‘It took a long period of time making the video, as we all know. At the time of the interview, Kang simply saw what the company did as politically justifiable, and untouchable too. He accepted my interview request only to give me a lecture, which he later used for propaganda purposes in the company newsletter. But that was at the time when the governmental accusation against the conspiracy of the American Embassy was still echoing, and with few people really aware of the disastrous consequences of the smog-smothered sky. Believe it or not, some of the scenes in the film were also provided by the interviewees those days.’

The interview in question represented Kang sitting opposite Shanshan, Chen recalled, describing the air pollution as the necessary price for the unprecedented economic development, declaring arrogantly that China had to move up to the top of the world that way.

‘The whole “petroleum gang” is now in big trouble, I’ve heard,’ the white-haired commenter chipped in again. ‘Allegedly the very target of the new government’s anti-corruption crackdown, with their boss Yong implicated in the background.’

Chen had heard of that too. Yong, who had risen to the pinnacle of power from an entry-level cadre in the petroleum industry, was commonly regarded as the patron of the gang in question. As a member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, and with that in charge of Internal Security, Yong was said to be engaged in a last-ditch battle against the new general secretary of the Central Party Committee, a Red Prince from the Forbidden City.

Chen said nothing, aware of a wave of abated whispers sweeping the room. People knew how complicated things could have been at the top.

She too said nothing for a minute, still waiting, but she appeared to be casting a glance in his direction. His was a new face in the meeting room. It would be natural for people to pay attention to a stranger there, even though it might have been nothing too uncommon for a new representative of a partner company to come sit at a preview.

With his beret pulled low, he prayed no one would recognize him. Some of the Big Bucks there might also have met him before.

People started talking about the documentary, and about things related to it. But more than anything else, about how much could prove to be too much. It made sense for them to carefully weigh the consequences. For those well-established businessmen, their businesses still had to go on as before – in the last analysis – under the leadership of the ‘great, glorious and correct Chinese Communist Party’.

Judging from their discussion, Chen understood that the project was pretty much done. He was in no position to comment like some others who had been involved from the beginning. So he kept making notes, his head hung low, like a dutiful representative.

Shanshan resumed, taking a small sip from a water bottle on the lectern.

‘There’re a lot of factors contributing to the oppressive smog hanging over all our heads, a long list of them indeed, but only some of them are covered in the documentary.