How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 483 Making trouble
Liu Haiyang got up to leave, but he felt very resentful. Deputy Director Zhang was someone he had personally promoted, so how could he let Chen Mingyuan benefit from him?
Even if he doesn't use it, he doesn't want to give it to Chen Mingyuan.

Liu Haiyang sat down again, suppressing his displeasure, and looked at the young man sitting opposite him, asking, "Director Zhang, what do you think of me?"

Zhang Wen looked at the other person. Based on his life experience, if someone asked him this question, it meant they either wanted to start a relationship or needed something from him.

Given the circumstances of the two individuals, the former is impossible, so it can only be the latter.

"Needless to say? Mr. Liu, you are highly capable, considerate of your subordinates, and extremely sincere. Working under you is very reassuring. You are simply a model of both virtue and talent." Zhang Wen immediately switched into flattery mode.

Liu Haiyang could tell it was just flattery, but it was very well done, which made him feel particularly good. So he asked again, "Then what do you think of me compared to Chen Mingyuan?"

“President Liu, he was parachuted in and doesn’t have any outstanding achievements. How can he compare to you?” Zhang Wen said seriously.

Liu Haiyang unconsciously sat up straight, puffed out his chest, and a satisfied look appeared in his eyes. "Director Zhang, I'm sure you've heard that Chen Mingyuan and I are filming a TV series this time. Whoever's series has higher ratings will be in charge of the film and television production department from now on. I've been managing this department for ten years. How could a newcomer like him know more than me? Don't you think so?"

“Yes, that’s right.” Zhang Wen nodded in agreement.

"Director Zhang, I was originally very confident of winning this competition, but now he has invited Han Xiaohua. Director Han is quite capable, especially in the field of urban dramas. Even an ordinary story can be made into a wonderful film under his direction."

"???"

Zhang Wen raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

Can ordinary stories be made into wonderful films?
What does this mean?
Is this a denigration of his script?
If the two had never worked together, he would not have been angry upon hearing these words; he would have only felt that the other person did not understand him. However, the two had clearly worked together before, and the other person was the producer when they filmed the drama "Perfect Days." For the other person to say such things now clearly shows that they never thought much of his script.

That's true. If they thought it was good, they wouldn't have ignored him during the competition and instead offered a reward of millions for the script.

'Liu Haiyang, Liu Haiyang, just because of what you just said, I'll definitely help Chen Mingyuan beat you!'

Zhang Wen thought to himself.

Although Chen Mingyuan is a bit unreliable as a teammate, he at least values ​​him and his script very much; otherwise, he wouldn't have placed all his bets on him.

As the old saying goes: A scholar will die for one who understands him.

Chen Mingyuan could not be considered his confidant, but among these company executives, he was definitely the one who valued him the most.

For this reason alone, his cooperation with Chen Mingyuan was the right thing to do.

“Director Zhang, Chen Mingyuan is now using your script, and Director Han has a very good relationship with you, so you definitely have a lot of influence in this production team.” Liu Haiyang paused here, then leaned forward and asked in a consultative tone, “Could you do me a small favor and revise the story of ‘Youth Glory’ a bit worse?”

Zhang Wen was stunned when he heard this.

Is this really human language?
He's the screenwriter of this show. If he deliberately makes the story worse, he'll be cursed to death by the audience when it airs on TV.

Moreover, he is also an investor in this drama. Will he sell the second and third rounds of distribution and the online broadcasting rights?

He might argue with the company boss, but he would never argue with money.

"Mr. Liu, you should have said so earlier!" Zhang Wen sighed and said, "The script has already been handed over to the director and actors. You want me to change the story for the worse? Isn't that insulting their intelligence? The director and actors definitely won't agree."

After saying that, he looked helpless.

“You’re the screenwriter, they’ll definitely listen to what you say,” Liu Haiyang said, still unwilling to give up.

"Mr. Liu, what are you saying? You sound like an outsider. What does a screenwriter count for in a film crew? The director can change the script, the lead actor can change the script, but the screenwriter can't change the script on their own," Zhang Wen said with a wry smile.

Liu Haiyang was slightly taken aback. What he said made sense. Screenwriters do not have much say in a production team. Even the best screenwriters can only let the director and actors change the script.

Actually, many films aren't bad because of their stories, but because the directors and actors have changed them drastically.

Zhang Wen had been observing Liu Haiyang. Seeing the man's eyes darting around, he knew that Liu Haiyang was still not giving up. So he said, "Mr. Liu, you don't need to worry so much. My script is just so-so. It can't compare to Ms. Jiang Ke's script. It's not a world apart, but it's definitely a world apart. The ratings will definitely not be high. You can put your mind at ease."

Liu Haiyang thought about it and felt that what the other party said made sense. Teacher Jiang Ke was a top screenwriter in the TV drama industry. Her works were not only loved by the audience, but also won major awards and received recognition from both the audience and the authorities. How could this young man surnamed Zhang be comparable to her?

The more he thought about it, the more relaxed he became, and the better he felt. It was as if the heavy weight on his chest had been lifted away.

"Director Zhang, don't underestimate yourself. Your script is actually quite good. With more familiarity with the market, you'll definitely be able to write even better works," Liu Haiyang encouraged, a smile appearing on his face.

Zhang Wen sneered inwardly, but said aloud, "Mr. Liu is right. Actually, whether it's 'Perfect Days' or 'Youthful Glory,' they were just things I wrote casually in my spare time. In comparison, I still prefer writing songs. It takes less time and makes money faster. Oh, no, it's more like it's effective faster."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haiyang's lips curled into a smile.

He felt that Chen Mingyuan definitely didn't understand Xiao Zhang's situation. After seeing Han Xiaohua film "Perfect Days", he thought that Xiao Zhang's scripts were all very good. Little did he know that Xiao Zhang was just doing it for money and was just throwing out a script to get by.

Yes, I must have been fooled!

However, he frowned shortly after he started laughing.

and many more!

Do you prefer songwriting?
No!

If the other party writes songs and gives them to trainees to sing, just like Tang Yi and Future Girls, wouldn't that create a few more super rookies?
The training department is currently in charge of Chen Mingyuan. If Zhang Wen makes a few trainees popular, wouldn't that be equivalent to increasing Chen Mingyuan's performance?
No, absolutely not!
He had to let the board members know that the training department could only improve year after year under his leadership, Liu Haiyang.

“Director Zhang, you have no problem writing songs, but I suggest you give them to the company’s singers to sing, instead of the trainees in the training department,” Liu Haiyang said.

"Why?" Zhang Wen knew the answer in his heart, but he still pretended to be puzzled.

"Because...because singers have money, trainees don't. If you write for them, they can't afford to buy it," Liu Haiyang said earnestly, naturally unable to voice his true feelings.

“Yes, that makes sense. I wrote a song for Tang Yi back then, and she still hasn’t paid back the money. Mr. Liu, thank you for reminding me. You’re very thoughtful,” Zhang Wen said gratefully.

He was well aware of Liu Haiyang's ulterior motives, but they coincided with his own. The other party didn't want to boost Liu Haiyang's performance, while he didn't want to cultivate a cash cow for Li Lehua. Although their starting points were different, their goals were the same.

"It's nothing." Liu Haiyang waved his hand repeatedly, breathed a sigh of relief, and then stood up and said, "You go ahead with your work, I'll be going now."

"Mr. Liu, what's the rush? Sit a little longer," Zhang Wen said, feigning an attempt to persuade him to stay.

"No, I'll be starting up my computer in a few days, and I have a lot of things to do," Liu Haiyang explained. He had already achieved his purpose for coming here today, and there was no need for him to stay any longer.

"Mr. Liu, then I won't keep you any longer. Take care," Zhang Wen said politely, opening the door for him. "Okay," Liu Haiyang nodded, smiling as he walked out, seemingly in a good mood.

Watching Liu Haiyang's retreating figure, Zhang Wen turned around and went back to his office, locking the door from the inside.

He thought for a moment, then took out his phone from his pocket, found Chen Mingyuan's number, and dialed it.

"Beep...beep...click!"

The phone rang twice and was quickly answered.

"Director Zhang, what's the matter? Is there a problem with the contract?" Chen Mingyuan's puzzled voice came through the receiver.

He called me right after we parted; he couldn't think of anything else.

"Mr. Chen, Liu Haiyang just contacted me. After learning that you used my script, he wants me to revise the story in the script..."

"What? This Liu Haiyang is really despicable!" Chen Mingyuan cursed directly. He never intended to do anything bad to Liu Haiyang.

However, Zhang Wen's words did give him a hint: could he perhaps make things difficult for Liu Haiyang?

By the way, isn't the other party in a hurry to start filming? If, for some reason, the crew can't start filming for a long time, I wonder if Liu Haiyang will still have the mind to cause trouble for them.

"Mr. Chen, I have to remind you, you can never be too careful. The crew you assembled, are all the staff hired from within the company? Be extra careful in the future, and don't let anything go wrong during filming," Zhang Wen said earnestly.

When it comes to making the TV series, he and Chen Mingyuan are on the same side. Chen Mingyuan hopes to win the competition with Liu Haiyang through this TV series, while he hopes to make more money through this TV series.

If someone disrupts the filming process or causes any scandal, it will affect not only Chen Mingyuan, but also him.

As the old saying goes: Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents.

He could understand Liu Haiyang's behavior, but he would not forgive it.

"Director Zhang, your reminder is excellent. I'll check those people again right now." Chen Mingyuan was also very cautious, with a very serious expression.

This is the first time he has led a project since being parachuted into Tianxi Media. It will not only affect his power, but also his standing among the company's employees. If the project encounters major problems, not to mention what Chairman Zhao will think, the company's employees will not respect him and may even laugh at him behind his back.

Therefore, this TV series assignment must be completed flawlessly.

If the employees in the company are not trustworthy, we can always hire people from outside. In short, we absolutely cannot afford to let things fall apart.

Zhang Wen gave a few more reminders and then hung up the phone.

Everything that needed to be said has been said; now it's up to Chen Mingyuan's abilities to decide.

Chen Mingyuan stared at the phone that had already been disconnected, lost in thought.

If you're a thief for a thousand days, you can't guard against thieves for a thousand days.

If Liu Haiyang wants to do something bad, there's no way to stop him. Instead of waiting to be killed, it's better to take the initiative and keep him busy. Then he won't have time to do anything bad.

Thinking of this, Chen Mingyuan took out a document from the drawer. It was a document he had sent people to investigate Liu Haiyang's TV series a while ago. It contained everything from the director, screenwriter, and actors to the filming locations.

After watching for a while, a smile suddenly appeared on Chen Mingyuan's tense face.

He picked up his phone, found a number in his contacts, and dialed it.

Soon, the call was connected.

"Hey, old classmate, it's been so long since we last talked. Are you getting married again and want me to give you a gift?" A burst of laughter came through the phone.

"What do you mean 'long time no see'? Didn't we have dinner together during the New Year? I think you're just too forgetful." Chen Mingyuan said irritably, but you could tell from his relaxed tone that he wasn't actually angry.

It's normal for old classmates to joke around when they're talking.

"Haha, don't say that. I'm still counting on you to make a living," the person on the other end of the phone said.

"Alright, enough with the banter, I have something serious to tell you." Chen Mingyuan glanced at the investigation details in the document and then asked, "Isn't there a film crew called 'A Love So Beautiful' coming to your location to film on the 23rd of this month?"

"Let me see." There was a moment of silence on the other end of the microphone, then a voice came through again, "That's right, there is indeed such a production crew. Huh? Isn't this your Tianxi Media's? Could it be you? Old classmate, I'll definitely toast you a few more times next time we eat. You really know how to get things done."

"You're overthinking it. It's not me, it's my competitor at Tianxi Media," Chen Mingyuan said.

"Huh?" The person on the other end paused for a moment, then guessed, "Old Chen, you don't mean you want me to turn down this film crew, do you?"

"Don't worry, I didn't mean that. But I hope that while you're filming in this production, you can cause them some minor troubles, such as problems with the location or damage to the film studio's buildings during filming, requiring time to repair. In short, delay their filming schedule. You know this kind of thing better than I do," Chen Mingyuan said.

His old classmate, Wu Guangye, is the general manager of a film and television base in Beijing, and one of the filming locations Liu Haiyang chose was at his old classmate's film and television base.

Given this relationship, why not wait until now?

“Okay, but this kind of thing can’t be delayed for long, at most five or six days,” Wu Guangye said after thinking for a moment.

"It doesn't need to take that long, just cause them some minor trouble every now and then."

In Chen Mingyuan’s view, stopping every few days is more likely to disrupt the crew’s filming rhythm than stopping for five or six days at a time.

"No problem, just you wait and see, but you have to buy me a drink, a good one."

"Row."

Chen Mingyuan put down his phone, his smile widening.

"Liu Haiyang, you started this!"

……

(End of this chapter)