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Qingdao.

At this moment, Suning was standing in his newly rented office in a building. "Guangguai Luli Film and Television Culture Co., Ltd." would be the name of this company.

Director Kong's words from that afternoon, "Go for it, I'll support you," still echoed in his ears, like a shot of adrenaline injected into this young body, making even his breathing more certain than ever before.

"Attorney Zhang, please keep a close eye on the registration process. As for the clauses in the company's articles of association regarding project decision-making authority, please stick to what we agreed on yesterday."

He spoke very quickly into the phone, while his other hand circled the words "registered capital of 1000 million" on his notebook.

He felt no guilt whatsoever as he transferred the money from the "copy world funds" directly into the company's basic account.

It's not about putting on a show, but about letting everyone see that what Suning is doing is not a nouveau riche dabbling in film and television projects, but a real, serious undertaking.

After hanging up the phone, the script "The Massage Therapist" lay quietly on the desk.

We need to send the invitation and script to the three lead actors as soon as possible, since this project has already gained industry recognition.

Then Suning revised it word by word, deleting the humble term "student director" and only retaining the identity of "founder of Bizarre and Unusual," and also specially added the label "produced by Director Kong, with Shandong Film Group as co-producer"...

It's not about leveraging existing resources, but about showing sufficient respect to those predecessors and giving this fledgling project enough weight.

The moment he clicked send, Su Ning pinched the bridge of his nose.

……

Teacher Guo saw the email in the lounge backstage of the event.

As his assistant handed him the tablet, he was rubbing his aching back. He glanced at the sender, "Suning," and casually said, "Suning? Are you kidding me! Reply and say my schedule is full right now."

The assistant didn't move, but pointed to the words "Director Kong supervises, Shandong Film and Television co-producer" on the screen and whispered, "Teacher Guo, look at this..."

Teacher Guo's hand paused.

Then he took the tablet. "This kid, he actually managed to make a fuss?"

With a touch of curiosity, he clicked on the script attachment.

The lounge was quiet, with only the cold air from the air conditioner blowing.

Teacher Guo; from the beginning of his nonchalant attitude, to later leaning forward, his fingers unconsciously tapping a rhythm on his knees.

When he saw the scene where the "husband" was murdered in the kitchen by his wife and lover, he sat up abruptly, his breath catching in his throat.

"He died a miserable death, but his soul lingers." He muttered to himself, reading the annotations in the script. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh, startling his assistant so much that he almost knocked over the water glass on the table.

"This character is interesting! He dies at the beginning, but he hooks the whole story. He's much more interesting than the upright characters I've played before!"

He turned to the last page and saw the words "Potential co-stars: Teacher Mei, Teacher Liu," and his eyes lit up even more.

Last year, when filming "Parents' Love", he talked with Teacher Mei and Teacher Liu about wanting to collaborate on a different kind of drama. Little did he expect that this would come true in the Suning project.

"Call Su Ning back," Teacher Guo handed the tablet to her assistant, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "Tell him I'm very interested in the script. I'll be waiting for him at the studio at 10 a.m. tomorrow to discuss it in detail!"

"it is good."

……

When Ms. Mei received the email, she was sitting on the carpet in the living room, braiding her daughter's hair.

The tablet was on the coffee table next to her. When the screen lit up, she thought it was a notification from her kindergarten teacher. She clicked on it casually, but saw the words "The Massage Therapist Script".

"Mom, why aren't you moving?" Her daughter tugged at her hair, and Ms. Mei finally snapped out of her daze, putting the tablet aside. "Wait until Mom puts you to sleep before you watch it, okay?"

"Well, mom is the best."

But once her daughter's breathing became steady, Ms. Mei couldn't help but pick up the tablet.

She made herself a cup of hot tea, sat on the sofa, and originally only intended to flip through a few pages, but she was firmly held back by the role of "wife".

The "wife" in the script is not the gentle woman she usually plays.

At the beginning, she is cooking in the kitchen wearing an elegant apron, but her eyes hide panic; when faced with the blind masseur's probing, she smiles and hands him water, but her fingertips are trembling; later, she watches her lover dispose of a corpse, and her face has a twisted calm.

Teacher Mei became increasingly alarmed as she looked, not even noticing that her teacup had gone cold...

The complexity of this character is like a hook, pulling at her inner drive to break through.

"That's incredibly daring..." She turned to the last page and was stunned when she saw the director's name was "Su Ning".

She remembered the young man that Director Kong had mentioned to her a few days ago, saying that he had a "crazy script." She hadn't paid much attention to it at the time, but she never expected it to be this.

Then Ms. Mei immediately picked up her phone and dialed Kong Kong's number.

"Director Kong, you helped Su Ning with that script for 'The Massage Therapist,' right? That role... I really want to play it!"

Director Kong's laughter came from the other end of the phone: "I knew you'd like it. You seem gentle usually, but you love challenging roles. I've already spoken to Su Ning; if you're interested, just contact him directly."

After hanging up the phone, Teacher Mei flipped back to the scene in the script where the "wife" and "husband" were confronting each other, and lightly traced her fingertip over the annotation "played by Teacher Mei".

She suddenly remembered that when they were filming "Parents' Love", Mr. Guo always said that she "couldn't play a bad guy". If they could really work together this time, she would show him how "bad" she could play.

……

Teacher Liu saw the script in the study.

He had a historical drama script open in front of him, a pen in his hand, and was about to make annotations when his phone vibrated.

He picked up his phone and saw the email from Su Ning, but couldn't help frowning.

His schedule has been really full lately, and he didn't want to take on any new roles, but when he saw the words "Director Kong as producer," he still clicked on the attachment.

The role of "lover" didn't initially catch his attention.

These types of characters are easily portrayed as stereotypical villains.

But as he looked at it, his pen stopped.

The "lover" in the script wears the uniform of a violent organization and speaks in a gentle and refined manner, yet he kills without batting an eye; his feelings for his "wife" are a mixture of passion and calculation; and when faced with the suspicion of a blind masseur, he can even laugh and talk about classical music.

"You've got something." Teacher Liu pushed up his glasses and sat up straight.

He was most afraid of playing repetitive roles, but this "lover" was like a multifaceted entity, with surprises hidden in every aspect.

When he saw the scene in the script where the "lover" and the "blind man" were scheming in the restaurant, he couldn't help but read out the lines, his tone carrying a hint of feminine softness that he had come up with himself.

The desk lamp in the study shone with a warm yellow light. When Teacher Liu flipped through the cast list and saw the names "Teacher Guo" and "Teacher Mei," a smile appeared on her lips.

Last year when they were filming "Parents' Love", the three of them didn't have many scenes together, but they got along very well. It would be quite a coincidence if they could reunite in this drama.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Suning: "I have read the script, and the character is very nuanced. I'm free tomorrow afternoon, so we can discuss the details of the collaboration in person."

After successfully sending the message, he put his phone aside, picked up the script of "The Massage Therapist" again, and wrote a line of small print next to the "lover's" lines: "Gentleman on the surface, ruthless on the inside, pay attention to the changes in his eyes."

……

When Su Ning received the calls from the three seniors, he was in the process of coordinating filming with the production director of Shandong Film and Television.

"It's done!" he said to the production manager on the other end of the phone, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement. "Teacher Guo, Teacher Mei, and Teacher Liu are all interested. We can start preparing for the start of filming!"

"Haha, it would be unbelievable if they didn't take on such a good script."

After hanging up the phone, Su Ning walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the bustling traffic below.

The sea breeze seeped in through the cracks in the window, carrying a salty, damp scent. He suddenly remembered what Director Kong had said: "A good story can make good actors come knocking on your door." Just then, his phone rang again; it was Director Kong calling.

The old director's hearty laughter came through the phone: "Kid, well done! 'Jiang Defu,' 'An Jie,' and 'Ouyang Yi' are going to conspire to 'murder.' Once this news gets out, it's guaranteed to be headline news!"

"Director Kong, thank you." Su Ning nodded with a smile.

"It's mainly because you did a lot of preparation work; your storyboard is very detailed."

After hanging up the phone, Su Ning looked down at the script for "The Massage Therapist" on her desk, and her heart calmed down once again.

He knew this was just the beginning; countless challenges awaited him in the subsequent filming, post-production, and distribution.

But at this moment, with the addition of three senior figures, the support of Director Kong, and the protection of Shandong Film and Television, he had only one thought in his mind...

We will film this story well and live up to everyone's expectations.

The lights outside the window grew brighter, as if illuminating the way for this project that was about to set sail.

……

A bizarre and wonderful conference room.

On the table lay the revised script of "The Massage Therapist," next to a pile of censorship risk assessment reports from the legal department of Shandong Film and Television. Red annotations on passages such as "wife murders husband" and "lover dismembers body" were particularly glaring.

Director Kong sat in the main seat, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze sweeping over the producers, screenwriters and legal staff present: "Everyone knows the standards of censorship in mainland China. If this story is forcibly changed, the core sense of dark suspense will be lost."

He looked up at Suning, his eyes showing consideration, "I do have an idea—to film in Thailand."

"Thailand?" Suning looked up abruptly.

“Bangkok has a mature co-production system, and the cultural atmosphere is both familiar and exotic. The key is that the production environment is more flexible.” Director Kong picked up a document and pushed it in front of Suning. “I have already asked my assistant to contact two reliable co-production companies in the area. They have a lot of experience in co-production projects and can handle filming permits and equipment rentals.”

The legal department representative nodded in agreement: "If we transplant the story's background to the Chinese community in Bangkok, we can retain the core conflict of the script, avoid some censorship risks, and make the later submission for review more secure."

As Suning's fingertip swept across the street scene photos of Bangkok on the document, the scene from the script instantly flashed into his mind: a damp, rainy night, the narrow alleys of Chinatown, and murderous intent hidden under the warm yellow lights of a massage parlor.

He suddenly felt that this city, enveloped in tropical humidity, was born to bear this dark story.

“Then let’s go to Bangkok.” He clenched his fist, his voice firm. “I’ll contact the filming company tomorrow and finalize the location scouting route as soon as possible.”

"Okay! It's decided then."

……

Back in his office, the first thing Su Ning did was call Fan Lin.

Her sweet voice came through the receiver, and the shouts of the crew members could be heard in the background. His tense nerves relaxed a little.

"Sister Lin, I have some good news for you." He said with a smile, "My movie has been booked and will be filmed in Bangkok. I've reserved a role for you. You'll play a somewhat mysterious Chinese boss lady. It won't be a big part, but it will be very memorable."

The laughter on the other end of the phone paused, followed by Fan Lin's hesitant voice: "Bangkok? Filming a movie? Su Ning, didn't you say before that you were just trying to write a script?"

Su Ning's smile faded slightly: "I'm serious. Director Kong helped me make the connection, and Shandong Film Studio also joined in. The team is all set up."

“But I just started filming a new movie, and my schedule is completely unavailable.” Fan Lin’s voice lowered, carrying a barely perceptible hint of advice. “Su Ning, making movies is no joke. Don’t invest the money you made from stocks so quickly; the risk is too great. And what if something goes wrong while filming overseas?”

Su Ning tightened her grip on her phone.

He understood Fan Lin's subtext: she felt he was just acting on a whim, recklessly squandering quick money.

He wanted to explain, to tell her how serious he was, but the words stuck in his throat.

“It’s nothing,” he said with a relaxed smile. “I was just asking. You should focus on filming your new movie. My team is very professional, so don’t worry.”

"Well, you... be careful! Making movies isn't that easy."

"okay, I get it."

After hanging up the phone, the office fell silent instantly.

The sunset outside the window was exceptionally beautiful.

Su Ning walked to the window and looked at the pedestrians hurrying by below. A sense of loss flashed through her heart, but it was quickly replaced by a more determined thought: she would understand once the movie was made.

……

Three days later, Suning was having a video conference with a Thai auction company to discuss location scouting details when the office door was suddenly pushed open.

Director Kong walked in, followed by a man in a black jacket with gray hair.

“Su Ning, I’ve brought you a helper.” Kong Sheng patted the man’s shoulder. “Old Wang, we’ve been working together for almost ten years. He’s the executive director for all my shows. He can handle everything from on-set coordination to actor communication.”

Old Wang smiled and extended his hand, his palm rough but strong: "Su Ning, Director Kong told me about your script, and it's right up my alley. From now on, you don't need to worry about anything on set. Just focus on the art, and leave all the other stuff to me."

Su Ning was both surprised and delighted, and held onto Lao Wang's hand for a long time without letting go.

He was well aware of Lao Wang's abilities. People in the industry called him the pillar of the "Kong Family Team". Last year, when the crew encountered a typhoon while filming "Parents' Love", it was Lao Wang who coordinated the location overnight so that the filming schedule would not be delayed.

"Director Wang, I feel at ease with you here." Su Ning's voice was filled with excitement.

Old Wang patted him on the shoulder: "Then let's coordinate the teams first. I recommend Old Zhou for the photography team. He's worked with me on three films, and he's particularly good at shooting low-light scenes, which perfectly matches the suspense in your script. For the makeup team, find Sister Li. She's an expert at doing old-age makeup and scar makeup. She'll definitely be the right person for the special effects makeup after the 'husband's' death."

"it is good."

In the following week, Lao Wang became Suning's "reassurance".

He not only helped finalize the domestic behind-the-scenes team, but also took the initiative to connect with the Thai filming company, arranging everything clearly, including filming permits, equipment rentals, and the recruitment of local extras.

At every meeting, Lao Wang could always pinpoint the problems accurately, such as "the filming time for Chinatown should avoid the morning market, otherwise the noise will be too loud" and "the massage parlor scene should be communicated with the landlord in advance, and the lighting equipment should not damage the decoration when it is brought on site."

That night, Suning and Lao Wang worked overtime to organize the list of sites to be surveyed, and the office lights stayed on until late at night.

Looking at Su Ning's serious expression, Lao Wang suddenly said, "Director Su, Director Kong was right about you. Although you are young, your control over the script and your ideas about the camera are clearer than many directors who have been making films for more than ten years."

Su Ning raised her head, her eyes filled with gratitude: "It's all thanks to you seniors who are willing to help me."

“We’re just lending a hand. The one who can truly carry this project is yourself.” Old Wang smiled and handed him a cup of hot coffee. “Prepare well. We’re sure to make a great film in Bangkok.”

……

The day before departing for Bangkok, Suning stood in his office, looking at the shooting schedule, actors' costume photos, and Bangkok street scene maps that covered the walls, filled with anticipation.

The production team sent by Shandong Film Studio has already gone to Bangkok. Lao Wang, along with the photography and makeup teams, is packing up the equipment. The Thai filming company has also sent word that location scouting has been completed and all filming locations have been confirmed.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Director Kong: "Director Kong, everything is ready. We're leaving tomorrow."

I quickly received a reply: "Go ahead and film, I'll be waiting for your good news."

Su Ning gripped her phone tightly, her gaze falling on the script for "The Massage Therapist" on the table.

The words "Bangkok Shooting Version" on the cover are like a stamp, marking his first step in pursuing his dream.

He knew that the filming process ahead would not be easy; language barriers, cultural differences, and unexpected situations on set would all pose challenges.

But with Lao Wang around, the whole team around, and the support of Director Kong and Shandong Film Studio, he was fearless.

Moreover, my English has recovered, so going to Bangkok for filming shouldn't be too difficult.

However, Su Ning was somewhat curious about what he was like in the past, and why he always felt that he was very extraordinary.
Of course, no one can answer this question for me, so I can only explore and embark on a journey to find my past life.

...(End of chapter)