[{"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-55":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},2321044,4540,"Chapter 55: Advice and Caution","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-55",55,"\u003Cp>The core of “The Two of Us” is similar to films like “The Mountain, the Man, and the Dog,” telling a touching story between an elderly widow living alone in a sihe academy and a young female tenant studying in Jingcheng—an unlikely bond between old and young. It won the Best Actress award at the Tokyo Film Festival, the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress, and Best Director at the Golden Rooster Awards, was invited for screening at the Berlin Film Festival, and received a nomination for Audience’s Favorite Film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Films of this genre face no censorship issues whatsoever—if you shoot it well, it will resonate with audiences anywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original film’s production cost was two million, but do you know how long it took to shoot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took three years, during which the SARS outbreak occurred, and the actress playing the elderly woman fell and was hospitalized, delaying production by half a year—this drove the cost up significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, 90% of the film takes place entirely within a small, dilapidated sihe academy—it requires no complex sets at all, and Wu Yuchen is fully confident he can shoot it for under 500,000.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The script for “The Two of Us” is not complex—it’s the simplest of the three scripts and the easiest to understand. Director Gu quickly finished reading it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Old Lady Ruan had just finished reading “Donkey Gets Water.” She sighed first, then murmured twice, “Truly good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu then handed the script for “The Two of Us” to Old Lady Ruan and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Lady Ruan, would you mind reading this one first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Ruan shook her head and declined: “I’m old, my mind can’t keep up anymore. You decide here—don’t worry about me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu nodded, then turned to Wu Yuchen and remarked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Wu, after watching ‘Car 44,’ I already thought you were extraordinary—but I never imagined you were this talented!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held up the three scripts:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All three of your scripts are truly excellent! Personally, I think your ‘Donkey Gets Water’ is written brilliantly—I love it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen didn’t feel joy at this—he silently cursed. These kinds of compliments always come with a twist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, Director Gu’s next words were: “But your script contains too many political metaphors—and the satire is far too heavy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who has seen “Donkey Gets Water” knows: the Three People’s Elementary School, Principal Sun, the ambition to reform the countryside—aren’t these blatant hints? “Donkey Gets Water” is, from start to finish, a sharp satire of the political climate of that era, with every character’s role and identity carrying symbolic meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen quickly defended himself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gu, my setting is the Republican era, and the satire targets the then-existing Tongmenghui—surely this doesn’t touch our current red lines?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This aspect cannot be changed—it’s precisely the greatest charm and artistic depth of “Donkey Gets Water.” Alter it, and it becomes ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Old Lady Ruan spoke: “Little Wu, if you shoot this film next year, think about what year follows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen realized: if it’s shot in 1996, then 1997 is the year Hong Kong returns. Hong Kong’s return is also a demonstration and proof from above to Wanwan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen now understood: Wanwan is still governed by the Tongmenghui—releasing “Donkey Gets Water” at this moment to satirize their ancestors…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Ruan and Director Gu’s sensitivity far surpassed Wu Yuchen’s—they instantly grasped the implications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen sighed inwardly: indeed, any film or cultural creation is inevitably shaped by the political climate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu added: “Your ‘Donkey Gets Water’ isn’t necessarily unshootable—but our film channel isn’t suitable to invest in this kind of film right now. Do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen nodded. If someone high up becomes displeased after broadcast, who bears responsibility?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed the “Donkey Gets Water” project would be shelved for the foreseeable future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Director Gu picked up the script for “The Two of Us” from the three: “This one is excellent—simple story, no risk of audience confusion, warm and sincere emotion, and carries educational value, urging us to pay attention to the issue of elderly widows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen nodded enthusiastically in agreement, thinking: Director Gu, true to his institutional nature, chose the safest and most orthodox of the three—“The Two of Us.” But he was prepared: “The Two of Us” wasn’t bad either—as long as they funded it, he was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wu Yuchen cautiously asked: “Director Gu, when might…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu smiled: “This can’t be rushed. Deciding on film investment isn’t up to me alone. I still need to show your script to others, hold a meeting, and make a final decision—I can’t guarantee anything yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood, thank you for your trouble, Director Gu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No trouble at all. Seeing your three scripts today has been a real feast for my eyes! Little Wu, cherish your talent—if you don’t stubbornly defy the system, your future is bright!” Director Gu encouraged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still need to grow—I can’t do it without the care and guidance of Teacher Ruan and Director Gu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen spoke politely, but understood that Director Gu’s words carried a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After stepping out of the film channel’s office building, Old Lady Ruan pulled Wu Yuchen aside and said seriously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Wu, your ‘Donkey Gets Water’ is truly excellent! Ever since ‘Car 44,’ I could see you excel at satire—this script is even stronger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know you’re talented, and I know artists crave creative freedom—but the reality is clear: film, as a medium of cultural transmission, can be either trivial or monumental, and must be strictly controlled. Don’t go against the tide. Look at Teacher Tian from Jingying—what a tragedy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Ruan’s concern was far more direct than Director Gu’s. The “Teacher Tian” she meant was Tian Zhuangzhuang from Jingying, banned from directing for ten years after his 1992 film “Blue Kite”—a severe punishment indeed. A director’s most mature, peak decade—gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen felt the sincerity in Old Lady Ruan’s words and held her hand earnestly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Ruan, rest assured—I have my limits. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought three scripts today. I won’t touch ‘Donkey Gets Water’ until it’s safe to shoot. Thank you for your concern!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Ruan smiled and nodded—she didn’t want such a talented young man to truly go down the wrong path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen thought: “Donkey Gets Water” could wait a year or two—until next year, when that dog-hui is re-elected, and more extreme independent statements emerge in the following years, the authorities will eventually become thoroughly disillusioned—and then “Donkey Gets Water” can proceed without any worries.\u003C\u002Fp>",1094,"2026-06-20T16:09:29.273Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","aeb5429f3328d91c62f340a0369c4201b1a00c5d1a385471c2a38735fb7050d2","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-56","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-54",335,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-cover.jpg"]