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

Chapter 242 A leopard can't change its spots... Liu Yifei's New Announcement (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Is it not a joy to have friends coming from afar?
Although Yao Beina and Zhang Liangying couldn't help, since they were Liu Yifei's good friends, Lü Rui treated them to a big meal first, and then suggested going to a karaoke bar.

These two girls are really good singers!

Zhang Liangying's high notes, in particular, are clear and penetrating, making them a true pleasure to listen to.

Yao Beina's voice is warm and delicate, making her particularly moving when she sings ballads.

In comparison, Liu Yifei is a complete novice, even less experienced than Shu Chang, an amateur who came along to have fun.

People are more valuable in having self-knowledge.

After finishing a song, Xiao Liu blushed as she faced the complicated looks from the crowd: "I just sang casually... I haven't studied it professionally."

She secretly rejoiced, thankful that she hadn't listened to her mother and godfather and become a singer.

Otherwise, who knows how much the fans would laugh at them.

You should know that every fan is a potential hater!

"Great, very good, much better than me!" Lü Rui immediately applauded.

The others belatedly realized what was happening and comforted her, saying that it was already very impressive that she could sing like that without professional training.

Liu Yifei chuckled, then pulled Lü Rui along and ordered a currently popular song in karaoke... "The Boatman's Love".

"Little sister, you sit at the bow of the boat..."

Lü Rui's singing was full of helplessness.

Fortunately, apart from Shu Chang, everyone else here was from outside the film crew; otherwise, wouldn't that have ruined his image?
"Little sister, I'll sit at the bow of the boat, and brother, you walk on the shore..."

When Liu Yifei goes crazy, she really goes crazy!
She sang and laughed, her eyes narrowing into slits.

This scene left Yao Beina and Zhang Liangying astonished.

"I've met many directors who seem very serious, but I didn't expect Director Lü to be so gentle."

"Yes, he's so gentle, he seems so kind and easygoing..."

"You're overthinking it." Shu Chang's voice suddenly rang out in their ears.

Seeing them all looking over, she had an all-knowing look in her eyes: "Director Lü is usually very serious on set, especially when he's yelling at people, he's really fierce, everyone's afraid of him... Only Xixi can make him act like that..."

Upon hearing this, Yao Beina and Zhang Liangying felt as if they had discovered something new and immediately began to ask follow-up questions.

The three girls huddled together and whispered among themselves.

On the other side, after Liu Yifei finished singing "The Boatman's Love" with Lü Rui, she set her sights on a song by Phoenix Legend.

This group's songs are much simpler; Lü Rui only needs to follow along with "Oh yeah!"

Everyone had a great time tonight.

However, because I had been drinking, it was impossible for me to drive back.

So, Lü Rui first had the driver take Yao Beina and Zhang Liangying back, and then called Shen Ao to ask him to come and pick up himself, Liu Yifei, and Shu Chang back to the hotel.

How's filming going on your end?

Once in the car, Lü Rui casually inquired about the progress of the side line that Shen Ao and Zhao Peng were in charge of.

“It went quite smoothly. The scenes where Yu Hewei checks the monster’s brain information and goes to the black market to find new samples have basically been filmed. There are only a few scenes left between them, and then he will be able to connect with your main storyline, Brother Rui,” Shen Ao replied.

"That's good. Let me know if you have any questions."

"clear."

"What about Tian Yu? How is he doing?"

"Much better, she should have gotten over the breakup. Speaking of which, Li An is a real pain in the neck..."

Through this period of contact, Shen'ao gradually figured out the cause and effect.

When he learned that Tian Yu's breakup was because Li An had interfered, he secretly regretted it. He should have smashed Li An's head with a beer bottle back then!

The two chatted casually in the front row, while Liu Yifei and Shu Chang in the back row were also having a lively conversation.

Both girls were born in 87.

Because they had worked together on two dramas when they were minors, they had a lot in common in the adult-dominated production crew.

Shu Chang debuted as a child star and understands the ins and outs of the entertainment industry better than Liu Yifei.

Therefore, when Liu Yifei first joined the cast of "The Story of a Noble Family", she was very grateful for her help in taking care of her.

Given that both of them came from single-parent families, it was only natural that they became good friends.

After filming wrapped on "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", the two later collaborated on "Sunny Sisters", which brought them even closer.

Among Liu Yifei's many friends, not many people are allowed to visit her home, but Shu Chang is one of them, which speaks volumes.

"Senior!"

The sudden increase in volume from the back row caught Lü Rui's attention.

He turned his head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"There's something I'd like to ask for your opinion on. Changchang is currently facing a problem..."

Liu Yifei first explained Shu Chang's situation in detail.

Compared to her, Shu Chang, who was also born into a single-parent family, clearly had a more tragic background.

Just five months after her birth, Shu Chang's parents divorced due to marital discord, and her father abandoned her.

Then she had no choice but to live a difficult life with her mother in a small 8-square-meter house near the front gate from a young age.

In winter, when there was no heating, the mother and daughter huddled together for warmth; in summer, without air conditioning, they were so hot that they couldn't sleep all night...

Besides taking care of her, her mother could only earn money by doing odd jobs, working as a nanny, or even hauling coal.

During this period, the father never showed up, and he never paid any child support.

So when Shu Chang was little, she felt very sorry for her mother when she saw how hard she worked.

She hopes she can grow up quickly so she can earn money to support her family.

Fortunately, at the age of five, she was lucky enough to become a child star.

Although the money earned wasn't much, it was enough to supplement the family income.

But when she was ten years old, her mother passed away due to overwork, leaving her all alone.

She was fortunate to have an aunt.

My aunt treated her very well; she never lacked anything in terms of food, drink, or clothing. She was also sensible and very likable.

Her older cousin even used her own salary to pay for her piano, vocal, dance, and acting lessons, hoping that she could have a smoother path to stardom.

But later, her aunt immigrated abroad, and she had to move in with her uncle.

However, her aunt always complained about being poor and borrowed money from her, asking for large sums each time, and never paid it back.

So, she is living alone outside now, just to escape being exploited.

However, as her fame grew and she earned more and more money, her biological father, who had abandoned her when she was young, suddenly contacted her, wanting to acknowledge her as his daughter.

"That's the situation... Changchang doesn't know whether she should go back or not."

After Liu Yifei finished speaking, she directly gave her opinion from her own perspective: "I don't think she should go back! She had such a hard childhood, but her father never helped her even once. Now that she's a star, she's jumping out of the public eye. Isn't it all for money?"

Although Liu Yifei also comes from a single-parent family, she is different from Shu Chang.

Her parents were both very well-off, and her father never said anything like he would abandon her.

Even her role in "The Story of a Noble Family" was arranged through her father's connections.

He gave her a $20 red envelope when she came of age, and the child support payments have never stopped.

Therefore, she simply could not understand the act of "abandoning one's children," which, in her view, was a shameful crime!

“He said he had no choice but to accept it, that he was having a really tough time, and he would cry on the phone… I really don’t know what to do.” Shu Chang’s voice was hoarse.

She also knew that if she acknowledged this father as her father, her mother would never rest in peace in the afterlife.

But with her mother gone early, her aunt gone far away, and her uncle's family unreliable, the lack of emotional support made her desperately want someone to rely on.

So her father's appearance completely threw her into disarray, leaving her feeling extremely conflicted.

"Is your dad married?" Lu Rui asked.

Shu Chang nodded: "We're married, and we have two kids."

"boy?"

"Correct."

"Then what makes you think he would abandon his wife and biological son to be nice to a strange daughter he hasn't seen for over a decade and abandoned long ago?"

These words stunned Shu Chang instantly.

Yes, how could someone who doesn't even care about her mother's passing be genuinely good to her?

"Did he ask you for money?" Lu Rui asked again.

"Ah."

"How much?"

"one million."

"You gave it?"

"I only gave 1000 yuan."

1000 yuan in 06 was a lot; it was enough for a normal person's monthly expenses.

Shu Chang wasn't that foolish; she wasn't willing to use her hard-earned money to support a stepmother she'd never met and her two younger brothers.

She could help her father if he couldn't afford to eat, but she didn't want to get too involved in his family.

Lu Rui nodded slightly; this girl was quite sensible.

However, he was an outsider after all, and couldn't say anything too outrageous. So, he carefully considered his words and said, "I think the same way as Yifei. Of course, if you can't make up your mind right now, you might as well observe for a while longer."

"It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature. Some people can't keep up their act for long; once you see them clearly, the answer will become clear."

"I understand," Shu Chang replied softly.
Having endured hardship since childhood and experienced many trials in the entertainment industry, she naturally understands these things.

She was simply thrown off balance by her father's sudden appearance, but once she calmed down, she naturally understood these principles.

"Also, remember to always ensure your own safety," Lu Rui said seriously.

This girl debuted as a child star, and even if she's not successful, she still has assets worth several million. If her biological father has any dark intentions, she could be quite dangerous.

"I understand, thank you, Director Lü."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" While waiting at a red light, Shen Ao turned around and gave Shu Chang a sympathetic look.

Shu Chang blushed slightly and said somewhat shyly, "Director Shen, please drive first and be careful."

Seeing this, Lü Rui raised an eyebrow and suddenly suggested, "How about this, Shen Ao, if you have time, accompany Shu Chang to test out her father?"

"Okay, no problem!"

After hearing Shu Chang's tragic life story, Shen Ao already felt sorry for her. Helping her was no big deal.

"Oh? No need..." Shu Chang said, a little embarrassed.

“It’s settled then!” Liu Yifei made the decision for her best friend. “Don’t worry, Director Shen is a really good person, very loyal and righteous. With his help, he will definitely be able to help you see your father’s true colors.”

Hearing this, Shu Chang stopped refusing.

She definitely needs someone to help her right now, especially a male friend to accompany her, which would save her a lot of trouble.

Although she wasn't familiar with Shen Ao, and even less so with Zhao Peng, after all, the two had worked together on "Sunny Sisters".

But since Shen Ao is someone who works with Lü Rui, he should be quite reliable.

……

Before we knew it, it was mid-October.

Within the film industry, it's a mixed bag of fortunes.

First, "The Banquet" was officially taken off the screens a month after its release, with a box office of 1.21 million yuan, only 10 million yuan more than "A World Without Thieves".

Without a doubt, a huge loss!
Lu Rui has reason to suspect that the last ten million was most likely added by Huayi and Feng Xiaogang to make the results look less bad.

Considering the scale of investment in "The Banquet," the box office performance was truly dismal.

In an attempt to divert attention, Huayi Brothers also revealed the title of their new film, "Assembly," trying to shift the media's and netizens' focus away from the failure of "The Banquet."

On the other hand, "Tuya's Marriage" was a dismal box office failure, grossing only 188 million yuan.

However, despite the box office losses, the film received positive reviews.

Wang Quan announced that he would take his film to the Berlin Film Festival.

As expected, Jackie Chan's "Rob-B-Hood" saw very slow box office growth due to piracy.

However, Gao Yuanyuan's portrayal of the short-haired nurse in the film, who exudes gentleness and maternal love, has garnered her countless fans.

Unfortunately, due to the large number of her ex-boyfriends, her personal image has always been subject to controversy.

After all, who wouldn't want their goddess to be pure and innocent?
On the Pacific Rim set, the side storyline handled by Shen Ao and Zhao Peng has been successfully completed.

Just as Shu Chang's cameo appearance came to an end, Lü Rui asked Shen Ao to help Shu Chang deal with her biological father.

Meanwhile, Tang Yan and Jing Tian's cameo scenes have also been filmed and wrapped up.

The two of them joined the cast through personal connections, and their roles were small, only appearing briefly in some key scenes to help the audience remember them.

However, in terms of resources, Jing Tian is undoubtedly much better than Tang Yan.

Having just finished filming "Pacific Rim," she immediately threw herself into filming her debut movie "Anaconda," while also preparing for the entrance exam to the Beijing Film Academy.

Although Tang Yan doesn't have a new job for the time being, she's not in a hurry to leave and continues to quietly help out with miscellaneous tasks behind the scenes of the film crew.

It's worth mentioning that although she appears to be a mature and sophisticated woman, she is actually quite simple-minded.

Such people often make a lot of friends.

The downside is that such people have much poorer judgment when it comes to friends and are easily taken advantage of.

Liu Yifei is clearly not the kind of person who would betray her friends.

So, the two of them became good friends without any problems.

Xiao Liu isn't the type to befriend just anyone who's popular. After all, there aren't many people in the industry more famous than her right now, and she makes friends based on her feelings.

Coincidentally, Tang Yan gave her a pretty good impression, even better than Fan Bingbing.

The main problem is that Fan Bingbing is a bit too ambitious, making it difficult for us to open up to each other.

But people like Shu Chang and Tang Yan are quite suitable for confiding in.

Then, the two secretly shared their ongoing underground relationships.

"What? You're dating Zhao Peng? Did it start while filming 'Sunny Sisters'?"

"I knew I was right! You and Director Lü..."

Their eyes met, and the two, who both knew each other's secrets, decided to keep them confidential.

"You mustn't tell anyone!"

"Okay, pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years..."

Lu Rui glanced at the two of them as if they were idiots, then shook his head helplessly and walked away.

He had a pretty good impression of Tang Yan, although her acting skills were a bit lacking and she didn't seem like someone who graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, but her appearance was quite good.

The entertainment industry is very appearance-conscious. Even if you don't have much acting skill, as long as you're good-looking and have a bit of luck, making money isn't difficult.

Perhaps it's a case of fools having good fortune; unknowingly, Tang Yan found herself in the right place.

Lu Rui planned to have her play a supporting role to Fan Bingbing in "My Love from the Star".

"Director brother!"

The next day, Zhao Jinmai arrived at the film set and completed her cameo role as "childhood Xing Fei" in just two days.

The girl's spiritual energy has begun to emanate, and Lü Rui is very optimistic about her future.

Another day passed, and filming officially wrapped up for the first naval battle scene between Jaegers and monsters in Pacific Rim.

Fan Bingbing and her partner's "Chernau Alfa" ultimately sank to the bottom of the deep sea.

Henry Cavill and Brad Pitt play a father and son who bravely pilot the Eureka Raider to stop two monsters, but also die heroically in the process...

The most thrilling scene was undoubtedly the "Crimson Storm" sequence.

Jiao Enjun, Peter Ho, and Zhao Wenzhuo piloted mechs in a fierce battle against two monsters, resulting in a close and evenly matched contest.

Suddenly, one of the monsters released electromagnetic interference, causing the Crimson Storm's power system to be damaged instantly, rendering the mech unable to continue operating.

In the critical moment, Jiao Enjun gripped the control stick tightly and roared, "Go! Get the missile and bombard its electromagnetic generator!"

He Rundong and Zhao Wenzhuo immediately cooperated, climbed out of the mecha's cockpit, and retrieved the missile launcher from the power storage.

The three men's arms were bulging with veins as they desperately resisted the enormous recoil force generated by the missile launch!

The missile hit its target precisely, destroying the monster's electromagnetic abilities, but Jiao Enjun, who was under immense pressure, also suffered a broken arm and ruptured blood vessels in the impact!
Even so, he seemed oblivious to the pain, wiping the sweat from his face, his eyes still sharp: "Keep fighting! Even if the mech is destroyed, we'll still take care of this beast!"

That fearless spirit is exactly what makes him a tough guy who has been forged in blood and fire, showing his true colors as a macho man.

He Rundong and Zhao Wenzhuo exchanged a glance and then took out a new missile.

Three men, six arms—they refused to believe they couldn't kill this beast!
Watching this scene from behind the camera, Lü Rui felt his heart surge with emotion.

This guy is a real tough guy!

In contrast, those Hollywood actors who rely on drugs to maintain their muscles and whose physical condition deteriorates drastically as they age do not deserve to be called "macho men" at all; they are at best "drug addicts."

The monster became even more ferocious after being injured. Just when the three were about to give up, the roar of an engine suddenly came from the distant sea.

Liu Ye and Liu Yifei, driving the "Great Wall Guardian," were tasked with a critical mission and sped through the waves.

After a fierce battle, the mech's right arm transformed into a giant plasma cannon, flashing blue light as it precisely struck the monster's vitals.

The colossal creature convulsed and sank into the deep sea, and the battlefield finally returned to calm.

After filming wrapped up for the day, Fan Bingbing sat down opposite Lü Rui at dinner and said, "Director Lü, I'm leaving the crew tomorrow. I have to go back and work on promoting 'A Battle of Wits'."

Although Huayi Brothers was involved in the production of this film, participating in its promotion was her job. She couldn't refuse, and it also gave her more exposure, so it was a worthwhile deal.

“Okay.” Lu Rui nodded and added, “The company has reserved a TV drama script for you, with scenes for the female lead. It should be finalized around the New Year. Get ready.”

"Okay! Thank you, Director Lü!"

Fan Bingbing's eyes lit up instantly, her tone full of surprise.

Produced by Ruishijie and featuring the female lead, this is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for her!

"And you too." Lü Rui turned to Tang Yan, who was standing to the side. "You're playing the second female lead. Is it alright for you to act opposite her?"

"Oh, okay." Tang Yan nodded subconsciously, then paused for two seconds before realizing what she meant and asked with a serious yet bewildered look, "What kind of role are we acting in?"

Lü Rui looked at Zhao Peng helplessly.

Zhao Peng shrugged, his face full of helplessness.

Some people just have a very long reaction time; it's innate and can't be changed.

Perhaps it's a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, but he found Tang Yan quite adorable.

They can be a bit silly at times, but they don't cause much trouble, and their relationship is very stable.

"I also have a new TV series announcement!" Liu Yifei suddenly raised her hand, a hint of smugness on her face.

"What announcement? You're asking for leave tomorrow?" Lu Rui asked, looking at her curiously.

"Not tomorrow, it's the end of the month! I'm going to attend the Golden Eagle TV Art Festival..."

(End of this chapter)