Unboxing, Director!

Chapter 164 Two Dragons

"So, what did Lu Jiang say?"

After finishing his call with Lu Jiang, Liu Guoquan immediately called Chen Jinfei back.

Chen Jinfei turned on the speakerphone, and Liu Xiaoli's ears perked up.

Liu Guoquan quickly gave good news: "Let's see the audition first. As long as there aren't any major problems, we can continue to discuss it."

Liu Xiaoli and Chen Jinfei immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

They dared to promote Liu Qianqian in this way not without some confidence.

At least in terms of image and temperament, Liu Guoquan said earlier that Liu Qianqian really fits the image of Bai Xiuzhu.

As for acting skills, Liu Qianqian hasn't received systematic training yet, but she has good talent and with Liu Guoquan around, she should have no problem passing the audition if she intensifies her training.

With a huge weight lifted from his shoulders, Chen Jinfei asked again, "What about that matter? What was his attitude?"

"From what I've heard so far, I think he's not too keen on it."

If they're not too keen, then there's room for negotiation, meaning the price isn't quite right yet.

Chen Jinfei immediately grasped the meaning behind it, and he said, "Okay, I understand. Sister Liu, could you please help us schedule a time, and also tell him that 200 million is just the bottom line?"

After Liu Guoquan relayed the message and some communication, the two parties agreed on an audition time.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Jinfei's face was full of confidence.

Liu Xiaoli happily went back to her room and told Liu Qianqian the news.

However, Liu Qianqian did not cheer as expected after hearing this; instead, she looked worried.

Liu Xiaoli asked with a smile, "Things have progressed, you should be happy, why are you posting pictures?"

"It feels like cheating."

15-year-old Liu Qianqian was still very innocent.

In her view, the exchange of resources in the entertainment industry, which is a very normal practice, is far removed from her ideal of the entertainment industry.

She couldn't help but look at Lu Jiang's poster in the room.

She first learned about Lu Jiang a year ago and quickly became a fan.

I was originally looking forward to meeting my idol, but now I feel like I want to avoid it.

If I really win the role this way, will Lu Jiang look down on me?

Liu Xiaoli was unaware of Liu Qianqian's inner thoughts; she only felt that Liu Qianqian hadn't grasped the situation yet.

She then earnestly advised him once again: "You've just returned to China, so it's normal that you don't understand the current situation here. In the domestic TV drama industry right now, Lu Jiang's commercial value is at the level of Mount Everest! Believe it or not, if Lu Jiang were to directly announce that anyone could play the second female lead in his new drama for just 200 million yuan, his phone would be ringing off the hook immediately?"

"I know"

Liu Qianqian was certainly aware of Lu Jiang's commercial value.

She has gained a full understanding of the situation since returning to China.

Leaving aside the music scene, in the television drama sector, Lu Jiang's dominant position is evident in his leading-edge salary of 20 yuan per episode.

Every actor who has worked with him has become a star so far.

I won't even mention Fan Binbin, Dong Xuan, F3, and others from the first two dramas.

Even in music videos, being the female lead in one of his videos is considered a prerequisite for becoming famous in the industry.

For example, Zhang Jingchu, Chen Hao, and Zhang Tong all established their popularity after appearing in his music videos.

In addition, Liu Qianqian also knows some information that ordinary people do not know.

A few days ago, Liu Jinsong, a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, told her that Lu Jiang had submitted a feature film to Cannes this year, and the chances of it being nominated are very high, and it may even win an award.

This information is kept very secret, just like the current "The Story of a Noble Family," so the media is unaware of it yet.

If Lu Jiang actually wins an award, or even just gets nominated, the Chinese entertainment industry will probably explode.

Therefore, Chen Jinfei's strategy was correct: investing money in advance to cooperate with Lu Jiang could greatly shorten the time to fame, or even lead to overnight fame.

At the same time, taking this opportunity to build a good relationship with him will be entirely beneficial for future development.

But this kind of adult game of buying relationships with money is really a bit gloomy, which 15-year-old Liu Qianqian finds hard to accept.

Seeing Liu Qianqian's hesitant expression and changing demeanor, Liu Xiaoli finally understood what she was thinking.

She smiled and patted Liu Qianqian's head: "Don't think too much. Although things have made progress, it's still far from certain. Grandma Liu said that Lu Jiang is very professional and not someone who's greedy for money. If an actor's image and acting skills don't match the role, he won't even glance at them no matter how much money he offers. But the reverse is also true. If we can make a splash at the audition and get Lu Jiang's approval, do you think Lu Jiang will look at you with new eyes?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qianqian's eyes lit up immediately.

Yes!

Now, Lu Jiang thinks she's just a good-for-nothing who got ahead because of her parents.

If I perform brilliantly during the audition, Lu Jiang will definitely be very surprised!

That way, we can still be friends in the future, right?
But the problem is: "The Godfather still costs money."

"Silly child, once you truly conquer Lu Jiang with your skills, the money you spent won't be for the role anymore, but for advertising sponsorship. That's a completely different matter!"

Liu Qianqian's eyes lit up even more; she thought it made a lot of sense.

Seeing that her daughter's mood had improved from overcast to partly cloudy, Liu Xiaoli took the opportunity to encourage her: "So now, all you need to do is practice hard and try to defeat Lu Jiang in one fell swoop!"

"Yes! I will try my best to win over Lu Jiang!"

And so, 15-year-old Liu Qianqian set the first major goal of her professional career.

On the plane, Baoqiang noted down Lu Jiang's new schedule: Bai Xiuzhu's audition on April 30th.

After taking notes, Baoqiang asked doubtfully, "Brother, this Mr. Chen is in the real estate business, and it seems like he doesn't have any resources to exchange with us."

"There are still some resources worth paying attention to."

Lu Jiang then discussed the key points.

Chen Jinfei is in the real estate business and has money, but simply offering money wouldn't be very attractive to Lu Jiang, especially since the other party probably wouldn't be willing to pay a high price.

As for other resources, Chen Jinfei does have some connections in the entertainment industry, but they are definitely not very strong.

At least for now, his resources in this area are definitely not as good as Lu Jiang's.

However, Lu Jiang wasn't eyeing the entertainment industry resources; he was more interested in his real estate resources.

Qidian is currently laying the foundation for cinema chains.

This involves the acquisition of cinema chain shares and the purchase of cinema property rights.

The former is progressing slowly and needs to wait for the right opportunity, because the domestic film reform is still underway and the first cinema chain has not yet been officially launched.

The latter is progressing rapidly. Currently, Lu Jiang already owns more than a dozen properties in good locations in the urban areas of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou that can be converted into cinemas. In the future, he will be able to use these properties as leverage to more easily join or form a cinema chain.

At the same time, private properties also have appreciation potential. The next ten years or so will be a period of real estate boom, and private properties are all extremely high-quality assets, provided that the location is good.

However, shops in good locations are not easy to acquire.

Currently in Beijing, Lu Jiang has his eye on several very nice shops, but they are not easy to buy; he would need to pull some strings.

It just so happens that Chen Jinfei is in the real estate business, and now that this opportunity has come knocking, why not take it?

I don't need anyone to give it to me; I just need to have the opportunity to buy it, and I don't mind paying a premium.

This small request shouldn't be a problem for Chen Jinfei. If he can't even handle this, then even Liu Tianxian's most beautiful performances won't help.
"Brother, when are we going to make a movie?"

After hearing this, Baoqiang automatically skipped the topic of theater chain layout and focused on asking about the film business.

"It'll be here soon! You can practice at the end of the year, and next year I'll take you to the big screen!"

Baoqiang is serious about his work, clever and honest in his dealings with others, so Lu Jiang is still willing to make promises to him.

But this cake is not fake.

Li Yang was also there when I visited Situ Zhaodun at the beginning of the year. He had already bought "Shenmu" and confirmed that it would be made into a movie, namely "Blind Shaft". He also asked Lu Jiang for investment. It just so happens that Baoqiang can "return the property to its rightful owner".

After "Blind Shaft" is finished, "A World Without Thieves" will be released, and Dawn will have another money-making star!
Baoqiang was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately said, "Brother, don't worry, I'll keep it a secret from Sister Bingbing!"

"What do you mean by keeping your mouth shut, huh?"

"Hehe, no, no, bro, you didn't do anything, we just talked about the script all night!"

That's right.

A few hours later, Lu Jiang arrived at the hotel where the film "Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre" was being filmed in Hengdian.

As soon as I entered my floor, I heard loud laughter coming from the end of the corridor, which was quite lively.

Lu Jiang walked forward and saw a lounge at the end of the corridor. Peeking in, he saw Dong Xuan chatting enthusiastically with a group of actresses from the film crew.

Dong Xuan joined the crew this morning. Her role as Yang Buhui will start tomorrow. Her schedule is tight because she hasn't finished filming her role as Goddess Dragon yet.

How did we become so familiar with each other in just half a day?
Without thinking twice, Dong Xuan deftly took the apple from Xiao Zhao's hand, exclaiming, "Here, give it to me, watch carefully, hey!"

With a snap, the apple in my hand was broken in half.

That action.

Its movements are bold and sweeping, like chopping wood; its powerful and forceful action is like demolishing a house.

This drew gasps of amazement from Xiao Zhao and the other actresses.

"Sister Huanhuan, you're amazing!"

"Huanhuan, your grip is too strong!"

"."

Dong Xuan raised her eyebrows and continued to embrace Xiao Zhao generously: "Of course! Want to learn? Call me 'sister,' and I'll teach you."

Lu Jiang was also dumbfounded.

In my memory, Dong Xuan was cold and aloof to outsiders, but gentle and delicate to insiders. She would blush from time to time, and even her smile was the graceful demeanor of a woman from Jiangnan.

I never expected her to have this side to her.

interesting!
Lu Jiang didn't plan to show up; he went straight back to his room to get ready to put on makeup.

After getting ready, Lu Jiang officially met the new members.

Although Jiao Meinan and other actors had already started filming, this was actually the first time they had met Lu Jiang.

Zhang Guoli, like Dong Xuan, had just joined the crew that morning.

Upon meeting, they exchanged various greetings such as "I've heard so much about you," "I've been wanting to meet you for ages," and "You're indeed very handsome."
Everyone was wearing makeup. Cheng Kun, with a shaved head and a monk's robe, praised Lu Jiang for looking exactly like Zhang Wuji. While talking, he didn't forget to turn off the phone that was always beeping in his pocket, making the scene rather comical.

Jiao Meinan is indeed a handsome man, although the beard obscures some of his good looks, but he is still much better than Zhang Tielin's Yang Xiao.

Of this group of actors, Wang Gang and Zhang Tielin will arrive tomorrow, as they don't have many scenes.

Wang Gang reprised his role, but Zhang Tielin declined the role of the White-Browed Eagle King, saying he didn't like it. So, he ended up making a cameo appearance as Zhao Min's father, the Prince of Ruyang, while the White-Browed Eagle King was played by the same actor from the original version.

When meeting someone for the first time, it's important to be courteous and polite.

Lu Jiang greeted everyone and, as usual, presented them with gifts, earning them a lot of goodwill.

After a brief introduction, the group didn't linger and headed straight to the film set.

Tonight, Gao Yuanyuan and her colleagues will continue filming the scene of being imprisoned inside the seven-story pagoda of Wan'an Temple.

Lu Jiang, along with Zhang Guoli and others, headed to the Ming Cult headquarters. Tonight's scene involved Cheng Kun revealing his conspiracy, with Zhang Wuji rescuing him from the predicament.

This was a big show, but as always, with Lu Jiang, who was on a winning streak, everything went more smoothly than expected.

Their professional skills complemented each other well, and their similar popularity and status allowed Lu Jiang and Zhang Guoli to quickly become acquainted.

After finishing work, Zhang Guoli suggested having a drink, and Lu Jiang naturally agreed. So the two of them pulled Lai Shuiqing along and found a small restaurant to sit down.

Zhang Guoli's current "Kangxi" series and the recent "Ji Xiaolan" series have made him almost the king of Qing Dynasty dramas, which is currently the genre with the largest potential market share. Zhang Guoli is at the height of his popularity in mainland China.

However, the various Qing Dynasty dramas, the roles of good people, and the emperors also brought him a lot of trouble.

That's why he accepted his old friend Lai Shuiqing's invitation to play the ruthless character Chen Kun as a breakthrough role.

"Your acting with your eyes is truly superb, absolutely amazing!"

Lu Jiang gave a timely thumbs up, but was quickly met with even greater praise in return. Zhang Guoli looked at Lu Jiang with a rather serious expression: "You still dare to criticize me? Your eye acting is truly amazing. Don't think I'm just being polite. To be honest, before today, I only thought you were here to dabble in acting."

Lai Shuiqing chimed in, "If Lu Jiang ever acts in a movie, becoming a Best Actor is only a matter of time!"

Lu Jiang: "Stop flattering me, let's drink!"

The drinking session ended prematurely because Zhang Guoli discovered that Lu Jiang couldn't get drunk at all.

Back at the hotel, Gao Yuanyuan and the others were still filming, while Dong Xuan, who didn't have any scenes to film today, was already waiting for Lu Jiang in his room with Baoqiang.

Upon seeing Lu Jiang return, Dong Xuan stood up and uttered a sweet "Brother~", her voice rising at the end, as if her voice had been soaked in the misty rain of Jiangnan.

The aura of the Northeastern girl that she exuded in the afternoon vanished instantly, and now even the strands of her hair suddenly became docile.

"Brother, I'll be going now."

Baoqiang was very sensible and immediately took his leave.

"Okay, by the way, buy some hangover medicine and send it to Zhang Guoli and Director Lai."

"Understood~"

Baoqiang's departure leaves the door wide open for him to avoid suspicion.

After leaving Lu Jiang and Dong Xuan alone, Lu Jiang asked what had been troubling him: "I've only been here for half a day, how come you're so familiar with Chen Zihan and the others?"

"Most of them are from Beijing Film Academy, and I knew many of them before."

"No wonder."

Lu Jiang nodded, his doubts completely dispelled, and then handed her an apple directly from the coffee table.

Dong Xuan immediately understood: "Do you have a fruit knife? I'll go buy one tomorrow."

"No need, just break it open after you wash it."

"Bro, do you think I'm Superman?"

"What? You could pry it open this afternoon, but you can't now?"

Dong Xuan: (ω)!

Lu Jiang laughed heartily: "Your carefree attitude is no match for playing Leng Qingqiu!"

Dong Xuan was mortified, then immediately started to whine and say in a cute voice, "Brother~~"

This time, Dong Xuan squeezed even harder.
(End of this chapter)