I'm Not A Drama God

Chapter 6: "Chen's Directing Rules" · Ninth Principle of Chen's Directional Principles— · The core of creating and developing a plot lies in establishing conflict. If the story's inherent tension is weak or fails to grip the audience, manufacture a "misunderstanding" to drive the plot forward. · A few rules Chen Ling had secretly summarized during his past life as a director flashed through his mind, and a hint of a smile played in his eyes. · 【Audience Expectation Value +3】 · 【Current Expectation Value: 32%】 · The moment those two lines of text flickered within his bowl of soy milk, Chen Ling knew he had guessed correctly. · Uncle Zhao’s expression stiffened visibly. · He stared at Chen Ling in bewilderment; his face shifted from confusion to shock, before finally settling into a deathly silence... · "Uncle Zhao, I promised Brother Yi I’d keep his secret... but you only have one son. I know you’re counting on him to carry on the family line... and him constantly hanging around that other boy is really going to affect his studies." · Chen Ling sighed. "I even saw him today, sitting on the back of that boy’s bike, smiling so happily..." · Uncle Zhao’s body began to tremble slightly. His hands clenched into fists, and his breathing grew heavy and ragged. · "Right... I understand." Uncle Zhao forced a smile that looked borderline terrifying. "Thanks, Ling." · "By the way, Uncle, I promised Brother Yi I'd keep quiet, so you absolutely can't tell him I was the one who told you..." · "Don't worry, I know what to do." · Chen Ling finished the last gulp of his soy milk, bid Uncle Zhao goodbye, and left the shop. · Uncle Zhao acted as if he hadn't heard a word. He kept his head down, rummaging through the shop for something. A few minutes later, he pulled a club as thick as a fist from a corner and slowly sat down on a stool at the shop's entrance. · A cold wind swept through the street, fluttering Uncle Zhao’s few remaining hairs and the sweat-stained towel draped over his forehead. · He sat there quietly, propping the club against the ground with one hand. His bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the end of the street, looking every bit like a general radiating Killing Intent! · Chen Ling appeared to leave the street, but he actually doubled back through an alleyway. Standing in the shade of a tree at the corner, he had a perfect view of the shop. · A few minutes later, a tricycle came wobbling from the end of the road. · Zhao Yi sat on the edge of the cart with his legs crossed. The two barrels of salt behind him had been completely emptied. He toyed with the few copper coins he had just earned, his grin nearly reaching his ears. · "Heh, making money isn't that hard after all." · "It's not hard for you, Brother Yi! I'm the one who's been pedaling all day!" The youth in front stood up, straining against the pedals of the tricycle as he spoke breathlessly. · "We're brothers, what's mine is yours." · Zhao Yi pulled two copper coins from his palm and stuffed them into the youth's pocket. "Here, these are for you." · Not far away, Uncle Zhao’s eyelid twitched as he watched Zhao Yi reach for the youth's waist. · "Brother Yi, I pedaled for you all day and you only give me two coins??" The youth’s eyes widened. "Didn't you get twenty from the Road Management Bureau!" · "Pedaling is manual labor, but spreading salt is a technical skill. Of course I get a bigger cut." · Zhao Yi replied lazily, then hopped off the tricycle. He squinted with a smile and waved at the youth. "I'll wait for you at the usual spot tomorrow... if you don't show up, I'll beat you every time I see you, got it?" · With that, he clutched the remaining eighteen copper coins and headed toward his shop with his chest puffed out. · The youth on the bike glared at him with fury, but as soon as Zhao Yi shot back a menacing look, he instantly lost his nerve. He could only lower his head and continue pedaling home alone. · Zhao Yi was the local bully of Frost Street; almost no one among the younger generation dared to cross him. Even after being exploited for a full day's work, the youth could only swallow his resentment. · "Dad, I'm back!!" · Zhao Yi strode forward, eighteen copper coins in hand. He had never felt this confident coming home. · But for some reason, the moment he reached the shop entrance, a wave of cold air hit him square in the face. · The figure holding the wooden club slowly stood up. The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point. Uncle Zhao’s furious gaze locked onto Zhao Yi; like a general wielding a spear, he marched toward him with overwhelming momentum. · "D-Dad?" Zhao Yi took an instinctive step back when he saw the club. · "It's him, isn't it?" Uncle Zhao pointed a trembling finger at the youth pedaling away in the distance, his voice shaking with rage. "You little bastard! Instead of studying, you're sneaking around doing this?!" · "If you were seriously dating a girl, I wouldn't care, but a damn boy?!" · "Can a man give you children?! Can he carry on the Zhao family name?!" · "You're trying to end my bloodline!!" · Uncle Zhao roared as he chased Zhao Yi with the club. The latter screamed in pain as the blows landed. · Hearing Uncle Zhao’s furious shouts, the neighbors along half the street pricked up their ears. · They gathered around curiously, pointing and whispering at the fleeing Zhao Yi. As they exchanged words, looks of shock dawned on their faces simultaneously. · 【Audience Expectation Value +1... +1... +1...】 · As Zhao Yi wailed under the beating, the numbers before Chen Ling’s eyes began to tick upward incessantly. · If he could enter the Theater in his mind again, he would see the dense crowd of shadowy "Audience" members watching the scene with great interest, subtle smiles playing on their lips. · "The conflict is right... but there aren't enough characters yet." Chen Ling’s gaze fell on the tricycle in the distance. · "Xiao Liu." · Hearing Chen Ling’s call, the youth on the bike turned around, looking confused as he watched the drama unfold. · "Brother Ling, you're here too?" · "How much did Brother Yi give you for the snow melting today?" · "...Two coins." At the mention of this, resentment clouded the youth's face. "He went back on his word. He said if I pedaled, I'd get the lion's share of the profit. In the end, he gave me this pittance and threatened to make me his slave again tomorrow..." · "Do you want to get back at him?" Chen Ling looked into his eyes. "Or rather, do you want to make sure he never dares to bully you again—to make him avoid you whenever he sees you?" · "Yes!!" · "Then let me show you..." · While the two were whispering, Zhao Yi had been chased until he was exhausted. · "Dad, Dad, stop hitting me! I'm not gay!" Zhao Yi finally realized what was happening and tried desperately to explain. "I swear, I only like women! Especially the curvy, mature ones..." · The onlookers' mouths hung open, their minds racing. · Uncle Zhao paused, his pace slowing down. · "Then what's your relationship with that boy on the bike?" · "We're just ordinary friends!" · "Are you telling the truth?" · "Of course it's the tru—" · "Brother Yi!" A youthful figure burst through the crowd, rushing to Zhao Yi’s side like a madman. He threw his arms around Zhao Yi, using his own back to shield him from the wooden club. · Zhao Yi froze. · Uncle Zhao froze as well. · "You..." Zhao Yi’s mind went completely blank. · Before Zhao Yi could speak, the youth looked at Uncle Zhao with reddened eyes and shouted: · "If you're going to hit someone, hit me! Don't you dare touch my Brother Yi!!!" · The atmosphere fell into a sudden, dead silence! · 【Audience Expectation Value +2... +2... +2... +2...】 · [END]