"Yan He really doesn't have time to participate in the show 'Idol Era', Brother Qin." Chen Ziyan smiled and sighed, "If he had time to participate in this show, how could I refuse you? What kind of relationship do we have? He's about to start school, you know that."
The producer, whom Chen Ziyan called Brother Qin, said on the other end of the phone, "Ziyan, we're not asking him to be a permanent guest on our show. We're open to any performance he does. One episode, or two? It's all fine. You know, we've made it clear here that we want to create a weekly idol competition show with rankings. As long as you have a program, you can come and participate."
Chen Ziyan said, "I know, Brother Qin, but the problem is that Yan He doesn't have any performances that can be put on your show. Your show is called 'Idol Era'. How about this, you know, I have another artist with me, Tu Song. He is a singer, and like Yan He, he debuted as an idol artist. I will send him to your show, is that okay?"
"Tu Song? I don't even know who he is."
"You're exaggerating! He's already sung four OSTs in just six months." Chen Ziyan snorted, clearly not genuinely dissatisfied. "He's very capable."
Brother Qin said, "Zi Yan, you know very well that our new show needs the best stars to kick off the show. I've put all my efforts into inviting the most popular idol artists to our show and making it a top-notch stage for idol artists. Ma Zhiyuan, Li Zhibai, Liu Zhiyin... I've already confirmed these artists. Think about it, is there any other show that can get so many idol artists at once?"
"Others can't do it, but you definitely can. I know that." Chen Ziyan sighed. "It's not that I don't give you this face, it's just that Yan He really doesn't want to be an idol artist anymore. As you know, he's an actor now. To be honest, with his appearance, is he suitable for the idol route?"
Brother Qin said: "It's enough that he's popular, why do you care what path he takes."
"He became famous because he stopped being an idol." Chen Ziyan said with a smile.
Chen Ziyan argued with him for a long time, even telling Lu Yanhe that he would never go to any idol artist program in the future, and only then did he give up.
After hanging up the phone, Chen Ziyan rolled her eyes and fell into deep thought.
When she was alone in thought, she was like a frozen, still painting, even the light in her eyes was quiet, as serene as water. Yet, no one who knew her would mistakenly see a woman as graceful as the one depicted in the painting. It wasn't that Chen Ziyan's posture wasn't graceful, but rather—how should I put it? Those graceful women in oil paintings often convey a sense of tranquility, a well-worn phrase: "The years are quiet and peaceful." Those four words would never appear on Chen Ziyan's face. Everyone who knew her knew this.
When she is quietly thinking, she must be thinking about something, like now.
"Idol Era", this name is bold and domineering enough.
Qin Zhikun's ability to create such a program at this time was a testament to his skill. He keenly sensed an impending trend. Chen Ziyan had never underestimated idol artists, as there had been precedents of such artists reaching the top of the entertainment industry and earning top incomes.
Chen Ziyan was once famous as an actress. The artists she managed were all actors. It wasn't until Tu Song and Lu Yanhe that singers and idol artists appeared. This isn't because she's prejudiced against idol artists, but rather because she comes from a relatively conservative era. And idol artists, it must be said, have only been around for a mere twenty years in China—strictly speaking, even less than that.
The talent shows back then were not selecting idols in the true sense, but singers.
Chen Ziyan set her eyes on the fat piece of meat "Idol Era".
She wanted to send Tu Song to this show - Qin Zhikun had never given in on this matter.
-
Before school started, Lu Yanhe bought some things and made an appointment with Linyu and the others to visit Teacher Liu Qin together.
I haven't seen her for more than half a year since the college entrance examination last year.
Lu Yanhe has always been grateful to this teacher and feels thankful for him.
Liu Qin knew they were coming, so she made an appointment with them to have lunch together early. She went to the vegetable market to buy vegetables early in the morning, and then came back to make preparations.
Lu Yanhe and his friends arrived around 10:30 in the morning and went straight to Liu Qin's house.
This was the first time for them to come to Teacher Liu Qin's home.
"Oh, they're all handsome men and beautiful women now. They've changed a lot." Liu Qin smiled gently when she saw them. "That's great."
When Teacher Liu smiled, the past six months seemed to have vanished, as if they were still in that school. Lu Yanhe actually missed his senior year at No. 13 Middle School. He hadn't told anyone about it, but he occasionally missed it.
If it weren't for Liu Qin, he would probably have missed his senior year of high school much less.
Because her husband is at work and her children are at school, Liu Qin is alone at home.
"It's a lucky coincidence that you came today, otherwise I would have been outside to greet you." Liu Qin said, "I've read every copy of 'Jump Up,' the magazine you all worked on together. You're truly amazing. And I'm not praising you so much just because you're my students. You really do what you think of and work hard to make it a success. The quality is exceptional."
Because Chen Siqi is not in their class, Chen Siqi is not there.
The ones who came today were Lu Yanhe, Linyu, Chen Qin, Bai Yu, Li Pengfei, and Xu Zijun.
Lin Yu immediately said, "We're all just doing ordinary things. It was him and Chen Siqi who really built the book from scratch. Do you know Chen Siqi? She's also from our school."
"Of course I know you. I follow every one of you closely." When Liu Qin said this, she also looked at Lu Yanhe with emphasis. In her eyes, it seemed as if she was pointing at Lu Yanhe.
Linyu and the others all knew what Liu Qin meant, and they all covered their mouths and laughed.
Li Pengfei grinned and said, "Teacher Liu, you're paying special attention to someone's news, right? He's on the trending searches every day, and every time I open my phone, he's the one. If he weren't my brother, I'd complain. Why are you pushing his news to me all the time?"
Liu Qin glared at Li Pengfei and said, "Isn't this a good thing? If I didn't see any news about Lu Yanhe for a while, I'd be worried that he'd fade away."
"Oh, I thought you were going to say that being famous or not is not important, what's important is being happy and healthy." Li Pengfei said with a chuckle.
"Being happy and healthy is important, but at your age, isn't it time to strive for success?" Liu Qin glared at Li Pengfei again. "You've always been so clever, yet you've been so careless and slacking off. I'll have to call you more often and push you harder."
Li Pengfei looked shocked.
"No, Mr. Liu, you are too dedicated. I have already graduated."
"I can't control you anymore after graduation?" Liu Qin glared.
Everyone was chatting and laughing.
Liu Qin asked each of them about their recent situation.
"After teaching you, I'm now teaching a class of sophomores." Liu Qin smiled as she talked about her own experiences. "After they found out you were my last class, they kept asking me to invite you over to share my experience with them. Later, when Linyu came, they were all very excited. If you have time, come and talk to them."
"Teacher Liu, are you sure you want me to talk to them?" Li Pengfei pointed at himself and said, "As someone who is uneducated and unskilled, shouldn't I be a negative example?"
"Negative examples are good. They let them know what they shouldn't do." Liu Qin said immediately.
Li Pengfei was stunned for a moment, obviously not expecting Liu Qin to say that.
Liu Qin certainly possessed a natural authority over her students. However, her authority was never built on external constraints, even though she was strict, even harsh. Students aren't foolish; encountering a strict teacher doesn't necessarily lead to a lifelong resentment. Even when punished, they can sense whether the punishment is well-intentioned or malicious.
Lu Yanhe helped Liu Qin make lunch with everyone else. Except for the loser Li Pengfei, everyone else could help a little.
Even Liu Qin was surprised. She didn't expect that most of these children could help out - and they weren't just helping blindly.
"There are indeed not many young people who can actually work nowadays. How do you know all this?" Liu Qin asked curiously.
Lu Yanhe said: "I have always cooked for myself, so I know some basics."
Lin Yu said: "Me too, I like to stay in the kitchen, especially to make something I want to eat, it's my hobby."
Xu Zijun and Bai Yu have been helping with housework since they were young.
Chen Qin was trying hard to hide his inability to do it, and luckily he was not discovered.
Liu Qin listened and glanced at Li Pengfei with disdain: "A negative example."
Li Pengfei: "... treat them differently."
Liu Qin didn't know what she was thinking about. She looked at Li Pengfei, then at Xu Zijun, and smiled.
"Teacher Liu, did you know that they were secretly in love?" Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered something and asked.
Liu Qin: “I don’t know.”
“No wonder.”
"If you knew about this, Teacher Liu, would you let them break up?" Lu Yanhe asked again.
"Their grades haven't dropped. How could I let them break up at that time when they need stability the most?" Liu Qin said bluntly, "If it were their second year of high school, I would advise them not to date for now and wait until the college entrance examination is over. There's nothing I can do. I understand it's normal for you to like someone at your age, but the college entrance examination is too important in your life."
"Yeah." Lin Yu nodded.
"But why didn't you try to persuade Linyu and Chen Qin?" Li Pengfei said immediately, "They've been together for a long time."
"They've been getting great grades and are very self-disciplined since they got together. They push and motivate each other. Why would I want to break them up?" Liu Qin said. "This kind of thing depends on the circumstances. If their relationship is affecting their studies, then of course I have to intervene. But if it's not affecting them, why would I have to be the bad guy?"
Linyu and Chen Qin both blushed.
Lu Yanhe: "I'm so lucky to have you. Otherwise, if I had another homeroom teacher, they might not be so tolerant."
"Everyone has their own teaching method, but the goal is the same. As long as you don't have bad intentions, we all want the best for our students," Liu Qin said. "Our school is not a particularly good one. Last year, only five students were admitted to Zhenhua and Yuming, and that was the best result in recent years. If we use that kind of elitist, top-performing education method to teach you, many students will fall behind. We can only find ways to treat the symptoms. Bai Yu, I really feel sorry for you. You have always been a very outstanding and well-behaved child. I feel very sad that you didn't do well in the college entrance examination. I am more worried that you will be devastated by this result than you did not do well. Fortunately, you can write and have started publishing articles, becoming a writer. That's great. You have a natural talent for writing. Don't give up, okay?"
Bai Yu nodded, "I will definitely stick to it."
"In the future, please try to publish more books and have them signed for me. Every time I teach a class, I will give them as prizes to those children who have made great progress." Liu Qin said with a smile.
Li Pengfei immediately said, "It would be more effective if you ask Lu Yanhe for a few autographed photos."
Liu Qin: "During high school, I didn't encourage them to be fans of celebrities, even if the celebrity was one of my students. It's fine to like them, but don't engage in those frivolous fan-chasing behaviors."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "I agree with Teacher Liu's opinion."
We made lunch together.
Before dinner, Li Pengfei picked up his phone and asked, "Teacher Liu, shall we take a photo together?"
"Okay." Liu Qin sat among the students while Li Pengfei held up his phone and took a group photo in selfie mode. "From now on, we should have a new group photo at least every year."
Liu Qin laughed and scolded: "Your house is so big, I'll go to your house to eat next time."
"I'm always welcome!" Li Pengfei said immediately. "I've never been to your house before, so I wanted to come and see you."
Everyone ate and chatted with Liu Qin happily, and then left.
Liu Qin patted Li Pengfei's face earnestly and said, "You can still mess around for another two years, but you can't keep doing that forever, okay? You have to find your own way sooner rather than later."
Li Pengfei immediately saluted and said, "As you wish!"
Liu Qin saw that he was acting so unruly and glared at him unhappily.
She looked at Xu Zijun again and said, "Don't spoil him. His bad temper will only get worse the more you spoil him, okay?"
Xu Zijun nodded hesitantly, and the tips of his ears turned red again.
-
Everyone left Teacher Liu Qin's house and went their separate ways.
Lu Yanhe is going to the company.
Zou Dong was waiting for him in the parking lot. Lu Yanhe said goodbye to everyone and got in the car.
I haven't been to the company for a long time. I used to go there four or five times a month, but now I don't go there for several months.
The main reason is that there are almost no stage performances, and he doesn't have to go to the company's rehearsal room to practice dancing.
When the car drove to the parking lot downstairs of the company, that familiar feeling spread over me again like the sea.
Lu Yanhe got out of the car and went to the elevator with Zou Dong. He put on sunglasses. In public, if he didn't wear sunglasses, he would often be blinded by the flash. It had become a subconscious habit.
The elevator stopped almost every few floors, as some people were about to come in and some were about to go out. When they saw Lu Yanhe, some recognized him, while others did not.
Regardless of the reaction, Lu Yanhe remained expressionless with his head bowed. Over the past few months, his fame had grown. Wherever he went, the gazes and whispers of his presence surrounded him like a swarm of bees, their rhythmic rhythm low but constant. Over time, he'd grown accustomed to this trait of most artists.
When they reached the floor where Chen Ziyan was, Lu Yanhe and Zou Dong came out of the elevator as if they had escaped.
"Sister Zi Yan." Lu Yanhe took off his sunglasses and smiled brightly.
Although it was still winter, Chen Ziyan was still wearing only a black long skirt with a velvet-like texture and a particularly high-end fabric. With her long and wavy black hair, she looked elegant and intellectual.
Chen Ziyan nodded happily, "Now that you're here, sign these two supplementary agreements."
These two supplementary agreements cover risks and compensation for partner brands. The Zhen Hongyu incident has caused many brands to worry about the potential damage if their spokespersons were to face such a situation. Therefore, brands require that contracts with them include a supplementary agreement on risks and compensation related to the artist's behavior and brand image.
In this regard, the artists naturally have to cooperate.
Lu Yanhe read the agreement, signed it, and sat down on the sofa.
"Sister Zi Yan, what are you busy with?"
"I'm busy with a variety show, and I want Tu Song to be on it." Chen Ziyan said, "But the producer of this show wants you to be on it."
"I?"
"I've already declined. This show is called 'Idol Era,' and each episode features a group of idol artists competing. Artists can promote their songs and create the stage they want," Chen Ziyan said. "You're no longer an idol artist, so there's no need to be on this kind of show."
"Yeah." Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan: "I called you here today for another reason. You sent me the revised script for Lost on Journey, and I've finished reading it."
Lu Yanhe had almost forgotten about this matter. He looked at Chen Ziyan in surprise and asked, "Sister Ziyan, what do you think?"
At this moment he was still a little inexplicably nervous.
Chen Ziyan nodded and said, "After this revision, the structure is much better. It's almost a mature script that can be filmed directly. Of course, I've never been a producer or director, so I don't know what the criteria are for a script to be mature and filmable. I'm just speaking from the scripts I've seen."
Chen Ziyan's affirmation made Lu Yanhe's eyes light up.
"Really?"
"Yeah." Chen Ziyan nodded. "But, you said you wanted to be a director yourself, are you serious?"
Lu Yanhe hesitated. Was he really going to be a director? That night, when he emailed Chen Ziyan, he'd just finished revising the script, and a surge of excitement filled his heart: "The world belongs to me." But after a while, that passion had mostly faded.
"I just said that out of sheer passion, but I don't know if I can be a director." Lu Yanhe shook his head. "It's not that simple. After filming 'Phoenix Terrace,' I feel even more deeply."
Chen Ziyan smiled sincerely, spread her hands, and said, "I thought I would need to spend some time to convince you."
"I'm really not suitable to be a director now, am I?" Lu Yanhe said with a smile.
"You don't know the crew, and you don't have enough time to do this," Chen Ziyan said. "Being a director is different from being an actor. In terms of time, if an actor only devotes three months to a play, a director needs at least three years. From the preparations before filming starts to the post-production and promotion after filming ends, it's not that simple. Do you have three years to devote to it?"
Lu Yanhe smiled and nodded, "I understand, I don't."
Chen Ziyan: "There's a long way to go. If you want to be a director in the future, there will be many opportunities. Now focus on studying hard. However, I'm surprised you were able to write such a script on your own. You are truly talented. You can write songs like 'Memories' and 'Childhood', and you can also write a movie like 'Lost on Journey'."
Lu Yanhe: "Actually, I didn't write it. I had a dream, and I dreamt of this story."
"That's also a talent. I've had so many dreams, how come I've never dreamed of something like this?" Chen Ziyan shook her head. "Do you want to act in this script yourself?"
Lu Yanhe said, "I'm not really suited to either of the two protagonists in this script."
"Yeah, I think so too." Chen Ziyan nodded. "I thought you would write it according to your own style."
Lu Yanhe thought that the main reason was that he couldn't write in his own way.
If written according to his age and image, the story itself would be difficult to stand up to scrutiny.
"However, you can make a cameo appearance as the boy who attracts several girls," said Chen Ziyan.
Lu Yanhe laughed. Indeed, this was the only role he could play. In the original film, Zhang Chao played the only handsome guy, a stark contrast to the treatment of the businessman played by Xu Zheng.
"Do you have any ideas about the actors in this movie?" Chen Ziyan asked.
Lu Yanhe shook his head.
Perhaps because he had seen the original film, when he wrote the script, he had Xu Zheng and Baoqiang in mind. Even though the lines are definitely different from the original film, the content is still the same, just told in a different way.
But because of this, it is difficult for Lu Yanhe to think of actors who can replace them.
Chen Ziyan said, "Do you think we should sell the script directly and find a reliable company to produce it, or do we work with a company and find the production team ourselves? If it's the former, it's much easier. We can just collect the money and share the profits later. If it's the latter, it's much more troublesome and we have to worry about a lot of things."
Lu Yanhe thought about it seriously and said, "Sister Zi Yan, I hope to be able to participate in the production of this movie in some form."
The main thing is that he knows what the movie was originally going to look like, and knows how it should be shot in order to achieve the best results. If only a script is provided - to be honest, after shooting two movies, Lu Yanhe has more or less understood a truth: even if the script is good, if the crew is not good, a good script will be ruined.
Chen Ziyan nodded. "I understand. You're a screenwriter and a popular artist. I'll help you find a film company to work with and secure some rights so you can become one of the producers who can control the film's production. That also involves investment. Generally speaking, producers invest in the film, or represent investors. Are you prepared to invest?"
When Lu Yanhe heard this, he was stunned.
invest?
When Chen Ziyan saw Lu Yanhe's expression, she knew that he actually didn't understand these things.
"At a glance, this film shouldn't have a high production budget. It's just a road comedy. The current film market actually favors comedies, but this subject matter might not appeal to investors because it's rather... rural," Chen Ziyan said. "The story's style leans towards a realistic satirical comedy, which means it's not as funny or lighthearted as the popular comedies of recent years. Of course, this won't affect your chances of getting investment. The film's costs are low, and the script, it seems, was written by a popular star like you."
Chen Ziyan briefly explained, then added, "If you want to have actual control over a film, you either have to be an investor, shouldering the production costs, or be a key creative staff member, specifically responsible for the film's production. As a screenwriter, you certainly have the right to participate in the production, but a film often involves many different parties, and your opinions may not necessarily be accepted by everyone."
Lu Yanhe finally understood what Chen Ziyan meant.
In fact, to put it bluntly, it’s all about power.
Chen Ziyan was asking Lu Yanhe how much power he wanted.
Lu Yanhe thought, of course the more the better, but if he said that, Chen Ziyan would probably think he was too greedy.
"When I was writing the script, I already had a rough idea of what the movie would look like in my mind. I was afraid that they would fail to shoot it or even mess it up in terms of rhythm and effects, so I could make timely adjustments."
Chen Ziyan: "Well, if that's the case, I have an idea."
"Um?"
"We'll first look for a director and even actors we agree with, and then we'll work together to find a film company willing to take it on," Chen Ziyan said. "We'll let investors get involved later."
Lu Yanhe: "Is this okay?"
"Others can't, but you can." Chen Ziyan said, "Don't forget, you are Lu Yanhe, not a pure newcomer."
Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought.
-
Movies attract countless people, but creating movies also wastes countless people's time.
He Han glanced at Liu Bige helplessly, and Liu Bige immediately understood what He Han meant. He nodded to the woman in front of him, who was confidently holding up her breasts and looking down upon them both, and gave her a friendly smile. "Okay, that's all for the audition. We'll let you know if there's any news later."
As soon as the others left, He Han sighed, "What kind of people are here? They're crazy. I've seen so many actors, but I just can't find the one I want."
Liu Bige rolled his eyes at her and said, "You're just asking too much."
These days, they have been watching movies and picking actresses.
After choosing for a long time, he still couldn't find one that satisfied He Han.
"Let's eat something first. I'm hungry." Liu Bigo said.
He Han nodded dejectedly.
The two went downstairs and left, preparing to find a random restaurant nearby to have dinner.
The sun had almost completely sunk below the horizon. At this time of year, the sun always sets early, even though it wasn't even six yet. The wind had softened, but it was still freezing, a chill that bit deep into the bones, leaving a tingling sensation.
He Han wrapped his coat tightly around himself, thinking about the heroine he had yet to find, and felt that his future was dark and no longer bright.
He asked Liu Bige, "How's the 'Late Spring' you were interested in?"
"I'm writing the script," Liu Bige said. "Miao Yue and I are writing it together."
"You can just write it yourself, why are you dragging her along?"
"There are some parts that I can't write as well as she does," Liu Bige said frankly, "especially those ambiguous parts about secret love."
He Han glanced at him with disdain and said, "Are you trying to get this little girl to work for you for free?"
Liu Bige said: "How could that be? I paid the manuscript fee."
"Tsk tsk, it's nice to lean against a big tree for shade." He Han was a little jealous. Although his movie was also produced with the participation of Longyan Pictures, the funds mainly came from a French foundation. In order to get this money, He Han struggled for half a year. However, Liu Bige went straight back to China and signed with Longyan. No matter what he did, someone would pay for it. He was much more efficient than him.
Liu Bige said, "I asked you to return home a long time ago, but you were reluctant to do so."
"Nonsense, I've worked there for so many years, who can say that they are willing to give up?" He Han said.
As the two were talking, He Han's eyes suddenly widened.
"That woman—" he muttered subconsciously.
"What's wrong?" Liu Bige asked.
He Han's eyes lit up like a light bulb that had suddenly been switched on, "That's the person I'm looking for!"
Liu Bige followed He Han's gaze.
I saw a girl in a white knitted sweater and a light brown skirt getting out of a car. She was wearing headphones and had thick, fluffy hair, but she was very thin and looked slender. Her legs were wrapped in transparent white stockings, outlining vague and smooth lines.
She was a very beautiful girl with a very aloof temperament, and there was a hint of rebelliousness in her eyes. It was rare to see such a look in a girl's eyes.
"Are you here to make a movie?" He Han rushed to the other person, his eyes shining, and asked passionately.
The girl subconsciously took a step back and looked at him warily.
The next second, two big men in black suddenly rushed out and knocked him to the ground.
"Ah——" He Han let out a scream.
When Liu Bige saw this scene, his head suddenly became big and he rushed forward, "Sorry, sorry, he is not a gangster, it's a misunderstanding!"
-
"You wrote a script?"
Chen Siqi looked at Lu Yanhe in surprise.
Chen Siqi is going back to Jiangguang tomorrow, so let's have dinner together tonight.
Lu Yanhe talked about his script.
"Yeah." Lu Yanhe said, "Sister Zi Yan said it was pretty good. We're planning to find someone to make it into a movie."
Chen Siqi looked at Lu Yanhe in shock and said, "How much more stuff do you have left to come up with? How did you suddenly come up with another script? Aren't you always busy?"
Lu Yanhe said, "This is the story I wrote before. I had been trying to adapt it into a script. On the night of New Year's Eve, I suddenly had an idea and revised it."
Chen Siqi took a deep breath. At this moment, Lu Yanhe really shocked her.
She suddenly realized that in this world, there really are some geniuses that ordinary people cannot understand.
Chen Siqi had never considered Lu Yanhe a genius, mainly because she never felt that Lu Yanhe was someone who was particularly gifted in some aspect, or in other words, Lu Yanhe was not quite the same as her understanding of a genius.
But at this moment, Chen Siqi sincerely felt that perhaps Lu Yanhe was a genius.
That's why he can do unexpected things in so many aspects.
"What's wrong?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Chen Siqi shook her head and asked, "Have you ever taken an IQ test?"
"ah?"
"I'm seriously thinking about one thing: Is being an artist a waste of your brain?" Chen Siqi sighed.
Lu Yanhe didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "How valuable does my brain have to be to be considered a waste?"
Chen Siqi: "Although I haven't read the script you wrote, I'm shocked by your creative ability and speed. You're studying at Zhenhua, filming, and working on a magazine, and you still have time to come up with a script. It sounds like a fairy tale to me."
Lu Yanhe: "It's not that exaggerated, right?"
Chen Siqi's attitude also made Lu Yanhe feel uneasy.
Did he write the script too quickly and it didn't conform to the rules of creation?
Chen Siqi: "It's nothing, forget it. Don't worry about what I say. I've already accepted it. People are just different. Some people can only do one thing well at a time, but some people, like you, can do several things well at the same time."
Lu Yanhe: "That makes my face turn red."
The two of them were chatting and laughing, and then, at this time, He Han, who was in a dishevel, followed Liu Bige, who couldn't hold back his laughter, and pushed open the door of the restaurant.
When Lu Yanhe saw them, he showed a surprised expression and waved.
"He Han and Liu Bige." As soon as Lu Yanhe said their names, Chen Siqi knew who they were.
"What a coincidence." Liu Bige and He Han walked over and greeted with a smile.
Lu Yanhe introduced Chen Siqi to them.
"Oh—the other editor-in-chief of Jump Up. I know him." He Han nodded immediately. "I just bought a copy to read."
Lu Yanhe looked He Han up and down. He Han's body was covered in some dirty wet marks. He asked, "Where did you get this?"
He Han's face immediately turned dark.
Liu Bige smiled and said, "He was just knocked down on the street by two big men."
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi looked at them in surprise, especially at He Han.
"What's going on?"
He Han glared at Liu Bige angrily, "Can you please speak properly? Don't be so vague?"
Liu Bige then explained in detail what had happened.
"I finally found a heroine who I thought was suitable, but it turned out she wasn't interested in making the movie at all. She even treated me as a gangster and a liar at the beginning. I was so angry." He Han complained.
Lu Yanhe understood, nodded, and said, "That's a shame. We finally found someone you think is perfect for the female lead role, but if she doesn't want to act, there's nothing we can do."
"That won't work. I've secretly taken a picture of her car's license plate number. I must find her again and convince her." He Han suddenly said very persistently, "She is my muse!"
Lu Yanhe: "What if she's still not willing to take the photo?"
He Han said, "How could that be? Film is the most perfect art form. There is no beautiful person who doesn't want their beauty to be immortalized by art."
Lu Yanhe was shocked. "?"
What's going on with this sudden poetry recitation?
Chen Siqi looked at He Han at a loss. Obviously, she was also surprised by He Han's appearance.
Liu Bige quickly explained, "That's just how he is. Sometimes he gets really passionate when he gets emotional. Just get used to it."
He Han's highly contagious passion was indeed something Lu Yanhe rarely saw.
Chen Siqi couldn't help but ask, "Are all directors like this?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "No, don't think so. Directors Luo Yuzhong and Chen Lingling, whom I worked with before, were not like that."
He Han was still a little confused, "How am I?"
Chen Siqi immediately smiled and said, "Nothing, I just feel a bit of the Wei and Jin style in you, that kind of unrestrained and uninhibited style of celebrities."
Hearing Chen Siqi's praise, He Han's eyes lit up immediately, "You have good taste!"
Chen Siqi smiled.
Lu Yanhe was speechless.
He Han is really shameless.
-
We met by chance, so we just sat together at the same table.
He Han talked to Liu Bige about their experiences in the French film industry.
After talking to her, I found out that the film industry in France is very different from that in China, and also different from Hollywood. It’s a completely different way of doing things.
Liu Bige said, "So after I came back, I was quite uncomfortable at first. Domestic film companies have a lot more money, but many things are not so systematic. I need to introduce and explain everything myself. For example, when I wanted to shoot "Late Spring", I had to make a PPT for them, explaining why I wanted to make this movie as if I were introducing a project. It felt like giving a report in school."
Chen Siqi laughed and said, "Don't say that. Making PPTs is a painful process that every working person has to go through. When I was working on "Jump Up," I had to make PPTs to show them the sales prospects of our book when I was negotiating with some e-commerce companies."
Lu Yanhe was surprised and asked, "Did you still make the PPT?"
"Yeah." Chen Siqi nodded. "At that time, we were trying to get a promotional link for the carousel from an e-commerce company with a lot of user traffic. We put in a lot of effort."
He Han's face was full of admiration. He said, "You're only nineteen, right? You're already the editor-in-chief of a magazine at such a young age. That's amazing. It's impossible in France."
"In China... oh, well, in the past when magazines were popular, there were precedents for this," said Liu Bige.
Chen Siqi pointed at Lu Yanhe and said, "It's mainly because of his fame that this magazine has become successful. Otherwise, no one would have given us this opportunity."
Liu Bige asked: "Which magazines have the largest circulation in China right now?"
"Almost no one reads magazines anymore," Chen Siqi said, shaking her head. "Mobile phones and computers have essentially wiped out print media. Books still sell, but magazines and newspapers have almost all shifted to online media."
Liu Bigo was a little surprised when he heard this.
"Then why are you still making 'Jump Up' at this time?" Liu Bige was not very familiar with the domestic print media environment. He thought that it was just a decline in sales and no longer as prosperous as before. After listening to Chen Siqi today, he realized that print media have basically collapsed.
"We started out as just an e-magazine, but later a publishing house contacted us and said they wanted to publish a book," Chen Siqi said. "It wasn't a magazine at first, but a themed book. Fortunately, the sales were good, which kept us afloat."
Such words may sound a little strange. After all, a 19-year-old girl suddenly said "let us survive" in an air of maturity, as if something was not right. But the smile on her face was so frank and natural.
Liu Bige saw some shadows in Chen Siqi that did not belong to her age - she really had a bit of the "workplace" flavor.
Unlike Lu Yanhe.
That’s right, not like Lu Yanhe.
Liu Bige came to this conclusion seriously.
-
There are always various differences between people.
Some people are cheerful, some are introverted, some are irritable, some are gentle, some have fought their way through the bloodthirsty forest and built an iron wall, and some live in a warm castle and enjoy a life of luxury, with a pure and innocent light in their eyes.
But no matter who you are, you have two feet standing in the flow of time. Every time you lift your foot, you seem to have the illusion that it is all decided by yourself. In fact, few people can realize that the direction of water flow brings about gradual and subtle changes.
Just like the principle that water dripping wears away a stone, everyone learned it when they were young, but no stone thinks that it will be worn through by a drop of water.
-
When the sample issues of the sixth and seventh issues of "Jump Up" were delivered to Lu Yanhe, Lu Yanhe had also started school.
Lu Yanhe walked into the school gate with two sample magazines. The damp and cold air was already filled with the scent of spring, the kind of spicy fragrance that only trees and soil have.
In a big city like Yuming, apart from parks, only university campuses can offer the scent of nature.
Most of the trees are still bald and need the rain god to apply some hair growth agent to them.
However, after a severe winter, some weeds that had emerged from hibernation have begun to grow.
In this season of revival, the case of Zhen Hongyu finally had a preliminary result. Li You was sentenced for illegal fundraising, fraud and other illegal acts and was to go to jail. Zhen Hongyu was eventually cleared of suspicion, proving that she had nothing to do with Li You's case.
Zhen Hongyu issued a relevant statement and announced that she would assume the corresponding responsibilities. If the money was not recovered, she would compensate the victims.
Her fans were all upset. Not only did they comfort her, but they also said, "Sister, you don't need to make compensation. This has nothing to do with you! You are also a victim!"
Zhen Hongyu responded: "I am a victim, but because I didn't judge people well, others took advantage of my fame and deceived many people. I feel sorry for that. Since I have the ability to make amends, I choose not to blame myself too much."
Zhen Hongyu's speech was instantly praised by many media outlets.
Lu Yanhe also saw it and was very surprised, mainly because he admired Zhen Hongyu's courage.
This compensation is at least several million. Zhen Hongyu can certainly earn it, but there are many people who can earn this money, but few can do this.
Lu Yanhe sent a message to Zhen Hongyu, saying: If you need my help, please let me know at any time, and I will help to the best of my ability.
Zhen Hongyu: I can handle it myself for now, thank you.
Lu Yanhe responded with a hug emoji.
Zhen Hongyu said: If there are any plays in the future, please introduce more to me.
Lu Yanhe: Okay.
Lu Yanhe: Strive for next cooperation.
Zhen Hongyu: Well, I haven’t congratulated you yet. You were nominated for the Red River Award, which I’ve never won in all these years of acting.
Lu Yanhe: Just lucky.
Zhen Hongyu: If you say so, how embarrassing it would be for us.
Lu Yanhe: You will definitely win awards in the future!
Zhen Hongyu: Okay, then I’ll borrow your good wishes.
-
Zhen Hongyu's attitude finally turned her reputation around and she regained everyone's support.
"It can be considered a successful PR move, but the price paid was a bit high." Qin Zhikun said to Chen Ziyan at the dinner table, winking at her. "If you were her agent, you wouldn't have to handle it so... with such a huge sacrifice, right?"
"It's hard to say. To prevent future problems, this is the best way," Chen Ziyan said. "Otherwise, even if the situation improves temporarily, people will keep bringing up old issues. It's endless, and then we won't have the time or conditions to resolve it all at once."
"Look, it's ace agents like Zi Yan who see things most clearly." Chen Hongyu, head of Bingyuan Video's content department, said with a smile.
This time, they were sitting here to discuss the matter of "Idol Era".
Qin Zhikun is the producer of "Idol Era", Bingyuan Video is the online broadcasting platform of "Idol Era", and there is another one, Jiang Lan, the deputy director of Acropolis TV, the TV broadcasting platform of "Idol Era".
These people sat together and naturally discussed things about "Idol Era".
Among these people, Chen Ziyan's appearance seemed a little abrupt.
After all, she has nothing to do with "Idol Era".
But judging from other people's attitude towards her, it doesn't seem like it has nothing to do with her.
"If we're talking about the top domestic agents, Zi Yan is definitely second to none in the industry." Jiang Lan is also a woman. They say likes repel likes, but she clearly approves of Chen Zi Yan's attitude. "Our show needs a senior agent to assess the management skills as a factor in the final ranking. If Zi Yan doesn't come, finding another agent won't be convincing, especially since she hasn't managed any serious idol artists before and has no vested interests."
"I have to explain first. Tu Song, the artist I manage, is a former idol artist. Furthermore, I also hope he can join this show and perform as an idol artist on it." Chen Ziyan quickly added, "As for me, as a senior agent representative, scoring and recording this show, of course I have no problem with that."
"If that's the case, isn't that unfair?" Chen Hongyu said. "Teacher Qin's intention is to make each ranking a credible result, and ultimately create a quarterly and annual ranking. Through such a ranking, we can stimulate the development of our idol artist market."
Chen Ziyan said, "Of course, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I also like the competition and ranking mechanism. Rankings create competition, and competition motivates fans. However, I think we should come up with something more powerful to attract the top idol artists. Currently, Li Zhibai, Ma Zhiyuan, and Liu Zhiyin have all signed contracts with the program, but what about the other idol artists? It's impossible to include everyone, unless this ranking becomes something very credible."
Seeing that the three of them had listened, she smiled slightly and said, "Regarding the mechanism of this program, I do have an idea that may further increase its credibility."
"You say." Qin Zhikun said.
"A program's rankings certainly can't become something credible, but awards are different," Chen Ziyan said. "We can unite all the well-known media to create an award for idol artists. The winners will be determined by scoring and voting by all media outlets. The scope of the award will be for all idol artists in China, and the scoring and voting criteria will be based on multiple dimensions such as their stage performance, popularity data, commercial endorsements, work sales, and even stage ratings."
"What does this have to do with 'Idol Era'?" Qin Zhikun immediately asked with a frown.
Chen Ziyan smiled slightly and said, "Invite the judges for this award to the 'Idol Era' show to judge and rate the artists competing on the show, and hold the award ceremony on the 'Idol Era' show. These are two different things, but they overlap greatly. Artists may choose not to participate in a show because of their status, but would they not care about an award jointly selected by authoritative media? An authoritative award specifically for idol artists."
After a brief moment of distraction, Qin Zhikun and Chen Hongyu suddenly realized what Chen Ziyan was trying to do. Both of them had been in this industry for more than ten years or even decades, and knew how much of an earthquake would be caused in the entertainment industry if the idea proposed by Chen Ziyan was implemented.
Chen Hongyu hesitated for a moment and said, "Zi Yan, what you want to do is not something that can be accomplished by just a few of us sitting here."
"But we can take the lead and make it happen." Chen Ziyan looked at Qin Zhikun sharply. "You said you wanted to create the most authoritative and desirable show for idol artists. How can it be called the most authoritative without the top idol artists on stage? Currently, there is no award in this field in China. Why don't we be the first? As long as we do it, all the major idol talent agencies will respond. We all know that now is the time to make the cake, and no one will refuse."
Qin Zhikun's breathing became a little rapid due to excitement. He imagined the blueprint constructed by Chen Ziyan, the authoritative idol artist award tied to the program "Idol Era", combining credibility and influence. By then, it would not be the program "Idol Era" that would invite those top idol artists to participate, but they would have to participate regularly in order to maintain their status and maintain their influence on the judges.
Chen Hongyu said: "If it is a media award, what about other TV stations and video websites?"
Chen Ziyan asked, "The Red River Awards holds its awards ceremony every year on Acropolis TV. Does that mean the Red River Awards only cover dramas broadcast on Acropolis TV?"
Jiang Lan: "I think we can do what Zi Yan said. Whoever does it can do it."
"The four of us initiated this initiative and sent invitations to all entertainment media outlets. Believe me, no media outlet would refuse," Chen Ziyan said. "This is the Media Award. We can further study the production scoring dimensions and design."
"Let's do it." Qin Zhikun nodded, his eyes shining, and his tone became a little more excited. "If it succeeds, the era of idol artists will truly arrive."
Chen Ziyan smiled slightly. "Even if I, as a senior agent, rate their performances during the show, it won't affect who wins the award. The people who rate them are authoritative media representatives. In fact, I don't want any of us to influence who wins. To create an award that's sustainable in the long run, we must respect the rules."
-
Lu Yanhe was surprised when he heard what Chen Ziyan was going to do.
The reason why Lu Yanhe heard about it was because Chen Ziyan hoped that "Jump Up" could give its full support.
"'Jump Up' is now the best-selling business magazine in print media and has a huge influence among young people," said Chen Ziyan. "If we want this award to be authoritative and credible, we must include all leading media outlets, not just traditional media."
Lu Yanhe understood what Chen Ziyan meant.
"Sister Zi Yan, if you want to do this, we certainly support you." Lu Yanhe nodded. "But you also know that Li Zhibai and Yan Liang are both my friends, and we have a very close relationship, not to mention Cheng Hai and Tu Song. If we form a team together, won't that cause people to question us?"
Chen Ziyan said, "The final judging panel will consist of hundreds, if not more. The opinions of one or even ten people won't have a decisive impact. What we want is the most objective and genuine response from the media. The more objective and authentic the response, the greater the significance and value of this award."
Lu Yanhe understood that what Chen Ziyan wanted was not him, Lu Yanhe, but the influence of "Jump Up" as a print media in the magazine circle.
"Okay." Lu Yanhe nodded.
-
When preparing for an award, no matter how low-key the action is, it is impossible to conceal the traces.
However, not many people know what role Chen Ziyan plays in this.
This also gave Lu Yanhe a new understanding of Chen Ziyan's abilities.
Previously, Lu Yanhe only knew that Chen Ziyan's abilities were not limited to being an agent. He knew that Chen Ziyan also invested in film and television dramas, and did some other work that did not have a fixed identity label, similar to that of a broker.
This time, it was obvious that something big was going to happen, and Chen Ziyan actually played a very important role in it, which Lu Yanhe had not expected.
All I can say is that Chen Ziyan has been in the entertainment industry for so many years, and her current fame is not exaggerated.
There are still many courses this semester. There are two fewer required courses than last semester, but there are three more elective courses than last semester.
It is best to complete the credits as soon as possible.
This is Lu Yanhe’s simplest idea.
After completing all the credits, you will be able to relax a little in your sophomore and junior years and have more time.
Now Lu Yanhe has classes almost every half day, and even has classes three evenings.
Anyway, I won’t take any other jobs this semester.
"On weekends, you either go back to catch up on filming for Phoenix TV, or shoot commercials or magazines." Chen Ziyan had said this a long time ago, "Because The Golden Age is so popular, top fashion magazines have finally extended an olive branch to you."
It wasn't the cover, just the inside pages. But it was also a breakthrough.
These were just work. Lu Yanhe didn't take them too seriously, his focus still on studying and writing scripts.
That's right, since he finished writing the script for "Lost on Journey", he has gained some confidence in writing scripts and started searching for the next script he can try to write on his laptop.
Lu Yanhe had originally taken a fancy to "Sunny Days", mainly because of the novel "Late Spring", but after thinking about it, Lu Yanhe decided to put it aside for the time being, because he had the impression that the box office of "Sunny Days" was not very high and it did not catch up with the era of box office explosion. Lu Yanhe felt that it would be better not to try this kind of movie that might not be commercially successful in the first few films.
He searched high and low, aiming for a low-cost, easy-to-operate, and easy-to-shoot film story.
It also has to have been a box office success.
Then he remembered the movie "Charlotte's Troubles".
This movie almost came out of nowhere, bringing two comedians Shen Teng and Ma Li to the public's attention.
Then I created a new document and found that I couldn’t write anything at all.
He disassembled the film and found that the script and story were good, but in his opinion, the actors' performances seemed to be more critical to the film's success. If the actors were replaced, the effect of a comedy film might not be achieved. The actors' irreplaceability is much stronger than that of ordinary movies.
He has acted in plays himself and can better understand the key points involved.
He doesn't have enough writing skills to write a brilliant and effective script on his own.
It’s not enough to just remember a few key lines.
I can only give up.
Then, my attention was set on "Time Raiders", which I remember as having a high box office. It was a light comedy with surreal elements and a bit of suspense.
I wrote a dry first draft, but it was not usable. When I looked at it myself, I felt that it only had a good concept and framework, but it did not have the hilarious effect of watching a movie.
Why all comedy?
Lu Yanhe was stunned.
How many comedies has he watched?
-
After struggling for a long time, I didn't come up with anything new.
Lu Yanhe's confidence built up from "Lost on Journey" suffered a severe blow.
He had to let it go temporarily.
Because the Red River Award ceremony is coming.
Attending an awards ceremony is more than just showing up that evening.
He has to cooperate with the organizer to record a VCR, invite everyone to watch the live broadcast of the award ceremony, and participate in related talk shows to talk about his feelings about being nominated, etc.
A lot of preparatory work.
Fortunately, he was a man, so styling didn't take much time. Chen Ziyan simply lent him a designer suit and arranged for a makeup artist to do his styling on the day.
Attending award ceremonies and walking the red carpet were essential procedures. The red carpet was packed with spectators, and Lu Yanhe's appearance drew a flurry of screams and cheers. Lu Yanhe had experienced this kind of occasion before, but walking the red carpet and receiving the cheers and shouts was a first for him. The atmosphere was intensely stimulating, like an adrenaline rush.
Lu Yanhe couldn't help but feel hopeful about winning the award, but he kept telling himself, don't even think about it, it's basically impossible for you.
In this year's Best Supporting Actor category, whether it was the media, online predictions, or news Chen Ziyan heard from the industry, they all said that being nominated was already the greatest encouragement for Lu Yanhe, and winning the award was almost impossible.
This is not a large-scale voting system, but the result of discussions among the jury members.
Lu Yanhe's performance was a huge surprise for a newcomer, but compared with other nominated actors, the momentum this year was not on him.
The most promising actor is Lei Mingjia from "Long Day".
After entering the venue amid cheers, Lu Yanhe first went to the backstage rest area for the guests to rest. It was a reception room about the size of a basketball court, with drinks and snacks provided.
As soon as Lu Yanhe entered, he went straight to find the people from the "Golden Age" crew.
Director Luo Yuzhong was surrounded by several people and was talking about something.
Huang Kairen and Jiang Yuqian also have people around them.
Lu Yanhe didn't want to interrupt them directly, so he joined in.
Fortunately, at this time, Lu Yanhe saw a relatively familiar person, Teacher Jia Long.
"Teacher Jia!" Lu Yanhe hurriedly greeted him.
Jia Long smiled kindly when he saw Lu Yanhe, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Xiao Lu, I wish you good luck today."
Lu Yanhe hurriedly said, "Thank you, Teacher Jia."
Jia Long held Lu Yanhe's shoulders with both hands and said with a smile, "You are so handsome. Young people are really formidable. You have been nominated for the Red River Award for your first acting performance. I am so envious. I have never been nominated before."
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "That's because you act in more movies than TV series."
However, Jia Long has not actually won any prestigious awards in the film industry.
He is not the actor who seeks to win awards.
He was invited here today as an award presenter.
Jia Long asked, "I heard your next project is a movie? What kind of movie is it?"
"It's a feature film, shot by a new director named He Han," Lu Yanhe introduced.
Jia Long nodded and said, "I'm looking forward to the release of your movie. I will definitely come to support you."
"Thank you, Teacher Jia!" Lu Yanhe said hurriedly.
After a brief greeting, Jia Long prepared to leave.
Lu Yanhe looked at him, and in his mind he somehow connected his figure with the image of the shrewd businessman in "Lost on Journey".
He was stunned.
Jia Long's usual screen image is to play various small characters at the bottom of society.
The shrewd businessman in "Lost on Journey" is a successful businessman in his career, but on his way home, his true and vulgar side is constantly exposed. The shrewd and mercenary appearance is actually a layer of social disguise, and he is still an ordinary person who has achieved success through hard work.
Jia Long's image seems to fit the bill quite well?
Lu Yanhe hurriedly took out his cell phone and sent a message to Chen Ziyan, asking her if Jia Long was suitable.
As soon as the message was sent, Jiang Yuqian suddenly came over, tapped him, and said, "There are so many people here, why don't you say hello to everyone and just sit here looking down at your phone? Don't you have enough time to look at it normally?"
There was a hint of smile in Jiang Yuqian's tone.
Lu Yanhe turned off his phone and smiled at Jiang Yuqian.
"I'll send a message to Sister Zi Yan."
Although Jiang Yuqian did not get the nomination, she was still in very good condition today. No matter her spirit or other aspects, she did not show any sense of loss.
Everyone knew that Jiang Yuqian must be sad, but even though everyone knew it, Jiang Yuqian still didn't show it at all.
Lu Yanhe admired her very much.
"Are you nervous since this is your first nomination?" Jiang Yuqian asked him.
Lu Yanhe answered honestly, "A little bit."
Jiang Yuqian's eyebrows curved instantly as she said, "Even though I'm telling you to stay calm, you definitely won't be able to do it, I still have to tell you to maintain your expectations, but keep a calm mind. Especially remember, during the awards ceremony, every nominee's expression will be captured by a camera. Don't let your expression get out of control for even a moment, because everyone will be scrutinizing you with a magnifying glass."
After Jiang Yuqian's instructions, Lu Yanhe felt relieved from his slightly nervous mood.
"Yes, I will."
"What are you talking about?" Huang Kairen also turned and walked over, looking at the two of them with a smile, "It's been a long time since I last saw Xiao Lu."
Before Lu Yanhe had time to talk to Huang Kairen, a person suddenly came over. It was Chen Jiping.
He uttered a cry, and the smile on his face gave people an inexplicable feeling of discomfort.
He came for Huang Kairen.
"You really came! I thought you wouldn't come since so many of your fans were against you coming." Chen Jiping put a hand on Huang Kairen's shoulder and suddenly leaned in closer, saying jokingly in a voice only heard by the few people around him, "An actor like you who relies on fans for a living, if you don't listen to them, aren't you afraid that you will suddenly become out of fashion?"
When Lu Yanhe heard Chen Jiping say this to Huang Kairen, he immediately frowned.
He had met Chen Jiping once before, when they were both guests on the show "Workplace Skills" last year. During that session, he and stand-up comedian Chen Bing got into an argument, which led to a rather unpleasant scene.
At that time, Lu Yanhe only thought that Chen Jiping had a bad temper, but he didn't expect that his words were so harsh and mean.
But this time, Chen Jiping is nominated for Best Actor.
