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When she returned home, she didn't hear the sound of a car starting downstairs, so Wen Tingli hurried to the window to look out.

I saw Lu Shicheng still sitting motionless in the car.

She pressed her forehead against the window sadly, staring silently at the figure in the car.

What was he thinking about? Her, or her deception of him?

Thinking about hating her, or thinking about loving her?

It’s not that she doesn’t know, she understands everything.

Along the way, he was surrounded by all kinds of fraud and betrayal - she thought of Mr. Fangda again. He was able to be the head of the Lu family branch, which showed how much Lu Shicheng trusted him before, but he still betrayed Lu Shicheng. Lu Shicheng almost lost his life for this. Every time such a traitor appeared around him, he would have another scar on his back.

But the stab she made was the deepest.

Her deception of him was like a sharp sword that almost pierced his chest.

It seems that he has walked away, but he is still trapped in the same place, unable to leave, unable to let go, suffering in all kinds of pain, and with no way to escape.

She always felt guilty towards him in this relationship.

But she could never tell him the truth about this matter.

Never.

Perhaps, he was still expecting her answer.

Her eyes were slightly sore, she quietly withdrew her gaze, returned to the dressing table and sat in silence stubbornly.

After a while, the sound of an engine starting came from outside the window. Without waiting for her response, he left.

***
The next day, on the way to the company, Wen Tingli bought a few newspapers as usual.

Early in the morning, the newspapers were filled with public security news such as "A 16-year-old female student from a middle school in Shanghai cleverly caught a thief" and "Churches in a church in Hongkou fell into the trap of the White House."

As she flipped through the pages, she found the news she wanted to read in the Shanghai Spring News.

【Famous film company manager Chen Maoqing was unfortunately robbed when he returned home last night. 】

The article said: Last night, as soon as Chen Maoqing got off the car, he was put into a sack and beaten by several thieves. His wallet, watch and other valuables were all stolen, and he was thrown into a smelly ditch. Fortunately, a kind-hearted person passed by, fished him out and sent him to the hospital... According to witnesses, Chen Maoqing was covered in mud, looked as miserable as a pig, and kept wailing.

Wen Tingli laughed heartily. The article was full of sarcasm towards Chen Maoqing. The phrase "as miserable as a pig" alone was enough to make Chen Maoqing the laughing stock for a whole year.

There is no need to guess, this must have been the work of those reporters last night. Not only did Chen Maoqing release "false information" for no reason, causing them to come to nothing time and time again, but he is also about to face accusations from two foreign residents for accidentally breaking into room 905. It would be strange if these reporters didn't find a way to vent their anger.

Wen Tingli put down the newspaper with satisfaction. This guy named Chen had been causing trouble for her time and again, it was time for him to be taught a lesson by her.

After attending a reception jointly held by the company and the Film Association in the morning, Wen Tingli returned to the office with Liu Menglin and Huang Yuanshan.

"Are you going to fire driver Lao Huang?" Liu Menglin was confused.

Wen Tingli told what happened last night.

"Old Huang has long been bribed by Chen Maoqing. He was the one who brought the reporters here last night. If we don't fire him, there will be endless trouble."

Liu Menglin called the logistics department with a gloomy face and said, "Ask Lao Huang to go to Suzhou to pick up a guest immediately. Miss Wen will be picked up by Lao Li for the next two days. Yes, don't alert the enemy yet. Make sure to investigate Lao Huang's background thoroughly before kicking him out."

Huang Yuanshan sneered: "I think we should not just investigate the driver, but investigate all the internal staff of the company thoroughly to be safe."

Liu Menglin said to Wen Tingli, "You see, as soon as you become famous, people will come to trouble you. The more this happens, the more we must strike while the iron is hot. Take a look at these scripts first. The new studio will be built soon. We will officially start filming the next movie in a week."

Wen Tingli was caught off guard: "So fast?"

"I think it's too slow. You can't take a break in this industry. If you don't release a new film in three months, the audience will forget about you completely."

Wen Tingli hurriedly sat down to read the scripts. There were a total of eight plays, and they were all martial arts films (note). They were all low-quality scripts rushed out in a short period of time. The characters were vague, the lines were boring, the plots were stereotyped, and the audience could often guess the ending as soon as they saw the beginning.

The key is that the actors are given little room to perform. No matter they are the protagonists or supporting roles, they are all puppets.

She said awkwardly: "Boss Liu, do you have any more innovative books?"

"Yes!" Liu Menglin casually took out a few dusty notebooks from the cabinet behind him and threw them to Wen Tingli, saying cheerfully, "Take a look at these, is there anything that suits your taste?"

Wen Tingli was dumbfounded. They were all male scripts like "The Night Driver" and "The Tiger Goes Down the Mountain".

"Ms. Wen, do you think good scripts are easy to come by?" Liu Menglin sneered, "Do you know how many film companies there are in Shanghai now? 145! Do you know how many new films these companies produce every year? Thousands! The average production cycle for each film is only one month. The competition is so fierce that almost all the scripts that can be filmed on the market have been snapped up."

Huang Yuanshan thought for a moment and said, "We can't just give Wen Tingli some bad scripts. I have always been against companies making these low-brow martial arts and ghost films. A few days ago, the Shanghai Spring News also published an article criticizing this type of film, saying that this type of film has no social educational significance and will only corrupt social morals."

Liu Menglin sneered, "Why don't the newspapers mention that martial arts films have low costs and high returns? Two years ago, Xiaermeng Films was about to declare bankruptcy, but it made a fortune with a movie called "The Treasure Hunt at Jinshan". Now almost every company in the market is competing to make martial arts films, and the reason is simple: the audience loves to watch them! Miss Wen, making a martial arts film at this time will only help to maintain her popularity."

"But this script is terrible! I bet that if Wen Tingli really made this movie, not only would her career not be able to move to a higher level, but it would also greatly reduce the good reputation she had accumulated from the movie 'Southern Beauty'."

Liu Menglin tapped the ash on his cigarette. "Don't speak too soon. Highbrow and vulgar songs each have their own audiences. Miss Wen's situation is special. She has to go to school while filming, which means her time is more limited than other actors. But considering the competitive environment this year, do you think the company can spend four or five months on the same play to accommodate her time, just like they did last year when they filmed "Southern Beauty"?"

He said firmly, "It's impossible! Recently, while the studio was shut down, I and several veterans have re-formulated the company's development strategy. The first consensus is to increase the speed of film production. Under such circumstances, martial arts films are the most suitable for Miss Wen. First, there are a lot of ready-made scripts for her to choose from, so she can start filming the next one without stopping; second, the production cycle is short enough, so it can be released in the shortest time to help her continue the popularity of the previous film. It's okay if you don't want to act, then just keep waiting for what you call a good script."

The last sentence was tantamount to putting Wen Tingli on the bench.

Huang Yuanshan tried to soften his tone: "Brother Menglin, listen to my analysis first: Yu Peiling's new film "The Legend of Loyalty" will be released tomorrow, and Le Zhiwen's new play will be finished soon. Although Xiao Diejun's "The Remarried Couple" lost to us at the box office, they still have a high-quality family ethics film waiting to be released. Facing such a strong opponent, do you really have the heart to let Wen Tingli play a cheesy movie? Don't forget that the audience has judgment! By then, not only will they not remember her excellent performance in "The Beauty of the South", they will only think that she is the lead actress of a bad movie. The company has finally dug out a new actor who is both capable and star-studded. Isn't it too short-sighted to waste her talent like this?"

"I am short-sighted?" Liu Menglin laughed angrily, "Don't forget, Wen Tingli is not the only actress in the company! To tell you the truth, there are good scripts, but I have already given "This Life Is a Dream" to Duan Miaoqing, and "The Great Road to Heaven" is tailor-made for Shen Yingying. How can I come up with more good scripts for Wen Tingli in such a short time? Besides, with Wen Tingli's current qualifications, it is not her turn to be picky! As I said, if you are willing to act, act, if you don't want to act, wait for me!"

Wen Tingli suddenly raised her head and said, "Boss Liu, in order to ensure that filming starts as soon as possible, we must use a ready-made script, right?"

"Yes."

Wen Tingli pointed to the pile of scripts in front of her and said, "So - as long as they are on the table, I can choose any of them, right?"

"what are you up to?"

Wen Tingli picked up the copy of The Night Driver Detective and said to Liu Menglin, "So, this script is also on the list of choices?"

“This is a film that mainly features male actors.”

"Let me take a look at the script first, and you just tell me if it's okay." "Okay." Liu Menglin was a little confused, "But time waits for no one, you have to make up your mind as soon as possible."

Wen Tingli smiled meaningfully: "Don't ask me to arrange activities tomorrow morning. I will get back to you by noon tomorrow at the latest."

***
The next morning, someone delivered tickets to Golden Pictures. Yu Peiling's new film "The Legend of Loyalty" was scheduled to premiere at Cathay Cinema today.

Everyone gathered together to discuss: "Guess how long it will take for this movie to knock "Southern Beauty" off the top of the box office?"

"I don't know, but everyone should be mentally prepared. Yu Peiling's movie appeal is obvious to all."

When Liu Menglin came in and saw this scene, his face became even darker: "You have nothing to do, right?!"

He went upstairs and asked someone to call several heads of the issuance department and the accounting office.

"Immediately contact the reporters we know from Shanghai Daily and Jinri Evening News. Not only can the advertisements for Southern Beauty not be withdrawn, but they must be even more frequent than before. They can set any conditions you want."

At this time, Huang Yuanshan and several veterans pushed the door open. After hearing this, someone said, "'Southern Beauty' is likely to be replaced. The company should quickly shift the focus of publicity to 'Sands of Time'. As for Miss Wen, let her shoot the next film as soon as possible while the popularity is still there."

"Boss Liu has already made up his mind." Huang Yuanshan snorted coldly, "Letting Wen Tingli shoot a martial arts film, in my opinion, he is sincere in wanting to control Wen Tingli. If Wen Tingli is willing to sign a long-term contract with the company, believe it or not, he will come up with more scripts for her to choose from on the spot."

The head of the distribution department said, "Sister Huang, you have wronged Boss Liu this time. After the two of you had an argument yesterday, Boss Liu went to the Dahua Hotel to look for Yue Zhaoyun in the afternoon, and then went to visit the recent best-selling novelist Zhuang Xiaosheng in the evening. Unfortunately, the two of them haven't finished their new books yet, so they can't remake them even if they want to."

Someone cautiously suggested, "Boss Liu, should we wait a little longer? There have been too many martial arts movies recently, and audiences are really tired of them. If the film encounters strong opponents like Yu Peiling and Xiao Diejun when it is released, it might lose both the box office and the reputation."

"So, where's the good book?" Liu Menglin spread out his hands. "Do you understand the principle that a good cook cannot cook without rice?"

Someone was knocking on the door outside. When I opened the door, it was Wen Tingli.

She looked around with a smile: "I want to discuss something with Boss Liu and Sister Huang."

***
As soon as everyone left, Wen Tingli quickly locked the door.

"I did some preparation overnight. Since there is no script suitable for me right now, we can only make use of the existing scripts in the company. Let's see--"

Under the astonished gazes of Huang and Liu, Wen Tingli took out two scripts from her bag and placed them on the table.

One was the "Night Driver Detective" that she took away yesterday, and the other was a handwritten script titled "Miss Fu's Campus Crime Story".

Then, she took out a newspaper and pointed to a headline: [A 16-year-old female student from a middle school in Shanghai cleverly caught a thief].

"Yesterday I happened to see this news in the Shanghai Daily. It was even more prominent than the news about 'Chen Maoqing being attacked'. Reporters are very good at guessing what citizens like, so this kind of news is very eye-catching. I was indeed intrigued by the title and couldn't wait to read the original article in the car. So when I saw the book 'Night Driver Detective' at Boss Liu's place later, I suddenly had an idea."

Huang Yuanshan's face brightened.

"What Sister Huang said yesterday made sense: She was not against the theme of martial arts and fantasy films, nor did she disagree with the company's goal of increasing the speed of film production. What she opposed was the stereotyped model films. Even if we are confident that we can make some innovations this time, it will be difficult to stand out among many similar films. But if we change the theme, it will be different. If we change "Night Driver Detective" to a student detective story and put it on the screen, can it be called a novel theme? Can it arouse the interest of movie fans?"

Liu Menglin stood up suddenly: "Go on."

"I have two classmates who love to read detective stories. We also have a detective agency fellowship at Hujiang University. Last night I went to school to borrow a few meeting records of the detective agency. There are many strange rumors in them. Last night I used these materials to write a simple script. You can read it."

Huang Yuanshan took the script and flipped through it quickly. When he read the rest, his face was already filled with joy. "Not bad. The original script of Night Driver also has several ready-made stories. With yours, we can write a brand new script in just a week. The name of the heroine should be down-to-earth, so let's call her Fu Zhenzhen. The story can't be limited to the campus. It's better to take place in a public place, so that it can resonate with the general public... Got it! One day, Fu Zhenzhen and her classmates took the tram to school and unfortunately encountered a strange thing..."

"It would be best if it was a murder or missing persons case." Liu Menglin couldn't wait to join the conversation. "For example, a female teacher in the school suddenly disappeared, or a classmate in the fellowship was poisoned, and the real murderer could not be found. At this time, our smart female detective found some clues. Shoot indoors, mainly in close-ups, with the murderer mixed in. The rhythm must be fast and there must be many twists!"

Wen Tingli smiled and nodded: "The key is that the cost of this film will not be too high, and it can be completed in one or two months at most."

Liu Menglin paced back and forth in the room with joy: "Miss Wen, I don't know what to praise you for. If nothing else, at least there is no similar film on the market for the time being. As long as you have a clever idea and put more effort into filming, you will definitely cause a sensation. If the response is good enough, maybe you can even make a series of films."

The three of them became more and more excited as they talked.

"Wait, wait." Huang Yuanshan suddenly lowered his voice as he remembered something. "Huamei and Xifeng are the companies that usually rush to shoot. Our film is unique. It would be bad if someone else shoots a film of the same type first."

Liu Menglin's face tightened. "You are right to worry. We must keep it confidential during the filming. I will personally appoint the director, production manager, and makeup artist. Let's say we are filming a martial arts film. We will also order a set of fake scene cards in advance. We must not leak any information."

Huang Yuanshan quickly finalized the script. The film consists of a total of twenty-four scenes - twenty indoor scenes and four outdoor scenes.

A week later, Liu Menglin officially named the film "The Fair Detective" and began to prepare costumes and scenes.

When Wen Tingli saw the title of the film, she couldn't help but curl her lips, but she had to admit that in terms of today's social atmosphere, this title was more eye-catching and would have a wider audience than her original title "Miss Fu's Campus Crime Story". The key was that it was useless for her to object.

Yu Peiling's "The Legend of Loyalty" officially surpassed "Beauty of the South" in box office after half a month of release.

Golden Company seized the opportunity and officially announced that "Legend of the Heroes" (actually "Fair Detective") was about to start filming two days before "Beauty of the South" was about to be withdrawn.

As soon as the news came out, the outside world believed it to be true. Most film critics expressed pessimism. Liu Menglin and others did not respond to these doubts. Huang Yuanshan served as the director of this film. Considering that Wen Tingli had already started school, he still tried to choose a time when she had no classes to shoot the film.

With the work experience gained during the filming of "Southern Beauty" and the company's special car to pick her up, Wen Tingli was much more relaxed than last semester. The only inconvenience was that during class, a large number of unfamiliar classmates often came to surround her, either asking for her autograph or bringing cameras to take photos with her.

But I can still cope with it.

In the first month of filming for "Sophie Detective", everything went smoothly, but in the second month, when shooting the location scenes, we encountered some obstacles.

The film has a total of four outdoor scenes, three of which were chosen to be shot on campus. It was originally planned to be filmed on the campus of Hujiang University, but it was strongly opposed by the school: firstly, they were most opposed to film companies shooting supernatural and martial arts films. One of the writers who had recently frequently published articles in newspapers criticizing such anomalies was Professor Wang from the school's Department of Sociology.

When he heard that the crew wanted to borrow the location to shoot something like "The Legend of Heroes", Professor Wang was the first to stand up and object, even if the crew changed it to just shooting the exterior scenes for one day.

Secondly, given Wen Tingli's current fame, the school was worried that the filming would cause quite a stir on campus.

Therefore, Tan Guiwang, who was in charge of the location shooting, said all the good things, but the school refused to agree. If the stalemate continued, the filming progress would be delayed. A makeup artist in the crew suggested: "They didn't say that we must shoot the location on the university campus, why don't we try a middle school? I have a cousin who is the director of the Academic Affairs Office at Chengxin Middle School. I will go to her to discuss it."

"Can your cousin sign a confidentiality agreement to ensure she doesn't reveal the real title of the film?"

"This - my cousin has no problem, but I'm afraid that their school board can't keep it confidential. Wait, why go to such a long way? Isn't Meng Qiguang one of the directors of Chengxin Middle School? Otherwise, we should go find Mr. Meng. I don't know if he is easy to talk to."

Wen Tingli said, "Why don't I give it a try."

Tan Guiwang was pleasantly surprised: "Ms. Wen is always the most resourceful. Which school are you planning to look for?"

"My alma mater is Shishi Girls' Middle School." Wen Tingli smiled, "I know Principal Zou very well. I will go visit her as soon as I finish work today."

"Okay, then we'll wait for your news. If being pragmatic doesn't work, we'll think of other ways."

(End of this chapter)