Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 449 Dad
A light drizzle began to fall in Yandu.

It was the weekend, and in the afternoon, the Spring and Autumn Building was bustling with activity.

The autumn rain couldn't dampen the audience's enthusiasm; today is the premiere of "The Message".

A large crowd of fans gathered downstairs, with shouts coming from names like Chen Kun, Bai Xiaonian, Zhou Xun, Gu Xiaomeng, Zeng Li, and Li Ningyu.

The entrance to the Chunqiu Cinema flagship store has long been transformed into "Qiuzhuang". Vines climb the gray brick walls, old-fashioned kerosene lamps hang, and staff dressed in Republic of China-era student uniforms guide the audience to their seats.

On both sides are a couplet: on the left is "The wind stirs in Qiuzhuang, whispers conceal sharpness, the flickering candlelight seems to reveal ghostly traces," and on the right is "The voice of the nation rises, the original aspiration is forged, the smoke of war sharpens the sword and reveals the loyal soul."

There were also many posters posted nearby, including a group photo of the main cast and crew with the words, "Old Ghost is not a person, but a belief."

Many visitors took photos under the poster, and staff members dressed in cheongsams explained that period of history.

As the audience took their seats, the cinema, which could hold a thousand people, seemed to boil like water.

"A gentle breeze drifts through the quiet courtyard, swaying the spring like threads. I pause for a moment to adjust my hair ornaments, then steal a glimpse of someone's face without looking in the mirror..."

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Kunqu opera suddenly began playing in the cinema. Some knowledgeable people seized the opportunity to show off, "This is Kunqu opera, 'The Peony Pavilion'..."

No one paid attention to the show-offs, and no one cared about the music. A red carpet led straight to the stage from the entrance, and the creators arrived late.

Liu Jing led Chen Kun, Zhou Xun, Zeng Li, Wang Zhiwen, Duan Yihong and others out, each holding a signature prop.

Liu Jing carried a toolbox, Chen Kun held a plain folding fan, Zhou Xun carried an embroidered handkerchief, Zeng Li held a leather codebook, Duan Yihong held a set of silver needles, and the funniest one was Wang Zhiwen, who was leading a robot dog. As they walked, it seemed to break down, so he just carried it.

The theater fell silent for a moment, then erupted into louder shouts and the clicking of camera shutters.

"Welcome everyone to Qiu Manor." Liu Jing and the other audience members spoke in slightly lower voices. The microphone was of excellent quality, and the sound spread to every corner.

"The team originally wanted to design a game where the red carpet was replaced with a door, and you had to solve a code to get into the cinema. Zhou Xun wasn't happy about it, saying I was making things difficult for the audience. She tried it on her own door first, decoding it until midnight, but still hadn't gotten inside," Liu Jing joked.

Zhou Xun glared at him. Is this something that can be talked about?
She couldn't help but laugh. "I thought the password was 0929, the premiere date of 'The Message.' But it turns out the password is 0927, the premiere date. I don't know which idiot came up with that; it's practically the same as not having one at all."

"Haha, although I don't want to admit it, I set the password." Liu Jing smiled and said to the audience, "Today's premiere won't have many tricks or a password. We'll just make a brief appearance on stage and then go down, so as not to delay everyone's movie. But before the movie, let's watch a short behind-the-scenes montage to warm things up."

As the sound faded, the large screen lit up.

When Chen Kun was filming the scene in the pool, he was shivering from the cold. Zhou Xun put a hand warmer in his hand, and Zhao Liying used an electric heater to warm him up.

During a break in filming a scene set in a secluded room, Zeng Li shared the ginger tea she had just brewed with everyone.

When Duan Yihong was being electrocuted, Wang Zhiwen looked anxious and rushed over to help her during a break in filming.

When Wu Gang was pricking me with needles, he couldn't help but say, "Why don't I be like Rong Momo and have the needles prick my hand?"

Zhou Xun was carried out on a stretcher after being tortured, and a crowd surrounded him.

Several people were having a strange dinner at the table when Fan Wei's phone suddenly rang with the song "Two Tigers".

And on the day filming wrapped, you hugged me, I hugged you, and we were both in tears.

……

Every cruel scene in the movie has a heartwarming side behind it.

As the short film ended, an elderly man with gray hair in the first row stood up and raised his hand.

Zeng Li reacted quickly, jumping off the stage and holding the microphone to the old man's mouth. "Thank you for the invitation. It's great that someone like me, who's almost in his coffin, can walk into a movie theater. My father was an underground member of the Communist Party during the War of Resistance Against Japan. Back then, everyone helped each other out."

The people sitting in the front row weren't leaders or guests, but audience members specially invited by the production team. Some were elderly people who had lived through that era, and others were descendants of revolutionary martyrs; they all had their own stories.

When preparing for "The Message", I consulted them a lot about the situation back then.

Liu Jing took two steps forward and bowed deeply to the old man. “Thank you! When we were filming ‘The Message,’ we researched a lot of historical materials. We wanted the audience to know that those old ghosts were not symbols, but flesh-and-blood people. They were afraid of the dark, and they felt cold, but they were willing to sacrifice everything for their beliefs. We wanted to convey a message through the film: the wind may stop, but faith will not.”

With red eyes, Chen Kun wasn't talking about Bai Xiaonian at this moment, but about Bai Xiaonian's descendants. "When filming Bai Xiaonian, I kept thinking that he could have lived a peaceful life singing Kunqu Opera, but he chose to take this path. There was a scene where he was tortured terribly, but he still smiled and said that I hadn't told him. After filming that scene, I couldn't recover for a long time. Lao Gui can be anyone, or he can be Bai Xiaonian."

Zhou Xun said in a hoarse voice, "Gu Xiaomeng has a line, 'I'm not afraid of dying, I'm afraid of being forgotten.' Now I want to say that we made this movie so that more people will remember that so many people paid with their blood and lives for the life we ​​have now."

Zeng Li returned to the stage and nodded gently. "Li Ningyu is a very calm person. There's a scene where she cries while holding her comrade's belongings. When I was filming, I remembered what my grandmother said: In the past, people didn't even dare to cry loudly. I hope that after watching the movie, everyone can cherish their current life more."

"Alright, if you keep crying, the movie won't be able to start. But you won't cry for nothing; there'll be a reward after you've cried. Director, shouldn't we announce our special National Day reward?" Wang Zhiwen didn't prepare any remarks and took on the role of host. He was an absolute villain in the movie, so what was there for him to say?

"The Message will be released nationwide on September 29th. Each audience member present today will receive a commemorative ticket stub for the movie 'Old Ghost,' which can be used to watch the movie a second time in theaters and exchange for movie merchandise. In addition, we will donate a portion of the box office revenue to the restoration of historical materials at the Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall, which is also a way of doing something for the 'Old Ghosts.'"

"And another one!" Zhou Xun suddenly jumped out, pulling out a stack of autographed photos. "We've prepared 100 autographed photos, and we're giving them away to a random audience member! But we have to answer a question—what pattern was embroidered on the clothes that Gu Xiaomeng sewed for Li Ningyu in the movie?"

A wave of hands shot up from the audience, and a little girl shouted, "It's plum blossom! I saw a close-up in the trailer!"

Zhou Xun smiled and handed her the autographed photo, "You guessed right! Remember to ask me for a hug next time you come back!"

"You guys don't have any more, right?" Wang Zhiwen said with a smile.

"That's all." Everyone shook their heads in unison.

"Then what are you still standing for? Don't delay everyone's movie viewing." Wang Zhiwen joked, and amidst laughter, the main cast members walked off the stage and found their seats.

Old Han was chatting with Xiao Wang when he saw Liu Jing coming over. He said something to Xiao Wang, who then moved aside to make room for him.

Liu Jing pretended not to see it; there was a seat reserved for him next to Zhang Min.

"Liu Jing, come here, let's have a chat." Old Han quickly called out, thinking that Liu Jing wouldn't come over if he didn't call out to him.

"President Wang, congratulations! Huayi is finally about to achieve its goal." Liu Jing said helplessly, knowing the old man would definitely bring up the film scheduling. The new seat was between Old Han and Young President Wang. After sitting down, Liu Jing took the initiative to chat with Young President Wang next to him.

Huayi's journey to listing has finally come to an end. Two months ago, relevant national departments issued the "Cultural Industry Revitalization Plan," which promoted Huayi's listing on the Growth Enterprise Market.

The date has been set: October 30th. The first batch of 10 companies will be listed on the ChiNext board, including Aier Eye Hospital, Hanwei Electronics, Wangsu Science & Technology, Dayu Water Saving, Anke Biotechnology, and Huayi Brothers.

"Haha, going public is just the beginning. We're still far behind Golden Harvest." Young Master Wang smiled broadly, revealing a hint of smugness. No matter how powerful Golden Harvest is, it's still listed in Hong Kong, while Spring Autumn is just buying a shell company. Unlike Huayi, which is taking one step at a time.

"Liu Jing, you're pretty tough, kid. You cut 70% of the screenings of 'The Founding of a Republic' at Chunqiu Cinemas. Do you think I wouldn't dare cut 90% of the screenings of 'The Message'?" Old Han's tone was very displeased.

Gao Yuanyuan was right; he was indeed conflicted.

With "The Founding of a Republic" about to break 400 million yuan at the box office, surpassing the record set by "Painted Skin" is practically a certainty. But Lao Han hasn't forgotten that "The Message" is about to be released.

He felt the record hadn't even warmed up yet, and it was very likely that "The Message" would surpass it again. That wasn't so bad, after all, he had once held it. What worried Lao Han was that "The Founding of a Republic" hadn't even broken the record yet, and "The Message" had already broken it first.

This is not impossible; with a series of promotional tactics, the pre-sales for "The Message" have already exceeded 50 million.

These figures are terrifying; how could Lao Han not be worried? His film hasn't even broken 400 million yet, while Liu Jing's film has already surpassed 400 million at the box office.

"Uncle Han, didn't I tell you last night? There's a small group of people who are determined to destroy us. I'm afraid 'The Message' will be ruined by their attacks. Let's arrange more screenings first, so even if it flops later, we can still get more box office revenue." Liu Jing sighed.

"It's just having a baby, what's the big deal? Could that baby be yours?" Old Han asked suspiciously.

Compared to this suspicion, he was more suspicious that this was a publicity stunt, part of the promotion for "The Message".

Old Han wasn't the only one with this idea; some industry insiders did as well.

After all, in everyone's eyes, Zhang Min, Sister Li, and Boss Wen are good friends who have been friends for nearly twenty years. If the child is Liu Jing's, that would be too far-fetched; they are more willing to believe that the child is related to Lao An.

They waited with bated breath, hoping for a reversal.

"Uncle Han, whether it's mine or not, they'll all try to pin it on me, believe it or not?" Liu Jing had no idea what Old Han was thinking, otherwise he would be speechless.

"The truth will out, and falsehood will become truth. With a clear conscience, what are we afraid of?" Old Han said this, but in his heart he agreed with Liu Jing's statement. If he were the mastermind, and specifically after "The Message," he would definitely have fabricated the relationship between Liu Jing and Zhang Min.

Audiences are easily swayed, and then their opposition can be stirred up to cause them to boycott the movie.

"Speaking of this, it's all Uncle Han's fault. If you hadn't approved the release date for 'Nanjing,' none of this would have happened," Liu Jing sighed.

"Ahem, focus on the movie. The opening sequence is good, very eye-catching." Old Han was a little embarrassed and lost interest in pursuing the screening schedule. The Spring and Autumn Cinema's 70% reduction in screenings didn't significantly impact "The Founding of a Republic," but it greatly affected the newly released "The Message."

Little Wang, standing nearby, perked up his ears. He was a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong. If it were anyone else, they would definitely be in for a beating.

"Liu Jing, Huayi has an unshirkable responsibility to beat up Taro." Little Wang pulled Liu Jing aside and continued whispering to him.

They had a grudge against Lu Chuan. When "Nanjing" was in pre-production, Huayi Brothers was originally one of the investors. Later, things went wrong, and Huayi withdrew its investment, instead investing in "The Diary of John Rabe." Little Wang planned to use this film, right after "Nanjing," but then Liu Jing got into a fight with the other party.

"Thank you for your support, Mr. Wang," Liu Jing expressed his gratitude. Huayi Brothers was also an investor in "The Message," and they had put a lot of effort into the promotion and distribution. Of course, this was related to Huayi Brothers' upcoming IPO. With "The Message" finishing its theatrical run and Huayi Brothers going public, they wanted to hope for good fortune.

"Liu Jing, I need to discuss something with you. I heard that Zhou Xun is interested in cooperating with you. As you know, she is our pillar now. If she leaves Huayi, the stock will definitely fluctuate. But it's not good for us to keep holding on to her, since Li Bingbing has already established Hesong. What do you think? We two companies can help her set up a new company, and we'll both take some shares."

"Okay!" Liu Jing readily agreed, as long as she signed a management contract with Bai Bing, she was willing to cooperate in any way.

"Hehe, brother, you're so straightforward." Little Wang was half-believing, half-doubting. He thought, "You agreed so readily, could there be a trap?"

The movie was playing, and as the plot progressed, the whispers gradually faded away.

There's not a single dull moment, especially when the secret is revealed at the end, which leaves many people stunned.

"I leave this record while I am in purgatory, hoping that my family and Sister Yu will forgive my decision at this moment. But I firmly believe that you will eventually understand my feelings. My dears, I am so ruthless to you only because the nation is on the verge of extinction, and we can only risk our lives to save it. My body is about to perish, but my soul will be with you. The enemy will never understand that Old Ghost and Old Gun are not individuals, but a spirit, a belief."

The sound echoed in the cinema, Duan Yihong shed tears on the screen, and the audience in the seats also couldn't stop crying.

Even though this was taken by Liu Jing, he was still deeply moved by Gu Xiaomeng at this moment.

"This... is probably Zhou Xun's most splendid role. I wonder if Fatty Bing regrets not playing it. But even if she had, it wouldn't have had the same effect," Liu Jing sighed silently.

The subtitles appeared, followed by sparse applause, and then a roar of applause.

In the final segment, the main creators went on stage to give interviews and interact with the audience.

The premiere came to a close amidst thunderous applause.

Amidst a chorus of excited voices, "The Message" was officially released on September 29.

On its opening day, which lasted only half a day and before the National Day holiday even started, the box office reached 2326 million yuan.

More than 60 million tickets were pre-sold online, with many viewers buying tickets for the movie after the 30th, since the release date is not a holiday.

On Wednesday, September 30th, the box office was 3742 million. The holiday hadn't even started yet, and the box office had already reached 9 million in just two days.

Under Lao Han's complicated perspective, just halfway through the holiday, on Sunday afternoon, October 4th, at around 4 PM, "The Message" broke 200 million yuan at the box office.

And this was only the first week. It took 11 days for "The Founding of a Republic" to break 200 million yuan and 18 days to break 300 million yuan.

Old Han felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, as if he was about to be attacked.

At a single command, all other screenings at cinemas under China Film Group were allocated to "The Founding of a Republic".

The mastermind behind it all couldn't sit still any longer. Around 7 p.m. that day, they released a recording. There were three voices in it: a man's voice that could be identified as Liu Jing, a woman's voice that could be identified as Zhang Min, and a little child calling out "Daddy," which Liu Jing answered several times.

(End of this chapter)