Abstract Art Award Winner

An ambiguous atmosphere lingered in the hotel suite.

The next day, back on set, the two remained professional and dedicated actors.

On screen, Li Changge and Ashina Sun either face each other with swords drawn and sharp eyes, or confront each other under the moonlight with tender emotions, vividly portraying the love, hate, and grudges in the script.

The director was extremely satisfied.

Actually, he was a little worried about Gulnazar before he came. After all, if he were to choose, the female lead would definitely be Dilraba, given her huge fan base. Pairing her with Zhou Le would be like pairing a queen with a prince.

Wang fried!

Although Gulnazar is beautiful, the problem is that her popularity can't compare to Dilraba's, so she needs to make up for it with her acting skills.

Fortunately, Zhou Le was there.

Zhou Le is a great coach!
However, outside the film crew, the premiere of "Fifty Kilometers of Peach Blossom Village" stirred up a huge wave of controversy.

It almost overshadowed all other entertainment topics.

After the first episode aired, several topics quickly went viral and topped the trending charts.

One of the focal points was the awkward situation between Song Dandan and Zhang Han.

In the program, Song Dandan, in keeping with her patriarchal style, tried to liven up the atmosphere and break the dullness at the first group meeting, so she called on Zhang Han, who seemed a bit taciturn and serious, to give a self-introduction.

The situation was initially just a little awkward.

But after the show's editing, the scene became incredibly awkward.

This was originally a common variety show format with a slightly teasing and interactive element, but Song Dandan's tone carried an unquestionable "for your own good" urging and her usual domineering manner, which was interpreted by many netizens as "full of fatherly influence," "suffocating," "strong desire for control," and "old-fashioned patriarchal style."

Zhang Han's reaction, however, was even more "awkward" and "depressed".

He was clearly extremely unwilling to cooperate with these slightly entertaining and comparative questions. He subconsciously leaned back, trying to create distance, his expression stiff, his brows slightly furrowed. His answers were extremely brief, official, and flat, even somewhat irrelevant, revealing a resistance to being "arranged." In the end, he almost forced an awkward silence with "I have nothing to say" and "That's it."

The whole scene was filled with a sense of oppression, discomfort, and a silent confrontation.

During a break, Nazha was scrolling through her phone when she saw this clip that was being widely circulated and discussed.

Unable to resist, she moved closer to Zhou Le and whispered, "Le'er, have you seen this? Zhang Han is so awkward! It's like everyone owes him money."

Although Sister Dandan can be a bit assertive and talkative at times, I feel she means well and wants everyone to get to know each other quickly, right?
His reaction was completely disregarding any courtesy; he just scoffed like that right in front of the camera…

Upon hearing this, Zhou Le took Nazha's phone, quickly browsed the video and the heated comments below, and a barely perceptible sneer appeared on his lips.

He recalled the time when he first met Nazha.

There were also the unspoken disagreements with Zhang Han during the recording, and the other party's self-contained system of pretentiousness.

She spoke calmly to Nazha, her tone laced with a sharp edge: "He's always been like that, living in his own world. He thinks he's incredibly serious and genuine, disdaining all that variety show stuff, considering it all hypocritical."

But actually, sometimes overemphasizing oneself and completely disregarding the occasion and the feelings of others makes one appear particularly out of place and selfish in a group. It's not true character; it's rudeness.

He paused, as if unintentionally recalling some old story, and added with a slightly sarcastic tone, lowering his voice even further: "Perhaps in his own understanding, he has always been rather self-willed and unrestrained. After all, it's not the first time, and it's become a habit."

These words, seemingly random and understated, are like a cold knife, precisely and subtly pointing to that sensational and heinous incident from many years ago, implying a fundamental lack of respect for rules, laws, and others.

Naza immediately understood, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. She covered her mouth, and her gaze, which had initially been merely one of watching the spectacle, instantly gained a deeper understanding and a hint of disdain.

"Oh...that..." she muttered softly, then said no more.

Before the awkward situation involving Song Dandan and Zhang Han had even subsided, another even more explosive topic, #Su Mang's 650ml Breakfast Isn't Enough#, exploded to the top of the trending searches.

During the show, when everyone sat together discussing their initial living expenses, Su Mang, upon hearing the number 650, showed an expression of extreme shock, disbelief, and a sense of entitlement, blurting out: "650 really isn't enough! Don't you drink milk in the morning? Don't you eat eggs in the morning? We need to eat better! I can't have such poor food!"

Her words, coupled with her expression of deep-seated "grievance" and "disbelief" regarding the "650 yuan food allowance standard," instantly ignited the anger and mockery of ordinary viewers across the internet.

The production team later attempted to explain with on-screen text that "650 is the cost for 21 days."

However, it appears utterly pale and powerless in the face of overwhelming public opinion and the huge gap between public perception and reality.

Many netizens even questioned whether it was a forced attempt to cover up the damage and "pass the buck" after the incident had been brewing.

[Is 650 yuan a day not enough for breakfast? Does Ms. Su Mang eat gold? Drink fine wine? Eat dragon liver and phoenix marrow?]

【I only have 50 yuan a day for three meals, fruit, and snacks! And she doesn't even have 650 yuan for breakfast? Am I misunderstanding something about this world?】

"Why don't they eat meat porridge?! Is this what life is like for celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry and fashion moguls? We're definitely not from the same world!"

[I feel suffocated and angry just looking at them through the screen. Do these people even know how much an average person earns in a month?]

Please, those earning 208 million a day, open your eyes and see the real world! Look at how much pork costs per pound!

Does she have absolutely no concept of money? How did someone like that become the editor-in-chief?

[The show's explanation is so fake! He clearly said it was just one day!]

Public opinion was almost unanimously critical, mocking, and angry. Su Mang's glamorous past, such as being a "fashion icon" and attending the "Bazaar Charity Night," became a huge foil and target at this moment.

He was quickly molded into a typical figure who was completely detached from the masses, extravagant and dissolute, and ignorant of the suffering of ordinary people.

When Zhou Le saw the rapidly escalating public opinion while taking a break on set, he frowned slightly and immediately went to a relatively quiet corner to make a private phone call to Guo Qiling.

"Qi Ling, have you seen the trending topics? The one about Su Mang."

Zhou Le spoke seriously, without any pleasantries.

"Brother Le, I'm watching it right now. I felt something was wrong from the beginning, and now it's really blown up." Guo Qiling's voice came from the other end of the phone, with a hint of helplessness and astonishment.

"Yes, the public reaction is very strong. You should remind the younger ones in our studio who haven't been in the industry for long, especially those who participated in the cultural training before. Even if they passed the assessment, they need to be even more careful now. They must not get arrogant and should not say anything that might cause trouble."

Zhou Le solemnly instructed, with an unquestionable weight, "Ordinary people have a hard time and are very sensitive. At times like these, don't flaunt your wealth in anything. You must keep a low profile."

"I understand, Brother Le. Don't worry, I will definitely pass on this message, and I will emphasize it."

Guo Qiling answered seriously, knowing that Zhou Le was protecting these people and also teaching them how to be public figures. Zhou Le continued to clearly list several principles: "Remember a few red lines. First, never flaunt your wealth in public. When showing off your possessions, be mindful of the scale and value, and avoid provoking public anger."

Secondly, never, ever take something that is clearly very expensive and casually and innocently say that it is cheap or not expensive, or that you think it is expensive. This kind of behavior is both stupid and malicious, and it is the biggest minefield.

Third, don't try to educate consumers or give pointers to the public at every turn, condescendingly telling others how to live, how to spend money, and how to think.

Our livelihood is given to us by millions of ordinary viewers; we must have a sense of reverence for them. Without them, we are nothing.

"Understood, Brother Le. I will definitely pass on these words verbatim and make sure they are all etched in their minds."

Guo Qiling solemnly assured that he fully understood the value of these words.

After finishing their business, Guo Qiling's tone became more relaxed, and he said, "Brother Le, actually, seeing how well your live streams are doing and how good the results are, I'm also having some ideas."

"Oh?" Zhou Le's tone softened. "What do you want to stream? Stand-up comedy? Or sell products?"

"Let's do crosstalk," Guo Qiling said with a smile, sounding eager to try. "We can just chat on live stream, do some solo performances, tell jokes and anecdotes. We don't need any fixed partners, just relax and be comfortable."

In the current situation, online traffic is extremely important. You know, over there, online performances are booming. Although the current landscape is somewhat similar to Cao Yunjin's online presence and Deyun Society's offline presence, we can't completely abandon this huge online market and its influence; someone has to secure a place for it.

Zhou Le pondered for a moment, considering the pros and cons: "Your idea is good, making use of your own advantages, but what about your father... Will Teacher Guo agree? After all, the relationship is a bit delicate."

“My dad doesn’t interfere with me as much now,” Guo Qiling said candidly. “It’s mainly because Brother Le is willing to take me out to play, which makes my dad feel that I’m doing well and have my own film and television career. I’m not completely relying on crosstalk for a living anymore, so he can’t say anything too harsh.”

However, crosstalk is something I've been learning since childhood; it's my foundation, and it would be a real shame to lose it. Besides... I've also discussed this idea privately with Brother Jin.

"Did you talk to Cao Yunjin too? What did he say?" Zhou Le was a little surprised, but he could understand.

“He said,” Guo Qiling repeated, “that if I wasn’t doing this purely for money, he would have advised me not to enable the tipping function during my live streams. He enabled the tipping function himself because he needed it to support his team and the theater.”

But I'm different. I have other sources of income. By not accepting donations, I can actually gain a good reputation and appear more pure and innocent—simply loving art and sharing joy. After all, money isn't my most pressing or primary goal right now.

Zhou Le nodded repeatedly after listening: "Cao Yunjin is right about this. He understands that. He is genuinely thinking about you and considering your long-term reputation."

It seems he genuinely wants to ease tensions and show goodwill. Your live streams, which don't involve direct commercial interests and are more like a personal talent sharing and hobby display, are indeed a good buffer zone that both sides can accept.

Moreover, by doing this, he is essentially putting himself in the public eye to promote you, since one person allows tipping while the other doesn't, and the public's perception of them is quite different.

As for the deep-seated grudges and feuds among your generation, I shouldn't comment too much. But I think it's fine for you to do live streams, tell jokes, and share some interesting stories; it's a good thing and sets a good example for other streamers.

Guo Qilin nodded.

This means that Brother Le is right.

But a few days later, public opinion in Peach Blossom Village changed again.

Tian Xiwei's reputation unexpectedly experienced a phenomenal surge.

She performed exceptionally well on the show.

As the youngest person to be promoted to the position of dock manager, he is conscientious and responsible but often suffers setbacks, is criticized and ignored. However, he still tries to communicate, maintains an optimistic and sunny smile, works silently without complaining, and resolves awkward situations with kindness.

After being edited out, it quickly garnered widespread public favor.

[Xiaotian is an angel on earth! Her temper is ridiculously good!]

[She was bullied but still tried to solve the problem with a smile. If I were her, I would have cried from feeling wronged!]

[My little sister is so cute! Her smile is so healing! She's like a little sun!]

This is what young people should be like! Positive, warm, and resilient!

She's not a naive and innocent girl; she's worldly-wise but not cynical, and her eyes shine with light!

Her number of followers on Douyin and Weibo skyrocketed.

Even brand endorsements, variety show invitations, and scripts began to come her like snowflakes.

Seizing the opportunity, GAI called Zhou Le, sounding excited.

"Teacher Zhou, have you watched the show? It's so popular right now, wow!" GAI's voice was filled with genuine joy.

After all, if the show becomes popular, he can become popular too.

"I've already finished eating my melon after seeing it," Zhou Le said with a smile, also happy for Tian Xiwei.

"How about it, bro? Let's capitalize on this hype and collaborate?" GAI suggested directly. "I've gathered a few good friends who make music. Let's work together on a song. I guarantee it'll be a hit. Not to mention for the next three years, this song will definitely be a top hit in the rap scene!"

"Awesome, no problem for me. But I'd like to ask, have you ever collaborated with a female singer before?"

GAI immediately understood: "Teacher Zhou, now that you mention it, I do have a song, it's an adaptation, the one I sang on the show before, 'Orchid Grass'. She'll sing the melody hook, and I'll sing the rap part!"

"Sure, thank you so much!" Zhou Le readily agreed. "But is this too much trouble?"

“It’s no trouble at all. Actually, I have several ready-made demos right now,” GAI said, his tone becoming serious. “Some might not be suitable in style, or the lyrics might need major revisions, but ‘Orchid Grass’ is definitely fine! This song was originally one that I carefully prepared and was about to release. It has a unique style and isn’t one of those generic pop songs that are all over the place.”

Let's adapt it a bit, add a bright and catchy female vocal hook, and have Xiaotian sing it—the effect will be phenomenal! It'll be a win-win situation!

"Orchid Grass" was the new song that GAI first sang at the Peach Blossom Pavilion performance competition, which Zhou Le remembers.

“Sure!” Zhou Le affirmed, already able to picture the scene in his mind. “You guys get started, make a demo and listen to it. If you need any support, such as recording, post-production, or promotion, just let me know. Thank you so much this time, GAI is really kind of you, even willing to let Xiao Tian hang out with you.”

"Hey, why are you saying all this between brothers? That's too formal!" GAI said heartily. "Xiao Tian is also one of your men, Brother Le, and I think this collaboration can work out!"

Zhou Le laughed and said, "No problem! It's a deal. If I have any suitable TV series or movie projects in the future, I'll invite you over as long as there are suitable roles. Theme songs are even easier to arrange. I'll see if I can introduce you to some resources later. Let's all make money together."

Introducing resources is now as simple as eating and drinking for Zhou Le.

Both sides have needs.

Even if he doesn't take any personal gain, he can still earn their favor. (End of Chapter)