Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 571 Liu Yifei: Just treat me like him! (Thanks to Green Bamboo Pavilion for the extra chapter)

Liu Yifei, known as "Sister House," did not have much detailed communication with her husband regarding her property purchases across the country, as he was in North America at the time working on the final stages of filming.

In particular, the real estate investment company established under the former's name, which facilitates purchases, taxes, and management, has professional real estate consultants and designers recruited by Dong Shuangqiang. After Lu Kuan established the tone that "real estate will continue to rise sharply in the next ten years," she went on a buying spree without restraint, based on the combination of her own needs and investment requirements.

Ordinary people buy houses and villas, while tycoons like the richest man buy villa developments and transform them into estates. However, professional real estate consultants have a more divergent mindset.

In late March, spring was in full bloom in central Zhejiang. The convoy drove off the Yiwu Airport Expressway and did not merge into the bustling traffic heading to the center of Hengdian Town. Instead, it followed Provincial Highway S218 and turned onto a quiet lakeside road.

Outside the window, the tributaries of the Dongyang River upstream reservoir meander among the hills, and in the distance are rolling tea mountains and bamboo forests, seemingly two different worlds from the ancient-style buildings of the film and television city a dozen kilometers away.

It wasn't until the owner, Mr. Lu, who had been constantly on the phone in the car, got out that he stared in disbelief at the "farmhouse inn" in front of him.

That was a brief introduction his wife had given him before.

Even though I knew it was a joke, I never expected her to describe such a scene.

The imagined rural atmosphere vanished, replaced by a vast expanse of misty lake, shimmering with golden light under the sun. A neat asphalt road stretched along the lakeshore, ending at an unassuming stone bridge. Behind the bridge lay a wide peninsula surrounded by water on three sides, covering approximately 150 acres (10 square meters).

The buildings on the peninsula consist of a dozen or so modern Chinese-style villas with white walls and gray tiles, arranged in a staggered pattern. They grow naturally along the gentle slope, blending perfectly with the green mountains behind and the clear water in front.

The main building is a magnificent central clubhouse, with a huge glass curtain wall reflecting the sky and water. It retains the charm of the Hui-style architecture with its upturned eaves and corners, while also being very modern, simple and transparent.

The entire peninsula is covered in lush green grass, and newly planted trees are already sprouting new buds. The meticulously landscaped gardens are beginning to take shape, and a wooden boardwalk extends from the front of the main house to the small dock by the water.

"Isn't this farmhouse a bit too luxurious?" Lu Kuan got out of the car carrying his son. Liu Yifei, Aunt Qiao, and his mother-in-law carrying Youyou got out one after another. Not far away, a team of security guards and a real estate investment company executive in a suit ran over. The latter was directly responsible to Sister Liu.

"Mr. Lu, Ms. Liu, you've arrived."

Xiao Liu introduced with a smile: "This is Manager Lin. He's the one who found, contacted, and negotiated this property."

"Hello." Boss Lu shook hands with him, and the group chatted as they walked.

Manager Lin had a slight Fujian accent, but spoke fluently and thought quickly: "Everyone, we are currently located in Baliwan, Huxi Town, Dongyang City, which is about 10 kilometers south of Hengdian Town."

"When we received Ms. Liu's request, the entire company took it very seriously. We consulted more than a dozen local real estate consultants and, through friends in Dongyang Land and Resources Bureau and Federation of Industry and Commerce, we thoroughly examined all plots and projects in the city, especially around Hengdian, that met the criteria of 'good environment, strong privacy, and a certain foundation.'"

He turned slightly to the side, leading the Lu family along the lakeside path toward the main house, his tone carrying a perfectly timed recollection: "This process took about a month and a half. Most of them were small, scattered plots of land, either not big enough, or too remote, or with complicated property rights."

"Until a friend from the Federation of Industry and Commerce organized a dinner party, during which a colleague who works at the court mentioned in casual conversation that there was a 'major problem' in their system."

Manager Lin paused at just the right moment, as if emphasizing the key information to come, "It's this Yulong Bay project."

The group chatted as they walked. Youyou and Tiedan, who had just drunk milk before getting off the plane, showed no signs of discomfort and curiously looked around at their "second stop in life" in their father's and grandmother's arms.

This was their first time leaving Beiping.

It turns out that this is a project started by a Wenzhou businessman in 2007, positioned as a super five-star private membership resort club, with plans to build 14 independent villas and a central clubhouse with catering, conference and SPA functions.

However, after the 2008 financial crisis, the developer's capital chain broke down, and the project stalled after the main building decoration was completed, becoming a typical "half-finished" high-end non-performing asset.

After reviewing the case files and confirming that the land was designated for tourism and vacation use and that the property rights were clear, a consortium consisting of Xiao Liu's real estate investment company and a reputable local construction company in Dongyang acquired the land through "coordination and efforts" from various parties.

This local construction company in Dongyang was responsible for coordinating the efforts of all parties. The boss was a friend of Dong Shuangqiang, and they acted as a proxy for the company. The company was mainly responsible for handling local relations and subsequent construction. Once the acquisition was completed, the company would withdraw.

The family had arrived at the clubhouse, which had been renovated for over half a year, and Manager Lin's introduction was coming to an end:

"Mr. Lu, Ms. Liu, the houses and facilities that have been prepared so quickly are enough for your family. We will isolate the other construction areas and renovate them according to the requirements, so as not to disturb your lives."

The main goal of the renovation is to transform it from a commercially failed project into a multifunctional family base that integrates living, leisure, creation, and social interaction.

Hengdian is a frequent business trip destination for actors, so having a "palace" here doesn't mean the place is underutilized. At least Liu Yifei has been stationed here for a long time for the filming of "The Book of Peace" these past two years.

Liu Yifei asked Manager Lin to take the nanny, Aunt Qiao, and her elderly mother to familiarize themselves with the functional areas. She and her husband sat on the sofa in the central clubhouse, looking up at the sloping glass curtain wall. The lighting, temperature, and humidity of the environment were all very good.

The air quality, in particular, is much better than that along the Wenyu River, even though the latter is already considered one of the oxygen bars in the heart of Beiping.

"I plan to transform this central clubhouse into a living area, with a huge living room, Chinese and Western restaurants, a family library, an audio-visual room, and so on. Then I will set aside half of the fully furnished villas as guest rooms for friends who come to Hengdian to film."

"What do you think about converting the remaining villas and ancillary buildings into dormitories and work areas for the security team, nannies, and chefs, forming an independent service flow?"

“Sure, you really know how to enjoy yourself. I don’t need to worry about anything.” The boss gave a thumbs up. “Putting everything else aside, the natural environment around here is simply perfect. I feel like I would sleep soundly in this oxygen bar.”

“I’m not as good at enjoying life as you, the richest man. I’m just thinking about my children.” Liu Yifei said smugly. “I’ve also thought about it. If we don’t come often in the future, we’ll open it to the public on a small scale and by appointment.”

"When people like Hendrik Willem Van Loon come to Hengdian to film, it's not unreasonable for them to rent out those guest villas for hundreds of thousands of yuan a few months, right?"

"That's pretty outrageous," Boss Lu clicked his tongue. "But if I were still willing to spend money, how much did it cost?"

"There was no judicial auction process. It was handled by Lao Dong and Manager Lin together with the local construction company. It seems that they first stepped in to settle his priority debts to the bank and several major creditors, and then used that to negotiate the price with the Wenzhou boss. In the end, all the details came down to less than 100 million yuan."

"The next step is the cost of renovation, including structural reinforcement, security equipment, smart home, professional audio-visual room, underfloor heating and fresh air system, and green plants, which should amount to nearly 100 million yuan."

Buying over 200 million yuan to build more than a dozen villas in the countryside of Dongyang may not seem like a great deal these days, but considering the boost that the development of the domestic film and television industry brings to Hengdian and the resulting increase in the value of surrounding land, it's definitely a sure thing.

During this period, the land plots for homestays near Moganshan were worth more than 60 yuan per mu for better quality plots, and there was no room for depreciation of high-quality ecological land in the Yangtze River Delta region.

"Now I really have to call you 'Sister House,' you've chosen a great location." Boss Lu leisurely surveyed the lake view from the floor-to-ceiling window. "How far is it from Hengdian World Studios?"

Liu Yifei stood up and pointed: "From that road, the newly built lakeside highway will take about ten minutes to reach Provincial Highway S218S. Heading north will lead to Hengdian Town. If the road conditions are good, it will take another twenty minutes or so to get there."

She said smugly, "But we don't need to go into the most congested part of Hengdian town center. There's a side road directly from the provincial highway that can go around to the south side of the film and television base. There's a special entrance for film crew vehicles there. We can just check their documents and drive straight in. The car can be driven all the way to the studio or the palace gate."

That's the advantage of getting help from locals; convenience is everywhere.

Boss Lu recalled that in his previous life there was a Dongyang Longjing Radisson Manor in Hengdian, which was actually similar in nature to this secluded mountain and water manor. However, the owner of this "Yulong Bay" collapsed during the financial crisis and did not survive the golden decade of various real estate developments in China.

At 7 p.m., the family had finished their first meal in their new, idyllic home. The meal consisted of fresh lake delicacies and wild vegetables, all natural and pollution-free ingredients bought from the local villagers.

Lu Kuan went into his study to work, while Liu Yifei, Liu Xiaoli, and Aunt Qiao looked after Youyou and Tiedan, who were getting used to their new environment, as they frolicked on the living room carpet.

The two little ones are already ten months old. Babies at this age are practically turning into "little explorers," starting to move around constantly, full of curiosity, and having their own ideas in their little heads.

Especially in terms of motor development, they can already crawl very skillfully on their hands and knees. Like Youyou and Tiedan, who have good innate physical qualities and sufficient nutrition, they can already stand steadily with support, and they are just a hair's breadth away from learning to walk on their own.

However, the enhanced abilities also brought safety risks. Therefore, Liu Yifei was worried about them not being in her sight and also needed to spend quality time with them, such as talking, reading picture books, singing, and so on.

Even if they don't understand all the words, this is a process of building vocabulary and developing the brain and language center.

Taking into account the growing needs of Youyou and Tiedan, Liu Xiaoli and her daughter paid special attention to the details of their new home in Hengdian, such as the whole house's fresh air system and air purification to ensure constant air quality and temperature.

All furniture edges and corners were rounded or custom-made with anti-collision corners, and there were safety covers on power outlets, child safety locks and invisible safety nets on windows and stairs, etc.

For Liu Yifei, gradually adapting to the role of mother has given her more detailed tasks, requiring her to consider more than her husband.

It wasn't until after 8 p.m. that Da Tiantian, who had flown in from her hometown of Xi'an, was led in by Mia.

"Oh my! The first thing I saw when I came in was this little cutie!" Jing Tian suppressed her strong urge to cuddle the baby and put down the local specialty gift she had received. "Auntie, you look even more beautiful after the New Year! Your eyebrows are so well done this time!"

"Right!" Liu Xiaoli grinned from ear to ear. "Qianqian drew this for me. I'm sloppy at home, but I still have to dress up before going out. I can't let my daughter and son-in-law down."

"Ah? Sister Qianqian has this skill too?" Da Tiantian hugged the Empress Dowager's arm, ignoring Xiao Liu's unfriendly look, and began to take out the bags and packages she had brought one by one.

People do not blame.

"Auntie, this is vacuum-packed mutton stew, my favorite from Lao Sun's in my hometown, and also Demaogong's crystal cakes..."

She then pulled out a wine box printed with a picture of a Tang Dynasty lady: "This is Huang Gui Thick Wine, low in alcohol and sweet. A cup before bed is good for your complexion."

"And this too!" Da Tiantian proudly pulled out her snacks again: "Tong Sheng Xiang's cured beef, Auntie, you should try it later. This stuff won't make you gain weight, it's high-quality protein!"

"Okay, okay, thank you, Sweetie." Liu Xiaoli was quite interested in the Osmanthus Wine, and picked it up to examine the dancing posture of the ladies depicted on it.

Huang Gui Chou Jiu is a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 degree. It is a turbid wine brewing technique that existed in the Qin Dynasty. Yang Guifei once praised it as "white as jade liquid and smooth as nectar", hence the name.

The Taiping Book also recreates scenes of literati drinking together.

"Hey! So you only recognize the two babies and grandma in this family, huh? All these are for your Aunt Liu, what about mine?"

Jing Tian smiled at her, blinking her big, innocent eyes: "You've been on set for so long, haven't you entered your self-torture mode yet?"

"The audience wants to see a valiant female swordsman, not a fat mantis wielding two swords!"

Without saying a word, Liu Yifei got up and grabbed her neck, ready to attack her. This caused Da Tiantian to scream in fright. The two beautiful faces were close to each other, and their long black hair was intertwined, like two pieces of fine silk.

Liu Xiaoli decisively took sides: "Liu Xiaolv, stop bullying people!"

Youyou and Tiedan, who were on the carpet, also sat up curiously and looked around, watching their mother and aunt seemingly playing some very interesting game.

After the two women laughed and joked for a while, the male homeowner, who had come out of the study to keep an eye on the child, came to the living room. Da Tian Tian had already washed and disinfected her hands and was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, interacting with the baby with a radiant smile.

She held a "Children's Sensory Cloth Book" in her hand, a brightly colored early education book with small toys such as rattles and various tactile materials.

"Hey, Tiedan, look at Auntie here, what's making that noise?" Her voice naturally switched to a soft, exaggerated, and melodic "mother's language," with intonation and vivid expression.

The two babies' attention was immediately drawn to it.

Tie Dan seemed bolder, crawling quickly towards the source of the sound while making "ah, ah" sounds.

Youyou was a little more reserved, sitting in place, but her big, dark eyes were fixed on the cloth book, her little hands grabbing at it, her curiosity never stopping.

Unable to get involved, the elderly father could only sit aside and drink tea. "Jing Tian is here."

"Yeah, just arrived!" Da Tiantian turned around and smiled, "It's my first time acting opposite Sister Qianqian. I've been preparing and practicing every day at home during the Chinese New Year!"

This refers to a small part of the story in "The Book of Peace". The painting fairy, played by Jing Tian, ​​is attracted by Gu Nan, who happens to be visiting and is disguised as a man. Bai Qi takes her back to the Wu'an Jun Mansion, and there will be some interactive scenes afterward.

In the end, it was naturally the immortal Gu Nan who watched her fleeting beauty fade away, a display of loneliness.

"Sissi is going to play a tomboy again. The last time was in 'Chinese Paladin'," Liu Xiaoli laughed. "This scene should be quite interesting. I want to see it after it's filmed."

Liu Xiaoli has to stay home to take care of her child, so she can't stay on set with her daughter like before. She can only visit her in a luxury RV when the baby is older.

"It's a little Easter egg, you could say." Boss Lu looked Liu Yifei up and down. "Regardless of the subject matter, since it's a film and television product, it still needs some gimmicks. The fact that Xiao Liu is dressed as a man and has a romantic storyline with her best friend is a gimmick."

Of course, there was one more thing he dared not say: his wife, who had gone through a crazy postpartum body shaping process, actually had a significant advantage when dressed as a man, especially with a "big" sweetheart in front of her for comparison.

Everyone was exhausted from their journey, and after the lively atmosphere, they all returned to their rooms to rest. Jing Tian, ​​however, stayed overnight, believing that "I'm not here to break up this family, I'm just here to join it."

Why bring so many gifts? They're all to shut up Liu Yifei's teasing.

However, the latter is now blocked by others...

The moonlight was like water, the night was like orchids, and the whistling of the spring breeze was like a sigh, yet also an invitation, before it enthusiastically blended into this beautiful landscape of lakes and mountains.

However, the small lake is not like the vast ocean at home where they can sail freely. Currently, only this one villa in "Royal Bay" is available for living. The others are still under renovation and the rooms are not far apart.

So the couple, who were unrestrained at home, could only engage in some subtle and tender moments. Da Tiantian didn't mind, but Liu Yifei was shy and afraid that her elderly mother, who was taking care of the child, would accidentally find out.

The night was scorching hot, and it took a long time for calm to return.

The young woman nestled in her husband's arms, her eyes still gleaming with a seductive glint: "Doesn't it feel like we're having an affair? It's hard to even breathe..."

The washing machine frowned: "I've never stolen anything before, so I don't really know. Maybe next time I'll..."

Immediately, his wife slapped him hard across the chest, the sound deafening: "You can't expect anything good from a dog's mouth! What are you planning to do next? Go to heaven?"

Lu Kuan's phone, which was on the bedside table, rang again. He glanced at it but didn't answer. "It seems there's new progress from Butian Pictures."

"Okay, then you can go back in a couple of days." A pair of long legs wrapped around him, gleaming with a jade-like luster in the hazy night, her toes unintentionally brushing against the muscle lines of his calves, her whole body wrapping around him like vines.

“I saw the schedule Director Zheng posted in the group this morning. The first season of ‘The Vast Expanse’ is estimated to wrap up filming in about two months.” Liu Yifei considered the couple’s schedule. “When are you leaving for Cannes?”

Last year, the two spent almost no time apart, but this year, with each busy with their own careers, they are bound to see each other less and less.

"Around the 10th, we'll bring the electronic copy this time to ensure a smooth premiere on the 12th." Lu Kuan smoothed his wife's damp, messy hair. "For us, the focus this time is on the subsequent copyright negotiations in Europe and other regions."

"There are no problems with the release and opening in Asia and North America, but unlike 'A Home Away,' 'Ball Lightning' doesn't have Hollywood stars to carry the box office this time. We are still taking a conservative approach to its global performance."

Mr. Lu said in a deep voice, "So apart from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, we will sell as many copyrights as we can in Europe and other global markets. We don't expect to sweep the world like Avatar, but we must achieve our bottom-line profit target."

"So it's possible that after the premiere, we'll have to go to the UK and Germany to discuss the copyright."

In the past, apart from the two major box office markets of Greater China and North America, the European rights for most of the films that were released were packaged and given to Luc Besson or MK2.

However, the former has limited capabilities, while the latter excels in distributing art films but has only average strength in distributing commercial films. Therefore, the copyright negotiations for "Ball Lightning" need to be thorough and in-depth this time, with the main battleground being the UK, France, and Germany.

The overall landscape of the European film market remained largely unchanged in 2010, with the top five being the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The UK is Europe's largest voting bloc and the core of the English-speaking world. Achieving success in the UK can have a demonstrative effect on North America and the entire English-speaking world.

Germany is the second largest market in Europe, having won the Berlin Golden Bear twice and a Best Actor award. It is also the European market where audiences are most familiar with Luc Besson himself. Moreover, science fiction in Germany has always been popular, making it a good fit for the genre.

The French market is still being handled by existing partners. The economic situation in Italy and Spain is relatively poor, and box office revenue has declined sharply in recent years. From a cost-effectiveness perspective, it is cheaper to find partners in the Cannes market.

Liu Yifei nodded silently, knowing that as a non-English film, "Ball Lightning" would be no easy task, let alone compare to "Avatar," and even if it wanted to achieve the same global influence and box office scale as "A Home Too Far" back then.

Admittedly, compared to 2004, Mr. Lu is now a frequent recipient of top film festival awards, the chief director of the Olympic Games watched by more than 30 billion people worldwide, and Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2008. Over the past five years, he has gained a high level of international recognition.

However, when it comes to the details of the film, without Leonardo DiCaprio and without the support of the familiar Western environmental theme, it remains a big question mark whether this science fiction film, which uses Chinese language and Eastern connotations to create a concrete image, can achieve global recognition.

This was originally an attempt by the young director to create "Chinese core science fiction".

Although Avatar didn't actually have any big stars, like Ball Lightning, it relied on the director's own appeal and the visual appeal of the science fiction genre.

But the truck driver has been famous for a long time, and his influence worldwide is still greater than that of Lu Kuan.

Xiao Liu said quietly, "Actually, in my opinion, this is your best work to date. It has fantastic colors, a complete theme, and is full of humanistic and sci-fi idealism."

"If only we had theaters in the US, we could force them to watch it, and word of mouth would definitely spread."

Wenjie is the first and only film company in China with international distribution capabilities, but currently it mainly relies on allies linked to Pinpan and the Pan-Asian Film Academy, and its direct influence is only in the Greater China region.

The main reason is that the company has firmly chosen the streaming media route represented by Netflix for its future development strategy in North America. Unlike Wanda in the previous era, which attempted to gain industry dominance by acquiring AMC and Legendary Pictures, they were unable to do so.

“Actually, we can afford to buy it, but this path is destined to fail.” Lu Kuan stroked the young woman’s back and told her about future trends that even business tycoons like Wang Jianlin in this world couldn’t see through.

"For Chinese people, buying a Hollywood theater chain is equivalent to buying a high-end screening room. Acquiring a channel without content is meaningless."

"It would have been one thing to do a decade or two ago, but now buying theater chains in North America is just a superficial act. It may look like a powerful national enterprise buying up theaters, but when I spoke with Iger at the Bremerton Naval Base last time, I learned that even Disney is investing in the streaming media sector. This kind of asset-light, fast-turnover approach, focusing on the global distribution of content itself, is far more flexible and efficient than carrying a heavy burden of offline assets."

In its previous life, Wanda acquired AMC in 2012 at the tail end of the peak of the global cinema business. In the following decade, the streaming wave, represented by Netflix, completely reshaped the entertainment consumption ecosystem. Acquiring a cinema chain was equivalent to investing heavily in a pager production line on the eve of the widespread adoption of smartphones.

Moreover, Wanda's bargaining power cannot force Disney or Warner Bros. to prioritize or exclusively provide blockbusters to AMC. Instead, it needs to pay high box office revenue shares to secure screening rights. This is a typical case of value mismatch, where the acquired assets cannot be transformed into strategic initiative.

……

The following day, before the morning sun had completely dispelled the thin mist rising from the Dongyang River, Lu Kuan rode in his wife's RV, joining Liu Yifei, Jing Tian, ​​and their assistants and makeup artists in a convoy that left "Yulong Bay" in Baliwan, Huxi Town, heading towards Hengdian World Studios, a dozen kilometers away.

The convoy drove along the newly built lakeside road onto Provincial Highway S218. Just as Xiao Liu had said, it avoided the increasingly busy morning rush hour traffic in the center of Hengdian Town and drove directly into a logistics entrance on the south side of the Qin Palace Scenic Area from a quiet side road that passed through the center of the village.

After uniformed security personnel rigorously checked our documents, the vehicle drove straight into the depths of the scenic area and stopped in a relatively enclosed area behind the majestic "Hall of Unity of the Four Seas". Several large temporary sheds were set up here, containing dressing rooms, costume rooms, equipment storage and actors' rest rooms, resembling a fully functional mobile film production base.

The production team of "The Book of Peace" booked the West Side Hall and surrounding courtyards, one of the core areas of the Qin Palace, for filming interior scenes of the Wu'an Jun Mansion.

Despite the early hour and the fact that the film crew had cleared the area, many tourists who had entered the park early and fans who had heard about it gathered outside the cordon, eagerly awaiting the filming.

When they caught a glimpse of Liu Yifei and Jing Tian getting out of the car, a suppressed commotion of excitement immediately rose from the crowd.

Fans glanced at the figure being protected, but it was blurry and difficult to see clearly. "Wow! It really is Xixi! And Jing Tian too! She's so much prettier in person than in photos! She's so thin!"

A male fan with poor eyesight was furious: "How come there's some son of a bitch hugging an angel? Holy crap, even the washing machine is here."

A chubby girl next to him nudged him with amusement: "Keep your voice down, or the bodyguard in black will elbow you in the back."

"It's nothing!" the male fan said nonchalantly. "I'm a level 10 laundry detergent user on Tieba, specializing in infiltrating laundry detergent products to fool them."

"Besides, Tianxian is the leader of the washing machine hater group. I can call her to save me. We came all this way to support her, so it's not like we've gone through all that trouble."

……

These days, fans who follow celebrities are relatively simple, and there is no industry chain of fan leaders harvesting fans. Most of them are spontaneous and unpaid organizations, especially those like Xiao Liu who manage their fan groups in a Buddhist-like manner.

Today's group is a joint visit organized by several universities in Lin'an. They are all senior users from Tieba and themed websites, as well as big Weibo fans. The list was approved in advance by Liu Yifei's staff, so they were able to get relatively close to the film set.

Security personnel quickly formed a human wall to escort the group towards the dressing room. The two female stars greeted and gestured to the fans in a friendly manner, fulfilling some requests for autographs and photos. This real, slightly noisy atmosphere created a wonderful contrast with the solemnity of the Warring States period scene that was about to be filmed, as if the two time periods had briefly overlapped at this moment.

"You guys go ahead and get ready. I'll have a talk with Zheng Xiaolong."

"Okay, sure." Liu Yifei and Jing Tian responded in unison, and headed to the dressing room with their respective assistants.

Boss Lu walked around and looked at the set as he went, essentially inspecting the set as a producer.

Unlike most academic directors, he didn't have the experience of starting as a production assistant or assistant director, so he was unaware of the many complex and petty issues within a film crew.

In the heart of this film set today, the west wing hall that has been transformed into "Wu'an Jun Bai Qi's Study," even if he couldn't grasp the exact cost budget, he could still roughly tell what level the set and details belonged to.

The quality of Zheng Xiaolong's work as the chief director and his directing team, and whether the extravagant filming budget was used effectively, can be glimpsed through these few rounds of observation.

There aren't any major problems; at most, it's a matter of personal aesthetic preference of the director.

Boss Lu stood in the corner. The huge palace lanterns were not yet lit. The lighting relied mainly on natural light coming through the antique-style window lattices and the arranged movie lights, creating a solemn and slightly dim atmosphere.

The air was filled with the unique scent of wooden buildings, mixed with a faint smell of paint and dust, as well as sandalwood incense specially lit to create an atmosphere.

The latter is a habit of director Zheng Xiaolong. He likes to use this cost-effective method to give actors a stronger sense of immersion, which is also in line with his consistent directing style of creating an authentic historical atmosphere through solid details.

Just like in "Empresses in the Palace", in order to accurately reproduce the strict hierarchy and lifestyle of the Qing Dynasty court, he required the production team to strictly distinguish the colors of the concubines' clothing, the specifications of their headdresses, and even the patterns of the porcelain in the interior furnishings.

The lower-ranking concubines, such as Changzai and Daying, mostly had simple and elegant blue and white porcelain furnishings in their residences, "Suiyuxuan." However, as Zhen Huan's rank rose to Guifei, the furnishings in her palace gardens became noticeably more colorful and intricately crafted enamelware.

From these perspectives, Lao Zheng, who had worked at the Beiping Television Art Center in the 80s, was fully qualified to take charge of the overall production of "Taiping Shu," which is why Boss Lu was willing to accept him.

He was secretly observing Lao Zheng, a veteran director from the Beijing film circle, who was leading his staff in making final checks and adjustments.

Cinematographer Pan Changzheng directed his assistant to fine-tune the position and focus of the Panavision camera. He is a well-known television cinematographer who became famous for "Palace of Desire" and is considered Zheng Xiaolong's golden partner.
The lighting technician meticulously adjusted the angle and brightness of the Arri lights based on the monitor footage to ensure that the lighting effects could both reflect the texture of the Warring States period and meet the aesthetic requirements of film photography.
The sound engineer held up the boom microphone to test the sound recording, while the production crew carefully checked the cables on the ground and the movement path of the track car to ensure that there would be no mishaps or that the actors would trip over them.

Several extras playing maids and servants were already waiting quietly in the corner, holding their breath and trying to immerse themselves in the serious creative atmosphere.

Director Zheng Xiaolong was sitting behind the monitor, quietly discussing the shooting order with the assistant director, when he glanced up and saw a figure with an extraordinary presence, and hurriedly stood up.

"Oh my! Mr. Lu is here. You arrived yesterday?" The old director was shrewd and knew exactly how to handle the situation.

Unlike other greenhorns in the industry who immediately adopt a humble attitude and ask for guidance from Director Lu, his first two sentences upon meeting showed that he valued the company and would not cause any displeasure.

Boss Lu wasn't there to intimidate him, nor did he have the arrogant and domineering manner of someone in a superior position. He maintained Zheng Xiaolong's dignity and prestige within the film crew.

"Yes, it was too late yesterday so I didn't invite you all to dinner. I'm here today to accompany my wife to work. Tonight I'll treat everyone to a celebratory drink to mark the start of work in Hengdian."

We already had our New Year's Eve dinner, and today is my first day back at the Hengdian film set.

"Hehe, that's great." Zheng Xiaolong laughed. "Director Lu, you've just come all the way here. Is there anything we can improve? Anyway, you'll be staying for a day, so please do your part!"

Several assistant directors and camera assistants around him came up excitedly to shake hands and greet him, echoing his words.

Lu Kuan waved his hand and pointed to a spot next to the monitor that would not interfere with filming but would still give him a clear view of the entire set. "I'm just watching the show in advance and taking a day off. I'll probably be heading back to Beiping in the next day or two."

"Just keep filming as planned. I've seen the footage that was being processed for post-production and special effects, and it's pretty good."

Zheng Xiaolong no longer stood on ceremony and smiled in agreement. He instructed the crew to cooperate fully with Boss Lu's instructions and needs, then turned around and sat down in the director's chair, secretly admiring the man's demeanor and attitude.

The arrogance displayed by this young tycoon on certain occasions and at certain times was entirely a deliberate act to achieve strategic goals, or even a form of self-protection.

Only after getting to know him for a while have I truly discovered his profound wisdom and broad-mindedness; he is truly a rare and outstanding person.

Having grown up in a military compound, Old Zheng has seen many great men and talents who emerged from the war years. He likes to use the term "outstanding figures" to describe these trendsetters who rode the waves of history.

Today's early morning scene mainly featured Bai Qi, Gu Nan, and Hua Xian, along with some extras and supporting actors without lines. Boss Lu sat discreetly on the side, choosing to wait until filming was finished before going to find Li Xuejian, who had already started rehearsing her lines.

This cancer fighter was dressed in a dark robe, his hair was tied up, and he wore a crown with a distinctive Warring States period style. He walked with a steady gait.

Despite his slender build and lack of armor, the atmosphere of the entire study instantly changed when he knelt down behind the desk and picked up a scroll of bamboo slips.

The imposing presence that comes from years of battlefield experience and the power of life and death, along with the deep-seated aloofness and melancholy within, enveloped the entire room, causing even the staff members nearby to unconsciously soften their movements.

Xiao Liu, who plays Gu Nan, is dressed in a slightly worn but clean blue men's robe. His long hair is tied up with an exquisite hair ornament, and his face is almost bare of makeup, even deliberately creating a look of fatigue and worldliness.

She quietly walked to the seat at the lower end of the table, knelt down in a manner that was both polite and detached, her eyes lowered, as if she were an observer out of place in this era and this environment.

The most eye-catching person on the show was Jing Tian, ​​who played the Fairy of Painting. She wore a light green, curved-hem robe with delicate floral patterns embroidered on the hem and hem. Her hair was styled in a high bun with a light hairpin hanging down. Her makeup was exquisite. She held a guqin in her arms, and her brows carried the unique charm of a courtesan and a touch of melancholy.

She walked to the piano stand that was set up on the other side of the room and knelt down gracefully.

"The Book of Peace, Season 1, Unit 3, Scene 2, Shot 1, Action!"

Zheng Xiaolong gave the signal, and the script supervisor clapped the clapperboard. The crisp sound echoed in the hall, and filming officially began.

The camera first focuses on Li Xuejian.

He did not look up, his gaze remaining fixed on the bamboo slips. His voice was steady yet carried an undeniable weight, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps testing someone: "What do you think of the state of the world?"

Liu Yifei slightly raised her eyes, her voice clear and calm, revealing no emotional fluctuations: "The trend of the times is irreversible. Qin has elite soldiers, fertile plains in Guanzhong, and even more... a sharp sword like Master's. The six states of Shandong are nothing but empty names."

Her answer seemed objective and calm, but it actually implied a hint of indifference as if she knew the historical outcome.

Li Xuejian raised his eyelids, his deep gaze sweeping over Gu Nan, his eyes seemingly able to penetrate the skin and look directly into the soul.

He offered no comment, only saying calmly, "A sharp sword is easily broken."

He then turned to the direction of the painting immortal, his tone softening slightly, "I have long heard of your unparalleled skill in playing the zither. Since you are here today, please play a piece called 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'."

"Yes," Jing Tian, ​​playing the Fairy of Painting, responded softly, her slender fingers plucking the strings of her zither.

This is where the actors' conviction is put to the test. Da Tiantian has learned about 70-80% of the movements from Fuqing, but the "celestial music" she played was actually hard to listen to. However, to Li Xuejian, who was completely absorbed in the music, the clear and melodious sound seemed to be flowing through the air.

The close-up shot focuses on Jing Tian, ​​and according to the script, her gaze should involuntarily drift towards the quiet, kneeling "Mr. Gu," with his handsome features and budding affection.

However, when she was first "invited back to the mansion" by Lord Wu'an, she was unaware that Gu Nan was a woman.

Her eyes did indeed contain an appreciation, fascination, and even a tender longing; this emotion was not an act, but rather a natural expression.

But that's precisely the problem.

Zheng Xiaolong frowned behind the monitor. "Cut!"

He called a halt, walked up to Jing Tian, ​​and said in a gentle but incisive tone, "Jing Tian, ​​your emotions are misdirected. Your gaze right now is too intense; it's a kind of... well... a definite liking for the 'person' in front of you."

"But Hua Xian doesn't know that Gu Nan is a woman at this moment. She is attracted by a vague longing for a talented man, somewhere between a confidant and an admirer. Your eyes lack the sense of distance and imagination that arises from misjudgment, that kind of admiration for a man's charm."

Old Zheng gestured to Liu Yifei, whose expression remained calm, "When you look at her now, it's not like you're looking at a charming stranger who makes your heart flutter, but rather like you're looking at..."

He carefully considered his words, “It’s like looking at someone you know very well and like very much, with a kind of… certain sense of closeness, which is not right.”

Jing Tian's pretty face flushed red, and her fingers twisted together, looking slightly flustered.

Just like when Tony Leung comforted Ang Lee, who broke down in tears because of the difficulties he encountered while filming "Lust, Caution," he said to the director, "Take care. We are exposing our bodies, but you are exposing your inner self."

She was exposed too.

Jing Tian is still too inexperienced. When preparing for this scene during the Chinese New Year, she kept immersing herself in the role, which is why she was spotted by a sharp-eyed veteran director from the Beijing film circle.

Of course, the latter did not associate it too much with any ambiguous feelings, but simply thought that the female star, who did not have much acting experience, was shy.

"Thank you, director, I understand! I'll adjust it." She knew where the problem lay and began to try to peel it away.

For her, Lao Zheng's words accurately hit the predicament in her subconscious, and she had a strong sense of closeness to Liu Yifei in reality.

This stems from her watching the latter's brilliant journey before she entered the industry, from following in Xiao Liu's footsteps to master the basics at the beginning of her career, and from Jing Tian witnessing the birth of an actress who "cannot live without being obsessed" on the set of "The Sky of History".

At this moment, facing the woman disguised as a man, "Sister Sissi," her genuine affection poured out uncontrollably, but this deviated subtly from the character's requirement of "a hazy infatuation arising from mistakenly believing the other person to be male."

Even if she wanted to separate herself from the character and understood the director's intention, with Jing Tian's current professional skills, she was far from being able to apply the character's actions, expressions, and demeanor as if they were her own body through the character's logic and action chain.

It's all about subtle differences in feelings.

Jing Tian tried two more takes, and Zheng Xiaolong even personally demonstrated that "distancing, inquisitive appreciation" look. Jing Tian tried hard to imitate it, but once she faced Liu Yifei, that subconscious, familiar intimacy would resurface, making the performance always feel a bit distant and unable to achieve the "deceptive" dramatic effect required by the director.

"Cut! The quality of your gaze isn't right. It needs to be more elusive, a little timid. Let's try again."

"Crack! Jing Tian, ​​there's something wrong with your posture. When the Painting Immortal is facing Lord Wu'an and this unfamiliar 'Mr. Gu,' she should be respectful but also a little reserved. Be mindful of your body language."

"Cut! The emotions need more subtlety and fluctuation. It's not rich enough. Let's try again."

"Click..."

Zheng Xiaolong, who had just finished yelling the final "Cut," glanced discreetly at Lu Kuan, who had remained silent throughout the entire process, and sighed inwardly.

The previous few takes were passable, but with this person present today, this former Beijing circle veteran Zheng still wants to bring out his true skills and complete the shoot to perfection.

Jing Tian isn't bad among young actresses, but compared to Li Xuejian and Liu Yifei, some of her flaws are magnified.

Just how meticulous were Li Xuejian and Xiao Liu's performances in the close-up?

Li Xuejian can convey the immense weight in Bai Qi's heart with a barely perceptible twitch of the corner of his mouth, while Liu Yifei can show Gu Nan's alienation across a thousand years with a single pause in her breath.

However, while Jing Tian's performance is emotionally rich, it is like water overflowing when it is full. She lacks the effortless and precise control that makes her emotions too direct and intense, lacking depth and nuance.

She said she liked Gu Nan, and that she wanted to stick her eyes on him.

Secondly, there are gaps in the continuity of the character's logic. In layman's terms, when Jing Tian encounters complex situations such as "conflict between real emotions and role requirements", she cannot always convince the audience that she is the Fairy of Painting, and occasionally reveals traces of "Jing Tian acting".

This is so distracting, it ruins the chemistry between Li Xuejian and Xiao Liu, who are working together for the second time as master and apprentice.

Therefore, it wasn't that Lao Zheng was being overly critical of her; it was just that in this scene with only three people, each with medium to close-up shots, a poor performance from one person would drag down the whole thing.

Zheng Xiaolong announced a temporary break. Jing Tian, ​​who had NG'd more than ten times, sat in a chair drinking water, feeling somewhat frustrated. Li Xuejian and Xiao Liu approached.

"Are you tired of acting? I'm tired of watching too." The veteran actor chuckled hoarsely and offered her guidance from his own perspective as an actor: "Xiao Jing, let me share my thoughts."

Jing Tian was startled and immediately stood up: "Teacher Li, please feel free to criticize me."

“What criticism! It doesn’t exist.” Li Xuejian said succinctly, “Your liking is not the liking of a modern young girl. It is subtle, hidden in the music, and can only be revealed by adjusting your hair ribbon.”

"You must learn to hide. The deeper you hide, the more powerful that moment will be when you can't help but take a look."

He pointed to his eyes and said, “Acting is sometimes not about how much you let loose, but how well you hold back. If you act with restraint, the audience will get anxious for you and delve into your thoughts.”

Art has commonalities, just like novels with fragmented chapters. If you write in a restrained manner, your readers will be anxious for you!
Then I'll criticize you.

Seeing that she had a dignified attitude and a good relationship with Lu and Liu, Li Xuejian said a few more words and then went to drink water to moisten his throat. Only Da Tiantian and Xiao Liu sat together to communicate.

"Sister Xixi, I..." Jing Tian hesitated, her eyes filled with regret, "I practiced this scene at home all Spring Festival, I really tried my best..."

"Stop! Don't try to move me with your own feelings. You can't move me." Senior Sister Liu Yifei maintained her composure and didn't offer any comfort to Jing Tian.

The film set is a workplace. If you can make a good film by talking about feelings, then her husband can fall in love with everyone.

"Actually, the director and Xuejian have already made the situation clear." Xiao Liu didn't really have much to say. "Grotovsky's requirement for performance on the theatrical stage is 'stripping'."

"Strip away your social shell, your habits, your 'sweetness,' and let the most essential, life impulse belonging to the immortal painter emerge."

"Huh? This..." Even though she had tried her best, Da Tian Tian was still at a low level and was a little confused.

In fact, Li Xuejian's words were still lingering in her mind and she couldn't digest them yet, let alone receive guidance from a completely new perspective.

Furthermore, performance, an art form that requires not only basic skills but also extensive experience, practice, and accumulation, is difficult to describe precisely in words.

Seeing her furrowed brows, Liu Yifei sighed inwardly, thinking to herself that she couldn't let her worry herself to death.

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a young director who was pouring water for Li Xuejian on the side of the set and then walked over to him, smiling and exchanging pleasantries. With a determined heart and a stomp of her foot, Xiao Liu resolutely used her husband as a weapon.

"Tiantian."

"Ok?"

Liu Xiaolv stared intently at her, giving him the feeling of stripping a washing machine naked and throwing it onto another woman's bed.

"Just act like I'm Lu Kuan, now you should understand, right?"

(End of this chapter)