Qiao Zixin liked the script, so Xu Zifan wasn't worried about her acting. The two discussed the specifics and then divided the work. Qiao Zixin had been in the entertainment industry for five years, filming good movies and working with good teams. She could easily find reliable staff to join the crew. Now it just depended on whether they were willing to associate themselves with her, a Best Actress who hadn't yet made a comeback.
Xu Zifan immediately contacted the website to discuss the purchase of the novel's copyright. The novel was indeed not performing well on the website because its plot was rather depressing and did not conform to the mainstream tastes of the website's readers, so it did not make much money. He felt that buying the film and television rights should not be a problem.
The website's copyright editor quickly contacted the novel's author, Lan Gui. Lan Gui's reaction was unexpected; instead of excitement, she replied with doubt: "Will anyone actually make a film about this kind of story? Will it pass censorship? Can I ask which stars are in it? Will they just buy the rights and leave them untouched? Also, the buyer is an individual, not a company; will that cause any problems?"
The copyright editor replied: "I was also a little hesitant about individual buyers, but our legal department will help with the review, so it should be fine. This person seems very sincere; they're probably a new director. New directors often have a lot of drive and don't consider too many complex factors, so they might actually be able to make the film. Here's what we'll do: I'll give them your contact information so you can contact them and ask them any questions. Is that alright?"
[That's great, thank you!]There are too many novels that have been sold but are now sitting in inventory. If they can't be filmed, Lan Gui would rather not sell them for now and wait until she has time to revise the novel and improve its quality.
After contacting Lan Gui, Xu Zifan explained his situation. First, filming was definitely on, and it would start soon, with the aim of releasing it by the end of the year. Second, regarding censorship, he would have professionals oversee the process to ensure nothing outrageous was included. Judging from the story's content, as long as it didn't involve politics, there shouldn't be any problems. Finally, regarding the lead actor, the story had only one main character; everyone else was a supporting actor with limited screen time. He would look for excellent extras or film school students. He even suggested that if Lan Gui had a recommendation, someone with decent acting skills could also get a role. However, the lead role had to be played by Qiao Zixin—that was the only requirement.
Xu Zifan knew Qiao Zixin's awkward position in the entertainment industry. Good movies dared not cast her, fearing the public wouldn't accept her and the film wouldn't do well at the box office. Casting her in ordinary films would be beneath her, given she had won three Best Actress awards; she shouldn't be in an inappropriate role. He didn't know what the novel's author thought of Qiao Zixin, so he tried to be tactful and even sent Lan Gui a compilation video of Qiao Zixin's acting skills.
He stared at the computer screen, mentally calculating how to persuade Lan Gui if she didn't like Qiao Zixin. After all, this was the most suitable script right now, and he had to get it. To his surprise, Lan Gui replied to his message as soon as she saw Qiao Zixin's name!
[Is this the script for Xin Bao'er's next film?]
Only Qiao Zixin's fans would call her "Xin Bao'er." Xu Zifan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately replied: "Yes, if the script is fine, we'll start filming right away."
[No problem, I can sign the contract right away! I'm a huge fan of Xin Bao'er. If the script needs any changes or the production team needs any help, feel free to contact me. Please make sure to film it well and bring out Xin Bao'er's acting skills to the fullest, so those who mocked her will be blinded!]
Xu Zifan hadn't expected things to go so smoothly; he'd unexpectedly run into Qiao Zixin's fan, a pleasant surprise. He opened Lan Gui's column and browsed through it. Lan Gui had been writing for over four years, and the novel he was interested in was Lan Gui's first novel. The premise and character design were good, but the writing style was somewhat immature. Afterward, Lan Gui seemed to have changed her mindset, focusing on writing lighthearted and enjoyable stories instead of such depressing ones, but her writing style had clearly improved steadily, a far cry from what it was four years ago.
Xu Zifan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, an idea gradually taking shape in his mind. After pondering it carefully for a moment, and making sure it wouldn't cause any trouble, he sent a message to Lan Gui: "Are you interested in joining the team as a screenwriter?"
Lan Gui immediately replied: [I'm very interested. I will definitely meet all the director's and Xin Bao'er's requirements regarding the script. Please let me join the cast; I also want to contribute to Xin Bao'er's comeback!]
Xu Zifan smiled, opened Qiao Zixin's fan group, and sent a message: "[Zixin is going to film a movie. Does anyone have any skills they can use to help? If so, please message me privately.]"
The group members immediately erupted in excitement. Some said they could take photos, some could do makeup, some could edit videos, some could do voice-overs, some could do lighting, and many others said they could run errands. The members who could join this group had all been rigorously screened and were definitely Qiao Zixin's die-hard fans, wholeheartedly devoted to her. At this moment, they were united in their efforts, and as soon as they heard that Qiao Zixin needed help, they all tried their best to do their part.
This is a possibility that Xu Zifan saw in Lan Gui. Qiao Zixin's downfall was too rapid because her foundation was unstable and she had no allies. In the end, no one was willing to help her. He could now act as her agent, director, or even lead actor alongside her, but filmmaking is a team effort, and even a small mistake can have serious consequences. So why doesn't he build his own team? A team that wholeheartedly wants the best for Qiao Zixin? The members of this fan group would be the best choice.
Lan Gui sat in her small study, watching the rapidly scrolling messages from the group members. She compared the messages from the group owner, "Guardian," and director Xu Zifan. From the tone of voice, habits, and even punctuation, it was undeniably the same person! While she might not be particularly skilled at other things these past few years as an author, everyone knows how to uncover aliases. Now…
She felt even more relieved. Qiao Zixin's ability to escape the online backlash was thanks to the Guardians, and she trusted them.
She sent Xu Zifan a message: "I'm the 'Butterfly Orchid' in the group. Everyone loves Xinbao'er, and we'll definitely become the strongest and most reliable team. Keep it up!"
Her gaze fell on the right side of the computer screen. She picked up a photo frame containing a picture of herself and Qiao Zixin, taken four and a half years ago at Qiao Zixin's fan meeting. She had never been a fan of celebrities before; that day, she was simply curious why Qiao Zixin, who was 18 years old like her, was already so successful. So she went to see her, and upon closer inspection, she found Qiao Zixin to be a very kind person. Qiao Zixin probably noticed her unhappiness and gently said a few words of encouragement to her, hoping she would cheer up. She also told her that as long as she worked hard, life would get better and better.
Deeply moved that day, she went home and registered an account to compile her diary entries into stories and post them online. Taking that first step, she discovered that forgetting her troubles and living well wasn't so difficult. Coincidentally, Qiao Zixin had just finished filming two very popular comedies, and she decided to write lighthearted and cheerful stories to share happy emotions with everyone, thus truly embarking on her writing career. Now she lives a happy, relaxed, and free life. It's fair to say that without Qiao Zixin, she wouldn't be who she is today; she is definitely a loyal fan of Qiao Zixin.
After Qiao Zixin's incident, she spent countless days and nights online, typing furiously to defend Qiao Zixin and argue with others, even taking time off from writing her novel. But the online trolls were too powerful; her individual efforts were insignificant. The more reasoned and well-founded her arguments, the more she was ridiculed. Fortunately, a "Guardian" appeared, and as a longtime loyal fan, she was among the first to be added to the group. Under the Guardian's guidance, they staged a remarkable comeback. All the Weibo posts from those fans were written by her, carefully crafted, filled with pride and love for Qiao Zixin.
She thought that no matter why other fans liked Qiao Zixin, they must feel the same way she did. They must have seen some of Qiao Zixin's shining qualities or been moved by some of her words and actions. Now, the Guardians were going to unite them into a team, a team that would truly protect Qiao Zixin, and they, like her, were prepared to go all out!
Like Lan Gui, many fans reacted with excitement and high morale. Xu Zifan's small team was formed much faster than expected; in almost a day, the skills of nearly half the group members were confirmed, totaling thirty people. Although the others didn't have any particularly outstanding skills, there were many things a team could do that any ordinary person could do. Xu Zifan thought about it and decided that all sixty-odd people in the group could join. Those who couldn't come due to school or work could do some promotional or public relations work online, while others who were relatively free could come and join the team.
The novel's copyright was successfully sold. Although Lan Gui repeatedly expressed her willingness to pay a low price, Xu Zifan still paid 2 million yuan, which was a reasonable price for the novel. Lan Gui lived in Yanjing. When Xu Zifan met her at the signing ceremony, he explained the script requirements to her, and Lan Gui immediately began revising the script. The others also arrived one after another. Xu Zifan arranged accommodations for them and assigned them tasks. With something to do, the awkwardness of their initial meeting disappeared, replaced by enthusiasm, and everyone got to work.
Qiao Zixin also contacted a stylist, a makeup artist, a sound engineer, a stage manager, and a motion director who were willing to come. All of these people she found had worked with her before and were highly capable professionals. With their addition, the team became more stable.
Xu Zifan discovered a top student majoring in directing from his fan group. As the assistant director of this film, he took him and Lan Gui to the film academy to audition and select actors. Unbeknownst to others, Qiao Zixin's new movie had already begun to be prepared in full swing.