Chapter 442: Gathering

A super first-tier male star is suspected of having mental problems, and his expressions have been chaotic recently due to facial nerve disorders!

When the famous paparazzi Zhou Shuchun's team reported this news, they didn't point out the name of this male star, but from the descriptive vocabulary they used for this male star, as well as the related content, it was basically locked on who it was.

The directionality is too clear.

Chen Ziyan directly denied: "Lu Yanhe does not have facial nerve disorders. I don't know who the person reported by Zhou Shuchun and the others is, but it is not Lu Yanhe."

Someone asked: "But didn't Lu Yanhe really lose control of his expression when he met Lily Wilton at the Hezhou Film Festival just now?"

"That's just loss of expression control. Who of us hasn't lost control of our expressions? Do you know what facial nerve disorder means? That means you can't control your facial muscles at all. Yanhe came back from Hezhou and wasn't photographed by you at the airport. Can't you see if his face is normal?"

Although Chen Ziyan's attitude was very clear in denying this matter, this matter was still spreading wildly at a speed like a virus.

Lu Yanhe's facial nerve disorder even hit the hot search.

However, when thousands of people left messages under Zhou Shuchun's Weibo, asking if the person they broke the news about was Lu Yanhe, Zhou Shuchun pretended to be dead, didn't reply to a word, and let the popularity and discussion ferment.

Chen Ziyan contacted Lu Yanhe and asked if he wanted to make a response on the Internet.

"Zhou Shuchun must have heard some news, but his news is obviously wrong. Basically, he is just guessing blindly. As a result, he said nonsense like your facial nerve disorder," Chen Ziyan said. "Otherwise, he wouldn't dare to prove the response and say this person is you."

Lu Yanhe thought for a while and said: "Text response, it is not necessarily believed by anyone. Or I will start a live broadcast and chat with everyone. Everyone can see my expression directly."

Chen Ziyan: "Live broadcast... will there be risks? After all, you have indeed appeared with some strange expressions due to excessive pressure."

Lu Yanhe: "Sigh, I feel so painful. If I can feel that I have a problem, I wouldn't be so depressed. Knowing where the problem is, I can treat it. But I feel that I have no problem at all, but the doctor tells me with the test results that my pressure is really great. I can't deny it even if I want to."

"It's okay, to put it bluntly, it's just that the pressure given to you in the past month or two is too great. If *Love Letter* wasn't directed by you, there wouldn't be this problem," Chen Ziyan said bluntly. "I'm not worried about you in the future, it's just that I think we should pay attention during this period, otherwise, after being stirred up by Zhou Shuchun's revelation, others will really think you have facial nerve disorders."

Lu Yanhe laughed.

"Then I—"

"I know how to respond," Chen Ziyan said. "It's okay, Yanhe, don't worry about this matter, leave it to me."

Lu Yanhe didn't expect Chen Ziyan to think of a countermeasure suddenly, curious, and asked: "Sister Ziyan, what do you plan to do?"

Chen Ziyan said: "I will directly forward Zhou Shuchun's Weibo and ask him, is this male star with facial nerve disorder Lu Yanhe?"

Lu Yanhe was stunned.

"What if he is stubborn and says yes?" Lu Yanhe asked.

Chen Ziyan sneered: "Do you have facial nerve disorders? If he dares to be stubborn and say yes, I will directly sue him for spreading rumors!"

Lu Yanhe heard the murderous spirit from Chen Ziyan's tone.

"Also, Yanhe—" Chen Ziyan asked, "Should the filming of *Love Letter* in the summer be moved to next summer? You have been under enough pressure recently, slow down. Anyway, this film is invested and controlled by ourselves, and we can afford it. At worst, we will lose some money, which is nothing."

Lu Yanhe said: "Sister Ziyan, I have thought about it too, but Zhang Ruozhi will be in the third year of high school next summer. Moving it to next summer will delay her preparation for the exam. It's okay, Sister Ziyan, don't worry, I'm okay. In the next two months, except for classes and preparing for *Love Letter*, I will put down all other things and stop managing them."

Chen Ziyan: "Sigh, okay, that's all we can do."

Ten minutes later. 【4

Chen Ziyan reposted Zhou Shuchun's scoop on Weibo and asked: "May I ask, Reporter Zhou, is this highly anticipated scoop of yours actually referring to Yan He? If it is, then stand up and name him properly; don't just stir up trouble like a troublemaker."

Chen Ziyan's tough stance was like a bucket of cold water poured over this carnival.

Originally, many people really believed that Lu Yanhe had gotten into trouble.

Since Chen Ziyan dared to be so tough, it meant that this person was definitely not Lu Yanhe.

Chen Zi curled his lips, put down his phone, and looked thoroughly disappointed.

"Why didn't he get that face ruined, so he wouldn't be able to act at all in the future."

The movie "Criminal Record of Nineteen Years" was released, and as one of the male leads, Chen Zi had been busy running roadshows.

However, the movie's box office, which was 34 million on Friday and 42 million on Saturday, was cut in half on Sunday to only 13 million.

The negative reviews were like a tidal wave.

Fans of the original work were cursing incessantly.

The original author, Liu Jiazhen, remained silent.

Media reviews were also full of sarcasm.

It was hard enough for Chen Zi to have a movie where he was the lead and the box office was about to cross 100 million, but in the end, the movie's negative reviews surrounded him like smog.

From the second season of "Friends" at the end of last year to this "Criminal Record of Nineteen Years," Chen Zi had received tidal waves of negative reviews for two consecutive works.

Some even asked: Who on earth is pushing Chen Zi to be an actor?

Between the lines, Chen Zi was truly dragging everyone down.

And such negative reviews resulted in Chen Zi not having a single new high-quality commercial endorsement in the past six months; they were all fast-moving consumer brands coming for the topics and heat surrounding him.

Chen Zi couldn't even complain; if he rejected them all, where would he get the money to support his team? To maintain his data?

For a first-tier star like him, a team from drivers to assistants, from nutritionists to bodyguards, seven or eight people in total, their salaries alone added up to two or three million. And he still had to buy marketing and data for himself, and maintain his appearance and status when going out, all of which cost money.

He was different from Lu Yanhe.

Lu Yanhe's promotional and marketing expenses could basically be covered by the production side, and with enough natural exposure, what Chen Ziyan invested in him were basically public relations expenses, as well as some costs for handling things when rumors like "facial paralysis" appeared.

What Chen Zi hated most was that everyone would use Lu Yanhe's acting skills to mock his own.

He wasn't an actor by training, and he had already worked very hard to improve his acting skills; why were they so strict with him?

Was his acting really that bad?

Some fans defended him this way, but at this moment, someone jumped out and said that Lu Yanhe wasn't an actor by training either.

Is not being an actor by training an excuse for you not being able to act well?

If you can't act well, shouldn't you not be an actor?

You should just continue doing your avant-garde music! Didn't you just come to mix in the acting track because your avant-garde music couldn't continue?

Words like these turned into spears and arrows, one after another, stabbing into his heart.

If there were no Lu Yanhe, would his situation be much better?

Putting aside his prejudice against Lu Yanhe, Chen Zi sometimes thought so.

"Yin Xincheng has been finalized for the play 'Flowering Scenery'," his agent Yan Wei told him, "They said if we are willing to act, they can give us the second male lead."

Chen Zi frowned, "Second male lead? What kind of joke are they making?"

"That's what I said too. No matter what, the second season of 'Friends' has such good results, and the box office of 'Criminal Record of Nineteen Years' is about to break 100 million. Such good data proves that you have appeal and a basic fan base. Why should we play the second male lead?" Yan Wei was also indignant, "It's not like there are no male leads to play."

Chen Zi hesitated for a moment and asked: "Are there any S-level plays looking for me to play the male lead?"

Yan Wei was stunned for a moment before saying: "Not for the time being. There are few S-level projects currently being opened by platforms."

Chen Zi said: "Is 'Flowering Scenery' S-level?"

"It is currently being done as A-level," Yan Wei said, "If the female lead can also find a first-tier actress to play, it can become S-level."

The rating of a project is not immutable. Many scripts may not even be A-level at the beginning, but as long as an actor who can carry the show in the eyes of the platform enters the game and becomes the lead, it will immediately transform into S-level.

And Chen Zi now has the name of a first-tier star, but in the eyes of the platform, he is not the kind of actor who can "carry the show."

Projects like S-level are basically impossible to consider letting him be the lead.

Unless another actor who is considered to be at the level of carrying the show in the eyes of the platform strongly supports him.

Yan Wei said: "Actually, if Lu Yanhe is really paralyzed and cannot act for a short time, he will have to give up some projects in his hands. The second male lead of 'Burning Fire', the male lead of his movie, and even his role in the second part of 'Seventeen Layers' may have to be replaced."

These projects are very good opportunities for other male actors. Any one of them released would lead to a fierce battle.

Chen Zi said: "It's not that I can't play the second male lead in 'Flowering Scenery'."

"Huh?" Yan Wei looked at Chen Zi with some surprise.

"Special guest lead is also fine," Chen Zi said.

Yan Wei said: "Since they invited Yin Xincheng, the salary left for you will not be too high. It will definitely be lower than your salary for acting in the second season of 'Friends'."

Chen Zi said: "If they want to suppress the salary and cannot provide the full market price, then make it up to me in the subsequent promotion and sign the supporting promotion into the contract."

Yan Wei: "Actually, you can also talk to them and ask them to add some scenes for you, turning this drama into a dual male lead."

Chen Zi's eyes lit up immediately, "Can I?"

"If we can bring capital into the group, I believe they will definitely not refuse," Yan Wei said.

Chen Zi touched his chin and said: "I'll go talk to President Lan. Ruyi Pictures also makes TV dramas, maybe she will be interested."

At this time, news from the Hexi Film Festival came back.

At the premiere of "Flowers on the Stars," not a single audience member came out of the theater with dry eyes.

The media only gave a 62% positive rating, but the audience gave an 89% positive rating, a stark difference.

Despite this, the screening of "Flowers on the Stars" at the Hexi Film Festival was a great success.

Yu Jiang was interviewed on the spot, looking proud and triumphant.

When asked about the stark difference between media and audience reviews, she said: "This is what we expected from the beginning. After all, in the eyes of many media, our movie is not very cinematic, without those high-brow, humanistic reflections. Our movie was made for the audience from the beginning. If the audience likes it, I am very satisfied."

She also announced a piece of news, saying: "Our movie has been bought by the American film company Parameter for global distribution rights outside of mainland China. This movie will be released globally."

The reporter asked: "Congratulations, then when will 'Flowers on the Stars' be released in China? Is the time set?"

"Not yet, we will let it meet everyone as soon as possible," Yu Jiang said happily.

"Did Teacher Yu watch other movies this time at the Hexi Film Festival?"

"Too busy, the schedule is full every day, I have to meet many people, I can't find time at all," Yu Jiang sighed with regret, "Actually, if possible, I also hope to see movies from various countries at the Hexi Film Festival. Although I am a writer, I am also a movie lover, and I watch many movies every year."

The reporter asked: "Then will Teacher Yu watch Lu Yanhe's movies?"

Yu Jiang smiled slightly at the reporter.

The reporter also had a sincere smile on his face.

Yu Jiang said: "Of course, I am not the kind of audience who gives up on an entire movie just because I have an opinion about someone."

"This time, 'Rouge' written by Lu Yanhe was well-received at the Hexi Film Festival, and another movie he wrote, 'Lost in Journey', will be screened the day after tomorrow. We actually all know that you and Lu Yanhe have had some conflicts and grudges before, so how do you view the movies written by Lu Yanhe?"

Yu Jiang smiled and said: "Let's talk about 'Flowers on the Stars', shall we? I am here to promote 'Flowers on the Stars', not to promote other movies."

The reporter continued to ask: "If 'Flowers on the Stars' and these two movies are released at the same time, which movie do you think will have a higher box office?"

The smile on Yu Jiang's face was about to collapse.

"That depends on the audience. I can't guess it now, and there is no need to compare the box office, right? If we compare it like this, there will only be one successful movie every year. Anyway, there is always only one movie with the highest box office, isn't there?"

Reporter: "Then may I ask if the magazine 'Star!' you edit will launch a movie section like 'Jump Up'?"

Yu Jiang: "..."

Yu Jiang posted on her Weibo: Meeting an unprofessional reporter is really as uncomfortable as eating shit, feeling awkward all over.

Her original intention was to complain and vent her temper, and also to provide a preventive measure in case this interview had a bad influence on her, so she could push it to the reporter being unprofessional and deliberately provoking topics.

However, she did not expect that many people in her comment section would say:

——You feel as uncomfortable as eating shit when you meet an unprofessional reporter, feeling awkward all over. Isn't it even more uncomfortable and awkward for Lu Yanhe to meet a piece of shit like you that he can't shake off?

——Was Big Sister Yu satirized by the reporter? Or was she made difficult by the reporter?

——"Flowers on the Stars" has good audience word-of-mouth at the Hexi Film Festival, and Big Sister Yu has straightened her back, daring to scold reporters.

——Why didn't you get up and leave when you met a reporter who made you feel awkward this time? Didn't you run away in embarrassment after being satirized by Teacher Feng Qiyue last time?

At first glance, they were all people mocking her.

Lu Yanhe glanced at his phone.

Quite a few people sent him screenshots of Yu Jiang's comment section.

Lu Yanhe saw Yu Jiang being sprayed, the corners of his mouth raised, saying it would be a lie to say he didn't have a feeling of schadenfreude.

Yu Jiang could be considered to be reaping what she sowed.

Previously, she had repeatedly and actively provoked Lu Yanhe, and I don't know how many times she used speculation, belittlement, or even slander to try to splash dirty water on Lu Yanhe.

But not once was she successful; instead, she turned herself into a joke.

However, the fact that "Flowers on the Stars" was so popular with the audience at the Hexi Film Festival was indeed beyond Lu Yanhe's expectations.

Lu Yanhe thought this movie would be scolded for being too melodramatic.

Facts have proven that different people have different preferences, and even the worst movies can hit the heart of an audience member.

Lu Yanhe packed his schoolbag, ready to return to Huiziyuanqiao.

Yan Liang is coming back today.

The "Gold Rush" he filmed finally wrapped up, and he can rest at home for two days.

Lu Yanhe made an appointment with him to have dinner together.

However, it is a pity that Li Zhibai has not wrapped up yet.

He is still filming "Moonlight Symphony," and there is still a little tail to be collected, and it is almost wrapped up.

Just after walking out of the classroom, Yan Liang sent a message: Are you out of class?

Lu Yanhe: Out of class, just preparing to go back, what about you?

Yan Liang: Just came out of the company, signed the contract for the next play.

Lu Yanhe: Is it the "The Summit" mentioned before?

Yan Liang: Yes.

Lu Yanhe: You are a model worker now, filming one play after another, and you will start filming the third season of "Friends" in the fourth quarter?

Yan Liang: Well, the first draft of the script for the third season of "Friends" has come out, and we are very dissatisfied.

Lu Yanhe: Dissatisfied?

Yan Liang said: Isn't Zhang Lan joining us this season to star in this season with us? She insists on having the most scenes, and demands to be in the first position. The rest of us don't agree.

Lu Yanhe: Of course, such unreasonable demands cannot be agreed to.

Yan Liang said: That's right, they still think we are the newcomers from before, letting people knead us.

Lu Yanhe asked: Then what does the Beijing Station say?

Yan Liang: Of course, the Beijing Station wants to work through our agents, so as to work through our work. Anyway, I don't agree. Zhou Ping'an came to find me, and I said the same thing.

Lu Yanhe: You are getting tough now.

Yan Liang said: If this continues, "Friends" can end directly after the third season, and there is no need to film the fourth season. Anyway, with such a mess, the word-of-mouth still won't be good.

Lu Yanhe: Actually, it's not impossible to arrange new protagonists, but as soon as they come up, they say they want to be the first, and they want more scenes than anyone else. You have all filmed two seasons of "Friends", you are the most critical existence of "Friends", why should you give way to her?

Yan Liang: The Beijing Station said it, she is a first-tier big star, her performance in carrying the show alone is very good, she has deeper qualifications than us, and can bring more audience to "Friends".

Lu Yanhe: Then why not just tailor a script for her, why come to act in this multi-protagonist play?

Yan Liang: Anyway, in this matter, the few of us are still quite unified. Since you encountered those things at the Beijing Station and decided to quit the play "Friends", it gave us five people a wake-up call. Even you would be bullied by the Beijing Station like this, let alone us. The five of us agreed that no matter what happens, the five of us will advance and retreat together. Whether it is salary negotiation or other problems, it is like this.

Lu Yanhe asked: Director Bai has gone to Northern Lights Video now, who will direct your third season, is it confirmed?

Yan Liang said: I don't know which director is coming now, it feels like the Beijing Station is not managing the director's affairs at all.

Lu Yanhe asked: How is the script? Putting aside the fact that Zhang Lan's role has too many scenes, what about other aspects?

Yan Liang said: It is a little better than the script of the second season. It has learned many lessons from the second season and finally did not deliberately design some melodramatic plots, but developed the plot around the few of us.

Lu Yanhe: That's good.

Yan Liang: Alas, if only it were always our first season lineup.

Lu Yanhe: In the entertainment industry, there is no way, parting and meeting, it is difficult to have a crew that can always cooperate.

The two of them chatted on their phones like this while returning to Huiziyuanqiao.

Lu Yanhe also specially asked Zou Dong to drive to a braised food shop they often buy from, wanting to buy some back to eat together.

"Brother Dong, you should rest tomorrow. I don't have class tomorrow, and I don't plan to go out, so don't worry about me," Zou Dong said.

Zou Dong nodded and said okay.

Lu Yanhe said again: "By the way, the summer vacation is coming soon. I bought some books, one set for Xiaoyu, and one set for Brother He's son Xiaohu. They have arrived. You can take them back later, and please help me send a set to Brother He by the way."

Zou Dong was a little surprised, because Xiaoyu is his son Zou Yu.

"Why did you buy books for them?"

"Reading more books is never a bad thing. It's summer vacation, there is a lot of time, it's just right to read books," Lu Yanhe said, "They are all very interesting storybooks, some are fantasy, some are fairy tales, all of which I have read and think are very suitable for their age."

Zou Dong nodded solemnly, "Thank you, alas, sometimes I want to buy him something, but I really don't know what to buy him."

"You can buy anything," Lu Yanhe said, "Believe me, for your child, as long as you don't buy him tutoring books or similar things, he will be happy with whatever you buy."

Zou Dong was stunned, his face a little embarrassed.

"Brother Dong, you wouldn't—"

"I just bought him a set of tutoring books last week," Zou Dong said.

Lu Yanhe couldn't help laughing.

He said: "Then you have to make it up to him, he must be very hurt."

Zou Dong: "I just think that if he reads more books, his grades will be good in the future, and he will be admitted to a good university, which is more important than anything else."

"The truth is certainly correct, but if you reason with a child, you are the one who is really unreasonable," Lu Yanhe said, "Studying hard is a matter of studying hard, and love without specific intentions is also needed by them."

Zou Dong: "Alas, that's true."

Lu Yanhe said: "However, I am just talking on paper, I haven't even graduated from university myself. I'm just thinking about my childhood."

Zou Dong was stunned.

Lu Yanhe knew he had misunderstood when he saw his expression.

Whenever he mentions his childhood, others always think of Lu Yanhe "having no parents since childhood."

But the childhood he actually mentioned was "a childhood with parents."

And every time such a misunderstanding occurs, Lu Yanhe has no way to explain it.

Fortunately, although there are misunderstandings, everyone's understanding leads to the same goal.

The final consensus is what is most important in life.

The books are not many, eight in each set, packed in two cardboard boxes about the size of a book.

Zou Dong took them away.

Lu Yanhe carried the vegetables that had just been delivered to the door, entered the kitchen, and prepared to cook dinner.

His cooking skills are not very good, at least he can't go on a show to show off techniques like flipping a spoon, but he can handle the basics.

He himself does a lot of cooking, practice makes perfect, and it slowly changed from filling his stomach to tasting quite good.

It is very convenient now.

A chicken bought has been processed and can be stewed directly in the pot.

He wants to make chicken soup so he can continue to drink it tomorrow.

Yan Liang said he was filming abroad, staying in the deep mountains and old forests every day, not to say it was miserable, but compared to usual, it was definitely a bitter life.

Eating, wearing, living, and traveling, everything is not good.

But "Gold Rush" is such a play. If you don't shoot it on location and go to the studio to shoot it, it's not impossible, but it's always a bit lacking.

Lu Yanhe still admires Yan Liang quite a bit.

He went as soon as he said he would, without any hesitation.

This is also because the foundation is well laid. When Yan Liang was in the Fengzhi combination, his popularity was not high, and he relied entirely on his own hard work. Therefore, now that he is popular and has an opportunity, he dare not float, he should be attentive when he should be, and he should suffer when he should suffer. There is no pushing and pulling, complaining all day—of course, the complaints in their three-person group don't count, that's complaining to friends.

And although Lu Yanhe was mentally prepared, he was still startled when he saw Yan Liang.

Yan Liang originally had meat on his body because he insisted on running every day and later started going to the gym. His muscles were very well-shaped, and he looked thin in clothes, but he didn't feel thin.

When he carried a large bag and dragged two suitcases into the door, Lu Yanhe saw that Yan Liang felt as if he had been thinned out, as if he had returned from fleeing—Lu Yanhe felt that he thought so, without any exaggeration.

Lu Yanhe looked at him in disbelief.

"You are—"

Yan Liang sighed heavily and said: "I know, people in the company all say I have lost weight. During this time, I have to make up for it and get the meat back."

Lu Yanhe: "How hard is it to film this play?"

Yan Liang shook his head and said: "Let's not talk about it first, is there anything to eat? I have already smelled the fragrance, what is this fragrance? So fragrant."

"Chicken soup," Lu Yanhe said, "The chicken soup still needs to be stewed. I bought braised food, you can eat some braised food to pad your stomach first."

Yan Liang's eyes shone when he heard this.

"You really understand me too well, I am so hungry that my chest is sticking to my back," Yan Liang immediately threw his things away.

Lu Yanhe stir-fried a lily ham, made according to the recipe copied from the Internet, tasted a bite, and the taste was not bad.

Steamed a fish again, this is much easier to do.

Then, he specially took out the steamed rice and stir-fried a pot of egg fried rice—this is the dish Yan Liang ordered.

"I craved this egg fried rice when I was abroad, and I drooled when I slept at night."

Yan Liang was very restrained, only ate a little braised food, and didn't let himself have no stomach to eat the dinner Lu Yanhe worked hard to make.

The two sat at the table, looking at the five dishes on the table, Lu Yanhe said: "Take a picture for Li Zhibai."

Yan Liang said: "Okay, post a Weibo and @ him, it's also just right to tell my fans that I have returned to the country."

Lu Yanhe nodded.

The two took a selfie with a table of dishes.

Lu Yanhe posted: Returned after losing a circle, not easy.

Yan Liang posted: Returned hungry, Chef Lu is too powerful.

Both of them @Li Zhibai at the end.

Didn't say anything to Li Zhibai, just @ him.

Li Zhibai replied with a "Pah!" in their respective comment sections ten minutes later.

Still remaining in the crew and unable to return, he did not eat this meal, which was full of resentment.

One minute later, Li Zhibai left a message under Lu Yanhe's Weibo again: You better make such a table for me when I come back, otherwise this friend will not be able to do it.