Janet had returned on her own this time, as Quentin was still working in the East and would come back only after dealing with some urgent matters. The family knew that he was working for Laila, so they weren't upset about Janet returning home alone.
However, after dinner, Grandfather Oswald called Laila into his study.
"Is everything going smoothly in the East?" Grandfather Oswald, who had developed a liking for tea under his grandmother's influence, asked Laila while sipping his tea.
"For now, we haven't encountered any difficulties. The people in the East are quite friendly towards us, and their demand for foreign exchange is quite substantial. We offered them some favorable terms for our investments," Laila replied.
Oswald nodded. "That's good. If things go well, let that guy come back soon."
"Alright," Laila agreed, but she couldn't help but smirk inwardly. Did her grandfather really want him to come back, or did he not want him to return at all?
Like any father of a beloved daughter, Oswald had a strong aversion to men who might take his precious daughter away. If he could, he would rather keep his daughter at home forever, away from those scoundrels.
It was because of his lack of determination that Reynolds had been able to hurt his daughter for 20 years. The thought of Janet soon becoming another man's wife made him want to crush the cup in his hand into pieces.
"Listen, Laila, you're still young, and you may not understand how dangerous men can be. So, remember to stay away from those with ulterior motives, okay?" Oswald knew that his daughter was no longer protectable, so he repeatedly advised his granddaughter to prevent her from falling into the clutches of such men.
Laila nodded with a smile. If his subordinates saw him like this right now, his glasses would probably shatter.
After discussing some matters related to the East, Oswald shifted the conversation to NBC. "The reality shows you suggested are doing well and have boosted our ratings. But for television, series still have a stronger hold on the audience's hearts. Don't you think our current television shows are completely subpar?"
Laila was taken aback by the question. NBC wasn't her business, so why should she have any feelings about their ratings? But she couldn't say that, as speaking out would likely result in her being forced to sign a series of unequal agreements.
"It's a pity. I think they are trying their best, and given some time, they should be able to achieve good results."
Oswald could tell that she was trying to avoid the topic. He sneered, "Do you think that NBC has nothing to do with you just because it's not your business? Remember, it was I who pushed you to come up with those reality show ideas. It seems you're quite slippery when it comes to your responsibilities, just like your father!"
Laila's face turned bitter. "Grandfather, my mother is pregnant. Maybe she'll give birth to a brother for you who can inherit your business?"
"Humph!" Oswald snorted. "I don't have the idea that my business must be inherited by a man. I've seen your achievements, and only you can make the Moran Group grow. With Janet's indulgent nature, even if she has a son, he won't amount to much!"
The way he said it... Laila couldn't help but sympathize with the unborn baby. Being labeled as a spoiled rich kid even before birth, was that really fair?
"Grandfather, I have my own career."
"Movies?" Oswald sneered. "How much money can you make by making movies all your life? And don't forget, what has a bigger impact, a movie or owning a media conglomerate? Don't you want to try being the media queen and experiencing what it's like? All the politicians will want to befriend you so that you speak well of them. All the viewers will be looking to you for outstanding television shows and films. Even those in trouble will try to win you over, so you don't reveal their dirty secrets! Don't you think that kind of life is more exciting?"
Laila listened with a resigned expression. "Grandfather, I'm your granddaughter, and we've lived together for a while now." Did he think she was unaware of his daily life?
According to his words, he wanted to rule over the entire United States. Although she hadn't lived with him for long, it didn't mean she didn't know what he usually did. Golf, card games, boasting, and chatting seemed to be what he did the most. Did he really think he could dominate everything with just a media conglomerate? Were other media outlets just decorations?
Oswald had no awkwardness about being caught boasting and continued, "You know what's best, but in any case, you need to come up with some ideas for a popular TV series. NBC can't rely solely on a few reality shows to carry the day, can it?"
"Several?" Laila widened her eyes. "And you want them to be popular TV series? Do you think it's that easy?"
"What does it matter to you? You're a genius, after all." Oswald said smugly, crossing his legs.
A genius... Was that a good reason? But did her grandfather forget something?
"I'm a director, Grandfather, you've forgotten that, right?" Laila sighed.
"What does that have to do with it? Can't a director of movies also direct TV series? Can't a novelist who writes long novels also write short ones?" Oswald continued to insist.
Laila wanted to tell him that it wasn't necessarily true that someone good at writing long novels could also write good short ones. Writing gets easier the longer it is. Short stories, limited by length, had to condense a lot of information. If they were condensed too much, they'd become trivial. She had written scripts and knew about these things.
But how could she explain this to her grandfather, who knew nothing about it? Moreover, her grandfather had no intention of being reasonable.
Alright, if she was willing, she could come up with some ideas for popular TV series. If being a genius meant this, then she truly was a genius. But was this really a good thing? Could NBC rely solely on her to run the show?
"Grandfather, I can give you some suggestions, but I still believe that what you need is not just scripts but also a competent team."
Oswald only heard the first half of her sentence and was satisfied. "Okay, it's a team then. I leave it to you."
Laila was at a loss for words. Could she be a bit more stubborn? "I still have work to do."
"You've assigned the work in the East to Quentin, and as for the movie, I heard it won't be released until the summer season. You have plenty of time. Use this time to put together that so-called team you mentioned!" Oswald made a decisive decision. His domineering demeanor made it clear that there was no room for appeal.