Actor: Thank you.

After Zhao Yanzi sat down, she was quite enthusiastic and chatted very well with Zhang Yuan.

The child in her belly is, of course, "Driver Huang's."

They got married last year, but they didn't have a big ceremony.

She is now about five months pregnant.

However, her lower abdomen only appears slightly protruding.

Zhao Yanzi is, after all, a female celebrity.

Although she's not known for her figure, she's still much thinner than the average person.

"Hey, have you received the new script for 'Painted Skin 2' yet?" this person asked.

"It's been sent, but I haven't looked at it," Zhang Yuan replied casually. "Anyway, I don't know how many more versions it will have to be revised, so there's no point in looking at it."

"Pang Hong isn't in a hurry to start filming, so I won't waste my time."

"It has to be you, so carefree and insightful," Zhao Yanzi praised.

"Hello." Cheng Hao had finished chatting with acquaintances and returned to his seat when he happened to see her.

"You're pregnant! Congratulations!"

We weren't very close, but we still hugged and congratulated each other.

“Congratulations to him.” Zhao Yanzi looked at Zhang Yuan: “I’ve heard about it. Huayi went public, and you made a fortune.”

"You'll have to treat us to a meal later."

"Definitely," Zhang Yuan nodded in agreement.

When a woman is pregnant, she will naturally talk about topics related to the baby.

Especially married women who have already given birth, young girls simply can't connect with them at all.

You care about milk tea, eating cake, and the new iPhone.

She is interested in imported milk powder, brand-name children's clothing, and school district housing.

It would be a miracle if they could even have a meaningful conversation.

Zhang Yuan had even less interest in topics related to children.

He was only interested in the process of having children... and very interested in it.

After all, when doing things, you shouldn't focus too much on the result, but rather on the process; that's how he understands it anyway.

As they chatted, Zhao Yanzi actually started talking about her child's future education and things like school district housing.

"Oh dear, the environmental problems in China are too serious now."

"Especially in the capital city, there is always smog in winter."

"It's one thing for adults, but how can children stand living in such an environment?"

Zhang Yuan listened without changing his expression, but he felt a sense of displeasure and helplessness.

Some people, once they become rich, start criticizing their own country.

It seems that only through "self-criticism" can one demonstrate "international perspective".

It's because you have a broad perspective that you ended up associating with all sorts of people with unclear stances.

As the saying goes, actors are heartless, and prostitutes are ungrateful.

But many actors are also prostitutes, so they are both heartless and ruthless.

Being heartless is easy to understand, but being ungrateful is a much bigger problem.

Many people lack loyalty, not in terms of "brotherhood" or "江湖道义" (a code of honor among outlaws), but in terms of national righteousness.

Just like what Zhao Yanzi said to Dai Liren later about the movie.

In the minds of such people, art and personal gain are clearly of higher priority than concepts of family, country, and the world.

"Artist," you know.

Even after the divorce, she still marketed herself as an innocent and pure woman, completely unaware of what her husband was up to.

She even tried to gain sympathy by claiming that she had been tricked into becoming a legal representative for her ex-husband.

Just tell me whether you spent the money you embezzled or not, why bring up other things?

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Zhang Yuan was too lazy to complain, mainly because the two of them still had to work together on "Painted Skin 2".

He endured it in order to make money.

Moreover, Zhao Yanzi will have a close relationship with Alibaba Pictures in the future, so we can't add an enemy to her.

But what frustrated him was that what Zhao Yanzi said wasn't just empty talk.

The air quality in Beijing is indeed shockingly poor right now.

It's not just the capital city; environmental pollution is severe throughout China.

There will only be improvement after a national environmental policy is established and implemented.

Looking back in the future, I'll realize I've become an environmental pioneer?
Those Western countries that are making such a fuss are actually doing a terrible job themselves.

The United States, in particular, has polluted all five Great Lakes and its groundwater over-extraction is appalling.

Later, the technology for shale oil extraction was promoted, and people in China thought that the US had made a technological breakthrough, since shale oil extraction causes very serious pollution to the underground environment.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that Capitol Hill had directly amended the relevant environmental laws...

Breaking the law is also a kind of "technological breakthrough".

White people are colonizers; how could they cherish the land beneath their feet?

But the prevailing sentiment in China right now is that the domestic environment is bad while the overseas environment is good.

The air abroad smells sweet.

It's just a way to fool people who have never been abroad.

Zhang Yuan had been abroad; New York was littered with garbage, and the alleyways often reeked of hemp leaves.

The positions of white and black people are even more intense, especially when combined with antiperspirant and perfume, which can be overwhelming.

However, Zhao Yanzi brought this up not to complain.

"So, my husband and I went to Europe a while ago."

"I'm planning to buy a manor in France."

"The kind that comes with a winery."

"It's so beautiful. You can even brew your own wine and drink it, and then ship it back to China to sell for money."

"Really?" Cheng Hao was also excited when she heard that.

Those are the beautiful scenes you only see in movies and postcards.

Many girls dream of living in a castle or a European country estate.

That's what "aristocratic" enjoyment and life are all about.

Zhang Yuan glanced at it; even Cheng Hao was beaming with excitement after hearing it, the temptation was indeed great.

Moreover, he calculated that it was about time this kind of thing became popular.

"How about it, are you interested?"

"I'll introduce you to someone; the environment is better abroad, the food and drinks are cleaner." Zhao Yanzi was quite enthusiastic.

"Hey, I'm an old-fashioned person, I can't stand living abroad," Zhang Yuan refused.

"Hmm?" The older sister noticed his obvious reluctance and also withdrew her enthusiasm.

If he doesn't like it, it won't be appropriate for me to keep trying to talk to him.

Zhao Yanzi also noticed this, and soon after, she brought up another hot topic.

Collection!

“My husband recently bought a Monet painting. Artworks have appreciated very quickly in recent years.”

"Hold it in for a few years and then sell it; you're guaranteed to make a profit."

"I remember you know calligraphy, and you write it quite well."

"It seems there are always famous calligraphers appearing in Hong Kong. If you're interested, I can help you get in touch," Zhao Yanzi said, as enthusiastic as ever.

Zhang Yuan was aware of the collecting craze long ago.

The king went to buy paintings after the company went public.

Moreover, it wasn't just the painting that was popular; he also had the Court of State Ceremonial obtain a commemorative piece of Xuan paper for him, which was for the same reason.

Stamps, old books, even old cameras are all being speculated on!
Huanglong jade has been hyped up and its price is approaching that of Tianhuang jade.

The Year of the Monkey stamp is here again.

They can even snatch up photographs by celebrities.

In the following years, top-tier calligraphy and painting works such as Huang Tingjian's "Inscription on the Pillar", Wang Xizhi's "Letter of Peace", and "Autumn in the Han Palace" entered the market one after another.

Among them, Huang Tingjian's "Inscription on the Pillar" fetched a record price of nearly 5 million yuan.

The incident caused an uproar, with many feeling that Chinese artworks had finally caught up with global price levels.

It was actually just a bunch of "artists," "buyers," and people involved in financial cleansing who hyped it up.

The common people are still foolishly following along.

"I'm a rather unsophisticated person, and I don't understand art. I'm afraid I'll ruin it in my hands."

"You're really quite modest." Zhao Yanzi could tell he wasn't interested, so she wisely dropped the subject.

Not long after, she went off to chat with others, while Cheng Hao sidled up to Zhang Yuan.

"what happened to you?"

"The winery isn't interested?"

"Don't you like drinking it?"

"So-so." Zhang Yuan waved his hand. "Besides, even if I like to drink, I can just buy wine. Why would I buy a winery?"

"You just like these big, old houses, don't you?"

"Why buy so many courtyard houses?"

Zhang Yuan sighed: "What kind of locations are my courtyard houses in?"

"What's valuable isn't the house, but the land!"

“My courtyards are all within a half-hour walk from Tiananmen Square.”

"And those foreign wineries, estates, and castles she mentioned are all within a two-hour drive of the city!"

Zhao Yanzi played a part in the later "overseas winery craze".

She has also frequently flaunted her houses abroad in the media.

"And think about it, she's so nice, recommending both houses and antiques."

Are we that close?

The older sister was taken aback.

"This is designed to get you to spend money!"

Her husband, Driver Huang, was a former white-glove worker and loved doing this kind of job.

Why did Zhao Yanzi bring these things up?

She's sure to earn money for her child's milk powder. It would be strange if she didn't profit from the overseas property boom.

It's just a matter of teaming up with Europeans to make money off wealthy Chinese.

Those wineries and castles.

It costs 10 million to buy it, but the cost of renovation and taxes is more than 1000 times that.

The European white gentleman came to my door again, saying that my house was a historical site and could not be renovated.

If you're going to renovate, it has to meet our country's standards.

If you want it to meet our standards, you'll need our people to help you with the repairs.

You just have to pay whatever amount they say you want.

Did I go abroad to become a fat sheep?
"In foreign countries, if you want to invest in real estate, you can only buy high-rise buildings in the urban areas of big cities."

“Those detached houses, the taxes and energy costs alone can kill you every year.”

Zhang Yuan patted Cheng Hao's hand and said gently.

"They're both ruthless money-grabbers, don't get too involved with them."

"As for wineries and antiques, we should avoid them unless we have a specific need for them."

"It's better to live a good life in the country with this money than to go abroad and be a fake foreigner."

Later, during the "vineyard craze," nine out of ten people who went to France to buy vineyards ended up with nothing.

"I understand." Cheng Hao became even more cautious after hearing him say that.

They come knocking on my door knowing I'm rich; it can't be anything good.

One should always walk the right path in life. Even if you want to make money, you should do so in a reasonable and legal way.

But in this world, many people choose the wrong path.

After all, "heretical practices" are effective quickly.

As for the consequences... I don't care about the deluge after I'm gone!
Not long after, Zhao Yanzi, having somehow managed to get someone to buy a manor abroad, returned.

I wanted to talk to Zhang Yuan again.

You've gotten so many benefits from Huayi, you should at least "contribute" some of them.

At least let me earn some money.

I happened to see Zhang Yuan chatting with a blond, blue-eyed foreigner in a suit.

They seemed to be having a good chat.

"Who is this?" She sat down again, and Cheng Hao helped her up.

"The CEO of Mercedes-Benz China," my good sister replied with a smile.

Zhao Yanzi: ...

The Sina Awards Ceremony is divided into several major sections, including film and television, culture, sports, and business, where outstanding individuals of the year will be selected.

Miles, President of Mercedes-Benz China Region, was invited to receive the Outstanding Manager of the Year award.

This can also be considered a marketing campaign by Mercedes-Benz in mainland China.

When Zhang Yuan met with him about sponsorship and endorsement opportunities for "China's Got Talent," he naturally had to discuss it with him—it was business.

But in Zhao Yanzi's eyes, he was a big shot!

She couldn't even get a Mercedes-Benz endorsement deal, and she couldn't just meet the CEO, even if he was just a regional manager.

She wondered to herself, since Zhang Yuan has these connections, did he not take a liking to the house and antiques I mentioned earlier?

Do you think I'm too low-class?

Seeing that she changed color whenever she saw a foreigner, Cheng Hao thought to herself that Zhang Yuan was right, she wasn't much better herself.

"Yo!"

"Director Feng."

After speaking with the Mercedes-Benz driver, Zhang Yuan greeted Mr. and Mrs. Feng Xiaogang, who had just arrived, with a broad smile.

His smile was very sincere.

After all, Director Feng had completed the task "he assigned" to whisper in the ears of the Wang brothers.

Without his assistance, his negotiations with Huayi wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

He enthusiastically grabbed the two of their hands and shook them vigorously.

But his smile had a completely different meaning in the eyes of these two people!
When Xiao Wang returned to China and told him that Zhang Yuan had sold his shares in Tudou.com to them in order to save a woman, Feng Xiaogang's reaction was just one word.

"what?"

I don't even know what to say.

That's incredibly extravagant!

Are young people these days so aggressive when it comes to dating?
After a brief moment of shock, Director Feng immediately realized something was wrong!
I've mentioned Tudou.com to Xiao Wang.

This kid is so quick-witted, won't he make connections and guess that I'm behind his back?

So when they see Zhang Yuanxiao now, the couple wants to cry.

That smiling face... is she planning to do something to me?
Knowing this kid's personality, he might come knocking on our door any day.

It’s impossible to guard against it.

Those who know him well know that he is known for not holding grudges.

"It's so nice to see you two."

"Sister Fan, I've already resolved the matter in Hubei Province."

"You don't need to worry anymore."

How have you all been lately?

The two answered stiffly, looking very guilty.

Tudou.com made a fortune after its IPO, but now that it's sold, how much money will they lose?

He can't get rid of Xiao Wang, so he takes it out on me. Who can stand that?

Director Feng awkwardly agreed.

"When are you free so we can go on vacation together again?"

"We'll talk about it when I have time..."

Are they trying to lure us to another place to kill us?

Now, Feng Xiaogang doesn't even dare to drink the water Zhang Yuan offers him, fearing it might be poisoned.

Look at you, I'm genuinely grateful to both of you, and you don't even appreciate it.

Zhang Yuan was in a great mood. Without Feng Dapao's petty-mindedness, he would have had a hard time succeeding.

His humanity was, in itself, a part of achieving his goals.

"I'll go say hello to Huang Jianxin." Director Feng couldn't withstand the pressure and even made an excuse to slip away.

He only cautiously returned to his seat when the ceremony began.

One by one, they performed and received awards.

Wulong was named an innovative city of the year because its tourism industry is booming due to its role as a filming location for the movie "Curse of the Golden Flower".

Beijing Guoan Football Club also won the Annual Breakthrough Sports Team Award.

When Zhang Yuan saw the team manager go on stage to receive the award, he gave it his all and almost couldn't hold back his tears.

After all, the Workers' Stadium in Beijing is the home ground of Beijing Guoan, and it is known as "absolutely foolproof".

The 09 Chinese Super League was rife with controversy surrounding biased refereeing.

Many fans said that Beijing Guoan was destined to win the championship that year because Beijing is the capital city, and 09 was the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The Chinese national football team's mistakes are their mistakes; don't blame it on the National Day.

A short while later, Zhang Yuan got up to go to the toilet. When he returned, he saw that the long-drought capital was experiencing a torrential downpour.

When I got back to the awards ceremony, I saw Zhu Dan presenting the Best Male Singer of the Year award to a short guy with a sharp, angular face.

The winner was none other than Jam Hsiao, who just a few months ago commented on the huge success of his album "Princess"...

"So accurate, so incredibly accurate!" Zhang Yuan exclaimed.

The band of the year is Sodagreen, who have been popular for several years thanks to their hit song "Little Love Song".

The Writer of the Year award went to Liu Zhenyun, who conspired with director Feng Xiaogang to frame Cui Yongyuan.

Next up are the increasingly difficult awards to win.

The Most Promising Actor of the Year award went to Zhang Han.

During the award ceremony, a slender girl in the audience stood up and cheered.

It's Shuangzi!

The two became very popular because of "Meteor Shower" and even got together.

One was a smooth talker, the other a madman... Zhang Yuan felt very uncomfortable.

The title of "Person of the Year with the Most Inspiration" was awarded to Wu Xiaobo.

He later described himself as an elitist, believing that the world doesn't need so many people because most people are useless.

But it was touching.

The annual public welfare promoter award was given to Zhang Jing, who advocates vegetarianism.

Zhang Yuan noticed that Xu Fan glared at her husband when he went on stage to receive the award.

The award for Actor of the Year went to Wang Xueqi.

Both "Mei Lanfang" and "Bodyguards and Assassins" feature top-notch performances, truly deserving of their accolades.

The Best Actress award went to Jiang Xin.

Of course, it was Zhang Yuan who arranged it!

I must not allow my subordinates to gain any personal benefits.

The award presenter was Huang Bo, who was specially introduced as "the newly crowned Golden Horse Best Actor as the award presenter" before going on stage.

The Most Popular Actor of the Year award went to Wang Baoqiang.

He didn't care about any of that.

Because if he wanted to, he could replace anyone.

Especially the male actor of the year.

But Wang Xueqi's abilities are worthy of respect; Zhang Yuan had seen his performance on set.

In addition, Fan Xiaopang has already signed him, so he's practically one of their own; they shouldn't cause internal strife.

Since we're here, we can't leave empty-handed.

Sina, however, arranged a separate award for him.

"Next, please welcome Mr. Cao Guowei, CEO of Sina Group, to the stage."

"Speak for us, and also present our last award of the day."

"The King of Weibo..." (End of Chapter)