Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 610 Taking a Class Leads to Becoming Asia's Richest Man
If we look at Liu Yifei from a God's-eye view or from a media studies perspective, how has her "star power" changed between last year and this year?
Indeed, in the past few years, Liu Yifei has become the undisputed number one female star in China.

From popularity, number of fans, quality of works to economic value.

But what about abroad?
Mytube account, which had been inactive for two years, was finding it difficult to attract new followers. Since "The Sky of History" two years ago, she had entered a new phase of getting married and having children, and her film hiatus lasted a long time until last year. She also rarely appeared on the international stage.

But since taking on the global ambassadorship for Gucci this year, this top mainland Chinese actress seems to have gradually embarked on her international journey.

First, securing a global endorsement contract with the prestigious luxury brand Gucci and appearing in a globally unified advertising campaign signifies recognition from top international fashion capital of her personal charisma, public image, and market appeal.

She is no longer just a Chinese star, but has been incorporated into the global fashion discourse, becoming a benchmark representing a certain kind of modern Eastern beauty.

Liu Yifei's face will appear in flagship stores in major cities around the world, in top fashion magazines, and on billboards, bringing her invaluable global exposure and enhanced brand reputation.

Every time this mainland Chinese actress makes a public appearance, her outfits and styling become the focus of fashion media analysis, and her international influence grows day by day.

What did the Book of Peace bring her?
If Gucci's global advertising campaign allowed the world to see Liu Yifei's "face," then "The Book of Peace" allowed global audiences to see her "acting."

She is no longer a static Eastern figure on the runway or in advertising campaigns, carrying a fashion narrative. Instead, through the complex, three-dimensional, and powerful character of Gu Nan, she demonstrates to a global audience her profound professionalism, emotional depth, and ability to create compelling characters.

This kind of recognition based on work and professional ability is far more lasting and profound than the recognition gained as a model or spokesperson.

With the growing momentum of this international approach, the benefits brought by Xiao Liu's participation in the Spring Festival Gala have far exceeded the entertainment value of a program itself, and have also added international influence, fashion prestige and cultural symbol value.

With my high status, what's wrong with making a small request?
It's just a big product placement!
Moreover, with the addition of sweetheart Jing Tian and Su Chang, the top of the four little actresses, this "very sweet" group is sure to shine on the Spring Festival Gala.

……

Perhaps it's because working professionals are busy striving for year-end performance targets and wrapping up, and students are busy completing their studies and exams, that the end of the year always seems to pass by quickly.

December is here, and there are only two months left until the Spring Festival.

Meanwhile, Professor Lu Kuan's return to campus and his public lectures have been officially scheduled under the arrangement of the school and the Pan-Asia Film Academy.

In the month or so since the "killing horse" ended, he has mainly been reviewing and interviewing the students admitted to the second cohort of the Pan-Asia Film Academy. He also took the opportunity of this first open class to meet with everyone, discuss film concepts, and conduct initial communication.

So what excited all the students at Beijing Film Academy the most was the start of the "course grabbing" process on the evening of December 20th.

Lu Kuan's teaching at the Beijing Film Academy was an open course, which could be considered an elective. In this era, college students generally began to select elective courses, whether in sports or arts, online through the school's official website.

Because the course schedule was very sudden and not released in advance, it was just a last-minute addition. Those who are lucky will get a spot, and if you can't get one, just stand in the corridor or bring a small stool and stay there.

The key point is that we've been eagerly anticipating Boss Lu's class for ages, and it's undoubtedly a star course.

Its value depends on your purpose, which in turn depends on the "attributes" and "elements" of the instructor.

Lu Kuan himself doesn't have many titles and identities, but each aspect is worth writing about in detail. Perhaps apart from those few freshmen from the Pan-Asian Film Academy, most students from the Beijing Film Academy and other schools are not entirely there to study.

This group includes resource-driven individuals and opportunists.

Most of them are students majoring in production management, film and television marketing, or are "industry reserve" who come from wealthy families and are well-versed in networking.

The goal was also very clear: to become a familiar face and seize opportunities.

Even just being able to ask a slightly clever question after class, and getting a glance or a reply from Boss Lu, could lay a crucial stepping stone for the future.
This group includes pilgrims and art seekers.

This group consists of pure technical enthusiasts in fields such as directing, screenwriting, and cinematography; they are vying for the course solely because of the title "renowned director and artist both at home and abroad."

Lu Kuan's top-notch aesthetics, narrative ability, and technical control, as demonstrated in the seven films he has directed since his debut, including "Whiplash," "Shoplifters," "A Home Too Far," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Aftershock," "The Sky of History," "Ball Lightning," as well as the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, and "The Book of Peace" which he produced, have already made him a figure of god-like stature in their eyes.

They didn't care how much money the billionaire had; they only cared about how he directed the camera, how he directed the actors, and how he conceived the script.

There are also those who advocate taking a roundabout approach and gossip enthusiasts among them.

These students, in terms of age, are the ones who watched Zhao Ling'er, Wang Yuyan, and Lu Xueqi grow up back then.

In particular, many female students majoring in performing arts and literature are fans of Liu Yifei, and their attention will more or less fall on the identity of "Liu Yifei's husband".

Being able to attend Lu Kuan's lectures is practically like getting one step closer to their idol, Liu Yifei. They yearn to glean even the slightest hint of Liu Yifei's private life from Lu Kuan's words and actions, or to understand from the perspective of this renowned director how he shaped the roles of Gu Nan and Zhang Chunru, which led to Liu Yifei's coronation as empress.

Of course, many girls were also curious about Lu Kuan's charm as a successful man. For them, this course was a unique window to observe the dynamics of top celebrity couples up close, mixed with fantasies of idol worship, admiration for strength, and a touch of romantic fantasy.

Beijing time, December 20th, 23:50.

The entry page for the Beijing Film Academy's online course selection system has been refreshed countless times.

At this time of day, the dormitory building would normally be filled with the sounds of games, movie dialogues, and late-night chats, but tonight a tense silence prevailed, with only the sounds of mouse clicks and keyboard tapping clearly audible.

The school's forums and online communities were already in an uproar, with countless students from other schools and even people from the community frantically trying to find out more information in hopes of getting a chance to audit the class.

Zhang Yishan, a student from the 10 Acting Department, had just finished playing a basketball game organized by the college in the afternoon. He was covered in sweat and didn't have time to wash himself properly. He just wiped his face haphazardly and then sat down in front of the computer.

Li Xian, who shared a dorm room with Li Xian, had just hung up the phone from home and was wondering whether to continue playing games or go to bed early.

Ever since the two bumped into each other at the opening ceremony, the three of them, along with Yang Zi, have basically been hanging out together all the time. (Chapter 603)
Li Xian envied them because they were locals in Beiping, knowing exactly where to go and where to eat. Of course, he envied Zhang Yishan the most because he had been in Boss Lu's movie, which made his obsession with grabbing the class even stronger today.

"Shanzi, why aren't you taking classes? What are you doing staring at A-shares on this financial website? What, you want to trade stocks?" Li Xian shuffled over in his slippers, glancing at the red and green candlestick charts on Zhang Yishan's screen, completely bewildered.

Zhang Yishan stared intently at the screen without turning his head, impatiently tapping the table with his fingers: "Xian'er, you're called Xian, but what do you know! This isn't the A-share market, this is the US stock market! Nasdaq! See that? Wenjie Mall! Listing tonight! Opening soon."

Li Xian, who had never paid attention to this kind of news before, suddenly slapped his thigh as if he had just realized something: "No wonder! I was wondering why the academic affairs office suddenly announced that they would open up classes for Professor Lu at midnight tonight, without any prior notice! So they're waiting for Professor Lu to finish ringing the bell in the US and rush back to teach?"

"Ring the bell?" Zhang Yishan scoffed, speaking in perfect Beijing dialect, "Teacher Renlu didn't even go to America! For a small event like a subsidiary going public, does he need to personally ring the bell? That would be beneath him!"

"Huh? You're not going?! How much does that cost?" Li Xian's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Tsk, don't act like you've never seen the world!" Zhang Yishan leaned back in his chair with an air of nonchalance. "For a great artist of this caliber, these are all mundane matters. What he cares about is film art and his beautiful wife and loved ones, understand? Otherwise, why would he give up making money and go back to school? With this kind of energy, 'Quick Gunner' Fatty Wang could make two movies and rake in the cash."

Li Xian was speechless, his attention returning to the computer: "Forget about that, it's almost midnight! Get ready to grab them! I heard the servers are about to collapse!"

"What's the rush? I'm directly connected to the internet, and my typing speed is top-notch!" Zhang Yishan said, but his hand was already on the mouse, holding his breath and concentrating.

23:59:50…

The entire dormitory building seemed to fall silent.

00:00:00!

Refresh!

Instantly, the course selection page that was previously displaying became blank, or a "server busy" message popped up.

The hallway immediately erupted with screams and howls: "Damn it! I can't get in!" "It's stuck!" "Who got it? Let me know!"

Zhang Yishan frantically refreshed the page more than ten times, sweat beading on his forehead. Finally, after numerous error messages, the page laboriously redirected, displaying the course list. He reacted with lightning speed, not even bothering to look at other information, his mouse hovering over the "Advanced Directing Art (Lu Kuan)" section, and clicked "Select Course!"
Another long wait begins as the circle spins.

Meanwhile, in another window on his computer, the pre-market trading quotes on the Wenjie Mall had already begun to rise quietly, with the increase exceeding 5%.

"It's done!" Zhang Yishan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the notification that his course selection was successful, and snapped his fingers triumphantly. Only then did he have time to glance at the US stock market, and a smirk appeared on his face: "Hey, Professor Lu's net worth is starting to take off."

Li Xian, who was still frustrated by the "server not responding" page, saw Zhang Yishan leisurely bragging to Yang Zi and clicked the mouse a dozen more times before...

Give up.

The spinning loading circle on the screen finally stopped, but instead of a message indicating successful course selection, a line of cold, impersonal red text popped up:

"Course selection failed: The course is full."

"Holy crap! It's full?!" Li Xian wailed, slumping into his chair and desperately pounding on the keyboard. "What kind of typing speed is this?! It's gone in seconds! I guess I'll have to go find someone else to use."

He was about to turn to Zhang Yishan to complain when he saw that the other man was completely ignoring him and staring at another screen, exclaiming a series of "Holy crap! Holy crap! It's going crazy!" He was so excited that he almost jumped off his chair.

"What are you yelling about? You didn't even get a class, what's there to complain about..." Li Xian leaned closer, annoyed.

"Look! Look at this!" Zhang Yishan pointed to the stock price chart of Wenjie Mall on the screen.

此时，北平时间已过12月21日凌晨0:30，从两个小时前的22:30、也即美国东部时间上午9:30开始，问界商城便以每股10美元的价格开盘，这一发行价已远高于此前预设的6-8美元区间，充分反映了市场的热烈需求。

Behind the dazzling capital feast lies a path paved with meticulous professional operations that has lasted for several years.

Previously, Zhuang Xu, who came from CICC, was in charge of the listing matters of various subsidiaries, with the general managers of each subsidiary assisting him.

For the initial listing of Zhijie Video and Wenjie Mall, Zhuang Xu selected CICC International and Morgan Stanley as joint lead underwriters.

The former refers to Hong Kong stocks, and the latter to US stocks.

This combination leverages CICC's precise understanding of policies regarding Chinese concept stocks and its deep local resources, while also taking advantage of Morgan Stanley's global distribution network and brand influence, making it a model of Sino-Western synergy.

From setting up the red-chip structure and passing the SEC's rigorous review to global roadshows and final pricing, Zhuang Xu's team demonstrated extremely high professionalism and execution capabilities, ensuring a flawless listing process.

On the eve of the IPO, Liu Qiangdong and other veterans repeatedly and sincerely invited the big boss, Lu Kuan, to personally go to New York to ring the bell, which would undoubtedly be the highest honor for the founder, but he declined each time.

For Mr. Lu now, Wenjie Group has many subsidiaries, and e-commerce is just one part of its vast ecosystem.

If he has to personally attend every subsidiary's IPO, it's not only a huge waste of time and energy, but it also blurs his strategic focus as the head of the group.

His absence itself is a gesture, indicating that the success of Wenjie Mall is due to the system as a whole, rather than to one person.

At the same time, having just experienced and led the cultural war against the Golden Horse Awards, this richest man in mainland China no longer needs to prove anything about his influence or success to the outside world.

His value system has long transcended wealth accumulation, shifting towards deeper cultural construction, talent cultivation, and family life. For him, traveling across the ocean for a capital ritual with a known outcome yields almost zero marginal benefit.

Of course, this is also the way a transmigrator who has lived two lives manages his subordinates.

Dongzi has been working for Wenjie for many years, and Boss Lu timely used Wenjie Holdings' shares to completely bind him, so everyone worked together to enter the next stage of development.

For Dongzi, after so many years of working within the Wenjie Holdings system, he understands his boss's mind, reputation, strategies, and vision better than anyone else, including the intricate connections with upper management at Dongda University.

A self-made business tycoon like him is the best at assessing the situation. His chances of successfully leaving to create a new company that can compete with Wenjie are practically zero.

If you don't believe me, look at the penguin and Ali duo, who are now united as one, but still can't gain any advantage over the cultural behemoth that is Wenjie. They are the best example.

Therefore, Mr. Lu did not attend this time, nor did he attend the listing of Zhijie Video on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange the following day. This was to generously give up the center stage to Zhuang Xu, Liu Qiangdong, Liu Hong, and other generals who had devoted themselves to the company.

Otherwise, once he appears, all the spotlights will shine on him, which would obviously steal the spotlight from the other heroes.

Thus, it started in the most ordinary university dormitory of Zhang Yishan, Li Xian and others from the 10 class of the Beijing Film Academy, and spread to financial media across China and even Asia;
From almost all domestic internet companies such as Tencent and Ali, to other Hong Kong and Taiwan regions in Greater China, which have recently paid close attention to Mr. Lu due to the Ma incident.

This grand capital feast, which everyone is watching, has entered its seventh year since Xiao Liu personally witnessed Boss Lu and Dongzi enjoying drinks and conversation on Zhongguan Street in 2003. (Chapter 224)
Starting at 22:30 Beijing time, under the watchful eyes of countless people, the stock price of WJMT (Wenjie Mall) seemed to defy gravity, embarking on a breathtaking astonishing surge.

The stock opened with a gap up of $10, a 20% increase from the offering price of $8! Huge buying pressure instantly pushed the price higher.
在北平时间22:30到凌晨5点的盘中交易期间，股价在8美元至11美元之间剧烈震荡，多空博弈激烈。

However, each pullback was supported by stronger buying, resulting in extremely high turnover, demonstrating the strong bullish sentiment of investors.

Under the reporter's lens, Zhuang Xu, Liu Qiangdong, and others stood calmly in the trading hall, but their clenched fists revealed their inner excitement.

At 4:55 a.m. Beijing time, buying power rallied again, and the stock price was strongly boosted, settling at $9.6 five minutes later.

In the dormitory of the Class of 10, Beijing Film Academy, Zhang Yishan and Li Xian did not sleep. They played Dota and waited until 5 a.m. When Zhang Yishan and the others rubbed their sleepy eyes to get the final results!
can't read.

"Damn it, you're just a half-baked amateur! Can't you even tell where the total market value and shareholdings are?" Li Xian was speechless.

Zhang Yishan snorted, "What the hell do I need financial media for? I can just read their conclusions myself, right? Wenjie will definitely issue an announcement later!"

Just as he was about to click the mouse to search for the word "finance," several trending topics popped up. Zhang Yishan randomly clicked on a short news article from "Finance."
-
Caijing Special Report:
On its first day of trading on Nasdaq, Wenjie Mall's market capitalization reached $240 billion, marking the rise of a new e-commerce giant in China!
北平时间12月21日凌晨5时（美国东部时间12月20日下午4时），中国电商巨头问界商城（股票代码: WJMT）在纳斯达克完成上市首日交易。

收盘价报9.6美元，较8美元的发行价上涨20%。以总股本25亿股计算，问界商城上市首日总市值达到240亿美元。

According to the IPO prospectus and publicly available information, the equity structure of Wenjie Mall after its listing is as follows:

Lu Kuan himself, through the group company, holds 47% of the shares and remains the absolute controlling shareholder;
Liu Qiangdong and his core management team hold 16% of the shares, and the team's interests are deeply tied to the company's development.

IDG Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm founded by Xiong Xiaoge, holds a 7% stake, while Xu Xin of Tomorrow Capital holds a 5% stake.

The public offering of this IPO accounts for 25%, which is held by institutional and public investors in the global capital market.

This equity structure ensures that Lukuan can effectively control the company's strategic direction through Wenjie Holdings Group, while equity incentives fully stimulate the initiative of the management team led by Liu Qiangdong, and early venture capital institutions also obtain substantial investment returns.

With a market capitalization of $240 billion, Wenjie Mall surpasses Alibaba, which is currently listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and whose market capitalization has fallen below $100 billion.

However, the part of Alipay currently listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is only their B2B business; Alipay and Taobao are both spun off.

It wasn't until 2014 in the previous life that Ma Yun packaged her entire ecosystem, including Taobao.com, Tmall, cloud computing, and digital media, and listed it on NASDAQ, where its market value exceeded $2000 billion on the first day.

Returning to the current valuation of Wenjie Mall, the figure of 240 billion is based on its solid business fundamentals and market leadership:
Wenjie Mall has always adhered to the "self-operated + self-built logistics" heavy asset model. Although the initial investment was huge, it has now built a very high barrier in terms of user experience and supply chain efficiency, which are significantly superior to Ali's business model.

The latest figures show that the total transaction volume of the "Double Eleven" shopping festival exceeded 20 billion yuan, which also decisively defeated the performance of its competitors in the same period, fully demonstrating the carrying capacity of its model and the advantages of user experience during explosive sales periods.

Similar to Ali, the entity listing this time has divested its payment business. Although it has given up the high valuation premium of the fintech sector in the short term, it has made the listed entity's business more pure, focusing on the core of e-commerce, avoiding potential regulatory complexities, and gaining the recognition of international investors who prefer clear business models and stable cash flow.

Of course, this is also a deliberate strategy by Wenjie to maintain a closed equity structure in order to obtain a payment license. Analysts generally believe that Wenjie Mall's future growth points lie in further improving the efficiency of its logistics network, deepening its penetration in third- and fourth-tier cities, and expanding into the cross-border e-commerce field.

The synergistic effect between it and the video and social media businesses under its parent company, Wenjie Holdings, also has enormous potential.

This listing not only brought ample development funds to Wenjie Mall, but also greatly enhanced its international brand image and industry influence.

The "one dominant player and many strong players" pattern has emerged in China's e-commerce market, with Wenjie Mall firmly holding the top spot!

……

"What are you doing?" Li Xian asked as Zhang Yishan took out his phone and opened the calculator.

"Settle accounts with Boss Lu?"

"what?"

"A market capitalization of $240 billion, with Boss Lu owning 47%... Holy crap!" Zhang Yishan exclaimed in shock. "Last time, Hurun estimated his personal assets at less than $220 billion, and now it's skyrocketed by over 50%!" (Chapter 548)
Zhang Yishan's excited calculations were just a small ripple in the boiling tide of the internet at that moment.

Those financial bloggers on Weibo who have just emerged and have hundreds of thousands of followers have already started various versions of wealth calculations, showing that "the emperor is not worried but the eunuchs are."

Such attention-grabbing headlines are emerging one after another:
Overnight, LuKuanWenJie's net worth surged by over $10 billion! The company successfully went public!

In-depth analysis: Behind the 240 billion yuan market value, the core value of Wenjie Mall

How much has Lu Kuan's personal wealth increased with a 47% stake?

Using the simplest multiplication, they arrived at a number that would make anyone who saw it dizzy: 47% of a market capitalization of 240 billion is approximately 113 billion US dollars, which is an astronomical figure.

However, this algorithm is one-sided and distorted. Market value is not equal to cash and fluctuates dynamically, affected by countless factors such as market sentiment, industry policies, and the macroeconomy.

Therefore, in the eyes of discerning people, Mr. Lu's real victory was not the increase of his paper wealth of more than 110 billion yuan, but his successful securitization of the huge asset of Wenjie Mall, which opened the door to the global capital pool, obtained unlimited ammunition for future development, and greatly consolidated the dominant position of the Wenjie Group in the entire Chinese Internet ecosystem.

The wealth figures are merely the most visible and easily understood by-product of this strategic victory.

Amidst the revelry and calculations, many people gradually calmed down and realized a more important fact:
The capital feast of the Wenjie Group has only just begun with the first main course.

All eyes were now fixed on the aircraft carrier-based aircraft of the Wenjie Group, which was set to ring the gong at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in a few hours—

Zhijie Video.

The following morning at 8:50, Nortel's standard was released.

This venue, which can accommodate nearly a thousand people and is usually used for film screenings and large lectures, is now completely submerged by crowds.

The aisles, steps, and even the open space in front of the screen were crowded with students carrying small stools or sitting directly on the ground, and the noise was almost enough to lift the roof off.

The visitors from other schools were surprised that Lu Kuan's first class would be held here, but upon reflection, it made perfect sense. Only a standard classroom could barely contain his almost out-of-control enthusiasm; any other classroom would have been a waste.

The additional security personnel at the entrance formed a human wall, struggling to hold back the ever-flowing crowd, repeatedly shouting: "Enter with a screenshot of your successful course selection! It's full! Don't push!"

At 8:55, Zhang Yishan and Li Xiancai, with dark circles under their eyes and panting, rushed to the entrance of the bidding site. They had stayed up until the early hours of the morning watching the US stock market and had completely underestimated the horror of the scene.

"Holy crap! Is this a class or a concert?!" Li Xian was dumbfounded as he looked at the packed crowd in front of him.

"Damn it, I miscalculated! Quick, take a screenshot!" Zhang Yishan frantically pulled out his phone, flashed the proof of successful course registration, and desperately pushed his way forward. "Make way! We have numbers! We have numbers!"

……

At 9:00 a.m. sharp, Teacher Lu, wearing non-prescription glasses, walked onto the podium amidst a round of enthusiastic applause. After briefly glancing at the noisy scene, he began to test the sound by calling out "Hello, hello, hello".

The room was filled with whispers; they were all wishing the richest man would hold a press conference so they could ask him what it felt like to be "unable to bear being rich again."

Boss Lu seemed not to hear, flipping through a few pages of paper in his hand, when he suddenly looked up and glanced around: "Okay, get ready for class."

He walked to the front of the stage in a simple suit as always. "I don't think it's necessary to call out names. However, the few Chinese students from Asia Film Academy who have already registered can introduce themselves first. It hasn't been long since the interviews last month, so you can get to know me and the alumni of Beijing Film Academy here."

Today is a combined class between the two schools, but several students from Japan, South Korea, and overseas who received their admission notices haven't arrived yet, so today isn't considered the official start of classes.

The four students from the Pan-Asia Film Academy in the front row were all excited and stood up one after another to go on stage.

"Hello everyone, I am Zhang Mo, 27 years old this year, and I graduated from the Directing Department of NYU's School of Cinematic Arts. I have previously worked in some independent production and post-production in Hollywood. After returning to China, I interned in the film crews of 'Curse of the Golden Flower,' 'Under the Hawthorn Tree,' and the upcoming 'The Flowers of War.' I currently do not have any film credits."

A murmur arose from the audience. They already knew her identity from the admission notice a few days ago: the eldest daughter of Zhang Yimou, a famous Chinese director.

Next came a young man wearing glasses, with a slightly scholarly air:

"My name is Wen Muye. I am 26 years old and graduated from Northeast Normal University with a major in Radio and Television Directing. Since then, I have been shooting commercials and short films. Last year, I independently directed a short film focusing on realistic themes called 'Jin Lan Gui Qin'. I am exploring how to integrate social observation into genre narratives. I cherish this learning opportunity very much."

His introduction was simple and unpretentious, but the keywords "realistic themes" and "genre narrative" made some attentive students in the audience nod slightly.

The third student was slender, but his eyes were sharp and showed a strong determination.

"Hello everyone, I'm Xin Yukun, 28 years old." He said succinctly, "I graduated from the 2009 advanced training program in cinematography at the Beijing Film Academy. I've been working as a photographer before, participating in the shooting of some underground films and documentaries. Currently, I'm working on a multi-narrative crime script called 'The Coffin in the Heart,' hoping to bring it to life. I came to Pan Asia to find a way to tell complex stories clearly and engagingly."

The last student appeared very cheerful and talkative: "I am Shen Ao, a 05 graduate of the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy. I am Director Lu's junior."

He looked somewhat excited. “I…I must say that I have been greatly influenced by him. I love his ‘The Sky of History’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ the most. I am fascinated by this kind of narrative that integrates personal destiny into the torrent of the times. I hope to learn from him and all the teachers at Pan Asia and gain something.”

A round of applause erupted from the audience, and Lu Kuan raised his hand to invite them off the stage.

"Okay, students, the course the school has assigned me is called 'Advanced Directing Art,' which is actually... kind of ridiculous."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "Being a director is like learning to cook. There's no such thing as high-class or low-class. A Michelin chef's steak is art, but if the breakfast stall downstairs is making jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes) with such smooth and skillful technique, that's art too."

"The key is that you need to know what kind of dish you want to make, who you want to eat it for, and whether you just want to be full after eating it, or whether you can still savor the flavor."

A chuckle rippled through the audience. Over 90% of the attendees were undergraduates, and his language was quite accessible, giving him the air of a master who could explain profound concepts in a simple and profound way.

He suddenly asked, "What do you mean by saying this? Zhang Mo, you tell me."

"What you mean, Professor Lu, is the distinction and relationship between art films and genre films that you've been talking about before? No one is superior to the other; they are just evaluated reasonably within their respective systems."

"Okay, very good." Lu Kuan gestured for her to sit down. "I'll add two requirements. First, you can answer the questions while seated, unless you want everyone to see you, then that's fine."

"Secondly, you don't need to use honorifics when addressing me. We don't follow the Korean system. Just treat this so-called master class for the Beijing Film Academy as me coming to chat with you every week."

Before the students could respond, Lu Kuan continued, "Today, I'm starting with this little analogy to reiterate my old point that there is no superior or inferior art films and genre films. This is crucial for liberating the academic mindset of our Beijing Film Academy."

"Because there are many new students here today, I hope to instill this concept in everyone from the very beginning, so that they don't naturally have a prejudice against commercial films and think that those works that can accurately touch the public's emotions and succeed in the market are vulgar."

Lu Kuan's gaze swept across the entire audience, his tone calm yet powerful: "To be able to tell a story that resonates with millions of people in a steady and reliable manner requires no less skill, patience, and insight into the ways of the world and people's hearts than experimental creations that pursue personal expression. The two paths are different, but when they meet at the peak, they both aim to reach people's hearts."

"Everyone has seen 'Lurking.' It's about two gold bars, but which one is noble? To make an inappropriate analogy, you can explore art films and genre films as you like, without any discrimination. They are all part of cinematic art, and you are free to depict and explore them as you wish, not only as directors but also as as students in the acting department here."

Mr. Lu spoke quickly, raising his hand to indicate, "The second question for today is, when you consider the development of Chinese films from this perspective, if you had enough resources, what would be your next step?"

A boy in the audience shouted, "Make money like you! With money, you can make whatever you want to film!"

There was a burst of laughter.

“A very reasonable answer, but you’ve gone off-topic,” Boss Lu laughed. “My question is about considering development from a higher perspective; you’ve only focused on yourself.”

"Why ask everyone this question? It sounds so abstract and vague, as if only those high-ranking figures are qualified to consider it."

“You’re wrong.” He said seriously, “Because every ‘idealistic’ discussion you have in class today is building up strength for every ‘practical’ discussion on set tomorrow. Only by seeing yourself as a seed can you see which soil to take root in and what kind of tree to grow into, instead of always focusing on the inch of soil under your feet.”

A photography freshman in the audience, whose face still had acne, asked: "Professor Lu, but your career path is to win awards for artistic works and then get investment. Isn't this path feasible?"

"Of course you can, but compared to the fierce competition of winning awards at the three major European film festivals, wouldn't it be more realistic to start with some low-budget genre films with less pressure?"

"Many of the students here today have project experience, but they are not particularly talented directors. The failure of their first film can basically signal the end of their career. Not only is the probability of winning awards for art films low, but the box office will definitely not be ideal. It is like expecting to run the 110-meter hurdles with only one leg."

"But for a film like 'Stone,' which has an investment of several million, the margin for error is much higher."

He paused for a moment: "Therefore, our Pan-Asian Film Academy needs to enter the Chinese film evaluation system and provide a fair evaluation standard for genre films. This is beneficial to the market and to you practitioners."

Mr. Lu gave an example with a smile: "My daughter doodled a picture last month, and the whole family just thought it was cute, but I insisted that she has great artistic talent."

The fans and students in the audience all perked up their ears. These anecdotes about family life, revealed by the parties involved, were far more credible and interesting than the fabricated stories on Weibo.

"My wife and mother-in-law, as well as the guests, couldn't refute me. Why?"

Lu Kuan said, word by word, "Because I control the evaluation system, if I say she has talent, then her artistic status in this room is valid, even if all she draws is a mess of lines. The value of art is often defined first by those who control the discourse."

"The purpose of what I'm saying is to encourage everyone to open their minds, face up to the booming Chinese film industry, and find a development path that suits them."

With a thousand teachers and students at the Beijing Film Academy listening, this youngest and arguably most outstanding director in China is speaking from the heart to a group of students who may have gone astray or have not yet officially embarked on their journey.

"Whether you are an actor or a director, if you choose to explore solitude and profundity on the narrow path of art films, you must be prepared to endure poverty and loneliness; if you decide to pursue resonance and box office success on the broad bridge of genre films, you must also be open to public judgment and even criticism."

"But what I least want to see are those colleagues who claim to uphold art, but because they can't get recognition in China, they can't bear the torment and end up showing their backsides to the world, specifically picking out some lowbrow, exotic so-called Eastern elements to cater to the prejudices of certain judges. This is not only self-degradation, but also a betrayal of the true pursuit of art."

"Equally foolish is that some directors who have achieved success with genre films and made a fortune turn around and pretend to be high-minded, start pursuing so-called art film achievements, make some obscure and confusing things, and then attack the audience for not understanding them. This is not only forgetting one's roots, but also being pretentious."

"Both of these types of people have gone astray; they are essentially both bad and stupid."

……

The core purpose of Lu Kuan's first class at the Beijing Film Academy was not to teach specific shooting techniques, but to break the ice through a conversational approach.

His aim is to break the rigid mindset that has long plagued professional schools, which pits art films against commercial films and even assigns them a moral superiority or inferiority, and to establish a healthier and broader creative perspective for these future pillars of the industry.
Respect the market, but don't pander to it; insist on expressing yourself, but don't be self-absorbed.

He hopes that by establishing this evaluation system, students will have a clearer understanding and a stronger inner resolve when facing choices in creation and the market in the future.

After setting this tone, the course then turned to an exploration of the essence of film art.

The teaching style of this world-renowned master of future cinema perfectly embodies this praise: he always manages to integrate the most complex theories into the most intuitive sensory experiences and the most inspiring comparisons.

Shen Ao, who was in the audience today, recorded the inspiration he received from today's lesson in his personal Weibo diary as follows:

Professor Lu never throws out obscure academic terms, but instead casually cites classic and new films from China and abroad as examples.

When analyzing a "chase shot," he can not only sketch out a storyboard on the spot, but also instantly list the realistic tracking shots in "The French Connection," the bullet time in "The Matrix," the handheld camera work that is calm on the surface but full of undercurrents in "Shoplifters," and even the visual effects used to express the pursuit of consciousness in his own "Ball Lightning."

He showed his students how the same narrative goal can present drastically different artistic qualities due to different aesthetic pursuits and technical means.

His extensive film viewing experience and precise citations impressed all the students present who considered themselves film buffs.

He can clearly explain how a master's lighting design affects the psychological portrayal of a character, and he can also pinpoint that a seemingly insignificant transition in a commercial popcorn movie is actually a masterful touch of pacing control.

It is precisely in this comprehensive yet accessible explanation that the "master's" skill is fully revealed.

He doesn't teach rigid rules and regulations, but rather the ability to observe, compare, and reason critically, a way of thinking that integrates technology, aesthetics, narrative, and insight into human nature.

……

However, in subtle contrast to the pure artistic contemplation in the classroom, there is a constant undercurrent of real-world energy surging in the audience.

Throughout the morning, the classroom was filled with the occasional, suppressed vibrations of cell phones, or the whispers that broke out when someone saw the screen light up and couldn't help but talk to their neighbor.

These commotions rose and fell like waves, clearly indicating that a major piece of news outside the classroom was quietly spreading among the crowd, constantly tugging at the students' attention.

The course ended at 11 a.m. amidst enthusiastic applause.

Zhang Yishan was still immersed in Lu's broad vision and astonishing professional analysis, and said with admiration, "Professor Lu's perspective and the amount of films he has watched are truly vast! He was able to bring out the handling methods of three different films from a simple shot-reverse-shot, and even explain the psychological differences behind it..."

He turned around and found that Yang Zi hadn't responded; she was staring blankly at her phone screen.

"Hey, what are you looking at? You've lost your mind." Zhang Yishan nudged her.

Yang Zi looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions, a mixture of amazement and a hint of unspoken envy. She said softly, "No... I just feel that Senior Yi Fei is really... so lucky."

She turned her phone screen towards Zhang Yishan and Li Xian, where a financial news flash headline was displayed:
"Zhijie Video's stock price surged on its first day of trading in Hong Kong, with two stars from the Wenjie Group shining brightly. Lu Kuan's net worth surpassed Li Ka-shing's, making him the new richest man in Asia!"

Today, there's a girl with an exotic look who snuck in a long time ago at the Beijing Film Academy's Standard Amplification Class. She plans to apply to the Beijing Film Academy next year and is currently taking a professional training course.

Gulnazar watched the man greet the students and leave like an ordinary teacher, clutching his lecture notes, and murmured to herself with a touch of infatuation:

"He's so handsome, so talented that people are captivated in class, and so rich that he's the richest man in Asia, yet he still spends all his time at home raising his children..."

The noise of the break between classes and the real world of capitalism outside the window were strangely intertwined at this moment through a girl's slightly dreamy sigh.

I wish I could be a man like that...

(End of this chapter)