Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Lee Soo-man filled a glass and raised it with both hands: "Mr. Lim, thank you for taking care of me and SM Entertainment all this time. This glass is for you!"

After saying that, he turned to the side, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

He was genuinely grateful to and admired Lin Yuan.

Recently, he has often thought back to the day he first met Lin Yuan more than four years ago.

At that time, SM Entertainment was struggling to find new funding, but it encountered setbacks everywhere.

Those investors only wanted to kick him while he was down and take advantage of him, so they made increasingly harsh demands.

Just when he felt hopeless about his future, Lin Yuan appeared.

Lee Soo-man knew that he didn't have much hope at the time, after all, in his eyes, Lin Yuan was just a Hollywood action star who had just started to emerge.

However, after a brief conversation, Lin Yuan immediately and readily agreed to invest 100 billion won in SM Entertainment, and only wanted 20% of the shares.

What Lee Soo-man found even more unbelievable was that Lim Won did not directly interfere in the operation of SM Entertainment, leaving him with complete control of the company.

This generosity and trust made Lee Soo-man realize that he had truly met a benefactor.

But a question arose in his mind: Wasn't Lin Yuan afraid that he would line his own pockets and make his investment go to waste through the company's operations?
The answer to this question came a few days later.

That is: Lin Yuan is really not afraid.

When Lee Soo-man learned of the strategic partnership between Lim Won and Samsung's eldest daughter, he immediately realized that Lim Won's influence had already penetrated into South Korea.

If he dared to harbor any ulterior motives, Lin Yuan could use the influence of the Samsung Group to destroy him in no time.

Seeing Lin Yuan's carrot-and-stick approach to managing his subordinates, Lee Soo-man completely abandoned any wicked thoughts.

Unexpectedly, the surprises Lin Yuan brought him along the way were one after another.

It even brought him new goals and hope in life.

For Lee Soo-man now, Lin Yuan is his absolute master, and he would not hesitate to rush into a sea of ​​fire.

Because he knew that Lin Yuan wouldn't let him rush in for nothing.

Facing this young man who was nearly 40 years younger than him, Lee Soo-man drank the glass of Fenjiu with great respect.

A warm current flowed from his throat straight to his heart.

Who says it's humiliating to acknowledge someone as your master?

I'm so happy, woof!
"Mr. Lin, I'll have three drinks in a row, please feel free to drink as you like!"

After finishing one cup of wine, Lee Soo-man immediately poured himself a second cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Then came the third glass of wine, which was poured into my mouth without any pause.

Seeing Lee Soo-man like this, Lin Yuan felt quite helpless: You can't just keep pouring wine like an idiot and I'll do the same, can I?
But he received what Lee Soo-man wanted to express.

He filled his glass, raised it, and said, "President Lee, this is a toast to you. Thank you for all the hard work you've put into SM Entertainment over the past few years. You've worked very hard."

Just one sentence was enough to bring tears to Lee Soo-man's eyes.

Mr. Lin actually understands all the hardships I've endured over the past few years!
Although the company is not short of money, the status in the entertainment industry is low. If it weren't for the protection of the Samsung Group, I don't know how many cold shoulders I would have to endure when I was begging for help everywhere!
But none of that matters now, because Mr. Lin understands me!

So Lee Soo-man raised his glass and said, "Mr. Lin, I'm not good with words and don't know how to say it. Everything is in the wine."

After saying that, he downed three more cups.

After finishing the three cups, Lee Soo-man said, "It's my turn to return the favor! Please feel free to offer your toast; this is just to show my sincerity!"

Before Lin Yuan could stop him, Li Xiuman drank three more cups in a row.

This scene completely stunned the members of Girls' Generation.

Who would have thought that President Lee, who is like a "tyrant" in the company, would have this side to him?
In front of Lin Yuan, he seemed...

I can't think about it anymore, it's too disrespectful!
Lin Yuan suspected that Li Xiuman might really like drinking this Fenjiu and was deliberately using this as an excuse to drink heavily.
But the answer came the next moment: no, he was just simple-minded.

"Boom!"

With the sound of his forehead hitting the table, Lee Soo-man passed out drunk once again.

Lin Yuan: "..."

Girls' Generation: "..." *9
He got drunk again just as the banquet began.

Last time he managed to down a whole bottle of wine, but this time he passed out after just nine glasses.

It seems Lee Soo-man really can't hold his liquor; he's both bad at drinking and loves to drink.

Lin Yuan had no choice but to call a waiter to help him back to his room to rest. He then instructed the kitchen to prepare some hangover soup and side dishes later.

After Lee Soo-man left, the atmosphere in the restaurant visibly became more lively.

After all, with the company's big boss around, how could they completely let loose? They would all be somewhat restrained.

Now, the second dish is served.

A waiter pushed in a trolley, its crystal-like lid immediately catching the girls' attention.

The moment the waiter lifted the crystal cover, a chilling mist swept out.

A large plate of sliced ​​bluefin tuna sashimi rests quietly on an exquisitely carved ice platter.

Each piece is cut into a perfect long strip, and under the light, it glows with a pinkish hue like cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Upon seeing the dish before them, the girls couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Lee Soo-man's departure at this moment allowed them to let loose even more.
"Wow! Tuna sashimi? But why does it look different from what I've had at restaurants before?" Hwang Mi-young asked.

“This is tuna belly, it’s very expensive, it can sell for $1 a kilogram!” Jessica shook her head and corrected her.

"It doesn't seem to be tuna belly either; the marbling on tuna belly isn't this pretty," said Choi Soo-young, who comes from the wealthiest family and often eats tuna belly.

At this moment, Lim Yoona raised her hand and whispered, "This is tuna belly with a burst of oily flavor. It's super delicious."

“Snake belly? I’ve never heard of that. Are you kidding me?” Jessica asked suspiciously.

"Because this part is so rare, the belly of a tuna is located at the very bottom of the abdomen, and only 2% of the weight of each tuna is the belly, so it's very difficult to buy on the market," Kim Tae-yeon added, speaking up for Im Yoon-ah.

"Look, the fat layer and muscles of the snake's belly form a 'stepped' pattern. When exposed to strong light, a translucent fascia network can be seen. It is named for the resemblance of the muscle septa to the pattern on a snake's belly," Kim Tae-yeon added.

Hearing her say this, the seven girls, apart from Lim Yoona, realized that what she said was true.

Everyone gazed at the sashimi on the table. It was the finest cut of snake belly, with frosty patterns resembling melting snowflakes, and fat threads weaving a fine spiderweb between the muscle fibers.

The chef's knife skills are so precise that he can count the number of fat layers within every millimeter—seven layers of alternating fat and lean meat, like tree rings.

Is this what's called bluefin tuna with snake belly?

But... why do you and Im Yoona know this?

The girls' eyes became suspicious.

Of course it's because I've eaten it before!

But Kim Tae-yeon and Im Yoon-ah didn't say anything and tacitly kept the secret, giving the two a strange sense of unity.

“But you said the tuna belly only makes up 2%, and there’s such a big plate on the table, how big must this tuna be?” Jessica asked again. The tuna belly on the table was plentiful; even if everyone stuffed themselves with 50 slices, they wouldn’t eat half.

Such precious ingredients are being supplied in unlimited quantities.

Kim Tae-yeon shook her head: "With such layers and thickness of marbling, this tuna probably weighs no less than 300 kilograms."

As soon as she finished speaking, Huang Meiying exclaimed, "I saw on the news a few days ago that a 376-kilogram bluefin tuna king was caught in the Sea of ​​Japan and was auctioned off to a mysterious tycoon for $176 million."

Could this person be Mr. Lin?

Amidst Huang Meiying's exclamation, the girls turned to look at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan smiled helplessly and waved his hand: "The fish is indeed the same fish in the news, but I didn't take the picture. It was taken by Kamiizumi Sai, a member of the Japan Kendo Association, who then gave it to me."

"Wow! You don't have to buy it yourself? Isn't that even more amazing?" Huang Meiying said innocently, completely unaware that it was inappropriate to say that.

Kim Tae-yeon, who was standing nearby, secretly stepped on her foot, and Hwang Mi-young realized what was happening and immediately shut her mouth.

"Don't worry about the price, everyone. Even the best food is meant to be eaten. Eat as much as you like," Lin Yuan said with a smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, the girls who had been holding back immediately took action.

They picked up the snake belly that the waiter had placed on their plates, put it in front of them, and couldn't wait to start enjoying it.

Lin Yuan also picked up a plate, which contained five slices of tuna belly, glistening with a pale pink sheen.

He doesn't actually like sashimi very much, but he still prepared it tonight.

Because this stuff is very appealing to girls, rich second-generation guys love to take girls to eat Japanese food when they're pursuing them, and tuna sashimi is the most popular dish among them.

Lin Yuan plans to use the highest quality tuna belly to help these girls "demystify" themselves.

The five slices of tuna belly on his plate would probably cost over 5 RMB per slice if sold in a high-end restaurant.

It was even more extravagant than eating gold. If it weren't for Kamiizumi Sai's kindness, he really wouldn't have liked wasting money like this.

But since it had already been delivered, Lin Yuan wanted to try it. He had eaten tuna belly before, but never the belly of a king-class fish.

He picked up a piece of snake belly with his chopsticks. The fish meat trembled slightly, and the oil emitted a honey-colored halo. Against the backdrop of the marble-like texture, it looked particularly tempting.

Lin Yuan didn't dip the freshly grated wasabi in it; instead, she put it directly into her mouth with the original flavor.

The moment it enters your mouth, your tongue is immediately struck by the fresh and delicious flavor preserved by being flash-frozen at -60 degrees Celsius.

Then the fat melts away like silk, releasing a complex aroma of nuts and cream.

When your teeth sink into the fish, inosinic acid explodes in your mouth, and a wave of umami washes over every taste bud.

The most amazing part is the aftertaste, a lingering meaty aroma that urges you to eat another piece quickly and not stop!
Lin Yuan looked up and saw that the girls were all engrossed in eating.

Even Kim Tae-yeon and Im Yoon-ah are the same.

Seeing how happily they were eating, Lin Yuan felt a fatherly joy.

He picked up some seaweed that the waiters had grilled over long charcoal, wrapped a piece of snake belly inside, and then handed it to Kim Tae-yeon on his left.

Kim Tae-yeon turned her head and looked at him with puffed-out cheeks and a puzzled expression:
“Uru~ Wuwumugu…”

"Swallow your food before you speak."

Looking at Kim Tae-yeon, whose mouth was stuffed with food, Lin Yuan said helplessly.

It looks just like a little hamster, so cute!

Kim Tae-yeon chewed quickly for a few bites, then swallowed the food in her mouth: "What's wrong?"

"I told you to eat it with this roasted seaweed roll, otherwise eating only tuna and snake belly would be too oily and greasy," Lin Yuan said.

"Thank you!" Kim Tae-yeon happily accepted the seaweed and snake belly rolls that Lin Yuan had wrapped.

This scene was witnessed by the girls at the table, and they all began to follow suit, taking grilled seaweed from the waiter's grill.

However, Yoona did not take it, and she felt somewhat wronged.

They only made kimbap for Taeyeon unnie!

Although you share a common experience of facing life and death, I wouldn't mind if you settled for second best and gave me the second volume.

But why didn't you do anything?

Lim Yoona bit her lip, and her left foot slipped out of her sandal from under the table, quietly reaching out.

At this moment, Lin Yuan was enjoying the third dish that the envoys had just served: Australian crystal crab baked with aged Shaoxing wine.

Australian crystal crabs are the most expensive crab species in the world, with an annual production of less than 200. A single crab weighing 4 pounds can cost 50000 RMB.

The aged Shaoxing wine uses 30-year-old daughter's red wine.

Lin Yuan was eating with great relish, and was just wondering which family's daughter hadn't married after thirty years, when a foot suddenly slipped into the back of his oversized casual pants.

Good guy!
Judging from the location, Lin Yuan immediately recognized that the person who came to commit the crime was Lin Yoona.

He turned to look at her, only to find her sitting upright, her face showing no sign of anything amiss, and even elegantly savoring a piece of tuna belly.

No one would have guessed that she would slip under the table!
Just as Lin Yuan was about to punish Lin Yoona, he saw Kim Tae-yeon smiling at him.

Good guy!
Will there be another car accident?

We already had a car accident last time!
Sure enough, the next moment Lin Yuan felt another guy slip on his wide left trouser leg!

Is this even allowed to let people eat in peace?
Okay, this seems more important than eating!

A little secret among the three of them brewed beneath the lively dinner table.

Just then, Tiffany's eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled: "Taeyeon. Is tonight's feast more expensive than all the food I've ever eaten in my life combined?"

She truly embodies the iconic image of smiling eyes; her smile is both adorable and alluring.

"Huh? Why are you ignoring me?"

Hwang Mi-young didn't realize that Taeyeon's mind was all under the table at that moment, and she didn't have the extra brainpower to deal with her question.

So, Tiffany kicked Taeyeon in dissatisfaction...

The kick missed!
Huh?
She kicked it again.

Still missed!

Hwang Mi-young was certain that Taeyeon hadn't dodged her foot.

Because her mind was elsewhere, she had no intention of dodging.

What about her feet?
Huang Meiying propped her head up with her hand and quietly lifted a section of the tablecloth without making a sound.

The scene before her eyes stunned her:

Taeyeon suddenly lifted one leg, extending it towards Lin Yuan's direction. (End of Chapter)