Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 192 Xiang Family Dinner
On the TV screen, Liu Yifei, Hu Ge and other members of the "Chinese Paladin" crew were greeting the audience.

The last introduction of Liu Yifei:
"Hello everyone, I'm Zhao Linger~"

There were screams from the audience and fans held up light signs. His popularity surpassed all the characters in the crew.

The other two female protagonists, An Yixuan and Jia Jingwen, were envious and jealous respectively.

In addition to envying her popularity and large number of fans, An Yixuan also envies her "close relationship" with Director Lu.

In recent days, the public opinion situation in the domestic entertainment industry seems to have undergone some subtle changes, and this change came from a small announcement.

Wenjie officially announced the signing of Su Chang, the company's first female artist.

Afterwards, Liu Yifei’s reply with congratulations and a love emoticon was pinned to the top of the blog post.

This was done by Yang Siwei.

Fans watch for fun, while entertainment reporters watch for details.

How can this be considered suppression and hiding?
This is clearly a roundabout way for the director to save the country, using the excuse of attacking Guo as a pretext?
Its heart is awkward!

First, the host conducted a brief interview with Liu Yifei and other leading actors in the crew.

Li Xiang: "Jingwen is a sweet girl from Taiwan Province. She must have a lot of admirers, right?"

Jia Jingwen waved her hands hurriedly: "No, no, I'm too busy with work. How can I have time?"

"So, do you have someone you like?"

At this moment, celebrities in the entertainment industry don’t deliberately hide their marriage or love affairs. Zhou Xun, Gao Yuanyuan and others change boyfriends more frequently than anyone else!
This question is a little beyond the scope, but not too abrupt.

In today's domestic entertainment industry, it is still quite popular to have a celebrity couple with equal status and complementary resources, like Brother Jing and Sister Rong.

"Really? I'm just focusing on work right now. That's it."

The topic turned to Concubine Liu Yi again.

He Jiong: "Fei Yi, can I call you Sissi?"

"Of course I can, my friends all call me that name, and my fans love me, haha."

Except for someone named Xiao Liu who has always been taking advantage of his seniority.

"Xixi, you're only sixteen, and you've achieved such great results. What's your experience?"

"Work hard. My talent is average, so the early bird catches the worm."

He Jiong: "I saw Mom is here today too. Does Mom usually follow you around?"

"Yes, my mother used to be in charge of all aspects of my affairs, but now that I have a professional agent, my mother is responsible for taking care of my life."

The answers and questions are all standard, and the focus is on portraying the story of a young girl who bravely enters the entertainment industry with her professionalism and unremitting efforts.

The host then asked a few more questions, which indeed gave Jia Jingwen more exposure and interaction than just now.

Li Xiang suddenly took over the conversation: "Xixi, although you are only sixteen years old, you have already worked with many directors, including Director Lu, Director Jiang from Beijing Film Academy, and Director Dawei of "Gold Powder."

Do you have a favorite among these directors?

Liu Xiaoli and Yang Siwei in the audience both frowned secretly.

They had checked all the problems with the script, and this was not one of them.

It’s not that this question is out of the ordinary or abrupt.

But bringing it up at a time when there are still vague rumors about Liu Yifei and Lu Kuan, does it seem like there is some ill intention behind it?
He Jiong glanced at his partner covertly. He wasn't too worried. If he didn't answer well, it could just be cut out later.

He held a high position among the hosts and knew that for some reasons unknown to him, Director Yao and the station director were paying special attention to this little girl.

Did Li Xiang take the wrong medicine today? Or did she come here on a "mission"?
He hadn't thought about it, and it might just be because of simple jealousy.

Liu Yifei hesitated for a second before raising the microphone: "The three directors are all famous teachers on my acting journey. They gave me a lot of support, encouragement and help when I was young. I am very grateful to them."

"If I had to say my favorite..."

The little girl suddenly had an idea:
"My favorite French director is Visconti, because he carefully trained an actress who won three César Awards. I like him very much."

Not to mention understanding her implied meaning, everyone at the show might not even have heard of Visconti's name unless they were a die-hard movie enthusiast these days.

The little girl's heart couldn't help but beat fast after she finished speaking.

She felt that someone as busy as Lu Kuan wouldn't be so bored as to watch this show, so she expressed her girlish feelings in a bold and clever way.

It's a bit like...

Like an adolescent high school girl who borrows a book from a boy she likes and draws a heart inconspicuously in the corner of a page?
Or a short two-line poem?

She wanted him to see it, but was also afraid that he would see it. She was quite cute in a self-deceptive way.

In other words, Yang Siwei still can't understand this joke.

Otherwise, I must once again express my helplessness towards the love-sick brain of adolescent girls.

It’s a pity that the only person in the world who can understand this joke, the washing machine, didn’t see it either.

He and Mei Yanfang were invited to a banquet at the Xiang family's mansion in Hong Kong.

As mentioned earlier, when Mei Yanfang held a concert in mainland China in the 1980s, Zhang Tianshuo, who is now singing "Tears Behind Bars", went to disrupt the concert and even attacked her, which led to a feud between the two.

Later, when Zhang Tianshuo went to Hong Kong to participate in an event, Tan Yaoxing, the Xiang family's backer, took out her anger and gave Zhang Tianshuo a good beating.

This shows the close relationship between Mei Yanfang and the Xiang family.

Like Yinghuang, Hua Guoxing of the Xiang family also has the idea of ​​entering the mainland, but has never been able to do it.

In contrast, the Eagle King next door has acted much more quickly. Since the beginning of this year, it has first donated buildings and awards to mainland universities such as Yenching University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and also established a performing arts school in Peking.

Especially with the cooperation with the young director, the two companies seemed to have completely eliminated the barriers previously created by Zhang Jianting and others.

Eagle King not only participated in the investment of a Hollywood blockbuster worth 7500 million US dollars, but also successfully obtained the distribution rights of "Thief" in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

In contrast, Hua Guoxing's movements were much slower, which made Xiang Huaqiang feel anxious.

Therefore, today's banquet is an excuse to thank Lu Kuan for giving Zhang Baizhi the female lead in "Love Is Not Blind" and to have a deeper contact with Lu Kuan.

After all, the reputation of his main business and "side business" has quietly become well-known in Hong Kong because of the success of "The Drummer" and the failure of "Back to the Future".

Xiang Huaqiang is 55 years old this year, and his son Xiang Zuo is only two or three years younger than Lu Kuan, so he is still quite reserved at the dinner table.

Fortunately, Chen Lan is a very good person with a smooth and friendly smile. She is very cheerful and kind. "Boss Lu, I wish your movie a big hit!"

Boss Lu smiled and clinked glasses with her: "Thank you, Xiang Tai."

"Bai Zhi, what are you standing there for? Director Lu is the boss of your new movie, why don't you show some appreciation?"

Zhang Baizhi glanced at the handsome and elegant "devil" in front of the crowd and picked up the wine glass helplessly.

"Director Lu, thank you for choosing me to star in this movie. I will definitely cherish this opportunity!"

"Why thank me? I just recommended you for the audition. Director Xue Xiaolu thought you were suitable in all aspects."

Xiang Tai keenly caught a hint of unnaturalness in Zhang Baizhi's behavior, but she just thought that the two had had a relationship at most, and never imagined that such a ridiculous thing would happen.

After three rounds of drinks, Xiang Huaqiang felt that the time was almost right. He sighed and asked Lu Kuan his questions.

"Lu Sheng, with the introduction of CEPA in mainland China this year, the Hong Kong film industry is trending northward. There's no need to elaborate on your relationship with Ah Mui, and I'm not afraid to expose my family's dirty laundry."

"Now Huaguoxing is far inferior to Media Asia and Eagle King, and I don't know what to do next."

"Lu Sheng, you are a rising star in the mainland and have your own unique insights into the film industry. I would like to hear your opinions."

Mei Yanfang also smiled and said, "Brother, everyone here today is one of us. We will tell you everything we know."

Mrs. Xiang also chimed in: "Yes, Lu Sheng, I heard that you were very sharp in criticizing Eagle King and Hong Kong films in front of Li Shoucheng. Let's speak freely today!"

Zhang Baizhi glanced at Lu Kuan who put down his wine glass with a smile, and thought that Mr. and Mrs. Xiang really valued him.

No wonder he scolded me on the phone that day and asked me to apologize to him and make amends.

Thinking of the ridiculous scene in Lu Kuan Villa that day, Zhang Baizhi seemed to uncontrollably feel a few itchy marks between her legs, making her feel ashamed and helpless.

This inner demon has been bothering her for a long time.

Even now, when he sees his former boyfriend, Tingfeng, he can't help but think of Lu Kuan. Boss Lu nodded thoughtfully; he understood what Xiang Huaqiang meant.

Boss Xiang’s current mentality is like holding a heavily invested Hong Kong junk stock and watching the blue chips in the A-share market soar.

I want to give up this piece of land for the time being, but I feel it's a pity, afraid that it will rebound as soon as I harvest it.

However, he was panicking as he watched companies like Eagle King and Enlightenment embrace the mainland and start to make money while he was still stuck.

Hong Kong films have gradually declined since the 90s, and even the old giant Golden Harvest stopped its production business after 2001.

To date, the Hong Kong film industry is still able to produce and sell its own films, and there are only three or four companies that have put out funds to invest in film production.

Eagle King, Anle, Media Asia, and China Star.

Everyone was originally struggling in the muddy water of Hong Kong movies, preparing to survive with difficulty.

But when I was trying to please the boss, I suddenly realized that those three people said they didn't do well in the exam, but when the results came out, they all got A+.

There is no need to mention Jiang Zhiqiang's Enlightenment, which has produced everything from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" to "Hero", as well as "House of Flying Daggers" which will start shooting before the end of the year.

Media Asia's Peter Lam gritted his teeth and invested in "Infernal Affairs", which turned out to be a huge hit and became the last glory of the Hong Kong film industry.

There is no need to mention the Eagle King. Li Shoucheng's own strategic decisions and cooperation with Lu Kuan have made the situation very good.

What about Hua Guoxing?
In 1999, Xiang Huaqiang recruited Milkyway Image and established a subsidiary called "One Hundred Years", with the gimmick of making 3 movies in years.

In terms of strength and momentum, it can be called the overlord of Hong Kong films in the new century!

However, because the ship is too big to turn around, and there is no correct strategic decision-making to guide development ideas, the current situation is precarious.

"Mr. Xiang, Mrs. Xiang, since you want me to speak, I'm going to take advantage of the alcohol and say some nice things that I think are unpleasant to the ears!"

Xiang Huaqiang waved his hand and said, "Tell me everything you know!"

"Actually, it's not just you. The entire Hong Kong community is now seeking to move north, but the biggest problem is that they haven't got the right mindset."

Xiang Tai and others looked at each other in confusion, and Zhang Baizhi also looked at them in confusion. Everyone didn't know why he suddenly brought up the attitude issue.

"I'm clearly going to the mainland to make a living, but I still can't escape my high-ranking position and think I'm going to help alleviate poverty. Is this acceptable?"

Xiang Huaqiang has a very high status in the underworld. After hearing this, he felt a little embarrassed and was about to refute it.

Boss Lu didn't give him a chance to interrupt and continued to speak.

"Don't worry, Mr. Xiang. Let me give you an example."

"This year, Hua Guoxing released a film called 'Sex Book Tycoon,' a Category III film, but when it was released in mainland China, it was rebranded as 'The Dragnet,' right?"

"This movie perfectly reflects everyone's current mentality: wanting to make a living in mainland China, but unwilling to spend a lot of effort and money, fearing they won't make ends meet."

Xiang Huaqiang and Chen Lan were both a little embarrassed. It seemed that what the other person said was not groundless.

This Category III film tells the story of two young Hong Kong men starting a business in running an erotic magazine. It would certainly not pass the review in mainland China.

But what did Hua Guoxing do to break into the mainland?
They asked the director to make some minor changes to the film during the filming process to create a politically correct version for the mainland, adding a female police officer as the character. The story then became one about combating a silver-selling group, and it was successfully released in the mainland.

"It's not just Hua Guoxing who's doing this. 'The Thousand Faces' is similar. 'The Thousand Faces' won a Hong Kong Film Award, and the storyline itself might not be that problematic, but why did it receive such negative reviews in mainland China?"

"In order to pass the review, they didn't even bother to change the plot and directly deleted the vampire scenes, destroying the coherence of the story. How can they not be criticized?"

"To put it bluntly, I want to chase beautiful women, but I don't want to put in the effort."

Boss Lu turned to Chen Lan with a smile and said, "Mrs. Xiang, I believe Mr. Xiang wasn't so perfunctory with you when you were young, right?"

Chen Lan spat at him, Xiang Huaqiang and Mei Yanfang both laughed, and they clinked glasses.

The bosses were chatting, and Zhang Baizhi honestly sat at the end of the table. Now, looking at the sociable Boss Lu, his eyes sparkled.

These words were spoken bluntly and clearly. Based on her understanding of Mr. and Mrs. Xiang, if someone else had said the same thing, Mr. Xiang would definitely have been angry.

But Lu Kuan was able to both defend and attack, and while he was criticizing, he could make the other party happy to accept it and swallow his anger.

She couldn't help but compare Boss Lu to her boyfriend who only knew how to act cool. If only Tingfeng could be as mature as him...

Lu Kuan paused and continued.

"Although the policy of 'one film, two systems' is a helpless one, it is entirely possible to create co-productions with greater detail and depth. Now it is the Hong Kong film industry that needs to adapt to the mainland's system and audiences, not the market that needs to adapt to you."

"Hua Guoxing is an entertainment group. In addition to movies, they also have entertainers, like Ms. Bai Zhi."

Boss Lu suddenly turned to Zhang Baizhi with a smile. His sparkling eyes made her shudder, and a few drops of wine spilled from the glass in her hand.

"Lu...Lu Dao, you called me?"

Chen Lan smiled and said, "Lu Sheng, you are so handsome! You have even charmed the leading female artist of our Hua Guoxing."

Boss Lu smiled noncommittally and said, "Bai Zhi, do you remember what I asked of you before I asked you to audition?"

Zhang Baizhi didn't know if he was a little drunk or had some wrong thoughts, his face was flushed, and he looked at Lu Kuan who turned his head with wide eyes in disbelief.

The two of them were quite close to each other, and Zhang Baizhi was so ashamed and angry that he cursed him as a beast in his heart!
You give me a role, what do you ask of me?
Didn’t he force me to make a phone call even when there was a violent collision from behind?
Chen Lan was somewhat dissatisfied with the leading female artist's frequent gaffes tonight: "Bai Zhi? What are you staring at? Lu Sheng is asking you a question."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Forget it, Mrs. Xiang, she's drunk too much, let her thank you and take a rest."

"I told her that her acting skills and image are both good enough for the role, but there's just one thing: Zhang Baizhi must practice her Mandarin well, at least for the dialogue part."

"Hong Kong film companies are unwilling to adapt their scripts to suit mainland audiences, and Hong Kong actors seeking work in mainland China are unwilling to even speak Mandarin. Is this the right attitude to get things done?"

Zhang Baizhi finally came to his senses: "Director Lu, I am practicing hard and have even found a teacher."

So this is what he asked for...

"very good!"

"Delivering lines is an actor's fundamental skill. If you can't do it, it's not a question of ability, it's a question of attitude. Some Hong Kong actors say Mandarin is difficult to learn, but what about Leslie Cheung and Leung Ka Fai?"

"There's no need to mention Liang Jiahui. Leslie Cheung practiced Mandarin for a month in 93 for his role in Farewell My Concubine, but in the end, he couldn't reach Chen Kaige's standard, so he asked Yang Lixin to dub him."

"In fact, mainland audiences are very easy to satisfy. As long as there is a good story and dedicated actors, people still have a filter when it comes to Hong Kong films."

Xiang Huaqiang and others frowned and thought. Hua Guoxing had already tried the tricky method. Since it didn't work, he had no choice but to humble himself and cultivate the mainland market.

After the banquet, both the host and the guests were very happy, and Xiang Huaqiang and his wife saw Mei Yanfang and Lu Kuan off.

Watching Wang Minhui driving the two of them away, Xiang Huaqiang sighed calmly.

"No wonder someone like Li Shoucheng places so much importance on road width; he's truly a rare talent."

After saying that, he returned to the house with his hands behind his back.

Chen Lan had worked with him for decades, so how could she not understand what her husband meant? She immediately grabbed Zhang Baizhi who was about to leave.

"Azhi, wait a moment, I have something to tell you."

Zhang Baizhi was stunned for a moment: "Mrs. Xiang, please give your orders."

Chen Lan feigned anger and said, "You still call me Xiang Tai, godmother."

There is no need to elaborate on Heung Wah Keung's special background. He once helped many artists during the years when the Hong Kong film industry was being plagued by the underworld.

Zhang Baizhi's family situation is special. His father is addicted to gambling and owes foreign debts. The daughter has to pay off his father's debts. Gangsters come to the set every day to harass and ask for money. It was Chen Lan who stepped in to settle it.

But later in 2003, Zhang Baizhi and Nicholas Tse rekindled their old relationship, and Xiang Tai strongly opposed it but to no avail.

Watching the female artists he trained get married dealt a huge blow to Hua Guoxing's economic interests.

This led to the subsequent online quarrels and war of words between Chen Lan and Zhang Baizhi. Zhang Baizhi even hired a lawyer to demand the tens of millions in film remuneration owed to him by Hua Guoxing, and they ended up not speaking to each other anymore.

"Godmother, do you have anything to advise Bai Zhi?"

"Azhi, the company wants to do something in the north now, and you are the key."

"I?"

Chen Lan didn't say much, but looked at Lu Kuan and Mei Yanfang who had turned the corner and disappeared.

Zhang Baizhi instantly understood what she meant, and blushed: "Godmother, I'm dating, I don't want to..."

(End of this chapter)