Chapter 429: April Story (14,000-character update!)

Such a big stir was indeed something Lu Yan He hadn't expected. Then, thinking back to the Weibo post he sent last night, he slapped his head and sighed, thinking that with his low alcohol tolerance, he was drinking alone, and once his head was tipsy, he did such a thing.

"..."

Lu Yan He first sent a message to Chen Siqi, asking: Did I cause you trouble?

Chen Siqi threw three "bloody knives" emojis over.

Lu Yan He immediately returned a "kneeling smoothly" emoji.

Chen Siqi: Did you drink?

Lu Yan He:??? How do you know?

Chen Siqi: You wouldn't say such things usually.

Lu Yan He: That's not it either.

Chen Siqi: Then you tell me now that you want to call me in your dream? I want you to send a voice message, don't send text.

Lu Yan He picked up the phone and wanted to say it, but his mouth opened and opened, and the words couldn't come out.

Chen Siqi waited for a while, didn't wait for Lu Yan He's voice message, and chuckled, thinking, don't I know you?

Lu Yan He took a deep breath and said: You study well, don't chat with me during class!

Chen Siqi: Dog.

Lu Yan He: Look, you are still replying to my message, you are not serious in class at all.

Chen Siqi was angered to laughter.

Really a dog.

Lu Yan He rubbed his face and called Chen Ziyan again.

"Sister Ziyan." Lu Yan He's own voice revealed a guilty conscience.

He estimated that the Weibo post he sent had added a lot of workload to Chen Ziyan.

Sure enough, Chen Ziyan sneered sarcastically and asked: "Is this finally awake?"

Lu Yan He said "uh", laughed hehe, and said: "Sister Ziyan, thank you for your hard work, did I cause you trouble?"

"Trouble is not the word, the annoyance of the phone is quite a lot," Chen Ziyan said. "Which script did you finish writing? Or did you finish both?"

Lu Yan He said: "Just finished writing *Love Letter*, *You Are the Apple of My Eye* still has some left."

"You only finished one?" Chen Ziyan teased, "I thought you were going to tell me that you finished both scripts in one night. That should be your speed."

Lu Yan He laughed and said: "I'm not a tentacle monster."

Chen Ziyan: "Many companies have come to inquire about the script you wrote. What do you want to do? Any ideas?"

Lu Yan He said: "The production cost required for this script is not high. Actually, film companies with certain strength can do it. Let's see everyone's sincerity. I will register the copyright of the script first, then send the script to major companies to see what they say."

Chen Ziyan said: "That's fine, but the control of this film should still be in our own hands, right?"

"Hmm," Lu Yan He said, "This film is very easy to be filmed into a dog-blood youth film, the control must be in our own hands."

"Then in this way, there might not be that many film companies willing to invest," Chen Ziyan said. "Generally, film companies still want to keep the final cut right in their own hands."

Lu Yan He: "If it really doesn't work out, we'll find someone to do it ourselves. Actually, I also really want to do it myself."

"Hmm?" Chen Ziyan was a bit surprised.

Lu Yan He said: "I didn't dare to do it myself before, but now, at least in the production link, I have a lot of experience and am not so scared."

Chen Ziyan: "If you are preparing to build a team yourself to film this movie, then the energy you have to invest will not be small."

"Of course I don't intend to build a team myself. We can find a producer and a director. As long as they are suitable, the specific things will be left to them to do."

Chen Ziyan: "Then you think too simply and naturally. You send the script to me first, I'll take a look, what kind of story it is."

Lu Yan He immediately sent this script to Chen Ziyan via email.

"Who wrote this story?"

Jiang Yuqian held this story *The Call*, which is currently only five pages long and presented in the form of a short story, and asked her agent.

He Heng said: "A friend gave it to me, saying it was written specifically referring to your image, asking if you are willing to act. If you are willing to act, he will write this story into a script."

Jiang Yuqian was a bit tangled.

"This story is very attractive and has a lot of space for performance," she said. "However, I am worried that this subject matter will not get a high box office in the country. This is not a literary film. It is normal for literary films not to have high box office. If this film does not have high box office, will it make my acting path worse?"

He Heng looked at Jiang Yuqian helplessly.

"Why do you think this film won't get a high box office?"

"It's time and space, suspense, and some horror. I feel that in our domestic market, there is no precedent for similar subject matter to get good box office," Jiang Yuqian said. "If it were in my prime, I would definitely be willing to act, but now... just relying on my influence, can I carry the box office of this film?"

He Heng looked at Jiang Yuqian, hesitated for two seconds, and said: "Then shall I refuse?"

Jiang Yuqian bit her lip, shook her head, and said: "Don't, let me ask Lu Yan He for his opinion."

"Ah?" He Heng was stunned.

Jiang Yuqian said: "I have no confidence in judging scripts now. I will ask Yan He to help me see if I should take this script."

He Heng hesitated for a moment and said: "Alright, then you go ask him. However, didn't he just write a script? You can also ask him if there is a role suitable for you in his script. It doesn't matter if it's not the female lead, as long as it's an important role, you can act in it."

Jiang Yuqian didn't want to add such trouble to Lu Yan He.

Asking Lu Yan He to help her refer to the script, Jiang Yuqian was embarrassed to speak. Directly asking him if there was a role for her in the script he wrote was beyond the scope she could accept.

Jiang Yuqian said "hmm" noncommittally and contacted Lu Yan He.

He Heng sent a message to Chen Ziyan: Who wrote the story you gave me? It's mysterious, I asked you but you wouldn't say. Yuqian said she wanted to ask Lu Yan He for his opinion.

Chen Ziyan was stunned for a moment when she saw the message He Heng sent her.

Huh?

This was really something she hadn't expected. Jiang Yuqian wanted to ask Lu Yan He for his opinion?

Could it be that Jiang Yuqian guessed that this story was written by Lu Yan He?

Thinking about it again, it shouldn't be. Jiang Yuqian, a female actor of this level, although her career is not at its peak now, she just can't reach the top-level production, but she must still have many plays sent to her hands usually. She wouldn't guess it was written by Lu Yan He just by getting a story outline.

Chen Ziyan asked He Heng what Jiang Yuqian's attitude was towards this story outline. After He Heng said it, Chen Ziyan sighed directly.

How should she put it.

To say Jiang Yuqian can't read scripts, she actually knows very well what kind of script can move her, but to say she can read scripts, she doesn't have a comprehensive understanding of this industry and this market, so that when she makes judgments, it is difficult to judge what kind of market feedback this script is expected to get.

In Chen Ziyan's view, the selling point of this film is almost on the table. It may not become a classic film that is both critically and commercially successful, but it must be a film that is very concerned and has topics. This story focuses on mutual help between women, involves mental abnormality and controlling family relationships, and also involves concepts like dual time and space. Regardless of structure or theme, it is destined to be a topical work that attracts attention.

What Jiang Yuqian lacks most now is a work that can help her return to the public discussion field again.

Chen Ziyan muttered these words in her heart, but she wouldn't say them to He Heng.

Agents should avoid interfering with each other's work; this is a big taboo in work.

After Lu Yan He received the message from Jiang Yuqian, he was also very surprised.

This is really...

Asked to his home.

Jiang Yuqian didn't hide it either, and said her thoughts directly.

"Purely from my own perspective, I actually like this story very much, and when I read this story, many ideas about performance appeared in my mind," Jiang Yuqian said. "However, I am not sure about the market reaction of this script. I feel it is very niche."

Lu Yan He heard this and felt it was very confusing.

It was also at this moment that Lu Yan He intuitively realized why Chen Ziyan said Jiang Yuqian's vision for choosing films was not good.

Lu Yan He originally thought Jiang Yuqian would not want to choose because this film was too commercial. Unexpectedly, Jiang Yuqian was worried that the market reaction of this film would be very niche.

He hesitated for a moment and said to Jiang Yuqian: "Sister Yuqian, this script, it was aimed at the market from the beginning, it shouldn't be very niche."

"Is it? I feel that in the past few years, there have been no works with similar subject matter in our film market?"

"Yes, it's because it hasn't appeared, so it's fresh," Lu Yan He said. "Its core elements are all rare elements in the current film market. Combining them together is an attraction in itself."

Jiang Yuqian was very surprised and asked: "Do you rate this script so highly?"

"Hmm," Lu Yan He confessed helplessly, "Because this script was written by me."

"Ah?" Jiang Yuqian was shocked.

Lu Yan He said: "I was worried that if I gave it to you directly, you would take it without even looking at the content, so I took a detour, wanting to see your most real feelings about this story. If you want to act, I will write it into a script."

Jiang Yuqian: "Are you tailoring a script for me?"

"Hmm," Lu Yan He said, "Actually not, it's because I watched *The Home I Haven't Returned to in a Long Time*, had this inspiration, and wrote this story. It just happened that when I was writing, I needed the image of a woman who had been working outside for a few years. The person I am most familiar with around me who is at this stage is you, so I wrote it according to your image."

Jiang Yuqian was surprised, "You watched *The Home I Haven't Returned to in a Long Time*, and wrote this story so quickly?"

"Hmm," Lu Yan He smiled, "Sister Yuqian, so you want to act, right?"

"I want to act. After knowing it was written by you, I want to act even more. You just treat my previous concerns as farts."

"Sister Yuqian, you have to listen to the voice in your heart more when choosing scripts. Don't just think about the market reaction of this play. No one knows what the market reaction is, but stories that move our hearts can possibly move the audience," Lu Yan He couldn't help but remind, "Before the film *The Home I Haven't Returned to in a Long Time* was released, no one expected it to get a box office of over 700 million. According to this trend, 800 million box office is a certainty."

Jiang Yuqian sighed.

"Alright, I also found that my vision for choosing plays is indeed not very good."

Lu Yan He laughed.

"Sister Yuqian, as long as you act well," Lu Yan He said. "Actors who are good at choosing plays, if they act badly, it's useless. But if they act well, they will always wait for good plays."

Lu Yan He thought for a moment and said: "Sister Yuqian, then for the film *The Call*, I will start writing the script."

"Good," Jiang Yuqian said, "When the film is ready to be filmed, you tell me in advance, I will leave the schedule."

"Hmm, I want to start as soon as possible," Lu Yan He thought about starting as soon as possible, not dragging it out for so long like *Lost on Journey* or *Rouge*.

However, sometimes, maybe every film has its own destiny, and its own path that it must take.

Lu Yan He had accepted this point. What he could do was to do his best to push them forward.

When *Burning Fire* came back, it was already mid-April.

Mrs. Huang proposed to Chen Ziyan that she was willing to give a salary of 12 million, plus 15% of the character's derivative copyright revenue.

As for other dividends, Mrs. Huang was determined not to agree.

Of course, this was indeed normal. After all, Shang Yongzhou had already taken a part of the dividends. If Lu Yan He took another part, Long Yan's pressure would become very, very large.

Chen Ziyan was not polite either, saying: "If Yan He cannot enjoy the film's revenue share, then the share of the character's derivative copyright revenue must be given to more than 25%."

Why did Mrs. Huang compromise again in the end?

Actually, it was very simple. Lu Yan He's momentum was too fierce, and there was no other family. Not to mention *Rouge* and *Lost on Journey* being selected for the Xitu'er International Film Festival, the news of his new script came out, making actors in the industry move, inquiring one after another, wanting to see if there were roles suitable for them.

Such momentum and trend made Mrs. Huang also realize one thing.

Lu Yan He can write scripts himself, and the scripts he writes have the same attraction.

At the same time, it also reminded Mrs. Huang that Long Yan Film Industry wanted to cooperate with Lu Yan He, not just for the film *Burning Fire*.

After the two sides conducted the final round of negotiations, the salary was finally settled.

Lu Yan He took a salary of 12 million and a 23% share of the character copyright revenue. If the film box office exceeds 2 billion, he needs to pay Lu Yan He an additional bonus of 5 million yuan. At the same time, retain Lu Yan He's right to further increase his salary in the sequel.

Turning around, Lu Yan He originally thought it would be difficult for him to appear in *Burning Fire*, but he didn't expect that he signed it after all.

"Then are my films still going to be filmed?" Lu Yan He asked Chen Ziyan.

"Film, why not film?" Chen Ziyan said, "*Burning Fire* still has to wait until the end of the year to start filming, there is still more than half a year, are you just going to leave it empty?"

Lu Yan He nodded and said: "Alright, then film."

He said: "*Love Letter*, I want to divide it into two seasons, summer and winter, to film, all real filming, and then, release on Valentine's Day next year."

"This is okay," Chen Ziyan nodded. "However, currently we only have one script, and you as the lead actor, we have nothing else. Regarding the heroine, have you thought about who to find?"

Lu Yan He said: "For the adult female Huaijingshu, I want a female actor who is about 28 or 29 years old, has a sense of life, and carries some simple literary atmosphere to act. I don't know if Sister Bige can act. For the high school period female Huaijingshu, I want to find a female actor whose face the audience is not very familiar with to act."

"Why?"

"Because this role represents the most green stage of all audiences. Only a familiar newcomer can let them substitute themselves without burden," Lu Yan He said directly.

Chen Ziyan nodded: "Okay, then we need to organize a large-scale audition."

"Yes," Lu Yan He nodded.

Chen Ziyan asked: "Then the male actor who likes the adult Huaijingshu, who are you preparing to find to act?"

"Someone who is more mature in image and is a completely different style from me," Lu Yan He said. "Among the male actors I know, I don't know this type."

Chen Ziyan said: "Same, audition."

"Good."

"Actually, there are not many roles in this film, there are only a few main roles. However, those family members of Huaijingshu are still quite important. I feel that this film has a very important cornerstone, which is that only Huaijingshu's family environment can make such a story that is almost novel-like pure beauty have a sense of reality, both warm details and not trivial."

"Hmm," Lu Yan He nodded, "It's a pity, the plays I acted in, the actors who acted as my father and mother, are all that kind of outgoing actors, and there is no one suitable for the characters in here."

Chen Ziyan said: "First talk to a few film companies seriously. The actors are not that urgent. Anyway, as long as Bige is willing to act, the main actors are all set, and other actors are easy to talk about."

Lu Yan He said "hmm".

Chen Ziyan said: "This film, do you want to try it yourself, be a director?"

"Me be a director?"

"Yes," Chen Ziyan said, "This film, I feel that only those who can clearly capture the feelings in it can film it well, otherwise it will be as light as white water."

Lu Yan He was stunned for a moment.

"This script story, to be honest, is not that ups and downs, it's not a plot flow," Chen Ziyan said. "If you rush to start filming this summer, April is almost over now. If you find a director temporarily, you may not be as familiar with this story and the characters in it as you are, and you may not be able to film it well."

Lu Yan He fell into deep thought.

Be a director yourself?

This is something he had never thought about before.

However, this time, regarding the proposal to let him be a director, his resistance in his heart was indeed not as strong as before.

Perhaps, it was because he had filmed so many plays, and his confidence was slowly getting enough.

Lu Yan He said: "I'll think about it seriously. The main thing is that there are too many things to worry about as a director. I'm afraid I can't worry about it."

Chen Ziyan said: "You write and act yourself, and you also invest as a producer. Even if you don't be a director, you still have to worry. This film, you can't get away."

Chen Ziyan's words also make sense.

"You be a director yourself?" Chen Siqi said, "It feels like it's not impossible. The film *Love Letter*, it feels like the difficulty of filming is not very large, few characters, and no big scenes."

Lu Yan He said: "Yes, I think so too, so I'm a bit eager to try now, but I'm a bit afraid... of messing it up myself."

Chen Siqi said: "If you are afraid of messing it up yourself, you find a senior you know to lead you, be your producer, and help you. However, if you want to be a director, I think the film *Love Letter* is a play very suitable for your debut. It... to be honest, Yan He, if I didn't know your situation in high school, I would think this is something that happened in your high school. It's like a diary written by someone."

Lu Yan He was dumbfounded when he heard Chen Siqi say this.

However, what Chen Siqi said is actually very reasonable.

The film *Love Letter* is indeed too much like someone recalling their past.

It is a story related to memory itself.

He understood Chen Siqi's meaning. It reveals a very private emotion, like an emotion written in a diary.

"Teacher, if you don't come, I won't dare to do this."

Lu Yan He said on the phone.

Luo Yuzhong on the other end of the phone was dumbfounded.

"I have never filmed a movie. You ask me to be your film producer. Isn't this nonsense?"

"Teacher, I need someone to guide me on the set," Lu Yan He said. "You haven't been a film producer, but you are very familiar with the set."

Luo Yuzhong said: "You say why are you so able to toss? Suddenly you started to be a director yourself."

"Self-directed, self-written, self-acted," Lu Yan He laughed, "Try it."

Luo Yuzhong: "You send the script to me first, I'll take a look. If it exceeds my experience range, I won't promise you. Promising you is also harming you."

Lu Yan He said: "It must be something you can handle."

He immediately sent the script to Luo Yuzhong.

"Sister Zixing, how is *China in Culture* doing?" Lu Yan He asked.

Xin Zixing said: "Next week we will record Teacher Zhao Dezhong's. You happened to call, I was preparing to contact you. For Teacher Liqun's part, there is a small story interpretation, you come and help me act."

"Good, no problem," Lu Yan He immediately agreed.

Xin Zixing: "Okay, I'm busy here. What do you want from me? Say it quickly, I have to be busy after saying it."

"Come and help me be a producer," Lu Yan He said.

"What?" Xin Zixing frowned, "What producer?"

"I plan to direct a film myself, Sister Zixing, I need your help."

"What the hell?" Xin Zixing's voice was full of shock and astonishment.

"You have done so many programs, you know best how to manage a production team," Lu Yan He said. "I don't know how to manage various departments at all, and I can't use two things at once. I only have you around me who can do this, I only trust you."

Xin Zixing was silent for a long time over there.

"Do you know I'm very busy now?"

"Know."

"Do you know I signed a contract with your agent Chen Ziyan's company?"

"Know."

"Do you know I have a lot of work on hand that I haven't done yet?"

"Know."

Another silence.

"Alright, I know. When to film, you tell me, I'll come and see what I can do to help you," Xin Zixing sighed, as if resigned to fate.

Lu Yan He immediately let out a cheer.

This is April with thick spring light.

The third person Lu Yan He found was Liu Bige.

Liu Bige and Miao Yue looked at each other.

They were stopped by Lu Yan He on the road ten minutes ago, and then they were brought to this cafe.

Lu Yan He's diligent smile made them feel hairy in their hearts.

"Say it, what do you have?" Liu Bige looked at Lu Yan He like this, full of suspicion, arms crossed, presenting a defensive posture.

Lu Yan He said: "If I say, I am preparing to direct a film myself, will you support me?"

"What?" Liu Bige and Miao Yue showed surprise at the same time.

Lu Yan He: "You didn't hear wrong."

"Is it... the one you said you just finished writing the script before?"

"Yes."

Liu Bige asked suspiciously: "What do you need us to support you?"

"I need you to be the photography director," Lu Yan He said bluntly.

In the process of filming *Late Spring* with Liu Bige, Lu Yan He discovered that Liu Bige's keenness and aesthetics for lenses and pictures were top-notch.

And his lens aesthetics, to some extent, were also very similar to the film style of *Love Letter*.

Both are the kind of capturing the most touching details in daily, simple life.

Liu Bige: "... I have to film a movie myself in the second half of the year."

"This film of mine is filmed in summer and winter," Lu Yan He said, "You don't need to follow the crew all the way, you just need to help me set the basic style of photography. I really don't understand this technical level. You are the best I know around me." Liu Bige heard this flattery from Lu Yan He, and the corners of his mouth curled up.

"I can't guarantee how much time I have to do this for you," Liu Bige said. "I am completely waiting for Li Zhibai's time now, waiting to start filming, so I am a little free now, which doesn't mean I have nothing to do."

"Hmm."

"Moreover, I am not a professional photographer. You ask me to be a photography director, can the photographer you find recognize me?"

"*Late Spring* was filmed by you, everyone can see how good your lens aesthetics are in this film."

"Are you seriously wanting to direct a film? It's not that easy to be a director."

"Hmm, it's not easy, I don't understand either, I can only invite you all to help, so that I have less to worry about."

Liu Bige: "You really know how to order people around."

Lu Yan He: "So you agreed?"

"Then if I don't agree, will you not act in my movie later?"

"Not necessarily, but I am a person who holds grudges," Lu Yan He said seriously.

Liu Bige: "Heh."

Lu Yan He turned to look at Miao Yue and said: "Miao Yue, I also need your help."

"Ah?"

"I want to invite you to guest star in a role."

"What?" Miao Yue shook her head in a panic, "I am not an actor, how can I guest star in a role?"

Lu Yan He said: "To be precise, I want to invite you, invite Mingyin, and invite a young female writer to guest star in the role of a high school student."

"Ah?"

"It's them who discovered the biggest secret of this film in the library," Lu Yan He said. "I want to bury an easter egg in this film. Girls who like to read in the library, when they grow up, all become female writers."

Miao Yue was stunned.

"So, please," Lu Yan He said, "There is no performance difficulty, you just act in your true colors."

Miao Yue's cheeks were slightly red, a bit embarrassed, but because of Lu Yan He's words, her attitude began to loosen.

Lu Yan He pointed to Liu Bige and said: "Moreover, you come to guest star, this guy will be more attentive and help me. He can't film the lens ugly in a movie where his girlfriend appears, right?"

Liu Bige's eyes slanted over: "Dog thing."

Miao Yue laughed.

Regarding *Love Letter*, this film has always been kept secret, and no information has been disclosed to the outside world.

Including other film companies, because Lu Yan He and Chen Ziyan have not started contacting them, so the outside world does not know that Lu Yan He is preparing his first work as a director.

Until the news about the audition was revealed.

Major companies all knew that the film scripted by Lu Yan He was preparing to select the heroine.

"Requirement 16-18 years old?"

Xu Yiren, who was in the limelight because of *The Home I Haven't Returned to in a Long Time*, saw the requirements for the heroine of Lu Yan He's film project, was stunned for a moment, and then rolled her eyes speechlessly.

"What are you fighting for? Can I reduce my age by ten years?" Xu Yiren was a bit depressed.

The agent said: "I heard that this film is still starred by Lu Yan He himself. The most critical thing is that although Lu Yan He is the male lead, the heroine is the real protagonist of this film. Look at the script scripted by Lu Yan He, previously starred by actors like Jia Long and Chen Bige. If you can fight for it, it is definitely a very good project for you."

"Then how to deal with this age?" Xu Yiren said, "This clearly means I am not suitable."

"Go talk, see if you can change the age, scripts can be changed," the agent said. "You just had a film you starred in with a box office of over 800 million. Which film crew doesn't want you to star?"

Xu Yiren heard the agent say this, and had a bit more confidence in her heart.

"Then you go ask him, see if he is willing to change the script for me," Xu Yiren lifted her chin slightly, and pursed her lips proudly.

Jiang Yuqian showed a relieved smile when she saw the selection conditions for the heroine.

Fortunately, she didn't listen to He Heng at the time and went to ask Lu Yan He about the heroine of the new play.

This is completely inappropriate in age.

After Jiang Yuqian saw the news, she could generously send a message to Lu Yan He, saying: If there is a role that needs me to guest star, just say it.

Lu Yan He replied to her: Sister Yuqian, you are too famous. This film is not such a commercial film. You go to guest star in other plays.

Jiang Yuqian laughed.

Look, even if she took the initiative to guest star, Lu Yan He didn't need it.

However, Jiang Yuqian was happy instead. Lu Yan He could speak so directly, proving that he was really familiar with her and treated her as one of his own.

Jiang Yuqian was also very straightforward and replied with a "Good" word.

A movie is a movie.

Never use human feelings to influence the standard of choice.

Otherwise, maybe you took care of human feelings, but lost the pure love of the film god.

Mrs. Huang sat opposite Chen Ziyan and stirred the coffee in front of her with a silver spoon.

"Which film company do you intend to cooperate with for Yan He's film?" she asked.

Chen Ziyan smiled and said: "We haven't contacted any film company yet. We can do the early preparation and production ourselves, and we don't need much capital."

Mrs. Huang was a bit surprised when she heard this and asked: "Is there no film company willing to invest?"

"Of course not, we haven't contacted any film company yet, how could there be anything about whether they are willing to invest or not," Chen Ziyan knew what Mrs. Huang was thinking. "This film of ours is really just a small-cost film, it doesn't cost much money, and it's fine to do it ourselves."

Mrs. Huang: "You know, our Long Yan is very willing to cooperate with little Lu. Why don't you come to us?"

Chen Ziyan said: "This film, little Lu writes, directs, and acts himself."

Mrs. Huang looked at Chen Ziyan in surprise.

"He writes, directs, and acts himself? He intends to direct this film himself?"

"Yes," Chen Ziyan nodded. "Therefore, in order to ensure that the film's ideas can be completely according to his, we will do the early preparation and production ourselves first."

Mrs. Huang felt incredible.

"It's not that I'm saying, Ziyan, are you guys too risky?"

"It is a bit," Chen Ziyan said. "However, maybe it is really because I have seen too many miracles on Lu Yan He, so whatever he wants to do now, I feel let him do it. People like me who can only rely on their own experience and effort to achieve many successes, for geniuses like him, don't need to do anything else, just support is enough."

Chen Ziyan didn't mention at all that it was her proposal for Lu Yan He to be a director.

"How much is the production cost of this film of yours?" Mrs. Huang asked.

Chen Ziyan smiled and said: "It really doesn't cost much. It's still a muddled account now, haven't calculated it."

Mrs. Huang knew that Chen Ziyan didn't intend to tell her.

But the more Chen Ziyan was like this, the more Mrs. Huang felt itchy and wanted to know.

"Then how much box office do you intend to get for this film?"

"I don't know this either. Actually, the box office doesn't matter. Our cost is very low, and the box office doesn't need to be too high to break even," Chen Ziyan said. "This film is actually for Yan He to practice, to figure out what it is like to be a director. Mrs. Huang, it's not a big production."

Mrs. Huang was half-believing when she heard this.

However, when she wanted to find out more news, she found that she really couldn't find out more news.

It seems no one knows.

This made Mrs. Huang very surprised. It's not anything else. With her status in the industry, not to mention anything else, a little news is often very easy to find out. But Lu Yan He's play, the outside world is already noisy, but currently almost no news can be found, whether it is the type or the production, it is covered tightly. This situation naturally surprised Mrs. Huang.

"Currently, I haven't found investment. I, Sister Bige, Sister Ziyan, and Siqi all took a little, including Director Luo and Liu Bige. They heard that I was going to film a movie myself, so they followed and said they would invest a little."

When having a video call with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang, Lu Yan He briefly talked about the current progress of *Love Letter*.

"The most expensive thing about this film is the salary of me and Sister Bige. I don't take money anyway, I take dividends directly. Sister Bige also only took a symbolic salary of 2 million, and also takes dividends," Lu Yan He said. "Calculated this way, actually, I can film this film for 10 million conservatively."

Lu Yan He can not take money, Chen Bige can also take less money, but other crew members, including other actors, Lu Yan He does not intend to let everyone take only friendship prices. Whatever the market price is, give it.

On the one hand, he and Chen Bige don't care about this little money, but many people are counting on this remuneration to support their families. On the other hand, Lu Yan He does not want to film a play in a stretched way. If it reaches this level, it is not that he can't find investment. It is better to find someone to invest directly. It is not that *Love Letter*'s box office is destined not to recover the cost.

Li Zhibai said: "If the money is not enough, I will also invest a little for you. When the movie makes money, I will also earn some."

"Hmm, if the money is not enough, I can also contribute a little," Yan Liang said.

Lu Yan He: "I don't know if this film can make money, and you didn't participate in this film, so you don't have to take risks with me. I will find you to invest in films with good return prospects later."

Li Zhibai: "Alright, don't grind. Anyway, I will invest in some film and television dramas usually. Investing in anyone is investing. I am more at ease investing in you, and the risk is smaller. I know you are at least seriously doing projects, not those liars."

Yan Liang echoed: "That is."

Like artists like Li Zhibai who have long started to become popular and make money, his income certainly cannot only exist in the bank to eat some stable funds or profitable projects.

Li Zhibai started to do some investments himself very early. Of course, the numbers are not large, just playing around, trying the water. And film and television drama projects are the things he is most familiar with, of course he will also invest a little and earn a little.

Yan Liang has not started this path yet. He has not been famous for long. To say making money, he really didn't earn much. But compared to two years ago, it must be much better. At least he can support his team and feed his family.

Yan Liang has long been moved, wanting to take a small part of the money he earned to do investment. It's just that he doesn't understand these things, and he is afraid of being fooled and set up because he doesn't understand, so he has never dared to take the first step.

This time Lu Yan He is preparing to film a movie himself. Yan Liang is of course happy to take a sum of money from the money he saved to invest.

There is no investment that is stable and profitable, but this project is a project filmed by Lu Yan He himself. At least it is a project done by acquaintances, not a pit, nor a scam. Moreover, based on Yan Liang's understanding of Lu Yan He, these years, Lu Yan He has succeeded in everything he does. How can this film not see the possibility of losing money? With a cost of more than 10 million, can't Chen Bige and Lu Yan He's two-person starring exchange for 30 million box office?

This profit prospect is clearly stable.

After the salaries of Lu Yan He and Chen Bige are excluded, the production cost of this film is only about 10 million.

Added with the subsequent publicity cost, the production cost of this film is at most 20 million, less than 30 million.

It can be said that as long as this film plays normally and the theater box office is not lower than 50 million, it will definitely be profitable. After all, television broadcast copyright, domestic video platform broadcast copyright, overseas streaming media copyright, and other copyright revenues of various sizes will not suffer.

This is the benefit of having stars. With Lu Yan He and Chen Bige as the two leads, even literary films can be sold for a price, not to mention that Lu Yan He does not intend to film it as a literary film.

Lu Yan He held an audition, collecting self-introductions and one-minute performance videos nationwide. This is a big project. Specifically cooperating with third-party institutions, this cooperation cost more than 100,000.

Watch videos, pick actors. Lu Yan He's mind is full of Sakai Miki's face in the original work. When watching this film at the time, Lu Yan He had a feeling of heart-fluttering. If you want to use a sentence to describe the position of this face in his memory, Lu Yan He would feel that it is a face that will make people dream back to their student days whenever they think of it. In every boy's youth, there must be such a sweet-smiling, gentle and shy girl.

The girls who came for the interview, among them there are many who are very beautiful, and there are many who Chen Ziyan took a fancy to at a glance and wanted to sign as an artist. However, Lu Yan He never saw a Sakai Miki-style girl.

She has delicate features, not a face that can topple the country, but a pair of eyes that want to say but stop, as if wanting to talk to you. She is beautiful, the kind that walks past the classroom, the sun will partially give her a layer of soft light, making her so beautiful that she can capture the hearts of all boys in the classroom. But she is also fresh, pure and harmless. When looking at you, it is like a young fawn, across the mountain stream, looking at you ignorantly under the shade of the tree.

Lu Yan He thought to himself, only such a girl can make the boy who walked into the hearts of thousands of girls in the film *Love Letter* unrequitedly love her, becoming a matter of course, and girls will not be jealous.

Lu Yan He watched many girls, many, however, none of them gave him this feeling.

Even Chen Ziyan said that his requirements for picking the heroine are comparable to those legendary perverted directors.

Lu Yan He said: "Sister Ziyan, my requirements are not high, I just want to find the one that fits."

Chen Ziyan rolled her eyes and said: "Those perverted directors also say the same. They don't have high requirements, they just want an accurate one that completely fits their imagination. Please, you are not Nuwa, you can't pinch one out according to your own wishes."

Lu Yan He was squeezed by Chen Ziyan, and his expression was embarrassed.

But Chen Ziyan squeezed and squeezed, but didn't give up, still continuing to find the heroine according to Lu Yan He's description.

Basically all the girls in art colleges across the country have been seen.

Lu Yan He found the heroine for his new film on such a large scale, and the momentum was so great that the circle looked sideways.

In everyone's impression, finding a heroine with such a big stir is often something only top directors will do.

Because only they have this ability and confidence to require doing so.

But Lu Yan He just did it, time-consuming and laborious, but not discounted at all. Because this is his movie, no one will have two words.

Of course, many people muttering behind their backs is unavoidable.

Lu Yan He also suddenly understood why the national teacher before he traveled over every time he chose a heroine, he chose it so aggressively. For some movies, the most soulful and most cinematic point is on the heroine. In the film industry, media often call a certain actress the inspiration muse of a certain male actor. In fact, it is not an exaggeration.

Lu Yan He is not saying that he wants to find such an inspiration muse, but he knows very clearly that finding such a good heroine is the best, because he knows there is such a good existence, so others are just making do, and can only make do.

Perhaps if Lu Yan He hadn't watched the original work of *Love Letter*, he wouldn't have a preconceived impression. He could stand completely from the perspective of a script and imagination to find it. In that case, it would actually be much easier. However, because he had watched it, he couldn't make do.

The hardest thing for people to deceive is themselves.

Everyone can be deceived by your exquisite acting skills, but only you can't.

Finding the heroine became the hardest thing about this film.

In other aspects, Lu Yan He found people he was familiar with and trusted in various positions. Everyone said they were not very good, very busy, very embarrassed, but after taking it, they were more powerful than one.

Lu Yan He originally wanted to take scenes at his high school, which was the place he was most familiar with. However, the campus of No. 13 Middle School is too modernized now, which does not match the appearance of the school more than ten years ago in the play. And it is very, very difficult to find such a high school in Yuming, basically impossible to find.

Xin Zixing's team can only help Lu Yan He spread to schools across the country that meet Lu Yan He's requirements.

Lu Yan He only needs to choose through photos and videos.

The team is reliable, and he can save a lot of effort.

When Lu Yan He was concentrating on finding the heroine for *Love Letter*, on the side of *My Own Swordsman*, Tongfu Inn was also built in Jiangzhi.

He Yunlan sent a message to Lu Yan He, inviting him to take a look.

Lu Yan He hasn't come to Jiangzhi for a long time.

On the way here this time, he met many people who wanted to come to Jiangzhi.

They are all here for tourism.

Lu Yan He wore sunglasses and a fisherman hat, sitting between Zou Dong and Wang Biao, no one recognized him.

After getting off the high-speed rail, as soon as he got out of the station, he saw He Yunlan waiting for him at the exit.

"Brother He!" Lu Yan He waved happily and shouted.

He Yunlan came up and hugged him warmly, patting his shoulder.

"You look like you've grown a bit taller?"

"Is it? Don't know, didn't measure, shouldn't have grown much taller, the clothes are still the old size," Lu Yan He said.

He Yunlan nodded, his sun-tanned face smiled extremely brightly, with a kind of openness that is hard to see in Yuming.

"Let's go, your sister-in-law is already preparing a table of food at home waiting for you to go over."

Lu Yan He said okay.

It takes time to go to Jiangzhi. After getting in the car, He Yunlan asked: "Are you tired? Do you want to squint for a while?"

"Not tired, it's okay," Lu Yan He said. "I heard several people on the high-speed rail coming over just now who are here for tourism in Jiangzhi. Is Jiangzhi so popular now? Is it a popular tourist city?"

"It's much more popular than before, but compared to popular tourist cities in the country, it's still far behind," He Yunlan said. "But it's quite good now. Our tourism industry has just started not long ago, and many infrastructures have not been done well. The number of tourists now is just what we can bear. If there are more, our Jiangzhi is only this big, maybe it will be more crowded, and the experience of coming to our Jiangzhi for fun will not be so good."

Lu Yan He knows that the reason why He Yunlan has always wanted to develop Jiangzhi's tourism industry is that an important reason is that Jiangzhi's geographical location is too remote, and transportation is not convenient. From Jiangzhi's existing situation, either the country invests a large sum of money to build Jiangzhi, or it must find a way to do the foundation first.

And now, because of the tourism industry, Jiangzhi's per capita income has increased, the city's construction is good, and the transportation with the outside world is also more because of the increase in these tourists. Once there might be only two buses a day, now it might be one bus an hour. Once there are many people, the demand in all aspects becomes larger, and once the demand becomes larger, the market spontaneously follows.

This is why many relatively backward places, wanting to develop, the first choice is tourism. It's not that they don't want to do other industries, but other industries need basic investment, but the tourism industry actually relies on existing local resources.

Lu Yan He listened to He Yunlan introducing him to the changes in Jiangzhi in these two years along the way, including the rise of more than a dozen new inns, used to give tourists accommodation.

Lu Yan He still remembers that there were not many hotels and inns in Jiangzhi before.

He Yunlan said: "We have made overall planning. On the basis of retaining a certain number of hotels and inns, most of the new ones we built are inns, built according to our local customs. It's mainly because of the inn you stayed in *City Travel Notes* at the time, which made many tourists come here and also want to stay in the same style."

Lu Yan He smiled and nodded, "Then after Tongfu Inn is built, can Tongfu Inn also be put into use after the play is filmed?"

He Yunlan said: "We have considered this point. However, Tongfu Inn is completely an imitation ancient building, not connected to electricity, and the safety hazard is still relatively large. If tourists are really allowed to stay in, it is difficult for us to prevent some tourists from bringing lighters, etc. If a fire accidentally happens, then the matter will be big. So we think it is better to build Tongfu Inn into a sightseeing spot, and then arrange live performances in Tongfu Inn. Tourists can directly see the actors performing the plot in the play in Tongfu Inn at close range. Of course, this still requires your authorization."

Lu Yan He laughed and nodded, saying: "This idea is quite good. Are you planning to invite some professional actors to perform seriously? Or what?"

He Yunlan said: "We hope to find suitable locals in Jiangzhi to perform, which is also convenient. If we really can't find them, we can only invite people from outside."

"Quite good, Brother He, this idea of yours is quite interesting," Lu Yan He said. "Our *My Own Swordsman* is going to film many episodes. You can replicate the plot in the TV series at that time, or you can collect fan fiction on the Internet, and reward netizens to create fan fiction based on these characters and backgrounds. If they write well, you can develop them into new plays, only performed in the fan inn in Jiangzhi. This can also attract a lot of people's attention on the Internet. This can become your most characteristic attraction point, not just a Tongfu Inn in a play, the most important thing is, the TV series is finished, but the story of Tongfu Inn has not ended, it is still continuing to be staged here in Jiangzhi."

He Yunlan became more excited as he listened.

"This idea is really good, really too good," He Yunlan said. "Yan He, you, you really helped us a big favor."

Lu Yan He said: "I just said it casually. If you think it's good, use it. If it's not good, just pretend I didn't say it."

He Yunlan: "Are you kidding? What you just said, I felt blood boiling just listening to it, and I could almost see thousands of people pouring into our Jiangzhi."

Lu Yan He laughed.

"If it can really play such a role, then it would be too good."

Returning to Jiangzhi, Lu Yan He found that Jiangzhi had really changed a lot, but the basic style had not changed, still the simple, full of fireworks appearance, however, many dilapidated, somewhat dirty and messy places had been cleaned up and rectified, and disappeared.

He first went directly to his home with He Yunlan, and did not get off the car to revisit the old place.

After all, when he arrived, it was already evening, just the time for dinner.

Liu Yiyi was wearing an apron, stir-frying dishes in the kitchen.

Their son Xiaohu was in the room doing homework. Now he is eight years old, much bigger than when he saw him last time.

Xiaohu saw Lu Yan He, not as fearless and enthusiastic as before, the corners of his mouth smiled, and he had shy dimples.

"Xiaohu, do you still remember me?" Lu Yan He asked.

Xiaohu nodded, "Remember."

Lu Yan He smiled and sent the gift he brought to Xiaohu's hand.

"Then my gift was not sent in vain. I bought you a schoolbag. I was thinking when I bought it, if you forgot me, then wouldn't I lose a lot by giving you a schoolbag," Lu Yan He joked.

Xiaohu received it in his hand and thanked him politely: "Thank you, Uncle Lu."

He looked at Lu Yan He again with black eyes, and the smile on his face was more shy.

"I won't forget you."

Lu Yan He laughed loudly and picked Xiaohu up directly.

"Then do I need to prepare more gifts next time?"

Xiaohu said seriously: "One is enough, don't need too many, I am not greedy at all."

Lu Yan He heard Xiaohu speak in such a serious little adult tone, and really couldn't hide the smile on his face.

This dinner was He Yunlan, Liu Yiyi's family, and Lu Yan He's group.

Six people, sitting at the dinner table, eight dishes, steaming hot, fragrant.

Lu Yan He raised his wine glass first, "Thank you, Sister-in-law, you worked hard to prepare such a table of dishes. I really want to be polite, but I am really too greedy for the dishes you made, no matter what, I can't bear to say you cook less."

Liu Yiyi heard this, laughed heartily, and raised her wine glass.

"Then come to eat often in the future. When filming *My Own Swordsman*, you can come over at any time," she said.

Lu Yan He smiled and said: "That won't work. By then, I don't know how many people in a crew will follow. It's okay for me to eat alone. If they all follow and grab food with me, I won't be happy."

Everyone laughed and talked, and drank the first glass first.

Liu Yiyi asked: "Is Siqi coming tomorrow?"

"Yes," Lu Yan He said, "She originally said she would arrive together today, but she was held back by an important job temporarily."

Liu Yiyi nodded, "Oh my, looking at you young couple, it's really enviable."

Lu Yan He: "I also envy you and Brother He, like-minded, helping each other."

Liu Yiyi smiled and said: "Looking at you makes it easy for me to think of my youth, envying your youth."

"Sister-in-law, you are also in your youth, why envy our youth?" Lu Yan He said, "I am now complaining that I am only twenty-one years old. If I could jump directly to twenty-eight or twenty-nine, then I wouldn't be so limited in acting. Now it's too difficult to find a suitable male lead play for my age, there are very few."

He Yunlan shook his head and said: "People are just the younger they are, the less they know how to cherish youth. When you are almost thirty, you will understand."

Lu Yan He laughed hehe and said: "Anyway, looking at your current state, I yearn for my own thirty." ===== CHAPTER 430 =====