Back to 1997, I became the originator of online literature

Chapter 519 Stephen Chow Arrives
Huizhou.

Cao Sheng, who lives a secluded life and is immersed in writing every day, is completely unaware of how much influence his new work, "Cultivation Chat Group," has had on so many people.

The book includes some things that will emerge in the future, but it was just a spur-of-the-moment idea when he decided to write it.

He wonders how surprised readers will be years from now when they discover that many of the things he wrote in this book have actually come to pass in reality. Will they consider his book a masterpiece?

He found it very interesting.

As for whether doing this will make people suspect that he is a reincarnated person?
He felt it wasn't a big problem and that he could explain it later.

For example: If someone asks him how he came up with the idea of ​​a touchscreen smartphone?
He could explain that touchscreen phones had actually existed for a long time, but they hadn't become widespread, and he had only learned about them by chance.

For example, if someone asks him why the food delivery app, Taobao, and Didi Taxi mentioned in this book are so similar to some real-world companies?
He could explain: You should ask those companies about this, ask them if they borrowed ideas from my book.
and many more.

Ultimately, the "science fiction elements" he interspersed in "Cultivation Chat Group" that most easily reveal him as a reincarnated person are probably the touchscreen smartphone.

Other apps, such as ChouTuan takeaway, Taobao app, and Didi Taxi, are all derived from touchscreen smartphones.

IBM had already developed touchscreen phones as early as 1992.

Therefore, he didn't think this would expose any of his secrets.

What did he foresee?
At most, one could say that after learning about touchscreen phones, he foresaw that such phones would become the mainstream mobile phones in the world in the future.

The invention of touchscreen smartphones foreshadowed how they would revolutionize all button-operated phones currently on the market.

That's it.

Just like when the first automobile was invented, some people predicted that it would eventually replace horse-drawn carriages and become the mainstream mode of transportation worldwide.

……

One morning.

As Cao Sheng sat in front of his computer writing a new chapter of "Cultivation Chat Group," there was a sudden knock on his study door, and his aunt Qin Xiyue's voice came from outside.

"Boss! Boss? Miss Wang Jing is calling you to answer the phone, boss? Boss?"

Cao Sheng frowned as his typing was interrupted.

Feeling quite puzzled, Wang Jing knew very well how much time he spent writing each day, and also knew that he was currently serializing two books at the same time, which meant he had a heavy workload.

Why did she have Qin Xiyue call me to answer the phone today?

My phone was on silent, but she still insisted on calling Qin Xiyue? Did she want Qin Xiyue to call me?

Wang Jing had never done this before.

Therefore, Cao Sheng guessed that something important must have happened.

Suppressing her anger, Qin Xiyue got up and opened the study door. She quickly handed over her phone and carefully explained, "Boss, Miss Wang Jing asked me to come find you."

Cao Sheng nodded and didn't get angry with her.

He held the phone to his ear. "Hello? What's up?"

Wang Jing: "Boss! Mr. Xing just called me and said he'd been trying to call you but no one answered. He said he just arrived in Huizhou and wants to invite you to lunch. I think this is important and I should let you know as soon as possible, so... do you think you can spare some time to entertain him at noon today?"

Is Stephen Chow here?

Cao Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly. "Master Xing? You mean Stephen Chow? He's in Huizhou?"

Wang Jing: "Yes, that's him."

Cao Sheng glanced back at his computer. "Okay! You can help me with the reception. Once you've picked up the hotel staff, I'll be right there."

Wang Jing: "Okay, boss! I'll go to the airport to pick him up right away."

Cao Sheng hummed in agreement.

After the call ended, Cao Sheng returned the phone to Qin Xiyue.

Back at the computer, I saved the half-chapter I had just written, turned off the computer, and went downstairs to change my clothes and shoes.

Not long after, we went downstairs and took a car to the Oriental Sunrise Hotel.

He and Stephen Chow have never met.

But this year we communicated by phone.

After Stephen Chow accepted the role in Stephen Chow's screenplay "The Legend of the Demon Lord", he spoke with him by phone through Tsui Hark's introduction.

During the phone call, Stephen Chow did mention that he would come to Huizhou after the film was finished and treat him to drinks.

Cao Sheng thought he was just being polite.

The adult world is full of such polite formalities.

However, very few of them actually delivered on their promises.

Unexpectedly, Stephen Chow actually came.

It seems that "The Legend of the Demon Lord of the Tomb of the Gods" has finished filming, at least Stephen Chow's scenes have been completed.

In Cao Sheng's mind, Stephen Chow is a very special actor.

He really likes Stephen Chow's movies; he has watched many of them countless times.

In reality, he has never met anyone who doesn't like Stephen Chow's movies.

Therefore, when Stephen Chow came to Huizhou to meet him today, he didn't hesitate much and put down what he was doing to go see him. It was partly to see his favorite comedian, and partly for practical reasons—he knew very well that Stephen Chow at this time was practically a guarantee of box office success.

Whether he stars in a movie or directs one, it's virtually impossible for it to flop at the box office.

Looking at all the actors and directors across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, almost no one can compare to Stephen Chow in this respect.

Even superstars like Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, and Chow Yun-fat occasionally experience box office failures, but Stephen Chow did not during this period.

Whether it's the films he starred in, such as "Shaolin Soccer," "Kung Fu Hustle," and "CJ7," or the films he directed, such as "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," "The Mermaid," and "Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back."

Regardless of word-of-mouth, it won't lose money at the box office.

Many people are willing to go to the cinema to buy tickets to watch a Stephen Chow movie as soon as they hear it's a film directed by him, even if they know he only directed it and didn't act in it, and even if they know the movie isn't well-received.

Therefore, Cao Sheng is really looking forward to having more collaborations with Stephen Chow.

For at least the next twenty years, he can work with Stephen Chow with peace of mind without worrying about losing money.

If Stephen Chow could participate more in film adaptations of online novels, then... the path to film and television adaptations for male-oriented online novels should not be as bumpy as in the original timeline.

As an online novelist, Cao Sheng felt frustrated every time he saw his male-oriented novels adapted into movies and TV series, even though his works never had the chance to be adapted into film or television dramas. He was also very upset.

Especially after female-oriented novels were adapted into movies and TV series and achieved frequent successes, he felt even more resentful.

Because initially, online novels only had male-oriented content.

Female-oriented online novels are inspired by male-oriented novels.

In terms of quality and creativity, female-oriented novels that always focus on romance as the main theme are generally looked down upon by authors and readers of male-oriented novels.

The result? In the realm of film and television adaptations, female-oriented novels have completely outperformed male-oriented novels. How utterly astounding is this?

Today, he is hailed as the number one author of online novels.

Without realizing it, he wanted to do something for the entire industry.

For example, to make male-oriented novels in this time and space more successful in their film and television adaptations.

Cao Sheng believes that if Stephen Chow could star in or direct several films adapted from online novels, it would greatly facilitate the film and television adaptation of male-oriented novels.

On the way to the hotel, Cao Sheng kept squinting as he pondered these things.

He felt that he and Stephen Chow had the potential for a long-term collaboration.

The biggest reason is not how excellent Cao Sheng's works are, but that Zhou Xingchi can no longer make a living in the Hong Kong film and television industry.

Since he left the Xiang family's film company, the Xiang family has been vigorously ostracizing Stephen Chow in the Hong Kong film industry, seemingly determined to drive him out of the industry.

Since "Shaolin Soccer," it seems that Stephen Chow from the original timeline has only been able to make movies in mainland China.

In Hong Kong, a bunch of directors and stars attacked Stephen Chow in the media. Since they couldn't smear him with his works, they launched a massive attack on his personality and character.

Little did they know that the more these people smeared Stephen Chow, the more support they garnered from mainland movie fans for him.

It's hard to say whether Stephen Chow's films would have received such uncritical support from so many movie fans in mainland China if it weren't for the exclusion of him by Hong Kong directors and artists.

Cao Sheng once thought about a question: it might be because of the exclusion of Stephen Chow by the Hong Kong film industry that the cycle of Stephen Chow releasing each film in the original timeline was so long, starting with "Shaolin Soccer".

He needs to do many tasks personally.

Many of the actors who once worked well with him have become his enemies.

This meant that when he filmed in mainland China, he had to personally train each new actor on how to act.

In contrast, the filming periods for his previous works were getting shorter and shorter.

They often release two or three movies a year.

What does this mean?
Cao Sheng's decision shows that Stephen Chow's filmmaking efficiency was originally very high, but due to the exclusion by the Xiang family, he could only start his own business in mainland China, and he had to do a lot of work himself, which led to his filmmaking efficiency being far less than before.

Therefore, Cao Sheng judged that Zhou Xingchi currently needs a partner.

We need partners from all walks of life.

And what about Cao Sheng?

At present, they can at least provide funding, scripts, and some connections in mainland China.

Cao Sheng originally had very few connections in mainland China.

What kind of connections can an average person from a rural area have?
But in the years since his rebirth, as his works have been published and his scripts have been adapted into movies and TV series, he has accumulated some connections.

Stephen Chow might not be able to invite some actors, directors, and action choreographers from Hong Kong films and television dramas, but Cao Sheng might be able to.

The car drove into the parking lot of the Oriental Sunrise Hotel, and Cao Sheng, accompanied by Qu Hai and Huang Lijun, strode towards the hotel entrance.

Accompanied by Wang Jing and others, Zhou Xingchi was already waiting at the hotel entrance.

However, this attracted a crowd of customers who wanted to see it, ask for autographs, take photos, and so on.

Wang Jing spotted Cao Sheng first and quickly led several hotel security guards over.

"Boss! You're here?"

Cao Sheng: "Why did you bring Stephen Chow to wait for me at the door? Look at the mess you've made!"

Wang Jing explained with a wry smile, "Boss, it was Stephen Chow who insisted on greeting you at the door; it wasn't my suggestion."

(End of this chapter)