Chapter 30: A Bunch of Nonsensical Names

March 27th.

At the North Exhibition Theater, the premiere of the Liu Laogen Grand Stage in the capital had just concluded.

Xu Ming bowed alongside his master to the audience below, expressing their gratitude.

The cheers from the crowd surged like waves, each wave higher than the last.

Countless eyes were fixed on him, accompanied by cries of his name.

Only today did he truly realize just how terrifying his popularity had become this year.

From eighty-year-old men to three-year-old toddlers, everyone recognized him and shouted, “Xu Xiaoming!”

“You kid are really on fire right now. Luckily the audience is willing to give this old man some face; otherwise, it would have been hard to keep your performance under control,” Uncle Benshan remarked with a sigh.

Sometimes, he wondered whether the success of this year’s Spring Festival Gala skit, "No Shortage of Money," would have been the same if someone else had played the waiter.

“This is just a momentary craze. Master, you are the steady anchor of our media company,” Xu Ming flattered without hesitation—flattery always finds a way.

Regardless of what his master thought, he knew as a disciple he must always maintain a humble demeanor.

Though he often clashed with Liu Shuangping and other management in the media company, he was always the obedient apprentice in front of his master.

Even if Uncle Benshan sensed his restless spirit, as long as he didn’t cross any lines, he would turn a blind eye.

“Yes, many have risen to fame through the Spring Festival Gala over the years. I've weathered many storms myself. How many can really endure till the end?” Uncle Benshan said with a hint of advice.

“Steadiness is key. The more you try to leap straight to the top, the easier it is to fall,” he added.

Xu Ming could clearly hear the warning beneath his master’s words and smiled, “You’re absolutely right.”

If only his master’s words had been consistent with his actions, he wouldn’t have had to retreat back to the northeast for so many years before making a comeback.

To outsiders, it seemed as if every step he took was a gamble.

But he knew every step was solidly grounded.

“You’ve been doing well lately, quite stable. A few days ago, you had me tossing and turning all night with your calls,” Uncle Benshan said, patting his prized disciple on the shoulder.

“But as long as we’re right, your master’s got your back,” he declared.

The commanding aura of the King of Northeast China naturally radiated from him.

Everyone nearby accepted this as an undeniable truth—his master had both the right and the power to say such things.

Backstage, a group approached them, led by a man wearing a cap, his face deeply lined.

Uncle Benshan was momentarily taken aback when he recognized the face beneath the brim, then quickly composed himself and approached with a furrowed smile.

“Oh my, Director Zhang, when did you arrive?”

“I came at the beginning of the show. Didn’t want to disturb your performance, but the turnout was impressive,” Director Zhang replied.

He shook Uncle Benshan’s hand vigorously, then turned to Xu Ming with a smile. “So this is Xu Ming. You look quite different from when I saw you at the Spring Festival Gala.”

That’s right. On the Gala, he played a sissy, but offstage, he was a true man.

Xu Ming muttered to himself but kept a respectful expression, “Hello, Director Zhang. I grew up watching your films.”

“Do you even know what you’re saying? You weren’t even born when Zhang was making movies. I’m the one who really grew up watching Zhang’s films,” Uncle Benshan teased.

Everyone laughed heartily. The teasing banter between master and apprentice made the atmosphere light and joyful.

They all headed to a large room to use as a temporary meeting space.

“First, my apologies for the delay in meeting. The 2008 Olympics consumed a lot of energy, plus preparing the opera ‘Turandot’ at the Bird’s Nest pushed things back,” Director Zhang said, bowing slightly.

No wonder he became a great director, managing to produce so many films while maintaining quality.

His humility was ever-present.

Looking back, many of Zhang's less successful films were influenced by investors, causing him to lose control over certain elements.

Take the current film "Three Guns" as an example. Originally, he wanted to adapt "Blood Maze," a pure suspense movie.

But after Zhang Weiping’s sudden decision to bring in the Zhao troupe, how could traditional folk opera blend with suspense?

And then there was "The Great Wall," a disastrous fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.

Lead actor Matt Damon even turned down "Manchester by the Sea" to star in it, becoming a laughingstock in Hollywood.

“National duties come first. Our films can wait. Everyone in the Zhao troupe is always on standby,” Uncle Benshan said.

Others nodded in agreement. Just appearing in a Zhang director’s film was enough to brag about for a lifetime.

Xu Ming nodded too. There was no escaping; he might as well enjoy it.

After all, "Three Guns" still grossed over 200 million yuan at the box office. With such a foundation, maybe one day he could become the first actor in Chinese entertainment to surpass 10 billion yuan in box office earnings.

“I’ve discussed with Weiping. Filming will start on June 3rd in Dunhuang. Please keep your schedules open for the following dates,” Director Zhang announced.

“Also, the first draft of the script has been printed. Feel free to review it, but it’s not guaranteed to be the final version.”

He signaled for his assistant to distribute the scripts.

Everyone glanced at the script, then looked again, falling silent.

The character names were boldly written as "Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Wu the Maimed, Zhao Liu, Chen Qi."

That was the mildest part; other characters had only their roles listed without any names.

Xu Ming suspected this was Zhang’s subtle protest against the investors.

“You guys like famous names, right? Well, this time I’m going with nonsense names…”

Of course, this was just Xu Ming’s speculation; Zhang likely had his own artistic reasons.

“Sun Honglei is tentatively cast as Zhang San, Xu Ming as Li Si, Ya Dan as Chen Qi. Master Benshan will reluctantly play the patrol captain. The remaining roles will be selected through auditions,” Director Zhang explained.

The three actors from "No Shortage of Money" were confirmed, but the rest had to compete for their parts within the troupe.

However, since the scripts were already handed out, it was effectively a backdoor arrangement.

“No problem,” Uncle Benshan agreed immediately. He didn’t care much about his own role; his priority was securing more opportunities for his disciples.

To put it bluntly, how many more years did he have left to act?

Looking at the current De Yun Society, they had only managed to produce Jin Zi and Xiao Yueyue. The former left, and the latter was a lone pillar.

Other disciples had some fame, but how many were truly capable of starring on major stages?

It forced Old Guo, at his age, to frequently appear to support his disciples. Whether he could retire in triumph was another matter entirely.