China Entertainment’s rescue plan is hard to come by

Chapter 989 "Dimensional Reduction Attack" and Feng Xiaogang's Spring Festival Gala [Two-in-One]

"If I hadn't 'dug' this hole for you, would you still have come today?"

Yu Feihong elegantly picked up her teacup, blew on the steam, and looked up at Sun Yi, her eyes holding that familiar, clear, and slightly cunning light.

"You usually just make up an excuse to decline. This is really a difficult situation for me. My uncle asked me to, so I can't just refuse to let you even meet him once, especially since he helped me before."

"But don't misunderstand, what I said on the phone before was the truth, so don't feel pressured. My uncle is a new official and wants to achieve something, which is only natural. The fact that you came today and are willing to consider it is already giving him face. Even if it doesn't work out in the end, no one can say anything about it, and it has nothing to do with you. After all, they couldn't even get Feng Xiaogang to come."

Yu Feihong's words were clearly intended to prevent Sun Yi from misunderstanding.

He waved his hand to indicate his understanding and to reassure Yu Feihong that she didn't need to worry.

Human relationships are a natural thing. The world of martial arts isn't about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and social interactions. These relationships are built up little by little through mutual help and requests.

You can express your disdain, but there will always be a time when it comes in handy.

Sun Yi was caught in a dilemma.

At this moment, Liu Yifei recovered and asked Yu Feihong, "Senior sister, do you think we should accept this?"

Yu Feihong did not answer directly, but shook her head slightly. "I can't say for sure. I was the one who made the connection, so how can I give you two advice? First of all, my position would be unstable. So, it depends on his own thoughts."

After speaking, Yu Feihong gestured with her lip and glanced at Sun Yi.

"What do you think? You were listening so attentively just now, so you didn't seem completely uninterested."

Liu Yifei also looked over.

Sun Yi tapped the table lightly with his fingers and smacked his lips. "Interest...I do have some."

He confessed.

"As Uncle Yu just said, this is an unprecedented challenge, but also a huge stage. If we can create a Spring Festival Gala that is refreshing and truly loved by the audience, the sense of accomplishment will probably be no less than making a movie that is both a box office and critical success. Moreover, the enhancement of the Starry Sky brand's influence is obvious. After all, this is the Spring Festival Gala."

"But?" Yu Feihong's eyebrows twitched, sensing a shift in meaning.

“But,” Sun Yi said with a wry smile, “just like I said, time, energy, and risks are all uncontrollable.”

"Especially for an outsider like me, being made an exception to serve as the chief director of the Spring Festival Gala, this is definitely a 'hellish difficulty' challenge."

Sun Yi raised his hand and started counting on his fingers.

"How to coordinate and deal with the various departments and relationships within CCTV, how to balance different aesthetics and needs, and how to withstand the scrutiny of the people nationwide. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. Moreover, what I worry about most is that my ideas may be good, but they may be compromised at every level of implementation, resulting in a mess that is neither fish nor fowl. And I will still be bearing the name of the company, which would truly ruin my reputation."

After hearing Sun Yi's explanation, Liu Yifei gasped; this was a problem she hadn't considered.

But thinking about it, it's true.

If a film crew, from cinematographers, prop masters, and lighting technicians to production assistants and even actors, doesn't follow the director's ideas and instead acts independently, then the film can forget about being a good one.

Realizing Sun Yi's predicament, she immediately took his hand and said with concern, "If it's too restrictive, then we won't accept it."

Sun Yi smiled with satisfaction and patted Miss Liu's hand.

In crucial moments, Miss Liu never let him down.

“That’s only one aspect.” Sun Yi then looked at Yu Feihong.

"On the other hand, I am also afraid of delaying several important film projects. There's 'Mekong River,' which is a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security. You should know that, senior sister, last month when Sisi and I came back from Hollywood, we also got another script. 'Lucy' is scheduled to start filming before the end of the year. These are all crucial projects that we cannot afford to lose."

Yu Feihong listened quietly, nodding occasionally to show her agreement. Only after Sun Yi finished speaking did she slowly open her mouth:
“Your concerns are indeed very real. However, Xiao Yi, sometimes when opportunity knocks, risk and opportunity are two sides of the same coin.”

"Unlike making a movie, where you accept the loss if the box office is bad, with the Spring Festival Gala, as long as it's generally acceptable and there are no major mistakes, your status in the mainstream and within the industry will be completely different."

"Directing the Spring Festival Gala might sound like 'doing the work for someone else,' but if you can turn it into a super project showcasing your comprehensive abilities, aesthetic standards, and resource integration skills, the implicit resources and connections it brings you might be beyond imagination. For example, why is someone called 'National Master'? Although it's a nickname, it also..."

Hidden resources and connections!

Yu Feihong emphasized these two sentences and then gave an example, believing that Sun Yi was smart enough to understand them.

Sun Yi's expression changed as expected.

Upon seeing this, Yu Feihong smiled and continued:
"Of course, all of this is on the premise that you feel you have the ability and energy to handle it, and are willing to deal with the enormous pressure and tedious tasks that come with it. This is not a pure artistic creation, but more like a complex large-scale social event and political task. You have to figure out clearly what you really want."

Yu Feihong shut up immediately after she finished speaking.

Some things don't need to be said too bluntly.

Sun Yi remained silent, carefully savoring these words.

Seeing his furrowed brows, as if he were struggling with a decision, Liu Yifei leaned on his shoulder and comforted him, "Whatever you decide, I'll support you. It's just... if you really take it, you probably won't have any peace and quiet for the next few months."

Sun Yi put his arm around her shoulder and laughed, "As long as I have my wife's support, I'm not afraid of anything."

"Yeah~"

Liu Yifei nodded with a happy expression.

"Hey, hey, hey~ I'm telling you two, that's enough already! You just showed up like that? Here to show off your love in front of me?"

Yu Feihong looked disgusted and gave him a look of utter contempt.

"You're just showing off! Who told you, senior sister, to dig this 'pit' for us first!"

Liu Yifei, looking defiant, gave Sun Yi a quick kiss on the cheek and then raised an eyebrow in a gesture of defiance.

good good!
Yu Feihong nodded gently without showing any emotion. "Not bad, not bad. It seems that you two discussed the script very thoroughly that night, and even your relationship as husband and wife has become more harmonious."

That night? Discussing the script?
Liu Yifei immediately recalled that crucial phone call from Senior Sister Yu that night, and her whole body flushed red.

Cough
Sun Yi quickly drank some tea as a tactical maneuver.

Indeed, women are terrifying creatures, especially when they also have the added labels of being older, single, and an artsy young woman. Dealing with a young wife like Ms. Liu is like a dimensional reduction attack.

No, I have to run away quickly. In this situation, the girl is usually filled with shame and indignation and is likely to turn her anger on me.

Sun Yi knew Liu Yifei all too well. He had to quickly distract her, or he would be beaten or even unable to sleep in bed for days.

"Um, senior sister, please give me a few days to think about this carefully. I'll also have a meeting with the company's core team later to assess its feasibility. Regardless of the final outcome, I'm grateful to you, senior sister."

"That's all for today, Senior Sister. Qianqian and I will take our leave now. Please don't miss us, don't miss us!" Watching Sun Yi and Liu Yifei "flee in disarray," Yu Feihong pursed her lips and smiled.

But then, a complex emotion welled up in his eyes, a mixture of loneliness, envy, and a little bit of being born at the wrong time.

This year's National Day holiday went by unusually quickly.

The bustling scene online contrasts sharply with reality.

Major social media platforms, travel forums, and Renren Weibo are flooded with photos of crowded scenic spots, long traffic jams on highways, and nine-grid photos of local delicacies.

The Great Wall has become a "city of people," West Lake has become a "lake of people," and Sanya beaches are filled with parasols. Netizens complain that "I will never go out during the National Day holiday again," while tirelessly sharing this noisy holiday that is both painful and joyful.

In contrast, the topic of "outsourcing the CCTV Spring Festival Gala director," which briefly caused a ripple a month ago, has now sunk to the bottom of the internet information sea, rarely even surfacing.

A month ago, CCTV, through several official channels, released a signal in a relatively vague but clear tone that "this year's Spring Festival Gala will attempt major innovations and does not rule out the introduction of top external creative forces," which indeed caused a stir in the public opinion field for a while.

Major media outlets' entertainment sections vied to report on the story, with headlines increasingly sensational:

"Is the Spring Festival Gala going to change?" "Is it true that outsiders are better at chanting scriptures?" "Who will be in charge of the New Year's Eve dinner?"

Netizens actively participated in the discussion, and among the various guesses, Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Feng Xiaogang, these top domestic directors, were naturally frequently mentioned.

Sun Yi, who has made a name for himself in a series of successful commercial films and TV series in recent years, as well as in various international collaborations, has also appeared on the list of guesses of a considerable number of netizens and media outlets. The reasons are usually "young and innovative", "technically skilled", and "understands young people".

However, this heated discussion lasted for less than a week.

Aside from its initial few statements of principle, CCTV has not released any further information regarding any substantial progress. There have been no follow-up press conferences, no leaked contact lists as rumored, and even related discussions quickly cooled down and disappeared from the trending lists of several major social media platforms.

The media outlets that initially followed suit seemed to receive a unified instruction overnight, tacitly changing their focus and beginning to concentrate their firepower on reporting the films to be released during the National Day holiday, or digging deep into the holiday activities of celebrities.

This sudden collective silence, in the entertainment industry—a place always overflowing with information and where truth and falsehood are hard to distinguish—exudes an unusual atmosphere.

A seasoned netizen analyzed the situation on the forum:
"It's obvious that the leader has spoken; this is a sensitive matter, and they don't allow any casual discussion."

Some speculated: "Did they try to take on this hot potato after contacting everyone, only to find no one wanted to handle it? They couldn't save face, so they gave it the cold shoulder?"

Many ordinary netizens, after a brief moment of confusion, were quickly drawn to the more vibrant and direct entertainment content available during the holiday. After all, while the Spring Festival Gala is important, it's something they'll only seriously focus on during the New Year's Eve dinner more than four months later. Right now, it's time to enjoy the holiday, complain about traffic jams, and share happiness.

"In my opinion, CCTV is just making empty promises. Innovation is not that easy. In the end, it will just be the same old faces of directors taking turns in charge, just changing the name without changing the substance."

Similar comments began to appear in the corners of related topics and received considerable support.

A month later, on the occasion of the National Day holiday, a rumor surfaced that CCTV had chosen Feng Xiaogang and had already made contact with him, though the outcome was still unknown.

The news did not attract widespread attention, but it was noticed by a few people with ulterior motives.

On the last day of the holiday, on the top floor of the iconic Huayi Brothers Media building in eastern Beijing, a completely different private party was taking place in the luxurious and private chairman's office.

The Wang brothers, Zhongjun and Zhonglei, along with director Feng Xiaogang, sat in comfortable leather sofas.

On the low table in front of me, the decanter was half empty, and a little grayish-white ash had accumulated in the crystal ashtray.

Their focus was on the upcoming film "Personal Tailor," which is set to hit the Lunar New Year film season in December.

Huayi Brothers considers this film to be their top priority for the year-end closing, and it is also a landmark work marking Feng Xiaogang's return to the Feng-style comedy genre, which he is most skilled at and most recognized by the market, after experiencing the box office and word-of-mouth controversy of "Back to 1942".

"Director Gang, I've seen the sample footage of 'Personal Tailor' this time."

Wang Zhonglei leaned forward slightly, his face showing genuine appreciation, and gently swirled the wine glass in his hand.

"It's still the same old flavor! Sharp, humorous, down-to-earth, and with your incisive criticism of current social phenomena. Audiences love this! Returning to your familiar territory, this film is a sure thing! I think it has a very good chance of becoming the box office champion during the Lunar New Year season."

Feng Xiaogang leaned back on the sofa, took a puff of his cigar, and slowly exhaled the smoke, his face radiating confidence and certainty. He waved his hand, but his tone was anything but humble:

“Zhonglei, let’s not talk about those superficial things since we’re all family. I want to make ‘Back to 1942.’ If I do, I’ll be true to myself and to that period of history. But the market reaction, well, I accept that too. I understand now, a movie still depends on its audience. If it doesn’t reach that level, it’s useless.”

"Most of the time, audiences go to the cinema to have fun and relax. That's exactly what my film 'Personal Tailor' is about. Ge You, Bai Baihe, Li Xiaolu, and Zheng Kai—this combination is perfect for performing the skits I wrote."

He paused, a shrewd glint in his eyes, "There are quite a few films in the Lunar New Year season this year, including Jackie Chan's 'Police Story,' Ning Hao's comeback film 'No Man's Land,' and Sun Yi's 'Superman,' which he's working on with Hollywood, is also going to get involved."

When mentioning Sun Yi and "Superman," there was a hint of complexity in his tone, "But the genres are different. Comedy has a natural appeal during the Lunar New Year season. I have absolute confidence in 'Personal Tailor.' Dominating the Lunar New Year season? I wouldn't dare to say that, but getting into the top two, or even aiming for first place, I think shouldn't be a problem."

Wang Zhongjun hadn't said much, just listened quietly, his hands twirling his prayer beads, occasionally taking a sip of wine, his gaze shifting between his younger brother and Feng Xiaogang, displaying the composure of a leader. Only then did he slowly speak, his voice low but carrying weight:

"I have never doubted Xiaogang's abilities. Huayi has several major projects this year. 'Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon' has already gotten off to a good start in the summer season, and 'Personal Tailor' is the ballast stone for the end of the year. The company will give full play to its publicity resources. The goal is not only box office, but also to polish the 'Feng-style comedy' brand back to its former glory."

"The publicity campaign must be massive, and the box office must reach our target. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of Huayi Brothers, and I'm inviting colleagues from all walks of life to attend the ceremony. The company's stock price must reach a new high. Zhonglei, do you understand?"

Wang Zhonglei nodded, immediately understanding, "Don't worry, brother, I know what I'm doing."

"Come on, let's toast Director Feng."

The three clinked glasses, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

After finishing their business, they chatted about some "private" matters concerning female celebrities. Suddenly, as if remembering something, Wang Zhonglei put down his wine glass, picked up a cigar cutter, and while slowly trimming the end of a cigar, asked in a slightly curious tone:
"By the way, Director Gang, did the CCTV Spring Festival Gala director really contact you about that big scandal a while ago?"

Feng Xiaogang paused in his act of lighting a cigar, then struck the lighter with a "snap," bringing the blue flame close to the wrapper. He slowly rotated the cigar, allowing the flame to evenly heat it until a uniform red glow appeared around the tip.

He took a deep breath, letting the thick smoke swirl in his mouth before leisurely exhaling.

"I've looked for it." He said succinctly, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about something trivial that had nothing to do with him.

“Then…” Wang Zhonglei looked at him inquiringly.

"I refused," Feng Xiaogang said decisively, even with a hint of taking it for granted.

Wang Zhonglei subtly expressed a hint of regret and bewilderment: "That's the chief director of the Spring Festival Gala! So many people dream of that stage and that honor. How could you..."

"Honor?" Feng Xiaogang scoffed, shaking his head as cigar ash fell onto the edge of the ashtray. "Zhonglei, we've been in this industry for so many years, don't we understand some things? This chief director title sounds glamorous, but what is it really? It's a thankless job!"

"Money? More than I make from making a movie? Fame? Do I need that kind of fame now?"

After listening, Wang Zhonglei nodded in deep agreement: "That's true. But since CCTV has announced reforms, and they can't get you to join them, it seems like this matter has stalled? Has it been given the cold shoulder?"

Feng Xiaogang wore a smug smile, as if he had everything under control. He leaned back on the sofa, crossed his legs, and adopted a posture of watching a good show.
"What's the rush? Even Liu Bei had to visit Zhuge Liang three times to persuade him to come out of seclusion. CCTV is probably in a dilemma now. They've shouted out the slogans and let the winds of reform blow, but one of the most influential and seemingly most suitable candidates, I, didn't give them face. Now they either continue to look for someone who might not be influential enough or who is willing to take risks, or... hey, in the end they'll have to raise the price."

"Let me be the chief director. Fine, but everything has to be done my way. This year's Spring Festival Gala has to be called the Feng-style Spring Festival Gala!"

(End of this chapter)