Chapter 49: This Boot-Licking Felt a Little Awkward

The movie’s post-production was not that complicated. This movie itself was a one-man show with its ending kept in suspense. It could be considered an open ending or an ironic ending, so there wasn’t much to be edited.

There were a thousand Hamlets among a thousand people. After the leader of the Movie Bureau saw a few snippets of this movie, he had not blocked it like how it was described in the novel. Other than giving a few opinions to improve certain details, he gave a pass for [Buried].

After the audit, there was still a significant problem. It was the issue of broadcasting in cinema chains.

Even if you had set the dates for film screening, if there wasn’t any cinema that was willing to accept it, it would pose a problem as well. The dates for its screening would be dragged on, and you wouldn’t even know when the film would be screened.

Lu Yuan was still an unknown director, and even the assistant director Wei Wuji was a newbie who had just graduated not long ago. Even though the main lead was skillful, he had been kept in the cold storage of China Gold. There wasn’t any hope for China Gold to render any form of help…

Hence, when Lu Yuan and Fatty Wei went knocking on the doors of every screening department of cinema chains to discuss the partnership for this movie, they had been politely gestured to leave the office. The meeting had ended even before they had the chance to showcase their movie.

In contrast, the movie [Capital City] was at its peak. It had already received support from big cinema chains such as Tianqin and Wanjia. With the never-ending publicity efforts, it couldn’t be helped that the movie received such high fame. The moment Lu Yuan and Fatty Wei walked into the cinema, Sheng Lianjie’s disgustingly handsome face appeared before their eyes, followed by the female lead Liu Fangfei’s coquettish appearance.

Lu Yuan didn’t feel anything, but Fatty Wei was utterly disgusted. If not for the fact that his status was an assistant director now, he would have spat a mouthful of phlegm over…

This world itself was never fair.

There would always be disparities between dreams and reality.

Fine.

They were just a bunch of pitiful creatures being defeated by reality.

“I think, if we don’t solve this problem, don’t even talk about competing with Sheng Lianjie, it will be hard to even cover our costs.”

“That’s right.”

“We’re still left with three cinema chains, let’s carry on.”

“I’m afraid the ending will not be any different.”

“F**kers, they didn’t even take a look at it before rejecting us, is it so hard to just take a look?”

“Sigh…is our publicity not good enough?”

“We don’t even have the funds for publicity, A’Yuan. Why don’t you take out your cash reserves for us to do some advertising…”

“How much does it cost to advertise?”

“Probably around four to five hundred thousand dollars.”

“Why don’t we make some leaflets?”

“F**k, that is f**king embarrassing. We are talents of high caliber, we can’t do that!”

“…”

“This cigarette from Old Li must be fake? The taste isn’t the same!”

“I feel so too.”

“Should we go and argue with him?”

“Forget it, it’s just a pack of cigarettes…only eight dollars. F**k, when I’m earning big bucks, I’m getting the twenty dollars pack!”

“Yeah…”

Lu Yihong left.

He returned to China Gold.

Even though he had been kept in the cold storage, he was still an employee of China Gold. He had to go when he needed to go.

Li Qing left.

Li Qing had been a cast of [Capital City] himself. Coming from Sky Entertainment, he had finished the works for [Buried] and left as well.

There were only Fatty Wei and Lu Yuan in such a big ‘Distant’ Entertainment. It seemed so much like a shell company.

In the afternoon, they had once again been rejected. Both of them were met with sinister gazes while squatting on the cobbled pathways of East Main Street. The more they smoked ‘Red Orchid’, the more they felt disgusted by the cigarette’s taste.

How did the usually fragrant cigarettes give such a bitter taste now?

“Let’s quit it.” Fatty Wei put out the cigarette butt. “I won’t smoke anymore.”

“Yes, let’s quit it.” Lu Yuan nodded. “Let’s not smoke anymore today. Come, let’s continue to the next place.”

“Ok!”

As the sun was setting, half the sky was painted in red. Hengdian’s streets were bustling with noise and excitement.

Fatty Wei’s smile was becoming stiff, but he still managed to put it on for courtesy’s sake.

Without a doubt, any cinema chain with a little bit of structure would never have a place for [Buried].

This was a very miserable story.

“What are you doing with your eyes always fixed on your phone?”

“I want to give my dad a call, but I don’t really dare.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Because of my dreams…”

“Nonsense!” Lu Yuan shook his head while looking at Fatty Wei whose head was full of sweat. He felt that Fatty Wei this fella was being too pretentious.

“My dad is a great man, but I don’t like his temper. That’s why I never bow down to him.”

“Oh?”

“A’Yuan, this is the first movie I can use to prove myself. Do you think I should bow down to him?”

“If you don’t wish to do it, then don’t. We are able-bodied, what’s there to be afraid of?” Lu Yuan shook his head as he looked at Fatty Wei who was rarely this serious.

“Yes, you’re right.” Fatty Wei nodded. He finally pulled back his hand and smiled. “A’Yuan, what you said is right, I must learn from you. Damn it, after spending so much time with you, I feel even more inferior compared to you… You’re the f**king template of a lead!”

“What’s there to learn? Have you seen such a lead before?” Lu Yuan was rather speechless.

(Did he mean to learn how to smoke from me?)

This time, his boot-licking didn’t give Lu Yuan any sense of pleasure. Instead, it felt like sarcasm to his ears.

“I’ve never seen one, but I know you have a lot of traits that I don’t possess. For example, your fortitude, your unprecedented pride, and confidence, as well as how much of a brilliant genius you are. Of course, that isn’t important. What’s important is your formidable ambition.” Fatty Wei was still very serious.

“???” Lu Yuan was dumbfounded to hear all these words.

Ambition?

Could I have been talking in my sleep and revealed my plan of opening a restaurant?

Lu Yuan suddenly felt a sense of void.

“With your current talent and conditions, any random entertainment company will treat you like a king. Even if you don’t make any debut, you will still be a renowned lyricist of the entertainment business. However, instead of going with that plan, you’re staying put here. Doesn’t it explain everything?”

“Ah?”

“A’Yuan, I know you. You look down on those companies, and you want to start an entertainment company that’s better than them. Even though you’re always happy-go-lucky, don’t think I don’t know that you’ve been secretly reading Hashimoto’s [How to start a business].”

“??” Lu Yuan was speechless after hearing Fatty Wei’s imagination.

“Unprecedented ambition and great aspirations! A’Yuan, you can do it, we can do it. It’s just a short-term predicament for now. It’ll be better tomorrow, so let’s work hard together to build this company!” Fatty Wei patted Lu Yuan’s shoulders and stood up. His head was tilted at 45 degrees to look up to the sky. Under the twilight of the setting sun, Fatty Wei’s appearance was rather divine. It was as if his disappointment had disappeared in that instant, turning him into a whole new person.

Hold up!

And what was this gay feeling?

“Since you’re so high, tonight’s dinner is your treat then.” Lu Yuan was somewhat influenced by him.

“Why should I treat you?”

“Because you’ve learned something from me, it’s natural to pay learning fees. You’re lucky I’m only asking you to treat me to a meal!”

“F**k!”

After having their dinner and some drinks, both of them came back to the company giddily.

As they pushed open the door, Lu Yuan saw two men walking toward them.

“Is your name Lu Yuan?”

“Yes, you are…”

“I’m Zhou Shuai, a reporter from China’s Surrounding Entertainment News. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“What questions?”

“You know who’s An Xiao, right?”

“What?”

“An Xiao came here before, didn’t she?”

“So what if she did?”

“Barbarian Lu, it’s you, right!” Zhou Shuai’s eyes brightened after seeing Lu Yuan’s expression.

“Yes?” Lu Yuan was stunned for a while, and he let out a smile thereafter. “Today’s weather is great, don’t you think so, Fatty Wei?”

“Yeah, it’s indeed great…” Fatty Wei nodded and moved to the back. His smile appeared across his face.

“??” Zhou Shuai felt strange hearing this ridiculous answer. But after that…

“Bang!”

“What’re you doing, what’re you guys doing!?”

“What’re you guys doing!?”

“Don’t, it’s my fault!”

Darkness gathered over…

Both Lu Yuan and Fatty Wei suddenly burst into action with one holding a pair of legs and another covering the mouth. They looked like they were dragging a pig that was about to be slaughtered into the house and locked the door…

The house was filled with frightening sounds of “Wu wu wu” that occurred continuously…

The night was long.

The night was quiet.