Abstract Art Award Winner

In a warehouse in the outskirts of Beijing that has been converted into a professional training facility.

This is also a place that Wang Baoqiang specifically rented as a training venue.

Although this movie was a collaboration with a Chengdu-based fighting club, Beijing is still closer to the film industry.

Zhou Le was shirtless, and sweat dripped down his muscle lines.

He was focused intently on unleashing a series of punches at a heavy sandbag, his fists, legs, knees, and elbows flying swiftly and fiercely, each move accompanied by the sound of wind breaking through the air.

"Beautiful! This feels more and more right!" Wang Baoqiang watched from the side, his eyes full of professional scrutiny and appreciation.

Standing beside him were several people with distinct personalities but all agile physiques.

These are active or retired Olympic champions that Wang Baoqiang specially invited.

There are Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), wrestling, and Jiu-Jitsu.

He was specifically responsible for guiding Zhou Le in maneuvering and extreme body control within confined spaces.

"Le'er, pay attention to where you're putting your strength." Cai Liangchan stepped forward and personally adjusted Zhou Le's movements. "Tighten your core, rotate your hips, and transfer the force from the ground up. Try it again and feel it."

Zhou Le focused his mind, adjusted as instructed, and threw another punch. The rumbling sound from the sandbag was even deeper and more solid.

"I can feel it! It's completely different!" Zhou Le excitedly shook his hand.

Soon after, another former women's wrestling champion, Wang Xu, also demonstrated with a smile: "Teacher Zhou, when grappling at the edge of the cage, you can add some similar leverage movements, using the ropes to bounce back. This can both avoid injury and create opportunities for counterattacks, and the visual effect will be fantastic." As she spoke, she performed a smooth side somersault and wall push, displaying agility with a great sense of power.

Zhou Le imitated with great interest. At first, he was a little clumsy, but he was very quick to grasp the essence.

Zhou Le waited until the training ended before wiping his sweat and walking up to Wang Baoqiang.

"Brother Baoqiang, your coaching lineup is amazing! Where did you find them?" Zhou Le exclaimed sincerely while drinking water during the break.

Wang Baoqiang smiled, his tone honest: "It's all because my friends gave me face. I told them I wanted to make a movie about fighting and underprivileged children, and that I needed real fighting and training. They were all very supportive and willing to help."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming slightly more serious, with the candor of a friend: "Le, there's something I need to discuss with you."

Zhou Le put down the water bottle, his expression turning serious: "You said, there's no need for formalities between us."

Wang Baoqiang organized his thoughts and said directly, "It's the project 'In the Octagonal Cage.' You know the script. I've put a lot of effort into it, wanting to present these children's stories in a realistic way."

But you know, I've had some ups and downs in the past few years, plus the market response to my previous films wasn't great, so now I'm having some trouble getting investment... I'm really having trouble. Many investors are rather ambiguous, and I might have to rely on past relationships to negotiate, but that would mean giving up too much."

He spoke very directly, without trying to elicit sympathy, simply stating the facts.

Given his current status, the fact that he would speak in this way speaks volumes about the difficulty of the project and his sincerity.

After listening, Zhou Le responded without much thought: "I thought it was something important. How much are needed? Count me in."

Wang Baoqiang was somewhat surprised by Zhou Le's straightforwardness and reminded him, "Le, this is a large investment, and the commercial return on this subject matter may not be so quick... I don't know if the audience will still buy into it."

Zhou Le interrupted him with a smile, his eyes resolute: "Brother Baoqiang, I'm investing in you as a person and what you want to do. I believe in the value of this movie. Money is not a problem; I can handle that."

A warm feeling welled up in Wang Baoqiang's heart. He patted Zhou Le's arm heavily, his voice tinged with emotion: "Brother, that's a true friend! I'll remember this favor!"

The funding issue has been initially resolved, but Wang Baoqiang is also aware that the film's success still requires a strong distribution channel.

Huayi Brothers, with which he previously had close cooperation, has now lost its influence, and he must explore new resources.

“Le, production funds alone aren’t enough. I’m considering contacting other theater chains. Do you have any other connections? Don’t worry, I definitely won’t let you help for nothing.” Wang Baoqiang asked Zhou Le for his opinion.

Zhou Le understood the necessity of this and nodded, saying, "As for the cinemas, I'll ask Wanda for you. How about we arrange a meal together and have a chat?"

Wang Baoqiang was deeply moved.

"it is good!"

The dinner that evening was held at a high-end private club, where the atmosphere was both lively and subtle.

Several senior executives from Wanda and Wang Sicong, who was specially invited by Zhou Le, chatted and laughed.

This gathering was organized by Zhou Le, so he was naturally the center of the social interaction. Holding a wine glass, he calmly moved among the various bosses, with a polite smile and thoughtful words, but he always subtly steered the conversation toward Wang Baoqiang's project.

Therefore, Wang Baoqiang could not completely stay out of it. Although he is currently very popular in China, he still needed to maintain basic etiquette in this situation.

I drank quite a lot too.

"Director Wang, Teacher Zhou, you two have such a high tolerance for alcohol! Come on, let's raise another glass. This one is for Mr. Wang, after all, it's Mr. Wang who makes the decisions on this project." An executive raised his glass again.

Wang Baoqiang was already showing signs of intoxication, but he had no choice but to drink this glass.

Seeing this, Zhou Le patted Wang Baoqiang on the back without making a sound after finishing his drink.

Wang Baoqiang understood.

The project was finalized, now it's time to get drunk.

So after drinking it, Wang Baoqiang, feeling dizzy, closed his eyes and slumped onto the table.

The performance was absolutely perfect.

Zhou Le then laughed and said, "President Wang, and a few other bosses, Brother Baoqiang had a great time today and drank quite a bit. I'll toast you all on his behalf to thank you for your support!"

After saying that, he toasted each of them in turn.

He downed another four ounces right away.

"Teacher Zhou is so helpful!"

As the wine flowed freely and people became more animated, Wang Baoqiang's new assistant suggested moving to another venue to continue relaxing.

Wang Sicong and Zhou Le exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word.

Wang Sicong stood up, supporting himself on the table, his face showing just the right amount of drunkenness. He cupped his hands to the crowd and said, "Everyone, you go ahead. Baoqiang has had too much to drink. Have Zhou Le take him home. I also have something I'd like to talk to Zhou Le about."

When Wang Sicong spoke, the others naturally didn't make things difficult for him or force him to do so.

Zhou Le immediately rubbed his temples, showing a hint of fatigue, and said, "I'm sorry everyone, thank you all for coming. Next time, Baoqiang and I will each host a dinner for you."

The two took turns speaking, one using the excuse of giving someone a ride and the other saying they needed to talk business, thus completely deviating from the subsequent entertainment segment.

As soon as he got in the car, Wang Baoqiang leaned back in his seat, let out a long sigh, and rubbed his temples: "It would be inappropriate not to go to this kind of occasion, but going would also be exhausting."

Zhou Le loosened his collar and smiled, "I understand, but there's nothing I can do about it."

Wang Sicong remained calm and collected. Although he had also drunk quite a bit, he knew that neither Zhou Le nor Wang Sicong liked the atmosphere of the second round, and he did indeed have some business matters he wanted to discuss with Zhou Le. Wang Baoqiang looked out the window, feeling grateful.

Zhou Le is indeed a good friend. It's just too late to have met him. Otherwise, even if Zhou Le hadn't risen to prominence back then, Wang Baoqiang felt that if he had met such a person, he would have definitely done his best to help him.

As for Wang Sicong, after returning to the hotel, he did discuss some cooperation projects related to cultural tourism with Zhou Le.

On the other hand, the film music for the Octagon is also on the agenda.

Wang Baoqiang already has plans: "I want to use Andy Lau's 'Men Cry, It's Not a Crime' and 'Dear Child' in the movie. I've already arranged for someone to communicate with the copyright. I think GAI's style is really suitable for the theme song. His grassroots rise is very similar to the spirit of the children in the movie. Speaking of which, you introduced me to this. He has already sent me a song, and I think it's very good after listening to it."

Zhou Le also listened to the demo of "Life is Like Wild Grass".

The melody is stirring, and the lyrics are full of the tenacious vitality of wild grass, which perfectly matches the mood of the film.

"Now all that's missing is an end credits song." Wang Baoqiang pondered, "The end credits need to tone down the emotions, be gentler, have a sense of depth, leave the audience with something to think about, and ideally, also have a positive feel to it."

Zhou Le pondered for a moment, thinking of many singer friends he knew.

After a while, he thought of someone.

He took out his phone and made a call.

"Brother Li Hong, it's me, Zhou Le... Yes, it's been a long time. I need your help with something. Brother Bao Qiang and I are working on a movie, 'In the Octagonal Cage,' and we're missing an end credits song. We need something tender yet thought-provoking... Yes, it's just a favor for your younger brother. What do you think?"

Wang Leehom, on the other end of the phone, owed Zhou Le a favor because of the song "Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales".

Given his appreciation for Zhou Le, he readily agreed: "If Le'er asks, no problem. Send me the film's information and requirements, and I'll look for inspiration and give you an answer as soon as possible."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Baoqiang's face was full of surprise and gratitude.

Andy Lau, GAI, Wang Leehom... This musical lineup is simply dreamlike!

Zhou Le played a crucial role in this.

"Le'er, you're really something else. From now on, you're my brother, and your business is my business!"

Wang Baoqiang said with deep emotion, "This film must be made into a masterpiece to live up to your support!"

Zhou Le smiled and said, "No problem, no problem. I wouldn't have come if the movie wasn't good."

The work continues.

But just as Zhou Le was focused on the early preparations for "In the Octagon", Su Yingxia came to the training hall one day, unable to hide her excitement.

"Brother Le! Great news! Hollywood has invited you!" Su Yingxia's voice was filled with excitement.

Zhou Le had just finished a set of high-intensity training and was panting as he took the tablet.

Wang Baoqiang and several Olympic champions also looked over curiously.

"What project?" Zhou Le asked, wiping his sweat.

"It's the sequel to the John Wick series! The one starring Keanu Reeves!" Su Yingxia pointed to the email content. "They invited you to play the second male lead! Although it's officially the second male lead, judging from the character setting, he has a lot of screen time and is a key figure in driving the plot, an important character representing a mysterious Eastern force!"

The training hall fell silent instantly.

Although several Olympic champions are not involved in the entertainment industry, they have heard of the name of this top action IP.

Wang Baoqiang's eyes lit up, and he patted Zhou Le's shoulder hard: "Not bad, brother! This is a hardcore action movie, recognized worldwide!"

Zhou Le quickly scanned the emails, his initial surprise quickly turning into calm.

After thinking for a moment, he said to Su Yingxia, "We will reply to them that we are open to cooperation, but there are two prerequisites that must be made clear: First, the character I play must be positive and conform to Eastern aesthetics and values, without any stereotypes or derogatory depictions; second, the film script cannot contain any plot that disrespects China or our nation. These two points are the bottom line."

Su Yingxia immediately wrote it down: "Understood, I will use it as a core condition in the communication with the other party."

“Okay,” Zhou Le nodded and added, “In that case, to be on the safe side, I’ll also consult with some people internally. I’ll ask Teacher Chen Daomin and ask Sister Han Jia to ask Third Master for his opinion. In addition, we’ll also use our channels to find out what the relevant leaders in the propaganda department think. Once all three parties agree that there are no problems, we’ll move forward.”

Su Yingxia agreed and immediately went to make the arrangements.

Zhou Le first dialed Chen Daomin's number and briefly explained the situation.

Chen Daomin pondered for a moment on the other end of the phone: "I know the John Wick series. It's a pure commercial genre film with a strong global distribution capability. The fact that they took the initiative to contact you shows that they recognize your market value and potential."

The two principles you mentioned are very correct. Upholding these bottom lines and showcasing the professionalism and integrity of Chinese actors abroad is a good thing. I personally think it's worth discussing this.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Le contacted Han Jianu again. After listening, Han Jianu said decisively, "This is a good thing! Being able to break into the Hollywood industrial system of this level is meaningful for both the individual and the industry. I'll talk to my dad, he will definitely support it, don't worry. As long as the content is not a problem, they will definitely encourage outstanding actors to go abroad."

Soon, Han Jianu replied. Han Sanping's opinion was similar to Chen Daomin's, believing that, provided the quality control was good, this was a good move for Chinese filmmakers to go international.

At the same time, Zhou Le also subtly sought advice from the leaders of the publicity department through his connections.

The feedback received was equally positive, with many believing that the move would help demonstrate contemporary Chinese cultural confidence, and that the government would welcome it as long as the partners respected the reasonable demands put forward by China.

The feedback from all three parties was highly consistent, clearing away all potential obstacles.

Soon, Hollywood responded, clearly stating that they fully respected and agreed to the two principles proposed by Zhou Le, and formally extended an invitation, hoping that Zhou Le could travel to the United States as soon as possible to discuss the specific details.

After discussing it with his team, Zhou Le replied that he agreed.

Shortly after the itinerary was finalized, Zhou Le received a call from Cheng Long.

"Zhou Le, I heard you're going to the US to discuss the 'John Wick' project?" Cheng Long's voice was loud and clear, with a smile on it.

"Yes, brother, you're really well-informed," Zhou Le replied with a smile.

“What a coincidence, I’m also going to the US to discuss a collaboration. If it’s convenient for you, how about we meet in Hong Kong first, and then fly there together? That way we can look out for each other on the way and chat.” Cheng Long extended an invitation.

After a moment's thought, Zhou Le agreed: "No problem, brother. I'll make the arrangements and head to Hong Kong to meet you."

"Okay! It's a deal then! See you in Hong Kong!"

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Le took a deep breath.

This year has truly been a turning point for me. I won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor in China, have a phenomenal film that received an SSS+ rating from internal reviewers and is awaiting release, and now I've received an invitation from Hollywood.

It's okay if we don't win any major awards this time.

At least it has gone abroad.

"Sigh, as expected of someone as outstanding as me!" (End of Chapter)