Chapter Eighty-Seven: The Composition of "Donating Money," a Sudden Live Broadcast Appears Out of Nowhere (Seeking First Subscriptions)

In these episodes of the quarterfinals, the strongest performer has been Lin Xing. Beyond that, in Ding Bai’s view, Lin Xing was not only more capable than he had expected as an actor; he also possessed real creative talent.

Who would believe it?

A decade ago, Lin Xing still wore the label of an illiterate, and yet now he had genuine creative ability.

And that was the truth.

The script for "Fraud Prevention" had been written by Ding Bai, and leaving aside Lin Xing’s suggestion for the title "Anti-Fraud Bank," what mattered even more was that during rehearsals Lin Xing often, without even noticing, refined the details and made them stronger.

How should one put it?

Ding Bai felt that the public’s understanding of Lin Xing was badly skewed.

Precisely because of that, after the filming of Lin Xing’s episode of "Comedy Must Be Funny" ended, Ding Bai had suggested to Xie Ning that they invite Lin Xing to become a permanent guest.

Setting everything else aside, Lin Xing’s emotional intelligence was extremely high. As a guest, he almost never stole the spotlight, and instead did everything possible to hand the camera to the contestants.

To be fair, Ding Bai felt Lin Xing was truly well suited to variety shows.

But there was nothing to be done. Xie Ning had also extended an invitation to Lin Xing, yet Lin Xing was about to join the cast of "Strike the Darkness, Wild Waves," and that could not be helped.

Now "Comedy Must Be Funny" was about to record its final episode. This time, four teams would go head-to-head, and after the quarterfinals the remaining four troupes had already been dissolved.

After that, the teams would compete one by one.

The four groups left were "The Twin Generals of Humming and Ha-Ha," "The Fat and Thin Sisters," "No Difference Between East and West," and "Reunion." All the other combinations had already been eliminated.

But elimination did not mean they were out. On the contrary, many groups could still come back as supporting performers.

In any case, Xie Ning was indeed very strong at making variety shows. In just a few months since its premiere, "Comedy Must Be Funny" had made these mid-tier performers familiar to many viewers.

Still, a competitive variety show like this only became harder and harder the farther it went.

Because a work was not water hidden in a sponge; sometimes, no matter how much you squeezed, nothing would come out.

Sometimes there was truly not a single drop left.

That was why "Comedy Must Be Funny" had paused for one episode after the quarterfinals, then filmed another episode of casual conversation and discussion.

According to the schedule, the championship episode of "Comedy Must Be Funny" was set to air on December 29, the last Friday of 2023.

At present, the four teams in the championship battle would each need two pieces. The first round had already been filmed, which meant the four groups had already performed their first pieces.

Now it was time for the second round.

Ding Bai briefly explained all of this to Lin Xing over the phone. "So brother just wants to invite you, Ah Xing, to come and record one more episode."

"What day does filming start?"

Lin Xing asked.

Ding Bai said, "Next Saturday and Sunday are the official recording days. Before that, whenever you have time next week, you can come to Comedy Culture..."

"All right, then Monday next week," Lin Xing said after checking the time.

They chatted a little longer, and then Ding Bai hung up.

After that, Lin Xing called Sister Dao and told her about it.

"I was actually planning to agree anyway. Xie Ning has invited us several times before, and if we refuse again, it wouldn’t be appropriate," Sister Dao said with a smile. "Anyway, it’s only one episode. Next week you can just relax a bit, and I’ll finalize the contract with them."

After discussing that matter, Sister Dao brought up the finale of "Farming With Us" and the Great Peak Mountain project in "Following the Stars to Tackle Poverty." She said with some surprise, "I’m afraid more variety shows will be coming to us after this."

"For that, just handle the negotiations as you see fit," Lin Xing said with a smile and a shake of his head. "But I’m afraid I won’t have time for any of them soon. I’m about to join a production team."

"Mm, joining a production is good. It’ll give you a chance to settle down. After all, jumping into too many variety shows all at once is a losing proposition for us now..."

Sister Dao nodded gently, then asked with concern, "How is the script for 'The Portrait Murder Case' coming along? Do you need me to find another teacher for you?"

"No need. I’ve almost finished reading the script for 'The Portrait Murder Case.' I’ve already discussed the parts I didn’t understand with Wang Yi. Also, next week I’m planning to go to the academy of fine arts to study painting with the teacher that Ma Wen introduced..."

Lin Xing shook his head and said, "It just so happens that next week I’ll be recording 'Comedy Must Be Funny' while also learning painting from that teacher."

"That works too," Sister Dao said. "Then I won’t go with you to Comedy Culture tomorrow. I’ll accompany Miao Yin to audition for a role."

"Oh?"

Lin Xing was slightly surprised. "Miao Yin has finished filming?"

"It was just post-production pickups. Most of her scenes were cut, and the rest used AI face replacement, so there weren’t many scenes left."

Sister Dao explained, "You’re going to 'Comedy Must Be Funny' anyway, just treat it like going out to have some fun. Let Xiao Nan go with you."

"Mm, sure."

With that, Lin Xing ended the call.

At that time, the internet was still discussing "Farming With Us" and "Following the Stars to Tackle Poverty."

Two days later, on Monday, November 6, Lin Xing and Xiao Nan went together to Comedy Culture.

"Teacher Lin, we still need to do a bit more pre-interview later," said the assistant director from the last time, hurrying over after seeing Lin Xing. "There’s no audience recording today. Everyone will only be recording the discussion about the creation, and you’re still supporting the act 'The Twin Generals of Humming and Ha-Ha.'"

"Okay."

Lin Xing nodded lightly.

"Then let us get you made up first. This is the script for later; please take a look. As for the questions, you can review them as well..."

While urging the makeup team to hurry and work on Lin Xing’s makeup, the assistant director also handed him the script again.

They were still doing everything with great care.

But if it had been another celebrity, he would have simply followed the script word for word, because some entertainers, without a script, could scarcely even speak.

Lin Xing was different.

So the assistant director took the opportunity to say, "Teacher Lin, please just be yourself during the pre-interview."

"All right."

Lin Xing nodded lightly.

Fifteen minutes later, the pre-interview began.

"Teacher Lin, now that you’re participating in 'Comedy Must Be Funny' again, does your mood differ from last time?" the assistant director asked.

"My mood is the same. I’m still uneasy," Lin Xing said after thinking it over.

"What are you uneasy about? Is it that you’re worried you won’t be able to help 'The Twin Generals of Humming and Ha-Ha' advance?" the assistant director asked.

"In part. And in part, I don’t know whether comedy audiences will like it."

"How could they not?" the assistant director quickly said. "In 'Anti-Fraud Bank,' you were loved by so many viewers."

"The script for 'Anti-Fraud Bank' was good. The story was close to reality, because right now everyone hates telecom scams..."

Lin Xing looked into the camera and said, "I only benefited from the character’s light..."

The assistant director wanted to say that Teacher Lin was being a little too honest.

Humility was one thing, but did it really need to be this humble?

After the five-minute pre-interview ended, the assistant director said to Lin Xing, "Teacher Lin, next we’re going to film you walking to the meeting room. Just walk ahead, and we’ll follow behind."

"Okay."

Lin Xing nodded lightly.

After a few minutes’ walk, Lin Xing arrived at the meeting room where "The Twin Generals of Humming and Ha-Ha" were competing.

"Because we’ve run into a small problem with the direction of the script, and none of us can quite figure it out, I’ve invited an outside helper for everyone," Ding Bai said with a smile in the meeting room.

The others cooperatively put on puzzled expressions and asked one after another, "Who is it?"

"This person is also someone you know."

Ding Bai stood up as he spoke. "Now, let us welcome with warm applause... Teacher Lin."

Clap, clap, clap!

Lin Xing pushed the door open and stepped out.

"Hello, everyone. We meet again."

He greeted the group.

"Come, Ah Xing, sit."

Ding Bai smilingly pulled Lin Xing to sit beside him, then said, "Let me briefly explain the situation."

"Right now it’s the PK round. It’s 'The Twin Generals of Humming and Ha-Ha' versus 'The Fat and Thin Sisters,' and it’s still a themed assignment. We drew 'donation.'"

"I’ve written a script for it, but the jokes don’t feel strong enough."

...

Lin Xing listened as Ding Bai described the script he had written.

After listening, Lin Xing understood.

This script, "Donate Money," mainly featured the two performers of "The Twin Generals of Humming and Ha-Ha."

One was Xu Ping, and the other was Zhu Jie.

In the script’s setup, Xu Ping and Zhu Jie were college students planning to start a business together. They intended to launch a venture of their own, and each had prepared twenty-five thousand.

This money was entrusted to Xu Ping for safekeeping.

But when Xu Ping saw a donation drive organized by Little Deer Video, he directly used his card to donate five thousand. The problem was that he had accidentally pressed an extra zero, turning it into fifty thousand.

When Xu Ping got home, he still didn’t realize it. Then the television station came to interview him, and this made Zhu Jie furious. Damn it, that was our money.

...

Basically, that was the script.

But as Ding Bai had said, he felt the dramatic conflict was not strong enough.

That was also why everyone was gathered here discussing it.

The gag about donating the wrong amount was something that could make people laugh.

But what followed, with the television station interviewing Xu Ping and Zhu Jie chiming in from the side, was that if we’re running a business together and you just donate the money like that, what are we supposed to make of it?

Yet that laugh point was still not enough.

The finals were about to begin, and this script needed a dense concentration of gags, enough to make everyone laugh, and keep them laughing.

"Teacher Lin, what do you think of this script?" Ding Bai asked.

"I think the script is pretty good, but I feel like the dramatic conflict could be made stronger..." Lin Xing said after a moment’s thought. "If they weren’t roommates, and the two characters were older—say, two in-laws—I think Xu Ping and Zhu Jie could both play old men. And then..."

Originally, Ding Bai had only wanted Lin Xing to offer some advice. He believed Lin Xing had talent in creation.

But Lin Xing completely exceeded his expectations.

"That point works. That would instantly make the conflict much fiercer, and the jokes would be easier to write."

Listening to Lin Xing’s suggestion, Ding Bai seemed to have a flash of inspiration in his mind.

Then he immediately began rewriting the script.

"I can only offer some suggestions. I’m not going to write the script myself. I only understand a tiny bit of the basics of screenwriting," Lin Xing said, directly declining when Ding Bai wanted him to co-write the script with him.

He knew his own limits.

If it was just giving the script some opinions, or making the lines a bit more detailed, Lin Xing could still manage.

But anything more professional than that was beyond his current ability.

Over the next few days, Lin Xing found time to come to Comedy Culture for rehearsals and recording.

Ding Bai wrote quickly enough.

Most of the time, everyone was changing the lines while rehearsing.

"I’d like to ask how you view your in-law’s donation behavior?"

When Lin Xing held the microphone and asked Zhu Jie, Zhu Jie’s original line had been a long speech, but in the end it was pared down to just five words.

"Putting righteousness above kinship."

Afterward, Lin Xing continued asking Zhu Jie how he evaluated this in-law as a person.

"He’s the Three-Haired Kid, Nezha, and the Diamond Calabash Warrior all rolled into one."

"Why are they all children?"

"Who among adults could do something like that?"

...

These lines were both full of gags and genuinely funny, and more importantly, they came one after another in dense succession.

The four days of rehearsal gradually smoothed "Donate Money" into a polished piece.

Then came Saturday’s recording.

And on the day before the filming of "Comedy Must Be Funny"—that is, Friday, November 10, at noon—another new episode of "Following the Stars to Tackle Poverty" aired.

This time, Lin Xing reposted the episode on his own Weibo account, tagged Little Deer Electric Vehicles, and wrote: "Thank you, Little Deer Electric Vehicles. I hope all the children can study without any worries and enter the universities of their dreams."

No matter how one looked at it, Little Deer Electric Vehicles had been extraordinarily generous in donating money to all the students on Great Peak Mountain. What’s more, Lin Xing was their spokesperson.

So in every sense, Lin Xing should vigorously promote them.

"Damn, I just watched this episode, and Little Deer Electric Vehicles really is something."

"Say no more. I’m buying Little Deer Electric Vehicles for Double Eleven this year. Support domestic brands, support Little Deer Electric Vehicles doing charity."

"I watched this episode on poverty alleviation, and it really was Lin Xing, all by himself, making Little Deer Electric Vehicles donate both money and goods."

"Exactly. Look at the air conditioners, study desks, and computers Little Deer Electric Vehicles donated—not to mention they also gave a batch of agricultural tricycles to poor households."

"In any case, from now on I’m definitely only buying Little Deer Electric Vehicles."

...

It had to be said that Little Deer had seen its reputation soar on the back of its performance in "Following the Stars to Tackle Poverty."

Tomorrow was Double Eleven, and many people were preparing to shop like crazy.

Although not many people bought electric vehicles online, many offline large malls and even electric vehicle markets were running Double Eleven promotions now too, and before long Little Deer Electric Vehicles suddenly saw another surge in sales.

Originally, Little Deer Electric Vehicles’ reputation had already been rising in county towns and smaller cities; now it was needless to say.

Charity has always been a powerful way to build reputation.

For companies, and for stars alike.

In the entertainment industry, the first step for many disgraced performers attempting a comeback is often charity.

And artists who frequently do charity work usually have better public goodwill.

Because of this, after today’s new episode of "Following the Stars to Tackle Poverty" was released, Lin Xing gained another wave of followers on Weibo.

Some even said that just based on what Lin Xing had done, they would blacken him a little less from now on.

In short, Lin Xing’s public goodwill was accumulating bit by bit.

The next day, Lin Xing first recorded the grand finale of "Comedy Must Be Funny." As expected, "Donate Money" successfully defeated "I Want to Donate" by the Fat and Thin Sisters.

And it was a crushing victory.

"Donate Money" never preached any so-called values; it just kept making you laugh, and even its ending remained comedic in style. By contrast, "I Want to Donate" was a typical mix of sentimentality and values.

The live audience basically voted almost entirely for "Donate Money."

After finishing the recording of "Comedy Must Be Funny," Lin Xing headed straight to the Beijing branch of Little Deer Electric Vehicles.

Today was Double Eleven, and Little Deer Electric Vehicles was naturally livestreaming as well, with a launch event for a new model.

As the spokesperson for Little Deer Electric Vehicles—and especially since Little Deer Electric Vehicles had given Lin Xing such a tremendous surprise on Great Peak Mountain—he had every reason, both emotionally and practically, to show up in the livestream room.

At two in the afternoon, the Little Deer Electric Vehicles livestream officially began, and when Lin Xing appeared, the room instantly exploded.

"Good lord, Lin Xing is the first celebrity I’ve ever seen selling electric vehicles on Double Eleven."

"Hahaha, not gonna lie, Lin Xing actually looks pretty convincing selling electric vehicles."

"How is that the same? Other celebrities livestream to sell products, but Lin Xing is the spokesperson for Little Deer Electric Vehicles."

"But I’m definitely buying one of these Little Deer Electric Vehicles. Just for helping so many children on Great Peak Mountain."

...

This new product launch and livestream lasted only two hours, and Lin Xing even had the gift tipping turned off completely.

Not only that, while other celebrities’ livestreams sounded like, "Everyone, hurry and click the link," Lin Xing’s livestream was more like, "When buying an electric vehicle, everyone should be careful, especially when buying one online. If you’re unsure, you can go to a physical store and test ride one first."

He was practically a breath of fresh air in the world of celebrity livestreaming.

Some people thought Lin Xing was building a persona and acting.

But many others said, "Some celebrities may look like they’re not acting, but they tell fans not to tip while leaving tipping enabled. What’s that about?"

So what if Lin Xing was building a persona?

At the very least, he really wasn’t gouging his fans.

And as for the others?

They were the ones truly putting on an act.

Especially those who were trying to package themselves as having a so-called genuine temperament.

After the livestream ended, on the way back, Lin Xing received a call from Kong Wen.

"Ah Xing, busy?" Kong Wen asked with a smile.

"Uh, Brother Kong, I just finished a livestream. Today is Double Eleven, so I came to Little Deer Electric Vehicles..."

Lin Xing explained. "What’s up?"

"I just wrapped up work too, and was thinking of grabbing a drink with you," Kong Wen said with a smile. "In that case, let’s do it another day."

"Send me your address. I’ll come find you," Lin Xing said, shaking his head. "I’m not eating with the people from Little Deer Electric Vehicles anyway. I was planning to go home, so I might as well come see you."

"All right."

Kong Wen hung up and sent Lin Xing a location.

Then, when Lin Xing opened WeChat, he saw a message from the crew of "Strike the Darkness, Wild Waves."

Tonight at eight o’clock, the first trailer for "Strike the Darkness, Wild Waves" would officially go online.