Who said this top flow is crazy! This top flow is awesome!

Chapter 208 This Summer: I'll Give "Sister" a Sweet Treat!

Ikeno has once again offended the Kyoto elite circle.

This "explosive" news gradually spread within the industry, not to mention the drama circle, but the film circle was abuzz with discussion.

Having already left the crew to "virtually travel" for a while and make up for the two months of work, Sister Shang called to inquire about Chi Ye's situation in a gentle voice.

Shang Jie does have a good reputation in the industry. Although she hasn't made any significant achievements in the Chinese film industry over the years, she still knows a few friends.

Chi Ye said it was nothing, but when Shang Jie saw him say that, she said, "Don't call me for the next two months, or I'm afraid you won't be able to control yourself."

Then I hung up the phone.

Sister Pliers didn't call because she doesn't have many connections in the film industry, and due to her age, she can't currently access the film industry. She only helped by forwarding the official announcement of the release date of "Big Boss" on Weibo... using her own account.

However, according to the assistant who later stepped forward and specifically said that she secretly used Shi Jie's account to forward the Weibo post because she was a fan of Ikeno, and that this would have a greater impact... opinions vary.

As for the Beijing circle, one of the "parties involved," after receiving Chi Ye's "response," they also didn't say anything, but at a dinner party, they said: "Let's get that guy."

The atmosphere within the industry has inexplicably become a bit more tense recently.

But Ikeno didn't have much free time to pay attention to these things.

In early April, filming for "Girl" wrapped up, and in mid-April, filming for "Flu" officially began in Taipei.

this day.

Chi Ye raised his hand to look at his watch, frowning: "She's not trying to trick me, is she? She pretended to accept the script, but then deliberately stood me up to 'get back at' me?"

Coco, standing beside her, remained silent, only hesitatingly asking, "She wouldn't... be that naive, would she?"

"you're right."

Ikeno also thought Coco made a good point.

But then again, it's not surprising that mentally ill people do anything unusual, so we can't judge them by common sense.

There were indeed some twists and turns in Sheng Ning's acceptance of the script for "Flu".

That day, after Ikeno and Coco finished their conversation, Coco contacted Sheng Ning's management team the next day.

The other side was stunned for three or four days, as if they were shocked by the news. It wasn't until five days later that Sheng Ning's team sent a message: "Sister Ning does not accept intimate scenes."

Upon learning of this situation, Ikeno felt that the old woman still had some self-awareness, and he began preparing to join the crew of "Flu".

"The Boss" is scheduled to premiere on June 20th. Ike will not be able to film for long before he has to go on the roadshow and promotion for "The Boss". So this time, he joined the crew mainly to adapt to the new environment and to get to know the crew and observe how it operates.

— "Flu" was a large production, while "Train to Busan" had a much larger investment, starting with an investment of 300 million yen. It was Ikeno's first truly large-scale production in his "career".

No actor doesn't want to act in big-budget productions. If it's a big-budget production with explosive quality in terms of genre, special effects, and story, then there's even less reason not to act in it.

Sheng Ning's ambition is beyond anyone's imagination, but her temper is too bad. She feels that continuing to stay in the drama industry to act in ancient and modern dramas is a complete waste of her life and time.

Having reached this point, she needs to climb to the next level and stand at a higher position. She is known for her ability to read scripts. She liked the script for "Flu," otherwise she wouldn't have flown directly to Taiwan to "meet" with Ikeno.

Perhaps that's why she agreed to take the role... Of course, it's possible that she saw that there were no intimate scenes and the "ethical" barrier was gone, or perhaps she was "shocked" by Ikeno's change in "attitude." In any case, the mentally ill person stood at the door of the "Flu" crew that day.

Chi Ye saw the patient. She was wearing a beige trench coat, tall yet slender, with beautiful and intimidating almond-shaped eyes. The first thing she asked upon seeing Chi Ye was, "When does it start?"

"...You need maternity makeup, why don't you get used to the props first?"

"I spent a week getting used to it before coming here... and half a month getting used to it before I sold you the shares."

Chiye: "..."

This was Chi Ye's first real, normal interaction with Sheng Ning, and he suddenly realized that this woman was completely different from what he had imagined.

At least, she's not "like" Shi Jinwei; Sister Pliers wouldn't be so straightforward.

and…

They wouldn't act so swiftly and decisively.

Well... in terms of professional skills, Sister Pliers is indeed "Little Sheng Ning".

"My team is coming to set up shop. Let me know when the props are ready, and we can start filming anytime."

After saying this, Sheng Ning strode into the film crew without having any other interaction with Chi Ye.

"...I admire that kind of dedication...Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ikeno suddenly noticed Coco's teasing gaze.

He frowned and scolded, "Look at you! I let you go out and get promoted, and you've become so arrogant. Why are you always talking about me like this?"

"...Brother Chi, I didn't say anything."

Coco wagged her finger and said with a smile, "It's just... I just feel that you are actually quite similar to Sheng Ning in some ways."

Chiye: "?"

"They all have too strong a personality."

Coco's accurate assessment: "You're actually 'harder' than her, don't you know that?"

"But while you are firm, you also analyze things rationally and ultimately make appropriate compromises by comprehensively considering the gains and losses... that is being firm, but not being rigid and mindless."

Ikeno paused for two seconds: "Why don't you just say I'm scheming?"

After saying that, he paused, looking at Sheng Ning's retreating figure: "...She can too."

"So, it really does look quite similar, huh?"

cocoa:"……"

"What are you standing there for? The female lead is here, let's get started."

With a wave of his hand, the "Flu" production team officially entered the operational phase.

……

Flu is a classic post-apocalyptic disaster survival movie.

The story is set in Taiwan, and the male protagonist, Zhang Lin, is a 32-year-old financial executive at a company in Shanghai, mainland China, who frequently travels between the mainland and Taiwan for business.

He was a sophisticated egoist, adept at speculation, and often taught his 5-year-old daughter not to give up her seat to the elderly. He was a "cold-blooded" financial elite.

His wife was a nurse at Formosa General Hospital (they are divorced).

He has a beautiful, adorable, and elfin daughter. She is kind-hearted and misses her mother, so she often secretly practices her mother's favorite songs in preparation for performing them for her mother on her birthday.

Although she was young, she was very sensible and disappointed in her father's irresponsible behavior towards the family. She often said, "That's why Mom left us."

On his daughter's birthday, Zhang Lin, who was in Taipei, had promised to take her to Kaohsiung to see his mother, but he bought duplicate gifts because he was busy with work.

To make up for his daughter's guilt, Zhang Lin set off from Taipei on the "Island Star" high-speed rail line from Taipei to Kaohsiung.

Unexpectedly, a virus called "influenza" broke out in a laboratory in Taiwan, and half of the island is gradually falling into its clutches.

This train bound for Kaohsiung is not heading towards "reunion," but towards "doomsday."

After the Golden Melody Awards, Ikeno had already contacted several top companies in Taiwan, and with the connections he had made this year, coordinating various public resources was easier than he had imagined.

Of course... it's also possible that the standards on the island are indeed more lenient, and given Ikeno's current influence on the island, a small green light has been given to him.

The train stops along the route of the entire film are: Taipei → Taoyuan → Hsinchu → Taichung → Tainan → Kaohsiung (final stop).

Time span: from dawn to nightfall (a tense 12 hours in total)

From the initial "Virus Outbreak, Train Departure," to "Bloody Hunt in a Confined Space," "Midway Stop - Desperate Platform," then to "Traveling Through Hellish Carriages," and finally "Kaohsiung - Hope or Trap?"

Centered on train stations and driven by the diverse lives of people in the carriages, the film is tense to the point of being suffocating throughout, with each scene requiring a large number of "special effects" and extras playing "zombies".

Along the way, the male protagonist Zhang Lin encounters pregnant woman Li Ya (played by Sheng Ning) and her husband Ma Qiang, as well as other passengers traveling on the train. They have different destinations but share the same misfortune, thus beginning a game of humanity, regions (mainland China and inland China), and bloodshed.

Ikeno was very excited; he was thrilled after spending a few days with the "Flu" crew.

This was a feeling he had never experienced before when filming other movies. The atmosphere of the large crew, the subject matter, and the various "big scenes" all gave him a sense of novelty.

It's made him a little reluctant to promote "The Boss"...

But of course I still have to go.

In mid-May, about a month after filming began, Chi Ye received the third urging from Director Chen and Jin Sui's side, and finally stopped filming "Flu" to prepare to return to the mainland for the promotion of "Big Boss".

at the same time.

Outside the set of "Flu," Jin Xia was biting a straw, blinking her peach blossom eyes, and unconsciously rubbing the edge of the packaging bag with the tip of her other finger.

She specially curled her hair today, applied lemon-scented lip gloss, and even secretly sprayed a couple of spritzs of the "man-slaying fragrance" recommended online—although now she's starting to wonder if the scent will be so strong it'll sound like a walking perfume billboard.

What brand is this? It doesn't even smell as good as gutter oil!
"Honey, how do I look?"

She tiptoed and peeked around, then pulled back, thought for a while, turned around, and tilted her snow-white chin up, signaling to Sister Mi to praise her.

Honey: "...Beautiful."

"Not sincere." "...Ikeno likes it."

"That's good."

Honey: "...Aren't you going in yet?"

"Hmm... Sheng Ning is in there too, I need to think about how to 'face' her."

The old lady muttered to herself, but quickly straightened her back, her little face flushed, and walked in with her hands behind her back.

……

An internal film festival.

A grand gathering of Beijing, Northwest, and Shanghai circles.

Although the Beijing film circle has declined in recent years, it still undoubtedly holds absolute control over the domestic film industry – if it can't control it, it will "absorb" more "outstanding" people.

"Hey guys, what do you say?"

Director Yang sat in the lounge, smoking a cigarette, and smiled smugly: "Everyone says it looks great!"

"...I have a feeling that what they're saying is a bit untrue."

Director Lu wondered if his observation was wrong: "Zhang Yimou and the others' expressions don't seem like they've agreed to this."

"Hey, he's a big director now, not the guy who used to carry a camera. Of course he'll have some airs now."

Another person said sarcastically, "The Imperial Advisor, huh? It sounds impressive."

"No, what the hell is that 'Angry Hair' thing he made? He even dared to say that it was a 5 million yuan investment... He embezzled 4 million yuan and spent 9000 million yuan to rent a courtyard house to film a sitcom, right?"

"Haha."

The lounge erupted in laughter.

In the corner, Yu Yan, Peng Chen, Ling Han, and several other rising stars favored by the Beijing entertainment circle dared not smile.

Firstly, the Imperial Advisor is someone you can't afford to offend, and secondly... Yu Yan and Peng Chen are alright, but Ling Han feels that this "Magic City Fortress"... seems really not that great.

Is she the only one who thinks this way?
Her sister wasn't there, so she felt awkward saying much. Looking to the side, she saw Yu Yan sitting quietly.

Hmm... Yan Ge is indeed the most handsome. Everyone says his movies are good, so maybe it really is his own fault.

"The feedback that it can be earlier than the expected pre-sale time is definitely true, Lao Yang. We're looking forward to celebrating your 50 billion yuan box office success! Surpassing 'Wolf Warrior 2' is just around the corner!"

Over here, the bigwigs have already agreed to bring forward the pre-sale time for "Magic City Fortress".

When a movie is released, there are offline promotional events such as roadshows and participation in programs, and online promotional events such as pre-sales, previews, and the official release.

For most commercial films, pre-sales usually start about a week in advance, with preview screenings and promotions for individual viewers. For "top blockbusters" like "The Wrath of the Gods," pre-sales can start almost a month in advance.

Of course, due to different promotional strategies, this pre-sale model cannot be used as a template.

For example, "The Fortress of Shanghai" is a blockbuster that is no less powerful than "The Wrath of the Gods" and has even surpassed it. It is the most anticipated "Chinese science fiction blockbuster" among Chinese movie fans in recent years. After this movie, it indicates that Chinese films are about to enter the "world-class" era.

However, in order to "keep" the hype under wraps, the film's producers only started pre-sales a week in advance, which was somewhat conservative.

Looking at today's "viewer feedback," which is a week in advance, seems rather petty.

Then...

"Move it forward by two weeks!"

Director Lu devised a plan: "Our film is destined to be recorded in film history. We need to build up a good reputation. We can't be like Zhang Yimou, who shamelessly sells films a month in advance and holds various preview screenings."

"Indeed, half a month, half a month earlier, I think it's feasible."

Director Feng nodded in agreement.

"..." Director Yang thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Half a month earlier... Anyway, it's all earlier, so a few more days won't make a difference. Let's just move it to the same time as the pre-sale of 'The Boss'... Isn't he arrogant? Does he think that just because he's in the drama industry, we can't mess with him?"

"Hey, your idea..."

Everyone was taken aback, then exclaimed in amazement: "That's great, Lao Yang! I almost forgot, that grandson of Chi Ye even has a movie studio!"

"I heard Sheng Ning is in his new movie... I'm dying of laughter, is that guy out of his mind? What was her relationship with Chi Ye before? If she acted in a TV series with Chi Ye, I'd admire her for being flexible, but acting in a movie..."

"Neither of them are brainless. They might even be sleeping with Chi Ye tonight. Damn it... Setting the pre-sale date for 'The Boss' is just to tell those people in the industry that we're going to take them down. What can they do about it?"

Immediately, the crowd was "inflamed with emotion".

Indeed, ever since Chi Ye publicly rejected them last time, this time it wasn't Peng Chen relaying the message. The Beijing elite circle, which always cares about their reputation, has completely lost face. They gave him two "chances," but he still refused to come. They've really suffered a terrible defeat!

That's why Director Feng, after drinking too much that day, blurted out, "Let's get that guy!"

But how exactly to do "fuck them"... no one had considered it... After making the statement, they selectively forgot about it.

Hmm... It's awkward, but right now, Ikeno has absolute influence in the drama industry, and there has always been a barrier between the film and drama industries... So, if Ikeno doesn't enter the film industry, even if he wanted to... he couldn't. At least for now, no one in the drama industry can refuse "Professor Ikeno".

But this time, with the release of "Big Boss", they "moved up the pre-sale"... it was practically an opportunity handed to them. After suffering a lot of humiliation from Chi Ye, how could they not be happy?
Let's do it! Let's kill him! Let everyone know that offending the Beijing elite will end badly!
In the corner, Yu Yan heard the news and was equally thrilled.

—The opportunity has arrived.

That's what he was thinking.

……

Inside the crew of "Flu".

"Our teacher is treating everyone to bubble tea this summer!"

"Let me translate: Drink milk tea!"

"Haha."

"Thank you, Teacher Jin Xia!"

When I visited the set of "Flu" this summer, the crew was both surprised and delighted—Cheon Song-yi's popularity in Taiwan is now not much less than that of Professor Chi.

Of course, what excites them even more is the "gossip".

"Cheon Song-yi" visits "Professor Ji" on set—what big news is that?
If the media in Taiwan knew this news, they would probably "refine" the "Flu" crew in an instant.

"This cup is for Teacher Chi...this cup is mine, this cup is also mine, this cup is for some actors in my aunt's company, this cup..."

In the distance, the "milk tea truck" that she brought this summer was being divided up by the crew members, while she specially kept a large box for herself, took out a cup of the healthiest milk tea that she had specially "air-freighted" from Shanghai, and marked it as "her own territory".

Following them were the other named actors in the production crew.

Then, she pulled out a cup of milk tea that had been specially sweetened with ten times the amount of sugar, and said excitedly, "This cup is for Sheng Ning! Let's give Sheng Ning some sugar!"

Sister Mi: “…”

"What...what's that smell...?"

Over here, Chi Ye heard the commotion and came out, but after a moment of surprise, he caught a whiff of a different fragrance and asked in surprise, "Did you spray that on purpose?"

"..." This summer, when she saw him coming over, she immediately straightened her back, glanced at him, and then pouted and said, "Teacher Chi, I'm not happy."

Ikeno: "Then don't be happy."

"..."

I'll tell you later...

This summer, seemingly unintentionally, she tiptoed and casually picked up a cup of milk tea, handing it to Ma Feng, the second male lead in "Flu," an actor from Taiwan: "Teacher Ma, this is yours."

"Oh, thanks, Cheon Song-yi, my daughter loves you so much!"

Mr. Ma was flattered. He was a little shorter than Chi Ye, but he was muscular. He used to be a boxer and was known as a "professional big brother" in Taiwanese entertainment. He is currently signed with Guangying Shimeng this year.

"It's alright, it's alright, just thank Teacher Chi."

This summer, she didn't hide anything at all. After saying that, before Teacher Ma, who was staring in astonishment with her mouth agape, could reply, she peeked behind her again.

Ikeno asked curiously, "What are you looking for?"

Where is Sheng Ning?

Ikeno paused, then turned around: "Her? She... she's probably touching up her makeup."

"I'm going to see her."

After finishing speaking this summer, she glanced at Chi Ye again, lowered her voice, and whispered furtively, "Go see 'older sister'."

Chino was taken aback and looked at her: "Huh?"

"Hmph, don't worry about it, just watch how I perform!"

This summer, she snorted and walked smugly toward the dressing room where Sheng Ning was, with her hands behind her back.

　There is an outline, a single
　　
　
(End of this chapter)