After figuring out what happened back then, Xiao He sank into deep contemplation once again.
Since Tong Junhui had been schemed against by Tian Heng back then, and had even voluntarily retired from the industry, why was he returning now, and even associating with those people?
Had the victim from back then ultimately become the perpetrator?
Xiao He let out a long sigh and couldn't help but investigate the events of that year following this line of thought.
Sure enough, what happened back then was actually a tragedy caused by a power struggle between two capital forces. The film Tong Junhui starred in was scheduled for the same release period as another movie funded by Chen Cong. Both projects were entangled in disputes over the copyright of the same screenwriter's script, and as the lead actor, Tong Junhui naturally became the primary target, reduced to cannon fodder crushed by the capital forces.
What they probably didn't anticipate was that the danger back then didn't come from outsiders, but from betrayal by "one of their own."
After all, Tian Heng was an agent at Jiaxing Entertainment at that time and should have stood with Jiaxing, helping Tong Junhui instead.
No one knew what madness had possessed him to help outsiders destroy his own company's cash cow.
Xiao He guessed that very few people knew about this matter. Probably even President Song of Jiaxing Entertainment hadn't noticed anything amiss. Otherwise, given his character of never acting without personal gain, he would have severely punished Tian Heng and made him understand the consequences of betraying one's own side.
Incidentally, Xiao He also discovered something quite interesting during his investigation - the script that was the focus of the dispute between these two production teams back then was actually written by Feng Zhengyang's wife, Zhang Yun.
Zhang Yun was also a well-known screenwriter from Hong Kong. While creating this script, she stayed at home the entire time, and Feng Zhengyang read and guided the script's plot throughout the process, recognizing its immense potential.
However, no one knows what communication breakdown occurred between this couple. Despite their reputation as a loving pair, they had a major disagreement over the copyright of this script!
Even before the script was completely finished, Feng Zhengyang had already begun preparing his production team. In his view, this script was definitely meant for him, and once it was completed and approved, he could save shooting time.
Unexpectedly, while his production team's funding and actors were all ready, Zhang Yun turned around and sold the script's copyright to investors in Shanghai after finishing it, without Feng Zhengyang's knowledge. That production team also began operations and found Tong Junhui to play the lead role.
Both entertainment circles were relatively closed off at the time. At most, people would inquire about each other's themes and general content, but wouldn't compare scripts line by line. So under this delicate balance, almost no one realized that both production teams were filming the same script.
It was only when Feng Zhengyang, having waited too long for the script authorization, asked his wife Zhang Yun about it that he learned she had already sold the script copyright to someone else.
Upon learning this, Feng Zhengyang nearly had a stroke from anger, completely shocked that his wife had made such a decision without even discussing it with him.
But by then, it was almost impossible to remedy the situation. The script copyright was legally and properly held by the Shanghai investors, and the project was already halfway through. The investors wouldn't transfer the copyright to Feng Zhengyang and Chen Cong's side. On the contrary, if Feng Zhengyang dared to continue filming, it would constitute infringement, and he would definitely lose any lawsuit.
Thus, the situation between the two sides became essentially deadlocked.
Fortunately, not long after this incident occurred, Zhang Yun mysteriously disappeared. And Feng Zhengyang, pressured by public opinion, withdrew from the entertainment industry. His previous production project was consequently aborted midway, ending with an imperfect conclusion.
Meanwhile, Tong Junhui's production team swept that year's various awards with this script, and Tong Junhui consequently won the Award-Winning Actor honor.
Actually, very few people knew about this script matter. Besides the parties involved in both production teams at the time, even the internet retained little trace of it. After all, two teams filming the same script was considered a scandal back then. Combined with Zhang Yun's disappearance from home and Feng Zhengyang becoming the prime suspect, the public pressure was enormous at the time. To prevent further exposure of this matter and to keep public opinion from spiraling out of control, Feng Zhengyang ultimately chose to withdraw from the entertainment industry in disgrace.
Sometimes we have to admit that running away quickly is also a form of wisdom. Take Feng Zhengyang, for example, or Su Shengxi - at least by withdrawing from public view, fewer people could see the mess they were sitting on.
However, even today, Xiao He couldn't uncover what exactly happened between Zhang Yun and Feng Zhengyang back then that would make these two lovers who had walked through most of their lives together turn against each other so bitterly, even to the point of involving loss of life...
But to put it bluntly, everything ultimately revolves around the two words: "benefit."
Xiao He wasn't too surprised by this.
The only certainty now is that Tong Junhui was definitely set up in a scheme back then.
As for whether he himself knew who exactly set him up back then...
Xiao He shook his head and sighed deeply.
He probably knew as well.
Xiao He truly couldn't understand these people now.
He didn't have any particular fondness for Tong Junhui, but he didn't harbor any hostility either - just felt somewhat sighed.
An Award-Winning Actor with a brilliant future ahead, yet he ended up like this...
But speaking of which, did this incident from back then almost involve Sister Liu as well?
Did Sister Liu know about this matter?
Xiao He became thoughtful.
Given Liu Rulan's shrewdness, he felt that Sister Liu shouldn't have been so easily tricked by that guy Tian Heng.
Perhaps Liu Rulan hadn't been completely honest with him before - at least she hadn't told him all the hidden details of what happened back then.
But this was normal. After all, it involved those matters and Tong Junhui's own privacy. It was completely reasonable for Liu Rulan not to tell Xiao He everything.
And now - now this recording could be put to good use.
That bastard Tian Heng almost got away, and he actually dared to scheme against Sister Liu back then. He must be tired of living.
Flames of anger burned in Xiao He's eyes as his fingers began rapidly typing across the keyboard, preparing to serve Tian Heng a "surprise feast."
Just as Xiao He was busy working fervently, someone suddenly knocked on his door.
Because the person outside knocked very softly and subtly, Xiao He didn't initially realize someone was knocking.
But soon, that faint sound came again.
This time, Xiao He finally stopped what he was doing and listened carefully, simultaneously glancing at the time in the lower right corner of his computer -
00:45
At this hour, it probably wasn't Sister Liu or the others.
Xiao He stood up and walked to the door, but didn't open it directly.
The memory of nearly getting stabbed last time he opened a hotel door was still vivid in his mind. Xiao He was now extremely cautious, first going to look through the hotel door's peephole.
There was no one at the door anymore.
Xiao He scratched his head in confusion.
Had he misheard?
But just as Xiao He walked back and sat down, he heard the knocking sound again.
This time Xiao He moved quickly, rushing to the door in a few steps to look through the peephole -
Yan Shaohan was wearing a down jacket, knocking weakly on the door, then leaned close to the peephole and asked in a hushed voice: "Bro, you asleep? Hungry? Want to go get some late-night snacks? I feel like I'm about to faint from hunger!"
Xiao He: ...If I remember correctly, you just came back from a big meal not long ago, right?
Seriously, bro, how can you be this hungry in the middle of the night?