King of Hollywood
Chapter 656 - 64: First Event of the New Year

Chapter 656: Chapter 64: First Event of the New Year

I remember there was a saying in my past life, "Seven-year-old children are the most terrifying creatures in the world, for they possess enough curiosity, agency, destructive power, and the ’Minors Protection Act.’" Adrian had forgotten who said it, or rather, he was too lazy to dig through his memory to find it, but he wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment.

Despite Lily being only five, she was precocious in many ways, similar to a seven or eight-year-old, and she was always brimming with energy. With Little Emma beside her, who was equally precocious, encouraging her antics, Lily was notoriously mischievous at home. Thankfully, Little Emma wasn’t always around; otherwise, after learning all the prank techniques, Lily could have caused absolute chaos.

Of course, it helped that their house was big enough to accommodate her misadventures without crossing any boundaries set for her. However, satisfying her curiosity was another matter. As mentioned before, children of this age are immensely curious, which often correlates with their imagination—a mundane event in the eyes of an adult could be stretched to unbelievable extents through their imagination.

Despite the women now banding together and giving him suggestive looks, Adrian had merely spent a night sleeping on the floor in Little Mary’s room and looked disheveled the next day—a façade that made them warm up to him despite knowing he was faking. At least in child care, Adrian demonstrated incredible patience, arguably more than most men, having got up in the middle of the night to soothe the little one.

But Lily was different, with her relentless questioning until she obtained the answers she deemed satisfactory or correct, which even made Adrian surrender.

Although an answer had to be provided—otherwise, over time, Lily might form biased conclusions based on her imperfect worldviews and stick with them firmly, making them hard to change later. Adrian didn’t want to wait until her rebellious phase to have explosive disputes like his uncle Victor had. But that was a long-term concern, and the little one was only five for now—postponing seemed to be a plausible strategy for the time being.

Lily might have sensed something intuitively or roughly understood a bit, as she didn’t persist much after Christmas. Yet, when she looked at her father, she would squint her eyes and lift her chin high, scrutinizing him, which made Adrian feel a strong urge to grab her cheeks and give them a good wiggle. Of course, that was just one of many thoughts; his priority now was getting back at the women. Since they dared to scorn him, he felt no guilt in breaking them down one by one.

From Christmas to New Year, everyone involved had endured Adrian’s relentless revenge in bed—except for Kate, Charlize and Sarah, who stuck together even though they were left paralyzed in bed, Adrian hadn’t had an easy time either. But it was different for the others; Sophie and Monica were obvious cases, and although Gwyneth, along with her companions, was a team of three, Blanchett was pregnant and lacked fighting power, and Gwyneth secretly sided with Adrian, leading to predictable results.

However, the most miserable was Yukie. As Adrian put it, considering how obedient she had been in the past and now engaging in such actions, even if there were excusable reasons, harsh punishment was necessary. As for how to punish, firstly, he had her play racing games on TV and set certain conditions, such as completing it within a specific time or not making mistakes. Lastly, whenever she performed well, Adrian behind her would make moves that sabotaged her success.

This torment of neither here nor there left Yukie suffering "torture", but personally, she relished it.

Thus, the first year of the new century passed, and the doomsday prediction of 1999 turned into a complete joke, soon to be forgotten by most and only mentioned casually in jokes. But people’s obsession with the apocalypse wasn’t so easy to shake off; if not 1999, then 2012, and if nothing happened in 2012, then perhaps 2025 or some other year.

But those were worries for another time; currently, people were still enjoying and seeking a better life, which lead to Adrian welcoming a long-awaited visitor in his office.

"Would you like something to drink, Ms. Liu? Coffee, black tea, green tea—I have everything here," Adrian said with a smile, gesturing for her to sit as he addressed the middle-aged woman in front of him.

"Just regular coffee will do," replied Liu Li, appearing calm but her intertwined hands betraying her anxiety.

"Alright then, I’ll take the liberty to decide," Adrian nodded and then turned to Ivanka, who had escorted her in, "A latte and a cappuccino, Innie."

Adrian was not surprised by Ms. Liu’s visit at this time; after all, as an American, she wouldn’t make a decision about her daughter without thoroughly understanding the situation, lest she ends up cheated both financially and emotionally. Thus, Adrian didn’t mind, knowing that through Xilei Lin, he could keep clear tabs on Ms. Liu and her daughter Yufei’s movements, and he had advised Lin Xilei that she could reveal limited information about him to them.

It must be said that Lin Xilei’s intelligence was quite impressive, understanding what he liked and how to handle things appropriately, which led her to recommend the still obscure Yufei to her. If it weren’t for Ivanka being just slightly less competent than Charlize, Lin would have made an excellent personal secretary—different environments indeed shape different talents. Comparing her achievements with her previous life, her current profession was a more befitting choice.

"Frankly speaking, I don’t know how to start this conversation, Mr. Adrian. This is a... difficult choice for both me and my daughter." After sipping her foamy coffee, Liu Li carefully chose her words.

"Yes, I believe... you made a difficult choice," Adrian couldn’t help but smile briefly, recalling a famous quip from his previous life, but he quickly composed his face to avoid causing any unnecessary associations for Liu Li, "So tell me your answer, Ms. Liu."

Liu Li opened her mouth several times but couldn’t bring herself to speak, clearly repelled by the overt nature of the transaction—it was not a glorious affair, after all. What intrigued Adrian was how she had handled this in a previous life with someone surnamed Chen; hadn’t it seemed inglorious then? But then again, it was only 2001, and she and her daughter wouldn’t return to mainland China until 2002. They weren’t desperate yet, and Adrian being American now somewhat influenced her.

Given that, he didn’t want to press her too much. Although she had come here, even after a month, she must have weighed her gains and losses. Speaking up was inevitable, but maintaining some dignity was still preferable.

"Let me say it instead," Adrian knocked on the table before continuing, "I indeed have a feeling for your daughter, especially that timid, fragile, and pure demeanor of hers—it’s very attractive. I believe Ray has already told you some things, so I would want to obtain her. My reputation is assured, maybe not 100% in other fields, but here, in Hollywood, as long as she brings value, I will make sure she does not suffer losses."

Being fragile and pure meant being indecisive and easily manipulated, which allowed Liu Li to take control of everything while Adrian could play more reassured. Telling you some things implied that you weren’t the only option—he had plenty on his collection shelf; ensuring she would not suffer meant you wouldn’t either, given his power as a media mogul. That was the essence of Adrian’s words.

"Alright, now let’s discuss my arrangements for her," without waiting for Liu Li’s response, Adrian continued, "First, she needs to address her language barrier quickly. Not every American has my level of Chinese proficiency. You should take her out more often to interact; then, she needs to undertake some training, some acting training specifically. Being a vase is easy, but just being a vase isn’t sustainable. As a mother, you should guide her in this aspect. I recall you were a dancer, right? Let her practice in this area—a skill is always better to promote than none."

He paused then looked at her and added, "However, the most important thing is to get yourselves naturalized as soon as possible—not as American citizens, but as British."

"Naturalized? Is that necessary?" Liu Li seemed somewhat surprised, then displayed a hesitant and reluctant expression.

Just as he thought! Adrian inwardly sneered unhappily. For many, obtaining American or British citizenship would be a dream come true, but Liu Li seemed very hesitant about it, clearly having other plans.

It wasn’t hard to guess. Liu Li was probably keeping their citizenship as a last resort. If she felt they were not benefiting sufficiently from being with Adrian, they could return to China; or perhaps she could directly return after promoting Liu Yufei in a few roles, having gained experience in Hollywood which would definitely be valuable back home, selling herself for a much higher price. Even if Adrian were displeased, it was impossible for him to reach into China, being someone who had once been inside the system, Liu Li was very aware of the differences between China and the United States.

Of course, as a media mogul, he had plenty of ways to seek revenge if he wanted to, but she was confident things wouldn’t get that bad.

However, Liu Li didn’t know that Adrian was equally aware of these nuances. He might allow Lin Zhiling, Lin Xilei, and Yukie to just hold green cards, but he wouldn’t allow the same for Liu Li and her daughter. That’s why Adrian had made the request before Liu Li had even expressed her thoughts. While naturalization could be difficult for ordinary people, it was quite simple for him.

"Of course," Adrian responded that way. It’s extremely difficult to obtain a green card in China, let alone citizenship. Generally, if Chinese citizens relinquish their nationality, returning is almost impossible. If they didn’t get naturalized, then there was no point in further discussions.

But he wouldn’t use phrases like "It has to be this way because I say so" to force Liu Li, knowing face matters to everyone, particularly more so for Chinese. Therefore, he came prepared to persuade.

"Have you seen this, Ms. Liu?" Adrian pushed two books on his desk towards Liu Li.

"Is this... the Harry Potter series?" Liu Li asked in a puzzled tone, looking at the cover, "I haven’t read them, Feifei really likes them. However, the latest volume published last July doesn’t have a Simplified Chinese edition yet, so..."

"You can take a quick look," Adrian said with a slight smile, "With your shrewdness, you should be able to guess what I want to do."

Although Liu Li still looked down and flipped through a few pages, from the beginning to now, Adrian had already put too much pressure on her. Ultimately, she couldn’t keep her composure and looked up straightforwardly, asking, "Just speak plainly, Mr. Adrian."

Adrian raised his eyebrow slightly, "Well, since that’s the case, let me explain it simply. You should know that the ’Harry Potter’ series is extremely popular around the world, and you might also be aware that my group’s Universal Pictures is planning to adapt this series into a movie. There’s a character of significant importance who is of Chinese descent, the first girlfriend of the main character, Harry Potter."

"You mean Feifei can..." Liu Li was visibly moved, clearly, Lin Xilei had specifically discussed ’Harry Potter’ related matters with her as instructed by Adrian.

"Yes, but there is an issue," Adrian smiled, everything under control, "Although I discovered Rowling and adapted her novels into movies, I must also respect her proposal — all actors must be British. The hundreds of millions of copies sold worldwide give her the confidence to make this demand. I agreed, so for Yufei to get this role, she must first become a British citizen, and quickly too, considering there are many ethnic Chinese immigrants in Britain. Besides, this is Hollywood, and even second or third-generation Chinese immigrants find it difficult to make a mark here, let alone someone from mainland China. Even Chen Chong is still a marginalized figure, never mainstream. The same goes for Yufei. Gaining citizenship might only improve her situation slightly, but it’s certainly much better than not having it."

He then stood up, his hands on the desk, looking down at Liu Li from a higher position, "Ms. Liu, know when to let go. To gain, one must first give up."

After the statement about "many ethnic Chinese immigrants in Britain," Liu Li slightly trembled, unable to ignore the warning it implied. Now, her face flashed with complex expressions, and after a few minutes, she took a deep breath and finally made a decision.

"I understand," she said, "I will do as you instruct."

As she spoke, her expression showed hesitation. Adrian offered a knowing smile and handed a prepared check to her, "I will cover all expenses and prepare houses for you in Los Angeles and London."

Seeing the numbers on the check, Liu Li’s breathing quickened. Although she tried to control her emotions, the thrill on her face was unmistakable.

"So, Adrian, when do you plan to..." she spoke with a slightly quivering voice, her expression also filled with flattery and appeasement.

"You make the arrangements, I trust you won’t disappoint me, right?" Adrian smiled gently.

Just 1 million US Dollars had significantly altered her manner, making her speak much smoother about the matter of selling her daughter, erasing much of the awkward and unseemly air from before. Should he mock or sigh? Adrian shook his head, not dwelling on it. He wasn’t worried Liu Li would squander the money. As a shrewd woman, with how much he had disclosed, if she didn’t know what to do, there would be no point in investing.

After settling this matter, Adrian left Los Angeles—but not to London as planned to see Little Emma. Instead, he headed west, crossing the Pacific to arrive in Taiwan.

January 6th, Taipei, Zhongshan North Road, Grand Formosa Regent, a red carpet flanked by numerous cameras, a large group of local reporters constantly snapping photos of the men and women walking upon it. Especially a tall, sexy young woman in her mid-to-late twenties in a pink deep-V evening dress, who consumed many a photographer’s film.

"Is that Lin Zhiling? She is indeed beautiful," remarked a reporter seeing her for the first time.

"Of course, you can’t make it in Hollywood without the goods," responded another, dismissing the former’s astonishment.

"She seems very close to Director Lee," the newcomer mentioned, not really caring but more interested in digging up some gossip from the red carpet.

"Don’t get the wrong idea, kid, everyone knows that Ang Lee is..." a veteran journalist began with a scoff, but then suddenly shut his mouth as if remembering something.

"What is?" the newcomer asked curiously.

"Don’t ask too much, kid. Go and find out the information yourself. Stuff like this can be true or false; it depends on how you assess it, of course, and what you write in the newspaper is another matter altogether," another journalist interjected.

"Who knows which boss has enjoyed such a blessing. After the success of ’Resident Evil’ in Taiwan the year before last, Lin Zhiling secured several endorsements for well-known brands in Taiwan, and she has continuously been hyped as Taiwan’s number one beauty," someone else chimed in, the tone somewhat lascivious.

This subject immediately generated a lot of responses, not just ordinary people like gossip; gossip journalists love it too.

"Alright, cut it out, don’t show off here. Don’t even think about getting laid with her, let alone inviting her to a dinner," the journalist who had stopped mid-sentence earlier spoke up again when he heard the discussion about who might get Lin Zhiling.

"So why not, tell us why, Li?" Clearly, this senior journalist had some authority, so no one doubted him, they just wanted to know everything.

"Do you know what happened last year at the Yuanshan Hotel?" Li teased.

"Could it be... wasn’t that just a misunderstanding?" A journalist asked, surprised.

"Miss-understanding my ass," Li cursed, "I snuck in there and witnessed the whole thing! You know, Lin Zhiling has an agent in Hollywood, also a Lin, also Taiwanese. That night in front of many people, she warned Chen Taiming: ’You can’t mess with Lin Zhiling’s connections!’"

"No way!" a journalist exclaimed in a prolonged voice.

"Absolutely true, of course, there weren’t many people around at the time, but she did just warn Chen Taiming right in front of them," Li declared confidently.

There was a buzz of astonishment; every journalist present knew who Chen Taiming was—the chairman of the YAGEO Corporation, with a fortune nearly a hundred billion New Taiwan Dollars; the audacity of a mere agent to confront him...

"That’s too exaggerated... Does Lin Zhiling have that strong a backing?" someone exclaimed in awe.

"By the way, the movie distributor said there’s a surprise at tonight’s premiere, could it be..." someone suddenly said.

Just then, a custom-made, all-black stretch Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of the red carpet. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote and recommend at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)