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

Chapter 259 Let the Bullets Fly! (Seeking monthly votes)
After leaving the Xu family's gate, the two got into the car and told the driver to leave quickly.

In the back seat, Jiang Wen pointed at Lü Rui with a wry smile: "Good lad, you're really good at using this trick of driving one wolf to devour another!"

"I am over-flattered."

Lu Rui smiled and waved his hand, making no attempt to deny his feelings.

His intention was to pit Xu Jingqing and Hans Zimmer against each other from afar, forcing them to reach their best and thereby refining a top-notch soundtrack.

Jiang Wen couldn't help but burst into laughter, but he was secretly pondering to himself.

That's an interesting tactic. Maybe we can use it on Joe Hisaishi later?

He was thinking of asking the other party to compose music for his new film, hoping that this method might inspire an even better piece of work!

While thinking about it, he asked, "Are you free this afternoon? Want to come to my company for a visit?"

“Sure, that works.” Lu Rui readily agreed.

Jiang Wen recently founded a film company called Buyi Lehu with his friend Ma Ke.

Ma Ke is no ordinary person.

He graduated from the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts and worked at the Golden Shield Film and Television Center of the Ministry of Public Security for more than 10 years, with a complex network of connections.

In this company, the two individuals each own 50% of the shares, and their roles are clearly defined.

Ma Ke was responsible for raising funds and managing affairs, providing Jiang Wen with ample "ammunition".

Jiang Wenze focused on creative work, allowing film art to "take flight".

One is responsible for pragmatism, and the other for ideals; they complement each other perfectly and can be considered a golden partnership.

The company is located in Qiaozhen Town, HR District.

Upon arriving at their destination, the two got out of the car and headed straight to Room 203, South Building, No. 1 Xingqiao Street.

"General Manager Jiang, Director Lü!"

When the young woman at the front desk saw someone come in, she quickly greeted them, her voice full of undisguised surprise.

Thanks to Lü Rui's fame, the little girl obviously recognized him.

"Where's Ma Ke?" Jiang Wen asked casually.

"Mr. Ma has gone out to discuss business."

"Oh, bring in two cups of coffee."

Jiang Wen didn't take it seriously and led Lü Rui into the office.

Although the company is not large, it has all the necessary functions.

Especially in Jiang Wen's office, as soon as Lü Rui entered, he was drawn to a bookshelf that was completely full.

He glanced at it and saw a dazzling array of books, ranging from classical poetry to fairy tales, from fantasy and science fiction to realistic biographies, making it a truly all-encompassing collection.

"Tsk tsk, you have quite a wide range of interests."

“I’ve been reading this lately.” Jiang Wen picked up the book from the table and handed it to him.

Lu Rui looked closely and, lo and behold, it was "The Complete Works of Ma Shitu"!
“There’s a story called ‘The Tale of Stealing an Official’ inside. I think it’s quite interesting. Take a look,” Jiang Wen said, turning the page to the specified number for him.

Lü Rui took the book and began to read it carefully.

The story framework of "The Thief of the Official" is not complicated. It mainly tells the story of a naive boy whose family was persecuted to death by a wealthy landlord. After he came of age, he set up his own stronghold, recruited soldiers, robbed the rich to help the poor, and took advantage of the evils of the world to rise from thief to official. In the end, he successfully killed his enemies.

Unfortunately, the story ends in tragedy, with the protagonist, Zhang Muzhi, being brutally murdered.

This was to be expected. Just like the 108 heroes of the Water Margin, very few of them met a good end. Such a tragic ending highlights the irony of the work.

However, given the dramatic changes in the cultural environment today, the original story is not particularly remarkable.

After all, with the current consumer culture in full swing, the legend of an ordinary hero or outlaw is no longer enough to evoke emotional resonance in modern people.

After quickly flipping through the text, Lü Rui casually remarked, "The story is quite ordinary."

He found it hard to imagine how Jiang Wen had transformed such an ordinary story into a masterpiece worthy of being nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
Just as he was pondering this, Jiang Wen's voice suddenly rang out: "Does the story matter?"

Lu Rui raised an eyebrow at him: "Isn't the story important?"

“I don’t think it’s important.” Jiang Wen waved his hand, his tone firm. “In my opinion, what’s really important is what we put into this story.”

He briefly explained his ideas:
"I've always felt that we filmmakers need to have some unconventional methods. For example, the core of this story is to portray a seemingly impossible bandit as a hero..."

People didn't want to believe a bandit's name was Zhang Muzhi; they only wanted to believe the bandit was called Zhang Mazi, and they were even more inclined to believe that the bandit's face must be covered in pockmarks..."

Lu Rui's lips twitched as he listened.

Sure enough, it was only for the sake of this vinegar that the dumplings were made, no wonder the story didn't seem important to Jiang Wen at all.

"Fine, it's your script, you call the shots."

Jiang Wen smiled, but then suddenly changed the subject, frowning slightly as he said, "Now there is a major problem."

"What?" Lu Rui looked at him curiously.

"I feel that the title 'The Tale of Stealing Officials' is too ordinary and does not quite match my goals and expectations, but I can't think of a more suitable one for the time being."

Upon hearing this, Lü Rui pointed at a page and blurted out, "How about calling it 'Let the Bullets Fly'?"

Jiang Wen's eyes suddenly lit up: "Is there any explanation?"

"He's handsome!" Lü Rui said bluntly.

"That's it?"

"Otherwise what?" Lu Rui raised an eyebrow. "Think about it, after Zhang Mazi fires a shot, his underling says his boss missed, and he says to let the bullet fly for a while. Isn't that exciting? Doesn't that instantly elevate the protagonist's cool factor?" "That makes sense!"

Jiang Wen slammed his hand on the table, his eyes filled with excitement. He picked up a pen and crossed out the three words "The Thief of the Official" without hesitation, and rewrote the four words "Let the Bullets Fly".

Lü Rui did not stay with him for long.

Today is Valentine's Day, February 14th, and he even invited Liu Yifei to go to the movies tonight.

It's better to let Jiang Wen figure out the scriptwriting for "Let the Bullets Fly" himself. He's just offering a casual suggestion, and saying too much might interfere with his creative inspiration.

If Jiang Wen were to fall into another ban crisis, it would be a great loss.

However, before leaving, Lü Rui specifically said, "Tell me if you need investment."

"Let's forget about it. I'll have Yinghuang and China Film Investment invest in it. I can't let you down." Jiang Wen also knew his own flaws in making movies.

High investment and low returns are unavoidable.

"It's alright, I'm quite optimistic about the commercial potential of this project."

These words made Jiang Wen's eyes light up instantly!
After all, he considered himself far inferior to Lü Rui in terms of commercial filmmaking skills, so he was extremely happy to receive recognition.

So he immediately nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll reserve a share for you when the time comes."

"Okay, I'm leaving. No need to see me off."

After going downstairs, Lü Rui drove straight to the Shunyi villa area, picked up Liu Yifei who was already dressed up, and headed towards the movie theater.

The two decided to watch "Getting Home" tonight.

This is a road comedy film starring Zhao Benshan.

Previously, when Lü Rui was following up on "300" abroad, he heard that "Getting Home" had held a very grand premiere in China.

The directors who attended the event included both fifth and sixth generation directors, especially those sixth generation directors who were frequently banned and walked on the edge of censorship; not a single one was absent.

This is not only due to Zhao Benshan's extensive network of connections, but also to the excellent quality of the film itself.

Although Lao Zhao started out as a sketch actor and had no professional acting training, his acting skills are nothing short of divine!
In the film, he walks along the highway, witnessing the vicissitudes of life in China, the joys and sorrows of ordinary people, and the warmth and coldness of human relationships...

The film is packed with jokes yet doesn't lack depth. It makes the viewer laugh out loud at times, feel a lump in their throat at others, and feel a lingering sense of emotion as the movie ends.

"Uncle Benshan is amazing!"

Liu Yifei's ability to appreciate movies is quite good.

After leaving the movie theater, she couldn't help but exclaim, "I think with his acting skills, he could definitely win a Best Actor award at a film festival!"

"Yes, that's really impressive." Lü Rui wholeheartedly agreed.

There are plenty of people in China who call themselves "performing artists," but most of them are just seeking fame and fortune.

Zhao Benshan's acting skills absolutely deserve the title of "performing artist"!
The two did not rush home, but instead took a walk in a nearby park.

For some unknown reason, Liu Yifei suddenly muttered with a hint of disappointment, "Everyone else can win awards, but I haven't won any big prizes yet."

Lu Rui saw right through her thoughts; she must have seen too much news about "Apple" being shortlisted for the Berlin International Film Festival recently.

In order to promote Huo Siyan and offset the impact of Fan Bingbing's contract termination, Huayi Brothers has done a lot of publicity for this movie.

She even colluded with the media to create the topic of "youngest Berlin Film Festival Best Actress," subtly and overtly putting down other actresses in the industry.

But everyone dared not speak out against it.

After all, there are very few domestic films that can be shortlisted for international film festivals, so there is no way to compare them.

"Don't be sad, believe me, you definitely have a chance to win an award," Lü Rui comforted her softly.

"But my acting skills are terrible..."

Liu Yifei lowered her head, her tone somewhat dejected, but she still had a clear understanding of herself.

"Your acting skills can be improved gradually. In fact, you have the potential to win awards, which is something many female stars don't have."

"What kind of potential?" Liu Yifei immediately looked up at him, her eyes full of anticipation.

Lu Rui suppressed a laugh and said in a serious tone, "Most female leads in art films have three characteristics: small breasts, few words, and a sassy expression. You already meet one of them."

"???"

Liu Yifei's smile froze instantly. Following Lü Rui's gaze, she looked down at her chest and immediately became somewhat exasperated.

That naughty thing! He's playing tricks on her again!

"You're the one with small breasts!"

Lu Rui shrugged: "Why would a man like me need big breasts?"

"Hmph!" She crossed her arms, looking smug. "You think I'm too small? You clearly said that small is cute too, and you even bit me..."

"Fuck!"

Lu Rui quickly stepped forward and covered her mouth.

Why is this girl so reckless?
Is it appropriate to say such things in public?

If someone else heard this, wouldn't it turn into a social disaster scene in no time?

Liu Yifei was quite well-behaved and didn't continue saying things that could easily lead to misunderstandings.

Of course, it wasn't that she didn't want to talk, but with her mouth covered, her heart started racing uncontrollably, her body went limp, and all the random thoughts in her mind were long forgotten...

(End of this chapter)