Love Variety Show: The despised me exploded in popularity

The film crew held a banquet that evening, and Luo Yuexiu fired off nearly ten thousand yuan in red envelopes to the group in several installments.

The hardworking crew was instantly abuzz, nearly everyone pocketing seven or eight hundred yuan, amidst which was some shameless producer.

"Producer Xu, how come you also took one?" Luo Yuexiu's lips twisted slightly, not bothering to hide the sarcasm.

"Slip of the hand, just a slip of the hand," Xu Qingyan wished he could throw Luo Yuexiu out, thinking to himself that this old lady's fool was delighting in the joyous occasion.

As the producer and the major shareholder, he had intended to dish out red envelopes anyway. Taking the opportunity, Xu Qingyan tossed twenty thousand yuan worth of red envelopes into the chat.

It's worth mentioning that the sales of "Nan Shan Nan" were terrifyingly high, even outstripping those of "Stubborn," which he had put so much effort into recording.

It was a case of unintentional success, providing a timely financial injection to Xu Qingyan, whose funds were not too ample. With his wallet instantly plump, it was natural to bleed a little.
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However, compared to "Nan Shan Nan," "The Legend of Martial Arts" would bring in even more if it hit big.

"Another red envelope? That's generous of you, Producer Xu!"

"Thanks, boss! Boss 666!"

"The boss is strong and healthy, thanks to Producer Xu for the precise poverty alleviation! Improving people's livelihoods!"

Crew salaries were settled by cycle and not as high as outsiders might imagine. Only a few made tens of thousands, with the majority earning less than ten thousand.

People within the crew were generally under huge pressure, and few managed to stay genteel and easygoing.

Rationality often lingered for only a moment, after a short smoke blown away by the night breeze, allowing barely audible curses to emerge, reflecting the sorrow of working overtime and through the nights.

The ability to finish a cut-down version of "The Legend of Martial Arts" in just over a month could not be separated from these people's hard work, and Xu Qingyan was naturally not stingy at the wrap party.

The banquet was of a moderately upscale standard, a rarity for a banquet hall used by a film crew. Even so, the crew wasn't too surprised.

Not for no reason; after all, how many small production teams boast a queen of film and an ensemble of seasoned actors? Not to mention, the terrifying speed at which they shot an episode's worth of scenes in one or two days.

The wrap party, of course, was filled with toasting and merry-making. Wei Wufeng drank himself into oblivion, his stomach roiling. Vomiting time and again, he finally collapsed at the banquet table.

No one forced him to drink; it was clear that Wei Wufeng was genuinely happy.

He would curse Xu Qingyan for being stingy, then praise the acting skills of Luo Yuexiu and the others. The actors were also in good spirits,

having assumed it was a low-budget script and most of them had come only because of Young Master Wei's face. Who knew that upon arriving, they'd find the script quite decent and, after acting in it...

It was a knockout.

Comedy dramas are the hardest TV series to make a hit, as whether they are funny depends entirely on the scriptwriter's skill. A key reason for the prevalence of poor-quality domestic dramas is the inadequate scriptwriting.

Bad money drives out good, and talented writers have little opportunity to shine.

Unless you're like Xu Qingyan, who directly funds and manages the production team, and handles the script... actors, directors, that's another issue, so scriptwriters like Xu Qingyan are actually quite rare.

More accurately, it's Producer Xu.

After the excitement, the party dispersed.

Wei Wufeng clutched at Xu Qingyan's lapel, murmuring.

"For post-production, I know people; you don't have to worry about it. If there's not enough money, I can chip in… but next time you've got a script, make sure to call me."

"Uh... okay." Xu Qingyan was embarrassed, signaling for some people to drag Master Wei away.

Luo Yuexiu approached, holding a glass of wine, and called out to Producer Xu. Though her tone was as indifferent as ever, this time there was no underlying barbs, and she said earnestly,

"Looking forward to working together again."

"Hmm."

Actors queued up to toast Xu Qingyan; all he needed to do was take a slight sip. Just that by the end, it was a bit much to keep up.

Feeling it was getting hard to cope, he distributed the wrap gifts and left for the hotel. After a shower and locking the door, he collapsed unconscious on the bed.

When he woke up, it was morning, and Xu Qingyan was roused by the urge to pee.

Groggily making his way to the restroom, he looked at his companion that had been single for over twenty years and couldn't help feeling a bit sentimental. His buddy had indeed weathered many hardships with him.

He shook his head, casting aside all distractions.

In the afternoon, Wei Wufeng called Xu Qingyan, having made arrangements with the post-production company. He asked him to finalize the theme song and to prepare for recording.

"Got it, I'll come over now."

From mid to late March, Pei Muchan was also busily revolving like a wheel. Her album had exploded onto the scene, and next were record productions, merchandising, and sorting through show invitations.

In contrast to Lin Wanzhou's resurgence, Pei Muchan, sitting on assets worth tens of millions, appeared exceptionally languid. She would avoid showing her face whenever possible, hardly ever taking part in variety shows.

If the variety show was about music, she'd give it a glance but would reject it if not suitable. Because she made so few appearances, she didn't warrant having a singer's assistant, with her role more often being that of a studio owner.

This led to numerous outlandish rumors, such as Pei Muchan being pregnant or secretly married.

But in fact, it was partly because of her ease, her reluctance to move once she had made enough money. On the other hand, her career did indeed stall for a long while.

...

In late March, Xu Qingyan was still following news of Lin Wanzhou's activities in southern Yunnan.

First as a tourism ambassador, then a brand cooperation, she was busier than ever. The more successful her career, the more elusive her personal life seemed, with a beach date postponed from March to April.

Under Lin Wanzhou's coaxing and persistence, the schedule also included a cherry blossom viewing trip.

Xu Qingyan didn't seem to mind, doubting they'd manage to meet up successfully. It was a matter to be considered later; after all, Lin Wanzhou was just as busy, and whether she could find time was also uncertain.