Huayu: Tianxian Qianmeng

Meanwhile, Ms. Cui wasn't idle either. She picked up the phone and dialed the numbers of two old acquaintances.

A few days later, Ling Yuan, dressed in a suit and tie, sat in the conference rooms of both Star Media and Bona Film Group.

Teacher Cui's influence is just a stepping stone. But it's only a stepping stone. In business, it's all about profit and expectations.

"Teacher Cui's student? Making horror films? Or mockuments?" Old Li, the distribution manager of Xingmei, raised an eyebrow as he flipped through the proposal, but his tone remained polite. "The idea is quite novel. But Xiao Ling, the horror film market is risky, and securing theatrical screenings is not easy."

Ling Yuan was well-prepared and spoke confidently: "President Li, this film has a very low budget, so there's little pressure to break even. The format is novel, and the gimmick is great—'Real Paranormal Video'! For promotion, we can focus on the 'Dare you watch it?' challenge. Besides, there are successful precedents for found-footage horror films overseas, like 'The Blair Witch Project'..."

However, although Ling Yuan was eloquent and the other party listened to him for so long out of respect for Cui Xinqin, in the end, he said he needed to think about it and observe.

Fortunately, the trip to the other company went relatively smoothly.

The Bona Film Group representatives were more direct: "We've seen the film, and the atmosphere is indeed great. But the profit-sharing ratio... Xiao Ling is a new director; we're taking a significant risk."

"I know that, but my side has a pretty clear advantage..."

A fierce debate ensued at the negotiating table.

Ling Yuan held firm to his bottom line, but also made appropriate concessions.

Ultimately, an agreement was reached with Bona Film Group: the other party would be responsible for publicity and distribution and securing theaters, and the revenue sharing would follow the standard terms for new directors, but Ling Yuan retained the subsequent copyright rights.

……

"The publicity and censorship are all taken care of. Now we just have to wait for the official approval." Ling Yuan emerged from the imposing building of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, carrying a thick stack of manila document bags. The cold wind of early March rushed into his collar, making him shiver.

He's been to this place countless times. The efficiency is just too low!

Meanwhile, on the Beijing Film Academy campus, a small pond had just thawed, and several acting students squatted by the pond feeding the fish, chewing on gossip that tasted better than steamed buns.

"Have you heard? Ling Yuan made a movie, and the actors were all his classmates. It was filmed in five days, just five days!" A boy gestured with his ring finger, his expression exaggerated as if he had seen a ghost. "It's like he's just kidding."

Another male student said, "It was filmed in a week, and the cast is completely new. I don't think it will do very well at the box office."

"Would horror movies be allowed to be shown in China? Would anyone even go to see them?"

"Who knows, maybe."

"I heard the total cost was no more than 8 yuan. That's incredibly cheap! A poorly made, low-quality piece of trash?"

"Low costs actually have an advantage. Think about it, even if you lose money, how much can you lose?"

"I bet that's what Ling Yuan was thinking. Haha, it'll be hilarious if word gets out. I heard there are already a lot of people in the directing department waiting to see him make a fool of himself."

"Sigh, Senior Brother Haoran is so upright, and Xuzhu is so simple-minded, why did they go and make horror movies? This thought process..."

Some of this news naturally reached Ling Yuan's ears. Wang Luodan and Jia Nailiang both told him, but Ling Yuan just smiled and said to them, "Let's just wait for the celebration after the big sale!"

Whether it sells well or not is unknown, but we can't afford to lose momentum.

……

At Shichahai, the ice had just melted, and the water rippled.

It's called a sea, but it's actually a lake.

It consists of three bow-shaped lakes: Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai. It is said that there were ten ancient temples in the surrounding area, hence the name Shichahai (Ten Temples Sea), which was later changed to Shichahai (Ten Temples Sea) based on the similar pronunciation.

In addition, during the Yuan Dynasty, this was the terminus of the Grand Canal's grain transport route. It underwent several major dredging and repairs, and at its peak, it could accommodate thousands of grain transport boats.

Liu Yifei, wearing a cream-colored cashmere coat and a matching scarf, walked side by side with Ling Yuan, revealing only half of her exquisitely beautiful face.

Shu Chang followed behind like a little tail, munching on a string of bright red candied hawthorns, with sugar residue sticking to the corners of her mouth.

"Ling Yuan, don't listen to those people's nonsense. What do they know? I think the idea for your film is really cool! If 'The Blair Witch Project' can be a hit, why can't yours?" Liu Yifei's big eyes were clear and bright as she looked at Ling Yuan. Her tone was serious, with a touch of coquettish indignation on his behalf. Sunlight shone on the tips of the fairy-like girl's hair, giving it a light golden hue.

Shu Chang quickly swallowed the hawthorn in her mouth, nodded her head vigorously, and said indistinctly, "That's right! Brother Ling Yuan is the best! So what if the filming is fast? It's efficient! So what if the cost is low? It's saving money! They're just jealous! Jealous that you can act, write songs, and direct!"

As he spoke, he waved a candied hawthorn skewer like a little soldier charging into battle: "When it's released, it'll scare them to death!"

"Haha, thank you. I appreciate your kind words." Ling Yuan felt a warmth in his heart. "If the box office is a huge success, I'll treat you to a Manchu Han Imperial Feast!"

"You said it yourself," Shu Chang said, almost impatiently.

The three of them were all in Beijing, and Liu Yifei was even studying at the same school as Ling Yuan, which made things very convenient. Privately, the three of them met up several times and visited attractions such as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the National Museum of China, and the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution.

Of course, Ling Yuan always paid for the meals, that goes without saying.

In addition, Ling Yuan has finished writing his second novel, "My Brother Disappeared," and has started writing the second part of "The Ghostly Records."

He has already started working on upgrading the studio into a company, and the name has already been chosen: "Xinghan Pictures," meaning "starry sky and a long journey."

They are currently recruiting screenwriters and translators to adapt "My Brother Disappeared" and the second book in "The Haunted Book" into screenplays. At the same time, they are translating the novels and screenplays in the "The Haunted Book" series into English.

At the same time, Ling Yuan also minored in directing, intending to obtain a double bachelor's degree. He also took some screenwriting courses, and during class, he discussed writing techniques with his screenwriting professors.

On many occasions, Ling Yuan's viewpoints would light up the eyes of the white-haired old professor.

I live a very fulfilling life every day.

Time is like sand slipping through your fingers, flying by quickly.

On March 20, 2003, at 8 p.m., the theme song of "The Story of a Noble Family" played softly in the prime time slot of CCTV-8.

The drama "Golden Powder" has started airing!

In front of television sets in countless homes, Jin Yanxi is dashing and debonair, Leng Qingqiu is aloof and stubborn, Bai Xiuzhu is spoiled and bright yet retains the innocence of a young girl, Haoran is upright and righteous like a pine tree, and Shu Chang plays Jin Meili, lively and agile like a little magpie...

"Wow! Bai Xiuzhu is so beautiful, she completely outshines Leng Qingqiu!"

"Haoran is so handsome, he looks so righteous!"

"Jin Meili is so cute, I want to pinch her cheeks!"

"Dong Jie is beautiful too, she has a great presence!"

"What's all the noise about? I want them all!"

The ratings soared, averaging 7.68%, making it a sure-fire hit of the year! The love-hate relationship between the Jin family was the talk of the town, in every corner of the city.

At the same time, a large number of stills and behind-the-scenes footage of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" have been released. Although it has not yet been broadcast, it has generated a lot of buzz online and sparked widespread debate on various forums and offline.

Especially regarding the main characters, including Liu Yifei, Ling Yuan, and Shu Chang. This is because all three of them had roles in both *The Story of a Noble Family* and *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*.

The entertainment sections of major forums were flooded with posts:

[Title] Jin Fen VS Tianlong! Bai Xiuzhu vs Wang Yuyan! Is Liu Yifei's beauty even real?!

[Hot Topic] Rational Discussion: Dong Jie and Liu Yifei, who is the ultimate beauty icon? (with photos)

[Original Poster] I'm rooting for Liu Yifei. She's so youthful and radiant, her fairy-like beauty is unparalleled!

[1st Floor] +1! Dong Jie is beautiful, but she lacks a bit of ethereal charm!

[2nd Floor] Bullshit! My goddess Dong is invincible in her scholarly air! She is the epitome of Leng Qingqiu!

[3rd Floor] What's all the fuss about? Xu Zhu is the most unexpected character! Righteousness vs. adorable little monk! This contrast is so cute, I'm totally sold!

[4th Floor] Holy crap! I almost forgot! Isn't that horror movie that Ling Yuan wrote, directed, and starred in coming out soon? "Ling Dong: Ghostly Records"?

[5th ​​Floor] Xu Zhu is going to film a horror movie? And direct and star in it himself? This style...emmm...[Black guy with a question mark face.jpg]

[6th Floor] +1 to the comment above, this feels so jarring! But... I'm strangely curious to see what's going on? [doge]

[7th Floor] 80,000 yuan budget? Filmed in five days? Low-budget garbage... [eating melon seeds emoji]

[8th Floor] Who cares! I'll go see it when it's released because of the title of the most handsome Xu Zhu! If I'm scared, I'll just consider it supporting the handsome guy's entrepreneurial endeavor!

[9th Floor] Same here! I love horror movies! Hope it's not a bad one!

The entertainment section of the newspapers was also busy:

The ratings for "The Story of a Noble Family" are soaring, and newcomer Liu Yifei makes a stunning debut!

The TV series "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" has become a hit even before its release, with the costume photos of Wang Yuyan, the "Fairy Sister," sparking heated discussions!

Ling Yuan, known for his role as the "most handsome Xu Zhu," is crossing over into the horror genre with his self-directed and self-starring film "The Haunted Chronicles," which is about to hit theaters!

In the classroom of Beijing Film Academy, Ling Yuan attended class at 8 a.m. He brought the day's freshly printed newspaper, which still smelled of ink.

His gaze fell on his own name and the words "horror movie," and he was keenly aware of the various opinions circulating online.

The majority of the reactions were skepticism and pessimism.

Because of its extremely low production cost, this film is far from being a blockbuster, and it was directed and produced by a completely new director. Therefore, the distribution company did not deliberately promote it heavily and asked Ling Yuan if he wanted to hold a premiere, but Ling Yuan declined.

As his debut work, Ling Yuan's main focus is on achieving great success with minimal investment, taking things by surprise, and making a name for himself. Spending a lot of money on promotion would defeat the purpose.

Closing the newspaper, Ling Yuan looked out the window at the willow branches that had just sprouted tender buds.

The wind had already risen. It was a headwind, but in his hand, he was tightly gripping the torch called "Cinema."