Chapter 644: The Principal Takes Action

It was still afternoon, but the sky remained bright, with no sign of the sun setting.

The crew members were taking a break; some chatted in small groups, some ate boxed meals, and nearly all had seen Liu Xiaoli and turned to look at her.

Liu Xiaoli was also quite popular here—everyone, whether they knew her or not, greeted her.

"Auntie Liu!"

"Auntie Liu, hello!"

"Auntie Liu, what brings you here?"

"Hi hi, I was just bored at home, so I came to see Xixi filming, and to look after her."

Liu Xiaoli smiled in response; she recognized some people, didn't know others, and mostly didn't know them.

After all, she hadn't shown up in a long time.

"Yifei and the Principal are inside—you can see them if you go over there," Li Anran pointed out to Liu Xiaoli.

"Thank you, you two go on with your work," Liu Xiaoli said politely, following the direction inside.

The path here wasn't easy to walk—just desert.

At this moment, Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong were sitting together eating boxed meals, with no one around them.

They saw Liu Xiaoli approaching from afar.

Both put down their bowls, stood up, and went to greet her; Liu Tianxian glanced behind her mother and asked tentatively, "Did you come alone?"

"Of course I came alone," Liu Xiaoli said, scanning her daughter from head to toe, paying special attention to her abdomen—flat as ever.

"How did you convince Mother-in-law?" Liu Tianxian asked curiously—how had her mother persuaded Xu Liyun?

At that moment, Fang Hong brought two chairs, urging the mother and daughter to sit and chat, and also brought them each a glass of water.

Liu Xiaoli took the glass, drank a sip; she'd been traveling nonstop and was tired. She set her bag beside the chair and gestured: "You sit too."

Then the whole family sat together chatting, Liu Tianxian full of enthusiasm.

"I didn't say much—just that since she left, no one was left to watch over the house's valuables, no one to care for the dogs and cats, and since Xixi is a star, it's better not to let too many people know she's pregnant—just our family needs to know, to avoid rumors twisting things," Liu Xiaoli explained.

"And that's how Mother-in-law agreed," Liu Tianxian said.

"Exactly, it wasn't complicated—your mother-in-law's ears are soft, she could be persuaded, it just took a few hours of talking," Liu Xiaoli said; she'd spent hours convincing her.

And Xu Liyun, hearing her mother-in-law was coming, finally relaxed—after all, she herself couldn't have done much anyway.

"That's right!" Liu Tianxian nodded.

She had only cared for her mother-in-law's feelings, not tried hard to persuade her, fearing she'd upset her, so she'd reluctantly agreed.

But Liu Xiaoli had no such reservations—she said exactly what she meant.

Because their roles were different, the effect and the words spoken differed too—just like Fang Hong could say anything to his mother, since they were mother and son after all.

Liu Tianxian could say anything to her mother too, since they were mother and daughter after all.

But when both faced each other's mothers, they became far more respectful, carrying some degree of awe.

"Do you have any symptoms yet?" Liu Xiaoli reached out and gently stroked her daughter's belly.

"Sometimes I feel nauseous, but I can hold it back," Liu Tianxian said.

"Just started?" Liu Xiaoli asked again.

"Just started—I didn't have these symptoms before," Liu Tianxian said.

Liu Xiaoli tilted her head, silently calculated the days, then asked: "Have you not been sleeping together?"

"Of course we have—where else would we sleep?" Liu Tianxian was puzzled.

"Don't you know you shouldn't sleep together in the first few months of pregnancy?" Liu Xiaoli slapped her daughter's leg—such a troublemaker, always thinking about that one thing.

She also glared at Fang Hong—no better.

"Do I have to sleep alone just because I'm pregnant?" Liu Tianxian sounded reluctant—she was used to being close with her husband.

Without him, how lonely it would be.

"Child, just endure it."

"No no, we just sleep together—we haven't done that," Fang Hong explained from the side.

Clearly, Liu Tianxian had misunderstood—her mother-in-law meant not to have sex.

"Not done?" Liu Xiaoli confirmed.

"We haven't done it this whole time—we've been filming, no time," Fang Hong said.

"Good," Liu Xiaoli was terrified—she'd thought these two had no self-control.

"I thought you wouldn't let us sleep together," Liu Tianxian now understood.

She couldn't help but laugh shyly: "Hehe!"

"Is your mother that old-fashioned? Would she stop you from sleeping together? It's because the fetus is unstable in early pregnancy and can't be disturbed—you understand?" Liu Xiaoli taught her daughter.

"I get it, I get it," Liu Tianxian patted her mother's shoulder, still grinning mischievously.

"When you have time, take a break and go to the hospital here for a checkup," Liu Xiaoli said.

"I'll make the appointment," Fang Hong agreed.

Liu Tianxian said nothing—she'd only used a Pregnancy Test Stick before, hadn't gone to the hospital yet, but a checkup would be good.

Actually, the crew had a doctor, but he only handled emergencies and had no professional medical equipment.

The next scenes to film would show Liu Tianxian's daily life on Mars—after she'd successfully grown potatoes.

She also needed to consider other things, because all equipment and supplies on Mars were designed for a 31-day mission duration, so she needed to maintain some of them.

Otherwise, they wouldn't last four years.

So she needed to regularly maintain the Oxygenator, Water Circulation System, Solar Panel, and others.

By now, Liu Tianxian had lived on Mars for about two months, and the potatoes she'd planted had sprouted seedlings.

The seedlings were just little grasses—filmed with real props.

As long as there are potatoes, she can keep planting them, so theoretically, she can retire on Mars.

At this time, Earth still did not know she was alive; the Space Administration had even held a funeral for her. But over time, the Space Administration noticed signs that objects on Mars had been moved.

Both the Rover and the Communication Dish showed signs of being relocated, and the solar panels, previously covered in dust, had been cleaned.

These were clearly human-made actions, causing Chen Daoming, head of the Mars mission, to suspect the protagonist was still alive.

But that was the story filmed by Wen Muye.

Here, Liu Tianxian had solved her survival problem and now had to think about how to return home.

Four years later, the Mars expedition landed in a crater 3,200 kilometers away, and she now had two Rovers available.

But each Rover's full-charge range was only 35 kilometers.

That meant, even if she combined both batteries, she could only travel 70 kilometers.

This was a problem; another problem was that it would take at least fifty days to reach her destination, and nighttime temperatures on Mars ranged from -73°C to -139°C.

So she also needed to solve the heating problem; without it, she would surely freeze to death.

The filming proceeded gradually, and Fang Hong still occasionally gave Liu Tianxian acting guidance, with no dangerous stunts involved.

The stunt double named Ceng Yi had nothing to do, yet the crew still paid her daily wages and provided meals and accommodation.

Eight hundred yuan a day, just sitting around doing nothing—seemed not bad at all.

She fell under the category of stunt double; the actions were risky but not extremely dangerous, and she had little screen time, so this was the rate—if it were far more dangerous, the price could go over a thousand yuan a day.

Liu Xiaoli did not disturb their filming, merely taking care of her daughter's daily life as usual.

No one suspected anything; everything seemed perfectly normal.

After three days, Fang Hong made an appointment at the local Bing Tuan Hospital, and the three of them—Fang Hong, Liu Xiaoli, and Liu Tianxian—quietly went there.

The crew did not know why they had gone; they were told it was a business negotiation, and neither the producer nor the assistant director asked any questions—how could they inquire into someone else's business matters?

Endorsement activities had nothing to do with the crew.

Moreover, the crew was adjusting the set, as the upcoming plot required establishing contact with Earth, so Liu Tianxian was temporarily unnecessary.

There was also an explosion scene to film, requiring a stunt double.

The protagonist would normally go to the Pressure Chamber to pressurize, but this time a violent explosion occurred, blowing the entire Pressure Chamber apart.

The Pressure Chamber was designed to sustain life for 31 days on Mars; the protagonist had far exceeded the safety limit.

The Pressure Chamber simulated Earth's atmospheric pressure and was equipped with an Oxygen Generation System; when it exploded, the immense pressure difference between inside and outside would be extreme.

The potatoes would be exposed to Mars's low-pressure environment and instantly vaporize.

This scene was a turning point, requiring major set changes, so the crew needed to reconfigure; they could film the explosion first using the stunt double, without needing Liu Tianxian.

While the crew continued normal operations, Liu Tianxian, wearing a mask, underwent a gynecological examination, blood tests, and Ultrasound at the hospital.

To avoid leaks, the doctor was a female physician specially flown in from Beijing, using only the Bing Tuan Hospital's facilities and equipment.

Liu Tianxian still felt uncomfortable, as the gynecological exam required an embarrassing posture, with instruments inserted inside.

"Relax, this is very important," the female doctor said gently, soothing and reassuring.

Yet Liu Tianxian still appeared extremely tense.

Liu Xiaoli waited outside; Fang Hong naturally explained the situation to the hospital director and paid the fees—the hospital would not retain any records, which would be transferred to a private hospital in Beijing.

This was for secrecy: they would not leave Liu Tianxian's medical records or pregnancy status at the local facility. The shooting here would be finished in about a month, and they would return soon.

After this examination, they could return for further checks.

Subsequent blood tests and Ultrasounds were more routine—just blood draws and abdominal scans.

Liu Tianxian's abdomen was exposed as the Ultrasound probe moved back and forth over it, bringing a chill—but she watched the Four-dimensional Black and White Animation on the screen, where a faint, life-like shape seemed to be forming inside her womb, and maternal love stirred within her.

Fang Hong and Liu Xiaoli also watched, their eyes fixed on the small screen, never blinking.

"All done. No issues. Very healthy. When you return home, avoid strenuous exercise, get plenty of rest and sufficient sleep, eat light meals, and have small, frequent meals," the doctor said, packing away her equipment.

Fang Hong helped Liu Tianxian off the examination bed and asked, "Doctor, could you tell us—is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's too early to tell yet; you'll have to wait a few months. Even if we could tell, I couldn't inform you—it's against regulations," the doctor said.

The state prohibits medical gender identification.

Liu Tianxian adjusted her clothing and said, "Why are you so eager to know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I'm just curious," Fang Hong replied.

"Whether it's a boy or a girl is fine—don't you dare favor boys over girls," Liu Tianxian warned.

"You're saying that? How could I possibly favor boys over girls? I was just curious," Fang Hong explained.

"Good," Liu Tianxian relaxed.

She had feared her mother-in-law and Fang Hong would favor boys—if it turned out to be a girl, their attitude might change, and that would be terrible.

Liu Xiaoli had been listening the whole time but said nothing.

"Thank you, Doctor."

The three greeted the doctor and left; the entire process took less than half a day and was conducted with utmost discretion.

Liu Xiaoli had no intention of leaving—she stayed with the crew to care for her daughter.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the Mid-Autumn Festival—the very day that *The Mermaid* was released.

As the third installment in the *Lost in Thailand* series, its reception did not collapse entirely, but Huang Bo and Wang Baoqiang had both exited the film.

The reason, of course, was the uneven profit distribution; originally, Xu Guangtou had even tried to ask Fang Hong for more money, but he had refused.

Even without Wang Baoqiang, the film still earned 199 million yuan on its first day, 246 million on the second, and 226 million on the third.

In three days, it surpassed 600 million, nearing 700 million—so wildly successful that people thought it might surpass *Monster Hunt* and *Gravity*.

But on the fourth day, box office revenue plummeted to 90 million, struggling to break 100 million, and its reputation collapsed along with it.

"Not funny at all, lowbrow, full of crude jokes—Bao Beier's performance was even more annoying than Wang Baoqiang's."

"*The Mermaid* completely flopped… zero laughs throughout."

"Lowbrow stuff, not worth wasting time on. That lousy director isn't worth wasting time on at all."

"The values are all wrong. Lost in Hong Kong is basically a middle-aged man going through menopause chasing his first love—what a mess. A movie made just to make money, pretty vulgar. Bao Beier is basically an even louder, more annoying Wang Baoqiang!"

The audience was full of curses—cursing the film for being lowbrow, for being nothing but a cash grab, cursing Bao Beier's acting for not being on the same level as Wang Baoqiang's.

The media also reported that this film's reputation had collapsed.

"Lost in Hong Kong's Box Office Explodes, but Its Reputation Is Dire!"

"Lost in Hong Kong: Bao Beier Becomes the Biggest Flaw—Xu Guangtou: I Really Shouldn't Have Cast Him!"

"Lost in Hong Kong Gets Cursed Out, but Xu Guangtou Should Be Happy the Box Office Exploded."

The media had all kinds of reports, basically all of them cursing Bao Beier for ruining the film, saying Goodbye Mr. Loser's reputation had tanked.

But faced with the raging public opinion, Xu Guangtou responded: "When I look at it from the audience's perspective, I see a lot of problems, but film is the art of regret."

This film hadn't even reached National Day, and its reputation was already done for—but the box office was still holding strong, thanks to its fame.

And then came the National Day slot, and this window had a lot of films competing—Goodbye Mr. Loser, Chronicles of the Heavenly Tower, and Saving Mr. Wu.

Goodbye Mr. Loser hadn't put much into Propaganda Department, because there was no explosive angle or gimmick to push—just a comedy, let the audience dig into it themselves.

Good movies are like this: they have the advantage of letting the audience recommend them on their own. Why did this film get so famous this year while all the others were forgotten?

Because the audience has the eye to spot gold.

The latter two films put a lot into Propaganda Department. On opening day, Chronicles of the Heavenly Tower broke ninety million; Saving Mr. Wu only got 13.26 million.

It couldn't even match Goodbye Mr. Loser's 23.17 million.

Looks like Liu Tianwang may be famous, but he really can't carry the box office. Wonder where all his fans ran off to.

They all just shout support with their mouths, but their feet don't move at all.

This left Liu Tianwang pretty depressed. He could only try to make The Martian well—could he turn things around depended on fate now.

Just as the domestic film market was on fire, overwhelming the foreign competition, a major capital event quietly happened in the entertainment circle.

Huayi couldn't hold back and acquired 70% of the equity of Dongyang Haohan Film & Television Entertainment Co., Ltd. for 756 million.

This company held the management contracts for artists including Li Chen, Da Baobei, Feng Shaofeng, Zheng Kai, Du Chun, Chen He, and others.

These few were all currently hot, popular stars.

The Betting Agreement was to earn Huayi ninety million this year, increasing by a percentage each year, with a total net profit of six hundred million over five years.

This move sent Huayi's market cap from just over four hundred billion, soaring again to over five hundred billion, and it was still climbing.

And right at this moment, Run Brother issued a statement that Da Heiniu would no longer be a regular guest on the fourth season of Run Brother, with Sha Yi taking over as regular guest.

Once this statement came out, Huayi's previously booming stock market dropped in response. You have to know Da Heiniu got famous off this Variety show—he was very dependent on it.

Without this Variety show, his commercial value would be cut by a huge chunk, and this Variety show belonged to Jade Rabbit.

Including Zheng Kai and Chen Chichi, who were also regular guests on this Variety show—and these people were all core members of Huayi's Betting Agreement.

But Fang Hong didn't touch those two, only rehashed the old news of Chen Chichi's affair.

This sudden turn of events, along with the bizarre rumors and dirt, sent Huayi's stock market from five hundred billion, dropping again to four hundred billion.

Anyone with eyes could tell—the Principal had made his move.

To complete the Betting Agreement, it depended on whether the Principal agreed or not. If those stars couldn't complete the bet, Huayi would face losses, and those stars would have to pay out big too.

You have to know all of Huayi's money was borrowed, and it was possible they had also made a Betting Agreement with some financial group.

Otherwise, where would all that cash come from?

If the Betting Agreement failed, those stars would have to pay Huayi back—a whole chain of consequences.

(End of chapter)