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

Chapter 240 Chiye in the trench

June 1th, 00:00.

The premiere of "Girl" was held in the IMAX hall of the Capital Wuyue Cinema.

The cinema was quiet and packed. As midnight approached, the host left the stage, and Chi Ye and Shang Jie, the main creators of "Girl", and various guests were already seated in the second row, quietly watching the big screen.

"I'm a little nervous."

Sitting to Chi Ye's left, Sister Shang asked cryptically, "Chi Ye, are you nervous?"

Chi Ye's eyelids drooped, and after a pause, he replied, "Tight."

Sister Shang was taken aback, glanced at him, and suddenly spat: "Don't be a hooligan."

Chiye: "?"

"Xiaxia is still here, so don't have any improper thoughts about me."

Chi Ye suddenly moved a little further away from her, bent down and walked to the old lady's side, and said to the director, "Let's change positions."

The director was taken aback, but didn't ask any further questions. He got up and switched places with Ikeno.

The Empress Dowager asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"

"Sister Shang wants to ship a couple."

This summer, she was stunned for a moment, then raised her finger at Sister Shang and said, "No, no, Sister Shang is a good sister."

On the other side, Sister Shang opened her mouth and gave a bitter smile: "I wish you happiness."

The distance was a bit far, so Jin Xia didn't hear it, but Sister Pliers, who was right next to Sister Shang, glanced at the group and a cold smile appeared on her lips.

Sheng Ning, who was furthest away from them, kept her eyes straight ahead, pretending not to see anything.

Ta-da!
Just as the group was interacting, the familiar sound of the dragon logo rang out, followed by the classic logo of "Ikeno Studio" that viewers of "The Boss" would recognize.

The wind blew through the elm trees outside the hotel lobby, causing the petals to unfurl and raindrops to fall in a patter. The vibrant filter disappeared, turning into a cool white tone.

Only the bride's bouquet and the red carpet broke through the oppressive feeling.

The camera suddenly started shaking, followed by the lively noise of the wedding hotel.

It has the feel of a real documentary, as if it were shot from a mobile phone.

Everyone in the theater was stunned; clearly, no one had expected that a coming-of-age film like "Girl" would be shot in this style right from the start.

A sense of unease inexplicably rose in everyone's hearts. This is also the point of "anxiety" and criticism that everyone felt after "Sunny Day" became a hit. No matter how good the quality is, can it still not avoid being melodramatic?
The scene shifts to a pair of muddy leather shoes stepping onto the hotel's marble floor. The rainwater stains on the soles spread and reflect off the ceiling lights, creating shimmering spots of light.

He moved among the guests dressed in suits, the camera always focused on the white dress in the distance (Shen Jiayi's back), with the background sounds of indistinct congratulations and clinking glasses.

The screen disappears.

Zhou Ye adjusted his tie in front of the bathroom mirror. Now he was a salesman at a securities company. Gone was the naivety of his student days; he was calm and composed, yet with a hint of a desire to appear successful.

He had a smile on his face, but it gave off a forced and bitter feeling.

—Holy crap, this feels completely different from Zhao Tai's!

Inside the theater, upon seeing Chi Ye's first appearance, Liu Xiaoxiao, who had successfully snagged a premiere ticket, excitedly patted her boyfriend's leg.

My boyfriend was wincing in pain, but... I felt the same way.

There is no doubt how authoritative Ikeno's face is on the big screen; his appearance and bone structure are perfect, as if he was born to make a living in this field.

To the surprise of audiences and fans, although both are dressed in suits, the adult Zhou Ye, an "ordinary person," presents a completely different visual experience from Zhao Tai in the previous film "The Boss."

They all have the same face, and they are all so good-looking, yet they can instantly create a strong sense of contrast.

Is this what acting is?

The thought subconsciously arose in Liu Xiaoxiao's boyfriend's mind.

Then...then he wanted to yell at the director and screenwriter—that is, Ikeno—for being so damn cunning!
On the big screen, Zhou Ye adjusts his tie in front of a mirror, leaving viewers wondering if he is indeed today's "leading man".

The once "imposing" adult Zhou Ye in the mirror is also becoming naive, innocent, and youthful at a visible speed.

The sound of cicadas in the background gradually intensifies, mixed with the static from an old-fashioned radio, transitioning to the melody of Ikeno's "Those Years"—

"Back to square one..."

The surrounding environment has changed; this is the office of a high school teacher.

A tin fan hummed on the yellowed pile of lesson plans, while two goldfish swam leisurely in the fish tank.

Zhou Ye was caught by the head of the teaching department for skipping class and fighting. While the teacher was dealing with the embarrassing situation of his urinary system, he went around to the small mirror in the office and fixed his "hair".

"Zhou Ye, I've never seen you look in the mirror when you got into fights and got injured..."

On the screen, Liu Jie, Liu Jie's best friend, winked and said, "You're not thinking of switching careers to become a hair clipper, are you?"

Zhou Ye adjusted the wisp of hair on his forehead in front of the mirror and said casually, "You don't know anything. This is called strategic material reserves."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye, then suddenly paused, lowered his voice, and pointed the tip of his comb at the playground outside the window—Shen Jiayi was carrying her homework as she walked through the wisteria trellis, her ponytail swinging in the sunlight, casting golden arcs.

"See that? She passes by the second-floor office at this time every day." He said confidently, "According to the principle of three points in a line, the handsomeness reflected from my angle can just penetrate her 35-degree visual blind spot to the left front."

Liu Jie burst out laughing: "You think chasing girls is a sniper battle?"

"No, it's information warfare."

Zhou Ye stuffed the broken comb back into his pocket and flicked Shen Jiayi's reflection in the mirror with his finger: "Do you know why I deliberately kicked the ball into the girls' restroom last week? Now only she knows—I fixed the clogged water valve in the washroom while I was retrieving the ball!"

……

"Haha."

Laughter erupted in the theater. Liu Xiaoxiao's boyfriend lowered his voice and said, "I used to do that in school too, haha."

Liu Xiaoxiao patted him on the shoulder with a smile on her lips.

She also thought of those mischievous students in her class when she was in school... well, one of them was her "first love".

Unfortunately, they lost contact after graduation.

If my "first love" looked like Zhou Ye... that would be so wonderful.

Just as I was thinking this, the door on the big screen was suddenly kicked open with a "bang".

The head of discipline stormed in, pulling up his belt, half a piece of toilet paper still stuck to the buckle...

This pose elicited another burst of laughter in the theater.

Zhou Ye had already slid down to his knees and was "seriously" writing a self-criticism.

"Zhou Ye!"

The dean's roar shook the fish tank: "Fighting, skipping class, and vandalizing public property! I'll call your parents tomorrow... wait a minute!"

He squinted and leaned closer to Zhou Ye's "apology letter," then suddenly sneered: "Fine, you like studying human anatomy? Frequent urination, huh? Next Monday, during the flag-raising ceremony, you'll recite 'A Detailed Explanation of the Functions of the Urinary System' for me!"

Liu Jie suppressed a laugh and let out a pig-like squeal, while Zhou Ye looked towards the doorway—Shen Jiayi was standing there at some point, her homework book covering half her face, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

Hmm... I can't quite see what this unfamiliar girl looks like.

He slammed his foot on the table leg, and the goldfish in the fish tank, startled and thrashing, splashed water that landed squarely on the dean's crotch.

"Director!" Zhou Ye seized the opportunity to stand up, his face sincere: "Abnormal urination may indicate that you have prostatitis..."

"Get out! Get out right now!!"

Zhou Ye grabbed his schoolbag and dashed out the door, glancing back at Shen Jiayi as he passed her.

The girl obediently held her books, seemingly never glancing at him once.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two men down the corridor, while in the distance came Liu Jie's screams and the director's roars:
"Still laughing? You'd better copy the 'Middle School Student Code of Conduct' thirty times!" "..."

Thus begins the story of Zhou Ye and Shen Jiayi.

They officially spoke their first words at the entrance ceremony. In the class's mutual learning group, the two were not able to "sit together" but instead became desk mates. The responsible Shen Jiayi habitually poked his back with the tip of her pen. He always seemed annoyed, but inside he always felt inexplicably excited.

He always habitually tried to attract her attention in various ways, which seemed childish to the precocious Shen Jiayi, yet inexplicably had a silly charm.

—Just like how she often called him "idiot" after they got to know each other.

Stealing ink, lending his textbook to Shen Jiayi and standing as punishment... The boy's kindness on the day of the earthquake and the light in the girl's eyes, and the confession on the rooftop before graduation... "Sunny Day" in my headphones.

The entire novel, "Girl," is written in a style that blends realism with youthful themes.

Its realism lies in the fact that, unlike any other youth films on the market today, it doesn't force together melodramatic events and conflicts to attract attention. Things like cancer, disfigurement, car accidents, and abortions are all absent.

But because it is so "youthful," it almost perfectly and realistically depicts the youth that all ordinary people have experienced. As a result, while not being melodramatic, it always has a variety of natural and smooth contradictions and eye-catching effects, as if it were a natural progression.

This is what makes "You Are the Apple of My Eye" different. The whole film seems harmonious, yet it touches people's hearts in every way. It can always touch the "self" of more than ten years ago, who was unrestrained, flamboyant, and naive.

And that "she".

A shy little gesture, a glance, a ponytail shining in the sunset...

Federico Fellini once said: "Film is the art form closest to our dreams; it weaves a language of the human subconscious with light and shadow."

"Girl" is such a film. It has a small budget and a small cast, but it has achieved a resonance throughout the film, allowing everyone who watches it to find that familiar yet unfamiliar version of themselves in the film.

If a film like this isn't considered a success, then perhaps no film can be considered a success.

This is a thought that naturally arises in the minds of most people in the theater during the movie.

……

at the same time.

Next door, the premiere of "The Rock".

A constellation of stars gathered, including big names from the film and television industries, all converging in the theater.

They looked up at the green screen, at the scenes featuring the movie star and his son, a character known for his incompetence.

Ok…

Well, the movie was rather boring and not nearly as "explicit" as advertised. Compared to other crime action films, it was rather "chaotic," not to mention "The Boss."

Yes, the scene feels disjointed; is it due to editing?
Many people realized that Zhang Yimou had fallen into his old habit again, and the story was not well told... In addition, they felt like they had been "deceived".

Of course, "them" here refers to actual movie fans and audiences.

After the premiere ended, the expectations of movie fans and audiences were dashed, but the big names in the front row started to blindly praise the film.

"Shocking!"

"Wonderful."

"Director Zhang's filming is superb. The visuals and the scale of the plot are truly rare."

"..."

The director, actor Yu, and other main cast members turned around and looked at everyone's reactions, feeling very satisfied.

"Great, this attempt was very successful, the box office should be pretty good."

The Imperial Advisor thought to himself.

……

1:40 a.m.

The premiere of "Climbing One" has come to an end.

With a cast no less impressive than that of the premiere of "Rock Solid," many people stared blankly at Wu Jing and Teacher Zhang, who suddenly began "falling in love" on the big screen, their mouths agape in shock.

"Are we just going to start talking right away? No process at all? Aren't we going to climb to the top?"

Someone couldn't help but mutter under their breath.

"Keep your voice down," a friend next to me reminded me. "Even if a movie starring Wu Jing and Teacher Zhang doesn't do well at the box office, it won't be that bad."

"...I was watching these two male and female protagonists climbing the mountain when they suddenly started talking...I just wanted to punch them."

In the back row, a film critic close to Beijing's film circle couldn't help but complain: "They even discuss this kind of subject matter? What were the director and screenwriter thinking?"

"The acting was all quite good, but this discussion did seem a bit abrupt... Let's see..."

He said he'd watch it some more, but the movie ended before long, leaving the film critic feeling a little dazed as he looked around at the preview screening of "Kunlun Mountain" he'd just visited not long ago…

The same old plot logic fails, the same old abrupt ending…

Is this the standard for blockbuster films released during the National Day holiday now?

He frowned, puzzled, wondering if it was something wrong with him, since he had seen both movies.

To be honest, the special effects and scenes in "Kunlun Mountain" are fine... but the film feels very disjointed, and the beginning and end don't seem to be directed by the same person.

"Climbing No. 1" is better in this respect. It's clear that the production team had money and put in a lot of effort, and the actors' performances were also good. However, there is a significant disconnect between the romantic storyline and the plot logic.

This……

If I think they're doing well, both movies should do reasonably well at the box office, but it's impossible for them to dominate the National Day holiday box office.

It seems the biggest winners are still the prolific director and the TV series "Rock Solid" in recent years.

As the film critic was thinking this, enthusiastic applause rang out from the front of the stage—the premiere of "Climbing One" had ended, and the main cast and crew had already walked in front of the screen to receive their "acceptance speeches."

"Okay, I'll make the money I'm supposed to make anyway."

The film critic nodded.

……

the other side.

Fifteen minutes ago.

Due to its length and subject matter, "Girl" ended earlier than "Climbing One".

At the premiere, Ikeno's clear voice rang out, playing another OST after "Sunny Day"—"Those Years".

The lyrics are so touching, just like the atmosphere at this moment, which is both melancholic and fulfilling.

Liu Xiaoxiao wiped away her tears, shook her head, and muttered, "Was the final ending real or fake? Was the groom really Zhou Ye?"

Her boyfriend gritted his teeth beside her: "The production team and Chi Ye are so hateful! They had to leave this ending... But the main story is about Zhou Ye anyway, so I think the two of them must have gone from school uniforms to wedding dresses and ended up together."

"I feel so too."

A female audience member in the front row turned around, blowing her nose, and said, "The promotion for 'Girl' promised a pure love ending, it can't be wrong."

"Stop fooling yourself, how could true pure love have an open ending?"

Another person joined the discussion.

The once unfamiliar theater gradually became lively—many people who had never met before were now eagerly discussing the ending of the story.

Chi Ye and Shang Jie, along with the other main creators, turned around and looked at the scene before them, finally feeling a sense of relief.

The audience's reaction... is probably expected.

(End of this chapter)