Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 513: You want me to act in this? (Thanks to Monchhichi for joining the alliance)

The listing of this Shishi Wuyue Culture did not actually take full advantage of favorable timing, location, and human factors.

The title of the first listed entertainment and film company in China still exists, though it is also a "modest" concession from the industry's leading company.
However, whether it's missing out on the launch of the ChiNext board in October or trying to catch the first wave of the financial crisis, there are certain risks involved.

The ChiNext board is certainly excellent, but the Shenzhen main board shouldn't be considered bad either.

Since 08, the major strategic direction of domestic film and entertainment companies has been large-scale productions and the entire industry chain. Everyone, regardless of their background, is working to improve their own business ecosystem.

This follows the same historical trajectory as the previous life, except that Wenjie is setting an example in this era.

As a company with a complete industry chain, listing on the main board is an advantage in itself, because the main board allows for a larger issuance scale.

加上2009年初A股流动性复苏，从2008年的1664点，反弹至2009年2月的2300点，主板IPO定价有高于创业板的预期。

Regardless, the urgent need for funds to wage a subsidy war has driven Wuyue Culture Media to this point.

Prior to this, Mr. Lu had already tried to slow down the pace of competition by using "exclusive distribution" and copyright storms to counter LeEco Culture's "open conspiracy".

However, these are only temporary measures and cannot fundamentally reverse the huge competitive disadvantage. The internal user growth figures for Alipay in the first phase this year should make Jack Ma very happy.

On February 2, 2009, the lead underwriter, CITIC Securities, transferred the raised funds, after deducting underwriting fees, to Wuyue's designated account. The accountant verified the funds and issued a verification report.

Meanwhile, Wuyue Culture Media published the "Listing Announcement" and "Stock Issuance Results Announcement" on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's designated platform, "Juchao Information Network," clarifying key figures such as the issue price of 30.58 yuan and the total share capital of 1.88 million shares.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Bingbing and the company's latest management team, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and shareholders received the "Issuance Summary Report," obtaining information on roadshow subscriptions, fund receipts, and share registration.

At 9:15 a.m. on the 3rd, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's main board electronic screen lit up with the code, and Wuyue Culture Media was officially listed.

At this moment, domestic private equity fund managers, Wanda, Wenjie, Fiber Optic, retail investors who won IPO subscriptions, new and old stock market investors, and financial media reporters all unanimously sat in front of their computers to watch the market index and K-line trends.

Fenglian Plaza Building, Beiping.

Bingbing sat in the office that originally belonged to Wang Dajun.

In the prevailing rule of "a new broom sweeps clean" in both official and business circles, changing the previous office is the most typical power ritual:
By erasing the old traces of physical space and announcing the establishment of a new order, this is the primary effect of implanting "authority reshaping" in the minds of organization members.

But the leading actress refused.

True power never needs a light to guide it; now she can sit here with greater confidence, looking towards the future.

During the call auction phase, buy orders piled up rapidly, with over one million shares being placed through a brokerage's VIP channel. Discussions on "cinema concept stocks" and "companies affiliated with the Wenjie Group" on the Taoguba forum surged.

At 9:25 a.m., the opening price was set at 68.80 yuan, a surge of 140.73% over the issue price. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange's monitoring center immediately initiated real-time monitoring. According to the main board rules, this increase had triggered the first-level suspension threshold.

Market data shows that the top buy order reached 42 shares, with "CITIC Securities Beiping CITIC Building" submitting an order for 1.2 million yuan through an institutional account.

This is the underwriter's own funds entering the market to support the price.

After entering continuous bidding, Wuyue Culture's stock price surged to 75.60 yuan at 10:08, triggering a 30-minute temporary trading halt!

Taoguba instantly saw thousands of discussions:
"This is insane! Is the valuation logic for asset-light companies really that high?"

"The cultural industry is too tempting for institutions and speculative capital; it's a second-tier alternative to the cultural industry!"

The company secretary explained the current situation to Bingbing and the directors in the office. At this moment, the turnover rate has reached as high as 35%, and there are speculative funds trading back and forth to drive up the price. The top five buyers should all be brokerage seats.

By the time the post-market trading data is released, stock market readers should be quite familiar with some of the trading seats:

Galaxy Securities Shaoxing Road, Guoxin Securities Shenzhen Tairan Road, and especially Mr. Xu's Dongfang Securities Baoqing Road and Galaxy Securities Jiefang South Road, who are still in the "daredevil" team...

Trading resumed in the afternoon, and selling pressure gradually emerged. At 13:45 PM, the stock price fell back to 70.20 yuan, and a strategic investor holding 30 shares sold them at a 5% discount through the block trading platform, triggering a surge of follow-up buying.

The arranged "shills," retail investors who are also opinion leaders and influential figures, posted their trades on the forum:

"The first domestic cultural and media stock, Wenjie Youhao Alliance, buy one lot at 71 yuan to chase the rise, unconditionally bullish!"

Numerous voices emerged, and external factors quietly appeared in the A-share market, a major financial casino, leading to a minor reversal at 14:20 PM:

CITIC Securities' investment banking department held an emergency telephone roadshow, emphasizing the 35% annual gross profit margin of its cinema assets and the cash flow stability of "If You Are the One" which grossed 3.4 million yuan during the Lunar New Year season. Encouraged by institutional investors, they snapped up another 8000 million yuan worth of assets!
The stock closed at 15:00 PM, with a closing price of 72.30 yuan, up 140.1% from the issue price. The total trading volume for the day was 41.6 billion yuan, with a turnover rate of 75.2%.

Post-market data from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange showed a net inflow of 2.1 million yuan from institutional investors, with the top five buying positions accounting for 18% of the trading volume.

Everyone was stunned by this number!
Those who have participated in IPOs know how exhilarating it is. The stock price surged by 140.73% on the first day, with individual investors who won a single subscription earning as much as 19110 yuan, which is equivalent to 7.8 times the average monthly wage of urban employees in China in 2009, which was 2438 yuan!
What does this mean? A small-cap film and television company that isn't a blue-chip stock has actually created such a profit storm on the third day of the new year!

Of course, the most excited were the shareholders and employees at the brightly lit headquarters of Wuyue Plaza.

Especially for someone like Zhou Xun who didn't participate in the previous life, this life is like reaping the benefits without lifting a finger—how wonderful!

Even though the market value will fluctuate to some extent, based on today's closing, Wuyue Culture Media's total market value reached 121.46 billion, which is slightly higher than Huayi in its previous life.

Wanda, Fiber Optic, LeTV Culture, Xiaoma Benteng, and even state-owned film and television companies like Shanghai Film and Shandong Film & Television, which already have listing plans, all have different intentions.

Media aspects:

The Economic Observer cited PE investment cases, pointing out that celebrity shareholding is essentially the securitization of human capital. Fan Bingbing's net worth of 30 billion yuan is quite astonishing, which proves the wealth-creating efficiency of the combination of entertainment industry and capital.

Sohu Finance column reminds: A PE ratio of 142 means that an average annual growth of 30% is needed to justify the valuation. However, the performance of film and television companies is highly volatile. If the box office of Xu Zheng and Zhou Xingchi and Xue Xiaolu's "My Love from the Star" falls short of expectations next year after "If You Are the One", it may trigger a valuation collapse.

The "Heartbeat News" is sarcastic: "The former Golden Lock is now a capital queen. Fan Bingbing's office may have more eye-catching K-line charts than posters. This may be the best era for the film and television industry, or it may be the most frivolous era."

Caijing magazine listed the top ten celebrity shareholders and their net worth based on a 25% share issuance ratio, which is astonishing.

Zhou Xun, Zhang Jizhong, Huang Xiaoming, and others who held shares in "Emei Peak" on behalf of others all received gifts from the mastermind behind the scenes. Their shareholdings were no less than those in their previous lives, and their net worth also increased many times over.

In the previous life, Kuzi, who had the highest proportion of star directors in Huayi Brothers, was only worth 2.5 million on the first day.

Even Xu Zheng, the bald man who is good at dealing with people, faded out of the industry at that time due to market capacity issues, but his choice at a critical moment saved his career.

Of course, the most dazzling one is Bingbing, the current female president and chairman of Wuyue Culture Media.

From her minor role as Jin Suo in "My Fair Princess" in 1998, to her struggles and setbacks over the next four years before 2002, she remained relatively unknown.
Finally, after winning the Best Supporting Actress award at the Hundred Flowers Awards for her role in "Shoplifters" in 2003, she soared to new heights thanks to the unparalleled fashion resources available to her in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Regardless of the numerous rumors and gossip surrounding her and Liu Yifei, or even the serious car accident at the end of the year, she is ultimately the one standing at the pinnacle of female celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry.

That night, Bingbing's popularity and fame were so great that even Xiao Liu had to give way.

Zhuo Wei specially produced a special issue titled "I Am My Own Tycoon," recounting the joys and sorrows of her 11 years in the entertainment industry.

Of course, when it comes to certain key points and key figures, we can only gloss over them. Experienced observers will understand, while newcomers can just guess the riddles!

Sina Entertainment also took advantage of Bingbing's sudden rise to become the most valuable female star in the Chinese entertainment industry to launch a special report on the capitalization of Chinese celebrities.

This "most valuable" ranking obviously excludes Liu Yifei, who married into a wealthy family, otherwise it would be too unfair.

That night, Bingbing got drunk on his first meal at Wenyuhefu.

First, he had no secrets from Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei and was extremely relaxed.
Secondly, having survived a calamity, I have finally achieved my wish today!
Bingbing, waking up thirsty and drunk in the middle of the night, couldn't contain his "arrogance" of the day and years of resentment. He posted a Weibo message that was unclear to whom, or perhaps it was addressed to all the celebrity bosses he had clashed with and insulted along the way, besides Lu and Liu.

[You slander me, defame me, deceive me, humiliate me, belittle me, despise me, hate me, and cheat me! Do you look at me now?]

Bingbing's Weibo post has sparked considerable controversy. Some people criticize her for being arrogant and conceited, while others praise her strong and independent personality. Numerous gossip and rumors about Bingbing, Yuan Huayi, and Xinwuyue have also circulated widely.

Zhuo Wei also posted a limerick on Weibo in the early hours of the morning to echo today's "Day of the Leading Lady":
They slander my status as a maidservant in golden locks, and they deceive me because I have no one to lean on while I grow new vines.

Rumors ruined my life, and my beautiful clothes were stained with filth.

Ten years of frost and snow, today I ask you:
Is 00202X listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange?

……

Bingbing's first blossoming of a leading lady life has made countless female stars in the Chinese entertainment industry envious and inspired a strong desire to imitate her.

Because the path taken by Xiao Liu, another "female role model" under universal values, is almost impossible to replicate.

First, you need to have a face like this.

Secondly, the mainland needs another young and outstanding talent like Boss Lu to emerge.

Even if both conditions are met, who can know the hardships and pains that are comparable to the eighty-one tribulations in between?

Not everyone can make the same choices as Liu Yifei at every critical juncture when they feel like they're falling into an abyss. Only those who have undergone countless trials can be considered true to themselves.

But Bingbing came from a different path!

A sharp-eyed industry insider with years of experience, examining her career path from cause to effect, reveals that the turning point was practically an open secret—

That man was manipulating everything behind the scenes.

Wuyue Culture is the price someone paid to the leading actresses for their past youth over the past decade; he fulfilled everything he promised, no more, no less.

Bingbing also managed to preserve the fruits of a woman's most beautiful ten years of hard work at the last moment.

Stop saying no one can buy my youth with money, this is over 30 billion!

With the example set by Wuyue Culture Media, all ambitious actresses, including Yanzi, Huang Shengyi, and Da Mimi, have set their sights on the path pioneered by Bingbing: investing in film and television companies and seeking to increase their value through IPOs.

Perhaps the Axis of Evil had the most complex and tense feelings that night.

Chairman Liu's underhanded tactics during the Spring Festival failed to work, or rather, they were just random moves. Now that Professor Li has been so frightened that he has deleted his Weibo account, there is no need to continue.

He had considered targeting Wuyue Culture in the secondary market, but the latter's meticulous preparations would not leave the enemy with too many openings.

On the other hand, Lianxiang is planning its privatization in the middle of the year. Apart from borrowing enough funds from members of the Taishan Club to subsidize the war, the old chairman has to focus all his attention on the former.

This is an opportunity to "transform into a dragon when the wind and clouds blow".

The "wind" refers to the historical trend of the state promoting the socialization of equity in state-owned enterprises after the 2008 financial crisis.
"Yun" refers to Lao Tie Fan Hai.

Regardless, the spectacular listing of Wuyue Culture has set a brilliant precedent for the 2.0 era of Chinese entertainment.

……

On February 14, 2009, the highly anticipated film "Under the Hawthorn Tree" premiered at the Wenjie Jiahe Guomao Store in Beiping.

Before 6 p.m., the area outside the Beiping Wenjie Jiahe Guomao store was already bustling with people.

Despite the biting cold, the enthusiasm of movie fans and media reporters remained undiminished.

The red carpet was packed with fans holding up support signs, the largest of whom were Liu Yifei's fans. Unfortunately, Liu Yifei wouldn't be walking the red carpet today; she had already arrived inside the venue.

Based on the fact that she was full-term on April 21st, according to her last prenatal checkup, she was only two months away from being able to give birth naturally. It was already an extraordinary favor from the Empress Dowager that she was allowed to come out now, so how could she possibly walk the red carpet?

At 6:30 p.m., director Zhang Yimou, dressed in his signature black Zhongshan suit, was the first to appear, smiling and greeting the media.

Producer and lead actor Lu Kuan was dressed in a casual suit, looking particularly relaxed and energetic today, a far cry from his previous old-fashioned appearance.

During the Spring Festival, the controversial Lao Zhao and Han Shanping stood side by side. The latter came to visit again after "three visits to the thatched cottage". He left an interesting role for Boss Lu in "The Founding of a Republic".

Without Xiao Liu, the red carpet was almost entirely filled with male directors, actors, and leaders. Zhao Benshan and Lu Kuan were naturally stopped by reporters in front of the autograph wall.

Although this wasn't a regular interview time, Lao Zhao has always been good at interpersonal relationships and adept at handling all kinds of people.

He stopped and listened to the questions from the reporter from the *Beiping Evening News*, who had finally managed to squeeze into the queue:
"Teacher Zhao, what are your thoughts on the turmoil during the Spring Festival?"

Old Zhao remained calm and composed, still sporting his honest smile: "I have no opinion. Works are meant to be judged by others; let them say whatever they want."

"But this time, even the station was considering the impact of the public opinion storm, and the review was only released at the last minute. You were able to pass smoothly. Will you make general changes to the local customs, dialects and slang in the program in the future?"

Zhao Benshan had actually discussed this topic in interviews over the past few days, but he still went on to reiterate his stance:

"This is like how we Northeasterners eat. Can we do without soybean paste? But if you insist that soybean paste is too strong and you have to replace it with tomato sauce, is that still Northeastern cuisine? The audience likes to watch our show because they want to have fun, right?"

Old Zhao left with a smile, and Han Shanping took the opportunity to make some predictions about the future of China's film market and growth rate in 2009, which can be regarded as a semi-official expression of his expectations for the future of the industry.

However, in the era of Entertainment 2.0, Chinese films no longer need him to promote, encourage, and guide them as he did in 2002.

The current situation is that all the hot money in society is eager to irrigate this fertile field, afraid of being a step behind:
The coal bosses need not be mentioned;
Real estate developers, led by Wanda and Hengdian Group;
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Beiping Bank, for example, launched financial funds for copyright pledge loans.

This even includes reports that TV capital firm Joy Media invested in "The Treasure Hunter" and "The Spy Who Loved Me". Joy Media is the company behind "Joyful Mobilization", which pioneered the trend of TV variety shows in mainland China.

Most surprisingly, even online game companies couldn't sit still any longer.

The listed company Perfect World established Perfect Culture, and its first investment was in the film "Sophie's Revenge" starring Zhang Ziyi. It still followed the investment model of "If You Are the One" and "Meteor Shower", except that the biggest client was Perfect World itself.

In the movie, Zhang Ziyi's character, the cartoonist Sophie, is obsessed with "Hot Dance Party," which is a game from Perfect World.

Old Han's promotion seems to be a done deal after "The Founding of a Republic," giving him a sense of effortless success as if heaven and earth were on his side.

Of course, being in the heart of the film industry, he would never forget his partner who was far removed from the mainstream.

As soon as Lao Han entered, he spotted Boss Lu chatting and laughing with Lao Zhangzi and Bingbing. He walked straight over and said, "You're the richest man, right? Now your family member, Xiao Liu, is worth over 20 billion. Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed by your newfound wealth?"

Lu Kuan waved his hand with a smile: "They're just numbers, don't take them seriously!"

He then gestured to Bingbing, who was recovering from a serious illness and about to join the cast of "My Love from the Star," and said, "The big boss is here. If President Han wants to advance further in the future, he should unite more comrades like Bingbing so as to contribute to the country's film industry."

Bingbing giggled and said, "That's not how it works. We're all under the leadership of President Han and President Lu!"

"Haha! No problem, no problem, you'd better listen to the richest man, as always!" Han Shanping laughed, and then suddenly made a sarcastic remark about the washing machine.

"As always what?" Little Liu walked over with a smile, startling Old Han.

With Mulan here, how could he dare to take this joke any further?
Zhang Yimou smiled and said, "President Han is encouraging everyone in the industry to continue their efforts so that he can make progress as soon as possible."

"Haha! No, no, I just hope everyone makes more money. I wish all of you who own film companies were billionaires, and that Chinese films wouldn't be able to gross 1000 billion yuan at the box office!"

Boss Lu quipped, "Got it. You've got your eye on Director Wang's position. I'll ask him when he's going to step down and give way to someone more capable."

This refers to Director Taihua, who sat with Lu Kuan during the live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala.

"Go away! Don't talk nonsense!" Even Han Shanping, who was usually so bold, couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows. Fortunately, none of these people were the type to gossip, so he just treated it as a joke among his own people.

Everyone found it amusing. Zhang Yimou and Bingbing both thought to themselves that only Lu Kuan could joke like that with the leader of Chinese cinema. It might be a bit early to say that Lao Han is the leader now, but after "The Founding of a Republic," that should be no longer a question.

Before the Film Bureau was transferred to Zhong Xuan after the State Council's institutional reform in 2018, it was always managed by the deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, as is the case with the current leader, Tong.

This is because the film industry, as the core of the national cultural and media industry, plays a significant role in terms of industry scale, ideology, and cultural propaganda.

However, Han Shanping's performance over the years has been more than sufficient, and it is entirely possible that the higher authorities will give him the title of deputy director while he will actually handle all matters, big and small.

This is a necessary step for him to enter the Party Leadership Group of the State Administration of Radio and Television in the future.

Afterwards, artists from Wuyue Culture, including Zhang Jizhong, Huang Xiaoming, Zhou Xun, and Xu Zheng, came over to say hello, and Lao Han also remembered the important reason he came today.

Besides using the grand premiere to promote the excellent box office performance in mainland China this year, it was also an opportunity to invite someone to play a role.

"Xiao Lu, filming for 'The Founding of a Republic' started two days ago. You'll be busy with 'Ball Lightning' soon. See if you can find some time to come and give some guidance, and maybe even have a cameo role?"

Lu Kuan waved his hand and said, "Forget about guidance. The elite team of screenwriters from Wenjie Film and Television has already done their part for the big brother. You haven't even been paid yet."

"Wenjie is also a producer of 'The Founding of a Republic,' how dare you ask for a salary?" The man with the crew cut looked helpless, and everyone laughed.

Anyone with eyes can see that "The Founding of a Republic" is a sure-fire way to make money.

With an investment of only 30 million, the project is expected to attract more than 100 celebrities with symbolic salaries, as well as the inevitable "spontaneous booking" of screenings and overwhelming screen time, and the issue of saving face for Han Dejun after 20 years.

And that's exactly what happened. The film raked in 4.3 million yuan at the box office in its previous life, and now companies like Wenjie and Shanghai Film Group, which have invested in it, are just sitting back and enjoying the profits.

However, since they were paid to do the job, Wenjie also offered suggestions for revising some of the errors and omissions in this version of the script.

For example, in the script, the company commander played by Bao Qiang reports: "There is a landlord's compound ahead. The wall is too high to climb, and the grenade can't blow it up!"

The regimental commander, played by Ge You, later discovered that it was a gate of Beiping City.

But Beiping was peacefully liberated, and the troops that entered the city were disciplined and strictly followed the order to protect ancient buildings. So where did the claim of blowing up the city gates come from?
It also includes issues such as incorrect depictions of Wen Yiduo's assassination, controversies surrounding the decision-making regarding the lyrics of the national anthem, and comedic war scenes, which makes this version of "The Founding of a Republic" less flawed.

As for the final product, that depends on the director's skill.

Liu Yifei was most curious about this: "President Han, what role did you assign to Lu Kuan?"

“The Best Actor award naturally has to be prestigious.” The man with the buzz cut spoke with a bold tone, “No one else has room to bargain. I specifically asked Huang Jianxin to reserve a few roles for President Lu.”

Han Shanping smiled and said, "One is Chiang Kai-shek's eldest son, Chiang Ching-kuo, the core of the KMT's reformist faction, who tried to reorganize Shanghai's economy but was hampered by family interests."

"One of them was Kong Lingkan, the eldest son of Kong Xiangxi and nephew of Soong Mei-ling, who represented the interests of the four major families and tried to obstruct Chiang Kai-shek's 'tiger hunt'."

"Another one is Mao Renfeng's subordinate, who is ruthless and vicious, and persecutes loyal and good people, but he has almost no lines. Mao Renfeng is played by Jiang Wen, and this one has been decided."

Liu Yifei laughed crisply, with a hint of schadenfreude: "President Han is unhappy that Lu Kuan declined 'The Founding of a Republic,' so he's only giving him these villainous roles!"

"Not entirely." Han Shanping smiled. "Jiang Xiao was relatively positive during this period of history. He went through a complex transformation from a passionate reformer to a disillusioned young nobleman. I think Xiao Lu is more suitable."

Mr. Lu said helplessly, "Let me play Li Yinqiao, Tang Guoqiang's bodyguard. I want to follow the great man."

Only Liu Yifei and Zhang Yimou were present. The man with the short haircut made an exaggerated joke: "This won't do! You yourself said you wanted to maintain the image of an international citizen. If you play Li, aren't you just trying to fight against the ideology of the foreign devils and arouse suspicion?" (Chapter 489)
"I think the positions of Xiao Jiang and Xiao Kong are more suitable for you."

Lu Kuan frowned at him: "Mr. Han is such a grown man, I didn't expect him to hold such a grudge. Is that appropriate?"

"Haha, this is a political task for Chinese filmmakers, everyone has to obey!" Old Han was very pleased, finally able to get his hands on this kid.

"It's just that I don't have a suitable role; otherwise, I would gladly play a traitor or a lackey!"

Boss Lu chuckled: "Alright, I'll remember this. Now it's the founding of the nation, and there will always be a time for you, President Han, to shine when it's the founding of the party and the army. You can start growing out your 2/8 parted hairstyle in advance."

In other words, this timeline doesn't have "A Simple Noodle Story," which means Zhang Weiping didn't have the opportunity to criticize Lao Han (the bandit leader) or Zuo Shandiao. Otherwise, he would definitely use "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy" to tease Xiaopingtou right now.

Zhang Yimou and the others just laughed when they heard this. Bingbing, with her beautiful eyes glancing around, thought to herself that they should be the two most powerful people in the domestic film industry, one in the martial arts world and the other in the imperial court.

Han Shanping waved his hand and said, "It's settled then. Xiaoming will play Kong Lingkan, the young master from a prominent family, and Bingbing will play Soong Mei-ling. All of these are settled."

"We originally reserved the role of Fu Dongju for Consort Yi, but it seems that won't work out now!"

Fu Dongju, daughter of Kuomintang general Fu Zuoyi and a member of our party, persuaded Fu Zuoyi to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, thus promoting the peaceful liberation of Beiping.

Bingbing has played various female power figures such as Wu Zetian and Longyu in her previous life, so the role of Soong Mei-ling is no problem for her, it's just that the makeup and styling need to be more dignified.

The leading lady's captivating eyes lit up instantly: "I've been looking forward to it! I can be President Lu's stepmother! Awesome!"

It's like it's appeared on your household registration book in a different way.

Looking at her, Xiao Liu couldn't hide his envy: "I wish I could take her place!"

"Hahaha!"

Liu Yifei, who had no prior knowledge of this period of history, said: "President Han, is it alright if I just go through the motions and play a pregnant wife? Like that Jiang Fangliang."

Lu Kuan explained, "His wife is an imported Russian woman; no matter how much makeup you put on, she won't look like him."

"Oh fine!"

Zhang Yimou said goodbye and left, then, as director, he and Zhang Weiping greeted the other guests and dignitaries who had come to show their support.

After a brief speech, the film will begin, and after the premiere, the interview session that reporters love to see will take place.

Today, Lu Kuan, Xiao Liu, Zhao Benshan, and Bingbing are all here. Even many non-film media outlets have signed up to attend the premiere, all for the chance to interview these big names who are at the center of the discussion.

The production team naturally welcomed all offers, as these were all promotional resources, so why not take advantage of them?

In other words, this is where the appeal and commercial value of celebrities and trending figures lie.

After chatting and laughing for a while, Xiao Liu's pregnant body felt a bit heavier, and she was about to find a quiet corner to sit down and rest when she subconsciously rubbed her lower back.

Suddenly, several crisp "click!" sounds of camera shutters came from the direction of the entrance gate, followed by excited shouts from several reporters:

"Jing Tian is here!"

"Sweetie, look here!"

There weren't many female stars catching the eye on the red carpet today, but Jing Tian, ​​who is already somewhat famous, naturally became a beautiful sight.

Liu Yifei and Lu Kuan turned around at the sound and saw Da Tiantian wearing a light pink dress. The thin fabric flowed like water along her body, and her face was as white as snow. Her eyebrows were naturally dark, and her lips were only lightly moistened.

This pretty figure walked very fast, and when she saw Lu Kuan and his wife, she had a bright yet helpless smile on her face.

Liu Yifei looked behind her again and saw that Wang Sicong, dressed in a suit and tie, was following closely behind.

His hair seemed to have been styled, but his demeanor lacked the solemn military bearing of his father.

"Why are you so late?" Liu Yifei said to Jing Tian, ​​but her attention was focused on the sycophant who followed closely behind.

Well, her appearance is indeed a bit lacking. Even with leather shoes on, she looks only about 1.8 meters tall, and there's not much difference between her and Jing Tian when they stand together.

Da Tiantian, with her back to Wang Sicong, subtly rolled her eyes at the two of them: "I came from home."

Perhaps remembering the instructions her family had given her before Wang Sicong came to pick her up, she reluctantly turned around and introduced, "This is..."

"Greetings, gentlemen! I've heard so much about you! I am Wang Sicong." The second-generation leader smiled and stepped forward to shake hands with the two men. As is customary, he would have followed up with a brief introduction of his identity and position, but he omitted it.

Clearly, he wanted to present a more authentic image to the public.

This is also the first time Wang Sicong has participated in such an event independently, facing so many people from the film industry.

This is also a prelude to my return to Wanda Pictures next year for further experience.

"You're Xiao Wang, Jing Tian's friend, right? Thanks for coming." Boss Lu smiled. Since you're acting all high and mighty and not introducing yourself, then I'll just pretend I don't know you.

Without further pleasantries, he turned to leave, saying, "Jing Tian, ​​take good care of your sister Qianqian. Let's find a place to sit down and chat."

"Know it!"

Si Cong watched the departing figure, opened his mouth as if to add something, but then felt that it might be too deliberate, and that it would have been better to have made his intentions clear from the beginning.

Whether it's hearing her father frequently use this person as an example of "other people's children," or knowing everything about his methods and rise to power—

But today, standing before this person, wanting to initiate an "equal dialogue" as a rising star in the entertainment industry, Wang Sicong discovered...

If you don't add a "note" to your name, such as Wang Jianlin's son or the future vice president of Wanda Pictures, it seems that the other party has no interest in paying attention to you.
Wang Sicong was slightly frustrated, but he immediately smiled and looked at his female companion, addressing her in a rather frivolous way: "Jing Tian, ​​could you please give me..."

He wanted to ask her to introduce him to Liu Yifei, although they had met at the Oscars ceremony before, they had never formally met.

However, for the few seconds that Da Tiantian's gaze followed her teacher Lu as he left, she ignored the polite plea from the second-generation Wanda.

"Sweetie, someone's calling you." Xiao Liu found it amusing and patted Jing Tian's forearm before she realized what was happening.

Jing Tian said irritably, "What's so great about Sister Xixi? Berlin Film Festival Best Actress, wife of the richest man, don't you read the news?"

"News is news, this isn't our first meeting." Wang Sicong said sheepishly, the setback coming especially swiftly, wave after wave, giving him no chance to adjust.

Especially the way Jing Tian looked at that person...

Is this right?
This washing machine probably washed even her, this big, juicy peach, too!
How could Uncle Jing allow that?

How could Consort Liu allow that?

But Liu Yifei clearly saw the way Jing Tian looked at her husband, so why did she act as if nothing was wrong?

Is it because my heart isn't dirty enough to fit into your entertainment industry 2.0 version of the game?
Si Cong was bewildered. Even though it was just a guess based on a glance, he already felt a faint green tinge on his head.

It's true that the main purpose of pursuing Jing Tian is to exchange benefits and resources, but this wealthy heiress is truly beautiful and has a great personality! It's definitely a good match.

How come she's already like a plaything of a washing machine the moment I stick my tongue out?

Having just entered this world of business, the young master of Wanda Group calmed down and took the initiative to talk to Zhang Weiping, Zhang Yimou, Han Shanping and others. This time, he decisively brought up his identity as "Wang Jianlin's son".

Otherwise, who would care about you?
Although everyone was surprised by the arrival of Wanda's people, they exchanged pleasantries in a friendly manner, since the two families did not have any major enmity.

Zhang Weiping was particularly enthusiastic towards Wang Sicong, who also started his career in the real estate industry and had met Wang Jianlin, a man from Dalian, on other occasions.

The underlying reason is that he is still not entirely at ease about Zhang Yimou's future.

Especially for "Under the Hawthorn Tree," which was a script given to him by Lu Kuan, Zhang Yimou only needed to worry about the filming process, as the entire system of Wenjie provided a "one-stop service" from investment to release.

This experience is fantastic, especially for someone like Zhang Yimou, who has always been a hands-off manager.

Liu Yifei and Jing Tian were whispering to each other in their chairs. The latter still looked helpless: "They arrived at my house at five o'clock. They were very polite and gentlemanly. There was nothing wrong with them, but they were really boring."

Xiao Liu smiled and said, "Just think of it as completing a political task. Lu Kuan was even assigned a role he didn't like. Who in this world is truly free?"

"What do you mean? Teacher Lu is acting again?" When it comes to a certain person, Da Tian Tian is always the biggest supporter.

"In 'The Founding of a Republic,' Bingbing played Chiang Kai-shek's young son, and he played his stepmother. Isn't that interesting?"

"Interesting! Very interesting! What about you?"

Liu Yifei laughed and said, "They don't even look at me, so I have no fun! I'll just stay home and watch dramas and read books."

At this moment, Da Tiantian couldn't wait to take out her phone and search for what kind of role Xiao Jiang's wife played, so that she could even have a taste of it in the drama.

"What are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing, I'm just waiting to see you two fall in love in the movie." Jing Tian didn't dare tell her that she was already being kind by not using this to tease her.

The two women's eyes couldn't help but linger on the people in the first row and in front of the stage, and then Da Tiantian finally let out a long sigh:

"Now I finally understand why there's such a big difference in temperament and demeanor between Wang Sicong and Teacher Lu."

Liu Yifei said irritably, "That's enough! What are you staring at my husband for? If you're craving him, come look at me!"

Jing Tian recalled what her uncle had told her about Lu Kuan, and whispered, "They are the difference between the first generation of the wealthy and the second generation, the difference between entrepreneurs and heirs. This difference cannot be bridged."

She thought of all the high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen she had met since childhood, and their sons—weren't they all like this?

In Da Tian Tian's eyes, he possesses a profound understanding and experience honed through hardship and navigating the ups and downs of the business world.

Having started from scratch, faced the abyss of despair and climbed to the pinnacle of success, this inner strength stems from the profound confidence and control gained through personal struggle and self-made achievements, naturally exuding fearlessness and ease in every gesture.

Even the most outstanding second-generation rich kids start out on the high platform of their parents. Although their halo is bright, it cannot hide the underlying nature of being given and sheltered.

Despite receiving elite education and traveling the world, their demeanor is often limited by the caution or dependence of those who maintain the status quo.

For a girl like Jing Tian, ​​who has been exposed to the lives of the powerful and wealthy since childhood, the attraction is incomparable to that of the former.

……

The premiere ceremony at the Wenjie Jiahe Guomao store was packed with distinguished guests and the atmosphere was lively.

The film itself had been heavily promoted since before the Spring Festival, touting it as the "first on-screen couple performance by a husband and wife team," and releasing clips of Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei's wonderful scenes together, which attracted widespread attention.

Media reporters and netizens joked that they wanted to see how the washing machine would portray a pure-hearted man, as such a performance must be extremely difficult, given that it requires overcoming one's own conscience.

A popular post on Weibo jokingly called this movie an "educational film on how to avoid being a scumbag," showing everyone how top-tier scumbags perform, conceal, and disguise themselves.

The official Weibo account of Wenjie (问界) proactively attacked its own boss by reposting the premiere's post and commenting:
When he's being innocent, he can even make your heart ache and cry!
On the other hand, this is also the first time in China that a Berlin Film Festival Best Actress and Best Actor have shared the stage. With Zhang Yimou, the Berlin Golden Bear-winning director, at the helm, and cameos by various veteran actors, the production team alone is top-notch.

Although "Under the Hawthorn Tree" is a romance film that has never been very popular in China, the overwhelming publicity and hype already show the producers' ambition to make a good start for domestic films in 2009 during the Valentine's Day season when there are almost no other films showing.

At 7:30 p.m., Zhang Yimou, on behalf of the film crew, thanked all the guests and leaders for their presence. The noise in the theater ceased and the lights dimmed.

As the dragon emblem floated by, a brand-new version of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" began.

(End of this chapter)