Chapter 65: Wrap Party

On October 3, 2002, the long-running TV anime "Naruto," adapted from the manga of the same name by RB manga artist Kishimoto Masashi, premiered on Neon Tokyo Television.

This anime, whose influence spans the globe and has inspired countless teenagers, has finally begun its "sinful" life.

To this, Cheng Chen only wants to say one thing: Naruto! Stay away from Sakura!!!

After Cheng Chen and Gao Yuanyuan arrived at the hotel the crew had booked, the lobby was already filled with many familiar faces.

Jia Jingwen, Su Youpeng, Chen Shasha, Bao Yilin (Yang Buhui), Yan Minqiu (Miejue Shitai), Lin Jing (Ding Minjun), and others were all present.

"You two are still as close as ever, and you came really late!"

Jia Jingwen, lively as ever, ran over, looped her arm through Gao Yuanyuan's, and complained.

This girl had tanned quite a bit; word was that during her time filming in Jingcheng, she'd gotten hooked on golf, and whenever she wasn't on set, she'd head to the golf course every few days.

Looking at the mischievous Jia Jingwen now, Cheng Chen found it hard to associate her with the dire straits she'd be in years later during her divorce.

To be fair, she'd misjudged the man. After the divorce, her ex-husband claimed the two had once gone to court in a fierce fight over their daughter.

Moreover, her ex had also publicly spilled details about Jia Jingwen's bedroom affairs — truly a contemptible move.

"What are you looking at? Even though this young lady is very pretty, don't think that just because you're a big star now, you can have any crooked thoughts about me. Hmph!"

Jia Jingwen glanced at Cheng Chen and laughed as she scolded him.

The people in the lobby, hearing Jia Jingwen's words, couldn't help but burst into laughter — the room was wonderfully lively.

"In front of all these stars in the room, what kind of big star am I?"

Cheng Chen said with a wry smile.

"Hmph, at least you know your place! Yuanyuan, let's go. Let me tell you, ever since you wrapped on your part…"

The two girls, once reunited, had endless things to say. After Cheng Chen went around greeting the familiar buddies one by one, he was also pulled aside by Su Youpeng to discuss recent happenings in the music scene.

The others in the room, seeing the two of them with their arms around each other's shoulders, felt an indescribably complicated mix of emotions.

That Cheng Chen had started out as an unknown extra running minor roles in the crew was something everyone knew well.

Then, suddenly, he had an epiphany and landed the role of Song Qingshu, and on top of that, his fluent Cantonese caught Director Lai's eye.

Even the matter of offending Yang Tao back then was overruled by Director Lai, who insisted on keeping him on.

Most enviable of all, he had also earned Jin Lao's appreciation — because of Cheng Chen's script changes, Jin Lao went straight back to Gang Sheng and began revising "Heavenly Sword" all over again.

What happened after that, everyone already knew: album sales number one, breaking out of the country, his singing voice spreading across the entire Chinese-language music scene.

Achievements like these from a cheat mode — honestly, in terms of popularity and fame, he was not below a single person in that lobby!

So-called, it's the times, it's fate.

That timeless saying in the entertainment circle fit him perfectly:

A small flame needs pushing; a big flame needs fate!

With Director Lai and the Iron Triangle entering the room, the atmosphere of the wrap party grew more and more heated.

Those who could drink and those who couldn't were all now holding their glasses; even the women's table, infected by the atmosphere, raised their cups and drained them in one go.

Next came the wrap party's traditional program.

Hug each other and cry their hearts out!

A real, tearful embrace — companions who had spent nearly a year together now faced the prospect of going their separate ways and an uncertain future.

Whether crew or cast, recalling the bits and pieces of these past months couldn't help but moisten their eyes.

The leads of Heavenly Sword were all young; their feelings came quickly and deeply, and they were all the more sensitive.

Gao Yuanyuan especially had cried herself into a tearful mess.

This girl couldn't hold her liquor, yet she still drank competitively with Jia Jingwen and Chen Shasha.

Drink, then cry; cry, then drink some more.

Cheng Chen kindly went up to advise her not to drink so much, only to be ambushed by Jia Jingwen and Chen Shasha working together to pour several more glasses down his throat.

Gao Yuanyuan, eyes blurred with drink, watched Cheng Chen being forced to drink,

and actually clapped and cheered from the side, loudly shouting that Cheng Chen could really hold his liquor!

Hearing this, the others who were already tipsy immediately dragged Cheng Chen off to drink.

Originally, fine — you drink, sure, but you actually picked on the girls to drink with.

Picking on the girls would have been forgivable, but you actually got the goddess to clap and cheer for you.

No way, no way — you have to drink, drink till you throw up!

Quite a few people in the crew had secret crushes on Gao Yuanyuan — Cheng Chen had known this for a long time — but looking at the swarming crowd in front of him coming to toast him, he couldn't help but click his tongue.

Sis, are you praising me or dooming me here!

……

Being a person from northern Hui Sheng, Cheng Chen's capacity for liquor was nothing to scoff at either.

Dong Bei tigers, Northwest wolves — when it comes to drinking, none can beat little Yangcheng!

In Yangcheng, even a Sparrow can down a couple of liang!

When Cheng Chen had just learned to talk, his unreliable old man had carried him to the banquet table and fed him sips of high-proof sorghum liquor from the tip of a chopstick.

Two jin and a half of baijiu, beer all you want!

Cheng Chen turned no one away — they were all drinking from a dispenser, one person per mouthful, queuing up to drink.

In the end, Cheng Chen couldn't even remember how much he'd drunk himself; all he knew was that everyone who'd come to drink with him had run off to the bathroom to throw up.

Trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice instead — a thoroughly disgraceful showing.

Cheng Chen only felt his vision blur and his head spin a little, but he could be certain he had drunk the most of anyone in the room.

"I never noticed before — you kid can really hold your liquor."

Director Lai walked over, glass in hand, and said with a smile.

"No way, Director Lai, you're one of my sister's suitors too?"

Seeing who it was, Cheng Chen automatically switched to Cantonese and muttered.

"What?"

Director Lai asked curiously.

"Nothing, I was just saying you wouldn't be here to ply me with drinks too, would you, Director Lai?"

Cheng Chen, with the last shred of clarity still in his head, said with a bitter smile.

"No more drinks for me either — that group already got quite a few into me. The drinking culture in the Mainland is something else!"

Director Lai remarked with feeling.

Then Director Lai looked at Cheng Chen and said seriously:

"I didn't expect your musical talent to be this impressive. In Gang Sheng I know a few people who are really good at music too — come to Gang Sheng sometime and I'll introduce you."

"Gang Sheng, huh…"

Before 2002, Gang Sheng saw a frenzied surge of new talent, but looking back at the whole of 2002, the music worth remembering was pitifully few.

Most of it was the impact of music from Tai Sheng and the Mainland — the old-school artists were still holding steady, but new faces found it almost impossible to break through.

It wasn't obvious yet, but it had to be said: the Gang Sheng music scene as a whole was on the decline.

That decline reached its peak in 2019.

Even the once-legendary Gang Sheng music genius Mr. Huang Zhan had said:

"The Gang Sheng music scene is dead."

But even so, Cheng Chen still held boundless longing for those few veteran music producers in Gang Sheng.

"Oh right, there's a new film about to start shooting in Modu — do you want to go? I can put in a word with them over there."

Director Lai said with a smile.

A new film?

Cheng Chen sobered up considerably at once and hurriedly asked, "What's it called?"

Director Lai gave a faint smile — the moment he heard "new film," the kid's eyes lit up; it seemed he hadn't given up on acting after all.

He had genuinely worried Cheng Chen would lose himself in the sense of achievement music gave him.

It wasn't that he didn't want Cheng Chen doing music — as a director, he simply couldn't bear to watch a good seedling fade into obscurity.

"The Great Dyeing Workshop."

Director Lai said softly.

……