Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 104, Section 103: Popular Broadcast

December 31, 1996, 9:20 PM.

Hangcheng.

In an old residential building by West Lake, a small rented room is illuminated by a warm yellow table lamp, dispelling the chill of the winter night outside the window.

This is the temporary residence of Li Xiuxiu, an intern reporter at Hangzhou TV.

Although simple, she kept it clean and tidy, exuding a girlish warmth.

"Sister, try this. It's Dingsheng cake from a small shop near our station. It's delicious." Li Xiuxiu pushed a plate of delicate pastries in front of her sister, Li Bingbing.

Li Bingbing is a student in the Acting Department of Shanghai Theatre Academy, Class of '93. During the New Year's Day holiday, she specially came to Hangzhou to spend the New Year with her younger sister.

The two sisters are from the remote northeastern province of Heilongjiang. On this winter night in Jiangnan, they huddle together for warmth, their bond exceptionally strong.

"Hmm, it's pretty delicious." Li Bingbing picked up a piece of Dingsheng cake and took a small bite: "It's much better than the ones in our school cafeteria."

"of course!"

Li Xiuxiu proudly raised her chin, then glanced at the small alarm clock on the table: "Oh dear, it's almost 9:30! Sis, quick, turn on the TV and tune it to the West Lake Pearl channel!"

Li Bingbing did as instructed, picked up the remote control, and found the channel.

The screen was still playing advertisements, about twenty minutes before the 9:47 PM broadcast of "Harmony Brings Prosperity".

"What's the rush? There's still a while." Li Bingbing found it a little funny to see his sister so excited.

"Oh, sister, you don't understand! This show is different!" Li Xiuxiu sat cross-legged on the bed, her eyes sparkling: "It's called 'The First National New Year's TV Movie'! Have you ever heard of that?"

Li Bingbing shook her head; she wasn't sensitive to these new terms.

"That means, although it's broadcast on television, it's filmed using cinematic methods, has the same runtime as a movie, and is of very high quality!" Li Xiuxiu began to enthusiastically introduce it: "It was spearheaded by the Beijing Film Studio, in conjunction with dozens of film studios across the country. It's a huge production! Tonight, more than 600 television stations nationwide are broadcasting it simultaneously!"

"More than six hundred?"

Li Bingbing was somewhat surprised; the coverage was indeed astonishing.

"Yeah! Pretty impressive, right?"

Li Xiuxiu felt a sense of pride, as if she had also contributed to this grand occasion: "The key person is the director of this play, or rather, the core figure, named Wang Sheng! Sister, you've probably never heard of him, but he's practically a legend!"

The conversation naturally turned to Wang Sheng.

Li Xiuxiu recounted her experience interviewing Wang Sheng in Lucheng, as well as everything she learned about Wang Sheng later through newspapers and industry news, like spilling beans:
How did he start Shengying Media from scratch? How did he create a wedding movie that sparked controversy with its exorbitant price? How did he win the National Youth Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Award? How did he persuade Han Sanping, the director of Beijing Film Studio, to form such a large alliance? How did he write and direct the movie "Harmony Brings Prosperity"?

These are all gossip circulating on television.

Perhaps it was done intentionally, or perhaps there were other reasons, but Wang Sheng was pushed to the forefront to confront the system directly.

"Young and promising, talented and wealthy, and not bad-looking at all! Sis, don't you think he's the kind of guy who only exists in novels?"

Li Xiuxiu concluded by saying this, her tone filled with undisguised admiration and praise.

Li Bingbing's interest was piqued by her younger sister's "exaggerated praise." She raised an eyebrow and laughed with a teasing tone, as if an older sister was exaggerating, "Is he really that handsome? You make him sound like a celestial being. Anyway, I don't believe he can be more handsome than Ren Quan."

Ren Quan was her classmate and friend at the Shanghai Theatre Academy; both of them were outstanding in appearance and acting skills.

“Ren Quan is handsome, but it’s different!” Li Xiuxiu quickly argued, “Wang Sheng is the kind of handsome who… has a strong presence, is very composed, has particularly bright eyes, and looks like he has a lot of ideas and abilities! Anyway, he’s much more attractive than Senior Brother Ren Quan!”

During her limited career as a journalist, Wang Sheng left the deepest impression on her.

The two sisters laughed and joked for a while, then Li Xiuxiu suddenly remembered something and asked, "Sister, you're graduating next summer, right? Are you planning to go to Beijing? To join that... Boss Shi?"

There was a subtle, almost imperceptible probing in her tone. She knew her sister had a close relationship with that influential Boss Shi.

Li Bingbing's smile faded slightly. He picked up his water glass, took a sip, and mumbled, "Yeah, I guess so. There are more opportunities in Beijing, and Boss Shi... he has a wide network of connections and access to more film and television resources, so he can give me more opportunities."

Her tone didn't reveal much joy; it sounded more like a realistic consideration.

For a young girl about to graduate and eager to make her way in the entertainment industry, Beijing is the center of her dreams, but certain costs seem to be the necessary fees to pay for accessing that center.

Li Xiuxiu sensed a hint of helplessness in her sister's words and said with some regret, "It's a pity. Although I met Wang Sheng in Lucheng last time, we didn't get to know each other well, and I didn't even exchange contact information."

Otherwise, I might be able to connect you with someone. I think Wang Sheng is a pretty loyal guy; maybe his company signs artists too?

Her eyes lit up, and she perked up again: "Hey, sis, I'm graduating next year too! How about we go to Beijing together? I'll think of some way to see if I can get in touch with Wang Sheng again through an interview or some other opportunity. Maybe we can build some connections?"

Li Bingbing was amused by his younger sister's innocent enthusiasm and reached out to ruffle her hair: "You wish! Do you think we can just meet such important people whenever we want? Let's talk about next year's things next year. In the meantime, watch your TV show. You've been praising it to the skies, I want to see how good it really is."

Just then, the commercials on the TV screen ended, and a light and cheerful piece of music started playing, followed by the opening credits of "Harmony Brings Prosperity".

First came the familiar logo of Beijing Film Studio, then the technologically advanced opening sequence of Sheng Ying Media, and finally, the five characters "Harmony in the Family Brings Prosperity to All Things" appeared on the screen.

After the opening credits, the first scene is a snowy landscape in a small northeastern town, exuding a strong local flavor.

When Zhao Benshan appeared on the screen wearing that old Zhongshan suit, speaking in authentic Northeastern dialect, looking slightly clumsy yet full of anticipation, Li Xiuxiu and Li Bingbing almost simultaneously burst out laughing.

"It's Uncle Shanzi!"

Li Bingbing pointed at the TV, his smile becoming much more genuine.

Zhao Benshan's skit was what they looked forward to most every New Year's Eve when watching the Spring Festival Gala with their parents back in their hometown in Heilongjiang Province.

The familiar local accent and the honest yet sly image instantly evoked beautiful memories for the two sisters of their hometown and the New Year reunion.

The warmth and nostalgia of seeing "our own people" on the television screen after traveling thousands of miles filled the laughter with warmth and a sense of belonging.

……

At almost the same time, similar scenes were playing out in hundreds of cities and tens of millions of households across the country.

In Wang Sheng's home in Beijing, Han Sanping watched Zhao Benshan's performance on the screen and couldn't help but laugh, "Zhao Benshan's delivery is spot on! I laugh every time I watch it!"

In a small town in Northeast China, a family sat around a kang (a heated brick bed) watching the local TV program "Harmony Brings Prosperity," laughing uproariously at the "grandfather's" awkward cross-dressing.

In a county town in South China, people gathered in front of a shop with a television while eating late-night snacks, watching with great interest this novel program that claimed to "invite the whole nation to watch a movie for free."

In the rural towns of Northwest China, on screens with slightly more static, the scenes between Guo Da and Fan Wei drew bursts of laughter from the audience…

In an era when entertainment options were relatively limited, television was the primary source of entertainment for the vast majority of families.

A well-made comedy with a star-studded cast and novel concepts such as "the first in the country," "New Year's film," and "TV movie" has a huge appeal.

Without the fragmented impact of mobile phone information, the dispersion of the vast choices on the internet, and the segmentation of attention by short videos, people are more likely to immerse themselves in a complete story.

The plot of "Family Harmony Brings Prosperity" revolves around a series of misunderstandings caused by a grandfather who disguises himself as a woman to visit his grandson. The comedic contrast brought about by this identity mismatch is very effective, thanks to the performances of a group of powerful actors including Zhao Benshan, Guo Da, Fan Wei, and Song Dandan.

The script is solid, the pace is brisk, and it has both hilarious comedic moments and a heartwarming core of family affection.

For ordinary viewers who are tired of the usual TV drama formulas or struggling with movie ticket prices, this "TV movie," which is more than two hours long and as exquisite as a film, is undoubtedly an unexpected and abundant entertainment feast at the end of the year.

Information asymmetry has trapped many viewers in their own "information cocoons," but this time, "Harmony Brings Prosperity" has successfully broken down regional barriers with its powerful broadcasting platform and excellent quality, creating similar laughter in thousands of households with different accents and lifestyles.

After a year of hard work, having a work that makes people laugh heartily at the end of the year, easing the bitterness of life and adding a touch of sweetness, is truly a real joy for countless ordinary people...

(End of this chapter)