Actor: Thank you.

Zhang Yuan vaguely remembered that a long time ago, Ning Hao had told him that Hua Yi had asked him to discuss a collaboration.

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Although his contracts for those two films had already expired, Ning Hao still held the mindset of long-term cooperation and was not very interested in the conditions proposed by Hua Yi.

But things are different now, and their collaboration has come to a temporary end.

But this is temporary, or as Zhang Yuan understands it.

But to outsiders, it looked like they had broken up.

Rumors are circulating that he and Ning Hao disagree and are unable to reach an agreement.

That's correct, basically true.

But as it's passed down, it gets distorted.

Some say Ning Hao made exorbitant demands, asking for an astronomical salary, which was rejected.

It's said that Zhang Yuan demanded that he film a specific script, which caused the other party to be dissatisfied.

There are also rumors that Zhang Yuan and Xing Aina had an ambiguous relationship in private, which Ning Hao discovered, leading to a fight between them and their breakup.

They even said he was too heavy-handed in his martial arts training, and that he even gave Ning Hao hydrocephalus...

Zhang Yuan was both amused and exasperated. How could someone with his long-standing illness possibly blame me?

Whenever there's a change, rumors spread first.

However, most of those who spread these rumors are outsiders who are unlikely to have any significant interaction with Ning Hao.

Those who were truly interested didn't have time to gossip when they heard about this; instead, they quickly contacted Ning Hao.

Crazy Racer grossed over 1 million yuan at the box office!

This made Ning Hao the only director in mainland China, besides the three major directors, to have a box office exceeding 100 million yuan.

Chen Jiashang's "Painted Skin" also sold for several hundred million, but he is from Hong Kong and is not included in this list.

The three major directors in mainland China are all "taken over".

Zhang Weiping and Hua Yi each control one, while the remaining poet Chen makes his own decisions, and most people don't dare to approach him.

Now that Zhang Yuan has "disabled his martial arts skills," these people are overjoyed!
I initially thought he got incredibly lucky and landed a job that would allow him to establish himself in the film and television investment industry.

And yet, they are quite "loyal".

Many companies had contacted Ning Hao before, offering good terms, but he didn't "jump ship".

It's now confirmed that he has a new project, but Zhang Yuan isn't investing. This news has caused a sensation in the industry, especially among film and television company owners!
But they didn't consider why Zhang Yuan didn't vote.

Perhaps some people thought about it, but faced with such a huge temptation of profit, these people lowered their guard to the minimum.

Regardless, the fact that Ning Hao was still able to call him at this time touched him deeply.

Both his emotional intelligence and character are quite good.

"You don't actually need my permission to cooperate with anyone now."

"However, if I were to offer you advice from a friend's perspective, I would be willing to do so."

"I understand what you mean, but you and Huayi have something going on."

"Plus, it seems like your girlfriend, Liu, has been targeted by Huayi recently," Big Head said cautiously.

"You already knew about this?"

"The entire imperial circle knows about it. Hua Yi is so arrogant, she's making connections everywhere."

"A lot of effort was put into this little girl."

"To be honest, I don't find it very appealing."

"After all, they didn't break the law or commit any major mistakes."

"Even if a deal falls through, we can still maintain good relations. What they're doing is a bit excessive."

“That’s just Huayi’s style, the company’s style, it follows the boss’s personality.” Zhang Yuan’s tone was surprisingly relaxed.

Big Head thought to himself, "You and that Miss Liu are very close, but now that she's in trouble, why are you acting like nothing happened?"

It was precisely because Hua Yi was pursuing this girl that Ning Hao had to contact him even more, fearing that Zhang Yuan would get angry.

But after listening to it, it wasn't what I thought at all.

"My advice is that you should think it over more and observe it for a while longer."

"Investing and partnering is like finding a wife; you should avoid rushing into a relationship."

"Besides, I know you. You said you have a notebook and that you're almost ready."

"Actually, the script still needs to be polished before filming can actually begin."

"You won't be able to get over this in a few months."

"Hehehe..." Big Head laughed sheepishly.

"Not everyone is willing to wait that long. What if they force you to start work after the contract is signed?"

"Let's keep looking for something better while you're still preparing. Talk to a few more companies while you're making your preparations."

"By the time the discussions were almost over, the script was also almost ready."

"You sound so mature," Ning Hao sighed.

Zhang Yuan said he offered advice from a friend's perspective, without making baseless accusations.

They were on his side and didn't give him any bad advice.

"I think Huayi isn't the only one looking for you."

"Hey, there are a few more." Ning Hao's tone became playful.

After hearing the sermon, Zhang Yuan felt that it was somewhat similar to Christine, whom he had contacted before.

Both of them had been in the industry for many years when they suddenly became famous, and their treatment changed drastically.

Back then, Ning Hao couldn't even attract investment from coal mine owners.

Now, however, major companies are vying to hire him.

Zhang Yuan thought, let him have his fun.

"Actually, Orange Sky, Light, and Eagle King have all contacted me."

"Great, that way we can compare a few more."

"Yes, these companies were all very generous with their offers. My original budget was around 3000 million, but they were all willing to offer a budget of 4 to 5000 million."

"Don't just look at the money, look at the conditions that come with it."

"Yes, you're right. For example, Huayi is willing to increase the budget, but on the condition that part of that budget comes from advertising sponsors."

"Xiao Wang even brought Director Feng along to see me and explained the other party's business operation model in detail."

“Oh…” Zhang Yuan stroked his chin with interest.

Feng Xiaogang didn't tell me he went to see Ning Hao.

interesting.

"You still have to follow your heart. Money is a good thing, but it doesn't necessarily bring good results."

"By the way, didn't you contact Big Dog?"

"I ran into him while we were eating that day."

“He was the first person I contacted.” Ning Hao laughed as he mentioned this: “Guess what he said.”

He said that since you didn't invest in the project, he couldn't take it from you; that wouldn't be fair.

"Hehe." Zhang Yuan laughed along.

Dog Bro is so generous!
And it just so happens that it avoided a pitfall.

Not bad.

He also said that he had already invested in several films, and unfortunately, Wang Jinggang contacted him and said that there was a science fiction film.

“He was very interested, so all the funds went there, and I didn’t get any money.”

Zhang Yuan: …

I just praised you for being magnanimous, how come you're contradicting me like this?
Wang Jing's sci-fi film is just "Future Police"!

Brother Dog, you're like a phoenix rising from the ashes on one side and a hornet's nest on the other; you're bound to fall into at least one of the pitfalls on either side!
With your limited judgment, I doubt I can save you.

He then spoke a few more words to Ning Hao, implying that he should be cautious and delay those other companies in order to secure better terms.

This was said for Big Head's own good, and also for his own.

Delaying it will also benefit him.

I tossed my phone to my assistant, just as they were getting ready to start work.

This scene depicts Li Ningyu, played by Li Bingbing, being led by a woman from an island nation to an underground interrogation room to be interrogated by Takeda Taijun.

After passing through a long corridor, illuminated only by a single lantern, we traversed the entire Qiu Manor and arrived at the interrogation room.

That's exactly the kind of long and eerie feeling I wanted.

Zhang Yuan was there to meet Takeda with Li Ningyu, so he had to wait for them in his room.

As soon as the door opens, just take a picture of him standing there.

The interrogation that followed in this scene was a "measurement of physical strength" against Li Ningyu.

The interrogation scene will be filmed in the next few days.

The so-called "measuring punishment" refers to Takeda using various measuring tools, such as tape measures and calipers, to measure the other person's body.

What's so scary about that?

What kind of interrogation effect does this have?
Many people will raise this question.

How can measuring a body be considered an interrogation?

First, for the measurement to be done here, Li Ningyu has to take off all her clothes.

She stripped naked in front of this strange man, Takeda.

Li Ningyu is not like those actresses from Japanese adult film productions who can strip naked in front of the camera without hesitation.

Furthermore, the times must be taken into account.

Women during the War of Resistance against Japan were far less open-minded than those in later generations.

Furthermore, in terms of the character's background, Li Ningyu comes from a family with two highly educated members, and she herself is a top student majoring in astrophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. In those days, highly educated individuals were generally very aloof and proud.

People's emotions and bottom lines are not shared.

Furthermore, the measurement here is not just about measuring three dimensions.

What would a proud woman feel if she were naked and being manipulated by a stranger with cold instruments?
This was originally an interrogation, not an execution; its purpose was to break the other person's will.

The movie "The Message" contains several bloody interrogation scenes, which sparked considerable controversy upon its release.

All of these interrogation scenes were co-directed by Chen Kuo-fu.

Because the content of these interrogations was all his own idea.

Chen Guofu is the kind of person who is a typical art geek.

Timid and fearful, with a dark side, but possessing an extraordinary talent for art.

In the script, whether it's needle torture, dog torture, or physical torture, the initial design all stemmed from Chen Guofu's own fears.

The old man is from Hong Kong, but he has been afraid of acupuncture since childhood, so he was subjected to acupuncture.

The old man was afraid of dogs, so dog punishment came about.

He also felt uncomfortable with the physical examination, which led to this physical examination punishment.

Art originates from life; he amplifies the fears in his life, processes them artistically, and adds them to his works.

That's really impressive; they're definitely professionals in this field.

Zhang Yuan simply stood near the camera, adjusted his expression, and got ready.

The entire Qiuzhuang film set was filled with the soft sounds of a chorus.

He heard about it during the day, and the production team specially went to a nearby foreign language school to find a group of students who could speak German to rehearse.

Because the song they sang was "The Song of the Armored Troops," also known as "Guderian's Happy Song."

In the main hall of Qiu Manor, there is a large red flag with a white swastika symbol hanging in the background.

After all, the island nation and Germany were allies at that time.

This was also Chen Guofu's idea.

This originally rousing song was transformed into a slow, melancholic tune, creating a sense of contrast.

With a soft click, the door was pushed open, and a girl with a pointed chin, dressed in a kimono, and smiling, led Li Bingbing into the room.

"Dozo."

He was speaking Japanese while gesturing with his arms.

Zhang Yuan glanced at the actress playing a Japanese woman and realized she was someone he knew.

After filming several takes, the crew prepared to wrap up.

Chen Guofu came over specifically to express his gratitude, saying that he had been delayed in resting.

He naturally said he was fine.

He also declined the other party's invitation to have a late-night snack.

Stop tempting me with seafood barbecue!

"Hello." Instead, he stepped forward and chatted with the "island woman" for a few words.

"Hello, Mr. Zhang." The other party quickly nodded in greeting.

"You calling me that makes me feel really embarrassed."

“I didn’t call you wrong, you’ve given me a lot of job opportunities.”

The person speaking is Deng Jiajia.

She's playing a woman from an island nation.

"You're welcome." Zhang Yuan waved his hand, and at the same time took a closer look and found that the other person's chin seemed to have become a little sharper.

Moreover, his lips were fuller than when I last saw him.

Cosmetic surgery is something that can be either done once or countless times; it's addictive.

The job opportunities she was referring to were the two films that Li Xiang's husband was involved in.

Although he didn't find the actress, he didn't object to her not acting, and since he was an investor, it wasn't considered wrong.

Quite polite.

"You acted well just now. You captured the seemingly gentle yet actually cold feeling of a woman from an island nation."

"Thank you." Miss Deng nodded vigorously.

She acted well, very calmly, and didn't try to steal the spotlight with the "Tang-style acting method".

Oh, the "Down syndrome acting method" probably doesn't exist yet.

However, the so-called "Tang-style acting method" actually incorporates a lot of Deng Jiajia's own life experiences.

She rose to prominence early on by stealing scenes and roles.

"How come you're on the set of 'The Message' right now?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"You signed a contract with Huayi, right?"

"Yes, we just signed the contract." Deng Jiajia answered every question.

Without signing a contract, how could she have had the opportunity to appear in this pivotal work by Hua Yi?

However, they only gave me a minor supporting role; this newbie gift pack is really poor quality.

It seems they don't value her much.

Zhang Yuan knew that this girl seemed polite, but she was actually very bold and ambitious.

Li Xiang wanted to sign her, but she refused.

I reckon even if I wanted to sign her, she might not come.

Despite having very few scenes, she still made a special effort to learn the posture, sitting posture, and walking style of people from the island nation, as well as physical training, and even learned Japanese.

She must have some talent; how could Hua Yi have taken a liking to her?

However, it ultimately became "leftovers" of Huayi.

Zhang Yuan remembered that Hua Yi originally seemed to be planning to promote her, and the method was to have her create a CP with a male star.

Moreover, it's not a normal couple relationship; it's more like a love triangle.

This kind of content is most likely to attract viewers' attention, but she rejected it.

Because she got married very young.

Was it this year or next year...? Zhang Yuan couldn't remember.

Anyway, the wedding was held in 14, but the marriage certificate was obtained much earlier.

Therefore, despite being already married, she refused to cooperate with Hua Yi in creating scandals, and was subsequently sidelined, losing all opportunities to work on Hua Yi's core projects.

Zhang Yuan respected her for this; she had personality and her own principles.

There aren't many people who wouldn't bow down to Hua Yi.

And I'm also a little envious of her.

Because she had just filmed a lesbian movie with Peng Dan a couple of years ago, which was quite explicit.

Back then, Ms. Peng Dan's figure was... wow!

Like Li Zhi, Teacher Peng is renowned in Hong Kong for her honest and insightful opinions.

Milk Spirit is not a nickname given randomly.

However, youth fades quickly, and Teacher Peng later couldn't accept herself, so she went through a crazy amount of plastic surgery and ruined herself.

Can't we age gracefully?
Zhang Yuan looked back at Deng Jiajia. This woman was capable, ambitious, and had quite a temper.

Later, when she co-starred with Tang Wei in a TV series, her performance was noticeably better than Tang Wei's.

Let's keep in touch first, and maybe we can collaborate sometime.

The other party didn't expect him to be so enthusiastic. She thought he was just being polite, but he actually talked to her for a long time and didn't stand on ceremony at all.

He even asked for her QQ number.

Ms. Deng felt flattered.

"Could it be that he has a crush on me?" She thought about it and felt it was unlikely.

After talking with her, Zhang Yuan went back to his room to rest.

Just as he, his assistant, and bodyguard stepped to the door, the two people behind him suddenly stopped.

Zhao Dandan and Brother Long exchanged a glance, then nodded.

"withdraw!"

Because they saw a young woman pacing back and forth in the hotel corridor.

Upon seeing their boss arrive, they cautiously approached.

The two understood each other and turned to leave.

Zhang Yuan was about to tell them to go back and rest, but when he turned around, they were gone...

Sometimes, having subordinates who are too perceptive can be a bit of a headache.

Let's see it reflected in the year-end bonus.

"How did you come?"

"What's up?"

Zhang Yuan had no choice but to take out his room card and ask Li Xin, who looked somewhat hesitant and very uncomfortable.

She felt a little awkward at that moment, especially her lower body.

He wasn't standing very steadily.

Because her legs were intertwined, it was as if she was trying to cover herself up, and she was acting coy.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Yuan looked down.

On her long, white legs were a pair of stockings even whiter than her legs… (End of Chapter)