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

Chapter 81 The company framework is in place... Saint Cloth, how can I live without you! (5000-word long chapter)
"boom!"

The door was suddenly yanked open and slammed against the wall.

Jiang Wenli stormed out of Gu Changwei's room, cursing under her breath...

However, upon catching a glimpse of Lü Rui and Jiang Wen standing outside the door, she quickly adjusted her demeanor and put on a gentle and intellectual smile.

Lu Rui thought to himself that the acting was "Best Actress level," and took the initiative to greet her: "Teacher Jiang."

"Director Jiang, Director Lü..."

Jiang Wenli made no mention of the farce that had just occurred in the room. She exchanged a few pleasantries with a smile and then left directly.

Although she had made up her mind to make it impossible for that "mistress" to make a living in the mainland, she was not familiar with Lü Rui, so there were some things she could not say to his face.

We can't just tell them to kick Zhang Jingchu out, can we?
That's incredibly inappropriate.

Besides, she doesn't have that kind of face, so she has to plan carefully before she acts.

However, we can contact the other directors' wives and work together to blacklist this little bitch first!
After watching Jiang Wenli leave, Lü Rui and Jiang Wen exchanged a glance and went into the room.

Gu Changwei sat on the edge of the bed, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, scratching his head in worry.

Zhang Jingchu wasn't in the room; she must have been kicked out.

"Lu Rui, I'm sorry for tonight, I made you laugh again." Gu Changwei's voice was hoarse.

My wife caused this mess on set; it's incredibly embarrassing!
He felt frustrated, embarrassed, and helpless.

"Don't worry, Director Gu, this won't get out tonight." Lü Rui walked to the window and opened it to let in some fresh air.

Through the window, you could see Jiang Wenli get into a Mercedes-Benz and speed away.

"Old Gu, you're really something. I told you last time to be careful. You know what kind of person Wenli is, right? Do you think she'll let you off easily?" Jiang Wen was exasperated.

He really couldn't understand what Gu Changwei was thinking, that he kept getting into trouble even when he was just playing around with women.

Among all the big directors in the industry, this guy is the only one who is completely controlled by his wife.

And look at Teng Wenji and his gang, they're just living it up!
"Sigh." Gu Changwei sighed deeply.

"Alright, what's the use of sighing? Hurry up and think of something to do. Or should we just send him away?"

Jiang Wen only mentioned it casually.

Unexpectedly, Gu Changwei actually nodded and said, "I've already spoken to Derek Yee and Xu Ke, and we'll let her spend some time in the Hong Kong entertainment circle..."

As a top photographer in the industry, he has connections across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, making it easy for him to settle an actress.

It's a pity my wife is too fierce, otherwise I wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble.

Lu Rui listened from the side, and he understood perfectly well what was going on.

Unsurprisingly, this "settlement" is merely a temporary measure; the scandals in the entertainment circle are never so easily settled.
The following day, after filming a bed scene, Zhang Jingchu's scenes officially wrapped up.

Although there was no wrap party, Lu Rui still gave Gu Changwei a red envelope out of respect for her.

Zhang Jingchu sincerely expressed her gratitude: "Thank you, Director Lü, for your guidance. I am deeply grateful."

"You're welcome."

While the two were talking, Gu Changwei had already driven up.

He wanted to personally take his mistress to the airport and, at the same time, soothe her emotions.

At the same time, just after Zhang Jingchu left, Fan Bingbing took over the crew, ready to replace her in the second half of the filming.

She will appear as Hu Jun and Jiang Wen's lover, being used by both of them and juggling between them.

At this time, the publicity surrounding "House of Flying Daggers" had reached its climax.

Zhang Yimou, along with his main creative team, traveled back and forth between various universities, hoping to recreate the glory of the "Hero" era.

Lü Rui, however, did not follow suit.

After the Chinese localization of "The Pursuit of Happyness", the commercial elements were greatly reduced, and the sense of oppression in the early stages was greatly increased!

In this situation, he only hoped that the movie could gross around 3000 million yuan at the domestic box office and recoup its costs.

As for anything else, he didn't have any extravagant desires, after all, the plot was just too "heartbreaking".

……

"Director Lü, here's a soft drink for you. It's so hot outside, you must be tired."

Looking at Fan Bingbing holding a bottle of chilled Sprite, Lü Rui nodded and took it, saying, "Thank you."

This woman is indeed very clever and perceptive.

Although she wasn't as good at acting as Zhang Jingchu, she was very good at getting along with people and was always very friendly to everyone on set.

I've only been on set for less than three days, and I've already bought drinks and snacks several times.

From the director down to the extras and script supervisors, no one was left out.

In addition, she is very beautiful, so everyone has a very good impression of her.

Good-looking people always get preferential treatment; that's just how society is.

Compared to her adeptness at handling situations, some minor flaws in her acting seem insignificant; it's just a matter of securing a couple more material.

Of course, the key is that her role doesn't require great acting skills; she just needs to be sexy, hot, and alluring.

The role that truly required exceptional acting skills was Zhou Yun's!

Facing the twin brothers played by Jiang Wen, the perceptive woman sensed something was amiss, and her mind and reason were gradually crumbling...

"I feel like the person you are today isn't the person I like?"

Faced with his wife's questioning, Jiang Wen casually replied, "I'm probably just too tired, so I'm not feeling well. I'll be fine tomorrow after I adjust myself."

Zhou Yun: "..."

Looking at her husband with his back to her, she was filled with suspicion.

Are all men like this?
The previous night it would take at least half an hour, but the next day it would only take three minutes, and this cycle repeated itself, which was so strange that it made people uneasy.

The studio lights shone between the two, creating an invisible rift that seemed to be quietly spreading as the story unfolded...

In late June, because he had to return to school to attend the graduation ceremony, Lü Rui had to entrust some of the simple filming work to Jiang Wen.

He can handle the side quests, but he absolutely cannot touch the main storyline!
Otherwise, Jiang's style would absolutely ruin this movie!
Imagine two male protagonists sitting together eating dumplings, hoping to help each other put aside their grudges. But in the end, they don't eat a single steaming dumpling, and their grudges remain unresolved...

If we add lines like "Eat seven first, then cook seven more"...

It's ruined, completely ruined!
The story was already obscure enough, and Lü Rui had been trying to make it clear and understandable.

If Jiang Wenhu were to make a series of changes, wouldn't it completely lose the universality of the film?
"Don't worry, go slowly and come back slowly. With me and Lao Gu in the crew, we guarantee nothing will go wrong," Jiang Wen assured him, patting his chest.

"???"

What the hell is this "slowly go and slowly return" nonsense?

Feeling uneasy, Lü Rui quickened his pace and headed straight for the airport.

He had to go and come back quickly, for fear that Jiang Wen might accidentally turn "The Prestige" into "Magic Flying"!
……

Mountain shadow.

Hou Hongliang submitted his resignation immediately upon returning.

However, state-owned enterprises are not like private enterprises, and he also had a lot of work to do, so the handover was quite complicated.

However, this complexity is only relative.

Currently, Shanying is still a major player in the industry, and all positions within the organization are filled by a single person.

Hou Hongliang is determined to leave, and many people are eager for him to move out and make room for others.

Even the director only asked casually, and after confirming that he had no intention of staying, he readily signed the papers to release him, and then went to attend a banquet to select a new deputy director.

The only person in the entire company who was reluctant to see him leave was Kong Sheng.

"Have you already reached an agreement with them?"

"Yes, everything is settled. We'll go over today and start work tomorrow."

Seeing Hou Hongliang's enthusiastic expression, Kong Sheng couldn't help but press, "Now you can finally tell me who wants to cooperate with you, right?"

"It's Director Lü, Lü Rui. His company is planning to expand and needs a manager/producer. When I went there, I started as the general manager..."

Director Lü? Lü Rui? General Manager?
Kong Sheng didn't react for a moment.

Directors in the industry with the surname Lü...

"Holy crap!" He jumped up from the sofa, his face full of disbelief. "Is that the guy who won the Best Director award at Berlin, Cannes, and Venice? Lü Rui, the director whose films gross over 100 million yuan in China?"

"Yes." Hou Hongliang said with a smile, "Now you know why I changed jobs, right?"

Kong Sheng couldn't help but point at him: "You, Hou Hongliang! You climbed up to such a big shot without saying a word, and now you're going to try to make it in the Beijing circle?" "Haha, Director Lü said he doesn't count as part of the Beijing circle, he's setting up his own territory."

"Wow! You've really soared to new heights this time."

Kong Sheng was genuinely happy for his partner.

Working under a great director like Lü Rui, or even in management, if you do well, you're guaranteed a bright future!

His previous worries vanished instantly, replaced by only a slight regret of parting.

"Old Kong? How about it? Interested in coming with me? Director Lü is looking to expand his TV drama business, how about we team up and do something together?"

According to the agreement with Lü Rui, Hou Hongliang needed to achieve results in order to receive the equity.

His return to Shandong Film Studio this time was not only to process his resignation, but also to build his own team.

Several of his brothers are already preparing to go with him.

What he's thinking now is whether he can bring Kong Sheng along as well, which would increase his chances of success.

"I'm already this old, what use would I be if I went?" Kong Sheng scratched his head, somewhat tempted, but he was too afraid to leave.

The advantage of Shandong Film Studio is its stability. If they were to follow Hou Hongliang to the capital, where they would be unfamiliar with the place and the uncertainty would be too great.

"Who said it's useless? With your directing skills and my producing skills, it'll be a piece of cake, right? I've already talked to Lao Gao about that project. We're going to take it with us. You can direct it, and we'll make it. Isn't that great?"

Lao Gao?

Kong Sheng was taken aback: "You mean the story of those who ventured from Qingdao, Shandong to Dalian?"

“Yes.” Hou Hongliang replied, “I sent the story outline to Director Lü a few days ago, and without saying a word, he said he could invest money to fully support me in this project.”

"real or fake?"

"Why would I lie to you? I've heard about it. The money they make from movies is more than our Shandong Film Studio could make in three years of making TV dramas. Investing in a TV drama project is a piece of cake."

Kong Sheng was increasingly moved as he listened, but he was still somewhat conflicted.

His family is in Shandong. If he were to go to the capital, it would have far-reaching consequences...

Hou Hongliang knew his concerns and didn't intend to resolve the issue at once. Instead, he said indirectly, "Think it over carefully. You're only 44 years old this year, right at the peak of your career. Are you willing to just drift along here at Shandong Film Studio?"

I won't try to persuade you further. You can think it over yourself. I'm leaving now; I need to get familiar with the area over there.

"Okay, be careful on your way, and let me know you're safe when you get there..."

Watching Hou Hongliang leave with lofty ambitions, Kong Sheng couldn't help but feel restless.

"Yes! I'm only 44 years old, I can work for at least another twenty years. Am I just going to stay here in the mountains and live this life without any passion?"

……

Upon landing in the capital, Lü Rui saw Shen Ao driving up in the underground parking garage.

"Why are you picking me up today?"

“Peng is at the company setting up computers. He just bought a lot of new office supplies, and he’s watching the installer.”

Lu Rui nodded and instructed him to drive to Beijing Film Academy first.

After graduation, he still had a lot of things left in his dorm room, which he had to move to the apartment.

In fact, the school also provides dormitories during graduate studies, but Lü Rui does not plan to live there because he may return to school less and less in the future.

"By the way, when are you graduating?"

As the car drove along, Lü Rui and Shen Ao chatted idly.

"Next year, you'll be a year later than Brother Rui."

"How many years have you been working for me?"

"Starting from 02, I worked with the crews of two films, Mystic River and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and also served as an assistant director on Peng Ge's film, Rival in Love."

Shen Ao became more and more excited as he spoke.

No other student gets the treatment he does.

This resume is something they'll envy for a long time!
Lu Rui then asked, "Have you thought about your graduation project yet?"

Shen Ao shook his head: "Not yet. Once I'm done with things at the company, I'll start thinking about making a short film or something..."

"What short film are you making?" Lu Rui interrupted. "I'll prepare a script for you later, with an investment of 600 to 800 million, so you can test the waters first."

At the red light, Shen Ao's foot trembled as he pressed the brake. He turned around, his eyes wide, and exclaimed, "Brother Rui! Thank you so much, I..."

He was a bit tongue-tied, and was so excited that he became incoherent.

Lu Rui smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Drive first. You're considered a 'veteran' in the company. Do a good job, and I won't treat you unfairly."

"Yes, yes!" Shen Ao nodded emphatically. "Brother Rui, don't worry, I'll go through fire and water for you, just say the word and I won't even blink!"

"Haha, you're making it sound like I'm raising assassins."

"It's not impossible, hitting someone with a car might get a lower sentence..."

Lu Rui's eyebrows twitched: "Hey! Stop! This is a society governed by law, calm down, I was just joking."

The red light turned green, and Shen Ao chuckled as he stepped on the gas. His uncontrollable smile was reflected in the rearview mirror.

Back at Beijing Film Academy, the two first cleaned up their dorm room and handed the key to the dorm manager.

Hou Hongliang arrived from Shandong in the evening.

Lu Rui and Shen Ao picked him up from the airport and drove straight to his new company.

"This place has been renovated. To be honest, I've only been here a few times myself."

"Haha, it's normal to be busy when filming. I once had a situation where I was so busy that I didn't go back to Shandong Film Studio for half a year, and when I went back, the office was gone."

Hou Hongliang echoed this sentiment while looking around the clean and bright office area in front of him, unable to hide his excitement.

This is where I will be working hard next. Although it is a startup, as long as Lü Rui is there, this company has unlimited potential!
"This is the chairman's office, this is the general manager's office, the finance department, the meeting room..."

Zhao Peng came up to introduce the place to Lü Rui and Hou Hongliang, and didn't forget to take credit, saying, "All the equipment is complete. Although it's only a few hundred square meters, it's small but perfectly formed."

The company will definitely expand! This was something that everyone present was absolutely certain of.

However, this will require sufficient time to proceed.

After visiting the company, the group went out for a meal together.

Lu Rui briefly explained the upcoming arrangements to Hou Hongliang: "There's no rush to start the business. The main thing is to get the staff ready first. We can go to the Beijing Film Academy to select people..."

Then there are two movies coming out next, "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Hitch," you need to focus on these two projects first, the former is distributed by China Film Group..."

Lu Rui spoke eloquently, and Hou Hongliang listened attentively, occasionally taking out paper and pen to take notes.

Previously, he only dealt with television stations, or some film crews and third-rate investors and directors.

Now, the pressure is immense, as companies like China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group, which are dozens of times larger than Shandong Film Group, are right up in the door!
But the pressure also brought more motivation!
His resources, vision, and social status have all improved significantly, which perfectly matches his ambitions!
"By the way, the company will also provide a car and a house, so you don't need to rent a place. I have dozens of properties. You can see which one you want to live in and choose one to live in first."

Dozens of sets!
When Lü Rui said this, Hou Hongliang's heart skipped a beat.

Housing prices in the capital have risen again and again in recent years, leaving other provinces far behind.

Lu Rui now owns dozens of properties; he could live off the rent alone!

Thinking about this, Hou Hongliang felt uneasy.

It has to be making movies! They're so profitable!

This further solidified his resolve to work hard under Lü Rui's guidance, and he saw a bright future ahead!
At this point, the company's framework was officially established.

After the meal, the group went their separate ways.

Back at his residence, Lü Rui made a point of calling Niu Le to confirm that everything was running smoothly on the set of "The Prestige," and only then did he feel relieved.

Although Jiang Wen is sometimes unreliable, he is extremely reliable in his work, which is well-known in the industry.

For example, almost everyone was pessimistic about his ability to bail out Liu Xiaoqing, but unexpectedly, he actually succeeded!
Yinghuang was willing to invest in him because they valued his talent and character.

……

The next morning arrived in the blink of an eye. After getting up, Lü Rui drove straight to the Beijing Film Academy to attend the graduation ceremony.

The school assigned him the title of "Outstanding Graduate," which required him to give a speech on stage, so he needed to go there in advance to prepare.

However, as soon as he arrived at the school and parked his car, he looked up and witnessed another incredibly dramatic scene.

Beside the luxury car, the 01-born actress opened the car door to get in, but the boy next to her grabbed the door and wouldn't let her leave.

"Saint Cloth, I swear I will become famous, and I can support you! Please stay! Don't break up with me, how can I live without you!"

"Liang, you're a good person..."

(End of this chapter)