novelraw Chapter 129
Chapter 129
Chapter 129
"But I know what you're hesitating about: you're afraid the adaptation will ruin the essence of the original, or that the American version will turn out to be a hodgepodge."
Li Jun nodded: "There's one more thing. If we sell the adaptation rights, does that mean I'll be making money off this movie?"
"Movies are a business, after all."
Yuan Tao said.
"You have put in the work, so it is only right that you receive a reward."
"This movie is different now."
Li Jun carefully considered the wording.
"It's not just a business; it carries so much: Nicholas Tse's transformation, Zhang Ziyi's breakthrough, Lin Jiadong's waiting, and my relationship with Liangying."
He paused for a moment: "If we sell it to someone else to adapt, it feels like we're selling all of this."
Yuan Tao was silent for a moment, then said, "Li Jun, I have a question for you: why do you make movies?"
"In order to express."
"So, is your expression something that belongs only to you, or can it belong to everyone?"
Li Jun was stunned.
"The core of the story in 'Bodyguards and Assassins' is the choices made by ordinary people amidst the torrent of history."
Yuan Tao continued.
"This theme applies to Hong Kong, and it also applies to the American Civil War."
It expresses universal human qualities: courage, sacrifice, and love.
These things won't change just because the context changes.
He looked at Li Jun and said, "If you believe that your expression has universal value, you should let more people see it, in more diverse forms."
The American adaptation isn't a betrayal of you; it's an affirmation. It affirms that you told a good story, a story worthy of interpretation across different cultures.
Li Jun picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea had gone cold, but the aftertaste remained.
"I'll think about it some more," he finally said.
"it is good."
Yuan Tao nodded.
"However, there's one thing you need to decide on as soon as possible: the domestic release date of the film. The theaters have given us a few options: the National Day holiday, the Lunar New Year holiday, or next year's Spring Festival."
"What's your suggestion?"
"National Day film season".
Yuan Tao said.
"The hype hasn't died down yet, and the competition is relatively low."
With so many blockbuster films vying for attention during the Lunar New Year season, it's easy for one to get lost in the
"Then let's release it during the National Day holiday."
"Okay, I'll make the arrangements."
After finishing their business, the two sat for a while longer. The teahouse gradually filled up with people; some elderly people were playing chess, some young people were discussing business, and some tourists were taking photos.
Yuan Tao suddenly said.
Do you know what I admire most about you?
"What?"
"You are not greedy."
Yuan Tao said.
"If it were anyone else, they would have been riding high, taking on endorsements, appearing on variety shows, starting companies, doing whatever makes money."
But you're still thinking about what to film next, and how to make it even better.
Li Jun smiled: "Because I know that Cannes is just a recognition, not the end."
If you stop, you lose.
"right."
Yuan Tao smiled too.
"That's why I said you're not greedy."
What you want is not temporary fame and fortune, but something that can last.
He paused for a moment: "In this respect, you and Liangying are very similar."
She was also a Super Girl champion, and could have capitalized on her popularity by taking on more commercial performances and earning more money.
But she chose the most difficult path, transitioning to a classical crossover. What she wanted wasn't fleeting fame, but a true artistic life.
When Zhang Liangying was mentioned, Li Jun's eyes softened.
"yes.
"
He said.
"That's why we were able to come together."
It was noon when we left the teahouse.
Li Jun sent Zhang Liangying a message: "We're done talking. Have you finished recording?"
He replied quickly: "Just finished. Where are you? I'll come find you."
Li Jun sent his location. Twenty minutes later, Zhang Liangying arrived.
She was wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she was without makeup, but her eyes were bright.
"How is it?"
She asked.
"fine."
Li Jun took her hand.
"What would you like to eat?"
"Hot pot." Zhang Liangying said without hesitation.
The two went to a well-established hot pot restaurant.
The red oil sizzles, releasing the aroma of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns.
Zhang Liangying cooked tripe, while Li Jun cooked beef; their teamwork was impeccable.
Halfway through the meal, Li Jun brought up the topic of the American adaptation.
After listening, Zhang Liangying didn't immediately offer her opinion, but instead asked, "What do you think?"
"Yuan Tao makes a good point."
Li Jun said.
"But I still feel a little awkward."
"What's so awkward about it?"
"It feels awkward, like I've given away something of mine to someone else."
Li Jun said.
"Even though I know that adapting something isn't plagiarism, I still feel uncomfortable."
Zhang Liangying put down her chopsticks and looked at him seriously: "Xiao Jun, to whom do you think the movie 'Bodyguards and Assassins' truly belongs?"
Li Jun thought for a moment: "It belongs to all those who have contributed to it."
"right."
Zhang Liangying nodded.
"Belonging to Xie Tingfeng, Zhang Ziyi, Lin Jiadong, Master Cheng, and Teacher Zhou —"
It belongs to everyone in the film crew. It also belongs to all the viewers who watched the film, were moved, and were inspired.
She paused for a moment: "It no longer belongs to you alone. It has become part of the public memory."
So, if an American adaptation can bring this story to a wider audience and spread this memory further, why not do it?
Li Jun looked at her. This woman always seemed to know what was on his mind.
"and."
Zhang Liangying smiled.
"Think about it, if the American version is well-made, more Americans will know that there is a Chinese director named Li Jun who made a movie called 'Bodyguards and Assassins'. That's not a bad thing."
"What if the filming doesn't turn out well?"
"It's their loss if the filming is poor."
Zhang Liangying said.
"The original work is right here; no one can destroy it."
Li Jun remained silent for a long time, then picked up a slice of tripe and put it into her bowl.
"Thanks."
He said.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for always knowing what I'm thinking."
Zhang Liangying smiled, a very sweet smile.
After lunch, the two strolled along the Jinjiang River. On a summer afternoon, sunlight filtered through the leaves of the plane trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
"Xiaojun."
Zhang Liangying suddenly said.
"I want to discuss something with you."
"What is it?"
"I want to hold the last show of the next tour in Chengdu."
She said, "I'm singing for my fellow villagers in my hometown."
"OK."
Li Jun said.
"What do you need me to do?"
"I want to sing a new song at that concert."
Zhang Liangying looked at him.
"A song written for you."
Li Jun was stunned.
I've already thought of a song title.
Zhang Liangying said softly.
"It's called 'Between Light and Shadow'."
Li Jun's heart skipped a beat.
"you----"
He spoke, his voice a little hoarse.
"When was it written?"
"These past few months."
Zhang Liangying said.
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, think of you, and write a few lines.
Gradually, it became a song.
She paused for a moment: "There's a line in the lyrics that says, 'You walk between light and shadow, and I wait in the sound waves.'"
We finally found each other on the same wavelength.
Li Jun stopped and turned to face her.
The river breeze ruffled her hair, and her eyes held light, tears, and love.
"Beautiful."
He said.
"You don't need to say anything."
Zhang Liangying shook her head.
"Just listen to me sing."
She tiptoed and gently placed a kiss on his lips.
It was very light, but very deep.
In the distance, the Jinjiang River flows gently. Sunlight shatters on the water's surface into countless pieces of gold foil.
This is summer in Chengdu.
This is their summer.
Three months later, the National Day holiday season will begin.
"Bodyguards and Assassins" was released simultaneously in theaters nationwide.
On its opening day, the box office exceeded 100 million yuan. On the second day, it exceeded 200 million yuan.
On the third day, word-of-mouth exploded, with a Douban score of 8.9 and ratings of over 9.5 on Maoyan and Taopiaopiao.
Film critics gave it extremely high praise: "Bodyguards and Assassins is a rare sincere work in Chinese-language films in recent years."
It doesn't sensationalize or preach; it simply and quietly showcases the choices made by a group of ordinary people at a historical juncture. And these choices constitute the echo of the times.
"Nicholas Tse delivered the best performance of his career, Zhang Ziyi's scenes were textbook-worthy, and Lin Jiadong's breakthrough was a pleasant surprise."
Director Li Jun uses a calm and restrained cinematic language to tell a thrilling story.
"It's not a perfect movie, but it's a movie with a soul."
In this fast-paced era, it's a blessing for audiences to see works that are so meticulous and steady.
The audience's response was even more enthusiastic.
On social media, discussions about the movie are rampant: "I cried so much, I'll remember Shen Mo's last look for the rest of my life."
"Bai Yulan's singing was so beautiful, Zhang Ziyi was absolutely stunning."
"Lin Jiadong acted so well, and the character of Lao Zhao was so realistic."
"Li Jun is awesome! Chinese cinema needs directors like him!"
A week after the film's release, Li Jun gave an exclusive interview to CCTV's "Face to Face".
The host asked a very pointed question: "Director Li, everyone is saying that the success of 'Bodyguards and Assassins' was a comeback."
From an unpromising project to a box office and critical success, what do you think made all of this possible?
Li Jun thought for a moment and replied, "It's persistence. It's belief in the film itself."
He paused for a moment: "We've encountered too many difficulties in these eight months."
There is external suppression as well as internal instability.
But every time we reach a dead end, someone always steps forward and says, "Hang in there a little longer."
When Nicholas Tse was injured, he said, "Let's film one more take."
When Zhang Ziyi's voice became hoarse, she said, "Sing it again."
When Zhang Liangying was being smeared, she said, "Sing louder!"
He looked at the camera with a determined gaze: "Movies are like this, and so is life. Sometimes you don't know if perseverance will be useful, but you know that if you don't persevere, you'll lose everything."
"So we chose to persevere. And time has given us the answer."
After the show aired, the word "persistence" became a trending topic.
Many people say that they see themselves in Li Junhe's "Bodyguards and Assassins"—the version of themselves struggling in the workplace, wavering between ideals and reality, wanting to give up but not daring to.
This movie has become a spiritual totem for many people.
In its second week of release, the film grossed over one billion yuan, breaking the box office record for Chinese-language historical films.
The victory celebration banquet was held again, and it was even grander than the last one.
But this time, Li Jun wasn't very excited.
He stood in the crowd, watching everyone celebrate, feeling very calm.
Yuan Tao walked over and handed him a glass of champagne: "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking about my next film," Li Jun said.
"So fast?"
"Yes." Li Jun nodded, "I have a story I want to film."
"What story?"
"It'll be a secret for now," Li Jun laughed. "I'll show it to you first when the script comes out."
As the banquet reached its climax, Zhang Liangying went on stage. Holding a microphone, she said she was going to sing a song.
The music started; it was "Between Light and Shadow".
When she spoke, the entire room fell silent.
The lyrics are simple, but sincere. They tell the story of a director and a singer, their perseverance in their respective fields, and how they illuminated each other after they met.
When she sang the chorus, her gaze fell on Li Jun: "You walk between light and shadow, I wait in the sound waves."
We finally found each other on the same frequency.
From then on, the mountains and rivers gained color, and time gained sound.
From now on, I am no longer alone; I walk forward against the wind.
Li Jun stood below the stage, looking at her, his eyes reddening.
After the song ended, thunderous applause erupted. Zhang Liangying bowed, then looked up at Li Jun: "This song is dedicated to Director Li Jun. And also to everyone who perseveres."
She stepped off the stage and walked up to Li Jun. The two looked at each other and then embraced tightly.
The flash captured the moment.
The next day, the photo made headlines in major media outlets. The headline read: "A Symphony of Light, Shadow and Sound: The Love Story of Li Jun, Director of 'Bodyguards and Assassins,' and Singer Zhang Liangying."
The story was written into an article, detailing the couple's journey from meeting to falling in love. A reporter even found the rooftop where they first met and took photos.
Readers were moved by this story. In the entertainment industry, which is full of calculation and interests, such pure feelings are extremely precious.
One month later, at the Chengdu Gymnasium.
The final show of Zhang Liangying's "Journey of Sound and Light" tour was also a special performance in her hometown.
The stadium, which can hold 30,000 people, was packed to capacity. Among the audience were her relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, and fans who had traveled from all over the country.
Backstage, Zhang Liangying was making final preparations. Linda was helping her adjust her in-ear monitors, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Nervous?" Zhang Liangying asked.
"A little."
Linda admitted it.
"I'm even more nervous than you."
Zhang Liangying laughed: "Don't be nervous, just think of it as going home to sing."
She looked at herself in the glasses.
Tonight's performance outfit is a red, modernized cheongsam, symbolizing joy and fulfillment.
Her hair was styled in a classic updo, and she wore a pair of pearl earrings, a birthday gift from Li Jun.
"Time is up.
"
The stage manager said.
Zhang Liangying took a deep breath and walked out of the dressing room.
As the stage lights dimmed, the glow sticks in the audience formed a sea of stars.
The music prelude began; it was "Returning Boat".
She walked onto the stage.
Good evening, Chengdu.
She said the sound was transmitted throughout the entire stadium through the speakers.
"I'm back."
The applause and cheers were deafening.
That night, Jane Zhang sang all the songs she wanted to sing.
From her representative works during her Super Girl days to her new crossover works in classical music, and then to "Between Light and Shadow," a song written for Li Jun.
When she was singing the last song, she suddenly said, "For the next song, I'd like to invite someone to sing with me."
The audience held their breath.
Li Jun emerged from the side of the stage. He was wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers, and walked to Zhang Liangying's side.
The entire venue erupted in cheers.
The music started; it was "The Crescent Moon Shines Over the Nine Provinces".
Zhang Liangying sings the main melody, with Li Jun providing backing vocals. His voice isn't particularly good, but he's very dedicated.
The two embraced on stage and kissed in front of everyone.
The glow sticks twinkled like stars for them.
It was a perfect night.
In the sound waves of music, in the light and shadow of the stage, they found each other and found their home.