Abstract Art Award Winner

Chapter 368 The New Year's Variety Show is About to Begin
In the early morning, Zhou Le looked in the mirror, turned slightly to the side, and carefully examined the results of his recent efforts.

His former belly had disappeared, replaced by a clearly defined six-pack and a firm, smooth waistline. The muscles in his arms and shoulders were also strong and powerful, exuding a sense of strength.

Sweat streamed down his well-defined chest and abdomen like a small stream.

Zhou Le's fitness coach couldn't take his eyes off her.

He grabbed a towel and hastily wiped the sweat from his face and neck.

After getting off, Zhou Le rested while looking at his phone.

Suddenly I remembered that I hadn't received a call from Dilraba earlier.

So he called directly again.

The phone was answered quickly after only two rings, and a familiar voice came through, carrying a hint of morning languor, mixed with a touch of wistful coquettishness and teasing:
"Oh, Mr. Zhou, you finally remembered to call back? Has the sun risen in the west? I thought you'd forgotten about me."

The tone didn't sound like real anger, but more like a proud cat gently scratching someone with its paw.

Zhou Le leaned against the treadmill handrail and smiled, her voice still slightly panting from the intense exercise, her breath a little uneven: "How could that be, Sister Reba? You're making me look very guilty."

I just got back from Yunnan a while ago. I was busy preparing for filming and attending social events. After coming back, I went into a strict slump, practically glued to the gym 24/7. I kept my phone off for fear of succumbing to temptation and overeating. I only occasionally did a live stream to show my fans my weight loss progress.

"Secluded cultivation? What are you cultivating? I've seen those clips of your live streams, and you were sweating so much, tsk tsk, I've never seen you sweat this much when we're together."

Dilraba's voice was more curious than blaming: "Is there some weird requirement in the new drama? Or is it just that you can't stand looking at your own belly?"

She was clearly keeping a close eye on his activities, even watching clips of his live stream.

"Both, I suppose. It's a case of learning from painful mistakes."

Zhou Le changed his posture, draping a towel over his shoulder. "I really went all out for that role before, but now that the filming is over, I have to pay my debts. I can't go on a variety show with a ten-month pregnant belly, can I? I still have to maintain my image."

"Peach Blossom Village? Is that the name? I heard them mention it at the company before. They were thinking of sending people there back then. I remember there were quite a few people there." Dilraba's information network was as good as ever.

"Yeah, the cast is pretty mixed, all sorts of people, just for fun." Zhou Le brushed it off briefly, not wanting to delve into the details of the show over the phone, and instead tossed the subject back to you, "How's it going on your end? What big project are you busy with lately? You must be keeping busy, right?"

"Me? Same as always, shooting commercials, standing on stage, endless gigs, smiling at the camera until my face is stiff, it's so boring."

Dilraba spoke casually, her tone tinged with weariness, but then she changed the subject, adding a hint of probing, "Unlike you, Director Zhou, your life is so colorful. You're always filming crime movies, socializing, working out, or retiring to the countryside to do variety shows, and you're always surrounded by... beautiful women, it's so lively."

Zhou Le sighed: "What 'nightingales'? I'm not that kind of person. After I finish this business in Peach Blossom Village, let's find a chance to get together. I'll ask you to treat me to a nice meal to make up for my mistake of not contacting you."

"Huh?" Dilraba was stunned. "You want to make up for your mistake by having me treat you to a meal?"

"Yes, I'm almost broke right now."

Dilraba: "Nobody believes you. Even if you're poor now, you're still richer than me."

Zhou Le shook his head: "That's not necessarily true."

"Sigh, so stingy. Fine, I'll wait until I graduate from this variety show." Dilraba snorted. "Just don't let some little vixen or old artist from Peach Blossom Village steal your soul and make you forget about me, the old flame waiting for you outside the city."

She spoke half-jokingly and half-seriously, her words carrying a stronger sense of probing.

"How could that be? Teacher Dandan and Teacher Shuqi are all very old, and they are highly respected seniors. We wouldn't dare to say such things carelessly."

Zhou Le laughed it off, deftly deflecting the conversation. He then chatted about the recent weather and some trivial gossip in the industry before ending the slightly ambiguous call in a seemingly relaxed but actually tense atmosphere.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou couldn't help but sigh. A woman's heart, especially the heart of a beautiful and intelligent woman, is indeed one of the most difficult mysteries to solve in the world, even for big stars.

He tossed his phone back onto the equipment rack, picked up the heavy dumbbells again, and prepared to burn out his last bit of energy.

After finishing my workout, there are still a few days left before filming at Peach Blossom Valley.

Zhou Le didn't let himself be completely idle either.

I took some time to go out and first visited October Culture. The company is located in Xicheng District, which isn't too far away.

The main purpose of this visit is to learn about the progress of the "Three-Body Problem" animation project.

Mr. Tian didn't look very well, but he was full of energy.

In the office, he explained the progress of his work to Zhou Le.

"Mr. Zhou, the model's precision is exactly as you envisioned. All the main characters have undergone ultra-high precision 3D scanning and data sampling. Wang Miao was built based on the body data and facial features you provided, with details reaching the level of pores and subcutaneous blood flow simulation."

Scene rendering, particle effects, physical collisions, especially the slicing scenes in the Guzheng Operation, the absolute dominance of the water droplets destroying the Earth fleet, the rule-based dimensional reduction attacks brought by the two-dimensional foil… We joined forces with the Dumpling team and several of the top visual effects companies in China to form a special technical task force, meticulously working on every physical parameter and visual detail!

Mr. Tian spoke excitedly, his words flowing like a menu, with the fervor characteristic of a tech geek: "The progress is going smoothly so far, but the biggest problem... is still the money! Thousands of machines are running at full capacity 24 hours a day, and the electricity and maintenance costs are astronomical. Every frame of output is burning real money!"

To perfectly recreate the awe-inspiring grandeur of the universe and the chilling philosophical atmosphere of the Dark Forest theory from the original work, we practically burned ourselves out on the visual presentation. Although progress has been slow, the quality of what we've produced so far is absolutely up to standard. The plot cuts are limited to a very few sensitive settings that truly crossed the line and couldn't pass censorship, as well as overly explicit depictions.

Zhou Le watched some test clips and dynamic previews demonstrated by the other party: against the backdrop of the vast and boundless dark space, a huge human star-class warship was instantly pierced and torn apart by a perfectly smooth water droplet in a way that was beyond comprehension, combining extreme elegance and extreme cruelty. The silent explosion was brilliant and short-lived, and the metal fragments slowly drifted away like dust.

There's also the two-dimensional solar system, where the terrifying process and deathly silence that completely crushes the entire spatial dimension, beyond the limits of human imagination, is rendered with a chilling, eerie beauty and philosophical meaning.

His heartbeat quickened slightly involuntarily, and his blood felt like it was boiling.

"That's really impressive. Turning words into images, our team really did a lot of work."

"Yes, we asked Teacher Liu to look at every part. We not only have to think it's good, but we also have to make sure the original author thinks it's good too."

“Indeed, but” money is not an issue. Zhou Le’s voice was calm, but carried a commanding force. “Burn! Keep burning as much as you can! I want this kind of extreme effect with no way out! Don’t talk to me about budgets, don’t think about where to save money, I want the ceiling!”
It's at a level that can compete with top-tier CG animation studios like Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Digital on the international market! If you're going to do it, do it exceptionally well, so that after watching it, all the original fans and casual viewers will only have one thought in their minds: "Holy crap! This is the real 'Three-Body Problem'!" Do you understand what I mean?

If we can't produce anything substantial right now.

Zhou Le might need to think about it some more.

But now that the results are truly impressive, Zhou Le naturally wants to create something that will go down in history.

I dare to spend the money you wouldn't dare to spend!
"The projects you dare not do, I dare to do!" President Tian's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had received a divine revelation, and his voice trembled with excitement: "Understood! Completely understood! President Zhou! With your words, it's worth it for us to give our all! You can rest assured! We guarantee to do everything in our power, to squeeze out every last bit of technology and creativity, to deliver to you, to all 'Three-Body Problem' fans, and to the world, an animated epic that truly deserves this great original work!"

Zhou Le nodded.

Then he toured the entire company and transferred one million yuan to Tian Xiaopeng on the spot.

"Let's talk about those outside, but our own people have worked hard during this time. We should use this money to provide logistical support for everyone and spend it where necessary, especially those in important positions who shouldn't be stingy."

"Great! I'll make sure this money is spent wisely! I'll make sure everyone is happy!"

Afterwards, he politely declined the other party's invitation to stay for dinner, because he had to take a flight to Chengdu that afternoon.

He still needs to go find dumplings.

The production of "Ne Zha" has also entered the most expensive and crucial mid-to-late stage.

"Brother Le, don't worry! The technical difficulty of the second part has indeed increased exponentially. Ocean fluid simulation, ultra-large-scale spell effect collision, more refined and complex character micro-expression capture and binding... all tough nuts to crack! But we are confident now! The technical team has been expanded and the hardware has been upgraded!" Dumpling's voice sounded tired and hoarse.

But that familiar, tenacious drive remained undiminished. "The core idea is just one word: big production! Don't worry, I'll personally oversee it. Every penny must be spent wisely to ensure the final visual effects completely surpass the first film, leaving everyone speechless!"

As Zhou Le listened to his words, he could imagine the other person in the studio looking disheveled, with bloodshot eyes staring at the screen, and he couldn't help but smile: "I have always had complete confidence in you when it comes to technical aspects."

However, I have some other concerns, which I'd like to offer as a dose of reality. Regarding the core themes and word-of-mouth, the key to the success of the first "Ne Zha" film, besides its technological breakthroughs, was its rebellious spirit of "my fate is in my own hands" and its emotional resonance.

If we focus entirely on bigger and more dazzling scenes in the second film, although it will have story depth and character arcs, you know the current market – if it does well at the box office, the government will definitely step in to support it, since the subject matter is indeed good. But at that time, some critics will definitely call it an animated version of Wolf Warrior.

After hearing this, Dumpling remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly pondering the question seriously, before letting out his signature, slightly hoarse, hearty laugh: "Brother Le, your concern is absolutely right, I understand. But I think, you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time."

At this stage, our primary goal is to develop our own products and establish a foothold in the market, so that we are not completely blank. As for the depth of content and philosophical thinking, these require more time to develop and more suitable opportunities and story carriers.

With "The Demon Child Conquers the Dragon King," let's focus our efforts on making it even more exciting, thrilling, and explosive than the first film! The audiovisual experience will be completely upgraded! Next, once the team is more mature, we'll tackle deeper and more complex themes.

"Being able to consistently produce such high-quality, industrial-grade animation is a huge victory in itself and the greatest contribution to the industry," Dumpling said, her thinking very clear and pragmatic.

Zhou Le nodded in satisfaction. He appreciated Jiaozi's clear-headed, down-to-earth yet ambitious approach: "It's good that you're so clear-headed. What I fear most is acting impulsively and hesitating. I'm relieved that you think this way. Go ahead and do it. If you need additional budget, just have the finance department submit a report to me. Don't hesitate."

After finishing these two money-burning projects, Zhou Le didn't forget about the few acres of land in his backyard.

After returning to Beijing, he took some time to visit the influencer agency that Guo Qiling mainly managed.

The company is now expanding rapidly, occupying an entire floor of an office building and signing hundreds of unique anchors and content creators.

Holding the latest data report, Guo Qiling enthusiastically followed Zhou Le and introduced, "Brother Le, our live streaming data is quite good right now! The influence of those top streamers is outstanding in their respective fields. Next, we plan to sign a few more top streamers, especially in the food field."

Through the glass wall of his office, Zhou Le looked out at the open-plan office area, where several live-streaming studios were hosting broadcasts.

"How about it, Brother Le? I'm planning to ask them about their intentions next, to see who's willing to do live-streaming e-commerce. I'll find a few to test the waters first, since live-streaming e-commerce is more lucrative, otherwise they won't be able to monetize their traffic."

After listening, Zhou Le thought for a moment and said, "Qiling, good data is certainly a good thing, it's the foundation of our business model, but we can't just focus on live-streaming e-commerce." Zhou Le tapped the clean desk with his knuckles, making a crisp sound. "Live-streaming e-commerce is a viable path, but to go far, we must establish rules and set thresholds."

Our anchors can't just shout "OMG" and "Buy it!" We must take a differentiated approach, focusing on culture and knowledge.

At the very least, those who sell food need to have a real understanding of nutrition and food traceability; those who sell cosmetics need to be able to explain the mechanism of action and safety standards of the core ingredients; and those who sell books and courses need to have actually read and studied them and be able to explain them clearly.

All livestreamers are strictly prohibited from inserting personal opinions or making uninformative, low-IQ, or even morally questionable remarks during their broadcasts. We aim to present viewers with professional, cultured, and trustworthy information, not loud, convoluted, and charlatan-like sales pitches.

If we're going to have them sell products, then we need to establish a strict rule: anyone who fails the training and assessment or doesn't meet the new positioning requirements will be strictly prohibited from selling products. They'll either have to transition to pure entertainment content or maintain the status quo and wait for their contracts to expire before being terminated.

Guo Qiling paused for a moment, his excitement subsiding slightly as he carefully considered Zhou Le's words. He then nodded earnestly, "I understand, Brother Le. You're right. I was indeed a bit blinded by the data."

The current atmosphere in the industry is somewhat restless and anxious, with a focus on short-term profits. We need to calm down, set an industry benchmark, and do things that have long-term value.

They then talked about the booming short drama market.

This emerging field was seized by Zhou Le's company with its keen sense of opportunity and strong execution. Now it has established a complete closed loop from IP acquisition and self-produced filming to broadcasting on its own platform. It has even begun to generate profits through paid on-demand and advertising, which in turn supports content production.

“But Brother Le, Douyin has been making quite a stir lately. I heard they’re going to concentrate their resources and try out short dramas on their own Tomato Novel platform. They have so much traffic. If they really go all out, won’t it have a huge impact on us?” Guo Qiling’s tone revealed a hint of worry.

"Don't worry." Zhou Le waved his hand, appearing very calm. "Our first-mover advantage, content production experience, and understanding of specific user groups have already built a sufficient moat."

They can test the waters, we'll dig our well, making it deeper and stronger. By the way, how's the IP licensing deal with Yuewen Group going? They control half of the online literature market. Just those completed, mature male-oriented novels with huge fan bases—adapting them into short dramas of a few minutes per episode is an inexhaustible gold mine, and it's efficient and pays off quickly.

Upon hearing this, Guo Qiling scratched his head, revealing a slightly troubled expression: "Yuewen's attitude has always been somewhat ambiguous, lukewarm. Although they are backed by Tencent, they are definitely not Tencent's biological son. They are just an adopted son with average importance. The group's resource allocation and strategic priority are average. They haven't even done many film and television projects."

Zhou Le couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this: "Sigh! The core of IP development is efficient monetization and expanding influence. Form is never the issue; results are the key. Are you just going to let good things rot in your hands?"
In that case, please make an appointment with the person in charge of copyright business and strategic cooperation at China Literature Group as soon as possible. I will personally fly to Shanghai to talk to them. The cooperation model can be very flexible. We can discuss guaranteed revenue sharing, copyright buyout, and joint investment and development.

As long as they're willing to fully open their copyright library to us, I don't believe they'll keep putting on that airs once they see the real revenue sharing and the visible increase in the IP's popularity.

Time flies by amidst busy meetings, workouts, and project management.

Zhou Le's stubborn willpower finally squeezed out the last bit of excess fat. Although he didn't return to his previous state, he was completely transformed compared to before.

He's back to being the refreshing, handsome, and energetic Zhou Le.

And it was after all this busy work that the day finally arrived for the official start of filming for "Fifty Kilometers of Peach Blossom Village".

The filming location was chosen in a quaint village in Pinggu District, Beijing, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, nestled against the mountains and by the water. It is exactly 50 kilometers away from the city center of Beijing, which is quite fitting for the rather poetic name "Fifty Kilometers Peach Blossom Village".

On the first day of filming, just as dawn was breaking, a spacious and comfortable white bus bearing the eye-catching logo of the "Fifty Kilometers of Peach Blossom Village" program quietly arrived at the entrance of Zhou Le's residential area.

He went out today dressed simply in a black hoodie, jeans, white sneakers, a black baseball cap, and a suitcase.

They were traveling light, ready for a vacation.

He briefly greeted the driver and the PD (director of the show) who were waiting for him, chatted about the weather for a bit, and then boarded the bus first. He chose a middle seat by the window and placed his backpack on the empty seat next to him.

Next, they will have to pick up other people.

(End of this chapter)