Chapter 350: Struggle Is in Yu Xian's DNA

The Shanghai Film Festival was in chaos — not only did the media and Wangyi roast it every which way, even the big shots were sniping at each other.

Especially the Principal facing a crowd of rivals, his outrageous remarks added plenty of controversial talking points to this Shanghai Film Festival.

"Tell your opponents to try harder."

"I've never even heard of this Fa Ge person."

"."

What these words betray is contempt — he doesn't take the heads of the major film and television companies seriously, doesn't take the Hong Kong artists led by Fa Ge seriously.

The blast radius is that wide; he's almost become a public enemy of the industry.

It's only because Yu Xian rose too fast — not only did it give many people a sense of disorientation, it also accelerated the decline of Hong Kong cinema.

Before, Yu Xian's film business was passable, everyone could compete, wins and losses both ways — but now the TV dramas keep exploding one after another, and that has lifted Yu Xian's artist management.

Development across film, television, and artists keeps squeezing the entertainment circle's cake.

It's simple — in the past, who could have seen Zhang Songwen, Zhao Xiaodao, Chen Xiao, Xie Miao, Zhu Yilong, Wang Ran, Li Xian, Cai Wenjing, Mao Xiaotong and the like at an event like this?

Now you can already run into them everywhere.

That is, Yu Xian's artist management is rising, and the box-office-carrying presences on the film side are also emerging.

When artist management rises, it's equivalent to grasping the upstream resources of the industrial chain and gaining more say — why would Bona Film Group not use its own artists, and instead use Hong Kong artists?

Enlight Media is the same — also bringing in outside artists.

You have to know that Enlight, Bona, Huayi and the other film and television companies all have their own artists, but sometimes they just don't use their own — either they go for Hong Kong and Taiwan stars, or they go for stars who have already proven their box-office value.

That's because those artists are widely known, the audience recognizes their faces, and they really do carry the box office.

At least if you hire those artists, your box office is guaranteed to clear a hundred million — for instance, hire Liu Tianxian, even if the film is bad, with a push it can clear a hundred million, no problem.

That's the guarantee — at least you won't lose money.

If you hire people nobody even recognizes — say, Liu Kaiwei, Huo Jianhua, Hu Ge — and let them try, they're famous too, right?

But they just don't have that kind of value.

Having your own box-office-carrying film stars — that is the key to Yu Xian breaking free of its limits and truly rising.

Which other film and television company can do that?

Only Huayi is passable, but everyone who should leave is leaving — because the competition is too fierce, it's always the same old faces carrying the load, and it's very hard for anyone else to break through.

It's either Ge Daye or Zhang Guoli, Chen Daoming and the like, and the rest are all Hong Kong and Taiwan stars — for female stars there used to be Young Master Zhou, Yan Zi and so on, now there are none.

Female stars really do have a hard time breaking through on the film side.

Huayi began to decline precisely when its batch of box-office-carrying stars walked out the door.

If Yu Xian pulls it off, and has its own male actors who can carry the film, it really will achieve a self-sustaining cycle.

And artist management can also serve to cut costs — essentially, the salary they pay you comes back to them in part.

It can also make money for the company and bring down the cost of actors — that's roughly the idea.

But no matter how much they take aim, at an event like this it's all just hot air — the real knife-fight has to wait and see each side's moves, and Yu Xian isn't afraid, since it fought its way up from the start.

Struggle is in Yu Xian's DNA.

The topics on the Shanghai Film Festival forums are still the usual ones — "How exactly should Chinese films go global," "Where is the future of co-productions," "How to tell a good story" — nothing new.

Every year it's the same topics, every year they haven't gone global, so you can imagine how much the higher-ups long for going global.

Yu Xian has recently been receiving courtesies from all sides — in any case, he's more popular than Fang Hong; after all, the guy has been mixing it up in Hollywood, the first one to go out, and from the mainland at that.

This success story, in some people's eyes, is quite worth referencing.

He also took part in two film forums, and going along with the topic, he got worked up on stage: "China is now the world's second-largest film market — as long as we keep upgrading our film industry without interruption and tell good stories, we will definitely be able to get the international community to connect with us."

"Clap clap clap!"

His words drew enthusiastic applause from the guests on site.

Although it was nonsense, it boosted morale!

Actually, Yu Xian himself didn't know what to say, and couldn't come up with anything too constructive — he knew deep down that whether Chinese films can go global depends on the Principal, that's more reliable than depending on him.

What the hell is he — the reason he can flourish out there is all because the Principal is controlling the big picture from behind.

Without the Principal, he'd be off in some godforsaken corner right now working as someone's camera assistant, the kind you can boss around.

Apart from the forums, he spent most of his time dating Guo Biting — no choice, that's his only hobby, the lower half.

So, on Yu Xian's last night before heading back to the United States, he arranged a candlelight dinner with Guo Biting at the highest spot of the Shanghai Center Tower — the world's highest restaurant.

The guy is way more romantic than Fang Hong — sipping red wine on one side, taking in the Shanghai scenery from above on the other.

The atmosphere, romantic and warm, was just perfect.

At this moment Yu Xian swirled the red wine in his goblet and showed off: "I sought her in the crowd a hundred, a thousand times; suddenly I turned, and there she was, where the lights were fading."

"Wow, you're so literary!"

Guo Biting flattered him, her face looking very charming in the candlelight, and she laughed: "Is this how you usually trick girls?"

"I think you have a misunderstanding of me — I've never tricked any girl." Yu Xian said.

"Hehehe, I don't believe it." Guo Biting said.

In her heart, Yu Xian was that kind of young master — the kind who only wants to get you in bed, and once the pants come off doesn't recognize you.

"Maybe I've had a few romances in the past, but I gave my heart to every one of them." Yu Xian said it so seriously he almost believed it himself.

Guo Biting laughed again, clearly not buying it.

"Anyway, no matter what I say you won't believe it — time will prove everything, prove that I'm serious about you." Yu Xian took a sip of the wine in his glass.

Guo Biting looked at him carefully — he didn't look like he was lying. "It's not that I don't believe you, I was just asking. I'm not someone who cares about a person's past, but after being in this circle for so long, it's hard not to have some guard up."

"Mm, I understand you." Yu Xian nodded.

"If you're serious about liking me, we can try dating." Guo Biting gave the signal.

"I am serious, but right now I feel the two of us aren't really a good match." Yu Xian said.

"Why?" Guo Biting asked, surprised.

"I want a long, stable relationship, a partner who truly loves me and stays by my side for life. We've only known each other for two days, you don't even understand me, and just now you didn't seem to trust me much. Yet you so rashly say you want to date me—"

Yu Xian said it without changing expression, shaking his head: "I don't accept dating without trust. Trust is the foundation of two people being together."

He said it so convincingly he even believed it himself.

These words made Guo Biting look at him with new eyes. She seemed to have some misunderstanding about this man—had she misjudged him? He just wanted a lasting love.

"Then why did you come to me?" she asked.

"I think you're a kind-hearted girl." Yu Xian said.

"How could you tell I'm kind-hearted?" Guo Biting rested her hand on the table and leaned forward, looking very interested.

"I've seen the charity work you've done, the Warm Children Action. When you smile, you're very warming, like an angel." Yu Xian said it without hesitation.

He had only looked at her pretty exterior and wanted to pursue her, so he had crammed some knowledge.

Every celebrity does charity—it's perfectly normal.

"Hehehe." Guo Biting covered her mouth and laughed softly.

"What I said you might not believe, but your pure, kind heart deeply attracts me." Yu Xian said.

"I believe you." Guo Biting suddenly stopped laughing, her expression turning serious, and she raised her glass in a gesture.

Yu Xian clinked glasses with her, took a sip, looked at the wine glass, and his expression turned sorrowful: "Tomorrow I must go far away. I don't know when I'll see you again. I'll bury this longing deep in the deepest part of my heart."

After speaking, he drained the red wine in his glass in one gulp, his face tinged with melancholy.

The words carried the meaning of ending things with Guo Biting—ending before they had even begun.

Yet these words touched Guo Biting's heart, only because she seemed to feel this man's sincerity toward her.

She grabbed Yu Xian's hand resting on the table: "You said you like me, and now you're giving up just like that?"

"It's not that I want to give up, but you're in China, I'm in the United States. Reality separates you and me. I want to have you, but it's become a luxury—you must have many people who like you." Yu Xian sighed deeply.

The meaning was that Guo Biting must have plenty of suitors.

"If you're giving up on me because of distance, then I can understand that you don't truly like me." Guo Biting seemed to feel the other person's love for her.

Only because of that line about wanting to have her becoming a luxury.

"I'm sincere, but reality is helpless." Yu Xian said.

"Transportation is developed now. From here to the United States is just one night. I can go to the United States to find you, and you can come back to China to find me. Distance isn't a problem at all. As long as we love each other, these can all be overcome." Guo Biting said.

"Then are you willing to be my girlfriend?"

Yu Xian was really something. Earlier he'd given the impression of being a heartbreaker, and in no time at all, he was already discussing how the two of them should date in the future.

"You just said not to rush, to get to know each other, and now you're this impatient?" Being confessed to, Guo Biting was a little shy.

"I don't want to miss out." Yu Xian said sincerely.

Guo Biting smiled slightly without speaking, which counted as tacit agreement.

The two went back and forth. Yu Xian retreated to advance, and in just a few sentences reversed his image, even making the other person develop good feelings toward him—truly impressive.

The atmosphere here momentarily became quiet and ambiguous. Yu Xian looked at Guo Biting across from him.

This made Guo Biting embarrassed. She said shyly: "Why are you staring at me?"

"You're so beautiful." Yu Xian said softly.

Guo Biting was moved, her face bashful.

Yu Xian stood up, walked to her side, lifted her fair chin, and made her look at him.

The two gazed at each other, their affection seemingly endless.

That gaze was so passionate it made Guo Biting very shy. She wanted to lower her head and avoid it, but Yu Xian dominantly lifted her chin again, then bent down and kissed her hard.

Their lips met, breathing hurried, then they parted. Yu Xian looked at the beautiful face so close before him, flushed with color: "I can't bear to part with you."

"I can't bear to part with you either." Guo Biting's eyes were gentle as water, and even her voice carried tenderness.

"But tonight I can't stay with you." Yu Xian shook his head.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Guo Biting was puzzled.

The next part of the script should have been the two of them in bed together, but how was the script going wrong at every turn?

"You're a good girl. A good girl should be cherished even more. I said I don't want to rush—this would be a kind of harm to you. After we know each other well enough, and you feel I'm someone you can rely on, then we'll be together." Yu Xian said it with deep sincerity.

Hearing this, Guo Biting's heart melted. No man had ever treated her this way before. Previous men all wanted her body, wanted her beauty, wanted to sleep with her.

Yet the man before her gave her a feeling of "love," letting her feel a sense of reliance, a sense of security.

It seemed she had truly misunderstood this man.

She couldn't help tightly wrapping her arms around Yu Xian's waist, pressing her face against his stomach, and saying affectionately: "Never has a man been this good to me, this respectful to me."

Yu Xian gently stroked her head, his heart bursting with a sense of achievement. This woman's heart was toyed with just like that.

Very satisfying—more satisfying than doing her ten times.

(End of chapter)