Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 385 A Feud, Returning Home
Each person is an independent star orbit in this universe. At a certain point in spacetime, people will briefly converge like a meteor shower, releasing a momentary burst of light and heat.

They then continued their journey deeper into the interior along their respective trajectories.

Time is the most cunning editor, and space is the most precise prism, refracting their encounters and departures in different dimensions.

This applies to long-distance couples who, after their reunion in New York in early September, have parted ways again and will only be able to see each other via video for the next few months.

As proof of their love, Boss Lu's text messages increased dramatically, frantically filling up the still-limited memory in this era.

"Remember to use eye drops and apply a warm compress."

"I have an open course, can we video chat at 1 AM?"

"I got my period today, but thankfully the pain only lasted all morning. I remembered you bringing me a hot stone to warm my stomach at the Palermo Hotel."

"I have a presentation on 'International Business Negotiation' tomorrow. I'll be getting three credits soon, and I'm getting closer to going back home! I miss you!"

All of these things convey emotions through words.

Similarly, this statement also applies to Bingbing, who angrily left New York after failing to confront the issue face-to-face.

She and Liu Yifei seem to have little interaction, but they also seem to be closely related.

Because she was frantically increasing her own value more than ever before, and this value ultimately pointed to the same person that Xiao Liu deeply loved.

Bingbing runs and races on her own track. As a top-tier actress in the Chinese entertainment industry, she has never been prepared to die on her knees.

In her life motto, everything is about striving.

And infighting doesn't seem to be a rare thing in the entertainment industry.

As time passed, in late October, a dramatic feud and struggle suddenly erupted in the Chinese entertainment industry between Bingbing and Yanzi.

The incident stemmed from a minor disagreement between the two that was widely discussed in March of this year.

In March 2007, rumors circulated in the Chinese entertainment industry that Yanzi had spent 5 million yuan to buy a role in "Princess Pearl".

Subsequently, a veteran paparazzi in the industry revealed that the rumor originated from Bingbing and her team, who were resentful of her debut as a maid in "My Fair Princess".

However, both parties involved denied the allegations. Bingbing and Chen Rong, the agent of the female Buffett, even claimed that they would join forces to investigate the mastermind behind the scenes and would not rule out taking legal action.

According to Zhuo Wei's Fengxing Studio: Bingbing was asked by friends in the industry what they thought of her being the head of the judging panel for the talent show "First Time I Was Moved" on Chongqing TV.
Bingbing replied that all she could do now was be a judge.

The other side responded vaguely: A supporting character is a supporting character, there's nothing to say about it.

Of course, neither side will admit to it.

And so another storm arose.

Zhao Bafei finally won an award at the awards ceremony on April 28 for his film "Night in Shanghai," which had not yet been released.

That evening, some media outlets reported that Bingbing responded to the award, saying, "The film hasn't even been released yet, and some people have already won awards. It's ridiculous!"

It's certainly questionable that a film that hasn't been released yet is chosen as the most popular film in a poll that requires voting and public screening.

In contrast, Chen Kun, who also won an award, had his film "The Knot" released four months ago.

Afterwards, Zhao Buffy's brother, Zhao Jian, responded: "How can college students be so easily bribed?"
A subtle response turned the "ticket-buying" rumor into an unsolvable Rashomon-like mystery, which gradually died down afterward.

Why did the minor squabbles in March and April suddenly erupt in October?

The trigger was that one of her international brand endorsements—Canon cameras—was snatched away by Bingbing's team.

This time, Big-Eyed Princess couldn't hold back any longer. She was just a firefly under her own dazzling starlight back then, but now she's even climbing up to her and pooping on her head.

Who isn't a top actress these days?

At this time, most celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry are not able to control their temper. In the early days, celebrities used Weibo as a kind of social media platform.

So Zhao Buffet deliberately and accidentally retweeted a fashion news article from more than two months ago—

In September 2007, Bingbing and Xiao Liu sat side by side in the front row at New York Fashion Week.

Liu Yifei's white suit was as cold and aloof as a drawn blade, while Fan Bingbing's black lace was as alluring as the enigmatic night.

This news, which had already caused a frenzy in the Chinese entertainment industry at the time, was dug up and reposted by someone with ulterior motives, Zhao Bafei, with a malicious comment: Jin Suo and Ziwei.

This immediately caused a huge uproar.

This attack, which directly targets Bingbing's innermost feelings and biggest inner demons, made her hate him to the core, and also allowed onlookers to see the ruthlessness of a veteran actress.

Although the status was deleted instantly, it's like someone who blacks out from drunkenness—the next day, someone will always be there to help them recall the embarrassing moment.

With the increasing popularity of blogs and microblogs, even the casual likes and reposts of celebrities can be screenshotted and recorded by nitpickers in the Chinese entertainment industry, such as Fengxing Studio.

For use in arguments.

Thus, a dispute between top female stars in the Chinese entertainment industry over advertising endorsements has reignited a fierce battle that dates back to the filming of "My Fair Princess" in 1997.

The reason this incident was so explosive and damaging, quickly going viral on blogs and Weibo, is because it also involved another top actress, Liu Yifei.

This level of topic objectively brought a huge amount of gossip traffic to Weibo once again.

As a result, the Chinese entertainment industry, led by Fengxing Studio, once again went all out.

Besides carefully avoiding mentioning the name of a certain director to prevent being slapped to the ground at a crucial moment, there has been a constant stream of digging up old topics about actresses such as Yanzi, Bingbing, and Xiao Liu.

For example, a segment of Zhang Tielin's interview in the "Ask the World" video, with its old-fashioned quality, included his comments:
Of the three girls, Ruby Lin was not very noticeable, Yanzi was the most resourceful and thoughtful, and Bingbing was the most resilient and hardworking.

Lin Xinru, who knows how to show weakness, is adept at navigating social situations, while the two strong-willed individuals simply don't get along.

In an interview with a reporter from the Mountain City Morning Post, Zhang Heng, who played Princess Saiya, revealed that during the filming of "Princess Pearl I", Yanzi and Bingbing shared a dormitory and often quarreled.

"One day we saw Yanzi hiding under a tree crying, and later we found out that she had quarreled with Bingbing."

Netizens: So this landmine was planted more than ten years ago?
There are too many talented people online, and two more video recordings quickly followed, providing solid evidence.

In January 2000, according to the Rongcheng Business Daily, when Bingbing was asked how she viewed the negative media reports about Yanzi's lateness, bad temper, and lip-syncing, Bingbing directly told the reporter that Yanzi lacked manners.

When the report was published in several newspapers across the country, Bingbing angrily denounced the reporter for writing nonsense.

Reporter Li Fang came forward to declare, "That's exactly what Bingbing said at the time; I was just reporting the facts."

Another unverified rumor reported by the Yangcheng Evening News in 2003 is that Zhao Bafei once complained: "I've never seen anyone become famous for playing a maid!"

The last one has almost become the designated output program and counterattack gimmick for Bingbing's fans!
I've never seen a maid become famous?
Have you seen it now?

In the past two years, both of Yanzi's works, "Green Tea" and "Warriors of Heaven and Earth," have flopped.

He later switched to art films, and won some minor awards at the Shanghai International Film Festival and Changchun Film Festival through his connections in films such as "A Time to Love" and "Shanghai Night".

However, all of her films, regardless of whether they won awards or not, flopped at the box office, causing Yanzi to plummet from a national goddess to "box office poison."

Years later, Yanzi recalled those toxic years, saying that no one in the industry wanted her to act, and for a period of time she had no work at all.

The only thing she can be proud of is winning the Feitian Award for Best Actress for her role in the TV series "Moment in Peking".

To be fair, Yanzi has suffered three major setbacks, her work quality and reputation are worrying, and she's been bombarded with all sorts of scandals, making her quite unpleasant.

But no matter how bad things were, she was still the Little Swallow who swept across Asia back then. Even more than 20 years later, when she participated in the variety show "Chinese Restaurant" in Southeast Asia, she was recognized by the locals at a glance.

This was also her greatest resentment towards Bingbing, who was at the height of his power.

Why should I, a leading lady who was famous throughout Asia for more than a decade, bow down to you, a "nouveau riche" of the last two years?
She seems to have forgotten that she was once a nouveau riche. In all her years in the industry, apart from the role of Big-Eyed Princess, she hasn't had any memorable roles.

Just as the feud between the two sides was escalating, a Weibo post by Su Mang of Harper's Bazaar acted as a catalyst, adding fuel to the fire that had already exposed the true nature of female celebrities in the entertainment industry.

The annual Harper's Bazaar Charity Gala will be held on the evening of November 25, 2007, at the China World Hotel in Beiping.

As China's highest-level charity gala, this year's dinner, themed "Let Charity Create Dreams," is hosted by Harper's Bazaar magazine and will invite 350 top celebrities, entrepreneurs, and social elites to participate.

Below is a long list of guests. In addition to entrepreneurs and social celebrities, all the invited stars and their fans left comments enthusiastically.

Regardless of the controversies surrounding Qiuku Mang herself, she certainly made a name for herself at the Harper's Bazaar Fashion Gala.

In the Chinese entertainment industry, being able to appear on the cover of Harper's Bazaar or be invited to the Bazaar Charity Gala is a threshold and standard requirement for female celebrities in mainland China at a certain period of time.

No? Then go down and let it settle down some more.

The reason why fans, onlookers, and paparazzi are celebrating again is that the guest list includes not only the two sides involved in the feud, Yanzi and Bingbing.

There's also Liu Yifei, a top-tier actress in the Chinese entertainment industry, who was dragged into the fray by a comment on Yanzi's Weibo post.

Is Liu Yifei back?

Liu Yifei is back.

On October 30th, Yang Siwei, who had not yet officially announced the disbandment and had diligently stood her ground until the very end, retweeted and liked Su Mang's Weibo post from Harper's Bazaar, and also posted another message:
"This studio reports! Ms. Liu Yifei has completed her two-year course at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has officially graduated. After handling her personal affairs in North America, she will officially return to China in mid-November!"

"At the height of her acting career in 2005, she chose to retire gracefully, turning down the vast majority of commercial activities and endorsements."

"At the age of eighteen, I chose to return to society, go to North America to study, and at the same time prepare for the role of Iris Chang in 'The Sky of History'."

"Some turning around isn't leaving the stage, but rather stepping onto a higher stage. (Attached is a beautiful graduate student's graduation photo!)"

Simps, fans, and bystanders arrived in an instant, and even though the person in question herself didn't say anything, they frantically commented and piled up comments under Yang Siwei's Weibo post.

For no reason at all, the sycophants can't help but stick out their tongues and start a team-building activity as soon as they see this face, completely breaking through the limits of morality and ethics!
Regular fans are delighted by her return, as she can now resume her normal activities in the Chinese entertainment industry, participating in various film festivals, television festivals, and gala events, giving everyone more opportunities to see her. Everyone can revisit the well-organized fan meet-and-greets Yang Siwei hosted in 03 and 04, when they could even gather at her home for meals and social events – the atmosphere was fantastic.

In other words, as Mr. Lu said, he was too approachable.

Even casual observers joined the frenzy this time, because they wanted to see the drama and conflict at the Bazaar Charity Night, and Wenjie Video had already announced an exclusive live stream.

Let's see if it turns out to be a war of words—a war of words fought through auction bidding;

It turned into a physical fight—with spittle flying and even fists and feet flying everywhere on the scene;
It was a head-to-head battle—Yanzi versus Bingbing, Bingbing versus Xiao Liu;

Let's go side by side—Yanzi and Xiao Liu form an alliance and corner Bingbing.
Just thinking about it makes me feel excited; there's no such plot in novels.

Yanzi, a legendary actress from ancient times, has overcome three major setbacks and remains active in the Chinese entertainment industry. No matter how much she falls apart, a rerun of "Princess Pearl" immediately restores her vitality.
Bingbing, the Medusa of the Chinese entertainment industry, is a fashion icon. She rose to prominence in 2003 after winning the Hundred Flowers Award for her role in "Shoplifters," and has since carved out a path for herself at Huayi Brothers, firmly securing her position as the top female star.
Xiao Liu?

Xiao Liu goes without saying; she's a pure and innocent little white flower, but in terms of combat power and destructive force, she surpasses the previous two.

Because she never feuds with female celebrities, she only feuds with the ultimate boss, the washing machine, fighting to the death until they fall in love.

The key is that she's rather laid-back and has always been indifferent to worldly affairs in the Chinese entertainment industry, but it also depends on whether you've crossed her line.

Clearly, Bingbing might be about to provoke a confrontation, and the situation, outwardly two against one, isn't exactly in her favor.

The public is incredibly excited! They'll be watching Harper's Bazaar at the end of November, and the Lunar New Year film season will begin in late December – a seamless transition.

As a result, a large number of comments quickly appeared under Liu Yifei's funny and cute graduation photo.

In the trending topics section of Weibo's latest version update, the hashtag "Liu Yifei graduates and returns to China" is gradually climbing to the top.

"Bai Xiuzhu went to Germany and never came back. Fortunately, Xixi came back."

"I've gone from being a fan of Liu Yifei to hating her. She's marketing herself as someone who loves animals, and I've become her biggest simp, but you still don't seem to like me."

"It's a shame you're with a washing machine. When you get married, please give me an invitation. If I were a failing test paper, I'd like to see the answer key."

"I glanced at the photos on Weibo of that bastard upstairs. What the hell is this punk pretending to be, this sentimental gentleman? He got me into bed, damn it."

"This is a work by Nuwa showcasing her skills. I suggest you apply for UNESCO World Heritage status, otherwise you'll soon become Korean."

This is a commentary that keeps up with current events. In the past two years, South Korea has become increasingly crazy, constantly applying for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for kimchi, stone pot rice, and traditional festivals.

Although the media reports about Chinese characters being nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status were identified as rumors, the South Korean government still explicitly maintains that Chinese characters are a common cultural heritage of all East Asia, which has caused great controversy.

"She goes out as a heartbroken young woman, and comes back as a domineering female CEO. Studying business, does that mean she's going to work at a washing machine company?"

This is probably based on news from mid-to-high-level executives at the World Inquiry Conference, but it's just a rumor, and all parties have denied it.

"Top-tier looks, high IQ, low eyesight, and a boyfriend who's a washing machine—not a good match!"

"Ugh, she left looking like an innocent young girl, and now she's back covered in laundry from the washing machine. I'm still so angry just thinking about it. I'm offering a 20 yuan reward for anyone who can fix the washing machine!"

"The washing machine is the enemy of every Chinese man. I really want to rob him of his wealth, take over his land, and steal his woman!"

"Watch out upstairs, your IP address might have been traced by the washing machine. Are you trying to sabotage the Olympics?"

"The person upstairs is ignorant. I've been cursing washing machines for five or six years now, and nothing's happened. What's there to be afraid of?"

"We also have a hater group. The group owner, [Yaluji], is an insider in the entertainment industry. Although she's not online often, she always has some big scoops. If you're interested, DM me to join the group!"

"Fast forward to November 25th, I want to watch the Spring Festival Gala in advance! I heard that Liu Yifei knows Bajiquan, I wonder if I can watch her perform it live."

Xiao Liu knew nothing about any of this. In order to finish her credits and end her long-distance relationship, she spent her days and nights studying, taking exams, and writing reports.

The Harper's Bazaar Charity Night was simply Yang Siwei's normal work arrangement as she stood her last post.

Now that you're back in China, you should resume normal business. Even if you're not very active, you should still maintain some buzz.

But Bingbing, caught in the vortex, wasn't in a good mood. She called Su Mang from her home in the courtyard house, her tone not very pleasant.

"Is Editor-in-Chief Su being a bit reckless this time? Is she using me for publicity at this critical juncture?"

"No, Bingbing, you've really misunderstood me. Our schedule was arranged long ago, but who knew you guys would be together again during this time..."

Su Mang on the other end of the phone complained bitterly: "Bingbing, with our relationship, would I ever cheat you?"

"Listen to me, just come with confidence. Just like President Lu, look at how badly he fought with Huayi a few years ago, but he's still joking and laughing in public, isn't he?"

"We'll definitely arrange your seats properly, so you won't be paired up, okay? After all, there are over a hundred people here, and it's unlikely you'll have much interaction."

Qiu Ku Mang tried to reason with Bingbing, but Bingbing coldly replied and hung up the phone.

It wasn't that she was afraid of Yanzi or Xiao Liu, but she couldn't let someone like Su Mang ride on her coattails. Even if he did, she would still owe him the favor.

Su Mang listened to the busy tone on the phone and a mocking expression appeared on his face.

There were two other people sitting in front of her.

"How about it?"

"It's alright, she should come. Who is Fan Bingbing? She's the most talked-about person in November, how could she be absent?"

Su Mang then smiled at Yanzi in front of him and said, "You really put on a big show with her this time. Why were you so impulsive all of a sudden?"

Yanzi, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, rolled her eyes at her best friend: "How can you talk like that? I never bother others unless they bother me. She provoked me first this time."

Su Mang is a neutral party, but because Bingbing and Lu Kuan have been closely connected with the European fashion resources that Bingbing introduced to her and have been supporting the Chinese edition of Vogue, Su Mang, her rival, is a little jealous.

She was a well-known pimp and opportunist in the industry, and didn't mind stabbing people in the back.

Moreover, to attract these three high-profile figures to the event, how much brand awareness and resources must that have?
Su Mang, being cunning, immediately began to probe the two best friends in front of him: "Yanzi, people in the martial arts world say that Bingbing has a close relationship with Boss Lu. You have to be careful."

"Tch, I'm not afraid."

Swallow casually tapped her wine glass on the coffee table and said smugly, "Would I fight a battle unprepared?"

"Lu Kuan is a direct descendant of the Beijing Film Academy. I am currently a graduate student of Professor Tian at the Beijing Film Academy. Who doesn't know about his relationship with Lu Kuan?"

"Furthermore, I met Liu Yifei several years ago at the premiere of 'Green Tea,' and we are natural allies in terms of our stance."

"If Fan Bingbing has a close relationship with Lu Kuan, then what about Liu Yifei? Why would I need to worry about my connection with Boss Lu?"

Yanzi shrugged: "Besides that, what do you think I have to be afraid of Fan Bingbing for? If you want to fight, just come on, haven't I had enough trouble in the past two years?"

The entertainment industry doesn't tolerate idlers, especially the Chinese entertainment industry.

The history of struggle spanning thousands of years has enabled Chinese people to apply what they have learned in every field.

Yanzi spoke these words with an arrogant air. Was she trying to show off in front of Su Mang?
This isn't showing off; it's a warning, a reminder to Su Mang that you need to be in the right position.

Even if you don't care about me, Yanzi, you still have to consider Liu Yifei's feelings, because the person behind her is a top power figure in the entertainment and business worlds.

If you're thinking of siding with Fan Bingbing, you should consider the consequences and whether it's worth it.

Besides these, Yanzi also has some secrets and resources that she doesn't want to share with outsiders; they are her trump cards.

For example, she met investor Dong Shuangqiang through the movie "Green Tea" a few years ago; the latter is now the vice president of Wenjie.

For example, at the beginning of the year, she had her brother Zhao Jian come forward and, together with Liu Chaochen and Wu Hongliang, established a company called Tangde Film and Television.

The three individuals each hold approximately 33%-34% of the shares. Liu Chaochen is a professional investor, while the key figure is Wu Hongliang.

This person also came from the Beijing Film Academy and served as the production manager of the Beijing Film Studio and the director of the program production center of China Film Group. He was once one of Lao Han's capable assistants.

Including the 2018 film "Dying to Survive," written and produced by Han Shanping's daughter, Han Jianu, he was the producer, and the investor, Huanxi Media, was affiliated with Dong Shuangqiang.

After all the twists and turns, we're all in the same circle.

Whether it's Wu Hongliang, Dong Shuangqiang, or Lao Han, they are all inextricably linked to Boss Lu, whether from the perspectives of Beijing Film Academy, China Film Group, or personal relationships.

This is the swallow's tactic and trump card.

If something goes wrong, she has many people like Tian Zhuangzhuang, Dong Shuangqiang, and Lao Han who can cover for her and plead for her, and Liu Yifei is her natural ally.

As long as she doesn't offend Lu Kuan, she's confident that Fan Bingbing is no match for her.

In the context of anti-corruption, the term "hunting" or "hunting" frequently appears.

There is no doubt that Yanzi is of low character, but her methods and cunning in dealing with people, such as the large net she built targeting the social relationships around Boss Lu, is also a form of hunting.

If you look at her from a higher perspective, you will find that she not only has good relations with the Beijing Film Academy and the "Lu Kuan" group, but she is also very adept at social maneuvering with people like Mr. Ma and Mr. Lu from the Zhejiang business community.

The Chinese entertainment industry doesn't tolerate idlers, especially female stars, who are generally more ruthless and willing to go all out than their male counterparts.

Their existence makes this bizarre and colorful entertainment industry even more exciting, packaging all beauty, ugliness, good and evil with exquisite appearances and delivering them to audiences who are obsessed with entertainment.

Of course, there are always some people in this world who are unconventional and maintain their pride amidst the glitz and glamour.

While her peers were frantically vying for exposure on the trending topics list, her social media accounts maintained a surprisingly "Buddhist" pace, to the point that even her agent couldn't stand it and wanted to post on her behalf.

This sense of alienation and indifference, so out of step with the emerging era of internet traffic, makes her fans both love and hate her.

On November 20, 2007, after much anticipation, it finally returned.

Xiao Liu, a lazy bum, has finally returned to China.

(End of this chapter)