In Beijing, in one of the apartments of a luxury neighborhood.
Sixteen-year-old Liu Yifei sat on the couch, holding a large cup filled with a fruit salad made of bananas, apples, papaya, and other fruits arranged in a pyramid. On the TV screen, her first work, the series Story of a Noble Family, was playing. More precisely, it was her first experience in the film industry, though before that, she had already starred in an advertisement for Jingfei Apartments, owned by her godfather, Chen Jingfei.
Watching the screen where her character, Bai Xiuzhu, appeared, Liu Yifei smiled, recalling the filming process. But soon her face became indifferent, just like the character on the screen.
"Mom, can you come over for a minute?" she called.
Hearing her daughter's voice, Liu Xiaoli came out of the kitchen. "What happened?"
"Mom, you were an actress. Tell me, is acting skill important for an actor?"
Liu Xiaoli froze in place. "What? Why are you asking this?"
"I'm just really curious. Look at Bai Xiuzhu—many people online say she's beautiful, but a lot also write that she has no emotions, that she can't act at all."
"When I was filming Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Director Zhang initially told me to learn from the Hong Kong actress Christy Chung, but later, when filming began, he instructed me not to show emotions. Could it be that I'm just a bad actress?"
Her daughter's question caught Liu Xiaoli off guard.
Seeing her mother's silence, Liu Yifei realized the answer was obvious.
"Mom, maybe I should study at the Beijing Film Academy for a couple of years to improve my acting skills?"
"You and godfather always ask me not to hang out with classmates too much. Now I barely have any friends at school. After lessons, while others discuss things in groups, I just go back to the dorm or home."
"I feel like I need to fit in. I don't want to be a loner. I had the same feeling when I studied in America: neither the white nor black kids wanted to be friends with me."
Liu Xiaoli looked at her daughter in surprise. "Feifei, what's wrong with you today? Why such strange thoughts? Don't worry about that. You already have some fame, and when Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is released, you'll definitely become a star."
"You're not like your classmates anymore. What do they have? How many of them have acted in movies? And how many of them have become popular?"
"When this special period is over, your godfather will find you a few more high-quality projects. After one or two successful TV shows, we'll move on to the big screen."
"Also, he can connect with Sony in Japan to release your album, and then we'll head to Hollywood. Columbia Pictures is owned by Sony."
"Feifei, you're going to be a Hollywood star, a global celebrity. Your classmates, at best, will only be known in China. Why do you need to hang out with them? Listen to me and don't think about it."
Liu Yifei only nodded. But as she thought about Hollywood, she remembered the foreigner they had met at the Forbidden City. Though he was handsome, his words were unpleasant.
"Alright, enough of Story of a Noble Family. It's only filling your head. Let me change the channel," Liu Xiaoli said as she pressed the button on the remote. The screen switched to Beijing Television, where the midday news was on.
"Today at 9 a.m., the American film company MGM officially opened its office in Beijing, beginning a cultural collaboration with China Film Group. MGM, one of the oldest American film studios, has produced such classic films as Gone with the Wind, Tom and Jerry, The Silence of the Lambs, and James Bond. It is one of the most influential companies in Hollywood."
"The project will be 51% owned by the Chinese side and 49% by the American side. Initial investments amount to 50 million dollars. The collaboration will cover areas such as film technology development, movie production, distribution rights, and related merchandise."
"MGM will also build a factory in Beijing. The first phase of investments will total 40 million dollars, creating about 2,000 jobs."
"MGM will also donate 2 million dollars to combat SARS in China, demonstrating the company's social responsibility."
"Attending the launch ceremony were Secretary Li of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Mayor Qin, MGM Vice President Eric Cooper, and MGM China head Susan Levin."
If Liu Xiaoli had previously been indifferent to such news, this time was different. Both she and her daughter knew MGM as one of Hollywood's seven major studios, and they watched the screen intently.
Suddenly, they saw an interview with Eric. Liu Yifei immediately shouted, "Mom, mom, look, it's him! The guy we met at the Forbidden City!"
Liu Xiaoli also stared closely, and both of them leaned toward the screen to confirm.
"How can this be? That rude guy turns out to be the vice president of MGM! What a coincidence!"
After their initial shock, Liu Yifei suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes widening. "Wait, Mom, do you remember that day? This Eric Cooper said I wouldn't make it to Hollywood. Could he be right?"
Liu Xiaoli also felt uneasy. After Eric left that day, she had said many unkind things about him behind his back. Now it all seemed to backfire.
"Don't worry about that," she said, trying to comfort her daughter.
"Maybe he was just talking. You know how some Americans feel superior, thinking they're better than everyone else. To them, Chinese, Black people, Native Americans, and Mexicans are second-class citizens."
Liu Yifei smiled awkwardly. "Really? But that day he helped us take a picture and was quite friendly. Besides, he said that if I wanted to make it to Hollywood, I'd have to work on my acting and martial arts skills. Maybe he had a point."
Meanwhile, Liu Xiaoli was no longer listening to her daughter. Her eyes were fixed on the TV, on Eric's young, handsome face, and various thoughts started forming in her mind.
She picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. Over the past two years, Liu Xiaoli had attended many events with Chen Jingfei and gradually accumulated several useful contacts.
She also understood that in the world of show business and politics, you can't achieve success unless you're persistent.
Why is it that some people can solve their problems just by having dinner once with influential figures, even if those leaders don't remember their names? The reason is that they're not afraid to act, even after meeting just once, and they can approach them for help like old friends. They're generous with money, and the matter often gets resolved.
The first step is to be bold and take action.
Clearly, Liu Xiaoli was a woman capable of bold actions, and she was an attractive woman at that.
...
In the private room of Fengzeyuan Restaurant, on the second floor.
Han Sanping and Zhou Xiaopeng, satisfied, were smoking. Both had drunk about one and a half liters of alcohol, and their ears were already red.
The project launch ceremony had taken place in the morning, and MGM's initial funds had arrived in the accounts. Everything was settled, the future looked promising, and they had added a significant achievement to their records.
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