Chen Fei'er joining 'A Chinese Ghost Story' was nothing but good news for the entire film crew.
By now, even the logistics crew and odd-job workers knew exactly who Lu Chen was. As the film's investor and male lead, he wasn't just another actor, he was one of the biggest stars in Mainland China.
For any movie, a lead actor's popularity was a major box office guarantee. Hong Kong had plenty of examples of this. Andy Lau had starred in more than a few mediocre films over the years, yet they still sold well because his fans always showed up to support him.
Now the cast had gained another superstar of Chen Fei'er's caliber. No one could predict how the film would perform at the Hong Kong box office, but its prospects in the Mainland market looked extremely promising.
After all, Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er were famous throughout the entertainment industry as the nation's golden couple.
For the crew, simply working on a high-profile production like this was valuable enough, regardless of the paycheck. Having it on their resumes alone would carry weight throughout the industry.
Not to mention, Lu Chen had generously promised to distribute ten percent of the film's box office profits as bonuses.
Crew morale instantly shot through the roof.
A revised shooting schedule was drawn up almost immediately. Stylists and makeup artists from Jiayang Film worked through the night, redesigning the Tree Demon Grandmother's look and tailoring it perfectly to Chen Fei'er.
The new version took full advantage of her natural beauty. She was breathtakingly seductive, yet radiated ruthless menace. Her elaborate, gold-accented makeup and luxurious costume stood in sharp contrast to Nie Xiaoqian's simple white dress and pure, gentle appearance.
Even Lu Chen had to admit that Chen Fei'er's interpretation of the Tree Demon Grandmother was more visually captivating than the classic version he remembered. She would undoubtedly become one of the film's biggest highlights.
Chen Fei'er was pleased with the result as well. After the makeup test, she had her assistant take a photo, then asked the art department to touch it up slightly before posting it on her blog.
The caption was simple:
'"My look in 'A Chinese Ghost Story'. What do you think?"'
The unofficial costume photo immediately exploded across her blog.
The comments flooded in by the thousands, surprised, excited, confused, curious.
-- "Aaaah! What is Fei'er doing?!"
-- "'A Chinese Ghost Story'? Isn't that the movie Lu Chen is filming in Hong Kong? Did Fei'er go over for a cameo?"
-- "She's so enchanting! I can barely believe that's her!"
-- "She can't be the heroine, can she? I've read 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'. Nie Xiaoqian doesn't look like this!"
-- "Time for a guessing game! Who's Fei'er playing?"
Someone even guessed correctly.
-- "Don't tell me she's the Tree Demon... No way!"
Chen Fei'er simply posted the photo without offering any explanation, leaving her fans to speculate.
It was a clever publicity move. By keeping everyone guessing, she sparked endless discussion among her followers, giving 'A Chinese Ghost Story' plenty of free promotion.
Of course, that trick only worked for someone with tens of millions of followers. If an unknown actor with barely any fans tried the same thing, the post would probably get only a handful of comments and end up embarrassing them instead.
Since Chen Fei'er's vacation time was limited, the crew adjusted the schedule around her. Every scene involving her would be filmed first.
This was where the maturity of Hong Kong's film industry really showed.
Perhaps to make up for their earlier mistake, Jiayang Film sent over their best people. The crew expanded to over 150 members, and several key departments even brought in veteran industry specialists.
Everything was busy, but orderly.
Under the joint leadership of Chen Wenqiang and Jiayang Film's production manager, the entire crew operated like a finely tuned machine, racing against the clock.
Back when Hong Kong cinema was at its peak, many studios could churn out a low-budget film in just a few weeks. Plenty of those movies were rough around the edges, but no one could deny their incredible efficiency.
Although Hong Kong's film industry had since declined, that work ethic remained. Apart from a handful of directors with unusually demanding styles, most Hong Kong directors were famous for shooting fast.
That mentality influenced the entire industry. Crew members were accustomed to long hours and intense schedules.
Everyone worked together to make up for lost time.
Lu Chen was just as busy. Besides filming, he had plenty of matters outside the production to handle.
One of them was attending Jiang Chenghua's apology banquet.
The third young master of the Jiang family and chairman of Honghua had reserved a private room at the prestigious Yunding Hotel.
He had invited respected entertainment industry veteran Liu Zhenghao to act as mediator, with Zhou Yi serving as a witness. It was an apology that showed every possible courtesy.
As people in the industry put it, Jiang Chenghua was practically bowing with his forehead to the floor.
There was no way Lu Chen could refuse to attend. If he did, it would signal that the feud could only end with one side destroyed, a far greater insult than publicly humiliating Jiang Chenghua.
Naturally, he wasn't going alone. Li Mubai came with him, along with his assistant Zhang Xiaofang and Wan Yong.
Four people was the perfect number. Fewer would make them look weak; more would make it seem like they needed strength in numbers. An apology banquet wasn't a deadly trap, but it still came with its own unspoken rules.
As for Chen Fei'er, this sort of occasion wasn't appropriate for her, so Lu Chen left her behind.
Yunding Hotel stood in the prime area of Mid-Levels, adjacent to Central's business district. Built in the 1990s, the five-star hotel had once been among Hong Kong's tallest buildings. Designed by a renowned German architect, it still held its own against the surrounding skyscrapers.
When Lu Chen's car pulled up, he stepped into the lobby and immediately spotted Zhou Yi waiting there.
Surprised, he asked, "President Zhou, why are you here?"
Zhou Yi answered seriously, "I'm waiting for you. We're on the same side, so of course we should go up together."
Lu Chen laughed helplessly. "President Zhou, you're making me feel a little embarrassed."
He understood exactly what Zhou Yi was doing. This was his way of publicly declaring that he stood firmly with Lu Chen.
Lu Chen couldn't help admiring the Hong Kong businessman. Zhou Yi knew when to stand firm and when to let go.
He never let pride get in the way of profit and handled every relationship with remarkable finesse. It was no wonder he had built such a successful business from nothing.
Zhou Yi smiled. "I only just arrived myself. I'm not exactly close to Jiang Chenghua either, so it made more sense to wait for you before going up."
His eyes shifted to Li Mubai beside Lu Chen. "And this gentleman is...?"
Lu Chen gave a brief introduction. "This is my friend, Li Mubai. He just came over from the Mainland."
Zhou Yi's eyes brightened. He immediately stepped forward and offered his hand. "Mr. Li, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Li Mubai smiled faintly and shook it. "Likewise, President Zhou."
A thoughtful look flickered through Zhou Yi's eyes before his smile returned. "Then let's head upstairs."
The group entered the elevator together and rode up to the floor where the banquet was being held.
(End Of This Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 60 chapters on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395