Actor: Thank you.

Wang Taili and Xiao Yang drank their tea, but their hearts were not at peace.

Xiao Yang, in particular, would glance at his elder brother every now and then.

These two have now formed the "Chopstick Brothers" duo.

It was established in 07 when the movie "Memoirs of a Male Prostitute" was filmed.

However, this combination, in both form and core, is somewhat similar to "Phoenix Legend".

Zeng Yi was originally Linghua's boss before forming the group and distributing the profits equally.

This is considered very "abnormal" in the Chinese music scene.

After all, many people in this industry have lost their jobs over a few cents.

It's quite remarkable that they've been able to maintain an equal relationship for so many years despite such an unbalanced performance ratio.

Bands like F.I.R. are the norm.

Once they are no longer of any use, or once they have risen to prominence, they immediately abandon their friends.

Wang Taili and Xiao Yang are also "oddballs".

Old Wang was more than ten years older than Xiao Yang and was originally his boss.

They just felt they got along well after working together, so they treated each other like brothers and formed a group together.

They never broke up.

The Chopstick Brothers did not disband; they simply went their separate ways but remained friends.

Xiao Yang did even better, but he didn't forget his older brother.

Wang Taili's daughter is named Wang Wanchen, and she is pursuing a career in singing and dancing girl groups.

His eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar to his father's, but he is much better looking than his father.

Xiao Yang also contributed a lot to the success of his eldest daughter's debut.

Zhang Yuan's real target is Xiao Yang.

The reason is simple: Xiao Yang is a great talent!
They are not minor talents, but talents of Ning Hao's caliber.

The director, screenwriter, and actor are all top-tier talents in China.

Although he earns less money, he is actually more skilled than Chen Sicheng in both acting and directing.

Chen Sicheng's acting is greasy, after all, he himself is naturally greasy.

Even Xiaoming is considered a "fresh and innocent" type compared to him.

Filming is more business-oriented.

Xiao Yang's acting is noticeably more natural than his, and his directorial works also have greater depth.

The Chopstick Brothers duo, the one who showed Da Nao a parody video before.

Xiao Yang took on the three main roles of screenwriter, director, and filming all by himself.

Wang Taili was responsible for the music and cross-dressing performance.

Actually, their collaboration at this time was primarily music-based.

Parody videos also exist as music videos, used to attract attention.

Zhang Yuan has only a moderate interest in the music industry, and at least for now, he doesn't seem to have much interest in pursuing it in depth.

Therefore, he had no particular interest in Wang Taili.

But both of them have a conscience, so finding just one is useless; we have to find both of them to chat with.

"Director Ning Hao and I have seen your work and we think it's very good," Zhang Yuanxian praised.

"Oh right, let me introduce myself."

"Director Ning Hao, you all know him."

"As for me, I suspect that your understanding of me is not comprehensive enough."

"Besides my on-screen persona, I am also an investor."

"Not limited to artist training and investment in works."

"I invested in Ning's 'Crazy Stone'."

The two looked at the big head.

The big head nodded slightly.

"Oh, no wonder you acted in that movie," Wang Taili realized.

"That's right, I invested in and acted in it."

One reason Zhang Yuan asked Ning Hao to accompany him was to find corroborating evidence.

Big Head is now a celebrity in the industry.

What Zhang Yuan did might not be believed by most people, who might think he was just bragging.

With Ning Hao involved, the credibility is much higher.

Another point is that Big Head and Xiao Yang have very similar life experiences.

After a few words, the two started chatting.

Ning Hao graduated from an art academy, then studied directing at Beijing Normal University, and later cinematography at Beijing Film Academy.

Xiao Yang, on the other hand, graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts Affiliated High School and went to Beijing Film Academy to study advertising directing.

So both of them started out in fine arts and later became directors and cinematographers.

Wang Taili found Xiao Yang because this guy had repeatedly drifted to Beijing and always had a dream of making music.

But having dreams is useless; people still need to eat.

He opened an advertising company, took on some commercial orders, and became a small business owner.

Once, when we needed to shoot a commercial, the three of us met and got to know each other in the cafeteria through a friend from the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Ning Hao shares another commonality with these two: they both come from a background of shooting commercials and music videos.

If we're "in the same industry," then it's easy to have a conversation, and we'll be talking about things that are in the know.

Zhang Yuan invited Ning Hao to act as an intermediary, a bridge, to facilitate building a relationship.

Otherwise, showing up rashly might scare people away.

Personal relationships are very important. Establish personal relationships first, and it will be easier to discuss things later.

"The present era is the internet age."

"You two are at the forefront of the times."

"I invited you two here today because I wanted to make some friends." After chatting for a while and drinking a few cups of tea, Zhang Yuan spoke with goodwill.

"By the way, let me find out about your future development plans."

The first step that made these two famous and propelled them to stardom online was "Old Boys"!
But this film hasn't been shot yet.

"Old Boys" only became popular online.

To truly become a household name, you have to watch "Little Apple".

The popular square dance anthem is no joke.

But here's the problem: no matter what Wang Taili does or what tricks he plays, it's all ultimately for his musical dream.

"Old Boys" is his "documentary".

Zhang Yuan greatly respects such persistent people.

But Xiao Yang is different; he has a dream of music, but he also dreams of directing and acting.

This is also why they separated later but didn't break up.

Now Wang Taili is the elder brother, and Xiao Yang listens to him quite a bit.

"I'd like to discuss with you two whether there's a possibility of cooperation?"

"What kind of cooperation are you referring to?" Brother Wang glanced at Xiao Yang and then asked.

"Filming requires funding, manpower, and equipment support."

“But I have no shortage of these things.”

"If possible, I would like to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with the two of you."

Zhang Yuan wanted to sign them.

But Wang Taili is the boss himself, and Xiao Yang won't break up the partnership with him, so this matter is not so easy to handle.

"We're just doing this on a small scale, nothing serious, nothing to make a living from," Wang Taili said gently, declining the offer.

They do have a legitimate job.

"We are freer now."

Xiao Yang glanced at his elder brother and nodded.

"I will not restrict your freedom."

"The contract I signed with Ning Hao later was also a work-related contract."

“I don’t care what you do normally, but I will provide funding for your creative work.”

"And we'll split the profits from our creative work."

The other party certainly felt that knowing the two "experts" was beneficial, but still maintained a distance.

Zhang Yuan didn't give them a chance to say anything else, raising his hand to stop them.

"Actually, I have a dream of music, just like you two," he casually made up.

"It is our shared love of music that brought us together here."

"How about this, since we're meeting by chance, let's go to my house for dinner today, and I'll show you both my precious treasure."

It's not Yang Tianbao, that precious treasure.

Not long after, we paid for the tea and drove to the courtyard house.

The two were puzzled but happy to be invited to dinner by celebrities and famous directors, or even to their homes.

"Coming."

As soon as he stepped into the house, he saw Shu Chang already waiting for him in the small conference room.

The two looked around. Being a celebrity is great, they're so rich!
It has such a big house in the city.

"Please forgive us for the cramped and humble abode," Zhang Yuan said as he invited them to enter.

The two thought that if this was a humble abode, then their home was unbearable.

"The meal is ready. Before we eat, let me show you my things."

We arrived at the study in the backyard.

"Holy crap, a Steinway!" Wang Taili exclaimed as soon as he saw the piano.

"Use it as you like," Zhang Yuan casually invited.

Those who play music know how expensive this instrument is, and they don't dare to touch it.

"Then I'll do it." Zhang Yuan sat down and played a tune first.

It's the "Concerto of Love" that was performed yesterday.

As soon as the song ended, the two clapped wildly.

However, Xiao Yang seemed to detect a faint sadness in the melody he played.

He didn't know that after they finished playing this piece yesterday, Yang Mi ran away...

"This machine?" Xiao Yang turned his head and saw a strangely shaped record player. It wasn't the kind with a wooden trumpet-shaped speaker like in old movies, but rather an all-metal one with a complex design and a built-in floating stand.

After chatting with Dai Xu, who plays with vinyl records, on the set of "The Founding of a Republic," he felt that he should also get some vinyl records to improve his taste.

So I bought a record player, and later decoders, amplifiers, speakers and other equipment.

The items just arrived, and a bunch more are still waiting, so for now we can only look at them, not use them.

He planned to put it directly into the new house to use for listening to music, smoking cigars, and drinking red wine; that's how old-timers usually arrange their social interactions.

"This... is quite expensive, isn't it?" At this moment, Xiao Yang was just like Wang Taili when he saw Steinway earlier, not daring to touch it.

"10."

"It's so expensive!"

"Dollars."

Xiao Yang: ...

My buddy's face turned red. It's so good to be rich!
The two brothers exchanged glances.

It's music-related, and the price is astonishing.

But it always felt a bit like nouveau riche behavior, and it wasn't quite the same as what we understand as a love of music.

“These are just my everyday items, not something I’m showing to you.” Zhang Yuan saw through their thoughts.

Everyday items... The two glanced at the $10 piano and the $10 machine.

I wish I could have your daily life too...

"The really good stuff is coming soon," Zhang Yuan waved.

Changchang then pushed a clothes rack toward them.

"Clothes?" Wang Taili glanced at Shu Chang as she approached.

Of course, he also glanced at the singing several times.

I think she looks more radiant in person than on screen, and also thinner.

The current 4:3 aspect ratio of televisions does indeed make people look fat.

It stretches people out and flattens them.

Many actresses who appear chubby on screen are actually much thinner than the average girl.

Singing is one example. Her only flaw is that she has a relatively large head, but that can't really be considered a flaw because she's also quite intelligent.

She's actually quite thin, but on screen she looks like a short, chubby girl.

Wang Taili didn't know why Shu Chang was here, and he didn't dare to ask.

As people reach middle age, they realize that there are some things it's best not to inquire about.

"Yes, it's just a set of clothes."

Zhang Yuan pointed to the clothes on the movable clothes rack.

"Not just clothes, but also performance costumes."

"You... worked in the dance industry before you debuted?" Wang Taili asked.

Many celebrities come from nightclubs and dance halls, so he thought it was Zhang Yuan's performance costume.

"No, no, no, I'm not good at it... well, not that I'm not good at it, I just don't dance much."

"These aren't my clothes."

"From 1996 to 1997, Michael Jackson toured the 'History Tour'."

"A total of 82 concerts were held, setting a record for the world's largest tour."

"No one has broken the record to this day."

“And this…” Zhang Yuan pointed to the performance costume.

"This is one of the outfits I wore at those concerts, but I'm not sure which one it was for."

That's why he called Shu Chang over.

As her most important collection, this garment was kept in Changchang's safe until it was completely finished in the security-equipped showroom of her new house and the smell dissipated.

In order to recruit the two, he had them bring the "sacred relic".

This is his true collection of music-related "collections".

Those two items are actually consumer goods.

Upon hearing this, Wang Taili's eyes widened in his entire life!
"Really...really...really?" He stammered.

You should know, this guy is a die-hard Jackson fan!
The kind that's as hard as iron.

When Michael Jackson passed away unexpectedly in 09, this person cried and stayed at home depressed for a long time.

And 09 was also the year he turned 40.

At forty, one is no longer perplexed; after forty, one is no longer allowed to act recklessly.

I felt completely lost, the kind of lost feeling that comes with middle age, feeling like I had accomplished nothing.

In fact, he made quite a bit of money. He bought a large house of over 100 square meters in Beijing and also owns his own company.

In the eyes of ordinary people, he has already achieved great success as a migrant worker in Beijing.

Unfortunately, he's from Shandong...

He loved Michael Jackson since he was a child, so he always dreamed of making music, which his parents always thought was a waste of his time.

How can singing and dancing be considered a proper profession?

Starting your own company and being a small business owner isn't a proper job either.

In Shandong, taking the civil service exam is considered the only proper career path!

Therefore, he was never accepted by his family. Many of his childhood friends became section chiefs or even deputy bureau chiefs.

He hadn't even achieved his own dream, and his idol had passed away.

Xiao Yang knew this best; he also liked Jackson, just not as much.

A few months ago, Lao Wang would drag him out for drinks every day, saying, "Jackson is gone, we really have to do something."

The death of a loved one or an idol can sometimes lead to a moment of enlightenment.

This person didn't say it was an epiphany, but they felt it was time for a change.

My hands are trembling when I see the "sacred relics" now.

Xiao Yang quickly helped him up, otherwise his brother might have fallen to his knees!

His entire face was scrunched up, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Is it really true?"

"Of course, he wouldn't give me a fake, would he?" Zhang Yuan thought to himself that Jackson was a well-known nice guy and wouldn't make fun of him.

The clothes didn't have any "Made in Yiwu" labels.

"What? Me!" Brother Wang exclaimed, his body stiffening so much he almost fainted.

"Yes, I met Jackson once a few years ago and we had a very pleasant conversation. He gave me this costume from his shows."

"Ah!" A scream was heard.

He knew the other person liked this kind of thing, so he made the arrangement.

They simply underestimated the strength of the iron powder.

Everyone says young people are crazy about idols, but middle-aged people are just as crazy. It's just that as people get older, it's harder to find someone worth being crazy about.

Otherwise, why would Wang Xinling and Dao Lang's concerts be sold out every night? Aren't they mostly watched by middle-aged people?

That shout startled him.

Brother Long was almost on edge and nearly got into a fighting stance.

"Yes, yes, yes, can I watch it?"

"You're not looking right."

"No, can I take a closer look?"

"Yes, you can even touch it, but you have to be careful."

"Ah!" came another shout.

Zhang Yuan clutched his chest, exclaiming, "What the hell is that?!"

People who don't know better might think a wolf has entered my house.

Brother Wang trembled all over and stepped forward, his body shaking as he touched the sleeve of his clothes.

Touching it felt like being electrocuted; my whole body trembled.

This is different from what you see on TV, in photos, or even in exhibitions.

The exhibition still needs to be covered up, which means zero-distance contact.

Feel the texture of the clothes with your fingers.

The middle-aged man burst into tears.

He cried as he approached, like a pervert, wanting to smell the aroma.

Zhang Yuan was afraid he would get his snot on his nose, so he tried to stop him.

Unexpectedly, the person stepped back, looked around but couldn't find a tissue, so they wiped their face with their sleeve.

He even put his hands together and bowed towards the "cenotaph".

Xiao Yang still supported his older brother, knowing that his brother was excited.

Most people might not understand this emotional fluctuation, and would even ridicule it if they saw it.

In reality, most people would be speechless and afraid to speak when they meet girls who are considered "borderline" types.

It sounds simple, but when it comes to me, I might not be as good as Wang Taili.

Zhang Yuan also stepped forward and helped his older brother sit down.

A middle-aged man, it was unclear whether he was sad or excited.

Or perhaps they are saddened by the passing of their idol, or perhaps they are saddened by their own obscurity after living half their lives.

Middle-aged people have too many reasons to be sad.

"Please take a rest."

"Dandan, go and make some tea to calm Mr. Wang down."

"Changchang, put the clothes away."

"I want to watch more." At this moment, Wang Taili reached out reluctantly.

"No rush," Zhang Yuan thought to himself, "I'll let you try it, otherwise how am I going to hook you?"

"My new house in Houhai is still under renovation."

"Once everything is done, we'll move the record player and speakers over there."

"These clothes will also be placed in that house."

"Come to my house whenever you want to see it."

"Let's talk about music and our dreams."

"Hey!" Gone was the previous caution; the other party readily agreed... (End of Chapter)