Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 420 Little Girl, Big Vision

As April arrived, the buzz surrounding the mainland entertainment industry and the Olympic Games intensified, with news stories captivating the attention of industry professionals and ordinary viewers alike.

At the dining table in the main villa of Wenyuhe Mansion, Lu Kuan was eating while looking at the news on his computer screen.

Every morning before 7:00 AM, staff from the president's office would compile official and industry news related to Wenjie Holdings and send it to his corporate email address as required.

He could only skim through business news through this channel; otherwise, he would be too busy to leave the Olympic venue and would be out of touch with the industry for too long.

Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei's work gradually stabilized, and they would be staying in Beiping for the next three months barring any unforeseen circumstances. So they invited Chef Qiao back to continue taking care of their meals.

Ah Fei was like a starving ghost reincarnated. He ate three bowls of plain noodles and then went back to prepare to leave. Xiao Liu's eating manners were not particularly elegant either. He had really exhausted himself last night!
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?" The girl seemed to notice that her boyfriend's slurping had quieted down—

This is the way he eats noodles, which he is very proud of. The louder he slurps, the more delicious the noodles taste.

"Wanda has secured a loan from Beiping Bank." Boss Lu smiled as he got up to serve the second bowl, but the observant Chef Qiao took it from him.

"It seems that capital inside and outside the industry is really optimistic about the mainland film industry."

Since the beginning of the year, Beiping Bank has launched cultural and creative loans for the film and television industry, and has successively partnered with Huayi's TV drama projects, fiber optic TV programs, Polybona's distribution, and Wanda's cinema expansion.

The Youanmen branch of Beiping Bank provided a loan of 100 million yuan to Beiping Wanda Cinemas, which is the first such case in the country to date.

Golden Harvest had been using loans to build cinemas and open theater chains for several years, but these loans were secured by mortgages from the group company.

Xiao Liu nodded and turned his computer upside down: "You eat, and I'll read to you."

"Wang Changtian, president of Fiber Optic Media, has recently been planning a private equity IPO with Huaxing Capital, the financial advisor for the private equity firm. It is understood that Bao Fan, the founder and CEO of Huaxing Capital, who is also a graduate of Fudan University, has also been frequently seen at the headquarters of Fiber Optic Media recently."

Lu Kuan looked up: "They've sent you a lot of program invitations, haven't they? Why aren't you going?"

"I don't want to go. I've had too many interviews since I came back to China. I want to focus on studying drama performance. I have to do a dress rehearsal today."

What show? What role?

Xiao Liu paused, perhaps thinking of an old friend: "Chen Bailu from 'Sunrise,' the next role is Lucy, what do you think?"

"Not bad, keep reading." The sage-like man was very perfunctory.

Liu Yifei rolled her eyes at him, then turned her gaze back to the screen. It wasn't until the two of them finished eating and went to work together that they finally lived the life Liu Yifei had longed for, after the mental liberation of the previous night.

Mr. Lu is keeping an eye on other competitors in the industry, but all competitors, including government agencies, are also watching Wenjie Holdings.

Especially after his speech about the "six directions" for future development at Shanghai Film Group was leaked, the industry paid more and more attention to the opinions of this leader of the entertainment giant.

Because his predictions about the domestic film market trend and his insightful views on the film industry since the beginning of his career have all come true.

On April 5th, Wang Xiaolei, Vice Chairman of Huayi Group, stated in an interview with Caijing magazine:

Huayi is proceeding with its IPO in an orderly manner. However, due to the intensification of unfair competition within the industry, the screening schedule of "The Forbidden Kingdom" in mid-April was subject to malicious competition.

A leading film company and its affiliated cinemas, based on non-commercial factors, only gave very low screening rates to co-productions in which Huayi Brothers held a stake.

In contrast, Wanda, Berna, and China Film Group have all provided strong support, contributing to the development of Chinese cinema. Huayi Brothers is quite disappointed with the company under the leadership of Lu.

The domestic entertainment and film industries have taken notice.

Why does it smell so familiar?
It feels like we've gone back to two years ago, before Wenjie had fully grown and was competing head-to-head with Huayi.

Under Lu Kuan's leadership, Wenjie co-produced "A Home Away From Home," which became the highest-grossing film in China, and Liu Yifei became a money-making tool.

Huayi Brothers followed suit and signed Jang Nara from South Korea. She gained recognition in mainland China through "Silver Age" and went on to manage leading actresses and important supporting actresses in blockbusters such as "Seven Swords".

What followed was a battle to acquire the Hong Kong cinema chain Golden Harvest, a war of words between Liu Yifei and Jang Nara online, and finally ended with the Korean actress fleeing back to Korea.

From then on, Huayi embarked on a path of underhanded development, no longer daring to openly challenge the industry leaders.

In particular, Zhou Jun suffered a major setback due to the leak of his Olympic bidding plan, and the two Huayi brothers were even tricked by Dong Shuangqiang into cooperating to harm Taro.

Websites that love a good spectacle meticulously recount these past events, then pose heartfelt questions in bold red headlines—

Where did Huayi get the courage this time?

When asked about the business aspect, Gao Jun, who oversees both theater operations and distribution, was the one who gave the interview.

When asked about this matter, Huayi stated that it was a company action based entirely on business rules and industry judgment, and that Huayi had neither the right nor the standing to interfere with the business operations of other companies.

Gao Jun told reporters that in recent years, Wenjie Holdings, led by Mr. Lu Kuan, has made many innovations that are talked about by industry professionals, one of which is Wenjie Jiahe's scheduling algorithm.

Taking "The Forbidden Kingdom" as an example, Golden Harvest's decision on its screening schedule was entirely based on a professional evaluation system using market data:

First, there's the match between the film's genre and its release date; second, there's the decline in the lead actor's star power; and finally, there's the diversion effect of competing films released during the same period.

Meanwhile, according to the industry white paper issued by the China Cinema Chain Alliance, Wenjie Cinema's first-week screening accuracy rate reached 94.7% in the past three years, which is higher than the industry average of 83.2%.

"We respect Huayi's creative freedom, but we are even more responsible for the operational efficiency of its more than 350 screens," Gao Jun added in conclusion.

"As Director Lu often says, film is an art, but film operation is mathematics. Every variable in the formula of number of screens × number of screenings × ticket price needs to be deconstructed with professionalism."

Just like two years ago, the pressure is once again on Huayi, and it seems that these two companies will once again have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of supporting the media.

Unfortunately, Huayi Brothers stopped responding, perhaps fearing further pressure and backlash from the industry. Instead, Nanfang and some film critics talked at length about the Paramount Bill.

However, Huayi's retreat did not earn Wenjie's leniency.

After announcing a further reduction in the number of screenings of "The Forbidden Kingdom", Wenjie's official blog and Weibo announced that the company headquarters will hold its eighth anniversary celebration at the Workers' Stadium in Beiping on Labor Day, May 1.

A company team-building event, similar to an annual meeting, wasn't originally that eye-catching.

However, the additional content and details on Weibo instantly attracted the attention of industry competitors and onlookers.

Wenjie officially announced that it will unveil a major initiative that will impact the company's development over the next decade, and is also closely related to the mainland film industry.

In addition, to give back to the nearly 8000 employees who have been with us all the way, the event was specially scheduled for the first seven-day holiday after the New Year.

The company will reimburse the accommodation and transportation expenses for family members of all employees from other provinces and cities who come to Beijing, and invite them to celebrate the company's eighth anniversary and Labor Day with the employees.

Meanwhile, the preliminary prize pool for the eighth anniversary celebration is 4500 million RMB, which will cover all on-staff employees.

The top prize, for several winners, is a residential property of over 100 square meters within the Fifth Ring Road of Beijing. The lowest prize is a shopping card worth 200 yuan. The specific lottery mechanism and prize levels will be announced later.

Although no further details have been revealed, these few astonishing figures alone are enough to cause a media storm online.

In 2008, the per capita disposable income of urban residents in China was only 15781 yuan per year, which translates to 1315 yuan per month.

With the personal income tax threshold just raised from 1600 yuan to 2000 yuan, it's considered quite good for ordinary wage earners to have a monthly salary exceeding 4000 yuan.

The total prize pool of 4500 million from Wenjie Holdings is equivalent to the total annual income of 2250 ordinary workers!
A 100-square-meter apartment within the Fifth Ring Road of Beiping is equivalent to 50-80 years' salary for an average worker!

Even a shopping card worth 200 yuan is enough for an average family's food expenses for a week.

Not to mention, it's equivalent to giving each of the out-of-town employees the opportunity to travel to Beijing and experience the bustling capital city before the Olympics!
In an era where even giving out a 50 RMB red envelope at a typical company's annual meeting is considered generous, Wenjie's benefits are a game-changer.

The internet exploded instantly, with forums, blogs, and QQ groups buzzing with discussion and countless internet memes emerging.

"Our boss said the international situation was bad this year and the company's performance was too poor, so the annual meeting was canceled. But then Wenjie just gave out houses?"

"Huayi made empty promises before its IPO, while Wenjie directly gave out money. The difference is obvious!"

"This isn't a company annual meeting; it's a washing machine money-throwing frenzy!"

"Are tickets for sale? I want to sneak in and see Director Liu! She's also an employee of Wenjie, and the boss's wife, so she'll definitely be there!"

"I am answering the question above using my real name and employee ID 2333 from Wenjie. Qianqian will be participating, and I heard she even has a program. Aren't you jealous? She rarely participates in commercial performances outside of Wenjie; she performs exclusively for the Wenjie family!"

"Waaaaah, I'm so envious and jealous! Is it too late to apply for a job cleaning toilets at Wenjie now?"

"The world of Wenjie is a paradise for working people, but a hell for Sisi fans, because you have to face a reality every day: your labor is helping the washing machine earn money to support its wife!"

The last comment instantly generated a massive buzz, and a creative piece of copywriting was trending on social media.

#Reject works that challenge boundaries, boycott works that support washing machines#
The heated discussions online are both funny and absurd. This extravagant eighth anniversary celebration has not cost a single penny, yet it has already begun to enhance the company's brand value.

This time, not only mainland film companies, but also companies in other industries such as the Internet are studying the marketing methods of the industry.

While domestic companies generally have conservative welfare policies, Wenjie's "money-spraying" welfare program has created a disruptive effect, sparking a huge online uproar.

Furthermore, by aligning the company's celebrations with the "value of workers" during the Labor Day holiday, the company aims to enhance public goodwill.

In addition, employees of Wenjie spontaneously shared on Weibo the housing benefits in Beiping that started in 2004. Back when housing prices had not yet skyrocketed, some companies had already taken the foresight to provide housing incentives for their employees, guiding them to buy property as early as possible.

In today's world, where we are gradually entering an era of mortgage slavery, such companies are worth following for life.

In the past, Mr. Lu had many faces and labels on the Internet: genius director, Liu Yifei's boyfriend, the richest man in mainland China, washing machine, philanthropist, etc.

The term "conscientious entrepreneur" is now being used by many people from the bottom of their hearts.

If netizens look back at his journey over the years, aside from his somewhat promiscuous lifestyle, you really can't say what's wrong with him.

Especially on matters of national interest and ethnic stance, their attitude is particularly resolute, a quality that many underground directors who use the banner of art but harbor malicious intentions lack.

As the saying goes, "Time will tell," and Lu Kuan, who rarely engages in public relations or media manipulation, is steadily accumulating a positive reputation.

One can foresee how much his reputation will rise in China after May and after the Olympics.

There's a difference between watching the spectacle and understanding the intricacies. While onlookers and passersby were engaged in heated discussions, Huayi's core executives and allies were deep in thought, struggling with their own ideas.

Washing machine, you're going to cut things out of context, aren't you?
They announced that the news would be announced at the company's eighth anniversary celebration, and even claimed it was a major event affecting the company's future development.

Wenjie spent tens of millions of dollars on its eighth anniversary celebration. Such a major event should be commensurate with this level of investment, right?
Next...

The bottom of the washing machine is gone.

Mainland film companies, including Huayi Brothers, just hope this is news about expanding the market, not news about competing with them for market share.
-
At 5 p.m. Beijing time on April 7, the cast and crew of "Sunrise" were having their final rehearsal of the day in the rehearsal hall of the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

In the rehearsal hall, Liu Yifei, who plays the supporting role of Chen Bailu in A-system, had just finished changing her costume.

A pale white silk cheongsam hugged her slender figure, the stand-up collar adorned with dark-patterned buttons, and the cuffs trimmed with silver thread, making her skin appear as translucent as fresh snow.

Today was her first time performing in full costume. Xu Fan on stage had just finished her performance and was receiving applause from the sparse audience of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, mostly actors and directors from the theatre.

Director Ren Ming also applauded as he went on stage. He is the vice president of the Beijing People's Art Theatre and the director of the 2000 and 2005 versions of "Sunrise".

"Xu Fan's performance was outstanding. It's no wonder he played such a role when he first started out. Over the past ten years, he has become even more skilled."

"Thank you, Director." Xu Fan didn't show much joy on his face, because today was the first time the drama crew was testing the new actress Liu Yifei's performance in makeup.

If Feng Yuanzheng's approval was the stepping stone and first step for Xiao Liu to land the role, then director Ren Ming could basically decide who would ultimately get the part.

This is highly unlikely unless the Beijing People's Art Theatre's artistic committee overturns his decision.

In fact, from Pu Cunxin to Ren Ming, and even other actors including Xu Fan, no one doubted Liu Yifei's worth as a Berlin Film Festival Best Actress winner. With the overwhelming publicity from the industry, her performance was scrutinized by countless viewers and professionals, proving her award to be well-deserved.

But movies are different from stage plays, which is the biggest reason why Xu Fan was dissatisfied.

Just like how the other sixth generation looked at Mr. Lu when he soared to fame with the commercial film "A Home Too Far" in his early years.

We've worked our way up to this position over the years, what makes you, a young upstart, think you can?
"Imperial Consort, are you ready?"

"That's enough, Director." Liu Yifei had just come out of the dressing room, and her appearance immediately drew frequent nods of approval from the professionals present.

A cool and beautiful makeup look and a well-proportioned figure were the standard features of a Shanghai woman in the 1930s.

About a week ago, Lu Kuan flew back to his mansion from Shanghai overnight. That night, Xiao Liu, who was in a state of torment, tossed and turned and studied the character Chen Bailu in his study in the middle of the night.

There is not much difference between stage play characters and film characters. Taking Chen Bailu in "Sunrise" as an example, the research method is nothing more than combining the historical context of the time, understanding her "canary" dilemma, and grasping the character's motivation and psychological logic.

However, it's important to be mindful of your performance style in stage productions, as it differs significantly from performances on film.

Film focuses on details and fragmentation, while stage plays emphasize continuity and amplification.

For example, the character played by Xiao Liu, whether it's body language, facial expressions, or voice, Chen Bailu's lazy tone and smoking gestures, all need to be exaggerated and amplified.

Xu Fan walked off the stage and sat in the first row with a displeased expression, ready to see how his replacement would perform.

She may have some reservations about Liu Yifei because of the competition between Feng Xiaogang, Huayi, and Wenjie.

But at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, the play is of paramount importance. As long as Liu Yifei is competent, she, a veteran of the theatre who temporarily replaced Chen Bailu, is willing to step down.

In this respect, Xu Fan is suitable and qualified as an actor.

Ren Ming walked onto the stage: "Ladies and gentlemen, 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Mr. Cao Yu's birth. Beijing People's Art Theatre's productions such as 'Thunderstorm' and 'Sunrise' will be featured and toured as key productions."

"In the last half hour today, we will examine the performances of two new A-level actors: Liu Yifei, who plays Chen Bailu, and Wang Lei, who plays Fang Dasheng."

"Let's have our two young actors say a few words to the audience. Let's give them a round of applause!"

On stage, Xiao Liu and Wang Lei bowed to the audience. Xiao Liu took the microphone first.

"Thank you, Director Ren. It's an honor to join the Beijing People's Art Theatre family. I've learned a lot this week. Please feel free to offer your criticism later. Thank you!"

After Liu Yifei finished speaking concisely, Wang Lei's reaction was quite different. From Liu Yifei's perspective, his hand holding the microphone was trembling.

Too nervous.

The "Northwest Hammer King" joined the Beijing People's Art Theatre in 2008 and has been there for four years. According to the regulations for professional title evaluation in Beiping:
To be promoted from a Level 3 actor to a Level 3 actor (intermediate level), unless the evaluator has made significant contributions, at least five years of work experience is generally required.

To advance from intermediate to associate senior level, a second-level actor requires at least eight years of experience.

For example, Gu Zhixin, who entered the Beijing People's Art Theatre in the same year as Wang Lei, was promoted to a national first-class actor in 2016, taking 12 years.

Wang Lei's later representative works include "Jin Taro's Happy Life" in 2013 and "Ordinary World" in 2015. At this time, he was just an actor within the system who was striving to get a professional title.

In other words, he desperately needed this opportunity and could not possibly be as serene and carefree as Empress Sisi, who "experienced the hardships of ordinary people."

That's only human nature.

"Thank you, director. I... *puff*..." Wang Lei took a deep breath to compose himself. "I'll do my best. Thank you everyone!"

The actors, both new and veteran, smiled and generously applauded.

Everyone has been through this stage. Facing veteran actors and teachers is much more nerve-wracking than facing the audience.

Because everyone on set is an expert, even the smallest flaw can be captured and magnified, leaving nothing to the imagination.

However, Wang Lei now stands in stark contrast to the young actresses around him—

Standing alone on the stage, she seemed to be adapting to and embracing the role of Chen Bailu;

One of them, still somewhat clueless, kept changing the subject while observing director Ren Ming's expression, afraid that his performance would not meet his standards.

Everyone in position, the performance begins.

Under the dim light, Liu Yifei, who plays Chen Bailu, leans against a European-style dressing table, a cigarette between her fingers, a wisp of smoke curling around her, exuding endless charm.

This is a prop cigarette that does not contain tobacco. Its main components are tea leaves, licorice, or wood chips. When lit, it produces only a small amount of harmless smoke, and its visual effect is close to that of a real cigarette.

Stage actors should pay particular attention to protecting their vocal cords. Professional troupes such as the Beijing People's Art Theatre strictly prohibit the use of real cigarettes in rehearsal halls, backstage, and on stage.

Pu Cunxin, who was outside the rehearsal hall, crouched down and walked to the front row, sitting down next to Ren Ming and Feng Yuanzheng.

"It's just begun?"

"Yes."

Ren Ming said in a low voice, "This young girl is smoking? Her movements are a bit too natural."

Pu Cunxin shrugged, and Feng Yuanzheng, who was next to him, turned his head and chuckled in a low voice: "Her boyfriend, Lu Kuan, was a heavy smoker. She only quit smoking in the last two years. Maybe she learned from his experience."

"Hehe, no wonder, that person is quite knowledgeable." Both vice presidents of the Beijing People's Art Theatre laughed.

Stage actors are required to experience life more deeply than film actors. When Jiao Juyin was directing "Longxugou", he had the actors Yu Shizhi and Ye Zi experience Longxugou for several months to record the language and actions of the people at the bottom of society.
When rehearsing "Teahouse", the actors were organized to study folk customs and historical materials from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, and even learn the etiquette of the Eight Banners and the skills of serving teahouse staff.

Therefore, Xiao Liu's experience of experiencing life before filming "The Sky of History" was highly recognized by several vice presidents in charge of business.

The performance on stage continues.

Wang Lei, who plays Fang Dasheng, stands awkwardly in the shadows of the porch, his suit and tie so neat it's almost rigid.

His voice tightened as he spoke: "Zhu Jun (Chen Bailu's real name), you can't go on like this."

Liu Yifei chuckled upon hearing this, lightly touching the cigarette to her lips, her words laced with lazy mockery: "Mr. Fang, you do remember my name now?"

She suddenly stood up, the hem of her silk cheongsam brushing against the glass bottle on the dressing table, making a crisp clinking sound: "Back in our hometown, didn't you say this name was old-fashioned?"

Xiao Liu's performance was very powerful. His sudden lunge caused Wang Lei to be momentarily stunned, his lips slightly parted for half a second, as if his lines were stuck on his lips.

Pu Cunxin, Feng Yuanzheng, and others in the first row, including Xu Fan, all saw it clearly—

Wang Lei has been relegated to a less prominent role.

In a scene between two actors, if one actor's performance aura, rhythm of lines, and emotional tension completely overwhelm the other, it may cause the other actor to appear passive, dull, or even out of character.

This is more common on the theatrical stage because theatrical performances are live, while film is an art of editing, and if a scene is delayed, it can simply be reshot.

Unless for some reason the difference between the actors is too great and there is no way to replace them.

For example, in "The Godfather," Al Pacino's portrayal of Michael Corleone completely overshadowed his co-star Keizer with a calm and almost ruthless performance during the restaurant shooting scene.

And then there's Hopkins, who won the Oscar for Best Actor with just 16 minutes of screen time in "The Silence of the Lambs," completely controlling the pace of the interrogation scene with his eyes and micro-expressions.

Fortunately, Jodie Foster's role required a sense of tension, and this instinctive reaction after being "held back" fit the character's action sequence.

However, apart from Feng Yuanzheng, the other actors, leaders, and directors from the People's Art Theatre were quite surprised. Wang Lei, who climbed from a minor role to an A-list actor in just four years, had actually made rapid progress.

How could you let Liu Yifei, who doesn't have much stage experience, overshadow the rest of the show?
The strange thoughts of the crowd were only fleeting. Just as the stage director was about to call a NG, he was surprised to find that Liu Yifei did a move that was not in the script!
She turned around, grabbed the cigarette case from the dressing table, and smashed it hard against Wang Lei, a mocking sneer curling her lips: "What, even you have nothing to say?"

At this moment, Xiao Liu's position was slightly away from the stage. She quickly winked at Wang Lei, who seemed to wake up from a dream. He took the opportunity to show an embarrassed expression and stammered, "Zhu Jun, that's not what I meant..."

The cast and crew were all veteran actors who had seen "Sunrise" countless times, especially director Ren Ming, who knew that this was an impromptu performance by the actors.

Everyone was amazed by Liu Yifei's quick wit!

It's not that her acting was so good that it surpassed those veteran actors who had been immersed in the stage for many years, but rather that theatrical performances are usually 2-3 hours of non-stop performances, which require actors to have a great deal of improvisation skills.

This is actually a kind of stage intuition.

For Xiao Liu, she first learned about this art in the final debate scene of "The Sky of History," a one-shot scene that was extremely difficult to perform.

Furthermore, her understanding and interpretation of the character Chen Bailu are exceptionally profound, which is why she can wield her brush with the skill of a master painter.

This not only fits Chen Bailu's sarcastic persona but also cleverly covers up her mistake and successfully saves the day.

Wang Lei's mind cleared instantly, and with Xiao Liu winking at her, she was able to continue her lines, allowing the performance to proceed as scheduled without any further mistakes.

Ren Ming, Pu Cunxin, and others in the audience nodded in approval.

To be fair, based on Wang Lei's subsequent performance, he was evenly matched with Liu Yifei in the scene "Sunrise".

Perhaps it was nervousness, perhaps carelessness, or perhaps being momentarily stunned by the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress's explosive performance—this is quite common for young actors on stage.

However, what is unusual is that his co-star is a young actress with little stage experience.

"Card! Very good!"

Ren Ming went on stage and gave a brief, concise comment:

"Wang Lei has a solid foundation in basic skills. He should pay attention to adjusting his mindset before and after the performance."

"Yifei has a natural stage presence. She seems to enjoy immersing herself in the character. It's excellent. Thank you both for your performance. Let's give her a round of applause!"

Applause erupted from the audience. No one mentioned the incident of Wang Lei being overshadowed in the film, but everyone gained a deeper understanding of the talent of this youngest-ever Berlin Film Festival Best Actress winner.

What's even more remarkable is that the girl is naturally intelligent and has excellent stage presence, able to guide and cooperate with actors who are out of character, which is a top-tier talent on the stage.

Otherwise, stage accidents can easily occur.

Xu Fan's expression remained unpleasant. He thought that it would be unreasonable for him to find fault with the character after only a week of performance.

"Yifei, your performance was wonderful, congratulations."

"Thank you, Teacher Xu. I will learn from you." Xiao Liu's expression remained calm, just as it had been a week earlier when she was publicly questioned by the same person.

The young actress and the middle-aged actress shook hands and greeted each other, which amazed Wu Gang, He Bing, Pu Cunxin, Ren Ming and others who were a little further away.

In terms of stage performance alone, Liu Yifei, a novice actress, is definitely far less skilled than Xu Fan.

But this spirit and magnanimity are truly rare among women.

Such character and demeanor are both the foundation of family education and the result of later training, already showing signs of becoming a great actor.

Perhaps only Feng Yuanzheng, who had already clocked out on time, didn't think much of it.

Look at you all, so unsophisticated!
Before six o'clock, Xiao Liu, having removed her makeup and changed her clothes, drove away from the Beijing People's Art Theatre Capital Theatre in a Maybach 62S.

The April evening breeze, carrying the lingering chill of spring, swept past the car window. She pulled her cashmere cardigan tighter and gazed towards the Olympic Tower through the dazzling neon lights of the China World Trade Center.

Picking up my boyfriend from get off work.

(End of this chapter)