Chapter 436 (Updated 4361)
436:
On July 6th, "Nobody Cares" was released on schedule.
This first suspense film directed by Ye Qingxi became the top-grossing film on the day of its release.
Although Ye Qingxi did not have the publicity team focus on promoting Mu Shaowu, but rather concentrated on the film itself, Mu Shaowu's return to the film industry after many years has indeed aroused the interest of many viewers.
They all went to the cinema for Mu Shaowu, and after leaving the cinema, they marveled at Ye Qingxi's talent; he was able to handle two movies, two different styles, so well.
Unlike most domestic suspense films, which are so dark that you can hardly see people's faces, "Nobody Cares" has a very clear and bright color tone.
Ye Qingxi has always placed great importance on photographing people. He likes to capture people beautifully, placing them within the scenery, allowing them to exude different charms depending on the light and shadow.
This kind of filming makes the whole movie feel less oppressive, and even somewhat refreshing and natural, like seeing crisp, cool leaves in the morning and taking a big breath of oxygen.
As the story unfolds, the deceased's neglected life is revealed, contrasting sharply with the fact that the murderer was protected, shielded, and even had his father try to take the blame after the crime, leaving the audience with a sense of profound sorrow.
As the first group of moviegoers left the theater, someone posted online: "[Ye Qingxi's new film is a sure thing, even more so than his first. He really was born to be a director.]"
Those who hadn't seen it were skeptical: "Really? Is it really that good?"
[That can't be right, suspense films have never done well at the box office.]
[Are you sure this isn't just paid hype? How old is he? How can he be so sure of himself?!]
[I don't believe it can surpass the first one; the first one made over three billion!]
Wow, that's amazing! I'm going to buy a ticket right now and try it out. See you in two hours, ladies!
Okay! It's up to you now!
[Squat down.]
Two hours later, someone commented: "[Has the sister returned? How was it? Is it watchable?]"
Sister, how salty is yours?
A moment later, the original poster replied: "[It's back! It's really solid! It's great! It's not crap! It's chocolate! Absolutely worth it! Everyone, go for it!]"
Netizens: !!!
【So, I'll go for it?!】
[Charge!] The poster exclaimed excitedly, [This is definitely a win-win situation!]
Before the day was even over, word-of-mouth for "Nobody Cares" was already spreading across various social media platforms.
Many netizens who were not interested in this film before went to the cinema out of curiosity after seeing everyone's recommendations, wanting to see if it was really as wonderful as netizens praised.
After watching it, most people sincerely exclaimed: "It's actually quite good!"
Unlike most suspense film directors, Ye Qingxi didn't actually put much effort into the crime aspect.
He knew very well that for most viewers, they went to the cinema to see a story, a story that was either exciting or touching.
They weren't police officers, nor were they there to learn how to kill. So, rather than figuring out how to kill someone without getting caught by the police, they were more interested in observing human interactions.
Therefore, Ye Qingxi's focus has always been on the people and the plot.
Fei Fan and Shi Yi, whom he had been chatting with online for two years, arranged to meet at a restaurant at 5:30 pm on Saturday. This was their first meeting. The two exchanged photos and real names beforehand and said that they would be there no matter what happened.
But Fei Fan waited until the restaurant closed, but he still didn't see his online friend.
The other party did not reply to the WeChat messages he sent.
Fei Fan had no choice but to go home first.
Two days later, he saw online that his online friend had died.
It was said to be suicide.
However, Fei Fan did not believe it. He went to his cousin at the police station and told him about the clues on his side. At the same time, he secretly began to investigate the cause of Shi Yi's death.
As he investigated day by day, more and more people came into Fei Fan's view, and more and more people pieced together Shi Yi's short life that no one cared about.
In this drama, besides Fei Fan, played by Huo Zinan, the most eye-catching character is undoubtedly Professor Fu, played by Mu Shaowu.
His initial appearance was that of a gentle, learned, and wise elder. He told Fei Fan about Shi Yi's pitiful background and how hard he had studied when he was in Fei Fan's class.
He occasionally revealed a hint of nostalgia and regret, which made Fei Fan feel regretful along with him.
But gradually, Fei Fan discovered the contradictions in his words and the photos he hadn't had time to tidy up. He peeled back the layers of the fog, only to find that behind it stood a professor who looked refined, elegant, and exceptionally handsome.
Fei Fan identified him as the murderer and called the police to arrest him.
The gentle professor was caught in the crossfire and finally confessed to his crimes.
After listening to the story, Fei Fan bought flowers and placed them at his online friend's grave.
But as he was leaving, something else occurred to him.
He painstakingly rearranged everything, peeling back the layers, and finally discovered that from the very beginning, from the moment he entered the professor's sight, from the moment they met, he had fallen into the other's trap.
Professor Fu is not the murderer; he is indeed a very good elder.
The suspicious points and flaws he discovered were deliberately made to him by the other party, in order to make people suspect him and thus protect the real murderer—the professor's son whom he had met before but hadn't paid much attention to.
For this, he even risked imprisonment and a ruined reputation.
Fei Fan hurriedly went to find his cousin, met Professor Fu, and told him everything he had discovered.
Professor Fu looked at him and remained silent for a long time.
Fei Fan said, "Do you think this is what it means to love him? Do you think this is what's best for him?"
Professor Fu looked at him, his eyes indifferent, and said, "So what? Are you just going to let me watch him go to jail?"
“He didn’t do it on purpose, and he won’t do it again, but someone has to take responsibility for this. Can’t I take the blame?”
"How can you do this to Shi Yi?"
Professor Fu smiled, speaking in a gentle and approachable tone like a kind uncle, "I really like Shi Yi as a student, but you should know that Xiao Chong is my son. As a father, I will always love my own son the most."
In the end, Fu Chong was still arrested by the police and went to jail.
Fei Fan successfully helped his online friend find the murderer and bring him to justice.
But he couldn't feel relaxed.
He thought that if Shi Yi's parents had cared more about him, if his so-called friends had paid more attention to him, if there had been more warmth and attention in his life, then he wouldn't have died alone in the silent night at such a young age.
Shi Yi insisted on chatting with himself online every day, not because he particularly liked the virtual software, but because he couldn't find anyone in real life willing to listen to him.
The reason he became immersed in the internet was not because it was so bizarre, but because it allowed him to agree with others, comply with others, join in with others, and gain temporary excitement and the satisfaction of being cared for.
If only there were someone who truly cared about him.
Fei Fan turned and left the desolate cemetery.
Ye Qingxi cleverly divided this seemingly simple story into three stages through the rhythm created by music, visuals, and editing, progressing step by step. The tension was high when it needed to be, and the relaxation was just right, which made the audience unconsciously immersed in the plot. Even after the movie ended, they still felt quite unsatisfied.
[Mu Shaowu's acting was superb! He completely fooled me!]
[Me too. When he first appeared, I was convinced he was a good person, but later he seemed less and less like a good person, so I started to think he was definitely the murderer, until the very end... I'm sorry, Teacher Mu, I should have believed you!]
I thought Mu Shaowu was just making a cameo appearance, but it turns out he's absolutely crucial to the show!
[Mu Shaowu truly deserves his title as a movie star. Huo Zinan acts quite well when he's with others, but when he's with Mu Shaowu, he always seems to be overshadowed.]
[In fact, Fei Fan was completely fooled by Professor Fu, haha.]
[I knew it! Mu Shaowu rarely gets to act, how could Ye Qingxi possibly give him that kind of character? It was all fake, all on the associate professor's part, all to protect his son!]
[I have to say, this role is indeed suitable for Mu Shaowu, but the son should be played by Ye Qingxi herself, which would be more convincing [doge emoji]]
[Haha, that's right. When I was watching, I thought the role of the son would have been better played by Xiao Xi. But if Xiao Xi had played it, maybe people would have guessed it much earlier.]
Therefore, it has to be Fu Chong, the one who wasn't suspected at first, and whose story, after the reversal, was entirely plausible.
[I must say, Mu Shaowu's portrayal of a father is absolutely flawless. Whether it's Qiao Xia from over ten years ago or Professor Fu now, I couldn't help but cry during Fu Chong's reminiscence at the end.]
[Xiao Xi's photos are great too! Putting everything else aside, Professor Fu's beauty alone makes me want to watch them three more times!]
[That's right! I almost held my breath from being so amazed by her beauty in several shots. Xiaoxi, you really know how to film your dad!]
Netizens showered them with praise, and Ye Qingxi and Mu Shaowu once again became a trending topic.
Ye Qingxi smiled as she looked at the positive reviews on Weibo.
He switched to a secondary account and liked all the posts praising his father. He also had the publicity team release an extra set of photos of Mu Shaowu so that his fans could save them.
It's fair to say that the movie "Nobody Cares" has garnered a lot of attention since its first day of release, despite its title.
Viewers who understood the associate professor's disguised murder methods discussed the methods, while those who didn't discussed the plot.
Young netizens who resonated with Shi Yi posted after reading the post, saying that she felt the same way. She didn't really like the internet; it was just that here, people would call her "sister" and care about her. If she left, no one would care about her at all.
Older viewers expressed their understanding of Professor Fu, saying that parents are like that, willing to sacrifice themselves for their children, at least that's how he was.
The discussion surrounding "Nobody Cares" grew rapidly, and its box office revenue also soared.
Directors who had watched Ye Qingxi grow up also remarked after watching the show, "This child is indeed talented and has a keen business sense."
"Compared to Xiaoxi, we are the ones who are getting old."
"That's right. My last movie only grossed so little. I thought the film market was bad, but now it seems that I was the one who was bad."
"Most importantly, Xiaoxi has a great sense of artistry and rhythm."
“I thought Xiaoxi was amazing when she was little, but I never imagined she would be even more amazing when she grows up.”
Feng Que listened, his face full of smugness.
He's never been a humble person, and he's even less humble now. "Xiao Xi is like this: he loves what he does, and excels at what he loves. Who would have thought that he's only twenty-three after his birthday this year!"
"This is truly a promising young talent!" Director Xu Jing exclaimed.
"Speaking of which, why didn't Xiao Xi apply for the Golden Osmanthus Award last year?" Director Xu Hong, who had a cameo role for Ye Qingxi when he was a child, asked in confusion. "He did so well last year, why didn't he apply for the Golden Osmanthus Award for Best New Director? Was he planning to wait until this year?"
"Mm." Feng Que nodded.
The Golden Osmanthus Award for Best New Director is given to new directors who have just entered the film industry and created one or two works.
When the Golden Osmanthus Award was being submitted last year, Feng Que had discussed this matter with Ye Qingxi. He felt that Ye Qingxi's film was quite good. Although youth films were not favored by the judges, considering his box office performance and his cinematic language in the film, Feng Que felt that he was not entirely out of the running.
But Ye Qingxi refused.
He clearly has his own ideas about this.
“If I were to submit an application, I would definitely want to win an award. However, films like ‘Midsummer’ are not the kind of movies that judges would like. So I might as well save this opportunity for next year, for my second film.”
Ye Qingxi said, "Which film, a suspense film or a youth film, has a higher chance of winning an award, Daddy, you must know, right?"
"Besides, suspense films offer more room for artistic expression."
"Moreover," Ye Qingxi smiled, "the most important point is that my father will be in this film next year, so we can apply for awards together and get nominated together."
Seeing that he had his own plans, Feng Que was relieved. "Then Daddy will wait and see you and your father win an award together next year."
Ye Qingxi: ...I hope so.
Therefore, Feng Que replied, "He will apply this year."
Director Xu Hong nodded, "I knew it. It's good to submit this year; the chances of winning an award are much higher this year."
Director Xu Jing also said, "I also think he has a good chance of winning the award."
"It's a pity that some sacrifices had to be made for the sake of box office success, otherwise he could have competed for the three major international film festivals," Director Zhao said regretfully.
Director Fu, who has been promoted from assistant director to director of a film, said with a smile: "No rush, he's still so young. He'll have plenty of opportunities to go to film festivals in the future."
“Wait a minute,” Director Fu suddenly remembered something and looked at Feng Que, “He shouldn’t be like you, retiring from the entertainment industry at thirty, right?”
Phoenix Palace: ...
Feng Que smiled elegantly. It was really hard to say. After all, judging from Old Master Mu's attitude, he wouldn't give up on Ye Qingxi going to the Mu family's group.
And let alone the Mu family's group, even their own group will belong to his son in the future.
He's still young and can continue, but eventually his son will have to take over.
So, Feng Que really doesn't know how long Ye Qingxi can stay as a director.
But no matter how long he stays here, he hopes to find the happiness and fulfillment he desires.
He also believed that he could do it!
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