Chapter 822: Chapter 228: Honored Guest
Although the main purpose of coming to Hong Kong is to indulge in romance, explore every exciting place in East Asia, Adrian is not solely focused on that. In the past few days, besides being invited to visit various groups, he has been comprehensively understanding the limited development of AC Media here, and negotiating with Media Asia for the adaptation rights of “Infernal Affairs”.
This work, once hailed as the savior of Hong Kong cinema, basically lives up to its reputation. At least at the time, it brought new ideas and a refreshing feeling, making it stylish, unlike the outdated feeling of previous police films. With various religious elements, the film was well-received despite the ending failing to portray Liu Jianming’s anguish.
But it’s limited to the first film; the following two, including the prequel, were a bit better, somewhat grand, despite numerous plot holes such as the extended relationship between Chen Yongren and the Ni Family, the overall quality was still decent. The third installment was purely a disappointment; psychiatric tropes were overused, and unfortunately, Liu Weiqiang couldn’t bring anything new to the table. Aside from attracting a large number of actors, there was little to praise, thus the decline of Hong Kong cinema was inevitable.
However, that didn’t stop Adrian from saying a few good words; as long as he could secure the adaptation rights of “Infernal Affairs,” although he wasn’t planning to direct the American version or have Universal produce it, he wanted the rights primarily for his own agenda. Adrian had enough accolades already, so he wasn’t in need of another film, hence this was done to do Scorsese a favor.
Earlier this year, due to unforeseen circumstances, Sofia unintentionally received the Best Director award, and the Film Academy might want to compensate Scorsese, which could disrupt his plans, so necessary suppression was essential. However, the carrot-and-stick approach was crucial, with only small-time kings like Shao Yifu assuming the role of a cold tyrant.
As for whether Lin Jianyue would catch on and demand exorbitant terms—for all that it’s handled by subordinates, it’s ultimately his personal business. But that isn’t a concern; after all, the subordinates have already provided advice, and if it exceeds the threshold, abandonment would be the course of action, albeit slightly troublesome.
Adrian chuckled, withdrew his thoughts while sitting in the car, and shifted his attention to tonight’s Emperor-hosted cocktail party.
Honestly, he wasn’t particularly interested in Emperor Group, having met Albert Yeung a couple of times; like most wealthy Hong Kong individuals, Yeung wore glasses, maintained a genteel demeanor, unlike some rumors. Ultimately, rumors are exaggerated versions of reality, but they don’t suggest he’s totally innocent either; Hong Kong being what it is… haha, so Adrian wasn’t keen on interacting with him.
However, Jackie Chan was on good terms with him now, almost like sharing a pair of pants, and Huayi had close ties with Emperor Group, so out of courtesy, Adrian agreed to attend the cocktail parties over the coming two days.
“I’ve heard a lot about Mr. Cowell’s achievements; there aren’t many like you who can both manage a group and produce excellent films,” Albert Yeung held a wine glass and complimented Adrian in the grand hall of the Peninsula Hotel dedicated to large-scale parties. Having attended the grand welcoming party that night, he was aware that Adrian’s Mandarin was fluent, thus he didn’t use English, though his Mandarin sounded peculiar.
“You’re too kind, Mr. Yeung. Our group’s development owes much to my friend Claude; more often I am involved in film production. As for Emperor Group’s current success, it’s solely due to Mr. Yeung’s personal efforts, and this never-give-up spirit is commendable,” Adrian accepted it all politely and returned the compliment.
“Indeed, many said Old Yeung was done for this time, but he got back up,” Jackie Chan chimed in with a laugh, with his signature large nose drawing attention. Upon learning of Adrian’s arrival in Hong Kong, not only did he return particularly, but at Albert Yeung’s request, personally invited him over, bringing along his wife and children to the party, his intentions quite apparent.
Adrian conversed nonchalantly with them, encouraging Fang Zuming briefly, then under Albert Yeung’s guidance, mingled with some of the guests. The party mostly consisted of Emperor associates, from Albert Yeung’s siblings, daughter, niece, to artist management director Huo Wenxi, and various artists under Emperor’s wing, reflecting Albert Yeung’s considerable influence in the entertainment circle.
Among the attendees were many… familiar faces from his past life, Mr. Edison Chen being one of them, naturally along with his current close friend Nicholas Xie, and… two future leading actresses of certain prominence.
“We have Hong Kong’s most outstanding and popular artists, and Emperor collaborates closely with the mainland, surely things will get better,” Albert Yeung expressed with a hint of pride.
Adrian smirked indifferently, then turned towards Jackie Chan: “By the way, Jackie, any new projects in the pipeline lately?”
“Lately? Not for now,” Jackie Chan, though unsure why Adrian asked, replied with a smile. “This year a film ‘The Medallion’ was released, then I helped out a junior by appearing in a cameo, now I need to spend time with my wife and son. I can’t risk being away anymore, only to realize after a break that Zuming has become unrecognizable, now that would be troublesome.”
He then shared the anecdote of going to pick up his son from school only to find out that he had moved on to middle school, amusing those around with a chuckle.
“That’s perfect. While visiting the mainland capital, a concept struck me, we also need to establish ourselves in the mainland, so it would be great to collaborate on it. I was wondering if you could take up the male lead role?” Adrian asked with a modest smile.
While Albert Yeung and the others were still processing the proposition, Jackie Chan’s eyes lit up. Having been in Hollywood for years, he had a more immediate sense of Adrian’s talent.
“Could I know some specific details?” he asked cautiously.
“Certainly, it’s a story about traversing time or reincarnation,” Adrian said, tapping his head with his finger. “Let me think about how to describe it… alright, over 2000 years ago, as the First Emperor united the lands, peripheral harsh regions began to honor him, Korea among them, offering their most beautiful… hmm… Princess Yushu to the First Emperor, who dispatched his trusted general… Meng Yi for the dowry process. But a general of the Korean kingdom admired the princess, scheming an ambush mid-way…”
Naturally, this concept was for “Myth,” which Adrian hadn’t envisioned before, but upon meeting Jackie Chan a few times in Hong Kong, the idea struck him. As he had mentioned, providing the idea to Huayi for production, well, now Emperor could be brought on board too, further spreading AC Media’s influence internally while conveying to certain individuals, look, I’m helping you.
Initially, he planned to speak with Jackie Chan only before leaving, yet disclosing it now seemed more effective, like a casual reveal at Shao’s film studio.
“… Jackie will always be Jackie, or should we say a reincarnation of Meng Yi, but ultimately not really Jackie, so Princess Yushu remains sorrowful, trapped in the collapsing stones of the First Emperor’s tomb, while Jackie carries endless regrets into a new life, and the story is titled, Myth.” With that, it concluded, followed by several seconds of silence until Albert Yeung initiated applause, prompting a wave of claps from the crowd, attracting considerable attention.
“This is absolutely a marvelous story, Mr. Cowell is truly Hollywood’s genius, awe-inspiring,” Albert Yeung praised again.
“Thank you, I’m glad you like it. I suppose Jackie wouldn’t decline, would he? I’ll soon engage a few Chinese writers to complete the script,” Adrian asked Jackie Chan with a grin, then added, “Of course, I won’t interfere with the film’s production, aside from offering occasional advice; it’ll be all handed over to you.”
“Of course, no problem,” Jackie Chan agreed eagerly, evidently intrigued by the script.
Albert Yeung swung his eyes upon standing beside Huo Wenxi momentarily, then during the ensuing conversation, the entourage originally assembled gradually dispersed, leaving only Jackie Chan, Albert Yeung, and Huo Wenxi.
“I had previously heard Mr. Cowell’s evaluation of various versions of ‘Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber’ female leads at the previous party, spot-on, I wonder what aspect of Chinese women Mr. Cowell appreciates most?” Albert Yeung asked, having steered the discussion from “Myth” to martial arts films.
Here it is. Adrian’s thoughts were clear, but he maintained a smile on the surface: “That’s difficult to say, it entirely depends on the feeling, sometimes a woman others see as unimpressive may strike you as incredibly attractive at first glance, while other times celebrated beauties appear entirely unappealing.”
“Among today’s female artists attending the party, is there anyone Mr. Cowell finds appealing?” Albert Yeung asked bluntly, maintaining a sincere demeanor as though genuinely exploring the allure of femininity.
Adrian chuckled quietly, feigning a scan of the premises.
“They’re all quite remarkable, each with her own charm, it’s hard to say which is better,” he remarked, notwithstanding certain rumored incidents in 2004, his interest remained minimal, especially considering there was a certain someone present…
“If I must choose,” Adrian smiled, then gestured towards a distant thirty-something with elegant charm, sporting medium-short hair and clad in a white long dress, “that one is really appealing.”
As he continued to observe, Albert Yeung couldn’t help but pause, then furrowed his brow slightly, seemingly in a bit of a quandary. Jackie Chan stood beside him, silent, turning his head away as if trying to suppress a laugh. Although that woman was also a Hong Kong entertainer, she wasn’t with Emperor, and had been in a stable relationship with a boyfriend for over a year.
I knew it. Adrian sighed internally, feeling a sense of regret, then switched his tone. “Actually, there is a charming woman before us, perhaps not as appealing as the other, but not far behind.”
Both Albert Yeung and Jackie Chan were taken aback, then they turned their gaze to Huo Wenxi. Huo Wenxi, equally surprised, was momentarily stupefied, but being the director of Emperor’s artist management department, she quickly donned a professional smile.
“Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Cowell,” she said.
“In my opinion, Miss Huo is entirely deserving of such praise.” Adrian raised his hand.
“Indeed, many people say that Wenxi is prettier than many of our female artists at Emperor.” Albert Yeung laughed heartily, while casually glancing at Huo Wenxi, who immediately lowered her eyelids and said nothing.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Jackie Chan and Albert Yeung left one after the other. Adrian pretended to stay alone for a while, but Huo Wenxi immediately stopped him. “Do you truly think I’m not quite as good as her, Mr. Cowell?”
She squinted her eyes, the corners of her lips slightly lifted, suddenly exuding an indescribable charm. Though only in her early thirties, wearing a black silk dress that accented her waistline with a belt, combined with pure black stockings, she wasn’t extraordinarily beautiful, but very enticing—a complete departure from her earlier professional image. Her eyebrows faintly resembled Lin Qingxia, which explained her role as young Lin Qingxia in “Seven Brothers.”
“It’s just a feeling, beautiful Miss Huo. Detailing comparisons isn’t an easy task.” Adrian maintained his smile.
“Is that so?” Huo Wenxi’s eyes flowed as she glanced around the hall. “Perhaps we could find a place to talk properly, don’t you think, Mr. Cowell?”
————
In the dimly lit private room, Huo Wenxi’s clothes were in disarray, her lower body completely folded over, sweat beading on her forehead, her eyes blurred under Adrian’s pressure, moaning loudly. Even so, she continued moving her body, matching his advances. After several sessions, Adrian effortlessly lifted her up, leaning back to begin a rhythmic motion.
This made Huo Wenxi cry out even more wildly. The soundproofing in the private room was excellent, with no worry of being overheard, and her body twisted even more intensely, seemingly close to reaching the peak. Finally, as Adrian lifted her again, she screamed, clinging to him like an octopus, shivering for a few breaths before finally softening down.
“You’re truly amazing, Mr. Cowell; I’ve never been this happy before.” Huo Wenxi said as she relaxed against Adrian after he sat down.
“Oh?” Adrian raised his brows while tenderly stroking her body, even knowing the skin flushed with climax-induced redness, gazing past hazy eyes, with the word “satisfaction” written all over Huo Wenxi’s face, clearly not lying.
“Of course, no wonder Mr. Cowell is so popular, so adept at pleasing women.” Huo Wenxi spoke while kissing his neck, her infatuated demeanor seeming as if she still craved more.
“You’re quite remarkable too, Miss Huo.” Adrian praised with a smile, and his hands moved with increased intensity.
As soon as she entered the private room, Huo Wenxi proactively kissed him, her tongue interlocking while simultaneously undoing his belt—a display of boldness unmatched even by Yu Shiman, her responsiveness extremely uninhibited, thus making playing with Emperor’s beautiful director truly a delightful choice.
“If you pursued acting, you’d be far more distinguished than the women at the party,” Adrian continued, “It’s truly a pity.”
“There’s nothing to regret. Being a director has far more power than being an artist.” Huo Wenxi chuckled lightly. “I’ve been a manager since I was twenty-one, witnessed a lot; management feels more substantial.”
“That’s true.” Adrian shrugged, his roaming hands over her body reaching her softness.
“So now do you still think I’m a bit inferior to that woman?” Huo Wenxi’s smile became increasingly alluring.
Adrian hesitated, then burst into laughter, truly an unyielding woman. Cupping her face, post-climax her languid appearance made Huo Wenxi even more enticing, especially contrasting her earlier party demeanor, arousing a strong urge to ravish her again.
“At least right now, you’re superior to her.” One hand caressing her face, the other placed on her thigh where nylons had been torn, Adrian said.
“In simple terms, in this regard you can’t make a judgment about her, right?” Huo Wenxi brushed back her hair strands, smiling meaningfully.
Adrian shared a silent smile, though indeed having thoughts occasionally, knew from past memories—having missed the best opportunity, just pointing her out to Albert Yeung at the party was merely a diversion. Toying with Huo Wenxi sufficed.
“Don’t hurry,” The beautiful director of this moment leaned close to his ear, breathing teasingly, “You’ll soon have a chance to assess.”
“Hmm?” Adrian found himself slightly surprised. Did she mean…
“You underestimate Mr. Yeung’s influence in Hong Kong, Mr. Cowell,” Huo Wenxi chuckled softly, “You are Mr. Yeung’s esteemed guest; whatever you wish for, we will strive to fulfill.”
Even with Adrian’s composure, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath, coupled with Huo Wenxi licking his ear, her body occasionally twisting, further tantalizing, prompting an immediate reaction. Huo Wenxi’s eyes shone, sliding down smoothly like a snake, discarding his protective cover, polishing him clean, then swallowed him entirely, starting an intense storm of temptations.
Adrian instantly took another cold breath, after she gave him a good blow, promptly flipped her for a back-position session that continued fiercely. Even this wasn’t enough; after finishing the private room session, he socialized a bit more at the party before taking Huo Wenxi back to the suite to continue their passionate affair, especially with Li Zi and Yu Shiman occupied with filming today, unable to join them.
Huo Wenxi likely had never been so fulfilled, and she went from a bedroom battle with Adrian to the living room, and from the living room to the bathroom, only rising around midmorning the next day.
“Fortunately Mr. Yeung gave me a day off; otherwise today’s work would be chaotic,” Huo Wenxi remarked after getting up. She stayed in Adrian’s suite, having breakfast and lunch together, continuing until afternoon.
“Your gift has arrived, Mr. Cowell.” After answering a call, she spoke with a smile, then left the suite.
Adrian raised his brow, yet despite some curiosity didn’t speak much. Soon after, Huo Wenxi returned, bringing another woman along. She wore a long-sleeved velvet top, mini skirt paired with fitted leggings, exuding vitality and sensuality, while her face remained expressionless, seemingly dazed—Zhu Ying. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote on Qidian () for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)