Chapter 239

Beijing, Dongshanshu.

After a bout of lingering intimacy, Jing Tian's face was flushed, her skin glowing with a rosy hue; she was extremely adorable.

At this moment, the young girl nestled in Wei Jin's arms, naughtily teasing the crestfallen Wei Shiba.

"Brother, are you going back to school tomorrow?"

"Hmm, why?"

Wei Jin had already received notice from the school that he could go and collect his graduation certificate.

Originally, he hadn't planned on going tomorrow; the certificate wouldn't disappear just by sitting at the school, but considering the graduation group photo, Wei Jin had agreed, even specifically giving the film crew a half-day off for it.

Although there were only a few Graduate Student classmates in this cohort and they didn't have much of a relationship with each other, they had met after all, so the graduation photo still had to be taken.

It is worth mentioning that among the Graduate Students graduating this year, Zhao Yanzi was not included.

She had applied for a delayed graduation as early as last year, which had become a laughingstock at Beijing Film Academy at the time, causing her mentor to lose all face.

"Hmm~ Then after you're done tomorrow, go with me to the Director Department, okay?"

The young girl's hand movements became increasingly skillful, and Wei Jin was already reacting; he reached out to caress Jing Tian's proud assets, asking with some surprise: "Hmm? Didn't you already go on break? What are you going to school for?"

"Cui Laoshi gave me a death order; she said even if she has to tie you up, she must bring you there. She has something to discuss with you."

Speaking of this, Jing Tian felt a bit distressed; why did they always use exams to hold her hostage? Did they really think she couldn't pass?

But once she thought about all those theories, Jing Tian realized she really couldn't seem to pass; after all, she belonged to the Experience School.

"Hmm, alright, I'll go see Cui Laoshi."

Cui Laoshi was Cui Xinqin, the creator of the Beijing Film Academy's 96 Star Class; she was also the one teaching the 06 Acting Department where Jing Tian was.

Wei Jin naturally knew what this pillar of the Acting Department wanted with him.

It just so happened that the company's artist management was preparing to expand, so this could be considered giving his mentor and the school an answer.

"However, Tian Tian, I've helped you so much, shouldn't you show some gratitude?"

Wei Jin's hand movements had never stopped, and the young girl's sensitive body was already aroused.

"Hmm~~ Thank you, Brother~"

Jing Tian consciously moved downward, beginning a warm-up exercise for the man—the next day, on the Beijing Film Academy campus, the 06 Graduate Student class of the Director Department welcomed their graduation photo session.

"President Wei, please take care of us in the future."

"Come, everyone move to the sides, leave the middle open. President Wei, come, stand here..."

These classmates were quite clear-headed; although Graduate Students from the Beijing Film Academy's Director Department had an easier time in the industry than Undergraduates, everyone knew that having the backing of Shanhe Media would undoubtedly provide a higher starting point.

It was supposed to be a simple graduation photo, but it ended up attracting dozens of onlookers, most of them from the Acting Department, and their intentions were quite obvious.

After looking around, Wei Jin didn't find any good prospects worth cultivating, so he left with Jing Tian, uninterested, and walked all the way to the Acting Department office.

Although Cui Laoshi rambled on about many things, the core meaning was just one.

As a marquee director of the Beijing Film Academy and the helmsman of Shanhe Media, Cui Laoshi hoped that the former would remember the school's cultivation and take care of the juniors.

"Cui Laoshi, don't worry. The company will soon come up with a signing plan for graduates or current students. At that time, you can let the students come to the company for interviews."

Sure enough, upon receiving the promise, a smile appeared on Cui Laoshi's face.

Although Shanhe Media had been conducting artist management business, the scale had always been well-controlled and the threshold for signing was very high; over the years, many people from the Beijing Film Academy had been turned away.

With Wei Jin promising personally this time, he figured there wouldn't be much of a problem; finally, the students of the Beijing Film Academy would have one more path.

"However, Cui Laoshi, I've provided the opportunity, but whether they can pass depends on their own level."

Wei Jin was also giving a heads-up in advance; the quality of students at the Beijing Film Academy had been getting worse over the years, and many of the students recruited were there through connections—to be honest, they really had no talent.

"That goes without saying; having the opportunity is already very good for them."

Cui Xinqin also understood that Shanhe Media wasn't a charity; Wei Jin giving his word was already out of respect for the school. —During these days of filming, Wei Jin lived a very regular life.

The first thing every morning was to find a place with no one around and have a long phone call with Ceng Li, as it happened to be late at night and time for rest in North America.

Listening to Li Jie's voice, hearing her talk about things during her pregnancy and her longing for him, Wei Jin wished he could finish all the work at hand immediately and fly to Li Jie's side to accompany her through the wait for birth.

But he couldn't do it; even if the film shooting ended, the follow-up work would still take a long time. Wei Jin estimated he could head to North America around late August, by which time Li Jie would be about 7 months pregnant.

Wei Jin had already decided that he would stay in North America to accompany Li Jie through the wait for birth; he even had the excuse ready—The Hunt's bid for an Oscar, which couldn't be more reasonable.

On the set of Passengers, having just finished a scene, Wei Jin was planning to smoke a cigarette when the phone on his person vibrated.

Looking at the number, it was actually Teacher Xue from the Beijing Film Academy; one had to know that this person had almost never called him. But Wei Jin thought about it, it must be about Ocean Heaven, after all, it had been over half a year.

"Teacher Xue, is the post-production for Ocean Heaven finished?"

The budget for this film was too small, so Wei Jin had almost never asked about it, just stuffing Chen Xiao in there.

"Yes, we've already received the Dragon Mark; I just wanted to ask about the release schedule."

Teacher Xue was also making a film for the first time and didn't understand many things; she felt it was better to listen to Wei Jin's advice regarding the schedule.

"Hmm, how about the end of August?"

Wei Jin thought of the schedule he had seen at Han Sanping's place; there were no particularly strong competitors in the first half of September, and a two-week breathing period was enough. After all, a film like Ocean Heaven would barely get any box office anyway.

"Hmm, you make the call."

Teacher Xue was also ready to follow advice; after all, Wei Jin was the investor, so he should have considered it very clearly.

"Alright then, I will pass this matter down."

Wei Jin hung up the phone and was just about to continue filming when he didn't expect another call to come in; this time it was Lu Yang.

"President Wei, the storyboards for Brotherhood of Blades 2 are done. Do you want to take a look?"

"I'm on set filming right now, let's talk about it later."

"President Wei, I'll send them over to you right away. It won't take long, wait for me—"

Before Wei Jin could even speak, this guy had already hung up. Was he not taking his boss seriously at all? Shaking his head, Wei Jin stopped thinking about it; if he came, he could just wait on the side.

"Is everything ready?"

Wei Jin was already in position behind the monitor, and after looking around, he asked.

"Everything is ready."

"Action!" Today's scene involves the male lead, unable to bear the inner torment, tidying himself up to meet the female lead. Looking at the monitor, Gao Yuanyuan is a bit stunned; she didn't expect there to be another person.

"Hello, why are there only the two of us here?"

Qiao Zhenyu recites the script he had long prepared, telling her everything he knows, but concealing the truth, lying that a malfunction in the Hibernation Pod caused them to wake up early.

"Cut!"

"Zhen Yu, let's do this take again. Your expression isn't right."

Wei Jin stands up, walks over to Qiao Zhenyu, and begins to direct the scene.

"You are hiding something in your heart right now; your eyes need to be evasive. Think about what you look like when you are lying."

"Sorry, Director Wei. Give me five minutes, I'll adjust immediately."

Qiao Zhenyu knows where the problem lies. He doesn't know what happened with his Assistant last night, but the script he was given was for a confession of love to the female lead. Although he realized it later, his emotions remained stuck in admiration and anxiety, and he couldn't adjust in time.

"Alright, everyone take a break."

Wei Jin also leaves the monitor position. Turning his head, he sees that Lu Yang has indeed arrived.

"I must say, you really are quite impatient, aren't you?"

"Hehe, Boss Wei, could you take a look?"

Lu Yang gives a silly laugh and hands over the storyboard he is holding.

Wei Jin rolls his eyes at him, but still looks through it carefully. After all, everyone has a different understanding of the same script, and he must oversee it.

Five minutes later, Wei Jin closes the file.

"Not bad, you are a qualified director now."

Wei Jin's words are filled with emotion; even though it is many years earlier than expected, Lu Yang's excellence cannot be hidden.

"So, Boss Wei, can the project be greenlit?"

Lu Yang is impatient. Wu Ershan directing Wei Jin's sequel and becoming a 300-million-box-office director has been a significant stimulus for him.

"Hmm, since you are ready, go ahead and do it. By the way, leave the female lead to me; you can handle the rest."

"Okay." During this period, Lou Ye is undoubtedly the most prominent figure in the entire film industry.

It is not because he won the Oscar Best Screenplay at this year's Cannes Film Festival, but because this guy has committed a taboo; his audacity is truly too great.

The year before last, because his film didn't receive approval, he went to participate in the Cannes Film Festival anyway. Although it was shortlisted, it didn't win any awards in the end.

The current censorship environment in Mainland China requires obtaining approval before one can participate in foreign film festivals; otherwise, it is considered an underground film and a violation of regulations.

Therefore, when Lou Ye returned to the country, he was promptly hit with a five-year ban on directing by the Film Bureau.

Yet this guy is simply fearless; he went directly to Hong Kong capital and French capital to co-produce the same-sex, explicit film "Spring Breeze," and even won this year's Oscar Best Screenplay at Cannes.

Perhaps he was too happy after winning the award, as he actually publicly called out the Film Bureau through foreign media.

He hopes the film can be released in Mainland China, hopes the authorities will lift his ban as soon as possible, and hopes he is the last director in Mainland China to be banned.

Hearing the news, Wei Jin finds it incredible. This guy is even more reckless than him; whose subordinate is this?

Some things are better handled privately; running abroad to use foreign capital to publicly pressure the domestic authorities is simply showing no respect for the General Administration.

This is also what Tian Zhuangzhuang advised him back then: one must be clear about their own stance and not say things that shouldn't be said abroad.

Sure enough, Lou Ye's outcome did not surprise anyone; the General Administration has recently issued a document.

It bans the film "Spring Breeze" and criticizes Lou Ye by name.

"Junior brother, this guy is too bold. During his directing ban, he still dared to film secretly in the country. He is simply slapping the General Administration in the face. Compared to you, he is not far behind."

On the phone, Ning Hao exclaims.

There are many directors in the country who have been banned, including Wei Jin's mentor Tian Zhuangzhuang; which one of them didn't accept the punishment obediently? "Senior brother, friendship is friendship, but if you say that, I will have to sue you for slander. I have the utmost respect for the General Administration; I only target those old stubborn ones."

Wei Jin thinks very clearly: to survive in the country, one must still adhere to the necessary boundaries. It is impossible for him to touch that kind of subject matter, and besides, he doesn't need to.

"By the way, has "No Man's Land" passed censorship? It's been over half a month, right?"

"Soon, soon."

Although Ning Hao says it's soon, he clearly feels worried. He hopes Lou Ye's affair won't implicate him. Soon, Ning Hao's worries come true.

Even on the set, Wei Jin hears the news about "No Man's Land," which shows it is spreading wildly throughout the circle.

After all, as a major commercial director in Mainland China, Ning Hao's new film being rejected in the first round of preliminary review is something the entire film and television circle did not expect.

What surprises Wei Jin even more is that Ning Hao actually lost his head and, the moment he received the notice, went directly to confront the old guys on the censorship committee.

"If "Nanjing" can pass, why can't my "No Man's Land"?"

This is also where Ning Hao is most furious; the censorship is simply too double-standard.

In the end, it was Han Sanping who stepped in, saying he would communicate with them, and only then was Ning Hao persuaded to go back.

However, this incident has sparked a lot of discussion in the industry, as it seems to foresee that after Wei Jin, a new round of censorship disputes is about to begin. China Film Group Digital Production Base, the filming of "Passengers" continues.

"Help me keep it a secret. Don't tell her it was my fault that caused her to wake up early."

From being all alone to having a companion, the male lead gradually finds a spiritual sustenance.

The more time they spend together, the deeper his affection and love grow. He begins to worry about the outcome if the female lead finds out the truth; he is afraid of losing her.

"Sir, as a high-intelligence Bionic Robot, my program instructions tell me that I cannot lie."

Lei Jiayin's years of training at the drama theater have really been effective; his performance at this moment has completely mastered the essence of a robot.

"You don't have to lie; just don't bring it up voluntarily. When the time is right, I will tell her myself."

"Okay, that does not violate my program; I can do that."

Soon, the two lonely Space passengers begin to huddle together for warmth; a man and a woman come to know and love each other, falling in love.

Naturally, there are many intimate scenes, but Wei Jin uses camera angles or body doubles for filming. He certainly doesn't have a preference for being cuckolded.

Even so, this part is filmed somewhat slowly. It's not that Gao Yuanyuan is inhibited; after all, it's not her first time acting in a romance film directed by Wei Jin.

The reason lies with Qiao Zhenyu. He knows the relationship between the female lead and the boss, and he is always unable to implant the belief that he has fallen in love with Gao Yuanyuan into his mind, leading to frequent retakes.

Having no other choice, Wei Jin had to counsel Qiao Zhenyu on the spot, which really gave him the feeling of a cuckold. Happy Lunar New Year to everyone!

(End of this chapter)