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

Chapter 264 Get rid of the "Flower of Evil" and get a new female lead! (Seeking monthly votes)

Under the streetlights, Lü Rui's heart skipped a beat.

Looking at Liu Yifei's smiling eyes, he felt as if something soft had gently bumped into his heart.

Especially that sly line, "I already told your 'mouth'," is like a piece of candy coated in honey, going straight into your heart through your ears, making you feel so sweet it makes you jump for joy.

In the past few days, he has seen too many people trying to curry favor with ulterior motives and heard too many deliberately crafted flatteries...

In contrast, Liu Yifei's pure and unadulterated cuteness completely overwhelmed him.

Just moments ago, her ears were flushed with shyness, but now she can respond in such a lively way, both charming and vibrant, like a tender bud just sprouting in spring, tickling the heart.

Lu Rui couldn't help but laugh out loud, waved at her, and said in a gentle voice, "Okay, you win. Go back now."

"OK."

Liu Yifei blushed and quickly jumped into the car.

In the driver's seat, Shu Chang chuckled as she skillfully pressed the accelerator.

As the car passed by Lü Rui, she deliberately tapped the brake lightly and thoughtfully rolled down the window so that the couple in love could continue to be affectionate.

As a best friend, you should give her the most powerful support!
Moreover, she's going to audition for a new movie tomorrow, so she won't have the chance to sneak out for a date with Liu Yifei late at night anymore.

To her surprise, when she rolled down the car window, Lü Rui nodded at her and said earnestly, "Thank you for your help during this time."

These words immediately made Shu Chang stop joking and feel a little embarrassed.

It's important to know that the entertainment industry is a place with clear class distinctions.

Lü Rui is now a director and investor with resources at her disposal. It's already an honor for her that they are willing to give her a second glance.

As for the word "thank you," she had never heard it from any director before, and this was the first time Lü Rui had ever heard it.

In the past, she was usually the one who carefully tried to please others; she had never been treated with gratitude by a powerful figure.
Her initial intention to tease Liu Yifei vanished instantly. She quickly sat up straight and said sincerely, "Director Lü, you're too kind. This is what I should do..."

Lu Rui interrupted her, saying, "We're all friends, there's no need to keep calling me Director Lu, just call me Lu Rui."

Anyone who's been through death knows that if you don't court death, you won't die.

How could Shu Chang dare to call him by his name?
Her mind raced, and she blurted out, "Then I'll call you Brother Rui, just like Shen Ao did?"

"Row."

Lu Rui casually agreed, but he had a vague feeling that something was not right.

But the effects of the alcohol suddenly surged up, making him feel a little dizzy.

So he didn't think too much about the meaning behind the address, and waved to Liu Yifei in the car, "Go back and get some rest."

"Okay, goodnight, senior."

After watching the car turn the corner and disappear into the night, Lü Rui turned around and went home with his lunchbox.

Because he had a lot of things to deal with tomorrow, after drinking his stomach-soothing porridge, taking a hangover pill, and waiting for Liu Yifei to send him a message saying "I've arrived home safely," he fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Meanwhile, in Hollywood, within Focus Films...

Li Anzheng stared at the monitor, meticulously refining frame by frame the passionate scenes between Tony Leung and Tang Wei in "Lust, Caution".

However, he has been unable to fully immerse himself in editing. The news push he saw this morning about the official establishment of Ruixing Cinema Line has kept him frowning.

It's easy to guess that, due to the previous conflict with Lü Rui over the casting of the film, the screening schedule of "Lust, Caution" will likely be affected after it is introduced to the mainland.

However, he didn't panic completely like Lu Chuan.

After all, "Lust, Caution" is not a commercial film, and with Bona Film Group and Edko Films backing it up, even if the number of screenings is limited, it won't be too outrageous.

Moreover, the core profit of this film has never been box office revenue, but rather the revenue generated from selling the copyrights after winning awards...

"Ugh!"

He sighed deeply, forcefully shaking off the worries from his mind, and leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.

He's still pondering whether to send "Lust, Caution" to Cannes or Venice.
He noticed some time ago that the realistic film "Dying to Survive" directed by Lü Rui had also passed censorship.

He really didn't want to clash with this "mad dog" on his schedule!

Based on past experience, Lü Rui's films always take an unconventional approach, and if they were to compete head-to-head at the same film festival, the outcome would be too unpredictable.

The problem now is that he can't find out anything about the competition status of "Dying to Survive". He even has a feeling that Lü Rui might be waiting for him to set a release date first so that he can make a "precise attack".

Just thinking about this gave Li An a headache.

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have had such a falling out with Lü Rui in the first place. Now look what's happened, I'm in a difficult situation.

He originally wanted to try his luck at the Cannes Palme d'Or, but the style of "Lust, Caution" did not fit Cannes' preferences.

As for the Berlin Film Festival, its style is completely unrelated.

After much thought, it seems that the Venice Film Festival is the only option left.

The last time he won the Golden Lion for "Brokeback Mountain" was several years ago. Now, if he tries again, his chances of winning should be relatively higher...

With that in mind, he finally picked up his phone and dialed his assistant: "Notify the team that 'Lust, Caution' is ready to be submitted to the Venice Film Festival."

In addition, we must keep a close eye on Lü Rui's movements. Report any unusual activity to me immediately, especially regarding "Dying to Survive"...

At the same time, Taiwanese director Lee Kang-sheng with his new film "Help Me Eros" and Hong Kong director Johnnie To with "Mad Detective" also set their sights on this year's Venice Film Festival.

The former wants to use the film festival to gain international recognition.

The latter hopes to once again compete for international awards with this sharp and edgy crime thriller.

Meanwhile, on the mainland, Zhang Yimou received an invitation email from the organizers of the Venice Film Festival...

The Venice International Film Festival has already begun selecting suitable judges for this year's festival.

Overnight, time quietly slipped into mid-March.

The Beijing Film Academy has once again ushered in its annual spring semester.

At the same time, the final results of the 07 undergraduate class of the Performing Arts Department were also officially announced.

At this moment, the bulletin board at the school gate was crowded with art students from all over the country. Each of them was clutching their admission ticket and nervously searching for their name on the list.

If you are on the list, you only need to wait for your college entrance examination score to meet the requirements, and you can officially enter the Beijing Film Academy in September.

Next to the bulletin board, several freshmen from the class of 06 were watching the excitement together, and taking the opportunity to "inspect" their future juniors.

"Jing Tian, ​​Zheng Shuang, Kan Qingzi, Chai Biyun... Wow, there are quite a few female students this year?"

Zhu Yilong squinted as he read the list, his tone full of curiosity.

Peng Guanying, who was standing next to him, leaned over and added, "I haven't heard of the other names much, but this Jing Tian seems to have already debuted, right?"
I remember her debut film was directed by Lü Rui, and she later released an album and starred in a movie. She's definitely a star with connections!

No sooner had she finished speaking than a cold laugh came from the side, "Heh, actresses can become 'resource-backed' stars? Those who know the ropes understand the ins and outs."

These words made Zhu Yilong and Peng Guanying frown immediately.

"Don't make wild guesses if you don't know. Maybe their family has resources and connections," Zhu Yilong retorted in a deep voice, his tone tinged with helplessness.

“Exactly, don’t think of everything in such a dirty way,” Peng Guanying chimed in.

Just then, a black sedan suddenly drove up to the school gate. The little golden man logo on the front of the car was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight, attracting frequent glances from the surrounding crowd.

Someone stared at the license plate for a few moments, then suddenly exclaimed, "Hey? Isn't that Director Lü's car?"

In an instant, a clamor of discussion erupted:

"0825, that's right, that's Director Lü Rui's license plate number!"

"Why is he back at school? Is he here for the opening ceremony too?"

"He's probably going to report to the directing department. I heard he's still a graduate student. Although he doesn't have to attend classes normally, he still has to come back to go through the process when school starts."

Amidst the buzz of discussion, the Rolls-Royce slowly drove through the crowd, heading towards the directing department building.

Zhu Yilong watched the car drive away, his eyes filled with envy: "Wow, that's amazing! A car worth nearly ten million yuan. I wouldn't even dare to dream of such a thing."

Peng Guanying scratched his head a little embarrassedly and said in a low voice, "To tell you the truth, I had a dream during my lunch break that I was the male lead in Director Lü's movie."

"Haha, isn't this just a classic daydream?" Zhu Yilong teased him with a laugh.

"That's right, I was still feeling down for a while after I woke up, this daydream..."

The two were teasing each other when that untimely voice rang out again: "Why is it so easy for him to get a master's degree? I see other senior students spending all their time in classrooms and film crews, working themselves to the bone."

The two of them turned their heads in unison to look at Zhai Tianlin, who was speaking, with eyes as if they were looking at an ignorant fool.

"Is that even a question? If you could achieve half of Director Lü's success—winning international awards, starting a film company, and building a theater chain—you could easily get into graduate school too."

"Exactly, he's the face of Beijing Film Academy now. The school relies on him to make a name for itself. Do you even know what a 'face' means?"

Zhai Tianlin's face flushed red from the retort, but he still snorted defiantly, "So what if you're doing a master's degree? What's so great about that?"

Just you wait, I'm not only going to pursue a master's degree, I'm going to get a doctorate! We'll see who's better then!

Zhu Yilong and Peng Guanying exchanged a glance after hearing his words and decided not to argue with this fool any further.

Is he comparable to Director Lü?
Don't you go to heaven?

……

After registering at the directing department, Lü Rui did not linger with Tian Zhuangzhuang for long.

Ever since investing in Cao Baoping's "Li Mi's Conjecture," many people at the school seem to have recognized him as their "cash cow," handing him one or two scripts every now and then and asking for tens of millions of yuan in investment.

He really couldn't understand where these people got their confidence.

He invested in Cao Baoping because he was impressed by the latter's screenwriting/directing skills and future potential.

But how dare other people ask for tens of millions in investment with their illogical and clichéd scripts? That's just wishful thinking!

Actually, this matter has some connection to him. After the Hundred Flowers Awards controversy, Han Sanping tightened the subsidies from Beijing Film Studio and China Film Group to art films in order to stand up for him.

This directly cut off the way many elderly people could "make money" through subsidies. With no other option, they had to seek investment from all over the place to maintain their extravagant lifestyles.

With both manpower and capital, Lü Rui naturally became a prime target for attracting investment.

However, he didn't fall for their tricks at all.

After leaving the graduate teaching building, Lü Rui went to Jiang Wei's office to say hello.

The auditions for "Lurking" are currently underway, and with the start of the school year adding to the workload, Lao Jiang is running between the two, keeping him extremely busy...

The office door was ajar. Lü Rui tiptoed in, intending to give him a fright.

"How old are you? Why are you still playing these little tricks?"

Jiang Wei looked up at him, both amused and exasperated, clearly having noticed the commotion at the door long ago.

Lü Rui laughed and said, "I heard you've been so busy lately that you're starting to lose your hair? I was just trying to make you laugh."

"Why are you so free today?" Jiang Wei pointed to the chair next to him, gesturing for him to sit down.

"You're overthinking it. I'm not free. I just took some time to come and check in, and to see you." Lü Rui sat down in the chair.

While the post-production of "Pacific Rim" is still in progress, Xu Jingqing has released another version of the music, and Lü Rui plans to "stop by" to listen to it later.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei took a folder from the drawer and handed it over:
"It's perfect that you're here. This is the audition list for 'Lurking.' Take a look, and if there are no problems, sign it. This will save me the trouble of making another special trip."

Rui Vision has a strict rule: whether it's a film or television project, all roles must be reviewed by Lü Rui before the official casting is finalized.

He can only sign a contract with an actor after he has confirmed it; no one is exempt.

"Okay, I'll take a look."

Lu Rui took the folder, but didn't rush to open it; instead, his thoughts drifted into memories.

He knew all too well the significance of "Lurking"—this series was absolutely the "ceiling" of domestic spy dramas!
Jiang Wei poured countless efforts into this drama.

The original novel is less than 20,000 words long, but he spent 10 months polishing it into a 30-episode TV series script, and deliberately avoided the didactic feel of traditional spy dramas.

He knew that young audiences today were very averse to rigid value delivery, so he hid various moral lessons in the plot and added more entertainment elements to make the story more attractive.

Lu Rui clearly remembers that after the TV series "Lurking" was released in his previous life, its Douban rating soared to 9.5!

Since then, this drama has become a benchmark for spy dramas in the hearts of countless viewers.

Yu Zecheng, skilled in forbearance and disguise; Cuiping, who loves building chicken coops but possesses great wisdom; Ma Kui, who acts clumsily but is arrogant; Li Ya, who is insidious, cunning, and deeply obsessed; Station Master Wu, who stands alone on Mount Emei and has a romantic temperament...

It is precisely because of the appearance of these characters that the spy drama "Lurking" is so well-made.

Lü Rui opened the folder and glanced at the list.

Sun Honglei, Shen Aojun, Zu Feng, Feng Enhe, Wu Gang, Zhu Jie, Zhang Xueying...

As one familiar name after another flashed by, his gaze finally settled on the name "Yao Chen".

In terms of acting skills, Yao Chen's strength is beyond doubt.

Guo Furong in "My Own Swordsman" is a lively and unrestrained character, and is a classic role in the hearts of many viewers.

However, when he thought about her subsequent actions, especially the "Flower of Evil" incident, Lü Rui's goodwill towards her vanished.

More importantly, Yao Chen also has a distinctive "big mouth".

Zhao Yanzi, Shu Qi, and she together can be considered the representatives of the "big mouth" faction in the entertainment industry.

Lu Rui's dislike for Zhao Yanzi had already permeated to the psychological and physiological level, and he also subconsciously felt more repulsed by Yao Chen, who was also labeled as "big-mouthed".

So, pointing to the crossed-out name "Zhu Yuanyuan" next to Yao Chen, he asked curiously, "Teacher Jiang, why are there two names listed in the female lead section?"

Jiang Wei didn't even look up, still organizing the documents in her hands: "I initially chose Zhu Yuanyuan, her temperament matches Cuiping's very well."

Unexpectedly, she found out she was pregnant right after accepting the invitation, and her body simply couldn't withstand the intensity of filming 30 episodes, so she had to turn it down.

Later, Sun Honglei recommended Yao Chen. I auditioned her and felt she could capture Cui Ping's "roughness." Plus, she was a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, so I knew her well and added her name to the cast.

Lu Rui shook his head slightly: "But I feel that Yao Chen is not very capable."

"Huh?" Jiang Wei finally stopped what she was doing, looked up at him, and asked in surprise, "Why? Her audition performance was quite outstanding. Her delivery of lines and emotional expression were both excellent. She wasn't intimidated when acting alongside Sun Honglei. What did she do that didn't meet your expectations?"

Lü Rui didn't voice his personal prejudice against "Big Mouth" and "Flower of Evil," but instead offered a reason more fitting to the character:
“I have read the script and the original novel. Although Cuiping is a loud and boisterous rural woman on the surface, she is actually very perceptive and resilient. She has to have a contrast between being rough and meticulous.”

But Yao Chen, I've seen the roles she's played. She's definitely good at portraying the 'rough' side, but I don't think she can capture the subtlety and vigilance hidden beneath that down-to-earth demeanor..."

Hearing these words, Jiang Wei couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Normally, when a director is casting a role, there is an element of uncertainty and mystery involved.

During an audition, a particular shot, a glance, or a line can either add points or deduct points.

He had previously thought that Yao Chen's outgoing personality could complement Cui Ping's "roughness," but after Lü Rui's "stirring things up," he suddenly realized the lack of "delicacy."

Of course, this is mainly because Lü Rui himself is also a top director.

His interpretation of the character possesses a unique persuasiveness, subtly altering Jiang Wei's judgment.

"How about you recommend someone suitable?"

After thinking for a moment, Lü Rui actually came up with a suitable candidate: "Do you know Tong Zhanggui from 'My Own Swordsman'?"

"You mean Yan Ni?" Jiang Wei blurted out, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Yan Ni perfectly blended the down-to-earth charm with a gentle demeanor in "My Own Swordsman". She was both relatable and resilient, making her a better fit for the character of Cui Ping, who was "rough on the outside but meticulous on the inside", than Yao Chen.

"Yes, that's her."

This woman is a representative of the "slightly tipsy" style in later generations; she can play down-to-earth characters as well as leading ladies...

Lü Rui felt that she was much more suitable than Yao Chen.

“Okay, I’ll contact her right away and have her come over for an audition.” Jiang Wei nodded immediately and picked up her phone to make the arrangements.

Having achieved his goal, Lü Rui did not linger and got up to take his leave.

As he walked out of the office building toward the parking lot, he saw the list of the 07 Acting Department graduates posted on the wall.

Besides Jing Tian and Feng Shuang, he also saw several other familiar names.

Tan Songyun with her naturally youthful face, Zhang Ruoyun reciting poetry in the imperial court...

Unfortunately, neither of the latter two were in undergraduate programs, but rather belonged to vocational college programs.

This reminded Lü Rui of Huang Bo.

Back then, among the actors who graduated in 02, he was the one with the most outstanding acting skills.

Unfortunately, because of his appearance, he had to start from a dubbing class and eventually transferred to a vocational college after several twists and turns.

"So many years have passed, and the admission standards of Beijing Film Academy are still the same..." Lu Rui thought to himself.

Judging from this trend, if he wants to find actors in the future, he will probably have to visit the Central Academy of Drama and Beijing People's Art Theatre even more frequently.

Just then, a clear voice called out from beside me: "Director Lü!"

Lu Rui paused, turned around, and saw Yang Mi standing not far away with several female classmates, her eyes full of surprise.

"Hello." He nodded and smiled in response, but did not stop walking.

He had no interest in contacting this person.

The feng shui of Rongxinda's place is not good; the people raised there all have a sinister and scheming nature.

Zhou Xun and Chen Kun are the same, and this newly crowned number one is even more so.

"Goodbye, Director Lü."

Although Yang Mi was somewhat disappointed that she hadn't been able to exchange more words with Lü Rui, she still forced a smile and waved to him.

"Ah."

Lu Rui opened the car door, got in, and told the driver to leave immediately.

The girls only looked away after watching the car drive away.

Zhang Xiaofei turned around, looked at Yang Mi, and said with admiration, "Mi Mi, you are so brave! You weren't even intimidated by Director Lü!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Mi immediately put on airs and said casually, "What's there to be afraid of? We've known each other for a long time. I dealt with him when I was filming 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'."

"Really?" Yuan Shanshan exclaimed in surprise, "You have such amazing connections?"

"Of course." Yang Mi raised her chin, her tone full of pride. "He even treated our crew to dinner back then, and while we were drinking, he said he would definitely look for me if there were any suitable roles in the future..."

As she spoke, she noticed the shocked and envious looks in her classmates' eyes, and felt extremely pleased with herself.

Some time ago, because "The Door" flopped at the box office and she only got a supporting role in "The Dream of Red Mansions", her roommates started mocking her behind her back, as if they were certain that Rong Xinda would abandon her.

Now, by using Lü Rui's name to "borrow the tiger's power," they have finally managed to regain some of the face they had lost.

Little did she know that Lü Rui had no intention of having much contact with her at all.

As soon as the car drove out of the Beijing Film Academy gate, Lü Ruiquan completely forgot about Yang Mi.

He first stopped by Xu Jingqing's place and packed up the several new versions of the music that the latter had finished.

The reason given was that he would go back and compare it with the script to see which song was more suitable.

But he was thinking that he should bring all these pieces to Hollywood after a while so that Hans Zimmer could have a good listen to them.

He even came up with a reason for "stirring up trouble":
"Listen to this, this is a piece that our Chinese composers can write casually. So what about you? After working so hard for so long, you can't still be standing still, can you?"

(End of this chapter)