It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 122 Faye Wong and Tian Tian on the Same Stage ~ Sugar-Coated Bullets? A Miracle for Chinese-Language Directors! (6500-word long chapter, please vote!)
Burbank Airport, Los Angeles.

Liu Yifei went abroad to study when she was 10 years old and did not return to China to attend university until she was 15, so she is very familiar with the United States.

In contrast, Jing Tian, ​​due to her family background, rarely traveled abroad.

So, after getting off the plane, the two girls chatted quite enthusiastically, asking and answering questions.

After attending the premiere of "The Prestige", the two exchanged contact information. They had no intention of becoming friends, but unexpectedly, not long after, they had the opportunity to work together on a film.

This is truly a wonderful coincidence.

However, unlike Liu Yifei's innocent and carefree nature, Liu Xiaoli beside her was secretly worried.

Before setting off, she specifically asked someone to inquire about Jing Tian's background.

Born in the Northwest region, backed by Wanda Capital, and being around the same age as her daughter, she is bound to become a formidable rival in the future!

For example, nowadays, many up-and-coming talents always use "outshining Liu Yifei" to highlight themselves when releasing press releases for marketing.

Whether or not one can suppress their pride is another matter, but they must boast about it, as if only in this way can they demonstrate their excellence.

"Sigh, this industry is really difficult to navigate..."

Liu Xiaoli sighed inwardly, feeling even more that her daughter was incredibly lucky to have met Lü Rui.

Originally, Liu Yifei was supposed to face a shortage of resources after filming "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

After all, Zhang Jizhong also needs to stop and rest for a while.

Although he holds the adaptation rights to fourteen of Jin Yong's books, including "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," and "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," not every one of them is suitable for Liu Yifei.

This is one of the reasons why Liu Xiaoli thought of arranging for her daughter to switch careers to singing.

But to everyone's surprise, right after filming wrapped up for "The Return of the Condor Heroes", another movie with an investment of over 100 million yuan was scheduled to air. It's like a dream!
Just then, Liu Yifei's excited shout rang in my ears: "Senior, we're here!"

Liu Xiaoli subconsciously looked up at the tall, upright young man not far away. The worry in her eyes disappeared, replaced by gentleness and admiration.

In his early twenties, he single-handedly made a name for himself in Hollywood.

Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!

Upon hearing Liu Yifei's call at the exit, Lü Rui smiled in her direction.

Immediately, a "beautiful" scene came into view.

Liu Yifei wore a moon-white long dress, her long hair loosely draped over her shoulders, with a few strands falling on either side of her face, swaying gently in the wind.

Her beauty carries a cool, scholarly air, like a lady stepping out of a traditional Chinese ink painting. When she smiles, the corners of her eyes slightly upturn, adding a touch of unintentional tenderness, like moonlight falling onto a lake, so gentle it makes one's heart tremble.

Jing Tian, ​​standing beside him, was a completely different person.

A brown cropped top paired with high-waisted jeans revealed her slender waist and long, straight legs.

Her hair was tied into two long, thin braids, hanging on both sides, which set off a passionate and vibrant beauty, like sunflowers blooming in summer.

Her eyes and brows shone brightly, as if they held stars within them. When she smiled, two small dimples appeared, radiating an irresistible energy that seemed ready to leap and pounce at her, crashing vitality into people's hearts.

The two held hands, one as cool and serene as moonlight, the other as bright and radiant as the sun, yet they were strangely harmonious, like a painting that combined strength and gentleness, captivating the eye.

Behind them stood another elegant and beautiful woman.

Liu Xiaoli possesses a composure and elegance befitting someone from a high-ranking official's family. Her well-tailored beige-gray suit skirt accentuates her graceful demeanor, while a delicate pearl necklace around her neck sways gently with her movements, adding a touch of warmth.

Her beauty is not the kind that is outwardly dazzling, but rather an elegance that is ingrained in her bones, a composure that has been polished by time.

Unlike the vibrant young women around her, she was more like a mellow, aged Pu'er tea.

Later, Zhou Yun, arm in arm with Jiang Wen, exudes a different kind of beauty.

The wine-red velvet gown trailed on the ground, moving like a flowing undercurrent as she walked.

Her beauty carries the richness and sharpness of a mature woman. When her eyes move, she has both the charm of an old-fashioned Shanghai pictorial girl and a touch of untamed heroism.

Unlike Liu Yifei's aloofness, Jing Tian's brightness, and Liu Xiaoli's nobility, her beauty is angular, like a glass of aged red wine, intense at first glance, but with distinct layers of sweetness upon closer tasting.

No wonder Jiang Wen couldn't help but get drunk after getting to know her.

The group of people walking through the airport corridor became a striking sight.

In the blink of an eye, the group had arrived in front of Lü Rui.

Liu Yifei chattered like a lark: "Senior, are you here to pick us up?"

"Hello, Director Lü..."

Jing Tian greeted them softly and gave a slight bow. Her assistant and agent quickly followed suit, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

Jiang Wen sniffed and frowned: "It's been a long time since I've been to Los Angeles. Why is the air getting worse and worse?"

"Thank you for your hard work."

After greeting everyone and introducing Peter Griffin, Lü Rui led them out of the airport.

After getting on the bus, he noticed Gu Changwei, who was wearing a mask the whole time and spoke very little.

Old Gu's face was still scratched by Jiang Wenli, so he kept a low profile the whole way.

Lü Rui understood his predicament, nodded to him, and didn't try to attract attention.

"What are our plans for the rest of the trip?"

Jiang Wen's cameo appearance in "Click" has ended, and he will be fully engaged in "Taken" this time.

After this movie is finished, it will be time for "The Sun Also Rises" to start filming.

"First, adjust to the time difference," Lü Rui explained the arrangements. "Tomorrow I will attend a press conference to mark the start of filming. Your task is to do makeup tests and familiarize yourselves with the filming location."

The press conference for the start of filming of "Taken" is the day after tomorrow. Domestic and international media will be there. Those who speak English can chat more, and those who are not so familiar with the subject will just need to make a brief appearance.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The van drove all the way to the hotel, and after settling everyone in, Lü Rui and Peter prepared to leave.

After leaving the hotel, the two walked towards the parking lot.

With the growing popularity of "Taken" and "I Am Legend", Lu Rui has become somewhat well-known in Hollywood.

With the film crew arriving by chartered plane today, attracting a lot of attention, he vaguely sensed that paparazzi were taking pictures of them.

But just then, someone suddenly walked quickly toward them.

Peter immediately stepped forward, blocking Lü Rui's path, and stared warily at the newcomer.

The man glanced at him, then turned to Lü Rui: "Lv, our boss has come to pick you up."

Lu Rui frowned slightly: "Your boss? Who?"

Harvey Weinstein.

As they were talking, the door of a minivan opened in the distance, revealing Harvey's chubby face.

He called out from afar, "Lv, did you see the party invitation I sent you? I'm here to pick you up for the party."

They've all come to us in person?

This guy is really persistent.

Lu Rui muttered to himself, glancing at the paparazzi staking out the hotel. After a moment's thought, he gave Peter a wink, then smiled and walked toward Harvey's van.

In broad daylight, under the clear sky, could this fat man possibly give himself to someone else?

Harvey had invited him many times before, but he had always made excuses to refuse. It seems that he can't avoid it this time.

Besides, he was also quite curious about what this guy wanted from him.

Once in the car, Lü Rui sat down in the empty seat next to Harvey.

Harvey laughed and first signaled the driver to start, then said, "I happen to be staying at this hotel too. What a coincidence!"

"That's quite a coincidence." Lü Rui calmly surveyed the situation inside the van.

The driver was in the front seat, and a burly man, clearly a bodyguard, was sitting in the passenger seat.

The person who came to invite him was probably his assistant.

Two other Hollywood stars he had met at the Oscars were Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the two male leads in "Good Will Hunting".

In an instant, many memories from his past life flashed through Lü Rui's mind.

He recalled seeing many news reports of these two big names praising Harvey in public and doing favors for him when he was using a VPN to access Twitter.

Considering their paths to fame, it's clear that Harvey was behind both of them.

Hollywood's social circles are similar to, or even more complex than, those in China.

Lu Rui had only seen Quentin and Harvey chatting happily before, but now it seems that the fat man's network of interests is far larger than he imagined.

"Lv, I've long admired your name."

"Lv, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello..."

After greeting Matt and Ben Affleck, Lü Rui chatted with Harvey and was surprised to learn that he was preparing to leave Miramax Films, which was now owned by Disney!

"Next, I plan to independently start my own film production and distribution company..."

Harvey enthusiastically described his plans.

Lu Rui was completely confused. Why was this guy telling him all this? Did he want to get him to invest in his new company?
Just then, the van turned into a street.

Unlike the filth and disorder outside, this neighborhood is exceptionally clean, with many sanitation workers sweeping along the way.

At every intersection, you can see LAPD patrols.

Lu Rui suddenly saw a road sign that clearly read "Beverly Hills".

Just then, his phone beeped with a text message from Peter, saying his car was prohibited from entering.

Lu Rui told him to wait outside, and then continued to observe the situation outside through the car window.

The van eventually drove into a villa.

After getting out of the car, Harvey enthusiastically introduced the property: "This is one of my private properties, worth $1100 million. The party will be held here tonight."

The villa is newly renovated and features an outdoor swimming pool, home theater, underground parking, helipad, gym, and private garden…

Lu Rui felt a little envious. He had recently been thinking of buying a villa in Beverly Hills, but unfortunately he didn't have enough money.

But along with the envy, my vigilance also skyrockets!

Who invites guests to a party and then immediately starts showing off their house as soon as they get out of the car? That's clearly malicious.

As they spoke, Harvey led him to the outdoor swimming pool.

The party had already begun, and the aroma of steaks from the barbecue grill, mixed with the sweet scent of champagne, filled the air. Taking a deep breath, one felt a strange sense of intoxication.

"Friends, let's welcome our new friend, Lv, from China, with warm applause!"

clap clap-

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted in and around the pool.

Lu Rui's eyes flashed quickly as he scanned the crowd.

Several tall, sexy women wearing bikinis were soaking in the pool; many of them were regulars for Victoria's Secret magazine.

There were quite a few familiar faces by the pool.

Harvey's best friend Quentin was holding a strange blonde woman in his arms, his large hands kneading her feet.

Sitting next to him was Woody Allen, who was embroiled in controversy in the early 90s for sexually assaulting his adopted daughter, and he was also holding a young girl in his arms.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt were chatting over champagne, neither of them accompanied by any women.

Also featured are Oscar winners Gwyneth Paltrow and Meryl Streep, as well as Uma Thurman from *Juneflower* and Catherine Zeta-Jones from *Ocean's Twelve*...

The scene before him left Lü Rui with only four words in his mind:

Snakes and rats are in cahoots!
By this time, he pretty much understood why Harvey had invited him. This guy wanted to pull him into this circle, to make him one of them!

Suppressing his frustration, Lü Rui greeted everyone.

Since he was already there, he decided to make the best of it and left without turning around.

Firstly, he didn't want to create a major enemy for himself unnecessarily, and secondly, he wanted to see what kind of incentive Harvey would use to lure him here since he had invited him here.

...

With upbeat music and swaying dance moves, this group of people were having a blast.

When Quentin Tarantino was gaining popularity, he even warmly invited Lü Rui to "taste" the essence of foot massage.

Seeing him licking with saliva dripping from his mouth, Lü Rui politely declined and quietly stepped aside.

He didn't think there was anything abnormal about Quentin's hobby, after all, he himself also liked looking at beautiful feet.

But sticking out your tongue... and looking completely blissful, that's just a bit too much!

Aren't you worried about getting athlete's foot from your mouth?

As the party progressed, several models in the pool had stripped completely naked, vividly demonstrating what it meant to be a scene of debauchery and debauchery.

One of the girls, with large, wavy hair, even struck a pose for Lü Rui, making him frown.

She's completely naked, without a single hair, does she really think she's sexy?
"Do you like it?" Harvey came over with a glass of champagne and winked at him. "If you like it, there's a bedroom upstairs."

Lu Rui smiled and shook his head: "I have a girlfriend."

Harvey laughed: "It's nothing serious, just a one-night stand. She'll leave tomorrow after tonight and won't bother you."

Lu Rui shook his head again, his attitude very firm.

"Damn it? A beautiful woman is practically offered to you and you still can't stand it? Are you even a man?"

Harvey cursed inwardly, waved at the woman, and completely gave up on trying to seduce her.

He sat down on the recliner next to Lv Rui, chatted about this and that for a while, and then asked, "Lv, what do you think of this villa?"

"Very good." Lü Rui didn't hide his liking for it.

Harvey leaned forward, his voice full of anticipation: "If you like it, I can give it to you."

If beauty doesn't work, is he now trying to entice people with real estate?

Lu Rui shook his head: "We Chinese have a saying, 'One should not accept rewards without merit.'"

“We can cooperate!” Harvey finally revealed the purpose of organizing the gathering tonight.

Cooperation?

Lu Rui looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Harvey waved his hand and pointed at the partygoers: "I have many friends and partners in Hollywood. Most of those who choose to work with me are enjoying a life of luxury that they could never have imagined before."

Once my new company is established, we can work together. You provide the scripts, and I'll assist with production and distribution. Together, we'll grow and become a stronger independent production company than Lionsgate..."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands.

An assistant quickly walked up from a short distance and handed over a contract.

Lu Rui reached out and took it, curiously flipping through it.

It contains many mutually beneficial cooperation clauses, such as joint investment and co-production. Harvey would also help resolve any difficulties encountered, such as casting, location scouting, and permit issues.

"As long as you're willing to cooperate, I can offer you the best terms, including this villa, which can be transferred to your name tomorrow..."

Harvey smiled like an old fox, trying his best to persuade him and listing his own advantages.

Once Lü Rui signs the contract, he will have the upper hand, and everything will be much easier.

Little did he know that although Lü Rui had drunk quite a bit, his mind was perfectly clear.

Hidden in an inconspicuous corner of the contract was a detailed clause: all scripts written and films produced by Party B in the future would be handled by Party A, Harvey.

This is practically binding him!

Once you sign this contract, you'll be working for someone else's benefit for the rest of your life.

Harvey only needed to give up a villa worth tens of millions of dollars, which was a completely unequal deal.

Lu Rui almost burst out laughing. Was this guy trying to fool him like a fool?

The instructor once said that we must be wary of other people's sugar-coated bullets!
Lu Rui narrowed his eyes, but didn't react immediately. He smiled, put away the contract, and said that he was sleepy and needed to go back to sleep. He would look at it carefully again after he woke up the next day.

"It's not too late to go back and check after you've signed it," Harvey tried to persuade him.

Lu Rui didn't mince words with him: "I need to consult with my lawyer before making a decision..."

Harvey's smile froze for a moment.
"However, this contract is quite good, it's just that some details need to be adjusted. I also really like this house."

Seeing that Lü Rui didn't refuse, Harvey's face lit up with a smile again: "There's a bedroom here..."

"I'm not used to sleeping in other people's beds. I can only sleep soundly once this villa is mine."

"Haha, I'll arrange for someone to take you back."

"No need, my friend is waiting for me outside."

After the entanglement ended, Lü Rui bid farewell to Harvey, Quentin, and the others, went out the door, first took a car to leave Beverly Hills, and then got into Peter's car parked on the side of the road and left.

"Lv? Is everything alright?"

"fine."

Lu Rui shook his head, glanced at the contract terms, pursed his lips, and was about to tear it up when his hand suddenly stopped.

Rats and cockroaches are not only disgusting to look at, but they also love to cause trouble behind the scenes.

If it can't be resolved in one go, it's best not to provoke it.

Thinking of this, his eyes lit up and he had an idea: "Peter, contact a lawyer tomorrow and have him find fault with this contract. Remember, be slow, don't rush it, it's best to drag it out for a year or two..."

He briefly explained what happened tonight.

Peter immediately understood: "Okay, I'll find an intern lawyer to handle it."

Signing a contract is not a matter of a day or two. As long as Lü Rui does not refuse on the spot, Harvey will most likely not do anything behind the scenes to facilitate the cooperation.

As for that villa...

Lu Rui pondered it over and felt it was still a bit small. Moreover, the pool didn't look clean, and there might be some bacteria left behind. He dared not accept it.

He's been eyeing a big house at a real estate agency these past few days, but it costs over forty million dollars, so he needs to save up some more money...

……

3 month 5 day.

Warner Bros. Studios.

The press conference for the start of filming of "I Am Legend".

In front of numerous domestic and international media outlets, Lü Rui made a formal appearance with James Wan, Zack Snyder, Denzel Washington, Andy Serkis, and others.

Representatives from investors Warner Bros., Sony, Lionsgate, China Film Group, and Shanghai Film Group were also present.

A $1.5 million project is definitely a top-tier blockbuster in today's Hollywood market!

It's worth noting that the average production cost of a Hollywood film is only $6000 million, while $1.5 million is far above the average and belongs to the top 10% of high-budget films.

The same year saw the production of "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," which cost approximately $1.13 million, while "King Kong" cost $200 million.

"I Am Legend" falls somewhere in between, belonging to the core budget range of science fiction, fantasy, and action blockbusters.

This type of budget is typically used for top-tier cast members (actors' salaries), large-scale location shooting, complex special effects, and global marketing, and is a typical setup for Hollywood to create a "box office bomb"!

A bottle of 82 Lafite was opened to celebrate today's launch event.

On stage, Lu Rui, dressed in a sharp suit, spoke eloquently to the cameras of media outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, detailing the top-notch production of "I Am Legend" and his expectations for its box office performance.

Below the stage, the cast and crew of "Taken," who had come to familiarize themselves with the film set, gazed at him intently, unable to hide their envy and admiration.

"Senior is so handsome!" Liu Yifei's eyes were practically sparkling.

She simply couldn't believe how someone could be so outstanding!
Compared to the classmates and male actors who had subtly expressed their feelings for her during school and filming, Lü Rui, with his imposing presence on stage, was simply incomparable!
Jing Tian, ​​standing beside her, also had her beautiful eyes shining; this was the kind of person she should admire!
But... Lü Rui seems to be a full 6 years older than her?
Unlike the two men's worship, Jiang Wen couldn't hide his admiration.

"Look." He nudged Gu Changwei's arm and muttered, "This is the thoroughbred horse I dug up."

"..."

Gu Changwei rolled his eyes inwardly.

Damn, you've really put on a show. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were his son.

After the press conference, filming of "I Am Legend" officially began.

Denzel Washington exudes top-tier status befitting his $2000 million net worth, standing in front of the camera with his dog on a leash, his eyes displaying both alert sharpness and a hardcore toughness!
Even the dogs beside him were professional animal actors hired at a daily wage of $240 (about 2000 RMB).

As he left, Lü Rui patted Peter on the shoulder and instructed him, "Be sure to control costs."

“Okay.” Peter nodded emphatically.

With a total investment of $1.5 million, and a planned budget of $7000 million for filming, cost control is indeed crucial.

Of course, the quality must not be compromised, after all, we still have to answer to the investors.

To be a film company boss, you have to be ruthless yet kind-hearted, and get things done beautifully.

...

Meanwhile, as filming began, news from Hollywood was immediately relayed back to China.

The news caused an uproar instantly!
"The action blockbuster 'I Am Legend,' written and produced by Lü Rui, has officially started filming in Hollywood."

"A $1.5 million investment, equivalent to over 12 billion RMB, marks another miracle by a Chinese director..."

Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and Lionsgate all praise: Lu Rui is a miracle among Chinese commercial film directors!

There are quite a few Chinese actors, directors, and producers who have made their way in Hollywood, such as Li An and Wu Yu.

However, it is extremely rare for someone to achieve what Lü Rui has at the age of 23!
The capital city, China Film Group.

Wu Yugang and China Film Group finalized the investment for "Red Cliff", securing nearly 5 million RMB in funding.

Although he was sent back by Hollywood, he plans to rebuild his career in the country!
But before he could even boast about it, Lu Rui, who went to Hollywood after him, actually came up with a $1.5 million project.

More importantly, they are also the screenwriter and producer!

Having spent many years in Hollywood, he knew all too well how difficult it was to get his scripts approved by those guys in Hollywood.

But now, Lü Rui has done it!

"This young man is quite capable," he couldn't help but remark.

"You mean Lü Rui?" Han Sanping was also watching the news. Hearing this, he laughed and said, "He is indeed the most outstanding young director I have ever met."

"..."

Wu Yu was speechless for a moment.

He has always been proud of his achievements in Hollywood, especially Mission: Impossible 2 in 2000, which became the highest-grossing film worldwide with $5.46 million.

His masterpiece is the 97 film "The King of Masks".

Li An wanted to break his record, but failed.

But now, it seems that an even stronger upstart has emerged?

Amidst the buzz in the film and television industry, netizens have also turned their attention to the matter.

However, their focus wasn't just on film investment, but also on the 2004 Forbes Celebrity List...

(End of this chapter)