Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 561 Your Little Donkey is Leaving

The film crew will be shooting on the USS Kitty Hawk for nearly a week, and their temporary location is downtown Seattle, which is 40 kilometers away from Bremerton Naval Base.

After filming wrapped up for the day, the crew of about a hundred people packed up their equipment and boarded several pre-rented buses, heading towards the Tacoma Narrows Bridge along Washington State Highway 16.

Outside the car window was the dark sea and the dazzling lights of Seattle gradually illuminating the city in the distance. About an hour later, the convoy arrived at Seattle's Chinatown.

"Wow, we're finally here. What a day this is..." Guo Fan stretched as he got out of the car, unable to find the right words to describe the day.

"Great!" Xin Baiqing smiled and patted him on the shoulder as he walked over, followed by Duan Yihong, who was helping the crew carry their luggage.

Today's main focus was on the crucial scene featuring Zhou Xun as Lin Yun. The two male actors from the National Theatre of China didn't have much room to showcase their talents, but it was still quite enjoyable to watch.

Filming on the USS Kitty Hawk, the big boss angrily rebuking the US military, Zhou Xun's superb performance... (Chapter 562)
And the final "Chinese version of Jack Rose" Easter egg is a rare experience in their long acting careers.

A black sedan drove through the Zhonghua Gate archway in Seattle's Chinatown and came to a smooth stop. Still excited, Xiao Liu jumped out of the car: "Let's go in and have some food, everyone!"

Xin Baiqing joked, "We'll only know where to eat when you guys come and pay!"

Everyone burst into laughter. Guo Fan, who handled all the day-to-day affairs of the crew, ran up to Lu Kuan, who had just gotten out of the car, and asked, "Director, what shall we eat?"

Boss Lu had just hung up the satellite phone in his car, and in high spirits, he patted Cyber ​​Daji on the shoulder:

"You're asking me this? Just pick the most expensive restaurants on the street, book a big one and everyone get settled in their seats. If you want anything else, just have the restaurant bring it over."

"okay!"

The crew cheered loudly. Today's dinner was clearly another morale-boosting event, especially after such a wonderful afternoon.

At 7:30 p.m., a restaurant in Chinatown called Datong Restaurant, which serves a wide variety of Chinese dishes, was packed with customers. This restaurant has been a landmark Chinese restaurant in Seattle since 1935 and was one of Bruce Lee's favorites.

Seattle is an important port city in the northwestern United States and has historically been an important settlement for Chinese immigrants. Although Chinatown is not as large as the major traditional Chinatowns, the whole street is filled with delicious Chinese food, and the tables are soon piled high.

The Cantonese, Sichuan, seafood, and snack dishes delighted the crew members of the "World of Warcraft" crew, even though some of the dishes didn't taste quite authentic.

"Brothers, hold on a minute! I'll say a few words!" Guo Fan grabbed the microphone and jokingly went on stage. "Well... whatever you think, today has been the most enjoyable day of my career!"

It's called "on stage," but it's really just the band area in a restaurant that combines Chinese and Western styles.

Everyone watched with amusement as Assistant Director Guo made a fool of himself. In the seven months since the crew was formed, Cyber ​​Daji had clearly "conquered" her colleagues from top to bottom with her superb social skills.

Even when Lu Kuan had to temporarily leave the crew due to his wife giving birth, the team remained rock-solid and well-organized thanks to him and Zhao Fei.

This is where his ability lies.

Cyber ​​Daji's flattery was both sincere and resounding: "The first thing, of course, is that our Boss Lu pointed his finger at the American lieutenant colonel on the US aircraft carrier and berated him!"

"You're my dog, how dare you bark at me?"

The Hollywood crew had finished their preparations and left, while the Canadians remained in Vancouver. Today's lineup was entirely Chinese, and everyone erupted in cheers!
The most regrettable thing was that our phones were confiscated at the time, so we could only watch the live broadcast and couldn't rebroadcast or replay it.

But Guo Fan had a solution.

His face was flushed from drinking, and he playfully pulled Duan Yihong out from the table: "Old Duan, give me a replay of Boss Lu."

Duan Yihong looked completely innocent: "Replay what?"

"Pretending?" Guo Fan glanced at him sideways. "Want to replay that 'aircraft carrier angrily rebukes to show national power' thing you learned in the car? Learn that part with Boss Lu again, stop pretending!"

Liu Yifei looked at Guo Fan with a grin, "Then why don't you play Anderson? Otherwise, Teacher Duan won't be able to perform well without a co-star."

Xin Baiqing egged him on: "Old Guo, you're bringing in a foreigner, the director needs to have some conviction too, come on!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. Guo Fan, far from being stage-frightened, glared at Duan Yihong with a stern face and said, "These are the rules!"

"What rules?" Duan Yihong had been reciting them by heart in the car, instantly getting into character.

"It's American taxpayers like me who support you and pay your salaries!"

"You, a mere lieutenant colonel, are using the taxes I paid to buy weapons and equipment, and standing on my legally leased premises to obstruct my legitimate business activities!"

"Now you fucking tell me!" Duan Yihong stepped forward, his imposing manner overwhelming. "Who exactly is it! Who should we be talking to about rules?"

"Good!" "Excellent!" "Old Duan deserves a reward!"

The entire crew cheered in unison. Zhao Fei handed a glass of wine to Duan Yihong on the stage, saying, "That feels good! Cheers!"

Mr. Lu said helplessly, "Are you guys putting on an imitation show here? We're still on American soil, let's keep a low profile."

"Director, that's a double standard," Guo Fan said sarcastically. "When you're cursing people, why don't you think about being low-key? Can't the brothers have some fun?"

"Hahaha!" The crew burst into laughter, making the atmosphere even more lively.

Cyberda was clearly a master at creating a lively atmosphere. She gestured with one hand to calm everyone down, "Alright, let's listen to the boss. We can't sleep with someone's wife and then flaunt it in front of them..."

The washing machine laughed and scolded, "Get lost! Don't talk nonsense, my wife is here!"

"Haha! It's alright. A general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders. Just don't tell me if you're really asleep." Liu Yifei gave her husband face in front of others, knowing that this was just a joke between men.

Marital grievances are settled behind closed doors at home, and the score is settled in bed.

She was no longer a novice actress; joking around on set, especially at the opening and wrap parties, was commonplace.

The crew of "Ask the World" is considered a model of ethics in the industry. Most other crews make lewd jokes to actresses because the two drinking parties at the beginning and end are something that female stars can hardly avoid.

"Let's just let the first thing go for now. The second thing actually touches on me much more deeply than the first one."

Guo Fan said with a sigh, "Everyone here has read the original novel and the script. We've gone through so much trouble to film this scene this afternoon. Does anyone know what's written in the script?"

He gestured: "The script only has ten words at most: Lin Yun initiates nuclear fusion, quantization."

"How the hell are you going to act it out? How the hell are you going to act out just these ten words?"

"If this were to leave me completely clueless, it would be too abstract. I can't even understand it myself, so how am I supposed to convey it to the audience through a film?"

"Hey! It's the director who not only said this part, but also made analogies and made it concrete, using images of swordsmanship, nature and other traditional Chinese culture."

Guo Fan, as if performing a stand-up comedy routine, praised himself: "I'm watching him! How he uses the momentum of kendo to break the performance's form."

"How can we use the most precise directorial language to translate science fiction concepts into actions and states that actors can understand and execute?"

He became more and more excited as he spoke: "This isn't directing, this is enlightenment! It's bringing an invisible and intangible worldview to life through performance!"

Indeed, being able to observe up close a person who is considered by the world's only existing master, as well as by numerous world-class directors and professional magazines as the most promising candidate to become the next master, is an unforgettable experience for any young director aspiring to follow this path.

Putting aside other things, even Zhao Fei, the photography master present here today, went to New York specifically to collaborate with Woody Allen for three years in order to improve his skills.

The first class of the Pan-Asian Film Academy produced several qualified commercial film directors, but these can only be considered "assembly line products" under the industrialization of film. The true artistic content is still incredibly complex.

Guo Fan shouted from his vantage point, "Brothers, I'm done! Now, let's hear a few words from the director! Clap clap!"

The restaurant erupted in a cacophony of noise, instantly becoming a bustling hub of activity. This Chinese restaurant, located in the northwest corner of North America and opened in 1935 during the presidency of Roosevelt, had never seemed so lively before.

Boosting morale and summarizing experiences are naturally strengths of business leaders like Mr. Lu.

However, this wasn't a meeting in the cultural industry; the audience consisted of his own film production team, which made him even more approachable.

"Alright, brothers, calm down. First of all, I want to make it clear that although Guo Fan has a silver tongue, the production team did not give him a pay raise for it. He gets the same amount as other colleagues of the same level."

Hahaha!
"Just kidding. Let's not talk about today's events anymore. Instead, I'd like to share my thoughts on work and life over this period of time."

Even the restaurant's waiters and owners came out curiously to see the spectacle, watching Lu Kuan standing in the restaurant's performance area, talking eloquently:

"On October 31, nearly two months ago, Mr. Qian Xuesen, a renowned patriotic scientist at home and abroad and the founder of my country's aerospace industry, passed away at the 301 Hospital in Beiping at the age of 98."

"Ms. Iris Chang, who is currently in China serving as an advisor for director Zhang Yimou's film 'The Flowers of War,' had interviewed the old gentleman while writing her biography of Qian Xuesen, and she made a special trip to Babaoshan Cemetery to pay her respects."

The room fell silent for a moment.

“At that time, I called her and said that I was asking about the upcoming science fiction film ‘The Wandering Earth’ and wanted her to communicate with the old gentleman’s family to allow us to set up a research institution based on Qian Xuesen’s ideas.”

“When the film shows the command center or key laboratory of the ‘Mountain Moving Project’, it can be named ‘Aerospace 710 Institute’ or ‘Qian Xuesen Systems Engineering Laboratory’. Mr. Qian Xuesen’s family readily agreed and did not require any remuneration or naming fee.”

He looked around the room, paused, and said, "Therefore, we will donate 10% of the total profits from this film to China's aerospace industry and its affiliated laboratories as a tribute to Mr. Qian Xuesen."

Many companies are donating to the aerospace industry right now, and even some liquor companies like Yanghe Brewery are linking the rebates on opening bottles of their core products with donations, which is a normal form of public welfare sponsorship and cooperation.

Lu Kuan pointed to his assistant director: "We bought the script for 'The Wandering Earth' from Liu Cixin in 2003. Everyone should have known for a long time that Guo Fan would be directing it, which is a challenge for him."

"If we were to add a tribute to patriots like Mr. Qian Xuesen, I think that would be an honor. But it would also place a heavier burden on him. If the film is not well made, we really can't afford to lose face."

He then changed the subject, saying, "The reason I wanted to share this topic and my feelings with everyone first is because today we are standing on an American aircraft carrier, and I believe no one can help but be awestruck by such a steel behemoth. But what we feel most urgently is when ours will be available, like the atomic bomb of yesteryear?"

"Secondly, I believe that whether it's the 'personal touches' I included as director in 'Ball Lightning' or the tribute to Mr. Qian Xuesen in 'The Wandering Earth,' they are essentially for the same purpose—"

The young director's tone gradually became more passionate: "We are all trying to inject a unique 'Chinese soul' into hardcore sci-fi blockbusters. This is by no means a simple accumulation of technology or a pasting of symbols, but a profound cultural empowerment and value output."

"What is Chinese science fiction? Nobody knows, and no one in the industry has systematically studied or explained it. It has been a full 21 years since I saw my first science fiction film, 'Thunderbolt Baby,' and Chinese science fiction has been silent for a full 21 years." (Chapter 361)
"Avatar will be released in China in January, but it will premiere in North America in December. I will take everyone to see it then."

"We come to see the technological brilliance of Hollywood, but more importantly, we hope that everyone can see from the film what the differences are between their values ​​and ours, and how we can learn to use Western science fiction thinking to make Chinese stories?"

The boisterous atmosphere in the restaurant seemed to come to a halt, as if a vacuum had been created, and everyone's heavy breathing after drinking could be heard.

As the only director in China today who has reflected on and summarized science fiction, Chinese science fiction, and Chinese culture, he still shared his views with the entire cast and crew, especially Guo Fan, whom he had been focusing on developing:

"When it comes to developing Chinese science fiction, there are generally two directions we can strive towards—"

"First, we need to delve deeper and extract the core of the national spirit. The collectivist spirit in 'The Wandering Earth,' the scientific ethics in 'Ball Flash,' and Lin Yun's resolute self-sacrifice—these unique themes rooted in China's modernization process are the fundamental differences between Chinese science fiction and Hollywood's individual heroism."

"Secondly, it is about outward expression, constructing a universal narrative grammar, just like in 'The Wandering Earth,' which elevates the sense of home to the romantic imagination of 'taking the Earth on a journey,' and transforms 'collectivism' into a 'mountain-moving plan' for global solidarity."

"We want to use the highest industrial standards to package the most empathetic Chinese stories, so that the world can subtly understand and accept Eastern values ​​and solutions through a stunning audiovisual experience."

Looking at the thoughtful crowd, the young director concluded, "In short, our science fiction film industry can be summed up in one very simple way—"

"How to use the toughest industrial shell to wrap this softest and most brilliant 'Chinese heart' and then market it to the world."

"Bring the wine!" Boss Lu gestured to his wife with a hearty laugh, handing her a full glass of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

"Comrades! In just over twenty days, we will enter the tenth year of the 21st century."

"From the year 2000 onwards, starting with last year's Beijing Olympics, I can say without a doubt: China's era has arrived, the era of Chinese cinema has arrived!"

"What makes us especially proud is that Wenjie will always be a great standard-bearer and leader on this path!" "Only in turbulent times can true heroes emerge. Let us all strive together, cheers!"

The restaurant erupted in thunderous cheers, applause, shouts, and responses, filled with an extreme, fervent, and unrestrained joy.

On December 7, 2009, the "Tai Tung Restaurant," which has witnessed nearly three-quarters of the history of Chinese immigration, had the honor of witnessing a solemn oath in the history of Chinese science fiction films.

Today's on-site interviews revealed the most elite special effects artists, lighting technicians, assistant directors, and cinematographers in the industry, who will undoubtedly become the backbone of Chinese cinema in the future.

Among them, countless people, like Guo Fan, were deeply passionate about science fiction after this night.

Sometime in the future:
When they become independent visual effects supervisors, renowned genre film directors, and top concept designers who build spectacles;

When their magnificent fleet, built by their own hands, swept across the screen; when their space elevator, designed by their own hands, connected heaven and earth; when their depiction of an Eastern cyberpunk city shocked audiences around the world;
When they stand on the highest podium at the international film festival, holding trophies, receiving the world's tribute to China's imagination and industrial standards.

Everyone will surely remember that noisy yet warm foreign night in Seattle's Chinatown.

They would recall the air in that old restaurant, a mixture of cooking fumes and hope; the neon signs flashing in the damp, cold fog outside the window; and the burning sensation of the strong liquor in their throats.

I can vividly recall a young leader standing in the center of a slightly dilapidated restaurant, his eyes burning with determination, announcing the arrival of a new era of cinema.

……

After a night when everyone was drunk, Xiao Liu was going back to China the next day.

Once private jets have obtained the necessary route permits and coordinated with air traffic control and ground services at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, they have the basic conditions for international flights.

Through the US aircraft service provider contacted by Iger, Lu Kuan efficiently handled matters such as ground handling, fuel replenishment, and flight plan approval in the US, ensuring that the aircraft could take off smoothly from Seattle the next day.

As a major general aviation nation, the United States has a highly mature airspace management and FBO network, making the scheduling and launch of private aircraft relatively smooth. The coordination challenges for this flight lay more in the domestic airport's preparation for reception and the timely allocation of airspace resources.

However, the importance that relevant domestic departments attach to the precious materials that Liu Yifei brought on this trip cannot be described as merely "high."

It is no exaggeration to say that if this Bombardier Global were to enter the control range of our military and allies, it would not be unreasonable to send a fighter jet to escort it.

To ensure its absolute safety and secrecy, the military even hoped to arrange for it to land at military airports such as Beiping Nanyuan Airport, which have stricter controls.

To avoid attracting too much attention, they ultimately chose Beijing Capital International Airport as their destination, following the standard procedure, but made special and meticulous arrangements accordingly:

Arrangements were made for Liu Yifei's car to land and park in the dedicated business jet terminal and designated isolation parking space at the Capital Airport.

At the same time, we coordinated with customs, border inspection and other joint inspection units to provide him with an independent VIP clearance channel and fast inspection-free privileges, so that Xiao Liu and the documents could leave the airport as quickly as possible and with minimal exposure after arrival, and be sent directly to their destination.

At 9:30 a.m. local time in Seattle, in the VIP lounge of Tacoma International Airport, Mr. and Mrs. Lu Kuan stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, watching the Bombardier Universal "Liiiu" undergo its final preparations.

Xiao Liu leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, reluctant to part: "Time flies so fast, it's only been three or four days and we have to go back, boohoo."

"Wake up, ma'am," Mr. Lu said speechlessly. "Your two little brats are still waiting for you at home!"

"Don't you miss me when they miss me?" Liu Xiaolv glared fiercely at the heartless man, pinching his arm hard. "You've been eating too much these past few days, haven't you?"

"What are you talking about?" Washing Machine said, both amused and exasperated. "Youyou and Tiedan have only just learned to call me 'Mama,' which means their language centers have entered an active developmental period. You should go back and guide and nurture them more."

"After New Year's Day, filming for 'The Book of Peace' will start. After the scenes in Shidu and the China Film Group base are finished, I'll probably be staying in Hengdian for a long time. I'll have to figure out what to do then."

Every stage before a baby turns one year old is a crucial milestone. After six months, Broca's area and Wernicke's area in the brain are undergoing an important period of activity and development. Parents and relatives should patiently talk and communicate with them.

At the age of two little ones, they have already started eating all kinds of complementary foods, and the development of oral muscles is the cornerstone of language development.

“This is a problem, and a big problem!” Liu Yifei frowned. “I need to arrange for someone to look at houses near Hengdian in advance. If there are suitable ones, I’ll have my mom and aunt take the baby to live there.”

"No, that's not enough." Xiao Liu looked up at the man: "Honey, I'll take charge this time. How about we buy and furnish a house before filming stops?"

"I can't give up my job, and I don't want to be separated from them too soon. I'll just treat it as clocking in and out every day. I have to see them every day, at least before I go to school."

Mr. Lu is incredibly wealthy: "Housing prices are going to rise even more. If you like a property, you can just buy it directly as an investment."

The "golden decade" of domestic real estate will still come in the future. This historical trend cannot be changed no matter how much the time traveler tries to change things. It's just that his ambition is not in this. Otherwise, he could continue to be the richest man while lying down.

However, if they went into real estate, they would never have the same significant influence on the technology, internet, and cultural industries as they do today, nor would they be able to develop the multi-dimensional and in-depth legitimate business relationships they have today.

Everyone knows how real estate tycoons made their fortunes; their downfall was only a matter of time.

In her previous life, Liu Yifei loved buying and hoarding houses, and in this life, she has inadvertently stepped into the same river again:
Nationwide commercial housing prices are expected to rise from 4600 yuan per square meter this year to nearly 9000 yuan per square meter within the next ten years;

As for Beiping, where the two have lived for a long time, the price of new houses last year was about 13,000 yuan per square meter, and it will increase nearly eightfold in 15 years.

Boss Lu laughed and said, "For this kind of thing, just go to Lao Dong. He has the most connections. Look around in Shanghai and see if there's a place like Wenyuhe Mansion. Just take it over."

Xiao Liu did some mental calculations, then playfully stuck out her tongue: "It looks like it's going to cost a lot of money. I've never been so extravagant before..."

"You can buy with confidence in Beijing and Shanghai. We generally don't go to other first- or second-tier cities. At most, we'll look around a few film studios."

The richest man thought about it for a moment, and it seemed that this was indeed something that could be put on the agenda. After pondering for a few seconds, he said, "How about this, when you go back, you should find Dong Shuangqiang to register a special asset management company under your name."

Liu Yifei was completely confused: "We just want to buy some houses, why would we need to set up a company? What do you mean?"

“Asset management companies are convenient. They can simplify management and save taxes. You only need a framework. You can then hand over the management of nannies, cleaning services, and house maintenance in each location to the child’s maternal grandmother. She can then notify you in advance where you plan to go.”

"Besides, buying a new house involves a whole host of hassles, such as dealing with renovations, maintenance, and paperwork. You'd probably have to buy dozens of units, or even an entire development, in one trip. Can you manage to look through all of that?"

Xiao Liu understood this time, and looked at the man sarcastically, saying, "I can't afford so many houses with my own money. This is the first time in over a year of marriage that I have to spend my husband's money!"

So how much cash do you actually have right now?

"How would I know?" the washing machine said innocently. "I can't think about these things. Once I start thinking about them, I'll never finish using them, and it'll drive me crazy with frustration!"

刘小驴啧啧：“真欠揍啊！”

"Haha." Boss Lu chuckled softly, "This time, after the mixed-ownership reform and the completion of the HarmonyOS system architecture, a portion of the more than 10 billion US dollars laundered back to China will be used to pay for the construction of IMAX and 4K, and the special effects at Butian Pictures..."

He considered for a few seconds, "There should still be a SPV company with more than 4 million US dollars left in Hong Kong, which you definitely can't spend all of it."

"But there's no need to skimp on it. It's a combination of owner-occupied housing needs and investment, so there's no way we'll lose money."

Well, including the dozen or so courtyard houses and villas he started owning in Beipingtun in 2003, his total assets across the country will definitely exceed 10 billion yuan in the future. That sounds like enough to make him a Versailles.

If netizens with a penchant for silly jokes knew this, they would probably say something like, "I'm really worried about how the richest man's family pays so much in property management fees every year."

However, from another perspective, real estate worth tens of billions of RMB does not seem particularly exaggerated compared to the incomplete total assets of US$211 billion that Caixin reported for him this year.

The two chatted for a while, and outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the Bombardier had already lowered its gangway. The blonde lady in the VIP waiting room dutifully announced that boarding was imminent.

Xiao Liu reluctantly snuggled into her husband's arms, wrapping her arms around his waist through his coat, greedily inhaling his scent.

"Your little donkey is leaving now."

Lu Kuan smiled and patted his wife on the back: "Remember to teach the baby to say 'Dad' when we get back. At most, we'll be back in two months. I want to hear it as soon as possible."

He suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, Afei is coming with you this time."

"I understand." Liu Yifei nodded, knowing that her husband had his own plans, and that security in North America was already very tight.

Afei escorted her home because the situation was special; Mia, an American citizen, did not accompany him and had even been told to take a vacation and return to her hometown of Miami before departure.

But the more important reason is that the cold-faced bodyguard is going back to China to undergo five months of special training.

With the coordination of the General Staff, he was specially approved to be attached to the special internal security force under the Zhongyang Security Bureau. The family circumstances and identity information of these special security personnel were top secret to prevent infiltration.

Otherwise, how can we protect important figures?
Therefore, he had to return to China to undergo a series of identity and background checks, and then enter the renowned Falcon Commando Unit under the SPC for special training.

The main content is the close protection of high-ranking officials, and the ultimate emergency response plan in complex crowds, mobile vehicles, and complex indoor and outdoor environments;
Specialized driving and counter-attack techniques, including high-speed hazard avoidance, aggressive driving, and vehicle explosion protection;

And most importantly: proficiency in the use of various firearms, and counter-terrorism emergency response in extreme situations such as kidnapping, assassination, and bombing.

Considering Boss Lu's working environment, a gunman in China is practically invincible, especially since his official position and credentials allow him to seek assistance and cooperate with local law enforcement agencies according to procedures.

However, abroad, as the influence and ambitions of time travelers "gradually expand," the potential dangers of the future are unknown, and such close-fitting private security armed forces are also very much a precautionary measure.

Ah Fei rarely leaves his older brother, who gave him his surname. Even when Liu Yifei was checking in, he walked over, touching his nose.

However, it remains as unchanging as ever in its extreme restraint, and the way it is addressed still sounds like a business transaction:
"Boss, I'm leaving. What about you here..."

Lu Kuan patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "Don't worry about me, just learn all the skills."

"It doesn't matter what they issue you; a small pistol is enough back home. But if you get the chance, learn everything you need to know: semi-automatic rapid-fire techniques, high-precision sniper rifles, and night combat skills using low-light thermal imaging!"

"When we get back to America, I'll get you the world's most advanced weaponry to play with!"

"I understand." Afei gripped the suitcase tightly in his hand, pursed his lips, replied, and turned to leave.

This expression is already quite vivid for him. Apart from the silly smile he gave when he first saw the two babies, Lu Kuan himself has hardly ever smiled over the years.

He's been in this world for almost ten years, and just like the assessment of his "loneliness" that Liu Yifei saw in last year's special editorial issue of "Sight and Sound":
Perhaps the time traveler himself did not realize that, through long-term interaction and deep affection with his wife Liu Yifei, his non-blood-related brothers Afei and Zhuang Xu, and even the birth of his bloodline child this year, he has gradually taken root in this world.

With his wife gone, state affairs settled, and the "halfway-stage mobilization banquet" held last night, the "Ball Lightning" crew continues to move towards the final goal of wrapping up filming in excellent condition.

At the same time, Harvey once again invited him to participate in Hollywood's top silver medal ceremony, but Boss Lou declined on the grounds of work.

Having already established connections with Leslie, Epstein, and others, he was waiting for a natural and reasonable opportunity to uncover secrets and gather incriminating evidence. This would be a powerful tool to target and counter the unscrupulous Western figures and Hollywood individuals in the future.

Especially after successfully using drones for espionage and secretly photographing the USS Kitty Hawk, the time traveler has developed a more targeted plan for the future "island conquest":

Once the exact location of a small island in the vast ocean is obtained, it is entirely possible to use drones for covert filming, taking advantage of the terrain of nearby islands, cruise ships, merchant ships, etc.

He originally had no intention of personally going to the island and leaving any evidence against him.

Such an opportunity will only come after Epstein, who is still embroiled in scandal and lawsuits, resolves his troubles and resumes his "invitation to art appreciation."

……

The river of time never stops for anyone. Since Liu Yifei arrived in Beiping on December 10, it seemed like only a few meetings, a few rounds of script polishing, and a few discussions with Master Yu, more than twenty days and nights had quietly slipped through her fingers like fine sand.

The bare branches outside the window had not yet sprouted new green leaves, but the festive lights on the street had already changed from the silvery white of Christmas to the fiery Chinese red of New Year's Day.

The hustle and bustle of the year-end creates an impenetrable net, making people completely unaware of the fleeting time.

As time tore off the last page of the calendar, the morning light of January 1, 2010, already bathed Beijing with the hope of a new era.

At 9:00 a.m. that day, the opening ceremony of "The Book of Peace" was held at the China Film Studio in Huairou, Beiping, unveiling a new chapter for the new year.

(End of this chapter)