Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 481: Strategic Moves Lead to Death (Bonus Chapter for Ice Cream)
September, following the Olympics, was filled with news across the country.

The news of Lu Liu's marriage has sparked a frenzy among Lu's fans across Asia and even overseas, as well as the fans that Liu has accumulated on Mytube.

Then came the passing of Xie Jin, a renowned Chinese director who represented an era.

The memorial service for the veteran director and the numerous condolences, both in terms of official protocol and the scale of the event, were sufficient to demonstrate his prestige and reputation.

At the memorial service, Xie Jin's family member, Xu Dawen, personally handed a note written by her late husband about his hopes for the future of Chinese cinema to Lu Kuan, a member of the funeral committee.

This scene was captured by numerous reporters, and major national newspapers all used the headline "Xie Jin Entrusts His Orphan to a Family."

This loneliness refers to Chinese films.

Upon returning to Beiping, renowned Chinese director Lu Kuan, in an interview with reporters at the airport, addressed this topic, stating:
This is Director Xie's expectation for every Chinese filmmaker: that all colleagues work together to contribute to the development of the Chinese film industry.

Until September 13, 2008, the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival was held in Dalian, Liaoning Province. Hosted by Tu Jingwei, Patty Hou and Xu Jinglei from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, the festival brought together excellent films from the past two years, including "The Sky of History", "Assembly", "The Knot", and "CJ9".

But for discerning viewers, this year's Hundred Flowers Awards were not particularly controversial, and other production teams didn't have much energy to struggle either.

In terms of strength, reputation, box office, international influence, and official endorsement, "The Sky of History" is unmatched.

Regarding the industry's unspoken rules, Boss Lu's various titles are well-known, though he hasn't quite reached the point of saying, "The Football Association, the referees, the witnesses, plus the organizers and co-organizers—they're all my people. What can you do against me?"

However, such positive results, along with the backgrounds of the film's directors and producers who can provide support, make the awards at this year's most authoritative film festival in China a foregone conclusion, including next year's Golden Rooster Awards.

Even though the powerful figure was not present, his wife, Liu Yifei, sat in a prominent position that was frequently captured by the cameras.

Who can ignore it, who dares to ignore it?
As expected, the final award results for "The Sky of History" went viral, and Xiao Liu's fans celebrated wildly during the Zhijie Video live stream.

Since Mr. Lu was not present, his wife accepted the group's awards on his behalf.

This includes Best Feature Film, which is the Best Film at the Hundred Flowers Awards, and Best Director.

Among them, the Best Supporting Actor award went to Feng Yuanzheng, who played a Japanese officer, while the Best Actress award was unsurprisingly won by Liu Yifei.

The peak of the barrage comments on Zhijie Video occurred when her Iris Chang nomination clip was broadcast and when she went on stage to accept the award, but Liu Yifei, who was used to such scenes, no longer had much excitement about them.

To use an inappropriate analogy, it's like the "wild and inappropriate words" Bingbing spoke to her—

Having been possessed by such a man, both spiritually and physically, how could she possibly be interested in mediocre people?

Having experienced the grand scenes of the three major European awards and the Oscars, Liu Yifei finds it difficult to feel emotionally affected by these domestic awards that are essentially just a distribution of prizes.

The Oscars rely on public relations, while the Big Three at least select films and award prizes according to their own standards. In contrast, the practice of awarding prizes to two winners or splitting the spoils in China at times is far too blatant.

However, this did not dampen the enthusiasm of Xiao Liu's fans, who were delighted that their idol could sweep all the awards in mainland China with this groundbreaking biographical film.

These are the weapons that fans use against haters and rivals in their online battles:
Don't try to piggyback on my fame, you little actress! Even a low-budget version of Liu Yifei isn't allowed!

The fairy is a Berlin Film Festival Best Actress winner, so you should at least be a Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival Best Actress winner, right?
What about your prize?
On September 24th, the "Drama Performance Commemorating the 98th Anniversary of Mr. Cao Yu's Birth" event of the Beijing People's Art Theatre kicked off at the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Because it is not a full-year anniversary celebration, and unlike other arts performances at the Beijing People's Art Theatre that have multiple rounds of ticket sales, like a movie release, this commemorative event will only last for one week, with one show each in the morning and afternoon every day.

In order to attract audiences and generate buzz, Zhang Heping, Pu Cunxin and others decided to put Liu Yifei's "Sunrise" in the first performance.

The former was transferred to the Beijing People's Art Theatre, which is already responsible for the theatre's market-oriented functions. It is only natural that they would make reasonable use of the fame of their own actors.

Moreover, given the relationship between Zhang Heping and Lu Kuan, this is clearly a way to promote Xiao Liu as a leading actress, with expectations for her performance to be a great success.

At 9 a.m., the grand theater in the west annex of the Capital Theatre at No. 22 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, was packed to capacity.

Lu Kuan made a special trip back from Hubei Province. The day after Xie Jin's memorial service, he spent several days scouting locations in Yichang with Zhang Yimou. The pre-production work for "Under the Hawthorn Tree" was complete, and some scenes with supporting actors had already begun filming.

We've been waiting for him and Xiao Liu, the main characters.

To be honest, this was Mr. Lu's first time watching a performance at the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

The classic horseshoe-shaped theater with over 1000 seats and deep red velvet chairs has been transformed into a simple study set in the style of the Republic of China era.

Zhang Heping looked at Lu Kuan, who was surveying the room, and smiled, "How about it, my tycoon? Our venue is alright, isn't it?"

Boss Lu frowned and teased him, "Old Zhang, that's not a good way to put it. Why does calling me 'the temple of art' sound so materialistic? If you really don't like it, you can just call me Teacher Lu."

Zhang Heping remarked, "If we can get Xiao Liu to participate in rehearsals and performances at the Beijing People's Art Theatre for a long time, what's wrong with you calling me Xiao Zhang?"

"No, no, no, please don't flatter me! People will laugh at us if they find out!" Boss Lu waved his hands hastily, then smiled and teased, "But your plan is a bit too ambitious—"

"You pay my wife a salary of just over 3000 yuan a month, and you expect her to work for your Beijing People's Art Theatre long-term? People who acted in 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' earn at least 1500 million yuan a month, okay?"

"If you keep doing business this well, I might just poach you from the entertainment industry!"

Zhang Heping laughed heartily, but then his expression turned bitter.

"Since the Olympics, I've basically devoted myself to the Beijing People's Art Theatre. We have some internal reform plans that are geared towards marketization. Would you have time to give us some guidance?"

Boss Lu laughed and said, "I wouldn't call it guidance, but we can chat casually. I'll give you some bad ideas, and you can decide for yourselves."

“Look at this!” Zhang Heping wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip by; he’d never seen anyone more adept at combining art and commerce than this person.

"I proposed two solutions. One is to increase the actors' pay, with veterans like Song Dandan and Lao Pu receiving the highest pay, around 3000 yuan per performance."

"The second is the experiment with the scene-by-scene directing system. We really can't rely on these old directors anymore. To put it bluntly, if they get sick one day, we won't be able to rehearse our play. Wouldn't that be worrying?"

Lu Kuan hesitated for a few seconds, then lowered his voice even further: "You're like the Pan-Asia Film Academy, training theater directors for a different, market-driven path."

"The Beijing People's Art Theatre has its own unique characteristics. It depends on how we handle this. But I think directors like Lin Zhaohua and Gu Wei are quite distinctive, so it shouldn't be too bad."

Zhang Heping clicked his tongue: "It's really hard to say. Many of the older comrades have a broad vision, but there are also quite a few who are not open-minded. It all depends on how the work is done."

"I have an idea."

"You said."

Boss Lu started to slip in his own agenda: "There are many obstacles to nurturing new directors, so let's start from where there are fewer obstacles."

“Look, Lao Feng was previously trained by Mr. Xia Chun, and later by Director Lin Zhaohua. You can start by training the top disciples of these leading directors. If you can’t rehearse a whole scene, you can rehearse a single scene first. Is that alright?”

"I refuse to believe that these old gentlemen can stop their prized disciples from making progress."

"Once this step is successful, hey! Then bring in the young directors you have your eye on, gradually take over and assign tasks. Will they still be able to find fault with you then?"

Zhang Heping slapped his thigh: "That's right! This is definitely a good idea. Feng Yuanzheng has been working with Lin Zhaohua to direct 'Teahouse' since 99. When I suggested he try directing a one-act play, the old man would have loved to give it his all, wouldn't he?"

He hesitated again: "But Feng Yuanzheng's ambitions don't lie here, do they? That guy is just a theater fanatic."

"Isn't that simple?" Boss Lu looked incredulous, seemingly unable to understand how Zhang Heping, who came from a particular background, couldn't even grasp such a simple question.

“He who is in a position should fulfill his duties. How about you give him more responsibilities? Let the actors be the captain first, and gradually hand over some administrative tasks to him.”

“Old Feng has an advantage: he can switch seamlessly between acting in stage plays and movies. If you make him the captain of the actors’ team, it will be very attractive to many young actors from the Beijing People’s Art Theatre. They are willing to listen to Feng Yuanzheng.”

"I'm not trying to discourage you, Lao Zhang, but how many young actors at the Beijing People's Art Theatre these days don't want to make big money? With someone like Xiao Liu earning 3000 yuan a month, let alone her commercial value, I don't think she could stay even if she were a recent college graduate."

Zhang Heping nodded thoughtfully. He knew that Lu Kuan and Feng Yuanzheng had a good relationship, but what he said made sense and was convenient for both public and private matters.

To put it bluntly, even just giving this Mr. Lu a little face, and having his wife Liu Yifei perform at the Beijing People's Art Theatre a few more times, would have generated a completely different level of public attention.

"Mr. Lu, there's something I need to say upfront."

Boss Lu laughed and said, "Why are you so serious? What's coming down is definitely not something nice."

"No, I was thinking, maybe Xiao Liu could take on some heavier responsibilities at the Beijing People's Art Theatre?"

The washing machine was stunned. How come I just finished stuffing my own stuff in, and now you, Lao Zhang, are here too? Are you trying to turn the tables on me?
With a salary of only 3000 yuan, you're just going to make the most of my wife's name to generate revenue for your Beijing People's Art Theatre?
"What burden?"

Zhang Heping hesitated for a few seconds: "How about the vice captain of the actors' team, or a youth member of the arts committee?"

Upon hearing this, Boss Lu raised an eyebrow, and then looked at Zhang Heping with a different expression: "Old Zhang, the organization made the right choice in using you. You still have guts."

"A 21-year-old actress as the vice-captain of the actors' team, aren't you afraid you won't be able to suppress the overwhelming public opinion? Will Xu Fan and his people be convinced?"

Zhang Heping remained calm: "Since the organization has transferred me from Forbidden City Film Studio, it's to carry out market-oriented reforms and break away from the theater operation model that relies solely on government funding."

"Besides, I didn't say it would only be this year. It could be next year, the year after, or when Xiao Liu gets a little older and it doesn't look so exaggerated. But do you agree to continue down this path?"

The smile on Boss Lu's face faded slightly as he was just thinking of fooling Lao Zhang so that his own person Feng Yuanzheng could be promoted sooner.

That's why they're all so shrewd; they immediately retaliated with a swift and decisive strike.

Of course, this is not a confrontation, but a conditional cooperation where each party gets what it needs.

Among the conditions proposed by Zhang Heping, the position of the captain of the actors' team is easy to understand, but what exactly is the Arts Committee?

At Tokyo University, a committee is generally the highest authority for collective decision-making.

At Beijing People's Art Theatre, the Arts Committee is the highest artistic authority, responsible for rigorously reviewing all the theatre's performances.

From script selection, director's explanation, actor selection to stage design, the Arts Committee supervises the entire process to ensure that the work reaches the "Beijing People's Art Theatre standard".

Clearly, the so-called "youth committee member" position he assigned to Liu Yifei was a vacancy filled by someone else.

The requirements for this position may be numerous, such as being under 25 years old, having won awards at international film and theater festivals, and having received formal drama education. However, the most important, and perhaps least explicitly stated, requirement is—

If it were Lu Kuan's wife.

It's not that Xiao Liu isn't good enough right now, but rather that Zhang Heping and the Beijing People's Art Theatre need her own popularity, plus the support of Boss Lu behind her.

In fact, during Zhang Heping's tenure in the previous life, he introduced flagship products such as "Wotou Guild Hall", the classic performance season system, the independent producer system, and even brought diversified business ideas such as film industry derivatives to the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Under his sweeping market-oriented reforms, the box office of Beijing People's Art Theatre increased from more than 1400 million yuan in 2008 to more than 7300 million yuan in 2012, setting a historical record. The growth rate of this niche field was almost comparable to the growth rate of the overall domestic film market.

Zhang Heping looked intently at the young director: "President Lu, what do you think?"

This is asking if the conditions are met. You can bring up more, and we can discuss it further.

Boss Lu laughed heartily and said, "Actually, you've asked the wrong person."

"What?" Zhang Heping was stunned.

“You all think that I arranged Xiao Liu’s career, but that’s not the case.” Lu Kuan gestured to the audience who were already entering the venue: “Take her joining the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, for example, it was her own decision.”

“My influence over her is veto power; if I say don’t do something, she won’t do it.”

"However, as an independent individual, she has her own thoughts and opinions on other matters, so asking her to go to the Arts Committee might just be shooting herself in the foot."

"She may not be like other young actors, echoing the voices of the older generation."

Zhang Heping was stunned for a few seconds, then quickly realized what had happened: "I was mistaken. I'll have to find an opportunity to talk to Comrade Xiao Liu about this."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Yes, you can talk to her directly."

"Her own ideal is to be an actress. She is currently studying Melsin's manuscripts and Stanislavski's third phase. I think she might be interested."

Zhang Heping half-jokingly said, "You're not going to use your veto power, are you? If Xiao Liu spends his time at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, he won't have much time for commercial performances and endorsements like other celebrities, will he?"

"As long as you don't interfere with her movie acting, she won't want to."

"Haha! No, no, don't you know what I'm trying to do? I'd love for her to win all three major awards, wouldn't that make our Beijing People's Art Theatre even more prestigious?"

Zhang Heping sighed: "You don't know until you're in charge. The Beijing People's Art Theatre is really struggling to make ends meet. The loss of talent is too serious."

“In the past, our big show today would only sell for 80-200 yuan a ticket, not to mention student tickets.”

"We promoted it in advance this time, and Xiao Liu participated in the first event. The price range of 120-350 was almost sold out. What does that mean?"

"If we hadn't put some tickets on the online market, scalpers could have been selling them for at least 700 or 800 yuan! The other day, those SM Family Concerts in Korea, the inner field tickets were only a little over 1300 yuan, what's wrong with us?"

Old Zhang slapped his thigh: "We have to do it like we do with film promotion, otherwise, if we just talk behind closed doors, which ordinary people would want to come to see a play?"

Lu Kuan, however, seemed interested in another topic he mentioned: "Who handles your online ticketing?"

"Damai.net, the one that provided servers for our Olympics back then, the one run by Cao Jie."

"Hmm, I remember, but their business scope is quite large? They even handle tickets for obscure theaters like the Beijing People's Art Theatre."

The opening ceremony of the Olympics was sold online. As the chief director, it is not surprising that Lu Kuan also connected the Beijing People's Art Theatre to online ticketing, and it is impossible for him to suspect any shady dealings behind it.

His question is that the Beijing People's Art Theatre only sells tens of millions of tickets a year, so why would a company like Damai.cn, which hasn't even caught up with the times, bother to develop such resources?
In 2008, Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" concert in Beijing generated a whopping 3000 million yuan in revenue.
Jay Chou's world tour this year generated 3500 million NTD in revenue in Beiping, and even nostalgic shows like the Super Band route generated 1500 million NTD.

Why is Damai.cn, as an industry pioneer, focusing on "side projects" like the Beijing People's Art Theatre instead of getting involved in these high-value concerts?
He was naturally unaware that this was the "axis of evil" led by Lianxiang training its troops to familiarize themselves with the business model, cultivating a ground sales team, and preparing for the upcoming major battle.

Lu Kuan received a phone call, hung up, stood up, glanced at the screen, and waved to Liu Xiaoli, who was entering with her ticket.

"Mom, sit here so we can take pictures of Qianqian later."

"Ok."

Boss Lu then introduced the two: "This is Dean Zhang Heping, Xiao Liu's superior."

"Dean Zhang, this is my mother-in-law, Ms. Liu Xiaoli."

Zhang Heping warmly stood up and shook hands with her: "Hello Ms. Liu, welcome to the Beijing People's Art Theatre to watch the performance. Yi Fei is very talented. We are all looking forward to today's 'Sunrise'."

"Thank you, Dean. We've caused you trouble!"

People are in high spirits when they have good news. Since September, no mother in the world has been happier than Liu Xiaoli. Everything is going so smoothly for her daughter.

After today's premiere, she will accompany the young couple to their hometown in Hubei Province.

I'll stay in Jiangcheng for two days, then go to the film crew in Yichang to take care of my daughter and son-in-law.

very busy.

As the performance was about to begin, Boss Lu sat between Zhang Heping and Liu Xiaoli and joked, "Mom, Dean Zhang just talked to me about something and asked for your opinion."

"Hmm? Xiaolu, you tell me."

"That's right. The Beijing People's Art Theatre now attaches great importance to the training and development of young actors. Sisi herself wants to pursue an acting career and has been involved in both film and theater."

"Dean Zhang's intention is to focus on cultivating her and have her enter the People's Art Theatre's artistic committee and administrative ranks in the future, but he hasn't told her yet."

Liu Xiaoli was taken aback upon hearing this.

She might not be familiar with movies and TV series, but she has some understanding of the production process because of the few films her daughter has acted in.

But when it comes to this kind of artistic arrangement, this recipient of the Five-One Project Award is very knowledgeable.

In 1970, my mother was admitted to the Jiangcheng Song and Dance Theater to systematically study ballet, classical dance, folk dance and traditional dance. After graduation, she stayed at the theater due to her excellent grades and participated in revolutionary-themed dance dramas such as "The White-Haired Girl" and "The Red Detachment of Women", playing major roles.

In her time, even a municipal-level arts troupe like this was considered a very secure job, let alone her daughter working at the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Moreover, it's a position, not just being an actor.

She has experienced the hardships of being an actress and the struggle to gain experience.

Liu Xiaoli was pleasantly surprised: "I think it's great! But we still need to see her own opinion, and Xiaolu will give it a final check."

“This can be considered a daughter following in her mother’s footsteps,” Lu Kuan said with a smile. “However, the Beijing People’s Art Theatre is not like the song and dance troupes of your time; there are not many restrictions on actors going out to act in movies.”

Zhang Heping seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation: "Actually, people of our generation, like Ms. Liu, have an emotional attachment to government positions and work units."

"Yes, it wasn't easy to get into a dance troupe back then. I was able to stay in the hospital thanks to my teacher's strong support," Liu Xiaoli recalled with emotion.

Zhang Heping smiled and said, "Actually, I think Yi Fei is very suitable to join the Beijing People's Art Theatre. The younger generation of the Beijing People's Art Theatre also needs young actors with her character and upright stance."

"Furthermore, the management of the Beijing People's Art Theatre is very humane. Even if Yi Fei says that she is too busy with work to come to the theatre to rehearse and perform, she only needs to pay tens of thousands of yuan a year to retain her position. This amount of money is negligible for a family like yours."

"Moreover, from watching her portrayal of Iris Chang, I can see that she is indeed dedicated to her craft and loves acting. She is perfectly suited to shine at the Beijing People's Art Theatre and to cultivate her talents in both art and administration."

Liu Xiaoli smiled and said, "Okay, hehe, I think I can chat with Qianqian."

The host on stage began announcing the program, and the three of them stopped speaking, each of them considering and processing the information they were about to receive.

Old Zhang has gone to great lengths to promote the marketization of Beijing People's Art Theatre, and he's determined to bring this top celebrity in the entertainment industry into the theatre's ranks.

But from another perspective, this is something Lu Kuan is happy to see happen.

Returning to the overall picture of the Chinese film industry, specialized agencies like China Film Group and the State Administration of Radio and Television have abundant resources and share common interests.
He has acquired almost all the titles that he can obtain and that he finds meaningful.

Industry resources have boundaries, but director resources include the Pan-Asian Film Academy.

So, what is missing from his goal of integrating into and "deeply participating" in the development of Chinese cinema?
First, we need more good actors; second, we need more say in the evaluation system.

The good actors here are not those who serve the entertainment industry exclusively, but those who serve the entire domestic entertainment sector and are protected by reasonable mechanisms and policies to prevent the "bad money drives out good" phenomenon that has emerged in the era of internet traffic.

In his past works, for commercial reasons, there may be young, popular newcomers like Jay Chou and Liu Yifei in his early days, but he always pairs them with seasoned professionals like Feng Yuanzheng, Li Xuejian, and Liang Jiahui.

The Beijing People's Art Theatre is actually a better and more professional performing arts "school" than the Beijing Film Academy, but its talent cultivation efficiency is too low.

It's true that Zhang Heping, who is currently in power, is one of his own, but his age is a factor, and he wants to push Feng Yuanzheng into the core leadership ranks as soon as possible.

The Beijing People's Art Theatre is a national-level art institution. Whether it is co-producing, integrating resources, selecting actors, or prioritizing government projects through the Beijing People's Art Theatre, or even promoting cultural exports in the future, it can play an important role.

As for Lao Zhang, with whom he had a good relationship during the preparations for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in the past two years, his next career move in his previous life was to become the chairman of the Beiping Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

Why can't this life be a higher level of literary association?

The status and role of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles are beyond doubt. It is the core channel for the Party Central Committee and the government to connect with literary and art workers, and it is a national-level people's organization.

Its important guiding role in the arts and culture sector lies in the fact that 12 national arts and culture associations, including those for drama, film, music, and fine arts, are subordinate units.

All awards, commendations, policy pronouncements, and policy-making in these sub-fields are under its control, including well-known awards such as the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards, the Golden Eagle Awards, the Magnolia Awards, the Huabiao Awards, and the Feitian Awards.

This is a concentrated manifestation of the leadership that you in the literary and art circles must accept; the Federation of Literary and Art Circles plays this very role.

For Lu Kuan, changing Chinese cinema means first and foremost changing its evaluation system.

The death of pig manure is the first step, but also the simplest.

Because behind the scenes, there are many more vested interests that are difficult to change in a short period of time.

Jokingly speaking, regardless of whether he can actually achieve it, Boss Lu, with his extremely strong desire for control, is...

"The Football Association, along with the referees, witnesses, organizers, and co-organizers, are all my people. What can you do against me?" I'm still willing to fight for that level of commitment.

Therefore, today's conversation with Zhang Heping can be seen as his opportunistic move and strategic planning regarding the Beijing People's Art Theatre and the higher-level power structure of the arts and literature circles.

Including his wife Liu Yifei, she is actually the most promising candidate for cultivation.

He has impeccable political background, no scandals, and a correct political stance.

Within three generations, they are all veteran revolutionaries, diplomats, medical workers, and dancers; the investigation is straightforward, and their family background is impeccable.

At the age of 20, she won the Best Actress award at the Berlin Film Festival for a film as positive as "History Sky". Since her debut, she has been committed to promoting Chinese culture overseas, such as the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Hanfu, and Chinese cuisine in "A Home Away From Home".

Boss Lu's status and wealth meant he had no room for advancement within the system, but as his wife, Liu Yifei was completely unaffected by such constraints.

If she enters the power structure of the national arts and culture sector through the Beijing People's Art Theatre, her future development is entirely promising.

Don't forget, she's only 21 years old this year, after achieving all of the above.

Ten, twenty, or thirty years from now, it's not impossible to consider certain positions.

The washing machine, which claims to respect his wife and let the young woman make her own choices, has already started thinking about how to "take advantage" of her.

This ingrained way of thinking had been ingrained in his mind since the little girl was 15.

Lu Kuan stroked his chin, looking at his newlywed wife on the stage, and the image of a "female protagonist in a high-ranking official's novel" 20 years later gradually surfaced in his mind.

"Great! Sisi acted so well!"

Liu Xiaoli's voice interrupted Lu Kuan's thoughts.

In the center of the stage, Liu Yifei, playing Chen Bailu, is frozen on the edge of the sofa in a ballet-like backward lean. Her chiffon nightgown is spread out like a dying white dove. Amber light cuts down from the side curtain, casting shadows like marks on her neck.

This is the classic pose that Cao Yu called "the swan with a broken neck," which Xiao Liu portrayed with a touch of girlish fragility.

Lu Kuan was constantly distracted by other things, but the final scene still showed that Liu Yifei had made considerable progress in her acting over the past year.

We'll see how she performs in "Under the Hawthorn Tree".

The entire audience stood up and applauded, and the actors on stage lined up to take their bows. The only thing that seemed out of place was the fans in the audience who had been holding back their cheers all day, holding up signs that read "Fairy Sister" and "Vitamin Qian" and shouting loudly.

Some familiar faces had some reservations. They had no problem with the actresses on stage, but did such fan commotion make the People's Art Theatre, such a prestigious art institution, seem frivolous?

Such thinking is quite normal, but Zhang Heping doesn't think so.

He's here to handle administrative operations and sabotage things, he can't even survive himself, why does he care about all this?
Liu Yifei's presence is a guarantee of box office success, which can be considered the first attempt at using a "traffic star" in the drama field.

Old Zhang's greatest confidence comes from the fact that this popular celebrity's work is also guaranteed; otherwise, the arts committee within the institute would not have approved it. This is also an important reason why Xiao Liu can be part of Lu Kuan's "cultivation of a high-ranking official's daughter" strategy.

While clapping, Zhang Heping teased, "President Lu, aren't you going up to present Consort Yi with a bouquet of flowers?"

Boss Lu acted like a rogue: "If you're going to give them away, it should be paid for by your Beijing People's Art Theatre. Look at all these Liu fans here. Whether they understand it or not is another matter, but isn't this generating revenue for you big shots?"

"Haha! No wonder you're the richest man, you're such a good businessman." Zhang Heping turned around and asked a staff member to fetch a bouquet of flowers, which put Lu Kuan in a difficult position.

Liu Xiaoli laughed and said, "Go on, Xiao Lu, you have to coax your own wife."

What could the washing machine say when its mother-in-law gave the order? Fortunately, it was shameless and leisurely climbed up the steps from the side of the stage.

The leather shoes made a steady sound on the wooden floor. Several of Xiao Liu's "rich female" fans bought the most expensive front-row tickets and started shipping the couple on the spot, bursting into screams.

Liu Yifei, who was in the center of the stage, was taking her bows with He Bing, Wu Gang and others when she caught a glimpse of that familiar figure out of the corner of her eye, and a dimple appeared on her lips.

The veteran actors on stage, sensing the implied meaning, took a step back and nodded to greet Boss Lu.

The latter approached "Chen Bailu," who was dressed in a moon-white cheongsam, and presented her with a hastily put-together bouquet of flowers, which looked rather bright and interesting: "Miss Chen, you acted very well."

"Thank you!" Liu Yifei gave her husband a hug and whispered something in his ear. Boss Lu then stepped down from the stage, not wanting to steal the spotlight from the main characters on stage today.

A male fan in the audience, who had been drooling, went from being overjoyed to being furious: "Damn! Did the washing machine serve Empress Dowager Cixi before? It's so good at currying favor!"

The female fans found it amusing, bursting into laughter while simultaneously criticizing him, expressing envy, jealousy, and hatred.

With Liu Yifei's help, things were a bit chaotic, but the Beijing People's Art Theatre was still able to steadily collect ticket revenue for each play, which is the foundation of marketization.
-
2 PM, Wenyu River Prefecture.

Sunlight streamed obliquely into the walk-in closet through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Liu Yifei, barefoot on the soft cashmere carpet, was carefully folding a light gray cashmere cardigan and placing it into a 26-inch Rimowa silver suitcase.

Rimowa opened its first store in Beijing's World Trade Center last year. The German brand's luggage is indeed very well-made and made of exquisite materials, which she really likes.

Lu Kuan had very little luggage and clothing, just a few shirts, a tracksuit, a pair of leather shoes and sneakers, and everything else was her own. Her 26-inch suitcase fit perfectly.

The performance received positive feedback, and Xiao Liu, who had been rehearsing Chen Bailu for several months, was also in high spirits, listening to Lu Kuan, who was leaning against the door frame, tell him about Zhang Heping's suggestion.

The girl was somewhat amused and exasperated: "The Arts Committee? There aren't any people under 50 there, are there? Wouldn't I be too conspicuous if I went in?"

"You don't need to worry about that. As long as you are good at your job and can bring in box office revenue for the Beijing People's Art Theatre, Lao Zhang will take care of the rest."

Lu Kuan argued vehemently: "I'm willing to submit to you just to ride your coattails. If the Beijing People's Art Theatre wants to make a living from you, can't they at least produce something of real substance?"

“When Zhang Heping first brought it up, I declined by saying that you have to make the decision yourself, but after thinking about it later, it was indeed a good suggestion.”

“At Southeast University, everyone needs to be part of an organization. My organizations are Beijing Film Academy, China Film Group, and the China Association for Promoting Democracy. You also need to have your own title. This is for your protection.”

Liu Yifei asked in bewilderment, "What happens after you get a minor official position at the Beijing People's Art Theatre?"

The washing machine had been thinking for a long time backstage: "One to two years, I will become the deputy captain of the Beijing People's Art Theatre's acting troupe, take over Feng Yuanzheng's position, and then join the Arts Committee."

"The timing of future promotions is uncertain, but one should first shine at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, ideally reaching the position of Vice President of Business, and then taking up a position in the National Actors Association."

With Leader Liu, Lao Zhang, Teacher Li Xuejian, Lao Tian, ​​and other old acquaintances around, it wouldn't be a problem for someone to be in charge of drama and film work at the Beiping Federation of Literary and Art Circles at the age of 30.

“From now on, it will be very simple. The Federation of Literary and Art Circles, as a department that combines art and administration, will promote talents based on two criteria: first, the qualifications of the local Federation of Literary and Art Circles; second, their professional abilities, industry reputation, and status. You have all of these.”

Lu Kuan looked at his bewildered wife and laughed, "If you do as I say, barring any unforeseen circumstances, you can expect to become the vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles by the age of 40-45, especially since the 'naive girl' will be promoted the fastest."

"You can have both by joining the Pearl Party, are you interested?"

In fact, the current chairperson of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles is Ms. Tie Ning. She was 59 years old when she took office in 2006. The youngest deputy was Ms. Xia Juhua, born in 88, who was 51 years old at the time.

Liu Yifei pondered for only two seconds before shaking her head: "No interest."

The girl immediately laughed and said, "I just want to make movies, play with washing machines, walk my dog, pet my cat, and travel. Why would I want to be an official?"

She took two La Perla silk drawstring bags from the drawer, one for her and one for her husband's underwear, showing absolutely no interest in the washing machine's suggestion.

After a moment, she thoughtfully turned back and glanced at me again: "Or do you need me to do this?"

"Just like when I went to ask about Director Liu before, they asked me to transition a bit. Now, I'll just be a mascot to ward off misfortune?"

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "There's no need or need. You can do whatever you want. I'm just suggesting a possibility."

The interpersonal relationships at the University of Tokyo are very pragmatic. It's like a small dinner table where the head seat is always occupied by the staff, while artists and the wealthy are now considered equal. But when it comes to actors, they are definitely relegated to the last seat.

The benefit of doing this is that it allows Liu Yifei to transcend the identity of an actress, and even remove the label of Lu's wife, allowing her to appear under her own name.

Of course, this process will be long, but with Liu Yifei's business acumen, intelligence, and the support of a certain washing machine company, she has a great potential.

Xiao Liu chuckled: "But they all call me a mudslide. How can someone like me become an official? What if I offend people with what I say?"

"So what if you offend them? There aren't many people you can't afford to offend right now."

"Ha! Look at what I've prepared for you!" Liu Yifei glanced at the washing machine coquettishly, grabbed a newly bought shirt and tossed it to him: "Try this on me and see how it looks. The light blue one suits your skin tone better."

"However, I am quite interested in doing something at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, especially in the actors' troupe. It would allow me to put Melsin's teaching methods into practice and would also benefit Stanislavski's research."

"As for the rest you mentioned... will they be useful to you? If they are, I'll do them. As long as you're not afraid that I'll cause a mudslide and ruin things," Xiao Liu said, laughing as he spoke.

"Is this even useful—"

"Let me give you an example. Right now, the Korean wave is crazy, isn't it?" The washing machine unbuttoned the shirt one by one. "One day, when the time is right, the Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the State Administration of Radio and Television can issue a ban on Korean dramas under appropriate conditions, prohibiting Korean dramas from being broadcast during prime time, restricting the import of Korean films, and imposing strict requirements on the appearance of Korean artists on domestic variety shows."

"Or, in the previous handling of cultural scum like Lu Chuan and Zhu Dafen, the Federation of Literary and Art Circles was actually the core administrative unit. Do you understand now?"

Xiao Liu exclaimed in surprise, "You washing machine, you want to be both the athlete and the referee, right? And you expect me to be the referee?"

"Those old pedants and stubborn old fogies can curse even more fiercely than Zhu Dake! If you touch their territory, won't you be getting swarmed by crickets every day?"

"I was acting out of personal motives and for official business; some deep-seated problems require drastic measures," Boss Lu said calmly. "As for who's criticizing me—"

"Those who know me and those who condemn me, only history will tell."

"Twenty years from now, when China's cultural product exports have firmly established itself as the world's number one, when the whole world is speaking Chinese, and when children overseas are scrambling to buy Nezha and Sun Wukong figurines, what will you look like then?"

"When the mountain flowers are in full bloom, I will smile among them."

Xiao Liu's beautiful, bright eyes were fixed on her husband, unwilling to look away even for a moment. After a while, she chuckled and said, "You're not bad at pretending. It's a pity that I'm no longer the little girl who was easily fooled by you."

Her gaze shifted downwards, and she flicked her finger through the fabric of her underwear: "I told you to change your shirt so I could see if it fit, why did you take your pants off? Hmm?"

The girl's voice rose at the end, carrying a hint of coquettishness.

"Huh?" The washing machine sheepishly put its trousers back on: "I'm used to it, I'm used to it."

"Shameless!" Liu Yifei spat lightly, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.

Her slender fingers gently traced every crease on her husband's shirt.

Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting a soft glow on the girl's delicate profile, making her skin appear as white as snow.

She stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around Lu Kuan's neck: "I'll do whatever you need."

"Whether I like it or not doesn't matter, but I want to follow you and help you realize your dreams."

"This is far more interesting than how much money you make, how big a house you live in, or how luxurious your life is."

The washing machine, which "makes the best use of people's talents and resources," pleased Long Yan. However, he still gave his wife more time to think. He was not so ambitious as to force his wife to become a big shot and "collude with him in management and business."

"Since you like it, you should develop your career at the Beijing People's Art Theatre first, and we can talk about other things later."

"What I mentioned was just a possibility. It's not that easy. It requires the combined efforts of heaven and earth."

Liu Yifei smiled, revealing dimples, and teased Boss Lu, "If I were the chairman of the literary association, the first thing I'd do is target your washing machine! You'd better write a self-criticism about how you corrupted the entertainment industry back then."

"Please, let me off the hook. By then, our son will be able to write essays, so it would be more appropriate for him to write one titled 'My Writers' Association Chairwoman Mom.'" "Haha! Are you trying to trick him or me?!"

Xiao Liu broke free from her husband's embrace and, seeing that he was like a lazy old man who knew nothing about farming, ordered, "Go to the bedside table and get a few boxes of those, then go to the bathroom and get the sanitary napkins. I'll pack them all together."

She glanced at her watch: "Our flight is at 3:30. Let's not dawdle. Let's get to Jiangcheng tonight. It'll be like I'm going back to my parents' home after getting married."

"understood."

Mr. Lu was assigned by his wife to do some chores within his ability, and he didn't complain much. However, when he got his work clothes, he made sure to take a few extra boxes.

Then, she went to the mirror in the bathroom and, following Liu Yifei's instructions, took out several packs of sanitary napkins, categorized by type, including daytime, nighttime, and extra-long sets.

But as he held it, he suddenly felt something was wrong.

its not right!
I've been in Yichang for several days now. Based on the dates, Xiao Liu should have started her period by now, right?
It's not that he's a particularly meticulous man who can remember all these little details about his wife.

He had an unforgettable experience more than a year ago—

Liu Yifei seduced the washing machine, implying that she could have sex with it if it successfully surfed the wave.

As a result, after drinking water all afternoon, Boss Lu realized she had been tricked; her period had started.

That day was around the 19th or 20th.

We've been together day and night for the past year, and she's around this time every month, with a margin of error of two or three days. But none of these sanitary napkins in front of us have been opened.
Washing Machine, whose true nature is still that of a scumbag, suddenly had a brain that functioned like a sophisticated supercomputer, instantly deducing various logical chains.

A rewind of the timeline!

Environmental evidence analysis!

There are also some strange characteristics of Xiao Liu, such as being very afraid of the heat when he was in Argentina.

"Where's the road? Where are they?"

Two impatient voices approached from afar. The girl, shuffling in her slippers, walked to the bathroom door: "I thought you fell into the toilet. Why did it take you so long to get a sanitary napkin? Do you need it?"

"Sisi, you haven't gotten your period yet this month?"

Lu Kuan felt a throbbing in his temples, not from fear, but from a strange anticipation, a spiritual sensation he had never experienced in his past or present lives.

"It should be coming soon in the next couple of days, right? My lower abdomen is a little bloated and painful." Xiao Liu touched her lower abdomen, then looked at the washing machine with amusement: "Why are you making such a fuss? It's not strange if it's delayed by three or four days."

Liu Yifei pushed her husband away and started packing her women's belongings: "I've probably been too tired from flying back and forth between the US and Argentina lately, and I had a pretty wild time in Ushuaia."

"That's not surprising, you wouldn't doubt it..."

"I have serious doubts!" ​​Boss Lu's eyelids twitched, and he suddenly grabbed Xiao Liu's arm, gently leading her to sit down on the sofa.

Do you have a pregnancy test at home?

Liu Yifei was both amused and exasperated: "Of course not, preparing for that is way too early! We didn't have any plans."

She patted her husband lightly: "No, it's normal for my period to be a few days late. Besides, I've had some chest pain and lower abdominal pain these past two days. These are all signs that my period is coming."

"Could these be early signs of pregnancy?"

Lu Kuan couldn't shake the strong premonition in his heart. He looked her up and down a few times, hoping to find some clues from her physical appearance.

Xiao Liu felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze, and because those two words were uttered, she felt her heart pounding, as if some miracle of life was truly being conceived within her.

Can. . .

Was that a safe period? Even though it was the last day or two.

Lu Kuan's expression changed rapidly, like the sky before a storm, his pupils sometimes contracting and sometimes dilating.

His gaze unconsciously fell on his wife's flat stomach, a mixture of anticipation and anxiety amplifying in his mind—a feeling more intense than any moment of artistic achievement or the joy of reaching a business goal.

Having lived two lives, this was the first time Lu Kuan had felt this way.

"Have you packed your suitcase?"

Liu Yifei gestured to the sanitary napkin in her hand: "Isn't it just waiting for you? My mom has been waiting downstairs in the living room for ages."

"Let's go downstairs."

Mr. Lu was unusually flustered. After taking a few steps, he pressed his wife down onto the sofa again: "I'll pack the boxes. You sit here and we'll go down together in a bit."

"Is it really necessary!" Xiao Liu was just startled.

But then she thought back to the tense and stressful times she had spent filming over the past few years, and there had been times when she had irregular schedules of three or four days a week. Especially during the filming of "The Sky of History", the pressure and anxiety almost drowned her.

Liu Yifei found it quite amusing to see the washing machine so flustered, its face turning red and white, and the way it kept muttering to itself, but she could still feel his gentle care.

It wasn't until they went downstairs that Liu Xiaoli started asking all sorts of questions in a very exaggerated manner, and she finally stopped laughing.

"No, Ah Fei, come with me to buy two pregnancy tests. Let's take a look first. We can't be careless!"

Liu Yifei got up, took an orange, peeled it, and ate it: "With all this fuss, the news will probably spread all over Beiping soon."

"Now quite a few paparazzi know we live here. If you really go and buy it, it'll be Reuters' story circulating online in less than ten minutes."

Liu Xiaolv exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "Come and see! Liu Yifei's mother went to buy a pregnancy test!"

"Haha, you might just guess it's you, old man..."

"Go away! You can't even keep your mouth shut!" Liu Xiaoli was furious and wanted to slap her eldest daughter on the bottom without any mercy, but she stopped herself.

An elderly mother, having been through it all, knows that sometimes things are just incredibly unpredictable; even a simple tap on a pregnant woman's shoulder from behind could knock the baby out.

Liu Xiaoli, who was eager to become a grandmother, pressed her daughter down onto the sofa: "Don't be careless. It's better to be safe than sorry."

"It's true that there have been delays in the past, but sometimes a woman getting pregnant is just a blessing, a matter of fate, and you can't stop it!"

Liu Yifei was somewhat helpless after being told this, and stuffed the last segment of orange into her mouth: "I can't stop you now, you've gone to too much trouble."

"Do you want to hear my advice? I suggest we head to the airport now. Even though we have plenty of time, if we run into paparazzi or reporters on the way and get stuck, we might really miss our flight."

Liu Xiaoli looked displeased and then glanced at her son-in-law. It's true what they say, there has to be a man in the family; someone to hold the reins is needed in crucial moments.

"Okay, let's head to Jiangcheng first." Lu Kuan handed a tissue to Xiao Liu: "Mom, contact Auntie and ask her to buy a pregnancy test there. Once we get there, have Qianqian take a test as soon as possible."

"Okay, let's go then."

Liu Xiaolv rolled his eyes, seemingly still unaware of the seriousness of the problem.

In her life experience, this kind of experience of having her period delayed by three or four days was too common, and she already had signs of her period coming.

She did pack a pack of sanitary napkins in her bag, in case her period suddenly comes tonight or tomorrow morning, temporarily shattering her mother's "grandmother's dream".

There are direct flights from Beijing to Yichang, taking about two hours from the Capital Airport to the Three Gorges Airport.

However, there are fewer trains available, and Liu Xiaoli also wanted to take her daughter and son-in-law back to her hometown for a visit, as it would be considered a homecoming after they got their marriage certificate. Therefore, she made a point of staying overnight in Jiangcheng before heading to Yichang the next day.

The itinerary was kept well confidential, because no one expected that Xiao Liu, who was performing at the Beijing People's Art Theatre in the morning, would rush to the film set in the afternoon.

After landing, Liu Yifei's assistant team, who had arrived earlier, had arranged everything. Three cars, carrying Lu Kuan and his wife, Liu Xiaoli, and a group of staff, drove to Panlongcheng.

Liu Yifei asked excitedly, "Mom, have Grandma and the others moved in yet?"

"Yes, your aunt is staying here too." Liu Xiaoli was still thinking about her daughter's pregnancy and was a little absent-minded. "If you hadn't come back, they wouldn't have moved in."

This villa area in Panlongcheng is called Baoan Shanshui Longcheng. It is a luxury villa that Liu Yifei bought for them two years ago. In 08, the average price was around 15000 yuan per square meter. It is also the largest villa area in Jiangcheng at present.

Liu Yifei's maternal grandparents had always lived in their old house in the family compound and were unwilling to move. It was only after meeting in Beiping this time that Liu Xiaoli managed to persuade the two elderly people with her words:
When Sisi returns to her parents' home, is it appropriate for your son-in-law to stay in a hotel?

The old family quarters couldn't accommodate so many people, and besides, it was a bit shabby for the son-in-law.

In traditional Chinese wedding customs, the son-in-law is always treated as a distinguished guest in his wife's family. This courtesy reflects the importance attached to the daughter's marital happiness and is also a ritualistic confirmation of the marriage relationship between the two families.

The Book of Rites records that "the son-in-law carries a goose into the hall, bows and yields before ascending to the main hall." In some places in modern Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it is said that "the son-in-law's stool is higher than the host's seat." These are similar cultural phenomena that have been passed down.

The older generation believed in this principle even more, so Liu Xiaoli coaxed and threatened them until she finally managed to get the two elderly people to live out their old age in the property that their granddaughter had bought for them.

The journey from the airport to Shanshui Longcheng is over 20 kilometers. Around 6 p.m., the group arrived at the luxurious villa area of ​​over 700 square meters.

In fact, Liu Yifei in her previous life liked to buy real estate.

In the early stages of his rise to wealth, Boss Lu had already amassed about twenty courtyard houses in Beiping, which greatly influenced Liu Yifei's "financial management concepts," making her even more enthusiastic about becoming a "property tycoon."

Even Liu Xiaoli, who couldn't help but believe he really had some metaphysical abilities, supported her daughter in using all her early earnings to buy a house.

And so, the villa in Jiangcheng was acquired.

"Sister! Xiao Lu, Qianqian!" Aunt Zhou Wenqiong was already standing in front of the courtyard waiting for everyone. The two elders behind her also came out with smiles to greet their granddaughter and grandson-in-law.

They had such a good impression of this grandson-in-law; he was the perfect candidate.

Liu Xiaoli gave her younger sister a wink; things were still far from settled, and she had no plans to inform their parents yet.

The daughter's identity is special, and if word gets out, it will be detrimental to her career development. Everything depends on the final result.

But the expectant grandmother was also quite flustered at this moment.

In the living room, she pretended to be calm and asked Lu Kuan to sit down. Then she turned to the two elderly people and said, "Mom and Dad, you two keep Lu company and have some tea and chat. I'll take Qianqian to tidy up her room."

Grandma Liu was overjoyed and waved to her daughter, "The quilts have all been aired out, and the rooms have been cleaned these past few days. You two go quickly."

She then turned to her grandson-in-law: "Xiao Lu, have you been busy lately...?"

Mr. Lu was a little anxious, but seeing his mother-in-law take his wife upstairs, with his aunt Zhou Wenqiong following closely behind with her bag, he could only suppress his chaotic emotions for the time being.

He looked up and calmly exchanged pleasantries with the two elderly people: "I'm fine..."

"What do you mean 'it's alright'?!"

On the second floor of the villa, Liu Xiaoli looked at the negative result on the pregnancy test and looked dejectedly at her daughter who smiled and said "it's okay". Her brows were so furrowed that they could trap a mosquito.

With such a big butt, how come it's all show and no substance?
I was so happy for nothing.

Liu Yifei said innocently, "Don't take your anger out on me. I didn't resist having a child. You're just making a mountain out of a molehill."

She stepped forward and put her arm around Liu Xiaoli's arm: "Don't worry, Mom. I'll talk to Lu Kuan about it later. We'll follow the national policy of promoting healthy births and raising children. This can't be rushed."

The elderly mother stared at the unforgiving horizontal bar for a few more seconds, as if she were extremely unwilling to accept that the 500 million lottery ticket she had just won had expired last week.

Liu Yifei leaned closer to look at her elderly mother's expression and couldn't help but chuckle: "Mom, if this scene of yours were in a movie, it would definitely win an award. The dramatic tension in your expression is just too strong."

"Like in 'A Chinese Odyssey' where Supreme Treasure discovers the Moonlight Box is malfunctioning, or in 'Infernal Affairs' where Lau Kin-ming discovers the cassette tape is blank."

The girl playfully gave a thumbs up: "No wonder she's the mother of the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress winner, amazing!"

Liu Xiaoli ignored her and turned to discuss with her sister, "Xiaoqiong, do you think pregnancy tests can be inaccurate?"

"It's possible, but the chances are slim, right?" Zhou Wenqiong also felt that her sister was a bit obsessed at this moment, probably because the process of losing and regaining something is quite agonizing.

Liu Xiaoli glanced at her younger sister without showing any emotion. The latter understood the unspoken meaning: there were some things her mother-in-law couldn't ask about, so she, as the aunt, could only be uninhibited this once.

Zhou Wenqiong pulled her niece deeper into the room, feeling somewhat annoyed that her older sister had entrusted her with such an awkward "interrogation" task.

"Sissi, have you had any unprotected sex recently?"

Just moments ago, Xiao Liu was laughing and joking, but his face instantly flushed crimson. After a long pause, he stammered, "Yes, I did... but it was safe back then, and it was only once..."

Zhou Wenqiong felt her scalp tingle and was on the verge of a breakdown. This big star niece was completely corrupted by that boy. How many times had anyone asked her?

What Liu Yifei actually meant was that on that day, the last time she was truly inside was only once...

Previously, he had also been accidentally picked up by a drunken Jing Tian, ​​and his hands were covered in her childishness.

The young woman, newly married, could not bear such humiliating questioning; her openness was limited to specific times and places guided by the washing machine.

It is not something that can be explained to outsiders, nor is it something that can be observed by outsiders.

Liu Yifei's eyelashes trembled, her eyes darting around, sometimes staring at the floor, sometimes glancing at the door: "Oh dear! Auntie, don't ask anymore, I'll go downstairs and check on Lu Kuan, he's just arrived and isn't quite used to it yet."

"Stop!" Liu Xiaoli stood guard at the door, as if to say, "This road is mine."

When the Queen Mother of the West spoke, Liu Xiaolv didn't dare to argue back. He tried to reason with her and appeal to her emotions: "My goodness, how about you wait two more days?"

"I have a bit of lower abdominal pain right now, and my period will definitely start in the next couple of days. It will all come back to normal then, so why be so suspicious now?"

She gestured to the single line on the back of his hand: "Look at you, you don't even believe in science anymore, is that acceptable?"

Liu Xiaoli sighed: "I'm worried that if you really get pregnant, and then you do too much physical work while filming or have sex with Xiaolu... wouldn't you be the one suffering? It's not good to have sex during the first three months of pregnancy."

Liu Yifei fully understood her mother's meaning and explained expressionlessly, "He went to Yichang after Director Xie Jin passed away. Didn't he just come back today? We need an opportunity to be intimate, you know?"

"Moreover, 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' is entirely a drama. I saw the location scouting photos on my computer, and the scenery was so beautiful, it was like going on a vacation."

"Don't worry, even if you were pregnant, it wouldn't have any impact at all!"

Liu Xiaoli and her sister exchanged a glance, the latter looking helpless, so the three of them had no choice but to go downstairs one after the other.

Liu Yifei walked at the front, like a victorious female general returning to court, resentful that she had been interrogated for so long on trumped-up charges.

A tyrant downstairs was getting restless.

Boss Lu looked up and smiled, "Is the room ready?"

"Alright, the blanket smells so good and feels so soft. I haven't lived in Jiangcheng for so long, I miss it so much!" Liu Yifei walked over, picked up his cup and took a sip of water.

"If I weren't afraid of being surrounded, I would really like to take you to visit the places where I lived when I was a child, such as Poyang Street Primary School and Jiangcheng Song and Dance Troupe..."

Unfortunately, the girl's nostalgia did not resonate with him as expected. Lu Kuan's gaze passed over Xiao Liu and went to his mother-in-law. Liu Xiaoli shook her head slightly, which made his heart sink.

Lu Kuan felt a pang of sadness.

He lived two lives of pleasure and debauchery, yet ultimately remained alone.

In the afternoon, he suddenly discovered the possibility that his bloodline was beginning to continue. The mere thought made his fingertips go numb, as if a tiny electric current was running through them.

But now. . .

It's not exactly disappointment; I want to have children, so I'll just make a plan and put it on the agenda.

For families like theirs, there's no need to consider the impact on their respective careers. Having children earlier actually provides a more secure guarantee for the succession of their business empires, both domestically and internationally.

The feeling of anticipation and anxiety that I had that afternoon was so intense that Lu Kuan, whose emotional threshold had been raised too high by wealth and status, was still reliving it.

What I look forward to is the wonder of the continuation of my bloodline, and what I fear is whether I am ready to be a father.
As the moon rose in the courtyard, on the large bed in the second-floor room, Liu Yifei clung to the man like an octopus.

The girl looked on with amusement at his child's sullen expression, as if he had lost a toy: "You guys are so funny. It's not like it's the first time my period has been irregular. Why are you making such a fuss this time?"

Mr. Lu closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep, and said in a leisurely tone, "I'm worried."

Xiao Liu nestled against his chest, giggling, and playfully poked his cheek: "What's there to worry about? You already have Vitamin Qian, aren't you happy enough?"

"This feeling of gaining and then losing is like a river of spring water flowing eastward, or like a group of eunuchs going to a brothel."

"Don't even mention your vitamin C, even cilendavirin won't work."

"Qian what? What is that?" Liu Yifei's knowledge hadn't expanded that much yet.

"It's for treating Pinocchio's rhinitis."

Liu Yifei was puzzled. The young couple chatted idly, and Boss Lu, whose thoughts were wandering, had no desire to have sex with his wife.

And so, bathed in the moonlight of Jiangcheng, I fell into a deep sleep.
-
Early on the morning of the 25th, before the thin fog in Panlongcheng, Jiangcheng had dissipated, three black Buick GL8s had already driven towards the Hanyi Expressway.

The group drove into the parking lot of Yuan'an Hotel, where three trucks loaded with wooden crates were unloading prop boxes printed with the words "Wen Jie".

A bright banner hung on the hotel's exterior wall: "Warmly welcome the film crew of 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' to stay here." Old school desks and chairs tied with hemp ropes were scattered on the cement floor. These were props and furniture from the special period that the art department had transported overnight from Factory 809 in Yiling District.

Xiao Liu slept the whole way and got off the bus feeling refreshed. Looking at the camphor wood box in front of him, the red paint on the lid that read "Glorious to go to the countryside" had faded to a dark brown.

"Is this a prop made by Wenjie?"

Lu Kuan approached and stroked the distressed table and benches: "Yes, the costume, makeup and props team is from Wenjie Film and Television."

"After scouting locations with Director Zhang last week, I felt that Jingqiu's house still needed to reflect the oppressive feeling of intellectuals undergoing reform. The blue bricks and gray tiles, narrow windows and small doors, and all the furniture needed to be more refined."

He was the producer of this film, but only in name; the actual work was done by his deputy at Wenjie Films.

Costumes, props, and sets are types of expenses that can enhance the immersion in a movie and also facilitate accounting. Zhang Weiping and his associates are not allowed to get involved this time.

Not only did he not allow him to get involved, Lu Kuan also instructed his subordinates to "push the issue further" when necessary, to give this meticulous but rough-around-the-edges guy a good push.

If things remain harmonious and peaceful, without revealing any flaws, how can I possibly undermine Zhang Yimou's relationship?

Zhang Yimou's daughter, Zhang Mo, came out to greet them upon hearing the commotion: "Director Lu, Qianqian, Director Zhang and the others went to Qinglong Village early this morning and will be back before the opening ceremony at noon."

Zhang Mo is very proper; she only uses her job title when working on set.

"It's alright, let's put our things away first. Is the opening ceremony scheduled for the afternoon?"

"Yes, you can put your things down and rest for a while. We'll drive there together after lunch."

"Ok."

The film crew was based in Yuanshan County, YC City, and the main filming location was Qinglong Village.

In the previous life, the film crew set the location in YC city, but in this life, considering Liu Yifei's immense popularity, they booked the most upscale guesthouse in the county.

While it's described as top-tier, the conditions certainly can't compare to those in big cities. However, the local government is very welcoming and cooperative with the film crew's activities, making things much easier in terms of order and filming convenience.

The location for the opening ceremony was also moved from the urban area of ​​Yiling District to Yuanshan County, since everyone is here to work, not to enjoy themselves.

All of this was met with agreement from producer Lu, except for Zhang Weiping, who was focused on creating a spectacle and generating media buzz.

A year later, Liu Xiaoli was able to accompany her daughter and son-in-law to the film set again, keeping her busy inside and out.

She changed the bed sheets and duvet covers she had brought from home, and arranged Liu Yifei's usual personal items neatly. Looking at the still unopened sanitary napkins, she suddenly remembered something, went to the balcony, and interrupted the young couple who were talking about the script.

"Xiao Lu, who said they were going to send you another RV? When will it arrive?"

"Harvey, that fat Jewish guy, it'll probably be another two or three weeks, maybe twenty days or so, right?"

Lu Kuan stood up: "Mom, don't be busy, sit down and rest for a while."

Liu Xiaoli waved her hand: "Making up a bed is not tiring. I just think the environment here is really just average. The RV is said to be luxurious. If we get it to you earlier, you can get a good rest."

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "Speaking of which, it might actually be better than a hotel room; it's like a small mobile apartment."

The elderly mother smiled without saying anything, and after tidying up, she went back to her room on her own.

At 1:30 p.m., in the Yuanshan County Gymnasium, a female janitor was using a megaphone to emphasize discipline: "Those wearing dark blue and khaki work clothes, stand on the left; those wearing red armbands, stand on the right! Female comrades, your braids must not go past your shoulders!"

Liu Yifei and others arrived in casual clothes and watched as the assistant director was selecting extras. The opening ceremony would be held in the large square in front of the stadium, one of the few open and spacious places in the county that could accommodate reporters.

"Xiao Lu, what are you looking at!" Zhang Yifei walked over from the crowd with a smile, and nodded to Liu Yifei: "Yifei, I'm sorry I couldn't go to support your Chen Bailu. I heard the performance went very well."

Xiao Liu humbly said, "Thank you, Director Zhang. It was my first time on stage, and I made a lot of mistakes, but Teacher He Bing and the others helped me cover them up."

Zhang Yimou waved his hand: "They've been around for so many years, how old are you? You'll be just as good as them in the future."

"Director Zhang, why did you hire a young and beautiful assistant director?" Lu Kuan gestured to Gao Ye in the middle of the venue, looking at Zhang Yimou with a mocking expression.

That's right, this Gao is the sister-in-law in "The Storm". She not only made a cameo appearance as a nurse in the movie, but also did some odd jobs.

Zhang Yimou laughed and scolded, "Don't frame me, kid! This was all Wei Ping's idea, and the person who was credited was an editor."

Whenever Liu Yifei isn't around, Zhang Yimou always says, "Do you think I'm like you?"

Zhang Weiping also caught sight of Boss Lu and the others, and happily led Gao Ye over. The old Zhang, who dared to rub the tiger's whiskers and scratch it a couple of times during "Curse of the Golden Flower," now had some opinions about this young director, but he didn't dare to show them.

He had a vague worry that his host might be poached by his good junior brother.

"Mr. Lu! When did you arrive!" Zhang Weiping, who was not particularly handsome, was actually quite shrewd despite his rough appearance. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to seize the opportunity to scold Zuo Shandiao, promote the movie, and still remain unscathed.

Mr. Lu smiled and shook hands with him: "Good morning."

Zhang Weiping and Xiao Liu nodded with smiles, then slightly turned to the side and called Gao Ye, who had just been holding the microphone, to come forward: "President Lu, let me introduce you."

"Gao Ye is my friend's child, a 06 graduate of the Beijing Film Academy's acting program. He took two months off to come to the film crew to broaden his horizons."

Everyone immediately looked at the tall girl in front of them. Gao also straightened his back and placed his hands in front of him.

Her gaze first fell respectfully on Lu Kuan's face, then she quickly lowered her eyelashes, her voice clear and bright, with obvious nervousness: "Hello, Director Lu... I am Gao Ye."

"I...I...I'm a little nervous. I was there when you gave your speech at the Beijing Film Academy, and I'm so happy to see you!"

Then she turned to Xiao Liu beside him and said, "Hello, Yi Fei. I really like your Zhang Chunru. You are a role model for our acting department."

Despite her nervousness, no one laughed at her; instead, many of the cast and crew members stood at a distance, filled with envy and jealousy.

After the Olympics, after appearing on the cover of Time magazine, and even after participating in top-level legislative design, Mr. Lu has already shed the label of simply being the richest man and is beginning to resemble an academic tycoon and a financial magnate.

It would be good to be able to say hello to this person and become acquainted with them, but since we'll be filming together in the future, there should be plenty of opportunities.

Xiao Liu smiled, unfazed by such scenes, but a little curious: "You're so tall! You're from the class of 06, so you're the same age as me. How come someone from the acting department is working as a production assistant on set?"

Gao relaxed a little when he looked at her: "I wanted to take this opportunity to see what China's top directors really require of their actors, so I took two months off."

"Since it wasn't a leave of absence for filming, the school agreed."

Gao is also from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. His parents are business people and have connections with Zhang Weiping.

In her previous life, she also got into the "Under the Hawthorn Tree" crew through his connections, but she was still quite serious and hardworking. Because of her connection with Zhang Yimou, she was featured in his "Twentieth Article" after "The Storm" became a hit.

Lu Kuan nodded and smiled, "Learn more from Director Zhang, and you'll avoid taking twenty years of detours."

Zhang Yimou waved his hand and said, "Learn more from Director Lu. You can learn acting, directing, and producing. You may not necessarily become an actor after you graduate from the acting department. It's better to be prepared."

A staff member rushed over and interrupted everyone: "Director Zhang, Director Lu, the opening ceremony is ready in the square outside. Several leaders from the county have arrived."

"Let's go then."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked out. A cordon was set up to clear an area, and the local security personnel maintained order very well, granting the crew's various requests.

But the price is that government officials have to show their faces and give speeches, taking advantage of the large number of reporters present today to promote themselves, boost local tourism, and build the city's image.

This is also the proper meaning of the title.

Liu Yifei stood beside her husband. A gust of cold wind blew by, and she shivered and huddled closer to the man beside her.

"Cold?"

"Thank goodness, it's not even October yet. Why is Hubei Province so cold? It's completely different from my childhood memories."

Boss Lu reached out and wrapped her collar tighter: "Are you stupid? This place is at a high altitude. Last week, I went to Bailihuang with Lao Zhangzi. It's over 1300 meters high and even colder."

Liu Yifei looked up and saw the incense table set up in the square: "Director Zhang and his team had a rather grand incense-burning ceremony for the start of filming."

She gently nudged Lu Kuan and teased, "You little fairy, why do you rarely do anything for your own film crew?"

In Xiao Liu's memory, from the films she participated in, such as *Whiplash*, *A Home Away From Home*, and *The Sky of History*, to the set of *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, she didn't seem to have seen such a solemn "worship ceremony"—

On the rosewood altar, the sacrificial offerings of three kinds of animals were neatly arranged. The most exaggerated one was a whole pig's head with auspicious hairs on its cheeks and a red apple in its mouth.

There is also a pagoda-shaped structure made of six-colored seasonal fruits, with the apple at the very top decorated with a gold-leaf "福" (fortune) character.

Lu Kuan chuckled softly, "I'm already a minor deity, why would I spend this money? Just chanting a couple of incantations will solve everything."

Xiao Liu smirked: "Liar, how come Zhang Tianshuo brought people to cause trouble when we were filming 'Whiplash'?"

"So Zhang Tianshuo went to jail, Edison Chen retired from the entertainment industry after the photos were leaked, and Nicholas Tse's girlfriend also..." Lu Kuan raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend: "You know what I mean."

Liu Yifei gave him a coquettish glare.

Even if it's her husband, she can't see the truth of these things.

If the washing machines really did cast a curse on them back then, causing them all to fail, the logic is actually quite sound.

Otherwise, why are they all so miserable?

"Then why did you go to the temple to pray for rain before the opening ceremony? Aren't you supposed to be so capable?"

Boss Lu pretended to be profound: "That's different. The opening ceremony is about praying for the fate of the nation. This is a huge matter. Only a god of high rank and authority can handle it."

"Unlike the trivial matters of a film crew, as long as the sentiment is there, that's enough. The mainland is not as particular as Hong Kong."

He whispered in his wife's ear, "See that black pig's head? According to Hong Kong rules, it has to be a completely black pig without any stray hairs, with both ears standing upright and a peace apple in its mouth."

"Also, the camera cover is double-layered. The outer layer is embroidered with gold-threaded Pixiu, and the inner lining is soaked in pomelo water to cleanse it. When you lift the cover, you have to pull the left corner first. Do you know why?"

Xiao Liu looked at him with great interest, her beautiful eyes fixed on him: "Left for wealth, right for disaster?"

"Yes, the left is the Azure Dragon position, the Zhen trigram of the East, which governs the energy of growth and development; the right is the White Tiger position, the Dui trigram of the West, which governs the energy of killing and destruction."

In the bleak autumn wind, everyone watched and listened to the leader's speech and the array of celebrities with expressions ranging from solemn to excited to curious.

The young couple were chatting quietly, oblivious to everyone else, when Liu Yifei suddenly hissed.

"what happened?"

Xiao Liu Xiujie suddenly frowned, pouting pitifully, "My tummy hurts, I guess my period is coming soon."

"It's alright, I'll speed things up so you don't have to stand here in the cold wind." It was Boss Lu's turn to give the final speech. He went up on stage with ease and condensed his ten-minute speech into two minutes.

A model husband.

Local leaders from Yuanshan County shook hands, exchanged pleasantries, and took photos with the crew. They showed particular favor and courtesy to the mainland's richest man, presumably already planning how to discuss investment matters at dinner that evening.

As the opening ceremony reached its final step, the entire crew took turns offering incense.

She approached the incense table, held three incense sticks, bowed, and was about to stick them into the ashes when she saw the pig's head from a distance, which looked even more "hideous".

Leaving aside the eerie sheen of the food under the autumn sun, the empty eye sockets were filled with dark red blood vessels, and the pig's mouth was wide open, holding a red apple whose skin had oxidized and turned brown.

The leaders are just too talkative.

Xiao Liu suddenly felt nauseous. She held her breath and tried to light the incense and leave, but the closer she got, the stronger the fishy smell mixed with sandalwood wafted into her nose, making her stomach churn.

Looking at the others who all seemed normal, the young girl thought to herself, "How come they can't smell such a strong odor?"
He barely managed to stick the incense sticks into the ashes. The incense and candles in front of him seemed to have transformed into twisted red snakes, and the offerings looked like rotten meat in his sight.

Actually, she was already losing control at this point. She was trying to suppress the churning in her stomach, her fingertips digging into her palms, and she turned around as if to find a place to hide, so as not to have her indecent image photographed.

She staggered back half a step, bumping right into her husband Lu Kuan's strong chest.

The latter watched her shivering while clutching her chest, worried that she had caught a cold from the wind. But when had Xiao Liu ever been so weak?
Liu Yifei looked up and saw Lu Kuan. She instinctively wanted to speak, but a sudden soreness welled up in her throat, which she couldn't control!
"vomit!"

The moment the girl hunched over and dry heaved, Boss Lu had already wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders and back. A flush rose on her porcelain-white cheeks, and her fingertips gripped her husband's suit jacket tightly.

Liu Xiaoli rushed over immediately in a panic, but her high heels got stuck in the gap between the floor tiles, and she almost tripped, but Gao Ye and Zhang Mo caught her.

"Sissi, what's wrong with you?"

Liu Yifei waved her hand painfully, "I don't know, I just suddenly feel like throwing up. You... can't you smell that pig's head?"

Zhang Yimou, Lu Kuan, and Zhang Mo, who rushed over, looked at each other in bewilderment. The latter said helplessly, "The pig's head was specially pickled with quicklime and then air-dried to preserve it, so it shouldn't have any smell..."

"Yes, I'm standing right here and I... ugh!"

A gust of wind brushed her face, and Liu Xiaoli suddenly shivered, her hands trembling as she touched her daughter's lower abdomen.

Xiao Liu instantly realized what was happening, and abruptly looked up at the incense table, only to meet everyone's puzzled gazes.

Clearly, this scent seems to exist only in her own sense of smell, but how could that be?
The wind swirled the incense ash, and the candle flame on the offering table, protected by a windproof cover, popped with a "snap," as if celebrating some impending joy.

Twenty meters away, reporters clamored and scattered some of the security personnel. Their cameras focused on the top female star in the middle of the venue, who looked disheveled, and then shifted to Lu Kuan's face next to her.

he...

Why is he grinning like an idiot?
(End of this chapter)