1979: The child's mother is a celestial being.

Chapter 140 Company Opening (Please Subscribe)
The cast and crew of "Journey to the West".

After director Yang Jie finished filming a scene, he told the crew to take a half-hour break, and then walked over to Liu Xiaoli, who was designing dance choreography.

"Take a rest, Xiaoli, you're pregnant."

"I'm just sitting here drawing pictures, it's not tiring at all."

Liu Xiaoli looked up and smiled at Director Yang Jie, then lowered her head and gently touched her belly, which was already showing even though she was wearing a down jacket.

"You've been pregnant for five months, haven't you?"

"Almost there." After answering, Liu Xiaoli counted the days in her mind. As of today, it has been exactly four and a half months.

After a while, Liu Xiaoli came to her senses and saw Director Yang Jie looking at the dance moves she had designed. She glanced down at the women's watch her husband had given her on her fair wrist and realized it was only 4:30 in the afternoon. She looked up again and asked curiously:

"Is Director Yang Jie not filming today?"

"We filmed two scenes today, so we've finished our mission. We'll rehearse tomorrow's scenes one more time, and then we'll call it a day."

Director Yang Jie put down the sketch and commented, "Xiao Li, your drawing skills are getting more and more proficient."

"I thought you would comment on the dance moves I designed," Liu Xiaoli said expectantly.

"Not bad."

Director Yang Jie nodded, then changed the subject, lowering his voice and saying, "Xiao Li, I heard your Xiao Chen got promoted again, is that right?"

"Who told Director Yang Jie this?" Liu Xiaoli neither admitted nor denied it, but her answer, to Director Yang Jie's ears, was already confirmation of the rumors she had heard in Deputy Factory Director Hong's office at noon today.

He nodded to himself and said, "That's right. Although the film revenue-generating working group that Xiao Chen was in before was very famous in the industry, it was still just a pilot project. Now their group has broken away from the Film Bureau and established an independent unit, and your wife has also become someone who can stand on her own. She's at least at the division level, no doubt about it."

"It's not as exaggerated as Director Yang Jie makes it out to be. Fu Sheng was just a section chief before, and he was only promoted in the middle of the year. Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any possibility of promotion in the next year or two. However, because the organization set up a company for their group, and the company's administrative level is a division-level unit, it was considered that it was not appropriate for Fu Sheng, a staff member, to manage a division-level unit. So this time, an exception was made to promote him to deputy division-level," Liu Xiaoli explained.

“That’s quite remarkable. Although he’s a deputy director, his actual power is no different from that of a director…” Director Yang Jie interrupted himself halfway through his sentence, “No, it’s more than that of many department-level cadres.”

"Rights are linked to responsibilities, and Fusheng is under a lot of pressure right now."

"That's true. Among all the directors in the country, you can't find anyone more outstanding than your husband in creating foreign exchange for the country through film."

"Actually, he was just lucky..."

Director Yang Jie interrupted Liu Xiaoli: "Where does so much luck come from? If it really is luck, why don't you let other directors in China try?"

Of course, she knew that Liu Xiaoli was just being modest.

The two chatted for a few more minutes, and Director Yang Jie, seeing that it was about time, was about to get the crew to work.

Suddenly, Liu Xiaoli remembered something and asked, "Director Yang Jie, will the crew have a normal holiday tomorrow for New Year's Day?"

"Go ahead, when have I ever worked overtime on a holiday?" Director Yang Jie replied with a smile.

However, after taking only a couple of steps forward, she suddenly realized what she was doing and turned back to look at Liu Xiaoli with curiosity:

"Wait, Xiaoli, you asked me if we have a holiday, is there something going on tomorrow, New Year's Day?"

Liu Xiaoli didn't keep them in suspense and replied, "Fusheng's company is opening tomorrow, and I plan to go and take a look."

"Really? Where is it opening? You didn't even invite me..."

Faced with director Yang Jie's three questions, Liu Xiaoli chose a compromise answer:

"No. 25, Xiaoxitian Xinjiekouwai Street".

"Their company is actually located in the old Beijing Film Academy?" Director Yang Jie was very familiar with the place and was somewhat surprised.

After the initial surprise, he continued, "What time tomorrow? Cong Qiu and I will go join in the fun too."

"It seems like the ribbon-cutting ceremony was at ten o'clock in the morning."

"Row……"

The next day.

Early in the morning, Zhu Lin also arrived at Xiaoxitian.

When she saw her classmates Zhao Baogang and Zhang Yimou, who also came from the Beijing Film Academy, working and chatting, a hint of envy flashed in her eyes, and she followed them over.

Her arrival naturally attracted everyone's attention.

"Comrade Zhulin, what brings you here?" Peng Xiaolian, also a woman, asked proactively. "I heard your company is opening today, and since our film crew is on holiday, I came to check it out." Zhulin walked closer and then asked, "Is there anything I can help you with? I can lend a hand."

"Actually, there's not much work to do, but if you really want to help, Zhulin, you can go and fetch some water to wipe down these tables and chairs."

"Okay." Zhu Lin wasn't afraid of doing work, but she was afraid that everyone would be too polite and treat her like an outsider.

Later, Zhu Lin, who had started working, also joined in the conversation.

Even she herself became a topic of conversation.

"Zhulin, I heard from Wang Yue that you played the Queen of the Women's Kingdom in Director Yang Jie's 'Journey to the West' series, is that right?"

"Yes, Director Yang Jie wants me to play this role, but it's still a long way off."

"So what are you doing on set now?"

"I was assigned to a group with Director Chen's wife, and I usually assisted her in designing dance moves."

"I think Director Chen's partner is very young, probably not even as old as you, Zhu Lin?"

"She's much younger than me. I was born in 52, and she was born in 59. But don't let her youth fool you, she's incredibly professional in dance."

"We dare not underestimate you; we are more envious of you, Zhulin."

"Why would you envy me? I envy you all for being able to join Oriental Company." Zhu Lin was genuinely envious because she also wanted to join, but it seemed that Director Chen only recruited behind-the-scenes staff and not actors, which made her unsure how to ask Liu Xiaoli for help even if she had the opportunity.

"CCTV is a good organization too. Director Chen's wife works at CCTV."

As they were talking, they soon noticed that Chen Fusheng had brought his family in.

Yes, family.

It wasn't just his wife.

There's also my daughter and mother-in-law.

At this moment, Chen Qian was wrapped in Chen Fusheng's down jacket and wearing a woolen hat that her grandmother had knitted for her. Her pink little face was exposed to the air. Sometimes she looked up at her father, sometimes she turned to her mother and grandmother beside her, and sometimes she was curiously observing the world.

"Director Chen." "Xixi." "Director Chen." "Xiaoli." "Director Chen."

Looking at Zhang Yimou and the others who came forward to greet him and his family, Chen Fusheng suddenly felt that there were quite a few people from the Beijing Film Academy faction in the company.

Of course, since the company was just starting out, he was willing to hire anyone with talent and wouldn't be held back by the possibility of future systemic problems.

However, he was still taken aback when he saw that Zhu Lin and his wife seemed to have a good relationship.

"When did you two become so close?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Zhu Lin was responsible for designing the dance moves with me on set."

As soon as Liu Xiaoli finished speaking, Zhu Lin quickly added, "I was just assisting..."

Chen Fusheng understood and didn't dwell on who was telling the truth and who was lying. Seeing that people were coming up one after another, he went to greet the guests.

As for the little darling in her arms, she was naturally handed over to her mother for the time being.

Before 10 a.m., nearly a hundred people had arrived at the square. In addition to their company's employees and their families, the other groups mainly consisted of media reporters, employees of the Film Bureau, employees of the Beijing Film Studio, and teachers from the Beijing Film Academy.

The weather in Beijing was a bit chilly this morning, but it seemed that everyone's enthusiasm dispelled the chill in the square, so when Chen Fusheng went on stage with the microphone, he still felt a bit warm!
"Respected leaders, colleagues, and comrades, good morning."

On an occasion like today, Chen Fusheng naturally prepared a speech in advance.

"Today is a day to remember—because today, on New Year's Day of 1982, our Oriental Film Export Company officially opened!"

"This is the country's recognition of our film foreign exchange earnings working group after more than a year of establishment, and it is also the country's earnest expectation for my country's film industry to 'go global and generate benefits.' This is an honor, but also a responsibility."

"..."

"Today's company opening is just a new beginning. In the future, we will carry the trust placed in us by our motherland and people and do three things well: First, we will make good Chinese stories and let the patriotism and national characteristics on the screen become a window for the world to see China; second, we will do a good job in cultural exchange and use high-quality films to open up the international market, so that Chinese films can not only convey spiritual power but also create tangible economic value and contribute to national development; third, we will unite all colleagues and create a platform for Chinese film talents with dreams and ambitions, so that everyone's talents can shine here."

"Finally, I would like to thank the country for its trust and all the leaders and partners who have supported us. Let us work together to make Chinese films more influential on the world stage, generate foreign exchange for the country, and bring glory to the nation."

"Thank you everyone! Now we will proceed with the ribbon-cutting ceremony..."

(End of this chapter)