Chapter 130: “Crazy Stone

Ning Hao pulled out a crumpled little notebook from his backpack.

The cover of the notebook bore two characters: "Diamond."

The pages were filled with dense character biographies, plot summaries, and scenes.

From the numerous revisions and scribbled annotations, it was clear Ning Hao had flipped through this notebook many times.

This was Ning Hao's handwritten draft of the screenplay for "Crazy Stone."

In the future, if put up for auction, many film fans would surely pay for it…

Watching Cheng Chen carefully leaf through the script, he worried Cheng Chen might dislike it and quickly explained:

"Director Cheng, this is still just a rough draft—it needs further polishing."

Cheng Chen nodded but said nothing.

The entire office fell silent, so quiet a pin could be heard dropping.

Ning Hao sat on the sofa like a schoolboy waiting for his teacher to announce grades, tense and uneasy.

Although Cheng Chen had watched the finished film of "Crazy Stone" multiple times, he had never seen the screenplay before.

Especially not Ning Hao's handwritten version.

The plot had been revised and rewritten repeatedly; every line revealed Ning Hao's inner turmoil.

"Snap!"

Cheng Chen closed the script and frowned at Ning Hao.

Seeing the mood turn sour, Ning Hao hurriedly said:

"Director Cheng, this screenplay is still just a rough draft—the later parts…"

Cheng Chen waved his hand, cutting him off:

"The script is good—but too tragic."

The plot of "Crazy Stone" is not complex; the future version's storyline goes like this:

A craft factory on the brink of bankruptcy discovers a piece of jade.

The protagonist, Bao Shihong, as head of the security department, naturally has the duty to guard this priceless jade.

Meanwhile, the international thief Mike and the local thief Dao Ge also want the jade.

To obtain it,

they engage in fierce battles with Bao Shihong, the jade's protector.

Thus unfolds a series of absurd yet thrilling events…

But in Ning Hao's version of the script, the crucial character of the thief Mike is missing.

Moreover, the ending shows that Security Chief Bao Shihong fails to recover the jade.

He is not only fired from his job but also burdened with massive debt.

Midlife, his wife leaves him, his child is gone…

Besides the ending, the film contains several other metaphorical shots.

These scenes don't affect the overall plot, but their presence feels jarring.

It's like wanting to make money but refusing to compromise with the mundane world.

It feels awkward, half-baked—what's that phrase again?

To have your cake and eat it too!

Of course, this ending also fits Ning Hao's Black Humor style perfectly.

It makes you laugh, yet leaves a heavy, oppressive feeling afterward.

The script is already highly developed, reaching about seventy-five percent of the future film's completion.

"This ending…"

"Director Cheng, don't you think this ending is deeply ironic? A diligent little security guard—

ends up like this. How fragile and insignificant a person is before fate…"

Hearing this, Cheng Chen shook his head.

He understood Ning Hao's intent—many academic directors and Screenwriters loved writing satirical pieces that elevated themes.

As for making money… vulgar!

Film is art; talking about money taints it with the stench of copper.

If making a film isn't for winning awards, it's meaningless.

Cheng Chen admired this attitude, but the key point was that he now needed to make commercial films.

He needed to make money—he needed to eat!

Seeing Cheng Chen shake his head, Ning Hao quickly said:

"The ending can be changed—Bao Shihong ultimately defeats Dao Ge and successfully protects the jade. What do you think of that ending?"

Ning Hao had figured it out: to get Cheng Chen to invest in his film, the film had to change.

As for how to change it, he first had to secure this major investor.

From the way Cheng Chen had sponsored him to compete in Japan, this man wasn't short of money—but he was shrewd.

His sponsorship was an investment; if it succeeded, Ning Hao would naturally feel grateful.

If it failed, he'd still earn a good reputation for supporting local cinema.

Of course, it was also possible Cheng Chen didn't care about the money at all—his sponsorship was merely an accidental act.

Regardless of the reason, Ning Hao's "Incense" competing and winning awards was inextricably tied to Cheng Chen.

He naturally felt grateful to Cheng Chen, and now that Cheng Chen had hinted at wanting to invest in "Diamond," Ning Hao would gladly accommodate him.

As for turning the script into something unrecognizable?

Long before he found a way to raise money, his inner scale had already tipped from independent films toward commercial films.

And... who says commercial films can't win the top awards? Can't you earn money while standing upright?

Cheng Chen naturally had no way of knowing Ning Hao's inner thoughts; he was merely astonished by how swiftly Ning Hao had changed.

But soon, Cheng Chen offered his own opinion, saying:

"The plot conflict is too weak. If it's only the trio of Dao Ge, Xiao Jun, and Hei Pi stealing against Bao Shihong, the scope is too narrow."

"If you focus heavily on their battle of wits, it'll become like an old woman's bound feet—stinking and endless—audiences will quickly lose the desire to keep watching."

Hearing Cheng Chen's words, Ning Hao felt like spitting blood.

This doesn't work, that doesn't work—what exactly do you want?!

Still, he deeply respected the "client"; after a moment's thought, he immediately said:

"Add a new character to expand the plot and increase tension."

Cheng Chen nodded and continued guiding:

"This new character must be the opposite of Bao Shihong, heightening the protagonist's sense of crisis."

"This will make audiences immersed in the protagonist's perspective feel more anxious, keeping them hooked on the unfolding plot."

"And this character must not overlap with the street thug traits represented by Dao Ge."

"He should come from a different faction, coveting the jade in the story."

Upon hearing this, Ning Hao's eyes lit up, excitedly saying:

"Programmer Cheng, your suggestion is brilliant! This way, the plot becomes tighter and more thrilling."

"All three parties are unaware of each other, yet all seek the jade—if we flesh out the characters fully, it'll be A Good Show!"

"This new character must follow a high-end path—something more refined… a spy?"

"No, that would change the nature of it. Yes! An internationally renowned thief is the perfect fit!"

"Yet this internationally famous thief suffers a catastrophic fall in Shancheng…"

"The more flamboyant his entrance, the more humiliating his downfall—this stark contrast will make the character come alive!"

Ning Hao looked at Cheng Chen, excitedly saying:

"Programmer Cheng, you're too profound—just a few words have made the entire plot incredibly tight and the dramatic conflict far stronger!"

Cheng Chen smiled and nodded, saying:

"The main creation is still up to you—you're the director, after all. Finish refining the script as soon as possible."

Cheng Chen was slowly guiding Ning Hao, trying his best to steer the story toward the future film Crazy Stone.

He could simply write out the future script and hand it to Ning Hao to shoot.

But since Cheng Chen intended to sign Ning Hao as his own, he needed to train and hone him as much as possible.

The sooner he grows up and becomes capable of standing alone, the easier it will be for Cheng Chen.

Hearing Cheng Chen's words, Ning Hao's heart stirred.

Programmer Cheng called me the director?

And he's urging me to finish the script quickly!

Does this mean he's going to invest money to film my movie?

Perfect!

As Ning Hao secretly rejoiced, Cheng Chen spoke again:

"I think the name 'Diamond'… hmm, sounds too quiet."

"It doesn't make people feel the urge to buy tickets and rush to the cinema. What do you think of 'Crazy Stone'?"

In fact, many people didn't understand why it had to be called that.

But there was a deeper meaning behind it, revealed through the story presented in the film.

It wasn't the stone that was crazy—it was the stone that drove people mad.

Many became fixated on this chance to get rich, developing desires for the stone…

Ning Hao murmured to himself:

"Crazy Stone? Crazy… stone? There are countless natural stones—why do humans favor jade?"

"Perhaps because it's rare and valuable; jade makes people forget its true nature."

"It's this stone that drives thieves to madness, reflecting society's bizarre conditions."

"RMB, or even dollars—it's all just sheets of paper."

"Yet people obsess over them, losing sleep, eating poorly, even going insane…"

"This name is good—deeply meaningful!"

Cheng Chen glanced at Ning Hao, thinking: this kid must've aced his reading comprehension in school!

After discussing the script further with Ning Hao, Cheng Chen was surprised to find Ning Hao's screenwriting foundation was extremely solid.

The tone gradually shifted: Cheng Chen began listening, occasionally offering a few points.

The rest was left entirely to Ning Hao, who unleashed his outstanding screenwriting skills, designing wild, imaginative little scenes.

No wonder he was a renowned director who had carved his path out of the Sixth Generation—his control over plot structure was exceptionally strong.

The two discussed all day, until the light gradually dimmed, yet Ning Hao remained as energetic as ever.

Several times, Su Qingya tried to enter the office, but Cheng Chen silently stopped her.

Cheng Chen rubbed his stomach, which had been growling for hours, and interrupted:

"Director Ning, how about we talk script over a meal?"

Ning Hao fell silent, then blushed awkwardly and said:

"Sorry, Programmer Cheng—I got so caught up I lost track of time. This meal's on me."

Thank you for your trust in me, and for your previous sponsorship—I'm sorry to have disturbed you so much today…

Before Ning Hao could finish speaking, Cheng Chen waved his hand and smiled:

"I've already arranged everything. As for you treating me to dinner, there'll be plenty of time later."

"What I really want is for you to treat me to the wrap-party for 'Crazy Stone'!"

Hearing the words "wrap-party," Ning Hao felt his blood boil—he longed to start filming immediately…

After dinner with Ning Hao, Cheng Chen urged him to further refine the script and revealed a piece of news.

If the script satisfied him, he would invest five million yuan in 'Crazy Stone'.

Upon hearing this, Ning Hao nearly dragged Cheng Chen straight to the bank to cash it out.

After all, in the future, by 2006, Liu Dehua had only invested three million yuan in Ning Hao.

Cheng Chen's five million yuan would give him ample room to operate, and Cheng Chen even indicated that additional investment later might not be out of the question.

But he demanded absolute control; after a moment's thought, Ning Hao agreed.

Through today's conversation, Ning Hao realized Cheng Chen wasn't just blindly demanding random script revisions.

In fact, the international thief plotline was primarily led by Cheng Chen, who had finalized its outline.

Even the humorous bits, like BMW (Don't Touch Me), came from him.

He's someone who knows the business—if he wants absolute control, just give him the role of producer…

…

Time flew by; after entering December, Cheng Chen received word from Modu Tangren.

After six months of preparation, 'Immortal Sword I' would finally hold its script reading at Hengdian World Studios.

As the lead actor and primary investor, he couldn't possibly miss it.

Meanwhile, online rumors began surfacing about the adaptation of 'Immortal Sword I'.

Posters of the main cast—including Cheng Chen, Liu Yifei, Yan Danchen—were released online.

As soon as these news items appeared, they sparked a huge uproar online.

"Huh? 'Immortal Sword I' is becoming a TV series? This… this is too… thrilling!"

"Didn't you notice? This Zhao Ling'er looks so stiff—she has none of the spirit of my Ling'er sister!"

"Lin Yueru doesn't look impressive either—so quiet and demure, can she portray my Yueru's bold and graceful spirit?"

"Hmm, Cheng Chen playing Li Xiaoyao? Not bad—not bad at all. His ancient costume look has always been great!"

"I firmly oppose turning 'Immortal Sword I' into a TV series! No way! Yao Xian, please manifest!"

"Li Xiaoyao won't do—this pretty boy is too young and naive! I firmly oppose it!"

"Up there, how dare you insult my Brother Cheng? Looking for death?"

"+1 to the top post!"

"+1!"

…

Regarding this leak, online opinions were divided, and Cheng Chen had browsed the related posts.

Overall, the internet was flooded with criticism.

It was no different from the future.

Back then, after Hu Ge's production was revealed, everyone focused their attacks on his dark skin tone.

Liu Tianxian had even been driven into self-imposed isolation by the backlash.

In this timeline, Cheng Chen carried his own star aura, bolstered by his title as Heavenly King—while everyone else was savaged, he alone escaped unscathed.

Of course, the original novel fans were the harshest.

…

Hengdian World Studios.

Cheng Chen's appearance caused a major stir among the crew.

Although actors and crew members had already learned from online sources or other channels that Cheng Chen would play Li Xiaoyao,

when he actually showed up at Hengdian, everyone still couldn't help but be stunned.

Cheng Chen was right there, alive and real—could you believe it?

The moment Cheng Chen appeared, reporters swarmed him.

"Cheng Chen, playing Li Xiaoyao for the first time as lead—do you feel pressure?"

"How do you respond to the overwhelming online criticism of 'Immortal Sword I'?"

"As the first domestic TV series adapted from a video game, what's your view on this production?"

"Cheng Chen…"

Reporters surrounded Cheng Chen completely, leaving all other crew members ignored.

Occasionally, a reporter would approach Cai Yinong, the boss of Tangren.

The cold, quiet scene stood in sharp contrast to the chaotic excitement around Cheng Chen.

It wasn't surprising that reporters were so opportunistic—after all, the entire 'Immortal Sword I' crew,

aside from Cheng Chen, the red-hot traffic Heavenly King, consisted of only lukewarm actors.

The other actors on set looked at Cheng Chen with envy, including Liu Tianxian, who portrayed Zhao Ling'er.

In the future, women would call him "husband"—Peng Yuyan, who played Tang Yu,

and Jiang Xin, the "Consort Jiang" who portrayed Jiang Wan'er…

…