Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 87: The Battle Between Two German States! "The Great Wall" Takes Off at the Box Office, But the Mastermind is Dead!

Germany.

The following morning, Lu Yunzhou and his group, under the arrangement of Steider, fully experienced the charm of Neuschwanstein Castle.

"Wow."

When Tian Xiwei and Liu Haocun finished breakfast and got ready to go out, they suddenly saw a carriage at the door that looked like a fairy tale princess.

The carriage even had magnificent crystal chandeliers on both sides.

Disney princesses, have they become reality?

"Lu, look at the girls' reactions! I knew it, no girl can resist the temptation of being a princess."

Stade smiled at Lu Yunzhou, then gestured to Tian Xiwei and Liu Haocun to get in the car: "Please get in, Your Highnesses."

"I hope you will come to like Bayern."

Bayern is the local name.

The German pronunciation is Bayern, which is why the local football club is called Bayern Munich.

Bavaria is a Latin word that was later translated into English and spread to China, where the name of the place became fixed as Bavaria.

"Big brother, what is he muttering about?"

Liu Haocun and Tian Xiwei couldn't understand what Steid was saying at all, and looked at Lu Yunzhou in confusion.

He said he had specially arranged a fairytale carriage for you so you could experience life like a princess.

It was clear that Liu Haocun and Tian Xiwei were very excited.

In this situation, Lu Yunzhou certainly wouldn't dampen their spirits, and smiled at the two of them, saying, "Go up and have some fun. This is your job for today."

"Thank you, brother."

The two exclaimed excitedly and rushed to get into the carriage.

The coachman gestured for the two to sit down, then gently shook the reins, and the horse's hooves pounded on the cement road as it headed up the mountain.

Lu Yunzhou and Huang Yida lagged behind and walked up the mountain.

Before long, Lu Yunzhou gradually sensed that something was wrong.

"Steed, it's only 8 a.m., and the place is already packed with tourists. Is it like this every day?"

Neuschwanstein Castle is Germany's oldest castle and is famous all over the world.

When Lu Yunzhou looked at the data, he learned that Neuschwanstein Castle could only attract less than 150 million tourists a year, and he thought that not many people came to this place.

Once he arrived at the actual location, he realized that this wasn't a problem with the tourists.

It's a local issue.

First of all, this place is a bit remote. It's in a small town, and a mountain town at that, deep in the Alps.

Transportation is quite inconvenient.

Secondly, Neuschwanstein Castle is built on a mountain, and the road up the mountain is very narrow, with a daily limit on the number of visitors.

The best place to take photos is on a bridge.

That bridge can only accommodate about 200 people.

Lu Yunzhou glanced at it from afar; it was already packed to the brim.

If tens of thousands of tourists come every day, it will probably cause accidents, and the tourist experience will probably not be very good.

Stadler walked up to Lu Yunzhou and explained, "It's the New Year holiday now. We Germans use our annual leave these days to create a long holiday, similar to the Chinese New Year."

Germany does not have long holidays like China.

However, Germans have a lot of annual leave, about 20 days.

They would choose a suitable time, such as during Christmas and New Year's Day, and use a few days of annual leave to create a long holiday of about half a month.

This practice even has a specific term in Germany: "bridge vacation," which refers to using annual leave to piece together several short holidays, much like building a bridge.

The number of tourists at Neuschwanstein Castle far exceeded Lu Yunzhou's expectations.

Although the overall number of people is not large, parking spaces are extremely scarce due to the narrow terrain.

In addition, there is another major pain point.

To enter Neuschwanstein Castle, you actually need to make a reservation in advance.

Of course, as a world-class celebrity, Lu Yunzhou naturally receives preferential treatment in this regard.

The management even arranged a special tour guide to explain things to Lu Yunzhou and his group.

Lu Yunzhou listened to the lecture while observing the interior of Neuschwanstein Castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle is indeed very beautiful from the outside, which once filled him with great anticipation.

But once inside the castle, Lu Yunzhou frowned.

Because he couldn't find the feeling he wanted.

In particular, while you can see Lake Alpsee outside from inside Neuschwanstein Castle, the view is extremely narrow.

It's nowhere near as beautiful as the view from the Marienbrook.

This bridge is the best spot for taking photos, with 200 people crowding around it.

Many people take photos on this bridge and then leave without wasting any time to enter Neuschwanstein Castle.

What disappointed Lu Yunzhou the most was that he did not see any swans.

Legend has it that Lake Alps is also known as "Swan Lake" because many wild swans inhabit the area during the right season.

Why did he choose Neuschwanstein Castle?

Isn't it just because this place has the word "swan" in its name?

He filmed the castle to be exceptionally beautiful, and paired it with his own luxury brand, "Swan Tears." No words or text are needed to explain; audiences worldwide will naturally buy his brand after seeing the film.

But standing inside Neuschwanstein Castle, Lu Yunzhou looked out through the window.

The snow-capped mountains are beautiful.

However, the view of Lake Alps is limited.

The number of swans was not as large as expected.

In short...

Seeing is believing, but hearing about is not as good as meeting.

"The road runs north from here, and there is a 350-kilometer-long romantic road, which is full of ancient castles."

"Trust me, you will find a castle you love."

Steider, observing Lu Yunzhou's expression, could tell that Lu Yunzhou seemed somewhat disappointed with Neuschwanstein Castle.

In fact, he knew where Lu Yunzhou's biggest disappointment lay.

They are official service personnel.

To enter Neuschwanstein Castle, you need to gather a group of people and enter the castle in batches, just like squeezing onto a bus.

After one group of people goes in, the remaining tourists have to wait in line at the entrance.

This kind of service experience is indeed a bit terrible.

They want Lu Yunzhou to film in Germany because they hope his movies will attract some Chinese viewers to travel to Germany.

There are too many Chinese people.

A few hundred thousand people only need to come to Germany each year, and that's enough to sustain the German tourism industry.

Steid's actions were essentially helping the local area attract investment, so he naturally had to be mindful of Lu Yunzhou's expression at all times.

"Big brother, come here for a second."

Just then, Tian Xiwei rushed over and gently tugged at Lu Yunzhou's sleeve.

"What is it?"

Lu Yunzhou was pulled aside by Tian Xiwei.

Tian Xiwei secretly glanced at the foreigners nearby. The foreigners noticed something, quickly turned their heads away, and then pretended to have something to do and asked to leave.

After the foreigners left, Tian Xiwei whispered in Lu Yunzhou's ear, "Brother, I heard that the King of Bavaria incurred a huge debt to build this castle, and then he was drowned in the lake in front of it."

He died at the age of 41.

"That's very unlucky."

"The king incurred a huge debt to build this castle."

The castle project became an unfinished project, and the king himself didn't know whether he committed suicide due to excessive pressure or was driven to it by creditors.

In short, this is a very ominous place.

"I know."

Lu Yunzhou smiled gently, telling Tian Xiwei not to be so superstitious.

They're just making a movie; don't deliberately bring bad luck upon yourself.

"Go and call Xiao Cun over here."

The main characters filmed in this castle, besides Lu Yunzhou himself, are Liu Haocun.

He was about to ask Liu Haocun how he felt.

"Big brother, you were looking for me?"

A short while later, Liu Haocun was called over.

Before coming here, Tian Xiwei must have said something to Liu Haocun. At this moment, Liu Haocun raised his head, secretly glanced at Lu Yunzhou, and immediately lowered his head.

He seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

"Xiao Cun, tell me honestly, do you like it here? If you had the chance to live here like a princess for a few years, would you be willing?"

Lu Yunzhou asked Liu Haocun about his impressions of Neuschwanstein Castle.

"Brother, if it were just me alone, I definitely wouldn't want to. But if someone lived with me, I could put up with it."

Liu Haocun secretly glanced at Lu Yunzhou.

Those little eyes are so lively and bright, and they even carry a hint of anticipation.

When Tian Xiwei saw this scene, she seemed to read the unspoken meaning in Liu Haocun's eyes.

What do you mean by "someone to live with me"? Your implication is far too obvious.

"If you have to tolerate it, then it means you don't like it."

Lu Yunzhou nodded slightly, understanding Liu Haocun's true thoughts: "Then let's temporarily consider Neuschwanstein Castle as a backup. If we really can't find a better place, then we'll choose this one."

Seeing that Liu Haocun looked anxious and wanted to explain something.

Lu Yunzhou waved his hand gently: "It's alright."

"Next, we'll explore many more sights. Germany may not have much else, but it has countless castles, nearly 2."

With thousands of seats, you're sure to find one you like.

Neuschwanstein Castle is a misnomer.

Lu Yunzhou didn't want to cheat the tourists either.

Because this movie is primarily designed to attract Chinese tourists.

He didn't want the movie to portray Neuschwanstein Castle as exceptionally beautiful and romantic, only for domestic tourists to be influenced by the film, fly tens of thousands of kilometers to Germany with high expectations, only to return disappointed and then turn around and criticize him online.

"Lu, I heard you went to Neuschwanstein Castle? Did you find the movie scene you needed? Actually, we have many beautiful castles in Saxony too."

Just then, Lu Yunzhou's phone vibrated a few times, and a message popped up on WeChat from Weidler, President of Audi China.

Immediately afterwards, Weidler sent Lu Yunzhou another photo.

The photo shows a beautiful ancient castle.

Although there isn't much scenery, the lake occupies most of the entire picture.

A large number of swans swam on the lake, making them very conspicuous and full of vitality.

"This is Moritzburg, our Saxony, the fairytale castle of Cinderella in the Grimm's fairy tale."

"The palace is surrounded by water on all sides and boasts beautiful scenery. It is one of the most beautiful water palaces in all of Europe. It was once the hunting palace of the Elector of our Saxon Kingdom."

"The palace, inside and out, is entirely symmetrical Baroque in style—trust me, you'll absolutely love it."

Lu Yunzhou's eyes lit up instantly when he saw the photo sent by Weidler.

As the sun sets, the orange-red castle is reflected on the calm lake, where several swans leisurely glide along the shore.

He closed his eyes and imagined winter coming.

The lake outside the castle was not frozen.

Snowflakes, like goose feathers, slowly fell from the sky.

He sat in the palace, quietly reading a book while the fireplace burned, and looked out at the lake through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

A flock of swans from Siberia have chosen to inhabit the lake.

It's like a paradise.

At that moment, he found his rhythm.

No need to choose anymore, this is the one.

"Thank you for recommending the castle, Mr. Weidler. I will come to Dresden in a couple of days." Lu Yunzhou did not immediately agree.

Unexpectedly, the Germans started competing with each other.

Both Stadler and Weidler are regional presidents for Audi. Although they have a good relationship, they start to split up when it comes to competition in their hometowns.

In fact, Lu Yunzhou himself was in a very difficult position.

Neuschwanstein Castle's overall architectural design is more elegant, and the snow on the mountaintop is filled with a romantic, sublime, and solitary atmosphere.

However, he preferred the lakes and swans of Moritzburg.

Moreover, Moritzburg has excellent transportation.

The local train station is just 500 meters away from the castle, making it very convenient for tourists to take a direct train ride.

In addition, the terrain here is flat, the population is larger, and the service industry is more developed, which will bring a better experience to tourists.

In comparison, Neuschwanstein Castle has no advantages other than its beautiful appearance.

Lu Yunzhou gradually formed a preference.

But he couldn't let Mr. Steider's good intentions go to waste, especially since Bavaria's economy was certainly stronger than Saxony's.

Bavaria is also closer to the Alps, which made it easier for him to shoot some scenes of the Alps.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Yunzhou made a decision: "Mr. Steider, it seems we'll have to remove Neuschwanstein Castle from our plans."

Upon hearing this, Stadler immediately became anxious: "Why? This is the best castle in Germany!"

"Mr. Stadler, please don't rush. Please listen to me."

Lu Yunzhou steadied the other party and patiently explained, "I've observed for two days, and there are already enough tourists here. If our movie becomes a huge hit, and countless tourists from all over the world flock here, can the town of Fusen below accommodate so many visitors?"

That's true.

Upon hearing this, Steider frowned slightly, his heart filled with emotion.

He couldn't handle the unexpected wealth that fell from the sky. What could he do?

"However, Mr. Stadler can rest assured. Most of the filming locations for our movie will still be in the vicinity of the Alps."

"I will select many scenes from the 350-kilometer-long Romantic Road that you just mentioned as the main filming locations for the movie."

Lu Yunzhou offered an alternative solution.

Upon hearing this, Steid's brow gradually relaxed, and he gave Lu Yunzhou a big hug: "Lu, what should I say? In short, thank you, my friend."

In fact, Lu Yunzhou didn't need to give him any face at all.

Neuschwanstein Castle did not meet Lu Yunzhou's filming requirements, so he could simply change locations.

Audi and the German government only required Lu Yunzhou to film in Germany, without specifying which particular state.

Steider believes that Lu Yunzhou was willing to keep most of the scenes in Bavaria mainly because of his influence.

This made him feel very comfortable.

"We're friends, so we should help each other. Shouldn't we?"

Lu Yunzhou knew very well the way that rich kids like Steid did things; he probably already bragged about it last night.

If he were to move the entire filming location himself, Steid would be incredibly embarrassed in front of his friends and would be ridiculed for many years.

Now, he only needs to leave a portion of the scene here to save face for Stadler.

If all goes as expected, Stadler will reciprocate by helping him solve many problems during the subsequent filming process.

This kind of thing doesn't need to be said; everyone understands without saying a word.

"Lu, there are some subsidies for the film industry in Bavaria. I'll have someone help you apply for them. Besides that, do you need any brand sponsorships?"

"10 euros, 20 euros, you might not be interested—but if each company contributes a small sponsorship, I can guarantee that you won't have to spend any money on the parts you film in Bavaria."

Steidl quickly made Lu Yunzhou realize that his reputation was very valuable.

Even without small sponsorships from local businesses, Lu Yunzhou would still come to Bavaria to make films thanks to film subsidies from the German government.

But who would complain about not having enough money?

"Thanks, buddy."

By using his emotional intelligence, Lu Yunzhou saved Stadler's face and inadvertently made a small profit.

Over the next few days, Steid was even more enthusiastic than before, taking Lu Yunzhou and his group to enjoy the scenery of the 350-kilometer-long Romantic Road.

The journey was like stepping into a fairy tale.

To attract tourists, the German government began developing charming towns and various castles along this route in 1950.

This is a landscape completely different from that in China.

Liu Haocun and Tian Xiwei felt like they were living like princesses every day, a feeling that was unreal.

"Cunzi, aren't we living a bit too extravagantly? If this continues, how will I be able to concentrate on my studies when I go back to China?"

Tian Xiwei felt as if she had truly become an empress.

At this very moment, she is inspecting the kingdom's territory.

Wherever she went, her subjects spontaneously showed her great respect and affection, offering her flowers and sincerely praising her beauty and elegance.

If BMW weren't one of Audi's biggest competitors, and if Lu Yunzhou weren't Audi's spokesperson, they would most likely have been able to drive back a BMW GT race car when they left BMW headquarters last night.

Because, after Lu Yunzhou finished his test drive, the reception staff at BMW headquarters practically handed the keys to him.

This is not just a matter of broadening one's horizons—

During this period, Tian Xiwei felt that she had been transformed from an ordinary girl into someone who received aristocratic treatment.

The difference in treatment is at least as high as several dozen floors.

"Oda, I know what you're thinking. But I feel your hopes are slim."

Liu Hao was standing nearby, tidying up his clothes.

Yesterday, they went out shopping and experienced the atmosphere of Munich. Lu Yunzhou generously bought them all a coat.

Including several screenwriters who came out to play together.

The brand is called Gil Sander, and it's said to be a local German fashion luxury brand, but Liu Haocun had almost never heard of it.

When I checked the price, wow, a coat costs 4000 euros, which is close to 3 RMB!

This is the most expensive gift she has ever received in her life.

She didn't even dare to cut off the label. She would take it out to test it from time to time, and then carefully fold it up and put it back in the box.

Unfortunately, Tian Xiwei also had one that was about the same price.

Otherwise, she would be even happier.

I know the chances are slim.

Tian Xiwei pouted and sighed softly, "Big Brother is not what he used to be. A net worth of 200 billion might be a bit of an exaggeration. But he has earned at least 30 billion this year."

"Once people become wealthy enough, they start to suspect that others who approach them have ulterior motives."

"If I had 30 billion, and someone suddenly came up to me and fawned over me, saying they really liked me and had liked me for many years, I would definitely sneer inwardly, thinking, 'They're just after my money, aren't they?'"

Tian Xiwei was particularly envious of Wang Churan.

When Wang Ran met Lu Yunzhou, Lu Yunzhou was a poor college graduate who had nothing to do all day and would go to Wang Ran's school to play basketball with Cai Xukun.

Lu Yunzhou treated Wang Ran in a completely different way; he could tease her at will, joke with her, and make her happy.

However, although Lu Yunzhou was very gentle with her and Liu Haocun, he would occasionally feel a sense of estrangement.

"Xiaotian, aren't you thrilled to be called Empress Tian?"

Liu Hao put the clothes away and then suddenly asked a question.

"Of course it feels great."

Tian Xiwei laughed heartily; she particularly enjoyed the feeling of bragging in the group chat.

Especially in the last few days, she took many photos of Lu Yunzhou's back and also showed off photos of Lu Yunzhou taking her around Germany.

In the fan group, those little bitches' jealousy of her has almost reached its peak.

If Wang Ran hadn't transferred the group admin position to her, no one would have been able to kick her out of the group—Tian Xiwei guessed that she would have been kicked out at least eight times.

"Wait a minute!"

Suddenly, Tian Xiwei sensed something was wrong. She turned her head and stared intently at Liu Haocun: "How did you know? The title 'Empress Tian' is a secret in our group."

Liu Haocun isn't in their fan group, so how would he know that others call him Empress Tian?

"The boat girl told me."

Liu Haocun turned around and smiled.

In Tian Xiwei's eyes, that smile was incredibly annoying, just like a witch's.

"Impossible. Why would the boat girl tell you?"

Tian Xiwei didn't believe any of this.

After a while, she seemed to realize something and looked at Liu Haocun with great surprise: "You're trying to find the feeling of acting in me?"

Liu Haocun nodded slightly, smiled innocently, and took Tian Xiwei's arm, saying naively, "How was it? Was my acting realistic?"

"Did you get chills just now?"

"My older brother told me to practice more in my spare time. I think that acting opposite you is more effective than practicing in front of the mirror."

cut!

Tian Xiwei snorted and clenched her little fist: "Then should I swing my fist and beat you to a pulp?"

Which one best suits my character?

No wonder all girls hate green tea.

Meanwhile, something of moderate importance happened in the domestic entertainment industry.

For the new generation of internet celebrities, this is a trivial matter.

For the older generation of renowned directors and producers, they collectively came to the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery Auditorium to attend a memorial service.

Because their old classmate, Director He, passed away a couple of days ago.

"Old He, back in the day, we made 'Yellow Earth' together, and the film won an award in Switzerland. I even helped you write your application to go abroad."

"Back then, we were all in the prime of our lives. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, alas—"

At the memorial service, Chen Kaige couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

-

He turned to look at Zhang Yimou, who was standing silently beside him.

He, Zhang Yimou, and the recently deceased director He are seen as an inseparable trio by outsiders.

However, Zhang Yimou has been having a rough time lately, and he remained silent without saying anything.

Only Chen Baoguo choked up several times during the memorial service.

Rong Xinda's Li Shaohong posted a nonchalant Weibo post: "Old He, your classmates all know you like excitement. Lao Mou and Kai Ye are here. We'll try our best to let you leave with dignity."

"I hope you like the wreaths, elegiac couplets, and white roses."

In addition, many veteran directors and actors from the Beijing entertainment circle also came.

You would never guess otherwise, but these people are all classmates and old friends with countless connections.

After the memorial service, as is customary, someone would host a dinner party where people would drink a little wine, chat for a bit, and ease the somber atmosphere.

"Ah Mou, how have you been lately?"

Chen Kaige asked casually.

-

Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou, and Director He are the legendary "iron triangle," and their relationship is actually quite good.

However, they rarely meet in public and do not comment on each other in the media.

We're all in this together, so we all know each other's skill levels.

What's there to say?

Their evaluations of each other are nothing more than entertainment for outsiders; inadvertently, they've even ruined their own image.

Smart people don't casually criticize their peers.

"I'm a little tired."

Zhang Yimou looked up at Chen Kaige and casually replied.

Chen Kaige said with a smile, "I saw that the movie you filmed with Jing Tian, ​​'The Great Wall,' did very well at the box office recently, especially before Christmas."

"When Lu Yunzhou was doing that live stream in Italy, many netizens were saying that Lu Yunzhou was blessed by God or something like that. Then, they started talking about Jing Tian, ​​and even called her 'Miss Harry who survived a great calamity'?"

"Your film has grossed over $1.5 million in Europe and North America, which is quite a good result."

Why are you still looking so gloomy?

Lu Yunzhou carried Jing Tian, ​​and Jing Tian carried "The Great Wall".

Especially on Christmas Day, after watching Lu Yunzhou's live stream, people all over the world went crazy to watch the movie "The Great Wall".

This led to a surge in box office revenue for the film during the Christmas season.

Chen Kaige was extremely envious after seeing it.

Who would have thought that Zhang Yimou, who always looked gloomy and like an old farmer from northern Shaanxi, would have such good fortune?

result----

The box office was phenomenal, and the word-of-mouth was phenomenal too!

Box office revenue is soaring, but word-of-mouth is plummeting!

In the past two days, a Weibo account even wrote an article with an exaggerated title—"Zhang Yimou is dead."

This guy then added three candles to commemorate the deceased Zhang Yimou.

This incident caused a huge uproar online.

Immediately afterwards, instead of attacking the Weibo account, people across the internet joined in criticizing Zhang Yimou.

After New Year's Day, public opinion erupted completely.

Mocking Zhang Yimou has become politically correct these days.

Anyone who stands up and says a few good words for Zhang Yimou will likely be condemned by everyone.

one way or another.

This movie's box office performance was significantly better than that of the other timeline.

Originally, this movie grossed about $4500 million in North America in another timeline!

Lu Yunzhou became a global sensation thanks to the New York shooting and his live-streamed rendition of "The Last Supper" in Milan.

Jing Tian also benefited a little from the dividends.

Everyone wants to know: when Lu Yunzhou gained God's left hand, he lost his mortal right hand. Who did he protect?

Coincidentally, The Great Wall tells a story about protection.

This has attracted a lot of attention.

At least in Europe and America, Lu Yunzhou's 15 days of live streaming before Christmas were equivalent to giving "The Great Wall" a 15-day GG (game over).

Many people were drawn to the cinema, hoping to witness the miracle.

As a result, the foreigners couldn't quite understand it.

When Chinese people saw it, they were met with a barrage of criticism.

Because it involves cultural inferiority complex.

At this critical juncture, such behavior is almost tantamount to treason—Zhang Yimou's reputation was completely ruined after this film.

"Ah Mou, don't pay attention to the comments online."

I understand you.

"Is this project something we directors can decide?"

"The investors spent so much money, even bringing in Hollywood superstar Matt Damon and a bunch of Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars to play supporting roles. Anyone with a little knowledge knows that we have no say in this movie, we don't even have the power to choose the actors."

If Zhang Yimou could make the decision, how could Jing Tian possibly have gotten the lead role?

"Don't try to comfort me. I knew this would be the outcome when I was filming."

Zhang Yimou raised his head and gave Chen Kaige a meaningful look.

If someone else had said that, Zhang Yimou would probably have thought, "We're both big directors, but my reputation is terrible. Compared to that, Chen Kaige is being elevated, isn't he?"

However, Chen Kaige probably doesn't have such dark thoughts.

After all, in Chen Kaige's mind, he was just his former underling, and Chen had never regarded him as a great director of the same caliber.

Therefore, Chen Kaige would never speak sarcastically to himself.

It's not worth it.

"By the way, Ah Mou, I heard you selected a few girls from the Beijing Dance Academy to be the female lead in your next movie? One of them, Liu Haocun, was chosen by director Lu Yunzhou? Is it for a visual blockbuster?"

"You two have pretty much the same taste."

Chen Kaige smiled, then asked seriously, "Do you think he can do it?"

Chen Kaige chatted in circles for a long time, but what he actually came to do was to talk to Zhang Yimou about Lu Yunzhou.

He felt that Zhang Yimou was someone he could barely have a conversation with, and he was too lazy to talk to anyone else.

Those people lack intellectual depth and vision.

"Who knows?"

Zhang Yimou shook his head slightly and said uncertainly, "A 3D visual blockbuster isn't that easy to make."

If it were easy to film, could the special effects in "The Great Wall" have been made like that?

Actually, the special effects in this movie weren't bad, but the resulting Taotie (a mythical beast) didn't seem to satisfy the audience.

The main reason is that it is indeed very difficult to create a fictional "monster".

It's not enough to just make monsters terrifying; you need to provide them with a reasonable ecological environment, behavioral logic, and even their actions and eating habits must conform to their physical structure.

This involves a lot of knowledge.

The Taotie in "The Great Wall" looks realistic, but it also gives people a feeling of unreality.

It's because we didn't do well in this aspect.

Seeing that Zhang Yimou was unwilling to talk more, Chen Kaige took a sip of wine and said in a leisurely tone, "Actually, I do hope he can make it happen."

Zhang Yimou could tell that Chen Kaige's words were actually sincere.

He turned to look at Chen Kaige with some curiosity, wondering what he was thinking.

If Lu Yunzhou succeeds, won't there be another big-name director in China, taking away their jobs? Doesn't Chen Kaige know this?

"My son Arthur looks just like me when I was young."

Seeing Zhang Yimou's puzzled expression, Chen Kaige smiled nonchalantly.

Seeing Zhang Yimou in a daze, Chen Kaige poured him a small glass of wine, a hint of smugness on his face.

My son Arthur is very handsome; he could work with Lu Yunzhou and make a living in the luxury goods industry.

Once Lu Yunzhou paves the way, our family can follow suit.

Your son definitely won't make it.

So, I'm still the best.

"hehe."

Zhang Yimou watched Chen Kaige showing off his son and immediately felt it was pointless.

However, he was also filled with emotion.

He spent his whole life making movies, but he never expected that he would fail because of "The Great Wall".

This money is indeed not easy to get.

But how could Lu Yunzhou, who received so much money from Audi, be able to make a movie that was both a box office and critical success?

This kid seems to be much more capable than he thought.

Chen Kaige wants to follow Lu Yunzhou's path and go into the luxury goods market—is he dreaming?

Magic City.

"I'm so tired."

"But it feels so good."

After New Year's Day, Nazha has been active in Shanghai.

She was invited to participate in all sorts of fashion events.

Besides participating in events, Gulnazar also shot many brand photoshoots and fashion magazine spreads, earning a lot of money.

She's been incredibly busy lately, but she also feels extremely fulfilled.

"Thanks, Zhouzhou, you carried me to new heights!"

-

Naza knows why.

2016 has come to an end. "Crazy Racing" is the second highest-grossing domestic film. If overseas box office is included, it is the highest-grossing Chinese film.

She was the most beautiful of the three female leads in the film.

Fashion resources are actively being tilted towards her.

Of course, there is another important reason.

Although "The Great Wall" did well at the box office, its reputation was absolutely terrible—Jing Tian is finished.

Because, although the movie did well at the box office, it received terrible reviews. The character Jing Tian was completely unappealing, and it even affected her fashion resources.

In addition, the pressure from public opinion is too great.

Jing Tian and Zhang Yimou are now universally condemned online.

Director Zhang Yimou, in particular, has been seen by netizens as an unforgivable lackey of capitalism.

For director Zhang Yimou, "The Great Wall" may have been a commercial success; at least it didn't lose money and even made a small profit.

But it cast a shadow over his career.

His historical reputation will drop by half because of the movie "The Great Wall".

Before he made "The Great Wall", he was a world-renowned Chinese film artist.

However, now that he has become a lackey of capital, how good can his historical reputation be?

To avoid becoming a tool of capitalism themselves, other top directors will definitely be wary of the mistakes Zhang Yimou has made.

No matter how rich or powerful Jing Tian is, it's all useless now.

Going forward, no well-known director will risk their career to collaborate with Jing Tian or become a "capitalist lackey" in the eyes of the public.

After all, most top directors are not short of money.

"But Jing Tian is finished, so why am I the biggest beneficiary?"

Naza still couldn't understand why these investors were willing to start buying her shares—her previous reputation didn't seem to be very good.

"Sis, do you know why? I feel like I've been hit by a windfall."

Naza herself didn't understand, so she turned to look at her agent.

The agent handed Nazha her phone: "Paparazzi have revealed that Lu Yunzhou injured his arm and is recuperating at Dianshan Lake—"

You went three times. Perhaps that's why.

"How could it be three times? I only went once."

Naza looked puzzled and took a look at the phone.

The paparazzi didn't spread rumors; they didn't say she was Lu Yunzhou's rumored girlfriend.

Because even if I told them, netizens wouldn't believe me.

After all, just two days ago, the Borsalino flagship store opened, and she couldn't even get a matching couple's hat. Clearly, she's not the owner's wife.

The agent put away her phone and said with a smile, "Anyway, everyone online is saying that you two have a really good relationship in private."

"Netizens have even helped analyze it: of the three female leads in the movie 'Crazy Racing,' Tangtang is undoubtedly Lu Yunzhou's sugar daddy."

"Zhang Ruonan is from his hometown and works for his company. They also worked together on 'The Day of Death' before, so it's no problem for him to bring Zhang Ruonan to make the movie."

"Only you are a complete outsider."

"There must be something about you that touched him. That's why he gave you a role."

"Most directors have a muse. For Wong Kar-wai, it's Maggie Cheung. For Zhang Yimou, it's Gong Li."

"You have a chance of becoming his muse."

The agent looked at Nazha earnestly and said, "Next time, if he asks you if you want to switch to being an action star, you can try saying yes. You might discover a whole new world."

Upon hearing this, Nazha asked in confusion, "You told me not to agree before. You said my face is the most important thing. If my face is ruined, I'll be completely ruined."

"Times have changed."

The agent patiently explained, "He currently owns two luxury brands. If you work for him and get disfigured as an action star, he won't treat you badly. He might even sign you a lifetime contract, letting the whole world see how loyal and devoted he is. He'll support you for life."

Whether female celebrities make movies or walk the red carpet, isn't it all for the sake of getting a luxury brand endorsement?

Naza could skip this step and just get a luxury brand endorsement from Lu Yunzhou.

Since that's the case, why bother going out and struggling? Just keep flattering Lu Yunzhou.

That makes sense.

Suddenly, Nazha's intelligence seemed to take over. She pulled out her phone and subtly found Wang Ran's contact information: "The cutest little girl in the world, I'm Nazha, your brother's future girlfriend. How about we have dinner together tonight, watch a movie, and catch up?"

My brother's future girlfriend?

Where did I get a brother?

Wait a minute, I understand.

You're trying to steal my boyfriend!

Wang Churan sneered inwardly, pondered for a moment, and then agreed: "————Okay."

I'd like to see how you manage to steal my man!

Completely baffled by Nazha's thought process, the agent couldn't help but ask, "Nazha, why did you contact Wang Ran? Don't you know that although she's ostensibly an artist under Tang Yan's studio, she's actually a huge fan of Lu Yunzhou?"

"I know."

Naza put away her phone, a wise smile on her face: "I can't find Sister Octopus, I'll deal with Wang Ran, this fan leader, first."

"I'll use sweet talk to corrupt her. Slowly, she'll become my informant, reporting on Zhouzhou's situation to me at any time. I'm very experienced in dealing with these kinds of girls!"

That's true, but the agent still felt that something was off.

At the entrance of the opera academy.

After class, Wang Churan went back to her dormitory to do her hair and makeup, especially drawing on her under-eye bags to make her eyes look as beautiful as pomegranate flowers.

That's all she did.

At seventeen or eighteen, youth is invincible.

Only old women need to apply makeup to their faces to cover up the passing of their beauty.

"Wang Ma, what's wrong with you? You're all dressed up so nicely, you don't want me to treat you to a big meal, do you? I never expected you to look like a big, simple-minded guy, but you're so cunning."

Cai Xukun was going crazy being cooped up in the company all by himself. When he learned that Wang Ran had returned to school, he rushed over immediately, wanting to have a team-building activity.

"I don't need your treat. I've got a sucker here today."

Wang Churan told Cai Xukun not to give her face later, to eat as much as he wanted, and to order the most expensive dishes.

They even hoped that Cai Xukun's foul mouth would drive Nazha crazy.

Naza couldn't take it anymore and gave Cai Xukun a good beating.

In this way, I don't need to do anything; Cai Xukun will go to Lu Yunzhou and say bad things about Nazha.

Thinking about it this way, Wang Churan even felt that Cai Xukun's sharp tongue had finally found a place to be used.

"Wang Ma, you're really something. I love ripping off suckers."

Upon hearing this, Cai Xukun immediately rubbed his hands together in anticipation, but then suddenly remembered something and a regretful expression appeared on his face: "It's a pity that Tian Dali isn't here. Otherwise, the three of us could eat our fill and at least spend 300 yuan per person."

Speaking of this, Cai Xukun suddenly said enviously, "By the way, Aunt Wang, Tian Dali bought a cashmere coat from Gilsander a couple of days ago, and it looks pretty good. I didn't expect that with a little dressing up, she would look a bit like a pink Tyrannosaurus Rex."

"Have you ever seen a pink Greymon? Haha—"

Cai Xukun suddenly burst into laughter, for some unknown reason.

Upon hearing this, Wang suddenly became instinctively wary: "What, Jill Sand? How do you know?"

Cai Xukun said casually, "She posted it on her WeChat Moments. Didn't you see her Moments?"

As they were talking, Cai Xukun took out his phone and showed Wang Ran a selfie that Tian Xiwei had posted on her WeChat Moments.

How awful.

Tian Xiwei actually blocked herself from seeing this photo!

She must be feeling guilty.

"It really is quite beautiful."

Wang Churan tried to give a calm comment, but couldn't help gritting her teeth.

"Wang Ma, is this the legendary sucker?"

Just then, Cai Xukun nudged Wang Cheran's shoulder with his elbow.

Shortly afterward, a nanny van stopped in front of them.

Naza rolled down the car window, waved slightly at Wang Ran, and gave him a sweet yet subtly cunning smile.

Cai Xukun also saw it.

Far from being seduced by Nazha's exquisite face, he instead scoffed, "Northwest wolf. Smiling so cunningly, not even bothering to act."

puff!

Hearing this muttering, Wang Cheran almost burst out laughing.

As expected of you, you noob.

His performance has always been very consistent.

Now I can rest assured.

"Little girl, get in the car quickly."

Naza was very friendly to Wang Churan, treating her as her future sister-in-law.

Wang Ran called out to Cai Xukun, and they got into the car together.

"Little Boat Girl, who's this? Your boyfriend?"

Although Cai Xukun became famous with one song, he wasn't particularly famous; at least Gulnazar didn't know who he was.

She kept looking at Wang Ran and Cai Xukun's faces, and then smiled ambiguously.

Wang Churan was about to explain when Cai Xukun reached out and stopped her.

He coughed a few times, turned his head at a 45-degree angle, looked out the window, lowered his chin slightly, and said in a low voice:

'

A seemingly insignificant little thing can make or break you. Destiny often lies in the details.

Naza was completely stunned.

He gently nudged Wang Ran and asked in a low voice, "Where did he learn this pretentious attitude?"

""

Wang Ran gently shook his head.

"Why."

Cai Xukun sighed leisurely: "This line comes from Maupassant's 'The Necklace.' Maupassant is my elder brother's favorite writer."

Seeing the two staring blankly, completely unaware.

Cai Xukun mentally gave the two of them a bad review: Two illiterate people. They can't even read Maupassant, yet they want to be my sister-in-law? I have no idea what they're thinking.

"Wait a minute?"

Nazha finally understood what was happening and stared blankly at Cai Xukun: "Excuse me, who is your older brother?"

Cai Xukun coughed a few times and solemnly announced, "The chief heir of the Lacrime Borsalino Group, a world-renowned director, a superstar, a successor of Leonardo da Vinci, the left hand of God, and a man with an immortal body—Mr. Lu Yunzhou."

What a cringeworthy introduction!

However, Nazha finally realized that she had backed the wrong person; she shouldn't have gone to Wang Ran, but should have gone directly to Cai Xukun.

However, Nazha still had some doubts and looked at Cai Xukun, asking, "Lu Yunzhou is your older brother, why didn't he take you with him when he filmed the movie?"

"Of course it's because—I refused."

Cai Xukun said with a proud look, "I only want to conquer the world with music. I have no intention of relying on connections—after all, as Mr. Lu Xun said, 'Beasts always walk alone, while cattle and sheep flock together.'"

Naza turned to look at Wang Ran, blinking her eyes, her IQ almost completely gone.

Although Wang Ran didn't know what Cai Xukun was thinking, she didn't expose him at this moment. Instead, she nodded seriously: "He wasn't lying. Every time my brother starts a project, he asks him if he wants to play a role. He always refuses."

What the hell!

At that moment, Nazha's gaze towards Cai Xukun instantly turned strange.

Her desperate attempts to please Lu Yunzhou were all in the hopes that he would take her along to make a movie.

In Nazha's mind, as long as she makes a movie with Lu Yunzhou, she will definitely become famous and make a lot of money.

As a result, Cai Xukun casually refused, which was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her.

Heavens above!

Why?

Naza desperately wanted to ask God, "Why?"

Why is Lu Yunzhou so good to Cai Xukun, but so harsh on her?

She didn't want to be an action star, so Lu Yunzhou stopped contacting her.

As a result, even though Cai Xukun rejected Lu Yunzhou several times, they could still be good brothers.

Tell me, why?

When Nazha saw that Cai Xukun was ignoring her, she couldn't help but become a little ferocious.

"See that?"

Cai Xukun turned to look at Wang Ran, a calm smile of knowing the truth appearing on his lips: "No matter how well you disguise yourself, your true nature will always be exposed unintentionally."

After teasing Nazha, Cai Xukun said matter-of-factly, "I suggest you go back and read Maupassant's 'The Necklace.' When you understand this novel, you'll understand my brother's heart."

is it?

Is this novel really that amazing?

Naza and Wang Ran both silently wrote down the novel, planning to study it carefully when they got back.

During the meal, the two were absent-minded.

We had planned to go to the movies together, but I lost interest and decided to go back and immediately study Maupassant's novel to find out what it was about.

[Dali, Big Feet, Great Singer]

In a WeChat group.

News about Cai Xukun kept popping up.

"Wang Ma, you've been so quiet, are you reading Maupassant's novel 'The Necklace'?"

"Haha, you don't actually believe that, do you?"

"I was just teasing her. She's not only a Northwest Wolf, but a Northwest Wolf with a terrible reputation."

"I won't let the wolf into the house."

Cai Xukun is quite loyal.

-

He fooled Nazha, but not Wang Ran.

At this moment, Tian Xiwei popped up and said, "Why read Maupassant's 'The Necklace'?"

Wang Churan remained silent.

She hasn't even figured it out yet, how could she tell Tian Xiwei?

Tian Xiwei didn't care and said to herself, "I'm exhausted today. That shabby old castle is actually on a mountaintop. We twisted our ankle halfway there."

Upon hearing this, Wang Churan jumped up excitedly and said, feigning kindness, "You twisted your ankle? Are you going to come back to rest? Come back soon, Xiao Tian, ​​I miss you so much."

Every day you're either riding in a carriage at Neuschwanstein Castle, buying high-end women's clothing, or test driving luxury cars at BMW.

You've enjoyed so much good fortune; be careful of retribution.

Faced with Wang Ran's urging, Tian Xiwei laughed and said with a hint of pride, "It wasn't me who twisted my ankle. It was my older brother who twisted his ankle, and I helped him all the way. He praised me for being really strong, saying that I can really step in when it matters. He also said that he will definitely take me along for the next project."

"Noob, from now on, even if you call me Tian Dali again, I won't be angry."

"My older brother said he likes that I'm strong."

Hearing this, Wang Ran felt inexplicably uncomfortable, and the strength in his hands gradually increased, as if he wanted to strangle Tian Xiwei.

Suddenly.

She saw her phone screen turn into a kaleidoscope of colors.

Oops.

The screen is leaking liquid.

I accidentally used too much force just now.

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