Chapter 816: Chapter 222: Remarkably Efficient
No one doesn’t want to become the second Gao Yuanyuan. Not to mention, when news spread in the circle that she was going to Hollywood to collaborate with companies from the United States, starring as one of the female leads in a high-budget sci-fi TV series, her status immediately rose several levels.
Because of Adrian, currently, the Chinese movie stars active in Hollywood or on the international stage are either from Hong Kong or Taiwan, with almost none from mainland China. Although some directors and actors still make gains at major film festivals, Ha Yu broke River Phoenix’s record a few years ago by becoming the youngest actor to win the Venice Film Festival Best Actor award, but when it comes to influence, it’s still minimal.
In such a situation, Gao Yuanyuan’s entry into Hollywood, even if it’s just for TV series, is enough to make people take notice. It’s produced by Universal Pictures, and if she’s lucky, she might even get to do movies.
Of course, initially, most people maintained a calm attitude. Even though she’s gone to Hollywood, whether it will matter still depends on the works. Chen Chong went abroad in the 80s and is still half popular. But as the news of “Battlestar Galactica” being a hit in the United States came through and plans to launch this series in China with heavy promotion began, many young people, upon hearing that mainland actors were involved and one being a female lead, confirmed through trailers and went wild. Gao Yuanyuan’s popularity, which was already rising due to “Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber,” skyrocketed, with a clear trend of becoming the most popular actress in mainland China. How could others not be envious?
Though according to promotional stories, Universal wanted to explore the Chinese market, so through their Chinese partners, they wanted to invite a female actress to Hollywood to try it out. While Huayi recommended many people who did not satisfy Universal, it wasn’t until someone watched Gao Yuanyuan’s TV show that she was chosen. But everyone knows it’s definitely not that simple.
The top management of various entertainment companies doesn’t need to be mentioned. Adrian, although in China with a focus, hasn’t hidden his movements, just hasn’t informed the media. A little speculation can lead to conclusions. Besides, after Gao Yuanyuan returned from the United States due to promotional needs and signed with Huayi for her management, she was lavishly cared for, picked and dropped off everywhere, and many engagements were pushed away on her behalf. To say there’s no big figure supporting her is impossible.
For women like Binlin, who are in the know, they know very well who Gao Yuanyuan got involved with. For those not as informed, just a bit of clear clues can lead to inference, like Lu Tao. So, after waking up the next day, besides initial panic, Lu Tao calmed down immediately after realizing things.
“Did we… did we sleep together?” she said as she pulled the blanket, covering her arms in front of her chest with some regret and disbelief, having a pureness that Gao Yuanyuan originally gave Adrian.
However, the unease Gao Yuanyuan exhibited at the time was genuinely heartfelt, unlike her somewhat deliberate manner. Maybe Lu Tao thought she was acting naturally, but in Adrian’s seasoned eyes, there were flaws everywhere.
“Sorry, but you’re too enchanting.” He said this and pulled her into his arms. Although Lu Tao struggled a bit, she still leaned obediently into his embrace.
Even so, the two didn’t talk much afterward, and last night’s passionate encounter wasn’t mentioned, as if nothing ever happened. After having breakfast in a relatively harmonious atmosphere and chatting for a bit, Lu Tao then got up to leave and politely declined his offer to take her home.
“Still playing hard to get?” After she left, Adrian rubbed his chin and chuckled. If it were before, it might have worked, but now that tactic has been overused?
However, after thinking carefully, it’s not entirely useless. At least she can use this to test him. Clearly, she felt uncomfortable about how last night he took advantage of her being tipsy to get her into bed, but she doesn’t want to give up this opportunity, so she came up with this method, hoping he would remain interested in her. Unfortunately, it seems to be a hastily thought-out plan without much thorough consideration. What if Adrian doesn’t contact her again?
Well, that’s a joke. Just thinking about Lu Tao’s charming demeanor last night beneath him, Adrian wouldn’t just let it go after one time, so when she left, he insisted on getting her address and phone number.
“When should I call her?” Adrian thought as he took out his phone and dialed.
This, of course, wasn’t for Lu Tao. Although calling now might surprise her and ease her discomfort, as long as she harbors thoughts and wants to become the next Gao Yuanyuan, there’s no need to worry about her overthinking—this is the temptation of holding power—so this call was actually for yesterday’s heroes.
“Good morning, Binlin,” Adrian’s smile was bright, “I’m very satisfied, extremely satisfied. How should I reward you?”
To be honest, when Binlin suggested she could introduce someone, Adrian casually and half-jokingly mentioned how Lu Tao from the third part of “My fair Princess” was good. Unexpectedly, Binlin managed to bring Lu Tao to him, and after orchestrating a play, sent her to his bed just like that.
“I just did what I promised,” Binlin said with a cheerful smile, sitting opposite Adrian. She had deliberately dressed up, with light makeup applied just right, exuding a touch of enchantment amidst the sexiness.
Adrian said nothing, just smiled and stared at her. Initially, Binlin matched his gaze with confidence, her chest out, but within a few minutes, she involuntarily lowered her eyes.
“That’s not good,” he finally spoke, “when someone does well, they should be rewarded. Besides, things like this will only get more difficult in the future.”
Upon hearing this double-meaning statement, Binlin’s expression changed slightly but quickly chuckled, albeit a bit forced: “It’s okay. Since I chose this path, I’ll bear whatever comes.”
Then she once again straightened, trying hard to appear… a little bolder.
After another moment of silence, Adrian lightly clapped his hands twice: “Not bad, very good, I admire you, Binlin. I admire women like you who know their goals and strive unrelentingly forward, even when the path is fraught with thorns. Very rare, even many men don’t have such courage.”
His tone sounded genuine, and Binlin was momentarily taken aback, her eyes growing moist, but she quickly took a few breaths to control her emotions and smiled.
“Thank you.” She said this with complex emotions, feeling both comforted and ironic that such words could come from a Westerner.
“I can roughly guess your goals, Binlin, and I very much support you in your efforts,” Adrian continued, “However, to speak frankly, Chinese actors wanting to enter Hollywood might have to wait another seven or eight years. That’s my prediction, and my predictions have always been accurate.”
The implication was: Are you willing to wait years for an opportunity?
“Are all Western men as honest as you?” After a moment of silence, Binlin laughed, returning to her initial charming demeanor.
Although she indeed wanted more opportunities, she hadn’t thought of going to Hollywood so soon, so if the opportunity is in the domestic scene, that’s acceptable, and finding a bigger backer wouldn’t be bad either.
“Also, you should find a few more allies.” A hint of satisfaction flickered in Adrian’s eyes.
“Binlin?” Binlin raised an eyebrow.
“I quite like you two, though she doesn’t impress me as much as you do, I think she’s good too,” Adrian smiled slightly, his tone somewhat suggestive, “Perhaps it’s because you’re both called Binlin.”
“You men are always never satisfied,” Binlin suddenly exclaimed after looking at him for a few seconds, “One is not enough, and you want another, wishing every woman in the world was yours.”
“So this is a man’s world.” Adrian spread his hands.
Binlin hummed lightly, suddenly got up and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, biting her lip as she gazed at him, then leaned to his ear: “Actually, I have something to tell you…”
Adrian was initially curious, but after listening, he showed a surprised expression.
“Your efficiency is off the charts, isn’t it?” he said somewhat jokingly, “Lu Tao just left my suite a few hours ago, and I was planning to ask her out for dinner tonight. Besides, I never intended to get involved with her, right?”
“She contacted me,” Binlin admitted honestly, “I accidentally let it slip during our phone conversation last night. She still has some connections in the mainland, so it’s not hard for her to find out about you if she wants to.”
“Interesting,” Adrian stroked his chin, “I remember… didn’t she get engaged last year?”
“Did she? No, I don’t think so. I only know she has a boyfriend,” Binlin recalled and shrugged, “She probably wants to meet you and perhaps get some investment. She and her boyfriend have their own company.”
“I see,” Adrian stroked his chin again, “You seemed hesitant earlier, like you didn’t plan to tell me about this. Could I know the reason?”
“Well…” Binlin sighed, “She’s a very shrewd woman.”
Adrian couldn’t help but laugh, then, as something crossed his mind, he gave Binlin a playful slap on the butt. “Alright, let’s meet then. This time at the Capital Club. Don’t worry, you won’t be her competition.”
He held memberships at all of the capital’s top four clubs, having arranged them after his last visit. Previously, he couldn’t freely roam the streets with Binlin, but he did manage to explore all four clubs with her. He was curious to see what this woman was up to, plus her dimples were quite charming.
————
“Hello, Mr. Cowell, I’m Zhang Yan.” With her signature smile, Zhang Yan extended her hand while sizing up the man in front of her.
“Hello, Miss Zhang, I’m Adrian Cowell. Pleasure to meet you,” he smiled back as they shook hands, “Do you enjoy bowling as well?”
“I play occasionally,” Zhang Yan responded with a smile, “But it’s my first time here. I happened to bump into Binlin downstairs. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Despite her words, she was inwardly skeptical. Does a tycoon like him really enjoy such a sport? Shouldn’t he be playing golf or something? If it weren’t for Binlin standing beside her, she would’ve doubted his identity.
“No worries. I’ve been exploring the streets around here with Binlin these past few days and decided to stop in for a game,” Adrian seemed to read her mind and explained with a soft laugh.
“Your Chinese is quite good, Mr. Cowell.” Zhang Yan felt a bit embarrassed and immediately changed the subject.
“Thank you, many people say so. But just call me Adrian or Ed,” he replied, “Since you’re friends with Binlin and we’ve crossed paths, how about joining us for a game?”
“Alright,” Zhang Yan agreed cheerfully.
She and Binlin weren’t particularly close but had worked together on this year’s broadcast of “Treasure Pot.” Zhang Yan had shifted her work focus to the mainland over the past few years, so for networking purposes, she maintained a decent relationship with Binlin. Then, she heard that a Hollywood big shot had come to the capital—Adrian didn’t purposely hide his whereabouts, and Zhang Yan had established some connections in the mainland.
Initially, she was indifferent, but during a phone chat with Binlin, Binlin’s comment, “Huayi has been busy to death, entertaining big clients from the United States,” made her realize who was here. After verifying this information, she made sure of it, and the shrewd woman started working out a plan.
Unlike mainland actors, Zhang Yan, being Taiwanese, had a more direct understanding of the Hollywood media mogul Adrian Cowell. Not to mention the renowned Lin Chi-Ling, whom many businessmen eyed but few dared to pursue, as everyone knew she was already taken. These weren’t secrets to someone like Zhang Yan, who had been in Taiwan’s entertainment circle for quite some time.
Furthermore, after Lin Chi-Ling starred in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” she grew increasingly popular in Hollywood, continuing to act in several films and even reportedly collaborated with Will Smith. Naturally, every Taiwanese actress aspired to become the next Lin Chi-Ling.
Of course, Zhang Yan wanted to meet Adrian not solely for those reasons. Perhaps she had similar aspirations, but whether it was worth it was hard to say, especially since she had a boyfriend. So, she asked Binlin to introduce her to Adrian, mainly recognizing Adrian’s potential expansion plans in the mainland.
Zhang Yan was a shrewd woman, or she wouldn’t have kept Li Ruixiang on a string. The film production company they co-founded involved her as a shareholder. Although their status as Taiwanese granted them certain privileges and allowed them to establish connections in the mainland, the business had its ups and downs. If she could connect with someone like Adrian and hitch a ride on a “dragon from across the river,” it would surely help them solidify their presence.
She had considered more formal channels like banquets or parties to meet him, but such opportunities were rare. Adrian, keeping a low profile, didn’t have many social engagements. Hearing from Binlin that Adrian was soon leaving, Zhang Yan made up her mind; she didn’t want to miss this opportunity.
But would she truly achieve her objective this way?
“Ha, got lucky this time, all pins down. Tin, if you want to beat me, you have to strike all three of your last shots.” After landing a splendid STRIKE, Adrian sat back down, chuckling.
Zhang Yan shrugged, picked up the bowling ball, and walked to the edge to prepare. They’d played several rounds in this privately booked venue, each winning some and losing some, enjoying themselves quite well. Adrian’s wit and humor, and his casual use of idioms, made the atmosphere pleasant.
However, it wasn’t just that; Zhang Yan could clearly feel the intense gaze from behind as she posed. Adrian made no effort to hide his intentions, consistently eyeing her with an admiration that carried a hint of desire, even when face to face. Though a bit annoyed, she didn’t mind it—such gazes were nothing new to her. But having someone look at her this directly and blatantly was rare, perhaps because he was a Westerner?
In truth, she even somewhat liked it. She’d heard of Adrian’s reputation, the Hollywood “women who’ve slept with him are considered truly attractive” gossip was well-known. Being looked at by a playboy like him could give her a slight sense of pride, showing she was certainly on par with the so-called top beauty of Taiwan.
Moreover, with Binlin occasionally showing hints of jealousy, Zhang Yan felt more smug. Once the vanity in a woman is triggered, it’s not easy to retract, and then…
“Hey, hey, that’s cheating, Ed.” Zhang Yan called out as Adrian tried to take more steps before throwing, smiling with dimples distinctly showing on her cheeks.
“No way,” Adrian feigned innocence.
“I saw you, don’t think you can cheat,” she said, darting forward to snatch the ball away, then teasingly bumping him aside with her hips, “This round is yours to lose!”
“Alright, alright,” Adrian raised his hands in surrender, then checked the time, “It’s almost evening. Would you mind joining us for dinner, Tin? It’s not far, just at the Capital Club.”
Zhang Yan hesitated for a moment, the excitement from the afternoon’s fun slightly waning. However, seeing Binlin smugly taking Adrian’s arm, her competitive spirit flared up again.
She was a shrewd woman but also a bold one, rarely abandoning a decision once made, and never backing down. Just like her earlier teasing of Adrian. So—
“No problem,” she agreed without hesitation, laughing heartily as if completely unperturbed. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please vote for it on . Your support is my greatest motivation.)