This director only directs blockbusters.

Yang Ning thanked them one by one.

The meal lasted until after nine o'clock. When it was time to leave, Jiang Zhiqiang escorted Yang Ning and Xu Qin back to their hotel.

"These people today are all key figures," Jiang Zhiqiang said as they walked down the street. "Chairman Chen controls 70% of the screens in Hong Kong."

Mr. Lin is in charge of Anle's distribution network in Southeast Asia. As long as they give their approval, half of the Asian market is already open.

"And the other half?" Yang Ning asked.

"The other half lies in the quality of the film." Jiang Zhiqiang stopped and looked at him. "Tomorrow is the premiere. The media will be here, film critics will be here, and the audience will be here. Good is good, and bad is bad. There's no faking it."

"clear."

"So get a good rest tonight." Jiang Zhiqiang patted him on the shoulder. "Tomorrow, we'll see what they're made of."

---

It was already ten o'clock when I got back to my hotel room.

Xu Qin didn't go back to her own room; she followed Yang Ning in.

"I've prepared a few questions for you for tomorrow's media Q&A session." She took a piece of paper out of her bag. "They'll most likely ask about special effects, investment, and the risks of the Spring Festival film season. I've written down the answers; take a look."

Yang Ning took it and glanced at it: "Too official."

"Then how should I answer?"

"To be honest," Yang Ning handed the paper back to her, "we did the special effects, the investment was a gamble that paid off, and the Spring Festival release was a risk but worthwhile. Audiences don't like platitudes."

Xu Qin looked at him and sighed.

"Yang Ning, sometimes I really admire your... straightforwardness."

"Because there's no need to beat around the bush." ​​Yang Ning walked to the window. "Once the film is shot, it's shot."

"If it's not well-made, saying more won't help. Audiences and theater owners aren't stupid; they can tell."

Outside the window, Hong Kong's night view is dazzling. Neon signs are densely packed, illuminating half the sky.

"Are you nervous?" Xu Qin suddenly asked.

"What's there to be nervous about?" Yang Lin looked at Xu Qin with some confusion, not understanding what she was asking.

"Tomorrow. It's the first public screening of the finished film, and in Hong Kong no less. Aren't you nervous?"

Yang Ning thought for a moment.

"Nervous," he said, "but more than that...wanting to know the audience's reaction. Wanting to know if these past few months have been worth it."

Xu Qin walked to his side and also looked out the window.

"It'll be worth it," she said softly. "I've seen so many movies, but this one is different. Really different."

The two stood in silence for a while.

"Alright, go to sleep early." Xu Qin took off her clothes and lay down on the bed. "We have to fight again tomorrow."

"We'll talk about tomorrow's battle tomorrow. The battle we're fighting now is the most important."

…………

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

The red carpet stretched from the entrance to the steps, with reporters holding long lenses and cameras on both sides. The flashes of the cameras were blinding, making it hard to open one's eyes.

Yang Ning stood inside the side door of the theater, looking out through the glass.

Huang Xiaoming was walking the red carpet in a black suit, his hair styled so perfectly it could be used as a mirror, waving and smiling at the cameras. Fan Binbin followed behind him, wearing a silver-gray long dress, her hair piled high, making her neck appear even longer. Zhou Xun looked simpler, in a white shirt and black trousers, walking with a confident stride.

Every time a celebrity walked by, a flurry of flashbulbs went off.

"Are you nervous?" Xu Qin strolled over to his side.

"No." Yang Ning stared outside. "I just find it quite amusing. Three months ago, these people were rolling around in the mud in Huairou, and now they're walking the red carpet looking all high and mighty."

"Isn't that what movies are all about?" Xu Qin chuckled. "They either crush you in the mud or elevate you to the heavens."

Jiang Zhiqiang came over from the other side and glanced at his watch.

"The show starts at 7:40, and the film will start at 8:00 sharp." He leaned closer to Yang Ning and said, "There will be media interviews later. Hong Kong reporters are quite sharp-tongued and will ask anything. Be prepared."

"Good point." Yang Ning tugged at his jacket collar. "I hate those roundabout ways, they're exhausting."

"Okay, as long as you know what I mean." Jiang Zhiqiang patted his arm. "Let's go, it's our turn."

On the red carpet, the flashbulbs went off again.

Yang Ning walked slowly, his black jacket and dark jeans making him stand out awkwardly among the group of suits and tuxedos. Xu Qin walked beside him, wearing a light gray suit, her steps steady and measured.

"Director Yang! Look this way!"

"Ms. Xu! How's your first time in Hong Kong?"

"Are you confident about 'The Purple Cloud Era' being released during the Spring Festival?"

The questions came at him like a machine gun. Yang Ning nodded at the camera, but didn't stop walking.

As I walked into the interview area, the host handed me the microphone.

"Director Yang, welcome to Hong Kong. This film hasn't been released in mainland China yet, so is there a special plan for its Hong Kong premiere?"

"What kind of big scenes haven't Hong Kong audiences seen? They have the sharpest eyes," Yang Ning said into the microphone. "If I can get past them, I'll feel at ease."

"Special effects are a selling point, but won't they make viewers only focus on the effects and forget about the story?"

"Special effects are just the plate; the key is whether the food tastes good." Yang Ning looked at the camera. "After everyone has seen it, they will naturally have their own judgment."

"With so many films vying for attention during the Spring Festival, are you feeling a lot of pressure?"

"Pressure is what drives us," Yang Ning smiled. "Without pressure, we'd be doomed."

After a brief interview, the two entered the theater lobby.

The crystal chandelier dazzled the eyes, and the air was filled with the scents of perfume and cigars. People in formal attire held champagne glasses, huddled together in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.

Chairman Chen saw Yang Ning and raised his glass. President Lin, who was chatting enthusiastically with a foreigner, nodded to them.

Huang Xiaoming and his colleagues were surrounded by reporters and couldn't get away.

"Director Yang."

Someone called to him from the side.

Yang Ning turned her head and saw a man in his fifties, wearing a dark suit, with slightly gray hair that was neatly combed.

"Andrew Lau." The man extended his hand. "He's also in the film business."

Yang Ning shook hands with him: "Director Liu, I've heard so much about you."

"I've seen the trailer, and the special effects are pretty impressive," said Andrew Lau, speaking with a Hong Kong accent. "I just want to know, with such a big scale, can the story hold up?"

"If you sit here for two hours and think the story is bad, feel free to criticize me anytime," Yang Ning said.

Liu Weiqiang chuckled, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Xu Qin leaned closer and whispered, "His movie 'Infernal Affairs' was a huge hit last year, so it's a big favor that he came."

"I can tell," Yang Ning said.

The hall was getting more and more crowded. Yang Ning spotted several familiar faces, including Hong Kong stars and media people from the mainland. Everyone was smiling, nodding and exchanging business cards. The atmosphere seemed warm, but there was a tense atmosphere beneath.

At 5:55, the staff began to call people in.

Yang Ning and Xu Qin were seated in the middle of the first row, with Jiang Zhiqiang sitting next to them.

"Three hundred people came today," Jiang Zhiqiang said in a low voice. "One-third are media, one-third are theaters and distributors, and the rest are audience members and film critics."

The lights slowly dimmed.