Lin Chudong's performance concluded.
He bid farewell to the audience, assuring them he wouldn't be returning the next day.
The audience understood; they had long prepared for this moment. They knew Big Fei would leave sooner or later.
But as they watched Zuo Quan perform over the days, they found him quite talented as well. Since they had grown accustomed to this venue, and the daily performances were long and provided great value, they were happy to keep coming.
By the time the show ended and the audience dispersed, it was nearly midnight.
Zuo Quan cleared his throat and said, "Even as the straight man, my voice is parched. Teacher Dafei, aren't you tired?"
Lin Chudong smiled. "I'm tired too, but it was exhilarating."
The crosstalk performance had been truly exhilarating.
Zuo Quan continued, "Over these three days, the total earnings are about 400,000 yuan. We had around 500 people each day, a bit fewer on the first day. I'll transfer it all to you—these last two days were all thanks to you."
Lin Chudong waved his hand. "No need. Let's split it 50/50."
Having put in so much effort, Lin Chudong certainly didn't intend to walk away empty-handed.
Yet he couldn't take it all. Zuo Quan had worked just as hard as his partner.
They reached a strategic agreement—after all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Lin Chudong transferred twenty thousand yuan to Zuo Quan, leaving the rest for taxes and other expenses.
As they left the venue, they glanced at Big Xin Crosstalk nearby. Zuo Quan froze.
"Did something happen over there? Let's go check."
They walked over and found the place in disarray. Tables and chairs were overturned, the stage littered with shattered glass—it looked like a battlefield.
Several apprentices were cleaning up, crying as they worked.
Zuo Quan entered and asked, "Where's Old Meng?"
A young apprentice looked up. "Master got into a fight with some audience members. He's being held at the police station."
Zuo Quan frowned, thought for a moment, then said, "Teacher Dafei, why don't we go take a look?"
Lin Chudong nodded. "Good idea."
***
Twenty minutes later, at the Capital City Police Station.
The two men showed their IDs and visited Meng Xin.
Meng Xin had been detained for fighting and couldn't be bailed out, so they could only visit.
When they met again, Meng Xin's face was grim.
After they sat down, Meng Xin said, "You two are here to laugh at me, aren't you? To admire the fruits of your victory?"
Lin Chudong replied calmly, "Don't misunderstand. Brother Zuo wanted to see you; I just came along with him."
Meng Xin looked up at Lin Chudong. "A big star like you is someone you can't afford to offend. After crossing you, I lost my livelihood."
"You were the one who tried to ruin my livelihood first," Lin Chudong retorted.
Meng Xin sighed, fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Chudong.
"I'm sorry."
Meng Xin was filled with regret. In the heat of the moment, he'd thought a few angry online comments would vent his frustration and get him blacklisted. He never imagined it would escalate to this.
"I accept your apology," Lin Chudong said. "I won't target you further. This matter ends here. Whether you can recover depends on your own abilities."
Meng Xin's crosstalk theater was definitely going to close. After all, he'd already gotten into a fight with the audience, and he wouldn't be able to make a living in this area anymore.
But if he moved and started fresh somewhere else, he could still make a comeback.
Meng Xin said, "Forget it. I'm too old to keep up this kind of hustle. Besides, nobody even likes listening to crosstalk anymore. I might as well take this opportunity to retire."
Lin Chudong asked, "You had someone share that online video—the one you wouldn't even pay me a hundred yuan for. Who gave you that idea?"
Lin Chudong had come mainly to ask this question.
For an old crosstalk veteran like Meng Xin, it seemed out of character for him to think of such a dirty trick to smear them.
Meng Xin wasn't particularly cunning or clever. If he were, he wouldn't have said "We let them win" on stage.
If he had any brains, Lin Chudong wouldn't have beaten him bloody in just three days.
Meng Xin explained, "It was someone named Fu who called me. He said he was your competitor and wanted to give me some advice. He taught me this trick, and I thought it sounded pretty good at the time, so I went along with it."
Lin Chudong's face darkened. It was Fu Xiaochun, that bastard.
Unable to compete fairly, he resorted to dirty tactics.
And he didn't even do it openly, using Meng Xin as a pawn—how devious!
After asking this, Lin Chudong left.
Zuo Quan had been rivals with Meng Xin for years; he probably had something to tell him. As for what Meng Xin would do next, that was none of his business.
Lin Chudong asked Yao Qiang to investigate Chunting Game Company.
Yao Qiang reported that Chunting was preparing to launch a new game.
However, the specific title remained unknown for the time being.
Lin Chudong instructed him to keep a close eye on the situation and contact him immediately if anything unusual occurred.
That bastard Fu Xiaochun—Lin Chudong wouldn't have minded open competition, but this backstabbing? He wouldn't forget this!
Shortly after arriving at Sister Deng's place, Kang Wenxue called.
"Big Fei, sorry to bother you so late."
"No problem, Editor-in-Chief Kang. I'm a night owl and usually stay up late."
"Good. *Three-Body* is selling exceptionally well. It'll definitely break a million copies within three months. Your royalties next month might increase severalfold."
"Thank you for your efforts, Editor-in-Chief Kang," Lin Chudong said.
Kang Wenxue had anticipated Lin Chudong's composure, but he couldn't suppress his excitement.
"You've practically secured first place in the writing competition. And there's more good news: your book has been nominated for the Science Fiction Aurora Award! The ceremony is next week in the Capital. I'll send you the details shortly."
Lin Chudong paused, realizing he wouldn't be able to return home anytime soon.
He hung up the phone.
Deng Siqing had finished washing his feet. She was squatting on the floor, towel in hand, drying his feet. After a long day, soaking his feet in warm water felt incredibly soothing.
"Sister Deng, I can do this myself from now on," Lin Chudong said.
He still felt a bit awkward being so pampered by her.
"What, you think I'm too clumsy?" Deng Siqing asked.
"How could that be? I just don't want you to get tired," he replied.
Deng Siqing smiled. "As long as you don't mind my clumsiness, how about this: as an exchange, you wash my feet too?"
"Alright."
Lin Chudong brought over a basin of water and placed it on the floor.
Deng Siqing sat on the sofa, her left hand resting on her belly and her right hand in her mouth, gnawing on her fingernails. Her cheeks were flushed crimson.
Lin Chudong picked up Sister Deng's two small feet, removed her socks, and swallowed hard at an inopportune moment.
His face immediately turned red.
He had simply swallowed at that exact moment by coincidence, not because of any perverted desires.
He quickly submerged her pale, rosy feet in the warm water.
Deng Siqing's face turned crimson.
When Lin Chudong looked up and saw her expression, he quickly explained, "Sister Deng, don't misunderstand, I'm not... you know..."
Deng Siqing pointed at the water in the basin.
"It's... it's too hot!"
***
Big Fei's few crosstalk performances had ignited a significant buzz online.
His quick-witted responses to audience interjections were particularly hailed as "god-tier reactions" by many.
"As a long-time crosstalk fan, I never really cared about singer Big Fei. But his crosstalk is truly phenomenal! The energy and rhythm he commands on stage are simply masterful."
"Big Fei isn't just sweeping the comedy world; he's dominating it. He's got both skits and crosstalk locked down—who can even touch him in the crosstalk scene now?"
"Meng Xin's crosstalk club is completely out of business. Big Fei is just too damn good."
"He took down a crosstalk club in three days—that's practically a miracle!"
"The most insane part was the twenty-eight encore curtain calls! Do you know how much that traumatizes other crosstalk performers? You're forcing them to go all out!"
"Haha, Big Fei is such a jerk! He left, but he spoiled the audience's taste. What are other crosstalk performers supposed to do now?"
Seeing these comments online, Liang Yin pulled out her notebook and flipped to the last page.
Since meeting Big Fei, she had been meticulously documenting everything he taught himself: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine, cooking, magic, hosting, skiing, painting, law, skits, directing...
Looking at her notes, Liang Yin fell into deep self-doubt.
*We're both human. Why is Big Fei so exceptional?*
She picked up her pen and quietly wrote two words at the end: *Crosstalk*.
***
The next day, Deng Siqing went to work, and Lin Chudong accompanied her to CCTV.
Many people enthusiastically greeted Big Fei, as the rumors about him and Sister Deng had already spread throughout the entire television station.
Everyone was discussing whether Big Fei was actually dating Sister Deng or Lin Qiqi.
Later, it became apparent that Big Fei had rumors with too many women. Even Su Yulin's attitude toward him on the show seemed somewhat ambiguous.
Su Yulin was typically cold and distant on other programs, rarely speaking during close-ups.
Yet on *Longing For*, despite maintaining her aloof expression, she kept following Big Fei and talking to him, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor.
Moreover, Cheng Huanhuan's relationship with Big Fei also seemed unusual. Otherwise, why would Big Fei promote her so heavily?
Suddenly, Big Fei became the hot topic of gossip among the women at the station.
After Deng Siqing got busy, Lin Chudong went directly to the Channel Eight office.
*Bright Sword* had already been reviewed and was awaiting broadcast.
The current prime-time drama was ending its run that night, and if all went as planned, *Bright Sword* would take over the slot the next day.
However, there was still no word from Sister Huang. Could something have gone wrong?
As he approached the Channel Eight office, he saw Huang Wei talking with a middle-aged man.
Lin Chudong walked over, intending to greet them.
Huang Wei quickly intervened. "Big Fei, this is Director Chen, my boss."
Lin Chudong shook his hand. "Good afternoon, Director Chen."
Chen Deming, Director of the Content Department.
"Big Fei, it's nice to meet you in person. You're even more handsome than on TV," Chen Deming said.
"You're too kind, Director Chen," Lin Chudong replied.
"Bright Sword is promising. I have high hopes for it. This is Huang Wei's first project since I recruited her. It's all up to you two now. Alright, I won't keep you any longer."
Chen Deming returned to his office. Though his words were polite, Lin Chudong felt they lacked sincerity.
After Chen Deming left, Huang Wei sighed and exchanged a look with Lin Chudong. They moved to a large conference table in the lobby and sat down.
"Sister Huang, what happened?"
"Nothing major, just that we didn't secure the prime-time slot."
"Director Chen had promised me the prime-time slot for Bright Sword. They all saw the script and agreed it would be a massive hit."
"But they gave it to someone else anyway. And the funniest part? They gave it to an animated show. Can you believe that?"
Huang Wei looked utterly speechless.
CCTV Channel Eight is a drama channel. How could they put an animated show in the prime-time slot instead of a drama? It's completely absurd.
Lin Chudong frowned. "This doesn't make sense. The leadership must have their reasons, right?"
Huang Wei nodded. "Something like that. Director Chen seems to owe someone a favor, and that animation company has been doing really well. They produced that hit cartoon, *Big Dog and Two Dogs*—you've heard of it, right? That's their company."
"Originally, this show was supposed to air on the children's channel, but they felt it was too small a platform, so they snatched a prime-time slot on Channel Eight."
"This is the second season of *Big Dog and Two Dogs*. Even though it's a hit, its ratings can't possibly compete with Li Zhilin's *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2*. I don't know what the leadership was thinking."
Hearing Huang Wei's explanation, Lin Chudong felt relieved.
If Director Chen was just repaying a favor, it was likely just to give this animation a chance to try out the prime-time slot.
It might not stay there permanently, and there was still a chance to change it.
"Then where has *Bright Sword* been scheduled?"
"Nine o'clock—delayed by an hour."
Lin Chudong nodded. "That's still acceptable."
Huang Wei said, "Yes, the leadership just told me. They think that for dramas, the difference between airing at 8 PM and 9 PM isn't that significant.
"But for animated shows, it's a completely different story. Most elementary school students have to be in bed by 9 PM. Who's going to watch an animated show at that hour?"
"The leadership explained it to me, and I have to admit, they have a point. So, this is how it has to be."
Lin Chudong said, "Thanks for your efforts, Sister Huang. So, it'll air tomorrow?"
"Yes, starting tomorrow. Two episodes a day, four episodes in a row on Saturdays and Sundays. It'll finish in about ten days."
Lin Chudong nodded. "Actually, that's not bad. At least it won't clash with my show on Saturdays."
Huang Wei chuckled. "You're just too popular these days. You have several shows in prime time. It's hard to avoid conflicts."
"Sister Huang, if I negotiate with Tianxun Video for this series, what kind of terms could I get?"
"Don't rush. Wait until our broadcast is over and the ratings and official website scores are out. Then you can approach them."
"TV dramas are different from online ones. Online viewers can watch whenever they want, just by clicking a button."
"But it's not like that with broadcast TV. If they want to rewatch it after it finishes, they have to wait for reruns. Even then, they have to wait again. That's why audiences are so eager for the entire series to be released on all the major platforms at once."
"I'm not there anymore, so I can give you some advice: don't sign an exclusive deal. Don't let them take advantage of you. The money from exclusive deals is too little. By the end, like with *Beginning*, the revenue becomes opaque. You won't know how much you've actually earned—you just get whatever they decide to give you."
If Huang Wei were still at Tianxun Video, she definitely wouldn't have dared to speak so frankly.
But now that she's no longer there, she can freely offer advice to Big Fei.
Lin Chudong nodded, finding Sister Huang's points reasonable.
Just like with *Beginning* now, the monthly payments are impossible to track. They just tell you the viewership numbers, and you take whatever money they give you.
Huang Wei said, "Alright, that's settled for now. We'll know the ratings in a few days. I'll let you know immediately when I hear anything."
"Sounds good!"
***
Lin Chudong didn't return to Magic City. Instead, he flew directly to Yunnan with Deng Siqing to record the third and fourth episodes of *Longing For*.
Normally, such variety shows would be recorded in one go to save on travel expenses.
However, since no one had high expectations for this show, the first two episodes were just a trial run.
To everyone's surprise, the show's performance was explosive. The station might make adjustments later, so they'd have to see what Director Sun had to say.
The two boarded the plane, wearing masks and settling into first-class seats.
The moment Deng Siqing sat down, she reached for Lin Chudong's hand. It felt good to be traveling and working together.
***
It was eight o'clock the following evening.
CCTV-13 was airing True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2.
The drama had been heavily promoted, and with a fanbase built from the previous installment, it drew a considerable audience upon its premiere.
Zheng Xi, the deputy director of Thirteen Sets, was watching TV in his office. As Qiu Chengdong was about to leave for the day, he called him over.
"Xiao Qiu, I heard Big Fei's new drama was snatched by Channel Eight. What's going on? Aren't you good friends with him?"
Qiu Chengdong paused. "Sir, drama acquisitions aren't my area of responsibility. Talking to him wouldn't help."
"Think outside the box!" Zheng Xi insisted. "Channel Eight is trying to outperform us. Big Fei has two programs on our channel, and now they've poached his drama. What does that make us look like?"
*National Attention* and *I'm a Comedian*—he'd been involved in both. Lin Chudong was one of Thirteen Sets' own, yet his drama had been snatched by Channel Eight, much to the leadership's displeasure.
"Sir," Qiu Chengdong said, "if Big Fei's drama were available, could you give it a primetime slot?"
Zheng Xi was taken aback. "That's impossible. I've already finalized the deal with Li Zhilin's drama; the primetime slot is set."
"Exactly. They're already in Channel Eight's primetime—why would they come to us?"
Zheng Xi frowned. "Let it be. Big Fei's just dabbling in this. He's decent with variety shows, but his dramas can't compete with ours. He's taking a big risk this time. Web dramas would be more suitable—lower costs. I don't have high expectations for his drama."
Qiu Chengdong didn't argue. He didn't know the industry well enough. The fact that Big Fei had secured a primetime slot on Channel Eight—even if it was the 9 PM slot instead of 8 PM—must mean the drama's quality was exceptional.
He, for one, had high expectations for Big Fei.
***
"Wow, Brother Zhilin is so handsome! Finally, the second season is here! Go, Brother!"
"Only Brother Zhilin can play the male lead so coolly. Other war dramas are just unwatchable."
"Thirteen Sets hit the jackpot this time! Getting the rights to our brother's drama will guarantee the highest ratings nationwide."
"Wait... aren't you guys being a bit brainless with the praise? This show is really trampling on the audience's intelligence. Li Zhilin walks out of the battlefield still looking all slick and dewy? They're sacrificing plot for style."
"I was just about to complain—a group of Japanese soldiers gathered for a meeting, and they were speaking perfect Mandarin! So funny."
"You guys know nothing. This is a TV drama, not a documentary. If you don't like it, get lost!"
"As if we *want* to watch this! If *Bright Sword* hadn't been delayed, do you think we'd be here?"
"I can't stand this brain-dead show anymore. I'm going to watch *Big Dog and Two Dogs* for a while."
"..."
Li Zhilin sat in his office that night, waiting for the ratings to come out. His career had been in a slump lately.
Ever since he lost the lawsuit against Lin Chudong and had to pay a hefty sum, things had been going downhill.
The recent suspension of his variety show had also caused significant damage.
*It's all that bastard Lin Chudong's fault!*
Li Zhilin, with Guan Lu in his arms, sat on the office sofa and watched the program on TV.
Speaking of which, Li Zhilin was quite the sentimental type. He'd had many women, and most of his girlfriends were only around for a short while before breaking up.
But Guan Lu had remained by his side, serving as his assistant while maintaining their improper relationship.
After losing her hosting job, Guan Lu had transitioned to behind-the-scenes work and dedicated herself to caring for Li Zhilin.
Though she was somewhat attractive, in today's world, pretty women were a dime a dozen. What good was mere looks?
What mattered was knowing how to comfort him when he needed it and provide him with emotional support.
"Zhilin, Big Fei didn't get the prime-time slot this time. They're no longer competing on the same level as us."
Li Zhilin snorted coldly. "A shoestring crew—as if they could ever produce a decent show?"
There had been friction between the two crews during filming. Though everyone praised Big Fei's crew for their superior conditions—better food, lodging, and even the extras flocking to their side—Li Zhilin still dismissed them as a "shoestring crew."
Their crew lacked any major stars. The only one with any star power was Big Fei himself, and he was still the director.
Who cared about the director these days?
If it were a web series, Big Fei's name might have drawn some viewers.
But the audience for traditional TV dramas was mostly middle-aged—especially middle-aged women.
Television dramas primarily attract female audiences, with a significant portion being housewives. Therefore, viewers won't tune in just because you're Big Fei.
Big Fei's fanbase consists mainly of young people. While he might have some influence online, he's far from a big name in the television industry.
As the drama premiered, Li Zhilin received the ratings data just as the first episode was nearing its end.
"Not bad. A 1.2 rating at launch meets our targets."
Seeing his good mood, Guan Lu immediately sat on his lap.
"What about the market share?"
"5.3%—acceptable."
As a sequel, it retained many of its original viewers.
Guan Lu wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, making him tingle. His hands began to wander.
With his spirits high, he naturally felt like doing something more.
Guan Lu said shyly, "Zhilin, this is the office. Don't get carried away."
"So what if it's the office? Who would dare scold me, except the boss?"
With that, Li Zhilin scooped her up and placed her on the desk. An electronic clock on the desk showed 8:57.
At 9:00 sharp, *Bright Sword* began airing. Li Zhilin finished his "battle," and Li Yunlong sounded the charge.
-----------------------
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