[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta":3,"chapter-the-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta-the-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta-chapter-311":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Playboy of Huayu: How Did a Celestial Immortal Transform Me?",{"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},2297937,4495,"Chapter 311: Pool Incident","the-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta-chapter-311",311,"\u003Cp>On January 24th, Eastern Standard Time, Lu Kuan met with Martin Scorsese to discuss the cinematic artistry of the first cut of *The Departed*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, the storm of open letters in the mainland had subsided, but a conspiracy just born was already brewing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eyes of some, Lu Kuan still carried the name of \"Little Immortal,\" and perhaps he would never have imagined that she would have a role in this major event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, *Aftershock* officially finished its theatrical run in the country, reporting a box office of 310 million. After a mediocre and sluggish first week, it had pulled off an extremely beautiful reversal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for this was that *The Promise* was hit by the *Steamed Bun* scandal and news of North American returns, causing its reputation to hit rock bottom, and this massive flow of traffic was captured by the film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan himself received positive encouragement due to a series of interviews with top global media in North America following the sale of Mytube, as well as the positive feedback from *Larry King Live*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coupled with the strong support from the Tangshan government, the Art Department of the Ministry of Culture, and other units, as well as the ticket subsidies from the \"People's Cinema Chain\" and the good reputation of the *Aftershock* crew's public welfare work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Together, they created this box office figure for the king of the New Year season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for the North American region, where there was one last week of screenings left, box office figures from other regions such as Asia and Europe were also gradually released, bringing the total box office to 400 million RMB.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adding in the DVD rights sales from various regions, the film had basically recouped its costs before the total North American box office figures were released; the final North American box office and DVD revenue shares would constitute the pure profit for the *Aftershock* project.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were happy while others were sad; the staff at Wenjie were still working overtime in the days before the New Year to wrap things up, while *The Promise*, which had been out of theaters for over a week, seemed to be terminally ill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Chen Kaige's Sihe Academy study, his wife Chen Hong kept pouring tea for her husband, listening to his sighs one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Total investment was 280 million, domestic box office was only 160 million, and European box office was 200,000 USD.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The North American rights had been Zhanzhuan  transferred to Warner Independent, and it could only be screened on a small scale in over 200 theaters; as of now, it had been showing for ten days with a box office of 400,000 USD.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warner Independent was just a subsidiary of Warner, mainly engaged in the production and distribution of art films and foreign-language films, and the number of screens in their hands was limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just yesterday, Chen Kaige and Chen Hong lost their last shred of hope; the negotiations for the North American DVD rights for *The Promise* were declared a failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the news that came back, it was a powerful figure in Hollywood, a certain tyrannical Jewish fat man from Miramax, who was pulling strings behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Chen understood instantly; Harvey never did anything without profit, he was just someone's lackey, and this was naked revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what could he do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he set aside his aloofness and pride and asked Han Shanping or Director Tong to step in and seek peace, the richest man in the mainland simply wouldn't return from North America!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today he was accepting an exclusive interview with *Time* magazine, tomorrow he was hitting it off with a humorous host on a talk show, carefree and enjoying the fruits of victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hong, after all, still had to consider her husband's self-esteem, so she cautiously probed: \"Kaige, shall we ask the uncles to let his filed massacre film pass the review?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You want to surrender?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Kaige frowned, his expression unpleasant as he prepared to scold her: \"It's just one film that lost money, it's the audience who has no taste, don't try to persuade me again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hong sighed inwardly, but she dared not comment on the matter of *The Promise*; Chen Kaige was already a bit triggered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, ever since his massacre script was rejected, Wenjie had not resubmitted the application, which was also very strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his current energy, it shouldn't be a problem, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kaige, should I go to the United States?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hong steadied her mind; she was the producer of this film, and she didn't want to be saddled with the infamy of a huge loss—how could she transition to behind-the-scenes work in the future?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Kaige raised an eyebrow and looked up at her: \"You?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, I'll just say it was all my idea, apologize and admit fault, right? It's no big deal.\" Chen Hong looked calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Men want face, but what face do women need?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, competing against someone like that, there was no shame in losing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a few soft words could trade for the recovery of millions or tens of millions in costs, why wouldn't this business be worth doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Kaige stroked his chin, squinting his eyes to size up his beloved wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she had reached middle age, it did not affect her picturesque features and graceful figure in the slightest; because of the baptism of time, she had added much more charm as a mature woman in her actions and speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No! You can't go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Kaige instantly thought of someone's notorious reputation; wouldn't going there be like a lamb entering a tiger's den? He instantly felt a sense of impending doom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hong was actually a bit annoyed now: \"Why? Can't I just take all the blame upon myself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kaige, don't think of him as a twenty-four-year-old youth; he is more profound and powerful than many people you know. Our mistake was not putting him in his proper place, and rashly...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Kaige had just raised the teapot in his hand, but thinking that if he smashed it, he wouldn't even have a tea set for the New Year, he put it down sullenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say no more. In any case, you are not to go. Don't you know what kind of person he is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hong was stunned for a few seconds before she reacted. Under her husband's scrutinizing gaze, she felt both ashamed and embarrassed, as if she were really going to travel thousands of miles to offer herself...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Screw you, dirty mind, I'm not talking to you anymore!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most beautiful Chang'e returned to her room, opened her computer, and prepared to check Lu Kuan's official blog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he wouldn't let her go, so be it; knowing where he was recently, making a phone call shouldn't be a problem, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? What is this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Hong was startled, as if she had seen something incredible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clicked on Tianya, Mop, and other portals with lightning speed, and without exception, she saw...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Genius director embroiled in sex scandal, victim plans to speak out tomorrow!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This newspaper (website) recently learned that a certain famous young director and billionaire from our country had excessively intimate contact with a certain underage actress during last year's Oscars (as shown in the picture).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A year later, the actress will appear in person at a North American television station to clarify the events of the previous year and accuse the former of his egregious conduct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reprinted from *The New York Times*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately following was an unblurred photo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intimidated by Lu Kuan's power, domestic websites, even while scrambling to report and repost the news, did not dare to directly point out his identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, looking at the picture, there was no one who didn't recognize this pair of entertainment industry gossip figures who had just created explosive news in August.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spread of this news was terrifyingly efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it was superimposed with the title of the richest man in the mainland, which had just been conferred by domestic netizens, and superimposed with the reprint from *The New York Times*, which looked very high-end in this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two parties involved: one was the \"Washing Machine\" who had supported countless paparazzi since his debut, and the other was a former young starlet of the mainland entertainment scene who was in the top three for follower count on the blog site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though she had been in North America for four or five months, the figure of Liu Yifei had never disappeared from the big screen or the small screen, such as in the currently airing *The Return of the Condor Heroes*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without exception, portal websites like Blog, Sina, Sohu, and Tencent quickly launched a heated discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you're going to issue a statement and accept an interview, why go on television to say it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"American presidential campaigns are conducted on television; in North America, this is considered a very formal news event. It seems the 'Washing Machine' is in trouble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since she is accusing him of suspected molestation of an underage girl, why not call the police? Is Liu Yifei doing this out of revenge?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If a Chinese person commits a crime in the United States, the U.S. can intervene based on the principle of territorial jurisdiction, but after a year, there's definitely no evidence left. It's probably another headless case, just like Michael Jackson's.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the comments section, \"know-it-alls\" quickly compared the similarities between Lu Kuan's case and the Jackson incident:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michael Jackson was also accused of child molestation by the parties involved in newspapers and media, and then taken to court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first time was the Jordie case in 1993, and the final result was insufficient evidence and no indictment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second time was the Gavin case, which didn't conclude until 2005. The Santa Barbara police and prosecutors raided Neverland on a large scale, but in the end, there was only the testimony of the parties involved, and the 12 jurors still found him not guilty of child molestation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was his ending?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Michael Jackson, who was found not guilty, was now heavily boycotted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Concerts were canceled, his residence was surrounded by protesters, he received death threats, and he suffered from depression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Lu Kuan, it was now his former underage lead actress who was going to issue an accusation on live television.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a legal perspective, just like Jackson, there wouldn't be any evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But moral condemnation was enough to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, this so-called live television broadcast had nothing to do with legal condemnation; it was an attempt to imitate the Jackson case and carry out a moral assassination against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the misleading nature of false reports, the loss of control over image shaping, and the bias in public perception to strike this richest man in the mainland directly to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he turned around and cleared his name like Jackson, the Olympics would have nothing to do with him, the massacre film would be postponed or even boycotted, and his career both at home and abroad would hit a low point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the ultimate goal of the right-wing Japanese groups who viewed him as an enemy, just like the methods used to persecute Zhang Chunru back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for Deng Wendi, even if things didn't go as planned, she hadn't left behind any fatal handles that could be criticized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn't placed Liu Yifei under house arrest or controlled her personal freedom; in the News Corporation office, she had told her she was free to stay or go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an open conspiracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secondly, Deng Wendi's behavior constituted inducing others to publish false statements, damaging another's reputation, and lowering another's social standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if there were solid evidence, this would at most be defamation, and besides, Liu Yifei had no conditions to preserve evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With only her testimony as isolated evidence, it could not form an effective chain of evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this era, defamation at the U.S. federal level was still in the realm of civil law; there wasn't even criminal legislation for it, so suing her afterward would be better than nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Wendi was not stupid; she had already distanced herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Wenjie's revenge?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current Wenjie Holdings was not yet a match for a behemoth like News Corporation, which had a total asset scale of 55 billion USD. (Note 1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this was North America, the home turf of Murdoch, who had the most television and media resources, and the latter had world-class influence on public opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With huge gains and extremely low risks, why wouldn't Deng Wendi, who had always dared to fight, kill, and seduce prime ministers, do it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the neutral fans watching the fun, they were still inclined to believe that this was a case of love turning into hate for the young starlet, just a sequel to the birthday party plot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You people in the entertainment industry really do put on a good show!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Older netizens thought this wasn't a big deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Lu Kuan speaking out for the Olympics in North America and promoting national culture and history, these were just minor flaws in private character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go look at how many wives the poet Chen has had? Or the story of Zhang Yimou and Gong Li?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could this even count as a thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But indeed, once the word \"underage\" was attached, under universal values, it still looked a bit unsightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People would habitually ignore that Lu Kuan was only five years older than Liu Yifei, automatically casting little Liu into the position of a vulnerable person bullied by the \"hidden rules.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yifei’s fans were naturally already inflamed and explosive over the pictures and news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having successively fought against evil forces like Song Zude and Zhang Nara, the combat effectiveness of the Fairy fans had been honed over these past few years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They naturally did not know the truth of the matter and began to crazily attack the Washing Machine and their fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, when Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei were close, fans would just tease and troll for fun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that they knew the \"Fairy Sister\" in their hearts had been wronged, all sorts of fierce rhetoric were ready to burst forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've long found the Washing Machine unpleasant; Xixi, you are very brave, I support you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The water in the entertainment industry is too deep and too dark; if you could do it over, I hope you'd be an ordinary, simple girl.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chinese people must bravely say no! Regardless of whether he is some richest man or not!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Washing Machine truly covers the sky with one hand in the domestic entertainment industry; Xixi still had to be abroad to have the courage to speak up for herself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the Fairy fans, Lu Kuan’s fans were somewhat weak and outnumbered, because they couldn't \"wash\" this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This damn Washing Machine had long been stigmatized; even the fans themselves tended to believe it was real. The photo was right there, wasn't it? How could it be explained?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there were still some die-hard fans who gathered the romantic exploits of great directors from all over the world to make comparisons and exonerate Lu Kuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woody Allen is a master, right? Incest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Polanski is considered a big shot of the post-New Wave era, right? Rape!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there is Bergman, the master of masters recognized by the world today; the man had dozens of girlfriends in his lifetime!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn't some greasy, fat, forty-or-fifty-year-old director molesting an underage actress; Director Lu is just falling in love with his own actress due to the play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two well-matched young people falling in love—even if it didn't end in marriage, it shouldn't be enough to cast them into the abyss, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come, come, come, art is art, private life is private life; it’s just comparing who is worse, who doesn't know how to do that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just that such arguments were not enough to convince the public; after all, Liu Yifei’s image in the hearts of her fans was truly somewhat perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't the kind of fake, packaged perfection, but a very grounded purity and kindness, which could be called a clear stream in the entertainment industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the August 25th Yifei Incident, some young male fans left the fandom because she had someone in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the majority of public opinion approved of her pure and innocent declaration of love and her generous acceptance of failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she must have suffered some incredible grievance to stand up and denounce this great villain of the domestic entertainment industry!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yifei’s fans across the entire web and passersby who couldn't stand it anymore swarmed out, quickly occupying the last blog post Lu Kuan had made, which was a photo of him and Martin Scorsese at the studio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The comment section had twenty thousand floors, and at least eighteen thousand were filled with vitriol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most liked comment was automatically pinned by the system: Kill the Lu dog! Save Xixi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reply, which had nearly ten thousand likes within two hours, was still majestically continuing to collect public opinion, like that red flag planted by the Soviet Red Army on the Reichstag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Comrade Lu Kuan, who had been identified by Liu Yifei’s fans as the axis of evil in the entertainment industry, was just like that other Comrade Hitler who was also proficient in Impressionist painting...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking precarious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, with the instigation of those with ulterior motives, the joint letter that had already been cast into the dust quickly enjoyed a second spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is rich, he is talented, and he has indeed made contributions to the Olympic cause and cultural export.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about his private morality?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Liu Yifei, whom he personally propped up, had to stand up and denounce him; doesn't that explain many problems?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With almost no contact with Lu Kuan, the teams at Wenjie and Blog Network immediately began a \"Clean the Web\" operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just that this incident was indeed phenomenal; their sphere of influence could never cover the entire web, so they could only do their best to conduct crisis public relations first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two hours after the pool incident fermented, Zhuo Wei’s latest blog post released a picture of himself waiting for a flight; this number one paparazzi of the entertainment circle was going to New York in person to follow the story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blog post, he wrote with no lack of emotion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the currently airing *The Return of the Condor Heroes*, the Little Dragon Maiden played by Liu Yifei and Zhen Zhibing played by Director Lu have a love relationship that is not very pleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, this kind of relationship has actually walked from the drama into reality; it looks so absurd and melodramatic, yet it makes one sigh at the impermanence of fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five months ago, they were still a pair of star-crossed lovers; now they have actually gone from loving and killing each other to fighting to the death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Friends, wait for my first-hand news!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of January, with only two or three days left until the traditional Spring Festival, the people of the whole country were basically in a semi-rest state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This news from the North American mainstream media fermented rapidly, spreading by word of mouth both online and offline, and was interpreted in all sorts of wild ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some started digging into Lu Kuan’s romantic history from the beginning, while others found every photo of the two and looked for clues in their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were even those who went straight to the set of *The Door* to interview the other party involved, Fan Bingbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter called the young director immediately, and at this time, she naturally pretended to know nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, since the birthday incident, she had been busy filming and rushing to appointments, while Lu Kuan had been busy with the Olympics and *Tangshan*; the number of times the two had met could be counted on one hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spark had been ignited in Fan Bingbing’s heart by him, and she had been striving toward that grand blueprint and the target image of \"Fan Ye.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Liu Yifei?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not think this seemingly dangerous scene was any kind of abyss for that man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just look at her own experience and you would know; he is a devil who likes to control people’s hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jizhong, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Mei Yanfang, and others were naturally burning with anxiety, calling the young director across the ocean one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was extremely strange was that Mei Yanfang, Zhou Xun, Su Chang, and others could not get through to Lu Kuan’s phone, nor could they get through to Liu Yifei’s or Liu Xiaoli’s. In stark contrast to this were the jubilant Lu Tianmin and his son, and the Japanese right-winger Gexi Xiong, who was sneering sinisterly in the background.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also Cheng Tian and Huayi watching the show; having had many previous lessons, even having reached this point, they dared not rashly speak out and were all waiting silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a whale falls, everything else lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rise of Wenjie all stemmed from his, Lu Kuan’s, great success in the film industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were really mired in scandal like Michael Jackson, his film career were boycotted and never recovered, and he lost his solid audience base in the mainland and other regions, no longer having the Olympic director halo he might have originally obtained...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What else would he have?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be the time for the powerful to launch a counterattack; wouldn't the actors and directors that Wenjie had worked so hard to cultivate all be spoils of war for everyone to divide?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two parties involved in the pool incident: one was at the New York Plaza Hotel, which opened in 1907, worrying while facing the huge floor-to-ceiling window, thinking about tomorrow’s live television broadcast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other had just recovered from an artistic discussion with his old friend Martin Scorsese and was getting off a plane in Champaign, Illinois.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This trip was to communicate with Zhang Chunru about the final film script, but the phone hadn't stopped ringing since he got off the plane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat in the car in a daze, as if the weightlessness from the plane hadn't fully dissipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the newspaper in his hand, that photo reprinted by the media under News Corporation was so conspicuous that his thoughts suddenly drifted back to the Roosevelt Hotel on this day last year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the highly suggestive wording in the text message, he realized in an instant that this was Deng Wendi’s response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was her motive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person like that wouldn't collude and invest so many resources just to do something that harms others without benefiting herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the \"cui bono\" theory, Gexi Xiong and Lu Tianmin and his son are not even worth mentioning for now; they are all grasshoppers that will be settled with later, and they won't be able to jump for long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What roles did Cheng Tian, Huayi, and even other entertainment companies play? Have they already joined forces with her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the News Corporation of later generations was desperate to enter the mainland media industry, and even in this life, it was no secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The taxi stopped in front of Zhang Chunru’s house; A-Fei had already rushed to New York from Los Angeles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lu Kuan, you're here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Chunru greeted him with a worried look: \"I've heard everything; what are you planning to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I called both Liu Xiaoli and her daughter, and my husband went to check the house they have in Hyde Park, but there was no sign of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan smiled: \"Don't worry, I’ve had someone contact her female bodyguard; she is safe and sound, just temporarily inconvenient to have contact with the outside world.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Chunru’s expression settled, then she became alert: \"Is this matter someone targeting you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan asked curiously: \"Sister Chunru, haven't you ever suspected that I am indeed a bad guy who bullies Liu Yifei?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Chunru smiled helplessly: \"You are willing to spend several years filming such a thankless movie; I don't believe you are that kind of person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, I have lived with Xixi and her mother for four or five months; every time you are mentioned, her expression...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young director opened his eyes wide: \"What about her expression?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait until you meet, and see for yourself.\" Zhang Chunru left a cliffhanger and did not reveal some of the young girl’s secrets she had observed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan’s expression was somewhat heavy: \"The events of these past few months started from when I announced the massacre movie in China.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It should be them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This \"them\" made Zhang Chunru’s face turn pale instantly; she recalled the harassment and mental torture she had endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They accused the content of her books of being pure fabrication, calling them \"the most annoying nonsense\" and \"the most aggressive views.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They said her work was absurd, vulgar, and false, attempting to portray the Nanjing Massacre as a global hallucination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They spent huge sums of money to bribe historians to carry out baseless smears and criticisms of her work, calling her a sinner who destroys peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This included causing trouble at her offline book signings and lectures, spreading rumors that she was mentally ill, writing threatening letters, and attempting to harass her family...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she felt the same pain, Zhang Chunru was almost in tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She held Lu Kuan’s hand tightly, looking at this young director who was fourteen years younger than her: \"Little Lu, you've worked hard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan comforted her: \"It’s not hard work; any Chinese person with a conscience would do the same.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These ghostly tricks are not worth worrying about; they can only secretly bring me some small troubles.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry, Sister Chunru, this movie will appear before audiences all over the world in the grandest manner.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides Liu Yifei, I will try my best to invite an all-Hollywood powerhouse cast for the Western roles like Wei Telin and the priest in the movie; I haven't returned to the country yet just to contact the actors.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Chunru was extremely gratified; with red eyes, she kept patting the back of his hand, not knowing what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was not an ignorant housewife; she knew how high the cost of such a movie and such a cast was, and she knew what a great price would have to be paid if this movie were to be released normally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just by initiating the project, the bayonets of the enemies lurking in the dark had already stabbed over without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you planning to do about Xixi’s situation?\" Zhang Chunru invited him to sit in the living room, and the two began to discuss countermeasures for this crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan shook his head: \"The information I have now is too little; I cannot be sure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tomorrow is the live television broadcast; there is actually very little we can do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before I came, I asked the bosses of Miramax and Lionsgate to contact other media and film company bosses for me. If there is really trouble after tomorrow, we must quickly suppress any discordant voices.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forming alliances and breaking them is an eternal theme in commercial competition, especially given the complex relationships among the Big Six in North America.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boss Lu likely still has some resources in his hands that the giants are interested in; this time, it is a fortuitous encounter, and he can find himself a few heavyweight allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the strength of Lionsgate and Miramax is still slightly weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is also to prepare for the later release and promotion of the massacre film, cultivating partners connected by mutual interests in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two chatted about movies and scripts again until ten o'clock in the evening, when Zhang Chunru finally went to Liu Yifei's room to change the bedding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it okay for you to stay in this guest room? It was Xixi's bedroom before, and she hasn't been here to stay for a while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've changed the bed linens for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boss Lu laughed: \"It's fine, I don't mind her; it's just for one night, and I'll fly straight to New York tomorrow morning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Chunru spoke the plain truth: \"I'm afraid she would mind you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young director unconsciously rubbed his left chest: \"That's true, Liu Yifei has a bit of a violent streak now; it's better not to provoke her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the previous occupant of this guest room, Liu Yifei, Lu Kuan sat at the desk by the dim light of a table lamp, reading Zhang Chunru's historical materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boss Lu inadvertently pulled out a notebook without a cover and curiously flipped it open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[August 25, 2005, Weather: Sunny turning to cloudy]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sad day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, I put a full stop to three and a half years of my youth. Although this stroke was written so painfully, I have no regrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three words \"I love you\"—the emphasis is on \"I.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only need to do what I believe is right, be fair to myself, and not hurt others; that is enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five hours have passed, and I finally have the courage to look back at the farce that just concluded...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The handwriting is heavy; every stroke seems to have been made with great effort, visible through the back of the paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The handwriting is also mottled; the three words \"I love you\" are almost blurred by tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan extended a finger to smooth out the undulating creases. The unique cinematic imagination of a genius director made it easy for him to visualize the scene from that night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems to be a diary, and a diary that started from that very day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"thick-skinned\" and \"control freak\" that Liu Yifei spoke of clearly lacked any self-consciousness about respecting others' privacy, as he naturally continued to flip through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[August 29, 2005, Weather: Sunny]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw him at the airport this morning—a control-freak scumbag, the mastermind behind the scenes in the entertainment industry, a jerk with a decadent private life!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was wearing sunglasses and seemed to be rubbing his eyes constantly; it must be that habit from editing films again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little... heart-aching? To hell with that! I'd better feel sorry for myself!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't know what to say, so I sent a message: Goodbye...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[September 8, 2005, Weather: Sunny]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I officially started school today. I heard from Sister Chunru that my advisor is an expert who specializes in psychology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I think I can ask him about the abnormality of the \"Washing Machine\" holding me tightly that day. Could that dog of a man be a psychopath?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, speaking of that dog of a man, my neighbor Jessica gave me a dog today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll just call you Lu; suffer a little, otherwise how can I vent my anger?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[October 1, 2005, Weather: Overcast]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It rained all day last night, and the scent of wheat from Champaign drifted a long way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I came back from a walk in the evening, Mia discovered a hateful stalker; there were many candid photos in his camera.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister Chunru said he is already used to it; they are all monitors bought off by the right wing, so there is no need to pay attention to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sentence, \"used to it,\" made me feel so heartbroken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also said that once the movie starts filming, we might all be harassed and targeted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes when I think about it, he must be under a lot of pressure too, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earthquake, the Olympics, the massacre...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he is really not a bad person; he has done many things for the country and society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if only these thoughts could be shared even a little bit with...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[October 15, 2005, Weather: Sunny]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth on the wealth list? The math of the person who made this ranking is terrible; that Lang Xianping guy's calculations are also wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you knew that BlogCN and MyTube were also his, wouldn't you be shocked?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After attending a few classes, thinking about the way he handles company affairs and his ideas, it is truly impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a person like this, it is too difficult to catch up...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[October 16, 2005, Weather: Torrential rain!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What \"Golden Rose\"? Buying a painting for 15 million? Are you okay?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what if I'm 17? I'm 18 now! Who hasn't been young???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I was 17, I was so beautiful that the \"Washing Machine\" couldn't take his eyes off me!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yifei, pull yourself together! Study hard and find a chance to give that dog of a man a big surprise!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[October 21, 2005, Weather: Sunny turning to cloudy]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, I gave Professor Xi Kaiyuan the character traits, methods of handling things, personality tendencies, and some case studies of the \"Washing Machine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed very surprised and said he would go back to study them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We talked for a long time in the office today, and this top American psychology expert told me that this is not a human...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it is not a normal personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Xi Kaiyuan said that Lu Kuan's personality has strong Machiavellian traits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This personality type focuses on effectiveness, uses any means to achieve goals, views others as tools in interpersonal interactions, is good at calculating and manipulating, and views conflict as a pleasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machiavellians disregard moral and ethical constraints to achieve their goals and like to use strategies and schemes to reach their ends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike others, Machiavellians mostly do so to satisfy personal desires.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Kuan is also very persistent about national affairs; he is a perverted Machiavellian personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, he also has paranoid personality traits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This manifests as a general distrust and suspicion of others; he is accustomed to binding everything with interests to satisfy his own sense of security, and he is indifferent and casual toward emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even, Professor Xi Kaiyuan said, such a person is very likely to have suffered some trauma, manifesting as incompetence and withdrawal in emotional expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking about his performance over these years, I choose to believe the expert; he really is mentally ill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just don't know what kind of trauma he suffered before he came down from the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boss Lu felt a bit hot-headed reading this—what kind of bullshit expert!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And you, little Liu, are words like \"incompetent\" something you can just use blindly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were a camera set up in the room right now, perhaps the footage captured would surprise even Lu Kuan himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would be amazed that his own face could show so many expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Boss Lu's current status, it is rare for anyone who isn't close to him to be able to detect his true emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the young girl's diary, weather, and mood, he saw how she spent every day during these nearly five months of separation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soul that remained optimistic, proud, and pure after being hurt leaped off the page, dancing gracefully in this world full of compromises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, she also became more mature, gaining a deeper understanding of the laws and truths of how this world and society operate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are life experiences she never had in her previous life; all the joys, angers, sorrows, and happiness of walking in this world will become the emotional footnotes for her journey toward becoming a top-tier actress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night is deep; Champaign at the end of January is still in the dead of winter, and the cold wind outside is biting and wailing incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villa courtyard is surrounded by a circle of black cast-iron railings, and the snow on the railings has begun to freeze, forming rows of crystal-clear icicles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The withered branches, like lonely palms reaching toward the sky, shiver and collide in the cold wind, making a \"creak-creak\" sound that breaks the silence of the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boss Lu, with a thousand thoughts in his mind, stands in the cold wind smoking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zhang Chunru never doubted that he would truly do evil to the underage Liu Yifei, he never doubted that Liu Yifei would backstab him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was only worried that this girl was too silly and naive, or that she might turn love into hate, or be coerced and used by others to do things that he himself could not remedy and had never anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the night sky of Champaign, the waning moon of the twenty-ninth day of the lunar calendar hangs high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Kuan exhaled a deep puff of smoke and stared fixedly at the crescent moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Manhattan, New York, Liu Yifei sits in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, wrapping herself tightly in a blanket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also lets out a long, heavy sigh, staring blankly at the crescent moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bright moon rises above the sea; at this moment, we share the same horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lovers complain of the long night; all night long, they are filled with longing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Note 1: According to online data, as of March 31, 2006, News Corporation's total assets were approximately 55 billion USD, and its annual total revenue was approximately 25 billion USD. If there is more detailed information, please correct it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",6245,"2026-06-20T06:05:19.268Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","36d6d556477be82950e3244c24392ca7e94d20249a5e63888261835ca18b3865","the-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta-chapter-312","the-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta-chapter-310",343,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-playboy-of-huayu-how-did-a-celestial-immorta-cover.jpg"]