Chapter 70 Cheng Cheng: I am so strong now

The door of the ward was opened, and Zhao Wenliang walked in. Seeing Lu Zhuofeng's sickly appearance, a flash of anger and pity flashed across his face. He pulled a stool over, sat beside Lu Zhuofeng's bed, and said:
"Zhuo Feng, just rest and recover! When you get better, I'll arrange a press conference and we'll have a good talk. The entertainment industry can't tolerate such a beast."

"No!" Lu Zhuofeng held his hand and said, "Wenliang, don't be fooled. This little beast may seem crazy, but he is actually as cunning as a devil. We can't do what he wants."

Zhao Wenliang was so angry that he could not see things as clearly as Lu Zhuofeng. He asked:
"How to say?"

Lu Zhuofeng sighed and said, "Didn't you see? This time, Cheng Cheng's scolding was on point, whether it was to ban Wen Lian or suppress dissidents, it was all like this, he came for the greater good! And now Wen Lian has just become very popular, the public sympathy is on her side, public opinion is not in our favor, and the negative information about us that was exposed when the movie was released has not yet passed!"

"The most important thing is——" a trace of resentment flashed across Lu Zhuofeng's face, "Wenliang, the words 'entertainment clan' and 'movie clan' are too vicious! We can't stand it! Cheng Cheng said that we are overstepping our authority and exercising official power, and we can't stand it either! This kind of thing can only be done, not said, not to mention that we have been singled out!"

Zhao Wenliang realized it later and also showed a frightened expression: "Zhuo Feng, what should we do then?"

Lu Zhuofeng forced a smile and said:
"I'm in the hospital now, right? I didn't realize it at first, but now I realize that I made the right move by accident. As soon as I entered the hospital, people's sympathy turned to me. Even those who hate me have to admit that I have worked hard even if I have no merits. Now I have worked hard all my life and am now in the hospital vomiting blood. Do they still have the heart to scold us?"

Zhao Wenliang's eyes lit up and he said, "Yes! That's the truth!"

Then, he couldn't help but offer a suggestion: "Zhuo Feng, how about we play it a little more miserable and let more people criticize Cheng Cheng?"

“No need!” Lu Zhuofeng stretched out his hand to stop him. “Whether the public is on my side or Cheng Cheng’s side, this matter is still being discussed. What we need to do is to try our best to eliminate the negative impact of this matter and make a smooth transition. Our pattern is different from Cheng Cheng’s. We pursue long-term development, not temporary gains and losses. When this is over, there will be plenty of opportunities to deal with him.”

A grim smile appeared on Lu Zhuofeng's face:

"He thought that he could gain a firm foothold in the film industry just by making a movie, and he even wanted to ban me. What a joke! It was just a bit of luck! He doesn't know how deep the water is in the film industry, and he doesn't know how many connections and resources I, Lu Zhuofeng, have accumulated after so many years in this circle!"

"That's right!" Zhao Wenliang's eyes flashed with resentment, "In the next movie, I will turn him back to his original form!"

Also in the same hospital bed.

Ma Rong's mood was much worse than Lu Zhuofeng's.

Xianghua Entertainment's stock price plummeted again due to Cheng Cheng's criticism.

Unlike Lu Zhuofeng, although he was also criticized by Cheng Cheng, the public's attitude towards Lu Zhuofeng is still controversial. After all, he did make outstanding contributions to the Tianxia film industry.

However, the public's opinion on Xianghua Entertainment is surprisingly unanimous, that is, it's a clown!
A total clown!
There couldn't be a more clownish company in the entire entertainment industry than Xianghua Entertainment.

Cheng Cheng won the lawsuit against Zhang Jiao, proving that Xianghua Entertainment was a clown who could not protect its own artists.

Cheng Cheng's first film won the National Day box office championship, proving that Xianghua Entertainment is a clown who doesn't know how to use its own artists.

Xianghua Entertainment's business capabilities have been comprehensively and reasonably questioned.

Let's not talk about the fact that Cheng Cheng is a mental patient. It was also forced by Xianghua Entertainment, but his professional ability is really amazing! He played a fraud leader, and it didn't look like acting at all. He also directed and acted in the movie and won more than 2 billion box office.

Is this how you use artists like this?

The entertainment companies in the industry simply cannot understand this. If we had an artist like this in our company and something happened, we would definitely protect him/her as much as possible, right?

As we all know, the best way to get close to a money tree is to stay under it, or at worst sell it to someone else. But Xianghua Entertainment doesn't think so. It insists on cutting down the money tree and burning it as firewood.

Now, as long as there is a chance, Cheng Cheng will drag Xianghua Entertainment out and whip the corpse.

You said you didn't do this yourself?

If this isn't a clown, then what is?
But the top executives of Xianghua Entertainment were also in tears! Who dared not to terminate the contract with Cheng Cheng when the whole network was going crazy? And Cheng Cheng was really nothing at that time. He couldn't sing, act, or show any talent for writing scripts!
Who knew that after he went crazy, he would suddenly become wise?
Moreover, this is not the most cynical thing. The most cynical thing is that on the same day that Ma Rong had his head smashed by the chandelier, Lu Zhuofeng came to demand an explanation. Only then did the top management of Xianghua Entertainment realize that, without their knowledge, the company had organized a network of internet trolls to attack Lu Zhuofeng.

They immediately approached Yu Shi to ask for details, and the answer they got left them dumbfounded. The attack on Lu Zhuofeng was actually true, and it was Ma Rong who personally instructed it.

As for why he went to blackmail Lu Zhuofeng, Yu Shi didn't know either, he just repeated what Ma Rong said, "If Xianghua Entertainment wants to get rid of him, they can get rid of him anytime!"

After hearing this, the senior executives of Xianghua Entertainment were stunned on the spot, and an indescribable astonishment surged in their hearts: Our company is so awesome? How come I didn't know about it?
However, Yu Shi speculated that Ma Rong might have taken the risk of discrediting Lu Zhuofeng and "Glorious Times" in order to win over Cheng Cheng.

It happened that Ma Rong was injured and hospitalized at the time, unconscious, and unable to answer this question for them.

Therefore, Xianghua Entertainment was forced to deal with this sudden storm when it was completely confused.

Faced with the furious Lu Zhuofeng, they could only bite the bullet and deal with it, trying their best to explain and apologize. However, Lu Zhuofeng was not buying it, and Xianghua Entertainment's future journey would probably be very difficult.

Two days ago, Ma Rong, who had been in a coma for two weeks, finally woke up. As soon as he woke up, the ward was surrounded by the top executives of Xianghua Entertainment, who asked him why he made the decision on his own and used the navy to slander Lu Zhuofeng.

Ma Rong was also confused when he heard this: "Huh? Who did you hack? Didn't I hack Cheng Cheng?"
The top management called Yu Shi to come over, and only then did they realize that there was a mistake, and it was an epic mistake.

Yu Shijian claimed that he heard Lu Zhuofeng, while Ma Rong insisted that he was talking about Cheng Cheng.

Senior management: It’s outrageous that you could mistake Cheng Cheng and Lu Zhuofeng, two completely different names!
So the furious senior executives threw Yu Shi out to calm Lu Zhuofeng's anger, while the decision on how to deal with Ma Rong had not yet been made.

At this time, Ma Rong's head was wrapped like a dumpling, and his two eyes looked at the netizens' jokes about Black Xianghua Entertainment through the gaps in the bandages.

I don’t know how to describe my feelings at this moment. So many big things happened during the twenty days he was in a coma!

Cheng Cheng actually became popular again!
And he even dared to challenge Lu Zhuofeng!

And what about himself?
Ma Rong had no idea how all this happened. Not only was he lying in the hospital now, he was also facing the risk of being laid off.

There was a "click".

The door to the ward was opened.

Tang Fang walked in.

Oh, now she can’t just call herself Tang Fang. She accepted Cheng Cheng’s suggestion and changed her name. Now she is called Tang Fei. Fei is the homonym of “fei” (fei). She hopes that all the artists she manages can soar to success.

Ma Rong's eyes were fixed on Tang Fei's face, his lips trembling, and he asked nervously, "Has the company made a decision?"

Tang Fei looked at him with a complicated look in his eyes. This man used to be his boss, but soon he wasn't anymore.

She conveyed the company's orders expressionlessly and without a trace of emotion:
"Mr. Ma, the company has decided to suspend all your positions. If you are still willing to come back to work, you can do some basic work. At least it can ensure that your mortgage payments will not be suspended until you find a new job."

Ma Rong's heart sank suddenly, as if hit by a sledgehammer.

He couldn't believe his ears. He moved his lips as if to say something, but found that he had lost the ability to speak.

After a long while, he asked, "Are you sure this is the company's final decision?"

Tang Fei said: "Mr. Ma, your behavior this time has caused great losses to the company. The company must be responsible for your behavior. I hope you can understand."

Ma Rong struggled and said, "But it was just a misunderstanding."

"The biggest mistake is that it was just a misunderstanding. Why can't it be true?" Tang Fei chuckled. Hearing Tang Fei's words, Ma Rong raised his head in confusion.

Tang Fei explained with a slightly contemptuous tone:

"Cheng Cheng is now in the limelight. Not only has he become popular again, but he has also joined the 2 billion director club. Such an achievement is enough to make any company jealous. Mr. Ma, if you could really put aside your prejudice and win him over, everyone would admire your vision. It's a pity that you chose to suppress him and wanted to strangle him."

"In fact, there is nothing wrong in killing him, and it is also in the interests of our company. But you just made things worse and created such a blunder. Not only did you fail to kill him, but it became an opportunity for him to become popular again. What's worse is that you also brought a big enemy like Lu Zhuofeng to the company, as well as the main creators of "Glorious Era". They now hate our company to the core."

"Boss Ma, it's all because of you that the company has fallen into this crisis!"

"Boss Ma, I can't believe that someone as smart as you would do something like this one day."

Having lost the relationship between superior and subordinate, Tang Fei's view of Ma Rong also changed. He felt that Ma Rong was unbearable from head to toe:
Such an idiot had been her leader for eight years?
Ma Rong clenched his fists, his knuckles turned white from the force, and his eyes flashed with anger and humiliation.

The subordinate who used to be so servile now dares to talk to him like this?

"Actually, there is a way." Tang Fei suddenly said, "There is another way to let you return to the company. Not only will you not be affected in any way, but you will be reused as never before."

Ma Rong didn't care about the disrespect in Tang Fei's tone. He panted and asked anxiously, "What's the solution?"

Tang Fei said lightly: "Bring Cheng Cheng back."

"Ah?" Ma Rong was stunned.

It was he who personally proposed to the company to terminate Cheng Cheng's contract, and it was he who personally went to Cheng Cheng's house to sign the termination contract. Now he is asked to beg him to come back. This is simply a fantasy!
Regardless of whether Cheng Cheng agrees or not, he just can't get over it in his heart!

Tang Fei said: "It's up to you whether you do it or not."

Then she walked out.

"Wait a minute!" Ma Rong called her. He gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "I'll beat you!"

Being a man, being a real man, isn't it all about face?

Compared to Yuanzi, I'm nothing!

He took out his cell phone from the bedside, found Cheng Cheng's number, and called him.

He was somewhat thankful that he did not delete Cheng Cheng's phone number and that Cheng Cheng did not block him, otherwise he would not be able to proceed with this first step.

The call was quickly connected, and Cheng Cheng's voice sounded from the other end: "Hello? Who is this?"

Ma Rong immediately clamped his voice down, and Juhua followed suit, saying in the most gentle tone she could: "Is that Cheng Cheng? Do you still remember my voice? I am Ma Rong——"

Before he could finish, there was a beeping sound from the phone.

Ma Rong stared at the crashed interface in amazement, feeling dumbfounded.

After hearing that it was him, Cheng Cheng didn't even give him any chance to speak!
Tang Fei spread his hands to him, indicating that he had already guessed the ending.

Ma Rong pleaded, "Let me fight one more!"

Tang Fei stretched out his hand and let him do as he pleased.

Ma Rong took a deep breath and called again. After the call was connected this time, he said quickly:
"Cheng Cheng, I know you have some misunderstandings with the company, but don't hang up yet. During the National Day holiday, I sent people to blackmail Lu Zhuofeng and "Glorious Times". I did this to regain your trust. I know you are not having a good time now. You had a conflict with Lu Zhuofeng. If you come back, the company can help you deal with Lu Zhuofeng!"

After saying all this in one breath, Ma Rong felt happy when he saw that Cheng Cheng had not hung up the phone yet. As long as he hadn't hung up, it meant there was hope. At least what he said had attracted Cheng Cheng's attention.

Cheng Cheng's voice came from the phone: "You want me to go back?"

"Yes!" Ma Rong said, "In short, it is like this. I know——"

He was about to say something, but Cheng Cheng interrupted him directly: "If you want me to go back, then you should say this: Director Cheng Cheng, I earnestly ask you to come back, can you come back to save the company?"

Ma Rong showed a look of joy. Is this going to be successful?
He repeated quickly, adding an earnest tone: "Director Cheng Cheng, I earnestly ask you to come back. Can you come back to save the company?"

Cheng Cheng: "Add 'please ask' in front."

Ma Rong became even more excited: "Excuse me, Director Cheng Cheng, I earnestly ask you to come back, can you come back to save the company?"

Tang Fei was also surprised. Could it be that he succeeded by accident?
Cheng Cheng's voice came without hesitation: "No."

No, can’t?
Ma Rong was devastated: What the hell are you asking me to say!!!
Then, Cheng Cheng's voice talking to someone came from the other side:
"What a fool! How dare he call me? He even said that I am not doing well now. He is really stupid. I am so strong now."

When Ma Rong heard the insulting words from the other end, he got angry at first, then got angry again, and finally got angry again before he hung up the phone silently.

"The notification has been received. I'm leaving now." Tang Fei picked up his bag and stood up.

At the last moment before she left, Ma Rong could no longer hold back and started to complain at the top of her lungs:

"Does the company still have any conscience? I am injured and hospitalized, but the company has abandoned me without mercy. Is the company still human? It was just a misunderstanding! Will the company completely reject me because of a misunderstanding? I want to suppress Cheng Cheng for the company!"

Tang Fei turned around and showed a sarcastic smile:

"Boss Ma, how dare you say such things? When Cheng Cheng was stuck in the mud, wasn't it you who abandoned him? Why can't you bear it now that it's your turn?"

Ma Rong's momentum weakened, but he still stubbornly stiffened his neck and murmured:

"Can it be the same? Can it be the same?"

Tang Fei sneered, turned around and left without any more lingering feelings.

The one who first made the figurines has no descendants.

The stupidest thing Ma Rong did was to regard himself as a chess player, thinking that anyone could give up. But he didn't expect that he was just a chess piece. He could give up on others, and others could also give up on him.

Exit the hospital building.

Looking at the blue sky, Tang Fei felt emotional:

Cheng Cheng has become a strong rival of the company, and Lu Zhuofeng is also eyeing the company covetously. The company is now in a difficult situation, attacked from all sides, with a continuous decline in business, and constant internal disputes and intensifying power struggles.

It seems like it's time to find the next home.

"Ah~", she sighed and said to herself, "It was better when Cheng Cheng was here. It would have been better if I hadn't terminated the contract with Cheng Cheng."

(End of this chapter)