Chapter 42: The Price

"The Policeman and the Brother-in-Law" was originally titled "Brother-in-Law and the Brother-in-Law." It was a work by Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Shimao for the 1992 Spring Festival Gala, and it can be said to be their masterpiece. Not only was it suitable for all ages, but it also resonated with the spirit of the times. After its broadcast, it received widespread acclaim. The classic lines in it were widely known, such as "Report, report, I am Black Cat, I am Black Cat, the rat has been caught!" "You run to my house eight times a day, how could you not know the way to my house?!" "The woman just opened the door, and you went in." "Our grandma... don't say 'our'... your grandma... your grandma..." "You are the only one shining on the street, I followed the light and came here." These lines have become the subject of imitation and reference in many works.

"Genius! Genius!" Zhu Laomao and Chen Xiaoer looked at each other, muttering. Fang Mingyuan had written another high-quality sketch script right in front of them, and this result left the two of them with no more doubts.

"Xiao Peng... Xiao Mingyuan, your creative talent is truly admirable." After a while, Chen Xiaoer said, "I wonder why you brought out these three scripts..." At this point, Chen Xiaoer no longer treated Fang Mingyuan as a junior but spoke to him as an equal.

"Of course, I hope to 'sell' them to the two uncles. I can write such scripts, but to perform them well, I need the two uncles." Fang Mingyuan said straightforwardly.

"Phew..." Zhu Laomao and Chen Xiaoer let out a long sigh, their faces showing a sense of relief. Missing out on such a well-crafted script tailored for them would have made them want to cry.

"How much do you plan to sell them for?" Zhu Laomao asked somewhat anxiously. After deducting various necessary expenses, their monthly income was not much. Chen Xiaoer was slightly better off, as he had already gained some fame in the film industry and earned some money, thanks to his family background.

"Money? I don't want it!" Fang Mingyuan's response took the three of them by surprise.

In the future, until the end of the century, there were only about a dozen good songs produced in China, which, compared to the endless stream of songs from Taiwan and Hong Kong, was a stark contrast. The reason for this could be seen from the fact that the lyrics and music for the famous song "The Moon on the 15th" were paid only 16 yuan. Fang Mingyuan knew this from a report in his previous life. Even in that era, 16 yuan was not a significant amount, especially compared to the huge rewards and fame the "star" who sang the song received. How much a songwriter or composer was paid for a song in China, Fang Mingyuan was not entirely clear in his previous life, but he knew that few of them became wealthy, while many "singers" became stars with annual incomes in the millions. Such a huge disparity could hardly provide enough motivation for songwriters and composers.

If these three sketches were sold to Zhu Laomao and Chen Xiaoer now, the most they could get would be a few thousand yuan, and that would be considered a high price. But it was already 1984, and in just a few years, with the deepening of the reform and opening up, the income in the entertainment industry would skyrocket. By then, a script that could get someone on the Spring Festival Gala and make them famous would be invaluable.

"Uncle Chen, Uncle Zhu, to be honest, I think you already understand the value of these three sketches. To put it bluntly, these three sketches have the potential to be on the Spring Festival Gala. Perhaps next year's Spring Festival Gala will see the two of you shine and become national stars. So, it's hard to determine the price, isn't it?"

Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao nodded in agreement. Fang Mingyuan's words were not exaggerated; they had already thought about this. If these three sketches could all appear on next year's Spring Festival Gala, it would be like dropping a bomb in the world of sketches! The boost to their careers would be immeasurable! How much should they pay? They couldn't decide.

"Then, how about this! We'll split it by a ratio! I and Laomao are the performers, and you are the scriptwriter. We can agree that for a certain period, one-third of our income will go to you. How about that?" Chen Xiaoer said, gritting his teeth. This opportunity was too rare to let go. He absolutely could not allow these three sketches to go to someone else!

"Xiaoer!" Zhu Laomao exclaimed excitedly. One-third of the income was not a small amount, especially for Chen Xiaoer. Zhu Laomao knew that he was currently planning a movie that might start filming this year and be released next year.

Su Aijun was also taken aback. These three sketches were indeed excellent; he had already laughed until his stomach hurt just by listening to them. But Chen Xiaoer's willingness to pay such a high price was beyond his expectations.

Everyone's eyes fell on Fang Mingyuan...

"Uncle Chen's proposal... I cannot accept it!" Fang Mingyuan's words were like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, immediately causing a huge wave.

"Why?" Zhu Laomao asked in a low voice, his face turning grim. He did not expect this child to be so greedy, to be unsatisfied with such a generous offer. Su Aijun also felt uneasy and secretly tugged at Fang Mingyuan, giving him a look to stop.

Chen Xiaoer, however, maintained his composure, laughing and rubbing his bald head. "Since we're negotiating, there must be give and take. So, what conditions would you need to transfer the scripts of these three sketches to me?"

Fang Mingyuan stood up and pushed the two notebooks to Chen Xiaoer. "I already said, I don't need money. Although Uncle Chen's offer is very generous, far exceeding the current market rate, I still insist that I don't need money!" Zhu Laomao and Su Aijun's expressions relaxed.

"Then, what do you want?" Chen Xiaoer asked curiously. This child was indeed interesting.

"Um... I have two conditions. If Uncle Zhu and Uncle Chen can agree, I am willing to hand over these three scripts." Fang Mingyuan sat back down, propping his chin with his hand.

"What conditions?" Chen Xiaoer asked nervously. He had already made up his mind that as long as the conditions were not excessive, he would agree, even if it meant gritting his teeth.

"Ah, no, three conditions!" Fang Mingyuan suddenly corrected himself.

"Say it!" These two words Chen Xiaoer almost forced out through his teeth. His heart was already in his throat.

"The first condition is that these three scripts can only be performed by the two uncles. Under no circumstances can you transfer them to anyone else! Of course, I won't give them to anyone else either!" Fang Mingyuan said solemnly. He did not want these classic sketches to be ruined in the future, even though the possibility was small, he had to make a serious statement.

"Phew..." Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao let out a long sigh. This was a no-brainer; such a good opportunity, only a fool would give it away. This condition could be agreed to!

"The second condition is that Uncle Chen and Uncle Zhu must be my mentors."

"Mentors? What kind of mentors?" Chen Xiaoer asked, puzzled.

"To put it simply, you know Uncle Jiang Kun, right? If one day I want to meet Uncle Jiang Kun, the two uncles must help me introduce myself and ensure that I can meet him. Whether we can get along later is not something the two uncles need to worry about! Of course, the scope of mentors can be limited to people the two uncles know."

"Deal! No problem!" Chen Xiaoer agreed immediately. This was not a problem for him; even if his own influence was not enough, he still had his father. This was not a difficult request. Zhu Laomao also nodded; this request was not excessive. Once an agreement was reached, they would be partners, and introducing him to friends was only natural.

"The third condition is that one script in exchange for one promise from each of you!" Fang Mingyuan threw out the final condition.

"What kind of promise?" Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao asked in unison.

"That is, on any future day, as long as my request does not violate the law, does not go against social morals, does not make the two uncles feel uncomfortable, and is something the two can do, the two must help me achieve it! I can declare in advance that I will not ask for money or a loan!"