Chapter 38: Why Humans Are Called Humans

Cheng Cheng and Yan Gou'er slipped away quietly without drawing much attention.

Once outside, Cheng Cheng led the way while Yan Gou'er followed. She had no idea what this was about, but she felt a sense of inexplicable anticipation.

They walked to a café on the same floor, where Cheng Cheng stopped, found a seat, and motioned for Yan Gou'er to sit down. She smoothed her skirt and sat, her large, bright eyes fixed on Cheng Cheng with curiosity. "Director Cheng, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Cheng Cheng got straight to the point. "Yan Gou'er, you are a natural-born actor, and your performance in this film was outstanding."

A flicker of delight touched her heart, and she felt a glow of satisfaction: *Oh my, why is he suddenly complimenting me?* She blinked, waiting for him to continue.

Cheng Cheng went on, "After this film is released, if things go as expected, you will be noticed, and major talent agencies will try to poach you. But I hope you don't sign with anyone yet. Just wait."

Yan Gou'er hesitated. "Director Cheng, do you mean... you want to sign me?"

Cheng Cheng was blunt. "Yes. I have high hopes for you. Compared to Wen Lian, Li Yang, and Qi Hao, you have greater potential for growth and a much cleaner background. That is why I want to sign you, though my company is just starting out and is not yet in a position to take on talent..."

Yan Gou'er spoke up quickly, "It's fine, Director Cheng! I can sign right now—"

Cheng Cheng raised a hand to interrupt her. "No rush. Think it through. Yan Gou'er, you are only nineteen; you must take responsibility for your own future."

"Oh, all right," she replied. "Then I will wait for you, Director Cheng." Although she didn't insist, she had already made up her mind: she would not sign with any other agency.

Afterward, Cheng Cheng met with the other actors one by one—Li Yang, Wen Lian, Qi Hao, Ma Jun, and others.

The content of his conversations varied for each. Li Yang and Wen Lian were currently unrepresented, but having spent years struggling in the entertainment industry, they had their own ideas and did not trust him as readily as Yan Gou'er did. To them, Cheng Cheng expressed a desire for future collaboration, noting that his company would eventually branch into talent management and that they should consider him if they remained unsigned at that time.

As for actors like Qi Hao, who were already signed to agencies, Cheng Cheng simply expressed his hope for future cooperation.

Of course, there were many background actors in this film whom Cheng Cheng also favored and saw potential in. Believing they were worth cultivating, he extended an olive branch to them as well. One can never have too many good actors, and good opportunities are worth the wait. Many stars rose from obscurity; perhaps a future Best Actor or Actress would emerge from his crew. In the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry, nothing is set in stone.

***

The day after the wrap party, the actors went their separate ways. Cheng Cheng and Beret (his assistant) returned to Beijing, where they found a post-production studio and buried themselves in the editing suite.

In addition to the two editors provided by the studio, there was one from the film crew, making a total of three. Under Cheng Cheng's direction, the massive task of editing proceeded at a rapid pace.

Typically, film editing is divided into three stages: rough cut, fine cut, and final cut.

The rough cut is the first stage, where the editor assembles all the raw footage in the approximate order of the script or storyboard. The goal is to establish the film's basic structure and pacing, identifying areas that need further work. A rough cut lacks visual effects and precise adjustments to sound or color, but it conveys the core plot.

The fine cut is a more in-depth, meticulous process. The editor adjusts the film frame by frame, selecting shots, setting edit points, and refining sound and visuals. This is also where music, sound effects, and visual effects are added. The goal is to make the film seamless and coherent while highlighting its theme and emotion.

The final cut is the last stage, where the editor makes the final adjustments to ensure the picture, sound, and rhythm are in their best possible state. The result is a complete, polished version ready for final rendering.

However, because the original film existed in Cheng Cheng’s memory—allowing him to jump to any second of any shot at will—he had no need for these tedious, iterative steps. Every shot he requested was exactly what was needed for the final cut. Not one frame too many, not one too few. This saved a significant amount of time.

The only issue was that Cheng Cheng lacked the actual skill to edit. While the memory of the finished product was in his mind, he didn't know how to operate the software. He could force his way through it, but his efficiency would be far lower than that of a professional editor. Consequently, he had to direct the three editors to follow his vision, which led to some time being wasted as they struggled to precisely grasp his intent.

Cheng Cheng sighed, resolving to level up his editing skills as soon as possible; if he couldn't acquire them through the system, he would learn them on his own.

For three or four days, Cheng Cheng didn't leave the editing room. When hungry, he ordered takeout or sent Beret to buy it; when tired, he slept on the floor; when he couldn't keep going, he popped an "Energy Pill." Finally, the editing was complete.

All that remained were the music and special effects. *No More Bets* had few visual effects, which were already being worked on and would be ready in a few days. The music was simple as well—the system package provided it all. Pieces without vocals were exported directly, and those with vocals were sent to be recorded...

The system allowed him to redeem many things.

For instance, songs and novels. For songs, he could prepare an empty USB drive, and the system would export the tracks onto it, saving production time. For novels, he could prepare a blank notebook, and the system would export the original manuscript into it, complete with edits, scribbles, and marks to add a layer of credibility. If anyone ever questioned him, he could simply throw the manuscript in their faces.

"Let's go," Cheng Cheng said to Beret, holding up a USB drive. "I've prepared all the music. Now we go to the recording studio to record the vocals."

Beret looked at him with alarm. "Director, is it really necessary to push this hard? These last two days, you haven't left this room except to use the restroom. Can't we get some rest?"

"Rest?" Cheng Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Do you know the difference between humans and kittens?"

Beret was stunned. How did they get on this topic? "I don't."

"Humans live tired, which is why we call them 'human' (in Chinese, the word for 'tired' sounds similar to 'human'), and cats can 'meow' whenever they want, which is why they are called 'kittens.' If you aren't living tired, can you even call yourself a human?"

Beret was left speechless. A moment later, he asked with concern, "But can your body handle this?"

"I'm very healthy. I feel more energetic than ever." Cheng Cheng was speaking the truth; he had just taken another Energy Pill. Since these items were guaranteed drops and he had dozens left in his inventory, there was no need to be stingy.

But to Beret, it sounded different. In his eyes, Cheng Cheng hadn't eaten or slept well in days, having slept no more than ten hours total in four days. How could he possibly be full of energy? He believed Cheng Cheng was burning himself out.

Beret tried to persuade him further. "Director, let's just rest. We don't need to rush like this; we aren't racing anyone."

Cheng Cheng shook his head. "My popularity is already beginning to wane. I need to finish this film, set the release date, and begin promotion as soon as possible—I need to release it while I'm still relevant."

Beret was stunned by his resolve. "Director, you—"

"Let's go," Cheng Cheng said. "To the recording studio."

Beret nodded, gritted his teeth, and followed. "All right!"