Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Celebration Banquet

Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Celebration Banquet

Hearing the words of the Zhang brothers, Zhang Yongsheng’s hands trembled slightly, moved by excitement. His level of education might not have been high, but after all, he had served as village chief for many years and was more knowledgeable than most villagers.

“Xiaole, have you really thought this through?” Zhang Yongsheng looked at his own nephew and said, “This isn’t something you can manage with just a few tens or hundreds of thousands.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle. It’s the New Year, do you think I’d joke with you about something like this?” Zhang Le replied with a smile. “But this matter does need the support of the whole village. The most important thing is to build a road to the reservoir.”

“I can’t make such a decision on my own. We’ll have to discuss it with everyone else,” Zhang Yongsheng shook his head. “But you can rest assured, your uncle will definitely support you.”

“Then we’ll wait for your good news,” Zhang Le said with a smile.

Some things are, of course, never as simple as they seem. No matter whether it was the village leaders or the villagers themselves, no one opposed the idea.

The benefits this plan could bring to the whole village were obvious—what remained to be discussed was how those benefits would be shared. Especially when it came to issues like land usage and other specifics.

Zhang Le didn’t ask about these matters, nor did he wish to involve himself. Yet as the saying goes, the tree may wish for stillness, but the wind will not cease. More and more people began seeking him out. At first, he could still chat with the handful who came, but as the visitors grew in number, Zhang Le found himself with no choice but to make an excuse to escape after holding out for several days.

He had originally planned to return to Yanjing after the Lantern Festival, but now he had to leave early.

When leaving home, it is always the parents one is most reluctant to part with. The sorrow of parting grew quietly in their hearts, but country folk are not given to tears. Though Zhang Le’s parents were sad to see him go, they understood that their son had already stepped out of this small mountain village; he could not be kept, nor should he be.

“When I lived at home, I always felt restricted by my parents and longed to leave. Now, after being away for years, coming back isn’t easy, and yet it’s so hard to leave again,” Zhang Le sighed.

“Only those who have left home understand its warmth. There’s nothing like it anywhere else,” Yang Xin’er nodded in agreement. “But it’s all right. We’ll come back often when we have time.”

“Heh, I suppose it won’t be long before then,” Zhang Le replied with a smile. “My brother plans to get married when the resort opens.”

“Mmm,” Yang Xin’er murmured, turning her gaze thoughtfully to the window.

Zhang Le said nothing more but gently squeezed Yang Xin’er’s hand behind him.

By the time they returned to Yanjing, it was already February 24th, the tenth day of the lunar New Year.

“Crazy Stone” had been in theaters for twenty-two days, and its screenings had been reduced considerably, but the box office was approaching four hundred million, and surpassing that milestone was now just a matter of time.

The buzz around the film had faded, and its box office potential was almost exhausted. To give it a final push and ensure it reached four hundred million, Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er began preparing a celebration banquet as soon as they returned to Yanjing.

Though it was merely a film with a modest investment of several million, its astonishing box office performance made a celebration banquet only natural.

With a return on investment nearly a hundredfold, if a film like this didn’t merit a celebration, then no film would. Its massive success was worth celebrating. For the generous Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er, red envelopes for the actors and crew were indispensable.

The banquet was meant to maximize the film’s final box office surge, so it was held with great fanfare. Not only did Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er invite numerous media outlets, they also extended invitations to many well-known stars.

However, at the banquet, what the media cared most about was not “Crazy Stone” itself, nor the celebrities in attendance, but rather the gossip surrounding Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er.

“Miss Yang Xin’er, is it true that you’ve both met each other’s parents? How did you feel about visiting Mr. Zhang Le’s home?” a reporter asked.

“His home is beautiful, I liked it very much. I believe anyone who visits will feel the same,” Yang Xin’er replied with a smile. She had never intended to deny it; even if she wanted to, it would be pointless—she had already posted many scenic photos on Weibo.

Yang Xin’er’s visit to Zhang Le’s home had, in fact, been self-reported.

“So, having met each other’s parents, does this mean you are now at the stage of discussing marriage?” another reporter pressed.

“That reporter must still be single, I suppose?” Zhang Le did not answer directly but responded with a smile.

“How did you know?” the reporter replied.

“Meeting your partner’s parents doesn’t have to wait until marriage is on the table. Once you’re in a committed relationship, you should take the initiative to visit each other’s parents,” Zhang Le said with a smile.

“Mr. Zhang Le, we’ve heard you’ve accepted a role in Director Chen Ke’s new film. Are you planning to pursue a career in acting?” a reporter asked.

“It’s perfectly fine for a director to make the occasional cameo,” Zhang Le replied with a smile.

Though he didn’t answer directly, his meaning was clear: Zhang Le was a director, and acting was something he did only occasionally.

Had Zhang Le truly accepted a role in Chen Ke’s new film? This left many puzzled. After all, with just one film, Zhang Le had made a name for himself as a director. Rather than consolidating his status behind the camera, he had suddenly agreed to act in someone else’s film.

To many, this seemed a bit off track. Moreover, it’s rare for directors to transition to actors unless they’re directing themselves.

Directors tend to have strong control over their films, and acting may lead to overshadowing others.

“There are rumors, Director Zhang, that by accepting Director Chen’s film, you’ve put your own projects on hold. Isn’t that somewhat unwise? After all, there’s quite a bit of skepticism online now about your acting skills,” a reporter continued.

“There were plenty of people doubting my directing abilities before ‘Crazy Stone’ was released, probably more than those questioning my acting now.” Zhang Le smiled. “Director Chen is a senior I respect deeply. I can learn a great deal from him. We’ve worked together before, and I wanted to take it further. The more I work with him, the more I can learn.”

Previously, Zhang Le’s cooperation with Chen Ke had been limited to writing a theme song for his film. That sort of partnership offered little to learn. Now, by joining the cast of Chen Ke’s new film, he would spend more time immersed in the process, gaining much more.

All Zhang Le was saying was that he took this role as a learning opportunity, and between the lines he made it clear he was quite confident in his acting.

“If your understanding of the film clashes with Director Chen’s during shooting, and you can’t reach a compromise, what will you do?” another reporter asked quickly.

“My previous answer applies here as well,” Zhang Le replied with a smile.

“Crazy Stone” ultimately broke through the four hundred million mark and concluded its theatrical run, reigniting discussion about the film. As the miracle maker behind it, Zhang Le naturally became the focus of public attention once again.

To achieve such a remarkable box office result with his debut film was a feat no one could overlook.

Coincidentally, the nominations for this year’s Golden Dragon Awards were announced, prompting widespread speculation about whether “Crazy Stone” would make it onto next year’s list. The film’s reputation was, after all, stellar.

After much debate, the general consensus was that “Crazy Stone” would surely earn a place among next year’s Golden Dragon Award nominees.

Of last year’s films, “Waiting for Home” was undoubtedly the most prominent, garnering eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor and Actress—major categories that drew much attention. Zhang Le’s original song for the film was also nominated.