Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 289 More Roads Traveled

Still feeling down, only one update today...

To resolve the translation issue, Zhang Yan engaged in a back-and-forth negotiation with the Cultural Bureau for several days, escalating the level of negotiation from deputy section chief to deputy director. In the end, neither he nor the other party agreed.

To be honest, this is indeed a bit difficult to handle.

Because commercial performances and similar activities are managed by the Cultural Bureau, if the relationship with the Cultural Bureau is strained, the biggest source of income for Yuanmeng may be affected.

Therefore, Zhang Yan couldn't refuse outright.

However, Zhang was not without connections, so the cultural cloth did not dare to forcibly impose the quota.

The dispute dragged on until early February, when the government offices were preparing for the Spring Festival, and the wrangling between the two sides finally came to a temporary end.

The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month.

Zhang Yan finally embarked on his journey home, accompanied by Chen Hong, his younger sister Zhang Fang, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Kang Hui.

The Broadcasting Institute hadn't actually started its winter break yet, but because Zhang Fang hosted the second season of "I Am a Singer," she's now considered a star student at the institute, so she found a reason to start her break early.

The four chatted and talked all the way.

Kang Hui spent a year training at CCTV and has clearly grown a lot, gaining more insights into many things.

Although he didn't say it explicitly, one could sense that he actually disagreed with the current station director Yang's policies. He felt that breaking the existing constraints was certainly not wrong, but focusing on money in everything was going too far.

“Now is not the time for you to express your opinions. In the future, listen more, observe more, and speak less in the station.” As the brother-in-law, Zhang Yan said sternly, “In a place like CCTV, it is best to be cautious in your words and actions unless you have a deputy director-level position.”

Kang Hui nodded solemnly.

Zhang Fang laughed and said, "Brother, I don't think there's any need to hold back. He's only been at the company for a short time. If it's not a good fit, he should quit and start his own business sooner rather than later. Otherwise, there's no point in forcing himself to conform to the crowd."

Zhang Yan glared at his sister through the rearview mirror and said irritably, "You think you can do whatever you want just because you've gone into business and become a boss? I'm fed up with this these past few days, and I still have to play along with Wenhua's empty promises."

As they were talking, Zhang Yan noticed a tractor slowly driving onto the national highway ahead. At their current speed, they probably wouldn't be able to pass in time.

He was about to slow down instinctively when he caught a glimpse of the roadside out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, he broke out in a cold sweat, slammed on the brakes, shifted into reverse, and floored the accelerator.

Just as he came to a stop, a tractor rushed onto the provincial highway a dozen meters behind the vehicle, attempting to block the road he had come from.

However, because Zhang Yan reacted quickly, before the tractor behind him could block the provincial highway, the Tiger Head Mercedes sped off along the roadbed.

Seeing four or five men wielding machetes emerge from the tractor's trailer, pointing at the Tiger Head Ben and shouting, Zhang Yan didn't dare stop at all. He drove backwards for four or five hundred meters before daring to turn the vehicle around and speed away.

At this moment, Chen Hong, still shaken, asked, "Was that...was we robbed?!"

"should be."

Zhang Yan was also terrified. If his reaction had been two or three seconds slower, everyone in the car might have perished here.

He took a deep breath and said to Chen Hong, "Give your mobile phone to Kang Hui and let him call the police!"

Chen Hong hurriedly rummaged through her handbag to find a mobile phone and handed it to Kang Hui in the back seat. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably.

After all, these days, highway robbers don't just target money; they also commit murder, arson, rape, and robbery.

Kang Hui remained relatively calm. While holding Zhang Fang's hand to comfort her, he placed his mobile phone on his lap and dialed the police.

CCTV's name certainly carries weight.

In less than four hours, more than ten criminals from the same village were arrested. However, they all denied that they had committed robbery and claimed that they just happened to be passing by.

They carried machetes and hunting rifles mainly because there was a rabid dog nearby, and they were preparing to kill it, so they brought weapons.

Such a blatant lie was naturally not believed by the police, especially since the person who reported it was not an ordinary person.

The county bureau leaders repeatedly assured everyone that they would investigate thoroughly, and even specially dispatched a police car to escort Zhang Yan and others back to Hengjiang.

With police cars leading the way, the journey was uneventful.

Zhang Yan was afraid his family would worry, so he didn't plan to tell his parents about it. But after only two days at home, leaders from the Municipal Public Security Bureau came to visit and brought the latest developments in the case.

Those weren't repeat offenders; they had only committed two crimes before, killing six people, men, women, and children.

Upon hearing the news, the mother, Sun Xiaohong, turned pale with fright. She repeatedly cried out "God!" and then grabbed her son with one hand and her daughter with the other, refusing to let go.

Zhang Xingguo didn't say anything at the time, but the next morning he discussed with his son that the whole family should move to Tianjin to avoid living in fear every year-end and beginning of the new year. This was an unexpected surprise.

The problem was that the elderly couple were terrified and refused to let Zhang Yan drive back to Beijing. They insisted that he take the train with Chen Hong and Kang Hui.

In the end, having no other choice, Zhang Yan had to temporarily leave the Tiger Head Ben at home, planning to send someone to drive the car back to Beijing and Tianjin after the New Year.

After seeing Chen Hong off, and because his parents had told him in advance not to travel back and forth anymore, he simply spent a peaceful New Year in the capital.

During this period, only Tao Hong would occasionally come to keep him company.

Their relationship remained unchanged, seemingly without any alteration, but both knew in their hearts that after the incident of being caught cheating, their relationship could never be as pure as before.

Zhang Yan had actually been prepared for this.

After all, he's already juggling several relationships, so what right does he have to dream of a completely pure love?

…………

New Year's Day.

The phone rang incessantly with New Year's greetings even before dawn. Jiang Wen even called to ask if she could borrow his three-courtyard house in the East District.

Zhang Yan asked warily, "What? You want to repaint my old house?"

"Don't you have a lot of antique furniture in your house? I'm planning to take Sandrine to see it—we can consider this a way of promoting traditional culture."

Haha~
That grandson must have taken it to bed.

However, Zhang Yan ultimately gave him face. After all, they had worked together, and there was no need to make things too awkward outside of the film set.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Yu Hua suddenly called and said that Zhang Yimou wanted to invite the two of them to his home for dinner.

"Is it because of the censorship of 'To Live'?"

Upon hearing this news, Zhang Yan couldn't help but frown. If Zhang Yimou had any requests for him, it must be related to his relationship with Leader Lin.

"possible."

Yu Hua thought so too, and assured Zhang Yan directly, "Don't worry, I'll definitely side with you when the time comes—what kind of relationship do we have? He's just a customer of Zhang Yimou."

Neither of them guessed correctly.

After arriving at Zhang Yimou's house, they learned that Gong Li was hosting a banquet that day, and as for the purpose...

"Is your company also participating in next year's trip to Hong Kong? If possible, could you please include me?"

Hearing Gong Li say this, Zhang Yan was a little confused. It wasn't unusual for other celebrities to want to go to Hong Kong Island, but Gong Li...

"You've been going to Hong Kong Island a lot these past few years, haven't you? Last year you even filmed 'Flirting Scholar' with Stephen Chow."

"After that movie, I had a falling out with Stephen Chow."

Gong Li said with some distress, "Actually, my career in Hong Kong hasn't been very successful. 'Flirting Scholar' received a lot of criticism, and because of my mainland identity, the Taiwanese version wanted to cut my scenes and recast them..."

Hearing this, Yu Hua couldn't help but interject, "If you go to Hong Kong Island with the optoelectronics inspection team, won't you be even more boycotted by Taiwan?"

“Since we’ve already been boycotted, I might as well show off my connections in the mainland,” Gong Li explained. “In a few years it will be 97, and Hong Kong will be paying more and more attention to the mainland.”

As she spoke, she glanced at Zhang Yimou, who hadn't spoken yet: "These spots are highly sought after in state-owned factories, and Yimou doesn't want to offend anyone over this, so..."

"cough~"

Zhang Yimou interrupted her and said solemnly to Zhang Yan, "This is a bit presumptuous, but please rest assured, Mr. Zhang, Gong Li and I will definitely not let you do this for nothing."

"Director Zhang, you flatter me."

Zhang Yan waved his hand and said in a seemingly generous manner, "Actually, we were just looking for a guide who can speak Cantonese, preferably someone familiar with the Hong Kong film and television industry—now that Sister Gong Li is coming, we're too busy welcoming her to fulfill our dream."

After she finished speaking, Gong Li and Zhang Yimou both looked a little embarrassed.

Gong Li said awkwardly, "Actually, my Cantonese isn't very good, but I can still manage simple communication."

Got~
It seems we still have to rely on the Yangcheng Lake Gang Girls.

(End of this chapter)