Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 488 "Operation Black Sea", The Founding of a Nation
Throughout October, news about major and minor events in entertainment, politics, and economics, both domestically and internationally, kept coming.

Even though people around the world are still suffering from the financial crisis, our home still has some unique and lively scenes.

In Asia, Choi Jin-sil, a South Korean actress who dominated the film industry for over a decade and was known as "the eternal Cinderella," committed suicide. The true cause of death is "still under investigation." Park Chan-wook, a South Korean director and friend of Lu Kuan, posted a tribute on Twitter.

At almost the same time, Chinese actress Tang Wei, who was studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, also posted a message of condolence on Twitter and Weibo, which was retweeted and liked by Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, and CJ Entertainment. This was the first time she had gained widespread attention since rumors of her being blacklisted surfaced.

According to insider information from veteran entertainment reporters such as Zhuo Wei:

This Chinese actress, whose career plummeted after the film "Lust, Caution," is about to star in South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's 2009 film "Mother," thanks to an introduction from a Chinese film company.

Domestically, the classic screenings of director Xie Jin's works at the Wenjie Jiahe Cinemas nationwide have come to an end. Film fans of different ages actively responded to Wenjie Jiahe's discounted tickets and went to the cinema to remember this master of film.

Wang Zhi, a well-known CCTV anchor who previously covered the domestic premiere of "The Sky of History," has been officially confirmed by the organization to serve as the deputy mayor of Lijiang for one year. His wife, Zhu Xun, will not be transferred and will continue to work as a host at CCTV.

The most eye-catching events are the recent key events in the Chinese literary world.

First, after Chinese writer Guo Jinming topped the charts with 1300 million yuan in royalties from his bestselling book "Tiny Times," he and Hunan TV's Tianyu Media simultaneously announced that Guo would serve as the latter's literary director.

Industry insiders say that Hunan TV, which has been focusing on importing Korean dramas and variety shows, is considering shifting some of its efforts to a strategy of producing its own dramas.

Clearly, this was influenced by the hit drama "Meteor Shower," which aired nationwide and even in Southeast Asia in August.

However, some netizens did not buy it and even exposed his scandal in 2006 when he was found guilty of plagiarizing Zhuang Yu, but he still insisted on "only paying compensation and not apologizing".

Even more disruptive than him was Han Han, a cultural figure who joined Blogcn in its early days.

Even after entering the Weibo era, he maintained a close working relationship with the authorities, which is why he once again stole the spotlight.

The event was initiated by the magazine "Mengya" in conjunction with universities to launch the "Novel Competition for Chairpersons of Writers' Associations in 30 Provinces," which aimed to promote interaction between traditional literature and the internet.

Han Han posted a satirical article, calling the event "a way to keep an idle chairman busy," and specifically criticized Zheng Yanying, vice chairman of the Henan Provincial Writers Association, for using sensationalist headlines in her novel "From Breathing to Groaning."

So Tan Ge, vice chairman of the Hebei Provincial Writers Association, angrily retorted: "If I were Han Han's father, I would strangle him in the next second."

After a heated exchange of words, having finally exhausted himself with the insults, gained enough followers, and secured enough traffic on Weibo, Han Han uttered a single sentence:

I will no longer reply. I hope you writers' association bigwigs will not repeat the mistakes of Taro and his son.

This statement was so powerful that it completely sealed the fate of the war of words between the two sides.

New generation netizens dug up old records and discovered that Han Han and Taro and his son had a heated argument in 2006, which was just as dramatic.

What happened next is common knowledge.

This father and son were completely nailed to the pillar of historical shame, seemingly setting an example once again for the spineless literati of all ages who were accustomed to "surrendering and becoming traitors."

While netizens flocked to contribute traffic to Weibo, they were also gradually seeing through the true colors of so-called public intellectuals and writers.

Putting aside the issue of pig manure, after the devastating earthquake in May, how did Yu Qiuyu comfort his fellow countrymen affected by the disaster: "You will become bodhisattvas after you die"?

Why the hell don't you become a Bodhisattva yourself?
The vice chairman of the Shandong Provincial Writers Association was even more ridiculous. He wrote a "Tomb Ode" and expressed sentiments such as "Even as a ghost, I am happy" and "Experiencing death is enough." He almost got his door splashed with paint.

Without the official leniency, protection, control, and manipulation of public opinion, these so-called experts and professors of this generation are "updating and iterating" at an extremely rapid pace.

The old tricks of bringing your own dog food and making extra money are no longer effective. Apart from Nanfang remaining strong, they need to think of ways to more subtly capture the minds of the people.

One act ends and another begins; the gossip of the internet age is never-ending.

Until the end of October, a set of photos and several Weibo posts, tagged with #LiuYifeiPregnant#, spread rapidly online.

Everyone still remembers that when "Under the Hawthorn Tree" had just started filming, this young actress from the Chinese entertainment industry went to the hospital because she was feeling unwell, had a cold and was vomiting.

At that time, some entertainment reporters and media outlets had already openly speculated and claimed that the girl was pregnant, but they were driven away by fans who refused to admit the truth.

In fact, weren't they doing it on purpose?
Unexpectedly, a moment of arrogance has led to the truth being "almost" revealed today. Who dares to say that we paparazzi are all spreading rumors?
Fans of Liu Yifei who refuse to admit the truth, please come and see!
Look at how excited Liu's mother is every day when the crew gives out meals, and the head chef brings her a meal for pregnant women—what's going on?
Look at the beautiful scenery of the film set in Bailihuang. What's the meaning of the washing machine with its head pressed against its wife's stomach in the actors' rest area?
Look at Liu Yifei in the maternity ward corridor of Tongji Hospital affiliated with Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Jiangcheng, as exposed by patients and staff—

What's going on again?

The guy who keeps shouting "Impossible, absolutely impossible" may fool others, but don't fool yourself too.

Looking back at that photo of Boss Lu standing in the crowd, grinning foolishly, all the evidence seems to point to one final answer.

Liu Yifei is indeed pregnant.

Fans across the internet have once again rioted and started committing crimes in a frenzy. The Weibo accounts of those involved have become the hardest hit areas. The only beneficiaries are Weibo employees, whose year-end bonuses are guaranteed again.

With daily active users, monthly active users, and trending topics all rising steadily, and the number of customers opening memberships surging, the boss and his wife launched another top-tier event marketing campaign right after Han Han had just finished a major verbal battle.

Apart from the server maintenance staff who were trembling with fear, the other employees basically got away with it.

I watched you build your tall building, I watched you entertain your guests, I watched your building...

The building not only didn't collapse, but it's getting taller and taller?

Where can I go to seek justice?

However, ever since the two started dating last year, the threshold for "simps" (online admirers) has been constantly rising, and it's clear that the intensity of the replies under this news article is not as high as before.

Until early November, the news that Liu Yifei was suspected of being pregnant finally caused a huge media storm and online frenzy.

Since the parties involved have not made a final confirmation, no celebrities, companies, or official organizations have sent their blessings.

The close-knit group of sisters already knew in private that Su Chang was already thinking about buying clothes and toys for her twin godson and godson in the American movie "Inception".

Jing Tian was the same. From the day Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei got their wedding stamp, Da Tian Tian was depressed for a long time after marriage. Later, she suddenly found out that Liu Yifei was pregnant and was instantly filled with anticipation.

This child embodies both Liu and Lu, making him her best emotional anchor!
"The Kind-hearted Aunt"?
Tang Yan has already arranged to visit her on set after filming wraps up this month for "Let the Bullets Fly." Zhang Liangying is currently in Australia for an event, and Tang Yan is thinking of keeping an eye out for baby formula there.

Last year, a domestic milk powder company with the same name as its founder went bankrupt. In the past two years, the crisis of trust in food safety has been a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of all Chinese people.

Yang Mi was naturally caught up in this excitement, and she was even the most excited one!
Among the current young actresses in China, she and Su Chang are firmly in the second tier. She already has a co-production project with "The Forbidden Kingdom," which puts her a little ahead.

Now that Liu Yifei, whose exhaust fumes were nowhere to be seen ahead, has suddenly stopped and waited, why shouldn't I seize the opportunity to catch up?
I wouldn't even dare to think about catching up, let alone surpassing, but surely I could at least narrow the gap a little?

Da Mimi calmly showed Gan Wei, Li Xiaolu, and the others the message Xiao Liu sent to her best friend when she confirmed her pregnancy, and told them that she had known the truth for a long time.

This kind of early access to information reflects the closeness or distance between the person in question, and also helps to elevate her status within the girl group's inner circle.

After all, Gan Wei had inquired more than once whether she could bring Xiao Liu into the group.

Other celebrities such as Anita Mui, Jay Chou, and Zhou Xun had known about the situation for a long time and had expressed their blessings privately.

At the same time, Xiao Liu's pregnancy also has a significant impact, namely the casting of Lin Yun as the female lead in the young director's new film "Ball Lightning".

Whether to wait for his wife to give birth and recover, or to choose a suitable replacement, has become a question and a focus of everyone's attention.

Since his debut, Lu Kuan hasn't made every film his girlfriend's wedding dress; it mainly depends on compatibility.

In "Whiplash," she was a decorative character with less than ten minutes of screen time; in "A Home Away From Home," she was a dashing action heroine; and in "Sky," she was a Chinese-American woman with a similar appearance and family background.

All of these were in line with Liu Yifei's experience, acting skills, abilities, and characteristics at the time.

It's not necessarily true that this time it has to be about promoting one's wife, is it? No one would give up such an opportunity to rise above their station, as long as there's even the slightest chance.

Of course, there will always be lonely and disappointed people, but now they can only lick their wounds in the dark and struggle with their inner turmoil.

As someone working in the film and entertainment industry, Liu Yifei is already used to the media and paparazzi's "news bombardment".

Although the reporting is still being followed intensely, the angle has shifted from sensationalism to blessing, and even predictions about the baby's gender, name, and future career path have begun.

If there were an award for the best media partner in mainland China, the Lu-Liu couple would be the uncrowned kings.

To ensure the sustainable development of news materials for everyone, the next generation of news producers has already been created ahead of schedule.

If the paparazzi knew they were twins, they'd probably be even more excited, just as Xiao Liu thought:
Like begets like, and children born in washing machines must start washing from kindergarten.

The entire online public opinion environment went from shock and heated discussion to celebration, but ultimately it returned to the fans' hurt feelings. This was almost an extreme purification.

The couple's comment section was bizarre and varied.

"I've been reading more novels on Qidian lately. From what I've observed, the washing machine was possessed by a soul sometime after 05, otherwise it wouldn't have ended up in this state today."

"I've been making laundry detergent for eight years now. Today marks the official wrap-up of Mr. Lu's 'The History of the Fading of Romantic Lovers.' Love and marriage may involve pretense and deception, but children can truly change a man. Wishing you happiness!"

"In the end, all circles become wreaths, all altars become sacrificial altars, and all washing machines become scrap metal. It seems the washing machine is serious; there is no one left in this world to mourn me."

"You idiot upstairs! Why don't you just wait another ten years or so for the small washing machine to come out? Then the second-generation smart washing machine will be all-powerful, with soaking, washing, spinning, and even drying functions! It'll be even better!"

"It's quite a pity that we haven't really developed washing machines for the Japanese, Korean, European, and American markets. If you ever want to pacify those foreign lands with your small washing machine, please provide a link!"

Yuanshan Hotel.

"Ugh! I'm so angry! These laundry detergents are so annoying, why are they always thinking about these things?"

Liu Yifei sat in front of the computer, looking at the netizens' teasing with a bit of frustration. She slapped her hands on the keyboard, her soft black hair slipping down from behind her ears and swaying playfully against her cheeks.

Boss Lu looked up in confusion from the storyboard of "Ball Lightning": "What?"

"They were teasing my son, saying he was going to carry on his father's unfinished business and go wash... Pshaw!" Xiao Liu seemed afraid that the baby in her belly would hear her, so she stopped abruptly.

"What did I think I was doing?" Lu Kuan continued working at his desk, chatting with his wife as he went: "Don't you think you're being a bit hypocritical? You weren't this angry when you liked my posts using Zha Lu Ji's alternate account, were you?"

Liu Yifei's pink lips pursed unconsciously: "That's different! The upper beam was sawed off from a crooked tree, so I can't let the lower beam be crooked too."

Boss Lu was speechless: "If you can talk, then talk more."

"Ha ha!"

"However, most of them are still offering their blessings." Xiao Liu stretched contentedly. "Do you think we should announce the news? I feel like they're going to start arguing like crazy."

"Didn't everyone say not to talk about it three months ago? Let them argue, it's good for generating traffic for Weibo."

Lu Kuan got up and poured two cups of tea, jokingly saying, "Let's argue for a few more months and then we'll have already come up with a name for the baby, which will save us trouble."

"Aren't you being a bit perfunctory as a father? So having a baby is all my responsibility?" Liu Xiaolv glared at him with dissatisfaction, looking like she was about to take matters into her own hands.

The washing machine stood a little further away: "Do you think I'm being perfunctory? When we were giving birth, when did I not try my best to make you meow?"

Xiao Liu suddenly straightened up, her bright eyes widening: "Get lost! You should think of a name properly, taking our birth dates and times into account, and give the child a name that is both catchy and compatible with our birth charts."

"I'll think about it after I find out the baby's gender at my next prenatal checkup. It's too early now."

Seeing her aggressive demeanor, Boss Lu swallowed back the names like "Lu Ziye" and "Router" that were already in his mind.

Liu Xiaolv has had a child and has evolved into a tigress, completely untouchable.

The young couple were chatting casually when Yang Siwei suddenly called.

"Sisi, you haven't rested, have you?"

"No."

Yang Siwei's tone was slightly urgent: "Is President Lu here too? I have something to report to you."

Xiao Liu looked at her husband, but Boss Lu was still engrossed in his art world, not even looking up: "I'm here, you can speak."

“Two fan sites are causing trouble. The deputy site leader led the unfollowing and encouraged fan members to burn merchandise, write long posts, and Photoshop pictures to smear you.”

“I have banned all of their social media accounts on the Ask World platform, but I can’t control the spread of the news on Alispace and other places. They are even encouraging fans to unfollow them.”

Xiao Liu calmly said, "Did someone instigate this? Why is it so sudden? I didn't see anything this exaggerated the last two times."

Yang Siwei smiled wryly: "Grandma, there are tons of female celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry who are in relationships. Look at Zhou Xun and Yan Zi, nobody cares about them. But fewer of them get married, and even fewer have children at your age."

"This is equivalent to a sudden purification. Some people are joining the fan base and some are leaving. However, some fan leaders and big fans with profit-making intentions have started to have crooked ideas. There should also be some instigation from rival groups. This is how the commotion started."

Liu Yifei remained silent for a long time.

She and her mother, Liu Xiaoli, have always been very friendly to their fans and never put on airs.

Of course, in the early days, thanks to Yang Siwei's management, there was no financial interaction with fans of all sizes or even close relationships. He even sponsored their activities out of his own pocket, so there were never any problems.

But it's difficult for a high-profile celebrity like Liu to see the intricacies of the industries she supports, and her so-called fans aren't entirely driven by pure motives.

Her top-tier fame and popularity in the Chinese entertainment industry have brought considerable profits to the fan leaders who rely on her.

These people are both amplifiers of celebrity influence and actual operators of the fan economy.

They build bridges between celebrities and ordinary fans by organizing support activities, creating topics, and guiding public opinion, but at the same time, they also form a unique chain of interests, and even evolve into a "semi-professional" profit-making model.

However, over the past year, due to the dramatic changes in Xiao Liu's personal feelings and life, the fan base has been refined, with fewer enthusiastic and impulsive teenagers and more intellectual and calm white-collar workers and young adults.

For some fan leaders with ulterior motives, firstly, the total number of fans is indeed declining, and secondly, these newcomers are not easy to fool!

In the past, by exaggerating the crisis of "the sister being attacked," one could privately raise small donations or organize offline fan gatherings, thus earning a considerable amount of extra money.

These new fans aren't even willing to join fan groups anymore; they just follow celebrities and watch movies and TV series on their own. What are we going to do?
You're not going to feed us, are you?

With various interests intertwined and the secret bribery and instigation of rival groups, the scandal of the fan leader and deputy station chief leading the defection has emerged.

Although the impact on her personally is minimal—there have been previous instances of fans burning support T-shirts—it's still a big deal to cause such a scene while she's pregnant.

It's a bit off-putting.

Boss Lu listened expressionlessly. These were all too trivial to him, not even worthy of being called petty parasites who "turned love into hate." He simply kept quiet.

He knew that Xiao Liu never interfered or reported wrongdoing, so he figured Yang Siwei would just let it go and make it a small matter.

Liu Yifei didn't take it seriously at first. She had experienced countless storms of public opinion since her debut, so it was nothing surprising.

I just did a quick search for related news and saw some outrageous comments from defectors, such as "I'll be a single mom sooner or later because of the washing machine" and "My child's childhood will be unhappy if the washing machine cheats on me." The new mom was instantly furious!

She suddenly straightened up from the sofa, her slender back taut into a sharp arc: "Yang Siwei, find the culprits for me, gather evidence from reliable people in the station, and send them to jail!"

“I don’t believe that anyone who has ever sold my flight itinerary or run private fundraising schemes hasn’t been involved! Send them all in!”

Liu Yifei bit her lower lip and took a deep breath: "Check the IP address from the Weibo backend, then find Wenjie's legal department to secure the evidence, and then call the police."

... "yes!"

Yang Siwei was startled. Since she met the soft and gentle girl in 02, she had never seen her so angry.

Even through the phone, I could feel her sharp aura. I didn't dare say anything more and immediately hung up to get to work.

In the parallel universe, Yang Siwei is actually a ruthless entertainment agent in the Chinese entertainment industry. Now, with the boss's instructions, she will obviously be quick and ruthless in finding and punishing the bad apples.

Based on the relationship between the boundary and the local area, and the reputation of Boss Lu.

It would be easy to charge these fan leaders with several crimes, such as provoking trouble, illegal business operations, infringing on citizens' personal information, insult, and defamation.

"Why are you so angry?" Lu Kuan waited until she hung up the phone before asking, then walked over and hugged Liu Yifei.

She turned around and hugged him, burying her face deeply in her husband's waist, and said in a muffled voice, "Those people said nasty things, teach them a lesson."

Xiao Liu suddenly looked up at him and said, "Was I a little scary just now? I feel like I'm losing control of my emotions. I even yelled at my mom yesterday."

“It’s normal,” Lu Kuan comforted softly. “The book says that your body is going through a war, with two little guys frantically plundering the mother’s resources. Your thyroid hormones, progesterone, and estrogen levels are fluctuating like a roller coaster.”

He pinched his wife's soft, pretty face: "You've worked hard, my wife."

Xiao Liu felt a lump in her throat again, just like that night when she was in bed watching Lu Kuanchang, wondering whether to play Chopin or Croatian Rhapsody for her child.

The pregnant woman's emotions were like the tides, constantly crashing against the shore.

Fortunately, she had her mother and husband by her side throughout this period, which allowed her to spend these ten unforgettable months in peace.

. . .

Yang Siwei acted swiftly, calling her own artist during lunch on the 4th, just two days later.

At other times, he's either filming or afraid of disturbing the pregnant woman's rest, so reporting good news now will make her even happier.

"Thinking, tell me." Liu Yifei was in an inexplicably good mood today.

The performance this morning was so smooth it would be an exaggeration to say it flowed effortlessly. She herself felt it was incredibly natural. At this moment, Lu Kuan and Zhang Yimou were eating and chatting not far away, while she was alone in the car.

"Uh..." Yang Siwei, who had expected a solemn atmosphere, paused for a second before truthfully stating, "The Cyber ​​Security Brigade has confirmed the identities of three key personnel from three websites, including 'Yilu Tongxing' and 'Yifei Xianju'."

"Because we often need to organize offline activities, the criminal suspects are all in Beiping, and they have all been arrested and brought to justice in the detention center. The next step is to interrogate them in accordance with the law and transfer them to the procuratorate for prosecution."

"With the approval of the relevant departments, we have also publicized this situation on Weibo, and public opinion is very stable."

In cases with such irrefutable evidence, there's no need for powerful figures to intervene; the local police can simply handle it according to the law. Otherwise, they risk giving others ammunition to criticize them.

The pregnant woman, who was furious that night, now felt a pang of guilt, wondering if she had ruined three people's lives with her own hands. But when she thought of their heinous acts, any remaining pity vanished.

If you want to criticize someone, go criticize the washing machine! Why bring up the baby? Not even a single mention is allowed!

If this trend isn't stopped, there will be more trouble in the future. Let's just consider this a warning sign for others with ulterior motives.

After finishing her meal, Liu Yifei opened her computer in the car to look at the public notice that Yang Siwei had mentioned, and also to check the public opinion.

A popular comment that had just been pinned to the top of her Weibo feed, receiving numerous likes and comments, caught her attention:

That washing machine is amazing! That's some serious PR work!

While others buy other trending topics to cover up their own scandals, this guy simply brings up the haters to divert attention from the Chinese entertainment industry, haha!
Kuroko?

shock!
Several topics suddenly saw their popularity surge in the Weibo trending list, each marked with a small flame icon.

#The First Black President of the United States is Born#
#Osama bin Laden is about to be elected President of the United States#
#Eastern US elections concluded, Obama wins#
The afternoon sun shone through the car window onto Liu Yifei's profile, casting a soft outline, but that outline was already frozen.

I am not wrong, right?
How could it be him?
My neighbor in Heidelberg Park is now the most powerful person in the world?

At least on the surface.

Lu Kuan still vividly remembers his experience of being threatened during the filming of "The Sky of History" and asking this former Chicago lawyer to coordinate legal resources to severely punish the Japanese right-wing professor.

After that, he even took me to Uncle Obama's house once to express his gratitude.

And the marketing campaign on election-related topics that I did for Sun Wenwen, Huang Anna, and others at Twitter headquarters before my most recent trip to the United States. (Chapter 473)
Xiao Liu clicked on the official news in disbelief:
On election night, November 4, 2008, Eastern Time (1 p.m. Beijing Time), Obama, who had won in California and Washington, led his Republican opponent McCain by a wide margin with 349 electoral votes to McCain's 163 electoral votes, making the outcome a foregone conclusion.

Liu Yifei frowned slightly, her pupils contracted slightly, and her fingertips unconsciously tightened their grip on her shawl.

Sunlight streamed through the car window, casting a rosy glow on her face. As she looked out the window at her husband chatting and laughing with Zhang Yimou, some memories seemed to be suddenly projected into a prism, refracting into countless gorgeous blocks of color.

Seeing the online jokes and gossip about "Lu Kuan using the US presidential election to cover up the hot topic of Tianxian's pregnancy," everyone knows it's a joke.

Only one person disagreed.

Even though I met the older black man first when I was studying at the University of Chicago, it was him who maintained a seemingly casual relationship afterward.

The girl then thought of how he had severed his ties with Twitter a long time ago and even asked his mother to become the de facto controller after many twists and turns. Could this also be some kind of foreshadowing?
Boss Lu hasn't told his wife about his "Black Sea Plan" yet, but she's already got a glimpse of the secret.

Thinking of his grand ideals and visions, and of those cultural long marches that would take ten, twenty, or even more years to find hope of victory—

Gazing at the drifting clouds outside the window, Liu Yifei gently stroked her still-flat belly with her fingertips, beneath which lay two lives growing.

Her profile was bathed in a warm glow, her clear eyes were slightly lowered, and her thoughts drifted into the distance.

Behind the husband's dazzling exterior lies a deep and complex game of chess that is difficult for ordinary people to see.

Xiao Liu felt sympathetic towards the children's father and hoped that the children would be successful and carry on the family tradition.
-
The day after Obama was elected president, Han Shanping, the last of the three major investors in "Under the Hawthorn Tree" and general manager of China Film Group, arrived at the film crew after a long journey.

The weather was not good on the 5th, with some autumn rain. The crew was able to wrap up early in the afternoon, and Lu Kuan, Zhang Yimou and others drank tea and chatted in the conference room of the Yuanshan Hotel, which had been booked.

With a barely audible creak, Liu Yifei entered, carrying a jar of fresh tea.

The girl's clothes were damp from the autumn rain, but she didn't look disheveled at all; instead, they made her skin look even more radiant and smooth.

Old Han was taken aback for a moment, then joked again, "Oh my! Director Liu personally brought the tea?"

"Director?" Xiao Liu smiled, placed the tea on the table, and sat down next to Lu Kuan, teasingly saying, "President Han is too generous. He got promoted himself, and now he's promoting me too?"

"Hey! Yifei, why are you saying this?" The man with the crew cut tried to make his expression more serious, but he quickly lost it again.

Everyone watched with smiles on their faces, which was understandable, as Han Shanping had indeed had a very smooth life these past few years.

Frankly speaking, even Lao Han himself had to admit that his rocket-like speed was thanks to the couple in front of him, especially Boss Lu.

In his previous life, he didn't get the treatment of a full-fledged department head until 07. But this time, because of the revenue brought to China Film Group by "A Home Away" and his investment in New Vision and Travel Channel, he was promoted by the organization in 05, two years ahead of schedule.

As recently as 2008, at a recent meeting of the Central Radio and Television Bureau and the State Administration of Radio and Television, Han Shanping's promotion was officially put forward for discussion.

Old Han's achievements over the past three years, thanks to his seamless collaboration with Boss Lu, have significantly contributed to the growth of the Chinese film market and the improvement of China Film Group's performance.

He is nominated to serve as Chairman of China Film Group (at the top level) and concurrently as Deputy Director of the Film Bureau, clearly designated as a deputy prefecture-level leader.

Just as Lu Kuan predicted, this appointment will be officially issued after the release of "The Founding of a Republic" next year, making it legitimate and leaving no room for criticism.

The film had just passed the filing process and was the fastest to pass the review among similar historical drama scripts, so Lao Han rushed to Yuanshan County without stopping.

His goal was simple: to get his younger brother to give him another boost, ideally by directing the tribute film.

"The term 'bureau chief' that Mr. Han mentioned is a local term. Pregnant women usually hunch over their bellies, so they're called 'bureau chief'."

"Oh! I see!" Xiao Liu smiled and said, "President Han, Director Zhang, please try this tea. It's Enshi Jade Dew, the top-grade tea in Hubei Province."

Before Xiao Liu entered the room, Lao Han had just started a conversation, and now he could only patiently talk about the Enshi Jade Dew in front of him.

The girl picked up the tea scoop with three fingers of her right hand, tilted her wrist slightly, and the emerald green, curled tea leaves slid down, releasing the unique fresh aroma of steamed green tea.

The man with the crew cut laughed and said, "I've only heard people talk about this stuff, but this is actually the first time I've ever tasted it."

Zhang Yimou chimed in, "Xiao Lu likes to drink tea, and his mother-in-law specially asked someone to buy it for him in Enshi. We're all benefiting from being such a good son-in-law, haha!"

Boss Lu joked, "He's only half a son to his mother-in-law, but I'm a whole son. Now, Xiao Liu's status has to be relegated to the back."

“I can vouch for that. Lu Kuan always stays up late working on scripts and storyboards, which makes him go through a lot of tea. My mom would ask someone to buy tea well in advance.”

With limited resources, Liu Yifei piled the tea leaves into a small mountain in the hotel's white porcelain cup, then poured the hot mineral water from the electric kettle over her wrist.

The 80-degree water jet caused the tea leaves to tumble and unfurl, instantly releasing the unique seaweed aroma of steamed green tea. As the tea soup gradually turned amber, she quickly filtered the first infusion into a glass, then added a second infusion. The simple tea set only made the tea buds appear even more verdant and translucent.

Old Han kept flattering him today: "Look at that, how impressive your kung fu is! Did you practice that video you posted on that American website?"

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "Yes, it's all cheap for Lu Kuan. I have to give him a bath every day."

"Mr. Han, do you feel like we're superfluous sitting here?" Zhang Yimou laughed. "You don't know, this is exactly the kind of feeling that's perfect for making a movie."

"The couple really brought out the youthful feelings of that special era to the fullest. If I didn't know, I would have thought they had just met."

"Last month, we filmed a scene where two people were wearing swimsuits while it was still warm. The whole crew felt like we were superfluous."

"Hahaha!" The crew-cut man laughed loudly, "That's settled then. China Film Group will benefit from the fame of you three directors and actors again and produce another great film!"

Although he has risen rapidly in his career, China Film Group's investments in recent years have also failed, and some of them were major failures.

In the 2003 film "Warriors of Heaven and Earth," the main investment was 40%, amounting to approximately 1 million RMB. The film lost over 8000 million RMB. At that time, Xiaopingtou had not yet formed a stable alliance with the time traveler.
Needless to say, "The Promise" in 2005 was released. Fortunately, China Film Group also had "Tangshan" to offset the impact during the same period, so the company maintained a strong performance that year.

In this life, Lao Han avoided the fate of "Red Cliff" in the previous life, but he suffered a setback with "The Warlords" last year.

Starting with "Alien Realm" in 2004, all of Wenjie's projects have been consistently profitable, with some even achieving both financial success and political recognition, such as "Tangshan".

Old Han pretended to raise his glass and said, "The wine is so delicious tonight, let's toast with tea instead!"

After chatting for a while, Han Shanping and Zhang Yimou shared their thoughts on children's education from the perspective of those who have been through similar experiences. The latter was then called away by his daughter, Zhang Mo, to handle matters related to the film crew.

After several rounds of tea, and with Zhang Yimou no longer present, the man with the buzz cut finally couldn't resist bringing up the topic.

"Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. China Film Group has been tasked with making a tribute film. The script has just been approved, and the level of participation in the production goes without saying."

"Xiao Lu, how about you direct this?"

Before Lu Kuan could answer, he cut him off: "Look, I just asked Director Zhang, and your scenes will basically be finished by the end of the month, just in time for the preparations for the founding of the People's Republic of China."

"I also asked Dong Shuangqiang about 'Ball Lightning,' and it's still in the early stages of preparation. You've been completely unemployed at home during this time, haven't you?"

Boss Lu laughed and said, "Eh? How can you be unemployed? I need to do prenatal education for my two kids, it's very important."

"Speak properly! It's not like I'm asking you to work 24/7. What's wrong with spending some time with Yifei when you get home tonight?" The man with the buzz cut grinned helplessly. If there was anyone in the domestic film industry who wouldn't give him face, it would be this guy.

Even when he was just starting out, Lu Kuan always positioned himself as a collaborator. Now that he's at the height of his power, Lao Han sometimes has to go along with his wishes.

Han Shanping earnestly advised, "Xiao Lu, listen to me."

"We plan to invite all the top stars from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to participate in the film. Even a minor extra on the street will be a face that movie fans love to see. No matter how many Hollywood blockbusters there are during the National Day holiday next year, the number of screenings will not be less than 45%, or even higher."

"You don't have to worry about ruining your reputation at all. You also have more than 170 elite talents, including Hendrik Willem Van Loon, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, and Chow Yun-fat, to command. This is unique among all directors in China!"

Liu Yifei clicked her tongue in amazement, thinking to herself that with so many big names gathered here, they were probably only getting basic salaries, otherwise the costs would explode.

Boss Lu didn't interrupt him: "President Han, to be honest, this movie will definitely ruin my reputation, but I have an idea that won't ruin your reputation."

"You've confused me." The man with the buzz cut was taken aback.

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "President Han, our goals are different. Before I made a movie, I had to consider the cost and benefits. Now, my first priority is my own feelings."

"There are no outsiders here. Your purpose in making this film is to complete a political mission. There will definitely be conflicts between us if we cooperate."

“You’ve also made a biographical film about designers before, so you understand the common problems of tribute films better than I do. The result of a star-studded cast is that each person only has an average of three minutes of screen time, and the audience only remembers a series of generic faces.”

"The Founding of a Republic aims to clearly tell the historical timeline from 1945 to 1949. However, by cramming over 170 stars into 120 minutes, the final effect is probably not even as good as the historical clips edited in a serialized broadcast."

Han Shanping smiled wryly: "Otherwise, why would I have come to find you?"

"If you're talking about someone in China who can make this hodgepodge both look good and taste delicious, it has to be you!"

"I can't do anything about it!" Boss Lu waved his hand: "You'd be lucky if you could find a suitable director and oversee things yourself, and get all the stars in line."

"Even if it's just a banquet, if you can film a banquet that the audience can enjoy smoothly and happily, and everyone can go to the cinema to have some fun and celebrate the National Day, then your mission can be considered accomplished."

The man with the buzz cut was still persistent: "How about this, you can be credited as a director or producer? Your name alone is worth tens of millions in box office revenue!"

Han Shanping has a shrewd plan, and Boss Lu is also quite well-known overseas, making him arguably the most famous director in China right now.

It's no surprise that "The Founding of a Republic" is a huge success in China. If it can also be exported overseas and have a positive impact, then Han Kuo-yu will be incredibly successful!

Lu Kuan naturally understood his urgent desire, which was all due to Zhengzhi's immense popularity, but he had his own considerations.

"Mr. Han, let me speak from the bottom of my heart."

Seeing his serious expression, the man with the crew cut also sat up straight: "Xiao Lu, you speak."

"You saw the news today, right? I don't know if you know, but I had some conversations with Harvey and his team in Hollywood."

"This Comrade Guan Hai's inclinations and stances are not so friendly to us, as can be seen from the debates and policy views during the election campaign."

"The scale of the North American film industry is not much smaller than that of China. I am not suitable to get too close to a film like 'The Founding of a Republic'."

“From ‘Tangshan’ to ‘The Sky of History’, I have already been criticized by some anti-flower media, journalists and politicians in the West. After this person comes to power, he should avoid suspicion even more, otherwise he will be constrained in future mergers and acquisitions and technology introductions in North America.”

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "My appearance is that of an international citizen, and this image cannot be broken, otherwise there will be too many constraints."

Liu Yifei silently poured tea for her eloquent and presumably thirsty husband, while she and the baby in her belly listened to his "prenatal education class".

Yesterday's lesson was about falsely accusing Zhang Weiping and then poaching Zhang Yimou's employees through Huairou.

Today's lesson is about using someone else's strengths and influences to attack the stubborn old man, Han.

Xiao Liu felt a touch of sadness.

She was worried that after the two children were born, she would become the most naive person in the family, due to the "pregnancy brain" syndrome.

(End of this chapter)