Rebirth of Chinese Entertainment, starting with the strategy of 95 flowers to counterattack

Chapter 153 The Palace Intrigue at the Premiere
Inside Hall 1 of Emperor Cinemas, all 400 seats were occupied.

Beneath the dazzling crystal chandelier, the air was filled with a faint scent of perfume and the occasional hushed conversation.

The first three rows were filled with top celebrities and industry leaders.

In the second row, Dilraba was elegantly adjusting her skirt, while Yang Mi turned slightly to the side and whispered to the investor next to her.

Although Zhao Lusi and Bai Lu were only two seats apart, they tacitly kept their distance and neither of them glanced at the other.

Tian Xiwei and Li Yitong sat together, whispering to each other from time to time, which aroused the crazy frenzy of CP fans in the back row to take pictures.

In the very center of the first row, several seats were clearly empty, reserved for director Gu Yang and the main cast and crew.

"Lulu, what drama are you filming lately?" Zhao Lusi tilted her head and asked innocently, her fingers casually twirling the ends of her hair.

Bai Lu forced a smile: "Just finished filming a period drama, Yu Zheng's new show."

"Oh, that's great~" Zhao Lusi exclaimed exaggeratedly, her voice cloyingly sweet, "Unlike me, I've been so busy lately."

"Director Gu replaced the third female lead in 'Cry Me a Sad River' when it was halfway through filming, all in an effort to promote me."

She blinked. "They even specially commissioned a book for me called 'The Imperial-Given Junior Coroner,' saying it was tailor-made for me~"

This bitch! ! !

"Really? Congratulations then." Bailu forced a reply, but felt a pang of sadness inside.

Six months ago, on the set of "Untouchable Lovers," she and Zhao Lusi were both minor supporting roles, with her role even having more screen time than Zhao Lusi's.

But seeing the other party's smug look now, I feel terrible!
Isn't it just that she latched onto Gu Yang's coattails?

Besides, they weren't interested in you, so how could this be...?

Hey!
She was already secretly plotting in her mind how she could get on Gu Yang's good side.

On the other side of the aisle, Yang Mi leaned back lazily in her chair, her red lips slightly parted: "I heard you've been quite free since you terminated your contract? After leaving Jiaxing, have you found yourself without many resources?"

Dilraba smoothed out non-existent wrinkles on her red dress and said with a cold smile, "No need for you to worry, Sister Mi. Director Gu just cast me in a new drama, and I also have to record the variety show 'Women's Detective Club' next week."

"Heh," Yang Mi chuckled, her gaze sweeping over the dazzling array of young actresses vying for attention. "Gu Yang, that guy, he's so fickle. Look at this scene today..."

She glanced meaningfully at Dilraba, "Some people aren't young anymore, what makes them think they can compete with these young girls?"

Dilraba's eyes turned cold: "So, what brings Sister Honey here today?"

"Of course I'll support my old friend's new film," Yang Mi said calmly.

"Really?" Dilraba curled her lips. "Then we might have made a wasted trip. Director Gu hates scheming old women the most."

Their eyes met in mid-air, as if sparks were flying.

Meng Ziyi sat down next to Tian Xiwei and Li Yitong, took a sip of her sparkling water, and said, "Weiwei, your dress looks really good today. Did Director Gu give it to you?"

Tian Xiwei was adjusting the rhinestones on her skirt when she heard this, her fingers paused. "Sister Tong helped me pick it out~" she said, affectionately taking Li Yitong's arm beside her. "Sister Tong has the best taste."

Li Yitong, dressed in white trousers, glanced at Meng Ziyi with a half-smile upon hearing this: "Ziyi, your dress is also quite unique. I think I saw the same series at a certain brand's anniversary sale last time?"

She deliberately dragged out her words, "Is it a sample garment left over from the last brand event? I think I've seen it before."

Meng Ziyi's smile froze for half a second, then she quickly raised the corners of her lips again: "Sister Tong is so knowledgeable. But Gu Yang said just a couple of days ago that this color makes me look gentle and intellectual."

"Really?" Tian Xi blinked. "Yang-gege told me yesterday that his favorite color is blue." Her innocent tone was like a soft knife.

Li Yitong chuckled and ruffled Tian Xiwei's hair: "Silly girl, Director Gu is just teasing you."

She turned to Meng Ziyi, her eyes full of meaning, "He likes to talk about work with 'mature women' like Ziyi the most. How did your talk at the hospital go last time?"

Oh no! I'm no match for those two gossipy old women.

Meng Ziyi realized that she couldn't win an argument with them on her own, and she couldn't help but miss her good friend Zhou Ye.

If Xiao Ye were here, would he still be bullied like this?
hateful! ! !

The lights in the theater dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the center of the stage.

As melodious piano music filled the air, clips from the film "Better Days" began playing on the big screen.

Good evening, everyone! I am Xie Nan!

Amidst enthusiastic applause, Xie Nan walked gracefully onto the stage.

She changed into a silver sequined fishtail dress, which shimmered under the lights.

As a professional host, she first bowed to thank the applauding crowd, and then skillfully began to warm up the atmosphere.

"Let me see which old friends have come today..." She looked around mysteriously, then her eyes lit up: "Oh, isn't this our great director Wu Jing?"

The camera immediately focused on Wu Jing, who was sitting in the front row, and the whole audience burst into good-natured laughter.

"Director Wu, didn't you say you were just going to do a cameo role in Guo Fan's 'The Wandering Earth' for a few days?" Xie Nan raised an eyebrow. "It's been over a month and you still haven't gone home?"

Wu Jing quickly stood up, put her hands together in a pleading gesture, and exaggeratedly wiped non-existent cold sweat from her forehead.

Director Guo Fan, who was sitting next to him, laughed so hard he almost fell over, and added, "Sister Xie Nan, I can vouch for him, he keeps saying he wants to go home!" The whole room burst into laughter!

"Wow, Tian Xiwei looks so beautiful today!" The camera panned to Tian Xiwei in the second row, where she was whispering to Li Yitong with her head close together. She was startled when she was suddenly called out.

"Weiwei, when will you and Director Gu start filming your new movie, 'The Vanished Woman'?" Xie Nan asked with a smile. "Could you give us a little hint?"

Tian Xiwei stood up in a fluster, her face flushed red. "Th-thank you, Sister Nan. This..." She looked pleadingly at Li Yitong, who made a "calm" gesture.

After thinking for a long time, she finally managed to say, "Sister Nan, you can go ask Director Gu!"

This honest and straightforward answer caused another burst of laughter from the audience.

Meng Ziyi laughed so hard she slapped her thigh, and didn't forget to give Tian Xiwei a thumbs up.

Xie Nan's gaze shifted: "Next, I need to ask our Dilraba..." She deliberately dragged out the words, "That red dress you wore today was absolutely stunning! But..." She suddenly changed the subject, "I heard Director Gu has assigned you a new project?"

Dilraba stood up gracefully, remaining completely unfazed by this sudden "difficulty": "Sister Nan is joking. I'm here today to support a good movie."

She paused, her eyes sparkling, "But since you've mentioned it, Director Gu's new drama is definitely worth looking forward to!"

This impeccable answer sparked a chorus of cheers.

Xie Nan, knowing when to stop, then invited several more heavyweight guests, bringing the atmosphere to a climax.

"Alright, enough joking around." Xie Nan's teasing expression vanished, and his tone became serious. "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome the creative team of 'Better Days' to the stage!"

As the stirring music began, dry ice mist was sprayed from both sides of the stage.

Gu Yang was the first to emerge from the side of the stage, his well-tailored black suit highlighting his tall and upright figure.

His appearance immediately triggered a burst of screams.

Next up was Zhou Ye.

With her buzz cut, she chose a sleek black pantsuit today, echoing her image in the movie.

Her appearance was met with thunderous applause.

Zhang Jingyi then appeared, her white dress highlighting her cool and aloof demeanor.

She followed Zhou Ye with a slightly nervous expression, occasionally adjusting her skirt.

Zhang Yifan was so nervous that he almost tripped on the steps.

When the creative team lined up in the center of the stage, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.

Looking at the star-studded lineup on stage, Xie Nan couldn't help but exclaim, "With such a powerful team, I believe 'Better Days' will definitely be an outstanding film!"

Below the stage, reporters from various media outlets had already set up their equipment, and flashes of light were going off one after another.

Holding a microphone, Xie Nan smiled and walked towards the creative team: "First of all, on behalf of all the audience, I would like to thank you all for bringing us this highly anticipated work."

She turned to Zhou Ye and asked, "Zhou Ye, you cut your long hair for the role and became the focus of attention. Can you share your experience?"

Zhou Ye took the microphone, gently stroking his buzz cut with his fingertips, his voice clear and firm: "The character of Chen Nian requires a state of 'shedding all protective shells.' The day I got my hair cut, I looked at myself in the mirror and suddenly understood what true 'nakedness' is—not the body, but the soul."

She paused for a moment, then said, "Director Gu is right. An actor's appearance should serve the role, not the other way around."

There was warm applause from the audience.

Xie Nan nodded and handed the microphone to Zhang Jingyi: "Jingyi, is it stressful to have such a challenging role in your first movie?"

Zhang Jingyi smiled shyly: "The pressure was immense. I remember one scene that required 27 takes. Director Gu patiently explained the scene to me, and I finally understood that what he wanted wasn't 'acting,' but a genuine reaction."

She looked at Gu Yang and said, "Thank you, director, for not replacing me."

There was some good-natured laughter at the scene.

Xie Nan handed the stage to Gu Yang: "Now, let's hear the director's creative insights."

Gu Yang took the microphone and scanned the entire room.

The theater fell silent instantly.

"Better Days is not a simple coming-of-age film." His voice was deep and powerful. "We spent six months polishing the script and interviewed nearly a hundred people who had experienced school bullying. Every detail, from the style of the school uniform buttons to the graffiti on the classroom walls, was carefully considered."

He walked to the big screen and gestured for the staff to play behind-the-scenes footage: "We used a documentary-style photography technique, with 90% natural light. Zhou Ye and Zhang Jingyi experienced life there three months in advance, attending classes and eating with real high school students."

The scene shifts to Zhou Ye filming in the rain at minus five degrees Celsius. She is soaked to the bone, her lips are pale, but she continues filming. A gasp of amazement ripples through the audience.

"This film does not explore violence itself, but rather the 'silence' behind violence."

Gu Yang's tone turned serious. "Why do bystanders choose to remain silent? Why do victims dare not speak out? What we want to present is the social ecology behind this silence."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the industry leaders in the audience: "Thank you to the investors for giving us creative freedom, allowing us to confront this sensitive topic directly. Special mention must be made to director of photography Cao Yu, who captured the unique vulnerability and resilience of adolescence through his lens."

“Finally,” Gu Yang looked at the audience, “this is not a comfortable movie. But I hope it can make more people start to think—about responsibility, about courage, about what each of us can do.”

"Enough with the chit-chat, let's watch the movie!"

(End of this chapter)