Abstract Art Award Winner

On the film set on the Yunnan border, the air was still thick with the smells of sweat, disinfectant, and boxed lunches.

Although the location is remote, the daily disinfection, temperature checks, and regular nucleic acid testing must still be carried out.

After spending a long time in this huge telecom fraud park, Zhou Le sometimes felt a tightness in his chest.

Even if we were just filming here, how desperate would it be for people who were actually in such a place?

While some people went there on their own, there were definitely others who were scammed.

One can imagine that, on the other side of the real world, scenes of despair and struggle are playing out every day.

Zhou Le, with her increasingly rounded "Manager Lu" belly, swaggered behind the monitor, while Yi Yangqianxi was roughly pushed into a murky bucket of sewage by two extras (playing thugs) in a muddy "water dungeon" set.

"Plop!" Water splashed everywhere.

"Cough...cough cough..." Yi Yangqianxi struggled to lift his head, coughing, his face showing real pain and suffocation, but the desperate light in his eyes was stubbornly held on.

"Cut! Very good! Millennium, tone down the hatred in your eyes a bit more, make it a mix of fear and resentment! One more take!" Zhou Le's voice came through the loudspeaker.

“Okay,” Yi Yangqianxi said, then looked at the extras. “I can handle the same level of force as before.”

After that, several more messages came from Yi Yangqianxi's side.

Zhou Ye stood to the side with his arms crossed, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. He said to Yi Yangqianxi, who had just been wrapped in a towel by his assistant, "What did I tell you? I should have played that female thug back then. I guarantee I could have hit her harder than them and let you experience what Wei Lai-style care is like."

Her tone was joking, but the expressions on the faces of the others looking at Zhou Ye didn't seem like she was acting.

Yi Yangqianxi wiped the dirty water off his face, grinned, and showed a set of white teeth: "No, I'm really scared if you make a move, and Brother Le is even less likely to do it. If you make a move, I think I'll at most be crippled, but if Brother Le makes a move, I think I'll be torn to pieces."

Just as the tension and banter were mingling, Zhou Le's personal cell phone vibrated at an inopportune moment.

It was a video call from Su Yingxia.

"Hello? Xiao Su?" Zhou Le walked to a slightly quieter corner, his voice still a bit hoarse from filming.

"Brother Le, how's it going on your end?"

"We were filming, what happened? It came back to life?"

"Yeah, it's a big job, and the money is good, but I don't know if you'd be willing to go, brother. Several live-streaming hosts want to invite you. They're all top-tier hosts, and it's relatively easy. Just chat about movies, interact with fans, and you can set the time yourself! As for the appearance fee... this amount!" Xiao Su held up one finger.

"One million? Isn't that a bit low?"

"Not a hundred, but a thousand. With commission, it'll take about four hours. Three hours chatting, one hour selling. I estimate I can make at least 30 million in four hours because they said their style is similar to yours, they also do abstract art, it's Brother Yang, I don't know if you've heard of him."

Zhou Le didn't even raise an eyebrow: "I know that."

"Well, they're the ones who gave the most anyway." Su Yingxia said without much variation in her tone, simply telling Zhou Le the truth.

Zhou Le imagined himself sitting in a live-streaming room filled with excited background noise, next to a host who spoke at a machine-gun pace, shouting "Family members! Last 10,000 orders! Get on board!" while he had to squeeze in conversations about art whenever he could.
His lips twitched slightly: "Forget it, money is easy to make, but if I wanted to make this kind of money, I would have started my own business. Although the risks are high, the returns are also good. The main thing is, I'm not really willing to get involved in this."

“Okay, I’ll cancel that one later! But Li Jiaqi, the lipstick king! His live stream atmosphere is more relaxed, and it’s mostly female viewers. I can give him 800 commissions and just chat with him! Or you can sit next to him and not say anything if he buys something. The advantage is that he’s backed by Alibaba, and he has a good reputation. Of course, the nature of the business is the same.”

“Li Jiaqi?” Zhou Le’s mind conjured up the image of the man with exquisite lipstick who shouted “Oh My God! Buy it!” in an infectious tone.

He knows more about this.

After all, there are many video clips available online.

Su Yingxia added, "In that case, I'll decline Viya's offer too..."

"Yeah, let's just drop it. There's no need to get involved in all this. Making money is one thing, but everyone has their own path that suits them."

Su Yingxia knew Zhou Le's personality.

"However, I won't cooperate with those internet celebrities, and I'll forget about Simba too, they're all pretty much the same. But actually, some people in the entertainment industry have also tried to sell products through connections and have asked me about it."

"Who is it?" Zhou Le asked curiously.

He only knew that Jia Nailiang had some thoughts on this matter.

I don't really know much about the others.

“That’s right, Ga Zi, they’ve also sent someone over there to tell you that they really admire you and want to invite you to their live stream. Although the appearance fee is only two million, the commission is 100%, and they won’t take a single penny of the commission; it will all go to you.”

"Huh? Gazi?"

What does he sell?

"liquor."

Zhou Le: "."

"Never mind, I wish him good business."

Su Yingxia smiled and hung up the phone to reply.

Zhou Le shook his head; these exorbitantly priced offers could indeed make money.

But Zhou Le felt unsure; the situation was complex, and once he went in, he probably wouldn't be able to get out.

There are so many ways to make money, why use this method?

If it were Zhou Le who was short of money in the past, he might have considered it, but now that he has money, he naturally has burdens as well.

He had just caught his breath.

Another call came in; it was from a producer I knew from Zhejiang TV.

Zhou Le had previously collaborated with them.

"Teacher Zhou! Long time no see! Busy with the movie?" After a few pleasantries, the other party got straight to the point, "Our new season of 'Running Man' is about to start filming, and we're missing a pillar like you who's witty, energetic, intelligent, and has a huge following! A permanent member! And definitely the center position, how about it? The price is negotiable! Fifty million per season, and the game segments will be arranged perfectly for you! You don't have to worry about the screen time either."

"You can choose any of those business partners you want; they'll all be top-notch."

Run! Name tag ripping game? Mission completion?
Zhou Le's mind instantly flashed through various scenes of chasing, playing around, and deliberately creating conflicts for the sake of variety show effects.

He enjoys watching others play, and he also loves to play himself.

I had thought about how I should perform when I went up there.

But the problem now is that the key figures involved—Deng Chao, Chen He, and Lu Han—have all left.

I clearly have a better relationship with these people.

A salary of 50 million is not a small amount.

But deep down, Lan Tai Zhou Le was still a little scared. If he took so much money, wouldn't they squeeze his value to death?

It should be noted that Deng Chao had 3000 and Lu Han had 4000.

Give yourself five thousand.

Thinking about this, Zhou Le sighed.

"Producer Li, thank you for your kindness!" Zhou Le said with a smile. "Our program is a great program, and its popularity among the people is undeniable. However, I don't think I'll have much free time this year. I'm either filming or doing variety shows. I'm really sorry."

The other party called directly.

Zhou Le naturally spoke in a more formal manner. It wasn't a matter of who was more famous or less; it was simply that you never knew who might leak the chat logs.

After declining the invitation from Running Man, Zhou Le leaned back in the director's chair, watching the monitor replay the scene of Yi Yangqianxi being pushed into the water. A thought became clearer and clearer.

Variety shows... it's not that you can't do them, but they have to be the kind of shows you want to do.

What he wants right now is not chasing and playing around, nor deliberate emotional manipulation, but a more relaxed and authentic interpersonal interaction, like a gathering of friends, with a touch of social experimentation.

Five huskies is considered a relatively casual activity, but it's still a bit too strenuous.

"Back to the Countryside" is a great show.

But Zhou Le hesitated to go when he thought of Teacher Huang.

"I definitely need to find someone from my own circle to do it. I need to find Tencent Video. As for the genre, something like Peach Blossom Spring." He muttered to himself, a vague outline forming in his mind.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, find a scenic spot, invite a group of interesting people with different personalities to live together, let them interact, chat, and play games naturally, without any script, just life itself and the honest recording of the camera.

This feeling seems rather interesting.

Once "All or Nothing" is finished filming, I can talk to a few friends who have similar ideas about this concept.

Once the mind is set in motion, the subsequent plans naturally unfold in the mind.

After filming "All or Nothing", he went on to create his ideal "Shangri-La".

The recording period for variety shows is not too long, which serves as a buffer after intense film shooting.

Then, they seamlessly transitioned to the production team of "The Long Ballad".

After filming for "The Long Ballad" wraps up, the journey of "Five Ha" will begin immediately.

He played around with Deng Chao, Chen He, and a few other "old foxes."

Finally, I'll go and finish filming "You Are My Glory" with Dilraba.

A clear, compact, challenging, and promising development blueprint was drawn up in his mind.

This feels much more reassuring and interesting than sitting in a live stream shouting "Buy it!" or tearing your clothes for the sake of a variety show.

"Director Zhou! Get ready for the next take!" Guo Qiling's shout brought him back to reality.

Zhou Le shook his head, temporarily putting aside his plans for the future, and refocused on the man-made "hell on earth" before him.

The subsequent filming revolved around the core villain, "Lu Bingkun," delving even deeper into his core.

The next scene shows Lu Bingkun rewarding his underlings.

The location was in the small dining room next to his Buddhist shrine, which was filled with the smell of cheap incense.

The table was laden with large pieces of fish and meat, and even several bottles of fine wine.

In a place where piglets can only eat pig feed, this is absolutely the ultimate luxury.

Zhou Le personally poured drinks for his men, a greasy and hypocritical smile plastered on his face. He patted one of them on the shoulder and said, "Brother, well done! You've worked hard these past few days! Come on, eat! Eat as much as you want! Following me, Lu Bingkun, you'll never let your brothers down!"

His voice was loud and clear, full of "brotherhood and loyalty," and he even personally picked up a large piece of fatty braised pork and put it into the other person's bowl.

His enthusiasm made him seem like a truly loyal and affectionate older brother.

Those watching from behind the monitor felt a chill run down their spines.

Because deep in his eyes was a cold calculation and a condescending, condescending sense of control. The brighter his smile, the more chilling it became.

The actor who played the younger brother also portrayed the fear and greed hidden beneath the flattery perfectly.

The last scene today is Lu Bingkun dealing with a disobedient piglet.

There was no yelling, no beating.

Zhou Le simply sat in his large, power-symbolizing executive chair, slowly peeling an apple with a sharp knife.

The fruit peel hangs down in a continuous stream, its movement as elegant as if it were engaged in some kind of artistic creation.

He didn't even lift his eyelids, his voice was flat and emotionless, yet it carried a chilling coldness that seemed to freeze one's blood:

"I heard... you think the work I've given you is too heavy? You want to switch to something else?"

His hands never stopped peeling the apple.

The piglet kneeling on the ground trembled violently, stammering incoherently, "No...no...Manager Lu...I..."

"That's good." Zhou Le finally raised his eyes, a very subtle yet chilling smile curving his lips, but his eyes were fixed on the other person like a venomous snake. "I'm a very reasonable person. I give you food, a place to live, and teach you how to make money. You have to remember this kindness, but you'll have to repay it with your life, understand?"

As the last word fell, the apple he had just peeled was snapped in two with a "crack," and juice splashed out.

The crisp cracking sound was like a thunderclap in the deathly silent room.

Everyone present held their breath.

Zhou Le portrayed Lu Bingkun's extreme cruelty, disguised as tenderness, with the most serene approach, reaching its pinnacle.
It doesn't require shouting, but violence. A glance, a casual remark, or the act of breaking an apple is enough to instill fear deep into everyone's bones.

Even the extras playing thugs standing next to them subconsciously shrank their necks.

"Cut!" Guo Qiling's voice trembled slightly. "That's...that's too much! Director Zhou, that was...that was terrifying!"

Zhou Le instantly snapped out of his reverie about Manager Lu, a gentle smile spreading across his face. He even picked up the half-eaten apple and took a bite: "Not bad, right? This apple is quite sweet, mainly because it was bought by the props team. Not bad."

It was as if that terrifying demon had never existed.

Everyone: "..."

Looking at him eating the apple with such an innocent expression, and then thinking back to what had just happened, the contrast was even more unsettling.

The days slipped by amidst this extreme repression and the occasional bursts of laughter from the crew.

Zhou Le's belly was already formed, and it was just the right amount of greasy.

Yi Yangqianxi has had injuries all the time, and Zhou Ye often teases him about his "bullying experience".

Meng Ziyi seamlessly switched between Anna's despair and occasional flashes of cunning, while Zhu Yilong's portrayal of the gambler also won Zhou Le's heart.

He felt that Zhu Yilong was more interesting to play this kind of role.

Of course, some of the previous roles were also good, winning many awards and nominations, but often profound roles can make the characters seem more in-depth.

Things were better when I was younger.

Now that I'm older, if I were to play those handsome male roles, it would just look a bit greasy.

Among his subordinates, Zhou Le felt that Meng Ziyi had finally found her footing; at least her portrayal of Anna was quite convincing.

And there was Zhou Ye, whom he had never worried about.

"We can find her some more award-winning roles later." (End of Chapter)