Chapter 186

The film "Crazy Stone" held a screening.

Cheng Chen specifically invited people from Xinmei Group to observe.

As one of the few major distribution channels in the country, Cheng Chen has high hopes for Xinmei Group.

Xinmei Group also placed great importance on Cheng Chen's screening event.

Besides Yang Lin, who handles distribution channels, there was also the company's vice president Jiang Guanghong.

In addition, Cheng Chen invited several well-known film critics from the industry.

These people honored him by coming en masse upon hearing it was Cheng Chen's invitation.

After all, Cheng Chen's current popularity in the country is unmatched.

"Crazy Stone" is Cheng Chen's first film, even though he funded it.

But it belongs to him, and anything associated with Cheng Chen gains popularity.

The first few rows of the screening room were packed; Ning Hao sat beside Cheng Chen.

Although the screening room was pitch black and expressions were invisible, Cheng Chen could still feel his nervousness.

"Relax, the effect is great."

Cheng Chen whispered reassurance.

"I... I'm still not confident."

Before this, apart from "Thursday, Wednesday" and the film "Incense," which won the Golden Award in the Asian DV Competition at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

He had only this film, "Crazy Stone."

You know, the first two are both very low-budget niche films, even though they are highly artistic.

The first two were low-budget niche films, though highly artistic.

But compared to "Crazy Stone," a commercial film with "massive" investment, they were not even in the same league.

When Ning Hao heard Cheng Chen planned to invite industry critics and distribution executives to the screening,

he was both excited and agitated, couldn't sleep all night, and felt a deep sense of unease.

"I know, but such a big gathering... I'm intimidated..."

Ning Hao whispered.

Hearing Ning Hao's words, Cheng Chen burst out laughing—he never expected the man known as the "set tyrant" could be this way.

"Relax."

Cheng Chen patted his shoulder.

As he spoke, the film began.

The opening scene showed the protagonist Bao Shihong's face, heavy with worry.

This close-up filled the screen with Guo Tao's face.

A sequence of dripping faucets served as a metaphorical montage hinting at the protagonist's lower-body problems.

The subsequent scene of Guo Tao screaming while checking his body resonated deeply with many middle-aged men in the audience.

Middle age is inevitable... many couldn't help but smile knowingly.

It was a detail, a mischievous little joke...

Hearing the low laughter ripple through the screening room, Ning Hao let out a small sigh of relief.

If they're laughing...

As the plot progressed, key characters like Dao Ge and Hei Pi appeared.

One after another, funny gags and natural, engaging performances triggered waves of laughter throughout the room.

Especially when the thief Mike, portrayed by Cheng Chen, made his entrance—so much buildup had been done about how formidable he was.

Yet the moment he confidently stepped off the plane, Hei Pi's gang stole his suitcase full of documents and equipment.

"I fucking hate you!"

This line added even more laughter to the entire screening room.

"Crazy Stone" is not long—just over a hundred minutes.

But the punchlines are dense, laughter never stops, the plot is straightforward yet never dull, with not a single dull moment.

When the screening ended and the screen went black, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.

Everyone stood from their seats, smiling toward the front row where Cheng Chen sat.

Cheng Chen also stood, smiling, and applauded beside him toward Ning Hao and Huang Bo.

Ning Hao and Huang Bo looked bewildered; Cheng Chen patted both their shoulders and took the microphone to introduce them to everyone:

"This is Ning Hao, the director of 'Crazy Stone.' This is Huang Bo, who played Hei Pi. Thank you all for your support."

The room erupted in applause again; everyone smiled at the two, especially Huang Bo.

He portrayed Hei Pi, who contributed a large portion of the film's humor and became the most memorable character.

"Thank you, thank you all for your support, thank you."

Facing so many professional critics, some media, and distribution companies, Ning Hao was still somewhat nervous.

But his heart was thrilled—these were not ordinary viewers.

Especially those professional critics; winning their respect was as difficult as making a film.

Ning Hao knew they weren't standing to honor his boss Cheng Chen's face.

After all, from the opening to the end, not a single person left or went to the restroom, and laughter never ceased.

Judging from the feedback, he had succeeded—the film "Crazy Stone" was undoubtedly a success!

"This is unquestionably the best comedy I've seen in years."

"Crazy Stone" is a comedy film.

But if audiences go into this movie expecting nothing more than a good laugh,

they will inevitably be disappointed—the film is indeed packed with jokes.

Yet the scenes that provoke laughter are themselves serious, even cruel.

The laughter it provokes is like a muffled thud struck against a cracked drumhead.

What audiences gain after laughing is not a light, pleasant experience.

But a heavy, indescribable complexity of emotion.

We call this unique cinematic style "Black Humor."

That night, "Crazy Stone: Black Humor" appeared on Weibo's trending list.

Many who saw it were still confused, thinking a new film was about to be released.

But after clicking the related topic, they realized: wow, this movie "Crazy Stone" really has guts.

Numerous film critics jumped in to write puff pieces, showering it with praise.

"Crazy Stone? Cheng Chen, the Heavenly King of music, never expected he also had screenwriting talent?"

Only after scrolling through more posts did people begin to extract some information.

It turned out this film was written and funded by Cheng Chen.

"The boss's new movie? Must support!"

"Crazy Stone? The name alone sounds crazy—wonder what the plot's like."

"Looking forward to the release, looking forward to the boss's performance!"

There were many Weibo topics about "Crazy Stone," and it quickly rose to number one on the trending list.

"Crazy Stone: Cheng Chen is screenwriter, producer, and actor."

"I remember now—this is the movie Cheng Chen shot in Shancheng, when he even appeared at Hua Zai's concert!"

"No way! Cheng Chen is awesome—he took on so many roles! I'm already looking forward to his new film!"

"Sure enough, talented people never disappoint—Cheng Chen (thumbs up)!"

Riding this wave, "Crazy Stone" also launched its official Weibo account.

"Thank you all for your support—see you on the third day of the New Year!"

Below this post were several promotional posters for "Crazy Stone."

And some behind-the-scenes photos from the set, including one of Cheng Chen in a suit.

"Damn, the boss looks so cool in that suit! Please, boss, do more modern dramas!"

"I wonder what role the boss is playing—count me in on the third day of the New Year!"

"Such a handsome man—he must be playing the hero! Boss, I love you!"

"Wake up, upstairs—didn't you read those film critics' articles? It's a comedy—the boss is definitely playing the funny role!"

"Looking forward, looking forward!"

"!"

……

After "Crazy Stone" announced its release date, Cheng Chen became busy again.

On one hand, he had to prepare for his year-end concert; on the other, he needed to rehearse for the Spring Festival Gala.

Meanwhile, Shang Jing from "Wulin Waizhuan" sent word that the crew was fully prepared and ready to start filming.

All these matters were coordinated by Su Qingya and Shang Jing, including actor selection.

As in his previous life, at Cheng Chen's suggestion, Shang Jing brought over the cast from "The Story of the Kitchen."

Yan Ni as Tong Xiangyu, Sha Li as Bai Zhantang, Yu Entai as Licentiate Lv, Yao Chen as Guo Furong, and Jiang Chao as Li Dazui.

Added to them were occasional appearances by Fan Ming and others—thus the main cast of "Wulin Waizhuan" was complete.

Once the actors were confirmed, Shang Jing selected an auspicious day at the Feilong Film and Television Base in Jingcheng to begin filming.

On the first day of filming, Cheng Chen attended quietly but was still pursued by the media.

"What role are you playing in this drama?"

"Me? I'm the screenwriter!"

Cheng Chen replied with a smile.

The reporter was stunned and said:

"You've also worked in screenwriting?"

Cheng Chen spread his hands and said:

"A singer who can't act isn't a good screenwriter—have you heard that saying?"

"Uh..."

"Hahaha, please don't focus your cameras on me.

Pay more attention to our brilliant director and outstanding actors. Thank you for your support."

Cheng Chen said cheerfully.

Still, the entertainment reporters clearly had no intention of letting him go.

One question after another drove Cheng Chen to flee the set entirely…

"Director Shang, I'm leaving everything in your hands from now on."

Behind the scenes, Cheng Chen knew he'd be swamped—his time for "Wulin Waizhuan" was bound to be limited.

So he entrusted the entire production to Shang Jing.

"Don't worry, Boss Cheng—if anything comes up regarding the plot, you may need to come back in person."

Film and television differ from other arts; they are inherently filled with strong visual imagery and a sense of immediacy.

Most large-scale productions prefer to keep the screenwriter on set, so they can exchange ideas with the director at any time.

Of course, some screenwriters don't join the crew, which means the director must either have exceptional control over the entire drama or have had deep discussions with the screenwriter.

Otherwise, once the drama is finished, the screenwriter won't be satisfied, the investors won't be satisfied, and the director… won't be too satisfied either.

Hmm, currently in China, the screenwriter's status is quite awkward—whether the screenwriter is satisfied doesn't matter much.

When faced with capricious directors, even if the screenwriter is present, they can't hold them back.

Haven't you heard of turning qi into a horse…

"No problem—just contact me directly if anything comes up."

Cheng Chen nodded.

"Of course, I know you're busy, so I won't bother you too often."

"Your script is extremely detailed—even some visuals are annotated."

Shang Jing said with a smile.

When he received the script, Shang Jing was stunned—Cheng Chen's script was incredibly detailed.

It even described the characters' tone of voice and movements, as if written directly from the visuals.

If he still can't shoot this well, then he shouldn't be a director…

After chatting with Shang Jing, Cheng Chen hurried to the set to meet everyone.

On the first day of filming, there wasn't much to shoot, especially for a situational comedy like Wulin Waizhuan.

The episodes aren't tightly connected; each is independent and doesn't require complex scene coordination.

Everyone just laughed and chatted, and the scenes were shot.

"Thanks for your hard work—I brought some snacks. Our conditions might be a bit tough, so please bear with it, hehe."

Ai Yue Shuxiang

"If you have any problems, come to me or Director Shang—we'll try our best to solve them."

Cheng Chen said with a smile.

Feilong Film and Television Base sounds impressive, but it's really just a remote valley, far from the city—rumor has it you can hear wolves howling at night.

The conditions are far from easy, which is why Cheng Chen mentioned it publicly.

"Thank you, Producer Cheng."

"Producer Cheng, you're too kind."

"Producer Cheng is so handsome!"

The actors said with laughter, among whom the most lively was Yao Chen, who played Guo Furong.

This woman, along with the one from Gang Sheng, is known in the entertainment circle as the "Da Zui Sisters."

She graduated from Beijing Film Academy last year and is still in her youthful, vibrant years.

With the role of Guo Furong in Wulin Waizhuan, she instantly became a sensation.

Later, she starred alongside Ling Xiaosu in the romantic comedy The Days With a Flight Attendant.

In it, she portrayed the flight attendant Ran Jing, but due to the actor's image and the plot's severe deviation from the original novel,

it sparked a heated war of words between the novel's fans and her fans.

After her marriage to Ling Xiaosu ended…

Let me mention here—Ling Xiaosu is the man who became famous for saying, "You're wearing Pinru's clothes!" and "You're so seductive!"

With the role of Su Mingyu in Du Ting Hao, she revived her career and scored a comeback…

At this moment, Yao Chen hadn't experienced any of this—she was still just Xiao Yao, the innocent soldier from The Story of the Canteen.

And soon to become the synonym for a fiery girlfriend: Guo Furong.

Cheng Chen glanced at Sha Li, standing nearby, looking awkward yet strikingly handsome.

Old Sha, snap out of it—how many more years can you hold onto your title as the military academy's campus hunk?

If I remember right, Old Sha got married right after finishing Wulin Waizhuan.

Cheng Chen then recalled, years later, that greasy middle-aged man saying to the camera:

"Ying Zai, open the door, Daddy…"

Time truly is a butcher's knife!

Seeing Cheng Chen look at him with regret, Sha Li was puzzled but didn't show it.

This guy is a big shot on set—can't offend him, can't offend him!

Others like Yan Ni also have famous reputations in the future.

Jiang Chao also made a comeback thanks to his role as Wang Pangzi in the Ghost Blows Out the Light series.

Yu Entai later became a highly educated star in the entertainment industry—a doctor.

He also left a deep impression by portraying Zhang Yi in The Qin Empire, a man who persuaded the feudal lords and manipulated Warring States politics.

Cheng Chen looked around at these familiar yet slightly unfamiliar faces from the future, thinking to himself:

The cast for this pinnacle of situational comedy has been assembled.

Now, all that's left is to let them grow slowly…

…