Unlike Lu Chen, who didn't think much of it, Li Zhen was far more worried.
During the time Lu Chen had been away from Hong Kong and back in the capital, the workshop, under Chen Wenqiang's leadership, had been working closely with Jiayang Film Industry to prepare for the filming of 'A Chinese Ghost Story'. Everyone had been so busy they barely had time to catch their breath, and Li Zhen was no exception.
Because of that, when the online controversy surrounding Lu Chen first broke out, she hadn't immediately passed the news on to the capital. It was an oversight on her part. She had assumed the matter would blow over quickly.
That's just how Hong Kong's entertainment industry worked; unless someone deliberately kept pushing a story, the media's attention shifted fast. There were so many gossip stories every single day.
Looking back now, though, the situation was more serious than she'd thought, so she had to warn him.
"This Chen Yuanchen isn't just anybody. He doesn't even give Liu, the Heavenly King, any face. When he writes an article tearing someone apart, he's absolutely ruthless."
Lu Chen smiled. "Let him be as strong as he wants. The mountain breeze still blows across the ridge."
"Huh?" Li Zhen blinked in confusion. She didn't really understand the saying, but it sounded impressive.
Lu Chen just smiled. "It's nothing. Let's talk after we get back."
With 'A Chinese Ghost Story' about to begin filming, there were countless things that still needed to be done. Lu Chen simply didn't have the time or energy to waste arguing with someone online. Chen Yuanchen could be as sharp-tongued as he liked; what could he do if Lu Chen simply ignored him?
The paparazzi and entertainment media were obviously hoping for chaos. They'd love nothing more than to see Lu Chen and Chen Yuanchen tear into each other. Lu Chen wasn't stupid. There was no way he was going to fall for such an obvious trap.
By the time they returned to the Hong Kong workshop, it was already evening before Lu Chen finally met up with Chen Wenqiang and Wan Xiaoquan.
"You've both worked hard." Lu Chen had always treated these two key members of the team with great respect.
Chen Wenqiang shook his head. "It's what I should be doing." Although he spoke modestly, there was still a trace of pride in his expression.
And he had every reason to be proud.
Thanks to his relentless efforts, the workshop and Jiayang Film Industry had worked together smoothly, and the 'A Chinese Ghost Story' film crew had basically been assembled. Funding, personnel, and filming locations were all in place. They could begin shooting at any time.
Throughout the entire process, Chen Wenqiang had thrown himself into the work, running all over the place day after day.
He had worked especially hard coordinating with Lion Rock Film City, putting in tremendous effort and calling in plenty of personal connections. As the manager of the film workshop, Chen Wenqiang had done a flawless job.
Even while Lu Chen was in the capital, the two had stayed in constant contact, so Lu Chen knew exactly how everything had progressed.
Wan Xiaoquan nodded in agreement. "Old Chen really has worked himself to the bone. Following him around, I've learned quite a lot myself."
When he first came to Hong Kong, it had felt somewhat like an exile, a choice forced on him by circumstances.
But after getting involved with Hong Kong's local film industry, Wan Xiaoquan realized coming here wasn't a bad thing at all. The film market here had enormous potential, making it the perfect place for him to make a fresh start.
Chen Wenqiang laughed. "Director Wan, you're making fun of me again. All I can do is handle this side of things. Whether the movie turns out well depends on you."
The two had been working together for a while now and had built a solid rapport. Seeing them get along so well, Lu Chen finally felt completely at ease.
That evening, Lu Chen treated everyone to dinner, booking a large private room at a nearby restaurant. He invited both the workshop's new arrivals from the capital and the original Hong Kong staff, making it an informal meet-and-greet between the old and new teams.
During the meal, Lu Chen introduced Wan Yong and the others to Chen Wenqiang and Wan Xiaoquan.
"They're the stunt team signed by our workshop. Externally, we'll be known as the Lu Family Stunt Team." With that, Lu Chen officially unveiled the "Lu Family" banner.
There were plenty of martial artists in Hong Kong's film industry who worked part-time as stunt performers. Most had solid fundamentals and weren't afraid of hardship. They often served as stunt doubles for actors, handling dangerous action scenes and fight sequences. Low pay and little recognition, that was the normal life of a stunt performer.
Instead of recruiting locally in Hong Kong, Lu Chen had brought an entire young team over from the capital.
Chen Wenqiang couldn't help but be surprised. There was no question that doing things this way would cost far more. Hiring freelance stunt performers was inexpensive, certainly much cheaper and less troublesome than supporting an entire team full-time.
Of course, Chen Wenqiang wasn't about to say something that would dampen the mood. He treated Wan Yong and the others with perfect courtesy. Still, Lu Chen could sense that Chen Wenqiang wasn't entirely convinced. He could more or less guess what Chen Wenqiang was thinking, but now wasn't the time to explain.
"Uncle Qiang," Lu Chen said, "I'll have to trouble you tomorrow with their work visas and residence permits."
For people from the mainland, long-term work and residence in Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan required the proper documents. Without them, daily life became very inconvenient.
Chen Wenqiang patted his chest confidently. "No problem. Leave it to me."
Lu Chen had complete faith in his ability, so he raised his glass in thanks.
After several rounds of drinks, everyone became more relaxed, and the conversation grew livelier. Chen Wenqiang filled Lu Chen in on a lot of recent news from the entertainment industry. Before long, the topic turned to the online controversy surrounding Lu Chen... and Chen Yuanchen.
"Chen Yuanchen is one of the representative figures of the localist faction," Chen Wenqiang explained. "People in that camp always put Hong Kongers' interests first. They're opposed to outside competition and immigration. I've heard he's planning to run for the Legislative Council next year. I suspect he's using you as a convenient target to build his reputation. Those rumors online were probably leaked on purpose by certain people. So don't take this lightly. Don't underestimate their ability to stir people up."
Earlier, when Li Zhen had warned him that Chen Yuanchen was a formidable opponent, Lu Chen hadn't paid much attention. But hearing Chen Wenqiang reveal the political angle behind it made him take the matter far more seriously.
Sometimes, even if you don't go looking for trouble, trouble comes looking for you. Ignoring it or avoiding it isn't always the answer.
After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen said, "Then I'll find an opportunity to set the record straight. This afternoon, I was almost surrounded by reporters at the airport."
Even now, he still couldn't figure out how the reporters had known which flight he was arriving on.
Chen Wenqiang laughed. "Those paparazzi have incredibly sharp noses. They've got informants in all the major airlines, so they usually know in advance whenever a celebrity is flying in or out of Hong Kong. Next time, you'd better use the VIP passage."
Lu Chen silently accepted the lesson. The media really had its own deep bag of tricks.
Chen Wenqiang continued, "If you're going to clarify things, don't talk to the paparazzi. They make a living twisting people's words. Your best option is to appear on a TV program." Turning to Li Zhen, he said, "A'Zhen, keep an eye out over the next couple of days. See which TV stations send us interview invitations."
Li Zhen nodded. "Got it."
As it turned out, Chen Wenqiang had called it perfectly. The very next day after Lu Chen returned to Hong Kong, invitations from three different TV stations arrived.
(End of Chapter)
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