Entertainment from Divorce

On a weekend morning, Tan Yue and Chen Ziyu, who were unusually free of work, changed into casual clothes and drove towards Wuling Mountain in the suburbs of Beijing.

There are rolling green hills, clear streams, and vast fields of wildflowers, making it a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and experience nature.

As the car drove away from the city, high-rise buildings were gradually replaced by low-rise villages and vast stretches of farmland.

The poplar trees on both sides of the road are lush and green, their leaves gleaming with a bright green luster in the sunlight. The wind rustles through the leaves, making a "shush" sound, like a light and cheerful melody.

Chen Ziyu opened the car window, and fresh air rushed into the car, carrying the scent of earth and grass. She took a deep breath and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've felt this relaxed. I spend every day in the office and have almost forgotten what nature is like."

Tan Yue gripped the steering wheel, glanced at her, and smiled gently: "Let's try to get out more often in the future. When you're pregnant, you'll need to breathe fresh air even more; it's good for your health."

When the word "pregnancy" was mentioned, a hint of anticipation flashed in Chen Ziyu's eyes. She gently stroked her lower abdomen and said with a touch of longing, "I really hope to have a baby soon. Then we can bring the baby here and let him see the green mountains and clear waters. It's much better than staying in the city."

After driving for more than an hour on the winding mountain road, we finally arrived at a guesthouse at the foot of Wuling Mountain.

The guesthouse is converted from an old courtyard, with wooden door curtains, a courtyard paved with blue bricks, and pottery jars placed in the corners, all exuding a rustic charm.

The proprietress greeted them warmly, helped them with their luggage, and said with a smile, "You've come at the perfect time. The wildflowers on the back hill have just started to bloom. The scenery is especially beautiful if you walk up the stream."

After putting down their luggage, the two tidied up briefly and then walked along the path in the backyard of the guesthouse towards the back mountain.

The path was lined with unnamed wildflowers, red, yellow, and purple, dotting the lush green grass like scattered stars.

The stream meanders down the mountain road, its water so clear that you can see the pebbles at the bottom and the occasional small fish swimming by.

Chen Ziyu squatted down, carefully picked up a smooth pebble, played with it in her palm, and said with a smile: "When I was a child in my hometown, my friends and I often picked up stones by the river and compared whose stone was rounder and smoother. I never thought I could still find this feeling now."

Tan Yue squatted down beside her and brushed the grass clippings off her skirt, his tone full of affection: "If you like them, pick up a few more and put them in the fish tank when you get back, as a souvenir."

The two walked slowly upstream along the stream, occasionally stopping to take pictures, sometimes sitting on rocks to rest, and chatting about light topics.

From local legends told by the guesthouse owner to childhood anecdotes, from recent movies to future travel plans.

Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Occasionally, a butterfly flutters by and lands on a wildflower, creating a warm and idyllic scene.

When you reach the middle of the mountain, there is a wide open meadow with several wooden benches on it.

The two sat on a bench, gazing at the distant, rolling green hills and the wisps of smoke rising from the villages at their foot, their hearts filled with tranquility.

Chen Ziyu leaned on Tan Yue's shoulder and whispered, "Sometimes I really wish time could slow down, so I could just stay here quietly without thinking about work or stress."

Tan Yue gently held her hand, feeling the warmth of her palm through his fingertips: "There will be such a time. Once things at the company settle down, let's find a place for a proper vacation, without our phones, without answering calls, just the two of us, and enjoy life to the fullest."

Before we knew it, the sun was gradually setting in the west, and the sky was dyed a warm orange-red.

The two returned to the guesthouse along the same route, where the landlady had already prepared dinner.

Steamed wild vegetables, stewed free-range chicken, and stir-fried wild mushrooms are all local specialties, simple yet full of local flavor.

After dinner, the two sat in the courtyard of the guesthouse, watching the stars in the sky gradually brighten.

The countryside is exceptionally quiet at night, with only the occasional chirping of insects and the distant barking of dogs.

Chen Ziyu leaned back in the rattan chair, looking at the stars in the sky, and suddenly said, "A-Yue, I want to discuss something with you."

Tan Yue turned to look at her, his tone tinged with doubt: "What is it? Tell me."

“If I get pregnant, I plan to hand over the company’s daily management to you.” Chen Ziyu said seriously. “Although the company is now on the right track, there are still many things that need to be decided. I will definitely not be able to keep up after I get pregnant, and I don’t want to affect the company’s development because of myself.”

Tan Yue was taken aback. He knew that Chen Ziyu was a very career-oriented person. Since the company was established, she had devoted almost all her energy to her work. Now that she had taken the initiative to hand over the company to him, she must have thought it through carefully.

He held Chen Ziyu's hand and said with a smile, "Don't worry, even if you're pregnant, you don't need to worry about the company's affairs. However, I can't manage everything. Although I understand the company's management, my strength is still in filmmaking. If I had to sit in the office every day approving documents and holding meetings, I'd probably break down in no time."

Chen Ziyu couldn't help but laugh: "So what do you want? You can't just leave the company unattended, can you?"

“We can find a compromise,” Tan Yue said. “In the early stages of your pregnancy, you’ll still have plenty of energy, so you can be responsible for the company’s strategic decisions and negotiations for important collaborations. Routine management tasks, such as departmental coordination and project progress, can be handled by the respective department directors. I’ll keep an eye on things for you, and we can discuss any problems we can’t solve together. When you’re in the later stages of your pregnancy and your energy levels drop, I’ll take on more management work. After you give birth and recover, you can return to the company and continue being ‘General Manager Chen.’”

Hearing this, Chen Ziyu felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

She knew that Tan Yue wasn't unwilling to take responsibility, but rather that she didn't want to completely abandon the work she loved just because she was pregnant.

She leaned on Tan Yue's shoulder and whispered, "Thank you for always understanding me. Actually, I didn't want to give up my job because of pregnancy. The company is like my child, and I want to watch it grow and thrive step by step."

"I know." Tan Yue gently patted her back. "The company's development cannot be separated from you, and I also need your help. Let's work together to manage the company well and take good care of the baby. The two are not mutually exclusive."

The two chatted for a while longer, and as night deepened, the temperature in the mountains gradually dropped.

Chen Ziyu yawned, and Tan Yue said with a smile, "It's getting late, let's go back and rest. We need to get up early to watch the sunrise tomorrow."

The next morning, the two got up early and followed the guesthouse owner up the mountain.

The wind was a bit strong on the mountaintop, so Tan Yue took off his coat and draped it over Chen Ziyu. Not long after, the sun slowly rose from the eastern valley, golden sunlight bathing the earth, turning the distant green mountains golden, and the sea of ​​clouds churning among the mountains—a magnificent and beautiful sight.

Chen Ziyu leaned against Tan Yue, looking at the sunrise in front of her, her heart filled with emotion: "I haven't seen such a beautiful sunrise in a long time. I used to think that work was the most important thing, but now I realize that having you by my side and such beautiful scenery is the greatest happiness."

Tan Yue held her hand tightly, his tone full of sincerity: "I will accompany you to see more sunrises and go to more places in the future, so that you can be this happy every day."

After watching the sunrise, the two stayed on the mountaintop for a while before returning to their guesthouse along the same route. After breakfast, they packed their luggage and prepared to drive back to the city.

As the car drove back, Chen Ziyu leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the scenery rushing past the window, occasionally chatting with Tan Yue in a relaxed and warm atmosphere.

As they approached the city, Chen Ziyu suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "By the way, Lin Qingye sent me a message yesterday saying that the filming of 'Time Tick-Tock' is going smoothly and is expected to wrap up next month. After post-production is completed, we plan to release it domestically first and then promote it to overseas markets."

"That's great! The subject matter of this movie is very relevant to reality. I believe that both domestic and overseas audiences will like it," Tan Yue said. "When the movie is released, let's go to the cinema together to support it and cheer on Lin Qingye."

"Okay." Chen Ziyu nodded, closed her eyes, leaned back in her chair, and enjoyed this rare moment of leisure.

It was past 2 p.m. when I got home.

The two had a simple lunch. Chen Ziyu went to the bedroom to rest, while Tan Yue went to the study to sort out his ideas for the next film.

The study contained a huge bookshelf filled with various books and movie scripts. On the desk sat a laptop and several thick notebooks, which were filled with Tan Yue's creative ideas and inspirations.

Tan Yue sat at his desk, opened his laptop, and created a new document titled "Next Film Ideas".

His first consideration was the target audience for the film.

Will it be released globally simultaneously, or only domestically? This question directly relates to the film's subject matter, script development, and distribution strategy, and must be carefully considered.

If you choose to release a film globally simultaneously, you need to select a theme with universal appeal, such as science fiction, family, or adventure. These themes are more likely to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers and be accepted by overseas audiences.

At the same time, during the script polishing process, it is necessary to take into account the aesthetic habits and cultural background of overseas audiences to avoid comprehension barriers caused by cultural differences.

In terms of distribution, it is necessary to maintain close cooperation with international streaming platforms and theaters, develop detailed promotion plans, and ensure that the film receives sufficient attention worldwide.

However, if the film is only released domestically, it can choose more localized themes, such as realistic or historical themes, which are more likely to resonate with domestic audiences.

Script polishing can pay more attention to the emotional needs and cultural identity of domestic audiences, and distribution can also focus more on the domestic market, cooperating deeply with domestic cinemas and streaming platforms to reduce distribution costs and increase box office revenue.

Tan Yue leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.

He recalled the global success of Interstellar. The reason this film was recognized in overseas markets was precisely because it used a science fiction shell to wrap universal emotions such as "family," "responsibility," and "love," allowing audiences from different countries and cultural backgrounds to resonate with it.

“Perhaps, we can try to release the next film simultaneously worldwide,” Tan Yue murmured to himself. “On the one hand, the company has already risen to become a second-tier entertainment company in the world and needs more works with international influence to consolidate its position; on the other hand, it can also further expand overseas markets and lay a solid foundation for future international development.”

However, simultaneous global release also faces many challenges.

The first challenge is choosing the right subject matter.

Tan Yue opened the document and listed the advantages, disadvantages, and coping strategies under the two options of "Global Simultaneous Release" and "Domestic Release".

He found that each direction had its own advantages and challenges, and further in-depth research and analysis were needed before a final decision could be made.

However, this is just a preliminary idea, and further research into market demand, refinement of script details, and determination of the production team are still needed.

Tan Yue closed his laptop, rubbed his throbbing temples, and knew that he needed enough time and patience; he couldn't rush things.

In the evening, Chen Ziyu woke up and went to the study. She saw Tan Yue flipping through movie books and said with a smile, "Still thinking about the next movie? Don't be in a hurry, take your time. A good story is worth waiting for."

Tan Yue looked up, saw Chen Ziyu, and smiled: "I'm just outlining my initial thoughts; I haven't decided on the final direction yet. I was just thinking about whether the next film should be released simultaneously worldwide or domestically. Each has its own advantages and challenges, and we need to conduct further research."

“It’s alright, we can listen to everyone’s opinions.” Chen Ziyu walked to his side and leaned against the desk. “For example, Zheng Tong and Lin Qingye have their own insights into the film market and creation, which may give you some inspiration. In addition, we can also ask the marketing department to do a detailed research report to analyze the performance of different themes in the domestic and overseas markets, and provide a reference for decision-making.”

“You’re right. It’s better for me to listen to everyone’s opinions than to think about it alone,” Tan Yue said. “When we have the meeting next week, I’ll share my thoughts with everyone and hear their suggestions.”

Chen Ziyu nodded and said with a smile, "Alright, don't stay in the study all the time. Let's go for a walk and buy some groceries. I'll make your favorite braised pork for dinner."

Tan Yue stood up, stretched, and said with a smile, "Great, it's good to get some exercise. I've been sitting for so long, my body is all stiff."

The two walked out of their home side by side and strolled slowly along the paths in the neighborhood.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell on me, warm and gentle.

Tan Yue held Chen Ziyu's hand tightly, her heart filled with happiness.

He knows that there is still a long way to go for the next film, and he will encounter many difficulties and challenges, but as long as he has Chen Ziyu's support, the team's help, and a love for film.

He will definitely be able to create excellent works, bringing more emotion and surprise to the audience. (End of this chapter)