Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 428 Graduation
When Liu Jing returned to school, he felt as if he had lived in another world, and there was a sense of unfamiliarity.

It's graduation season again, and today is the day for graduation defenses. His defense is a bit special because school leaders will be watching.

Teacher Tian communicated with us multiple times, repeatedly and carefully explaining that the class would officially start at nine o'clock, and we must not be late.

Old Tian called at seven in the morning, and then called every half hour thereafter.

After 8 o'clock, it will be done every five minutes.

It's 8:40 now. He just hung up the phone with Lao Tian. The teaching building is in the distance, still so dilapidated.

No! It's even more broken now.

No matter how dilapidated it was, walking on the broken roads of the campus felt like entering another world.

His slightly restless heart also calmed down.

Liu Jing has been bothered by Jiang Wen lately. This guy has a lot of problems. His new movie has been in preparation for two years, but the start date has been postponed again and again.

Writing a screenplay is harder than giving birth.

Two months ago, the semi-finished first draft was completed, and Jiang Wen immediately sent it to several investment companies.

China Film Group, Eagle King Entertainment, and Spring and Autumn Film Studio all had no objections and did not complain about the script's lack of completion.

Jiang Wen was delighted and immediately asked Liu Jing to play the main villain, because in his mind Liu Jing was a born villain.

Liu Jing agreed. He felt more comfortable playing villains than heroes.

As for whether it will limit my acting roles, haha, that's not the case. I'm a director, acting is a side job.

From then on, Jiang Wen called Liu Jing twice a day to ask for his opinion on the script.

Liu Jingzhen had no objections. The script was only half-finished, so what objections could he have? Besides, he didn't want to play Jiang Wen; it wasn't his own role, and he just wanted to be a quiet actor.

But Jiang Wen kept asking, and Liu Jing couldn't refuse, so he actually offered quite a few suggestions.

Little did I know that Jiang Wen might not adopt even one out of ten suggestions, and then he would continue to ask, "Do you have any other opinions?" He would offer constructive suggestions, but generally, his opinions were not worth considering.

"I suggest we replace the director," Liu Jing complained.

This remark has caused trouble, and Jiang Wen now has a new problem: If you were the director, how would you film this scene?
At the beginning, when talking about the horse-drawn train, he asked Liu Jing how many horses would be suitable? What kind of horses would be best? Black, red, or white? What kind of train would it be? An old train or a new one? How would a new train be built? What factors need to be considered for an old train?
Liu Jing was extremely annoyed; one Jiang Wen was more troublesome than a hundred ducks or ten thousand flies.

They contact you anytime inspiration strikes, regardless of whether it's the middle of the night. Once the call connects, they talk non-stop; do you not have a married life?

He's here today for his graduation defense. Sisi's graduate thesis defense is over, and she's currently at home preparing for "Inception."

She will be joining the production team in late June.

This was a filming trip abroad, and Liu Jing was worried about her safety, so he not only sent a group of staff to the crew, but also hired several smart and capable female bodyguards.

Undergraduate students' graduation defenses are at the end of May. The first two days were for the performance class, and Yang Mi's defense has ended.

Liu Jing is a directing student, and she started a day later than Yang Mi and the others.

On his way to the teaching building, he was greeted by people from time to time. He also ran into Zhang Xiaofei, who asked him if he needed directions.

That's a joke. Even if Liu Jing doesn't come to school, he still knows where the teaching building is.

Seeing Zhang Xiaofei reminded Liu Jing of Zhang Hanyun, whom he had just introduced to Hongxingwu.

The story is quite tragic, a classic example of starting strong but ending weak, and this year it even led to the bankruptcy of the agency that managed to run it.

After signing the contract, a new name appeared in Sisi's notebook, the first few being Zhang Xiaofei, Zhang Liangying, Zhang Xianzi, and Zhang Shaohan.

Then I asked him, "Who will you introduce to sign next year? Zhang what? Jeff Chang or Jacky Cheung?"

If it happens again next year, I definitely won't be able to open my mouth.

"Old Liu, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for ages."

As soon as Liu Jinggang arrived at the entrance of the teaching building, seven or eight students surrounded him.

"Old Shen, are you done with your thesis defense?"

"We've been waiting for you." Shen Ao pushed Liu Jing inside.

"Haha, if I don't speak first when spring comes, which insect will dare to make a sound?" My roommate Lao Lü laughed.

"Hey! Old Lu, you admit you're a bug now."

"Are you a bird? The early bird catches the worm, but you got up early today. Whose bird did you eat?"

"Do you have a bird? It's probably smaller than an insect."

Shh! Be quiet, there's a leader here.

What a few boys said is nothing; you can hear it every day in the boys' dormitory.

"Huh! Didn't the notice say 404? Did we go to the wrong place?" Liu Jing asked in surprise, having already missed the stairs.

“We are 404, you are in the multi-functional hall on the first floor,” Shen Ao responded.

"Multi-functional hall?" Liu Jing looked at the students suspiciously, especially his roommates on the left and right. "Are you guys up to something?"
404 used to be a film developing darkroom, but it's no longer needed and has been converted into a classroom.

The multi-functional hall on the first floor is the largest classroom in the teaching building, and there's a conspiracy there.

Old Tian only told us that the defense was very important and that we should take it seriously; he didn't say anything else.

"Don't worry, you definitely won't get a 404 error," Old Lu reassured him.

"Anyone who dares to lie to me can expect to be dead tonight," Liu Jing threatened.

"I'm going to pick up corpses tonight..."

"Ugh! You pervert, stay away from me."

"Hey! What do you mean? I'm a 100% real man."

"I only recognize Brother Zeng and Brother Chun as real men. Which brother are you?"

Amidst the laughter, the topic veered off course again.

Liu Jing stepped into the classroom, but as if he had a spring in his foot, he quickly pulled it back and turned to leave.

It wasn't the roommates who caused the trouble, but the entire Beijing Film Academy.

The multi-purpose hall can accommodate two hundred people, and it was almost full at this time.

The first row consisted of school leaders and some familiar faces, followed by the school's teachers, and then a whole bunch of students.

As Liu Jing appeared, applause erupted spontaneously, welcoming his arrival.

"The Yin-Yang Sacred Flame Order" has grossed over 200 million yuan, making him the third member of the "100 Million Yuan Director Club" in mainland China and the youngest director.

"Under the Walls" won the Cannes Jury Prize, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and just won the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Asian Film.

"Painted Skin" broke the Chinese box office record; the youngest member of the Olympic Games opening ceremony; a gold medal screenwriter; best publicity...

Each honor is a halo, and the students went from initial envy to jealousy, and now they feel proud of it.

Inside, there was applause; outside, someone was pushing him. Liu Jing stiffly walked onto the stage.

The students who had accompanied him dispersed into their seats. Shen Ao did not sit down but stood aside and waited. When the applause subsided, he reported loudly, "Reporting to the leader! Liu Rijing, oops, Liu Jing, has been brought here. Please have Teacher Tian check."

Hahahaha...

Laughter erupted like a tsunami, and some people even took the opportunity to scream, making the entire multimedia classroom boil over.

Standing on the podium, Liu Jing could never treat the students below as tree stumps.

He saw Xixi and Yang Mi among the students in the back row. The two were sitting together, waving to him like best friends.

The two have been best friends for several years; they are true best friends.

Now that they've suddenly made up, Liu Jing can't help but feel there's a plastic smell about it.

The two of them went on a trip a few days later, and the four of them agreed to travel around China.

Sisi went out early in the morning, and he thought she was going to Hongxingwu, but little did he know that she was secretly attending his graduation defense.

He also saw many familiar faces, and even some alumni who had graduated a few years ago were sitting below.

He saw Director Tian of the Directing Department and Principal Zhang whispering to each other, not knowing what they were saying.

"Old Tian, ​​didn't you inform Liu Jing to make preparations?" Principal Zhang asked.

"They definitely notified us," Lao Tian replied.

"Tsk! He came empty-handed, probably unprepared. Inviting so many people, with cameras in the background, we can't afford to lose face. You should ask him quickly, if he's not ready, give him time to prepare." Principal Zhang was speechless.

"I told him, and he'll be fine," Old Tian said confidently.

"You should ask him."

"I know my students..."

Are you going to ask or not?

"Ahem, Shen Ao did a good job, add a chicken leg to his lunch." Old Tian naturally had to ask. As his laughter subsided, he coughed twice and winked at Liu Jing.

He was also a little apprehensive; this child didn't even carry a piece of paper, and didn't dare to speak without a script when the principal gave a speech.

A few days ago, he told Liu Jing in person to prepare well for her graduation defense, as the leaders would be there and there would be an audience. There would be a lot of people, and it would be recorded, so she shouldn't be underestimated.

The students laughed again, but Liu Jing remained expressionless. "There are quite a lot of people. You didn't say there were this many."

He nodded slightly, indicating that there was no problem; it was a minor matter.

Old Tian was finally relieved. If Liu Jing said there was no problem, then there must be no problem.

"Whoosh..."

Old Tian patted the microphone, and the classroom gradually quieted down.

He wore a suit today, and his hair and beard were all cut, making him look very energetic.

"Today is the day for our directing students' thesis defense. Liu Jing is a role model for our school, which is why this event was arranged. Let me first introduce everyone. This gentleman next to me needs no introduction; he is our Principal Zhang. To Principal Zhang's left are Director Xie Fei, Director Zheng Dongtian, Professor Xie Xiaojing and Professor Wang Hongwei from the Directing Department, Professor Chen Yi and Professor Cui Xinqin from the Acting Department, and Professor Zhong Dafeng from the Literature Department..."

Every time Lao Tian introduced someone, he would stand up and bow to the students behind him.

Liu Jing noticed that his good friend, teacher Huang Lei, could only sit in the third row. The second row didn't even need special introduction, let alone the third.

"To my right are directors Wang Jiawei, Zhang Yimou, and Wang Xiaoshuai... Let's welcome them with warm applause."

The applause was indeed enthusiastic. Liu Jing was a little confused. Was this a defense or a speech? Even when Xixi defended her master's thesis, it wasn't this grand.

The most solemn thing was yet to come—no, it should be said to be heavy.

"Liu Jing, you are the main character today, and they are the judges. Please begin..." Old Tian was acting as the host today and was about to say, "Please begin your defense," when he felt someone tugging at his clothes.

This clothing is expensive; the tags are still on. It costs several hundred yuan a day.

"I'm about to start my excuses," Liu Jing muttered to himself.

This was truly unexpected. He knew the school would be quite cautious, after all, he was now the face of the Beijing Film Academy. Even before graduating, he had already brought the school many honors.

He's graduating, and a lot of eyes are on him.

It wasn't just people from the Beijing Film Academy, but also teachers and students from other schools, industry colleagues, and other members of the public.

Let's see what they're made of today.

He was having a brainstorming session on stage when something happened in the first row.

"Ahem, let me say a few words." Principal Zhang moved the microphone in front of him. This old Tian's brain is really mush. Such a grand occasion, he doesn't even know to let me make my presence known.

Some students had already started booing; those two sentences from the principal probably wouldn't have lasted more than twenty minutes.

We're here to hear Liu Jing share his experience and maybe even catch a whiff of his talent and luck, not to listen to your graduation ceremony.

"Liu Jing, this is the last time you will appear in our classroom as a student. Today, I would like to take this opportunity, as your teacher, to say a few words from my heart to you and to all of you." Principal Zhang stood up and faced the audience.

Liu Jing wanted to move aside from the podium, but Principal Zhang shook his head and stood in front of it.

The students muttered to themselves, "Oh no, it'll take at least two hours."

"Today's film industry is undergoing technological innovation. Not only the film industry, but the entire era is changing. You are fortunate, as a new era awaits you to pioneer it. You are also unfortunate, as you will not be able to reap the benefits of this era. I hope you can be inheritors of tradition, carrying on the spirit of your predecessors at the Beijing Film Academy. I also hope you can be innovators of this era, daring to explore new paths. And I hope even more that you can be pioneers, so that the stories of Chinese films can be told not only to the Chinese people, but also to the world."

A round of applause erupted. The principal was much better at talking than the director; no wonder he was able to become the dean of the Beijing Film Academy.

"Liu Jing, once you step out of this door, you'll be a member of society. The school has taught you everything it could. But the ocean of knowledge is boundless. I hope that after leaving school, you will be proactive and forge ahead. Remember, whether you and your future partners are on the red carpet of an international film festival or in front of a monitor on a film set, whether you become a renowned director, a seasoned screenwriter, or a practitioner quietly working in some corner of the industry, Beijing Film Academy will always be your home base."

"Dear students, light and shadow are silent, but time leaves its mark. May you go forth as both pursuers of light, capturing the brilliance of our times with your lenses, and radiators of light, illuminating the hearts of many with your work."

"Students, Beijing Film Academy looks forward to the day when we see your names on the big screen and can proudly say, 'Look, these are our students, this is a Chinese film.'"

"Finally, I wish you all a bright future and a long life ahead. Use the trophy as a microphone to deliver a defense worthy of your lives. Use light and shadow as a pen to write an answer sheet worthy of our times."

Thunderous applause erupted. The principal gestured, "Just a few words, it didn't take more than ten minutes, did it? Alright, Liu Jing, please begin your defense."

The students laughed, and Principal Zhang returned to his seat, shaking his head and sighing. "At his age, how can he still get so easily excited? Now look what's happened, the graduation ceremony hasn't even started yet, and he already has to think of something to say."

"Respected judges and my dear classmates, good morning! I'm quite nervous with so many people here today. Please forgive me if I don't perform well..."

As soon as Liu Jinggang began to speak, the students in the audience started to boo, and for a moment he wondered if he was performing a crosstalk routine.

"I am Liu Jing, a 2005 undergraduate student in the Directing Department, and my advisor is Professor Tian. Today, I am presenting my graduation project, a feature film called 'Under the City Wall.' My thesis revolves around 'The Lens in History, History Under the Lens.' Let's first talk about the film 'Under the City Wall'..."

As soon as Liu Jing finished his opening remarks, Director Xie Fei picked up the microphone from the audience and said, "Liu Jing, we don't want to hear this. We old guys may be old, but we can still read the materials. Your thesis is right here, and we will definitely read it. Now I want to hear something that isn't in the thesis and doesn't have a standard answer."

"Teacher Xie, please ask."

Do you enjoy making war-themed movies?

"Teacher Xie, I'm a normal person, I wouldn't like this kind of subject matter."

“I never make war films, and you don’t really like that kind of subject either. I want to hear what the differences are between us.”

"After the release of 'Under the City Walls,' some people said I was sensationalist, others said I was glorifying suffering. I don't like this subject matter because I don't like war. All wars are inevitably filled with suffering. Making a film like this is to expose suffering once again. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I shouldn't make it. It exists. If suffering isn't exposed, it will gradually be forgotten, and there will be another round of suffering. Only by knowing the suffering of war can we understand how difficult it is to achieve peace. This kind of subject matter is not easy to film; no matter how it's filmed, it will always be one-sided..."

(End of this chapter)