Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 497 Twins (Thanks to the generous donor Cheye Weigui for joining the alliance, the second alliance, 74100)

The morning of December 20th, which changed the fate of countless people, was just an ordinary Saturday morning for the vast majority of Chinese people.

When the horrific car accident occurred around 11 a.m., there were probably still students and office workers who were still in bed, just opening their sleepy eyes, or looking at the romantic winter scenery outside.

This sudden calamity, along with countless ordinary daily lives in parallel universes, was gently covered by the same heavy snow.

However, in the internet age, the two deaths and one injury that occurred an hour earlier outside the Fenglian Plaza building quickly became a hot topic of discussion among people across the country.

Because there were police officers maintaining order at the scene of the incident, the matter was handled immediately. A comparative analysis was conducted through 48 hours of surveillance footage. In order to clarify the situation and prevent the spread of rumors, the Chaoyang Branch immediately released a police report on its official Weibo account.

This is unprecedented in this era.

Accident Overview:

At approximately 11:00 AM today, a three-vehicle collision occurred at the exit of the underground parking garage of Fenglian Plaza, resulting in two deaths at the scene and one person seriously injured and taken to the hospital.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the accident was caused by a deliberate collision, and all individuals involved have been apprehended or identified.

Among them, Zhou (male, 39 years old), a former senior executive of Huayi, attempted to ram his car with a Saab sedan but failed. After losing control of the vehicle, he was intercepted and died at the scene. An investigation revealed that the man was involved in drug use, and drug paraphernalia was found in the car.

Wang (male, 38 years old), driving a Crown sedan, participated in the interception and died on the spot due to a penetrating chest injury caused by the impact.

Ms. Fan (female, 28 years old), who was driving a Mercedes-Benz CLS, participated in the interception. She suffered a rib fracture and internal bleeding. Her vital signs are currently stable, and she is still under observation and treatment in the hospital.

According to the on-site investigation and eyewitness testimonies, the accident was caused by a man surnamed Zhou who, due to a personal dispute, attempted to ram a target vehicle but failed and was instead intercepted by two other vehicles. The relevant motives and details are still under further investigation.

As the year draws to a close, we urge all citizens to abide by traffic regulations and resolve any conflicts or disputes through legal channels, and never resort to extreme measures.

. . .

The accident has not yet yielded a definitive investigation or conclusion. The only surviving person is still in the hospital and unable to be questioned, so the police can only release this much information to the public.

If the initial facts of the case are not released soon, the sensational online forums and tabloids will be able to write a book about it and publish it.

"Huayi Entertainment knows how to stir things up. They haven't even finished filming 'Catch the Spy,' and 'Fast & Furious' has already wrapped up filming. At least tell us the ending of 'Catch the Spy,' okay? Stop with the incomplete story!"

"The person upstairs who's just watching the drama has at least some empathy. It's obvious that some Mr. Wang might be in trouble. Can't you wait for him to recover a bit before saying anything? By the way, I'm guessing his pants have gotten wet. Judging from his expression, he's a pragmatic guy."

"I saw the Weibo post that Sisi forwarded with prayers and blessings. It's good that she's okay. Historically, nothing good ever happens when you're associated with Huayi. That company name is cursed!"

The post with the most replies was a post from someone claiming to be an industry insider. Unlike other speculations and biased inferences, this person's arguments were quite solid, and the timeline mostly matched up.

[Fish Circle Little Pudding]: "I can barely be considered an industry insider. I switched from Huayi to Fiber Optics in 04. The person upstairs was right. This company doesn't have a good image, so it's always involved in these petty and despicable things. Let me tell you clearly, the smear campaign against Xixi back then was their doing, and the instigator was this Zhou!"

"He was the mastermind behind bringing Xinlang to Huayi back then and becoming a shareholder in the internet industry. Later, Xinlang also became a gathering place for Xixi's haters and Song Zude, but it was soon acquired by Shanda."

"Now that Xinlang and Fan Bingbing have jointly initiated an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to overthrow the tyranny, can't you see the signs yet?"

"How are Fan Bingbing and Qianqian connected? Please refer to the old video of the 825 Yifei Incident (do not watch the fan-made or parodies)."

Countless netizens flocked to the scene, strongly urging that if you can talk, then talk more.

Yuquan Xiaobuding was originally just a gossip-loving netizen who had worked for different companies and film crews.

Seeing his Weibo followers surge, he also had the idea of ​​creating a new account, so he started frequently teasing his followers.

"Although we're no longer with Huayi, we can still sort out many clues. For example, if we look back at this leaked shareholding ratio, why are celebrities making such exaggerated claims?"

"Before each change, you can see an invisible hand pushing things along: cutting screenings, making betting deals, and then there are these 10 points about Sissi. Can't you see it?"

"For example, is there a strong connection between the pressure that Wenjie is currently facing in online ticketing and Huayi being attacked by an 'internal hostile takeover'?"

This post was instantly boosted by various replies, becoming a gathering place for gossip, regret, shock, and revelations.

The output and convergence of different perspectives, under the meticulous analysis of netizens, have formed various versions of the "truth".

Fish Circle Little Pudding was starting to get scared. After all, he had predicted that those huge hands could easily kill him, so he closed the reply section to avoid the limelight.
"Stop asking me, I've said enough, and it's all pure speculation. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental! Merry Christmas!"

Those in the know understand that Voldemort's name should not be mentioned lightly.

The world is full of troubles and chaos.

Even the richest and most important people, their joys and sorrows are nothing more than a drama to be savored by onlookers.

The blood, tears, and struggles of those involved have become fodder for gossip among others.

The excruciating pain was also casually dissected into bizarre fragments.

The conspiracies and struggles in the world of fame and fortune have been playing out continuously throughout history; what is being repeated now is simply yesterday's story.

Afei and Bingbing's driver and assistant went to the hospital together. After examination, their injuries were far from fatal.

This was thanks to the subsequent side impact of Wang Xiaolei's Crown, which caused it to deviate from its original path and only grazed the right front wheel of the Mercedes at a 30° angle. At the last moment, Bingbing instinctively swerved the steering wheel, allowing the driver's seat to avoid a direct impact.

"Hey?"

In the hospital corridor, Afei watched as the reporters and fans who were frantically rushing in were blocked by the police and hospital staff: "I just had a 64-slice CT scan of my entire abdomen and other examinations. So far, it looks like I have rib fractures and multiple contusions, and hematoma in my right knee joint. Now I'm going to have a brain CT scan."

"Alright, you've confessed everything you needed to." Boss Lu squinted, referring to his collusion with Bingbing.

"I already told her, she's in good spirits after the blood transfusion."

"Okay, come back after her family arrives. Drive carefully on the way."

"it is good."

Lu Kuan and his companion were watching the snow under the eaves when Xiao Liu watched him hang up the phone and continue their unfinished conversation.

"So you knew all along?"

“Well, Zhou Jun is different from Liu Zeyu and his son who come from the same place. Even if he has completely turned into a drug addict, he might still be able to find a few of his childhood cronies to help him.”

“Brothers who grew up in the same courtyard and wore open-crotch pants are probably now holding positions in various key departments. We can’t be too careful, so we’ve been keeping an eye on him.”

When Boss Lu talked about this, he grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed it in his hands with some lingering fear, a chill running down his spine: "Better safe than sorry. These Nezhas have been pampered since they were young and can't stand being wronged. Once they are wronged, they will never swallow their anger."

"This time it's enough to bring their whole family down, and those still in office will also be implicated."

In fact, since Old Man Zhou of the State Planning Commission fell from power three years ago, the Zhou family has been essentially crippled and will never be able to recover.

Liu Yifei rolled a snowball and threw it far away with a "hey," then covered her husband's hand, which was holding snow, in her own palm: "Next time you should tell me. I'm not that fragile. You know, a mother's strength comes from within."

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "It was mainly unnecessary. If those two hadn't suddenly appeared, we would have just left by car, and Afei would have been dealt with by the city's criminal investigation team."

"By the time you heard the news, you'd already be sitting in your warm and cozy home. Were you shocked by the horrific scene today?"

Xiao Liu shook his head: "No, it was Wang Xiaolei and Bingbing who scared me, they..."

She didn't know what to say, especially since Wang Xiaolei was already dead, and whatever grudges they had during their lifetimes had simply vanished.

As for Bingbing, Liu Yifei, who knew her husband's methods, realized even more clearly that her final act was actually a way to save herself, otherwise living would be more painful than dying.

But this didn't diminish her affection for Bingbing, even in that moment of realization, "When should we go see her?"

As long as her bottom line isn't crossed, Bingbing's resilient character is actually quite admirable to her.

"It will have to be done later. The situation is a bit complicated now, and I need to communicate with Leader Liu again."

After this major case occurred, Liu, who had already taken a further step, directly gave instructions, and because it involved Lu Kuan and his family, it was reported up the chain of command.

If the situation escalates and higher-ups pay close attention, the Ministry of Work Safety might eventually set up a special task force to personally oversee the case, and the Supreme People's Court might designate jurisdiction over the trial.

Bingbing, as the only surviving party, will be questioned after the surgery.

Her actions could be considered legitimate self-defense from a legal perspective, but they would only be valid if determined by the judicial authorities based on the evidence and facts.

However, for Mr. Lu, the death of Wang Xiaolei, another party involved, cannot completely bring this accident to a "satisfactory" end.

As the victim of an attempted murder, he has the right to file a complaint with the relevant authorities and provide clues for the special investigation team. Should we further investigate the roles played by Wang Dajun, Ma Yun, and others in this matter?
If there is a problem, correct it; if not, then... If there is no problem, then let it go.

At least Zhou Jun's recording should now be in the hands of the investigating authorities.

It is advisable to chase the poor with the courage of the left, but not to be the overlord.

Wang Xiaolei is redeeming himself, not others. At most, if Wang Dajun is indeed unrelated to this matter, then let him leave quietly.

As for Lao Ma?

A few warnings and reminders are necessary, since the competition between Wenjie Mall and Taobao is unlikely to be resolved within a year or two.

Not to mention the booming online ticketing market—

Wenjie's online ticketing website is undergoing intensive debugging and closed beta testing, including discussions between teams in China and the United States. It will be officially launched in mid-January and open for operation during the Valentine's Day period.

Even after lunch, Liu Xiaoli, unaware of the truth, was still cursing Zhou Jun as a beast, and hugged her daughter with a feeling of lingering fear.

"I think you shouldn't go out unless you have to. The house is so big, you can go for a walk or watch a movie whenever you want, and we can arrange whatever you need for food, drinks, and entertainment. It's too dangerous outside!"

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "It's not that exaggerated. Besides, Lu Kuan already had his fortune told for me. I'm lucky." (Chapter 17)
Liu Xiaoli looked at her daughter and laughed, "When she was little, everyone said that Qianqian had a hump nose, that she was stubborn, and that she would have a rough life. It was not a good thing. I was so worried about her."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "On the contrary, the most prominent feature of Qianqian's face is her camel-hump nose, with a slightly raised bridge like jade. This is called 'Golden Carriage Supporting the Beam,' which brings good fortune to her husband and family."

"Furthermore, her hump nose paired with her phoenix eyes, full cheeks, and bright eyes are all excellent features."

Liu Xiaoli joked with her son-in-law, "I didn't realize it at the time, but now I have reason to suspect that this rascal deliberately came to abduct my daughter. Is he looking for a wife through fortune-telling?" "It's too late for you to realize it now. You already have a child." Boss Lu held a cup of tea, and the family of three chatted idly after the meal.

Today's horrific car accident and blizzard have really dampened any interest in working.

The elderly mother smiled and said, "It's really unnecessary. Once you're an adult, it will be automatically packaged and delivered to you. Why bother with all this trouble!"

Xiao Liu complained, "Hey, aren't you guys being a bit disrespectful? There are three of us here!"

Boss Lu laughed and said, "We went to Nanjing a while ago and heard that the Buddha's skull relic had appeared. We even went to pay our respects. It seems that there is a reason why we turned bad luck into good luck this time."

"And the temple of the goddess, I'll go visit her whenever I have time."

Liu Yifei looked at him with her beautiful eyes and thought to herself, "You have always been my only guardian angel."

On the morning of the 21st, the family got up at 6 o'clock and rushed to the hospital, where they made an appointment for a private prenatal check-up through the head of obstetrics, Lang Jinghe.

On the one hand, it's about the prestige of being the richest man and the extra services of a specially hired private medical team; on the other hand, it's also about avoiding congestion and crowds to prevent any potential dangers.

You could have gone to a private hospital within the Peking Union Medical College Hospital system, but in terms of equipment, the main campus has more abundant medical resources. It's just a matter of getting up earlier.

Inside the ultrasound room, Zhu Lan, deputy director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, sat in front of the machine and first monitored the fetal heart rate of Xiao Liu.

Liu Xiaoli and Lu Kuan stood excitedly to one side, listening to her explanation in a relaxed and comfortable tone, clearly indicating that the situation was very good.

As the ultrasound probe gently touched the abdomen, the sound of two strong fetal heartbeats instantly filled the examination room: "thump, thump," the sound was like drumming, and the frequency was stable at 145 beats per minute.

Liu Xiaoli had been studying prenatal science and nutrition for several months and asked with some concern, "Dr. Zhu, is the baby's heartbeat too fast?"

Zhu Lan laughed and said, "This usually happens when there are two babies; they compete for the mother's oxygen."

"But your two babies are quite something, they make a lot of noise like little ponies."

The elderly mother couldn't stop smiling: "Haha, that's good, that's good."

Mr. Lu stared at the baby curiously for a while: "Director Zhu, let's see the baby's gender."

"Wait a minute, I'll adjust it for you and you'll be able to see it clearly." Of course, she wouldn't dwell on the provisions of the "Maternal and Infant Protection Law" at this time.

The reason for keeping the baby's gender a secret is largely to prevent premature abortion and abandonment due to preference for boys. This is highly unlikely in wealthy families, who would cherish their children too much.

Zhu Lan skillfully adjusted the probe angle, and the ultrasound gel traced a smooth path on Liu Yifei's round belly. The black and white image on the screen gradually focused, and the outline of the fetus in the amniotic fluid looked like a silhouette through frosted glass.

"Look here." She suddenly tapped a spot on the screen, zooming in on a portion of the image.

Lu Kuan subconsciously held his breath, and caught a glimpse of a subtle anatomical difference between the two curled-up little bodies.

"How is it? How is it?" Xiao Liu, who was lying down, was extremely anxious. She also wanted to see what her baby looked like now.

Liu Xiaoli scolded, "Don't move. We'll take our time to look at the ultrasound results later."

“The characteristics of the double-cash and double-lamb babies are very obvious.” Zhu Lan drew a small circle on the screen with the tip of her pen. “You can see a small teapot handle between the legs of the baby on the left. The one on the right is also very clear; it’s a girl.”

Not wanting to be left out, Xiao Liu asked, "What does 'double wool double sheep' mean?"

“It means that each baby has its own placenta and amniotic sac.” Zhu Lan pointed to the clear “double peak sign” on the ultrasound image. “This type accounts for 30% of twins of different sexes. It’s like having two presidential suites built in the mother’s uterus. They don’t interfere with each other and can even kick each other through the wall.”

"Haha, this is so interesting!" Liu Yifei exclaimed in surprise. "No wonder my belly is so big, it turns out these two little ones are marking their territory."

She lay in bed looking at the ceiling: "Lu Kuan, now you have both a son and a daughter, aren't you happy?"

Liu Xiaoli was overjoyed. She glanced at her son-in-law, Mr. Lu, who was grinning foolishly while watching the black-and-white video.

"Ah? Of course I'm happy!" Boss Lu smacked his lips and sighed after a long while, "It's just that we've been waiting for too long. I want to see them right now."

"Hahaha!"

The 4D ultrasound was just the simplest step. Accompanied by her family, Xiao Liu went through the entire procedure and then returned to the office to listen to the doctor's instructions.

Regarding precautions during the second trimester, nutritional considerations, and the current condition of both mother and baby.

Zhu Lan spent a little longer looking at the document. Lang Jinghe wasn't home today, and this was her first time receiving the richest man in mainland China. She had heard of him for a long time, so she couldn't help but be more careful.

After looking at the baby in the ultrasound image with a smile, Liu Yifei looked up and asked, "Director Zhu, how are things going?"

"Hmm... It's very good. I've also looked at Mom's medical data. Apart from needing to supplement iron during the second trimester, there are no problems."

Zhu Lan exclaimed in amazement, "To be honest, Ms. Liu has the best physical data and indicators of any mother I've seen in recent years. This is extremely beneficial for the fetus."

Liu Xiaoli put her hands on her daughter's shoulders, feeling proud upon hearing this.

Boss Lu was also in a good mood, a sentiment he shared with the top obstetricians and gynecologists at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, though his conclusion was based on observation and practical experience.

She was tall with long legs, a round and perky bottom, and a healthy, rosy complexion; she was clearly a Han Chinese woman full of vitality.

Zhu Lan, of course, picked out the good things to say: "Look, just look, Miss Liu's pelvic measurement index is 1.5cm wider than the average for singleton pregnant women, and her muscles and ligaments are also very flexible."

"This kind of constitution is considered a 'golden foundation' in twin pregnancies, which is equivalent to installing a natural shock absorption system for the two babies."

She picked up the ultrasound report: "The biggest concern with twins is selective growth restriction, which can lead to an imbalance in nutrient absorption between the two babies. But we don't need to worry at all; the synergistic effect is excellent."

Liu Xiaoli smiled broadly, shaking the hand of the female head of the obstetrics and gynecology department vigorously: "Thank you so much, Dr. Zhu, for troubling you to come over from home to work overtime so early."

The wall clock had just struck 7:30. Except for those on duty or in special positions, it wasn't yet time for doctors to start their regular workday.

"You're too kind, it's just our job." Zhu Lan smiled as she saw the three of them out. "Just keep a happy mood, but twins put more pressure on mothers, so Miss Liu will have to adjust slowly."

Xiao Liu happily touched her pregnant belly, never thinking about the pain and pressure that expectant mothers face.

Even if she debuted at the peak of her career, how much suffering and hardship has she endured over the years?

This is a girl with an extremely resilient body and personality.

The morning light of eight o'clock in Beiping shone through the car window. Xiao Liu leaned lazily against the back seat, looking at the 4D ultrasound photos over and over again, while her elderly mother sorted out the materials from each prenatal checkup.

Looking at his wife's loving face through the rearview mirror, Mr. Lu suddenly pressed the photo against her slightly protruding belly, as if "live-streaming" their children's first ID photos:

"Baby, look! It's you guys!"

The expectant father was speechless: "Oh no, he's already starting to act stupid."

"It kicked me! It kicked me!" Liu Yifei looked triumphantly at her husband in the passenger seat: "Now that we know the gender, the baby's father can start thinking of a name."

Lu Kuan agreed wholeheartedly and stopped joking about being "out of touch": "This is a big deal, I need to think about it carefully."

After tidying up the materials, Liu Xiaoli suddenly remembered something: "Xiaolu, Qianqian's uncle Liu Yue came to our house the day before yesterday. You were in the United States at the time, so he must have wanted to talk to you about something."

Boss Lu asked curiously, "Hmm? Why didn't you call me?"

"Maybe he's afraid of bothering you," Liu Xiaoli said with a smile. "If you're free lately, I'll invite him over for dinner."

This refers to Liu Yifei's uncle, Liu Yue, who works at the China Development Bank.

The China Development Bank has officially begun its restructuring, and in addition to implementing the national four trillion yuan stimulus plan, it has also established a credit department targeting emerging technology industries.

Lu Kuan speculated that this was Liu Yue, who worked in the Enterprise Bureau of the China Development Bank, and that there was business that could complement Wenjie's.

The latter should be aware of Wenjie's current cash flow situation, and naturally wouldn't mind providing some mutually beneficial assistance to their own people.

In fact, Lu Kuan, who had never dealt with the China Development Bank in his previous life, was unaware that the State Council would issue the "Opinions on Giving Full Play to the Supporting Role of Science and Technology in Promoting Steady and Rapid Economic Development" next March.

In short, the main point of the "Opinions" is to clearly define science and technology as an important means of "responding to crises, stabilizing the economy, and promoting transformation," and to set a development path at the national level.

Most of the companies that benefit from this policy are well-known:

Yingli Group's photovoltaic industry, TBEA's high-end equipment and new energy, and Sany Heavy Industry's intelligent engineering machinery.

This also includes CRRC's high-speed rail equipment, which received subsidies of 15-09 billion yuan in 20 alone.

Among the various industry sectors, DJI and Butian Pictures both meet the criteria.

Ring ring ring!
Lu Kuan, who had just arrived home, answered the phone. Liu Yifei, being mischievous, half-hung on him to eavesdrop, little did she know it was business.

"Mr. Lu, I apologize for disturbing you." The speaker was Captain Zheng from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Department.

"Please speak, what are you saying?"

"Here's the thing, the bureau received a recording that mentions your wife, Ms. Liu, and also involves information about the perpetrator's motive, accomplices, and so on."

Captain Zheng was still very polite: "If it's convenient, please come to my office at 2 pm this afternoon and try some melon seed cakes from my hometown?"

Finally, he added, "When the time comes, Wang Dajun and other shareholders related to today's events will come to be questioned. Because of their special status, we didn't go to the investigating authorities; we just put them in the city bureau's conference room."

Mr. Lu smiled and said, "Okay, tea is nice. See you this afternoon."

Seeing the glint in his eyes when he hung up the phone, Liu Yifei knew he was using this as an excuse to continue "seizing" Huayi's shares.

The young woman took her husband's arm and walked into the house: "We should ask about Bingbing's situation. We'll go see her tomorrow or the day after. We promised."

"Okay, after we finish talking this afternoon, Huayi will have a final explanation."

(End of this chapter)