Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 42: Completely Goes Viral! Lu Yunzhou, the Luxury Man! His Older Sister is Insanely Jealous! A 3000 Million Yuan Investment Comes Knocking!

December 18th, around 3 PM.

The 2015 ELLE Style Awards started around 6 p.m., but most celebrities arrived before 4 p.m.

As one of the two major partners of this grand event, Audi even sent its A8 executive sedan to greet the guests attending the event early.

"Young Miss, have you chosen your clothes yet?"

"The car sent by Audi has been waiting downstairs for half an hour, and the driver has already smoked two cigarettes."

In Tang Yan's studio, Ji Rujing saw Tang Yan change into a dress, look around for a while, frown slightly, and then change into another dress.

She could understand that Tang Yan was holding her breath tonight, wanting to outdo Yang Mi. But this procrastination and indecisiveness were really frustrating.

"Yunzhou, why don't you help her pick one out? If this keeps up, I'm afraid we'll be late, and that would be the most embarrassing thing."

At this moment, Ji Rujing could only look pleadingly at Lu Yunzhou, who was already dressed and ready to set off at any time.

Hearing this, Tang Yan turned to look at her, her eyes filled with anticipation: "Yunzhou, I trust your taste. Would you like to help me choose something?"

Lu Yunzhou stood up, his fingertips brushing across the clothes rack, and picked out a black long dress, handing it directly to her: "Sister Tangtang, I think this black high-slit rhinestone-embellished long dress will better showcase your charm."

Lu Yunzhou was truly impressed that Tang Yan was actually choosing between a strapless top and a low-cut top.

She completely exposed her weaknesses.

With Tang Yan's figure, she should cover her upper body completely and wear a long skirt with a high slit on the side.

As she walked, her long legs were faintly visible.

Her long, white legs would attract everyone's attention.

"Then let's choose this one."

Tang Yan quickly and efficiently chose her dress, then smiled at Lu Yunzhou: "I'm glad you like it. Don't wait until our photo together is taken before you start picking and choosing."

Upon hearing this, Ji Rujing immediately covered her forehead, inwardly groaning, "This brat is definitely head over heels in love."

It's not that Tang Yan can't choose a dress well.

She did it on purpose.

She was just waiting for Lu Yunzhou to offer to help her pick out one that was Lu Yunzhou's favorite.

In that case, Lu Yunzhou will definitely be watching her closely.

"You don't mind me wearing a turtleneck sweater, and you don't have to cooperate at all."

It's already December, and it's only 5-6 degrees Celsius outside today. Lu Yunzhou would never agree to wear summer clothes like Tang Yan.

Although the organizers were considerate of the female celebrities' delicate health by holding the red carpet ceremony indoors, the temperature in the huge, spacious stadium couldn't possibly be very high, even with the air conditioning on.

"Yunzhou, don't underestimate yourself. You look absolutely stunning in this black turtleneck sweater, like a real Grim Reaper, the kind of cool, aloof, and handsome guy with an aloof and ruthless vibe."

"Fashion isn't about how much or how little you wear; it's purely about your personal style."

Tang Yan thought Lu Yunzhou was great in every way.

After all, she's managed to elevate her acting skills to the status of a top-tier actress in the eyes of outsiders, so what else could she possibly criticize about Lu Yunzhou?

"Let's go, stop talking. If we wait any longer, the driver will have finished a whole pack of cigarettes."

Ji Rujing shook her head, telling the two not to flatter each other, since she wouldn't applaud anyway. She suggested they do it at the party.

Perhaps some people will be jealous.

Yang Mi Studio.

In fact, Yang Mi also has her own studio in Shanghai.

After all, many fashion events are to be held in Shanghai.

As a darling of the fashion world, Yang Mi spends half the year in Shanghai.

"I'm warning you! Tonight, no matter what Silly Sugar says, don't look at me with jealousy."

"Especially you, Dilraba!"

Dilraba was also invited to tonight's fashion gala.

Before setting off, Yang Mi first needed to reassure Reba's morale, lest that brat be driven mad by Tang Yan's few words.

Although Dilraba may restrain herself in her actions, she probably won't be able to control her emotions and will show Tang Yan that envious and jealous look.

If that's the case, wouldn't it make me look useless?

Yang Mi would never allow such a thing to happen.

"Don't worry, Honey, I won't."

Reba said with great confidence.

However, she couldn't help but think that if she made the short film "Dream" herself, wouldn't that be the same as making her debut and winning an international award?

International awards are something that can't be won through hard work alone.

Because this thing relies entirely on the director's guidance.

Given the directors who have worked with Jaywalk Studio, it's unlikely they'll ever be able to bring her to the international stage.

"Dilraba, don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly. Work hard at the company, and in two years, after I retire behind the scenes, all the resources will be yours."

Seeing that Dilraba was preoccupied, Yang Mi guessed what she was thinking and gently comforted her.

That's exactly what she was thinking during that period.

If the performance-based agreement is successful, Jiaxing can go public. As a member of the board of directors of the listed company, she certainly won't go to the forefront to show her face anymore.

Of course, if the urge to act strikes occasionally, a cameo appearance is fine.

Just like Chen Kaige's wife, Chen Hong.

Chen Hong's domineering presence on set reflects her vision of her future self.

"Honey, reliable sources say Tang Yan has already set off. We're leaving now, so we'll arrive 5 minutes later than her."

Just then, the assistant came over and reported some secret information.

"it is good."

Yang Mi nodded calmly; the important figures always make their grand entrance last.

She absolutely cannot arrive before Tang Yan.

Otherwise, in other people's eyes, wouldn't her status be a level lower than Tang Yan's?

Oriental Gymnasium.

This is the venue for tonight's grand ceremony.

Around 4 o'clock, an Audi A8 executive sedan took Tang Yan and her entourage to the venue.

As a top-tier celebrity, Tang Yan has her own VIP lounge, which is reserved for her to rest alone.

As for the second- and third-tier minor artists, they would be in the public lounge, where many people would walk around.

Shortly after Tang Yan arrived, representatives from various fashion brands attending the evening's ceremony came over to greet her.

"Teacher Tang, you look great lately. The old saying is so true: good things happen to make people feel refreshed."

This is a vice president from Laneige, a South Korean cosmetics company, one of our two major partners tonight, representing the Greater China region.

A wealthy woman wearing a mink coat.

"Hello, Mr. Zhang. It's been a long time."

Tang Yan shook hands with the other person, acting very friendly, like a good sister.

"Teacher Tang, who is this handsome guy? Aren't you going to introduce him to me?"

Tang Yan has become a sensation in South Korea thanks to Lu Yunzhou's short film. As the head of the Korean company, Mr. Zhang has been paying close attention to Tang Yan recently.

She really wanted to collaborate with Tang Yan.

However, Tang Yan's poorly made films made her worry that they would affect the image of her brand.

However, she vaguely heard that Tang Yan had recently filmed a very high-quality drama.

Therefore, she was caught in a dilemma.

Taking this opportunity, she decided to make contact and see what Tang Yan's situation was.

To her utter surprise, Tang Yan didn't arouse much interest in her, but Lu Yunzhou, who was sitting silently on the lounge chair next to her, quietly flipping through a book, caught her attention.

She has seen many handsome men in the Chinese entertainment industry.

But most of the handsome men in the Chinese entertainment industry, once they see capital, instantly become obsequious, making her instantly lose interest.

Perhaps, ordinary brands would prefer those top male celebrities who appear weak and effeminate.

Because male celebrities give ordinary users the illusion that they are easy to pursue and could very well become their boyfriends.

This is the origin of Dream Girl's fans.

This is why the Chinese entertainment industry always likes to promote male idols who look delicate and frail, even thinner than female stars.

This product was created for Dream Girl fans.

However, the positioning logic of high-end luxury brands is different—women who can afford high-end luxury brands are not lacking in such seemingly weak and submissive admirers in their lives.

They lack men who exude sophistication, men who are unattainable for ordinary women, men who are like luxury items.

"Mr. Zhang, let me introduce you."

"This is my mentor, the best director in the world, Director Lu Yunzhou. We just finished filming a TV series together, and post-production is almost complete."

"Once this drama airs, Mr. Zhang, you'll see just how charming our director is when he's acting."

Although Tang Yan couldn't win an argument with Yang Mi, she had a sharp business mind and immediately understood what the way President Zhang was staring at Lu Yunzhou meant.

Of course, she wouldn't undermine Lu Yunzhou; instead, she enthusiastically helped him promote his products.

"I'll definitely watch it carefully when it airs."

After learning Lu Yunzhou's identity, General Manager Zhang stepped forward, gently shook hands with Lu Yunzhou, and looked at him with anticipation: "Director Lu, I've seen your short films; they're very beautiful. I feel that the style of your work perfectly matches the tone of our brand. Perhaps we could collaborate sometime?"

"Thank you for your appreciation, Mr. Zhang."

Lu Yunzhou always liked clients who were willing to pay to win, and a smile appeared on his face: "We can discuss the cooperation plan in detail sometime."

A smile appeared on Mr. Zhang's face, but he didn't immediately add Lu Yunzhou's personal contact information. Instead, he smiled playfully and said, "I know the rules. I'll talk to your agent later. Is it Ji Rujing? We're quite familiar with each other."

Mr. Zhang also had some basic understanding of Lu Yunzhou.

If the other party were an ordinary male celebrity, Mr. Zhang wouldn't care so much and would add them on WeChat on the spot. Would the other party dare to refuse him?

But this is a director who has won awards at international film festivals, and was even officially recommended by the G20 to the Busan International Film Festival.

Does anyone know what Lu Yunzhou's background is?

Being cautious and respectful is never a bad thing.

"Teacher Tang, you have such good taste."

Before leaving, Mr. Zhang winked at Tang Yan. Although he tried his best to avoid it, he couldn't help but reveal a hint of jealousy.

Sometimes, a woman's jealousy is more powerful than a thousand words in the world.

"No. It's not what you think. We're just ordinary friends, please don't spread rumors."

Tang Yan gently nudged President Zhang, covering her mouth and smiling without showing her teeth, but the curve of her eyes and her slightly bulging cheeks revealed her true thoughts.

Next, several more brand representatives came to visit Tang Yan. After a few words, their attention was drawn to Lu Yunzhou.

In the world of fame and fortune, a newcomer suddenly appears.

Of course, everyone will be curious.

A little inquiry revealed that this was the young director who helped Tang Yan shoot the award-winning short film.

Moreover, the movie "The Day Is Coming," which Kiwi Fruit has been promoting so heavily recently, was also directed by Lu Yunzhou.

In no time, all the celebrities and organizers of the event knew Lu Yunzhou's identity.

What if he's a horror movie director? Forget it. We're not a good match.

If it's a comedy director? The kind where snowflakes are falling and the north wind is howling? Forget it.

If it were a science fiction film director? In this day and age, domestic science fiction films are met with laughter and silence.

What if you were an art-house film director, and you could also film the scenery and the leading lady exceptionally beautifully? Wow, that would be amazing for everyone!

For fashion brands, this is simply the perfect partner.

"Director Lu, I have a bottle of fine wine that I've been treasuring for many years. Would you like to try it sometime?"

"Director Lu, do you like watching plays? I have a niece who recently won first prize in a national middle school drama competition. She's currently studying at a drama school, and I'm helping her make arrangements to study at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. I'll bring her to meet you sometime. Don't worry, she's very cute and definitely has the potential to become famous."

"Director Lu, can I get front-row tickets to the NBA China Games? Want to go together?"

Tang Yan's VIP lounge was bustling with people coming and going.

The number of people from the brand's side is limited. Since more people went from Tang Yan's side, relatively fewer people came from Yang Mi's side.

"Damn it! I knew that silly sugar would fool me."

Yang Mi knew this would happen, so she didn't want to be at the same ceremony as Tang Yan.

Because she knew very well that Tang Yan would definitely bring Lu Yunzhou with her.

Vanity Fair has a great fondness for new faces.

Especially those new faces who are talented, skilled, and good-looking!

-

Besides all these qualities, Lu Yunzhou possesses a unique charm—and it is precisely this charm that is so rare.

Some people are good-looking, but they have no charm at all.

It's precisely because it lacks that certain charm.

Yang Mi herself used to be like that.

She's good-looking and easily recognizable, but she lacked a certain charm—that charm immediately came after she had her face professionally retouched.

This led to her receiving many more fashion endorsements.

How much money can you make from acting?

People laugh at her for acting in "Tiny Times," but they don't know how many endorsements "Tiny Times" brought her.

She's making a killing!

Unfortunately, the side effects of the retouching are starting to show; her forehead is now round and full, like that of an old man celebrating his birthday.

Fans are starting to lose interest.

Those fans are pathetically naive; they actually believe she became more beautiful because she had her teeth pulled, and they actually followed her example and had their teeth pulled too.

If we don't fleece these people, we'll be doing ourselves a disservice!

Yang Mi has secured many fashion endorsements and earned a lot of money thanks to her unique feminine charm.

Now, she discovered that Lu Yunzhou, who was beside Tang Yan, had a unique charm, just like her. He was aloof and unapproachable, with an inexplicable coldness.

Ordinary women don't even have the courage to say, "I like him"—do you deserve it?

Just like those top luxury goods, ordinary people don't even dare to look at them for long, for fear that seeing the price will make them feel inferior!

Lu Yunzhou is this type!

An absolute luxury man!

Yang Mi has been in this industry for so long, and she has never seen this kind of temperament in any male celebrity.

This is absolute self-confidence.

It is talent and confidence that support Lu Yunzhou, allowing him to exude such a temperament.

Fortunately, the red carpet event started soon.

Otherwise, Yang Mi would have been tempted to run to Tang Yan's lounge to see Lu Yunzhou in person.

"Don't be angry. Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up."

Today, Uncle Liu came with Yang Mi.

After female celebrities get married, whether it's real or fake, they always have to put on an act of being a model couple.

They are all professional actors, and outsiders have no way of knowing what they are like in private. But at least in public, they all perform very well.

"Honey, thank you. You're so thoughtful."

Yang Mi uttered a line in a cloying manner, but didn't touch the hot tea that Uncle Liu handed her.

Why bother drinking hot tea?

To make her figure look better in the photos later, and to make her stomach look flatter and her figure more graceful, my mother hasn't drunk a drop of water since this morning.

Are you trying to harm your mother now?

The red carpet event officially began at around 4:30.

First came the models, then the crossover artists, second and third-tier celebrities, and finally, top-tier stars like Tang Yan and Yang Mi.

The big names made their grand finale appearance.

Everyone else is fine.

Everyone chatted and laughed as they walked the red carpet, taking photos to commemorate the occasion.

"Sister Honey, this way please, it's your turn next."

According to the organizer's order, Tang Yan was slightly behind Yang Mi this time and did not make it into the final three.

It's fine to argue with Tang Yan, but arguing with the organizers is just asking for trouble.

"OK, thanks."

Yang Mi smiled kindly at the organizers and got up to walk the red carpet.

She sported an empress-inspired hairstyle and wore two leaf-shaped gold earrings, attracting countless eyes as soon as she appeared.

"My friend's gone mad. Trying to steal my thunder, she's dressed like this? Does she think she's 20, putting on this dazzling act?"

"Uncle Liu didn't even try to persuade him."

"His wife is always out there dressed up and flaunting herself, isn't he afraid of being cheated on?"

Tang Yan now completely treats Lu Yunzhou as one of her own, and makes no attempt to hide anything, constantly whispering about Yang Mi in Lu Yunzhou's ear.

Lu Yunzhou was aware of the feud between the two women, and at this moment he treated it as Tang Yan telling him a joke.

"Speaking of which, the outfit you picked for me is the best. It's elegant, yet sexy. It has a mysterious allure. Everyone who sees me compliments it."

Tang Yan was dressed very conservatively today, but the high slit in her skirt revealed a glimpse of her skin as she walked, which was enough to leave a lasting impression.

"Yunzhou, look how powerful Old Honey is!"

"She walked the red carpet alone, swaying gracefully in front of the cameras, radiating charm. She brought Uncle Liu along, but didn't walk the red carpet with him, leaving Uncle Liu standing there dumbfounded."

Tang Yan secretly made a few disdainful remarks.

From these small details, she had already figured out the key points; these two were definitely going to score points.

"Teacher Tang, Teacher Lu, get ready here."

Just then, Yang Mi finished taking her red carpet photos, and it was Tang Yan's turn to go on stage.

Tang Yan immediately changed her expression, abandoning her previous sharp and sarcastic demeanor and adopting a sweet and gentle attitude.

She stood up, took Lu Yunzhou's sleeve, and walked onto the 80-meter-long red carpet, greeting everyone warmly with an elegant demeanor, without any affectation.

After all, she's a respected actress now.

There's no need to use beauty to seduce people anymore.

Haha.

In front of the red carpet, Lu Yunzhou and Tang Yan took a quick photo.

However, after the red carpet event, when faced with questions from the host, Tang Yan finally unleashed her long-planned move.

"Yunzhou and I recently filmed a new drama. In this drama, I was tortured to the point of near death. Yunzhou's character killed me 12 times!"

Tang Yan jokingly poured out her grievances to the host.

The host immediately became interested and asked, with great interest, "Is it the kind of love-hate relationship?"

Tang Yan thought for a moment and shook her head: "It's not that simple. However, this drama will be broadcast soon, so please stay tuned. Although this is Yun Zhou's first time acting, his acting skills are really amazing."

Tang Yan bragged about Lu Yunzhou from beginning to end.

-

But once viewers actually watch the show, they'll find that she acts incredibly well in it.

What is a surprise?

Her acting skills have reached a point where there's no room for decline, and the audience has no expectations of her—when the audience discovers that she has unleashed superb acting skills, they will absolutely praise her wildly!

This is called a bottoming out and rebound!

ST stocks can experience consecutive limit-up days with just a small piece of positive news; that's the principle behind it!

"Thank you, Tang Yan, for the interview."

The interview time was fixed. After Tang Yan and Lu Yunzhou left, other celebrities immediately came over for interviews.

After walking the red carpet and finishing the interview.

Tang Yan and Lu Yunzhou finally entered the inner area to rest.

The various funny behind-the-scenes clips and videos circulating online, featuring celebrities chatting and gossiping inside, were mostly created in this setting.

This is also the real battlefield between Tang Yan and Yang Mi tonight.

As best friends in the eyes of outsiders, they could go without greeting each other in other situations. But in this situation, if they didn't greet each other and just chatted for a few minutes, the media would immediately report that the two had broken up and were like strangers.

Tang Yan knew that Yang Mi would definitely come over to say hello, so she sat in her seat and told Lu Yunzhou not to move.

Be more cautious.

This year, she's even more popular, so Yang Mi should come to her.

Next year, when her popularity wanes, she will naturally take the initiative to seek out Yang Mi.

"Tangtang, it's been a long time."

"Director Lu, this is our first meeting, but I've long admired your name."

Sure enough, Yang Mi brought Uncle Liu and her artist Dilraba over to greet Tang Yan and Lu Yunzhou.

As soon as she opened her mouth, she burst into a bright and cheerful laugh, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere.

In contrast to Yang Mi, Dilraba stood to the side like a wooden doll, just smiling foolishly, without greeting anyone or coming up to exchange a few words with Lu Yunzhou.

He's obviously a newcomer and doesn't really let loose.

"Sister Mi, I've heard so much about you." Lu Yunzhou gave a brief greeting.

However, Yang Mi found his use of the phrase "I've long admired you" rather odd.

She could even imagine Tang Yan constantly badmouthing her to Lu Yunzhou.

"Director Lu, I heard the project 'The Day Is Coming' was a great success. What are your plans for the future?"

"If there are any new projects, what do you think of our Dilraba? She's very well-behaved and obedient, and her acting skills are quite good."

"A top student who graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy."

Yang Mi enthusiastically promoted Dilraba.

Although Tang Yan and she are rivals, and it's always either her putting down Tang Yan or Tang Yan putting down her, it's actually a deep marketing ploy.

I believe Lu Yunzhou should be able to understand.

All the commotion is just for show, for the fans.

Those fans treat these celebrities like virtual game characters. Once the game account is raised to a certain level, if they don't use it to compete, then what's the point of raising the account?

However, besides leveraging popularity, celebrities must have a real main profession, which is acting.

The exposure brought by film and television dramas is incomparable to that of online traffic.

Only a good drama can make someone famous.

Therefore, while Yang Mi is putting down Tang Yan, she will definitely not cause trouble for Lu Yunzhou.

"Hello, Director Lu."

Dilraba greeted Lu Yunzhou somewhat shyly.

In any other situation, she definitely wouldn't dare to greet Lu Yunzhou.

She had previously rejected Lu Yunzhou, but then that short film unexpectedly won an award, leaving her incredibly embarrassed.

At this moment, just a simple "hello" almost drained Reba of all her strength. She was afraid that Lu Yunzhou would ignore her and then mock her, saying, "I heard you don't like my short film."

She would instantly become the laughing stock of the entire room!

"Reba, you look a little tired. You should take better care of yourself."

Lu Yunzhou didn't mention the short film "Dream" at all, but instead inquired about Dilraba's health.

In 2015, Dilraba, who was only 23 years old, already looked a bit older.

He recalled that in the movie "21 Carats" which he filmed with Guo Jingfei, Dilraba didn't look like a 23-year-old at all.

However, in the movie "Diamond Lover" filmed last year, Dilraba was still very youthful and radiant.

How come Dilraba looks 10 years older in just one year?

His eyes suddenly lost their sparkle, all their liveliness vanished. It was as if his soul had been ripped out.

"Thank you for your concern, Director Lu. I will."

Dilraba didn't expect that Lu Yunzhou would not only not mention her rejection of the invitation or his veiled mockery of her for being blind, but would also genuinely care about her health.

This gave Dilraba a strange feeling of warmth in her heart.

Looking back at Yang Mi's concern for her—it was basically all about how it wasn't easy for her to become famous, and how female celebrities' popularity usually only lasts a few years, so she had to seize every opportunity. Otherwise, she might miss her chance.

There are indeed significant differences between bosses.

But Dilraba was just a side character on this occasion.

Yang Mi quickly picked up where Dilraba left off, gently placing a hand on Lu Yunzhou's arm and smoothing her hair as she smiled alluringly: "Director Lu, our Tangtang is so lucky to have met you. The two films you collaborated on with her have received very high praise in the industry."

"If you have any good projects next time, why not consider me? My pay is very low, and my professional attitude is absolutely top-notch."

At this point, Yang Mi turned to look at Tang Yan: "Tangtang, don't you think so?"

Yang Mi's original intention was to hope that Tang Yan would put in a good word for her, since they are best friends, aren't they?

Seeing this, Tang Yan almost laughed in anger.

You're trying to steal my boyfriend right in front of me?

You expect me to put in a good word for you?

At this moment, Tang Yan saw Yang Mi's desperate attempt to win over Lu Yunzhou, and her little fists clenched tightly. She turned to look at Uncle Liu, who was standing silently to the side.

Your wife is posing so seductively, and you don't care?

Uncle Liu gave Tang Yan a fake smile, then looked down to pick up a bottle of mineral water. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he had met an acquaintance, and he went over to greet him with a smile.

Tang Yan was truly convinced; this Uncle Liu was a complete fraud, utterly spineless.

"Sister Honey, you're too kind."

"However, you're wrong about one thing. Actors and directors complement each other. Tangtang has also contributed a lot to the work."

In such situations, Lu Yunzhou would usually say some polite words.

However, Yang Mi was clearly trying to put Tang Yan down. At this moment, what Tang Yan needed was not polite words, but Lu Yunzhou's unwavering stance.

"It seems that Director Lu really appreciates our Tangtang."

Yang Mi naturally understood Lu Yunzhou's subtext: while rejecting her, he was also praising Tang Yan.

Hearing this, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sarcasm: Tang Yan, you've put in so much effort for your work? Listen to what you're saying!

However, at this moment, Yang Mi sensed Lu Yunzhou's protection of Tang Yan, and couldn't help but feel inexplicably envious of Tang Yan.

At the same time, she could clearly sense that when Lu Yunzhou said those words, he wasn't just being polite; he had taken a serious look at Tang Yan and clearly genuinely appreciated her performance.

This world has gone mad!

What exactly happened to Tang Yan?

Did she really deliver a phenomenal performance in Lu Yunzhou's work?

"Tangtang, I really envy you."

The formal ceremony was about to begin, and Yang Mi could no longer lead her people around. She took a deep breath and decided to calmly return to her seat.

But before leaving, she couldn't help but speak her mind.

"Don't talk nonsense. If Old Liu hears this, he'll overthink it."

Tang Yan didn't adopt a victorious attitude and mock Yang Mi harshly. Instead, she gently hugged Yang Mi, as if to comfort her.

Because Yang Mi said that too early.

As expected, Yang Mi will be envious of herself every day from now on.

Return to your seat.

In order to promote Dilraba, Yang Mi did not let her sit in the back, but instead let her sit with her in the exclusive seat in the first row.

Instead, she let her husband sit in the VIP section at the back.

Anyway, Uncle Liu doesn't have much commercial value, so there's no need for him to be exposed.

-

After sitting down next to Yang Mi, Dilraba hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Sister Mi, before you left, you told us not to show any envy or jealousy, but just now—"

Yang Mi sighed softly: "The Witness flopped. The box office was much lower than I expected."

"I thought this movie would at least gross 4 million at the box office, right? But I never expected that even with Lu Han and me working together, we couldn't even get 2 million!"

""

"This is such a surprise!"

Yang Mi originally thought that with her and Lu Han's popularity, this movie would at least make a small profit.

Who knew that after the box office results came out, it would be considered good if they could barely break even.

She felt that this was definitely not a problem between her and Lu Han.

It can only be the director's fault.

The film market and the television drama market are ultimately different; it all comes down to the director's aesthetic sense.

Although Guo Jingming's "Tiny Times" story is terrible, his own aesthetic sense is not the problem.

All the characters in the movie were portrayed with a very stylish flair.

The story of "The Witness" isn't bad, but the director's aesthetic sense is problematic; he failed to capture the fashionable style of both her and Lu Han.

In comparison, the short film "Dream" that Lu Yunzhou made for Tang Yan portrayed her as incredibly intellectual and elegant.

This led to Tang Yan securing three more endorsements!

It's important to understand that there's a limited number of fashion endorsements available in the market. If Tang Yan takes on three more, it means Yang Mi will have three fewer opportunities.

"no."

"I can't let this naive sugar daddy hold me back for another year."

Regardless of how much mutual criticism there is in the public sphere, female celebrities must first have their own works.

The work itself is the greatest source of confidence.

After much deliberation, Yang Mi decided to contribute one of her own stockpiled items.

"The Interpreter finished filming last September, and post-production should be done. I'll ask Hunan TV if they can put it on par with 'The Day Is Coming'?"

If this continues, Tang Yan's popularity will continue to rise, and she will soon escape her status as the bottom of the four beauties of the Legend of Sword and Fairy series.

Liu Shishi married Uncle Wu and has practically retired from the public eye.

As for Liu Yifei? Yang Mi wouldn't dare to try and extort her.

Because Liu Yifei's side released even more scathing articles criticizing her than she did.

She has many tricks up her sleeve, all of which she learned from Liu Yifei.

If she continues to decline, she'll become the worst-performing actress of the post-85 generation!

"I, Honey, am a fiercely competitive person who never admits defeat. I don't even admire Liu Yifei, how could I possibly lose to Silly Sugar?"

Yang Mi had no interest in watching the rest of the ceremony.

Anyway, she didn't win any awards.

Attending such a grand event is mainly about making a name for oneself in the fashion world.

She originally wanted to take this opportunity to promote Dilraba, get her more fashion endorsements, and make some money for the company.

Who knew Dilraba looked so tired?

In contrast, Tang Yan and Lu Yunzhou stole the show at this fashion gala.

That evening.

Tang Yan posted a photo on Weibo showing Lu Yunzhou sitting alone in the lounge, quietly flipping through a book.

This photo was reposted by many influential Weibo users.

It instantly became the hottest topic at tonight's fashion awards ceremony.

Since last month, there seems to be an invisible force on the internet trying to push Lu Yunzhou into a new internet celebrity.

No matter what photos or updates Lu Yunzhou posts, they instantly attract hundreds of reposts and thousands of comments from bot accounts.

In addition to this photo, a short interview was also released.

In the video.

The reporter asked, "Director Lu, do you enjoy reading?"

Lu Yunzhou replied, "I don't really like it that much either. But reading is like a bee collecting honey; only by learning from many sources can you create something sweet."

The reporter nodded slightly: "That's a very philosophical statement."

Lu Yunzhou looked up and replied with a smile, "Of course. What Lu Xun said must have some philosophical merit."

When netizens saw this scene and compared it with the previous image of Lu Yunzhou reading a book with a cold and aloof demeanor, like an ice queen, they instantly felt a huge sense of contrast.

"Haha! Who is this guy? He's hilarious!"

"I thought he was just being pretentious, trying to become the next Dr. Zhai, but I didn't expect him to be so interesting when he opened his mouth."

"It's something Lu Xun said, so it must have some philosophical meaning. Haha—I checked, and it really was said by Lu Xun!"

"Guys, I've found out who this guy is!"

"Look at the homepage of Kiwifruit—'The Day of Death is Coming,' starring Tang Yan and this guy, they've already started promoting it."

"Kiwifruit has given this drama a lot of promotional resources. I've been watching videos lately, and I can see trailers for this drama everywhere."

All post-production work on "The Day of Death" is complete.

Lu Yunzhou has already packaged all 24 episodes and handed them over to Kiwi, preparing for their official release at the beginning of the month.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Ji Rujing brought him good news: "Yunzhou, the fashion awards ceremony the other day was totally worth it."

-

"Do you remember that vice president of Audi's Greater China region?"

"He values ​​your personal image very much, and he already knows about the character you play in 'The Day Is Coming' through people inside Kiwi."

"In addition, Audi has been working to improve its brand image among young people in recent years, so it attaches great importance to product placement in movies."

"I chatted with him for a while, and he was very sincere. He revealed some of his true intentions to me, saying he was willing to invest 3000 million yuan in our new movie, 'I Want Us to Be Together'!"

3000 million is enough to cover the production costs.

Lu Yunzhou was silent for a moment, then asked a crucial question: "What are his conditions?"

"There is only one condition."

Ji Rujing said with a hint of excitement, "He wants you to play the male lead. Then he wants to change the plot of the original novel, changing the protagonist's background as a construction worker to that of a race car driver. He wants him to die pursuing his dream. Only the devoted lover character will be retained."

"Isn't this kind of story more romantic, more exciting and passionate?"

What is that?

With this change, wouldn't it become a youth-trauma version of "Pegasus"?

However, this kind of storyline is indeed more commercial and more in line with the tone of the car brand GG's advertising.

Lu Yunzhou thought for a moment and said, "No need to rush. Let's wait a bit longer. After 'The Day Is Coming' airs, I believe more investors will come to us."

Of course, the more funding needed to make a movie, the better. Unfortunately, the film industry is not very profitable.

However, movies have a huge advantage: they have extremely high cultural value and a wide reach.

For high-end brands, they are very willing to invest in movies to promote their brand.

For them, this was a very cost-effective endeavor. Even if the box office failed, they would still break even on brand promotion.

As for director Lu Yunzhou, he doesn't need to spend his own money; people will invest in his dream.

The two sides were a perfect match.

However, Lu Yunzhou needs to carefully select which client to cooperate with.

"Okay, then let's wait a little longer!"

Ji Rujing is also very confident about the project "The Day of Death Is Coming".

Traffic, hype, trending topics, Weibo index—it's all fake—a lot of it is artificially inflated by them.

She is Tang Yan's agent, and she single-handedly propelled Tang Yan to the top of the entertainment industry.

How could she not understand this kind of traffic-driving strategy?

Only data about the work can be truly convincing!

"Oh, right, there's one more thing, I almost forgot."

"In February, Fendi invited Tangtang to attend Milan Fashion Week, and we may discuss some collaborations in the future."

"I heard your mother is planning to go to Italy to reunite with your father during the Chinese New Year and also check out the new factory. Would you like to come with us to Italy?"

Ji Rujing asked a few questions in a low voice, but Lu Yunzhou remained silent.

After a moment, Ji Rujing smiled helplessly: "I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Actually, it's because you've probably heard of that new actress from Tangren Media, Nazha, right?"

"She'll also be going to Milan Fashion Week in February. She asked Tangtang to introduce you two there."

"Nazha and Dilraba are both Uyghur girls, and their social niches are very similar. Tangren Media learned that you declined the collaboration with Dilraba, so they're trying to recommend Nazha to you through Tangtang's connections. Are there any opportunities for collaboration?"

Tangren Media and Tang Yan have a very good relationship.

Tang Yan was invited to co-star in both "Chinese Paladin 3" and "Xuan-Yuan Sword".

The relationship between Tang Yan and Hu Ge is also very complicated.

The female lead in "I Want Us to Be Together" is a school beauty from her student days, and she needs to exude youthful energy.

Although Tang Yan is well-maintained, she is already 32 years old and is actually not suitable for this role.

Tang Yan used to be obsessed with entering the film industry to prove herself.

But after filming "The Day Is Coming," she knew she didn't need to work hard anymore; the role had already proven her acting skills were superb.

Sending her to Lu Yunzhou's film crew to suffer like that again—she's not a masochist. Of course, the main reason is that she thinks given Lu Yunzhou's casting requirements, he probably won't consider her, so she doesn't even dare to hope for it.

Tang Yan's original plan was to let Zhang Ruonan suffer this hardship.

Anyway, no matter how much Lu Yunzhou tormented Zhang Ruonan, Zhang Ruonan always enjoyed it.

Since Nazha also wanted to endure this hardship, Tang Yan was willing to do her a favor.

In any case, Lu Yunzhou chose the female lead himself.

"Nazha?"

"Will you be playing the female lead?"

Actresses who offer themselves up usually don't ask for too much money, but Nazha's acting skills are legendary, and Lu Yunzhou has known about her for a long time.

Moreover, he originally intended to use this movie to promote Zhang Ruonan to a higher position.

"I'll think about it."

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