Global Film Emperor

Chapter 384 Visiting Teacher Chen
"Is this it?"

As the car entered the central area of ​​the villa complex, Lu Ze rolled down the window and leaned out. Before him stood a group of villas spaced perfectly apart. The style was older than that of newly built villas, but the Chinese-style park facilities were full of antique charm. If you didn't consider the location and the price that would deter ordinary wealthy people, it would indeed be a good place to retire.

Finally, the car stopped outside a villa in the southeast corner. Old Song unbuckled his seatbelt, walked to the gate, and pressed the intercom button. The piano melody played three times, and an old woman answered the video call.

"Master's wife, I've come to see you."

"It's Xiao Yuan! Come in, come in! I haven't seen you in ages."

The electric gate opened wide, revealing a long row of grapevines. Grapes weren't in season yet this month, so they were probably a bit sour and no one was picking them. Large bunches of purple grapes hung on the vines, making one's mouth water at just a glance.

Upon entering the compound, Lu Ze saw the flower nursery greenhouse he had once admired. Various rare plants were blooming inside, and even through the glass, a faint fragrance seemed to waft into Lu Ze's nose, making him feel refreshed and comfortable.

Behind the greenhouse stands a huge ginkgo tree. A gentle breeze causes its leaves to sway softly, playing a melody imbued with the essence of nature. All of this conveys a sense of comfort and tranquility.

The old man was rocking back and forth in his armchair under the tree, enjoying the cool shade. When he saw the car park in the garage, he didn't get up. Instead, he gently fanned himself with a palm leaf fan and poured himself a cup of green tea with wisps of white steam rising from the teapot.

"Xiaoyuan, did Liangliang come with you? Oh, no, he didn't..."

An elderly woman dressed in fine clothes came out of the room. When she saw that Song Guiyuan had not brought his son, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes, which then turned into dissatisfaction with Song Guiyuan. She didn't even look at the gifts he was carrying. She simply nodded gracefully to Lu Ze and invited him to sit down. Then, she sulked and turned to go back into her room.

“Teacher’s wife, please don’t be angry. This really isn’t my fault. The final exams are coming up soon, and Xiao Liang is in tutoring classes. Since he started school, including the midterms, he’s only taken three exams in total, and he’s been last in his class all three times. If he gets last place for the fourth time, Xiao Xue will really go crazy. Now, no matter who it is, if you mention taking Xiao Liang out to play, my wife acts like she’s going to eat someone alive. She told me that even if he gets second to last, it’s fine. Having someone at the bottom is just for peace of mind. After the exams, I’ll have Xiao Liang come and stay with you for a while, as long as you want. What do you think?”

The old lady's expression softened a bit. She didn't go inside, but stood at the door, looking Song Guiyuan up and down. She was still somewhat unhappy, perhaps because she felt sorry for the child. With a hint of dissatisfaction, she began to criticize Song Guiyuan and his wife.

"Everyone talks about reducing the burden on children, but we haven't seen much reduction. You're adding more burdens to your child's shoulders, and you still complain about Xiao Liang's poor grades. You're cramming him with all sorts of things, like piano, calligraphy, Go, and oil painting. How can he possibly do well in school? You have the money to tutor him, but you should at least see how much he can actually learn. Since you've chosen a diversified education, stop bringing up his grades. I think it's just your pride acting up. You attended a parent-teacher meeting and the elementary school teacher criticized you, making this university professor lose face."

"Yes... Madam, you're right. She's too competitive, making Xiao Liang learn this and that, and she has to excel in everything. I can't stand it anymore. I'll give her a good talking to when we get home."

"Don't argue with her. Just say it was me who said it. If she's unhappy, let her come to me. Why should the child be treated like this? Alright, put your things inside. Young man, make yourself at home and don't feel uncomfortable."

Lu Ze nodded, and after Song Guiyuan gave him a wink, he followed his teacher's wife into the house. Only then did Lu Ze turn around, walk to Teacher Chen's side, and greet Chen Yongbin, who was resting with his eyes closed.

"Teacher Chen, I'm here."

"Sit down, make yourself at home, don't be shy. Come, have some tea. Come with me into the shed later to apply some medicine to the flowers. You can work as my helper for a day, is that alright?"

"Of course, it's a good opportunity to continue learning some flower-growing skills from you, Teacher Chen."

The purple clay teapot is shiny and has a halo, clearly an old object that has been handled for a long time. Looking through the spout at the tea flowing out, a thick layer of tea stains further shows how old the teapot is.

Lu Ze raised his teacup, and Teacher Chen filled it to about seven-tenths full. The aroma of the tea was so strong that it didn't seem like the kind of tea that was widely available on the market.

He clenched his right fist, palm down, and tapped his five fingers three times on the table to express his gratitude to Teacher Chen. Only then did he put the tea into his mouth, gently place the teacup on the stone table, put his hands on his lap, and quietly wait for Teacher Chen to speak again.

Chen Yongbin lay back down on the armchair, closed his eyes to rest, and made a sound as he played with his large, old, dull nipples. It wasn't that Teacher Chen was putting on airs, but rather that the two of them were already used to this kind of interaction.

How was the filming in the UK?

"Not bad, I didn't embarrass myself."

"That's good. Among these younger generation, you are the most ambitious and promising."

Having just come out of the room, Song Guiyuan, who was about to greet Teacher Chen, was now in a very awkward situation. He didn't know whether to sit or stand, so he could only quietly stretch out his leg and lightly tap it on the ground next to the stone bench. Seeing that Teacher Chen did not scold him, he obediently sat down, looking utterly hopeless.

Teacher Chen's words were not actually meant for Lu Ze, but for Comrade Lao Song. As Teacher Chen's most unambitious student, Teacher Chen had always been very dissatisfied with Lao Song's carefree and unambitious attitude.

After all, he's almost forty, and has been under his tutelage for over a decade or two, yet he's still filming TV dramas and won't even take on a movie role. Teacher Chen has given him countless opportunities over the years, but he's been given the meat only to be rejected. How can Teacher Chen not be angry? While everyone has their own ambitions, this kind of hopeless case is Teacher Chen's number one problem student; there's no one else like him. He teaches and helps his students not entirely for his own fame, but more so because he hopes to pave the way for these disciples in the remaining ten or twenty years of his life, so they won't be controlled by others, constantly suffering humiliation, and can stand tall and have their own voice.

For Teacher Chen, teaching students was not only about imparting knowledge and resolving doubts, but also about ensuring their lifelong peace and prosperity. This attitude was selfish, he never denied, because he could not be completely selfless. These students had kowtowed to him and served him tea, so to Teacher Chen, they were like his own sons.

If a son is filial to his father, shouldn't the father help his son? Isn't that a matter of course?

The three sat under the tree in silence. Like Teacher Chen, Lu Ze closed his eyes and enjoyed the rare tranquility. About ten minutes later, Teacher Chen got up and led Lu Ze into the greenhouse, leaving Song Guiyuan alone to play on his phone with a resentful expression.

It wasn't that Chen Yongbin disliked him that much; it was just that the last time this bastard helped Teacher Chen with chores, he broke three of the flowers that Teacher Chen had worked so hard to grow. That was the first time, and Teacher Chen never asked him for help again after that…

……

After diluting the nutrient solution, Lu Ze held it in his hand. After observing the soil, Teacher Chen also told Lu Ze which pot needed watering and how much.

The flowers seemed to be growing well, and Teacher Chen nodded in satisfaction before heading to the next pot. The two of them weren't silent except for the necessary conversations while working, and eventually they started talking about their topic.

"Currently, your career focus is overseas, which is both a good thing and a drawback. You don't have much time to attend monthly internal meetings and participate in development plans, so the number of departments you can choose from is pitifully small. My suggestion is that you join the theoretical research department, which is also your only option. In this way, based on your overseas experience and the actual situation of the domestic film industry, you can propose some targeted policies, which is the most suitable job for you. If you can achieve some results and really promote the development of the industry, it will definitely be of great benefit to your personal status in the film industry."

Professor Chen's advice was very pertinent, and Lu Ze was constantly thinking about it. If he really entered the theoretical research department, then his long-term stay abroad would be equivalent to a self-funded overseas research trip. Of course, whether it was self-funded or not didn't matter. The important thing was that he could indeed gain a deeper understanding of overseas film capital operations through his status as a shareholder of "Universal Brothers Pictures," which was his advantage.

In this way, if he actually put forward a good suggestion and it was adopted by the esports association, it would greatly enhance his personal reputation, but this was not what Lu Ze valued most.

Although saying things like contributing to the Chinese film industry may seem a bit grandiose and empty, as a Chinese filmmaker, how could Lu Ze be willing not to do something when he truly has the opportunity to push the Chinese film industry forward?

But he had a concern, only one concern.

"Mr. Chen, there's something I need to explain to you. I previously invested in a British film company. Will this have any impact on my application for the job?"

These words did not surprise Chen Yongbin, but they were somewhat unexpected. He did not expect that in just over a year, Lu Ze would rely on himself to climb out of the trough, not only winning the Berlin Film Festival Best Actor award, but also investing in a foreign film company, making such a remarkable comeback.

After staring at Lu Ze for a few seconds, Chen Yongbin shook his head, bent down again to look after his precious flowers, and answered Lu Ze's question.

"This is a good thing. It will allow you to observe the operation of the film industry abroad more closely, and more people will trust the feasibility of your proposed solutions. You don't need to worry about that. As long as you still have a Chinese ID card and are a member of the Communist Party, and can speak fluent Chinese and acknowledge your Chinese identity abroad, this kind of investment will not become a handle against you, but rather an asset. Water this flower less, too much water will burn it. Okay... stop."

Slowly pouring the nutrient solution into the roots of the flower, and once the amount was sufficient, screwing the cap back on, Lu Ze felt relieved. However, looking at the somewhat aged figure, Lu Ze felt an indescribable gratitude. This old man, who had no connection with him, had unconditionally helped him so much. Even Lu Ze found it difficult to express such kindness in words.

"Thank you, Teacher Chen."

Lu Ze was at a loss for words, but his feelings were genuine. Chen Yongbin could also feel Lu Ze's sincerity, and smiled gently, patting him on the shoulder.

"I've said before that you're a talented person, not just in terms of acting. Whether it's your character or your work, you have your own set of principles, which is what I like most about you. You have principles, kindness, ambition, and a sense of responsibility. With these, acting skills don't really matter. Alright, your task as a helper is finished for today. Let's go back. Tomorrow you'll come with me to visit the other leaders of the China Electric Power Association. Although getting into the association is a sure thing, we still need to maintain appearances and do some lobbying. There's just one thing..."

"Teacher Chen, please speak."

The path paved with bricks in the middle of the flower bed was covered with some mud. On the way back, Teacher Chen picked up a broom and gently swept the mud back into the flower bed. Lu Ze wanted to help, but Teacher Chen waved his hand and refused. He kept cleaning the path until it was clean. Teacher Chen put the broom back and pushed open the glass door of the greenhouse with his hands behind his back.

"If I take you to visit other leaders, it's a bit of a lack of justification. We don't have any official relationship, and I'm a little embarrassed to ask. So, I'm thinking of taking you on as my student. What do you think?"

"..."

I've been busy moving lately and have been quite overwhelmed. I apologize to everyone.

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(End of this chapter)