Chapter 222: Meeting

The group soon arrived at “Great Tang Light and Shadow Company,” where Xie Wenyuan personally welcomed them.

Xie Wenyuan used to be a prominent director, but he had refrained from directing films and TV shows himself for a long time, focusing instead on behind-the-scenes work and production. He had become a well-known producer and executive in the domestic entertainment industry. The company had various capital backers, and it held a prominent position not only domestically but also had deep connections in Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. It was rumored that they even had cross-shareholdings with international entertainment conglomerates.

Even Old Zhu didn’t have a comprehensive understanding of the specifics. He only knew that Xie Wenyuan was roughly a spokesperson for the company.

However, Xie Wenyuan had the authority to make most decisions, especially when it came to regular filming projects. He could decide matters with a single word, without much issue.

When they mentioned that it had been a while since their last project, it didn’t mean that the company wasn’t producing anything. The company, along with its subsidiaries and studios, was thriving with various film, TV, and animation productions, spanning both big and small screens, as well as online dramas and web series.

The absence of a project specifically referred to Xie Wenyuan’s own planning direction. They had been searching for a large-scale ancient costume fantasy production for a year or two, but they hadn’t been particularly satisfied with any options. They acquired several related intellectual properties and even had their screenwriters work on original scripts, but none of them had made it through the approval process.

Chu Ge’s book initially hadn’t been approved either, until Old Zhu intervened with funding, which gave it a taste of fate.

So, where was the need for so much review and investigation? Many things only required the decision of key individuals…

It was evident that Xie Wenyuan and Old Zhu were familiar with each other. They weren’t overly polite and went directly to Xie Wenyuan’s office to have tea.

Everyone took their seats, and Xie Wenyuan personally brewed the tea. He leisurely said, “To be honest, you haven’t been involved in this industry for many years, and suddenly you’re putting in so much effort… What’s the relationship between Mr. Chu and you?”

Old Zhu smiled and said, “An old friendship…”

Xie Wenyuan was slightly taken aback.

He had genuinely thought it might have been something like an illegitimate child, assuming Old Zhu was promoting a relative. However, the answer of “an old friendship” was quite unexpected. Such terms were rarely used to introduce a relative.

He looked at Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji for a moment, then sighed, “It’s not Mr. Chu and Miss Qiu’s desire to enter the industry?”

Old Zhu chuckled, “I already said it isn’t.”

“Such a pity.” Xie Wenyuan became serious and said, “Please don’t misunderstand; my intention in asking these questions isn’t to decline. On the contrary, I’m very eager to see the two of you star in your own production.”

“Huh?” Chu Ge raised an eyebrow, “We’ve never learned acting in the first place.”

“That’s not important.” Xie Wenyuan waved his hand, “Do you think the current young idols know how to act? Innocence is all that matters. When it comes to performing, just rely on a deadpan expression, stick to the lines ‘one, two, three, four,’ and leave the stunts to the stunt doubles. The rest is post-production.”

Chu Ge: “…”

Qiu Wuji: “…”

Chu Ge said, “I’m not even the right age to match Chu Tiange; he’s a youth…”

Xie Wenyuan continued to wave his hand, “People in their twenties or thirties can play teenagers. If necessary, we can even change the original ages.”

Chu Ge: “…”

“Oh, right, Mr. Chu probably wouldn’t agree to such changes.” Xie Wenyuan handed a cup of tea to Qiu Wuji, “What about Miss Qiu? Perhaps Mr. Chu’s age isn’t suitable, but Miss Qiu is perfect. Her image and temperament are almost exactly like Qiu Wuji brought to life from the book, even down to the name.”

Chu Ge coughed, “She was the prototype for the character from the beginning.”

But everyone felt it was just right.

In front of outsiders, Qiu Wuji wasn’t as coquettish as she was with Chu Ge privately. As soon as she entered the room, she quietly took her seat next to Chu Ge and remained silent. Her expression was calm and her gaze somewhat indifferent as she surveyed her surroundings, a natural vigilance and caution in unfamiliar territory, a trait developed over millennia that couldn’t be easily changed.

Indeed, her image and temperament were remarkably similar to the Qiu Wuji in the book. As for the aura of authority and presence, such things often only required changing clothes.

Facing Xie Wenyuan’s gaze, she coldly said, “I won’t act.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Three words, and that was it.

Xie Wenyuan’s cheek twitched. They knew she was Chu Ge’s assistant and girlfriend, but those who didn’t know might have thought she was his boss.

Was this really the same Qiu Wuji?

She didn’t even need to act; she could go straight on stage…

Chu Ge sighed, “Mr. Xie, what we want is a meticulously crafted production, not one where actors are just placeholders for scenes. Besides, we haven’t even begun yet, why are we discussing this already?”

“It’s just that when I saw you, I felt your image was a perfect fit. From a director’s perspective, I couldn’t help but think about it.” Xie Wenyuan returned to his senses and smiled, “As for not even beginning, it’s not that bad. Our progress will be quite fast… In fact, many projects are approved based on the characters that are set, which Mr. Chu might not be familiar with. But regarding meticulous craftsmanship… that’s true. Let’s put this matter on hold for now.”

Old Zhu grinned as he watched their debate, then interjected, “Seems like you’re attaching great importance to this? Even have a personal interest in directing?”

“I admit, I’m a bit eager.” Xie Wenyuan chuckled, “Honestly, this involves some internal debates about our strategy. Some of the management believes that in the current market climate, we shouldn’t focus on large-scale productions. Urban romantic comedies and workplace dramas have lower costs and quicker returns. If we’re going for period dramas, historical romance might be a better fit.”

Old Zhu pondered, “They’re not wrong…”

Xie Wenyuan took a sip of tea and said lightly, “From a profitability standpoint, they do have a point, and I’m not inclined to argue against that. But I always have some thoughts. Besides making money, shouldn’t people consider other aspects as well? For instance… Western fantasy stories are widely understood here, but when will our traditional martial arts and immortal cultivation tales become understandable to them?”

Chu Ge raised his cup with respect, “A toast to you, Mr. Xie.”

Even Qiu Wuji’s expression softened quite a bit, feeling that this old man had become more agreeable in her eyes.

Traditional martial arts and immortal cultivation stories are undoubtedly the best. Believe me, I can show them my flying sword!

Xie Wenyuan didn’t hold back either and received the toast.

After finishing their tea, Xie Wenyuan continued, refilling Chu Ge’s cup, “I’ve discussed this matter with the Korean company… The boss over there is of Chinese descent and has been very interested in these things. He mentioned that if I do well, he’ll try to increase efforts in promoting this in Japan and South Korea.”

Chu Ge was intrigued, “Is it well-received? I’ve heard that some online novels have already been translated into Japanese and Korean, and I know an author who had their work adapted into a Korean manga… But according to him, the market response was just so-so?”

“It’s average, as different cultures have different tastes… But compared to the West, Japan and Korea are closer to us, and understanding the genres of martial arts and fantasy isn’t that difficult. As long as there’s a willingness to put in the effort, the market will eventually open up. If there’s no willingness to make that effort, it will remain closed.”

Old Zhu gave an approving nod, “Well said, suddenly sounding quite lofty. Why didn’t I realize you had such ideals before?”

“Heh… I had my own ideals back then, and when those were achieved, it was time for new ideals. That’s all. In fact, filmmakers in the past have always thought this way, and they’ve never stopped pushing forward.”

“That’s true.” Old Zhu stroked his chin, perhaps thinking of something.

Xie Wenyuan continued, “Since this project has this kind of significance, it has also ignited my desire to take the reins personally. Others might not be able to achieve the exact expression I’m looking for. That’s precisely why effective communication with the author is vital.”

Chu Ge felt more reassured, “Mr. Xie, you’re truly considerate. How can I assist in this?”

“Firstly, our initial plan is to start with a comic adaptation, with simultaneous translation for a trial run in Japan and South Korea. To be honest, the outcome of this trial will determine the direction of the film and television adaptation, including the extent of investment and promotion. It may even influence the choice of actors and their roles.” Xie Wenyuan’s expression turned serious, “I heard you intend to illustrate it yourselves? This is no joke. If you’re not up to the task, it might be better to seek help from a well-known studio.”

Chu Ge glanced at Qiu Wuji.

Qiu Wuji smiled faintly, suddenly dipped her hand in tea, and swiftly drew a portrait on the tea table with a “swish.”

Surprisingly, she even drew it in reverse, so that Xie Wenyuan on the opposite side could see the portrait directly.

Just this move made Xie Wenyuan exclaim, “Huh!”

As the portrait was completed, Xie Wenyuan couldn’t even exclaim anymore. His expression became incredibly solemn.

With just a few simple strokes using tea, Qiu Wuji had created a vivid depiction of a determined young man. The features were somewhat reminiscent of Chu Ge, yet even younger and more unadorned. The determination in his eyes seemed to pierce through the table directly.

“Chu Tiange!” Xie Wenyuan murmured to himself. There was no need to ask – anyone who had read the original work would immediately think of this name.

The artistry itself was already profoundly moving, surpassing that of most artists by far. More importantly, the uncanny resemblance captured the essence of the character, as if she had actually seen Chu Tiange and replicated him in the portrait.

Even if she had seen him before, this was still remarkable. Others hadn’t seen him – how could they immediately think, upon first glance, that this was Chu Tiange?