Those Hong Kong people didn’t dare show their faces in this matter. They could only watch from the shadows, waiting for things to die down before coming out to jump around again.
But that didn’t stop them from gossiping behind people’s backs, saying things like “Big Circle boys are nothing but trouble” and “penniless bumpkins”—as if they had forgotten where they were earning their meals.
Over there, Fang Long was trying to mediate. In the distance, Qin Xuan leaned against a tall equipment case, watching this grand play he had directed himself.
“Why didn’t you go with them?” Liu Yifei came to his side. She had no idea that all of this was the doing of the man before her.
“I just got here, and I haven’t suffered any unfair treatment,” Qin Xuan said.
“Last night you were saying the living conditions were bad and that you wanted somewhere better. Today you’re suddenly not oppressed anymore? You really forget your roots fast!” Liu Yifei said.
“Isn’t that because I had you to rescue me?” Qin Xuan smiled at her.
“That’s true. I suddenly feel so great, rescuing an oppressed person and all.” Liu Yifei laughed, seeming rather accomplished.
“If possible, please rescue me a few more times, Teacher Liu,” Qin Xuan said, looking at her.
“When you run into trouble again, maybe. It’s just that my abilities are limited. Otherwise, I’d rescue all the pitiful people.” When Liu Yifei said this, there was a touch of innocence in her expression.
Qin Xuan smiled and did not answer.
“What are you laughing at?” Liu Yifei asked, puzzled.
“Nothing. It’s good.” Qin Xuan quite admired her.
This girl was different from what he had imagined. In his impression, Liu Yifei was clear-headed, proud, and had the air of a big sister.
Of course, that was only what he had seen later through the media. As for what this girl was actually like, he wasn’t too sure either.
While the two were chatting, Fang Long failed to persuade them and could only return in frustration, which plunged the group of higher-ups into another difficult dispute.
“Matthew, why don’t you go apologize to them? Lower your stance a little,” Wang Zhongjun said, wanting to throw Matthew out as a sacrifice. In any case, he wasn’t one of their own, so what did it matter?
That made Matthew panic. Asking him to apologize to a bunch of nobodies—he would lose all dignity.
“No. If we apologize this time, what happens the next time they make trouble? We have to push this through. Fire them and stop wasting time,” Fei Lei objected.
“Have you calculated how much money and time it’ll waste to fire them? Right now, those people are only targeting Matthew. Throw him out and the problem is solved. Why not?” Wang Zhongjun argued.
“I’m also against firing them. Let Matthew go apologize,” Fang Long stated, taking Wang Zhongjun’s side.
Seeing that they all wanted to throw him out, Matthew looked at Fei Lei pitifully, hoping he could save him.
“Don’t even think about throwing one of us Americans out to appease those people’s anger. Either you solve this yourselves, or there’s no cooperation,” Fei Lei went straight for the big move.
They were the ones leading this project. Without their Relativity, it would be somewhat difficult to distribute and release the film in other regions around the world; they had the channels.
For a time, several investors fell into a stalemate. The others could only watch helplessly, unable to cut in.
Huayi’s thinking was very simple: apart from minimizing losses, they also had to minimize the impact.
Otherwise, if they fired so many people all at once, the influence among the new generation would be terrible. Though they themselves might not care, the teachers and academy faction behind them still would.
After all, the Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama were cradles of talent.
What Fang Long cared about was not wanting his reputation sullied. He was already a figure like a calling card; if this label were slapped on him, it would still hurt a great deal.
He might not care about tabloid scandals, but he still cared about matters of principle.
Hollywood hadn’t thought that much. Their own people couldn’t be touched; as for the rest, they didn’t care.
If Qin Xuan hadn’t already calculated things in advance, making sure they didn’t target the crew as a whole but only one person, they probably wouldn’t even have started arguing.
Just then, someone came to report, “Director Huang is here. He’s outside.”
“Invite him in, quickly.” Wang Zhongjun had known this would drag the higher-ups into it.
He had said earlier that this was a vicious incident. These people simply didn’t understand what that meant.
Soon, a middle-aged man in an administrative jacket came in, followed by several aides and secretaries.
Director Huang opened with criticism. “You haven’t handled this matter very well at all!”
“Director Huang, we’ve been doing our best to pacify them. It’s just that they won’t listen to reason and insist on making trouble,” Wang Zhongjun said, shifting the blame onto those people.
“I don’t want to hear those excuses. In short, one thing: calm this down as soon as possible. There must be no negative impact. If this blows up, none of you can bear the responsibility,” Director Huang ordered directly.
“Yes, we’ll definitely handle it properly and absolutely won’t cause you any trouble,” Wang Zhongjun promised.
The others all fell silent. They had been arguing fiercely just now, but as soon as this man arrived, they stopped. All of them became obedient, including Fei Lei and Matthew.
They still knew a little about the conditions in this country.
“Where are they? Take me to see them.” Director Huang did not waste words with them; his main purpose was to resolve this matter.
As for whether the movie could be filmed successfully, that was a matter in the cultural field. As long as the trouble didn’t happen here, it was fine.
Shen Ao, Zhang Linke, Li Miao, and the others were still there, all looking as though they bore a deep and bitter grudge.
Of course, they were also uneasy inside, whispering among themselves. Mainly, they had no idea how the production crew would deal with them. If they were all dismissed, then the joke would have gone far too far.
After all, this matter would still have quite an impact on their futures.
But since they had already done it, they could only steel themselves and see it through to the end. If they gave up halfway, it would only further fuel those people’s arrogance.
Soon, they saw a group walking toward them, led by none other than a man in an administrative jacket.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Director Huang. If you have any issues, you can tell me. As long as I can handle it, I definitely will.” Director Huang put on a kindly smile, his manner amiable and very capable of winning people’s goodwill.
It was completely different from how he had looked just now.
“We don’t have any big demands. We just want to be treated fairly,” Shen Ao said.
“That is only right, and it is what you deserve. That doesn’t even count as a demand. We are all equal to begin with—everyone is the same, and no one is allowed to practice differential treatment,” Director Huang said with great magnanimity.
Seeing this, Wang Zhongjun, Fang Long, and the others knew they wouldn’t get through this without bleeding a little.
If everyone’s treatment had to be the same, that would be a major expense for the production crew. After all, most of the crew consisted of grassroots staff.
“Really?” Zhang Linke looked at him, no longer as tough as before. After all, the bearing this man carried was still enough to suppress him.
In the end, he had only just entered society and had not experienced much.
“Of course it’s true. My word counts,” Director Huang said very seriously.
Such a guarantee gave the people present great confidence and won a great deal of goodwill from them. At last, someone had come to uphold justice for them.
Even the grassroots staff who had not participated were watching silently, feeling a slight stirring of gratitude in their hearts.
After all, this was beneficial to them as well.
Qin Xuan showed no reaction. He merely watched quietly from afar, observing how things would develop.
There were some things even he could not control.