The literary era since 1979

The evening breeze blew through the curtains, diluting the smell of heather in the house.

Gong Xing was lying lazily in the bathtub, Fang Yan was sitting opposite her, looking up at the ceiling.

Fang Yan only felt his thigh being gently pinched, and asked nonchalantly, "What's wrong?"

"During the days you were away, many media outlets wanted to interview you."

Gong Xing replied that even TVB and ATV called her.

"I don't need to watch the interviews. I've done enough interviews in France."

Fangyan waved his hand and said, "It's the same old words over and over again. It's really annoying."

Gong Xing asked: "So let it go?"

"Forget it." Fang Yan said, "I'd better save some energy and emotion. There are still a group of media in the mainland who are eyeing me covetously."

"Look at what you said, it's as if the mainland media wants to eat you up."

Gong Xing rolled his eyes and said, "I wonder how many people want this opportunity but can't get it."

Fangyan smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll change the word to '嗷嗷待哺'. How does it sound?"

Gong Xing's eyes suddenly lit up, "Since you don't want to be interviewed, can we go back to the mainland earlier?"

Fang Yan said: "Hehe, 'If you don't return to your hometown when you are rich and powerful, it's like wearing fine clothes at night', do you want to experience it sooner..."

"The more you talk, the more you lose your integrity."

Gong Xing slapped the water surface, causing splashes.

After some discussion, the two decided to set off the day after tomorrow morning and return to Yanjing, so they would notify Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou and others tomorrow.

"Remember to inform Guo Rong that he, the hero, must also return. The celebration banquet cannot be held without him."

Fangyan reminded.

"Don't worry, I remember it."

Gong Xing changed the subject and asked, "You promised to tailor a movie for Guo Rong, right?"

"Yes."

Fangyan nodded.

Gong Xing moved his body and lay sideways in his arms. "Have you thought about what kind of story you plan to write?"

Fang Yan's eyes rolled and a smile appeared on his lips: "Since he and Xiao Xian filmed "A Chinese Ghost Story" before and the response was quite good, why not arrange a modern version of "A Chinese Ghost Story" for them?"

"A modern version of 'A Chinese Ghost Story'?!"

Gong Xing was shocked and found it hard to imagine.

"The title can be called 'Ghost' for now."

Fang Yan said: "A romantic film can help Guo Rong adjust his state and clarify the rumors about him in the media."

Gong Xing blinked and said, "It sounds pretty good. What kind of story is it about?"

Fang Yan said leisurely, "A young bank clerk named Ning Caichen and his fiancée Nie Xiaoqian were deeply in love. However, on their way home from a movie, they were robbed and Ning Caichen was shot and killed. Nie Xiaoqian was heartbroken. But strangely, Ning Caichen turned into a ghost and unexpectedly discovered that his friend 'Yan Chixia' was the mastermind behind his death."

"What a mess you are."

Gong Xing was very surprised. "Why do I feel like there is an unexplainable love triangle between Ning Caichen, Nie Xiaoqian and Yan Chixia?"

Fangyan suppressed his smile. Isn't this the relationship between the characters in Liu Yifei's version of "A Chinese Ghost Story"?

Yan Chixia and Ning Caichen fell in love with Nie Xiaoqian at the same time!
Of course, there is no such bloody and complicated relationship in "Ghost". The main reason is that Ning Caichen discovered that the initiator of the abnormal operation of the company's account was Yan Chixia, and Yan Chixia was afraid that the matter would be exposed, so he decisively hired someone to pretend to be a robber and killed Ning Caichen. As a result, the plot turned from love in the first half to conspiracy, and the main tone also turned from the best of human nature to the evil of human nature.

“This is a great story!”

Gong Xing's eyes flickered. "It's just that the names of the main and supporting characters need to be changed. 'Ning Caichen' and 'Nie Xiaoqian' sound weird."

"This is a continuation of our past relationship, but Yan Chixia can't be the villain, so this needs to be changed."

Fangyan touched his chin and asked, "Are you interested in being the director of this play?"

"You've already given me a play."

Gong Xing was puzzled. If he really was filming "The Intouchables", how would he have time to film "Ghost"?

"You know how fast Hong Kong films are made. A movie like this can be finished in a month or two."

Fang Yan said happily: "Maybe you have finished filming, and the preparatory work for "The Intouchables" has just been completed."

"Since you, the boss, have said so, how can I refuse?"

Gong Xing couldn't help but be moved.

"Oh, you still behave well when you get a bargain."

Fang Yan gently touched her nose with his hand.

Gong Xing chuckled, and after coming out of the bathroom after taking a bath, he called Gong Li, Zhang Guorong and others one by one.

…………

Two days later in the morning, Capital International Airport.

Teng Jinxian personally led the staff of the Film Bureau, and people from many departments such as culture, publicity, radio, film and television formed a large welcoming team. They stood on the tarmac and watched a plane land smoothly not far from them, and the cabin door then slowly opened.

Fang Yan, Gong Xing and others walked down the stairs from the boarding pass.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa."

At this time, there was thunderous applause and laughter, and a red banner with the words "The crew of "Farewell My Concubine" brought glory to the country" fluttered in the wind.

Fangyan welcomed the leaders in the crowd and shook hands with them one by one until it was Teng Jinxian's turn.

"Yanzi, well done! Your trip to France really brought honor to our Chinese films! It made them famous!"

Teng Jinxian's tone was extremely excited, and he kept sighing in his heart that 1988 was truly a peak year for Chinese-language films.

At the beginning of the year, "Red Sorghum" won the Berlin Golden Bear Award, and now, "Farewell My Concubine" has won the Cannes Palme d'Or!

"What a pity! If there is another film that can be registered for the Venice Film Festival, it may sweep the three major European awards in one year."

Dialect is spoken in a joking tone.

Everyone burst into laughter, and some people began to daydream. When they thought of that scene, it was so beautiful that they dared not think too much.

Fang Yan said: "Although there is no Venice, it does not mean there is no chance to win an Oscar."

"Really!?"

Teng Jinxian became more and more excited. Although his film "The Last Emperor" had already won the Oscar for Best Picture and almost swept the entire award ceremony that year, winning all nine nominations, it was, after all, a film shot by a foreign director from a foreign perspective.

Despite the involvement of China Film Co-production Company, it still cannot be compared with a purely Chinese-language film like "Farewell My Concubine"!
With this thought in mind, he couldn't help but imagine the scene of "Farewell My Concubine" winning the Oscar.

"Of course, no matter how good the Oscars are, they are not as good as our Golden Rooster Awards and Hundred Flowers Awards."

Fangyan grinned and took the initiative to ask for an award: "Look, leaders, the Cannes Film Festival did not give out awards for Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Director. Do we have to give them to the crew of Farewell My Concubine?" (End of this chapter)