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

Chapter 273 Surrounded by wolves! Attending a banquet...a paradise on earth! (Seeking monthly votes)

As Yang Ying collapsed to the ground, the noise in the banquet hall instantly ceased, and all eyes turned to this side.

Liu Yifei's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable forcefulness. When her eyes fell on Yang Ying, they were full of vigilance and disgust.

She's been in the entertainment industry for so many years, and although she looks innocent on the surface, she's actually incredibly shrewd.

She saw it clearly just now; this woman deliberately bumped into her.

Now you actually want to play the victim?
In her eyes, this little trick was utterly clumsy and laughable.

"What right do you have to push me..."

Yang Ying sat on the ground, clutching her ankle, and looked up at the figure that had appeared next to Lü Rui. She was about to retaliate.

But when he saw the person's face clearly, the words that were about to come out got stuck in his throat, as if an invisible hand had choked him.

Because the person standing in front of her was someone she couldn't afford to offend!

She was all too aware of the significance of a top-tier actress like Liu Yifei.

It's no exaggeration to say that he only needs to say one sentence to make it impossible for her to stay in this industry!
Even though she felt incredibly frustrated, Liu Yifei's cold gaze and aura of unapproachability terrified her so much that she didn't even have the courage to look her in the eye.

As for the confidence he had just had, it vanished without a trace in an instant.

The strange looks from the surrounding guests only added to her feelings of grievance and embarrassment, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

She never imagined that her carefully planned encounter would end in such an embarrassing way, and that she would be publicly told to "get out"!
"Are you OK?"

Lu Rui was quite surprised to see Liu Yifei suddenly become agitated.

This girl is usually so soft and gentle, but I never expected her to be so fierce when it comes to protecting her food.

Furthermore, this strength was considerable; it actually flung Yang Ying to the side!
Um... if we get married in the future, I hope we won't do *that*, right?
"I'm fine."

After turning her gaze away from Yang Ying, Liu Yifei returned to her adorable demeanor, her eyes softening instantly.

She grabbed Lü Rui's wrist and pulled him to the other side, her tone tinged with anger: "Senior, don't pay any attention to her. I don't know where this wild woman came from. I saw it clearly just now, she deliberately bumped into you, she had ulterior motives..."

"Ok, I know."

Lu Rui nodded in agreement, his gaze no longer fixed on Yang Ying on the ground.

In fact, he recognized Yang Ying as soon as she fell to the ground and had figured out her scheme.

After all, he had already experienced this person's cunning in his previous life.

At the time, he worked for Tencent's Penguin Pictures, where he was responsible for taking promotional photos and videos for celebrities who came to the event.

The other people were all quite mild-mannered, and they discussed how to film the scene in a cooperative and respectful manner.

But Yang Ying, who was at the height of her popularity and had just become a wealthy woman, not only acted arrogantly, but her assistants also acted haughtily, ordering the staff around.

That arrogant demeanor was completely different from his sweet image in front of the camera.

From then on, his impression of this person plummeted.

To understand what a celebrity is like, you can't just look at their public image.

In the spotlight, everyone can act and pretend.

What people show in private is often their truest personality.

As the two left side by side, the surrounding guests tactfully averted their gazes, and no one paid any more attention to Yang Ying on the ground.

Because this kind of scene is all too common in Hong Kong entertainment circles.

In order to climb the ladder of success, some actresses will not only deliberately arrange chance encounters, but also secretly climb through windows at night to enter the investors' rooms and offer themselves to them.

Those who deliberately create "encounters" at banquets, like Yang Ying, are just small fry.

Of course, there was no shortage of contempt.

The Hong Kong entertainment circle is so small, she's really lost face!

Yang Ying sat frozen on the ground for a few seconds, feeling the subtle gazes around her. Her cheeks burned, and she awkwardly pushed herself up from the ground.

She straightened her wrinkled skirt, watching Liu Yifei's retreating figure, her eyes filled with resentment:

"So what if you were lucky, got a few movies, and hooked up with a big shot? What's there to be proud of!"

She clutched the business card she hadn't yet handed out in her pocket, secretly vowing, "Just you wait, I'll definitely find an even more powerful sugar daddy and make a name for myself in the mainland entertainment industry! I, Yang Ying, will avenge this humiliation!"

After silently making a vow, she felt too ashamed to stay any longer and quickly left the banquet hall with her head down.
Wen Yongshan, who was not far away, watched this scene quietly with her arms crossed, without showing any intention of stepping forward to help.

She and Yang Ying are now in the same company. The company originally wanted to make them a "replica of Twins", but the two have been fighting fiercely behind the scenes for the lead role and resources.

Now that Yang Ying has rashly offended Lü Rui and was publicly reprimanded by that "Rui Girl," Wen Yongshan feels no sympathy but is secretly pleased.

With one less competitor, her future opportunities have undoubtedly increased.

……

On the afternoon of the same day after the press conference, "Ip Man" and "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil" officially started filming in Hong Kong.

Lü Rui did not linger there, but instead took Liu Yifei back to the capital.

Upon landing at the airport, the two got into a car and headed straight for the Shunyi villa district.

After the driver stopped in the parking space, Liu Yifei picked up her small bag and waved to Lü Rui: "Bye-bye, senior. I'll come visit you sometime!"

"Okay, be careful while you're working," Lu Rui said gently.

Liu Yifei nodded, not in a hurry to get out of the car, but instead tilted her head back and asked coquettishly, "Kiss me?"

Lü Rui smiled and leaned down to place a light kiss on her lips.

In the front row, the driver completely ignored the scene, wondering what small gift he should bring back for his daughter tonight.
I just got paid today, and my pockets are quite full.

In the passenger seat, the assistant was pondering whether or not to buy himself an apartment in the capital.
I can't afford a big house, but a small apartment seems about the same?

"Let's go, Xiao Zhu."

"Oh! Here you are, Sister Sisi."

After belatedly realizing what had happened, the assistant Julie quickly got out of the car to get her suitcase.

Only after watching the two figures disappear at the entrance of the residential area did Lü Rui turn his gaze away.

The driver in the front seat shifted gears and respectfully asked, "Mr. Lü, where are we going next?"

"Heaven and Earth".

Lu Rui spoke calmly.

Without asking any further questions, the driver started the car and drove straight towards the East Third Ring Road in Chaoyang District.

Lü Rui then took out his phone and dialed Ren Zhonglun's number.

"Chairman Ren, you've arrived?"

Ren Zhonglun's hearty laughter came through the phone: "Haha, Chairman Lü, we've all arrived and are just waiting for you."

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

After hanging up the phone, Lü Rui unconsciously twirled the first-generation Apple touchscreen phone he had bought when he returned from Hollywood, while his mind raced, calculating the upcoming meeting.

He didn't actually want to go to this gathering tonight.

But Chengtian, through some unknown connection, managed to find Ren Zhonglun as an intermediary after going through several rounds of detours.

We may disregard the feelings of others, but we must still give face to Shanghai Film Group.

However, he still couldn't figure out what that traitor was up to.
What about Ruishijie's film production business?

Lu Rui shook his head slightly.

Orange Sky definitely can't get in; they won't even get a turn in the queue.

The talent agency business is possible to cooperate, but both parties are cooperating on artists under Orange Sky Entertainment, which is not directly related to Orange Sky Entertainment itself. Therefore, Wu Kebo should not need to personally intervene; Wang Jinghua is sufficient.

So, there are only two possibilities left.

Animation, or theatrical release?
Lu Rui's gaze darkened.

If it really is one of those two, then Wu Kebo's dinner invitation tonight will obviously be wasted.

The car soon arrived at the Heaven on Earth.

As Lü Rui got out of the car and walked in through the main entrance, he subconsciously looked up at the magnificent golden signboard.

Under the lights, the four large characters "Heaven on Earth" are particularly eye-catching.

I must say, this place is really grand, the signboard is impressive, and the service is excellent.

But he knew very well in his heart that the scene in the sky was not something an ordinary person could experience.

It's no exaggeration to say that being able to see even a corner of the Heavenly Palace is already considered a great honor.

Sooner or later, we can't escape this place.

He straightened his suit jacket and stepped inside.

The elevator doors opened, and he followed the waiter to the private room upstairs.

The moment the door opened, everyone inside stood up in unison, their eyes fixed on him.

The head seat is currently empty, which clearly indicates that he is the central figure at this gathering.

"Chairman Lü has arrived."

Ren Zhonglun was the first to step forward, followed by a man wearing frameless glasses.

The man, dressed in a well-fitting suit, looked quite refined; he was none other than Wu Kebo, the chairman of Orange Sky Entertainment.

"Chairman Ren."

Lu Rui first shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Ren Zhonglun, making a few polite remarks about how successful the Hong Kong press conference was.

Then, Ren Zhonglun stepped aside and introduced with a smile, "This is Wu Kebo, Chairman Wu of Orange Sky. He has been looking forward to meeting you for a long time."

Actually, his relationship with Wu Kebo wasn't very deep.

The two parties met through a mutual friend.

Shanghai Film Group and the Hong Kong film industry often collaborate, and Orange Sky Entertainment has also been expanding into the Hong Kong film industry in recent years, which has led to some overlap between them.

“Chairman Wu.” Lu Rui extended his hand, his tone indifferent.

"Haha, Chairman Lü! I've heard so much about you!"

Wu Kebo immediately stepped forward, gripped his hand firmly, and gave him a warm hug, appearing very familiar with him.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two sides took their seats according to the order of host and guest.

As soon as he sat down, Wu Kebo winked at his assistant: "The VIP has arrived, let the waiter serve the food."

"Yes, Mr. Wu."

The assistant quickly walked out.

At that moment, a woman in a dress walked up to Lü Rui and sat down gently.

"Director Lü, you should remember her, right?" Wu Kebo smiled and pointed to the woman. "This is Chen Hao, an artist signed by me, and the first artist signed after Orange Sky was established."

Female celebrities are always present at drinking parties in the entertainment industry.

Wu Kebo brought Chen Hao over, clearly hoping to make the atmosphere more harmonious.

Lu Rui turned to look at Chen Hao, a polite smile playing on his lips: "Of course I remember, A Zi from 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,' and 'The Charmer,' Miss Chen Hao's roles are all classics."

Upon hearing this, Chen Hao immediately put on an expression of being flattered: "I'm so honored. I didn't expect Director Lü to know me. I'm actually a fan of yours, and I've always admired your talent..."

She just turned 28 this year, and her looks and temperament are at their peak.

She not only played many hit roles, but also became the first mainland Chinese female singer to have her overseas albums released by a Japanese record company, at the height of her popularity.

With such a status, he certainly deserves to attend tonight's drinking party.

The dishes were served quickly, a table full of delicacies from land and sea, including some species that had long been banned from hunting.

Of course, this is nothing to Heaven on Earth.

Chen Hao took the initiative to pick up the wine bottle and fill Lü Rui's wine glass with baijiu. His movements were elegant, and his eyes showed just the right amount of respect, clearly indicating that he was prepared to entertain the guest of honor.

"Chairman Lü, let me offer you this first toast, wishing your Ruishijie (a company name) continued success!" Wu Kebo raised his glass, about to stand up and offer a toast.

However, Lu Rui raised his hand and gently pressed down on the wine glass, speaking frankly: "Chairman Wu, Chairman Ren, I'm sorry, I just got off the plane in Hong Kong not long ago, and my head is still a little dizzy. I probably can't drink too much tonight, please forgive me."

He has never liked being forced to drink, so giving him a heads-up beforehand would save him from any trouble later.

Wu Kebo's smile froze for a moment. He wanted to continue persuading Ren Zhonglun, but Ren Zhonglun stepped in to smooth things over first: "Hey, if you can't drink, then drink less! Alcohol is something you should enjoy as long as you have fun. Drinking too much is bad for your health, it's not worth it."

His words gave Lü Rui a way out without embarrassing Wu Kebo.

The latter immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes! Chairman Ren is right. Just drink to your heart's content, no need to force anyone."

He spent many years in Japan and learned a unique set of drinking etiquette.

Seeing that Lu Rui was determined, they stopped mentioning the drinking and instead started talking about the current state of the film and television industry, from the dynamics of the Hong Kong entertainment circle to the prospects of the mainland market. The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Chen Hao sat to the side, occasionally chiming in with a word or two, either praising Lü Rui's work or echoing the two chairmen's topics, neither stealing the limelight nor making himself seem superfluous.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up.

Seeing that Lü Rui had almost finished eating, Wu Kebo put down his chopsticks and got down to business. He first slowly brought up the recent situation of Orange Sky: "Chairman Lü, to be honest, Orange Sky has been laying out its cinema business recently, and has reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with Golden Harvest some time ago."

Because he couldn't get a cinema license in mainland China, he had to take a different approach, and fortunately, the result was not bad.

Lu Rui paused, holding the water glass, but didn't reply.

He already knew about this news; Orange Sky's collaboration with Golden Harvest was precisely a roundabout way to achieve its goals.

Seeing that he remained silent, Wu Kebo leaned forward again, his tone carrying a hint of secret excitement:
"If we can successfully acquire Golden Harvest this time, Orange Sky will be able to go public through a backdoor listing and become the first listed film and television company in China!"

At this point, he changed the subject, staring intently at Lü Rui: "Ruishijie's film production business is undoubtedly top-notch in the industry, but its cinema business is still in its infancy."

What I'm thinking now is, why don't we cooperate, form a community of shared interests, and jointly advance the listing process...?

Hearing this, Lü Rui finally understood.

So this guy was after Ruishijie and Ruixing Cinemas!
No wonder he came from a humble background; he's certainly greedy.

Huayi initially only intended to exchange shares, but this guy is now trying to use the guise of a joint listing to swallow up Ruishijie.

That's quite a clever plan.

Seeing that Lü Rui remained silent, Wu Kebo assumed he was already somewhat tempted and immediately began to paint a rosy picture:

"If the cooperation is successful, Ruishijie will still be under your management, and I will not interfere! I will even hand over the production business of Orange Sky to you for overall management."

Let's establish a dual-chairmanship system, a powerful alliance. That way, the two of us will have the final say in the private film and television industry..."

Lu Rui almost burst out laughing when he heard this.

Good grief, are they trying to fool him by treating him like a shrew?
Orange Sky is backed by Japanese capital, while Golden Harvest is backed by Hong Kong capital; both are larger than the current Ruishijie.

If they really merge, how will he be able to smoothly gain control?
We might give him some incentives in the beginning, but that's just to get him to put in the effort.

Once the company stabilizes, it's easy to guess that Xiao Rizi will inevitably discard them after using them.

In the end, he will either be kicked out, or he will become a tool for making movies, like Zhang Yimou.

Everyone says the entertainment industry is dirty, but in reality, those celebrities are all greenhorns in front of the real capital world.

Suppressing his inner sarcasm, Lü Rui feigned hesitation and raised his glass, saying, "President Wu's proposal is indeed tempting. Please allow me to go back and consider it carefully."

He didn't refuse on the spot, after all, Ren Zhonglun was still there, and there was no need to make things too tense.

Wu Kebo thought his words had worked, and his eyes narrowed with laughter. He raised his glass and drank several glasses in a row, muttering words about win-win cooperation.

Half an hour later, the drinking party ended.

Wu Kebo wanted Chen Hao to take Lü Rui home and take care of him, but Lü Rui politely declined.

The moment the car drove out of the parking lot, the drunkenness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a sober expression.

He opened the car window a crack, letting in a gentle breeze, his mind clear.

Sure enough, once a company reaches a certain stage of development, it's inevitable that some wolves will try to take advantage of it, so we'll have to be even more vigilant in the future.

"Jingle Bell."

The phone suddenly rang.

Lu Rui looked down and saw that it was Ren Zhonglun calling.

He pressed the answer button: "Hello?"

“Brother,” Ren Zhonglun’s voice was apologetic on the phone, “Although I’m the middleman tonight, I’m here at someone’s request and I’m not biased towards Orange Sky.”

I have to warn you, you need to be very careful about this collaboration. The Japanese-owned system at Wukebo... it's a very complicated place."

He couldn't say anything more.

To be honest, he didn't even know that Wu Kebo would be talking about these topics with Lü Rui tonight.

At first, he thought that tonight was just the first meeting between the two parties in the field of film and television business.

After all, that's what Wu Kebo said before the banquet, but he didn't expect the topic to veer off to something else during the meal.

Those Japanese devils are really cunning!
Ren Zhonglun secretly regretted his actions and made up his mind to stay away from Wu Kebo from now on.

"Don't worry, Chairman Ren, I know what's important," Lu Rui replied calmly.

"Ah That's good."

Ren Zhonglun finally breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't want this to cause problems with the cooperation between Shanghai Film Group and Ruishijie.

After hanging up the phone, Lü Rui rolled up the car window, completely forgetting all the promises Wu Kebo had made, and inwardly sneered:
"I'm good to be the boss myself. Why would I be a traitor to you guys?"

In the darkness of night, Lü Rui's gaze grew increasingly resolute.

The path that Ruishijie takes must be followed at its own pace, and no one should dare to interfere.

Han Sanping had previously suggested that he push Ruishijie to go public.

He was indeed tempted.

But now that I think about it, it wasn't necessary at all.

With stable cash flow and smooth project operation, Ruishijie is not short of money and has no need to take on unnecessary risks.

……

The following morning, after sobering up and washing up, Lü Rui drove straight to the company.

As soon as he entered the office building, he saw that the lobby was crowded with well-dressed men and women, most of whom were familiar faces of actors.

I asked around and found out that it was an audition for the drama "My Love from the Star," and these people were all there to compete for roles.

As he stepped into the elevator and pressed the floor button, a man and a woman quickly squeezed in.

"Chairman Lü!" Li Xiaolu's face was full of enthusiastic smiles, her eyes blazing with warmth. She quickly took out a business card from her bag and handed it over. "This is my business card. Please feel free to ask me for help in the future. I'll be there whenever you need me!"

Upon seeing this, Jia Nailiang hurriedly took out his business card from his pocket and respectfully presented it with both hands: "Chairman Lü, I am Jia Nailiang, a graduate of the 01 class of the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy."

Lu Rui casually took the two business cards, his gaze sweeping over them back and forth, a hint of something strange in his eyes.

"You two... are you dating?"

"Ah? No, no!" Li Xiaolu waved her hands hurriedly, as if she had been stepped on by a cat. "Chairman Lü, you misunderstood. We just happened to be here for the audition together, it was just on our way."

Upon hearing this, Jia Nailiang's eyes darkened unconsciously, and he quietly clenched his hands at his sides.

He knew in his heart how he felt about Li Xiaolu, but she clearly didn't take him seriously.

He had been pursuing Huang Shengyi for several years, but she turned around and found a rich second-generation heir, who is now the wife of a company boss.

Now that someone else is trying to lick their boots, it seems like it will be a long and arduous task, and whether they can succeed is still unknown.

"Oh."

Lu Rui nodded noncommittally and did not ask any further questions.

Soon, the elevator arrived at the audition floor, and the doors slowly opened.

Li Xiaolu took the lead and stepped out, turning back to smile at Lü Rui before leaving: "Chairman Lü, let's go to the audition first."

Jia Nailiang followed behind and walked out silently.

Lu Rui met his gaze and inadvertently gave him a pitying look.

This guy is something else. No matter how many women he dates, he always acts all timid and cowardly.

If a man can't stand up for himself, isn't that blatantly telling women that they can go out and have fun as they please without any problem?

The elevator doors slowly closed and continued to ascend.

Back in his office, Lü Rui, as usual, first turned on his computer and logged onto the portal website.

Browsing the news (and following gossip) is probably the first thing every entertainment and film company boss does after starting work each day.

"Lulu, prepare the materials for 'Dying to Survive' and have the administration send someone to Venice to handle the submission for review."

Having a secretary handle everything is one of the basic skills of being a boss.

"Yes, Chairman Lü."

Liang Lulu nodded in agreement and quickly walked out.

Just then, a news item on the homepage caught Lü Rui's attention.

The Nanjing city set being built on the outskirts of Changchun for the film "Nanjing! Nanjing!" has successfully resumed construction and is expected to be completed in June, after which filming will begin.

"This...it's been approved?"

Lu Rui thought for a moment, then picked up his phone and dialed Shen Ao's number.

After the call was connected, he first asked about the construction of the real-life shooting base for "Nanjing Photo Studio".

The film is expected to utilize a 2.5-square-meter real-life set.

With the assistance of Shanghai Film Studio, the team recreated the Nanjing City Wall at a 1:1 scale, and also built scenes such as the Jixiang Photo Studio and the post office. They also renovated iconic locations such as Yong'an Company, Shikumen, and Shanghai Grand Theatre to restore historical scenes.

"Brother Rui, it's almost finished now, and it should be completed by the end of this month at the latest."

Shen Ao has been quite busy lately. Although the film crew has not officially started shooting, he and his main creative team have already taken the costume photos and started test shooting in some of the already built sets.

"That's good." Lü Rui nodded, then changed the subject, "If I'm not mistaken, Lu Chuan might be starting filming around the same time as you; his 'Nanjing! Nanjing!' has resumed production."

"Let him come! I'll beat him to a pulp!" Shen Ao's tone instantly became impassioned.

He only recently learned that Huang Xiaoming and Chen Kun actually had a grudge.

When they were in college, they even fought over the same girlfriend...

What a coincidence! The two production teams are going head-to-head in every aspect, from the subject matter to the lead actors.

"Okay, then it's up to you."

“Brother Rui, Director Jiang Wen visited the set a few days ago and said he would fully support me in making this movie.”

"Yes, I know. You can go to him if you have any difficulties. He's been disliking Lu Chuan for a long time."

"That's true. They started cursing as soon as they arrived, and even said they wanted to find Lu Chuan's father and change Lu Chuan's name to 'Lu Chuan Taro'..."

"Hahahahaha!"

After chatting for a while and confirming that everything was going smoothly at the filming base, Lü Rui hung up the phone with relief and continued browsing the news.

Aside from "Nanjing! Nanjing!", there hasn't been any other noteworthy news online recently.

However, the Huabiao Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards have opened their registration channels one after another.

Regarding the former, Ruishijie's project will definitely be involved, since it is a legitimate official project.

As for the latter, apart from Cao Baoping confirming that he will be bringing "The Equation of Love and Death" to the competition, none of the other commercial films from Ruishijie will be participating.

The main problem is that if you go there, you'll just be helping others out.

Rather than making a fool of yourself, it's better not to join the fun.

But "The Equation of Love and Death" is different. Although it is a project invested by Ruishijie, Cao Baoping's status and position in the literary and artistic circles are incomparable to Lü Rui's.

If he goes, he has a very good chance of winning an award.

Lu Rui then reviewed the company's project progress.

Ning Hao's "Crazy Racer" is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in the second half of the year.

Filming for "Ip Man" and "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil" has already begun.

The Nanjing Photo Studio is awaiting the completion of its filming location.

As for "Reversal of Life," Zhao Peng is busy leading the special effects team in creating portrait special effects simulations.

Kung Fu Panda and Pacific Rim are both in a hurry and are expected to be released at the end of the year.

I'm just killing time anyway...

So, after reviewing the submission materials for "Dying to Survive", Lü Rui printed out the script for "The Witch" that he had just finished writing.

Anyway, my recent work involves traveling back and forth between China and abroad and overseeing the post-production of films, so I might as well take the opportunity to film this project.

Hou Hongliang is overseeing the TV drama business, while Ding Liang and Tian Xiaopeng are in charge of the animation business.

As for the script for that other new big-budget sci-fi project, that's not something that can be done overnight.

He had to connect multiple projects together, which was extremely difficult...

Of course, he doesn't plan to direct "The Witch" himself; if he has time, he can just work as a producer on the set.

Jiang Wei recommended another screenwriter who wanted to switch careers to become a director, and she was also a female director.

Perhaps a female director would be more suitable to make a female-themed film like "The Witch" than a male director like him.

So, before noon, Lü Rui carefully revised the script of "The Witch" from beginning to end. After confirming that there were no problems, he locked it in the safe and waited for the female director to finish her work and come over.

After lunch, he took a nap, then got up to go downstairs to check on the audition progress of "My Love from the Star".

But to my utter surprise, just as I stood up, there was a knock on the office door.

Ding Liang walked in with a grim expression, bringing bad news about the animation project...

(End of this chapter)