Chapter 435: Protect Our Principal

The next day, Fang Hong drove Liu Tianxian to Xiaomi to sign the endorsement contract, having agreed with Lei Jun before the new year to let her be the spokesperson.

The relevant endorsement matters had already been negotiated.

Xiaomi didn't yet have the Xiaomi Technology Park; like Chang'e Technology, they rented an office building in Zhongguancun.

Of course they were bigger than Chang'e Technology — those folks had rented three buildings in Wucai City as office space, quite a scale.

Liu Tianxian was in the passenger seat applying lipstick in the vanity mirror, pressed her lips together, and said, "Will you come pick me up after you've finished your business?"

"Of course I'll pick you up. Even the biggest matter in the world, I'll still come get you. You're the most important one; all that other crap goes on the back burner." Fang Hong was being politically correct.

"Oh, I'm so touched." Liu Tianxian was soothed into Xinurufang.

The Porsche came to a steady stop in front of a building; quite a few people were already standing at the entrance — Liu Tianxian's business team and makeup team, who had arrived early.

Seeing the car, someone came over to greet them, knowing this was Liu Tianxian's vehicle.

"Go on, give me a call," Fang Hong said.

"Give me a kiss."

Liu Tianxian tilted her chin up and turned her cheek to the side.

Fang Hong leaned over and smooched her soft cheek, then sat back in his seat.

"Just one little kiss?" Liu Tianxian wasn't satisfied.

"A kiss on the cheek, how many times do you need?" Fang Hong said.

"Not a shred of romance." Liu Tianxian put on her coat, too lazy to bother with him.

Just as she was about to open the door and get out, Fang Hong suddenly lunged over, pressed her down beneath him, and kept kissing her face and lips — "muah muah muah" — nonstop.

Liu Tianxian couldn't take it: "Okay, okay, that's enough, that's enough."

"Tell me, do I have romance or not." Fang Hong was right there, inches away.

"You do, you do." Liu Tianxian laughed, patted his face, and said, "Get off me, it's full of people outside."

Fang Hong sat back in his own seat — he wants her, and he doesn't want her; women really are strange.

"Come pick me up later, don't forget," Liu Tianxian reminded him, then got out of the car.

After she got out, an Assistant outside draped a shawl over her shoulders; it was almost mid-February, the temperature around five degrees, not particularly cold.

"Miss Liu, welcome, welcome!" Lei Bus greeted her warmly, followed by his assistants and secretaries and the like.

He came across as quite affable — he was born with a folksy face anyway, and was deliberately cultivating an approachable image.

Unlike Fang Hong, who had such an air of superiority, looked down on you, couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge you.

"Hello, President Lei."

Liu Tianxian smiled, appearing polite and gracious.

Completely different from the casual, willful way she was with Fang Hong.

Lei Bus watched the car turn around and drive off, then asked, "Was that the Principal? Why didn't he get out and come in for a bit?"

"Mm, he has things to take care of, no time," Liu Tianxian explained.

Lei Bus indicated he understood, and gestured with his hand: "Then let's go inside and talk."

A group followed the two of them into the office building.

Meanwhile, Fang Hong headed to the Film Bureau. The Film Bureau's front gate had a spacious area with a parking zone; Lu Dabo had been waiting there early, and had brought two others along.

"Just wait here, I'll be in and out," Fang Hong said, seeing him and gesturing.

"Principal, what's going on?" Lu Dabo followed a couple of steps, still not knowing what they were here for — he'd only been told briefly on the phone, and didn't know the situation.

"I'm afraid someone might come at me with a knife, so you stand in for me," Fang Hong stopped walking.

He was worried that if he was too cocky inside, someone might put a sack over his head and drag him into a ditch for a beating on the way out — that wouldn't be fun.

Showing off still required keeping yourself safe, to avoid the rival side resorting to physical harm.

"What?!"

Lu Dabo was dumbfounded — that sounded way too unreliable.

"What, you scared? Or you won't stand in for me?" Fang Hong looked at him.

"No no, I'm very willing to take a knife for the Principal, it's my duty. It's just, uh, pulling a knife at a place like this — I feel like this is getting a bit fantastical." Lu Dabo was astonished.

This was a government office — brandishing a knife here, didn't seem like you wanted to keep doing business.

"I'm just messing with you. I just want you to protect me. After I'm done in there, I'm worried someone might do something untoward to me. When a person's pushed to the wall, they're capable of anything — don't you think so!" Fang Hong patted his shoulder.

"Fair point," Lu Dabo nodded.

"Wait here, keep an eye out for any suspicious characters, eliminate the danger," Fang Hong said casually, worried the Hong Kong guys might come at him for real.

Anyone in Hong Kong's film and TV scene was more or less connected to the underworld!

The Film Bureau's main gate was quite wide, with a revolving door in the middle and doors on either side; Fang Hong stepped up the stairs and entered the Film Bureau.

Lu Dabo looked around, then exchanged a couple of cigarettes with his companions.

One of them asked, "Brother Bo, what's going on?"

"Don't ask — protect our Principal," Lu Dabo lit his cigarette.

This sort of thing was better kept from others.

In a small reception room — spacious and bright — those Hong Kong investors and Yu Pangzi were all there, the directors were all there too, just no actors, and Fa Ge hadn't come either.

They sat clustered around Zhang Hongsen, each chiming in, looking deeply troubled.

"Director Zhang, you have to stand up for us! I've poured my entire fortune into this — if the film gets pulled, I'll be wiped out, how am I supposed to live from now on!" A middle-aged society lady slapped her thigh, weeping most pitifully.

This person was Mu Yedong, the boss of Wencai Huayun, also an investor in "The Monkey King," having invested over a hundred million.

This gave Zhang Hongsen a headache — for all her being a boss-level figure, she couldn't handle even this much. "We'll handle this matter. The Principal will be here shortly, don't worry," Zhang Hongsen soothed.

"Director Zhang, not to say, but the Principal really doesn't take us seriously — he's still not here at this hour." Wang Haifeng checked his watch.

This Principal's airs were way too much — making them wait a whole day, and on top of that showing up late, utterly insufferable.

The others also nodded and grumbled — it was already this late and he still hadn't shown up, as if he didn't take them seriously at all.

Zhang Hongsen was also displeased inside; he had deliberately made them wait here to show off how impressive he was.

Just as he was looking toward the door, he happened to see Fang Hong appear with both hands stuffed in his pockets.

"He's here." Zhang Hongsen pointed toward the door.

Everyone turned to look at once, and saw Fang Hong glance at the doorplate outside, confirm it was right, then stroll in unhurriedly.

"Look at the way you've made this place — like a vegetable market. I thought I'd walked into the wrong one." Fang Hong's tone was flat.

He was mocking them for being like the old grannies and grandpas at a vegetable market — losing money and then running off crying to their parents to make a fuss.

Someone gave a cold "hmph," while the others wore varied expressions — resentment, displeasure, wariness too — clearly all of them had come with emotions.

The teary-eyed Mu Yedong immediately stepped forward, jabbed a finger at Fang Hong's nose and cursed: "Look at you, so young, yet your heart is so vicious."

"Sister, who are you? Do I know you?" Fang Hong acted as if he didn't recognize her.

"Who am I? You're trying to get our film pulled from theaters, and you ask me who I am?" Mu Yedong's eyes were red, her face full of hatred.

"It was you who made the mistake. When you make a mistake, you have to accept the penalty." Fang Hong said.

"What mistake did we make? Tell us." Mu Yedong said sharply.

"What mistake you made, the court will decide on its own. What I say doesn't count." This was Fang Hong's threat.

Keep yapping and I'll just keep suing — the court will accept the case in a couple of days anyway.

Once it's accepted, their film has to be pulled first, and only re-released after the verdict.

The gentlemen at the court didn't think there was any loss in pulling a film and then re-releasing it — at most it's just a matter of today or tomorrow.

Hearing this, Huang Baiming tugged Mu Yedong, signaling her to stop making a scene.

"Alright, alright, since he's here, let's talk properly, get things clear, solve the problem. We're all film industry workers — don't escalate this into a big political issue." Zhang Hongsen stepped out to smooth things over.

And gestured for everyone to sit down, not to make trouble here.

"Zhang Ju, I came here to solve the problem." Fang Hong's attitude was proper.

Since he'd come all this way, he had to show the proper attitude!

But he still had to put on airs — he walked straight over to Yu Pangzi beside the main seat and said coldly: "Get lost."

"Did I provoke you? So many seats and you have to take mine?" Yu Pangzi had been sitting here just fine, and now he was told to scram.

Damn — two completely different faces for Zhang Ju and for him, not putting him in his eyes at all.

As if he had ever put Liu Tianxian in his eyes, or Fang Hong in his eyes — he was the one who threw out his first script and told him to go back to the farm.

The past was vivid before his eyes — in the blink of an eye, four or five years had passed!

"I just took a fancy to your seat, felt the feng shui here was good — what of it?" Fang Hong's expression was flat, outrageously arrogant.

The others exchanged glances — this was too arrogant. Many of them were seeing the Principal himself for the first time, and his arrogance was boundless.

Zhang Hongsen was speechless. He'd just rested a moment and now trouble was starting again — truly exhausting. But he didn't speak up; this was probably a personal grudge.

A few years ago the two of them had even worked under him!

"Principal, Principal, take mine." Wang Jin stood up, offering his own seat and gesturing for him to sit there.

"What rank are you, to offer me a seat?" Fang Hong pointed at him.

Wang Jin immediately deflated. He'd seen arrogant people — the Xiang family, for instance, was very arrogant — but never anyone this arrogant, even more so than the Xiang family.

"Principal, we came to resolve the matter, not to fight and brawl." Wang Haifeng couldn't help but speak up.

"If I didn't come to resolve the matter, what did I come for? If you don't think I came to resolve the matter, I can leave right now." Fang Hong glanced at the man.

The man was tall and burly, with a fierce air about him.

Hearing this, Wang Haifeng immediately shut his mouth — he couldn't bear the consequences of Fang Hong coming and then leaving.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing. General Manager Yu, just give him your seat." Huang Baiming played the good guy — they were here to solve the problem, not to quarrel.

Of course he also knew the Principal was deliberately picking a fight, but what could they do? They were the weaker side, the losing side.

The victor naturally had to enjoy the victor's privileges.

They had won — couldn't they be as arrogant as him, sneering and mocking?

Yu Pangzi, resentful, could only stand up and give the Principal his seat, of course very unwilling inside.

Although he was a bit afraid of the Principal, that didn't mean he was willing to be treated like this — not as a person, but like a dog.

Fang Hong plopped down into the seat, leaned back against the chair, looking completely at ease. He glanced around — many of the faces were unfamiliar.

But judging by their bearing, he could tell they were all capital people!

When someone met his gaze, they couldn't help but look away, not daring to meet his eyes; some still wore looks of displeasure.

That Mu Yedong still had red-rimmed eyes, a face full of grievance!

Through these repeated moves, Fang Hong had them suppressed in momentum — he was on the dominant side.

"Tell me what the matter is. We're all in the same industry — whatever I can do, I'll definitely solve it for you. If I can't, there's nothing I can do either." Fang Hong's attitude had changed for the better again.

Only his tone and manner were quite indifferent — filing his shiny fingernails, with a half-hearted, neither-here-nor-there attitude, not looking at anyone present.

In any case, this ghostly manner was unbearable for everyone present.

"You just need to withdraw the lawsuit — you don't need to do anything else." Huang Baiming spoke up. As for the low box office, they accepted their loss — it couldn't be changed, they couldn't fight it and there was nothing to be done.

They just wanted to recoup some of their costs — whatever they could get back!

"Sure! You're a veteran too, so I'll give you that face." Fang Hong agreed at once.

Hearing him agree so readily, everyone present was quite surprised. The Principal just now hadn't been like this — he'd been overbearing. Now his attitude had completely reversed.

Being this easy to talk to didn't quite seem like him!

(End of chapter)