Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 68 Guo Fan's New Drama

Back in Beijing, Qi Yue and his team held a small, low-key celebration so that colleagues who couldn't make it to Shanghai could also share in the joy.

There was no media, no noise, only the laughter and chatter of our own people, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

"Alright everyone," Qi Yue clapped his hands, signaling for quiet.

"Tongfan's success today is not due to any one person's efforts."

"It was the result of the photography and lighting team meticulously crafting frame by frame, the post-production team working tirelessly day and night, and the production, business, publicity, administration... everyone here, supporting it in their own way."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the young faces of those who had only recently joined the company but were working just as hard.

"The medals of honor are not only for those on stage, but also for those offstage, in front of every editing screen, at every conference table, and in every coordination call."

He gestured to Bai Mengyan, who was waiting beside him.

Bai Mengyan immediately walked over carrying a cardboard box of moderate size, her face flushed with excitement.

"I know that words are no substitute for concrete actions."

Qi Yue took out a thick red envelope with the "Tongfan Pictures" logo printed on it from the cardboard box.

"Guo and I have decided to give this to every colleague in the studio—"

He paused deliberately, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, clearly stated:

"Send a cash red envelope of 10,000 yuan."

"..."

There was a moment of deathly silence.

Then--

"Wow--!!!"

"Long live Director Qi!!!"

"Guo is awesome!!!"

The cheers and applause were so loud they almost lifted the roof off!

Everyone jumped up excitedly, and the younger employees hugged each other, shouting and jumping!

Ten thousand yuan! Even in 2026, that's a considerable sum of money!

Guo Fan grinned widely and clapped enthusiastically.

He knew that Qi Yue's move was not just about giving money, but also a clever way to win people's hearts.

After the success of "White Night", "Tongfan" needs to expand faster and meet new challenges, and team cohesion is of paramount importance.

Bai Mengyan and several other administrative colleagues began distributing red envelopes with smiles on their faces.

Everyone who received the red envelope had a smile of excitement and gratitude on their face and loudly thanked Qi Yue and Guo Fan.

At this point, the atmosphere at the scene reached its peak.

......

the next day,

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Morning light filters through the thin frost on the windows of the old residential building, casting dappled shadows on the floor of "Tongfan Studio".

Qi Yue was used to waking up early, but when he pushed open the door to his studio, he was surprised to find that Guo Fan's office lights were already on.

You can even smell a strong coffee aroma.

He walked over and knocked on the open door.

Guo Fan was engrossed in a pile of documents and storyboard sketches when he heard the sound. He looked up, his eyes slightly dark, but his spirits were unusually high.

"Good morning, Brother Fan. Working so hard?" Qi Yue leaned against the door frame.

"morning!"

Guo Fan rubbed his slightly sore eyes, grinned,

"I can't sleep, my mind is full of things. It's a good opportunity to sort out some of my thoughts."

Qi Yue didn't say anything, turned around and went to the tea room to make two cups of black coffee. He placed one cup in front of Guo Fan, took the other cup, and sat down opposite him.

"Has the script for the new drama been finalized?"

Guo Fan's eyes lit up even more when this was mentioned.

He immediately pulled a folder from the drawer and handed it to Qi Yue.

"It's confirmed. This is the preliminary adaptation outline and episode summaries for the first ten episodes, along with character biographies."

Qi Yue took the folder; the cover was blank.

He turned to the first page, his gaze falling on the three large characters in a calligraphic style on the title page.

Nirvana in Fire

His pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

"Nirvana in Fire"... just as expected.

In my past life memories, this historical drama, adapted from the online novel of the same name, became a phenomenal classic due to its excellent production, intricate plot, vivid and three-dimensional characters, and profound sense of national sentiment.

It not only achieved both high ratings and critical acclaim, but is also an insurmountable milestone in the field of period dramas, with its IP value and influence lasting for many years.

Although it has some inherent shortcomings due to the limitations of the original work, it was absolutely worthy of being slammed in 2013.

Qi Yue composed himself, showing no sign of anything amiss, and began to carefully review the materials prepared by Guo Fan.

The outline is clearly structured and basically grasps the core storyline of the original work: "The talented scholar Mei Changsu stirs up the storm in the capital with his frail body and clears the name of the wronged." Some overly long subplots have been reasonably simplified.

The character biographies are also well-written, highlighting the personality traits and fates of the main characters.

The first ten episodes are fast-paced and the dramatic conflicts are well-placed, showing that Guo Fan has indeed put a lot of effort into digesting and understanding this work.

Guo Fan sat opposite him, holding his breath and intently observing every subtle expression on Qi Yue's face.

This script is not just a project, but also the key for him to prove his directing ability, repay Qi Yue's trust, and open up the ancient costume genre for "Tongfan".

He desperately needs affirmation from others.

Qi Yue didn't read quickly; he would occasionally stop and make a simple mark next to a certain detail with his pen.

About half an hour later, he closed the folder, picked up the now lukewarm coffee, and took a sip.

"Was it recommended by Tangren?" Qi Yue asked, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Yes." Guo Fan nodded quickly.

"President Cai personally brought over the original novel, saying it was a treasure they'd had in their copyright library for a while, and that the subject matter and style were perfect for our collaboration. I've barely slept these past two days, reading the novel through the night, and it really is... very well written. While the political intrigue isn't groundbreaking, it's very solid, and the spirit of 'knowing it's impossible yet still doing it,' and 'a pure heart,' particularly moved me. I think that with proper adaptation and dedicated filming, it definitely has the potential to be a blockbuster!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his face flushed from staying up late and excitement.

Qi Yue listened, his fingers tapping lightly on the folder.

He certainly knew the value of "Nirvana in Fire," and Guo Fan's vision and judgment were spot on.

From a business and partnership perspective, this choice is not only sound but also highly promising: Tangren Media is familiar with period drama production and possesses suitable talent resources; *Nirvana in Fire* itself is of high quality, and its genre is a proven market success...

At that time, "Tongfan" will be able to gain a foothold in the period drama market, Guo Fan will be able to turn his career around, and Tangren will also achieve resource revitalization and transformation.

Clearly, this is a win-win solution.

"Regarding the cast, have you made any initial plans? Especially for Mei Changsu, this character is the central figure of the story, so casting is crucial. Who do you plan to cast him?"

Mentioning this, Guo Fan's excitement subsided slightly.

"Actually, the first person that came to my mind was definitely Hu Ge, Tangren's current top male star. His image, temperament, acting skills, popularity, experience in period dramas, and chemistry with Tangren all make him the ideal choice. I've even imagined him playing Mei Changsu..."

"But?" Qi Yue sensed a shift in meaning.

"But I've already contacted them," Guo Fan sighed.

"Hu is currently studying in the United States and won't be back for a while. Moreover, his agent has clearly conveyed Hu's own thoughts—Hu wants to change his career path."

"In recent years, Hu Ge has starred in a series of period dramas such as 'Chinese Paladin 2,' 'The Myth,' and 'Xuan-Yuan Sword,' which seems to have typecast him. He wants to try more modern dramas and even stage plays to broaden his acting range. So... in the last year or two, he hasn't wanted to take on any more period dramas."

Qi Yue frowned, not expecting this to be the case.

What's the point of Nirvana in Fire without Hu Ge?

"So what are your current alternatives?"

Guo Fan licked his slightly dry lips.

"President Cai has recommended another candidate. She thinks he's quite suitable."

"Who?"

Guo Fan raised his head, his eyes looking somewhat strange.

"Qi Yue, have you ever thought about acting?"