Chapter 596

That Year in Chinese Entertainment: Chapter 742 - After Marriage, What Should You Be Busy With? You Know? There were only eight days left until the official opening of the Berlin International Film Festival.

Many mainland production companies, distribution companies, and film crews had already begun preparing for their itineraries.

Those selling copyrights, those buying copyrights, and the filmmakers and celebrity actors attending various related film festival activities were too numerous to count.

But among so many people, the ones the film circle valued most were Lin Nan and Jiang Wen.

Because they were the only two Chinese film directors at this year's Berlin International Film Festival with a chance to compete for the Golden Bear for Best Film.

It must be said that the Berlin nomination allowed Jiang Wen, who had suffered a double blow to both reputation and box office from *Gone with the Bullets*, to "come back to life."

This guy even had the leisure to "send word" to Lin Nan online:

"See you in Berlin. Let me, your big brother, take a good look at what your *Manchester by the Sea* is really made of."

Alright then, Director Lin couldn't be a coward, could he?

He decisively replied: "Should be a bit stronger than *Gone with the Bullets*, right?"

Well, after this joke was tagged, before Jiang Wen could react, the internet became lively first.

The voices criticizing *Gone with the Bullets* were not soft; Director Jiang was helpless and had no choice but to fold his flags and keep silent.

A moment later, he sent Lin Nan a text message saying the *Gone with the Bullets* crew was preparing to depart for Berlin early in the next two days.

And at the same time Lin Nan saw the text, he also received a call from La Peikang.

After serving as Chairman of China Film Group for a full year, La Peikang decided to lead the team himself to the Berlin International Film Festival to purchase foreign films. Just like Han Sanping back in the day, he was doing it himself!

"Chairman La, Yifei and I are departing on the 2nd. We probably won't be able to go together; there are so many people."

"Do you think I called to talk to you about that? What did you do to that group of board members? When I went to the Bureau today, I saw others talking about you!"

"Me?"

Lin Nan paused, and instantly realized what was happening.

"Oh, I remember now. They ran to the company to block me, and I had my assistant tell them I wasn't in. That's all, nothing else."

"They knew you were there?"

"Should... know, I guess. Yeah, they knew!"

"Hehe, no wonder they were jumping mad. So they were ignored..."

After La Peikang finished speaking, his tone softened after two seconds: "Lin Nan, when the time comes... forget it, let's talk about it at the end of February."

Until La Peikang hung up, Lin Nan still felt baffled. "What is it, just 'talk at the end of February'? Did those old guys go and badmouth me?"

China Film Group.

After La Peikang put down his phone, he called his secretary in.

"We are departing early, arriving before the opening ceremony. Tell those below, if that group from the association comes looking again, just say I'm not in."

"Understood, Chairman La."

Watching the secretary leave the office, La Peikang muttered:

"You have a 'dead mission,' but China Film Group does not. It's better to handle your own problems yourself. If you can solve them first, that would be best...

Chairman Han, why don't you forget about this worst-case strategy of yours? The consequences are unpredictable, and Lin Nan's temper might... why not try my method instead?"

…………

Liu Xiaoli, who had been "on vacation" in her hometown for several months, had finally returned.

Liu Yifei drove her mother's BMW early in the morning and ran to the airport an hour ahead of schedule.

But before she even picked anyone up, Lin Nan saw news about Miss Liu on the trending list, and it even included him.

"Liu Yifei appears at the airport to pick up her mother. Director Lin Nan did not follow..."

"With the Berlin International Film Festival opening soon, Liu Yifei will accompany Director Lin Nan to... Liu Xiaoli arrived in Beijing today and will prepare for New Year's Eve, waiting for the two to return..."

The photo accompanying the news was of Liu Yifei sitting in the driver's seat, wearing wine-red sunglasses with her long hair draped down, looking out through the half-open window.

I have to say, this shot was captured quite well!

After admiring it for a while, Lin Nan picked up his phone and made a call.

The last time he saw Old Man Lin was 5 months ago, when he and Liu Yifei got engaged.

And now, New Year's Eve was not far off, with only about twenty days left...

Only five seconds after the call went through, the other side picked up.

"Oh my, you're calling quite early this year? Are you and Xixi coming back or what?"

Old Man Lin's full-voiced, energetic tone came through the phone.

I don't know when it started, but he had been trying hard to speak "Mandarin." It seemed like it had been a long time, but it was hard to get fully used to it.

Lin Nan could hear a hint of expectation in his father's tone.

"Dad, the 18th of next month is New Year's Eve. But I have to attend a film festival in Germany with Xixi, and it won't end until the 15th. Maybe we can even win an award. After that, there might be film copyright sales to deal with, so I'm not sure if we can come back."

"What? You mean you two might have to spend the New Year in a foreign country?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Lin Nan replied, only to hear a subconscious sigh from the other end of the phone.

"Alright then, you two be careful out there. When you two get married this year, I'll come over. Also, you're not young anymore; after marriage, what should you be busy with? You know?"

Lin Nan's nose had just felt a bit sore, feeling he owed Old Man Lin a lot, but hearing the "urge to reproduce," he couldn't help but laugh.

"I know, I know everything. Hahaha..."

"What are you laughing at? This is a major life event! I saw on the news that some other celebrity got their marriage certificate a few days ago, you hurry up..."

Lin Nan laughed while listening. What could he say? To get that certificate, he had already paid out tens of millions of dollars!

"Yeah, soon, soon."

"Soon my foot..."

After the twenty-minute call, Lin Nan originally thought he would feel very sentimental, full of his father's old-age melancholy, but it turned out not to be the case—the more they talked, the more "interesting" it got!

But fortunately, as long as Old Man Lin could still energetically retort, that was a good thing; it proved his health was good!

……

Lin Nan ate a fruit platter while scrolling through the news.

Near 11 o'clock at noon, the sound of a car horn rang out from a hundred meters away, startling him.

Lin Nan knew Liu Yifei and Liu Xiaoli were back and must have just driven into the villa next door. After putting on his shoes, he headed straight over.

A group of cats and dogs hadn't seen Liu Xiaoli for a long time either and were circling her.

Tails wagging, meowing, the scene was very warm and harmonious.

"Mom."

"Sigh. Lin Nan, I bought groceries when I came back. You and Xixi wait in the house; we can eat in a little while."

Liu Xiaoli smiled and instructed, then pulled two plastic bags out of the trunk—it was the groceries she had bought.

Lin Nan hurried up to take them, and Liu Xiaoli didn't stand on ceremony.

Liu Yifei, on the other hand, stood by, watching with a grin. "I'll just wait to eat."

"I'd better help; it'll be faster that way," Lin Nan arranged.

"Xixi, you come too. If you can't cook, you can at least pick the vegetables. How old are you? What will you do when you have children?"

As soon as Liu Xiaoli spoke, she pulled her own daughter along.

"Didn't you say I should wait to eat?" Liu Yifei muttered.

"I changed my mind; I have to teach you."

"There's the nanny... and you, Mom... and Lin Nan... I really can't learn it. It's not like I haven't tried; I'm just clumsy..."

Liu Yifei continued to be stubborn, her emotional intelligence rapidly declining at this moment.

Seeing things were going south, Lin Nan carried the plastic bags and walked quickly into the villa. If he stayed any longer, he might see Liu Yifei being "taught a lesson."

And the final result would be Miss Liu making him share the misery!

…………