Chapter 38: The More You Eat, the More You Fart—On an Actor’s Self-Cultivation

At the outset of filming “Mr. Vampire,” progress was slow. The main reason was that many people, including Uncle Ying, were not particularly familiar with the material.

Although Chen Mo was quite knowledgeable, he still needed to communicate his vision and style to the crew and actors, so there was an inevitable period of adjustment.

Despite “Mr. Vampire” being a zombie-themed movie, it was fundamentally a comedy. Since the cast lacked big-name stars and their status wasn’t particularly high, there was less petty scheming or behind-the-scenes drama.

However, there were many amusing moments during filming.

For example, there was a scene where the character Wencai passes gas. In the original storyline, when the zombie arrives at the Ren household, Wencai and Ren Tingting try to hide from it. Right after escaping, Wencai can’t help but let out a fart, which attracts the zombie. This scene was not in the original “Mr. Vampire” or “New Mr. Vampire” but was a later internet parody added in a new version. Chen Mo found it interesting and decided to include it, although it was more of a casual addition and might not even make the final cut.

Of course, during filming, they didn’t expect Huang Bo to literally pass gas on cue. Chen Mo had casually suggested the day before that Huang Bo could eat foods that might induce flatulence, just in case. But it was more of an offhand remark, knowing it was hard to control. Chen Mo certainly wouldn’t demand he fart on schedule during shooting—that would be inhumane.

Yet, Huang Bo took his role seriously and ate plenty of onions, garlic, and chives before filming that scene.

Sometimes, though, effort doesn’t guarantee the desired outcome.

“‘Mr. Vampire,’ scene twenty-six, take two...!”

Before the script supervisor could finish calling the take, a series of farts erupted: “Pff, pff, pff!”

The supervisor was stunned. The set fell silent, everyone frozen in place for a moment.

All eyes turned to Huang Bo, who stood there with an embarrassed expression, bowing repeatedly and apologizing: “Sorry, sorry, director, I couldn’t hold it in.”

Laughter broke out immediately.

The entire crew burst into chuckles, and Chen Mo couldn’t help but laugh too.

What could he do? The actor was just too dedicated. He couldn’t scold Huang Bo for not holding it in.

“Alright, stop laughing. Hey, this smell is really strong! What exactly did you eat?” Chen Mo asked, covering his nose. The stench was truly pungent.

Others on set also covered their mouths and noses.

Huang Bo, still a bit embarrassed, admitted, “I just ate some onions, garlic, and chives.”

The laughter died down as everyone looked at Huang Bo with newfound respect.

Dedicated professionals earn respect wherever they go. Huang Bo wasn’t a major star, and his appearance was somewhat plain, but his commitment was undeniable—even if it was a bit over the top.

Chen Mo never asked him to do this; it was all Huang Bo’s own initiative.

Garlic, onions, chives—were those really that delicious? Judging by the smell, Huang Bo had eaten quite a bit.

Though it was somewhat counterproductive, his dedication was truly admirable.

“Thank you, thank you, everyone!” Huang Bo said gratefully, bowing repeatedly.

“Cough, cough, then you just have to hold it in a little longer. Or better yet, why don’t you let out a few more first, then hold it in for a big one?” Chen Mo suddenly said.

“Ah?” Huang Bo’s smile froze.

How could he just let out more? But since the director said so, what else could he do? Chen Mo looked burly and stern but was unexpectedly ruthless.

“Well... I’ll try,” Huang Bo said with a grimace.

“Alright, let me know when you’re ready. Cough, cough,” Chen Mo said, putting on a mask.

Looking up, Chen Mo noticed that everyone on set, except the actors, was also wearing masks.

The masks had been prepared earlier because the production occasionally used artificial fog, but no one expected to need them for this reason.

“Pff, pff, pff...” Huang Bo really tried his best, his face twisted in effort, unleashing a series of familiar sounds.

The smell was intense. Watching Huang Bo bent over, giving it his all, was both hilarious and pitiful.

Everyone laughed intermittently but gave him thumbs-up for his earnest effort.

“I’m done, director! Please hurry!” Huang Bo almost pleaded tearfully.

The sensation was unbearably uncomfortable, his rear burning fiercely.

“Alright, stop laughing! Everyone, get ready and speed things up!” Chen Mo shouted through the megaphone.

The scene resumed quickly, going very smoothly with excellent results.

As soon as Chen Mo called out, “Good, that take is a wrap!”

Huang Bo clutched his backside and dashed toward the restroom.

When he returned, he had changed into a fresh pair of pants. No one commented, but their looks mixed amusement with admiration.

Why the change of clothes? Everyone understood. Although it was embarrassing, no one mentioned it. It wasn’t a joke but a silent acknowledgment of Huang Bo’s dedication.

Chen Mo took the opportunity to move on to another scene requiring breath-holding.

After all, Huang Bo had suffered enough pain today; it had to count for something.

Watching the footage on the monitor, Chen Mo was extremely satisfied. The genuine reaction to the smell was completely different from a fake one, capturing a natural, authentic expression.

After filming two breath-holding and farting scenes, the day’s shooting plan was nearly complete.

After dinner, everyone gathered as usual. When there were no scenes to shoot at night, the crew often socialized together.

Suddenly, someone suggested, “That breath-holding scene was fun. Why don’t we play a game of ‘Hide and Seek in the Dark’?”

“How do you play that?” The young wealthy woman was immediately curious.

“We can imitate the daytime filming setup. One person plays the zombie, and the rest hide around the house. We turn off the lights, so you can’t see anything. The zombie has to rely on faint breathing and footsteps to find people. Whoever gets caught first becomes the zombie. How about that?” someone explained.

“Sounds fun, let’s try it.”

“I’m in!”

“Count me in!”

“Won’t it be scary in the dark?”

Despite some concern from the girls, everyone was excited to try.

“I’ll be the zombie! I’ll be the zombie!” the wealthy young woman eagerly volunteered.

No one objected.

They were filming at Chen Mo’s old family home in the countryside—an old mansion once belonging to a prominent family in the village, now renovated for filming. The space was large enough to accommodate the game, and because it was isolated with no nearby houses, once the lights were out, the entire place was pitch black.

“Lights out!”

“I’m counting now: one, two, three...”

As the switch flipped, the mansion plunged into darkness. Everyone fell silent, beginning to hide.

Only the sounds of breathing, footsteps, and the young woman’s counting filled the air.