Taking Liu Yifei back to Northeast China for the Chinese New Year has sent the entire internet into

The private room fell completely silent.

Only the purple clay teapot on the tea tray was still emitting steam.

The most difficult thing to deal with in the film and television industry is never money, but interpersonal relationships.

Investors want to give mistresses, distributors want to promote young heartthrobs, and partners want to give newcomers more screen time.

Many top-tier productions have been turned into watered-down pork by these connections.

He Zheng didn't say anything, but just silently looked at Zhou Yuanshan.

As a famous director, what he finds most disgusting is that people bring their own funding to join the production.

A bad script can be revised, and a bad scene can be reshot, but if you force a emotionless, popular actor into the lead role, even a miracle worker can't save it.

Zhou Yuanshan held his teacup and remained silent for a full minute.

Fang Yu didn't rush him, and slowly sipped his tea.

This condition is far more difficult to agree to than the previous three. The previous ones involved money, but this one involves personal connections and favors.

A minute later, Zhou Yuanshan put down his teacup and suddenly smiled.

"Fang Yu, Fang Yu, everyone says you're a wildly imaginative singer."

"Looking at you now, you know more about the industry than many producers."

Zhou Yuanshan looked at Fang Yu with a solemn expression.

"I've been investing for twenty years. I invest money to make big money, not to repay any favors."

"As long as you can guarantee the quality of 'The Legend of Sword and Fairy' and make this market bigger."

"I'll take the blame for offending people."

He turned to look at Fang Yu and He Zheng, making the final decision.

"I give you veto power over the casting!"

"I'll handle the interpersonal relationships with the investors."

"You only have one responsibility: make 'Chinese Paladin' a blockbuster!"

All four conditions have been agreed upon.

Liu Yifei turned her head to look at Fang Yu beside her.

He hasn't raised his voice at all since he entered the room.

Yet, in the midst of laughter and conversation, he completely controlled the female lead, profit sharing, music copyrights, and the life and death of the production crew.

Her hand under the table unconsciously tightened its grip on Fang Yu's fingers.

"Mr. Zhou is so straightforward!"

Fang Yu picked up his teacup and drank tea instead of wine.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Zhou Yuanshan raised his glass and clinked it against the glass, making a crisp sound.

He Zheng slammed his hand on the table and laughed heartily.

"The important matters are settled! Next week, Lao Zhou and I, in conjunction with Xingyao and Huace, will officially announce the project's approval!"

"I've been waiting for this day for ages!"

With the business settled, the atmosphere in the private room immediately relaxed.

The waiter pushed open the door and brought out several of the private restaurant's signature dishes one by one to the table.

The braised sea cucumber with scallions was glistening and tempting, the steamed grouper was steaming hot, and the braised beef in a casserole was tender and flavorful. Several refreshing seasonal stir-fries were also served on the side.

Zhou Yuanshan picked up a piece of sea cucumber, his gaze sweeping over Fang Yu and Liu Yifei, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

"Fang Yu, we've already said the unpleasant things and set the rules."

"Next, let's talk about something more cheerful."

"For example, how much money can this project actually make?"

He Zheng was gnawing on a piece of beef when he heard this and immediately looked up.

Zhou Yuanshan continued:

"You two are currently the most popular and well-regarded couple in the Chinese entertainment industry, bar none."

"A real couple, acting together for the first time, and playing the male and female leads in a fantasy drama."

"Once this news gets out, all the major video platforms and TV stations will be scrambling to get it."

Fang Yu picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks and slowly put it into his mouth.

Zhou Yuanshan leaned forward slightly.

"I'm making a conservative estimate."

"Just based on the bombshell gimmick of you two being a 'real couple' together,' the project's revenue from investment and copyright fees alone could easily exceed 100 million."

One billion.

That's just a conservative estimate.

Before filming even started, the moment the male and female leads were put on the cast list, the project's valuation skyrocketed.

He Zheng swallowed the beef and slammed his hand on the table.

"Old Zhou is absolutely right!"

"In those old dramas, the male and female leads loved each other to death on screen, but off screen they would stay as far apart as 800 meters."

"After the show airs, the publicity team still has to force the actors to be paired up to create a CP (couple) image."

"The audience isn't stupid."

"Eating too much industrial saccharin can be too sweet for some people."

He Zheng pointed at Fang Yu and Liu Yifei.

"You two are different."

"Real couples go straight into battle."

"The romance between Zhao Ling'er and Li Xiaoyao doesn't need to be forced at all."

"Just the two of you standing there, exchanging a glance, and the audience will go crazy for you."

Liu Yifei felt a little embarrassed and lowered her head to take a sip of tea.

Fang Yu, on the other hand, remained calm.

"Director He, don't speak too definitively."

"What if we get so caught up in our publicly funded romance that we mess things up? Won't you be the first one yelling at us through the loudspeaker?"

"Of course they'll scold us!"

He Zheng answered very readily.

"Dating is fine, and filming is fine too."

"Anyone who gets in my way will be scolded without hesitation!"

The group burst out laughing.

Zhou Yuanshan raised his teacup.

"Then I wish 'Chinese Paladin' a smooth start to filming in advance."

"And best of luck with this collaboration!"

"A great start."

The four of them substituted tea for wine.

The rims of the glasses touched lightly, producing a crisp sound.

The meal took more than an hour to eat.

After the dinner ended, everyone left.

A black van drove smoothly through the streets of Beijing.

The carriage was very quiet.

Liu Yifei leaned back in her chair, holding the script of "Chinese Paladin" in her hands, reading it with great concentration.

Fang Yu turned his head and stared at her focused profile for a while.

"How's the memorization of your lines going?"

Liu Yifei turned the page without looking up.

"Brother Xiaoyao".

She suddenly cried out.

Fang Yu was stunned.

For a moment, he was even somewhat dazed.

The person in front of me is clearly still Liu Yifei.

But that clear "Brother Xiaoyao" already had a hint of Zhao Ling'er's voice.

Clean and lively.

There was also a hint of dependence that couldn't be hidden.

Liu Yifei then turned her head.

Her eyes sparkled, and her tone became more playful.

"Brother Xiaoyao".

She called out again.

Fang Yu's Adam's apple bobbed, and he raised his hand to rub his temples.

"Teacher Liu, you're getting into character so fast it's almost unfair! My health bar is about to be depleted."

He leaned closer to Liu Yifei and casually put his arm around her shoulder.

"Let me hear you call out twice more."

Liu Yifei laughed and dodged away, using the script to cover her face.

"Dream on."

Her voice came from behind the script.

"Once the machine is turned on, you'll have your turn to listen."

"How can that be the same?"

Fang Yu said in a very serious tone:

"After powering on, it's time to work."

"This is currently an internal audit."

Liu Yifei glanced at him from behind the script.

"Internal trial experience card expired."

"I want to renew my subscription. I'll wait until the device is turned on."

Fang Yu paused for two seconds, then gave a thumbs up.

"OK."

"Teacher Liu not only gets into character quickly now, but his business acumen has also been fully developed."

Liu Yifei couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The van first took Liu Yifei back to her residence in the East Fourth Ring Road, and then turned around to take Fang Yu back to the artist apartment near the company.

In the following period, "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" officially entered the preparation stage.

Several companies started operations simultaneously.

Funding, legal affairs, publicity, art direction, costumes, casting – all aspects are progressing comprehensively.

The budget needs to be calculated item by item.

The contracts of the main creators need to be repeatedly confirmed.

The concept art for costumes and scenes also needed to be revised version after version.

The entire project is like a large machine that has just been started, with all the gears meshing and the speed increasing day by day.

People outside are so busy they barely have time to breathe.

Fang Yu, one of the core creators, surprisingly retreated to the artist's apartment.

They never leave the house.

Even Sister Wang almost thought that this guy had entered a state of giving up again.

But in reality...

Fang Yu sits in front of the computer every day, his fingers falling on the keyboard, saving one file after another into a newly created folder.

The folder name is very simple.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy Original Soundtrack.

However, any song in it could easily crush the current Chinese music scene.

Kill Zone.

Rain in June.

"Always Quiet".

"A Sigh of Freedom"

Finally I understand.

Fang Yu looked at the row of song titles in the folder and stroked his chin.

The cast is not yet complete.

The film crew hasn't officially started shooting yet.

But he had already loaded half of the soul of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" into his computer in advance.