Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 350 After the hearing, I will take you away from the world

The identities of Lu Kuan and Concubine Liu Yi have been tied together in many different ways over the years.

When they first met in 2001, he was a young Taoist priest who had traveled through time and space and had just come down from the mountain, and he was an ignorant girl who was just about to enter the entertainment industry.

In the 2002 crew of "The Story of a Noble Family", there was an acting teacher who taught and imparted knowledge, and a novice female apprentice who practiced hard.

The crew of "Alien Land" in 2003 is a harsh and tyrannical fascist director and a young actress who can do whatever she wants.

In 2004, Wenjie Holdings was the richest man in mainland China with hidden assets, and was also the cash cow that was built into the top traffic star.

During this process, Concubine Liu Yi also developed a secret crush on him with the tenderness of a young girl in love.

It was not until 2005 that the "825 Yifei Incident" that shocked the domestic entertainment industry brought the relationship between the two to the bottom.

The painting that Boss Lu carefully painted jumped out of the frame, and the rare porcelain fell to the ground. The relationship between the young man and woman reached a freezing point.

In 2006, a carefully planned Fox TV broadcast from the enemy changed all that.

The two people who had entered the "Li Ming and Lucy" type of relationship are moving towards each other again and have taken a step forward.

In 2007, the relationships between young men and women in the tide of the times and in films with profound historical themes became more diverse.

Directors and actresses, old demons and female warriors, washing machines and home renovation engineers...

As luck would have it, the two now have a new group name.

The young CEO and his little mute secretary.

After being ordered around by Boss Lu for two days, the female secretary was able to pull herself out of the mental quagmire a little.

To some extent, this is also Lu Kuan empowering her and giving her the opportunity to realize her own value.

Acquiring Netflix will also help with the promotion and channels of this movie and many future movies.

Since I am unable to advance my work as an actor or protagonist for the time being, changing my perspective can be considered a different approach to the same goal.

Early in the morning on the 24th, Boss Lu and his mute secretary came to K Street to make the final decision with the public relations team.

Regarding some sensitive issues, procedural correctness, etc.

Since Liu Yifei couldn't speak, the young director simply acted as a tour guide, introducing her to the history along the way.

"See that neoclassical building? That's the Brookings Institution, the first modern think tank in American history and known as the world's leading think tank."

"Crack!"

Xiao Liu didn't say anything, just took pictures.

Photograph the art frozen in time - architecture, photograph the world, and also photograph him.

"That's the International Monetary Fund, and this is the World Bank." Boss Lu pointed to a brass doorplate with the words "World Bank 1997" written on it.

The two men stopped at the zebra crossing and waited for the Capitol Police convoy to pass. The black police badge reflected a cold light in the sunlight.

The green light came on, and the world's top political and financial elites along the way hurried past, their briefcase metal buckles clashing against Starbucks paper cups.

"You can observe these people's expressions and details, and maybe there will be similar characters in the future."

The little girl nodded expressionlessly, but she was stuck in an emotional cycle and couldn't help feeling sad.

Similar roles...

What if I can no longer speak?
Can I still be an actor?

She looked at the profile of the man wearing sunglasses next to her, and was actually eager to ask this question.

"Eight years ago!" The man's steady voice interrupted her wandering thoughts and pulled Xiao Liu back to this majestic world.

"Eight years ago, top American manufacturing giants like Boeing, Ford, and General Motors spent a total of $1.2 million to organize a lobbying team of hundreds of people from Congress to members of Congress to run around this street."

Boss Lu said with emotion: "This was an unprecedented lobbying and public opinion war, which ultimately led to the signing of the China-US Bilateral Agreement in 99, clearing the way for us to join the WTO."

The secretary watched him dancing with joy and knew that this deal worth $45 billion from Netflix and more than 3 million from Marvel was the result of his painstaking planning over the past year.

It also concerns the grand layout of future careers.

Anyone standing in such a world-class political and economic center, about to write a masterpiece about the development of the future era, how could he not be excited?

Liu Yifei smiled and clicked the shutter of the camera in her hand, recording every moment with him.

At this moment, Liu Yifei's eyes looked through the filter of the camera, and the man with a figure as straight as an oak tree came into her sight, but he had already entered her heart.

His shoulders supported a well-tailored English-style peaked lapel suit, and the dark grey cashmere fabric had a matte texture in the morning light.

His square jawline was covered with neatly trimmed stubble, and his sideburns were outlined with gray-black ink lines.

Thick eyebrows frame hawk-like brown pupils, and the radiating fine lines at the end of the eyes seem to be embedded with the grandeur of this era.

This majestic aura, different from the artistic temperament, is another kind of intoxicating fascination that makes her intoxicated.

. . .

The head of the public relations team that Harvey helped contact was James Rondon.

Just like Mitchell, whom Hastings found, this person also has a great background.

He is also a professional lawyer and has a strong influence in the legal and political fields of the United States.

In the well-known 2005 CNOOC bidding for Unocal, James Langdon represented a Dallas law firm and lobbying firm to provide services to the former.

However, this energy-related merger and acquisition case was too sensitive, and its competitor Chevron also made a series of big moves, mobilizing nearly 40 members of Congress to submit an open letter to Bush, which led to CNOOC's failure.

However, Lu Kuan chose this team because of Lang Dong's other work experience.

Boss Lu entered the elevator with his secretary. "This Lang Dong was once a senior advisor to Bush and chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. He was the main fundraiser for his re-election campaign."

It can be said to be the right medicine for the disease.

Concubine Liu Yi nodded, naturally understanding the connection here.

"Hello, Lu!"

Lang Dong in the office stood up and shook hands with him, and the lobbying boss, who had received half of the commission, went straight to the point.

"The preliminary preparations are almost done. We'll mainly be arranging a few interviews and TV shows over the next two days. With your eloquence and adaptability, you won't have any problems."

Lang Dong immediately said, "By the way, I've invited the top executives from companies like Coca-Cola, Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft, as well as the Hollywood stars you and Harvey have connected with, to a cocktail party at your Beverly Hills mansion tomorrow night."

"We've already found a specific outsourcing team for the cocktail reception, so you don't need to worry about it."

America's top political elite looked at his employer with a smile: "When the time comes, you just need to attend with this beautiful woman by your side."

This was naturally a formal party, and reporters were invited to interview and report on the entire event.

The purpose is also very simple, just like Lu Kuan’s speech and donation to the University of Southern California in the early days.

Integrate yourself into American society and reduce the hostility of the people and the authorities.

This is a common tactic used by the old hands on K Street.

In 1989, Akio Morita's Sony acquired Columbia, which caused a much bigger uproar than Lu Kuan's acquisition of a DVD rental company today.

However, Akio Morita's lobbying team was also top-notch. He asked Kissinger to hold grand cocktail parties on the decks of cruise ships in New York and Los Angeles, inviting a number of political and business celebrities.

Among them are Hollywood directors and stars such as Spielberg, Julia Roberts, and George Lucas.

The short history of the founding of the country, more than 200 years, the political system of separation of powers and the accompanying lobbying system have led to the constant repetition of yesterday's stories on K Street.

But one thing is certain: in the hands of the reborn, the world that is currently tied to Netflix will definitely have much greater room for development in the future than Columbia.

The most crucial thing is the timing of his "stealing the hook" -

In 2007, very few people could see clearly the future development of streaming media and Netflix.

The secretary followed the president around for three or four days.

A cocktail party at a mansion, an interview on Larry King Live, an interview with The Washington Post...

In the morning, he drinks coffee with congressmen on Washington Avenue. In the evening, he organizes cocktail parties for celebrities from all walks of life in his mansion. At night...

At night, Hongxiuxiang helped him organize the detailed questions for the hearings of the Ministry of Justice and the Foreign Affairs Committee on the computer.

Just like domestic civil servant interviews, he, the foreign investor, will be required to be present in person to answer questions from professionals in the film, DVD and other related industries organized by relevant departments.

Of course, there are also "insiders" arranged by the public relations team who will come to the rescue in time and ask some assisting questions.

At the same time, lobbying efforts are also underway against the Federal Foreign Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Communications Commission.

Like the Oscar lobbying, the public relations team will conduct a large number of emails and phone calls every day, explaining to the world the benefits of Netflix's acquisition to the entire industry and employment in California and other regions, and clarifying their own motives for the acquisition.

Finally, on June 2007, 6, the last working day of June, Wenjie's acquisition of Netflix faced its final test.

In the presidential suite of the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, Boss Lu had just finished his morning exercise, showered and changed, and picked up his suit with great energy.

Liu Yifei and others knocked on the door and came in. Today's secretary was naturally dressed in formal attire, which seemed like she was using her beauty to commit crimes.

This OL style outfit, with a little modification, really has a bit of uniform temptation!
Imagine Xiao Liu in her own CEO office, her straight legs wrapped in a cool grey pencil skirt, her round little butt just touching the seat.

The second button of the silk shirt was undone, revealing the delicate collarbone.

The ankles are slender, and the arch of the foot, wearing five-centimeter nude pointed-toe shoes, stretches out an elegant curve.

Her eyebrows were lightly drawn, her lips were painted with translucent cherry blossom glaze, and she said to me in a soft voice: "Mr. Lu, please sign~~~"

Well, it’s a good mental boost, and the young director is full of energy.

"Xiaolu, you've won the first battle!" Zhang Chunru walked up to him with a smile and smoothed the wrinkles on his shirt on his back like an older sister.

Liu Xiaoli also encouraged: "It will definitely be no problem!"

Boss Lu joked, "Today, we are following the example of the old man who went to Beijing to take the imperial examination. We are going to fight our way into the heart of the enemy camp and not return until we win!"

The graceful Liu Yifei stood beside him, covering her mouth with her hands and laughing. She waved goodbye to Zhang Chunru and the others, and entered the elevator in their sight.

Watching the young man and woman in formal attire leave, Liu Xiaoli sighed deeply, feeling very relieved.

It is said that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Liu Yifei did it when she was in desperate situation at Fox last year, and Lu Kuan also did it today after Xiao Liu suddenly became speechless.

Everyone has seen the careful care and guidance I have given you over the past few days.

While Liu Xiaoli felt that her daughter was lucky to be in the wrong person, she could only hope that they could break through this last barrier as soon as possible.

Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Capitol was extremely congested. The hotel was less than ten minutes away from the Capitol. Boss Lu and his secretary were walking side by side.

Surprisingly, there were many supporters who came along the way after hearing the news.

Judging from their age and attire, they should be international students and Chinese immigrants in the Washington area.

"Go ahead, debate the congressmen! Knock them out!"

"We must get Netflix! I want to watch our Hong Kong movies on Netflix!"

Of course, there were also opponents holding signs warning against red invasion, and many of them were probably planned and hired by Hastings.

Blockbuster's dire financial situation was already beyond redemption, and Sony's support was only to help Hastings get out of the predicament and launch a short-term public opinion offensive, which would not affect its eventual demise.

To this day, Hastings' only hope is that the world's biggest acquisition of Netflix will fail.

Liu Yifei greeted her fans with a smile. She has rarely appeared in public these days and has not revealed her aphasia status to the outside world.

The main reason is that the Netflix incident has not been heard, and it is not appropriate to launch a large-scale public opinion attack on a certain force now, so the main thing is to hide one's shortcomings.

The group chatted and laughed as they arrived at the entrance of the Capitol to undergo security checks, and were guided by staff to the hearing room on the fourth floor of the building.

The staff confirmed their identities again and let them in.

There is usually a stepped curved seat in the hearing room for hearing officers and parliamentarians to sit.

Larger hearing rooms will have a dedicated media interview area. Unfortunately, in the current United States, a $45 billion merger and acquisition is not eligible to use the largest hearing room that can accommodate nearly a thousand people.

Reporters were only allowed to sit on the floor in front of the seats where the MPs sat.

Boss Lu still needs to work hard to get into the largest hearing room for the hearing as soon as possible.

Lu Kuan walked in and shook hands with the hearing attendees and legislators who were already present. Regardless of whether they were from the opposition or insiders, everyone looked polite and friendly.

Xiao Liu stood in the distance with a calm smile, watching him socialize freely in the world's top political center. It was just a pity that taking photos was not allowed here.

She liked to participate in his life and everything about him, even if it was just as an unknown bystander like now.

If I really can never speak again in my life, it would be enough if I could just look at him from the closest place to him.

At ten o'clock sharp, the hearing officially began.

Higgins from the Foreign Affairs Committee banged the gavel: "Well, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to investigate whether the acquisition of Netflix by the Chinese government threatens our national security or creates significant negative externalities."

"In addition to Mr. Lu, the person involved, who needs to be questioned today, we have also invited Mr. Block, the president of UCLA."

"Ms. Linda, President of the Communications Workers of America."

"Mr. Kevin, the current vice president of Blockbuster."

The names and identities of the three hearing witnesses were announced in turn.

The beautiful secretary who has been immersed in the "red-sleeved beauty" these days feels that today will be a fierce battle.

UCLA and USC, to which Lu Kuan donated, are "rivals in the same city."

It is understandable that the US side did not choose the University of Southern California, which has close ties with Mr. Lu, but it is somewhat intriguing to choose the president of UCLA.

Linda from the Communications Association is considered a neutral party. She will raise issues on behalf of the industry that will be involved in every hearing: employment and layoffs, and ask those being questioned to provide guarantees.

As for the vice president of Blockbuster, it was obviously a witness position obtained by Hastings through public relations, and he came with bad intentions.

Concubine Liu Yi turned her head to look at Lu Kuan, who was concentrating on reading the documents. He was still as calm as ever, and she felt a little relieved.

UCLA - that is, the University of California, Los Angeles President Bullock made the statement, but the first sentence he said made Lu Kuan feel relieved.

After exchanging glances with some of the members of the parliament sitting opposite him, he realized that Brock was already a dead end.

"In recent years, the profit margin of Hollywood films has been declining year by year, and its growth in the domestic market has been constrained."

"Due to the rise of video websites such as Mytube, the performance of both big screen and DVD rentals has not been very ideal."

"The employment rate of UCLA film school graduates has also been declining in the past two years. Because of changes to Germany's tax laws, we can no longer find sufficient funds."

The old principal revealed his true intentions: "But the development trend of the Chinese film market is shocking. We should recognize this opportunity and take advantage of it."

"Therefore, judging solely from the development of the North American film industry, I believe that the acquisition of Netflix by Wenjie, a company with Chinese capital, will be more beneficial than detrimental to the overall film industry..."

Linda, who came on stage next, was a neutral speaker and raised the issue of "loss of local jobs" on behalf of the industry labor organization.

"Lu, when Lenovo acquired IBM's PC services in 2005, it carried out large-scale back-end layoffs and relocated its customer service center to China. This is not what we at the Communications Industry Association want to see."

"That won't happen," Boss Lu said, raising his hand. "In fact, we've already contacted the relevant authorities and are preparing to sign a Five-Year Employment Guarantee Agreement, promising to retain Netflix's 2500 existing jobs in California and other locations, and to create 500 new technical positions as appropriate."

This is of course in preparation for developing the streaming media business.

"At the same time, we have signed a green recruitment channel with the University of Southern California. Regarding the employment rate of top North American universities raised by Mr. Block, Netflix will also make its own contribution. That's all."

There is no applause because today is not a speech, it is a battle.

Shen Danning, Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Council, raised his hand.

Higgins banged the gavel: "You have the floor."

"Authorities, I believe that China has not fully embraced WTO openness in certain areas. Although Wenjie is a private company, it is difficult for us to discern the legitimacy and legality of its funding sources. It is worth investigating whether there is any red background behind it."

Boss Lu raised his hand: "Absurdity!"

"The United States is a society ruled by law, and today is a legal hearing organized by the authorities. Based on the principle of whoever advocates, provides the evidence, Commissioner Shen Daning, please provide evidence of the suspicious acquisition funds of Wenjie!"

This is an attempt to fabricate a false accusation and is a normal means of questioning.

He tried to make a seemingly reasonable and unreasonable argument to see if his opponent would reveal any flaws.

"Mr. Higgins, the Ministry of Justice has issued an appraisal regarding the legality and legitimacy of Wenjie's $45 billion acquisition funds, which will be listed later."

Higgins raised his eyelids and immediately brought down the gavel: "The charges are invalid. Commissioner Shen Danning?"

"I have one more question!"

"Mr. Lu Kuan owns a video website in mainland China. According to our research, the website currently has over 4000 million users, covering nearly one-third of Chinese internet users, and the video playback volume is around 5500 million times a day."

"I have reason to believe that Mr. Lu Kuan acquired Netflix to turn it into the next streaming media website. This is no different from controlling a TV station with 4000 million users!"

"I disagree with what Mr. Block said, that this will benefit Hollywood's entry into the Chinese market. On the contrary, it is a crisis for Hollywood and the American DVD market!"

"Judging from the data, Netflix is ​​a company with monopoly power. This is the wolf coming!"

Concubine Liu Yi's heart trembled, knowing that this was his vital point.

The little girl kept flipping through the information in her hands, her palms covered with sweat. She didn't know whether the arguments she had prepared before could convince the judges.

Everyone looked at the young entrepreneur from China.

What a killer move!

Maybe this is the real purpose of this Chinese director?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to see panic on the face of the Berlin Film Award winner.

"If what you said just now was a fallacy, then what you said now is nothing but sophistry." Boss Lu smiled and shook his head, still with a casual and indifferent attitude.

"Using speculation that hasn't happened yet to judge and mislead current events, I seriously doubt the ability of those in charge of U.S. government agencies!"

“I’ll just give you two examples!”

"First! In 1989, Sony acquired Columbia. The American public reacted with devastation, with the Japanese poised to buy Hollywood."

"What's the point of us seeing this now? Columbia isn't even in the top three of the Big Six. The top-grossing films in Japan are all animated, and live-action films are dominated by Hollywood. Has anything changed?"

"It can be said that Sony's acquisition of Columbia is a far more profound merger and acquisition in the film industry than the acquisition of Netflix."

"Far from creating negative externalities as Commissioner Shen Daning has suggested, this acquisition has made Hollywood films more localized in Japan, and is more conducive to increasing their acceptance by Japanese audiences."

Lu Kuan's rhythmic tone slowed down slightly, giving everyone present time to think and compare.

"Second, in early February this year, Walmart acquired a 2% stake in the Trust-Mart supermarket chain in Guangzhou for US$2.64 million. This transaction has been approved by the Ministry of Commerce."

"If we follow Commissioner Shen Danning's logic, I would suggest that the relevant departments reconsider this approval decision."

"I have reason to suspect that Walmart's move is intended to gradually erode the lower-tier supermarket markets in various provinces and cities, ultimately monopolizing the supermarket industry."

"This is just like the US not allowing foreigners to own television stations; it is also expressly prohibited by the authorities!"

Shen Danning said solemnly, "This is different. Walmart can't possibly create a monopoly. This is just a very insignificant acquisition."

Boss Lu countered: "By the same token, North America also has Blockbuster, Apple, Microsoft, and Mytube, all of which have their own streaming media businesses."

"Why do we have to switch to streaming? Will it definitely lead to a monopoly? Isn't that alarmist?"

Shen Daning had no way to refute it, but the gap he opened was as fatal as Liu Yifei had worried.

The opposition, who had been planning for a long time, smelled the scent and pounced on it.

Jim Culbertson applied to speak and was given permission by Higgins.

Lu Kuan looked at him expressionlessly. This was a dangerous man.

When CNOOC's acquisition failed in 2005, this die-hard anti-China activist played a major role and was particularly difficult to deal with.

"Authorities, we have come to our attention that before Mr. Lu Kuan took over Netflix, former president Mr. Hastings had already established a database." "This database contains sensitive information such as rental records and credit card records of nearly 900 million Netflix users, including government officials and their families."

"If it is controlled by Chinese capital, it could threaten the privacy and national security of American citizens."

"The above is quoted from Section 721 of the Foreign Investment and National Security Act."

Higgins looked up at Lu Kuan seriously for the first time today and said, "Please answer the question."

“On behalf of the industry, I hereby make the following commitments:”

"First, we promise that the physical servers of all Netflix user data will remain in the San Jose center in the United States."

"Second, the industry is committed to implementing a double-wall system for data."

All the MPs present frowned, including the opposition member Jim Culbertson, who was hearing such talk for the first time.

"The so-called double data walls, the first wall is called the technical isolation wall, sensitive user information can only be retrieved by those with US security clearance."

"The second wall is called the legal wall. The industry will sign a 'Data Sovereignty Commitment' to clarify that user data is subject to the federal and California Consumer Privacy Acts, excluding foreign jurisdictions."

The whole place was in an uproar!
This concession is quite big!
In short, Lu Kuan completely severed the relationship between Netflix, which is controlled by North American Wenjie, and the local market.

Before it was funds, now it is the most sensitive data and information.

Without the approval of the U.S. federal government, no country or region is allowed to retrieve data.

He had no choice but to do this.

As Netflix grows, it is not difficult to imagine that the opposition in the United States will become more intense.

Rather than being forced to chop off his limbs later, it is better to cut off one of his arms first to gain sympathy.

Because the result is the same.

But Lu Kuan, with his forward-thinking perspective, still left a small loophole for data retrieval.

A legal little sliver.

That is, if Netflix's Chinese head violates domestic laws, the mainland can invoke the Hague Convention in international law to retrieve his data from his American companies.

The United States is also a member of the convention and is obligated to provide assistance to a certain extent.

But this is almost a suicidal approach.

This is a back door opened by a red heart for future unexpected events.

Now, no one in the audience, including the lobbying team and Concubine Liu Yi, knew his intention.

This was not in the previously agreed process at all. We were forced into this situation by the enemy and had to make a compromise.

Jim Culbertson's face was gloomy. He had just extended his knife when the enemy caught it and stabbed him three inches.

He wanted to stab Lu Kuan's left chest and kill him with one blow!
He stabbed himself in the right chest! It looks painful, but it's not fatal!

What the hell are these people!
Jim Culbertson recalled the instructions given to him yesterday by Mitchell and Hastings, who were certain that it was not excessive to be wary of this Chinese director.

He also asked himself if he had delivered the most fatal blow at the best time, but...

The climax of today's hearing has passed, and it is difficult for the remaining Blockbuster vice presidents to come up with more sharp arguments.

Higgins conducted several more rounds of questioning, then banged the gavel: "Finally, Mr. Lu Kuan will take the oath and make his closing statement."

Boss Lu straightened his suit, stood up and walked to the podium with a serious expression.

"I solemnly and sincerely swear that the evidence I give will be the complete truth."

"On behalf of Wenjie, I would like to explain the following acquisition intentions and plans..."

Time passes little by little.

In the entire hearing room, only the Oriental director's fluent and standard English statement was heard, which was very powerful.

About the cooperation between Chinese and American films, about the exchange of Chinese and American cultures, and about the "deep friendship" between the Chinese and American people.

Liu Yifei, standing on the side of the rostrum, watched the New York sunlight penetrate the arched windows of the Capitol, casting a sharp shadow on his brow, and his fluent voice flowed throughout the audience.

Xiao Liu inexplicably recalled the warmth and tenderness of the past few days when he accompanied him to sort out documents until late at night.

Under the dim desk lamp, he was flipping through documents, taking notes, and talking to himself.

She didn't know if it was because she couldn't speak, but she had never seen this man have such a strong desire to express himself.

He said that China will surely rise in the future, but will face a huge cultural impact from the West led by the United States. Those who are capable must set sail today!
He said that cultural output is an amplifier for international discourse power, a powerful tool to fight against Western values, break the information cocoon, and gain cultural pricing power!

He said that Netflix will be the world's largest single entertainment media company in the future, even surpassing Disney and becoming the first tool for domestic films and TV works to go overseas!

Heck, Disney's stock price is 30 times that of Netflix right now.

He talked about a lot of things in the future that he could hardly imagine.

But even so, she believed everything he said.

Because Liu Yifei knew that hidden behind his Machiavellian personality was a man with a big vision, a broad mind and great ambitions.

The industrial transformation of the film industry, the breaking of Hollywood's monopoly, Chinese films going global, and even the struggle for world cultural discourse power.

Looking at Lu Kuan in front of him, he smiled and bowed, accepting the applause from the audience.

At this moment, the artist's romance and the man's masculinity merged into one in her eyes.

This is the man she loves deeply, a hero with many flaws.
-
The hearing is over, and the struggle on the surface is over.

While waiting for the results, various lobbying forces continue to set out, and coordination and communication are carried out at the national level through the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Education.

However, Boss Lu, who had the vision of later generations, knew that if he put forward such conditions, the US side would basically not be able to give any strong reasons to refute them.

As soon as he walked out of the Capitol building, a swarm of reporters rushed over and couldn't wait to hand over the microphone, trying to perform a gastroscopy on the young director.

"Lu, what was the result? Did you make a strong rebuttal to the opposition?"

“Lu, do you have any financial connection with the Eastern Red Family?”

"Lu, would you take over the bankrupt Blockbuster store?"

. . .

All the cards have been played and the public opinion offensive has been launched.

We are just waiting for the final hearing results and the decisions made by the Ministry of Justice, the Foreign Affairs Committee and other departments accordingly.

While waiting for the final review results, Lu Kuan naturally did not rush back to China and remained in North America.

During this period, he took Liu Yifei to personally thank Harvey's "close friend" Guanhai.

Express gratitude to him in person for his help in the case of the Japanese professor in Chicago.

The latter was also surprised that this Chinese female neighbor in Hyde Park and the Chinese director who has recently become famous have such a relationship.

Although they don't look like a couple now, the fact that he expressed his gratitude on behalf of Concubine Liu Yi already explains something.

At the private gathering, both the host and the guests had a great time.

In particular, Guanhai and the young Chinese director hit it off right away and chatted for a long time in Harvey's cigar bar, but he still looked calm when he came out.

It seemed like just a trivial matter that had passed.

But on the way back in the car, Liu Yifei looked at Lu Kuan, who was obviously excited, and felt a little puzzled.

Did you find money? Or did you cheat someone again?

Perhaps one day in two years' time, she would suddenly remember this lazy afternoon and the expression on his face at that moment.

On July 7, which was also the third day after the hearing, Lu Kuan and his mute secretary rushed to Harvard Medical School, the top-ranked medical school in North America, to receive another expert consultation.

But once again I came back empty-handed.

On the way back to Beverly Hills from Los Angeles International Airport, the atmosphere in the car was very tense.

Concubine Liu Yi and Lu Kuan sat in the back seat in silence.

Apparently, Harvard Medical School's top brain scientists and psychologists don't have any good solutions.

In other words, after visiting three top medical institutions in North America, everyone had to accept an indisputable reality:

Liu Yifei, this is a purely psychological problem. When she recovers depends entirely on her emotional rebound.

Yes, maybe it will be fine tomorrow.

It’s hard to say…

As it was getting close to evening, Zhang Chunru returned to her home in Champagne, and her old mother also returned to her room looking a little exhausted.

In the luxurious mansion's hall, there were only young men and women sitting opposite each other in silence, and the faint sound of blues singing coming from the Bang & Olufsen player.

Lu Kuan reached out and turned off the slightly sad song "What's the Use", then smiled and waved at the dazed Liu Yifei.

"Have you ever swam here? It's warm, we can go swimming?"

Without the Netflix hearing to distract her, Liu Yifei has been a little distracted by Taylor Swift these past few days, shaking her head woodenly.

"Let's go and take a look." Boss Lu threw his suit jacket on the sofa and pulled the little girl towards the swimming pool of the mansion.

The poolside, paved with imported Spanish limestone, shimmers with pearlescent light at dusk, and the pool bottom is decorated with Italian glass mosaic patterns.

The lush vegetation of the Santa Monica Mountains in the distance serves as a soothing backdrop, reflecting the cobalt blue waters at the end of the horizon.

Lu Kuan pressed the bewildered Liu Yifei onto the pure white lounge chair...

Don't get me wrong, he himself was lying down next door: "Catching the sunset and relaxing."

Xiao Liu rolled her eyes at him unhappily, then looked at the black miniskirt she was wearing. She had reason to believe that some sex-hungry ghost might have some evil intentions!
She pulled the hem of her black skirt, trying to cover her fair thighs, but accidentally exposed her tight belly.

Liu Yifei took out her cell phone and gestured to him.

【Don’t go to the doctor anymore, it’s a hassle. 】

"One last...look, then go back to China and see a Chinese doctor."

Xiao Liu shook his head dejectedly, not wanting to argue with him.

Just leaning back in the recliner, tears welling in her eyes.

Lu Kuan, who was squinting in the sun, suddenly said jokingly, "We should ask someone to bring that pig's head over here. Maybe if we eat it, you'll be fine!"

The horror of that scene had long since dissipated in his calm and casual words.

Concubine Liu Yi forced a smile, not wanting to make him worry too much.

She tilted her body slightly and looked at the man beside her wholeheartedly.

He always has this kind of magic, better than good guys and worse than bad guys. In short, he gives people an unspeakable sense of security.

Liu Yifei rested her elbows on a small rattan table, and her thumb, which was supporting her chin, unconsciously rubbed her lower lip.

The curve of his Adam's apple as he spoke, the scattered hair on his eyebrows messed up by the sea breeze, the bulging wrist bones when he held the iced mint tea...

Every detail made her pupils dilate.

Subconsciously, she wanted to deeply engrave this scene in her mind to fight against the sudden disaster that happened that day.

This sense of security pushed her to let down her guard and start recalling everything that happened that day.

【Actually, I wasn't frightened to the point of being speechless by the pig head.】

"What is that?" The young director wearing sunglasses turned his head to look at her.

The painting was destroyed.

Clear tears fell along with her bitter words. Concubine Liu Yi sniffed and looked at him helplessly.

Lu Kuan was surprised for two seconds, then smiled and said, "That's easy. I can just draw you a new one, right?"

"One isn't enough, two, three?"

Concubine Liu Yi shook her head: [That painting has special meaning, I cherish it very much.]

The little girl sighed deeply, as if she was about to be crushed into dust.

Sometimes I feel really tired.

Boss Lu looked at her for a few seconds and could clearly see the fatigue in Concubine Liu Yi's eyes.

This is the first time in six years that I have seen her express such emotion.

I have persisted in morning exercises for four years without feeling tired;
The longest time I was suspended on wires in the two "Alien Land" films was seven or eight hours, but I never said I was tired;

In order to play Zhang Chunru, I traveled and prepared for a whole year, and never felt tired.

Everyone has limits.

She was pushed forward by herself all the time, and perhaps it was under such psychological and spiritual limits that she collapsed.

As night falls, the starry sky in Beverly Hills is not much more beautiful than the Ice House Palace in China, it just looks a little closer to the sky.

Boss Lu suddenly said leisurely, "Do you remember when we first met in 2001 and I told you your fortune?"

It seemed as if he was thinking of the scene of their first meeting.

Seeing the mysterious him and himself who still had baby fat, Xiao Liu smiled and nodded.

The little fairy sighed and said, "Actually, I lied to you."

Concubine Liu Yi looked at him with wide eyes.

"Your fortune is typical of a god of food bringing wealth. Even without me, you can still be famous, but you just won't have the solid acting skills you have today."

"Without me, you might be able to live a more relaxed life. You can shoot when you want to, and when you don't, you can just lie down, travel, or raise cats and dogs."

Boss Lu said half seriously and half jokingly, "Your fatigue and pain today are all because of knowing me. I need you to help me make money, so I push you to keep moving forward."

"Indeed, in a few years, you will be the top actress in mainland China, and you will be able to make your mark as an actress."

"But by knowing me and following me, you've also lost the happiness that a young girl should have. This is the price you pay."

The young director waved the mint water in his hand at her and joked, "If you could go back in time, it would be best if you didn't meet me again."

A breeze blew across his face in the night. Xiao Liu raised his eyes and stared at him for a long, long time.

The eyes that had amazed the years in countless shots suddenly stopped shedding tears.

Then her eyes turned into glass soaked in morning dew, reflecting the outline of the man in front of her in the moonlight.

Concubine Liu Yi suddenly reached out and grabbed the man's wrist, and tried to say something to him with difficulty.

I could only utter babbling and noises with difficulty through my vocal cords, and could only try to tell the person in front of me my true feelings through my mouth:
The road is wide...

Even when I was heartbroken, I never regretted meeting you.

Even if I could go back to the past, whether it is in this life, the previous life, or the next life, I still want to meet you.

Life after life.

After saying these words with difficulty, as if completing some kind of ritual, Concubine Liu Yi suddenly felt a sense of psychological peace that clarified her soul.

Lu Kuan looked at her trying yet helpless expression in silence. Of course he couldn't understand it.

People with aphasia are not simply unable to speak.

The language center is inhibited, and even the lip shape during pronunciation cannot be organized according to language rules and habits.

But he knew that Concubine Liu Yi must be talking about something very important to refute his previous ridicule.

"Xiao Liu." Boss Lu suddenly stood up.

"How about we disappear for a month?"

Without waiting for Liu Yifei to answer, the young director smiled and said, "Let's go secretly to a place where no one will recognize us."

"The landlord is still giving holidays to his farmhands. I think you can take an annual leave."

Concubine Liu Yi's eyes lit up, she smiled gently and poked him with her finger.

"Well, I'll accompany you."

"Many people in North America recognize you, and China isn't good enough either. You can go to Europe first."

The little girl was naturally happy to hear this, and she just took out her cell phone again.

Netflix? Olympics? Weibo in China?

[Do you still have a visa?]

These are all what Liu Yifei knows today, his future work arrangements.

Including Weibo, which will be launched in the country soon——

Penguin's microblog software Taotao and microblog software from major portals are about to be launched, and Blog.com has also completed several rounds of internal testing and is ready to go.

only. . .

Facts have proved that when a man is perfunctory to you, he won't even reply to a single one of your ten short essays.

But when he doesn't want to give you a perfunctory answer, he can find a solution to any problem, no matter how difficult it is!

"It makes no difference whether I'm here or not, Netflix. I've done what needs to be done, and I'm just waiting for the results."

"There is still a one-month buffer period before the Olympics, which is also reserved for the filming of "The Sky of History"."

“Weibo…”

Screw Weibo, let Zhuang Xu and the others copy Twitter!
Besides, isn't there Wang Xin? He was the founder of Fanfou in his previous life, so he can just implement the existing plan.

Boss Lu touched his chin and said, "But visas are indeed a problem..."

"excuse me, may I ask."

Concubine Liu Yi could no longer conceal her joy. The corners of her lips curved into a crescent shape, and the two dimples on her cheeks were filled with the light of stars.

In her impression, this was the first time that Lu Kuan let his career and movies give way to her.

Just to heal myself.

Boss Lu came back quickly: "Let's go, I borrowed Travolta's EU-registered business jet."

Travolta is one of the trio in "Alien Land" and is also Quentin's favorite supporting actor.

He is a private jet fanatic and as of 2007 he had purchased five private jets of various sizes.

Private aircraft registered in the EU enjoy the privilege of visa on arrival and can enjoy 24-hour visa interviews through the business jet terminal fast lane.

Other issues will be resolved when the time comes.

With his current status and wealth, he can find connections with Xiao Liu's old father in the French Embassy or the presidents of several European film festivals.

At this moment, Liu Yifei was like a fawn eager to try, her cheeks flushed as she typed: [My mother? ]

Boss Lu raised his eyebrows mischievously: "Tell her when we get there."

Trafficking a good girl, what a rare experience!

At this moment, Liu Xiaoli, who was still sighing in the room, had no idea that the daughter she had raised for twenty years was about to be abducted.

(End of this chapter)