Actor: Thank you.

Cao Yu's face was very pale.

After all, Zhang Yuan's words were very direct and a bit too blunt.

You have some kind of face with me.

Do I know you?
Giving face is only acceptable if we know each other and it benefits both of us.

They started off with a genuine old Beijing accent, talking about face all the time.

This is why most high-tech companies are located in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou, but very few in Beijing.

Zhang Yuan had contact with bosses from Jiangnan and the South, and the biggest difference between them and those from the capital was that they were more pragmatic.

When discussing matters in Shanghai, there may be some lighthearted banter, but ultimately things will come down to concrete details. Everyone will clearly explain their interests and keep things separate.

When risks are anticipated, responsibilities will be assigned in advance, and firewalls will be set up for oneself as much as possible.

People further south are also pragmatic when it comes to money, but their approach is more unconventional. They believe in doing things first and thinking later, and they disregard laws and certain rules even more than those in Shanghai. They have their own set of rules.

The situation is more complicated in the capital. People like to talk about rules, customs, and politics first, but when it comes to practical matters, some people start to be vague.

Because most people in the capital city hold the attitude of seeking no merit but avoiding mistakes.

Zhang Yuan disliked this kind of conversation the most; he preferred more down-to-earth business talk.

I especially dislike people who constantly talk about saving face.

Giving face is something that should be done discreetly; if you're going to give it to me, you'll have done it already. If you're not going to give it to me, it's useless to you anyway.

Because people constantly talk about "face," the nature of the word "face" has changed.

For example, in more extreme island nations, there is a culture called "reading the air".

In Japanese, "kūkyū" means atmosphere, and reading "kūkyū" means interpreting the atmosphere.

Logically, it should mean reading between the lines, but what happens when it's misused to the extent of the Japanese?

Although everyone knew that the attack on Pearl Harbor would be met with a full-scale counterattack from the Lighthouse, everyone was very enthusiastic. After reading the air, they decided to "go with the flow".

This is a classic example of prioritizing face and atmosphere over facts.

The Japanese always emphasized the "power of belief," and for this reason, unable to be realistic, they had no choice but to collectively embrace idealism.

Cao Yu had been emphasizing the importance of giving face the whole time, which made him increasingly annoyed.

This is the first time we've met, and you expect me to give you face?

Whom should I give face to?
Do you have that much face?
Even thugs like them like to test their mettle first, and whoever is more aggressive gets to call the shots.

You spout nonsense with your red lips and white teeth, what kind of person are you!

Zhang Yuan showed no mercy and directly shattered his "face theory".

"Brother, don't blame me for being blunt."

“What you did today was unfair,” he said bluntly.

"To be honest, you're the one who needs to talk to me."

"Fine, you're not going to treat us then."

"You were late for dinner."

"Being late is another matter, but I won't even drink the penalty shot."

What do you mean?

"Speaking of face, did you give me any face today?"

Zhang Yuan leaned back in his chair, his expression slightly grave.

There's a saying: "If someone treats me with respect, I will treat them with even greater respect."

"Making friends requires mutual effort."

"Is this how you usually make friends?"

"You do this when you eat with Huang Jianxin and Han Sanpin?"

He couldn't open his mouth to say anything.

You're pretty awesome, aren't you? Are you and Lao Han this awesome too?
Or will you just stay like this with me?
Zhang Yuan knew their small circle at the Beijing Film Studio all too well.

Those who make up 1% of the industry control 50% of the industry's top resources.

Especially for works presented as gifts or commemorative pieces, 70-80% of them change hands within this small circle.

The result is that some people become incredibly arrogant, considering themselves "aristocrats" of the film and television industry.

No matter how much money Feng Xiaogang has made or how much his films have grossed, he is still not a core figure in the entertainment circle. He still has to bow and scrape to people whose status and position are much lower than his.

This explains why he seemed to have hidden meanings when he was filming "Youth".

Director Feng harbored resentment and felt unconvinced, wondering why a general's son was still a general.

Because some things are truly something you're born with, and no matter how hard you try, you won't get them.

Some people don't even take Feng Xiaogang, who has some connection to the compound, seriously.

His complete lack of involvement made him even less of a concern for some people.

Mr. Lao She was most skilled at depicting the people and stories of the capital city.

What are the elderly people in the capital city like in his writing?
that's it.

Therefore, it has nothing to do with how much money you have or how big your business is.

They reign supreme in their own little circle, and no matter how capable you are, they can't get a foothold in you. Naturally, they are arrogant and haughty.

But Zhang Yuan is not one of those old-fashioned figures in the film and television industry.

Who are you with?
I'm in the right, and you can't just cover it up with some vague excuse.

"I don't know if Yao Cheng has told you and your family about what happened between her and me in detail and objectively," Zhang Yuan said, enunciating each word clearly, showing no intention of backing down and pressing further.

“I believe that if you knew the whole story, your parents, who are all veteran artists and professionals with ideals and skills, would understand my anger.”

"I believe that the older generation is firm in their stance and has sound ideology."

Zhang Yuan replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Just now, Cao Yu brought up his own mother, using his love for his daughter-in-law as an excuse.

He just wants to use his family to pressure me.

He understood immediately.

Then I'll put your family members on the moral grill first, and then we'll talk.

“If you knew the whole process, you shouldn’t be talking to me.”

"Instead, I talked it out with my woman first."

Zhang Yuan's rapid-fire words made Cao Yu's face grow increasingly ashen.

“My family and I know exactly what’s going on.”

“I know Yao Cheng very well, definitely better than you do,” the man said, his already small eyes narrowed and his lips twitching.

Zhang Yuan wanted to refute, but after thinking about it for a moment.

There's a saying that goes, "Every creature finds its owner; crayfish emerge from saline-alkali land."

People with completely opposite values ​​cannot get along.

Just like Deng Chao and Sun Li, if Sun Li didn't have some serious illness in her bones, would she be able to sleep in the same bed with someone as promiscuous as Deng Chao?

The fact that Cao Yu could be with Yao Cheng shows that he was also that kind of person.

"Let's not talk about anything else, let's just talk about one thing."

"Was what Yao Cheng did for me right or wrong?" Zhang Yuan went straight to the heart of the matter.

Don't try to save face for me, let's just talk about right and wrong.

"Changing jobs is normal," the other party replied, maintaining their previous stance.

"Job hopping is a normal process of resigning and moving to another company."

"She is breaking my artist contract while colluding with her next agency to force me to let go. If this is the same thing, then the Eight-Nation Alliance entering the capital should be considered a democratic revolution."

"I am the victim, yet you're giving me this crap, trying to confuse the issue."

"I'm not drunk yet!"

"You didn't lose anything, don't be so stingy. A man should be more generous and not argue with a woman." This man had the air of a lecturing teacher.

Zhang Yuan was so angry he almost laughed.

What the hell!

You're lecturing me now.

"How about this then?"

"Starting tomorrow, whichever film crew you work for, I'll sabotage that film crew."

"Don't be stingy. A man should be more generous and not hold grudges against someone like me."

"What do you mean? Are you threatening me?"

"Yes." Zhang Yuan spread his hands quite frankly.

Cao Yu:......

"You were the one who joked with me first, so I can't joke with you anymore?" He laughed.

"I'm quite busy too, so I won't waste my breath arguing with you."

“Today, I’m doing this out of respect for Director Huang Jianxin. Remember, I’m giving him face, not you,” Zhang Yuan emphasized again.

"I'll draw a line for you and give you an explanation."

"Didn't you say that your mother likes Yao Cheng and considers her her daughter-in-law?"

"Great! I'll give you a big red envelope on your wedding day."

"As for Yao Cheng, marrying a great photographer like you would be a good match."

"In that case, you might as well stay home and take care of your husband and children instead of going out to work."

“If that’s the case, I will swear by the Yongding River that we will live in peace from now on.”

He launched such a fierce attack to pave the way for the final solution, to pull back slightly.

As long as Yao Dazui retires from the entertainment industry and doesn't show up again, I'll let it go.

It was a peaceful resolution; she paid the price for her mistakes, and I was spared any trouble.

Offending someone and leaving the entertainment industry is a common occurrence.

Little Dragon Girl almost had to retire early.

"My woman is none of your business."

Unexpectedly, the other party then adopted a domineering "male lead" demeanor.

As expected of someone who has collaborated with Lu Chuan for many years, it has that familiar feel to it.

"It's up to you. I've given you a proposal, whether you agree or not is up to you."

He got up to leave.

"I'm telling you," the man shouted, "you're doing this..."

"Sorry, I don't want to hear it."

He completely rejected the other party's provocation and went straight out the door.

When Cao Yu finished his anger and was about to leave, he was stopped by the waiter.

"Sir, that gentleman just said you'd be paying the bill." Cao Yu: ...

"Damn, over 2!"

"Yes, he packed three bottles of XO and two bottles of Moutai, as well as a lobster and two servings of four-headed abalone."

"Fuck you!"

……

"Hey sis, wanna eat some abalone?"

Zhang Yuan carried the wine and food home.

Well, I'm giving you face.

Asking you to treat me is just a way of giving me face.

"Such a large abalone, it must be quite expensive, right?" Cheng Hao said as she opened the box.

"If it weren't expensive, I wouldn't have ordered it, I..."

He explained roughly what had happened.

"Aren't you shameless?"

People won't talk badly about you behind your back.

“Even if I don’t do this, they’ll still criticize me behind my back, so I might as well ask for some interest.” Zhang Yuan picked up an abalone with his chopsticks and started eating it.

"Aren't you afraid of retaliation?"

"If they wanted revenge, they would have done it long ago. I know their methods all too well."

“I’ve already given him a solution, but he won’t listen. Whose fault is that?”

"What if it escalates to the point where Lao Han forces you to eat?" Cheng Hao was more refined than him, cutting his food into small pieces with a knife and fork.

"Although Lao Han is ambitious and eager for quick success, he is generally a pragmatic person."

"And he is not someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong, otherwise he would not have been in his position for so many years."

"If the other party is in the wrong, he wouldn't likely try to take their side."

"And there's also a very simple reason," Zhang Yuan said while chewing.

"Which is more important: someone who can generate hundreds of millions in revenue and hundreds of millions in profit every year, or someone who made a name for themselves through family and team connections?"

This is no longer the 6s or 70s, and the film and television industry is no longer dominated by those within the system.

Besides, I've made all the arrangements for Han Jia Nu perfectly clear. Old Han isn't stupid; he knows who's closer to, his own daughter or his old colleague.

"Believe it or not, at most, Lao Han will step in and stop me when I go too far, and teach me a lesson."

"So that we can give an explanation to the other party, and also to the people at Beijing Film Studio."

“Especially since he’s not far from retirement.”

"How much more benefit can Beijing Film Studio give him?"

"But after he retires, he still has to come back to the film industry in both sides of the strait as a rehired expert. How much benefit does that bring?"

"The world has changed. It's no longer the era of forming cliques and getting things done based on feelings."

"Putting aside everything else, look at Huayi now. After going public, they no longer show any mercy. All they talk about every day is performance and data."

He asked the aunt to heat up some rice and eat it with abalone sauce.

To be honest, he didn't really like abalone, just because it was expensive.

Another big lobster arrived, so satisfying.

Just thinking about Cao Yu's sullen face when he paid the bill makes me feel good.

Still pretending with me...

"Don't worry about what they might do," he said to Cheng Hao.

"I will refuse to negotiate today not because I am angry or holding a grudge."

"It's because we have the ability to refuse!"

"This ability is something I've accumulated little by little over the years, something I've developed on my own."

"It wasn't obtained through family background or social status; it wasn't something you could get for nothing."

The older sister smiled and rolled her eyes at him.

That's the truth. He relied on himself, which is completely different from the children of those from high-ranking families and film studios.

There is a fundamental difference in their temperament.

She could sense that Zhang Yuan was more patient and aggressive than those other people when faced with problems.

There's a difference similar to that between domesticated pets and wild animals.

One was raised by being fed, the other by being hunted—they were worlds apart.

Just like Yao Ming said about the difference between domestic and foreign players.

The rich kids in China are just working or even playing, while the NBA players are just trying to survive.

If you don't fight with all your might, you'll fall below the kill line in no time.

It's obvious who is stronger.

the next day.

When producer Huang Jianxin saw him on set, he greeted him as usual, but his smile carried an indescribable meaning.

My brother had already guessed that not letting him go would most likely not end well.

He didn't want to get involved in this dispute and pretended not to know anything.

Zhang Yuan was relieved to see this, as long as it didn't affect my filming.

The whole day was quiet until I received an unexpected call at the very end of the workday.

"Hello..." A slightly weak male voice came through the receiver.

The person who called him was Huang Xiaoming.

"Brother Xiaoming, it's been a long time since we last contacted each other." He didn't dislike the other person.

The conflict is between myself and the company behind him, not between myself and him.

Besides, Huang Xiaoming's character is considered quite good in the entertainment industry.

"Yes, for a while now. Have you been busy lately?"

"It's alright, we'll go out for a meal sometime."

"What do you want from me today?"

"Uh... well, did you have dinner with Cao Yu yesterday?" Brother Xiaoming asked nervously.

"Wow, you're really well-informed."

"Because he was the director of photography on my film set." Huang Xiaoming's words carried a hint of apprehension.

He has decided to part ways with Huayi. Although they haven't fallen out, he has started to build his own career.

He relied on the savings he had accumulated in Huayi and those shares.

Huayi's stock price has plummeted due to the cashing out by the two of them and their artists, as well as the previous Tudou.com incident.

It's less than 30 yuan, only a quarter of its peak value remains.

The two brothers were hoping that the potato harvest would boost their business and allow them to profit from the market again.

Brother Xiaoming hasn't cashed out yet, so he's only made some small-scale investments.

For example, the movie he's currently starring in, "The Ruffian".

He originally wanted to invest in a movie called "Time Tunnel," but the project fell through.

He was quite enthusiastic and didn't want to give up, so he helped the project find directors and investors.

As a result, he abandoned the original project and, through Zhang Yunyi's introduction, collaborated with her current husband, Yang Shupeng, on this drama.

It attracted investment from Enlight Media, with Xiaoming starring and his own company acting as an investor and producer.

The director of photography was Cao Yu.

Today, the other party came to the film set with a dark expression. Brother Xiaoming is a kind person, so he asked if they were feeling unwell or if something had happened.

The other party spoke with particular indignation.

"Damn it, she even said she'd ruin whichever film crew I was on, trying to scare me."

It's unclear whether Cao Yu was frightened, but Huang Xiaoming was.

what?
That's what Zhang Yuan said.

You're on my film set right now, aren't you?

If you gods are fighting, don't just exchange beams and kill me.

I've finally become a producer, I can't afford to attract the wrath of the King of Hell.

Others may not know, but doesn't Brother Xiaoming know?

Most people are just bragging, but when Zhang Yuan really gets going, his tricky angles are so unpredictable that it's impossible to defend against him.

Call back immediately to inquire.

"Brother Xiaoming, let's be honest."

"If your Ms. Yang Ying made the same mistake as Yao Cheng, what would you do?"

"They'll definitely bring someone to apologize. They should take responsibility and make the necessary sacrifices."

"That settles it. You understand this principle, but some people don't."

“We all come from ordinary backgrounds and understand these things, but those from aristocratic families look down on us.”

“He can’t even understand human speech. I was just making a joke, and he spread it around.”

"You are... joking."

"Could I do that? I'm not that kind of person."

"Isn't that right?" Xiao Ming asked hesitantly.

Zhang Yuan: ...

"Alright, how could I possibly interfere with your performance?"

You can rest assured.

"My business with him will not affect others."

Huang Xiaoming thought about it for a moment.

Regarding the incident with the Ip Man crew, he only confronted Hua Yi and it didn't affect me.

It seems I was overthinking it; they were quite perceptive.

Zhang Yuan put down his phone and thought for a moment.

He remembered that Ma Zhiming, the young master of the Ma family, was also in the film, so I couldn't do anything to him.

In addition to the investment from Enlight Media... I also have my poor buddy Zhang Yi on the set.

Unlike some people who only care about their superiors and don't consider the actual situation, I don't.

While he was proceeding according to plan, Cao Yu was doing something quite different, constantly complaining to his friends, which drew in other like-minded individuals who felt indignant on his behalf… (End of Chapter)