Actor: Thank you.

The following day at noon, Zhang Yuan went to Wanda Cinema in Beijing to attend the domestic press conference for "The Expendables 2".

It was released only three days after its North American release.

It's clear that Stallone values ​​the domestic market quite a bit.

However, the mainland side left the publicity and promotion to itself, and none of the bigwigs came in person.

These are quantum states that are either valued or not valued.

They want to make money, but they don't want people to come...

Many white people have this kind of awkward mentality.

Zhang Yuan calls it a "bitch" mentality.

But there was no way around it. He had taken 300 million yuan from them, and as a music company, he had to do the work for them and help with the publicity.

"How did you two feel about collaborating with so many international dignitaries this time?"

The reporter asked him about his relationship with Zhang Ziyi.

Wearing a purple dress, Zhang Ziyi took the microphone and spoke eloquently, saying some rather empty words.

"Did any sparks fly when you were with so many hormone-fueled superstars?"

"Did you have any romantic encounters?" another female reporter asked.

These kinds of "lowbrow" questions are usually asked by female reporters, since women love gossip more.

Upon hearing the word "romantic encounter," Zhang Ziyi's face instantly turned cold, and she rolled her eyes.

But when he rolled his eyes, he saw Zhang Yuan standing to the side, arms crossed, looking at him.

I've said it so many times: don't make a sour face in public.

Once a bad habit is formed, it's hard to break.

It's their problem if journalists have poor professional conduct; we can't do that.

Zhang Ziyi reacted quickly, took a deep breath, regained her composure, and offered the following explanation.

"Zhang Yuan, did you and Zhang Ziyi create any sparks when you worked together?"

Reporters always seem to steer the conversation toward scandals.

"We're not matches, how can we create sparks?" Zhang Yuan replied with a smile, while simultaneously calling on another reporter to stand up and ask a question, not giving that bored reporter a chance to continue speaking.

"As a successful action movie actor, what are your thoughts on live-action action movies like 'The Expendables' and special effects blockbusters like 'Avatar'? Which do you think represents the future?"

This question is clearly much more sophisticated.

Zhang Yuan thought for a few seconds.

"The Expendables wasn't entirely without special effects, but it relied mostly on practical effects."

"Special effects and live-action shooting are not mutually exclusive; I believe the future belongs to a combination of both."

At this time, both Spielberg and George Lucas, two Hollywood directors and close friends, publicly expressed their concerns about the current Hollywood blockbuster model.

Primarily targeting Marvel movies.

When it comes to special effects, these two are pioneers, having gone from hand-crafted models to the era of fully computer-generated special effects.

These two believe that blockbuster films like those in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will weaken Hollywood's hard power as a global center of popular culture.

The subtext is that the output of values ​​is inadequate.

Zhang Yuan felt there was some resentment stemming from market competition, but it wasn't entirely without merit.

These two believe that Marvel movies are essentially entertainment products, lacking the artistic expression of film.

If compared to "Ready Player One," both being special effects blockbusters, then Spielberg's statement isn't wrong.

Marvel movies are actually closer to "short videos," attracting audiences with formulaic, high-intensity content.

However, Zhang Yuan is not an artist, and he does not entirely agree with the claims of these self-proclaimed artists.

Marvel and short videos can both make money, and that's enough.

As for weakening the cultural hegemony of the beacon, that's a good thing.

Regarding the issue of special effects versus live-action shooting, the current mainstream approach is to shoot entirely against a green screen.

The downside is that lighting is very complicated, and the light source on the person can easily look fake.

The consistency of the light source is difficult to adjust during post-processing.

During filming, they had to act against thin air, which made the performances seem fake.

Later, things changed; Hollywood developed a new technology.

Simply put, it's a full-light screen.

Previously, the green screen was replaced by an LED light screen, which displays pre-made special effects scenes in real time during the actors' performances.

This way, the lighting can match the final lighting after the special effects are completed, without needing to use special lighting.

Actors can see the approximate final result while performing, which enhances their immersion in the performance.

They combine realism and illusion during filming, and technically they do have an advantage, but their prices are exorbitantly high.

However, most domestic companies and directors don't learn the techniques, but they do learn all the bad habits of others.

It's hard to learn good things, but it's easy to learn bad things.

Zhang Yuan thought of Guo Fan, who was far away overseas, and realized that there was still some hope for them, who came from unconventional backgrounds.

The reporter then raised the topic of "real men" and "effeminate men".

The Expendables are indeed tough guys, especially in a domestic context where the "warm man" image is popular.

Whether it's "Love is Not Blind," "Finding Mr. Right," or Fan Bingbing's "One Night Surprise," the male lead is always a "warm-hearted man."

In later generations, such people were called "fat cats".

Zhang Yuan knew that the popularity of the so-called "effeminate" culture, besides market demand, was indeed due to some people causing trouble.

He could only guarantee that he wouldn't get involved with those rebels; he still needed to make legitimate money.

After stepping off the stage, he was just about to talk to Zhang Ziyi about rolling her eyes when she apologized and admitted her mistake, which completely messed up his mood.

"I'll be more careful next time," he could only say.

"Could you learn more from Xiao Sa? His professional hosting skills in managing facial expressions and reacting on the spot are so strong," he said casually.

"What's the point of studying? We've already broken up."

"Hmm?" Zhang Yuan glanced sideways. "So fast?"

Zhang Ziyi looked displeased.

This is very counterintuitive. If you ask the audience who is more "high-class" between Zhang Ziyi and Sa Beining, who do you think is more "high-class"?
He's definitely a gifted young man who was recommended to Peking University. He's perfectly at home on CCTV, working as a humorous and dignified teacher.

He interviews big shots all day long, hosts the Spring Festival Gala, and walks with a powerful stride.

You, Zhang Ziyi, have already passed the Triple Gate, and your reputation isn't good either. How can you compare to others?
But this is a male way of thinking; most young women see it the opposite.

Zhang Ziyi's parents and brother also look down on Sa Beining!
There's a saying: "Wealth doesn't come through hasty doors, and fortune doesn't come through crooked paths."

Zhang Ziyi and her family felt that Sa Beining didn't earn enough and didn't have a strong background, so they didn't approve.

Upon hearing her explanation, Zhang Yuan thought to himself that it was a good thing they broke up.

Ultimately, their family doesn't have the values ​​of a wealthy and powerful family; they have the mentality of a "concubine."

Even though Zhang Ziyi is already a superstar, she always thinks about climbing the social ladder by relying on men.

In terms of connections within the industry and earning power, Wang Feng is indeed stronger...

Zhang Yuan was speechless at the family's uncultured appearance.

"Whatever, just don't cause any scandals... I'm taking this call." He couldn't be bothered to interfere.

"Hello, Mr. Wang." He greeted him with a smile as he picked up his phone.

The person who called him was the owner of the fiber optic company, AKA Wang Changtian, a superficial friend in the industry.

Even if they're just friends on the surface, they're still brothers, not enemies.

So we usually get along quite well.

But today their attitude has completely changed, becoming very cold.

"I'm not doing too well."

Where are you?

"I just finished an event, what's wrong?" Zhang Yuan realized something was amiss.

"What else?" Old Wang sighed. "You almost killed someone, you know that?"

"Who?"

"Wu Xiubo!"

When Zhang Yuan heard this name, he scratched his head.

"impossible."

"Did you have dinner and drinks with him last night?" Mr. Wang questioned.

"I ate and drank, I didn't touch him, absolutely not, I guarantee it." Zhang Yuan thought to himself, "I didn't use any special techniques either."
"You didn't make a move..."

The other person vented their frustration while explaining to him.

Zhang Yuan held back, giving the other party a small punishment by making him drink three bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor), but he immediately had his assistant induce vomiting on the spot.

After this kind of cleaning, most people can only sleep for a dozen hours at most, and then wake up with a headache.

He's quite particular, because every year there are people in the industry who get drunk at parties and never sober up.

There are even cases of people who drank themselves into a brain hemorrhage and "played the stringed instrument."

This usually happens after a drinking party, when no one cares and the food is just left there.

This situation rarely occurs when someone takes care of it.

He helped induce vomiting, and Wu Xiubo had an assistant with her; theoretically, that shouldn't have happened.

But he didn't expect one thing: the other person's physical condition.

This guy keeps bragging about how great he is, how many girls he's dated, and so on.

They were blowing whistles and making noises, as if they had amazing physical abilities.

In reality, Zhang Yuan overlooked some details in his boasting.

This guy is a womanizer who always has women take care of his life.

Because his health is not very good.

When he was not yet twenty years old and had just joined the railway art troupe, he always had stomach aches.

After going to the doctor, I was diagnosed with colon cancer!
The surgery cost over 100,000 yuan, which was reimbursed by the performing arts troupe.

It has to be said that a secure job is reliable.

More than 40 centimeters of colon were removed. Then, after testing the removed section, it turned out to be a misdiagnosis…

Medical malpractice is truly terrifying.

Therefore, this person has very poor digestive function.

With one piece of equipment missing, how could it not be inferior?

Poor digestion can cause a series of bodily dysfunctions.

Normally, people absorb, break down, and excrete these substances.

He's different; his absorption and decomposition processes are flawed, and his excretion is even more problematic.

My stomach is already weak, and several kilograms of white liquor would be too much for it...

He didn't wake up in the morning, so his assistant quickly called an ambulance. They rushed him to the hospital and he ended up in the ICU.

They even issued a critical condition notice.

Wang Changtian's words revealed a mask of pain to him.

People's physical constitutions cannot be generalized. The middle-aged people I usually come into contact with are all heavy drinkers, especially those who are good at socializing.

It's not that I harmed you, it's that this world harmed you!
"Is the person still alive?"

He was trembling slightly.

In essence, he was not a truly wicked person, and he panicked upon hearing this.

"He's alright."

A critical illness notice; the ICU sounds scary, but in reality, the upper and lower limits are very different.

They're half-dead, on the verge of death, and can end up in the ICU.

Wu Xiubo's case is the mildest type.

The person is fine, not unconscious, and did not require major surgery.

After lying in bed for half a day, I was transferred to a regular ward and am currently receiving an IV drip.

"It's good that you're alright."

"I'm not good!" Wang Changtian said angrily, raising his voice as he saw him breathe a sigh of relief.

"The Four Great Constables is about to start filming, and he's currently in the hospital."

"The doctor said I need to rest for a month!"

Zhang Yuan picked at his ear. "Why are you yelling so loudly!"
I understand now. Seven-tenths of the reason Wang Changtian is unhappy is because it affects the filming.

I don't think you care much about whether he lives or dies...

"What should we do then?" Zhang Yuan replied helplessly.

That's why I'm asking you!

"Should we let him perform while he's sick?" Zhang Yuan suggested.

Wang Changtian: ...

"Okay, okay, just kidding."

"I'll take a fruit basket and go visit them in a bit."

"If you suffer any losses, let's discuss it and see how to handle it."

All they want is trouble and money.

I find it really shameless of you to ask me if I want it.

If you're really that shameless, I'm also shameless not to give it to you.

"Don't do this again next time."

Do you know the cause and effect?

Zhang Yuan explained the situation to the other party.

He could guess that Wu Xiubo's people wouldn't tell the truth; they were sure to play the victim.

After listening, Wang Changtian remained silent for a while.

He now feels a bit sorry for Wu Xiubo.

Why did you have to mess with him?

And they even provoked him to his face.

They even changed their tone, shifting from accusation to persuasion.

"I think he's in the wrong too, so let's just forget about it."

"Don't overthink it, he's just bragging."

"I'll talk to him later. Don't worry, I promise he'll behave himself on set."

Known by the nickname "Zhang Sanfeng," he has benefited from stereotypes.

It may not sound nice, but it can be advantageous when something happens.

Everyone was afraid he would go crazy.

Who knows what trouble he might cause? We could only try to appease him.

"Okay, let's find a chance to have a meal together later, and I'll apologize to you in person." Seeing that the other party's attitude had changed, he readily agreed.

Put down your phone and have Brother Long drive you to Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

As the saying goes, if the King of Hell wants you dead at midnight, Peking Union Medical College Hospital will keep you alive until dawn.

King Yama: You are going to die.

Peking Union Medical College Hospital: Really? I don't believe it.

Arriving at this place where "the Book of Life and Death can be altered," Zhang Yuan wondered if sending him here would be the fastest way to save him.

What if he dies if we take him to a small hospital?

Seeing the hospital sign, he suddenly remembered the night he had a falling out with Cheng Hao.

And he fell into deep self-doubt.

But doubts can't last long.

I went to visit the patient first.

When Wu Xiubo saw him arrive, he, who had been lying down and unable to move, almost stood up straight on the spot.

"have a good rest."

"Mr. Wang has already told me about your situation."

"President Wang..." Wu Xiubo calmed down considerably upon hearing Wang Changtian's name.

You have powerful backers!
“I also told him about you,” Zhang Yuan continued.

His composure quickly vanished.

Because his wife was right next to him.

Actually, his wife knew all about it, but this kind of thing can't be said publicly.

"Not only is the fiber optic crew waiting for you to start filming, but my crew is also waiting for you."

"We'd all be scrambling to get Bo Ge, such a popular artist."

"You have a great responsibility, you must get well soon." Zhang Yuan patted his shoulder with a gentle expression.

But that smile was terrifying to the other person.

Zhang Yuan warmly shook his hand, actually taking his pulse.

The purpose of coming is to confirm the other party's status and, incidentally, to clarify their attitude.

Do you want to make a big fuss, or do we want to keep things tacitly agreed upon? These are two different ways to handle things.

If you want to escalate things, let's confront each other head-on. I've never been afraid of that.

If we're just keeping it to ourselves, then I'll find a way to make it up to you later.

Wu Xiubo was, after all, a seasoned veteran, and his mind was clear.

He understood his implication and said it was fine, as it was just an old problem of his.

We'll continue our collaboration once things are settled.

It's actually easier to communicate with greedy and lustful people than with those who claim to be upright.

However, he wasn't completely at ease.

After leaving the hospital, I first notified the company to draft the artist contract for "Finding Mr. Right" as soon as possible, as a sign of sincerity to the other party.

Of course, the pay has to be low.

Having work to do and wanting to earn more money—you can't have all the good things.

However, the company also indicated that they would provide support for him in the future, whether he was a lead actor or working behind the scenes.

The old man also wants to take advantage of his fame to quickly cross over into other fields.

Making money is nowhere near as lucrative as filming.

Even at this point, Zhang Yuan was still not completely at ease.

He then made a phone call to Deng.

This person is now considered one of us, since we've acquired shares.

He was the male lead in "The Four Great Constables" and was on set the whole time.

"Chao, I need to ask you a favor."

"Don't say 'please,' just give me any instructions." This person was quite polite.

"It's like this..." He explained in detail what happened last night and the results of today's events to the other party.

"Don't tell anyone, because I'm only telling you. If others find out, you'll definitely miss it," Zhang Yuan said half-jokingly.

"Keep it a secret!" Deng Chao was terrified.

My God!
You almost killed someone with a single careless act.

He was asked to keep an eye on the guy on set to see if he behaved himself.

This will allow us to observe whether his handling of the situation is merely a superficial agreement with a cover-up, or a genuine consensus.

It relates to whether or not this person can continue to be used in the future.

Although he felt that the other party was a social person and there was no major problem, he still couldn't let his guard down.

"I hope this ends here." He rubbed his temples wearily and made a wish. (End of Chapter)