Rebirth 02, the Celestial Being Told Me to Stop Pretending

Three days later, Lu Chen handed the complete script to Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Tian Zhuangzhuang finished reading it in two days and called Lu Chen that same day.

"Han Shangping is free the day after tomorrow, so please make preparations."

Lu Chen spent a day perfecting the prepared project plan.

The project proposal had no fancy layout or colorful charts; it was just black and white text, clearly outlining the project's prospects, budget, team, and expected returns.

Han Shangping's office is on the twelfth floor of the China Film Building, with a view of the traffic on the West Third Ring Road in Beijing.

The office was large, but simply decorated, with a few movie posters hanging on the walls and bookshelves full of scripts and industry reports.

When Lu Chen arrived, Han Shangping was sitting behind his desk, flipping through a document.

"Please have a seat. Let me read this document first."

Lu Chen sat down opposite him without saying a word.

About ten minutes later, Han Shangping raised his head.

"Are you Teacher Tian's student?"

"right."

"Sophomore year?"

"right."

"Teacher Tian really admires you; she's even introduced you to me."

Lu Chen just smiled when he heard this and handed the plan to Han Shangping with both hands.

Han Shangping nodded after reading it, tapping his finger twice on the project proposal: "Your project has a budget of three million, with an expected box office of over ten million. What makes you think a sophomore can make a movie that grosses ten million?"

"Based on two things," Lu Chen said.

"First, there are currently no competing products in this market; whoever starts first will reap the rewards."

Lu Chen sat up straight and said in a deep voice,

"Secondly, although my team is young, everyone is truly talented. Ning Hao won Best Director at the College Student Film Festival last year, and Zhang Songwen won the first prize for Best Performance at the National College Student Drama Festival. What they lack is not ability, but opportunity."

Lu Chen spoke with neither arrogance nor servility, and his arguments were clear, logical, and well-founded.

"President Han," Lu Chen continued.

"Three million is nothing to China Film Group. But if this project succeeds, it proves not just the box office of a film, but the possibility of a genre and the feasibility of commercial films. Its value is far more than ten million."

Han Shangping thought for a moment, then turned to the last page of the proposal and glanced at the return on investment plan.

"150 million, 50% of the box office revenue."

Han Shangping looked up at him, seemingly waiting for him to bargain.

Lu Chen hesitated for a few seconds, "Mr. Han, I can only give you 35% of the 150 million."

Han Shangping's finger paused on the table for a moment: "Do you know what 50% means? 150 million is half the investment, and you get half the dividends. That's standard practice in the industry."

"Industry rules apply to ordinary projects," Lu Chen said. "My project is not ordinary."

Han Shangping leaned back in his chair and looked at him.

"So you're investing money, I'm investing my life. Money can be earned again, but you only have one life. 35%."

Han Shangping looked at him for a few seconds, then a kind smile appeared on his lips.

"Aren't you afraid I'll turn on you?"

Lu Chen seized the opportunity and pressed his advantage.

"You're known for your dedication to nurturing new talent. That's what Teacher Tian told me."

"A 35% profit share is indeed not much, based on the current 35% profit-sharing standard."

He paused, looking into Han Shangping's eyes: "But Mr. Han, Zhang Weiping is currently negotiating revenue sharing with the cinemas. You knew about it earlier than I did. It won't be 35% then."

Han Shangping remained silent for a while.

"35% is fine," he said, "but I have two conditions. First, I will send a production manager to the set to oversee the use of funds. Second, China Film Group will be a co-producer."

"no problem."

"Furthermore, I'm investing in you as a person first, and then in your project."

Han Shangping stood up and extended his hand: "It's settled then. The legal department will handle the contract."

Lu Chen squeezed his hand; his palm was a little sweaty.

As Lu Chen walked out of the China Film Group building, the November sun shone on his face, and he squinted.

150 million, with a 35% share of the box office revenue.

China Film Group listed it as a co-producer, which means the entire industry will know that China Film Group invested in Lu Chen's project.

This is worth much more than 150 million itself.

We are still short 150 million.

Lu Chen stood by the roadside for a while, thinking, but didn't take out his phone. He didn't want to borrow money from Liu Yifei. It just didn't seem right to ask a fifteen-year-old girl to invest 500,000 yuan in his movie.

Even though I know it will definitely make money, it's not something a human being would do.

He decided to think of other solutions first.

But the next evening, Liu Yifei called first.

"Where are you?" Her voice carried an urgent tone that left no room for refusal.

"The dorm. What's wrong?"

"Don't move, I'm coming to you."

"Now? It's almost ten o'clock—"

"Ten minutes."

The phone hangs up.

Lu Chen paused for a moment, then put down his pen. He was working on a script, with a notebook and a half-cold cup of tea spread out on the table.

Ten minutes later, Liu Yifei stood downstairs at the dormitory building, wearing a beige cotton coat, her nose red from the cold, and clutching a bank card in her hand.

"Why are you here?"

Liu Yifei didn't answer his question. Instead, she walked straight up to him and slapped the bank card into his hand.

"Five hundred thousand."

Lu Chen glanced down at the bank card, then looked up at her.

"What?"

"I heard from my classmates," Liu Yifei said, as if it were a matter of course, "that you received 150 million from China Film Group, but you're still short 150 million. They said you're looking for money everywhere, but no one is willing to invest."

Lu Chen opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Liu Yifei continued:

"I've saved over 300,000 yuan, and with my film salary and previous savings, raising 500,000 yuan shouldn't be a problem. It's all yours."

"you--"

"Don't say I'm young," Liu Yifei interrupted him, raising her chin slightly. "No one said I was young when I was filming 'The Story of a Noble Family' either."

It was cold in the hallway, and the heating pipes made a gurgling sound. The dim, motion-activated light flickered and then came on again.

Lu Chen looked at her, wondering: How did she know?

Hey classmate, yes, Beijing Film Academy is only that big. I bet the news about him trying to get investment has already spread by now.

"Liu Yifei," Lu Chen said, "500,000 is no small sum. What if I lose it all?"

"Then we'll just pay for it," Liu Yifei said, her tone as relaxed as if she were commenting on the nice weather.

"Five hundred thousand—"

"I know." She lowered her head, rubbed her toes on the cement floor of the stairwell, then looked up at him. Her eyes shone brightly in the dim light.

Lu Chen remained silent.

She paused, as if encouraging herself, then lowered her voice slightly:

"When you were making the short film, I knew you were capable of great things. When you told me about Bai Xiuzhu on the playground, I knew you were different from others. When you asked me to be 3 centimeters off-center..."

She paused, as if searching for the right words.

"You made me feel like someone really saw me. Not Liu Yifei, but me."

Lu Chen looked into her eyes, and there was no hesitation, no probing, only a pure trust that only a fifteen-year-old would have.

He suddenly felt a dryness in his throat.

The motion-activated lights in the hallway went out, leaving only the gurgling of the heating pipes and the rustling of the ginkgo branches outside the window as the wind blew through the darkness.

"Okay," Lu Chen said.

"50, I'll give you 10% of the box office revenue. If we make a profit, it's yours; if we lose, it's a loan from me. I'll sell myself to pay you back."

Liu Yifei's eyes curved slightly, as if she were smiling, but her tone remained confident: "Since I trust you, I don't need the contract. I feel you wouldn't lie to me."

Lu Chen looked at her, wanting to say something, but in the end only said one word: "Okay."

Liu Yifei turned around and walked back, but after taking two steps, she turned back again: "Also, don't forget the seventy-six yuan you owe me."

"I remember."

"Interest is also required."

"……OK."

She was thinking about the seventy-six yuan, but seemed completely indifferent to the 50 yuan.

Just then, Lu Chen's phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID; the number was unfamiliar, and the area code was 010. He hesitated for a moment, but answered anyway.

Liu Yifei also stopped out of curiosity and moved closer to Lu Chen.

"Is this Mr. Lu Chen?" The voice on the other end of the phone was that of a middle-aged man, polite but with a condescending air.

"I am Zhao Minghui from Huayi Brothers. President Wang asked me to contact you."

Huayi, founded by brothers Wang Zhongjun and Wang Xiaolei, is now the largest private film and television company in China.

Huayi Brothers hit its daily limit up on April 16, 2026, closing at 2.09 yuan per share. Its total market value was only 57.99 billion yuan, a decrease of more than 93% from its peak market value of 90 billion yuan.

Subsequently, the company was forced to undergo bankruptcy reorganization due to overdue debts of 5250 million yuan, which exceeded 10% of the company's audited net assets in 2024, and both Wang and Da Wang were restricted from high-end consumption.

Rumors circulated online that Huayi transferred a large amount of assets through related-party transactions and overseas investments before its bankruptcy, but Lu Chen was unaware of the specifics, and the matter was still unresolved before his rebirth.

Lu Chen's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped his phone. He knew that the matter of China Film Investment couldn't be kept secret either; there were no secrets in this industry.

"Mr. Wang?"

"Mr. Wang Xiaolei," Zhao Minghui said, "I heard you're preparing a low-budget comedy with a budget of three million? Our Mr. Wang is very interested and would like to discuss investment."

Lu Chen remained silent.

"Huayi can invest the full amount; we'll cover the three million ourselves. You won't need to find any other investors." Zhao Minghui's tone was as if he were announcing good news.

"Moreover, Huayi's distribution channels, media resources, and artist portfolio can all safeguard your film. As a student making a film, having Huayi's backing will save you a lot of trouble."

The conditions are very tempting.

With full investment, guaranteed distribution, and media resources, Huayi Brothers holds the power to manage nearly a hundred contracted artists and maintain media connections with half of the entertainment industry. Feng Xiaogang's Lunar New Year film is one of their creations.

This is something every new director dreams of.

He knew why Huayi approached him; it wasn't because they were interested in the project itself, but because they were drawn to the signal behind China Film Group's endorsement.

"Mr. Zhao," Lu Chen's voice was calm, "thank you for your kindness, Mr. Wang, but I already have enough funds."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone: "You...say it again?"

"I said I didn't need it. My project already has investors."

"Mr. Lu, you may not be very familiar with Huayi's standing in the industry—"

"I understand," Lu Chen interrupted him, "but I really don't lack funds."

He hung up the phone and held it face down in his palm.

Liu Yifei was a little anxious.

"Aren't you short of money? Why don't you accept Huayi's investment?" "Are you out of your mind?"

As Lu Chen looked at the bright young girl in front of him, he was thinking about the path Liu Yifei had taken in her previous life.

How did Huayi treat Liu Yifei in her past life?

They smeared, censored, and spread rumors, trying to destroy a young woman in her early twenties.

Those press releases, those online trolls, those rumors about being kept by sugar daddies—they stabbed her like knives. And Huayi did all this simply because she refused their offer to sign her.

In the end, Liu Yifei was forced to appear on Focus Interview to clarify the rumors, but it was to no avail.

Rumors stop with the wise, but there are no wise people on the internet.

Now, standing in this stairwell, her nose red from the cold, she slapped the 500,000 yuan into his hand, her eyes shining like lamps.

He will never let that happen again in his life.

And that big-mouthed Song Zude, he loves to spew nonsense, I'll definitely get him killed someday.

Thinking of all this, Lu Chen smiled and said to Liu Yifei, "Because the two kings of Huayi are idiots, I can't stand them."

"You're swearing again, you dog." Liu Yifei turned and left, waving goodbye.

"I'm leaving now. Don't forget what you promised me."

Her figure disappeared into the cold wind at the entrance of the building, her cotton-padded coat hood billowing in the wind like a small sail.

No, what is it? What did I promise you?

Lu Chen stared blankly at Liu Yifei's retreating figure. "You've learned to be a riddle person too?"

Is it seventy-six yuan or five hundred thousand?

The news that Huayi was rejected will soon spread.

China Film Group submitted its bid, while Huayi Brothers Media Group rejected it. Everyone in the industry knows what that means.

But that's a matter for later.

The next day, Lu Chen received a call from Chen Jinfei.

"Lu Chen, is that right?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was deep, carrying an imposing authority that didn't need to be raised.

"Who are you?"

"Yifei invested 500,000 yuan in your movie?"

Lu Chen knew who it was as soon as he heard the tone of the voice.

Chen Jinfei, Liu Yifei's godfather, is the legal representative of Red Starwood Entertainment Media Investment Co., Ltd. In 2002, he ranked 23rd on Forbes China's richest list with assets of US$2.15 million.

"This idiot is going to be killed too," Lu Chen thought bitterly, making a mental note of Chen Jinfei's actions.

Lu Chen knew that Liu Yifei had given him money, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

But he calmly replied, "Yes, I voted."

"She kept it from me," Chen Jinfei's voice lowered by half an octave, "a fifteen-year-old child, hiding it from her mother, her guardian, and from me, her godfather, took 500,000 yuan and invested it in a college sophomore."

There was a suppressed anger in Chen Jinfei's voice, "If you lose her money, I'll make you disappear from this industry."

I'll say the same thing to you, but I'll make sure you disappear from Liu Yifei's world, you stupid idiot.

This is what Chen Jinfei truly cannot accept.

"President Chen," Lu Chen said, "I can't guarantee that we won't lose money. But I can guarantee that I won't let Xiao Liu down."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"You think it's enough that she trusts you?" Chen Jinfei paused, his voice dropping an octave.

"I'll be watching you."

The phone hangs up.

That evening, Lu Chen received a text message from Liu Yifei:

"Uncle Chen agreed, but he said he needed to send someone to accompany the team. I said it was my money, and he looked at me for a long time before finally saying, 'Whatever you want.'"

Another message followed:

"This is the first time he couldn't win against me, hehe."

Two days later, Lu Chen received 150 million from Han Shangping, plus 50 from Liu Yifei, for a total of 200 million.

We're still short 100 million.

The news that China Film Group had invested in the project spread throughout the industry. Lu Chen received several phone calls in the past two days, all inquiring about the project.

Lu Chen didn't accept any of them. What he wanted now was not just investment, but also the resources behind it.

It wasn't until Wang Changtian of Guangxian Media personally called that the situation changed.

"Lu Chen, I heard your movie is still short of funding?"

Wang Changtian's voice carried a shrewd edge, "We at Guangming are also interested in participating. Would it be convenient for us to discuss this?"

Lu Chen did not agree immediately.

He knew Wang Changtian, the head of Guangxian Media, who started out in distribution and had a keen sense of business, but only did business that was sure to make a profit.

Before China Film Group invested, he didn't even know how to make phone calls. Now that China Film Group has invested, he's come.

But Lu Chen needs this 100 million, and Guang Xian's power should not be underestimated.

"We can talk," Lu Chen said, "but let me make the terms clear first. 100 million, 15% of the box office revenue."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone: "15%? According to China Film Group's percentage, we should get more than that from 100 million, right?"

"China Film Group was the first to enter the market, and they got the benchmark price," Lu Chen said.

"You joined later, and the project is different now. You also know that I rejected Huayi."

Lu Chen cleared his throat, slowly took a sip of water, and then said, "President Wang, to be honest, I don't lack investment right now. My phone has been ringing off the hook these past two days."

Wang Changtian chuckled: "You certainly know how to do business."

"It's not that I'm good at business, it's that the project is worth the price," Lu Chen said. "Mr. Wang, you're in publishing, you're better at accounting than I am."

"Okay," Wang Changtian said, "15% it is. But Guangming has to be listed as a co-issuer."

"Can."

After hanging up the phone, Lu Chen leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

300 million, all in place. In his previous life, Ning Hao could afford to bid with 300 million, so if he tightens his belt, it should be enough for him too.

中影150万，35%。光鲜100万，15%。刘艺菲50万，10%。陆沉20%。

Including Zhang Songwen's 5%, Ning Hao's 5%, Zhao Bo and Wang Yan's 5%, the option pool is 5%.

The puzzle is complete.

China Film Group contributed the most money and took the lion's share, while Glory Group entered at a premium and took a smaller share. Liu Yifei's friendship is priceless, so the brothers took a gamble, and the rest was his.

But Lu Chen knew that the impressive premium they paid meant that Huayi would soon find out that the projects they wanted to invest in had been snatched away by others at even higher prices.

This will not please the two kings.

But that's all for the future, and what does that have to do with Lu Chen?

Lu Chen picked up his phone and sent Zhang Songwen a text message:

"The money has arrived. Ready to start work."

Zhang Songwen replied with two words:

"it is good."

Ning Hao's reply was even more concise:

When will it open?

Lu Chen thought for a moment and typed four words:

"Next month. Chongqing."