Just Wait to Be Disciplined

Another day passed. Inside the hotel, Fang Yurong strode irritably down the hallway, the sharp clatter of her high heels clicking against the floor. She felt that things had completely spun out of her control, hurtling off in an unpredictable direction. She still wasn't clear on—or rather, was unwilling to believe—what sneaky business Chen Qi had been up to. What was more, she couldn't even track him down. Knock, knock, knock! "Come in!" Fang Yurong knocked and opened Fu Jingong's door. Seeing him thumping his own aching lower back, she couldn't help but smile. "Worn out these past few days, Director Fu?" "You can say that again! Who would've thought attending a film festival would involve so many events? I can't understand a word these foreigners say, so all I can do is sit there like a bump on a log for half a day at a time." Fu Jingong straightened his back and grumbled mildly. Fang Yurong suddenly envied him. An old-timer director like him didn't understand any of it, remained blissfully ignorant of what was happening, and was actually quite content. "Director Fu, I came to let you know that we're heading back tomorrow." "Tomorrow? Aren't we attending the closing ceremony?" "European film festivals have an unwritten rule: if a competing delegation doesn't receive an invitation to the closing ceremony, it means they haven't won any awards and can prepare for their return trip... I'm sorry, but *Return of the Swallows* doesn't seem to have won anything." "Oh, is that so!" Fu Jingong felt a touch of disappointment upon hearing this. He sighed, "I came with the same mindset as Liu Changchun competing in the Olympics back then. Ah, well, just being here is still bringing glory to our country!" "Yes, absolutely. Just showing up is a success in itself." While they were speaking, Hadeln arrived as well. He shook Fu Jingong's hand and said apologetically, "It is a great pity that you are returning empty-handed. Chinese cinema ought to open up more toward the world. I truly hope to see you hold up a Golden Bear in Berlin one day." Then he embraced Fang Yurong and said, "I won't be able to see you off tomorrow. You performed wonderfully, and thank you for everything you have done." "Mr. Director, our film selection was too rushed this year. I will definitely bring better works next year." The two spoke in German, not worried about hurting Fu Jingong's feelings. But to her surprise, Hadeln smiled and shook his head upon hearing that. "No, no, the films you selected were already quite good. While *Return of the Swallows* was rather ordinary, *Tai Chi* was the most popular exhibition film. "I hear it shone brilliantly in the film market as well, and quite a few contracts were finalized." "Oh, that was all... Wait, what?" Fang Yurong looked up in horror, nearly screaming out loud. "Mr. Director, what did you say? *Tai Chi* was negotiating contracts?" "You didn't know? Distributors from dozens of countries have been scrambling over its overseas rights." "I—I... Please excuse me!" Fang Yurong, who had always maintained an elegant, graceful demeanor and blended seamlessly with Western culture, lost her composure for the very first time. The heels of her shoes practically snapped as she rushed frantically out the door, charging straight for Li Wenhua's room. Li Wenhua and Li Lianjie were playing chess when a hysterical woman suddenly barged in. "Do you people have any idea what you're doing?!" "How dare you negotiate overseas rights behind our backs? Do you even have the qualifications? China Film is the sole agency authorized to handle overseas distribution! The sole agency!!!" The emotions she had bottled up for days finally erupted. She actually began tearing through the room, flinging back curtains and rummaging through the wardrobe as she bellowed, "Where is Chen Qi?! Tell him to get out here! I know this must be his doing!" "Xiao Fang..." "Director Li, I don't want to talk to you right now! Where is Chen Qi? Chen Qi!" Hearing the racket, Gong Xue stepped out to look and tried to soothe her. "Sister Fang, you..." Fang Yurong whipped her head around and glared at her. The words 'wretched pair of dogs' nearly burst from her throat, but perhaps feeling it was beneath her dignity, she spat instead, "Partners in crime!" She glared back at Li Wenhua and Li Lianjie and repeated herself: "Partners in crime!!" "Hey, who are you cursing at?" Li Lianjie glared back. "You! You're so young, yet instead of learning proper conduct, you fool around with someone like that! Is this how you repay the motherland for raising you?!" "What's all the shouting about?" Right then, a voice cut in. Fang Yurong whipped around as if she had come face-to-face with the mortal enemy who murdered her father, storming forward with giant strides. Chen Qi scrambled backward, grumbling under his breath, "Did you eat too much German food, Elder Sister Fang? What's going on here?" "You... you... You're really something, aren't you?!" Fang Yurong was so furious she could barely speak, resorting to shrill shouts: "No wonder you've been acting so sneaky these past few days! What right do you have to negotiate contracts in secret? Who do you represent? Are you from China Film, or Beijing Film Studio? You aren't even an employee of Beijing Film Studio!" "What is this nonsense? When did I ever negotiate a contract?" Chen Qi brushed her hand aside, stepped past her into the room, and said, "I was with Uncle Fu, learning from him how to conduct business for *Wrong Turn*. I have no idea what you're talking about." "Don't play dumb with me!" "Elder Sister Fang, I honestly don't know what you're on about." "You did it, and now you don't dare admit it! Hand over the contracts!" "Why would I admit to something I didn't do?" Naturally, he wasn't going to admit anything to her face. His skin was thicker than the heel of a boot. "..." Fang Yurong vented her fury, only to realize it was completely futile. Looking around, she saw they were all people from Beijing Film Studio. Forcing herself to calm down, she took a few deep breaths and said, "Chen Qi, don't think you're off the hook just because you refuse to admit it. "This is a matter of the utmost gravity! "You have no sense of organization or discipline! You've flouted foreign affairs regulations, ignored Film Bureau directives, and secretly made contact with overseas distributors... I won't argue with you right now. Just wait until we get back to the country to face disciplinary action!" Fang Yurong turned on her heel and stormed off. "..." The hallway fell so dead silent that one could hear a pin drop. Li Wenhua sighed inwardly; he had foreseen this outcome long ago. Li Lianjie looked slightly bewildered, not quite grasping how serious it was. Only Gong Xue stepped up beside Chen Qi. Paying no heed to any potential gossip, she pulled him into her room. "Come with me!" Once inside, she shut the door, her face fraught with anxiety and distress. "Sister Fang was so furious. There's no way this ends well. Do you have a plan to deal with it?" "Nope!" "How can you still joke around at a time like this?!" "I really don't. I broke the regulations, after all. If she reports me when we return to the country, there's nothing I can do." "You!" Gong Xue was both anxious and exasperated. She stamped her foot and cried, "If you don't have a way out, where did you get the nerve to do it? If you get expelled from Beijing Film Studio... Oh, wait, you aren't even part of Beijing Film Studio!" "Exactly. I'm just a guy selling large-bowl tea who happened to earn a little foreign exchange for the country!" Chen Qi chuckled. "You're still laughing!" Gong Xue resented his flippant attitude and hated her own helplessness. She stared at him for a long while before her eyes suddenly rimmed with red. "I don't understand any of this. But anyway... anyway... no matter what happens to you, I'll stick by your side." "Hey, don't worry, it's fine. It won't come to that!" Seeing her reaction, Chen Qi stopped joking. He gently ruffled her hair and comforted her in a soft voice. * * * The delegation departed Berlin. The festival daily even published a piece to see them off: "The debut of Chinese cinema was complex, perhaps reflecting a certain duality currently unfolding within the country—conservative and somber on one hand, yet yearning for openness on the other. "In any case, we hope to see more and more Chinese films appearing in Berlin and on the world stage." Fang Yurong never spoke another word to Chen Qi. As usual, they stopped in Hong Kong first. By then, it was late February, and *Tai Chi*'s box office had finally pulled ahead of *Security Unlimited*, reaching fifteen million! It surpassed the previous year's champion, *The Young Master*, and set a new historic record for Hong Kong cinema, sparking another frenzy in the local press. Fu Chi remained in Hong Kong to handle some matters, planning to head to the mainland in a few days, while Chen Qi and the others flew back to Shanghai before returning from Shanghai to Beijing. This entire journey had lasted a full twenty-two days. Neither long nor short, it was only the beginning.