Chapter 39: The End of the Ni Family

The damp basement reeked of blood.

Ni Kuang was chained to the wall, his right arm dripping with fresh blood, his face deathly pale. His right hand — was already gone.

Xiang Yan, a cigar clamped between his teeth, stared at him coldly: "I gave you your chance, Ni Kuang."

Ni Kuang trembled all over from the pain, yet still gritted his teeth and grinned viciously: "Xiang Yan… you think chopping off one of my hands… means Wu Xiang Qian can rest easy?"

"Slap!"

Ah Zhong stepped forward and delivered a slap across the face: "You old bastard, still talking tough?!"

Ni Kuang spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, his gaze venomous: "Where's my grandson… what have you done to Ah Zhen?!"

Xiang Yan gave a cold laugh and waved his hand.

Two lackeys dragged in a figure that was a blur of flesh and blood — it was Ni Zhen. His crotch was a sheet of crimson, and he had already passed out.

"You—!" Ni Kuang's eyes nearly split with rage, "Xiang Yan! You've severed the Ni family's line!!"

Xiang Yan leaned in and patted his face: "Relax, I fed your son's little thing to the dogs." He straightened up and said casually to Ah Zhong, "Drag him out, throw him on the street."

Three in the morning, Tsim Sha Tsui pier.

A few drunks discovered two bloodied men lying beside a pile of garbage — one was an old man missing a hand, the other a young man with his groin a mangled mess of flesh and blood.

"Holy shit! Th-this isn't Ni Kuang, is it?!"

"Call the cops, quick!"

When the ambulance arrived, Ni Kuang was already on his last breath, yet he still clutched the medic desperately with his left hand: "Save my grandson… save my grandson first…"

Shaw Brothers office, Xiang Qian placed the finished print of Parasite on Mona Fang's desk.

"Sister Fang, enter me for Cannes."

Mona Fang raised an eyebrow: "That confident?"

Xiang Qian lit a cigarette: "Naturally."

Mona Fang chuckled softly: "What about the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse?"

"Enter them all." Xiang Qian blew a smoke ring, "I want all of Asia to see what a real movie looks like."

Three days later, Mona Fang called straight through to the apartment.

"Qian-zi!" She lost her composure, a rare sight, "We're in! We're in everything!"

Xiang Qian had just woken up, his hair still sticking up: "What?"

"Cannes main competition! Twelve nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards! Nine nominations at the Golden Horse!" Mona Fang waved the telegram excitedly, "Jackie Chan is nominated for Best Actor at Cannes!"

Xiang Qian froze for two seconds, then burst out laughing.

Zhou Huimin came out of the bedroom, still drowsy: "What's going on?"

Xiang Qian scooped her up and spun her around: "We're going to France!"

Peninsula Hotel banquet hall, the celebration party for Parasite's nominations.

Jackie Chan flew around the room waving his champagne: "Qian-zi! The Cannes jury president is a French friend of mine, he says your film is guaranteed to win!"

Lin Qingxia elegantly sipped her red wine: "Qian-zi, come find me again for a role like this next time."

Stephen Chow lowered his head and said earnestly: "Qian-ge, thank you for letting me know I can act in serious films."

Xiang Qian was busy handling congratulations from all sides when Mona Fang suddenly pulled him into a corner: "The Ni family has made their move."

"Mm?"

"The Film Bureau received a report claiming Parasite 'incites class hatred.'" Mona Fang laughed coldly, "Chief Chen is screening the film tomorrow."

Xiang Qian swirled his wine glass, his gaze turning cold: "Then let him screen it."

The next day, the Film Bureau screening room.

Chief Chen, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, watched Parasite through to the end with an expressionless face.

"This film…" He pushed his glasses up, "is very well made."

The secretary sent by Ni Zhen grew anxious: "Chief Chen, this is obviously stirring up class conflict!"

"Bullshit!" Chief Chen suddenly slammed the table, "This exposes social reality! It's art!" He jabbed a finger at the secretary's nose and cursed, "Tell Ni Zhen not to bring that officialdom crap into the film world!"

The secretary slunk away.

Xiang Sheng stepped out from the shadows at the back: "Thank you, Uncle Chen."

Chief Chen took off his glasses and wiped the sweat: "Sheng-zi, your father saved my life back in the day." He lowered his voice, "But the Ni family won't let it go — be careful at the premiere."

In the Shaw Brothers editing room, Xiang Qian personally supervised the final color grading.

Mona Fang pushed the door open: "The Cannes committee sent a telegram — the director must attend the premiere in person."

Xiang Qian didn't even look up: "Book the tickets."

"Sister Fang," Xiang Qian finally turned around, his gaze sharp as a blade, "you think I'd be afraid of a bunch of maimed, childless wretches?"

Outside the window, the sunset was the color of blood.