Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 468 Shipping Couples Under the Hawthorn Tree
Lu Kuan and Zhang Yimou finalized their collaboration on the filming of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" around the end of May and the beginning of June.

While they were painstakingly preparing for the Olympic opening ceremony, both the scriptwriting teams and the work of location scouting and budgeting were progressing steadily.

In China's closed film industry, apart from the need for hype, a big director like Zhang Yimou basically doesn't have a casting process.

Even if there are any, they have probably already been scouted and are using casting to build character personas and generate buzz beforehand.

At 10 a.m., the press conference hall of the Media Center Hotel in Beiping was already bustling with activity.

The domestic film industry has indeed been somewhat quiet for the past six months, mainly because two big names have both taken a year off from filmmaking to serve the country.

Looking at the first half of this year, there were few outstanding films in the domestic film market. Only "CJ7", "Painted Skin" and the not-so-successful "The Forbidden Kingdom" managed to keep the domestic market afloat. However, Hollywood's dominance was much greater.

Kung Fu Panda, which woke up dumplings ahead of time, grossed 1.8 million yuan;
The Iron Man movie, in which Wenjie participated as a co-producer, grossed 1.78 million.
The classic IP "Quantum of Solace" grossed 150 million.
The Mummy 3, starring Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, grossed 1.1 million.
Will Smith's "Hancock" barely broke 100 million.

The data shows that the mainland film market is indeed growing rapidly, but apart from the consistently stable domestic market, foreign films have made the biggest contribution.

For the authorities, this situation is both a cause for joy and worry.

The good news is the prosperity of the domestic film market, which will eventually attract more audiences to the cinema, thus objectively widening the channel.
The concern is whether Chinese films, which have already been warned by the WTO due to complaints from the US, can take the initiative and truly become the main players in development.
This is also an important reason why the country has put the "Film Promotion Law" on the agenda as soon as possible. Time waits for no one, and the superstructure urgently needs to be improved.

Looking at established directors in China, Chen Kaige's "Mei Lanfang" wrapped up filming in February and is eyeing the Lunar New Year film season.
Jiang Wen's "Let the Bullets Fly" is also expected to be released during the Lunar New Year holiday season;

Feng Xiaogang's "If You Are the One" is about to wrap up filming, and it is once again targeting the Lunar New Year film season.

Ning Hao's "Lost in Thailand" will also join the competition for the Lunar New Year film season.

As for the works of the sixth generation, journalists don't have high hopes for them, given the booming box office in the domestic film market.

Everyone is eagerly anticipating coming to the event today for interviews, hoping to see Zhang Yimou's future film plans and Lu Kuan, who is rumored to be attending.

These two can be said to represent half of the current Chinese-language film industry.

At 10 a.m., parking attendants outside the hotel were frequently seen guiding vehicles bearing various media logos into the designated lane.

A banner reading "Warmly celebrate the launch of director Zhang Yimou's new film 'Under the Hawthorn Tree'" was hung high in the Media Center press conference hall. Zhang Weiping's productions are always extravagant, such as the huge concept painting of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" in the center of the stage of the main venue, Chang'an Hall.

However, the reporters were surprised to find that Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei were prominently featured in the nameplates for the press conference on stage.

What does it mean?
If the guests are there to support a director they have a good relationship with, there's no need for them to steal the spotlight and sit at the head of the table. Otherwise, who would care about the movie?

It wasn't until Lu Kuan, Zhang Yimou, and Liu Yifei emerged from behind the concept art for "Under the Hawthorn Tree," and Han Shanping, Zhang Weiping, and others took their seats in the front row, that the reporters began to speculate.

The production company sat in the audience, while the main creators sat on the stage.

Leaving aside Liu Yifei, is Lu Kuan going to co-direct with Zhang Yimou?

It doesn't seem necessary, does it?
Judging from the title, it's clearly a love story, and the concept art even has a contemporary feel, unlike some large-scale war epic like the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Host Liu Yan stepped to the front of the stage: "Welcome to all the guests, reporters, and audience members. Today's press conference for the launch of the 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' project is officially beginning."

"Since the preparations for the Olympics began last year, our two directors on stage today have been away from filmmaking for more than a year. I believe everyone is looking forward to their first film after their return."

"Today, I am pleased to announce that the two directors' first project after returning to their main profession will be a special collaboration!"

Liu Yan threw out the punchline, and the cameras in the audience started clicking away. Zhang Yimou walked to the front of the stage with a smile.

"Okay, thank you all very much for coming. As Mr. Han Shanping and Director Lu Kuan said at the recent symposium on the legislation of the Film Promotion Law, the development of the domestic film industry is in full swing, and we practitioners need to forge ahead together to contribute to expanding the market and attracting audiences."

"I've been busy with the Olympics for the past two years since 'Curse of the Golden Flower.' Sometimes I joke with Director Lu that my hands are itching to quit smoking, just like a heavy smoker trying to quit! So now that the Olympics are over, I've lit up a cigarette."

A soft chuckle rippled through the audience.

Zhang Yimou smiled and said, "Let me give you a brief introduction first. This film, 'Under the Hawthorn Tree,' is adapted from Amy's novel of the same name. It tells the love story of intellectuals in the 70s. The subject matter and script are from Wenjie, which is also one of the investors in this film."

"In choosing the female lead, I believe that among the new generation of actresses in China, the one who is suitable in terms of age and acting skills is none other than Yi Fei, who is here today. We are also honored to invite her to dedicate her first role to this production after winning the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress award. Thank you!"

Zhang Yimou turned around and greeted Liu Cixin. The young woman smiled radiantly, rose slightly, and clasped her hands together, a common gesture of humility in Chinese culture.

The reporters in the audience couldn't hold back any longer and one of the bolder ones interrupted, "Director Zhang, is Director Lu acting opposite his girlfriend, or are you two co-directing?"

Zhang Yimou's expression was sarcastic: "You've already made it so clear, isn't it obvious enough?"

"Alright, now let's have Director Lu give us some instructions. Let's give him a round of applause!"

Mr. Lu stood up with a smile, shook hands with Zhang Yimou as they passed each other, and stood in front of the stage in a sharp suit.

As he raised the microphone, a sharp-eyed reporter noticed the ring on his left ring finger; its unique design differed from typical men's rings.

Over the years, the biological habits of this richest man and the entertainment industry's "washing machine" have been thoroughly studied. He himself has several quirks regarding his appearance and clothing.

First, he always wears suits and ties, either haute couture or casual, and rarely shows any other image;

Secondly, he never wears any external adornments, such as watches, necklaces, or rings; at most, he wears sunglasses.

Clearly, this ring is going to be the focus of entertainment reporters' attention soon, especially some sharp-eyed reporters in the front row who have already taken out their cameras to capture Liu Yifei's hand.

"Director Zhang is praising me. I'm happy to communicate with everyone. There's no need to give instructions."

The reporters were noticeably more excited than before, eager to know his role and function in the film.

Boss Lu gestured for everyone to calm down: "This movie is a project submitted by the IP department of Wenjie Films."

"When I first read this romance novel, and as I sketched out the scene in my mind from a director's perspective, I naturally thought of Director Zhang."

"For example, the scenes of collective labor in the novel reminded me of the long take of shadow puppetry at the beginning of 'To Live'."

"The beautiful countryside in the novel's background and the hawthorn tree, an image throughout the book, are also very suitable for the section on the poplar forest in 'Hero,' which depicts the ultimate pursuit of natural light."

"Plus Director Zhang's age and the era he lived in—"

Lu Kuan turned around and joked, "Director Zhang, let me reiterate, it's really not because you're old."

The reporters in the audience, Han Shanping, and several celebrities who came to show their support all smiled and applauded, knowing that the relationship between the two was extraordinary.

Perhaps only Zhang Weiping, with his expressionless face, felt somewhat uncomfortable; he didn't really want to see the industry leader's film company being so intimate with his "host."

What if I manage to leech off Zhang Yimou? How am I supposed to keep profiting from him?

Zhang Weiping, who dared to be outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant and boastful during the filming of "Curse of the Golden Flower," no longer has the same arrogance when he sees Lu Kuan.

This ruthless man, who even dared to curse Zuo Shandiao while Han Shanping was involved, was very wary of someone's ruthless methods.

Look at that damned Zhu Dake! He's in such a terrible state!

"Director Zhang has already given a fairly good introduction. As the producer, I'll add a few words: the total investment for this film is around 7000 million RMB, with Wenjie and China Film each holding 40% and New Pictures 20%."

"The filming period is about three months. Because of the subject matter of the film, there are almost no special effects in post-production, so the process will be relatively fast. It is expected to be released on Valentine's Day in 2009."

"The main cast for the film has been basically finalized, with Liu Yifei and I playing the male and female leads..."

An uproar erupted from the audience, followed by a series of gasps of amazement.

The press section instantly stirred, and the cameramen in the back row simultaneously adjusted their positions and pressed the shutter, creating a silver wave of flashes.

Then came a flurry of questions from reporters, one after another.

"Director Lu, what were your considerations when you decided to act in this movie?"

"Director Lu, what are your plans for your next project?"

"Was this movie a wedding gift to you and Ivy?"

. . .

Xiao Liu watched with a smile on his face. The investor, Han Shanping, and the director, Zhang Yimou, were also very pleased. With this level of publicity and buzz, even without deliberate hype, the film would be guaranteed to generate buzz from the start of filming to its release.

Just like the previous promotional model of Wenjie, they casually released some behind-the-scenes clips of the young couple's scenes together, which is sure to generate a lot of buzz.

Of course, this advantage wasn't given to the other two investors for free.

Of the film's budget of 7000 million, the combined salaries of Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei amounted to 3000 million, and that was a friendly price.

Liu's market value can be compared to Zhang Ziyi in this year's "Mei Lanfang". Both are top actresses who act in domestic art-house works, and their salaries are much lower than those of normal commercial films, which are around 200 million US dollars.

There was no reference for Mr. Lu's net worth, but even Zhang Weiping, who is usually stingy, readily agreed to the package price of 3000 million.

The previous film, "Under the Hawthorn Tree" in 2010, had a budget of around 5000 million. Considering the two-year time difference, it's roughly the same as this film after removing the 3000 million in actor salaries.

"Everyone, don't rush. It's only 10:30 now. There will be plenty of time for questions later. Let me finish introducing the confirmed cast first, so you can write your scripts, right?"

The reporters cheered: "Great! Mr. Lu is truly a friend of the media!" and "This is the episode I support the most!"

"The role of the female lead's mother is played by Ms. Xi Meijuan, an outstanding stage actress."

"The main male supporting role of the village chief is played by Mr. Zhao Benshan. Everyone can look forward to it. Both of them have something to do today and cannot be here. Please come and interview them on the day filming starts."

Because the filming was moved up by one or two years, Li Xuejian, the actor who originally played the village chief, is currently in the recovery period after surgery. Replacing him with Grandpa Benshan will bring another dimension to the film's interpretation.

Xiao Liu didn't have a chance to speak individually, but once the reporters started asking questions, they basically threw all the topics at her.

The girl was wearing a bright yellow dress today. The dress had a round neck and three-quarter sleeves that fit her arms.

The skirt features an exquisite floral print, with floral and animal elements adding an artistic touch and subtle details, perfectly highlighting her elegant and graceful temperament.

Especially after being showered with love, the fairy, bathed in happiness, looked like a person who had stepped out of a painting.

As they passed each other, Xiao Liu smiled and took the microphone from her boyfriend, standing gracefully on the stage.

Film Journal reporter: "Yi Fei, after more than a year of further study at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, what improvements or thoughts have you had on your acting?"

Xiao Liu can now be considered a budding "academic performance theorist," especially after inheriting Melsin's mantle, where long-term practice and research have greatly benefited her.

The young woman calmly replied, "My stage experience at the Beijing People's Art Theatre has given me a deeper understanding of the differences between theatrical performance and film performance."

"Drama requires more outward tension, conveying emotions through dialogue, body language, and stage direction, while film relies on the subtle capture of camera language, requiring actors to fill in the characters with more restrained details."

"In actual performance practice, these two performance methods can actually be mutually verified and compared and analyzed."

"For example, improvisation training on stage improves an actor's ability to adapt to the situation, while the precision required for 'repetitive performances' in film demands that they maintain a sense of freshness in front of each shot, which is very interesting."

"Oh, by the way!" Xiao Liu spontaneously advertised, "The Beijing People's Art Theatre will be holding a drama performance commemorating Mr. Cao Yu on the 24th of next month. Friends who are interested are welcome to come and watch. Thank you!"

A reporter from the Beijing Entertainment News asked: "Yi Fei will be portraying a romantic relationship with Director Lu both on and off screen. What kind of acting challenges will this overlap of reality and fiction bring? What are your thoughts on this now?"

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "To be honest, I'm a little nervous. In the past, I only had to face criticism from one director. Now I have to face the scrutiny of two of the top directors in the country. This kind of opportunity may only come once in a lifetime."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Especially one director who has a bad temper and often gives a sour look on set, you know what I mean."

"Hahaha!" The audience burst into laughter.

"Speaking of challenges, since the end of my last TV series, I have been trying different types of roles to avoid falling into the trap of stereotyping."

"The character I played this time is quite different from me in terms of both the era he lived in and his personality. In particular, my co-star was very strong, which made it easy for my performance to become unbalanced."

"Another thing is that I've known Lu Kuan for almost nine years, but to pretend to be strangers in the drama and develop a love story from scratch is actually quite difficult. It requires the actor to have a very strong sense of conviction, otherwise I feel like I'll be pulled out of the scene as soon as I see his face, haha!"

A few questions about Zhang Yimou and Boss Lu were interspersed throughout, but the conversation then completely veered off course, heading straight for questions about Xiao Liu and her personal relationship.

Reporter from the Beijing Evening News: "We just noticed that both Consort Yi and Director Lu are wearing new rings. Are you two married now?"

"Not yet, I can't tell you the exact date, otherwise I'll be mobbed haha! I'll announce the good news to everyone when we get the marriage certificate."

Jinling Evening News reporter: "Yifei, could you tell us how you two came to work with Director Zhang and how you came up with the idea of ​​playing a couple in the drama?"

"The process of reaching the cooperation was actually very simple. Back in June, Lu Kuan and Director Zhang were rehearsing too late, so I went to deliver clothes to them. After the rehearsal, we had a late-night snack together."

"Director Zhang took us to a very authentic Xi'an-style barbecue restaurant. Lu Kuan ate a bit too much because he was greedy, and since he had eaten our food, he had no choice but to agree."

The audience burst into laughter. Boss Lu frowned speechlessly. Why was the history book being written in front of the person involved? You clearly ate the most.

Zhang Yimou just found the young girl amusing, patted the arm of the young man next to him, and quietly gave him a thumbs up.

"As for playing a couple, to be honest, I had to beg and plead with him," Xiao Liu said with a candid laugh.

"For reasons that everyone knows, I have a little regret about my adolescence, so I would like to ask Director Lu to cooperate and let me experience the process of falling in love in different stories."

"You can think of it as a personalized, custom-made copy of a romance story—"

The girl smiled and asked the reporters below the stage, "Is that what it's called? It's the one from the recent online game 'Zhu Xian 2'. I don't really understand it."

"That's right! It's a dungeon!" The audience responded enthusiastically. They knew they were right to be interviewing her; she's got a lot to do.

A reporter from Popular Cinema asked, "Yi Fei, 'The Sky of History' was a great success at the beginning of this year, and you became the youngest Best Actress in the history of the Berlin Film Festival. In fact, you are also a strong contender for the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards and the Huabiao Awards in mainland China. What are your thoughts on this?" The Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards are in late September, while the Huabiao Awards have been postponed to next year due to the earthquake. However, as long as the judging criteria are fixed, there shouldn't be any major surprises. Otherwise, it would be a collapse of the credibility of the awards themselves.

"Yes, thank you for the audience's love and the nomination judges' recognition. It might sound a bit pretentious to say this, but I really didn't have a strong desire to win the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival."

"It would be best if it were available, but even if it isn't—"

"As long as the greatest significance and value of this film can be realized, that's all that matters. What I really want to see is for it to be remembered in film history forever, so that audiences can gain patriotic ideals and beliefs from it. Thank you."

Another round of applause erupted from the audience.

I don't know why, but if other female celebrities said these things, no one would really believe them.

But she is indeed a rare "real person" in the entertainment industry, a girl who dared to set herself on fire in front of the whole world at the height of her popularity, and reporters really have no reason to doubt her.

Her words may occasionally sound a little off, but they are never embellished.

The atmosphere at the event was fantastic, and the top female celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry, with over 1600 million fans, became almost the sole focus of attention.

Popularity, commercial value, and fan base are all reasons why the media are vying to ask her questions.

Xiao Liu is also quite shrewd. If the topic goes too far off track, she will manually try to bring it back, or promote movies, online shopping malls, etc. She is truly a virtuous and capable wife.

The "pink bubble" at the scene was broken by questions from some unfriendly media reporters.

Reporter from "Heartbeat News": "Ms. Liu, you are getting married to Mr. Lu next month. Have you signed a prenuptial agreement? If not, are you worried that people will say you are marrying into a wealthy family to climb the social ladder?"

"Last month, news circulated in the industry that Ms. Zhang Ziyi's marriage to a Jewish tycoon had fallen apart because they couldn't reach an agreement on a prenuptial agreement. So we're quite curious about your situation, thank you."

Liu Yan reacted quickly: "Please cherish this opportunity to ask questions. I will not answer questions unrelated to the movie today."

The bespectacled reporter smiled: "We've had many discussions about Ms. Liu's personal life before, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Why is this topic so sensitive? Well, I apologize for being so abrupt. Let's move on to the next question."

On the stage, Boss Lu looked calmly at this unexpected troublemaker, who was clearly a cunning old fox who had come prepared.

The purpose of raising this question is to attack someone's conscience. In their eyes, how could a wealthy man like Lu Kuan not build a protective wall around his vast fortune?
Will he allow female celebrities to carve up his business empire?

Bringing this up is bound to make things incredibly awkward, especially for Xiao Liu on stage. The media from the Nanfang Group are really looking forward to seeing her reaction.
As for Liu Yan's interruption, it gave them an opportunity to make a fuss over it.

The phrase "Let's ask another question" leaves room for endless speculation, and within twenty minutes of returning home, countless conspiracy theories can be attributed to it.

"China's Top Actress Harbors Malicious Intent, Seeking to Steal the Country Through Indirect Means"

"21-year-old marries into a billionaire family; industry insiders reveal: the woman's team planned this all along."

Nine Years of Planning Finally Pays Off: How the Nation's Goddess Trapped China's Richest Man

Exclusive Analysis: Actress's Dowry List Revealed, Hidden Clues in Wenjie's Equity Structure

From the film set to the wedding home: Liu Yifei's meteoric rise to a business empire.

. . .

An eerie silence fell over the scene, and several reporters in the back row who were holding recording pens instinctively shrank back.

In the chaos, a young reporter knocked over a mineral water bottle, the sound of the plastic bottle rolling around being particularly jarring in the otherwise silent meeting room.

Apart from a few glances from Xiao Liu in the stands, almost everyone immediately looked to catch the movements of Boss Lu sitting in the back.

There aren't many people who dare to provoke a tiger these days, but the Nanfang Group, with its large size, influence, and loud voice, is clearly one of them. The "Xinjingbao" newspaper is their platform for public opinion in Beiping.

A series of coughs suddenly rose from the corner, like some kind of unspoken signal.

Several website editors began frantically deleting the titles they had just typed, their slightly agitated expressions reflected in the cold light of their phone screens.

Big news is coming!

Zhang Weiping, sitting in the audience, remained calm and composed. Han Shanping, standing beside him, gave a soft snort. Zhang Yimou, who was on stage, also wanted to get up and say something, but was stopped by Lu Kuan.

"It's alright, she can handle it."

On stage, Liu Yifei listened silently to the reporter's questions and Liu Yan's quick thinking, her head tilted to the side. She was momentarily stunned.

She wasn't stumped by the question; she just suddenly realized that almost four months had passed since they confirmed their marriage, and no one had mentioned it at all!

It seems that for them, this has never been a question worth considering.

It's definitely not worth considering. Liu Xiaoli is still the actual controller of Boss Lu's important assets in North America.

While it's called nominee shareholding, there are loopholes that can be exploited under US law. Didn't a senior lawyer like Anna Huang warn him about this?

Anyone else, given the nature of a time traveler, would definitely be on guard.

But this girl, who always maintained a pure heart amidst the world of fame and fortune, revealed her true feelings to the world in front of cameras at her 18th birthday party; she committed suicide in the Fox studio to protect her lover; and she held Lu Kuan tightly in her arms amidst the earthquake ruins, pouring out her heart—

She had already used her life as ink and her soul as a pen to write the purest answer on this test paper filled with trials of humanity.

Even if a woman steps out of the frame, the background of the canvas behind her remains forever pure and pristine.

It seemed like she was only stunned for a second before Xiao Liu on stage immediately raised the microphone with a bright smile, without even turning around to look at her or ask for help.

Their deep understanding of each other meant that she had absolutely no doubts about Lu Kuan.

Instead of questioning money, something that two people could never spend in several lifetimes, it's better to question whether the washing machine can uphold male virtues.

"You're such a bad reporter. Lu Kuan had forgotten about it, but you reminded him."

The audience, including the indignant fans, were stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter and applause.

The bespectacled man from the "Heartbeat Report" appeared calm, but a hint of suspicion arose in his mind. He glanced at the tycoon behind her, who was already chatting and laughing quietly with Zhang Yimou beside him.

what's the situation?
Is the richest man crazy?
Xiao Liu smiled and said, "Just kidding. This question is a bit presumptuous, but I don't really mind."

She suddenly turned to the reporters in the audience: "Are you a little disappointed? Haha."

Before the stunned bespectacled man could answer, the girl continued, "Actually, I really resonate with something Lu Kuan once told me—public figures, while enjoying the honor and the spotlight, also inevitably have to accept the fact that their privacy is being invaded."

"No matter how angry or helpless you are about it, you can't change this fact."

“I admire his strong inner strength. Since then, I have become like him and almost no longer bother myself with trivial things.”

The girl showed no anger or impatience, her gaze towards the reporter was completely emotionless: "To be honest, we haven't thought about the so-called prenuptial agreement since the day we decided to get married."

“I don’t need to go back and confirm with him. I believe Lu Kuan didn’t think of that either.”

"I don't need to offer such a pointless contract to win his favor in order to prove that I'm not a gold digger."

"He would never have such intentions as to try to test or coerce me through various means."

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "That's all I can answer this question for, otherwise it would be like the plot of the movie that Director Jiang Wen is currently filming—"

"A person, in order to prove his innocence, cut open his stomach in front of everyone to show that he had not eaten an extra bowl of noodles."

The fans in the audience burst into enthusiastic applause again. This clip from "Let the Bullets Fly" had been released on Zhijie Video before, and it was very timely and easy to understand.

The girl suddenly said with a mischievous grin, "But your suggestion has given me an idea. I've decided to sign a prenuptial agreement with Lu Kuan, and all my personal income will be under his control from now on."

"That way I can go out and brag everywhere. Even if someone becomes the richest man in the world, they'll still have to rely on me to support them!"

The reporters present offered good-natured laughter and applause; kind people and good hearts are always universally loved, and Xiao Liu's answer was almost impeccable.

Boss Lu raised the microphone from behind: "You're keeping your word, right? Give me your salary card from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, and I'm not going to work anymore after this movie is finished."

Liu Yifei smiled radiantly: "Sure, I'll take care of you!"

"Hahaha!"

The audience burst into laughter again. The washing machine and the mudslide actually spun quite harmoniously in the drum, becoming the "ultimate stain-removing combination" today, making this self-proclaimed sharp-tongued reporter from the "Heartbeat Daily" feel like he had lost his parents.

He forced himself to stand up straight, but couldn't hide the flush spreading to his ears. He had already received all the mocking looks from the reporters around him and the curses from the fans in the back row.

On stage, Liu Yifei turned her head and her gaze met that of her fiancé in the air.

The cunning glint in those phoenix eyes hadn't faded completely before it melted into a gentle, spring-like softness.

Reporters frantically captured her stunning profile; the curve of her hump nose, outlined under the flashlights, created a defiant silhouette—a resilient mark sculpted by the Creator.

In Lu Kuan's opinion, Xiao Liu's beauty has a gentle and graceful side.

But what he admired even more was her proud and sharp character, like a camel-hump nose, and the unexpected aggressiveness hidden beneath her gentle exterior.

However, Zhang Yimou, Han Shanping and others did not seem to find this surprising.

Could a woman who stands beside this young man who has built such a great empire and stood at the forefront of the times be some weak and sickly woman?
She was never a delicate flower; she was a verdant bamboo in the mountains.

Humility and integrity remain evergreen even in the face of frost.

The following day, news of the "Under the Hawthorn Tree" project being approved quickly spread across the internet and offline media.

China Film News: Zhang Yimou and Lu Kuan are collaborating for the first time as director and actor, respectively, and Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei are making their screen debut as a couple. This film, "Under the Hawthorn Tree," with an investment of 7000 million RMB, is highly anticipated.

Unlike typical directors and actors, it is believed that these two national-level directors will be able to create more sparks in their collaboration.
Unlike typical on-screen couples, what kind of period romance will Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei deliver? Let's wait and see.

Special front-page article in Jiangcheng Daily: With the refreshing autumn breeze, Jiangcheng eagerly awaits the return of Liu Yifei, a young woman from Jiangcheng, to Hubei Province to film a movie!
Yesterday, it was officially announced that director Zhang Yimou's new film "Under the Hawthorn Tree" will be filmed in Changyang, Yichang. The actress playing the role of the educated youth Jingqiu is Liu Yifei, a "fairy" who came from Jiangcheng.

As soon as the news broke, the residents of Hankou Lifen all shouted: "Girl, don't just focus on dating Director Lu, remember to come back to Jingwu Road and eat some duck necks!"

From a "little sweet potato" under the Yellow Crane Tower to "China's Qian" on the Berlin podium, Liu Yifei's roots are forever planted in the humid summer breeze of Wuhan.

This time, waiting for her under the hawthorn tree was not only love, but also the doting affection of the entire city.

"Young lady, Jiangcheng will always be your first act!"

China Film Report: China Film Group and Wenjie have jointly invested in a mid-budget art film, a rare collaboration. Han Shanping was present to support the film. Analysts pointed out that the couple Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei bring their own audience, but the box office needs to break through the "ceiling" of art films.

How will Lu and Liu's on-screen couple debut turn out? Let's wait and see next Valentine's Day.

Some reports have gone quite off-topic. Besides hyping up the first on-screen collaboration between Lu Kuan and Liu Yimou, and the first collaboration between Lu Kuan and Zhang Yimou, the most talked-about topic is the issue of "prenuptial agreements".

According to the *Heartbeat Daily*, at the press conference, Liu Yifei directly addressed the reporter's questions, stating that she and Lu Kuan "never considered an agreement," and even jokingly added that "his income belongs to him." Experts analyzed that this move both responded to public opinion and reinforced her "non-materialistic" image, but the fact that her billions of dollars in assets were left undefended still sparked heated discussion.

However, the absence of a prenuptial agreement does not mean there is no protection. Trusts and equity arrangements may have replaced the function of traditional agreements. Mr. Lu Kuan can completely reduce his shareholdings and assets to a fraction of their value to avoid property division issues in the event of a marital crisis.

Phoenix Entertainment: From "I'll cut my belly to prove I'm a fan" to "I'll support you," Liu Yifei's witty remarks once again break through a public relations crisis.

Liu Yifei used a reference from the movie "Let the Bullets Fly" to refute questions about prenuptial agreements, and her interaction with Lu Kuan about "salary cards" sparked a trending topic. Public opinion monitoring shows that her response was widely recognized by women born in the 1980s, and the number of views on Weibo quickly exceeded 100 million.

Despite all the commotion, the person involved remained calm. At 8 p.m. on the 28th, Mr. Lu's official business at Wenjie was nearing its end.

Chen Zhixi knocked on the door and came in to report on her recent schedule:

"Mr. Lu, your plane ticket for tomorrow has been booked, and the interview with Time magazine has also been arranged. We've given you plenty of time to handle your company affairs in North America."

"Furthermore, according to communication with the production team of 'Under the Hawthorn Tree,' filming is expected to begin in late September, which will also avoid clashing with Ms. Liu's performance on the 24th."

She paused for a moment: "Ms. Liu hasn't given me an answer yet regarding your schedule after the interview..."

"Oh? Then she probably hasn't decided where to go yet. Anyway, her passport is all ready, so let her decide for herself."

This refers to Xiao Liu's long-awaited "annual leave" trip.

Just like when I went to Sicily last year, after working myself to the bone for half a year, I need to give myself a few days to rest. Otherwise, what's the point of making so much money?
"Yes, received." Chen Zhixi didn't say anything more, and instead handed him a CD.

"Mr. Lu, this is a work submitted by the preliminary reviewers from the Pan-Asia Film Academy. They said it meets your requirements quite well. Please take a look."

"You're not recruiting this year, so why are you getting so many resumes?"

Chen Zhixi laughed and said, "You have no idea how coveted this opportunity is. Whether or not we recruit students, there will be no shortage of people submitting their work. What if a big shot takes a liking to it?"

The Pan-Asia Film Academy opened its first class in September 2006. Due to the scarcity of directors and the lengthy training cycle of the academy, it does not hold classes every year like ordinary universities.

Obviously, the kind of resource allocation that involves sending people like Guo Fan and Lu Yang to Hollywood film crews for a year of training and who haven't returned yet is not suitable for large-scale recruitment.

Not to mention that in the next two years, depending on the evaluation, Wenjie, Dongbao, and Xijie will provide filming opportunities with funding.

Lu Kuan took the CD from Chen Zhixi. Because of the academy's commercial film bias and "utilitarianism," he had set "filter words" for the selection. It seemed that this applicant's work met the requirements.

Chen Zhixi closed the door and left. She inserted the CD into the drive, and several crooked red characters popped up on the computer screen, very eye-catching—

"Hit, hit a big watermelon."

(End of this chapter)