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

Chapter 265 The conflict escalates again! A busy period of non-stop work... (10,000-word update, please vote!)
"The cast list for the spy drama 'Lurking,' exclusively produced by Ruishijie and written and directed by Jiang Wei, was officially announced today."

The drama, starring Sun Honglei, Yan Ni, Shen Aojun, Zu Feng, and Wu Gang, tells a poignant story of espionage behind enemy lines.

"The new film 'Nanjing Photo Studio' by Ruishijie is currently undergoing auditions. Director Shen Ao, whose films have grossed over 100 million yuan, will be taking on the challenging historical war theme."

"Yinghuang and Ruishijie jointly announced two new film projects: the action film 'Ip Man' and the crime film 'The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil.' Both scripts have been successfully approved..."

The nominations for the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards were announced today. The Hong Kong-Mainland co-production "New World" has been nominated for several awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor.

...

While a series of film and television news stories were trending online, the atmosphere inside the Huayi Brothers' talent agency office was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Li Xue frowned, looking at Yao Chen who was also frowning, her tone full of confusion: "Didn't you say before that you were sure you'd get the lead role of Cui Ping? How come you were replaced in the end?"

"I don't know either, I'm totally confused right now."

Yao Chen grabbed his hair in frustration, looking rather frantic!
She simply couldn't understand it. She was a direct descendant of the Beijing Film Academy, and with Sun Honglei acting as her intermediary and recommending her, landing the role should have been a sure thing.

For this role, she even turned down three variety show appearances and an offer to play the second female lead in an urban drama, just waiting for the production team to contact her to sign the contract.

But to everyone's surprise, when it came time for the official announcement, his name was not on the list of main characters.

Most importantly, the person who replaced her was Yan Ni, with whom she had previously worked in "My Own Swordsman".

In that drama, Yan Ni was the absolute female lead, "Tong Zhanggui," while she played the second female lead, "Guo Furong."

At the time, many viewers compared the two, saying that Guo Furong's looks and temperament were no match for Tong Zhanggui, which made her feel resentful.

I thought that by winning the role in "Lurking," I could completely shed the comedic label of "Guo Furong" and surpass Yan Ni as the female lead in a spy drama.

But now, all expectations have been dashed.

This intense sense of loss almost drove her to the brink of collapse!

"Didn't you ask Sun Honglei for the reason?" Li Xue pressed, trying to find a way out.

Yao Chen sighed heavily, her voice filled with grievance: "I asked, and he said he didn't know the reason either. Director Jiang Wei suddenly changed his mind."

When he asked, the other party only said, "The role is more suitable for someone else," and refused to say anything more when pressed. There was nothing he could do.

"Sigh." Li Xue sighed in disappointment, leaning back in her chair with a helpless tone, "It's come to this, so we can only accept it. I'll keep an eye out for other opportunities for you to transition into a different role and see if there are any suitable serious drama roles available."

However, Yao Chen was somewhat indignant and suddenly raised her voice, her tone full of resentment:
"A perfectly good role can be replaced so suddenly, someone must be pulling the strings behind the scenes! Don't let me find out who it is, or I'll make them pay!"

She understands all too well the importance of quality roles for an actor.

A truly outstanding role in a film or television drama can often bring about a qualitative leap for an actor, and can even make a third-tier actor leap to the top of the list overnight.

In the entertainment industry, "becoming famous overnight" is a goal that everyone is desperate to achieve.

Cui Ping in "Lurking" was the closest she ever got to this goal.

Now that the opportunity is gone, how could she not be furious?
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong.

The approval of "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil" and "Ip Man" has caused a complete uproar in the Hong Kong film and television industry!

In recent years, resources in the Hong Kong entertainment industry have been gradually depleted, and there are very few high-quality projects available, which are simply not enough for so many people.

Those with ability and high emotional intelligence, like Liu Dehua, have long since astutely established themselves in the mainland market and are constantly receiving film offers.

However, many actors who want to go to the mainland can't find suitable opportunities and are stuck in Hong Kong.

This scarcity of resources means that every new project triggers a frenzy of competition within the industry.

When "New World" was first officially announced, many Hong Kong actors tried to squeeze into the cast through connections.

However, it turned out that the project was entirely controlled by Ruishijie, with the core roles decided by the mainland team, leaving Hong Kong actors with only minor supporting roles.

At the time, many onlookers thought that this film would definitely fail, and that although Ruishijie came with great fanfare, it would eventually have to slink back to the mainland in disgrace.

But reality slapped everyone in the face!

"New World" not only became a box office hit, but was also hailed by audiences as a top Hong Kong film that could succeed "Infernal Affairs"!

Even the Hong Kong Film Awards organizers, who have always been prejudiced against projects dominated by mainland capital, had to reluctantly include it in multiple nominations such as Best Film and Best Director.

The recent official announcements of "Ip Man" and "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil" have made Hong Kong actors envious.

One is a biographical kung fu film with a budget of 7000 million yuan, targeting the commercial market.

The other one is a crime drama with a 3000 million investment, which also boasts that the plot is no less than that of "New World".

In the current climate of severe resource scarcity in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, this is nothing short of a godsend!
The atmosphere at Zhen Zidan's home had reached a fever pitch.

He gripped his phone tightly, his voice filled with urgency: "Mother! You must help me!"
Jackie Chan and Li Lianjie went to film "The Forbidden Kingdom." Now, I'm the only actor in Hong Kong who can really fight. The role of Ip Man is perfect for me. If I can get the lead role, I'm sure I can return to the top tier..."

Since the box office failure of his starring film "Flash Point" last year, he has been staying at home and has not found a suitable project yet.

The appearance of "Ip Man" was a lifeline for him!
"Let me contact Chairman Yang for you first and see what's going on..."

Mai Baochan couldn't make any guarantees, but hearing her youngest son's desperate pleas, she felt heartbroken.

So, she simply took out her phone in front of Zhen Zidan and dialed Yang Shoucheng.

But soon, her expression turned ugly.

After hanging up the phone, her brows furrowed even more: "No, Mr. Yang said this is a project controlled by Ruishijie, and Yinghuang only has a partial investment. The decision-making power of the main players is not in their hands."

Zhen Zidan's expression changed drastically: "Just like the previous 'New World'? The lead actor has to be found from the mainland?"

He knew all too well what this meant.

If the lead role were to be chosen from mainland China, his advantage as a "Hong Kong action star" would likely be replaced by mainland actors with greater box office appeal.

“I guess so,” Mai Baochan sighed.

"That Lü Rui, what ruthless methods he uses!" Zhen Zidan gritted her teeth.

The Hong Kong entertainment circle is only so big, and Lu Rui's previous entanglements with the old guard of the Hong Kong circle had already spread far and wide, so he naturally knew about some of the past conflicts.

But the thought that his chance to turn things around might be ruined because of these past grievances made him unable to help but start blaming those old fogies who clung to their prejudices:
"These old bastards, for the sake of some worthless face, are going head-to-head with mainland capital, and now they've almost ruined Hong Kong films, and we actors are going to suffer along with them!"

At this moment, not only Donnie Yen, but other Hong Kong actors who had inquired with Yinghuang about the situation were also complaining privately after learning that the lead role might be decided by the mainland.

As resentment grew, even those self-righteous old-school bigwigs had to face the issue squarely.

If this continues, Hong Kong actors might really go out of work!

As a result, another major conference was held within the industry.

"Everyone, let's discuss what we should do now."

"How about... we find someone to apologize to Lü Rui? And mediate? We're all Chinese... there's no need to make things so tense."

"Apologize? Absolutely not! When have we Hong Kong filmmakers ever needed to bow down to the mainland? Where would we put our faces if word got out?"

"We're almost starving, what's the point of talking about saving face!"

"That's right, now we're the ones begging others for resources, not the other way around!"

"I think we can talk to him about the terms. We're all in this to make money, there's no need to make things so tense. Wouldn't it be better to make money peacefully?"

"Talk? How do we talk?"

"Talk slowly and deliberately, let those who are prepared talk first, and then let others join in..."

"Damn it! After all that talking, it's just a load of rubbish."

"Then what do you think we should do?"

"Isn't that simple? Completely open up the Hong Kong Film Awards, give more awards to mainland filmmakers, let them gain fame, and we'll get roles. This way, we can both close the gap and secure better conditions for ourselves, killing two birds with one stone."

"That's possible, but we can't open up everything at once. We need to give them a little something to whet their appetite first, so we have leverage in negotiations."

"That's right! That's it!"

Who will go and negotiate?

"Let Yinghuang send a message first, and see what his attitude is."

"..."

Kunming, Yunnan.

Lu Ruigang, accompanied by his assistant and bodyguards, had just gotten off the plane and was about to head to the set of "Li Mi's Conjecture" when he suddenly received a call from Yang Shoucheng.

After a few brief pleasantries, he got straight to the point:
"Mr. Lu, the Hong Kong film industry asked me to pass on a message. They said they are willing to give more opportunities to Ruishijie's works at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and hope to have Hong Kong actors play the main roles in 'Ip Man' and 'The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil'."

After hearing this, Lü Rui was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh out loud: "They're offering a Hong Kong Film Award to get a lead role in a movie? They really treat this award like a treasure?"

"That's right, that's what they mean."

"Hahahaha." Lu Rui laughed for a while before stopping, and then said frankly, "Please trouble Chairman Yang to tell them that I really don't care about the Golden Horse Awards."

His goal is clear: to teach those arrogant old guard in the Hong Kong entertainment circle a lesson and make them realize that the current situation is no longer the era of Hong Kong's dominance.

As for the Hong Kong Film Awards?
In his eyes, this is nothing more than a self-deceiving "fig leaf" for the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

This award can still hold on to its past reputation for now, but in a few years, with the rise of the mainland film market, it will only become more and more marginalized, eventually becoming a "white elephant" that no one cares about.

Even if they win an award, the actors probably won't be comfortable using it for marketing.

Do you really think you can get a key role from him with just these "bargains"?
It’s simply a fool’s errand!

"Okay, I'll pass on your message to them right away."

Yang Shoucheng was a smart man, so he maintained his role as a middleman very well.

He only acts as a middleman, responsible for relaying messages, and never gets involved in the conflicts between Lui Rui and the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

As for helping to mediate the relationship between the two parties, that's not his job, so why should he bother to do it?
Moreover, the deeper the conflict between Lu Rui and the Hong Kong entertainment circle, the more stable Yinghuang's position will be as the only bridge between the two sides. He would not do something that is thankless and difficult.

However, for others in the Hong Kong entertainment circle, Lui Rui's reply was undoubtedly a direct hit to their hearts!

"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!!!"

"Who does Lu Rui think he is? He's just won a few minor awards from the three major European awards, and he dares to look down on the Hong Kong Film Awards?"

"Exactly! Do they really think they can look down on everyone just because they control the resources?"

"Since he doesn't think much of it, then Vision's future works will not receive a single Hong Kong Film Award nomination!"

"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences! I've said it before, we have to be tough on this kind of mainland capital! We have to force them to back down!"

"Pass down the word: no one is allowed to audition for either 'Ip Man' or 'The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil.' Anyone who does is disrespecting the entire Hong Kong film industry..."

"Anyone who dares to go and act as a supporting character to those country bumpkins from the mainland, don't blame me for turning my back on them!"

In an instant, because of Lu Rui's words, the Hong Kong entertainment circle was thrown into chaos, with arguments and shouts rising and falling.

Several elderly men were so angered by Lü Rui's tough response that their blood pressure spiked, and they were rushed to the hospital, nearly dying.

The seeds sown in the past have finally borne fruit today.

In fact, many people are already filled with regret.

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have let my so-called "face" cause such a rift with Lü Rui.

But now, for the sake of their meager dignity, they have no choice but to grit their teeth and bear it, even knowing that this path will only make the situation in the Hong Kong entertainment circle more and more difficult...

...

Filming for "The Equation of Love and Death" is currently taking place on the Dongfeng East Road overpass in Kunming.

After arriving at his destination, Lü Rui greeted the security guard at the entrance.

Immediately, the driver drove the car straight into the film set.

The car came to a smooth stop in the film set's parking area. Just as the assistant in the passenger seat was about to open the door for Lü Rui, Zhang Yi and Fan Bingbing came over.

Although Fan Bingbing has long legs, she couldn't beat Zhang Yi because she had to pay attention to her image, and he beat her to it.

"Director Lü, welcome to the set." Zhang Yi said with a sincere smile.

Lu Rui nodded to him and patted him on the shoulder.

Looking at Zhang Yi's slightly obsequious demeanor, Fan Bingbing couldn't help but curse inwardly, "You usually seem so serious, but I didn't expect you to be such a flatterer!"

Thinking this to herself, her face remained completely expressionless; instead, a sweet smile bloomed on her lips.
"Director Lü, are you tired from the car ride? I had my assistant go to the fruit shop and pick out some fresh blueberries and strawberries. They've all been washed and packed in a thermos. I'll get them for you later."

Lu Rui nodded to her: "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"Of course, the whole crew is happy that you came to visit the set, and I've been looking forward to it for days."

Fan Bingbing's voice grew softer, her words conveying a sense of intimacy.

When it comes to "competing for favor," she only restrains herself a bit in front of Liu Yifei, but never shows any timidity in front of others.

These few words, though seemingly ordinary, subtly overshadowed Zhang Yi's presence.

Along with Ni Dahong, Wang Shuohui, and Wang Baoqiang, they could only stand not far away, unable to find a chance to interject.

Even director Cao Baoping only got a chance to speak after Fan Bingbing deliberately stepped aside: "Director Lü, it's such a long way, and you've gone to all this trouble."

Lü Rui responded with a laugh: "Haha, Professor Cao is joking. It's only a few hours' flight, not tiring at all."
I should have come much earlier, but I've been so busy with theater releases and new projects lately that I haven't been able to find the time.

His willingness to personally visit the set demonstrates his respect for the production team, a fact Cao Baoping naturally understood, and his smile deepened.

The crew is currently filming a key scene on the overpass, and due to the temporary road closure, the time allotted for filming is extremely tight.

So, after giving his greetings, Cao Baoping hurriedly got back to work: "All departments, get ready! Actors, take your positions!"

Upon seeing this, Fan Bingbing immediately abandoned her previous coquettish demeanor.

She was eager to show off in front of Lü Rui, and once she got into character, she went all out!

His short hair, which he cut for filming "Pacific Rim," was now a bit messy from the wind.

A few stray hairs clung to her cheeks, and coupled with her deliberately worn-out makeup, she truly possessed the roughness of a common woman.

As Cao Baoping announced "Start," Fan Bingbing slowly raised her head, with a bustling scene of cars and people in the background.

She spoke slowly, her voice trembling slightly, yet carrying a stubborn despair:

“We fell in love when we were in middle school and have been together ever since… He told me that meeting me was the happiest thing that ever happened to him…”

There were no exaggerated physical movements, nor any intense emotional outbursts.

Yet, hidden within that calm monologue lies a deep longing and pain, like fine needles gently pricking the heart.

Lu Rui stood behind the monitor, quietly watching her on the screen, and couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

Fan Bingbing's face, which is often criticized for resembling a vixen, has indeed been deceptive to many, causing people to subconsciously overlook her acting skills.

But now, with her hair down and her elaborate disguise removed, she looks like a crazy woman, which ironically hides the flaws in her appearance.

Whether it's the emotional layers in the dialogue or the vulnerability that can't be hidden in her eyes, she portrayed it exceptionally well at this moment.

On the monitor, she raised her hand to wipe the corner of her eye, but didn't let the tears fall.

That was Li Mi's stubbornness, and also her precise control over the role.

"That's a good shot."

Lü Rui nodded slightly, and his voice reached Cao Baoping's ears.

"Cut!"

Cao Baoping picked up the walkie-talkie and called a halt, looking at Fan Bingbing, who had just finished the take, with some surprise, and wondering to himself.

This scene is particularly complex in its emotional layers, containing both nostalgia for the past and despair for the present.

He thought he would need to shoot several takes to achieve his desired result.

Unexpectedly, Fan Bingbing suddenly had a burst of acting talent and nailed the scene in one take!

This made him mutter to himself, "This guy is quite strange. The bigger the occasion and the more important the person is present, the more stable he becomes."

After filming wrapped up, Lü Rui booked over a dozen tables at a hotel near the film set and treated all the staff to a meal.

During the meal, he walked from table to table, chatting with the actors, stagehands, and lighting technicians, which not only shortened the distance between them but also showed his respect for everyone.

Cao Baoping felt extremely pleased to see this scene.

However, Lü Rui did not stay overnight, but set off overnight to catch a plane to Xiamen.

His schedule is still quite tight; he needs to visit the set of "Crazy Racer" next.

Currently, the post-production of "Pacific Rim" in China has entered a stable phase.

After a while, he will have to go to Hollywood to oversee another part of post-production, and this trip may last for several months.

Therefore, he had to make sure all the projects in China were settled before he left, so that nothing would go wrong.

It's worth mentioning that when he left, Wang Baoqiang hitched a ride with him to the airport.

However, Wang Baoqiang's destination was Shouxian County, Anhui Province.

He has been confirmed to play the role of Shunliu in another military-themed TV series invested by Ruishijie, "My Brother is Called Shunliu".

He has finished filming his scenes for "The Equation of Love and Death" and needs to get over there as soon as possible to join the training program.

Seeing him all alone, without even an assistant by his side, Lü Rui frowned and asked, "Didn't your company provide you with an assistant and driver?"

He's a well-known actor, yet he doesn't even have a basic entourage. Isn't this just bullying an honest person?

Wang Baoqiang scratched his head and said with a simple smile, "My agent is on leave, so there's no one to make arrangements for the time being."

Lu Rui frowned even more deeply.

He had met Wang Baoqiang's agent, who was none other than Song Ximen.

That guy is no good. He looks shifty and has a calculating look in his eyes. He doesn't seem like a good person.

After a moment of contemplation, he couldn't help but remind him, "You need to be more careful about the people around you. Everyone in Huayi is shrewd. Be careful not to get scammed."

Since meeting Wang Baoqiang during the filming of "Soldiers Sortie," Lü Rui has always felt that Wang Baoqiang is a down-to-earth person, which is why he gave him an extra piece of advice.

After all, honesty and simplicity can't be faked.

He wouldn't bother with such trivial matters if it were anyone else.

Wang Baoqiang nodded quickly: "I understand, thank you for your guidance, Director Lü. I will keep it in mind."

Lu Rui waved his hand: "Alright, go ahead. Be careful on the road. I'll talk to the crew later and arrange for someone to pick you up from the airport."

"Thank you, Director Lü!" Wang Baoqiang thanked him repeatedly and quickly walked towards the boarding gate with his suitcase.

After saying goodbye to him, Lü Rui headed to another boarding gate and successfully boarded a flight to Xiamen.

On the plane, after the flight stabilized, he took out the newspaper he had picked up at the airport and looked through the recent cinema market data. The more he looked, the more somber his expression became.

It's no exaggeration to describe it as "horrible"!
Since January, Chinese-language films in China have been completely outclassed by imported films.

"Casino Royale" swept the box office with its intense action scenes.

The visual impact of "300" left audiences in awe.

"Night at the Museum" and "The Devil Wears Prada" attracted a large audience with their lighthearted and fun storylines.

This month, films like "Babel," "The Host," and "Time Dependence" have followed one after another, further squeezing the living space of Chinese-language films.

Even though Han Sanping had deliberately adjusted the film schedule, concentrating imported blockbusters in the same time slot to compete with each other and give domestic films a chance to breathe, the situation was still not optimistic.

Those Chinese-language films are like hopeless cases, each one worse than the last.

Either the plot is outdated or the production is rough, making it impossible for them to compete with imported films.

That's why the entire industry is now focused on Pacific Rim.

Everyone is hoping that this sci-fi blockbuster, which incorporates Chinese elements, will give Chinese-language films a much-needed boost and restore the prestige of domestic films after its release.

After the plane landed in Xiamen, Lü Rui drove straight to Nanshan Temple in Zhangzhou.

The crew of "Crazy Racer" is filming at this temple.

As soon as Lü Rui entered the filming area, he saw Huang Bo holding his master's urn and making a transaction with members of a gang from Taiwan.

One party wanted to inspect the goods, while the other refused to let them see them, turning the drug deal into a transaction based on honesty...

Huang Bo brought all the acting skills he displayed in "Crazy Stone" to "Crazy Racer".

That cheeky, smug look was the perfect finishing touch to the dark humor.

Lu Rui watched from the sidelines, thoroughly amused, when he suddenly remembered Huang Bo's line from the movie, "Baleno, the brand!"

He completely ruined this brand.

He was already on a downward spiral, but then he went and delivered a fatal blow!
It's also thanks to the fact that this is an Italian brand founded in Hong Kong. If it were a major domestic brand, Ning Hao might have had to go out of his way to apologize to them.

A single line of dialogue can ruin a brand; the top management must be devastated.

Just like Liang Jiahui's line in the movie "Black Gold," "You ride in a Mazda, no wonder you get stuck in traffic," which led to a sharp drop in Mazda's sales and resulted in a lawsuit from Mazda itself.

What's even more interesting is that when Mazda sued Liang Jiahui and the film crew, the lawyer they hired was also late because he was stuck in traffic while driving a Mazda, which ultimately led to them losing the case. It's just too much of a coincidence.

After filming a scene, Ning Hao saw Lü Rui arrive and quickly ran over: "Director Lü, you've come at the right time. Help me with the camera work, I'll have a cameo role in the movie."

"???"

Before Lü Rui could react, Ning Hao pulled him to sit down in front of the monitor and shoved a walkie-talkie into his hand.

By the time they realized what was happening, Ning Hao had already gotten into the taxi, while the "gang members" were crammed into the passenger seat and the back seat.

They had just "bought" the ashes and were preparing to leave by car.

In the footage, Ning Hao is driving while glancing at the urn in the back seat every now and then. His smile is exaggerated to the point of being over-the-top, with the corners of his mouth almost reaching his ears.

Compared to the four-man gangster group, his acting was actually a bit exaggerated, and his laughter was too over the top.

However, after thinking about it again, Lü Rui felt that it was indeed appropriate to be extravagant.

A normal person, faced with a group of guys "flaunting their ashes" in front of them, would probably laugh even more exaggeratedly than Ning Hao.

After Ning Hao finished filming his cameo scenes and got out of the car, Lü Rui jokingly said, "You have quite the talent for cameos; it's a pity you're not an actor."

Ning Hao laughed and waved his hand: "What am I? This crew is full of talent. Not to mention Huang Bo and Xu Zheng, even the production assistant can improvise a few lines. They're all amazing."

When investors came to visit the set, the scenes that were originally scheduled to be filmed overtime were canceled.

The group returned to the hotel and set up more than a dozen tables.

"You know Huang Bo and Xu Zheng, so I won't go into too much detail. These are Wang Xun, Wang Shuangbao, and Bado..."

At the dinner table, Ning Hao introduced each member of the film crew to Lü Rui.

Several of them were the kind of people who didn't look very good, but were actually honest and kind.

Of course, there are also some who aren't so honest, like Xu Zheng...

Holding his wine glass, he spoke eloquently, even more so than Huang Bo, and his image truly matched Da Cheng, the character who sold cemetery plots in the film.

Lu Rui exchanged a few words with him, but found him to be a bit too frivolous, so he lost interest in continuing the conversation.

He turned a corner and started talking to Huang Bo.

“Yifei told me before that you are the one who looks the most mature among all the actors in their class of 02.”

Huang Bo sighed as he listened: "Actually, I'm only 33 years old this year. Among male actors in the industry, I'm still considered a rising star."

Ning Hao added sarcastically from the side, "Tsk tsk, others are like flowers stuck in cow dung, but you've got cow dung smeared all over your face."

Huang Bo rolled his eyes and gave Ning Hao a speechless look, which made everyone at the table burst into laughter.

After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation naturally drifted to Yan Ni, who has been in the spotlight recently.

Since the hit TV series "My Own Swordsman" became a sensation, "Tong Zhanggui" has become a household name across China.

Now she's joined the cast of "Lurking," and the internet is full of discussions about her. It truly lives up to the saying, "Ten years of playing minor roles go unnoticed, but one move makes her famous throughout the world!"
"Speaking of which, Yan Ni and I worked together as extras in our early years, and we almost fell in love back then."

Huang Bo took a sip of wine, his eyes filled with reminiscence, looking as if he had "missed out on a good person".

"But he's better than me. He failed the entrance exam for the Beijing Film Academy, but then he joined the Combat Drama Troupe of the Political Department of the Lanzhou Military Region, leaving me far behind."

Ning Hao looked skeptical: "Don't brag. Dating Yan Ni? Do you think she'd even be interested in you?"

"So, in the end, it didn't work out."

Huang Bo shrugged, picked up his glass, took a sip, and then said with a smile, "You guys would never know, but she has a really interesting quirk: she gets confused when she drinks."

When they were filming, the director invited the main actors to his home for dinner and to discuss the script. But she got drunk after just one beer and kicked the director out, saying she preferred to sleep alone and didn't want strangers around…

Everyone listened with great interest, treating it as entertainment.

But then Xu Zheng suddenly interjected, "I remember, she seems to have gotten divorced?"

“Yeah, we got divorced the year before last,” Huang Bo nodded, his tone softening. “It seems like it was because of something that happened while drinking, and then we got divorced…”

Although he didn't say it specifically, everyone guessed pretty much what it was.

In this circle, the probability of divorce and breakup between men and women is particularly high.

Actresses, in particular, have to socialize, and if they can't hold their liquor and are always drunk, they're bound to argue with their husbands.

Lu Rui suddenly realized why he had always thought Yan Ni looked slightly tipsy during her interviews.

One beer is enough to get you drunk. Even if you don't drink much at a social gathering, it's not easy to sober up quickly, so you'll always feel like you're still drunk.

After spending one night at the Crazy Racer Hotel, Lü Rui set off for Sichuan the next day to check on the filming progress of Kung Fu Panda.

The production model for animated films differs from that for live-action films.

The method used here is "shooting and modeling simultaneously".

On set, you could see artists sketching the clouds and mist of Qingcheng Mountain, and modelers adjusting the details of Po the panda's movements on the computer.

Director Xu Chengyi, holding the schedule, reported to Lü Rui: "We expect to wrap up filming by the end of the year, but post-production will take some time, so the film won't be released until next year."

Tian Xiaopeng, who was standing next to him, added: "We plan to release it around the time of the Olympics next year. Pandas are our national treasure, so we can take advantage of their popularity and also play a positive role in publicity. It's a win-win situation."

"Okay, let's arrange it this way."

Lü Rui nodded in agreement and, without lingering in Sichuan, rushed to Shouxian County, Anhui Province, to attend the opening ceremony of "My Brother is Called Shunliu".

Director Zhu Sujin warmly welcomed him, saying, "Director Lü's presence is truly an honor for our crew..."

However, Dong Xuan, who plays "Sister Shunliu," looked at him with a more complex and unspoken expression.

"How have you been lately?" She had barely finished speaking when she chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Look at my head. You're a really great director now, you must be doing well."

She recalled that she had actually taken the initiative to pursue Lü Rui back then!
The thought of this made her want to crack open her head and see if it was filled with paste or water.
How could she possibly be worthy of Lü Rui?

"I'm fine, and you?"

Lu Rui didn't feel much, but thinking back to the past, he did feel a bit emotional.

If Liu Yifei hadn't suddenly appeared in front of him, perhaps he would have given Dong Xuan a try.

After all, she's the type of virtuous wife and loving mother, which fits his criteria for a partner quite well.

"I'm doing fine too." Dong Xuan composed herself and put on a carefree smile. "I have to thank you for giving me the opportunity to act."

Besides Dong Xuan, Hao Lei, a graduate of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, was also competing for the role of Sister Shunliu.

When the list was handed to Lü Rui, he chose Dong Xuan without much thought.

Including "Douhua" from "Going West," he also chose Dong Xuan from among a group of actresses.

There wasn't any particular reason; it was simply because he was used to working with acquaintances, and since they were classmates in the same year, he naturally offered to help them out.

However, what he didn't know was that his actions had made Dong Xuan secretly look forward to it for a long time, thinking that he still had some special feelings for him.

With Guan Yue's encouragement, she really felt a glimmer of hope again.

But upon seeing her today, she couldn't hide her disappointment.

"You're welcome. Just act well. Whether you can become a top-tier actress depends on these two dramas."

To be honest, sometimes Lü Rui felt quite sorry for her.

She married such a scoundrel in her past life, and later got tied to a "greasy" guy. She was completely unworthy of the Snow Goddess Dragon's start and ended up in a mess.

In this life, let's just change her life plan as a matter of course, hoping she can embark on a different path.

After giving Zhu Sujin a few instructions to "take good care of Dong Xuan," Lü Rui set off for the Five Avenues Cultural Tourism Area in Tianjin to attend the opening ceremony of the TV series "Lurking."

"Director Lü, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've long admired your reputation."

Sun Honglei smiled so much that his eyes narrowed, and he looked particularly amiable.

To be honest, with those little glasses and the Zhongshan suit, he actually looks quite refined, and that "Liu Huaqiang"-style hoodlum vibe is completely gone.

"Hello."

Lu Rui shook hands with him, then looked at Yan Ni beside him and greeted her.

Today she was unusually sober, without her usual tipsy feeling; her eyes were bright, and her smile was very appropriate.

After the press conference, Jiang Wei suggested, "Since you're here, why don't we go grab a bite to eat and have some drinks to celebrate?"

Lu Rui glanced at Yan Ni, who was standing smiling beside him, and waved his hand, saying, "Forget it, let's wait until filming wraps up before we drink. Let's not delay your filming schedule, and I have other things to take care of."

"Alright, then I'll start filming right away."

Jiang Wei didn't force him.

Lu Rui stayed to watch a scene depicting the "Steppunk Principle," and after confirming that the filming rhythm was fine, he left the crew.

However, he did not return to the capital. Instead, he met up with Ding Liang, who was looking for a factory in Tianjin, and together they visited several factory areas.

Compared to Alpha Group, which is about to go public, owns "Electric Boy" and "Blazing Teens", is preparing to produce "Balala the Fairies", and has already created the "animation IP + toy" business model, Ruiyue Animation is undoubtedly in its initial stage.

However, Lü Rui was confident that he could catch up with Aofei in a very short time!

With the three giants of animation – sheep, pig, and bear – plus Ding Liang's theme park + IP development model, he is very confident that Ruiyue Animation will become a leading enterprise in the domestic animation industry one day in the future!
Once the factory was settled, he decided to take some time to rush out the "Armor Hero" IP and directly cripple Alpha Group.

With the three giants of animation, Kung Fu Panda, and Armor Hero, if Ruiyue Animation still can't take off, it might as well just go bankrupt.

A few days later, the two finally decided to locate the factory in Dagang District.

Lu Rui remembers very clearly that in the future, Dagang District will be merged with several other districts to become Tianjin's BHX District.

Located near Tianjin Port, this area serves as the maritime gateway to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the "Three Norths" area, and is also a convergence point for the "Belt and Road" initiative's land and sea routes.

Choosing this location will make it easier for the factory to receive and ship raw materials in the future.

While Ding Liang was negotiating with the local government, Lü Rui carefully recalled an event from his previous life that had left a very deep impression on him.

"That huge explosion, I think it happened about 15 years ago? I need to find a chance to report that illegal company beforehand. Damn, they're more trouble than they're worth..."

……

After being busy until almost the end of March, Lü Rui finally returned to the capital.

However, the moment he returned to the company, before he could even sit down properly, Jiang Wen suddenly came to his door, hoping he could help draw some storyboards for "Let the Bullets Fly".

Lu Rui rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Director Jiang, I don't have time. I have to fly to Hollywood in a few days to oversee the post-production of 'Pacific Rim'."

"It's okay, we can keep in touch by phone. You can help me draw when you have time, and if you don't have time, just go about your business first. I'm not in a hurry."

The storyboard for "The Sun Also Rises" was drawn by Lü Rui, and Jiang Wen felt it was particularly to his liking.

Therefore, he also planned to ask Lü Rui for help with the storyboard for "Let the Bullets Fly".

He was quite embarrassed before, but now that Lü Rui has decided to invest in this movie, that little bit of embarrassment has vanished.

We're all working hard for the film's success, so why distinguish between you and me?
"Alright, then we'll keep in touch by phone later..."

Lü Rui didn't refuse; he genuinely enjoyed helping classic works come to fruition.

However, it's inevitable that you'll lose a few more strands of hair afterward.

After all, when working with Jiang Wen, even a simple storyboard would probably require more than 10 revisions to satisfy him.

Moreover, during subsequent filming, he might have to improvise and start over...

After seeing Jiang Wen off, before the office door could be closed properly, Hou Hongliang walked in again with reports in hand, his smile impossible to hide.

Seeing this, Lü Rui teased, "Oh? Why are you so happy? Has some great news happened again?"

"There really is!" Hou Hongliang put the report on the table and laughed heartily, "The ratings for 'My Chief and My Regiment' have exploded!"

The TV series rights were jointly acquired by four TV stations: Beijing, Shanghai, Yunnan, and Jiangsu. On the day of its premiere, it achieved a 0.4% viewership rating during the midnight slot.

As of now, one week after its release, the first-round viewership ratings in CSM35 cities are: Jiangsu TV 1.61, Beijing TV 0.61, Shanghai TV 0.51, Yunnan TV 0.47…

Hou Hongliang kept rambling on about the show's achievements, but Lü Rui was somewhat bewildered.

When will this show be released?

Why didn't he know?
However, he didn't show any unusual expression on his face, but calmly asked, "How are the profits?"

Hou Hongliang's smile grew even brighter: "Very good. We combined our experience in distributing 'Soldiers Sortie' and adopted a '441' distribution strategy, which means selling the first and second rounds to four satellite TV stations respectively, and selling the last round to one satellite TV station."

Under this model, the price per episode in the first round is around 200 million yuan, and the total revenue so far is 8600 million yuan, which has already recovered the costs.

The second round of satellite TV rights is still under negotiation with the satellite TV stations, with the expectation of no less than 100 million yuan per episode. Overseas copyright revenue is also yet to be calculated. A huge hit is already a certainty…”

"good, very good!"

Lü Rui nodded with great satisfaction.

The revenue from this wave of sales will just cover the production costs of the three dramas: "Lurking", "My Brother is Called Shunliu", and "Going West".

In this way, all the money earned from the subsequent three dramas will be pure profit!
With that in mind, he picked up the report, quickly signed his name, and said with great satisfaction, "Keep a close eye on the subsequent negotiations with the TV station, and make sure there are no slip-ups."

"Okay, don't worry."

Hou Hongliang nodded in agreement, gave a brief report on the progress of other projects, and then left the office with a smile.

After he left, Lü Rui returned to his computer and began checking the details of the drama.

I was surprised to find out that this show had already been online for over a week!
He was busy running around with Ding Liang to select factory sites recently, his mind was full of production line layout and IP development, and he completely missed the premiere of the series.

Once the page has loaded, you can see that the viewership data reported by the media is consistent with Hou Hongliang's report.

However, the comments section revealed a stark polarization.

Some have hailed it as the "Chinese version of Band of Brothers," praising its realistic portrayal of war.

However, some people criticized it as a "vulgar and low-class soap opera," saying it was unbearable!

"Major historical events are not like cow dung in a field, which can be arbitrarily covered with thorns or flowers according to one's own preferences. This is unimaginable in a country with a historical perspective!"

"I disagree with the opinion above. I think this drama is excellent because it not only tells you why China was almost forced to the brink of national subjugation, but also tells you why China did not perish despite the fighting!"

"It can't compare to 'Soldiers Sortie'."

"This is incomparable! They're two completely different shows, what's there to compare?"

"Presenting real history in a fictional way, although it may be too sophisticated for the general public, is still a bold attempt to improve the artistic level of mainland Chinese TV dramas."

"In my opinion, the controversy this drama has sparked is actually just a difficulty caused by the imbalance between the pursuit of the elite and the form of the masses."

Lu Rui read every single comment, good or bad.

He can understand the viewers who gave it bad reviews, because the daily life scenes in the show, such as fleeing soldiers fighting for food and joking around, do contrast with the tight plot of traditional war dramas, leading some viewers to think it is too drawn out.

Moreover, the main characters are mostly imperfect ordinary people, without the "perfect" heroes of traditional war dramas, which leads to a lack of immersion.

However, it is precisely this imperfection that is the core of its classic status.

This drama does not glorify war or mythologize soldiers. Instead, it lays bare the disheveled state of defeated soldiers, the complexity of human nature, and the heavy burden of victory, allowing the audience to see the struggles of people behind the war.

This is also the key reason why it can surpass many traditional war dramas and be regarded as a "masterpiece" by some viewers.

It may not become a wildly popular "blockbuster," but it will certainly become a classic that stands the test of time.

This drama allows viewers to understand why China almost perished back then, and why China did not perish during such a critical time.

It is because there are thousands upon thousands of my regimental commanders and my regiments that they built an indestructible Great Wall with their blood and flesh!

As for those controversies, they are nothing more than the inevitable "aesthetic clashes" that occur during the creation of a classic.

More than half an hour later, Lü Rui shut down his computer, temporarily setting aside the controversy and reputation of "My Chief and My Regiment", got up and went downstairs to the audition room of "Nanjing Photo Studio".

This historical war film is one of the key projects that Ruishijie is promoting this year.

After days of hard work in the application process, the main roles have been largely finalized...

(End of this chapter)