[The press conference and advertising endorsement announcement were straightforward. Jiang Cheng announced to the media his endorsement of Feichang Cola and engaged in some banter with them, explaining his reasons for the endorsement and heaping praise on Wahaha (although Jiang Cheng himself almost felt sick from his own flattery). The public wasn't surprised by this news. In this day and age, it's common for celebrities to endorse products, not only for the substantial rewards but also to enhance their visibility, achieving two goals with one action.
People had been wondering why there was no news from Jiang Cheng since the release of his book "Zhu Xian" at the beginning of the month. The public had gotten used to his frequent media appearances, and his absence over the past twenty or so days had puzzled his followers.
Oh, so he had taken on an advertisement endorsement! No wonder there had been no news for over twenty days. Presumably, he had been busy filming the advertisement. "That kid has never been the quiet type, how could he stay out of the public eye for so long? He's always up to something."
It seemed that in some people's eyes, Jiang Cheng had become a "restless person."
But Jiang Cheng didn't care about what others thought. If you're constantly worried about other people's opinions, what's the joy in living?
"So, Brother Jiang Cheng, did you really shoot a movie a few days ago?" Liu Yifei asked with widened eyes.
Jiang Cheng gave a wry smile: "I think I've answered this question at least five times now? This is the sixth. My answer is, yes!"
At that moment, the two were dining at the Quanjude Roast Duck restaurant in Wangfujing. As they ate, Liu Yifei once again sought confirmation about Jiang Cheng directing a movie, clearly still somewhat in disbelief.
After finishing the advertisement shoot and endorsement engagements, the two had been busy. Now that everything was settled and New Year's was approaching, Jiang Cheng had to return to Shanghai. He hadn't had the chance to properly explore Beijing and visit its famous landmarks. Regrettably, there was no time for sightseeing, but there was time for a genuine Beijing roast duck meal. So, Jiang Cheng invited Li Wei and Liu Yifei to Quanjude for dinner.
What? Why invite a third wheel? This wasn't a date, just a meal among friends, so don't read too much into it.
Over the past few days, Jiang Cheng and Liu Yifei had grown quite familiar with each other while shooting and attending the advertising events. However, Jiang Cheng couldn't quite figure out his feelings for her, only sure that he didn't feel that way about her – perhaps in a few years, but now... Could a man in his thirties have any "interest" in a teenager? Jiang Cheng was no creep.
Through their interactions, Jiang Cheng found Liu Yifei to be extremely well-behaved – almost too much so. Always a good girl who listened to her mother, she seemed to lack her own opinions. Off set, she was always serious, which Jiang Cheng found somewhat irksome.
She was just a teenager, a time to be playful and enjoy life. Why suppress oneself so much? So, when possible, Jiang Cheng would tell her jokes and tease her. Interestingly, when upset, she never swore but would simply say, "I'm not talking to you!" Jiang Cheng found this quite astonishing.
In this restless age, such pure innocence was rare. Understanding her personality, Jiang Cheng didn't have the heart to tease her further. He hoped she wouldn't be tainted by the world's impurities.
Liu Yifei, on the other hand, found this big brother figure quite interesting. Not only was he talented and knowledgeable, but he also knew how to make people happy – a genuinely good person! (Jiang Cheng: I don't want a 'good guy' card! — Author: Keep it for now, you can exchange it later.)
So, now they were very good friends. Hence, when Jiang Cheng invited her for roast duck, she happily agreed after checking with her family.
As the three dined and chatted, the topic of Jiang Cheng's movie came up again, and Liu Yifei sought confirmation once more.
Li Wei laughed: "Jiang, don't be upset. Honestly, I'm still half in disbelief! This is quite astonishing!"
"Yeah, Brother Jiang Cheng, if it's true, you've set a world record!" Liu Yifei added.
"Do I really seem so untrustworthy?" Jiang Cheng lamented.
"It's not about trust; it's just that this goes against common sense. You come from a writing and acting background, and it's only been half a year since you debuted. Suddenly hearing that you've also made a movie, and one that was completed in just a few days, I think most people would find it hard to believe," Li Wei explained.
"Right, Brother Jiang Cheng, what is your movie about? Can you tell us?" Liu Yifei suddenly asked.
Li Wei nodded: "I'm interested too, but only if it's convenient for you to talk about."
"It's okay, I can talk about the genre and some production info without giving away too much," Jiang Cheng said, his voice tinged with intrigue. "Do you believe in immortality?"
"No." / "That's impossible."
"I don't believe in it either," Jiang Cheng shrugged. "But what if a colleague suddenly told you he's from the Qin Dynasty, that he had drank an immortal elixir and had lived until now? What would you think?"
"Still impossible."
"But what if he's very knowledgeable about the past two thousand years of history, answering any historical question as if he experienced it himself? Would you think he's a liar?"
"This..." Liu Yifei hesitated, unsure how to discern truth from fiction in such a scenario.
"Is this what your movie is about?" Li Wei asked thoughtfully. "Is it a narrative film?"
"Yes, it's called 'Immortality.' But more accurately, it's a sci-fi film."
"Oh?" Both were surprised, but considering what Jiang Cheng had just said, it did seem quite fantastical.
"I'm starting to get interested in your movie. When will it be released?" Li Wei asked.
"It's scheduled for January 11th and will be screened in nearly a thousand theaters nationwide."
"Oh, that sounds official. I'll definitely be there to support you!" Li Wei said enthusiastically.
"Me too," Liu Yifei added excitedly. "Brother Jiang Cheng, can I come to the premiere? I want to cheer for you!"
"Of course, you're most welcome!" Jiang Cheng smiled.
"Then the trailer for the movie must be coming out soon, right?" Li Wei inquired.
"It's already out, but only online."
"Really? I need to check it out when I get back."
※※※
When Li Zhongbai returned to his dorm and opened his computer, he, as usual, logged onto Tangren Company's official website. Ever since he found out that his idol "Bright Moon" (Jiang Cheng) was an artist under Tangren, he had taken an interest in the company, frequently browsing its website for the latest news, mainly to stay updated on Jiang Cheng.
As usual, Li Zhongbai glanced at the homepage of Tangren's official website and suddenly noticed a huge advertisement banner.
"Do you believe someone could live from the Qin Dynasty to the present day?"
"If someone lived from the Qin Dynasty to now, what would you ask him? Was Qin Shi Huang handsome? Were the chamber pots used by Liu Bang made of gold? Or something else?"
"If someone told you that Zhang Liang, Huo Qubing, Hua Tuo, and even Liu Bowen were all his disguises, that he once wrote with Wang Xizhi, drank with Li Bai, and exchanged poems with Su Dongpo, would you believe it?"
"He possesses wisdom accumulated over time. One day, you find out he is a friend of yours, a colleague you've known for years. What would you think? Would you bombard him with questions or believe him?"
"Wanna know the answers? Stay tuned for Bright Moon - Jiang Cheng's first sci-fi movie '[Immortal],' coming soon to major theaters nationwide."
"What? Jiang Cheng made a movie!"
Attracted by this news, Li Zhongbai quickly read through the information below the advertisement, captivated by the intriguing concept.
The topic of "[Immortal]" was already fascinating, not to mention the references to Huo Qubing, Wang Xizhi, Li Bai, and Su Dongpo... It gave a thrilling sensation! And it was a sci-fi film, sparking images of grand scenes in his mind, along with the allure of Jiang Cheng, a topic of interest...
He really wanted to see it!
Li Zhongbai eagerly clicked on the advertisement banner, which usually linked to a special section. As expected, the webpage redirected to the "[Immortal]" special section. He was excited to discover there was a trailer!
He clicked to watch immediately.
The screen went black, then changed into an ink painting showing the Great Wall winding through the mountains, with an eagle soaring above and finally perching on the highest watchtower, where a large flag fluttered with two big characters: "Apex Films!"
"Cool logo! But what's 'Apex Films'? The company producing this film? Shouldn't it be Shanghai Tangren?" Li Zhongbai wondered but was quickly captivated by the trailer that followed.
The trailer began with a question and a snippet of the film.
First, the screen went black, and a voiceover asked: Do you believe in immortality?
The scene changed to show Jiang Cheng: "I have lived for over two thousand years!"
How is that possible?
"It's not impossible," Yuan Hong, who studied biology, suddenly said, "In fact, from a biological perspective, every one of us could live up to 190 years theoretically, but most of us die from chronic poisoning. The metabolism of all the cells in the human body takes seven days, but this process is not stable, and the accumulation of metabolic waste in the body eventually leads to organ failure. However, if someone had a special immune system that could perfectly detoxify and regenerate cells, then theoretically, they could live forever."
"Really?" Li Zhongbai wondered, surprised, as he wasn't aware of such a concept.
"How can you be immortal?" the scene shifted to Hu Ge asking.
"I was one of the five hundred boys and girls taken by Xu Fu on his sea voyage to search for the elixir of immortality for Emperor Qin Shihuang," Jiang Cheng replies.
"So that's it! No wonder!" Li Zhongbai thought, but then wondered if such a magical elixir truly existed. Wasn't it supposed to make one a celestial being?
The trailer didn't clarify this, moving on to the next question:
What did he do in these two thousand years?
"I disguised myself as Zhang Liang and helped Liu Bang defeat Xiang Yu..."
"During Emperor Wu of Han's campaign against the Xiongnu, I joined the army, and I was known as Huo Qubing then..."
"I was Hua Tuo, traveling and practicing medicine across the land..."
"I wrote with Wang Xizhi..." / "I drank with Li Bai and discussed martial arts..." / "I exchanged poetry with Su Dongpo..."
...
Were all these true? Do you believe it?
The screen shifted again, showing the faces of Hu Ge and the other six actors, all with expressions of shock and bewilderment.
Finally, the screen turned black, displaying a line of text: "[Immortal]" a Bright Moon - Jiang Cheng piece, premiering on January 11, 2002. Let's all question him together.
"Cool!"
Even though the trailer didn't show the grand scenes Li Zhongbai had imagined, the intriguing questions deeply captivated him, making him wish he could watch the movie right away!
"There are also Huang Lei and Li Ruotong." Recalling the actors he recognized from the final scenes, "But the guys are all pretty handsome! Jiang Cheng is the most handsome!"
"Just over two weeks to go, I must see this movie!" Li Zhongbai said, browsing through other related information.
As Jiang Cheng expected, the trailer for "Immortal" immediately caused a sensation upon its release!