Chapter Twenty-Five: Hey, Hey, Hey—Your Old Man Is Here!

March 3rd. Wangjing SOHO, Beijing.

A patch of open ground was packed with a dense crowd. Hanging above was a bright red banner: "Kickoff Ceremony for Love is Not Blind." Below it sat a makeshift stage with simple tables and chairs.

Well, the conditions were just that rudimentary. To Xu Ming, every cent saved was a cent that went into his own pocket.

"Director Teng, Beijing is your home turf. I’m counting on you for the interview session later," Xu Ming said with a smile.

"Heh, these reporters are all here for you. Whether our crew makes the headlines tomorrow depends on your performance," Teng Huatao replied.

He had originally felt some dissatisfaction toward Xu Ming. After all, as a senior in the industry and a director, he felt that even if the other party was currently popular, he should have at least consulted him before finalizing the lead actress. To his surprise, the investors held a meeting and simply brushed him, the director, aside. If Xu Ming hadn't kept his word and refrained from interfering in the subsequent casting, Teng Huatao would likely still be holding a grudge. As it stood, they could at least maintain a facade of harmony.

During the filming of *Frog Prince*, the leads, Joe Chen and Ming Dao, reportedly couldn't stand each other, yet after the show aired, the audience was still deeply captivated by their on-screen chemistry. It just went to show that the entertainment industry was much like an office; everyone was just acting.

A short while later, Song Jia arrived in a hurry and took her seat on the other side. She shot a fierce glare at Xu Ming; if it weren't for him insisting on causing a ruckus early in the morning, how could she have been late at such a critical moment? After all, facing the media required a flawless look.

*Love is Not Blind* was not a major production, and the cast consisted mostly of newcomers, so the proceedings were naturally much simpler. Once the media and reporters were in place, the press conference began.

"Director Teng, after the box office failure of *The Ghost Inside*, what made you decide to return to the romance genre?"

"Also, the male lead of your last film was Leon Lai, and now you’ve downgraded to Xu Ming. Don't you think it’s going to be even harder to make a comeback?"

The sharp question left Teng Huatao’s face pale. Weren't the media supposed to be vetted? Who could react to such a provocation right out of the gate?

Just as Teng Huatao faltered and the atmosphere in the room took a dip, Xu Ming casually raised his microphone.

"Director Teng believes in getting back up where he fell. Unlike me, who tends to just lie down exactly where I stumble."

Xu Ming’s joke instantly dispelled the gloom; such self-deprecating wit was still quite novel in 2009. He then pointed to the reporter who had asked the question: "Reporter from the Kyoto Entertainment Journal, right? Thank you. You’ve managed to put me in the same sentence as Leon Lai without insulting him, while elevating my status in the process."

The reporter looked stunned, not expecting his disdainful jab to be twisted into a compliment. He wanted to explain, but the opportunity was gone. Two security guards in black suits appeared on either side of him and began ushering him out.

The reporter had thought Xu Ming was thanking him, but he was actually signaling the security team. *Little amateur, you think you can pull that on my home turf?*

Following this sudden interlude, Xu Ming noticed something unusual about the scene. There were several reporters present who weren't on the guest list. The Kyoto Entertainment Journal, for instance, was clearly a tabloid imitating Southern Metropolis Entertainment. If they were looking for trouble, someone must have put them up to it, though he hadn't yet guessed who. With three investors involved, any of their rivals could be behind it. He didn't include himself in that calculation; he had always been easygoing, so how could he have enemies?

"You, the reporter from Sohu Entertainment," Xu Ming personally called on someone. The other restless reporters cried foul, claiming it was rigged—everyone knew Sohu Entertainment was one of the film’s investors. But nobody cared.

"I’d like to ask about the production team’s box office expectations," the Sohu reporter asked, sticking to a standard question. His peers looked on with disdain; it was too amateurish.

"Last year, only eight domestic films surpassed 100 million at the box office. But in just the two months that have passed this year, three films have already broken the 100 million mark: *Red Cliff II*, *Crazy Racer*, and *Look for a Star*." Xu Ming held up three fingers and recited the list like he knew them by heart, leaving everyone confused—what did these three films have to do with his low-budget production?

*Love is Not Blind* was publicly touted as having a 10 million investment, though everyone knew there was likely some "inflation" in that figure. Every year, there were plenty of such small-budget films, and most ended up as cannon fodder for the release schedule, with the rest struggling even to get a theatrical run.

Under the gaze of everyone present, Xu Ming raised a fourth finger: " *Love is Not Blind* will be the fourth domestic film to break 100 million this year. I believe in Director Teng and I believe in this film."

*Buzz!*

A commotion spread following Xu Ming’s bold, resonant statement. Camera flashes erupted instantly.

Beside him, Teng Huatao wore a look of utter astonishment. *Big brother, you believe in me that much? Did you discuss this with me beforehand? I don't even dare to believe in myself that much!*

Breaking the 100 million mark was the crown jewel every director dreamed of in a market that had yet to fully mature.

Xu Ming had seized total control of the event's rhythm. He realized that relying on Teng Huatao to create buzz wasn't working, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Why go through the trouble of hosting this press conference? It was for the sake of hype, creating drama, and generating heat. Otherwise, why would a bunch of people gather in the freezing cold to play house?

"In my opinion, Director Teng’s talent is unquestionable. The failure of *The Ghost Inside* wasn't his fault; it was a mismatch of sensibilities. What do I mean? If you want the support of mainland audiences, you have to tell mainland stories. That film’s producers and screenwriters were all from Taiwan, and was there even a single mainland actor among the leads?"

Xu Ming put on a look of righteous indignation, defending Teng Huatao while firing salvos at the film from two years prior. He knew his logic was nonsense—the film *The Message*, set to be released this September, featured the same producer and writer and would go on to be a massive success. But that didn't matter; people loved topics involving conspiracy theories and regional conflict. In the future, a short video could spark thousands of comments just from people arguing over regional pride.

The reporters below were excited, frantically pressing their camera shutters. The cast and crew on stage were at a loss. *Who am I? Where am I? Is this where I’m supposed to be?*

"There’s an unspoken rule in the industry: every film’s lead must include an artist from Hong Kong or Taiwan. If you don't believe me, check the films released in recent years. Isn't that the case?"

"Even if our own actors have enough fame, they can only ever play supporting roles for others. Is that fair?"

Xu Ming scanned the reporters, whose faces were flushed with excitement, and issued his first challenge upon entering the film industry.

*Hey, hey, hey—I’ve arrived!*