235: Chapter 235 The Unnoticed Lead Seal

The difficulty of Acting for the second male lead, Lin Chuyan, was lower than he had imagined.

During the script study phase, his thoughts that "Li Xiaohai is just a young version of Zhang Chi" and "don't try to look cool, just integrate into Zhang Chi's team" completely coincided with the views of Director Chu Dong.

Therefore, the filming over these past few days had gone much more smoothly.

Moreover, the gains from these past two weeks were not limited to just filming.

One unexpected gain was naturally that, with Director Chu Dong's encouragement, he had passed the tests for his licenses.

It wasn't just the car racing license. Before leaving the Wu Yue film set, he had also successfully obtained his motorcycle driver's license and his Class B motorcycle racing license, giving him a great sense of accomplishment.

Another gain was getting well-acquainted with Director Chu Dong, Dong Peng, Qu Zhen, and a few others.

Because he had obtained his motorcycle racing license, Qu Zhen would study motorcycles with him every day whenever he had free time, showing him his own beloved bikes.

They were all professional track motorcycles, ranging in price from hundreds of thousands to over a million.

They were truly beautiful, and they were truly expensive.

Dong Peng didn't have these extravagant hobbies like Qu Zhen, but he was even more excessive; he wanted to drag Lin Chuyan out for late-night snacks every day.

Barbecue, ramen... they weren't necessarily expensive, but they all tasted good.

Lin Chuyan tagged along for a few days, but eventually, he couldn't take it anymore and used the excuse of needing to lose weight for his next role to stop joining him.

However, play is play, and fooling around is fooling around, but don't make light of a comedic actor's Acting skills.

Before leaving the Wu Yue film set, Lin Chuyan watched their final scene in this location, which could also be called Dong Peng's Crying Scene scene.

This scene was very simple, telling only one thing: Zhang Chi discovers and retrieves his lead seal.

This was an important turning point, and also a point of huge irony.

Manager Ye of the Guangke Racing Team targeted Zhang Chi, using non-compliant materials for a collision test, causing cracks in the Xindi Racing Team's roll cage.

After Zhang Chi discovered this, he utilized the rules of the Blue Book to return to the organizing committee's warehouse, attempting to find evidence of the Guangke Racing Team using non-compliant materials, but he didn't expect to find something else—his lead seal was lying in the warehouse, completely untouched.

It wasn't lost, and no one cared.

Why is it called an important turning point? Because this lead seal had been torturing Zhang Chi for too long.

At the end of the prequel, pegasus, Zhang Chi set a record in the Bayanbulak Rally, but because the car lost control and fell off a cliff, the car's lead seal also went missing, which led to him being suspected of using a non-compliant car to win; his results were subsequently canceled, and he had carried an indelible stigma ever since.

The lead seal was precisely the important proof of his car's compliance.

For so many years, he had never been able to prove himself; no one believed that his racing results were real.

For so many years, he had even begun to doubt himself.

And now, he had found the lead seal. This also set the stage for the subsequent plot—he began to regain his self-confidence.

Director Chu Dong clapped his hands: "Come on, get ready. Turn off the lights on the Guangke Racing Team's side first. Camera, get ready... Action!"

Organizing committee, warehouse.

"This is the expert from our technical department, Old Zhou." Race director Ma Zongliang introduced him to Zhang Chi while instructing the staff, "Help me turn on the lights for Guangke."

Sun Yuqiang, Ji Xing, and the others immediately followed over and began to inspect the Guangke Racing Team's car.

At this moment, the camera began to follow Zhang Chi, moving as he walked.

This was his time for a solo Acting performance.

Zhang Chi turned his head and suddenly saw a familiar car.

He recognized it, but he was a bit afraid to believe it, so he walked over.

He touched his former beloved car, his eyes filled with disbelief: Why was it still here?

"That car, logically speaking, has reached the disposal age, but I felt that race was quite unforgettable, so I kept it."

The technical department expert, Old Zhou, saw his actions and offered an explanation.

Zhang Chi didn't reply. His movements were slow, and a strange thought was germinating.

He began to check the warehouse shelves as if possessed, specifically the shelf belonging to his car.

Very quickly, he found the lead seal.

"025676", that's right, this was his lead seal.

It was just lying there; no one had thought to tell him, and no one had thought to reveal the truth.

Then what did that make him? What did all his years of confusion amount to?

The most ironic part was that there was no conspiracy behind this; there was no mastermind planning a "Lead Seal Disappearance Incident," otherwise he would never have had the chance to see it again.

But the question remained: If the lead seal was still there, if the lead seal had already been found, shouldn't they have told him immediately?

He didn't understand.

What kind of life had he been living all these years? Wasn't it all because of this lead seal? His results canceled, being misunderstood, being insulted... Why could this group of people just turn a blind eye?

Zhang Chi held his small lead seal with both hands, his face filled with endless grievance.

He decided to demand an explanation for himself.

He found the race director, Ma Zongliang, his voice choked with emotion: "This is from my race track, this is from my racing car."

The technical department expert, Old Zhou, took it and confirmed: "That's right, it is indeed your lead seal."

"Then you guys..." Zhang Chi took back the lead seal and confirmed it again, his voice trembling, "You found it, didn't you?"

If you hadn't found it, I wouldn't blame you. But you did find it, so why couldn't you tell me?

Zhang Chi couldn't understand.

Ma Zongliang's expression was very calm, as if he were talking about something insignificant: "These must have been found when sorting through the wreckage of parts last year; we probably didn't have time to organize and classify them at the time."

"Then you guys..." Zhang Chi was so agitated that his whole body was trembling; he was crying, but his voice remained very soft, "You found it, you should have told me!"

He looked up, tears in his eyes, feeling it was inconceivable: Why could the person in front of him treat his lead seal so calmly?

Was his reputation not important at all?

Ma Zongliang and Old Zhou exchanged a look and began to explain: "It's like this, this thing is already broken, and the results cannot be changed."

Zhang Chi interrupted him: "I don't care about the results, but I cannot go without my innocence."

Ma Zongliang looked up at him, seemingly feeling that Zhang Chi was being unreasonable: "But hasn't your matter already passed?"

"It hasn't passed." Zhang Chi added a sobbing tone, "I just accepted it. I really thought the road was too bumpy and it jolted this thing off, which made the car's horsepower increase, and that's why I ran so fast. For so many years, I have never been sure if my 59 minutes and 58 seconds were clean."

Zhang Chi's tears fell, and he cried like a child: "But, you had to tell me!"

Ma Zongliang continued to quibble: "Zhang Chi, over these years, the track records have already reached over 57 minutes, why are you still obsessing over these things?"

That's right, over these years, the team's best results have already surpassed yours from back then by over two minutes—they are leading you by "minutes."

Tell me, what do you have to obsess over?

The 59 minutes and 58 seconds you were so proud of are not worth mentioning in the face of today's results.

Even if your innocence is restored, your results still wouldn't be presentable.

Ma Zongliang's meaning was expressed clearly enough.

Zhang Chi raised his hand and wiped away his tears forcefully.

He looked up and stared steadily at the other person, his eyes regaining a luster—a luster that had never shone in the previous plot. This kind of luster was something many people had, but Zhang Chi had lost it for too long. Its name was self-confidence: "Of course I'm obsessing over it, that's my own record!"

"I can understand your feelings, but the rules are the rules. If this is gone, and the car didn't go up to the podium, then there is no ranking."

Zhang Chi explained again, tiredlessly explaining: "I don't care about the ranking! But my lead seal is here! It's right here!"

The inspection results from over there came out: "I took a look, the Guangke Racing Team did indeed use non-compliant materials, and they also installed a hidden anti-collision frame in the front."

Zhang Chi held back his tears, nodded, and his expression turned angry: "Fine, I won't argue with you about the past. Let's talk about now. Guangke cheated, shouldn't they be disqualified?"

Old Zhou: "Our technical committee will meet to discuss it."

Zhang Chi's voice gradually grew louder; he wanted to fight for it, he was unconvinced: "The evidence is right here, and you're still having a meeting? What kind of meeting are you having? Shouldn't our spot be given to us?"

"It's like this, let me correct you. Because right now no one knows what the result would be if you collided with a compliant car, but, according to the rules, we can rearrange a collision for you."

Reality continued to strike Zhang Chi: "What about the extra money? The time? What about that? Does the Blue Book mention it? How should we handle similar situations?"

"It doesn't now, but it will tomorrow. Understand?"

"I don't understand."

Ma Zongliang's ugly face was fully revealed at this moment: "Didn't you say you respect the rules?"

Rules, he still had the nerve to talk about rules.

The race director hadn't even read the rally Blue Book; he wasn't even as familiar with the relevant clauses as Zhang Chi.

Such a person was usurping a high position, yet he actually had the nerve to talk about rules!

Zhang Chi finally exploded.

"I do respect the rules." Zhang Chi roared, word by word, "But damn it, it has to be fair!!!"

He was a hero at the end of his road, his self-esteem trampled upon, his self-confidence crushed into dust...

And then what?

No one cared.

The truth was clearly right there, but everyone turned a blind eye to it, letting Zhang Chi continue to self-negate and internalize his struggle all these years...

Is this fair? This is not fair!

The soil of Bayanbulak couldn't cover Zhang Chi's burning heart, but these damn rules hurt him the deepest at this moment.

"Cut! That's a wrap! Brothers, move to the next set."

The scenes full of laughter took several takes, but the emotionally charged Crying Scene scene was done in one take.

Director Chu Dong seemed to have decided this was the best take.

Lin Chuyan watched from the side at the monitor, taking in Dong Peng's performance.

His entire range of emotions was gradually progressive. From disbelief, to confusion, then aggrieved tears, uncontrollable anger, questioning, fury, and explosion...

His grievance was as humble as a child wanting candy; his voice was trembling, and his eyes were shining with luster again...

Awesome, is this what a good comedic actor is? He really lives up to his theater background; I'm impressed, truly impressed.

Lin Chuyan savored it again and again, feeling like he had learned something.