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

Chapter 212 Art is all about showing off! I'll show off the most sophisticated way! Then I'm awesome! (Seeking monthly votes)

"Remember to attend the celebration party for 'Sunny Sisters' tomorrow night."

"Okay, I got it, I'll remember."

After saying goodbye to Lü Rui, Liu Yifei went downstairs and soon saw her car in the parking lot.

Liu Xiaoli couldn't bear to let her daughter take a taxi. Upon learning that she was still at Ruishijie, she immediately instructed the driver to turn back and pick her up.

"Mom, let's go. What are you going to take me to eat?"

Liu Yifei opened the car door and got in, touching her rumbling belly with expectant eyes.

"What do you want to eat?"

As Liu Xiaoli asked the question, she subtly observed her condition. Seeing that only her clothes were a little wrinkled, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go eat barbecue. I don't seem to have any work lately, so we can indulge ourselves a little."

"Row."

Liu Xiaoli did not refuse and instructed the driver to drive to a high-end barbecue restaurant.

After entering the private room and ordering their food, the mother and daughter chatted casually.

When Liu Yifei inquired about the events in court that afternoon, and heard that Song Zude looked utterly disheveled, she immediately scoffed, "He deserved it!"

"This matter is now over. We need to be more careful in the future. I will continue to expand the public relations department..." Liu Xiaoli said seriously.

In fact, Hongxingwu was not without its own strength when facing a public opinion crisis.

She usually handles the many small troubles she encounters on and off by herself, as she can't ask for help every time.

But Zhou Xun the year before last and Song Zude this year launched a saturation attack right from the start!
Hongxingwu is ultimately just an artist's studio. Faced with a barrage of attacks, even if it wanted to fight back, it would be difficult to achieve any results and it could only barely protect itself.

Fortunately, we had Lü Rui and Rui Vision, otherwise this would have been a major blow, with far-reaching consequences!
The barbecue was served one after another, and the mother and daughter ate with great elegance.

Liu Yifei tentatively asked for a bottle of red wine.

In the past, Liu Xiaoli would never have agreed, but this time she surprisingly nodded.

"Drink less."

Thank you, Mom. I love you!

Liu Yifei was overjoyed, taking a bite of grilled meat and a sip of red wine, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation.

But she was completely unaware that she was falling into her mother's "trap" step by step.

After a few drinks, her cheeks flushed and her eyes became somewhat hazy.

Liu Xiaoli was talking about trivial matters in the entertainment industry when she suddenly changed the subject: "So, you like Lü Rui, right?"

"OK."

The alcohol made Liu Yifei's reactions somewhat sluggish, and she nodded subconsciously.

But the next second, she suddenly came to her senses, her cheeks instantly burning hot, and she realized something was wrong.

But before she could explain, Liu Xiaoli smiled, showing no anger or anything, as if she already knew everything.

She tilted her head, lost in memories: "When I was young, I was just like you, liking people who were better than me. Back then, your father was the most special and intelligent among his peers. I admired him, and later it gradually turned into liking him, and eventually we got married."

But I later realized that dating and marriage are two different things, and are completely different in essence.

He was mature and steady, while I yearned for a vibrant, lively, and colorful life. Then conflicts arose, and in the end, we broke up.

Liu Yifei was slightly stunned, but still listened quietly.

She had only heard snippets of her parents' stories from her elders before, and had never heard them in their entirety like she did today.

“You’re so much like me, independent and strong-willed.” Liu Xiaoli looked at her, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and complex emotions. “But what I didn’t expect was that we even have the same views on marriage and relationships. Lü Rui is indeed very outstanding, and I understand what you’re thinking right now…”

Liu Yifei blushed and lowered her head, looking somewhat shy.

Admiration and liking are actually intertwined.

She couldn't refute what her mother said because she genuinely admired Lü Rui and always wanted to be close to him.

In her opinion, this is what liking someone means.

“But,” Liu Xiaoli’s tone suddenly turned serious, “it is precisely because I have been through it that I must warn you that relationships are not just about a momentary infatuation, but also about a long period of adjustment.”

It's normal for you to be grown up, have your own pursuits and a lover, but no matter what, you must remember that you are a girl. Stay rational and don't let yourself get hurt...

If anything sad happens to you, remember to tell me. Don't hide away and be sad by yourself, okay?

There are too many unpleasant things happening in the entertainment industry, and Liu Xiaoli is really afraid that her daughter will be hurt.

If she were to become depressed or something like other actors, she couldn't even imagine how she would live the rest of her life after losing her daughter.
However, after a moment of stunned silence, Liu Yifei felt a surge of secret joy.

So, Mom doesn't object?

She asked softly, "Then...can I continue to like him?"

"Of course," Liu Xiaoli smiled. "Silly girl, I can't force you to dislike people, can I?"

"Yay! Thank you, Mom! I love you the most!"

The 19-year-old girl never expected that she would receive the support of her closest family member when she first fell in love, and she was so happy that she almost jumped for joy.

“It’s fine to like it, but you have to make sure you don’t get hurt.” Liu Xiaoli’s expression turned serious again. “You’re still young, your body isn’t fully developed yet. I don’t want to be a grandmother too early, understand?”

"Mom, what are you saying!" Liu Yifei scolded playfully. "We're not even together yet, how did you get onto such a far-fetched topic..."

"Huh?" Liu Xiaoli was a little surprised. "Didn't you say you'd already held hands and even slept in his office today?"

"It was just holding hands normally, and I took a nap in his lounge! Mom, what are you thinking? Nothing happened!" Liu Yifei explained, pouting.

"So, you're not together yet?"

"No, don't you have to confess your feelings before you can be together?"

The mother and daughter stared at each other, wide-eyed and bewildered.

“You didn’t inherit that from me,” Liu Xiaoli pouted. “When I liked your dad, I took the initiative to pursue him.”

"Huh? How do I pursue her? Can you teach me?" Liu Yifei's eyes lit up instantly, and she kept asking questions.

"It's just..." Liu Xiaoli started to speak, but then suddenly stopped.

What kind of mother teaches her daughter how to pursue a man? Is that even reasonable?
She waved her hand, somewhat annoyed, and said, "I don't know. Go learn it yourself. Hurry up and eat, then go home and sleep. You have to attend the graduation ceremony tomorrow. Aren't you supposed to give a speech on stage? Don't be late."

"Oh fine……"

Liu Yifei immediately deflated. She had never been in a relationship before, so how would she know how to pursue a boyfriend?

Suddenly, her eyes lit up again.

How about I read a few more romance novels when I get back?
She's been reading a novel called "The Domineering Director Falls in Love with an 18th-Tier Actress" for several days now, and she often immerses herself in the story, becoming so engrossed in it that she forgets to eat and sleep!

The book says that in a relationship, "a kiss is all it takes to seal the deal."

But she's never kissed anyone, and she doesn't know how to kiss to seal their love. She still needs to learn...

……

The capital city in June has long lost its coolness, and the air is filled with a sweltering heat.

Today is the day of the graduation ceremony for the Class of 02 of Beijing Film Academy. The school gate was crowded with graduates in their graduation gowns, and the sound of camera shutters clicking was constant.

At the agreed time, Lü Rui took Zhao Peng and Shen Ao back to school.

The three of them are here today as special guests to attend the ceremony. The school would like to invite them to share their experiences and offer some guidance to the younger students.

In fact, they are only three or four years older than the 02 graduates.

But in terms of seniority, all three of them were now directors with box office earnings of over 100 million yuan!

Shen Ao's "Click" grossed over 100 million, Zhao Peng's "Sunny Sisters" grossed 200 million, and Lü Rui's "Taken" steadily secured 300 million.

With such qualifications, the three have long become seniors that younger students look up to, and even goals that are hard to reach in their lifetime!
Shen Ao drove into the campus and started looking for a parking space.

Meanwhile, Zhao Peng, sitting in the passenger seat, looked out the window at the female college students passing by, a hint of reminiscence on his face:
"Back in the day, I loved playing basketball outside the performing arts building every summer. The sight of the female students with their long, white legs swinging past was just too beautiful."

"Oh? Is Peng Ge in love?" Shen Ao couldn't help but laugh.

Lu Rui, sitting in the back row, laughed and chimed in, "I think so too."

Unexpectedly, Zhao Peng chuckled and said, "It's not that I'm lovesick. It's not like I don't have a girlfriend. I'm just reminiscing about my silly college days."

Upon hearing this, both people in the car were stunned.

"You're dating someone?" Lu Rui couldn't hide his surprise.

Shen Ao tilted his head and looked over: "Who is it?"

"Tang Yan, who previously accompanied director Zhang Yimou to the closing ceremony of the Rio Olympics and also played a role in 'Sunny Sisters'."

After saying his name, Zhao Peng quickly added, "Brother Rui, this isn't a case of a rabbit eating the grass near its burrow! I was very serious when filming, and we only started dating during the promotional period. We just officially became a couple a few days ago."

The reason he made this special explanation was because he knew very well that Lü Rui was most disgusted by people having casual relationships with men and women on set.

This behavior is very bad, and if it gets out, it could damage the reputation of Ruishijie.

After all, it's inevitable that people will have some thoughts when the director and actress get together during filming.

"Hey, you're something else." Lu Rui wasn't angry at all; he just silently wished Luo Jin, "May you find a good partner again."

"It feels so good to be in love." Zhao Peng seemed to remember something, and couldn't hide his feelings for a moment.

He was chubby and not good-looking from a young age, so no one liked him.

Although I pursued many girls in high school and college, I failed almost all of them.

Surprisingly, I found a job after entering the workforce!

Therefore, a man still needs to succeed!

As long as you have money and power, and remain invincible, women will naturally be willing to approach you.

Even if there's a bit of snobbery involved in this relationship, what relationship can be so pure that it's all about love?
If it were truly a pure matter, the woman wouldn't be asking for a car, a house, or a dowry.

"Haha, Peng, you still say you're not in love?" Shen Ao parked the car and couldn't help but tease Zhao Peng as he looked at the smile on his face.

"Hey kid, don't be a sour grapes. What do you know, you single dog?"

"So what if I'm single? I don't want to date! Women will only slow down my success." Shen Ao snorted, his eyes suddenly darting around. "Besides, right now I just want to learn from Brother Rui and be his right-hand man. I don't have time to think about anything else."

"Damn it! You tricked me! I'm clearly Rui-ge's most loyal follower, and dating won't affect Rui-ge's status in my heart!"

"Tch, my heart belongs entirely to Rui-ge, but you still have someone named Tang Yan in your heart."

"Damn it! I'm breaking up with her when I get back!"

The two of them bantered back and forth.

They're all in their twenties, how can they be as aloof as the fifth and sixth generation directors?

"Alright, stop flattering me." As Lu Rui got out of the car, he reminded him, "We're here as guests today, so be more composed."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately stopped joking and became serious again.

After getting off the bus, he followed Lü Rui towards the directing department, intending to meet up with the teachers and make an appearance together.

Meanwhile, in the auditorium, after taking group photos, students from various majors, including the 02 Acting Department and Directing Department, entered one after another to prepare for the graduation ceremony.

Among the crowd, Liu Yifei was undoubtedly the most eye-catching.

With the halo of being the female lead in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and the female lead in "Sunny Sisters" which grossed 2 million yuan, as soon as she walked in, a chorus of discussions arose around her, and countless eyes were fixed on her.

"Sisi, I feel so much pressure walking next to you!"

Class monitor Wang Jia instinctively tightened her grip on her arm, her voice genuinely tinged with nervousness. Liu Yifei smiled and reassured her, "Haha, don't be nervous, we're all classmates, it's nothing."

The two chatted and laughed as they walked to the area of ​​the Class of 02.

But the atmosphere suddenly froze the next second.

Because Liu Yifei and Jiang Yiyan made eye contact.

Many people present knew that the two had been at odds for a long time.

Back in school, Jiang Yiyan always gossiped about Liu Yifei behind her back. Recently, she made sarcastic remarks on a TV show, which aroused media suspicion and caused the latter a lot of public opinion trouble.

But no one knew that Jiang Yiyan had already paid the price for this.

After offending Liu Yifei, her work in mainland China almost completely stopped.

Her agent ordered her to beg for forgiveness. She was initially unwilling to back down, but under pressure, she had no choice but to try to find a way to get Liu Yifei to let her off the hook.

Previously, Liu Yifei would not answer her phone at all when called.

So she simply treated the graduation ceremony as her last chance.
Meeting Liu Yifei's icy gaze, Jiang Yiyan forced a smile and quickly stepped forward:
"Yifei, I said some inappropriate things without thinking a while ago, and I didn't expect it to have such a big impact on you... For the sake of our classmates, can you forgive me?"

As soon as she finished speaking, several classmates she had bribed immediately chimed in:

"Yes, Xixi, it's all a misunderstanding. Jiang Yiyan didn't mean it."

"Friendship is the most important thing, don't take it to heart."

"We'll all be working in the entertainment industry from now on, and we'll run into each other all the time, so there's no need to make things so awkward."

Liu Yifei didn't rush to say anything, but silently memorized the names of all the people who chimed in, determined to stay away from them.

At the critical moment, Wang Jia immediately stood up to protect her: "Stop trying to morally blackmail me! If apologies were enough, what would we need the police for? When she was gossiping behind my back and causing trouble on the show, did she ever think about our friendship?"

These words made Jiang Yiyan's face turn pale and then red.

She had to put up with Liu Yifei for the time being, but who was Wang Jia anyway?
She couldn't help but retort, "I'm talking to Yifei, what right do you have to interrupt?"

But the next second, Liu Yifei's cold voice rang in her ear: "I've been merciful enough for the sake of our classmates. Otherwise, you should know what would have happened to Song Zude, right?"

You don't need to tell me any of this now. Also, don't call again. I'm not interested in talking to you anymore. That's all.

Being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself; this is something she learned from Lü Rui.

She had long seen through Jiang Yiyan's true nature; she knew she couldn't be kind to her, or she would only take advantage of her.

After saying that, she led Wang Jia straight to the other side and sat down.

Jiang Yiyan wanted others to speak up for her, but when everyone saw Liu Yifei's serious expression and remembered the miserable state Song Zude had caused her after he slandered her, they all shrank back and no one dared to speak again.

The current Liu Yifei is no longer someone they can afford to mess with.

Jiang Yiyan sat back down in her seat with a dark expression, her mind in turmoil.

Do I really have to follow the company's arrangements, go to Hong Kong to develop my career, and then find a way to return to the mainland?
She was unwilling to accept it, but she was helpless.

Just as she was pondering what to do next, the auditorium doors were suddenly pushed open, and a group of leaders walked in.

Leading the way were the president of Beijing Film Academy and leaders of various departments.

However, one young face stood out in the crowd.

It was indeed Lü Rui!

Even when standing among a group of seniors, leaders, and elders, his presence is in no way weak.

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up instantly. She was about to get up and greet them when she suddenly remembered that the occasion was inappropriate. She quickly suppressed her excitement, but couldn't help but smile.

When Jiang Yiyan saw Lü Rui, her last glimmer of hope vanished.

Even the boss of her agency doesn't dare to offend Lü Rui, let alone her.

It seems that developing my career in Hong Kong is truly the only way out...

……

After sitting down next to Xie Xiaojing in the front row, Lü Rui suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

He took out his phone and saw a message from Liu Yifei: "Senior, I'm behind you!"

"I know."

He quickly typed a reply, while glancing sideways at the direction behind him.

In the crowd, Liu Yifei immediately waved excitedly, her eyes shining like stars.

Lu Rui couldn't help but smile and raised his hand slightly in response.

This brief exchange of glances and two waves instantly drew the attention of many people around.

Upon closer inspection, almost everyone's eyes shone with undisguised envy!

Senior students have already been in the industry for two years and know all too well how difficult it is to get by, and they understand even more what it means to have "connections".

When Huang Shengyi graduated last year, the fact that she had found a sugar daddy sparked a lot of discussion.

Many people envy her resources, even though the other party is an older man who has been married before, she still has to become his stepmother.

Of course, the ridicule and mockery never stopped. After all, she was a starlet in Stephen Chow's films, and it's always a pity that she ended up in such a situation.

But when it came to Liu Yifei and Lü Rui, no one could find even the slightest reason to mock them; all that remained was pure envy and a sense of regret that "why don't I have that kind of luck?"

A "Rui Girl" and a leading lady with 2 million yuan in box office revenue—anyone would be envious if such a title were bestowed upon them!

It's no exaggeration to say that such an opportunity is the pinnacle that every newcomer in the industry dreams of!
On his phone, Lü Rui was still chatting with Liu Yifei.

"I heard you're going to give a speech?"

"Yes, I am an outstanding graduate."

What are you going to talk about?

"growing up."

"???"

Lu Rui was stunned for a moment, and before he could ask any further questions, the school leaders on the podium began to speak, recounting the school's achievements over the past four years.

Liu Yifei was mentioned the most times in the speech.

After all, among the students of the class of 02, she was undoubtedly the most dazzling one.

Next came the graduation certificate presentation, with certificates being handed to the graduates one by one amidst continuous applause.

Finally, it was the turn of the outstanding graduates to speak.

When Liu Yifei's name was called, she stepped steadily out of the performing arts group and walked towards the podium with a calm and confident smile.

Taking the microphone, her clear voice rang out through the speakers throughout the auditorium: "Today, I'd like to talk to you all about my 'growth'..."

Lu Rui sat quietly, listening to her slowly recount her story.

There was the awkwardness in front of the camera when I first entered the industry, the doubts about my "stiff acting" after the broadcast of "The Return of the Condor Heroes", the grievances and confusion when I was surrounded by rumors, and how I polished my lines again and again on set and studied the script repeatedly late at night...

Although she always had a smile on her face, her tone revealed an undeniable hardship.

Everyone can tell that her success today is due to a combination of luck and countless days and nights of perseverance; it has never been a "smooth sailing" journey as others might imagine.

Lu Rui was sitting in the front row, listening when he suddenly froze.

It seems like I'm the one who reflects every stage of growth she mentions?
So, without realizing it, his entanglement with her had become so complicated that it was almost impossible to separate them.

For a moment, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up a little more.

After finishing her speech, Liu Yifei bowed deeply, and thunderous applause immediately erupted from the audience.

She walked off the stage to the applause, but her eyes unconsciously drifted towards Lü Rui, where they met his smiling gaze. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she winked at him before quickly returning to her seat.

Subsequently, Shen Ao and Zhao Peng took turns on stage to share their creative experiences and industry insights, offering some career guidance to their juniors.

When the host announced the name "Lü Rui", thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and the cheers almost lifted the roof off the auditorium!
"Haha, Xiao Lü is really popular." Qi Shilong, the head of the performing arts department, said with a smile.

"Of course!" Xie Xiaojing said with pride. "When he graduated in 00, he was already a great director and a leading figure of the seventh generation of directors. Now he is even more famous."

These words blatantly reveal a boastful tone: Look, this is the pride of our directing department!
Qi Shilong's lips twitched, and he was immediately speechless.

After all, compared to the brilliance of the directing department, the acting department has not produced any decent results in recent years, so there is really no point in talking about it.

Even the outstanding graduates of the class of 02 were promoted by Lü Rui.

Those people further back... well, let's not talk about them, they're too upsetting...

At this moment, Lü Rui had already walked onto the stage and taken the microphone.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Director Zhao and Director Shen have already explained the guidance and experience thoroughly, so I won't repeat it. How about this: if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask, and I will try my best to answer them."

This interactive session was a pleasant surprise for the graduates, as such dialogues were clearly more interesting than lectures.

The microphone was quickly passed around, and the first person to stand up was a directing student, who said excitedly, "Director Lü! I'm your biggest fan! I'd like to ask you, what exactly is the art of film?"

Lu Rui raised an eyebrow and said seriously, "From a professional perspective, film art is a creative expression of reality, emotions, and thoughts through means such as camera language, narrative structure, and audiovisual aesthetics. It is a combination of technology and humanities, and even more so, a carrier of spiritual resonance between creators and audiences..."

Although the words were professional, they still had a didactic tone, and the students in the audience were noticeably less enthusiastic.

Seeing this, Lü Rui abruptly changed the subject, saying casually, "To put it simply, art is all about showing off. Whoever shows off in a high-class way is the best. It's that simple."

The audience burst into laughter, instantly enlivening the atmosphere.

The second student to take the microphone immediately followed up with, "Director Lü, are you going to show off too?"

"I've always loved to pretend and boast since I was a child," Lü Rui said with a frank smile. "Those who have read my graduation thesis should know that it contained a lot of boastful 'big talk.' I even boasted that I could definitely make a high-grossing movie."

But now it turns out I was right; all the boasts I made have come true.

Laughter broke out again, but this time, many people's eyes held more admiration.

Everyone knows that the film and television industry is not a place where "there is no first place in literature".

Everyone wants the title of leading figure of the seventh generation of directors. Lu Chuan tried to compete for it, but he was still left far behind.

The real skill is turning "showing off" into real ability!

Another student asked, "Director Lü, why did you choose to become a director? Was it because of your dream?"

"There aren't that many lofty reasons, I just like it. Damn, you can't stop someone from making movies." Lü Rui shrugged. "It's the same reason why I like to show off. The sense of accomplishment from making good works that people can recognize and outshining others is indescribable."

And think about it, an entire film crew, ranging from dozens to hundreds, even thousands of people, all have to listen to you. Isn't that amazing?

"Hahaha!"

Liu Yifei, sitting in the back row, was trying so hard not to laugh that her cheeks turned bright red. She clung tightly to Wang Jia's arm, her shoulders trembling like a quail's.

This was the first time she had seen Lü Rui like this. She had shed his seriousness at work and was straightforward and boring, which was simply too much fun.

However, after chatting about down-to-earth things for a while, Lü Rui gradually stopped smiling, and his voice became firm and powerful:
"No matter what you do, it all comes down to perseverance. I firmly believe that only broken things will stop, but people don't break down, nor can they stop!"

Here's a quote for you: Life is a fucking movie. Don't be afraid of failure; once you've made up your mind, just do it. If things don't work out, you can always start over!

As soon as he finished speaking, applause and cheers erupted from the audience, lasting for a long time.

Everyone's faces were filled with anticipation for the future, but there was also an undeniable sense of confusion.

Experience, perseverance, and hard work are all indispensable.

But is that really enough?
Perhaps only after you've struggled through it yourself will you know whether this path is even viable...

Of course, youth is an asset. If you can't make it in this industry, you can always change careers.

There will always be a chance to get ahead, won't there?
(End of this chapter)