The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 162 Loyalty Arrives (44)

The dance music ended.

Shen Shandeng released his hand with gentlemanly grace, nodded slightly, and the movement was smooth and fluid, without a trace of ambiguity.

That was just a purely polite social interaction.

Getting close, touching, or stroking is just a matter of etiquette.

After the two finished dancing, Yang Mi came over and handed them a glass of water: "Don't tire yourself out."

Fearing she wasn't being sincere enough, Qin Lan took advantage of the still-warm atmosphere and said, "Director Shen, I've always really liked your song 'Plain Face,' could we sing it together?"

Upon hearing this, Da Mimi's expression darkened. This song was written for her by Shen Shandeng.

"Yay!" Li Xiaolu quickly changed the song: "I want to listen, I want to listen!"

The two sang a duet in front of the screen.

Qin Lan sang with great passion, her eyes occasionally glancing at Shen Shandeng.

Of course, these are all just formalities.

As the music ended, Qin Lan whispered, "Director Shen, Lu Chuan really knows how difficult things are. That project is currently facing serious difficulties. Can you help him?"

Shen Shandeng lowered his head slightly and whispered in her ear, "Sister Lan, this is a matter between director Lu Chuan and me regarding our creative concepts. It has nothing to do with you."

Qin Lan, whose ears were already red, couldn't help but feel embarrassed and annoyed.

We've danced, sung, and touched each other, and you still won't agree?
Shen Shandeng was perfectly clear-headed; Qin Lan didn't have the influence to change his mind.

As for touching and singing, it's just social etiquette.

Qin Lan's eyes darkened, and she dared not insist any further.

Lu Chuan was indeed in the wrong. Shen Shandeng had already offered some guidance, but Lu Chuan simply couldn't listen to others' advice.

Li Xiaolu leaned closer and said, "How about it, do you want me to help you win over this older sister of mine?"

Shen Shandeng's heart skipped a beat. This bad girl was too bad. He quickly said righteously, "Don't do anything reckless."

"What's this, Director Shen? You're too tense," Li Xiaolu whispered. "I saw you dancing just now, and Sister Li's face was even darker than Yang Mi's. Do you want to..."

Shen Shandeng slapped her forehead. This was outrageous and went too far!

After a short rest.

Shen Shandeng then devoted all his energy to the post-production of "Lost in Thailand".

He still doesn't personally handle the editing, but only focuses on the overall rhythm, comedic elements, and visual tone, leaving the specific work to a skilled editing team.

Meanwhile, a fierce marketing campaign quietly began.

Ma Youde, full of energy, excitedly reported: "Boss, the popularity of the character '囧' is still growing, and netizens are extremely accepting of it!"

"Should we go all out, drop the pseudonym 'Travel Surprise', and officially unveil the 'Lost in Thailand' brand?"

“Okay.” Shen Shandeng nodded: “Change all materials and release the promotional article. Emphasize that ‘囧’ is an optimistic and self-deprecating attitude towards life.”

"The Olympics are in August, and everyone's attention will be drawn to them, so the schedule is set for the end of June."

Ma Youde accepted the order and set off, eager to get started.

On the other hand, Qin Lan did not give up.

Reminded by Li Xiaolu, she went directly to Shen Shandeng's office.

This time, with no one else around, her demeanor was even bolder and more direct.

"Director Shen, I didn't dance well last time, and I would like to ask you to give me some individual guidance on my dance skills."

Qin Lan's voice was soft and charming, her eyes carrying a clear hint.

As she spoke, she took off her coat, clearly having been prepared beforehand, her movements fluid and effortless.

He was only wearing a simple training uniform inside.

Shen Shandeng immediately stopped her, angrily saying, "Qin Lan, watch your temper."

Upon hearing Shen Shandeng call her by her full name sternly, Qin Lan paused, a blush rising on her face, and said, "It's just... it's just a dance outfit."

“That’s a bit much.” Shen Shandeng glanced at it and felt that it was indeed a bit much: “I can’t appreciate it.”

Qin Lan said, "This is really a dance outfit; it's what they wear for international competitions too."

Shen Shandeng shook his head and said, "Alright. I understand what you mean."

"Tell Lu Chuan that if he wants to talk, he should bring his revised script and his sincerity, and come in person."

Shen Shandeng ultimately had his bottom line and couldn't bear to manipulate people.

This is a clear sign that they've given in.

Qin Lan breathed a sigh of relief, finally getting the promise she wanted, and said gratefully, "Just dance with me, okay?" She couldn't refuse such a kind offer.

The music started again.

The atmosphere in the private, everyday office becomes subtle and tense.

Qin Lan danced with great passion, her body language becoming increasingly unrestrained. By the end of the song, she was drenched in sweat, her face flushed, and her breath hot.

Shen Shandeng maintained a calm and detached attitude throughout, but he had to admit that the scene before him was indeed vibrant and captivating.

Fearing that things might escalate if they continued, which would be troublesome for both of them, he took the initiative to put a coat on Qin Lan.

"Thank you."

Qin Lan felt that Shen Shandeng was a really good person.

When the opportunity that Qin Lan had worked so hard to obtain, despite her pride, reached Lu Chuan, the news spread.

Lu Chuan had agreed to it before, but his scholarly pride kicked in again.

He hesitated again, feeling humiliated and unable to bring himself to do it.

This angered Qin Lan so much that she burst into tears and almost broke up with him on the spot.

Time dragged on until the end of March.

The first trailer for "Lost on Journey" has been officially released, and the "囧" (jiong) marketing campaign has been fully launched, accurately hitting the public's funny bone and resonating with them, and market anticipation is steadily rising.

In stark contrast to the orderly progress of "Lost in Thailand," the crew of "Nanjing" is on the verge of collapse.

After inspecting the film crew, producer Tan Hong found everything chaotic and inefficient.

Tan Hong, as the CEO of Star Media, is a major investor in "Nanjing" and also one of the investors in the "Du Gong" cinematic universe.

However, Tan Hong and Shen Shandeng were not close friends. The investment in the "Du Gong" universe was just compensation from Han Sanping after the "Wu Ming Zhuang" project suffered losses.

Left with no other option, Tan Hong had to seek help from Han Sanping once again.

"Third Master, you were the one who introduced this project in the first place, and now I'm truly at my wit's end! I invested in 'The Warlords' with you, and I'll accept the loss! Please help me out this time, Director Shen, please lend a hand!"

Tan Hong spoke earnestly, his voice almost trembling with emotion.

Nobody's money comes from thin air. Even if you're asking for money to take a bath, you'll definitely want to come up with a plausible reason.

Out of consideration for his feelings, Han Sanping had no choice but to call Shen Shandeng.

Tan Hong had prepared a grand banquet, intending to hold it at a private club to show his respect, but Shen Shandeng directly refused.

The final meeting was held in the simple and solemn conference room of Shen Shandeng's company.

Upon entering Shen Shandeng's company, Tan Hong couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for Shen Shandeng. He had truly never met many people like Shen Shandeng in the industry.

As soon as he sat down, Tan Hong began to complain: "Director Shen, it's really not easy! This movie was initiated in March last year, but it was delayed until October 1st before filming started, which took six months! During this time, the script was revised repeatedly, and many, many bloody and explicit scenes were also cut."

Shen Shandeng keenly caught the key words and frowned, saying, "You deleted them? Even after deleting them, there are still quite a few left. How many of the original versions did you have?"

Tan Hong was taken aback, then, remembering how this person was extremely averse to using explicit marketing to expose historical wounds, he quickly added, "Yes, yes, yes, a lot of it was deleted."

"But just the six months of delay before filming started meant that sets had to be rebuilt, actor contracts had to be renegotiated, and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses amounted to nearly five million! There was a huge controversy within Star Media over this, and many people advised me to cut my losses and stop filming!"

Tan Hong sighed, his tone complicated, and said, "It's not that I didn't consider stopping. Back in January and February, we had problems with funding, sets, and the script. I really did think about it."

"But, but I went to the location a few times, and the footage that came out was really high quality, the effect was excellent! I thought, we've overcome so many difficulties, let's just persevere a little longer,"

After listening quietly, Shen Shandeng said, "President Tan, I heard about your difficulties. I spoke with Director Lu Chuan before, and also conveyed it through Qin Lan. As long as he agrees to my conditions, I can help."

Tan Hong, as if grasping at a straw, immediately found Lu Chuan and conveyed Shen Shandeng's message.

As expected, Lu Chuan stubbornly insisted once again, "I am the director!"

Tan Hong's long-suppressed anger was instantly ignited. He slammed his fist on the table, displaying the authority of an investor.

"Lu Chuan! I'm the producer!"

"He's the boss who invested in you! I'm telling you straight now, either you do what Director Shen says and let him help you streamline the production team!"

Tan Hong suddenly had a flash of inspiration, recalling the tactics Han Sanping used to threaten John Woo that he had heard in the industry, and said coldly, "If you don't agree, I'll ask Director Shen to take over the project directly!"

"He can change it however he wants! You have two choices!"

These words were like the last straw, crushing Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan clenched his fists tightly, overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of frustration and humiliation.

"You will regret this!"

4 month 8 day.

Shen Shandeng arrived at the loyal director Lu Chuan's film crew.

(End of this chapter)