Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 409 The Longest Movie
February 16, 2008, was destined to be a crazy night.

This night was a frenzy for mainland moviegoers and fans. The barrage comments on the video crashed at the end with "Eternal Life in Nanjing," with the number of online viewers reaching 1000 million at one point. Fortunately, the awards ceremony had already ended.

On Weibo, the hashtags #LiuYifeiBerlinBestActress# and #HistorySkyGoldenBearAward# were followed by the wildly popular word "boiling," and on Baidu Tieba, hundreds of posts every second were refreshing to shout "the celestial beauty has been crowned empress."

The celebratory messages from Liu Yifei's fan group were like snowflakes exploding on the screen, with emojis and tearful posts causing the screen to lag.

Major websites such as Yifei Xianju and Liu Yifei Chinese Website jointly edited a series of portraits of Liu Yifei's roles throughout her career, finally freezing on the image of her holding the Silver Bear trophy on stage, speechless with emotion.

Yang Siwei's repost made the video go viral, and the caption "It's an honor to travel together with you" brought tears to the eyes of fans.

The pursuit of positive role models by fans is essentially a two-way journey, allowing them to grow both physically and mentally.

Liu Yifei is not an idol in the true sense. She doesn't have an overly glamorous image, nor does she engage in any attention-grabbing hype.

His early fame was due to his family background and resources, which is undeniable.

However, he encountered countless negative stories from rivals along the way. Compared to the attacks from the outside world, what truly helped him grow was the honing of his acting skills and the gradual transformation he underwent while interacting with Lu Kuan.

The confrontation during Girls' Generation's first meeting, the confession at her birthday party, the suicide during a Fox live broadcast, the speechlessness during the filming of "Sky"...

She always manages to create so much big news, making her supporters both love and hate her.

There was a time when Liu Yifei's fans also hoped that she could just be a beautiful vase, at least so that they wouldn't have to worry about her all the time.

However, her growth from 2002 to the present has allowed fans to project themselves and construct their own identities in the process of following her.

The core of this relationship is not one-way admiration, but rather the construction of a mutually nourishing community through the exchange of spiritual energy.

Thus, the image of a sincere, kind, and frank "non-mainstream female star" was vividly portrayed in the murky world of the Chinese entertainment industry.

That's why tonight's coronation drove fans even crazier. It was as if they had stepped into Liu Yifei's shoes and played a game of "The Sims" with her, and now they had finally achieved their first game achievement.

How wonderful.

Fans went wild, and domestic and international media went even wilder tonight. In addition to online and offline media that reported from a normal perspective, Nanfang and Zhu Dake and others had to work overtime to come up with new angles and wording.

For example, Zhu Dake was already preparing to target Xie Jin, who was advocating for Boss Lu. Capitalists are currently in a position of great power, so it's better to put things aside for now and find another opportunity. It's much easier for intellectuals to deceive each other.

Old Xie hasn't produced any works or received any honors in recent years. The young people of today don't know what happened back then. They take things out of context and twist them into something else entirely. How wonderful!

If even the onlookers are going crazy over this, and the film crew is winning two major awards, they must be going even crazier under the pressure of declining box office revenue and public opinion.

At 10 p.m. on the tenth day of the lunar calendar in Berlin, the crew of "The Sky of History" held a celebration banquet at the Kempinski Hotel.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the champagne tower overflowed to the third level, and the waiters' pace of replenishing the drinks couldn't keep up with the crew's hearty drinking.

Boss Lu welcomed everyone today. In addition to the film crew, Zhang Jiayi, Yu Nan, Liu Weiwei and other members of the mainland director Wang Xiaoshuai's film "Left Right" also came to join in the fun, as well as jury member Shu Qi, film festival president Koslik and Francisco Coppola.

Alone Better Together.

Only the Hong Kong Johnnie To film crew for "Sparrow" missed the gathering because they had no chance of winning an award and had to return to Hong Kong first.

The quietest person in the room was Liu Xiaoli. Afraid that her daughter and Lu Kuan would lose the trophies because they were being too unruly, she carefully put the gold and silver bears in her bag and sat in a corner watching the lively and noisy scene in front of her.

"Mom, come drink! I'll toast you!" Liu Yifei's pretty face was slightly flushed from drinking, and her voice had a sweet, nasal tone. Without saying a word, she grabbed Liu Xiaoli's hand and put the champagne glass filled with amber-colored liquid into her palm.

The fingertips were slightly hot from excitement, leaving a burning sensation on the back of the latter's hand.

Today, Liu Xiaoli wore a jasmine-white velvet cheongsam, symbolizing a successful start, and a white magnolia hairpin was inserted into her updo.

She shook her head helplessly, but the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were full of doting affection: "How did you become such a little drunkard? Drink less, don't lose control."

"I would lose my composure?" Liu Xiaolv looked unconvinced and pointed at her boyfriend, who was arm in arm with Hanks: "Lu Kuan might not be a match for me now. The champagne is only twelve or thirteen degrees, it's nothing."

Looking at her daughter's carefree demeanor, Liu Xiaoli's mind was filled with turbulent thoughts.

She recalled the first time she met Lu Kuan in Beiping. No matter how imaginative she was, she could never have imagined that he and her daughter would end up like this.

Watching Liu Yifei tilt her head back and drink it all, her porcelain-white neck gracefully swaying, the old mother couldn't help but feel sentimental again, lamenting how quickly time flies.

She reached out and pinched her daughter's cheek. Her fingertips no longer touched the soft, chubby cheeks of a 15-year-old, but rather the slender jawline.

"Great!" "Beautiful!"

Suddenly, cheers erupted in the banquet hall. The band, who were paid a hefty performance fee, professionally played a melodious tune, and the classic waltz "The Blue Danube" echoed throughout the hall.

In the middle of the dance floor, Lu Kuan and Iris Chang were dancing the waltz, a standard Western social dance. The three-beat rhythm was brisk and elegant, neither too intimate nor too dignified.

Waltz is a concept abroad similar to ballroom dancing in China in the early 80s.

Initially controversial for being considered "bourgeois entertainment," it was officially recognized after 1984 as part of the "spiritual civilization construction" initiative and became a standard feature of workplace unions, children's palaces, and morning and evening exercises in parks.

Quickstep and slow waltz are both well-known dance forms.

Boss Lu learned a little bit during a study abroad event at USC in his previous life, but he wasn't very proficient.

North American Chinese like Iris Chang were taken to various social occasions by their parents from a young age.

Inside the venue, a black suit paired with a dark green long skirt fluttered in the breeze. The black suit was a little unfamiliar, and he relied entirely on Iris Chang to guide him.

Both of them have relatively thin and handsome faces, and they look no different from a pair of siblings.

"Mom, let's go too!" Liu Yifei pulled her elderly mother up without saying a word. The latter hurriedly put her bag on a chair and joined the dance floor.

Next came Hanks and Moore, Shu Qi and Koslick, and everyone was enjoying the moment.

"Sisi, this clumsy guy is yours to take care of. I'm exhausted from taking care of him." Zhang Chunru, who was quick-witted and sharp-minded, danced for a while and then smiled as she switched dance partners with Xiao Liu: "I'll dance with Sister Xiaoli for a bit and enjoy the experience of working with a dancer."

Liu Yifei responded cheerfully with "Okay!" The silver embroidery on her white fishtail skirt shimmered with her small, bouncy steps.

The girl, like a fluttering butterfly, made a precise cut, placing her left hand on Lu Kuan's right shoulder.

Her right hand was enveloped in his warm, dry palm, and as their fingers intertwined, Lu Kuan deliberately rubbed her thumb against the web of her thumb in an ambiguous way.

"Focus, you little brat! I'll teach you how to dance." Liu Yifei looked up at him, the little mole on the tip of her nose looking particularly playful under the chandelier.

As if she had just thought of something, she asked him in a cute but fierce tone, "When did you learn to dance? Who taught you?"

Boss Lu made up a story: "This kind of ballroom dancing isn't something you can learn just by watching; it's incredibly difficult."

"Tch!" Little Liu gave him a charming sidelong glance, not intending to get to the bottom of it.

Neither deaf nor mute, nor a first lady; in short, washing machines are gradually transforming household appliances.

The music suddenly shifted to a more soothing section, and Liu Yifei pressed her cheek against his chest.

Lu Kuan's chin rested on the top of her head, the scent of lime perfume lingering around her nose. The girl's earrings swayed gently with her steps, the cool metal occasionally brushing against his Adam's apple, like a string of delicate kisses.

"I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Ouch!" Liu Yifei felt a gentle pinch on the soft flesh of her waist.

After the road width test was completed: "It's done, it's not a dream, it's real."

"I can dream this dream again; the Oscars are next week."

Liu Yifei smiled and shook her head: "Our film's subject matter is popular in Berlin, but it's much more difficult to win an Oscar, especially for my role."

The girl's cheeks flushed: "One shouldn't be too greedy. I'm already extremely, extremely, extremely satisfied. How many people in their lives are not as lucky as me?"

"Actually, even if I don't get the Silver Bear tonight, I won't have any regrets, as long as I have you, that's enough..."

She tilted her head back, her lips slightly upturned, revealing a hint of pearly white teeth. The dimples on her cheeks sank deeper with her smile, a sweetness that made one's heart flutter.

The washing machine looked on with great interest and whispered in her ear, "I'm fine with nibbling on butts, but tonight I want to nibble on something else, something fragrant and soft..."

The girl's ears instantly burned, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around his tie.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lu Kuan led her to the shadowy edge of the dance floor, where a Baroque column perfectly blocked everyone's view, allowing them to kiss freely.

Xiao Liu, panting heavily, pushed him away slightly: "Can't you be a little more romantic! Every time we just get into a romantic mood, you ruin it!"

The washing machine retorted confidently, "I invited you to be my girlfriend, and the key point was 'to be'!"

"Just like some people write, the emphasis is on me when it comes to the three words 'I love you,' it's the same principle."

Liu Yifei's body suddenly stiffened, her pupils contracted sharply, her rosy cheeks flushed even redder, and even the tips of her ears were tinged with a bright crimson, as if they could drip blood.

"You! You...you read my diary?"

Liu Xiaolu's almond-shaped eyes widened, and her slender fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of the dog man's suit, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Once the emotional reaction had processed through its arc, she suddenly mustered all her strength and pounded the washing machine in the chest: "You shameless bastard!"

How can someone be so shameless?!

She recalled the night she failed to confess her feelings at her birthday party, and how she recorded her embarrassment and unrequited love in her teenage diary. She also recounted her emotional journey after arriving in North America, including her manic anger when she saw his various scandals during their cold war.

There was also the process of seeking out Xi Kaiyuan to explore the underlying nature and causes of his personality, involving countless emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness associated with him.

Those sentimental words and childish fantasies were all little secrets from her teenage years.

Now this heartbreaker is telling himself with a smug grin that he has secretly written the word "read" without him even realizing it.

Liu Yifei gave her a merciless beating, her budding chest heaving violently, her breathing rapid, extremely ashamed and angry, like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.

"You looked at it, so why did you tell me?"

The washing machine rubbed its chest and smiled: "What a joke! If I do something bad and don't let the person involved know, what pleasure do I get from doing it?"

"Fine, fine, you want pleasure, huh?" Xiao Liu sneered as she took off two pairs of high heels. Seeing that things were not going well, the washing machine turned and ran away.

The 20-year-old Berlin Film Festival Best Actress, holding up her skirt, chased after her boyfriend barefoot on the carpet. The bewildered crowd in the banquet hall clapped and cheered. Liu Xiaoli and Zhang Chunru both laughed and took out their phones to record the moment.

The halo of light from the crystal chandelier lingered on the girl's flowing hair, as if pressing the shutter of eternity onto her youth.
-
The morning light of Berlin spilled onto the bedside of the Kempinski Hotel, and dust motes drifted slowly in the beams of light, like a quiet, miniature snowfall.

Liu Yifei nestled in Lu Kuan's arms, her cheek pressed against his warm chest.

The girl's long hair was spread out on the snow-white pillow, with a few strands playfully wrapped around his arm, rising and falling gently with her breath.

Within sight, a patch of snow-white skin with faint red marks could be seen on her chest, clearly indicating another fierce battle last night.

Ring, ring, ring…

The two were startled awake by the phone call. Lu Kuan, wearing only his underwear and completely naked, got out of bed, grabbed his phone, chatted with the person on the other end of the line for a few minutes, and then hung up.

Xiao Liu's beautiful eyes were half-closed, and she turned to the side like a beautiful snake, stretching out her long legs to continue wrapping around him: "Is it Harvey?"

"Yes, the number of screenings across the US has increased by more than 10 percentage points today, and the situation is gradually improving."

Liu Yifei still couldn't bear to open her eyes, only curving her lips in satisfaction. The blush from her madness had faded from her fair face.

Yes, so many people went crazy last night because the film won the Golden Bear and Best Actress awards, how could we forget the couple who are all lovey-dovey together?

Sensing the commotion, Xiao Liu smiled and said, "Still not backing down? Trying to rebel?"

A certain word was deliberately stressed.

"hehe!"

Lu Kuan chuckled and pinched her smooth chin, watching the morning light flow across her porcelain-white skin: "You're really stubborn. I wonder who was it that provoked you yesterday and then pitifully begged for mercy?"

If this were a romance movie, there would definitely be a few seconds of flashback inserted here—

A certain actress who was crowned in Berlin was furious when her diary was read. She rode a horse and charged into battle, shouting things like, "I told you to find a partner, let's see who gets involved with whom!"

Unfortunately, she was only good at talking; in the end, she curled up in a coquettish manner, blinked her big eyes, and murmured, "Young master, please have pity on me."

"Then you sleep a little longer, I'll go take care of something." Lu Kuanxin pushed Liu Yifei's long legs off him with an iron will, his eyes as firm as if he were about to enter a file.

I was just about to get out of bed and turn on my computer to work when I was unexpectedly held back.

"Stay with me a little longer, we're flying to Los Angeles after lunch, so you can just laze around for a bit."

Xiao Liu propped herself up on her arms, the faint sunlight casting a soft honey hue on her.

The silk quilt slipped off her shoulders, revealing her delicate collarbone and subtly visible curves. A few strands of long, black hair fell across her chest, the ends swaying gently with her movements, like feathers that pluck at the heartstrings.

She drew out the last syllable of her voice, her fingertips slowly tracing circles along the man's chest, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with a mischievous glint, her pearly teeth lightly biting her lip, displaying the utmost allure.

You're going to use this to test the washing machine?
Wouldn't that guarantee a perfect score every time?

Can a street urchin really be changed...? Hmm?

The washing machine gave her a helpless peck on the lips: "Then I'll bring the computer to the bed to deal with it, and while I'm at it, I'll check the news and surf the internet."

"Uh-huh!"

While couples in Berlin indulge in revelry and release stress as they celebrate their achievements, countless journalists who make a living from their scandals and news are left with little time to spare.

The "Avengers," including Liu Yifei's fans and Lu Kuan's moviegoers, have unusually united to launch a fierce counterattack against those who had previously been pessimistic about "Nanfang" and Zhu Dake.

Some people offered rational criticism, some resorted to extreme insults, and some uttered disgusting curses. The internet's entertainment industry is full of diverse rhetoric, which infuriated this old literary scoundrel.

The key point is that Lu Kuan, whom he has been keeping a close eye on, has never directly confronted him since 2002, thus denying him the opportunity to ride on Xie Jin's coattails back then.

Now that the film has won the Golden Bear, our side is at a disadvantage and can only lie low for the time being.

"Zhu Dake seems to have calmed down."

"I've achieved my goal. I don't respond. If I get into a fight with netizens and lose face, I'll naturally go back to my cage."

Liu Yifei pointed to the official Weibo account of the "Nanfang" camp on the screen: "Are they still staring at you like mangy dogs?"

"Zhu Dake brought his own dog food, invited people to buy fame, and wanted a status in the academic world. The composition of Nanfang is quite complicated, with liberals, anarchists, and people who are paid to do things. It's a whole bunch of filth."

Putting aside everything else, after the May Day Massacre in later years, there were still editors in "Nanfang" who reflected on their own actions, which was truly a terrible misfortune.

It's not quite accurate to say that Xiao Liu became famous overnight, but it's undeniable that this popular actress dominated major internet forums and microblogging platforms that night.

Even knowing that she is the first female star to stand up for Wenjie, would rivals like Alispace give up on promoting this topic?

If you don't provide a space for fans and onlookers to have fun, users can naturally find better options; Weibo is the preferred choice for ordinary users anyway.

So the couple in bed began to leisurely browse their spoils.

The People's Daily's headline was "Liu Yifei Wins Best Actress at Berlin: The Rise of a New Generation of Chinese Cinema," and the commentary pointed out:

"Liu Yifei, at the age of 20, became the youngest Best Actress in the history of the Berlin Film Festival with her role in 'The Sky of History,' which is not only an affirmation of her personal acting skills, but also a sign that the Chinese film industry is gradually maturing."

"The film, with its theme of historical justice, showcases the artistic pursuits and social responsibility of Chinese filmmakers. Liu Yifei's growth trajectory demonstrates the dual breakthroughs of the new generation of actors in terms of professional competence and cultural confidence."

An article published by "China Movie Report," a program under the Movie Channel:
From "Fairy Sister" to Best Actress: Liu Yifei's Seven-Year Transformation

We first met this chubby-cheeked little girl in a 2002 report on "The Story of a Noble Family," and then witnessed her shedding tears at the Berlin Film Festival in 2008.

Her remarkable starting point is enviable, but the hardships she endured are unknown to the public.

We interviewed Liu Yifei's mother in Berlin. From 2002 to 2005, she worked almost every morning, reading extensively and preparing meticulously for each work, especially "The Sky of History," which experienced many twists and turns over a year, as everyone could see.

Day and night of nurturing have brought forth this Chinese jasmine to bloom in the cold winter of Berlin!

She was once criticized for being typecast and unable to break through due to her "fairy sister" roles, but she finally shed that label with her role as Zhang Chunru in "The Sky of History".

The Berlin Film Festival jury praised her for "interpreting the resilience and vulnerability of intellectuals with a restrained yet powerful performance."

At the age of 20, Liu Yifei reached the top of the international film scene, and her career has shifted from "popular young actress" to "powerful actress".

Will she be able to carry the banner of Chinese-language cinema in the future? Surpass Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi to become Hollywood's leading Chinese actress? Let's wait and see.

"Wow! You spent money, didn't you? Why is Ju Wenpei praising you so much?"

Liu Yifei chuckled, "You spent money, didn't you? I don't have any money."

Following the two serious articles is Sina Entertainment's analysis from an entertainment perspective:

Liu Yifei's passionate kiss with her director boyfriend on the awards stage sparked a frenzy online, instantly becoming a trending topic. Fans were ecstatic, declaring her a "celestial goddess," while simultaneously lamenting, "Lu Kuang stole my wife—a vengeful act!" Industry analysts predict that this victory will further boost Liu Yifei's commercial value, but the association with her on the dating show could limit her acting opportunities.

Would the richest man allow his girlfriend to act in kissing and passionate scenes?
But who cares? Liu Yifei broke the awkward situation where new generation idols dared not reveal their relationships. As long as you are sincere enough, perhaps young fans are willing to watch top idols date!

Liu Yifei curled up closer to the man and asked, "Yeah, will you let me film kissing scenes and passionate scenes?"

"Do I need to ask you to do this? Don't you know your own limitations? Go back and learn the Three Obediences and Four Virtues again."

"No."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "If you don't have it, but others do, who would dare let you make it? You can forget about making this movie."

"Virtue!"

The Berlin Film Festival frenzy that flooded the internet was surprisingly focused on Liu Yifei, with 70% of the content being discussed repeatedly – ​​a truly staggering amount of traffic.

However, this is also because the film has not yet been released in mainland China, so there is no material for people to comment on the content.
This isn't the first time a genius director has won a Golden Bear. From another perspective, his achievements at the three major European awards and the Oscars are just another addition to the list of trophies, and don't seem worth making a big deal out of.

But Xiao Liu is different. This kind of growth rate can only be seen in novels. Which company in the Chinese entertainment industry wouldn't be envious?

In her previous life in 2008, Liu Yifei had a rather unpleasant falling out with Huayi. In this life, if she wants to sign with Huayi, she can undoubtedly ask for any signing fee she wants, and the shares she can offer are also negotiable based on their relative strengths.

After all, with her, there is such a large and enthusiastic fan base and additional value that empowers film and television works.

The young couple continued turning pages in bed when Hu Jintao from the Global Times came to chime in again, this time opposing Nanfang, and his stance was clearer.

It's quite sentimental, leaving readers unsure of its purpose.

[With a $6000 million investment as its hammer and Iris Chang's pen as its chisel, Lu Kuan cleaved a crack in the cultural wall erected by Hollywood. This isn't just a movie; it's a declaration of war against Western historical hegemony! When Minnie Vautrin, played by Moore, opened her arms in the safety zone, and when John Rabe, played by Hanks, raised his blood-stained armband, the whole world saw clearly how many deliberately forgotten corpses they had hidden within their meticulously woven narratives of civilization!]

He was successfully piggybacked on the success of his last acquisition of Netflix, and this tactic seems to be working quite well, since he's the one who gets the limelight but not the one being targeted.

He's just a cheerleader; he only attracts attention, not hate.

But sometimes you really need someone like that to egg you on, no matter what their purpose is, it's always good to have them chime in and give you some encouragement.

The young couple were chatting and playfully teasing each other in bed when Harvey sent them a message.

Liu Yifei peeked out and laughed, "This time it really cost money."

"Haha, we can't do it without spending money. Only after spending money can we be on the same starting line."

The two men spoke in riddles, but they were actually talking about the final public relations for the Oscars. They were trying to take advantage of the momentum in Berlin to give the Jewish white male judges a blitzkrieg-like shock.

The final voting deadline for the Oscars is usually within a week, typically around five or six days, unless there are exceptions, such as in 2025 due to the Los Angeles wildfires.

Boss Lu opened the external website and turned to Liu Yifei in his arms to tease her: "Let's see how well this money was spent. If it's not well written, I'm going to complain about them."

Anthony Lane, a reporter for The New Yorker and also a voter for other Barometer Awards, wrote:
When Liu Yifei gazes into the camera, she brings warmth to history. Unlike the grand narratives of traditional war films, *The Sky of History* approaches the subject from Iris Chang's micro-perspective, using a scholar's notebook to represent guns and cannons, and the dust of a library to represent the smoke of battle. Liu Yifei's performance is full of the qualities of a 'scholar-actress'—she clearly retraced Iris Chang's research path; otherwise, it would be impossible for her fingers to move with such precision, even when turning the pages of files.

[The scene that impressed me most was: raindrops sliding down the dome of the Library of Congress, and Yoo Yi-bi gazing at the double reflection on the glass wall. On the left was a researcher with a ponytail and no makeup, and on the right was a biopic actress with a pearl earring swaying. She took out a mint and put it in her mouth. Director Lu called this scene "a kiss of the century that seals away pain with sweetness."]

"Wow, is this about me? Did you say that?" Liu Yifei stared wide-eyed, shocked by the professional ethics of a Western professional prostitute.

Boss Lu shrugged: "No, I can only say that this guy is too good at his job. I'll definitely hire him again next time."

Just like the BBC in later years, when filming Tokyo University, they focused on garbage cans and shantytowns, turning valuable courtyard houses into slums.

Later, Trump cut this part of the budget, and when Tokyo University reappeared on the BBC, it was portrayed as a peaceful and prosperous Eastern country, comparable to AFP's "Dawn of the Empire".

Scott Feinberg, a Golden Globe voting reporter for The Hollywood Reporter, wrote:
This is a deeply moving historical epic, and Liu Yifei's performance completely overturns the stereotype of "Chinese-American pretty faces." Her portrayal of Iris Chang is not simply that of a "victim symbol," but rather a scholarly restraint coupled with explosive power, showcasing the anger and vulnerability of an intellectual. The scene where she unravels the threatening package—the trembling of her fingers, the pause in her breathing, even the detail of the medicine bottle rolling away—is a textbook example of a breakdown performance, reminiscent of Adrien Brody's silent despair in *The Pianist*.

Mr. Lu clicked his tongue in amazement: "Spending money really makes a difference. Although it's all the truth, these reporters write it in a way that's exactly what I wanted to hear."

"The road is wide."

"Ok?"

Xiao Liu clicked on the Weibo accounts of Su Chang, Tang Yan, Zhou Xun, and others, and found that they were full of cheesy congratulations, hugs, and "I love you" interactions, brimming with the pink bubbles between girls.

"You should post one too!" Liu Yifei offered a sweet kiss in a coaxing manner, snuggling in her boyfriend's arms: "You've only posted about your relationship once on Weibo, and there haven't been any more since!"

"Send another one!"

It's funny how girlfriends are pressuring each other to post on social media again.

"Is my post not self-promotion? That's inappropriate, inappropriate."

Xiao Liu's charming eyes revealed a sly glint: "Then you should show your love in a small way and turn off the comments section to prevent it from being bombarded with criticism."

She was too embarrassed to say that it was her fans who started the attack.

"Ugh! That's too cheesy! No way!"

Liu Yifei spoke kindly and patiently, but she never expected the washing machine to be so clueless, not knowing how to interact even after dating for so long!
That scoundrel of a man has so many excuses.

Liu Xiaolv immediately flew into a rage, her big eyes almost popping out of their sockets: "No way! Is it that easy to find a girlfriend? She doesn't even interact with me?"

"Why aren't you embarrassed about kissing on the podium? You're good at being lewd, aren't you?"

"I have to post something today. A movie review or something cheesy? You choose, but I have to!"

An interesting soul begins to teach the love-inept how to date. Washing Machine looks at her helplessly, still stubbornly saying, "Okay, then I'll write a movie review too, consider it payment."

Xiao Liu laughed and slapped him on the chest: "Bullshit! I was the one who slept with you last night! What are you thinking!"

She then helped him log into Weibo.

This version of Weibo also features long posts, trending topics, and audio/video upload capabilities, representing a significant change compared to the original version from two years ago.

The main purpose is to gradually take over the traffic and functions of the blog network, while preparing for subsequent live-streaming e-commerce marketing.

Writing a film review is very easy for Mr. Lu; it's a piece of cake for him.

"The film 'The Sky of History' won the Golden Bear and Best Actress awards, and actress Liu Yifei deserves much credit for her performance. Below are two excerpts from her performance, which movie fans can pay close attention to."

“Liu Yifei endowed the character of Iris Chang with a pure energy akin to Grotowski’s drama of poverty. When interviewing survivors, the composition of her leaning forward forms a repressive triangular frame, echoing Emmanuelle Riva’s listening posture in Hiroshima Mon Amour.”

"The wide-angle shot of her breaking down and tearing up her manuscript in the study replicates the desperate body language of Machiko Kyo in Rashomon. This performance is not only a tribute to the victims of history, but also establishes a new screen paradigm for Asian female intellectuals."

"Sharper than Holly Hunter in 'The Piano,' and more fiery than Barbara Sukova in 'Hannah Arendt.'"

Liu Yifei squinted at the film terminology and classic characters throughout the document; she didn't recognize most of them.

The little girl glared at the washing machine, clearly not satisfied with its performance.

"You're telling me to talk about romantic interactions, but the whole thing is just techniques, with absolutely no emotion, is that it?"

"Anyone who didn't know better would think you were grading elementary school students' homework? What kind of random writing are you spouting?"

"You need to get this straight! What's the core of this essay topic? You're getting a zero on this one!"

He then picked up the computer and "forged" the edict himself, adding a few more sentences to it, for example:
"Of course, the most brilliant performances are always reserved for life, such as the waltz I danced with Sisi at the celebration banquet. This kind of improvisation is a million times more moving than the script."

Looking at the long string of nagging words that seemed incredibly cheesy to him, Boss Lu sighed and rubbed his forehead, "It's over, my public image is going to collapse."

Liu Xiaolv typed furiously on the keyboard without looking up: "What kind of persona is that washing machine?"

"I'm sacrificing myself to help you build a persona of a pure, family-oriented, and devoted good man. Don't take your blessings for granted."

Boss Lu clicked his tongue with a bitter expression: "The key is that seeing Zhang Yimou and Dong Jianlian will be really scary!"

Liu Yifei turned her head: "What is social death?"

"It's social death, the kind that completely changes one's appearance."

"It's like he's gone from a cold, aloof CEO or director who never smiles to a lovestruck college student in an art film. It's so cool!"

Xiao Liu chuckled, "Who told you to date me? Just tone down that chauvinistic attitude a little, what's so scary about that?"

"Even Lu Xun was willing to serve the people like an ox, so why do you insist on being ruthless and unscrupulous?"

Lu Kuan leaned against the headboard speechlessly, habitually reaching under his girlfriend's clothes to caress her delicate skin, perhaps wanting to relive his "washing machine" persona.

Liu Yifei adorably bit her nails, racking her brains to write down her boyfriend's romantic interactions with her, without considering whether it would cause a riot among her fans.

In the chilly Berlin hotel room, the couple fell into a perfectly harmonious silence in the early morning.

Perhaps, as the editor-in-chief of Sight & Sound inadvertently wrote in his film review—

These two interesting souls fell in love in this life, and Lu Kuan's loneliness, frozen in the movie, is being dissolved by Liu Yifei's gentle spring water.

Meanwhile, the latter is subtly transforming the loveless washing machine with its gentleness, capriciousness, and willfulness.

In his previous life, Zeng Wenxiu told his son before his death:

You may love movies, but life isn't a continuous playback; it's a selection of countless individual frames.

Remember, when you cry, press pause; when you're in pain, adjust the focus.

But she was too ill to teach Lu Kuan how to love.

Perhaps, this task should be entrusted to Liu Yifei, so that she can use her own body heat to warm this stubborn rock.

Regardless, the young woman, who has achieved a milestone in her life, continues to look forward to a bright future and co-stars with him in the longest film of her life.

(End of this chapter)