Actor: Thank you.

"welcome."

"Your presence at my humble abode brings me great honor."

After a while, a Cayenne drove into his underground garage.

Zhang Yuan personally went to open the door to greet them.

“Don’t bother with my humble abode. There’s a garage in this area, so it’s not cold at all.” Zhang Yimou got out of the car and shook hands with him.

Zhang Yimou loves cars; it's one of his biggest hobbies.

My favorite is Porsche, followed by BMW.

The BMW he drives isn't an ordinary BMW; it's an X5, and a 4.4 V8 version at that.

The same goes for the Porsche Cayenne; I bought the Tubro version.

This is no big deal for him; people get paid a lot for each film... but whether he can actually get all of it is another matter.

These days, being able to drive a Cayenne Tubro, a car that costs around 200 million, is definitely a sign of being among the elite.

The title of "Imperial Advisor" justifies this expense.

You can't expect someone who's a national advisor to still drive a cheap car.

But the difficulty for people lies in having comparisons.

He drives a Cayenne, but Zhang Weiping is already driving a Rolls-Royce thanks to him.

Looking at it this way, the Cayenne isn't all that great.

After looking around the garage, Zhang Yimou noticed that there were only minivans.

Although it wasn't cheap, I still had a question.

"You're so young, why don't you buy a sports car to drive around?"

"I don't have time, and it's not safe either."

"If you have a sharp weapon, you'll want to kill someone."

"If I buy a sports car, I'll want to race it, so I'd rather not."

This is the same principle as not wanting to wear pants when there's a beautiful woman lying next to you.

"You're quite mature." The old master felt that he was the one with a playful heart in front of him.

"You, Director Zhang, have become increasingly arrogant since the Olympics. Not only do you arrive late, but you also require someone to personally pick you up."

As soon as he came up from the underground parking garage, Zhang Yimou heard a very familiar female voice.

"Hehehe, you're always making fun of me."

Gong Li has arrived and is drinking rose tea and eating melon seeds.

Zhang Yimou chuckled sheepishly.

If we can't meet again with tears in our eyes, can we at least blush...? Zhang Yuan hummed this song that Old Wang hadn't yet sung in his heart.

What are men most afraid of?
Old lover!
Gong Li was once Zhang Yimou's ideal woman.

It also resembles a cinnabar mole.

But now they each have their own lives, and neither of them is young anymore.

The days of youth are long gone; youth fades quickly, and the past can only be reminisced about.

When I reminisce, I think of my youth.

They reconciled a long time ago; their relationship was already repaired back when "Curse of the Golden Flower" was released.

But every time we meet, there's always a subtle, almost imperceptible awkwardness.

So they won't meet alone, which is neither nice nor pleasant.

Zhang Yuan saw this.

The opportunity to break through this barrier has been prepared for a long time.

After touring around, Zhang Yuan heard countless compliments, which he was already tired of hearing.

Gong Li also mentioned that his family's swimming pool is nice.

Zhang Yuan imagined his older sister in her swimsuit.

Tsk tsk tsk, that's impressive.

It's just that Zhang Yimou isn't quite right; he's all dark-skinned and unkempt, looking more like a lifeguard than a swimmer.

“Director Zhang, I’ve never met your family, and you rarely mention them,” he asked casually.

"You have children, right?"

"Yes, yes..."

"I'll bring my family to play in the water when I have the chance. I'm just killing time anyway, and the kids love it."

"Yes." Zhang Yimou's face was full of wrinkles with joy.

Whether it was during "Curse of the Golden Flower" or today, with Gong Li involved, he rarely mentions his family.

"Let's go to the kitchen and see what we're having for dinner today," Zhang Yuan suggested.

Lead them there.

After observing for a while, Gong Li spoke up.

"Didn't you say you would cook yourself?"

"Why are you having guests cook?"

Zhang Yimou and Gong Li are from Xi'an and Shenyang, respectively.

So Zhang Yuan's menu for today is mutton stew with bread, oil-splashed noodles, and sauerkraut and pork dumplings.

These items were chosen because they are local specialties from the two of them's hometowns.

This also allows several people to participate.

Working together fosters a better relationship than sitting and chatting.

And these two aren't incompetent in physical combat.

This is the older generation; most of them knew how to cook, which is completely different from the younger generation.

The task Zhang Yuan assigned them was to help knead dough.

He will handle everything else.

They kept adding water when there was too much flour, and adding more flour when there was too much water – quite a busy job.

But when working together, the original barriers are easily broken down.

Zhang Yuan looked at the large lump of dough.

Oil-splashed noodles, steamed buns, and dumpling wrappers all require this ingredient.

The three types of noodles are all made in different ways.

In the TV series "Bright Sword", Chu Yunfei has a famous line that says Shanxi cuisine is not suitable for formal banquets.

The word was later unearthed, and many people cursed at it.

It depends on how you interpret it; indeed, there aren't many Shanxi dishes at state banquets.

There's a reason why it wasn't a proper banquet.

Because Shanxi cuisine features a lot of staple foods, while the meat dishes tend to be fatty.

In addition, and most importantly, the dishes don't look as refined as those from Huaiyang or Cantonese cuisine.

It's delicious and tasty, but the appearance is a little off.

Moreover, the Loess Plateau does not produce seafood or rice, making it difficult to develop high-priced dishes and refined foods from these two sources.

Therefore, besides aged vinegar, Shanxi is most famous for its tradition of taking afternoon naps.

Zhang Yuan strongly suspected that he had simply been overcome by consuming charcoal.

The hometown cuisine of Zhang Yimou, Shaanxi cuisine, has similar problems to Shanxi cuisine.

Drinking lots of carbs is satisfying, but it can make you feel dizzy.

I have to say, freshly made noodles are just so delicious!
The steaming hot buns came out of the oven; even without meat, you could eat two on your own.

Pure wheat aroma.

Dumplings are fine too.

As the saying goes, nothing tastes better than dumplings, and nothing is more fun than making dumplings...

My sister's face is all smeared.

It took quite a while to finish up, and only these three dishes were served, looking rather simple.

But Zhang Yimou and Gong Li felt it was more interesting than eating at fancy restaurants.

Because it's not just about eating, it's also about an activity.

Drinking alcohol and eating noodles.

They brought a pot to the table; freshly cooked dumplings were on the table.

We still need to break the steamed buns.

Those familiar with the dish know that there are three types of paomo: "dry paomo", "soup paomo", and "water paomo".

There are three different types: one with no soup after cooking, one with a bowl of soup at the bottom, and one with a full bowl of soup.

Zhang Yimou is a seasoned gourmet; he prefers dry-cooked dishes.

Because the soup from the dry-soaked bread is absorbed into the bread, it has the best flavor.

Zhang Yimou's meticulous attention to detail is a testament to his local expertise.

Zhang Yuan is a bit rougher, not as good as Gong Li.

It seems he ate a lot with Zhang Yimou back in the day.

"Director Zhang, isn't this how you eat this?"

Zhang Yuan, holding a bowl of oil-splashed noodles, squatted down on a chair.

"Haha, I stopped doing that a long time ago."

Yes, Zhang Yimou is not the same Zhang Yimou he used to be. He drives a Cayenne now, and he's still squatting down to eat noodles.

They ate and chatted.

"Sister Li, your dumpling wrappers are very chewy and delicious."

"That's right, my hands are sore from rubbing."

“Sigh, the last time the three of us worked together was around the time of ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’,” Zhang Yuan sighed.

Unfortunately, I never had the chance after that.

"Director Zhang, we need to work together."

"It's alright if you don't need me to film, and I've always wanted to spend some money on you."

"Haha, you're too kind. It's not that I don't want to use you." "It's just that I haven't found a suitable candidate yet." Zhang Yimou was also polite, but listening to his words...

Spending money?

Gong Li heard it too.

Then he glanced at him with interest.

I made dumplings just for this dish of vinegar.

So that's what you were after.

How to spend money?

Invest!
It's true that Zhang Yimou is working with Zhang Weiping.

But this old guy actually only invests a very small amount of money in each film he makes.

Those who come from speculative backgrounds love to engage in businesses with no initial investment.

In fact, Zhang Weiping is more like an agent.

He contacts investors, has connections with Zhang Yimou, and profits from the middle, taking a cut of the profits.

"Director Zhang, you know me, I'm like this meal – no fancy tricks, just straightforward!"

"I know your skill level all too well."

Two words: admiration!

They praised him to the skies.

"It's a mountain to be admired, but I only have one chance to catch a glimpse of it, which I find regrettable."

"Let's not talk about it this time. If you have any projects in the future that require funding, could you consider me?"

This was the first time Zhang Yimou had ever seen an investor be so "humble".

"Oh dear, you can't say that. I know you have a great reputation."

I'd heard that they're quick to pay up.

This is exactly his sore spot.

"Yes, he's so good."

“You know Jiang Wen’s character, and she still goes along with him. That shows how much patience she has,” Gong Li chimed in at the right moment.

A favor.

In addition, she had long disliked Zhang Weiping.

Thinking of how Zhang Yuan treated Chow Yun-fat, she felt a surge of pleasure at the thought of doing the same to Zhang Weiping.

Mentioning Jiang Wen, Zhang Yimou's face was full of torment.

The wrinkles are so deep they could trap flies.

"You're so good at tolerating him." Zhang Yimou gave him a thumbs up.

Not to mention Zhang Yimou frowning, even director Xie Jin was so annoyed by him that he would shake his head and sigh whenever his name was mentioned.

"But..." After a moment of hesitation, the old strategist paused, then stopped himself from speaking.

"Your relationship with Lao Zhang."

Ultimately, Zhang Yimou is a genuine and down-to-earth person.

I'm still worried about the relationship between Zhang Weiping and Zhang Yuan.

They've fallen out over their fight with the theater chains.

"Director Zhang, I understand that you value old friendships."

"I was just saying," Zhang Yuan said, choosing to back down.

Because he knew that someone would take the initiative to go further.

"Tch, what's the use of old feelings?" Gong Li said with a straight face.

"You treat him like a brother, but does he treat you like a human being?"

Why did Zhang Yuan keep coaxing his older sister to come to the "Let the Bullets Fly" film crew?

Because of the need to communicate emotionally, she was an important bridge between herself and Zhang Yimou.

And they even have a common enemy!
That is, Zhang Weiping.

Zhang Yimou frowned again.

Yes, he is a genuine person at heart.

But things are different now!

He drives a Cayenne, so he's not the type to squat down to eat noodles anymore.

Don't you love money?
Impossible!

Yang Mi, that girl, loves money and will rack her brains to earn it. Zhang Yimou, on the other hand, has seen the real upper-class world through the lens of money.

Compared to those people, Zhang Yuan was just someone who earned odd jobs.

Having seen the world, eaten well, and with a wife and children, how could he not love money?

Although I had long had my opinions, there was still a hurdle in my mind that I couldn't overcome.

"It's not that bad, people are all about putting themselves in others' shoes," Zhang Yuan said, feigning concern.

"That's you!" Gong Li pouted, annoyed.

"Ask him how much he makes from a single film."

How much of that stuff do you want?

"I've heard about it, it sounds exaggerated, it can't be true, right?" Zhang Yuan feigned surprise.

Zhang Yimou looked embarrassed and didn't reply.

Not talking back means it's true.

Zhang Yuan already knew, but he asked the question on purpose.

"Director Zhang, let's not force it."

"I will always respect you. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything."

"Definitely." Zhang Yimou didn't have much to say, so he could only nod.

He clearly didn't want to talk about it, so he changed the subject.

"I heard that you and that family from the south got together and dealt with Ziyi?"

"Nonsense, don't listen to them," Zhang Yuan quickly denied.

The story has been distorted.

In particular, there are rumors that he used Huayi's shares to obtain the other party's protection.

That's good, at least there's something to be wary of.

"I didn't bully Ziyi. She's now with my company and is considered one of my artists."

"Oh." Zhang Yimou was satisfied with the confirmation. After all, he was the one who promoted Zhang Ziyi. If Zhang Yuan really messed things up, he wouldn't look good. "That's a good thing."

"To strengthen family ties."

"Next time we eat, why don't we invite her along too?"

The group continued chatting in the restaurant.

Meanwhile, in a hotel room in the distance, someone was holding a DSLR camera with a 2000mm "mega-gun" lens, aiming it at the restaurant window of the Houhai mansion at a very precise angle.

Through the window, one can clearly photograph three prominent figures from the Chinese film and television industry eating dumplings inside.

The constant clicking of camera shutters captured their laughter and toasts.

……

The meal lasted until almost midnight.

Because it was a private residence, no one cared and they drank like crazy.

Zhang Yuan also asked his assistant to go out halfway and buy some cold dishes to continue serving.

Gong Li appeared very relaxed and didn't seem to be restricting her diet at all.

Eat and have fun as you please; you no longer have the worries of a young woman like Yang Mi who has to weigh herself after every meal.

She's reached the age where she can start being herself.

"Let's go."

"This place is nice, let's meet again next time."

"No problem, remember to bring your sister-in-law and child next time."

We saw off Zhang Yimou.

He then personally helped the Empress Gong into the carriage.

He had no intention of staying overnight, and neither did the other party.

“Zhang Yimou is stubborn; you can’t persuade him with words alone.”

As she was leaving, she said this.

"Yes, I know."

Zhang Yuan didn't say much, only putting on a helpless expression.

“I can only help you as much as I can, but based on what I know…” She shook her head.

"It's nothing, I'm very grateful that you're willing to speak up for me."

After seeing this person off, he returned to the restaurant and took out his phone.

"Hello." I made a phone call to Yang Siwei.

At the same time, he made an OK sign towards the restaurant window.

"I saw it," the chubby woman replied after seeing his movements through the super telephoto lens.

How could an ordinary person be so accurate as to take a picture of someone from such a distance through a window?

That angle is too tricky.

Even if the hotel floor is slightly different, or even if the camera angle is just a few millimeters off, you won't be able to capture anything.

This was something he had his men scout out and prepare for a long time beforehand, with the equipment already set up.

"Great, as long as you got the shot."

"I picked out a few photos of them with their faces on them, but I only have photos of their backs."

"Also, you can't reveal your address."

"You have to make up a fake address, but it can't be too fake."

"Then... release them!" (End of Chapter)