Chapter 457: Rising Period and Choices (8,000-word update!)

Since Yin Xincheng became popular with *Friends*, he is now considered a new favorite in the entertainment industry.

In addition to the two seasons of *Friends*, he also starred as the male lead in an idol drama, which performed neither exceptionally well nor poorly.

*Prosperous Scenery*, this big production, was something his agent spent a lot of effort to secure.

Nowadays, there are only so many big productions opened by companies every year, and there are more monks than porridge. Like Yin Xincheng wanting to secure *Prosperous Scenery*, it wasn't like he was willing to star and they immediately nodded in agreement. He lowered his salary quite a bit to secure this drama; not to mention sacrifice, he also paid a lot.

Now Chen Ziliang has popped up again.

Yan Liang told Lu Yanhe about this on his phone.

He said: Yin Xincheng is too embarrassed to tell you himself, afraid of disturbing you.

Lu Yanhe: Which production company is making *Prosperous Scenery*?

Yan Liang: Shengyang.

Lu Yanhe: I haven't dealt with this company, but does he want to quit this drama now?

Yan Liang: Quitting is definitely not an option.

Lu Yanhe: I'm not familiar with Shengyang, and I can't speak for them, so I can't help much.

Yan Liang: Since you don't know them, forget it. I heard him mention this, and thinking it was Chen Ziliang causing trouble again, I wanted to help him ask you.

Lu Yanhe asked: Are you and Yin Xincheng very close?

Yan Liang: Not bad.

Lu Yanhe only dealt with Yin Xincheng when filming *Friends*, so they weren't very familiar, and there was no private friendship.

Yan Liang filmed two seasons of *Friends* with Yin Xincheng and participated in various promotional activities, so they had more contact, and their relationship could certainly be more familiar.

Helping if you can is natural, but don't force it if you can't.

On this side, Zhan Yun, who played Li Lili in *Friends*, was also drinking coffee and chatting with Liu Zhiyin.

Liu Zhiyin said to Zhan Yun: "I really like your character in *Friends*."

Zhan Yun immediately smiled and said: "All my girlfriends around me say that to me."

"Well, the other two girls, Chen Wanqiu is more literary and serious, Zhou Zhixi is a bit eccentric," Liu Zhiyin said. "Of course, they also have their own cute points, but it's easier for me to identify with Li Lili."

"Li Lili is the most authentic version of most of us, scatterbrained, cries, is fragile, cherishes friends, and has her own vanity," Zhan Yun said. "After acting for two seasons, sometimes I can't tell the difference between the play and reality."

Liu Zhiyin: "How did you get the role of Li Lili in the first place?"

"The producer told me that Yanhe picked me out at a glance, saying I was suitable to play Li Lili," Zhan Yun said. "We went through several rounds of auditions at the time and never thought we would get the lead role."

Liu Zhiyin nodded and said: "In current film and television dramas, few dare to use newcomers as leads."

"Yes," Zhan Yun said. "Anyway, starring in *Friends* was really like a dream; it suddenly changed my life."

After saying this, Zhan Yun looked at the camera in front and said to Liu Zhiyin: "I'm so uncomfortable; no matter where I am, I'm being filmed by cameras."

Liu Zhiyin: "I wasn't used to it before either, but after recording shows a lot, I feel it's okay. Do you rarely record reality shows?"

"Very rarely record reality shows," Zhan Yun replied. "Basically, I've been acting before."

Zhan Yun is the actor who got the biggest dividend from *Friends* because the character she played, Li Lili, is also the most popular character in the show.

After that, Zhan Yun's luck was also good; she consecutively received the supporting female lead roles in two commercial films, and the box office was good, and her performance also received good reviews. This is really luck. Generally speaking, the supporting female leads in such films are vase types, don't need much acting skills, and won't have too many splashes. But maybe Zhan Yun herself has an audience affinity, so every time she appears in a movie, the audience likes her.

Successive films have performed well, which has made the market more optimistic about her.

Drama offers are constant.

Liu Zhiyin asked: "Will *Friends* continue to be filmed?"

"That's the plan for now," Zhan Yun said. "We are also willing to continue this story; none of us want to end the stories of these people."

"Okay, if Zhan Yun can say this on our program, the buzz for *Friends* can be considered successfully hitched," Li Zhenzhen said with satisfaction. "Before dinner tonight, tell Zhixing to try and steer the conversation toward the show *Friends*. If Yan He is willing to chat a bit more about this topic, the audience will definitely want to watch."

The assistant director nodded.

"However, Yanhe has basically said everything there is to say about *Friends*. Saying more is just repeating the same old things," someone wondered. "What else is there to talk about?"

"For the audience, even if it's the same old things, they are willing to listen," Li Zhenzhen said. "*Friends* has been airing for two years, and Yanhe's character is still mentioned from time to time. What the audience recognizes is still the six-person group from the first season, and Yanhe has talked more about the sequel and the production level, but rarely talked about the character himself, talked about his views on the show, the story, and the characters. There is too much to talk about."

"Come to think of it, it's true. Yanhe seems to have never talked about *Friends* from the perspective of a screenwriter."

For the director team, although they want to interfere as little as possible with the guests' performance in front of the camera, they cannot do no guidance at all.

They certainly have to give guidance to the guests on what the audience wants to see and what they are interested in.

As for how they say it and what they say, that's their own business.

Peng Zhixing has always played the role of "guide" on this show.

If the director team hopes everyone talks about some topics or has some directional arrangements, they will communicate with Peng Zhixing, and he will guide everyone.

On this point, Peng Zhixing has already cooperated very tacitly with the director team.

Other members also know this, so they are generally more cooperative with Peng Zhixing's topics.

However, the director team didn't expect Peng Zhixing to refuse them this time.

"Whether Yanhe talks about *Friends* or not, I can't guide it," Peng Zhixing was also blunt. "You all know that *Friends* is a bit sensitive for Yanhe."

The director team didn't expect Peng Zhixing to refuse them directly.

"Just mention this topic. If Yanhe doesn't want to talk, he won't participate," the director team said. "We won't force him to join this topic."

Peng Zhixing said: "But it's strange if we all talk about this show and he doesn't join. Haven't you noticed? We've been recording for three days, and when we are together, as long as Yanhe doesn't bring up *Friends* himself, no one mentions this show?"

Director team: "..."

It really is.

Peng Zhixing: "Everyone has the same idea, including the *Friends* cast. They don't take the initiative to mention *Friends* to Yanhe, so how can I mention it?"

Peng Zhixing's words were unexpected by the director team.

This was really unexpected.

However, since Peng Zhixing was unwilling to do it, they couldn't force him.

The director team could only give up.

Of course, they were more or less depressed.

Everyone knew this was an explosive point.

*Friends* was too popular, and the discussion remained high. After two seasons, many places in it would be dug out and discussed again.

If Lu Yanhe could respond to netizens' interpretations from the perspective of a lead and screenwriter, it would definitely be eye-catching.

However, until the end of the first stage of recording, Lu Yanhe did not take the initiative to mention *Friends*.

The first reunion of *Friends* on the show ended like this.

"Where are you going back to?" Lu Yanhe asked Li Zhibai and Yan Liang.

Li Zhibai said: "I'm going to Hongcheng; I have work there."

Yan Liang said: "I'm also going to Jiangguang; I have to meet Director Chen Mofan to talk about the filming of *The Summit* later."

"What is Director Shen doing in Jiangguang now?" Lu Yanhe was a bit curious. "After *The Home I Haven't Returned to for a Long Time* was released, I thought his next work would be a movie. I didn't expect him to suddenly take on the drama *The Summit*."

Yan Liang said: "I didn't expect it either. I heard he and the producer of our drama, Zhang Chi, are good friends for many years. He promised Zhang Chi long ago that he would direct this drama."

Lu Yanhe nodded.

"Then I'm the only one going back to Yuming," Lu Yanhe was very helpless. "I thought I could go back with one of you."

Li Zhibai: "Anyway, in a while, we have to come back to record this show."

"Well, Yan Liang, are you not coming from the second stage?" Lu Yanhe asked.

*The Summit* was about to start filming. At that time, Yan Liang said he couldn't finish recording this season of *Young Days*.

Yan Liang said: "I can still come for the second stage, but I can't for the third stage. *The Summit* starts filming at the end of September."

"Where is this drama filming? We'll come to visit the crew when we have time," Li Zhibai said.

"Jiangguang," Yan Liang said. "I don't know if you'll come, but Yanhe will definitely come. Siqi is there."

Lu Yanhe smiled and pouted.

They parted ways at the filming set of the show.

Lu Yanhe got on his nanny car, ready to return to the hotel, pack up, rest for a night, and return to Yuming tomorrow.

On the way, he suddenly received a call from Jiang Yuqian.

"Hello, Sister Yuqian." Lu Yanhe laughed.

Jiang Yuqian asked: "What are you doing?"

"Just finished recording *Young Days*, on the way back to the hotel," Lu Yanhe said. "What's wrong? Anything for me?"

"Yes, I want to ask you, when do you expect to film the movie *Phone*? I received a script here, filming starts at the end of the year. Let's see if I can take it. If the filming time clashes, I have to push it."

Lu Yanhe said: "The script for *Phone*, Sister Ziyan is still helping me communicate with various film companies, and I don't know the specific situation yet."

He also said: "You take it first. *Phone* needs to build a crew; it won't be that fast. It definitely won't start filming at the end of this year."

Jiang Yuqian said: "Okay, then I'll take that drama first."

Lu Yanhe was curious: "What drama is it?"

Jiang Yuqian: "The sequel to *Behind the Golden Clothes*."

"Huh?" Lu Yanhe sat up straight.

This "Huh?" made Jiang Yuqian confused, asking: "What's wrong? Is there a problem with this movie?"

Lu Yanhe never thought that this movie would end up with Jiang Yuqian after all the twists and turns.

"Uh, a few days ago, Director Zhou Changying came to me and asked if I was willing to invest."

Jiang Yuqian said: "I see. Did you invest?"

"No," Lu Yanhe said. "Many people told me to try not to cooperate with this director and keep less contact, so I refused."

Jiang Yuqian was stunned.

"Sister Yuqian, why do you want to take the sequel to *Behind the Golden Clothes*?"

"I went to see this movie and thought it was filmed quite well. Besides, I saw the reviews were quite good, and now the box office is almost 40 million. The role they came to me for in the sequel is the female lead. You know, except for the *Phone* you found for me, I basically can't get this kind of serious female lead movie. The ones that come to me are basically vase roles."

Lu Yanhe understood what Jiang Yuqian meant.

Actually, if it weren't for that incident with Zhou Changying, Lu Yanhe felt that the sequel to *Behind the Golden Clothes* would indeed be a good project for Jiang Yuqian. Because the movie itself was filmed well, and judging from the first part currently showing, Zhou Changying is a director who knows how to film actors. If Jiang Yuqian wasn't swindled, and the role given to her was indeed a flesh-and-blood female lead, the sequel to *Behind the Golden Clothes* would be the best project Jiang Yuqian could get at the moment.

Jiang Yuqian asked: "Is there a problem with this director Zhou Changying?"

"The problems I heard actually have nothing to do with actors and content, basically at the production level," Lu Yanhe said. "This doesn't affect you taking this film."

Jiang Yuqian was a bit surprised and asked: "You refused to invest in this film, but still think it's worth me acting in?"

"I refused to invest because she used the name that I was willing to invest to cheat others outside. Setting this aside, I actually quite like the movie *Behind the Golden Clothes*. It is indeed filmed well, seeing the big from the small," Lu Yanhe said.

"Okay, with your words, I'm relieved," Jiang Yuqian said.

Jiang Yuqian's call reminded Lu Yanhe of the progress of the two movies *You Are the Apple of My Eye* and *Phone*, and he didn't know what stage they were at.

The pressure brought by the movie *Love Letter* made Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan decide to adjust their thinking in time. They still chose the model of "keeping the copyright in their own hands, and cooperating with other companies for production and distribution." This way, they save a lot of trouble and don't have to face the pain of trying to become a fat man in one bite.

Chen Ziyan said: "The script for *You Are the Apple of My Eye*, because the youth romance movies released this year have all flopped, everyone is a bit cautious. Even if you are the screenwriter, because the copyright has to be kept in our own hands, your screenwriter fee is not low, and the conditions currently offered by various companies, I think, are not very good. We are still pulling."

"The problem with the *Phone* project is that the two female leads, Jiang Yuqian and Wang Jing, are not favored by them," Chen Ziyan said. "The prerequisite for our cooperation with others is that this movie must use these two actresses as female leads. The production companies basically have no room to intervene, and the investment share is just that much."

To put it bluntly, Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan are facing the contradictory dilemma of "wanting both."

The copyright must be kept in their own hands, the investment share must occupy a part, and the main actors have been set. The production and distribution part seems to be looking for a contractor. The risk is too great, and the profit space is too small.

Lu Yanhe said: "We only retain other derivative copyrights and sequel copyrights of the story. The income from the movie copyright is shared according to the investment ratio, right?"

"Same, for them, there is not much difference," Chen Ziyan said. "These projects are not the kind of projects with box office of 1.2 or 2 billion. The target box office is in the range of 200-500 million. Their profit space is too small, but they have to bear the huge risk of movie failure."

What Chen Ziyan said is indeed a big problem.

Unless they are willing to give up the copyright and only retain a certain investment share, there will be many more film companies willing to take over.

Chen Ziyan: "There is another way."

"Hmm?" Lu Yanhe was stunned.

"We acquire a production company," Chen Ziyan said. "This way we can fully produce movies ourselves."

Why did Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan feel overwhelmed by a *Love Letter* before? Because every person and every department of the crew needed them to build. The process from scratch is actually very difficult and very laborious.

And if they have a mature production company, many things are ready-made and mature.

Lu Yanhe said: "Acquiring a production company should require a lot of money, right?"

"If you want to acquire a company that can independently film and produce movies, you must prepare a lot of money. We are not talking about those large production companies, just small and medium-sized production companies, the kind with a scale of 30 to 50 people. If we want to acquire them, at least 300 to 500 million. Relying on our own strength is definitely not enough. Production companies below this price cannot meet our requirements, and acquiring them is just a decoration," Chen Ziyan said. "However, in the long run, it will be a very beneficial thing for us. Many film and television dramas can be produced by ourselves, instead of having to negotiate with various companies constantly and talk about conditions like now."

"If we can't do it by our own strength, then this can't be realized," Lu Yanhe said.

Chen Ziyan said: "There is a way."

"Hmm?"

"We can raise funds to acquire the production company through other capital investments," Chen Ziyan said. "After our Linghe Film and Television Production Company was established, there were quite a few investment institutions and fund organizations interested in our Linghe. Several came to talk to me. I temporarily refused them before. At that time, our company didn't have a work released, and it was impossible for them to offer a high price. However, with the success of the movie *Lost on Journey*, the valuation of Linghe, which owns the sequel development copyright, has increased a lot, not to mention that it also has two dramas *My Own Swordsman* and *Squid Game*, as well as the movie *Rouge*. We can take out a part of the shares to exchange for the cash flow we urgently need."

Lu Yanhe doesn't know much about business. However, if a company wants to grow bigger and stronger, if it only relies on primitive accumulation, it is very difficult to overtake in a corner. Lu Yanhe also knows this.

Either Lu Yanhe will not take production as the focus of his career in the future and still insist on the path of an actor, and production is only auxiliary support. Otherwise, if he really wants to own a production company of his own, and also wants to produce film and television dramas, accepting investment from outside capital is an inevitable thing. Acquisition is only the first step, and filming film and television dramas later also requires a lot of funds. The value of this Linghe Film and Television Production Company that Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan cooperated with is not in production and distribution, but in the copyrights of these film and television dramas created by Lu Yanhe. Without these copyrights, it is a shell company, an empty shell.

Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought.

No one wants to be a fool who suffers losses.

Other film companies are also unwilling to become tools for Lu Yanhe and the others on the premise that the copyright does not belong to them, helping Lu Yanhe and the others film movies, without getting much benefit, and having to share the risks together.

The current situation is actually not an unsolvable problem.

It is a multiple-choice question.

Is it to choose to do nothing, temporarily give up all plans, and slowly accumulate strength?

Or choose to take a step back, not retain the copyright of the film and television drama, and participate in project production as a screenwriter or plus starring identity?

Or, according to what Chen Ziyan just said, accept other people's investment, exchange equity for cash, take a big step, buy a production company, and change the current positioning and basic pattern of Linghe Film and Television.

Seeing Chen Ziyan hang up the phone, Lu Qingzhen put down her chopsticks, took a sip of wine, and asked with a smile: "Why did you suddenly talk to Yanhe about financing?"

"It's not about financing, but providing him with this choice," Chen Ziyan said. "Actually, to be honest, to what extent Yanhe will develop in the future has exceeded the scope I can design. Can you understand my feelings? He is only a senior, and he hasn't even graduated from university, but the height of his career has reached a level where I can't say I can cover for him. So, I can only give him more options. How to choose, he makes the decision himself."

"You let him make the decision himself, he may not be able to make it," Lu Qingzhen said, crying and laughing.

Chen Ziyan said: "He has to learn to make decisions. Sigh, it mainly depends on how he wants to do it himself. No matter how he chooses, the road can be walked. Which road can go higher, I can't say now. It's better to let him think clearly about what he really wants."

Lu Qingzhen asked back: "Ziyan, have you considered taking two more steps forward from the identity of an agent?"

"You know, if I wanted to take these two steps, I would have taken them long ago."

"Times have changed," Lu Qingzhen said. "You also said yourself that you have never encountered an artist like Lu Yanhe before. The height of his future career development is already what you can't imagine now, isn't it? Since so, why not take two more steps forward with him?"

Chen Ziyan fell silent.

Lu Qingzhen said: "You throw the choice to him, actually because you subconsciously feel that you will not participate in that more brilliant future of his, right?"

Lu Qingzhen's words poked Chen Ziyan's heart directly.

Chen Ziyan could not deny this.

"I—"

"Whether it's Shang Yongzhou or Chen Bige, you have found a thousand, ten thousand reasons for yourself to part ways with them, what different pursuits, different stages, different ideals, I'll say it directly, you are actually afraid that one day..." Lu Qingzhen's words stopped abruptly. She was quick-mouthed and almost said the thing Chen Ziyan cared about most in her heart, "You are afraid of affecting them, and you are also afraid that they will look at you with colored glasses when they look back, so you would rather part ways when things are best. However, Lu Yanhe's situation, you know better, will he mind?"

Chen Ziyan took a deep breath.

Lu Qingzhen said: "If you really intend to part ways with Lu Yanhe like you did with Shang Yongzhou and Chen Bige, then I advise you to give him a vaccination early. This child, he is more emotional than you think. He still lives with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang, he is willing to record the fourth season of *Young Days*, and too many of his actions show this. Your parting ways when things are best, in his eyes, may not be a kind of abandonment."

Chen Ziyan clenched her hands.

"It's too early to say these things now."

"Is it early? I don't think it's early. His reaching the top is sooner or later," Lu Qingzhen looked at Chen Ziyan seriously. "It's better for you to think clearly sooner."

Good medicine is bitter, and good words are the same.

Chen Ziyan knew that these words Lu Qingzhen said poked her mind directly.

She could not admit it in her mouth, and she could not deny it in her heart.

"If Chen Pinhe is really his biological father, what do you plan to do?" Lu Qingzhen asked again suddenly.

Lu Yanhe discussed it seriously with Chen Siqi for a long time.

Regarding his distress, Chen Siqi did not rush to give her advice, but asked: "Is it urgent to establish a company that can independently produce film and television dramas?"

Lu Yanhe thought for a while and said: "It's not very urgent."

"It sounds to me that the reason why you want to make such a choice is because *You Are the Apple of My Eye* and *Phone* have not received the popularity you expected at the beginning, right?" Chen Siqi said. "There are not many other film companies willing to take over according to the conditions you expected."

"Yes."

Chen Siqi: "This is where I am confused. If you are not in a hurry to film these films, why make a choice now? Whether it is done by yourself or by others, the market situation now and the market situation next year are definitely different. *Lost on Journey* is only the first part. If *My Own Swordsman* and *Squid Game* air and explode as you expected, will the price others offer now be the same as the price others offer next year or the year after?"

Lu Yanhe immediately understood what Chen Siqi meant.

"First, your company is not short of money, and second, Linghe Film and Television Production Company was established from the beginning to be the copyright party of your script, which is convenient for participating in the production of each project," Chen Siqi said. "Then if *You Are the Apple of My Eye* and *Phone* cannot find a production company for the time being, just put them aside and look for them slowly. Anyway, it is currently just a script, and it will not cause any loss to you. After you finish the *Love Letter* project, you will have a team you have worked with and have the experience of filming a movie. By then, whether you ask others to direct these projects or rest well and direct these projects yourself, it is completely fine. In my opinion, this is not the time to make a choice."

Lu Yanhe was thoughtful.

Chen Siqi: "Just like I have always wanted to publish *Jump Up* mook overseas, it has been so long, and there has been no particularly substantive progress, so there is nothing to worry about. Just keep this plan, and then continue to try and find ways later. Your foothold in the entertainment industry is not a screenwriter, nor a producer. Your most important identity is an actor. Without your achievements as an actor, even if you are a famous screenwriter, you cannot get the current conditions and treatment. But if you are going to operate a production company seriously now, to be honest, you were under too much pressure and overly anxious because of too much and too messy work not long ago?"

Chen Siqi's meaning was already very clear.

She didn't want Lu Yanhe to take too big a step now.

Mainly because it was unnecessary.

Obviously, walking steadily can also lead to the top, why take risks?

Out of selfishness, Chen Siqi also hoped that Lu Yanhe would not be too busy, too tired, and have expressions out of control due to too much pressure again.

Chen Siqi: "Look at the *Jump Up* team, it was built up slowly, expanding and developing bit by bit. Although the speed is a bit slow, at least every step can be under your own control. You may not have heard yet? The electronic magazine *star! * edited by Yu Jiang has already had internal buck-passing problems."

"Huh? What's going on?" Lu Yanhe asked.

Chen Siqi said: "Yu Jiang also wants to imitate our *Jump Up* to do self-media, and every platform wants to do it. They recruited a lot of people, but because they are all newly established teams, everyone is responsible for one stall, and as a result, they fight for advertisements, fight for authors, grab layout... internal strife is serious. This matter was told to Zixing privately by her former colleague. *star! * is now a mess internally. It is said that the balance of payments has not been balanced yet, and Ye Mai Net is losing money every issue."

Lu Yanhe also heard about this for the first time.

"This is really—"

"Lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own feet," Chen Siqi continued. "Not to mention anything else, you have also seen the result of this rapid expansion. Even if there is money and people, it does not mean that you can fight as a team. A team without team spirit and unable to control is just a plate of loose sand, constantly causing you trouble."

After hearing what Chen Siqi said, Lu Yanhe had an idea in his heart.

Capital has the way of capital, but he has never mastered the way of capital. From the first day he came to this world, he has been following the belief of being honest and taking one step at a time, walking steadily to today.

Chen Siqi is right. No one can tell what the future will be like, but at least now he can be more calm, slower, and hold the initiative in his hands for longer. He is in the rising period, and the further he goes, the more chips he has. ===== CHAPTER 458 =====