hollywood billionaire

Chapter 537 Night Tour of the Metropolis (Part 2)
"As for that matter, there's even less reason for you to thank me."

"Wasn't this a decision we made together?"

Disneyland is undoubtedly a magical place where people can temporarily shed all the burdens of reality and fully embrace their inner desires.

But no one can live in a fairy tale forever, not even a billionaire and his lover.

That day, when Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen returned to DB11 and entered the northbound traffic on I-5N, embarking on their journey home, the happiness radiating from their faces was gradually replaced by a layer of subtle contemplation.

What's next?
How should they face the reality that has struck again?
Is it public?
Shouldn't it be made public? Shouldn't couples who are mutually in love stand in the sunlight and receive the kindness and blessings from the whole world?

But what exactly constitutes making it public?
Who should be informed?
Xu Yiru? Barbara Pavon? Madison Beal?

The management team of the mansion at 864 Stradella Road?

Or is it a staff member of Han Music in Room 1001 of Xinghui Building?
The first three options... Han Yi felt a chill just thinking about them. Of course, given how far the emotional battlefield had progressed, he was practically numb to it all. For him, self-abandonment wasn't an emotion, but a definite fact.

She knew she had kissed him first, she knew she had slept with him, and she understood that they were all eyeing him covetously…

Now, whenever Han Yi's thoughts touch upon these things, his brain activates a kind of stress-reactive defense mechanism—automatically crashing and then restarting.

He wanted to direct four romantic scenes, but found himself trapped in a grander and more dangerous thriller, unable to move forward or backward.

What else is there to say? Destroy it! Let whoever wants to know, know. The sooner it explodes, the sooner it's over.

To reiterate, this is the fundamental reason why Han Yi, after the four-person drinking party in Las Vegas, changed from his previous hesitant and conflicted state to becoming open to everyone.

Pablo Picasso said that every creation begins with destruction. Sun Tzu's *The Art of War* also states, "Place them in a desperate situation, and they will survive."

What if?
Who knows, if all this struggle might eventually lead me out of this dead end?

Moreover, even if he didn't find a way out and instead stepped into a minefield, getting blown to pieces by the gunpowder of these ill-fated relationships, at least he could leave some sweet memories worth remembering for everyone involved in this drama.

With his wealth and power, Han Yi believed that this was something he could at least accomplish.

On the other hand, the staff at the mansion at 864 Stradella Road had nothing to worry about. Aside from Han Yi himself, they were probably the ones who had seen it the most.

The primary secret to serving billionaires is to dull your own perception and responsiveness to your surroundings, or at least pretend to dull them.

They turn a blind eye when they shouldn't see it, and a deaf ear when they shouldn't hear it, striving to create a parallel reality for their employers that appears normal and ordinary.

Because it is normal and ordinary, it is a luxury that most billionaires cannot obtain with any amount of money.

This is a fundamental requirement that Corey McIntosh repeatedly emphasizes to his team, and it is also a service principle that every employee strictly adheres to.

So it doesn't matter. Even if the boss just finished being intimate with Miss Xu and then started flirting with Miss Zhao, and there's also the sneaky Miss Bill who's always trying to snuggle into his arms... At 864 Stradivarius Road, the penthouse on the 79th floor of One57, and within the territory of any of Han Yi's assets, these are all normal and ordinary, mundane daily occurrences that are nothing to be surprised about.

The reason why Sofia was able to keep her eyes straight ahead and remain calm when Fiam and Kian went downstairs to carry their luggage and when she gave them scarves and flowers was because of this.

The young couple in the car, sitting so formally and deliberately keeping their distance in front of outsiders, were so overly polite and courteous that it was as if they had "we're dating" written all over their faces. Who wouldn't be able to tell?

But since the boss wants to act, then let's just play along!
However, while Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen didn't have many things to worry about in their private lives, that didn't mean they would be the same in their professional lives.

Imagine the devastating impact it would have if the two of them walked hand in hand into the Star Plaza office after the Christmas holidays and publicly announced their relationship.

Han Yi will become the kind of billionaire stereotyped in Hollywood movies and TV shows who "hires beautiful employees just to sleep with them".

Zhao Youzhen, on the other hand, will become the stereotypical beautiful and venomous woman in Hollywood movies and TV dramas who "uses any means necessary to seduce her boss in order to achieve a breakthrough in her career."

For Han Yi, bearing such a title doesn't really matter, because ultimately, he doesn't care about the opinions and evaluations of others. This is a powerful ability brought about by Scorpio's innate indifference to the things around them, and it is also an impregnable psychological defense line built up for him by billions of dollars.

For example, if you were to conduct a random street interview, how many Americans would have a positive opinion of Rupert Murdoch? But that doesn't stop him from becoming a media mogul who can dominate half of the Western world with his words and images.

This is the power of wealth in capitalist society: you can speak, but your words carry no weight. I can remain silent, but if I decide to break the silence, every syllable will come at a price you cannot afford.

If someone is spreading rumors within Han Music Group, just fire them. If someone is gossiping outside… well, unfortunately, that won't hurt Han Yi as much as a bedbug in New York.

But just because Han Yi can be indifferent doesn't mean Youzhen can be indifferent.

For Zhao Youzhen, being labeled in this way at the very beginning of her career was tantamount to a death sentence for her profession. Every bit of effort she had put in along the way would be completely erased by this flimsy title of "boss's mistress." Those sleepless nights planning tour routes, those moments of arguing their case at the negotiating table, all the painstaking efforts she had poured into the development of the artist—all of it would become, in the eyes of others, a bonus brought about by pillow talk.

After all, she's so young, yet she's managed several popular singers and rising stars, earning six figures in commissions every month... It can't possibly be because of her own abilities, right?

The workplace is far more demanding on women than it is on men, especially when women are in a subordinate position. If Han Yi were to have a scandal, he would at most be labeled a playboy tycoon; if there were many scandals, they might even become the subject of gossip, turning into biographies or blockbuster movies worldwide. But Youzhen would be reduced to a footnote, an interlude, or an anecdote in Han Yi's philandering life, nailed to the pillar of shame for "climbing the social ladder through her body."

From the moment it became public, every decision she made was scrutinized: Was the signing based on professional judgment, or was it because her boss whispered something in her ear? Every promotion she received was questioned: Was it due to outstanding ability, or her prowess in bed?
What's even more terrifying is that once this stigma is attached, it can never be removed. No matter how brilliant her future achievements may be, people's first reaction will always be, "Oh, that's the one who slept with the boss." Her talent, her abilities, and her professional competence will all be overshadowed by this one label.

Within the company, the impact of this relationship is even more devastating. When she makes strict demands on her colleagues, will she be seen as abusing her position? When she voices objections to Han Yi, will it be interpreted as a "couple's quarrel"? Her authority will be constantly challenged, and her ideas will be constantly questioned. The team's previously genuine and profound respect for her will inevitably be tainted with ambiguous speculation and contempt.

This is what terrifies Youzhen the most—not the judgment of others, but the complete annihilation of her self-worth. She yearns for recognition through her own abilities, not to be recorded as someone's appendage. This relationship, which should have been an attraction between two independent souls, could potentially render everything she has painstakingly built up futile.

And this will instantly destroy the girl. Her personal pursuits, her identity, her life goals.

Han Yi realized this as he passed the Castle Outlet on DB11 and was about to head west into downtown Los Angeles. He turned to look at Youzhen and found that she was also looking at him with the same complicated expression.

Ultimately, after a brief but effective exchange, the two reached a consensus on how to proceed with this relationship.

We won't deliberately hide it, but we shouldn't actively promote it for the time being.

Just like the policies that the U.S. military has followed in the past.

Don't ask, don't tell.

Let this nascent relationship thrive in a safe environment. Until it becomes strong enough, until Zhao Youzhen becomes strong enough, until rumors can no longer affect people's judgment of her abilities, nor can they affect Youzhen's self-identity, then seize the opportunity to bring it into the sunlight and let it receive the cheers and applause of the crowd.

It is not "Han Yi and his subordinate lover", but "the all-round integration of Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen's career and life".

It would be wonderful if we could reach that point someday.

"That was a decision you made for me."

Youzhen patted Han Yi's arm, sighed softly, and decided not to let herself get caught up in repeatedly speculating about the unknown outcome.

I went to Disneyland that day to find a break from reality.

I'm coming to the Metropolitan tonight too.

As night falls, Leo women, who are full of energy and confidence during the day and seem to have the world under their control, are often the ones who worry the most.

Yu-jin decided to change this bad habit.

I need to change this at least tonight.

"what is that?"

The Leon-Levy and Shelby-White Courtyard perfectly replicates the aesthetics of Roman interiors at their zenith. Soaring marble columns support the expansive space, and the floor is adorned with exquisite mosaics depicting mythological scenes and fantastical creatures. Niches around the perimeter display Roman and Hellenistic busts in various poses; these faces from a distant era appear remarkably serene and dignified under the tranquil lighting, as if silently approving the journey of this modern couple through their timeless abode.

Youzhen's gaze passed over Aphrodite, who stood alone and forlorn, for she looked so sorrowful and lonely. It then swept past the statue of Dionysus embracing Speth, for Speth was depicted as too small, almost like an appendage of Dionysus. Her eyes circled the exhibition hall, finally settling on a marble slab.

“A double-sided marble relief.” Han Yi followed Youzhen over, reading aloud the explanation beside him. “Such marble reliefs are often used to decorate the colonnaded courtyard gardens of Roman residences and villas. One side is carved in high relief with a young Dionysian priestess and a bearded Silenus mask.” “I like this one.” Youzhen’s admiring gaze lingered between the two mythological figures. “The carving is exquisite and lifelike. It feels like it represents the mistress and master of a Roman villa.”

“It is indeed exquisite and well preserved. It’s just…” At this point, Han Yi grinned awkwardly and pointed to the area below Silenus’s beard, “It’s just that this thing is a bit of an eyesore.”

"That's a shepherd's cane!" Zhao Youzhen blinked twice, realizing what was happening, and playfully slapped Han Yi's arm, feigning shyness.

"I didn't say it was anything else."

"Who knows what you're thinking about all day long?"

"Want to know?"

"No, um..."

"I need to touch up my makeup again."

Zhao Youzhen wiped her lips, which were now devoid of lipstick, with the back of her hand. With her cheeks flushed, she stood at the entrance of exhibition hall 169 and muttered to herself.

"Let's not touch it up yet, I'm afraid you'll run out of lipstick later." Han Yi put his arm around Youzhen's shoulder and said with a smile, "Have you noticed that in these exhibition halls related to Rome and Greece, there are a lot of statues showing affection between lovers, like this one..."

"A marble sarcophagus lid decorated with a reclining couple."

"The couple is depicted as demigods of water and earth. The man, with his chest bare, holds a long-stemmed reed, with lizard-like creatures crawling beside him, a style consistent with the river god imagery of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The woman holds a wreath of flowers and two sheaves of wheat—the iconic symbol of the earth goddess Teleus. At her feet is a furry, long-tailed mammal carrying the infant angel Eros on its back. Although the man's face is meticulously sculpted, the wife's face is unfinished, suggesting that the husband predeceased his wife, and that after her death, no one completed her portrait."

Zhao Youzhen silently read the instructions on the metal plaque beside her, her expression growing increasingly somber as she went on. Han Yi, noticing her subtle change in expression, pulled her into a tight embrace.

“They probably don’t have any children,” Zhao Youzhen said, her arms wrapped around Han Yi’s waist, her voice muffled. “That’s why no one has carved her face on it.”

“It’s also possible that war forced this man’s wife and their descendants to flee to another place.” Han Yi pointed to the year of the statue for Zhao Youzhen. “Look, 220 AD, isn’t that right during the Crisis of the Third Century? After her husband left, even the Roman emperor couldn’t save his own life. The whole empire was in a state of panic, and this stone sculpture might not have been completed.”

"Maybe." Zhao Youzhen sniffed. "Anyway, you're not allowed to die before me."

"Sister, I'm twenty-two, and you're twenty-one," Han Yi teased. "Isn't it a bit too early to talk about this?"

"Let's make this clear from the start, so you don't go back on your word."

"Do you think I can go back on my word?" Han Yi said, laughing and crying at the same time. He affectionately poked her cheek with his hand. "Don't worry, I will definitely exercise and protect myself. I will try to live to be eighty or ninety years old, and leave a little bit before you. I will go to the Yalu Plain first to wait for you and buy your ticket to heaven."

"You always say such unlucky things." Her tone was harsh, but a sweet smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of her mouth. Yuzhen rolled her eyes and replied, "Don't talk about the Yalu Plain. There's no such thing in this world."

"What, you're not going to discuss the theory of life, death, and reincarnation with me this time?"

"Let's not discuss this anymore... I just want to live well with you. Hey, what's wrong? Living well is also... um..."

And so, in a dawdling, lingering, and slightly shy manner, Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen, the young couple, truly began to wander aimlessly through the deserted Metropolitan Museum of Art. They strolled from the Leon Levy and Shelby White Courtyard, which displayed ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, to the Michael C. Rockefeller Gallery, which displayed artifacts from ancient Africa, the Americas, and Oceania, and then wandered through the contemporary art collection in the Lyra Acheson-Wallace Gallery on the first floor. Finding nothing particularly appealing, they crossed the European sculpture gallery sponsored by Carroll and Milton Petrie, and from there went up to the second floor.

Along the way, the two strolled and stopped, chatting about everything under the sun. Their conversation expanded from the Gospels found in a northern Ethiopian monastery to the powerful Kingdom of Aksum during the first millennium AD. An unexpected discovery of blue-and-white porcelain replicas made by a top Delft pottery workshop in the Henry R. Clavis gallery sparked a discussion about the 17th-century Dutch and European craze for Chinese art. Up on the second floor, they lingered in the European painting section, which displayed numerous works from 1250 to 1800, encompassing masters from Giotto to Gauguin—the very 550 years of European art history that captivated them most.

They marveled at Caravaggio's pixel-perfect reproductions and shared an appreciation for Rembrandt's masterful use of light. Of course, in their ongoing intellectual exchange, they also discovered their minor, harmless aesthetic differences. Han Yi admired the gold-leafed tempera paintings on wooden panels from pre-Renaissance medieval Europe, believing them to realistically depict that dark age of ignorance, possessing an unadorned, wild beauty. Youzhen, however, disagreed, finding pre-Renaissance European painting techniques too rigid and themes too monotonous, lagging far behind the works of other civilizations of the time.

This might be the most comfortable way for two intellectually inclined people to date. They are immersed in an almost unreal, sweet atmosphere brewed by art, history, and the intense emotions of the moment. Amidst these silent yet moving historical events, they weave their own present moment.

For them, this kind of communication is the most efficient form of flirting and the deepest form of confirmation.

The essential need of intellectual lovers for a partner is to have an equal opponent and an inexhaustible source of inspiration.

"We're here, Yoojin, this is it."

As the clock was approaching the number "10", Han Yi and You Zhen finally arrived at their most important destination – Gallery 999, located on the second floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the northwest corner, which is used for temporary exhibitions of important works of art.

In stark contrast to the spaces downstairs, imbued with a sense of historical weight and divided by classical decorative lines, Exhibition Hall 999 presents an ultimate in modernist simplicity and restraint. The hall boasts an astonishingly high ceiling, nearly two stories high, creating a spacious and sublime atmosphere, as if stepping into a cubic cathedral constructed of rationality and light. The walls and ceiling are a pure, flawless matte white, while the floor is paved with dense, dark gray stone, its smooth surface mirror-like, calmly reflecting everything above and further extending the sense of spatial depth.

The lighting design here is exquisite. Instead of traditional spotlights or chandeliers, all light sources are cleverly concealed at the edges of the ceiling or within the suspended beams, creating a uniform, soft, and shadowless diffused light. This treatment, known in the museum world as "museum-level lighting," makes the entire space seem to glow subtly, minimizing external distractions and allowing viewers to focus their gaze unobstructed on the artwork itself.

Currently, Gallery 999 is filled with oil paintings that bear a striking resemblance to Caravaggio's style. This is because from October 7, 2016 to January 22, 2017, this gallery, sponsored by Bernard Gerard Cantor and Alice Cantor, the renowned American billionaires and philanthropists and founders of Cantor-Fitzgerald, is hosting a temporary exhibition entitled "Valentine Boulogne: Beyond Caravaggio".

This exhibition, jointly presented by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre Museum, is generously supported by several billionaire foundations, including the William Rudolf Hearst Foundation of the Hearst family in the United States, the Placido Arango Foundation of the Arango family in Mexico, and the personal foundation of private equity mogul Frank E. Richardson. Valentin Boulogne is considered Caravaggio's greatest French follower, and in the years following Caravaggio's death, he became one of the most original figures in Neo-Naturalism. Of the approximately 60 paintings by Valentin that survive, 45 are currently on display.

“Antoine told me that the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s leasing proposal to us included a curated exhibition of Klimt’s works.”

As Han Yi led Zhao Youzhen through the exhibition hall, he spoke softly.

"The Metropolitan Museum of Art currently holds thirteen works by Klimt, and with mine, that makes fourteen. The Metropolitan Museum of Art said that if we were willing to lend them the painting, they would collaborate with the Belvedere Museum in Vienna or the Albertina Museum to hold a three-month exhibition of Klimt's art in New York, featuring 'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer No. 2'."

"At that time, when people walked into this exhibition hall, the first thing they would see was a large white wall and our painting."

"This is the wall."

Han Yi stopped in front of the main wall directly opposite the entrance. It was wider and flatter than the other walls in the exhibition hall, like a huge, unadorned canvas, silently awaiting the arrival of a masterpiece.

"Imagine moving Valentine's painting aside and putting our Klimt on top of it."

“I can see it.”

Zhao Youzhen fully utilized her imagination, moving those Valentin Boulogne paintings aside and creating a blank space in her mind.

This emptiness yearns to be filled, to be filled by that masterpiece, shimmering with golden light, titled "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II." This extreme simplicity seems to exist solely to contrast with Klimt's exquisitely intricate and magnificent brushstrokes.

“Imagine,” Yu-jin murmured to himself, his gaze seemingly piercing through the white wall, seeing the world-famous painting hanging there in the future, “Golden Adele, in this light… how dazzling she would be.”

"Yes."

Han Yi couldn't help but smile, a smile that conveyed a strong sense of confidence that leaped off the page, and an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

"The day it's truly hanging here, you will be the one to unveil it..."

"No."

After a crisp, short rejection, Zhao Youzhen took a step toward Han Yi and pressed her burning passion onto his lips.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Yi."

"Thank you for bringing this painting to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for my sake."

"I don't know what I did right in my past life to meet a man like you in this life."

Zhao Youzhen gently stroked Han Yi's cheek, her murmured voice and dreamy eyes shining with unmistakable love.

"But I am not strong enough to handle this kindness right now."

"easy……"

"You should give that board seat at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to someone else."

"For you, and for me."

(End of this chapter)