Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 379 Sending a Daughter
Snapped……

The whip broke.

Shen Ao was about to call a halt when Liu Jing pressed him back down.

Old Han hasn't acted in many films, but he has a wealth of experience.

He remained completely calm and didn't pause; he simply threw the broken whip over.

"Cut! That's a good take. Commander Zhang did a great job on the spot." Liu Jing shouted, very satisfied, especially with the last broken whip—it was a stroke of genius. After hundreds of lashes, you can always pick and choose enough to make a few more, and this broken whip was definitely going to be cut off at the end.

"You passed?" Old Han suddenly lost confidence.

"It worked." Liu Jing gave an affirmative reply. "Uncle Han, did my method work?"

"It worked! It really satisfied my anger." Old Han was happy.

"Commander, do you hate Xiao Nian that much?" Chen Kun asked resentfully.

Old Han's face changed. "Don't misunderstand, I was just slapping the dummy thinking it was Liu Jing. I wasn't thinking about you at all."

Liu Jing's face also changed. "Uncle Han, what deep hatred or grudge do you have against me?"

"Don't misunderstand..." Old Han hurriedly explained, but then suddenly thought, "I am the head of China Film Group, do I need to be afraid of you?"
“You’re acting like a monster. Ask any of them, who doesn’t hate you? I’ve heard you’ve been using this place like a prison, and you’ve almost driven these guys insane.” Old Han sighed, patting Liu Jing on the shoulder. “I know you’re doing this for the sake of the film, so everyone can give a better performance. But you also need to pay attention to the actors’ condition and their psychological well-being. Don’t make a film that ends up driving a few people crazy; then it really becomes just a play.”

"Uncle Han makes a good point." Liu Jing fell into deep thought. He naturally had a plan: to hold a gathering every few days where everyone could talk openly. The first gathering was on the winter solstice, the second on Christmas, and the third was today.

Putting everything else aside, there are just a lot of holidays coming up around the Lunar New Year.

"Have you figured it out?" Old Han was very satisfied. Young people are young people; it's up to us elders to guide them.

"Uncle Han is right. If a few of them really go crazy, wouldn't the publicity be amazing?" Liu Jing's eyes lit up. He was just struggling with the publicity for "The Message," and this was a selling point.

"Goodbye." Old Han gave up. He wasn't a director, and he didn't care about the victims he hadn't met.

"Uncle Han, we have an event tonight for New Year's Eve," Liu Jing said, trying to persuade him to stay.

Old Han hesitated. He had nothing planned for the evening and didn't want to eat there because the place was eerie and scary. But since Liu Jing insisted he stay, then…

"Commander, I'd like to have a couple of drinks with you on the eve of the Lunar New Year." Chen Kun said, making a delicate gesture with his fingers.

"There's no commander here." Old Han grinned, "You're still stuck in the drama."

"Third Master, please stay tonight." Chen Kun drawled out his words.

"No, I have something to do tonight, another day, another day..." Old Han hurriedly walked towards the dressing room, which was not only terrifying but also somewhat disgusting.

Wang Zhiwen frowned and said bluntly, "Chen Kun, Bai Xiaonian will be dead after this scene is filmed."

"If you don't stop acting soon, we won't be able to eat," Fan Wei sighed.

"Kun'er, even I, a woman, find it disgusting." Zhou Xun also expressed his disgust.

"Sometimes I even want to whip you," Duan Yihong quipped.

"Don't ever say we know each other again," Zeng Li mocked.

"Sigh! Who made me so outstanding?" Chen Kun twisted his waist, touched his face, and began to sing, "All the vibrant colors of spring have faded, leaving only broken wells and crumbling walls..."

"I can't take it anymore, hit him..." Wang Zhiwen urged.

Snapped……

Zhou Xun threw a handkerchief at Chen Kun's head, and the others rushed forward, causing Chen Kun to flee in a sorry state.

Laughter and cheerful conversation filled the air, somewhat dispelling the eerie atmosphere.

"Director, your guest has arrived..." Chen Kun had just run out, but then ran back. He had recovered from the beating.

Liu Jing knew about the guests' arrival. Li Mengdie couldn't visit the set without his permission.

When Xixi told him about it, Liu Jing didn't refuse. He already found it strange that this person didn't visit the set during the filming of "Chinese Paladin 3".

"No need to look, Qianqian isn't here." Li Mengdie was sitting in the hall when Liu Jing came over, greeted her, and looked around at the people she brought.

"Why didn't your sister come?" Liu Jing asked curiously. Of course he knew that Qianqian hadn't come; she was busy rehearsing for the Spring Festival Gala.

Sisi's performance was a duet with Teacher Song, singing "Sending You an Oriental Jasmine," which put her under immense pressure, and she considered giving up several times.

Even with her singing background, she couldn't keep up with the others. With the help of the Red Starwood team, the two found a way to collaborate and are now in the swing of things.

Li Mengdie looked at Liu Jing strangely, "My sister got married, and she's very happy."

"..." Liu Jing's head was filled with question marks; this guy seemed to have misunderstood.

"But I brought you a small gift, I'm sure you'll like it." Li Mengdie smiled, as if she knew Liu Jing very well.

"What kind of gift? Your latest Samsung electronics? Or an invitation from Hollywood?" Liu Jing asked curiously.

Li Mengdie waved, and a little girl walked over hesitantly. "You should be familiar with her, right? She hasn't been polluted yet, like the snow of Changbai Mountain."

The young girl bowed deeply to Liu Jing, "Oppa, thank you for writing the song for us. My name is Lim Yoona, and I am eighteen years old."

Liu Jing looked relaxed, not needing to emphasize age. He looked at Li Mengdie and said, "You're Xixi's best friend..."

“You know it, I know it, don’t you?” Li Mengdie blinked. “This kind of thing is very common in our country. You should know it, and she should know it too.”

"Since you couldn't get my seed, your old fox has come up with a new trick. If I accept this gift, I'll be at your mercy from now on," Liu Jing sneered.

"She's just a woman, would you care?" Li Mengdie said indifferently. "Because of you, Samsung overcame a difficult period and took the opportunity to resolve many problems. My dad told me to thank you properly. You're a womanizer, so I'll play to your tastes and send you the most beautiful girl from SM Entertainment."

“This is our country, not your country,” Liu Jing shook his head.

"Haha, just kidding. Your reaction was exactly what I expected." Li Mengdie suddenly laughed, abandoning all her ladylike demeanor.

"Li Yinxin, you're getting more and more boring." Liu Jing said angrily, calling the little princess by her real name, feeling like he'd been tricked.

Zhao Liying was completely bewildered. She didn't understand Korean and vaguely sensed that something was off about the atmosphere just now.

The two exchanged words, seemingly at loggerheads, and there was a sense that they were about to turn on each other.

The little girl stood timidly to the side, anxious and uneasy, like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Before Yoona even introduced herself, she had already noticed this pretty girl and felt that her face looked vaguely familiar.

Zhao Liying certainly knew the name of Girls' Generation, but she was a bit face-blind and always felt that the nine girls looked the same.

Although she couldn't understand Korean, she could recognize Lim Yoona, so she figured it out.

The last two sentences were switched from Korean to Chinese, which Zhao Liying couldn't understand at all. All she knew was that the relationship between the "big radish" and the "little princess" was very good. Whether it was pure or not remained to be seen.

“My dad says you are greedy yet have a way of being greedy, lustful yet have a sense of style, love fame yet have integrity, conduct yourself with moderation, are learned and knowledgeable, and are unrestrained yet have a sense of propriety.” Li Mengdie’s Chinese is getting better and better.

Zhao Liying only understood half of it: greedy for money and lustful, fond of fame and dissolute. She thought it was quite suitable for Da Luobo.

"Your dad is right," Liu Jing snorted, admitting it without hesitation.

"He also said that if I had a son-in-law like you, I would hand over the Samsung empire to him..."

"Don't talk nonsense, there are no 'ifs'." Liu Jing quickly interrupted, "There are eyes and ears everywhere behind the walls, your words are easy to be misunderstood."

“He’ll definitely be worried after he passes away,” Li Mengdie chuckled.

"..." Liu Jing really wanted to give Old Li the middle finger. How did you always badmouth me behind my back?

"Pfft..." Zhao Liying understood and laughed.

"What are you standing there for? Can't you see the guests have arrived? Hurry up and make some tea!" Liu Jing said angrily. Zhao Xiaodao turned and left, unable to vent his anger on others, so he took it out on me.

"Stop joking around, let's get down to business. Is your crew still short of people?" Li Mengdie smoothed her hair.

"We still need someone to do odd jobs." Liu Jing was quite pleased; the Li Mengdie of the past wasn't as cheerful as she is now. After all, he was the one who saved a life, and seeing her condition improving made Liu Jing genuinely happy.

“Your Chinese market is too big. I want her to come to your country to test the waters and see if she can make any waves,” Li Mengdie explained.

"Girls' Generation is planning to hold a concert in China?" Liu Jing asked curiously.

"In that case, I'll just go find Xixi directly, there's no need to come to you." Li Mengdie took the tea Zhao Xiaodao handed her and thanked him.

“I saw the cast list for ‘The Message,’ and there’s a Japanese waitress in it. Yoona would be perfect for the role. She’s very knowledgeable about Japanese and Korean etiquette and has received training in that area. Her appearance and demeanor should be very appealing to you. The waitress role doesn’t have many scenes, so it’s a good opportunity to test the waters.” Li Mengdie had planned this out before coming.

Zhao Liying's expression changed. How did this gossip get to me? Such a small role, and someone's fighting over it, especially a three-star princess.

"This role won't do," Liu Jing refused.

“You can talk to that actress. I can compensate her with some money and give her some other resources. If you’re too shy to ask, I’ll talk to her myself.” Li Mengdie was so understanding that Zhao Liying almost agreed.

"Lin Yoona wants to test the waters in the domestic film and television industry, and I'll arrange it for her. This role is non-negotiable." Liu Jing's tone left no room for negotiation.

"Okay! Then I'll hand her over to you. Use her as you see fit. From now on, she's yours."

"..." Liu Jing was stunned, as if he had been tricked again. This person's purpose was still to send the girl.

Zhao Liying couldn't hold back any longer, "Is Girls' Generation going to disband?"

"Of course not. Acting is her side job, and acting in your country is the most minor of her side jobs. Her main focus is still..."

As Li Mengdie was explaining to Zhao Liying, Old Han came out, beaming, "Oh! Isn't this Chairman Li of Xinsheng Film and Television? I'm Han Sanping from China Film Group, welcome, welcome..."

Now that Chairman Li's status is different, with New Life Pictures acquiring Lionsgate, Lao Han is naturally paying close attention.

"Hello, Mr. Han, I've heard so much about you..."

After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Jing joked, "Uncle Han, don't you have something to do? You should go now, don't keep me from doing your business."

"Haha, you're holding a New Year's Eve event today, and I'm also an actor in the crew, so of course I have to do my part." Old Han laughed heartily, and then, without waiting for Liu Jing's response, he started chatting with Li Yinxin again.

"Xiao Dao, let's go set up the venue."

The atmosphere on set was oppressive, and as the director, Liu Jing was well aware of this.

Today is December 31st. There is no holiday for New Year's Day. The film crew is holding a small New Year's Eve event tonight.

"Isn't Lin Yoona pretty?" Zhao Xiaodao asked curiously.

She was still somewhat touched; Big Radish had rejected such a beautiful girl for her sake.

"Beauty lies in the skin, not the bones."

“Indeed, you can’t judge a person by their appearance alone. Their inner qualities… their inner qualities…” Zhao Xiaodao fell silent. What a waste of his emotion. He really is a big pervert.

"One cannot serve two masters, nor can one woman marry two husbands. Once I've given you the role, as long as you don't offend me, I won't take it back. Even if the other person is more powerful, more attractive, or more talented than you, that's my principle."

After hearing this, Zhao Liying suddenly sighed.

"What's wrong? So young, yet so sentimental. Aren't you so moved that you want to offer yourself to him?" Liu Jing teased.

"Then do you want me?" Zhao Xiaodao grabbed Liu Jing's arm, preventing him from moving forward, and stared at him bravely.

"If it's offered to you, don't refuse it."

"Sister Bingbing hinted to you several times that you should take me, but you pretended not to understand. I know you think I'm ugly, uncultured, and not gentle enough..."

“Indeed,” Liu Jing nodded.

“You…” Zhao Liying trembled with anger, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

"Oh dear, the director is bullying the little girl again." Everyone else saw it, but only she walked over.

The relationship between Zhao Liying and Liu Jing is a mystery to everyone.

To say they had an affair doesn't seem like it.

It doesn't seem like they don't have a relationship.

Whether he resembles Zhao Xiaodao or not, from the producer to the grassroots, no one dares to treat him like a servant.

"The director didn't bully me." Zhao Liying was unappreciative and even thought Zeng Li was meddling.

"We're filming the physical punishment scene tomorrow. Looks like you're ready." Liu Jing's gaze was unrestrained, specifically targeting key areas.

Zeng Li was not afraid. She stood tall and said, "Someone has probably forgotten that I am a professional."

She gave a soft snort and left with an air of arrogance.

Favorability +1
Liu Jing was speechless. This woman was really playing games. His favorability rating had been increasing little by little, and now it had not only returned to what it used to be, but had even exceeded it.

Zeng Li's favorability rating is 85 points, which is like a roller coaster.

Zeng Li understood Liu Jing's intention but didn't expose him. She was just a little aggrieved. "I graduated from the Central Academy of Drama," she thought, "my acting skills are no worse than Zhang Ziyi's. Why do you have such a low opinion of my acting, and resort to other methods to provoke me?"

"She seems to be seducing you." Zhao Xiaodao looked at Zeng Li's back with a mocking smile.

Sure enough, that night was anything but simple; many suspected the director was trying to sexually harass the leading lady. The staff, in particular, described it vividly, as if they had all witnessed it themselves.

The claim of the Central Academy of Drama having a 200-year history is indeed an exaggeration, but it's a fact that she's beautiful.

Zhao Xiaodao doesn't think so. He believes that the leading lady must have tried to seduce the director but failed, or couldn't reach an agreement, and became angry out of frustration.

"You seem to be seducing me too."

"I don't have that ability." Zhao Xiaodao lowered his head, his toes clearly visible, and the tops of his feet were also visible.

Li Mengdie wasn't specifically looking for Liu Jing; she came to Shanghai on business. Things went smoothly, and she just happened to drop by to visit the set.

She was flying to Yandu that evening, so she had two cups of tea there before leaving with seven or eight people.

Old Han didn't leave; he watched a unique performance.

Dozens of employees and a dozen actors gathered together, creating a lively atmosphere.

Besides these people, there are also some family members. The film crew doesn't give holidays, but family members can visit the set, provided they register. Accommodation is also provided.

Zhou Xun sang "If Love", Wang Zhiwen sang "It's Not Easy to Say I Love You", Fan Wei performed a fast-paced storytelling performance, Wu Gang and Duan Yihong sang "The Empty City Stratagem", Zeng Li performed a water sleeve dance, and Liu Jing performed magic on stage...

Zhao Liying, Shen Ao, and Tang Wei also had performances, and Xiao Dao even sang an old song.

When Chen Kun took the stage and began singing "The Peony Pavilion," the audience threw things at him and he left in a disheveled state.

After tidying up, Chen Kun took to the stage again, this time with a guqin (a seven-stringed zither), and played "A Laughter in the Vast Sea".

Finally, as the alcohol took effect, Lao Han also went on stage to make a fool of himself, belting out a song called "We Soldiers".

The guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely, dispelling the gloom. All of this was recorded and is prepared to be edited into a documentary.

Afterwards, everyone made their own plans, and many people didn't return home all night.

Liu Jing didn't come back either; he went to Zhang Min's old house.

As a father, I can't be absent from my daughter's first New Year's Eve.

(End of this chapter)