Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 754 Li Qiutang, the Tool
"Marriage Story" grossed over 200 million yuan in its opening weekend and nearly 400 million yuan in its first ten days of release, becoming the highest-grossing art film of the year and possibly the highest-grossing art film in film history.

However, the success of "Marriage Story" is not worth learning from, because not every art film can cast Liu Yifei, nor can every art film generate the huge buzz surrounding her winning the Cannes Best Actress award to whet the audience's appetite like "Marriage Story".

Furthermore, the method used in "Marriage Story" can only be used once. Even if another director were to award Liu Yifei three major Best Actress awards, the film would not have the same market impact as "Marriage Story." The first time always has the greatest influence.

"Marriage Story" has already exceeded the company's and the production team's targets by grossing 4 million yuan in 10 days. The main creators are very satisfied, the company is very satisfied, and the other investors are also very satisfied.

These days, which art film can you invest in that kind of return?
This couple has a huge appeal in commercial films, but I never expected them to make so much money in art films. I'll definitely continue to invest in them, and invest a lot more.

With the release of films such as "The Monster Hunt," "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," "Master Z: Ip Man Legacy," and "Weathering With You," "Marriage Story," as an art film, naturally will no longer receive preferential treatment in theater screenings.

Correspondingly, the creators of "Marriage Story" gradually stopped promoting the film. Occasionally, when they received offers for events, they mainly conducted interviews and rarely went out to promote the film.

It's almost the end of the year, and apart from the ultimate lazybones like Liu Yifei, everyone else is incredibly busy.

She said that resting really meant resting, doing nothing, and not even taking on any work after her rest period. Her explanation was: "I'll take on work again after I've rested enough."

As for when she will be able to rest well, she said, "I'll be rested when I feel like working again."

Perfect closed loop.

As for the stack of scripts piled high on her desk, she would read one every three to five days if she remembered, and leave it unread if she didn't.

Her team is quite proud; they only look at movie scripts and won't accept any offers from TV drama production companies, no matter how much money they receive. However, the team is also sensible, knowing that big directors have their own circles, and it's difficult for others to enter Li Qiutang's circle. Similarly, it's not easy for Liu Yifei to enter other people's circles, so they are not opposed to new directors and low-budget productions.

Unlike some actors who are too ambitious and only want to work with big directors or in big productions.

With the industry in a downturn, there aren't that many big directors and big productions available for you to work on.

As for business opportunities, Liu Yifei has even less motivation to accept them.

After getting married, many home furnishing and personal care brands approached her, but Liu Yifei didn't accept any of them.

She still only has a few endorsements.

Neither CICC nor Dior could offer her a high endorsement fee, and Tissot's endorsement fee only covered her expenses for supporting her own team, so Liu Yifei really didn't earn much money from endorsements.

Her team also prevented her from accepting home furnishing and kitchenware advertisements, feeling that it would lower her profile.

You just won the Best Actress award, so be arrogant if you want.

Years of family life have taught Li Qiutang a lesson: a family cannot have one person who is idle and has nothing to do, otherwise the other person who is busy with work will be unhappy.

Now, Li Qiutang is the one who "dislikes" Liu Yifei.

Li Qiutang was busy with the post-production of "The Wandering Earth" and didn't get home until midnight every day. Although his wife would wait for him every day, Li Qiutang just couldn't bear to see her so comfortable and idle.

That day, Li Qiutang returned home very late as usual. Liu Yifei had already boiled water in advance, preparing to cook a bowl of noodles for her husband.

She was frying sauce when Li Qiutang came up from behind and slapped her on the butt.

"Hey, you, cooking?"

What kind of sauce should we make?

"I don't know. I just threw in all the leftover eggs, meat, and stuff."

"If we overcook it, who can eat this whole pot?"

"It's okay, the cooked sauce can be kept for a few days, just eat it slowly."

Li Qiutang watched his wife cook and said, "It feels like you're using me to test your cooking."

Liu Yifei did learn to cook in order to play the role of Zhu Xiaoyan well, but she rarely cooks at home, so her cooking skills have always been just average.

"As long as you have something to eat, that's enough." Liu Yifei was indeed using her husband to practice his cooking skills, but nothing bad had happened to him. "Is my cooking really that bad?" "Not really, it's just that sometimes I don't really want to eat it, but you've already made it, and I..."

"I don't care, wasting is the most shameful thing." Liu Yifei laughed.

The noodles and sauce were served at the same time. Li Qiutang asked Liu Yifei to peel another clove of garlic, but Liu Yifei refused: "Don't even think about touching me after you eat garlic."

"There is such a good thing."

"Hey!"

"If you don't want to eat, then you don't have to."

While eating, Li Qiutang said, "You've been quite free lately, haven't you? You haven't been reading any new scripts or doing any events."

"There's nothing good, so I'll just stay put," Liu Yifei said nonchalantly.

"Your husband is so busy every day that he barely has time to breathe," Li Qiutang said, describing her hardships and exhaustion.

Liu Yifei chimed in, "Your wife waits for you to come home every day and makes you a midnight snack."

Li Qiutang glared at her, and she smiled sheepishly: "That's your job, if you don't do it, who will? I've finished my work, can't I even take a break?"

Li Qiutang said, "It's still more comfortable being an actor."

"Actors are never full, and they're always working out, dieting, and getting beauty treatments. Can you try living like that?"

Liu Yifei was right, but those points didn't really apply to her. Li Qiutang didn't say anything, just looked at her, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Liu Yifei felt guilty: "I...I'm different!"

"How are you different?" Li Qiutang found it amusing.

"I won an award for Best Actress! I'm also trying to conceive! What's wrong with me being a little unrestrained?"

That makes sense.

"If I don't eat and drink well and take good care of my health, who will have children for me?"

That makes even more sense now.

She then turned around and accused Li Qiutang: "But you, coming home so late every day, do you even care about this family or your wife? You treat this place like a dormitory, sleeping here and then leaving."

To pull off this kind of thing, you need a woman.

Li Qiutang originally intended to teach her a lesson, but ended up being scolded by her instead, and Li Qiutang couldn't find a word to say back.

Li Qiutang quickly changed the subject: "Hey, how's the matter about Shu Chang and Yang Mi arguing on Weibo?"

"Nothing much happened, it just passed like that. Shu Chang went to Chongqing to film a movie, while Yang Mi continued to stay home to rest and prepare for childbirth. Shu Chang was still chosen for the role in 'Love Like a Bouquet,' but Yang Mi snatched the magazine cover from her. Before Shu Chang joined the crew, I wanted to act as a mediator and try to reconcile them, but neither of them would listen."

Li Qiutang had no interest in the feuds between women, but he still said, "Yang Mi has a problem with her constitution; even the ones she gets along with well eventually break up."

Liu Yifei refused to respond, finished the two noodles in her bowl, and said, "You can take it now. I'll go up first, you hurry up too."

"This is the fourth time this week. I hope our child is born in the love of both mom and dad."

Don't you love me?

There's nothing more to say. Li Qiutang just needs to do his part. In Liu Yifei's eyes, he's mainly playing the role of a pile driver.

(End of this chapter)