Chapter Sixty-Four: The First Glimpse of a Venomous Gaze

Chapter Sixty-Four: The First Glimpse of Sharp Insight

A dark horse stunned the film industry, and sent ripples throughout the entire entertainment world.

The box office of "Crazy Stone" continued its wild surge. Typically, a film's opening day marks its highest single-day box office. Yet "Crazy Stone" seemed born to defy convention.

On the second day, its box office surpassed the first, breaking twenty million, with a total climbing past forty million; the third day again exceeded twenty million. An average daily box office over twenty million is a feat that demands attention.

With the explosion of discussion around the film, theater chains swiftly increased its screenings. On the fourth day, its box office soared past thirty million, solidifying its position as an unassailable box office sensation.

A film made with a modest four million investment achieved a single-day box office over thirty million—a miracle, by any measure.

On the fifth day, "Crazy Stone" dipped to just over twenty million, but its five-day total shattered the one hundred million mark, sparking yet another uproar.

For a small-budget film costing four million, to break one hundred million in five days is an achievement beyond imagination. One hundred million at the box office is a major threshold in cinema; crossing it, and one is transformed.

Zhang Le’s film was financed by Yang Xin’er, who invested her own money. Before that, Zhang Le had visited countless production companies, only to be refused time and again.

So many rejections would make anyone doubt the film’s quality, and Zhang Le’s talent. Yet Yang Xin’er invested in the project without hesitation, even establishing her own film studio for it.

Her investment was not based on confidence in the film itself, but in Zhang Le as a person.

Nor was it because she considered him exceptionally talented or a brilliant director, but simply because Zhang Le was her boyfriend. Their relationship alone was her reason.

Using his girlfriend’s hard-earned money to shoot a film spurned by countless companies, Zhang Le earned the scorn of many, who branded him a kept man—a king of freeloaders.

Making this film, he was seen as squandering his girlfriend’s money, wasting it recklessly. Such actions drew ridicule and even abuse from countless people.

Many waited for Zhang Le to fail, even though his stunning performance on the reality show "Along With You" had changed many minds, gradually gaining acceptance for him and his relationship with Yang Xin’er. Yet skepticism toward his first film lingered.

A man who spends a woman’s money is looked down upon; one who spends it thoughtlessly is even more despised. Zhang Le’s foray into filmmaking remained a sore point for many.

But now, with "Crazy Stone" released, Zhang Le’s directorial talent was recognized and affirmed by the entire film industry. His brilliance extended far beyond music; as a director, he was equally dazzling.

In music, Zhang Le was an amateur; but in film, he was a top graduate of a prestigious directing program. This debut film proved his credentials beyond doubt.

The most tangible impact of the film’s release, however, was its overwhelming box office success.

Five days, one hundred million—barring unforeseen events, three hundred million at the box office was a certainty. After deductions for cinemas and the production company, Xinle Film Studio would net more than one hundred million in profit.

A film made with four million yielded over one hundred million in profit in Zhang Le’s hands.

With a single film—a modestly funded one at that—Zhang Le earned Yang Xin’er more than one hundred million. Who could still call him a kept man, a king of freeloaders? Who would dare mock him for spending Yang Xin’er’s money?

No amount of praise for talent can match the undeniable power of real, tangible profit.

In just a few days, "Crazy Stone" became a national topic. This down-to-earth, black-humored slice-of-life comedy won the affection of ordinary viewers. Online, discussion of the film was everywhere.

The film offered much to savor: myriad hints and clever, interwoven narrative techniques, countless hilarious lines. Several songs appeared as well, inviting further exploration.

The song "My Dear Girl" when Xie Xiaomeng meets Qingqing, though only a few lines and incomplete, left a deep impression. And, of course, the reworked "The First Snow of 2002" sung by Xiaojun in the restroom—thoroughly rewritten by Zhang Le—elicited a knowing laugh from audiences.

After the film’s release, many found themselves humming in the bathroom: "The first poop of 2002, held in longer than ever before, standing over the toilet, singing this song..."

Everyone knew the song was pure parody.

As for the original song by King Liu in the film, Zhang Le did not replace it with a tune familiar to audiences in this world. Perhaps an unfamiliar song would have a greater effect.

Many online viewers reported watching the film repeatedly; besides its inherent appeal, the songs were a major draw.

Unlike his previous appearance on "Joy Tonight," Zhang Le did not record and release full versions of the film’s songs online.

Uploading songs brought Zhang Le no real profit. As in the previous world, piracy was rampant, albums were dead, and singers’ income came almost entirely from commercial performances and endorsements. Few albums avoided losses.

With the film’s success, the media’s coverage focused most on Zhang Le. Next was not the actors who shone on screen, but Yang Xin’er.

Yang Xin’er’s character was distinctive and memorable, but not enough to overshadow the standout performances of Feng Lei and others.

Media coverage of Yang Xin’er did not dwell on her role in the film, but instead focused entirely on her relationship with Zhang Le, praising her sharp insight.

Her sharp insight was not about investing in the film when so many production companies had no confidence in it, but about choosing Zhang Le among so many suitors without warning.

Zhang Le’s potential was fully displayed through this film, and Yang Xin’er’s sharp insight made its first appearance as well.

The greater Zhang Le’s achievements, the sharper Yang Xin’er’s insight appeared.

Zhang Le was not yet twenty-four, and already as a young director, he had achieved so much—a place in the directing world was assured.

Who could guarantee where Zhang Le would be in ten, twenty, thirty years? At the very least, his first film revealed unimaginable talent, hinting at boundless potential.

After "Crazy Stone" broke one hundred million in five days, Zhang Le had to face the greatest test of his life: returning home with Yang Xin’er to meet her parents.

"How does this outfit look? What about this one? What pants should I wear?"

"What gifts should I prepare?"

"When I meet your parents, should I call them Uncle and Aunt, or Father and Mother?"

"What will they ask me?"

...

"Zhang Le, who stands unshaken before a collapsing mountain, you seem nervous now—or rather, anxious, even worried!" Yang Xin’er laughed, observing Zhang Le and his barrage of questions.

"But I’m about to face a mountain! I haven’t even met them, and I already feel like I’m collapsing," Zhang Le replied with a wry smile.

"Don’t worry, my parents won’t intentionally make things hard for you," Yang Xin’er reassured him.

"Not intentionally? Does that mean they might deliberately make things difficult?" Zhang Le looked at Yang Xin’er.

"Well, if they do, what can you do?" Yang Xin’er said cheerfully, "What you need right now is a calm heart."