Chapter 27 (1/2)

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Outside the city.

After parking her car, Yu Dong started to walk towards the building as she chatted with Xia Feng on her phone.

“Have you arrived?”

“Just arrived!” Xia Feng looked at his watch and said, “You must’ve missed breakfast again, go and eat quickly.”

“I ate breakfast today.” Yu Dong smiled and said, “Now I’m on my way to talk to a film crew member about some things.”

“Oh, in that film and TV studio in the suburbs?” Xia Feng asked.

“Yeah!”

“Then didn’t you need to wake up early to get there at this time?” Xia Feng was worried. “If you don’t get enough sleep, you end up groggy and inattentive. You shouldn’t be driving.”

“How can that be? Even if you wake up groggy, after washing your face with cold water you can be lively again.” Yu Dong was disgruntled as she continued, “I’m the chief negotiator of our company, you’re acting like I’m some sleepy child.”

“Alright, you’re the best!” Xia Feng could only laugh.

“Why does it sound like you’re just humoring me.” Yu Dong grumbled.

“I’m not saying anything. Oh, the Director is here.”

“Go on then!”

“Bye-bye.”

Yu Dong was in a good mood as she ended the call, and approached the familiar crew of Director Liu.

“Hello, Manager Yu.” It was Assistant Director Wang Xin who greeted Yu Dong.

“Director Want, is Director Liu here? I brought a sample of the dubbing that he requested.” Because Director Liu’s requirements for the dubbing were particularly high, even after the contract was signed Director Liu still insisted on supervising the dubbing, hence the request for today’s samples.

“Director Liu is visiting the crew next door.” Director Wang said.

“Then I’ll wait for him here.” Yu Dong said.

“Director Liu might not come back in a while.” Director Wang shook his head as he laughed, “It’s Director Zhao’s crew next door. They end up talking for hours whenever they meet.”

“Is that so?” Yu Dong asked, “Then can I go look for him directly?”

“Yes,” Director Wang said. “If you want. I can take you there after I finish.”

Yu Dong looked at the busy crew and finally shook her head and replied: “No, no need to trouble yourself. I can go on my own.”

“OK, then be careful!” Director Wang warned her.

“Eh?” Yu Dong was puzzled, what should she be careful of.

“Director Zhao is currently shooting a suspense show. It’s supposed to be about the rise of sadistic killers, so there’s a lot of graphic scenes that are currently being shot. A few female assistants got really frightened.” Director Wang explained.

“Oh, I see. I’ll be careful, thank you.” Yu Dong replied.

Although the set was just next door, it was still quite far; Yu Dong had to walk 10 minutes to reach it.

When she arrived at the entrance, she saw several women huddling near the trash cans, pale-faced.

“Excuse me, is Director Liu in here?” Yu Dong asked a staff member standing nearby.

“Yes.”

“May I go in?” Yu Dong asked.

The staff member glanced at Yu Dong and hesitated, saying: “The scene they’re shooting right now is rather frightening, I can go call him out for you instead.”

How scary is this show? Yu Dong’s curiosity was piqued.

“It’s alright, I came all the way here already, I’d better just go to him.” Yu Dong said.

“Alright then!” The staff member pointed to a direction and said, “Both Director Zhao and Director Liu are that way.”

Yu Dong thanked the man and went in.

As she approached, she heard 2 men quarreling, their voices loud.

“I’m telling you Zhao, you’re not going to be able to distribute this.” It was obviously Director Liu saying this.

“It’s called realism, doesn’t film-making have to be logical and realistic?” Director Zhao retorted, “Do you think that a few historically accurate costumes are enough to show realism? That it doesn’t matter how you show a person dying, that the corners of their mouths showing blood is enough?”

“You dare talk back, this scene is so bloody you’ll have to mosaic the whole thing to be able to broadcast it.” Director Liu shot back.

“Then I won’t broadcast it in China, I’ll go abroad.”

Knock knock!

“Director Liu!” Yu Dong interrupted the violent discussion.

“Yu Dong?” Director Liu saw her and realized, “Oh, that’s right, I asked to see a sample of the dubbing today.”

“I brought a few samples for you to look at. If there’s a problem, please don’t hesitate to tell me, we can adjust it anytime.” Yu Dong passed the samples to him.

Director Liu nodded as he accepted them.

“Huh?” Yu Dong inadvertently saw Director Zhao’s screen and suddenly felt that the scene was a little familiar.

“Scared?” Director Liu laughs.

“No, it just looks a little familiar.” Yu Dong thought about it for a while, but she couldn’t remember where she’d seen it no matter how hard she tried.

“You’ve seen it?” Director Zhao heard Yu Dong’s response and thought it was a bit strange. The scene was arranged by the original screenwriter, it would be reasonable to say that no one should have ever seen it before.