Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 221

Chapter 221

The film “Fighting for Life,” about human trafficking, with a final runtime of 120 minutes, took four months to film and almost two years to pass censorship, thanks to the combined efforts of the He and Shen families.

The story was simple: two university students, Shi Jiayi (played by Zhao Can) and Lin Shaozhen (played by Wei Maomao), encounter an elderly couple asking for help in the countryside. Lin Shaozhen, wary of scams, senses something is wrong and tries to leave, but the naive Shi Jiayi insists on helping. Unable to persuade her, Lin Shaozhen calls the police. But the traffickers’ accomplices are nearby, they abduct the girls.

Shi Jiayi, regretting her decision, sacrifices herself to buy Lin Shaozhen time to escape. Lin Shaozhen gets away, but Shi Jiayi disappears. The story then splits into two threads: Shi Jiayi, searching for escape opportunities, and Lin Shaozhen, relentlessly searching for her friend.

Four years later, a tip leads the police to a remote village. Lin Shaozhen and Shi Jiayi’s family, joining the search, are about to give up when a group of trafficked women, including Shi Jiayi, jump into a river, escaping through an underwater passage. They intercept the police cars before the villagers find them.

Human trafficking was a sensitive topic, especially depicting the process and the aftermath, films about it often struggled to pass censorship.

“Fighting for Life,” instead of focusing on the victims, portrayed the perpetrators: the seemingly harmless elderly traffickers, the brutal gang, the callous buyers, even the former victims who had become numb and complicit. And on Lin Shaozhen’s side, the greedy scammers, the indifferent officials…

Unlike similar films, “Fighting for Life” didn’t dwell on the victims’ suffering, it highlighted the cruelty hidden beneath a facade of innocence, the apathy beneath the surface, the indifference beneath the pretense of action. It aimed to evoke not sympathy for the victims, but anger at the perpetrators and the inaction of others.

The film’s direct approach was already unconventional, but its ending was even more controversial.

One subtle detail: the village chief, warned in advance, hides the women and children before the police raid. And a more explicit one: the rescued women, none of them choose to take the children they were forced to bear in captivity.

Unlike similar films, where the rescued woman returns to the village to teach, or where the villains kill each other, the ending of “Fighting for Life” was realistic, almost brutally so, guaranteed to spark controversy.

The 120-minute film, its creators had spent countless hours preparing for potential questions.

But… people’s minds worked in mysterious ways.

Wei Maomao had anticipated difficult questions during the premiere’s Q&A session, even after carefully screening the invitations.

But she hadn’t expected this!

After the film, during the Q&A, a man in the fourth row stood up, adjusted his glasses, and, holding a small notebook, said, “Let’s analyze the villains in this film. The initial traffickers include elderly women, the woman at the rest stop who handed Shi Jiayi’s note to the traffickers, the mother-in-law who forced Shi Jiayi, the female villagers who acted as informants, even the elderly woman guarding the cave who was a victim herself decades ago and is now buying girls. For a film about women’s resilience and strength, aren’t there a few too many female villains? Isn’t this a bit… biased against women?”

Cheng Tingyan, arriving late after being stuck in traffic, heard the man’s question through her earphones and rushed to the nearest restroom.

“Is she inside?” Cheng Tingyan asked a staff member, whom Liu Ming had finally contacted.

The young woman nodded vigorously, lowering her voice. “Yes, she’s from Zhenhe Media, their team leader. She threw her milk tea cup in the trash can by the elevator; Little CEO Shen had someone check the surveillance footage, the trash hasn’t been collected yet, someone is guarding it now. And the other woman who was supposed to be here, we had someone lure her away, she’s at the front desk now.”

Cheng Tingyan heard Zhao Can’s voice through her earphones, answering the man’s question.

[There are ninety-seven speaking roles in this film, forty-three of them antagonists. Among these forty-three antagonists, fourteen are female, and twenty-nine are male…]

A prepared answer, Zhao Can delivered it perfectly, but it probably wouldn’t satisfy that man.

[Then why not make those fourteen female roles male? The male villains emphasize physical strength, while the female villains are portrayed as cunning, deceitful, manipulative, even betraying those who share the same fate, isn’t this also a stereotype? Women can also be physically strong; men can also be emotionally manipulative. Or are you trying to portray competition within the same gender? I have a question for Ms. Qian, you’re known for playing kind mothers, why did you accept this role of a trafficked woman who becomes a buyer? Don’t you think it perpetuates harmful stereotypes about women?]

Ms. Qian wasn’t in good health… Zhao Can was probably about to explode, Cheng Tingyan frowned, she took the pack of tissues from the staff member’s hand. “Tell the person guarding the trash can to stay further away, act natural, just make sure the cleaning staff doesn’t empty it, and don’t get caught on camera.”

Cheng Tingyan entered the restroom and knocked on the only occupied stall. “Here are some tissues.”

At the Q&A session, Ms. Qian, the elderly actress, replied sharply, “Every character serves a purpose. I didn’t play this role to be liked, but to show that such people exist, to warn the audience. And about your so-called negative roles, the world is complex, so are people, we can’t just show the younger generation a one-sided view. We have to show them the potential dangers, the things they haven’t experienced yet, so they can avoid them, that’s the point, isn’t it?”

Ms. Qian’s sharp retort wasn’t enough for Zhao Can, who added a few more words.

Wei Maomao, on stage, grabbed Zhao Can’s arm, whose voice was rising with anger, and took the microphone.

And in the audience, Liu Ming was holding onto a young woman wearing a mask and a staff pass, who was trying to go on stage.

“Xiao Huo, Xiao Huo, calm down.” Liu Ming said, pulling the young woman away and holding her against the wall. “It’s not time yet, we agreed, we’ll only reveal it if we have to, that this is based on a true story… It’s not time yet, calm down.”

“He said we’re portraying competition within the same gender! He has no idea how difficult it is to survive there! Do villains even have genders?! I just want to tell those who haven’t experienced it that bad people can be anyone, regardless of age or gender!” Huo Zhang, the young woman, said, her tears soaking the edges of her mask.

“I know, I know…” Liu Ming said, her eyes also reddening, she patted the young woman’s head.

Words of comfort were useless; this young woman had already suffered enough.

They, the production team, knew… those villains in the film, they were all based on real people.

That man, standing there, seemingly speaking for women, claiming that all women should be good, he was the true villain, hiding his malice behind seemingly righteous words.

People should be wary, wary of everyone, regardless of age or gender.

If, if Huo Zhang had known this back then… known that even a pitiful old person could have malicious intentions, that a seemingly kind innkeeper could use her friendliness to extract information and then betray her, that a seemingly benevolent village woman would imprison trafficked girls for the sake of continuing the family line, that those seemingly innocent children already knew that anyone entering the village was their property… she might have avoided some of her suffering…

Liu Ming understood Zhao Can, whose sleeves were rolled up on stage, she also wanted to go up there and confront that man.

Was their film about highlighting women’s freedom? It was about the evils of humanity! It was about making people more cautious!

Like Lin Shaozhen, who escaped… like… someone who could have escaped…

“It’s okay, it’ll be over soon, look at him, rambling, he’ll be exposed soon.” Liu Ming said, thinking of Cheng Tingyan’s instructions, she covered Huo Zhang’s ears and held her close. Sigh… she should have stopped her from coming.

She hoped Zhao Can could control herself, don’t jump down and beat him up before Yan Yan arrived… Liu Ming, worried, looked at the stage and saw Maomao holding Zhao Can’s hand.

Little Maomao, still as reliable as ever, Liu Ming sighed in relief.

Reliable?

Wei Maomao had already mentally beaten up that Sha Mingfeng from Zhenhe Media countless times.

This film was based on a true story, did people truly not understand that good and evil transcended gender? They had already been careful to portray more male villains, was it so difficult to understand that they wanted to show the reality of human trafficking? That there were incompetent and indifferent officials? That the children born in captivity, regardless of their gender, were products of violence, a constant reminder of their trauma, that the victims didn’t want to take them, was it so difficult to understand? Giving someone a chance to escape a life of pain, was it truly that hard to comprehend?

Wei Maomao couldn’t understand this Sha Mingfeng, how could every question be so infuriating? Even though they had anticipated these questions, someone actually asking them with such self-righteousness, she wanted to wash his brain.

She was truly angry, gripping the microphone, holding Zhao Can’s hand, having to maintain a calm facade and answer this idiot’s questions, she was fuming!

Then came the most infuriating part.

Sha Mingfeng, his earlier attacks deflected, he was clearly prepared.

Seeing that he had taken up too much time, he quickly asked his last question: “Finally, a question for Ms. Wei, who played Lin Shaozhen, based on your understanding of the character, do you think Lin Shaozhen abandoning Shi Jiayi and escaping was a bit…”

Wei Maomao almost missed Zhao Can’s hand, which had jerked violently. Wei Maomao couldn’t understand why one person escaping meant both of them had to be caught, just like she couldn’t understand Sha Mingfeng’s logic. But she was worried about Huo Zhang… she looked at the audience, but couldn’t find her. She couldn’t… go on stage, she would be exposed…

Things always reached a turning point.

Like a rainbow after the rain, light after darkness…

Like…

Zhao Can didn’t jump down and attack him, Huo Zhang didn’t rush on stage to defend her friend, and Sha Mingfeng didn’t finish his question.

Because… the auditorium door was suddenly pushed open.

A stranger, a woman, holding a microphone, interrupted Sha Mingfeng.

“Sha Mingfeng, you, a piece of trash who climbed your way up by stepping on your colleagues, on women, what right do you have to talk about good and evil, about running or staying! You are the worst kind of person, everyone should run from you!” The woman shouted, her face red.

While Sha Mingfeng was still stunned, she continued, her voice rapid but clear.

“Team Leader Hao, you… what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Sha Mingfeng asked, feigning concern, he walked towards her.

But he was stopped by two burly security guards.

“What do you mean?” Sha Mingfeng asked, seeing their staff badges, he turned to the stage, amused. “Are you trying to silence me just because I asked a few questions? Hahaha…”

The production team on stage also looked confused.

While they were looking at Sha Mingfeng, Wei Maomao was looking at the woman by the door, at the person behind her.

That hand, the hand that had just poked the woman’s waist…

“Sha Mingfeng, shut up and stay away from me. Drugging your colleague to steal their opportunity, isn’t this your usual trick? And having someone steal all the toilet paper, are you even human? You’re criticizing others, you wolf in sheep’s clothing!” Hao Zhen said angrily, leaning against the wall, her legs numb from squatting in the toilet. “I wasn’t supposed to be here today, it was Xiao Song, tell me! Was it you who caused her allergy?!”

Sha Mingfeng, noticing the cameras turning towards him, his face darkened. “Team Leader Hao, look at the occasion, is this the place to make false accusations?”

“False accusations? Heh…” Hao Zhen sneered. “I’ve already called the police, that milk tea you gave me is still in the trash can, waiting to be tested, and Mr. Liu has also agreed to check the surveillance footage, I’ll show everyone how you, who claims to be a champion for women’s rights, truly treat us.”

Compared to Hao Zhen’s confidence, Sha Mingfeng’s denials sounded weak.

The media, sensing a story, the auditorium buzzing, several reporters started questioning Sha Mingfeng, some even with a hint of mockery.

The production team, who had been suppressing their anger, finally relaxed.

“That Team Leader Hao? She’s a true hero!” Zhao Can said, relieved, she then turned off her microphone and whispered to Wei Maomao, “But… how did she get out without any toilet paper?”

How…

Wei Maomao, not answering, couldn’t help but glance at the woman by the door, at the person behind her.

Then, finally, she saw it.

A glimpse of a bouquet, and above it, a pair of familiar eyes, watching them secretly.

Months since they last saw each other, Wei Maomao couldn’t look away.

Their eyes met, and Wei Maomao saw a hint of a smile in those familiar eyes, her heart skipped a beat, she instinctively wanted to look away, but in the next second, that person stepped out, smiled at her…

Po… polite…

Wei Maomao, flustered, forced a smile, then, trying to calm herself down, turned her attention to the man everyone was looking at.

Thump, thump, thump, her heart racing.

Was it Yan Yan? The one who… helped Hao Zhen out of the restroom…

Although it was just a glance, Wei Maomao felt that this timely interruption, this silencing of Sha Mingfeng, it was definitely related to Cheng Tingyan.