Qin Xuan watched her sprightly figure vanish from the hotel. As his thoughts drifted, it was as though he glimpsed Liu Yifei's past and former life.
After thinking for a while, he entered the hotel and booked a standard room. The standard room had two beds.
He couldn't possibly stay alone. Naturally, he would bring his uncle over to stay with him—to share their good fortune together. He wouldn't let anyone who treated him well and followed him suffer.
"Where did you get the money for a room?" Wu Guoqiang looked at the room's snow-white walls, the bright and transparent lighting, and the white beds that were clean and tidy.
Moreover, it was cool and comfortable; the air conditioner was blowing cold air.
This left him astonished and doubtful. His nephew had just come from the countryside; it was impossible for him to have that much money for a hotel.
Besides, their wages weren't much either. Although his wages as a technician were somewhat higher, he still had to support his family. Ordinary people's wages were only several dozen or a little over a hundred yuan a day—utterly unaffordable for a hotel stay.
"I asked them to return my technical fee." Qin Xuan couldn't very well say it was given by someone else, so he found an excuse.
"You really… how could you have the nerve to ask for money? You should leave a good impression on the director and let them mentor you." Wu Guoqiang had old-fashioned thinking, rather aloof and proud.
Of course, his intentions were good, so Qin Xuan didn't argue.
"Whether I ask for money or not, the impression is the same. They've seen everything in this industry. So many people try to curry favor. Have you seen them give benefits to anyone?" Qin Xuan understood these people very well.
What they said to your face was one thing; the moment they turned around, who still remembered you?
"You're different. They think highly of you. This money can't be spent recklessly. You need to save it for when you take a wife in the future." Wu Guoqiang lectured.
"I've already taken it, and the room is booked. It can't be refunded." Qin Xuan didn't argue. He simply let things be.
"Ai." Wu Guoqiang sighed, endlessly worried. What was to be done about such extravagant spending?
Qin Xuan didn't say anything more. The older generation was just like this—determined to suffer even when there was no need. Such thinking was hard to change. After showering, he lay down on the soft, large bed and fell asleep.
As for Wu Guoqiang, he could only accept it passively. As Qin Xuan said, the room was already booked—what else could be done?
Early the next morning, the film crew that was supposed to start on schedule did not start. All sorts of equipment and props lay about randomly; no one was moving or arranging them.
No one was issuing or recording actor costumes, wardrobe, or call sheets either.
The entire production crew was in a state of paralysis. Numerous grassroots staff members and interns had directly gone on strike.
He hadn't expected there to be so many people. It seemed there were quite a few who had been oppressed.
These people weren't working, and by extension, those who hadn't participated also found it awkward to work. With everyone refusing to work, if you went ahead and worked, you would appear somewhat unusual. Therefore, most people were swept along, adopting a wait-and-see attitude.
Just like Wu Guoqiang, who hadn't participated and didn't know what to do upon seeing this situation.
"Oppose exploitation! Purge the traitor Matthew from within!"
"Oppose exploitation! Purge the traitor Matthew from within!"
This slogan rang out in the production crew with earth-shaking volume, traveling far. Even the neighboring crews heard it. The entirety of Hengdian had heard about it and was discussing what was happening in *The King of Kung Fu* crew.
Hearing that it was to oppose exploitation, those grassroots workers couldn't help but feel somewhat inspired.
"Finally, someone has stood up!"
"Damn it, I worked in that crew for two days before. They practiced discrimination."
"Aren't all other crews the same?"
It wasn't just this one crew. Many crews had this phenomenon; it was very common. Therefore, it could resonate with the lower levels.
It's just that the other crews didn't have someone as inciting as Qin Xuan.
Some people even wanted to go to *The King of Kung Fu* to watch the show and see if it could succeed, but they were stopped. This crew was filming on a closed set; even reporters weren't allowed in.
Because the commotion was too great, it alarmed Minkoff, Fang Long, Li Lianjie, and others, as well as Huayi president Wang Zhongjun—he was the producer.
Including Fei Lei, the producer from Relativity Media here. All of them were alarmed.
They had to rush to the production crew to assess the situation.
"Shit, this was absolutely premeditated." Matthew was furious.
These higher-ups gathered together, discussing countermeasures. Minkoff said, "At a time like this, don't say anything useless."
"Whoever makes trouble, clear them all out." Fei Lei wanted to employ iron-fisted methods.
"If you clear them all out, who will shoot the film?" Wang Zhongjun retorted. This matter was very bad for Huayi.
"The Americans will leave after filming. They don't care about all that. But Huayi is, after all, a local enterprise."
"Don't you have plenty of people? If they won't do it, there are plenty of others who will," Fei Lei said.
"That's not appropriate. Newcomers can't quickly enter a working state. They need to readjust." Fang Long felt this couldn't be done.
The entire industry would be shaken. He and Li Lianjie held shares, so they were very concerned.
"Isn't it just money? Just give them money." Fei Lei waved his hand, appearing very magnanimous.
"This is no longer a matter of money or not money, nor a problem of having people or not. This is a malignant incident.
There are many from the film schools in there. If we remove them all, how do I explain to Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama? How do I explain to the higher-ups?" Wang Zhongjun found it very troublesome.
"If the authorities step in, Huayi will definitely get a severe scolding. You'll have caused public outrage—what are you doing?"
"Then what? We can't just let them make trouble like this!" Fei Lei had never considered offering up his own people as sacrificial victims.
Actually, everyone knew very well in their hearts that this wasn't Matthew's fault. They just weren't saying it.
"Brother Fang, I'll have to trouble you again. Please go communicate with them and settle this matter." Wang Zhongjun still requested Fang Long to step up.
He had always been the one to handle things before.
"Alright then." Fang Long nodded.
They weren't suited to step forward themselves; they had no common language with the workers. He had influence and persuasive power.
Fang Long arrived at the plaza of an ancient building's great hall. Seeing the dense crowd, he also had a bit of a headache.
And those representatives were also observing the situation's development from afar in secret.
"All of you, get up quickly. Get up. If you have something to say, let's talk it over nicely. No need for this." Fang Long displayed extremely high emotional intelligence the moment he arrived, personally bending down to help up the few people in the lead.
"Brother Fang Long, we call you big brother out of respect, but you don't need to come persuade us. We've had enough. We can't endure anymore." Shen Ao and the others sat cross-legged on the ground, resolutely unmoving.
"Ah, I understand all your difficulties. It's just that what you're doing isn't right." Fang Long urged earnestly.
"What do you understand? We're all doing the same work. You Hong Kong people have separate hotels. You eat what the hotel provides, and there are fruits and desserts too. Your wages are even higher than ours. Which of these is the same as us?" Zhang Linke had a rather explosive temper.
"Right, exactly!"
"."
The numerous people present echoed this. Every time they came to persuade them, they never fulfilled their promises.
Fang Long looked up at the crowd present and explained, "The Hong Kong crew have left their homes behind. To guarantee their working condition, they definitely need better rest. They also aren't accustomed to the mainland diet. They need special care."
"Tch." Shen Ao and the others were immediately disdainful.
"So they're human beings, and we're not?" someone shouted, just resenting this.