Stone's Directing Rule #9 —
Create and develop a plot, with the core being the setting of conflict. If the conflict in the story isn't strong enough or doesn't capture attention, create a "misunderstanding" to drive the plot forward.
A few of the rules Evan Stone had secretly summarized during his previous life as a director flashed in his mind, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
[Audience Expectation +3]
[Current Expectation: 32%]
As Evan Stone saw these two lines of text flash in his soy milk, he knew he had guessed right.
Uncle Vale's expression visibly stiffened.
He stared at Evan Stone in shock, his face first blank, then shocked, and finally fell into a deathly silence...
"Uncle Vale, I promised Tom I'd keep it a secret… but you only have Tom as your son. You must be hoping he can carry on the family line... And with him always hanging out with another boy, it's really affecting his studies."
Evan Stone sighed. "Today, I even saw him sitting in the back seat of that boy's car, smiling like he had the best time..."
Uncle Vale's body trembled slightly, his hands clenched into fists, and his breathing grew heavier.
"Alright... I know," Uncle Vale forced a smile, which appeared unsettling. "Thanks, Ev."
"By the way, Uncle, I promised Tom to keep this a secret, so you can't tell him it was me who told you..."
"Don't worry, I know."
Evan Stone finished the last sip of his soy milk and said goodbye to Uncle Vale before leaving the shop.
However, Uncle Vale seemed to ignore him, his head down, searching for something in the shop. A few minutes later, he pulled out a stick about the size of his fist from the corner and slowly sat on a bench outside the shop.
A gust of cold wind blew through the street, lifting Uncle Vale's few strands of hair and the towel drenched in sweat on his forehead.
He sat quietly there, one hand gripping the stick and pressing it against the ground, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the end of the street, resembling a fierce general holding a spear, marching toward his target with a menacing aura!
Evan Stone appeared to have left the street but secretly circled back through the alley. He stood under the shadow of a tree, able to see the full view of the shop.
A few minutes later, a three-wheeled cart came wobbling down the road.
Tom Vale sat with his legs crossed, his two barrels of salt now empty. He was playing with the few copper coins he had earned, grinning so wide it seemed his mouth would stretch to his ears.
"Hehe, making money isn't that hard."
"Vale, it's not hard for you. I'm the one who's been riding the bike all day!" The boy in front stood up, panting heavily as he pedaled the tricycle with all his might.
"We're all brothers, no need to split it."
Tom Vale took two copper coins from his palm and shoved them into the boy's pocket. "Here, this is for you."
Not far away, Uncle Vale, who had seen Tom Vale touch the boy's waist, couldn't help but twitch his eyelids.
"Vale, you made me ride the bike all day, and you only give me two copper coins?!" The boy's eyes widened. "Didn't you just get twenty from the road management office?"
"Riding the bike is hard work, but spreading the salt is a skill. Of course, I get more."
Tom Vale lazily replied, then jumped down from the cart and, squinting his eyes, waved goodbye to the boy with a smile. "I'll wait for you at the old place tomorrow... If you don't show up, I'll beat you every time I see you, got it?"
After saying this, he stuffed the remaining eighteen copper coins into his hand and walked toward his shop with his chest held high.
The boy, angry, glared at him, but when Tom Vale shot him a fierce look, he immediately cowered, hanging his head and continuing to pedal the bike, heading home alone.
Tom Vale, the bully of Frost Street, was someone almost no one dared to mess with among the younger generation. The bike-riding boy was taken advantage of all day, and he could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger.
"Old man, I'm home!!"
Tom Vale walked home, holding the eighteen copper coins, more confident than he had ever been.
But for some reason, as he approached the door, he suddenly felt a chill run through him.
The figure with the wooden stick slowly stood up, and the atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Uncle Vale's furious eyes locked on Tom Vale, marching toward him like a general holding a long spear, exuding a fierce aura.
"Old... Old man?" Tom Vale instinctively took a step back when he saw the stick.
"Is that him?" Uncle Vale pointed at the boy pedaling away in the distance, his hand trembling with anger. "You little b*st*rd! Not only do you fail at your studies, you sneak around doing this?!"
"You could at least date a girl properly, but you went and found a guy?!"
"A guy can't give you children! Can't carry on the Zhao family line!!"
"You want to cut off your old man's bloodline?!!"
Uncle Vale screamed as he lifted the stick, charging at Tom Vale, who yelped in pain as he was struck.
The neighbors on the street perked up their ears at the sound of Uncle Vale's shouting.
Curiously, they gathered around and began to point at Tom Vale, whispering to each other. Their faces soon filled with shock.
[Audience Expectation +1... +1... +1...]
As Tom Vale screamed in pain, the numbers in front of Evan Stone's eyes kept fluctuating.
If he could once again enter the theater in his mind, he would see the densely packed black figures of the "audience," eagerly watching this scene, their faces twisted with subtle smiles.
"That's right... But there are still not enough characters on stage." Evan Stone's gaze fell on the tricycle in the distance.
"Xiao Liu."
Hearing Evan Stone's call, the boy who had been eating melon seeds turned his head.
"Ev, you're here too?"
"How much did Tom give you for riding the bike today?"
"…Two copper coins." The boy's face showed resentment as he spoke, "He went back on his word. He promised I'd get the bigger share of the money for riding the bike all day, but he only gave me this much, and then threatened me to keep doing his dirty work tomorrow..."
"Do you want to get back at him?" Evan Stone looked into his eyes. "Or would you like him to never dare bully you again, even avoid you whenever he sees you?"
"Yes!!"
"Then let me teach you..."
Just as the two were whispering, Tom Vale had already become exhausted from running.
"Old man, please stop hitting me! I swear, I'm not gay!" Tom Vale finally realized, shouting desperately. "I swear, I, Tom Vale, have always only liked women! Especially the curvy and charming ones..."
The onlookers' mouths gaped slightly, and they exchanged knowing looks.
Uncle Vale froze, and his steps slowed.
"So, what's your relationship with the boy on the bike?"
"We're just ordinary friends!"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course, it's true..."
"Tommy Bro!" A boy's figure pushed through the crowd, running madly to Tom Vale's side, arms wide, and using his back to shield Tom Vale from the stick.
Tom Vale froze.
Uncle Vale froze too.
"You..." Tom Vale felt his mind go blank.
Before Tom Vale could speak, the boy, with red eyes, shouted loudly at Uncle Vale:
"Hit me if you want! But don't hit my Tommy Bro!!"
The atmosphere suddenly fell into dead silence!
[Audience Expectation +2... +2... +2... +2...]