"Director Zhang, we're not late for the screening, are we?"
Luo Zheng walked forward with a calm smile, his posture relaxed as if the earlier tension in the venue had never existed.
Zhang Yimou immediately stepped forward to greet him, the two men shaking hands warmly.
"Not at all," Zhang Yimou replied with a smile. "The timing is perfect."
"That's good." Luo Zheng nodded lightly. "Then let me first appreciate Director Zhang's masterpiece. As for this afternoon, I'll still have to trouble you for some guidance."
Zhang Yimou laughed and waved his hand modestly. "I wouldn't dare. We'll learn from each other."
The atmosphere had just started to settle when an unpleasant voice suddenly sliced through the conversation.
"Too late for guidance now."
Everyone turned.
Zhang Weiping stood there with a cold sneer on his face, his tone sharp and mocking.
"What kind of film can come out of a production that only cost fourteen thousand dollars? In my opinion, you should go back to school for a few years before coming out to scam investors."
The surrounding air instantly froze.
Luo Zheng's smile slowly faded.
For a moment, even the people nearby could clearly feel the temperature drop.
Kevin and Jon, after hearing the translation, immediately rolled up their sleeves and took half a step forward, but Luo Zheng casually raised a hand, stopping them.
His eyes moved toward Zhang Yimou first.
"Director Zhang," he said with a completely serious expression, "did you hear that?"
Zhang Yimou was stunned.
"Hear what?"
Luo Zheng tilted his head slightly.
"A dog barking."
For a brief second, the entire corridor fell silent.
Then—
"Pfft—"
Liu Xixi failed to hold it in and burst into laughter.
Her eyes immediately curved into crescents as she covered her mouth, clearly trying and failing to appear restrained.
As expected of her cousin.
He really never let even the slightest grievance pass.
Behind her, Liu Xiaoli's expression changed slightly, though even she couldn't deny that Zhang Weiping had asked for it.
Zhang Weiping's face turned red instantly.
"You little bastard!" he roared, pointing at Luo Zheng. "Do you even know who I am?"
Luo Zheng looked at him indifferently, his expression almost bored.
"Sorry," he said flatly, "I have no interest in learning the identity of an unleashed animal."
The words landed like a slap.
Zhang Weiping nearly exploded.
"You—!"
He lunged forward in rage.
Fortunately, Feng Xiaogang had just arrived and immediately grabbed him from behind.
"President Zhang, calm down!" Feng Xiaogang said urgently in a lowered voice. "This is Berlin. There are reporters everywhere."
That sentence finally forced Zhang Weiping to suppress his anger.
His face was dark as water as he glared at Luo Zheng, looking as if he wanted to tear him apart.
Xu Jinglei, standing beside Luo Zheng, frowned and tightened her hold on his arm, her eyes carrying clear hostility toward Zhang Weiping.
Dong Jie, meanwhile, quietly retreated toward the back of the crowd, her expression uncertain.
At this point, Zhao Benshan stepped forward to smooth things over.
"Alright, alright," he said with a laugh. "The screening is about to start. Let's watch the film first."
Feng Xiaogang quickly followed up.
"That's right, Boss Luo. Let's appreciate Director Zhang's work first. Anything else can be discussed later."
Zhang Weiping's eyes flickered with confusion.
He had already shown Feng Xiaogang his investigation results last night.
Marvel was a company that had been losing money for years.
So why was Feng Xiaogang still treating Luo Zheng with such courtesy?
Was it really just because he had spent time in America?
What exactly did this young man have?
The same confusion filled Dong Jie's mind.
She stood at the back, unable to understand why Feng Xiaogang's attitude had changed so drastically overnight.
No one explained it to them.
And Feng Xiaogang clearly had no intention of doing so.
How could sparrows understand the ambition of a swan?
Soon, under the guidance of the staff, the group entered the screening hall.
After the usual polite refusals over seating arrangements, Luo Zheng naturally took the central main seats, bringing Liu Xixi and Xu Jinglei with him.
Liu Xiaoli ended up seated slightly to the side.
The moment she sat down, her dissatisfaction grew.
For a woman he had just met, this brat had actually arranged his own aunt off to the side?
This little wolf really hadn't changed.
For a moment, all the slight improvement she had recently felt toward him vanished again.
No.
After the festival ended, she absolutely had to take Xixi back to the mainland.
Staying around Luo Zheng any longer would definitely corrupt her.
Meanwhile, several rows behind them, Dong Jie remained restless.
After hesitating for a long moment, she finally took out her phone and sent a message.
The recipient—
Xu Jinglei.
A few seconds later, Xu Jinglei's phone vibrated softly.
She glanced at Luo Zheng, who was currently watching the film with a calm and serious expression, before looking down at the message.
Sister Jinglei, Luo Zheng's company may be valued at 300 million dollars, but it's been losing money constantly and is about to go bankrupt. Didn't you know?
The moment she read it, the corners of Xu Jinglei's lips slowly lifted.
A faint smile appeared in her eyes.
So naïve.
She had truly overestimated Dong Jie.
Even if Marvel was losing money, did that erase the fact that Luo Zheng was currently the chairman of a listed American company?
At twenty-one years old, controlling assets worth hundreds of millions—
that alone was terrifying enough.
Not to mention the comic copyrights Marvel had already sold to major Hollywood studios.
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and others were all connected to him.
More importantly—
she had personally experienced exactly how "high-quality" this man was.
The thought alone made her smile deepen.
Without much hesitation, she typed back.
Don't you know who Brother Zheng sold Marvel's copyrights to? Fox, Warner, Sony… all of them are his partners. Don't let others use you, silly sister.
Dong Jie stared at the reply.
Her expression changed instantly.
Partners with Hollywood's Big Six?
Then what exactly had Zhang Weiping investigated?
Her gaze immediately turned cold as she glanced sideways.
Zhang Weiping noticed and raised an eyebrow.
Mistaking the look for something else, he actually leaned closer and reached a hand toward her.
The next second—
"AHH!"
A miserable scream suddenly rang through the quiet screening hall.
Everyone turned.
Zhang Weiping jerked his hand back, his fingers already red where Dong Jie had pinched him viciously.
He forced an awkward smile and bowed repeatedly to the surrounding audience.
After realizing he had embarrassed himself again, he could no longer remain seated.
With a dark expression, he stood up and left the screening room.
The movie itself passed smoothly.
It was a simple drama film, focused on the warmth and struggles of ordinary people at the bottom of society.
Compared to Zhang Yimou's more powerful works, it lacked some depth.
Still, Luo Zheng naturally offered praise afterward.
He complimented Zhao Benshan's performance, Dong Jie's pure and refreshing screen presence, and the emotional warmth of the film.
Every polite remark landed perfectly.
At noon, to apologize for the earlier conflict, Zhang Yimou insisted on hosting lunch.
Luo Zheng accepted.
Since the afternoon screening was more important, no one touched alcohol.
During the meal, the conversation gradually shifted toward the future of mainland cinema.
Luo Zheng casually shared several forward-looking perspectives on film industrialization and market expansion.
The more Zhang Yimou listened, the more shocked he became.
Some ideas sounded almost unbelievable.
Yet the logic behind them felt strangely convincing.
It was as if Luo Zheng was speaking from a future no one else had seen.
By the time lunch ended, even Zhang Yimou's gaze toward him had changed.
By afternoon, Screening Hall Three was already packed.
The seats were nearly full long before the screening began.
The reason was simple—
Luo Zheng's promotion strategy had worked.
The Berlin Film Festival brochure carried an eye-catching line:
This film costs less than a used car, but its ideas are worth an entire museum.
That extreme contrast had instantly triggered everyone's curiosity.
People wanted to see what kind of film could dare use such a slogan.
Even Feng Xiaogang couldn't help praising it.
"Boss Luo, the film hasn't even started yet and the audience is already overflowing."
Dong Jie, hearing the obvious flattery, couldn't help glancing over again.
Throughout lunch, she had clearly sensed that Luo Zheng's attitude toward her had cooled.
She knew why.
She hadn't responded in time.
And when Zhang Weiping provoked him earlier, she hadn't stepped forward.
Regret quietly began to spread inside her.
At that moment, Luo Zheng stepped onto the stage.
The spotlight fell on him.
Tall.
Handsome.
Composed.
His every movement carried an effortless confidence.
Thunderous applause erupted.
For a moment, Dong Jie found herself staring.
Xu Jinglei had been right.
She truly had been foolish.
Luo Zheng gave a short and elegant introduction, thanked the audience, and stepped down.
Then—
the lights dimmed.
The hall fell silent.
And The Man from Earth officially began.