[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu":3,"chapter-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-334":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from Stealing the Role in 1995 Huayu",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2321323,4540,"Chapter 334","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-334",334,"\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen invested 40 million in \"The Sun Also Rises,\" and this amount had just crossed Jiang Wen’s psychological threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you say it’s enough, Jiang Wen still feels it’s lacking; but if you say it’s not enough, after calculating and deducting his own director and actor fees, then scraping together the rest, it should be about right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen deliberately quoted this high figure—back in his past life, the film’s total cost under 60 million included Jiang Wen’s own 10 million director and actor fee, his brother Jiang Wu’s 7 million advance, and Zhou Yun’s 4 million contribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Wu Yuchen had already figured it out: 40 million for Jiang Wen is sufficient. If Jiang Wen still thinks it’s not enough, he can cut costs during filming; if he can’t cut costs, then he can raise the rest himself!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, Jiang Wen is also quite skilled at chasing women—he’s already married with children, never divorced, yet during the filming of \"Heavenly Heroes,\" he won over Zhou Yun and made her his mistress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The irony is, while others pay to keep mistresses, Jiang Wen makes Zhou Yun pay for his film. Zhou Yun herself couldn’t earn 4 million in acting fees; she had to go back to her parents for money—her parents were Wenzhou merchants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhou Yun wasn’t even the first—back then, Liu Xiaoqing did the same, funding Jiang Wen’s \"In the Heat of the Sun\" out of her own pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After securing Wu Yuchen’s investment, Jiang Wen didn’t dawdle—he packed up and left immediately, rushing back to prepare for the film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening, Jiang Qin asked Wu Yuchen: “Honey, did Jiang Wen come to you for investment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen nodded with a smile: “He’s almost off probation, right? Now he’s scrambling to raise money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Qin thought for a moment, then said: “I heard he’s tormented a lot of people these past two years—many are now avoiding him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen laughed heartily: “A tyrant and a troublemaker, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen had heard rumors about Jiang Wen’s recent behavior. Everyone knows Lu Chuan was bullied by Jiang Wen, and eventually \"The Search\" became Jiang Wen’s work, leaving Lu Chuan deeply wronged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Chuan wasn’t an isolated case—and his outcome was actually better than most, since \"The Search\" at least gave him recognition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 2002, Jiang Wen and director Chen Yifei had a major disagreement that halted \"The Barber,\" and Jiang Wen directly withdrew from the crew with Zhou Yun; the other lead, Ge You, also fled upon seeing the situation, causing the film’s initial 10 million investment to vanish completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Chen Yifei of \"The Barber\" was a renowned painter who originally intended to make a low-budget art film costing only 4 or 5 million, funded entirely by himself. Later, due to a screenwriter’s recommendation, Jiang Wen and Ge You joined, drawing in investors and raising the budget to 30 million. But when Jiang Wen and Ge You both left, the investors panicked and pulled out, leaving the project in shambles—it’s been shelved ever since, forcing Chen Yifei to run around desperately trying to revive it. By next year, this director, already critically ill from the ordeal, showed up on set on painkillers, and died mid-shoot. His family probably hates Jiang Wen to death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s not all—in 2003, after finishing \"Heavenly Heroes,\" Japanese actor Nakai Katsuyuki returned home and wrote a book angrily denouncing Jiang Wen’s tyrannical behavior on set. Though many in China didn’t know about it, plenty of financiers in the industry had heard of Jiang Wen’s on-set disruptions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also in 2003, production of \"General Chen Geng\" halted due to “script issues”; this film was meant as a tribute for the 100th anniversary of General Chen Geng’s birth, but after only four days of shooting, it was forced to stop—mainly because Jiang Wen was dissatisfied. The script went through endless revisions for over a year, and only in September this year did filming restart, replacing Jiang Wen as the lead with Hou Yong, finally allowing production to proceed peacefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for \"Letter from an Unknown Woman,\" rumors say Jiang Wen quarreled with Xu Cairen, and Wang Shuo personally intervened to settle things. Jiang Wen and Wang Shuo have long-standing ties, and Jiang Wen has received Wang Shuo’s favors—not only was the script of \"In the Heat of the Sun\" adapted from Wang Shuo’s \"Animal Fury,\" but Wang Shuo also helped secure part of the funding, so Jiang Wen respects him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also this year, during the filming of \"The Qing Dynasty Chronicles,\" Jiang Wen forced the producers to replace director Zhang Wanting over “script and role issues.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wen’s reputation for being impossible to work with is now widespread—he’s always causing trouble “under the banner of art.” Many financiers fear him—he’s too disruptive; when he starts causing chaos, the investors never come out on top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Jiang Wen is seeking investment, many are unwilling to back him—too risky. Jiang Wen knows this well, so he came to Wu Yuchen, pleading and wheedling, since Wu Yuchen had previously invested in many domestic art films.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen smiled at Jiang Qin: “A tyrant and troublemaker like him? Most people can’t control him—don’t cast him as the lead, or you’ll never have peace while filming. But if you make him the director, it’s different—he can control people and command respect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Qin thought about it, and realized it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wu Yuchen added: “No matter how much trouble he causes, as long as he makes money in the end, people will still line up to invest—worldwide, it’s always the same.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d even clashed with Eisner in Hollywood—he shouldn’t have been favored by investors, but as long as he kept succeeding and making money, all that could be ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wen’s visit was just a minor interruption for Wu Yuchen; the next day, he continued filming \"Departures\" as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cut! Qin Qin, your expression—I need to see change in your eyes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Wu Yuchen was filming a crucial scene from \"Departures\"—the death of the warm-hearted bathhouse owner who had watched Lin Wu grow up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Qin had returned home due to pregnancy, hoping to persuade her husband to quit his mortuary work by using their child as leverage, so she came along with Lin Wu and witnessed the entire process of him preparing the owner’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qin Qin, the change can’t be abrupt—it must show deeper, more subtle emotion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, you witness your husband’s work—meticulously, gently, and with deep feeling, preparing the body of someone you know. Watching his precise, tender movements, you’re drawn in. When you see the old woman restored to her living appearance, and your husband hands her family a handkerchief so they can wash her face and send her off with dignity, the scene moves you—you finally understand the meaning of your husband’s work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a journey from doubt to understanding, from revulsion to attraction, then to being moved—I need you to show this transformation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Qin nodded; she understood the character’s emotional arc. But understanding was one thing—actually performing it was another, and conveying such subtle emotional shifts was difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After explaining, Wu Yuchen said no more—he let Jiang Qin adjust herself. He held her to a higher standard for this scene, because although Lin Wu was the protagonist, the true emotional core lay in Jiang Qin and the old woman’s son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All previous mortuary scenes involved strangers, easily categorized as professional duty—but now, the owner was a close acquaintance of the protagonist, adding a layer of sorrow that would resonate more deeply with the audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, the purpose of this scene was to dispel the protagonist’s public misconceptions and earn him recognition. This recognition came from two sources: first, from family—Jiang Qin, his wife—which was easy to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second source came from outsiders, represented by the old woman’s son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The son’s attitude toward the protagonist changed twice. When he first saw the protagonist return to his hometown, he treated him politely and respectfully—he was a cellist, a profession he admired, and he’d even smiled warmly when his daughter approached the protagonist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But later, when he accidentally learned the protagonist had become a mortician, his attitude instantly shifted—he forbade his daughter from being near the protagonist and earnestly urged him to quit this “improper” profession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with the old woman’s sudden death, the one who personally prepared her body was Lin Wu—the man he once looked down upon. His emotions were complex: as he watched Lin Wu slowly restore his mother to her most beautiful appearance, then guide him in washing her face and sending her off in perfect dignity, gratitude welled up in him, tears streaming down his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coincidentally, the actor playing the old woman’s son was none other than Jiang Wen’s brother, Jiang Wu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Jiang Qin and Jiang Wu’s performances were crucial—their reactions would let the audience understand that the protagonist’s long years of work had finally been recognized and honored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, Wu Yuchen asked Jiang Wu: “Jiang Wu, are you ready? One more take?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wu nodded—he was no better off than Jiang Qin; both had been repeatedly NG’d by Wu Yuchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Qin took a deep breath and took her position nearby, watching—she hoped Jiang Wu would deliver, so his emotion could draw hers out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three, two, one, action!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On screen, Zhao Wenshuan spotted a pile of clothes, picked out a pale yellow silk scarf, and gently placed it on the old woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he took her hand and trimmed her fingernails; with his right hand, he lifted a string of Buddhist prayer beads and slowly slipped them onto her right wrist, then gently lifted her left hand and made her palms clasp together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In camera two’s shot, a close-up focused on the prayer beads; then, quickly, both the hand and beads were blurred—the previously indistinct background face of Jiang Wu slowly came into focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Jiang Wu stared at his Buddhist mother, her hands clasped, fingers gripping the prayer beads she loved most—she seemed to have come alive again, smiling as she always had. Jiang Wu’s lips trembled slightly; his head, once lowered, began to rise slowly, his eyes rippling with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the monitor, Wu Yuchen nodded slightly—this take achieved what he wanted. But he didn’t call cut; though the next moment wouldn’t be used, letting Jiang Wu continue the ritual would help him stay in character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, another camera was filming Jiang Qin separately, so Wu Yuchen could later search for the precise emotional shots he needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached the face-washing stage, Wu Yuchen perked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenshuan and Jiang Wu stood on either side of the corpse—he dipped a pure white handkerchief into a basin, gently wetting it, then handed it to Jiang Wu with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wu looked at the handkerchief, then at his mother, slowly extended his hands to receive it, bent low, and stared at his mother’s face. He brought the handkerchief slowly toward her cheeks, gently wiping her forehead. His powerful hands were larger than her face, yet his movements were excruciatingly slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The camera focused on Jiang Wu’s expression—his throat moved, his lips parted slightly; to calm himself, he turned his head slightly and took a quiet breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then he saw his mother’s hands, gripping the prayer beads, marked by years of labor. Without control, his other hand trembled as it reached out, grasping her hands—and his whole body shook, tears bursting forth as he whispered: “Mom… Mom…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, he slowly withdrew his hands, raised his head, and met Zhao Wenshuan’s sorrowful gaze with a slight nod of understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jiang Wu’s reddened eyes, a flicker of gratitude appeared—he lowered his head and offered the handkerchief with both hands, his broad back bending slightly, silently expressing his thanks to Zhao Wenshuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen saw this and inwardly cheered—this take was natural, every emotion fully expressed—Jiang Wu’s performance was a pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still didn’t call cut—there were still Jiang Wu’s wife and daughter coming up to wash the face and weep. Wu Yuchen now shifted his focus to Jiang Qin, watching her expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene was nearly over—Jiang Qin, watching Zhao Wenshuan, had tears in her eyes—not just from sorrow over the old woman’s death, but also glowing with quiet emotion. Her lips tightened, her tear-filled eyes gave Zhao Wenshuan a faint, tender smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this scene ended, Wu Yuchen didn’t immediately comment—he’d watched Jiang Wu’s entire performance closely, and it was flawless; now he was reviewing Jiang Qin’s footage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Jiang Qin’s full emotional arc, Wu Yuchen slowly smiled—most of her performance wouldn’t be used, perhaps even most of it—but the key emotional beats were all there—that was enough!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good! Cut!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Wu Yuchen’s “cut,” both Jiang Qin and Jiang Wu exhaled in relief—they’d been filming nearly all day, and finally, this scene was done!\u003C\u002Fp>",2158,"2026-06-20T16:09:30.828Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","945df5dbbf566b856c3336964d35482b75b8777c8f9ce1a56a3c44db9dc898f1","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-335","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-333",335,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-cover.jpg"]