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

Chapter 287 Ruishijie VS LeEco! Lu Rui's First Meeting with Boss Jia... (10,000-word update, please vote!)
The buzz surrounding the Venice International Film Festival has not subsided for several days.

The phone kept ringing with calls, some congratulating me, some offering their best advice, and others asking for my help.

Jiang Wen even said that he would take some time to have a chat with Zhang Yimou, and that he must help Lü Rui win a big award in this competition!

He was very certain that, given his relationship with Zhang Yimou, there would be no problem.

Lü Rui didn't discourage him, promising to treat him to drinks and a big meal as soon as there were any results.

After successfully returning to the capital from Shanghai, Lü Rui immediately went to the Beijing Film Academy.

The main reason for this trip back to school is to complete the graduation procedures for graduate students.

He was an undergraduate student in the Directing Department in 2000, and successfully gained admission to a master's program after graduating in 2004.

Now it's 2007, and my three-year postgraduate studies have come to a successful end. As per regulations, I need to return to school to complete the final registration process.

Then came the doctoral studies. The university had already taken care of all the formalities for him; all he had to do was go back and sign the papers.

In July, Beijing Film Academy was already in summer vacation, and the campus was no longer as bustling as before.

03级学生早已毕业离校，07级新生要到九月份才会正式入学，所以眼下还在学校活动的也就只剩下04、05、06级的少数学生了。

Unlike the Central Academy of Drama, which has strict control over academic studies, students at the Beijing Film Academy are known for being "precocious," with many going out to film movies and take on gigs as early as their freshman year.

Even after the second semester of sophomore year, the school will actively recommend internship opportunities, and only a handful of students can actually stay on campus.

Lu Rui parked his car and walked along the tree-lined path.

As he passed by the performing arts building, he noticed many young faces secretly observing him, mostly students from the classes of 05 and 06.

These people were clearly afraid of him and didn't dare to go up and greet him.

He simply smiled and waved to the crowd, casually asking, "Aren't you all going home for summer vacation?"

"Director Lü... Director Lü, we... we're waiting to join the crew for our internship, so we won't be going home for now."

In the crowd, Zhai Tianlin, who was usually so arrogant, immediately wilted when he saw Lü Rui, and even stammered a bit.

"Ah."

Lu Rui nodded, glanced at Zhu Yilong, Peng Guanying and others who were forcing smiles beside him, said nothing more, and walked away.

Although the outside world often says that the Beijing Film Academy is a "cradle of stars," in reality, very few people can truly gain a foothold in the industry and be considered "famous."

Going back further, there was Yang Mi in the class of 05, Liu Yifei in the class of 02, Huang Shengyi and Wang Luodan in the class of 01, and even earlier were Zhao Yanzi, Chen Kun and others from the star class of 96.

Apart from that, most of the others were short-lived.

Because resources within the industry are limited, there simply aren't enough to go around for so many people, not to mention that some "domineering" individuals monopolize most of them.

What's even more disheartening is that the circulation of many resources does not rely on individual ability, but rather on the spread of them through clandestine channels built on sex and blood ties.

Just then, Lü Rui bumped into Jiang Wenli, who was walking out of Tian Zhuangzhuang's office.

"Huh? Director Lü?"

As soon as Jiang Wenli saw him, a bright smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Teacher Jiang."

Lu Rui stepped aside to make way for her, intending to let her go first.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Wenli stopped and said warmly, "Congratulations! Your new film has been shortlisted for the Venice International Film Festival again. I wish you a big award this time."

"Thank you for your blessings, Teacher Jiang."

Lu Rui responded politely, his gaze subtly sweeping over her lower abdomen.

This guy is ruthless!
Previously, because of Zhang Jingchu, she had a big fight with Gu Changwei, but somehow they made up and even had a child.

Unfortunately, even during her pregnancy, Old Gu didn't change his nature of going out and indulging in pleasure.

Then, in a fit of anger, Jiang Wenli disposed of the child, publicly stating that it was a miscarriage...

At first, many people in the industry really thought that she lost her baby because of her advanced age and being an older mother.

It wasn't until later, when the "Anti-Three Alliance" she led launched another attack on Zhang Jingchu, that everyone vaguely realized there might be more to the story.

Lu Rui hadn't specifically looked into it. Even though he and Gu Changwei had a good relationship, it was better not to get involved in other people's family matters.

Even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, let alone someone who is just a friend.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Wenli suddenly turned to the side and pulled a girl who looked about seventeen or eighteen years old to stand in front of Lü Rui:

"Director Lü, let me introduce you. This is my niece, Ma Sichun."

"Hello, Director Lü."

The girl looked delicate and spoke softly, appearing exceptionally well-behaved.

"Hello."

Lu Rui nodded to her, but secretly he was cursing her.

Sometimes, it's not good for girls to be raised with overly strict upbringing, because girls raised in such an environment often desperately seek thrills as adults in order to rebel against the constraints of their family of origin.

At that point, the family will have a real headache, since those "yellow-haired" guys outside love to scam girls from families like this.

Jiang Wenli continued to ramble on, saying that Ma Sichun had already acted in several films and television series, and even listed a few unremarkable representative works.

Lü Rui knew what she meant, so he simply said directly, "Don't worry, Teacher Jiang, I will contact you if there are suitable roles in the future."

"Thank you so much, Director Lü!"

Jiang Wenli beamed with joy and thanked Ma Sichun repeatedly.

"You're too kind," Lü Rui added with a smile. "Brother Gu's niece is also my niece. We're all family, so it's only right."

These words stirred something within Jiang Wenli.

She had already considered divorce because of Gu Changwei's infidelity.

But upon hearing Lü Rui's words, she suddenly realized that Gu Changwei's network of connections in the industry was something she could hardly match.

"If I leave, wouldn't that give that little bitch an opportunity? Humph! No way, I absolutely can't leave. We can each go our own way!"

She was secretly making plans in her mind.

Meanwhile, Ma Sichun, standing to the side, widened her eyes slightly, her face filled with disbelief.

How did I suddenly end up with an "uncle" out of nowhere?
Jiang Wenli didn't linger. After saying goodbye to Lü Rui, she took Ma Sichun and left.

Lü Rui then pushed open the door and walked into Tian Zhuangzhuang's office.

The latter was currently engrossed in a stack of forms, his hands moving non-stop, busy finalizing the admission list and related information for the new students in the directing department for the second half of the year.

"Here you go, sit down."

Tian Zhuangzhuang glanced up at Lü Rui, pointed casually to the chair opposite him, and then went back to work.

Lu Rui didn't stand on ceremony with him, pulled up a chair and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the forms on the table as he asked curiously, "Did Jiang Wenli bring her niece over earlier for something?"

"What else could it be?" Tian Zhuangzhuang didn't even look up, his tone tinged with helplessness. "That girl wanted to get into the directing department, but her talent was just average, and her professional exam results were also disappointing."

I told her, "Why don't you try studying acting? With that face, maybe you'd be better suited to be an actress."

"Oh, I see!"

Lü Rui suddenly realized.

No wonder Jiang Wenli came to the directing department; it turns out she was paving the way for her niece's further education.

A few minutes later, Tian Zhuangzhuang finally finished filling out the last form.

He carefully put the form away, then picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and then looked at Lü Rui:

"The materials for the combined Master's and Doctoral program have all been prepared. You just need to sign them. Just like before, you don't need to come back for classes. Just report on time."

"Thank you, Teacher Tian."

"It's a piece of cake." Tian Zhuangzhuang waved his hand, took out the documents, and asked him to fill them out. Then he changed the subject, "But on the other hand, even if you can pursue a combined master's and doctoral degree, you still can't be careless about the graduate thesis you're supposed to prepare."

Although the school has relaxed the requirements for you, the necessary procedures still need to be followed; otherwise, I won't be able to explain myself to the higher-ups.

“I know that.” Lü Rui nodded, his tone tinged with helplessness. “The framework of the paper is already there, but we haven’t had time to refine it yet.”

I've been so busy lately, with projects from both China and abroad piling up. I won't be able to find the time to properly polish my thesis until this period is over..."

Then he asked again, "Professor Tian, ​​what's the latest deadline for submitting the thesis?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang thought for a moment and replied, "Try to get it back after the start of the next semester, because we need to arrange a defense after submitting it, and it's not appropriate to delay it for too long."

"Okay, I've got it. I'll definitely hand it in on time."

Lu Rui quickly agreed, but in his heart he was thinking that he could take some time to start writing his thesis.

After filling out all the forms, he didn't linger. He got up, said goodbye to Tian Zhuangzhuang, and left Beijing Film Academy.

We drove all the way back to Ruishijie.

As soon as Lü Rui opened the office door, he saw Zhao Peng sitting on the sofa, looking bored, with a camera in his hand.

"Brother Rui!"

Upon hearing the door open, Zhao Peng immediately perked up and quickly got up to greet him.

Lu Rui's gaze fell on the equipment in his hand, he paused, and subconsciously asked, "Are these all recent actor audition clips?"

“Yes!” Zhao Peng nodded vigorously and brought the camera in front of him. “All the audition materials for the candidates are stored here, just waiting for your final decision on the casting.”

"Okay, let's go straight to the screening room and finalize all the roles while we have some free time today, so you can continue to push things forward later."

If I hadn't been busy with projects both at home and abroad lately, the casting for "Reversal of Life" would have been finalized long ago, instead of being delayed until now.

The film's pre-production is now complete.

Props, locations, and crew are all in place; all that's left is to finalize the cast and sign contracts before filming can officially begin.

Afterward, the two left the office and found an unused screening room.

Zhao Peng skillfully drew the blackout curtains and connected the camera to the projection equipment.

The next second, the white screen lit up instantly.

As the audition clips were played one by one, Zhao Peng offered his insights as needed, providing Lü Rui with valuable information.

"As for the female lead, I compared several options and felt that Yu Feihong was the most suitable."

Among the actresses auditioning at the same time, some were more established than her, but their acting skills were slightly inferior; others had similar acting skills, but their dance skills were far inferior to hers.

Yu Feihong?
The Fairy of Startling Beauty?

Lu Rui's gaze was fixed on the screen, watching with great interest.

In the script of "Reversal of Life", the female lead is a senior dancer, so dance skills are a core requirement.

Among all the auditionees, Yu Feihong's performance was indeed outstanding.

Her figure is already very graceful, and her eyes and body language perfectly match the elegance and resilience of the character. In addition, she has outstanding looks and a gentle temperament, making her overall strength stand out among the candidates.

Her main competitors are Zhang Ziyi and Zhao Yanzi, two of the "Four Dan Actresses".

Zhang Ziyi's dance skills are also not to be underestimated.

As an actress who has filmed many martial arts movies, her flexibility and coordination far surpass those of many professional dancers.

As for her acting skills, she is actually among the top actresses currently in the industry.

Although the reviews for "The Banquet" were not entirely satisfactory, her portrayal of the empress perfectly captured the character's ruthlessness, ambition, and madness.

It's no wonder that so many famous directors in the industry have always favored her.

However, her downside is that her acting range is too narrow. Her stubbornness and ambition are almost etched on her face, so she can only handle roles like "stubborn innocent girl" or "ruthless beauty". Once she leaves her comfort zone, she is particularly prone to being out of character.

In contrast, the female lead in "Reversal of Life" needs to conceal a sense of fragility within her elegance. This complex temperament is far removed from Zhang Ziyi's personal characteristics and is not a good match for her.

As for Zhao Yanzi...

As Lu Rui watched her audition clip on the screen, his brows furrowed involuntarily. He immediately ordered, "From now on, no matter what role she auditions for, do not pass her. Even if someone pleads for her, ignore them."

"Huh?" Zhao Peng was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, "Okay, Brother Rui."

In fact, he knew in his heart that Zhao Yanzi was not a good fit for the role.

However, she has a high level of national recognition and popularity. Despite being embroiled in controversy, she is still in a class of her own among the "Four Little Actresses".

It's worth noting that when the four most popular young actresses were initially selected, the other three only gained attention by associating themselves with Zhao Yanzi.

In the current landscape of "Four Dan and Two Bing", the two Bing actresses are still unable to truly reach the heights of the four Dan actresses.

Zhao Peng had intended to give her an audition opportunity, but he did not expect Lü Rui to be so resolute.

Among the four leading actresses, besides the currently popular Zhao Yanzi and Zhang Ziyi who is pursuing an international career, the third is Zhou Xun.

Her achievements, reputation, and popularity are currently developing in a balanced way. Although she is not as outstanding as the previous two, she is steadily making progress and her strength should not be underestimated.

As for Xu Jinglei, she has always been at the bottom.

The only things she can be proud of now are her "talented woman" title and her highly-rated blog account.

As for acting skills and the depth of her works, the gap between her and the other three is quite obvious.

However, she has achieved some success in the field of "acting well and then directing", which may be why Zhao Yanzi applied to the directing department.

How could someone as proud as her be willing to admit that she has failed in a certain field?
Zhou Xun and Xu Jinglei did not participate in this audition, mainly because they knew they were not a good fit for the role and did not want to waste their time.

As for the two ice skating duo, they were also absent.

Fan Bingbing is currently filming "My Love from the Star," while Li Bingbing is deeply involved in filming "The Forbidden Kingdom," and neither of them can spare the time.

Zhao Yanzi is shameless; she filmed "The Forbidden Kingdom" while also monopolizing "Painted Skin," and now she wants to compete for the female lead in "Reversal of Fortune."

"Let Yu Feihong go."

After watching the audition clips of all the female lead candidates, Lü Rui made her final decision without any hesitation.

"okay!"

Zhao Peng immediately circled Yu Feihong's name on the casting list, then switched the screen to show the audition clip for the next role.

"Next up is the second female lead..."

...

In fact, Lü Rui has always quite approved of Zhao Peng's eye for choosing actresses.

For example, in the movie "Reversal of Life," he chose Jia Jingwen to play the second female lead, Yu Feihong's daughter, who reads her diary at her bedside.

"Brother Rui, don't you think they look quite alike?"

Zhao Peng deliberately pieced together screenshots of the two auditions and presented them to Lü Rui.

Lu Rui took a closer look and indeed found that the two did have some resemblance in their eyes and brows.

Speaking of which, Yu Feihong and Jia Jingwen had collaborated in "Little Li Flying Dagger" in their early years.

In the drama, both of their characters are deeply in love with Li Xunhuan, played by Jiao Enjun.

When I watched this show back then, Lü Rui was incredibly envious!

He had also fantasized with others about holding Yu Feihong's hand with his left hand and Jia Jingwen's hand with his right.

At that time, he thought that if he could really have the blessing of two women, he would be willing to marry Gao Yuanyuan.

But things are pretty good now. By some twist of fate, he ended up with Liu Yifei by his side, which can be considered a kind of fulfillment.

When it comes to looking alike, this is actually quite common in the entertainment industry.

For example, Wang Luodan and Bai Baihe met for the first time at the audition for "My Love from the Star".

This is purely a coincidence.

However, many of them do it on purpose.

For example, when a certain celebrity becomes popular, they find a new person to promote based on the celebrity's characteristics. This not only copies the template for success but also allows them to generate buzz by piggybacking on the celebrity's popularity.

For example, when Zhang Ziyi acted in Zhang Yimou's film, the production team found her by following the same path as Gong Li. In her early days, she even had the nickname "Little Gong Li".

Now, as Zhang Ziyi's career is at its peak, a "little Zhang Ziyi" has emerged, the one who was beaten up by Zhang Guoli's son at the gate of the Central Academy of Drama.

Even Sun Li, the top female host of Hairun Media, was called "Little Jiang Qinqin" when she first debuted.

Li Xiaolu is also frequently compared to Zhou Xun these days.

Even Liu Yifei recently mentioned to him that Tangren Media is heavily promoting a newcomer and hyping her up under the name "Little Liu Fairy".

Jia Jingwen didn't try to ride on Yu Feihong's coattails, but the two have similar temperaments, so when they put on makeup and played mother and daughter, it didn't feel out of place at all.

Besides the female lead and the second female lead, the supporting cast is also quite impressive.

Zhao Peng has cast Liu Xiaoqing and Zhang Xuejian as the male lead's adoptive mother and adoptive father.

As for the role of the male lead's biological father who abandons him, Kou Zhenhai was chosen.

His portrayal of the Beiyang warlord prime minister in "The Story of a Noble Family" perfectly embodied the aura of a "pseudo-villain."

In addition, veteran actors such as You Benchang and Shi Zhaoqi are also on the list.

Li Baotian, who was previously cast, will play a pitiful old man who is frequently struck by lightning. His role is small with very few lines, making it a piece of cake for him.

Overall, the cast is almost impeccable.

However, even Zhao Peng himself was somewhat undecided about the choice of the male lead.

He pulled up audition clips of several male actors and said with a conflicted tone, "Brother Rui, take a look at these guys. Although they each have their own strengths, I still feel like they're missing something..."

The male lead in "Reversal of Life" has a rather quirky character design.

When the male protagonist was born, he looked like an old man with a full head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles, and he also suffered from a variety of age-related diseases. But as time went by, he grew in reverse, gradually transforming from a "little old man" into a middle-aged man, a young man, a teenager, and finally returning to the form of an infant.

The portrayal of the elderly and teenagers can be compensated for with makeup and special effects, but the performances in the middle and young years rely entirely on the actor's own natural talent.

The male protagonist at this stage is a perfect blend of charm and maturity. Even with fine lines around his eyes, he still possesses an irresistible aura that can captivate young girls.

"Zhang Hanyu's face is too masculine and lacks subtlety. Liu Yijun's age and image are a good match, but after makeup, he always seems to have a sinister look on his face, making him more suitable for playing villains..."

While switching between audition clips, Zhao Peng pointed out some flaws in the candidates.

As Lu Rui looked at them one by one, it was indeed as he said: either their temperament didn't fit, or their acting skills couldn't support the depth of the characters.

At this moment, Zhao Peng pulled up a new audition clip: "Overall, this actor named Wu Xiubo is not bad."

A graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, with solid acting skills, she possesses a refined yet roguish charm when made up, which fits well with the complex character of the male lead in middle age.

Wu Xiubo?
Upon hearing this name, Lü Rui frowned slightly.

Judging from the audition footage alone, this actor's acting skills and image do indeed fit the role.

But Lu Rui knew in his heart that choosing Wu Xiubo was tantamount to planting a time bomb for the movie.

Nobody knows when his dirty secrets will be exposed, which will only implicate the entire film.

"This guy won't do." He thought to himself, and continued to ask, "Are there any other options? A male actor around 40 years old with outstanding temperament and appearance, is there no one else?"

"Hmm... there is one more."

After a moment's thought, Zhao Peng switched to the next segment.

When the auditioning actors appeared on screen, Lü Rui subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

Because the person on the screen was none other than Liu Dehua!
He stared at the screen silently, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Although Liu Dehua is over forty years old, he shows no signs of aging. His features are still handsome and three-dimensional, and his temperament is perfectly mature. He has the composure of a mature man, but also the clear eyes of a young man. His charm is enough to transcend all age groups, which is particularly consistent with the male lead's middle and young years.

In particular, during the audition, he delivered a powerful emotional performance, perfectly capturing the character's restraint and struggle. His delivery of lines and body language were also impeccable.

After the audition clip finished playing, Zhao Peng sighed: "It's a pity he's a Hong Kong actor; otherwise, considering everything, he would definitely be the best candidate."

Lu Rui immediately said, "Then let's just use him. His fame, status, image, temperament, and acting skills are all top-notch. He's perfect."

"Huh? But he's a Hong Kong actor!" Zhao Peng subconsciously raised his voice. "Brother Rui, your relationship with the Hong Kong film industry is currently strained. Won't using him cause trouble?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Rui immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry about using it. I'm only targeting a small group of people who are stuck in their ways and have regional prejudices, not the entire Hong Kong entertainment industry. Otherwise, I wouldn't have cooperated with Yinghuang."

Moreover, Lau Tak-wah has always had a good reputation, and he was among the first Hong Kong artists to actively engage with the mainland market. This is far better than Tony Leung's aloof attitude. He's a good candidate; there's no problem with him.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Peng's eyes lit up instantly, and his inner turmoil vanished.

With Liu Dehua in charge, Wu Xiubo, Liu Yijun, and the like all have to step aside.

Looking across the entire Chinese film industry, there is no one more suitable than him.

Actually, Li Ming is also quite good, and he previously collaborated with Ruishijie on "Hitch".

Unfortunately, he was pulled away by Chen Kaige to film "Mei Lanfang" at the moment, and his schedule didn't align with the project.

"Then I'll go with him?" Zhao Peng confirmed again.

"Okay, go ahead and decide, it's fine."

Lu Rui waved his hand dismissively.

He had actually learned some inside information in private. It seemed that Lau Tak-wah had always been ostracized by certain forces in the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

In contrast, Tony Leung and Huang Qiusheng are core members of those forces...

...

Once the casting list was finalized, the subsequent processes such as signing contracts and preparing for filming were no longer relevant to Lü Rui.

He went out the door and headed straight to the Witch project team next door.

After nearly a month of intensive preparation by Xue Xiaolu, the pre-production work for "The Witch" is now basically complete.

"My plan is to announce the casting requirements first, then conduct intensive training for a week after the actors are finalized, and then start filming directly."

“Okay, I’ll take care of the follow-up coordination.” Lü Rui nodded in agreement.

Because "The Witch" is a Sino-foreign co-production, the villain roles needed to be filled by suitable actors from Hollywood.

Xue Xiaolu lacked the necessary connections in this area, so Lü Rui had to handle the arrangements personally.

After finalizing the core requirements for casting, Lü Rui left Ruishijie and drove to Tudou.com.

With the latest round of financing finalized, Tudou.com has secured another large sum of money.

Wang Wei is in high spirits right now, looking ready to make a big splash!

But in reality, the so-called "going all out" is nothing more than spending money to grab users, expand the content library, optimize the technical experience, and so on. These are all key factors in attracting and retaining users.

Lu Rui's purpose in coming here was to help him calibrate his future strategic goals as the second largest shareholder.

This guy got a bit cocky after getting funding and kept shouting that he wanted to create "China's YouTube".

If he isn't given a timely warning, he might squander the money on trivial matters.

Fortunately, competition in the video industry has become fierce, with rivals such as Youku and Sohu Video closely following. Even if Wang Wei wanted to get ahead, he wouldn't dare to stray too far from the core track.

In the office, after the two finalized their future plans, Wang Wei couldn't help but complain:
"That Jia Yueting from LeEco is so annoying! Whatever we do, he copies us, and he's fixated on the online streaming rights for movies and TV series. It's disgusting..."

Wang Wei's accusations directly reveal the true state of the early internet video industry.

In this primitive era where copyright definitions are vague, pirated resources are rampant, and most video websites attract users with pirated content as their core.

Even Tudou.com, which rose to prominence by acquiring the official copyrights of hit shows like "The Return of the Condor Heroes," "Crossing the Guandong," and "Soldiers' Assault," only moderately suppressed piracy, without completely eliminating it.

Currently, only two companies are truly acquiring legitimate film and television copyrights on a large scale.

One is Ruishijie, controlled by Lü Rui, and the other is LeEco, which was halted by Jia Yueting.

Since its establishment, LeEco has adopted a three-pronged strategy:

While competing with platforms like Tudou and Youku for users and traffic, they also ventured into producing original dramas and creating exclusive content, while simultaneously hoarding film and television copyrights and monetizing them through communication resources and mobile streaming services.

This series of combined attacks directly disrupted Tudou.com's development pace, but Wang Wei was powerless to retaliate.

After all, the battle for legitimate copyrights is essentially a money-burning war. Whoever can spend more money to stockpile copyrights will gain the upper hand in future competition.

However, Tudou.com had limited funds and had to cope with the high costs of competing for users, as well as invest in technology research and development and content creation. It simply couldn't compete head-on with LeEco in terms of copyright hoarding.

Fortunately, Ruishijie is backing her up; otherwise, Wang Wei would probably be worrying herself sick by now.

"Don't start a conflict with him yet. Just deal with it according to normal business competition logic."

Lu Rui spoke calmly, but a hint of wariness was hidden in his eyes.

His ability to accurately manage copyrights stems from his reborn foresight, recognizing that the core competitiveness of the future video industry will inevitably lie in the reserve of legitimate copyrights.

As the industry becomes more standardized in the future, platforms with abundant copyrights will be able to attract users exclusively, monetize through distribution, and even take over competitors with broken cash flow. This is a proven path.

But the reason he knew this was because he had been reborn!
Although many practitioners have realized the potential of legitimate copyrights, there is a huge gap between "seeing" and "implementing".

Although film and television streaming rights were incredibly cheap back then, the total amount was still considerable once a large-scale acquisition was launched.

With rampant piracy, no one can predict when the spring of legitimate copyrights will arrive, let alone guarantee whether the stockpiled copyrights of old dramas will still have value in the future.

Because if you get stuck with this problem, it could potentially drag the entire company down in the future!

Other platforms such as Youku and Sohu Video dare not hoard copyrights on a large scale precisely because of this concern.

They can only focus on the present and invest their funds in user acquisition and operations that can yield quick results.

But Jia Yueting did the opposite, hoarding copyrights regardless of cost...

This made Lü Rui wary.

The other party could not possibly be a reincarnated individual. The only possibility is that he obtained inside information about industry standardization in advance, or that he is simply in the same camp as the top-level forces that set the rules!
Just like that "stock king" who manipulated the stock market in later generations, he always managed to seize the initiative and reap the benefits of others.

Therefore, Lü Rui did not want to engage in a direct confrontation with someone like Jia Yueting, who had a powerful background.

If the superficial competitive landscape can be maintained, it would be good for both sides.

However, what he never expected was that some "trouble" couldn't be avoided by deliberately hiding from it; it would find its way to him without him even realizing it...

Two days later, the news was released immediately after the production team of "Reversal of Life" officially signed contracts with all the actors.

"The top-tier cast of 'Reversal of Life' has been officially announced! Liu Dehua and Yu Feihong lead the cast, with a host of veteran actors including Liu Xiaoqing, Li Xuejian, You Benchang, and Li Baotian joining the project to ensure its success!"

Synopsis of "Reversal of Life" revealed: The protagonist transforms from an elderly man into an infant, enacting an extraordinary miracle of life!

"Major collaboration! Liu Dehua joins forces with Ruishijie for the first time, joining the cast of 'Reversal of Life' to take on a complex role. Stay tuned..."

The news sparked a frenzy of online discussion.

The netizens almost unanimously gave it positive reviews:
"This cast is amazing! Andy Lau and Yu Feihong, both good looks and acting skills are top-notch!"

"Reverse aging? That's a pretty novel concept. I'll definitely have to check it out when it's released."

"So many veteran actors..."

Unlike the positive reviews and expectations online, the opinions within the industry are much more complex, with many agencies secretly complaining that their artists were not selected.

Especially for Huayi, Wang Zhonglei was extremely frustrated.

He truly didn't expect that Huayi would not only fail to participate in the project investment, but also end up not even getting a single role!
"Damn it, did we have to go this far?"

He didn't reflect on whether his artists were a good fit for the roles; he simply believed that Lü Rui was deliberately targeting Huayi.

Meanwhile, Wu Kebo, from Orange Sky Entertainment, also had some complaints, saying to Wang Jinghua, "Can Jia Jingwen compare to Chen Hao? That's laughable..."

Wang Jinghua remained silent because none of the artists under her management were nominated either.

While the outside world was buzzing with discussion, Lü Rui was hiding in his office, enjoying the gossip.

He knew that the performing arts community would definitely not let things rest.

Not long after Hou Yaowen's burial, his older brother began eyeing the inheritance, relentlessly pressuring his niece, seemingly intent on squandering her inheritance, much to the dismay of outsiders.

There's also some exciting news coming from Taiwan.

Jay Chou and Hou Pei-qin, the golden couple who were filming "Kung Fu Dunk" at the time, have officially announced their breakup.

The paparazzi have dug up almost every reason for the couple's breakup.

First, Hou Peiqin's mother was a mistress who interfered in her best friend's relationship and gave birth to her. Then, she became the mistress of another wealthy man.

What's particularly outrageous is that Hou's mother never felt that breaking up someone else's marriage was a wrong thing to do.

Regarding the mistakes she made, she simply commented lightly, "Everything is predestined, and nothing is up to us."

But these words plunged Hou Peiqin into an abyss.

She was rumored to have interfered in Jay Chou and Cai Yilin's relationship, which not only angered fans but also displeased Jay Chou's mother...

Under public pressure, the relationship eventually came to an end.

"Dong dong dong."

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, interrupting Lü Rui's thoughts.

"Enter!"

He had barely finished speaking when Hou Hongliang pushed open the door and walked in.

"Is something wrong?"

"Chairman Lü, are you free tonight?"

Lu Rui naturally wouldn't admit that he was slacking off, so he immediately said seriously, "I need to prepare my graduate thesis, what's wrong?"

"Here's the thing, Jia Yueting, the boss of LeEco, asked someone to pass on a message that he'd like to invite you to dinner tonight."

Jia Yueting?
Lu Rui narrowed his eyes slightly: "What's the reason for treating us to a meal?"

He said he wanted to make friends and talk about his dreams for the future.

Hey? A dream?

Shall we suffocate together for our dreams?
Lu Rui thought to himself, but after a moment’s thought, he nodded and said, “Okay, since someone’s providing meals, let’s go.”

He wasn't worried that this might be a trap, since although the two sides were competing for copyrights, it hadn't reached the point of being at loggerheads yet.

However, high-level business battles are often unpretentious, and one should always be wary of others.

So, when Lü Rui went to the appointment that evening, he simply brought Hou Hongliang and Zhao Peng with him.

If things really come to a head, three people are better than one, and even if we have to run away, we'll have more opportunities, right?

...

At 9 p.m., in a luxurious private room at the Heaven on Earth, Lü Rui finally met Jia Yueting, who was famous in his previous life for "returning to China next week".

The other person, dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, with a perfectly measured smile, extended their hand in greeting.

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

"Chairman Jia, I've long admired your name."

Lu Rui reached out and shook hands with him, his tone calm yet measured.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two sides took their seats as host and guest, and then began to introduce their entourages.

When Jia Yueting pointed to a man next to him wearing frameless glasses and with a fierce expression, Lü Rui and Zhao Peng exchanged a glance.

"This is Wu Xiao, CEO of Shidai Chuntian."

Upon hearing the name, Lü Rui instantly understood.

The person in front of us is the one who previously took Li Baotian to court and even tried to label this veteran actor as a "tyrant on set."

No wonder this guy acts so arrogantly and ostentatiously; it turns out he has Jia Yueting backing him up.

"Hello, Chairman Lü."

Wu Xiao extended his hand with a smile and a respectful posture, but the arrogance in his eyes was hard to hide.

Some dogs are like that; they can be incredibly arrogant when they're around their owners.

"Hello."

Lu Rui shook hands with him in a lukewarm manner.

During the brief exchange of pleasantries, the door to the private room was pushed open, and waiters filed in, bringing out the wine and dishes one by one.

"Chairman Lü, let me toast you first." Jia Yueting stood up and raised his glass first.

Although he was older than Lü Rui, he was not arrogant.

Because he knew in his heart that at present, whether it was his wealth, the scale of his business, or his fame and status in the industry, he was far inferior to Lü Rui.

Even though he has a strong background, Lu Rui was able to build such a business at the age of twenty-something, so his talent and energy are extraordinary and he is not worth offending easily.

As the old saying goes, you can't hit someone who's smiling at you.

Lü Rui naturally wouldn't put on airs.

He smiled, stood up, raised his glass, lightly clinked it with Jia Yueting's, and then downed it in one gulp.

"Haha, Mr. Lü has quite the capacity for alcohol..."

After several rounds of drinks, Jia Yueting finally got to the point about the dinner party he was hosting for Lü Rui that evening.

He patted Wu Xiao on the shoulder beside him and said with a hint of helplessness, "Chairman Lü, I invited you here today because I need your help with something."

My younger brother invested in a TV series, but the male lead was really too much. He acted like a big shot and put on airs on set, making the whole crew resentful and everyone looked unhappy.

We originally intended to give him a warning to make him behave, but we didn't expect him to be so persistent and even take us to court..."

Lu Rui listened quietly, already understanding the situation.

Clearly, the male protagonist he was referring to was Li Baotian.

As for the veracity of this statement... take it with a grain of salt; nobody's a fool.

"And then?" Lu Rui looked at the two of them calmly.

Wu Xiao had already drunk quite a bit and could no longer suppress his resentment. Seeing Jia Yueting dawdling, he simply interrupted:
"Chairman Lü, I saw the casting list for Ruishijie's new film 'Reversal of Life,' and Li Baotian is on it, right?"

Lü Rui remained silent.

Zhao Peng, who was standing next to him, nodded: "That's right, Teacher Li did indeed act in our movie."

Upon hearing this, Wu Xiao's face immediately revealed a confident smile:

"So, I'd like to ask Chairman Lü for your help in replacing Li Baotian's role. As for all the losses caused by the replacement, I'll bear them all. No amount is too much to ask. What do you say?"

Lu Rui stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly put down his wine glass, shook his head, and said in a resolute tone:
"Your face isn't enough. Since its establishment, Ruishijie has never violated any contract, and it will never replace a cast member for such a ridiculous reason."

What kind of trash dares to put on airs and ask for face in front of me?

Wu Xiao's smile froze instantly, her face turning red. She clearly hadn't expected Lü Rui to be so disrespectful, leaving no room for maneuver.

He subconsciously looked at Jia Yueting beside him, a pleading look appearing in his eyes.

At this moment, Jia Yueting frowned slightly, and his tone became a bit more serious: "Then, Chairman Lü, is LeEco's reputation enough?"

Instead of answering directly, Lü Rui looked up at him with a sharp gaze: "Chairman Jia, are you sure you want to use LeEco's reputation for something like this?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Yueting was taken aback, his hand holding the wine glass froze in mid-air, and he fell into deep thought.

He could tell that Lü Rui's attitude was very firm.

The phrase "never violated any contract" in particular conveys a very clear meaning!
It's important to understand that the competition between LeEco and Ruishijie in the copyright field has only just begun.

So, is it really worth it to completely fall out with Lü Rui over an actor?
(End of this chapter)