Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 421 Father-in-law, you still say you don't know martial arts? (Two chapters combined for Alliance Leader Xiao Xiaoxiaoxiao)
"Hello everyone, this is FM107.7 Beijing Olympic Radio. We are currently broadcasting the program 'Face to Face with Olympic Champions'."

"Today marks 123 days until the Olympics. We are honored to have with us gymnastics legend Li Xiaopeng to share his experience preparing for the Games..."

Xiao Liu sat in the back seat, propping her fair arms up and looking out the window, listening to the car radio with a happy mood.

As far as the eye can see, the entire capital is immersed in the grand prelude to the Olympic Games.

The April wind swept through Beiping, carrying the Olympic spirit into every inch of the air.

This ancient capital, with its thousand-year history, is shedding its former solemnity and tranquility, and donning a light veil woven from anticipation and enthusiasm.

The street scene outside the car window flows like a scroll painting, each frame imbued with the glaze of the times. It is a delicate balance between ancient civilization and modern vitality, as if even the bricks and tiles are whispering their longing for a grand event.

From the Capital Theatre to the Olympic Building, Afei drove north along Wangfujing Street, passing through the intersection of Dongsi West Street and Dongsi Shitiao.

When passing the Yonghegong Bridge, you can catch a glimpse of the Olympic cultural wall being built on the side of the road, where workers are embedding the Chinese and English slogan "One World, One Dream" into the frame of glazed tile decorations;

Turn right at Huixin East Bridge onto the North Fourth Ring Road. The median strip in the middle of the road has been replaced with an Olympic-themed green plant design, and every 50 meters there is a three-dimensional flower bed made of marigolds and petunias featuring the Fuwa mascots.

Local residents, tourists from other parts of China, and foreign tourists alike can see slogans and materials such as "Go China!" and "Beiping Olympics" everywhere they go as they walk through the streets and alleys of Beiping. The smiling faces of the children bring joy to everyone who sees them.

The 15-kilometer drive from the Beijing People's Art Theatre to the Olympic Building took nearly 50 minutes. In addition to the evening rush hour preventing Xiao Liu from meeting her lover earlier, traffic control for the "Good Luck Beiping" marathon also prevented traffic police from checking the markings of the Olympic-dedicated lanes along the way, and temporary traffic signs were set up on some sections of the road.

"Can we drive in?"

Ah Fei pointed to the pass on the windshield and said confidently, "It's fine."

However, this confidence was quickly proven wrong.

Outside the cordon, two armed police officers on duty immediately stepped forward. One of them, wearing an armband, stood in a standard straddle stance, his right hand lightly resting on the holster of his Type 92 pistol, while his left hand was raised to signal for the vehicle to stop.

"Hello, please show your identification." The armed police officer's voice was calm and steady. The red light of the law enforcement recorder hanging on his tactical vest was flashing, and his gaze under the riot helmet was sharp yet courteous.

Liu Yifei sat in the car, curiously looking at the small, gleaming recording device on the soldier's body, unaware that it was her boyfriend's idea.

Since the beginning of the year, due to the reckless trespassing of many foreign journalists and tourists, and the malicious intent to smear the Olympic Games in Beiping, the Olympic Building, the Bird's Nest rehearsal venue, and the Daxing drone flight field have all implemented the highest level of security.

This recorder was used to debunk rumors and set the record straight, and it has achieved excellent results.

Afei, standing outside the car, seemed a little embarrassed as he scratched his head, and the armed police officer didn't seem inclined to let him pass.

Xiao Liu got out of the car and asked, "What's wrong?"

Afei said helplessly, "They said our passes were invalid, and we didn't have any identification or the required procedures, so they told us to step back for now."

The two soldiers glanced at Liu Yifei, then solemnly returned to their posts to continue their duties. In their eyes, the big star and the ordinary person seemed to be no different.

Wow! Is that Liu Yifei?

"It really looks like Sissi!"

"Oh! The washing machine is working inside, no wonder."

"Quickly, quickly, go ask for a photo together."

Beijing is currently bustling with crowds, and the Olympic Building is a must-see landmark of this era.

The building's "China Seal" logo and an 18-meter-high LED display screen continuously play live footage of the Olympic torch relay around the world.

Red light and shadow flowed across the glass curtain wall, echoing the metal lettering "Beijing2008" on the east side of the building.

Soon someone recognized Liu Yifei.

Security was tight in front of the Olympic Building. Xiao Liu was well aware of the commotion her popularity would cause and knew that now was not the time to pamper her fans, so she quickly got into her Maybach and called her boyfriend.

"You've arrived?"

"Yes, why is the pass no longer valid? The armed police officers at the gate won't let us through."

"Come down quickly, I'm worried there are too many fans gathered at the entrance, and I don't want foreign reporters to take pictures of me saying something inappropriate."

The chief director upstairs in the Olympic building opened the window and glanced around: "Okay, wait a moment, hand the phone to the armed police officer at the door first."

Liu Yifei handed the phone to Afei, who then took it to the guard post.

"Hello? This is Lu Kuan. Is this Xiao Zhu or Xiao Yang?"

"Director Lu, this is Xiao Yang. Please give me your instructions."

"The people downstairs are gathering too quickly. Please maintain order and prevent the people in the car from being surrounded."

Xiao Yang stammered, "Director Lu, actually I recognize them, including your girlfriend. Perhaps we could release them first..."

Boss Lu said in a deep voice, "Don't let it go. I set the rules, how can I lead the way in breaking them?"

"Maintain order. I'll go process the formalities now; it'll be quick."

"Yes, sir!" Xiao Yang's expression turned solemn, and the Type 95 automatic rifle on his shoulder made him appear even more dignified and imposing.

Afei drove the car inside the cordon, but stopped at the entrance without going in. Seeing the fans' agitated state, Liu Yifei had no choice but to roll down the car window:
"Please don't gather here. This location is sensitive and could be exploited by malicious individuals."

"Citizens protest the Olympics' impact on people's livelihoods, besieging the Olympic Building to demand answers," and "Terrorist siege incident occurs at the Olympic Building, shocking the world!"—these headlines, coupled with the vivid visual language of professional foreign journalists, bring the events to life.

"Sisi! I'm a tourist from another province. Could you please give me your autograph? Please!"

"Can I take a photo with Sisi? I'm one of the earliest fans of Yifei Fairy Residence!"

Of course, some elderly people who don't follow celebrities weren't very satisfied: "Comrade? Why can this young girl go in, but we can't go in and have a look around?"

Armed Police Officer Xiao Yang stood with his gun: "She is also waiting for the formalities. Without the formalities from the Organizing Committee, she cannot be allowed to pass. This area is not open to the public. Please understand."

The commotion lasted less than two minutes before a young-looking staff member rushed over with a slip of paper in hand.

"Comrade, this is a pass signed by Zhang Heping, Director of the Organizing Committee, Lu Kuan, the chief director, and Zhang Yimou. Please take a look."

Xiao Yang just wanted an explanation, so he saluted and quickly let him go.

However, the enthusiastic fans had already swarmed up, so Liu Yifei rolled down the car window and tried her best to meet the requests of the university students before entering the Olympic Building.

It left behind a fan base where some were happy and some were sad.

The old man with a Sichuan accent wondered, "The people in the capital aren't fair. Why did this young girl get in? She's just a celebrity! Why is she getting special treatment?"

His wife slapped his shiny bald head: "That little girl is the actress who plays Miss Zhang, who kills Japanese devils. Want to go in and take a look? You have a problem with that?"

"What? It's her?" The old man exclaimed in shock. "Oh, you should have said so sooner! I'd go get her autograph; my eldest granddaughter adores her!"

The fans nearby found the old man's behavior amusing and, in a show of generosity, offered him the autographed photo they had just received: "Sir, here, take this one. Please support Liu Yifei."

The old lady laughed and said, "Yes, yes, we've all seen that movie about killing Japanese devils recently. He's old and his eyesight is failing, so he can't recognize people."

The elderly, being simple and honest, collectively refer to this type of patriotic film as "killing Japanese devils." However, Iris Chang's deeds were even more arduous than killing Japanese devils, and are not far from the truth.

Everyone laughed upon hearing this, and reluctantly left the entrance of the Olympic Building, preparing to go back and post a Weibo message about "encountering a fairy picking up the washing machine after get off work".

Liu Yifei looked around as she walked upstairs. She had only been here a limited number of times, otherwise she wouldn't have been turned away this time due to the travel policy.

"Hey, the beautiful lady is here?" The lively Ma Wen came out of the restroom and bumped into Liu Yifei, who was taking the elevator to the tenth floor.

Xiao Liu smiled and said, "Sister Ma Wen, it's been a long time."

"Oh my, Iris Chang's acting was superb! I cried buckets while watching it. I paid for everyone in our New York studio to see it. Absolutely support her!"

As Chen Weiya, the bearded man, passed by, he chuckled and teased her, "Ma Wen, look at how you're trying to take credit for getting a free meal from Director Lu."

"What can we do? Is he being unreasonable? He's been saying he'd invite us to his mansion for ages, and I wanted to see the extravagance of the richest man in mainland China."

Liu Yifei laughed and said, "Sister Ma Wen, you've come to the wrong person. I didn't invest in the movie, so the money won't go into my hands."

"This isn't right, Sisi." Marvin put his arm around Xiao Liu's shoulder and walked towards the office: "Let me tell you, it's more reliable for the woman to manage the money in this couple. The man..."

"Ahem!" Lu Kuan appeared in the corridor without anyone noticing, followed by Zhang Heping and Zhang Yimou, who were both smiling. Clearly, the three-person decision-making group had just finished discussing something.

Zhang Yimou seemed to be in a good mood: "Ma Wen, Xiao Liu is such a good girl, don't let her lead you astray and make you act crazy."

"Hey! How am I crazy? I'm only ten years older than Sissi, and I was a beauty at Pradwell School of the Arts in New York back in the day, okay?"

Everyone laughed. Zhang Heping approached and said gently, "Xiao Liu, are you settling in well at the Beijing People's Art Theatre?"

"Dean Zhang, that's very good, thank you for your concern."

"Not at all. The Beijing People's Art Theatre has been losing young actors at a rapid pace in recent years. Your presence here is also an advertisement for us and a way to build our reputation."

Zhang Heping looked around and smiled, "Yesterday, when the staff from Ludao Company came to report on your annual meeting, I learned that your price for commercial performances is now over 200 million yuan per show."

“Even an actor with your income can humble yourself and return to universities and theaters to reflect on your work. I think this serves as a role model for young actors who are restless and impatient.”

Marvin's expression was exaggerated: "What? 200 million per game? You're a rich girl, no wonder Lu Kuan looks like a gigolo to me!"

The people in the corridor who were about to leave work laughed out loud. In the entire Olympic creative team, only this Chinese-American artist, Marvin, could casually joke about the boss.

She was the team's source of joy. In later years, during Christmas, she would host Western-style parties at home to help everyone de-stress. Even Chairman Liu would be teased a bit when he went, as she shared the joy with the people.

Boss Lu brought his girlfriend into the director's office and poured her tea with his own purple clay teapot.

"This morning we discovered that some South Korean journalists had entered the country with fake press credentials, so we have temporarily increased security. Starting the day after tomorrow, we will start using registration cards for entry and exit."

"I'll just use my position to make you one later." He said, handing his girlfriend his red registration card.

A rigid PVC card with the name, position, photo, and "Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games" badge printed on the front, and the permitted areas marked on the back.

For example, his access is to the entire building; reporters can only enter the interview area, and there are areas where all foreigners are strictly prohibited from entering.

Like the Olympic registration cards and the body cameras worn by security personnel, these were also among the changes he, as the chief director, brought to the Beijing Olympics in this lifetime.

Later generations also had registration cards, but they were just formalities like press passes.

This registration card is the sole pass for all officials, foreign journalists, and International Olympic Committee officials throughout the entire Olympic Games.

Domestic staff are linked to their ID cards, while foreign staff are linked to their passports. Using RFID chip technology, access can be automatically identified through the building's access control system.

Liu Yifei smiled, revealing two dimples, looking pretty and cute: "Okay! If you're going to use this as an excuse for personal gain, then what identity should I use to hold the card? As a family member of the chief director?"

"What are you thinking? You're a bodyguard, of course! You're in the security detail! Just like Xiao Yang at the door!"

Security guard Xiao Liu got up without saying a word, closed the door, and then began to beat the Olympic chief director.

How was today's dress rehearsal?

"My performance as Chen Bailu today was fantastic! It's a pity there's no recording so you can't see it." She didn't mention that she was the one who had to hold back her scenes.

“I’ll come to see your official performance.” Boss Lu stood up with a smile: “Zhang Yimou sent a message. We still need to finalize the schedule for next week’s drone rehearsal. Wait for me for half an hour. I’ll go home for dinner after that.”

"Okay, sure." Xiao Liu plopped down in his director's chair, then suddenly seemed to remember something and moved the mouse with his right hand to wake up the screensaver.

"Can your computer access the internet? The torch will be arriving in Paris soon, and my dad is there too. He called specifically to ask me to watch him on the show."

The torch relay for the Beijing Olympics began in Greece on March 24, and after arriving in Almaty, Kazakhstan in early April, it passed through cities such as London and Paris before finally arriving in St. Petersburg.

From the Acropolis in Athens to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, passing by the British Museum in London and the Louvre in Paris, this journey forms a "pilgrimage of Western civilization."

紧接着，会在5月4号进入中国境内，7月29日抵达珠峰，最终于8月8号晚抵达鸟巢。

It was 6:30 p.m. Beijing time, which was 11:30 a.m. Paris time. The torch relay was about to begin in Paris.

Liu Yifei's father, a diplomatic official at the Chinese Embassy in France and the director of the Confucius Institute, will be present to observe the ceremony and inspect the work. He specifically instructed his eldest daughter to admire his diplomatic demeanor.

Xiao Liu opened her Internet Explorer browser to find the live stream without thinking, naturally failing to see her boyfriend walking towards the door with his back to her, and her expression suddenly changed.

shock!
He was reminded of the torch relay controversy in Paris.

Later, on April 7, 2008, during the torch relay in Paris, Jin Jing, a disabled torchbearer from my country, was robbed of her torch by thugs. She bravely protected him, and the scene moved and shocked the world.

The torch relay is the responsibility of other departments of the Organizing Committee and has little to do with the directing team. They only cooperate in some areas, such as publicity and program directing.

As the opening ceremony drew closer, the work of the opening and closing ceremony directing team became increasingly demanding, and he had no time to remember these trivial details.

However, Liu Yifei's mention of this matter instantly awakened his memory, and Lu Kuan thought it would be better to make some contingency plans in advance.

"Wide road?" After not hearing a response for a while, Liu Yifei looked up at her boyfriend.

The washing machine, turning its head back, remained calm: "You can watch CCTV-1 on TV. The office computers can't access the internet anymore; the security level is very high."

Is Uncle An here? The torch relay will start soon.

Liu Yifei nodded with a happy expression: "Yes, he specially asked me to watch him on TV."

"Yeah, see? If you're tired, just lie down on the chair and take a nap. I'll come wake you up after the meeting."

Located on the Middle Road of the North Fourth Ring Road in the HD District, the Olympic Building has 19 floors and is adjacent to the Olympic Center. It is a modern office building that integrates almost all the functions of the Olympic Organizing Committee.

The Torch Relay Center on the eighth floor is responsible for planning the global relay route and promoting the torch relay.

Lu Kuan naturally couldn't just rush up to the eighth floor and announce to the public that an attack by rioters was imminent, or simply make a phone call to Chairman Liu and ask him to handle the situation.

Where do you get your news from?

This is part of the Olympic Games, which are broadcast live to the whole world. Based on your guess alone, you will have to make detailed adjustments to the routes, security and other arrangements.

What if it doesn't happen? What if it's fake news?
To resolve this issue from an official perspective, it must be done in accordance with strict procedures and standards, through consultations between the Organizing Committee, the Foreign Languages ​​Department, and France and Paris.

When the veracity of the information cannot be determined, no one can bear this responsibility.

After much deliberation, Mr. Lu decided to give the credit to his girlfriend's elderly father.

He was present to host the event, and he was able to make adjustments and communication based on the situation on site.

Jin Jing is the third torchbearer. Even if more police officers were deployed along Jin Jing's torch relay route, and targeted monitoring and security measures were implemented for specific protest groups, even if rioters stormed the area, it wouldn't cause any major disruptions.

On the contrary, it will allow the whole world to see the ugly faces of certain forces.

Since we're going to do this, we need to get more people to endorse it.

In particular, when he finally appeared in front of Xiao Liu, who already knew many of his secrets, he asked her to contact Ankang to cooperate and make it appear as if this was a collective decision.

Boss Lu walked into the conference room with a calm expression. Zhang Yimou and the others had also finished their meal and returned, ready to discuss the rehearsal arrangements for the Daxing UAV training base.

Zhang Yimou, presiding over the meeting, said: "Alright, comrades, we..."

Buzz!
His phone, which was lying beside him, vibrated violently on the table. He apologized, took the phone, and went out the door.

No one took it seriously; the director in charge of the opening ceremony was so busy that he couldn't wait to receive a hundred phone calls a day.

However, when he returned to the conference room this time, his expression was not very good.

After Zhang Yimou finished speaking, he pushed the microphone to him. The young director frowned, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the phone, and his gaze swept over the crowd with a slightly serious expression.

Zhang Heping was the first to notice his unusual expression, and put down the documents in his hand, asking with concern, "Why do you look so pale?"

Boss Lu took a deep breath, seemingly weighing whether to reveal some unknown, true or false information. After a few seconds of contemplation, he gestured to his phone.

"A French film distributor just called me and said..."

He paused, deliberately lowering his voice: "They said they learned by chance that there were foreign drug syndicates planning to launch an attack during the Olympic torch relay in Paris."

Lu Kuan tapped his watch: "The veracity of the news is unknown; it's just a slight reminder to be on guard. There are less than forty minutes left before the torch relay begins."

"Everyone, what should we do?"

This elevates individual will to the level of collective decision-making. When people look back on this matter afterward, they will realize that it was a motion made together, so it won't stand out too much.

After a year of hard work, the wrinkles on Zhang Yimou's terracotta warrior-like face have deepened: "It's not impossible! In the past two days, there have been many reports in Western news about demonstrations by rioters, especially in France, where they are using the banner of democracy."

Such a twist had actually happened once before in London, but Paris was the first to allow rioters to storm the torch relay.

Lin Ying said anxiously, "Should we notify the official departments to coordinate? I think it's always good to be prepared."

"It's not that simple." Zhang Heping was relatively calm. People with his physique knew better than anyone that this matter was of great importance and that a single move could have far-reaching consequences.

Just now, Liu Yifei told fans not to gather in front of the Olympic building, and to be wary of Western journalists who have no borders and no bottom line fabricating rumors.

Without any evidence, it is extremely difficult to request France to increase police presence and coordinate security through official channels, especially since time is running out.

Young artists like Marvin couldn't wait and immediately called her French friend to find out what was going on. She had held several visual art exhibitions in France.

Two minutes later, she brought bad news: "There were indeed a lot of rioters at the scene. They were waving drug flags and clashed with many of our international students. They tried desperately to cover our national flag with it."

"Damn it!" Chen Weiya, with a big beard, slammed his fist on the table. As a former soldier, he couldn't stand these despicable reactionary forces.

The air in the conference room seemed to freeze; even breathing became clearly audible.

The clock on the wall ticked mechanically, each tick like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's heart.

Zhang Heping, who was making a phone call outside, returned to his seat and gently shook his head at everyone: "Based on mere speculation, there's no way to send a diplomatic note through formal channels."

He turned to Lu Kuan, who had been deep in thought since he asked the question: "Xiao Lu, is there any way?"

Zhang Yimou's face was gloomy, and the pen in his hand drew a deep ink mark on the meeting minutes. All eyes were on Lu Kuan.

He was the youngest, yet he was also the one who could mobilize the most international economic and social resources.

Moreover, since the formation of the Olympic Games opening and closing ceremony team, from the initial doubts and the dissatisfaction of Chen Weiya and Zhang Jigang, to Lu Kuan almost taking charge of the modern part of the second half of the cultural performance, and leading the amazing drone ignition of the Phoenix Returns to its Nest, the improvement of LEDs, and all the invisible aspects of daily work.

He never engages in empty theoretical discussions; instead, he always manages to pinpoint the core of a problem and break through it in the most pragmatic way.

Whether it's technical challenges or interpersonal coordination, they can offer directions with a forward-looking vision and break down execution paths with meticulous logic.

In other words, everyone has become dependent on this team's anchor.

"I just asked my colleague on the eighth floor. The torch relay, which started at noon Paris time, has French track and field athlete Stéphane as the first runner and French basketball player Fabian as the second runner."

"If I were a thug, I definitely wouldn't choose the first two foreign athletes; the best target would be Jin Jing, the third swimmer."

"She is a fencer at the Paralympics. Blind athletes will push her wheelchair forward. The speed will not be too fast, which is the weakest link."

A commotion erupted in the office, but Lu Kuan's light tapping on the desk gradually calmed the restless atmosphere.

"Formal diplomatic notes are indeed difficult to issue, but there aren't many people in Paris who can mobilize resources and change security priorities right now. I'd like to try contacting Xiao Liu's father."

Chen Weiya and the others asked in surprise, "Who is he?"

"The First Secretary for Education at the Chinese Embassy in France is also the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute in Paris."

Zhang Heping smiled wryly: "Xiao Lu, asking him to mediate in this kind of situation also carries political risks, doesn't it?"

"Give it a try." Mr. Lu called his girlfriend with a helpless expression. She was watching the Olympic torch relay live on TV with great interest. After receiving the call, she knocked on the door of the conference room.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Liu Yifei noticed the complex and subtle gazes directed at her from the crowd. They reflected a re-evaluation of her identity, along with an indescribable sense of expectation and pressure. Her expression was somewhat bewildered.

"Xixi, sit down." Lu Kuan brought a chair for her to sit down first, and then briefly recounted what had happened.

Liu Yifei immediately became a little nervous and took out her phone without thinking: "Let's give it a try. It's always good to remind them anyway."

You could hear a pin drop in the conference room. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on Liu Yifei.

Her slender fingers tapped the phone screen a few times, then she pressed the speakerphone button.

The beeping sound was particularly clear in the quiet conference room.

"Hello? Sisi? Are you watching TV?" An Kang's slightly excited voice came from the other end of the phone, with the background noise of French broadcasts and crowds faintly audible.

"Dad, I need to tell you something... never mind, I'll give the phone to Lu Kuan, he has something very important to discuss with you." "Okay."

Mr. Lu took the phone and placed it on the conference table. Because it was a work matter, he addressed her by her official title: "Dean An, time is of the essence, so I will just give a brief answer."

“A film distributor friend in Paris got information through his channels that there might be rioters disrupting the Olympic torch relay today, and we suspect it will happen during the third leg.”

“We had already communicated with the Paris side about this matter beforehand.” An Kang was very familiar with today’s torch relay, or rather, the entire Chinese Embassy in France was a co-organizer, responsible for overall coordination.

"For safety reasons, today's route has been temporarily changed."

"The original route started from the French National Stadium, passing through Gare du Nord, Place de la République, Place de la Bastille, Champs-Élysées, and ended at the Eiffel Tower, with a total journey time of 6 hours."

“But since the past two days, thousands of protesters have gathered in Paris, carrying signs, flags, and even throwing objects at our volunteers, so we adjusted our plan after communicating with the French police.”

"We will change the starting point to Trocadero Square and the destination to the second-floor observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, reducing the relay time to 2 hours."

He paused, then said gently, "Xiao Lu, you should be fine. Don't worry."

The expressions on everyone's faces in the meeting room softened slightly. It seemed that the local embassy had anticipated the news that Lu Kuan had received, and the temporary adjustment of the route today was a countermeasure.

But Boss Lu has no intention of "letting go" of Ankang.

In her previous life, Jin Jing was pushed and beaten by thugs in front of a global audience, resulting in injuries to her face and neck. Why should she suffer such injustice again in this life?

Although the heroic act of the disabled female athlete protecting the torch may garner more sympathy in international public opinion, how can the rise of a great nation be built on such sob stories?
Besides, this credit was practically handed to Xiao Liu's elderly father, so why not take it?

Maybe he can go even further in the future?

Boss Lu abducted someone's eldest daughter, and now he's spouting a beautiful lie over an overseas phone call, trying to put pressure on the diplomat.
“When Sissi and I went to the Trocadero Square for the film festival, there was a walkway along the Seine River between the square and the Eiffel Tower.”

“The walkway in that area is narrow and bordered by water on both sides, making it difficult for security personnel to form a perimeter. If the rioters launch a surprise attack from outside the riverbank railing or surround her from behind, Jin Jing, who has difficulty moving around in a wheelchair, will be in a very passive position.”

"Dean An, if it's convenient, please communicate with the local police and ask them not to provide more police support, but to focus on the third runner."

"For these rioters, their greatest desire, along with that of unfriendly Western forces, is to gain attention and eyeballs by creating symbolic insults such as snatching the torch and trampling on the national flag. We cannot allow even the slightest possibility of this to exist."

"in addition--"

Lu Kuan turned to Liu Yifei: "Don't you have a fan group or something similar in Paris? Most of them are local students studying abroad, and they should be here today too."

"We will contact Yang Siwei now and ask them to mobilize the local Chinese community to gather at the third section of the route so that they can provide timely assistance in case of any accidents and also boost morale."

Seeing his serious demeanor, and considering his position as the chief director of the Olympics, An Kang realized that his influence in Olympic affairs was far greater than that of An Kang, the leader of a co-organizing unit.

Moreover, such a person would not make arbitrary arrangements based on rumors; he should have a deeper understanding of the situation and immediately agreed in a deep voice.

Ankang quickly implemented the contingency plan on-site in Paris, taking some preventative measures in an unofficial manner.

He took the map from the staff member and carefully studied the terrain.

It has to be said that Lu Kuan's words made a lot of sense. With the torch relay about to begin, he decided to personally report to the ambassador, or if that didn't work, he would go directly to the third leg of the relay to investigate.

Inside the Olympic Building in Beiping, everyone began to perform their duties. Not only did Liu Yifei have a fan club in France, but Zhang Yimou's old flame, Gong Li, also had one. Quite a few.

After all, she was one of the first generation of actresses to go abroad and make her mark on the world film scene and in the three major European countries.

In addition, Mr. Lu contacted the president of this year's Cannes Film Festival to see if any local peace and anti-war groups could offer assistance.

In this unexpected turn of events, as the director, he chose not to use the disabled torchbearer's pitiful plight to gain the audience's sympathy, but instead used the universal concept of "long live the great unity of the people of the world" to prove the will of the people.

Since official channels are inconvenient to use, everyone has resorted to their own unique methods and done everything possible to mobilize local Chinese, overseas Chinese, and international students to wait for the disabled torchbearers from their motherland in the third leg of the torch relay.

Even if it doesn't happen in the end, there's no loss.

When Yang Siwei received the call at the Wenjie Building, she knew it was a big deal. In addition to contacting the group leaders and fan leaders in France and Europe, she also posted new posts on Liu Yifei's Twitter and Weibo accounts as requested, calling on fans to go to the scene to support her.

Beneath the surface, the silent struggle between the reborn righteous and the reactionaries has finally begun.

Only CCTV-1 and CCTV-5 broadcast the Olympic torch relay live in China.

Apart from that, only Wenjie Video was authorized to rebroadcast CCTV's official signal.

Whether the director abused his power for personal gain is unknown, but Wenjie Video did pay a fair fee, and some younger viewers prefer to watch videos on video websites while posting comments, compared to middle-aged viewers.

This makes you feel more involved.

At 7:20 PM Beijing time, which is 12:20 PM Paris time, Fabian, a French player for the Paris Saint-Germain basketball team, arrived at the baton handover location.

His expression was slightly solemn as he handed the torch to Jin Jing, a Chinese fencer who was sitting in a wheelchair.

The CCTV commentator's voice rang out simultaneously on the screen and on the video website: "This is the first time in Olympic history that a disabled torchbearer has carried the torch overseas."

In fact, according to later declassification, what neither the on-site footage nor the current owner of the Louvre knew was that Fabian was harassed by rioters in a tunnel near the Tuileries Garden as he walked along the Seine towards the Louvre.

These people attempted to disrupt the transmission with signs and loudspeakers, causing the transmission to be interrupted at one point.

The voices of Zhang Quanling and Bai Yansong began to narrate:
"Dear viewers, our sunny and lively fencer Jin Jing has now taken over the baton and will now follow the temporarily changed route to the Eiffel Tower."

"As you can see, Jin Jing is sitting in a wheelchair, holding the auspicious cloud torch, and is being escorted by security personnel from Trocadero Square. Her face is filled with a confident smile. Although she has difficulty moving, she is full of energy and fully demonstrates the Olympic spirit."

"The procession is now crossing the Pont Jena, one of the most historic bridges over the Seine. Both sides of the bridge are lined with enthusiastic supporters, and many Chinese students are waving the Chinese national flag and shouting 'Go China!'"

Zhang Quanling suddenly exclaimed in surprise: "Dear viewers, you can see the international students and movie fans wearing T-shirts from the movie 'The Sky of History'!"

"It is worth mentioning that this historical epic, directed by Mr. Lu Kuan, the chief director of the opening ceremony of the Chinese Olympic Games, just finished its theatrical run a week ago. It sold its rights in Europe for a total of about 2000 million US dollars and received strong support from the film festival cities of Cannes, Berlin and Venice!"

"Being able to see our film culture symbols during the Olympic torch relay broadcast will surely make viewers in front of their TVs very proud!"

Bai Yansong, playing the supporting role, was also full of enthusiasm: "Yes! Local Chinese, overseas Chinese, international students, and even foreign movie fans spontaneously wore 'The Sky of History' T-shirts during the Olympic live broadcast, becoming mobile carriers of 'Chinese stories.' This kind of spontaneous cultural display is very gratifying!"

"I believe that through the global dissemination of film symbols and the Olympic torch, audiences around the world will see a modern China that can both safeguard historical memory through the art of film and create the future with the Olympic spirit!"

Bai Yansong's highly persuasive summary quickly ignited the audience's emotions.

His voice was powerful and infectious, and the screen was filled with comments.

"Tears welling up! The streets of Paris are all red!"

"Well done, 'The Sky of History'! It was worth watching it twice to support the washing machine! Fine, I'll support your wife then!"

French passerby: Where can I get this T-shirt? Chinese movie fan: Ask Jie Mall for free shipping!

"It used to be 'No Chinese or dogs allowed,' now it's 'Chinese and the torch illuminate Paris!'"

"History of the Sky" is definitely a top-tier film that will go down in film history! Paris is also under the sky of history today!

At this moment, everyone in the Olympic team gathered at the torch relay center on the eighth floor. The opening ceremony director team and Zhang Heping informed the relevant officials of the possible situations.

To be fair, the others were skeptical and didn't even report the incident further.

Director Sun of the relay center smiled and had bottled water brought over: "Everyone, just sit and watch, don't be nervous."

“Our staff on site are very experienced. They’ve had a few minor incidents in London before and they’ve all been handled safely, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

"Director Lu? Your movies are so popular! And Ms. Liu has quite a few fans overseas too. They've all come to support our torchbearer. That's great."

Sun Ming was the main leader in charge of the Xiangyun Torch program. He was a technical bureaucrat who had worked his way up through the ranks. He was a good person with some minor flaws, and we usually got along very well.

Boss Lu looked at the round-headed old Sun with great interest. He was still busy making small talk at this moment. He wondered if he would be scared to death in a moment.

After all, this is his main business, and if something goes wrong, even if it's an accident, someone has to take responsibility.

Of course, if it can make the thugs realize their mistake and back down, it wouldn't hurt to let the shrewd Old Sun be a little smug.

After filming Lu Kuan, Lao Sun naturally couldn't let another big director off the hook: "Director Zhang, is there any news on your next film? Seeing our Olympic cause progressing so smoothly, we're all looking forward to your next..."

"and many more!"

Sun Ming, with his back to the live broadcast screen at the relay center, witnessed a sudden change in the expressions of everyone present!
The actress Liu Yifei, whom he had just been chuckling about for getting in through connections with the director, tightly gripped her boyfriend's arm!

He listened to the commentary from the two CCTV directors, turned his head in bewilderment, and stared in disbelief!
There really is some beast causing trouble!

These bastards! Do they think I, Old Sun, can't even be a stable boy?!
Not only were the solemn-faced, fist-clenched members of the Organizing Committee on site, but all the viewers around the world and throughout China watching the live broadcast were astonished by the sudden turn of events.

Zhang Quanling's voice suddenly tightened: "Ladies and gentlemen, there seems to be an emergency! Unidentified individuals are attacking the torch relay team!"

Amidst violent camera shake, three masked thugs suddenly broke through the police cordon and rushed towards Jin Jing, who was in a wheelchair. One of them reached out to snatch the torch, while another tried to push the wheelchair away, and the scene instantly descended into chaos.

Bai Yansong's commentary suddenly intensified: "This is a serious provocation against the Olympic spirit! Athlete Jin Jing is tightly protecting the torch!"

In the video, a disabled female athlete uses her body as a shield, tightly embracing the auspicious cloud torch. When the rioters tear at her hair, she even bites their wrist with her teeth.

Zhang Quanling's voice, though strained with suppressed anger, was choked with emotion: "We saw that Jin Jing's face was scratched... but her hand never let go of the torch!"

Just as the rioters lunged for the second time, a surge of red suddenly appeared at the edge of the frame—

"They're international students! Overseas Chinese and foreign movie fans wearing 'The Sky of History' T-shirts!" Bai Yansong shouted, his voice almost cracking.

More than ten young Chinese men rushed into the scene like sharp swords, their faces filled with fear, and they were not tall!

But at this critical moment, perhaps inspired by the clothes they were wearing, or perhaps unable to bear seeing their compatriots attacked in a foreign land, they rushed forward!

Some people used banners to block the rioters, while others rushed at them and started fighting.

What was even more touching was that several black and white international students formed a human wall with their burly bodies, firmly protecting Jin Jing's wheelchair in the center.

French police, whose reaction force is among the slowest in history, finally swarmed forward, accompanied by a somewhat familiar figure that made Liu Yifei's heart tremble with fear!
"My dad! That's my dad! Why did he rush up there too!"

Zhang Quanling's commentary also became excited: "Dear viewers! Viewers all over the world! Take a look!"

"This is the truest reflection of the Olympic spirit! This is the most genuine brilliance of human civilization!"

Despite the violent camera movement, she spoke rapidly yet with each word ringing out clearly.

"An Arab girl wearing a headscarf threw her coffee at the thugs! People of different skin colors and faiths—Black, White, and Asian—firmly protected the injured Jin Jing in the middle!"

"At this moment! They share only one name and one identity. They are like John Rabe, Miss Hua, and Iris Chang in 'The Sky of History,' all defenders of human civilization and conscience!"

How could renowned commentator Bai Yansong let his partner steal the spotlight?

After a brief pause, Zhang Quanling quickly continued his impassioned speech: "Twenty seconds ago, the rioters thought they were attacking just a Chinese girl in a wheelchair—"

Bai Yansong's voice suddenly turned serious, trembling with restraint: "But now they are facing the whole world!"

"Look at these friends and compatriots from all over the world wearing 'The Sky of History' T-shirts!"

"From Iris Chang, who guarded the truth in 'The Sky of History,' to Jin Jing, who guards the torch today; from the darkest hour in Nanjing in 1937 to this corridor of light in Paris in 2008—history is telling us in the most magnificent way: justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent!"

In the live broadcast, the torchbearer in the wheelchair was lifted up by people of different skin colors, and the flame of the auspicious cloud torch drew a golden trajectory on the Seine.

Despite suffering minor abrasions, the lead actress, Jin Jing, is portrayed by a highly skilled director from the East, with cameos from international friends of different skin colors, and her performance is further enhanced by the contrasting ugly faces of the villains.

He successfully demonstrated the popular sentiment of "great unity among the people of the world" by virtue of his innate courage.

"Bravo!" The crowd at the Torch Relay Center on the eighth floor of the Olympic Building felt as if they had just watched a dramatic show. In just a few minutes, they were thrilled by the two top commentators from CCTV.

Boss Lu glanced at Old Sun, who had just looked listless, and now looked as if he had been pulled out of the water.

He turned around and solemnly grasped the young Olympic chief director's hands: "Director Lu, you are simply my..."

The technocrat's flattery was abruptly interrupted, and Liu Yifei looked speechlessly at her father on the screen: "Why is my dad still pinning down the thugs? Even the police can't pull him off!"

As everyone stared intently, they saw a refined-looking diplomat pressing his briefcase against the back of a rioter's head, the arc of his fluttering tie creating a striking echo with the "Beijing2008" banner behind him!

One can easily imagine how he wielded his briefcase and fought off the assailant off-camera.

Marvin laughed, "Someone must be very nervous right now. His father-in-law has gone from a French professor to Bruce Lee. The guy who stole someone's daughter is in big trouble!"

"a ha ha ha!"

"Director Lu's back is wet."

"Xiao Lu, why are your legs shaking?"

As Liu Yifei listened to the cheerful banter of the crowd, she gave her boyfriend, whose expression was rather strange, a shy glare.

This was the first time she had ever seen Ankang in such an "unrefined" manner. How could a civil official like you suddenly become so fearless?

Dad, you've got the wrong script!

Unbeknownst to her, An Kang had reported the situation to the ambassador, who then communicated with the French police and deployed 10 additional CRS riot police officers to assist.

He was worried, so he personally followed the third runner to the location to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.

In fact, he had been mentally prepared and quickly called on the "volunteers" to come to the rescue.

The scene instantly erupted into chaos, with Liu Yifei and Boss Lu's fans, who had been given prior notice, reacting the fastest.

Or rather, it's quite possible that from London to Paris, these Western politicians have always been so vacillating; they just want to see you make a fool of yourself!
Perhaps even the newspapers have already drafted the headlines?

Mr. Lu remarked with admiration, "The director of the Confucius Institute must be both literate and skilled in martial arts."

"Have you not heard that Confucius was nine feet six inches tall, which would be more than two meters tall by today's standards, and that he traveled around the states with a long sword at his waist?"

“If you want to reason, then reason; otherwise, I’ll talk to you about physics. It seems Dean An is the same way.”

The meeting room erupted in laughter, and even the usually serious Zhang Heping couldn't help but chuckle.

Xiao Liu went to the corridor to call his elderly father and inquire about his well-being. Today's "co-production" starring different ethnic groups has come to a temporary end.

However, both domestically and internationally, this just cause, which has garnered significant attention due to the Olympics, has quickly sparked heated discussions.

The photo of Jin Jing carrying the torch spread around the world via the internet within 24 hours, becoming one of the most iconic news images;

The French newspaper Le Monde devoted a full page to the incident, with the headline "Chinese girl in wheelchair shocks Paris";
Kim Ryang-soon, a reporter from Japan's Benxi TV Network, commented: "Jin Jing has made the world understand the Olympic spirit anew."

Jin Jing's image of confronting violence with her frail body was described by the Bell News Agency of The People as "writing complete dignity with a disabled body".

In an interview after the relay, she said, "The torch is in my hands, so it is my responsibility."

This sense of mission aligns perfectly with the core values ​​of the Olympic flame—"peace, unity, and friendship"—and has become an important symbol for China in its efforts to gain a voice in the international arena.

Of course, there's also the dark humor from netizens who are just watching the drama unfold.

For example, there's a widely circulated interview clip online with a white girl who participated in the rescue, only the title is "French Rose Shows Love for Chinese Washing Machine?"

The young couple, who had returned to their villa, sat in front of the computer in the study and opened the interview transcript that had gone viral online.

After the torch relay ended, a Xinhua News Agency reporter interviewed a volunteer soldier at the scene and asked her why she had the courage to rush up to help.
The French girl, who looked to be only in her early twenties and was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "The Sky of History," answered:
"My name is Jenna, and I am a history student at Paris 1 University."

“I just watched Lu’s ‘The Sky of History’ last month. I’m a huge fan of his. I love this movie so much. It moved me deeply!”

“I think the Chinese are a peace-loving and grateful people, which is why they helped Rabe when they were in trouble themselves, and even now, Minnie Vautrin’s grave is covered with flowers.”

A passionate and outgoing French beauty boldly declared her love to the camera: "Also, I'm as madly in love with the road as I am with this movie. You're more charming than any French man!"

“You’re Chinese media, right? Please pass on my message to him!” Her long, golden-brown hair was slightly wavy and shimmered like honey in the sunlight.

Her deep blue eyes were like the shimmering waves of the Seine, and when she smiled, the corners of her eyes turned up slightly, exuding a unique French romance and playfulness.

Jenner, without any shyness, smiled brightly at the camera and blew a kiss: "Je t'aime, Lu! (I love you, Lu!)"

This passionate and unrestrained French woman was unaware that she had become the fuse for family conflicts in the Far East.

With an innocent look on his face, Boss Lu raised his hands, but couldn't quite hide the smugness on his lips: "I can explain! I can explain!"

Liu Yifei's half-serious, half-joking questions came like a machine gun: "Explain your ass! Is this white girl the one who provided you with information? Did you two know each other before?"

The washing machine waved its hands frantically, deliberately teasing her: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I don't even know Jenna's name, and her bust size should only be twice yours."

"Ahhh!" Liu Yifei pounced on her boyfriend in a frenzy, biting him hard on his shoulder in their usual spot, which was almost like a tattoo.

After laughing and joking for a while, Liu Yifei remembered Ankang's heroic achievements that day, and sat down in front of the computer to post on Weibo in a great mood.

She carefully selected a photo of Ankang captured by a French television station, highlighting the moment:
He held his diplomatic credentials aloft in one hand and clutched a crumpled briefcase in the other. The moment his tie fluttered, even the Eiffel Tower behind him became a mere backdrop.

In the corner of the photo, you can see several international students wearing "The Sky of History" T-shirts giving a thumbs-up.

With text:

Dad, it's been so long! You seem like a stranger to me today.

Haha, just kidding! I was really happy to see Professor An uprooting the willow tree. I'm proud of your courage, integrity, and patriotism!

After "The Sky of History," Liu, who won the Berlin Film Festival award, undoubtedly topped the list of female stars in terms of the number of followers on Weibo and her blog, even though she is just a laid-back social media user.

The occasional status updates they post are always a way to feed their fans their lovey-dovey moments.

Today's Weibo post has a great topic, giving many "washing machine nemesis" a chance to trash talk – they can now tease their fathers-in-law!

The image of the refined and cultured diplomat in Ankang today stands in stark contrast to the final scene in the footage where the scholar is seen raging and suppressing the thieves.

His identity as Liu Yifei's father provided netizens with excellent material for jokes.

"The first time I met Sisi's father, I saw him beating an animal as soon as I walked in."

"Father-in-law, you still say you don't know martial arts?"

"Dean An, could you teach that shameless washing machine a lesson? Just sever its tendons."

"Thug: I only wanted to steal the torch, I never said I wanted to take on human civilization one-on-one!"

"A Side Story of 'The Sky of History': The Street Fighting in Paris - My Dad Was a Diplomat!"

"My father-in-law's fighting power is at MAX level! This attack is even more exciting than 'The Sky of History'!"

"The Hidden Strength of the Diplomatic Dream Team! An Kang: My daughter plays an anti-Japanese war hero, do you think I'm going to sit idly by?"

"I suggest the Oscars add a 'Best Action Diplomacy' award and nominate An Kang!"

"Thug: I just wanted to steal the torch, I didn't say I wanted to start a world war!"

"From Confucius Institutes to the Torch Line: The Civil and Military Strategies of a Chinese Diplomat" is the title of my political science thesis. Thank you, Father-in-law.

The sight of the thousand-story building that was erected in an instant delighted Xiao Liu, and Boss Lu was also in a great mood because of the resolution of this unexpected event. A series of opportunistic marketing events made the Beijing Olympics even more popular.

This atmosphere only seemed to come to an abrupt end when Xiao Liu received a phone call from Yang Siwei during dinner.

"Sissi? Uncle An is so awesome! Did you inherit that from him?"

"Probably, haha!"

"By the way, everything's settled with the Wolong base. We'll be filming a public service advertisement at the Sichuan base on the 11th of next month. Make sure the schedule is right!" (Chapter 406)
Xiao Liu felt that 2008 was truly a year of continuous good fortune:
"The Sky of History" was a great success, earning her her first major Best Actress award;

The casting for Beijing People's Art Theatre's "Sunrise" was finalized, and the Olympic controversy subsided.

Her time with her boyfriend was so sweet; this year was simply the best year of her life so far!

So, her tone was filled with excitement, and her voice grew louder: "Really! The 11th is fine, the annual meeting of Wenjie ends on the 1st, that's great, I can go to Sichuan Province and be with Da Xiong..."

"boom!"

A sudden, sharp crack came from the kitchen, startling Liu Yifei so much that she almost threw her phone away.

She turned her head and saw Lu Kuan standing at the kitchen door with a normal expression, a porcelain bowl broken into pieces at his feet.

The man's smile was utterly indifferent: "It's nothing, just a slip of the hand, haha."

(End of this chapter)