Chapter 966: The press conference begins!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
A few days later.
Saturday.
On the day of the press conference.
Morning, at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Cancer Hospital.
“Dandan,” Tong Fu said.
Huang Dandan shook her head. “That’s impossible!”
Beside her, Little Wang said with a sunken expression, “Director Zhang really said that.”
Huang Dandan said in disbelief, “Don’t you guys know what kind of person Director Zhang is?”
“I know.” Tong Fu grit his teeth and said, “But he’s really going to stop caring about this. He instructed us to not get involved nor bring it up again. Even when we wanted to go and protest against the heads a second time, he stopped us from going!”
Little Wang said in resentment, “Our documentary definitely can’t make it to broadcast anymore as the footage has been deleted. The press conference will be held today, and we’ll be explaining to the reporters and public the reason why the documentary was taken down. It’s 7 AM now. In two more hours, the press conference will begin!”
Huang Dandan kept shaking her head.
Tong Fu said, “I can actually understand Director Zhang’s decision. He will be leaving Central TV soon, so if he gets into trouble at this stage, it’ll greatly affect him. Since we already know that our documentary will likely offend a lot of people, nobody would want to get themselves involved in such a mess. Director Zhang also—”
“Don’t speak any further!” Huang Dandan interrupted him angrily. “All of you, please leave!”
Little Wang said, “Dandan, why are you—”
Huang Dandan ignored her. “Please go back!”
“Th-Then we’ll head on to work. Rest up and listen to the doctor.” Tong Fu had no choice but to leave with Little Wang and another colleague who was also visiting.
“What should we do?”
“Just give Dandan some time alone.”
“Hai, she definitely can’t accept that either.”
“This time, Director Zhang is really—”
“Don’t. Director Zhang has done a lot for everyone.”
“Let’s go back then. There’s still a lot of things to handle at the press conference venue.”
…
Meanwhile.
At SARFT HQ.
Wu Zeqing walked into the office building.
“Eh.”
“Chief Wu!”
“Chief Wu, good morning.”
“Ah, Chief Wu!”
Many people were momentarily stunned. Today was Saturday, as well as public holiday. Besides, didn’t Chief Wu attend a meeting in Shanghai yesterday? Didn’t she originally plan to return on Sunday? Then why did Chief Wu come back to work today? Uh, did something happen at the office? Why wasn’t there any news of that then?
The employees started gossiping.
Soon, Wu Zeqing’s secretary, Bai Li rushed back in a hurry.
In the office.
Bai Li was quite surprised. “Chief Wu, what made you come back today? Wasn’t the meeting in Shanghai slated to end on Sunday?”
Wu Zeqing said nonchalantly, “There might be something happening today, so I came back in advance.”
Bai Li exclaimed, “What’s going to happen?”
Wu Zeqing did not answer her. She just said, “If something happens today, tell me immediately. I will be in my office the entire day.”
Terrified, Bai Li said, “Uh, OK.”
Just what was going on?
Even Chief Wu had to come back in anticipation of something?
Was a disaster going to occur?!
…
At Central TV.
At the press conference venue.
“I’m from the Beijing Times.”
“Oh, please enter.”
“I’m from the News Channel and this is my reporter pass.”
“Alright, please enter.”
“I’m with Tianjin TV.”
“Welcome. Please enter.”
The reporters and camera operators were gradually admitted into the venue. Some of them were setting up their equipment and testing their video cameras, while others were exchanging words in twos and threes.
“Why is it being held at such a big venue?”
“I heard that there will be over a hundred reporters attending.”
“That many?”
“Yeah. Department 14’s new documentary was rejected, so a lot of people are focusing their attention on them.”
“That’s true. We still don’t know the reason behind it.”
“We’ll probably find out in a while.”
“I heard that the entire Department 14 was punished and even warned!”
“Due to what reason?”
“Who knows! Isn’t it just a documentary about air pollution? How big of an affair could it be?”
“It seems that the smog can cause diseases.”
“Come on, that’s all nonsense, no? It is the same as pesticides on vegetables. No matter how much you try to wash them away, the veggies won’t be 100% clean. There will still be some residue left in the vegetables. Even though the residue is poisonous, a small intake of it won’t affect the body, so nothing will happen. The issue of the smog is likely the same, and it doesn’t happen every day anyway. Today’s weather looks just fine to me.”
“Yeah, if the smog really is hazardous, the station would already have gotten us to investigate and do a report on it, but have any of you received instructions to do so in the past two years?”
“Nope.”
“We didn’t get such instructions from our station either.”
“I did receive one, but our investigations showed nothing. The officials did not even give us a proper definition of what smog is. There were some similar cases overseas as well, but their circumstances should be different from our country’s. This PM2.5 issue was only brought up recently, in the past two years.”
Even a lot of the reporters working on the front lines had only a passing knowledge of it.
This was the current state of this world’s knowledge and understanding of smog. It was a very different from Zhang Ye’s previous world. The people of this world were still at the preliminary stage of discovery regarding smog. Ignoring the fact of how hazardous it was, nobody even seemed like they knew if the smog was harmful to their bodies.
Not far away.
Ha Qiqi, Zhang Zuo, and the others were busy working.
But from the looks of it, everyone from Department 14 seemed to be going about their work very listlessly. There was no hint of the fire or anger from before. They all appeared to have become rather apathetic to everything.
Zhang Zuo asked, “How many people have not arrived yet?”
Wu Yi said, “Almost everyone is here. There’s just one or two who aren’t.”
“Then let’s get ready to start,” Ha Qiqi said, expressionless.
Beside them, several heads of Central TV walked by for an inspection. They looked at the staff of Department 14. “So how’s the preparation going?”
Zhang Zuo looked upset. “It’s all done.”
Deputy Station Head Zhou said, “When it’s time for the Q&A session, don’t mention anything about getting barred or the like, as it doesn’t sound nice. Today’s press conference is mainly to give a proper explanation to the people concerned about this issue. Don’t bring up any unrelated things, understand?”
A different supervisor criticized, “In the future, don’t commit such a big mistake! Even Zhang Ye knows how severe this is, yet you people are still not over it?”
The station heads then made their rounds once more, albeit not seriously, before leaving. With the footage deleted, there was no way they could broadcast it even if they wanted to. They did not believe this group of people could give them any more trouble.
Once the station heads left, the look on the faces of the Department 14 people turned even more unsightly!
A big mistake?
What big mistake did we commit?
Someone spoke up, “I think Director Zhang is still backstage. Can someone go and get him?”
No one answered.
Ha Qiqi just said, “Whoever wants to go, go.”
Zhang Zuo sighed, “Old Ha.”
Wu Yi gazed at Ha Qiqi. “It’s actually hard for Director Zhang too. Director Zhang is tired of it this time and does not want to fight them anymore. We have to try to understand.”
Ha Qiqi turned around and walked away to oversee the work elsewhere.
Tong Fu walked up. “But he personally promised Dandan!”
Zhang Zuo patted Tong Fu on the shoulder. “Little Tong, I know that you aren’t in a good mood, but the implications of this business are too great and aren’t things we can change. Director Zhang has difficulties as well.”
Tong Fu said angrily, “He can ignore it, but why must he stop us from taking this into our own hands?”
Zhang Zuo sighed, “Hai.”
Suddenly, a silhouette appeared at the entrance!
The people of Department 14 cried out in shock!
“Dandan!”
“Aiyo!”
“What are you doing here?”
“Why’d you come here instead of staying at the hospital?”
“Your surgery’s soon!”
Tong Fu was stunned!
Ha Qiqi hurriedly ran over.
Huang Dandan said calmly, “I just came to take a look.”
Ha Qiqi reprimanded, “The documentary has been axed, and Director Zhang’s not going to do anything about it. What’s there to look at? Go back quickly and get some rest!”
Tong Fu was also very anxious about her. “Huang Dandan!”
But Huang Dandan turned a deaf ear to them and stubbornly stood there without moving!
It was time!
The press conference was about to start!
Backstage.
There was only one solitary person here at this moment.
For the past few days, not a single person of Department 14 knew what Zhang Ye was doing. After he got suspended, he just stayed at home and did not show his face at the office. No one called Zhang Ye either. It seemed like the entire team had become strangers with him overnight. A lot of them were still angry at him.
Zhang Ye looked at his watch and lightly exhaled. He looked in the mirror and adjusted his shirt collar before he smiled and walked out satisfied and resolute!
I’m not a stern person, nor am I a likeable character. I’m not one to have an exhaustive plan, as I’m not a deep schemer. I don’t know how to behave in a way that everyone will agree and be satisfied with. My EQ is not high and my IQ is just the same. I often make mistakes and am sometimes impulsive. I have many shortcomings, though I know them all!
You can doubt me!
You can scold me!
You can insult me!
You can bite me!
None of that matters to me!
But if you don’t allow me to speak?
Then that is unacceptable!
That is…truly unacceptable!
Do you people think that by deleting the footage, you can seal my lips?
Do you people think that a documentary can only be shown on televised media?
Hur hur, then I guess you people have never before witnessed a documentary being broadcast live at the venue, right?
