Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 253 Never Abandon, Never Give Up

"Those six words are the foundation of that place's pride."

"Those six words never even entered your heart."

"I've never entered your heart."

"Never give up, never abandon."

……

In the dimly lit screening room, Yuan Lang's voice echoed.

The dozens of people were quiet and didn't make a sound.

Only the sound of breathing and the vibration of voice could be heard.

This is the screening room of Spring Autumn Pictures, where "Soldiers Sortie" is being shown. It has been playing for two hours.

After rehearsal ended at noon, Liu Jing and the girls grabbed a quick bite to eat before going their separate ways.

Jing Tian went to the set of "Struggle" to familiarize herself with the environment there.

Li Xiaoran then went on to work on the Zhuwai Academy, since this was the first term and there was still some finishing touches to be done.

The little lion went back to pack her luggage; she was going to report to the Sugar Man Building in Hengdian.

As for Zeng Li, the two of them had already made plans for their evening activities during dinner, without anyone knowing.

She went home to rest and make some preparations.

Liu Jing rushed back to the company before even finishing his lunch.

He had arranged to meet the "Soldiers Sortie" crew at 4 PM, but they arrived at 3:30 PM.

Producer Zhang Qian, along with director Kang Honglei, screenwriter Lan Xiaolong, and lead actors Wang Baoqiang, Chen Sicheng, and Zhang Yi, arrived together under the guidance of Duan Yihong.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone decided to watch the film first and then talk.

No one can say for sure what the film will be like.

As the end credits rolled, the quiet screening room erupted into noise.

Snapped……

The light is on.

Everyone's eyes turned to the beautiful woman sitting in the very center.

"Ms. Wen, could you give me some advice?" The producer, seeing that Zhou Wenqiong remained silent, had no choice but to ask.

He came today full of confidence, but when he found that the woman was in charge, his heart sank.

Throughout the screening, he kept a close eye on Mr. Wen's expression.

He remained expressionless throughout, and his still warm heart cooled down even further.

He's been dealing a lot with TV station buyers lately, both for satellite channels and even more for local stations.

If the person is a woman, there is generally no opportunity for further discussion.

There were also some female directors who wanted to talk further, but not about the film, but about the male leads.

"This drama is well-made. It's about not giving up and not abandoning the cause. It's very shocking and moving to see a rogue soldier rise step by step to become a king of soldiers." Zhou Wenqiong said calmly, but her words only made everyone's hearts sink. "However, this is a men's drama, so my opinions may be biased. Liu Jing, what are your thoughts?"

“Auntie, you’re in charge of the Spring and Autumn Publishing Department.” In front of outsiders, Liu Jing naturally had to give his aunt face.

"If it were up to me, I wouldn't buy this film at all. It's not that it's bad, but the people who like to watch this kind of film aren't the main consumers. There's no mother-in-law/daughter-in-law dynamic, no melodramatic twists, no messy soap operas—it won't attract the attention of women and children. They are the main consumers, the audience that advertisers and sponsors like." Zhou Wenqiong spoke bluntly, and her repeated "no" brought a glimmer of hope to the gloomy eyes of the crowd. "However, since I'm also a woman, Liu Jing can decide how to collaborate on this film."

The aunt smiled. Although Liu Jing didn't say anything, she understood her nephew's thoughts. If he didn't think highly of the film, he wouldn't have personally come to discuss it. Not knowing what Liu Jing was planning, she played the bad cop, placing a favor on him, and even more on him.

"Producer Zhang, how much is the budget for this film? How many TV stations have you reached an agreement with so far?" Liu Jing asked.

“Just call me Lao Zhang, that’s what my friends call me.” Zhang Qian quickly replied, with a wry smile. “This film has an investment of 12 million, and currently only one second-tier local TV station is in talks with us.”

“Our company can offer 20 million to buy out this film, including distribution, channels, DVDs, and related copyrights.” Liu Jing didn’t want to waste words. His aunt didn’t really like the film, but he genuinely loved it. This was a real man’s film, even more manly than a martial arts drama.

Liu Jing wasn't expecting to make money from this film; he just wanted to avoid losing too much money.

He spent a fortune to acquire a horse's bones, setting his sights on the production team and the military drama genre.

In everyone's eyes, Chunqiu is good at producing historical dramas and martial arts dramas, which means that other types of scripts rarely come to them.

Liu Jing wanted to break this established concept through "Soldiers Sortie".

"but……"

Before Zhang Qian's joy could even surface, his heart sank again. He silently grumbled, "You people from the Spring and Autumn period, you just can't be more likable. If this keeps up, I'm really done for."

"However, I have two small requests, which you may or may not agree to."

"Go on," Zhang Qian said, his expression not very good. "We didn't bring any ladies today, precisely because we were afraid they might make unreasonable demands, but we didn't expect..."

As he was lost in thought, Liu Jing continued, "Brother Lan, you're from the Department of Dramatic Literature at the Central Academy of Drama, right? You were involved in the screenwriting of 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes.' I've heard Director Zhang mention you; he greatly admires your talent."

"Not at all," Lan Xiaolong said modestly, completely bewildered. How did they suddenly start talking about me? I'm not handsome at all.

"Zhang Yi, you used to be in the Zhan You Drama Troupe, right? Your portrayal of Shi Jin was excellent, with great control of tension and relaxation. Especially the scene where you were discharged from the army, that was truly wonderful," Liu Jing remarked.

The creators of "Soldiers Sortie" looked at each other, wondering what this young master wanted to say. Judging from his appearance, he didn't seem to have any special hobbies, after all, he just picked the two ugliest ones to talk about.

"Haha, Young Master Jing, he really wasn't acting. On the day they filmed the demobilization scene, Zhang Yi received his demobilization certificate." Kang Honglei laughed.

"..." Liu Jing felt he had acted hastily. The information Bai Bing gave him included details of each person, but not this one.

Of the main actors in "Soldiers Sortie," Wang Baoqiang was basically playing himself, so his acting skills weren't particularly outstanding. Duan Yihong was one of their own, while Chen Sicheng, Li Chen, and Xing Jiadong's acting was just so-so—not exceptionally good, but not terrible either.

Liu Jing thought Zhang Yi's acting was the only one he really liked.

There are too many female artists and too few male artists in the Spring and Autumn Film and Television industry, resulting in a severe imbalance of yin and yang.

Bai Bing had suggested to him many times that the company had too few male artists and too few choices, resulting in a waste of resources.

This time, she suggested that since Zhang Yi had changed careers and hadn't signed with a company yet, they should take this opportunity to sign him.

"Ahem, Young Master Jing, that was just a catalyst. Zhang Yi's acting is still the best. He often rehearsed 'Erna Assault' with the drama troupe, doing odd jobs, art direction, extras—he did everything. He remembers every role and every line clearly. When I was preparing to film 'Soldiers' Assault,' he challenged me to a duel..."

"A letter of self-recommendation," Zhang Yi quickly interjected.

"Haha, what a load of rubbish self-recommendation letter, it's more like a challenge. It's thousands of words long, I can barely read it. He wanted to play Xu Sanduo, but his donkey face is completely unsuitable for the role, so I gave him Shi Jin. Later I found out, he's pretty smart. He set his sights on the lead role first, so when negotiating, he'd likely get other roles," Kang Honglei complained.

"Director Kang, I don't have such intentions. You think too highly of me." Zhang Yi chuckled.

Liu Jing was about to give up, but after hearing Kang Honglei's words, he couldn't help but throw out an appraisal.

[Note: Sister Li is driving, someone else is taking the blame.] If it weren't for the fact that two tests were conducted today, Liu Jing would have liked to throw out another test.

"Brother Lan, we at Chunqiu Film and Television are having an event about screenwriting next year, and I'd like to invite you to participate." Liu Jing stopped beating around the bush.

"Spring blossoms and autumn harvests?" Lan Xiaolong asked seriously.

"good."

“I accept.” Lan Xiaolong said without hesitation, praising, “This is a grand event for the screenwriting world, thank you for your invitation.”

“Okay! I’ll have the person in charge contact you.” After saying that, Liu Jing looked to the other side, “Zhang Yi, you haven’t signed with a company yet, right? How about signing with our Chunqiu?”

"Sign with Spring and Autumn?" Before Zhang Yi could say anything, Wang Baoqiang next to him suddenly looked up, nudged his friend, and said excitedly, "Zhang Yi, you've struck it rich! That's great, Spring and Autumn wants you."

Zhang Yi hesitated instead, "I heard... I heard that artists in Spring and Autumn are not allowed to date."

"What nonsense are you talking about? I'd rather not get married than not sign with Spring and Autumn." Wang Baoqiang was anxious and pulled Zhang Yi up. "Young Master Jing, he's willing to sign. Look, he's already raised his hand."

“Mr. Zhang Yi, you have some misunderstandings about our company. A few years ago, when Chunqiu was first established, we did have this clause. President Min is quite familiar with the Hong Kong film industry, and this rule was copied from there. Times are changing, society is progressing, and Chunqiu will not stand still. This clause was removed several years ago. You can ask Brother Duan; he is your friend and wouldn't lie to you about this.” Bai Bing smiled slightly and explained unhurriedly.

There's one thing she didn't mention: only Gao Yuanyuan benefits from this clause.

When the company revised the contract, Zhang Min asked her to sign a new one, but Yi Jie refused.

“Zhang Yi, our company offers excellent benefits, top-notch compensation, and freedom to date. Don’t believe me? Ask Chen Sicheng; he knows a lot about this,” Duan Yihong said with a smile.

"Why ask him?" Zhang Yi wondered.

"He's dating Shen Jianni from Chunqiu." Wang Baoqiang grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth.

"Well, it's not confirmed yet." Chen Sicheng scratched his head.

"Okay! Thank you for your high regard for me. I am willing to sign with Spring and Autumn." Zhang Yi no longer hesitated. With his biggest concern resolved, there was no time to lose.

Countless people in the entertainment industry would kill to sign with Chunqiu Entertainment. Unfortunately, Chunqiu's artist signing process is quite peculiar. They don't consider your background, your looks, or your connections; they have a set of methods that no one else knows about.

It is said that Fan Bingbing and Xu Jinglei wanted to sign with Spring Airlines, but were rejected without hesitation when such big names came to their door.

“I believe that in the near future, you will be glad you made the choice.” Bai Bing stood up and extended her hand in invitation, “Mr. Zhang Yi, please come with me to my office so we can discuss this in detail.”

"Old Chen, why don't you give it a try?" Wang Baoqiang nudged Chen Sicheng with his elbow, his voice low but his tone was anything but quiet.

Bai Bing seemed not to hear, and without pausing for a moment, led Zhang Yi out of the screening room.

"Producer Zhang, Director Kang, you two discuss the details. I'm going out to make a call. Tonight, it's my treat; we'll drink until we drop." Liu Jing saw that the discussion was almost over and it was time to take care of another matter.

An hour ago, Bai Bing told him that Fatty Wang had booked a flight for tomorrow and would arrive in Yandu in the afternoon.

Liu Jingde quickly told Zhang Min, since he had made a decision for her.

Upon hearing about drinking, many people's eyes lit up.

"Haha, let's drink until we drop!" Zhang Qian laughed.

He works at the August First Film Studio, has a military background, and isn't afraid of drinking at all.

Besides, now that the deal is done, there's no longer any worry about losing money. With the burden off, I'd like to have a good drink.

Liu Jing returned to his office and briefly recounted the events to Zhang Min.

Zhang Min sighed softly, "You little devil, you're just going to torment me to death."

"Sister, the first film I ever made was 'The Kung Fu Cult Master' with you. This film is of great significance to me. It's a pity there's no sequel, and I want to direct it to make up for that regret," Liu Jing said frankly.

"You made a condition to that fatso on my behalf, so I'll make a condition to you in return." Zhang Min sighed softly. What else could she say? Even if she retired from acting, she still had to support him.

Looking back at his two comebacks after retiring from acting, one was for Xixi, and the other was for Liu Jing, it really is...

“Sister, even if you don’t film this movie, I will agree to whatever your conditions are,” Liu Jing replied.

"I'm thirty-eight this year, and I want to have a little Wuji to play with," Zhang Min said, sounding quite nervous.

“We’ve never used any protection. If you get pregnant, you can have the baby whenever you want. I won’t object,” Liu Jing said softly.

"I went for a checkup, and there's nothing wrong with my body..."

"Sister, didn't you suspect before that I was practicing some kind of secret technique? Actually, my physique is quite special, and the success rate is relatively low. This isn't your fault." Liu Jing remained calm; he had been prepared. Finally, someone noticed something was wrong.

"It's quite special," Zhang Min muttered, having already guessed it, so she wasn't too surprised.

"A low probability doesn't mean it's impossible. Just try a few more times, and the chances will increase," Liu Jing said with a smile.

"You'll drive me crazy sooner or later," Zhang Min muttered, and hung up the phone.

Gao Yuanyuan rose to fame with her role as Zhou Zhiruo, a role that could sustain her for a lifetime.

She's currently filming, trying out different types of roles, all in an effort to break free from the character of Zhou Zhiruo.

If someone else invited her to play Zhou Zhiruo again, she would not even consider it and would absolutely not take the role.

But this is the first film directed by Wuji, and Minjie plays her love rival this time. She feels that she can perform exceptionally well.

Forget about turning evil or not; releasing the little devil suppressed in your heart is even more evil than turning evil.

The dinner location was not far from the company, and three tables were set up.

Liu Jing's table was full of grown men: Zhang Qian, Kang Honglei, Wang Baoqiang, Chen Sicheng, and the manager of Spring Airlines' distribution department.

He was secretly on guard, thinking to himself that he should be careful tonight and not drink too much.

Just as they were on guard, they suddenly saw Chen Sicheng take out a bag of fruit from his pocket, take out a fruit, and put it in his mouth to chew.

Wang Baoqiang noticed Liu Jing's gaze. "Chen Sicheng is cunning. He thinks baijiu is too strong, so he uses this stuff to cheat. It's so good, but it doesn't taste like alcohol anymore. What a waste."

When Young Master Jing makes a move, it's naturally Moutai.

This is the terms agreed upon after the cooperation was finalized; if the agreement fails, it's Jiannanchun (a type of Chinese liquor).

"You think everyone's like you, drinking liquor like water?" Chen Sicheng said irritably.

"Cheating?" Liu Jing asked curiously. Could it be liver-protecting medicine?

Watching Zhang Qian pour the wine, he suddenly regretted not going to see Lao Yang beforehand and asking for some of his drinking gadgets.

"How's your alcohol tolerance?" Wang Baoqiang asked.

"Three ounces and you're dizzy, four ounces and you're drunk, five ounces and you're asleep, six ounces and you don't even know who you are," Liu Jing replied.

"If you can't hold your liquor, don't eat this stuff. If you put this in your mouth, even water will taste sweet. And the alcohol will taste sweet too, so you'll easily drink too much."

"Hey! Let me have a couple to try. This liquor is so spicy, how did you manage to make it sweet?" Liu Jing's curiosity was piqued.

(End of this chapter)