The entertainment industry: My 99 future timelines!

After receiving their credentials, Li Xu and his group strolled around the cinema complex to familiarize themselves with the locations of the various theaters and venues.

By the time we got back to the hotel, it was almost six o'clock.

The three of them went back to their rooms to change clothes and prepare for their appointment.

At 6:30, Li Xu and Shen Ao appeared in the lobby on time.

Li Xu changed into a dark gray suit, without a tie, and unbuttoned the top button of his white shirt, looking both formal and casual.

Shen Ao also changed into the shirt that Jing Tian had casually given him, and put on a casual suit jacket over it, finally looking a bit like an executive director.

Liu Yifei came down a little later.

She changed into a simple black dress, knee-length, with a good fit, and wore no jewelry, only light makeup.

But it was precisely this simple attire that accentuated her outstanding temperament, making her appear fresh and refined.

"Sister Yifei looks really good today."

Jing Tian stepped out of the elevator and praised her with a smile.

She changed her clothes and now wore a burgundy silk shirt with black trousers, looking both capable and elegant.

"Jing Tian is just as beautiful," Liu Yifei replied with a smile.

"They all look good."

"With such a handsome group of men and beautiful women, we'll be a stunning sight at the Busan International Film Festival!"

Shen Ao said with a smile.

"Heh, Yifei and I are really beautiful, and Director Li is really handsome. As for Senior Shen Ao, you can just give up."

"If you can't squeeze into a position of fame, don't force it."

As Jing Tian grows closer to Li Xu in their daily interactions, she has gradually developed a slightly sharp tongue.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ao's face fell, and he could only grimac in resignation.

After all, it was Miss Jing who said those words.

And this was truly the truth. Considering her background, her relationship with Li Xu, and the fact that she casually gave him an expensive shirt as a gesture of goodwill, he had no choice but to accept it.

Li Xu shook his head. Miss Jing really lives a "real" life. Even in the entertainment industry, with her status and background, she doesn't need to flatter anyone.

-

When Li Xu and his group arrived at the restaurant.

Park Jae-hyun was already waiting in the restaurant's private room.

He looked to be in his fifties, with his hair neatly combed, a serious expression, and wearing a well-fitting black suit.

"Ms. Jing, Director Li, Ms. Liu, Mr. Shen, welcome."

Park Jae-hyun stood up, greeted everyone in fluent Chinese, and shook hands with each person.

"Mr. Park's Chinese is really good."

As the leader of the trip, Li Xu smiled and responded as he sat down.

"When I was young, I also studied at the Beijing Film Academy for a year. That was the most precious time of my life. I was deeply fascinated by your country's films and culture."

Looking at the serious face, Park Jae-hyun smiled. His tone was humble, and it was hard to tell how much of his words were genuine and how much were deliberate flattery.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the restaurant waiters began serving the dishes. It was a traditional Korean set meal.

Dishes were quickly laid out on the table.

Park Jae-hyun was good at creating a lively atmosphere. He didn't jump straight to the main topic, but instead chatted about Busan seafood, Beijing snacks, and anecdotes from the film festival to the current state of Asian cinema, speaking in a calm and unhurried manner.

Although he often quotes classical texts in his speech, it doesn't make people feel disgusted.

After chatting for a while, and after a few rounds of drinks, Park Jae-hyun finally got to the point, "I read about Director Lee's film in the film festival program, and I'm very interested in it."

"Especially Director Lee, the concept you mentioned in your interview with 'Film World'—the default setting of urban loneliness—is very interesting, and I like it very much. In fact, this problem is more serious in South Korea than in your country."

"Thank you for your attention, Mr. Park. Those were just some thoughts I had while writing the script; it's nothing," Li Xu waved his hand gently.

But Park Jae-hyun didn't see it that way. Instead, he pressed on, "Director Lee, let's chat casually, there's no need to be so formal. I really want to ask, why do you call this feeling of solitude, which many people in big cities have, the 'default setting'?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xu put down his chopsticks and stopped trying to be modest. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Because I feel that our modern urban life is like a built-in program."

"We wake up, commute, work, eat, and sleep, repeating similar code every day. Interactions between people are becoming more and more like a pre-programmed routine—the greeting is 'How are you?' and the reply is 'I'm fine,' even though everyone is actually not doing well at all."

"Is loneliness coded into everyone's life program? Am I right to say that?" Park Jae-hyun said with a laugh.

Li Xu nodded, "Yes, it's not a bug, it's a feature, a survival mode that we choose actively or passively."

"So the two main characters in my movie, Du Minghao and Song Qing, no matter what their identities are, whether they are celebrities or students, they all have their own psychological problems and inner loneliness."

"My film is not just about love; beneath the surface of love, it's about the loneliness of the souls of men and women in big cities."

Park Jae-hyun listened attentively, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table.

After a moment, he nodded seriously: "A very modern perspective, not sentimental, not pretentious, just calmly presenting this kind of temperament, which is rare in Asian films, especially in your country."

"Most directors in your country are either too obsessed with melodrama or pursue exaggerated romantic drama. There is no one who can depict this real love in a conventional way. As I understand it, they are not real enough."

"So, Mr. Park, do you think our film has a chance at the upcoming film festival awards?"

Shen Ao couldn't help but chime in when he heard this.

Park Jae-hyun laughed: "Mr. Shin is very direct, but who can say for sure about things like film festival awards?"

After taking a sip of tea, he changed the subject, "This year's New Currents section has twelve films. Several from Malaysia, the Philippines, Iran, and Thailand are very strong. The Malaysian film 'Flowers in My Pocket' has a very touching story, the Thai film 'Wonderful Town' is also very impressive, and the Japanese film 'Park and Love Hotel' has received a very good response."

With each film title Park Jae-hyun mentioned, Shin Ao's expression fell a little more.

After he finished speaking, Shen Ao's face turned completely bitter: "So, our film doesn't have any advantages at all?"

"Hey, I didn't say that."

Park Jae-hyun waved his hand, "Every film has a different feel, and the judges have different tastes. Director Lee's films have the advantage of a consistent feel, high level of completion, and delicate emotions. The disadvantage is... maybe they're not 'intense' enough."

"Fierce?" Li Xu raised an eyebrow.

"It's just not impactful enough, not newsworthy enough," Park Jae-hyun said tactfully.

"Film festival judges, especially those in the competition section, sometimes prefer films that are 'louder'—about political issues, social conflicts, and raw realism."

"Your film is a romance film. Although it is of excellent quality and has a good core message, the loneliness in the hearts of urban men and women is ultimately not a very relevant topic."

"Too quiet, too introspective, just like the character of your people, too moderate, although sometimes quietness is a strength."

Upon hearing Park Jae-hyun's words, Shen Ao felt a sense of unease, but he understood somewhat.

Liu Yifei and Jing Tian listened from the side, and couldn't help but look worried.

A thoughtful look flashed in Li Xu's eyes, but he didn't say anything more, only smiled and nodded: "I understand, thank you for your frankness, Mr. Park, I'm very grateful."

Park Jae-hyun chuckled, "No need for that. I'm quite familiar with Ms. Kyung's side, and I'll speak up for your film."

"But how far you can go depends on the film itself, and... a little bit of luck. I think there's still a good chance."

Li Xu nodded, and Jing Tian also expressed her gratitude from the side.

The meal lasted until after 9 p.m.

After seeing Park Jae-hyun off, Lee Wook and the other three stood at the hotel entrance, feeling the sea breeze bringing a refreshing coolness.

"This old man really knows how to talk in circles."

Seeing that Park Jae-hyun had already walked away, Shen Ao lit a cigarette, blew a smoke ring, and said, "One minute he says our movie's core message is great, the next he says it's not intense enough, and then he says it has a lot of potential. What does he really mean?"

"What I mean is that our film doesn't generate much buzz, but it's of good quality. Although the chances of winning an award aren't very high, it's not impossible. It just requires the right timing, location, and people."

Li Xu shook his head. "The fact that he's willing to say all this is already a favor. Under normal circumstances, he shouldn't have said so much to us contestants."

As he spoke, Li Xu thanked Jing Tian again, but Jing Tian looked displeased. She didn't accept the thanks and instead said indignantly:

"No need to thank me, Lee Wook. I feel that what Park Jae-hyun said may not be true. His opinion alone doesn't count."

"I absolutely believe in your abilities. That old man must have made a mistake. I should have brought more people with me."

Seeing Jing Tian's immense self-confidence, Li Xu sometimes found it amusing.

In recent days, as he has had more and more contact with Jing Tian, ​​he couldn't help but feel that the person in the world who is most confident in his own abilities, besides himself, is probably Jing Tian.

Sometimes, Li Xu couldn't help but feel that she seemed to have even more absolute confidence than he did.

Liu Yifei watched silently from the side.

Shen Ao, however, wasn't keen on this "sweet attack" and simply frowned, asking, "Junior Li Xu, what do we do now?"

"What should we do? Wait."

"We'll wait for the premiere tomorrow, for the audience's reaction, for the reviews. The film is already finished. We've done everything we can. The rest is up to luck."

"Let's go back and rest. Tomorrow will be a tough battle, so everyone should be well-rested and not think too much."

Lee Wook glanced at the lights still on at Busan Cinema Palace not far away, his tone unusually calm.

He only listened to a small part of what Park Jae-hyun said.

He has the memories of a future world-class director. Although his current directing skills have not yet reached the peak of those memories, and he has only gone through most of the process, he does not think he is inferior to others.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ao, Jing Tian, ​​and Liu Yifei exchanged glances and immediately perked up, following Li Xu as they strolled back to the hotel.

On the way back to the hotel, they passed by a night market, where Jing Tian enthusiastically bought fish cakes and spicy stir-fried rice cakes.

Aside from Liu Yifei, who planned to stay slim and not eat, Li Xu and Shen Ao, although they had just finished eating and were quite full, each tried a little.

The four of them walked and ate in the Busan night breeze, temporarily putting aside the issues of judging, awards, and competition.

When we got back to the room, it was already 10:30 p.m. Korean time.

Lee Wook took a shower and stood by the window looking at Busan in the night.

The city was exceptionally quiet at night, with only the area around the cinema still lit up, like a lonely island floating in the sea.

A moment later, with his hair having dried a bit naturally, Lee Wook lay half-reclined on the bed, holding a director's book he had bought in a Korean bookstore, ready to read it.

His phone vibrated beside his pillow.

Li Xu picked it up casually and saw a message from Liu Yifei: "Junior Li Xu, don't worry. I don't think we can completely believe what Park Jae-hyun said today. I feel that our film is of very high quality and has a great chance of winning an award."

Li Xu glanced at it, intending to say that he didn't care and was very confident.

But in the end, he only replied, "Yeah, I think so too. Senior Yifei, go to sleep early, we still have to walk the red carpet tomorrow."

Liu Yifei: "Okay, junior, you should get some rest too."

After putting down his phone, Li Xu lay down on the bed with his eyes closed, recalling Park Jae-hyun's words: "Not fierce enough."

My thoughts flashed through my mind like a movie, with scenes from the filming of "Love Announcement" playing out one after another.

There are the hardships during filming, Liu Yifei's meticulous work, her tears on set, the struggles in post-production, and the anticipation for the awards at the Busan International Film Festival tomorrow.

Thinking about all this, he unconsciously murmured to himself, "Park Jae-hyun, maybe you're right. The subject matter of 'Love Announcement' is indeed too quiet and too personal. In this competitive arena, it may not be as impactful as those films with fierce themes and loud, dramatic stories."

"But this is the kind of film I wanted to make: quiet, introspective, about how two lonely people cautiously touch each other and each heal the other. If that's not 'intense' enough, then so be it."

"Time will prove enough. Even if we fail to win the award tomorrow, it doesn't matter. It's just a little bit of hardship before reaching the peak."

Thinking about this, Li Xu turned over, a relieved smile appearing on his face, and quietly fell asleep.

In another room, Liu Yifei also couldn't sleep.

She lay in bed, her mind replaying everything that had happened that day, especially Jing Tian's absolute confidence in Li Xu after dinner that evening—"That old man must have been mistaken. I have absolute faith in your abilities. I should have brought more people."

He sighed.

She felt that she was indeed slightly less courageous than Jing Tian.

Although she was absolutely confident in Lee Wook's abilities when Park Jae-hyun said those words today, and wanted to speak up, she hesitated for a moment compared to Jing Tian's decisiveness.

Moreover, compared to the various forms of assistance Jing Tian could provide to Li Xu, she felt that the resources she could offer were far inferior.

"If I can go further down the path of filmmaking, I'll probably be able to help him more in the future, just like Jing Tian, ​​instead of just worrying silently like I am now..."

"Jing Tian... I really envy you."

Liu Yifei's eyes held a hint of disappointment. After thinking for a while, she pulled up the covers and quietly fell asleep.