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

After seeing off the excited Katz, Li Yan didn't have time to rest either.

The box office performance of "Silent Witness" is like those long, straight legs.

They're about to cross the 2 million mark.

In an era where people haven't yet been blinded by the allure of "billions" in box office revenue, this is definitely a significant shock.

Not to mention he even helped create a new film season during the Qingming Festival in China.

Aside from a few unavoidable social engagements, Li Yanquan declined all other gatherings and interviews.

He dumped everything on his senior, Zhang Qiang.

Anyway, that bald head looks even shinier under the spotlight lately, and he seems to enjoy it.

In the afternoon, Li Yan took Jing Tian to a private restaurant on the edge of the East Fourth Ring Road.

Yan Ni held a white porcelain wine cup in her hand, her eyes unfocused. She hadn't even drunk much, but she already looked three parts drunk.

When Li Yan came in, she was clearly a little uncomfortable for a moment.

The parting in Venice was actually quite awkward.

She had confidently agreed to play the driver's wife in "Silent Witness" who "confessed her affair for her husband's sake".

As a result, Li Yan turned around and started a big fight with Guan Hu in front of the media. At that critical moment, if she, as the female lead of "Cow", really came to Li Yan's film crew, wouldn't that be a public slap in the face?

She's confused, but not stupid.

In the end, the matter was dropped.

Of course, after returning to China, Li Yan was very self-aware and didn't make that awkward call to Huang Bo and Yan Ni to ask them to act in the film.

"Director Li, that...about what happened before..."

Yan Ni put down her cup, stood up, and hesitated, wanting to explain herself.

"Sister Yan, please have a seat!"

Li Yan smiled, pressed her shoulder, and helped her back to her seat, then poured her another glass of wine.

"Don't overthink it! They did want you for that role. But then I got carried away and ended up fighting with Guan Hu!"

"Given the situation, if I had spoken up, wouldn't that have put you in an awkward position? That's why I didn't make that call. It's my fault, please don't blame me for being thoughtless."

Upon hearing this, Yan Ni felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders.

The straightforwardness of the Guanzhong women returned instantly, and they raised their glasses:

"Oh, I knew it! I thought you thought I wasn't sophisticated enough to act in big-budget movies!"

"Actually, you're overthinking it. I'm just a small-time actor. I'll work with whoever has a role. What does your competition have to do with a kid like me? Right, Tian Tian?"

Jing Tian was looking at her phone when she heard this. She looked up and said with a smile:

"Yes, yes, yes! Sister Yan, don't mind him. That's just how he is, he's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve! Come on, let's have a drink!"

The two exchanged a smile, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.

They ate and chatted for a while.

Li Yan took out the script of "The Father Trapped in Time" and solemnly handed it to Yan Ni:

"Sister Yan, the reason I came to you this time is to ask you to play the role of this daughter. It's called a supporting role, but the amount of screen time is almost the same as the lead actress."

Yan Ni took the script and quickly flipped through it on the spot.

As she watched, her usual smile vanished, and her brows furrowed.

"This play...it's so tragic! Watching it makes my heart ache. This old man is so cruel, and his daughter has it so hard!"

"Sister, it's good to suffer."

Li Yan poured tea for the three of them, wiped his hands, and said:

"I made 'Silent Witness' to make money and to give the audience a good viewing experience. In addition to making the show watchable, I also wanted to see how high it could go."

Yan Ni looked at the fellow villager in front of her who was more than a decade younger than her.

People outside are saying he's arrogant and doesn't know his own limitations.

But judging from his past record and his current confident demeanor...

Yan Ni suddenly felt that this kid might actually be capable.

She didn't want to just be a shopkeeper who said "Oh my god!"

Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone on to play a shopkeeper in Zhang Yimou's "A Simple Noodle Story," even though the film was terrible, at least she got to indulge in being a "Zhang Yimou girl."

So she made a decision readily:

"Okay, as long as you're not worried that I might end up looking like a boss lady again while acting, I can do it!"

Yan Ni is a straightforward person. Since she had accepted the script, after a hearty meal and drinks, she was eager to go back and study the role, so she took her leave first.

On the way home, Jing Tian followed Li Yan, occasionally picking up her phone and tapping a few buttons, a strange, silly smile on her face.

Li Yan glanced over and saw that they seemed to be chatting with Xiao Xiao.

"Two hundred million! Li Yan! We've broken two hundred million!"

Sure enough, after taking only a few steps, Jing Tian excitedly waved her phone in front of him, jumping up and down:

"Hehe, do you think we can reach 300 million? I just did the math, and even if we give some to China Film Group, I'll still make several million! More than all my previous pocket money combined!"

Seeing that she was so happy she almost tripped, Li Yan quickly reached out to steady her and said with a smile:

"You're satisfied with this? When we first asked you to share some money with China Film Group, weren't you whining and complaining about how much it cost?"

"I didn't understand back then..."

Jing Tian stuck out her tongue shyly, but also a little smugly:

"Who knew your 'toll money' would actually work! President Han is really awesome, our screening share has been consistently above 25%, even 'Alice' couldn't squeeze us out."

Seeing her excitement, Li Yan simply didn't let go and just pulled her arm forward:

"One screening isn't enough. We haven't even used up all the favors we've done for President Han. Is President Lu busy lately?"

Jing Tian thought for a moment and said, "It seems alright, right? He's been spending a lot of time with President Jiang lately. Apparently, he thinks this movie is good and is planning to make a big-budget co-production between China and Hong Kong! You need to see him about something?"

"Is the 'Warring States' project no longer planned?"

"He's not satisfied! He says the script is terrible, and the director is unreliable. He's planning to follow your example, hire a Hong Kong director, and make a big-budget production!"

Li Yan: 6...

Good heavens, the famous "Da Tian Tian Universe" pioneering work "Warring States" is gone just like that?

Where will he find that "too brutal" meme again?!

"Fine, whatever he films."

Li Yan stopped and looked at Jing Tian intently:

"Go back and tell your Uncle Lu to take our box office revenue of over 2 million yuan to Han Sanping."

Jing Tian was a little angry: "Why are you looking for him? Do you want me to give him money?"

Li Yan silently helped her tidy her bangs, which had been ruffled by the wind:

"Why would I give money?! Isn't this year's Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival being held in Jiangyin?"

"It seems so...?" Jing Tian looked bewildered.

"Go and compete for Best Supporting Actress!"

He squinted:

"President Han has taken such a big bite of the pie, and now that the box office is booming, he's made a fortune. He'll still give us this much face."

"Let him make the connections. With a little maneuvering from Mr. Lu, based on your performance in 'Silent Witness,' which was a box office and critical success, and showed improvement in your acting, winning Best Supporting Actress would be well-deserved!"

Jing Tian was stunned.

She pointed to her nose and asked incredulously:

"Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards? Me? Best Supporting Actress? Can I even do that?"

All those awards she won before, like "Fashion Newcomer," "Rising Star," oh, and the Northwest Cherry Ambassador—doesn't she know what they even mean?!

"If I say yes, then you do it."

Li Yan pinched her still dazed cheek; it felt nice to the touch.

"This is where our money really went! Money can be earned back, but a trophy is different. With this award, you're now the 'Official Choice'! Who dares say you're unpromotable Tian Tian?!"

Jing Tian stared blankly at Li Yan.

The next second, she hugged Li Yan tightly, clinging to him and screaming excitedly:

"Li Yan! You're amazing! I'll listen to whatever you say!"

At that moment, she felt that Li Yan was incredibly awesome!

……

The setting of the play "Father Trapped in Time" is very simple; ninety percent of the scenes take place in an apartment.

But this apartment is not simple.

It is a personification of the chaotic memories in the protagonist's mind.

As his condition worsens, the layout, colors, and furnishings of the apartment will undergo subtle changes.

The requirements for art direction and set design are very high.

If they rented a set in Yanjing, the cost of building and modifying the set alone would wipe out the millions of yuan that Li Yan had acquired through the exchange.

Therefore, Li Yan set his sights on Xi'an Film Studio.

They may not have money there, but they have land! They have people! And they have mountains of props!

He flew back to Chang'an once again.

Wang Yong warmly received him in his office, and the head of Xi'an Film Studio couldn't stop smiling, especially after seeing that "Silent Witness" was almost certain to break the 2.5 million yuan box office mark.

Even disregarding Jing's father's influence, the joint production was a wise move!

west Ying finally got to show her face under his command this time.

"Little Li, don't worry about the new movie!"

Wang Yong waved his hand grandly and said with boundless pride:

"The apartment you wanted, we've reserved it for you in Studio 3 at the factory! That's the studio we used to use for shooting big films. It has a high ceiling and good soundproofing, so you can decorate it however you like!"

"Old Liu from the set design team worked with Jianxin on 'Stand Up Straight, Don't Lie Down' and with Yi Mou on 'Not One Less.' His skills are absolutely top-notch! Let him lead the team and get it done for you!"

"but……"

Wang Yong paused for a moment and then said:

"The factory doesn't really have much cash on hand right now, but! All the costs—studio fees, labor, props, and lighting equipment—that the factory owns, can be considered as a technology-based investment. What do you think?"

Li Yan didn't say it aloud, but he was overjoyed inside.

This is exactly what he wanted!

Even though Xi'an Film Studio has declined, it still has the assets accumulated over decades.

The items piled up in their warehouse, along with a group of veteran craftsmen who have worked their entire lives, are all treasures!

Using these idle resources to exchange for investment shares is a way for Xi'an Film Studio to revitalize its assets, and for Li Yan, it means saving a significant amount of real money.

Li Yan readily stretched out his hands:

"President Wang is so generous! It's always the family who are so straightforward!"