Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 99: VOGUE Gala Dinner, Royals Enter the Industry! Boat Girl's "The Birth of an Actor"—The Golden Rooster Award is a sure thing!

6 month 16 number.

The 23rd Magnolia Awards Ceremony was held in Shanghai today.

However, many celebrities were absent.

Because on the same day and at the same time, VogueFilm, also held in Shanghai, is also known as "Fashion and Film Night".

This event also invited some celebrities.

Lu Yunzhou didn't care.

Because he was not invited to the Magnolia Awards ceremony.

The Magnolia Award is a prestigious award for quality Chinese television dramas, typically given to serious dramas like "In the Name of the People" and "Chicken Feathers Flying to the Sky" that reflect the changing times.

What is a serious drama?

In Lu Yunzhou's simple understanding, it means that it can reflect the current era and can be used as material for studying the present 100 years from now.

The subject matter of film and television dramas should possess a realistic quality, rather than being fabricated.

As for Lu Yunzhou's "The Day Is Coming" or Yang Mi's "Eternal Love", these can only be considered idol dramas, not serious dramas.

Besides, the list of invitees for the Magnolia Awards consists mostly of TV drama actors.

This offline fashion and film crossover event hosted by VogueFilm primarily invited film stars.

Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Yang Mi, Song Qian, Ma Sichun, Zhou Dongyu, Gwei Lun-mei, Lin Yun, Chun Xia — countless female movie stars have come.

Male celebrities are certainly not to be outdone.

Besides that, there are international supermodels.

And top industry leaders.

Of course, the real reason why so many celebrities didn't go to the Magnolia Awards but instead attended this dinner was that many top luxury goods groups' China executives were present today.

"Lu, it's been a long time since I've seen you at any events. I heard you spent months feeding mosquitoes in the mountains of Italy and Germany?"

-

Chanel was one of the co-organizers of this gala.

Vincent Shaw, the president of Chanel China, is an elderly British man who has worked for Chanel for nearly 30 years.

The other celebrities present all wanted to flatter him and come over to greet him.

But there was one exception.

At that moment, Vincent saw Lu Yunzhou enter with a female companion, so he apologized to the others and took the initiative to greet Lu Yunzhou.

After all, the celebrities present were like promotional items on a shelf—Chanel could choose whatever they wanted.

Who wouldn't feel incredibly honored to be chosen by Chanel?

But Lu Yunzhou is different.

He's the owner of another luxury brand. As a high-level employee, he naturally has to show more respect to the owners behind luxury brands.

In Europe, a high-level employee like him, no matter how glamorous he may seem on the surface, can only ever rise to the role of "butler," and is naturally inferior to a true luxury owner like Lu Yunzhou.

"By the way, Lu, the watch your date is wearing tonight is so elegant. It matches her little black dress by [Kou Rui] perfectly."

Vincent looked at the Chanel watch on Wang Ran's wrist, gave it a sincere compliment, and then winked at Lu Yunzhou.

Lu Yunzhou finally found a new female companion.

In the past, Lu Yunzhou always brought Tang Yan to various fashion galas—but today, Tang Yan didn't come.

This means that Lu Yunzhou has a new love interest.

At such business dinners, a beautiful, young, and elegant woman is a man's best badge of honor and his greatest luxury.

"Thanks."

Although Wang Churan's other grades were poor, her English was excellent. She understood Vincent's praise and politely and appropriately said thank you.

Just then, Mr. Qiao from Fosun Group walked over from the other side and greeted Lu Yunzhou and Wang Ran.

"Xiaomeng, Grandma misses you very much. Remember to come home when you have time."

When President Qiao saw Wang Ran holding Lu Yunzhou's hand, she wasn't shy at all. She even let everyone stare at her with a smile on her face.

He realized that his niece had most likely been abducted by Lu Yunzhou.

But what does it have to do with him?

Wang Churan's parents did not object.

"Uncle, I understand. There are so many people watching, please don't treat me like a child." Wang Cherish lightly stomped her foot, her face showing a coquettish expression.

Mr. Qiao smiled indulgently: "I know you've grown up and have your own ideas now. But drink less alcohol later. Otherwise, your dad will definitely complain to me."

Vincent turned to look at President Joe, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "Joe, what's going on here?"

Mr. Qiao introduced her to the Chanel China president: "Her name is Xiaomeng, and she's my niece. She'll soon have a TV series airing on iQiyi. She'll become a big star in the future."

"Your niece?"

Vincent glanced at President Qiao, then turned to look at Lu Yunzhou, and suddenly realized what was going on.

You're a family, no wonder.

The venue for today's event is called the Fuxing Art Center, which is clearly a Fuxing Group venue. And Mr. Qiao is specifically in charge of this aspect within the group.

Soon, Wang Ran's identity, through Vincent's words, had spread far and wide, at least among the luxury goods executives.

Without a doubt, another "royal family" member is about to debut in the Chinese entertainment industry.

"Royal family" is a term used in fan circles, basically meaning that the fandom is predetermined by capital and heavily promoted with various resources. This is different from "people's chosen contestants" who gain popularity based on genuine popularity and strength.

In this circle, nobody cares who you are.

The key is how others perceive you.

Lu Yunzhou brought Wang Ran to the event held by the Fuxing Arts Center today, hoping to use President Qiao's words to let the whole industry know that Wang Ran is a "royal family".

In this way, Wang Ran can be saved a lot of unnecessary trouble.

After all, there are a lot of low-class blond-haired guys in the entertainment industry.

Especially among actresses, there are countless instances of them disliking each other and secretly sabotaging each other.

Wang Churan's background and identity at least make them behave a little.

Lu Yunzhou wasn't very familiar with celebrities or directors in the entertainment industry.

He actually interacted more with executives from luxury goods groups.

The president of Tom Ford China was all smiles when he saw Lu Yunzhou and gave him a big hug.

"Lu, that video of you playing the piano in Italy the other day was absolutely amazing."

"That jacket you casually left next to the piano shelf is selling extremely well—choosing you as the spokesperson for our brand is the wisest decision the board has made in recent years."

In May in Italy, you don't actually need to wear a coat anymore.

But Lu Yunzhou truly deserves to be a qualified brand ambassador; even without wearing a jacket, he still makes sure to place Tom Ford's clothing in the most prominent position.

"Lu, could you grant me a small request? Your family's [Kourei] brand shouldn't be making menswear. I can find a company to custom-make it for you, similar to the lifetime contract Audi offers you."

There are very few Chinese celebrities with the same strong sales ability as Lu Yunzhou.

No.

It should be said that it is absolutely unique.

The main reason is that Lu Yunzhou is too good at creating buzz—his popularity doesn't come from the media, but from his own talent. He always manages to attract the world's attention unintentionally with his talent.

Most importantly, he didn't become famous for comedy or scandals—but for his elegant talent.

That's so classy.

This is my favorite high-end luxury item.

"I am not involved in the family business. Therefore, I cannot grant you this request."

Lu Yunzhou could only apologize to this.

What if his dad suddenly has a whimsical idea and insists on making a menswear line and a pair of leather shoes that rival Armani and Bal.Y.?

As an only child, he could only play with his father.

Tom Ford's annual endorsement fee of 1500 million is not enough to change his filial piety towards his father.

"Don't make that face, buddy."

Lu Yunzhou gave the other person a hug, laughed, and said, "At least, Tom will always be welcome in my movies."

Ford's brand integration.

"Is this some kind of consolation?"

The other party didn't mind; he was just a professional manager.

Negotiations of Lu Yunzhou's caliber are handled by headquarters and have little to do with him. As the president of the China region, his role is simply to maintain good relationships with his partners.

Clearly, he did a good job in this regard.

Lu Yunzhou, arm in arm with Wang Ran, introduced himself to many executives from luxury brands.

He's too lazy to accept endorsements anymore, lest some luxury brands, like Dolce & Gabbana, suddenly engage in some anti-China behavior, affecting his own commercial value.

And Prada.

The spokespeople they chose are like poison; every single one of them has had a scandal.

Among the female celebrities present, Lu Yunzhou only recognized two: Yang Mi and Li Lin.

Because of the recent scandal involving indecent photos, Tang Yan and Yang Mi were already at odds. Lu Yunzhou firmly stood on Tang Yan's side, and naturally had nothing to say to Yang Mi.

"Brother Xiao Chuan, it's been a long time."

Li Lin glanced at Yang Mi, and seeing that Yang Mi didn't respond, she quietly came over and greeted Lu Yunzhou.

-

"Qinqin, what a surprise, to see you here." Lu Yunzhou gave Li Qin a light hug.

Under normal circumstances, Li Qin would not be able to attend this gala.

Because she is not a popular celebrity, she is not qualified to attend this banquet.

After the hug, Lu Yunzhou joked, "Looks like New Classics Media is treating you well. You're about to make a movie."

The theme of tonight's party is "Fashion and Film Night".

Only movie stars can come here.

"Senior sister."

Wang Ran and Li Lin, who are standing next to each other, are both graduates of the opera academy and have some kinship ties.

Although Li Lin was a traitor to the sect, the teacher did not require Wang Ran to clean up the school's mess when he met this senior sister.

Moreover, since Li Qin greeted her so warmly, she felt embarrassed to be cold and could only respond with a smile.

Wang Ran and Li Lin stood together, their temperaments and features were similar, they looked like sisters.

The only difference is that Wang Ran's eyes are rounder, her smile is sweeter, and she looks more blessed; Li Lin's lips are slightly thinner, her eyes are more reserved, and she looks more aloof and indifferent.

"Qinqin, let me introduce you. This is a newcomer from our company who will be debuting soon—should I introduce her by her stage name or her real name?"

Lu Yunzhou hesitated for a moment.

Wang Churan introduced herself confidently: "Senior sister, my name is Wang Churan. You can call me Xiaochuan or Chuanmei."

"A small boat, a boat girl?"

Upon hearing this nickname, Li Lin was momentarily stunned, turned to look at Lu Yunzhou, and then glanced back and forth between the two of them.

understood!

A new generation surpasses the old.

Tang Yan has grown old after all.

She's not as young and pretty as this little girl in front of me.

What a scoundrel! What a heartless man!

Li Qin mentally labeled Lu Yunzhou with two negative tags, then forced a smile, said "Excuse me," and turned to greet other acquaintances with her wine glass. "Xiao Meng, don't you think Li Qin's gaze towards me is a little strange?"

Lu Yunzhou instantly caught the almost undisguised change in Li Qin's emotions.

It can only be said that actors simply cannot hide their thoughts.

Because the director requires the actors to use their eyes and micro-expressions as much as possible to show their inner emotional changes—and over time, this will make the actors develop an instinct for it.

Any emotional fluctuations they experience will be very directly reflected in their eyes and micro-expressions.

If an ordinary person's micro-expression is only 1, an actor's is at least 10.

This also makes it impossible for some actors to hide their innermost thoughts!

"No. She sees everyone else the same way. You've probably heard the story—she even bought a house for their wedding, but then she went out and someone stole her boyfriend. Since then, she doesn't believe in love anymore."

"Because someone has already taught her a profound lesson."

Wang Churan reassured Lu Yunzhou, telling him not to overthink it.

Actually, Wang Ran did it on purpose.

She just wanted everyone to know that Lu Yunzhou was a scumbag—so that those scheming female celebrities would stay away from him.

No one had ever taught her this.

Anyway, she learned it all by herself without any instruction.

"Brother Boat"

After Lu Yunzhou led Wang Cheran to their seats...

A handsome young man of about seventeen or eighteen came over and greeted Lu Yunzhou: "My dad asked me to give you his regards when I see you."

Lu Yunzhou looked up and saw that it was Arthur.

If he remembers correctly, today should be a movie and fashion day, where only movie actors would be present, right?

How did Chen Feiyu end up here?

Lu Yunzhou turned around and looked for posters in the venue, finally finding one about Chen Feiyu.

It turns out that he starred in a youth film called "Secret Fruit" with Ouyang Nana, which is about to be released and is currently in the promotional stage.

Out of respect for his father, the organizers also invited him along.

"Please convey my gratitude to Director Chen."

Out of respect for his father, Lu Yunzhou gave Chen Feiyu a friendly smile: "Next time I go to Yanjing, I will take the initiative to pay him a visit."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Yunzhou assumed that Chen Feiyu would leave.

However, Chen Feiyu hesitated before asking, "Brother Chuan, there's something I'd like to ask you. Could I take a minute of your time?"

"Can."

Chen Feiyu has a question for himself: What the heck is this?

His father is Chen Kaige.

Can't Chen Kaige teach him?

Driven by curiosity, Lu Yunzhou followed Chen Feiyu to a corner to listen to what Chen Feiyu wanted to ask him.

Chen Feiyu looked around for a moment, then whispered, "Brother Chuan, Dilraba is riding on your coattails and Lu Han's coattails. Do you think I could find a chance to ride on her coattails too?"

"Anyway, she also got started by riding on other people's coattails. No matter how much I ride on her coattails, netizens will only say that karma is a cycle and retribution will come."

""

This is a genius!

She understood how the entertainment industry worked at the age of 17.

However, Lu Yunzhou said earnestly, "Arthur, you are different from Dilraba. You have a bright future ahead of you. You should cultivate the image of a wealthy young master. You should treat these female celebrities in the entertainment industry as mere dust. You should silently chant 100 in your heart..."

"Any of them is good enough for you—you're going to try and get close to them? If I were Director Chen, I'd probably feel incredibly ashamed."

"I see—"

Chen Feiyu thought that Lu Yunzhou would support him in trying to get close to Dilraba Dilmurat, because it would be like getting revenge for Lu Yunzhou.

He can also ride on Dilraba's popularity and take off immediately.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yunzhou was so upright.

"Brother Chuan, you're right. I should rely on my abilities and not try to take shortcuts. Once a person takes a shortcut, they develop a path dependency. It will be very difficult to walk the straight and narrow road in the future."

At this moment, Chen Feiyu had just debuted.

He was unaware that he lacked real strength.

He still thought he could gain public recognition through hard work—never considering that sometimes, if you're going in the wrong direction, the harder you try, the more you fail.

"Brother Chuan, my dad told me to learn more from you."

"Actually, I was just joking earlier, to see if you were someone I could learn from."

"Now it seems that my dad is indeed my dad. The Palme d'Or-winning director has a really good eye for talent."

Chen Feiyu realized that what he had just said was a bit stupid, and now he started to try to make amends.

He wanted to cultivate an image of a wise man for himself, and his suggestion to ride the wave of popularity was merely a test of Lu Yunzhou's character.

"Arthur, you're a good young man too."

Teenagers with delusions of grandeur often bring joy, and 17-year-old Chen Feiyu provided Lu Yunzhou with a great deal of amusement.

He chuckled and patted Chen Feiyu on the shoulder before returning to his seat.

It seems Chen Kaige's intelligence wasn't passed down to Chen Feiyu. Old Chen's later years are unlikely to be peaceful.

He will probably enjoy his son's "blessings" indefinitely.

"Brother, why are you looking at me like that?"

After returning from his conversation with Chen Feiyu, Lu Yunzhou would occasionally turn to look at Wang Ran, which made Wang Ran secretly pleased, but also...

She was a little shy.

What's going on?

Has she suddenly fallen in love with me?

Although it was strangely pleasing, Lu Yunzhou's gaze was also somewhat odd.

Seeing Wang Churan's puzzled expression, Lu Yunzhou sighed, "Your beauty is no less than Chen Hong's. She was the most beautiful woman in the Three Kingdoms period, and you are no less so."

That's a really good compliment.

Although Lu Yunzhou doesn't often say sweet words to coax her, the occasional one or two can make her heart flutter with joy.

At this moment, a smile involuntarily crept onto Wang Cherish's lips.

She didn't know that Lu Yunzhou was also worried. Chen Kaige was such a shrewd person, and she had heard that his eldest son was also very smart.

What's going on with Chen Feiyu?

He gives off the vibe of a landlord's foolish son.

If Zhang Ruonan and Wang Cheran's son is like this in the future, he'll probably have to clean up his son's mess for the rest of his life.

wrong.

This is not Chen Hong's fault.

Chen Hong is just pretty; she's not the type who's all looks and no brains. Her intelligence is quite high. The fact that she was able to capture Chen Kaige's heart speaks volumes.

So, what exactly is the situation with Chen Feiyu?

Genetic mutation?

Then it's not a problem with the mother — it's purely a matter of probability.

"Yunzhou, what are you thinking about?"

Just as Lu Yunzhou was thinking about what he would do if he had a mentally challenged son in the future, Zhang Ziyi, the most prominent actress in the room, came over and greeted him.

Zhang Ziyi did not greet the other directors present.

Those people are nobody.

Fooling?

Where is his own style in "Mr. Six"? It's purely Feng Xiaogang's style. I guess he's already been sidelined by Feng Xiaogang on set.

Tsang Kuo-hsiang?

What does it have to do with me to be a director of youth films?

Neither of these two directors could carry themselves to new heights—but Lu Yunzhou's "Crazy Racing" was truly excellent.

This type of film has never appeared before in Chinese cinema.

Zhang Ziyi was very interested in Lu Yunzhou, so she came over to say hello.

"Auntie, I was just thinking that your name is so elegant, the more I think about it, the more charming it becomes. If I have a daughter in the future, I'll name her Ziyi."

Lu Yunzhou didn't regard Zhang Ziyi as some senior figure and joked around casually.

He even called out Zhang Ziyi's online nickname, "Auntie".

After all, Zhang Ziyi is the same age as Huang Yida, and she is indeed at the age where she could be an aunt.

"You have excellent taste."

Zhang Ziyi immediately gritted her teeth.

She was rendered speechless by Lu Yunzhou's antics, and even thought that Lu Yunzhou might say something.

However, it seems that Lu Yunzhou really didn't say anything bad.

He also complimented her on the pleasant sound of her name and its elegant style.

But what does it mean that Lu Yunzhou named his daughter Ziyi?

I always felt there was something hidden in what this guy was saying.

"Yang Mi offended you, but I didn't."

Zhang Ziyi remembered the purpose of her visit, and for the moment she resisted the urge to leave, sitting down next to Lu Yunzhou.

Zhang Ziyi pushed Chen Feiyu, who was originally sitting to the side, out of the way.

She whispered in Lu Yunzhou's ear, "Buccellati, you know this brand, right?"

Lu Yunzhou nodded slightly: "I know, Richemont Group's top-tier jewelry division specializes in gold jewelry. Many of the master craftsmen for our LDC's high-end custom pieces were poached from that brand—we're direct competitors. They hate me!"

"Congratulations, Auntie, you've landed a top-tier luxury brand endorsement. And it's the most prestigious of all luxury brands. I bet a lot of people are envious of you."

Movie stars are clearly treated much better than TV drama stars.

Buccellati has extremely low brand awareness in China — but that doesn’t mean the brand is bad.

Rather, it's because the brand's production volume is simply too low.

Starting this year, Richemont Group probably looked at authoritative data on Chinese consumers and felt that the Chinese consumer market was about to take off, so it prepared to officially enter the Chinese market.

As one of the top actresses in Chinese films today, Zhang Ziyi has undoubtedly caught the eye of Richemont Group.

It's the same all over the world.

When choosing a spokesperson to enter a country's consumer market, the first choice is the most well-known movie actor.

"Don't congratulate me yet. I'm still hesitating. I feel that this brand doesn't quite match my personal style. This brand is too glamorous, full of Roman courtly flair."

"I feel that I am more suited to the elegant type."

"Your LDC's style is a perfect match for mine."

After Zhang Ziyi finished speaking, she looked at Lu Yunzhou with a smile.

If she had a choice, she would prefer to endorse LDC—after all, LDC has a higher profile in China and is owned by a Chinese company, so it may become a century-old brand.

If she can become the brand's spokesperson, she can just relax and do nothing from now on.

If Buccellati fails to establish herself in China, she could close her shop and leave at any moment—which would be quite embarrassing for her.

Competition among luxury goods is not like that among mass-market products, where price is the deciding factor.

They compete on different tracks and with different styles.

Zhang Ziyi felt that her temperament was not a good match for Buccellati, and worried that if sales were poor, the other party might terminate the contract with her at any time.

"Auntie, you're overthinking it."

"They can't find any other replacement for you—look around you, who has your kind of wealthy woman's aura?"

"Yang Mi is also very wealthy, but for some reason, she gives off a petty vibe. I've always wondered where she developed this sharp and sarcastic speaking habit?"

"She doesn't look like a rich person. She looks more like a young, punk girl who suddenly found money."

"Auntie, you're different."

As for where things were different, Lu Yunzhou didn't say.

Because he is well-versed in speaking skills.

Tell only half the story, and leave the other half unsaid.

Sure enough, after hearing Lu Yunzhou praise her only halfway through, Zhang Ziyi couldn't resist and nudged his elbow with her shoulder: "Yunzhou, don't just say half of what you mean. What's different about me?"

Lu Yunzhou had just made it up on the spot and hadn't taken it to heart at all.

He skipped over that part and changed the subject: "Auntie, have you taken on a new job recently? The Zhejiang TV show 'The Birth of an Actor'?"

"That's true."

Zhang Ziyi nodded slightly, and Chong Luyunzhou teased, "What? You want to be on this show? Come on. I'll definitely turn around for you and save you 40."

Zhang Ziyi was mocking the show "The Voice of China".

To get a mentor to turn around, the price is a whopping 40 yuan.

If Lu Yunzhou were willing to appear on the show "The Birth of an Actor," regardless of his acting skills, all the mentors would fight tooth and nail for him.

Because as long as you can get the ratings, you'll get the buzz.

"Auntie, please do me a favor—"

Lu Yunzhou introduced Wang Chiran to Zhang Ziyi: "This is my younger sister. She will be studying at the Shanghai Theatre Academy in the second half of the year. Next week, a youth drama will be broadcast."

Resource exchange requires a two-way street.

Zhang Ziyi asked Lu Yunzhou about luxury goods, and Lu Yunzhou gave her a vague answer, but it reassured Zhang Ziyi.

The brand is absolutely reliable.

Now, Lu Yunzhou hopes that Zhang Ziyi will bring Wang Churan along to the variety show "The Birth of an Actor" on Zhejiang Satellite TV.

That's what exchange is.

For a big star like Zhang Ziyi, taking on a minor actor is just a matter of a word.

Zhang Ziyi didn't take it seriously and casually agreed, "Bringing her is no problem. But, is she really your sister? Or is she your lover's sister? I haven't seen you and Tang Yan together lately, and you're always with your sister. Be careful of rumors."

Joking aside, things still need to be done.

Zhang Ziyi took out her phone and exchanged contact information with Wang Ran: "Little sister. I'll take you on a show later. But you'd better be prepared, because if you mess it up, I won't hold back. I'll definitely scold you until you cry your eyes out."

"Thank you, Auntie. I'll prepare well."

Wang Churan blurted it out, just like Lu Yunzhou.

"Call me 'sister'!"

Zhang Ziyi almost lost her composure, glaring at Lu Yunzhou with annoyance: "You've corrupted such a good girl."

Everyone else stared at Lu Yunzhou in utter shock.

Zhang Ziyi has a very bad temper.

After all, regardless of Zhang Ziyi's character, her acting skills are quite good.

Moreover, from a certain perspective, actors are also pursuing art. Without a bit of temper and stubbornness, how can they reach the top?

How long can soft noodles last?

Only steel and iron can stand firm and never fall!

Zhang Ziyi has a terrible temper, but it's surprising that she chatted so happily with Lu Yunzhou.

After all, they had all heard Lu Yunzhou tease Zhang Ziyi, calling her "Auntie".

"Honey, did you hear what they were talking about?"

Li Qin and Zhao Liying have a good relationship, but Li's relationship with Yang Mi is also not bad.

She doesn't offend anyone in this circle.

Anyway, all the arguing has nothing to do with her. She's just a freeloader—whenever a film crew is missing a spare part, she's the first person they think of.

Li Qin wasn't picky either.

The female lead is fine, the second female lead is fine, or the third female lead is fine.

Even the supporting actress doesn't care.

As long as there are films to be made, that's fine.

When there are no acting jobs, I go on vacation.

The main idea is to go with the flow.

"What can two capitalists possibly talk about when they get together?"

Yang Mi retorted irritably.

She was in a very bad mood.

Lu Yunzhou didn't greet him, Zhang Ziyi didn't greet him, and no one else greeted him either, treating him like he was invisible.

To be honest, she was extremely jealous of Zhang Ziyi.

On the surface, Zhang Ziyi is an actress and a film queen, but in reality, she is a super capitalist—Zhang Ziyi's investments involve dozens of companies.

This old woman's net worth is even higher than Tang Yan's, at least several billion!

She's practically the richest woman in the entertainment industry.

Zhang Ziyi is able to be so arrogant because she has money.

As an extremely wealthy woman, acting is merely a hobby for Zhang Ziyi; she doesn't take some directors or actors in the industry seriously at all.

A woman's strongest backbone comes from the money in her hand!

Yang Mi knew this principle a long time ago.

She had been working hard for this—but suddenly her career collapsed, and Dilraba's attempt to create a romantic pairing also backfired.

Now, Jiaxing Media is on the verge of collapse.

At this critical juncture, Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruodong actually wanted her to continue filming idol dramas to recoup some of the company's losses.

They're trying to completely drain her dry!

She already has a very poor public image.

She's almost lost all her endorsements.

If she continues like this—she might face a boycott from the audience and be forced out of the entertainment industry.

No!

She had to save herself.

"Xiao Meng, Zhang Ziyi has a lot of flaws, but she's a very good actress."

"She has an indomitable spirit. A single glance, a straight back, without any lines, can make the audience feel that she is as resilient as bamboo."

"She has that kind of ancient Chinese charm."

"That's why she's so successful internationally."

-

Lu Yunzhou first praised Zhang Ziyi a few times, then whispered to Wang Cheran, "You are also unique. In my mind, you are like a ginkgo leaf."

"Clean and bright, with a touch of classical poetry."

After saying all that, under Wang Ran's expectant gaze, Lu Yunzhou whispered, "When I was little, I had a habit of picking a ginkgo leaf and using it as a bookmark, placing it on my favorite page."

Upon hearing this, a sweet smile immediately appeared on Wang Ran's lips.

"But you're still very inexperienced."

"You don't know how to showcase your strengths—let Zhang Ziyi pick on your flaws as your tribulations."

"The more flaws she points out, the more room there is for us to improve in the future."

Lu Yunzhou was too embarrassed to point out Wang Churan's faults himself.

Because he favored Wang Churan—he didn't want to undermine her confidence, lest it affect their family relationship.

So he prepared to borrow Zhang Ziyi's knife.

"Brother, when are you going to Montreal?"

Wang Churan felt that Lu Yunzhou was making his final arrangements, and that he was about to leave after finishing these instructions.

"Next week."

The post-production special effects for the movie "The Abyss" needed to be synchronized with the editing. If Lu Yunzhou didn't personally go there to oversee the process, it would be difficult to create perfect special effects.

He needs to devote more energy to movies.

"Next week—my drama, 'A Love So Beautiful,' is just about to air, isn't it?"

Wang Churan calculated the time and realized that she definitely wouldn't be able to leave next week.

During the airing of the TV series, as the female lead, she had to promote the series with others, including various interviews and variety shows.

"Then should I have Xiaotian go with you?"

Wang Churan couldn't go herself, but she needed to find someone to keep an eye on Lu Yunzhou. After thinking it over, she couldn't help but think of Tian Xiwei.

"Oh, right, call Cunzi too."

In that brief moment, Wang Churan clearly saw something flash in Lu Yunzhou's eyes, and she couldn't help but let out a soft hum, immediately adding Liu Haocun to the list.

Wang Churan understood the proverb "Two monks carry water together, but three monks have no water to drink" from a young age.

She would definitely not let Tian Xiwei and Lu Yunzhou be alone together—wouldn't that be like sending lambs to the wolves?

"It's about time to wrap this up. Let's go."

The gala usually lasts for two hours, followed by some business dinners, which Lu Yunzhou will not attend.

They're all acquaintances anyway.

He didn't have any business resources to engage with.

"Yunzhou, let's chat for a bit."

Seeing that Lu Yunzhou was about to leave with Wang Ran, Yang Mi reacted quickly and chased after them.

"We don't seem to know each other very well," Lu Yunzhou shook his head slightly.

Yang Mi and Tang Yan are now bitter enemies, with no interaction between them on Weibo. They have also blocked each other on WeChat.

Lu Yunzhou's stance is very firm; he is definitely on Tang Yan's side.

"Brother, please! Just say a few words."

Yang Mi reached out and gently tugged at Lu Yunzhou's sleeve, looking at him pitifully.

At that moment, everyone turned to look, and many people began to whisper among themselves, their eyes filled with gossip.

Lu Yunzhou disliked being the center of attention, so he nodded slightly to Yang Mi: "Let's talk in the car."

"Thank you, brother. I knew you were the best."

11

Yang Mi said a few words in a coquettish tone to Lu Yunzhou.

Wang Ran, standing next to her, rolled her eyes to the sky. "What are you doing, you 30-something-year-old woman pretending to be cute? I'm not even as cloying as you."

A few minutes later.

Yang Mi, accompanied by her assistant, got into Lu Yunzhou's nanny car.

She hesitated for a moment before saying, "I haven't congratulated Tangtang on winning the Huading Award for Best Actress yet. What has she been up to lately? Why didn't she come today?"

"That's no secret," Lu Yunzhou said casually. "He went to Switzerland. Bally, you know that brand, right? It's a Swiss luxury leather goods brand."

"Sister Tangtang has become their first Asia-Pacific brand ambassador, adding another luxury brand endorsement to her portfolio."

It turned out to be the case.

Tang Yan got a luxury brand endorsement, but she didn't even show it off on Weibo?

Is she afraid that I'll steal her brand endorsement?

In my current grotesque state, how could I possibly pry myself off?

"Honey, I haven't congratulated you yet. You're the female lead in 'Brotherhood of Blades 2,' the last glimmer of martial arts cinema."

I'm really looking forward to this movie.

Lu Yunzhou said a few indifferent words.

Yang Mi knew that she wouldn't make any progress if she continued talking like this, so she started playing the emotional card: "I heard from Dai Si that during the promotional tour for the movie 'Wolf Warrior 2,' every show was sold out. After the movie ended, the applause was thunderous and lasted for a long time."

"The only regret is that you're not here."

"Dai Si said that if you could act together, this movie might break a box office record for domestic films."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Lu Yunzhou's face.

Dai Si is indeed a girl with good taste.

Seeing the subtle smile on Lu Yunzhou's face, Yang Mi thought she had made the right bet and continued to play the emotional card: "Xiao Dai is preparing to terminate her contract with the company, and I won't make things difficult for her. I will refund her the termination fee. We've come all this way, and I won't let her leave empty-handed."

"Sister Mi, thank you on behalf of Xiao Dai."

Yang Mi did a pretty good job in this matter, which made Lu Yunzhou feel a little goodwill towards her.

But a broken mirror is hard to mend.

Yang Mi and Tang Yan have a huge falling out, so Lu Yunzhou has no reason to be soft-hearted towards Yang Mi.

Tang Yan is so angry she could kill Yang Mi. If she knew that Lu Yunzhou and Yang Mi were chatting and laughing together, she would probably explode with rage.

"Yunzhou, I'm thanking you on behalf of Xiaodai for getting her to film such a great movie."

"I never expected her to have such a good eye for people."

"You're better than me at that."

Yang Mi displayed an extremely weak and vulnerable demeanor in front of Lu Yunzhou.

She admitted defeat.

They lost miserably.

Whether it's being a person, acting, or running a company—she lost to Lu Yunzhou and Tang Yan.

Because she couldn't even keep the most honest and reliable person in the company.

When a boss acts like that, there are only two words to describe it—a failure!

At the same time, Yang Mi also knew that it was absolutely impossible to dispel Lu Yunzhou's hostility towards her with just a few words.

Because the root of the problem lies with Tang Yan.

Tang Yan hated her to death and would never forgive her.

Before the explicit photos of Tang Yan were released, Tang Yan still harbored the desire to have something happen between her and Lu Yunzhou.

But now that things have come to this, Yang Mi has completely given up on Tang Yan's hopes.

Even if Tang Yan dies now, she'll probably drag her down with her!

fortunately.

Lu Yunzhou isn't without flaws either.

The new little girl who appeared next to him—is her name Wang Churan, right?

Yang Mi has been staring at the two of them ever since.

The relationship between these two is definitely not innocent.

There are many small details that show they are definitely a couple, and a couple in the throes of new love.

At the same time, Yang Mi knew very well that the legal representative of LB Group was another mysterious woman surnamed Zhang.

According to the customs of Wenzhou people, 99% of the legal representatives are the principal wife.

In other words—Wang Ran is his aunt!

Auntie, it's not like you can only have one. If Tang Yan is willing to go all out, she can still snatch a spot.

Thinking about it this way, there was still room for her relationship with Tang Yan to improve.

"Sister Honey, the car has already gone around once. You should have finished speaking by now, right?"

After Lu Yunzhou finished speaking, he instructed the driver to take Yang Mi back to the parking lot.

"We will meet again someday, though mountains and rivers may separate us."

Seeing that Lu Yunzhou was chasing people away, Yang Mi got out of the car quickly.

The entertainment industry is neither too big nor too small.

Lu Yunzhou could completely avoid going to Yanjing, but Yang Mi couldn't avoid coming to Shanghai—because Shanghai is the fashion center.

Many international luxury brands have their China headquarters in Shanghai, right on the Bund.

After Yang Mi got out of the car, Wang Churan asked in confusion, "Brother, what does she mean? Why is she suddenly being friendly with us? Last month, we were fighting tooth and nail."

Lu Yunzhou shook his head: "Who knows? Maybe she felt that our lives were a bit boring, so she came over to tell us some jokes."

Wang Churan smiled upon hearing this.

However, Yang Mi's pitiful appearance just now was really feminine. As a woman, she observed for a while and felt that men would most likely like this kind of posture.

She needs to learn properly.

"Yunzhou, I've heard some good news for you. The Golden Rooster Awards judges are debating whether to award you 'Best Director' or 'Directorial Debut'."

Lu Yunzhou and Wang Ran had just arrived home when he received an unexpected surprise.

Zhang Ziyi sent him a message in advance, informing him about the Golden Rooster Awards.

"Thanks, Auntie."

Do you like our hats? I'll find the best tailor to custom-make a top hat for you, so it'll be convenient for you when you go out.

Xi Jinping's performance on "The Birth of an Actor" was absolutely stunning. What do you think?

Whether it's Best Director or his directorial debut, it will enhance Lu Yunzhou's status in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Of course, Best Director would be better.

However, it seems that the best director contender this year is Feng Xiaogang's "I Am Not Madame Bovary".

Now, various awards in the industry have basically reached the stage of dividing up the spoils, and it's really hard to say whether Lu Yunzhou will be able to win the Best Director award.

However, according to Zhang Ziyi, this result has already sparked controversy.

This is interesting.

After all, this was his debut work, and under normal circumstances, it cannot be compared with Feng Xiaogang.

Therefore, there is only one possibility: someone wants to place a bet in advance and push him out as one of the representatives of China's new generation of directors.

"You shrewd businessman. I have to go on the show and give you free publicity."

"Alright."

"But one isn't enough! At least ten!"

Borsalino's hats are always in high demand. Even if Zhang Ziyi has the money, she can't buy the limited edition, let alone the custom-made one.

If she wears this hat and appears on the show "The Birth of an Actor," it will definitely spark a nationwide discussion.

Netizens will likely say that Zhang Ziyi is really amazing, no wonder she is a veteran actress, she wears a different limited edition hat from Borsalino every day.

After all, even the famous designer Yohji Yamamoto commented online that Borsalino hats are extremely rare, and he can only get one a year.

If Zhang Ziyi can get 10 of these at once, wouldn't her status in the fashion industry be equivalent to 10 Yohji Yamamotos?

"By the way, Yunzhou, I heard from other friends that you're always trying to persuade actresses to become action stars, saying that you really want to make an action movie."

"I think you don't need to go through all that trouble."

"Instead of looking for those girls who don't have much acting skill, you should come to me."

Lu Yunzhou called her "Auntie," which initially displeased Zhang Ziyi. She thought he was calling her by her name, and that the boy had no manners.

When she sent the message on WeChat, she discovered that Lu Yunzhou had sent her the message "Auntie".

This is a term of respect.

Zhang Yimou is finished.

Wang Jiawei is finished.

Li An is finished.

The saddest thing for an actor is that all the directors he has worked with have passed their creative peak and started to decline.

As an actress, Zhang Ziyi feels that she still has a lot of room for improvement.

But now, the directors have all backed down.

She has a lot of skills, but nowhere to use them.

At this moment, Zhang Ziyi had a glimmer of ambition, wanting to follow Tang Yan's example and cultivate a great director herself.

Step by step, I helped him take off.

This is the true demeanor of a leading lady.

Unfortunately, Lu Yunzhou is already a second-hand product; he has been fattened up by Tang Yan.

But that's okay, Lu Yunzhou has only made commercial films before.

Having grown tired of making commercial films, Zhang Ziyi believes that Lu Yunzhou will eventually become an auteur director, making art films with a high level of style.

This is something every director goes through.

Even Steven Spielberg, the world's number one commercial film director, has recently been making art films, pursuing that inner desire for expression.

"Auntie, in August, when I return from Montreal, I will hold an internal screening of my film. After you've seen it, please give your feedback."

"I think differently."

"I'm unlike any director you've ever met before."

"Let's wait and see."

Outsiders have too many misunderstandings about me.

Zhang Ziyi thought he could only make fast-paced commercial films like "The Speeding Car".

But Lu Yunzhou believed that after Zhang Ziyi finished reading "The Abyss", she would have a completely new understanding of him.

At this moment, Lu Yunzhou stood on the balcony, looking at the night outside, and suddenly remembered watching "The Grandmaster" in his early years and being amazed by Zhang Ziyi.

Unfortunately, even in the best of times, the best people can never be gathered together.

"If Zhang Ziyi were 20 years old, she would definitely be my one and only muse."

"It's a pity she's already 38 years old."

"Every era has its own gems."

Lu Yunzhou turned to look inside the room. Wang Cheran, who was texting someone, was gritting her teeth. She smiled and said, "Xiao Meng, don't spend all your time thinking about competing with Xiao Nan. Years later, when you look back, you'll realize that it was all meaningless."

"We will dedicate our limited energy and time to what truly matters!"

Ah!

Although these words sounded a bit strange, Wang Ran thought about them carefully and found them to make a lot of sense.

What exactly is strange about it?

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