HuaYu: A Great Director Starting with Dream of the Red Chamber

Yang Mi is leading Zeng Jia on a race toward becoming "Big Honey".

As for Jing Tian, ​​ever since she returned from Doujiao Hutong that evening, she's been acting like she's been injected with chicken blood.

My mind is filled with thoughts of "market manipulators," "premiums," and "the guy who leads the way to get rich," and I feel like I'm about to become incredibly successful!

As soon as she got home, she locked herself in her room and, like a little mouse, started rummaging through drawers and cabinets looking for money.

Various bank cards were laid out on the table, the calculator was being pressed loudly, and someone was muttering to themselves:

"This one looks like it's worth two million... This one... How come it's only four hundred thousand... It's still a little short... If we sell these three bags, it should be enough..."

The commotion was so loud that it was hard to go unnoticed.

Yanzi is Jingtian's agent. She used to be Lu Zheng's assistant, so she is a standard professional manager.

Placing her next to Jing Tian is more like Lu Zheng finding a "guardian" for Jing Tian...

The next morning, Jing Tian was carrying three expensive limited-edition Hermes bags and was about to sneak out when Yanzi caught her red-handed.

"Tian Tian, ​​where are you going so early?"

"I...I'm going shopping!"

Do I need to bring three bags when shopping?

Yanzi sighed, giving her a look that said, "Do you think I'm blind?"

"Tian Tian, ​​you're being too obvious. Five million is no small sum... President Lu warned us long ago that there are many scammers in the industry, especially those who are only half-acquaintances, who specifically target honest people like you."

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian immediately became anxious: "Li Yan is not a liar!"

"I don't know if he's a fraud, but this is such a big matter that I have to report it to Boss Lu."

As she spoke, Yanzi took out her phone.

Upon hearing that Lu Zheng was going to be told, Jing Tian immediately threw a tantrum, reaching out to stop him and clinging to Yan Zi's arm, refusing to let go.

"This is my own money, it's my saved-up New Year's money and my acting fees! Talking to Uncle Lu won't help! Ah... okay, Yanzi, please don't say anything yet, I'll talk to him myself in a couple of days, I promise..."

Unfortunately, it didn't work on the swallows.

The call went through anyway.

Who is Lu Zheng? Anyone who can throw around so much money time and time again is no fool.

With just a few words, the truth was extracted from Jing Tian's rambling and nonsensical words.

I heard that this girl is going to use her own money to "become the dealer" and "get Uncle Lu to take over at a premium".

Although Jing Tian didn't dare to be so blunt, and didn't even dare to mention "harvesting leeks" (a metaphor for exploiting others), he understood the meaning as soon as he heard it.

Lu was so angry he laughed on the phone!

"Good job, you've really gotten to that level."

You couldn't tell Lu Zheng's mood from the phone call:

"Tian Tian, ​​I'm not trying to stop you, but if you lose such a large sum of money or get scammed, I won't be able to explain it to your father."

"Your dad was already unhappy about you entering this industry. If he finds out, you'd better stay home and not think about acting again."

Upon hearing that her father would be told, Jing Tian immediately backed down.

"Uncle Lu... please don't tell my dad, okay? I'll stop spinning it for now..."

Lu Zheng paused, then softened his tone slightly:

"Alright, I'll meet this Li Yan."

"If he can't even get past me, then this is off the table... You better behave yourself, don't even think about secretly transferring money, and don't force me to freeze your card."

……

And so, Li Yan was leisurely making financial plans for "Silent Witness" at home.

Then I received a pitiful phone call from Jing Tian:

"Li Yan...it's over...I've been exposed..."

"My card is going to be frozen... Uncle Lu said he wants to see you, and that if you can't convince him, he'll tell my dad I won't be able to act anymore..."

Hearing Jing Tian's aggrieved voice on the other end of the phone, Li Yan quickly comforted her:

"It's such a small matter, is it really that big of a deal...?"

"Let's meet him then. We'll have to meet this Mr. Lu sooner or later anyway, so what's there to be afraid of? Just send me the time and place, and I'll go there myself."

He had anticipated Jing Tian's exposure.

The swallow following her was clearly no pushover; it would be a miracle if it could cause such a commotion under her nose without being discovered.

Li Yan simply didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

He hung up the phone and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. That's it? She always tells him to call her "sister," and says she'll protect him...

……

8 PM, No. 4, Huangsi Street.

A courtyard house with an unremarkable facade, nestled against a park.

A Phantom and several black Audis were parked outside the courtyard.

The door was opened from the inside.

Li Yan stepped through the door with a calm expression, dressed in nothing more than an ordinary shirt and trousers.

After passing through the artificial hill and corridor, we finally met Uncle Lu, whom Jing Tian had mentioned, in an elegant flower hall.

Lu was sitting in a grand master's chair, with a tea table set on the rosewood table in front of him.

He was in his forties, rather thin, and wearing a loose-fitting Chinese-style jacket; at first glance, he looked quite refined.

Just one glance at him reveals the strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) in his eyes, which have a lot of white showing.

Jing Tian seemed to be sulking with him, sitting unhappily on the chair next to him, with Yanzi standing beside her with a serious expression.

When Jing Tian saw Li Yan come in, her eyes lit up and she wanted to say something, but then she glanced at Lu Zheng and could only frantically give him meaningful glances.

No one can figure out what she's trying to do...

Li Yan pretended not to see and walked straight to the front of the road:

"Mr. Lu, I've heard so much about you."

Lu Zheng didn't even lift his eyelids, continuing to slowly and methodically scald the cup and brew the tea, leaving him to wait for a full half minute.

Li Yan wasn't angry; he just stood there quietly, not in a hurry at all.

Anyone would be an enemy of Jing Tian—in Lu Zheng's eyes, Jing Tian was just a child—who had almost been swindled out of such a large sum of money. They wouldn't give him a friendly look when they saw him.

He can bear with it.

"Director Li, right?"

Lu Zheng finally finished brewing the tea and gestured with his hand:

"sit."

Li Yan pulled out a chair opposite the tea table and sat down comfortably.

"He's really young."

Lu Zheng poured him a cup of tea, pushed it in front of him, and said in a deep voice:

"Tian Tian said you want to take her on a big business deal? And even organize a gathering to be the house? Five million, that's quite an ambition."

"The size of a business depends on who you're comparing it to."

Li Yan picked up the teacup and smelled it; it was top-quality cinnamon.

"Compared to your scale, Mr. Lu, it is indeed a small matter, only enough for you to casually purchase a stone."

"Since we know it's just a small-scale operation, then it's pointless."

Lu Zheng leaned back and looked at Li Yan:

"Director Li, I'm a rough man, so I'll just speak my mind."

"I showed your script to someone. It's a legal drama, all dialogue, no action, no special effects, no spectacle. Is there any precedent for this kind of movie making money? As far as I know, I don't think so."

He didn't give Li Yan a chance to interrupt and continued:

"And speaking of actors, besides Tian Tian, ​​who else can you find? Without big names to carry the show, what will the box office rely on? Your newly established 'Gravity Pictures'? Do you even know which way the theater doors face?!"

Lu Zheng's words were straightforward, and true.

In his shallow yet arrogant understanding of film and television, supporting Jing Tian required big productions, big stars, and big scenes.

"The Great Biography of Sun Tzu" is just the beginning. There's also "The Warring States" which was planned long ago. After that, he's been in contact with resources in the Hong Kong entertainment circle and even Hollywood.

With a budget of several million, to cast Jing Tian as a rich second-generation heir who kills someone in a hit-and-run, and as a supporting character at that, is simply ridiculous and has ulterior motives.

Jing Tian, ​​who was listening nearby, was getting anxious. She wanted to speak up but didn't know what to say, so she could only stare blankly.

Li Yan smiled.

That's still how things work in the film and television industry today.

People are used to following their elder brother to get the meat, emphasizing brotherhood and dock culture.

Simply put, it's about "recognizing people".

Just like in the early days of Hong Kong entertainment circles, people who wanted to be recognized by their bosses could simply throw the name "Andy Lau, Stephen Chow, and Tricky Master" at five million dollars at him.

The same applies to the mainland; whether it's the Wang brothers or the Qin brothers, they all know each other.

Big directors, big stars, big productions—if they have just one of these qualities, they'll dare to invest, even if they end up losing money.

In Lu Zheng's view, Li Yan's approach to Jing Tian was, if not a fantasy, at least a pipe dream.

It is impossible to know exactly when the practice of "completion guarantee and premium transfer" began in the domestic film industry.

But the landmark film must be "Love is Not Blind," because it was after China Minsheng Bank entered the market that it created the box office miracle of turning a budget of 33 million yuan into 3.5 million yuan.

However, according to Li Yan's estimate, a budget of 300 million yuan is already considered very high for a chick flick...

Li Yan put down his teacup, looked up and stared directly at Lu Zheng, his expression becoming more serious.

"Mr. Lu, you're absolutely right."

"But you've overlooked one point: risk and reward are always directly proportional."

"You want big-budget productions, you want big stars to promote Tien-Tien, no problem, you have money and you're willing to spend it, but what's the result?"

"The Great Biography of Sun Tzu must have had a large budget, right? Zhang Fengyi is a big name, isn't he? But don't you know how well Tian Tian performed in it?"

"Being scolded by the director on set and unable to keep up with the big stars in scenes—are they really trying to guide Tian Tian in acting properly, or are they just doing their jobs for money and treating her like a rich, pretty face?"

Lu Zheng paused slightly in the hand holding the teacup.

Li Yan continued to deliver the finishing blow:

"You think you're promoting her, but actually you're putting her on the hot seat! The whole internet is mocking her as a 'resource-backed' actress, a 'Da Tian Tian who can't be made famous'!"

These words are quite strong.

Although Lu Zheng didn't understand opera, he wasn't blind. He knew about the grievances Jing Tian suffered on set and the harsh ridicule from outsiders.

After saying this, Li Yancai changed the subject:

"In my films, she only needs to play herself; she doesn't need to desperately try to play roles she can't handle. The audience's sympathy for the character and their emotion for the fatherly love will ultimately be transferred to her—that's true 'support'!"

"As for what you said about not having any big names..."

Li Yan suddenly smiled, a confident smile:

"That depends on your courage, Mr. Lu."

"What do you mean?" Lu Zheng squinted.

"If you just want to dabble in small-scale operations and make a sure profit, I'll find a few high-quality actors with good value for money, like Francis Ng."

"I can guarantee that we'll produce a solid film, earn some positive reviews, and maybe even help Tian Tian win an award."

"But if you're willing to go all out..."

Li Yan pointed to the ceiling:

"You can invite Chow Yun-fat to play the male lead, or Gong Li to play the female lead, I'd take the role! As long as you can get them, I can film it!"

"At that point, I can help you knock on the doors of the theaters, and even on Mr. Han's office! You believe me?!"

The flower hall was quiet.

Lu Zheng stared intently at the arrogant young man in front of him.

Chow Yun-fat? Gong Li?

How many directors in China dare to say they can handle these two titans? Even Zhang Yimou messed it up!

This kid...

That's incredibly audacious!

Jing Tian, ​​standing to the side, stared wide-eyed and slightly agape at Li Yan, whose aura was incredibly strong at that moment, her heart pounding.

That's so cool!

Yanzi stared at Li Yan blankly, as if she were seeing him for the first time.

It seems that Li Yan has put President Lu in a difficult position...

Strangely, seeing Li Yan's calm, composed, and arrogant demeanor, Lu Zheng felt a long-lost sense of pride rise within him.

Having been in business for so many years, without a gambling spirit, one could not have built such a large empire.

It's all about throwing money at it, and it doesn't matter where you throw it, not to mention that Jing Tian herself likes it too.

Lu Zheng suddenly laughed: "Good! This is interesting!"

He picked up the teapot again and refilled Li Yan's teacup.

"Young man, you've got quite the nerve! But talk is cheap, you need to show your skills too."

"Let's not think about Chow Yun-fat and Gong Li for now. Let's just do as Tian Tian said and follow your rules for now."

"If you can really set up this platform, I, Lu Zheng, will give you a chance to fleece me!"