I’m a Director, I’m Not Bad

Chapter 438 436. Zhang Family Banquet

Xu Xin stayed in the magic city for three days this time.

In fact, when it comes to the short performance of the opening ceremony, which was less than an hour, it was not like this. At the very least, as someone who has been to the Olympics, after seeing the program process, I feel that this kind of thing can be completed in three or five rehearsals at most.

Such frequent meetings, research, and repeated discussions and confirmations are really unnecessary.

But there is nothing we can do.

Because that's what "the market" is.

If you don’t hold meetings, don’t study, don’t watch over and over again, and don’t put forward opinions, it will appear that you don’t pay enough attention to it.

So, the actors who went through rehearsals and speeches were tired.

People like Xu Xin are also tired.

But everyone has to keep doing this.

No, Xu Xinren hasn't left yet, and the date for his next visit to Magic City has been decided.

A week later, several artists from various countries who expressed the World Expo concept of "common prosperity" invited by the director team came, and this time Xu Xin and Zhang Wu were hosting them as Olympic representatives.

Let’s discuss together the performance experience that amazed the world in 2008, and improve our respective artistic levels through artistic discussion.

As soon as I heard this, I knew it was a cliche, but I still had to do it.

At noon on the 25th, he ended his trip to the Magic City. After bidding farewell to Zhang Wu, he took a plane directly to... Wuxi, which is commonly known as landing as soon as it takes off.

To be honest, it took exactly two hours to arrive in Wuxi, including waiting at the security checkpoint for takeoff and arranging flight routes.

It's really not as fast as he drives.

But it costs tens of thousands more to fly to Wuxi, and then directly back to Yanjing from Wuxi.

Or should I say that after leaving Wuxi, I turned back to the Magic City...

He decisively chose the former.

Don't let tens of thousands of dollars make it "difficult" like this.

When we arrived in Wuxi, it was after two o'clock in the afternoon.

Zhang Mo personally came to pick him up at several events.

The first thing he said after getting in the car was:

"When I was in the United States, I also met some rich people. Your distance is equivalent to the distance from Philadelphia to New York... They can only take a helicopter. I think you are really knowledgeable."

Xu Xin nodded:

"I understand, Sister Mo is asking me to buy a helicopter, right?"

"..."

Zhang Mo's mouth twitched.

Fine.

OK.

Um.

After making a joke, Xu Xin leaned on the seat of this very low-key Lexus and asked:

"Is Aunt Ting at home?"

"Yeah. My dad didn't come back. He originally said he would come back, but he couldn't leave Nanjing for the time being. Several Americans came over. For this shooting, he planned to use a foreign special effects technical team, and also hired a Hollywood one. The movie star is here, so we are in contact with this matter."

"It's okay, I'll just have a meal and leave."

Xu Xin smiled and said:

"After dinner in the evening, if there's nothing else to do, I'll go back and take care of the baby."

"So fast?"

"Yes, for "Bite of Tongue", the team has invited several food writers to serve as consultants. Everyone wants to talk about some of the themes of the shoot, and they are all waiting for me."

"That's...okay. I also said that we'd go together after I finish my work here tomorrow, and I'd also like to catch your plane."

"It's definitely too late this time. My appointment is tomorrow."

"Um."

While the two were chatting about work, Xu Xin looked at this legendary city where "water comes in the morning and water comes in the afternoon".

In order to film "The Tip of the Tongue", he checked some information and asked:

"Are the hot dried shredded noodles and the other... delicacies here delicious?"

"You can eat it tonight. The dried silk noodles are okay, and the meat is actually the morning tea, but you are a distinguished guest. Aunt Ting and her family have been busy preparing these foods for you since yesterday. You have eaten tonight This meal, basically...you can eat all Wuxi’s home-cooked dishes with special characteristics.”

"Do you have that bridge ribs?"

"You still know this?"

"Definitely. When I was in the first year of junior high school, I bought a first edition of "New Concept Composition". There was a story in it about this. What...a Taoist priest left a straw mat and used this straw I cooked a pot of ribs with shredded grass from the mat, and it tasted so delicious..."

"..."

For a moment, Zhang Mo didn't know what to say.

She is not from Wuxi either.

Although she had read "New Concept Composition", she really didn't know the so-called "first edition".

Naturally, I don’t know this article.

What's more... As a native of Northwest China, she actually has a so-so impression of Wuxi cuisine.

The bridge ribs were too sweet.

dislike.

I hope he can be satisfied with the meal.

Lexus drove all the way to the edge of Taihu Lake and came to a villa area.

The name is: Huguangshanse Villa Area.

However, this villa area should be quite large. This subdivision is called Huxi Manor.

According to Zhang Mo, the old man bought it for his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

But because Aunt Ting has to take care of the children all year round, although the family also has houses elsewhere, most of them live here.

After driving in, Zhang Mo opened the window.

A blast of... air that was much fresher than that in the city blew in.

There is also a vague smell... of water mixed with some grass.

When the car arrived at the door of the villa, Xu Xin first saw three children playing in the yard.

Two boys and one girl.

The tallest boy was holding a basketball in his hand, letting the other two children grab it.

It seems that these three children should be Yiding, Yinan and Yijiao.

And Lexus also attracted the attention of three children.

When the car stopped at the parking space, the three children didn't say anything when they saw Xu Xin getting out of the co-pilot. But when they saw Zhang Mo get out of the car, they quickly gathered around:

"Sister~"

"Eh."

Zhang Mo smiled and picked up Yijiao, who was still wearing a cotton vest, and said to the other two brothers with a smile:

"This is your brother Xu Xin."

"Hello everyone."

Xu Xin smiled and waved his hands.

After hearing the name "Xu Xin", Yi Ding was a little curious, and Yi Man blinked at Xu Xin.

Only the girl in Zhang Mo's arms looked wary:

"The bad guy who robbed daddy!"

"..."

"...???"

Zhang Mo's mouth twitched.

Xu Xin's eyes were blank.

What the hell?

"Don't talk nonsense, this is brother Xu Xin!"

"He's a bad guy! He's robbing us of our father!"

It was okay if Zhang Mo didn't say anything, but as soon as he mentioned it, the little girl quickly started to show her teeth and claws in her sister's arms...

have to.

Before he even entered the door, a pot was slapped on his head.

In this state of laughter and tears, the door of the villa was pushed open, and a lady with her hair tied up and wearing an apron came out:

"Xu Xin? Welcome, welcome. Come in quickly..."

She is very beautiful, her skin and complexion are both faultless...

But it’s not that it’s well maintained, but it’s age.

Although Xu Xin has to call her Aunt Ting, she was actually born in 1981...

Two years younger than Xu Miao.

He is only two years older than Zhang Mo.

so……

Despite the fact that he had been calling Aunt Ting one after another before, he was still a little embarrassed when this "sister" actually appeared in front of him.

And I am particularly curious about how Sister Mo and Aunt Ting usually interact...

"Aunt Ting. Hello~"

Hearing this title, Chen Ting smiled and nodded:

"I feel sorry for you, otherwise I can just call you sister."

"Don't be wronged, don't be wronged."

Xu Xin was also quick to be polite.

At this time, Yijiao, who was in Zhang Mo's arms, began to chant the "forbidden curse" again.

"Mom, is he here to steal daddy from me?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

The three adults were embarrassed for a while.

Chen Ting silently "reprimanded" her daughter:

"Don't talk nonsense, brother Xu Xin is a guest in our house! Call me brother!"

After saying that, she said helplessly to Xu Xin:

"Usually when he comes back, when we spend time with our children, whenever we talk about work, he always brings you up. For example, what we talked about while having dinner with you, and how we are doing in movies..."

"Hahaha, I understand."

Xu Xin nodded with a smile and extended his hand to the little guy:

"I won't compete with you for your father, so can we be friends?"

Zhang Yijiao looked at the hand stretched out in front of her, hesitated for a moment in Zhang Mo's arms, and stretched it out:

"Hook~"

"Well, pull the hook!"

So, everyone was happy.

Xu Xin was invited into the house under the title of "brother" from the two boys.

I also met Aunt Ting’s mother, who is actually two years younger than the old man, and her father who cooks in the kitchen.

Xu Xin could tell that this family seemed to be no strangers to him.

Although he was a bit polite when they first met, the understanding and welcome revealed in his words cannot be faked.

Chen Ting did not take Xu Xin to visit her home.

No need.

It’s not like people can’t afford to live in a villa.

She just pulled Xu Xin to the table where eight cold dishes were already placed, and began to introduce tonight's dishes to him.

They were all home-cooked dishes, including the eel paste prepared in the pot and the meat stuffed with gluten. Xu Xinguang looked at the number of dishes prepared and quickly said politely that they were simple and could not be eaten.

A dozen dishes are indeed too grand.

But the atmosphere made him feel very comfortable.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

When he came out of the kitchen, he happened to watch the three children playing with their toys on the climbing mat in front of the sofa.

The eldest man, Yinan, actually had a camera in his hand.

But it doesn't look like an expensive model, it's a Nikon... film machine?

This is quite rare.

Who among today’s children doesn’t love high technology?

The kind who could play with a film machine and carry a lens. Xu Xin was happy when he looked at him holding the lens towards him.

In Yiding's hand was a Dragon Ball comic.

He was helping his sister turn the pages.

Yijiao is using a drawing board to copy the Wukong in the comics.

Although it looks very different, the strokes look really similar.

"Like photography?"

Xu Xin didn't sit on the sofa, so he sat cross-legged on the climbing mat and asked.

Zhang Yinan glanced at the mother next to him and did not answer the question. Instead, he asked:

"Brother, who is better between you and my dad?"

Xu Xin hasn’t answered yet…

"Dad is awesome!"

In a word, Zhang Yijiao has been equated with "the old man's treasure" in Xu Xin's heart.

Based on his understanding of the old man...this kind of "praising" is the kind that can really melt the heart of a great director.

So he smiled and nodded to the children:

"That's right, your father is the most powerful. Brother, I'm just a beginner at most."

"Then do you know photography?"

"...understand a little bit."

Xu Xin said modestly when he saw a man mistaking the bean buns for solid food.

Then, the little boy's desire to win ignited.

He put the camera aside and ran upstairs quickly.

Soon he walked down carrying two large photo albums:

"I took this picture!"

The emotion on his face was a mixture of pride and anticipation.

Seeing this, Xu Xin took the album and as soon as he opened the title page of the first volume, he saw a line of words:

"Recording the beautiful moments in life - Father."

Seeing this line of text, Xu Xin understood that the old man had some great wishes for his eldest son.

So I turned to the first page and saw a few photos.

Some old men are laughing, and some Aunt Ting is laughing.

There are also photos of Yidian and Yijiao when they were young...

Frankly speaking, there is nothing special about the technical content of the photo. It must have been taken a long time ago, after all, the child has not grown up yet.

But after slowly turning back, he could feel the improvement in this child's photography skills.

It is no longer the kind of lens that casually captures portraits of people, but begins to include some scenery.

There are squares and lakeshores.

There are dogs and cats.

Then, Xu Xin saw signs of staged photography in the lower half of the album.

For example, there is a cat doll placed upside down next to the red wine bottle...

"What inspired you to take this photo?"

he asked, pointing to the photo.

"It's loneliness! My mother likes to drink red wine when she is alone, and this cat doll has smiling eyes. I turned it upside down, and the smile turned into sadness..."

Hearing this, Xu Xin nodded slightly:

"Are you sad because you are lonely? Or are you sad because you feel lonely?"

"...?"

After the 9-year-old child heard this question, he was a little stuck and couldn't answer it.

Obviously, his immature outlook on life was unable to conceive of these two feelings and the differences.

Upon seeing this, Xu Xin gave his own interpretation:

"You see, photography is a form of three-dimensional imaging. When you want to express something when shooting, you have to create a space...create your own imagination."

He tried his best to help the child interpret it in his own straightforward tone:

"Let's treat this kitty doll as if it were alive. Think about it, when the cat was lonely, it chose to drink. After drinking too much and getting drunk, it lay down on the table and fell asleep, right?"

"ah……?"

"How can a drunk person show loneliness? Turn it upside down and make its eyes look sad like "V_V"..."

He simulated an expression:

"But if you tip the bottle down at this time...does it mean that it drinks so much that it can't even put the bottle back? There is no one to help it right...especially when there is still some wine in the bottle. The wine spills on the table, The wine bottle is tilted, and the cat doll is looking up to the sky with sad eyes... Think about it, is it sad because of loneliness? Or is it alone when it is sad? "

Zhang Yinan stared at his photo, fully immersed in his mother's smiling expectation, and radiating his unconstrained thinking.

No restraint, extremely free thinking.

Then the answer was given:

"It's sad, but there's no one else around, so it's lonely!"

After speaking, he looked at Xu Xin as if he was eager for an answer:

"Is it right?"

At this time, a hand fell on his head and touched:

"wrong."

"……ah?"

Zhang Yinan looked a little confused:

"Isn't that right? Then it's sad because it's lonely?"

"Not really."

Xu Xin continued to smile and shook his head.

I rejected both of the answers I gave.

At this time, Zhang Yinan was really confused.

But Xu Xin closed the photo album and said to him:

"There is no right answer in art. All you have to do is stick to your own point of view. Don't think about what others think, just follow your own understanding and insist on doing your own thing. And such a unique Only sex can be called art, do you understand?"

"..."

The boy was puzzled.

But that's okay……

"Remember my words, don't forget, you will understand slowly in the future."

Seeing this child's talent, I hope I can do something to prevent this weak brilliance from finally being lost in the powerful and dazzling halo of my father, and not to constrain my unconstrained thoughts because of blindness.

Xu Xin closed the photo album and said with a smile.