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

Chapter 268: Filming wrapped on the eve of the Lunar New Year release.

Shang Youshu, known in the online community as Sister Shang, enjoys gossiping, watching the drama unfold, shipping couples, reading ambiguous and erotic novels and watching art films, and posting emo captions.

Shi Jinwei didn't like watching it.

So she couldn't quite accept Sister Shang's habit of always giving her a ride.

Sis, Chi Ye is right next to me; he can see the chat history.

Shang Youshu: [Stop talking nonsense, Weiwei. How could you possibly let Chi Ye see this? You're so stubborn.]

Shi Jinwei: [...]

Sister, you're so smart! How can you be so clever?

[You definitely didn't talk to Xiao Chi properly, otherwise how could he possibly reject someone as beautiful, pretty, and ethereal as me?]

Sister Shang sent another message, still sharp and "intelligent"—she perfectly guessed everything that happened on the scene.

Shi Jin remained silent for a moment before replying: [Does "ethereal and otherworldly" mean that fairies also poop?]

"…Weiwei, when did you become so worldly?"

Alright, that's enough. I'm going to revisit the Seine today... By the way, how did Xiaochi manage to write "Confession Balloon" here? I didn't smell it back then...

Shi Jin glanced at the message, put her phone away, and couldn't tell whether she felt envious or not...

Why is Sister Shang so carefree? I really want to be like Sister Shang, taking a year off after filming one movie, and not even participating in the biggest New Year's Eve gala... Is it even possible for her to do that in her lifetime?

No, no, because she's "worldly," well... she really is a worldly person.

At this moment, the ordinary Shi Jinwei and the even more ordinary Chi Ye are about to take the stage to sing together—this year, the two have a duet song for the New Year's Eve celebration, which can be considered as a warm-up for "Goblin".

……

at the same time.

On the banks of the Seine, a gentle breeze, thick with the smell of a thesis defense, ruffled Shang Jie's long hair. Shang Jie had originally wanted to indulge in a bit of artistic flair, but after silently enduring the mixed odors of various excrements for a while, she put on a mask to cover her flawless and beautiful face.

"It turns out that he wrote 'Confession Balloon' in this kind of environment."

The assistant next to her, "unable to bear it any longer," said, "Sis, didn't you just stand there and watch Chi Ye sing for Jin Xia? You were one of the first audience members."

Sister Shang was inexplicably a little down, and said with a sigh, "At the time, I thought it was just an ordinary thing."

Assistant: "...I remember you were obsessed with it back then."

"You do not understand."

Sister Shang said softly, "I want to go back to that time, and then..."

"Then what?"

"Then kowtow again."

assistant:"……"

Seeing that if she didn't "bother" Sister Shang, the other woman would probably continue her literary pursuits for another half hour, she quickly reminded her, "Sister, didn't you promise Chi Ye that you would help him contact the theaters? Our appointment time is approaching, let's go."

"Sigh, I don't have that ability."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Sister Shang sighed even more: "I'm so useless, the fact that he entrusted this matter to me shows that he didn't take it seriously himself. Being late is fine, so be it."

Assistant: "...Sis, stop talking, or I'll kill myself right here in front of you."

"You're too hasty."

The woman spoke with a double meaning, then turned around leisurely: "Let's go see them... I hope I won't be kicked out."

That's right. Although Sister Shang doesn't really have many connections or relationships, at most she participated in big-budget overseas co-productions when she was at the height of her popularity. If you really want to know something, she does know some film studios and theaters here.

But... how should I put it... I can only say that we recognize each other, at most we know each other, we can't even be considered friends.

Under normal circumstances, Sister Shang would never agree to such a thing, because it would almost certainly fail. If she agreed but failed to do so, given her personality, she would feel very guilty and embarrassed.

So I simply didn't agree.

However, the "trouble" that Chino encountered this time was a bit big. When she heard that Chino wanted him to take the opportunity to visit the heads of the nearby cinema chains, she looked into their eyes and agreed without much hesitation.

By the time you realize what's happening and want to back out, it's too late.

how to say…

The usually laid-back Shang Jie finally decided that this time she would "go all out" to "help" Chi Ye.

I hope it won't backfire. Buddha, please protect me, Amen...

……

Since "Flu" aims for an international premiere, it naturally needs international connections... The Cannes midnight screening is an excellent stage for that.

However, before stepping onto this stage, the layout of cinema investors in other countries also needs to be carried out simultaneously.

Currently, Ikeno is not too worried about the Southeast Asian market for "Influenza".

— "Flu" is a major film co-produced by mainland China and Taiwan.

Given his current influence in Southeast Asia, as early as after "Flu" was confirmed to be selected for the Cannes Film Festival, theater owners in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and other regions/countries had already sold some of the film's rights.

Among them, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea had the highest number of screenings, but the number of screenings in other regions/countries varied.

Therefore, the release in the Southeast Asian market is not a problem, but the number and amount of screenings will depend on how well "Flu" performs at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Everyone is watching and waiting to see how much recognition and affection overseas fans will have for "Professor Chi," who has been "dominating" Asia, as he makes his first foray into the international market.

To be fair, at present, the West's impression of Ikeno is still limited to his identity as a singer of "Full Power" and "Blue and White Porcelain".

The film's ability to permanently establish an identity is practically zero.

This is a huge project starting from scratch. It is very long and seems to be 100% doomed to failure because, apart from a few successful Chinese figures like Bruce Lee in the early days, no one in China has ever made a name for themselves internationally.

And these individuals all met with various reasons... such as Hong Kong not being returned to China at that time.

Therefore, it is important to develop this "market". Chi Ye mentioned it casually after hearing that Shang Jie was going to travel there, and Shang Jie herself said that she knew a lot of theater managers.

What he didn't know was that Sister Shang did indeed know him, and she was saying this to help Chi Ye, but no one knew how much she could help.

January 1, 2027, New Year's Day.

The New Year's Eve gala has successfully concluded, and Chi Ye and Shi Jinwei have returned to the "Goblin" drama crew for the final stage of reshoots.

The overall production cost of "Goblin" was actually slightly higher than that of "My Love from the Star". It's not that its special effects were better than those of "My Love from the Star", but rather that its plot required the crew to constantly travel between domestic and international locations, and the expenses during this period alone were astronomical.

Therefore, its filming time was also very long. "My Love from the Star" was filmed in less than three months, but "Goblin" took almost four months and also required a certain period of reshoots.

On January 15th, almost a month before the first day of the Lunar New Year, "Goblin" finally wrapped up filming. ...

To save Zhao Luohe, the human bride who was hit by an out-of-control vehicle, Zhao Ji came to Zhao Luohe's side and resolutely "personally" pulled out the "sword of destiny" from his own chest.

In that instant, the curse was broken, his power as an eternally existing demonic being dissipated, and it also meant that he would face true and complete death.

Their body and soul are destroyed, and there is no longer any possibility of reincarnation.

Although Zhao Luohe was saved, as a human bride and the person directly involved in the act of drawing the sword and lifting the curse, she paid a huge price, losing all her memories of ghosts and gods.

Her life seemed to be reset, returning to that summer when she was 18 and had never encountered ghosts or gods.

She remains optimistic and resilient, but she always feels that an important, ineffable piece of the puzzle is missing from her life, and she often feels lonely inside.

She lived a long and fulfilling life, becoming an excellent screenwriter and creating many heartwarming stories.

However, a strange sense of emptiness deep inside her always accompanied her.

Every year when the first snow falls and the maple leaves turn red, she would travel alone to Quebec, Canada, and sit on that famous bench, as if waiting for someone, but never seeing them.

Zhao Luohe didn't know what she was waiting for, but that waiting became a part of her life.

Until that day…

After completing all her life's journey, the elderly Zhao Luohe passed away peacefully surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

Her soul left her body, but did not immediately go to reincarnation. Instead, she received a strong and irresistible call from the unseen world.

She walked through a maple forest and arrived at that pure white, empty space.

There, a figure she had forgotten her entire life, yet which was etched into her soul, was quietly waiting for her.

Zhao Ji wore the black coat he wore when they first met, exuding a calm and composed demeanor, with a familiar smile on his lips.

"Look, it's the first snow again."

Zhao Luohe's soul suddenly cleared at this moment, and all the long-buried memories surged back like a tide.

That unforgettable love, the pain of separation, the lifelong wait... brought tears to her eyes instantly.

She finally revealed a bright, tearful smile, just like the one she had when she was 18, and reached out her hand to him: "Uncle... I'm back."

The pure white space slowly melted away, turning into a flurry of first snowflakes, just like the day they first met.

Two souls embraced tightly in the snow.

This time, there are no curses, no separations, only eternal companionship.

The scene was silent, save for the sound of falling snow.

"..."

The director stared at the embracing figures behind the monitor, waited quietly for a few seconds, and then shouted, "Cut!"

"I hereby announce that filming for 'Goblin: The Lonely and Great God' has officially wrapped!!"

"Oh~!!"

"Long live!!"

"Filming has finally wrapped up. This drama is even longer than 'My Love from the Star'."

Cheers erupted from the scene.

Ikeno immediately changed out of his coat and put on a down jacket—it was really cold to wear such thin clothes in mid-January.

Across from him, Shi Jin slightly loosened his grip on Chi Ye, his mood slightly downcast.

The ending of "Goblin" seems to be a happy ending, but in reality, it is a tragic ending. Whether it is the second male and female leads or the male and female leads, they all have a sad undertone.

In fact, Ikeno felt that the biggest difference between "Goblin" and "My Love from the Star" was that the ending of "Goblin" could not be understood by simply saying "happy ending" or "bad ending".

Because while this ending showcases a happy ending for love, it also acknowledges the cruelty of fate, the existence of punishment, and the loneliness of eternal life.

Ultimately, it boils down to a complex exploration of redemption, forgiveness, the value of ordinary love, and the mercy (or capriciousness) of "God".

This is the biggest difference between it and "My Love from the Star". The ending of "Goblin" may bring the audience a deeper sense of emotion and discussion.

Even though it's been almost a decade since "Goblin" finished airing, there are still countless viewers who feel unsatisfied and watch it two or three times every year when the first snow falls... Perhaps this is what makes it stand out from other modern dramas.

Overall, Shi Jinwei still liked this ending quite a bit. At least... at least it was better than "Girl". The open ending of "Girl" was really Chi Ye ruthlessly torturing the audience. Coupled with those songs, it was just too explosive.

No wonder Sister Shang was in such a low mood back then.

That dog deserves to die!
In "Goblin," at least "she" and Ikeno ended up together... That's good enough, why worry so much?

Hmm... although none of them can compare to the happy ending of "My Love from the Star".

"You're going to be preparing for the Cannes Film Festival next, right?"

That evening, during the wrap party, Shi Jinwei unusually took the initiative to ask Chi Ye a question.

This surprised Ikeno a bit—given Pliers' personality, shouldn't she have made some sarcastic remarks at this time to make her feel better?

"...I'm just curious."

Shi Jin felt a little awkward, but unusually, she didn't argue with Chi Ye—the news about "Flu" and Chi Ye's film being stuck in the review process, resulting in a complete loss of investment, has intensified with the upcoming Spring Festival film season.

It's a bit better for those outside the industry, since it's just a movie that hasn't been released yet. Apart from Ikeno's fans, how many ordinary moviegoers have time to "reminisce" about it every day?
If "Flu" can't be shown, there's still "Bureau 749," and there's Han Han, and Shen Bin and Ma Li to watch.

This movie won't make a difference.

But it's different within the industry.

Because Ikeno's previous film achievements were all very "dazzling" - in terms of making money and rising to fame quickly.

But this time, "Flu," with a total investment equivalent to several "Girls" and "Big Boss," and involving various personal connections, has been delayed. Many people are watching Ikeno's downfall, including obvious stakeholders like those in the film industry, and even more... ordinary people in the industry who have no connection with Ikeno.

Yes, those "outsiders" who had no connection with Ikeno and even fawned over him during his peak, seeking cooperation, are actually more "enthusiastic" about Ikeno's Waterloo than those in the Beijing entertainment circle.

—A mediocre person is not envied, but Ikeno has achieved such success in the film industry in just one year, gaining money, fame, and fortune. Who wouldn't be envious of Ikeno?

Previously, Ikeno was too outstanding, and everyone was eager to cooperate with him. At most, they would just chat privately in their own small circles.

But this time was different; this time I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Shi Jinwei was not one of them.

She had also seen news about Chi Ye making fun of her in her company's inner circle, and on the spot, she mercilessly "scolded" the two actresses by name.

(End of this chapter)