Young Bao Qingtian: Famous Throughout the World

Young Bao Qingtian had more dialogue scenes than action scenes, and more interior scenes than exterior scenes. Once filming got into a groove, it moved along very quickly.

Just thirteen days after filming began, only one scene remained unfinished on the production schedule.

For the past half month, Li Xun had spent most of his time around director Kong Teng. During filming, Director Kong would occasionally explain some basic principles of filmmaking to him.

For example, the triangular camera setup: when filming a scene in which two stationary actors talked, using the triangle principle could effectively ensure that their positions in the frame remained consistent.

Or how to film a conversation between two actors: the height of the camera relative to the actors, where to position the cameras for interior and reverse shots, and how to use a pivot shot.

In short, Li Xun had learned a great deal over the past half month.

The final scene: before the farewell.

Bao Zheng bantered with his mother, Madam Bao, making the female lead, Ling Chuchu, burst out laughing.

Bao Zheng said, "You're still laughing? This is a tragic family drama. You're supposed to cry."

Ling Chuchu's expression grew melancholy, and the mood turned quiet. Noticing her sudden change in mood, Bao Zheng said, "I was only joking. You don't have to really cry."

Ling Chuchu ran to the door in tears. Bao Zheng followed her and said, "Chuchu, Chuchu, are you all right?"

Ling Chuchu said, "I'm fine. Some sand just got in my eye."

Bao Zheng said, "Then let me blow it out for you."

Ling Chuchu said, "No need. When I was little, whenever the wind blew sand into my eyes, my mother would blow it out for me. But that was a long, long time ago. Actually, whenever I see you arguing with your mother, I get so envious."

Bao Zheng said, "Don't lie to me."

Ling Chuchu turned around. "No, I'm really not lying. I really am envious. I wish my mother could scold me and argue with me, but that's impossible. She's been gone for so many years. All these years, my father and I have lived in seclusion in the mountains, relying on each other. He's always been strict with me, and if I do even the slightest thing wrong, he scolds me. I always feel like my father doesn't love me."

Bao Zheng said, "Of course he does. He scolds you because he cares about you."

Ling Chuchu suddenly turned to face Bao Zheng and said, "Why didn't I meet you sooner? My father forced me to do something I didn't want to do, so I had a huge fight with him and ran away. Later, when I saw how you and your mother got along at your home, I gradually began to understand..."

Bao Zheng said, "Understand what? My mother and I argue all the time too!"

Ling Chuchu said, "Yes, but I can see it clearly. Even though you argue all the time, you're very close. No, not just close—you love each other very, very much. There's so much affection and family love in those arguments. Looking back now, I realize my father has always loved me. I just didn't understand it."

Bao Zheng looked at Chuchu and said, "Don't be like that. You can just go back and apologize to your father. Look at my mother and me. Every time we argue, we're fine again in less than half an hour."

A little while later, Bao Zheng asked, "What was your father forcing you to do that you didn't want to do?"

Ling Chuchu snapped, "That's none of your business. You're so annoying!"

Annoyed, Ling Chuchu walked a few steps away and turned her back to Bao Zheng. Then she said, "Seeing you with your mother makes me feel so happy and warm."

Bao Zheng came over, and they stood shoulder to shoulder. He said, "Actually, you could live at my house too. We have plenty of room, and you have no one else to rely on."

Ling Chuchu lowered her head and chuckled, then immediately raised her brows and said with a hint of anger, "Forget it, forget it. Next time you make a bet, you'll just lose me again. I'm not as lucky at gambling as you are."

"Cut!"

The first unit of Young Bao Qingtian, "Famous Throughout the World," had officially wrapped!

Kong Teng stood up and walked over to the two actors. He first turned to Huang Zhou and said, "Huang Zhou, your acting keeps getting more polished. You handled the emotions in this scene really well—beautifully, in fact."

Then he turned to the female lead, Jin Jiawei, and said, "Jiawei, Ling Chuchu understands her feelings for herself and Bao Zheng much better than Bao Zheng does. He's still a little clueless, and she has her own concerns too. You portrayed all of that very well. You handled the emotions in this scene beautifully."

Then he turned to face everyone on the production crew and announced loudly, "Young Bao Qingtian: Famous Throughout the World has officially wrapped! Tonight, we're celebrating at the Golden Autumn Hotel. Nobody leaves sober!"

"Yeah!"

"Long live!"

"Nobody leaves sober!"

7 p.m., Golden Autumn Hotel.

Chen Minghao had been famous for nearly twenty years and held an important place in the industry. Most people at the banquet wanted to use the opportunity to get on good terms with him, and someone was offering him a drink every few minutes.

"Uncle Ming, let me toast you. We juniors have learned so much from acting alongside you."

"Uncle Ming, you haven't filmed anything new in two years. Your fans are going stir-crazy. Mr. Chen has always been extremely selective about his roles, and everyone can see how good Young Bao Qingtian is. Once the show comes out, it's sure to set off a craze. The fans are in for a treat this year."

"Uncle Ming, let me toast you too—and to our new show, Young Bao Qingtian, becoming a massive hit! May it be even more popular than iQIYI Video's The Coroner, and even more popular than The Coroner's companion series, The Burial Ground!"

"Good!"

"More popular than The Coroner and The Burial Ground!"

The cast and crew grew inexplicably more and more excited.

After a few drinks and a few words of encouragement to the younger generation, Chen Minghao walked over to Li Xun.

Holding his glass, Chen Minghao looked at Li Xun and said, "Everyone's worked up. They keep shouting that we'll be more popular than The Coroner and The Burial Ground. What do you think?"

Li Xun had a bottle of iced black tea in his hand. He took a sip and replied, "The fact that everyone uses The Coroner as the benchmark when they're bragging shows it really is a Phenomenon Level hit. A show that becomes a massive hit and draws widespread attention is rare—maybe one or two every three to five years. It's not easy to surpass one."

Chen Minghao gave him a faintly amused look. "So you think our Young Bao Qingtian doesn't have a chance of becoming a Phenomenon Level hit?"

Li Xun suddenly smiled and said, "No. My gut tells me there's at least a ninety percent chance Young Bao Qingtian will become a hit, and at least a sixty percent chance it'll become a Phenomenon Level hit!"

"Oh? You sound pretty confident. Tell me, what's your reasoning?" Chen Minghao asked with a smile, sounding as if he were testing him.

Li Xun glanced at the actors and crew members gradually gathering around them. "Four reasons!"

Chen Minghao smiled at the people nearby. "Listen to that—he's got plenty of reasons. Our Young Bao Qingtian has at least four things going for it that could make it a Phenomenon Level hit. Let's hear them!"

Li Xun looked around and raised one finger. "First, you get what you pay for. Our show's budget is no lower than that of the Phenomenon Level hit The Coroner."

Then he raised a second finger. "Second, our cast is just as strong as The Coroner's. Mr. Chen is a titan of the screen, Huang Zhou is a leading talent of the younger generation, and Ms. Jin Jiawei is at the peak of her popularity. And there are plenty of other excellent actors too, like Mr. Zhang Binghua and Ms. Feng Lan. They're all widely recognized as talented performers in the industry."

Then he raised a third finger. "Third, our director is one of the best in the business, with a top-tier directing team. In terms of experience and past work, they're just as good as The Coroner's directing team."

Finally, he raised a fourth finger. "Fourth, our..."

Li Xun had been about to praise Young Bao Qingtian's script as far superior to The Coroner's. The entertainment industry in this world seemed a little less developed than on Earth. After watching The Coroner, he could only call it passable at best. On Douban, in his previous life, it might have scored around 6.5. But Young Bao Qingtian was an excellent series, good enough to score over 8.

But as he spoke, Li Xun suddenly realized that he was the screenwriter of Young Bao Qingtian. Praising its script himself would seem a little inappropriate.

So he quietly lowered his hand and said, "Based on those three points, our Young Bao Qingtian is every bit as good as The Coroner. So if The Coroner could become a Phenomenon Level hit, then Young Bao Qingtian can too!"

"Fourth!" Chen Minghao suddenly cut in. "There's a fourth reason: Young Bao Qingtian has an outstanding script. I can say without exaggeration that it's the most astonishing script I've seen in twenty years. Our screenwriter is incredibly talented—one of the most talented young people I've ever met. So, based on those four points, Young Bao Qingtian is sure to become a Phenomenon Level hit!"

Director Kong Teng chimed in at just the right moment. "Tonight, let's take Mr. Chen and screenwriter Li Xun at their word. Come on, let's toast to Young Bao Qingtian becoming a hit!"

"Good!"

"A hit!"

"Drink up, everyone!"

"Nobody leaves sober!"

"Surpass The Coroner!"

"Leave The Burial Ground in the dust!"

"Mr. Chen, you're the best!"

"Long live the director!"

"The screenwriter is awesome!"

The celebration was in full swing!