Huayu: This director is pretty strong.

Chapter 93 Lu Haiming's Last Bomb

Chen Yan took a step down.

The soles of the boots struck the marble floor with a short, sharp sound.

Lu Haiming stood at the edge of the puddle three meters away, and pulled a yellow kraft paper bag from the inside pocket of his suit jacket with his right hand.

The paper bag had straight edges and corners, and a red sealing wax stamp was affixed to the seal.

"Director Chen, the film was well-made, but the casting was wrong."

Lu Haiming handed the paper bag forward, pressing his fingertip against the sealing wax.

Chen Yan stopped on the last step and looked the other person in the eye.

"Is the person Mr. Lu referring to Lin Qingqiu?"

Chen Yan asked.

"These are her encrypted medical records from her time in the sports team."

Lu Haiming shook the paper bag, and the stiff paper inside made a rustling sound.

"In 1998, due to long-term use of banned drugs, which caused kidney damage, he was forced to retire. If this report were given to international film critics, your Golden Lion trophy would probably rust."

Chen Yan reached out and took the paper bag.

He didn't open it, but ran his fingertip along the lines of the sealing wax.

"Mr. Lu, since the film forgery failed, you've switched to paper documents?"

"The evidence is right here. Whether it's true or false doesn't matter. The public believes it's true, and Lin Qingqiu is a fraud."

Lu Haiming stared at Chen Yan.

"Your film's theme is 'an indomitable spirit.' If the protagonist is a fake hero sustained by drugs, that's the greatest irony for art."

"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Lu."

Chen Yan stuffed the paper bag into his briefcase and zipped it up.

"Take care, and don't bother seeing me off."

As Lu Haiming watched Chen Yan's retreating figure, a shadow fell over his eyes.

"Chen Yan, this is your last chance. Hand over the master tape, and I'll let you make a living in the capital."

Chen Yan did not turn around.

He walked into the cinema, and the automatic doors closed behind him.

Wu Gang emerged from behind the pillar, clutching a walkie-talkie in his hand.

"Old Chen, Lu Haiming brought six bodyguards, they're all at the back door."

Wu Gang said in a low voice.

"Never mind them."

Chen Yan strode through the hall.

"Old Wu, go to Tianjin. Contact Liang Qinian and bring his old-fashioned camera."

Four o'clock in the morning.

A black Hongqi sedan drove onto the Tianjin-Binhai Expressway.

Outside the car window lay a vast expanse of dark, alkaline land, with distant lights appearing dim and indistinct.

Liang Qinian sat in the passenger seat, holding a leather briefcase in his arms, which contained all the files related to his sister's death.

"Director Chen, if we go to Tianjin now, we won't be able to keep that piece of land."

Liang Qinian turned his head and looked at Chen Yan.

"Lu Haiming's real estate company mortgaged the land to the bank. If the publicity and distribution of 'Thunder' is blocked, he will use the name of 'national entrepreneur' to get government subsidies and cover his debts."

Chen Yan stared at the protective forest rushing past the window.

"That piece of land will be incorporated into the national economic development zone this year."

Chen Yan spoke.

"However, in the latest planning report, there is a red line in the center of this plot of land. That is the site of the collapse accident, which is a permanently preserved accident education site and cannot be disturbed."

Liang Qinian was stunned.

"This is an internal secret and has not been released yet."

"It will be announced in three days."

Chen Yan took out a folded sheet of printing paper from his pocket.

"This draft plan was leaked to Lu Haiming's arch-rival, Mr. Xu, who runs a venture capital firm in Hong Kong. He's been waiting for Lu Haiming's funding chain to break so he can take over the shares of 'Minghai Industry'."

"You want to use Boss Xu to cut off Lu Haiming's escape route?"

Liang Qinian asked.

"No."

Chen Yanping answered calmly.

"I want him to tell the whole of Beijing on the day of the premiere that that piece of land is the greatest pride of his life."

10:00 AM, Jinmen Old Factory Street.

The abandoned factory area is fenced off, and the tower cranes creak in the wind.

Chen Yan stood outside the fence, looking at the foundation that had already been leveled.

The soil beneath my feet was damp and smelled of industrial alkali.

Liang Qinian raised his camera and aimed it at the gap in the fence.

The shutter clicked continuously.

"Director Chen, deep within this place, there are still old foundations that were never unearthed back then."

Liang Qinian put away his camera.

"Lu Haiming didn't do deep backfilling in order to save money. This house can't be built, and it will collapse even if it is."

"Was the shot clear?"

Chen Yan asked.

"The photos are clear. Even the serial number hasn't changed; it's the same batch of substandard steel bars from back then."

Liang Qinian answered.

2 PM, Beijing.

Lin Qingqiu was in the rehearsal hall, practicing that big jump over and over again.

Su Wan pushed open the door, her expression anxious.

"Chen Yan, Lu Haiming is acting very quickly. That so-called medical report has already circulated in several newspapers. Lin Qingqiu's agency is on the verge of collapse; they want to issue a statement to clarify."

Chen Yan walked into the rehearsal hall and saw Lin Qingqiu lying on the floor, panting.

No clarification is needed.

Chen Yan said to Su Wan.

"Let them make a scene. The bigger the scene, the more hype the premiere will generate."

Lin Qingqiu looked up, her forehead covered in sweat.

"Director Chen, I haven't taken any medicine."

Her voice was deep.

"I know."

Chen Yan walked over and handed her a bottle of mineral water.

"That report is forged. But if I refute it now, Lu Haiming will produce a second and a third one. What we need to do is make him admit that it's fake."

three days later.

BJ Cinema.

The global premiere of "Thunder".

The red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the roadside, and the media's flashbulbs were as dense as a thunderstorm.

Lu Haiming, dressed in a silver-gray suit, stepped out of the car surrounded by Wang, the comprador.

He stood in front of the autograph wall and gave an interview to reporters.

"Mr. Lu, I heard that your real estate project is about to receive a major planning benefit, is that right?"

A reporter asked.

Lu Haiming smiled and waved his finger at his collar.

"Of course. Minghai Industry has always been committed to creating a commercial landmark in Beijing. The project in Tianjin is not only a real estate project, but also a testament to the strength of our film industry."

Wang, the comprador, leaned close to his ear.

"Mr. Lu, Chen Yan didn't mention the medical report. He's been watching the film reel backstage the whole time."

"At the end of its rope."

Lu Haiming walked into the inner area.

"He's waiting to die."

Theater 1 was completely full.

Yan Huaizhong sat in the front row, his expression serious.

Lin Shufen was smoking by the side door, her eyes fixed on the main entrance.

Su Wan stood beside Chen Yan, clutching a fax tightly in her hand.

Chen Yan walked onto the stage.

Reporters in the audience raised their microphones one after another.

"Director Chen, what are your thoughts on the allegations against the female lead, Lin Qingqiu, regarding her use of banned substances?"

A short-haired female reporter stood up and spoke very quickly.

Chen Yan stood behind the microphone.

He didn't look at the reporter.

He looked at Lu Haiming.

"Today, we will not watch Lin Qingqiu."

Chen Yan spoke.

The sound was amplified through the speakers and spread throughout the entire hall.

Lu Haiming adjusted his posture and leaned back.

He was waiting for Chen Yan to be drowned in the media's spittle.

"As everyone knows, my movie is called 'Thunder'."

Chen Yan clapped his hands.

"But before the official screening, please allow me to play a short segment from the film. It's about the truth of an era, about the last missing piece of the puzzle in 'The Sound of Rain in the Old City'."

The big screen suddenly lit up.

It wasn't the snowflakes I expected, nor was it a scene of Lin Qingqiu.

It was a blue scanned document with edges curled up due to moisture.

Labor settlement slip from Tianjin Third Construction Company, 1995.

Lu Haiming's face froze instantly.

His pupils contracted, his gaze fixed on the autograph section at the bottom of the screen.

"The financial statements show that the total demolition compensation that year was 4.2 million yuan."

Chen Yan spoke slowly and steadily.

"But these dozens of fingerprints all belong to the same person. Mr. Lu, do you recognize this signature?"

The camera zooms in.

The three characters "Lu Haiming" are written with sharp, forceful strokes.

There was a line of small print next to it: All funds have been collected by the person in charge.

"Whoosh—"

A subdued murmur filled the room.

Lu Haiming suddenly stood up.

"Chen Yan, what are you doing! This is slander!"

"Mr. Lu, please sit down."

Chen Yan pressed a button on the remote control.

Screen switch.

It's a yellowed photo.

In the ruins, several rusty steel bars were broken, revealing the honeycomb-like concrete inside.

That's the current situation underground in Tianjin.

"You just said at the door that this piece of land is your pride."

Chen Yan looked down at Lu Haiming from his high vantage point.

"But these steel bars are from 1995. They caused the deaths of three people back then. Now, you're going to use them to build a new office building."

The reporters in the audience frantically snapped photos.

The lights flickered erratically in the lobby.

Lu Haiming rushed towards the platform, with Wang the comprador following behind.

Wu Gang took a step to the side, blocking the passage like an iron stake.

"President Lu, this is the real 'Rain in the Old City'."

Chen Yan looked at Lu Haiming, his voice drowning out the noise of the scene.

"You hid the bloodstains in the steel bars and built the skyscraper. You thought time could wash them away, but film doesn't lie."

Chen Yan took out the dark gold tie clip from his pocket and gently stroked it with his fingers.

"You forged Lin Qingqiu's medical report, didn't you?"

Chen Yan asked into the microphone.

"You have no evidence!"

Lu Haiming growled.

"I have."

Chen Yan pressed the remote control again.

A recording waveform appeared on the screen.

Wang, the comprador, echoed clearly in the theater:

"Mr. Lu, the hospital has taken care of it. The printer is an old model from 98, and the stamp on the report was engraved by ourselves; you absolutely can't tell the difference."

Lu Haiming's legs went weak.

He gripped the back of the seat, his fingers sinking into the velvet fabric.

"Mr. Lu, do you dare to look?"

Chen Yan pointed to the big screen.

"The movie hasn't started yet. This is just the prologue."

On the silver screen.

Lu Haiming's name began to appear repeatedly.

Those names that were embezzled, the serial numbers of those substandard steel bars, and the cinema managers he threatened.

Finally, the image freezes.

It was a yellowed file folder.

It reads: 1991, Chen Yan.

Chen Yan stood on the stage.

His shadow was stretched long by the projector, spanning the entire theater and pressing down on Lu Haiming's shoulder.

The doors to the lobby were pushed open.

Two uniformed personnel strode in, their eyes fixed on Lu Haiming in the first row.

Chen Yan raised his head.

The camera was pointed at his face.

Beneath that calm lies a frenzy about to erupt, capable of devouring everything.

"The real show is just beginning."

Chen Yan spoke.

The image freezes on Lu Haiming's violently trembling fingers.