Generation Z Artists

Chapter 372 The First Shot of the Opening Ceremony

On August 25th, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, red flags fluttered and colorful flags danced in the breeze…

Ah, I've gotten a bit off-topic, but when Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan appear together, it's hard not to think of this scene.

The media is spending all its memory—yes, film cameras have been largely replaced by digital cameras, and Fang Xinghe has crossed another era.

Tonight, the mother and daughter greeted guests at the entrance, Chen Jinfei ran back and forth introducing and serving them, Qianqian's biological father sat discreetly at the government table in the corner, while Fang Xinghe stood guard in the middle, entertaining the distinguished guests.

He maintained a polite smile throughout, like a black hole keeping the core of the circle stable.

He didn't say much, but every word he uttered carried weight.

"How did I manage to disturb you two?"

Uncle Benshan laughed heartily: "Mr. Fang, I never expected our first handshake would be right here!"

"That was my rudeness; I should have paid a visit sooner."

"Hey, what's going on? We're all from Northeast China, let's not talk like that!"

Fang Xinghe and Uncle Benshan are a typical example of two kings who never meet.

When he went to Liaoning to help students, Uncle Benshan made a statement through the cultural department: "Xiao Fang has come to our house and is doing such a great thing. I must entertain him."

However, Fang Xinghe personally came to their door.

The education department hosted a banquet for Brother Fang, hoping that Benshan would attend and accompany him, but he made an excuse not to go.

In his early years, Uncle Benshan had a typical factional mindset. He was a good person with a righteous nature, but he placed particular importance on his status and face in Northeast China.

Moreover, this also involves the unspoken rivalry between Liao Liao and Ji Ji in the cultural field. Fang Xinghe is unwilling to back down, so the two have never met, and their relationship has remained at an impasse.

Today, Uncle Benshan personally attended Liu Yifei's birthday celebration, which actually signifies... the formal establishment of the number one figure in Northeast culture.

Looking closely at the guest list, almost all the big names from Northeast China are here, right after news broke that Fang Xinghe would be the chief witness.

Interesting, right?

In fact, many things in the entertainment industry are not as simple as they seem on the surface. The gossip behind these phenomena could go on for three days straight.

Fang Xinghe turned to Song Dandan.

"Teacher Dandan, is this your son?"

Song Dandan was holding the hand of a child—16 years old, who was already considered a teenager, tall and strong, and dressed in trendy clothes.

She smiled kindly and said, "Yes, this child grew up abroad and admires you very much. She also likes Xixi very much. She came back to China specifically to see you."

Fang Xinghe immediately promised, "Okay, let's take a picture together later."

Then she laughed and said, "Little brother, you're idolizing the wrong person. Your mother is the pinnacle of Chinese drama actresses. When Qianqian wants to take drama lessons later, she'll have plenty of places to consult. You two should be able to see her all the time."

Batu blushed and stammered, "No, that's...it's different..."

The little boy seems to like Liu Yifei.

Fang Xinghe smiled and said goodbye to them before going to entertain others.

Of all the foreign guests, Tanabe Ichijo arrived the earliest and then wagged his tail incessantly like a lapdog.

"Fang Dian, when will you come to Japan again?"

"It's during the promotion of the new movie."

The president of Sony Pictures chimed in: "Could the new film be screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival?"

"Of course, but I might not go."

The president of Sony Music also chimed in: "Mr. Fang, when are you planning to release a Japanese album? The Japanese people are eagerly awaiting it!"

"That's not my main job."

It's not difficult to transcribe Japanese songs, but he doesn't only work in the Japanese market, so why would he bother releasing a Japanese album?
He doesn't plan to release too many solo albums, maybe two or three at most, just enough for a concert.

American guests were more curious about the new movie.

"SR, will your new film be another contender for the Oscars?"

"I think so, the time interval is long enough."

"Hahahaha!"

Fang Xinghe's humorous response elicited a chorus of knowing chuckles from them. Yes, the cooling-off period for Star River's award bid was almost over.

When "Young Love" swept Cannes, Fang Xinghe himself did not even attend the Oscars ceremony.

There's nothing else to it; he's stubborn and doesn't want to be a runner-up.

This certainly cost him points with the Oscar judges, but it also gave all the judges a legitimate reason not to vote for "The Young Ones," which is hard to say whether it was a kind of consideration.

Now, two or three years have passed, and it's time to remind them of the terrifying influence of Star River.

After chatting with them for a while, the group tacitly moved to another location, making room for other guests.

Han Sanping, Deputy Director Liu, Director of the Television Drama Center of the Broadcasting Corporation... It wasn't convenient to talk much today, so they exchanged a few words and quickly went to a corner.

Next up were a group of directors and big names.

Mou Zi must come, but he'll be here in a hurry. He's so busy right now that he's practically running around like a maniac, even eating is like fighting a battle.

Zhang Jizhong was present throughout the entire process, helping Chen Jinfei with his tasks.

Little Cannon also arrived. It seemed no one had invited him, but he brought generous gifts and acted humbly, leaving no room for criticism.

Kai Zi definitely didn't come—this one was genuinely invited; the invitation was personally sent by the dog party.

It turned out to be Mrs. Chen who came, and she said apologetically, "Old Chen isn't feeling well, so he asked me to apologize to you... Happy birthday, Qianqian!"

The apology is definitely fake; it's impossible.

The previous statement might be true; Kai Zi is petty and easily angered by inhuman scoundrels.

You Jianming arrived, sitting with a group of producers, his face beaming.

"Pshaw! What insight do I have? At most, I have a tiny bit of luck. Sisi got into the industry without me; her talent is undeniable!"

As Liu Yifei's mentor, his production career wasn't particularly glamorous, but the glory of discovering Liu was enough to sustain him for a lifetime.

Around the venue, the actors also huddled together in twos and threes, always keeping their eyes on the center.

Hendrik Willem Van Loon arrived midway through the event, so he was guaranteed a seat in the front row VIP section.

"Big Brother" is currently in a higher position than Fang Xinghe—both are national superstars, one representing the mainland and the other representing the entire Chinese entertainment industry. For the time being, Hendrik Willem Van Loon's accumulated connections, achievements, and influence within the industry are still slightly stronger.

But if we disregard factions and focus on fans, salaries, and commercial value, Fang Xinghe has already won in every aspect.

So, Hendrik Willem Van Loon's visit is actually a gesture of goodwill.

He didn't mention anything about "having the opportunity to work together" or anything like that, and he wasn't even being polite. But he did say, "Sissi fought really well. I must invite her to my next film. There's never been a better leading lady like her."

They're very smart; they know the most effective way to build relationships.

This is not five years ago. Whether it's Hendrik Willem Van Loon or the Emperor, anyone who wants to cooperate with Fang Xinghe has to be content to play a supporting role.

Offering Fang Xinghe's cooperation was purely a way of deliberately offending him.

What's your net worth? What's the size of the projects you've led? What's your highest box office gross? How dare you ask Fang Shen to be your assistant?

Ridiculous.

The only factor preventing Fang Xinghe from forming a new circle is that his output is simply too low.

So just be respectful and polite, try not to offend him, and you can each do your own thing the rest of the time.

Many people from Hong Kong's entertainment circle also came today, all with the same idea.

Xie Biwang and Nenxian stood side by side at the door, acting as greeters for quite some time.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy made him a star, and his arrogance started to rise again. But when he looked back at Yang Shoucheng, who was smiling like a flower at Fang Xinghe in the inner circle, he shrank back.

I can't mess with them, I can't mess with them, damn it, we're not even on the same level anymore...

The dramatic thing is that the princess is also here today, chatting and laughing with a group of music industry bigwigs.

She and Fang Xinghe got along quite well. Although they didn't communicate much when they worked together on "Dreaming of the West Continent", they were both straightforward and generous. As they chatted, she wanted to invite Fang to play mahjong... Fang Xinghe didn't have time to play mahjong, and when she invited them to dinner, they didn't have time either, so they never became close friends.

Today she couldn't help but ask, "Sissi is preparing to debut as a singer, what about your album?"

"on the way."

"Are there any more duets? Singing with you is really fun."

How could that not be exciting?

Guabi is a pure and simple quirky singer, which perfectly complements her delicate singing style. Although her song "Blowing Dreams to the West" is only available in Chinese, it is still extremely popular in Japan and South Korea and is hailed as "the most beautiful and pure voice".

It's a pity we're not in the era of social media now, otherwise there would be cover videos everywhere.

Fang Xinghe smiled and said, "It's not certain yet, but if it is, I'll definitely invite you."

The princess smiled contentedly.

Yehenara asked casually, "Your apprentice is going to debut in Japan, aren't you going to sing another duet with her?"

What are you saying! Is it fun to bully newbies?
"Forget it, let her do what she wants, it's not appropriate for me to get involved."

In fact, a number of music industry bigwigs were curious about Liu Yifei's choice. Zhao Lin sighed, "Why is Qianqian so foolish? The music scene is already in such a state, why does she have to step into this? Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"She's in a pretty awkward position right now, and there's really no easy way to go, so she's just killing time."

Fang Xinghe spoke calmly, as if he were commenting on his own junior when he talked about Nenxian's future.

"She's reached her peak in filming TV dramas."

Limited by age and appearance, there are only two types of roles that can be played, and no matter how many roles they play, they are just repeating themselves.

She is quite ambitious and doesn't want to get stuck in the same old routine just to make money. After finishing "Chinese Paladin", she decided to temporarily leave the TV drama industry and focus on making movies.

Making a movie isn't that simple; you have to wait for the right opportunity.

In the realm of commercial films, there are too few projects featuring strong female leads. Ultimately, this is still an industry where male stars carry the box office, and no matter how popular a female star is, she can only serve as an accessory for the male stars.

Given her current position, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to play minor, supporting roles.

Moreover, the film industry is basically dominated by a few major players in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Despite being known as "Fang's Girl," she can't get core projects from those companies, which limits her opportunities.

In the realm of art-house films, her age is too limiting, her acting skills are inconsistent, she is very dependent on the roles she plays, and good scripts are even harder to come by.

So we're stuck here, caught in a dilemma.

Going to sing doesn't mean a complete career change; it's just something I had no other choice, and I treated it as a way to pass the time and enrich my experience.

It's not that I'm ignoring her; I'm waiting for her to finish indulging in her singing career, realize she's not cut out for singing, and then I can arrange for her to focus on honing her acting skills.

Fang Xinghe shrugged, a smile playing on his lips.

"It won't waste much time either way, and I don't believe Sony would dare to release a second album for her."

"Hahaha! How mean of you!"

A burst of laughter erupted around them. The music industry people present had all heard Liu Yifei sing—that version of "Blowing Dreams to the West Continent".

The childish midrange, the thin and slightly shrill high notes, the accurate but stiff rhythm that always felt a bit clumsy... were completely outclassed by the Princess's version.

Of course, this doesn't mean she can't sell records. Fans buying albums and whether a star sings well are two unrelated things.

However, it's difficult for her to become popular as a singer and to catch up with the glamour of being an actress.

So it was obviously a detour, but Fang Xinghe didn't intend to forcibly interfere with what she wanted to try.

"You really spoil her."

The princess's tone was tinged with envy.

"Dou Wei, Nicholas Tse, and I always argue about our beliefs."

A group of people burst into meaningful laughter, their expressions like aunties, their eyes full of gossip.

But if they were asked to make more direct jokes, they wouldn't dare.

So Fang Xinghe pretended not to see it, chuckled and waved his hand, avoiding the topic.

Do you spoil them?

It's just that they're protecting their own.

……

The guest list is getting more and more complete: the two Wangs from Huayi Brothers, the old Wang from Enlight Media, CEO Cai from Sugar Man, the chairman of the TV Drama Association, a fellow member of the Beijing Film Academy, and a pretentious guy from the Hong Kong entertainment circle...

Fang Xinghe nodded with a smile, thus concluding the day's events, without engaging in any further communication with anyone.

There's not much to talk about; most of them are enemies.

As the clock struck midnight, Chen Jinfei walked to the podium.

Liu Xiaoli is indeed not her daughter's agent; external agency affairs have always been overseen by Chen Jinfei and assisted by a core team of seven.

But those seven dwarfs not only had a very low profile, but their actual abilities were also quite worrisome.

Chen Jinfei has been busy with various tasks, both good and bad, but he has eventually fallen behind and can no longer play a positive role.

Therefore, he appeared particularly emotional at the end of his speech.

"When I was a child, I lived in the same government compound as Xiaoli's brother. Back then, I saw Xiaoli as my own sister."

Later, his family moved to Wuhan to work and live, but they never lost touch and always kept in touch.

In 92, I had already achieved considerable success in my business, and I met Xixi for the first time at a gathering.

A little girl, so young yet so beautiful, already knew how to charm and please adults. I blurted out: How wonderful it would be if I had a daughter like her!

As a result, this clever little thing immediately changed her address and called me "Dad." I was so excited, it felt like I had a biological daughter.

When she was 10 years old, Sisi went abroad with her mother. I thought this separation would last a very long time, but I didn't expect that four years later, she would suddenly want to return to China and become an actress.

Actually, Xiaoli didn't quite agree, but I kept advising her: "The child is grown up, let her do whatever she wants, we should support her."

I opened a talent agency specifically for her and personally acted as her agent, striving to protect and support her.

I, Chen Jinfei, can say without exaggeration that I don't need to rely on my daughter to make money. I still have some assets. The money I earn from acting isn't even enough to cover the interest on my savings. I just want to fulfill Qianqian's wish.

The scene, the difficulties, and the ambitions of that time are still vivid in my mind.

Many years have passed in the blink of an eye. The little girl who used to call me godfather is finally about to come of age and has embarked on the artistic path she loves, achieving such dazzling results.

My feeling is more than just gratification; it's as if I personally planted a seed and watched it grow day by day until it finally became a healthy and beautiful sapling.

She may not be a towering tree yet, but she has already been the best spiritual practice I have ever had in this life.

By the way, the term "cultivation" was actually changed for me by director Fang Xinghe himself.

I was anxious, so I took my speech to him for help. He glanced at it and affirmed my point: "It's sincere and heartfelt, which is good. But you can change 'work' to 'spiritual practice.' Raising children is not about creating a work of art, but about cultivating one's own life."

I only changed one word, but when I looked back, I was filled with emotion and couldn't sleep all night.

Seeking no reward, cultivating one's mind and virtue—this is the most correct and beautiful mindset.

I shouldn't worry about her future, nor do I need to wish her even greater success. I just hope she's happy, healthy, and joyful, able to continue doing what she wants, untainted by the filth of the outside world, and unharmed by the evil people of this world…”

Liu Yifei listened with tears in her eyes, deeply moved.

She was innocent and only listened to the tone of his voice, but some people present sensed something was amiss.

Doesn't this sound like there's a hidden meaning in his words?
Of course, there was a hidden meaning in his words.

When your brother Fang wants to fight, he never slaps someone who isn't prepared; he usually uses a full set of punches.

Little Liu is covered in filth right now. If he doesn't wash himself clean, he'll be disgracing our sect's patriarch.

To clear one's name, there must be a setup, a turning point, a climax, and a conclusion. The whole process involves criticizing those who deserve criticism and exploiting those who deserve exploitation.

We've set up such a big stage today, it's perfect for a grand opera performance.

Chen Jinfei was the one who laid the groundwork, the first shot in today's grand drama.

(End of this chapter)