Chapter 302: Sunset
The promotional activity began. Because of the gimmick of collaborating with Shion-sensei, it still attracted quite a few fans. Many people had no expectations for the movie Black Wolf, but they were very interested in Shion-sensei and the Chinese-American star An Xiayue, so the event was successfully held. The lead actors and other actors were all present, participating in interactions with the audience.
Holding an event, of course, costs money. Not to mention giving prizes to the audience and paying Shion-sensei’s appearance fee, these all cost money. Hu Qing had also thought about this problem, but he knew very well that if a commercial movie didn’t attract attention before its release, it would be difficult to get the audience’s support after its release, unless the reputation was really good and could attract a real audience. But Hu Qing, as a has-been star who had fallen to third-tier status, no longer had the popularity, and he also didn’t have a large investment. It was almost all out of his own pocket. He had even humbled himself to ask many people for help to barely scrape together the funds to make the movie.
A few years ago, he had directed and acted in a movie called Blood Leopard, with a war theme. At that time, he had raised an investment of eighty million, which was not easy. That year, the box office reached over 400 million. This gave him the courage and determination to film Black Wolf, which he had always wanted to film. This time, the funds were there, and there were more investors. But even so, he still felt that the heat was not enough.
So he thought of Shion-sensei, to use her fame to boost the movie’s heat. Although it would cost another sum of money, without investment, there would be no return. He thought it was worth it.
“Hello everyone, I’m An Xiayue. You can also call me Belia. Thank you all for coming to our event. We have prepared generous prizes, as well as Shion-sensei’s personal autograph. The quantity is limited, first come, first served. Are you all mentally prepared?”
At the beginning of the event, An Xiayue spoke as the opening person. She was fair-skinned and beautiful, with blonde hair and a good figure. She had a certain fame among the mainland audience, and many people liked her. This time, her return to the country to develop and film a movie naturally attracted the attention of many die-hard fans. This was also her first movie as a female lead after returning to the country. Of course, the most talked-about thing was her salary. Her salary had reached 13 million, which was almost the level of a big star. Later, there was news that An Xiayue was considerate of the crew and had a good relationship with Hu Qing, so she had asked for 3 million less, meaning she only took a salary of ten million. But even so, it was still surprising enough.
After all, she had no noteworthy works in the movies she had filmed in the country, although she had filmed a few hit American dramas when she was in Hollywood, and had also acted in many movies as a child, and had a certain fame. But this time, her transformation into a commercial film’s female lead was still questioned by many. The male lead, Hu Qing, was already forty years old, and An Xiayue was only twenty-three. The age gap between the two was too large, and it was hard to say whether they could produce an effect on the screen.
“Because Shion-sensei is not feeling well, she is unable to participate in this event. But we have prepared the latest volume of her novel Zixuan and the Paper Airplane. Lucky audience members who win a prize in the event can get a copy, and also have a chance to get an autograph. So, let’s begin.”
However, An Xiayue didn’t seem to mind these rumors. She was still hosting the event well now, getting the atmosphere on site right. She also knew that by doing this event well, the movie Black Wolf could earn traffic before it was even released, which was definitely a good thing. They all wanted the box office to sell well. Only if the box office sold well would they have a chance to cooperate again in the next filming. If it flopped, then it would mean the complete end of this movie.
Yu Linna just stayed in the hotel and wrote her manuscript, not doing anything, which was also in line with her usual persona. The audience all knew that the so-called “not feeling well” was just an excuse. Shion-sensei never participated in any public events, not even for a photo. Everyone was used to her mystery. Many people felt that Shion-sensei must think she was too ugly to show her face, and this setting was also accepted.
Their event would be held for several days. Yu Linna’s time in this place was just a vacation. She didn’t have to do anything.
…
“Shion-sensei, my manga was rejected. I’m looking for some peace and stability.”
“Keep up the good work.”
“Can’t you say something nice!”
When Yu Linna was on the phone with Xiao Yanhan in the hotel, she listened to her complaints and chatted with her.
Xiao Yanhan’s development didn’t seem to be very smooth. Although her manga had been published once, it was still a bit difficult to get a stable serialization, or even to debut with a long-form manga. She was slowly looking for a knack, a way to successfully transform.
“Yanhan, it’s really hard to succeed. I hope you’ll persevere.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. By the way, I saw on Weibo that they’re all talking about you, saying that Shion-sensei has fallen so low that she’s going to a third-rate movie to do promotions.”
Yu Linna was silent.
Ever since the novel Ballad of the Enchantress ended, her popularity had declined, and the novels she wrote were always not so satisfactory. Demon Child was her new long-form novel after Ballad of the Enchantress, but Chen Xi was not very satisfied with it. She revised it again and again, but when it was published, there was still not much of a response. This novel tells the story of a child with superpowers who, because of being isolated, bullied by classmates, and subjected to violence by his parents, gradually becomes dark inside, and then begins to use his superpowers to destroy towns.
Although the setting was very popular, the response was not good. People generally felt that the story was bland, and the turning point was a bit abrupt. In addition, the style was a bit dark and deep. To put it bluntly, the healing degree was a bit high, which was also a reason why everyone was unwilling to accept it. Yu Linna wanted to add some of her own ideas to the book, such as humanity, such as the problem of education, but stuffing these into a commercial novel seemed too abrupt and was not accepted by most people.
“They’re not wrong. I have indeed fallen from grace.”
“Linna, don’t think like that. In any case, you’re a great author, right? I support you, and you’re still my idol.”
“Thanks. But I’m still thinking, thinking about how to write a work that satisfies me.”
Yu Linna was also quite troubled. The sales of Demon Child were not good, which also led to her long-term story being compressed. The editorial department even hoped that she would stop writing this kind of novel, saying it was too dark.
Hanging up the phone, Yu Linna lay on the bed. She really wanted to just be decadent like this. Outsiders all said that Shion-sensei was very diligent, and the speed of her book releases was much faster than Air-sensei’s, but she knew that she was being forced. If she didn’t push herself, how would she have discovered that she could write so much?
Plus, she was different from Air-sensei. Her novels were not long. Compared to the novels in the industry that often had more than twenty volumes, it was clearly not enough to look at.
In reality, the novels of great gods are always very long. Just take the recently popular science fiction animation Space Castle for example. The original novel now has eight volumes, and according to Canwu-sensei, the book will be written to about twenty-four volumes. And Air-sensei’s novel, a conservative estimate, if not twenty volumes, then nineteen. Only her novel chose to be completed in fourteen volumes.
…
After eating, Yu Linna chose to take a walk on the beach. She couldn’t swim and hadn’t bought a swimsuit. She just wanted to walk alone and clear her head. She had been tormented by creation during this time and couldn’t find a way out at all. She didn’t even know which path she should take.
“Hey, Shion-sensei, why are you walking alone? Want some fruit? It’s pretty good.”
Suddenly, An Xiayue appeared from somewhere. She had changed her look, wearing a summer short-sleeved shirt and shorts, a ponytail with a baseball cap on top, and a pair of glasses, and was eating a fruit yogurt with relish. An Xiayue had run out to eat as soon as the event was over. To avoid being recognized, she had specially changed her look. She happened to run into Yu Linna and went over. Seeing Yu Linna, she also used a bamboo skewer to pierce a piece of orange and held it to her mouth.
Yu Linna had no excuse not to eat the food that was brought to her mouth. She opened her mouth and ate it. The taste was not bad. She liked the taste of this yogurt.
“Troubled?”
“A little.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Thinking about how to do my work well.”
So she’s having trouble with her career, An Xiayue thought to herself.
This feeling, she could also understand quite well.
“Is it that you’re having trouble with your career, or are you disliked by your fans?” she asked, eating her fruit.
“Both. Recently, I’ve found that I’m less and less able to write good articles. I’m always pushing myself, but the more I do this, the more uncomfortable I feel. I don’t even know if I’m creating for myself or for others.”
She used a bamboo skewer to pierce a piece of watermelon from her box and sent it to her mouth to chew.
“I can understand that quite well,” An Xiayue said with great feeling.
“When my career in America wasn’t going well, the most common voice I heard from the audience wasn’t encouragement, but doubt, asking me why I would take on such a bad script. Please, that’s not something I can decide. And after returning to China, everyone feels that I shouldn’t have come back, because I’m an American citizen and not worthy of being Chinese. I can understand that too. After all, I don’t work here. But I really hope that the audience can support me, understand my choice, but that’s impossible for me.”
She said with a wry smile.
Sometimes, it’s not that people will approve of what you want to do.
“Fans always hope you do something, not do something, but that’s not my intention. I can’t really do something I don’t like just for the sake of my fans. I want to develop upwards, to climb to a higher place. Hollywood is not very likely to accept me. I don’t have much commercial value. Staying there is just a waste of time. Perhaps after Skyfire Agent is finished, I’ll have to be abandoned. I can only choose to return to my home country. This is a last resort. Shion-sensei, everyone will have their low points, their pain. I understand you.”
She patted her head and said with a smile. Yu Linna’s face blushed slightly. What she had just said was so good, like a speaker.
An Xiayue was truly not a simple girl. She was not a superstar, but she was like an elder, like a big sister, guiding her, leading her, and solving her confusion. Yu Linna was really starting to like her more and more.
“Thank you, Sister Yue. Maybe you’re right.”
“Mmm, right? Coincidentally, I’m free these few days. How about we go swimming?”
“I’m a landlubber. Forget it.”
“Then let’s go on a yacht instead? How about it? My skills are very good.”
“I’ll consider it.”
The sun set in the west, and the shadows were stretched long…
