Huayu: I rely on hit-movie tactics to interweave...

Chapter 65 Temptation and Angle Setting

The buzz surrounding Liu Yifei's birthday party hadn't completely died down when one thing after another came crashing down on her.

The fact that Wanda Group won the last share of "The Witch" at a 50% premium has caused a stir in the industry, with many exclaiming that they are "rich and powerful".

The project was worth three million US dollars, but Wanda squeezed in an extra 1.5 million without even blinking.

On the day the news broke, some people inquired about the inside story, some tried to use their connections to follow up, and others said sourly, "Wanda must have too much money to burn."

Liu Yu was eating a boxed lunch in his office when he heard this. "They're not throwing money away; they just don't want to wait any longer. They've already established their cinema chains, and moving upstream is only a matter of time. Letting them in this time is just a way of making friends."

Chung Lai-fong leaned against the desk, arms crossed, "You've really made a valuable friend. One and a half million US dollars, enough to make a low-budget movie."

Liu Yu stuffed some chicken pieces into his mouth and chewed a couple of times. "That's not my problem, it's that they were willing to pay. I quoted a price, they agreed, it was a fair trade."

Despite saying that, he knew in his heart that Lionsgate took a portion of the premium money, and Qianlang Pictures also took the majority.

This deal is a good one.

The news that the film project "The Witch" had been approved by the Film Bureau was personally delivered to Han Sanping by phone.

"Liu Yu, I've been keeping an eye on this project. The people at the bureau read the script, asked a few questions, and approved it. No problems."

"Thank you, Mr. Han."

"No need to thank me, I'm proud of you for making a good film."

Once the filing is approved, the project information will be released.

Those in the industry have an incredibly keen sense of smell; in less than half a day, Zhong Lifang's inbox was overflowing with messages.

The reason is simple: one of the roles in the project is described as "Female PhD, around thirty years old, PhD researcher".

Not the female lead, but with a significant role, she's the kind of supporting actress who makes everyone who plays her shine.

Most importantly, this role will be filmed in the United States, with all dialogue in English.

What does this mean? It means it's a springboard to Hollywood, a ticket to the international market.

Playing the lead role in ten domestic films is not as valuable as making one appearance in a Hollywood blockbuster.

Those in the industry understand this better than anyone else.

Yan Danchen's schedule didn't work out, as Lionsgate had scheduled filming to begin at the end of September and wrap up before December. Scarlett Johansson and the other supporting actresses also had their schedules set.

Filming will begin at the end of September, so there's not much time left.

On the day Huo Wenxi, the Emperor of Sound, came to visit, it rained lightly in Beijing.

Liu Yu was looking down at the storyboard for "The Witch" when the receptionist called, "Mr. Liu, Miss Huo from Yinhuang is looking for you."

He was stunned for a moment, then realized that Huo Wenxi was the artist management director of Yinhuang Entertainment and was known in the industry as a top agent.

"Bring her up here." Liu Yu closed his storyboard.

The moment Huo Wenxi entered, Liu Yu sensed the aura emanating from this woman.

She was wearing a black business suit, her hair was neatly styled, and her makeup was exquisite but not heavy. She looked like a newly sharpened knife, sharp but not ostentatious.

"Director Liu, I've heard so much about you." Her Mandarin was quite good, with a slight Cantonese accent.

Liu Yu asked her to sit down and poured her a cup of tea.

Huo Wenxi didn't exchange many pleasantries and went straight to the point after sitting down. "The Emperor of Music intends to invite you to produce a play."

Liu Yu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and pretended to be confused.

"You're inviting me to film a movie in Hong Kong?"

Huo Wenxi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down. "President Yang would like to ask Director Liu to create a film for the Sound Emperor."

She looked directly into Liu Yu's eyes, her gaze unwavering, demonstrating genuine sincerity.

Liu Yu leaned back in his chair and smiled.

"Everyone knows I don't film anything outside of my company." He was telling the truth; he's received countless offers over the past few years, but he hasn't accepted a single one.

It's not that I'm arrogant, it's that I have limited energy.

A person can only make one or two movies a year. If they take on someone else's project, their own will have to be postponed.

Huo Wenxi remained calm and composed, as if he had expected him to say that.

"Director Liu has misunderstood. What General Manager Yang meant was that Yinhuang would provide the funding and resources, and ask Director Liu to write a play, with Qianlang as a co-producer."

She paused, her gaze lingering on Liu Yu's face for a moment, "We're not asking you to be the director, we're asking you to be the screenwriter, supervisor, and producer. We'll arrange the director and actors."

Liu Yu understood. What President Yang wanted was not his directing ability, but his brand and vision.

A label produced by Liu Yu is more effective than any GG (Girl's Name).

"Your music emperors shouldn't be short of acting opportunities, right?"

Huo Wenxi smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in his smile.

"The environment in Hong Kong is terrible right now; every company is lacking good projects." Huo Wenxi's tone was frank, without any attempt to hide or embellish.

Liu Yu thought for a moment, "But I'm already preparing for 'The Witch,' and I really can't spare the time to produce another movie."

He was already making plans in his mind when he said that.

Time was indeed tight, but not impossible. He could finish the first draft of the script before going to the United States, oversee the production work remotely, and delegate the production to Chung Lai-Fong and the people at Sound Entertainment.

The key question is what this collaboration can bring him.

Huo Wenxi was clearly prepared. "Director Liu, you just need to use your brain, we'll handle the rest."

Liu Yu picked up his teacup and took another sip, then looked at Huo Wenxi and posed a probing question.

"Could you please help me invite Tony Leung Ka-fai, Andy Lau, and Simon Yam?"

He said those three names offhand, wanting to know how determined the Sound Emperor was.

It's difficult to secure the schedules of these three people, especially Andy Lau, whose schedule is booked until next year.

Huo Wenxi's eyes lit up. She was an extremely intelligent person. Others might have been stunned by Liu Yu's seemingly irrelevant remark, but she instantly grasped the key point.

"Can!"

Liu Yu glanced at her and understood what was going on.

"If you can help me invite them, I can verbally agree to write a script for the Sound Emperor. We can discuss the details later."

Huo Wenxi stood up and extended his hand.

"Thank you, Director Liu. I'll wait for your news."

Liu Yu held her hand and felt her long, strong fingers.

He picked up the storyboard on the table, flipped through it, and then put it down again.

The script I haven't even started writing yet is already churning in my head. Hong Kong film, police and gangsters, undercover agents, brotherhood. If you put all these elements together and cast actors of Leung Ka-fai, Andy Lau, and Simon Yam, the box office won't be bad.

Wang Zhonglei's dinner appointment was scheduled for 7 p.m. at a high-end restaurant on the East Third Ring Road.

The private room wasn't large, but it was tastefully decorated. A traditional Chinese ink painting of a mountain and water pine tree, depicting the welcoming pine of Huangshan Mountain, hung on the wall, its brushstrokes vigorous and powerful.

On the table were exquisite tableware and an opened bottle of red wine. The label was in French, but Liu Yu didn't look at it closely; he didn't know much about red wine.

"Director Liu, please sit down. Let me introduce you, this is—" Wang Zhonglei stood up with a smile and pointed to the woman next to him.

Liu Yu smiled and waved his hand, "No need for introductions, everyone in the country knows her. Hello, Miss Fan."

He extended his hand, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, neither too warm nor too cold.

He had mastered this art of tact for many years, knowing exactly what tone to use in what situation.

Fan Binbin stood up, extended his hand, and bowed slightly.

"Director Liu, hello."

She wore a light-colored dress with a deep V-neck, revealing her ample chest; her hair was loose, and her makeup was delicate but not heavy. She looked thinner than on screen, with a pointed chin and prominent collarbones.

The three people sat down. Wang Zhonglei sat in the main seat, Liu Yu to his right, and Fan Binbin to his left.

The seating arrangement is very particular: the host sits in the main seat, the guest of honor sits to the right, and the other guests sit to the left.

Liu Yu glanced at it and understood what was going on.

A waiter came in to pour tea, and Wang Zhonglei took the menu and ordered several dishes, all of which were the restaurant's signature dishes, sounding quite sophisticated.

"Knowing that Director Liu doesn't like crowds, we didn't invite anyone else, just the three of us." Wang Zhonglei picked up his teacup and toasted Liu Yu.

Liu Yu raised his cup, clinked it against his, and took a sip.

The tea is Longjing, with a very light aroma but a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

Wang Zhonglei didn't rush to talk about business, but instead chatted with Liu Yu about all sorts of things.

He talked about the hardships of starting a business in the 1990s, the interesting stories from the early days of Huayi, and the scene when Feng Xiaogang first mentioned "The Dream Factory" to him.

His tone was relaxed, as if he were chatting with an old friend, not discussing business.

"Back in 1994, my brother and I started out at GG Company, and we were running around doing sales. Sometimes we were so busy all day that we didn't even have time to drink a sip of hot water."

Liu Yu chimed in, "Mr. Wang is right. When I was making my first film, I was also scrambling to raise investment, scraping together tens of thousands from here and tens of thousands from there. I tried to get funding, but I was kicked out of the production company before I even got inside."

He said this in a relaxed tone, as if he were telling someone else's story.

Fan Binbin chimed in from the side, "Fortunately, everyone has finally made it through."

Wang Zhonglei smiled and nodded. "Bingbing, you really nailed the word 'endurance.' You truly endured it. Sometimes I think, 'Maybe I should just give up and go back to my hometown.'"

Liu Yu added, "Isn't President Wang from Beijing? Where else can you go back to your hometown?"

All three of them laughed, but not loudly.

The warm yellow light in the private room shone on everyone's faces, softening their weariness and calculations, making them feel that this was a gathering of old friends, not an exchange of interests.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Wang Zhonglei's phone rang. He glanced at it, frowned, and hung up immediately.

He had just put down his phone and hadn't even exchanged two words when it rang again. He hung up again, his smile becoming somewhat forced, as if something was urging him on.

"You can't even enjoy a meal in peace." Liu Yu waved his hand, holding his wine glass. "Mr. Wang, please accept it, it's alright."

Wang Zhonglei smiled a couple of times before answering the phone, his voice very low. The private room was quiet, but Liu Yu still heard the name "Xiaogang".

He covered the phone and apologized to Liu Yu, "Director Liu, I'm sorry, I have some urgent business to attend to at the company, I need to go out for a bit."

"It's alright, business comes first."

Wang Zhonglei stood up, took his phone, and walked out of the private room. As the door closed, his footsteps faded into the distance in the corridor.

Only Liu Yu and Fan Binbin remained in the private room.

The dishes on the table were still steaming, and the wine bottle was more than half empty.

The warm yellow light shone on Fan Binbin's face, making her features appear exceptionally soft.

Liu Yu noticed that her eyelashes were very long and she was wearing mascara. She was holding a glass of wine, taking small sips, as if waiting for something.

"Director Liu, I've heard about the 'The Witch' project." She put down her wine glass, her movements slow, almost as if she wanted you to notice her fingers.

She turned her head to look at Liu Yu, her eyes filled with curiosity and probing.

Liu Yu picked up a piece of broccoli and chewed it twice.

"Yes, preparations are almost complete, filming will begin at the end of the month."

"Has the female lead been cast?" she asked casually.

"It's settled. Scarlett Jansen." Liu Yu didn't intend to hide it from her; there was no way to hide this kind of thing, and the news would come out in a few days.

Fan Binbin's expression didn't change much; he seemed relieved, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"What about the female PhD? I heard that role hasn't been cast yet." She picked up her wine glass, took a sip, put it down, folded her hands on the table, and leaned forward slightly.

It's a very imposing posture, not an aggressive one, but rather an alluring one.

Liu Yu leaned back in his chair, looking at her. This woman was more direct than he had imagined; she didn't beat around the bush or play games.

She should just say what she wants, and she should also indicate what she can offer in return.

"It's not decided yet. What's up? Are you interested?"

"What do you think?" She smiled, a hint of reproach in her smile.

"I'm just sitting at home doing nothing anyway, so I might as well find something to do." She picked up her wine glass and leaned closer to Liu Yu.

"You're free?" Liu Yu smiled. "Isn't your schedule booked until next year?" He raised his glass, clinked it against hers, and took a sip.

"I turned down two offers." Her tone was casual. "This role is interesting, I'd like to give it a try."

Liu Yu put down his wine glass, deciding to cut to the chase.

"My character needs to be cold and sinister, not sinister, but cold to the bone. Your previous roles..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was already very clear.

Most of the roles she has played are the kind that are charming and alluring, either beautiful, seductive, or bright and radiant—in short, all are captivating.

What he wanted was coldness, the kind of coldness that makes you not notice her at first glance in a crowd, but makes you unable to look away the second time you look at her.

Does she possess that quality? Liu Yu wasn't sure.

Fan Binbin's expression didn't change, but her eyes did.

It wasn't the disappointment of being rejected, it was defiance. She straightened her posture slightly in the chair, raising her chin a little.

"Director Liu, I'm a professional actor. I can do anything you need."

Liu Yu looked at her and remained silent for a moment.

"Okay. Come to the company for an audition tomorrow. Let me see what you're capable of."

Fan Binbin picked up his wine glass and smiled.

The alcohol started to take effect, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

"Director Liu, do you have a lot of special effects in this movie?" She tilted her head, rested her chin on one hand, and gently tapped her cheek twice with her fingers.

Liu Yu noticed that her nails were painted a light nude pink, so light that it was barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

"There are a lot. There are about thirty minutes of special effects shots. Lots of fight scenes, and the action sequences are quite intense. Can you handle it?"

"You underestimate me." She glared at him, feigning anger, but there was no anger in her eyes, only a hint of coquetry.

"I work out at home every day. Do you want to come over to my place tonight and we can go together?"

Liu Yu was stunned. That's fucking direct. He picked up his glass and took a sip.

"Yeah, I have something to do tonight, let's make it up another time."

"Okay, let's meet again next time." Fan Binbin stood up and gave Liu Yu a hug, which was quite large.

Unbeknownst to Liu Yu, the moment he stepped out of the restaurant, paparazzi waiting in their car across the street snapped a photo.

The flash wasn't on, but the sound of the shutter was so clear in the quiet night that it was like a needle dropping on the ground.

Several photos captured his profile as he entered the restaurant, Fan Binbin's silhouette with a wine glass in front of the private room window, and the two of them leaving the restaurant one after the other.

The angles were chosen cleverly, and each photo seemed to be gazing deeply into each other's eyes or showing reluctance to part.

The next morning, Liu Yu was still asleep when his phone was bombarded with messages, waking him up early.

Wang Chaowen sent a message followed by several exclamation marks: "Bro, you're on the front page!"

Liu Yu squinted and clicked on the link, seeing the headline of the portal website's entertainment section, with the title written in bold black font.

"Liu Yu and Fan Binbin's late-night rendezvous sparks rumors of a new romance?"

The accompanying photos are of him and Fan Binbin leaving the restaurant last night. When put together, they look like the two of them leaving one after the other, secretly on a date.

Below the photo was a line of small print: "It is reported that the two were alone in the private room for nearly two hours."

Liu Yu held his phone to his chest, stared at the ceiling, and cursed.

He took a deep breath, then picked it up again and flipped it down.

The comments section has exploded: "Wasn't Liu Yu dating Yan Danchen? How come he's hooking up with Fan Binbin now?"

"Love in the entertainment industry is just something to look at; don't take it seriously."

When Liu Yu saw these comments, he felt like he had swallowed a fly.

He tossed his phone aside, turned over to face the wall, and started thinking about how to explain things to Yan Danchen.

The headline stayed up all day.

When Liu Yu saw Zhong Lifang at the company in the morning, her expression was quite subtle.

It wasn't anger, nor worry; it was a sense of helplessness.

"Boss, could you please choose a private room without windows when you have dinner with actresses in the future?" She leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, her tone joking, but her eyes were serious.

Liu Yu leaned back in his chair. "That restaurant's private rooms all have floor-to-ceiling windows. I can't exactly ask them to cover them with paper, can I?"

Zhong Lifang sighed, "Fine, you don't care about these things anyway."

The female PhD student auditioned for "The Witch" for an entire day.

Liu Yu sat in the company's small screening room, watching actresses come in, perform, and leave.

Jiang Wenli, Yuan Quan, Li Binbin, Fan Binbin, Zhang Ziyi, Zhao Bafei, Yu Nan...

Each of them is a top-tier domestic player, and each of them came well-prepared.

Liu Yu looked at it all day, but still felt that something was missing.

It's not that they acted badly, it's just that their temperament didn't quite match the character.

Jiang Wenli is too gentle, Yuan Quan is too artistic, Li Binbin is too upright, Fan Binbin is too glamorous, Zhang Ziyi is too sharp, and Zhao Bafei is too warm.

When Yu Nan came in, Liu Yu was leaning back in his chair, twirling a pen in his hand.

She was wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, no makeup, and her hair was tied in a ponytail.

After she sat down, Liu Yu noticed her gaze.

Distancing, calm, as if observing the world through a pane of glass.

After she finished her performance, the theater was quiet for several seconds.

Liu Yu put down his pen and glanced at Zhong Lifang.

Zhong Lifang nodded slightly.

Lu Yang whispered, "It's her."

After the audition, Liu Yu kept Yu Nan behind.

The two sat in the front row of the screening room, one seat apart from each other.

Liu Yu smiled and asked her, "Senior, how's your English?"

"It's alright, I've spent some time abroad."

Have you ever filmed action scenes?

She thought for a moment, "I've filmed a few, not many, but I'm not afraid of hardship."

Liu Yu nodded and pulled a contract out of the folder, handing it to her.

"The salary is $200,000. Filming will take two months, entirely in the United States. Can you accept that?"

Yu Nan took the contract, flipped through it, but didn't look at the details much. She looked up at Liu Yu, her expression calm.

"When will you sign?"

Zhong Lifang smiled and handed her the pen.

After the news spread, it sparked another round of discussion within the industry.

My phone vibrated.

He picked it up and saw a message from Yan Danchen: "I heard you're leaving next week? Can we meet before you go?"

Liu Yu stared at the line of text for a few seconds, then replied with two words: "Yes."