[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-that-year-in-huayu":3,"chapter-that-year-in-huayu-that-year-in-huayu-chapter-112":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","That Year in 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},2286948,4473,"Chapter 112: A Simple Noodle Story","that-year-in-huayu-chapter-112",112,"\u003Cp>Lin Nan is currently stepping up the filming of the latter half of *The Thieves*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the set, *The Treasure Hunter* and *The Storm Warriors* were released on the same day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opening day box office for both films was just over 10 million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The financial outlook is worrying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the next day is *A Simple Noodle Story*, and there will be two more major imported blockbusters this month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yimou's films are the focus of the entire industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the day of its release, it easily took in 21 million at the box office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the next day on, the preceding *The Treasure Hunter* and *The Storm Warriors* were directly relegated to being mere foils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking advantage of the break, many people from the crew went to watch *A Simple Noodle Story*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn't discuss it much after returning, but almost everyone posted congratulatory messages on Weibo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over 100 million in box office in 4 days!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the audience's respect for the chief director of the Olympic opening ceremony; even CCTV News reported this brief update.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large number of complaints and negative reviews appeared online.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, a considerable number of media outlets and audience members stood on the same side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This film is purely that 'noisy' folk style of the Zhao troupe; it feels like the whole production is completely out of Zhang Yimou's control.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is just a stretched-out sketch, with a strong flavor of Errenzhuan...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unprofessional, cheeky acting, jumpy narrative techniques, and a completely terrible and disjointed plot!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What on earth is Zhang Yimou doing? He's swindling money...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A budget of 28 million; sure enough, cheap things are never good...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is evident that Zhang Yimou has been thoroughly coerced this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bad films by big directors often follow a pattern: the more they are criticized, the more popular they become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*A Simple Noodle Story* is just like *The Promise* of yesterday; the box office climbs steadily amidst the cursing...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Zhang, where exactly did this film go wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several cast members came to consult Lin Nan, and he said a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The producer severely interfered with the director's creative process. I heard the script and actors originally decided upon were completely different from what we see now; there was a massive overhaul right before filming...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of the overwhelming mockery from the outside world, Lin Nan felt that Zhang Yimou would probably reflect deeply on his partnership with Zhang Weiping this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, prepare for the next scene; try to get it in one take.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood, Director Lin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As filming nears its end, major actors have been finishing their roles one after another, such as Zhang Yi and Wu Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of these men are the type to get familiar quickly, especially Wu Jing, who specifically came over to chat with Lin Nan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wants to transition into directing, exactly the same idea Xu Zheng had back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All these years in Hong Kong, I've almost always walked the path of a supporting actor. There have been many who have helped me, but the lead role never falls to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wu Jing said this, there was some helplessness; he must have seen the reality of the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then how do you plan to map out your future?\" Lin Nan asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll shift my focus back to the mainland and take a few years to ease into it. After all, I'm poor right now and don't have a girlfriend, haha...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Nan was amused; he is a free-spirited person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, if there are any suitable roles in the future, I will consider you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Wu Jing was visibly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I must thank Director Lin; I'll remember that...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more intense the box office for *A Simple Noodle Story*, the louder the criticism; it has become a tide of negative reviews.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the gaudy costumes and makeup, and the vulgar, abrupt lines, which netizens described as \"eye-searing\" and \"disgusting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over 100 million in 4 days, 200 million in 8 days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When accepting a media interview, Zhang Weiping excitedly made a prediction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hitting 300 million in two weeks, 400 million in three weeks; after a month, it will definitely be a new box office record...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result was not what Zhang Weiping predicted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the box office of *A Simple Noodle Story* reached 200 million, it was cut in half, then cut in half again, and the daily growth plummeted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the producer, Zhang Weiping did not consider the problems with the film itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blamed the cause on the two imported blockbusters released at the time, *2012* and *District 9*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Weiping first bombarded the issue of screen allocation, and then launched a blanket attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"China Film Group's monopoly,\" \"abuse of power,\" \"suppressing dissent,\" \"the Huabiao Awards are a mess,\" \"personality cult\"...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sanping came to visit the set of *The Thieves*, and Lin Nan jokingly brought this up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don't say, the nickname Zhang Weiping gave is quite imposing: 'Mount Weihu's Vulture'!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sanping looked disdainful when he thought of Zhang Weiping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Interfering blindly himself, suffering the backlash of public opinion, and then blaming China Film Group's screen allocation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shifts the blame well, but wait until the day he no longer has Zhang Yimou...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Nan also admired Zhang Weiping; the imported films were scheduled in the first half of the year, and he could still drag them into this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nickname \"Mount Weihu's Vulture\" had thoroughly offended Han Sanping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crew members, seeing that Lin Nan and the others were discussing this topic, found it hard to interject, so they offered a greeting and didn't disturb them further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Sanping walked around the set and nodded as he looked at Lin Nan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone says you're learning from Hollywood this time, and it really looks the part. About how much longer until you wrap up?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"About a week. However, the post-production and special effects for this film will likely take some time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Nan replied. He estimated that the release of *The Thieves* would have to wait until at least the second half of next year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The filming of *The Thieves* has entered the final stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenes are mainly concentrated on Zhang Hanyu, Liu Dehua, Fan Bingbing, Yan Danchen, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final climax is Zhang Hanyu's action sequence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dedicated actor always commands respect; he refused a stunt double.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long sequence of chase and fight scenes, smooth and flowing, actually only took one day to finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cut.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can rest now; the final action scenes for this film are finished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone understood what Lin Nan meant; this meant the film was only a few days away from wrapping up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike *The Thieves*, which does not allow media to visit the set, Lu Yang's *Brotherhood of Blades* crew is much more open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From time to time, photos appear online, and there is constant news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Wang Jiawei's *The Grandmaster* has high-profilely started filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, at the press conference, the person asked the most questions was Zhang Ziyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter is also having a run of bad luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, she was asked why she was dumped, then questioned about losing all her Hollywood resources, forcing her to return to the country in disgrace, and finally, the \"ink-splashing\" scandal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout the entire press conference, Zhang Ziyi kept a dark face, barely holding on until the end, and the other main creators didn't look good either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many media outlets compared *Ip Man* and *The Grandmaster*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Motion Pictures' spokesperson was very professional and took the opportunity to do some promotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The former is a pure commercial film, but it is also full of patriotic sentiment. As for the latter, I am not very familiar with it, so I will not comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, *Ip Man 2* is about to complete post-production, and it is highly likely to be scheduled for the first half of next year...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*The Thieves* crew, the last few shots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Bingbing is in a swimsuit, chatting insincerely with Yan Danchen by the hotel's outdoor pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One is graceful and charming, the other quiet and elegant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sub-shot, the disguised Zhang Hanyu becomes the final winner...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cut.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I announce that *The Thieves* has officially wrapped.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The benefits of dual-track filming are reflected in the efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Nan feels that he can film like this in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the story, the final winners are the two characters played by Zhang Hanyu and Yan Danchen; the others are either dead or captured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Lin, will there be a second part to this ending?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Dehua asked with a smile, and the others pricked up their ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Nan shook his head, \"Perhaps. I left a foreshadowing; maybe one day when I think of it, there might be a sequel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he wrote the script, he did indeed leave this foreshadowing in the ending. But he might not necessarily direct the sequel himself; perhaps he will give it to someone else in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha, of course we hope there will be a sequel, if Director Lin can manage the time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Bingbing, Yan Danchen, and others joked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since those who had finished filming earlier had already left the crew, Lin Nan did not plan to hold a wrap party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a hug, everyone considered their month-long life with the crew at an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This film is about the story of a thief, but in real life, I hope none of us do anything illegal...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Lin Nan finished speaking, he heard Yan Danchen say with a smile: \"Director Lin is even offering mutual encouragement; he is truly a great director, haha...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Dehua, Fan Bingbing, and the rest of the crew also started laughing, appearing to agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Nan saw it all, only hoping that these people would take it to heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the film had wrapped, Lin Nan was no longer resistant to the media.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sina was guaranteed to get the first-hand information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"《Thieves》 wraps today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hollywood production model, the filming efficiency is evident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Lin Nan, filming concluded successfully.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously on set, reporters could not see Lin Nan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that it had wrapped, the media blocked him to ask for his opinion on 《A Simple Noodle Story》.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reputation of 《A Simple Noodle Story》 had hit rock bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just one year, Zhang Yimou had been dragged down from his pedestal, feeling as if he were being condemned by everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the veteran director was also holding back his anger, saying during an interview, \"Go ahead and curse, you won't be able to bring me down...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This only further incited public outrage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Lin, what is your take on the one-sided negative reviews for 《A Simple Noodle Story》?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhang Weiping accused Han Dong of being the Vulture...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barrage of questions was thrown at him all at once, and Lin Nan felt a bit dizzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Filming was too rushed, I haven't had a chance to watch that movie yet...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he answered one question today, Lin Nan reckoned he wouldn't be able to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After getting in the car, he heard Jiang Xuerou mention the box office for that film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It broke 200 million in eight days, and now that nearly ten more days have passed, the box office hasn't even climbed to 250 million. To what extent must word-of-mouth backfire to cause this kind of box office trend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Lin, 《Peacock Feather》 has also wrapped...\" Jiang Xuerou suddenly said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Lin Nan remember this TV series, which he had bought in a package deal back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let's do the post-production; we can use video website channels and retain the copyright...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xuerou actually wanted to talk about those actors signed to Zhouyi, but Lin Nan was not prepared to take the bait; he would not renew those people's contracts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, Jiang Xuerou understood Lin Nan's meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After resting for two days, Liu Yifei called to urge him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you left yet? When will you arrive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tomorrow, you'll be able to see me tomorrow morning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't lie to me, I'm going to wake up early tomorrow!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2031,"2026-06-20T03:22:09.099Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","103cfebea8ca5cc1eaf1b280f6cceb6814ec863dca654456510d3dbc47b035b2","that-year-in-huayu-chapter-113","that-year-in-huayu-chapter-111",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-in-huayu-cover.jpg"]