Hear this life

Huang Yuanshan took out an old ticket and showed it to Wen Tingli: "You and I have the same idea. But as everyone says, man proposes, God disposes. I just booked the ticket yesterday, and then something happened here, so the ticket had to be invalidated. Now that you help me, I can finally make some money."

Wen Tingli was filled with emotion: "It's not that easy to run a company. I should have come to help you earlier. Tomorrow, you can go to Hangzhou to recruit people. Leave everything here to me. The next thing is the actors. I calculated that the two films will need at least eight or nine main actors. Do you have any suitable candidates?"

"Two?" Huang Yuanshan was stunned. "Isn't it just a film about the female workers at the Hongmian Spinning Mill?"

Wen Tingli shook her head. "On the way here, I kept thinking about what Liu Menglin said. Although he was arrogant, he was right in one thing: a film about female workers is likely to lose money. The company is just starting out, and we can't take the risk of betting everything on one film."

"what do you mean?"

"We have to shoot another film with a different theme at the same time. It would be best if we choose a theme that movie fans will like, so that the box office can be guaranteed."

"The question is what to shoot?" Huang Yuanshan said, "We don't even have a ready-made script. Even if we can recruit an excellent screenwriter as soon as possible, it's hard to write a script on the spur of the moment."

"Listen, why don't we buy the most popular legendary novel and adapt it into a movie, just like Boss Liu did when he adapted Yue Zhaoyun's "Southern Beauty"? Sister Yue hasn't started writing her new story yet, but I heard from Yan Zhenzhen that Zhuang Xiaosheng's new novel "Double Pearls" is very popular recently. Yan Zhenzhen is a huge fan and buys every issue. Why don't we find a way to get in touch with Zhuang Xiaosheng?"

Huang Yuanshan's eyes lit up. "With his name and your fame, it's hard for this movie not to be a hit. But, although Zhuang Xiaosheng is not as famous as Yue Zhaoyun, he has a very eccentric temper. Others either love money or fame, but he acts entirely based on his mood."

Wen Tingli lowered her head and thought: "I remember Yan Zhenzhen analyzed a characteristic of this writer to me last time. Oh, what did she say at that time? I vaguely remember that it had something to do with Sister Yue. How about this? I will go to Yan Zhenzhen to find out more about this person. Once I have thoroughly studied this new and popular writer, I will not worry about not finding a breakthrough."

Huang Yuanshan was so happy that he lay on the sofa with his head tilted, and he kept sighing: "Wen Tingli, without your help as a military advisor, I don't know how long I would have been busy. In the first few days, I was like a headless fly running around everywhere. When you came, a huge burden was lifted from my shoulders."

"It's difficult to run a company by yourself, and it's even more impossible for me to start my own business with my qualifications. Without you, Sister Huang, taking the lead, I can't take this step. But I believe that as long as you and I work together, there will always be a way to open up the situation. I remember Sister Huang told me that Golden Pictures was just a small workshop with ten people back then, but it has developed into a well-known large company today. If they can do it, we can do it too!"

After talking for a while, Wen Tingli felt her throat was dry. She stood up and poured herself a glass of water and took a big gulp: "Sister Huang, let's give our new company a name."

Huang Yuanshan got up and said in an extremely serious tone: "The company was founded by you and me. My name is Yuanshan and your name is Tingli. Yuanshan means the scenery is endless and far-reaching, and it contains the word 'feng'; Tingli means graceful and elegant, and it contains the word 'xiu'. Combining the two, why not call it Xiufeng?"

Xiufeng.

Wen Tingli chewed on these two words silently. The name seemed to have its own glow, which suddenly made people feel infinite light and hope in their hearts.

Climb to the top of the mountain, look for beautiful scenery, and when you look back, you will see the beautiful mountains at your feet..."

Looking back on her journey, isn't it just "climbing higher peaks and looking for farther views"?

She just felt her heart pounding.

"What a great name, it couldn't be better!"

All ambitions and aspirations become clear and concrete with the appearance of this name.

Huang Yuanshan was also filled with mixed feelings. He turned his back and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. He immediately turned back and shook hands with Wen Tingli solemnly: "So, from today on, you and I are co-owners of Xiufeng Film Company. We will work together to promote Xiufeng Film Company and make it a unique presence in the film market!"

Wen Tingli nodded, then shook her head. Under Huang Yuanshan's surprised gaze, Wen Tingli smiled and said, "I am very greedy, Sister Huang. Xiufeng was founded by you and me, so it should not only be 'unique', but also 'leading the trend'."

Huang Yuanshan laughed out loud: "This is the Wen Tingli I know! If you don't want to do it, don't do it. If you want to do it, do it to the best of your ability!"

***
Both of them were action-oriented, so after a quick bite at noon, they started to act separately. Huang Yuanshan arranged to meet with the famous makeup artist Gu Jie, while Wen Tingli called Yan Zhenzhen, who happened to be away from home because she was out studying. Wen Tingli hurriedly asked someone to send her business card to Zhuang Xiaosheng's house, intending to try it herself first.

Unexpectedly, Zhuang Xiaosheng refused to see her at all. She waited in the car for half an hour but to no avail. She had to go home first. When she passed by the school, she parked the car and went to the school library to borrow some old newspapers about Zhuang Xiaosheng to study.

At this time, a reporter named Chen Qiufeng suddenly called her. He worked for the Minle Evening News and often provided Wen Tingli with first-hand information from the newspaper industry.

The two knew each other before, but they only became really familiar with each other last month. That night, the Minle Evening News agreed to do an exclusive interview with Wen Tingli, and the reporter sent was Chen Qiufeng. However, he had a car accident on the way, and when he arrived at the Golden Film Company, he was already an hour late. Wen Tingli was busy shooting the next scene and had already entered the studio.

Chen Qiufeng was trapped outside the gate of the Golden Company, and he didn't know what to do. He was still young, and this time he not only offended a popular star, but also ruined the reputation of the newspaper. If he returned empty-handed again, he might even lose his job.

A few hours later, Wen Tingli came out from work and unexpectedly saw a man wandering at the door in panic. After finding out the whole story, she thought about the various situations when she first entered the industry. She couldn't help but feel sympathy for the man and readily agreed to be photographed and interviewed by Chen Qiufeng.

By the time this shooting started, it was already past two in the morning, but Wen Tingli was still chatting and laughing as usual, and she even bought a midnight snack for reporter Chen when she finished work.

Chen Qiufeng returned the favor. From then on, whenever he heard some inside information in the film or literary and art circles, he would tell Wen Tingli the first time.

This time Chen Qiufeng's tone was very anxious: "Miss Wen, have you had a falling out with Golden Pictures? This afternoon, Mr. Liu from Golden Pictures personally sent a press release to our newspaper office, saying that they were going to replace the heroine of the third part of "The Fair Detective". Is this true?"

Wen Tingli calmed down and said, "It's true. It's a long story. What did Liu Menglin say in his article?"

"I have secretly copied a copy in the proof-room. I will read it to you."

The title is: [This season's film market welcomes the biggest surprise: "Fair Detective 3" has a major cast change! Movie Emperor Zhu Xiaozhou and Miss Duan Miaoqing will soon play the leading male and female protagonists in the "Fair Detective" series].

The main text is much more caustic: "The plot of the third film is more tortuous and bizarre than the previous one, and many difficult martial arts moves have been added. After reading the script, Miss Wen Tingli said that she was not up to the task. In order to ensure the quality of the film, the film company had to use Miss Duan Miaoqing, who is proficient in martial arts. Miss Duan has been in the industry for several years and has always been dedicated and humble. She has worked with Zhu Xiaozhou twice before, and the two sides have a tacit understanding. This arrangement is a happy one for everyone. We look forward to this famous golden boy and girl in the film industry bringing us an extraordinary third film!"

Reading this, Chen Qiufeng could not help but say, "Miss Wen, this article is a mixture of praise and criticism. It's just short of saying that you are incompetent and unprofessional." Wen Tingli was not surprised at all. She knew that Liu Menglin would not be able to swallow this.

"Not only this one, there is another one that will be published tomorrow evening. The title is even more explicit. It is -" Chen Qiufeng coughed, "[One face in front of people, another face behind people. A certain female celebrity has such a terrible character]."

"…Relying on her recent rise in fame, she made a huge demand on the eve of filming, demanding that the film company double her salary, or she would go on strike. This paralyzed the work progress and stranded dozens of studio staff. It is reported that this is not the first time that the actress has used this method to threaten the film company. If she continues to succeed, it will definitely bring bad influence to the entire industry. Therefore, the film company resolutely replaced the film with another more outstanding actress…

"This is absolute nonsense!" Wen Tingli was so angry that she saw stars.

Chen Qiufeng scratched his head anxiously. "Ms. Wen, our Minle Evening News is almost the largest-circulation evening newspaper in this city. Once this article is published, it will be extremely unfavorable to your reputation. Although it does not mention your name, everyone can see that it is talking about you. The manuscript is still being proofread in the editorial office, but it will be printed soon. You must think of a solution as soon as possible."

"I know what's going on, Xiao Chen, thank you for giving me the news."

As soon as she hung up the phone, Wen Tingli started rubbing her temples.

Liu Menglin's move was too cruel. In this way, everyone would think that the role change in "Sisters Who Make Waves 3" was her own fault.

As soon as this news came out, Liu Menglin and Golden Pictures earned the sympathy of the outside world, and "Slim III" earned the public's curiosity and attention in advance. Only she will be criticized.

The lawsuit is unwinnable and the article does not name any names.

What if she published a clarification statement in the newspaper? No, that would completely offend Zhu Xiaozhou and his fans. After all, she refused to work with Zhu Xiaozhou because she didn't want the role of "Fu Zhenzhen" to become a foil for the handsome ruffian.

Zhu Xiaozhou entered the industry earlier than her, has more connections than her, and has always had a good reputation in the film industry. The outside world will not understand her difficulties in refusing to act at the last minute, and will only misunderstand that she is trying to steal the role from Zhu Xiaozhou. At that time, not only will Zhu Xiaozhou's fans stand up to accuse her, but even the old fans of the "Meet the Girl" series will be dissatisfied.

Therefore, this clarification statement must not be issued, otherwise we would really fall into Liu Menglin’s trap.

But if she doesn't respond directly, she will inevitably be labeled as "ungrateful and ungrateful" and "unprofessional". As everyone knows, she entered the industry at Golden Film Company and has always been highly valued by the company. Unless it is "absolutely necessary", the old boss will not stand up to expose their favorite general, so "the fault must be all hers."

Not only would her personal image plummet, but it would also damage the future development of Xiufeng Film Company. Her and Huang Jie's new film was overshadowed before it even started filming - this was what she was most worried about.

She paced around the room twice like an ant on hot pan, then suddenly stopped. No, she couldn't just sit there and wait to die.

***
"What? You want our company to withdraw Liu Menglin's press release? Miss Wen, are you kidding? The layout is ready and it will be printed in half an hour. Why should I agree to your unreasonable request?"

In the editor-in-chief's office of "Minle Evening News", editor-in-chief Ding Hengjun kept shaking his head and waving his hands at Wen Tingli.

Wen Tingli's smile did not fade. "If it were me, I would definitely not withdraw the article. No news would be more eye-catching than Liu Menglin's article - 'A popular female star was replaced by her boss because she asked for an exorbitant price'. Anyone passing by the newsstand would buy it to find out the truth. The sales of your newspaper will definitely be very optimistic in the future. But have you ever thought that once the article is published, you will not only offend me and my fans, but also many people in the industry who are on good terms with me."

"Miss Wen, are you threatening me? You probably don't know the customs of the newspaper industry. We journalists never take a few threats seriously."

Wen Tingli sighed softly, "I just want to tell Director Ding that everyone in the industry who has worked with me knows that I, Wen Tingli, am dedicated to my work and keep my promises. Liu Menglin's words simply do not stand up to scrutiny. I left Huangjin this time due to various unavoidable factors. The so-called 'film pay issue' is a pure lie fabricated by Liu Menglin. The truth will soon surface, and by then, Minle Evening News will be the initiator of the rumor-mongering. Director Ding is not a short-sighted person. Why would he cause trouble for a little bit of profit?

Ding Hengjun's eyelids fluttered. "Ms. Wen, I don't want to judge the case between you and Liu Menglin. You have your arguments and he has his reasons, but our newspaper has always been fair. Liu Menglin can slander you, and you can also stand up and fight back. How about this, I promise you, I will help you publish a "clarification statement" on the front page tomorrow?"

Wen Tingli showed a subtle expression, and just stared at Ding Hengjun quietly until Ding Hengjun's eyes began to flicker. Then she slowly withdrew her gaze, opened her handbag, took out a manuscript, and shook it between her fingers.

"How about this, let's make a deal? I'll trade you a piece of news that's more eye-catching. I can guarantee that this article will bring more benefits to your newspaper than Liu Menglin's. The key is that there will be no worries."

Ding Hengjun stared at Wen Tingli's fingers suspiciously. "It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that... Liu Menglin owed me a big favor before, so this time he gave me an exclusive. We have already prepared the titles for the next few days' articles. If you change the topic at the last minute, the whole newspaper will be in a mess."

"【Miss Wen Tingli is about to star in the new work "Double Pearls" by the new popular writer Zhuang Xiaosheng】-How about this title?" Wen Tingli spoke slowly.

Ding Hengjun was stunned for a moment, then stood up and asked, "Zhuang Xiaosheng? Did you buy the adaptation rights to his Twin Pearls?"

Wen Tingli continued slowly, "[Tomorrow at noon, Ms. Wen Tingli and the famous director Ms. Huang Yuanshan will jointly hold a press conference at the Dingxiang Hotel (note). At that time, the two will announce an explosive news]. What do you think of this title?"

Ding Hengjun could no longer hold his temper, and strode over to try to take the paper from Wen Tingli's fingertips, but Wen Tingli quickly put the manuscript back into her handbag: "Remove Liu Menglin's manuscript, and I can give these two news items to your company for publication."

After a pause, she added: "Exclusive!"

Ding Hengjun couldn't help swallowing, but he was still hesitant.

"All the shooting progress and studio photos of Twin Pearls will be published in your newspaper's supplement for several months until the day of the release. It will still be exclusive throughout the whole process (note)."

She emphasized the last two words. Ding Hengjun was still undecided. She said in a seductive tone, "You also know that the outside world now calls me the 'box office magic drug'. I am one signboard, Director Huang is another signboard, and now there is Zhuang Xiaosheng's signboard. Three signs are gathered in the supplement of your newspaper. Director Ding still needs to worry that the sales volume in the next few months cannot double again? How many days can the exclusive talent given to you by Liu Menglin bring you popularity? Director Ding is a smart man, and he should know how to make choices."

Ding Hengjun scratched his hair, made up his mind, nodded and said, "Okay! I promise you. I can't publish Liu Menglin's article tonight, but I can't offend him too much. I can help you for one night at most. By tomorrow noon, if the information you gave Ding is false, or if something unexpected happens, I will have to use Liu Menglin's exclusive article to save the situation. At that time, Miss Wen, don't blame me for turning my back on you."

"Deal!" Wen Tingli said loudly.

(End of this chapter)