It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1411 Independence and Strength: Heading International?!
The inside story of the feud between Wang Lihong and Li Lianglei is truly a dramatic and emotional saga.

Their story began when Li Lianglei was 16 years old, and met 26-year-old Wang Lihong through her family's introduction.

After that, Wang Lihong took the initiative to pursue her, and the two fell in love.

In 2013, Wang Lihong suddenly announced his marriage, which shocked his fans, who then sent their blessings.

Everyone thought it was a beautiful marriage between a talented man and a beautiful woman, but no one expected that it would be the beginning of a long and complicated entanglement.

After marriage, Li Lianglei gave birth to three children in succession, and her life revolved entirely around her family and children.

However, behind the seemingly happy and perfect marriage, there are actually undercurrents.

In December 2021, Wang Lihong suddenly announced his divorce, simply stating that he had "different ideas and plans for the future lifestyle," leaving the outside world puzzled.

However, a few days later, Li Lianglei published a long article that revealed the hidden details behind this marriage.

In her lengthy post, she accused Wang Lihong of having extramarital affairs, soliciting prostitutes, and having ambiguous relationships with married women. She claimed that she suffered greatly in the marriage, not only being suspected, humiliated, and subjected to emotional abuse by Wang Lihong and his family, but also being forced to sign an unequal prenuptial agreement and having her marital assets transferred after the marriage.

Li Lianglei stated that she gave up her career for her family, but was abandoned by Wang Lihong after giving birth to her third child. Her husband even insisted on divorce for his new lover.

These revelations were like a bombshell, instantly causing a huge uproar online!
Wang Lihong's "high-quality idol" persona has completely collapsed, endorsements have been terminated one after another, and his career has plummeted.

Wang Lihong, of course, would not sit idly by. He responded that he had not been unfaithful in his marriage and accused Li Lianglei of demanding a high breakup fee, claiming that he was living under fear, blackmail, and threats.

The two went back and forth, constantly releasing evidence and publishing lengthy responses, covering everything from property division and child visitation rights to various details of their private lives. Every statement they made sparked heated discussions among netizens.

For the next three years, their divorce proceedings took place from Taipei to New York, and then from the United States to mainland China, with every development closely followed by the media and netizens.

During this period, Wang Lihong tried hard to make a comeback and participate in some music activities, but each time he was involved in the divorce scandal and found it difficult to completely get rid of the shadow of public opinion.

While taking care of her child, Li Lianglei intermittently responded to various doubts and attacks on social media.

Now, this three-year-long marital dispute has finally come to an end, with the New York court granting the divorce, and the two will begin their new lives.

However, the effects of this marriage have not yet dissipated.

Wang Lihong needs to revive his career and repair his image.

Li Lianglei also has to face the life of raising three children alone.

In this dramatic spectacle, the public also witnessed the complexities and chaos behind celebrity marriages in the entertainment industry…

Some netizens sided with Wang Lihong, arguing based on the court's ruling that he was "not at fault":

"The court ruled that he was innocent, and there is evidence to support it. What does this mean? It means that Li Lianglei was manipulating public opinion, trying to gain sympathy by playing the victim, and she dared to slander people without providing any solid evidence. Her intentions are despicable!"

They dug up details from Li Lianglei's long post from three years ago, questioning each point: "Which parts are true? Which parts are exaggerated?" They felt that Wang Lihong had been unfairly vilified by the entire internet for the past three years.

However, another group of female netizens firmly stood by Li Lianglei, especially after seeing her situation of raising three children alone, which made them even more indignant:

"She bore him three children, aged into a haggard housewife, and was ultimately kicked to the curb. Isn't that shameless enough? The court's judgment is based on the legal aspects; what about the emotional damage?"

They vehemently criticized Wang Lihong for being "exquisitely selfish" and "useful and then discarded," believing that even if Li Lianglei's claims were exaggerated, they were most likely a counterattack driven to desperation.

The two sides argued back and forth, from celebrities' private affairs to gender positions, from legal provisions to emotional ethics, and the argument was fierce.

In a short time, hashtags such as #WangLihongLiLiangleiWhoIsLying# and #HowToCalculateRightAndWrongInMarriage# trended on social media.

This wave of popularity was once again accurately "captured" by "The Vanished She".

Like sharks smelling blood, the film's producers immediately released press releases, forcibly linking Wang Lihong's divorce case to the film's plot:
"From Wang Lihong and Li Lianglei to He Fei and Li Muzi, the crisis of trust in close relationships has never stopped."

How can women protect themselves in relationships? The novel "The Vanished Woman" provides the answer.

"You absolutely must see this movie; it will teach you three tricks to deal with men..."

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that "The Vanished She" is exploiting the "dark current" of male-female conflict to frantically leech off others.

However, the public opinion field was already fiercely divided, and many people, after watching the celebrities' divorces and tearing each other apart, turned around and wanted to find "resonance" in the movies, or wanted to vent their emotions through movie lines.

As a result, the box office of "The Vanished" surged again, and its screening rate rose against the trend to 35%.

In the movie theater, some people cursed the "scumbag" on the screen after watching the movie, while others cried and sent messages to their friends to complain that "no man is any good."

Movies have become an outlet for emotional release, while the film studios are quietly counting their money behind the scenes.

When Chen Fei saw the box office data, he felt a chill run down his spine.

A movie that became popular by inciting conflict and exploiting controversy has managed to make a fortune amidst this abnormal level of popularity!
Is this a tragedy for the audience, or a sign of the decline of the film industry?

Of course, there are also glimmers of hope amidst the controversy.

On July 8, "The Longest Day in Chang'an" was officially released, like a timely rain that instantly washed away the restlessness in the public opinion field.

A sudden wave of enthusiasm for "taking kids to watch movies to learn history" has swept across the internet!

Parents bringing their children to the cinema has become the most touching cultural scene this summer.

On its opening day, the film did not have a top-tier screening rate, but it broke through the trend with zero negative reviews. Its daily box office soared from 1.2 million to 2 million, and it broke 5 million in three days. It received a score of 9.6 on Maoyan and 8.3 on Douban, becoming the biggest dark horse of the summer!

In the cinema, the seats were full every time, and many screenings even had people sitting in the corner of the first row.

There were elderly people with white hair looking at the subtitles with magnifying glasses, and there were also children who had just started elementary school holding up small notebooks to write down the verses.

As the event ended, one could always hear the sounds of recitation rising and falling: "There will be times when the wind and waves will be broken, and the sails will be hoisted to cross the vast sea," and "Do not worry about having no friends on the road ahead, for who in the world does not know you..."

The film, spanning 2 hours and 48 minutes, uses the recollections of the elderly Gao Shi as a thread to connect the life trajectories of Tang Dynasty poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei.

From the prosperity of Chang'an to the turmoil of the An Lushan Rebellion, from youthful ambition to the vicissitudes of old age, the poetic scenes blend patriotism and personal ideals.

What's most amazing is the presentation of the animation:

In the scene "A light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains," a small boat shuttles among the ink-wash-like mountains, with the blank spaces filled with vastness.

In the scene of "The Yellow River's waters come from the sky," golden waves, carrying the verses of poetry, surge down with such magnificent momentum that it brings tears to one's eyes.

When Li Bai drank alone under the moon, the moon's reflection in his wine cup danced with him, creating a scene so romantic that one could almost smell the aroma of the wine.

Film critics have published numerous articles praising the film.
"This is not just a simple animation, but a cultural dialogue that transcends thousands of years. It lets children know that the 'Poet Immortal' and 'Poet Sage' in textbooks are not cold names, but flesh-and-blood people who can cry and laugh."

Parents' feedback was more direct:
"After reading the book, my son came home and found 'Three Hundred Tang Poems,' saying he wanted to know what happened to Li Bai later. My daughter drew a picture of 'Night Scene of Chang'an,' saying she wanted to go to Xi'an to see the real Zhuque Street."

Some history teachers have even brought movie clips into the classroom, using scenes from animations to explain the politics and culture of the Tang Dynasty.

On social media, hashtags such as #TheDetailsOfTheChangAn30000Li# and #TheMomentsThatTouchedMyTearsOfTheChangAn30000Li# have garnered over 1 billion views.

Netizens spontaneously shared the historical Easter eggs in the film:
"Gao Shi's spear skills correspond to his identity as a frontier poet." "Li Bai's expression when he was exiled reveals his transformation from unrestrained and wild to recognizing reality."

"Holy crap! So our culture can be this romantic! It doesn't need to rely on sensationalism or confrontation to grab attention; it can still touch people's hearts!"

Many people went to the official Weibo account of the movie to give it a thumbs up and urge Li Yang to release a sequel as soon as possible.

Compared to the popularity of "Missing Her" which gained attention through controversy, the success of "The Longest Day in Chang'an" is the true glory of cinema.

Because it awakened the public's love for culture with sincere creation, and proved with poetic expression that good works never need to rely on noisy controversies, but have the power to transcend time.

Even the theme song of the same name, "Chang'an Three Thousand Miles," sung by Yunxiao in the film, became a phenomenal hit on platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou.

The melody, imbued with the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty, paired with movie scenes, became the background music for countless netizens.

Some people use it to accompany their videos of visiting the ancient city of Xi'an, while others use the lyrics to express their perseverance in pursuing their ideals. Even elementary school students sing "The wind of Chang'an blows for 30,000 miles, but it cannot blow away the spirit in the poem" in their class group.

Within three days of its release, the song topped the charts on major music platforms, garnering over 10 billion plays and becoming the most recognizable melody of the summer.

With the continued popularity of "The Longest Day in Chang'an", the 2023 summer movie season has officially begun.

In contrast, Hollywood blockbusters such as "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" and "The Flash," which were released in June, have gradually come to an end under the impact of new releases. Their screening rates have decreased sharply, and their box office curves have flattened. Their popularity has quietly given way to domestic works.

After a week in theaters, "The Longest Day in Chang'an" has successfully surpassed 10 billion yuan at the box office, becoming the first film in the summer season to join the "10 billion yuan club" thanks to its high reputation and popularity.

This achievement not only far exceeded industry expectations, but also made it another national-level animation IP created by Feiyue Pictures after "Ne Zha".

In the cinema, it was not uncommon for parents to bring their children to watch the movie two or three times.

Offline, Tang Dynasty poetry calligraphy books and antique-style bookmarks related to the movie sold out.

The cultural and tourism departments even launched a themed tour of Chang'an following the story of "Chang'an 30,000 Miles". The number of tourists visiting historical sites in Xi'an, Luoyang and other places has surged!
Chen Fei looked at the data coming from the backend and couldn't help but smile.

From "The White Snake" and "Nezha" to "Chang'an 30,000 Miles", Feiyue Film & Television's animation journey has become increasingly solid.

They don't chase traffic or hype topics; they focus solely on moving audiences with stories and culture.

As it turns out, such persistence always pays off!

As the summer season continues to heat up, the TV drama market has also experienced an explosive growth.

Online, the suspenseful loop of "The Beginning" is irresistible, the martial arts feuds of "Lotus Pavilion" are thrilling, the tragic romance of "Jade Bone" is tear-jerking, and the complex love triangle of "Longing for You" dominates the trending topics every day...

These dramas aired one after another, starting a heated and popular broadcast.

The popularity index on major platforms is soaring towards 10,000 points, and even a small interaction from a minor character can spark discussions across the entire internet.

At this point, the true nature of Yang Ying's "Twilight Heart's Promise" was fully revealed.

Under the intense pressure from these top-tier dramas, its situation is simply dire.

The show was rescheduled to a non-prime time slot, and its daily viewership dropped from third place at launch to fall out of the top ten. The overwhelming marketing press releases seemed to have disappeared without a trace, and even fan comments seemed powerless to control the situation.

What made it even more embarrassing for her was that, compared to truly popular actors with national recognition, her marketing efforts were utterly insignificant.

Zhao Jinmai in "The Beginning" gained countless fans with her spirited acting skills, and Yang Zi in "Longing for You" had over 100 million views for her crying scenes alone. These actors don't even need to buy trending searches every day; they can firmly grasp the audience's attention with just the charm of their characters.

Yang Ying's team did try to rekindle the "older woman/younger man romance" and "career woman growth" themes, but fans of other popular actors simply didn't buy it and started criticizing her.
"The plot is as unrealistic as a castle in the air, and the acting is still at the stage of staged performances, far inferior to the supporting actress in 'Lotus Pavilion'."

"You only have the advantage of debuting early, but the audience judges you by your work, not by seniority."

"Auntie, you should go home and take care of your child. Don't embarrass yourself in public!"

These comments felt like needles pricking Yang Yingxin's heart.

She stared at the negative reviews on her phone screen, her fingers gripping the pillow so tightly they turned white at the knuckles.

They spent so much money on marketing, and the team said it would definitely be a hit, so how did it turn out like this?
Why do those young actors get recognition so easily, while I get ridiculed for "lacking acting skills"?
A surge of anger welled up inside her, and she slammed her phone onto the sofa, her eyes reddening.

The assistant, too frightened to speak, only dared to whisper, "Sister Ying, don't be angry, there are new projects coming up..."

Yang Ying didn't say anything, just stared at the ceiling, feeling both angry and anxious.

She knew that this failure wasn't just about one show; if she couldn't produce any decent work, she feared she would truly be swept away by the next generation.

But given the current situation, she was completely helpless, forced to watch as others' popularity soared while her own drama was gradually forgotten in a corner...

Unable to sit still, she rushed to the company and found Jia Shikai's office.

After entering the room, she placed her phone on the table, the screen displaying the precipitous drop in viewership data for "Twilight Romance": "Brother, you have to help me think of a solution! If this continues, this comeback will fail!"

Jia Shikai leaned back in his chair, tapped his fingers on the table, and after a moment of contemplation, offered a bold suggestion:

“It’s definitely not going to work out to rely on acting skills now. You need to switch tracks. Your divorce is a topic of discussion in itself, so you might as well stick to the persona of an ‘independent woman’.”

She could star in a workplace drama as a strong female lead, secure endorsements from international brands, cultivate an image of a woman who "turns the tables after divorce," and even pursue an international career path, becoming a role model for women who have experienced similar marital setbacks. This way, she could avoid criticism regarding her acting skills while simultaneously gaining a new fanbase.

Yang Ying's eyes lit up instantly, and she leaned forward involuntarily: "That's what I think too! I've long wanted to stop being confined to domestic idol dramas!"

Jia Shikai's words struck a chord with her.

Independent, strong, and internationally recognized – these are the labels she has always longed for!

"Listen to me, you can do it this way..."

In the office, Jia Shikai gave a general overview of the plan.

Half an hour flew by.

As soon as Yang Ying left the company, she dialed the marketing team's number, her tone filled with unprecedented urgency:

"Starting now, immediately create a detailed schedule for me, from the direction of future acting roles and business collaborations to the management of my social media persona—plan everything out as soon as possible. I want to go international..."

The team was very efficient, and a few days later, a thick itinerary was delivered to Yang Ying.

She flipped through the pages: negotiating an endorsement deal with an international luxury brand, meeting with a Hollywood producer in a coffee shop, shooting a fashion spread with the theme of "career queen"... Each item precisely hit the mark of "independent woman + internationalization", which made her feel great.

Turning to the last page, an unfamiliar name popped up.

Crazy Horse Show?
She paused for a moment, then didn't pay much attention.

It's perfectly normal for female celebrities to attend various fashion shows, such as fashion weeks, brand galas, and model shows. Aren't these all ways to increase exposure?

She simply assumed it was an international fashion show arranged by her team, thinking it would be a good opportunity to boost her international profile, and promptly signed the itinerary...

(End of this chapter)