Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

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Although Gu Qing's scenes in "Riding the Waves" were filmed a few days ahead of schedule, he was not in a hurry to leave.

Instead, he stayed with "Old Deng" Deng Chao on set for an extra day until Deng Chao's last scene was successfully completed.

When director Han Han announced loudly to the entire crew under the scorching sun, "Filming for 'Duckweed' has wrapped!"

Champagne splashed and cheers erupted, bringing this enjoyable shoot to a close.

But the relaxed atmosphere didn't last long.

On the business van traveling from Hengdian to the airport, preparing for their return trip, Gu Qing and Deng Chao received messages from their respective teams or friends almost simultaneously.

They learned of a situation that caught them all off guard—

In this year's summer movie season (late July to August), these two are about to become direct rivals in the fierce competition for movie screenings.

The crime thriller "The City of Light," starring Deng Chao, and the military action film "Wolf Warrior 2," featuring Gu Qing in a special appearance, are both on the same list of films to be released!

"It's all over, it ...!!!"

After his agent confirmed the news, Deng Chao, who was in the back seat, seemed to have his bones removed. He let out a wail and slid towards Gu Qing next to him.
She grabbed his arm tightly, her voice filled with anguish.

"Brother! Are you trying to 'kill your brother to prove your Dao'?!"
"Competing against you in the same time slot, how can I possibly survive?! Heaven is against me!!"

Deng Chao's despair at this moment was by no means a joke.

No one knows Gu Qing better than him, the "good older brother" who has watched him go from debuting on variety shows to becoming a top star and then achieving success in film, television, and music.

Just how terrifying is the talent and popularity of this little brother of mine?

That's the "lucky charm" quality that has been proven time and again with solid box office results, viewership ratings, and online popularity.

During Gu Qing's rise to fame, works that directly clashed with his, whether movies or TV series, almost all suffered the fate of being overshadowed or relegated to the background, making it a case of "whoever touches him dies."

The thought of competing against such a "monster" made Deng Chao feel dizzy.

"Brother Chao, actually..."

Gu Qing wanted to say something comforting. But when he opened his mouth, the words got stuck in his throat. Comfort what?
Saying, "Brother Chao, you're great too, don't be discouraged?"
But considering that "Psychological Crime" will be facing off against "Wolf Warrior 2," and even with its own backing...

What's the point of even fighting?!
It seems there's no other way out except to pray that we won't be crushed too badly.

"Ugh……"

All the words I wanted to say ultimately amounted to a sigh.

To Deng Chao, this sigh was like a bolt from the blue!
"Holy crap! You're sighing, bro?!"

Deng Chao suddenly raised his head, his fake crying expression still on his face, but his eyes had already turned to despair. "It's over, it's over, we're really doomed!"

Do you know something inside?
"Is 'Wolf Warrior 2' so incredibly powerful? Even you think we have no chance?"

Gu Qing: "..."

"Hey bro, tell me quickly, what kind of movie is your 'Wolf Warrior 2'?"

Deng Chao grabbed Gu Qing's shoulders and shook him violently, trying to find a glimmer of hope in his despair. "This name sounds familiar... Is it the sequel to Wu Jing's 'Wolf Warrior'?"

"Um,"

Gu Qing nodded and said, "It's the second installment in Brother Jing's self-directed and self-acted military action film series."

I initially just went in for a cameo role to lend a hand, but I never expected my part to become so crucial that I became the second male lead.

He briefly explained the reason for his cameo appearance and his connection with teachers Guo and Yu.

"Haha, not bad, little brother!"

After hearing this, Deng Chao temporarily forgot about the pressure of box office revenue and laughed, "On stage you're criticizing your father, off stage you're wooing your son, and you even go to Uncle Qian's house for a free meal! Your social circle is truly amazing!"

After laughing,

He stroked his chin, his eyes gradually brightening, like a drowning person grasping at a straw.
"However... since it's a military-themed movie... well, there's going to be a lot of fighting, a lot of fighting!"

He rekindled his hope: "Although military and mainstream themes are positive, the market ceiling for them has never been very high."

Who would choose to watch a war movie during the summer vacation, when they're traveling with family or on a date?
Even with your face as a selling point, I think... well, if the box office breaks 1 billion, that would be incredibly lucky, a breakthrough.

The more he talked, the more reasonable it seemed to him. The gloom from before vanished, and he even sat up straight with renewed vigor.

Deng Chao started counting on his fingers, calculating seriously: "I studied last year's data. Last year, the total box office for the entire summer season, from June to August, was 124 billion yuan."

It's almost August now, and because those films starring overly popular young male celebrities disgusted audiences, the box office is a bit sluggish.
I remember the total was only around 68 billion?

He looked at his assistant uncertainly, and the assistant nodded silently.

"124 minus 68 equals... equals... um, 54 billion!"

Deng Chao said confidently, "Yes, there's still a market capacity of 54 billion! If you take 10 billion from 'Wolf Warrior 2,' the remaining 44 billion is enough for us, 'Psychological Crime,' and other films to share!"

No problem, absolutely no problem!

He seemed to have already envisioned a bright future, a smug smile spreading across his face.

Gu Qing, who was listening from the side, twitched her lips slightly and couldn't help but correct her: "Brother Chao... 124 minus 68 is 56 billion."

His mathematical talent as a "top student" is truly surprising.

"Hey, 56 it is, it's about right!"

Deng Chao waved his hand dismissively and continued his daydream, "56 billion, it's not unreasonable for us, 'Psychological Crime,' to take 16 billion, right?"
I have a lot of confidence in this film; my performance was absolutely spot-on! The script is also solid!

He was clearly quite pleased with his performance in "Psychological Crime".

"Not at all, not at all,"

Seeing his excited expression, Gu Qing couldn't bear to dampen his spirits, so she could only agree with him, "I wish you all your dreams come true and that the box office is a huge success."

If he remembers correctly,

The total box office of Wolf Warrior back then was around 56 billion.

Although it was originally scheduled for July 27, it was postponed to September 27, adding an extra month to the schedule.

But no matter what,
Almost all the films released during the same period as "Wolf Warrior 2" failed to achieve their expected box office results, making it a classic case of "one general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers".

This time, with its own support, the outcome will likely be even more...

"By the way, little brother,"

After discussing the heavy topic of box office performance, Deng Chao seemed to remember something and asked casually, "You've finished filming this movie, what are your plans for the next few days? Going home to relax?"

"Take a few days off first,"

Gu Qing leaned back in her chair and rubbed her slightly sore neck. "Filming back-to-back is indeed a bit tiring."

"The movie releases on the 27th, I need to go help Brother Jing with some promotions and make some appearances."

His schedule for the last ten days of July was relatively relaxed: recording some VCR materials to cooperate with the post-production promotion of "Love O2O".

Then on the 27th, the first spark was lit for the giant ship of "Wolf Warrior 2" that was about to set sail.

As for August and September, Gu Qing had already made up her mind to temporarily "escape" the eye of the storm in the film and television industry.

He plans to participate in more e-sports related announcements and events, record the theme song he promised the game company, and also report and conduct preliminary rehearsals for the Spring Festival Gala program at the end of the year.

After the release of Wolf Warrior 2

Wu Jing will not only face the test of the market, but also a siege of public opinion from all sides and all sorts of people. Just thinking about that scene is enough to make one feel "bloody and violent".

Gu Qing didn't want to get involved in that kind of controversy, so it was safer to hide in the relatively pure e-sports circle and live a "peaceful life".

"Lying at home is so boring!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Chao immediately perked up and began to persuade, "Instead of getting moldy at home, why not come and record an episode of Running Man for fun?"
It's been so long since we brothers have all gotten together. Chichi, Dahei Niu, Kai Kai, Zu Lan... uh... we all miss you!

"Why don't you come back for a visit? Just consider it a family visit!"

"But I remember...didn't Running Man Season 4 already finish airing?"

Gu Qing paused for a moment before asking.

After he left Running Man, although he occasionally followed the show, he wasn't particularly clear about the latest developments.

"This year, the station is undergoing reforms and plans to try airing two seasons a year! I'm going back now to start recording the first few episodes of the fifth season!"

Deng Chao quickly explained, his tone even more enthusiastic, "Little brother, why don't you come and play one episode? It'll be a good opportunity to promote your 'Wolf Warrior 2,' a win-win situation!"

His eyes darted around, and he threw out another "bait": "Moreover, if you come, Shishi will also agree to be a guest star on this episode."

She's a little afraid of appearing on variety shows, saying she'd only be willing to come on one episode if you were there.

Look, with your arrival, you can not only see us old brothers, but also catch up with your senior sister. Isn't that great!

"Brother Chao,"

Gu Qing looked at him helplessly, "I'm not the kind of person who forgets friends for the sake of a pretty girl... Don't use Senior Sister to 'pressure' me."

Although he and Liu Shishi did have a good relationship, what was with Deng Chao's pimp-like tone?

"You're nothing but a fart!"

Deng Chao immediately retorted, "During these days of filming in Hengdian, that girl Sichun, and that little girl who looks like Liu, would come to your RV every few days."
You've been staying for almost half a day... You seem to have forgotten all about home, haven't you?"

He almost uttered an even more "fierce" word.

"Stop! Stop! Hold on!"

Gu Qing quickly raised her hand to stop him, feeling that her innocence was being tainted. "Brother Chao, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! Our friendship is pure!"
They just came to my RV to use the computers to play games. You know I have several computers in my RV.

"Playing games?"

Deng Chao glanced at him sideways. "What game are you playing? Is it a card game, or a game of 'Dou Dizhu'? Hmm?"

Gu Qing: "..."

He gave up on explaining; arguing with someone who believes you are guilty would only make things worse.

He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"In short, are you going or not?"

Deng Chao pressed his advantage. Seeing Gu Qing's lips move slightly, as if she wanted to refuse again, he preemptively placed his hand on the car door, then looked at Gu Qing with a tragic expression.

"If you really say you're not going, I won't blame you. After all, you're a top star now, so you're busy, which I understand."

At most... I'll jump off this car! I want to see if I still have even the slightest place in your heart!!

He spoke with such sincerity, tears streaming down his face, as if he were about to sacrifice himself for "friendship" at any moment.

"Brother Chao, is the 'movement culture' at Huayi School inherited from the same source?"

Gu Qing remained silent.

Deng Chao was taken aback for a moment, then realized what Gu Qing was talking about. His nostrils flared, and with a "pfft," he burst into a deafening laugh, laughing so hard he almost cried.
"Holy crap! Hahaha! Bro! You...you absolutely mustn't say that in our company! I'm afraid you'll get silenced! Hahaha! Hahaha, my stomach..."

"Don't worry, I'm not stupid."

Gu Qing sighed.

"So...you agreed?!" Deng Chao stopped laughing, his eyes widening in surprise. Seeing Gu Qing finally nod helplessly, he immediately felt like he'd won the lottery, opening his arms to give Gu Qing a bear hug.
"Oh! My dear little brother~! I knew it! You still love Brother Chao! Mua~"

"Don't come any closer, or I'll jump!"

Gu Qing hid by the car window, looking disgusted.

"Hahaha!"

Hearing this joke again, Deng Chao almost died laughing in the car.

After the laughter and commotion,

Deng Chao immediately took out his phone and dialed the number of Wu Tong, the chief director of Running Man, his tone smug:
"Director Wu! It's all settled! My little brother agreed to come back and participate in one episode! Yes, yes, Gu Qing! ...The script?"
You guys need to adjust the script quickly based on this, try to incorporate more elements from "Wolf Warrior 2", and help promote it!
This is one of our own! ...Don't worry, cooperation won't be a problem. My little brother's got it all figured out. Okay, see you later!

After hanging up the phone, Deng Chao breathed a satisfied sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, inside the Moon TV building on the other end of the phone, the Running Man production team's office area almost instantly erupted in excitement after receiving Deng Chao's call!

Especially those long-time employees who have been with the company since the first season were so excited when they heard the news that "Gu Qing is making a guest appearance and returning" that they almost cheered out loud.

When Gu Qing was on the show, Running Man's ratings soared, it generated a lot of buzz, and they were inundated with advertising offers; it was their most glorious period.

His brief return is undoubtedly a powerful boost to morale.

The happiest person was none other than the chief director, Wu Tong.

Since Gu Qing left after the second season, the ratings and reputation of the third season of Running Man have been declining. Although Lu Han joined to maintain the show's popularity, the show's freshness and creative bottlenecks have become apparent.

By the fourth season,
The new guests didn't have good chemistry, the show's format became increasingly formulaic, and the "yellow-haired" couple, Huang Zitao and Dilraba, was a disaster.

This caused its reputation to plummet and its viewership ratings to suffer a significant blow.

Wu Tong received a lot of criticism from the station's leaders for this, and was under tremendous pressure.

By launching the fifth season ahead of schedule, he can be said to have made a solemn pledge and is fighting a do-or-die battle.

Gu Qing's unexpected return was like a godsend for him!

With Gu Qing's current popularity and media attention, coupled with his deep emotional connection with the Running Man cast, the ratings and online buzz for this episode are absolutely guaranteed!

After the initial excitement, Wu Tong's directorial instincts began to kick in at full speed.

“With Gu Qing back... Baby definitely can’t be on the same stage anymore. That’s the bottom line, and it can’t be crossed.”

If it were any other celebrity, Wu Tong would really dare to go to such extremes and forcefully create a romantic pairing to boost popularity.

Could it be for Gu Qing?

He really didn't dare touch it at all.

"So, where does the buzz come from? How are topics created?"

He stroked his chin and paced around the office.

suddenly,

His eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "I've got it!"

He immediately grabbed the internal phone and called the screenwriter in the next office, who was scratching his dwindling hair and racking his brains for the next episode's script:

"Old Zhang! Stop writing the original proposal for now! There's a major change! Gu Qing is coming back! Yes, Gu Qing!"

"Quick, come to the meeting! We need to redesign this. This issue has to be a hit!"

……

On the other side, Deng Chao, after finishing the call, couldn't help but let out a big yawn.

Last night, I filmed the final scene all night and barely slept. This morning, I had to catch a flight, and sleepiness came over me like a tidal wave.

"Little brother, I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get to the airport."

He spoke in a muffled voice, and without waiting for Gu Qing's agreement, he leaned to the side and rested his head on Gu Qing's shoulder.
She naturally wrapped her arms around one of Gu Qing's arms, like hugging a pillow, and fell asleep almost instantly, soon emitting soft snores.

"He's really... a child who never grows up."

Gu Qing had become accustomed to, and even somewhat numb to, her brother Chao's childish and dependent behavior.

I wonder how the Empress has tolerated this "giant child" all these years?

Fortunately,

He still has one free arm.

Gu Qing used her free hand to take out her phone from her pocket, put it on silent mode, and prepared to deal with the backlog of messages to pass the time during the rest of the journey.

There are several unread messages in the pinned chat box.

He clicked on the top message, which was from Chen Sicheng:
"Xiao Gu, the first draft of the script for 'Detective Chinatown 2' is almost finished. When are you free?"
Come to my house and have a good chat, let's see if there's anything else that can be improved.

Let's invite the baby too, so the three of us can get together."

"Is the Detective Chinatown script finished?"

Gu Qing's eyes flickered slightly.

The first "Detective Chinatown" film became a dark horse, raking in 30 billion yuan at the box office and breaking the record in Chinese film history.

It received rave reviews and is hailed as a benchmark for domestic mystery comedies.

The preparation for its sequel has naturally attracted the attention of countless investors in the industry, making it a tempting and delicious cake.

The bad news is,

This time, they'll have a hard time "keeping it all to themselves" like they did in the first movie.

In the entertainment industry, trying to monopolize all the benefits after achieving success is tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin.

Once the pie gets big, you have to know how to share it in order to go further. This is an unspoken rule in the industry and a survival strategy.

It is foreseeable that the list of investors for "Detective Chinatown 2" will become very long, and the percentage of net box office profits that each individual can receive will inevitably be diluted.

But the good news is equally clear:

They no longer need to worry about investment; plenty of capital is eager to squeeze in and get a share of the pie.

Invitations for product placement from various brands will come in like snowflakes.

As directors and lead actors, they still hold the dominant position in terms of influence and profit distribution within the project.

more importantly,
Chen Sicheng is a person who values ​​loyalty and has a keen business sense.

He had clearly considered this. Following the message he sent to Gu Qing, he added another message, its tone laced with cunning and ruthlessness:

"Don't worry about the pay, I know what I'm doing."

We, as one of our own, will receive our due share, not a penny less.

Those trying to profit from this should be skinned alive; otherwise, how could we live up to the 'Detective Chinatown' brand? The wool will always come from the sheep's back!

Gu Qing could almost picture the shrewd yet protective expression on Chen Sicheng's face when he said those words.

This "good brother" has clearly prepared a series of measures to "fleece capitalism."
The plan is to give those eager investors a "small directorial shock".

"Okay, Sicheng. I'll take a look at the script first. I should be able to find some free time in August, then I'll contact you and we can discuss it in detail."

Gu Qing replied.

What he cares about more now is the quality of the script for "Detective Chinatown 2".

If it weren't for him, this time-traveling "butterfly" flapping his wings, following the original timeline: "Detective Chinatown 1" would have grossed over 8 million yuan and achieved phenomenal critical acclaim;
"Detective Chinatown 2" box office soared to 33 billion yuan, but its reputation has declined, and it has been criticized for being overly commercialized and having comedy overshadow the main content.
When "Detective Chinatown 3" was released, its box office exceeded 40 billion yuan, but its reputation completely collapsed. It was criticized by many film critics and audiences as "purely making easy money by relying on the nostalgia of the IP".

Gu Qing naturally did not want the important series of works he participated in to follow the old path of starting strong but ending weak and overdrawing on reputation.

Especially "Detective Chinatown 2", as a crucial installment that connects the previous and subsequent films, its quality is of paramount importance.

right now,

He and Chen Sicheng have a very close relationship, and he is fully qualified and capable of participating in in-depth discussions and revisions of the script.

This is an opportunity he must seize.

Gu Qing leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and began to use his 'photographic memory' to try to recall the plot details of "Detective Chinatown 2" that he had watched in his previous life, and compared them with his own expectations for the "Detective Chinatown" series.

The success of "Detective Chinatown 1" lies in its ingenious combination of a classic mystery core and a strong comedic shell, resulting in well-developed characters.

Qin Feng's obsession with the "perfect crime" and his growth, Tang Ren's kind nature beneath his street smarts, and Si Nuo's duality as both an angel and a devil.

The story is logically consistent, and its themes, while entertaining, also provoke some reflection on good and evil, and order.

As for "Detective Chinatown 2"... Gu Qing frowned slightly.

In pursuit of a grander scale and more frequent laughs, the original script moved the stage to a beautiful metropolis.

However, landmarks such as Times Square, Grand Central Station, and Chinatown were more like glamorous backdrops, failing to deeply integrate with the case itself, and even appearing to deliberately pander to American audiences.

The comedy portion is funny for the sake of being funny, incorporating a large number of nonsensical and even slightly vulgar scenes.
To some extent, this diminishes the charm of Tang Ren's character, making him seem overly greasy and noisy.

While the case itself maintains the pattern of serial killings, the rigor of the reasoning process and the shock value of the plot twists are somewhat diminished compared to the first film.

Overall, it's more like a decent but not particularly amazing popcorn movie, lacking that unique "spirit".

"There are quite a few things that need to be changed."

Gu Qing quickly processed the information in her mind, "Brother Sicheng is probably still limited by his ideas. It's not enough to just show the prosperity of capitalism; we can't leave out the dark side of the lower classes..."

“The previous generation of directors were all biased towards outsiders. In order to win awards, they only cared about filming the problems of their own lower class, calling it exposing society and pursuing truth, and they would deliberately amplify its dark side.”

Why can't we expose the truly terrible problems?

"Does 'Detective Chinatown' need to pander to foreign audiences?!"

Gu Qing suddenly remembered seeing reports and videos online in her previous life that shocked many netizens.

Some areas are homeless communities resembling "zombie cities," highlighting the social divisions caused by a huge wealth gap...

Aren't these more impressive than just skyscrapers?
these things,

Subtle camera work, background hints, or character dialogue can be cleverly incorporated into the story to increase realism and depth without affecting the main plot.

"I remember that many of the detective and chase scenes in 'Detective Chinatown 2' took place on the streets at night..."

Gu Qing's thoughts became clearer and clearer.
"If we could subtly reveal the darker side of this international metropolis within these scenes—the stark contrast between prosperity and decay, order and chaos—wouldn't that be far more powerful than simply showcasing neon lights?"

He is not worried that such a handling will cause controversy.

On the one hand, art originates from life, and on the other hand, it's about freedom and democracy.

on the other hand,

With Brother Jing bearing the brunt of the heavy artillery fire, the rest of the smaller firepower was nothing to worry about.

"Yes, when I see Brother Sicheng, I need to have a good talk with him about this idea."

Gu Qing made up her mind.

"I'll help you too, Amelika."
Let's promote 'traditional culture'!

……

...(End of this chapter)