Chapter 139: What are you laughing at? Am I being funny? Where is this funny? (Large Chapter 1/3)

Spent the entire afternoon chatting with Zhang Huaimou.

Aside from the investment percentages from the three video platforms, the discussion mainly focused on casting and the preparation of the production crew.

Among these topics, the issue of casting sizes was debated most intensely.

From a professional standpoint, visual effects might be best at size 34, with size 36 coming in second.

Regarding this, Su Mu specifically asked Zhang Huaimou to conduct a detailed analysis.

According to Zhang's explanation, camera lenses simply weren't built to handle that much...

Moreover, under high-frame-rate imaging, large areas of smooth, skin-toned flesh tones failed to create any delicate visual differentiation. Instead, the resulting dizziness would detach the audience from the narrative, shifting their focus toward mere sensory stimulation.

If it came to that,

it would be better to simply watch simple films featuring endless, repetitive motion.

Therefore, by comparison, excessive visual weight became a burden rather than a boon.

Only genuine necessity was the perfect choice.

Hearing this, Su Mu could only let out a sigh of regret.

It seemed he wouldn't be able to help Ning Yuyan this time around.

Of course, while the character of Qiu Ya was certainly important, she wasn't the most crucial element.

In this drama, numerous supporting roles required meticulous crafting.

Because a vast number of comedic beats and punchlines came directly from the mouths of these supporting characters.

If they weren't funny or comical enough, the overall impact would be severely diminished.

Meanwhile, Su Mu taking on the lead role marked his very first foray into comedy.

This made the challenge even more formidable.

Even though Zhang Huaimou held Su Mu in extremely high regard, based on his understanding of the script, he felt there were risks involved in having Su Mu play a comedic role.

Comedians needed to deliver laughs and punchlines, yet Su Mu never joked around.

Especially when it came to demanding more money...

Unless he completely abandoned his polished image.

Even then, the audience might not necessarily buy it.

Thus, Zhang Huaimou still harbored a fair amount of anxiety.

Seizing the opportunity,

he decided to have Su Mu read a few lines.

Choosing a random passage,

Zhang Huaimou said, "I want to see your interpretation of Luo Xia. Remember, a punchline isn't just about dialogue and gags; it's much more about a feeling. Since the goal is to make people happy and joyful, your own psychological burden cannot be too heavy. An exceptional actor can embody whatever role they play. Since you want this challenge, you must completely erase the stereotype left behind by your previous idol dramas. Being handsome does not interfere with being funny; there's no such thing as someone being too good-looking to make people laugh—only people who don't know how to deliver a punchline."

Su Mu listened intently to Zhang Huaimou's words.

In truth, he understood better than anyone that crossing the chasm between a conventional actor and a comedian required immense courage.

And for him, the difficulty was set to hell mode.

Because being handsome was also a kind of burden.

And he had always been someone weighed down by too much "burden."

Yet, if he wanted to extend his acting career for the long haul, he had to adapt to all kinds of roles.

He needed to be able to play both heroes and villains, to possess both depth and humor.

Versatility was a mandatory requirement for a good actor.

Looking across at the heavyweights who had clinched Best Actor crowns, every single one of them could handle any genre and any subject matter thrown their way.

Therefore, Su Mu knew that if he wanted to reach the next level,

he had to try all of this.

He took the script handed over by Zhang Huaimou.

Glancing at the scene randomly pointed out by the director,

Su Mu controlled his facial expressions, adjusted his emotions and posture, and tried his best to let his demeanor and aura relax completely.

In his past life, he had watched this movie.

Luo Xia's identity was that of an utterly ordinary, insignificant person, so he needed to feel grounded and possess the texture of life at the bottom of the social ladder.

Cowardly, timid, obsessed with saving face while suffering for it—these were Luo Xia's traits at the very beginning.

Yet after returning to his youth in a dream, he had to behave in ways that completely contradicted his original personality.

This was a fascinating angle.

Soon, Su Mu entered the zone.

Cooperating fully, Zhang Huaimou delivered the counter-line first: "Ma who-what-mei?"

Su Mu cracked his mouth wide open: "Ma Dongmei!!"

[New proficiency options unlocked]

[Punchline Proficiency LV1: 1/100 (Novice)]

[Comedy Timing Proficiency LV1: 1/100 (Novice)]

[Nonsense Humor Proficiency LV1: 1/100 (Novice)]

"???"

Staring abruptly at the newly surfaced proficiencies,

Su Mu was dumbfounded.

Compared to the previous ones—whether it was acting classifications, horseback riding, sword practice, fish butchering, or kissing—he always knew how to grind them out.

But these three...

They were genuinely forcing a man against his will.

For the first time, Su Mu felt completely at a loss as to where to begin.

He suddenly understood the torment experienced by comedians.

Wracking your brains every single day just to make others laugh was genuinely exhausting.

You had to constantly think of punchlines, maintain humorous behavior, and keep a finger on the pulse of the audience's sense of humor.

Just thinking about it made it seem far more demanding than any other acting category.

At that moment,

Zhang Huaimou's voice came through: "Su Mu, I noticed you put extra effort into this scene, specifically writing a few rounds of Q&A with the old man. It should be a comedic beat, but your execution just now hit the right note in terms of character setup, yet missed the punchline entirely. Actually, your acting wasn't wrong, but it felt like something was missing. You need to find that feeling that can pierce people's funny bones, integrate it into your own performance, amplify it, and finally turn it into your own unique style of humor. If you can do that, you've succeeded."

Listening to Zhang Huaimou,

Su Mu felt utterly lifeless, never expecting the difficulty to be this high.

With a look that screamed he wanted to die, he nodded in agony: "Understood, Director Zhang..."

Zhang Huaimou held back a smile: "The production crew still needs a few months to be fully established. You don't need to worry about scouting actors or any of the logistics later on. During this period, just focus on searching for that feeling."

[Comedy Timing Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +0.01]

Just as Su Mu was about to speak, a proficiency notification appeared before his eyes.

What the hell?

He wore a blank expression.

Did I try to be funny?

I don't think so... so how did I hit a funny bone?

Whose funny bone did I hit?

His gaze swept over Qian Jida; this guy was fine.

Finally, he looked at Zhang Huaimou and saw the director restraining his expression, which gave him a rough idea.

It was him.

So... was it his "I want to die" expression from just now that had tickled this lecherous old man's funny bone?
This was going way too far, dammit.

Is wanting to die really that hilarious?

Su Mu decided to test the waters once more.

He further intensified the desolate and annoyed look on his face, a thin sheen of moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes: "It's too hard, it really is too hard..."

Zhang Huaimou pressed his lips tightly together, trying his best to look earnest: "Su Mu, don't be discouraged. All beginnings are hard; don't let this hit your confidence. You've debuted for six years without a single defeat... ahem, how could you fall at a hurdle like this, right?"

[Comedy Timing Proficiency +1]

[Skill Point +0.01]

Another proficiency gained.

Su Mu knew his guess was spot on.

As long as he grasped someone's funny bone and hit it repeatedly, he could increase his proficiency.

Well played, Zhang Huaimou.

So you treat me wanting to die as your comedy, huh?

Since that was the case, he shouldn't waste the opportunity. He'd farm as many points as he could.

Su Mu clutched his head in anguish: "Director Zhang, being a comedian is too hard, I want to die..."

[Comedy Timing +1]

[......]

...

...

Emerging from the Huayi Building, night had already fallen.

Su Mu and Qian Jida took a car back to the hotel.

All in all, today's negotiations could be considered smooth.

Some matters were never that complicated; business was about win-win outcomes. As long as there was something in it for everyone, everybody would naturally be happy.

In the car,

Qian Jida couldn't help speaking up: "Su Mu, if you really feel it's too difficult, I think it might still not be too late to change the script genre."

Su Mu shook his head: "No changing. This one is great."

Qian Jida's eyelid twitched: "You've been clutching your head in agony all afternoon, and you call this great?"

Su Mu: "You don't understand."
Qian Jida: "..."

Su Mu pulled out his phone: "President Qian, do you usually look at jokes? Let me tell you one."

Qian Jida: "???"

Ignoring Qian Jida's stagnant expression, Su Mu started reciting directly: "You know the Bull Demon King, right?"

Qian Jida: "I know..."

Su Mu: "The Bull Demon King asked Sun Wukong, 'Do you think my bullsh*t is impressive?' Sun Wukong replied, 'I refuse to look at it!'"

Qian Jida: "..."

Driver up front: "Pfft, bullsh*t? Hahaha!"

[Comedy Timing Proficiency +1]

[Nonsense Humor Proficiency +1]

[...]

Su Mu's eyes lit up: "Driver, is my joke about the Bull Demon King's impressive bullsh*t impressive or not?"

Driver: "Bull... pfft, impressive, hahaha!"

[Punchline +1]

[Comedy Timing +1]

[Skill Point +0.01...]

Su Mu: "Then keep your eyes on the road, Driver. I'll tell you an even more impressive one."

Driver: "Don't, don't! Wait a second, the bullsh*t hit my funny bone, stop talking about it, otherwise I won't be able to stop laughing... haha."

Su Mu: "Hit your funny bone? Impressive."

"Hahaha!"

"!!!"

...

Half an hour later.

The car arrived at the hotel.

Qian Jida shoved a large red envelope into the driver's hand: "Driver, thanks for today. But please, don't spread word about what happened just now. You know how it is, Su Mu is a celebrity."

The driver nodded: "Rest assured, I'm Director Zhang's driver, of course I know the rules."

Qian Jida breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he looked back at Su Mu, internal struggle written all over his face.

What the hell kind of fit was this guy throwing now?

He'd quit public speaking and switched to telling jokes?

"Su Mu, are you alright?"

Su Mu: "I'm doing great, don't worry."

Qian Jida wore a skeptical expression: "Su Mu, tell me the truth, what the hell are you playing at?"

Su Mu thought about it seriously: "I'm not playing at anything. Besides, if I were going to play, I'd definitely be playing with a female ghost."

Qian Jida: "..."

[Punchline Proficiency +1]

[Nonsense Humor +1]

[Skill Point +...]

...

Back in the hotel room.

Su Mu and Qian Jida rested for a while.

Then they prepared to have dinner.

Little Orange had ordered room service; the seafood hotpot at the hotel restaurant was quite good.

The three of them started eating in the room.

Having been busy all day, they were indeed starving.

While eating, Qian Jida checked his phone and said:
"For the time being, we won't be leaving Beijing. Later on, we need to coordinate with Zhang Huaimou's side, and the contract negotiations will be a bit troublesome.

Plus, you still have two promotional events for *Candle in the Tomb*, and the new car launch for Wuling China, for which you need to shoot another endorsement commercial."

Su Mu: "Does that mean I'll have to stay here until the end of the year?"

Qian Jida: "Unless there are special circumstances, don't bother tossing yourself back and forth for now. Doesn't Director Zhang need you to tag along when his crew is being formed? Besides, once preparations wrap up, filming will pretty much start right away. It's going to be another busy year."

Su Mu nodded.

A celebrity's life was mostly like this, truth be told.

Unless they had made enough money to take a year or two off.

Anyone desperately hustling for cash never got a single holiday all year round.

Su Mu: "Should we rent a larger place in Beijing?"

Qian Jida: "I calculated it earlier. Our studio account has sixty million, and the fifty million paycheck for *Candle in the Tomb* will hit in a few days. Add the sixty-five million from the Wuling China endorsement, and after deducting taxes and other expenses, we'll net around seventy million. That will bring the studio's cash reserves to just over a hundred million. You also have fifty million in your personal account; you can choose to use company funds or your own money."

Little Orange: "So much money!"

Su Mu: "Sigh, still too poor. Otherwise, I'd buy a house each in Galaxy City and Beijing. Even if they're small, we could make do."

Qian Jida: "F*ck..."

Little Orange: "..."

Stuffed and satisfied,

the three of them rested on the hotel sofa, eating fruit.

As for renting a house, Su Mu ultimately decided to put it on hold.

After all, he was a celebrity, and privacy was a necessity. It was better to endure for now and wait until he earned enough money to genuinely buy a house in both Galaxy City and Beijing.

That would make working in the future much more convenient.

However, judging by the current housing prices in these two first-tier cities, if Su Mu were to buy, he definitely wouldn't pick anything exceeding one hundred million.

At most, he'd look for an apartment complex priced between 300,000 and 600,000 per square meter, find a modest two-to-three-hundred-square-meter unit, and make do.

After all, multi-hundred-million-dollar luxury mansions were meant for truly wealthy people.

Su Mu felt that someone like him shouldn't crowd in to join that excitement.

He was used to living frugally his whole life; peace of mind was all he wanted.

Just as he was thinking this,

Su Mu reached out to grab some fruit from the coffee table, only to find that all that was left were pineapples.

Su Mu turned his head to look at Little Orange and Qian Jida, who were frantically stuffing durian meat into their mouths.

"Damn it, couldn't you two have left some for me?"

Little Orange puffed out her cheeks: "Boss, didn't you say you don't like eating it?"

Su Mu: "When did I ever say I don't like it? Even if I didn't, couldn't you have offered some out of courtesy? Huh?"

Little Orange: "Even if I offered, you wouldn't eat it."

Su Mu: "Who says I wouldn't? Besides, did you even offer? Haven't you ever heard of the traditional virtue of Kong Rong yielding the pear?"

Little Orange: "Hehe, nope."

Su Mu smiled: "Alright, then watch me. Employee training starts now!"

Qian Jida: "..."

Little Orange: "?"

Su Mu: "Today's training is about this very allusion! In ancient times, there was a man named Kong Rong. One day, his parents were arguing endlessly, and finally, unable to bear it anymore, Kong Rong went over to advise them: 'If you two can stay together, do so; if you can't, then divorce (*li*).'"

Little Orange snorted: "Pfft! Hahaha! Kong Rong yielding the divorce (*li*), as in getting a divorce? What a weirdo! Hahaha..."

Qian Jida: "..."

[Comedy Timing Proficiency +1]

[Punchline Proficiency +1]

[Skill Point +0.01...]

Did it work on Little Orange?

Low laughter threshold.

Grindable!

Su Mu: "Little Orange! Your comprehension skills are impressive; I'm looking at you in a whole new light now."

Little Orange: "Hahaha."

Su Mu: "Have you ever heard the one about the Bull Demon King? One day he asked..."

Little Orange: "Oh dear, hahaha, I've heard it, hahaha, it's about the bullsh*t, right?! Hahaha... my stomach hurts..."

[Comedy Timing Proficiency +1]

[Skill Point +0.01]

Su Mu paused.

Damn it, she was already buzzing in with the answers ahead of time?

If this counted too, it would be way easier.

Su Mu: "Little Orange, a monkey riding a tree, a monkey on the ground..."

Little Orange: "Aya hahaha, Boss I'm begging you, stop telling jokes, my stomach hurts..."

Su Mu: "Just bear with it for a moment, it'll pass quickly. Let's go again."

Little Orange: "哈哈哈……"

[Comedy Timing Proficiency +1]

[Skill Point +0.01...]

Qian Jida: -_-||

This team was completely done for.

...

The next day, the weather was bright and clear...