Extracting skills from movies

Du Sheng nodded, without asking any further questions:
"Be careful."

Ma Yaowei drove to West Hollywood and turned into a quiet street corner.

Their bottom line is that Du Sheng must not be implicated in the matter of contact with the Ophiuchus.

After entering the parking lot, we switched to another car and drove to a Chinese restaurant.

He took out his newly bought phone and dialed the Ophiuchus's number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered.

A few minutes later, a man wearing a gray jacket and a baseball cap emerged from behind the greenery in the square, opened the passenger door, and got in.

"Old horse."

The serpent harp spoke:
"What's up?"

Ma Yaowei handed over a file folder:
"Look, this mission is a bit special."

The serpent man took it, opened it, flipped through a few pages, and a smile appeared on his lips:

"Isn't this just the same old thing?"

He glanced at the contents; they were several photos and documents, recording some people and events.

He had already performed it once last month, so it was already a piece of cake for him.

Ma Yaowei reminded him:

"Remember to make it clear to them that if they don't disclose the truth, we'll resell the information layer by layer."

"clear."

The serpent man nodded:

"I know how to operate it."

He closed the file folder, looked up, and asked:

"What media outlet is KABC-TV? I don't seem to remember it."

Ma Yaowei explained:

"A newly established entertainment gossip website has been gaining momentum recently, known for its accurate scoops and explosive content."

The serpent man nodded:

"Got it, this kind of platform is best suited for this kind of thing."

Ma Yaowei then took out a leather cover from his pocket and handed it over.

The serpent man took it, weighed it in his hand, and said with a smile:
"Even though I was just making a cameo appearance out of boredom, you've given me way too much."

Ma Yaowei shook his head and smiled, pointing to the file folder:

"How much of this information you can get, it's all yours."

The serpent man smiled:
"Old Ma, you're forcing me to risk my life."

Ma Yaowei patted him on the shoulder and punched him:
"Haven't we done enough together? Stop with the formalities."

Go and arrange for them to meet. I'll keep an eye on things around here; I'll cover for you if anything happens.

Without saying anything more, the snake man opened the car door, got out, crossed the square, walked to a telephone booth, and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this Linda?"

Linda's voice came from the other end of the phone:
"I'm."

The Ophiuchus lowered his voice and said:
"I have some juicy scoops on Brad Pitt, absolutely exclusive."

Want to take a look?

Upon hearing the name, Linda immediately became alert:

"Tell me."

The serpent man continued:
"I'll be waiting for you at 7 p.m. tonight, by Sunset Boulevard."

After hanging up the phone, Linda immediately got up, packed her things, and prepared to leave.

Just as I reached the door, a colleague walked towards me and asked curiously:
"Editor-in-chief, another task?"

Linda said calmly:
"Dating."

She got to this position because of her exclusive news and connections, so how could she easily reveal her sources?

Linda drove to Sunset Boulevard and met the man who made the phone call at the shop that was the inspiration for the Central Cafe in Friends, located on the waterfront.

The other person looked unremarkable, dressed plainly, and spoke with a slight British accent.

Linda didn't waste any words and immediately opened the document, reading through it page by page.

The content mentioned in the document made her pupils shrink—

Brad Pitt is accused of assaulting the nanny Angelina Jolie hired for her adopted son, and the allegations even involve coercion!
Linda is a seasoned journalist; she can tell the authenticity of these materials at a glance.

She immediately decided to buy the information, including the childcare workers' whereabouts, addresses, and contact details.

The serpent man reminded him:
"It must be reported truthfully."

Linda nodded:

"We at KABC-TV only create headlines that ignite public opinion!"

The website is currently at a critical juncture of rapid expansion and attracting capital, and nothing can generate more traffic than a bombshell story about an international superstar.

After saying goodbye, she was full of energy.

I drove directly to a nearby run-down neighborhood and found the first nanny mentioned in the information—Margaret.

She was a 28-year-old Mosaic woman with a good figure and dark skin.

It's hard to imagine that Brad Pitt would use his sexuality on someone like that.

But this is just a glimpse into the whole picture; it only shows that big stars are all about flashy tricks!

Margaret saw someone waiting for her at the door and instinctively wanted to walk around them, but she stopped as soon as she took a step.

Because Linda was holding up several $10 bills.

Margaret's eyes lit up, and she walked over:

"I still have to go to a nightclub, you'd better hurry."

Linda stepped back to the car, and Margaret followed.

She didn't give him the money immediately, but tentatively asked:
"I heard you worked as a nanny for Pete's family?"

Margaret's eyes narrowed:
Are you a media professional?

Linda nodded:

"Yes."

"I signed a confidentiality agreement, so I can't say."

Her tone was somewhat defensive.

Linda smiled, handed over a few banknotes, and then pulled out a check with an amount written on it.

She really went all out for this news story.
They poured almost all the funds they had into it.

However, as long as the materials can be obtained, the boss will definitely not hesitate to increase the budget.

Margaret stared at the number on the check, her eyes gradually shifting from initial doubt to greed and wavering.

Seeing this, Linda smiled slightly, her tone gentle yet extremely seductive:

"You can ask a lawyer if Pete harms your personal safety; this so-called contract is invalid and has no legal basis whatsoever."

"really?"

Margaret's voice trembled slightly, her eyes never leaving the check.

Linda smiled gently and pushed the check a little closer to her:
"it is true.

Moreover, every word you say now could become evidence in your fight for your rights.

Money power is truly unmatched.

Margaret finally nodded and sat down.

A secret conversation about Brad Pitt begins...

.........

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, at the Hilton Grand Hotel suite.

Goldes, from Western Europe, is sitting in front of his computer.

While waiting for the appointed time, he browsed various entertainment news on the US website.

Another person in charge, Watts, stood to the side and said:

"The North American entertainment industry is buzzing lately, with several major awards about to be announced."

Goldes asked casually:
Do you think Pitt can win an Oscar?

Watts shrugged:

It's hard to say.

Regardless of whether he wins an award or not, he's still a top Hollywood star.

They are representatives of the Hennessy brand.

Hennessy is France's top luxury cognac brand, one of the world's three major cognac brands, and is favored by political and business elites and celebrities. Previously, Hennessy had collaborated with a veteran male star for many years, but recently, after the contract expired, the brand felt that his image was too traditional and lacked modernity, and decided to replace him as its spokesperson.

Goldes flew from France to Los Angeles specifically to negotiate with Brad Pitt, hoping he would become Hennessy's new global spokesperson.

Watts, as Hennessy's brand manager in Los Angeles, has extensive knowledge of the local entertainment industry and added:

"Although his incident at the Venice Film Festival had some impact, overall it's not a big problem."

Goldes waved his hand dismissively:
"Gossip among celebrities is nothing to worry about."

Those bystanders aren't our potential customers.

Watts didn't talk any further and took out his notebook to make final preparations.

Suddenly, the secretary rushed in.

"what happened?"

Watts frowned and asked.

The secretary lowered her voice:

"Check out the KABC-TV website, they just broke some bombshell news about Brad Pitt!"

Watts' heart skipped a beat when he heard the name.

Just a few months ago, this website was the first media outlet to expose Pitt's "Venice incident".

From then on, KABC-TV began to emerge, and every revelation it made stirred up a storm of public opinion.

He immediately opened his browser and entered the website address.

In the most prominent position on the homepage, a bold, black title is prominently displayed:

Multiple childcare workers publicly accuse Brad Pitt of intimidation, violence, coercion, and entrapment.

Below is a set of video links, which were just uploaded recently and have already seen a rapid surge in views.

Watts clicked on the first video.

The image shows a Mosaic woman with an ordinary appearance and a tense, angry expression.

"I worked as a childcare worker for Angelina's adopted children for a period of time last year."

The collaboration went smoothly at first, but things gradually went wrong.

When Angelina isn't home, Pitt always treats his adopted son rudely and glares at me coldly.

On the very day Angelina was away filming, he kicked one of his adopted sons aside, grabbed my hair without a word, and dragged me into the room.

Then he pulled out $800 and forced me to calm him down...

When I said no, he slapped me and threatened to fire me and call all my colleagues in Los Angeles so I would never be able to find a job again!

I have elderly parents to care for and young children to raise. I have no other choice but to compromise.

After this happened several times, I noticed that his sexual tendencies were becoming increasingly severe.

Every time his adopted son makes him angry, he takes it out on me...

I secretly told Angelina about it. She's a very kind person; she paid me double my salary and let me leave.

The scene shifts, and the second person to appear is an Eastern European childcare worker. She has an ordinary appearance, but her words are filled with anger.

"Brad Pitt is a piece of trash!"
Every time I finish bathing my adopted sons, he would corner me in the bathroom and either bribe me with money or threaten me with my job to force me to do *that*!

It's not that I don't want to resist, but reality is!
I feel very guilty towards Angelina, and in the end I have no choice but to resign..."

There were several similar videos later, all featuring childcare professionals themselves.

Next to these videos, there was also a secretly filmed video.

Although the image quality is rough, the figures are clearly visible:

Pete slapped the nanny hard across the face, then forced her to kneel down...

This is a blatant and blatant threat!
Watts' expression turned serious after reading it.

He knew very well that Pitt was facing an unprecedented public relations crisis.

Even if the controversy is eventually quelled, his public image will be severely damaged.

Watts picked up his laptop, walked over to Goldes, and turned the screen towards him:
"The problem is a bit serious; KABC-TV just released this."

Goldes quickly scanned the area, his brow furrowed, and then made a judgment:
"We need to reassess Pitt; let's put the endorsement deal on hold for now."

Watts nodded in agreement:

"I agree, let's observe for a few days first."

As the two were talking, the secretary pushed the door open again and reported in a low voice:

"The spokesperson candidate has arrived."

Watts looked at Golders, who pondered for a moment and then said:

"The matter hasn't been finalized yet, so it's inappropriate to meet now."

.........

In the meeting room, Brad Pitt and his agent Cahill had been sitting on the sofa for a while, waiting.

The two drank coffee and talked in hushed tones.

Cahill is very confident about this endorsement partnership:

"Although Hennessy is not a top international luxury brand, it is considered to be at the top level in the wine industry."

Signing this endorsement deal will not only enhance your public image but also garner you more attention during awards season.

Pete smiled, agreeing with the statement.

A $600 million annual endorsement fee isn't low for someone of his stature, but it's not exactly amazing either.

"This contract was signed just in time for a crucial moment before the Oscar nominations."

Cahill continued his analysis:
"The high media exposure at that time might help you win the Golden Globe Award or the SAG Awards."

Pitt raises an eyebrow:

"These are a level below the Oscars, aren't they?"

He was clearly not satisfied with this:

"If I can't win Best Actor, I can at least win an Oscar."

Cahill smiled, his tone calm and rational:
"Winning an Oscar is no easy feat, so we'd better proceed cautiously and steadily."

With your current fame, you'll have plenty of opportunities.

Pete shrugged, thinking of the conservative judges:

"They prefer to choose middle-aged and elderly people, so let's wait a couple more years."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

The next moment, Goldes and Watts walked in. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Cahill got straight to the point:
"We are delighted that Hennessy has chosen Pitt as..."

Before he could finish speaking, Godes raised his hand to interrupt him:
“Ms. Cahill, Mr. Peter, there’s been a sudden problem at the company, and I have to go back to France immediately to deal with it.”

"I'm afraid the endorsement deal will have to be postponed. I'm really sorry."

The moment those words were spoken, Brad Pitt and his agent Cahill's expressions changed instantly.

What is this thing called?

A sudden change of mind?

Cahill suppressed his displeasure and tentatively asked:
"Can you give me a hint? What exactly is the emergency?"

Watts tried to smooth things over, his tone ambiguous:
"The winery has some urgent matters to attend to. We will contact you both once we have sorted them out."

Just as Pete was about to say something, Cahill shook his head to stop him.

She knew perfectly well that something was definitely going on.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Godes and Watts saw the two to the door.

The moment he stepped out of the Hilton Hotel, Pete's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he couldn't help but swear:

"Are you kidding us? You agreed to discuss an endorsement deal, and then you changed your mind?"

Cahill didn't reply, but took out his phone and glanced at the message he had just received, his brows furrowing more and more tightly.

Almost at the same time, Pete's phone also rang.

On the other end of the phone, the assistant's voice sounded anxious:

"This is terrible! KABC just dropped a bombshell about Mr. Pete, and the internet is in an uproar!"

The two quickly hung up the phone and found a quiet corner.

"KABC again?"

Cahill frowned. This media outlet was known for its outspokenness and daring reporting, never hesitating to make a move.

Pitt nodded, his face ashen as if he had swallowed a fly:
"That's right, these people are keeping a close eye on me."

"Tell me the truth, otherwise things will get complicated!"

Cahill pressed for answers, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

…(End of this chapter)