There were no melodramatic scenes of people tearing each other apart.There were no convoluted character relationships.It was simply a story about a boy's troubles and the chaotic, unpredictable nature of youth.
As I watched, it seemed as if the story flowed smoothly, yet it touched a chord deep within me. It was like a solitary string plucking at forgotten memories, gently brushing against the youthful recollections that Lu Mingze had long buried.
The feelings were so intense, so unforgettable."Beautifully written!" Director Lu praised sincerely.
"How did you come up with a story like this?" He thought to himself, forgetting that his neck was already under Tiandu's knife and yet here he was, still discussing the script!
Chu An remained silent, now holding Lu Mingze in higher regard.
He shrugged and said, "The biggest issue with 'My High School Days' is that it's written from an adult's perspective. It adds too many things that don't belong to that age."
"Of course!" Chu An explained. "I'm not saying the conflicts are bad. In fact, those scenes provide great dramatic tension and are plenty exciting."
"But..."
"青春 (youth) is pure!" he said with certainty.
"For people our age, being able to navigate a complex society with ease doesn't really give you a sense of accomplishment."
"Maturity only exists in the imaginations of teenagers, not in reality."
Chu An, from his 17-year-old perspective, was teaching Lu Mingze what a real campus drama should be.
"Instead, the greatest accomplishment is when a good friend says, 'You're awesome!'"
"Struggling through hardships to seek redemption doesn't necessarily extend a character arc." He stared at Lu Mingze, speechless. "Do young people really need a character arc when they do things? Do they need a reason?"
"One fall, curse out 'damn!' and then get up to keep running—that's us!"
"So 'My High School Days' is unrealistic. It's just adults enjoying their own fantasies."
Lu Mingze: "..."
It was like a sudden, enlightening realization washed over him!
All the scenes that felt off, all those awkward moments, everything that seemed wrong in the filming process—it was now clear.
He suddenly shouted, "Why didn't you say this earlier?!"
Director Lu had an epiphany. He finally understood how to make a good youth campus drama.
Looking at the script in his hand, he said without hesitation, "I'll buy this script!"
There were stars in Lu Mingze's eyes, as if with this script and Chu An's sharp, youthful perspective, he finally had the confidence to make a comeback and had the leverage to turn the tide.
"Wait!"
Chu An interrupted, giving him a look of disdain.
"You're not... planning to use this script to negotiate with Tiandu, are you?"
Lu Mingze gave him a "well, of course" look, leaving Chu An in despair.
At that moment, Chu An felt like it was Director Lu who was the real 'youth.' That innocent, clueless look was really... kind of cute!!
"If you take this script out, you're done for. This script is no longer your concern."
Lu Mingze: "???"He didn't get it, completely bewildered.
"Sigh!" Chu An sighed in exhaustion.
At that moment, he felt like he was babysitting a giant child he'd only known for less than half a month.
But... wasn't that what an agent was supposed to do?
Teaching acting?Rewriting scripts?Even writing (or copying) scripts?These were all things anyone could do with some experience, nothing to praise.
But what was coming up next? That was the real deal!
And precisely because of Director Lu's innocent nature, he allowed 17-year-old Chu An to do things without being reported by him or cut into pieces.
"Director Lu, put the script away and hide it."
"Your next move is to go to Tiandu and admit defeat! Kneel and beg for mercy!"
Lu Mingze jumped in surprise, "Why?"
Chu An: "To let them screw you over even harder."
Lu Mingze was even more confused. "Screw me over harder, and I'm supposed to kneel and beg?"
"How ridiculous! And why the kneeling?!"
Man!!Stand your ground!!Chu An cursed inwardly, Stand your ground, my ass!
"Because only then will they be able to take advantage of you while still looking righteous. They get the moral high ground and face, and you might still avoid getting audited."
"..."
Lu Mingze was stunned, feeling both scared and enlightened.
It was terrifying, but it made sense.
Suddenly, he felt something was off. Had this kid just set him up?
Wasn't he supposed to be pure, full of youthful idealism?
Why did the words coming from his mouth sound even more sinister than his own?And he hit him right where it hurt—auditing!This was an insider secret: how much a director makes from a project is known only to them.Not even they know for sure!
Sounds outrageous?But it's true!
Take Lu Mingze for example: directing My High School Days involved pay, contract shares, profit dividends from investors, and subsequent royalties from copyright.
Contract shares are paid according to how much money the show makes from its airing.Profit dividends are deducted from production costs.Copyright includes things like adaptations, merchandising, overseas distribution—you can write pages just listing it all!And then there are all the small earnings from commercial activities, program appearances, etc.
The above is just the legitimate income—a small portion of it!Yes, just a small portion, which could take a long chapter to detail.
And then there are the shady incomes, the ones you don't talk about.
The biggest chunk is kickbacks.You can't avoid them—no one's immune!
From actors to the crew, from sponsors to product placements, it's all about relationships.For instance, if I use your camera crew, your script, and your lead actress, the director wouldn't feel at ease unless they offer something in return.
In a larger crew, extra roles can involve hundreds, even thousands of people! How many "group leaders" would there be?And the group leaders must act responsibly, right?With that many extras, the lunch can cost tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands.Who makes money off that?
And there's more—banquets, dinner parties.It's not just actors, directors get them too. If you're a public figure, you have value, and a price tag!A meal or event often involves compensation.
There's also the associations, gatherings, and welfare from time to time.Making use of your name to boost my status—also comes at a price.
The list is endless!
Lu Mingze couldn't escape either. A lot of the time, it was passive. If you dig deep, you'll uncover it all!
And this brings us to taxes.Even if you don't intend to evade them, few can really report their taxes properly.Chu An never saw one who did.
If Tiandu continues to investigate, it won't just be about this drama, they might uncover past issues.This is the leverage, and Lu Mingze is in their grip.
Fortunately, Lu Mingze was relatively clean. He didn't accept most of the shady income. If someone tried to slip him money, he would reject it or return it. So, there wasn't much of an issue.
But "no issue" is a legal matter. The entertainment industry is built under the spotlight, and any exposure would cause quite a storm.
"So the first thing to do is stop Tiandu's investigation, or else they'll have everything on you, and you'll be completely controlled."
Lu Mingze blushed. "I... I have nothing to hide."
Chu An rolled his eyes. "Well, experience it for yourself."
He then said, "Do you want the audit to strip you clean, or would you prefer to let a few media outlets dig up your past?"
"Alright..." Without waiting for Chu An to finish, Lu Mingze surrendered smoothly.
"That's more like it!" Chu An said.
"You can't fight Tiandu with just a script."
"You have to take it step by step."
"The script is just the final tool in the battle."
Lu Mingze: "Are you serious?" His northeastern accent slipped out—final battle?
He seriously doubted this kid was schizophrenic. One moment, he was a genius, more annoying than his own agent, and the next, he was acting like a complete fool.
He had to find some balance or else, if Tiandu didn't drain him dry, Chu An would.
In another world's language: just an overly-idealistic high schooler!
Well!An overly-clever high schooler!
A little smarter than him.
——————
The next day.
The same sunset, the same old elm tree, but the person in front of him had changed—from Chu An to Li Chunhua, the producer responsible for My High School Days at Tiandu.
Li Chunhua looked at the defeated Lu Mingze, who was barely clinging to life, and felt thoroughly satisfied.
Just now, the once-mighty Director Lu had bowed his head in defeat.
He admitted that the decision to shift genres was a mistake and offered Tiandu an irresistible deal:Two Qing Dynasty period dramas within five years, guaranteeing a direct profit of at least 100 million. Otherwise, a personal compensation contract for the difference.
The request?No!The plea was simple:Save his last bit of dignity, don't ruin his public image, and if possible, let him finish this project.In short: "Stop investigating me, I'll agree to anything!"
Li Chunhua smiled with the satisfaction of a victor.
Seven parts mockery, three parts advice, "If you'd known today, why did you do it in the first place?"
He thought to himself: These so-called big directors and stars always forget their place.
Their personality and ideals often bring trouble to the company!
As a producer, Li Chunhua had never had a project he was responsible for air or premiere. His job was to handle these stubborn big names!
His job was to make these overambitious "celebrities" bow their arrogant heads.
He enjoyed seeing their faces fall after failure—whether it was Lu Mingze's awkward admission of wrongdoing or the actress' submissive gaze.
It gave him a sickening sense of achievement and pleasure.
He said with a fake tone of sincere concern, "Old Lu, you're making it difficult for me."
Li Chunhua continued his charade, "But, at the end of the day, when it's time to help, you have to step up. I do have some responsibility!"
Lu Mingze was about to throw up. In his usual style, he wouldn't tolerate someone like Li Chunhua for even a second!
But thinking back to what Chu An had said...
He had to endure!Suppressing the disgust, he said, "Producer Li, I've come to terms with it."
"Now, I just want to keep some dignity."
Li Chunhua, "That's easy!" He didn't waste time. "I'll pull Jia Chenglin back."
He paused for a moment and spoke magnanimously, "Fine!"
"Help people to the end, and send them on their way. I'll withdraw all the Tiandu staff on the project! This is yours now!"
Lu Mingze's brow raised slightly. This was the best outcome Chu An had talked about—something he hadn't dared imagine!
Pretending to be surprised, "Isn't this a bit too much? I still need company support."
Li Chunhua waved his hand, "Forget it, things have gone this far. The company needs to make a gesture."
"Tiandu is withdrawing from the project. Consider the previous investment a gift to you, a token of thanks for our cooperation these years."
Lu Mingze: "..."
Why did it feel like Tiandu wasn't so heartless, and Li Chunhua wasn't so disgusting now?
Well, Lu Mingze's instincts were wrong. He had no emotional intelligence to distinguish good from bad!
He only heard Li Chunhua continue, "Also, that idea you had—taking the project out of Tiandu under your private studio—is great."
"Even if the shoot fails, you can explain it as a management issue on your part, not a creative one."
"This is a great PR direction."
"As for funding..."
Li Chunhua hesitated, "I'll make the decision. Once the company settles up, we'll return the remaining investment to you as shooting funds."
"Also, the equipment, venue rental contracts, actor contracts, and the wages of other staff will be transferred to your name. This way, the cost of filming will be greatly reduced."
"Old Lu..." Li Chunhua's tone became even more hypocritical, "This is all I can help you with. I'm sure you'll prove yourself!"
Meanwhile, Lu Mingze kept his head low, his lips trembling in anger!!
Had he been wrong about Tiandu? They were showing some kindness after all!
Chu An wouldn't let him live—this guy had no hope.
His emotional intelligence and IQ were both negative!