Chapter 230: Leonardo's Visit

Outside the VIP lane at Los Angeles International Airport, Han Shanping had been waiting for quite a while. Dressed in a crisp dark grey suit, he looked especially sharp under the California sun. Spotting Xiang Fei and his group walking out, he immediately stepped forward to greet them.

"A-Fei!" Han Shanping warmly clasped Xiang Fei's hand. "Was the journey smooth?"

Xiang Fei smiled and nodded. "Thanks to Uncle Han's blessings, everything went smoothly the whole way." He turned slightly to introduce them. "This is Zhou Xingxing and Hong Jinbao—you should know them both."

Zhou Xingxing nodded a somewhat reserved greeting, while Hong Jinbao laughed heartily and said, "Mr. Han, I've long admired your reputation!"

Han Shanping's gaze lingered on the two of them for a moment, then he said meaningfully, "I hear the two of you have been quite interested in the mainland market lately?"

"That's right," Hong Jinbao said frankly. "The mainland market is developing so well these days, us old-timers have to keep up with the times too."

Han Shanping smiled with satisfaction. "Good eye. Once the Oscars are over, we can sit down and have a proper talk about cooperation."

In a suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Han Shanping handed Xiang Fei a detailed itinerary.

"Tomorrow at ten in the morning we walk the red carpet, at two in the afternoon there's the special screening of *Drive My Car*, and at seven in the evening the awards ceremony officially begins." He paused and looked at everyone. "The schedule is very tight, so everyone needs to be prepared."

Li Bingbing sat on the sofa and couldn't help asking, "President Han, how big do you think our chances of winning are?"

Han Shanping pushed his glasses up, his expression serious. "The chances are still very good. A-Fei's art films, whenever submitted to international film festivals, never fail to win awards—things like *Shoplifters*, *Departures*, *Parasite*, and so on.

Xiang Fei picked up his teacup and took a light sip. "Being nominated is already a huge affirmation. What matters is letting the world see the strength of Asian cinema."

Zhou Huimin sat beside Xiang Fei, gently holding his hand. "No matter the outcome, we've given it our all."

At nine in the evening, a knock at the door broke the quiet in the room.

Zhou Huimin rose to open the door, and saw standing outside a handsome blond, blue-eyed man with a charming smile on his face.

"Hello," he said in broken Chinese, "I am Leonardo DiCaprio. Is Aiven here?"

Zhou Huimin was startled for a moment, then turned her head and called out, "A-Fei! Your American friend is here looking for you!"

Xiang Fei hurried over, visibly surprised when he saw Leonardo. "Leo? What are you doing here?"

Leonardo smiled and spread his arms, giving Xiang Fei an enthusiastic hug. "I heard you came to attend the Oscars—how could I not come see an old friend?"

He turned to Zhou Huimin and said with impeccable manners, "You must be Miss Vivian. I've long admired your reputation—you're even more beautiful than on screen."

Zhou Huimin gave a slight smile. "Thank you, Mr. DiCaprio. Your Chinese still needs some work."

The three sat on the living room sofa, an undisguised admiration in Leonardo's eyes.

"Aiven, after you went back, I watched all your award-winning works several times over. I have to admit, Aiven, your strength is really formidable.

Xiang Fei smiled. "Eastern aesthetics value negative space. Sometimes, silence is more powerful than words."

Leonardo nodded thoughtfully. "That's exactly what Hollywood films lack the most." He paused, then suddenly lowered his voice. "Aiven, I'm currently preparing a new project, about the collision of Eastern and Western cultures. I hope you'll come on as co-director."

Zhou Huimin looked at her husband in surprise, while Xiang Fei fell into thought. Outside the window, Los Angeles blazed with lights, starlight and neon weaving together, as if heralding some unknown possibility.

The room fell silent for a moment, only the ticking of the clock reminding them of time's passage.