The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 241 "Peerless" is going to have its settings changed again? Zhuang Wenqiang is going crazy.

……

"Noisy!"

"It's not over yet!"

"That brat Reba, why are you yelling so loudly in the middle of the night! Do you think I'm deaf?"

"It's been three days...it's like this every day! Can't a person get any sleep?"

During his time traveling in Florence... no, during his location scouting trip, Lu Zhiyuan seemed to be radiating light, attracting Gao Yuanyuan's attention.

It makes her want to throw herself into the fire like a moth, to sacrifice herself.

She instantly became the goddess of mistresses.

During the day, I saw Lu Zhiyuan describing various filming scenes, and his elegant demeanor and artistic temperament were palpable.

It made Gao Yuanyuan feel like she was poisoned.

The pent-up desire for love accumulated until it reached its peak at some point in the evening.

However, at night, she could clearly hear the decadent music coming from the next room that was driving her crazy!

She suddenly became much more sober, her love-struck state subsided, but she felt extremely distressed.

Dilraba did it on purpose!

……

On the fourth day, Gao Yuanyuan finally couldn't take it anymore.

The next morning, while choosing items at the buffet breakfast, Gao Yuanyuan, sporting dark circles under her eyes, specifically sought out Dilraba and sternly warned her, "Dilraba, can you tone it down a bit? The hotel's soundproofing isn't very good."

"No."

Dilraba snorted and immediately retorted, "You're here with Inspector Zhuang to scout locations, but I'm here with my sweetheart for our honeymoon. We'll keep to ourselves. You scout your locations, and I'll enjoy my honeymoon."

If you still won't give up after I say that, then I admire you!

Gao Yuanyuan is probably too old and doesn't want to argue with Dilraba.

Moreover, having not slept well for four consecutive days, she felt immense pressure on her heart, and after being stimulated by Dilraba, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Seeing that Gao Yuanyuan was completely defenseless, her health was almost depleted, and she was so pale that she was about to be rushed to the emergency room.

Reba seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, preparing to deliver the fatal blow.

She looked at Gao Yuanyuan with a smile and first flattered her: "Sister Cha, my brother said that you are very beautiful and have a captivating appearance. You are the kind of actress he likes, full of stories and artistic temperament."

"Ok?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuanyuan immediately became wary: "What trick are you trying to pull now? Don't think I'll believe you just because you say nice things about me."

Dilraba didn't say anything, but instead beckoned Gao Yuanyuan to come closer.

"My brother said you're very good-looking and have a great presence. But there's a second part to what he said. Do you want to hear it? If you do, come closer."

Is Lu Zhiyuan praising himself?

Praising yourself in front of Dilraba?
What exactly did he praise about himself?
At this moment, Gao Yuanyuan felt an intense, itchy sensation in her heart, like being scratched by a cat.

Knowing it might be a trap, she still went over without hesitation, looking at Dilraba expectantly.

“My brother said, ‘You’re very good-looking, but he doesn’t have the patience to look at you. All his attention is on me.’”

Haha!

Now you're dead!

"you--"

Gao Yuanyuan felt incredibly heartbroken and didn't want to talk to Dilraba anymore.

That brat, she really has a sharp tongue.

No wonder she sold herself the "Poison Girl" perfume.

"Tea Sister, take your time eating. After you finish, go upstairs and take a nap. My brother and I are going to the square in front of the Church of the Holy Cross for a date."

"When the church bells ring for us, I will say something to him the instant the pigeons take flight, something he will never forget."

Dilraba achieved her strategic goal and left with a smile.

……

Breakfast was very rich.

Italian cuisine is renowned throughout Europe, enough to make the British across the sea drool and kneel down in apology.

However, Gao Yuanyuan had no appetite.

She just feels a headache right now, probably because she hasn't slept for several days and her autonomic nervous system is starting to malfunction.

Under normal circumstances, she should have taken Dilraba's advice and gotten some rest at the hotel.

After resting for two days, I took a plane back to China.

However, she couldn't resist and eventually asked Su Lun to accompany her, secretly following behind Lu Zhiyuan and Reba to see what they were up to.

……

Lu Zhiyuan and Reba did nothing.

We spent the whole day strolling aimlessly through the streets of Florence, hand in hand, like an ordinary couple.

"Brother, I want this antique ring. Will you buy it for me?"

In a very small shop, Dilraba took a fancy to a handmade silver ring.

It is not an antique.

It is a replica.

The shop is very small, with only a simple wooden table and a glass display case inside. At the back, there is a chair and a table for making earrings, which also serves as a cashier.

It has a very retro feel.

As the two walked in, they were surrounded by a dazzling array of handicrafts, filled with the atmosphere of bygone eras, and felt as if time had stood still.

Reba picked and chose among them, and finally selected a hollowed-out silver ring.

The reason she chose this silver ring was because Dilraba suddenly noticed that there were two English letters intertwined on the back of the ring.

【L&R】.

Isn't this a combination of Lu Zhiyuan and her name?
What a coincidence!

50 euros.

Lu Zhiyuan went to ask about the price, and the owner was not ripping him off; the price was very reasonable.

Of course, you could probably find these rings for around 50 yuan on Taobao. But considering they were on vacation, they probably didn't care about the cost.

Dilraba likes it, that's the most important thing.

"Brother, put it on me. Not on the middle finger, but on the ring finger."

Dilraba played a little trick.

Lu Zhiyuan personally put a ring on her ring finger; isn't that the same as proposing?

Lu Zhiyuan saw through Dilraba's little scheme, but said nothing. And for some reason, the ring fit Dilraba's hand perfectly.

"Thank you, brother. You're so kind."

Reba was completely satisfied. Holding Lu Zhiyuan's hand with her right, she walked out the door and deliberately stretched out her left hand to show off the huge silver ring on her ring finger.

Upon seeing this, Su Lun couldn't help but rub his forehead.

If I had known, I shouldn't have come out.

She's just an ordinary working girl, why should she get involved in the power struggles within her boss's family?

Moreover, Dilraba is currently in invincible mode.

Before "Real Steel 3" was released, Lu Zhiyuan would definitely have treated her like a treasure.

Before Dilraba's movie flopped, her position was unshakeable.

Why can't Gao Yuanyuan understand this?

She was torn between secretly following behind like this and...

You'd be better off working on your acting skills.

If she can shine in the movie, Lu Zhiyuan might even fall for her.

Their family's director is very realistic in this respect!
……

Before dusk.

Dusk fell over the square in front of the Church of the Holy Cross.

There were many tourists in the square, casually feeding the pigeons with grains they liked.

These pigeons are not afraid of people; they treat people as a special kind of automatic feeding machine. They are as fat as old hens, waddling on the ground.

"Brother, why aren't these pigeons afraid of people? The pigeons in Florence are so stupid."

Reba tried to shoo the pigeons away.

As a result, the pigeons completely ignored Reba, waddled over to another tourist, and started eating again.

Forget about those pigeons!
Reba silently counted down the time in her mind for a while, and soon, the bells of the distant cathedral rang out.

The setting sun cast its rays upon the square in front of the church.

In a foreign land, although there were many people around, in Dilraba's eyes, they were all NPCs. Anyway, she couldn't understand what they were saying, so she just treated them as background noise.

"Brother, at this moment, I want to say something to you."

"Can you guess what I'm trying to say? If you can guess... well, you guess first. I have a feeling you won't be able to."

Reba suppressed a happy smile and turned to look at Lu Zhiyuan.

She knew that Gao Yuanyuan was watching from behind, and she had to smile calmly and elegantly, always like an invincible goddess.

“Manszni…Yaksi…Koreman”

After explaining in detail, Lu Zhiyuan looked at Reba and smiled slightly: "That's how it should be pronounced, right?"

"Huh? Ah! Ah~~~"

At this moment, Reba couldn't help but widen her eyes and jump around beside Lu Zhiyuan.

The joy I felt was indescribable.

All that remained was constant screaming.

"Brother, how did you know what I was going to say? How did you know? You must be able to read minds!"

The feeling of being on the same wavelength is just wonderful.

This is what Reba had thought about for a long time and wanted to say to Lu Zhiyuan.

It is a Uyghur phrase.

The general meaning translated into Chinese is "I like you so much".

Dilraba didn't know how to express her feelings at that moment. She screamed and jumped directly onto Lu Zhiyuan's back.

"Brother, carry me on your back, you'll carry me for the rest of your life."

After jumping onto Lu Zhiyuan's back, she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and buried her head in his shoulder.

From this angle, the two are pressed closest together.

It felt as if our hearts were connected.

……

not far away.

Gao Yuanyuan and Su Lun saw Lu Zhiyuan say something, and Dilraba jumped and danced with excitement, almost going crazy with joy.

"Xiao Su, what did A Yuan just say? Man... Yakshi?"

Gao Yuanyuan could still recognize the Uyghur phrase "Yakshi," which means "great" or "very good."

She couldn't understand the other pronunciations.

But it should be a very nice-sounding phrase.

Otherwise, why would Dilraba be so excited?
"Sister Yuanyuan, your question is a bit too advanced. How would I know anything about this?"

Su Lun felt that being a director was fucking too difficult.

Do I, a Mongolian, really need to know Uyghur?

However, Brother Yuan is really awesome!
To make Reba happy, he even taught himself Uyghur.

……

“Brother, there is only one thing that can separate me from you. That is, Sayram Lake is starting to dry up.”

In recorded history, Sayram Lake has never dried up.

Reba's unspoken meaning was that she would never be separated from Lu Zhiyuan for all eternity.

That's a truly beautiful line.

Lu Zhiyuan smiled, took Reba's little hand, and prepared to go back to the hotel for dinner.

Walking along the road, Lu Zhiyuan thought for a while and said, "When we have time, let's go to Sayram Lake together and ride horses. I think I should do more outdoor sports; it might help me live longer."

"Hmm."

Dilraba felt that she understood Lu Zhiyuan's unspoken meaning.

Lu Zhiyuan is a workaholic and has no interest in anything outside of work.

I stay at home every day.

This kind of lifestyle is actually very unhealthy.

But Lu Zhiyuan always believed that the length of life is meaningless; only a brief but brilliant life, as fiery and dazzling as a flame, is worth living through.

Take Modigliani, for example. He lived to be over 30 years old. Who would dare say his life wasn't exciting?
Now that Lu Zhiyuan has his own life, even his outlook on life has changed.

This made Dilraba especially happy.

"Although he's never said it out loud, he must love me to death!"

Hey!
……

After suffering a series of blows, Gao Yuanyuan couldn't stay any longer and decided to return to China.

The next morning, she made an excuse: "I have a TV series that is still being filmed. I took leave to come out, but the director is urging me to go back."

"What TV show?"

Dilraba was a little curious.

Isn't Gao Yuanyuan a movie star? Why is she acting in TV dramas?

The movie "Caught in the Web" received excellent reviews, and Gao Yuanyuan's portrayal of Ye Lanqiu was particularly outstanding.

Under these circumstances, why would Gao Yuanyuan go back to filming TV dramas?

It's puzzling.

Moreover, Gao Yuanyuan has no shortage of movie roles.

For a Hollywood blockbuster like "Project Gutenberg," Lu Zhiyuan personally selected her as the female lead.

"...Let's get married."

Gao Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment, but finally told Dilraba the answer.

Even if she didn't say anything, Dilraba would have someone ask her.

It's better to admit it now than to be embarrassed later.

"Oh~~"

Dilraba raised an eyebrow and gave a meaningful smile.

Just by looking at this name, I know what you're thinking!
pity.

Not everyone will buy into your approach.

Dilraba has been in the entertainment industry for several years, and there's also Kun Ge, a typical layabout in the entertainment industry.

She basically understood what this circle was like.

In order to get ahead and for resources, those actresses would do anything to get into the bed of powerful figures.

If Lu Zhiyuan wanted, he could sleep from beginning to end in every film crew.

However, since he could even reject Gao Yuanyuan, Dilraba felt that the others posed no threat whatsoever.

As long as Lu Zhiyuan loves her, he would never hurt her.

"Reba, what did he say to you in the square in front of the Church of the Holy Cross that made you so happy? Can you tell me?"

Before leaving, Gao Yuanyuan wanted to die with some clarity.

"Why should I tell you?"

Dilraba gave a light snort: "This is a secret between the two of us. There's no need to tell you, an outsider."

indeed.

Why tell me if they're showing affection in public?
However, Gao Yuanyuan was still unwilling to give up. Her voice choked with sobs as she pleaded, "Reba, can I ask you for one last thing?"

"You say it."

Reba nodded.

You're completely out of the game, so I don't mind giving you a little pity.

Gao Yuanyuan looked at Dilraba and said hesitantly, "If you two break up, can you tell me right away? I don't mind eating your leftovers."

"roll--"

Dilraba picked up her phone, wishing she could smash it on Gao Yuanyuan's head.

Even if I'm stuffed, I won't leave any for you!

……

After Su Lun, Gao Yuanyuan, and Zhuang Wenqiang left.

Lu Zhiyuan and Reba stayed in Florence for another week.

Lu Zhiyuan experienced the life of [Li Wen] in an immersive way.

Like a failed art student, Lu Zhiyuan passed by the Florence Academy of Fine Arts every day, looking at the top students in the academy with envy.

Compared to the academic elites, he, a failed student, could only carry a cheap drawing board, head drooping, walking down a dark path like a penniless loser.

As for Dilraba, she temporarily served as the goddess in his heart, Ruan Wen.

Ruan Wen is a top student at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts and a renowned genius painter, often referred to as the new Anguisola.

She was a Mannerist female painter who emphasized inner expression, pursued innovation in emotion and form, and favored asymmetry and dynamism.

This style stands in stark contrast to the symmetry, harmony, and structural beauty of the Raphaelite school that Li Wen pursues.

The two have completely different artistic styles and ideas, which has led to various misunderstandings in their lives.

"Honey, you're back?"

At this moment, seeing Lu Zhiyuan return with his easel on his back, Reba went up to him with a smile and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"There are very few tourists today, so your street sketching business is not doing well? No problem. Earning two euros in an afternoon is still pretty good."

"Your rent is due? No problem. I paid six months' rent for you in one lump sum. The landlady is very kind; she even gave me a discount."

"You've run out of paint? No problem. I bought you your favorite Schmincke paints in the drawer."

"You tried to get into the Florence Academy of Fine Arts for three years and still failed? It's okay. I'll get in, and I'll support you by selling my paintings!"

enough!

What line is this?
If Ruan Wen is so gentle, considerate, and takes such meticulous care of Li Wen, Li Wen would have to be insane to turn to crime and engage in counterfeiting.

"Dilraba, please don't change the lines so casually, okay?"

"Give me a sense of immersion."

Lu Zhiyuan understood Li Wen's mindset very well, but as a perfectionist, his obsessive-compulsive disorder kicked in.

He had to portray his character as someone struggling with the complexities of humanity.

A kind-hearted person, knowing full well that counterfeiting money is wrong, still can't help it... The reason lies in the realization of self-worth!

This is the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs!
Lu Zhiyuan understood perfectly what Li Wen was thinking.

Li Wen could never reach the pinnacle of painting... but when it came to counterfeiting, he was incredibly talented, a truly unique genius!
His talent was fully displayed in this field.

He felt like he was God.

Lu Zhiyuan firmly believes that he can play this role well because he and Li Wen are the same kind of people.

He couldn't go far on the path of painting... but after changing tracks, he took off immediately!
pity.

Reba is corrupting her will every day.

She appeared beside him like an angel, holding his hand tightly, trying to pull him to heaven and never letting him fall even a little bit.

With a girlfriend like that, how could Li Wen possibly fall into depravity?

There is absolutely no chance of corruption!
Therefore, when an artist finds a rich woman, their life becomes perfect.

"Reba, you should be a little more sarcastic and mean to Li Wen."

"For example, you can say things like this about me... You only know how to imitate, you have no original style at all. You're just a terrible plagiarist!"

"And this too, all you do is paint your lousy pictures, you have absolutely no sense of romance. Dating you is the worst thing that ever happened to me!" "Oh, and you could also say this... your paintings are only worth two euros. My paintings, on the other hand, are worth at least twenty thousand euros! You good-for-nothing, you're just a gigolo! What's there to be proud of?"

Lu Zhiyuan exposed all of Dilraba's weaknesses, allowing her to target him relentlessly.

You broke down your defenses.

He felt that if he were Li Wen, he would be furious right now.

Dilraba walked up to Lu Zhiyuan, hooked her arm around his neck, and said gently, "Darling, I don't care. I just like how you're not romantic. Besides, you don't seem to realize that you're especially handsome when you're aloof."

"Besides, it doesn't matter if you never make money, I'm willing to support you for the rest of my life. As long as I have money, that's enough."

"Besides, what's wrong with being a kept man?"

"I like to be your sweetheart, and you happen to like being your sweetheart...aren't we a match made in heaven?"

After hearing what Reba said, Lu Zhiyuan was about to go crazy.

How can he possibly find the feeling of Li Wen?

He might as well go to Hangzhou to film a new version of "The Legend of the White Snake," with Dilraba Dilmurat playing the White Snake and Gulnazar playing Xiaoqing.

This show is absolutely going to be a hit!
……

It turns out that dating is a waste of energy.

Lu Zhiyuan originally wanted to find the feeling of playing Li Wen before the release of "Real Steel 3" and try to get it right in one take when filming actually started.

Otherwise, it would be very embarrassing for the director and lead actor if their acting skills were subpar.

but now……

All I can say is that he truly captured the essence of Li Wen.

But it felt the opposite.

"Let's just have Inspector Zhuang change the settings."

“Take Li Wen for example. He may seem harmless on the surface, but in fact, his idol is Caravaggio.”

Caravaggio was rebellious throughout his life, despising all social rules and looking down on all painting masters, past and present!
He also did something that was particularly baffling.

In Rome, there lived a nobleman who took a fancy to Lena, Caravaggio's most beautiful model, and wanted to marry her.

This is clearly a good thing.

Lena is about to become a noblewoman, and from then on she will live a life of luxury and never have to worry about anything.

Upon hearing this news, Caravaggio's fiery temper flared up instantly, and he felt that the other party was trying to steal his partner.

That very night, he found the young nobleman and had a great time with him.

I had never done it before.

Then, as night fell, Caravaggio grew increasingly angry and seized an opportunity to launch a sneak attack on the nobleman, causing him to bleed to death.

With no other option, Caravaggio had to flee overnight and was subsequently placed on the wanted list.

Caravaggio was far too extreme.

However, if this story were adapted and placed in the movie "Project Gutenberg"... wouldn't it easily explain why Li Wen embarked on a path of crime?
There was a wealthy nobleman who took a liking to Ruan Wen and wanted to secretly kidnap him and harm him.

Li Wen's fiery temper flared up, and he accidentally killed the man.

His beloved Ruan Wen, who has a mysterious background, was filled with love upon learning this news. With a small gesture, she helped him resolve this minor matter.

However, Li Wen was unaware of all this.

Feeling helpless, he was recruited by the mysterious Cage and unwittingly entered a counterfeit money group, gradually growing into another "painter".

That's right!

In Lu Zhiyuan's conception, the "Painter" in the movie "Project Gutenberg" is not a person, but a code name.

There is more than one person who has this code name.

【阮文】is a 【painter】.

Cage is a painter.

After passing the assessment, Li Wen also became a painter.

This will be a very large, ancient, and mysterious organization.

Within this organization, each high-ranking member has a painter's code name.

For example, Nguyen Van's code name was Anguisola. She and this female painter both pursued Mannerism and liked asymmetry and dynamism.

Cage's codename was Caravaggio. Like Caravaggio, he was short-tempered, hysterical, and disregarded all social rules.

Li Wen's idol was Caravaggio, and he sensed a similar aura in Cage, which deeply attracted him.

And Li Wen's code name is, of course, Raphael, the true master of painting.

A painter among painters.

A person with exceptional skills!
Harmonious, elegant, and flawless, it is full of the beauty of symmetrical structure, much like Lu Zhiyuan himself.

Of course, these details will be revealed in the sequel.

However, when developing the overall concept, Lu Zhiyuan had to think more deeply.

In the first installment of "Project Gutenberg," sufficient groundwork needs to be laid for these characters, leaving room for artistic interpretation, especially in setting their character styles.

Furthermore, considering the artistic styles behind these "painter" code names... if the audience can figure it out, Lu Zhiyuan thinks it's a wonderful Easter egg.

……

"Brother, so your character's code name is Raphael?"

"Is Tea Sister's code name Anguisola?"

Who is Anguilla?

Dilraba feels that her knowledge is expanding, and she hears unfamiliar names from time to time.

At this moment, while Lu Zhiyuan described some of the underlying concepts of the movie "Project Gutenberg" to her, she kept checking information on her phone.

After searching for a long time, Dilraba found a crucial piece of information.

Michelangelo greatly admired Anguisola and regarded her as his student; however, due to the significant age difference between them, no formal teacher-student relationship developed between them.

Anguilla obediently married someone else.

good good!
I love this kind of setting!
Tea Sister is getting old enough... she should probably marry someone else soon.

……

"Brother Yuan, you changed the settings again?"

Zhuang Wenqiang was at his home on Hong Kong Island, boasting to his friend Mak Siu-fai that he was about to make a fortune.

Although he was the second director, he made a Hollywood blockbuster.

The film is directed by the renowned director Lu Zhiyuan, who plays the second male lead. The male lead is played by Nicolas Cage, and Jean Reno also makes an appearance.

If this film were submitted to the Venice Film Festival, it would most likely win a major award.

Who knew that Lu Zhiyuan would change the settings again without saying a word... When Zhuang Wenqiang received this news, his scalp tingled.

How many times have the settings been changed?

Is he really that unrespectable as a screenwriter?
How many days would it take Lu Zhiyuan to work on just one change to the setting?

However, Zhuang Wenqiang had to admit that Lu Zhiyuan's revisions were really awesome!

As an outsider, he had no idea what these painters were thinking... So this is how their ideas were conceived.
Gao Yuanyuan, Anguisola?

Cage, Caravaggio?
Lu Zhiyuan, Raphael?
Raphael and Anguisola are from two different factions... in fact, they are hostile to each other.

Then, Gao Yuanyuan and Lu Zhiyuan played a blood-soaked couple in the movie, who on the surface despised each other, but in private were full of secrets and silently devoted to each other.

Lu Zhiyuan even killed someone for Gao Yuanyuan!
In order to settle things with Lu Zhiyuan, Gao Yuanyuan used a small amount of her family's influence!

After Lu Zhiyuan finished explaining the setting, Zhuang Wenqiang instantly felt that the tension between these characters' love and hate was incredibly strong!

It was as if they had jumped directly out of the virtual world.

Moreover, these three characters are indeed very artistic!
These settings are both artistic and commercially viable... No wonder he's a great director; a few words from him have been incredibly enlightening.

After agreeing to Lu Zhiyuan's request to revise the script, Zhuang Wenqiang couldn't help but call Xin Yukun, complaining incessantly: "Brother Kun, this is the fifth time I've changed the setting. Is this how you guys always make movies?"

"Only five times. Just you wait and see, I'll make you revise it at least 20 times."

In this regard, Xin Yukun had long been fed up with Lu Zhiyuan.

When it comes to revising scripts, Xin Yukun would have someone revise them more than 100 times each time.

Even so, Lu Zhiyuan was still not satisfied.

What's five times?
Moreover, what left Xin Yukun speechless was that even if Lu Zhiyuan finalized the script, he would still tamper with the editing after filming.

The film produced is at most 20% similar to the original script!

Everyone says their scripts are good... Xin Yukun admits that he did write "The Coffin in the Mountain" very well, and Lu Zhiyuan didn't make many changes.

However, starting with "Upgrade", even if he wrote the script more than 100 times, it would be completely changed beyond recognition.

But there is nothing we can do.

The plot he envisioned in the script didn't resonate with Lu Zhiyuan... Isn't it normal for Lu Zhiyuan to revise and rewrite the script in order to find his own inspiration?

That's his only hobby!
As a good brother, what else could I say?

"Inspector Zhuang, just you wait... it won't be long before he makes you change it again!"

Xin Yukun fully understood Zhuang Wenqiang's conflicted yet expectant feelings.

But no way.

When screenwriters write scripts, they come up with an idea and then write a smooth story.

But for a director, turning a script into visuals, and making those visuals artistic yet relatable, requires the audience to understand them and develop a strong interest.

Listen.

Is this human language?

Is this something an ordinary person could do?
"Brother Kun, I'm starting to regret it."

Zhuang Wenqiang, having gained an advantage, pretended to be innocent and deliberately complained to Xin Yukun.

This is also an essential course in the workplace.

Otherwise, others would be jealous of him.

"Regret my ass! You think Hollywood is that easy to get into? If it weren't for my brother giving you a hand, you'd never have made it into that circle in your entire life!"

Xin Yukun told Zhuang Wenqiang to stop talking nonsense and hurry up and write the script.

This is only the fifth time.

There are many more rounds to come, waiting for you.

"Roger that!"

Despite his complaints, Zhuang Wenqiang felt increasingly confident.

Based on the smooth and engaging storyline, Lu Zhiyuan added some ambiguous and inexplicable artistic undertones to several main characters.

Just by looking at the code names of these people, you can tell that the organization called "The Painter" must be very powerful.

It makes one very curious to know what the organization's true purpose is.
……

Huayi Brothers.

Inside the chairman's office.

The two Wang brothers, along with Feng Xiaogang, sat on the sofa, smoking and looking at each other in silence.

A month has passed, and the box office results for "1942" are finally in.

3.6 billion!
The production cost was 210 million yuan. I won't mention the marketing and distribution costs, although they weren't much, they still cost 20 to 30 million yuan.

Overall, we lost approximately 9000 million.

The stock price of Huayi Brothers plummeted by 21% in just two weeks!

"Old Feng, what did you promise me last year? You said '1942' would definitely be a success. It's a very high-quality historical epic. Audiences will definitely love it."

"I'm only doing this as a producer for you because we've been brothers for so many years, and I'm helping you get such a big team together."

"Now, you're betraying me?"

Mr. Wang is the producer of the film "1942", and the producer's main job is to secure all the investment.

That is to say...

The production cost of 2.1 million yuan was mostly due to Xiao Wang contacting people, saying that he had a project and asking his brothers to invest together.

Let's make money together.

Now that he's lost money, Feng Xiaogang is certainly embarrassed, but he's not much better off.

It's very embarrassing in the industry.

"Old Feng, because of your downfall, our company's stock dropped by 21%, and I won't even mention how much I lost in terms of personal wealth."

"Reba is my brother Ayuan's new girlfriend. Out of respect for me as her older brother, she bought 100 million yuan worth of stock in our company, and so far she's lost 15 million yuan!"

"Where am I supposed to put my face next time we meet?"

Mr. Wang originally planned that if "1942" did well at the box office, he would announce various positive developments to make the stock price rise rapidly.

He'll announce the next positive development once the price has risen enough and a correction is due.

Turn it into a relay race.

To make their own stock keep rising, at least five or six times higher.

Let everyone get rich together.

If you want to become a big boss in the underworld, you only need to answer one fundamental question: Why should others respect you?
The solution is simple: just lead everyone to make a lot of money!

Of course, everyone will fawn over you.

As a result, Feng Xiaogang, as the vanguard officer, suffered a crushing defeat, which dampened his spirits from beginning to end.

Mr. Wang couldn't hold back any longer.

Most importantly, Feng Xiaogang is usually very arrogant, thinking he's a great director with an artistic level dozens of stories high, so no one gives him any face and looks down on him at all.

Now, Feng Xiaogang's movie has flopped, and he's looking dejected and silent... Little Wang is so angry just looking at him, he wants to kick him.

He's utterly useless!
"Why do you keep spouting this nonsense? The movie flopped, and Lao Feng isn't happy about it either. But we're not just relying on Lao Feng!"

The king finally spoke up, telling his younger brother to say less.

Feng Xiaogang is still the apple of Huayi Brothers' eye, their only big-name director, and they can't afford to disappoint him.

After scolding his younger brother a few times, Boss Wang turned to Feng Xiaogang and said, "Old Feng, you should learn from this lesson. Art films are not something you should get involved in."

Look at yourself, what a pathetic sight you are!
Do you also want to pursue an artistic career?

Do you have that kind of charisma?
"Mr. Wang, Mr. Wang, I've learned my lesson. I'll go and make a comedy similar to 'The Dream Factory' right away."

"This is a track I'm familiar with, and it will definitely help the company make money."

Damn audience, I made a serious historical epic for you, and you didn't like it!

Row!
I'm going to film some vulgar stuff for you guys to see.

They'll definitely be able to squeeze money out of your pockets.

At this moment, Feng Xiaogang hated those viewers who didn't know how to appreciate things.

He clearly made a very high-quality historical epic, but it flopped at the box office.

"Old Feng, go back and rest for a few days. There's no need to rush the new project. Once you have a complete idea, we'll have someone evaluate it."

The king always told Feng Xiaogang to go back first.

"Okay, Mr. Wang."

Feng Xiaogang used to be very arrogant, but now that his movies have flopped, he's lost all his spirit and become a submissive, submissive wife, even walking with his legs crossed.

As soon as Feng Xiaogang left, Boss Wang rubbed his forehead and said, "Feng Xiaogang is done for. Stephen Chow's 'Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons' absolutely cannot be ruined."

"Why don't you use your connections to get your brother A-Yuan to come and support you?"

"As soon as he appears, the news media will still give 'Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons' a lot of coverage... which will save us at least 2000 million yuan in publicity costs."

This movie absolutely cannot flop.

The film's investment cost was just over 1 million yuan, and it should have no problem grossing over 3 million yuan at the box office. The only question is how much profit it can make.

The cost of casting in this film is negligible.

The cost of the special effects was actually not much.

However, this movie uses Stephen Chow's brand... Stephen Chow is greedy for money; he wants 8000 million just for his fame!
"Brother, save your breath!"

Mr. Wang cherished his friendship with Lu Zhiyuan and refused to let Lu Zhiyuan work for his company for free.

"Brother, the movie's release date is December 12th, which is his birthday. If you ask him to support Stephen Chow, who will celebrate his birthday?"

"You only think about how much you can get out of him. Have you ever considered how he feels when he receives this call?"

"You actually want me to do something that will offend people."

"You really are my good older brother!"

Mr. Wang's sharp criticism left Mr. Wang speechless.

How did my silly younger brother suddenly become so clever?

Could it be that high intelligence is contagious?
After spending a few days with Lu Zhiyuan, Boss Wang clearly felt that his younger brother's mind was becoming more and more agile.

At this moment, the eldest brother looked up and pondered for a while, feeling that his younger brother's expression was very strange, as if he had found some great bargain while out.

My brain activity level has increased significantly.

He couldn't help but ask, "Wait a minute. Something's not right with you. Have you been hiding something from me? Have you been doing something?"

Xiao Wang laughed smugly: "Brother A Yuan agreed to let me have a producer's title in the movie 'Project Gutenberg.' If the movie is nominated for an Oscar, he'll let me walk the red carpet as the producer."

Mr. Wang has had enough of traveling in China and has been to Europe a few times, but so far, he has never walked the red carpet at the Oscars.

As a film full of artistic flair, "Project Gutenberg" is qualified to compete for the Best Picture award at the Oscars.

Even just being shortlisted is a source of pride and honor for one's ancestors.

Lu Zhiyuan himself is already a bit tired of red carpet ceremonies like the Oscars... He attends them every year, and he's long lost interest.

But for Mr. Wang, he has never been to the Oscars.

The feeling is naturally different.

"He's really good to you."

To be honest, even the King is a little jealous.

Mr. Wang took a cocky puff of his cigar, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and said, "It's a pity he's not interested in our company at all. Otherwise, I would really like to transfer some shares to him privately."

If he could get Lu Zhiyuan on board, Xiao Wang felt that he could live a carefree life for the rest of his days.

He let a famous director carry him, and let Feng Xiaogang push him from behind.

……

Feng Xiaogang walked out of the president's office, his head throbbing.

To calm himself down, he took a short break in a lobby downstairs from the company.

Not long after he arrived, he saw Wang Baoqiang humming a song as he walked in and pressed the elevator button. He seemed to have some good news, as his whole face was beaming with joy.

Feng Xiaogang asked curiously, "Baoqiang, what's wrong? Why are you so happy? Tell me so I can share in your joy."

"Director Feng, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention just now."

Wang Baoqiang has always respected Feng Xiaogang, and he came over to chat with him for a few minutes.

A moment later, Feng Xiaogang's expression changed slightly: "What? You've signed a contract with Lu Zhiyuan? You really got the role from him?"

How can it be?

With a face like yours... would he really cast you in a movie?

"The contract is already signed. They wouldn't lie to me, would they?"

Wang Baoqiang could tell that Feng Xiaogang was somewhat unhappy.

This is also understandable.

Feng Xiaogang's box office performance has flopped, and he's sitting alone downstairs at the company. Nobody pays him any attention; he must have just come out of the offices of the two bosses, probably after being scolded.

"Director Feng, I'll go upstairs first to thank Mr. Wang. I'll come back to pay my respects to you later."

Feng Xiaogang, that scoundrel, had an unpredictable expression, exuding an air of conspiracy. Could he be trying to stop me from making a Hollywood blockbuster?
Wang Baoqiang muttered something to himself and hurried upstairs.

"You've grown wings now."

Wang Baoqiang was someone I personally mentored, but now that he's climbed the social ladder, he's immediately abandoned me.

This experience made Feng Xiaogang witness the coldness and indifference of the world.

As a director, box office failure is unacceptable.

One failure and you become universally hated.

In this respect, Lu Zhiyuan is truly his senior. Despite being an art-house film director, he has managed to make such outstanding commercial films.

In response, Feng Xiaogang had to admit, "I admire you!"

"Real Steel 3, even if you don't invite me, I'm going to your premiere. I have to see what you've made that makes Hollywood so enamored with you?"

A Michelangelo of the new era?
Can you handle such high praise?
I want to see if your destiny is really that strong!
(End of this chapter)