Chapter 338: He really can

Domestically, evaluations of people and things generally come from three aspects, especially for film products that possess the dual attributes of art and commodity.

Official, academic, and civilian.

Today, Boss Lu's impassioned call to arms at the Beijing Film Academy, delivered in front of top figures from the film industries of China, Japan, and South Korea, signaled that he is beginning to exert influence and control over the academic criticism of film products.

Film industrialization is a proposition of the era; the future total output value of the upstream and downstream will be far more than a hundred billion.

As the leader and practitioner of this proposition, he intends to break the monopoly of the academic cliques—such as Zhu Dake, Huang Shixian, and Li Jie—who control the domestic film criticism system, and carry out a great ideological liberation for the development of commercial and genre films.

This is equivalent to the 1978 *Guangming Daily* article, "Practice Is the Sole Criterion for Testing Truth," providing an ideological loosening for the Reform and Opening-up.

As the boss of a private enterprise, this high-pitched call of his has already spread throughout the country, and he is just waiting to see the response and attitude from the official and civilian sectors.

Of course, domestically, you cannot expect his passionate speech today to advance the implementation of relevant policies at any great speed or to any great extent.

But Wenjie has its own methods.

That is, by constructing a more magnificent domestic and international film industry chain and controlling the academic and civilian public opinion of the film industry, he can force the implementation of policies.

For instance, when the era of the coal-boss investors arrives and internet capital enters, if trashy films like the 2025 *Legend of the Condor Heroes* or *Creation of the Gods II* run rampant, he can naturally use the resources he controls to strike with precision.

So as to avoid the effect of bad money driving out good.

This is the industry vision of someone with a grand perspective, and it is also the broad road he is seeking for his own enterprise.

Just as mentioned before, the better the domestic film industry develops, the more the industry chain he has built will benefit.

This is called placing individual development and the realization of value under the tide of the era, and acting in accordance with the trend.

Chaoyang District, Atlantic New City.

Xu Zheng returned home feeling somewhat depressed.

At noon, he and Ning Hao had failed to corner Boss Lu before the opening ceremony ended.

The latter, with very Chinese characteristics, had gone off to eat with Director Cai, Director Tong, and others.

The more magnificent the film blueprint he outlined on stage today, the deeper the depression in Baldy Xu's heart.

What is the point of being a mere spectator to a magnificent cause that one has no part in?

A nobody like Guo Fan, a small editor and operator from *Travel Satellite TV*, could enter the Film Academy within the Film Academy that so many people break their heads trying to get into...

Thinking back to the shabby look he had when he and Ning Hao saw him at the bottom of the building today, wearing his crew uniform and nodding and bowing to the two of them.

Is that the temperament of a director?

"How did it go?" As soon as he entered the house, his wife, Xiao Tao Hong, asked with no sense of the situation.

That's right, in his heart, this was an interrogation—didn't she see that her husband's expression was off?

She had absolutely no eye for the situation.

"It's tough." Xu Zheng let out a long sigh and began to boil water and make tea on his own: "With a person like him, can you still expect to change his mind?"

Xiao Tao Hong could be considered a virtuous wife and mother; knowing the bitterness in his heart, she walked over and stroked her husband's back.

"How about I find someone to see if we can strike up a conversation with him?" Xiao Tao Hong hesitated: "There was a sister in the swimming team before whose husband is now working in the State Council..."

Xiao Tao Hong is from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. She entered the national synchronized swimming team in 1987, and in 1993, she happened to be chosen by Jiang Wen to play Yu Beibei in *In the Heat of the Sun*, thus entering the entertainment industry.

Just like the Empress Guo who married into the Huo family, girls from the national water sports team have always had many choices for spouses and are very sought after.

Xu Zheng hurriedly waved his hand: "That's even worse! If it goes wrong, the relationship will turn sour! Isn't that using power to pressure people?"

The baldy let out a long sigh: "Besides, the person you're talking about might not necessarily be able to suppress him."

Xu Zheng smacked the tea leaves in his mouth, chewing them carefully for a while; he really had been bold enough to have a sudden, wild thought.

What level of "great mountain" would one need to invite to suppress or subdue the current Boss Lu?

Something a bit lesser...

Even if it were just to get a word in?

"Forget it, forget it!" Xu Zheng suddenly remembered his unpredictable reputation and rumors in the domestic entertainment world.

The numerous enemies and rivals who had been cut down, trampled underfoot, and buried in the dust of history...

Better not even think about it; what if one day he speaks in his sleep or while drunk and brings disaster upon himself?

Xiao Tao Hong was still very supportive of her husband. The two met in the 2000 *Bright Spring Pig Bajie*; at that time, she was already the Best Actress at the Golden Rooster Awards, while Xu Zheng was still quietly working hard in the entertainment industry.

After marriage, she also tried every possible way to assist in the development of her husband's career.

The couple sat down on the sofa. Seeing that he had calmed down a bit, Xiao Tao Hong asked: "Then what about Yanda Huayi and Cheng Tian... what are you thinking?"

Xu Zheng looked at his wife calmly: "I told Ning Hao."

"What?!" Xiao Tao Hong was shocked: "Success comes from secrecy, and failure comes from leaks!"

"How could you tell Ning Hao before anything was even settled? He and Lu Kuan are..."

Baldy Xu sighed leisurely: "Don't be anxious yet; this matter is a bit different from others."

"In 2003, I worked for the crew of Xue Xiaolu's *Love Is Not Blind*, and later for the first season of *Zhu Xian*, I worked as a producer for the crew."

"I originally thought he was grooming me; this thought lasted until *Crazy Supermarket*, but now I see clearly—he's using me as a blade!"

Xiao Tao Hong was puzzled: "Why do you say that?"

"Can't you see the release time of *Supermarket*? Isn't it just to sandwich Yanda Huayi and the Hong Kong-funded *Seven Swords* one after the other with *Bad Genius*?"

"Damn!" Xu Zheng suddenly felt it was insipid: "I wasn't originally a director signed to Wenjie; I just picked up a bargain, got a script, and achieved some results."

"Now that he doesn't think much of me, I should respectfully salute him and turn around to run forward."

Saying it like this still had a bit of the flavor of a resentful wife.

It's hard to say whether Lu Kuan, who knows the character and temperament of Baldy Xu in this life, had any thoughts of simply using him.

But clearly, when faced with a spot at the Pan-Asia Film Academy, having to choose between him and Guo Fan...

This can hardly be considered a multiple-choice question.

Xiao Tao Hong was still worried and pressed: "Then you shouldn't have leaked the news to Ning Hao in advance; you two may be tight, but who's to say he won't tell Lu Kuan in advance?"

Xu Zheng's face showed a cunning look: "Since I know there's no chance, what I need to consider now is how to smooth this matter over."

"For a person of such status, it's really better not to offend him even if it kills you!"

"How not to offend him? First, have someone pave the way, then I'll go complain and play the victim, and the matter will pass."

"Besides, his impassioned speech on stage today has already put him on a pedestal."

Xu Zheng chuckled: "Now that I am someone aspiring to make commercial films to cater to his propositions and banner, why would he stop me?"

"It's just that the ones investing in and recruiting me are Yanda Huayi and Cheng Tian."

Xiao Tao Hong knew he had his own ideas, so she stopped persuading him and considered the problem from his perspective: "Then both Yanda Huayi and Cheng Tian have extended olive branches, you..."

"Don't be in a hurry; I'll see what the wind direction is first."

Xu Zheng knows how to wait for a better price: "Today's opening ceremony is Boss Lu firing a cannon at the domestic entertainment industry."

"Not only does he want to make rapid progress in the industry chain, but he also wants to unify thinking and lead the industry pattern; this is a matter that affects the whole body by moving one hair!"

"Why are Yanda Huayi and Cheng Tian trying so hard to poach me? It's because even if they compete with Wenjie, they have to admit that what Lu Kuan says is the absolute truth!"

"They lack good commercial film directors!"

Xiao Tao Hong nodded: "Yanda Huayi only has Feng Xiaogang, and Cheng Tian is even poorer; they only have Zhang Li, who makes TV dramas, and making movies is tough, plus they have to spend a lot of money to invite Wu Yusen."

"Brother Pig, you're still quite sought after!"

Xu Zheng felt a bit better now and let out a long sigh: "Just waiting for news from Ning Hao's side to see what Boss Lu's tone is..."

As for the character of the baldy, everyone has their own judgment in their hearts.

But when it comes to understanding the ways of the world and being sophisticated in human relations, he is absolutely a top-tier figure in the domestic entertainment industry.

Yanda Huayi and Cheng Tian poached him to be a commercial film director; Xu Zheng, as an outsider to Wenjie, didn't need to worry too much.

It's just that all his skills, apart from his own efforts, were also improved through several of Wenjie's crews.

Reasonably and emotionally, he couldn't just leave without saying a word.

But how to say this word is also a science.

In front of Boss Lu, mentioning Yanda Huayi, with whom he has old grudges, and the competitor Cheng Tian, would he be thought of as waiting for a better price?

Don't try to guess the thoughts of those in high positions; the consequences of guessing wrong are very serious.

The best way is to have Ning Hao, who is close to him, communicate and probe the wind; with the superior acting and the inferior following, he can then act with a clear target.

Furthermore, dragging this matter out is not a bad thing.

If he creates a scenario where he is bitterly retained by Wenjie, won't his value and the importance he is given at his new employer be able to rise to a higher level?

In the entertainment industry, everyone is a Best Actor.

Just as this couple was painstakingly trying to wade across the longest river in the entertainment industry—Wenjie—the baldy's best friend, Ning Hao, was, as he expected, chatting with Boss Lu in the president's office.

"Boss Lu, Xu Zheng doing this is wrong! He has no patience at all!"

"He doesn't even think about who else in the country can give new directors a chance without blinking? Even if it's a script worth only a million!"

Boss Lu didn't even lift his head; he was clear about Ning Hao's thoughts.

Isn't this just like how he scolded Guo Fan in front of all the interviewees a few days ago?

If you punish yourself with three cups of wine first, others might have less resentment.

"Alright, stop pleading for him; do I look like someone so petty?"

Ning Hao didn't have the nerve to say it, but you are the abbot of the Shaolin Temple of the entertainment industry—the kind where if you offend someone, don't think about leaving.

"How could that be?" Ning Hao, wearing a big gold chain, nodded and bowed: "Director Lu, your bearing, pattern, and breadth of mind on stage today!"

"Which of those female students from the Film Academy below wasn't screaming?"

Boss Lu put down his pen and laughed: "Get out of here!"

"But you were right about one thing just now; Xu Zheng should be more patient. How big is the domestic market plate right now?"

"I've calculated it with you all before."

"Every year during the major film release windows, Wenjie's three films, the three films of Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Feng Xiaogang, plus 3-4 Hong Kong films including those of Zhou Xingchi, and other miscellaneous works, are already enough to eat the whole plate clean."

The young director took the tea handed over by Ning Hao: "He himself lacks the ability for big productions; without a good script and IP given to him, he can't handle it with his current ability."

"Besides, it's only 2006; what's the rush? The good days are yet to come."

Ning Hao was stunned; this sounded as if he could really predict the past and future—it was weirdly mysterious.

"Then I'll just..."

Boss Lu rested for a while and then started processing documents again: "Tell him not to think too much; just go wherever and focus on creating."

"Oh!" The young director suddenly raised his head: "I think going to Yanda Huayi is not bad; recently, they have had many interactions with powerful foreign aids like Ali and News Corp; the opportunities should be great."

Seeming to be afraid that Ning Hao would misunderstand, he smiled and explained: "It's not sarcasm, and certainly not a warning; just tell him the original words."

"Okay, I understand!" Ning Hao was thoughtful, then pushed the door and left.

He only "understood" superficially, but if Liu Yifei were here, she would probably understand truly.

It's nothing more than "exiling" Xu Zheng there to be an insignificant, cold chess piece in the future.

Like Teacher Guoli, he is a top-tier smart person in the domestic entertainment industry, and a master at judging the situation.

As for whether it will strengthen Yanda Huayi's strength and become a competitor in the future...

Just look at the *Detective Tang Renjie* series that Ning Hao is filming; can the *Lost* series really escape?

Glancing at the time on the computer, Boss Lu opened his phone again, found Xiao Liu's number, and dialed.

He wants to assign some extra tasks to Liu Yifei to continue diverting her attention.

At least after this birthday, the young girl looked a little less depressed.

North America, Los Angeles.

Liu Xiaoli and her daughter didn't return to the young director's mansion in Beverly Hills until the early hours of the morning, exhausted from a day of roadshows.

Mia drove into the garage, and Xiao Liu let out a long sigh; this time, she didn't resist living here in such an unclear way.

Perhaps it was because after her birthday last month, she saw some things more clearly and let down her sensitive defenses.

The special nineteenth birthday and the intense roadshows allowed her to briefly step out of this role, and her mood was much lighter.

This was also the result of Lu Kuan, Liu Xiaoli, and others helping her divert her attention.

The housekeeper, Martha, who had been arranged in advance, was wearing a well-tailored dark gray uniform with an exquisite silver brooch pinned to her chest, bowing enthusiastically at the door.

She then personally took them to visit and arrange the rooms.

Pushing open the heavy oak door, what came into view was a high-ceilinged hall with a custom Murano glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling, hand-blown by Venetian craftsmen, with the light casting mottled shadows through the colored glass.

The floor of the hall was paved with vintage tiles from Spain, with complex yet elegant patterns.

In the center was a set of Ralph Lauren Home leather sofas, with the dark brown leather complementing the hand-woven wool carpet.

Xiao Liu clicked her tongue in wonder, but didn't care much about these luxurious home decorations.

She knew that Boss Lu had always lived for the moment and rarely treated himself poorly.

However, a Bang & Olufsen player on the coffee table caught her eye, with its silver body and black glass panel showcasing a minimalist Nordic design style.

The housekeeper, Martha, smiled: "Madam, would you like me to play some music for you?"

"Sure."

Liu Xiaoli came down after a turn upstairs: "Xiao Lu's taste is really good; this decoration is really grand!"

The young girl rolled her eyes: "You don't see how much money he spent; who wouldn't be grand if they had money?"

"That's different! There is still a difference between the aesthetics of a nouveau riche and an artist." Liu Xiaoli couldn't stand hearing her daughter speak ill of Lu Kuan now.

It seems...

It also started after this birthday.

"Look at the oil paintings on the wall, the dark cherry wood bookshelves in the study, the Italian Carrara marble countertop on the island..."

Liu Yifei raised her hand to interrupt her: "Stop, stop, stop, I'm going to take a bath and sleep; you old lady can look as much as you want."

The old mother ignored the mockery in her daughter's tone: "Also, Xiao Lu told us not to rush back after we finish; he wants you to help him handle some things."

"How come I don't know? I have to rush back to film; what things to handle?" Liu Yifei frowned; she knew as soon as she heard it that they had some purpose.

Liu Xiaoli smiled: "You wait for him to tell you; how would I know."

Not knowing was one thing, but as long as it could make her daughter's mental state better, she supported it 100%.

The housekeeper was very professional, standing quietly to the side without speaking, and gracefully led Xiao Liu upstairs.

"How many bedrooms are there upstairs?"

"There are five, Madam; you can choose any one you like."

Xiao Liu's tone didn't have a hint of hesitation: "Take me to the biggest one, the master bedroom."

"Yes, Madam."

Martha pushed open the carved wooden door first; what came into view was a four-poster bed, the frame made of dark mahogany, and the bedding was Frette's 1000-thread-count Egyptian cotton series, soft as a cloud.

On the bedside table was an iPod Hi-Fi, and next to it were a few Hollywood magazines like *Vanity Fair*.

In the center of the bedroom's walk-in closet was a full-length mirror with a gold-rimmed frame, with complex vine patterns carved on the frame.

Liu Yifei nodded with satisfaction; everything was the ideal look she had seen when she came to look at the house that day.

Very good.

Martha gave a detailed introduction and asked about breakfast tomorrow, also with a British accent:

"Madam, I would like to confirm your breakfast arrangements for tomorrow: fresh Eggs Benedict delivered directly from an organic farm, served with smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce."

"Or, if you prefer something lighter, we have Greek yogurt with honeycomb and seasonal berries."

"Of course, a traditional English breakfast can also be arranged, including grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, black pudding, and special sausages."

Xiao Liu frowned: "Help me buy some ingredients from the Asian supermarket in Tang Renjie tomorrow morning; I'll write them down for you later, you don't need to worry about breakfast."

Martha bowed and pushed the door out without a hint of hesitation: "Yes, good night, Madam."

"You can call us at any time from the phones by the bed and in the bathroom."

Liu Yifei let out a long sigh, slumped onto the bed exhausted, and then took some clothes into the bathroom.

She kicked off her shoes, her toes like cardamom stepping on the cream-colored marble floor tiles, and caught sight of the independent clawfoot bathtub in the center of the bathroom.

Should I take a bath? Except for the home in the Changping villa, the hotels outside, no matter how high-end, aren't very clean, and no one has ever lived in the house with the washing machine; it's just right to take a bath to relieve fatigue.

Liu Yifei untied the belt of her silk bathrobe, and the thin fabric slipped off and piled up at her feet like a cicada's shell.

She lifted her foot to test the water temperature; the housekeeper had already filled the tub to seven-tenths full, and the pale pink bath salts swirled into tiny whirlpools under the Victorian-style copper spout.

She bent her long, beautiful legs and stepped in, the ripples on the water surface pushing the floating rose petals toward the gilded edge of the bathtub.

The misty heat wrapped in orange blossom and sandalwood fragrance steamed up; as she leaned back, her wet black hair wound into an ink-colored stream on the edge of the enamel bathtub.

The crimson suede bath oil floating on the water surface reflected a pearlescent luster, plating her skin with a layer of soft honey glaze.

Perhaps it was the psychological suggestion of being subordinated and conquered given to her in Boss Lu's master bedroom.

Perhaps the pink memories after her nineteenth birthday hadn't faded yet.

Liu Yifei stroked her curves under the water, pressing her muscles to relieve fatigue; the green girl had already transformed into a charming woman.

A shy thought couldn't help but jump into her mind...

If the washing machine saw her like this, he would probably be fascinated to death!

Oh my! What are you thinking, Liu Yifei!

The young girl, as if worried about being caught by a non-existent camera with her embarrassed and shy expression, plunged her head into the bathwater.

Bubbling a few times, she emerged from the water again, her whole face burning red.

Suddenly the phone rang!

She had the illusion of being caught in the act of doing something bad, and couldn't help but cover her chest and look at the phone.

Lu Dog.

This was the contact name she saved again after deleting his number last year.

"Hello?"

"What are you doing? It took so long to answer."

Xiao Liu hesitated for a while and looked at her smooth, bare body: "I... I'm reading."

Boss Lu laughed: "Is the house comfortable to live in? Let me tell you, the bathtub in my room is easy to use, it has a massage function; last time I..."

Liu Yifei was shocked and stood up abruptly, bringing out a splash of water: "You've used it!?"

It's over, it's over, it's really not clean this time!

The gentle ceiling light in the bathroom swayed, casting light on her wet eyelashes, making the light spots in her pupils look like broken diamonds sinking into a deep pool.

"What's that sound?" Boss Lu pondered for two seconds, his voice mocking: "Xiao Liu, are you taking a bath in my tub?"

"Nonsense! I'm reading! Reading!"

"Oh, then you must be reading in the swimming pool; I heard the splashing water."

Liu Yifei's cheeks flushed, she was speechless from his teasing, and thought of the shy, private thought in her mind just now, plus the person involved was right on the other side of the phone...

Boss Lu continued to tease her: "That... Xiao Liu, do you want to make progress?"

"How about we start a video call, and I'll guide your acting?"

Beep beep beep beep...

Answering the washing machine was a busy signal; the nineteen-year-old girl, unable to bear the lewd teasing, chose to cover her ears and steal the bell, fleeing in a panic.

Xiao Liu emerged from the water, threw on a bathrobe, dried her body, and crawled into the thin quilt, only feeling hot all over and unable to sleep.

She got out of bed and sat at the desk, suddenly remembering that didn't he attend the opening ceremony today?

The night is long, I'll read the news before sleeping.

It's 2:00 AM in Los Angeles during daylight saving time, and it's afternoon in Beijing.

The film industrialization declaration that was rampant in the morning and shocked the industry had already spread through the media reporters, sparking great discussions in the mainland and East Asian film circles.

*China Film Report* reported directly under the title "Declaration of the Breaker—Mainland Film Industry Welcomes a Milestone Initiative":

At the opening ceremony of the Pan-Asia Film Academy that concluded in the morning, Dean Lu Kuan's speech on "Establishing a Chinese Film Industrialization System" sparked strong resonance.

Yin Hong, Vice Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University, commented: "This is the first systematic initiative for the transformation of Chinese film from agricultural civilization to industrial civilization; the technical middle platform and financial tool innovation he proposed point directly to the industry's accumulated ills."

Relevant officials from the National Film Bureau revealed that the various initiatives and measures mentioned in the speech, including the understanding of the current situation, have already attracted attention and will be responded to after discussion.

*China Film News* published a blog post—The Industrial Revolution in the 3-Billion Box Office Era: Academic Debate on the Boundary Between "Standardization and Authorship":

Tian Zhuangzhuang, Director of the Directing Department of the Beijing Film Academy, pointed out that the insights proposed by Comrade Lu Kuan are worth deep reflection by everyone, including the filmmakers of their generation who were active in the 70s and 80s.

Director Tian used himself as a comparison, contrasting with Director Zhang Yimou of the same era, pointing out that marketization is the only way out for film as a commodity, and that the old, outdated criticism system should be abandoned to liberate and loosen thinking.

Ning Hao, a director under Wenjie who has already entered the hall of fame with the *Crazy Trilogy*, accepted an interview and said: Our generation no longer has to choose between the poverty of art films and the compromise of commercial films.

Liu Yifei thought for a while and then directly searched the blogs of Zhu Dake, Huang Shixian, and others; there was no movement yet.

She knew clearly in her heart that Boss Lu wanted to smash the rice bowls of the academic cliques in the old film criticism circle and rebuild the right to speak outside the old and rotten criticism system.

Clearly, this is an approach that moves other people's cake.

But if it is not done, the goal of liberating thinking cannot be achieved, and commercial films cannot become the mainstream of the market early.

Commercial films as the mainstay, with art films surviving under limited support and space, meeting the needs of a small group of viewers—this is the norm of a healthy film market.

For example, Los Angeles and New York in North America.

Looking at the support and backing from countless fans, authorities, film critics, and friends in the circle, Liu Yifei's worries faded a little.

But soon she became calm and open-minded again.

The things he wants to do have always been so magnificent, riding the waves in the torrent of the era and the industry.

Whether it is bureaucratic capital like Zhou Jun and Liu Zeyu, academic monopolists like Zhu Dake, Li Jie, and Xiao Ying, or competitors like Yanda Huayi and Cheng Tian.

Liu Yifei has absolute confidence in the man she admires.

Bad people live for a thousand years, she thought, remembering that he was still teasing her on the phone just now; he really is bad enough!

"Ding ding!"

A message came in, and it was from the bad guy again:

Handle the follow-up work of Twitter before returning to the country, and by the way, attend the celebration party of *Twilight 1* for me.

The young girl rolled her eyes at him across the air, and flipped through the few messages above...

There were never any soft words, just work arrangements like "You go to xxx," "Pay attention to xxx," etc., very blunt.

This dog thing not only treats her as a cash cow, but now has evolved into treating her as a black-labor worker!

This is not wronging Boss Lu; he indeed planned it this way.

Wenjie in both China and the US is developing at high speed every moment, and even if he had three heads and six arms, he wouldn't have time to take care of everything.

The current Liu Yifei already has the initial ability to handle affairs; after a few more confrontations with figures at the level of Hastings, she should grow more rapidly.

At that time, it will also be convenient for her to help him handle some corporate affairs.

The key is that the vision and realm of development trends such as streaming media and "three-screen integration" instilled in her by the old demon are ahead of this era.

This is her advantage.

Of course, it is also to help her divert some attention so she doesn't get too deep into the role.

In early September, Liu Yifei, who had completely finished the roadshow for *The Foreigner 2*, rushed back to the mansion in Beverly Hills.

Today, there is a celebration party for the *Twilight* crew in this Spanish Colonial Revival mansion.

Relevant personnel from Twitter will also be present; after all, the first event marketing topic for this internet product, which has gradually gained a foothold, was taking advantage of the popularity of the *Twilight* books and movies.

Dark red velvet curtains hung on both sides of the mansion's gate, with the iconic moon and wolf totem of *Twilight* embroidered on the curtains with silver thread.

The red carpet in front of the door extended to the driveway, with towering black candlesticks placed on both sides, the candlelight swaying in the twilight, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

Waiters in black formal wear held silver trays, serving guests welcome champagne—Dom Pérignon 1998 vintage, with a frozen raspberry dotted at the bottom of the glass, symbolizing the "blood-red temptation" of vampires.

These were all the work of Hollywood's professional marketing team, and today's celebration party was naturally also part of the promotion.

Although the film has been pulled from theaters, Hollywood's film industry back-end channels will push the film's profits to the maximum.

For example, in 5-6 months, *Twilight 1* can enter the DVD market for rental and sale;

It can also enter the TV networks of the Big Six like Fox and Disney, and online platforms like Netflix and Blockbuster for one-time paid on-demand;

Or pay-TV and public TV.

However, the latter generally has a 1.5-2 year term to avoid affecting the above paid channels.

Not to mention that for this kind of top-tier IP, the next installment is already in the preparation process.

Today, the core personnel of Wenjie North America are basically all here.

Huang Anna, Emil, Chen Shijun, Lin Yi, and others, plus the main creators of the *Twilight* crew.

The female director of *Twilight*, Catherine, brought the three leads who had quickly become popular to exchange greetings.

"Thanks to Twitter's marketing, I really didn't expect that film promotion methods could be so closely combined with the internet now."

Chen Shijun is the Vice President of Twitter on the surface: "We also have to thank the success of the film; nearly 220 million US dollars in box office is really too amazing!"

"Let's see how amazing the global box office figures will be!"

Wenjie's total investment was around 30 million US dollars, and the North American box office of *Twilight 1* in the later life was 197 million.

In this life, because of Disney's distribution assistance and Twitter's viral marketing, it has gone up another level.

Complementarily, Twitter has also benefited a lot.

In these six months, the total number of registered users has rapidly exceeded 10 million, and the daily active data and advertising delivery efficiency are very excellent, far exceeding the original MyTube.

Chen Shijun and others couldn't help but think of Liu Yifei's judgment on the data in the last meeting:

The data setback at the beginning was not a failure, but distortion.

These 7 months of operation have fully proved the correctness of this point of view.

It has to be said that their young boss really has a sharp eye for talent and didn't arrange his own scandalous little girlfriend to make up the numbers and occupy a high position.

Even that mainland immigrant named Sun Wenwen showed a coordinating ability in her work that was lacking in managers who were programmers like Chen Shijun.

Kristen Stewart held a glass of juice and asked Huang Anna politely: "Anna, where are our Chinese boss and genius director? Do we have the honor of seeing him today?"

Bella, who is only 17 this year, is already nearly 1.7 meters tall; although she is no stranger to alcohol in private, it is better to follow some rules on such occasions.

Including Taylor, who plays Jacob, and Robert, who plays Edward.

The sequel filming contract signed by Wenjie and them clearly stipulates that they will be held accountable by the company for losses caused to the IP and the series by their own scandals.

Huang Anna shook her head: "He has things to busy himself with in China and won't come over."

"If you want to see him, I hope you can perform even better in the second installment."

"You have to know that the money this film earned for our boss is just a drop in the bucket for him."

Kristen Stewart was moved, thinking that it would be good to see him next time; she is not yet eighteen, and some things are always not easy to let go.

She didn't think about whether this Oriental director would be unable to let go.

The various scandal materials about him that she flipped through online, or the partners Harvey and Quentin whom he is close to in daily life...

Which one is a good bird?

Outside the mansion, Xiao Liu had just gotten out of the car, and the bodyguard Mia followed her into the gate one after the other.

The vintage tiles in the front hall were covered with a dark gray long-pile carpet, with silver vine patterns embroidered on the edge of the carpet, echoing the forest theme of *Twilight*.

The walls on both sides of the corridor were covered with film stills, including the classic scene of Edward and Bella in the forest, each photo framed in a vintage copper frame, with soft spotlight illumination below.

In the corner were placed several life-sized wax figures of Edward and Bella, surrounded by "mist" created by dry ice, as if they were walking from the movie into reality.

There were also fans, reporters, etc., invited to join in; saying it was crowded is not an exaggeration.

Mind your own business, Liu Yifei deliberately bypassed the reporters in a low-key manner.

"Crystal is here!"

"Blue Moon!"

Chen Shijun, Huang Anna, and others all greeted her with smiles; this scene looked very strange in the eyes of Kristen Stewart.

This Chinese girl is just here to join in the fun like the director of *The Foreigner 2*, Lin Yi, right?

How come it looks like she is the protagonist, and even Huang Anna is smiling at her.

Even if Wenjie is just a small company that started with B-movies like *Paranormal Activity* and *Insidious*, without theater chains, channels, and bargaining power with theaters.

But the Oriental director behind it has a great background!

What is her relationship with Lu?

"Catherine, this Crystal and..."

The female director looked at her in surprise, thinking that you had better take the time you spend on manicures and luxury goods to cram on gossip.

"She is Lu's scandalous girlfriend; don't you know about the Fox live broadcast incident in February?"

Kristen Stewart shook her head ignorantly: "I had an appendectomy, and then went to Hawaii for a vacation."

Little Wolf Jacob and Vampire Edward couldn't care about Bella beside them and enthusiastically stepped forward to greet her.

Of course, they also saw this pretty Chinese face running roadshows recently, and Edward, who is almost the same age as her, had long paid attention to this Chinese actress.

"Hello Crystal, if I had known you were coming, I would have brought my whole set of *The Foreigner* monster figures from home."

Xiao Liu socialized with them generously; in fact, they were all young people under twenty: "Haha, thank you, your movie is great."

"I was fascinated when I read the book, and I took the time to watch your movie these two days; it's not inferior to the original at all."

Catherine shook hands with her: "Thank you, Crystal; actually, I have an idea for the second installment; why can't we add a Chinese character?"

"Perhaps I can invite you to make a guest appearance then?"

This was purely flattery.

Liu Yifei's influence in North America currently only has two points: the *The Foreigner* IP and MyTube blogger.

Her contribution to the box office is not great, and if it weren't for the sword-fighting role that can fight and struggle, it would have even less attraction to the North American audience group.

Unless an Oriental-background Chinese ancient martial arts girl is added to *Twilight 2*, that would destroy the power system of the entire IP.

The bond and entanglement between vampires and werewolves is the core intention.

Catherine's flattery stems from her awareness of Liu Yifei's status as a scandalous girlfriend, and the fact that she, along with the author of *Twilight*, personally participated in Twitter's topic marketing.

Perhaps she is one of the few who knows the fact that Xiao Liu is the founder of Twitter.

Liu Yifei naturally understood her polite words: "Thank you very much; I hope there will be opportunities for cooperation."

It was a peaceful celebration banquet, everyone blowing each other up, but a little girl who didn't know the height of the sky broke the tacit understanding.

"Catherine, I don't think this is a good idea."

Kristen Stewart met everyone's surprised eyes: "The emotional tug-of-war and camp forces of the three-protagonist group are inherent propositions; if you break them, the fans will rebel!"

She didn't mention Liu Yifei in her words, just considering it from the perspective of the film, so no one could pick out any faults.

The original author, Stephenie, nodded; although she had already sold all the future adaptation rights, she was still unwilling to have major surgery on her story plot.

"Kristen is right; this is indeed worth discussing."

Liu Yifei sneered in her heart and looked up and down at this underage girl, not knowing where her sudden hostility came from.

It's just that in her current eyes, it seems a bit childish.

Liu Yifei pondered for two seconds and deliberately made a posture of being interested: "Stephenie, I don't know how far the adaptation script for the second installment has been written."

"Director Catherine just gave me some inspiration; I'll propose an idea, see if it's feasible?"

The female writer was noncommittal, signaling the Chinese girl to continue.

"Can we set up an Oriental vampire hunter who masters ancient magic to restrain vampires and forms an alliance with the werewolf group."

"Or a young Oriental witch, a special envoy sent by the Volturi family, who possesses the special ability to predict the future and can create new conflict points between Edward and Bella."

"In terms of plot, it can serve as a fulcrum for the new love triangle and create emotional entanglements with Jacob."

"Can it also reveal the Oriental clues of the origin of vampires and lay the groundwork for the subsequent expansion of the worldview?"

Everyone was stunned, and even the original author, Stephenie, was stunned on the spot, frowning and thinking.

It seems...

It's not impossible, right?

Director Catherine was even more interested than her.

With one more character involved, she has one more gimmick to hype and more contradictions to create.

In other words, it can be even more dog-blooded!

Isn't this dog-bloodedness that transcends races what everyone is watching for!

Book fan Xiao Liu casually made up some nonsense, listening to Kristen, who was a little shorter than her, dumbfounded.

The fledgling North American actress looked at this Oriental girl with a pair of phoenix eyes looking at her inexplicably.

The coldness and depth in her eyes were in stark contrast to her sweet appearance.

I was just mouth-running, why did you, Blue Moon, come for real!

Liu Yifei looked at her dark and unclear expression and sneered in her heart; he really can't take a joke!

The young girl suddenly felt something was wrong again...

The washing machine was teasing me like this at noon, right!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 339 =====