Chapter 117: Xinle Animation Department

Chapter 117: Xinle Animation Department

Zhang Le knew how to draw, and he was quite good at it. Thus, he could tell that Lin Ye’s technical skills were indeed impressive, but the story he was illustrating was as stale and cliché as they come.

Lin Ye nodded as he looked toward Zhang Le, his expression betraying a hint of trepidation. He was genuinely curious about what his brother-in-law, the big celebrity, would think of his work. He wanted to know if Zhang Le was like everyone else, dismissing his manga as worthless.

"Your technique is superb, and your art style has a distinct character of its own. However, this story of yours is not exactly crowd-pleasing," Zhang Le said with a smile as he handed the sketchbook back.

"No matter how excellent your technique or how popular your style may be, it only captures the eye for a fleeting moment. If the story isn't compelling, how can you expect people to keep reading?" Zhang Le continued.

"You’re right," Lin Ye said after a long silence, sounding somewhat discouraged. He was not a man gifted at weaving tales.

"Did my mother or the others say something to my brother-in-law?" Lin Ye asked, looking at Zhang Le. Though shy by nature, he wasn't a fool. Zhang Le wouldn't bring this up for no reason.

"Do you really want to draw manga?" Zhang Le asked.

Lin Ye nodded, though his expression remained dejected.

"Our company is planning to establish an animation department to break into the animation market," Zhang Le said with a smile. "I can provide you with a concept, even a story outline. If you can draw it to my satisfaction, I will help you publish it and even adapt it into an animation. However, let’s be clear upfront: the film and television rights will belong to me. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Lin Ye asked, surprised.

"It’s the New Year; you don't think I’d waste my time teasing you with this, do you?" Zhang Le chuckled.

"Thank you!" Lin Ye said, a smile finally breaking across his face.

By requesting the film and television adaptation rights, Zhang Le confirmed what Lin Ye had already guessed. Zhang Le likely already had the blueprint for a movie in his mind. Beyond wanting to expand the project's influence, the main reason for letting him draw the manga was, no doubt, the fact that he was Lin Yun’s younger brother—and Lin Yun was the wife of Zhang Le’s brother.

Lin Ye was well aware of his own shortcomings. With a good concept and a compelling story, he was confident that his manga would be well-received.

During the Spring Festival, the days were spent visiting relatives.

On the third day of the lunar new year, Lin Yun’s parents and her younger brother left happily, not staying long as they had many other relatives to visit.

Today, it was the turn of Zhang Le’s uncle to host, so Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er were now the guests, meaning they were the ones being catered to. The two of them finally found some downtime.

Zhang Le had no intention of going back on his promise to be interviewed by Yu Ling. The three of them found a spot by the reservoir, finding a unique charm in being interviewed amidst the beautiful scenery.

Yu Ling took out her digital recorder and notebook.

"Between making movies and singing, which do you both prefer?" Yu Ling asked.

"I like both! As for him, I think that doesn't need answering," Yang Xin’er said with a smile.

Zhang Le had answered this question in many interviews. He always branded himself as a director, simply laughing off labels like "actor" or "singer."

"The songs you both performed on the Spring Festival Gala stage were both written by Mr. Zhang Le, right?" Yu Ling asked, and after seeing them nod, she continued, "These two songs have become massive hits, sparking widespread discussion. Did you two anticipate this?"

Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er exchanged a glance. Zhang Le shook his head and said, "Neither of the songs were inherently destined to be hits. If they became popular, it’s perhaps because they were performed on the right stage. In the current music scene, songs praising love, youth, or electronic tracks tend to go viral. Only on special occasions or holidays do songs celebrating family bonds truly capture people's attention. The Spring Festival Gala is the moment when the whole nation is most homesick and family-oriented; performing such songs there is likely the reason they succeeded. Of course, I was just as surprised as anyone. When I wrote and sang them, it was purely an emotional release; I didn't think that far ahead."

"Do you think the popularity of these songs is solely due to them appearing on the right stage at the right time?" Yu Ling asked again. She knew that her editor-in-chief's decision to conduct an exclusive interview with Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er was largely because they had been deeply moved by those two songs during the gala.

"Heart-touching," Zhang Le said, shaking his head.

"Heart-touching," Yu Ling repeated, looking thoughtful. "That’s a wonderful way to put it. The songs are sincere, and they resonate deeply."

"You two have been together for over two years, right? Rumor has it you’ve never had a disagreement or a fight. Can you share the secret to your relationship?" Yu Ling asked. "And please, don't tell me it’s just because you’re in love."

"We’ve never really had a shouting match, but we have had our disagreements," Zhang Le laughed.

"Debates," Yang Xin’er corrected him.

"Right, debates. Nothing that could be called a fight. We don't get red-faced; we just present facts and logic, trying to persuade the other," Zhang Le smiled.

"And if you can't convince each other?" Yu Ling asked with a smile.

"Then we agree to disagree," Yang Xin’er replied. "Whether you're dating or married, you can't expect the other person to live according to your way of thinking! However, we haven't hit any fundamental, principled disagreements yet."

"If we have a difference of opinion on something, we try to put ourselves in the other's shoes and each take a step back to reach a consensus," Zhang Le said. "If you ask for the secret to our relationship, it’s really just about thinking of the other person more."

"So, which of you tends to give in more?" Yu Ling asked.

"Her!" / "Him!"

Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er answered in unison, almost without thinking, as if by reflex.

When they realized they had spoken at the same time, Yu Ling was surprised, but when she looked at them, she saw them gazing at each other with smiles, their eyes filled with deep affection.

Thinking of the other person is easy to say, but how hard it is to do! Yet, their simultaneous response proved that they had truly achieved it.

The interview for *China Youth Magazine* didn't leave much of an impression on Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er. They were long accustomed to such interviews. Perhaps the only memorable thing was that the reporter had tracked them all the way to their home.

On the fourth day of the New Year, Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er returned to Beijing. They were back to work before they had even rested for two days.

Zhang Le wasn't just paying lip service when he talked about establishing an animation department. With the advancement of special effects, animation would sooner or later become a genre highly favored by the masses. Every time he thought of the superheroes from his previous life, he couldn't help but marvel at how they were essentially money-printing machines.

And that wasn't even touching on *Transformers*, which, beyond manga, animation, and film, also commanded a massive toy market.

Xinle Film and Television’s success today was largely due to Zhang Le’s contributions. Although the company's top brass still had questions about forming an animation department, they worked diligently to make it happen. This was not only because Zhang Le was now the boss, but also because they trusted his talent.

Zhang Le rarely involved himself in the company's day-to-day management, but every decision he made had acted as a major catalyst for the company’s growth. Moreover, the domestic animation market was already showing signs of a potential boom.