Chapter 41: A Series of Surprises

"Did he write it?" Zhu Laomao asked in a trembling voice. He simply couldn't believe his eyes; this was just a child of seven or eight.

"I don't know if he wrote it, but he did bring out this script!" Chen Xiaoer, with his arms crossed, looked at Zhu Laomao with a half-smile, "I always thought only someone like me, a country bumpkin, would have such an unsteady reaction—never thought that you, Zhu Laomao, who always considers yourself calm in any situation, would have this day!"

"Ha ha ha..." Chen Xiaoer's words immediately caused another round of laughter in the room.

"Stop joking around, let's get serious!" Zhu Laomao, unable to laugh or cry, pressed Chen Xiaoer into a chair and asked seriously, "Is this script really brought out by this little boy?"

"Absolutely genuine!" Chen Xiaoer said, almost ready to swear an oath.

"It is indeed brought out by him." Su Aijun also looked at Fang Mingyuan with an unusual gaze.

"Then, little boy, what's your name?" Zhu Laomao had no choice but to believe it.

"Fang Mingyuan, Uncle Zhu, hello!" Fang Mingyuan politely nodded and greeted.

"This script... did you write it?" Zhu Laomao still found it hard to believe, perhaps it was written by someone the child knew and entrusted to him to bring to the two of them.

Fang Mingyuan smiled without answering, reached into his bag, and took out another script, handing it to Zhu Laomao. "Uncle Zhu, here's another sketch script, please take a look." Another script! Chen Xiaoer, Zhu Laomao, and Su Aijun's eyes almost popped out.

Seeing the three of them staring at his small bag like hungry wolves, Fang Mingyuan spread his hands. "That's all, just these two."

Zhu Laomao then turned his gaze to the script in his hand—*Making a Movie*. He and Chen Xiaoer leaned in together, and with the foundation of the previous script, they naturally didn't underestimate this one.

The two were quickly absorbed by the content of the script. It was clearly based on their performance of *Eating Noodles* at this year's Spring Festival Gala. The sketch also maintained their style, with both the lines and the designed actions perfectly fitting their characteristics. In short, it was another work tailored to their strengths.

"Great script! Great script!" Chen Xiaoer praised repeatedly. For an actor, especially one who hasn't become a major star, the joy of having a well-crafted script tailored for them is indescribable. If there were two... Chen Xiaoer might be happier than on his wedding night.

"It's a great script, it can make it to next year's Spring Festival Gala!" Zhu Laomao also showed his joy.

After being excited for a while, they realized the problem wasn't solved yet. They had to immediately find the author of these two sketches and buy them! Yes, buy them! Even if it meant going bankrupt, they had to buy them!

With these two works, Zhu Laomao and Chen Xiaoer could confidently say that they would have a place in next year's Spring Festival Gala! They might even have both works on the show! Their future acting careers would surely be smooth sailing!

"Little boy Fang Mingyuan, can you tell Uncle, who wrote these two scripts?" Zhu Laomao tried to suppress his joy and asked as calmly as possible.

"I wrote them, Uncle Chen, Uncle Zhu, it seems you two are quite satisfied." Fang Mingyuan's words made the other three present open their mouths in shock.

"Little boy, did you really write these? Plagiarism is illegal," Zhu Laomao said unhappily. How could this child lie? Such a work couldn't be written by a seven or eight-year-old child. Without a certain life foundation and writing experience, it was impossible to write such a good work.

"I can guarantee that this is my work!" Fang Mingyuan continued confidently. One was from the 1990 Spring Festival Gala, the other from the 1985 Spring Festival Gala. It was only the sixth day of the New Year. If someone had already written them, there could only be one reason—time travelers had a collision! If that were the case, no one could claim originality!

Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao looked at each other, though they found it hard to believe, it seemed unlikely to be plagiarism. Especially *Making a Movie*, which clearly followed *Eating Noodles*. It was only the sixth day of the New Year, and even if the author saw the sketch and got inspired, it would be impossible for it to spread to others so quickly. Moreover, the factory leadership had notified Chen Xiaoer to wait at home two days ago, meaning that at least one sketch was already completed by then. The high quality of these two works was quite rare, not something an ordinary person could write. Furthermore, their first collaboration at the 1984 Spring Festival Gala had been unexpectedly successful, so it was hard to believe that someone would have written a script tailored for them beforehand.

"Uncle Su, Uncle Chen and Uncle Zhu don't believe these two sketches are from me, what about you?" Fang Mingyuan asked Su Aijun.

Su Aijun pondered for a moment. Although this result was also shocking, with the previous theory of the maglev train and Su Huandong's high regard for Fang Mingyuan, he felt it was reasonable for Fang Mingyuan to write a sketch. "I believe him!"

"Comrade Zhu Laomao, Comrade Chen Xiaoer, I am willing to vouch for him. This is his own work. If you think my word is not enough, I can have my father, the Director of the Planning and Development Department of the Ministry of Railways, Su Huandong, prove it to you! This is his own work!" Su Aijun said solemnly to Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao. Such a sensible child wouldn't do something as foolish as plagiarism. However, he couldn't have imagined that Fang Mingyuan had plagiarized future works.

The two were immediately moved. The Director of the Planning and Development Department of the Ministry of Railways was no ordinary official. Although the Ministry of Railways and the August First Film Studio were not in the same system, the level of the position was significant. In the government, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Railways, though both ministerial-level units, had different levels of influence. Moreover, the Chinese political landscape was complex, and who knew how their superiors might be connected. So, this statement was enough.

Before the two could speak, Fang Mingyuan had already pulled the script from Zhu Laomao's hand, flipped to the back, and started writing. In half an hour, he wrote another one. "Uncle Zhu, Uncle Chen, take a look at this sketch. I haven't fully conceived it yet, so some parts may need modification."

"Police and Brother-in-Law?" Zhu Laomao, already somewhat numb, took it. When Fang Mingyuan was writing, he and Chen Xiaoer had stood behind him and seen most of it. In modern terms, he was thoroughly shocked, stunned, and frightened!

Another completely unheard-of, perfectly fitting, and extremely high-quality sketch script for their acting style!