The only sun in Huayu

gas!
Lu Chuan goes berserk!

Complain!

He's going to sue!

Lu Chuan was like a donkey, her eyes red and panting heavily.

It was nearly early March, and Beijing was shrouded in a hazy smog.

The heating is still on, making the indoor air stuffy and hot, while the outdoor air is dry and cold.

Lu Chuan practically barged into Tan Hong's office in an office building on the East Third Ring Road.

In his office, Tan Hongzheng was all smiles. The box office success had put him in a good mood.

The shiny purple clay teapot beside me is steaming.

The rich aroma of tea filled the room.

"I can't swallow this! Mr. Tan, I can't swallow this!"

Lu Chuan said bitterly, "Shen Shandeng is trying to kill me! Now the whole world is laughing at me! Calling me a traitor! I have to do something!"

"I'm taking this to higher authorities! I want the leaders to judge this! I'll veto him!"

Tan Hong, who had been all smiles, stopped drinking his tea and quickly put down the teapot.

Contrary to Lu Chuan's expectations of a united front against a common enemy, there was instead a slight sense of wariness.

Given Shen Shandeng's role in the film industry, the moment Lu Chuan filed a lawsuit, someone would call Shen Shandeng!

While Da Piao Liang kept kicking the door open at the WTO, Shen Shandeng was the only one who made industrial films and actually made something of them.

Moreover, Shen Shandeng is a true self-made man who earned his fortune through studying, starting a business, and making movies.

Innocent and pure, yet under the spotlight.

Let alone Lu Chuan's matter, as long as it doesn't cause any serious incidents, it's difficult to harm Shen Shandeng.

Those who are capable, because of the high level of public attention, do not want to get involved.

The drama "Jiajing" was slightly delayed, and I wonder how many people were marginalized.

"Nanjing" was finished, and Tan Hong and Lu Chuan's interests were no longer aligned, but he still tried to persuade them: "Director Lu! Director Lu! Calm down, this is a great joy!"

Tan Hong changed the subject and pushed a report in front of Lu Chuan.

"Opening day box office: over 10 million! Opening weekend: 53 million! Second week: a whopping 40 million! Now, the total box office has exceeded 100 million! My dear Director Lu, you are now a true '100 Million Club' director!"

Lu Chuan was even angrier: "A director worth hundreds of millions? I'm still a director worth hundreds of millions even without him! Now I'm a rat crossing the street in the industry! What's the use of that!"

Breaking 100 million?

In his mind, this subject matter would have grossed over 100 million even without Shen Shandeng!
“Oh dear, Director Lu, you can’t say that.” Tan Hong said, counting on his fingers, “You need to have the air of a director who’s worth hundreds of millions of yuan.”

"Think about it, isn't director Zhang Yimou amazing? Isn't director Feng Xiaogang arrogant? Isn't director Chen Kaige haughty? They all have one thing in common, do you know what it is?"

Before the release of "Nanjing", Tan Hong could only make some guesses. Now that "Nanjing" has been released for more than half a month, if Tan Hong still doesn't know about Shen Shandeng's involvement, he might as well quit the business.

Tan Hong was somewhat afraid of Shen Shandeng.

Previously, Shen Shandeng was known as the "Song Jiang of the entertainment industry" and the "Hu Baoyi of the film industry." From film company executives to A-list stars, many people had benefited from his kindness.

During the "Nanjing" project, Tan Hong learned that Shen Shandeng was not just like Song Jiang in his methods; he was ruthless and cunning when it mattered most.

Moreover, it was flawless. Shen Shandeng helped with the "Nanjing" project voluntarily, and the most important thing for a film was its box office success.

This alone shattered Tan Hong's resolve, and he was even willing to say thank you to Shen Shandeng when he saw him.

Take Lu Chuan for example, she's just angry right now. Once she calms down, she'll probably behave herself when she sees Shen Shandeng.

They've entered the 100 million yuan club; they're already wearing shoes (meaning they're in the same boat). What else can they do?
Lu Chuan asked irritably, "What do you have in common? You've both made bad movies?"

Upon hearing this, Tan Hong thought about the hardships they had endured together on the set of "Nanjing" and decided to offer his younger brother some more advice.

If you really can't let go of this, then it'll be difficult!
Tan Hongdao said, "They get criticized by the media! Criticized relentlessly! Look at Director Zhang Yimou, how much criticism did he receive for 'Hero'? And how much criticism did he receive for 'House of Flying Daggers'? What did he say? He just kept making films and making money! Later, he even directed the opening ceremony of the Olympics! Pretty impressive, right? Guess what? It didn't stop people from criticizing him the next day! That's the fate of famous directors!"

"Which of Chen Kaige and Feng Xiaogang isn't criticized? Only mediocre people aren't envied!"

Lu Chuan wanted to get support from Tan Hong, but instead of receiving support, she was given a lot of motivational speeches, which made her turn pale.

Bang!
After the door closed, and seeing Lu Chuan leave angrily, Tan Hong thought for a moment, then picked up his phone and dialed a number.

His tone unconsciously lowered a few decibels.

"President Shen, it's me. Oh, yes, Director Lu just arrived. He was a bit agitated, but young people are bound to be impetuous. I've already tried to calm him down. Don't worry, the big picture is the priority."

Meanwhile, Lu Chuan was unaware that she had been betrayed.

When his first plan failed, he turned to seeking the strongest backing. That evening, Lu Chuan returned to her parents' house.

Lu Tianming's study was filled with bookshelves that reached all the way to the ceiling, filled with old books, ink, and a faint smell of tobacco.

On the large desk sat an old-fashioned green glass-shaded desk lamp, casting a warm glow.

Lu Tianming was sitting in a rattan chair, wearing reading glasses and reading a book.

Seeing her son looking so aggrieved and on the verge of tears, she felt heartbroken.

"Dad! You have to support me! Things aren't like that at all! How could I criticize anything in that way? I, Lu Chuan, am not that kind of person!"

Lu Tianming put down his book and sighed, "Xiao Chuan, some things are better left unsaid. Right now, this movie is a box office success and has a huge social impact—that's your success. As for the rest, why don't we just pretend nothing happened?"

"I can't do it!"

Lu Chuan shouted in frustration, "Dad! Do you know what's going on? My film crew, my team, they're practically all Shen Shandeng's! From filming to post-production, how many key people have he won over? He's been scheming all along!"

Lu Tianming paused for a moment, then asked a crucial question: "Who in your team can stand up now and prove that Shen Shandeng 'took over' your production team and went against your creative intentions?"

Instantly, Lu Chuan fell silent, as if she had been choked.

Many of his team members have already joined the cast of "14 Blades".

Lu Chuan was devastated to discover that Shen Shandeng had been able to subtly and effectively control the situation when he first joined the film crew.

It's been so long, who can stand up and defend him now?

Moreover, one's own "artistic insistence" is always unconsciously resolved, guided, and replaced by various "objective difficulties" and "professional advice".

Even the final changes were his own ideas; it all seemed to be Lu Chuan's own will.

Seeing his son's pale face, Lu Tianming asked again, "In all the promotional materials, press conferences, and interviews for the film, did you publicly and solemnly thank Shen Shandeng for his tremendous help to the film?"

Lu Chuan fell silent again.

He didn't. Not only did he not, but he also deliberately distanced himself on certain occasions, emphasizing that it was his own work, as if he was afraid that Shen Shandeng would take away the credit and glory.

Lu Tianming sighed deeply.

He felt that Lu Chuan's behavior was inappropriate at the premiere.

Regardless, Shen Shandeng did help. He later learned that the crew was facing more difficulties than he had imagined, and without Shen Shandeng's help, they might not have been able to finish filming smoothly.

It's understandable that Lu Chuan didn't want to bring up the minor grudge between her son and Shen Shandeng, and Lu Tianming didn't insist on it either.

But sometimes, being a good person is really important.

If Lu Chuan had explained the difficulties the production team faced and thanked Shen Shandeng for his help in a more formal manner, she wouldn't have felt so much pressure.

Lu Tianming posed his third, crucial question: "Fine, even if you go out now and say that Shen Shandeng was behind all of this, that you are innocent, and that you were framed, will anyone believe you?"

"Will those friends in the arts and literature circles who feel they've been tricked and who have given you a thorough dressing down, as well as those on the other side of the script, forgive you and accept you back?"

Old Lu has spent his whole life navigating the arts and culture scene, and he knows the ways of the world better than his son.

For a hat, a seat, or a casual remark, one can remember it for years, even half a lifetime.

Lu Chuan fell silent again.

"son."

Lu Tianming's tone softened as he advised, "Listen to your father. Now, enjoy your success. Because you can't deny the current situation."

“Many viewers, and even some leaders, felt that you were ‘waving the black flag to oppose the black flag,’ and that you had played a clever and sophisticated trick.”

"If you deny it, you'll really be pleasing neither side and it'll be completely over."

"Look on the bright side. You and Jia Zhangke and the others were never on the same path, and Tian Lili is different from them too. Let it go if it's over. Acknowledge this 'misunderstanding,' and you'll still be a big director with a budget of over 100 million."

Lu Chuan was about to explode with frustration: "How am I supposed to survive in this industry from now on?!"

"What's this?" Lu Tianming said, "You're a director with hundreds of millions in revenue. Consider this little bit of trouble as a gift from society."

Lu Chuan: "."

He'd rather feed this gift to the dogs!

After comforting his son, Lu Tianming closed the door and personally dialed Shen Shandeng's number.

Lu Tianming didn't say some things, fearing that Lu Chuan would rebel.

Her own son could never outmaneuver Shen Shandeng; if she couldn't accept this, things would only get worse.

Moreover, this may not be a bad thing. Everyone can see that Shen Shandeng is a rising leader in the film industry, and Lu Chuan has also benefited from the misfortune by offering his services.

However, Lu Chuan needs to figure this out herself. (End of Chapter)