Chapter 245: You infiltrate me, I infiltrate it

In late November, the 2004 Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival was about to open. Liu Liu Yifei and the others took a temporary leave from the *Return of the Condor Heroes* set to return to the capital for preparations. (Note 1)

In Zhang Chaoyang District, at No. 1 Jianguomen Outer Street, the China World Trade Center West Tower, was the flagship store of South Beauty, a currently popular restaurant chain in the country.

Today was a small gathering of sisters, initiated by Ady An.

She invited Liu Liu Yifei, Ariel Lin, and other sisters from the *Chinese Paladin* cast, and Liu Liu Yifei also called over Yang Mi, who had just wrapped up filming.

There was also Shu Chang, who was at home preparing for the Beijing Film Academy entrance exams, and Tong Tong Liya, who had been enrolled at the Beijing Film Academy for two months after a guest appearance in *Zhu Xian*.

In fact, Ady An's purpose was very simple: she knew about the relationship between Lu Kuan and Liu Liu Yifei and wanted to see if she could pull some strings to get herself into Profound Heaven Media to develop her career.

With an acquaintance whispering in his ear, and her father working some connections, maybe it would work out?

Two years ago, she became a breakout star in Taiwan thanks to *Chinese Paladin*, and this year, *The Outsiders*, a collaboration with Dylan Kuo, also swept the ratings.

She hadn't been recruited by Boss Lu two years ago, but now, seeing the entertainment industry in the mainland developing so vigorously, the Taiwanese girl felt it was time.

Shu Chang and Liu Liu Yifei were on their way.

"Are you going to speak up for her?"

"We'll see."

Liu Liu Yifei laughed, "Besides, what use is it if I speak?"

"Then why did you promise her?"

"I want to see if she has ulterior motives."

Shu Chang rolled her eyes; she was bored too, why did she come to this dinner with her!

Liu Liu Yifei laughed, "Don't panic, I invited Sun Sun Wenwen."

"Once Ady An sees that the chief manager of Profound Heaven Media is here, she'll naturally believe me."

Yang Yang Siwei, sitting in the front passenger seat, was a bit speechless.

Shu Chang speculated, "Then why did you bring Yang Mi? She's from a competing company."

This question didn't need Liu Liu Yifei to waste her breath; Yang Yang Siwei answered for her.

"Because the clever and wise Miss Liu sensed that Yang Mi was very curious about Lu Kuan while on the *Return of the Condor Heroes* set."

"To nip it in the bud, she decided to show off her influence over Profound Heaven Media in front of Yang Mi—for instance, by showing off her relationship with Sun Sun Wenwen!"

"Completely blocking any little ideas she might have!"

Shu Chang mocked, "Heh, keep pretending. What if they urge you to call Lu Kuan out for dinner?"

"If you don't agree, it makes it look like your relationship is just average."

"If you do agree, isn't that just delivering yourself to his door?"

"He's in America and can't come back; I can call him on the spot."

The expression on Shu Chang's face withered; you should be at Harvard, Liu Liu Yifei.

"Then does that mean Tong Tong Liya is the same idea?"

"Exactly. You two are my moles; we need to keep in touch often to deepen our bond, just like how Lu Kuan always invites Han Han Shanping and Dong Dong Shuangqiang to drink in his courtyard."

Liu Liu Yifei then turned to Yang Yang Siwei, "Yang Siwei, did you bring the things?"

"Yeah, in the trunk, two sets."

"What is it?"

"Oh, bags bought in Paris."

Shu Chang said happily, "Why didn't you give them to me earlier!"

Liu Liu Yifei looked at her suspiciously, "Give you what?"

"The gifts!?"

Little Liu smiled and held her best friend's hand, "Does the bond between us need material things to maintain?"

"One bag is for Sun Sun Wenwen. She is the chief manager of Profound Heaven Media and is responsible for planning Lu Kuan's schedule; she is an important source of information."

"The other is for Tong Tong Liya. She is still studying and has no income. My gift is heavy in sentiment, which is good for building trust."

Not waiting for Shu Chang to react, she instructed Yang Yang Siwei, "Yang Siwei, remember to remind me after dinner; it's not appropriate to take them in at the dinner table."

"Liu Liu Yifei! You!"

"Driver, pull over, I want to get out!"

Shu Chang felt a kind of humiliation she had never expected.

Was their two-year friendship not worth mentioning?

Liu Liu Yifei hugged her intimately with a gentle smile, "Look at you! Rushing again!"

"Don't worry, I'm going to America to attend the Golden Globes and the Oscars at the beginning of the year; there will be plenty of gifts for you!"

Yang Yang Siwei looked at this scene with a complex expression and closed her eyes in despair.

Similar, too similar.

The three walked into the luxurious private room at South Beauty, where Tong Tong Liya and Ady An had already arrived, along with a man in a suit who was talking incessantly.

He lit up when he saw Liu Liu Yifei and the others walk in and very gentlemanly wanted to take Liu Liu Yifei's coat to hang it up.

"Thanks, I'll do it myself."

Little Liu maintained politeness and a shallow coldness in front of outsiders, then enthusiastically greeted Ady An and Tong Tong Liya.

"Xuanxuan, your *The Outsiders* is really good! Are you and that male lead dating? You two are a perfect match!"

Ady An giggled and whispered a few words in her ear, and Little Liu understood.

Afraid of her triad father breaking up the lovebirds, so they're having a secret affair!

Then I can rest easy!

"Sister Tong, are you used to life at the Beijing Film Academy? If you have anything, you can call me. If there's any dirty work, I'll have Zhu Zhu Yawen do it for you!"

"Speaking of which, he's about the same age as you. Should I introduce you two..."

Tong Tong Liya revealed her two sweet dimples, "No, no, I want to focus on my basics and don't want to think about these other things."

Little Liu felt very regretful.

Zhu Zhu Yawen: You're so noble! You're so amazing! You just order me around to clear the way!

Hu Ge: I understand how you feel, brother.

23-year-old Wang Wang Xiaofei, although politely "rejected" once, still stood by very gentlemanly and finally had his turn to greet her.

"Miss Liu, hello. I really like your film and television works, especially *The Foreign Land*; I've watched it four or five times!"

"Thanks. I'll give you a signed T-shirt later."

Liu Liu Yifei, who was in full aura today, turned her head, "Yang Siwei, help me pick up Sister Sun Wenwen and Mimi; they texted that they're downstairs."

Wang Wang Xiaofei again diligently pulled out a chair for her, "Miss Liu, would you like me to introduce the restaurant's specialties?"

She still had some interest in food.

"Sure, tell me about them?"

Wang Wang Xiaofei was greatly encouraged and smiled, "Okay, it's like this. Our South Beauty focuses on refined Sichuan cuisine and has always had the reputation of 'one dish, one style, a hundred dishes, a hundred flavors'."

"On the basis of maintaining the characteristics of Sichuan cuisine, we have integrated elements from other cuisines, such as the Kung Pao Salt Field Shrimp Balls."

"It's based on traditional Kung Pao Chicken, using salt field shrimp grown in high-salinity seawater. The shrimp meat is sweet, tender, and firm. After deep-frying, it's cooked in a sweet and sour Kung Pao sauce, sweet with a hint of spice, spicy with a hint of freshness..."

South Beauty successor Wang Wang Xiaofei was very confident, but before he could finish his extremely practiced sales pitch, he saw Liu Liu Yifei stand up with a smile.

"Sister Sun Wenwen, you're here? Long time no see!"

Sun Sun Wenwen looked around at the faces in the room and hugged Liu Liu Yifei familiarly.

Liu Liu Yifei appeared to have nothing to do with Profound Heaven Media, but she knew the facts, and she was the clearest about it.

Financial documents for departments like ringtones had to pass through her first before being taken to Lu Kuan for his signature.

"Sister Xixi, you seem to have lost weight again. Filming in Jiuzhaigou must be hard, right?"

Little Liu wanted to develop her into her own mole, and Sun Sun Wenwen was also willing to spend more time with this popular actress who had such deep ties with the boss.

"It's okay, the scenery is quite nice. Why didn't you go visit the set with Lu Kuan?"

"The last time we ate together was at the *The Foreign Land* premiere in late September. I've missed you!"

Shu Chang, who had lost her gift, felt disgusted.

Wang Wang Xiaofei's face turned a bit dark, like a peacock that had just wanted to fan its tail but had its feathers plucked.

He returned to China in 2003 and was now the executive director of the South Beauty Catering Group.

In the past two years, his family's business had expanded rapidly across the country, and the catering group with high-end, Chinese, and chain labels had attracted a lot of attention in the industry.

Naturally, this proud son of heaven could also steal the spotlight on various occasions.

Although the catering industry and the entertainment industry didn't mix, he had many dealings with actors and directors in the circle, and he had never been snubbed like this before.

Wang Wang Xiaofei felt both shocked and anxious.

Ady An had booked the table today through her father communicating directly with Zhang Lan.

Wang Wang Xiaofei came out to host, and upon learning that Liu Liu Yifei and the others were coming, he waited specifically in the private room.

He was only 23 or 24 years old and had a crush on this popular actress, feeling that his status as a business tycoon should be a high-end match for her, right?

If he could really win her over, her fame would also be very beneficial for promoting his family's business.

Ten million fans—if he could win her over, wouldn't that be a free brand ambassador?

It was just a pity that the only attention Liu Liu Yifei had ever given him was because of those Kung Pao Salt Field Shrimp Balls...

Yang Mi arrived last. Ariel Lin had something to do and didn't come. This dinner officially began.

Ady An laughed, "It's all ladies today. Mr. Wang, could you order a bottle of red wine for us?"

"Okay, please wait a moment."

Wang Wang Xiaofei sighed and left first, preparing to find another opportunity.

He still had that much patience and composure.

Girls' gatherings were very simple, without the clinking of glasses between men.

And since they were all actresses, Sichuan cuisine wasn't good for maintaining their figures, so they all just tasted a little and started chatting.

"Xuanxuan, this is the assistant to the chairman of Profound Heaven Media, Ms. Sun Sun Wenwen. You two can exchange numbers."

Learning that Ady An had fallen into a secret romance with Taiwanese actor Dylan Kuo, Little Liu generously introduced her.

Even if she didn't introduce them, could Ady An not find a way? Her father had even helped Lu Kuan poach special effects talent from Xiji Animation.

At least this way she was in the know, and if she really got her wish, she could have Shu Chang and Tong Tong Liya keep an eye on her.

Yang Mi, besides greeting everyone, watched them chat without saying a word.

Liu Liu Yifei is so familiar with Lu Kuan's chief manager...

In fact, she had also thought about leaving Rongshengda to see if there was a chance to join Profound Heaven Media.

The reason was simple: she had seen Lu Kuan's influence in the industry, including over people like Zhang Zhang Jizhong, and had seen him take over the live broadcast of the Wenjie Jiahe press conference on Travel Channel.

While Rongshengda was still dragging its feet on casting her as the lead in *Wang Wang Zhaojun*, it was too slow.

The ambitious Mimi felt she should also "choose a good tree to perch on."

At least she could see if such a possibility existed...

Tong Tong Liya and Shu Chang were whispering to each other about the art exams. Next year, Shu Chang and Yang Mi would be in the same class at the Beijing Film Academy, and Tong Tong Liya would be their senior.

The only one who didn't want to use her brain was Yang Yang Siwei—eat, eat!

Anyway, these thin women in the entertainment industry didn't dare to eat, so it was all left for her!

Liu Liu Yifei winked at Ady An and went to the balcony of the private room to whisper.

"Xuanxuan, why did you think about coming to the mainland to develop?"

Ady An said with difficulty, "The film industry in Taiwan is too depressed, and I don't want to act in idol dramas for the rest of my life, so..."

"Profound Heaven Media doesn't sign many female artists. That Sun Sun Wenwen just now is Lu Kuan's chief manager; you can try to say hello through her to test his attitude."

"And, Profound Heaven Media has very high requirements for the professional ability of both male and female actors."

Liu Liu Yifei pointed to Shu Chang and Tong Tong Liya, who were whispering in the room, "See them? The only two female actors Lu Kuan signed were both sent to the Beijing Film Academy to study."

"Even if you come, you might have to be sent to get a professional degree first."

Ady An was dumbfounded, "Ah? Then you..."

Liu Liu Yifei looked bitter, "Me too. Because I started filming in my freshman year, my basics weren't solid, and Lu Kuan didn't think much of me, so he didn't sign me."

"For that role in *The Foreign Land*, if Zhang Zhang Ziyi hadn't been injured, how would it have been my turn?"

This wasn't necessarily her lying to Ady An; Lu Kuan's requirements for actors were indeed very high.

Profound Heaven Media's actors, even Hu Ge, who was currently specializing in ancient idol dramas, had targeted acting training.

It was no secret in the industry that he liked to work with powerful actors like Feng Feng Yuanzheng, Zhou Xun, and Li Li Xuejian.

Ady An felt she didn't have much hope.

"Thanks, Sister Xixi. Thanks to your reminder... I'll think about other ways. In any case, Taiwan is too small; I still have to come to the mainland."

Obviously, even Jang Na-ra from Korea was coming overseas to make money; wouldn't it be more convenient for them, who shared the same Chinese blood, to come and make a living?

It was just that she had to find a good place to land, at least with some decent resources.

In the future, Ady An would sign with Yanda Huayi Brothers, and it probably wouldn't be much different in this life.

But that wasn't something Liu Liu Yifei needed to consider anymore; her goal had been achieved.

Returning to the private room, Yang Mi also fully exerted her social skills and hit it off with everyone.

Especially Shu Chang; next year, they might both be classmates in the 05 class of the Beijing Film Academy.

Liu Liu Yifei watched her manager stuffing her face and took her small handbag to pay the bill quietly.

Although Ady An was the host, she was the one who called everyone else, so she had to be polite.

On the way, she met two fans, and Little Liu was in a great mood and took photos with them.

"Miss Liu, finished eating?"

Wang Wang Xiaofei was holding a glass of foreign wine and coming over to socialize when he saw Liu Liu Yifei walking out with a cheerful expression, and he immediately seized the opportunity.

Little Liu didn't know where he popped out from and was startled, "Oh, Mr. Wang, yes, I'm here to pay the bill."

"Oh, it's our first meeting; this meal is on me, don't be polite."

"Was the food okay tonight? Any suggestions?"

Liu Liu Yifei was thinking about how to shake him off. However, the few bites she had eaten were very average.

It was far worse than the state banquet chef at Lu Kuan's house.

It was just that she rarely ate out. Restaurants like South Beauty, which used luxurious decoration to increase the average customer spend, were very average in taste; they just happened to have the advantage of avant-garde decoration and meticulous service in this era.

In particular, Chinese chain restaurants had an unavoidable hard flaw: it was difficult to standardize.

The taste of Chinese food had a lot to do with the chef. With the exact same ingredients and seasonings, changing the person would change the texture and taste.

Even with the same person, the taste might not be the same twice.

Without standardization, it meant it couldn't grow big, couldn't become a chain, and couldn't be recognized by the capital market.

"It's okay, heh heh."

Liu Liu Yifei habitually gave a fake smile and brushed him off, but Wang Wang Xiaofei didn't intend to let her go so easily this time.

Prepare, peacock fanning its tail!

"Miss Liu, would you be interested in being the spokesperson for our catering group?"

"Let me introduce it to you. We have branches in first-tier cities across the country, and we'll open our third one in Beijing by the end of the year."

"We expect to have a 'Hundred Cities Plan' before the 2008 Olympics, covering all top 100 first and second-tier cities in the country."

"And then, in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, there will be high-end clubs with a per-capita spend of around 1,000 yuan."

Liu Liu Yifei wanted to roll her eyes, but since he was so enthusiastic, she felt embarrassed and had no excuse to slip away.

She still had to go pay the bill!

Wang Wang Xiaofei continued his crazy output: "Do you understand high-end catering, Miss Liu? By then, we will be the first catering group in the country to go public. If you become our spokesperson, it will be a mutually beneficial process..."

"Maybe by then, our Lan Club will be like the American Club in Beijing, the Chang'an Club..."

One of the "Four Young Masters of Beijing" was very invested, simply bringing out the perseverance and eloquence he had used to study for his degree abroad, until he saw a flicker of movement in Liu Liu Yifei, who was in front of him.

It just wasn't because of him...

"Mr. Han!"

Liu Liu Yifei finally found a savior and could find an excuse to shake off this obsessive person.

Who wants to be a spokesperson for your family? You probably don't even earn as much in a year as I earn for Lu Kuan!

Showing off.

Han Han Shanping had just come out of the private room and was bowing his head to talk to his secretary, Gao Gao Chengsheng, when he unexpectedly heard a familiar female voice.

"Yo, Liu Yifei, eating here?"

Old Han walked over with a smile and nodded to Wang Wang Xiaofei.

"Congratulations in advance. I heard the buzz for *The Foreign Land* winning awards is very high; I think this Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Best Actress award is basically yours."

This wasn't Old Han just saying nice things; *The Foreign Land*'s results were there for all to see. Even if someone was trying to sabotage it, no judge, no matter how blind, would dare to defy the world.

Liu Liu Yifei laughed, "Thanks, Mr. Han. I'm still young and don't care about these things."

Han Han Shanping laughed out loud, "Not bad, not bad."

"Eh, Gao Chengsheng, help Liu Yifei pay for the bill in that room."

Wang Wang Xiaofei was surprised enough to see the boss of China Film Group treat Liu Liu Yifei with such intimacy.

How could a leader pay the bill for an actress?

Upside down?!

Could this Liu Liu Yifei be the daughter of some big leader playing around in the entertainment industry?

In fact, he was overthinking it. Old Han was just being polite.

He and Lu Kuan were firm strategic allies, and he knew clearly about the crazy revenge Lu Kuan had taken against Yanda Huayi Brothers by using Liu Liu Yifei being smeared as an excuse.

Plus, a few days ago in Tong Gang's office, Lu Kuan had sworn that Little Liu was his partner, using it to "tearfully" fight for favorable conditions.

Whether it was true or false, it didn't matter.

This little girl definitely had weight in his eyes.

People are social animals; everyone knows how to treat people according to their status. After a few interactions, Old Han naturally became symbolically polite.

Liu Liu Yifei waved her hands repeatedly, "No, no, I should be the one buying you dinner, Mr. Han. You're a leader and an elder."

Old Han suddenly had a flash of inspiration and laughed, "Oh, you really hit the nail on the head by calling me an elder."

"My daughter just started college this year, and she's a year older than you!"

Han Han Shanping's daughter was named Han Jianv, a graduate student at the Beijing Film Academy, and the producer of *Dying to Survive* in the future.

"Don't be so distant. Just call me Uncle Han in private from now on!"

The flat-headed man looked at Liu Liu Yifei with a smile, but he was thinking about something else, though it was pointed out by his secretary.

"Mr. Han, if you're in the uncle generation to Little Liu, then how will Mr. Lu call you in the future? It's all messed up."

Han Han Shanping laughed even more happily, "That brat, always scheming against me. So what? Can't I be an uncle at my age?"

"It's settled then, haha!"

Liu Liu Yifei covered her mouth and giggled. This Secretary Gao is so good at talking; doesn't this mean...

!

Wang Wang Xiaofei couldn't help but take a few more looks at this rising actress, gaining a new understanding of her status in the entertainment industry.

This is incredible.

Different industries are like different mountains; many inside stories are unknown even to people in the entertainment industry, let alone a second-generation catering entrepreneur who had only been back in the country for a year.

Han Han Shanping didn't pretend to be polite again and gave her an idea before leaving.

"By the way, Lu Kuan has a card for the Chang'an Club. The food there is not bad. If you want to treat guests, you can go there directly."

Liu Liu Yifei said in surprise, "Okay, okay, I know."

The two sides shook hands and said goodbye. The flat-headed man and Gao Gao Chengsheng walked a distance and burst into laughter again, probably happy that he could take advantage of Boss Lu in the future.

After all, being poached for Gao Jun this time had really depressed him.

"Mr. Wang? Mr. Wang?"

"Ah? Oh, Miss Liu, go ahead."

"I'm asking where the cashier is."

Wang Wang Xiaofei pointed the way for her and no longer had the mood to continue the conversation, returning with his wine glass.

Why go toast anyone now? He was embarrassed to death.

One second he was bragging about high-end catering, and the next, she could use a card for the Chang'an Club to consume at will and was so intimate with the top figures in the domestic film industry.

And Han Han Shanping didn't even have the interest to get to know him.

He remembered his bragging in front of Liu Liu Yifei and felt ashamed and embarrassed beyond measure.

The actresses parted ways downstairs. Yang Mi, who had seen Liu Liu Yifei's status in Profound Heaven Media, left by taxi with a complex mood.

She was still a small fry at Rongshengda and certainly didn't have a driver.

Sun Sun Wenwen had driven herself over and was now politely pushing back and forth with Liu Liu Yifei in the car.

"Oh! Sister Xixi, why are you still giving me things? I'm too embarrassed!"

"Take it, Sister Sun Wenwen. You and Sister Li Danni have taken good care of me. We should keep in touch often in the future, right?"

Sun Sun Wenwen had been following Lu Kuan since the end of 2001. After three years, she had grown from a high-achieving graduate just out of school into a versatile talent.

Especially in terms of emotional intelligence.

Lu Kuan had been a hands-off boss for years, and the relationships between the big shots in various departments were all maintained and coordinated by her.

Lu Yao, Zhong Zhong Lifang, Long Li Danni, the newly joined Liu Hong, and Jin Jin Zhiwen, who wasn't a big shot but held the company's most profitable business—the ringtone department.

She naturally knew what Liu Liu Yifei was doing.

"Sister Xixi, I also have a gift for you. It's Longjing tea from my hometown. I'll have someone send it to you another day."

"Boss Lu also loves to drink it."

Liu Liu Yifei laughed, "Okay."

She rolled her eyes, "Sister Sun Wenwen, has Lu Kuan's flight back been scheduled?"

"Yeah, he arrives the day after tomorrow, and then flies to Yinchuan."

This year's Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival was moving to an inland city for the first time.

Liu Liu Yifei smiled and revealed her true intentions, "Are there two tickets for the flight back?"

"Yeah, two tickets."

The other one was for A-Fei. It seemed he was going to America alone this time.

Little Liu wanted to say something else, but remembered Yang Yang Siwei's warning before she came.

Do not be too hasty.

"Sister Sun Wenwen, let's keep in touch often. Thanks for coming to support me today."

Sun Sun Wenwen brushed the short hair behind her ear, "What are you saying, Sister Xixi? It's only right. Call me anytime from now on."

The two women smiled at each other, and Liu Liu Yifei got out of the car.

Sun Sun Wenwen watched her back as she walked away, feeling a mix of emotions.

How should they handle this relationship in the future...

This time there were two tickets; if there were three tickets like last time, should she tell the truth?

As the chief manager, she naturally knew that she had to keep her mouth shut and not reveal any private information about the boss at will.

Every piece of information could very likely be taken by competitors to study and draw conclusions about business moves.

Just like the few times Zhong Zhong Lifang flew to Hong Kong to discuss the Wenjie Jiahe acquisition, which was discovered by Zhou Jun.

However, this Miss Liu was also quite nice, and the relationship with Boss Lu was also...

The chief manager of Profound Heaven Media drove away. Fortunately, the high-intensity work of the past few years had trained her stress resistance.

Working at Profound Heaven Media, facing a boss like Lu Kuan, was never a simple matter.

Liu Liu Yifei and the others were on their way home, and Shu Chang would be sleeping at her house tonight.

"Satisfied? You big heroine who wants to conquer men to conquer the world?"

Liu Liu Yifei looked at Shu Chang mocking her with a giggle, "Satisfied, but I'm so tired."

"I really don't know how he manages to scheme against others all day."

Yang Yang Siwei nodded affirmatively, but she admired her former boss to the point of worship.

This time Liu Liu Yifei was smeared; if it weren't for this set of combination punches, who knows how long they would have been exhausted trying to debunk the rumors.

Shu Chang's mood hadn't improved today, and she seized the opportunity to mock this best friend who forgot her friends for a man, "Do you think Ady An is safe just because she has a boyfriend?"

"For a washing machine, does it matter if the clothes being washed have been worn by someone else?"

"Or, does there exist such a possibility that having a boyfriend is a plus for him?"

Liu Liu Yifei and Yang Yang Siwei looked at each other, both feeling stunned.

This angle is tricky, and...

It sounds like it makes a lot of sense!

Shu Chang was very proud; I'll make you anxious for not giving me a bag!

"Ding ding ding ding~"

Liu Liu Yifei answered with a bad mood.

"Sister Xixi, can you guys come back for a second? I'm here..."

Tong Tong Liya's voice was a bit urgent; she was at a loss looking at the man who was dead drunk in front of her.

"Are you still at the restaurant entrance?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Wait there."

Liu Liu Yifei had the driver turn around, and after driving only one kilometer, they were back at the entrance of South Beauty.

A short-haired drunk man was hugging Tong Tong Liya's calf and wouldn't let go, muttering drunken words.

She walked up and kicked the drunkard's dirty hands away. After two years, the strength in her legs was not small, kicking Chen Chen Sicheng, who was pretending to be drunk, until he shrank his hands in pain.

"Oh, Sister Xixi, don't kick him, we know each other!"

"Who is this?"

"He's an actor in the company's *Soldiers Sortie*, his name is Chen Chen Sicheng. We know each other."

Although Tong Tong Liya couldn't stand his pestering, she couldn't bear to see him lying on the cement floor in the cold weather.

She walked over and tried to help him up.

Chen Chen Sicheng hated her in his heart!

He had come prepared today.

There were often gatherings of artists within Profound Heaven Media, and Chen Chen Sicheng, who had become familiar with Wang Wang Baoqiang, had taken a fancy to this Xinjiang girl at a mixer.

He wasn't an artist at Profound Heaven Media, so naturally, he wouldn't consider things like the relationship between female actors and the boss.

Chen Chen Sicheng was born in 1978 and studied at the Xie Jin Film and Television School in Shanghai at the age of 16.

If you really want to talk about it, he and Little Yanzi were classmates, and Fan Fan Bingbing was his junior sister.

He was later expelled from the Shanghai Theatre Academy for fighting and then successfully graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, having been in the entertainment industry for many years.

His painstaking pursuit could be seen even by himself to have made Tong Tong Liya, who was a stranger in Beijing, a bit moved.

A lonely soul thousands of miles away from home, how could she resist the carefully designed plan of this veteran of the love field!

Tonight was his final assault, and he might be able to get a kiss...

It was just that he had just disguised himself as a heartbroken man whose career was frustrated and who came to find a confidante to pour out his heart, only to be kicked over by this "Liu Yifei"!

Damn, where can I go to reason this out!

Liu Liu Yifei stuck out her tongue awkwardly, "Sorry, Chen... Chen Chen Sicheng, I didn't mean to."

He couldn't care about pretending to be drunk anymore, "Heh... it's okay, I was just a bit out of sorts."

"Things have been too rough lately, and I originally wanted to find Little Tong to chat today."

"Sorry, Little Tong, did I scare you just now?"

Tong Tong Liya was still simple, "It's okay, you should go back quickly. Don't lie outside when you're drunk; you'll freeze."

"Eh, then I'll go first."

The drunkard fled, and Liu Liu Yifei held Tong Tong Liya's hand, "I was going to send you off, and you were still being polite with me. Let's go!"

She sent her back to the Beijing Film Academy, and they pushed back and forth about the bag for a long time before Tong Tong Liya walked into the school gratefully.

The day of "social butterfly" Little Liu had passed just like that.

——

And the target she was infiltrating and hunting, Lu Kuan, was planning a big money-making move in North America; he was going to infiltrate American internet companies.

With Wenjie Jiahe in hand, the subsequent development would not be like the previous Profound Heaven Media, which could engage in light-asset operations.

The basic personnel structure was there; they could put up money when filming, and at most raise some funds.

The construction of one cinema after another required real money to be thrown into it.

Of the 160 million USD in the North American account, about 64 million was used to acquire Wenjie Jiahe;

About 20 million was used for the filming fund pool for Lin Yibin and Emil in *The Conjuring* and *Paranormal Activity* series.

Fortunately, *The Conjuring 1* and *Paranormal Activity 2*, which had just finished screening, both achieved the stable box office that series films should have. Profound Heaven Media (USA) had a pure box office share of about 23 million USD, and together with subsequent DVD revenue, it was 60 million USD.

It can only be said that these low-cost films in the hands of Lionsgate and Miramax were unique existences, like ATMs in this era, continuously accumulating original capital for the upcoming 2007 subprime mortgage crisis.

According to the agreement previously reached with Chen Chen Tianqiao of Shanda, the remaining 100 million+ USD would be used for intensive acquisitions over these few months, targeting Sina.

Relying on Emil's Jewish banker mother, Lu Kuan established an investment company in North America, named Gunner Investment.

Don't misunderstand; this doesn't mean a quick shooter, because he is just a fan of Arsenal in the Premier League, and this is Arsenal's fan nickname.

Regarding the subsequent handling of Sina, Lu Kuan originally wanted to treat it as a short-term investment and sell it at a premium to Chen Chen Tianqiao of Shanda, who was eyeing Sina;

Or continue to hold it, waiting for Chen Chen Tianqiao's Shanda capital chain to break, and smoothly bring this domestic number one portal into his embrace.

Now there was no need to consider it anymore. Sina had foolishly been introduced by Zhou Jun to invest in Yanda Huayi Brothers.

What else is there to hesitate about?

If heaven gives it and you don't take it, you will suffer the consequences!

Clarifying the accounts of the North American company, Boss Lu prepared to continue investing and speculating, and he set his sights on YouTube.

YouTube in the future was founded in mid-2005, and Lu Kuan hadn't graduated from USC yet.

He witnessed how this company went from founding to being sold, taking only twenty months and earning 1.6 billion USD!

In YouTube founder Steve Chen's autobiography *20 Months, 13 Billion*, he took many detours in the early stages.

For example, the failure of the dating theme, the imperfection of the basic architecture, the lack of video playback technology, etc.

In this life, letting Boss Lu do this product "speculation" could completely use the shortest time to build up the valuation and then sell it off.

As for whether to keep YouTube after it was built, this simply didn't count as a question:

YouTube was acquired by Google in the future and had been losing money for more than ten years, similar to domestic websites like Tudou and Youku. The profitability of this model was too poor.

Therefore, it was said that this was a product speculation—make the cake big and sell it quickly.

The American investment company Gunner had Emil's Jewish mother sitting in charge;

The film and television company had Emil and Lin Yibin holding the flag, and would continue to recruit directors and production talent later;

And for internet investment and speculation, Boss Lu set his sights on a Chinese-American female lawyer, Anna Huang, who would become the Chief Privacy Officer of the White House in the future.

Anna Huang was a fourth-generation Chinese immigrant who first worked in law and then worked at Google for a long time. She was a talent proficient in internet and legal knowledge.

There was another key reason for choosing her: to realize Lu Kuan's later acquisition of American local film and television companies and cinema chains, she needed to provide help in the legal and lobbying fields she was good at.

Just like Wanda's acquisition of Legendary Pictures in Hollywood in the future, it was also a lot of trouble.

As for whether she was proficient in internet technology, it didn't matter at all. Boss Lu wanted someone who could coordinate the overall situation.

Lu Kuan spent a week convincing this Chinese-American immigrant and took the 35-year-old Anna Huang to Southern California.

They were going to poach a genius architect mentioned in Steve Chen's autobiography, Mike Suoluomen.

With this autobiography, Boss Lu was simply following the map to find the treasure, preparing everything he needed exactly as it was.

This Mike and Steve Chen previously worked together at PayPal, and he was also the chief architect of YouTube later.

For an internet product type like a video website with no design threshold, the quality of the server architecture was the key to whether YouTube could stand out.

The subtlety of the structural model he designed lay in being able to accurately judge the video upload area and the corresponding server provider.

Then, according to the positioning location, arrange nodes to achieve the use of the least resources to support the largest number of clicks, which was very critical.

Such an architectural concept could also be applied to domestic video websites, but this was a matter for after Lu Kuan arranged for Liu Hong to acquire the copyrights.

Mike had watched *The Foreign Land* and was no stranger to Lu Kuan. The few of them soon chatted familiarly, and Boss Lu and Anna Huang also stated their purpose.

"I need a minimalist website that pushes usability to the extreme, makes upload time the shortest, and makes the repair time for downtime the fastest."

"Mike, you have this ability; it just depends on whether you have the idea of changing jobs."

If he were chatting about movies with this Chinese director, Mike would be very willing, because he was also a fan.

It's just that chatting about technology and internet applications...

"Lu, there are too many internet entrepreneurs like you. There are at least a few thousand every year, and those who can survive can be counted on one hand."

"I think you'd better continue making movies. I really like Profound Heaven Media's movies, whether it's science fiction or horror films."

Lu Kuan helplessly handed the negotiation to Anna Huang. Everyone has their own specialty, and he didn't expect that he could convince this technical geek in a short time.

"Mike, you might not know that our boss Lu also has several internet companies in China, and they are very successful."

"IDG's branch in China can't even get 10% of the shares with 40 million USD!"

Mike Suoluomen looked at the young director in surprise, somewhat doubting the truth of this statement.

"This is the offer letter; you can take a look."

Anna Huang was a professional talent and had long prepared everything.

She saw Mike Suoluomen reading while continuing to brainwash him, telling him the core philosophy of this video website:

"Do you remember the Super Bowl in February this year? After Janet Jackson had a wardrobe malfunction, the whole internet was looking for her video, but very few websites had it reposted."

"What we want to do is an unprecedented website where everyone can share their videos for free, and everyone can see other people's videos."

"Isn't this the spirit of our free America, right?"

Reason with him, lure him with profit.

"This video company has a bright future. Your salary will be compared to PayPal, and you will be given 2% in stock options."

The technical geek finished reading the document, and only then did he look at this Chinese director with new eyes.

The boss of an internet enterprise that created a scale of hundreds of millions of users could not come to America to squander investment at will.

He thought about it over and over again, and only then did he shake hands with Lu Kuan with a smile: "I have one last condition."

"You say."

"I want signed T-shirts from Leonardo and that Chinese girl! And the full set of *Classic of Mountains and Seas* monster models from *The Foreign Land*!"

"Hahaha, no problem!"

This set of models became popular in July, and the small amount of stock had long been sold out. Boss Lu urgently asked Liu Liu Qiangdong to find an OEM factory in China to produce them.

The cost was low to the extreme, but in Hollywood, they could sell for more than 60 USD a set, which was simply profiteering.

The key was that *Classic of Mountains and Seas* didn't need to give copyright to anyone in China, but North American manufacturers had to pay copyright fees to *The Foreign Land* to produce them!

Free America, copyright every day!

This part of the derivative revenue hadn't been settled yet, but for now, it was at least close to the DVD revenue.

DVD and derivatives were the main sources of income for Hollywood film companies in these years.

"What should we name the website?"

"MyTube."

"Tube" is television in English slang, so the two words mean "my television," simple and easy to understand.

Anna Huang and Suoluomen both clapped and said it was good.

Mike Suoluomen was an extremely professional talent, and three days later he handed in a satisfactory answer.

In fact, this type of basic architecture was just a matter of a few hours for top talent, and the subsequent construction and adding bricks and tiles were much more troublesome.

Boss Lu arranged for him some tasks to build a team and placed the office in Silicon Valley, making it convenient to recruit excellent network engineers and designers.

Then he asked him to convince Steve Chen to join, and only then did he continue to rush around with Anna Huang.

Actually, this kind of infrastructure is just a few hours for top talents, and the subsequent construction and adding bricks and tiles are much more troublesome.

If you want to say that these American internet big shots all like to engage in autobiographies and biographical films, it's really a good habit!

Zuckerberg had a biography called *The Social Network* in the future, which narrated the process of the website's creation, the crises and turning points encountered, etc.

Among them, the biggest one was the transformation problem in the middle stage of development.

Renren in China was finally trapped in the campus;

While Facebook could move from campus to the whole society, realizing the parallel development with Twitter.

After meeting with Zuckerberg, Boss Lu proposed this core proposition:

The nearly 1.5 million campus users of Facebook were the basic plate and also a hidden danger for the future. Once this group of students graduated, they would quickly turn to other professional social websites.

For example, job hunting, dating, games.

And if Facebook wanted to keep these users from flowing away, it had to start transforming from now on, and not limit the user group to the campus.

Start opening up from white-collar workers, until realizing the registration and interaction of the whole society.

Zuckerberg in *The Social Network* was very realistic, and his stubbornness and eccentricity were no less than Jobs'.

Lu Kuan got to know him as a director and artist, and used his own internet thinking to give his Facebook a finishing touch.

In the end, Profound Heaven Media (USA) took 18% of Facebook's shares at the cost of 35 million USD.

Taking Facebook wasn't a whim; this was a combination punch to cooperate with the establishment of YouTube.

First, these 1.5 million users could be seamlessly connected to YouTube, and the willingness and activity of the student group to upload and share videos were the highest.

Secondly, this was almost a face-up super-value investment.

Just like the Focus Media he invested in China, which was about to land on NASDAQ in 2005.

Boss Lu's 18% stake in Facebook would also bring him a valuation of at least several billion USD in the foreseeable time.

This was much higher than the success rate of his movies making money.

In case any movie flopped, or the domestic industry encountered an irresistible force from the upper levels and encountered Waterloo, this part of the equity would be the foundation for his final survival.

After a round of retaliatory consumption, the funds in the account of Profound Heaven Media (USA) were almost exhausted.

He instructed Anna Huang to urge Lionsgate and Miramax for the recent derivative share as the company's operating funds.

Little Liu was infiltrating Lu Kuan's Profound Heaven Media in China, and Lu Kuan was infiltrating the internet companies of the foreign devils in America.

We all have a bright future.

Two days later, Boss Lu threw all the trivial matters to Anna Huang and took a flight to Beijing.

Note 1: The Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers of this year has already passed. The plot was too dense to insert it earlier, so I'm modifying the time here.

Investment and speculation in the United States are not the main line, just like Sina, they are mentioned in passing. The money earned on these internets will be of great use later.

(End of chapter)

Note 1: The Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers of this year have passed, the previous plot is too dense to insert, here magic change time

US investment and speculation are not the main line, just like Sina, these money earned on the internet have great uses later.





(End of chapter)