Chapter 29: I Want to Play Yin Zhiping
As they were talking, a voice came from beside them: "Wang Dong, what are you chatting about?"
Li Chen turned around and saw Wang Zhonglei approaching with Li Bingbing.
Wang Changtian smiled, "Just a casual chat. You two talk, I'll go over there first."
Li Chen knew clearly that although Wang Changtian and the two from Huayi Brothers shared the same surname Wang, they were not on the same path.
Wang Zhonglei didn't mind Wang Changtian's attitude and smiled, "Director Li, this is Bingbing."
Li Bingbing had just turned thirty, and as the saying goes, a woman at thirty is like a blooming flower, which was indeed true.
At this age, Li Bingbing's features were exquisite, and her figure was tall and graceful.
"Hello, Director Li, I'm Li Bingbing. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Li Chen gently shook her hand, "Hello."
Li Bingbing met his gaze and felt a sense of being seen through, which made her heart flutter with a bit of panic.
Wang Zhonglei smiled, "Director Li, Siwei has been independently assisting Bingbing and has helped her a lot."
Li Chen smiled, "As long as she hasn't caused you any trouble."
"Li Chen."
Wang Zhonglei turned his head and saw Han Sanping and Big Brother Long together, waving at Li Chen.
Li Chen said, "President Wang, Miss Li, I'll go over to Han Dong's side first."
Wang Zhonglei smiled, "Okay, Director Li."
Li Bingbing was slightly embarrassed and nodded with a smile.
After Li Chen had walked away, Li Bingbing asked, "President Wang, is Director Li always like this?"
"Although he's polite, I always feel a sense of distance."
Wang Zhonglei was used to it: "He became famous at a young age. You're not his woman, so why should he treat you differently?"
Li Bingbing was speechless; President Wang was always like this.
Big Brother Long said to Han Sanping with a chuckle, "I finally meet our hundred-million-dollar director. Hello, Director Li, I'm Cheng Long."
Li Chen didn't act arrogant, shaking his hand and saying, "Big Brother, you're too kind. I've watched your movies since I was a child."
Cheng Long smiled happily; he could tell the other person wasn't just being perfunctory.
"Director Li, you must come to the new police story Premiere, right?"
Li Chen apologized, "Sorry, Big Brother."
"Golden Rooster Awards had already sent an invitation early on, otherwise I definitely wouldn't miss it."
Han Sanping chimed in, "Cheng Long, just let him be."
Cheng Long immediately understood and said with a smile, "It's okay, it's okay, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
"The film festival is indeed more important. I hope Director Li has a successful first battle."
"I'll take Big Brother's auspicious words, I hope so," Li Chen said, somewhat unenthusiastically.
After a few words, Cheng Long walked away.
Han Sanping frowned, "Yesterday I reminded you to come early today, so why are you still so late?"
"Isn't this the first time, Han Dong? It won't happen again," Li Chen quickly said.
Han Sanping nodded and then said, "Can that film complete post-production before the Spring Festival? Don't miss the deadline."
Li Chen said, "Han Dong, don't worry, it definitely won't be delayed."
"Hmm, come with me," Han Sanping said.
Han Sanping took him to meet several prominent directors who graduated from Beijing Film Academy.
Poet's wife was still beautiful, showing no signs of being a mother of two.
Li Shaohong and Zhang Yimou were not as reserved as Poet.
They joked with Li Chen very amiably, "Our junior from the Director Department is here."
In comparison, Teacher Tian, the current head of the Director Department, looked increasingly older.
The latest submission deadline for works selected for the Cannes Film Festival's main competition unit is before early March each year.
Li Chen expected shoplifters to definitely complete post-production before the Spring Festival.
There were no special effects scenes, so the cycle wouldn't be that long.
The movie started very quickly, with several official dignitaries speaking in succession, followed by the creative team.
Li Chen knew that this movie would not lack in either box office or awards.
Just looking at the lineup today made that clear.
After the Premiere, Li Chen drove back to school.
On the way, he received a call from Liu Yifei, asking him where he was.
"I just finished attending a Premiere and am heading back to school."
"Ah? Going back to school so early? Let's go watch a movie! I want to see Spider-Man 2."
Li Chen checked his watch; it was indeed still early.
"Does Auntie agree?"
"Coward, Mom agreed."
"Alright, do you need me to pick you up?"
"My home is in Shunyi District. You figure it out!"
Snap, the call ended.
Well, he was caught, Li Chen had no choice but to step on the gas.
When he picked up Miss Liu, she finally wasn't wearing jeans, but a white tracksuit.
Indeed, beauty is justice; she made a street vendor outfit look fresh and charming.
Liu Xiaoli cautioned him to drive carefully and not to come back too late.
Li Chen felt a pang of sympathy and dared not press the accelerator too hard throughout the journey.
"When did you buy this car? How come I didn't know?"
"I bought it in April and it's been at the company. Yang Siwei has been driving it."
"What does your license plate number mean? 2425. Don't think I don't know your birthday is on the 24th."
Miss Liu said with a blush.
Li Chen looked surprised: "I forgot my birthday was on the 24th until you mentioned it."
"How would I know what this license plate number means?"
Miss Liu tilted her head, frowning, "Really?"
"Even if it's fake, I can't change it," Li Chen said with a smile.
"I knew you had bad intentions, you scoundrel."
"Xixi, I just bought a car, didn't I?"
"Besides you, not even a female cockroach has sat in the passenger seat."
"How am I a scoundrel?" Li Chen teased.
"What do you mean? Besides me, who else do you want to sit in the passenger seat?"
Miss Liu looked like she was about to get physical if he said one more wrong thing.
Li Chen quickly conceded, "Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue! It means besides you, not even a female cockroach can sit there."
"I'm driving, so don't mess around."
Miss Liu burst out laughing, "Look how scared you are. Good thing you're sensible."
Li Chen glanced sideways, the evening breeze making Miss Liu's long hair flutter.
It reminded Li Chen of the classic scene of Little Dragon Girl stepping through the air.
Li Chen smiled, "Did you get the role of Little Dragon Girl?"
Miss Liu was dejected: "Not yet."
"Don't worry, by late September at the latest, it will definitely be yours."
Miss Liu asked doubtfully, "How do you know?"
Li Chen smiled, "Don't ask. If it's not you then, I'll take your surname, Liu."
"Liu Chen?" Miss Liu smiled, looking a bit mischievous.
"If you were to act in the return of the condor heroes, who would you most want to play?"
Li Chen thought for a moment and said seriously, "Yin Zhiping!"
Miss Liu was stunned for two seconds, then her face flushed with anger: "Pervert!"
She thought angrily: Shouldn't the person he most wants to play be Yang Guo?
Li Chen felt wronged: "How am I a pervert? Besides Little Dragon Girl, Yin Zhiping never liked anyone else."
"For Little Dragon Girl, he gave up his life, and even the CEO position of Quanzhen Sect. Does such a person still exist today?"
It was the first time Miss Liu had heard someone defend Yin Zhiping like this, and she was a bit distracted.
Li Chen continued, "But if I were Yin Zhiping, I would never be like him; one night of pleasure would be enough."
"At least for the rest of my life!"
Looking at the sharp, resolute profile of the boy beside her.
Liu Yifei's heart pounded like a drum.
She stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about, just drive your car properly!"
"Alright!"
In the cinema, both wore masks, so no one recognized them.
Watching Spider-Man 2, Li Chen sighed, realizing that the gap between domestic and international films couldn't be closed in just a few years.
Even with some plans he had, he could only proceed gradually.
After the movie, Li Chen safely dropped Miss Liu off.
Getting out of the car, before entering the door, Miss Liu turned and said, "Drive slowly, Yin Zhiping."
But there was a strange look in her eyes.
Li Chen didn't think much of it and smiled, "Don't worry, Dragon Girl!"
On the way back, Li Chen silently vowed: He would eventually become Dragon Girl's rope.
She would sleep with him sooner or later!
Liu Yifei happily entered the house. Liu Xiaoli was sitting in the living room watching TV.
Seeing her daughter's sweet expression, she sighed inwardly, a daughter grown is no longer a mother's to command.
"Mom, Spider-Man 2 was so good."
Liu Yifei sat down on the sofa, leaning against Liu Xiaoli.
Liu Xiaoli didn't look at her daughter, keeping her eyes on the TV, "Was Spider-Man good, or was the person who watched Spider-Man with you good?"
Liu Yifei's heart raced, saying something that even a child wouldn't believe.
"What are you talking about? He's so ugly!"
"His hair isn't as long as Spider-Man's, his skin isn't as white as Spider-Man's. Of course, Spider-Man is better looking."
Liu Xiaoli turned to look at her beloved daughter.
She dotingly tapped her forehead and scolded with a smile, "You imp!"
Liu Yifei playfully twisted her body, "I'm not talking to you anymore, Mom, I'm going to take a shower."
Back in her bedroom, Liu Yifei sent a text message to Li Chen: "Mom just asked me who was better looking, you or Spider-Man."
The next morning.
Liu Yifei woke up and saw Li Chen's reply: The answer is obvious.
From the beginning of the movie until just before the end, you didn't look at me once.
Liu Yifei smiled, and immediately replied: Poor Yin Zhiping.
The movie acted like a catalyst, pushing the two of them a step further.
Now, only that final barrier remained, and both of them knew it.
Miss Liu once again fully immersed herself in recording her single.
Li Chen also honestly became a good student at school.
In the evenings, the two would occasionally exchange text messages or chat on the phone.
Yang Siwei called her.
She had selected several promising students majoring in media management from the Communication University and a few other institutions.
These students would form the backbone of the company's future publicity and artist management departments.
Li Chen told her to make her own decisions.
For the post-production of nightclub, Xu Zheng found his own people and didn't trouble Li Chen.
Yang Shoucheng asked him about the release date for new world; post-production would be completed by the end of this month at the latest.
Li Chen could only marvel at the efficiency of Hong Kong people.
From the project's inception to the end of this month, it had only been a little over four months.
But thinking about infernal affairs, this didn't seem that fast either.
Of course, as long as the money was in place, everything was easy.
"Yang Dong, how about releasing it during the New Year Film Season?"
"New Year Film Season?" Yang Shoucheng hesitated a bit.
After all, a world without thieves and Kung Fu were both scheduled for the New Year Film Season.
"Hmm, the New Year Film Season. Of course, the release date must be staggered from those two films."
"Have you heard? Director Feng spent 300,000 to charter a train to Hong Kong to promote his a world without thieves."
"The train will be named 'a world without thieves Express.' Look at that gimmick and creativity! It'll be hard for no thief not to be a hit!"
Yang Shoucheng also laughed heartily, "Indeed! We used to only see our Hong Kong filmmakers promoting in the mainland."
"But I've never seen mainland filmmakers promote so grandly in Hong Kong, and with such an interesting gimmick."
"It must be said that the diversity and creativity of mainland films are much higher than before."
"Alright, I'll listen to Director Li. new world will be scheduled after those two films."
"Director Li, you must come to the Premiere."
"No problem, Yang Dong."
Thank you, readers, for your monthly and recommendation ticket support.
To be able to cast 28 and 54 votes at once, this newbie's eyes have been opened.
Still asking for continued reads.
Some readers said it was too much 'licking' and disgusting.
I'm sorry, I can't satisfy everyone's taste, but I'll do my best.