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

Chapter 80 You're just lusting after her body! You're despicable!
"If you switch careers to become a photographer, you'll eventually become the number one photographer in the country..."

After filming several scenes, during a break, Gu Changwei, in front of Jiang Wen, praised Lü Rui to the skies from the perspective of a cinematographer!
Jiang felt a little embarrassed upon hearing this, after all, the feeling of "the younger generation surpassing the older generation" was not pleasant.

But soon, he evolved from "I'm embarrassed" to "I'm proud"!
I'm the one who discovered this promising talent! If I'm not proud, who is?

That vision is something he can brag about for a lifetime!

"Director Gu, you flatter me. I'm still a novice in photography; you're the real expert," Lü Rui retorted, offering a compliment in return.

Although Lao Gu's private life is not very clean, his photography skills are top-notch!

No matter how demanding the shot requirements are, he can always quickly grasp them and produce stunning footage.

The two, one with ingenious ideas and the other with masterful camerawork, worked together seamlessly.

Everyone on set who witnessed this was amazed.

A hint of reminiscence flashed in Gu Changwei's eyes, and he suddenly sighed, "Ah, the last time filming went so smoothly was when I worked with Mr. Chen Huai'ai on 'Farewell My Concubine,' and his guidance..."

"Cough cough!"

Jiang Wen coughed suddenly, silencing him.

Gu Changwei was immediately startled and hurriedly looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He smiled awkwardly and said, "Please excuse my poor writing; it was just something I felt compelled to say."

Lu Rui pretended not to hear, turned around, grabbed a bottle of AD calcium milk, and walked towards Liu Yifei, whispering the requirements for the next scene.

"Old Gu, watch your mouth!"

Jiang Wen whispered a few words of advice, then turned to look for his wife.

The next scene to be filmed is one where he and Zhang Jingchu are exchanging flirtatious glances, so he needs to inform his wife first.

Don't misunderstand, or you'll be in big trouble, since that person's identity is too special.

To put it bluntly, she can get involved with Gu Changwei today, but who knows who she'll be clinging to tomorrow.

Before we knew it, it was six o'clock in the afternoon.

"Cut! Passed."

With Lü Rui's command, today's filming officially came to a close.

Liu Yifei's cameo appearance has now come to an end.

"Bye-bye, senior~ I have to catch my flight, I have a final exam tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay." Lu Rui nodded in agreement. Seeing her clutching the hem of the dress with obvious delight, he immediately waved his hand and said, "This dress is for you. Take it home and wear it."

"Really?" Liu Yifei's eyes lit up instantly.

"Yes, really, you look good in it."

"Hehe, thank you, senior."

She lifted her skirt and skipped into the car, not forgetting to roll down the window and call out with a smile, "Senior, next time you come to my house, I'll give you an amazing gift too!"

"Okay."

Lu Rui smiled and waved, watching the van disappear at the end of the road.

The setting sun bathed her smiling face, which peeked out of the car window, in a golden hue, like a light feather that drifted away in an instant into the next chapter of her youth, a blend of film set and classroom.

"Director Lü?"

Suddenly a shout came from behind.

Lu Rui turned around and met Niu Le's resentful gaze.

"What? Something wrong?"

Niu Le said anxiously, "That dress is custom-made by hand, it costs tens of thousands of yuan, it's for Zhou Yun, she'll be wearing it later."

"Zhou Yun definitely doesn't look good in it; Liu Yifei suits her much better."

"It's not a matter of whether it looks good or not, the key is..."

"That's fine then. We can just order a new set if necessary. If she likes it, we can just give it to her." Lu Rui waved his hand and quickened his pace to leave.

Does she like it?
Should I give it to her?

Niu Le scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

In his memory, Lü Rui had never been so generous to any actress before.

Even Anita Mui, who was criticized many times when she filmed "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," is different from this little girl...

"Could it be... that Director Lü has taken a liking to her?"

Niu Le stared wide-eyed in astonishment, as if he had stumbled upon some earth-shattering secret.

He stood there stunned for a long time, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was "possible"!
~

Over the next few days, Lü Rui and Gu Changwei worked at full speed, and the filming progressed rapidly.

When Jiang Wen's character caused the assistant, played by Zhang Jingchu, to drown during the water tank escape scene because he tied the knot wrong, the atmosphere on set became so tense it was suffocating!

Hu Jun sternly questioned him, asking if he had tied the knot incorrectly. But he received only a vague answer in return:

"do not know……"

These three words are crucial; they are a clue buried in the plot, precisely pointing to the core trick of the subsequent "twin identity".

At the female assistant's funeral, the friendship between the two magic apprentices was completely broken.

Zhang Jingchu's death was not only a tragedy, but also a key that unlocked the magic duel between the two that would last until death!
The foreshadowing in this movie is incredibly intricate, with almost every line of dialogue, every scene, and every prop containing hidden clues.

The different calluses on Jiang Wen's fingertips, the double images reflected by the stage lights, and even the pocket watch chain faintly visible on Hu Jun's cuffs... every detail paves the way for the final mystery of his identity.

This forced the entire crew to concentrate fully, lest they miss any "secret code".

Meanwhile, just as Lü Rui was putting all his energy into filming, the outside world was in complete chaos.

The film "A World Without Thieves" has just finished filming and has already been officially announced to be released on December 9th.

Although the announcement of "Kung Fu Hustle" was delayed by two days, it is now confirmed that the film will be released on December 23.

Two blockbusters were crammed into the Lunar New Year film season, and even though they were almost half a month apart, they were destined to clash.

This means that both sides are definitely going to have to fight.

For a time, press releases from the media were exchanged back and forth, creating a highly charged atmosphere.

The smoke from the battle hasn't cleared yet, and now a scandal is brewing.

Zhou Xun has been revealed to be dating stylist Li Daqi.

Shortly after, her ex-boyfriend Li Yapeng was photographed entering a hotel with the princess, and the two then officially announced their relationship.

On the other hand, the princess's ex-boyfriend Nicholas Tse is now getting along very well with Cecilia Cheung on the set of "The Promise"!
There are even rumors that Chen Kaige will act as a matchmaker for the two of them!
When Zhao Peng shared these gossips with Lü Rui, he was completely dumbfounded: "What the hell is this mess?"

"I have a picture here, compiled by paparazzi in Hong Kong. Would you like to take a look?"

As Zhao Peng spoke, he actually pulled out a relationship diagram.

Zhou Xun, Pu Shu, Zhang Yadong, Dou Wei, Wang Fei, Li Yapeng, Nicholas Tse...

After studying it for a while, Lü Rui finally figured it out and concluded with a wry smile, "So everyone here is a friend in the industry, and they're just pairing up to find something new?"

It has to be said that the murky waters of the entertainment industry are even more convoluted than the narrative tricks in his movies.

"That's right! I heard..."

"Alright, let's not dwell on these gossips." Lu Rui pushed the relationship diagram aside, interrupting him and getting to the point, "Is the company renovation all done?"

"All done." Zhao Peng immediately responded, "As you said, the receptionist and finance staff have moved in first, the cleaning service has been hired, and the lease termination procedures for the old office have been completed."

"Well done." Lu Rui patted him on the shoulder.

Zhao Peng chuckled, as if he'd been injected with adrenaline: "Is there anything else? Just tell me what to do."

"Go and take stock of the Beijing Film Academy's graduates this year, and see if there are any promising talents."

College students are definitely the best users!
Energetic and hardworking, willing to strive for their dreams, as long as the salary is right, they are the perfect candidate for a startup like Ruishijie.

On the other hand, seasoned veterans are not suitable for building a business with a startup.

"Okay." Zhao Peng responded subconsciously, then faced with another problem, "But Brother Rui, when are you coming back to the company? I'm not good at recruiting, and there are still many vacant positions in many departments..."

"Don't worry, I'm asking around to find it..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lü Rui's phone suddenly rang.

He took it out and saw that it was a call from Zhang Huijun!
His eyes lit up, and he quickly pressed the answer button: "Hello? Dean Zhang?"

"Lu Rui, there's been news about the person you asked me to find. They want to talk to you. Where are you now?"

"Filming in Shanghai."

"Okay, then I'll have him contact you, and you two can arrange a time to meet?"

“No problem.” Lu Rui immediately agreed, and then asked about the other party’s identity and background.

“A deputy director of the production department of Shandong Film and Television is not very old, only 31 years old this year, but he already has 12 years of work experience.”

"You've been doing this for 12 years? And you're still the deputy director?" Lu Rui asked, his tone revealing surprise.

Zhang Huijun smiled and pointed out: "Shandong Film & Television is a state-owned enterprise."

Lü Rui understood instantly.

In state-owned enterprises, promotions are not just about work ability and experience; they also depend on interpersonal skills and social skills.

A deputy director who can remain in obscurity for 12 years is most likely a pragmatic and hardworking individual.

That's exactly what he needs – a down-to-earth, hardworking person.

Zhang Huijun added, "I've already inquired about him for you. There's absolutely no problem with his character. He comes from a cadre family, joined the army at 18, and has been working at Shandong Film Studio ever since."

"Okay, thank you, Dean Zhang." "Haha, don't be so polite with me. I've already given him your phone number. I'll have him call you later. Oh, by the way, his name is Hou Hongliang."

After saying that, Zhang Huijun hung up the phone.

"Hou Hongliang?"

Lu Rui kept repeating the name, feeling that it sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

He was jolted awake when the other party called and introduced themselves again!
Hou Hongliang?!

Isn't this the producer of hit dramas like "The Hunter," "Crossing the Guandong," and "Parents' Love"?

And the Dongyang Noon Sunshine Company, which was later hailed as the "face of Chinese drama", "conscience of the industry" and "golden brand", was founded by him!

"Hey? You've struck gold?!"

He suppressed his excitement and said calmly into the phone, "I'm currently filming in Shanghai. If it's convenient for you, Director Hou..."

Hou Hongliang made a quick decision: "It's convenient, I'll be right there."

"Okay, hard work."

After the call ended, Lü Rui went back to filming, while Hou Hongliang asked the director for leave and booked a plane ticket to Shanghai.

"Hongliang? Are you really going to switch jobs?"

Seeing his partner hurriedly packing his things and preparing to leave as soon as he returned, Kong Sheng had a complicated expression.

The two have been working together since 1996. He knew that his partner, who was a generation younger than him, was a diamond in the rough, but he never expected that his partner would suddenly have the idea of ​​leaving.

This made him unable to hide his disappointment.

What will he do if his partner wants to leave?

Hou Hongliang picked up his bag and said with a smile, "It's not certain yet. I'll go over and talk to them first."

"Can you tell me who the other person is? What made you suddenly want to leave?"

Kong Sheng was completely baffled.

Hou Hongliang has been working at Shandong Film and Television for 10 years now. He finally made it this far, and it's a real pity that he's leaving now.

"I'll tell you after I get back from Shanghai," Hou Hongliang said, without revealing anything immediately.

After all, the other party has a special identity, and if some bad news is accidentally leaked, it could very likely affect him.

"Isn't Shanying good enough?" Kong Sheng couldn't help but ask.

Hou Hongliang paused, his smile fading slightly, and nodded, saying, "Okay."

"Then why did you..."

“I don’t want to retire here. I’ve been working here for 10 years and only got promoted from an equipment manager to deputy director. And I’ve only filmed one TV series, one documentary, and one children’s educational film.”

Promotion to director seems like a distant dream! It'll take at least another 10 years before I have a chance to advance, and by then I'll be over 40. I can't afford to wait that long.

Kong Sheng remained silent.

He knew the ceiling for promotion in state-owned enterprises, and he understood Hou Hongliang's ambition to not be content with that.

All the words I wanted to say at that moment boiled down to one sentence: "Be careful on the road."

"Great." Hou Hongliang laughed. "If we really reach an agreement, I'll poach you and we can continue our cooperation."

"Sure, no problem." Kong Sheng took it as a joke and didn't pay any attention.

After leaving the main gate of the film studio, Hou Hongliang took a taxi straight to the airport.

Shandong is not far from Shanghai.

After making the phone call in the morning, he appeared on the set of "The Prestige" that afternoon.

"Director Lu, I have long admired your name."

Upon seeing Lü Rui, Hou Hongliang immediately reached out to greet him.

Although the person in front of him was nearly ten years younger, the difference in their social status was enormous!
If Lü Rui were to visit Shanying, even their boss would probably have to personally come out to greet him. As for him, a mere deputy director, he probably wouldn't even have the chance to take a photo with them.

"Director Hou, hello."

Lu Rui sized up the man in front of him: a plaid shirt, black-rimmed glasses, a square face, and a backpack. He exuded the simplicity and neatness of a man from Shandong, looking every bit the tech guy.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he asked, "Do you have some free time here? If it's convenient, after I finish filming my current scenes, let's find a place to sit down and chat?"

"Of course, please go ahead with your work."

Hou Hongliang smiled and agreed, then found a quiet corner to observe the filming of "The Prestige".

The film is directed by Lü Rui, one of the three European film industry's top directors, and stars two tough male actors, Jiang Wen and Hu Jun. The cinematographer is Gu Changwei, known as the "number one cinematographer in Chinese cinema".

This lineup is absolutely top-tier!
As a director and producer, Hou Hongliang certainly understands filming.

He carefully observed Lü Rui's directing style and was astonished to find that this young director, who had won many awards at such a young age, was actually incredibly skilled!
Even industry veterans like Jiang Wen and Gu Changwei were completely under his control on set.

"Wasn't Jiang Wen supposed to be a tyrant on set? Didn't he kick the director's chair and make the original director cry during the filming of 'The Missing Gun'? Why is he so calm today?"

Hou Hongliang scratched his head, completely baffled.

In the end, he could only conclude that Lü Rui was too skilled, which convinced everyone and made them dare not disobey.

As night fell, the film crew officially wrapped up work.

"Awaited."

Lü Rui stepped forward and introduced Hou Hongliang to Jiang Wen, Gu Changwei, and others.

At this moment, Hou Hongliang was just an unfamiliar face in the eyes of the bigwigs, but out of respect for Lü Rui, they all shook hands with him politely.

Afterwards, everyone else returned to the hotel, while Lü Rui and Hou Hongliang went to a nearby restaurant.

After entering the private room and ordering a few dishes, the two began to chat.

Lu Rui didn't beat around the bush and directly expressed his idea that the company was in its early stages and needed someone to help oversee the film and television production and company management business.

"So, Director Lü, besides movies, also plans to get involved in television dramas?"

Hou Hongliang was somewhat excited; he knew much more about the TV series than the movies.

“That’s right.” Lü Rui nodded. “Dean Zhang said you have a wealth of experience in production and management, and he specifically recommended you to me.”

"This is indeed one of my strengths."

Hou Hongliang didn't mince words.

He has worked at Shandong Film Studio for so many years, but he climbed up from the bottom as a junior staff member, and he knows every procedure inside and out.

The director doesn't handle any affairs; almost all the work is delegated to the deputy director.

By the time the waiter served the food, the two were already chatting quite animatedly.

Hou Hongliang suddenly became serious: "Director Lü, if I come to work for you, what kind of treatment would you give me?"

Self-interest is always the key factor; he doesn't want to jump from one pit to another.

Lu Rui put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth: "What do you want?"

"Equity!" Hou Hongliang's eyes flashed with fierce ambition.

"Haha." Lu Rui suddenly laughed. "Okay, but you have to show me your abilities."

If you want a horse to run, you have to make sure it's well-fed.

What Lü Rui wants is not a laborer, but a partner who can walk alongside him.

“I will prove it to you.”

As night deepened outside the window, the two people in the private room clinked glasses.

Hou Hongliang was eager to take a chance and didn't want to be bound by the rules and regulations of Shanying.

Starting his own business was undoubtedly a pipe dream for him.

Choosing to cooperate with Lü Rui is undoubtedly his best option at present.

Because the other party can provide a top-notch platform, allowing him to fully unleash his potential!

After agreeing on details such as the probation period, initial salary, and job duties, Hou Hongliang immediately made a decision: "I will go back tomorrow to hand over the work to Shandong Film and Television Group, and then go directly to Ruishijie to report for duty."

"Okay, let me know before you come, I'll be going back too."

Having traveled a long and tiring journey, Hou Hongliang naturally wouldn't come and go on the same day.

Lu Rui took him back to the hotel where the film crew was staying, booked him a room, and after settling him in, he went to his own room.

With one worry resolved and another treasure discovered, I couldn't be happier.

However, to everyone's surprise, as soon as they arrived at the top floor of the hotel, they saw Niu Le pacing anxiously and Jiang Wen sighing.

"What happened?"

"Director Lü, you're finally back!" Niu Le said with a mournful face. "Jiang Wenli is here."

Lu Rui's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Jiang Wen: "You caught him?"

Jiang Wen nodded helplessly: "Yeah, we caught them red-handed again."

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go check it out! Let's make sure nothing bad happens."

Lu Rui remained calm under pressure, and walked quickly towards Gu Changwei's room with Jiang Wen, not forgetting to tell Niu Le to find a few reliable brothers to keep an eye on things and prevent anyone from coming over.

The two had just reached the door and hadn't even knocked when they heard a roar erupt from inside:
"You say you like her? Ha! Gu Changwei, do you think I don't know who you are? Is that what you call liking her? You're just lusting after her body! You're despicable!"

From today onwards, you do your thing, I'll do mine, and we'll keep to ourselves!

And that slut, just you wait, I'll make sure she can't stay in the mainland any longer!

(End of this chapter)