The camera lens faithfully recorded everything that happened. Soon, it reached the part where the director requested a change in the shot, asking Zhao Ling'er to directly embrace Li Xiaoyao. Then, Liu Ma stepped forward to protest, and the director explained why this scene needed to be filmed.
It is worth mentioning that from this point on, the audio recording quality of the video suddenly improved by a notch, and the director's words became clearer.
At the same time, subtitles began to appear on the screen, explicitly marking every word spoken by the director and Liu Ma, even prefacing each sentence with a speaker's name, making it as clear as possible.
Liu Ma did not find anything amiss here, and most viewers did not either, as it is quite normal for videos to have subtitles.
However, those who are knowledgeable about video production know that adding subtitles is a very tedious process. It requires transcribing the audio, typing it out on a computer, and then synchronizing it with the video timeline. It typically takes two or three people several hours of hard work to add subtitles to a one-hour video.
For someone like "San Dai Lu Ren" to obtain a video from his uncle and then directly add subtitles to it himself, unless "San Dai Lu Ren" is a professional subtitling worker, he would absolutely not have the leisure time to do such a thing.
Why am I pointing this out?
Because these subtitles are actually very important.
Liu Ma has a slight accent when she speaks, and Li Guoli's accent is even more pronounced. Therefore, even with good audio recording, many people still couldn't understand what they were saying.
However, with the subtitles, everything became completely different. Coupled with the subtitles, the director's and Liu Ma's words were all clearly visible, and viewers could quickly piece together the entire course of events in their minds.
Then, the entire situation completely fell apart. After watching the beginning of the entire dispute, users who had previously only seen Liu Ma's one-sided account were blushing furiously and felt intense anger, realizing they had been completely tricked by Liu Ma.
According to Liu Ma's statement in her interviews, the director had requested her daughter to embrace the male actor with her upper body exposed, along with other excessive demands, which had caused the audience and onlookers to become so enraged.
As it turned out, the director had only requested a simple embrace, a scene that would have been acceptable even in the 1960s or 1970s, let alone the 21st century.
The more fiercely Liu Ma had slandered Jiangnan Group in the media, the more she had to face the consequences now that the video had been exposed.
However, this was still not the most serious issue. The most infuriating point for the audience, and what truly enraged them, was when the bodyguard began to appear.
When this bodyguard made his entrance, his arrogant demeanor made many viewers uncomfortable.
Furthermore, from the bodyguard's words, viewers discovered that the boss behind this bodyguard was not Liu Ma, but another very wealthy individual.
At the same time, some astute viewers realized that this boss was likely the behind-the-scenes owner of both Liu and Liu Ma. This was a massive scoop, and many viewers became excited upon seeing this. Liu Ma, on the other hand, was almost stunned, wondering if all of this could actually be posted online.
Just as viewers were anticipating what other bombshells the parties might drop, they suddenly saw the bodyguard throw a punch at an extra behind the director, startling all the viewers.
Just as the viewers expected this unlucky extra to take a hard blow to the head, a flash of sword light appeared. The next moment, the bodyguard was sent crashing to the ground, clutching his fist and wailing in agony.
Then, the male protagonist Li Xiaoyao made his appearance. Such a dramatic turn of events had the audience cheering continuously.
"This Li Xiaoyao is so handsome!"
"And that sword strike, so clean and decisive. He must be a martial artist!"
"I think this Li Xiaoyao has real skills, maybe he can even spar with Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee!"
"Regardless, that sword strike was too cool!"
Viewers who witnessed this scene praised it, but the plot changed too quickly. Before they could see how the bodyguard would be dealt with, a loud shout was heard, and the portly Wang Yingfei made his entrance.
"Who is this man? Wang Yingfei? I've never heard of this name!"
"I don't know, but he looks quite wealthy." Just as the audience was pondering the identity of this suddenly appearing new character, he uttered a few lines that would become classic lines for Chinese audiences for the next decade.
"I don't want Tangren Film and Television to look bad, nor do I want to be enemies with Jiangnan Group. You, Xiang Feifei and Xiaoli, along with my bodyguard, apologize. Also, compensate him 100,000 for medical expenses. Furthermore, fire this guy who did the hitting, and give me his agent and personal information. This matter will be settled then!"
"My bodyguard had no intention of attacking Director Li. If you don't believe me, you can check the camera footage. His target was just a foul-mouthed extra! Oh, speaking of this extra, Director Li, give me his information as well. I'll take care of him. I'll make him understand that speaking without restraint has consequences."
"Director Li, my demands are already quite low. I hope you understand the current situation!"
"It's just an unknown actor and a minor extra. Director Li should understand the correct decision. If you don't understand, I don't mind calling your Chairman Huang. I've dined with him, and I have his phone number. I'm sure he'll agree with my good intentions!"
In the coming decades, this video would be rewatched and re-edited countless times by netizens, becoming fodder for various meme compilations. Wang Yingfei would eventually replace Huang He and Lei Jun as China's first and foremost meme material.
The fundamental reason for this was the sheer classic nature of these lines, with certain phrases being repeatedly edited and used by talented netizens of later generations.
For example:
"I don't want Tangren Film and Television to look bad."
"This matter will be settled then."
"His target was just a foul-mouthed extra."
"I will teach him a lesson."
"Huang He should understand the correct decision."
"I don't mind calling your Chairman."
"He will definitely agree with my good intentions."
Well, it's not that someone is padding the word count, it's just that each of these sentences is extremely classic in itself. To have so many of them concentrated on one person in a short period makes it the epitome of classics.
After all, Lei Jun only had "Are you ready," and Huang He only had "Ran away with the little aunt." But Wang Yingfei had so much more, and in this regard, he absolutely defeated Huang He.
The primary reason Wang Yingfei was able to provide so much material was that the audience was completely incensed by his words. When they heard Boss Wang completely disregard human life and the potential harm his bodyguard's punch could cause,
Instead, he demanded that the crew fire the male protagonist who was acting in self-defense, and even wanted to "teach a lesson" to the innocent extra who was almost hit in the head.
Such arrogant behavior made the bones of every viewer who saw this and heard these words tremble.
At the same time, these words were also very real, so real that they are often heard in daily life. Almost all viewers had experienced various unfair treatments and grievances.
However, in real life, they dared not resist, so they could only swallow their anger, pretend nothing happened.
But when they saw others encountering such situations online, they would no longer tolerate it. Instead, they would transform their pent-up rage into furiously typing fingers, channeling their anger through keyboards.
However, in the next second, this anger was interrupted because the extra took off his mask and headgear, revealing his true face, which instantly stunned countless viewers.
Of course, many people did not know that this person was Huang He, but it didn't matter, as Wang Yingfei himself exclaimed Huang He's identity.
The audience was first stunned by this sudden reversal, and then when Huang He said, "I am Huang He, what are you going to teach me?", the audience collectively expressed their satisfaction.
Next was Huang He's performance time. Huang He righteously refuted Wang Yingfei's words and also uttered equally classic lines, such as, "Should I have just stood there and let your bodyguard kill me?"
"Is Beijing your family's business?"
"I have only three demands for you."
"Everyone's dignity is priceless, and every inch of land belongs to the people."
"As long as any Chinese person exists, they can appear in any public facility in China, tread on any piece of land in China, and no one dares to claim any land as their own."
"Everything in China belongs to the Chinese people!"
"Do you think having money allows you to trample on the dignity of ordinary people?"
Every word Huang He spoke struck precisely at the audience's emotional trigger. When the viewers heard Huang He's words, they were all filled with excitement and passion. At this moment, Huang He seemed to become their embodiment, the keyboard in their hands, cursing out everything they wanted to say to Wang Yingfei. Every viewer who heard these words couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.
Finally, as Wang Yingfei and his entourage made a hasty retreat, the process of Huang He ordering his subordinates to handle the remaining bodyguard according to the law was also fully recorded. Thus, the one-hour video concluded.
After watching all of this, Liu Ma was completely bewildered, not knowing what to do, not even knowing where to put her hands. However, one thing she was very clear about was that she absolutely could not let this video spread.
Liu Ma glanced at the time and realized that the video had been uploaded for only a little over three hours, less than four. If it were deleted immediately, the crisis could still be contained within a small scope.
So, Liu Ma immediately found Facebook's customer service phone number and dialed it.
"Hello, this is Facebook's Customer Service Center. How can I help you?"
"You must immediately delete that video on your homepage, delete it immediately!" Liu Ma shouted.
"Hello, which video are you referring to?" the customer service representative asked politely.
"It's about that film crew, the one that's over an hour long, the video you're advertising on your homepage. Delete it immediately, quickly, now!!" Liu Ma yelled.
"Okay, I understand. Are you referring to the video currently on the homepage about Liu and Liu Ma, Wang Yingfei and his bodyguard causing a scene at the Chinese Paladin filming set?" the customer service representative asked.
"What are you talking about? We weren't causing a scene; we are the victims..." Liu Ma became even more enraged.
"Oh, I see. It seems you are not referring to that video. Please describe the video you wish to delete in more detail, or simply provide us with its video ID. You can just click on the address bar of the webpage and find a string of numbers there to get the video ID."
"Open the address bar... How do I open the address bar..."
"Okay, you can click..."
"..."
After fumbling for a few minutes and still not understanding the video ID, Liu Ma reluctantly said, "Alright, it's actually the video you just mentioned."
"Oh, you're talking about the video about causing a scene at the Chinese Paladin filming set?"
"Yes... that's the one... Please delete it immediately!" Liu Ma said, suppressing her anger.
"Okay, are you the owner of the account 'San Dai Lu Ren'?"
"I'm not that scoundrel."
"Then I'm very sorry, only the uploader of the video has the permission to delete it. If you are not the owner of that account, we cannot help you delete it!" the customer service representative said with a smile.
"But this video slanders me; it severely infringes upon my reputation. I demand it be taken down immediately!" Liu Ma roared.
"Oh, you say this video slanders you. Are you in this video?"
"Isn't that obvious? Of course, I'm in the video! I am Liu's mother in the video!" Liu Ma shouted.
"Okay, I understand what you mean, but we still cannot help you delete the video!" the customer service representative said.
"Why? It infringes upon my reputation, so why can't I demand its deletion?"
"Because you must first prove that you are Ms. Liu Ma. Otherwise, if anyone calls us claiming to be Liu Ma, should we delete all related videos? That would definitely not be appropriate!"
"So, if you wish to proceed with further actions, you must prove that you are Liu Ma!" the customer service representative said.
"..." Liu Ma opened her mouth and took several deep breaths before recovering. "Alright, how do I prove I am Liu Ma?"
"Yes, you just need to present your ID card or household registration book."
"But how can I present these things over the phone?"
"Oh, please bring your ID card and household registration book in person to our Facebook customer service department, and we will verify your identity."
"Where is the address?"
"Shanghai City..."
"Shanghai? Don't you have a branch office in Beijing?"
"Yes, we only have customer service departments in Shanghai and Wenzhou. We do not have one in Beijing."
"But I'm in Beijing, do I have to take a train or plane to send it to you?"
"Yes, that's the situation. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."
"I..."
"Okay, Ms. Liu. If you have no other questions, I will hang up the phone. Please evaluate my service later. For highly satisfied, please press one; for satisfied, please press two..."
"I..." Liu Ma angrily threw her phone onto the bed. After a while, she had to pick up her phone again and call her lawyer, asking the lawyer to intervene and demand the removal of the video through legal means.
"Okay, Ms. Liu, I'll send them a lawyer's letter right away!" the lawyer quickly said.
"Good!" Liu Ma nodded. A lawyer's letter sounded very imposing; the other party would surely be intimidated.
"So, how long will it take to send the lawyer's letter?"
"I'm not sure. If sent by mail, it might take about three days. However, there's a company called Jiangnan Express that's offering door-to-door delivery, claiming they can deliver from Beijing to Shanghai in just one day. If you're in a hurry, I can send it via Jiangnan Express!" the lawyer said sincerely.
"I..." Ten thousand thoughts of "xxx" flew through Liu Ma's mind. The lawyer's letter might be effective, but she couldn't wait.
After much deliberation, Liu Ma felt she had to go through the trouble herself, taking her identity information to Shanghai to demand that Facebook delete the relevant video.
Liu Ma, being a person of action, immediately took steps. She knew very well that every minute the video remained online would cause more trouble.
Without a second thought, she took her various documents and an assistant and flew directly to Shanghai. The plane took off at noon, landed at 3 PM, and after searching for a while, she finally found Facebook's office address in Shanghai.
Then, Liu Ma, carrying her various credentials, swaggered in and demanded that the receptionist delete the video.
"Please wait a moment, I'll have the responsible person come out to discuss with you!" The receptionist's attitude was quite good. She led Liu Ma to a comfortably furnished lounge and then went to fetch the person in charge.
What annoyed Liu Ma somewhat was that the receptionist didn't offer her a cup of tea. She had been traveling by plane and hadn't had a single sip of water, making her extremely thirsty.
Fortunately, Liu Ma didn't wait too long. A woman, accompanied by a female secretary, approached and said loudly, "Are you Liu Ma?"
"I am! Who are you?" Although Liu Ma was very displeased with the young woman's attitude and tone, she decided to swallow her pride to complete the task as quickly as possible, waiting until the video was deleted.
"I am the president of Facebook. I am the highest authority here. Is that answer sufficient?" For some reason, the other party's attitude towards Liu Ma was very poor, as if she had gunpowder in her mouth.
"Such a young president?" Liu Ma muttered in surprise.
"Don't say useless things. What is your request for coming here?" the other party asked.
"My request is simple: immediately delete the video involving me on your homepage. It infringes upon my right to privacy, and I demand its immediate deletion!" Liu Ma said quickly.
"Oh, did you bring your credentials?" the young woman asked.
"I'm here in person, and my face is right here. Do I still need credentials?" Liu Ma retorted unhappily.
"Nonsense, your name isn't written on your face. Besides, how do I know if you've had plastic surgery? In short, show me your credentials first. We only recognize credentials here, not people!" the other party said directly, her attitude still very poor.
Liu Ma repeatedly told herself to endure it and then took out her credentials from her bag.
Liu Ma was well-prepared, bringing her ID card and household registration book, and even her driver's license. She felt this would perfectly prove her identity.
Liu Ma thought that this time she could finally demand the deletion of the video, but to her surprise, the young woman, after a casual glance, threw aside the credentials Liu Ma had brought and said, "These credentials are all fake."
"What did you say?" Liu Ma's eyes widened. "Look carefully, these are genuine credentials issued to me by the state. Every word is true. What evidence do you have to say they are fake?"
"I say they are fake, so they are fake!" the other party insisted.
"Fine, since you say so, then let's go to the Public Security Bureau and have them examine whether these credentials are true or false!" Liu Ma shouted loudly, nearing madness.
"There's no need to go to the Public Security Bureau. Liu Ma, if I recall correctly, you are actually an American, aren't you?" the young woman asked, squinting her eyes.
"..." Upon hearing this question, Liu Ma was stunned.
"It should be correct. I remember you were interviewed by domestic media half a year ago, and you told the media how bitter your life was with your daughter in the United States and how difficult it was to obtain American citizenship. You said all of this yourself. There should be no problem, right?"
"Well, according to the provisions of our country's law, when a Chinese citizen acquires foreign nationality, it is equivalent to automatically renouncing Chinese nationality. Therefore, when you obtained American citizenship, your Chinese nationality ceased to exist.
Thus, the documents such as ID cards, household registration books, and driver's licenses that are included under Chinese nationality are naturally invalidated. These documents are fake documents, and I am not mistaken, am I?" The young woman's words left Liu Ma speechless. She had worked so hard to obtain American citizenship, only to find out that it had now become a problem.
"Bring my American passport here, this should prove my identity, right!" Liu Ma said helplessly.
"Of course, with an American passport, your identity can certainly be proven. May I ask if you brought your American passport?"
"No, it's still in Beijing!"
"Oh dear, then I'm very sorry. When will you bring your American passport? Then we can discuss the matter of deleting the video." The young woman said with a smile.
"Can I ask you a question?" Liu Ma said through gritted teeth. "I have no enmity with your Facebook, and I don't even know you. Why are you making things so difficult for me?"
"..." Hearing Liu Ma's question, the other party was taken aback, looking surprised. After a moment, she asked, "Liu Ma, you don't know what's going on behind Facebook, do you..."
"What's going on behind the scenes? Why should I care about that?" Liu Ma replied instinctively.
"Uh, well, I should give you some background information. This Facebook network is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jiangnan Group. Our chairman is none other than Mr. Huang He!" Leng Zhiruo said with a slightly exaggerated smile.
"..." Liu Ma felt her vision darken. If her assistant hadn't supported her, she would have collapsed on the spot.
Good heavens, this is enemy territory!