Zhuang Yan said, "Zhilin, you started this. Last time, you made Big Fei drink two bottles of baijiu. Do you think it'll be useful if we go now?"
Zhilin squinted. "I'm not going!"
Let him go beg Lin Chudong? What a joke.
Zhuang Yan shook his head, said nothing, and turned to find Shi Wei, explaining the situation.
Shi Wei immediately called Zhilin's big boss.
In less than ten minutes, Zhilin received a call and got a scolding, his face turning grim.
"Director Zhuang, come with me."
Zhuang Yan nodded. Actually, he didn't want to go. Going to Big Fei's place at this time was just going to lose face. Good things never came to him, but bad things always involved him.
Zhuang Yan was, after all, the director of the crew, and theoretically, he held the highest position in the entire group.
But with a producer above him and big shots he couldn't afford to offend below, the director was truly in a difficult position.
Lunch break.
Lin Chudong was eating with the actors. Everyone was in the same rest hall. The leading actors and extras all sat together to eat. Even Lin Chudong and Liang Yin sat with the extras, enjoying the harmonious atmosphere.
This was a harmonious crew. There were no big stars. The biggest star was Big Fei, the boss and director, who was also so down-to-earth. Compared to him, Li Zhilin was worlds apart.
Suddenly, a discordant voice came from outside.
"Eating?"
Hearing this voice, everyone turned to look. It was actually Li Zhilin and Zhuang Yan!
The two main creators of The True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War!
Everyone knew the relationship between Li Zhilin and Lin Chudong. They were sworn enemies, with a history of legal battles.
On top of that, both dramas were anti-Japanese war dramas, making them competitors. Why was he here, given his sensitive position? What did he want?
Lin Chudong was taken aback, "Do you need something? Come eat with us if you haven't eaten, the food here is good."
Zhuang Yan's expression was complicated. Looking around, compared to their side, the food for the main creative team was definitely better on Li Zhilin's side.
But their communal meals were the same for everyone. For the ordinary actors and staff, this working lunch was too luxurious.
Li Zhilin's face was gloomy, and he couldn't speak for a long time.
Zhuang Yan said, "Big Fei, we're neighbors. We need some help here. We don't have enough extras. We want to ask to borrow some from you. When you film your interior scenes, how about loaning us your extras? We'll pay two hundred a day, and you can make a little extra money."
Before Lin Chudong could speak, a college student suddenly spoke up, the same Hui Sang who had become popular from filming videos before.
"We're not going. We're not going to freeze and starve at your place. Who cares about your two hundred bucks?"
"That's right, we're not going!"
"This is better. We won't leave, no matter how much they pay."
Before Lin Chudong could say anything, the extras protested.
They were all ordinary college students, without a group leader, and they didn't really follow management. Right now, they only listened to Big Fei in the crew.
Zhuang Yan's face immediately turned awkward. "Everyone, they've made some adjustments over there. We didn't know the situation before, but now the treatment is really good. The food standards are the same as here, and everyone gets a red envelope."
"We're not going."
"That's right, we're not going even with a red envelope."
"It's no fun. I'm still waiting to get my internship certificate."
"I also need to ask Big Fei for advice on the bar exam."
These college students may seem pure and foolish when they're acting.
But they're actually quite clever in their daily lives, no worse than these seasoned veterans.
Before, when Li Zhilin's crew's reputation plummeted, they were boycotted by all the extras in Jincheng. Now they want to poach people from here? They can dream on!
Li Zhilin gritted his teeth and said, steeling himself.
"Big Fei, these kids definitely listen to you. We helped you last time, now it's your turn to return the favor, right? You have to be reciprocal."
Li Zhilin was already being very polite. Normally on set, didn't he just yell at whoever he wanted? Except for the big boss and the producer, when had he ever spoken to anyone so humbly?
If it weren't for the big boss's orders, Li Zhilin wouldn't have come even if he died.
Lin Chudong put down his chopsticks and said.
"Well said, I like the saying 'tit for tat'."
"Those two bottles of liquor I drank at your place last time were really good. I bought two more later."
"Since you're here, I won't hide anything. Here are two identical bottles of liquor. You drink them, and I'll lend you the extras. If you can't, then forget it."
Liang Yin handed over two bottles of Men Daolü, each weighing two jin. The liquor was identical, with brand new packaging, clearly recently purchased.
Zhilin's lips twitched. Big Fei really holds a grudge!
This person is too petty! Does he really have to get revenge?
Liang Yin crossed her arms, a look of amusement on her face. Big Fei has a trick up his sleeve. You, Zhilin, weren't you acting tough? You insisted on getting Big Fei drunk. Now let's see what you do!
Zhilin's expression darkened, and he regretted making things difficult for Big Fei earlier.
Why did he have to use Men Daolü? A few bottles of beer would have sufficed. Maybe he could still salvage the situation.
Zhuang Yan said in a low voice, "Big Fei, we're all signed with the same production assistance company. Let's give them some face, don't make it difficult for them."
Lin Chudong sneered, "When you guys wanted me to drink, why didn't you say you were afraid of making it difficult for them?"
"This..."
Zhuang Yan was speechless. He wasn't in the right to begin with, so he naturally couldn't win the argument.
Li Zhilin gritted his teeth, "One bottle each, I'll drink!"
Li Zhilin picked up a bottle and handed it to Zhuang Yan.
Zhuang Yan looked pained. Two pounds of "Mendao Donkey" (a strong liquor), he couldn't drink it even if he was killed!
Lin Chudong didn't stop them. He'd be impressed if they could drink one bottle each.
Zhilin picked up the bottle of beer and chugged down several mouthfuls, then suddenly spat it out, coughing violently.
The burning sensation in his throat and esophagus made him extremely uncomfortable.
Damn it, he thought. Back then, watching Big Fei drink this stuff was like watching him drink water. Today, when he tried it, it felt like poison, impossible to swallow.
Zhilin took a deep breath, picked up the bottle again, and chugged down several mouthfuls. It took him a full ten minutes, and he hadn't even finished half the bottle before he'd already thrown up once.
Zhuang Yan just took two symbolic sips and couldn't drink anymore. Neither of them could finish these two bottles of beer. They'd come up with this idea just to watch Big Fei make a fool of himself, but who knew Big Fei was a freak who could down four catties in one go.
Now it was their turn, and they didn't have Big Fei's level. They'd probably vomit blood and still not finish it.
Zhuang Yan helped Zhilin, saying, "Forget it, Zhilin, let's go."
They'd definitely lost this round. Zhuang Yan helped him stagger back.
Liang Yin snorted, "Serves them right. They'd have to stop working if they didn't have the extras, wouldn't they?"
Lin Chudong said, "We do need to stop work for a few days, but it's not like we can't do anything. We can still find extras."
"Forget about them, let's just do our work."
In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.
Lin Chudong's progress was already halfway done, and the filming was going smoothly.
Moreover, as these college students released some funny videos online, Swordsman had already gained a lot of popularity even before it started airing.
The behind-the-scenes footage hadn't been released, but these college students had created behind-the-scenes footage of the behind-the-scenes footage.
This was the first time a TV series had been hyped up by the extras. Big Fei's marketing strategy was absolutely brilliant.
That noon, during the break, Cheng Huanhuan suddenly called.
"Big Fei, busy filming?"
Lin Chudong: Huanjie, what instructions do you have?
Cheng Huanhuan: Director Qiu's new show wants to invite you, are you bringing me along? I've been idle for over a month, I'm dying of impatience. For Sister Deng's sake, you have to bring me, right?
Lin Chudong: …No problem. Didn't we agree before? When is Director Qiu's show recording?
Cheng Huanhuan: It should be in three days. You can come back now. If you're bringing me on the show, don't we need to rehearse? Director Qiu said that if my popularity is high in the first episode, he'll let me be the host later.
Lin Chudong: No problem, wait for me. I'll fly over tomorrow. I'll make arrangements with the crew here.
He hung up the phone and Lin Chudong began to arrange things with the crew.
The main plot certainly couldn't progress during the two days he'd be gone, but they could film some scenery footage to use during editing later.
The other irrelevant staff could take a break. Taking two days off wouldn't be a problem for Big Fei.
That evening, Director Qiu called to confirm the invitation for Big Fei to appear on the show.
It was a comedy variety show, mainly featuring comic dialogues and skits, with some well-known actors. It was essentially the "I Am a Comedian" of the comedy world.
Director Qiu wanted to replicate the success of that show.
After all, comedy programs actually have a wider audience than music programs, and perhaps the ratings could reach a new high.
The show was called "I Am a Comedian." The competition format was similar to "I Am a Singer." There were several groups of initial comedians, and the audience would vote for their scores. However, the format was quite ruthless: one comedian was eliminated each episode. If you didn't perform well in an episode, you were immediately eliminated.
This was the CCTV, they wouldn't give you that many chances.
After signing an electronic agreement with Liang Yin online, Director Qiu generously offered two million, inviting Big Fei at market price. Liang Yin was very satisfied with this.
Appearing on CCTV was generally for the sake of fame. Now Big Fei had both fame and fortune, and the treatment was indeed quite high.
After everything was settled, the poster was made overnight. There wasn't even a special photoshoot; they just used a photo of Big Fei and Photoshopped it.
In the promotional poster, Big Fei was in the center, bigger and more eye-catching than anyone else.
CCTV's programs were strong in news and gala shows, but when it came to variety shows, the local stations were still better.
Therefore, Director Qiu had to ride on Big Fei's popularity when promoting the show.
Liang Yin looked at the photo, her face full of joy.
"Big Fei, this time we're finally the main act."
Mao Feifei and Chen Ya had just come out of the seafood market, having bought some sea cucumbers, two salmon, and soft-shelled turtles, filling up the trunk of their car before driving to the restaurant.
On the way, Chen Ya said, "My dad specifically asked your troupe leader to arrange a meeting with Director Qiu this time. Your drama troupe leader has quite a network, and Director Qiu should give face. You won't say anything bad about my dad this time, right?"
Mao Feifei gave a wry smile. "Wasn't I just angry that day? When did I ever say anything bad about our dad? I am where I am today because of our dad. This I Am a Comedian program was tailor-made for me. If I get on this show, I'll definitely be a hit!"
After all, Mao Feifei had been on the Spring Festival Gala and had worked with Teacher Zhao. It would be a shame if he didn't take advantage of this program to showcase his talents.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Qiu Chengdong was eating with a middle-aged man, and they seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.
Qiu Chengdong was also very polite to the other person. This was Jiang Lei, the head of the Beijing Drama Troupe, and his former supervisor.
Seeing Mao Feifei and his wife arrive, Qiu Chengdong frowned slightly. In fact, he already knew the purpose of this dinner. Although he was still angry, he had to give face to his former supervisor.
Mao Feifei said, "Director Qiu, I caused you trouble last time. I'm really sorry. Please forgive me. I'll drink three glasses as self-punishment later. If you're still not satisfied, you can even hit me!"
Jiang Lei said, "That's right, this kid just needs to be beaten. He has a bad temper. Xiao Qiu, if he dares to give you any lip again, call me, and I'll beat him!"
Now that things had been said, Director Qiu Chengdong couldn't say anything else.
"Hehe, that's all in the past. Who hasn't been young and reckless? If you want to join the I Am a Comedian program this time, I'll definitely give the old leader face. However, there's no behind-the-scenes manipulation in my program. How far you go is up to you."
Mao Feifei immediately put on a smiling face, "Thank you so much, Director Qiu. Don't worry, I have a few scripts in my head, and the punchlines are very fresh. I just need a platform to show myself."
Qiu Chengdong said lightly, "Don't be too confident. Let me tell you in advance, besides a few well-known comedians, I've also invited Big Fei to my program. You've seen Big Fei's performance on the Lantern Festival Gala. Big Fei is a very strong contestant, capable of writing, directing, and acting."
"Besides him, the other comedians are also very strong. Your reputation is only at a medium level."
Mao Feifei said, "Hehe, Director Qiu, the Spring Festival Gala's review system still restricted my performance. Besides, someone like Big Fei might have accumulated a lifetime's worth of experience and come up with a good program. If he competes continuously, he can't possibly beat professional comedians."
"I might not be confident about others, but I think it's pretty stable for me to eliminate him."
Qiu Chengdong didn't respond. He was giving the old leader face this time. Since Mao Feifei was so confident, he'd let him on the show.
The next day, Lin Chudong took care of everything with the crew and arrived in the capital.
Sister Deng and Cheng Huanhuan picked him up at the airport.
"Both big hosts are here to pick me up, I'm flattered."
Cheng Huanhuan said, "I can't help it. I'm relying on Brother Fei to eat now, so I have to serve him well."
Lin Chudong laughed, "Can you do sketches, Huan? I can take you on the show, but don't hold me back when the time comes."
He had watched Cheng Huanhuan host before, and she was actually pretty good, quick-witted and quick to react.
But hosting a show and performing were still very different, especially for a beauty like her, who was most afraid of not being able to let go.
Cheng Huanhuan said, "Don't worry, I'm super open-minded. I'm even okay with doing a kissing scene with you."
-----------------------
Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Guys, I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out-if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
New Addition:
" The Prosperous Dynasty (18+) "
" I Want to Be the Man of the Immortal Lord and Demon Emperor (18+) "
" The Scent of Rural Blossoms 🌸 (18+) "
" You Refused to Side with the Villain—So Why Cry When I Let You Go? (18+) "
" Succubus Physique: I Really Am Surrounded by Beauties (18+) "
" Many Children, Many Blessings—Starting with the Willow Deity (18+) "
" My Filial Piety Could Never Possibly Go Wrong (18+) "
" I'm Clearly the Villain—Why Are All the Heroines Throwing Themselves at Me? (18+) "
" Trapped in Enemy Territory, the Female General Tells Me to Open My Mouth (18+) "
" Douluo: Flame Lance Chongli and Fallen Heart Flame Cheat (18+) "
" Adult Urban: Starting with Qiao Yingzi's Flaw (18+) "
" The Heavenly Demon Begins with Attribute (18+) "
Your support means a lot-thanks in advance, legends!
many more are available 55+
patreon.com/RoyalStories
(End of Chapter)