Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 97: Xiao Liu's One-Shot Godhood! Kou Rui's Press Conference! Jiaxing's Last Loyal Employee is Running Away!

Italy.

In the Alps.

On the Vaian Dam.

"Props team, get ready."

"Fog generator, snow machine —"

To create that extreme sense of sorrow, relying solely on the natural environment is far from enough; modern technology is essential.

After a while, the core area of ​​the film set was shrouded in a special, misty, cold fog.

At the same time, the sky darkened, and fine snowflakes began to fall on the concrete dam, making a rustling sound as people walked over them.

Like a whisper from the abyss.

It was as if many dead souls were gathering at their feet.

"Final debugging."

"Lights, ready!"

Richard Hoover, as the film's art director, began helping Lu Yunzhou fine-tune the final lighting effects.

After several adjustments, a beam of cold white light shone down from a high place behind them, like sunlight piercing through dark clouds, and fell obliquely on the designated spot where the male and female protagonists were about to bid farewell to each other.

"Light substitute, come over here and check the position to confirm the focus."

On-site assistant director Lao Dong, holding a walkie-talkie, found two staff members whose builds were similar to Lu Yunzhou and Liu Haocun, and had them go up to test the effect.

After confirmation.

The two arrived at a temporary resting place next to the dam and reported to Lu Yunzhou.

"Boss, all the preliminary work has been completed."

"You can start filming now."

Lu Yunzhou opened his eyes and glanced at himself in the mirror.

He had already changed his clothes, wearing a signature long black trench coat stained with mottled fake blood.

Inside was a white shirt, the collar was loose, the buttons were missing, and there was even a drop of black stain on it, like congealed blood.

At this moment, the makeup artist was working on Lu Yunzhou's face, trying to create the look of his skin being burned after being attacked by a fire dragon.

Under normal circumstances, there should be blisters.

However, the water bubbles really affected Lu Yunzhou's appearance, and the audience probably wouldn't like it, so they canceled it, leaving only some charred marks.

"Okay, that's done. Boss, take a look."

The makeup artist finished her work and moved aside.

Lu Yunzhou checked it over and over again, then nodded slightly.

He stood up, walked to the edge of the dam, and faced the camera—behind him was a bottomless abyss, and in front of him was the cold, still lake, as if hiding endless wronged souls.

He took a deep breath and opened his arms.

The blower immediately started working, and the wind began to blow his black trench coat and his long, black hair, causing it to flutter backward.

Everything is coming to an end.

"Phew~~~~"

The work here is almost finished; I can finally go home.

I'm so tired!

As Lu Yunzhou imagined all of this, a calm expression appeared on his face, the kind of relaxed feeling one gets after completing all missions and finally being able to go home and rest.

"The boss is really amazing!"

"I got the hang of it in an instant!"

"The feeling of relief, like being freed from the shackles of fate."

Several staff members nearby, watching Lu Yunzhou's emotional shift in that instant through the monitor, couldn't help but express their deep admiration.

Anna.

This is Liu Hao's name in this movie.

In Latin, "Anna" is a name imbued with religious connotations such as "kindness, nobility," and "thank you for God's grace."

Lu Yunzhou turned her head, revealing a cold smile full of villainous charm, ferocious and insane. She tilted her head back slightly, letting the wind blow through her hair and trench coat.

Lu Yunzhou shouted, "Today is your death day!"

Liu Haocun wore high-waisted jeans and a white shirt. His legs were like compasses, long and thin, straight and full of power.

For Lu Yunzhou, Liu Haocun's figure was simply perfect for a female lead.

"All units prepare—The Abyss Grand Finale, Step 1, Begin!"

Seeing that the two were already in the zone, Richard Hoover took Lu Yunzhou's place behind the monitor, picked up the walkie-talkie, and said, "Start."

Snowflakes fell from the sky.

The blower blew Lu Yunzhou and Liu Haocun's hair, and the two were already very close.

Liu Haocun's right hand was pressed against Lu Yunzhou's chest—about 10 centimeters apart.

Later, a sharp black blade resembling a dragon claw will grow from Liu Haocun's right hand, piercing directly through Lu Yunzhou's chest.

And she pressed herself up little by little.

-

Blood would continue to spurt from Lu Yunzhou's chest.

At that moment, Lu Yunzhou gently bit the blood packet he had prepared in his mouth, and blood began to spill from the corner of his lips.

Sensing the loss of life, Lu Yunzhou's pupils trembled slightly, and blood kept oozing from the corner of his mouth as he coughed, his eyelids twitching.

Liu Haocun's face was expressionless.

She had absolutely no idea how to act at this moment—she just stared intently at Lu Yunzhou. But at this moment, her eyes gleamed slightly.

Actually, she was somewhat surprised. How did Lu Yunzhou manage to act like that?

However, judging from the monitor, the slightly gleaming expression in his eyes seemed to be the joy of revenge that Liu Haocun had been suppressing for a long time and had finally gotten his wish.

And at this very moment—

Lu Yunzhou raised his left hand with difficulty. On his left hand was a golden LDC necklace.

Upon seeing this, Liu Haocun's pupils contracted slightly, revealing a hint of doubt and astonishment, and his breathing began to become slightly erratic.

Lu Yunzhou delivered his lines weakly yet with deep emotion: "Little Freckles, you've graduated."

Liu Haocun has a few small black freckles on his face, but to foreigners, these freckles are nothing.

But for Chinese people who pursue flawless faces, the few small black freckles on Liu Haocun's face have become minor flaws.

But at this moment, Lu Yunzhou transformed these freckles into Liu Hao's biggest visual identifier in this film.

It is also an anchor point for emotions.

It is also the male protagonist's nickname for Liu Haocun.

And in this very second—

Liu Haocun finally realized what was happening. The light in her pupils vanished instantly, replaced by a blank, bewildered expression.

NO!

""

The moment she came to her senses, her once straight body, full of power and agility like a little female leopard, instantly went limp.

She hurriedly hugged Lu Yunzhou, her face completely blank.

Her fingers trembled as she tried to touch Lu Yunzhou's wound, but after just a slight touch—feeling the blood gushing out—she withdrew them, unsure of what to do.

At this moment, it was a completely prop-less performance; Lu Yunzhou's chest was completely bare. All of this required post-production special effects.

"That's it. That's it!"

"Xiao Cun, you did a good job just now."

Next, there is actually another shot.

That was when Lu Yunzhou fell off the cliff, and Liu Haocun stood alone, facing the abyss, staring into the depths, his face showing pain and numbness.

However, there is another shot in the middle of this shot —

That is, Tian Xiwei, who plays the villain Lu Yunzhou's number one henchman, attacks Liu Haocun—and then Liu Haocun, in order to avoid the attack, releases Lu Yunzhou's corpse, letting it fall into the abyss.

Special effects are needed here.

After resting for a few minutes.

-

Liu Haocun filmed the last shot.

She stood alone on the edge of the dam.

She silently gazed at the endless abyss below, letting the wind and snow whip her clothes around—she was completely numb, like a statue.

Suddenly, at some point, tears silently slid down her cheeks.

One.

Two.

Three.

The bloodstains on the ground spread out in a circle.

"pretty!"

"The feeling of heartbreak—I've got it!"

Sitting behind the monitor, Lu Yunzhou gently clenched his fist, feeling a surge of excitement at Liu Haocun's performance.

That's really great.

-

The more silent the silence, the more it can stir up a storm in the hearts of the audience.

Immediately afterwards, the camera zoomed out—

Amidst the swirling snow, beside the massive Vayang Dam, and in the abyss-like canyon, Liu Haocun's figure appeared as small as a speck of dust.

Her black coat blended almost seamlessly with the gloomy sky and the dark lake.

Although she was still standing on the shore, the audience could feel from the scene that her heart had fallen into an endless abyss.

In fact, Liu Haocun didn't need to show any acting skills in this scene; he just needed to be able to cry.

However, the charm of this moment was far greater than her hysterical performance just now.

Because this is the director's art, it is true visual art!

"Perfect!"

"Friedrich-style romance!"

"Loneliness, eternity, sublimity—and a religious, sacrificial quality."

Behind the monitor.

Lu Yunzhou calmly sipped his coffee.

Meanwhile, the staff around him applauded. They didn't think Liu Haocun had any particularly good acting skills, and at this moment they all turned to look at Lu Yunzhou.

Let's give him a round of applause.

Liu Haocun was merely staring expressionlessly at the abyss below. How difficult could it be?

The real challenge lies in the conception of these images.

Lu Yunzhou had already fully expressed all the artistic concepts and emotional tension of the visuals in a previous meeting before filming began.

"Big brother, why is this happening?"

"Just a moment ago, when Cunzi stood there staring into the abyss, I didn't think it was anything special—but when the photographer..."

As the camera ascended and revealed the ultra-panoramic view, I felt a chill run down my spine.

Tian Xiwei was the one who felt it the most.

Does she really think Liu Haocun's acting skills are that strong?

We all came together. She's a professionally trained acting student, although she didn't attend school much, she did attend for a few months.

It's still better than Liu Haocun learning to dance, right?

Lu Yunzhou put down his coffee cup and said to Tian Xiwei, "Descartes has a famous philosophical proposition called 'I think, therefore I am'."

"I must be something that exists independently of the body and possesses thought."

"And in this world, we assume that only humans have thoughts and souls —"

"Under this assumption, we humans become a dualistic species. We can think, we possess real matter, and we occupy space."

"Thought and matter—often, these two cannot be expressed in a unified way, but when the physical body ends with the spirit, the two will briefly merge in the light and shadow, revealing a sublime sense that inspires awe."

"And the one who created all of this—I—at this very moment, am God!"

Caravaggio liked to use light and shadow to create a sense of humanity and destiny.

Levitan was a landscape painter who liked to express a deep sadness through landscapes.

Friedrich's Romanticism excels at constructing the solitude of humanity in nature.

When the three of them perfectly blend together in a 5-minute segment—Lu Yunzhou couldn't even imagine the impact this would have on moviegoers worldwide.

"What? Can't you understand?"

Seeing Tian Xiwei staring blankly at him, Lu Yunzhou put his empty coffee cup on the table and turned to look at the deep Alps: "I'll teach you a trick—the great English poet Shelley once said, 'Shallow waters are noisy, deep waters are silent,' and I wholeheartedly agree."

"In any art form, silence is always more impactful than noise."

"In a film filled with fast-paced shots, suddenly a slow-motion scene appears, revealing a silent face and a serene image. Unsurprisingly, this shot becomes the most iconic moment in the entire film."

Lu Yunzhou shared his years of experience watching movies with Tian Xiwei.

Tian Xiwei felt like she was a little drunk.

I was too drunk to understand—I only remember the last sentence: "Shallow waters are noisy, deep waters are silent."

Silence is always more impactful than clamor.

Does this imply that she talks too much? Unlike Liu Haocun, who is more likable?

Liu Haocun wasn't very talkative, but his eyes kept darting around Lu Yunzhou, making him rather annoying.

"Big brother, am I usually too noisy?"

Tian Xiwei, being straightforward, pulled Lu Yunzhou aside and asked in a low voice.

Lu Yunzhou smiled but didn't answer. He then directed the staff to pack up their things; it was time for them to go back.

There are still some urban chase scenes left. We'll film them in Milan for a few days, and it should be finished in a week at most.

"Big brother, if you think I'm too noisy, I can change."

Liu Haocun is a quiet and beautiful girl with exceptionally long legs. Lu Yunzhou not only wrote the theme song for her and created memorable scenes for her, but also taught her how to act little by little.

Such favoritism is simply outrageous.

Tian Xiwei felt utterly useless, having failed Wang Ran's kindness—she feared Wang Churan would laugh her to death when she returned.

"You are my lark, bringing me a sweet date from the horizon."

"The lark is so lovely, the jujube is so delicious—why change it?"

Lu Yunzhou told Tian Xiwei not to overthink things. She had already signed her agency contract with his company, and he certainly wouldn't let her be idle.

You have to work like a slave and earn that money back for me!

Wenzhou companies never employ idle people!

[The No.1 Fan Group for Congee King Restaurant in Shanghai.]

"Xiaotian, give us a report on today's situation. Did Dilraba try to ride on his coattails?"

"Oda, you're not really dead, are you?"

"Empress Tian, ​​it's time for you to sleep with me tonight!!"

After a day of gossip in the group chat, I was bored and realized that Tian Xiwei should be getting off work soon.

The girls in the group started asking Tian Xiwei to report on what happened today.

Shallow waters are noisy, deep waters are always silent.

After Tian Xiwei came up, she first gave her acceptance speech, and then asked each of them in turn, "Do you know who said this?"

"If any of you can tell me, I'll give you a little surprise—but first, you're not allowed to use Baidu."

Tian Xiwei changes every day.

Yesterday I was Lu Yunzhou's publicity ambassador, today I'm a poetry enthusiast.

"Xiaotian's been acting really strange lately. Yesterday she was giving us a serious lecture on the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking and artistic concepts—and today she's spouting famous quotes. Could she really be possessed?"

"General Tian has fallen in battle, and now I, the Emperor, have no generals to command—the old method, quickly go and invite the Fierce Tiger of Jiangdong, General Sun Yan, who has broken through the enemy lines!"

"Sun Yan is one of the three strongest figures of our time, alongside Liu Huangyi and Cao Yangmi!"

"Then what am I, Zhao Liying from Changshan?"

The group chat had suddenly taken on a Three Kingdoms theme, leaving Tian Xiwei somewhat stunned. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "The Fierce Tiger of Jiangdong, is that Sister Tangtang? Aunt Liu, is that Liu Yifei?"

As for why Tang Yan, Liu Yifei, and Yang Mi are called the "top three," while Zhao Liying and Liu Shishi, also from the post-85 generation, are not given the same prominence—

Tian Xiwei could understand.

After all, Yang Mi fell down just as Zhao Liying had finished eating.

As for Liu Shishi—

She went to earn money to support her husband, and her fans all disbanded overnight.

Even though Tian Xiwei didn't have any ill feelings towards Liu Shishi, she simply couldn't empathize with her.

Just then, a new member joined the group, with a very low chat level.

She quietly posted a message: "Shallow waters are noisy, deep waters are silent — this is a famous line by the great English Romantic poet Shelley."

Tian Xiwei hadn't expected that there were experts in the group.

They actually managed to guess it.

The moment this person arrived, the cultural level of this group seemed to be raised to a whole new level.

At this moment, Tian Xiwei glanced at the other party's ID, "My Son is a Film Master," and was momentarily stunned. Then she chuckled and said, "You newcomer, your ID is a bit too arrogant."

"Currently, the most accomplished master of Chinese cinema is director Zhang Yimou, known as the 'National Master.' Your son is a film master; are you perhaps Zhang Yimou's mother?"

"Emo's mom, why don't you change your name to Emother!"

Tian Xiwei herself is the group owner and can help people change their group name cards.

Before long, the newcomer's nickname became [Emothr]!

When Liu Haocun saw his ID transformed into this grotesque form, he couldn't hold back any longer and revealed his identity: "Xiao Tian, ​​don't do this to me."

Tian Xiwei laughed heartily: "Cunzi, I knew it was you long ago! Stop pretending in front of me!"

Liu Haocun was as silent as a quail in front of Lu Yunzhou, but he was so unrestrained online, already planning for his future son to become a film master.

Whom does Liu Haocun plan to have a child with to produce a film master?

Zhang Yimou has three children on the surface, but who knows how many more sons he has in private.

Chen Kaige is probably no longer of much use.

Chen Sicheng recently spent the night in Shanghai with two girls, and his wife is currently pursuing a divorce.

Liu Haocun wouldn't go so far as to take over Chen Sicheng's business, would he?

After much deliberation, Liu Haocun concluded that he could only place his ambitions on Lu Yunzhou.

Therefore, Tian Xiwei deliberately led Liu Haocun astray in the group!

Group members discovered that Tian Xiwei and Liu Haocun should know each other, and the group immediately became lively, filled with laughter and chatter.

Many group members started teasing Liu Haocun: "Xiao Tian, ​​who's this new sister? She's got real fighting power! She actually wants to be the Grand Tutor's mother?"

Tian Xiwei laughed and said, "Weren't you guys just making a Three Kingdoms reference? Based on my understanding of the Three Kingdoms, the strongest fighter should be Lü Bu."

"Guan Xiaotong and Tang Yan both have exceptionally long legs."

"However, I know this girl, and her legs are even longer than the previous two, and her figure is even better, practically like a compass—I would call her, 'The Red Hare among horses, the Hao Cun among legs!'"

Upon hearing this, the group members became even more excited: "So, you are none other than Lü Haocun, the greatest warrior of the Three Kingdoms!"

"That's great! Finally, a super general has joined my ranks, Emperor Zhou!"

"From now on, Cunzi, you will serve alongside General Sun Yan as the left and right vanguard generals under my Emperor Zhou, and together we will establish an unparalleled foundation for Jiangdong!"

"Empress Tian presided over the inner palace."

"The strategist Zhuge Liang was a master strategist!"

"Why worry that our great undertaking will not be accomplished?"

Just as this group was making fun of the memes, suddenly, a member shouted: "Reporting to all generals, a major battle has broken out in Thailand! The innocent Baihe is playing with a male model—it's been exposed by the paparazzi!"

"Now, the Weibo servers are down again!"

Upon hearing this, the group chat immediately became excited.

Chaos is a ladder to ascent.

Anyway, Lu Yunzhou is unlikely to collapse.

Over the past year, they have planted two top-notch undercover agents around Lu Yunzhou in their group.

Tian Xiwei and Wang Ran joined Lu Yunzhou's company directly and spent every day by Lu Yunzhou's side.

If Lu Yunzhou had collapsed, the two of them wouldn't be bragging and joking in the group every day; they would have jumped out long ago and berated themselves for being blind.

Since Lu Yunzhou is unlikely to collapse, the more others collapse, the more benefits Lu Yunzhou will gain.

Overall, the entertainment industry is a growing market.

However, in terms of endorsements, there are only a few top luxury brands, so it's a saturated market—if even one big star falls from grace, the rest can still make a living.

Yang Mi's recent scandal led to Zhao Liying securing three luxury brand endorsements.

It was precisely because Yang Mi's career collapsed that Jaywalk Studio went crazy, pushing Dilraba Dilmurat and Lu Han to create a frenzy of CP (couple pairing).

Through this process, Dilraba gained a huge number of followers on Weibo by aggressively leeching off Lu Han's popularity.

Although she is called a slut on Weibo every day, Jaywalk Media's strategy has always been this: being infamous is still being famous.

After arguing for a while, the casual fans went about their business—those who stayed were refined into true fans by Dilraba.

These fans are completely useless.

Would Dilraba dare to make movies?

Will anyone contribute to the box office if she makes a film?

Impossible.

The TV dramas that Dilraba Dilmurat starred in are probably only watched by casual viewers if they are free dramas broadcast on TV.

They'd be incredibly stingy to even ask these little fans to subscribe to video streaming services to help their idol achieve some sales targets.

We still have to wait for my sister's "plastic friends" to virtually book the whole place and treat us.

The spending power of female celebrities' fans is vastly different from that of male celebrities.

"I can't log into Weibo. Are there any sisters who can send me a short video? I want to see how handsome the male models Bai Baihe was playing in the water with really are?"

"I remember, didn't Sister Bai get married? Her husband is a singer, right? How come she's having such a wild time in Thailand all by herself?"

"Just how handsome is this male model? Let me see him and give up on him."

Fan groups of various celebrities are buzzing with discussion about this.

Upon learning this news, the female celebrities frantically contacted their management companies.

Meanwhile, the agency is subtly inquiring with Bai Baihe's endorsement companies to see if they might sign with their artist after terminating their contracts with her.

Magic City.

【Yun Jing Yan Ran】Studio.

The brand director of Chanel China suddenly invited Ji Rujing to have afternoon tea together.

"Sister Ji, what's wrong?"

After Ji Rujing finished answering the phone call, she came in from outside.

Inside the conference room, Tang Yan, Zhang Ruonan, Nazha, and the chief designer of [Kou Rui] were discussing the new product launch event for tomorrow.

They saw Ji Rujing go out to answer a phone call, and when she came back with a big smile, they couldn't help but ask her a question out of curiosity.

"A windfall!"

Ji Rujing laughed and briefly explained to everyone how Bai Baihe had suddenly messed things up in Thailand.

"As a luxury brand, Chanel cannot allow its spokespeople to have any blemishes."

"They reacted very quickly."

"I just checked Weibo, and Chanel has deleted all official promotional materials related to Bai Baihe."

"The two parties terminated their cooperation directly."

Hearing this, Tang Yan gently stroked her hair, a look of anticipation on her face: "Does Chanel perhaps want to sign me?"

Ji Rujing smiled and shook her head, saying regretfully, "Chanel prefers movie stars."

"Am I not?"

Tang Yan paused for a moment, pointed to herself, then to the "Racing Cars" poster in the office, as well as various box office records.

Her face was full of confusion.

Before making this film, she certainly wasn't considered a movie star.

However, Lu Yunzhou took her flying away.

"Tangtang, it's fine for us to brag to outsiders, but let's not do this to each other internally." Ji Rujing immediately shook her head and chuckled.

Everyone knows that Tang Yan had nothing to do with the box office performance of this movie.

Even if you just randomly picked a model with long legs to shoot this movie, the effect would be about the same.

Tang Yan didn't contribute any acting skills at all.

Because this is a true male-centric movie.

Chanel clearly needs a leading lady.

Just like Zhou Xun.

Bai Baihe is actually a true leading lady in movies.

In this era, Bai Baihe is a top-tier film actress, with virtually no competitors. In the realm of chick flicks, she is the only choice.

"Okay, I'm still not good enough."

Tang Yan shrugged, not particularly concerned.

Anyway, she already has top-tier luxury—who dares to say that Borsalino isn't top-tier luxury?

She is even one of the behind-the-scenes bosses of top luxury brands.

Under the puzzled gazes of the crowd, Ji Rujing announced the answer: "They want to sign a contract with Liu Haocun."

"Because of the video of Yunzhou playing the piano in the church and teaching Liu Haocun to sing—Chanel was convinced that Liu Haocun was Yunzhou's new muse."

"Most directors are very loyal to their muses."

"This relationship will last at least 5 years, through three movies."

"That's long enough for Chanel."

Liu Haocun has no works to date, but this video of Lu Yunzhou playing the piano brought her into the public eye.

A fresh and charming young lady.

She possesses exceptional temperament.

Her legs are exceptionally long.

Lu Yunzhou patiently guided Liu Haocun to adjust his breathing rhythm while singing, just like he was teaching his own daughter.

Everyone could see that Lu Yunzhou favored Liu Haocun.

With a budget of $1.5 million, Liu Haocun, as the leading actress, will have an incredibly high level of media exposure over the next six months.

Chanel originally wanted to sign Liu Haocun, but the previous plan was to do so after the movie was released.

But no one expected that Bai Baihe would suddenly do something so reckless.

"If Xiaonan has no objections, I certainly have no objections."

After hearing the whole story, Tang Yan turned her gaze to Zhang Ruonan, with a hint of—how should I put it.

A glint flashed in her eyes, hoping to see subtle expressions of "anger" or "jealousy" on Zhang Ruonan's face.

If that's the case, then that's interesting.

pity.

Zhang Ruonan nodded calmly and said, "Xiao Cun, I heard she works very hard in filming and is very quick to learn. Most importantly, she is very obedient."

"My brother likes obedient little girls the most."

"For a long time to come, she will likely be the leading lady in my brother's films. She was destined to be famous; she was just chosen by Chanel six months earlier than expected."

I have no objection.

"Consider it me fulfilling my promise to my brother ahead of schedule."

"We agreed that we would help Liu Haocun earn 3000 million this year, but now, half a year has passed and she hasn't even earned a fraction of that."

"Our family is not the kind of people who break their word."

Zhang Ruonan has already transcended the category of female celebrity — although she has a sad youth idol drama about to be broadcast.

Zhang Ruonan kept referring to "our family," which made Tang Yan feel very uncomfortable.

Faced with Liu Haocun's sudden rise to prominence, Zhang Ruonan was not jealous, which showed Tang Yan Zhang Ruonan's magnanimity. Tang Yan couldn't help but wonder if she could be so generous.

I'm afraid not.

Tangren Company.

After Bai Baihe's incident, the company immediately called Nazha over for a large meeting.

Tangren Media was thinking about how to snatch one of Bai Baihe's seven lost endorsements and put it in Nazha's bowl.

"Breaking news: Chanel has found a new partner, the new leading lady in Lu Yunzhou's film, newcomer Liu Haocun."

"Chanel has already locked in Liu Haocun and is just waiting to see the film's sample footage around September before making a decision."

It's already June.

Lu Yunzhou shoots movies by simultaneously filming live-action scenes and creating special effects, which makes the process relatively faster.

-

Moreover, he had already communicated with lead artist Richard Hoover before the special effects were produced, and the next step was to check the rendering results in the data center.

"Chanel, we couldn't have won it anyway."

"But what about the remaining six brands—can we snatch one of them?"

A large group of people from the company were gathered together for a meeting.

As a result, after a long discussion, everyone felt there was no hope.

"Jiangzhong Hougu Rice Porridge" doesn't suit Nazha's temperament at all.

"If I'm not mistaken, this brand will probably collaborate with Huang Lei, who's been cooking recently. 'Back to Field' is a reality show that portrays Huang Lei as a domestic man who knows how to live a good life. This persona is very accurate."

"If only Shishi were still here."

At this moment, many people missed Liu Shishi.

Liu Shishi had a gentle and elegant appearance, and looked like the kind of good wife who knew how to manage a household well — unfortunately, Liu Shishi had already left Tangren.

Most of the leading ladies of Tangren Media before Liu Shishi were the type of virtuous wives and loving mothers who knew how to manage a household.

The current top female star of Tangren Media is Gulnazar.

Although Nazha is beautiful, after a few glances at her, the people in the company all felt that there probably wouldn't be any home products that would want her to endorse.

Unless it's a product that mistresses like to use, they'll probably find Nazha.

But no company dares to openly say that their product is specifically sold to mistresses.

That would cause an uproar in public opinion.

Naza's image will also plummet to rock bottom, turning as black as the bottom of a pot, and she will never be able to take off again.

A female celebrity's image is extremely important.

Every female celebrity is like a fine piece of porcelain; if there is even the slightest crack, her value will be greatly reduced.

As for someone like Yang Mi, it's like she's been shattered.

Even if you use the best glue to fix them, those cracks will never disappear.

After all, celebrities are created by capital to give users a "perfect illusion"—and this kind of product has a fatal weakness, which is that it must never expose the dirty heart and shallow knowledge beneath the perfect appearance.

Once discovered by users, they will feel a huge betrayal, as if they have been fooled like idiots.

The backlash from this betrayal will transform into eternal negative reviews, pervasive like air, clinging tightly to this female celebrity for the rest of her life!

"You guys stop talking."

"What's the point of talking about this? We know we can't win it."

Seeing that everyone had been talking for a long time without coming up with any ideas, the company's top female member, Nazha, couldn't help but speak up: "Why don't you all think about how to make me Lu Yunzhou's muse?"

"Once I become his muse, how could I possibly lack endorsements?"

"Milan Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Tokyo Fashion Week—I can walk through fashion weeks all year round."

Doing business is just too difficult.

It's better to win over the man who can bring in business.

This is Nazha's first principle.

The agent turned around and asked with utmost seriousness, "Nazha, do you want to become the next Dilraba? Lu Yunzhou's fans are crazy. If you get too close to him, you'll be bombarded with insults."

"Lu Han's incident has taught all male celebrities a lesson. And all male celebrities' fans are very wary of this."

""

Naza touched her hair and said speechlessly, "I meant becoming his muse in the movie, not his muse in real life."

"Nan Nan and I are best friends."

"I won't steal Nan Nan's boyfriend. I, Nazha, am a very loyal person."

You have to choose your target when trying to poach someone from your side.

If Nazha dares to steal Zhang Ruonan's girlfriend, Kou Rui will immediately remove all of her endorsements.

Immediately afterwards, her reputation in the luxury goods industry will be completely ruined.

They even dare to steal the boss's wife's place?

Which company would dare to sign her?

"Nazha, do you have some inside information? We're all on the same side, tell us and we'll help you figure out a solution."

"You silly girl, you definitely have inside information. I know you can't hold back."

97

The agent knows Nazha best.

At every meeting, Nazha is like a clay statue, sitting in the corner without saying a word, but today she actively participated in the meeting.

This unscientific.

This is not the kind of performance Nazha should be giving.

She must have something on her mind that she can no longer hide and desperately wants to reveal it.

"hey-hey."

At this moment, under the watchful eyes of countless people, Nazha finally couldn't hold back any longer and decided to show off in front of everyone: "Nan Nan told me a while ago that during the Chinese New Year, Director Lu Yunzhou mentioned to her that he wanted to film an exclusive idol drama for LDC so that LDC could completely open up the Asian market."

"This idol drama will be filmed between China and Italy."

"The name is 'Queen of Tears'."

"Director Lu Yunzhou said he needed a haughty, queen-like fashion star to play his leading role."

"He will personally play the male lead, a son-in-law who is being abused to death by the queen in his marriage and desperately wants a divorce."

"Just hearing Nan Nan talk about these two character settings—I found it really interesting."

"Imagine this: Director Lu Yunzhou, such a cold and aloof person, a rich second-generation with a net worth of billions, a top artist who replicates Leonardo da Vinci, a genius director who broke Chinese film box office records—he plays a live-in son-in-law, a good-for-nothing who is abused to death by his wife in life and career."

"Can you imagine this scene? Hahaha!"

"If someone tells me that a show is set up like this—I have to check it out no matter what!"

Should we cast Lu Yunzhou as a live-in son-in-law, a spineless husband abused by his wife?

If Lu Yunzhou hadn't directed this drama himself, viewers probably would never have seen him play this kind of character.

—"Queen of Tears" was the highest-rated Korean drama of 2024, with a peak viewership rating exceeding 31%, becoming the highest-rated drama in tvN's history! Upon its simultaneous release on Netflix, it topped the global non-English language drama weekly charts, becoming the number one drama in 25 countries and regions worldwide! It is a masterpiece of Korean dramas!

It topped the list of tvN's all-time best dramas, but it was built on the backs of dramas like "Nine Times Time Travel," "Queen In-hyun's Man," the "Reply" series, the "I Need Romance" series, "Misaeng," "Signal," "Stranger," and "Flower of Evil."

Historical Korean dramas such as "Hotel Del Luna" and "Goblin" showcase an unparalleled level of popularity!

(For those who haven't seen it, you should check it out. Kim Ji-won's beauty is stunning. I was captivated by her beauty because of this drama.)

"Director Lu Yunzhou making an idol drama is a game-changer, isn't it? This drama is bound to be a hit. After all, his aesthetic sense is there, and with a few screenwriters helping him control the plot, this drama can't possibly flop."

"But the more this is the case, the higher his demands on the female lead will definitely be—"

"Nazha, are you sure you can meet his requirements?"

When the management team heard that Lu Yunzhou was preparing to film an idol drama, and that they had received inside information in advance, they immediately felt that there was great potential in it.

If we can help Nazha land this leading role, her commercial value will skyrocket.

Putting everything else aside, securing the LDC spokesperson position is a piece of cake.

"Of course I can't reach that level."

Naza immediately spread her arms, leaned back, and looked at everyone: "It's precisely because I can't reach that I need everyone's help."

If I could meet all of Lu Yunzhou's requirements, would I still give the company a cut?

I'm not stupid.

I decided to go it alone!

Italy.

Milan.

The filming of "Martial Universe" has just wrapped up. Zhang Tianai ended her brief on-set marriage with Yang Yang and came to Italy, to Milan.

At Lu Yunzhou's request, she got a perm and bright red lips, giving her a Hong Kong style look.

In today's terms, this kind of makeup is called "economic rise makeup," which is full of feminine charm, yet generous and elegant.

Full of sexual tension.

She made a cameo appearance as the driver for the villain, Lu Yunzhou. Driving a black Audi A8 executive sedan, she slowly drove through the center of Milan.

In the back seats.

Accompanied by classical piano music, Lu Yunzhou skillfully toasted a cigar, held it to his nose, and took a gentle sniff, seemingly enjoying the moment.

He uttered a line that exuded villainous charm: "Praise be to mankind."

The car drove by slowly.

On the other side of the car was the bustling Milan Promenade.

Countless people were there cheering "Cremio".

Meanwhile, a stunt double with a figure strikingly similar to Lu Yunzhou was slowly putting on a hat in the Borsalino hat shop, gently pressing down the brim.

"Perfect."

After filming wrapped, Lu Yunzhou looked at the footage on the monitor and immediately burst out laughing.

"Boss, this is very interesting."

"I can no longer tell if this is reality or a fantasy movie."

"I'm sure that after the movie is released, countless viewers around the world will talk about this scene with great interest."

"You will be the biggest movie topic of 2017!"

Richard Hoover frantically flattered Lu Yunzhou.

This movie is very interesting.

The most interesting part is that Lu Yunzhou drew inspiration from Nostradamus's "Centuries" in his film concept.

At the end of the movie, he connects with his real-life self.

Within just a few months, his left hand mastered a mysterious painting technique reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci, coupled with the film's depiction of a hidden abyss world within the Alps.

After watching the film, many moviegoers will probably be convinced that miracles really happen deep in the Alps.

After all, Lu Yunzhou personally gave them a demonstration.

The worldview of this movie is somewhat inspired by "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," creating a fantastical second world based on reality.

However, no one would consider "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" to be a true story.

But it's hard to say about Lu Yunzhou's movie.

Because he himself is a living miracle!

"Xiao Ai, your acting is pretty good. Much better than I expected." Zhang Tianai is a model, but Lu Yunzhou didn't expect her acting skills to be so good.

He's better than many professionally trained actors.

Perhaps it's because she has a strong capacity for empathy.

Some people might think that every actor has a sense of resonance with their character, but that's not actually the case—even many veteran actors act in a formulaic way and don't put their hearts into it.

When they can resonate with the character, they are often able to create a classic.

"Thank you, director."

Zhang Tianai noticed that Lu Yunzhou had a good impression of her, and since Nazha wasn't in Milan at the moment, she couldn't help but want to get to know Lu Yunzhou better.

"Director, there are some things I don't understand. Could you please explain them to me in more detail? I'm free tonight."

Zhang Tianai handed Lu Yunzhou a cup of coffee, "accidentally" hooking her finger around Lu Yunzhou's palm, her eyes sparkling, revealing a knowing smile.

In the "Martial Universe" production team, she and Yang Yang had several friendly matches.

However, she also knew that the drama "Martial Universe" was likely to be a flop.

Because she spends every night fooling around with Yang Yang, Yang Yang has no interest in acting anymore. How good can the quality of this drama be?

Acting is pointless.

Lu Yunzhou's movie has already been filmed.

As a director, Lu Yunzhou can relax a bit.

She deliberately seized this opportunity to make a cameo appearance with Lu Yunzhou when the crew was at its smallest—and Lu Yunzhou had been holding back for months. With a little seduction from her, any normal man would probably give in.

As long as Lu Yunzhou agrees, Zhang Tianai believes that her future is bright.

"director."

Just then, Tian Xiwei ran over, glared at Zhang Tianai, and then asked Lu Yunzhou with a smile, "Director, the college entrance exam is next week. When are we going back?"

Tian Xiwei suddenly ran over, seemingly having overheard something, which made Lu Yunzhou a little embarrassed. He casually said, "I'll leave tomorrow."

"Okay!"

Tian Xiwei chuckled, then pointed towards Huang Yida: "Director, Producer Huang is looking for you. It seems there's a problem with some accounts."

"understood."

The film has been completely finished. Throughout the entire process, Lu Yunzhou didn't know how much money was spent, and Huang Yida was in charge of the accounts.

These past few days, Huang Yida has started to settle accounts.

After Lu Yunzhou left, Tian Xiwei's eyes narrowed instantly. She stared at Zhang Tianai and held up one finger, saying, "I'm warning you, you'd better behave yourself. Don't think I don't know your background."

Tian Xiwei looked around for a while, and seeing that no one was around, she snorted coldly: "The whole Douban is buzzing about your affair with Yang Yang in the 'Martial Universe' crew."

"Besides—you're already so old, can you stop acting like a kid? What are you calling 'brother'? Are you out of your mind?"

"You're an old woman born in '88, move aside."

puff!

None of those words caused any real harm to Zhang Tianai.

But the last sentence, "[an old woman born in '88]," really hit Zhang Tianai like a heavy blow, making her see stars and almost vomit blood.

However, Tian Xiwei's words left Zhang Tianai speechless.

Because Tian Xiwei was born in 97!

Time waits for no one.

Magic City.

Inside the business banquet hall of a high-end hotel.

Numerous reporters, fashion industry figures, and female celebrities from Shanghai attended the event.

"That's the current generation of the [Kou Rui] family? One brand, four generations of the family have been designers? That's truly ingenious."

"What's the use? It was still acquired by Chinese capital. Lu Yunzhou is really amazing. He acquired Borsalino last year and this year he acquired an Italian high-end fashion house."

"【Kou Rui】specializes in Italian little black dresses. I looked at some online, and they don't quite fit my aesthetic. But the quality is indeed very good."

"【Kou Ruiyiren】is their youth-oriented product line that they're planning to open in China—everyone received a brochure upon entering. I looked at the clothes in the brochure; the main theme is 【Song Dynasty Style and Simplicity】, which is quite interesting. It seems this designer has some talent."

【Kou Rui】is a flagship brand, after all, it has the style of a century-old high-end fashion house, it cannot be a mass-market product, it can only be a high-end product.

However, high-end products cannot achieve high sales volume.

Therefore, Lu Yunzhou launched a low-spec version of [Kou Ruiyiren], while making optimizations for the Chinese market.

Historical dramas are very popular recently.

Among period dramas, Lu Yunzhou prefers the style of the Song Dynasty.

The elegance of the Song Dynasty emphasized simplicity.

It's not about fleeting splendor and shock, but about enduring appreciation and a wisdom for living.

"The fashion show has begun!"

"Wow, so beautiful—no wonder it's Gulnazar!"

To ensure the brand launch was a resounding success, Gulnazar went all out today, changing into 20 different outfits and wearing all of this year's new products, giving the guests a feast for the eyes.

At this moment, all the lights in the stadium were turned off.

Only one spotlight shines at the end of the runway.

Naza's main job was as a model. She walked out slowly wearing a Song-style dress from [Kou Rui Yi Ren], which quickly sparked a discussion among the audience.

"Is the embroidery on the hem a willow branch design? It's so beautiful."

"Of course, the main reason is that Nazha is beautiful and has a great figure."

"Compared to Dilraba, Gulnazar is prettier."

The guests below began to discuss animatedly.

Upon hearing this, Nazha couldn't help but smile, and even turned to look at the guest, winking at her.

At that moment, the photographers who were on site immediately captured the shot.

The most beautiful confidence is the kind that shines through unintentionally, emanating from within!

The press conference that evening was a huge success.

Part 1: [Nazha, A Century of Kou Rui, A New Beginning].

It became the biggest topic of the day.

-

To promote the brand, Lu Yunzhou spent every day buying traffic on Weibo, and with Nazha's various trending fashion photos, a large number of young women clicked to watch.

Meanwhile, top fashion magazines such as Vogue and ELLE, which have a very good relationship with Lu Yunzhou, reported on the press conference on their front pages.

Naza looked at her more than 20 fashion show outfits, which kept flooding the internet with comments praising her beauty.

"Nazha is both stupid and wicked, and she even became a mistress—but she's undeniably beautiful!"

"Naza, you should stop messing around. Just stick to walking the red carpet and being a fashion star. That's your destiny. What's the point of acting? They're all terrible movies; they make me dizzy just watching them."

"I've seen so many photos of Dilraba—Jaywalk Studio has released countless press releases, constantly praising her as a goddess, trying to sway my aesthetic sense. But I really don't see Dilraba's beauty. Gulnazar is the true goddess; she captivated me at first sight!"

"Nazha, I want to lick you!"

Although some people criticize her for being a mistress, and others criticize her for making bad movies—no one has ever said anything about her looks.

-

Ox.

Faced with the praise from the entire internet, Nazha got a little carried away and couldn't help but send a message to Lu Yunzhou asking, "My Yarm, am I beautiful?"

This time, Lu Yunzhou didn't play dead; instead, he gave the highest affirmation: "At least she's prettier than Dilraba."

"I'm prettier than her anyway!"

Naza gave a soft hum.

You ugly, ugly creature! As long as I help you make money, I'll be your darling. If I can't help you make money, I'll just be a nobody on the street.

I didn't see you come to me to film a short video right away.

Dilraba is nothing!

In my hometown, people with this kind of good looks are everywhere.

I am the true Uyghur beauty, I have won awards, and it is officially recognized!

Naza mentally grumbled about Lu Yunzhou for a while, then sent him a message, curiously asking, "Brother, tell me, how much money did the dress I endorse sell these past few days?"

"I didn't notice."

Trade secrets shouldn't be revealed to others so easily. Even Nazha shouldn't be.

Besides, Lu Yunzhou really didn't pay attention to the sales of women's clothing.

In his mind, clothing didn't make much money. It was far less profitable than the gold business.

However, his parents never forgot about the Jiangnan Leather Factory.

Back then, his family suffered a major setback here. Now that they have achieved success, they must climb back up from the same place!

Their whole family is petty and stubborn.

"I'm done chatting, I'm getting off the plane soon."

At this very moment, Lu Yunzhou's plane was over Shanghai and about to land. Because it was an international flight, he could use the Wi-Fi freely.

airport.

Lu Yunzhou and his entourage walked out through the VIP channel and, at the foot of the independent terminal building outside, he got into a company-arranged van with privacy glass.

You can't see what's going on inside from the outside.

"Brother, you're finally back."

Inside the van, Zhang Ruonan immediately gave Lu Yunzhou a big hug.

At this moment, she shed the burden of being a strong woman that wasn't originally hers, and simply welcomed her man home as an ordinary woman.

"Thank you for your hard work, Xiaonan."

Lu Yunzhou gently ruffled Zhang Ruonan's hair.

Soon, he saw Wang Ran pouting beside him, feeling neglected, and hugged her as well: "Xiao Meng, you've worked hard too."

"Where did I find it difficult?"

Wang Churan deliberately provoked him by asking a question in return.

Lu Yunzhou laughed heartily: "To avoid bringing shame to our future generations, you're working hard to prepare for the exam and strive for a high score. Of course it's tough. After you finish the exam, I'll take you on a trip to Canada, how about that?"

Mmmmmmm!

Upon hearing this, Wang Ran was filled with anticipation.

Although being called a "little aunt" doesn't sound very nice, she could really feel Lu Yunzhou's doting affection for her!

Zhang Ruonan whispered angrily, "He's lying to you. He's going to Montreal next month to oversee special effects production, and he's bored by himself, so he's taking you with him."

"How can this be considered lying to me?"

Undeterred by Zhang Ruonan's attempts to sow discord, Wang Churan, with a sweet smile, put her arm around Lu Yunzhou's left arm and said, "Then why didn't he lie to Xiaotian and go along?"

You're so smart, my little darling!

Their stance is truly firm.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunzhou immediately laughed and affectionately pinched Wang Ran's cheek.

At the same time.

Yang Mi attended the opening ceremony of the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival, showcasing two films, "Reset" and "Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield".

However, she didn't become the most talked-about actress at the event.

On the same day, Wu Jing, along with the female lead Dai Si, appeared on the red carpet of the opening ceremony of the Shanghai Film Festival, carrying the film "Wolf Warrior 2".

In an interview, Wu Jing expressed his regret over Lu Yunzhou's absence from the film.

"Everything about this film was great, the only regret is that Yunzhou didn't act in it! But he was crucial to our film's art direction."

"Besides that, he also introduced me to Dai Si, a very talented actress. Dai Si is incredibly hardworking; she's one of the best actresses I've ever met!"

"I hope we can work together again next time if the opportunity arises."

"Huh? Xiao Dai is an artist under Jaywalk Studio? The same company as Dilraba? Really? I didn't know. I only know that Yun Zhou introduced Xiao Dai to me."

"Yang Mi? Of course I know her, but we're not very close. She's also a shareholder of Jaywalk Studio? This is the first time I've heard that."

You, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, are actually quite adept at changing your tune depending on the wind?

When Yang Mi saw Wu Jing being interviewed offstage, he kept praising how outstanding Dai Si was, but didn't mention his relationship with her at all.

Whenever Dilraba is mentioned, Wu Jing laughs it off, saying he doesn't know her.

After all, Wu Jing himself might not even look up to a popular celebrity like Dilraba Dilmurat—he's an action star, and it's impossible for him to work with Dilraba Dilmurat in his entire life.

Unless, like Dai Si, Dilraba is willing to act in action scenes with him.

But is it possible?

Even if Dilraba were willing, Wu Jing wouldn't be—if Dilraba wanted to create a CP (couple pairing) with him, he thought about it and could barely accept it.

But his wife would definitely not agree.

"Sister Honey."

After the interview, Dai Si hesitated for a long time before finally coming to Yang Mi's side to say hello.

"You're back. Did you have a great holiday?"

Yang Mi saw on Dai Si's WeChat Moments that Dai Si was riding horses every day and having a great time in his hometown.

What an enviable life.

"Anyway, it's good that you're back."

Yang Mi thought Dai Si was an honest girl who, despite having a lot of fun outside, still respected him, the older sister in the company, very much.

This gave Yang Mi a little comfort.

However, after looking at Yang Mi for a long time, Dai Si made a huge decision and said, "Sister Mi, I've raised enough money. I want to terminate the contract."

puff!

At that moment, Yang Mi felt an unbearable heartache and felt like she was going to vomit blood.

Why would even an honest and simple girl like you betray me?

Yang Mi couldn't help but earnestly advise, "Xiao Dai, the termination fee is several million, which is a huge sum for you. I advise you to calm down. Don't worry, I'll treat you better from now on."

After thinking about it, Dai Si realized that although Yang Mi wasn't particularly good to him, she had shown the magnanimity a boss should have.

For example, Yang Mi and Tang Yan clearly don't get along, but that doesn't stop her from filming Tang Yan's TV series or Lu Yunzhou's movies.

At least, they didn't stop her from finding her own way out.

Thinking of this, Dai Si whispered, "Sister Mi, I know that Dilraba's CP-related stuff has nothing to do with you."

.

"At that time, you were covered in mud and couldn't even take care of yourself. It was all thanks to General Manager Zeng and General Manager Zhao pulling the strings behind the scenes."

"In the years I've been with the company, I've seen it clearly: those two aren't good people. They've been secretly draining the company's resources behind your back."

He spends all his time hanging out with shady characters; he's probably up to no good.

"You shouldn't hang out with them either; you'll get dragged down with them sooner or later."

At this point, Dai Si looked around for a moment, then suddenly said very seriously, "How about you come with me?"

Should I go with you?

I'm the company boss—how can I go with you?

Thank you so much!

Yang Mi never expected that Dai Si would make such an absurd suggestion.

At that moment, she truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

What a good girl.

Dai Si was already planning to run away, yet he was still worried about whether Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruodong would drag him down with him?

This loyalty and sense of righteousness brought Yang Mi a long-lost feeling of warmth.

In comparison, Dilraba truly broke her heart.

She had just been exposed in an indecent video, and Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruodong sensed danger, so they poured all their resources into Dilraba, hoping that Dilraba could take off by riding on Lu Han's coattails.

But now, it's clear that their attempt to steal a chicken has backfired.

The entire Jaywalk Studio has completely collapsed.

At this moment, Dai Si actually wanted to help her.

"Why."

After greeting everyone, Dai Si returned to the "Wolf Warrior 2" set. She was clearly doing very well on set; everyone greeted her with smiles.

As for Yang Mi, everyone else avoided her like the plague.

Watching Dai Si's retreating figure, Yang Mi recalled the situation just now, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips: "She actually wanted to take me away—this little fool. She doesn't know that if I leave voluntarily, it's like giving Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruodong billions for free."

"Those two bitches, they knew I wouldn't dare leave!"