean up the bamboo sticks and leftovers on the table, she sighed in a condescending manner:
"Well, it's easy to say, but truly outstanding men are like scarce resources, they are in high demand!
But for people like Yuqing and Xiaotian, there's no need to worry, as their looks and family background are there for them."
Suddenly turning the topic to Liu Yuqing, with a hint of teasing and curiosity, "By the way, Yuqing, what kind of man are you looking for? Handsome or rich?"
Liu Yuqing paused in removing her makeup, and looking at herself in the mirror, her eyes revealed some confusion for the first time.
As a young girl in love, she had of course privately fantasized about what her future partner would look like. Perhaps she subconsciously always hoped to find a man as strong, perfect and charming as her brother Song Ci.
But deep down, I know very well that people like my brother are rare in the world, and it is almost an unrealistic fantasy.
"As for me..." After pondering for a few seconds, he gave a universal answer, "It depends on fate. It depends on how you feel. If you really meet someone, then maybe all the standards won't matter anymore."
No one noticed that Zhang Zetian, who was sitting at the desk, had his eyes flickering slightly.
The fingers holding the pen tightened quietly, then loosened again. A vague and bold idea might be quietly taking root in my heart.
(One update today, two updates tomorrow.)
(End of this chapter)
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