Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 415 is confirmed! It's Bai Bing.

Chen Jiashang didn't know how to answer his assistant's question.

If you answer that you know, the next step will definitely be for the other party to ask about the script content.

If you don't know, how could you not know when someone has invited you to direct?

He looked at Liu Jing, well, this guy was looking at his phone and hadn't noticed them at all.

"We're just chatting. I'm not a screenwriter, much less a director. What harm could I possibly cause?" Bai Bing pouted.

Chen Jiashang shook his head and sighed. Liu Jing was much easier to deal with; at least he was reasonable.

"It's no secret; you can find out if you ask around. Now that Wilson Yip has taken on this project, he believes that Joey Wong and Leslie Cheung are hard to surpass, so he suggests increasing Yan Chixia's role and making him the male lead. To pass censorship, Nie Xiaoqian becomes a fox demon, and the human-ghost love story becomes a human-demon love story. Yan Chixia and Nie Xiaoqian have a past relationship, and then he develops feelings for Ning Caichen, turning the human-demon love story into a love triangle again."

Bai Bing's expression was strange. After a long silence, she finally complained, "Sure enough, there's no limit to how ridiculous this can get. No matter what actors they cast, this movie will be criticized to death. Adaptations should either be completely subversive like 'The Sacred Flame Order,' or faithful to the original like 'Chinese Paladin,' or like 'Painted Skin,' putting new wine in a new bottle. What have they adapted? They only have flaws and perfectly avoid the good points. Yan Chixia and Nie Xiaoqian have a past relationship and are involved in a love triangle. What kind of nonsense is this?"

"Perhaps folk remedies can cure serious illnesses, and they might even have miraculous effects." Chen Jiashang shrugged. "Young man, you're making a fuss over nothing."

"I'm afraid the disease will become incurable, and a strong dose of medicine won't be enough to cure it, and it will kill the patient." Bai Bing said dismissively.

"So how do you think it should be adapted? In a way that avoids clichés while still being innovative?" Chen Jiashang couldn't help but ask, the young girl had quite the nerve.

“Didn’t we just say we were just chatting? I’m not a screenwriter, let alone a director, so what do I know about adaptations?” Bai Bing said matter-of-factly, glancing at Liu Jing. “You have to ask our boss about this; he’s the real professional. I’m just following him around, cheering him on.”

Chen Jiashang was speechless, speechless at himself, wondering why he was arguing with her.

"Xiaobai, open your email. The script for 'A Chinese Ghost Story' isn't finished yet, there's only an outline." Liu Jing put down his phone. Of course, he hadn't just been playing on his phone; while waiting for Qianqian and Yang Mi's messages, he had also sent two text messages.

Chen Jiashang wasn't surprised; scripts weren't exactly a secret in Hong Kong. With a little effort, a script could be easily obtained once a film crew started shooting.

The Hong Kong film industry doesn't place much importance on scripts; the directors and actors are the core force in making films.

Many scripts are built around the main character. During the preparation stage, the script is AAA, but when filming starts, it becomes AAB, and when filming ends, it may be ABC.

"A script?" Xiaobai turned on his computer and was surprised to find that he had just received a new email.

I downloaded the attachment, opened it, and sure enough, it was "A Chinese Ghost Story".

She regretted it a little; she shouldn't have teased Chen Jiashang about revealing the script earlier. It seemed aggressive and unbecoming.

"I'm going to print two copies. I'll be back soon." Bai Bing said without waiting for a reply, grabbing her laptop and heading out. The teahouse had a printer; there was no need to go far.

Liu Jing shook his head. "Old Chen, my assistant has a quick temper and has offended me."

"Haha, that just shows she's very efficient." Chen Jiashang isn't petty; he wouldn't mind such things. If a man in his twenties acted like that, he'd definitely feel uncomfortable. But with a radiant beauty like Bai Bing, it's a different story.

Liu Jing smiled slightly. The same action, said in a positive way and in a negative way, has the same meaning but vastly different effects.

"Are you really planning to film 'Nie Xiaoqian'? I'm afraid Taiji won't let go easily." Chen Jiashang understood Bai Bing's meaning: forcing Taiji to cooperate. Although the methods are not commendable, they can indeed produce surprising results.

This approach might not be effective for others, but the lingering influence of "Painted Skin" gave them an extraordinary deterrent effect on Taiji. Even with a classic film at their disposal, they had to be somewhat cautious.

It's normal for topics to overlap. But if Taiji does this after it's already been approved, then that's deliberate provocation.

Even so, Taj would be unhappy, having needlessly made enemies. A win-win cooperation is the best solution, especially given his timing in reforming the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Taiji Films has a history of nearly forty years, initially engaged in film distribution in Taiwan. Twenty years ago, it moved to Hong Kong, officially establishing a full-industry chain model of "production-distribution-copyright operation," and gradually expanding to the mainland and international markets. It is considered a long-established company, a core member of the Hong Kong Film Association, and also the target of Chen Jiashang's efforts.

"Taiji was also an investor in 'Painted Skin,' and now that 'Painted Skin' is successful, they're trying to ditch us and make 'A Chinese Ghost Story.' They're using the halo of 'Painted Skin' to act unethically. It's only right that we retaliate." Liu Jing said calmly, "If we're going to make money, let's all do it. If you do the first thing, don't blame us for doing the fifteenth."

"What if they don't agree?" Chen Jiashang asked worriedly.

"Then let them know that cooperation leads to a win-win situation, while division leads to their defeat. If you want to industrialize 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' and create a 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' universe, you have to be wary of others taking your credit. Bai Bing is right, 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' is a public domain, anyone can make a film about it. It's actually a good thing for everyone to face each other and argue about who is the legitimate author. If anyone tries to take advantage of this in the future, they'll have to think twice before trying to take advantage of us." Liu Jing sneered.

"Alright! Let's fucking get it done." Chen Jiashang slammed his fist on the table, his pride rising. "I'm the director of 'Painted Skin,' and I haven't even enjoyed the benefits yet, and you've already reaped the rewards."

"Director Chen, I feel sorry for the table." Bai Bing returned with the documents.

Chen Jiashang rubbed his palms and laughed heartily.

The three of them were reviewing the script outline. The room was quiet except for the sound of boiling water.

After a long pause, Bai Bing said softly, "I want to give it a title: A Bloodbath Caused by a Piece of Candy."

Liu Jing tossed the documents aside and decided to pour water and make tea instead.

They want to invite Xixi to a script like this? She must have no taste to accept such a role.

"The idea is alright, quite original," Chen Jiashang murmured.

Liu Jing, holding the pot, suddenly felt a little unsure. Was it a bit hasty to hand over the universe of Liaozhai to Chen Jiashang?

"Boss, I'll make the tea. You hurry up and think of something." Bai Bing's eyes could speak volumes, conveying a powerful message: she wanted to quickly show off her skills and impress this great director.

Da da da……

Liu Jing tapped his fingers on the table, a series of thoughts arising and disappearing in his mind. He had been considering how to adapt the story ever since Bai Bing proposed "Nie Xiaoqian."

"I think it's better to stick to the original work, and the love triangle definitely has to be discarded. The story should still revolve around the love between Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian, with Yan Chixia as a powerful support and a tragic hero. Adding some romantic subplots to Yan Chixia would also be fine, as it would enrich the character. For example, Yan Chixia could have had a past relationship, but later lost his love, which would give him sympathy for Nie Xiaoqian. Yan Chixia's love story should only be a subplot, and absolutely cannot overturn the main plot."

Taking advantage of Liu Jing's pause, Bai Bing quickly poured tea, her eyes full of admiration, providing a high level of emotional value.

"Their adaptation reverses the priorities, ruining the classic and failing to resonate with audiences. Making Ning Caichen a supporting character, or even a third party, is utterly ridiculous. Ning Caichen should be like the original character—pure and kind, and not just a weak, protected scholar. Kindness is his most powerful weapon, and the source of his charm that attracts Nie Xiaoqian. Because of his kindness, he is unafraid of the tree demon. Because of his sincerity, he moves Nie Xiaoqian and impresses Yan Chixia."

Liu Jing took a sip of tea and picked up an orange from the table to peel.

"The beginning is quite ordinary: Ning Caichen mistakenly enters Lanruo Temple, highlighting his kindness and pedantry. Then he meets and falls in love with Nie Xiaoqian. Yan Chixia arrives in pursuit and warns Ning Caichen, indirectly revealing Nie Xiaoqian's tragic situation and the tree demon's conspiracy. Next, Yan Chixia and Ning Caichen go from antagonism to cooperation, revealing Yan Chixia's past—he was driven not only by the desire to capture demons but also by his desire to save lives and achieve self-redemption. In the climax, the three fight together against the Tree Demon Granny and the Black Mountain Demon. Ning Caichen, with his deepest emotions, awakens the controlled Nie Xiaoqian, while Yan Chixia is seriously injured or sacrifices himself to protect them. Finally, an open ending is chosen, leaving the interpretation to the audience's imagination."

"It does resemble 'Painted Skin' somewhat," Chen Jiashang said thoughtfully.

"Boss, I suddenly have an idea. Yan Chixia sympathizes with Nie Xiaoqian, so we could make Nie Xiaoqian look like his lover. We could have Liu Shishi play Nie Xiaoqian, and Qianqian play Yan Chixia's wife, and the two of them... Waaah..."

Liu Jing couldn't stand it anymore and shoved an orange into Bai Bing's mouth. "You're just making trouble for no reason. Qianqian will definitely be happy, Liu Shishi will definitely have objections, and in the end, I'll be the one who suffers."

Bai Bing swallowed the orange, her eyes wide with dissatisfaction. "I told you, oranges can't be shared."

Chen Jiashang couldn't bear to look. There were still third wheels around. You two should take it easy.

He quickly changed the subject to avoid being subjected to more PDA, "So you mean, you're going to continue inviting Liu Jing and Liu Yifei?"

"It's a waste of talent, there's no need for that. If we're going to make a film, we definitely won't use them. Since we're industrializing 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,' we can't just rely on big-name actors, but on the script, visuals, story, and so on. That's how we can achieve a streamlined, industrialized production. Of course, this is the first trial run, so we must get off to a good start. Inviting them to make a big-budget debut isn't necessarily a bad thing." Bai Bing shook her head. Chen Jiashang rolled his eyes. You've said everything, but it's like you've said nothing at all.

"Who do you think is suitable for these two roles?" Liu Jing asked with a questioning attitude, having been listening attentively and letting his assistant elaborate.

The assistant was quite satisfied, her smile even brighter. "Who gets cast is the director's problem, boss, please don't make things difficult for me. But I think Xixi isn't suitable for the role of Nie Xiaoqian. Nie Xiaoqian is different from Xiaowei; she's not simply beautiful, but beautiful with a touch of sorrow, after all, she's controlled by her grandmother. She still harbors a sense of bewilderment and struggle regarding human love, possessing both aloofness and vulnerability. Xixi's aloof temperament leans towards the ethereal, not like a ghost or demon, carrying an air of otherworldly detachment. If she were to play Nie Xiaoqian, she definitely wouldn't be able to portray that resentment and struggle."

Liu Jing seemed to be deep in thought. As Bai Bing described the character, someone popped into his mind who seemed to fit the role better than Yang Mi.

"I can't say for sure about these two roles, but the role of Grandma would be really interesting if we could invite Joey Wong to play it." Bai Bing's eyes were bright; Joey Wong's portrayal of Nie Xiaoqian back then had captivated her.

"Cough cough cough cough..." Chen Jiashang coughed violently, unable to accept it, "She...she has announced her retirement from the entertainment industry."

"Retiring from the entertainment industry and then making a comeback, isn't that how it's always done? Let Sister Min invite her, she'll definitely give her face." Bai Bing didn't take it seriously. Chingmy Yau, Gigi Lai, and Vivian Chow also retired from the industry, but they're still often brought up by Sister Min.

"Interesting." Liu Jing was intrigued.

“I have another idea. Although we’re not making ‘A Chinese Ghost Story,’ we could invite Ching Siu-tung to direct. Boss, you two have a connection, you could give it a try,” Bai Bing suggested.

"How about I invite Tsui Hark to be the producer again?" Liu Jing said with a gloomy expression. You want to use everything except the name "A Chinese Ghost Story".

"Ahem, it's good that Director Chen is the producer, and we can also benefit from 'Painted Skin'." Bai Bing didn't blush at all, and hesitated for a moment, "Actually, if we really want to let Xixi play Nie Xiaoqian, we can invite Tsui Hark to be the director. He should be able to make good use of Xixi's talents."

"If Tsui Hark is invited to produce, I would be willing to direct under him." Chen Jiashang was somewhat excited, as he regarded Tsui Hark as his mentor.

"Boss, we have the subject matter, the director, the producer, and I have plenty of actors. That's it!" Bai Bing clapped her hands, very pleased. This was something she had personally brought together. She didn't like being in front of the camera; she preferred working behind the scenes.

“Tsui Hark is currently preparing for ‘Detective Dee,’ so he may not have time,” Chen Jiashang frowned.

“We at Chunqiu also invested in Huayi Brothers’ production. Filming starts in May, which doesn’t conflict with our preparations for ‘Nie Xiaoqian.’ The production team has rented our Chunqiu filming location, so there will be plenty of opportunities to discuss these things with director Tsui Hark.” Bai Bing is very knowledgeable about the dynamics of the entertainment industry, as is typical of her profession.

"Bai Bing, what style do you think we should adapt it in?" Chen Jiashang couldn't help but ask. Liu Jing's assistant wasn't just a pretty face; she seemed to have some talent.

"Style?" Bai Bing blinked, somewhat confused.

"Adaptations in Hong Kong tend to focus on fantasy, horror, and martial arts themes. For example, the 'A Chinese Ghost Story' series is a combination of martial arts and romance, and the original 'Painted Skin' was a combination of horror and eroticism. Adaptations in Taiwan tend to focus on warmth and fate; their 'Xiao Cui' is a story about repaying a debt of gratitude. Adaptations in mainland China are more faithful to the original work, focusing on social critique and classical aesthetics," Chen Jiashang explained.

“Director Chen is right. I’m not too familiar with how films are made in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. But in the past, when we made ‘Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,’ we focused on horror and moral critique. That approach is no longer suitable. Audiences in the new era don’t want to be warned or criticized. They want to see fantastical romances and amazing visual effects. Just like our version of ‘Painted Skin,’ it should have less realism and more commercial appeal. I think that’s the style of the future.” Bai Bing quickly understood Chen Jiashang’s point and offered her own thoughts.

Chen Jiashang held his teacup, staring blankly at Bai Bing. He wasn't attracted by her beauty; as a well-known director from Hong Kong and Taiwan, what kind of beautiful women hadn't he seen?

Vivian Chow, Carol Cheng, Sharla Cheung, Rosamund Kwan, Christine Ng, Michelle Reis, Carman Lee, Cecilia Cheung...

He has worked with all these famous beauties, and he has seen even more beautiful women.

But Bai Bing's insights deeply impressed him. She wasn't just a pretty face like those Miss Hong Kong contestants, with nothing but an empty mind. Bai Bing was beautiful, but her "vase" was filled with knowledge and insight.

He had a vague concept before, but never one that he understood so clearly.

Bai Bing met the gazes of the two directors and suddenly felt a little guilty. "I...I just heard it from the boss."

Chen Jiashang remarked, "No wonder Jackie Chan likes to hang out with young people."

Bai Bing hesitated for a moment, then said, "What you said isn't entirely correct. He mainly likes to mess around with young people."

"The first choice is 'Nie Xiaoqian,' what are the alternatives?" Liu Jing's eyes were burning with desire; at this moment, he really wanted to get his little assistant into bed.

Bai Bing tossed her hair, understanding the look in her eyes. "'The Cricket' is also good; it's included in the Chinese textbook. The emperor is fond of fighting crickets, and the people are forced to offer them as tribute. This theme can be adapted slightly for the screen. The government's coercion, the destruction of families, the transformation into crickets for survival, and the offering of crickets to curry favor—one main storyline can be filled with a lot of content. The transformation scene can also be combined with reality, using CG technology to present the perspective and beauty of half-human, half-cricket beings. The cricket fighting scene can be borrowed from Ultraman fighting monsters. In the end, the official gets promoted and made rich because of the crickets, which can be made into a satirical comedy. People trapped in crickets—isn't that the spiritual dilemma of countless modern people? The struggle and alienation of the lower classes under the rule of power—if this is filmed well, it might even win an award."

"Anything else?" Liu Jingzhen was impressed. This assistant, who was as gentle as water, was more than just water inside her.

"The Rakshasa City movie is also good. Its premise is that ugliness is beauty. Although it's absurd, it's brilliant. It could be made into a dark comedy with a unique visual style. I suggest getting Ning Hao to handle the direction," Bai Bing pondered.

"continue."

"Xi Fangping is also very good. The lawsuit goes from the human world to the underworld. That's so exciting. Zhang Yimou could make a hellish version of Qiu Ju. However, since it includes the underworld, it probably wouldn't pass censorship."

"have a thought."

“There are also ‘Ying Ning’ which focuses on feminism, ‘Water Grass’ which has suspense elements, and ‘Xiao Xie’ which emphasizes female friendship, but I still think ‘The Cricket’ is the best alternative.”

"Is it appropriate for a law student like you to read so many 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'?"

"You're a film directing student, don't you often study law too?"

……

One examines the candidate, the other answers the question.

One made a few sarcastic remarks, and the other retorted with a sharp retort.

Chen Jiashang silently sipped his tea, realizing for the first time that he was getting old. The future truly belongs to the young. Those who fall behind the times will be left behind. What used to be just a sentence, now became a profound feeling.

His gaze toward Bai Bing gradually changed; she was no longer Liu Jing's vassal, but an individual with whom he was having an equal conversation.

Respect is never based on superficial boasting, connections, or blatant intimidation, but on one's position, wealth, and knowledge.

"Director Chen, we've been so focused on the movie. Shenzhen Guang Media is going to adapt 'Painted Skin' into a TV series. How far along is that?"

Bai Bing's question interrupted Chen Jiashang's thoughts.

“We are in talks. They want a 60% share, but I didn’t agree. I can only give them 40% at most,” Chen Jiashang responded.

“This is clearly a profitable business, and they’re asking for way too much,” Bai Bing said, pursing her lips.

"Liu Jing, Chunqiu has reserved 40% of the shares, and we need to appoint a producer to coordinate all aspects of the work. I urged President Wen twice, but she always said it hasn't been decided yet."

"It's confirmed! It's Bai Bing," Liu Jing replied on the spot.

"That's great!" Chen Jiashang suddenly realized. No wonder the girl was so enthusiastic today; she's a future producer.

Bai Bing silently sipped her tea, thinking, "The boss must have just made that decision on a whim."

Good!

It's perfectly natural and justifiable for me to cast people in the play; I feel at ease with it.

It seems I need to consult with Director Gao; she has a wealth of experience in producing.

(End of this chapter)