The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 148 Japanese Garden, Summer Tatami Mats, Sweat Streaming Down My Sister-in-Law's Streams...

……

As night fell, Sun Honglei, exhausted from a long day, prepared to find a place to rest.

I am utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.

Duan Yihong, you scoundrel! I'll never forgive you!

Because of the cat's appearance, Sun Honglei's role was significantly reduced, and he was replaced entirely by the cat, who had more interesting quirks.

Sun Honglei was silently cursing Duan Yihong when suddenly his ears twitched as he heard a noise.

Not far away, Reba called out to Xin Yukun, asking in an annoyed tone, "Brother Kun, what are you doing sneaking around like that?"

"Are you trying to sneak out... Humph! Just now, I saw you chatting and laughing with Nazha's girlfriends."

“If my brother finds out you’re engaging in these kinds of underhanded practices, he’ll be furious.”

Upon hearing this, Xin Yukun quickly ran over and covered Reba's mouth: "My little darling, why are you shouting so loudly? I haven't done anything yet!"

Reba looked at Xin Yukun with a mocking expression.

Who exactly said that we should fast and remain chaste this month, so as to provide good support for Lu Zhiyuan?

How many days has it been?

It hasn't even been half a month, and their true colors have already been revealed.

"Dilraba, stop yelling. I'm begging you. I promise I'll never do anything messy again and will fully support you. What do you think?"

There's been no further news from Gao Yuanyuan's side.

The main problem is that Gao Yuanyuan has really bad luck. She tried to make a move twice, but both times she ended up in a sorry state.

Dilraba is still the best.

It's like having a golden body protecting you, making you impervious to all evil.

It was even nominated for an Oscar.

This breaks the record!

Among domestic actresses, apart from Dilraba, no one else has been nominated for Best Actress.

At this moment, Dilraba's fame has simply skyrocketed.

Not only is it popular throughout the country, but it is estimated that it also has many fans in other Asian countries.

If Dilraba hadn't been filming recently and hadn't had time to take on any commercial gigs... Xin Yukun could imagine that next month, Dilraba would have earned Yuankun Media tens of millions more.

"Brother Kun, get Nazha out of here first, then you can talk about this."

Whenever Dilraba sees Gulnazar, she is reminded of Xin Yukun's pimping for Lu Zhiyuan, a thorn that lingers in her heart and makes her very unhappy.

It must be removed.

“That’s easy. I’ll give Nazha some work later, let her play minor roles in some idol dramas, so she won’t be hanging around in front of you.”

Xin Yukun is in a hurry to leave to go on a date with the young model, and he agrees to everything Dilraba says.

"Remember, you must keep your word."

Reba glared at Xin Yukun and let him leave.

"A man's word is his bond. I will definitely keep my word. Besides, Dilraba, you're currently the No. 1 actress in China, are you afraid you won't be able to rise to the top?"

Xin Yukun flattered Reba a few times.

Reba hummed a few times, seemingly unconcerned, but secretly feeling a little smug.

He said he would only paint one person in his entire life.

I am the most beautiful one in his movie. He made me an Oscar-nominated actress, the only one of its kind in the country.

"Reba, you are beautiful on your own, I'm leaving now."

Seeing Dilraba lost in her fantasies, Xin Yukun smiled, turned around, and left.

If we don't leave now, we won't get any fresh meat tonight.

Just now, 30 young models danced a fairy dance together, it was absolutely mesmerizing.

Those long legs, that shapely figure, that alluring pose... they really made his heart itch.

It's all Lu Zhiyuan's fault, why did he have to film this kind of scene?
Isn't this tempting me to commit a crime?
……

"It's over!"

"You've forgotten about that!"

Not far away, Sun Honglei saw that Reba had Xin Yukun completely under her thumb.

He knew very well that Xin Yukun was actually the number two person in the crew, the first assistant director for casting, and part-time production manager.

Xin Yukun managed all the big and small matters on the film crew.

Kun Ge is already a well-known big shot in the underworld, but when facing Dilraba, he still calls her "Little Ancestor" and acts very humble.

It wasn't until this moment that Sun Honglei suddenly remembered.

Before he came, Miss Jing Tian had specifically told him that as long as he could win over Reba, it would be the same as winning over Lu Zhiyuan.

He forgot!
After arriving, he only thought about showing his face in front of Lu Zhiyuan and forgot to do public relations for Dilraba.

"Details, details determine success or failure."

"I didn't lose unjustly."

After thinking about this, Sun Honglei slapped himself a few times. He had forgotten to treat Dilraba to a big meal, and as a result, a cat stole the show.

No rush, I still have a chance to make up for it.

Lu Zhiyuan isn't going to only make this one film in his entire career.

"Sister Ba, I know a really good restaurant nearby..."

After Xin Yukun left, Sun Honglei straightened his clothes, smiled, and walked up to Dilraba, trying to curry favor with her.

To his surprise, Reba's expression changed drastically as soon as he opened his mouth, and she became very unhappy: "Who are you calling Pigsy? Are you trying to mock me for eating too much this afternoon? My brother didn't say anything, is it any of your business? Did I eat your rice?"

Ugly men are often troublesome!
He actually calls himself Pigsy (Zhu Bajie)?
Don't you even look at yourself?
Seeing Dilraba leave looking unhappy, Sun Honglei inwardly groaned.

This place is my nemesis. Just casually calling someone "sister" can cause such a huge misunderstanding.

Forget it.

Let’s go quickly.

To avoid any unforeseen complications and potential trouble.

……

After Duan Yihong finished filming his scenes, he took the cat that looked just like Sun Honglei and left.

"Old Duan, when you have time, take more photos and short videos of this cat."

This cat's appearance is so funny; just post a few photos of it online, and it's guaranteed to go viral.

Lu Zhiyuan certainly wouldn't let go of such free promotional material easily.

"Director, don't worry. I know what to do," Duan Yihong agreed quickly.

Haha!

Sun Honglei, you scoundrel! You knew this role was mine, yet you still tried to steal it from me. Now you're getting your comeuppance.

Watch how I torment you!
This cat wasn't wild at all; Duan Yihong spent a lot of money to buy it online after learning that Sun Honglei was going to compete with him for the role.

He made up his mind that if Sun Honglei poached his role, he would post this picture of the cat online every day.

At that time, he would call out to the cat, "Disciple."

They specifically targeted Sun Honglei's mentality.

If Sun Honglei becomes famous because of his role as the Great Wall Guardian, this cat will definitely become famous too.

If I appear in a video with this cat, I'm sure I'll become popular too.

If you manage to get the role of the Great Wall Guardian, then call this cat "Master".

Regardless, he's definitely going to try and ride the wave of popularity.

The entertainment industry—isn't it all about entertaining the masses?
As an excellent actor, it is only natural to bring some joy to everyone.

……

The scenes in Dunhuang only last about ten minutes, with two or three hundred shots.

It's not that Lu Zhiyuan didn't want to film seriously.

Instead, it was the movie "Real Steel" that he planned to make. There were about 2000 shots, of which 1500 were special effects shots.

The remaining 500 shots mainly focus on the warmth and tenderness of the female lead and her grandfather's daily life.

In other words, very few shots were actually filmed.

It mainly involves taking pictures of scenery.

There are also some lenses that offer good value for money.

For example, city street scenes, Dunhuang flying apsaras dance, and Dunhuang murals!

"By the way, Xiao Su, have someone edit that painting of flying fairies for me. Put some small, special marks on the fingers of the fairies. They won't be visible under normal circumstances, but you can see them with a magnifying glass."

"Then, these symbols can be converted into binary code to show a coordinate."

Dunhuang murals, mysterious runic literature, and then, puzzle games!

This was something Lu Zhiyuan had planned long ago.

But he remained somewhat hesitant about how to solve the mystery.

After thinking about it, since it's a virtual reality game, let's steer it towards computers, using binary codes to convert them into coordinates.

The coordinates indicate the location of Muztagh Ata.

"Brother Yuan, I'll send the request to the special effects team right away."

Instead of hiring someone to handle it, it's much cheaper and simpler to just add a few small symbols to the post-production effects.

As the director, Lu Zhiyuan only needs to make a request.

As the assistant director, in order to continue working alongside Lu Zhiyuan, Su Lun had to help Lu Zhiyuan solve his problems, save costs as much as possible, and do things well.

Not long after Su Lun left, Nazha quietly walked in.

She brought Lu Zhiyuan a cup of mango milk tea, her eyes filled with gratitude: "Brother Yuan, thank you."

"Thank me for what? That's ridiculous."

Lu Zhiyuan took the mango milk tea from Nazha and took a sip.

tasty.

It doesn't seem like it was bought nearby; it must have been bought from a very far place.

Naza is such a scatterbrain; her acting is a complete mess, but she's quite serious about pleasing herself.

"Anyway, thank you."

Naza really wanted to say, "Thank you for giving me an advance of 100 million yuan; you've done my family a huge favor. And you even got me involved in this Hollywood blockbuster."

Although it was just a few simple shots, I can brag about it for the rest of my life when I go back to my hometown.

However, Nazha felt that saying it like that was too superficial and couldn't express her gratitude to Lu Zhiyuan.

"Brother Yuan, I don't have any more scenes coming up. Can I stay on set and do your laundry?"

After thinking it over, Nazha realized that this was the only way she could help Lu Zhiyuan.

Of course, if Lu Zhiyuan wanted to sleep with her, it would be a simple matter of saying the word.

But Nazha wasn't stupid. She had vaguely heard that Lu Zhiyuan had a serious case of mental fastidiousness, disliked others having casual relationships, and never did it himself.

If she brings it up herself, she might get scolded.

“Nazha, I appreciate your kindness. But it’s unnecessary. You should stay on set and observe how others act; it will benefit you in the future.”

Naza's face is more delicate than Dilraba's, making her more suitable for the big screen, and she can even withstand Lu Zhiyuan's close-up shots.

Unfortunately, let's not even mention Nazha's acting skills.

Normally, Nazha is actually a very intelligent person, and her smile is very sweet.

But as soon as she's on camera, she can't help but act pretentious and a bit aloof.

It might be because of the occupational hazards developed from being a model for so long.

Many models who switch careers to acting tend to come across as pretentious.

It's actually their subconscious behavior. When walking the runway, each model has to act arrogantly and confidently, trying to show off their best side as much as possible.

However, in film and television dramas, doing this would make the audience realize that the character is acting... which would immediately pull the audience out of the story.

The habits formed from her modeling career are something Nazha will probably never be able to change. Lu Zhiyuan has absolutely no hope for Nazha.

For Gulnazar, the best career plan would be to become an advertising star and do some fashion endorsements.

All year round, the red carpet never stops, making a splash in the fashion world.

Then, find some good movie resources, make a cameo appearance, appear in a few scenes, and use your beauty to cause a stir.

Normally, I just sit at home picking my toes.

Thinking about it this way... isn't Nazha the next Gao Yuanyuan?

Hopefully, Nazha won't be as love-struck as Gao Yuanyuan, who was even exposed as a homewrecker... In another timeline, Nazha couldn't escape this fate.

In this timeline, Lu Zhiyuan hopes that Xin Yukun will keep an eye on things, since he has signed Nazha to his company, he has to be responsible for her.

"Brother Yuan, I see you really like drinking soup. I can make it too."

Naza glanced shyly at Lu Zhiyuan, her eyes full of hints.

"hehe."

Lu Zhiyuan chuckled dryly a few times.

That brat Nazha has absolutely no sense of propriety.

You actually think you like drinking soup?
Now we can be sure, she's not pretending to be stupid, she really is!
……

During his 20-day shoot in Dunhuang, Lu Zhiyuan captured as much of the surrounding scenery as possible.

This will make it easier to select during future editing.

He certainly wouldn't miss the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, a world-class scenic spot.

I filmed it carefully from beginning to end.

"it is good!"

"That's all for Dunhuang. Next stop, Tokyo!"

In addition to the two major box office markets of China and the United States, Lu Zhiyuan also wanted to develop the Japanese market for the movie "Real Steel".

Robot battles, virtual reality games... these are likely to attract a large enough Japanese audience.

Japan's total box office last year was about $25 billion. Lu Zhiyuan's requirements are not high; he hopes to achieve $1 million in box office revenue in Japan.

"Reba, you don't need to go."

Dilraba was also preparing to go to Tokyo with Lu Zhiyuan, but was suddenly stopped.

This left her looking utterly disappointed, with a hint of grievance on her face.

She's never been to Tokyo yet.

"Your college entrance exam is in two months. At this crucial moment, you still want to go out and have fun? Come home and prepare for the exam properly, or you'll fail."

"As expected, after the results are released, netizens will find your exam admission ticket and help you check your college entrance exam score."

"Imagine if you got a really low score, how would netizens laugh at you? How could you still call Nazha a little idiot after that?"

Lu Zhiyuan has already been exposed by netizens; his college entrance examination scores were barely enough to get into a third-tier university.

It really left him speechless.

He didn't want Dilraba to experience the same thing he did.

"Brother, don't worry, with my intelligence, I'm sure I can get first place in my major at Beijing Film Academy!"

Dilraba knew very well that Lu Zhiyuan liked smart and beautiful girls.

In terms of looks, I'm already almost at the ceiling of beauty.

As for intelligence... the college entrance examination is indeed a touchstone.

Normally, even if she says she's smart, others might not agree. So she'll use her college entrance exam scores to prove herself.

"Honey, what are you laughing at? You better pay attention. Don't think that just because you've made a movie and become a big star, you can forget about your studies."

"You don't want to be called a 'loser' when you grow up, do you?"

"From now on, aside from filming, you'd better focus on your studies. In a month at most, you'll have to go back to junior high. If you're at the bottom of your class then, let's see what face you'll have left!"

Seeing Hanikezi's defiant expression, Lu Zhiyuan explained what "nine leaky fish" meant.

Hanikezi immediately felt the world's malice towards him.

I'm just an ordinary art student. Our school is a vocational school that specializes in teaching dance. You're asking me to focus on my academic subjects? Isn't that making things difficult for me?
But seeing that Dilraba has been nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, everyone has to go back to catch up on their studies and take the college entrance exam.

Hanikezi thought about it and realized he couldn't refute it.

"Teacher, I understand. I will study hard after the movie is finished."

If I don't study hard, you'll scold me for being empty-headed, lacking artistic thinking, and being a failure to complete nine years of compulsory education.

Your mouth is really sharp!
Most importantly, if you think I'm as stupid as Nazha, you won't take me to act in movies anymore; you'll only make me dance.

I definitely can't stand that.

"Honey, in exchange, after filming in Tokyo wraps up, I'll have Xiao Su take you out. Will that make you happier?"

During this period of filming, Hanikezi has performed well, behaved honestly, and never caused any trouble.

Although he lacked a bit of natural talent, he made up for it with hard work and barely met Lu Zhiyuan's requirements.

For a 13-year-old girl who had even undergone a formal apprenticeship ceremony with him, Lu Zhiyuan still harbored some fondness for Hanikezi.

She hopes the young girl can study hard, make good movies, and hone her acting skills, instead of following the path of idol stars.

"Bro, I'll take care of taking Honey out shopping."

Upon hearing that he could go out and have fun after arriving in Tokyo, Xin Yukun was immediately tempted.

Tokyo is so much fun!

Looking for a free information center? They can introduce you to all sorts of models, minor celebrities, and well-known teachers...

In terms of service industries alone, Tokyo is absolutely top-notch.

"Brother Kun, I'm warning you first. We're going to Tokyo to film for about 10 days. The work is very busy and the pace is very tight. You have a very important responsibility, so you're not allowed to leave the hotel!"

Although Reba did not complain, Xin Yukun was always absent-minded after returning that day, and his work performance in the following days was obviously greatly affected.

Lu Zhiyuan had noticed it early on, but he gave Kun Ge face and didn't say anything.

The word color means a knife on the head.

He hopes that when Kun is working, he will focus on his work.

After filming, Lu Zhiyuan wouldn't say anything no matter how he wanted to have fun.

"You're the boss, what you say goes!"

With Lu Zhiyuan's serious warning, Xin Yukun dared not act recklessly.

He thought to himself, "Let's test the waters first, and when the movie is released and we're doing promotions, I'll have our Japanese partners treat us to a meal!"

By then, the games will definitely be much more advanced!
……

Tokyo.

As one of the key supporting characters, the operator of [Onimusha] is, in Lu Zhiyuan's setting, a core member of a well-known Japanese yakuza family.

I've been training in karate and swordsmanship since I was a child!

In short, it's the stereotypical image of Japan as a strong nation in the eyes of outsiders.

"Director Lu, hello, I am actress Keiko Kitagawa."

Lu Zhiyuan originally wanted to find either Hiroshi Abe or Masaharu Fukuyama, who were currently the most popular male celebrities in Japan, to be the pilot of Onimusha.

However, an unexpected situation arose.

Keiko Kitagawa brought her own investment and approached Xin Yukun, wanting to get the role.

For the entire film, it wasn't much, just $100 million.

But for a female celebrity, $100 million is almost their annual income.

Keiko Kitagawa is willing to pay $100 million for the role, and she will probably give it her all during filming.

Lu Zhiyuan needs this attitude.

"Miss Kitagawa, go get your makeup done. We'll start filming in two hours."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded.

Keiko Kitagawa's looks are undeniable; she's a stunning beauty, a typical Japanese actress—elegant, pure, and with a healing smile.

……

"Keiko, he is one of the top directors in Asia right now. If you work on one of his films, it won't be long before you become Japan's number one actress."

"For your life-changing event, the company will cover the $100 million!"

"After the movie is released, the deduction will be gradually made from your commercial endorsements."

The manager was incredibly excited as he led Kitagawa Keiko out.

She looked very carefully just now.

After Kitagawa Keiko entered, Lu Zhiyuan scanned her from head to toe with a very sharp gaze.

But after scanning, he nodded slightly.

This is enough to show that Lu Zhiyuan, the great director, was quite satisfied with Keiko Kitagawa's appearance.

This is a good sign.

……

in the room.

Lu Zhiyuan looked at Xin Yukun with some surprise: "One million US dollars, just like that. Japanese actresses earn more than I imagined."

Xin Yukun smiled mysteriously: "She's different. She gambled everything she had to marry into a wealthy family!"

Upon hearing what Xin Yukun said, Lu Zhiyuan suddenly remembered something.

Besides being an actress and a great beauty, Keiko Kitagawa also had a relationship with a prominent Japanese family.

Her boyfriend, on the surface, is an ordinary singer, but in reality, his family is a powerful political clan in Japan... His maternal grandfather was a former prime minister of Japan!
"However, it's really strange."

Since there were no outsiders around, Xin Yukun wasn't worried about their conversation being overheard.

At that moment, he couldn't help but mutter, "You know, Japanese women have a high divorce rate and a high probability of cheating, so why do they seem more innocent than women in our country?"

"It's just a visual illusion."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled and gave Xin Yukun a brief analysis: "When Kitagawa Keiko came in just now, did you pay attention?"

"Her base makeup was very light, almost transparent. The makeup leaned towards a dewy look, and the blush was very soft, almost non-existent. Also, her eyeliner and eyelashes were clearly done, but you could hardly tell if you weren't paying attention."

"In short, even though she was wearing makeup, you could feel that she wasn't wearing any makeup at all; she was in a natural state."

"In addition, she wore a beige long dress with a loose cut and a lace bow at the waist. The color and loose fit of the dress made her look sweeter and more approachable, giving her a girl-next-door feel."

"This is Japan's unique aesthetic of mono no aware, which emphasizes the beauty of subtlety."

"The requirements for women are that they be innocent and pure, and full of gentleness."

"All I can say is that the Japanese woman acted quite well."

After analyzing the situation, Lu Zhiyuan shook his head: "However, all women follow the innocent route, which is too monotonous. It's a bit boring to watch."

After hearing Lu Zhiyuan's words, Xin Yukun sighed repeatedly.

Originally, he didn't feel anything special.

But after Lu Zhiyuan's analysis, he suddenly developed a great interest in this type of pure and innocent girl.

I really want to go out and have fun!
Imagine the other person wearing a pure and innocent school uniform, with a bow on their chest, and a gentle, healing smile.

Then, I would pretend to be the kind of bully classmate you'd encounter on your way home, with his hands in his pockets, a toothpick in his mouth, and an arrogant look on his face.

As for what happens next, well... hehehe!

"Brother Kun, let's go eat first. After we finish eating, we'll get right to work. The neon lights of Tokyo are full of the cyberpunk psychedelic style I need."

"In addition, take more photos of Japanese gardens..."

Since the goal is to attract Japanese audiences at the box office, it's natural to incorporate more Japanese style into the film.

Of course, no matter how beautifully it's filmed, the character of Keiko Kitagawa is destined to be tormented by the female lead.

"A Japanese garden, tatami mats in the summer, sweat dripping down the long, fair necks of my sister-in-law, stepmother, daughter-in-law, and others..."

"I feel like I've dreamed about this scene countless times."

As Xin Yukun followed Lu Zhiyuan out the door, another scene flashed through her mind.

(End of this chapter)