Chapter 430

Today, while taking a shower in the dormitory washroom, Zhang Yitang excitedly hummed the pop song "Goodbye."

Chen Kaige came in to wash his towel and asked with a smile: "People who are about to get married are different, aren't they? I don't usually see you singing."

Zhang Yitang is usually a very reticent person; he really rarely sees Old Zhang like this.

Zhang Yitang shook his head: "That's just a ceremony; I'm definitely happy, but not to the point of being this happy."

Chen Kaige pondered for a moment and suddenly said: "Could it be that the Beijing Er Yingchang has recruited you? Wasn't it already decided that you'd go to the Xi'an Er Yingchang?"

Zhang Yitang shook his head: "Something even happier than that!"

Now Chen Kaige was a bit confused; what could be happier than staying in the capital: "Could it be that the school has arranged for you to study abroad?"

If that were really the case, he, Chen Kaige, would definitely be unconvinced; how could Zhang Yitang's English be better than his own "beautiful"?

Old Zhang waved his hand: "It's not quite that; actually, it's going to Hong Kong."

"Hong Kong? You?"

"Looking down on us old Shaanxi folks? Not only am I going, but Feng Xiaoning is going too." Zhang Yitang grinned, showing a mouthful of teeth.

This wasn't a confidential mission either, and soon the news spread throughout the boys' dormitory building: Zhang Yitang and Feng Xiaoning had been selected by Wei Laoshi Ming to go to Hong Kong to film a mysterious short film. The two of them spoke very mysteriously about this short film because they didn't know what they were filming either.

But this practice short film was in preparation for a feature film for the Children's Er Yingchang, adapted from what could be called Wei Ming's best novella, "The Chorus."

Chen Kaige, who hadn't been home much as graduation approached, went home tonight and mentioned this matter to his father, Chen Huaiai, while eating.

Chen Kaige was also about to be part of the Children's Er Yingchang. The studio was newly founded and had no big-name directors. Logically speaking, Chen Kaige should have had quite a few opportunities, so when he spoke of this matter, he was quite resentful.

Tian Zhuangzhuang was assigned to the Beijing Er Yingchang and snatched the filming opportunity from the Children's Er Yingchang; he wouldn't say anything about that, after all, he was his childhood friend, and the Children's Er Yingchang's director was his mother. He didn't expect Wei Ming, a writer, to come over and snatch food from their mouths too.

Chen Huaiai shook his head: "That is Wei Ming after all; all literary and art workers in the country should learn from him. He has the confidence."

Seeing that his father was also speaking up for Wei Ming, Chen Kaige said in a muffled voice: "It's just that his profession doesn't match."

After dinner, Chen Huaiai got up and left home without a word, coming to visit Yu Lan's home not far away. The two chatted for over an hour.

When leaving, Chen Huaiai said solemnly: "Sister Yu, then I'll leave it to you."

Chen Huaiai is actually one year older than Yu Lan, but judging from Factory Director Tian Fang, he has to call her Sister.

Yu Lan smiled: "These are all small matters; we watched Kaige grow up too. To be honest, I think he has more talent than Zhuangzhuang; he is the most promising one among the graduates of the directing department of this year's Film Academy."

Chen Huaiai hurriedly expressed modestly: "High ambitions but low talent; he still needs to be tempered."

Parents' love for their children is deep and far-reaching. This time, Chen Huaiai was entrusting Yu Lan to let Chen Kaige serve as Wei Ming's assistant director. First, he believed in Wei Ming's talent. If this film is filmed successfully, Chen Kaige, as the assistant director, will get a very good learning opportunity, which can also be considered a beautiful credential.

There was another reason Chen Huaiai didn't say, but Yu Lan had spoken: if it couldn't be filmed due to the director's level, they would definitely need to find a reliable person to take over.

Then, as the assistant director and one of the Children's Er Yingchang's own, wasn't Kaige the most likely to become this successor?

Chen Huaiai didn't mind letting his son be Wei Ming's successor; the influence of the original work "The Chorus" is right there, and it's a good project regardless.

Next, it depends on what this writer Wei can film after running off to Hong Kong. He hopes Wei Ming can film something decent so that "The Chorus" can be launched smoothly.

Wei Ming returned to Nanluoguxiang in the evening, and both sisters were there.

Gong Ying knew he had come to the Beijing Er Yingchang during the day, so after returning home, she called Zhu Lin over to wait for news together.

"How is it, how is it? What did the Children's Er Yingchang say?" Zhu Lin asked impatiently.

Wei Ming: "They agreed, but there is a prerequisite: I have to film a short film that they find satisfactory before they will let me film this feature film."

"Film a short film?" Gong Ying thought first, "Do you want to pick one from your own novels to film, like 'The Duck Prophet'? I can go back to Shanghai with you to film it."

Wei Ming shook his head: "I've already decided to go to Hong Kong to film."

"Hong Kong? Film what?" Zhu Lin asked.

"I haven't decided what to film yet, but Hong Kong is decided. My mom and dad and I haven't seen each other for several months; I'll just take this opportunity to go over and see them." Wei Ming said.

The sisters' eyes were full of reluctance. Zhu Lin asked: "How about you write a script and let us act in it? That way, wouldn't we have the opportunity to accompany you to Hong Kong?"

Gong Ying hurriedly said: "I can't; I might have to film 'Under the Bridge' at any time."

As she said this, Zhu Lin also reacted: "Oh my, I promised to play the B-role of Cai Feng in 'The Donkey Tale'; I need to rehearse, so I can't get away either."

The A-role of this Cai Feng is Song Dandan, and Zhu Lin doesn't want to be outdone by that chatterbox girl.

Wei Ming spread his hands: "Since you both can't get away, then I'll just take Xiao Hong over to see."

Just thinking about the crew members, Wei Ming suddenly thought that Xiao Hong hadn't really stayed in Hong Kong properly either. She had always wanted to see the Hong Kong stock market, so this time he would take her to see the world.

He would go to the Beijing Er Yingchang tomorrow to say something and ask for one more quota for going to Hong Kong.

"Then when are you leaving? 'Middle Age' is about to be released." Zhu Lin said, holding Xiao Wei's hand.

"Then I definitely have to wait until I finish watching the movie with you before leaving." Wei Ming is very much looking forward to this painstaking work of Sister Lin.

Tonight, Wei Ming returned to the Overseas Chinese Apartment to spend the night and began to conceive the script for the short film.

What should he write?

Many famous future Hong Kong films could actually be condensed, taking their brilliant segments to make into short films, which could be expanded later, but there were too many choices, which gave him a headache.

Forget it, let's write the comic script promised to A Long first. This script had already started to be pushed forward some time ago, but what was pushed forward were the image drawings and character settings of the main characters; he only started writing the plot today.

Writing until evening, looking at the story on a few pages of paper, Wei Ming felt very accomplished. Just as he was about to go to sleep, he suddenly saw a stack of newspapers A Min had sent him last time placed in the corner of the desk, basically all about entertainment and culture. Among them, a small square exposed on the outside wrote a piece of news about Shaw Brothers.

It talked about a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster with a cost of over 200 million Hong Kong dollars invested by Shaw Brothers Pictures that was about to be released.

The name of this movie is "Blade Runner."

Of course, Shaw Brothers was not the main investor, but because this movie lost a lot of money, it did indeed accelerate the process of Shaw Brothers closing down to a certain extent.

"Blade Runner" can be said to be the first film to establish the visual aesthetics and core themes of cyberpunk, and cyberpunk goes very well with Hong Kong.

Wei Ming roughly knew what he could film, but it was a bit late today, so sleep, sleep; it wouldn't be too late to write tomorrow.

The next day, Wei Ming got up early to write. When he was hungry, he went out to forage. After eating, he went to the Beijing Er Yingchang once again to get a note approved for Wei Hong.

"She is a Peking University student, a pillar of the country; how can I, a filmmaker, approve it for her?" Yu Lan shook her head.

"Then I am also from Peking University; I am also a pillar of the country." Speaking to the end, Wei Ming was a bit embarrassed.

Yu Lan: "You are very special; you are registered at the Ministry of Culture, and I have also consulted Elder Xia."

Helpless, Wei Ming had no choice but to return to school to find Uncle Anping to think of a way.

However, just as he left Factory Director Yu's office, he ran into Li Chengru.

"Old Li, why are you here?"

Li Chengru smiled: "We borrowed a studio from the Beijing Er Yingchang to film the scenes of the Taishang Laojun's mansion here. Wei Laoshi, Consultant Wei, why don't you come over and take a look?"

Wei Ming didn't shirk: "Let's go, let's go take a look."

Wei Ming knew that the one playing Taishang Laojun was the old man Zheng Rong, who was also an old actor of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, the Chang Siye in "Teahouse."

However, just after entering the Tushita Palace, he was bumped into by a reckless little Taoist boy. Wei Ming even joked: "Is the one who bumped into me Jin Jiao or Yin Jiao?"

"Wei, Wei Laoshi!" The delicate little Taoist boy recognized Wei Ming at a glance. She stammered: "I am not Jin Jiao or Yin Jiao; I, I am called Xu Qing."

Wei Ming looked closely—hey, it seems it really is her! How old is she? Her face is round, looking like Jia Ling; she is only good-looking when she is fully ripe.

This child is a fan of Wei Ming's books, and her sister is too. Once she saw Wei Ming, she started following him like a shadow.

Wei Ming chatted with Director Yang Jie and the old man Zheng Rong about the filming situation, filming the Tushita Palace scenes of the later episodes first, and waiting until they were finished before letting Sun Wukong smash it.

"Wei Laoshi, what have you been busy with lately? It's been a while since you cared about us." Yang Jie joked.