Chapter 146

Liu Tianxian crashed.

More accurately, she was stuck again in the scene and couldn't move forward.

This hadn't happened in a long time.

So when she kept failing to get through the scene, everyone turned their gazes toward Cheng Chen beside her.

Seeing everyone's stares, Cheng Chen was equally helpless.

He had tried communicating with the girl, but she completely ignored him.

Such sudden emotional outbursts from girls like her always caught people off guard.

Although Liu Tianxian had maintained her state of refusing to communicate with Cheng Chen, the scene still had to be shot.

So she stumbled through her lines with Cheng Chen, and it took about fifteen shots before the scene finally passed.

But Cheng Chen saw this pace wouldn't do—if it continued like this, they'd be shooting until the Year of the Monkey.

So during the break between setups, he looked at Liu Tianxian with a serious expression and said:

"Girl, what's wrong with you? Don't bottle things up inside you—how are we supposed to shoot the rest of the scenes if you're like this?"

In response, Liu Tianxian merely glanced at him, then turned her head away proudly, her face flushed with anger.

With such obvious signs, Cheng Chen had no doubt he had offended the girl.

But he'd just returned today—he hadn't even had a chance to see her yet—how could he have offended her…

Hmm?

See her?

Cheng Chen suddenly remembered seeing the girl at the set's entrance.

She had greeted him then, and he, preoccupied with fundraising, had absentmindedly waved at her…

Could it be because of that?

Cheng Chen couldn't help but feel speechless.

If that was it, this girl was just too… delicate.

But she was still a little girl, and Cheng Chen understood. He smiled and said:

"Is it because today on set, when you greeted me, I didn't pay much attention to you?"

Hearing this, Liu Tianxian looked at him, nodded, then shook her head.

"Yes and no."

Seeing her reaction, Cheng Chen didn't fully understand why she was angry with him, but he said:

"As for this matter… you were actually in the wrong to begin with, yet now you're sulking at me. I've been generous enough not to hold it against you—what's there to be angry about?"

Though he didn't know why she was upset, he was certain it had something to do with him.

Cheng Chen turned the blame around outright—he could handle girls this age with ease.

Hearing his words, Liu Tianxian's eyes turned red, her large, bright eyes filling with mist.

"I knew you'd known all along, yet you still pretended to be the good guy.

How are you not holding it against me? Otherwise you wouldn't have been so cold and distant toward me…

I never thought that thing would spread, and I didn't want to…

So many people call you a drama tyrant—it makes me feel awful just hearing it…"

Liu Tianxian cried, explaining to Cheng Chen through her tears.

Only then did Cheng Chen finally understand—she was referring to this.

There had long been rumors on set that he was a drama tyrant; he first heard them from Yan Danchen.

Later, after the concert ended and he joined the set, no one dared say it to his face.

But as the saying goes, walls have ears.

While he was on set, the rumors naturally reached his ears.

At first he thought it was because he'd been busy preparing for the concert, repeatedly requesting leave, and shifting the shooting schedule.

That was his fault—the set's rumors were understandable.

But now, hearing Liu Tianxian's explanation, he realized this girl was the real "mastermind behind it all!"

Looking at the tearful, heartbroken Liu Tianxian, Cheng Chen was torn between laughter and exasperation.

He was the one being insulted, yet she cried as if she were the victim.

"Alright, let's put this behind us. Rumors spread by three people become truth—no one person can be blamed. I forgive you this time—don't let it happen again!"

Cheng Chen didn't press the matter further.

The priority now was shooting.

Liu Tianxian wiped her tears and said, her face streaked with tears:

"Really?

You forgive me?"

"It's true. This matter isn't worth pursuing anyway.

Wipe your tears—don't let anyone see me treating you like this, or my reputation as a drama tyrant will be confirmed!"

Aside from her acting, Liu Tianxian's sweet, delicate looks made her very popular on set.

Veteran actors Zheng Peipei, Xu Jinjiang, and Xie Junhao all held her in high regard.

They often guided her on how to act.

Indeed, the saying "beauty is justice" never grows outdated, no matter the era.

"You're still talking about it!"

Hearing Cheng Chen mention "drama tyrant" again, Liu Tianxian stomped her foot in agitation.

"Good, good, good, got it, no more talking, let's go, my Liu Tianxian, to shoot the scene!"

Cheng Chen pleaded.

Liu Tianxian blinked slightly, then a faint blush rose on her face.

Liu Tianxian?

That name sounds nice, hehe.

Seeing Liu Tianxian standing there dazed, occasionally flashing a faint smile.

Cheng Chen truly couldn't grasp what she was thinking…

With her psychological barrier lifted and Cheng Chen guiding her beside her, Liu Tianxian's scenes were quickly all passed.

The shooting days passed quickly; as long as Cheng Chen stayed obediently on set, Director Li Guoli was confident he could finish the drama soon.

And as the days slowly progressed, the New Year was drawing near.

The crew was granted a holiday on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, January 18th.

The remaining scenes would resume shooting after the seventh day of the New Year.

And Cheng Chen, of course, also had to return to Jingcheng to participate in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala…

…

On New Year's Eve, CCTV Studio, backstage.

Cheng Chen was getting his makeup done in the dressing room; when it came to the Spring Festival Gala dressing rooms, they were definitely accident-prone.

Hmm, let's not talk about the famous dressing room incidents…

There were only so many dressing rooms, but the number of people appearing on the Spring Festival Gala kept increasing every year.

Never mind other things—just a single group dance number, with twenty or thirty people arriving backstage, the numbers shot up immediately.

Regular Spring Festival Gala veterans usually got private rooms.

The rest of the well-known actors shared dressing rooms, two or three, or five or six per room.

Unknown actors had to do their makeup and rehearse in the corridors, and when tired, simply found any empty spot to lie down on the floor.

Thus, the entire backstage became lively…

The Spring Festival Gala backstage was still quite fun.

First, the Spring Festival Gala boxed meals were famously renowned—whether big stars or stage performers or makeup artists, everyone was served "boxed meals."

And each person was limited to one meal.

In the crowded Spring Festival Gala backstage, boxed meals were a unique sight.

Wherever you went, the smell of boxed meals hit you in the face.

Second was the most popular café backstage.

Due to the scarcity of dressing rooms, many stars refused to squeeze in and paid out of pocket to rest in the second-floor café backstage.

Reporters who wanted to interview stars no longer needed to wait in the backstage corridors.

They could bring their laptops, order a cup of coffee, and leisurely wait for stars to walk in.

At the same time, it was also the best place for fans to chase stars.

After finishing his makeup, Cheng Chen began wandering backstage.

At this moment, the Spring Festival Gala backstage was packed with big names; Cheng Chen greeted some seniors he met.

Of course, Cheng Chen himself was now a "big name" attending the Spring Festival Gala for the second time; many newcomers still bowed respectfully to greet him.

Cheng Chen simply smiled and moved on; but when encountering some senior figures whose later conduct had tarnished their reputation,

he avoided them if he could, and if he couldn't, he'd casually grab someone nearby to talk to.

As Cheng Chen was strolling, someone suddenly walked toward him.

He looked familiar…

Oh my, isn't this… Zhou Dong!

Zhou Dong clearly hadn't expected to meet Cheng Chen here; he too blinked in surprise.

Unfortunately, the spot where they stood was right outside A Du's dressing room door.

At that moment, A Du was smiling as he stepped out of the dressing room door, and upon seeing Cheng Chen and Zhou Dong standing there,

his smile froze instantly… How to put it—were you two teaming up to storm the door?

Hmm, Cheng Chen was also embarrassed.

One was the person he'd stepped on at his debut.

That time, he shone brilliantly in the music scene!

One was the person he'd stepped on to achieve legendary status on his album.

That time, he rewrote the music scene and seized the throne!

Now, both these "tools" appeared before him at once, and Cheng Chen suddenly felt uneasy.

Passersby near the three of them included fans of their songs.

But no one dared approach to speak.

After all, the grudges among the three—well, mainly between Cheng Chen and them—

anyone who listened to music knew a little.

Now that the three had gathered, would they fight?

In fact, as soon as the Spring Festival Gala program list leaked, and people saw the three names on it,

some media outlets with a taste for drama had made predictions, confidently claiming that if the three met backstage,

even if they didn't fight, they certainly wouldn't give each other a good face.

Of course, this was merely media speculation designed to attract attention.

Every year, the Spring Festival Gala is a battleground for all media outlets.

Because anyone who appears on the Spring Festival Gala stage represents a specific audience base.

And those who make it onto the Spring Festival Gala stage are invariably top talents in the arts world, each with their own loyal fan groups.

Gradually, the Spring Festival Gala became the biggest hotspot of public attention during the Spring Festival.

Reporters exhaust every means to ride the Gala's popularity.

To further attract viewers, CCTV selectively leaks information to the media to build hype for the show.

So every year, as the Spring Festival approaches—even as early as the twelfth lunar month—whether in newspapers or magazines,

or on entertainment programs, everyone's favorite topic remains the same.

Who's performing on the Spring Festival Gala this year?

Or whether your favorite star has appeared on the Gala stage.

All to draw in viewers.

Although Cheng Chen's meeting with Zhou Dong and A Du hasn't happened yet,

the media have already begun discussing it, and online there are even voting posts betting on who will win.

Naturally, Cheng Chen leads by a wide margin—he's tall, has a great physique, the kind of guy who looks sharp in clothes and muscular when he takes them off.

Zhou Dong hasn't met milk tea yet.

A Du suffers from malnutrition due to spending years lying under cars.

Backstage at the Spring Festival Gala, the three look at each other.

Cheng Chen greets the two first; Zhou Dong and A Du smile in response.

Their meeting carries no tension, no hostility like in later years.

Those around them, seeing the three laugh and chat, finally relax.

The three don't talk long—everyone has a performance, and besides, this is the Spring Festival Gala stage—live broadcast!

Even though song performances are all lip-synced, they must be convincingly fake—viewers can't tell!

After saying goodbye to the two, Cheng Chen doesn't wander further; he returns to his dressing room to wait…

This year's Spring Festival Gala features a greater proportion of spoken-word acts than in 2003, and the overall quality standard is higher.

The song-and-dance acts also strive to cater to audiences of all social classes and age groups.

Among ethnic singers, well-known names like Song Zuying and Zhang Ye have brought their new works.

Song Zuying breaks from her warm, cheerful style and sings a song rich in lyricism.

In pop music, Cheng Chen and Sha Baoliang were the first singers confirmed by the production team.

Especially Cheng Chen—he's been red-hot for the past two years, but being popular isn't enough, especially for his music.

A song called "Wan Jiang" got him on the Spring Festival Gala for the first time.

A chart-topping album that crowned him as a god of the music scene directly brought Chinese style to the world, making Chinese elements popular.

If a singer like him doesn't appear, who else could?

Sha Baoliang, on the other hand, rode the popularity of the TV drama "The Golden Powder Family"; his song "An Xiang" became a classic.

Of course, precisely because this song was so classic, he earned his spot on the Spring Festival Gala stage.

Of course, this year's Gala also includes some "special acts."

The appearance of Mr. Yang from space is one of the Gala's highlights.

The Spring Festival Gala crew specially filmed exterior footage of Yang Liwei's segment and incorporated it into this year's show…

Cheng Chen is backstage, watching the performances with great interest.

After the initial excitement and nervousness of his first Spring Festival Gala, now returning to it, he feels far calmer.

Of course, this calm mindset also stems from his having held a concert for sixty thousand people.

At eight p. m., the Year of the Monkey Spring Festival Gala officially begins!

The four hosts take the stage; this year's Gala downplays the hosts' roles, reducing their participation in performances.

Instead, a key design element is introduced into the overall production.

Cultural, artistic, scientific figures, and those who have influenced the entire Chinese nation are invited to serve as "blessers," tying into the Gala's theme.

The program continues, performers come and go, and the audience keeps applauding.

Then comes the skit "Telling Stories," and Cheng Chen suddenly pays attention because it's almost his turn.

"Telling Stories" stars Old Man Yan Shunkai—the actor who portrayed Ah Q in the film "Ah Q Zheng Zhuan"—

along with Hong Banzhang and Xiao Dingdang from "The Story of the Kitchen Crew."

Yan Shunkai plays an elderly man with mild dementia who spends his days at home, fond of chatting and telling stories.

But his memory is poor—he repeats the same stories over and over, making life hard for his son and grandson.

To keep the old man happy, they dare not complain and must pretend to be delighted and excited…

The three's lively performance on stage makes many viewers laugh.

Although the skit lacks the punchlines typical of northern comedy, its southern-style subtlety shines through clearly.

After more than ten minutes, their performance ends.

Cheng Chen waits nearby, ready to go on…

…

——————Extra Notes——————

Brothers, happy holidays!