I became a movie star at the age of three; Dilraba and I are childhood sweethearts.

The rehearsal hall was completely silent.

A good ten seconds or so passed.

Zhao Benshan slapped his thigh and jumped up from his chair, his face flushed with excitement.

"good--!"

He rushed over, grabbed Xiao Chen's hand, and looked at it as if it were some rare treasure.

"My God!"

"Xiao Chen! What...what kind of voice is that?!"

The others also seemed to awaken from their daze, bursting into thunderous applause and exclamations.

"Amazing! That high note is incredible!"

"I got goosebumps! This is even more outrageous than the original!"

"A movie star is a movie star, is there anything he can't do?"

Ya Dan picked up her cup, her eyes filled with admiration and awe as she looked at Xiao Chen.

"Teacher Xiao Chen, your voice... it's such a waste that you don't sing high notes."

Xiao Chen waved his hand modestly and smiled.

"This was just some random practice; I hope you teachers will forgive my poor performance."

At that moment, no one questioned him anymore.

The remaining rehearsals turned into a solo show for Xiao Chen.

Every move he makes is perfectly timed to be funny, as if it were a natural thing.

He portrayed a waiter who was somewhat snobbish, loved to show off, yet was also simple and honest, with remarkable depth and realism.

Zhao Benshan, who is known for his strict requirements on his work, couldn't find a single flaw in the entire piece.

On several occasions, he was so engrossed in Xiao Chen's performance that he forgot to continue his own lines.

After rehearsal, Zhao Benshan held Xiao Chen's hand, unwilling to let go.

His face beamed with approval and joy.

"Little Chen, I, Old Zhao, have truly seen something new today!"

"It's a blessing for our skit to have you here!"

"With you here, audiences across the country are sure to have an incredibly happy Spring Festival next year!"

Xiao Chen's smile was sincere and gentle.

"It is my honor to work with you, Professor Zhao."

Zhao Benshan was originally very happy.

But then he sighed heavily, his smile fading, replaced by a look of melancholy and desolation.

"Sigh, I just don't know how many more years I can perform on the Spring Festival Gala."

He offered Xiao Chen a cigarette, but Xiao Chen refused. He then lit one for himself and took a deep drag.

The smoke he exhaled blurred his weathered face.

"I have a feeling that the Spring Festival Gala has started to lose its original flavor."

"In the past, when we came up with a proposal, as long as the people were happy, there was basically no problem submitting it."

"That won't work now; there are too many rules and regulations."

He stretched out his finger and gestured the name in the air.

"This topic is too sensitive, that subject is too sensitive, this joke isn't positive enough..."

"A manuscript might be rejected several times and completely revised before it can be approved."

"It's becoming more and more like a large-scale party. It's lively, but the pure joy is getting less and less."

Xiao Chen listened quietly and nodded silently.

He understood Zhao Benshan's predicament.

In his previous life, this comedy master gradually faded from the Spring Festival Gala stage in the years that followed.

While physical reasons certainly played a role, the constraints of the creative environment were probably the most significant underlying issue.

The pain of a comedian whose job is to amuse the audience is difficult for outsiders to comprehend.

Zhao Benshan stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"I just hope that comedy in our country can become more diverse."

"Whether it's a film or comedy like yours, or something like ours that's performed on stage."

"They will all have more and freer platforms to showcase their talents."

"Xiao Chen, you were born for this. If you have the chance in the future, act in more comedies; the people love them!"

Xiao Chen agreed without hesitation.

"No problem, Teacher Zhao."

He looked at the old man before him who had dedicated his life to comedy in China.

A long-dormant thought in my mind was instantly activated by these words and became incredibly clear.

Yes, the platform.

When an old platform becomes unsuitable, why not create a new one?

A stage purely for comedy, where all comedians can fully unleash their talents.

After the rehearsal, Xiao Chen politely declined Zhao Benshan's enthusiastic invitation to dinner.

They took a car back to the set of "Chinese Paladin 3".

Instead of resting in the car, he took out his tablet and started typing rapidly on the screen.

In his mind, the framework, competition system, and core concept of that phenomenal comedy variety show from his previous life surfaced one by one.

Back at the film crew's hotel, he didn't go to see the three girls who had been waiting for him, but instead dialed Wang Jinhua's number directly.

"Aunt Hua, come to my room. I have a new project proposal for you to take a look at."

Wang Jinhua arrived very quickly.

As the head of Shiba Culture, she was already used to Xiao Chen's unconventional and imaginative style.

"What's wrong? Didn't you say you were going to rehearse the skit?"

"What new ideas have you come up with this time?"

As soon as Wang Jinhua entered the room, she expertly poured herself a glass of water.

Xiao Chen handed her the tablet computer.

"A variety show proposal."

Wang Jinhua raised an eyebrow and took it.

On the screen, five eye-catching characters came into view: "Happy Comedians".

She read it word by word.

The proposal was not complicated; in fact, it could be described as simple and straightforward.

The core element is competition.

We invited top domestic comedy teams.

Whether it's a skit, a crosstalk performance, a stand-up comedy show, or a mime, they all compete in a brutal elimination round on the same stage.

The audience votes on who stays and who goes, ultimately determining the King of Comedy.

There's no preaching, no deliberate exaggeration; the only standard is: is it funny or not?

As Wang Jinhua read on, her breathing gradually became more rapid.

In today's variety show market, singing competitions and outdoor reality shows have become fiercely competitive, and audiences are already experiencing aesthetic fatigue.

However, comedy variety shows have remained lukewarm, lacking a true blockbuster.

It's not that the audience doesn't like to laugh, but that no program truly hits the mark with them.

Xiao Chen's plan was like a precise scalpel, cutting open the market's biggest pain point!

Wang Jinhua murmured a sentence from the proposal.

"Give the power of comedy back to the audience..."

Wang Jinhua was stunned.

This project can bring together those currently scattered among the people, struggling in small theaters.

Or, we could capture all comedic talents like Zhao Benshan who are bound to the system!

Once this platform is successfully established, Shiba Culture's position in the comedy field will be unshakeable.

Xiao Chen looked at Wang Jinhua's expression and spoke calmly.

"Aunt Hua, this project, spearheaded by the company, should be launched as soon as possible."

"I want to make it the hottest variety show of 2009."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty.

Wang Jinhua nodded vigorously, her eyes burning with determination.

"Don't worry! Leave it to me!"

She grabbed her tablet and turned to leave in a flurry.

She even forgot to ask Xiao Chen how the rehearsal went today.

And all of this started this afternoon with just a few words of remark from an elderly comedian.

Xiao Chen stood by the window, looking at the dazzling city lights below, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Teacher Zhao, this is the more diverse and free platform you've been looking for.

I'll help you build it.