The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 252 Post-Apocalyptic Romanticism, and a Fragile and Innocent Yet Resilient Girl

……

In the company's break room.

The staff member served Zhang Ruonan a glass of company-standard grape juice and subtly began to inquire about the relationship between Zhang Ruonan and Lu Zhiyuan.

"Sister Nan, tell me honestly, are you and Brother Yuan related in any way?"

"Don't worry, I'm very tight-lipped. I will never go around telling anyone."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruonan raised her head, blinked blankly, and fell into a deep recollection.

Have it?

He's my relative, how come I didn't know?
and many more!

Zhang Ruonan suddenly remembered something and whispered, "My classmate's older sister said that before her college entrance exam, when she went to Hangzhou to attend an art tutoring class, she was classmates with Yuan Ge for a month."

"Also, one of my cousins ​​married into Yuan Ge's county. Her husband and Yuan Ge's uncle's son, who is Yuan Ge's cousin, are childhood friends."

"Do these count?"

Zhang Ruonan felt that this messy relationship definitely didn't count.

However, in the opinion of this staff member, Zhang Ruonan's background was many times stronger than that of the other candidates.

At least, she can find all sorts of messy relationships.

Others want to find this connection, but they can't!
"Sister Nan, I guarantee you'll make it to the third round."

He hadn't had any contact with the company's several "little princesses" because he joined relatively late, and now another "little princess" has arrived.

As long as I can serve Zhang Ruonan well, once Zhang Ruonan becomes successful, my position in the company will naturally rise accordingly.

At least I could be a team leader!
Double your salary!
For him, clinging to Zhang Ruonan's coattails was the shortcut to success.

"Thank you, brother, you're such a kind person!"

Zhang Ruonan was overjoyed, but then she thought about it and couldn't help but mutter, "But if you help me get in through the back door, won't it affect your job?"

Zhang Ruonan came here to chase after her idol, but she didn't have high hopes of making it to the third round.

She would feel bad if she caused this person trouble at work.

"Don't worry, Sister Nan. It won't affect my work."

Hearing this, the staff member felt a warmth in his heart and became even more optimistic that Zhang Ruonan would make it to the end.

"Sister Nan, I also have the right to comment. I'll give you full marks and write more good things about you."

Finally, the staff member whispered in Zhang Ruonan's ear, "Wait a minute, all the employees of our company are going out for New Year's Eve dinner. You stay by my side and pretend to be an intern."

“Brother Yuan doesn’t come to the company often, but he always gives out red envelopes to everyone during holidays… If you can seize this opportunity, you can make a deep impression on Brother Yuan.”

"In this way, the other 99999 people will most likely all be runners-up."

what?
What do you mean?
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruonan was completely stunned.

Are there really that many good people in this world?
Why would this person help me for no reason?
Moreover, from which eye did he see that he could break through the 10-person crowd and become the third-generation "Road Girl"?

"Thank you, brother."

However, you can get a free New Year's Eve dinner and also get up close and personal with the famous director Lu Zhiyuan.

Maybe there will be other big stars at the New Year's Eve dinner later, and I can ask for an autographed photo or something.

Zhang Ruonan couldn't think of a reason to refuse.

……

In the general manager's office.

Lu Zhiyuan saw that Xin Yukun and Zhuang Wenqiang were sitting on the sofa, facing each other, each holding a stack of documents.

The two of them didn't think at all; their eyes were like laser scanners, dropping off a piece of paper every two seconds.

Seeing this, Lu Zhiyuan couldn't help but bang on the table, frowning slightly: "What are you two doing? Is this how you're helping me with the audition for the female lead? Can't you be a little more serious?"

"Brother Yuan, when did you arrive?"

Zhuang Wenqiang was startled and quickly stood up, almost dropping the paper in his hand.

Xin Yukun, however, said nonchalantly, "Brother, you don't know this. This is much more efficient."

"We've found you the female lead; you only need to choose one."

"For movies, a memorable face is more important than being pretty. If she can't grab my attention at first glance, it means she has no memorable features."

"Using this selection method, the two of us went through 5000 applications in just one hour!"

"We selected more than 30 people. Take a look, aren't they all memorable?"

Although Xin Yukun's words were full of fallacies and heresies, Lu Zhiyuan listened carefully and found that there was some truth to them.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan walked over and looked through the information of the more than 30 applicants who had been selected on the table.

It must be said that all 30-plus people have very memorable appearances.

In fact, there are quite a few acquaintances among them.

"Liu Haocun, Zhang Ruonan, Song Zuer, Wang Churan..."

Of these 30-plus people, seven or eight became minor celebrities in the entertainment industry in another time and space.

Lu Zhiyuan hadn't expected that Xin Yukun and Zhuang Wenqiang's selection method actually had some scientific basis.

"Since you guys are doing it this way, I'll give it a try too."

Lu Zhiyuan certainly wouldn't go through 10 documents.

Holding the 30-plus documents in his hand, he quickly flipped through them.

"Liu Haocun looks a bit old. He has a lot of youthful energy, but his face has many small freckles, which makes people uncomfortable."

Some people might like this style, feeling that the freckles on the face also exude youthful energy.

But Lu Zhiyuan didn't like it.

He has obsessive-compulsive disorder.

So many tiny black dots on a pristine white canvas... how could he possibly tolerate that?
Pass!

"Wang Churan looks a bit like Liu Yifei, but compared to Liu Yifei, she looks more elegant and radiant, and less aloof."

"pity……"

Lu Zhiyuan remembered that Wang Churan was over 1.7 meters tall and was a very elegant Shandong beauty.

Keiko Kitagawa is 1.6 meters tall.

When the two were together, Wang Churan didn't seem delicate or fragile at all. In comparison, Kitagawa Keiko seemed to need more protection.

Pass!

"Song Zuer is quite good-looking, and her acting skills are decent. However, she has a shrewd look on her face, which makes it hard to feel protective of her. Instead, you might worry that she might betray you at a crucial moment."

Pass!

Although Lu Zhiyuan seemed to have many choices, in fact, he knew Zhang Ruonan the moment he saw her.

This is my plan!

But he did not make a hasty decision.

At this moment, holding the more than 30 documents in his hand, he asked Xin Yukun and Zhuang Wenqiang to stop their machine-gun-like screening and help him review them.

"Brother Kun, Inspector Zhuang, help me take a look. My leading lady needs to have a sense of fragility."

"The audience in the movie theater should feel affection for her as soon as they see her."

"In this movie, I want to create a scene for her that makes her death extremely tragic and beautiful."

"The specific camera language is as follows... Two huge monsters are fighting in the steel jungle of the city, with explosions constantly coming out."

"While taking shelter in the underground bunker, the sounds of explosions kept coming from above—my heroine, who was clearly an extremely fragile little girl, was holding a child who was even more delicate than herself, and gently comforting the child."

"The bunker was shaking, sand was falling from above, her black hair was blowing in the dust, she was holding a small child in one arm and clutching a notebook with Godzilla written in it in the other."

"At this moment, through the gaps in the underground bunker, one could see outside, the terrifying shadow of the giant beast slowly sweeping across and enveloping her tiny figure."

"At this critical moment, the great battle reached a critical juncture, and humanity was becoming increasingly unable to resist. She needed to send out the key information from her research notebook to turn the tide of the battle."

"But the outside world is already a living hell. Even powerful armored forces cannot enter the battlefield, and she is just a fragile little girl."

"In this situation, what should she do?"

"Fate pushed her to a crossroads."

"Of course, as the female protagonist, she must radiate the brilliance of humanity at such times and embrace her destiny without hesitation."

"Go to sacrifice, go to die heroically, go to die beautifully!"

"As the atmosphere built up, she turned and opened the cover. At that moment, a beam of light appeared through the gap, shining on her face and making her pupils appear dark and bright, like a candle flame in the night."

"As she slowly opened the door, the ferocious roar of the beasts outside the bunker almost pierced her eardrums, whipping her hair and clothes wildly."

"She was startled and shrank back into the bunker."

"But looking at the children behind her, she finally decided to go out."

"Before she turns and leaves, she will have a line, which she says to the children: 'Live well.'"

"The bunker door opened again. The camera focused on the silent child inside the bunker."

"In the pupils of those children, the heroine's innocent and healing smile is close at hand, while in the distance, the terrifying figure of a giant beast is visible."

"One is far away, the other is near; one is a monster, the other is an angel."

"I need all the male audience members in the movie theater to want to stand up immediately when they see this scene, to protect my little angel, and to fight the monster without hesitation!"

"That sense of immersion, that feeling of identification, that sense of self-sacrifice and righteousness... can you understand this feeling?"

……

Lu Zhiyuan particularly enjoys creating a tragic aesthetic for his female protagonists.

His tragic aesthetics are diverse.

In short, he didn't know which artist influenced him, but he really liked to portray the heroine's beauty very well through various small details.

Then, use the cruelest methods to destroy them!
Although Xin Yukun and Zhuang Wenqiang both knew that Lu Zhiyuan only went crazy intermittently when he was conceiving ideas.

Like an unreasonable madman!

However, once the film is finished and post-production begins, he reverts to his businessman-like shrewdness and composure.

For the sake of box office success, he's willing to compromise on everything, and there's a high probability he won't kill off the female lead.

But I have to say...

Lu Zhiyuan's depiction of the female protagonist's death is indeed very beautiful and memorable, creating a truly immersive experience.

"Brother, tell me, what do you want us to do?"

Xin Yukun now roughly knows what kind of leading lady Lu Zhiyuan needs.

A little angel who looks delicate yet is strong!

Delicate yet strong... These two seemingly contradictory words are actually meant to describe one person.

It's actually very difficult.

However, the movie "Godzilla" precisely needs this sense of contradiction.

Angels and monsters—these two things represent the ultimate contrast.

Just like Godzilla itself, it was originally a monster representing destruction, but with the change of culture, it has gradually become a guardian of the Earth's natural environment.

Any monster or alien that tries to disrupt the Earth's ecological balance will be attacked by Godzilla.

Back to the female lead.

A gentle yet resilient female protagonist faces off against Godzilla, the king of monsters.

If such a visual contrast were to appear in a film, given Lu Zhiyuan's control over the visuals, he would definitely be able to use the composition to create the atmosphere surrounding the female lead to the fullest extent!

Let the emotions in the movie be directly conveyed through the screen!
In that IMAX environment, male viewers, especially innocent teenagers, would most likely scream with excitement!
What is the first girl a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy falls in love with like?

It's highly likely that she's the female lead in Lu Zhiyuan's movie!
"Now, imagine yourself filled with rage, facing these 30 girls... You both want to slap them and vent your anger!"

"Alright, let's start choosing now. Which girl can't you bring yourself to slap? That's your honest thought!"

"Once you find that feeling, you've found the answer!"

Lu Zhiyuan handed over the 30 sheets of paper and let the two of them each choose one.

"I'll go first."

Xin Yukun took the 30 sheets of paper, flipped through the photos with one hand, and closed his eyes with the other, imagining that someone invited him to have fun, but when he got there, he took off his pants and found that the other person was actually a ladyboy!
He definitely wants to beat the other person to death!

Snapped!
Xin Yukun slapped the air hard across the face.

"Next!"

Lu Zhiyuan placed the rejected candidate directly on the table.

Snapped!
Snapped!
Snapped!
As Xin Yukun looked at the photo, he became increasingly angry and kept slapping the air.

In the end, only a piece of paper remained, and it couldn't be tossed any further.

"Why is it her?"

"He's just average-looking. If I ran into him in a nightclub, I'd probably just move on to the next batch."

After making his selection, Xin Yukun had some doubts, but this was the final answer.

"Xiaoqiang, come here."

After Xin Yukun finished making his selections, he handed 30 sheets of paper to Zhuang Wenqiang and asked him to make his selections as well.

clap clap clap!
A few minutes later, Zhuang Wenqiang also selected the last person.

"Xiaoqiang, who did you choose?"

Xin Yukun went to check the answer immediately.

To his surprise, he discovered that the piece of paper Zhuang Wenqiang had left behind was the same as the piece of paper he had left behind.

They both ended up choosing the same person!

Upon seeing this person, Xin Yukun immediately uttered a disdainful tone: "Xiao Qiang, what kind of taste do you have? This one is just ordinary."

Zhuang Wenqiang scratched his head: "Brother Kun, who did you choose? Can you tell me? Actually, I'm a little confused too. Why did you choose her?"

These two people chose the same person.

They're all Zhang Ruonan!
I must say, Xiao Zhang is really amazing in this regard!

Her rounded features, non-aggressive face, and sweet, healing smile naturally evoke a man's protective instincts.

If she could have died in a more beautiful way... then this movie would definitely have been a hit!

"Then let her be."

Lu Zhiyuan knew a little about Zhang Ruonan.

After all, we're practically from the same hometown.

"Brother, there are still tens of thousands of people we haven't screened yet. Why don't you wait a little longer? Maybe you can find someone better?"

Xin Yukun still felt that Zhang Ruonan was too ordinary-looking.

In any case, as a third-generation "Road Girl," she should at least be at the level of Gulnazar in terms of beauty, right?

Otherwise, let's choose one person out of 10...

By choosing such an ordinary girl, people will think they've fooled the entire nation's netizens!

"also."

"You guys quickly deal with the remaining tens of thousands of people, put the list and photos on the official website, and wait for netizens to vote."

"If possible, you could take a short video of each of them."

"But I reckon the outcome won't change."

Zhang Ruonan may not be the most beautiful among these people, but she is the least aggressive...

Whether you're a female or male viewer, at least you won't dislike her!
This is very rare.

……

"It's almost time. Let everyone go to the hotel across the street for New Year's Eve dinner."

The CCTV program starts at 8 PM. It will take Lu Zhiyuan some time to get there.

Moreover, as the company boss, Lu Zhiyuan would definitely go around to every table and give out red envelopes for such an important event as the New Year's Eve dinner.

With the phenomenal box office success of "Real Steel 3," Lu Zhiyuan's reputation has reached its peak, and his company employees are also working very hard alongside him.

He enjoyed the fame.

He is willing to share the benefits with everyone.

The eliteness of the soldiers under a general's command determines the peak a general can reach!
Lu Zhiyuan never imagined that in this era, he could fool his elite employees with empty promises.

Offering enough incentives to discourage long-term employees from leaving is the simplest method for him.

When new employees see the treatment of veteran employees, they will start to take the initiative to get ahead in order to stand out, without the boss having to make empty promises.

In this way, the company can continuously update and innovate, and always maintain its competitiveness and cohesion.

Lu Zhiyuan, as the boss, can achieve governance through non-interference.

A good incentive system makes it easier for him to manage the entire company.

Under these rules and regulations, even if other companies wanted to poach his employees, they would most likely be unable to do so.

……

"Xiaoqiang, what are you thinking? Why did you choose her? It's because my first love looks like her, and I couldn't help myself."

"You're from Hong Kong Island, you wouldn't have this kind of mentality, would you?"

Even after they had started eating their New Year's Eve dinner, Xin Yukun still couldn't get over his earlier choice.

He likes girls who look sexy, with long legs and big breasts, wearing black stockings, bright red lips, and speaking in a sweet, coquettish voice.

Zhang Ruonan's tastes were completely opposite to his.

"Brother Kun, I don't know why I chose her. Just think of it as me being possessed."

Zhuang Wenqiang actually knew why he chose Zhang Ruonan.

That's because, before letting them choose the actress, Lu Zhiyuan described to him a visual language he had created for the female lead.

He chose the female lead based on Lu Zhiyuan's cinematic style.

No one else is suitable.

Only Zhang Ruonan gave him a barely perceptible feeling.

In traditional disaster movies, when the female protagonist encounters danger, she will inexplicably scream and become hysterical with tension.

But Lu Zhiyuan clearly doesn't need that feeling.

The heroine she needed was one who trembled silently, smiled through tears, and possessed an unwavering will to die a heroic death.

Such a female lead is obviously more likely to break the hearts of the audience.

If the audience can't protect her in the movie... then they'll definitely cheer wildly for her in real life!

"Brother Kun, don't worry about it. The three of us, including Brother Yuan, have chosen the same female lead, so we definitely won't go wrong."

The movie "Godzilla" has little to do with Chuang Wen-keung.

He was brought in to do the work.

The New Year's Eve dinner was very lavish, and he chose to eat first and have a good meal before talking about anything else.

But suddenly, Zhuang Wenqiang looked up and discovered something unbelievable.

"Hey? Kun-ge, look over there... isn't that our female lead?"

Upon hearing this, Xin Yukun followed Zhuang Wenqiang's gaze and was momentarily stunned.

"It really is!"

The actress they had just chosen appeared at their company and even had New Year's Eve dinner with them.

What's happening here?
Xin Yukun felt like he had seen a ghost.

"I'll go ask."

Xin Yukun walked over to Zhang Ruonan and noticed that Zhang Ruonan seemed quite familiar with one of the staff members.

He patted the man on the shoulder and gestured with his eyes: "Want to go out for a smoke?"

The man was taken aback, but faced with the hint from the company's number two boss, he naturally dared not hesitate... Although he did not smoke, he still followed him out.

"What's going on with that young lady? I don't remember anyone like her in your department. Did you bring her here?"

Xin Yukun asked the question directly.

He doesn't need to beat around the bush when dealing with junior employees.

If the other party's answer doesn't suit his taste, then the other party is in big trouble.

There's a high chance you'll receive an n+1 bonus package!
"Brother Kun, didn't you tell me to call and invite all the candidates who made it to the second round?"

"I didn't expect that she would come to Yanjing today after I made the call yesterday. In fact, she was brought to the company by Brother Yuan."

After saying that, the employee added in a low voice, "She seems to be related to Brother Yuan."

That's it!

Xin Yukun seemed to understand something, and coldly threatened the employee: "Don't talk nonsense if you're not sure. Our company's auditions are being watched nationwide. If any negative news gets out, I'll be the first to hold you accountable!"

The employee immediately covered his ears: "Brother Kun, I don't know anything." After saying that, the man prepared to leave.

But Xin Yukun called out to him, "Wait a minute!"

Upon hearing this, the man thought he was about to be silenced and almost knelt down, pleading, "Brother Kun, it wasn't easy for me to find a job, please let me go..."

"What are you talking about?"

Xin Yukun patted the other person on the shoulder: "I think you're pretty clever. After the New Year, come with me to the film crew as a production assistant, and we'll go to Florence together."

"Thank you so much for your guidance, Brother Kun!"

The treatment you receive when working at the company is completely different from when you go on a business trip abroad.

At Yuankun Media, everyone wants to go on business trips.

Because when you travel to a film crew for work, you not only receive a guaranteed base salary from the company, but also additional project bonuses.

Lu Zhiyuan's project bonus is at least 6 months' salary!

In addition to the guaranteed base salary, employees at Yuankun Media receive a project bonus for six months of work. They're practically fighting tooth and nail to secure these few business trips.

……

"Sister Nan, this meat is too greasy, don't eat it. Eat more vegetables, maintaining a good figure is very important for you."

"Sister Nan, don't eat rice either. I'll go to the kitchen and get you some buckwheat noodles. They're better for reducing fat."

After talking with Xin Yukun, the man returned and immediately realized that the other 99999 people were likely to be left behind.

The company's top management has already found the female lead!
It was Zhang Ruonan, who looked like a little dolphin, standing right in front of him.

It has to be said that although this little girl isn't the type to be particularly beautiful, the more you look at her, the more comfortable and adorable she becomes.

It makes people instinctively want to protect it.

In a disaster movie like Godzilla, having a female lead like this... how will Yuan Ge (the director) film it? It's really something to look forward to!
"Then I'll have some fruit."

"You can't eat this, you can't eat that..." Zhang Ruonan thought to herself, "This stupid company has so many rules."

But as someone who was just there to freeload, she felt too embarrassed to say anything.

Have some fruit!

At first glance, all the goods are high-end, so the trip wasn't a waste.

"Thank you all for your hard work this year. I'd like to raise a glass to you all."

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan came over and offered his regards to the employees at this table.

Although he doesn't like drinking, he'll definitely have a little on this special day.

Zhang Ruonan stood up with everyone else and clinked glasses with Lu Zhiyuan.

After taking a small sip, she looked at Lu Zhiyuan carefully, and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock: "You, Brother Yuan?"

I didn't see it clearly this morning, and I was too embarrassed to look at it more closely.

But now, even a fool like Zhang Ruonan would know that the person in front of her was the company's boss, and also an internationally renowned director, Lu Zhiyuan!

"This morning, I was wondering why our company, despite its somewhat 'ox-and-horse' nature, would send people for interviews on New Year's Eve."

Lu Zhiyuan also recognized Zhang Ruonan.

Although 17-year-old Zhang Ruonan looks very different from how she became a female celebrity.

Especially the hairstyle.

At this age, Zhang Ruonan wore a ponytail and had a large forehead, looking no different from most high school students.

However, this kind of outfit will directly expose many of her flaws.

For example, her face has too much blank space in the middle, and the soft tissue is too full, making the whole face look less three-dimensional, and the jawline is also somewhat blurred.

In addition, tying her hair up in a ponytail completely exposed her wide forehead, a major flaw.

However, these can all be modified with makeup and hairstyle.

Zhang Ruonan's pure and innocent eyes, and the healing aura she exudes when she smiles... are extremely rare in the entire entertainment industry.

It can give people a fresh and natural feeling on the big screen.

enough.

"Xiao Ai, come here for a moment."

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan called out to Zhang Tianai, who was not far away.

"Mr. Lu, what is it?"

Zhang Tianai put down her chopsticks and quickly walked over.

Lu Zhiyuan pointed at Zhang Ruonan and said, "Supervise her weight loss, and find a makeup artist to create several looks for her. Find the one that suits her best and send it to me."

"Ok."

Zhang Tianai quickly wrote it down and smiled at Zhang Ruonan: "The little girl is quite cute. From now on, you'll be working with me. I'll leave Dilraba's stylist to you."

Lu Zhiyuan personally called her over by name... Zhang Tianai knew very well that although this girl in front of her was not particularly good-looking, she had most likely caught Lu Zhiyuan's eye!
If Lu Zhiyuan wasn't interested in this girl, he wouldn't have said a single unnecessary word.

Anyway, let's sign it first!

They need to give you a proper makeover, including makeup, styling, clothing, manners, posture, and gait... all of which require specialized training.

Becoming a star, especially a world-renowned star, is not an easy task!

At the very least, we can't let Lu Zhiyuan down!

"Alright, it's about time, I'll head out now."

Lu Zhiyuan checked the time; it was already around 7 o'clock, time to head to CCTV.

"Sis, what did Brother Yuan mean by what he just said? Did I get selected? But, is there a training fee for styling and makeup?"

Zhang Ruonan was quite happy that she had been chosen by Lu Zhiyuan.

However, she remembered what her classmate had said: many entertainment companies sign trainee contracts with ordinary people, binding them for more than ten years.

If I want to leave the company, I might have to pay a lot of money.

"Our company does not charge for training."

Zhang Tianai reassured Zhang Ruonan: "From now on, your food, clothing, housing, and transportation will all be taken care of by the company. In addition, you will receive a monthly living allowance, which is roughly equivalent to the average salary in Yanjing."

"In short, as long as you listen to me, you don't need to worry about anything. I will help you make a complete plan."

Yuankun Media is no small company.

They wouldn't even look at most female celebrities.

Even the "Four Dan and Two Bing" (referring to top actresses and actresses) are nothing special in their eyes.

They are very selective in choosing people, preferring to have none rather than accept inferior ones.

But if you can make just one female star a star, the revenue from that one female star alone far exceeds that of dozens of people in other agencies.

"Sister, I'm still a high school student. After winter break..."

Before Zhang Ruonan could finish speaking, Zhang Tianai frowned: "Is it a top-tier high school? If so, it will definitely take some effort to convince your parents."

Most Chinese parents still hope their children will study hard and don't like them getting involved in the entertainment industry.

Zhang Ruonan blushed slightly and added somewhat embarrassedly, "It's a vocational high school."

"That shouldn't be a big problem."

Zhang Tianai couldn't help but laugh when she heard this.

Another little idiot!

She has a lot of experience with silly girls.

"Xiao Nan, don't worry. Even if you don't get the lead role after joining our company, I'll arrange some resources for you so you can be a third-rate star. It shouldn't be a big problem."

Yuankun Media has its own production company and has also invested in New Classics Media.

If Zhang Ruonan wants to make a movie, it depends on the mood of the directors in the company, but if she wants to make a TV series, Zhang Tianai can arrange it with just one word!

"If you don't have any talent for acting, then come and be my assistant. I can't say how much, but you can make 20,000 to 30,000 a month."

For some reason, Zhang Tianai took a liking to Zhang Ruonan the moment she saw him.

Perhaps it's because Zhang Ruonan has a particularly sweet smile.

This made her feel much better.

Such a lovely little girl, always showing that sweet smile in front of me, at least helps me relieve some stress.

That alone is enough.

Being an agent for several big stars, with each endorsement worth hundreds of millions, puts Zhang Tianai under immense pressure.

"Sister, you're my own sister! Even if you beat me to death, I'll still cling to you."

Zhang Ruonan, a vocational high school student, is completely lost about her future.

Who knew that submitting a random application form would completely change my life?

Even if she doesn't become a female celebrity in the end, being Zhang Tianai's assistant is still a good career path.

"Xiao Nan, tonight is New Year's Eve, so don't stay in a hotel. Come home with me, anyway, I live alone."

Zhang Tianai used to go home every year.

However, this year, "Real Steel 3" was such a box office hit that she was incredibly busy, having to coordinate the work for Reba, Hanikezi, and others during the Chinese New Year period.

There's simply no time to go home.

"Sister, isn't this too much trouble for you?"

Zhang Ruonan was a little embarrassed.

Zhang Tianai smiled meaningfully: "Don't worry. You won't be staying with me for long. Soon you'll find out that it's not so easy to work under Brother Yuan."

She was chosen by Lu Zhiyuan to be the female lead.

Next, Zhang Ruonan will lose all the allure of Lu Zhiyuan's achievements and live a life of unparalleled bliss.

I wish I could draw a circle and curse Lu Zhiyuan!
However, as long as they can get through this hurdle, Zhang Tianai is very certain that Zhang Ruonan will be deeply impressed by Lu Zhiyuan.

Therefore, they revered him as a god.

"Ding!"

Just then, Zhang Tianai received a WeChat message from Lu Zhiyuan.

"Heh, impatient man!"

There was no text in the WeChat message, only a picture.

"Mr. Lu, I understand."

"Over the next few days, I'll let your little darling appreciate this painting. I'll make sure she finds the feeling she needs."

Zhang Tianai and Lu Zhiyuan have known each other for five or six years. She knows exactly what Lu Zhiyuan is thinking without him needing to say more.

"Xiao Nan, let me add you on WeChat so I can send you some good stuff."

After adding Zhang Ruonan on WeChat, Zhang Tianai immediately transferred the painting to her.

"These next few days, take your time to appreciate this painting. Look at it from multiple angles and write down your thoughts... Teacher Lu will be testing you on it!"

What is this?

Zhang Ruonan glanced at her WeChat in a daze, completely dumbfounded.

She asked cautiously, "Sister, are you sure the company wants to groom me to be an actress?"

Is it really that difficult to be an actor?

Isn't it said that everyone in the entertainment industry is a "nine-year-old fish" (meaning someone who is unsuc
I've at least completed nine years of compulsory education, so I should be above average, right?
"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Prepare for the shock of a mad artist, Xiao Zhang!"

Other directors in the film and television industry are not necessarily artists; they may also be scoundrels or old rogues.

However, Zhang Tianai is 100% certain that Lu Zhiyuan is an artist, and a very obsessive and crazy one at that!

……

CCTV.

Studio 1 of CCTV.

The Spring Festival Gala will be broadcast live from here.

Lu Zhiyuan found his seat, sat down quietly, and waited for the show to begin.

However, after a short while, he couldn't help but cover his forehead, looking like he had a headache.

"Zhiyuan, I'm sorry to run into you again. I'm sure this constant attempts to bump into you are really bothering you, aren't they?"

"But I swear, this was really an accident."

Gao Yuanyuan's opening remarks were the kind of gentle, tea-like speech.

It's simply impeccable.

If it were a more normal, straight-laced guy, he might already be hooked by now.

However, Lu Zhiyuan completely ignored this topic and casually asked, "Little Gao, what have you been busy with lately?"

"I've been busy envying someone lately."

Gao Yuanyuan glanced at Lu Zhiyuan, then turned her gaze to the stage: "I envy her so much. She's young and beautiful, has a great figure, and looks exactly like someone's type. That person went to great lengths to make her the number one leading lady in film history!"

Lu Zhiyuan remained silent.

How can he possibly talk about this topic?
After a while, Gao Yuanyuan sighed and said, "I want to give you Monet's 'Water Lilies' as a wedding gift for you."

At this point, Gao Yuanyuan couldn't help but ask seriously, "You will marry her, right?"

Gao Yuanyuan desperately wanted to hear Lu Zhiyuan say, "No!"

"About 80%. After all, in this world, apart from the fact that everyone will die, there is nothing that is 100% certain."

Lu Zhiyuan couldn't imagine under what circumstances he would choose someone else instead of Dilraba.

For him, Dilraba is the perfect girlfriend!

The greatest director in history should, of course, be paired with the greatest actress in film history; only then can it be a timeless masterpiece.

"Ah."

"This is the you I know."

Gao Yuanyuan said in a low voice, then added, "Although I wanted to give that painting to you, after all, a fine sword is given to a hero. A famous painting should be given to an art lover like you. It would be a waste to keep it in my hands."

"but……"

Regardless of what Gao Yuanyuan said before, Lu Zhiyuan was very clear that what followed the word "but" was the most important.

At this moment, he adopted a posture of listening attentively.

“But this painting cost me nearly £2000 million, almost all of my savings. If I just give it to you like this, I’ll have a hard time explaining it to my family.”

“They would think I’m crazy.”

“If it’s as a dowry, my parents and older brother won’t say anything… but if it’s as a wedding gift, that’s a bit too much.”

"Therefore, you need to agree to one condition."

Gao Yuanyuan turned to look at Lu Zhiyuan, a faint smile in her eyes, a kind of joy that her plan was about to succeed.

"Tell me first, and let me see if I can do it. If not, then we can discuss other things."

Lu Zhiyuan had no particular hobbies except for his love of world-famous paintings.

Unfortunately, most of the people who collect these world-famous paintings are not short of money.

"A world-famous painting worth 2000 million pounds is roughly equivalent to 2 million RMB. I can't just give it to you for free."

"If I live to be 100, for the remaining 70 years, or 840 months, I hope you will give me 30 every month, as an installment payment."

"what do you think?"

Gao Yuanyuan looked at Lu Zhiyuan with a smile.

In this situation, Lu Zhiyuan is like an ex-husband who has found a new love and is paying his ex-wife a large alimony payment every month...

Under these circumstances, her relationship with Lu Zhiyuan will never end.

After hearing Gao Yuanyuan's conditions, Lu Zhiyuan quickly realized what was going on.

He sighed.

"Gao Yuanyuan, how could someone as selfish, self-serving, and utterly hypocritical as me attract a national goddess like you?"

"I still can't understand this problem!"

"But forget it, these things aren't my area of ​​expertise. If I can't figure it out, I'm too lazy to think about it anymore."

"From now on, no matter what you say to me, I'll pretend I don't understand. After a while, you'll probably get bored and will most likely go looking for the next target."

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan took out his phone, browsed the internet for a while, found a few pictures, and sent them to Gao Yuanyuan.

"what is this?"

After looking at it for a while, Gao Yuanyuan could probably tell that it was a painting.

But she had no idea what the painting meant or who painted it.
What hidden meaning did Lu Zhiyuan have when he sent her this painting?
"This is a painting by the British painter John Martin, titled 'The Great Day of His Wrath.' It expresses sublimity towards nature and, in a sense, symbolizes divine punishment."

"As you should know, I've recently been working on the early art direction for the movie 'Godzilla,' as well as holding open auditions for a female lead."

"And now, I've almost found that feeling."

John Martin was a post-apocalyptic romantic painter.

He likes to use grand scenes and dramatic compositions to depict the awe-inspiring scenes of the Last Judgment.

The sacredness of steel embodied by Friedrich, the German Romantic painter, was infused into "Real Steel 3" by Lu Zhiyuan...

Whether this act caused a worldwide sensation was unclear to Lu Zhiyuan. But it certainly caused a sensation throughout Germany!
Now, Lu Zhiyuan has his sights set on Europe's largest vote bank.

U.K!

He found British actor Tom Hiddleston to play the male lead.

They also plan to incorporate the apocalyptic romanticism of British painter John Martin into the Godzilla series.

He believed the British would go crazy over this!
To date, the UK box office record is held by Skyfall, which has grossed approximately $150 million.

Considering that the UK has a population of less than 7000 million, this box office record is extremely difficult to break.

But Lu Zhiyuan wanted to give it a try!
Now, besides China, it holds the all-time box office record in Germany and Russia.

Next, he plans to use "Godzilla" to challenge the box office records of the two island nations of Britain and Japan!

Lu Zhiyuan's ambitious spirit, strong creative desire, and extremely rich artistic atmosphere deeply captivated Gao Yuanyuan.

However, Lu Zhiyuan's blow came very quickly.

"Little Gao, have you ever heard this saying?"

"This is what they say... For men, you don't need to love them at all, understanding them is the most important thing! And for women, you don't need to understand them at all, just love them."

You've completely missed the point.

Lu Zhiyuan's implication was that Gao Yuanyuan didn't understand him at all, nor did she understand what he was pursuing.

The words are not speculative, just half a sentence.

However, Lu Zhiyuan and Gao Yuanyuan's older brother are close friends. They develop robots together and play with drones together.

He could only be more tolerant of his friend's sister.

"Zhiyuan, I also want to ask you a question. You've been talking for so long, do you want that painting or not?"

After being relentlessly attacked by Lu Zhiyuan, Gao Yuanyuan was starting to lose her temper and finally revealed her trump card.

"If you want that painting, give me 30 a month and support me until I'm 100. Can you do that?"

In this trading model, Gao Yuanyuan will suffer a complete loss!

Because Lu Zhiyuan was very clear that the appreciation of artworks was even faster than that of housing prices.

Ten years later, Monet's painting is worth at least £200 million, more than a tenfold increase.

How could Lu Zhiyuan refuse such a condition?

"A word is settled!"

After hesitating for three seconds, Lu Zhiyuan agreed: "Unless I have no descendants, even if I die, I will make a will so that my descendants can take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days."

"make a deal!"

Gao Yuanyuan immediately flashed her signature smile.

Her full, red lips, like blooming cherries, parted slightly to reveal her pearly white teeth, exuding a radiant allure.

When she smiles, it's as if sunlight pierces through the clouds, giving people a strange sense of freshness that strikes straight to the soul.

She looked at Lu Zhiyuan, his dark pupils gleaming with a clear light under the studio lights.

At this moment, her eyes held both the innocence of a young girl and the gentle warmth of a mature woman, reminding Lu Zhiyuan of the phrase "bright eyes like autumn water."

She looked intently at Lu Zhiyuan, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Zhiyuan, it's a promise, you'll take care of me for life. A man's word is his bond! Don't go back on your word!"

Lu Zhiyuan looked at Gao Yuanyuan's smile and couldn't help but mutter, "Your smile is also very healing. It's a pity you're not 17 years old, otherwise, I would definitely create a particularly beautiful role for you."

"Then we'll use the best lighting and symmetrical composition to create a death scene that you'll never forget. That scene will be full of tragic aesthetics, leaving the audience with lingering regret and remembering you for a lifetime."

Too humble!

I'm making a promise to you for a lifetime.

What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me off beautifully in a movie?
OK, OK!
If you've got the guts, come and kill me tonight!

(End of this chapter)