Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 91 If you believe this, you are finished
The halo of the glazed palace lanterns cast a faint warmth in the night. In front of the stage, Cai Zhengren raised his hand slightly, signaling the stagehands to slowly draw up the curtain.

"Wu Chen, you have to watch The Peony Pavilion again tonight."

Wu Chen was startled, then slowly sat back in his chair and adjusted his breathing.

The gongs and drums sounded again. Unlike the rehearsals during the day, this time, the essence of the whole play will be fully presented.

In her dream, Du Liniang was shocked to realize that spring was fleeting, so she left her soul and traveled to the underworld. She was still obsessed with her dreams even when life and death were separated. Finally, she got her wish and was reborn into the world.

Wu Chen's gaze fell on the stage, and his thoughts gradually sank into it as the singing and the dancing of the sleeves played.

The soul of Kunqu Opera is an exchange of love and fate.

The song ended and the curtain slowly fell. Wu Chen was still in a daze, but Cai Zhengren was already looking at him with a smile.

"understood?"

Wu Chen took a deep breath and whispered, "Love comes from nowhere, but it's so deep."

Cai Zhengren nodded slowly, with some approval in his eyes: "That's good."

He paused, as if recalling something, and suddenly smiled, "Wu Chen, I think the most important person in your movie is not Liu Mengmei."

"I'm only good at Liu Mengmei. I've probably taught you everything I can." Cai Zhengren paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his tone calm, "But if you want to film well, you have to go to Teacher Zhang Jiqing.

Do you need me to say hello for you?"

Wu Chen nodded solemnly: "Thank you, Mr. Cai! Dean Zhang has made the contact for me, and it will be after the New Year."

Cai Zhengren then smiled with satisfaction and waved his hand, saying, "That's good. Go ahead. If you have any questions, just come back here."

Wu Chen bowed deeply, then slowly turned around and stepped out of the Kunqu Opera Theater. The cold wind, mixed with the humidity from the south of the Yangtze River, blew in his face, making his cheeks red.

The night was dark, and the wind from the Magic City blew by with a hint of chill. He looked back at the quaint theater door, and an indescribable feeling of emotion welled up in his heart.

What Wu Chen didn't know was that after he left, Cai Zhengren returned to the study, picked up the old-fashioned telephone on the table, and dialed Zhang Huijun's number.

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Huijun's voice was filled with laughter: "Mr. Cai, things are troublesome!"

Cai Zhengren smiled faintly, "Wu Chen is very intelligent, so he's not a problem. Teachers love students with amazing understanding the most. You, Beijing Film Academy, have recruited a good talent."

Zhang Huijun chuckled and did not deny: "Indeed!"

Cai Zhengren said slowly:
"Remember what you promised me. After Wu Chen finishes filming this movie, have him come to Shanghai Opera to give more lectures and share his experience with Kunqu Opera. Kunqu Opera is the root of Shanghai Opera, and this root cannot be severed.

Wu Chen's book is very good, I like it very much."

Zhang Huijun agreed readily: "Of course."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and Cai Zhengren's voice took on a hint of meaning: "Teacher Zhang Jiqing's position is the key. The heroine and supporting actress in this script are the core of the entire film. You must tell him not to waste this opportunity."

After the call ended, the lights in the theater were still on.

Wu Chen set out on his journey back to Foshan. The stage behind him still stood quietly, as if even six hundred years of wind and frost could not blow out the lamp.

It is the Little New Year’s Eve in the north and the day before it in the south.

The streets of Pingzhou, Foshan have begun to be decorated with lights and every household is filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Wu Chen dragged his luggage onto the familiar streets. The scenery around him remained the same, but it seemed to have a new look.

The jade shops along the street are brightly lit, children in the streets and alleys are laughing and chasing fireworks, and the air is filled with the atmosphere of the upcoming New Year.

"Hey, Wu Chen is back!"

The old man at the entrance of the alley was the first to recognize him and shouted loudly. Almost instantly, all the neighbors gathered around him.

"Oh, the Wu family kid is really impressive!"

"I heard you won an award for your film?"

"Go home quickly, your mother is praying to the gods, so you might as well go back and pray too. Oh, when will my kid be able to be like you?"

Wu Chen greeted his neighbors with a smile.

At the doorstep, his mother, Yuan Xiaoqin, had already been standing there expectantly, hearing his voice. As soon as she saw him, she immediately rushed forward, muttering, "I'm glad you're back, I'm glad you're back!"

Wu Yangming stood inside the door with a grin on his face.

On the dining table, the reunion dinner is steaming hot and the family members are sitting around it happily.

The mother picked up the food and kept nagging:
"Are you tired from filming outside? Are you used to the food?"

"It's a habit, it's good." Wu Chen replied with a smile, picked up a piece of fish and put it into the bowl.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Wu Chen was stunned by his mother's question and shook his head: "Not yet!"

"No rush, career is more important. We can talk about it after we find love."

"By the way, Dad, how's the family business?" Wu Chen chatted casually and changed the subject.

Wu Yangming nodded gently: "Very good, we have started making women's shoes too."

"Uncle Zhang's orders?" Wu Chen instantly thought of the answer. His family originally made men's shoes, and now they've suddenly started making women's shoes too. It must be related to Zhang Zemin. "Well, because of your advertising, some clients in Hong Kong and Italy have really caught your eye. We've suddenly received a lot of orders. His factory hasn't expanded that much yet. If he sells it to another factory, the money will go to someone else. It's better to send it to us."

"Dad, running a factory like this isn't a solution after all. Our country's demographic dividend period will eventually pass. I don't think you're too interested in running a shoe stall. Why don't you try online?"

"Online?" Wu Yangming was puzzled.

"Yes, for the online shopping model, first hire two or three people who understand it and try it out slowly. Running a factory is too hard and not worth it."

Listening to Wu Chen's words, Wu Yangming nodded, not quite understanding, "I'll find a few people this year to try."

Wu Chen didn't say much.

He understood his parents' personalities. When they had no money, it might be because they were trying to make a living. Later on, it was actually to keep themselves busy and have something to do.

The next day, Wu Chen and his father Wu Yangming went to Zhang Zemin's shoe stall.

Zhang Zemin's stall is now much bigger than before, with a spacious storefront;

A clip from "The Dark Side" was playing on the big screen in the hall - the scene of the heroine changing shoes was clearly reflected on the screen, and the exquisite shoes were given a unique beauty under the movie lens.

"Wu Chen, your advertisement is worth it!"

When Zhang Zemin saw Wu Chen, he was still wearing his crocodile leather shoes, and he came up to him with a loud laugh:

"You have no idea, ever since this ad went up, orders have increased several times over. I'm now planning to expand my production line!"

"That's a good thing, Uncle Zhang." Wu Chen said with a smile.

"But, I've been so busy these past two months that I'm thinking, I should create my own brand and not just be a OEM for others. I'll throw in some advertising money when the time comes. If it works, great. If it doesn't, I'll just accept it."

Zhang Zemin's eyes were firm.

Wu Chen nodded. He had to admit that Zhang Zemin had a good vision and courage.

"Uncle Zhang, building a brand is a good thing. If you need someone to advertise for you later, tell me. I will definitely help if I can."

"I've got that in mind!" Zhang Zemin laughed heartily and turned to look at Wu Yangming. "Old Wu, to be honest, I really envy you."

"You can't envy this."

The smile on Wu Yangming's face never stopped.

In the evening, after parking the car, Wu Chen and his father walked side by side. Under the night sky, the streets of Pingzhou were quiet and peaceful.

"Xiaochen, there's nothing more Dad can teach you about movies." Wu Yangming suddenly spoke, seeming to sigh.

"You said that many directors come from academies like you, so why do they make such bad films?"

Wu Chen was slightly stunned, then smiled and said:

"China is a director-centric system, where the director has absolute power over the crew. Even now, when a project is initiated, it is actually the director who takes the lead, and the project party needs to find a director first.

This has also led some directors to over-involve their own thoughts and aesthetics, neglecting the story and script itself."

Wu Yangming shook his head: "You may be right, but I always feel that it is not entirely true.

Do you think they knew it was a bad movie when they were making it?"

"Hard to say!"

Wu Chen was stunned, and after thinking for a long time, he hesitated for a moment.

"Hasn't the factory been doing a lot these days thanks to your Uncle Zhang?" Wu Yangming smiled. "Guess who's around me now?"

Before Wu Chen could speak, Wu Yangming immediately said, "They are all people who come to you to drink, chat, and flatter you."

"Directors like you, I can imagine that when you make a good movie, there will be more people praising you.

From the people around you, the people in your company, the people in your school to the ordinary people in the whole society, you are surrounded by people who say good things, and everyone will tell you "this is good."

When there is one person around you praising you, you may just think that he is being polite. But when ten people around you praise you, you may feel that you may still have some strength.

But when everyone around you is praising you, after a while, you will hear it more and more and naturally believe it. Gradually, you will feel that the way I make movies is good because others are praising me.

No matter what decision you make, no one will deny you and everyone will think you are right.

But if you make that assumption for yourself, you’re done.”

Wu Chen was silent.

He suddenly remembered the sound he heard when he first became a photographer in his previous life, and compared it with the sound he heard after becoming an assistant director. The two sounds seemed to be worlds apart.

"If one day, you're surrounded by people who say good things about you, and you make a not-so-good movie that's criticized by the audience," Wu Yangming said slowly, "at that time, you need to stop and think about whether you're wrong."

The night breeze blew gently, and Wu Chen's mind became calm.

"Dad, I understand."

The father and son continued to walk forward, and the night lights of Pingzhou cast a long shadow behind them.

Even after a long time, Wu Chen still remembered the conversation that night clearly.

(End of this chapter)