Entering the Chinese entertainment industry is like entering a deep sea

Chapter 844 Another Son

Li Chen's definition of a die-hard fan is someone who won't shed a tear even when they see a coffin.

Moreover, there are quite a few such brainless fans, and what's more, what Little G said at the moment was just a revelation, not evidence.

That little G has touched so many hearts.

Li Yifeng, who had a deep bond with Feng Xiaogang and his son, has vanished with the wind.
"The timing is too coincidental! Parasite has just been released, are they so restless? Do they have to resort to such underhanded tactics to suppress their competitors?"

"It's hilarious. An international double Palme d'Or and Golden Lion winner needs to try and pick a fight with a pop idol? It's as absurd as saying a university professor needs to be jealous of a kindergarten child who got a red flower."

"It was definitely Li Chen's doing! He must have been the one who leaked Ke's story back then! He's like the 'Disciplinary Committee' of the entertainment industry, targeting whoever he doesn't like. Does he really think he's God?"

"I checked Director Li's schedule: He's giving a masterclass at the Beijing Film Festival on June 15th, and then having a meeting with film bureau leaders in the evening. Does he have the ability to be in two places at once?"

"He's just too famous, blocking the path of certain 'artists,' which is why he was targeted by this obscure internet celebrity who was just trying to ride his coattails, along with the big shots behind him!"

"Classic fandom mentality: The whole world wants to harm my idol. I suggest you read more books, watch Director Li's 'Parasite' and learn from it, instead of living in your idol's 'perfect bubble' all day long."

"Please, Li Chen, leave the domestic entertainment industry alone! Can't you just go abroad and collect your awards? Instead, you come back and stir up trouble. The entertainment industry isn't your courtroom!"

"A friendly reminder from our hundreds of millions of fans: Don't try to take advantage of us. Otherwise, if 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties' flops, you can still blame us; but if you anger all of us hundreds of millions of fans and we all give it one star, then there will be no way to save face."

Li Chen had no idea when he became a promoter of fan culture.

In this online feud, Li Chen's fans quickly ended the battle due to their numerical advantage.

A title that was both playful and admiring was invented by Li Chen's fans and quickly rose to the top of the trending search list, gaining widespread recognition from the general public: Chief Prosecutor Li.

Even Liu Yifei was laughing so hard she was doubled over, and she affectionately called her husband "Prosecutor Li" in the hospital!
Liu Yifei has already checked into Wuzhou Hospital.

"I support Prosecutor Li for upholding justice! He's impartial and incorruptible, and he's worked tirelessly for the healthy development of the entertainment industry in China!" Liu Yifei chuckled.

Li Chen could only sigh deeply; he had nothing more to say.

His wife was due to give birth in the next day or two, so he had no time to worry about any trivial matters.

The air in the CEO's office at LeEco Pictures was thick with an almost stagnant sense of anxiety.

The large LCD screen is displaying the trending topics on Weibo.

The hashtag "#XiaoGNaReveals" is like a poisonous vine, its popularity is skyrocketing.

Guo Jingming slammed his iPad onto the mahogany desk, the chat screenshots on the screen were shocking.

"It's him! It must be him again!" Guo Jingming's voice was unusually sharp, losing its usual carefully crafted tone.

Suddenly standing up, Guo Jing paced back and forth in front of Zhang Zhao.

"Why did it have to be this time of year?! All the promotional materials for 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties' have been released, and Wu Yifan is the male lead! This is going to kill me!"

Zhang Zhao was relatively calm, but his furrowed brows and the frequent swiping of his fingers on his phone screen betrayed his inner unease and anger.

"Director Guo, calm down. Don't talk nonsense without evidence! Little G... this woman appeared out of nowhere without any prior warning. What's her motive? Is it just to become famous?"

Zhang Zhao was quite annoyed. If Wu Yifan really hadn't done it, he should immediately pursue the other party's legal responsibility.

But Wuyifan Studio only issued a denial, isn't that obvious? There's a high chance that Xiao G's revelation wasn't unfounded.

“Motive? What motive do you need!” Guo Jingming turned around abruptly, pointing to the night outside the window, as if Li Chen were controlling everything from inside a building.

"Does Li Chen need a motive? He just doesn't like me! Ever since 'Tiny Times,' he's thought I'm a market disruptor and the culprit who's lowered the standard of Chinese films!"

"How devastating were our losses that time with Ke Dong? 'Tiny Times 2' had to be reshot! The entire series was thrown into chaos!"

“Ke brought this upon himself; he crossed the legal line, and no one can protect him now,” Zhang Zhao attempted to analyze rationally.

"Yes! He brought this on himself! But why did the news get leaked so suddenly at that critical juncture? Why did all the public opinion focus so precisely on 'disgraced celebrities must be banned'?"

"Do you believe there's no one pulling the strings behind this, Mr. Zhang?" Guo Jingming's eyes were bloodshot from anger and lack of sleep.

"Back then, all the signs pointed to Rong Chen's faction orchestrating the whole thing! We just couldn't find any evidence against them! And this time? The methods are exactly the same! Precise, ruthless, hitting you right where it hurts!"

Zhang Zhao fell silent; he couldn't refute Guo Xiaosi's words.

The Ke incident and Li Yifeng's incident this year are indeed like a carefully planned media storm, which not only completely ruined "Tiny Times 2" but also directly removed the once-popular Huanrui from the list.

This method is bloody, and everyone in the industry knows it, but no one can do anything about Li Chen.

"Li Chen is currently riding high. He just won the Palme d'Or for 'Parasite,' and he has been hailed as a leading figure in Chinese cinema."

"What reason would he have to expend energy dealing with us at this time? To deal with 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties'?"

Guo Jingming sneered, his tone tinged with a desperate self-mockery: "Reason? Do I need a reason? In his eyes, I and 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties' are the kind of 'capitalist fast-moving consumer goods' that he despises."

"Eliminating us is the best way for him to put his 'theory of cinematic art' into practice! He sees us as the rule-makers!"

After saying this, Guo Jingming seemed to have lost all his strength and slumped down on the sofa.

"What do we do now? What if the public outcry continues to escalate and damages 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties'? We've invested hundreds of millions!"

"Li Chen... he's trying to kill me," Guo Jingming murmured, his face drained of color.

Zhang Zhao felt heavy-hearted. He had already asked someone to contact the studio. First, they needed to confirm whether the matter was true, otherwise the public relations efforts might backfire.

"Director Guo, now is not the time to investigate who did it. Even if it really was Li Chen, there's nothing we can do about it."

"This is an open conspiracy. He is now standing on the moral and artistic high ground, while we are mired in the quagmire of traffic and capital. From the very beginning, we have been at a disadvantage in this battle."

"The most urgent task is to stop the bleeding and ensure that 'L.O.R.D.' can be released. Other issues can be settled later as we survive."

-

On the set of "Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back", Stephen Chow felt incredibly fortunate.

Looking at Lu Han, who was like Tang Sanzang, he was momentarily lost in thought.

"Master Xing, Master Xing!" Assistant Chen Zhenyu called out twice before Zhou Xingchi finally reacted.

"Ok?"

"What are you thinking about, Stephen Chow?"

"I wasn't thinking about anything." Zhou Xingchi shook his head and said nothing.

Chen Zhenyu guessed: "Stephen Chow, we were lucky we didn't use Wu Yifan back then, otherwise 'The Mermaid' might be implicated now."

"Stop talking!" Zhou Xingchi gestured to Chen Zhenyu to shut up.

With so many people on set, it wouldn't be good if any rumors got out.

Not to mention Zhou Xingchi, several actors in the crew were also discussing it.

Lu Han sat down to rest not far away. After the filming ended and he got into the nanny car, Lu Han's assistant, Cai Ren, couldn't help but ask, "Brother, was this all done by President Yang? The online criticism is all directed at the big boss."

"They say the big boss tore Wu Yifan apart for your sake!"

Lu Han was both amused and exasperated: "You actually believe these brainless fans? Fei Jie's due date is just one or two days away, how could the boss have time to worry about these things?"

Lu Han said this, and that's what she really thought.

If it really was done by the boss, then it shouldn't have been revealed on the day of the "Parasite" premiere.

Lu Han's guess was correct; it's unclear whether the online fan wars made the pregnant woman laugh so hard she almost choked.

That night, a familiar feeling washed over me.

"Oh no! I'm going into labor!"

Li Chen's blood pressure nearly spiked, and he quickly called for a nurse. He didn't have time to argue with his wife about that.

It's hard to say what will happen when you give birth!

"Don't worry, I'll be waiting for you outside the delivery room, I won't leave your side!" Li Chen held his wife's hand and escorted her into the operating room.

After thinking it over, Li Chen didn't listen to his mother-in-law and mother-in-law. At this hour, if several elderly people came over, especially his father who was getting on in years, no one knew how long the second pregnancy would take. At five in the morning, only Li Chen and Liu Yifei's assistant were waiting outside in the hospital corridor.

"Boss, are you sure we don't need to notify the housekeeper?"

"Who pays your salary? Why are you asking such nonsense!" Li Chen said irritably.

He's been in the operating room for almost six hours and still hasn't come out. His wife's exclamation of "Something's wrong" has made him very anxious, and then he ran into this clueless assistant.

The assistant stuck out her tongue and didn't dare to say a word. She was new and this was the first time she had ever seen the boss get angry.

Finally, the operating room lights went out. Li Chen's Adam's apple bobbed, and his assistant excitedly stood up and ran towards the operating room door.

Li Chen remained seated in his chair, not moving.

When the delivery room door opened gently and the nurse came out, Li Chen stood up.

His eyes were fixed on the nurse, and only when he saw a smile on her face did his heart finally settle down.

The nurse nodded to Li Chen and smiled, "Congratulations, it's a boy, and both mother and child are safe."

The assistant jumped up happily. Li Chen glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost 5:30. His parents and mother-in-law were probably awake by now.

"Notify the four elderly people that the mother and child are safe."

It must be past 10 p.m. in Paris now, and I don't care whether my father-in-law is asleep or not.

Over the years, the father-daughter relationship has normalized, and the father-in-law often calls during holidays, especially during the pregnancy.

The first person to arrive at the hospital was my mother-in-law; she really is my mother.

The mother-in-law was wearing an elegant cheongsam with a cardigan over it. In Li Chen's memory, his mother-in-law always seemed to have an elegant demeanor.

However, her current bruises and tightly clutched handbag betrayed her anxiety.

At this moment, she had no time to blame her son-in-law for not informing her. She simply put her hands together in gratitude to all the gods and Buddhas for protecting her daughter and child.

While his wife was still cleaning up, Li Chen's parents rushed over from their home.

The two elderly people's faces were filled with uncontrollable joy.

Inside the VIP ward, Liu Yifei had just been settled in. Her face was pale and tired from childbirth. Strands of hair on her forehead were damp with sweat and stuck messily to her cheeks and forehead, yet she possessed a beauty that was cleansed of all artifice, delicate yet strong.

This is how Li Chen felt at that moment.

The wife held their newborn son in her arms; the little guy was all wrinkled and sleeping peacefully.

The three elderly people tiptoed in, afraid of disturbing the mother and son who had just gone through a major battle.

"Mom," Liu Yifei called out weakly when she saw her mother.

For some reason, Li Chen felt a lump in his throat and his eyes welled up with tears. He quickly gave his seat to his mother-in-law.

Liu Xiaoli immediately stepped forward, first carefully examining her daughter's condition, then tenderly touching her sweaty hair before looking at her grandson in her arms, and finally tears fell.

"Okay, okay, it's good that you're safe. My darling, you've worked so hard." After saying that, Liu Xiaoli bent down and gently kissed her daughter's forehead.

Li's mother also came over, looking at the newborn with great joy.

"Oh my, look at that little nose and mouth, it's exactly the same as when the little rascal was born!"

Liu Yifei smiled. No matter how old her husband was or how much he achieved, in her mother-in-law's eyes, he would always be a little brat.

As she spoke, Li's mother took out a thick red envelope from her bag and stuffed it under her pillow.

"This is a gift from Grandma to her grandson, wishing him peace and good health."

Although Li's father didn't say much, his eyes were full of love as he looked at his grandson. He simply told Li Chen, "Take good care of Yifei. This time it's much harder than giving birth to our first child."

Li Chen nodded repeatedly, his gaze never leaving his wife and son.

The three elderly people looked at the baby for a while, and gave Liu Yifei many postpartum instructions. Seeing that she was getting tired, they considerately left one after another, leaving the young couple alone.

The ward finally quieted down, with only the even breathing sounds and the faint light filtering in from outside the window.

Li Chen sat on the edge of the bed, carefully holding Liu Yifei's hand that wasn't receiving an IV drip, his fingertips gently brushing through her slightly messy hair and tucking it behind her ear.

"Thank you for your hard work, wife."

"This really scared me."

The second birth was actually longer than the first, causing Li Chen, who was waiting outside, great suffering.

Especially that "not good"!
Liu Yifei smiled slightly, her eyes bright and satisfied despite her fatigue.

"Seeing him makes it all worthwhile."

Liu Yifei gently touched her son's face with her fingertips, then bent down and kissed him: "Look at him, how well-behaved he is."

After a moment of silence, Liu Yifei suddenly remembered something.

She looked up at Li Chen with a hint of mockery: "Hey, can someone be smug now? You've finally got what you wanted, two sons by your side. How about having a daughter too?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chen shook his head, his expression more serious than ever before: "No, no more reviewing. Two is enough. Seeing how hard you're working, I can't bear to see you like this. We agreed before that we wouldn't have a third child, and I agree."

The wait outside the delivery room was so damn agonizing. What does a third pregnancy matter? It's all insignificant compared to my wife's safety.

Unexpectedly, Liu Yifei blinked, a sly smile appearing on her pale face: "Who told you you weren't going to have children?"

Li Chen was taken aback: "Didn't you say before that you would never have another child after this one, that it's too tiring and too painful?"

“Oh, that was what we said before,” Liu Yifei said in a low voice, sounding quite matter-of-fact.

Looking down at her soft, cuddly little son in her arms, the glow of motherhood softened her entire being.

"But look how cute he is, how about we have a daughter? A triangle is the most stable shape. Two older brothers protecting one little sister, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

This sudden reversal left Li Chen both amused and exasperated: "I know women are fickle, but you...you changed your mind way too fast! Who said they didn't want to have children before!"

"Things change over time," Liu Yifei said, somewhat cheekily.

"Hormonal levels are different now, so can't our thinking change? Look, the eldest is a son, the second is a son, and then we have a daughter, a perfect closed loop."

Li Chen was amused by her logic and teased her on purpose: "What if the third child is also a son? What then? Should we keep having more children to make a mahjong table? Or should we make a basketball team's starting five?"

Liu Yifei imagined the scene: four mischievous sons plus Li Chen, who was forced to become the 'king of the kids,' and immediately laughed, shaking her head.

"Never mind, it's too scary." But a smile aggravated the wound.

"hiss"

Li Chen immediately tensed up: "Stop laughing, be careful of your wound."

Li Chen helped her adjust her position and said gently, "No more births, really. These two little devils are enough, it's perfect. Your health is the most important thing. I can't stand the feeling of being out of control in the delivery room."

After saying that, Li Chen leaned down and placed a solemn kiss on his wife's forehead, which was still damp with sweat.

"Thank you for giving me the best gift in the world. But our family doesn't need a triangle to prove stability."

"Only when you are here is it truly secure."

Liu Yifei was moved. Looking into her husband's earnest eyes and feeling the warmth of the little life in her arms, she thought of her eldest son waiting at home.

She was enveloped in an overwhelming sense of happiness and fulfillment.

Liu Yifei smiled and nodded, resting her head in the man's strong arm, and whispered:

"Okay, I'll do as you say. We'll hold off on having a third child for now."

“Not temporarily, but forever,” Li Chen corrected his wife with a smile.

He said women are fickle, but men are no different.

(End of this chapter)