This director is vindictive.

Chapter 184 The Current State of the Backstabbing Cult! Billions in assets, yet stingy? (Seeking monthly votes)

Chen Mo has always felt that watching realistic movies in a dry, uninteresting way is really boring.

For example, the movie "Search" wouldn't have been as effective if it hadn't been linked to that real-life case of cyberbullying.

For example, with "Dying to Survive," if there weren't so many real-life cases and the story of the real-life Cheng Yong, the film wouldn't have reached that level of success.

Chen Mo felt the same way about Article 20.

Since the movie is made under the guise of "self-defense," shouldn't we clarify the background of the case and the points of contention?
Of course, this is a pretty big project for a director or screenwriter, since a movie also needs to take into account the plot and can't just be a dry retelling of the case.

Even though Chen Mo had lived two lives, it was all hearsay; this was the first time he had truly delved into the subject.

Of course, simply looking at the information is not enough.

So, Chen Mo then began to frequently contact lawyers who had handled cases related to legitimate self-defense through Hongjing Law Firm, and even found some prosecutors who had dealt with such cases to learn more about the relevant knowledge.

At the same time, he also frequented many courts to observe court hearings of such cases.

You never know what you'll find until you see it, and once you do, you're shocked. Chen Mo had only heard about the more famous and sensational cases before, and thought there wouldn't be that many cases like this. But after actually getting involved, he realized that there were countless cases like this.

Of course, most of the cases don't actually involve life; they are mostly minor injuries, or at most serious injuries. The high-profile cases in the past were mostly due to deaths that occurred during the incidents.

Chen Mo also learned that the Yu Huan case, which went to trial on appeal last year, has indeed made "Article 20" and "legitimate defense" increasingly important.

In many regions, procuratorates will determine, in certain cases, whether it constitutes legitimate self-defense, and whether arrest and prosecution are necessary, etc.

After making some visits and research, Chen Mo made his decision.

The version of "Article 20" that he wants to film will be different from Zhang Yimou's version. It will follow two storylines: one is the main storyline of lawyers, and the other is the storyline of prosecutors.

He even planned to have Fan Binbin and Zhao Liying act together.

One played a lawyer, and the other played a prosecutor.

However, he would reduce the number of everyday, slice-of-life storylines, such as those about family life, because he felt there was no need to do so much of that.

When Chen Mo called Zhao Liying and Fan Binbin over together, they were both a little confused.

This was the first time Chen Mo had brought the two of them together.

Although everyone knew about Chen Mo's relationships with several women, Chen Mo was never so stubborn as to deliberately create any kind of love triangle.

Therefore, they rarely meet, and they have a tacit understanding with each other.

But this time was different; Chen Mo pulled both of them over at once.

“I’m planning to make a movie about ‘self-defense,’ with two female leads, one a lawyer and the other a prosecutor. Binbin, you’ve always complained about never having played the female lead in one of my movies, and Xiao Zhao, you haven’t either. I called you two here today to talk about this,” Chen Mo said with a smile.

Fan Binbin and Zhao Liying were both pleasantly surprised to hear this.

"Self-defense? Is that Article 20?" Fan Binbin asked immediately.

Chen Mo was somewhat surprised: "You knew?"

But this only earned her a glare and a reply: "Of course I know. The Yu Huan case caused such a big stir, how could I not know?"

“Yes, that’s right, it’s Article 20! But just knowing isn’t enough. Next, I hope you can go to Hongjing Law Firm for an ‘internship’ to see how lawyers in China actually work,” Chen Mo said.

That's right, he prefers Fan Binbin to play the role of a lawyer.

Then he turned to Zhao Liying and said, "As for you, I hope you will play the role of a prosecutor. I haven't finished writing the script yet, but this is also a storyline. Compared to Binbin, it might be a bit more troublesome for you. After all, the prosecutor's office is not like a law firm, where you can really experience their work process in its entirety. However, I still hope that you can find a prosecutor who is a good fit for you and understand their daily work methods and work processes."

Chen Mo personally feels that Zhang Yimou's original film, "Article 20," has somewhat reversed the focus. The film's theme is Article 20, which is about legitimate self-defense, but it has shifted to many other things, such as family matters and workplace infighting.

This is an anti-corruption drama! There's really no need to make it so complicated.

"Also, pay more attention to real cases. Binbin, your character will be a senior lawyer with many years of experience, and Xiao Zhao, you will be a senior prosecutor. If you want to portray someone who has been practicing for many years, you need to think carefully about how to act. This subject matter is very good, and I have high hopes for this movie. I hope you won't let me down," Chen Mo said earnestly.

Chen Mo doesn't plan to include any melodramatic romance in this movie; the main focus will be on the case.

The reason he chose two women as the two female leads was, of course, also due to his own personal reasons.

After all, we shouldn't let the good stuff go to outsiders!
As for the male lead, should he take him or not? Chen Mo hasn't decided yet.

Fan Binbin and Zhao Liying are not fools. Chen Mo's most outstanding film was arguably the one with a realistic theme.

The same applies to "The Search" and "Dying to Survive," so this time, "Article 20" will certainly be no exception.

Therefore, it is naturally of utmost importance to it.

So the two of them quickly got into the swing of things, one went to a law firm to experience life there, and the other went to the procuratorate to experience life there.

Fan Binbin's refusal to star in "Cell Phone 2" also left Huayi Brothers somewhat disappointed. The main reason is that if it's not the original cast, then the nostalgia factor will be greatly diminished.

Moreover, Fan Binbin is quite popular right now.

Wang Jun even called specifically to try and persuade Chen Mo to agree to let Fan Binbin star in the film, offering his investment share in "Cellphone 2".

Chen Mo simply wasn't interested in the movie at all.

Fan Binbin and Zhao Liying are both currently popular actresses, so their every move is naturally under media scrutiny.

One of them frequented law firms and courts, while the other frequented prosecutor's offices and courts.

It was impossible to keep it a secret, although Chen Mo hadn't originally intended to keep it a secret.

Soon, news spread that Chen Mo was going to make a movie about the "Article 20" of legitimate self-defense.

It immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Several companies that had worked with Chen Mo came to inquire about his projects, since Chen Mo's projects were undoubtedly among the best in the Chinese film industry.

Moreover, this time he chose a "realistic" subject matter, which he is good at.

It is also the subject of "Article 20" legitimate self-defense, which has received much attention in recent years.

It seems reliable no matter how you look at it!

Moreover, netizens and movie fans are also eagerly anticipating Chen Mo's new work.

"As expected of Chen Mo, while everyone else is rushing to make patriotic films, he still chose a realistic subject! Self-defense, tsk tsk, the first thing that comes to mind is the Yu Huan case!"

"Fan Binbin has had a tough time; she's finally about to play the female lead in Chen Mo's movie!"

"I wonder if this time it will be like 'Caught in the Web,' perfectly integrated with reality?"

Suddenly, topics such as "Article 20" and "legitimate self-defense" became hot topics of discussion among netizens.

And you should know that Chen Mo's movie didn't even have a script written yet, and it hadn't been registered.

This is enough to demonstrate Chen Mo's current influence.

Chen Mo really didn't expect that just revealing the theme of the new film would actually spark a wave of discussion.

Actually, many people in the entertainment industry envy, are jealous of, and even hate Chen Mo. Who would have thought that Chen Mo's "scumbag"—oh, no, I mean "charming and talented man" persona—could actually bring him so many benefits.

Why do you say that?

Because in recent years, there have been one cheating scandal after another in the entertainment industry, it just hasn't stopped.

For example, when the news of a certain deer cheating on his wife broke at the beginning of the year, Chen Mo was once again brought up as a role model in the entertainment industry!

And it's conceivable that, going forward, whenever there's a clear breakup, divorce, or infidelity, Chen Mo will passively gain a wave of attention.

Although Chen Mo himself was speechless, that was the truth.

"Look up and see, who can escape the wrath of Heaven? It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time has come!"

The article lists the current situation of Chen Mo and the core members of the Backstabbing Cult.

Chen Mo needs no introduction; he has now become a major figure in the entertainment industry!
With a net worth of billions and his lovers being top female celebrities in the entertainment industry, what's more, despite being a womanizer and a scumbag to such an extent, Chen Mo has actually become a role model for men in the entertainment industry.

Because Chen Mo had collaborated with Huayi in previous years, Du Chun was marginalized at Huayi and had almost no roles to play.

Next is Li Cheng, who, after the "Knife-Stabbing Cult" incident and the subsequent falling out with his brothers, has now almost faded from public view.

Dong Xuan's marriage broke down due to her husband's sexual assault case.

In an instant, Chen Mo's words were seen as coming true one by one. If you don't believe it, look up and see who the heavens will spare!
However, as netizens continued to follow the gossip, they inevitably started to speculate about conspiracy theories.

"Tsk tsk, do you think Chen Mo played any role in bringing these people from the Backstabbing Cult to such an end?"

"Holy crap, I hadn't thought about it until I mentioned it, but now that I think about it, there really are clues to it!"

"Du Chun has no acting opportunities now and has almost faded out of the entertainment industry. It must be related to Chen Mo. After all, he has worked with Huayi several times. Huayi would not offend Chen Mo because of Du Chun."

"Wang Ludan's transformation from Golden Eagle Goddess to a marginal figure in the entertainment industry is definitely related to Chen Mo. After all, back then, Bai Baihe, who had a similar face to Wang Ludan, was not as famous as Wang Ludan! But after Chen Mo's 'Love is Not Blind,' Bai Baihe became Wang Ludan's nightmare!"

"I can understand that these things are related to Chen Mo, but those who cheated, they shouldn't have anything to do with Chen Mo, right?"

"Hehe, who knows?"

"You guys are really something. No matter how awesome Chen Mo is, he can't force someone to cheat on him, can he?"

"Indeed, one incident can reveal a person's character. The reason why the members of the 'Knife-Stabbing Cult' are where they are today can be seen from the 'Knife-Stabbing Cult' incident back then!"

In fact, Chen Mo hadn't done anything special, but given his current status and position, he didn't need to do anything; naturally, others would do it for him.

Of course, to be honest, all that cheating and stuff has absolutely nothing to do with him.
Chen Mo didn't expect that he would soon be dragged into a media storm again.

The whole thing started because of Yang Mi! Yes, that's right, it's Yang Mi.

The story begins in 2015, when Yang Mi played a blind person in the movie "The Witness".

At the roadshow, Yang Mi said that she would donate 100 white canes and 50 Braille typewriters to blind children at Tianfu Special Education School.

Subsequently, blind children from Tianfu Special Education School read aloud a letter of thanks. On the same day, multiple media outlets reported on Yang Mi's donation of supplies to blind children in Chengdu.

It is estimated that the 50 Braille typewriters are worth approximately 50 yuan.

More than two years have passed, but the children at Tianfu Special Education School have still not received the supplies donated by Yang Mi. The school has inquired with Li Meng, the donation intermediary, every month, and Li Meng always replies "as soon as possible," but nothing has ever actually been done.

Two years have passed, and the supplies "donated" by Yang Mi have still not arrived. A relevant person in charge of the Department for the Blind told reporters, "Now, the students no longer ask about this matter. Their excitement has turned into disappointment."

“For the past two years, I have sent Li Meng a message every month to ask why the supplies that Yang Mi promised to donate have not yet been delivered, and Li Meng always replies with ‘as soon as possible, as soon as possible.’”

A relevant person in charge of the Department for the Blind told reporters that the last time they contacted Li Meng was around the end of last year. "I said it's been two years, when can I receive it?"

Li Meng suggested that a suitable time needed to be found, "He asked us to take the blind students to Beijing and hold another donation ceremony."

The school declined the invitation, saying, "The students were hurt, and we will never go again."

This incident quickly sparked heated discussions after it was exposed!
This incident is known as the "Yang Mi Charity Fraud Scandal"!
Although some netizens said: describing her as a fraudulent donation seems a bit too serious. 100 white canes and 50 Braille typewriters are really not much money. It seems that Yang Mi would not be so brainless as to ruin the reputation of a popular star with such a small amount of money.

After the news broke, Chen Mo was asked about it by the media, and the key point is that Chen Mo was completely dumbfounded at the time.

Afterwards, Chen Mo also asked Yang Mi about it. The main reason was that this matter was a bit too outrageous. It was just a donation of a few hundred thousand yuan. Yang Mi was short of that little bit of money.
Moreover, he publicly stated that he would donate.

The truth, however, left Chen Mo both amused and exasperated. The money had been donated, but the middleman, Li Meng, had dragged his feet and failed to complete the donation.

Although Yang Mi's studio later posted on Weibo that all the procurement work had been completed, Yang Mi herself also reposted it, speaking out for the first time about the incident, expressing shock, sadness and apologizing.

This matter should have ended there.

However, charity work in the entertainment industry has always been highly controversial.

Originally, this was Yang Mi's business, but unexpectedly, Chen Mo was also dragged into it.

The reason is simple: Chen Mo is reportedly worth billions. Although the truth about Yang Mi's "charity fraud" eventually came to light, many people used the Yang Mi charity fraud incident to point the finger at Chen Mo, this "billionaire"!
A media outlet suddenly broke the news: "A man with billions in assets, yet he doesn't give away a single penny!"

Although the news used pseudonyms, such as "a certain director surnamed Chen," because Chen Mo did not issue a lawyer's letter but took the strong measure of actually suing if necessary, the news reports used pseudonyms.
Or perhaps a newly minted billionaire director!

They said they checked many lists of donations and charitable donations from domestic celebrities, but surprisingly, they couldn't find Chen Mo's name.

Then the questioning began: Chen Mo has billions in assets, yet he doesn't donate a single penny to charity!
This news is much more explosive than Yang Mi's charity fraud scandal. On the same day, the hashtag #Billions in assets, yet not a penny to give away# immediately topped the trending search list.

Although Chen Mo's name wasn't mentioned, everyone knew that it referred to Chen Mo.

"No way? Really? You haven't donated even once?"

"Although charity is based on the principle of voluntariness, it is indeed a bit excessive for Chen Mo, who has billions in assets, not to donate a single penny."

"Waiting for updates! Will Chen Mo file a lawsuit?"

“They’ve all used pseudonyms, so suing them won’t help. Is this considered moral blackmail? But if they really refuse to give a penny, that would be going too far.”

Although many people were skeptical after the news broke, quite a few still criticized Chen Mo for being rich but heartless!

Doing charity work is fine if you're not a celebrity, but if you are a celebrity, especially one in the entertainment industry, it will definitely be brought up.

Not to mention Chen Mo, who's currently a rising star.

This truly caused a huge stir.

After all, Chen Mo is different from Wang Changtian and Wang Jun, who are pure businessmen. He is a director and an actor.

Even though she stopped acting much later on, she was still considered a celebrity.

Therefore, after this news broke, it can be said that it immediately became a trending topic.

And what is the truth?
The truth is, Chen Mo has never donated money to any charitable organizations in his personal capacity!

In no time, Chen Mo's Weibo account was flooded with comments. He already had a large number of followers, and although he didn't post much on Weibo, his follower count remained consistently high.

This incident prompted many netizens to flock to his Weibo account to inquire about the truth of the matter.

(End of this chapter)