Chapter 10: If nothing unexpected happens, this movie should be a hit!

Evening.

Lin Mo and Re Ba went to watch a movie.

Han Han's debut film, "No More Meetings".

In the film, cold humor and desolation intertwine; Han Han, with his unique perspective, casts a sharp glance at tradition, the system, and even the elite class, while profoundly depicting the struggle and helplessness of ordinary people in reality.

Actually, Lin Mo was also watching this film for the first time.

But Han Han's later films, "Riding the Wind and Breaking the Waves" and "Racing Life", he actually went to the cinema to watch.

It's the type that enjoys both critical acclaim and box office success.

Seems so.

"No More Meetings" didn't lose at the box office either.

Otherwise, Han Han wouldn't have continued to make the subsequent films.

It must be said.

Han Han's transition to directing was also quite successful.

"Mo Ge, the film you invested in is about to premiere, right? I remember you said it had wrapped."

After leaving the cinema, Re Ba then looked at Lin Mo and asked curiously:

Lin Mo gave a slight smile and replied: "Yeah, it's on the twentieth of this month."

"The twentieth? I should be free that day; let's go watch it together then!"

"Sure!"

The film "Lost Love 33 Days", just as its name suggests, quietly arrived before the audience, without a flashy promotional campaign, simply because it is a low-budget production.

Moreover, given Teng Hua Tao's reputation.

If they were to do promotion, it would likely backfire.

Thus, on August 20, it quietly premiered in theaters without fanfare.

Teng Hua Tao also specially sent an invitation to Lin Mo, inviting him to attend the premiere, after all Lin Mo is the film's biggest investor.

But Lin Mo ultimately didn't go; the reason is simple: Re Ba had a commercial shoot in the morning, so he naturally had to accompany her in the evening, and besides, premieres are crowded and noisy, which he never liked.

Evening.

Entering the cinema, the two found the auditorium unusually empty, with only a dozen or so spectators scattered about, making it feel especially spacious.

Re Ba glanced around, lightly leaned on Lin Mo's shoulder, and whispered: "Mo Ge, there are so few people."

After saying that, she furtively glanced at Lin Mo, worried he might feel down because of the poor box office.

But Lin Mo just gave a light smile: "Normal, this film had no promotion; having a dozen or so viewers come watch already feels surprisingly good to me!"

Hearing Lin Mo say that,

Re Ba also let her heart settle.

She was afraid that if Lin Mo saw this scene, it would affect his mindset.

The film's opening slowly unfolded, and the big screen was instantly occupied by the silhouettes of a couple.

Next, a distinctive female voice-over flowed out like a clear spring: "From a popular science perspective, at the moment one just encounters a breakup, due to panic, doubt, irritability, depression and other negative emotions interfering, every adult could become a lowly creature lacking independent thought; moreover, due to differences in blood type, zodiac sign, and education level, breakup scenes are infinitely varied, sometimes one must seize the initiative in a breakup!"

With the voice-over's guidance, beneath the lens, the couple's dialogue suddenly tensed; the man's words shot out like a drawn sword: "Let's break up, our personalities don't match."

The speed of his speech was so fast, as if he feared being interrupted.

The woman was stunned; a string of "why"s spilled out, her eyes full of disbelief and anger—clearly, she never imagined she'd be the one being dumped.

The scene shifted; time seemed to be lightly nudged by an invisible hand, the picture gliding past like an electronic document, heralding the start of a new chapter.

The camera slowly pushed in, focusing on a refined, gentlemanly man leisurely sipping coffee, with everything around appearing tranquil and harmonious.

The voice-over sounded again, adding a touch of depth to this tranquility: "Sometimes, one can also achieve a cultured and refined breakup!"

The scene switched to another man and woman sitting opposite each other, soft café light spilling over them.

The man spoke earnestly, suggesting that they seemed to have hit a bottleneck and proposing they temporarily separate.

The woman, a capable urban white-collar worker, flashed a hint of surprise in her eyes, yet quickly accepted this rationality and maturity.

"We seem to indeed have a problem."

"How about we take some time apart first?"

"Or are you brave? Actually, I've always wanted to say..."

The final scene.

The two exchanged a smile, that smile containing so much—understanding, respect.

Next.

A domestic violence scene appears.

At the same time, the voice-over also says: "Some breakups are like a small crime scene..."

Re Ba watched the scene suddenly shift on the screen; the tense atmosphere of domestic violence made her unconsciously lean closer to Lin Mo, whispering: "How can a breakup be like this? It's terrifying—watching it makes my heart pound."

She turned her head to look at Lin Mo: "Mo Ge, you say how could there be such people in this world? Breakups should be amicable, right?"

Lin Mo gently patted the back of Re Ba's hand, comforting: "Yeah, most people hope breakups can be resolved peacefully, but reality is always complex and multifaceted. This film wants to tell us that, facing different situations, breakup methods can vary wildly; however, no matter what, we should learn to protect ourselves so love doesn't turn into harm."

Re Ba nodded, seeming to be comforted by Lin Mo's words; she continued to stare at the screen, but her hand quietly intertwined with Lin Mo's fingers.

The film "Lost Love 33 Days" runs close to two hours in total.

And don't even get me started.

This film directly had Re Ba hooked.

Not just her.

Even those dozen or so viewers in the auditorium were the same.

They initially came to watch this film just to kill some time.

Especially at the beginning of the movie, when the director Teng Hua Tao's name appears.

Lin Mo also heard these words.

"Damn, Teng Hua Tao, isn't he the one who makes TV dramas? How did he end up making a movie? This is a disaster; the tickets were bought for nothing!"

It seems that Teng Dao's reputation is indeed famously stinky.

Fortunately, these few people.

Since they had already bought the tickets, they just decided to watch it, kill some time, even a nap would be fine.

Result.

But it turned out to be a completely different story; the movie drew them in, and they watched it with great relish.

Especially the actor playing Wang Xiaojian, who took the cheapness to a new height, making people love and hate him.

At Huang Xiaoxian's friend's wedding, he tried to restore Huang's dignity and said: "Huh! Huh! Blocking on the way to work, blocking at the house door after work, not answering your call, you just rewrite a letter, you're so classical, even if you don't understand the law, there's a panting guy standing next to her, are you blind?"

It was truly a classic among classics, making people laugh uproariously.

And when Huang Xiaoxian chased a taxi, the monologue came out, and Re Ba immediately leaned on Lin Mo's shoulder and cried like a tearful person: "Can you forgive me? Can you wait for me a little longer......"

Those words made Lin Mo feel uneasy, recalling another movie.

In "Passing Through Your Whole World", Yue Yunpeng's taxi‑chasing scene: "Swallow, swallow, without you, how could I live!"

After the movie, Re Ba was still immersed in that complex emotion, like having just drunk a specially mixed cocktail, with various flavors intertwining in her heart.

She sighed and said to Lin Mo: "This movie really makes you laugh and cry; Wang Xiaojian's character is so cheap it makes you want to shoot him, yet you can't help feeling sorry for his vigor, and Huang Xiaoxian's monologue broke my heart, it feels as if I've lived it myself."

"Especially at the end, when she finally lets go and starts a new life, the blockage in my heart slowly loosens. Tell me, doesn't this movie have a kind of magic that lets people find their own shadows in someone else's story?" Re Ba said while shaking her head, her eyes full of both sentiment and relief.

Hearing this, Lin Mo smiled and patted her shoulder: "How about it, my taste in scripts isn't bad, right?"

"I think this film could really blow up; it can truly make people settle down and watch it seriously!"

"I now look at Teng Dao with new respect; this film, though it had a little hiccup at the start, gets better and better, and every line feels meticulously polished, leaving a deep impression!"

Re Ba said while pulling out her phone, ready to give the film a high rating and post a recommendation to her friends circle.

Lin Mo was about to say something.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

He picked it up and looked.

"Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao appears; it's a call from Teng Dao."

Lin Mo smiled and showed the contact on the phone to Re Ba.

Then he immediately answered the call.

"Boss Lin, the premiere just ended, the on‑site response is unbelievably hot!!" Teng Dao's voice was filled with unmistakable excitement and joy.

Lin Mo heard it and laughed: "Haha, Teng Dao, I told you, this film is definitely not lacking!"

Then Teng Dao went on to describe the premiere's grandeur in detail, his words brimming with pride.

"Teng Dao, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease; our film has resonated with the audience. Next we need to strike while the iron is hot, plan the follow‑up promotion well, and strive to let more people see it!"

"Exactly, I've already had the team start preparing all kinds of promotional materials, interviews, roadshows—nothing left out. We must stir up the film's heat!"

Teng Dao was also full of vigor, clearly already having a complete plan.

"Alright, Teng Dao, with you on board I'm at ease!" Lin Mo replied with a smile.

After hanging up, Lin Mo looked at Re Ba, and the two exchanged a smile.

(To be continued!!!)