The competition between women is always strange.
As soon as Dong Xuan heard Hu Jing's 30,000 offer, she didn't even negotiate for 40,000, directly throwing out 35,000.
This 5,000 was both a display of her fame and a matter of face.
Wu Chen secretly rejoiced; if they cut the price again, this was already perfect, saving another 15,000 from the budget.
With the main business settled, it was time to eat and drink, and the private room was bustling with warmth.
With Wu Chen occasionally livening the atmosphere and Guan Yue, who spoke without inhibitions, it was very lively.
Outside the window, the moonlight was like frost, casting a faint silver glow on the winter buds on the branches, while the laughter from inside drifted far away, turning into warm echoes under the night sky.
The next day, during a class break, Mu Deyuan informed Wu Chen of another piece of good news.
"The project will be reviewed next week, be prepared," Mu Deyuan said with a smile.
Wu Chen thought he was talking about the film crew and grinned, "Everything's settled, the main characters are all here, just missing a small supporting role, we can pick one from Teacher Wang's class."
Wu Chen thought Mu Deyuan was talking about the film crew's preparations and responded with a smile.
"Not that!" Mu Deyuan smiled, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head, "After the project passes, it still needs to be publicized..."
"Ah?" Wu Chen was stunned, instantly understanding.
A freshman, with the school investing 200,000 yuan, this quota made many graduates and postgraduates envious, and once it was publicized, there would inevitably be some gossip.
Envy, jealousy, and hatred, none would be absent.
"The capable deserve their position!" Wu Chen said confidently, "I can't stop everyone's mouths, but my movie can!"
Mu Deyuan saw Wu Chen full of confidence and sharp wit, and nodded, "If you have confidence, that's enough!"
......
The weekend passed in a flash, and the industry was surrounded by news of house of flying daggers and cell phone.
Zhang Weiping, always one to stir up trouble, consistently managed to push house of flying daggers into the limelight.
Meanwhile, cell phone's huge box office success gave Feng Xiaogang confidence; even before the film left theaters, he eagerly announced that his new film, a world without thieves, would begin shooting in April of next year.
Besides directing, he also became a boss for the first time, investing 30 million yuan in the new film, essentially working for himself.
Wu Chen also received good news: his studio, "Wu Chen's Light and Shadow Workshop," was approved through Beijing Film Academy's entrepreneurial channel.
Pu Songri and the other two looked at the business license Wu Chen had just received, their faces filled with envy.
"Brothers, in the next few weeks, study photography techniques well; after the new year, we'll have to go to the film crew to do odd jobs..." Wu Chen gently patted Pu Songri and Xiang Zhuo, smiling as he spoke.
"Get lost!" The three of them said in unison.
News came one after another.
On Tuesday, Beijing Film Academy approved the project application list for this semester; Wu Chen's the dark side project was prominently on it, with the affiliated grade column being particularly noticeable.
A total of eight projects were approved: three were from school teachers, three were from graduate students, and two were from undergraduates.
Although Wu Chen was also an undergraduate, the glaring large characters clearly stated "Freshman."
"Damn, Chen Ge, I have to say, you're really conspicuous on this list," Xiang Zhuo said, opening the school's official website and pointing to the newly released project list.
"He is a bit conspicuous, either a teacher or a second-year graduate student or a senior. Chen Ge, you won't get beaten up, will you?" Chu Tianshu slowly nodded.
"I don't know if he'll get beaten up, but he'll definitely be envied. Someone has already posted on the school BBS," Pu Songri said calmly.
The few of them gathered around.
A 2000-level Director student publicly blasted: "Why can a freshman from the Photography Department get a film project approved? Is it an inside job or connections?"
Xiang Zhuo saw it, rolled up his sleeves: "No way, I'm going to confront him. We have the right to question Chen Ge, does he have the right to question? Can't he see what his role is?"
"No, you guys don't have the right to question either."
Although he said that, watching his three roommates open web pages to confront others, a warm current flowed through Wu Chen's heart.
But upon closer inspection, Pu Songri and Chu Tianshu were relatively civilized, stating facts and reasoning;
Xiang Zhuo, on the other hand, was completely the opposite, without a word, he first threw out "Diu nei lo mo" and then added "Ham ka chan," full of murderous intent...
Wu Chen touched his forehead, inexplicably sweating.
Was this really helping him confront them, or was it an undercover agent sent by the other side? Why did it seem more like helping him attract hatred?
"Xiang Zhuo, where did you learn these Cantonese phrases?" Wu Chen couldn't help but ask.
"Chen Ge, you taught me, remember?" Xiang Zhuo said with a grin, "I have to say, Cantonese is really useful. Look, after using it, they haven't reacted yet, and some people even came to ask me what it means..."
"Use them less, your brother here isn't thick-skinned enough, I'm afraid I can't handle it!" Wu Chen helplessly patted Xiang Zhuo's shoulder.
......
Such matters spread quickly within Beijing Film Academy but rarely reached the outside world, yet soon all departments within the school became aware of it.
"I knew that junior was amazing, but I didn't expect it to happen so fast..."
In the Performance Department, Jiang Yiyan's eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at Zhou Yang, who was playing on her cell phone not far away, then smiled and leaned over, "Yangyang, do you have Wu Chen junior's QQ? Can you send it to me?"
Zhou Yang put away her cell phone and replied with a forced smile, "I didn't add him!"
After speaking, she turned and left.
"Hmph, if you don't want to give it, then don't give it, why pretend? You just want to keep his contact information for yourself to contact Wu Chen junior..." Jiang Yiyan snorted coldly.
"Liu Yifei should have it too, I'll ask her..."
As the news spread, the Director Department was the most excited, as the project funding was closely related to them, while other departments just watched it like a show.
Coupled with the unbearable loneliness at school, everyone was sweating profusely online, and various melees on the BBS were on the verge of breaking out.
Tian Zhuangzhuang, as the Director Department head, quickly received the news from below, looking helpless.
Couldn't this bunch of bastards cause a little less trouble?
What's the use of a war of words?
They're having so much fun now, but when the time comes for them to be proven wrong, it's going to hurt so much...
He could even picture Mu Deyuan in the Photography Department office, looking at these posts and secretly snickering.
When Wu Chen's movie came out and turned the tables, wouldn't Mu Deyuan's face be crooked with laughter?
"Still, I have to make these bastards rein it in a bit, so they don't embarrass themselves too badly."
Tian Zhuangzhuang mumbled, he somewhat understood how much young people enjoyed spouting harsh words, then walked towards the teachers' office to give instructions.
It must be said that Tian Zhuangzhuang understood Mu Deyuan; at this moment, Mu Deyuan was indeed laughing happily with Xu Bin and Li Wei.
"The Photography Department boys are quite united, at least their loyalty hasn't shifted to other departments.
By the way, Director, shouldn't we stop them a bit? They're all young people, and when they get hot-headed, their harsh words can be really harsh?" Xu Bin said cheerfully, occasionally glancing at the computer screen.
"Is Wu Chen okay?" Li Wei asked.
"What problem could he have? You all know his personality, not to mention this is just child's play. When he really goes to the media battlefield, it won't be so easy..." Mu Deyuan shook his head.
"That's true. To be honest, Wu Chen also gave us a surprise. I didn't expect him to embark on the path of directing so quickly," Li Wei couldn't help but exclaim.
Xu Bin scrolled the page, suddenly looking disgusted.
【What kind of movie can Wu Chen, a freshman, make? If this movie doesn't flop, I'll eat shit!】
"These Director Department boys..." Xu Bin clicked his tongue and shook his head, then looked at the two replies below with a puzzled expression.
"Director, Old Li, take a look, what do these two phrases mean, 'Diunei lo mo' and 'Ham ka chan'? And they were posted by our Photography Department students..."
Mu Deyuan's face instantly turned green upon hearing this. "Who posted them?"
It wasn't like he hadn't been to Guangdong Province before and collaborated with film and television companies there; he knew the meaning of those two phrases very well.
"Let me see." Xu Bin continued to scroll, "Found it. I have to say, this kid is quite loyal."
Mu Deyuan and Li Wei leaned closer to the screen, where it was clearly written:
"Son of a bitch, if you have the guts, confront your grandpa here. Your grandpa doesn't change his name or his surname. My surname is Xiang, my given name is Zhuo, Wu Chen's roommate..."