Chapter 1019: She Comes from Hollywood

Zhao Ying said with a smile: "As for the businesses we partnered in, there are only a few properties left over on the side of the little Japs, and we still hold those tech stocks you mentioned in M Country. However, if those stocks were truly investigated, there is no way they could ever be traced back to you or me."

He Yuzhu took up the thread of conversation, his eyebrows arching: "What about your own?"

"I don't have any other skills, but I am good at listening to advice. I've been listening to you for decades; now that I'm old, I'm even less likely to do anything foolish." Zhao Ying spread her hands, "I moved everything to the Mainland long ago. Here in Hong Kong, there's only a bit of US dollars left in the Chinese-funded banks; I don't believe they would dare to skim that off me."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu nodded repeatedly, the worry in his eyes finally melting away a little: "That's good, that's good. Now I can be completely at ease."

Zhao Ying's tone shifted abruptly, carrying a hint of reproach: "This time... how could you be so careless?"

He Yuzhu grinned and said: "I'm working for the country now. I can't let anything happen to the people in the delegation. This time, I was also forced into it by the people of M Country."

Zhao Ying stopped pressing him and changed the subject: "That boy in your sister's family is quite good. He looks talented and has a straightforward personality."

He Yuzhu smiled, laugh lines bunching at the corners of his eyes: "I'm having him arm-wrestle with He Zheng. For now, the kid still has the slight upper hand."

Zhao Ying glanced at him, a half-smile on her face: "Your nephew really has a bit of your shadow from back in the day. The day I met him, he had a wife by his side, plus a female confidante, and the two of them were getting along quite harmoniously. Just on that point alone, he's a match for you."

He Yuzhu waved his hands quickly: "I'm not like him..."

Zhao Ying gave a light hum: "Men, they're all the same—they love the new but don't tire of the old."

He Yuzhu was choked into a helpless shake of his head, momentarily not knowing how to respond.

Zhao Ying straightened her expression again: "Zhuzi, you should stay in Hong Kong for a few more days. M Country has been sending quite a few people over lately, using the guise of cultural exchange while secretly doing nothing but provoking the relationship between the two places. If they find out you were the one behind those things, they might go after the people around you."

He Yuzhu suddenly smiled, a flash of cunning in his eyes: "Sister Ying, what do you think it would look like if that side in M Country discovered their largest vault had been cleaned out?"

Zhao Ying was stunned, her pupils shrinking slightly: "Then M Country would be turned upside down—a major financial upheaval would be inevitable, and the stock market would collapse too. The internet bubble hasn't even recovered yet; add a financial crisis on top of that... Heh, M Country would really be in trouble then..."

He Yuzhu said: "I just want those old financial consortiums of theirs to go bankrupt."

Zhao Ying seemed to realize something and asked in utter disbelief: "Fort Knox was robbed? This is too big... but I suspect that side in M Country definitely won't admit it."

"What if the news and evidence were all leaked out?" He Yuzhu asked nonchalantly.

Zhao Ying's mind turned rapidly: "This matter has to be leaked from the side of the little Japs. Don't look at how they act like a loyal dog to M Country on the surface; in reality, they are the ones who most hope for M Country's financial ruin."

He Yuzhu nodded with satisfaction: "That's perfect. I think it's time to throw this grenade out!"

"Leave this to me," Zhao Ying said crisply.

The following evening, the banquet hall of the Wanchai Grand Hyatt Hotel, the most prosperous in Hong Kong, was brightly lit, with the rustle of silk and shadows of guests weaving into a brilliant display of light and color.

At the banquet, celebrities gathered; Zhao Ying, Xu Tian, and Xu Tian's son all appeared at the tables, and high-level figures from the economic, literary, and even police circles came to show their support.

Ma Rui made a high-profile appearance with a group of core members, accompanied by his business partners Bang Geng and Yi Xiaotian, his wife Yang Jing, Liu Wei, and several other partners.

He Yuzhu also came, but he acted extremely low-key.

He did not make a big scene, but instead quietly introduced some of his old friends to Ma Rui, taking the opportunity to catch up with old acquaintances he hadn't seen in a long time.

But don't think for a second he was just chatting—his gaze remained like a hawk's, calmly watching the movements of the M Country cultural delegation.

Having a net worth of twenty billion at a young age, Ma Rui naturally could not escape the pursuit of the Hong Kong literary and art circles, and several popular actresses vied to get close to him.

He Yuzhu swept his peripheral vision and saw that Yang Jing and Liu Wei had already been pulled away to discuss projects by the bosses of two local film companies with considerable influence.

Just then, the main event arrived—a Chinese-American woman with delicate features and a lively, cheerful temperament walked over gracefully, accompanied by the famous Hong Kong beauty Li Jiaxin.

Li Jiaxin took the initiative to step forward and spoke to Ma Rui with a smile: "Mr. Ma, before I came, I thought you were a pot-bellied middle-aged man. I didn't expect you to be so young."

Ma Rui raised his glass in salute: "You must be Ms. Li Jiaxin? I've seen your *Swordsman*, *Fong Sai-yuk*, and *Rouge*, and your looks in them were all very beautiful. But you look even better in person."

Li Jiaxin lowered her head with a hint of shyness: "My acting skills weren't mature back then; I've made you laugh."

"Even if it's a vase, it's a precious vase," Ma Rui said half-jokingly, "not just anyone can be one."

"You're annoying!" Li Jiaxin gave him a coquettish glare.

The Hollywood Chinese-American actress Jiang Wanyu, who was standing nearby, had wanted Li Jiaxin to help introduce her, but who knew the two would be chatting so enthusiastically that they left her standing on the side.

She hurriedly picked up a glass of champagne and took the initiative to approach, congratulating him with a beaming smile: "Wishing Boss Ma a prosperous business and a red-hot stock market opening!"

Li Jiaxin finally snapped back to reality, realizing she had been so busy chatting with Ma Rui that she had forgotten her good friend, and hurriedly introduced her: "This is the future star of Hollywood, Ms. Jiang Wanyu. She has recently filmed several movies adapted from animations by the little Japs."

Ma Rui raised his glass and clinked it gently with hers: "Nice to meet you! I've seen your performance in *Memoirs of a Geisha*, but the makeup was not very good; your face was as white as a ghost. You look better in person."

Jiang Wanyu glared at him, her tone carrying a touch of seriousness: "That was restoring history; it emphasizes authentic restoration."

Ma Rui laughed: "Bullshit history. The director is an idiot. If I were a patron, I'd be scared to death—where would I have any desire left!"

"Mr. Ma, can we not talk about this movie? I know you are a very famous film and television investor in the Mainland. Do you have any intention of cooperating with Hollywood?" Jiang Wanyu suddenly leaned in close, bending down to his ear, her tone full of charm.

Seeing this, Li Jiaxin felt it was really inappropriate to keep standing there, so she quickly found an excuse and slipped away.

Ma Rui smiled faintly: "Although the Hollywood market is large, it's not something that can be broken into in a day or two for Chinese-language films."

Jiang Wanyu was not discouraged and immediately threw out bait: "I recently got two very good Chinese-language scripts, and I plan to invest some money myself. I wonder if Mr. Ma is interested?"

Ma Rui kept his uncle's instructions in mind—never cooperate with people from M Country, not even in the film industry. But facing a beautiful lady, he didn't want to be too blunt, so he replied tactfully: "The conditions are not quite mature yet."

A flash of disappointment crossed Jiang Wanyu's eyes, which Ma Rui keenly captured. He smiled and added: "However, since Ms. Jiang is so beautiful, you could consider coming to the Mainland to develop. We are very welcome here."

Jiang Wanyu's eyes lit up instantly, and she replied with delight: "I have just that intention! My agency is already in contact with Brothers Media in the Mainland, wanting to cooperate on a work with an ancient mythological theme."

Ma Rui nodded: "Brothers Media is also a very capable company."

Jiang Wanyu took the opportunity to flatter him: "But how can they compare to your company, Mr. Ma? You have the He Group behind you, and the He Group is second to none in the Mainland now."

Ma Rui waved his hand and said modestly with a smile: "The He Group belongs to my uncle; it's ultimately not the same thing as me. I still have to rely on my own efforts."

Jiang Wanyu stopped pestering him and took the opportunity to invite him: "Then tomorrow afternoon, is Mr. Ma free? I would like to discuss the cooperation with you in detail."

Ma Rui nodded readily: "No problem, no problem."

Not far away, He Yuzhu had heard every word of this conversation without missing a single detail.

He pondered to himself—is this kid Ma Rui really bewitched by beauty, or is he deliberately playing along? He couldn't be sure for the moment.

But he could almost conclude that this woman's background was definitely not simple.

Liu Wei and Yang Jing had just happened to be pulled away by two Hong Kong companies to discuss business, leaving Ma Rui alone at the scene, and this woman chose this exact moment to make her move... It was obvious that this group of people was in cahoots.