Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 377 Family Affairs and National Affairs; Zhang Yimou, Monthly Salary 2!
On the evening of August 6th, in Beijing, at the Peony Hall of Jinyu Yuehua.

That night, before darkness fell, the sunset over the south of the city resembled red ink spread on rice paper, and the afterglow streamed into the private room through the large French windows, casting a soft, warm light throughout the entire hall.

The air conditioner inside kept out the August heat outside. A reproduction of Xu Beihong's horse painting hung on the wall, and a red carpet with auspicious cloud patterns was laid out underfoot, showing a bit of the grandeur of "welcoming the in-laws".

This meal, though called a dinner party, was more like a ritual for the two families to "meet" each other.

"Wu Chen is a responsible young man, and Yi Fei has always been a bit slow to warm up to people. Fortunately, the two of them can support each other, which is not easy."

"Oh, not at all, Yifei is very sensible. He's just a rough guy, especially when he was little."

As Yuan Xiaoqin and Liu Xiaoli talked, the atmosphere became exceptionally harmonious.

On the contrary, Wu Chen and Liu Yifei didn't manage to exchange more than a few words at the table from beginning to end.

Liu Yifei lowered her head, picking up a bowl of stir-fried snow peas, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She whispered in Wu Chen's ear:
"My mom even had a special talk with my dad yesterday."

Wu Chen was taken aback and looked at Liu Xiaoli. Sure enough, her seriousness about her daughter was self-evident.

The outcome of this meal was clear: the hope was that things between the two of them could be put on the agenda, or at least that there should be a plan.

In the eyes of the older generation, this plan is very important.

As for how to plan it, that's something the two of them will discuss in private.

Time quickly came to August 8th, the day everyone was eagerly anticipating.

The opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Red flags fluttered, crowds surged outside the Bird's Nest, and the entire capital was engulfed in a near-festival-like frenzy.

Television broadcasts, radio links, street screens—the eyes of countless people were now focused in the same direction.

At the Bird's Nest Stadium, in the VIP section, Wu Chen led the group there.

As a cultural and artistic advisor for the Olympics, one naturally has a special seat, along with family and friends. The seats are excellent, and these tickets are not sold to the public.

When Wu Chen and his group arrived at the seating area, they caused some hushed murmurs, sidelong glances, and even envy.

After all, this is a VIP seating area that is not open to the public. It is not only the exclusive seat for cultural consultants, but also a courtesy to the "cultural creators".

"Director Wu, what a coincidence." Chen Kaige was already seated, with Chen Hong and others sitting next to him. He stood up and greeted Wu Chen and the others with a smile.

"Director Chen," Wu Chen returned the greeting politely.

In the distance, Li An, dressed in a simple Chinese-style coat, smiled and nodded.

Although Li An cannot participate secretly, his position as an advisor is always kept on the surface, which is related to Taiwan.

"Changchang, are you here yet?" As soon as Liu Yifei sat down, she immediately took out her phone and made a call.

"Coming, coming!" It was Shu Chang's voice on the other end of the phone, with a hint of excitement. "That little brat has been wanting me to bring her over here, and it took me a long time to finally get her to agree."

"Oh, it's nothing, come over quickly."

Liu Yifei was no stranger to the person Shu Chang was talking about.

Every family has its own troubles, which is perfectly normal, especially since Shu Chang is living under someone else's roof.

Shu Chang quietly joined them, drawing a hint of envy from many. What a great spot! Not only could she see clearly, but she also didn't have to look up or down.
Not far away, Han Sanping, Ren Zhonglun and others were sitting in another area. When they saw Wu Chen arrive with his family, they all stood up and waved to him.

"Director Wu, Director Li, let's go." Chen Kai stood up and smiled as he gestured to the two of them.

Wu Chen nodded and left the table with Li An.

As Olympic cultural advisors, they will give a brief interview to CCTV before the opening ceremony.

Shu Chang arrived just then, and as she walked to Liu Yifei's side, she saw Wu Chen's departing figure and couldn't help but ask:
"Where did Wu Chen go?"

He said he wanted to do an interview or something.

Liu Yifei responded, while Yuan Xiaoqin and Liu Xiaoli were still chatting enthusiastically beside her. Because she could hear some of their conversation from time to time, her face would occasionally turn slightly red.

"Are you talking about marriage?" Shu Chang couldn't help but poke Liu Yifei's arm, looking curious.

"It won't be that fast," Liu Yifei muttered softly. "Besides, Wu Chen hasn't said anything."

"You mean—you'll agree if he says so?"

"You try to trick me into telling me something!" Liu Yifei's face flushed red, and she couldn't help but reach out and poke her.

The two immediately burst into laughter.

Inside the Bird's Nest interview area, the lights were scorching, microphones were everywhere, and the air was thick with the anxious atmosphere of microphones clashing as people tried to capture sentences.

Before the opening ceremony even began, representatives of the cultural and artistic advisors were invited by CCTV to a special area for a brief interview.

At this moment, Wu Chen, Chen Kaige, and Li An stood side by side in front of the Olympic Organizing Committee logo backdrop. The camera's red light came on, and the director's steady voice came through the earpiece:

"Three, two, one, begin."

The CCTV female host smiled politely, with a hint of nervousness and excitement.

"Director Wu, as one of the cultural and artistic advisors for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, how do you think this opening ceremony will embody the core concept of 'being both national and international'?"

Facing the camera, Wu Chen appeared calm and nodded slightly, saying:

"I think this opening ceremony was a 'cultural stand-up.' We can't just put on performances for foreigners, nor can we indulge in our own totem worship. Being 'national' doesn't mean being closed off; being 'global' doesn't equate to Westernization."

"Director Chen, what does the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics mean to you personally?"

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The CCTV media's inquiries were still restrained; even when they were excited, it was only about the Olympics.

Chen Kaige and Li An answered in turn. Amidst the flashing camera, the men appeared solemn and proper, and the official interview ended quickly.

However, the other side of the interview area was just as popular.

Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun had just passed by, attracting a large number of media outlets to follow them with their cameras and microphones.

As guests and audience members rather than creators, they participated in an interaction on a different level; while Wu Chen and the others were the creators behind the scenes, so their identities were naturally different.

At that moment, a tentative voice suddenly rang out in the media area:

"Director Chen, did you feel regretful or even a little disappointed that you missed the opportunity to be the chief director of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics?"

A brief silence followed.

These troublemaking media outlets are throwing out bombshells from the start.

Upon hearing this position, Wu Chen and Li An couldn't help but glance at the media person who had asked the question—a member of Xinmin Evening News—before their eyes fell on Chen Kaige.

Fortunately, Chen Kaige himself was aware of the occasion and did not avoid the situation or frown. Instead, he nodded and smiled.

"I said a long time ago that hosting the Olympics in China brings together so many emotions. This is not just a simple sporting event, but one that carries the emotions accumulated by the Chinese people over more than a hundred years, including a lot of sadness and pride."

The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics should be regarded as a grand national ceremony for China. It was an honor to participate, of course; but even though I wasn't the chief director, I'm still very proud.

Upon hearing this, Wu Chen couldn't help but look at him with new respect.

Then, the reporter turned to Wu Chen: "Director Wu, I heard you didn't go to the opening ceremony rehearsal? Was it for confidentiality reasons?"

"Not really," Wu Chen chuckled. "I was in Hong Kong those few days, filming. There were definitely some regrets, but there was also one advantage."

He glanced at the media around him. "Director Chen and the others saw it in advance, so the mystery might be a little less. But tonight is the first time I'm seeing it, and I'm just as excited as the audience."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Director Wu, what do you think of SBS's premature leak of the opening ceremony rehearsal?"

This question immediately piqued the interest of many people—this topic had already sparked heated debate last week.

It's important to understand that while broadcasters are allowed to bring equipment for testing during the opening ceremony rehearsals, Olympic tradition and the unspoken agreement among broadcasters have always prohibited the premature disclosure of the opening ceremony's content. SBS's actions are unprecedented in Olympic history.

"I know that some foreign TV stations are indeed very interested in China's opening ceremony, but don't be too hasty. We still need to follow the rules."

When it's time to show them, come over generously and show them everything. After all, we Chinese aren't that stingy, right?

As soon as he finished speaking, a knowing chuckle rippled through the room. This was a clever way to satirize the South Korean media, and besides, there was no director in the South Korean film industry who could rival Wu Chen, leaving the other side with no room for rebuttal.

"Did the reporters give you a hard time?" Liu Yifei couldn't help but ask as she returned to the VIP stands.

"What could be so difficult!"

Wu Chen smiled and shook his head, looking ahead. The cultural performance of the Olympic Games opening ceremony was about to begin.

"The first part is called 'Brilliant Civilization,' and the second part is called 'Glorious Era.'" Wu Chen explained to his family as he watched, revealing things the host hadn't mentioned.

The first half of the performance began with "The Scroll," a giant 70-meter-long scroll that was slowly unfurled in the center of the venue, with actors dressed in black using their bodies to create ink paintings.
This scene is both imbued with traditional Chinese elements and displays unique imagination, showcasing Zhang Yimou's distinctive style right from the start.

"Director Zhang's style is too obvious," Shu Chang couldn't help but exclaim.

Yuan Xiaoqin couldn't help but agree: "Indeed, this is very Zhang Yimou."

The performance of the "Writing" chapter began with Confucius's "three thousand disciples" reciting "All men are brothers within the four seas." As the resounding reading voices rang out, bamboo slips were unfurled, and the square characters transformed into a giant "和" (harmony) character.
The world couldn't help but marvel at this moment.

Liu Yifei's eyes widened as she couldn't help but look at Wu Chen, who nodded with a light smile.

Following that were "Opera", "Silk Road", and "Ritual Music".
The scene erupted in cheers.

Anyway, everyone who came said it was worth the trip.

The opening ceremony coverage the following day dominated the news, leaving no room for other stories to get in the way. Of course, this was followed by industry insiders offering Zhang Yimou directing fees.
"His salary was 2000 million."

At this moment, Zhang Weiping was laughing hysterically at home, already seeing countless amounts of money about to fly in.

"Now that Zhang Yimou is so highly regarded by the outside world, if we offer him such a low salary, will he refuse to work there?"

It seems he wasn't paid for his roles in "Hero," "House of Flying Daggers," "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles," and "Curse of the Golden Flower."

Zhang Weiping's wife, Zhang Jing, frowned slightly as she looked at the outside news reports and couldn't help but ask a question.

Is it low?

Zhang Weiping didn't take it seriously, saying, "Without me, would Zhang Yimou have been able to make so many films over the years? And such big films? I've given him quite a bit; on average over the past ten years, his monthly salary has been more than 2 yuan."

Besides, he occasionally takes on other jobs, which is enough to support his family. He didn't earn much from the previous films, and the company needs working capital, so there's no need to allocate funds to him for now.

Zhang Weiping spoke eloquently, seemingly unconcerned about this matter. His only concern now was how to get Zhang Yimou to quickly produce a commercial film and make some money.
(End of this chapter)