Chapter 126

After learning of Gao Yuanyuan's recent situation, Cheng Chen did not linger at the set of The Divine Doctor and the Heroic Companion.

After wrapping up, he took Lai Shuiqing, Gao Yuanyuan, Zhuo Ge, Jia Jingwen, and the rest of the main cast out to dinner.

First, to thank Lai Dao for his care—if not for Lai Dao's recommendation, he might have missed out on the casting for Kung Fu.

Second, to thank him for looking after Gao Yuanyuan.

In this era, actors didn't yet overextend themselves like in the future, where some could shoot five or six dramas in a single day.

In severe cases, production crews even used chroma keying to replace actors who couldn't show up.

This led viewers to feel that actors could only stare wide-eyed and pout, unable to make any other expressions.

Gao Yuanyuan was juggling two dramas, frequently shuttling between cities across provinces, and sometimes couldn't arrive at the set on time.

This caused the entire crew to wait for her alone.

Since Cheng Chen called her "sister," wasn't it reasonable for the younger brother to treat the director to dinner on her behalf?

Of course, Cheng Chen never said it outright, but Lai Dao understood perfectly.

After dinner, Cheng Chen drove everyone back to the set, then returned to Jingcheng.

…

At 7:45 p. m.

Li Meng rushed home, turned on the TV, sat on the sofa, and switched to CCTV-1 with the remote.

"Xiao Meng, come eat first—your aunt brought clams from the countryside, stir-fried spicy, wrapped in steamed buns, so delicious!"

Her mother's voice came from the balcony, where the whole family was having dinner at a small table.

"The factory provided dinner—I already ate."

Li Meng kept her eyes fixed on the TV screen as she replied.

"Just eating a bun won't hurt—I'm telling you, these clams are called Huai He little abalone, very nutritious!"

Li Meng's mother called out again.

"Ugh, I said I don't want to eat—why are you so nagging?"

Li Meng snapped irritably.

"This kid—"

"Don't forget to watch the Weather Forecast."

"It's almost eight— the Weather Forecast already ended!"

Li Meng's grades were poor; she dropped out after ninth grade and now worked as a female laborer in a textile factory.

Since she was a local, the factory, facing cramped dorm space, let her live at home.

For Li Meng, who loved TV dramas, this was a perfect opportunity—she looked forward every day to coming home after work to watch dramas.

Recently, she became obsessed with a drama called The Great Dyeing Workshop.

Normally, business-war dramas weren't her thing, but her idol Cheng Chen also starred in it…

"Sis, I want to watch cartoons!"

Her younger brother walked over and said.

"Go away—I'll finish watching the drama first."

"By the time you finish the drama, the cartoons will be over!"

Her brother insisted stubbornly.

"What's a kid doing watching cartoons? How many points did you get on your monthly exam? If you bother me again, I won't sign your papers next time!"

"Then… okay."

Her younger brother, still in elementary school, sat sulking beside her.

Li Meng's younger brother wasn't the only one who became a "sacrifice."

This scene was playing out nearly nationwide.

Some parents forbade their children from watching cartoons, instead happily holding the remote to watch The Great Dyeing Workshop themselves.

Others, Cheng Chen's fans, demanded at home to watch his drama, clutching the remote.

Leaving aside that The Great Dyeing Workshop itself was a high-quality drama, blending business warfare, political intrigue, and more.

It broke from the sluggish pacing of past TV dramas—its plot was tight, full of twists and turns, leaving viewers breathless with excitement.

Although The Great Dyeing Workshop was a male-led drama, its supporting roles were also brilliantly portrayed.

Through this drama, middle-aged audiences got to know a playboy named Lu Jiaju.

Cheng Chen's fans were stunned by his white suit—his elegant, refined aura instantly overshadowed every other character in the drama.

"To be honest, Boss's modern outfit had me drooling—I'd love to have dinner with Boss!"

"Please, I'm not into business wars—Boss, just do an idol drama! I'm only forcing myself to watch this because of Boss's looks!"

"If you don't like it, don't watch—Boss's performance is amazing, but the drama itself is great too!"

Cheng Chen's fans discussed the plot and his performance on various forums.

As one of Cheng Chen's few semi-modern dramas, his modern appearance was truly refreshing.

Fans' requests for him to star in an idol drama weren't without reason.

After all, idol dramas were extremely popular now—hits like Meteor Garden, The Sky at Eighteen, and The Pink Lady.

The combo of handsome guys and beautiful girls was simply a feast for the eyes.

Not to mention the over-the-top romantic plots, which soaked every lovelorn boy and girl in tears.

Cheng Chen's physical advantages were obvious—through the portrayal of Lu Jiaju, fans grew even more eager to see his modern drama performances.

In fact, Cheng Chen had received many idol drama offers.

But he glanced at each one and tossed it aside—the scripts were stiff, and all were unoriginal adaptations from Japan or Korea.

Changing the broth but not the medicine makes one want to spit blood just by looking at it.

They didn't copy the essence, yet they copied over the other person's "treasure" intact.

The three treasures of Korean dramas: car crashes, cancer, and incurable illnesses…

If Cheng Chen really considers acting in an idol drama, he should at least pick some later-famous ones.

Forget 《Meteor Shower》…

……

After returning to Jingcheng, Cheng Chen hadn't even warmed his seat.

He was immediately dragged to the company by Wang Tianxiao.

"What's going on, Sister Xiaoxiao? Can't you let me rest a few more days?"

Cheng Chen complained.

To be honest, he's been extremely tired lately.

Since April, he's been busy with his new album.

Recording the album, producing MVs, running promotions, and so on.

As soon as the new album was released, he rushed straight to Modu.

He stayed with the 《Kung Fu》 crew for three months.

During those three months, besides facing Zhou Xingchi's almost absurdly high standards for acting,

he also had to design martial arts moves with Yuan Baye, leaving him mentally and physically exhausted.

"Hehe, I know you're tired—didn't I leave you alone for a whole week after you told me 《Kung Fu》 wrapped?"

Wang Tianxiao gave an awkward laugh; as the company's cash cow, she didn't want this guy holding a grudge against her.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Chen froze in place upon hearing her words.

"A whole week counts as rest… Your capitalist face is truly… beyond words."

Cheng Chen chuckled bitterly.

"Then… how about another week off?"

Wang Tianxiao realized she'd gone too far and quickly added.

"Fine, I'll stop expecting you to give me time off—what's so urgent you called me in today?"

Cheng Chen picked up his cup to drink, only to find it empty.

Wang Tianxiao hurriedly brewed him a cup of coffee and handed it to him with a smile.

"Look, your new album's been released, and the response speaks for itself—what's next…"

"No, Sister Xiaoxiao, please spare me—I really don't want to release another album right now."

Those hit songs didn't blow in from the wind; let's take it slow on the next album…"

Even though he's copying songs, releasing an album is exhausting work—he doesn't want to keep copying forever.

Seeing Cheng Chen's reaction, Wang Tianxiao realized he'd misunderstood her meaning and quickly said:

"Misunderstanding—I meant, with your current popularity, why not hold a concert?"

"A concert?"

Hearing Wang Tianxiao's words, Cheng Chen's eyes lit up.

Aside from endorsements and releasing albums, what's another way for singers to make money?

Answer: hold a concert.

Of course, some singers don't hold concerts purely for profit.

Concerts greatly improve a singer's live performance skills.

Such as cultivating stage presence, enhancing vocal ability, strengthening fan communication, and expanding personal influence.

For veteran singers, concerts are no longer just about making money—they're more about giving back to fans.

Wang Tianxiao's suggestion that Cheng Chen hold a concert has two purposes.

First: to make money—this is obviously the top priority.

Second: to further consolidate and expand Cheng Chen's influence.

Although Cheng Chen proved himself and achieved godlike status with 《Hualiao Wanjian》,

it's still not enough—aside from album sales, he hasn't held a single concert yet.

This clearly doesn't match his current status!

But soon Cheng Chen frowned—holding a concert isn't easy.

It requires going through many procedures.

Generally, these include: artist selection, performance approval application, promotion, ticket sales, performance execution,

and post-performance review—the six stages.

But for Cheng Chen, he can skip artist selection and post-performance review entirely.

The artist is already set—it's Cheng Chen—and as for post-performance review… it hasn't even started yet, so what's there to review?

As for venue selection, Jingcheng is unquestionable.

After all, it's Cheng Chen's home base, and Wang Tianxiao's influence can be fully unleashed there.

After selecting the venue, the next step is performance approval.

Approval means submitting the performer's relevant materials to authorities for review.

They will comprehensively examine the performance content.

To ensure no violence, reactionary imagery, or speech occurs during the show.

After approval, the organizer receives a performance license.

With this document, they can process visas and subsequent procedures for the artists...

Cheng Chen can hand all of this over to Wang Tianxiao to handle; the key is timing...

Wang Tianxiao clearly had just thought of this too, and she smiled slightly and said:

"I called you here to discuss the specific performance dates—how's your schedule looking lately?"

"Schedule? Besides a few endorsements and commercial gigs, I've been devoting the rest of my time to studying the role in 'Immortal Sword I,' and I'm planning to invest in one or two films to test the waters."

"Invest in films?"

Wang Tianxiao was surprised.

She had never viewed Cheng Chen as merely a singer; she knew he was more than just a singer.

Investing in the internet, investing in TV dramas, acting—these were all things Cheng Chen was currently doing.

But investing in films... Cheng Chen's steps were simply too fast, faster than she could keep up with.

"Yeah, planning to invest in a low-budget film just for fun. Now that my plate's gotten so big, I need some way to recoup."

Cheng Chen joked.

He'd had this idea for a while, but it was after talking with Gao Yuanyuan about the director named Ma Liwen that he wanted to move faster.

It pushed him to complete this sooner.

He'd start by testing the waters with 'Crazy Stone.'

If this film succeeded, Cheng Chen had follow-up self-produced movies lined up, like 'Charlotte's Troubles.'

Happy Mahua was probably just founded this year—it was still a sprout, and at that time it hadn't yet welcomed Shen Teng and the other core actors.

'Charlotte's Troubles' came even later; the stage play didn't appear until 2012, and the film wasn't released until 2015.

For Cheng Chen right now, there was still plenty of room to maneuver...

Wang Tianxiao thought for a moment and said:

"Investing in films—given your personality, you'll mostly be a silent partner, maybe make a cameo role."

"As for the filming of 'Immortal Sword I,' didn't you say it wouldn't start until around the end of December? There's still time."

"As for the commercial gigs and endorsements you mentioned, those won't interfere with preparing for your concert..."

As a partner, Wang Tianxiao was undoubtedly very competent—she was responsible and could schedule Cheng Chen's time with perfect clarity.

"Let's set the concert for December 31st—New Year's Eve!"

Wang Tianxiao said with bright eyes.

"New Year's Eve... is there enough time?"

Cheng Chen asked anxiously.

"If you're the one asking, I won't let you down."

Wang Tianxiao said firmly.

"Hmm, sounds impressive. Fine, I'll leave it all to you—I'm heading home now."

Cheng Chen stretched and yawned.

"Remember to practice your songs—don't embarrass yourself, or it'll be big news!"

Wang Tianxiao warned him.

"Got it!"

Cheng Chen waved his hand.

When he got home, Cheng Chen received a call from Yan Danchen.

"Hey, beautiful, did you miss me?"

Cheng Chen said cheerfully.

"Cheng Chen, a role has come my way—should I take it?"

Yan Danchen asked.

"Take it—you're not busy right now anyway. But what role is it?"

Cheng Chen asked.

"Yu Mingsheng's 'Baolian Deng.'"

Yan Danchen said.

"Ah! Chang'e?"

Cheng Chen exclaimed.

'Baolian Deng' was first broadcast on CCTV in October 2005.

Filming took place in 2004; reportedly, the pre-production alone took over half a year.

It's now October 2003—excluding the actual filming period, this is precisely the stage for pre-production and casting.

"Wait, how did you know they're offering me the role of Chang'e?"

Yan Danchen asked, surprised.

"Uh... 'Baolian Deng' is a mythological story—everyone's heard of it. With your looks and aura, only Chang'e could suit you."

Cheng Chen laughed it off.

Should he say he'd seen her play Chang'e?

Many people confused 'Baolian Deng' with 'Baolian Deng Qianzhuan.'

It's no surprise—after all, the lead roles in both dramas barely changed, both starring the big man from Lu Sheng, Director Jiao.

By the way:

Director Jiao's line, "I'm Jiao Enjun..." really shattered his idol image.

The Baolian Deng Qianzhuan aired in 2005 and tells the story of Shenxiang splitting open a mountain to save his mother.

The Baolian Deng Qianzhuan aired in 2009 and tells the story of Yang Jian splitting open a mountain to save his mother.

Hmm, their family is truly relentless about splitting mountains.

Yu Gong: These uncle and nephew are a match—they really do split mountains when they see one!

Moreover, the Chang'e in these two series are not played by the same actress; the former stars Yan Danchen, the latter Li Xinru.

The same actress who played Lin Wudi, the female lead in Ugly Wudi.

……