Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 320 The Movie Queen and the Bet

when……

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the hearty laughter of Liu Shishi, Yang Mi lost her appetite.

She was weighing the pros and cons, and also considering the gains and losses.

Tangren wasn't the first to extend an invitation; Xinbaoyuan had also said something similar when she was filming "Struggle".

However, Xinbaoyuan's idea is that she can consider joining Xinbaoyuan after her contract with Rongxinda expires.

Yang Mi and Rong Xinda made their date before 2002, when she had just graduated from junior high school and hadn't started high school yet.

The contract was signed for eight years and expired in 2010.

She had considered leaving Rongxinda last year, but didn't want to be branded as ungrateful.

The company takes a high percentage of the profits and imposes many restrictions on the artist's autonomy. Most importantly, Rong Xinda cannot provide her with the resources she wants.

This is a good opportunity to leave the company, but I haven't really thought about which company to sign with.

"Spring and Autumn Period," Yang Mi sighed, her emotions a complex mix.

This is undoubtedly the best option, and countless newly debuted artists would do anything to get in.

Previously, the way Spring & Autumn Entertainment signed artists was considered a matter of luck, but after Bai Bing rose to prominence, people found it even less so, because this agent had very high standards.

Good looks, talent, personality, and character are all acceptable, but they even demand that one has depth and culture.

Yang Mi sighed again, "I definitely meet the requirements, so signing a contract is very easy for me."

However, the focus of training for the younger generation in the Spring and Autumn period was Tang Yan.

In order to promote Tang Yan, Jiahe and Chunqiu poured a lot of resources into her.

At the beginning of the year, Fatty Wang directed "The Sniper and the Strategist" and handpicked Tang Yan to be the female lead.

In Wilson Yip's film "Ip Man," Bai Bing helps Tang Yan win the lead role of Cheung Wing-sing and even trains her in Wing Chun etiquette for three months.

Golden Harvest will begin filming "Storm Riders 2" next year. The production team has just been formed, and Tang Yan's name has already been added to the credits.

Yang Mi had long been envious. While she was still working in TV dramas, her co-star had already appeared on the big screen multiple times, and always as the leading lady.

Chunqiu's intention to promote Tang Yan is obvious. Even if she had gone to the past, she could only be ranked second because of her elder brother's connections.

Sugar man?

Yang Mi sighed again. Sugar Man Entertainment is a small company with limited resources, and its artists are only able to gain exposure through their own productions. Currently, Sugar Man Entertainment is heavily promoting Liu Shishi; if she were to join them, she would only be in the second tier, so she might as well go to Chunqiu Entertainment.

She was puzzled. They were both vying for a man with Liu Yifei, so why was this petty woman so fixated on her?

Tang Yan and Shu Chang submitted to Liu Yifei's tyranny and became his lackeys.

That little vixen Liu Shishi has quite the ambition; she's not content with being just a minor celestial being, and her desire to usurp her place runs deep. Why doesn't Liu Yifei cause trouble for Liu Shishi? Is it because they share the same surname, Liu?

"Honey, are you raising fish? Let's get this done."

Yang Mi was thinking when Liu Shishi urged her on.

"Oh, okay." Yang Mi didn't even look at it and downed the drink in one gulp. "Ha, this wine is really strong. I still prefer something with a lighter aroma."

Liu Jing was stunned. There were three ounces of liquor in the cup, and everyone else had only drunk a third of it, but Yang Mi downed it in one gulp.

"Liu Shishi, you..." Yang Mi realized what was happening. Damn it, she was drinking baijiu (Chinese liquor), while that little bitch Liu Shishi was drinking beer.

The little lion sneered, "If I don't trick you, who will I trick? You were the one who let your mind wander."

Old Cai invited you to Tangren, and you actually considered it.

"Sister K, Mimi drank it all, you should set an example too. If you want to invite Mimi to our company, you can't fall behind in drinking." Little Lion smiled, "If I don't get you drunk, I won't have a chance tonight."

"This is baijiu (Chinese liquor), not a beverage," Old Cai said with a wry smile.

"Mr. Cai, it's just a glass of baijiu, nothing at all. You're a veteran, this is nothing." Yang Mi chimed in, "If Old Cai can't get drunk, how will he play cards tonight?"

"I'm not Shishi, she's just naturally good at drinking." Old Cai wasn't easily swayed by a few words.

"Shishi, you keep one company." Yang Mi changed her target.

"Sister K, I'll drink this, you can do as you please." Little Lion had an ulterior motive, so he immediately picked up a glass of baijiu and drank it all in one gulp.

Yang Mi, that little tagalong, actually followed me home. She decided to teach her a lesson: if Liu Yifei took a picture of me, she'd take a picture of Yang Mi.

Old Cai sighed, "Since you've already done it, how can I just do it casually?"

"Liu Jing, the three of us ladies each had a drink. You can't just stand by and watch." Old Cai felt resentful. "The two girls are only interested in me. You're really biased towards your men."

"Sorry, I'm not feeling well today." Liu Jing didn't want to drink any alcohol; if he drank too much, it would be too dangerous with Lao Cai around.

"What? You're on your period?" Old Cai mocked.

"You guys drink, I'll read the script." Liu Jing didn't explain, and took the script back to his study.

Old Cai muttered to himself, "Such a legitimate reason, I can't even refute it."

Without Liu Jing at the table, the atmosphere among the three ladies was even more harmonious.

Liu Jing flips through the script very quickly. This is only the first draft of "Chinese Paladin 3". There will definitely be a lot of changes later. The basic main storyline will be revealed soon.

He's been playing a lot of games lately, playing with Yang Mi and Liu Shishi, so he's quite familiar with the characters and plot of the script.

"Adaptations, adaptations, the changes are really drastic. 'Chinese Paladin 1' has already been criticized, and 'Chinese Paladin 3' will probably be criticized as well. No matter how it's adapted, there will always be people complaining," Liu Jing muttered. Completely adhering to the original work is simply impossible. Some plot points are too bland and must be adapted.

He pondered for a moment, picked up a pen, and wrote down his suggestions: "The script adaptation is good. I have a few suggestions that I hope the screenwriters will consider carefully."

First, the two villains were too hastily made; I hope they can be reworked.

The Demon Lord's character needs further development. The game's portrayal was quite good, both affectionate and domineering. However, the adapted character is one-dimensional, weakened into a "love-obsessed" individual, becoming merely a "tool" for Zi Xuan and a "background" for the Evil Sword Immortal. I hope to enhance the Demon Lord's imposing presence as the ultimate boss. I also have a small suggestion: increase the scenes of Chonglou and Jingtian's fateful showdown, which could be shown through an illusion depicting the thousand-year-old feud between Fei Peng and the Demon Lord.

The Evil Sword Immortal is too talkative, which lowers his overall sophistication and lacks the game's concept of him as a "collection of human evil." It's suggested that the Evil Sword Immortal's design be revised, perhaps allowing him to possess different characters and reveal the darker side of humanity. For example, he could possess Maoshan and create a scene of brothers turning against each other.

Second, the emotional transitions between the main characters are abrupt and lack logic.

The love story between Zi Xuan and Xu Changqing spans three lifetimes, with the sudden introduction of a "potion of forgetfulness" in their third life, deliberately creating a tragic ending. They could have easily chosen to remember each other and let go gracefully, just like in the game.

Jing Tian and Tang Xuejian bickered quite a bit in the early episodes. While her lively and endearing nature is good, it came across as somewhat unreasonable and less likable. Her sudden display of deep affection later on lacked a smooth transition. It would be better to expand Tang Xuejian's character arc, showing her transformation from a spoiled young lady to someone who ultimately helps Jing Tian shoulder the responsibility of saving the world.

Also, I hope the game's character design for Tang Xuejian will be more faithful to the original, realistic and nuanced, showing that she's arrogant but not brainless, and quite skilled in strategy. My suggestion is to avoid exaggeration for the sake of humor, emphasize the intelligence of the Tang Clan's young lady, and balance her arrogance with her gentleness.

"I may have a bad temper, but anyone who bullies my people will regret being born!" Wouldn't Tang Xuejian be even more likable with this attitude?

Third, the themes of reincarnation and destiny are completely absent from the game.

As the reincarnation of Fei Peng, Jing Tian shouldn't just be portrayed as an underdog's rise to power, lacking an exploration of his struggles with his divine and demonic identity. Adding dream sequences to show the impact of Fei Peng's memories on him, especially during his scenes with Chong Lou, would be beneficial.

The Five Elemental Pearls and the Demon-Locking Tower have been reduced to mere quest items and become just a noun. The Five Elemental Pearls can be explained through the Elder of Shu Mountain, which will deepen the theme.

Fourth, the style is inconsistent, starting with humor and ending with heartbreak...

fifth,……

……

Finally, the adaptation has a very down-to-earth feel, which is a charm that distinguishes it from games. It's suggested that while retaining the humor of everyday life, the core of the fantasy genre be deepened. Regarding Chonglou, his relationship with Jingtian—a complex mix of rivalry and friendship—could be expanded, rather than being solely tied to a romantic subplot.

Finally, it is recommended to use an open ending to satisfy different audiences.

Last but not least, Mr. Cai's budget is 40 million. Don't let this budget hold you back. I reiterate, go all out; there's no upper limit to the budget.

Liu Jing stretched and was quite satisfied with the adapted Jing Tian, ​​which was basically in line with the original work and seemed to have added some of his own characteristics.

Greedy, sharp-tongued, and shrewd, but also affectionate, gentle, and loyal.

From an "ordinary person" to a "heroic knight-errant," Jing Tian was completely pushed forward.

In reality, he was an ordinary person who loved money and was afraid of death. He was forced into becoming a hero by the times, but he always retained his commoner nature.

His cowardice and courage, selfishness and deep affection coexist; even in the later stages, he is still a human being, not a knight-errant.

"I'm just a pawnshop clerk, but I'll fight anyone who touches my people." Liu Jing sighed, feeling that this sentence best embodied Jing Tian.

Liu Jing closed the script, checked the time; he had entered the study around 8:00, and it was already past 11:00.

It was quiet outside. He completely forgot about the drinking party, the beautiful woman, and the passage of time.

The little lion was lying on the sofa, watching a silent TV. The table and room were tidy, as if the drinking party had never happened.

"Where's Lao Cai?" Liu Jing asked, puzzled.

"Sister K has gone back." The little lion got up and handed over the tea he had brewed. "I didn't dare to bother you. Are you thirsty? I left some food for you. Have a bite."

"I'm not eating anymore. Why did Old Cai go back?" Liu Jing was surprised. Abbess Miejue came with a suitcase, obviously intending to stay at the Lion Grove Garden for the night.

"She said it wasn't convenient." Little Lion's face turned red. Before Old Cai left, his meaningful gaze lingered between her and Yang Mi, making Little Lion feel flustered.

"She's smart enough to know her place," Liu Jing muttered, then asked, "Where's Mimi? Did she go back too?"

"She's had too much to drink." The little lion laughed. This scene was so familiar. It was a pity that his senior brother wasn't drunk, otherwise he probably wouldn't have given him the chance to take pictures of Yang Mi.

"How are you?"

"I'm waiting for you."

What are we waiting for? The senior and junior brothers and sisters quickly became one.

After some time, the little lion suddenly said, "Senior brother, why don't we go next door?"

"Forget it, Mimi's had too much to drink. If you really care, we can play cards together when she sobers up," Liu Jing refused.

The little lion bit its lip, "I'd rather die than play cards with you. If you don't play with Yang Mi, how am I supposed to take pictures secretly? I've already gotten myself involved."

"Shishi, go to sleep quickly, you have training tomorrow." Liu Jing turned off the light and pulled the blanket over himself.

"Senior brother, I also drank too much that night, and I didn't see you show any pity." The little lion sighed softly.

"That night... I drank too much too." Liu Jing's words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back. He understood what the little lion wanted to say, and suddenly realized what the other was up to. He couldn't help but smile wryly; Qianqian had really set a good example.

He really wanted to tell the little lion, "Don't worry, I've deleted all those photos and videos."

But he didn't dare say it; Sisi's threat was still echoing in his ears.

Liu Jing always felt that these things on Sisi's phone were a potential problem. What if the phone was lost one day, or someone else accidentally saw them? If the photos were leaked, given Sisi's personality, she might really do something drastic.

One day, while Qianqian was taking a shower, Liu Jing opened her phone and deleted all the photos.

Sisi quickly realized that she didn't suspect Liu Jing knew beforehand, and assumed that he had accidentally found out while looking through her phone.

She never hid her password from Liu Jing, making it convenient for him to check her phone at any time.

Sisi was naturally unwilling and started arguing with Liu Jing. Unfortunately, the files had already been deleted, and Liu Jing, to prevent future problems, had even formatted the memory.

Finally, Xixi threatened, "If you dare tell Liu Shishi that you deleted the photos, we're breaking up."

"You little tagalong, consider yourself lucky," Liu Shishi muttered to herself. Her senior brother's alcohol tolerance was so-so; he'd black out after half a jin (250ml). She felt like today was scripted like "Chinese Paladin 3," rescuing Yang Mi.

Yang Mi was sleeping soundly over there, occasionally smacking her lips, probably dreaming about eating something delicious.

Her phone was in her coat pocket, buzzing intermittently, but she was completely unaware.

Somewhere in Yandu, the two CEOs of Rong Xinda couldn't sleep. They had just finished dinner with two investors. During the meal, the investors stated that Yang Mi was perfectly suited to play Lin Daiyu, and if she didn't take the role, there was no point in investing in the production.

Having been in the underworld for so many years, these two knew exactly what was going on. Yang Mi certainly didn't have that kind of ability; it was her man who made the move.

The one who tied the knot must untie it; compared to Liu Jing, the two felt that Yang Mi was easier to handle.

But when I made the calls, they all disappeared without a trace, and there was no response at all.

“Shao Hong, you and Tian Zhuangzhuang are on good terms. Liu Jing is Tian Zhuangzhuang’s student, why don’t you give him a call?” Li Xiaowan said.

“I’ve already called him. Old Tian said he won’t get involved in these messy things,” Li Shaohong sighed.

"Hey! You old fox, he's siding with Liu Jing, not you at all!" Li Xiaowan said angrily.

"What did President Han say?" Li Shaohong sighed again. "Forget about him, I don't even want to get involved. This matter originally had nothing to do with Rong Xinda, why should we get involved?"

If she were Li Xiaowan, she definitely wouldn't allow the other person to harass Yang Mi privately; she would have simply ignored it. But instead, her business partner forced Yang Mi to accompany that person.

"He told me to apologize to Liu Jing." Li Xiaowan gritted her teeth. This was humiliating. I hadn't done anything wrong.

“Sigh…” Li Shaohong sighed.

"I'll handle the funding problem. So many people are vying to invest. I can't do anything to Liu Jing, but I can't control Yang Mi, can I? Heh, she wants to join the 'Three Kingdoms' production team, right? I won't let her go. Even if she gets the role, she won't be able to go." Li Xiaowan sneered.

"When will the injustice be repaid?"

"Just focus on filming, don't worry about these things."
-
Whirring whirring……

The wind howled, and sand flew everywhere.

It was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face because you couldn't open your eyes.

"Director, ptooey! Director, cough cough, you really know how to pick a location." Donnie Yen said, spitting out sand as he spoke.

"Liu Jing, are you alright?" Chen Jiashang shouted.

The flying sand and gravel are all effects created by the blower.

The horse was startled and neighed loudly. Liu Jing jumped off the horse and rolled twice to cushion the fall.

He found the location, and he was very satisfied. The weather wasn't his problem, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Filming for "Painted Skin" has started quietly in Yi County, and after three days, the director is very dissatisfied with the progress.

It's not that the actors weren't good enough, nor that they didn't work hard enough.

Before filming began, Liu Jing and Donnie Yen underwent two weeks of sparring training, Liu Yifei and Fan Bingbing spent two months studying their characters, and Sun Li, who was filming action scenes for the first time, was injured multiple times during training.

But this damn weather is really depressing.

"Wear a fur coat in the morning and a gauze dress at noon, eat watermelon by the stove"—this saying applies not only to the Western Regions but also to this place.

We can endure both the cold and the heat; we're all professional actors. Filming winter scenes during the hottest days of summer and summer scenes during the coldest days of winter is a common occurrence.

Either the wind is too strong, or there is no wind at all.

When there is no wind, a blower can be used.

The sandstorm was too strong, so filming had to be stopped.

"I'm fine." Liu Jing sat on the ground. The weather was hot, and he had to wear armor. It was really tough.

"Stop! Let's call it a day," Chen Jiashang shouted.

Cheers erupted, with Donnie Yen shouting the loudest.

He didn't have any scenes today, but he did some action choreography work, which involved more lines than the actors, and he vomited half a pound of sand.

"Time to eat watermelon! Time to eat watermelon!" Sisi shouted from inside the tent.

She held a knife in her hand and skillfully cut the pieces into very even slices.

I was still quite clumsy at cutting watermelons the day before yesterday, but now I'm incredibly skilled.

"Liu Jing, let's go eat watermelon." Donnie Yen pulled Liu Jing up from the ground.

"Brother Zhen, I envy you. This scene was originally meant for you, but the director cut it," Liu Jing sighed.

"Haha, I envy you. Taking the enemy's head amidst a sea of ​​soldiers, when the movie is released, it will definitely be a hit with countless young girls." Donnie Yen laughed.

"This scene is over, tomorrow's scene will be easy, Liu Jing, it won't be difficult for you." Chen Jiashang said with a smile.

"That's it?" Liu Jing asked in surprise.

"Yes! Just cut out the part where he falls from grace, it won't affect anything," Chen Jiashang explained.

"Sissi is supposed to perform tomorrow," Liu Jing muttered, wondering how her preparations were going. He asked her several times, but she just gave him a smug look, saying, "She's definitely better than you. I'm going to win Best Actress this time."

An actress who doesn't aspire to be a Best Actress is not a good actress.

Sisi wasn't a good actress to begin with, and she never had these kinds of thoughts. Best Actress awards are reserved for veteran actors; they have nothing to do with newcomers like us.

The nominations for the 44th Golden Horse Awards were announced on Liu Jing's birthday.

"Lust, Caution" received 11 nominations, "The Tale of the Condor Heroes" received 5 nominations, and "Secret" received 4 nominations.

"The Sacred Flame" did not go home empty-handed; it received four nominations: Best Actress, Best New Performer, Best Action Choreography, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Best New Performer award went to Jing Tian, ​​while the other three competitors were Tang Wei (Lust, Caution), Eddie Peng (Gene Decides I Love You), and Luo Jiawei (Yi).

Jing Tian bought herself a gorgeous dress and excitedly attended tonight's awards ceremony.

Liu Jing didn't discourage her; this time, Tang Wei was practically guaranteed the Best New Actress award, and Jing Tian was destined to only receive a nomination.

Liu Jing was surprised by the Best Actress nominee. When the production team submitted the application, Gao Yuanyuan was nominated for the lead role, while Zhang Min was nominated for the supporting role.

The jury moved Zhang Min from supporting actress to lead actress and nominated her for Best Actress. The other three nominees were Rene Liu for Kidnapping, Li Bingbing for The Knot, and Tang Wei for Lust, Caution.

When the producers of "Lust, Caution" submitted the film, they did not nominate Tang Wei for Best Actress, but she was still nominated by the jury for Best Actress.

Many people didn't understand. This year's Best Actress nominations are really strange. It's one thing for the jury not to disclose the voting process, but to nominate actresses like this is another.

Many people understand that this year's Best Actress award will be decided between Tang Wei and Zhang Min.

Liu Jing knew better; someone had already contacted Zhang Min, who was slated to win the Best Actress award at this year's Golden Horse Awards. "Lust, Caution" was highly controversial, and if Tang Wei won Best Actress for this film, the controversy would only intensify.

The production company has given up on Tang Wei and has no intention of letting her win the Best Actress award.

The jury clearly favored "Lust, Caution," pushing Tang Wei to the nomination, but that was the end of it.

As for why Zhang Min was brought up, it wasn't to award actress Zhang Min, but rather to crown the boss of Chunqiu Film & Television.

This spurred Sisi on. She thought, "If someone with acting skills like Zhang Min can be nominated for Best Actress, then I want to win Best Actress too."

"So many watermelons? That must have cost a lot of money." Liu Jing walked into the tent and was very surprised to see the mountain of watermelons piled up.

This isn't summer, and watermelons aren't cheap. The production crew buying so many watermelons suggests a problem with budget management. They're already short on funds; they can't afford such extravagance.

"Mengdie visited the set and brought a truckload of watermelons," Qianqian quickly explained. "This petty girl, she's stingy when you invest, but when you don't, she's more extravagant than anyone else."

"Hehe, it's time to visit the set." Liu Jing chuckled. He really knows how to pick his time, coming right when Liu Jing is filming.

"That's right," Sisi sighed. This was the third or fourth time; she was already used to it. Liu Jing didn't join the crew, and Mengdie didn't visit the set; she didn't know if it was intentional or unintentional.

"Where is she?" Liu Jing looked around but couldn't find the little princess.

"Their country doesn't have scenery like this. They've taken people around to play." Sisi pouted. Sure enough, they're from a small place and have no experience.

What's so great about the desert? The Taklamakan, Gurbantünggüt, Badain Jaran, Tengger Desert, Mu Us Desert, and so on—aren't they all more spectacular than this place?

"I'm going back first. I won't see her tonight. Come find me early so we can watch the Golden Horse Awards ceremony together." Liu Jing slurped down two slices of watermelon and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Okay, go change your clothes." Sisi nodded. Her best friend's visit was just a pretext; the real purpose was to talk business.

If you get along well, you'll still be best friends; if you don't, you'll just be ordinary business partners.

"Don't forget our bet," Liu Jing reminded him.

"Don't worry! Zhang Min definitely won't win Best Actress." Sisi was full of confidence. She had watched all of Zhang Min's movies, and Zhang Min's performance was the worst.

Besides, how could a martial arts film possibly win you an award? It's definitely Tang Wei's turn.

Liu Jing chuckled. Naive sister, winning awards isn't about acting skills, it's about the behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

He gets excited just thinking about the stakes; whoever loses can make any demands.

He's already decided that he'll pay the full amount for the "Fairy Sister" this time, leaving no regrets.

(End of this chapter)