Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 253, Section 251: A Visit to Apologize

The scorching September sun seemed to be baking the yellow earth on the outskirts of Beijing.

The news of the production crew of "Party A, Party B" halting work spread quickly within a small circle of Beijing's film and television industry, like a gust of wind carrying the smell of burning.

This was not something to be proud of, and Dong Ping and Wang Zhonglei tried their best to keep it a secret, but in this circle, there are almost no real secrets.

The set was unusually empty and desolate, with only the core team members and main actors remaining.

Feng Xiaogang crouched in the shadows beside the monitor, puffing on his cigarette one cigarette after another. His hat brim was pulled down so low that his expression was obscured, but the oppressive atmosphere emanating from him was more suffocating than the sweltering heat.

After three years of lying low, he returned full of ambition. Is he going to fail at the lowest level of labor?

This absurd and powerless feeling almost made him vomit blood.

Wang Zhonglei had long lost his former air of authority. He had taken off his suit jacket and draped it over his arm, and the back of his shirt was soaked with sweat, whether from hot or cold sweat, it was hard to tell.

He paced back and forth, phone to his ear, his voice laced with suppressed anger and anxiety, repeatedly urging his subordinates to contact other labor service companies. The replies he received were all similar – either they were short-staffed and couldn't spare any more workers, or they gave vague answers, saying they needed to "coordinate."

coordination?

Coordination is a nightmare!

Wang Zhonglei wasn't stupid; he gradually began to understand what was going on.

The underbelly of Beijing's film and television industry is far more complex and murky than he imagined.

What appears to be a worker's emotional outburst is actually like an invisible net that, with a gentle pull, renders them unable to move an inch.

Dong Ping remained the most composed of them all. He stood under the last remaining patch of shade, his gold-rimmed glasses reflecting the blinding sunlight, obscuring his gaze.

He had already closed the folding fan in his hand and was gently tapping his palm.

His previous assessment was too optimistic; this was neither a simple worker disturbance nor a coincidence.

This is a suppression of ecological niche, an unconscious display of the muscles of the behemoth "Shengying Group", or rather, a natural manifestation of industry rules - when filming in this territory, there are some rules that you can't bypass and must abide by.

Even if Wang Sheng didn't want to make things difficult for them, the brats clinging to the Sheng Ying Group wouldn't allow anyone who dared to contradict their "leader" to live so comfortably.

“President Dong, this can't go on.” Wang Zhonglei hung up yet another fruitless phone call and walked to Dong Ping's side. “Every day we waste costs money! And if this news spreads completely…”

Dong Ping raised his hand, stopping him from saying anything more.

His gaze swept across the film set and finally landed on Ge You, who was quietly reading the script in the shade not far away.

Ge You was dressed in his casual clothes from the play, his face expressionless, as if the chaos around him had nothing to do with him.

Dong Ping's heart skipped a beat.

Ge You is an excellent candidate to connect the two sides.

He was not only the male lead in "The Dream Factory," but also starred in "The Pursuit of Happiness," directed by Wang Sheng, achieving great success and prestige.

His involvement carries weight without appearing too abrupt, and carries a sense of kinship.

Thinking of this, Dong Ping composed himself, adopting a look of helplessness and earnestness, and walked towards Ge You.

"Youzi, are you reading the script?" Dong Ping asked gently.

Ge You looked up, adjusted his glasses, and smiled: "President Dong, we're just killing time anyway."

He was clearly aware of the current predicament.

"well,"

Dong Ping sighed, sat down on the stool next to him, took out a cigarette and handed it to Ge You, then lit one for himself: "You saw it too, this... a bad start. With the workers quitting, the whole crew is paralyzed."

This project of ours has been tough. Xiaogang has been working on it for three years, and this film is all we're counting on... Now we're stuck at this first step, it's really..."

He spoke slowly and earnestly, without complaining, only stating the difficulties and briefly mentioning Feng Xiaogang's ambitions and the significance of the project, attempting to evoke Ge You's empathy.

Ge You silently smoked his cigarette and listened.

He's a smart man; having been in the industry for many years, he can easily see through the tricks of the trade.

He didn't really want to get involved in these behind-the-scenes power struggles, but as a member of the crew, the project's stagnation wouldn't benefit him either.

"President Dong, what do you mean...?" Ge You asked slowly.

Dong Ping leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "Youzi, I heard that you can still talk to Sheng Ying? You must have had quite a bit of contact when you worked together on 'Happiness' before, right? You see... could you help us pass on a message and sound out their intentions? We are genuinely sincere in wanting to resolve the issue. As long as the workers are willing to come back, the terms are negotiable."

He adopted a very humble attitude and made his request for "communication" sound reasonable.

Ge You pondered for a moment.

He didn't really want to get involved in these matters, but Dong Ping had put it this way, and it was the only possible way out of the crew's current predicament. It seemed that he couldn't completely refuse, both emotionally and logically.

"President Dong, I can only say I'll give it a try." Ge You finally nodded and said, "I only have professional dealings with Sheng Ying Media; we don't have any deep friendships. I can make the call, but I can't guarantee whether it will work out."

"That's enough! That's enough! Youzi, thank you so much!" Dong Ping quickly grasped Ge You's hand and shook it vigorously: "Xiaogang, the crew, and I will remember this kindness!"

……

Afterwards, Ge You found a relatively quiet time and dialed Li Tingting's number.

The phone was answered after a few rings, and Li Tingting's clear and crisp voice came through: "Hello, who is this?"

"Mr. Li, hello, I'm Ge You." Ge You's tone was polite.

"Oh, Ms. Ge, hello, hello." Li Tingting's voice carried a hint of professional amusement: "What made you think of calling me? Is there anything at work we need to discuss?"

Ge You didn't beat around the bush, briefly explaining the difficulties the crew was facing and the workers' collective strike due to the hot weather and issues with pay. His tone was calm, stating only the facts without any accusation. "President Li, you see, this situation has escalated... the crew is completely at a standstill now, and everyone is very anxious."

Mr. Dong and Director Feng also knew that the crew might not have done a good job in logistical support, which caused the workers to suffer.

So I asked you to see if you could help communicate with the relevant personnel below? If the workers have any demands, they can sit down and talk it over properly. This stalemate isn't good for anyone." Ge You put it rather tactfully.

On the other end of the phone, Li Tingting was silent for two seconds before her tone remained businesslike: "Teacher Ge, you're too kind. But I really don't know the specifics of this matter."

Although Shengying Labor Service employs many people, we manage them according to the rules. The workers have their own emotions and choices; it's normal for them to have some concerns due to the hot weather. This matter... probably has little to do with our company level.”

She downplayed the incident as "the workers' personal emotions" and "spontaneous behavior in the labor market," completely distancing herself from Shengying Media.

Ge You knew perfectly well what was going on, but she didn't point it out. She went along with what she said: "Yes, yes, Mr. Li is right. There must be something wrong with our production team. We didn't take into account the actual difficulties of the workers."

"But the project will suffer significant losses if it's stopped for even a day. Could you perhaps, when it's convenient for you, put in a good word and try to coordinate something? See if the workers can return to work first; we can discuss the terms."

He again adopted a humble approach, focusing his requests on "coordination" and "message relay."

Li Tingting paused for a moment, seemingly weighing something, before saying, "Teacher Ge, since you've already spoken up... how about this, I'll ask about the situation later."

However, there's no need for meals; I'm too busy with work to spare the time.

"Your production crew should pay more attention to how you treat the workers in the future; everyone has feelings. I'll talk to my staff and ask them to help persuade them as well."

She didn't take on everything, but she made a promise to "ask about the situation" and "give a heads-up," which was the best result Ge You could get.

Ge You quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you so much, Mr. Li! I'm so sorry to have troubled you! Well... I'll make a special trip to visit you at the company another day when you have time."

"You're too kind, Teacher Ge. Goodbye."

After hanging up the phone, Ge You breathed a sigh of relief and nodded to Dong Ping, who had been waiting beside him, and Feng Xiaogang, who had come over after hearing the news: "President Li agreed to help ask around and put in a good word."

Feng Xiaogang's tense expression eased slightly, while Dong Ping revealed a relieved smile: "That's great! Youzi, thanks to you this time!"

……

Meanwhile, on the set of "Happy Family".

A family "dream" scene had just been filmed, and Wang Sheng sat behind the monitor watching the playback.

Li Tingting took her phone and quietly walked to his side, bending down to give a brief report on Ge You's call and the situation of the "Party A, Party B" film crew.

Wang Sheng's gaze remained fixed on the monitor screen, his finger lightly tapping his knee, his face expressionless, as if he were only listening to the weather forecast.

"Okay, I understand." He replied with four words indifferently, without even raising his head.

Li Tingting understood, said no more, and silently stepped aside.

The boss's attitude was clear: in his eyes, this matter was insignificant and not even worth asking a question about.

She only needs to handle the follow-up matters according to her own authority and judgment.

She will make that "greeting" call later, but there's a lot of room for maneuver regarding the extent of that "greeting," when the workers will return, and what their treatment will be like after they return.

……

The next day, nine o'clock in the morning.

Office of the Deputy General Manager of Shengying Media, Jingxin Building.

Dong Ping appeared at the door on time, accompanied by an assistant who was carrying a rather heavy-looking sandalwood box.

After being informed by the front desk, Li Tingting's assistant led Dong Ping inside.

Li Tingting's office is spacious and bright, decorated in a modern and simple style.

Today, she was dressed in a well-fitting Chanel suit, sitting behind a large desk, reviewing documents submitted by the General Manager's Assistant Office, another department under her supervision, exuding a powerful aura.

"Mr. Li, I apologize for the intrusion." Dong Ping entered the room with a warm yet measured smile on his face.

Li Tingting put down her pen, looked up, and showed just the right amount of surprise on her face, which quickly turned into a professional smile: "President Dong? What a rare guest! Please have a seat."

She gestured to the chair opposite her.

The assistant put down the wooden box and quietly left.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Dong Ping steered the conversation to the main topic: "President Li, Teacher Ge You should have spoken to you on the phone yesterday. We are truly grateful to you for helping to put in a good word with the 'Party A, Party B' production team."

"Mr. Dong, you're too kind. It was nothing." Li Tingting picked up her coffee and took a sip, her tone calm: "The workers have it tough too. Let's try to understand each other."

"Yes, yes, Mr. Li is right." Dong Ping nodded repeatedly, then gestured to the sandalwood box: "I came in a hurry this time and didn't prepare any decent gifts. I heard... Mr. Wang is quite interested in antique collecting? I came across this little trinket by chance, but I don't understand it myself. I thought it would just be gathering dust here, so why don't you ask Mr. Li to help me pass it on to Mr. Wang and see if he'll take a liking to it?"

He spoke extremely eloquently, never mentioning bribery or pleading, only using terms like "transfer" and "appreciation," concealing his true intentions behind a veneer of elegance.

Li Tingting's gaze swept over the antique wooden box, and her eyes flickered slightly.

She didn't refuse immediately, nor did she show much interest; she simply smiled and said, "Mr. Dong is very kind. As subordinates, we shouldn't discuss Mr. Wang's hobbies too much."

"Alright, I'll accept the items on behalf of Mr. Wang for now, but I can't guarantee whether he'll be interested in seeing them."

"Of course, of course!" Dong Ping felt relieved when he saw that Li Tingting did not refuse directly: "Then I'll have to trouble you, President Li."

He sat for a while longer, chatting about industry trends, but never mentioned the film crew's work stoppage again, as if it were just a minor incident. He handled the situation perfectly.

After seeing Dong Ping off, Li Tingting looked at the sandalwood box on the table, pondered for a moment, and instead of opening it, picked up the intercom: "Xiao Zhang, come in here for a moment, register this box, and send it to Mr. Wang's warehouse. Note: Gift from guest Dong Ping, please take a look at it when Mr. Wang has time."

(End of this chapter)