Huayu: When the director changed his major

Taylor Swift was, of course, the star of the party.

Through Zhu Zhu's introduction, Cheng Xi also got to know many big names in Hollywood.

There are familiar celebrity faces, as well as unfamiliar capital faces.

The story of Cheng Xi's two songs from last time has already started circulating among the CAA group.

Many people also began to inquire about the "miraculous journey".

So tonight, the first question many people asked Cheng Xi was:
"You're that amazing Cheng?"

Cheng Xi could only nod politely.

Don't be too humble in front of Americans, or you'll run into a jerk like Smith.

They think you're easy to manipulate, so they'll try to ruin you.

Not long after the social event, Taylor Swift made a dazzling entrance from another door in the banquet hall, dressed to the nines.

The lights in the arena suddenly dimmed.

A beam of light shone on Taylor Swift and followed her footsteps.

Taylor Swift's outfit today is quite different from her usual style; it's surprisingly sweet.

High heels, a pink fringed princess dress, bright red lips, and light blonde hair.
She wore no jewelry, but when the light shone on her, the jewels on her princess dress reflected a light that was more dazzling than any other jewelry.

With his height of 1.8 meters, he exudes a powerful aura.

The runaway princess's outfit was somehow made to look like that of a powerful female lead.

She lifted the hem of her skirt slightly with both hands and walked slowly but powerfully toward the piano in the center of the banquet hall.

Cheng Xi only realized what was happening after seeing this.

This is about seizing the initiative.

Say nothing, let the music speak for itself.

Cheng Xi couldn't help but sigh, this was indeed the best form of publicity.

If Taylor Swift wears this look tomorrow, it will surely make her fans scream and talk about it for weeks.

Add to that a time-tested hit song, and it's no wonder it's even more memorable.

With both inside and outside perspectives, Cheng Xi couldn't help but admire how skilled Americans were at playing with trends.

No wonder they can export their culture and dominate the world.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Taylor Swift walked gracefully to the central piano and bowed to everyone.

After sitting for a moment, she placed her fingers on the keys and began to play.

It was that song, "Dream It Possible".

A series of fluent notes flowed out at the beginning, followed by Taylor Swift's vocals.

“I will run I will climb I will soar
I'm undefeated
Jumping out of my skin pull the chord
Yeah, I believe it.

Taylor Swift and Zhu Zhu's singing styles are completely different.

Zhu Zhu has a rather wild-sounding singing style, focusing more on emotion.

Taylor Swift, on the other hand, has reached the pinnacle of skill, where her voice becomes the music player, allowing her to immerse herself in the music.

Just to interpret the song.

It can be said that it is amazing from the first listen, and the technique is also very superb.

Later on, Taylor Swift poured even more emotion into her performance.

This is also one of the things Cheng Xi admires most about Taylor Swift's singing style.

She can do exactly what you ask her to do.

Besides that, it can also give you something different; perhaps that's the vitality of a singer-songwriter.

This is also her signature skill that makes her stand out.

“We will glow in the dark turning dust to gold
And we'll dream it possible
Possible
And we'll dream it possible"

After finishing the song, Taylor Swift seemed completely immersed in it.

The guests at the banquet applauded in celebration of the auditory feast that evening.

The word "possible" kept replaying in my mind, as if it couldn't be shaken off.

Many people have even been moved to tears by it.

Cheng Xi couldn't tell if they were genuinely moved or if they were just there to create a lively atmosphere to prevent awkward silences.

Judging from the expressions of the people around her, Taylor Swift's rendition of this song is indeed captivating.

It's no worse than the original.

Zhu Zhu clapped her hands and said:
"No wonder Taylor Swift is at the top of pop music, she really sings much better than me."

"Each version has its own merits, but I still prefer your version, which was also the first time this song appeared in the world."

Zhu Zhu was clearly pleased to hear this and said:

"Director Cheng, I've noticed you're really good at flirting with girls, is it just a natural talent?"

"Yes, thank God for giving me this talent."

After finishing her song and taking her thanks, Taylor Swift moved on to the social segment.

Taking advantage of the moment, Cheng Xi pulled Zhu Zhu to Pete's vicinity and, when there weren't many people around, said directly:
"Hey, Miss Julie, hello."

"Hello."

Julie was a little puzzled as to who this young man in front of her was.

The lady next to him looked somewhat familiar.

But after greeting him, Cheng Xi immediately turned to his target—Pete.

"Hi Pete, I'm a fan of yours. I really love your movies. Could I get your autograph?"

"Are you Edison?"

"Wow, what an honor! How do you know me?"

"Oh, I heard your introduction when I was walking the red carpet and taking photos, and I saw you right behind me."

"You have an amazing memory!"

Pete, on the other hand, seemed very outgoing and started chatting with Cheng Xi with a smile.

Then Cheng Xi introduced Zhu Zhu.

They had met before, but weren't very familiar with each other.

Pete: "Signature? How do you want me to sign it?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xi immediately stopped a waiter and asked him to give Cheng Xi a pen.

Then he took off his suit jacket and said:
"How about you sign it on the back of my shirt? I'll keep it."

Pete, however, didn't react much.

Julie, who was next to him, muttered "rude" under her breath and turned her face away.

This is a relatively high-end banquet venue.

There's really no one like Cheng Xi who would disregard their image and take off their coat to ask for an autograph.

Even signing autographs was rare; we all see each other all the time, and no one is inferior to anyone else.

But Cheng Xi didn't care; he didn't belong to this circle anyway.

And Pitt was indeed one of his favorite movie actors in his previous life.

I had worked with Stephen Chow before, and he signed my autograph in the same way.

In his view, it was simply about making up for past shortcomings and collecting stamps along the way, nothing more.

But Pitt and Jolie's approaches are quite different.

He has high emotional intelligence and knows that the young man in front of him is not simple.

Jolie already had some reservations about him walking the runway behind her and her husband.

So when I saw him take off his coat, I was naturally even more displeased.

Pete: "Sure, are there any special requirements?"

Cheng Xi: "If possible, I hope you can write a sentence for me: 'Something lasts.'"

Pete: "Oh, a line from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Upon hearing this, Pete happily signed an autograph for Cheng Xi.

After all, it's understandable that a Chinese person can clearly recite their classic lines, and seems to be a pretty enthusiastic fan.

"Something lasts" is Cheng Xi and Gulnazar's favorite line.

It represents the feelings of the two people that night.

If Nazha saw this shirt, she would probably be very happy.

Because I cherish her dearly.

As Brad Pitt signed autographs, Taylor Swift walked over.

After all, Cheng Xi's commotion was too great; it was impossible not to attract her attention.

She was worried about how to get rid of the group of socialites surrounding her.

We've finally found it.

"Thank you, Cheng."

Taylor Swift thought to herself.

Julie, who was already watching her surroundings, immediately perked up when she saw Taylor Swift arrive.

"Taylor Swift, your song and singing tonight were absolutely beautiful, really, I was moved to tears." "Thank you, Julie. It's all thanks to Mr. Cheng. He wrote the lyrics, composed the music, and supervised the production of this song."

"what?"

Julie thought she had misheard.

I stared blankly in the direction Taylor Swift was pointing.

"An English song written by a Chinese person, the one Taylor Swift just sang?"

Julie felt that her outlook on life was being severely challenged.

Pete, who was signing autographs next to him, was also taken aback, and his last stroke was a long line.

He could tell that the young man in front of him was probably not simple.

But I didn't expect it to be so complicated.

Then Taylor Swift smiled and introduced:
"Mr. Cheng is also a director with $15 billion in box office revenue, and a novelist."

Hearing Taylor Swift say that, Pitt and his wife were even more surprised.

They might not be very knowledgeable about music.

But when it comes to movies, they're experts.

A box office of $15 billion is definitely enough to make him a big director in Hollywood.

Pete asked in surprise:

“Cheng, please forgive my intrusion, but you look very young.”

"You also acted in 'Growing Pains' when you were very young, didn't you?"

The cast of "Growing Pains" is truly star-studded.

Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio (who loves playing with water guns), and the person in front of us all star in it.

This is simply a masterpiece.

Hearing Cheng Xi's question, Pete smiled knowingly:
"My achievements are not as good as Director Cheng's."

Julie still looked at Cheng Xi with suspicion, unable to believe that he had written the song for tonight.

"Mr. Cheng, what movies have you directed? Could you recommend some for me to watch?"

Before Cheng Xi could speak, the two beauties beside him automatically answered for him.

Taylor Swift: "The Big Events of Life".

Zhu Zhu: "Detective Chinatown"

After they finished speaking, they exchanged a glance.

It appears that sparks are being produced.

Julie only believed that the Chinese man in front of her was indeed a director after hearing the two ladies say that.

Judging from his films, he is not an unknown figure.

Otherwise, how could Taylor Swift have possibly watched it?

But I've never heard of this person before.

Cheng Xi answered frankly and openly:

"I'm currently filming 'Detective Chinatown 2' in New York, and it should be released in the US soon. If you're interested, you can come and see it. I'll give you both tickets."

Julie: "I see. No wonder you're here."

Pete: "We'll definitely be there to support you!"

Cheng Xi: "Thank you. I hope we can work together in the future!"

Pitt remained noncommittal, as it's becoming increasingly difficult to secure him for film projects these days.

He has now transcended the level of focusing on money.

Of course, unless it's a particularly large amount, I won't refuse.

Taylor Swift: "I'm really looking forward to it. I think Director Cheng and Mr. Pitt will definitely have great chemistry."

Cheng Xi smiled as he saw Taylor Swift's enthusiastic support.

"Thank you so much for being such a great wingman, thank you so much."

After Pitt finished his social engagements, Taylor Swift quickly led Cheng Xi to the VIP room to meet with several high-ranking executives from DC.

The cooperation negotiations did not go smoothly.

Although James, the representative of DC, said he was willing to consider collaborating on film and television copyright development out of consideration for Taylor Swift.

However, they clearly had doubts about Cheng Xi's abilities.

Furthermore, Cheng Xi's performance of taking off her clothes to ask for autographs at the banquet outside made James doubt Cheng Xi's sincerity.

Fortunately, Braun spoke highly of Cheng Xi.

The document mainly lists Cheng Xi's achievements in film and television, as well as the size of his company, his novels, and his songs.

Looking at the detailed introduction of Cheng Xi in the materials Braun was holding.

Only then did I understand why Taylor Swift valued this arrogant person so highly.

They are indeed very professional and dedicated.

James and his companions looked at the materials for a long time before their expressions gradually softened.

From this perspective, the young man in front of them was indeed capable, even somewhat exceeding their expectations.

Initially, I only agreed to meet her because of Taylor Swift.

Otherwise, it would sound ridiculous for a Chinese person to want to buy the rights to DC Comics and adapt it into a movie.

Nobody would be interested in wasting their time.

James was there to attend a banquet, and it was only after Taylor Swift's strong invitation that he agreed to meet her.

However, DC is rarely willing to sell copyrights; at most, they will co-develop the technology.

However, Cheng Xi's conditions for the film and television adaptation rights were quite demanding.

The revenue sharing ratio is too high.

James would definitely not agree to that.

Therefore, the first negotiation was not pleasant.

But Cheng Xi didn't care; it would be better if they could get the copyright, but if not, they could find another company.

Moreover, business negotiations are like this, going through one, two, or three rounds, not to mention cross-border negotiations like this.

It looks like I'll need to find a senior lawyer in Chinatown to help me find a job.

There are a lot of copyrights for superheroes in the United States.

It's not just DC.

Moreover, very few people are willing to pay a high price to buy the rights to adapt the Joker into a film.

After all, it is extremely difficult.

The Joker is a classic villain, so he doesn't sell as well as superheroes.

The banquet didn't end until after 10 p.m.

Cheng Xi was about to say goodbye to Zhu Zhu and Taylor Swift before leaving.

But to everyone's surprise, Taylor Swift directly asked Braun to invite him to the second floor alone.

Cheng Xi looked at Zhu Zhu and said:
"Wait for me a moment, okay?"

Zhu Zhu: "Go ahead, I'll wait for you in the VIP room."

Cheng Xi then followed Braun to the second floor.

Once inside, I discovered that Taylor Swift was the only one sitting alone in front of the vanity mirror.

She looks like she's admiring her pink princess dress.

Braun wisely refrained from entering.

"Cheng, I heard your movie is almost finished filming, is that right?"

"Yes, White said that, didn't he?"

"Yes, I asked him first, 'Are you leaving New York?'"

"I will eventually have to go back. New York is not my home; China is."

Will I ever see you again?

"Yes, I promise."

Taylor Swift nodded, then suddenly stood up and smiled at Cheng Xi.

"Cheng, besides tomato beef stew, can you make anything else?"

Cheng Xi understood the ambiguous meaning in her eyes and teased:
Yes, for example, having sex.

"Cheng, you use the word 'have' very well. No wonder you're a writer."

“This is my forte.”

Cheng Xi's words had a double meaning.

"Okay, let me try."

After saying that, Taylor Swift pinned Cheng Xi against the wall and kissed him.

Cheng Xi's mind went blank for a moment:

"Damn, is this what they call a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey? Those foreign women are really strong!" (End of Chapter)