Chapter 64: The Lion Roars East of the River

The opening background music of the film was quite celebratory, which calmed Wu Zhiyuan's irritated mood considerably.

An ancient-style drama, huh?

At first glance, he was rather satisfied with the characters, costumes, and styling, even when viewed with a critical eye.

However, this theme was notoriously difficult to handle; the slightest sense of discord would make it awkward and neither fish nor fowl.

A few close-up shots of the female lead made his eyes brighten even further.

She was a bone-structure beauty, perfectly suited for ancient-style makeup and aesthetics.

In particular, that method of drawing lots was also quite unique—at least Wu Zhiyuan had never seen it featured in any other drama before.

Of course, the Federation had very few works set in ancient times; even contemporary ancient-themed productions were practically nonexistent.

Thus, an ancient-themed piece like this was the first of its kind in the past decade.

Wu Zhiyuan finally felt a flicker of interest.

"Nanny, why did the young miss draw lots in such a stylish way today?"

"Practice makes perfect. Our young miss draws over two hundred marriage lots every single month. When she gets bored, she just comes up with new tricks."

One of the maidservants had thick, prominent eyebrows that left him somewhat baffled. Had she offended the makeup artist?

Yet, for some reason, it also seemed a bit comical.

As the film progressed, it soon reached the scene where the female lead delivered her iconic lines.

"From now on, you are only allowed to treat me well.

You must pamper me and never lie to me.

Every single thing you promise me..."

Wu Zhiyuan nodded as he watched. Only right, only right; it was already wonderful enough that a female was willing to marry only a single male.

What did such a minor demand even amount to?

He couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Males in ancient times were truly blessed to be able to grow old with just one female.

Such a simple, obligatory triviality was actually labeled as domineering? Heavens, if he could have such a beautiful female, he would do things far more outrageous than these requests!

Unfortunately, he lacked that kind of fortune.

Thinking of his own female, who had a full ten partners and with whom he hadn't met in a long time, his heart ached for a fleeting second.

If he were fired by Tianwen Entertainment and lost his current high-paying income, he would probably be divorced.

After all, he was never particularly favored by his own partners.

Fortunately, the male in the film was quite decent.

He obediently responded to the female's demands.

"From now on, I will cherish only you.

I will pamper you, never lie to you, and every single thing you promise me..."

It was just that his cowardly demeanor made one's teeth ache.

In the interstellar era, there were also females who subjected their partners to domestic violence, beating them far more brutally than the female lead did; the level of force displayed in the film could simply be called playful affection.

Gradually, Wu Zhiyuan found himself captivated by this style of domestic life between a couple.

If he could also have such a small household, lively and bustling every day, it would surely be very happy.

However, soon enough, someone else tried to snatch the male lead away from the female lead.

It made his teeth itch with irritation. Why on earth were there such odious females? With so many males in the world, why insist on destroying a happy home?

Just as he was feeling pleased that the male lead had rejected the other party, the very next scene showed him drinking the water of forgetfulness!!

Ahhhhh! He was so angry.

Ahhhhh! You male, blessed with fortune yet oblivious to it, you truly deserve to die.

Wuwuwu—he couldn't accept it. He couldn't accept such a deeply loving couple being torn apart. Although he didn't believe in love to begin with, he didn't want even his fantasies to be shattered by others.

If even film and television couldn't preserve belief in love, did such an emotion even need to exist?

***

Three hours passed, and Tianwen Entertainment had reached its midday lunch break.

Lan Yuyan still hadn't received a reply, and felt somewhat puzzled in his heart.

Logically speaking, the movie should have been finished in two hours. How come that guy Wu Zhiyuan hadn't sent him a message even after three hours?

Whether it was a go or a no-go, the least he could do was give a definitive answer, right?

Could it be that he wouldn't even grant him this tiny shred of face and was playing the double-crossing game of feigned compliance?

Harboring doubts, LAN Yuyan took the elevator up to the Film and Television Department.

He knocked on the door for quite a while before there was any movement inside. If he hadn't checked with colleagues and learned that the other party was still in his office and hadn't left, he would have suspected there was nobody inside at all.

Finally, Wu Zhiyuan opened the door.

Lan Yuyan was speechless. "Didn't I just ask you to check whether that work could be acquired?

I didn't force you to pull strings through the back door; why are you still playing hide-and-seek and avoiding people?"

"No, no, you misunderstood." Wu Zhiyuan hastily waved his hands and explained, "It's just that this movie is too good. I felt my first viewing wasn't meticulous enough, so I watched it a second time."

You have to understand, during those past two hours, he had alternated between crying and laughing.

He had completely immersed himself as if he were simply watching a movie for pleasure.

He had entirely forgotten to analyze its market value, which was why he had to watch it a second time with a clear, rational mind, unable to be so emotionally invested again.

This work was very strange; it possessed a style he had never seen before.

It had a sort of casual atmosphere mingled with meticulous attention to detail.

It always felt like a casually made piece, yet in many places, it was studied and crafted with extreme precision. Whether it was the actors' performances or the styling and production design, one could tell the creators were taking it very seriously.

Therefore, he felt this was a rather free-spirited style.

It was vastly different from the works currently on the market.

The plot was also good; it wasn't one of those stories where a female amassed a harem, nor was it a theme centered around males competing for dominance.

Furthermore, at the very end of the film, the production team explicitly stated the rationality behind the differences in era.

They also reminded all females to abide by the law and regulations and not to follow trends blindly.

Wu Zhiyuan actually felt somewhat apprehensive.

He was afraid that once this movie aired, it would be attacked by netizens. What if some irrational female watched it and stubbornly insisted on pursuing a lifelong romance of one-on-one devotion?

If such a thing happened, this film would undoubtedly be pulled from shelves.

And then, the company's losses would fall entirely upon him to bear.

Yet, making him suggest altering the plot or rejecting the work outright left him deeply reluctant.

Didn't that new film next door reap the dividends of being unique, novel, and a pioneer?

And here he had a work in his hands that could become the next pioneer, yet he lacked the courage to take the risk. That thought would keep him awake every single night.

Because he would endlessly imagine the road not taken, romanticize it, and then plunge into deep, agonizing regret.

Moreover, this was no longer merely a matter of making money; it concerned how long he could hold onto his position as the Head of the Film and Television Department.

An incompetent person would inevitably be unseated sooner rather than later.

That was why he needed to watch it one more time to carefully ponder whether he could shoulder this risk.

And if he did take on this work, to what extent should he push and promote it to the top...

"Lan Shaoquan, did your friend ever mention what price she is expecting?"

Thinking of the costumes, set designs, and the expenses for the script and actors within the film, Wu Zhiyuan grew somewhat anxious that if he placed a losing bet, his personal net worth wouldn't be enough to compensate for the company's losses.

Lan Yuyan actually hadn't asked, so he hurriedly sent a private message to Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin replied very quickly: [I don't want a buyout price. I want a 50-50 split.]

After all, she was an unknown actress—or rather, an actress who essentially didn't exist in the industry—so she was well aware that she couldn't command a high price.

Even asking for a revenue share couldn't be set too high, so a fifty-fifty split was, in her mind, the optimal number for a win-win outcome.

Logically speaking, she was getting the short end of the stick since the other party would get half just for promotion and operations.

However, she had no agency, no fame, and making necessary concessions was unavoidable.

Besides, she wasn't actually losing out.

After all, when she shot movies, she didn't require conventional production costs; she only expended a bit of time and mental energy...

————

[Suddenly craving recommendation tickets! For every hundred integer marks in recommendation tickets, I'll add an extra chapter. Currently at 72.

I implore all my handsome, wealthy, and stunning reader darlings to give me a chance to grind my heart out. I'm still young and can occasionally skip sleep |ω)!!]