Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 663 Visiting the Set of "Ghost Blows Out the Light"

In the morning, Gulina followed Zhang Chen into the room.

What are my plans for today?

Since having an assistant, Zhang Chen no longer needs to keep track of his schedule.

"You have a meeting at 10 o'clock, convened by Manager Zhong. Attendees include senior management and heads of all departments."

Despite being only on her second day at work, Gulina is already doing a remarkable job.

In the top-floor conference room, a group of senior executives entered one after another, and the atmosphere inside gradually became tense.

At the end of the long conference table, a projector displayed the meeting's agenda: "A review of the progress of the IPO preparations."

Zhang Chen arrived last, the conference room door closed, and the meeting began.

“You are all core members of the company, and you should understand what going public means for us.”

She glanced at the executives present, her voice not loud but carrying an undeniable authority, "We expect to go public in November. Film projects released around this time are especially important, I don't need to remind you of that, do I?"

Four films released during the summer, National Day, Lunar New Year, and Spring Festival seasons represent our answer to the capital market.

Box office revenue, word-of-mouth, and buzz are all indispensable.

"Summer blockbuster 'The Equalizer,' National Day blockbuster 'Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,' Lunar New Year blockbuster 'Inception,' and Spring Festival blockbuster 'Ghost Blows Out the Light.' Please make sure these four films are box office hits. A film's success is directly linked to its stock price..."

The distribution director pushed up his glasses and added, "Director Zhang, Manager Zhong, of all these film projects, the one I'm most worried about is actually 'Ghost Blows Out the Light'."

"The Equalizer" is a sister film to "Taken," so it naturally comes with its own hype. "Mission: Impossible 4" is also a sequel to a popular IP. Although "Inception" is a new film, it should perform well because it's being promoted alongside "Mission: Impossible 4." However, "Candle in the Tomb" is our first attempt at adapting a web novel into a film, and to be honest, I'm really not confident about it..."

"Then what do you need us to do?" Zhong Lifang knew that her subordinates were asking her for help.

"I want to give it as much exposure as possible during the filming stage, and I want to keep 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' in the spotlight at all times..."

"Okay, Mr. Chen will allocate more Weibo resources to 'Ghost Blows Out the Light'..."

Zhong Lifang mentioned that the General Manager Chen was Chen Xiaowei, who was in charge of Weibo operations. Then she turned to Zhang Chen and said, "Currently, the 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' crew is filming on location in the Hulunbuir Grassland in Inner Mongolia. Director Zhang, would you like to visit the set?"

Zhong Lifang's intention was clear: to use Zhang Chen's own fame to promote "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

"can."

Zhang Chen shrugged. He had just finished revising the script for Mission: Impossible 4 last night, so visiting Ning Hao on set seemed like a good idea.

"Thank you for your support, Director Zhang."

Before the meeting was over, someone approached Gulnazar and handed her a folder with a gold-embossed logo: "Nazha's assistant, Director Zhang wants you to hurry back to the office to pack your things. The private plane leaves at 2 PM to visit the set of 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' in Hulunbuir."

Gulina was stunned for a moment, and almost dropped the folder in her hand.

She was only at Star Entertainment for two days when she had to accompany her boss on a business trip.

I felt a little uneasy, but otherwise, I felt a real sense of urgency.

He checked his watch; his flight was at 2 PM, and it was almost 11 AM already, so he didn't have much time.

Fortunately, there were well-established contingency plans for all of these. She quickly ran back to her workstation, turned on her computer, and pulled up Zhang Chen's travel preferences.

He listed his usual neck pillow, sugar-free black coffee, blue light blocking glasses, as well as his change of clothes and toiletries, and then rushed to the elevator with the folder, afraid of being late.

……

At 1:30 p.m., Gulina, carrying two suitcases, followed Zhang Chen to the airport's VIP tarmac.

When the red-painted private jet 'Crimson Storm' came into view, she couldn't help but hold her breath.

The phone has sleek lines and features the Star Entertainment logo, which appears even more vibrant in the sunlight.

As she walked up the gangway, she was amazed by the cabin's layout—leather sofas, a small bar, a private lounge, and even a mini conference room.

Zhang Chen noticed her unease and said with a smile, "Is this your first time sitting here? Relax, you'll have many more business trips to come."

Gulina nodded reluctantly, quickly put her suitcase away, poured Zhang Chen a glass of warm water, and then sat down on the seat next to her. Her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her clothes, but her eyes couldn't help but curiously look at everything in the cabin.

……

Three hours later, the plane landed at a small airport in Hulunbuir.

As soon as she stepped out of the cabin, a cold wind carrying the scent of grass hit her face, and Gulina couldn't help but wrap her coat tighter.

Not far away, a man wearing a military green jacket and a baseball cap was waving. Zhang Chen smiled and said, "Xiao Jun, thank you for making this trip."

Yue Xiaojun walked over quickly and shook hands with Zhang Chen: "Director Zhang, you're too kind. Director Ning asked me to make sure you get to the film set."

He turned to look at Gulina, puzzled by her identity—Director Zhang's new female companion?

Gulina introduced herself, saying, "Hello, Teacher Yue, I'm Gulina, Director Zhang's new assistant!"

"Oh, hello Miss Gu~"

Gulnazar's face darkened: "You can call me Nazha~"

"Oh, hello Ms. Nazha."

The group got into the SUV, and Yue Xiaojun drove while introducing the filming progress:

"We've been filming here for almost a month now, mainly outdoor scenes in the grasslands and deserts."

We originally planned to wrap up the outdoor scenes last week, but a light rain a few days ago delayed the schedule by two days. Otherwise, if you had come two more days later, you would have had to watch the indoor scenes in Huairou.

Zhang Chen asked, "How are the actors doing? Have there been any unexpected situations?"

Yue Xiaojun sighed: "Liu Ye and Jiang Tao are adapting quite well. Every day after filming, they even learn to ride horses with the herdsmen."

Xia Yu had some water and soil acclimatization issues a couple of days ago, but she's fine now.

The most surprising person was Maggic Q. Don't let her being an actress fool you; she's skilled at horseback riding and wire work. Yesterday, during a desert chase scene, she performed her own stunts and nailed it in one take. Director Ning praised her professionalism.

"Where's Director Ning? I called him last night, but no one answered."

When asked about Ning Hao, Yue Xiaojun scratched his head sheepishly: "Director Ning's situation is a bit special; he drank too much last night."

Zhang Chen could tell from Yue Xiaojun's expression that there was more to the story: "What's wrong?"

Yue Xiaojun didn't intend to hide anything: "Last night, Director Ning said he wanted to build good relationships with the local herders, so he took us to visit a herder who had helped us a lot to express our gratitude, and then we drank too much~" "That's all?"

At this point, Yue Xiaojun finally couldn't hold back: "When the herders and we helped Ning Dao out, they kept saying that Ning Dao was a good person, but his alcohol tolerance was low. At that moment, a herder's wife came out of the kitchen and asked, 'How did you get so drunk? I only cooked one dish!'"

Ok?
puff~
Zhang Chen couldn't help but laugh, and finally burst out laughing.

Zhang Chen was also amazed by Ning Hao's audacity. Ning Hao was widely recognized as the best drinker in Inner Mongolia, but he never expected that Ning Hao would dare to provoke such a powerful figure.

Gulina sat in the passenger seat, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

She kept reminding herself that she was a newcomer, and while Zhang Chen could laugh at such gossip, she couldn't.

After driving for more than an hour, the off-road vehicle finally arrived at the film set located deep in the grassland.

From a distance, a cluster of yurts can be seen scattered in an orderly fashion, with several temporary photography studios set up nearby, where staff are busy moving equipment.

Seeing Zhang Chen get out of the car, Ning Hao walked over first, and the two gave each other a warm hug.

"How did it come to be in such a sorry state?"

Ning Hao looked haggard, his cheeks roughened from prolonged exposure to the sun and wind. Although he wasn't exactly handsome before, he now looked more like a rough man.

"I heard that someone only cooked one dish and you got drunk?"

Zhang Chen immediately exposed Ning Hao's past misdeeds upon arrival, prompting Ning Hao to exclaim in alarm, "Yue Xiaojun, you little rascal, you're too quick to speak!"

By this time, Yue Xiaojun had long since disappeared, which caused several people around him to burst into laughter. They were all participants from the previous night.

Several members of the main cast came up to greet him. Liu Ye was wearing a blue overall uniform, with a bit of stubble on his face and a heroic look in his eyes. He plays Hu Bayi.

Jiang Tao, wearing a military green jacket, is slightly overweight with a simple and honest smile on his face. He plays the role of Fatty Wang.

Xia Yu was wearing a floral shirt and holding an abacus, looking completely different from his usual self, like a shrewd gold tooth.

Maggid Q was dressed in outdoor gear, with his long hair tied in a ponytail, sharp eyes, and a powerful aura.

The other three of these people had worked with Star Entertainment before, but this was the first time the two had met Maggitic Q.

Upon seeing Zhang Chen, Maggic Q stepped forward to shake hands: "Director Zhang Chen, I'm Maggic Q. Tom and I have mentioned you many times."

Maggic Q is very clever; he immediately brought up their mutual friend, Tom Cruise.

She was involved in Mission: Impossible III as a member of the IMF, but the film did not bring her much benefit.

"Hello, Miss Li, I bet Tom didn't say anything nice about me~"

Zhang Chen exchanged pleasantries, and the two engaged in a warm conversation.

Gulina stood behind Zhang Chen, quietly organizing the things in her suitcase, but unexpectedly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Jiang Tao said with a smile, "Director Zhang, your assistant is so beautiful, she's even more eye-catching than a female celebrity."

Liu Ye chimed in, "Yes, it's a shame that Nazha's assistant isn't an actress with such good looks."

Gulina blushed and quickly lowered her head.

Zhang Chen laughed and said, "If you're envious, you can try looking for some yourselves. There are beautiful girls in XJ, and there must be some in Inner Mongolia too."

Upon hearing this, everyone joked that they weren't as lucky as him, and the set was immediately filled with laughter, which eased the tense filming atmosphere considerably.

During a break, Ning Hao pulled Zhang Chen aside and whispered, "Chenzi, your assistant has a very exotic look. I think she'd be perfect for the role of the Queen of Jingjue."

Zhang Chen was taken aback for a moment, then realized: "You mean the final big boss in 'Ghost Blows Out the Light'?"

Ning Hao nodded: "Yes, Yang Xiaomi was originally cast, but she came to help out of respect for her friend, so she didn't have many scenes. But with Gulina's looks, just standing there, she looks like the Queen of Jingjue without any makeup. Don't forget that Jingjue Kingdom is in XJ, and Gulina happens to be from XJ."

Zhang Chen frowned: "But we've already decided on Xiao Mi, it wouldn't be good to change our minds so abruptly. Besides, Gu Lina used to be a model, she hasn't studied acting. I'm afraid she can't handle such an important role."

Ning Hao sighed, "I know, but it's a bit of a pity. Oh well, let's stick to the original plan, so that things don't get messy later."

The two looked at each other and shook their heads with some regret.

Gulina stood not far away, watching Zhang Chen and Ning Hao discuss something, feeling both nervous and excited.

Since joining the company, she has met many celebrities, but this is the first time she has been able to get so close to so many big-name directors and leading actors like today.

Liu Ye was discussing script details with the production assistant, Jiang Tao was distributing fruit to everyone, Xia Yu was taking pictures of the grassland scenery, and Maggic Q was sitting at the entrance of the yurt reading the script. Everyone was busy, yet there was a sense of warmth and intimacy between them.

Gulina felt like she was dreaming. She had never seen so many big stars before, and they were all alive and well.

Before dinner, everyone sat around the campfire on the grassland and chatted.

Jiang Tao watched the herdsmen riding horses in the distance and said with great interest, "The horses here are really good. I plan to practice again tomorrow and try to be more natural in front of the camera."

Liu Ye also said, "I used to ride horses in Northeast China when I was a child, but I haven't ridden one for so many years. I was quite rusty at first, and it took me a few days to get the hang of it."

At this moment, someone asked Gulnazar, "Nazha's assistant, you're from Xinjiang, you must be very good at horseback riding, right?"

Gulina shook her head shyly: "Actually, I can't ride a horse. I was born in WLMQ city, and my family runs a small business. I rarely went to the pastoral areas when I was a child, so I never had the chance to learn."

Everyone was surprised to hear this, as they thought all people in Xinjiang could ride horses.

Jiang Tao smiled and said, "It's okay, I'll teach you tomorrow. I guarantee you'll learn the basic horse riding posture in half an hour."

Gulina's eyes lit up, and she quickly thanked him, "That's great, thank you, Brother Tao."

During dinner, everyone chatted about interesting things that happened during the filming process.

Liu Ye recounted an incident during the filming of a desert scene. The sandstorm was so intense that sand got into his mouth right after he finished his lines. After the director yelled "cut," he spat out the sand for a long time, which made everyone burst into laughter.

Jiang Tao then shared an embarrassing story about how he almost crushed a horse while riding it because he was too fat, which made everyone present laugh uproariously.

Maggic Q also mentioned that in order to play the role of Shirley Yang well, she started working out three months in advance, running five kilometers every day, and even learned martial arts. Now her physical fitness is much better than before.

Zhang Chen and Ning Hao listened to everyone's sharing, nodding and smiling from time to time, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Gulina sat to the side, enjoying the delicious hand-pulled mutton while listening to everyone's stories, finding it all very interesting.

So this is what life is like for an assistant.

(End of this chapter)