The King of Soft Rice in Chinese Entertainment

Chapter 243 Delaying time
It must be said that Feng Xiaogang's adaptation of "A World Without Thieves" was quite effective.

Some plots may not seem problematic if you only read the text, but when they are presented as visuals and sound, the audience will think: Is there anything wrong with this character?

For example, Wang Li felt that Sha Gen was simple-minded, which reminded her of her younger brother, so she decided to protect him as he returned to his hometown.

This plot point wouldn't be a problem in a novel, because the author's initial descriptions of her and Wang Bo carried a touch of a literati's imagination of a refined thief. Wang Bo used to be a painter, and Wang Li used to study architecture. They weren't husband and wife, and they met while traveling. Their crimes were infrequent, not for financial gain, and they specifically targeted corrupt officials, donating money to Project Hope.

This kind of character would naturally appeal to a simple-minded person like Shagen, thus protecting him as he returns home, but it certainly wouldn't pass censorship.

After all, for censors, movies are meant for the vast majority of people, and they have a hard time distinguishing between movies and reality.

You say they can tell the difference? Fine, then who will take responsibility for that?
Thus, Wang Bo and Wang Li transformed from elegant thieves in novels into professional thieves in movies, and the plot of extorting corrupt officials became extorting wealthy businessmen.

With this change, Wang Li's feelings for Sha Gen became untenable; a simple "sister" couldn't make the old scoundrel repent.

Therefore, Wang Li's pregnancy is a perfect excuse to accumulate good karma for the child. It not only makes Wang Bo's character arc more complete, but also increases the sympathy for Wang Li, who eats roast duck alone with tears streaming down her face until her mouth is sore.

So... so Fan Bingbing can't act in it.

If it's the novel version, where Wang Li is an architecture graduate who only becomes a thief to travel and only steals money from corrupt officials, then she could still give it a try.

However, it's hard to say about the movie version of Wang Li, which was modified by Feng Xiaogang. It's almost certain that the movie version of Wang Li was designed based on Liu Naicha, because Liu Naicha herself is the kind of person with a tragic backstory, which is quite consistent with Wang Li's image.

Xu Jiuyang simply couldn't imagine how Fan Bingbing would play this kind of role.

"Don't you think that's a bit much, Xu? There's not even a script, and you're so sure I can't act it out?" Fan Bingbing asked, quite displeased.

“What I mean is, you’re still a bit green. If you really want to play the role, why not find a suitable screenwriter to modify Wang Li to suit your own image?” Xu Jiuyang said leisurely.

"It's so easy to say, which screenwriter can revise it?" Fan Bingbing complained, wishing her eyes hadn't been so darting around. "Unless... unless you do it."

"Impossible. Just getting that art film done for you is already exhausting. If I add a commercial film on top of that, what will I do? I'll have to rest!" Xu Jiuyang refused without hesitation.

"No way, Xu, you can't flirt with me and then just leave me there!" Fan Bingbing immediately exclaimed.

He seemed genuinely anxious, so much so that he couldn't even keep his voice down, causing the crew members who were temporarily free to turn their heads towards him.

Xu Jiuyang could hardly contain himself: "Student Fan, what kind of indecent words are those!"

"Is there something wrong with what I said? This kind of approach of criticizing someone without saying how to change is just provoking them and then ignoring them, isn't it?" Fan Bingbing pouted, looking very angry.

"I haven't had a chance to say it yet!" Xu Jiuyang said righteously.

Fan Bingbing tilted her head, giving him a "keep blowing, I'm listening" look.

Xu Jiuyang then coughed and said, "I was thinking at the dinner party earlier, even though you want to kill Huayi, you don't necessarily have to kill Feng Kuzi, do you?"

“No, I’m going to kill him too,” Fan Bingbing said coldly.

“That’s fine too,” Xu Jiuyang said, completely unconcerned. “However, Feng Kuzi’s priority is definitely lower than Huayi’s, so we need to distinguish between the primary and secondary contradictions.”

“That makes sense,” Fan Bingbing said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin. “So, what Xu means is to borrow Feng Kuzi from Huayi to direct ‘A World Without Thieves,’ and at the same time sow discord between him and Huayi.”

“Not bad,” Xu Jiuyang nodded, showing his appreciation for the young man. “Angela bringing Huayi to invest in Hollywood movies is already a favor to them… to them. So, in return, it’s perfectly reasonable for them to send Feng Xiaogang to help us make a movie.” “We can also allow them to take a stake and then boast that they’ve led the project, like with ‘Big Shot’,” Fan Bingbing added, drawing inferences from one instance to another.

“That’s right. Feng Kuzi himself is a screenwriter. Letting him adapt ‘A World Without Thieves’ and tailor-make the role of Wang Li according to your characteristics should be no problem.” Xu Jiuyang continued to nod.

“But I still trust you.” Fan Bingbing said after thinking for a moment, her expression very serious.

“But I really can’t write two scripts at the same time,” Xu Jiuyang sighed. “I can only say that I will try my best to read Feng Kuzi’s script and make sure it meets your requirements as much as possible without going against the theme.”

"Then I'll leave everything to you, Xu." Fan Bingbing stared at him intently for a long moment, and finally smiled sweetly, like a blooming rose, breathtakingly beautiful.

Fortunately, Chen Qiaoen ran over at that moment, and Xu Jiuyang was able to control his thoughts and go to film with his assistant.

He naturally didn't see the wicked smile that curled at the corner of Fan Bingbing's mouth.
-
"Is everything done?"

"It's all taken care of, Miss Fan."

"I'll remember this favor, Producer Dong." Young Master Fan smiled and nodded to Dong Qing.

"It is my honor to serve Miss Fan," Dong Qing said with a smile and a slight bow.

"Oh dear, that's probably why both Xu and the Third Miss are so satisfied with you," Young Master Fan sighed.

Dong Qing smiled but remained silent.

Xiao Fan didn't say anything more. After leaving her, she looked at the time and saw that it was already past 9 o'clock. So she went to a room in the hotel and rang the doorbell.

"Miss Fan? Is there anything I can help you with?" It was Gao Yuanyuan's secretary, Zhang Lei, who opened the door.

"Yes, if you need anything, ask Sister Yuanyuan," said Little Fan with a smile.

"What's wrong?" Gao Yuanyuan came out quickly.

"There's something I need to discuss. How about we talk somewhere else, Sister Yuanyuan?" Little Fan tilted her head.

“No problem.” Gao Yuanyuan readily agreed. After giving Zhang Lei a few instructions, she left with Fan Bingbing.

Then they arrived at a room. Not only was Jiang Qinqin, who opened the door, stunned, but Gao Yuanyuan, who was with her, was also stunned. Only Fan Bingbing remained calm and maintained her smile.

"Actually, it's nothing much. I just wanted to come and ask Sister Qinqin how the filming is going. After all, I'm a producer too," Fan Bingbing said frankly after sitting down inside.

Then, pointing to Gao Yuanyuan, he said, "Sister Yuanyuan is my friend. She also invested in this TV series and is a well-known writer, so I brought her along to listen."

"It's nothing..." Jiang Qinqin, without suspecting anything, simply explained the situation.

But Fan Bingbing didn't leave. Instead, she continued to ask questions in a fragmented and repetitive manner, as if she wasn't discussing filming but rather... stalling for time.
Jiang Qinqin quickly went from calm to unease, and eventually kept checking the time, worried that something had been discovered.

So, seeing that it was past 10 o'clock, she finally stood up and said, "Excuse me, Ms. Fan, I need to rest now."

"Don't rush, Sister Qinqin, let's chat a little longer," Little Fan said with a smile, still looking calm and composed. "Anyway, he won't be coming tonight, otherwise all my hard work arranging the room would be for nothing."

(End of this chapter)