The entertainment industry: My 99 future timelines!

Busan International Film Festival premiere day.

The rain started falling early in the morning.

The sky above Haeundae was leaden gray, and the waves rolled and crashed against the shore.

Li Xu stood by the window of his hotel room, watching the rain trickle down the glass.

He recalled the day he filmed the rain-soaked kissing scene, which was a similar scene. Fortunately, the kiss in the rain was completed in one take, otherwise everyone would have suffered.

"Junior, are you up yet?"

Lost in thought, Shen Ao knocked on the door from the other room, "The hotel breakfast has arrived, let's eat together!"

Li Xu snapped out of his thoughts and went to open the door.

A waiter pushed in a food cart filled with Korean breakfast items.

After breakfast, at nine o'clock, the stylist Jing Tian had hired arrived on time.

She was a Korean woman in her thirties named Choi Shin-chan. She didn't speak Chinese, but fortunately, Lee Wook's English was decent enough that they could communicate normally.

Ms. Cui Xincan was a woman of few words but quick and efficient, and she finished Li Xu's styling in just one hour.

Li Xu was wearing a navy blue custom-made suit that Jing Tian had given him before. Since there was nothing wrong with the overall look, Cui Xincan just ironed it for him again.

Shen Ao, on the other hand, underwent a complete makeover, not only donning a proper white shirt and dark suit jacket, but also having his hair meticulously styled.

"Director Li has a clean-cut look and is very handsome; he doesn't need much embellishment."

After finishing the styling, Cui Xincan looked at Li Xu, who had been styled by her, and was very satisfied. She smiled and said.

Shen Ao stood aside, serving as a backdrop.

"Thank you, Ms. Cui, your cooking is excellent." Li Xu nodded and replied with a smile.

After getting ready, Li Xu and Shen Ao went out together and waited for Liu Yifei and Jing Tian downstairs.

As female celebrities, they have more ideas about walking the red carpet and higher requirements for makeup and styling. Therefore, although they got up an hour earlier than Li Xu and the other two to do their styling, they were actually slower to finish.

"Wow, Senior Yifei is so beautiful! Hey, my eyes are practically sparkling."

Liu Yifei came down first, and her look today caught the eye of Li Xu and Shen Ao.

Instead of the usual evening gown, she opted for a perfectly tailored white pantsuit with a slightly sheen silk top and a neckline that plunged to her collarbone.

Her hair was loosely tied up, with a few stray strands falling around her cheeks. Her makeup was very light, but her eyebrows and eyes were exceptionally cool and beautiful.

"Beautiful." Compared to Shen Ao's exaggerated reaction, Li Xu's reaction was calmer, but he also praised it.

Liu Yifei smiled, her face radiating confidence after being praised.

After waiting a little while longer, when Jing Tian finished her hair and makeup and came downstairs in a gorgeous black tulle dress, Li Xu was about to greet her.

Before she could say anything more, she walked up to Li Xu and, amidst the varied expressions of Liu Yifei and Shen Ao, carefully straightened his slightly wrinkled collar, saying softly, "Alright, I know I look beautiful today, but the main character today isn't me, it's you. Are you ready?"

"Okay, all set. You're one of the main characters today too. We'll walk the red carpet together later."

Li Xu slightly stretched out his hands to make it easier for Jing Tian to tidy up. After she finished, he said in a gentle tone.

-

At 2 p.m., the red carpet outside Busan Cinema Palace had already been laid out.

The rain had subsided somewhat, but the enthusiasm of the media and fans on both sides of the red carpet remained undiminished.

Long lenses and short lenses were set up, and the flashes were particularly dazzling on the cloudy day.

The premiere of "Love Announcement" was held in Hall 3 of the cinema, which can accommodate two to three hundred people.

Li Xu and his entourage stopped their car at the starting point of the red carpet.

The staff opened the car door, and a drizzle drifted in.

"I'll go first, with Senior Yifei. Shen'ao and Jingtian, you two come a little later."

Smile, wave, don't linger too long, but don't walk too fast either.

Li Xu got out of the car first and whispered his instructions.

In the back seat, Jing Tian had no objections. Today was the day "Love Announcement" was exhibiting, and the main characters on the red carpet could only be Li Xu and Liu Yifei. Although she felt a little jealous, she was very rational and clear-headed.

After getting out of the car, Li Xu turned around and reached his hand into the car.

With a smile on her face, Liu Yifei placed her hand on the car and used it to get out. Her white trousers stood out like a ray of light against the gloomy sky of the Busan International Film Festival.

"Liu Yifei! Look this way!"

"Director Li Xu! Over here!"

Shouts in various languages ​​were mixed together. Although it was directed by Li Xu, not many people knew it. Only a few reporters were shouting, while the rest of the shouts were calling Liu Yifei's name.

Liu Yifei took Li Xu's hand, her body tensing for a moment, but she quickly relaxed.

Li Xu sensed this and, after glancing at Jing Tian, ​​whispered, "Keep moving forward, don't stop. Senior, you're a top-tier actress in our country, this is nothing to you."

They began walking the red carpet at a moderate pace, occasionally stopping to allow the media to take photos.

Jing Tian and Shen Ao followed behind. Jing Tian was quite used to this situation, while Shen Ao was a little nervous, and her back unconsciously hunched over.

Fortunately, not many people knew them, and only a few flashes and cameras would capture their images.

"Relax, Senior Shen. Learn from Director Li. Look at him, it was his first time walking the red carpet, and he was quite comfortable. You're practically a monkey now."

Seeing Shen Ao's reaction beside her, Jing Tian spoke with a teasing tone.

Shen Ao took a deep breath, trying to relax his brow and straighten his back, but he still couldn't completely relax.

Liu Yifei and Li Xu were walking ahead when she overheard Jing Tian's words. She almost burst out laughing, completely losing control of her facial expression.

This made her unconsciously quicken her pace a little, to avoid hearing any more "remarks" that might make her lose her composure.

The red carpet at the Busan International Film Festival wasn't very long.

The group quickly walked to the end of the red carpet and entered the lobby of the cinema palace, where the noise was finally shut out.

Liu Yifei breathed a sigh of relief and carefully released Li Xu.

"Yifei, are you alright?"

After entering the cinema, Jing Tian no longer made a point of keeping her distance from Liu Yifei and Li Xu, and walked straight over.

"fine."

Liu Yifei nodded, her expression relaxed.

"That's good, Sister Yifei. You looked amazing on the red carpet. I saw it all from behind. Don't worry."

Jing Tian smiled upon hearing this and offered encouragement.

"Director Li! Ms. Jing! Ms. Liu, Director Shen, hello."

Park Jae-hyun is currently in the movie palace. Just as Jing Tian was speaking, he walked over with a smile.

He was wearing a dark blue suit today, with a film festival guest badge pinned to his chest.

"Mr. Park," Lee Wook nodded in greeting.

"Director Li, Director Shen, you two were very composed on the red carpet just now."

Park Jae-hyun laughed and said, "Many young directors don't know where to put their hands and feet when they walk the red carpet for the first time, but you guys are very steady."

"Of course, Miss Jing and Miss Liu are also very beautiful. I was outside the cinema when I came in and saw them."

"It's an act. Besides being a director, I'm also an actor, so it's not difficult for me to pretend."

Li Xu's lips curled up slightly, his words half-truth and half-lie.

Park Jae-hyun laughed: "It takes skill to act well. Let's go, it's time for us to go in."

Hall 3 was about 70% full.

The front row was occupied by media and film critics, the middle row by film festival guests and industry professionals, and the back row by ordinary audience members.

Li Xu and his group were seated in the middle of the third row.

As soon as they sat down, Park Jae-hyun pointed to the people next to him and introduced them: "Director Lee, do you see him? The one on our left in the gray suit is the chief editor of the Japanese magazine 'Kinema Junpo,' and the old man next to him wearing glasses is a contributor to the French magazine 'Cahiers du Cinéma'..."

Li Xu listened silently, making sure to remember what he had learned.

A few minutes later, some more people came into the theater, and the lights finally went out.

The screen lights up, the dragon logo appears, followed by a list of investment companies such as "China Film Group," and finally the title of the film, "Love Announcement," appears.

The film begins.

The first scene shows Du Minghao suffering from anxiety after another successful concert. He escapes from the celebration party, soaking wet, and rushes into a 24-hour bookstore.

He was distraught, like a stray animal stunned by a downpour.

The bookstore was warmly lit, with towering bookshelves.

Song Qing (played by Liu Yifei) was tidying up the bookshelf when she saw this man who was soaking wet and had a blank look in his eyes. She paused for a moment, didn't say anything, went to the water dispenser to get a cup of hot water, and went over to hand it to him.

"Here, you just got caught in the rain, have some hot water."

Du Minghao looked up at her, his eyes filled with wariness, confusion, and an awkwardness he was trying hard to hide.

He moved his lips, trying to force a polite smile, but failed, only managing a slight, unnatural twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Finally, he lowered his eyes, looked at the water glass in his hand, and said in a low, somewhat hoarse voice, "Thank you."

After saying those two words, it was as if all his strength had been used up.

He stopped looking at her, simply holding the hot water cup in both hands, sitting quietly with his eyes fixed on a point in the void, his whole being immersed in a secluded, quiet state of healing.

In the screening room, a viewer let out a soft "ah," a sound so faint that it struck them directly at the emptiness in Du Minghao's eyes. Li Xu's superb acting made Du Minghao's reaction at this moment in the film particularly heartbreaking.

The plot unfolds gradually.

Next, Du Minghao disguised himself and entered the school, where he played the piano in a secluded piano room and was discovered by Song Qing. Then, the two began to get closer and started to develop feelings for each other.

Then, as their relationship grew closer, Song Qing discovered Du Minghao's fake identity, felt deceived, and then exploded.

Next comes the core of the entire film: the kiss in the rain.

The script only had one line for this scene: "They kissed."

But what was filmed was an exceptionally moving and emotionally captivating three-minute performance of explosive acting.

On the screen, rain poured down.

Song Qing rushed into the rain, turned to look at Du Minghao who had chased after her, and said in a shrill voice, "Don't come any closer! Du Feng! Or what should I call you? Du Minghao? A musical genius superstar? How much of your affection for me is an act? And how much is real?"

Du Minghao stood in the rain, rainwater streaming down his cheeks.

His eyes swirled with pain and urgency, yet he remained silent.

"Say something!"

Song Qing approached step by step, the rain making her cough, but her words were like knives, "Keep making things up! Du Minghao, keep making things up! Aren't you a big star in the music industry? Don't you have countless fans? Aren't you eloquent in front of the media? Why can't you say a word now?"

"Is it because you yourself feel you have nothing to say? Because you made up such a tale before, but it was all lies! You said you had your reasons, but what are they?"

"Song Qing... listen to me..." Du Minghao's voice was hoarse.

"What are you trying to explain? Explain that I'm acting like a fool, worrying about you, being happy for you, losing sleep over you, and you find it all amusing?"

"Explain how you managed to successfully complete this Cinderella story for me, a music student, first by encouraging me and building my confidence, and then you crushed it all with one hand, Du Minghao. How much pleasure do you get from toying with me like this?"

This line is the most hurtful in the script.

Liu Yifei practically screamed, tears mingling with the rain streaming down her face, her whole body trembling.

At that moment, Du Minghao rushed forward, reached out and hugged her tightly, then lowered his head and kissed her directly.

In the screening room, some audience members gasped.

On the screen, that kiss was both passionate and long.

The rain soaked their hair and clothes. Liu Yifei's fingers gripped Li Xu's wet clothes tightly, initially stiff, then slowly relaxing, and finally responding.

Her tears flowed uncontrollably, more torrential and scalding than in any previous performance, mingling with the cool rain and sliding between their tightly pressed lips.

The backlighting provided by the lighting technician perfectly outlined the figures of the two people in the downpour, making even the individual strands of hair clearly visible.

The kiss lasted so long that the audience almost forgot to breathe.

After ending the deep kiss, Du Minghao released his grip, took a slight step back, and his chest heaved violently.

Song Qing stood there, her lips slightly swollen, her face wet, her eyes unfocused, and her body trembling uncontrollably.

The screening room was completely silent.

You could even hear suppressed sobs from emotionally sensitive audience members, and people quietly sniffling.

The film continues, alternating between sweetness and conflict.

Until the climax of that concert.

The stage was huge, the lights were blinding, and the audience was a sea of ​​people.

Du Minghao stood in front of the microphone stand and sang the first line.

"It takes a butterfly several blinks to learn to fly..."

"You don't know why I left you, but I insist on not saying I'll let you cry."

"Your tears fell like a torrential downpour / Scattered all over the ground / Clearly etched in my heart..."

When Li Xu sang the climax, his voice was bursting with emotion, and his eyes seemed to be full of flowing thoughts.

The camera cuts to the audience, where Song Qing sits with her eyes full of happiness and excitement.

After finishing the song, Du Minghao suddenly stopped and said into the microphone, "For the next song, I'd like to invite someone up to sing with me."

The spotlight shone on the audience, and Song Qing was stunned.

The entire room fell silent.

Song Qing walked onto the stage step by step, her steps a little nervous but firm.

Du Minghao handed her another microphone.

The music started; it was a choral piece.

Simple chords, simple melody, the two of them standing under the spotlight, Song Qing's voice trembled a little at the beginning and was a little off-key, but the final duet was unexpectedly harmonious.

At the end of the song, Du Minghao put down the microphone.

The audience erupted in applause, mixed with some discontent from female fans, but those on stage couldn't hear it; they could only hear each other's heartbeats.

Li Xu put a lot of thought and effort into filming this scene, and the response has been very positive. The audience in the theater clearly liked this scene.

Some South Korean viewers were even whispering among themselves, saying that the melody of the song sounded really good and they wondered if the actors were singing it live.

Lee Wook and the others couldn't understand Korean, so Park Jae-hyun specially translated it for them.

A smile flashed in Jing Tian's eyes. Shen Ao spoke first, "This song was sung by our director himself. Not only that, but he also co-wrote it with Wang Lihong, one of China's rising stars. Our director is very talented and versatile."

Park Jae-hyun's eyes sparkled with disbelief and admiration. He couldn't help but exclaim in amazement at Lee Wook, who was not only a director and lead actor but also a singer.

Li Xu waved his hand, a slight smile appearing on his face, but he wasn't flattered by the old Korean man.

The song "The Things You Don't Know" was added to the recording after he finished recording it in the studio.

soon.

In the final scene, Du Minghao secretly returns to the Midnight Bookstore with Song Qing, where inspiration strikes, and he writes a new song called "Midnight Bookstore," which he hums softly.

After the concert, the movie also came to an end, with a pure love ending: Du Minghao and Song Qing got together in private.

The end of the movie.

As the credits rolled, the soundtrack from "Midnight Bookstore" continued to play, and the lights in the screening room slowly came on.

"Are you looking at your book or at me? Your eyes are full of thirst for knowledge, and a fire is burning in your heart. Speak your mind bravely..."

The screening room was completely silent.

The silence lasted for several seconds, and then a continuous wave of applause erupted.

The applause wasn't particularly enthusiastic, nor were there any screams or cheers.

It was just a continuous, heavy, wave-like applause.

Starting from the first row, the applause spread to the back, and eventually, most of the two or three hundred people in the entire screening room stood up, applauding thunderously for a long time.

Li Xu remained seated, without moving.

He could feel his heart pounding violently in his chest.

He saw the film critics in the front row clapping, saw Park Jae-hyun clapping, saw Shen Ao standing up and waving his arms, and saw Jing Tian smiling and clapping at him.

Then he looked at Liu Yifei.

She sat there, not standing up, looking up at the scrolling subtitles on the screen, her profile like a sculpture in the dim light.

Her eyes were slightly red, and her face was full of excitement.

The applause lasted for a long time, until all the subtitles on the big screen in the theater finished rolling and the lights came on, at which point the applause gradually subsided and turned into a buzz of discussion.

The host came on stage and invited the main cast and crew to the stage in both English and Korean.

Li Xu stood up, straightened his suit, and walked onto the stage.

Liu Yifei followed behind him, and Shen Ao and Jing Tian also came up.

The audience was packed, and all eyes were on them.

Li Xu took the microphone, looked at the sea of ​​people below the stage, and said softly, "Thank you for watching."

Use Chinese, then English, and finally Korean.

Although Li Xu had never studied Korean, he had been practicing this sentence deliberately for the past few days, and he could pronounce it clearly and without any foreign accent.

Applause erupted again in the theater, and many South Korean viewers were filled with excitement and joy.