Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 599 What kind of internationally renowned director? What a beast!

September 8, 2010, Wenyuhefu.

At ten o'clock in the morning, the sunlight pierced through the layered fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree, scattering golden dappled light onto the lawn by the river.

The cool autumn dew from last night has not yet dissipated, and the tips of the grass are adorned with fine crystals. The air is filled with the unique crispness of plants and the faint bitter scent of ginkgo leaves. A thin mist rises from the river, wrapping around the reeds along the banks like a light veil. Occasionally, an early-rising egret flies by, shattering the reflection of clouds in the pond.

Several recently transplanted ginkgo trees in the manor have gnarled and sprawling branches, and golden fallen leaves swirl in the wind, silently carpeting the path, as if paving a passageway to the depths of time for this tranquil autumn morning.

Walking through time are two little ones, wrapped up like cotton balls, wobbling along with their father as they explore this world full of wonder for them.

The 16-month-old child is no longer a baby who is completely dependent on adults, but has become a little explorer who actively explores the surrounding environment. He is now being taken on outdoor parent-child activities by his father, who has not been home for several months.

This is only because I spent a lot of time interacting with them last night and built up a good impression on them; otherwise, I wouldn't recognize this Daddy Dayu.

The estate, covering an area of ​​over 70,000 square meters, is ingeniously divided into functional areas. In addition to the open-air domed swimming pool, professional sports recovery facilities, various courts, sauna rooms, and an audio-visual room for the couple, a special plan was made for the twins starting last year.

The pony farm and children's playground, which are too old for the baby to play yet, have been completed. The owner of their Crystal Palace Club, the father, also specially arranged for people to renovate the original five-a-side football field, since it was just sitting empty anyway.

The netting surrounding the court is fine and soft to prevent children from bumping into it;

The meadow planted on the ground is specially maintained to be exceptionally thick and soft, like a natural green carpet, providing optimal cushioning even if you fall.

To ensure that children can crawl and roll around carefree, the estate's horticulture team has adopted a series of almost stringent maintenance measures, such as regularly using physical methods or introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs for harmless pest control, and removing sharp stones or foreign objects.

Thus, this rare day off became the perfect opportunity for Boss Lu to play with his two little rascals.

Lu Kuan changed into a set of light sportswear, shedding all his identities and labels; at this moment, he was simply a focused father.

He sat cross-legged on the soft meadow, with two bright red and blue soft balls of moderate size in front of him.

At 16 months old, Youyou and Tiedan are like two wobbly little penguins, with no concept of "kicking a ball" yet. Their exploration is more direct and relies more on their senses.

Tie Dan was full of curiosity about the rolling ball. When he saw his father gently nudge the ball, he cried out "Ah! Ah!" and ran or crawled, his whole little body pouncing on the ball.

Children of this age are in the "word and sentence" stage of language development, so Lu Kuan uses concise, repetitive, and encouraging language to interact with them.

He laughed and kicked the ball further away: "Good job, son! Come on! Keep chasing!"

On the other side, Youyou seemed to be much calmer than her younger brother since she was little. Watching him tumble and crawl after him, she just wobbled and played with other colored balls, then babbled and gestured for Afei to throw her the red ball he was holding.

Tiedan exhibits a vigorous athletic instinct and perseverance, while Youyou possesses a social awareness and communication wisdom far beyond her age. These are the most primal human instincts; it all depends on how well she is guided by education.

Lu Kuan deliberately kicked the small ball towards A Fei and Youyou, and then loudly said to A Fei, "Don't give it to her, let her figure it out herself."

Continuing to communicate, crying and making a scene, or trying to climb up Ah Fei's legs and act like a rogue are all options.

But if you give it to her as soon as she asks for it, you lose the opportunity to encourage her to express herself, react, think, and develop patience and the ability to delay gratification.

Just like Tie Dan being teased by his dad, running and crawling around, his attention was occasionally distracted, but he was always moved by the brightly colored ball and his dad's teasing.

"Call me uncle and I'll give it to you. Why haven't you learned to call me uncle yet?" Afei laughed as he raised the ball higher, while keeping a close eye on Youyou's center of gravity, preparing to gently kick her to stop her from falling.

Youyou blinked her big, innocent eyes, not quite understanding the situation. Why was her uncle smiling at her while holding the little red ball high in the air?
These are two completely opposite attitudes in a child's perception and judgment.

Her little mind couldn't yet comprehend the complex social behavior of "teasing" adults, but they were born with an almost instinctive and keen sense of perception. Just like how her uncle had repeatedly stepped in to stop her from falling backward, the child could fully obtain this sense of security.

Youyou's smooth eyebrows furrowed slightly. Before she could answer the little puzzle her father had posed, she was bumped into by her younger brother who was chasing a ball.

Ah Fei laughed and lightly kicked the baby in the back, causing the older sister to fall forward and gently land on top of her younger brother.

Tie Dan was engrossed in his chase game when he was suddenly "intercepted." He was stunned for a moment, then lay on the meadow, blinking as he looked at his sister who was so close to him.

But he was optimistic by nature, and instead of crying, he found the position very interesting. He kicked his chubby little legs happily, giggled, and even reached out his little hands to reach for his sister's hair.

Youyou frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure at being disturbed flashing across her face, but she was quickly infected by her brother's carefree laughter.

She didn't get up immediately, but instead reached out her little hand and imitated her grandmother's and mother's comforting gestures, clumsily patting her brother's chest twice and making mumbled "oh...oh" sounds, demonstrating a rudimentary level of empathy and imitation.

The little girl had a clear goal and seemed unaffected by the unexpected interruption. She nimbly climbed off her brother and sat down, her eyes once again fixed on the red ball in Afei's hand.

This time, however, she changed her strategy. She looked down at the blue ball next to her brother, then looked up at the red ball, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes.

Then, she forcefully and slowly pushed the blue ball toward Afei's feet. After completing this action, she tilted her little face up, looked directly at Afei with her clear eyes, pointed one finger at the red ball in his hand, and opened her other little hand, clearly uttering a short syllable: "Ball!"

She made a silent but clearly intended "exchange" proposal.

Mr. Lu laughed loudly upon hearing this: "What a clever girl! She hasn't learned from her uncle, but she has learned how to play ball."

Ah Fei couldn't help but chuckle, completely impressed by the little girl's wisdom, and exchanged items with her with a smile.

While some rejoiced, others grieved. Tie Dan, who had finally managed to catch the ball, sat on the ground, looking rather foolish. A stark reality confronted him:

The older sister got the red ball, while he lost the blue ball; they both have bright futures.

Then she burst into tears, expressing her protest and dissatisfaction with this sudden situation.

"What happened?"

After the stadium was renovated, it was closer to the main villa. Liu Yifei, who was upstairs reading the script and preparing for the evening's interview, had just been looking around on the second floor when she heard her son crying. She rushed over in a panic.

"It's nothing, my sister just swapped it for something else." Boss Lu explained to his wife with a smile, then told Afei to take the basketball away. The latter could only smile and walk away to watch Youyou, who had also started running around like crazy.

Xiao Liu glared at her husband fiercely: "You're something else! You've been back for less than 24 hours, and Tie Dan has cried three times already!"

“This time it’s really not my fault,” Lu Kuan laughed. “I originally set the question for my sister, but he delivered the answer to her himself. What a silly boy.”

This provides children with a cognitive ladder that they can reach by "jumping" in an absolutely safe environment.

For a child like Youyou who has keen observation skills and has already developed a basic sense of social interaction, directly satisfying her needs may be convenient, but it will close the door to her taking the initiative to think and try strategies.

What the father did was cleverly press the "pause button," turning the simple "take-give" pattern into a complete learning loop of "observation-thinking-trying-communication-achievement or failure."

Youyou ultimately chose "barter," a strategy that may have been naive, but the budding qualities of problem identification, resource utilization, proactive communication, and delayed gratification it embodied are what Lu Kuan truly hoped to inspire and see.

Youyou ran wildly in the distance for a while before finally seeing her mother's figure. She was definitely closer to her mother, whom she hadn't been separated from since birth for more than three days. A faint smile of accomplishment bloomed on her little face as she wobbled over.

Tie Dan cried her heart out on the soft meadow, but she didn't expect that when her mother arrived, she wouldn't hug her and fuss over her. Instead, she smiled and praised her sister before comforting her:

"Oh dear, your little brother is crying. Do you want to help him?"

Worried that her daughter might not understand, she explained with gestures: "Look, your little brother is sad because he doesn't have a basketball anymore. Would you like to play with the red ball in your hand with your little brother?"

Youyou walked up to her mother, listened to her younger brother's cries, and looked at her mother's serious expression. The little bit of smugness on her face disappeared.

A hint of confusion flashed in her big, innocent eyes, which quickly turned into observation and thought. She seemed to realize that her "success" might have made her younger brother unhappy.

Liu Yifei continued to guide her, pointing to the red ball that Youyou was tightly hugging, and said encouragingly, "Youyou, you got the red ball you like, that's great! But your little brother doesn't have a ball. Go, use your ball and play with your little brother for a bit, okay? Make your little brother happy too."

This is not just about satisfying the child by solving the problem of acquisition, but also about guiding her to learn about sharing and empathy with her family and siblings.

Xiao Liu keenly seized this educational opportunity, hoping that while Youyou could demonstrate her intelligence and wit, she could also begin to be aware of other people's emotions and try to resolve minor conflicts in a positive way.

Youyou blinked her big eyes at her mother, then looked at her younger brother who was crying so hard that snot bubbles were coming out of his nose, as if she was having a difficult internal struggle.

For a 16-month-old child, "possession" is innate, while "sharing" is a social behavior that needs to be learned and guided.

She hesitated for a moment, then instinctively hugged the red ball tighter, and looked at her father with pleading eyes.

It seems like they are asking for help.

Lu Kuan smiled and looked away, offering neither encouragement nor opposition, hoping she would make the decision herself.

Finally, they were connected by blood. Seeing her chubby little brother crying his eyes out, Youyou felt she needed to work on her lung capacity even more today. So, mimicking her father's actions, she gently kicked the ball a little further away, gesturing, "Ball...ball..."

Liu Yifei covered her mouth and chuckled: "Goodness, you're treating your little brother like a puppy, aren't you?"

Tie Dan was clearly a man with a temper; he turned his head away and ignored her completely, instead burrowing into his mother's arms. His temper wasn't because he was complaining about his sister being "generous with other people's money," but because his mother hadn't thought to comfort him after he'd been crying for so long, so he went to her for reassurance.

Xiao Liu brushed the grass clippings off his son's face, then reached into the boy's clothes to check his back; the boy was already drenched in sweat from running around for ten or twenty minutes.

She looked at her husband teasingly: "You're such a bad dad, all you do when you get home is play pranks on them."

“How can you tell their character from their smooth sailing? I’m using this opportunity to observe them so that I can be more targeted in my education later.”

"What did you observe?"

Mr. Lu has commented on many heroes and current affairs, but this is the first time he's commented on two 16-month-old babies, let alone from the subjective perspective of a father:

"Youyou is quick-witted and adept at extracting key information from other people's expressions and actions. She observes Afei's attitude, her younger brother's expression, and observes and reflects on the guidance you give her. This shows her ability to assess the situation and make good use of resources."

"Tie Dan is a rough gem, single-minded and incredibly resilient. The most frightening thing in the world is this kind of indomitable spirit. The kid is quite proud, refusing to accept his sister's 'gifts'."

The father said with satisfaction, "Most importantly, when faced with difficulties, she never thought of using her legs to cling to adults and act spoiled to achieve her goals, which is very rare."

Liu Yifei was extremely proud when she heard this. "Of course! Our children may fight or snatch, but they don't know what it means to beg. They can't even beg their parents, right?"

She watched the two little babies playing together again, filled with a sense of pride as a mother.

Xiao Liu and her husband have completely opposite personalities:
One is to find ways to achieve strategic goals;
One is that, regarding any opportunities, money, or status she desires, once her bottom line is crossed, given her vulnerable status as an actress in her previous life, all she can do is stay away and avoid getting involved in those complicated and messy situations, adopting a relatively Buddhist approach.

The two children seem to be a combination of theirs.

Yoyo's rational strategy is wrapped around an emotional bottom line;

Tie Dan embodies a simple, energetic spirit with a proud sense of dignity hidden within.

Modern behavioral genetics, through family studies, generally believes that genetic factors can explain approximately 40% to 60% of individual differences in core personality traits such as extraversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

This means that Youyou and Tiedan were born with a set of genetically encoded neurophysiological predispositions from their parents.

This is a broad blueprint of possibilities, rather than a precise blueprint for construction, and construction is obviously about life experiences and parenting.

The reason why Liu Xiaoli and her daughter have shown some independent personality traits at the age of 16 months, when they have already begun to exchange information and interact with the outside world, is to some extent thanks to Liu Xiaoli and her mother.

After all, her father, the richest man in the world, and the great artist are always flying around, so for the past three months, they could only ease their longing for each other through video calls every now and then.

Liu Xiaoli and her daughter, whom she practically raised herself, exhibit remarkable resilience and independence, a result of being influenced by their family environment.

That's why Chinese people say you should choose a wife based on her mother-in-law's opinion; it's an ancient wisdom.

Before a girl becomes a wife and a mother, she is first and foremost the most authentic creation of her own mother.

A mother-in-law's character, temperament, and the family atmosphere she creates will be deeply imprinted on her daughter's bones like a watermark. This is far more lasting than temporary wealth and appearance, and will inevitably have a subtle influence on the way the next generation is raised and the inheritance of family temperament.

Observing one's mother-in-law is actually about understanding a family's core values ​​and emotional patterns.

Babies this age can only concentrate for no more than half an hour. Soon they get tired of playing with their parents on the meadow and start babbling back to their room, where countless toys bought by their aunts await them.

Boss Lu picked up one baby in each arm, and Youyou and Tiedan immediately touched the stubble on his chin, feeling the prickly texture. This could be considered one of the parent-child games.

How's the filming progress lately?

While playing with the child, Liu Yifei said with some distress, "We were just having a great time filming, and at this rate, we could even start filming the third season before the end of the year, but then I was called back."

This refers to the second season of "The Book of Peace," titled "The Book of Peace: The Great Wind," which has already established itself as a global hit after just three episodes. However, along with the unprecedented viewership, streaming numbers, and international influence of the series came an official "seminar" that arrived very early.

In China's film and television industry, it has become a standard procedure and a unique industry ecosystem for the relevant authorities, industry associations, or major production companies to organize "seminars" after a work, especially a series that has achieved significant social impact or overseas influence, is broadcast.

It can be described as a celebration, but it also serves multiple functions, including academic discussion, policy guidance, industry setting, and resource integration.

However, the Taiping Book became popular too early, so it is necessary to intervene and provide "guidance" now.

Of course, Wenjie is very willing to cooperate with this kind of discussion. Boss Lu has a good relationship with the bureau. When Lao Cai takes office in the future, this cooperation between the government and the underworld based on public interests will be further deepened.

However, this seminar boasts an unprecedentedly strong lineup.

Scholars from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences will all be present, mainly because the TV series' influence overseas has far exceeded expectations, and relevant departments are preparing to include it in the national key foreign publicity project database.

Even now, Wenjie has already received related inquiries regarding international Sinology seminars, overseas broadcasting rights, and even possible cultural year activities for foreign language education departments.

Just like in the previous life, "The Story of the Rose" was taken to other countries after the visit.

Generally speaking, such visits typically involve bringing a "package" of business cards that represent the country from different perspectives:

There are classic cultural performances, such as the wonderful performances of Peking Opera, acrobatics, and folk songs and dances that were brought during visits to the United States or Europe;

If you have replicas of cultural relics or works of art, present replicas of cultural relics that represent the essence of Chinese civilization or works by contemporary Chinese artists.

It includes top-tier national liquors, such as Maotai, Wuliangye, and Yanghe, which have all made appearances during foreign affairs visits to different countries, as well as some local specialties.

TV dramas fall under the category of "cultural tokens" and are exported overseas along with classic artistic performances. Even documentaries like "A Bite of China" are included as part of a "cultural gift package," showcasing contemporary Chinese social life, emotional values, and aesthetic pursuits.

The person who spoke on the matter knew the way and went directly to Ankang. Last year, Ankang was officially transferred from his position as a first-class education secretary at the Zhengzhou department level to the Dongda Embassy in Eagle as an education counselor, in charge of the Confucius Institute.

To some extent, this was part of his job, and he had no choice but to accept it.

The family went inside, and Liu Xiaoli took Aunt Qiao out to buy groceries for the next two days. Xiao Liu sat on the sofa peeling oranges for the baby.

“I originally thought that you could rest for a while after you came back this time, and that our family could stay in Yulong Bay for a few more days. I didn’t want to travel back and forth with the children.”

This refers to the opening ceremony of both the Pan-Asia Film Academy and the Beijing Film Academy, to be held tomorrow at the Beijing Film Academy, as well as the first graduation ceremony of the Pan-Asia Film Academy.

Liu Yifei said helplessly, "Who knew it would coincide with the 60th anniversary of Beijing Film Academy? I have to cooperate with the recording of a video the day after tomorrow. This back and forth will waste many more days."

The couple had a full schedule for this trip. Lu Kuan had teaching and enrollment duties at the Pan-Asia Film Academy, as well as a speech at the opening ceremony.

Xiao Liu has a seminar on "The Book of Peace" and she and her husband will both be participating in the filming of a promotional video for the 60th anniversary of the Beijing Film Academy.

"I have to criticize you for this!" the washing machine said dramatically. "You didn't go to school when you were young. You were hanging out with some handsome director all day and had no interest in studying."

"Now that you've graduated and achieved something, and you're a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy after all, this year is the 60th anniversary of the school's founding. You're not happy about being invited back to film a promotional video?"

“On behalf of Principal Zhang Huijun, I hereby revoke your student status. From now on, you will only have a high school diploma.”

Lu Kuan held the two little ones sitting on his lap, one on each side. The two babies ate in a rather unrestrained manner, and orange juice spilled all over his trouser leg.

"Hey, Tiedan, your mom only has a high school education? You can laugh at her all you want from now on!"

“Dad is different. Dad is the principal. Do you know what a principal is?”

As Xiao Liu finished peeling the oranges and was slicing an apple, he subtly brandished his knife, his eyes flashing with the ruthlessness he displayed in the third episode when he cruelly beheaded Bai Qi: "Like this?"

"Then I, a humble high school student with no education, beg you to help me out, okay?"

Boss Lu reached out and pinched the two little children's cheeks, indicating that he had hostages in his hands and was not afraid.

He then raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin and mouthed to his wife remotely, "Sleep with me for one night, and I'll let you go back to being a college student. If you sleep with me a few more times, I might as well let you be the principal."

The most beautiful female swordswoman of the Warring States period rolled her eyes at the washing machine, smiled at her husband, and maintained her gentle image in front of the baby.

"Sooner or later I'll post your true colors online and in your hater groups. Then my fans and your haters will join forces to verbally attack you!"

"What internationally renowned director? You beast!"

On September 9, 2010, the Jimen Bridge at Beijing Film Academy was once again a place where "it was difficult to walk".

The already eye-catching opening ceremony of the Beijing Film Academy and the Pan-Asia Film Academy was made even more star-studded by the participation of honorary alumni such as Lu Kuan, Liu Yifei, Huang Xiaoming, Zhao Wei, Zhang Yimou, and Chen Kaige.

Countless reporters from both inside and outside the industry flocked to the event, not only to witness the 60th anniversary opening ceremony of the country's premier film academy, but also to take advantage of the popularity of "The Book of Peace" and try to get an interview with Xiao Liu.

(End of this chapter)