Tom White was indeed interested in the projects that Lu Yanhe mentioned. So, the two of them made an appointment to meet in China, and Tom White would come to have serious discussions with the producers of several projects and also watch the films. In fact, Lu Yanhe himself has not seen the films yet. But because of his trust in the partners of these projects, Lu Yanhe believes that these films will definitely not be bad, and the fundamentals are there. Somehow, the news of the meeting with Tom White spread quickly and was even known by Maxine's people. Lu Yanhe was about to leave for the airport to return home in an hour, when Maxine's Zhong Benshuo suddenly appeared at the door of his hotel room. "Hi, Yanhe." Zhong Benshuo, who had met Lu Yanhe once before, greeted him with a bright smile, "Luckily I caught up with you. I heard you were going to the airport soon." "Indeed." Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "I'm packing my things." Zhong Benshuo heard this and asked, "Didn't your assistant help you clean up?" "I usually pack my own things." Lu Yanhe said, and the surprise and surprise on his face had not yet been put away. "Is there... something urgent?" "Haha, it's not urgent, it's not urgent." Zhong Benshuo immediately shook his hand, "I was in a hurry in Bicaro this time. I have been wanting to meet you for a long time, but I haven't made an appointment. Just now I suddenly heard that you are going back, and I think I must come to see you before you go back."
"Please come in. Wait for a moment. I'll pack my things soon." Lu Yanhe invited Zhong Benshuo in and gave him a bottle of mineral water. Zhong Benshuo came here just to discuss Lu Yanhe's meeting with Tom White. After a few pleasantries, Zhong Benshuo mentioned this matter. "What kind of cooperation did Tom White come to discuss with you?" Zhong Benshuo asked casually. Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Nothing, just some projects I have on hand." Zhong Benshuo said: "Yanhe, our Maxine was the one who first contacted you and really wanted to work with you." Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Yes, I know. We just need to meet and talk first." Zhong Benshuo said: "Friends" and "The 17th Floor" are both very popular on Maxine. For a period of time, they were in the top ten of the charts in Asia. We will also cooperate on "River of Silence" later. Yan He, we at Maxine have a deep connection with you. I hope that if there is any cooperation, you can talk to us first." The reason why Zhong Benshuo attaches so much importance to the cooperation with Lu Yanhe is, on the one hand, because "Friends" and "The Seventeenth Floor" have performed very well on Maxine, and according to platform data and audience preference portraits, Maxine users have a good impression of the characters played by Lu Yanhe. On the other hand, Zhong Benshuo knew very well that the projects in Lu Yanhe's hands were all highly watched projects in China with large investments and famous actors joining. Maxine wanted to buy them, and other platforms were of course also interested. Lu Yanhe said: "I made an appointment with him to have a chat. After all, the two series and two movies will be released to the audience and will also be available on streaming media. They took the initiative to find me and wanted to cooperate." Zhong Benshuo immediately said, "Our Maxine must be interested too." In fact, Zhong Benshuo had never expected that the projects in Lu Yanhe's hands were so popular that even HP took the initiative to ask about them - this was also because Lu Yanhe deliberately concealed the purpose of Tom White's initial approach to him, so Zhong Benshuo mistakenly thought that Tom White came to Lu Yanhe for the projects in Lu Yanhe's hands. In fact, the projects in Lu Yanhe's hands have not yet reached the level that would make everyone in the streaming media rush to compete. Any platform will only look at past achievements. Having a representative work and not having a representative work are two completely different concepts. Therefore, it is easy to understand why domestic platforms and companies such as Northern Lights Video are very attentive and enthusiastic to Lu Yanhe, because Lu Yanhe is a very popular and successful actor, and a screenwriter who has broken the ratings record. However, for international streaming companies like Maxine and HP, Lu Yanhe is just a creator with good achievements in his own country. If they want to develop a TV series aimed at opening up the Chinese market, it is normal for them to pay attention to Lu Yanhe. They may want to get Lu Yanhe to write the script, or they may want to find Lu Yanhe to star in the project. As for wanting to take over the overseas streaming rights for the film and television projects in Lu Yanhe's hands? The appeal is not that great at the moment. This is also what surprised Zhong Benshuo. He thought he had discovered Lu Yanhe, the creator, very early, but he didn't expect that someone at HP had discovered him. Tom White is really good, though.
In this line of work, nothing is more important than vision. Tom White has found several long-running TV series for HP, which have achieved solid results. Zhong Benshuo is worried that Tom White will steal Lu Yanhe away, which makes him feel competitive and threatened. - After returning to China, Lu Yanhe went back to school to attend classes, and at the same time, he immediately began the final preparations for "Squid Game". In fact, he doesn't have to do anything. The show was managed by people from Northern Lights Video, and they were very mature in all aspects. They just respected Lu Yanhe's opinions and would consult him on some very critical and important matters. Lu Yanhe had never asked for this, it was all their own initiative. However, they respected him so much, so Lu Yanhe was of course happy. What Lu Yanhe didn't expect the most was that the role in "Squid Game" that originally belonged to Li Zhibai was chosen by Northern Lights Video based on his opinion. Lu Yanhe himself was surprised, because he knew that Northern Lights Video's first choice was not him. Chen Ziyan said: "I heard a piece of news that might be related to this." "Huh? What news?" Lu Yanhe asked in surprise. Chen Ziyan said: "Director Bai Jingnian is going through the resignation procedures with Jingtai and is preparing to come to Northern Lights Video." Lu Yanhe was stunned. "Huh? Really?" Lu Yanhe's first reaction was disbelief. The reason for this reaction is that Bai Jingnian is different from many directors. He is from Beijing and Taiwan, and he has a regular position, not an ordinary labor contract relationship. It is also because of this that almost every play directed by Bai Jingnian is shot in Beijing and Taiwan, and he has never shot a play outside. Why would he suddenly leave Beijing and Taiwan at this time? "Although the second season of Friends didn't receive very good reviews from the audience, the ratings were still impressive, right?" Lu Yanhe said, "Isn't this the time for the closest cooperation?" Chen Ziyan: "I don't know the specific situation, but I heard that Beijing and Taiwan did not recognize Bai Jingnian, and there were conflicts in treatment, so Bai Jingnian left." Lu Yanhe: "Okay, so what does this have to do with the fact that Northern Lights suddenly values my opinion?" "Do you know what Northern Lights did to dig him here?" "What else can I do? Film a movie." Lu Yanhe said, and suddenly realized something. His eyes suddenly widened and brightened. "Could it be that they invited him to film "Wulin Wai Zhuan"?" "That's right." Chen Ziyan nodded. "It was for the filming of 'Wulin Wai Zhuan', which was also the work of Zheng Huairen. He spent a lot of money to dig Director Bai over. Do you think Bai Jingnian would not mention you when communicating with Zheng Huairen?" Lu Yanhe: "If you mention it, you will mention me." "You also participated in the audition and casting of the actors in Friends," Chen Ziyan said. "Now they are all famous, but at that time none of them were famous, including Minglan. In the end, you chose these actors against all odds, especially the two girls Zhan Yun and Bai Jin. They went from being complete newcomers to being popular first-line female stars. Your story must be legendary to Northern Lights." This was something Lu Yanhe had indeed not expected. "In fact, the key lies in whether others listen to you and believe you when you speak." Chen Ziyan said, "Congratulations, you are now at a stage where everyone will seriously consider every word you say, and everyone will attach great importance to your opinions." - That day, after class, Lu Yanhe had dinner with Jiang Yuqian, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. It's been a while since we last met. This is inevitable for artists. They all follow projects. When a play starts, a group of people get to know each other, become familiar with each other, and become good friends. When a play is over, the interactions end. If there are no new interactions, the familiar relationship will gradually break down. Lu Yanhe and Jiang Yuqian are already very familiar with each other, but it is inevitable that they cannot find time to meet because they are both very busy.
The reason we met this time was because of the drama "Squid Game". Jiang Yuqian came early to participate in the action training. She will have a lot of action scenes in this drama. Jiang Yuqian had never expected that in just one year, her and Lu Yanhe's situations had changed dramatically. The child who used to rely on her for support now had the ability to support her. She had agreed to film "Squid Game" out of support for him, but now that the film was about to start, it had become the best resource she could get. "Does "Night Run" have a chance to win an award?" Jiang Yuqian asked Lu Yanhe with a smile as soon as they met. "I don't know. I came back as soon as the screening was over." Lu Yanhe said, "I don't know if there will be any movies for now, but the feedback from the audience is still good." Jiang Yuqian said: "I have also seen a lot of comments praising your short film. It is said that there were also foreign media at the scene asking if it could be made into a feature film. It is amazing. It seems that the films you have released in the past two years have received a lot of praise." Lu Yanhe said: "I'm lucky, thanks to Wang Zhong and Liu Bige." Lu Yanhe added, "Sister Yuqian, filming "Squid Game" this time must be very tiring, right? It's a very physically demanding scene." "It's good. I like this role very much." Jiang Yuqian said seriously, "It's been a long time since I played such a grassroots, low-level but strong role. Jiang Cao, when you named her, was it based on this kind of energy?" Lu Yanhe nodded and acknowledged this. The main reason is that he can't remember the names of the characters in "Squid Game". Of course, even if he remembered, he couldn't use them. After all, the original work is a Korean drama, and the names are obviously Korean and are not suitable to appear in this drama. The background here is set in Hong Kong, so Chinese names have to be used. Because Jiang Cao in the original work has a very skinny figure, Jiang Yuqian is already very thin, and she is still losing weight and controlling her weight. However, she mainly loses weight through exercise, because this character needs to have a sense of strength, otherwise, it is difficult to convince people in terms of physical fitness. Jiang Yuqian said: "After "The Seventeenth Floor" became a big hit, there must be a lot of people coming to you and wanting to play a role in "Squid Game" right?" "Yes, there are some." Lu Yanhe said with a smile, "Including the role originally played by Li Zhibai. Because the filming was suddenly moved forward, Li Zhibai could not play the role. Four or five very popular actors came to compete for it." Jiang Yuqian: "Hearing you say that, I can imagine how difficult it was for you at that time. I guess a lot of people greeted you." Lu Yanhe: "There are indeed a lot, but I can't decide. I have to communicate with Northern Lights before I can decide. In the end, everyone thinks I have the final say." Jiang Yuqian: "That's what the rumors are saying outside. Besides, no matter if it's true or not, people will just think it's an excuse." Lu Yanhe was helpless and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Indeed, no one would believe it if I said that." "What about you? Are you joining the group later?" "I don't have any plans to join a production right now. I've been approached for a few shows before, but I haven't made a final decision yet." "You filmed almost from the beginning to the end of last year, so it's right for you to take a break now." Jiang Yuqian said, "You're only a junior in college. From your first filming to now, it's less than three years, and you've filmed so many dramas. You're really a model worker. I always thought I was a model worker, but compared to you, I'm still far behind." Lu Yanhe said: "I took advantage of it. I was filming smaller dramas with fewer episodes. You guys take four to five months or even half a year to shoot a drama, but I usually finish in one or two months." Jiang Yuqian: "I need to learn from you in this regard." - While having the meal with Jiang Yuqian, Lu Yanhe was the one eating mostly, while Jiang Yuqian hardly moved her chopsticks. Although she is already thirty years old, she still looks like she is in her early twenties, which is related to her almost strict control over the years. Lu Yanhe was too embarrassed to mention the two dramas that Jiang Yuqian had starred in in the past two years. Because everyone knew that the two dramas that Jiang Yuqian starred in were mediocre, and even compared to the high expectations brought by "Jiang Yuqian's starring role", they could be described as "very bad". Jiang Yuqian's popularity and commercial value are already in jeopardy and are crumbling.
But judging from the situation when I met Jiang Yuqian tonight, Jiang Yuqian is still in good condition and doesn't look like she is in a low period. Lu Yanhe also breathed a sigh of relief. If we were to ask who he is most grateful to in his acting career, it would definitely be Jiang Yuqian. The reason is simple. The person who gave him a chance and a push when he had nothing was Jiang Yuqian. Without Jiang Yuqian's recommendation, he might not have been able to pursue a career as an actor. The first step is always the hardest because there is no foundation at all. Therefore, Lu Yanhe never had the idea of replacing Jiang Yuqian - the Northern Lights Video had hinted at this. Lu Yanhe was also grateful in his heart that Jiang Yuqian had never complained to him about her career setbacks. It wasn't that Lu Yanhe didn't want to hear it, but that he didn't know how to answer. Lu Yanhe is on the rise, while Jiang Yuqian is on the decline. This is a situation that Lu Yanhe has no idea how to deal with. He sincerely hoped that Jiang Yuqian's career would get back on track. He also believed that "Squid Game" would definitely help Jiang Yuqian's career return to its peak. - After dinner, Jiang Yuqian said goodbye to Lu Yanhe. "I'm in Yuming these days, we'll make an appointment sometimes." Jiang Yuqian said. "Yeah." Lu Yanhe nodded, "Okay, Sister Yuqian, tell me when you're free. I'll just be at school anyway." Jiang Yuqian nodded. "Go to bed early every day. I've noticed that you've been going on livestreams later and later lately." Jiang Yuqian said with a smile, "Sometimes when I'm on my way home from recording a show at night, it's already the early morning, and I find you're still on the livestream." Lu Yanhe didn't expect that Jiang Yuqian actually paid attention to all these. "Okay, okay, I will have a good rest, and so should you, Sister Yuqian." Lu Yanhe said goodbye to Jiang Yuqian. Jiang Yuqian got in the car. The driver came to pick her up and took her to the gym. This is her daily compulsory course, going to the gym for physical training. In fact, if it weren't for Jiang Yuqian's previous momentum and popularity, the failure of these two works would not be so well known. After the broadcast of "The Golden Age", many people thought that Jiang Yuqian was really going to be a top star. Who knew that after plunging into the drama circle and investing more than two years in it, the result was nothing. Not only did she lose two years of exposure, but her ability to carry a drama was also questioned. To be honest, she does regret it a little. If she had listened to her agent He Heng's advice and taken on one or two more dramas aimed at the audience in addition to those two dramas to maintain her popularity, her position would not have been shaken in just two years. Generally speaking, it is not easy for a female star of her level to be shaken from her position. There are also female stars who can maintain their status and image even though they have starred in three or four dramas in a row and have not become popular. But Jiang Yuqian is one of those people whose two dramas failed miserably and was well-known to everyone, so she suffered the most severe backlash. Jiang Yuqian took a deep breath to free herself from her complicated emotions. Don't worry about the temporary gains and losses.
What you want to see is a steady stream of income. This is how Jiang Yuqian comforted herself. She slowly calmed herself down. As for how much strength she had accumulated in her heart, only she knew it. Lu Yanhe had also been dormant for several years before reaching this level. She could do it too. There are low points in life, no one is immune. But people won’t stay in the low point forever. The car stopped. Arrived. Jiang Yuqian took a deep breath, picked up her gym bag, got out of the car, and walked forward silently and firmly. (End of this chapter)