Chapter 1127: The Crying Old Baby; The National Day Box Office Period Begins!

"No wonder when you went to Director Zhang's film studio at the beginning of the month, you were dressed up in full gear — turns out it was to hide your belly!"

"Since she was already over five months pregnant back then, what's the point of fighting for resources, fighting for roles?"

"Didn't the paparazzi say her due date is around the end of the year? She's probably planning to slip right into a new production right after giving birth, right?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, worthy of being a first-generation leading lady who came out of the millennium — she's truly ruthless on herself!"

"This is the first one willing to have a second child for Wang Half-Wall, just don't know if there'll be a third…"

Lin Nan didn't get out of bed until the sun was high in the sky, only because he had gotten up several times in the night and early morning to attend to Miss Liu's bathroom trips, so neither of them had slept well.

And during those few hours in the morning when the two of them were sleeping in, the industry and the internet were already in an uproar.

First, the news of "Hi, Mom" and "Si Teng" starting filming with great fanfare hit the trending searches one after another;

closely followed by Zhang Zhang Ziyi's gossip surging past them, overshadowing these two productions and dominating the entertainment headlines across the entire internet.

The reason was that when International Zhang went for a prenatal checkup, she was exposed, and she immediately publicly acknowledged her second pregnancy.

So of course the entertainment gossip online was in an uproar. As many netizens joked, and even haters mocked:

"After giving birth to her first child, International Zhang was never able to make a comeback in the film industry. She's probably thinking, since she's idle anyway, she might as well hurry up and have a second child. After the second one, she'll try to make a comeback again… Worst case, just keep cycling — if the comeback fails, have another child, then try again…"

"Theoretically speaking, the role of a mother often tempers an actress's aggressive temperament, making her more reserved and gentle.

Although after having her first child, she didn't change much compared to before, who can be sure that after her second child, she won't be influenced by her two children and pull in her edge, becoming more approachable? After all, the radiance of motherhood is very powerful."

"Mm, seems to make sense. Marriage and childbirth can both make a person grow and mature a lot." Liu Liu Yifei nodded, quite agreeing with her own big director's words.

Lin Nan didn't continue discussing Zhang Zhang Ziyi's gossip with Liu Liu Yifei. The two of them began talking about the schedule for the next three days.

"The premieres of these three films, I definitely can't avoid. As for you, you can only stay home.

Or you can have Changchang come over to keep you company? If you're really craving something, you two can go out for hot pot, but you must bring at least four assistants."

"Mm-hmm, bring Mama along too…" Hearing Lin Nan's words, Liu Liu Yifei's eyes instantly lit up — she'd been dying to get out for some fresh air lately.

……

"Han Dong, I've never seen such a shameless person as Ren Dong! Him? And he's the top man at Shanghai Film?" Chairman Fu raged at his old leader.

He was well aware that Han and Ren had been old rivals and old friends for many years, and he was well aware that today's words would certainly be passed from Han Han Sanping's mouth to Ren Ren Zhonglun, but this was exactly the result he wanted.

At this moment, Third Master Han also wore an expression between tears and laughter.

He had just heard from Fu Ruoqing what Chairman Ren Da had done at the bureau, and in his heart he couldn't help but curse the latter as utterly shameless and brazen.

Of course, he'd rather give Ren Ren Zhonglun a thumbs-up, if the man were standing in front of him right now.

"Compared to him, you really are still young." Han Han Sanping said with a smile, soothing him — all he could do was soothe him.

"Han Dong, you don't need to beat around the bush. I admit I really can't outplay Ren Dong, that old fox.

But who could have expected that a veteran who has led Shanghai Film for nearly twenty years would do something so shameless? He actually went to the bureau to 'cry'?"

Chairman Fu's righteous indignation was completely beyond his control, even verging on desperate frustration.

Because in his thinking, Huaying had made "My People, My Country," this tribute film, so well, and the leaders at the advance screening were all satisfied, so naturally that hundredth-anniversary tribute film should have been Huaying's to win — in fact, no one but Huaying.

But now some people don't play by the rules, they pull out 'crooked tricks,' they don't even care about their face anymore!

Hearing these words of losing composure, Third Master Han was working hard to suppress his laughter, he didn't even know what to say.

He did successfully maintain his silence, but he had overlooked that there was still an "odd one" at home.

He heard piercing laughter from the study door, as if about to laugh himself to death.

In an instant, Third Master Han's expression changed, and Chairman Fu felt even more unable to save face. Only then did the two of them realize that Han Jianü was still at home.

"Uncle Fu, don't you know an old saying?" Han Jianü pushed the door open, laughing heartily.

"What saying?"

Third Master Han had wanted to interrupt, but it was too late, because Chairman Fu had already taken the bait.

At this moment, Han Jianü completely ignored her own father's warning gaze, and laughed boldly:

"As the old saying goes, the child who cries gets milk to eat, and what's more, my Uncle Ren is a crying old baby, hahaha…"

"You — now, immediately, at once, get out of here!" Third Master Han's face darkened as he pointed at the door and rebuked Han Jianü.

"Got it, my bad, you two chat, I'm out of here, hehe…" Little Han, with a mischievous grin, instantly hunched over and slipped out of the study at top speed.

Now looking at the two of them in the study, one wore a helpless smile, the other was still caught between embarrassment and vexation.

"Actually, Jianü wasn't wrong; her words may be rough, but the reasoning behind them is sound." Third Master Han ultimately stepped in to smooth things over for his own rash little darling.

And at this point, after Han Jianü's interruption, Chairman Fu also voluntarily reined in his emotions a bit and asked somewhat reluctantly:

"Han Dong, in your view, will Ren Dong succeed this time? Huaying has clearly produced a successful tribute film like 'My People, My Country'…"

"I can't say Shanghai Film will definitely succeed, but his probability of success is really, really high…

You know it well. His nearly twenty years of diligent work really did turn Shanghai Film, which was dirt-poor back then, into a state-owned enterprise in the film and television industry that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with China Film, and is the only one in the country to have fully succeeded in marketization!

To be fair, when it comes to contributions to the industry's development, he actually isn't less than me, it's just that he and I are focused in different directions."

The study fell silent again. Third Master Han looked with some sympathy at the man in front of him, who was a full ten years younger than Old Ren — the latter clearly could also hear the meaning behind his words.

"Ren Dong really is formidable, and indeed he's about to retire. To think he could bring himself to throw away his face, taking all his years of merit, hard work, and contributions to trade with the leaders for a final favor and a tribute film — an old man crying and playing the seniority card! But isn't this a bit too unfair to the other state-owned enterprises?"

"Only you would think that way right now, because originally the one with the greatest hope was Huaying, but now there's been a change." Han Han Sanping shook his head.

"Han Dong, I won't give up… I just took on the concurrent role of general manager, both China Film and Huaying need this tribute film."

……

On the 25th, at the premiere of "My People, My Country," a host of production giants, together with the director team led by Director Chen, called out the goal of aiming for 5 billion at the box office amid laughter and joy.

On the 26th, at the premiere of Shanghai Film's "The Climber," Chairman Ren Da took the stage in force with a lineup including Xu Ke, Li Li Rengang, Wu Jing, Zhang Yi, Zhang Zhang Ziyi, Hu Ge, and others; in terms of presence, it was clearly three points weaker than "My People, My Country," but the slogan of 3 billion was no less resounding.

No one in the industry expected that, among the three main-melody blockbusters of the National Day box office period, it was actually "The Captain" — which held its premiere on the 27th — that was the most modest;

because when the media asked about box office expectations, Lin Nan actively dodged the question, while Li Yang, amid chuckles, only gave an answer of 1 billion.

On the 28th, the mainland film market completely entered a state of explosive agitation.

Apart from the three main-melody blockbusters, there was virtually no information about any other film to be seen online;

Without a doubt, this also meant that the other films in the same release window would most likely be abandoned by the theater chains and the market, or even treated outright as cannon fodder.

On the morning of the 29th, Li Yang brought gifts and made a special trip to Lin Nan's home.

Though he said with his mouth that he was just dropping by, in reality he had come to say goodbye. After this National Day window wrapped up, he would completely "retire" and never direct again.

After all, he had originally planned to step away from filmmaking after Blind Way; it was Lin Nan who had forcibly pulled him back in, which gave birth to the unit-director roles on The Captain and My People, My Country…

Now, his directing career could be considered complete—very complete indeed.

Because barring any surprises, these mainstream commercial films would surely give him a very nice, very pretty box-office record.

"Liu Qianqian, every time I see Li Dao, I can't help feeling moved. There may be plenty of pure filmmakers in the industry, but he's the one I admire most.

You know, if Blind Mountain had been sent to Berlin back then, it could at least have earned him a Silver Bear for Best Director, but he turned it down without a second thought!"

Near noon, Lin Nan supported Liu Liu Yifei as the two of them together saw Li Yang out of the estate.

He had originally wanted to keep him for lunch, but Li Yang firmly declined, giving the impression that he was afraid Lin Nan would once again draft him and drag him off to help direct a new film.

"I get it, Li Dao is your mentor. Oh—Director Ning is calling!" Liu Liu Yifei said with a smile, quickly reminding him.

"It's got to be about the Golden Rooster and Golden Horse again, after all the nomination lists are being announced the morning after tomorrow!"

……

On the morning of the last day of September, Director Lin Da and Producer Liu were, as usual, sleeping in late.

Meanwhile, the three mainstream blockbusters My People, My Country, The Climbers, and The Captain had already led a slew of same-window films to officially land in theaters nationwide.

At the same time, these three films were also sent trending by their peers in the entire film industry with snide remarks;

especially the production companies behind the other National Day films, who were angrier than the next; so much so that large numbers of production companies banded together and rushed to the Film Bureau… After all, if they didn't go file complaints today, starting tomorrow the bureau's leaders would be on holiday.

"This time the theater chains really did go too far."

"Wanda was the most ruthless—they took the lead and gave all their screening resources to these three mainstream films. Under their theaters, no other films are being shown!"

"Sigh, what's the point of coming to the bureau with this? Can I force the theater chains to free up screenings for the other films? Send them away, just say I'm not in."

Listening to the reports from the few people in front of him, the leader felt a headache coming on; and then taking another look at today's screening data for the film market—well, his teeth started aching too.

My People, My Country had a combined screening rate of 34.1%, and The Climbers also had a combined screening rate of 34.1%;

The Captain's combined screening rate was relatively a bit lower, but still 30.8%.

Look at that—these three mainstream commercial films together took a full 99% of the market's screening resources; it would be strange if the dozen-plus other films releasing in the same window didn't revolt!

……