I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Xu Fan put away her phone, suppressed the romantic feelings in her heart, and glanced at him indifferently: "You were making such a fuss, you scared me."

"The script is just too amazing, I couldn't help myself." Feng Dapao smiled sheepishly, his eyes full of admiration. "Cheng Sheng's talent for writing scripts is truly unmatched! No wonder Chen Kaige was able to sweep awards with his scripts, he's really impressive."

"So, in your opinion, which script is better, this one or 'Blue Is the Warmest Color'?" Xu Fan asked casually.

Feng Dapao instantly stopped smiling and fell into deep thought.

Although "Blue Is the Warmest Color" was not released in China, pirated copies have already been circulating within the industry.

As a top director, he has always opposed piracy, but he still couldn't help but watch and learn from it.

Ordinary viewers may only focus on the explicit scenes in the film, but what they see is top-notch cinematography, delicate emotional expression, and exquisite narrative techniques.

It was this film that made Chen Kaige a legend and won him an international award.

After a long silence, he solemnly declared: "This book, 'On the Beach at Night Alone,' is in no way inferior to 'Blue Is the Warmest Color,' and even surpasses it in its theme and depth."

"Now that the script is finalized, when do you plan to start filming?" Xu Fan pressed.

After a moment of contemplation, Feng Dapao planned, "Funding and investment are not a problem. I plan to assemble a complete crew by the end of the year and officially start filming at the beginning of next year."

"Li Xiaoran has been cast as the female lead, but what about the male lead and other supporting roles? Will artists from Huayi Brothers be given priority?" Xu Fan asked.

"As long as the role is suitable, Huayi artists will be given priority." Feng Dapao's attitude was firm. "I am, after all, a director from Huayi. President Wang has helped me before, and I will not hesitate to give back to the company."

After saying that, he looked at Xu Fan and solemnly arranged, "Old Xu, you will be the producer of this film. I will go to Huayi now and finalize the investment with President Wang."

As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed the script, hurriedly pushed open the door, and left.

Xu Fan watched his hurried departure and gave a self-deprecating smile.

In the past, she would have been ecstatic to be the producer of a top-tier award-winning film.

But now, she has long since become indifferent to fame and fortune, and her heart is filled with Cheng Sheng, who is far away overseas. She has no interest in worrying about these things.

……

At noon, at the headquarters of Huayi Media.

Feng Dapao sped to the company, arriving just in time for lunch break.

He was so eager to finalize the investment that he didn't bother to knock and simply pushed open the door to Mr. Wang's office.

The scene that caught his eye made him pause, his expression slightly stiffening.

Li Shuangbing was seen kneeling on the ground, his posture intimate, the scene somewhat ambiguous.

Feng Dapao reacted quickly, immediately whispering "sorry," and swiftly left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Three minutes later, the office was tidied up, and Xiao Wang's voice came: "Come in."

Feng Dapao pushed open the door and entered, only to see Little Wang sitting calmly in his boss's chair, his expression indifferent. Li Shuangbing straightened her skirt and stood to the side, her face calm and composed, showing no embarrassment at being caught in the act.

"Old Feng, what's the rush? You even had to rush over during your lunch break?" Young Master Wang's face was gloomy, and his tone was somewhat displeased.

If Feng Dapao weren't the company's pillar and star director, he certainly wouldn't have let him off easily for his rash and unruly behavior of pushing open the door.

"I need you to finalize the investment for the new movie," Feng Dapao said, getting straight to the point. "A new script?" Young Master Wang's eyes lit up, and he instantly stood up, his voice excited. "Is it the script written by Cheng Sheng?"

“That’s right, I just got it.” Feng Dapao raised his chin slightly, with a hint of pride.

"Quick, quick, let me see!" Mr. Wang instinctively reached out his hand, then awkwardly withdrew it.

He didn't understand the technical aspects of the script and couldn't figure it out even after reading it, so he simply waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I won't read it anymore. Lao Feng, just have someone calculate the budget directly. Once the production team is assembled, the company will make the payment as soon as possible. There will definitely be enough funds."

"No problem," Feng Dapao replied.

Li Shuangbing, who was standing to the side, could no longer contain himself. His eyes lit up and his voice trembled with urgency: "Director Feng, why did Cheng Sheng write a script specifically for you?"

She was filled with envy, but her eyes were brimming with resentment.

Previously, Cheng Sheng wrote a script for Chen Kaige, which directly helped him win the Best Film award at the International Film Festival and made Twins famous, allowing the two to reach the top of the Best Actress award and enjoy unlimited glory.

She watched the entire awards ceremony live and was almost driven mad with jealousy.

She believes her acting skills far surpass those of the non-professional Twins, and that she is just as good as them in terms of looks, figure, and skills. Why can others become legends and win awards based on Cheng Sheng's scripts, while she has no chance at all?
If she can land the lead role in this new film, she will definitely be nominated for one of the three major European film festivals, win the Best Actress award, and become a world-class artist!
Feng Dapao saw through her thoughts and said calmly, "Bingbing, don't ask too many questions about this."

He dared not let anyone know that he obtained this top-notch script through his wife Xu Fan's favor; if word got out, he would inevitably be accused of being a kept man.

Li Shuangbing was unwilling to give up, so he mustered up his courage and took the initiative to ask: "Director Feng, could I audition for the female lead role in this movie?"

In her view, she was the top female star at Huayi Brothers, with her looks, acting skills, and seniority firmly ranking first in the company. Even the newly joined Zhou Xun was far inferior to her. This leading role should have been hers.

"I'm sorry, Bingbing, the female lead has already been decided internally." Feng Dapao's tone was firm, without the slightest hint of leniency.

"Is it Xun-ge'er?" Li Shuangbing's face instantly turned ugly, filled with resentment.

"I have no say in the female lead role in this film," Feng Dapao said frankly.

Li Shuangbing turned to look at Xiao Wang, his eyes full of pleading, hoping that the other party would step in and help him.

Mr. Wang shook his head slightly, looking helpless.

"The final decision rests with Cheng Sheng," Feng Dapao revealed the answer.

"It's him?!"

Li Shuangbing's expression instantly darkened, and he completely lost his confidence.

Everyone in the industry knows that Cheng Sheng is a very insightful and principled person who never plays the social game or falls for the charms of beautiful women.

She tried several times to take the initiative to get closer to him, but he remained distant and polite, never showing any ambiguity or loosening of the relationship.

You can try to win over other people's feelings, but no one can change Cheng Sheng's decision.

"Alright, let's leave it at that," said Young Master Wang, ending the conversation calmly. "If this film doesn't have a chance, I'll arrange other big productions for you later."

Li Shuangbing inwardly complained, how could an ordinary production compare to an award-winning script written by Cheng Sheng? But she dared not refute it in public and could only suppress her resentment.

"Old Feng, the female lead has already been cast, so I won't force you. But for the other supporting roles, try to prioritize casting company artists," Young Master Wang instructed.

"As long as the role is suitable, I will give priority to Huayi Brothers," Feng Dapao solemnly promised. "But if the actor's qualities are not suitable, I will hire an external actor. This film is crucial for my pursuit of international awards, and I cannot afford to be careless in the slightest." (End of this chapter)