[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr":3,"chapter-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-379":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Academic Director: Reborn in the Film Industry",{"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},2297379,4493,"Chapter 379: The Heartless One","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-379",379,"\u003Cp>The filming of the Hong Kong scenes finished ahead of schedule, but Cheng Long did not stay in Hong Kong; instead, he returned to the mainland with the crew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Cheng Long’s team and family quite anxious, as they had already found the best psychological counselor in Hong Kong for him, fearing that he might truly be suffering from depression or other issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Cheng Long’s family and team, his health was their greatest concern; his well-being was not just a matter for him alone, but affected a large group of people who relied on him to earn a living.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even his wife came in person to persuade him to stay in Hong Kong for a few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To this, Cheng Long responded with cold indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he did offer his wife one explanation: \"I'm fine. The Golden Rooster Awards are being held soon, and as a presenter, I still have to go for rehearsals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, he ignored her, but just before she left, as if remembering something, he cautioned: \"I’ve already canceled my credit cards. If he comes to you for money, don't give it to him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His wife felt both angry and worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that it wasn't just her husband who had a problem; otherwise, he wouldn't have acted this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, a small comfort was that Cheng Long was still capable of taking such actions, which proved he could still think independently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't like what the media said—that he had become so immersed in his role that he couldn't distinguish reality from the film's plot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope he's okay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could only pray silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no helping it; Cheng Long was used to being dominant at home, and she couldn't influence his decisions at all, so she could only instruct his assistant to take good care of him and call immediately if anything happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving in Jingcheng with the crew, Cheng Long did not fly directly to Gusu, the host city of the Golden Rooster Awards, but planned to go with Cao Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His current state was rather peculiar; if one said he was deeply immersed in his role, he could still distinguish reality and keep a clear head when not filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one said he was only shallowly immersed, he seemed like a completely different person from the old Cheng Long—silent, humorless, and even reluctant to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would just sit there very quietly, not knowing what he was thinking, like an outsider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was initially unaware of the widespread reports about his \"immersion\" stirred up by the Hong Kong media; he didn't go online or read newspapers now, preferring to sit and stare blankly, so he was unaware of the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his assistant who told him about it and mentioned that many media outlets wanted to interview him, advising him to be mentally prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was attending the Golden Rooster Awards the day after tomorrow, which many people knew, and by then, not only mainland media but likely many Hong Kong paparazzi would also be there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant could already imagine that there would certainly be many people wanting to interview him, sneak photos, or even make up stories out of thin air based on a single image.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing this, Cheng Long stared blankly for a while longer before telling his assistant: \"Contact the media, book a venue; I will hold a press conference in Gusu the day after tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically speaking, holding a press conference in the next two days to explain and downplay the matter was the best choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the matter were allowed to ferment, while it could serve to promote the film, it was clear that this would not benefit Cheng Long and might even affect his future commercial value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, it would have a negative impact on Director Cao Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This would be a case of the loss outweighing the gain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Cheng Long's current state, could he handle a press conference?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant wanted to advise against it, but this wasn't something she could decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, she quickly called Cheng Long’s team, and the final consensus was that holding a press conference to explain was necessary, but they couldn't let the reporters dictate the narrative; it was best to make everyone believe that Big Brother Cheng Long was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They urgently formulated an effective plan and handed it to Cheng Long, asking him to familiarize himself with it and follow the \"script\" when the time came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Long did not reject the plan; at least he didn't say anything when he took it, which relieved the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, the problem wasn't too big.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Okay, I'll arrive tomorrow... maybe the morning after tomorrow, it's not confirmed yet. I'll come find you then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang hung up the phone, feeling a bit of a headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the third call he had received today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fatty Bing, Dong Xuan, and Li Xiaoran had already arrived in Gusu, and after settling in, they all called him to inform him of where they were staying, aside from the official hotel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s right, all three had booked rooms at other hotels, just to avoid inconvenience at the official hotel; this was exactly what gave Cao Yang the biggest headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, things in Jingcheng were also stretching him thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Gao Yuanyuan returned to Jingcheng, she wanted Cao Yang to accompany her for the next few days before they went to Gusu together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Yu Feihong... let's not even mention her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was now like a wronged little wife, crying at the drop of a hat, and she also wanted Cao Yang to accompany her every day and go to Gusu together for the Golden Rooster Awards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, that wasn't the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most critical thing was that she had actually taken the words Cao Yang said a while ago to heart: working twice as hard, working day and night, working whenever there was free time...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She not only took it seriously, but she actually implemented it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brothers who have had the experience know that doing certain things with a mission in mind is a completely different feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He now roughly understood that the refractory period was likely a form of protection for men, so, Sister Feihong, we must respect this protective mechanism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, Cao Yang felt the unfairness between men and women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why don't women have a clear refractory period?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid unnecessary trouble, when going to Gusu, Cao Yang called Cheng Long, Old Tian, Old Gu, and Little Steel Cannon, along with Yu Feihong, Gao Yuanyuan, Jiang Wenli, and Xu Fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then on the plane, they encountered Wang Quan'an, Jia Zhangke, and his girlf... no, Jia Zhangke hadn't divorced Zhu Jiong yet, so Zhao Tao, who was with him, could only be considered his film's lead actress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made things... even livelier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the plane were Cao Yang with Yu Feihong and Gao Yuanyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Tian once had an unforgettable passionate time with Xu Fan when they were filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Quan'an and Jiang Wenli were once a couple and lived together for about five years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there were Jia Zhangke and Zhao Tao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So for a moment, with so many \"acquaintances\" meeting on the plane, it was surprisingly quiet, and everyone began to close their eyes and rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly what Cao Yang wanted; he was truly afraid that Yu Feihong and Gao Yuanyuan would clash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Quan'an's directed film \"Tuya's Marriage\" was nominated for the Golden Rooster Awards, and Jia Zhangke's \"Still Life\" was also nominated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the previous life, \"Tuya's Marriage,\" which won the Golden Bear, and \"Still Life,\" which won the Golden Lion, were rejected during the initial selection for the Golden Rooster Awards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You heard that right; in the previous life, these two films didn't even make it into the initial selection for the Golden Rooster Awards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That year, this incident caused huge controversy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vice-chairman of the organizer, the China Film Association, once \"debated with scholars\" at a press conference, which could be summarized as:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Rooster Awards are already very mature; whether it's the academic attitude or the judging process, it is consistent, and the criteria for domestic and international film festivals are different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many internationally awarded films have won at the Golden Rooster before, and as a domestic expert award, the judges for the Golden Rooster look more at the overall grasp of the film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Film is a comprehensive art; some works may focus on social reality, but they might be lacking in production standards, acting, etc., and the judges look at the average score across all aspects...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply put, the evaluation system is different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, even if the evaluation system is different, if the films selected by the Golden Rooster were all classic, good films, that would be fine; everyone would just assume the evaluation system is different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But many of the films you selected were never shown in theaters, or were films the audience hadn't even heard of, which is a bit hard to justify. So for this year's Golden Rooster Awards, Cao Yang had the judges balance the artistic aspects, and as a result, both \"Tuya's Marriage\" and \"Still Life\" were nominated for several awards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all honesty, for a film like \"Tuya's Marriage,\" if the director wasn't too utilitarian, and if it were participating in a domestic film festival, the film's metaphors and artistry were actually quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And \"Still Life\" was a bit interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the film, but the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As far as Cao Yang knew, the producer of \"Still Life\" was Zhu Jiong; that's right, the wife Jia Zhangke hadn't divorced yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the lead actress, Zhao Tao, and her relationship with Jia Zhangke was something everyone already knew, and Zhu Jiong certainly knew it too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the producer, Zhu Jiong must have spent plenty of time on set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it's very interesting, isn't it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's not interesting at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang couldn't help but repent in his heart; he shouldn't have looked at others with a mocking attitude, and now the retribution had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were on a flight from Jingcheng to Shanghai, and after getting off the plane in Shanghai, a car sent by Gusu, another organizer of the Golden Rooster Awards, was waiting for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a Coaster minibus with both single and double seats inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Cao Yang walked in, he was pulled by Gao Yuanyuan, who made him sit next to her—she had sat directly on the double-seat side after getting on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang cursed to himself, but by the time he reacted, he had already been pulled down by Gao Yuanyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Cao, I have something I'd like to ask your advice on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuanyuan deliberately said this, thinking she was being very sensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang slowly closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Girl, it would be better if you didn't speak; maybe Yu Feihong hadn't noticed this area yet, but with you speaking... sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, Yu Feihong, who had already sat down not far away, stood up and walked directly to the row where Cao Yang and Gao Yuanyuan were sitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't care about others' thoughts or strange looks, just staring straight at Cao Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Cao Yang looked up, he saw tears streaming down Yu Feihong's face, as if she had suffered a great injustice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang felt his scalp tingle instantly, wishing he could slap himself—why did he add the role-immersion experience for her in advance? Why did he add an extra immersion experience for her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was done; he couldn't clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister, please don't be like this; others will think I've abandoned you. Let everyone judge—am I that kind of person?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was Cao Yang shocked, but Gao Yuanyuan next to him had her mouth slightly agape, eyes wide, looking completely stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this performance? Why was Yu Feihong so sad?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuanyuan instantly imagined a hundred types of melodramatic plots; without a doubt, the scumbag who abandoned his lover was named Cao Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn't just Gao Yuanyuan; everyone sitting in the car was like they had been injected with adrenaline, fantasizing about a melodramatic drama unfolding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh, except for Cheng Long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Long sat in a single seat, looking out the window with a blank expression, merely glancing at the \"impending\" melodrama before turning his head away, seemingly not interested at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While holding back his laughter, Tian Zhuangzhuang was still thinking about how to smooth things over, but he had no good ideas for the moment; all he could do was decide that if Yu Feihong were to slap Cao Yang, he would try to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the moment he recalled the ferocity with which Yu Feihong had slapped Wu Qihua while filming *3-Iron*, he hesitated—if she slapped Cao Yang, she wouldn't happen to slap him too, would she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Cannon was on the verge of bursting into loud laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That dog-day Cao Yang, you brat finally got what was coming to you; it’s karma! Which guardian angel passed by and handed out retribution to the guy surnamed Cao? Thank you, thank you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he held no malice toward Cao Yang; he just didn't know why, but he really wanted to see Cao Yang make a fool of himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schadenfreude was the best description of his current mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changwei was still quite loyal, so he whispered to Jiang Wenli, \"When the argument starts, you go and soothe that woman immediately and pull her to the back row.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew Yu Feihong, but using \"that woman\" to refer to her at this moment showed he was still quite dissatisfied with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changwei wasn't worried about today's events leaking out; after all, aside from a few individuals, most people present were from the Beijing Film Academy, and he believed no one would dare spread Cao Yang's \"embarrassing moment\" from today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blamed Yu Feihong a little for being unreasonable; couldn't things be discussed? Why did she have to make such a scene in public?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You are a Venice Best Actress groomed by Cao Yang; even if Cao Yang did something to wrong you, you shouldn't act like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Cao, how is my acting? I’ve managed to do what you asked me to practice; does it look sad and helpless enough? Does it perfectly fit the movie character now? Can we film my scenes in a few days?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Feihong didn't explain this with a smile; she said it with a sense of sorrow, looking like someone who hadn't yet emerged from extreme grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang seemed to hear many sounds of heavy breathing; he himself almost couldn't help but let out a long sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister Feihong, you are too deep into the role.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang said this seemingly complaining remark, then deliberately glanced at Cheng Long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who were originally skeptical, including Gao Yuanyuan, also followed his gaze to Cheng Long, and their doubts vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, no one in the vehicle doubted the explanation given by Yu Feihong and Cao Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep into the role!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another one deep into the role!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone else had offered such an explanation, everyone present would surely have scoffed—are you treating me like a fool?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was Cao Yang, the person best at coaching actors in the country, or even the world; it was not at all strange for him to get an actor deep into a role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn't they see a living example right there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people couldn't help but look at Cheng Long, who seemed completely detached and uninterested in anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Little Cannon was almost ready to curse out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought he would get to see Cao Yang make a fool of himself, but instead, he saw an actor deep into a role!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, if I could get actors to reach this level of immersion, would I ever have to worry about awards?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, Little Cannon secretly made up his mind to get on good terms with this grand-son... brother Cao Yang, to see if he could steal the skill of being good at coaching actors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for whether there would be aftereffects after getting an actor deep into a role?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Cannon just wanted to sneer and slap anyone who said that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuanyuan probably thought of her own experience filming *Secret Sunshine*; she understood all too well that feeling of being heartbroken when first getting into a role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pity, while also having some opinions about Cao Yang's \"heartlessness,\" so she secretly pinched Cao Yang and then gave him a gentle push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You get up and sit in the seat next to us; I want to comfort Sister Feihong and whisper some things to her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Cao Yang was about to get up, Yu Feihong spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yuanyuan, thank you, but I want to sit with Director Cao and ask him again how I can play this character better. You don't know, he has always complained that I can't get into the role, so he keeps dragging it out and refuses to film my scenes, I...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, tears streamed down Yu Feihong's face again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yuanyuan couldn't help but recall her own time filming *Secret Sunshine*, when she couldn't get into the role for a long time, and it was this heartless person beside her who tormented her over and over again for a whole day; just thinking about it made her angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She secretly pinched Cao Yang again, then stood up and said to Yu Feihong, \"Sister Feihong, you sit here; it really isn't easy for us to play our roles well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing, she gave Cao Yang a fierce glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a heartless person!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2981,"2026-06-20T05:36:33.260Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","1f22366f64da69d270273f33c7eaf59cb3315194f1124da81ba2e58cc69c5e89","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-380","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-378",411,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-cover.jpg"]