It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 22 Seeking help from a tiger? No! This is called manipulating the odds!
"Nicholas Tse?"

"Yes, Hong Kong media reported that he was involved in a car accident on Cotton Tree Drive last night while driving a luxury car, and then tried to get someone to take the blame. He is suspected of drunk driving. The news has been released, and he may be arrested."

Inside the dormitory, Lü Rui was organizing scripts and investment documents when Zhao Peng suddenly rushed in and excitedly shared some gossip with him.

This "Hong Kong entertainment circle prince" is already well known for his arrogance, so this situation is quite in line with his persona.

“We can’t catch them,” Lü Rui said confidently.

"Why?" Zhao Peng asked, puzzled.

"His father's name is Xie Xian, and the company he's backed by is the well-known Yinghuang Entertainment in Hong Kong. They're still at the peak of their careers. Do you think the people behind him would let him get into trouble?"

In a society based on personal connections, the higher one's status and position, the more benefits one receives—this is a fact universally acknowledged.

"Jingle Bell--"

The phone rang suddenly.

Lu Rui picked up his phone from the table and saw that the caller ID clearly displayed Jiang Wen's name.

He pressed the answer button: "Hello? Director Jiang?"

"The matter is settled."

Jiang Wen only said four words, but they made Lü Rui's eyes light up.

"Both Zhang Fengyi and Zhang Guorong agreed?"

“Hmm.” Jiang Wen replied, “Zhang Fengyi is fine. He doesn’t have any acting offers right now and is preparing to perform in a stage play. He agreed as soon as I mentioned it. However, Zhang Guorong has made a condition.”

"What conditions?"

Lu Rui thought it meant a pay raise, since Hong Kong stars generally earn more than mainland actors these days.

It's frustrating, but there's nothing we can do about it.

Jiang Wen said, "He wants to bring an actress to the mainland to film a movie, and he hopes you can make arrangements for him."

Lu Rui was taken aback, then inexplicably felt irritated: "It's not Mei Yanfang, is it? Don't joke around, I can't afford to pay her. How much would the two of them cost together?!"

When asked about Leslie Cheung's close friend, the first person he thought of was Anita Mui.

"It's not Mei Yanfang, it's his ex-girlfriend Mao Shunyun. She's been retired from acting for six years and has just made a comeback. She's currently looking for work," Jiang Wenyan explained succinctly.

Lü Rui remembered.

This Mao Shunyun was the only female artist that Leslie Cheung personally admitted to loving back then, and she was once incredibly popular in Hong Kong!
In particular, her role as the "short-haired tomboy" in "All's Well, Ends Well" left a very deep impression.

At the same time, this movie can be considered the beginning of her relationship with Leslie Cheung.

Unfortunately, the two were destined to be apart and ultimately did not end up together.

“Okay, if it’s her, I have no problem with that. It’s perfect to have her play the wife of the character played by Leslie Cheung.”

"Okay, I'll pass on the message."

Jiang Wen hung up the phone immediately.

He can't wait!

Not being able to participate in "Farewell My Concubine" was arguably the biggest regret of his life.

Now that he has the opportunity to act alongside Zhang Fengyi and Zhang Guorong, just thinking about it makes him feel incredibly excited!
……

"Brother Rui? I... I didn't hear that right, did I? You're going to collaborate with Leslie Cheung and Zhang Fengyi?"

In the dormitory, Zhao Peng stared wide-eyed as he watched Lü Rui finish organizing his materials and prepare to leave, looking as if he had been frightened by a ghost.

"Well, what happened?"

Lu Rui picked up the documents and headed out. The script translation had already been completed in advance, and he needed to submit it for review first.

But the next second, a shadow suddenly flashed in front of her, followed by a tight feeling of binding her thigh.

Looking down, he saw that Zhao Peng had already grabbed his leg.

Lü Rui: ...

"Brother Rui!" Zhao Peng looked up, his eyes full of hope. "You won't abandon me, right?"

He didn't do well in school, and his family's financial situation was just average.

If I continue studying step by step, after graduating from university, I'll probably just end up working on a TV drama set.

As for directing and making his own films, he never even considered it!

He's not like those rich kids in the class who have money and connections.

He felt very prestigious just to be an assistant director, shouting a few words through a megaphone.

But now, watching his poor buddy and best friend Lü Rui, who entered the Beijing Film Academy with him, suddenly rise to prominence, producing big-budget productions and projects, and even winning the Silver Bear for Best Director from Berlin.

This was a huge shock to him!

But it was precisely because of this that he suddenly saw another fork in the road in his life.

If I can stick close to Lü Rui's coattails, even if I'm just a lackey, it's better than being someone else's slave!

Last time they collaborated with Feng Yuanzheng and Mei Ting, and this time they've been promoted to Zhang Fengyi and Zhang Guorong. This guy's legs are just too damn thick!
As long as you hold on tight, you'll definitely have a life of wealth and prosperity!

"Can you fucking let go of me?" Lu Rui said, laughing and crying at the same time, reaching out to pull his arm. "Anyone who didn't know better would think we were about to be separated for life and death."

"No! I won't let go!" Zhao Peng shook his head frantically. "Unless you promise me that I can continue working for you."

"I promise you, okay?"

Helpless, Lü Rui had no choice but to pull out an A4 sheet labeled "Cast List" from the documents in his hand.

“Just like before, go and communicate with the acting department. These are all roles that current students can play. Make sure the department head ‘helps’ to select them, you understand what I mean?” Zhao Peng immediately let go of her hand upon hearing this.

After taking the list and looking it over carefully, he nodded hurriedly, "Don't worry, Brother Rui, leave it to me. I guarantee I can accurately convey your message to the head of the performing arts department."

Lu Rui patted him on the shoulder with great satisfaction, "Go ahead and get busy, I'll be waiting for your good news."

This kid is a master at interpersonal relationships, and most importantly, he has an incredibly thick skin, thicker than a city wall!

With such a talented person, how could Lü Rui possibly let him go?

Immediately afterwards, the two split up and began their respective operations.

Zhao Peng went to the acting department to select people, while Lü Rui went to China Film Group and handed over the Sinicized script of "Mystic River" to Han Sanping.

At the same time, he subtly expressed his desire to find several more film and television companies that could "help".

After pondering for a moment, Han Sanping introduced Yu Dong, the chairman of Bona Cultural Exchange Co., Ltd., to him.

Bona Film Group is currently the first private company in China to be granted a "Film Distribution License" by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, and can fully complement China Film Group in terms of publicity and distribution.

Most importantly, Han Sanping and Yu Dong have a very good relationship!
To use a line from the popular movie "Young and Dangerous," Yu Dong should call Han Sanping "Big Brother!"

So, after meeting the other party, Lü Rui gave him a small portion, which was 150 million yuan, or 5% of the investment.

Immediately afterwards, he went to see Jiang Wen and expressed the same sentiment.

"I suggest you don't kick Huayi out yet. You can give them a smaller share to teach them a lesson. The Wang brothers are smart; they'll understand what you mean."

While offering advice, Jiang Wen also introduced Lü Rui to a new friend.

Dong Ping, Chairman of Huayi Film & Television!

This person is no ordinary person.

Starting in 96, he participated in several films, including Zhang Yimou's "Keep Cool", Jiang Wen's "Devils on the Doorstep", Feng Xiaogang's "Endless Love", Chen Kaige's "The Emperor and the Assassin", and Li An's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

Jiang Wen described him as follows: "In terms of award operation, copyright sales, and personal connections, Dong Ping can reach the entire Southeast Asia region, including overseas!"

"He was the one who helped me get my film 'Devils on the Doorstep' selected for the Cannes Film Festival and successfully sell the rights for a high price."

Lü Rui then met the other party.

After a brief conversation, he discovered that compared to Han Sanping, Yu Dong, Jiang Wen, and others, this man had a purely businessman-like style.

It's also pleasant to work with people like that; everything revolves around money.

As a result, another 5% share was distributed.

Perhaps because the news had leaked out, a few days later, Enlight Media, through its connections with the Beijing Film Academy, also came knocking on their door.

Wang Changtian immediately said, "The nationwide terrestrial television network can help promote your new film project, including media coverage; I can also assist with that."

Lü Rui readily agreed!

So, he distributed another 5% to others.

By the time Wang Zhonglei belatedly realized what was happening, only 5% remained.

It's worth noting that Huayi Brothers made a lot of money from "Gone Girl".

An investment of 50 yuan yielded a return of nearly 500 million yuan, which is no small sum.

Now, although the investment in "Mystic River" is 150 million, the share is much smaller, which is obviously not good news.

After making some inquiries, the two Wang brothers' mouths twitched when they learned the reason.

They originally thought that Lü Rui was just a new director who could be easily manipulated.

But now, reality has given them a harsh slap in the face!

Wang Zhonglei panicked and hurriedly used Jiang Wen's connections to invite Lü Rui out, where he prepared a table full of fine wine and food.

"Little Lü... oops! Director Lü, don't worry, you can use all the resources Huayi has to offer. If there's anything I can help with, just let me know..."

Besides Wang Zhonglei, Wang Jinghua and several female celebrities from Huayi Brothers also attended the banquet.

The crowd took turns toasting and flattering him, perfectly showcasing the entertainment industry's tendency to elevate the powerful and belittle the weak.

Lu Rui smiled as he toasted them, but behind that smile lay a remarkably clear-headed mind.

Trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin might seem like a risky proposition, but it also carries hidden dangers, so one must always remain rational.

After the dinner party ended, he declined Fan Bingbing's offer to take him home and left alone by taxi.

……

Before we knew it, it was the end of March.

"Mystic River" has successfully passed censorship!
The system reward arrived as promised:

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully translated a Hollywood movie into Chinese and it has passed the Film Bureau's review.]

[C-level talent: Clint Eastwood's skill in character psychology portrayal and narrative depiction of human struggles has been successfully distributed.]

With the arrival of the system rewards, many of the previously scheduled actors gathered in Yanjing.

Most of the previous agreements were verbal, and no contracts had been signed yet.

Lü Rui felt it was better to have everything in writing to prevent any unforeseen changes from causing serious trouble later.

The investors also need to sign contracts quickly and get them to transfer the money first.

Once everything is ready, all that's left is to find the supporting actors before filming can officially begin.

However, by sheer coincidence, Liu Yifei also brought Liu Xiaoli over on the day of the signing!
(End of this chapter)