Entertainment: Since 1990

Chapter 329: Heartthrob

Chen Hao came over tonight to discuss the plot, but before we could say much about it, he closed his eyes, looking like he was ready to be taken advantage of.

When a girl closes her eyes, it means she wants you to kiss her, but Cao Jian isn't in a hurry.

Cao Jian glanced at Chen Hao's pretty face, but his gaze lingered on her shiny bald head, and he gently touched it.

This somewhat unexpected action made Chen Hao's heart skip a beat.

She hadn't expected Cao Jian to touch her head. The excitement of being in close contact with a man made Chen Hao's body go weak, and she almost couldn't stand up.

"boss"

She opened her eyes and found her favorite boss looking at her with a gentle expression, and she lowered her head shyly.

"What a nice view."

A girl's shyness is the most beautiful, especially when she's a beautiful woman like Chen Hao.

In terms of looks, Chen Hao, with her bone structure, is in no way inferior to Lin Xinru or Jia Jingwen, and she is also very talented.

Cao Jian's most memorable role for this woman was the charming woman in "Pink Lady," but his favorite role was Yue Siying in "Li Wei the Magistrate."

At this moment, the stunningly beautiful woman with a face like a peach blossom and red lips and white teeth was right in front of him. Although she had shaved her head, she still possessed a beauty that was different from others.

Cao Jian's hand slowly slid from the top of her head to her face, and he whispered, "This is how Yilin feels about Linghu Chong. She has a good eye. When you act it out tomorrow, express this feeling."

"Ah."

Chen Hao nodded, but thought to himself, "What time is it? You're still giving me acting advice?"

Yilin and Linghu Chong's relationship didn't work out, and she didn't want that to happen.

She grasped Cao Jian's hand that was resting on her face, and mustered her courage to say, "Boss, you said I'm pretty, so what are we waiting for?"

"Then don't wait!"

The girl's eyes were filled with spring, and her cheeks were flushed. Cao Jian felt that any further hesitation would be a waste of time, so he simply pulled Chen Hao into his arms and kissed her cherry lips.
In the original novel "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer", Yilin eventually became the head of the Hengshan Sect, spending her days in solitude, a tragic fate that remains a source of regret for countless fans.

However, in the Cao Jian version of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer", he did not disappoint this beauty. He not only won over Ren Yingying, but also captured the heart and soul of the pretty nun Yilin.

"Do you regret it?"

After a storm, Cao Jian gently stroked Chen Hao's bald head on the bed.

In Liu Xiaoqing's version of "Wu Zetian", there is a scene where Li Zhi goes to Ganye Temple and sees Wu Meiniang with a bald head and a black robe, and is completely captivated by her.

I'm experiencing that feeling myself now.

"I don't regret it. I'm willing to be with the person I've liked since I was a child. I'm so happy."

Chen Hao has liked Cao Jian's songs ever since he started listening to pop music.

I never imagined that one day I would not only meet my idol and become his employee, but also act in a movie with him.

They're even lying together now.

"Chen Hao, don't worry, I won't let you down."

Cao Jian has transformed the young girl into his sister-in-law, so naturally he has to say some sweet words: "When you graduate, I'll create a role that's perfect for you."

"Boss, I'm willing to be with you, not for the role, but because I genuinely like you."

"I know, I just want to be nice to you and make you happy."

"It's so kind of you."

Although Chen Hao was touched by the sweet words, he still asked curiously, "Then what kind of role do you think I'm suitable for?"

"A heartthrob".

"A heartthrob?"

When Chen Hao heard those three words, he wasn't happy about the role itself, but rather about his place in this man's heart.

She leaned over Cao Jian and asked, "Am I really that beautiful in your heart?"

"Of course, you look absolutely stunning."

Cao Jian gently rubbed Chen Hao's round face: "So? Do you want to act?"

"I'll listen to you."

Chen Hao hadn't expected the man to be so good. He wrapped his arms around Cao Jian's neck and showered him with kisses, saying, "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

After that night of in-depth dialogue, Chen Hao's gaze and actions towards Cao Jian during the performance the next day were completely different, almost coming from the heart.

She portrayed Qiao Yilin's affection and longing for Linghu Chong with remarkable depth and realism.

"This show is bound to be a hit!"

The assistant director had no idea what had happened and thought Chen Hao, this young man, was a good actor.

The director really made a great choice for the actress playing the young nun; she's not only beautiful, but also has such excellent acting skills.

How could she not be beautiful? She's destined to be a heartthrob.

Throughout the second half of the year, Cao Jian was basically filming "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," and he also handled company matters remotely.

In October, "Shaolin Soccer" was released simultaneously in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Because of the film's brilliant editing, which was featured at the World Cup, the audience's response after the film's release was overwhelming, with theaters almost always packed.

"I'm a car mechanic, so it's perfectly reasonable for me to carry a wrench with me, right?"

"A real competition is a war!"

"Shaolin Kung Fu is amazing! It's really amazing!"

"Hallucinations, all hallucinations!"

These funny lines had the audience laughing throughout the entire show.

The final match was incredibly exciting for the audience, with some even moved to tears.

Some viewers watched the movie a second time and discovered that, in addition to the laughs, the film also revealed the hardships and sorrows of ordinary people.

Stephen Chow portrayed the hardships and helplessness of an ordinary person in this film.

Of course, the box office was even more astonishingly high, with over 40 million yuan coming in the first week alone across China.

It was later released in South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia, and its box office quickly reached over five million US dollars.

It seems only a matter of time before the total exceeds 100 million, a result that has shocked the Hong Kong film industry.

Is Mr. Cao really that amazing?
How did a film with a relatively small budget become such a huge hit?

"Fly Me to Polaris," which was not well-received by experts, still grossed over 30 million at the box office. Now that "Shaolin Soccer" is so ruthless, Mr. Cao's investment acumen is simply too good.
"Hey"

Despite making money, Stephen Chow has been a bit troubled lately.

In the past two years, he has relied somewhat on Cao Jian for scripts. Now that Boss Cao says he wants to retire, what will he film next?
My head hurts.
It seems that when Jian Ge comes back, I'll have a good drink with him and make sure he comes up with a good idea for me.

In mid-November, "Shaolin Soccer" finished its run in Hong Kong, grossing over HK$60 million. Including sales in mainland China and Taiwan, the total box office reached HK$150 million.

At that time, the film was still showing in Europe and North America, and although its performance was mediocre, it still grossed more than three million US dollars.

Including other countries, this movie about playing football with kung fu grossed a total of 230 million at the box office.

The entire Hong Kong film industry has been driven crazy by Mr. Cao once again.

Since 95, Hong Kong cinema has been on a downward trend, and in the last two years it has been propped up by Mr. Cao.

The main point is that Cao Jian was able to get Jet Li to work with James McAvoy, the director of "Titanic." In that respect, he's the only one in China who can do that.

Because "Shaolin Soccer" sparked a wave of movie-watching for Stephen Chow's films in mainland China, some college students have rediscovered another film he made before, "A Chinese Odyssey".

People suddenly realized that the movie wasn't as bad as they had previously thought.

The dialogue is classic and humorous, the actors' performances are excellent, and the love story is very touching.

One student who understood the message posted on the forum, saying, "Removing the headband won't protect you, and putting it on won't let me love you."

This one sentence immediately sparked a buzz among students about the movie.

The movie VCD sold over 100,000 copies in just one month.

Just before the National Day holiday in October, an advertisement featuring Stephen Chow appeared on television. The advertisement didn't mention a specific product; it promoted a chat software called QQ.

The chubby penguin immediately reminded the audience that it was the same logo on Stephen Chow's shoes in "Shaolin Soccer".
With advertising and product placement in movies, QQ saw its registration volume reach one million during the National Day holiday alone, becoming the most popular chat software among young people.

"Good job, keep up the good work, and you'll have a bright future."

Cao Jian, who was filming in Wuxi, received a call from Ma Huateng with good news, and felt that everything was going according to plan.

The reason we have over a million users is because the penetration rate of internet cafes in China is not high yet. Once the millennium is over, breaking ten million will be a piece of cake.

With Pony Ma managing Feixun, QQ will only get better and better in the future.

Once Warcraft is developed, it will definitely give QQ wings and allow it to take off completely.

After making the phone call, Cao Jian continued filming "Swordsman".

Filming for this drama started in July, and after more than four months of shooting, more than half of the scenes have been completed.

The crew traveled to many famous mountains and rivers across China, and even the Plum Manor was filmed on location at West Lake in Hangzhou.

This shows how much Director Cao values ​​this film.

He plans to wrap up filming after New Year's Day, after which he will go to South Korea and Japan.

Since we've made money, we should at least enjoy it.

The beautiful Korean and Japanese girls are waiting for me to go and mess with them.

Besides, several film and television companies, including Toho and Toei, have invited him several times already; it's time to make this money.

I'm just a little reluctant to leave Xu Qing and Chen Hao's tender embrace.

Has anyone ever tried having Ren Yingying and Yilin accompany Linghu Chong together?
Mr. Cao experienced it firsthand.
Who called again?

Cao Jian was happily reminiscing about his blissful life during this period and making plans for next year when the phone rang.

"Sister Qiongyao, what's the matter?"

"The script for the second season of 'My Fair Princess' is finished. How's it going on your end? Shouldn't you be getting ready to film?"

"Yes."

Cao Jian has been busy with "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" lately and has forgotten about the plans for the second part of "Princess Pearl".

“There are so many things to do.”

He sighed inwardly and said, "Alright then, you start preparing first, I'll come and check on things in a bit."

Actually, the cast of "Princess Pearl 2" is similar to that of the first season, except for the addition of Qinggege, Xiangfei, and Mengdan. Otherwise, it's the same as the first season.

Princess Qing has already been chosen as the Princess Consort, and now it's just a matter of choosing between Consort Xiang and Meng Dan.

It's a pity that Gulnazar and Reba are still too young; otherwise, they would be the most suitable to play the role of Xiang Fei.

Just after finishing a phone call with Qiong Yao, Cao Jian saw that the filming location was ready and filming was about to begin when his assistant came in and said, "Boss, Mr. Stephen Chow has arrived."

"Oh? What's he doing here?"

Cao Jian was very curious as to why Stephen Chow had come to visit the set.

"Brother Jian, you're so busy."

Cao Jian then sent someone to invite the person in, and Zhou Xingchi had already entered.

"You're so carefree."

"I'm not carefree at all. All my money has been made, and it hurts."

When Stephen Chow heard that "A Chinese Odyssey" had become popular again and that the VCDs were selling like hotcakes, he felt a pang of heartache.

Back then, he gave all the VCD copyrights to Cao Jian, but now even if he sells ten million VCDs, he won't get a single penny.

This Jian Ge is indeed very cunning.

However, this was his powerful backer in Hong Kong, and also his source of wealth; he couldn't afford to offend him.

"What are you worried about! How much did you make from 'Shaolin Soccer'?"

"hehe."

When asked about "Shaolin Soccer," Stephen Chow could only chuckle awkwardly.

Thanks to Mr. Cao's promotion, this film earned the equivalent of three of his own films.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Cao Jian asked, "Ah Xing, you're definitely not here to visit the set. What's the matter?"

"Nothing can be hidden from Brother Jian."

Seeing through his intentions, Stephen Chow smiled sheepishly and said, "Brother Jian, I've been quite free lately. Do you have any good movie ideas? I'm planning to strike while the iron is hot and make another movie."

"You should rest first before talking about it."

Cao Jian has been busy preparing for his trip to South Korea lately, and he doesn't want Stephen Chow to rely on him all the time.

“I can’t stay idle. I plan to take advantage of my youth and film for a few more years before retiring like you.”

Stephen Chow laughed and said, "Besides, who has a grudge against money? As long as Brother Jian provides the ideas, the screenwriter will add your name to the script."

"Ok."

Cao Jian sighed helplessly, glanced at the "Swordsman" crew who were filming, pretended to ponder for a moment, and said, "Then I'll just offer ideas, and I won't worry about anything else."

"of course."

"The martial arts film I'm currently shooting, actually, you could make a movie about kung fu."

Cao Jian originally didn't want to talk about the movie "Kung Fu" so early, since it's only 98 now and there's plenty of time to wait a couple of years.

But since we can't wait for Stephen Chow to come all this way, we might as well let him prepare in advance.

"About kung fu?"

When it comes to martial arts, Stephen Chow's first thought is Bruce Lee.

But Cao Jian said, "This film tells the story of an ordinary boy who dreams of maintaining world peace since childhood. He becomes a hoodlum, but his innate kindness eventually leads him to become a peerless master."

"Great idea! Great story! Excellent!"

After Cao Jian finished explaining the general plot of "Kung Fu Hustle," Stephen Chow praised him three times in a row, and then asked in surprise, "Brother Jian, how did you come up with all these things?"

"I'm smart."

Cao Jian said he has a good memory, but Stephen Chow thought it was because he was quick-witted.

He stood up anxiously: "I'll go back and start working on the script, and we'll cast the actors next year. I don't know if we can make it in time to be a tribute film for the millennium."

"It's a bit difficult, don't rush, take your time filming."

Seeing Stephen Chow's flustered state, Cao Jian didn't forget to comfort him.

After seeing Stephen Chow off, Cao Jian smiled and shook his head. It seemed that with him involved, this classic film wouldn't need to seek investment from foreign film companies.

"Cut! That's a wrap!"

After New Year's Day, the filming of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," which had lasted for six months, was finally completed, with the final scenes finished.

Of the four sisters of Mount Hua, three died, and the last one was imprisoned. This film has finally wrapped up.

"Oh!"

Some cheered, while others were reluctant to part ways, having developed feelings for each other after spending more than half a year together.

Especially Cao Jian, Xu Qing, and Chen Hao, they couldn't be better.

"I'm going to Hong Kong tomorrow, then flying to Japan. I'll leave the editing to you. Just edit it according to my script, and I'll come back to check it out in a while."

After finishing his business, Cao Jian rested for two days and planned to take Chen Hao and Xu Qing to Hong Kong to go shopping, handle some matters, and then go to Japan to make a quick buck.

"Director Cao, don't worry, I understand what you've asked me to do. Besides, with CCTV overseeing things, there won't be any problems."

The assistant director was arranged by CCTV, and it's clear that it wasn't easy for Boss Cao to finish filming this movie without any worries.

On the way to Hong Kong, Cao Jian looked at the scripts for the fantasy action-adventure film "The Myth" and the crime thriller "Infernal Affairs" in his bag and sneered inwardly.

You all say I've run out of ideas for "Starry Wish"?
How dare you tell a reborn person that you've run out of ideas?
Then I'll show you one last time whether I've run out of tricks.
(End of this chapter)