I'm not mentally ill, I'm a master of a thousand faces!

Chapter 510, The Unlucky Kid in the Hidden Corner

Li Liguo had no way to refute it.

Originally, he couldn't refute it, after all, the trend of "worshiping foreign things and fawning on foreigners" is very obvious both inside and outside the industry, from directors and actors to audiences.

The fact that going to Hollywood is referred to as "ascension" within the industry speaks volumes. Many actors, despite having bright futures in China, ultimately choose to go to Hollywood to play supporting roles or be mere decorative figures.

The same applies to domestic audiences; Hollywood movies generally do not outperform domestic films at the box office.

That was his original thought, and it was something that couldn't be refuted.

But he had an idea.

"If that's really the case, then what about 'Dying to Survive,' which is currently aiming for the billion-yuan mark?"

To say that domestic audiences do not support domestically produced works...

Then "Dying to Survive" is a powerful piece of evidence.

However, Tang Min nodded and said, "Yes, the achievement of 'Dying to Survive' is undoubtedly admirable, making it into the 10 billion yuan club. This is a work that can leave its mark on Chinese film history. If there is anything that is relatively bad about this movie, it is probably because of the subject matter. It can only make money at the domestic box office and cannot make money in foreign exchange."

Of course, after saying that, she changed the subject.

but.

This is just Li Yun; his talent and courage created this work.

Yes, courage.

The Chinese entertainment industry has seen its share of successive waves of innovation. Back in the early 90s, there was a wave of excellent science fiction works, but later they were dominated by romance dramas and family dramas.

Science fiction works are gradually disappearing and losing their market.

The reason is probably that the West started earlier and has a more mature market.

"Here's a little-known fact: the Doctor Who series started in 1950, the Westworld novel was written in 1967, and the first TV series adaptation was released in 1984."

For the audience.

If you start with a year and have a 7-point level, others start with ten years and have an 8-point level.

So for the audience, they would choose an 8-point work that has been around for ten years.

Prioritizing quality in the context of "fairness" is a sound logic and a correct principle.

I don't care when you started.

But right now, other people's quality is simply superior to yours.

Given the same amount of time and money, as a viewer, I would choose the better work.

Just like a snowball rolling downhill.

"The same applies to the industry landscape in China. For historical dramas, only CCTV has a voice; for workplace dramas, the Hong Kong film industry has its own unique style; and when it comes to romantic idol dramas, Tangren Media and the Shanghai film industry have a distinctive approach," Tang Min said. "If anyone tries to catch up with us, it will be very difficult."

As an audience member.

That's the choice we made, a rational choice.

Li Liguo was speechless, because that was the truth of the matter, and it was very real.

This principle applies to everything from science fiction to suspense.

"Speaking of 'Journey Under the Midnight Sun,' its operating model is actually somewhat similar to the model of our Shanghai circle. Keigo Higashino's talent is beyond doubt, but the operating model of his personal pen name is to be operated as an 'idol'—an idol who is widely known in the Asian field."

At this moment, Tang Min spoke.

It can be said that "White Night Walking" is a combination of idol actors and actors with real talent, plus the promotional methods of Wang Chen and others.

This opponent is very troublesome.

But compared to the territory of science fiction films, losing the territory of suspense films is no big deal.

After all, one cannot have everything.

originally.

December and January should have been the time for these warm-hearted friends to watch movies with Li Yun.

But Li Yun refused this time. At least, she had to go to the theater with someone else in December.

"Damn it! Is it a girl?! It must be a girl! You're such a beast!" Jiang Wen said viciously. There are clearly two girls who like you, and you actually went out for a romantic getaway with someone else!

That's outrageous!

"Which pretty girl is it?" Gao Yuanyuan's words were tinged with sarcasm.

Liu Qianqian didn't say anything, just stared at Li Yun with her big, watery eyes.

Li Yun said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Where did this girl come from? She's another lead actress in the TV series 'The Hidden Corner' that I filmed. I'm going to watch it with her."

As for why she wanted to watch it with him, Li Yun didn't know either.

I just feel...

That's how we should do it.

At this moment, Liu Qianqian still didn't speak, but just looked at Li Yun. After a long while, she smiled and said, "Then see you in January! As for the December slot, it'll just be a few of us."

Sorry.

Li Yun left her house key and went out.

We arrived at the welfare home.

Incredibly, after watching a movie in prison, Li Yun now finds herself watching a TV series she made in a welfare home. Li Yun finds it all rather amusing.

Zhang Yi, the actor who plays Zhu Chaoyang.

Filming this project changed his life somewhat. After all, he had acted in a TV series with the teen idol Jackson Yee, which was the biggest topic of conversation among the girls in the compound. This also made Zhang Yi feel troubled, because if the girls were close to him, it meant that the boys could bully him.

In addition, he was thin and weak.

Those who decisively adapt to the times are the wise ones.

At the orphanage, he donned his disguise once more, becoming that somewhat withdrawn, harmless "good child."

"I didn't expect you to still remember me." At this moment, Zhang Yi looked at Li Yun with some surprise.

A famous director, a big star—his life trajectory and that of this young man would never intersect again. Anyone, inside or outside the entertainment industry, who pays even a little attention to the entertainment world, knows what the name Li Yun represents.

At the time, perhaps it was simply that I was "suitable" for this TV series, which is why I was able to get the opportunity to participate.

It was just a gathering.

Our life paths will probably never intersect again in the future.

"How could I not remember? You were my leading man!" Li Yun looked at Zhang Yi, this young boy, and felt a little emotional.

When we were filming together back then, he was only a little over 1.5 meters tall, but now he's over 1.6 meters tall.

He's grown quite a bit taller.

"Thank you so much." Although Zhang Yi spoke in a lazy tone, it was actually quite easy to guess what the boy was thinking.

At least regarding Li Yun's arrival here, there was still some unexpected joy.

That subtle, tiny sense of secret joy.

"Dean, I pick up my little protagonist every night at eight o'clock, is that alright?"

The dean's reply indicated that there were no problems.

After all, Li Yun is a big star.

"Big stars have some really strange habits, they like to watch TV dramas in places like this."

"I like it, it's none of your business."

Li Yun rolled her eyes at Zhang Yi, but Zhang Yi was a smart kid and wouldn't ask anything.

At this time, Li Yun rented a small single room and turned on an 18-inch television.

This kind of movie-watching experience won't be good.

At least, compared to the 43-inch color TV at my home in Beijing, the experience is incomparably worse.

But Li Yun chose this place anyway, the place where he lived when he was still a struggling actor in Hengdian. It was a single room with only a small TV, which was all his possessions. When he first transmigrated, he was in that single room.

Is it for the so-called "remembering the bitter past to appreciate the sweet present"?

Li Yun didn't know that there could be many reasons for doing this.

It can also be one, very simple.

Because I wanted to do it this way, I did it this way.

"You're the star this time, so watch carefully and see how radiant you are. Isn't that wonderful?" Li Yun murmured to himself, seemingly speaking to Zhang Yi as well.

at this time.

The TV series has started

Zhang Yi stopped talking and quietly became a well-behaved spectator, watching with Li Yun as he, the 'protagonist,' was the main character.

Throughout Zhang Yi's life, at least in the first half, he was never the protagonist of anyone's story; in his own world, he was always just a supporting character.

No, it's not even a supporting role.

In Zhang Yi's life, he was just a transparent figure who could be dispensable.

Even though he acted in the TV series this time, in the eyes of the children in the orphanage, he was just a lucky guy. He only got this opportunity because of good luck, his appearance, or other reasons.

It was just good luck.

That's all.

But now, as Zhang Yi watched the opening theme play, he felt a touch of emotion. This is my work, about an ordinary, unremarkable kid in an orphanage.

A loser kid who might never linger in other people's memories until he dies.

Thinking about this kind of life carefully.

That was a complete failure.

Zhang Yi never imagined that with a life so utterly failed, how much better could he possibly be?

It's probably not much better.

Let him continue to be a lump of mud.

Countless voices told him that this was his destiny, but today there is one.

Tell him.

You are the protagonist.

The word "protagonist".

It made him feel dazed, as if his past life, which had been like mud, had suddenly gained color here, even if it was the color of mud... that was still me.

Yes, those guys in the orphanage always say they were just lucky. They say that once they get through this, they'll be whatever kind of rotten mud they're meant to be, and their lives won't change at all.

When they grow up, they may work in a factory, or they may die in an unknown corner because of a crime.

But now, on this small 12-inch screen, I am the protagonist.

once.

Even just once would be fine.

Tell everyone.

I have been here; I have existed.

At this moment, Zhang Yi was more serious than ever before.

Look at yourself carefully.

Brief.

As the protagonist, myself.

In late June, in a small town called Ningzhou, a coastal city, students were taking their final exams.

The boy in the second row, Zhu Chaoyang, was a thin, small boy.

After finishing his test, he had nothing to do, while the boy in the back row anxiously waited for the note to be passed to him by the girl in the first row. His test score would determine whether he had a happy summer vacation, but the note had to be passed through the boy in the second row.

In other words, Zhu Chaoyang's actions were not exactly helpful; it seems that Zhu Chaoyang was not interested in helping others achieve their goals.

That's just part of his personality.

"Pretending to be serious".

Such a personality is destined to lead to isolation.

However, he has always been like this, doing things his own way, but he is not one to be bullied. When others bully him, he will secretly retaliate by spraying water—and he will even say sorry.

Despite his excellent grades, his withdrawn and unsociable personality caused some concern among the teachers, who did not dislike him.

after all.

Overall.

He was just a "good kid".

Compared to the sociable 'basketball star'.

A well-behaved child like Zhu Chaoyang would be even more appreciated by his homeroom teacher.

Zhang Yi's acting skills are quite good. Even Zhang Yi himself thinks his performance is excellent.

This is completely "me", it is "myself".

A version of myself striving to be a "good kid," striving to be a good kid in the eyes of adults.

Even if there is a rebellious and defiant spirit within, in the end, it is all suppressed and forced into the heart.

But deep down, there will still be resistance and defiance.

"So, Director Li, how did you manage to peek into my world?"

Looking at "Zhu Chaoyang" on the screen, Zhang Yi felt as if he were looking in a mirror, reflecting his own life.

Okay, compared to Zhu Chaoyang on screen,

"Yes, how did I manage to see into your world? I can see right through you, even into your heart."

Li Yun looked at the lonely child in front of her.

Perhaps this isn't a photo of Zhang Yi, but rather of some loser named Li Yun.

A lonely, slovenly kid wearing a thick shell.

In contrast to Zhu Chaoyang is Yan Liang, who is a "bad kid".

He stole, ran away, disobeyed discipline, and escaped from the welfare home.

He brought Pu Pu from Hangzhou to this small town on the border of Guangdong Province. The two children stole and hitched rides along the way, using the most dishonorable methods to come to this place from a faraway place.

A teenager, traveling across so many provinces, came here seeking a lifeline: Uncle Chen, an old acquaintance of Yan Liang, in order to get help from Uncle Chen to save Yan Liang's younger brother who suffers from leukemia.

They have great drive, but they are too naive. Adults won't give you hundreds of thousands of dollars just because you've only met a nodding acquaintance. The world won't tolerate your naivety.

These two children ran away from the orphanage.

Their fate.

This was my first encounter with Zhu Chaoyang.

Two bad kids in the eyes of the world, while others would go to their parents and teachers for trouble, these two managed to get the police to track them down across provinces. They hid in Zhu Chaoyang's house because Yan Liang and Zhu Chaoyang were childhood friends. Although they had been separated for a long time, there was still a thin thread connecting their hazy memories.

A good child in a parent's eyes. A well-behaved child.

(End of this chapter)