Chapter 150: So This is the Kind of Show It Is! I Can Only Say Sorry to What You Want (Extra-Large Chapter)

In November, the autumn rain fell in a hazy mist.

During this period, the entertainment industry seemed to have entered a silent slumber.

Not many gossips were making headlines.

Gone were the days of fan factions bickering and tearing each other apart online.

Everyone appeared to be holding their breath, waiting for the impending box-office showdown of the upcoming New Year season.

And it wasn't just Su Mu and Lin Haoming; the sudden emergence of Du Qifeng had also left many anticipating what the final outcome might be.

From what was currently known, Du Qifeng's New Year feature was likely an action film.

There were also four or five other movies scheduled to release during the same period.

Compared to the previous year, the competition promised to be even fiercer.

……

Inside the filming set.

Su Mu, wearing a disheveled shirt, was preparing for his final few scenes.

Almost all the cast members of the crew had gathered at the periphery, waiting to witness his concluding wrap-up.

Two months had passed.

Everyone's perception of this production had undergone a continuous evolution.

At first, it had simply struck them as comical, but gradually, they began to grasp the deeper, more sophisticated layers embedded within.

They had thought that was the end of it, yet Su Mu's subsequent performances repeatedly led everyone into even deeper realms of interpretation.

The first turning point was the scene where the male protagonist, Xia Luo, played the guitar and sang at the school broadcasting station.

On the surface, the scene appeared merely to be a celebration of youth.

From an overall structural standpoint, it contained no major plot developments, nor did it rely on any comedic gags or punchlines.

It was just the male lead, clutching a guitar, singing "Those Flowers."

In post-production, some youthful flashbacks of the male lead would be spliced in, harmonizing with the lyrics of the song.

Initially, discussions had centered on retaining only "Just Once" and the "Yi Jian Mei BGM," while opting for domestic pop songs for the rest.

However, when it came to shooting this particular sequence, Su Mu ultimately chose to stick with the original version.

Because Su Mu realized that substituting any other track failed to achieve the same precise resonance and emotional alignment as this specific song.

Su Mu had specifically asked Liu Yadong to pre-record the track.

And then played it back during the filming of that scene.

"That chorus of laughter reminds me of those flowers of mine..."

Upon hearing the lyrics,

many could picture the images instantly welling up in their minds.

It was as if they had been transported back to that bygone era, witnessing the blossoming prime of youth, where all beauty had its genesis.

Yet,

in the latter half of the script,

the narrative abruptly shattered this idyllic atmosphere.

As the comedic and farcical plot points continued to unfold,

audiences found themselves roaring with laughter while simultaneously glimpsing harsher, more realistic truths.

Such as the different human nature revealed through the varying fortunes of the supporting characters.

And ultimately, when Xia Luo fell gravely ill, he discovered that fate had played yet another cruel joke on him.

Even given a second chance at life,

the ending didn't seem particularly wonderful either.

And the only person who genuinely cared about him

remained none other than Ma Dongmei...

"Goodbye, Mr. Losers! Scene 404, Action!"

At that moment,

Zhang Huaimou's voice echoed through the walkie-talkie.

Su Mu began his final concluding performance.

For any film,

especially a comedy,

the ending was of paramount importance.

More often than not, this was where the ultimate emotional sublimation took place.

Maintaining laughs throughout a whole film wasn't particularly difficult.

Yet, translating those genuine, moving emotions to the audience at the very end consistently proved to be the hardest challenge.

If it failed to touch the audience's inner heart and strike a chord,

then the comedy would lack true depth.

Su Mu understood this principle profoundly.

Just like Master Xing's works of the past, the reason they were recognized and deeply analyzed by the public years later

was that behind his brilliant and wildly exaggerated acting, many segments still harbored a profound core and emotional resonance.

That single line from *King of Comedy*, "Can you not leave? I'll support you," had articulated the vulnerability and helplessness of countless real-life struggles.

And right now,

Su Mu was approaching that very same juncture.

*Goodbye, Mr. Losers* was a comedy with a relentlessly fast-paced rhythm and rapid-fire gags, but while comedic beats landed wave after wave, it also risked diluting the expressive power of its emotional core.

Therefore, the concluding segment was the ultimate test.

At this moment,

the camera zoomed in on his slightly disheveled and pale face.

Awakening from his dream,

he discovered that he was actually inside a restroom.

Xia Luo's expression flickered with panic, yet it instantly gave way to a surge of relief as he realized that everything he had just experienced was merely a dream.

Thank goodness it was just a dream.

Xia Luo bolted out of the restroom and looked at the mirror opposite him.

Was this him?

It was him! The one in the mirror was him!

The coward, the face-saving fool who suffered endlessly for his pride, the miserable self who could never even afford a four-course meal—the real him!

A surge of emotion churned within Xia Luo.

It was as if he had finally achieved inner peace in that exact moment.

He had accepted this version of himself.

Even if he lacked the carefree swagger of his dream self, this was the most authentic version of him.

Xia Luo smiled.

At first, he wanted to laugh heartily, but then he suddenly thought of Dongmei.

Everything in the dream was gone, but in reality, was that Dongmei who loved him still there?

Xia Luo's expression tightened with anxiety.

Without a second thought, he rushed out of the restroom and dashed into the police station lobby outside.

Because he had caused a scene at Qiuya's wedding, he had ended up being hauled in here—which in turn had triggered that entire dream sequence in the restroom.

At that moment, Ma Dongmei was in the middle of giving her statement.

Paying zero heed to the stares of those around him or the police officers attempting to restrain him,

Xia Luo lunged forward toward Ma Dongmei with an exaggerated sprint.

Confirming that she was indeed the same old Ma Dongmei, he planted a kiss right on her lips.

[ Kissing Technique Proficiency +1 ]

[ Facial Expression Control +1 ]

[ Comedy Bit +1 ]

[ ... ]

Ignoring the rapid-fire string of system notifications in his mind,

Su Mu steady-stepped past Feng Kaili, then wrapped his arms around her thighs with a pitiful, puppy-dog desperation, kneeling down in sheer satisfaction...

As if signaling that with this single kneel, he had surrendered his entire remaining lifetime to her.

At this juncture,

someone off-camera laughed out loud.

Yet their laughter was laced with tears.

Su Mu's performance was hilarious, yet it left people with a sense of comforting warmth. A deep emotional resonance bloomed within their hearts, prompting many to suddenly sigh with reflection over the true meaning of life.

It was only at this very moment that everything crystallized.

Only now did they fully comprehend the brilliance of Su Mu's script!

These characters—Dachun, Xia Luo, Qiuya, Dongmei.

Weren't they simply the four seasons of the year?

And through the journeys of these key supporting characters, the choices inherent to every stage of human life were laid bare.

Dachun's words reflected all four seasons, Xia Luo's awakening from the dream illuminated youth, in youth one only cherished the fragrance of autumn, while in the plainness of age one finally realized the preciousness of winter's plum.

Even before seeing the final finished product of the film,

many of the cast members standing right there had already been struck by a powerful emotional resonance.

Human life often forced one to face the exact same choices as Xia Luo.

Yet no matter how one chose, regrets were perhaps inevitable.

Even if you could travel back in your dreams to the age of eighteen, didn't Xia Luo still ultimately meet his end in regret?

That was why in this final scene, waking from his dream made him truly understand.

Life was long; finding someone who loved you and saw only you in their eyes meant that when you reached old age, you could still hear that song echoing softly by your ear: *Just once, accompanying you to the ends of the earth...*

"Cut! Excellent!"

Following Zhang Huaimou's shout,

Su Mu finally released his grip on Feng Kaili's waist.

Immediately afterward, a wave of applause erupted all around!

"Brilliant!"

"Teacher Su Mu's acting is phenomenal!"

Sincere praises poured out from the crew members.

And amidst the hearty laughter, many eyes were red-rimmed.

The applause was heavy with awe and admiration for Su Mu and the entire production.

If any single scene had been plucked out of context, it might have been hard to understand what was driving such emotional resonance.

Yet these crew members had lived and breathed the performance from start to finish.

Their understanding was therefore profound.

If anyone had previously harbored doubts about whether this film could achieve strong box-office numbers during the New Year season,

no one questioned it anymore.

"This script is bloody genius!"

"Su Mu is practically a deity. No wonder he dared to play it this way."

"I can't even wait anymore; this thing is going to explode."

"I am truly honored to be a part of this crew."

Everyone present burned with excitement.

Next came the final post-production wrap-up work.

And after that, they would simply await the explosive debut of the New Year box-office battle.

"Congratulations, Su Mu!"

"It's a wrap~!"

Crew members crowded around with warm wishes.

Su Mu accepted a bouquet of flowers.

He smiled at the gathered crowd and spoke, "Thank you, everyone. Since today marks the official wrap of filming, I'd like to say a few brief words...

You probably all understand what this production means to me. This year's New Year season is a challenge for me, but I believe it is equally a challenge for every single one of you.

Therefore, the ultimate results won't belong to me alone; they belong to all of us.

Trust me, once this movie hits the theaters, every single character in it will leave an indelible mark of your own. As the mountains are high and the rivers long, let's all keep pushing forward!"

[ Speech Proficiency +1 ]

[ Skill Point +0.01... ]

Feng Kaili's face flushed crimson: "Teacher Su Mu, thank you!"

"!!!"

"???"

……

Hengdian World Studios.

Just as Su Mu's production was wrapping up its shoot,

Du Qifeng's team had already been filming for a month.

Having just completed an action sequence and basked in the surrounding applause and praise, he took his phone and retreated to his trailer outside.

Seated inside was a woman.

She appeared to be in her mid-thirties, dressed in semi-professional attire with an aura of absolute authority.

Anyone familiar with Beijing Media would instantly recognize her as Zhao Lan, the powerhouse super-agent of Beijing Media.

Ning Yuyang and Yang Hao were both under her management.

"Sister Zhao," Du Qifeng greeted as he boarded the vehicle.

Zhao Lan smiled at him. "How is it? Are you settling back into domestic filming smoothly?"

Du Qifeng nodded. "There isn't actually much difference. Besides, when it comes to actor conditions and treatment, the domestic industry is honestly far better than overseas. Over there, nobody pampers you; you have to survive purely on strength."

Zhao Lan raised an eyebrow, clearly having no intention of dwelling on that topic. "For the upcoming period, the company has assigned me to take over as your manager, excluding overseas operations.

I'll skip the superfluous talk and get straight to the point.

I know your return this time is aimed at securing the lead role in Dong Xuefei's upcoming major production, so that will be our primary target moving forward."

Du Qifeng nodded. "Good. I've long been aware of Sister Zhao's capabilities, I trust you."

Zhao Lan stated, "Our known competitors currently include Lin Haoming from Fengjun Media, Wang Xuan from Shangfeng Entertainment, and Zhang Jianlin. Oh right, there's also a newcomer named Su Mu who deserves attention."

Du Qifeng chuckled. "Aside from Lin Haoming, would Teacher Dong Xuefei even deign to look at the rest?"

Zhao Lan replied, "The others might be manageable, but Ning Yuyang previously collaborated with Su Mu, so I have some understanding of him. He possesses massive potential and shouldn't be underestimated."

A flash of arrogance crossed Du Qifeng's features, though he still nodded. "I understand. It won't be long anyway—once the New Year season concludes, I'll use my results to firmly suppress both of them."

Zhao Lan acknowledged this. "Mhm, this New Year season is indeed a persuasive opportunity, and Director Dong Xuefei naturally uses box-office influence as a core reference metric.

However, given the intense competition, we still can't avoid leveraging connections and methods. I heard that Fengjun Entertainment is already making moves on that front.

So next up, we need to meet with several investors. If we can secure recommendations from the majority of them, I believe Dong Xuefei will take that into serious consideration."

Du Qifeng said, "Alright, let's set up those meetings as soon as possible."

Zhao Lan sighed softly. "Qifeng, I know you aren't entirely reconciled to things after returning, and you're desperate to prove yourself once again. But sometimes you can't rush things. Besides, the domestic market still holds you in high regard; it might be better to steady yourself and accumulate momentum for another couple of years. Who knows, stepping out again after that might take you even higher."

Du Qifeng shook his head helplessly. "Sister Zhao, the overseas industry is far more brutal than you imagine, and infinitely more snobbish. I couldn't make it to the top even during my prime years; waiting a few more years would only narrow my acting path further, limiting the roles available to me.

In short, I must secure the lead role in Dong Xuefei's project this time. Through this film, I might just have a shot at breaking through again."

Zhao Lan conceded, "Very well, then we'll give it everything we've got. Once this New Year season wraps up, next year we'll focus heavily on trending genres and strive to secure relevant scripts."

Du Qifeng smiled with absolute confidence. "There shouldn't be anyone in this year's New Year lineup capable of rivaling me head-on, so there's nothing to worry about. As for trending themes, I hear grave-robbing series are all the rage—that feels quite suitable for me. But if we pick one, we must choose the absolute best and hottest IP adaptation."

"Alright..." Zhao Lan hesitated, words lingering on the tip of her tongue.

In the end, there were things she chose not to voice aloud.

In truth, she had heard certain evaluations of Su Mu directly from Ning Yuyang.

And from the perspective of a professional agent,

Su Mu was actually the exact template that agents dreamed of managing.

A talent whose upper limit was completely unfathomable.

……

Fengjun Entertainment.

Huang Wenshan remarked, "I heard Su Mu's production has already wrapped up filming."

Lin Haoming burned three sticks of incense, turned around to take his seat, and chuckled. "Surpassing half a billion this year will likely be quite difficult. Du Qifeng's New Year film is an action piece, and given his reputation, he'll capture at least half the market share.

If I previously considered Su Mu a rival, now I feel we need to set our sights higher. After all, locking your gaze on someone incapable of surpassing you won't bring much progress."

Huang Wenshan twirled Buddhist prayer beads in his hand and nodded silently.

What Lin Haoming said made sense. Under the current circumstances, even if he defeated Su Mu, it didn't guarantee he would land the film contract with Dong Xuefei.

Because standing ahead of him right now was still Du Qifeng.

Huang Wenshan noted, "If you want to snatch a role from Dong Xuefei, you have to crush everyone next year—including Du Qifeng and Su Mu alike."

Lin Haoming smiled weakly. "That sounds a bit daunting."

Huang Wenshan pondered for a moment. "It's not entirely out of reach. You've seen the genre trends that just started blowing up this year, haven't you?"

Lin Haoming asked, "Grave-robbing and suspense? But that trend was kick-started by Su Mu."

Huang Wenshan shook his head with a smile. "That doesn't matter. The past is the past; audiences only care whether your current offerings are good or not.

I've received quite a bit of intelligence showing that major film investment companies are quietly preparing to incubate massive IP projects. The future will inevitably be a battle of content against content.

No matter how high a star's popularity or traffic is, if your content fails to support it, it's all for nothing.

Right now, many film investment firms are heavily purchasing copyright properties related to grave-robbing themes. If my guess is right, next year will undoubtedly be the breakout trend.

Therefore, your best bet next year is to secure a grave-robbing script. It's guaranteed to blow up. Leveraging that advantage, crushing Du Qifeng and Su Mu in traffic and popularity won't be difficult."

Lin Haoming questioned, "But I've heard other projects of that type are already preparing to shoot."

Huang Wenshan countered, "Those IPs haven't been fully operationalized yet; we just need to wait a little longer. I hear Aolai is currently acquiring themes of that nature. Let's find some time to pay a visit to Station Chief Wang Ming."

"Understood."

……

Su Mu was entirely unaware of the musings harbored by Lin Haoming and Du Qifeng.

Had he known, he might have offered a polite apology.

Besides, while Su Mu's personal scenes were wrapped,

the film's overall production was far from finished.

At that moment, peals of laughter echoed from inside the editing room...

[Author's Note]: Thank you all for your support! Many thanks to the major patrons for your monthly tickets and tips! I will provide extra chapters for the patrons who tipped. Also, I received the Quality Badge for this book today! Did you see it... I made it to the quality tier! For the very first time (╥﹏╥)... Thank you all! Adding 5 extra chapters here, plus the previous backlog + the current 5,000 subscriber count, with a peak subscription of 12,000, oh my goodness... plus last month's monthly ticket bonuses + grieving voice actors + 2 chapters, rounding it up... cough, let's just say I owe you 50 chapters. Don't blame me for my poor math... I promise to maintain a daily output of 10,000 words while paying off the debt in installments... Thank you, gentlemen~!

(End of Chapter)