Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 465 The First Person in History! (Thanks to the DNF Demon Sword God for joining the alliance 63100)

After the reform and opening up, three people in China were among the first to be elevated to the status of business leaders and were considered unshakeable:
Liu Chuanzhi, Ren Zhengfei, and Zhang Ruimin.

The first two of them both had military service.

Chairman Liu studied at the Xi'an Military Telecommunications Engineering Academy from 1961 to 1967, and he has stated on several occasions that:

"The troops' drive is incredible; they're willing to do anything to achieve their goals."

That's what he said, and unfortunately, that's what he did.

Ren, the founder of Warwick, has always been very secretive about his military career, mainly to reduce Warwick's sensitivity in global technology acquisitions and development.

It wasn't until the 2015 Davos Forum that he addressed his background directly for the first time, stating that his enlistment was "very accidental" and was mainly due to financial difficulties. After graduating from university, he enlisted as a construction engineer, serving as a technician, engineer, and deputy director.

In addition, there are Wang Shi and Ren Zhiqiang in the real estate industry.

And Wang Jianlin, who had a falling out with another senior figure the day before yesterday.

Wang Jianlin joined the army at the age of 15 and served in the Shenyang Military Region for 13 years, rising from a soldier to regimental chief of staff.

The army's "ironclad rules" shaped his almost obsessive view of efficiency:
Wanda implements "vertical management of headquarters," which means that it only takes 3 days for a decision to be made from headquarters to the implementation of a project. Employees who are late are considered "shameful," and even staying up until the early hours of the morning with clients is not an excuse.

This "military-style execution" has become Wanda's core competitive advantage for expansion, and it is also his personal style of doing things.

Regardless of other factors, Wang Jianlin is a man of strong principles and discipline, and possesses a Puritan-like ability to control his desires.

Breakfast consisted of only a bowl of porridge, a slice of bread, and a few pieces of pickled vegetables.
He doesn't smoke, drink, or have a nightlife. His greatest entertainment is singing Dao Lang's "West Sea Love Song" and Cui Jian's "Nothing to My Name" at company parties.
The office refuses to display luxury goods, only hanging a calligraphy inscription by himself that reads "Business is like a battlefield," and there are no scandalous rumors about him.

Based on the points above, compared to Boss Lu, the richest man in this life, he can be considered a moral exemplar!

This moral exemplar eats breakfast and reads the newspaper after his habitual morning exercise.

He usually reads newspapers such as People's Daily, Economic Information Daily, and First Financial Daily.

The People's Daily was the core channel for Lao Wang to decode the national will, and it was only natural that he would open it up and read it carefully first.

As someone in the industry, Wang Jianlin slowed down his chewing pace considerably when he saw the front-page news about the "Film Promotion Law":
In order to thoroughly implement the strategic plan of the State Council on promoting the great development and prosperity of culture and accelerate the construction of a modern film industry system, relevant departments recently announced the restart of the drafting of the "Film Promotion Law".

This legislation will focus on core issues such as the high-quality development of the film industry, cultural security, and the building of international communication capabilities, aiming to optimize the industry ecosystem and stimulate innovation through legal means.

Yesterday afternoon, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the State Council, the Central Radio and Television Administration, and the State Administration of Radio and Television jointly held a symposium of legislative experts.

The meeting pointed out that as an important carrier of national cultural soft power, film must adhere to the "serving the people and serving socialism" direction and the "letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend" policy, and take into account both social and economic benefits.

Meanwhile, this newspaper has learned that Lu Kuan, a renowned Chinese director and the chief director of the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been appointed as the director of the expert advisory committee for the Film Promotion Law.

. . .

The text message was brief, but it left Old Wang speechless.

To say that Boss Lu is a cunning and scheming god would be something this atheist with a military background would certainly not believe.

But what a coincidence that, just two days after Chairman Liu and others plotted their scheme, the top state media announced the appointment in this way.

His keen political sensitivity told him that the higher-ups were dissatisfied with the fact that, while the Olympics were still underway, the power struggles in certain business battles could potentially have a negative international impact.

Secondly, it can be said that "custom-made" such an important advisory position is also a self-evident "reward" for Lu Kuan's contributions to the opening ceremony.

He's not part of the system, and the government can't just give him money directly, so why not leverage his strengths and bring him into the legislative process of the "Film Promotion Law"?

In fact, the decision to select and appoint Lu Kuan began the process the day after the opening ceremony.

The director's outstanding performance in Hai Zi's previous report, as well as his bold plan to use Netflix for cultural export, won him the favor of many leaders.

This time, with an Olympic achievement worthy of being remembered for a lifetime, they are also naturally entrusted with more important responsibilities.

Wang Jianlin sighed inwardly and put down the newspaper, not in the mood to read anything else.

Although he was unwilling to engage in "high-end business warfare" using personal tactics rather than objective ones, he was even less willing to see his competitors grow stronger.

Is it fair to have an industry professional participate in such a top-level design?

unfair.

But what could he say?

Especially if they know that this was the result of the leader's personal selection, then others have even less right to object.

Old Wang only has two things on his mind right now:
First, let's wait and see if Lu Kuan's strategic plan for Huayi is a deliberate attempt to undermine it.

If so, he wants to acquire Huayi's director resources in advance and use them for his own purposes.

Secondly, given the uncertain funding situation and cash flow shortages due to the financial crisis, Wanda continued to consolidate its leading position in the cinema industry by operating an online ticketing business jointly with several companies.

Besides this, he couldn't think of a better way to curb his opponent's development, or rather—

As long as there is a leader like Lu Kuan, this method itself does not exist.

Just as a rooster's crow heralds the dawn, after the official stance was clearly expressed through the advancement of the "Film Promotion Law" and the appointment of Lu Kuan, public opinion quickly underwent a structural adjustment, showing a polarization.

The official stance directly suppressed the negative hype previously carried out by the Nanfang-affiliated media and public intellectuals, forcing the relevant critics to fall silent or strategically back down;
Meanwhile, public opinion supporting Lu Kuan seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, forming a "legitimacy reckoning" against opponents such as Zhu Nanfang.

The first target was Professor Zhu, who was paralyzed.

The Shanghai tax authorities have officially announced to the public that...

Following public reports and tax data screening, our bureau has initiated an investigation into the tax-related activities of Professor Zhu Dake of the School of Humanities at Tongji University from 2000 to 2008. The investigation has revealed the following illegal acts:

First, concealing domestic income to evade taxes.

He diverted part of his teaching fees, royalties, and other income through his spouse, Wang, and students, Zhang and Li, without declaring them as personal income tax in accordance with the law.

The amount of tax and late payment fees owed is determined to be 386500 yuan.

Second, tax evasion during overseas study visits.

2005年9月至2007年6月赴美国哥伦比亚大学访学期间，通过境外机构收取学术讲座费、专栏稿酬等收入未向我国税务机关申报纳税，涉及税款及滞纳金合计498320元。

Third, falsely applying for research funding.

In his research project, "Ancient Chinese Pantheon," he improperly included personal consumption expenditures, such as high-end dining and luxury shopping, totaling 356400 yuan, under the "Academic Exchange Fee" category as a personal publication project, which is suspected of inflating costs and evading taxes of 106920 yuan.

According to Articles 63 and 69 of the "Dongda Tax Collection and Management Law", Zhu Dake was ordered to pay the outstanding taxes and late payment fees totaling 991740 yuan within a specified period, and was also fined 497600 yuan.

The leads regarding his suspected tax evasion have been transferred to the public security authorities for further investigation.

. . .

Laundry detergent and Tianxian fans, who had long disliked Zhu Dake, gathered in droves, along with many other indignant bystanders.

In 2008, the average wage of urban employees nationwide was 29229 yuan, while in Shanghai it was 39502 yuan. Comparing this to the figures in his report, the difference is truly alarming.

Professor Zhu, who can no longer fight the world on Weibo, is now facing the most frustrating and speechless episode of his life.

In this chaotic world, even those who claim to be clear-headed critics have become targets of public condemnation.

However, the Nanfang faction and a group of kept public intellectuals were still trying their best to save face. They dared not attack Lu Kuan directly anymore, and instead used the living dead to play the sympathy card.

In an interview, a law professor defended Zhu Dake, saying that "there are inherent gray areas in the management of research funds," and that it was neither a violation of the law nor a personal issue for Zhu Dake.

The Nanfang faction's mouthpiece published an editorial portraying Zhu Dake as a victim who dared to criticize the powerful figures in the entertainment industry, saying that he was born great and his illness was glorious.

Some public intellectuals called for a return to rational discussion, accusing netizens of cyberbullying by mocking Zhu Dake, such as "selling dermatitis," and attempting to divert attention from the facts of corruption by using the rhetoric of "upholding the dignity of intellectuals."

As a result, the comments under this Tsinghua University professor's Weibo post were flooded with the same phrase, "You guys sold it together."

It's bizarre and absurd, making people both laugh and cry.

It wasn't until Professor Zhu organized the second round of the cleanup at Tongji University that netizens belatedly realized that the 100 million yuan wasn't for selling dermatitis, but for selling their conscience.

Official announcement from Tongji University's Weibo account:
According to the investigation and verification by the school's academic committee, Professor Zhu Dake of the School of Humanities of our school committed serious academic misconduct while presiding over the National Social Science Fund key project "Ancient Chinese Pantheon".

In accordance with the "Measures for the Prevention and Handling of Academic Misconduct in Institutions of Higher Learning" and relevant regulations of our university, the following notice of action is hereby issued.

An investigation revealed that in his research on the ancient Chinese pantheon, Zhu Dake deliberately avoided the principle of mutual corroboration between archaeological evidence and documentary evidence, and extensively cited non-authoritative theories from abroad, such as the "Western Origin of Chinese Culture," and fabricated ancient figures such as Yao, Shun, and Yu as "tribal leaders who migrated from West Asia," which seriously violated the basic position of historical materialism.

The three core journal papers published by his research group, "Cross-Civilizational Origins of Chinese Gods" and "Reconstruction of Pan-Eurasian Narratives of Ancient Myths," contained problems such as data fabrication and false annotations of documents. They repeatedly quoted ancient texts out of context and even altered the original text of "Records of the Grand Historian: Basic Annals of the Five Emperors" to support their personal conjectures.

Decision:

Immediately cease research on the "Ancient Chinese Pantheon" project, revoke the project number, and recover any remaining funds.
Professor Zhu Dake has been removed from his post and his doctoral supervisor qualification has been revoked.

It is recommended that the National Social Science Planning Office revoke all of its ongoing projects and include it in the blacklist of academic misconduct.

The leads regarding his suspected illegal and criminal activities have been transferred to judicial authorities for further investigation.

. . .

Netizens, both amused and exasperated, discovered, based on the outline posted online by the research group's graduate students, that their ancestors' knowledge had almost been sold off!
According to Professor Zhu in this book, Pangu, Fuxi, Nuwa, and other figures in Chinese mythology are all outsiders.

The Queen Mother of the West is Shiva, Shun is Helios, Nuwa and Yu the Great came from Egypt, and Laozi and Hua Tuo are Indians.

Mozi was also quite unfortunate, as Professor Zhu arranged for him to have squid blood.

The public was collectively speechless. No one expected this person to be so incompetent. What kind of work did he do after taking the money? He had absolutely no professional ethics.

Several of the most vocal and arrogant public opinion accounts became scapegoats for Zhu Dake, and were forced to close their comment sections due to the backlash.

2008 was the year when public intellectuals officially stepped into the limelight using Weibo and other media tools.

Whether it's the snowstorm, earthquake, Olympics, or the attention and criticism of the three roads this year, many so-called intellectuals have found a way to make money.

Having tasted success, they began to target the public with agenda-setting for major events, as well as cultural infiltration and the struggle for education.

But the situation is slightly different in this life.

Lu Kuan, a time traveler, reshaped mainstream values ​​through film and television works such as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Tangshan," and "The Sky of History." The dual success of these works at the box office and in terms of word-of-mouth has enabled patriotic discourse to regain its place in public opinion.
In the second half of the Olympic Games opening ceremony, Lu Kuan and his directing team transformed national achievements such as high-speed rail and aerospace into aesthetic symbols.

This innovative use of audiovisual language breaks the monopoly of public intellectuals on discourse, allowing the public to directly experience the fruits of development and effectively countering the market space for the "Dongda collapse theory" among public intellectuals.

Furthermore, this pig manure incident has raised the risk that the public will expose the true nature of certain groups.

The breaking of the interest chain behind them will allow mainstream ideology and positive energy to regain the upper hand.

However, this is a continuous tug-of-war process; the US, Japan, and the West will never stop providing aid, and the colonists will never be completely wiped out.

But with the targeted strikes from the time traveler in this life, the situation is better overall. This time it was Zhu Dake; let's see who dares to show their face next time. In any case, we have control over public opinion on the internet.

On the morning of the 23rd, Professor Zhu's family members, on his behalf and his own behalf, published an apology statement in a local Shanghai newspaper. They stated that they would cooperate with relevant departments in subsequent investigations and explanations regarding taxation and unexplained overseas funds, and expressed deep remorse for the turmoil that had occurred during this period.

Because of the person's current physical condition, the relevant departments have not taken any coercive measures, but the necessary work must be done properly.

The authorities have already set the tone for this controversy, and the fact that they did so in such a direct manner raises serious questions about the sensitivity of the issue.

Only then did the protesting students in the wards and inside the Huashan Hospital gradually disperse. These were students who had come spontaneously to express their opinions because they were indignant that Zhu Dake had betrayed their ancestors.

This group is always the easiest to incite and manipulate; it all depends on who can control the mainstream voice. Public opinion can truly influence a generation.

In any case, the vast ocean of public opinion warfare ultimately achieved a phased victory under the guidance of the time traveler.

Immediately after the family issued their statement, Hu Xijin of the Global Times, who had been posting on Weibo in support of Lu Kuan for the past few days, published a strongly worded article to mark the end of the matter.

Professor Zhu's departure is an inevitable outcome of the self-alienation of intellectuals.

He used academic pursuits as a pretext for speculation, turning critical thinking into a tool for personal gain, and ultimately revealed his true colors in the tide of history.

This disgrace is not only a personal collapse, but also a microcosm of a distorted academic ecosystem. When the masks of high-mindedness of some pseudo-intellectuals are removed, what is revealed is nothing more than the ugly nature of self-interest.

History will ultimately make every opportunist who deviates from their original aspirations pay the price for their usurpation of ambition in the cruelest way.

After this article was published, the attention from all sides in the public sphere shifted considerably.

Hu Xijin's personal style has always been "fence-sitting". Even if the scales have completely tipped to one side this time, you can just continue to take advantage of the situation. Why did you launch a sweeping attack on "pseudo-intellectuals"?
You're not Boss Lu, you don't have that much power. Aren't you afraid of being attacked?
How many people can emerge unscathed from the mudslinging that Nan Fang has thrown at them?
It's impossible to tell who's a friend and who's a foe on the internet. Those who criticize you aren't necessarily your enemies, and those who praise you aren't necessarily your friends.

No matter how much Lao Hu sings praises to Boss Lu, he cannot highlight his fundamental stance. However, this time, his sharp and forceful wording has left much to the imagination.
-
Despite the clamor in the public sphere, it cannot shake the mind of important figures.

For example, Lu Kuan, who was in the eye of the storm from beginning to end, still appeared calm and composed when he reappeared in the public eye after achieving complete victory in both online and offline battles.

This time, he didn't appear in The People's Daily or in interviews with Chinese and foreign media, but rather in CCTV-5's live broadcast of the Olympics.

The closing ceremony, led by Zhang Yimou, is all ready.

Boss Lu and Xiao Liu appeared together at the Bird's Nest, which means they have actually entered a semi-rest state. They are just waiting for the Olympics to end so they can get their marriage certificate, take a vacation, and wait until the filming of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" can begin.

At 12:8 noon on August 23, 2008, the men's football final of the Beijing Olympics officially kicked off, with Argentina and Nigeria facing off.

CCTV sent He Wei and Liu Jianhong to provide commentary for this high-profile match.

Liu Jianhong began his opening remarks: "Hello, viewers! This is CCTV Sports Channel. You are now watching the live broadcast of the men's football final of the 2008 Beijing Olympics!"

He Wei's tone was also quite calm: "Today, Beijing is bathed in sunshine, and the Bird's Nest is packed. This is the fourth time in the history of the Olympic men's football tournament that a South American team and an African team have competed for the gold medal."

"We see that the players from both sides have lined up and entered the field. Argentina's captain Riquelme is at the front of the field, and the team also includes young players in excellent form such as Messi, Aguero, and Di Maria. According to the broadcast data, this match will be watched live by 7.08 million viewers worldwide."

The camera crew for a football match usually goes to the stands before the game starts.

First, it should be presented to leaders of FIFA and the IOC to highlight the importance of this match.

Secondly, it was given to some senior figures from both teams to show their support and love for the national team.

He Wei skillfully introduced each item to the camera one by one:

"Friends, the Argentine Football Association President Grondona is now in the frame, along with the Nigerian Minister of Sports. The seats of FIFA President Blatter are temporarily empty."

"Most of the faces in the VIP viewing area are familiar to our fans. Ronaldinho of the Brazilian team, who just won the bronze medal, is also Messi's teammate at Barcelona."

"After he and Argentine football legend Maradona participated in the kick-off ceremony, he returned to the stands, next to..."

The camera pans to reveal two familiar Chinese faces, which even surprised He Wei, who is usually very articulate.

The audience at the Bird's Nest had clearly seen the young couple on the big screen, and the sudden burst of cheers brought He Wei back to his senses.

"Now shaking hands with Maradona and Ronaldinho is Mr. Lu Kuan, a famous Chinese director and the chief director of the opening ceremony, and his fiancée, Ms. Liu Yifei."

He Wei casually recounted: "Director Lu Kuan is also a well-known football fan among domestic celebrities. He has been photographed watching games live on many occasions, including the 2004 Asian Cup final. He has also gone to Hong Kong with Mr. Zhao Benshan, Sun Nan and others to participate in charity matches."

"Judging from the cheers at the scene, the audience's love for this young director and Ms. Liu Yifei is obvious, especially after such a breathtaking opening ceremony." Liu Jianhong laughed and said, "Director Lu and Maradona had a very pleasant chat. He Wei, can you tell what language they were using?"

“South American players generally speak Spanish. These two stars may speak English. Coach Lu and Ms. Liu Yifei speak fluent English, so there are no communication barriers.”

Before the official start of the competition, the live broadcast cameras will definitely capture the most talked-about figures, so that the audience can have something new to see and the commentators will have something to say.

The camera suddenly zoomed in again, focusing solely on Xiao Liu.

A beautiful young woman appeared on the live stream and the live screen, and the cheers from the audience reached a climax.

Fans watching the Zhijie video immediately recorded and screenshotted it, then posted it to their fan groups and Weibo.

Xiao Liu wore a light yellow floral square-neck top. The puff sleeves trembled gently with her waving, and the tie decoration on her chest fluttered like a butterfly. The short design revealed a section of her snow-white waist that shone brightly in the sunlight.

The blue distressed jeans she wore were high-waisted, which accentuated her 171cm height almost perfectly.

When he turned to the side and high-fived Maradona, the faded pattern on his trousers created a wonderful echo with the latter's blue and white Argentina jersey.

Liu Yifei turned to her boyfriend and smiled, "Why is the camera always on me?"

"It's the attention economy. Football viewers are mostly male, so broadcasters target female fans in the stands to boost ratings and generate buzz. It's a common practice."

Mr. Lu was in a rare relaxed and cheerful mood: "It's just like Hollywood casting sexy actresses; beauty is the most direct visual stimulus. Football matches are essentially performances."

The Paraguayan "breast goddess" at the 2010 South Africa World Cup instantly boosted Paraguay's participation in the tournament and viewership ratings, with cameras immediately focusing on her from the start of the game.

Xiao Liu was also excited by the clamor of the crowd: "I heard that at some concerts, whoever the camera focuses on, the man and woman have to kiss. That should be really interesting!"

"Come on, it's fine now, I don't mind." The washing machine was eager to try.

Liu Yifei was afraid that he would act recklessly and become inhuman, so she hurriedly waved her hands, saying, "No, no, it's too embarrassing."

The match started quickly, and Xiao Liu, who only knows a little about football, was still excited.

What she enjoyed wasn't the football itself, but the time she spent with her sweetheart.

"Liu Chuan... um..."

Lu Kuan quickly covered his girlfriend's mouth and held his hand in front of her nose, saying, "When you speak in front of the camera, cover your mouth. Someone will try to read your lips."

"Ah? There's such a thing?"

Boss Lu nodded: "You'll see if you look at the players down there. They all cover their mouths when they're hurling insults at each other, including the politicians in the stands."

"Oh!" Liu Yifei thought to herself that his caution was as always, and did as he said: "Now that Pig Dung is finished, we can't deduce the motives behind Liu Chuanzhi's next move. What should we do?"

"Let it be! He's just a clown, ignore him." Boss Lu said calmly.

Although he didn't know what the enemy was plotting behind the scenes, he was already thinking about how to surprise the old chairman.

Reciprocity is the Chinese way of hospitality.

With his words of "don't worry," Liu Yifei truly stopped worrying and completely put the matter out of her mind.

This was a long-standing trust and support in him; no matter how treacherous the outside world was, she could rest peacefully in the man's arms.

After the arduous Olympic opening ceremony and the crushing of the competitors' probing attacks, the young couple can finally enjoy life and love to the fullest.

The two watched the game intently when Messi received a pass from Riquelme, faked out a defender, and sped towards the edge of the penalty area before shooting but missing the target.

Liu Yifei, holding her boyfriend's arm, exclaimed in surprise, "This Argentine player number 15 is so fast, and his body language is very reasonable."

Boss Lu quipped, "Don't pretend to know what you don't. You can't even play football, so what do you know about what's reasonable or unreasonable?"

The girl lightly punched him, retorting defiantly, "I can't play soccer, but I can beat people up! There are also ways to use muscles in the training of 'Simple Drama'."

As if to prove his point, Xiao Liu frowned cutely and pointed at Messi on the field: "Look at the stability of his hip joint when he dribbles the ball. It fits the core limb concept of 'the pelvis is the power hub' very well."

"The contraction of the iliopsoas muscle group during each change of direction is like the precise control we have when doing the cat stretch exercise. It should be the same principle, right?"

Lu Kuan raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Pretty much. I almost forgot you're a sports expert now."

Liu Yifei nudged her boyfriend with her elbow: "Hey, you're making a soccer ball, and I'll play with you at home. You've never even used that soccer field."

"How do you kick it?"

"I'll defend you, you'll get past me, shoot, and stuff like that."

Boss Lu frowned: "Aren't we shooting at each other every day?"

The washing machine smacked his girlfriend's delicate shoulders with a single sentence: "Never mind, give me some face, hundreds of millions of people are watching."

Xiao Liu, unable to contain her anger, stomped on his foot and said with a coquettish laugh, "What a jerk!"

Lu Kuan thought to himself, "If you have ten or eight kids in the future, you can make a five-a-side football team. Good luck with that!"

Liu Yifei turned her head and looked around with her beautiful eyes. Her fair cheeks were instantly flushed with a blush. Her eyes were filled with a hint of coquettishness, but she couldn't hide the sweet smile on her lips.

Perhaps because she was about to get married, she didn't resist the topic, and even felt a secret sense of anticipation.

Because she loved this man so much, even the future he casually sketched out became a dream the girl was willing to pursue.

Liu Xiaoli had joked about this topic with her daughter before, but at this moment, the word "child" seemed to carry a different weight in Xiaoli's heart.

Her emotional journey is a natural transformation from passionate love to longing for marriage.

The initial love is pure and passionate, and the subsequent marriage is happy and warm. A girl in love will unconsciously include him in every stage of her life.

From dating to marriage, and then to raising the next generation together, her heart is following the most traditional path, completing the emotional evolution from a girl to a woman.

The deafening cheers at the scene suddenly interrupted Xiao Liu's reverie.

The young player Messi, whom she had just studied, assisted Di Maria's goal, giving Argentina a 1-0 lead!

After 90 minutes plus stoppage time, Argentina defeated Nigeria 1-0, successfully defending their Olympic title with a winning goal in the 58th minute.

Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei quickly left through the VIP exit, but they still couldn't escape the crowd of enthusiastic fans and were surrounded at the southeast corner of the Bird's Nest!
A girl from Beiping casually pulled out her notebook and asked for an autograph: "Director Lu, when are you and Qianqian getting your marriage certificate?"

After signing his name, Lu Kuan handed the book to his girlfriend and said with a smile, "Next month."

Congratulations! Do you have any wedding candy?

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "Send me your Weibo ID, and I'll get you a membership! It'll be like an electronic wedding favor."

"Me too! Me too!" A group of fans, overjoyed to see their idol, swarmed forward, and Afei, feeling awkward, couldn't very well push them away.

A man, somewhat shyly, said, "I don't need a membership, but could you please follow me on Weibo, Fairy Sister? I'll post something about you every day!"

Xiao Liu covered her mouth and laughed, "No, there's only one guy on my following list."

Before the inexperienced male student could even show a hint of sadness, the annoying female fans started shouting "Wow!" and enthusiastically shipping the couple on the spot.

"Sissi, no matter how rich you are, don't retire so early! You should act for a very long time and grow old with us!"

"Yes, yes, we're the same age. I'm a junior in college this year."

Looking at the sincere smiles on their faces, Liu Yifei was touched: "Yes, don't worry."

As more and more people gathered, everyone knew that this unexpected encounter was about to end.

"Okay, bye-bye!" Afei whispered a reminder. Xiao Liu quickly finished signing the last photo and then followed her boyfriend to the parking lot.

The male college student stood there, watching Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei walk away side by side.

The setting sun cast its last rays upon the two, creating an enviable scene—

Liu Yifei moved with light steps, the puff sleeves of her pale yellow floral top swaying slightly with her movements, her slender waist faintly visible under the short design;

Lu Kuan, with his tall and straight figure, naturally placed one hand on her shoulder. When he looked down to listen to her speak, his eyes were full of tenderness.

The two occasionally exchanged a smile, their tacit understanding suggesting they were already used to each other's presence.

The male college student felt a surge of bitterness in his heart, as if something was blocking his throat, and suddenly he couldn't help but utter a sob:
"Fairy Sister, I wish you happiness!"

The couple in the distance were busy escaping the crowd of fans and obviously had no time to look back, while the female fans around the male lead were already laughing together.

Ultimately, fans cannot share the same joys and sorrows.

Little Dragon Girl and the Dragon Knight are gone.

If she leaves now, the next time we see her in the news, it will be because she's someone else's wife.

From today onwards, the world has gained another staunch "anti-road vanity" who will fight against laundry detergent and liquid detergent to the very end!
On August 24, 2008, the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games was held in the Bird's Nest.

This 16-day sporting event, themed "Harmony and Joy," showcased the inclusiveness and vitality of Chinese culture through three chapters: "Gathering," "Memory," and "Carnival."

The event featured performances by stars such as Hendrik Willem Van Loon and Liu Huan. During the London 8-minute handover segment, David Beckham arrived on a red bus and kicked a football into the stands, symbolizing the passing on of the Olympic spirit.

Finally, the main torch was slowly extinguished to the strains of "Friends Forever," and IOC President Jacques Rogge praised it as an "unparalleled" Olympic Games.

The closing ceremony not only summarized the glorious event, but also marked China's submission of a perfect answer to the world.

This is truly perfect, almost without any flaws.

At the Bird's Nest stadium, directors Lu Kuan, Zhang Yimou, and other members of the directing team warmly embraced and encouraged each other. Liu, a leader from the Beijing Organizing Committee, visited the command center to thank everyone for their perseverance and hard work.

This scene was captured by a CCTV reporter and, along with the successful closing ceremony, was published on the front page of major official media outlets the following day.

Many foreign media outlets were also impressed by this grand event held by the great Eastern power and reprinted the photos.

The New York Times: A Stunning Finale in Beiping: How Director Lu Kuan Redefines the Olympic Spectacular.

BBC News: A perfect curtain call, the directors' embrace witnesses China's Olympic victory.

The Guardian: From fireworks to tears, the Lu Kuan team created a truly extraordinary Olympics.
Reuters: Cultural Victory: China's Soft Power Triumphs Through a Broader Perspective

The Washington Post: The New Beiping Consensus: The Olympic Games Become a Geopolitical Declaration
Domestic media outlets have showered it with praise, from official media to online media, and even Nanfang Group has reluctantly given a positive answer.

Even if they try to evade the issue, they cannot ignore the basic facts, as that would damage their credibility. Moreover, the Zhu Dake incident has already had a significant negative impact.

Chinese people believe in the principle of "final judgment after death" and also emphasize clear distinction between rewards and punishments.

As the Olympic flame was extinguished, the central government and the State Council quickly launched a commendation campaign to recognize the creators of this national image project with the highest honors.

In the Xinhua News Agency's press release issued early on August 25th—"Decision on Commending Advanced Collectives and Individuals of the Beiping Olympic and Paralympic Games":

Lu Kuan was ranked first among the directors as an "Outstanding Contributor," and his award citation specifically emphasized his "creative integration of traditional culture and modern aesthetics."

Immediately afterwards, the official Weibo account of CCTV's "Touching China" program announced that scholar Yi Zhongtian nominated the "Beiping Olympic Games Directing Team" as a group that moved China in 2008, which was widely recognized by the public.

A deluge of honors came one after another, recognizing the achievements of Lu Kuan and other Olympic staff.

On the afternoon of the 25th, a piece of news from the United States came out, which truly surprised the Chinese people.

Time magazine plans to invite Lu Kuan to be the cover story of its main US edition and will conduct an interview with him soon.

This news was shared and liked by the official Wenjie platform, confirming that it was true.

The shorter the news story, the bigger the story.

Appearing on the cover of Time magazine is not a big deal. The earliest celebrity to do so in China was Gong Li in 1996, followed by Wang Fei, Jay Chou, and others.

Unaware netizens posted questions on Weibo, Tianya, and other platforms:
It's just appearing on the cover of Time magazine, why make such a big deal out of it?

The last message reposted by Wenjie's official Weibo account was about being selected as the director of the advisory committee for the "Film Promotion Law".

It wasn't until Lao Hu provided the science explanation that the onlookers finally understood!
The difference in quality between the two covers is too great.

Time magazine has four versions:
The South Pacific version primarily covers Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands;

The Asian edition is published in Hong Kong, focusing on Asia-Pacific affairs, and its cover features Asian political and business leaders, such as Lee Huang-gua.

In the past, many domestic celebrities who marketed themselves as having appeared on the cover of Time magazine were always featured on the Asian edition. Even Chris Lee, who had just debuted, was featured, which shows how prestigious the award was.

The European edition, published in London, covers events in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, with a focus on international politics and economics.

The remaining section is the most important one, the main US edition, which is the page that Time magazine invited Lu Kuan to cover.

Online science popularization posts are springing up like mushrooms after rain. What everyone is most curious about is which Chinese celebrities have appeared on the main cover of Time magazine before?

Wu Peifu and Chiang Kai-shek, husband and wife, from 1924 to 1949.

The elderly man from 1949 to 1978 and several close comrades-in-arms, designers after the reform and opening up.

It can be said that Lu Kuan is the only Chinese person in modern times to appear on the main publication as a non-politician!

The first person in history!
What is this concept?
Even globally, only a handful of people have appeared in the main publication as non-politicians.

Einstein in 1946, Michael Jackson in 1984, Steve Jobs in 2005, and so on.

To paraphrase Hu Xijin's consistently nationalist rhetoric:
Lu Kuan's appearance on the main page as a director and artist marks the first time that China's achievements in the non-political sphere have received the highest level of recognition from mainstream Western media.

This is not only a personal honor, but also a concrete manifestation of cultural confidence after the reform and opening up. We have finally moved from being "defined" to "actively defining".

Western mainstream society has long monopolized the cultural evaluation system, but Lu Kuan's selection breaks this inertia.

Time magazine's choice is, in fact, a passive relinquishment of the West's narrative power over Eastern culture. The world can no longer ignore the Eastern lion that has slowly opened its eyes.

Finally, Hu Xijin emphasized:
The era of broad roads coincides with the era of China. When individual talent resonates with the rise of the nation, the world has no choice but to listen to our voice.

. . .

Of the two most important things Lu Kuan mentioned in 2008, two have already passed away.

The concluded Olympics further solidified his artistic reputation and his image as an international citizen.

On the 25th, while the praise and accolades from the outside world were still pouring in—

This artist, who is about to enter the "grave of marriage," wants to spend his fiancée's last birthday of her single life with her before registering their marriage.

Liu Yifei is 21 years old.

(End of this chapter)