Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 736 Guest Appearance Ends
The snowflakes outside the window fell silently.

The old locust tree in the yard has been wrapped in a new cotton coat.

As Wu Chen listened to Zhang Yimou's voice on the phone, the fleeting thought in his mind became clearer.

A hidden master in the photography world, weary of worldly distractions and focused solely on art itself, who can spend months in remote, uninhabited areas for the perfect shot.
The age setting is also just right.

This feels like a top-tier Easter egg that will be recorded in the history of Chinese cinema.

The more Wu Chen thought about it, the more reliable it seemed. He then cleared his throat and said, "Senior brother! There's something I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Ok?"

Zhang Yimou, on the other end of the phone, was slightly surprised.

A few years ago, if Wu Chen had asked him for help, he would have thought it was perfectly normal.

But now, is there anywhere Wu Chen still needs his help?
Could it be an invitation for him to go to Xingchen?

Putting aside his own thoughts, there was absolutely overwhelming opposition within the industry, something even a child could foresee.

"Well, as we were talking about my new movie, there's a role in it, a small one, just one scene..."
He's a photographer, a legendary one. After thinking it over, I felt that only my senior colleague was suitable to make a cameo appearance.

I still vividly remember your role as Li Lianying in "The Grand Mansion Gate" back then; you were absolutely stunning.

Wu Chen paused, and even mimicked that classic line from back then with remarkable accuracy.

"Well then, I'll put in a good word with the Empress Dowager first. Whether it works out or not depends on your luck."

Zhang Yimou was still considering a cameo role when he suddenly heard Wu Chen reciting his lines from when he played the Grand Eunuch Li Lianying. He couldn't help but laugh and scold him.

"You, you!"

Zhang Yi was delighted.

A cameo role in "The Grand Mansion Gate"? That was ten years ago.

Now that Wu Chen is talking about it like this, it really feels like a completely new world.

"Back then, I wasn't the only one who had a cameo role," he recalled with a smile. "Old Tian, ​​Old Chen, Jiang Wen, and others all got roles."

"Director Chen's character seems to be a border guard?" Wu Chen thought to himself.

“A clerk from Jinan Prefecture acting opposite Bai Jingqi!” Zhang Yimou added, clearly intrigued. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

What month next year?

"It should be springtime, in the Himalayas. Then we can see the snow leopards, have some tea, and chat. Leave the rest to me."

"Your requirements are quite high. The crew will have to go to the low-altitude areas first and climb up step by step, 500 meters per step. There can be no sloppiness."

Zhang Yimou clearly has a lot of experience.

"Um"

Wu Chen naturally understood.

Altitude sickness is no joke.

Although Zhang Yimou said he would "think about it," Wu Chen knew in his heart that the matter was almost settled.

Thinking of this, he hung up the phone, feeling much better.

While typing out the script outline on the computer, he hummed an off-key tune.

The role is almost a perfect fit. When the movie is released and the audience sees Zhang Yimou appearing on the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas, their expressions will probably be quite interesting.

Liu Yifei would occasionally come in to take a look;

She casually massaged Wu Chen's shoulders, but upon seeing this, she couldn't help but feel a little puzzled, so she reduced the pressure of her massage.

"You seem so happy. What's up? I think I heard you on the phone just now."

"nothing!"

"I don't believe you, tell me quickly." Liu Yifei knew Wu Chen all too well; she knew there must be something she didn't know, so she drew out her voice and started to whine.

Hehe, I've got you covered!
Wu Chen chuckled inwardly, just about to tease her, when the phone on the table rang at an inopportune moment.

I glanced at it and saw it was Xiong Xiaoge calling.

After investing in Zhang Yimou's film, the other party got a taste of the film industry.

Later, he also invested in some film and television-related industries on a sporadic basis.

However, these are all minor incidents.

Because the real battleground is still the internet.

Knowing Wu Chen had important business to attend to, Liu Yifei gave him a wink, signaling him to remember to tell her later. "What is it, Mr. Xiong?"

Wu Chen answered the phone, leaned back in his chair, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"Haha, I was worried that Director Wu wouldn't answer my call." Xiong Xiaoge's hearty laughter came from the other end of the phone.

"Director Wu is incredibly busy all over the world right now! One film, 'Interstellar,' grossed 1.5 billion US dollars. The return on investment is amazing, even in our industry, it's something to be envious of!"

"Others may not know, but you, Mr. Xiong, surely know," Wu Chen chuckled. "The profits aren't as high as they appear on the books."

We're all sensible people; some things don't need to be said outright.

"By the way, Director Wu, there's something I need to tell you."

Hearing Xiong Xiaogao's tone become slightly more serious, Wu Chen knew that serious business had arrived.

"Li Feng's NetEase Culture is probably not going to last."

At this point, Xiong Xiaoge's tone was quite regretful, and there was even a faint sigh.

It's not that I'm heartbroken about the investment.

In their line of work, they are evaluating new companies almost every day, and they invest in at least 80 to 100 companies a year.

I've seen more failures than I've eaten salt.

However, Li Feng was a different person from him in the end.

"President Li!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Chen also fell silent for a moment.

He now only owns 5% of the shares in NetEase Culture, having initially acquired a stake in Weibo through Xiong Xiaoge's connections.

But he and Li Feng had a fairly good relationship.

Back when Starry Sky Pictures was just a makeshift operation, Li Feng provided a lot of help.

He leveraged NetEase Culture's nationwide network of internet cafes to conduct extensive on-the-ground promotion for Xingchen's early films.

In those days, this method of propaganda was extremely effective.

He also helped Xingchen buy the copyrights to many domestic films and television dramas at low prices.

These are the resources that Xingchen can rely on when it encounters difficulties in the future.

"I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen."

Xiong Xiaoge's tone carried a hint of disappointment at their lack of ambition.

"They insisted on going down a dead end, leading themselves into a dead end."

With the rise of Youku and Tudou, they also began to adopt legitimate content, and NetEase Culture's moat against piracy quickly crumbled. He still wanted to continue being his 'copyright fighter.'

What a great opportunity, what a great first-mover advantage.

And so, step by step, it was lost in the tides of time and the general trend.

“He’s talked to me about this these past few days,” Xiong Xiaoge continued, “and he also mentioned you, Director Wu.”

He said you gave him advice back then, which was a pity. He felt a little sorry for you. He wanted to ask you out for a drink, but didn't know how to bring it up.

"What's the big deal?" Wu Cheng chuckled. "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. At worst, we can just start over."

To be honest, he had long since considered those shares as nothing.

However, he still acknowledged Li Feng as a person.

“It’s too late to start over, Director Wu.” Xiong Xiaoge’s voice was somewhat low. “Not everyone can start over.”

Li Feng is probably planning to retire from the underworld.

I chatted with Xiong Xiaoge for a while longer before hanging up the phone.

Wu Chen looked out the window.

The bright moonlight shone on the snow, casting a cool yet gentle glow.

Like a piece of fine Hetian jade, it is warm and smooth, yet also cool.

He picked up his phone, found a number he hadn't contacted in a long time, and dialed it.

The call was answered quickly, and Li Feng's somewhat hoarse voice came through.

"Mr. Li, how about a drink tomorrow night? Let's not go too far, just meet at Dongzhimen, the place where we first discussed business."

(End of this chapter)