APTnovel Chapter 458 Commissioned Article
Chapter 458 Commissioned Article
The wedding ended close to 9 p.m.
After seeing off the last table of guests, Tan Yu and Xu Manxue stood at the hotel entrance and said goodbye to each guest. Their smiles were so tired they were almost stiff, but the corners of their mouths were still turned up, showing that they were genuinely happy.
Lu Ran and Shen Yuege left late, waiting until the crowd had mostly dispersed before getting up.
Shen Yuege was a little tired, so she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to rest. Lu Ran sat next to her and waited for her to recover.
At that moment, a man in his early fifties walked towards them.
He was wearing a beige casual suit with a light blue shirt underneath, no tie, and one button undone at the collar.
He doesn't look like a director; he looks more like a recently retired university professor.
Lu Ran recognized him as Zheng Guohua, a director famous for making comedies.
Zheng Guohua walked over at a leisurely pace, bowing slightly as he reached Lu Ran. His tone was earnest: "Teacher Lu, I finally have the chance to speak to you in person today. I tried to arrange a meeting with you several times before, but to no avail."
Lu Ran quickly stood up and shook hands with him, saying, "Director Zheng, you're too kind. I was indeed busy before and couldn't find the time to come. Now that we've met, please speak freely."
Zheng Guohua didn't beat around the bush. He pulled out a chair next to him, leaned forward slightly, and placed his hands crossed on the table: "I heard you have a comedy script that you haven't shown to anyone yet. I happen to have a free moment in my schedule, and I haven't decided on my next project yet. If you trust me, I'd like to see that script."
Lu Ran looked at Zheng Guohua and quickly went through the man's background in his mind.
Zheng Guohua has been making comedies in the industry for over 20 years, from his earliest Lunar New Year films to his later urban light comedies. His output is not high, but each film has a stable reputation.
The important thing is that this person is willing to spend money and never skimps on the budget for sets, costumes, props, and post-production.
His films may not have top-tier box office returns, but their production quality has always been top-notch in their genre.
Lu Ran thought for a moment, picked up his phone, scrolled through his notes, found the name of the book, and then turned the screen to show Zheng Guohua: "Goodbye Mr. Loser."
Zheng Guohua leaned closer to look at the screen, read the name aloud, and then looked up at Lu Ran: "What were you talking about?"
"It's a time-travel story. A man in his thirties goes back to his high school days, relives his life, and wants to do everything he didn't do back then. He discovers that starting over isn't necessarily a better choice." Lu Ran didn't elaborate, outlining the story's framework in a sentence or two. "Comedy is the outer shell, but the core is heartwarming. After the laughter, the audience should be able to take something away, something they won't forget."
After listening, Zheng Guohua remained silent for a few seconds, tapping his fingers twice on the table as if savoring the aftereffects of those words: "Are you free tomorrow? Or the day after? I'll bring my production team to see you, and we can discuss this in detail."
Lu Ran took out his phone and checked his schedule: "Tomorrow afternoon is fine. Come to my office, and I'll let you read the whole book."
Without a word, Zheng Guohua pulled a business card from his suit pocket, flipped it over, wrote a phone number on the back, and pushed it towards him: "This is my personal number. You can call anytime. It's settled then. See you tomorrow afternoon."
He stood up, shook hands with Lu Ran again, and turned to leave.
He walked much faster than when he came, like someone who had been starving for a long time finally smelling the aroma of food.
As soon as Zheng Guohua left, a short, middle-aged man squeezed in.
The man was wearing a bright orange polo shirt, which stood out under the lights. He was holding a cell phone with a string of pre-written contact information on the screen.
"Hello, Mr. Lu, I'm He Fei, a producer from Guangqi Films. I make romance films." He spoke quickly, but enunciated each word clearly. "You gave Director Zheng that comedy script, do you have any romance films on hand? I have a project on hand, the lead actors are all cast, all we're missing is a good script. The investment is in place, and the filming date is set, but we haven't found a suitable script yet."
Lu Ran leaned back in his chair and glanced at him.
He wasn't familiar with the name He Fei, but he had heard of Guangqi Film and Television. A couple of years ago, they produced several medium-sized urban romance dramas, which were above average in terms of box office and word-of-mouth. They weren't top-tier, but they never lost money.
Lu Ran took out his phone and scrolled to another name, turning the screen towards He Fei: "The Ex-Boyfriend Guide."
He Fei leaned closer to look at the screen, then looked up: "What's it talking about?"
"Urban romance. Several different romantic experiences are strung together, with a brisk pace and some rather poignant dialogue, making it suitable for a young audience."
He Fei's eyes lit up, a light like that of a thirsty person seeing water: "Can I see it? Can I come to your office tomorrow too?"
"Okay." Lu Ran noted down his contact information. "Come tomorrow afternoon, with Director Zheng. The two of you don't clash; one's a comedy, the other a romance, so you're filming in two different directions."
He Fei said "good" several times, and almost bumped into a tall man walking in his direction as he left.
The man stepped aside to let He Fei pass, and then slowly walked up to Lu Ran and stood in front of him.
This was a man in his forties, very tall, wearing a black stand-up collar jacket, with hair longer than most people present, tied in a low ponytail, and a neatly trimmed short beard on his chin.
Lu Ran recognized him; he was Sun Yiming, the director who had made several historical dramas.
Lu Ran had seen some of his works; the scenes were meticulously crafted, the narrative steady, and every frame could be enlarged and used as wallpaper.
Sun Yiming spoke in a softer voice than Lu Ran had expected, and at a more measured pace: "Professor Lu, I waited a while, and the two people before me both had appointments with you for tomorrow afternoon. I won't schedule it for the same day as you, as you'll definitely be too busy tomorrow. Would the morning after tomorrow be convenient for you? I'd also like to look at a notebook."
"Director Sun, what type of film would you like to see?"
Sun Yiming's gaze fell on the screen of the phone in his hand, his tone remaining calm: "I heard you have a historical book. I don't know its exact title, but someone mentioned it to me, saying it's quite substantial. I wonder if that's true or not."
Lu Ran remained silent for a moment.
He spun the phone around in his hand for a bit, and then he found a filename—"The Ming Dynasty 1566".
He's kept this notebook for almost half a year and hasn't taken it out yet.
It's not that it's bad, it's that it's too good, so good that he doesn't dare to show it to just anyone.
Giving it to the wrong person is a waste; giving it to the right person is a work that can stand the test of time.
"There's a historical drama," Lu Ran turned off the screen without revealing the title, "set during the Jiajing era, revolving around court intrigue and financial reforms. It has many characters, intricate plot lines, and a rather slow pace. It has a long production cycle, a large investment, and high standards for the actors. If you're interested, come to my office the day after tomorrow morning, and we can discuss it in detail."
Sun Yiming nodded, not asking for further details. He extended his hand to shake Lu Ran's; his palm was dry and warm. As he released his hand, he said, "Then I'll come to your company at ten o'clock the day after tomorrow. Thank you for your help."
He turned and walked away slowly, his back appearing exceptionally straight in the dim light of the banquet hall.
No sooner had Sun Yiming left than Lu Ran sat down again, and a young woman appeared next to him.
She looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a floral dress, with light makeup, and clutching something that looked like a resume in her hand.
She hesitated for a few seconds, standing two steps away from Lu Ran, before mustering her courage and taking a step forward.
"Hello, Professor Lu," her voice was a little tense, but she tried to sound composed. "I'm Lin Wei, a recent graduate of the Acting Department at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Academy. I... I'm not here to offer a toast; I wanted to ask you to look at my resume. If a suitable opportunity arises, I'd especially like to participate in one of your works."
Lu Ran looked at the resume in her hand but did not reach out to take it.
He started by asking, "What have you acted in?"
Lin Wei recounted her acting experience at a measured pace: "I've acted in three major plays at school. I played Sifeng in *Thunderstorm*, Chunhua in *Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land*, and the lead role in an original play. During my internship, I did a few minor roles on set; I didn't have many lines, but I passed every take."
After listening, Lu Ran reached out and took the resume from her hand, flipping through it.
The resume was simple, a clean one-page document with a standard photo attached. The girl in the photo had regular features and a bright look in her eyes. He glanced at it, folded the resume, and put it in his pocket: "I'll take it. I'll contact you if a suitable role comes along. Don't rush things. Don't take on big roles right after graduation. Start with small roles and hone your skills. Once you've honed your skills, everything will be easier."
Lin Wei's eyes lit up immediately after hearing this.
She clasped her hands together, bowed to Lu Ran, and said in a much louder voice than before, "Thank you, Teacher Lu! I will definitely prepare well!"
She walked out with much lighter steps, glancing back at Lu Ran as she reached the door before pushing it open and stepping into the night.
Lu Ran took out her resume again, glanced at it, memorized the face, and then put it back in her pocket.
In the next ten minutes or so, several more young actors came over and handed in their materials. There were men and women, all in their early twenties, dressed in different ways, but they all had the same look in their eyes.
Lu Ran accepted a copy from each person, and each person said something similar—prepare well, and we'll contact you when the time is right.
Lu Ran could sense that some of these people were truly gifted.
However, some people only decide to try it out temporarily, and the information they get will be left to gather dust in a drawer, only to be taken out and looked at again when they have the opportunity later.
Shen Yuege sat silently to the side until the last person left and the banquet hall was almost empty. Only then did she open her eyes and ask, "How many resumes have you collected?"
Lu Ran counted the items in his pocket: "Seven or eight documents, I think. There are a few others that only left contact information, not details. I'll organize them all later, archiving the useful ones and deleting the rest."
Shen Yuege stood up, stretched her shoulders, and yawned slightly. "You're much more tired than Tan Yu today. You were entertaining guests at his wedding."
Lu Ran stood up and reached out to help her: "The capable should do more, right? But today was indeed very fruitful; we connected with directors for three films, and received information on several young actors. Things are all set for the next six months."
He helped Shen Yuege walk out. Most of the lights at the hotel entrance were off, leaving only two warm yellow wall lamps illuminating the steps. A night breeze blew in, carrying the coolness of early autumn, much more refreshing than during the day.
Shen Yuege walked beside him, her steps steady.
She turned her head and glanced at Lu Ran: "Zheng Guohua is coming tomorrow afternoon, He Fei is coming tomorrow afternoon too, and Sun Yiming is coming the day after tomorrow morning. You've got plenty to do these past few days."
Lu Ran counted the tasks and realized it was indeed quite demanding, but his expression remained unchanged: "Let them be busy. Things will be better after this period. Besides, these people came with sincerity, not to cause trouble. If we can cooperate, we will; if not, we'll just be friends."
The two walked out of the hotel and stood on the steps at the entrance.
The night breeze ruffled Shen Yuege's hair. She reached up and brushed it aside, exhaling a breath that turned into a small wisp of white mist in the cool air: "Let's go home then."
Lu Ran took out his phone and glanced at the time; it was almost ten o'clock.
He nodded and helped Shen Yuege down the steps toward the parking area.
The autumn night breeze of Shanghai blows from the Huangpu River, carrying moisture and the faint glow of distant neon lights.
The plane tree leaves lining the street hadn't started falling yet, and under the streetlights, they gleamed with a dark green sheen.
As Lu Ran left, he looked back at the hotel entrance one last time.
The lights were completely off, and the doorman was tidying up the decorative flower baskets at the entrance. Tan Yu and Xu Manxue's car was gone; they must have left long ago.
He looked away, opened the passenger door for Shen Yuege to get in, then walked around to the driver's seat and started the car.
As the car drove out of the parking lot, he mentally reviewed his plans for tomorrow.
I handled company emails in the morning, Zheng Guohua came over at 2 pm, and He Fei came over at 3 pm, leaving an hour-long break between the two meetings.
Sun Yiming will be here the day after tomorrow morning, so I can rest in the afternoon.
In the next few days, I will need to sort and categorize the resumes I have received, and meet with the directors and producers I have contacted before to see how many of the scripts I have on hand can still be released.
The road ahead is still long, but the direction is becoming clearer.
Moreover, there are even more important things waiting for him to do next month.
...