Chapter 280: My Heart Aches

Just as the outside world was wildly guessing that Now You See Me's release date was going to clash head-on with Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.

Xing Ye, Xiao Wang, Anle Films' Jiang Zhiqiang, and a representative from Ali Pictures sat down together to negotiate how to handle the Jade Rabbit matter.

At this point Ali Pictures was still just a rudimentary form, and the grand entertainment vision had not yet been launched.

This meeting was to discuss how to respond to the possibility that Now You See Me would kick off ticket subsidies, which was bound to deal a blow to Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.

The New Year holiday is only seven days, half a month in total—if they couldn't grab the box office during this window, everything afterward would basically be for nothing.

Mutual mud-slinging and slanging matches are the least effective move; you smear others, and others can smear you right back.

At worst it's mutual losses—it's not like the Principal has ever cared about losses.

In a high-end clubroom, several men sat with crossed legs, wreathed in smoke, some puffing on cigars, as Xing Ye asked: "When was that Jade Rabbit film shot?"

"It wrapped in mid-October!" Xiao Wang recalled.

Back then he had even hired people to stir up trouble for the other side, only to have them smoothly defuse it and counter-attack, putting his side on the back foot.

The result was that now they couldn't even find professional extras, because anyone who could take a Jade Rabbit gig wouldn't take jobs from other film companies.

No other reason—Jade Rabbit paid way better.

"October, a 300-million-investment film, that's a Best Special Effects blockbuster, right? How could their post-production be that fast?" Xing Ye expressed doubt.

The others exchanged glances, equally puzzled.

"That's hard to say. You don't know the situation of their film either—300 million might just be hype, and besides, you don't know the state of their post-production team." This was Jiang Zhiqiang speaking.

"All that talk is useless."

Xiao Wang waved a hand: "Right now it's a question of whether we shift our schedule to avoid the Principal, or go head-to-head with them. But going head-to-head means bleeding cash—they probably raised funds precisely to pull another capital-driven play."

At this everyone fell silent; nobody wanted to bleed.

Asking those ticketing platforms to subsidize down to 19.9, or 9.9—nobody agreed, that was just too damn scary.

That would casually burn a few hundred million; how could they afford to subsidize that much? Right now it was all just small-scale skirmishes.

The Che Guevara Ticketing Platform wanted to do it, had the ambition, but no capital was willing to fund them that much—mainly because Rabbit Ticket had Jade Rabbit backing it, and they'd spun off a distribution business that could make money.

Where would they get distribution from? They'd always been in the red.

"Let's communicate with the other side first, see if we can stagger the schedules. If not, we'll talk then." The Ali representative said.

"Then who's making that call? I'm not." Xiao Wang shook his head outright.

They were already at daggers drawn with Jade Rabbit; if he called, he'd get mocked by the other side and lose face completely.

"I'll handle the communication!" Jiang Zhiqiang volunteered.

The others stayed silent, indicating no objections.

Huayi couldn't possibly make that call; Ali's status was right there, they couldn't afford to lose face; and Xing Ye was no good with words.

So only Anle Films' Jiang Zhiqiang making the call was best, since the two sides had no grudge between them.

Privately coordinating release schedules between film companies was perfectly normal—otherwise a schedule clash would leave both sides badly wounded.

Unless one truly wanted to compete, like Fang Hong did, like Huayi did back in the middle of the year.

Both belonged to the type who wouldn't even negotiate, just making things unpleasant for the other side.

After they finished discussing, Jiang Zhiqiang picked an auspicious time—right during office hours—and called Jade Rabbit.

But Fang Hong didn't pick up that call; it went through to Chen Zhixi.

Jiang Zhiqiang said the two sides could stagger their schedules—putting them together would easily lead to both sides getting hurt, which was bad for everyone.

Chen Zhixi said this was a decision their company's team had reached after careful deliberation; they had already drawn up a Propaganda Department plan, and adjusting it would be difficult.

Jiang Zhiqiang said that next time they could yield the schedule—next time if schedules clashed again, Jade Rabbit could pick the good slot first, and they'd step aside.

Chen Zhixi asked, can you speak for Huayi?

The two sides went back and forth, but in the end the conversation didn't produce any result.

Actually, Now You See Me's post-production wasn't done at all; it couldn't possibly release in that window. Fang Hong was deliberately trying to disgust Huayi, to make things hard for them.

He was deliberately luring the investors behind Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons into a trap, letting them throw away a few hundred million first.

As for the box office, he didn't care!

Just as the two sides were still negotiating, online public opinion stirred up again—on Christmas Day itself, Zeng released an 80-second audio recording, a doomsday confession to Liu Tianxian.

The recording went: "Today is Christmas, wishing you a Merry Christmas. I want to say to you—even if tomorrow is the end, even if it's the end of the world, I'm still happy.

Don't worry about the end, don't worry about the ending, don't worry about anything—fall in love with me. Aren't we able to fall in love right now?"

This recording was utterly blunt, with no attempt to disguise it. The moment it went out, it immediately caused an uproar online, with public opinion's spearhead pointed straight at Liu Tianxian.

People said this recording was Zeng sending it to Liu.

Public opinion instantly reached a fever pitch, and Liu Tianxian was once again branded with the "same-sex" label.

Whether she wanted it or not—Zeng was same-sex, so if the two of them were that intimate, then Liu was too.

If she wasn't, why was she so intimate?

Some netizens were completely baffled, some couldn't believe it, some were even a bit unhinged.

Did Zeng like men, or women? Or both? What on earth was going on with this world?

Liu Tianxian, what on earth is going on with you?

Even fans were somewhat hurt, unable to believe it.

The main thing was the timing was too sensitive—it inevitably made people connect Liu and Zeng, especially since Zeng had confessed multiple times before. Though not so bluntly, everyone could tell.

Liu Tianxian was also dumbfounded. Only at this moment did she finally realize Zeng had malicious intent, that he truly had designs on her.

She had always assumed that although Zeng was being coerced by people behind the scenes, the rhythm-leading was done by others, and that they were just friends. Only now did she realize that even under coercion, he shouldn't have been this blunt with her—this was cutting her off from the entertainment industry entirely!

How was she supposed to survive after this, how was she supposed to keep acting?

"I told you this guy had no good intentions, but you just wouldn't listen, always thinking the best of people." Liu Xiaoli crossed her arms, truly furious.

Xiao Fang had barely managed to steer public opinion away, and here this guy comes stirring things up again.

Liu Tianxian lowered her head, staring at her phone, saying not a word—she was hurt at this moment.

Looking at Zeng's accusatory message, she felt as if her friendship had been betrayed; Zeng's actions had wounded her deeply.

"We're only doing this for your own good, really not to harm you," Liu Xiaoli said, sighed, and turned to leave the room.

When the door closed, tears streamed from Liu Tianxian's eyes as she wept silently.

She blocked Zeng's number, deleted all messages with Zeng, didn't even look, and erased everything.

This hurt her heart too much—she knew Liu Tianxian was an actress, a celebrity, yet still did this—so heartless.

As Liu Xiaoli stepped out, ready to call Fang Hong to ask how to proceed, she saw a Porsche parked outside.

It was her daughter's car, always driven by Fang Hong.

The big iron gate opened, and Fang Hong stepped in through the snow.

"Xiao Fang, I was just looking for you," Liu Xiaoli said.

"Auntie, I already know everything. I've started handling it—now it depends on whether the other side stays reasonable," Fang Hong stamped his foot, shaking off the snowwater from his body.

"What do you mean?" Liu Xiaoli didn't understand.

"I had someone send Zeng's nude photos to Zeng, and delivered a message: if she doesn't prove this recording was sent to Zhu Yangang—her 'boyfriend'—I'll expose her nude photos, no blurring at all," Fang Hong vowed fiercely.

The recording didn't mention Liu Tianxian's name—so all it takes is for Zeng to confirm it was sent to her boyfriend.

He's pressuring those stirring up the noise; once they back down, this will be over, and Liu Tianxian's reputation will be cleared.

But if they refuse to cooperate, he'll expose Zeng's nude photos with the man, no blurring, straight-out exposure.

No one's words will matter this time—even if he has to find someone to take the blame and absorb the fallout, he'll make Zeng disappear.

This whole thing had made him furious too!

"Why didn't you do this earlier?" Liu Xiaoli reproached.

If you'd done this early, none of this would've happened.

"I had to consider Tianxian's feelings—I've already been blamed to death by her, and she won't even speak to me. How could I act so aggressively?" Fang Hong said.

Liu Xiaoli fell silent. Her daughter was like this.

Fang Hong added: "Besides, I didn't know how the other side would react. If I revealed all my cards at once, what if they panicked and lashed out?"

Liu Xiaoli thought it over—it was true. If they exposed everything with no restraint, they might drag her daughter into the mess.

That would leave a stain no amount of washing could remove—then the only option left would be the final step: have Liu Tianxian publicly announce a relationship with a man, locking her into a romantic persona.

The ex from her past life would forever become Liu Tianxian's ex-boyfriend, no choice in the matter.

This was the best approach—it effectively held their blackmail leverage.

"Where's Tianxian?" Fang Hong looked around the Villa, not seeing Liu Tianxian.

"Upstairs," Liu Xiaoli pointed upward.

Fang Hong was about to go up when Liu Xiaoli stopped him: "How long will it take you to resolve this?"

"One day!"

Fang Hong held up one finger, speaking with certainty: "If there's no news within a day, I'll make Zeng disappear."

This couldn't drag on—longer it went, the harder to untangle. It had to be settled fast.

Liu Xiaoli nodded. Right now, she could only trust this man—because his way of solving problems was always to eliminate the opponent.

And he never let her daughter show her face, doing everything to keep her daughter out of it.

The two walked upstairs together; the door slammed open.

Liu Tianxian sat crouched on the carpet, thinking it was her mother—only to see Fang Hong's figure.

She quickly lowered her head, hiding her face with her hair, as if unwilling to let anyone see her disgrace, sniffing softly.

"You cried."

Fang Hong, concerned, hurried over, knelt before her, lifted her hair away from her face, and reached to wipe her tears.

Liu Tianxian turned her head away from him.

"I'll handle this for you. Don't be sad. Everything will stay the same—it'll pass soon," Fang Hong comforted.

"You're going to do those dirty things again."

"I made him do it."

Liu Xiaoli cut in: "All of this was forced by me on Xiao Fang. It has nothing to do with him."

She took all the blame onto herself.

"Mom, do you know—"

"Of course I know—I've been there. But daughter, do you know how it breaks my heart to see you like this?" Liu Xiaoli patted her chest, speaking earnestly.

"I'm heartbroken too," Fang Hong said sincerely.

Liu Tianxian looked up at these two people she now trusted most, and fresh tears welled in her eyes.

There was grievance—and there was gratitude.

"Why are you crying again?" Fang Hong held her head, patting her back to comfort her.

Liu Tianxian leaned into his arms: "I'm heartbroken too."

(End of Chapter)