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

Chapter 177 Official Announcement: "I'm Not a Medicine God"! A Top-Tier Sci-Fi Project! The Steamed Bun is Born! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Unfortunately, on its opening day, The Promise only grossed 2115 million yuan, failing to break the opening day record of Taken's 2463 million yuan."

"When reporters went to the cinema to interview audience members, many commented that 'The Promise' had chaotic dialogue, outrageous costumes, and was difficult to understand..."

"The film 'The Promise' has suffered a sharp drop in reputation, with numerous traditional print and online media outlets publishing articles criticizing it for being pretentious, having a hollow plot, and being incomprehensible..."

"The daily box office of 'Perhaps Love' has dropped to less than one million yuan. Since its release, the cumulative box office has reached 2736 million yuan, and the box office data is shrouded in doubt."

……

On the morning of the 16th, before Lü Rui even got out of bed, he saw a flood of news online.

Without exception, they were all "sharp reviews" of "The Promise" and Chen Kaige.

It's rare to see traditional print media and internet media so united; all you see are pessimistic opinions.

Those film critics who received travel expenses, though forced to praise the films, did so with remarkable "restraint."

After all, they are all industry insiders. After watching the movie, they can roughly judge its quality and naturally know how to phrase it.

As for the audience, they all went to the movie theater with high expectations at first.

Even if I didn't understand it after watching it the first time, I didn't really suspect that there was a problem with the movie's plot. Instead, I wondered if there was something wrong with me. Was I distracted? Did I miss something in the plot?
But when I got home and went online...

Ok!

Turns out, nobody understood it!
If one or two people didn't understand it, perhaps it's their own problem.

But everyone who watched it felt confused, which is clearly a problem with the movie.

"I think this movie is purely a comedy, and it's a ruthless trampling on ancient Chinese philosophy and culture. Wuji? What a load of rubbish!"

"No way? With this quality, you dare to compare it to 'Hero'? You might as well just go to sleep."

"I thought it was gold, but after all that hype, it turns out to be a pile of shit..."

"Seriously? You think I'm an idiot? This is supposed to be an 'epic' blockbuster? Are you kidding me?"

Lu Rui turned off the computer and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, at the premiere, I only commented on the visuals and didn't recommend the plot, otherwise I might be in big trouble now.

Just like Feng Xiaogang, who praised "The Promise" to the media at the premiere: "Director Kai has created magnificent, epic visuals, and the plot is breathtaking. This is exactly what 'The Banquet' wanted to show..."

Many people went to see "The Promise" after hearing his words.

After watching it, people realized they had been fooled and even turned their anger towards "The Banquet," questioning whether this movie was also like "The Promise," deliberately creating suspense.
Feng Xiaogang secretly cursed his bad luck. He wanted to protest but was afraid of offending Chen Kaige, so he could only keep his anger bottled up inside...

In the office of China Film Group.

Han Sanping smoked a cigarette, scratching his head in worry.

He started out in film distribution, so he knows all too well what this wave of public opinion means for "The Promise".

Back then, it was he who overruled all objections and made the decision to let China Film Group independently produce "The Promise".

His original intention was to emulate Zhang Weiping's success in making a name for himself in the industry with "Hero" and deliver an outstanding performance for the company.

But now, these results are about to become a joke...

Fortunately, the success of "Taken" offset the shortcomings; otherwise, I would probably have been criticized when I reported to my superiors at the end of the month.

"Jingle Bell!"

The phone on the desk suddenly rang.

Han Sanping picked up his phone and glanced at the caller ID; it was Chen Hong.

He frowned and pressed the answer button.

Chen Hong's voice was filled with obvious anxiety: "President Han, look at the public opinion online... Can you think of a way to suppress it? Many media outlets are writing nonsense. If this continues, the box office will be completely ruined."

"You have a wide network of connections, could you please ask the media to stop focusing on 'The Promise'?"

Han Sanping pinched the bridge of his nose and said in a deep voice, "Given the current situation, public opinion has exploded. Forcibly suppressing it will probably only backfire..."

That was the truth, but he had deeper concerns in his heart.

With the leadership transition imminent, countless eyes are fixed on his position.

If someone uses this as leverage to accuse him of interfering with media freedom of speech, then he'll be in big trouble.

The most important thing right now is to stay calm and not make any mistakes at this critical juncture.

"What should we do now?" Chen Hong's voice was filled with helplessness.

"Don't worry, I'll think of something else." Han Sanping interrupted her, mumbled a few words, and then hung up the phone.

He put down his phone, lit another cigarette, and fell into deep thought.

With an investment of 3.5 million yuan, it would need at least 10 billion yuan in box office revenue to break even.

Judging from the current situation in China, it's clear that we can't count on them.

The other ad placements only generated 3000 million, which is a drop in the ocean.

To recoup their costs, they can only pin their hopes on overseas markets, relying on overseas copyrights and box office revenue.

It needs to at least achieve a box office of over $6000 million, like "Taken".

But can "The Promise" achieve the same level of success given its current reputation?
Han Sanping looked out the window at the gray sky, feeling completely uncertain.

However, just as he was having a headache, the phone rang urgently again.

He answered the call in a flustered state, but the next second, his furrowed brows suddenly relaxed, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "You mean, 'The Promise' was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film?"

The voice on the other end of the phone confirmed: "Yes! I just received the message."

Han Sanping's voice rose several decibels with excitement: "Quickly, spread this news, and let it be known that 'The Promise' is going to compete for an Oscar, in order to boost the box office."

"Yes, Mr. Han, I'll arrange it right away."

After hanging up the phone, Han Sanping's tense nerves finally relaxed a bit, and even the cigarette between his fingers loosened slightly.

That afternoon, the headlines online changed.

A deluge of press releases came flooding in:

"The Promise" nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 63rd Golden Globe Awards, aiming for the Oscars!

The Golden Globe nominations have been announced, and "The Promise" will embark on its journey to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Breaking News! "The Promise" Receives Golden Globe Nomination, Aiming for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film

The publicity had an immediate effect, and many viewers who initially scoffed at "The Promise" went to the theater with skepticism, thinking that "it might have something special about it."

Chen Kaige's name is still quite well-known, after all, he has the Palme d'Or. Even if the movie's reputation is not good, there are still many people who think that maybe they can find some different value in the shit.
Thus, amidst overwhelming controversy, "The Promise" stumbled its way forward amidst the storm of public opinion.

……

Lü Rui has been keeping a very low profile these past few days, focusing entirely on the preparations for "Dying to Survive" and never making a public appearance.

The main reason is that the media has been staking out people everywhere these past few days, hoping to dig up insiders' opinions on "The Promise".

For example, after Li Chengru was blocked, he commented that "the Promise" was "more form than content".

This prompted Chen Kaige to retort that he was an old fogey who couldn't understand modern films...

The water was too murky, and Lü Rui really didn't want to get involved, lest he get himself into trouble.

Time flies, and it's already late December.

On the 22nd, Zhang Yimou's "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" was officially released.

On the other hand, the box office of "Perhaps Love" ultimately stopped at 3000 million and was taken off the screens.

Although the film's audiovisual presentation and musical numbers are quite good, the storyline is somewhat stereotypical and clichéd, so its performance is understandable.

However, the controversy continues online.

Many people questioned the high likelihood of box office fraud, given the significant discrepancy between the film's first three days' performance and the final figures.

Some people say it must have been faked, since Chen Hong has already revealed the truth.

Some countered that Zhou Xun and Takeshi Kaneshiro's box office appeal was undeniable, and the later decline was solely due to plot issues.

Both sides stuck to their own versions of events and argued fiercely.

Although no one in the industry spoke up, they all knew exactly what was going on.

How can a box office that broke 18 million in the first four days suddenly plummet afterwards?
It's obvious without even guessing that the film's distributor, Star Media, definitely tampered with the film, but they had to stop because Chen Hong exposed their secret and they were forced to do so under public pressure.

Of the 3000 million figure, at least 1000 million is inflated, but it's just that people in the industry don't want to point it out.

As for "The Promise," it grossed 6700 million yuan in its opening week.

Although the box office improved somewhat after the news of the Golden Globe nominations broke, it is still far from breaking even.

On the China Film Group side, Han Sanping looked at the data reported by his secretary, feeling as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart, making it hard to breathe.

On the other side, Chen Kaige had a frosty expression, staring intently at the news on his computer screen.

He has been keeping a close eye on the reviews of "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" ever since it was released.

But the feedback he received left him feeling uneasy and uncomfortable.

The attitude of the Beijing Film Academy, in particular, made him extremely frustrated!
Despite the fact that he and Zhang Yimou are both representative figures of the fifth generation of directors who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, the school turned a blind eye to "The Promise" this time, without offering a single word of support.

In contrast, "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" has received endless praise.

In particular, Tian Zhuangzhuang praised "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" to the skies in a public interview: "Zhang Yimou's film perfectly captures the subtlety and deep emotions of Easterners."

Without any fancy techniques, it moves people entirely through the story itself. The fatherly love that transcends language warms the heart. This is a truly good work that is rooted in life…

However, he didn't offer a single word of support for "The Promise".

This stark contrast was like a thorn in Chen Kaige's heart, making him feel particularly uncomfortable.

What upset him even more was the overwhelming positive reviews online for "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles":
"Zhang Yimou knows so well how to touch people's hearts with details. Ken Takakura's silent eyes are full of acting. That kind of restrained longing is more heart-wrenching than a desperate cry."

"Without grand scenes, but with the most profound emotions, this is Zhang Yimou's true artistic level."

"After watching it, I felt both heartbroken and warmed. We may not speak the same language, but we share the same fatherly love. This kind of resonance that transcends national boundaries is so rare."

"..."

Seeing such positive reviews, and then comparing them with the negative reviews of "The Promise," Chen Kaige's eyes turned red, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged.

Previously, he had always regarded Zhang Yimou as his most direct rival.

His inherent pride made him firmly believe that he was absolutely superior to his opponent in every way.

From the early success of "Yellow Earth" to the profound impact of "The Grand Parade," then to "Farewell My Concubine" which won the Palme d'Or, and later "The Emperor and the Assassin"...

He has won numerous honors along the way and is proud of his family background and origins. He always subconsciously regards Zhang Yimou, who comes from humble beginnings, as his pursuer.

But now, he has lost miserably.

The Promise was ridiculed, while its rival's work received rave reviews.

"boom!"

Chen Kai slammed his fist on the table, gritting his teeth and growling, his voice filled with resentment and anger: "I spent so many years, pouring my heart and soul into making this classic, and these commoners know nothing! They're all blind..."

……

On the 23rd, the box office results for the first day of "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" were released, with a total of 355 million yuan.

Compared to the 546 million views of "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella" during the same period, this result is obviously much inferior.

But as an art film, this result is already a satisfactory performance. The key is that it has received excellent reviews and can be called the best film in the December release period.

In contrast, "The Promise" saw its daily box office revenue plummet below 10 million.

Given this situation, breaking 100 million is a certainty, but breaking even is still a long way off...

Lü Rui received a call from Han Sanping.

The voice on the phone carried a hint of barely perceptible fatigue: "How's the preparation for 'Dying to Survive' going? Can we announce it to the public yet?"

Han Sanping has been under a lot of pressure these past few days.

As the box office of "The Promise" continued to decline, he was so worried that he couldn't even sleep soundly.

It's worth noting that he was the one who defied public opinion and strongly supported "The Promise," even going so far as to force China Film Group to produce it exclusively, emulating Zhang Weiping's "dictatorial" approach.

Therefore, the huge losses they are now in can only be borne by China Film Group.

At previous year-end summary meetings, his competitors would always bring up this matter, intentionally or unintentionally, putting him in a very passive position.

Fortunately, it's common for movies to lose money, and with the outstanding performance of "Taken," making up for the losses wasn't too difficult, though it inevitably drew criticism.

So he thought he should quickly launch a few new projects to bolster his business.

But where are there so many top-tier projects right now? He thinks the project from Ruishijie is the most suitable to promote and give it a boost.

Upon hearing this, Lü Rui immediately understood his thoughts and said, "Your call came at the perfect time. I was just about to tell you that I plan to officially announce the establishment of this project."

"Haha, good..."

Han Sanping was overjoyed and hurriedly began to explain the details of cooperating with the publicity, his eagerness barely concealed in his voice.

Lu Rui knew that offering help in times of need was more appreciated than adding to someone's success, so he offered another generous gift:
"Oh, right, there's also that big production project we talked about before. If you need it, you can release some information about it first. I've already finished part of the script outline."

Upon hearing this, Han Sanping immediately stood up from his chair, unable to hide his excitement: "That science fiction project?"

“That’s right,” Lü Rui replied.

"Oh my, you've really helped me a lot..." Han Sanping paced back and forth in the office excitedly, his voice trembling.

"Should I have someone send over the script outline and the first draft of the project proposal now?"

"No! No need! I'll arrange for someone to go and get it. Don't bother yourself."

Less than half an hour after hanging up the phone, Han Sanping's secretary arrived at Ruishijie.

Lu Rui handed him the two documents.

The secretary solemnly accepted the gift and, before leaving, specifically conveyed: "President Han asked me to tell you that he will remember this favor!"

"it is good."

Lü Rui smiled.

This is the effect he wants.

……

It's clear that Han Sanping is really anxious.

The day after the document was received, several news items were published by the media, like multiple "nuclear bombs" being dropped on the entertainment industry:
"The realistic drama project 'Dying to Survive,' produced by Ruishijie and co-produced by China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, Xi'an Film Group, Beijing Film Studio, Aihua Film & Television, Haishi Film & Television, Golden Shield Film & Television, and the People's Procuratorate Film & Television Center, has been officially launched today!"

"Dying to Survive will be directed by Lü Rui, a leading figure among the seventh generation of directors and the record holder for domestic box office, with Han Sanping serving as producer/executive producer..."

"Breaking news! The top-tier Sino-foreign co-production sci-fi blockbuster 'Pacific Rim,' spearheaded by Ruishijie and co-produced by China Film Group, with an investment of up to 2 million US dollars, is in preparation."

The film tells the story of a giant monster from another world emerging from a cave at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and relentlessly attacking a series of cities along the Pacific Rim... To defend against the attacks, humanity assembles a mecha army equipped with cutting-edge technology to fight the monster...

Although there are only two projects, their popularity has completely overshadowed all the other films in the Lunar New Year season!
"A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella" is currently capitalizing on the nostalgia factor of "A Chinese Odyssey" to boost box office sales, hoping to become a dark horse in the Lunar New Year film season.

It certainly has potential, after all, it has been supported by fans of "A Chinese Odyssey" for over ten years.

However, faced with the impact of "Dying to Survive" and "Pacific Rim," its popularity collapsed instantly, and all attention was drawn away.

Liu Zhenwei was full of questions and stared at Yang Shoucheng for a while before he finally came to his senses.

"Chairman Yang? Has the mainland film market become this powerful? They're actually able to produce a $2 million Sino-foreign co-production sci-fi blockbuster?!"

"I do not know!"

Yang Shoucheng was completely stunned at this moment, but he quickly came to his senses.

Will all those favors we've accumulated come in handy now?!
While he was deep in thought, the internet had already completely exploded!

"Dying to Survive? A realistic drama? Is Director Lü aiming for awards again? I wonder which big award he's targeting this time?"

"$2 million? A sci-fi project? Pacific Rim? Holy crap! They don't usually make moves, but when they do, it's this big?!"

"What are 'Hero,' 'The Promise,' and 'The Banquet'? Wuxia, Eastern fantasy, and historical epics are all junior compared to science fiction! Director Lü is awesome!"

"I knew it! Lü Rui wouldn't stop now. 'The Banquet' cost 1.6 million RMB, 'Hero' 2.475 million, 'The Promise' 3.4 million... Now, with 'Pacific Rim' out, who can compete? 2 million USD! That's 16.38 billion RMB! Holy crap! He's gone mad!"

"Awesome! This is what you call a big production! Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, you all come out and see what a big production is."

The internet was in an uproar, and the industry was in an uproar as if a major earthquake had occurred.

From the moment I opened my eyes in the morning, Lü Rui's phone kept ringing.

"This Han Sanping only knows how to promote China Film Group, but he never mentions Shanghai Film Group. He takes all the credit..."

Ren Zhonglun called, ostensibly to complain about Han Sanping, but his real intention was something else entirely.

Lu Rui replied with a smile, "Don't worry, Chairman Ren. President Han may have forgotten you, but I won't."

"Haha, okay." Having gotten the answer he wanted, Ren Zhonglun happily hung up the phone and turned to "trouble" Han Sanping.

It's too late to shut it down, and there's no way to do so anyway.

There are some people whose calls you absolutely must answer, otherwise they might just "come to your door" in a confrontation.

"Don't worry, Mr. Wang, there will be no shortage of lighting..."

"President Dong... President Wang... President Ye..."

The phone kept ringing, and Lü Rui answered most of them.

When he saw Yu Dong's caller ID, he didn't answer it at all.

After the last collaboration turned into such a mess, how dare you still try to get involved this time? Have you no shame? Have you completely lost all sense of decency?
In Bona's office.

Yu Dong paced back and forth in the room, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty, as he looked at the three unanswered calls.

The phone wasn't turned off, and it would occasionally give a "busy" notification, which clearly meant the caller didn't want to answer.

At that moment, he was filled with deep regret!

I knew this, why should I be at the beginning?
The last collaboration with Ruishijie ended so badly, and now they have two heavyweight projects, while I can't even get a piece of the action.

If we miss out on this project, the losses will be enormous!

The thought of other companies reaping the rewards while he could only watch helplessly filled him with a pang of heartache.

After pondering for a moment, he quickly went out the door and headed straight for China Film Group.

Now we can only hope to find a solution from Han Sanping, even if it's just a scrap.

Meanwhile, at New Pictures Company, Zhang Weiping was muttering sarcastically, "Han Sanping is really lucky."

He thought that Han Sanping would definitely suffer a big setback after the failure of "The Promise", but he didn't expect that he would be saved by Ruishijie's new project.

"Although Director Lü is young, his abilities are indeed not to be underestimated." Zhang Yimou's assessment was quite objective.

He knew in his heart that "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" were the limits of what he could handle.

As for larger productions, he might not be able to handle them.

But Lü Rui dared to take on a $2 million project; he's truly skilled and daring!

"Ha, once he stumbles, he'll know why the flowers are so red." Zhang Weiping was still full of dissatisfaction.

Because he was planning to take advantage of the overwhelming positive reviews of "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" to promote "Curse of the Golden Flower" with all his might.

Unexpectedly, the two projects jointly announced by China Film Group and Ruishijie have stolen all the limelight, causing all the hype they had built up to go to waste.

"Damn it, this Han Sanping..." Zhang Weiping spat angrily, cursing inwardly, "This guy is really tough as nails, it won't be easy to bring him down!"

……

At the same time, in Huayi's office.

Seeing Wang Zhonglei's excited and animated expression after hanging up the phone, Feng Xiaogang couldn't help but roll his eyes, his tone laced with sarcasm: "A $2 million sci-fi film? And a Sino-foreign co-production? I doubt it."

We spent 16 million RMB to make "The Banquet" and we were under so much pressure. He's throwing 1.6 billion RMB at it, isn't he afraid that he won't even make a splash?

"Pacific Rim? That name sounds like a money pit. Whether it can even break even is a question, let alone make money."

However, Wang Zhonglei saw things more clearly than him, and shook his head to explain: "You really shouldn't disbelieve me. If nothing unexpected happens, Lü Rui will probably make a fortune before filming even starts."

Think about it, it's a Sino-foreign co-production. Those foreigners will definitely invest the lion's share. With a little maneuvering, he could easily rake in tens of millions of dollars just from pre-sales of copyrights and revenue sharing from co-productions.

Having been in the industry for so many years, Feng Xiaogang is naturally very familiar with the inside story of these capital operations.

Now that Wang Zhonglei has pointed it out, he was speechless for a moment.

He suddenly realized that even if he worked himself to the bone filming "The Banquet" and it became a huge hit, the profits he could actually make might not even amount to a fraction of what Lü Rui could have earned during the pre-production phase of "Pacific Rim".

In an instant, a strong sense of frustration surged into his heart, making it difficult for him to even breathe.

"No, it seems we need to hurry up and finish the post-production of 'The Banquet' so we can release it as soon as possible. We can't afford to clash with this blockbuster..."

……

While the news was generating buzz both inside and outside the industry, Lü Rui had already arrived at the company.

As soon as I got out of the car, unsurprisingly, the media, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately surrounded me, bombarding me with questions:
"Director Lü, is it true that Pacific Rim has a budget of $2 million? Which overseas company will be involved in this Sino-foreign co-production?"

"The concept of mechs fighting monsters is very novel. What special considerations did you have for this theme?"

"With such a large investment, what is the box office target? Aren't you worried about recouping the costs?"

When is Pacific Rim expected to start filming? Have you come up with any initial ideas for the cast?

"As a film with a realistic theme, is 'Dying to Survive' already aiming for major awards both domestically and internationally?"

Listening to these questions, Lü Rui sighed inwardly. Sure enough, commercial blockbusters still attract more attention; hardly anyone asked about "Dying to Survive".

He stopped and gave a brief response:
"The investment is indeed substantial. The specific details are still under discussion, and we will make an official announcement once they are finalized."

"As for the subject matter, I wanted to shoot something different, something that people would find quite refreshing."

"Box office target? How can you make a movie without thinking about it being a box office hit? But let's focus on making a good movie first."

"The start date and cast can only be determined after the preparations are complete; we can't rush it."

"The purpose of 'Dying to Survive' was to tell a good story; the awards were just a natural consequence..."

His words were always brief and ambiguous, as if spoken through a fog, which only fueled the reporters' curiosity even more.

Before they could ask any further questions, Lü Rui had already turned and entered the company.

The crowd wanted to continue pressing for more information, but the security guards stopped them.

Back in his office, the first thing Lü Rui did was lock the script for "Pacific Rim" in a safe.

No matter how curious the outside world is, his current focus must be on "Dying to Survive".

This realistic drama requires complete dedication.

As for Pacific Rim, we'll have to wait until Dying to Survive finishes filming, or until I have some free time before we can move forward with it.

The reason for choosing Pacific Rim is actually quite simple.

This big-budget sci-fi production is inherently newsworthy, and it doesn't involve any complicated copyright disputes.

At the same time, the battle between mechs and monsters can create enough visually stunning scenes.

It's important to understand that films with such strong visual impact are likely to attract attention in any market, just like the then-popular "King Kong".

Moreover, this type of subject matter is naturally suitable for attracting investment, and both domestic and foreign capital are willing to pay for this "globally applicable" appeal.

More importantly, mecha is a passion that Lü Rui has had since childhood, especially the image of fighting alongside the steel giant, which embodies the romance in every man's bones.

Being able to film it myself and bring it to the big screen is an extremely exciting thing in itself!
……

The entire Chinese entertainment industry was abuzz with news about "Pacific Rim" and "Dying to Survive".

Investors were scrambling to get involved, directors couldn't hide their envy, and actors were pulling strings everywhere, just to find out how to secure a role.

Meanwhile, Chen Kaige was still in a predicament of great difficulty, except for "The Promise".

As the film's reputation worsened day by day, the pressure on his shoulders grew heavier and heavier.

In the past few days, he and his team have frequently appeared on TV programs, as guests on various interviews and portal websites, repeatedly trying to explain the connotation and ideas of "The Promise".

This was his last gamble; he was trying to teach the audience how to "understand" the film.

At the same time, in order to compete for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, he even arranged for "The Promise" to have a limited screening in North America.

But then came the Hollywood year-end battle, with three blockbusters—I Am Legend, King Kong, and The Chronicles of Narnia—fighting it out, while "The Promise" didn't even make a splash...

Just when he was feeling utterly defeated, news of "Dying to Survive" and "Pacific Rim" suddenly broke out.

He was amazed by Lü Rui's boldness, but at the same time he was even more aware that China Film Group had completely... or rather, semi-completely abandoned "The Promise".

"Don't overwork yourself, your health is important." Chen Hong brought him a glass of warm water and gently placed it beside him, her voice as soft as a feather. "The movie is already like this, we did our best, it's not your fault."

Chen Kai looked up at her, his eyes filled with exhaustion, but he relaxed a little when he met her gaze: "I'm not reconciled... How did something I spent three years polishing become a joke?"

Chen Hong held his hand and said earnestly, "In my heart, 'The Promise' has never been a joke. You are a director who has won the Palme d'Or. You can overcome this hurdle. At worst, we can start over. I will always be with you."

Her adoration for her man was always open and undisguised...

Chen Kaige took a deep breath, gripped her hand tightly in return, and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, I will."

However, just a few minutes after the two had been encouraging each other, the assistant rushed in from outside, her face pale, shouting, "Something terrible has happened!"

"What kind of behavior is this, all so careless and sloppy?" Chen Hong frowned and scolded.

Although Chen Kaige is the company boss, she basically makes all the decisions inside and outside the company, and everyone under her knows her personality.

Throughout the entertainment industry, everyone who mentions her praises her as "Mrs. Chen, virtuous and kind," saying she manages her home and work impeccably.

The assistant composed himself and said anxiously, "Mr. Chen, you...you must check online! Someone is maliciously editing 'The Promise,' and it's spreading everywhere!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Hong's heart sank, and she immediately turned on her computer and logged onto the website.

Chen Kaige also joined in.

At this moment, the homepage headline prominently displayed the following title:
A bloody incident triggered by a steamed bun!
Chen Hong's fingertips trembled as she clicked on the video.

As soon as the scene appeared, familiar clips from "The Promise" were scrambled and rearranged, accompanied by playful narration and humorous subtitles.

The originally grand war scenes were cut into "gang fights triggered by steamed buns", and the scenes between Qingcheng and Wuhuan were turned into "love and hate caused by fighting over steamed buns"... Even the lines were altered to be absurd and ridiculous, turning an "epic blockbuster" into a nonsensical comedy.

Halfway through the reading, Chen Hong's face turned bright red, her chest heaved violently, and she was panting heavily with anger.

"This is outrageous!" Chen Kai slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Call the police! Call the police! Find this man! Get him a lawyer! I'm going to sue him! I'll make him pay!"

His eyes were bloodshot and his whole body was trembling!

This isn't just malicious editing; it's clearly trampling on his hard work!

(End of this chapter)