Huayu: From the Era of Ringtones to Becoming a Legend

The man on the left pondered for a moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes:

"Mr. Lu, do you mean... to play the victim card?"

Lu Jiuge smiled:

"Playing the victim card? That's just a facade. The real strategy is to resonate with the audience and create a contrast!"

"They stand on the clouds, flaunting their superiority, while we stay grounded, emphasizing authenticity!"

"Remember, the most brilliant story isn't about how miserable you are, but about making the reader feel, 'He/She is actually just like me!'"

Zuo Wei asked, somewhat bewildered:

"So how should we deal with this?"

Lu Jiuge laughed:

"Here's some of my tragic experiences for your reference!"

"I was abandoned at birth, and it was common for me to go hungry nine times out of three days while living with an old Taoist priest in a dilapidated temple. When I worked as a fortune teller in Hengdian, nine out of ten predictions were wrong, earning me the nickname 'Ten Unreliable'!"

"Now, we have to regularly send supplies up the mountain, and we also need to save money for my master's medical treatment..."

Zuo Wei had investigated Lu Jiuge's background before the collaboration, and now, hearing it in person, he was deeply moved and asked:

"Mr. Lu, should I write all of this down and send it out?"

"Nonsense, of course we can't just keep hitting you and telling the whole truth. If you're already completely naked, how are we supposed to do foreplay!"

Lu Jiuge rolled her eyes at Zuo Wei, pondered for a moment, and said:

"You're doing this..."

After exchanging ideas for half an hour and fully understanding Lu Jiuge's plan, Zuo Wei excitedly got up and left to carry it out.

……

After the press conference ended, news about it flooded the internet.

"A year in the making, a collaborative effort by top teams from both countries!"

"Luo Zhiqiang breaks through his own limitations, showcasing a brand-new style of dance-rock, defining a new benchmark for the Chinese music scene!"

With a million-yuan marketing budget, the road to victory is aimed at the Song of the Year!

"Lu Jiuge, a clown who accidentally became famous with a song, doesn't know his own limitations and openly challenges Luo Zhiqiang!"

"Lu Jiuge, a non-mainstream hoodlum, insulted superstar Luo Zhiqiang; this is a provocation against the entire music industry!"

These five headlines were pushed into the top five of the online trending topics within an hour, which is enough to show that Luo Zhiqiang's company was not exaggerating when they said they spent millions on publicity.

The atmosphere at Qianxing Entertainment was somber.

Wang Guangjun sat in front of the computer, staring at the constantly refreshing news on the screen, muttering curses under his breath:

"That bastard, he's really willing to spend money! Look at this press release, he's practically being touted as the savior of the Chinese music scene!"

Ban Kaiwen replied in a low voice:

"Ninth Brother, their data is indeed rising very fast. Are we really just going to stand by and watch?"

Lu Jiuge glanced at Zuo Wei, who was engrossed in his work, and smiled:

"What's the rush? Let the bullets fly a little longer!"

Just then, Lu Jiuge's phone rang, and the caller ID showed Wu Ziming.

"Director Wu!"

Lu Jiuge answered the phone, her tone relaxed.

"Xiao Lu, I saw the news."

Wu Ziming's voice came through:

"Luo Zhiqiang has made such a big fuss, can you still handle it?"

"Do you need me to step in and find a mediator to speak on your behalf? Some things in the entertainment industry don't need to be blown out of proportion like this!"

Lu Jiuge felt a warmth in her heart, knowing that Wu Ziming genuinely cared about her.

He smiled:

"Thank you for your concern, Director Wu. But really, it's not necessary. If I can't even handle a nobody like Luo Zhiqiang, how can I possibly be your assistant!"

"Haha, I know you're full of clever ideas and have great writing skills, but I'm afraid you lack industry resources and end up being condemned by the entire circle!"

With a sigh, Wu Ziming said:

"So, I have a dinner party tonight to discuss the direction of the theme song and background music for 'The Song of Zhenguan.' Everyone attending will be from the music industry!"

"If you're free, come and participate. It's a good thing to make more friends in the industry!"

Upon hearing Wu Ziming's words, Lu Jiuge truly felt that his concern stemmed from friendship; otherwise, he wouldn't have called her over at the last minute.

After weighing the options for a few seconds, Lu Jiuge still asked:

"Director Wu, maybe we shouldn't participate. I'm currently in the eye of the storm; I don't want to make any friends and end up causing you trouble instead!"

His words were both an objective analysis and an attempt to verify Wu Ziming's true attitude.

"There's nothing inappropriate about it. Although I, Wu Ziming, am not in the music industry, I can still hold my own in this kind of situation!"

After a pause, Wu Ziming added:

"Besides, you're a candidate to compose the theme song for my drama, so it's only natural that you participate in the discussion!"

When Wu Ziming said that, Lu Jiuge remembered that she hadn't yet given him the Zhenguan Song that she had recorded a few days ago.

With this in mind, Lu Jiuge stopped being coy and readily agreed:

"Then I'll thank Director Wu in advance. I just finished revising and polishing the theme song yesterday and recorded it. I'll bring it over later, and you can listen to it and see if it suits you!"

"Haha, okay then, the location is Zhenghua Hotel on the commercial street, 6 PM. If you're free, come to the film set, and we'll go together!"

"Don't worry, Director Wu, I'll be there on time!"

After hanging up the phone, Lu Jiuge checked the time, interrupting Wang Guangjun and the others' thoughts:

"Alright, don't overthink it. I've already told Lao Zuo how to handle Luo Zhiqiang's situation. You just need to cooperate fully with him from now on!"

After giving her instructions, Lu Jiuge returned to her office, copied the song "Song of Zhenguan" onto an MP3 player, got up and left the company to head to the "Song of Zhenguan" film crew.

……

When Lu Jiuge arrived, she ran into Wu Ziming going all out.

The young actress Tang Yan stood in the hall, her face pale from the scolding, her fingers tightly gripping her sleeves, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Searching for her husband across a thousand miles! The focus is on the hardships along the way and the hope amidst despair! Why are you constantly glancing at the camera?"

"You're always making those shady moves! You're a refined lady, not a thief!"

Wu Ziming was so angry that he threw the script on the monitor.

Lu Jiuge glanced at Tang Yan, who had won numerous awards in later generations and was known as the Golden Eagle Goddess, and her eyes lit up. She then walked up to Wu Ziming:

"Director Wu, is filming not going smoothly?"

Wu Ziming glanced at Lu Jiuge and helplessly shrugged:

"Xiao Lu, you've come at the right time. Go and give this new actor some pointers. He's had just a few lines, and after more than ten takes, he still can't grasp the meaning!"

"Let me see!"

Holding the script, Lu Jiuge walked up to Tang Yan and comforted her with a smile:

"Tang Yan, don't panic. Director Wu has high standards, he's not targeting you personally."

He paused, then pointed to the lines and began to explain.

……

"So, do you understand now?"

After explaining for seven or eight minutes, Lu Jiuge looked at Tang Yan.

"Okay, let's try filming another one!"

Lu Jiuge patted her shoulder:

"Forget the camera, forget Director Wu. You're now the person who's been searching for Fan Xing for three years!"

Tang Yan nodded heavily, took a deep breath, and stood still again.

Wu Ziming called out "start" with some skepticism.

This time, Tang Yan's performance was completely different.

She still looked tired, but her eyes held a newfound spirit, a sense of bewilderment and unwavering searching that was palpable.

Upon reaching the designated spot, she abruptly stopped, gazing in a certain direction. Her lips parted slightly, and a weak, almost inaudible syllable of a call escaped her throat as tears streamed down her face.

……

"Okay! This one's approved!"

Wu Ziming suddenly shouted "Stop!", his expression shifting from gloomy to cheerful. He looked at Lu Jiuge in surprise:

"Xiao Lu, you're amazing! Those few words of advice were even more effective than the assistant director's!"

Lu Jiuge smiled modestly:

"Director Wu, you flatter me. I just read a lot of scripts, and that's why I have a clearer perspective as an outsider!"

Tang Yan walked over and bowed sincerely to Lu Jiuge:

"Thank you, Teacher Lu!"

Lu Jiuge waved her hand:

"As long as you've made progress and gained something, that's good enough. Keep it up!"

After saying that, he took out an MP3 player and handed it to Wu Ziming:

"Director Wu, perfect timing! I brought the demo of the theme song, would you like to listen to it?"

Wu Ziming slapped his forehead and glanced at his watch:

"Oh dear! I was so focused on filming that I almost missed something important!"

"We'll listen to the song later, we need to hurry. Those people at dinner tonight are all veterans in the music industry, they hate it when people are late, I'll get scolded if I'm late!"