Chapter 227: Golden Rooster Award Nomination Zhao Tai
Inside the coffee shop.
Time passed minute by minute.
Guo Feng became more and more surprised as he looked at this project—
At first glance at Mars Rescue, he thought it was an ordinary soft science fiction script, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that although there were still many sci-fi understandings that were obviously superficial from outsiders, the overall structure of the script, characters, character designs, and even the sci-fi attributes in the details were all very strong.
Chi Ye could write this kind of script?!
He was astonished in his heart. With this notebook in front of him, if he consulted professionals carefully… who would dare say this wasn’t “hard science fiction”?!
Plus the “green channel” that Chi Ye mentioned earlier…
At this moment, Guo Feng was truly moved.
“So… start with this project first? Will there be other projects later?”
One hour later.
Guo Feng finished looking at the complete project plan for Mars Rescue, not just the script content, but also the detailed filming plan, as well as the film crew’s set building and location scouting.
It was clear that this wasn’t playing around, but a real, tangible major investment visible to the naked eye.
He couldn’t contain the excitement in his heart, rubbed his hands, and couldn’t help but ask Chi Ye.
Chi Ye could tell from his eyes that this was probably a true “professional” who loved sci-fi films.
He nodded frankly: “There will be, but the premise is to do this one well first, otherwise… even if there are, there aren’t.”
“……I understand.”
Guo Feng thought for a moment, then straightened his lazy attitude, thought seriously, and said: “I need to go back and discuss with the team.”
Chi Ye looked down at his wrist: “I can probably stay one more day, then I have to join the crew for filming.”
“Give me your reply in one day.”
Guo Feng nodded, hesitated for a moment, and asked again: “Can I ask… if this project succeeds, what other projects will there be later? Like… do you have scripts?”
Chi Ye paused, then nodded: “Yes, it’s a series, but there are others too.”
“……President Chi, wait for my message.”
Guo Feng’s heart stirred, he controlled his expression, chatted with Chi Ye for another ten minutes, and then left the coffee shop.
Watching his departing figure, Xiao Liu hesitated to speak beside him.
Chi Ye asked strangely: “What do you want to say?”
“Um…” Xiao Liu smacked his lips: “I just feel that Mars Rescue is also a huge project, is it really okay to hand it to him?”
Regarding this, Chi Ye thought for a long time before shaking his head: “We have to cultivate them eventually. You can’t get fat in one bite. For the company to develop, we need talent. Relying only on me, no matter how big it gets, there will be a limit.”
Xiao Liu was stunned: “You… you plan to absorb them?”
“It depends on whether the project succeeds. A special effects team isn’t just for sci-fi; other movies, even animations, can be tried.”
Chi Ye didn’t say it fully.
He did have ideas about expansion now, because with his career development, the current Chi Ye Studio was only nominally a studio; in reality, Chi Ye Studio was now equivalent to a small entertainment company.
In music, Chi Ye Studio had the internal entertainment circle’s money-making tool—”Chi Ye’s albums,” and the music industry’s little diva Teacher Shi.
In TV series, the success of Xing Ni once brought countless wealth to the studio. Saying it was bagged in sacks was a bit exaggerated, but before Big Shot was released, when Xing Ni’s peak popularity had passed, Chi Ye himself didn’t even know how much wealth he had amassed.
Finally, in movies, although just starting, the studio’s main investment Big Shot was a typical small budget big hit: invested 1.5 billion, box office over 28 billion, equally building reputation.
Not to mention Chi Ye also invested in Fleet of Time, making a big sum.
Therefore, Chi Ye Studio was no longer just a simple artist studio in the industry, but an investment + production + artist management company.
This was the confidence and main reason why Chi Ye dared not to give face to the so-called Beijing Circle or film circle.
Because although he hadn’t yet formed his own circle system, he already had the momentum and prototype— of course, the premise was that his next few projects succeeded, and… expansion, without the studio always relying on him alone.
This step was difficult, but a necessary process to move up.
“Let’s go too. Book tomorrow’s plane ticket; it’s time to join the crew again.”
Chi Ye stretched, a bit tired.
……
The next day.
Before the afternoon, Chi Ye received a message from Guo Feng’s team.
They were willing to take on the Mars Rescue project, with no delays, stating they could enter work mode in one week and start preparing the project’s setup.
Chi Ye liked this work efficiency, just like Influenza; when he was filming Xing Ni, post-production started, and after finishing Girl, he seamlessly joined the crew. A big investment, but production speed wasn’t slow.
Mars Rescue was the same, and during the preparation of Mars Rescue, preparations for The Wandering Earth and other projects weren’t neglected by Chi Ye.
Having the script, but still needing to build sets, produce special costumes according to the script, even consult professionals…
In short, going through this whole process would take at least one or two years.
And such fast work efficiency and backlog-style work mode would naturally severely compress Chi Ye’s personal time and keep the studio’s funds flowing constantly.
—Now, he felt like he had no money left.
Mid-August.
The lively summer slot had ended, Mango TV’s Unexpected Journey exploded, and Chi Ye joined the crew again for Influenza’s final stage filming.
Speaking of Influenza, it had been nearly 4 months since it started shooting, but because Chi Ye ran off for about a month for Big Shot’s roadshow and publicity announcements midway, normal filming was 3 months.
Even so, this shooting period wasn’t short; Influenza’s filming in August 2026 had reached the final stage.
Chi Ye and Sheng Ning had gone from zero business interaction at the start to being able to talk normally.
This day.
After being pushed down by zombies in the train car for the Nth time, the director called “cut.”
He got up, and various staff immediately came forward—some to touch up makeup, some to wipe sweat.
Sheng Ning on the other side, with a big belly, rubbed her waist—her makeup was special and prolonged use would damage her waist and back; normally, after shooting, staff should assist her to rest immediately.
But to stay more in character and maintain state, Sheng Ning usually only “took it off” when she reached her limit.
At this moment, she didn’t let the staff help, just leaned on the high-speed train seat, sizing up Chi Ye who was surrounded by a group of people opposite.
A female makeup artist was fussing over Chi Ye’s face.
She smirked mockingly: “Big star, huh.”
Chi Ye: “?”
He straightened his sleeves and nodded with a smile: “Good that you know.”
Sheng Ning’s expression unchanged, took a cigarette from her assistant, lit it.
Chi Ye frowned, disgustedly walked out of the train car—this Sheng Ning was practically a chimney, cigarettes almost never leaving her hand during breaks. He really didn’t know how her voice stayed so good in these conditions… shouldn’t it turn into a smoky voice?
“Sis, let’s go, stop smoking.”
The assistant reminded only after seeing Chi Ye leave the car.
Sheng Ning smiled slyly, pinching the cigarette: “Not smoking, just lit. Next is my scene with him; let him inhale more secondhand smoke.”
Everyone: “……”
You might as well stuff the tobacco directly in his mouth!
“Sis, the Golden Rooster Awards sent an invitation; Strange Tales Record has several nominations, the sponsor is urging, when do we go try on the red carpet dress…”
The assistant inwardly roasted while flipping open the schedule to start the daily work report.
—Sheng Ning’s style was different from everyone; in the months Chi Ye had interacted with her, he completely shattered the outside world’s claim that Shi Jinwei was “little Sheng Ning.”
Because at first glance they seemed similar, but anyone who had interacted wouldn’t think they were the same person.
Sister Qianzi was tough-mouthed but soft-hearted, sometimes like a tsundere young girl; her age wasn’t that old anyway.
But Sheng Ning was tough-mouthed and hard-hearted? No, mouth not tough, heart hard.
Yes, this was Chi Ye’s conclusion after interacting.
Sheng Ning this woman was the typical type ruthless to others and even more to herself.
Her desperate professionalism in acting wasn’t because she loved or liked the actor profession that much, but simply knowing that only this way could she achieve results and better her career.
Moreover, her personality was very unpredictable, emotions up and down.
When good, she could joke with the assistant; when bad, she could scare those around her into not daring to breathe.
As for why her emotions could be so “unpredictable” in short time… the crew hadn’t realized at first, just thinking she had a bad temper, but after months of work, everyone came to understand.
—With Chi Ye, Chi Ye was Sheng Ning’s emotion “barometer.”
At the start of joining the crew it was okay, perhaps then Sheng Ning herself didn’t know how to get along with Chi Ye, but as time passed, especially with Chi Ye dangling in front of her every day, the flaws in her personality that she couldn’t hide came out.
As long as Chi Ye had any contact with any woman, even a wrong tone in speaking, her mood would instantly worsen, turning from happy one second to icy cold the next.
But she couldn’t do anything to the current Chi Ye… very awkward, she really couldn’t do anything, so she would frantically find ways to vent, making Chi Ye “uncomfortable.”
Like smoking.
Chi Ye hated the smell of cigarettes; everyone around knew that.
So whenever Sheng Ning started acting crazy, he would counter to provoke her: “My current filming fee is twice yours; you really can’t compare to me.”
Sheng Ning would smile on the surface, then turn and smoke like crazy regardless of “life danger”—currently, this was the only “method” she thought of.
Chi Ye was baffled by this brainless behavior.
He had more than once wanted to ask: “With you smoking like this, who between us will die first?”
No answer yet, but Chi Ye felt that if he wanted to “kill” Sheng Ning, it would be simple.
Just keep provoking her, and she would drive herself crazy to death; if he saw news tomorrow of Sheng Ning jumping off a building, he wouldn’t be surprised.
“Chi Ge, the train car is full of smoke smell…”
Xiao Liu walked over with a hesitant expression: “She seems to have smoked herself numb.”
Chi Ye: “?”
“How many packs?”
“Uncertain.”
“Doesn’t she know we’re shooting B-group scenes later?”
Xiao Liu dumbfounded: “Huh? Really?”
Chi Ye thought, then suddenly realized: “Oh, right, I didn’t tell anyone.”
Xiao Liu: “……”
“Let’s go.”
Chi Ye strolled to the already prepared B-group.
On the other side, Sheng Ning who got the news was silent for a full ten seconds, then tossed the cigarette butt and stood up.
“Sis, stop smoking, you really can’t smoke like this.”
The assistant was already dizzy from the fumes—others could leave, but she as personal assistant couldn’t.
Felt like staying by Sheng Ning’s side one day shortened her life by a year.
“……Change to another haute couture this time, not wearing the previously set one; change to a prettier one.”
Sheng Ning suddenly said.
The assistant stunned: “Wh… why?”
“At the Golden Rooster Awards I’m behind him; I need to wear something pretty, otherwise how to outshine him?”
The assistant: “……Alright, I’ll communicate.”
……
The Golden Rooster Awards were about to begin.
Chi Ye also received the invitation.
Although Zhao Tai was destined not to win due to role positioning, Big Shot’s box office and reputation performance were obvious to all.
Plus the Hong Kong circle’s push, Big Shot gained several nominations at the Golden Rooster Awards this time, including Best Supporting Actor.
And this year’s Golden Rooster Awards were set at the end of August.
As the truly hall-of-fame award ceremony of the film circle and even the entire entertainment industry, the Golden Rooster Awards’ red carpet and film festival were always very lively every year, with the invited guests having the highest star power.
—All the big shots of Chinese cinema would attend.
But Chi Ye wasn’t very interested in this award for now.
Hmm… if he could win Movie Emperor, he’d be interested.
Cough… of course, no matter the interest, he still had to go.
Because as he emerged in the film circle, many companies and big shots he couldn’t contact before now needed reaching out, like Influenza and Mars Rescue—these two projects needed support from above.
Especially the latter; Shanghai Film and China Film now both had ideas to “support,” but Shanghai Film was holding back because they failed to renew Chi Ye as “Shanghai spokesperson,” so this time, Chi Ye wanted to meet China Film’s boss, the true “boss” of internal entertainment.
—The film circle was never decided by the so-called Beijing Circle, Northwest Circle, etc.; the real big shots were various “state-owned” units.
Additionally… the Empress Dowager was also going to the Golden Rooster Awards this time; they hadn’t seen each other in a while, and Chi Ye didn’t want to miss this opportunity.
So, on August 25, after Influenza male lead’s scenes fully wrapped, Chi Ye boarded the plane to the Golden Rooster Awards.
At the same time.
Director Lu held a wine glass, excitedly telling the people at the dinner party: “Word from above is in; confirmed support for sci-fi films. My spring is coming, haha, everyone, cheers!!”
