Chapter 49: A New Fairy Tale

Brooksheimer slowly closed the script in his hand, and then asked solemnly to Ecks, who was sitting across from him and sipping his coffee leisurely, "Are you sure he just wants to have some fun?"

"What do you think?" The corners of Axe's mouth gently rose, and a wry hint appeared in his eyes, using Lin Ming Yang's script as "bait", he could really catch this "big fish", Brooksheimer.

Brooksheimer was holding the script that Lin Mingyang had just finished, which was a modern version of the Cinderella story. Susan, a high school girl, lives under the shadow of her selfish stepmother and two mean half-sisters, and she is not only subjected to their instructions and insults every day, but also takes care of all the household chores like a maid. Susan only hopes to get into Princeton University so that she can leave the warmth of her family behind.

Austin, the hero of the story, is the popular basketball captain at school. His glamorous appearance hides his fragile heart, and he lives in the midst of other people's judgment, not daring to live his own life.

These two teenagers with different situations meet through the Internet and open their hearts to understand each other through chatting with each other. Both of their lives become better, and to be precise, they start an online love affair.

They make a date to meet at a Halloween masquerade ball. At the ball, dressed as Cinderella, Susan returns to reality somewhat disheartened when she realizes that her online confidant turns out to be Austin Ames, the school's number one popular basketball captain, Susan fears that Austin will leave her once he learns her secret. So she chooses to leave sadly before the clock strikes twelve at night, not wanting Austin to find out who his princess really is. But when she left, she accidentally lost her cell phone, which became the basis of Austin's search for the "princess".

With the help of his friends, Austin organizes a romantic ceremony on campus in front of the whole school, hoping that the owner of the phone will return to him. Susan, who was hiding in the crowd, witnessed the whole ceremony, and although she was very touched, her low self-esteem still made her choose to retreat.

When Austin finally discovers Cinderella's true identity, the look of dismay on his face breaks Susan's heart, and she receives a rejection letter from Princeton University. Unable to leave her home, and without the rescue of the prince, Susan has no choice but to continue to work for her stepmother and stepsisters as Cinderella for the rest of her life.

While at work, Susan overhears a conversation between a young mother and her young daughter in a restaurant. The little girl had just finished reading the story of Cinderella and asked her mother what Cinderella's life would be like without the prince. The wise mother then told her daughter that the prince on the white horse always likes to be late, so a happy and wonderful life needs to be created by oneself.

The conversation between mother and daughter inspires Susan, who finally finds the courage to reject her stepmother's exploitation and pursue her ideal life, and in the process save the prince, who has always been afraid to live his own life.

This is a story that has existed in Lin Mingyang's mind for a long time. During the writing process, he made some modifications and added some transitional episodes to make the plot flow more naturally.

"What I mean is, if Felix agrees, I'm willing to buy the script and find an experienced director to complete the filming, but of course the male lead can still be left to Felix," out of his appreciation for the script and Lin Ming Yang himself, the conditions offered by Brooksheimer were already not easy.

"So you also favor this script?" Ecks was very "cunning", he didn't reply positively, but managed to change the topic.

"Of course!" Brooksheimer rubbed his hands together excitedly, a habit he had developed over the years. "Cinderella is a favorite pattern for screenwriters to latch onto in love stories, and obviously Felix has followed that with this script, but he's been very chic with this story. He's borrowed the plot from one of the more accepted ways of making friends with strangers for young Americans: the Internet."

"Internet socialization is currently notoriously controversial in mainstream America." Eckles offers a different view.

"But Felix's story has no inclination to encourage online dating, nor is that the main thrust of the script. Overcoming the shadow of a fragile, inferior mind and facing life's trials and tribulations positively is the real flavor. And the image of a Cinderella in pink sneakers and a phone in her hand runs counter to tradition, though it comes closer to realistic romance." Brooksheimer countered.

Ecks nodded, at least in terms of thematic ideas, Lin Mingyang's script had been recognized by the other party. He leaned his body forward slightly and made a gesture of listening.

"I've received a lot of similar scripts, but Felix's story caught my eye, he designed to subvert the traditional Cinderella love pattern, the ending is unexpected, but it's this feeling of surprise that the audience walks into the movie theater looking for. Cinderella completed the self-salvation, and incidentally also saved the prince, this courage to break the shackles, seeking the spirit of self, is the reality of the people to be respected. This kind of design makes the whole story out of mediocrity, so I am full of interest in this script." Brooksheimer paused, and then very seriously reintroduced the conditions just now, "Felix is no longer excellent, he is after all just a 16 year old kid now, Mr. Ecks, as his agent, I think you should guide him correctly instead of letting him act recklessly, I don't want such a young man with infinite potential to be buried just like this. "

"His stubbornness is beyond your imagination." Ecks smiled helplessly, "All the reasoning I have spoken to him, if he was willing to accept it, I wouldn't have come to you today."

"What can I do?" Brooksheimer made a trip with both hands, "You told me to take this script and tell the investors that the director of the movie is a sixteen year old boy, so who would still want to invest?"

"You are, after all, different from other producers." Ecks explained patiently.

"It sounds ridiculous to put all my reputation on the line and expect a young boy with absolutely no experience to make me a perfect movie!" Brooksheimer shook his head like a rattle.

"Felix is willing to cover the filming costs himself if no investors are willing to put up the money." Ecks' words were like a heavy bomb, leaving Brooksheimer on the opposite side of the table at a loss as to how to respond.

"For this script, I'll give him half a million dollars, and let him pay for the rest since he's willing!" Brooksheimer admitted that he admired Lin Ming Yang very much, but the boy's stubbornness also caused a headache. After some intense ideological struggle, eventually Brooksheimer's emotions overcame reason, "But I'll say it in advance, if he makes a movie I'm not satisfied with, even if I don't want that half a million dollars, I'm not going to help him invest another penny in publicity and distribution!"

----

Because he had been so busy filming, Lin Ming Yang had alienated himself from his school life, although the topic about him had been a great deal of fun for the teachers and students of Moss High School. People talked about all the things he had done in Hollywood, about the novel he had just published, and in this lively atmosphere everyone had habitually forgotten that the Fire Foxes had not done well in the league due to his absence, and that this year's finals basically had nothing to do with them anymore.

Lin Mingyang also learned of this news only through Reed, although some guilt, but after all, the basketball court can not carry his dream. Thankfully the friendship between him and Reed did not change with the change in Lin Ming Yang's identity. The photos he took with Lin Mingyang have now become the capital that Ruide brags about to his friends around him. And those collector's edition novels of Twilight with Lin Mingyang's autographs made Reed even more popular in school.

Through Ruide, Lin Mingyang has always kept the school's recent information updated, but walking in the campus that has not changed much, he obviously felt a rusty, more of a change of heart. Lin Mingyang came back just in time for an exam, and despite missing a lot of classes, his grades were still unsurpassed, something that made both the school administration and Lin Mingyan's parents feel relieved.

Of course this popular Hollywood idol's return to school also brought some trouble to Moss Middle School, often there would be reporters who would mix into the school in various ways for various reasons, which seriously disrupted the normal teaching order of the school.

If only these, the school deployed more security personnel will be able to solve, more trouble is, back to school a few days Lin Mingyang do not know where to get the inspiration, actually ready to shoot a movie in the school. This news from the mouth of this "authority" Ruide, naturally caused quite a stir in the school, everyone is talking about it, and some people have begun to ask Ruide for more details about the movie.

The students discussed this matter enthusiastically every day, and their minds were not in the classroom at all, which caused many teachers to complain, and finally the new principal, Matthew, had to call Lin Mingyang to his office.

Lin Mingyang didn't have the same kind of apprehension as the other students when he pushed the door in, he politely expressed his greetings to Matthew, and his words and demeanor made it impossible for the other party to pick any faults.

"Mr. Matthew, congratulations on becoming the principal, this is the most exciting change I've heard since I returned to Moss Middle School!" Before the conversation even started, Lin Mingyang gave the other party a high hat.

"This is the trust that the school board members have placed in me, so it's all the more reason for me not to let them down." Matthew nodded, although he couldn't talk about how deeply he knew Lin Mingyang, he had become wary from the start of Lin Mingyang's compliments. "Actually, the biggest change still happened to you, the school's basketball captain to Hollywood's brightest rising star, such an experience is unprecedented in the history of Moss High School."

"You flatter me!" Lin Ming Yang smiled humbly, if he only looked at his appearance, it was really easy to be confused by his human and harmless expression.

"Your grades haven't dropped in any way, and for that I'm very pleased!" Matthew suddenly changed his words, "Unfortunately without your participation, the Firefox team's results this year are not ideal, and Coach Jefferson has already submitted his resignation to the school administration."

"I'm sorry about that too."

"You don't need to take any responsibility for that, the school encourages and respects each student's individual choices." Matthew lightly dismissed the topic, "I've heard that you've recently had a new idea to make a movie at the school?"

"Is that the main reason you called me here?"

"Is there anything in the school that is more popular with the students than this?" Matthew asked rhetorically, "Everyone's enthusiasm for this matter is far beyond my imagination."

"In fact the situation may be a little more serious than you imagined!" Lin Mingyang pointed to the window facing the back of Matthew's seat, "You can take a look out the window."

Matthew stood up with a face full of doubt, then quickly walked over to the window, and the scene outside made him immediately freeze. The small plaza downstairs was already packed with students, and on the fountain in the center of the plaza, a few boys were pulling an eye-catching sign, "Love Movies, Love Life!"

Matthew immediately understood what was going on, Lin Mingyang had politely pulled a lot of crap with himself when he came in, even making a vain attempt to be taught, just to buy time for the students downstairs to gather.

Although there was a feeling of his authority being challenged, Matthew who saw this scene didn't immediately get angry, he calmly returned to his seat, before he could say anything, the secretary who had been working outside came in in a panic, "Mr. Principal, downstairs..."

"I've already seen it!" Matthew waved his hand, signaling him to go out first.

"It seems that your popularity among the students is beyond my imagination."

Feeling the other party's burning gaze staring at his face, Lin Mingyang didn't choose to escape, but rather met him quite frankly.

"This is a common wish shared by everyone."

"Then how do you plan to end it?" Matthew sat motionless, "Using this kind of coercion to force the school to agree to your demands?"

"It's just a request." Lin Mingyang corrected Matthew's statement, he didn't want to make a deadlock with the school authority over this matter, "In fact, Moss Middle School has already had a precedent for this, I just want to set up a scene in the school and then get proper cooperation from the school, such a request isn't too much to ask for."

"A fee must be charged for the use of the venue, and the filming must not interfere with normal teaching." What gave Matthew the biggest headache right now wasn't Lin Mingyang's request, but how to appease the students.

"So you agree?" Lin Mingyang didn't expect things to go so smoothly.

"The school never said anything against this." A wry smile appeared on Matthew's face, but then he put on a stern face and took out a dignified stance. "But what happened out there, you have to give me an explanation for that as well, don't tell me it's just a coincidence!"

In Lin Ming Yang's initial plan, he hadn't actually used a strike rally as such as a bargaining chip with the school administration. Reed made the suggestion, and he was responsible for organizing and planning the whole thing, and much to Lin Ming Yang's surprise, Reed actually succeeded.

Lin Ming Yang stood at the window and made an OK gesture towards the crowd below, and then a loud cheer erupted from the square. The crowd began to disperse in an orderly fashion, and Reed, who was mixed in with the crowd, waved his hand towards Lin Ming Yang and whistled an incomparably loud whistle. This time, organizing the protest had brought Ruide out of the limelight, but the black pot could only be taken by Lin Ming Yang himself. In the end, Lin Ming Yang accepted a written warning from the school authorities and promised to volunteer at the school for two weeks before the matter was sorted out.

Walking out of the principal's office, Lin Ming Yang received a text message from Ecks that read:

"Fishing success!"