Translator: Larbre Studio
Editor: Larbre Studio
It was natural that Hengdian was intensely hot at the end of June. It was so hot that Fatty Wei was covered in so much sweat, to the point that he felt like he was in a pool.
Most of the overweight people hated the summer.
And Fatty Wei was no different.
If Fatty Wei could, he wanted to go back indoor so that he could sit under the air conditioner. He wanted to just let the cold air circulate around his body, to the point that he wouldn’t mind dying under it.
Yet…
That was just a dream.
The script that Lu Yuan has written, titled Buried Alive, was a thriller. Fatty Wei swore that if he could direct the film, it would be well received. Fatty Wei was even curtained that he could leave a mark in China’s film industry with it.
But there was one precondition.
And it was Lu Yuan’s acting skill.
Fatty Wei was still skeptical about it.
“Want a cigarette?”
“Thanks.”
“The taste is good, right?”
“Not bad.”
The shooting of the Capital City was nearing its final stage. The crew has begun to work on the last few remaining scenes. As noon came, Lu Yuan and Fatty Wei arrive at the studio where the Captial City’s crew was working again.
Whenever Fatty Wei arrived near the studio, he would always feel as if his bladder was about to burst. It was as if peeing towards the studio could vent his anger towards Shen Lianjie for making his fiancé cheated on him. But this time, he didn’t have the same feeling anymore.
It was as if something has changed.
Fatty Wei felt as if his future as a famous film director wasn’t only a dream anymore.
And for that to happen, he has to stop venting his anger in weird ways.
He knew that, at the very least, he has to maintain a good image to succeed.
The other reason he didn’t do that was that the studio was crowded. There were a lot of reporters and fans waiting eagerly for the wrap of the film.
It meant that a lot of cameras could be seen everywhere.
And if just if, Fatty Wei got shot doing something indecent…
That would be disastrous.
Lu Yuan lit a Red Orchid and smoked next to Fatty Wei.
Everything was prepared, and all they needed was a crew.
Fatty Wei knew a person in the Capital City’s crew. He was planning to ask for some favor after the film wrapped up.
Even if the funding was as low as 800 thousand dollars, they still needed a crew. Lighting engineers, makeup artists, cameramen, and other professions were requirements to be met.
Lu Yuan wasn’t going to mingle with Fatty Wei’s decision to find parts of their missing puzzle from the Capital City’s crew. Lu Yuan even gave Fatty Wei the “I trust you, don’t disappoint me” look when Fatty Wei told Lu Yuan his plan. It was as if Lu Yuan was giving Fatty Wei the wheel to the boat, and Lu Yuan would just remain as a henchman.
Lu Yuan’s expression was on point. Zhuge Liang probably saw the same expression in Liu Bei when he was asked to help in the war.
And Fatty Wei was slightly excited by it, even to the point where he would die for the success of the film.
As for Lu Yuan, who has no whatsoever idea on how to shoot a film, he has to turn to other options on encouraging others to help him finish what he had started.
That was why he was doing his best to encourage Fatty Wei.
Lu Yuan didn’t care about the quality of the film, as long as the product adhered to the requirements in the contract.
I mean, have you seen how many films have failed in terms of the box office?
That was the mindset Lu Yuan has.
All I’m doing is just adding another bad film into the industry, that’s all.
Fatty Wei sat down by the hill just outside the studio as he was filled with a weird emotion.
“Lu Yuan, do you have a dream?” Fatty Wei asked as he put out his cigarette and spat.
“A dream?”
“Yes, a dream…”
“Did you get a fever or something?” Lu Yuan looked at Fatty Wei as he offered Fatty Wei another cigarette, unable to get used to Fatty Wei’s sudden change of attitude.
Lu Yuan could not even picture Fatty Wei uttering the word “dream.”
It even sounded comical.
“I don’t want it. Tell me, do you have a dream?” Fatty Wei suddenly stood up and looked up at the sky before returning his sight to the Capital City’s studio.
Even though Fatty Wei has his back towards Lu Yuan, but Lu Yuan could hear the meaning and depth in Fatty Wei’s question.
“I… I do have a dream…”
Still not used to Fatty Wei’s sudden seriousness, Lu Yuan also stood up and stared at the studio, trying to mimic the vibe Fatty Wei was giving off.
“My dream is to become a successful film director. I want to let the whole country… No! I want to let the whole world know the name of Wei Wuji!” Fatty Wei shouted as he set his sight on the future.
It was as if Fatty Wei was telling that to himself, or to Lu Yuan.
“… Wait here. I need to piss,” Lu Yuan suddenly said, cutting Fatty Wei from his thoughts.
Lu Yuan raised his head and looked at the sun that was shining brightly. Yet, Lu Yuan has the feeling that the clouds would soon cover the sky, and a streak of thunder would strike Fatty Wei for pretending to be someone he wasn’t yet.
Lu Yuan did not want to die alongside the fat guy.
“Lu Yuan! What is your dream?” Fatty Wei stopped Lu Yuan.
“My dream… is big…” Lu Yuan said as he tried to run away.
“From your company to the film… and the script. I can tell that you…”
“I what?”
“That your ambition is wild! I can tell that you want to conquer all of Hengdian, then the whole country, before moving towards Hollywood and the whole world!” Fatty Wei exclaimed as he turned to stare at Lu Yuan.
“…”
Lu Yuan couldn’t stop his hand from trembling when being stared at by Fatty Wei suddenly. He almost burned himself with the cigarette in his hand.
Lu Yuan was amazed.
He was amazed at Fatty Wei’s “I know what you’re planning” expression.
Like hell! That’s not even my dream!
“Am I wrong?” Seeing that Lu Yuan wasn’t responding, Fatty Wei could tell Lu Yuan’s act was coming to an end.
He wanted Lu Yuan to agree with him.
Fatty Wei wanted Lu Yuan to say something encouraging, like “I’m going to conquer the whole film industry” kind of motivational speeches.
Fatty Wei believed that saying something extravagant was typical for men around their ages. Even if they lacked the resources, what they have was confidence in themselves.
And for them, who were going to produce their first film, it wasn’t weird to blurt out something they couldn’t dream of achieving yet.
Fatty Wei then turned and has his back towards Lu Yuan again.
If not for the crowd in front of the studio, Fatty Wei would’ve pissed high up into the sky again.
But, the road ahead of him wasn’t shrouded in darkness anymore.
Lu Yuan was slightly moved by Fatty Wei’s resolution, so much that he couldn’t stop himself from kicking Fatty Wei in the back to express his emotions.
“Fuck! Why did you kick me?”
“Stop your act! They’re leaving!”
“What? They’re already done? What the hell?”
Fatty Wei was about to fight Lu Yuan when he heard the whistle from the studio, signaling that the film was a wrap. He quickly got his phone out and ran down the hill.
“Hello? Li?… Yeah, it’s me, Wei! Can we meet?… What? Too tired? Come on, dude! I have a job!… Yes. We have a script and fundings!… We have those too. All we need now is your team of makeup artists and cameramen… I’m telling you the truth! Just come meet with us and see for yourself!… Just trust me on this, okay?”
Lu Yuan looked at Fatty Wei who was talking on the phone and then turned to look at the sky.
He then lit another cigarette.
It seemed as if the part of the cloud that was about to cover the sky was gone.
…
“Professor Zheng, did Lu Yuan say he’s not in Hengdian? That’s impossible. I just invested in his film project. He should be building his own crew by now.”
“Where is his company?”
“His company? His company… Oh, right! It’s at the end of Sanba Street. The building second to the last.”
“I’ll go meet with him myself. I believe he thinks I’m a scammer when I called him.”
“A scammer? That prick! Let me call him first!”
“It’s fine. It’s normal to be cautious. I was the same as him when I was younger too. Talented people are all like that.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I want to meet him. And, some things are better off spoken face to face.”
“Fine then…”