Global Film Emperor

Chapter 540 Those Who Give Up on Their Dreams

As the subtitles appeared and the lights in the arena slowly came on, the audience erupted in applause. Lu Ze sat next to Fatini, not interacting with anyone or getting up to greet the audience. He simply turned to look at Fatini, who was still lost in thought. Fatini didn't move, just sat there, but Lu Ze could easily sense the emotions surging in his eyes.

"It's time to express our gratitude to the guests."

A large hand gently patted Fatini's back, trying to smooth out the wrinkles that easily appeared on his expensive wool suit, while also calming the turmoil in his heart.

Fatini finally came to her senses, let out a long breath, but did not respond to Lu Ze's words. Instead, she crossed her legs, gently biting the pad of her right index finger, leaving a faint bite mark, and stared at the staff list that was still scrolling on the screen, her eyes filled with affection.

After a full minute, he stood up, turned to the audience, and bowed gently with his hands on his lower abdomen.

The applause rang out again... much more enthusiastic than when the movie had just started.

The host breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went on stage to ease the tension while simultaneously becoming a complimenter, offering praise to Fatini's work and himself, though it was unclear whether it was genuine.

"A truly wonderful work! Thank you, Mr. Gambiano, for your meticulous presentation. It is remarkable that your debut work possesses such tension. Now, please welcome our main characters to the stage again for tonight's Q&A session. Once the creators are on stage, you may ask your questions."

As the group went on stage, Gambiano stood in the middle, with Lu Ze separated from him by an assistant director. The two took advantage of the chaos of going on stage to huddle together and whisper to each other about something. After everyone stood in a row, Fatini's expression remained unchanged, but the assistant director had a hint of struggle on his face, followed by a look of relief, which was quite intriguing.

The Q&A session was incredibly boring, arguably the most tedious premiere Lu Ze had ever attended. No reporter dared to provoke this young master with underworld connections; they simply showered him with praise, and the first reporter chosen to sing his praises to Gambiano immediately.

The audience below the stage also maintained their composure, refraining from joking or cheering. Only when Fatini told some not-so-funny jokes could one hear a slight smile. Throughout the interview, he spoke in Italian, which Lu Ze couldn't understand at all when he spoke quickly. He could only stand there dumbfounded, laughing along with others when they laughed, occasionally nodding as if he really understood.

Lu Ze's disguise was so good, and his acting skills were so superb, that none of the guests or reporters present noticed anything amiss. It wasn't until a reporter who seemed to be a fan of Lu Ze was chosen that the reporter excitedly rattled off a bunch of things and waited expectantly for Lu Ze's answer, only to be met with a face full of questions...

He provided the only genuine laugh at the premiere.

After the interview, a cocktail party followed. Led by Fatini, a number of key members of the production team who hoped to expand their network went from table to table to raise a toast to express their gratitude to the guests. Lu Ze originally wanted to just say a few words and leave, but Fatini held him back and he could not leave. He could only watch as others complimented Fatini and occasionally answer questions from socialites and ladies who whispered shyly in his ear.

This occasion was not suitable for excessive drinking, but Fatini became inappropriately excited, downing every drink he could get his hands on. His bold manner made Lu Ze think that he was truly invincible and unmatched at drinking parties. However, it didn't take long before he started to sway and his speech became slurred. It was estimated that he couldn't even outdrink Mickey's daughter with his limited alcohol tolerance.

Soon, he could no longer swallow the wine whole. Occasionally, some spilled down his chin and onto his clothes. The glistening beads of wine didn't roll off his clothes; instead, they condensed and remained on them, looking like tiny gems under the light. They were then slowly absorbed by the wool, becoming unsightly wine stains. He didn't care about this; he just smiled and wiped the wine from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

This was very inappropriate, at least for a rich young man. To act like this in public was somewhat beneath him. Old Italians wouldn't tolerate such behavior. It was clear he wanted to get drunk, and the people present were foolish enough to go along with it, satisfying his desire to be drunk, which he didn't know was caused by some emotion.

Lu Ze did not try to stop him. After getting acquainted with these wealthy businessmen, he found a secluded spot to sit down and started playing on his phone. He would occasionally look up to check on Fatini's location, but then stopped paying much attention to it.

Occasionally, a single woman who came specifically to find him would pretend to have just met him and sit down next to him. After a few minutes, she would leave with regret, leaving behind only a few napkins with her phone number written on them, which he would fold up and put into his pocket.

After Fatini completely collapsed and was helped to the restroom, Lu Ze got up and followed behind. After agreeing to let his companion leave, he leaned against the restroom door frame and watched Fatini repeatedly splash cold water on his face until Fatini recovered. Lu Ze then went over and took out a few napkins from his pocket and handed them to him.

Fatini kept her eyes closed, slapping napkins across her face repeatedly. After drying her face, she crumpled the napkins into a ball and threw them into the trash can before opening her eyes. While adjusting her clothes, she looked at Lu Ze standing behind her through the mirror and complained with a hint of dissatisfaction, "What kind of look is that?"

"fine."

Fatini noticed the mockery in Lu Ze's eyes, clicked her tongue, and her tone became unfriendly.

"Yes, yes, I can't hold my liquor as well as you, but I was still showing off. I should have known better than to drink, and you just made a fool of yourself."

"It's quite funny; it's the first time I've seen someone get drunk from a beverage."

"You're just spouting nonsense without thinking, aren't you? Is champagne really that low in alcohol?"

“Mickey and I usually drink baijiu (Chinese liquor).” “Oh, never mind then.”

He stopped worrying about his pitifully low alcohol tolerance, straightened his suit lapel with both hands, and asked Lu Ze a question as he turned to leave.

"I'm leaving now. Are you coming with me, or should I arrange another car to take you back later?"

"Let's go together."

Without saying anything more, after returning to the venue and briefly saying goodbye to the guests, they left the venue. The car was already parked, and without waiting for the driver to open the door, the two got into the car. After the car started, Fatini took out two cigarettes and handed one to Lu Ze.

"Let's try this one."

He looked like he hadn't smoked in a long time. After lighting it and taking a puff, he started coughing and said, holding his breath, "It's too pungent." His voice sounded a bit like Donald Duck. He handed the lighter to Lu Ze, but Lu Ze didn't light it. He waved his hand and, like a magician, pinched the middle of the cigarette between his hands, hiding it behind his palms.

The privacy curtains were open, and the ambient lighting inside the car was flashing purple. The two men were sitting in the back seat, and the atmosphere was really strange. Lu Ze couldn't stand it, so he quickly turned off the lights, opened the window, and let the wind into the car.

The dim streetlights shone into the car. Lu Ze adjusted his seat, half-reclined, and looked out the window. The whistling wind blew his hair, and his face was flickering between light and shadow by the streetlights.

Fatini, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, closed his eyes to rest. The cold water couldn't sober him up, and after a brief moment of clarity, he was once again overcome by the dizziness brought on by the alcohol. But he wasn't quite asleep yet, so he asked softly, his teeth still on the cigarette holder.

Are you satisfied?

"Are you satisfied with what?"

"Movie."

"Not bad, for a newcomer's work, it's already above average."

"By your standards?"

Lu Ze thought for a moment, then remained silent, gazing at the scenery outside the window, the cigarette in his hand spinning clockwise with his fingertips. After a long while, he finally spoke.

"It's not boring, and you can keep watching. The pacing and presentation of the first half are quite good, and the visuals and colors are excellent. The pacing of the second half is a bit rushed, and the ending is a bit hasty, but the story is complete."

“Mickey helped me revise the script, Lucas helped me design the color scheme and storyboards, the assistant director helped me with the editing of the first half, and as for the characters, the entire cast gave an outstanding performance thanks to you…”

"You just need to continue learning."

"I can distinguish between needing to learn and having talent."

Lu Ze sat up, found a lighter and lit the cigarette in his hand. He stretched his fingers out the window, felt the resistance brought by the wind, flicked the ash, and turned to look at him. He still had his eyes closed, but he seemed to be able to feel Lu Ze's gaze. He turned around, leaned against the seat, and only left Lu Ze with his back.

After a long silence, until Lu Ze finished smoking his cigarette, he still didn't move, but just said something softly.

"I'm not going to be a director anymore."

"..."

(End of this chapter)