[{"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-54":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},2321043,4540,"Chapter 54","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-54",54,"\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen pondered, recalling two films whose entire scenes took place within a single courtyard—one could be made for under one million yuan, the other for under five hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a plan forming, Wu Yuchen quickened his pace back, determined to finish all three screenplays as soon as possible. If he could truly establish contact with the Film Channel, he would be fully prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than a week later, Wu Yuchen received a call from Old Lady Ruan and was overjoyed; the next day, he brought the three screenplays he had rushed to complete and headed to the agreed location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These three screenplays were certainly not as meticulously crafted as his earlier “Car 44”—time was too short—but they were more than sufficient to impress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wu Yuchen neared, he spotted Old Lady Ruan standing at the courtyard gate from afar and broke into a run:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Ruan, it’s freezing outside—just wait inside for me. If you catch a chill, I’d never forgive myself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, I just got here myself. Standing outside lets me catch some air. Come on, let’s go in together.” The old lady smiled and led Wu Yuchen into the Film Channel’s office building, which was modest—only six or seven stories tall, nestled in a small courtyard, unremarkable in appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the door of an office, the door stood open. Old Lady Ruan tapped lightly. The middle-aged man behind the desk looked up, immediately rose, and greeted them with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Teacher Ruan! You’re here so early—I hadn’t even arranged for someone to meet you downstairs!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nonsense, no need to bother. I’m in great shape. Besides, I’ve retired—don’t use my old title anymore.” The old lady waved her hand with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve called you that for so long, I can’t change now!” the middle-aged man laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the old lady introduced him: “This is Xiao Wu, the one I told you about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to Wu Yuchen: “This is Director Gu, from our Film Channel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gu, nice to meet you!” Wu Yuchen immediately bowed and greeted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu nodded, smiling: “Hello, Xiao Wu. I watched your ‘Car 44.’ It showed real vision—your framing, color palette, everything was excellent. Young man, you’ve got a future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen quickly replied: “I’m not worthy, not worthy! I still need much more practice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu laughed heartily, then gestured for them to sit. He had tea brought for both Old Lady Ruan and Wu Yuchen, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Wu, we’re allocating two million yuan to fund films this time—partly to expand our content library, partly to support the development of domestic cinema.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You clearly have potential. But I need to ask: if you were to make a feature-length film, would you still stick to themes like your previous one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen kept smiling as he explained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gu, ‘Car 44’ was experimental. If I were to make a full-length film, I definitely wouldn’t touch that kind of subject again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he pulled out the three screenplays he had prepared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gu, I’ve already prepared three screenplays. If you don’t mind the trouble, please take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Director Gu and Old Lady Ruan looked surprised. He turned to her and smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were right when you said he was talented—he’s already produced three screenplays!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, he said he had preparations—I thought he meant one film. I didn’t expect three!” Old Lady Ruan replied, equally astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu glanced at the numbers written on the three covers and asked: “What do these numbers—100, 50, 15—mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re my estimated budgets: one million, five hundred thousand, and one hundred fifty thousand yuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow! You’ve really thought this through!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Director Gu developed significantly more goodwill toward Wu Yuchen—his dedication and work ethic were unquestionable, far surpassing others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu picked up the one-million-yuan screenplay; the cover bore a title: “Donkey Gets Water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Donkey Gets Water” was essentially filmed in theatrical style, with all scenes confined to a single courtyard. Wu Yuchen estimated that, given actor salaries in 1995 were still low, it could be made for as little as eight hundred thousand yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the thickest of the three screenplays—a dark comedy, absurd and satirical, revealing the full spectrum of human nature, rich with irony. Artistically, the story was flawless; if well-made, it could win awards at festivals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Ruan picked up the one-hundred-fifty-thousand-yuan screenplay: “The Night the Comet Came.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Director Gu and the old lady read carefully. After a while, she put down her screenplay, rubbed her temples, and asked: “Xiao Wu, I don’t quite understand this one you wrote.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Night the Comet Came” was notoriously mind-bending, and in 1995, audiences had never encountered such sci-fi concepts or theories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen explained to her what parallel universes were, what Schrödinger’s cat and the box theory meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening for a long while, she vaguely began to grasp it, then sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is too new! Maybe I’m just old, never exposed to anything like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Teacher Ruan, you’re still young—it’s probably just that my screenplay wasn’t clear enough,” Wu Yuchen comforted her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He included “The Night the Comet Came” precisely because it was so novel. In 2013, the film won only minor awards, but if released now, it would cause a sensation at sci-fi film festivals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Director Gu finished reading “Donkey Gets Water” and murmured:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A brilliant script! Laughter, anger, mockery—the absurd comedy hides deep sorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen’s heart lifted with joy; Old Lady Ruan’s expression turned curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu handed “Donkey Gets Water” to the old lady: “You should read this too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he picked up “The Night the Comet Came,” which she had set down. He had overheard Wu Yuchen’s earlier explanations about parallel universes, so he read it much faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he finished, he gave Wu Yuchen a thumbs-up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Wu, I really admire your mind!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But as Teacher Ruan mentioned, it’s too new—audiences won’t understand it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen sighed inwardly—he knew “The Night the Comet Came” was rejected. But thinking from their perspective, the Film Channel naturally wanted films the general public could understand, not flashy sci-fi gimmicks for show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Old Lady Ruan still deeply absorbed in “Donkey Gets Water,” he didn’t disturb her and picked up the next screenplay, marked 500,000 yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the cover: the title read, “The Two of Us.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1061,"2026-06-20T16:09:29.273Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c0eb7d860a6c59c232edf321ad5b3e1c0ee62310c6cf570547891ffca76d5734","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-55","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-53",335,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-cover.jpg"]