Old Jia arrived quickly.
The production manager assigned to the crew by Jiayang Film Industry was in his forties. Short and stocky, with small eyes, he gave off the impression of a shrewd, capable man.
He was silver-tongued and excellent at coordinating all kinds of day-to-day matters. Although Lu Chen hadn't known him before, after several days of working together, he had been quite satisfied with Old Jia's abilities.
A production manager was responsible for the crew's daily logistics, food, accommodation, transportation, and all the miscellaneous tasks that kept filming running smoothly. It was tedious work, but absolutely essential. Without a good production manager, a film crew could run into all sorts of problems.
The moment Old Jia saw the utterly unacceptable boxed lunches, his expression changed. He looked both shocked and furious. "Brother Lu, I'm really sorry. I'll find out what happened right away!"
Lu Chen nodded. "Then hurry and have them replaced. Or just switch to a different restaurant."
He didn't scold Old Jia, but the man was clearly under a lot of pressure. He hurried off immediately.
Naturally, no one touched the food that looked worse than pig feed. Everyone put their lunch boxes back into the insulated containers. The atmosphere on set turned awkward as small groups gathered together, whispering among themselves.
Wan Xiaoquan sighed helplessly. "What the hell is this? Do they not want our business anymore?"
Chen Wenqiang said gravely, "I'm afraid it's not that simple."
Lu Chen was startled. "Uncle Qiang?"
Chen Wenqiang hesitated before explaining, "The boxed lunch business at Lion Rock Film City is controlled by two societies. No one else can get into it. I don't know which one our crew ordered from, but there's a good chance the problem lies with them. Otherwise, no restaurant would ruin its own reputation like this."
'Societies?' Lu Chen froze for a moment. He hadn't expected something as simple as ordering lunch to involve Hong Kong's underworld. The "societies" Chen Wenqiang referred to obviously weren't legitimate civic organizations, he meant triad gangs.
---
Hong Kong's triads had reached the height of their power during the 1970s and 1980s. Back then, organizations like Wo Shing Wo, Sun On, and Hung Tong ran rampant.
Together, they had hundreds of thousands of members, with influence extending across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and even overseas Chinese communities. These major gangs were involved in drug trafficking, smuggling, prostitution, piracy, illegal gambling, and countless other criminal businesses.
Smaller gangs collected protection money and bullied legitimate businesses, turning Hong Kong's public security into a nightmare.
Even the wealthy rarely dared leave home without bodyguards, fearing kidnapping or extortion by reckless gang members.
On July 15, 1987, years of conflict between Sun On and Hung Tong finally erupted. More than a thousand gang members fought a pitched street battle in the bustling New Territories, leaving seventy-eight dead, one hundred fifty-four seriously injured, and even several innocent bystanders killed by stray bullets.
The July 15 New Territories Massacre shocked all of Hong Kong. Mass protests followed, forcing the Hong Kong government to finally eradicate the long-standing cancer, even requesting assistance from the mainland's PLA Hong Kong Garrison.
In March 1988, after a sweeping government crackdown, many of the triad organizations that had dominated Hong Kong for decades were wiped out.
Large numbers of their core members were either killed during police operations or arrested and imprisoned. The public applauded, and from then on, Hong Kong's public security improved dramatically.
However, the triads themselves never completely disappeared. After the old organizations collapsed, new groups quickly emerged.
These newer gangs no longer operated openly. Instead, they registered legitimate companies and ran legal businesses on the surface while quietly engaging in gray-area operations behind the scenes.
Their members no longer carried knives and guns everywhere, and their methods of making money became far more discreet; some even hired lawyers as permanent legal advisers.
That made these new-style gangs even harder to deal with.
Hong Kong's underworld had always maintained deep ties with the entertainment industry. Many film and entertainment companies had once had gang backgrounds. Although most had officially gone clean, many still maintained hidden connections.
---
Only a few minutes later, Old Jia returned. This time, he brought three men with him, and his expression looked grim.
He introduced them to Lu Chen. "Brother Lu, this is Manager Jiang from Honghua Catering Management. Our crew's meals are supplied through their company. He says he'd like to discuss something with us."
Manager Jiang was a middle-aged man with a rat-like face. His hair was plastered down with so much pomade that even flies probably couldn't land on it. Wearing a suit, tie, and gold-rimmed glasses that suited him about as well as clown makeup, he gave off an unmistakably sleazy impression.
"Brother Lu, nice to meet you." He bowed and smiled obsequiously, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth.
Standing behind him were two burly bodyguards. Neither said a word; their bare arms were covered with blue-black tattoos, and their bulging muscles made them look intimidating.
One look was enough for Lu Chen to understand what was going on. He simply nodded. "Let's talk somewhere else."
This definitely wasn't the place. Crew members all around them were watching with uncertain expressions.
The group moved to a meditation room inside the temple, which the crew was using as a temporary office. After everyone sat down, Lu Chen got straight to the point.
"Manager Jiang, could you explain what happened with today's lunches? Have we failed to pay your company on time?"
Manager Jiang smiled. "Brother Lu, your crew has always paid promptly. There's never been any overdue payment. We sincerely apologize for today's lunches. I guarantee this won't happen again." He paused before changing the subject. "But... the cost of living in Hong Kong is very high these days. The prices of vegetables and pork have gone up sharply recently. If we continue supplying meals at the original price, our company will lose money, so..."
He deliberately left the sentence unfinished, smiling at Lu Chen.
Without changing expression, Lu Chen finished it for him. "So you want to raise the price."
Manager Jiang rubbed his hands together, his smile growing even wider. "We're really sorry. We don't have much choice. Our employees have to make a living too..."
Lu Chen cut him off. "Just tell me the number. How much do you want?"
Manager Jiang immediately gave him a thumbs-up. "Brother Lu is refreshingly straightforward. Just as expected of a big star from the mainland. It's really not much. From now on, each boxed lunch will be 55 HK Dollars. We guarantee the quality."
55 HK Dollars.
Lu Chen clearly remembered that they had originally agreed on 30 HK Dollars per lunch. Now the price had jumped to 55, it was almost double.
(End of Chapter)
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