Chapter 100
Director Ma Sai’s film, “Mountain,” had garnered a lot of attention since its filming, not to mention the well-executed pre-release publicity and marketing.
An Xun had even fewer opportunities to log into “Demon World” and cling to A-Ran recently because he had to participate in promotional activities around the world with the film crew.
However, what made An Xun inexplicably frown and worry was that there was a group of people online deliberately targeting the so-called newcomer actor in “Mountain.”
[Although Director Ma Sai has had brilliant achievements in the past, his last few new works have been critically acclaimed but not commercially successful, right? If the box office flops a few more times, he probably won’t be able to attract investment, so he’s resorting to casting controversies to gain attention.]
[Indeed, he clearly promised an all-star cast, but he still inserted an amateur. I wonder if this non-professional can really act?]
[It used to be about critical acclaim and commercial success, but now the casting is also messed up. What if the word-of-mouth collapses too?]
Director Ma Sai had been trying to transform in recent years, and the style of his several consecutive films had been attempting new breakthroughs.
Including “Mountain,” it wasn’t filmed or themed like a commercial blockbuster. If the market performance wasn’t good, would it be reasonable to blame an amateur actor?
After seeing similar comments repeatedly, An Xun was certain that someone was deliberately manipulating public opinion.
“This film has offended quite a few people, not to mention that there were indeed leaks about the casting change.”
Agent Fu Yan felt that this was normal after seeing it.
Huang Ziyan’s selection for the “Mountain” cast was inseparable from his family background. He wasn’t a simple character.
Even if he had been forced to semi-retire from the entertainment industry because of being caught stealing, seeing the film he had missed out on about to be released globally, how could he possibly suppress his resentment and do nothing?
He didn’t dare to target Director Ma Sai and An Xun, but targeting an amateur was easy.
“So this kind of role should have been recommended to the company first. Giving it to an amateur is simply a waste. Maybe he can’t handle the attention and will…”
An Xun just coldly looked at Fu Yan, and Fu Yan instantly shut up, wanting to say more.
Fu Yan hadn’t had an easy time recently. Lu Ya and her husband, who used to be easily swayed by a few coaxing words, had suddenly become less agreeable.
She had been trying to renegotiate An Xun’s contract and extend it, but they hadn’t readily agreed, seemingly hinting that they wanted more benefits.
Not to mention that since she was caught “borrowing” things that time, it had become difficult for Fu Yan to simply “borrow” clothes.
Fortunately, although An Xun’s attitude had become increasingly cold, he still left all matters in her hands. After being unable to borrow things, Fu Yan became bolder and started to try taking kickbacks, and after succeeding the first time, she thoroughly tasted the sweetness.
While lost in thought, as Fu Yan followed behind An Xun, she suddenly realized that the little guy had started to grow taller.
He used to need a small stool to get into the nanny van, but now, with his adolescent growth spurt, he could easily get in.
Just looking at his legs, one could tell that his figure and temperament would definitely be excellent when he grew up.
She had to quickly renew his contract.
Fu Yan didn’t notice An Xun’s gaze, but the little guy quickly looked away coldly. A few minutes later, after returning to normal, he opened his phone to check his messages.
The screen still displayed his and A-Ran’s snow leopard photo, and An Xun saw that A-Ran had sent a message saying that he had already arrived at the premiere venue.
If he was a little more capable, if he grew up a little faster, could he better protect A-Ran?
An Xun knew clearly that the reason those rumors dared to target A-Ran was because Huang Ziyan and those people knew that he cared about A-Ran…
Although when An Xun ran backstage and pounced into A-Ran’s arms, Lin Ran simply caught Snowball and touched the little guy’s head with a smile.
“Eh, you’ve really grown taller, it’s even more obvious than in the video, Snowball.”
Lin Ran was certain that Snowball wouldn’t be short when he grew up, but seeing the little guy growing taller little by little still gave him a happy and wonderful feeling.
“Do you have growing pains? If your legs hurt, you can massage them more often.”
“It doesn’t hurt, it won’t hurt after A-Ran hugs me.”
Being held by A-Ran again, An Xun looked at him and softly explained.
Compared to Little Feather and the others, because of his work, he could often only video call A-Ran, and the opportunities to be by his side were few and far between.
So An Xun cherished every opportunity to meet him, wishing he could keep staring at A-Ran.
Fu Yan’s expression wasn’t so good, seeing this scene.
She had done so much for him, but he didn’t appreciate it at all, and he was so attentive to an outsider.
“Haha, after being separated for so long, are you two still so close? I heard that you even brought your grandma to watch the premiere, Lin Ran?”
Just then, Director Ma Sai also arrived backstage. As soon as he entered with a smile, everyone stood up and looked over.
“Hello, Director Ma Sai, long time no see.”
Lin Ran also responded with a smile.
During the holiday filming, Lin Ran and Director Ma Sai had gotten along quite well, almost like old friends.
Director Ma Sai subconsciously chatted with Lin Ran for a while before realizing that An Xun had been silently staring at him with a slight sulk.
“Eh, it’s about to start, did I interrupt you two? Go, go.”
Instantly realizing that he seemed to have interrupted An Xun and Lin Ran’s reunion, Director Ma Sai laughed. An Xun was still the same as during the holiday, wishing he could cling to Lin Ran.
“…Not really.”
Being pointed out by Director Ma Sai, An Xun explained a little embarrassedly, although it wasn’t very convincing.
As Lin Ran took An Xun, who had asked to see his grandma, out the door, Fu Yan finally found a chance to catch up.
“An Xun, it’s easy to cause trouble if you go out like this, and Mr. Lin Ran, you should…”
Her tone was slightly stern, and Fu Yan even subconsciously targeted Lin Ran.
“Should what?”
Lin Ran turned around and asked, holding An Xun’s hand. He didn’t have a good impression of Fu Yan, this agent.
Although he knew it wasn’t good to dislike someone, Lin Ran rarely had no positive feelings towards an adult.
“You should also know how to avoid risks for An Xun. And Ms. Lu Ya and the others will be here soon.”
Being stared at by Lin Ran, Fu Yan, who felt a little guilty, still finished her sentence.
The implication was that Lin Ran wasn’t An Xun’s guardian, so what right did he have to take An Xun away from backstage?
“Sister Fu Yan, there’s a business contract you need to look at, will you take the call now?”
Just then, a young face suddenly appeared, smiling at Fu Yan and politely greeting Lin Ran and An Xun.
The girl looked to be at most twenty-three or twenty-four years old. Her name was Lin Jiajia, and she was a newly hired agent assistant, usually assisting Fu Yan, this senior agent.
“Okay, I understand.”
Fu Yan’s expression brightened upon hearing about the call and she no longer cared about what was happening here.
“Even if you want to take him out, you have to pay attention to the impact.”
She hurriedly instructed and disappeared around the corner.
An Xun, holding A-Ran’s hand, only looked up and softly explained to Lin Ran, who was lost in thought, after Fu Yan left: “We’re about to discuss contract renewal recently, that’s why she’s like this.”
“Have you thought about the renewal?”
Lin Ran asked, then realized that An Xun wasn’t an adult yet, so it was probably his parents who were in charge of the negotiations.
Lin Ran really wanted to know if he could change An Xun’s agent, or even his company.
“It’s being arranged, I’ll tell A-Ran after it’s settled.”
An Xun hesitated for a moment and decided that he didn’t want A-Ran to worry. Perhaps it would be better to say it after everything was settled.
“Although our Snowball is very smart, you can also talk to your guardian about things you’re unsure about, isn’t it tiring to carry it all by yourself?”
Lin Ran half-squatted down, pinched An Xun’s cheek, and sensed that things probably weren’t so simple.
An Xun rubbed against A-Ran’s fingertips, hesitating to speak.
Because he was already very happy to meet A-Ran, so he didn’t want A-Ran to worry about him.
“What’s wrong? Why did it take so long to come back?”
Shao Mian, who had been waiting at the entrance, keenly noticed that Lin Ran, who was holding An Xun’s hand, seemed a little off, as if he was thinking about something.
“I’ll tell you later, let’s go in first.”
Lin Ran whispered to Shao Mian, he might have to talk to Yuanbao about this when Snowball wasn’t around.
Shao Mian looked at An Xun beside Lin Ran.
It was also one of the few times the little guy had seen the big lion guardian in the real world, and he was clearly a little unfamiliar with him compared to A-Ran.
“There are many people inside, Yuanbao, you should also hold Snowball’s hand.”
Lin Ran subconsciously instructed, feeling that Yuanbao wasn’t proactive enough in taking care of the little cub.
Shao Mian paused, then also extended his hand as instructed.
An Xun, looking up at Shao Mian, pursed his lips and blinked. The next second, he obediently raised his small hand and was firmly held by Shao Mian’s large hand.
A-Ran’s hand was very gentle, and his fingertips were occasionally cold.
But Guardian Yuanbao’s hand was a little hot, and his grip was firm.
An Xun, being held by A-Ran and the big lion on his left and right, inexplicably felt a little happy.
Because the last time he experienced being held like this while walking was when he was acting, and the feeling was completely different now!
He didn’t feel so pressured about handling the upcoming contract renewal alone, although he had already made a lot of preparations.
Lin Ran noticed that An Xun had suddenly become cheerful, jumping around like a little snow leopard, and couldn’t help but smile.
He was still a child after all, it was easy to make him happy.
As for Shao Mian, watching this scene, he realized that something must have happened to this little mutated demon on the way, which was why Lin Ran had been concerned.
A young reporter not far away, Yu Le, subconsciously pressed the shutter, then looked at the amazing photo on his camera as if waking up from a dream.
For some reason, he simply felt that the atmosphere at that moment was indescribably wonderful, and the combination of these three people, two adults and one child, was truly stunning.
It had the impact of a fashion show.
How should he give this accidentally taken photo to the two young people with the child?
Yu Le, an intern reporter who couldn’t squeeze into the premiere venue, thought that he might have to return empty-handed today, but now, seeing this photo in his hand, Yu Le was amazed and felt that he hadn’t come for nothing.
Except that the more he looked at this photo, the more familiar it seemed.
The little guy in the middle wearing a black mask, how did his eyes look so much like An Xun’s?
No, he must be hallucinating from wanting good results too much. After all, the little guy’s temperament in the photo was completely different from the An Xun usually captured by cameras, he even seemed a bit lively and active.
The An Xun usually captured by cameras was either silently carrying his backpack or waiting for his flight without saying a word. When had there ever been a guardian beside him?
And Yu Le felt that the young man beside him looked familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen him before.
He was so handsome, could he be a newcomer actor?
As for the blond man with the most prominent aura, he actually glanced at his camera!
Even through the photo, Yu Le’s hand trembled, almost dropping the camera. Was he discovered taking sneaky photos!?
Yu Le, who wanted to explain that he didn’t mean to, looked around with his camera, but found that the other party had already disappeared into the crowd. The movie was about to start, and the lights were gradually dimming.
Sigh… he wouldn’t really be misunderstood, would he?
Yu Le hesitated, wanting to delete the photo, but he really couldn’t bear to.
The two adults in the photo, one with a gentle temperament and the other with an innate aura of oppression, were already very eye-catching.
And these two adults with completely different temperaments were both holding the little guy’s hand. Even though the little cub was wearing a mask, one could tell that he was definitely not bad-looking.
It was like a magazine spread.
As expected, the most important thing for a good portrait was the model’s face.
As Yu Le continued to look, the movie “Mountain” officially started.
Even Lin Ran, who had acted in the film, hadn’t seen the complete movie before its official release.
Therefore, as soon as the music started, Lin Ran focused on the images on the big screen.
Director Ma Sai was truly skilled. The scenery of Jiangjia Village under his lens was incredibly beautiful.
Even Grandma and the other elders beside him were surprised and tugged at their grandson Lin-zai, trying to quietly ask if this was really their village?
Why did it look so rare on the big screen?
There were even audience members who were curious about where the film crew found this idyllic countryside, which made Grandma feel a little proud and happy, feeling that their village didn’t lose face in front of the city folk.
However, the audience, who were initially amazed by the visuals, were quickly captivated by the fast-paced plot.
As the protagonists appeared one after another, they were completely immersed in the story.
When Lin Ran, playing the role of a young educated youth teacher, appeared, it caused quite a stir in the audience.
Even Lin Ran himself widened his eyes slightly, feeling that Director Ma Sai’s lens had magic. It was as if he had a halo in the film!
Even the sunlight seemed to favor this character who only appeared in a few scenes.
In the film, when this young university student teacher from the city first stepped into the dilapidated classroom with its yellow mud walls, he had already planted a seed in the heart of the young protagonist, who was stunned.
It felt like a crystal clear crystal had suddenly fallen into the dull world, out of place with everything around it.
It made the protagonist gradually become curious about the world outside the mountains where the teacher came from.
And the scenes where An Xun interacted with Lin Ran in the film were so natural that they were impeccable.
Even the most critical film critics probably couldn’t deny that the longing and attachment in the little guy’s sparkling eyes didn’t look like acting at all!
There was no acting, it was pure emotion!
Director Ma Sai, noticing the audience’s reaction, smugly stroked his beard.
As a veteran in the industry, how could he not know about the undercurrents online?
But Director Ma Sai was certain that after the film’s global release, the truth would be the ultimate solution.
Lin Ran’s temperament was truly perfect for this role: clean, gentle, with a scholarly air, but also exceptionally firm on matters of principle, even a bit stubborn.
To help the young protagonist pass the most important exam, he even braved a rainstorm to go to the county town and personally copy a whole stack of textbooks from the city for him.
And this short-lived, shining character died in a landslide during this rainstorm.
When he was finally rescued, his arms were still tightly protecting the books in his embrace, and several adults tried to pry them open but failed.
When he was acting, Lin Ran could already feel that the reason why his character made such a seemingly stubborn choice, besides his sense of responsibility as a teacher, was more because of the regret he felt for his own fate.
So after meeting the protagonist, who relied on him like a chick, he became exceptionally determined not to let the tragedy repeat itself, trying to let the young protagonist continue his dream of the world outside the mountains in his stead.
However, Lin Ran, completely immersed in the plot, suddenly heard his grandma’s suppressed sobs beside him.
“Sob, our Lin-zai is so pitiful… silly child, why didn’t you let go! Are books more important than your life!?”
The old lady was already wiping her tears, subconsciously gripping her grandson’s hand tightly, trying to confirm that Lin-zai was still sitting in front of her safe and sound.
“Grandma, this is just acting, I’m still alive!”
Lin Ran was almost embarrassed because the heartache in Grandma’s eyes was so intense that she almost didn’t want to let go of his hand.
Although Grandma had always been so invested when watching TV dramas before.
But this time, it was him who made Grandma cry, which felt very strange.
And before Lin Ran could comfort his grandma, he found that his other hand was also being tightly held.
Actually, Shao Mian had never had any interest in trying to understand these cultural works created by humans before.
The reason he came here this time wasn’t so much to watch a movie as it was to simply be with Lin Ran.
But this movie truly surprised Shao Mian. Especially when he felt the complex emotions behind each protagonist in the film, Shao Mian rarely realized that humans were truly very complex beings.
They were physically fragile, but under the torrent of fate, they would often make incomprehensible choices, even if the price was their own destruction.
The moment Lin Ran, playing the educated youth teacher, closed his eyes in the muddy rainstorm, Shao Mian felt his heart skip a beat.
Even though he knew it was just acting, he couldn’t accept seeing this scene.
The almost erupting demonic aura around him was only suppressed after he tightly held Lin Ran’s hand.
“Grandma is crying, are you planning to cry too?”
Lin Ran, finding that he was comforting people on both sides, looked at Yuanbao, who was tightly holding his hand, and wondered if Yuanbao was also going to shed some “crocodile tears.”
But the moment their eyes met, Lin Ran realized that the emotions in Yuanbao’s eyes were exceptionally complex, without any disguise.
So he was still an emotionally rich Yuanbao?
He could even be so invested in watching a movie?
“Don’t be like this, okay? I’m clearly fine. I’ll buy you more DVDs when we go back, and you won’t be so invested after watching more.”
Lin Ran subconsciously comforted him softly.
Shao Mian looked at the human, his dark eyes looking at him seriously and gently. He tightened his grip on his hand and barely resisted the urge to pull him into his arms.
Although Grandma, wiping her tears, subconsciously looked at her grandson and noticed that Lin-zai was holding hands with his good friend.
They were so close that it looked like they were whispering to each other.
The teary-eyed Grandma was instinctively puzzled, but she still hadn’t recovered from the grief of her precious Lin-zai almost dying, her mind in a whirl.
An Xun was naturally very happy about the audience’s reaction.
Although A-Ran’s role as the sacrificed educated youth teacher wasn’t long, it undoubtedly played a crucial role in the entire film.
Perhaps more people would like A-Ran now!?
Except for Fu Yan, the agent, who became increasingly annoyed seeing this.
This role was definitely important.
If only she had fought for it for another artist under her management? Wouldn’t she have gained all this attention?
Giving it to an amateur, wasn’t this a waste?
Fu Yan even felt that the reason why Director Ma Sai’s films had become increasingly difficult to secure investment in recent years was also related to this old man’s stubborn and inflexible personality.
Water that was too clear had no fish. What was wrong with occasionally accepting a few people from investors?
From the perspective of the industry, the artistic quality of this film was impeccable, but the biggest problem was that its tone was too “sad,” and it couldn’t compete with those dazzling commercial films at the box office.
What was the use of critical acclaim without commercial success? It would still be criticized for being too highbrow.
“Sigh, I’m already very satisfied that the audience who can understand this film appreciate and like it.”
Director Ma Sai was actually quite optimistic.
He was already old, and posterity would judge his merits and demerits, but at least he had a clear conscience about this film and had even discovered many surprises during the filming process.
Especially Lin Ran’s cameo role, he was quite proud of it.
“But Director, the data this time seems a bit unexpected…”
But the assistant beside him, after hurriedly arriving, didn’t know how to report it.
“What, the response is very cold?”
Seeing the assistant’s strange expression, Director Ma Sai became a little serious, the old man subconsciously looking a bit dejected.
Although he said he didn’t care, if it really flopped, he would naturally feel a bit sad.
“N-no, it’s not cold, but the data is so high that it looks fake… and it’s attracting huge attention all over the world!”
The assistant’s voice trembled a little.
In fact, although many demons disdained the human lifestyle, many demons were also very integrated into human daily life.
There were also quite a few demons who loved the entertainment industry and movies.
And when these demons got their premiere tickets and watched the premiere in cinemas around the world, the moment Lin Ran appeared, they all dropped their popcorn.
A- A-Ran…? !
Holy crap, he looked even more like A-Ran than the A-Ran in the game!
Lin Ran’s basic conditions were very good, otherwise, Director Ma Sai wouldn’t be so regretful that Lin Ran didn’t intend to enter the industry.
Therefore, Director Ma Sai, seizing the opportunity, almost portrayed this character like a “white moonlight.”
All the lighting and scenes served the character, and the various close-up shots were incredibly stunning.
But before the shocked demons could go crazy, the heartbreaking plot twists started coming one after another.
They watched as the character who looked exactly like A-Ran “died” in front of them——!
If spending money could resurrect A-Ran, all the demons suspected that they would be willing to go bankrupt at this moment, even taking on hundreds of years of point loans.
Quickly resurrect A-Ran! Do you humans have hearts!?
#”Mountain” character resurrection# No one expected that the first global trending topic would be this.
