Laila was dumbfounded by her grandfather's words. Were such shameless words appropriate for imparting wisdom to the younger generation? He was openly advising her to become a third party in someone else's relationship – it was quite a pace!
"I wouldn't want someone who has been with someone else." She had this cleanliness obsession even in her past life; she couldn't stand the thought of her things being touched by others. It applied to objects, and it applied to men. Why did men always expect their girlfriends to be pure while women couldn't do the same?
Grandfather was also taken aback by her words. Being a Westerner, his perspective on such matters was completely different from Laila's Eastern soul. They didn't even care if a woman was pure, so how could they care about a man?
Hence, her words left Oswald conflicted. On one hand, he thought that such a stance could prevent his granddaughter from getting involved with dubious men as boyfriends. On the other hand, he worried that if she truly followed this, what would happen if she couldn't find a boyfriend in the future? This was America – did his granddaughter need to start cultivating a man of her own from elementary school?
It seemed like that might not be a bad idea. Oswald stroked his chin, contemplating the feasibility of this idea.
Unaware that her words had sent her grandfather's thoughts wandering miles away, Laila chatted for a bit and was about to end the call.
At that moment, Oswald suddenly asked a question, "Laila, are you bad at remembering people's names?"
Laila was taken aback, "Not really."
"Is that so? I heard that you can't even remember the names of employees below the middle level of your Company?"
"Did Claire tell you?" Laila awkwardly chuckled, "Well, maybe a little."
In truth, it wasn't that she couldn't remember people's names, she just didn't bother. In her mind, it made little difference whether she remembered the names of lower-level employees or not, as she didn't have many interactions with them. Even if she occasionally had to interact, someone would remind her of the person's name.
Oswald's voice grew serious, "Laila, remember my words. From now on, keep the names of everyone who works for you in your heart. Their names, ages, family situations, physical conditions – remember as much as you can."
"Why?" Laila didn't understand. "I don't need to interact with them directly."
"Do you know why I was able to build a small printing company into the conglomerate it is today? Even now, I can recall the names of everyone I've met. Whether it's employees working for me or partners I've dealt with, remembering their names is something you must do."
Laila recalled hearing about this superhuman ability of her grandfather from Janet. There was a time when he visited a subordinate company and casually called out the name of an employee he had met over a decade ago. That employee had only met Oswald once more than ten years ago, and since then, his name had been etched in Oswald's memory.
One could imagine how honored a low-level employee would feel when a boss they had met only once could still recall their name over a decade later.
Thinking about it, Laila understood the purpose behind her grandfather suddenly bringing up this topic. He was teaching her how to become an excellent corporate leader.
If she spent her entire life revolving around the entertainment industry, even if she reached the pinnacle of her career as a director and continued her current lifestyle, it wouldn't be a problem. However, she wasn't just that – she was going to be the CEO of the Moran Media Group, responsible for enormous wealth and numerous employees who relied on her.
This meant that she couldn't be too self-centered and individualistic; she had to be responsible for more people.
"I understand. From now on, I'll try to remember every person." Laila promised solemnly. As someone who had taken over the original Laila's existence, she had no right to refuse the responsibilities and obligations that came with it.
Seeing her grasp his intent, Oswald nodded contentedly, "You're still young. That's your most valuable asset, don't waste it! Once it's gone, you'll never have it back."
"I understand, Grandfather. You can rest assured." No one understood the value of life more than she did. Laila was completely confident in this regard.
After ending the call with her grandfather, she stood by the window, looking at the street below, her emotions difficult to calm.
She had known that in the future, she would inherit the Moran Group and her mother's fashion brand. However, she had been so focused on her film career and pursuing her dreams that she rarely faced this reality head-on.
Now, her grandfather's reminder had made her acutely aware of the weight she carried. Perhaps to others, she seemed lucky, born into a good family and inheriting a substantial fortune.
But in truth, she didn't feel that this was something to be overly celebrated. With the benefits brought by her rebirth, she didn't think it was a dream to earn more wealth in the future than the entire Moran Group.
They said starting a business was easy but maintaining it was difficult. While she didn't find earning money particularly challenging, taking over the Moran Group's industries, and ensuring countless employees could earn a living wage, was something she lacked confidence in.
"At least there are still a dozen or so years left. Hopefully, that day will come later." Laila sighed wryly.
Soon after, the president of Victoria's Secret called, congratulating her on creating unforgettable photos and expressing his belief that these sets of photos would lead the company into a period of rapid growth.
Don't underestimate the power of good creative ideas; they could truly save a brand. Roy's set of photos for Burberry was a living example of this. That's why the president of Victoria's Secret specifically called to express his gratitude and mentioned that he would send her a gift.
Laila didn't refuse; this level of exchange was not excessive. If her movie's box office did well, she would also give bonuses to the actors and crew members.
However, what she didn't expect was that the gift wouldn't be sent casually. It was hand-delivered by someone she knew – Warren Galls, the son of the president of Victoria's Secret.
It seemed the senior president hadn't given up on his matchmaker plans. Yet, it appeared his son was not quite on board with his idea. Looking at the handsome guy who was trying hard to put on an "I'm in a great mood, everything is fine" expression, Laila couldn't help but chuckle.
"It's kind of you to come in person. I apologize for the trouble." Laila smiled warmly as she invited him to sit in her office.
Warren managed to squeeze out a somewhat stiff smile, "It's nothing. I happened to be visiting Hollywood for a few days, so I took on this task as well."
"Oh?" Laila didn't expect there to be a follow-up. She was quite intrigued as she asked, "Hollywood does have a lot of fun places. Do you need me to show you around?"
"No need!" Warren rejected it without hesitation. Come on, he was already annoyed enough by being dragged here; if he had to involve her as well, he might as well just go back.
Looking at it from any angle, she was an excellent person to date. Family background, talent, appearance, and demeanor – calling her a perfect woman wouldn't be an exaggeration. If he considered a different approach, he might have entertained the idea of pursuing her.