Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 65, "Racing Madness," is officially released! An overnight sensation, making him a global superstar!

John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York.

Lu Yunzhou and his entourage had just disembarked from the plane and, after exiting the VIP channel, were immediately greeted by a black SUV arranged by the organizers.

Pick them up.

Lu Yunzhou brought an assistant, a stylist, and a bodyguard with him to New York, making a total of four people.

As Lu Yunzhou and Tang Yan's agent, Ji Rujing had arrived in New York in advance to communicate with the organizers and prepare various event procedures.

After a flight of more than ten hours, Lu Yunzhou was honestly exhausted.

As soon as he got in the car, he couldn't help but want to take a nap to recover some energy.

Because tonight, Estée Lauder is also hosting a private opening party for New York Fashion Week, and has invited many celebrities.

Of all the celebrities from China, only he and Tang Yan were invited.

In addition, after the party, participants will receive exclusive interviews from four international fashion media outlets, including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

I estimate that the whole process will be completed by at least 2 a.m.

However, such busyness is not something that ordinary people can enjoy.

After Yang Mi arrived in New York, although she received good treatment, she was unable to enter the private party prepared by Estée Lauder.

After learning about this, Yang Mi felt sour for 5 hours on the plane.

Lu Yunzhou was resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly received a call from an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Hello, racing enthusiast, I'm Jing Tian."

Lu Yunzhou and Jing Tian did not know each other at all before.

The two of them didn't even have any interaction, and their areas of activity didn't overlap at all.

However, considering that this is New York, and the movie "The Great Wall" is currently being promoted in North America, Jing Tian may also appear in New York.

He might run into Jing Tian at Estée Lauder's private party tonight, so Jing Tian came ahead to say hello.

A flurry of thoughts flashed through Lu Yunzhou's mind in an instant. He smiled and replied, "Hello, Sister Tian Tian."

Jing Tian smiled and suddenly asked, "Don't you find it strange that I suddenly called you?"

After reviewing the information he already knew in his mind, Lu Yunzhou instantly guessed what it was: "Tom..."

Ford?

'

Tom Ford is a high-end fashion brand under Estée Lauder.

Lu Yunzhou had already heard from Ji Rujing that the brand would sign him as its global brand ambassador.

Because when he wears this high-end menswear, he exudes the air of a nobleman.

In addition, his movie trailer has been all over New York in the past week.

In fact, a week before Lu Yunzhou landed, his trailer had already been bombarded on various streaming media in Europe and America.

Because most of the characters in the movie are from Europe and America.

Even one of the leading actresses, Gulnazar, looks somewhat like she has a Southern European appearance, leaning towards the Italian or Turkish style.

All things considered, only three characters in this film truly possess Chinese characteristics.

Therefore, many Western audiences consider this film a Hollywood movie, and a very exciting racing movie at that.

Young people love movies where people show off their coolness.

As a result, the trailer for this movie has garnered a very high number of views on streaming platforms.

"You guessed it yourself? How did you know I'd become a Tom Ford brand ambassador?"

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian was stunned and repeatedly asked, "Did your agent tell you this? That's impossible. I just got the news myself; your agent couldn't possibly have known about it before me."

Lu Yunzhou calmly replied, "Tom Ford is Estée Lauder's most high-end fashion brand. If you, Tian Tian, ​​receive an invitation from Estée Lauder, you will definitely become the spokesperson for this top-tier brand. As for those other smaller brands, they are not worthy of you, Tian Tian."

This flattering remark struck a chord with Jing Tian.

No.

This isn't flattery; it's definitely from the bottom of his heart.

Otherwise, how could he have guessed so quickly that Tom Ford was inviting him to be their spokesperson?

Thinking about it, Jing Tian couldn't help but laugh: "I'm still missing a male companion for tonight's party. Would you do me the honor? Otherwise, I'll have to ask Matt Damon."

"It is an honor."

Lu Yunzhou agreed without hesitation.

Maintaining a good relationship with Jing Tian would obviously be of great benefit to his career.

Although Jing Tian's resources will decline precipitously after "The Great Wall"—because her family is truly powerless to help her.

With Zhang Yimou and Matt Damon, the production cost was close to 1.5 million US dollars. This is already a super heavyweight team in the world—if not the most top-notch team.

Unless Jing Tian can get Nolan to come, bring Leonardo DiCaprio along, and have Scarlett Johansson play a supporting role for her, and then make a sci-fi movie for her.

Otherwise, the production team for "The Great Wall" would be the most impressive lineup she could muster in her family.

"Yunzhou, may I call you that?"

"Yesterday afternoon, I watched your movie 'The Speeding Racer' inside Warner Bros., and it was so cool! I've become a complete fan of yours."

"I'll be waiting for you at the hotel. See you in a bit."

Most celebrities who come to New York stay at the Four Seasons Hotel on Fifth Avenue.

Jing Tian and Lu Yunzhou were invited by Estée Lauder and, according to the normal procedure, would stay in the hotel's top-floor suite.

45 minutes later.

Lu Yunzhou and Tang Yan arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel without incident.

The two were placed in adjacent suites.

"Zhouzhou, the room has been decorated beforehand, it's full of Estée Lauder products, even the toner is ———"

The assistant went into the room first to help Lu Yunzhou tidy up.

However, as soon as she entered the room, she was bombarded with images of "Estée Lauder" on her phone.

In addition, there was a fruit basket and a bouquet of flowers on the coffee table in the living room, along with a handwritten invitation card with gold foil lettering, welcoming Lu Yunzhou to New York Fashion Week.

"Is this what they call a sense of ritual?"

Seeing this, the assistant muttered to himself, "Foreigners really know how to pull off this kind of thing."

However, this also shows that Lu Yunzhou's status is far greater than they themselves predicted.

It seems that Estée Lauder is very eager to enter the Chinese market with its high-end menswear.

"Zhouzhou, you can rest for a while. In about three hours, a stylist arranged by Estée Lauder will come to try on the new autumn clothes."

Tonight, Lu Yunzhou will attend a private party hosted by Estée Lauder.

And his clothing will naturally be supported by the brands he will be endorsing.

Once you become a big star, you can't wear your own clothes to any public event; everything will be sponsored by brands from start to finish.

"I'll lie down for a while. If any guests come, remember to call me." After a flight of more than ten hours, Lu Yunzhou was indeed very tired.

Being a celebrity is indeed physically demanding.

You have to endure the cold in winter, the heat in summer, and hunger at banquets. You have to wear a smile in any public place and have extremely strong stress resistance.

And a mindset of comprehensive, multi-dimensional defense against ridicule.

A slightly weaker mental fortitude or a slightly weaker physical condition will prevent one from becoming a big star.

"Zhouzhou, the Estée Lauder people are here."

Lu Yunzhou felt like he hadn't slept for long, just dozed off briefly, and hadn't even had a chance to properly enjoy the pleasure of sleep before his assistant shook him awake.

Next came a series of fittings.

-

It took about half an hour to select an outfit that best suited Lu Yunzhou's temperament, and then the stylist worked on Lu Yunzhou's hairstyle and makeup.

It took an hour of this work to finally finish.

Fortunately, the party was held inside the hotel, so we didn't have to travel to another place. Otherwise, we would have been exhausted today.

"Yunzhou, I've been waiting for you for so long. Let's go."

When Lu Yunzhou finished everything and came out, Jing Tian had been waiting at the door for a long time. Like a big sister, she gave Lu Yunzhou a look and then walked forward.

Despite not appearing particularly tall, Jing Tian exuded a powerful and imposing aura.

As I passed by Tang Yan's door, it had just opened, and Tang Yan, who had finished her makeup, came out.

Seeing Lu Yunzhou leave with Jing Tian, ​​her eyes dimmed slightly.

When Lu Yunzhou looked over, Tang Yan's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she nodded gently at him, her eyes full of encouragement!

Jing Tian is a top-tier resource expert. If Lu Yunzhou can cultivate a good relationship with Jing Tian, ​​it will definitely benefit Lu Yunzhou's career.

But as the number one sugar daddy, Tang Yan still felt a little sour. She had a strange feeling, as if the little cabbage she had raised was about to be taken by someone else.

Lu Yunzhou and Jing Tian were meeting for the first time, but he had heard that Jing Tian had a good personality.

Generally speaking, you can only believe half of what people say in the martial arts world.

Lu Yunzhou decided to test Jing Tian's personality himself.

He thought for a moment, then said in Shaanxi dialect, "Sister Tian Tian, ​​I got a trendy hairstyle today, what do you think?"

Jing Tian was taken aback when she heard this.

She looked around for a while and realized it was Lu Yunzhou who was speaking.

Looking at Lu Yunzhou's face and recalling the Shaanxi dialect he had just spoken—this contrast almost made Jing Tian laugh out loud.

She finally managed to hold back, then arrogantly retorted, "What kind of ball head are you going to get? You think I won't beat you to death?"

After saying that, Jing Tian burst into laughter.

After making a joke, the two became much closer.

Lu Yunzhou asked curiously, "Sister Tian Tian, ​​I heard that you spent a long time training in the United States to prepare for filming 'Pacific Rim: Uprising'."

"I remembered it wrong."

Jing Tian smiled and replied, "When I was filming 'Kong: Skull Island' last year, I practiced my spoken English for a long time in the United States. Next month, I'll be joining the crew to film 'Pacific Rim: Uprising,' so things should go much more smoothly."

"However, no matter what, there will still be some language barriers when filming with foreigners."

"Filming 'The Great Wall' with director Zhang Yimou went much more smoothly."

Speaking of "The Great Wall," Jing Tian turned to Lu Yunzhou and said, "Our movies might be released around the same time. I reckon we'll be the top two box office performers in China this year."

"Do you think that after this movie becomes a hit, I could become a top star? At least, like Tang Yan and Yang Mi."

Jing Tian didn't say she could become as popular as Lu Yunzhou.

Because the online popularity of top female celebrities is roughly equivalent to that of second-tier male celebrities.

Male celebrities have an advantage because of their gender.

After all, most of the fans are young girls, and most of them are dream girls. As long as they are handsome enough, they can become famous overnight just by starring in a couple of movies or TV series.

It's incredibly difficult for female celebrities to climb the ladder step by step.

For someone like Jing Tian, ​​who seems to stumble and fall every few steps, becoming a top-tier celebrity is about as difficult as seeing a ghost in broad daylight.

"Absolutely no problem."

Lu Yunzhou answered seriously, his eyes filled with determination, "You will definitely go down in film history and cause a sensation all over the world."

He added in his mind: A super terrible movie that will go down in film history!

"You really think so? Then I'll take your good wishes."

Seeing how serious Lu Yunzhou was and how determined he was, Jing Tian immediately regarded Lu Yunzhou as a confidant.

She took out her phone: "Let's add each other on WeChat and keep in touch. I'll introduce you to a few beautiful women outside the entertainment industry. The reliable kind."

The implication is that female celebrities in the industry are unreliable.

"Then I'll thank Sister Tian Tian in advance."

If someone wants to introduce him to a beautiful woman, would Lu Yunzhou refuse?

"If you keep being so polite to me—believe me or not, I'll beat you to death!" The "Northwest Hammer King" meme is just too funny, and it was Lu Yunzhou who started it first.

Jing Tian played with no pressure at all.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened, and we arrived at the private party venue.

As soon as he entered the banquet hall, someone came over to greet Lu Yunzhou.

"Hey, this is Victoria Beckham. Your trailer caused a huge stir in the UK—[David Tulaham], haha, even though you changed a letter, I know the person you surpassed is [David Brabham]."

All I can say is, well done!

"That guy is really annoying."

Victoria Beckham owns her own fashion brand and frequently attends New York Fashion Week; she is the brand's biggest spokesperson.

Her style is somewhat similar to Hermès.

They won't hire spokespeople, but they will collaborate with some celebrities for promotions.

Clearly, she had her eye on Lu Yunzhou.

Motorsport is one of the most fashionable things in the world.

She felt that Lu Yunzhou was a perfect match for her brand's image, so she came to contact him to see if there was any opportunity for cooperation.

"Thanks."

Lu Yunzhou didn't know these people at all, but he still had to put on a show.

The heir of the Estée Lauder family, as the organizer, came over and chatted with Lu Yunzhou and Jing Tian for a few minutes.

He then introduced Lu Yunzhou to the editors-in-chief of Hollywood entertainment media such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

They arranged an exclusive interview to promote his new movie, "The Wild West".

As someone who's been through it all, Jing Tian had already seen a trend. She turned to look at Lu Yunzhou, a hint of envy in her eyes: "Looks like your movie is going to be a huge hit."

People in the Vanity Fair have the keenest sense of smell.

Although Lu Yunzhou's movie has not been released yet, they all have their own internal channels and are very clear that this movie will become a dark horse next month.

"Thank you for your kind words."

Lu Yunzhou himself had not yet received the latest information, and he did not know how North America was preparing to release his film.

However, he has already made an appointment with Jeff Robinoff, the owner of Studio8, to discuss the film's distribution in detail tomorrow afternoon.

All beginnings are hard.

The hardest part of entering the North American market is the first hurdle.

As long as the film can be successfully released in North America and get enough screenings, everything else will fall into place.

"By the way, Yunzhou, can you draw?"

Jing Tian didn't know why, but she felt that Lu Yunzhou was particularly to her liking, and she felt very comfortable chatting with him.

Lu Yunzhou shook his head: "I can't. I'm terrible at drawing."

Jing Tian looked incredulous: "How could that be? You're the director, you're supposed to draw storyboards. You're terrible at drawing, how are you supposed to draw storyboards?"

How can this be explained?

Forget it.

I'd rather not explain.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Yunzhou said, "When I was little, I tried hard to learn to draw, but my teacher said I didn't have much talent. In fact, he even refunded my tuition."

"Ha ha."

Hearing this, Jing Tian immediately empathized and said, "I've encountered similar situations. Isn't it strange that those teachers don't even bother to make money?"

Lu Yunzhou nodded, then said with a sigh, "I can't understand art students' thinking. Maybe they think it's cool not to make money off us."

The two talked for a long time that night.

As the banquet was about to end, Jing Tian suddenly asked, "Have you ever been to Xi'an? Have you ever walked around the Xi'an city wall?"

How did you know?

Lu Yunzhou thought for a moment and said, "When I graduated from junior high school, I participated in a summer camp, which was similar to red education. One of the projects was to go to Yan'an for study and experience."

"I remember it clearly. It was around 2 p.m. that day. We arrived at Xi'an Railway Station to transfer trains. But the train to Yan'an wouldn't depart until around 5 p.m.

"I had three hours in between, and I was bored, so I bought a ticket and went to the Xi'an City Wall for a walk."

"Who knew that a sudden downpour that day would leave me soaked to the bone."

"Fortunately, there was a pretty girl on the Xi'an city wall that day who got soaked in the rain with me, which made me look less silly."

Jing Tian found the story very romantic and beautiful.

She was incredibly immersive.

At that moment, she was like a child engrossed in a story, and couldn't help but ask, "And then what? A romantic story should have a romantic ending."

Lu Yunzhou shook his head: "Life isn't an idol drama, there aren't that many romantic endings. But occasionally, I do have some memories. Over time, that figure becomes like a ray of white moonlight, settling in my heart."

Jing Tian, ​​however, was unwilling to let the story end there, and asked again, "Have you ever thought about going back to find that girl?"

"no."

Lu Yunzhou, however, was very rational about this: "The people in the story should remain in the story. Forcing them to be found will only destroy the beauty of the story."

Jing Tian, ​​however, had a different opinion: "If it were me, I would definitely go find that person. I'm just that kind of persistent person."

Sensing that Lu Yunzhou didn't want to continue the conversation, Jing Tian tactfully changed the subject: "By the way, on your way here, did you notice how lively the streets were?"

Lu Yunzhou nodded slightly: "It seems to be some kind of Caribbean Carnival, right? A lot of people are dressed like peacocks."

"Would you like to join in the fun?"

Jing Tian suddenly invited Lu Yunzhou to go out and have fun together.

Lu Yunzhou thought for a moment and then politely declined, saying, "I have an important job tomorrow afternoon regarding the North American distribution of the film."

What happens after work is finished?

Jing Tian was determined to drag Lu Yunzhou out to play.

She must be feeling really stifled back home.

In New York, nobody knew her, and she could go wherever she wanted without worrying about being stared at.

Lu Yunzhou's situation in China is similar.

He could understand why celebrities like Jing Tian wanted to relax after going abroad. The high-pressure work they usually did forced them to pretend all the time and prevented them from being themselves.

Therefore, once they arrive in a place where no one knows them, they become particularly wild.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Yunzhou nodded in agreement: "If it's early, I'll treat you to dinner. However, you'd better bring two bodyguards."

During New York Fashion Week, each celebrity is provided with two bodyguards, as arranged by the organizers.

But the bodyguards will go off duty.

During New York Fashion Week, Lu Yunzhou only had three events.

The first match is now.

The second show will be on September 11th, Victoria Beckham's fashion show. Estée Lauder is the full sponsor of Beckham's show.

In addition, Estée Lauder arranged for Lu Yunzhou to sit with David Beckham, which would help Lu Yunzhou gain fame in the UK and benefit his film.

The third event was the Tom Ford brand fashion show on September 13th.

In addition to the fashion show, Estée Lauder will also arrange a fan meeting for him, as well as some promotion for the upcoming movie "Racing Wilderness".

After the three events, Lu Yunzhou will leave New York that evening and return to China.

Apart from these three days, Lu Yunzhou is free to move around and handle his own personal work.

Of course, he can also enjoy shopping and sightseeing in New York.

"Don't worry, when I go out, I usually bring four bodyguards." Jing Tian told Lu Yunzhou to remember her promise and that she would definitely come to see him on time tomorrow.

Lu Yunzhou asked with some doubt, "Sister Tian Tian, ​​didn't anyone go out with you? I mean, if the two of us went out alone and got photographed, it would be easy for rumors to spread."

"I'm not afraid."

Jing Tian smiled wisely: "Everyone says you like long legs. My legs aren't long at all, so I'm not your type. Besides, I'm four years older than you, and you don't seem like the type who likes to sponge off your parents."

If Lu Yunzhou likes to rely on his parents, Tang Yan is clearly a better fit.

But Tang Yan was right there, and although Lu Yunzhou had always been rumored to be dating Tang Yan, Lu Yunzhou's fans always firmly believed in their brother.

Tang Yan's fans have been clamoring for her to win over Lu Yunzhou, making the other actresses born in the 85s drool with envy.

However, the majority of the elements involved were instigators.

"alright."

Don't look at me like that.

Under Lu Yunzhou's gaze, Jing Tian helplessly raised her hands in surrender and revealed her true intentions: "I do want to spread some rumors about you—you're so popular right now, and the trailer for 'Crazy Racing' is so popular in North America."

"I'm so worried that 'The Great Wall' will flop again."

"I want to benefit from your fame and get some exposure by appearing alongside you."

"If your 'Crazy Racer' becomes a huge hit in Europe and America, I will also gain some fame, which can give 'The Great Wall' more exposure."

"Of course, I won't let you suffer any losses."

At this point, Jing Tian whispered, "I have a very good relationship with Wanda. For the movie 'Crazy Racing,' I'll have my agent contact AMC Theatres to see if they can give you more screenings, okay?"

It's definitely not feasible to ask the other party to schedule the screenings directly.

Because capitalism only cares about money.

If a movie doesn't get enough audience attendance, theaters still need to make money, so they'll simply replace the movie.

However, on the first day, the theaters will still give them some face.

At least Lu Yunzhou will be given a chance.

It's a deal.

Lu Yunzhou valued his first film immensely.

Even if Jing Tian doesn't come to him, he still has to find a way to build a good relationship with her and then get in touch with Wanda's resources to see if he can get some preferential treatment in terms of screen time in North America.

But to be honest, it probably won't be very useful.

Otherwise, the movie "The Great Wall" wouldn't have performed so poorly at the North American box office.

"Let's make it clear first, it's just a simple meal, a little shopping together, and some casual exposure. Nothing else."

If you dare to fall for me, I'll beat you to death!

Haha.

After saying this arrogantly, Jing Tian parted ways with Lu Yunzhou.

She sensed that Tang Yan's gaze was a little strange.

Once or twice, it might just be her imagination. But being stared at like that all night made Jing Tian very uncomfortable.

"The falling flowers are full of affection, but the flowing water is heartless. What a tragic fate."

On the way back, Jing Tian was suddenly inspired to write poetry, feeling that she had stumbled upon a great piece of gossip today.

She didn't know what Lu Yunzhou was thinking, but Tang Yan's gaze towards Lu Yunzhou was anything but innocent.

Lu Yunzhou finished work at 2 a.m. yesterday, and slept until 2 p.m., which made up for his sleep.

After a simple lunch, Lu Yunzhou met with Jeff Robinoff, the owner of Studio 8, in his suite to discuss work in detail.

3 pm.

Jeff Robinoff arrived on time with his men.

Lu Yunzhou was already prepared.

"Hello, Jeff."

Hello, Lu.

-

The two shook hands briefly, and Jeff Robinoff got straight to the point: "Road, the movie is fantastic; it's an excellent racing sports film."

"I'll handle the distribution in North America for you. I'll make sure your film gets a smooth release there."

"However, you also need to understand one thing: you are Chinese, and nobody in North America knows you. The movies you star in are destined to be niche films."

"Box office—we have an internal model, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it might only be $2000 million, or maybe even less."

"This box office performance is comparable to 'Rush,' which was released in 2013. That movie is a true story about an F1 player and only grossed $2600 million."

"Of course, your film is more commercially viable, your characters are better developed, and the lighting and composition are superior."

"However, your popularity is still too low."

97

"Unless something miraculous happens. Like, you become a national celebrity overnight."

"Otherwise, the film's box office revenue will be very limited."

After analyzing the film's prospects, Jeff Robinoff explained the distribution strategy to Lu Yunzhou.

"It will open in 2000 theaters on its opening weekend, mainly covering Asian communities and art-house cinemas. I'll try my best to get IMAX and Dolby theaters for you, but I can't guarantee it."

Suddenly remembering something, Jeff Robinoff laughed: "I heard you and Miss Jing had a very pleasant conversation. If you can secure a prominent screening on AMC, the second-largest theater chain in North America, then the prospects for this film could be very promising."

After cracking a joke, Jeff Robinoff became serious: "If we can hold on in the first week, and as word-of-mouth spreads and social media buzz increases, I believe our film might still have a chance to make a comeback."

Although the chances of this comeback are slim, Jeff Robinoff is still very optimistic about Lu Yunzhou's movie.

They have an internal estimation model that, under normal circumstances, this movie is guaranteed to gross at least $2000 million at the box office, with a maximum of around $5000 million.

Because Lu Yunzhou photographed himself in a very professional manner.

The overtaking scenes were also very cool.

Regardless, Lu Yunzhou should become somewhat popular.

If he can maintain the quality of his second film, then the box office will be very impressive.

Because at that time, Lu Yunzhou was no longer an unfamiliar face to North American audiences, but a somewhat famous star.

"Lu, you are very talented."

Seeing that Lu Yunzhou was silent, Jeff Robinov thought the young man was arrogant and couldn't handle the setback, so he earnestly comforted him.

"Lu, I can see a lot of your thoughts in this movie."

"The structure of Bach's fugue, Leonardo da Vinci's perspective, and Friedrich's romantic style—each character has a complete arc, and you've done a very pleasing job."

"Just wait patiently, like waiting for a seed to grow into fruit. You need time to nurture your talent. One day, everyone will fall in love with you."

If Lu Yunzhou weren't truly talented, Jeff Robinoff wouldn't have come to talk to him about this in person, nor would he have comforted him.

"Lu, after all this bad news, let me tell you some good news."

"Although 'Rush' in 2013 did not perform well at the box office, it sold its streaming rights in North America for $960 million."

"Considering that Apple TV+ has been heavily investing in sports content in the past two years, and given their global partnership with Audi, they would be willing to pay a high price for your film."

"Approximately $1500 to $2000 million for global streaming rights."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunzhou smiled and nodded.

We are now in the streaming era.

There are streaming media rights available for sale in more than 190 countries and regions worldwide, and the normal price is similar to that of movie box office revenue.

Furthermore, considering that this is a racing movie and the number of copies produced is extremely limited, the price could potentially increase by 20% due to scarcity.

about.

Jeff Robinoff has clearly underreported some information.

It's probably for the sake of stability.

A quick calculation suggests that this film's revenue in North America should exceed $2000 million, which is about 1.3 million yuan.

Another source of extra income.

"Jeff, you did a great job, thank you."

Lu Yunzhou has done his best anyway, and how much box office revenue he gets is all up to fate.

As long as he has a clear conscience, that's enough.

The system will give him the correct evaluation.

"Don't mention it, it's all I should do. Lu, I believe you'll become the next great director. Hollywood welcomes young people like you."

"Do you know Christopher Nolan? The Batman trilogy and Inception were produced when I was president of Warner Bros."

"I believe you will be the next one."

Jeff Robinoff is very optimistic about Lu Yunzhou's future.

He knew very well that Hollywood's greatest strength was its ability to attract the world's most elite filmmakers.

If one day Hollywood loses its ability to attract elites, it will inevitably decline.

"Jeff, see you next time."

Lu Yunzhou saw Jeff Robinov and his group into the elevator and waved goodbye.

"Next, we need to get AMC Theatres on board."

Just now, Jeff Robinoff was subtly reminding Lu Yunzhou that if the opportunity arose, it would be best to secure screenings of his film as a priority by the three major North American theater chains.

Lu Yunzhou certainly couldn't handle the three major North American theater chains.

However, he always had to try to seize an opportunity.

Half an hour later.

After tidying himself up and fixing his hair, Lu Yunzhou felt everything was perfect before going downstairs.

Upon seeing Lu Yunzhou's hairstyle, Jing Tian couldn't help but laugh: "You've got another trendy hairstyle, I really want to punch you."

""

She's completely addicted to it.

"Put on these big sunglasses—stop looking, they're Ray-Ban, the ones you endorse." Jing Tian took two pairs of sunglasses out of her bag.

She wore one set, and Lu Yunzhou wore one set.

With half her face covered by large sunglasses, she felt much safer.

Because today is during the Caribbean Carnival, the entire street is packed with people.

Those people were dressed in their finest attire.

Lu Yunzhou didn't know how to describe it, but it was Latin style, and even had a bit of African tribal style.

-

It was quite lively, though.

There were also a lot of onlookers, many of whom were tourists.

Lu Yunzhou and Jing Tian blended in among them, not standing out.

"I've got you two drinks, have a look." Just then, Jing Tian got a little thirsty from shopping and asked one of her bodyguards to buy some drinks.

"Gin?"

Lu Yunzhou took a small sip. The taste was alright, with a hint of smokiness, but mostly fruity.

"Guess what it's called?"

Jing Tian looked at Lu Yunzhou, and, as if thinking of something, smiled and said, "The name of this wine is, [Deadman's]..."

"chest" roughly translates to "the coffin of a dead man!"

Jing Tian is a rather interesting person.

Lu Yunzhou laughed so hard he didn't know how to respond. Finally, he could only add helplessly, "Have you seen 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2'?"

"The movie is called 'Deadman's Chest,' which can be translated as 'The Coffin of Souls.' Some people also translate it as 'Treasure of the Dead.'"

Whichever translation you use, it's more normal than "a dead man's coffin," right?

"Haha. Yeah, right."

Most young girls would probably say something sarcastic like, "Wow, you're so cultured, you even know English!"

However, Jing Tian is already a grown woman and frankly admits that her English level is average, and she even feels that Lu Yunzhou's translation is more charming.

Faced with this situation, Lu Yunzhou didn't know what to say, so he could only flatter him, saying, "But I think the translation 'the coffin of a dead man' is more interesting."

boom!

Just then, a sound like firecrackers came from somewhere.

Immediately afterwards, the crowd began to scream wildly.

Lu Yunzhou and Jing Tian were both stunned for a moment.

Immediately afterward, Lu Yunzhou sensed something was wrong and instinctively raised his hand to protect Jing Tian's head.

At this moment, the bodyguards were very professional and surrounded the two, protecting them as they quickly left.

One of the bodyguards kept making phone calls, asking the car to come in, but the street was full of people, and people were running everywhere, so the car couldn't get in at all.

Just then, "bang!" another shot rang out.

The sound was already quite far away; the gunman had probably gone somewhere else.

Just as Jing Tian breathed a sigh of relief, she suddenly felt something lose its support behind her and fall heavily onto her.

"Yunzhou, don't crush me! Let's go!"

"Are your legs going weak?"

Jing Tian sensed that the gunman had already gone far away, but at that moment, Lu Yunzhou suddenly collapsed onto her, his legs giving way.

What's going on?

How can a grown man be so timid?

My legs get weak after walking just a few steps?

"Miss, he seems to have been shot."

Just then, the bodyguard pried Lu Yunzhou off Jing Tian and suddenly noticed that blood was flowing from Lu Yunzhou's shoulder.

Because Lu Yunzhou was wearing a black coat today, he wasn't initially noticeable.

But when the bodyguard touched it, it was wet.

"Ambulance! Call an ambulance now!"

"Stop the bleeding! Don't move his body."

"No bandages? I have sanitary napkins in my bag—use these for now."

Despite her panic, Jing Tian calmly directed all the bodyguards to help Lu Yunzhou stop the bleeding, bandage his wounds, and wait for the ambulance.

The bodyguards were dumbfounded.

Is this a female celebrity? She's so well-trained.

Did she practice countless times since she was a child to prepare for this scene?

I don't know how much time has passed.

Lu Yunzhou opened his eyes and saw a large group of foreigners appear before him.

"What's going on? Why are so many people surrounding me?"

"Didn't I just have a drink with Jing Tian? When did my alcohol tolerance become so low?"

Lu Yunzhou only remembered that he and Jing Tian attended a carnival event, and then Jing Tian bought him a drink.

He remembers nothing after that.

At that moment, he turned his head and saw Ji Rujing, Tang Yan, his assistant, and bodyguards surrounding the doctor and asking him questions.

"The patient has regained consciousness and is out of danger."

"He was lucky; it was a stray bullet. The gunman wasn't aiming at him. Otherwise, the situation might not have been so optimistic."

"Don't worry, he shouldn't have any lasting effects. But conservatively speaking, he'll need at least six months to recover."

"Especially around the first four weeks, the shoulder joint should be kept immobilized to prevent wound infection."

Listening to the doctor's description, Lu Yunzhou finally understood his condition.

He and Jing Tian went to the Caribbean Carnival, when suddenly a mentally unstable gunman appeared and started firing at the crowd—

-

gun.

Two people were killed and more than 20 were injured.

Unfortunately for him, he was hit by a stray bullet.

Although it wasn't a fatal wound, the impact on his scapula caused excruciating pain that sent him into neurogenic shock.

He woke up two days later.

After the doctor left, Tang Yan looked at his miserable state and wanted to say something, but her throat was completely choked up and her face was covered in tears.

"You finally woke up, I shouldn't have cried. I'm sorry."

Tang Yan forced a smile at Lu Yunzhou, walked outside, found a corner, and cried bitterly.

Ji Rujing shook his head slightly upon seeing this scene.

She walked to Lu Yunzhou's side, a smile appearing on her face: "Zhouzhou, do you know that you've done something big?"

You became a global sensation overnight!

Lu Yunzhou's face was full of question marks.

"See for yourself."

97

Ji Rujing took out her phone, opened the world's largest streaming platform, and the first video that popped up was about the New York shooting.

The video is two minutes long.

From the moment the gunman appeared and shot the first person.

The video's narrator drew a red circle around Lu Yunzhou in the lower left corner.

"Everyone, pay attention to this handsome guy. Let's call him A for now."

"A and his female companion were clearly tourists visiting New York; they seemed very interested in the carnival."

Let's take a look at their lip movements. Oh, so they're drinking "Undead Treasure," a type of gin. How sophisticated!

"Look here, watch the slow motion closely. The instant the gunman drew his gun, almost at the same moment, Little A keenly noticed something."

"With almost no hesitation, he raised his arm to shield his female companion's head. His female companion didn't seem to realize that she had saved her life. She thought he was just playing around and even playfully pushed him."

"His female companion finally realized what had happened after the gunshot rang out."

"Look here, A has clearly been shot. He staggered, but he still persevered, protecting his female companion as they continued to run outside."

"Thirty seconds later, the gunman left. A lost too much blood and began to lose consciousness. Finally, she couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed on her female companion."

"His female companion had no idea what he had done from beginning to end."

Lu Yunzhou looked at himself in the video, instinctively reaching out his arm, and felt somewhat dazed.

He never intended to shield Jing Tian from a bullet.

At that moment, his body reacted instinctively.

The New York shooting became an overnight global sensation.

Lu Yunzhou became a huge stigma in this shooting incident.

Because, out of hundreds of people, he was the most handsome. Even though he was wearing sunglasses, his charisma was so unique, and he was also wearing Tom Ford clothes.

Ford's fall fashion collection, which hasn't been released yet.

When the video was first released, nobody knew who Lu Yunzhou was. But soon, many people posted movie trailers featuring Lu Yunzhou in the comments section.

His name is Lu Yunzhou!

"He is a Chinese actor whose self-directed and self-starring film, 'The Wild West,' will be released in North America in October. He was invited to attend New York Fashion Week."

"His female companion is another Chinese actress named Jing Tian, ​​who co-starred with Matt Damon in 'The Great Wall'."

After introducing Lu Yunzhou and Jing Tian's backgrounds, someone released the trailer for "Crazy Racing".

Lu Yunzhou's cool demeanor in the movie, as well as his keen sense of danger in racing, are exactly the same as his performance in the shooting incident.

The trailer for "Crazy Racer" garnered over 10 billion views overnight!

Countless people watched the movie trailer repeatedly.

"Yunzhou, you became a global sensation overnight."

"The three major North American theater chains have renewed their contracts with us, guaranteeing 15000 screens for 'Crazy' on its opening weekend."

There are only 45000 screens in North America.

Because of the New York shooting, Lu Yunzhou became an overnight sensation, becoming the number one topic of conversation worldwide.

The reason for its popularity is also very simple.

A handsome young man, instead of running away in a moment of danger, shielded his female companion from bullets.

He didn't fall after being shot, holding on for 30 seconds until the danger passed before collapsing with a sigh of relief.

This might be the most romantic thing in the world.

On this night, girls all over the world became fans of Lu Yunzhou.

"The doctor said you need to rest well. I'll tell you the specifics in a couple of days."

Ji Rujing took the phone away from Lu Yunzhou's eyes, without telling him that the situation in China was even more chaotic.

The entries for "Crazy Racing" and Lu Yunzhou have exploded.

He has now become the source of traffic itself.

Just then, Ji Rujing heard something and said to Lu Yunzhou, "Jing Tian is here. She must have a lot to say to you. I won't disturb her."

Ji Rujing knew very well that Lu Yunzhou's girlfriend was Zhang Ruonan.

But also as a woman.

She was also well aware that Jing Tian had most likely fallen in love with Lu Yunzhou.

Although, this may be a beautiful misunderstanding.

In Ji Rujing's view, how could someone as rational as Lu Yunzhou possibly shield Jing Tian from a bullet? It was completely impossible.

But that's what everyone on the internet is saying now, and Ji Rujing watched the video and it didn't seem to have any problems.

This action brought Lu Yunzhou a huge amount of traffic.

It is of great benefit to their cause.

Since that's the case, Ji Rujing was happy to see it happen.

After Ji Rujing left, Jing Tian tiptoed in and then closed the door.

She first looked intently at Lu Yunzhou, then a hint of confusion appeared on her face as she murmured, "Why? I don't understand. We've only known each other for less than two days."

-

Even if it's love at first sight, it's impossible to be this brave, right?

"I have no idea."

Looking at himself in the video, Lu Yunzhou almost didn't recognize himself anymore. He could only say helplessly, "I've forgotten what I was thinking back then."

Forgot?

How could you forget something like this?

However, Jing Tian had heard that when a person experiences severe pain, the brain suddenly shuts down, supposedly to protect the body itself.

Lu Yunzhou couldn't possibly lie about something like this; he probably really had forgotten.

Anyway, thank you.

Jing Tian glanced behind her; the door was firmly closed.

She sat by Lu Yunzhou's bedside, her tone incredibly gentle: "Are you thirsty? Do you want me to get you some water? What about fruit? What would you like to eat? I'll go buy it for you in a bit."

"Does the wound hurt?"

"I'm not very confident about the medical care in the United States. I've heard that they give patients some addictive drugs."

"Once you feel a little better, I'll charter a private plane to take you back to China to a military hospital. Military hospitals are more skilled at treating these kinds of gunshot wounds."

We've only known each other for two days.

However, Jing Tian felt as if she had known Lu Yunzhou for many years, and had countless things she wanted to tell him.

The crew of "Wolf Warrior 2".

Screenwriter Dong is helping Lu Yunzhou develop his character, outlining the kind of handsome and cool tech guy vibe he needs.

In the past two days, Lu Yunzhou has become a global superstar overnight. His performance in the "New York shooting" clip has garnered over 10 billion views in three days.

It made headlines in almost every country in the world.

This number of views is comparable to Michael Jordan's game-winning shot against the Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals!

Lu Yunzhou has undoubtedly become a sensation.

Following that, Lu Yunzhou's previous role in "The Day Is Coming" became the most shared TV series on the global internet.

-

Meanwhile, the copyright for Lu Yunzhou's self-directed and self-acted film "Crazy Racing" is being snapped up worldwide.

This film originally faced some obstacles in its screenings in Europe and America.

However, after the New York shooting, Lu Yunzhou's popularity exploded, and countless people around the world wanted to see the movies he made.

All the theaters gave this movie the green light, and they promoted it aggressively both online and offline.

At New York Fashion Week, the Estée Lauder show was packed with media, all asking which brand Lu Yunzhou would be endorsing.

Buyers around the world are waiting for Estée Lauder to release its new autumn collection.

Especially the outfit Lu Yunzhou was wearing.

Everyone involved in this chain of interests is about to make a fortune.

Only one: "Brother Jing!"

"We're probably doomed!"

When screenwriter Dong saw this news online, he found Wu Jing, who was working hard on the film set, and almost burst into tears: "Brother Chuan, you've been hit."

"What the hell? Who got shot?"

Wu Jing had become depressed because of Lu Yunzhou's excessive internet usage a while ago, and hadn't been online much these past few days, instead staying on set and getting beaten up.

At that moment, he was unaware of everything that was happening in New York.

Seeing this, screenwriter Dong had no choice but to explain, "Brother Jing, Brother Chuan's heroic rescue of the damsel in distress has made headlines in dozens of countries around the world. His handsome face has now become a passport to the world."

"Some people even say he's been named one of the 100 Most Handsome Faces in the World this year, and he's jumped straight to number one! His votes are far ahead of second place!"

"Just now, I tried to log in to Weibo to check if it was true or false, but I couldn't log in for half an hour. Weibo was down."

"He's such a prankster."

"If he hadn't actually been shot and spent two days in the hospital, I would have suspected that this was all a movie he directed and starred in himself."

Screenwriter Dong was very happy that his newly acquainted "big brother" had such a large following.

With Lu Yunzhou's level of popularity, as long as the movie has even a slightly interesting plot, it's estimated that it can attract tens of millions of young fans to come and shout that their idol is so handsome.

But here comes the problem.

Lu Yunzhou injured his scapula and is estimated to need 6 months of rest, and there is no guarantee that he will fully recover.

It seems their film will have to say goodbye to Lu Yunzhou.

"puff!"

Wu Jing was drinking water when he heard these words and spat it all out.

He was dumbfounded.

He relinquished his position as the eldest brother, intending to let Lu Yunzhou lead the entire crew to success, and to make his project soar, allowing him to earn hundreds of millions.

As a result, the older brother I just recognized is gone?

He became the leader of the crew again.

What should we do?

He just finished adjusting his mindset, and now he has to readjust it again?

He's over 40 years old, can't you please stop torturing an elderly person like this?

"Brother Xiaochuan, is he alright? I'm so glad he's okay. You gave me quite a fright."

Wu Jing was still very loyal; instead of worrying about whether Lu Yunzhou's online traffic would explode, he asked first if Lu Yunzhou was alright.

I learned that Lu Yunzhou was fine, but he might need to rest for half a year.

At that moment, Wu Jing's mind went blank.

He paced around the film set several times, rubbed his scalp, and asked, "Old Dong, are you still going to revise this script?"

Screenwriter Dong's face was covered in wrinkles, almost like an orange peel: "How about we film it according to the original version first? Then, at the end, we can add a line saying, 'Special thanks to director Lu Yunzhou.'"

Lu Yunzhou is injured and it's highly likely he won't be filming action movies anymore. Even if Lu Yunzhou himself wanted to, his agency wouldn't agree.

Miss Jing Tian certainly wouldn't let her savior suffer like that.

However, the production team can still capitalize on Lu Yunzhou's popularity by talking at length about the effort he put into the film during promotion.

Then, this movie will become Lu Yunzhou's unreleased "white moonlight," attracting many young fans to come and see for themselves.

Upon hearing this suggestion, Wu Jing slapped his thigh, pointed at screenwriter Dong, and laughed, "Old Dong, I never realized before, you're a fucking genius!"

"Anyway, Brother Xiao Chuan spent a lot of money on this movie, so he definitely won't object to us using his name for publicity."

My own rhythm is back.

Wu Jing couldn't say whether she was happy or sad, but she felt that this was how fate should be.

A ward in a New York hospital.

Because he became an overnight global sensation, all of Lu Yunzhou's relatives and friends knew that he had been admitted to the ICU for taking a bullet for Jing Tian.

After he felt a little better, he could only make phone calls one by one to explain.

"Mom, I'm perfectly fine. As for how I felt? I didn't feel anything at all, it was like being bitten by a mosquito."

"The doctor said I'm recovering very well and I can go back to China next week."

"Xiao Nan, I'm fine. Don't listen to the nonsense online. I've only known Jing Tian for two days, and I never intended to take a bullet for her. I just lent a hand."

"Be good at school, I'll be going back in a couple of days."

"Sister, you don't need to come to New York to see me. I'm fine. It's just that I can't lift my arm for the time being. The doctor said I can start rehabilitation exercises in about two months."

"I'll come running at your school again once I'm better."

"Don't cry, please don't cry. You look awful when you cry—I'm hanging up!"

"Ah Kun, Wolf Warrior 2 is still missing a rich second-generation character. Are you interested? I definitely can't make it, but I think you'd be more suitable."

"Don't want to act? You'll regret it later."

After making phone calls to many people, Lu Yunzhou could finally rest.

-

The hospital facilities are excellent, almost no different from those in a hotel.

After all, New York is the heartland of capitalism.

If there's enough money, the hospital could even arrange for a few strippers to perform in Lu Yunzhou's hospital room.

Just as Lu Yunzhou was gazing out the window, lost in thought, Jing Tian pushed open the door and came in.

"Sister Tian Tian, ​​I feel great today. I slept until 10 o'clock this morning. The doctor came to check me and there's nothing wrong. I'm recovering very well. The doctor said I can be discharged next week."

Jing Tian asks the same question every day.

Lu Yunzhou had already memorized the format of these questions.

Today, before Jing Tian could even ask any questions, Lu Yunzhou gave all the answers.

"After returning to China, you should also go to the military hospital for a check-up."

Jing Tian placed the fruit she had brought for Lu Yunzhou aside and said with a smile, "I came to tell you that I've decided to move to Shanghai. Do you think Pudong or Puxi is better?"

Lu Yunzhou answered almost without hesitation: "Then Puxi is definitely better."

Jing Tian smiled and continued to ask, "So, which do you think is better, Wukang Road or Yuyuan Road?"

Aren't these two roads next to each other? Are they very different?

Lu Yunzhou didn't want to make any regional stereotypes, so after thinking for a moment, he said, "They're all fine. However, when I was studying at the music academy, I went to Wukang Road more often. It's more lively there."

Jing Tian smiled and nodded: "Then let's buy a house on Wukang Road. After I buy the house, I hope you can come visit often."

The implication is far too obvious.

Lu Yunzhou hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly under Jing Tian's expectant gaze.

9 month 30 number.

"Racing Cars" has been officially released.

Because Lu Yunzhou became an overnight global sensation during the New York shooting, he is still in the spotlight.

The number of screens this film opened on is likely a miracle in the history of Chinese-language cinema.

On September 30th, the opening day of "The Roadsters," the film was shown on 50,000 screens worldwide!

-

In 2016, there were only 16.4 movie screens worldwide.

After returning to China and undergoing a thorough check-up, I was certain that I wouldn't suffer any long-term effects.

Next, Lu Yunzhou entered a period of rest and recuperation.

However, on the opening day of the movie's release, Lu Yunzhou was not idle. Instead, he appeared in Theater 1 of the Shanghai Cinema in Shanghai with bandages and a sling on his arm.

He simply waved slightly, giving a brief greeting to his fans: "Long time no see."

In an instant, the entire stadium erupted in cheers, almost lifting the roof off.

Hangzhou.

In a luxury house in the west of the city.

Miss Fu Bingxing staked her family's honor on Lu Yunzhou, placing all her bets on him.

The rewards that Lu Yunzhou brought her were also enormous.

However, Miss Fu Bingxing never expected that Lu Yunzhou would have such a shady move.

-

He actually got involved in the New York shooting, and even became famous all over the world because of it—a kind of luck that most people can't enjoy!

"Those who survive a great calamity are sure to have good fortune in the future."

"This is destiny!"

"As the old saying goes, a small fire needs support, a big fire depends on fate!"

"Who would have thought that Yunzhou's trip to New York would turn him into the world's most searched internet celebrity in September!"

December 1st afternoon.

Today is National Day, but Miss Fu Bingxing did not go out. She stayed at home, waiting for someone to report the situation to her.

"Miss—it exploded!"

"Last night, the domestic screening rate was 30%, with an average of 45 people per screening, almost sold out, and the box office was 76 million yuan. It was almost twice as many people per screening as the second-place film, 'L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties,' and its box office was 20 million yuan more."

"According to industry predictions, today's box office will exceed 1.5 million yuan. The overall domestic box office should surpass 25 billion yuan."

"The box office performance in Europe and America is also very good."

"In North America, it grossed over $1000 million after its opening yesterday. It should surpass $3000 million in its opening weekend, and the total is likely to be around $8000 million."

"However, not many people watch racing in North America anyway."

"The focus is on Europe. Box office estimates for the UK, France, and Germany are all over $2000 million, and the total may exceed $1.5 million."

"Japan and South Korea are currently negotiating with us to import this film. However, they only accept the exclusive rights purchase and not box office revenue sharing."

As her assistant began reporting the data, Miss Fu Bingxing mentally calculated the total cost of the film.

25 billion domestically.

$8000 million in North America, close to 5 million RMB. These Americans are so arrogant; they can't stand that China has such amazing racing drivers.

The European investment is $1.5 million, which is close to 10 billion RMB. Europeans seem to have better foresight; after all, many people watched the Le Mans endurance race and know that Lu Yunzhou didn't just make things up.

Regardless, the combined box office revenue from these three markets has exceeded 40 billion RMB!

Japan and South Korea are not included.

If we include that, it's estimated that it could add another 5 million RMB.

Even in US dollar terms, the estimated box office is close to $7 million. Of that, about 40%, or $18 billion, will go back to the production company.

"We've struck it rich!"

Miss Fu Bingxing put down her computer, a look of excitement flashing in her eyes.

The film industry has great potential.

The film division is the most important part of Huace Media. What kind of TV series would they need to produce to earn 18 billion?

Besides, this is just box office revenue.

There's still a lot of potential for development after the film. A great film can generate enough cash flow to last for 10 years.

year.

What's more, this movie can have a sequel.

"Hopefully Cheng Congfu can step up his game."

"Hopefully Audi will be smart enough to spend money and buy Cheng Congfu a championship."

Speaking of Audi, Miss Fu Bingxing couldn't help but ask, "When will my silver Audi R8 arrive?"

The assistant was dumbfounded: "Miss, may I ask for you?"

Upon hearing the word "Miss," Miss Fu Bingxing immediately said with great displeasure, "How many times have I told you, don't call me 'Miss' while we're working. Deduct 100 yuan!"

"Excuse me, miss."

""

The assistant has completely taken over.

Go ahead and deduct as much as you want.

Anyway, my bonus this month is going to be huge.