Extracting skills from movies

It turns out that Li Yixin had just returned from abroad.

They also brought along members of South Korea's most popular "Dreamy Girls" group, Im Yoon-ah and Kim Tae-yeon.

They came to China to record a program.

Song Hye-kyo and Bae Seul-ki also took the opportunity of their trip to visit.

When a group of people happen to gather together, it naturally becomes lively.

The kitchen area was even more lively.

Several beautiful women were busily working around the stove, their spatulas flying and the aroma filling the air.

As soon as Li Yixin saw Du Sheng, she immediately shouted:

"Oppa! Wait a minute, my stir-fried pickled mustard greens with rice cakes will be ready soon!"

I studied this recipe for a long time, and I guarantee it will be your favorite flavor!

Ye Jingzhi stood at the door, somewhat bewildered.

When did this rich young lady learn to cook?
She had actually thought about cooking a meal for Du Sheng, but she knew her own limitations.

She's not cut out for it.

It takes half a day to put together something that's at best "edible," but far from "delicious."

I was forced to participate, not only because I was exhausted, but also because I was worried that Du Sheng wouldn't enjoy the food.

She knew Du Sheng was picky and had high standards for food, so she simply avoided this "high-risk project."

But what about Du Sheng?

He simply smiled slightly, glanced at the scene, and understood immediately.

Li Yixin was only wearing a special apron, and the rest... well, she was basically covered up by the "atmosphere".

Then look at Lim Yoon-a, Bae Seul-ki, Kim Tae-yeon, Song Hye-kyo...

They were all wearing specially made chef uniforms of different styles, but all "visually striking", and they were all laughing heartily.

These things were probably brought back by Li Yixin from the lighthouse. I have to say, the people there really know how to have fun.

Du Sheng nodded in agreement:
"Oh? The pickled mustard tuber version?"
Then I'd better give it a good try!

Upon seeing this scene, Ye Jingzhi instantly realized what was happening, her face flushing almost imperceptibly. She whispered to Li Yixin:

"Yixin...do you have any other clothes? I'd like to help too."

Li Yixin was panting as she stir-fried the food:
"Sister Zhi, you don't need to change!"
Your business attire looks sharp and sophisticated; Oppa loves this kind of female CEO vibe!

Ye Jingzhi then realized what was going on.

To win a man's heart, it's not enough to be gentle; you also need to understand the "atmosphere."

Besides, it's easier to work with a man and a woman working together.

Du Sheng thoroughly enjoyed the delicious and flavorful meal.

However, because Yoona, Taeyeon, and other girls were being mischievous while eating, the meal took two hours to finish.

Song Hye-kyo went to bed early, perhaps because she was too tired from climbing today.

Bae Seul-ki lay sprawled on the sofa like a drunken cat.

Lin Yoona was the most lively. Even after eating and drinking her fill, she still had the energy to pester Du Sheng for pointers on Crane Fist.

Du Sheng originally planned to continue teaching Li Yixin, and then give Ye Jingzhi a massage to relax her muscles and improve blood circulation.

After all, these two women have contributed the most to the business and work very hard. It's rare for them to get together now, so it's understandable that they should be treated well.

The plan can't keep up with the changes.

Lee Yi-hsin suddenly received a call and had to go back to South Korea first.

However, it was the Lianzhong platform she had been planning that was preparing to acquire an 18% stake in Twitter.
At the same time, it also has to accept a huge investment from Samsung and Google.

Once these two transactions are finalized, Lianzhong will officially begin its IPO process.

Furthermore, Du Sheng's foundation projects in the United States are basically managed by Li Yixin and the Hearst sisters...

She's been incredibly busy lately.

This trip back was purely to catch a glimpse of each other and get some fresh air.

Moreover, as someone who had taught her before, Li Yixin's talent for practicing Crane Fist... was really not that great.

She's quick-witted and adept at strategy, finance, and capital operations, but her physical coordination is only average.

After half a month of instruction, he still can't even do a split. At this rate, I'll need to seriously guide him for another half month before he can barely reach the required level.

Du Sheng shook his head and smiled, not forcing the issue.

No one is perfect.

If you're smart, don't worry about looks.

If you have long legs, don't insist on calculating the golden ratio candlestick chart; that's just asking for trouble.

.........

That day, just as Du Sheng was about to leave, Liu Xiaoli strolled in leisurely.

Her face was much fuller than before, and her complexion was rosy, clearly indicating that she had been taking good care of herself recently.

She didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point:

"Mr. Han from China Film Group just called me and wants to invite you to act in 'The Founding of a Republic'."

Are you interested in that patriotic blockbuster film commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China?

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng paused, raising an eyebrow slightly.

The Founding of a Republic?
This thing is really a bit tricky.

It wasn't that he didn't want to take the role, but the timeline in the script stretched to the 50s, when the great leader was already in his fifties.

Why should he play a role of this age?
That's really not appropriate.

Not only do their appearances clash, but their overall demeanor is also vastly different.

It would be even less interesting if I only played a supporting role.

He has been consistently rejecting these kinds of "guest appearance" invitations lately.

But this time is different.

This is a tribute film with significant political importance.

President Han is sensible; he knows that Du Sheng isn't willing to play just any supporting role, so he didn't go to her in person. Instead, he had Liu Xiaoli sound out the situation first, leaving some room for maneuver.

In other cases, such as when he was nominated for "Best Album" at the Bay City Golden Melody Awards recently and the official invitation was sent to him, Liu Xiaoli declined without even looking at it.

In her words, "Ah Sheng's time is more valuable than any trophy."

But "The Founding of a Republic" is different; we must be cautious.

Du Sheng stood in the entryway, lost in thought, his mind racing.

There are two paths to choose from.

First, find an opportunity to sit down and talk with President Han to see if the script can be revised.

For example, move the timeline forward and focus on young bosses.

With his current acting skills and abilities, he could definitely portray a young and promising character convincingly, capturing both their spirit and appearance.

Secondly, let's start from scratch and make a tribute film for Interstellar Media.

After thinking it over, he shook his head:

"Let's politely decline."

Tell President Han that I've prepared a new script, and the company will be starting filming soon.

In his opinion, the script for "The Founding of a Republic" was too much of a "star-studded cast."

A bunch of big names playing historical figures looks exciting, but it's actually empty.

Compared to works like the TV series "The Right Path of Vicissitudes," which are vivid, thought-provoking, and full of life, it falls far short.

President Han's intention to evoke patriotic sentiment through the "celebrity effect" is good.

But movies aren't a hodgepodge; if not handled well, they can easily become "task-oriented" and their quality becomes questionable.

Even if he joins in and rewrites the script, the final result may not be ideal.

Instead of getting involved, I'd rather do it myself. It's not about thinking I'm amazing, but about genuine respect and gratitude.

When he was young, he was also arrogant and reckless. When he heard his elders talk about the BOSS's deeds, he always felt that the stories were going in one ear and out the other.

It wasn't until I grew up, read more historical materials, and developed the ability to make my own judgments that I truly understood.

The moment this thought popped into his head, a post he had read online years ago immediately came to mind, describing the choices of that era, where every step was like walking on thin ice, and one wrong step would lead to an abyss.

Even today, many people in society still misunderstand that period of history.

Du Sheng has always wanted to correct this viewpoint, to be objective and fair, and to present the truth.

The moment the thought popped into his head, an online post he had read years ago immediately came to mind.

The title is "If you were him, what choices would you make at every crucial juncture in history?"

That article was brilliantly written.

It designs the BOSS's life story in chapters.

From their youth onward, they faced major choices step by step.

Studying abroad through part-time work?
How to resist?

Where will the 2.5 lithium batteries go?
How do I complete the dungeon?
Every choice has far-reaching consequences; one wrong step and the novel is over.

It was this "immersive" narrative that allowed countless foreign netizens to truly understand for the first time:
The boss is not a god, but a mortal who keeps making the right choices in desperate situations.

That post went viral overseas, garnering millions of likes, but was later taken down for some reason.

Du Sheng had an idea and decided to follow this approach!
He decided to use that answer as a blueprint to create a film and broadcast it on the TVING platform.

There are two advantages:

First, the audience can "personally" play the role of the BOSS and drive the plot forward through their choices, creating a high level of immersion.

Secondly, the review process for online films is relatively lenient. However, for such sensitive films to be shown in theaters, getting them approved would require a lot of negotiation and could result in the film being scrapped entirely.

Thinking of this, Du Sheng turned and walked towards the study without saying a word:
"Please postpone the afternoon's activities for me. I need to write a script first."

Watching his swift, retreating figure, Liu Xiaoli and Zhong Zhen exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh.

Liu Xiaoli shook her head:
"Once people get into it, they can't stop."

Zhong Zhen smiled and stood up:

"I'll go make him a pot of tea to refresh him."

Liu Xiaoli stopped her:

"You sit down, I'll do it. You've been working hard lately."

Before he could finish speaking, a small head peeked in through the doorway, and Naza said with a grin:
"You all rest. I'll take care of Brother Sheng!"

Liu Xiaoli, both amused and exasperated, gave the following instructions:
"If Ah Sheng gets a burst of inspiration, don't go fooling around in the study."
"Whatever games or videos, just shut up and don't bother him!"

Naza immediately straightened his back and patted his chest to assure everyone:
"Aunt Li, you can rest assured!"
I just learned authentic tea-making techniques from Sister Yifei. I guarantee that this time, Brother Sheng will feel refreshed and his inspiration will flow like a fountain!

The words were well-spoken, but that pot of tea that was brewed...

That's really a bit "fierce".

I grabbed a huge handful of tea leaves, and when I brewed them, the liquid turned a dark black, like medicine.

Du Sheng had just taken a sip when a strong, bitter taste rushed to his head, almost choking him.

Fortunately, Cui Yayi had sharp eyes and, taking advantage of the moment when Du Sheng was writing with his head down, quickly replaced the tea with a pot of light tea, thus saving the situation.

This time, the tea was just right, and Du Sheng immediately got into the zone, writing the script with ease and quickly smoothing out the outline of "The Magnificent Waves".

Next, he immersed himself in historical materials, going through all kinds of documents and videos, and repeatedly checking even the time points, place names, and dialogues between people.

He doesn't want to make a fantastic drama; he wants to make a truly convincing and realistic one.

Even if he himself doesn't participate in the film, with Star Media as a major player, the production quality will definitely be top-notch.

As for declining the offer to star in "The Founding of a Republic," President Han didn't say much about it.

In fact, he was already mentally prepared.

Someone of Du Sheng's caliber wouldn't randomly accept roles that don't suit her temperament or character.

Although he didn't come in person, Chen Daoming, Wu Jing, Song Ji, Zuo Xiaoqing, Lu Yi, and their group from StarCraft all responded enthusiastically.
Everyone who was supposed to be there was there, which is quite a show of respect.

The promotional event had just ended that day, and during lunch, Du Sheng was still thinking about revising the script.

Upon seeing this, Tang Yan immediately joked:
"Brother Sheng, is it because the trailer for 'The Grandmaster' went viral that you're so intrigued?"
I just checked the comments section, and everyone's gone crazy, saying your action scenes are unbelievably cool!

Du Sheng smiled, put down his chopsticks, and said:

"It's a different script. If you have any ideas, you can give it a try."

Tang Yan glanced at the script, her beautiful eyes immediately lighting up.

To be honest, although she is quite popular, she doesn't have many film opportunities.

Besides, this is a script that Du Sheng came up with, so of course we should give it a try if we have the chance.

Thanks to her role in "The Grandmaster," her online popularity has been steadily rising, approaching that of veteran A-list actresses.

I've been feeling really good lately, and I'm even more motivated to do marketing and promotional work.

This morning, the film officially announced its release date.

Released simultaneously in 20 countries and regions worldwide on July 12!

This is the prime summer movie season, with a plethora of blockbusters. Daring to release a film at this time demonstrates the film's immense confidence in its quality.

Even more explosive was the simultaneous release of the first trailer by the official team.

Tang Yan had been watching the scene since morning and even spotted himself in the background.

Liu Shishi was filming in the morning and had just returned to the set when she heard the announcement and immediately shouted:

"Xiao Yi! Give me your phone!"

The assistant handed her a phone, and Liu Shishi quickly opened the TVING APP.

The trailer for "The Grandmaster" is prominently featured on the homepage.

Released at 9:30 a.m., it garnered over 8 million views and 720,000 likes in less than 3 hours, causing the comment section to explode.

She clicked on the video—

"Fuck him!"

"Master Ip Man, you're not doing so well here!"

"Let the foreigners see Chinese Kung Fu!"

In the scene, Du Sheng, who plays Li Shuwen, is dressed in black and stands on the ring. Opposite him is a burly foreign strongman with a disdainful expression.

At the referee's signal, Li Shuwen suddenly scooped up and threw a punch straight at his face!
The foreigner raised his hand to block, secretly thinking: Is that all?
But the next second, his face changed drastically, he felt a sharp pain in his lower body, and he instinctively covered his groin with both hands. He knelt down with a "whoop" and was covered in cold sweat.

It turns out that the punch was a feint; the real killing move was a lightning-fast knee strike to the abdomen!
Before he could recover, Li Shuwen delivered another powerful single ram headbutt, right in his chest!

That elbow strike was incredibly vicious, sending the foreigner flying off the stage. He landed on the ground, spitting blood and convulsing, clearly on the verge of death.

The entire room fell silent; everyone was stunned.

This fight was so fast and so brutal!

It wasn't until Li Shuwen turned and left the stage that the audience reacted and erupted in thunderous cheers.

At this moment, his apprentice asked in a low voice:
"Master, is this considered a foul?"

Isn't it a little dishonorable to win?

Li Shuwen didn't turn his head, his tone indifferent:

"You only started moving after the referee called the call, so what's so dishonorable about that?"

He stopped in his tracks, his gaze sharp and intense:

"Ignorant etiquette is actually an indulgence of evil!"

Your master once said that to walk the path of a great hero, we must be more ruthless and intelligent than our enemies.

Martial arts are inherently about defeating enemies.

Don't believe in things like "stopping war is the way to peace" or "the spirit of martial arts." Those are just things the winners made up to comfort the losers.

If you actually believe that, you'll lose your life!

…(End of this chapter)