[Chapter 780: The Gatecrasher]
Standing by the photo wall and posing for a while, Eric and Drew followed the staff down a long corridor toward the party venue.
Looking around at a few people nearby, Drew suddenly leaned towards Eric and whispered, "Eric, some guy just asked us when we plan to have a baby."
A few people chatting by the corridor's glass window noticed Eric and Drew arriving and politely greeted them. Eric nodded in response, equally puzzled, and whispered back, "Huh?"
Drew seemed to perk up suddenly. "What do you think about having a little baby?"
Eric didn't oppose the idea. Although he wasn't yet twenty-six, he already felt mature enough not to shy away from the thought of children anymore.
In fact, while in New York, he had even sensed that Cindy wanted to get pregnant to secure her place in his life. After all the signs, especially with Linda stirring the pot, he could hardly claim to be clueless about her intentions.
Though he hadn't actively sought to facilitate such a thing, he also hadn't kept his distance. If a child did come along, he could certainly afford it. With a considerable fortune at his disposal, the thought of family expansion was inevitable. More kids would mean some could inherit the family legacy, and those who didn't excel would still have a trust to rely on.
However, listening to Drew, Eric asked, "So, are you ready to be a mom? Taking care of a baby can be a handful."
Drew tilted her head slightly. "I have Natasha to help me out. And, um, if all else fails, I could always send the baby to New York to have Joan look after it."
Eric chuckled, saying, "Come on now, you're already thinking of throwing in the towel when the kid doesn't even exist yet. Let's talk about this again once you're ready to be a mom."
Although Drew had already celebrated her twentieth birthday the previous year and had begun managing MGM, perhaps due to lingering effects from a troubled childhood, she still had a playful side. This was part of why Eric still saw her as the same baby-faced girl he'd known all those years.
Drew realized she was just being whimsical. Hearing Eric's remarks, she quickly dismissed the thought. "Alright, let's just wait a few years then."
...
As they entered the party hall, members of the Forrest Gump crew had already come up to greet them.
"Congratulations, everyone," Eric warmly embraced Robert Zemeckis, Tom Hanks, and others, and finally turned to Hanks, asking, "Tom, how does it feel to win again?"
"It's fantastic, Eric. Thanks a lot," Hanks replied, his excitement evident in his genuine smile. He knew full well that without Eric's arrangements for two consecutive years, he wouldn't have made such Oscar history.
After weathering the typical pleasantries, they all settled at a round table in the hall to continue the conversation.
The nature of the Vanity Fair party leaned more toward a formal dinner. The guests, who had just been exhilarated for three hours at the awards ceremony, certainly hoped for a relatively quiet environment -- soothing music, dim lighting, and small groups gathering to reflect on the year's triumphs or disappointments, all while seeking opportunities for next year.
After discussing Forrest Gump, Drew casually asked Zemeckis, "Bob, I know it might be a bit early to ask, but do you have any projects that interest you? I'm really looking forward to our next collaboration!"
From the start of his career, Robert Zemeckis had been the kind of director who not only pursued commercial success but also demonstrated incredible innovation. Since his first comedy, Used Cars, in 1980, every film Zemeckis directed had been a commercial hit. His well-known sci-fi series, Back to the Future, and the animated-live-action hybrid, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, achieved remarkable box office success. Thus, it was hardly surprising that Drew wanted to ride the momentum of Forrest Gump's success to solidify their collaboration. If they weren't in the middle of a conversation, many at the party might have already approached him to discuss potential projects.
In this situation, most people, even if they had no intention of continuing to work together, would typically find a smooth way to stall the discussion.
However, Robert Zemeckis's expression showed a brief hesitation. He recalled a recent chat with Steven Spielberg about another matter, paused for a moment, and then said, "Of course, Drew, we'll definitely work together when the opportunity arises."
Noticing the change in Zemeckis's expression, Drew cleverly chose not to press the issue and naturally shifted the topic.
While they were chatting, everyone felt a stir coming from the party entrance, and curiosity had them turning to look.
"Godfather has arrived," Drew exclaimed, having a clear view from her seat next to Eric. Then, after a pause, she added, "And there's David Geffen and... hmm, Bill Gates. What are they doing together?"
Initially, Eric wasn't too interested, but upon hearing Drew mention Bill Gates, he turned to look, just in time to lock eyes with Gates.
They exchanged nods, and Gates leaned in to say something quietly to Spielberg before walking over with his wife, Melinda Gates.
Sensing something, Eric didn't find it too strange. Since they were approaching, he stood up and went over to greet them with Drew.
...
"Hey, Bill, I didn't expect you to show up," Eric said, shaking hands with Gates before giving Melinda a gentle hug, complimenting, "Melinda, you look absolutely stunning tonight."
"Thank you, Eric," Melinda replied, smiling politely. She then turned to Drew and said, "Drew looks lovely too. This is my first time here, so I hope you can show me around a bit?"
With an enthusiastic grin, Drew said, "Of course! Follow me. I need to say hi to godfather first, and then I'll take you to meet some interesting folks. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good," the two women said, exchanging knowing glances with their respective partners before leaving arm in arm.
"Let's grab a drink at the bar," Eric nonchalantly suggested. Although he had a good idea why Gates was there, he wasn't bothered by it. If Gates was going to cling to Microsoft's power without budging, Eric couldn't do much about it. Since Gates took the initiative to step into his territory, he might as well give him a warm welcome.
Without a doubt, Gates was likely spurred by all the recent media hype surrounding Eric, eager to join the Hollywood scene.
In the original timeline, when Spielberg, Geffen, and Katzenberg founded DreamWorks, Gates and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen had even invested in the studio. Over the years, Microsoft had shown a keen interest in breaking into Hollywood, often leading to rumors about impending acquisitions of media companies. However, most of the time, it didn't materialize.
But now, history had taken a different course, and the terrifying profitability of the Firefly Group clearly prompted many to step into Hollywood boldly. Gates was likely among them.
However, the major film studios had been split up in recent years, so if Gates wanted to make a mark, he would have to start from scratch. In those past two years, whispers of Spielberg and Geffen wanting to establish their own major film studio made them the optimal collaborators for Microsoft.
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