dkrc Chapter 57: Powering On
Chapter 57: Powering On
Beijing Capital International Airport, the last day of April.
Liu Yu stood at the entrance of the departure hall. Zhong Lifang dragged her suitcase off the car, wearing a gray trench coat and her hair was neatly combed.
She glanced at her watch, then at Liu Yu. "Boss, you didn't sleep well again last night, did you? Your eye bags are practically drooping down to your chin."
Liu Yu didn't refute it. He hadn't slept well last night. He had gone over the problem in his mind three times, and each time he felt there was something wrong. He finally drifted off to sleep at three in the morning.
Wang Chaowen caught up from behind, holding two cups of coffee, handing one to Liu Yu and the other to Zhong Lifang.
"Brother, have some to perk you up." Liu Yu took it and drank a sip, grimacing from the heat.
The two exchanged a few words, and Zhong Lifang listened from the side without interrupting, but smiled slightly.
Yang Zi and her daughter were the last to arrive.
Yang Zi was wearing a pink sweatshirt, had her hair in two small braids, and was carrying a backpack. Her mother followed behind, dragging two large suitcases.
Thirteen-year-old Yang Zi is much taller than she was three years ago. Her baby fat has faded, and the lines on her face are beginning to show the contours of a young woman.
When Yang Zi saw Liu Yu, she called out, "Brother Liu Yu."
The thirteen-year-old girl's voice was changing, but not completely. It was stuck in the vocal range between a girl and a young woman, and it sounded indescribably beautiful.
Liu Yu smiled and said, "Zi Mei, you've grown quite a bit taller."
"Of course, I drink milk every day." Yang Zi tilted her head back, her chin slightly raised, with a touch of the unique pride of a teenage girl.
"Are you scared going to America this time?" Liu Yu squatted down to look her in the eye.
Yang Zi tilted her head and thought for a moment, "I'm not afraid. I've memorized the script and practiced my English lines many times."
She paused, then her tone became serious, "It's just that American hamburgers are terrible."
Liu Yu smiled and ruffled her hair. "I'll take you to eat Chinese food this time. There's a Chinatown in Los Angeles, and the Chinese food there is even more authentic than in Beijing."
"real?"
"real."
Yang Zi nodded in satisfaction and took her mother's hand, walking to the side.
Yan Danchen was the last to arrive. She was wearing a black jacket, a baseball cap, and sunglasses, completely covered up.
She took off her sunglasses as she walked up to Liu Yu. "Give me the plane ticket, I'll handle it myself."
She took the boarding pass from Liu Yu, glanced at the seat number, and frowned. "Why isn't it a window seat?"
"I've taken the seat by the window."
She glared at him, said nothing more, put her sunglasses back on, and dragged her suitcase toward the security checkpoint.
He took a couple of steps, then stopped and looked back at Yang Zi and her mother. "Where are Zi Mei and her mother sitting?"
"You're in the same row, separated by an aisle."
Yan Danchen nodded and continued walking. After a few steps, Liu Yu heard her mutter softly, "The arrangements are quite detailed." He couldn't tell if she was praising him or insulting him.
......
As the group walked toward the security checkpoint, they suddenly heard someone shout behind them.
"Director Liu! Director Liu, please wait!"
Looking back, I saw two or three reporters running over with cameras, the female reporter in the lead panting heavily.
Liu Yu was stunned for a moment, thinking that these people were too well-informed. No one had told him when he left, so how did they know?
"Director Liu, I heard you flew to Los Angeles today to film a new movie. Could you say a few words?" The female reporter caught her breath and shoved the recording pen at her.
"Yes, that's right. We're going to Los Angeles to film 'The Man from Nowhere,' and we're leaving today." Liu Yu's tone was very calm.
"Is this your first time filming in Hollywood? Are you feeling a lot of pressure?"
"There's definitely pressure. But pressure can also be a driving force." Liu Yu paused for a moment. "Besides, what kind of pressure haven't I seen since I served in the military?"
He made a joke, but his face didn't show a smile. The reporter, however, laughed, and several people taking pictures nearby also laughed, whether they genuinely found it funny or it was just a professional habit, it's unclear.
The reporters nearby began to turn their attention to Yan Danchen.
"Sister Danchen, this is the first time you and Director Liu have worked together as a couple. What are your special feelings about it?"
Yan Danchen was wearing sunglasses, so her expression was not visible, but the corners of her mouth turned down slightly.
"Work is work, and private life is private life; they are separate." After saying this, she turned her head and glanced at Liu Yu.
The reporter then asked Yang Zi.
"Little sister, how old are you? How many times have you acted in Director Liu's films?"
Yang Zi peeked half her head out from behind her mother. "Thirteen years old, the second time. The first time was for 'Speed Scandal,' when I was only ten."
She turned to look at her mother, who nodded. Yang Zi then turned back and smiled at the reporter, a smile that was neither timid nor overly enthusiastic, striking a better balance than her mother's.
Are you afraid to film in the US?
"I'm not afraid," Yang Zi said. "I've memorized the entire script."
The reporters laughed; the thirteen-year-old girl already had her own judgment and way of expressing herself.
After passing through security, the reporter was stopped outside.
The group breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Chaowen said, "Brother, you're getting more and more impressive. You even get reporters to see you off when you go abroad."
"They're here to block the news, not to deliver myself to them, get that straight."
.....
The flight took twelve hours and covered half the globe.
Liu Yu took two naps, ate three meals, watched two movies, flipped through half a script, and wrote three pages of notes.
The sun was shining brightly in Los Angeles. When I got off the plane, David was there to pick me up. He was wearing a floral shirt and sunglasses, and he didn't look like a movie company executive. He looked more like a tourist on vacation.
"Boss, welcome to Los Angeles." David took Liu Yu's luggage and said in English with a British accent, "The car is outside. Let's go to the hotel and rest first. Daniel will arrive tomorrow, but Hong Jinbao's team's flight is delayed and they won't arrive until tonight."
Liu Yu nodded and got into the car.
Yang Zi leaned against the car window, her face pressed against the glass, exclaiming, "Wow, this tree is so tall!" "Wow, that house is so beautiful!" "Wow, American cars are so big!"
Yan Danchen laughed beside her, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Liu Yu saw Yang Zi's mother smiling in the rearview mirror, her smile more subtle than her daughter's, probably out of relief.
The hotel is near Hollywood. Liu Yu's room is on the sixth floor, with the window facing the Hollywood Hills. In the distance, you can see the row of white letters on the hills that read "HOLLYWOOD".
.....
The next day, Daniel Craig arrived.
He was wearing a dark blue T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers; his hair was short, and his jawline was sharp.
He didn't bring an assistant or bodyguards. He got out of the car alone, dragging his suitcase, shook hands with David, and then walked up to Liu Yu.
"Mr. Liu, nice to meet you." His voice was low, like the C string of a cello.
Liu Yu extended his hand. "Call me, Liu."
The two sat down and talked about the script. Daniel didn't have many questions, and every single one was on point.
Why did this character go into seclusion? What happened to him before?
"He lost everything—his wife, his children, his faith—nothing was left."
Daniel paused for a moment, then asked, "Then why did he save that little girl?"
"Because that little girl reminded him of what he had lost."
Daniel paused for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."
The night Hong Jinbao's team arrived, Liu Yu treated everyone to dinner.
Hong Jinbao was wearing a loose black T-shirt, his belly was round and chubby, and he walked with a swaying gait, like an adorable panda.
His eyes didn't match his size; they were bright and sharp.
He sat down next to Liu Yu and said in somewhat broken Mandarin, "Director Liu, don't worry. I'll take care of the action sequences. Just tell me what kind of feeling you want, and I'll arrange everything for you, how fast, and to what extent."
"Teacher Hong, what I need is realism, not just flashy moves. The male lead isn't a martial arts master; he's a special agent with real combat experience. Every move he makes must have a purpose, not just for show."
Hong Jinbao thought for a moment, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "That's the pragmatic approach, clean and efficient, without any unnecessary complications. I understand."
.......
May 1st, Chinatown, Los Angeles.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 AM.
The streets of Chinatown are narrow, lined with shops with Chinese signs, selling everything from roast meats and medicinal herbs to souvenirs.
The film crew set up a simple altar on an open space at the end of the street, with fruit, roast suckling pig, incense burner, and a statue of Guan Yu on it.
This is what Hung Kam-po meant: "It's unlucky not to worship Guan Gong when making action movies."
Liu Yu neither believes in nor opposes this; everyone just wants peace of mind.
Liu Yu was wearing a black T-shirt. He stood in front of the offering table, holding three incense sticks in his hand.
Daniel stood to his left, also holding three incense sticks in his hand, looking somewhat confused, probably because it was his first time participating in such an Eastern-style opening ceremony.
He turned his head and asked Liu Yu in a low voice, "What should I do?"
"Just follow my instructions."
Daniel nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Yang Zi stood to Liu Yu's right, also holding three incense sticks in her hand.
Hong Jinbao stood at the very front and had the loudest voice.
"First bow to Heaven! Second bow to Earth! Third bow to Guan Yu! May he bless our 'Lone Agent' with peace and success!"
Several Chinese passersby stopped to watch the spectacle, and some even took out their cameras to take pictures.
"Power on!"
Liu Yu shouted, and the staff lit the firecrackers hanging to the side.
Daniel stood to the side, unfazed by the firecrackers; he raised an eyebrow slightly.
Liu Yu walked to the camera, bent down, and lifted the red cloth covering the camera body.
He straightened up and looked around. Daniel, Yang Zi, Yan Danchen, Hong Jinbao, Zhong Lifang, David, and dozens of staff members from both China and the United States stood around him, watching him.
"The Man from Nowhere, Scene One, Take One. Action!"