18: Chapter 18: Reporters Surround and Blockade, Xu's Heavy Industry in Imminent Danger

The filming set of "The Wandering Earth".

After filming scenes continuously for an entire morning, it finally ended.

Director Guo Fan tucked his script under his arm and walked out of the filming location with Actor Wu Jing.

"Director Guo, a large group of reporters has arrived outside, saying... saying they want to interview you..."

The production assistant stepped forward and said to Director Guo Fan.

During the movie filming just now, a large group of reporters had suddenly arrived outside, clamoring to have Director Guo Fan discuss his views on the matter regarding Xu's Heavy Industry.

"Reporters?" Actor Wu Jing paused, turning his head to look at Director Guo Fan.

His eyes darted as he pondered for a moment, and he suddenly thought of something.

Immediately after, his brows furrowed.

Over the past few days, the topic of Xu's Heavy Industry has been causing quite a stir online, making it difficult for anyone not to notice.

Various leaks regarding Xu's Heavy Industry have also, to some extent, affected "The Wandering Earth".

Actor Wu Jing did not know how things were on Xu Hao's end, but looking at the current situation, he feared it was not optimistic.

Hearing the assistant's words, Director Guo Fan took off the headphones he was wearing and handed the script in his hand to the assistant.

"Have this group of reporters chased all the way to the set?"

Director Guo Fan sighed softly, shook his head, and couldn't help but mutter.

The matter of Xu's Heavy Industry has been fermenting for two consecutive days.

During this time, Director Guo Fan had also called Xu Hao many times to communicate, and the news he received was that Xu Hao was doing his best to resolve it.

However, resolving it takes time.

Director Guo Fan was also clear about this point.

But he hadn't expected that this group of sharp-nosed reporters and media would actually chase him to the movie filming site to demand an explanation.

This is just...

Director Guo Fan's brows were tightly locked, his heart filled with worry.

He straightened his clothes, intending to go out.

"Hey, are you really going to accept their interview?"

Actor Wu Jing stopped Director Guo Fan and asked.

"They've chased all the way here; I have to go out and deal with them, lest they delay the filming."

Director Guo Fan said helplessly.

If there were no other way, how could he possibly go out and accept these reporters' interviews?

Right now, "The Wandering Earth" is in a critical period of filming, and all the staff's focus is on the movie.

At this time, if one can avoid complications, one should try as much as possible to avoid them.

But now, he must come forward to respond.

The negative public opinion regarding Xu's Heavy Industry has already affected the filming on set.

If it continues like this, not only will it affect the normal filming of the plot, but there is also a suspicion that it might lead to leaks about the film.

By then, everything would fall apart at the last hurdle.

Actor Wu Jing lowered his hand that was blocking Director Guo Fan, and also shook his head helplessly.

Seeing this, Director Guo Fan walked straight outside.

As soon as Director Guo Fan appeared outside the set, he immediately attracted the reporters who had been waiting outside for a long time.

With a swish, they swarmed up in a flock.

The security guards nearby saw this and hurriedly tightened their formation, shielding Director Guo Fan behind them and forming a safety circle.

"Director Guo Fan, do you have anything to say about your partner company, Xu's Heavy Industry?"

"Director Guo Fan, may I ask why you chose to cooperate with Xu's Heavy Industry Group? What are your views on the various news about Xu's Heavy Industry that have been exposed online?"

"May I ask, are the claims online about Xu's Heavy Industry owing workers' wages, tax evasion, etc., actually true?"

"Director Guo, what stage is the filming of 'The Wandering Earth' currently at? Will you continue to choose to cooperate with Xu's Heavy Industry in the future?"

"..."

In unison, dozens of microphones were immediately shoved in front of Director Guo Fan, causing him to frown involuntarily.

But as a director, he quickly calmed down, pressing his hands down in the air to signal the reporters to quiet down first.

"Reporters, thank you for your attention to 'The Wandering Earth' and its partners."

"First of all, we have also noted the news online about Xu's Heavy Industry Group over the past few days."

"But we must remain rational and seek truth from facts. Before an official and authentic investigation report comes out, do not create something out of nothing or fabricate facts."

"In the past few days, we have also been in close contact with Chairman Xu of Xu's Heavy Industry Group. They are conducting self-investigations and cooperating with the official investigation. I believe it won't be long before everything comes to light."

"Therefore, media friends, we just need to wait quietly for the investigation results. I believe that Xu's Heavy Industry, as an established heavy industry enterprise, will investigate all the issues that everyone is concerned about clearly."

Director Guo Fan said earnestly.

Although he said it like that, in reality, Director Guo Fan's heart was still somewhat uneasy and worried.

His phone conversations with Xu Hao these past few days hadn't had much positive news.

Furthermore.

The negative public opinion regarding Xu's Heavy Industry has already seriously affected the movie filming.

Several investors have called multiple times, demanding that the negative impact of this incident be resolved as soon as possible.

And what Director Guo Fan is worried about is that Xu's Heavy Industry will, because of this negative public opinion, cause the construction progress of props to fall behind, which will delay the film's filming later on.

If the schedule is truly delayed, postponing filming is a minor matter.

Post-production editing, submission for review, release, and so on will all be affected in a series.

What is involved here is the entire film, including the investors, production team, behind-the-scenes staff, and so on.

Then the losses... would truly be immeasurable.

"I hope it doesn't affect Chairman Xu's side too much; otherwise... sigh..."

Director Guo Fan sighed softly in his heart, and after answering a few questions from reporters, he returned to the set.

And the same scene was also happening at Xu's Heavy Industry.

Reporters from all walks of life who had heard the news gathered at the gate of Xu's Heavy Industry, clamoring for Xu Hao to come out and accept an interview.

The gate originally only had one security guard, but now, in order to stop these reporters, Wang Qian had temporarily arranged for ten more security guards.

But this... still couldn't stop these fanatical media reporters who would stop at nothing for traffic.

The security guards were struggling to hold on, and the reporters were pushing forward with effort.

The two sides formed a standoff.

"Chairman... Chairman Xu! Assistant Wang! The reporters at the gate, the security guards can't hold them back much longer, look at this..."

The head of security knocked on the door, ran in panting, and said.

Hearing this, Wang Qian frowned and looked at Xu Hao.

As early as the morning, some reporters had already caught the scent and run over to Xu's Heavy Industry, but they were stopped by security.

Now, more and more media reporters were rushing over, determined to make Xu Hao come forward and interview him.

"Add more security, keep them outside the gate first. Do not drive them away, do not insult them, and prepare some water on the side."

Xu Hao, without raising his head, instructed.

In front of him were all the documents, ledgers, and orders from the opening of Xu's Heavy Industry to the present.

Because his father managed Xu's Heavy Industry in the early years, he was not very clear about many of the accounts and orders.

Regarding the tax evasion mentioned online, he did not believe it.

But not believing it is one thing, and being able to produce evidence is another.

Therefore, he must conduct an internal audit!

At this moment, he was checking the ledgers from the early years together with the company's senior management.

At the same time.

He also invited comrades from the local Long Tax Bureau; later, they would organize professional personnel to enter Xu's Heavy Industry.

Firstly, it is to cooperate with official actions to conduct inspections.

Secondly, it is also to accept Xu Hao's invitation to conduct an inspection.

Hearing Xu Hao's instructions, Wang Qian nodded with a serious expression, and then walked out with the head of security to arrange for more security guards to stop the reporters who wanted to rush in.

Such a thing happened to Xu's Heavy Industry online, and so many reporters had come to the front gate.

This caused discussions to break out within Xu's Heavy Industry, and a sense of unease was gradually spreading...