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

Chapter 188 Marrying my senior and having a few children with him... (Seeking monthly votes)
"Siyan, I heard that President Wang introduced you to a female-led project a few days ago? It's called... something like 'Apple,' is that right?"

Outside the audition room for "Dying to Survive", Li Bingbing took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Huo Siyan.

If you look closely, you'll notice that her eyes were constantly glued to Fan Bingbing, and there was a hint of deliberate intent in her tone.

The two ice demons had been fighting each other for a long time, and whenever they had a chance, they would always try to stab each other.

"Yes, it's an award-contending project co-directed by Tong Dawei and Liang Jiahui, and directed by Li Yu." Huo Siyan's tone was full of pride.

This level of resource was extremely rare for her, and she had long wanted to find an opportunity to show it off.

Now that Li Bingbing brought it up, she naturally straightened her back and even raised her voice.

"Slut!" Li Bingbing cursed inwardly, but turned to Fan Bingbing with a smile, casually adding, "How come I remember? Director Li Yu contacted you first, right? Bingbing, did you lose to Siyan during the audition and give up the role?"

These words were like a thorn, piercing Fan Bingbing's heart on the spot.

She had already fallen out with Wang Zhonglei recently because she was unwilling to renew her contract with Huayi Brothers.

Unexpectedly, the other party directly handed over the leading role project that should have belonged to her to Huo Siyan, which was clearly a warning.

If it were any other actress, she might have been forced to back down long ago.

But how could Fan Bingbing, who went from playing the maid Jin Suo in "My Fair Princess" to being able to compete with the "Four Dan Actresses" today, be a pushover?
Her rebellious spirit was instantly ignited, and she became even more determined in her mind.

She's definitely canceling this contract!

She would never tolerate this!

With a smirk playing on her red lips, she retorted with a sharp glint in her eyes, "Is the older sister mocking the younger sister?"

"How could I dare..." Li Bingbing continued sarcastically.

"If you don't dare, then shut your stinking mouth!" Fan Bingbing immediately launched into a tirade, showing no mercy. "What right do you have to laugh at me here? Zhou Xun stole so many brand endorsements from you, why don't you go and settle accounts with her?"

"I'll be able to retire completely by next year at the latest. At worst, I can take a year off and be free. But what about you? You're still stuck at Huayi Brothers, aren't you?"

"You!" Li Bingbing opened her mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

Although she was very angry, she also understood the principle of mutual dependence.

Although Fan Bingbing and she constantly fought, they were also allies when facing Zhou Xun.

Now that the other party is leaving, she will face even greater pressure from Zhou Xun and Huo Siyan, the "PR girl"!

"Don't be angry, sisters. It's not good to hurt our harmony." Huo Siyan wanted to add fuel to the fire.

But the next second, Fan Bingbing suddenly turned to look at her, her tone even more sarcastic: "What do you think you are? You can't even tie your belt properly, and you dare to jump in front of me?"

"You want to win awards? Someone like you, who wouldn't even get a decent movie credit, what awards could you possibly win? Don't end up ruining your reputation and image before the role even makes you famous..."

These words were sharp and incisive, silencing Li Bingbing and tearing away Huo Siyan's pretense of modesty, instantly turning both of their faces ashen.

Fan Bingbing, however, acted as if nothing had happened. She pulled her coat tighter, her eyes filled with a queenly aura that said, "Who the hell messes with me? I'll crush them!" She stared at the two people opposite her with disdain.

The assistants of the three men standing nearby watched this scene without daring to utter a sound, but they were all on edge.

If a fight breaks out and someone scratches their face with their fingernails and disfigures them, that would be a huge problem!

It took Huo Siyan a while to recover from the oppressive aura of Fan Bingbing.

Just as she was about to retort, footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

Turning around, I saw Lü Rui leading Shen Ao, members of the "Dying to Survive" project team, and Liu Yifei walking over together.

The tense atmosphere between the three instantly dissipated, replaced by bright smiles.

"Director Lü, Director Shen, Yifei!"

Fan Bingbing greeted them warmly first, her tone familiar, which earned her a gentle response from the three of them.

Liu Yifei even winked at her.

After working together on "Sunny Sisters," the two have become friends who can chat a bit in private.

Li Bingbing and Huo Siyan quickly followed up to greet them.

Although Liu Yifei was not familiar with Li Bingbing, she noticed the other party's goodwill and nodded politely.

But when it was Huo Siyan's turn, the smile on her face vanished instantly.

She simply doesn't like what she doesn't like; she's too lazy to even pretend.

Moreover, in her eyes, Huo Siyan was not worthy of her feigning politeness.

"Oh no! This is bad..."

Huo Siyan keenly noticed this subtle difference in attitude, and her face immediately darkened.

Coincidentally, she was the first one to audition.

I reluctantly walked into the audition room, only to walk out disappointed a few minutes later.

She knew all too well the power of "pillow talk"!
After all, the female lead in "Apple" was won over by her husband's influence, and now, in "Dying to Survive," she is finally suffering the consequences.

"Hey, Sister Siyan, why did you come out so quickly? Did you get rejected?"

Fan Bingbing raised her eyebrows, her tone full of sarcasm.

Huo Siyan is a year older than her, and her calling her "sister" sounded particularly deliberate.

Huo Siyan snorted coldly and retorted, "Let's not talk about me yet, it's not even certain whether you'll pass!"

"You don't need to worry about that." Fan Bingbing chuckled, her words carrying a hidden barb. "By the way, you have another drinking party tonight, right? Go and get ready."

Oh, I forgot to remind you, remember to buy protective gear and get regular checkups. Some drinking parties are quite chaotic, so you don't want to pick up any weird or dirty stuff.

These words struck Huo Siyan's sore spot precisely, making her so angry that her face turned red!

Just as she was about to lash out, a voice suddenly called out from the audition room door, "Next up, Fan Bingbing."

"Coming."

Fan Bingbing walked past her without turning her head and went straight inside.

Huo Siyan stood there, feeling both angry and frustrated, but unable to utter a single word.

She was still too inexperienced. Facing Fan Bingbing, she was repeatedly outmaneuvered by her and unable to mount a strong counterattack.

"Sister Bingbing, I'll be going now."

She turned to look at Li Bingbing, trying to establish a good relationship with him.

However, this initiative to greet her was met with indifference from Li Bingbing. She didn't even glance in her direction, let alone respond to her.

She felt increasingly frustrated, and at the same time, she finally realized the difference in methods between herself and Shuangbing.

"Hmph, wait until I win an award for Apple Daily, then let's see if you still dare to look down on me!"

Meanwhile, in the audition room, Fan Bingbing's performance had already ended.

Lu Rui looked at her, quite surprised: "I didn't expect you to play the role of 'mother' so well?"

Wang Jiajia in "Dying to Survive" is both a wife and a mother with a young child.

Lu Rui originally preferred to cast actresses who had given birth, but he did not expect Fan Bingbing's performance to be such a good fit.

"Because I have a younger brother who is almost 20 years younger than me, I used to take care of him a lot when I wasn't busy with work, so this situation probably just came out naturally..." Fan Bingbing explained simply.

Actually, she herself was quite puzzled, and sometimes even doubted whether her parents had given her a younger brother or a "son".
With such a large age gap, she was afraid that if the media found out, they would spread rumors that her brother was her biological son.

Lu Rui thought to himself, 'Your dad seems to be in good health,' but said aloud, 'Okay, the effect is good. Go back and wait for news. If there isn't a more suitable one, this role will be yours. Filming will start after the New Year. Is the schedule okay?'

"No problem, I have plenty of time."

After Fan Bingbing finished speaking, she turned and left, her movements surprisingly elegant.

After her figure disappeared outside the door, Liu Yifei, who was sitting next to Lü Rui, suddenly whispered, "She told me a few days ago that she wanted to terminate her contract with the company. The boss is no longer giving her any resources, and she even asked me if Hongxingwu was hiring."

Lu Rui raised an eyebrow slightly: "She tells you things like this?"

“Yes,” Liu Yifei nodded, her tone serious. “Sometimes, I think she’s quite straightforward.”

Is this what they call mutual appreciation between beautiful women?
Lu Rui smiled and casually asked, "What else did she say to you?"

Liu Yifei blinked and lowered her voice even further: "She asked me if I was dating you."

"puff!"

Shen Ao, who was drinking water nearby, immediately spat it out!

Seeing that Lü Rui and Liu Yifei both turned to look at him, he quickly stood up and apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll go get the mop."

"This guy……"

Lu Rui withdrew his gaze, shook his head helplessly, and was also somewhat curious.

Why do women always seem to steer conversations around love and romance?

He didn't press further, but instead instructed the staff at the door, "Let the next actor who's auditioning come in."

Liu Yifei had been expecting him to ask how she had replied, but the conversation was abruptly ended. She pouted, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

Lately, she's been spending her free time memorizing scripts and surfing the internet. She's not only learned a lot of "emo" style looks, but also studied "secret manuals" like "The Thirty-Six Strategies of Love." She feels she's reached the pinnacle of her skills, but unfortunately, no one is willing to try them out with her.

She is now particularly curious whether these techniques are as powerful as the internet claims.

……

Following Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing's audition also went smoothly.

Her age and temperament are quite suitable for the role of "Liu Sihui".

In the past, she would never have taken on a role like "single mother".

She has been deliberately hiding the fact that she is over thirty years old, and wants to play the role of a "pure young girl" in the eyes of the audience for a few more years.

But the fine lines around her eyes don't lie; the marks of time on her face have long since made it impossible for her to pretend to be young.

More importantly, the pressure from Zhou Xun was simply too great!
As soon as she joined Huayi Brothers, the other party set their sights on film projects, trying to push her towards becoming a "television star" both openly and secretly.

How could she possibly accept this?

But the company only has so many film resources, and she can't compete with Zhou Xun in the short term, so she has to turn to other opportunities.

Liu Sihui in "Dying to Survive" may not have a lot of screen time, but her character is outstanding. She embodies both the resilience of a single mother and the helplessness of a woman from the lower class. Even though she only appears briefly, she leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

She is very clear that there is never only one path to success for an actress: "playing the lead role".

Just like some actors who were playing supporting roles not long ago, but who knows, one day they might win the Best Actress award at one of the three major European film festivals with a solid role!

After the audition, Li Bingbing stood in front of Lü Rui, her tone earnest: "Director Lü, I really like this role and I'm confident I can play it well. If you decide to cast me, I will definitely cooperate fully with the production team."

Lu Rui nodded slightly: "Your performance was indeed very stable. You grasped Liu Sihui's restraint and explosive power quite well. Go back and wait for news. We will give you a reply after a comprehensive evaluation."

"Okay, thank you, Director Lü." Li Bingbing breathed a sigh of relief and nodded politely in farewell.

As she walked out of the audition room, she already had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

As long as that little vixen Fan Bingbing doesn't compete with her, she has great confidence that she can get the role.

As for the other actresses...

She glanced at the people waiting outside, curled her lip, raised her head, and walked arrogantly through the crowd.

Inside the audition room, Liu Yifei's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had just realized something, and she said with a hint of excitement in her voice:

"Senior? If Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing are chosen, then... then doesn't that mean both Bingbings are playing supporting roles for me?!"

“Yes.” Lu Rui nodded slightly, then bluntly remarked, “Your thought process is really slow.”

But Liu Yifei didn't respond to that. Her mind was filled with the thoughts of "I am the female lead" and "I want Bingbing and Fan Bingbing to be my supporting characters".

After a few seconds of confusion, she suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lü Rui, her eyes slightly red, her emotions almost overflowing!

She finally understood his good intentions.

When he said he would elevate her to the level of "Four Dan, Two Bing, and One Fairy", she didn't dare to take it seriously and later quietly put that goal out of her mind.

Unexpectedly, Lü Rui had been quietly paving the way for her all along.

From casting Fan Bingbing as a supporting actress in "Sunny Sisters" to having both Fan Bingbing and Fan Bingbing share the screen as supporting actresses in "Dying to Survive"...

If these two projects succeed, her status as a "fairy" will be absolutely secure!

Thinking about this, she felt that her senior was really too good to her!

Even if the reason for this is the investment in Hongxingwu, the sincerity behind it cannot be faked.

And why is he so kind to himself, instead of others?
There's only one answer: "My senior must like me too!"

After imagining this conclusion, Liu Yifei's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple, and even the tips of her ears felt hot.

If she weren't so young, she would have wanted to declare on the spot that she would definitely marry her senior and have several children with him to repay his kindness!

She clutched the hem of her clothes, her voice soft: "Senior, thank you..."

"Thank me for what?" Lu Rui was completely unaware of her little scheme and couldn't guess what she was imagining. He casually assigned her a task, "Go change your clothes quickly."

Liu Yifei was taken aback: "Why change your clothes?"

"White coat! You'll be auditioning for the male lead's scenes later, you need to act alongside him, have you forgotten?"

Lu Rui looked at her with a puzzled expression.

We didn't call her over to sit and watch the show; she has to do some work.

"Oh, I remember, I'll go right now."

The rosy fantasy that had just emerged was instantly shattered. Liu Yifei dejectedly agreed and turned to run off to change her clothes.

As she passed the mirror, she couldn't help but tap her head, muttering to herself, "Liu Yifei! Have you been reading too many romance novels and dating tips? This is work! Don't you understand work? Wake up, ahhhhh!"

……

The protagonists in "Dying to Survive" and "Dallas Buyers Club" actually share a great deal in common.

Both of them had initial personality flaws.

Cheng Yong was initially selfish and mercenary, only caring about money and indifferent to the plight of leukemia patients.

Ron Woodruff, on the other hand, was irritable and volatile, lived a dissolute life, and held extreme prejudice against people living with HIV/AIDS.

Then both of them faced a desperate situation.

Cheng Yong's business was in dire straits, his family was broken, and he was in dire financial straits. He had no other choice but to smuggle generic drugs.

Ron, on the other hand, was unexpectedly diagnosed with AIDS while recklessly squandering his life, his life was on the verge of collapse, and he suffered a severe mental blow.

Later on, both of their personalities changed.

Witnessing the tragic experiences of his fellow patients, especially after the death of Lü Shouyi, Cheng Yong's conscience was awakened, and he became selfless and courageous, willing to sacrifice himself to help others.

In the process of seeking medicine to save himself, Ron gradually developed a strong sense of social responsibility. He went from simply looking out for his own survival to fighting for the rights of fellow patients and confronting the medical monopoly.

After being adapted by Lü Rui, the male protagonist in the new script combines the characteristics of both original works.

The male protagonist is mercenary, selfish, arrogant, and short-tempered. This is why his wife left him, and his daughter also has a bad relationship with him.

It wasn't until a liver cancer diagnosis was handed to him that he felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer, and his heart was instantly filled with turmoil.

The past flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern...

Countless times he should have been gentle with his wife and daughter, but his erratic temper caused the situation to become tense.

He missed his daughter's birthday and parent-teacher meetings every time.

The cold disappointment in his wife's eyes as she left with her suitcase...

Guilt overwhelmed him like a tide, which made him start to reflect: In the past, he was preoccupied with petty gains and treated others harshly and coldly. What was the meaning of such a life?
Lying on the hospital bed, staring at the stark white ceiling, he clenched his fists and made up his mind to turn over a new leaf.

He didn't want to leave this world with a bad reputation; he wanted to make the rest of his days meaningful.

So he began to pay attention to the cancer patient community.

When he learned that his fellow patients were going bankrupt and struggling in despair because of the exorbitant prices of medicine, he, who was usually selfish, felt a strong sense of pity and anger.

"Since time is running out anyway, we might as well find a way for them to survive!"

Once the thought pops into your head, you can't suppress it anymore.

A prodigal son's return is more precious than gold; the tactic may be old, but it's extremely effective!
In fact, the overall storyline of the script still revolves around "Dallas Buyers Club".

Lü Rui felt that this storyline of "seeking survival for oneself and then fighting for the group" had more tension in terms of personal struggle than the "from businessman to hero" storyline in "Dying to Survive," and it was also more able to touch the complexities deep in human nature.

However, in terms of supporting roles, he retained some of the framework from "Dying to Survive," while deliberately reducing the screen time of Wang Jiajia and Liu Sihui, leaving more space for Liu Yifei's "daughter."

Her father was diagnosed with cancer, and as a doctor, she instinctively wanted to protect her loved ones.

However, when she learned that her father was selling unapproved "fake drugs," her professional ethics put her in a dilemma.

On one side is the deep bond of family, and on the other is the inviolable principle of law.

On one hand, there is the patients' thirst for "life-saving drugs," and on the other hand, there are professional doubts about the "compliance of the drugs."

It is by no means easy to portray such a complex and contradictory situation!

Fortunately, Liu Yifei's personality has both a gentle and empathetic side, as well as a stubborn tenacity, which is a good match for the core of the character.

When Lü Rui was writing the script, he had already decided that he would give her more patience and guidance, polish the details little by little, and let her grow slowly in the role.

Just then, the audition room door was suddenly pushed open, and Liu Yifei, who had changed her clothes, walked in.

In the past, when she appeared on camera, she was mostly dressed casually, and had an ethereal and otherworldly quality to her.

But at this moment, she was wearing a crisp white coat, her long hair neatly tied into a low bun, with a few stray strands clinging to her neck, which added to her neat and tidy appearance.

Under her simple makeup, her signature phoenix eyes lost their usual liveliness but gained a sharp, focused look.

Lu Rui became more and more satisfied as he looked at it.

The contrast between the "professional and rigorous" demeanor and the "softness in private" that comes with wearing business attire perfectly matches the character's dual identity as a "doctor" and a "daughter".

He was right about him!
(End of this chapter)