Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 249 What is the Price of Youth?
Because both Jiang and Liu were eager to drag Zhang Yan into the mess, the meal ended around 9 p.m.

The five then took two separate cars and returned to the hotel where the film crew was staying.

Tao Hong naturally got into Zhang Yan's car, and then recounted in detail what had happened the day before.

She didn't actually know the full story; she only heard secondhand information from others after Jiang Wen issued a gag order.

But it is undoubtedly true that Dong Ping held an axe to Jiang Wen's neck and said that if the film couldn't be made or the production cost couldn't be recouped, he would die with him.

After listening to Tao Hong's story from the passenger seat, Feng Xiaogang couldn't help but chuckle: "With such limited skills, he still has the nerve to laugh at me for being a quick shooter [This dialogue from the previous chapter was deleted by the backend]—Heh, does he really think being a director is so easy?"

Then he said to Zhang Yan, "We at Dingli are out of resources right now. The only one in the north who can handle this half-cooked meal is Yuanmeng. If you think it's suitable, then go ahead and smash it down. If you really break it, I'll help you fix it up."

That's what they say, but Feng Xiaogang has already sentenced the "Sunshine" production team to death. How could anyone with a sound mind touch such a money-wasting project?

“Otherwise, I’d have to ask you to help me out, Brother Feng.” Zhang Yan also laughed: “He can handle the job of managing two families; no one else could do it.”

"But then again."

Feng Xiaogang suddenly sighed again: "I'm actually quite envious of Jiang Wen. Which director wouldn't want to squander money as they please?"

"That's easy. When you're worth hundreds of millions, just invest your own money to make a movie, and then you can do whatever you want with it."

"Then forget it."

Without a second thought, Feng Xiaogang waved his hand and said, "Burning your own money isn't fulfilling a dream, it's suicide!"

As they were talking, they arrived at the hotel. The group got out of the car and walked inside. As soon as they entered, someone at the front desk stood up and said, "Brother, sister-in-law, you're back."

Jiang Wen didn't stop walking, introducing as she went: "This is my younger brother, Jiang Wu, a senior at Beijing Film Academy."

Tao Hong added quietly from behind, "They just arrived last night."

Zhang Yan glanced at Jiang Wu and asked with a smile, "Is this to guard against the outside or the inside?"

"Yes, they are all there, mainly to prevent internal and external transportation."

Jiang Wen knew that yesterday's events must have been leaked, so she vaguely said, "These days, reporters are always eager to stir up trouble; they can write a living person out of thin air."

It seems he was in a hurry to bring his younger brother to stand guard, mainly because he didn't want yesterday's events to reach the ears of reporters.

As she spoke, Jiang Wen headed straight for the stairwell, but Zhang Yan didn't follow. Instead, he went to the front desk, placed a business card on it, and said with a smile, "You did a good job in 'Grandpa Ge.' You can consider helping me fulfill my dream after I graduate next year."

"Grandpa Ge" is a film made by Jiang Wu in 92. It won an award in China, but it didn't make much of a splash. People still refer to him as Jiang Wen's younger brother.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wu's eyes lit up immediately, and he excitedly asked, "You've seen my movies? May I ask who you are...?"

"This is Mr. Zhang, who has fulfilled his dream."

Jiang Wen turned around and glared at Jiang Wu: "Stand still at your post."

"Oh~"

Jiang Wu immediately sat back down obediently. After Jiang Wen led Zhang Yan and the others upstairs, he grinned and picked up the business card, turning it over and over to look at it.

When Liu Xiaoqing left, he had already arranged for people to make preparations, so after going upstairs, the group did not delay and immediately began to analyze the film for Zhang Yan and Feng Xiaogang.

Since they met, Jiang Wen had been somewhat passive, but when the pre-recorded scenes started playing, his arrogance returned immediately.

Every now and then, he would take a pointer and poke it in a spot, asking Zhang Yan and Feng Xiaogang, "Did you figure it out?"

You could tell he was smug, but you couldn't tell he was even smuger.

But it must be admitted that this film is indeed well made. Although it tells a story from the era of the buzzing and contains some metaphorical allusions, the main theme remains firmly focused on the word 'youth'.

These two words transcend everything, making you feel a longing and yearning for youth even if you haven't experienced that kind of adolescence.

Zhang Yan mainly sighed with emotion, while Feng Xiaogang became increasingly serious and solemn as he read.

Because of the timeline changes brought about by Zhang Yan, he didn't have a cameo role in this film, so it was his first time seeing Jiang Wen's narrative style and filming techniques. As a fellow newcomer to the film industry, Feng Xiaogang initially looked down on Jiang Wen, thinking that he had messed things up right away and was completely unsuitable to be a director.

But now it seems that Jiang Wen handled many aspects more skillfully than him, especially in terms of the story's coherence. There were dramatic conflicts, but nothing felt abrupt; everything transitioned smoothly.

The two of them stared at each other for more than two hours.

Actually, we hadn't finished watching yet, but it was already past midnight, and Zhang Yan had a symposium to attend the next morning, so he took the initiative to call a halt.

Feng Xiaogang wanted to finish watching it in one go, but the other person was there for Zhang Yan, so his opinion was insignificant.

"How about it?"

Once outside the screening room, Jiang Wen straightened his back and became more energetic, eagerly pressing Zhang Yan for his opinion.

"Let me think about it."

Zhang Yan said casually, "I have to attend a symposium at the Chinese Academy of Sciences tomorrow morning. We can have a serious talk when I get back."

Jiang Wen was somewhat dissatisfied, but Liu Xiaoqing felt that being able to negotiate was a good thing, so he stopped Jiang Wen and asked, "Should we invite President Dong as well?"

"No rush. Let's reach an agreement first, then we can talk to President Dong. If we can't reach an agreement, it will save us the trouble of troubling President Dong."

Liu Xiaoqing thought it made sense. If the two sides didn't agree on the terms first, dragging Dong Ping into the situation would only make things more chaotic.

So they squeezed out a room for Zhang Yan and Feng Xiaogang to stay for the night.

After entering the room and closing the door, Feng Xiaogang couldn't help but sigh deeply, clearly having suffered a blow.

After making his bed, Zhang Yan turned around and said, "Brother Feng, you've wasted so many years. You can't just start looking down on all the heroes in the world after suddenly achieving success, can you?"

Feng Xiaogang thought about it and realized that his mentality was a bit unbalanced. Back when he was at the Beijing-Taiwan Film Production Center, he had been suppressed by Zheng Xiaolong and Zhao Baogang for many years, and he had never experienced anything like this before.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Indeed, it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality—what's your plan for tomorrow? Do you need my cooperation?"

Earlier in the car, he said he wanted to cooperate with Zhang Yan, but that was just a casual remark. Now he genuinely feels that cooperation is necessary.

"Not urgent."

Zhang Yan lay down on the single bed with an air of nonchalance and said, "Let's talk about it after Dong Ping finishes talking to them tomorrow morning, otherwise I'll have to go through one hurdle after another, which is troublesome."

"Wait for Dong Ping..."

Feng Xiaogang was puzzled at first, then realized what was going on, shook his head and laughed, "You little rascal, you're really cunning."

It was understandable that Dong Ping hadn't planted any informants before, but now that things have developed to this point, if he still doesn't plant spies in the crew, then all those years he's spent in Inner Mongolia have been for nothing.

Zhang Yan said they would talk again tomorrow afternoon, which was actually giving Dong Ping time to react.

If Dong Ping can't react in time, it only proves that he really has no control over the production team, so it's only natural that he suffers more losses.

If Dong Ping realizes what's happening...

No matter what the outcome of the negotiations between Dong Ping and Jiang and Liu, Zhang Yan will have the upper hand.

After all, Zhang Yan had already said not to involve Dong Ping for the time being. Since Jiang Wen and Liu Xiaoqing had already committed fouls, it's no wonder that Zhang Yan unilaterally increased the stakes.

Feng Xiaogang thought for a moment, then asked, "What if they all breathe from the same nostril?"

Zhang Yan lay down on the bed, covered himself with the blanket, and said calmly, "It's not like I have to join them. If I feel it's not worth it, then we can just part ways."

…………

As expected.

The next morning, no sooner had Zhang Yan driven away than Dong Ping and his men arrived at the hotel in a flurry of activity.

(End of this chapter)