The Best Director

“The newest member of the Justice League, the superhero Wonder Yang!”

This was the cover headline of the latest entertainment edition of The New York Times. Mark Slant and his professional team were incredibly efficient; on the very day they arrived in New York, they had reached out to Brianna and her mother. The African-American mother, Carmen, had no idea that the young man who had saved her daughter that day was Wang Yang; she didn’t even know who Wang Yang was, so naturally, she was unaware of the incident.

However, after learning about Wang Yang’s current plight, Ms. Carmen was more than willing to speak out for him. Mark Slant immediately arranged an interview with The New York Times for a detailed special report, clarifying the ins and outs of the whole matter.

As it turned out, the reason the young Chinese director had been at the hospital was not for treatment, but to save a 7-year-old girl, Brianna, who was having an asthma attack. That day, as Ms. Carmen was rushing her daughter to the hospital, she went down a one-way street in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, she nearly hit a parked car. A callous police officer stopped her and, in disregard of Brianna’s urgent need for medical attention, actually tried to arrest Ms. Carmen. In this critical moment, the passing Wang Yang stepped forward; he carried the little girl for three blocks to the hospital, saving her life in the nick of time.

“I am extremely, extremely grateful to Mr. Wang Yang!” Facing the camera, Ms. Carmen’s expression was one of sincere gratitude as she excitedly said, “I cannot describe how thankful I am to him. At that time, I was so panicked I couldn’t even speak, just letting that officer block our way. Then, that young man shouted, ‘I’ll carry her to the hospital! Stop wasting time!’ After that, he handed me his wallet and ID and took Brianna away.”

Ms. Carmen’s expression was one of great relief, she made the sign of the cross on her chest and said, “The doctor said five minutes later and my daughter would have been gone! I can’t bear to think of what it would be like without Brianna, I just can’t imagine… Thank God, thanks to the doctors, and Mr. Wang Yang, for keeping Brianna by my side.” Regarding the police officer and Cole Randston, she was visibly furious, “That officer is a disgrace; he almost killed my daughter. I will sue him! I hope he has the decency to come forward and admit his wrongdoing. Cole Randston? There indeed was a guy with a camera following Mr. Wang that day. He didn’t help; I saw him, he was laughing.”

Little girl Brianna also voiced her support for Wang Yang, saying, “I really thank that brother, he is a good person! Mom said if it wasn’t for him, I would have gone to a very, very faraway place, but I don’t want to leave my mom and dad.”

As for the incident, Palek Private Hospital confirmed that they indeed saved Brianna that day. The director of the Emergency Room, Dr. Bobby Wehos, was surprised as he said, “So that young man was Wonder Yang? Oh! I only found out now; he was drenched in sweat at the time, like he had been fished out of water, I didn’t recognize him. He came running in, carrying Brianna, and was crying ‘Save her, save her’; he was very agitated. I wouldn’t have thought they were siblings. Honestly, I was puzzled at the time, but now I know the truth, it’s very touching.”

So why did Wang Yang assault Cole Randston? Wang Yang’s official spokesman, Bedes Bill, told The New York Times, “While Mr. Wang was carrying Brianna to the hospital, Cole Randston kept obstructing him, physically interfering, delaying the rescue. When Mr. Wang heard the doctor say ‘the patient’s heartbeat has stopped,’ and with Cole Randston’s mockery on the side, he lost control of his rage and hit out.”

Speaking of this, Bedes Bill said very seriously and angrily, “Everyone knows that a patient in need of CPR must be attended to without wasting a second, even a minute can mean life or death! But I want to remind everyone that Cole Randston was physically holding Mr. Wang back the whole time, delaying at least 5 minutes. That’s also why a 19-year-old young man lost control and hit someone.”

A nurse from Palek Private Hospital remembered that day saying, “That journalist was constantly taking pictures of Wonder Yang and they exchanged a few words, I couldn’t hear clearly, but the journalist had a provocative smile on his face, like he was saying, ‘Come on, hit me,’ and then Wonder Yang smashed his camera, and the fight started.”

The New York Times’ editor-in-chief finally commented, “When everyone thought this young director was a violent maniac, a villain, it turned out not to be the case at all; he is a new superhero. In the world of comics and movies, it’s taken for granted that superheroes fight the bad guys, ignoring the presence of the law; but in the real world, the law is the highest and most sacred. So, what do you think of Wonder Yang?”

With the publication of this report, the truth was finally laid bare. As it spread rapidly, Wang Yang’s fans breathed a sigh of relief and erupted with passion! They voiced their support for Wang Yang on the official Flame Movies website, various forums, and didn’t stop berating Cole, proving once again that paparazzi are no good! “Cole Randston is trash, I support Wonder Yang for beating him up; he has no professional ethics or humanity, he should be thrown in the electric chair!” “Just looking at his pathetic face makes me sick, he is a shameless *****!■■

Some netizens commented, “It suddenly reminded me of the reason why USC expelled Wonder Yang, racial discrimination? Please, guys! Now it just proves how ridiculous that was!” Their comments received a lot of support, especially from the African-American fans who had always had a bit of distrust and reservations about the expulsion incident, all changed their attitudes and began to support Wang Yang anew.

A girl called “Kayla” claimed that one of the police officers who took Wang Yang away that day was her father. She showed off Wang Yang’s autograph she had gotten on the biggest unofficial fan forum “Forever-young.” Her words were filled with joy and happiness, “I already gave my dad a lecture! But I have to say, this is so awesome, I got a unique autograph!” After expressing her excitement, she wrote, “Yang has taught me so much, his deeds in ‘Paranormal Activity’ have always inspired me; in ‘High School Musical’ he told me to pursue myself; and now he’s saved a little girl! This makes me like him even more! Yang is my forever idol!”

Of course, there were quite a few who insisted that hitting others is not right, especially Jessica’s fans, who continued to push for her to dump Wang Yang, “I still think Jessica should break up with him, this incident at least shows he has a violent streak, Jessica is in danger at any time!” and “Jessica, it’s time to be single!”

But overall, Wang Yang’s popularity did not decline, but instead went up a lot with the increased attention! Before he was a sunny, positive, Mr. Nice Guy type of quality idol, now he has an added “heroic touch.” In the words of female fans, that’s “even more manly!”

This result also allowed Mark-Stranton to breathe a sigh of relief, finally fulfilling his duties. Throughout this incident, it was Mark-Stranton who had been doing all the work, with Wang Yang not exerting much effort, which he was very satisfied with. But Mark-Stranton had his hands full; his main job as the CEO of Flame Films meant he naturally had a huge amount of work to handle; now, he also had the additional role of “Wang Yang’s agent,” which was fine once or twice, but over time it became too much and started to affect the operation of the company.

Wang Yang also understood this, so he prepared to hire a professional agent to take over these miscellaneous tasks from Mark-Stranton.

Although the truth had now come to light, it didn’t mean the end of the matter, nor did it mean Wang Yang was off the hook because Cole had not dropped the lawsuit. Public opinion is one thing, the law is another. The New York police had transferred this intentional injury case to the court, and the trial was set to begin in November of this year. Vincent Grant told Wang Yang to be psychologically prepared, these kinds of cases could last a year or two, which wouldn’t be unusual, especially now that the substantial evidence was not in his favor, convincing the judge and jury wouldn’t happen overnight.

So, the outcome of this case might only be known much later.

Luckily, this didn’t affect Wang Yang’s personal freedom, the nature of the case wasn’t so serious as to require that, as long as he attended the hearings on time.

Time quickly moved to September, and in that week, Wang Yang and Jessica enjoyed a short vacation, traveling through New York’s famous sights and landmarks, spending each day in happiness and sweetness. Ethan Lachter, who was paid ten thousand US dollars a day, proved his worth with driving skills that shook off the paparazzi, as well as vigilance in spotting suspicious characters, ensuring the couple’s dates were undisturbed.

Reluctant to part, Jessica boarded a plane to Salt Lake City to join the cast of ‘High School Musical 2’; Natalie, who would star in ‘Juno’, also flew to Boston to begin her college career. She would call Wang Yang the next day with all sorts of bizarre questions. Juno is allergic to dog saliva, but what does she really think of dogs? What is Juno’s view on vegetarians?

Wang Yang answered each question very seriously, but on some aspects he simply hadn’t considered, he simply let Natalie decide for herself. However, he became increasingly convinced that postponing the shooting of ‘Juno’ was the right decision. Seeing Natalie’s earnestness, it was hard to imagine she wouldn’t do a good job portraying Juno next June; the Juno might not be like Ellen Page’s, but Natalie would create a unique Juno of her own.

During this short vacation, Wang Yang accepted an exclusive interview with ‘Time Magazine’, shot a few sets of photos in the studio, one of which showed him wearing a black suit with a smile, became the cover of the latest issue of ‘TIME’, “The Next ‘King of the World’.” The entire interview discussed Wang Yang’s success and his mindset in facing it, as well as his views on the future of movies and the movie industry.

“The thresholds for future movies will be both higher and lower,” Wang Yang responded to Dennis Waller’s question. He explained, “Lower, because anyone can make a movie with a home DV camera and then edit it on a home PC, everyone can make ‘Paranormal Activity’ and be a director; higher because, with the maturation of Imax technology and the advancement of computer special effects, the production costs of commercial blockbusters are bound to become more expensive.”

In this interview, there were also some questions about his personal life, and for the first time, he revealed some lesser-known facts, such as that he and Jessica were elementary school classmates.

This came from a question by Dennis Waller, “You and Jessica are one of the most watched couples right now, but everyone says you’ll break up soon, how do you view this relationship?”

“Haha, we are very close, and I’ve said before that I wouldn’t answer this kind of question again, but here I’ll say a bit more,” Wang Yang laughed amusedly. “Jessica and I have known each other for ten years now. Yes, we were briefly classmates in elementary school, and very good friends. Later she moved to Los Angeles, and we lost touch until that period just after I was expelled from USC, when we miraculously reconnected. She has always encouraged me, supported me, and then we fell in love. It’s been amazing, and we cherish it very much. Rest assured, our relationship is rock-solid!”

The revelation also caused Wang Yang and Jessica’s fans to exclaim in surprise. God, can you believe it!? Immediately, fans flipped back to that episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show with Wang Yang, and sure enough, he had talked about it then. It was that friend’s question, “Is your drcam still alive?” that drove him to make up his mind to film Paranormal Activity, and that friend turned out to be Jessica!

So, they didn’t meet and fall in love because of High School Musical. Perhaps ten years ago, they had already played “boyfriend and girlfriend” games; maybe they even made a pact back then to grow up and make movies together! It’s incredibly romantic and beautiful, but it also made many of Wang Yang and Jessica’s fans wail in despair, realizing that the couple would not be returning to singlehood anytime soon. It seemed the one-year wait they had anticipated now extended to two.

However, an even more exciting piece of news came from the interview, when Dennis Waller asked about the progress and expectations for Wang Yang’s next movie, Juno, he surprisingly said, “Juno will probably meet everyone in next year’s Christmas season, but before that, I will have another new movie released, called The Pursuit of Happyness.”

Another new movie?! The Pursuit of Happyness?! With no further information, what kind of movie could it be? Just as the fans were bubbling with excitement, Flare Films confirmed the news on their official website. Due to issues with casting the female lead, Juno’s filming schedule would be delayed; but Wang Yang would be shooting an inspirational biographical film set in the ’80s San Francisco, namely The Pursuit of Happyness.

“When ‘Phenomenal Yang’ announced the plan for Juno not even two months ago, he has now declared another film project at such an astonishing frequency and speed that one can’t help but question his sincerity. With such rapid and prolific output, is he heading for the Golden Raspberry Hall of Fame? I used to have high expectations for Juno, but now I’ve changed sides. This superhero seems to be a bit feverish!” Roger Ebert from the Chicago Sun-Times said. The film critic, who had previously given Wang Yang nicknames like ‘Phenomenal Yang’ and ‘phenomenal director’, began to feel less optimistic about Yang’s two upcoming films next year, even ending with a sarcastic comment, “Maybe in another two months, the youngster will announce a new film project.”

Roger Ebert’s “betrayal” almost reflected the attitude of critics and media. Firstly, they expressed their doubts about Wang Yang’s sincerity; and secondly, they did not have high hopes for The Pursuit of Happyness. An inspirational biopic directed by a 19-year-old? Whose biography would he be shooting? His own? That’s a joke! The Cinema News bluntly asked, “Has ‘Phenomenal Yang’ gone crazy?” Only a few media outlets that Flare Films’ PR had good relations with showed anticipation.

The fans reacted even more strongly. Wang Yang’s loyal fans, especially the female ones, firmly supported him, believing that ‘Phenomenal Yang’ would surprise them again. Female fan Kayla said, “Last year when Yang announced he wouldn’t make a horror film and would make a high school musical instead, I remember everyone said he had gone crazy too. But what’s the result now? Whether it’s Juno or The Pursuit of Happyness, I believe they will be excellent movies.”

Of course, there were also many fans who agreed with Roger Ebert: “With the information currently available about Juno, at least it seems to be a campus drama, and the campus is Wang Yang’s familiar terrain. Making a romantic love story, there’s a very good chance of it being a good film. But now he wants to make a biopic set in 1980s San Francisco? Please, he was just a baby back then. Can he do it well? It’s hard to believe.”

But whether they are optimistic or not, it all forms part of the attention and expectation.

Wang Yang didn’t pay attention to these doubting voices. He knew that the success of a movie didn’t rely on people’s opinions before it’s made, but on the actual filming, editing, and the promotion afterwards. The most important and crucial point was, to make a good movie!

“Hey, Michael.” In the spacious open-air balcony filled with potted plants, Wang Yang leaned against the railing, inhaling the scent of the flowers nearby, and felt utterly content as he looked up at the clear blue sky. He turned around, glanced at the large lawn below the hotel, and said with a smile on his phone, “You heard about it, right? Yeah, Juno will start filming in June next year.”

Michael Pitt’s voice sounded a bit disappointed on the other end of the line, “Yang, honestly, I can hardly wait.” He chuckled softly, “I really wish I could wake up tomorrow and it would be June 2000.”

“Don’t be in such a hurry, prepare well for this role!” Wang Yang said earnestly, and to ensure Michael Pitt could focus on his acting career and preparing for “Juno,” he had signed a contract with Michael early on, with a payment of $300,000. With that money, Michael Pitt wouldn’t need to work part-time anymore. Wang Yang then added mysteriously, “I’ll let you in on a secret, but don’t tell anyone, Juno will be played by Natalie Portman.”

Michael Pitt gave an “Oh” and said listlessly, “The one you had rumors with? Your dream girl?”

Hearing this, Wang Yang almost flipped over the railing. Fortunately, he regained his balance and avoided tomorrow’s headlines saying “Wang Yang fell from building and died.” He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, “Michael, it’s a good thing I’m in New York. Otherwise, I’d beat you so hard you’d be looking for your teeth, and that would have been another case of intentional injury! But this is perfect, I’ll get to handle two cases at once.”

“I won’t sue you,” Michael Pitt laughed heartily, his voice finally carrying a hint of sunshine, “Yang, is it really Natalie Portman playing Juno? That girl is a terrific actress; I’m feeling the pressure now.”

“She’s amazing, and she’s taking this very, very seriously!” Wang Yang said, dragging out his words. He thought about Natalie’s bizarre questions and couldn’t help but laugh, speaking into the phone, “I don’t know if she’s always like this when she takes on a film role, but I can feel her determination—the kind that says ‘I am Juno!’ You know what? She’s even going to live as Juno in her day-to-day life. I’m a bit scared she might become too immersed in the role.”

Michael Pitt replied with a light chuckle, “Then I should also live as Paulie in my daily life.”

“Hmm, practice well, prepare well, don’t waste these six months, don’t lose to Natalie Portman! I know you can do it,” Wang Yang encouraged Michael, which was indeed his expectation of Michael. He inhaled the fragrance of flowers and headed back into his room, saying, “Alright, I’ve got to get back to work, you know, preparing the screenplay for ‘The Pursuit of Happyness.\'”

“Okay,” Michael Pitt responded, and just as Wang Yang was about to end the call, Michael suddenly laughed again, “By the way, congratulations on making the cover of Time Magazine, but Harry said that the photo was awful and that your hairstyle was hilarious.” Wang Yang pretended to be shocked, “Harry said that? Oh, that terrible fatty! Good thing I’m in New York, otherwise he’d be losing more than a hundred pounds!”

Wang Yang chuckled and put the phone back in his pocket, walking into the bedroom of his apartment suite and sitting down at the desk. He stared at the laptop screen; the screenplay for “The Pursuit of Happyness” was nearly complete. He was passionate about the story and empathized with it, but he always felt something was missing. Perhaps he hadn’t fully grasped the story, or maybe he hadn’t yet fully felt that sincere father-son connection.

After staring at the script for a long time in silence, Wang Yang took out his phone and dialed a number—Sandy Parks, the production manager at Flame Films. As soon as the call connected, he said, “Sandy, help me get in contact with Chris Gardner. I hope to have a face-to-face talk with him.” On the other end, Sandy Parks asked perplexedly, “Who is Chris Gardner?” Wang Yang explained, “Didn’t you want to know whose biography ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ is? It’s Chris Gardner’s. He’s a very famous investment expert. I once listened to an interview with him on KQED when I was still in high school. His story is fantastic; it would make a great movie.”

It was true; back then, KQED (San Francisco Public Broadcasting Radio) had invited Chris Gardner to share his success story. Wang Yang had listened to that episode and clearly remembered Chris Gardner’s words, “The secret to success lies in your perseverance and hard work.”

Sandy Parks said, “Alright, Chris Gardner, I got it. I’ll contact him immediately.”