A writer has arrived in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Chapter 130 Script

"Karma" is a narrative trick film. It achieves its final twist through hidden information, misleading narratives, and non-linear storytelling.

If we were to describe the entire script in chronological order, we would have to start from thirteen years ago.

The male protagonist, Ma Heng, is a kind, family-oriented barber in a small town who deeply loves his wife and daughter. The antagonist, Qiao Wan, appears to be an ordinary worker who loves his wife and daughter, but in reality, he is a local gang leader who is ruthless, paranoid, and extremely greedy.

One day, Qiao Wan left the gold necklace he bought for his daughter at Ma Heng's barbershop. The protagonist kindly went to return it, just in time to see the police arresting Qiao Wan. Qiao Wan became obsessed with the idea that Ma Heng had reported him, and from then on, he harbored a deep grudge.

After Qiao Wan went to prison, his wife and daughter left home. Ma Heng and his wife went to visit him, but a car accident occurred. Ma Heng's wife and daughter and Qiao Wan's wife died on the spot, while Qiao Wan's young daughter was covered by a falling iron bucket and miraculously survived, becoming an orphan.

Out of guilt and kindness, the male protagonist adopted her and named her Ma Xiaoling. The father and daughter revered the life-saving iron bucket as the "Bucket Goddess" and made offerings to it daily.

Thirteen years later, Qiao Wan was released from prison and gathered two accomplices: Dana, a car mechanic, and A Si, an informant.

The three men broke into Ma Heng's house at night, intending to kill the male protagonist in revenge. However, Ma Xiaoling returned home first, and the three men beat, raped, and abandoned her with serious injuries.

At this moment, Qiao Wan had no idea that the girl in front of him was his biological daughter, from whom he had been separated for thirteen years.

Ma Heng returned home to find his daughter dying. To protect her reputation and refuse police intervention, he decided to seek revenge alone.

The entire movie begins with the male protagonist going to the police station to offer a 30 baht reward for finding a trash can.

"Ah, karma and retribution! But my daughter is completely innocent, why should the retribution fall on her?"

After reading the script, Dilraba pouted, looking dissatisfied.

"I don't think so." Bai Yu stroked her chin and slowly spoke. "Look at her daughter's last line: 'I won't break down, I'll forget about this... If you had met my father that night, you would have died long ago. So it's not that you spared me, but that I spared your life so you could live.' Facing her abuser, she can bravely and firmly say such things, which makes her a very strong female character. In short, she is not someone who bears the consequences of evil, but someone who actively pulls herself out of the mire, able to lightly cast aside the malice that fate has inflicted on her."

"Look at her, no wonder she came from the Central Academy of Drama, unlike some people." Su Liu sarcastically remarked to Dilraba.

These words were like stirring up a hornet's nest.

"Teacher Su!" Dilraba immediately protested, "There are two students from the Shanghai Theatre Academy and one from the Beijing Film Academy in the room right now, so watch your words."

"Hmph, you have nothing to say, but you won't let anyone else say it."

"What did you say?" Dilraba's eyes widened, and she immediately retorted, "You're the one with an empty head! You're completely empty inside."

"Huh? Are you talking about me? Are you saying that I, the number one mystery novelist in Chinese-speaking world, the god of mystery, have a blank mind?"

"Is that right?"

"It's unbelievable! You can actually accept these two titles without batting an eye now. You used to at least know how to be embarrassed!"

Do you know a line from a martial arts novel?

"What?"

"In the martial arts world, there are only wrong names, not wrong nicknames."

Dilraba turned to the side, glancing at him sideways, with an expression that said, "This person's shamelessness is truly unprecedented; I am utterly speechless."

The two started bickering and it just wouldn't stop, leaving the other four dumbfounded. Peng Yuchang quietly nudged Bai Yu, making a soft sound without even moving his lips.

Is this the kind of atmosphere our company has?

"I don't know." Bai Yu's lips moved slightly.

"Chen Yao." Su Liu looked at the legal loli who had been sitting quietly all along.

"what?"

Are you confident about this role?

"I will definitely try my best!" Chen Yao smiled cleanly and softly, like a little deer.

Su Liu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly pointed at her and said, "I feel like we've finally got a normal person in our company!"

No one responded; they all looked completely bewildered.

"Reba is a childish girl, Ah Xian is a love-struck fool, Sister Xiaotong... Sister Xiaotong, oh..." Su Liu began to list them off as if they were his own family.

"What is it, Sister Xiaotong? Tell me!" Reba looked at him with an unfriendly expression.

Su Liu avoided the topic and changed the subject directly, "Chen Yao, you should stay away from them and not get infected."

"Um..." Bai Mengyan slowly raised her hand, "I should be a normal person, right?"

"Just the fact that you asked that question shows you're not a normal person!"

"Huh? What happened?!"

As Su Liu spoke, she suddenly looked at Bai Yu and Peng Yuchang with a serious expression, "You two aren't love-struck, are you?"

Peng Yuchang immediately replied, "I'm definitely not."

Bai Yu, like an old scholar, asked, "What does 'love-obsessed' mean?"

"Isn't there that kind of person?" Peng Yuchang chuckled and explained, "Someone whose mind is only on dating."

Can dating put food on the table?

"Eek!" A chorus of hisses erupted in the room.

"I understand," Dilraba said. "He's a total straight man."

"No wonder."

Everyone had an "I see" look on their faces.

There was a sudden knock at the door, interrupting everyone's chatter. Chen Si, holding a document, pushed open the door and walked in briskly.

She glanced at everyone sitting in a row and said, "Oh, you're all still here."

"President Chen," the group greeted him.

"Sister Sisi, what are you holding in your hand?" Reba asked.

Chen Si sat down in the chair opposite Su Liu and pushed the documents over to him. "President Su, please take a look at all of Fusu Film & Television's projects for the second half of the year."

Su Liu flipped through the document and saw that his company had three films under its control for the second half of the year: "Before I Met You," "Ike," and "Karma."

Then there's "Detective Chinatown," a film co-produced with Wanda.

"Me Before You" is set to be released on Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day). The target audience for this kind of release is extremely precise, so there is basically no need for overwhelming marketing tactics or a long promotional period. The film can rely entirely on the holiday's popularity to support its screenings.

As for "Ike" and "Karma," their filming periods are quite long, and they won't be released until next year.

The document also lists some projects that China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Enlight Media are currently preparing.

"Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe and Mojin: The Lost Legend?"

"These two are popular projects, and the strategic investment department is also quite optimistic about them," Chen Si said.

"Sister Chen, which one do you think is better?"

"Let's talk about 'Mojin: The Lost Legend'. Enlight Media has a good working relationship with us, so it's easy for us to get a share of their film."

"Okay, you decide."

"However, we probably won't be able to make it during this year's Spring Festival season, which is a bit of a pity."

It's already May, and the film is set for the Spring Festival release. Unless the movie can be finished within three months, Su Liu doesn't want to rush things like with "Knives Out" at the beginning of the year, which put a lot of pressure on everyone.

"Ah!" Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. "It's not impossible."

Low-budget, simple setting, and easy post-production—there are films like that.

However, if this movie were released during the Spring Festival, it would probably be criticized by people all over the country.

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