Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 187: "Fairy Castle 2" is released, leaving Ah Mou speechless!

May 30th, Sunday.

Today is not a rest day, but in order to make up for the National Day holiday, we have to work overtime on Sunday.

Students also have to attend classes.

The high school section of an international school in Shanghai.

"School's finally over."

High school is so tiring.

"I've only been studying for a month, and I already have the urge to drop out. If I had known it would be this hard, I would have preferred to go to the US to study. I have a junior high classmate who went to the US and is having a blast, just playing around all day. His lousy math skills are actually able to represent the school in the state-level Olympiad in the US."

"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm leaving now, my dad's here to pick me up."

"Oh, by the way, don't forget to go to the Grand Cinema tomorrow morning to see 'The Fairy Castle 2.' Not for any other reason than to support He Shiyu, the prettiest girl in our class. She's about to become Lu Yunzhou's new leading lady."

With the National Day holiday approaching, many luxury cars were parked at the school gate, forming a long queue that blocked the road in front of the school.

Traffic police officers were constantly directing traffic from the sidelines.

These students complained about their high school life while chatting about their plans for the National Day holiday.

However, when they mentioned Fairy Castle 2 and He Shiyu, their voices involuntarily rose a little.

A very beautiful girl joined their class.

Moreover, the entire school has confirmed that she has a very close relationship with Lu Yunzhou—the transfer procedures were handled by Lu Yunzhou's agent.

The people in her dorm confirmed that He Shiyu had made a video call with Lu Yunzhou while she was in the dorm that night.

That night, when the call connected, the girls' dormitory building erupted in screams, as if an earthquake had struck.

From then on, He Shiyu became the princess of their school.

The girls surrounded He Shiyu.

The boy, on the other hand, tried to get close to He Shiyu every day, hoping to win her over and start a relationship.

If He Shiyu becomes popular in the future, I can brag about it for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately, He Shiyu completely ignored them.

When He Shiyu went to the cafeteria, a bunch of people offered her their seats. Even the cafeteria ladies serving food would give her an extra spoonful of meat.

He Shiyu originally thought that since she came to study at an international school in Shanghai, where her classmates were all rich and powerful, and she came from an ordinary family in a small county in Yunnan, she would be lucky if she wasn't looked down upon.

Unexpectedly, she was showered with love and affection.

Holy crap!

"A silver Audi R8 sports car!"

"Isn't that Lu Yunzhou's car? Lu Yunzhou himself has come to connect with Shiyu!"

When Lu Yunzhou's iconic Audi R8 sports car appeared at the school gate, the entire school turned its attention to him.

"My brother is here to pick me up. I'm leaving now."

He Shiyu had ridden in this bus before, and it was one of the most beautiful memories of her life. Seeing the bus again instantly brought back those wonderful memories.

Dopamine is being secreted in a frenzy.

He Shiyu felt that this moment was the happiest moment of her life.

After waving goodbye to her classmates, He Shiyu, carrying her schoolbag, hurriedly ran towards the silver Audi R8 sports car.

However, the next moment, after He Shiyu opened the car door, she froze and stood there.

She hesitated, unwilling to get on the bus.

Inside the car, Cai Xukun rested one hand on the steering wheel, wearing large sunglasses. He gently blew on his hair, lowered his head slightly, adjusted his sunglasses, and said to He Shiyu with a deliberately cool expression, "Little Box, did you see a ghost? Aren't you getting in the car? Have you never seen anyone as handsome as me? It's okay—I forgive you."

What are you talking about?

What do you mean, "It's okay, I forgive you"?

He Shiyu is truly impressed.

However, the fact that Cai Xukun was able to drive this car indicates that it was arranged by Lu Yunzhou.

With that in mind, He Shiyu got into the car obediently, fastened her seatbelt, and slowly lowered her rolled-up trouser legs.

She covered her fair calves again.

She had intended for Lu Yunzhou to see unintentionally that although her legs were short, her skin was fair and her calves were slender; although her legs were not long, they had their own charm.

Lu Yunzhou should not discriminate against people with short legs.

Since it's Cai Xukun, let's just forget about it.

If you look at him too much, I'll gouge his eyes out!

"Little Box, I'll take you out to eat. After we eat, it's up to you. Do you want to stay in the company dormitory, or go stay at Big Brother's place?"

Cai Xukun gave He Shiyu a choice between two options.

Hearing that this option actually allows you to stay at Lu Yunzhou's house?

He Shiyu was overjoyed and kept asking, "Is it okay? Can I stay at my brother's house? Will it be inconvenient?"

"It's inconvenient, that's natural."

As Cai Xukun drove, he casually remarked, "However, your older brother is your temporary guardian. He promised your parents he would take good care of you, and he will definitely keep his word. He has always been a man of his word. That's truly admirable."

"But don't overthink it."

"Your older brother is probably not home, so he'll arrange for you to stay at Sister Tangtang's house."

"After all, my older brother is very busy during the National Day holiday. He needs to promote the movie and travel all over the country, so he can't take care of you."

He Shiyu was very happy after listening to the first half, and even looked forward to the next 7-day holiday.

But when she heard that Lu Yunzhou was going on a business trip and would most likely not be staying at home, she felt a little disappointed.

Finally, He Shiyu also sensed some unspoken meaning. Since Lu Yunzhou was not at home, she could stay in the dormitory arranged by the company. Why did Lu Yunzhou arrange for her to stay at Tang Yan's house?

Is it not okay for me to stay at Lu Yunzhou's house?

She can do it all by herself.

She's already 16 years old, practically an adult, so Lu Yunzhou doesn't need to arrange for anyone to take care of her.

"Can't I live alone at my brother's house?"

He Shiyu hesitated for a moment, then volunteered, "When my brother isn't home, I can help him clean the house and do his laundry. I'm very capable."

"No, no, no."

Upon hearing this, Cai Xukun, as if remembering something, suddenly grinned and said, "Little Box, I won't tell you now..."

You. But you'll soon find out. Not just anyone can stay at your brother's house.

Just as He Shiyu's eyes were looking somewhat dejected, thinking that she was not worthy of being a guest at Lu Yunzhou's house, Cai Xukun chuckled a few times and added, "Hehe—mainly, I'm afraid you'll get trampled to death by someone in the middle of the night."

What does that mean?

What does it mean to be trampled to death by someone?

He Shiyu looked puzzled, but she still obediently followed Cai Xukun to have a big meal, and then Cai Xukun drove her to the Huangpu Bay mansion.

"Sister, I'm leaving the person with you now. I'm heading out. A friend of mine is coming to visit."

Cai Xukun rang Tang Yan's doorbell, pushed He Shiyu inside, put two fingers to his forehead in a salute, and turned to leave.

"Ah Kun, remember to change your car if you go out so late at night."

As Tang Yan spoke, she took a car key from a drawer by the door and handed it to Cai Xukun.

Cai Xukun surprisingly didn't take the car keys, waving his hand: "No need. I'll help my brother boost his popularity. Let those paparazzi come and take pictures of me every day. Once they realize I'm driving this car, they'll lose interest."

"I'll swipe it a few more times so the paparazzi become desensitized to this car. Then, you can drive your supercar out whenever you want, and take me for a spin."

Tang Yan has never experienced Lu Yunzhou taking her for a drive in a supercar.

Cai Xukun's mention of it made her quite hopeful.

Hearing this, Tang Yan smiled and took back her car keys, then said to Cai Xukun with concern, "Then drive carefully. Don't drink and drive; they're cracking down really hard during the National Day holiday."

Cai Xukun raised his hands in surrender and muttered, "I know, Third Sister-in-law. You're quite the chatterbox."

After saying that, he turned and left.

He Shiyu was still wondering what Cai Xukun meant by "Third Sister-in-law" when Tang Yan handed her a pair of slippers.

"Thank you, Sister Tangtang."

He Shiyu was flattered and hurriedly accepted the slippers.

She wasn't very familiar with Tang Yan; she only knew him from her agent as the company's boss.

Lu Yunzhou's acting contracts are all with Tang Yan's company. In a sense, Lu Yunzhou is working for Tang Yan.

As a new employee at the company, she moved directly into the boss's house.

What kind of treatment is this?

At this moment, she felt panicked. She felt that Tang Yan, this capitalist, was deliberately befriending her in order to exploit her like a piece of jerky.

"There are no outsiders in my house, please help yourself, take whatever you want to eat."

Tang Yan, wearing slippers, casually sat down on the sofa: "I don't have a housekeeper because I'm not home most of the time. Hiring a housekeeper would be like paying someone to live in my house, like a cuckoo taking over my place. However, I've arranged with a housekeeping company to send someone to clean every two days."

"If you're not comfortable with strangers, just close the door and put up a 'Do Not Disturb' sign when the cleaning lady comes."

"I don't have much else to say."

After saying that, Tang Yan got up, took two bottles of sugar-free drinks from the refrigerator, and handed one of them to He Shiyu.

Suddenly remembering something, Tang Yan added, "I've replaced the door lock with a smart lock. Let me register your facial recognition. From now on, if you don't want to stay at school on weekends, you can come stay at my place."

"Yunzhou lives upstairs from me."

"However, he is busier than me. He doesn't spend more than two months a year at home."

After briefly explaining the situation, Tang Yan suddenly felt mischievous and whispered a secret to He Shiyu: "I know you might be tempted to go for a stroll around his house. But let me tell you something: there's a tigress in his house. You'd better not go up there, or you might get trampled to death."

He Shiyu is already an employee of her company, so she won't act like a little fan and go crazy outside, revealing the privacy of the company's big brother.

Tang Yan first revealed Wang Ran's existence to He Shiyu.

He Shiyu wasn't stupid; after a moment's thought, she understood: "A tigress? Like the boatwoman?"

"You'll find out later."

Tang Yan smiled but didn't admit it, though her eyes betrayed her.

That's quite clever, using poetic language.

After chatting for a while, Tang Yan pulled He Shiyu to choose a room: "Besides the master bedroom, you can choose any room. I suggest the secondary bedroom facing south, the lighting will be better."

"Thank you, Sister Tangtang."

Tang Yan was indeed very good to her, but the news that Tang Yan had just revealed still made He Shiyu very uncomfortable, as if something was blocking her chest.

Didn't they say the relationship was fake?

Liar!

Wang Ran, in particular, completely fooled everyone!

Wang Ran swore to Heaven that she was not the real Empress. If she were the real Empress, then she would grant a general amnesty, and everyone would have porridge to eat.

Since you made a vow—then I won't hold back!

"Little Box, get some rest tonight. Dai Si will be coming over in a couple of days. You'll be receiving martial arts training together."

"I'll have someone at school help you get a leave of absence."

Tang Yan has gradually adapted to working behind the scenes and is preparing to replace Ji Rujing.

At least, she's prepared to get involved in Lu Yunzhou's film and television projects.

They pushed Huang Yida aside.

There was no premiere for "The Fairy Castle 2".

Because time was too tight.

Milan Fashion Week had just ended when Lu Yunzhou headed back to China, leaving no time for the premiere.

However, Lu Yunzhou has always been very respectful to his fans.

Without a premiere, he did more promotional events.

On September 30th, the first day of the film's release, he went to three screenings in one night. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, after the last screening, that he felt relieved to see the audience leave satisfied.

Movies are a commodity. Audiences are willing to spend an entire evening in the cinema, investing their time, energy, and money.

If one doesn't get any spiritual enjoyment, who would come?

Lu Yunzhou has always believed that movies should depict things that audiences never normally encounter, giving them a beautiful dream.

Tragic themes are clearly not the kind of "dream" stories that audiences like to watch.

Superhero movies are probably the audience's favorite dream.

The first part of "Fairy Castle" is obviously not a dream—but Lu Yunzhou has constructed a very realistic world.

He bet all his chips.

Especially the final post-credits scene, where Liu Haocun's character "Xue'er" sees his character "Xue'er" in Milan and completes "The Last Supper".

At that moment, the sense of anticipation reached its peak.

Therefore, when the second film was released, the audience's enthusiasm for watching the movie was immediately ignited.

Especially IMAX, and all kinds of giant screen theaters!

"Coconut, have you struck it rich?"

Why did we invite everyone to see a movie?

"These IMAX tickets aren't cheap. They cost over 100 yuan each."

At the entrance of Beijing Film Academy.

The National Day holiday is long, but college students don't go home as easily as high school students because some of them live too far away.

At that moment, a group of people were gathered around the school gate, teasing Zhou Ye.

"I invited you to see a movie, and you're still asking all these questions? If you don't want to watch it, give me back my tickets."

Zhou Ye was making a fuss and joking with everyone.

Ever since the movie schedule was released and tickets could be booked online, Zhou Ye bought hundreds of IMAX movie tickets and gave them away like crazy on campus.

While supplies last.

She was, after all, the most beautiful girl at Beijing Film Academy, and very popular.

Moreover, this beautiful girl, upon catching someone at school, regardless of gender, directly offered them movie tickets, repeatedly begging everyone to go to the cinema near the school tonight to watch the movie "The Fairy Castle 2".

After giving her the movie tickets, she kept saying thank you.

This really baffled the students.

However, since there are free movies to watch, students who don't have any activities that evening will still go and watch them.

After all, movie theaters are still a pretty good date spot these days.

"Jingjing, don't go."

Zhou Ye was handing out movie tickets at the school gate. When Zhang Jingyi saw this, she immediately covered her face and tried to leave quietly.

To everyone's surprise, Zhou Ye, with her sharp eyes, pulled her over. "Jingjing, come with me to deliver the tickets. You don't want your brother's movie, which is doing well at the box office, to be photographed with the theater completely empty, like it's full of ghosts watching it, do you?"

The pre-sale box office for the movie "The Fairy Castle 2" is frighteningly high.

The first day of pre-sales exceeded 2 million!

Based on the current pre-sales figures, the second day's sales have already exceeded 6000 million, and they will likely break 2 million tomorrow!

The theater owners were stunned. They thought, "Is this the power of a superstar? This is terrifying! At 40 yuan per ticket, that's equivalent to 500 million fans buying pre-sale tickets every day?"

He's simply a god.

After all, in this era, the box office revenue on a typical weekday is only around 2 million.

The market will be higher during the National Day holiday, but it will only be around 3-4 million.

Lu Yunzhou's movies accounted for half of the box office revenue, and that was from pre-sales.

Are these fans crazy?

However, many people were waiting to see a joke – these fans had booked the entire venue, how could so many people possibly come to watch?

This led to the situation in Zhou Ye's case, where I not only paid for the venue, but also put in the effort by asking classmates and friends to support the event.

This kind of dedication is something only true fans would do.

"Senior, you were just rumored to be dating my older brother, and now you're at the school gate, frantically promoting his movie. Are you trying to get on the front page?"

Zhang Jingyi felt that Zhou Ye had ulterior motives.

She didn't want to stand with Zhou Ye, and she didn't want to be an accomplice to evil.

"Jingjing, what kind of talk is that?"

Zhou Ye, however, enthusiastically put her arm around Zhang Jingyi's shoulder: "Wouldn't it be great if I became your sister-in-law? Aren't I more suitable for him than Wang Ran?"

"Tell me honestly, am I prettier than Wang Ran?"

Others may need to think about it.

However, upon hearing this question, Zhang Jingyi did not hesitate at all. Looking at Zhou Ye, she said decisively, "You."

"Haha. You have good taste. I knew you'd be on my side."

Zhou Ye immediately smiled happily.

She discovered that she looked somewhat like Zhang Jingyi.

Zhang Jingyi boasting that she's prettier than Wang Ran—isn't that just bragging? It seems Zhang Jingyi is quite the clever one.

"Jingjing, I have some news for you. It's something no one else knows."

Zhou Ye chuckled like a weasel that had just stolen a chicken, and whispered to Zhang Jingyi, "My brother is going to Chongqing next month."

How did you know?

Zhang Jingyi asked, feigning confusion.

Actually, she already knew.

Because next month, she's going to Chongqing to film "The Sky of Wind and Dogs." She's joined the film crew and won't be able to leave for three months.

Therefore, if Lu Yunzhou wants to see her, he has to take the initiative to find her.

This made Zhang Jingyi feel a sweet warmth in her heart.

This shows that Lu Yunzhou really likes her—she had never heard of Lu Yunzhou taking the initiative to visit any female celebrity on set!

My maternal grandmother's family is from Chongqing.

Zhou Ye gave a brief explanation, then boasted a little, "There are several female roles in 'A Writer's Odyssey,' but the casting hasn't been finalized yet. I got an audition through personal connections. I'm going to Chongqing this time, hoping to land a role!"

Zhang Jingyi immediately became curious and asked, "How do you get them? I mean, it's Director Dong's first time directing a movie, and it's a visual blockbuster, so he'll be very cautious and probably won't rashly use new actors."

Zhou Ye, however, said nonchalantly, "It's just a small role, a cameo. I've acted in two movies, so I should have enough experience. Plus, I have someone recommending me. There shouldn't be any problem. Besides, Director Dong knows what he's doing; I'm not really doing this for the role."

At this point, Zhou Ye lowered her voice, but her expression was somewhat excited: "Last time, I met your older brother, we had dinner together, and we went horseback riding together. Anyway, I've taken a liking to him. I know he's very busy with work and probably doesn't have time for dating."

"I just wanted to tell him that I like him and that I'm willing to wait for him."

"If he has any scandals, I'll jump out to clarify them for him. Anyway, I know they're all false."

"After all, with such a beautiful rose like me waiting for him, how could he possibly be interested in anyone else?"

Good guy.

That's really something.

You really know how to daydream.

Zhang Jingyi was speechless and felt that Zhou Ye was overconfident. At this moment, she could only offer her blessings: "I wish you success."

However, once you go to Chongqing, once you find out that your older brother went to Chongqing to see me—I will throw myself into his arms and kiss him passionately right in front of you.

You wouldn't have wanted to kill me back then, would you?

Hey.

I didn't want to do that either.

That's incredibly cunning.

But you're being too arrogant—how can you tell me so openly in front of me that you're trying to steal my boyfriend?

Tolerable or unbearable?

"Jingjing, the movie is about to start, let's go quickly."

"I wonder how many prime-time screenings 'The Fairy Castle 2' has been scheduled for in theaters?"

Zhou Ye was unaware that Zhang Jingyi was gradually turning to the dark side because of her words, and at this moment she was enthusiastically pulling Zhang Jingyi to...

See a movie.

They had all attended movie screenings.

However, those internal screenings are mostly attended by fans, so you don't get much fair feedback.

This time, Zhou Ye went to a regular theater to hear how ordinary viewers rated Lu Yunzhou's film.

At the same time, she also wanted to see if the cinema was deliberately targeting Lu Yunzhou. For example, by giving all the prime-time slots to other movies.

The fact that "The Fairy Castle 2" appears to have a high number of screenings is actually due to all of them being ineffective.

If so, she will lead the charge to seek justice for Lu Yunzhou.

Zhang Jingyi remained silent, watching Zhou Ye operate the system.

Anyway, she felt that Zhou Ye's efforts were all in vain.

After entering the theater with my ticket, the movie hadn't started yet; it was still time to wait.

After Zhou Ye sat down, she looked around and saw that the occupancy rate was quite good, with some people even bringing their families.

However, kids are really annoying.

Especially that little brat in the back, who kept kicking his own chair.

After being kicked three times in a row, Zhou Ye was really about to explode with anger.

However, this is my future husband's movie—I'll endure it!

At that moment, Zhou Ye put on the brightest smile of her life and turned to the couple with the child behind her, saying, "The little brother is so cute. How old is he?"

The couple clearly understood that their child was bothering Zhou Ye. They would have likely said, "You're a grown adult, can't you give way to the child?"

However, Zhou Ye's politeness made them feel a little embarrassed.

The mother scolded her child: "The movie is about to start, why aren't you sitting still? If you keep being naughty, I won't take you out next time."

Holding the child firmly in the chair, the mother asked Zhou Ye, "Are you and your sister students from the nearby Beijing Film Academy?"

sisters?

At that moment, Zhou Ye and Zhang Jingyi couldn't help but exchange a glance.

Zhang Jingyi turned her head away speechlessly, repeatedly denying in her mind: What kind of sisters are we? Do we really look that alike?

Zhou Ye, not wanting to waste time, nodded in agreement, "Yes, she and I are both students at the Beijing Film Academy. Director Lu's films will likely appear in our classes. As Beijing Film Academy students, we might not be good at much else, but analyzing films and writing film reviews is a must."

The two chatted casually for a few minutes before the movie started.

Having already seen the movie, Zhou Ye didn't watch the screen at all, but kept scrolling through her phone, especially on public opinion forums like Douban.

[Negative review! A money-grabbing sequel, not worth watching.]

"Are you crazy? What nonsense are you spouting? Haters, get out!"

Faced with such mindless negative reviews, Zhou Ye went all out and confronted the person directly.

This person is clearly a hater of Lu Yunzhou, here to disgust people.

Fortunately, there are more discerning people than haters.

A short while later, another comment appeared.

[I initially thought it was just another money-grabbing sequel, but it turned out to be so much better than the first one. The protagonist in the first movie was a high-and-mighty cultivator who was always coughing or showing off, which was really hard to relate to. The protagonist in this one is interesting; Xiao Li is a down-on-his-luck painter working in a foreign country, which made me, a struggling artist in Beijing, feel a lot more connected to him.]

[It was a bittersweet experience; the beginning was hilarious, but the ending left me heartbroken. The willow tree fairy was truly heartbreaking.]

Although she couldn't speak, she silently protected the protagonist, traveling from Germany to Italy and then following him to Qatar, never abandoning him. Later, even after discovering she was dying, she still wanted to introduce the protagonist to a girlfriend and take care of him. The final scene where she secretly looked at the protagonist through the mirror brought tears to my eyes. It turns out that liking someone doesn't need words; a look is enough.

However, many fans immediately jumped in to defend Lu Yunzhou under this comment: "We can only say that Zhang Tianai is a good actress. We can't say that Zhang Tianai and Lu Yunzhou are in a relationship. Let me state in advance that my idol is exceptionally handsome. No one in the Chinese entertainment industry is worthy of him. I hope those brainless CP fans will have some self-respect! Don't create CPs so casually."

"Exactly! The rumors about Zhang Tianai and Yang Yang are going on like wildfire—my brother doesn't like eating secondhand lamb."

o

"My brother knew you guys would ship them as a couple. He used the movie's female lead, Xue'er, to reveal the truth beforehand: humans and transvestites cannot fall in love."

Zhang Tianai has been banned.

Upon seeing this comment, Zhou Ye's lips curled into a smile.

Although Lu Yunzhou has been involved in many scandals, most of them are false.

Wang Ran? He's probably fake too.

Wang Ran didn't come when I rode the horse that day.

Even if Wang Ran was Lu Yunzhou's girlfriend before, they'll probably break up soon.

I, Zhou Ye, am capable of this much tolerance.

Everyone has a past, right?

[Nazha is so beautiful, and her portrayal of the siren is so adorable. Especially the scene where she pulls out her bank card and tells the protagonist, "I've saved enough for a down payment, and we'll pay the monthly installments together," I loved it. It's a pity you can't meet a girl like that in real life.]

This comment was probably left by a boy.

Zhang Tianai plays the willow tree fairy, the most beautiful woman every man in the movie dreams of.

Just like a myth.

In reality, such a woman simply cannot exist.

Naza is more vibrant, like a super goddess who has a tiny chance of appearing in real life.

"Do I still need to make monthly payments?"

However, after reading this line of text, Zhou Ye couldn't help but scoff: "Nazha isn't very capable. If it were me, I would not only buy my brother a house, but I would also hand over my salary card."

After banning Nazha, Zhou Ye continued watching.

[Lu Yunzhou is hilarious. Using the "dying is imminent" joke here? He's really ruthless when it comes to self-deprecation. Someone criticized him before for being too pretentious as the Grim Reaper. Will anyone say that now? This Xiao Li is so down-to-earth, completely embodying the mentality of a working-class person. Lu Yunzhou's performance is incredibly lifelike.]

[Speaking of which, the willow tree fairy is Kouri's tailor? She even lost all her hair making clothes for Kouri—does that mean Kouri is a sacred relic of the demon race?]

[Wow, this picture of Xue'er looking up at the Chloe Wedding Dress... haven't I seen it somewhere before? Wait, I remember now! It's that picture I've been seeing a lot lately—a child looking up at an Audi in a shop window—it's from here!]

Besides these highly-rated comments, there are also a bunch of simple comments from other people below.

"Who would put an Audi in a shop window? This spot used to be for wedding dresses! That makes sense."

"However, this scene represents the distance between reality and dreams—the distance between Xue'er and her master."

"This reminds me of a saying: the greatest distance in the world is not the distance between life and death, but the distance between me standing in front of you and you not knowing that I love you."

"She cried!"

"Xue'er loved the protagonist in her past life. The protagonist knew he was doomed, and although he was fully aware of Xue'er's love, he could only painfully pretend not to know—in this life, the protagonist has a different personality, and it's Xue'er's turn to sacrifice herself. She also knows she is destined to die."

It's suspected that he deeply loves the protagonist but can't express it, only able to stare blankly at the wedding dress late at night, never uttering a word.

"I would call this shot Cora's best performance ever! Sword and rose—at this moment, they are completely embodied!"

As expected, the brand Kourou will gain significant recognition after the film's global release.

"My brother truly is my favorite!"

"He both directed and acted, bringing a down-on-his-luck painter to life. He seemed destitute and impoverished at the beginning, but the moment he put on a suit and drove an Audi supercar to a blind date was absolutely stunning."

"When my brother got out of the car, the way the women around him looked at him was like they were acting out my own story—I was speechless with admiration for his handsomeness."

"Audi pays my brother a yearly endorsement fee, and he's already earned back that from just this one shot!"

"My brother's parody of the Mona Lisa in the movie was hilarious. 'Mona Lisa Conquers the Alps,' what genius came up with such a brilliant idea? It cracked me up."

"And there's a sign on the shop entrance saying 'Tenfold compensation for fakes.' Doesn't that mean buy one get ten free? My brother is so naughty!"

Zhou Ye read these comments with great interest.

She didn't know Lu Yunzhou very well. After all, they had only met a few times.

However, through the film, she could probably see into Lu Yunzhou's heart.

During class, the teacher said that no director can hide their true feelings when creating a film.

When a director makes a film, he is essentially revealing his own secrets to the audience.

Although the comments were interesting, during the movie screening, Zhou Ye wanted countless times to stand up and give the people behind her a good thrashing.

Because that brat in the back had been yelling and screaming ever since the movie started.

Because those plant fairies are really cute.

When the willow tree fairy transformed into Zhang Tianai, it was even more astonishing.

Of course, the loudest screams from the kids occurred when the protagonist resumed his cultivation and summoned the Demon-Suppressing Sword from within his body.

The special effects are absolutely amazing.

That brat kept yelling, "Holy crap, awesome! Absolutely awesome!"

The kids were really excited and hooked—which means this movie is likely to be a hit.

There aren't many bloody scenes or erotic elements; all that's shown is the adorable plant fairy and the protagonist's protection of his friends and love.

Beyond that, it resonates more with ordinary people.

At the same time, several other movies were also being released.

The film "Project Gutenberg" by Hong Kong and Taiwan director Chuang Wen-keung is a masterpiece that he has been working on for many years.

Unfortunately, it encountered the special effects blockbuster "Lu Yunzhou" during the National Day holiday.

As expected, the box office revenue of "Project Gutenberg" will be significantly diverted, making it unlikely to break the 10 billion mark like in the other timeline.

As for the comedy film "Li Cha's Aunt" produced by Happy Twist, and the period drama "Shadow" directed by Zhang Yimou, which is full of oriental charm, they are both competing in the same period.

These films will all be affected at the box office to varying degrees.

Hong Kong Island.

"The Fairy Castle 2" and "Project Gutenberg" were released on the same day.

Zhuang Wenqiang was certainly confident in his film, but Lu Yunzhou was more famous, and special effects blockbusters have always been popular in Hong Kong.

But he still held a sliver of hope.

If "Project Gutenberg" surpasses "The Fairy Tale 2" at the box office, he will become an overnight sensation, even in China.

After all, Lu Yunzhou is now an international superstar and director of international commercial films.

His fame is limited to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

If he could step on Lu Yunzhou to rise to power—damn, that's amazing! Just thinking about it makes him shudder with pleasure!

"How's it going? Will 'The Fairy Tale Castle 2' be a box office hit?"

Zhuang Wenqiang was too embarrassed to inquire about the enemy's situation himself, so he sent one of his underlings to watch "Fairy Castle 2".

As soon as the movie ended, he pulled his underling aside for questioning.

The underling took a sip of water and said excitedly, "Officer Zhuang, Lu Yunzhou is amazing! This movie is bound to be a hit."

"The special effects in this movie are better than those in Hollywood. The scene of the massive underwater army in the Persian Gulf, blotting out the sky and charging in, is so shocking that I can't even describe it."

"Why can't Hong Kong directors make special effects blockbusters like this?"

"And then there's that willow tree fairy. She didn't have a single line, but one look from her was enough to convey so much. The look in her eyes as she stood at the door watching the main character leave almost made me cry."

"If she doesn't win Best Supporting Actress this year, I'll accuse the judges of rigging the game!"

"In addition, the whole story is very heartwarming, with both funny and touching moments, making it suitable for the whole family to watch together. In Hong Kong, there are very few movies that are both heartwarming and have grand scenes."

"Lu Yunzhou is truly a genius!"

"For his first film, *The Fairy Castle*, he was quite willful, deliberately making it an art film. Even though it ended in tragedy, it still grossed over 10 million."

"One hundred million US dollars — I thought he would continue his madness, treat this sequel as an art film, and challenge 'The Shape of Water' for an Oscar."

"Who knew he'd turn it into something like Marvel's Spider-Man!"

"Now, nobody can stop him—the box office is sure to be a huge hit, maybe even sweep the world!"

After the underling finished his report, he looked at Zhuang Wenqiang and said, "Zhuang sir, it's not worth it for you to go head-to-head with him."

Hearing this, Zhuang Wenqiang couldn't help but tap his underling on the head: "Are you crazy? Me, go head-to-head with him? Who do you think I am? He's a big boss in the mainland."

"Moreover, he beat Dolce & Gabbana to a pulp at Milan Fashion Week last week. Do you know Dolce & Gabbana? One of Italy's four high-end luxury brands."

"He's even more imposing now than Big Brother Long was at his peak!"

Now it's difficult.

Because Zhuang Wenqiang recently heard that Lu Yunzhou was poaching filmmakers from Hong Kong.

Especially those with experience in martial arts instruction.

Perhaps martial arts instructors in mainland China could hire teachers from martial arts schools who can perform the routines very beautifully.

But executing a routine beautifully is completely different from presenting it beautifully on screen—it conveys power, speed, sharpness, and a sense of danger.

In this respect, the martial arts teams on Hong Kong Island are absolutely the best in the world.

"This guy is really sick."

"The young master of a top luxury family, who's so good at shooting visual blockbusters, why is he making action movies? What if he cripples himself? 100"

It's worth more than a billion.

Zhuang Wenqiang could not understand Lu Yunzhou's ideas.

All I can say is that when it comes to creative work in the arts and literature, people with mental illnesses definitely have an advantage!

If someone like Lu Yunzhou were to make an action movie, pushing himself to the limit just to make the fights look good—frankly, even Zhuang Wenqiang would be eager to watch, let alone ordinary viewers.

"This guy is a true genius!"

"He has completely grasped the audience's thoughts!"

at the same time.

In the Gulf region.

Especially Qatar.

On the day the movie was released, Prince Khalifa invited all his friends and acquaintances from the Gulf region to Qatar’s largest cinema.

Enjoy the visual effects blockbuster you produced.

"Prince Khalifa is awesome!"

"The movie produced by His Highness is fantastic."

"Doha in the movie is really beautiful."

"The subway, seaside villas, markets full of bay atmosphere, and handsome falcons are all familiar scenes to us."

"This is the first time someone has filmed our Middle East region in such a modern and beautiful way."

"In the past, Hollywood movies portrayed the Middle East as nothing but desert and terrorists. This movie is completely different. This is the real Qatar."

"I've made up my mind. After I return to China, I will organize schools to watch it."

"Hassan is also a very cool character. Although he was a villain at first, it's not his fault. He was corrupted by the abyss. After he regained his senses, he resolutely chose to sacrifice himself, tragically walking into the abyss to save the world. This character is very complex, but it is because of his complexity that I like him more."

Prince Khalifa was overjoyed to hear his friends' boasting.

The highlight of his life, apart from the moment he was born, is this very moment.

Because, compared to his outstanding older brother, he was simply too much of a spoiled brat. He had never done anything worth boasting about in his life.

situation.

Indeed, life is like playing a game. It's too difficult to fight alone, but if you find the right teammates, you can unleash 120% of your fighting power.

After Lu Yunzhou teamed up with him, he had far more than 120% of his combat power.

His combat power has increased at least tenfold!

To make himself the pride of the Qatari royal family this month, Prince Khalifa told his entourage, "During the film's theatrical run, all Qataris who come to see the movies will get free admission. I will pay for it."

"Also, remember to spread the word—I'm the producer of this movie. Without my crazy spending, there wouldn't be this movie."

"But remember, keep a low profile. I'm not one to show off."

"Be low-key my foot!" As a subordinate, I know very well that the last sentence is the key!

The servant understood immediately, and said with lowered eyes but righteous indignation, "Your Highness, I cannot keep a low profile. The movie is so good that the people will surely know, and it is thanks to you that they can see this movie. This movie belongs to Qatar."

The film was funded by Qatar.

The film's producer is Prince Khalifa of Qatar.

The main character of the film, "Hassan," is the hero who sacrifices himself to seal the abyss. He is Abdullah, a member of the Qatari royal family.

Who dares to say that this isn't a Qatari film?

October 1st is National Day.

Director Zhang Yimou, born in 1950, is now 68 years old.

However, he was in high spirits and got up very early in the morning.

The movie was released last night, and as usual, director Zhang Yimou made a phone call to inquire about the box office results: "Have the box office figures come out yesterday? How are they?"

There was silence on the other end, as if the call hadn't been answered.

Director Zhang Yimou couldn't help but frown. "Why aren't you saying anything? It can't be worse than 'The Promise,' can it?"

The Promise is a 2005 film.

Back then, this movie did quite well at the box office, but today, "The Promise" could easily surpass 1.7 million yuan in a single day for a blockbuster movie.

It's nothing at all.

Zhang Yimou brought up "The Promise" at this moment simply because, after an old classmate passed away recently, he met privately with Chen Kaige and was teased a few times.

Zhang Yimou, also a top-tier director, was born in northern Shaanxi into a family with a less-than-ideal class background, and he had a difficult childhood.

Chen Kaige, on the other hand, comes from an artistic family. Although he didn't live a life of luxury from a young age, his circumstances were 100 times better than Chen's.

Zhang Yimou went through a tremendous amount of effort, even going to great lengths, to get into the Beijing Film Academy.

Chen Kaige walked in casually.

Although he never said it aloud, Zhang Yimou harbored a slight jealousy towards Chen Kaige.

Fortunately, he is far more talented than Chen Kaige in filmmaking, and has won more awards than Chen Kaige.

Unfortunately, that damn Chen is incredibly lucky; "Farewell My Concubine" actually won the Palme d'Or, while he himself has never won one.

Netizens praised him, and news media reported on it, making the Palme d'Or seem invincible, which effectively trampled on him.

Whenever he encounters something unpleasant, he mentions "The Promise".

Because, in Zhang Yimou's view, for directors of their caliber, nothing is more shameful than Chen Kaige making "The Promise".

"Say something! How's the box office performance?"

Director Zhang Yimou urged them a few more times.

This time, the other party finally spoke, their tone somewhat awkward: "3500 million."

Only 3500?

That doesn't make sense.

It's already 2018, and this box office figure seems a bit low, doesn't it?

Director Zhang Yimou was taken aback: "Why so few? I thought the screening schedule was pretty good. 15% isn't a small number."

Because of the appearance of the visually stunning blockbuster "Fairy Castle 2" in this timeline, coupled with the frenzied pre-sale purchases by Lu Yunzhou's fans, cinemas were forced to increase the film's screening rate.

"The Fairy Castle 2" occupied 35% of the screenings.

"Li Cha's Aunt" received a 20% screening rate from theaters due to Happy Twist's repeated successes during the National Day holiday.

"Project Gutenberg" and "Shadow" can only take a step back and each get 15% of the screenings.

In addition to these four films, there is another film, "Fat Buddies," which was directed by and starred by Bao Beier, and it also received about 15% of the screenings.

"Is it a problem with the food stall?"

As a veteran director, Zhang Yimou immediately realized something.

Although 15% of the screenings may seem like a lot, if all of them are scheduled for the early morning hours and no prime-time slots are given, the box office will naturally be poor.

The person on the other end didn't offer any explanation, only saying, "Director Zhang, don't worry. I'll coordinate. I'll contact the cinema management leadership and report this matter."

"Um."

Zhang Yimou didn't ask any more questions. After all, he was just a worker who got paid to do his job. Even if the movie flopped, he would still get his director's fee.

However, he couldn't quite keep it to himself.

However, before hanging up, director Zhang Yimou couldn't help but ask, "How much did director Lu Yunzhou's film gross yesterday?"

He only received 3500 million for 15% of the screenings.

With 35% of the screenings, Lu Yunzhou can only earn a maximum of 8000 million yuan, right?

Lu Yunzhou's films are mostly shown in giant screen and IMAX theaters, so the average ticket price may be a bit higher, perhaps reaching 60-80. "Shadow" is mainly shown in regular 2D theaters, with an average ticket price of 35-40.

It's normal for there to be some differences.

Zhang Yimou was also mentally prepared for this.

The person on the other end stammered for a long time before finally saying, "He—3 million."

What? 3 million?

Fuck!

He definitely cheated!

At such a young age, instead of learning good things, he's actually learned how to inflate box office numbers?

It is truly despicable to us.

At that moment, director Zhang Yimou couldn't help but want to write a letter of complaint, and with the same drive he had in his youth, he reported Lu Yunzhou.

"Director Zhang, his situation is special."

"Not only did fans help him buy pre-orders, but major companies also secretly worked together to boost his data."

"In addition, his company promised to return 3-5% of the box office revenue to the theaters. Upon hearing this, the theaters would not change the official screening schedule, but they would almost always favor him for the prime time slots from 8 pm to 10 pm, as well as for the high-priced IMAX theaters."

Noticing that Zhang Yimou had fallen silent, and unsure of what he might do, the other side leaked some inside information.

After hearing this, Zhang Yimou fell into a long silence, finally asking, "Just who is he? Why are so many people on his side?"

Zhang Yimou thought to himself, "My status in the industry is such that I only received similar treatment when I was filming 'Hero' back then."

Almost 20 years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The person on the other end smiled and said, "That's something I can reveal."

"Mainly, everyone is afraid he'll stop having fun—in order for him to continue making movies and dedicate himself to the Chinese film industry, we all have to coax him and make sure he's having fun."

"Otherwise, he could just pack up and go to Italy to become a luxury goods tycoon. Not many people would be willing to take his job and make visual effects blockbusters."

"To put it jokingly, the Oriental Movie Metropolis in Qingdao—a film industrialization base built at a cost of 500 billion yuan—is now used by very few directors besides it."

"Hundreds of billions have been poured in there, but the venue is completely empty and no one is using it. The Oriental Movie Metropolis is getting anxious every day, just waiting for him to start filming 'Fairy Castle 3'."

I understand.

So you think I'm too old? You can't shoot visually stunning films anymore, so you don't need to coax me anymore?

Director Zhang Yimou reminisces about 20 years ago when he was making "Hero," he was full of vigor and had everything he wanted—but "Hero" also seems to be a visual blockbuster.

Indeed, no matter the era, visual blockbusters are still a must!

The audience likes it.

Investors like it.

Local organizations also like it.

Everyone loves visually stunning films—except for those directors who can't make them.