Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 464 Princess Qing Asks for Help

Zeng Li went to the side, and Liu Jing followed her to sit in the lounge area.

The staff were very perceptive and quickly brought over a few cups of milk tea.

Xiao Dao pestered Tang Wei with questions, as she was a recent graduate with some fresh insights.

The other four sat together, enjoying the last bit of leisure before their busy schedules began.

"The box office has increased dramatically these past few days; I didn't expect it to break 4.5 million so quickly," Zhou Xun said, taking a sip of his milk tea.

If it were a small knife like that, with a round little face and a straw stuck in it, Liu Jing would definitely find it pleasing to the eye.

Seeing Zhou Gongzi's appearance—thirty-six years old, naive and innocent—Liu Jing felt she was pretending to be young.

Art films are made to win awards, while commercial films are made to achieve box office success.

The higher the box office of "The Message," the higher the actors' market value will be, and everyone will be more proactive in promoting it.

The scripts they're given now come with significantly higher pay. Their endorsement deals have also increased—that's the most tangible benefit.

"You've probably become too popular these past few days, Sister Xun," Liu Jing joked.

On October 1, the box office of "The Message" exceeded 10 million yuan.

On October 4th, the box office exceeded 10 million.

On October 6, the box office exceeded 10 million.

On October 14, the box office exceeded 10 million.

As of October 22, "The Message" had grossed 470 million yuan at the box office.

With one week left in theaters, it's practically a certainty that the box office will surpass 500 million.

Many people are watching to see how far it can go after breaking 500 million.

"Haha, the influence of a three-time Golden Horse Award winner is not as great as a fire." Chen Kun laughed.

"We broke up," Zhou Xun said dejectedly.

While preparing for his birthday party, Young Master Wang accidentally set the lawn on fire with fireworks at night.

If the fire hadn't been put out in time, she probably wouldn't have been able to come to Taiwan.

Even so, the media didn't say anything good, and there was a wave of condemnation online.

"You broke up? You two..." Chen Kun was stunned and subconsciously looked at Liu Jing.

His first thought was that his best friend and Liu Jing had been caught in the act by Young Master Wang.

This guess is reasonable; her best friend is no pushover, and Liu Jing is like a rice transplanter.

The two hit it off immediately, and they probably did it countless times in private.

"What kind of look is that?" Liu Jing and Zhou Xun said in unison, which made Zeng Li uneasy.

Zeng Li hadn't thought about it that way before, but the two of them answered so tacitly that she couldn't help but overthink it.

She thinks a lot more deeply; despite her dignified appearance, she is particularly adept at divergent thinking. There aren't many actresses in "The Message"; besides her and Zhou Xun, there are Zhao Xiaodao, Zhou Yang, and Liu Yifei.

She let her imagination run wild. Liu Jing's directorial debut was "The Sacred Flame," starring Zhang Min, Gao Yuanyuan, and Jing Tian as the three leading ladies. It was certain that these three were definitely the director's women. This also indirectly confirmed her speculation about "The Message."

"The actresses have all been ruined by this lecherous man. No, there should be female directors too! No wonder he handpicked Tang Wei, huh, she wanted to try out the paperclip, didn't she?" Zeng Li thought to herself, this guy had experimented with paperclips on him. The real target was right there, she didn't think Tang Wei could escape the director's grasp.

Last night, Liu Jing took advantage of her vulnerability, pear blossoms pressing down on crabapple blossoms, a tree lying across the middle, and she still harbors resentment.

To think that Zeng Li was so dignified and virtuous in other people's eyes, yet she was so easily toyed with by a lecherous man.

Sigh! There's nothing we can do; he's the creditor, after all.

"I didn't mean anything by it." Chen Kun's explanation was weak; the meaning in his eyes just now was too obvious.

“Everything was fine yesterday.” Zeng Li said in confusion. She had even made a phone call while singing last night, and the other party had remotely requested songs.

"Yeah! The day after our premiere, that guy spent 388 million to buy a model of a sandalwood palace and gave it to you in a high-profile manner. It hasn't even been a month, right? How come you broke up already?" Chen Kun didn't understand. According to his calculations, they wouldn't have broken up until at least after the New Year.

The premiere of "The Message" is on the 27th, the film's opening day is on the 29th, and the Harper's Bazaar Charity Night is on the 28th.

The event was held at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Yandu Yintai Center, and many celebrities who attended the premiere the day before also participated in this grand event.

Cheng Long, Zhou Xun, Pang Bing, Shou Bing, Huang Xiaoming, Chen Kun, as well as Liu Jialing, Ruby Lin, Vivian Hsu, Lu Yi, Yang Lan, Lu Yu, and others.

In addition to nearly a hundred celebrities, there were also many entrepreneurs and artists.

Liu Jing didn't participate, as he was busy with "The Message." Gao Yuanyuan brought a few artists to make a brief appearance.

But Liu Jing knew quite a bit about what happened that night, not from Gao Yuanyuan's report, but from the media and the internet.

The event, themed "Let Charity Become Power," aimed to help children in China suffering from serious illnesses. It is said that more than 30 million yuan was raised through an auction that evening.

Zhang Yimou produced a signed copy of the "Commemorative Book of the Opening Ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games," a picture book documenting the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which included his autograph. It was eventually purchased by Jackie Chan for one million yuan.

Cheng Long donated three treasures, including a fiber jade carving titled "The Nation," which sold for 399 million yuan.

A suit of armor worn by Meng Yi in the movie "The Myth" sold for 218 million.

The last item was quite unique: a model of a side hall of an official residence made of rosewood. The small house was purchased for 388 million yuan on behalf of Mr. Wang and immediately given to Zhou Xun.

This move became the most eye-catching news of the entire event, and it was widely reported by the media that evening.

Gao Yuanyuan did not leave empty-handed; she won a Montblanc limited edition gold pen for 100 million yuan.

September is almost over, and November isn't far away. This is the birthday gift she prepared for Liu Jing.

Zhou Xun understood Chen Kun's incomprehension, and she didn't understand it either; it all happened too suddenly, without any warning.

For the two days of her birthday, the two of them stayed at home for two days and one night, and did not go out at all.

Lying in bed with someone you love is the most romantic thing.

They work after eating, sleep when they get tired, and then come back to work when they're full. They rest when they've had enough, just like conjoined twins.

On his way to the airport, Young Master Wang's back ached so much he couldn't stand up. Even with the medication, those dozens of hours were unbearable; he almost collapsed.

Once in Australia, the two would talk on the phone for hours every day, at least three times a day, each time for at least half an hour.

then……

"I've thought it over carefully, let's break up." Zhou Xun wiped away her tears, her voice even more hoarse. "This is the text message he sent me this morning. I called him, but he didn't answer."

"That man is such a jerk, he should at least give a reason." Tang Wei patted Zhou Xun's shoulder to comfort him. She and Xiao Dao noticed the unusual situation and came over as well.

“I called him more than a dozen times, but he didn’t answer any of them. He finally replied with a text message. He’s very bothered by the fact that I was married to Daqi before. He can’t get over that hurdle in his heart.” Zhou Xun took a deep breath, not wanting to lose his composure.

The group exchanged bewildered glances; this excuse was rather flimsy. "Zhou Xun was married before, you didn't just find out now, you knew when we first met."

Haha, he's had his fun and just found some excuse to dump her.

“I called him again, but he blocked me,” Zhou Xun sobbed. “That guy is no good. It’s better to leave him sooner rather than later, so you can keep looking,” Chen Kun comforted him.

"Is that how you comfort people?" Zeng Li said irritably.

"He and I are serious, and we're aiming for marriage..."

Zhou Xun had barely begun his explanation when Chen Kun couldn't hold back any longer, "Xun, when have you ever not been serious? You've always been aiming for marriage. If this one didn't work out, it means he wasn't right for you. Keep your eyes open next time, and you'll eventually meet the right one."

Zeng Li put her hand to her forehead. "You two are really good friends. Only Chen Kun would say something like that."

To her surprise, Zhou Xun nodded emphatically, hummed in agreement, and looked completely convinced.

What made it even harder for her to hold back was that Zhou Xun took the tissue Tang Wei handed him, wiped away his tears, and said, "Director, isn't our breakup enough of a buzz? Go ahead and hype it up. If it can help our 'The Message' break 600 million at the box office, I'll feel a little better."

"Cough cough..." Zeng Li was drinking milk tea and almost choked on it.

"No way! There's a bottom line to hype. Not everything can be used for hype. We're hyping, not fabricating." Liu Jing refused seriously.

Zeng Li stopped coughing. Do you even believe that yourself?
Everyone knows that you used the news that your boss has a daughter to promote your drama.

Everyone knows that you dragged your own sister into playing a nurse with no lines, just for the sake of box office success, and then promoted it as an important role.

Liu Jing is wronged. I really didn't fabricate anything about Xiao Xue, so why doesn't anyone believe me? I can't exactly drag Young Master Wang out to prove it, can I?

Also, the nurse played by Sissi is indeed very important; without her, intelligence could not be transmitted.

"The director really is... the director." Tang Wei wanted to find a word to flatter him, but after stammering for a while, she found herself at a loss for words.

"Sigh! I have nothing to do with you guys." Liu Jing flicked his sleeve and took the opportunity to leave.

Liu Jing suspected that Wang Gongzi's sudden breakup with Zhou Xun was partly due to his influence.

He found someone in Australia to take Young Master Wang to a secluded place and let him have a good time for a few days.

The saying "the emperor is far away" is indeed true. He wanted to take on the role of a father and discipline his son on behalf of Mr. Wang Zhicai.

If he had the time, he would love to go to Australia and experience it for himself.

Having exceptional skills but having no way to showcase them is even more painful than wearing fine clothes in the dark.

But he valued his life and was very afraid of being shot by the enemy if he went abroad.

"They've just started their operation. What's wrong with Comrade Xiao Wang? That's right, if I were him, I'd definitely look down on Zhou Xun for being married before," Liu Jing muttered.

Others didn't believe this reason, but he preferred to believe that it couldn't possibly be that their actions had alerted the enemy.

His reason for not believing was precisely the real reason.

Young Master Wang may not be a big deal in Australia, but his father has a lot of business there and is much more vigilant than Young Master Wang.

He immediately learned that strangers were lurking near the villa.

He stormed into his son's bedroom with a stick, interrogating him about what trouble he had gotten into recently.

Young Master Wang dared not admit it, but no one knows a son better than his father. One look at that shifty gaze told him something was definitely up. Besides, he had long suspected his son was hiding in Australia, afraid to return to China.

The father knew his methods wouldn't work on his son. He told his son that someone had come to the door and didn't seem like a good person, warning him to stay home and not wander off.

These words frightened Young Master Wang, who immediately told his father everything he had done, and even swore that he hadn't left any loose ends.

His father didn't believe it at all. If there were no loose ends, who were these people? But he also didn't expect Liu Jing to be so bold.

Young Master Wang got a good beating and was ordered by his father to stay away from Zhou Xun, or else all his accounts would be suspended.

Orders were useless, but card suspension was very effective; Young Master Wang was pretty much tired of it anyway.

However, having just given away gifts worth several million, his sunk costs are even higher than Qin Lan's, so he wants to play around for a while longer.

His father wasn't idle either; he immediately contacted his wife, Qinggege, to have her clean up his son's mess.

Princess Qing felt both relieved and troubled. She was relieved that her arrogant stepson was now begging her for help.

The problem is, she'll have to ask someone for help later.

Asking for help is like swallowing a three-foot sword; relying on others is like ascending to the ninth heaven.

More than ten years ago, Qinggege understood this principle, even earlier than Zhihua.

Fortunately, Zhang Min is in Yandu, so she doesn't have to go to Shanghai.

Unfortunately, Zhang Min still said, "The one who tied the knot must untie it; you've come to the wrong person."

Qinggege felt she hadn't made a mistake in choosing the wrong person. Since it was your child who was exposed, the knot naturally had to be tied to you first. She wasn't familiar with Liu Jing, and going to him would only result in being turned away. Besides, she'd heard that guy was quite lecherous; for a woman to beg another woman was just embarrassing. But for a woman to beg a man, who knew what kind of embarrassment she might suffer?

Her time in the entertainment industry was short, and she didn't have many close friends. When she married her husband, only one actress from the "My Fair Princess" cast attended the wedding.

This time was no different. She invited Fat Bing to come along, but Fat Bing refused outright. In the end, it was the Empress Dowager who came with her, Chunqiu.

Out of respect for the Empress Dowager, Zhang Min did not dismiss Qing Gege. Instead, she summoned Gao Yuanyuan and Bai Bing and told Qing Gege to talk to them.

Then Zhang Min took the Empress Dowager to visit the Spring and Autumn Recording Studio. She was a veteran actress and a first-class actress at the Naval Political Department Television Art Center.

While they were negotiating, Liu Jing was working as a proper greeter at the Golden Harvest Cinema in Taiwan.

At 2:30 p.m., the audience officially entered the venue. Around 3 p.m., invited guests and those who came on their own began to arrive one after another.

There were many paparazzi squatting outside the movie theater, and as more and more messages were posted online, "The Message" gradually gained popularity in Taiwan.

"Hey little thief, long time no see. I wish 'The Message' great success!"

The first guest was Jia Jingwen, which surprised Liu Jing, as the group had not extended an invitation to Jia Jingwen.

Not only did Alyssa Chia come, but she arrived very early. She was among the first to arrive as soon as the audience entered the venue.

She's currently busy with her lawsuit with her husband, traveling back and forth between Taiwan, Shanghai, and the United States.

"Tomboy, what brings you here?" Liu Jing looked her over carefully. She looked quite well, and it seemed that the lawsuit was progressing smoothly.

"You're coming to Taiwan to promote your movie, and no matter where I am or what I'm busy with, I'll definitely come to support you." In front of the media, Jia Jingwen hugged Liu Jing and whispered, "Thank you. Come to my house for dinner tomorrow. Just dinner, nothing else, don't misunderstand."

She had to make it clear, otherwise Liu Jing might not dare to come. Although the thief was lecherous and womanizing, he was very principled, and she had tested him.

Alyssa Chia is still quite popular in Taiwan. The sound of camera shutters clicking incessantly, and people are talking about her. It's as if a bunch of flies are swarming around her.

There's no way around it; the rumors about Liu Jing and Jia Jingwen at the beginning of the year caused quite a stir. The internet may not have a long memory, but it's not without recollection; the two of them together are always a topic of conversation.

Hong Kong and Taiwan are much more tolerant of this than the mainland; they are used to it, and one shocking news story after another quickly appears on the internet.

The second guest to arrive was Ang Lee, which completely ignited the media frenzy. It started at a high point, with a large number of reporters arriving after hearing the news.

This renowned director wasn't on the group's invitation list either; he wasn't there for Liu Jing, but for Tang Wei.

Ang Lee first exchanged a few pleasantries with Tang Wei, then shook hands with Liu Jing, his attitude very humble, saying, "The Message is very good, I look forward to working with you."

“I also look forward to working with you,” Liu Jing replied.

(End of this chapter)