Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 508 The First Law of Replacement for Washing Machines
As Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei entered the backstage area of ​​Studio 1 at the old CCTV headquarters, a "Spring Festival Gala vibe"—a mixture of cosmetics, boxed lunches, and the distinctive aroma of electrical equipment—was immediately apparent.

"Lu Kuan, do you remember the last time you came to CCTV?" Liu Yifei looked at her husband with bright eyes, reminiscing about the scene before her.

"Yes, on Lunar New Year's Eve in 2003, it was snowing heavily. A minor girl pretended to fall and tricked me into carrying her on my back." (Chapter 221)
"Haha!" Liu Yifei laughed heartily, her round face adding to her festive appearance.

The three waited at the entrance of the passageway as agreed for the staff to come and meet them. The passageways leading to the studio, dressing room, and prop room were already packed with people.

However, not all actors have relatively private dressing rooms and rehearsal rooms like Uncle Benshan does every year; most are scattered in various places.

The actors, dressed in brightly colored costumes, were like flowing ribbons. Some were taking advantage of the last moments to touch up their makeup in front of the mirror, while others were in small groups whispering their lines and warming up their voices.

The young girls who were dancing were chattering excitedly and nervously, while the skit actors were relatively calm, but their eyes also showed their focus before the performance.

Liu Yifei exclaimed, "It's so lively! I still remember singing 'Warm' on stage that year. I felt like I was just a karaoke queen. Five or six years have passed in the blink of an eye."

That year was when Zhou Jun and others hired a large number of thugs like Song Zude to smear her, and the Spring Festival Gala was also one of their public relations tactics.

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "You want to come? I'll have Zhao Benshan lead you in a skit, the contrast will be amazing!"

"Sure! I'm not afraid to make myself look ugly, and comedy performances are great for personal development." Xiao Liu is not afraid to try new things.

"But starting next year, we'll have two babies in our family. It's always best for the whole family to be together during the Lunar New Year. There's no place like our own doghouse."

Many actors cast curious and kind glances at the two as they came and went, but only a dozen or so actors dressed in ethnic minority costumes timidly approached.

"Director Lu, hello..." The young man, who looked like he belonged to an ethnic minority, stammered a bit, but mustered his courage and said honestly, "We are all actors from Sichuan Province, and 'Heaven and Earth Bring Good Fortune' is our program."

"I'm so happy to see you all. I came here specifically to say hello and thank you for saving our family and so many children!"

"Thank you!" "Thank you!" The boys and girls behind him expressed their gratitude repeatedly.

They couldn't express their gratitude in words, and their Mandarin was rather strained, but their pure faces were filled with respect.

One of the three major elements of this year's Spring Festival Gala is earthquake relief, and guests such as the resilient policewoman Jiang Min and the county head of the disaster-stricken area will appear on the show.

The dance "Auspiciousness of Heaven and Earth" in front of the two is performed by young men and women of Tibetan and Qiang ethnic groups living in Sichuan Province. The young man in front of them has "Sichuan Provincial Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe" written on his chest.

As for the reasons why they thanked Lu Kuan and his wife, there is no need to elaborate.

More and more actors gathered around, casting respectful glances their way.

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "Don't be shy! I'll be watching your performance from the audience later!"

In the warm, hazy light at the entrance, the young Tibetan man at the head of the group suddenly stepped back, clasped his hands together above his head, and said in broken but solemn Chinese, "Please allow us... to offer our blessings to your child!"

Before Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei could respond, he closed his eyes, raised his head, and a deep, resonant chant rose from his throat:
"Om Mani Padme Hum"

A lucky lark landed on the tent.

The shimmering waters of the sacred lake protect the lamb!

The two short Tibetan chants, however, were like the first spring stream melting on the snow-capped mountain, carrying the fragrance of pine and cypress through the noise backstage.

Behind him, more than thirty young men and women bowed in response, their fingertips lightly touching the colorful woolen robes on their chests, and chanted in unison: "Take root to the ground! Take root to the ground!"

Listening to the unique ethnic music, Xiao Liu was both moved and curious: "This is..."

“It’s the ‘Auspicious Landing Ballad’,” the Tibetan lad said, his dark face flushing. “The elders in the village say that if you weave the six-syllable mantra into a song and sing it to an unborn child, the mountain god will send a white yak to guard the tent entrance, wolves will avoid the way, and disease will not get in…”

"Unfortunately, we didn't bring any extra hadas today..." Everyone was wearing red hadas used for performances.

Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei both smiled, a genuine sense of relief on their faces: "It's nothing! Thank you, we appreciate your blessings!"

As more and more people gathered, Afei naturally stepped forward a few paces. Suddenly, an urgent voice came from the crowd; it was a CCTV staff member.

"Please make way, everyone please make way!" A middle-aged man wearing glasses, sweating profusely, pushed his way through the crowd.

"Mr. Lu, Ms. Liu, please come with me. I'm really sorry, there was a small problem with the handover."

Actually, the two of them were too afraid to face their elderly mothers and had left early. They arrived earlier than scheduled, and the middle-aged man wearing a "coordinator" sign had already rushed over as soon as he received the news.

This is an associate director from CCTV.

"It's alright, let's go." Boss Lu shook hands with him and then waved goodbye to the ethnic minority actors.

The two were led away from the most crowded main passage to a relatively quiet VIP lounge to rest.

The lounge was warm and comfortable, furnished with sofas and coffee tables, on which were served fruit, tea, and snacks. A huge LCD screen on the wall was silently playing live footage of the final rehearsal in the studio.

The bespectacled man glanced at his time and said humbly, "Gentlemen, we'll be entering around 8 o'clock. We have about 40 minutes left, so please take a short break..."

"The path?"

Zhao Benshan swaggered in, followed by Xiao Shenyang and Ya Dan in their stage costumes. It seemed he had also heard the news immediately, given the quite a commotion in the hall just now.

"Teacher Zhao is here, that's wonderful! Please keep Mr. Lu company, I have to go back now." The middle-aged man turned around and smiled apologetically at Mr. Lu, "Mr. Lu, look at me..."

"Thank you, Director Sun, you can get back to work now!"

"Alright! Here, have some tea!"

Old Zhao affectionately put his arm around his younger friend's shoulder, then turned back to look at his two apprentices with a serious expression: "Didn't you see Director Lu on the set of 'Under the Hawthorn Tree'? You don't even know how to greet him?"

Xiao Shenyang and Ya Dan greeted each other repeatedly.

"I wish you a successful performance." Boss Lu laughed and said, "Teacher Zhao, I have to say something fair. Why does such a great artist always scare his apprentice?"

"You were quite the big shot on set last time, weren't you?"

Zhao Benshan laughed heartily: "Hitting is a sign of affection, scolding is a sign of love, these are the old ways of teaching apprentices."

Ya Dan said sweetly, "Thank you, Director Lu, but we know my master is just concerned about us."

"Alright, alright, put your things down and you can go back now." Zhao Benshan smiled and shooed his apprentices away. He never missed an opportunity to broaden their horizons and help them make connections.

Xiao Liu then politely said, "Teacher Zhao, thank you for bringing the Northeast specialties. Those wild pine nuts are really delicious. We wanted to buy more after we finished eating them last time, but we couldn't."

"Haha! As long as you like it." Old Zhao looked at the girl's pregnant belly: "Is it coming soon? When is Xiao Lu going to be a father?"

"The due date is in May, but twins usually come a little earlier." Whenever Boss Lu brings up this topic, he can't help but smile.

In particular, it had just received the "sacred prayers" of Tibetan and Qiang compatriots.

He grinned, showing off his bright white teeth, his joy evident in his expression.

Zhao Benshan is naturally good at interpersonal relationships, or rather, he made a special trip before the performance just to give a New Year's gift and completely tie down Boss Lu's connection.

The events that occurred before the Lunar New Year allowed him to witness firsthand the power and influence of this person.

The mystery surrounding Damai.cn was exposed by its ticketing dispute with Liu Laogen Grand Stage in Beiping.
In addition, the time traveler's proposed "private distribution" scheme was so intriguing that it captivated the old man from Benshan, who had lived in the Changbai Mountains for over a decade.

When Huayi changed hands and Bingbing took over completely, the King of Shanhaiguan, who knew some of the inside story, was even more dumbfounded.

So this is how you cultured people have fun?

"I'm getting something for the kids, a local specialty from Northeast China, haha."

Zhao Benshan turned around, opened the birch bark box his apprentice had just been carrying, and took out two items that Lu Kuan and Xiao Liu had never seen before.

shock!
What the hell is this?

When the box is opened, two hats of varying shades lie quietly inside, their antlers standing upright like newly sprouted branches, and the obsidian inlaid in their eye sockets shimmering under the light.

Old Zhao looked at the couple's expressions with pride: "This is a roe deer horn hat, a precious item from our Oroqen people in Northeast China. It's becoming increasingly rare!"

Liu Yifei couldn't help but reach out and touch the soft, downy fur: "Teacher Zhao, this is all..."

"It's made from the scalp of a real roe deer." Old Zhao tapped the corner of his hat with his knuckles. "In the Oroqen language, it's called 'Mitaha,' a craft that only old hunters know."

"This hat is sweat-absorbent and breathable, with a thick roe deer fur lining that can withstand temperatures as low as minus forty degrees Celsius." Old Zhao pinched the rolled-up fur. "I usually wear it rolled up, and when the wind and snow get heavy, I just pull it down to protect my ears and neck. It's even more useful than a mink hat."

Fearing that the two might misunderstand, he declared beforehand: "Since the national ban on hunting in 96, there are very few genuine specimens left. I spent more than two months searching for them and then found some precious raw materials to sew and make them, which is how I managed to get this pair for the two children."

"These are too valuable! Two of them, Teacher Zhao, I really can't return them..." Boss Lu looked at Old Zhao with a wry smile, gaining a deeper understanding of the generosity of the outstanding people of this era.

Whether it's the help from Damai.cn or this generous gift today, it all reflects the boldness and meticulousness of a self-made hero.

Zhao Benshan feigned anger and put on a stern face: "What do you mean, 'return'? You're saying these things to us, father and son. It's just making people feel disheartened!"

The art of gift-giving lies in letting the recipient know the value and rarity of the gift in a casual and unassuming manner.

However, neither of the two people in front of him were very familiar with the roe deer horn hat, so Zhao Benshan had to say a few more words, even if it seemed like he was asking for credit.

He turned inside out the lining of the roe deer antler hat: "This lining was originally meant to be sewn from linden bark fibers and rabbit fur, delicate and soft, but these two—"

Old Zhao chuckled softly, "It's pieced together from the heart skin of an adult female bear. It's one of the clan's most prized possessions, and they asked me to buy it."

"Their people say that if you sew a bear skin inside the tent, wolves will circle around it, arrows will turn back, and even disease will kowtow three times."

In the folk legends of the Oroqen people, the bear is the messenger of the mountain god and is regarded as the incarnation of the guardian deity.

The old hunters have passed down the story that the skin of a mother bear's heart, soaked with the fearless courage she showed while nursing her cubs, can ward off the evil spirit "Uli Leng".

This most authentic Oroqen ethnic robe and hat is made from the skull and horns of a male roe deer. The high horns symbolize courage, and the upright earlobes signify the ability to distinguish right from wrong.
Furthermore, auspicious clouds are embroidered with roe deer sinew thread, and Tibetan shamanic mantras are used to ward off evil and disasters. This has been a long-standing practice of protecting and blessing children in the tribe who are prone to premature death.

Old Zhao was extremely satisfied with the couple's stunned expressions and wonderful reactions. So what if you're the richest man?
Some cool things can't be bought with money alone.

Such a pure, natural, and rare item with a beautiful meaning—if it weren't for Zhao Benshan's connections in the three northeastern provinces, where could he find it?

He said they weren't worth much, but he knew in his heart that he had spent more than five million yuan on those two roe deer antler hats.

The Oroqen people's asking price wasn't actually that outrageous, but they couldn't resist the scramble for it from all over the country, especially from the local powerful and wealthy.
The Great Northeast is full of pristine, natural treasures.

With a bang, the VIP room door slammed shut. Old Zhao hurriedly went to prepare for the final rehearsal, leaving the couple speechless.

"Lu Kuan, I feel like this favor... is a bit too much?" Xiao Liu said awkwardly, "These two hats look like something out of a TV drama, like someone's family heirloom or something."

Although it may not be perfect, it is not far off.

Since the Oroqen Autonomous Banner implemented a complete ban on hunting in 1996 and the roe deer was listed as a national second-class protected animal, traditional hunting sources have completely disappeared, and there are fewer than 100 genuine roe deer horn caps left after the ban.

Even with the poachers having the raw materials, by the time of the 2021 national intangible cultural heritage survey, there were fewer than 30 elderly people in the clan who were proficient in the entire craft.

What's more, these two "enhanced versions" that Lao Zhao got are made with top-of-the-line materials, making their quality go from epic to legendary.

Putting everything else aside, the two little ones will be able to run around the manor in the dead of winter without worrying about sweat or cold while wearing these things.

Lu Kuan put the roe deer antler hat back into the rustic birch bark box and handed it to A Fei, blowing on the floating tea leaves with a sigh: "No wonder he asked me the day before yesterday if I was coming today, he was so thoughtful."

"The favor is significant, but it's not like we can't repay it," Boss Lu said with a smile. "Let's wait and see. It's no fun adding flowers to brocade. If Old Zhao encounters some difficulties, we can offer help in his time of need."

Why would Zhao Benshan go to such lengths to befriend this richest man in mainland China?

This honest yet shrewd peasant artist wanted this opportunity—the chance that the powerful might one day seize the opportunity to profit from his "mishap."

Do you know what I just thought of?

"what?"

Liu, who has been reading various romance and mythological novels lately, had a very interesting expression: "I think our son and daughter are the protagonists of the novels."

“One moment Tibetan and Qiang compatriots were singing the ‘Auspicious Landing Song’ to them with the six-syllable mantra, and the next moment they were wearing the Oroqen people’s clan treasure. Isn’t this the chosen one?”

"Hahaha!" The old father, Washing Machine, was very pleased with himself, and then boasted to himself: "Blessed by heaven, good deeds will be rewarded forever. I am the chosen one, and of course my son and daughter are too!"

Why did they sing for them? Isn't it because we did good deeds in Sichuan Province and accumulated good karma?

"And Old Zhao, if we hadn't built a good relationship, been able to confide in each other and trust each other, we wouldn't have done such a big favor."

Liu Yifei squinted at her husband with a dissatisfied look: "Oh, so you three are all chosen ones, and I'm just a mortal? Then what am I?"

"You?" Washing Machine stroked its chin, frowning, and said, "The *Yunji Qiqian* (Seven Tablets of the Cloudy Bookcase), in the section on the Profound Mystery, records: 'The Mysterious Female gives birth to the spirit, and the Purple Palace transforms into Qi, which is the True Form of Great Harmony—'"

"According to the Daoist canon, your destiny may be that of a Nine-Turn Spiritual Essence, a rare innate Daoist body that is one in ten thousand."

Liu Yifei's face lit up with joy, but then she looked suspicious: "Why does it feel like you're making this up? Is it something from that 'Chinese Mythology Universe' they recently handed me?" (Chapter 470)
"Simply put it! What does that mean?"

Boss Lu stood up unhurriedly, suppressing a laugh, and said, "It's... a furnace."

"What?!" The young woman was stunned for a moment before she reacted and burst out cursing, "You bastard! You want to use me to replenish your yang energy?!"

Xiao Liu was so angry she wanted to bite him, but with her big belly, she couldn't chase after him. She could only glare at him with her phoenix eyes and say hatefully, "You wait, I'll turn you into ashes sooner or later!"

The washing machine grinned and said, "Yes, I couldn't be happier!"

. . .

The two didn't have much time to play around. Perhaps it was because the singing of "Heaven and Earth Bring Good Fortune" by the actors in the lobby had caused a sensation, but many of the guests and celebrities who participated in the show that night came to greet them.

For example, the two singers from Phoenix Legend, who were signed by Wenjie during the ringtone era, were released in 05 to pursue their own bright futures.

Last year, due to the sluggishness and chaos in the entire SP market, the original ringback tone business unit was gradually abolished, broken up, and merged into other departments, marking the end of a gold rush era.

There were also questions about the actors who participated in this year's Spring Festival Gala:
Hu Ge, who was filming "The Lost Tomb" last year;

Bao Qiang, who became a sensation this year because of the movie "Lost in Thailand";

Tong Liya and others, who gradually stepped into the limelight, exuding a strong exotic charm.

Of course, we can't forget Jay Chou, who sang "Compendium of Materia Medica" with a singer, Hendrik Willem Van Loon, who sang "Stand Up," and Eason Chan and Joey Yung, artists from Eagle Entertainment.

Lao Long reiterated his desire to collaborate with young directors, but this opportunity is indeed rare and hard to come by. Unless he is willing to significantly reduce his salary, co-productions would be better off using Hollywood stars than him.

After all, Lu Kuan never makes kung fu movies. For other genres, he prefers actors like Li Xuejian, Liang Jiahui, or younger actors like Feng Yuanzheng and Xin Baiqing, who don't have "labels" and allow him to create characters at will.

It wasn't until 7:40 p.m. that staff came to invite the two to the live broadcast location.

The Spring Festival Gala has several levels and tiers of positions:
The frontmost and most central area is the most crucial, with an excellent location, unobstructed view, and closest to the stage, allowing for a clear view of the actors' expressions and stage details.

The seats are also more upscale than the small round tables and chairs seen in the Spring Festival Gala broadcast; they are custom-made upholstered chairs with a gold "CCTV Spring Festival Gala" logo.

This was also where Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei were seated.

They will be surrounded by Zhong Xuan, leaders of the State Administration of Radio and Television, earthquake relief heroes, aerospace hero Yang Liwei, Olympic gold medal representatives, and others.

In short, besides the leaders, the national heroes of the year include those who are "martial" (Olympic athletes, aerospace and earthquake relief heroes) and those who are "civil" (Olympic chief director Lu Kuan).

Xiao Liu was a family member who was just there to make up the numbers, so he sat on the side. In terms of etiquette, it's similar to inviting a couple to be guests.

Further back is the secondary core area, also known as the "small round table" area often seen on television, where top celebrities and industry leaders are usually seated.

The former refers to the heavyweight performers of the evening, such as Grandpa Benshan and the singer who will be sitting here temporarily.

The latter position usually requires money to buy; in the past, it was mostly real estate developers, but later it was mostly internet company owners.

Coincidentally, Mr. Lu spotted an "old acquaintance".

"Mr. Li! Do you still recognize me?" Lu Kuan greeted the handsome Li Yanhong with a smile. He never expected to see one of the "axis of evil" at the Spring Festival Gala today!
If we temporarily remove Wanda from the discussion of Wenjie, which is still just a business competitor with no public-private conflicts, and only look at the three members of the Taishan Club: Lianxiang, Ali, and Baidu.

Among them, Xi Hai is the most outstanding. Ali is considered a Japanese company, while Baidu is at most a Mussolini.

In fact, Li Yanhong had seen him a long time ago, but she felt awkward and kept avoiding him.

After all, these VIP seats are now only available to a handful of people, including Lu Kuan, Liu Yifei, and a few Olympic athletes. Li Yanhong could spot this troublesome opponent at a glance. However:
First, it's awkward to meet with a competitor and have nothing to say.

Secondly, it's embarrassing that I got it by spending a whopping 4000 million RMB!

Moreover, on the Dongda server, no matter how much money you spend on business, you can only reach the "secondary core area" at most; don't even think about the "VIP area."

After all, it can't compare to Ma Zhongtang on the American server.

Let's take a look at who's sitting in the VIP area this year.

They're either leaders, space heroes who've "gone to the heavens," earthquake relief heroes who've "gone underground," or even "2008 season's best" in the cultural and artistic field like Boss Lu.

Oh, and it's not just in the cultural and artistic fields; their Olympic Games opening ceremony also incorporated aerospace elements, and they've made tremendous contributions to earthquake relief.

Therefore, he was able to bring his wife to enjoy the honors and glory bestowed upon him by the state, which surpasses the general understanding of entrepreneurs and artists.

Even if you, Li Yanhong, keep spending money, how much more can you spend?
Lu Kuan, being cunning, saw that Li Yanhong, a programmer by training, looked embarrassed and insisted on coming over to shake hands and exchange pleasantries with him.

Li Yanhong forced a smile and said, "President Lu, is this our first time meeting?"

"We've known each other for a long time! We've known each other for a long time!" Boss Lu seemed very enthusiastic.

More than two years ago, he attended the Internet Conference for the first and last time. At that time, he invited Lao Ma, Xiao Ma, the Red-Clothed Cult Leader and others to meet and have a small gathering in a courtyard house, but Li Yanhong was notably absent.

I never imagined that our first meeting would turn us into mortal enemies.

In the online ticketing business alone, a winner and loser will inevitably emerge within the next year or two; the losers will cut their losses decisively, while the winners will dominate the market.

Li Yanhong felt itchy all over from his gaze and said awkwardly, "President Lu, I'll treat you to dinner sometime. Competition is competition, but this..."

"Of course! Public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters. I'm very willing to make friends with you, after all, I'm also somewhat of an internet person."

Boss Lu held onto Li Yanhong's hand tightly, like a Japanese soldier meeting a fellow countryman: "What is the Internet? The Internet is open and inclusive. We in the same industry should communicate and exchange ideas more."

Liu Yifei found it quite amusing to watch her husband flirt with Li Yanhong, who was acting like a submissive man.

She was sitting a little further away and it was inconvenient for her to get up. She looked down at the program for a while and then looked up to find that Lu Kuan had already returned with a smile.

Li Yanhong...

Why is Li Yanhong standing there, stunned?

Liu Xiaolv asked curiously, "I wasn't paying attention just now, did you punch him? Why does he have that expression?"

"No, I just talked to him about how the internet should be open and inclusive."

Mr. Lu laughed and said, "For example, at the beginning of this month, Google in China was suddenly reported for 'containing pornographic and obscene content and vulgar links,' and then it was publicly exposed by the National Internet Illegal and Harmful Information Reporting Center."

“I told Li Yanhong that I am also a Google shareholder, and that I would like to organize a meeting for you two to exchange ideas.”

Xiao Liu, the straight man, asked, "And then?"

"He suddenly became stern and unwilling, as if they were the ones who reported him." Boss Lu said calmly.

"I tried to reason with him, asking questions like, 'Is there a problem with Baidu's auction system? Or has Baidu MP3 been infringing on artists' copyrights for a long time?'"

"Putting aside everything else, just look at how much of Jay Chou's money he's taken advantage of?"

"If these foreign monks find a way to report these issues, it will be very difficult for Baidu, won't it?"

Mr. Lu looked helpless: "As a result, his face turned as pale as if he were constipated. It's pointless."

He pulled his wife's chair back a little so she wouldn't feel cramped: "These people are all so petty. They can't stand the truth or honest advice. All of them combined don't even have as much tolerance as you do now!"

Xiao Liu covered her mouth and laughed, "I'm seven months pregnant, of course it's big!"

"But you're really wicked, making everyone panic on New Year's Eve. Li Yanhong must have had the worst luck to run into you today."

So, the Sparrow family spent 4000 million to promote their face, but the expression on that face won't be pleasant tonight.

At this moment, Robin Li wholeheartedly agreed with Old Ma's use of the word "bad seed".

If there is a next time, he will definitely abandon his gentle and refined demeanor and give the person on the left front a good scolding!

The "back of his head" had just left his seat to shake hands and exchange pleasantries with a group of leaders. No bigwig had ever attended the Spring Festival Gala before; the highest-ranking official was only a vice-state leader, and today was no exception.

Liu Yifei, on the other hand, chatted happily with Guo Jingjing, one of the few women around her, constantly covering her mouth and whispering to each other, as if they were not meeting for the first time.

"Sister Jingjing, let me introduce you. This is my husband, Lu Kuan."

Guo Jingjing smiled generously: "I recognize her, I recognize her, everyone in the country recognizes her."

"Hello, Director Lu, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Mr. Lu smiled and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Huo isn't here today?"

Guo and Huo publicly announced their relationship during the Athens Olympics, so it wasn't a secret to begin with.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kenneth Fok presented Guo Jingjing with the gold medal in the individual 3-meter springboard event, a moment that has become a legend.

"Yes, he has things to do in Hong Kong, so he didn't come this time."

"I see. I wish you a happy marriage soon." Lu Kuan sat down next to his wife. The staff had already begun clearing the venue, and the party was about to start in fifteen minutes.

Guo Jingjing smiled and said, "Thank you. I'll share in your and Yifei's joy. Congratulations Director Lu on becoming a father. May Yifei and the baby be healthy and safe."

The young couple has received so many heartfelt blessings today, from different ethnic groups, regions, and even countries—

Dashan from Canada will be performing a group crosstalk performance titled "A New Interpretation of the Five Senses" with Ma Dong and others.

Just for this reason alone, coming to the Spring Festival Gala today was worthwhile. Who wouldn't want to hear some nice things during the New Year?
Li Yanhong: You bad seed!

At 19:55 p.m., the studio ceiling lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only the faint green light from the emergency exit.

Thirty spotlights pierced the darkness like silver swords, and director Lang Kun's steady instructions came from the control panel: "Audio team, final level test! Camera cranes, return to the safe zone!"
It is worth mentioning that Liu Yan, the dancer whose fate was altered by the time traveler before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in this life, and who did not suffer the misfortune of losing her leg again, is Lang Kun's wife.

Lu Kuan turned his head and whispered to his wife, "How did you meet Guo Jingjing?"

"I went to watch her diving competition with Chunru!" Liu Yifei gently pinched her husband's thigh. "You don't follow my Weibo? The three of us even took a group photo! I was holding her gold medal in my mouth!"

"We met that time and keep in touch occasionally."

"Oh! I see!" Lu Kuan nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

"what happened?"

After a few seconds of contemplation, Boss Lu said in a low voice, "Does the so-called cultural export really mean that the first step is to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans?"

"In fact, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia are the regions where it is more convenient to exert cultural influence. It's just that the markets in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are too sluggish and the economic returns are relatively average, but they are also important cultural strongholds."

"The Fok family is a prominent family in Hong Kong, and there may be opportunities to cooperate on cultural matters in the future."

There are many anti-government elements in Central. It would be good if more movies like "Aftershock" and "The Sky of History" could be brought there.

Lu Kuan thought of this because the traitors and rebels of his previous life made full use of Facebook and Twitter, even using the latter as a command center.

Twitter's various double-standard push notifications, pinned hashtags, exaggerations, and organized incitement are extremely malicious.

There are still three or four years before the rebels start to stir up trouble, and the situation will be unclear by then. The cooperation he and Liu Yifei discussed with the Huo family on "cultural affairs" is roughly based on this.

After all, Twitter is firmly in my own hands in this life; it's just a matter of how to deal with the various foundations in the U.S. then.

As Iris Chang said: With great power comes great responsibility, and each generation has its own mission.

Before eight o'clock, the gala had already begun, with a 400-person choir humming the melody of "Spring Festival Overture" under the rising platform.

Although the Spring Festival Gala is primarily broadcast in real-time, there is still a 30-second technical delay window in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Seemingly influenced by the advanced technologies used in this year's Olympic Games opening ceremony, the technological empowerment of the Spring Festival Gala stage was particularly evident.

The Tianjin Ballet's "Butterfly Lovers" dances gracefully in the fog screen technology, with the dancers resembling colorful butterflies emerging from their cocoons, and the gauze skirts blending with the light and shadow to create a flowing oil painting.

Jay Chou's collaboration with the singer is even more unconventional. Jay Chou mixes "Compendium of Materia Medica" with nunchucks, while the latter's "Send You an Oriental Jasmine" is wrapped in holographic images, with the collision of oriental charm and electronic rhythm creating a cross-dimensional spark.

However, for most ordinary people, watching the Spring Festival Gala is mainly for the comedy sketches.

Jiang Kun's crosstalk was somewhat outdated, and Feng Gong's use of the financial crisis topic in "Warm Winter" to throw out jokes were both unsatisfactory.

Just like the previous version, Lao Zhao's "Not Short of Money" became a huge hit. Interestingly, this version of "Not Short of Money" also included interaction with Boss Lu in the audience.

When Xiao Shenyang hesitantly said, "I definitely want to be on the Avenue of Stars," Zhao Benshan suddenly turned to the front row of the audience, his expression vivid as he continued the line:
"Why bother going on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? If you're really capable, go find Lu Kuan to make a movie for you. He'd definitely love your Scottish flirting!"

Zhao Benshan sarcastically remarked, "I heard his wife, Xiao Liu, is pregnant now. Why don't you send your chicken to him? We're not worthy of such a treat."

The audience burst into laughter, and several Olympic champions and leaders in the VIP area laughed so hard they were doubled over.

Director Lang Kun calmly directed from the control room: "Camera 3, quickly give Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei a close-up!"

So the whole country saw Boss Lu smiling and clapping enthusiastically, while the top female celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry next to him, wrapped in a bright red cashmere shawl, laughed heartily.

The Berlin Film Festival Best Actress was naturally very sensitive to camera angles and cooperated by giving the appropriate expression.

Although the scene was only briefly shown, it has already sparked a frenzy online.

At this moment, countless families across China:

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to see Zhao Benshan? Aren't you going to wait a year?"

"I'm going to send a message to the group chat to let those who haven't seen it know that Liu Yifei is on the Spring Festival Gala! Tell them to come and watch!"

Once the fans of the "Fairy Sisters" arrived, they were swept up in a vast ocean of messages on QQ groups, text messages, and Weibo, embarking on an endless cycle of calling on friends and engaging in joyful interactions.

For no apparent reason, "Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage" became one of the top ten trending topics on Weibo, and its search index on Baidu also soared!

Li Yanhong was even more furious.

"Liu Yifei's pregnancy looks so auspicious, even more exciting than Scottish flirting! I want to see Liu Yifei sing 'Auspicious Three Treasures' with her baby!"

"A fairy, that's a must-have; a washing machine, that's damn good to have but no!"

"Putting the washing machine into the 'Not Short of Money' segment is strangely fitting, since the characters are definitely not short of money!"

"Sisi's regal appearance, draped in a bright red shawl, is more intoxicating than a slightly salty sauce."

"The most painful thing in life is dying before you've spent all your money? No! The most painful thing in life is that I'm not dead yet, and the goddess has already had someone else's child!"

Of course, there are also haters who have interfered. Recently, the most arrogant ones are Yang Mi's fans who were hurt in the "Yang Mi forwarded without replying" incident.

However, the fans of this life have gradually grown up since the Song Dynasty, fought against Zhang Nara, confronted Fan Bingbing, and experienced various difficult battles such as birthday events.

They've even ventured overseas to platforms like Mytube, and their fighting power is far beyond what the nascent fanbase and other young actresses' fans can match.

"Has this fairy gotten so fat since she got pregnant? Even her shawl can't hide her double chin!"

[Fairy Fan]: I suggest you see an ophthalmologist. This is called maternal radiance, unlike some people who blink and suck their cheeks when they act, looking like a skull. Apart from their headlights looking like they've eaten pig feed, is the rest of them even human?

"Washing machine has a really strong taste. Now, holding your wife is like holding a gas cylinder, isn't it? The former king of womanizers has completely fallen."

[Fan]: Can any taste be worse than smelly feet? Please wash your feet before going on the show next time!

The comments under this post were particularly crazy. The incident stemmed from a recent appearance of Yang Mi on Hunan TV's "Happy Camp" program, where the host brought out a goat and mentioned that "there was an ancient form of punishment where a goat was made to lick the feet of the criminal, which made people laugh to death."

He Jiong then added: Goats are sensitive to salty or sweet tastes and will actively lick them.

As a result, it went straight for Da Mimi, showing a "though I die nine times, I will not regret it" attitude, which made people burst into laughter.

"Huang Shengyi's performance on the Spring Festival Gala was so beautiful. I don't know how Fei Xian has the nerve to call himself a fairy. I just can't understand it."

[Fairy Fan]: Fun fact: Huang Shengyi, who was promoted by Yang Zi, the donkey-faced man, and the Japanese-funded Chengtian, only has one representative role to date, the mute in "Kung Fu Hustle," which is still the leftovers of Fairy. Fairy was willing to be a stunt double in "A Home Too Far," which is why she is now the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress. Do you understand?

"Liu Yifei can now act in 'Kung Fu Panda,' and she's quite a good fit."

[Fan]: You're right, she's a national treasure. Otherwise, how could she be sitting in the most VIP position with the washing machine? No matter who your master is, I'm certain she couldn't get here even if she crawled on the ground for a hundred years. It's a national certification, understand?
"I'm just a passerby, I don't follow anyone, but people are just saying Liu Yifei has gained weight. Is it really necessary for a certain group to be so angry? Objectively speaking, Yang Mi and Huang Shengyi are prettier than Liu Yifei now, aren't they?"

A highly educated "laundry detergent" suddenly appears: Quiet down! I'm a seasoned laundry detergent expert, and I have the most say in the beauties of the entertainment industry! Let me do this question!
According to the "washing machine first replacement law," mid-to-low-quality female stars in the entertainment industry are easier to wash than high-level female stars, their drums agitate faster, and they are more likely to switch allegiances and clients.

Gresham's Law in economics states that people tend to retain high-value assets (good money) and prioritize the use of low-value assets (bad money) in transactions.

This is called Gresham's Law (bad money drives out good money).

As is well known, Huang Shengyi went from Xinghui to Donkey Face Yangzi, and then to Chengtian, while Yang Mi went from Rongxingda to Huayi, and then to LeTV.

Both of them were treacherous servants, and their influence spread extremely quickly!

Therefore, both Yang Mi and Huang Shengyi are inferior Bs.

The derivation is complete.

This post instantly garnered massive attention, with the hashtag "#WashingMachineFirstReplacementLaw" rapidly climbing to the top of the trending topics.

What a golden age of entertainment! Even the netizens who are arguing with each other are so talented!
Isn't this just a replica of Newton's First Law of Motion? It has to be said that washing machine fans are generally highly educated and knowledgeable.

Firstly, these days, those who have been watching his theatrical films regularly since 2002 are mostly white-collar workers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

Secondly, men with high moral standards who can't stand washing machines, and men who are promiscuous are likely to have certain social resources and associated sexual power.

Both laundry detergent brands are experts at internal conflicts but not at external ones. Although they are usually bullied by Xianfen (a popular online personality), they still stand together against outsiders when Xiaoliu (another online personality) is attacked.

Regardless, Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei, who were merely present at the event, were "used" by the chief director Lang Kun and became one of the national memories of the 09 Spring Festival Gala.

Many years later, when people recall that year's Spring Festival Gala, perhaps the most memorable moments will be just a few:

Jay Chou's collaboration with a singer, Liu Qian's magic trick, "Not Short of Money," and the interaction between Zhao Benshan and the boss in the audience.

At 12:40 a.m., the young couple, who left through a separate passage without being surrounded, returned to Wenyuhefu by car.

"It's really cool to see it live, but it's a pity I can't come next year because I'm having a baby." Liu Yifei said, still feeling unwilling, as if she had just gone out for some fresh air and was about to return to her cell. "How about we leave the baby with my mom and take care of it ourselves?"

Liu Xiaoli:?

As soon as the Volvo turned off the bridge, I could see a familiar bright blue Z4 with its hazard lights on under the streetlights in the distance.

"You'll change your mind next year." Boss Lu was speechless, then laughed, "Your suitors are back again, was I right?"

"Holy crap! She's really here!"

"Fat Fairy," who was attacked online by fans, was dumbfounded. He uttered a rare swear word, then slumped weakly and dejectedly in the back seat, clutching his forehead.

Meanwhile, the idol of his fans was pacing back and forth by the car with his arms crossed, his sheepskin boots constantly grinding against the thin ice on the road.

Even if they were heartless, Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei had no choice but to get out of the car and say a few words.

As the Volvo approached, its high beams swept across Yang Mi's pale face, causing her to freeze momentarily, like an abandoned stray cat, before her expression brightened.
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(End of this chapter)