America: My Time

Chapter 1207 Utilitarianism

Chapter 1197 Utilitarianism
Time flew by. After the celebration party ended, familiar friends chatted in the hotel, discussing everything that had happened that night and fantasizing about getting the opportunities they wanted. Meanwhile, things were far from peaceful outside. Those who had been watching John were starting to have headaches. They hadn't expected that the Phoenix Group personnel hadn't left so late; this was highly unusual. And John hadn't gone home either—that was even more strange!

"Damn it, could it be that our tracking was discovered? Is he deliberately targeting us, teaching us a lesson?" Someone quickly figured it out, but it was useless; he couldn't find a way to break the spell. At this moment, this guy finally understood why John had chosen to hold a low-key victory celebration at his hotel. It was all premeditated; he had planned to teach him a lesson long ago!
Although he knew this was directed at him, he still insisted on staying and dared not turn away. If he left, and John took other actions, or even left the capital, it would be a serious dereliction of duty, and he could not bear such consequences. Even if he suffered, he had to persevere.

Of course, this guy was overthinking it. John had no intention of leaving the capital, much less acting in the middle of the night! At least the current situation wasn't at a point where John needed to make urgent arrangements. Although he couldn't say everything was under control, he had the upper hand, so what did John have to worry about? Besides, this guy wasn't worth John avoiding.

John is currently enjoying the services of a beautiful woman. Although she is actively throwing herself at him, to avoid trouble, he still needs to ask clearly: "Are you sure you won't regret it? Once you take this step, there's no possibility of regret."

"I don't regret it, and I have no right to talk about regret. I had nothing, and if I wanted to make a name for myself in this industry, I had to pay a price. In this world of fame and fortune, I had no choice. As long as there was even the slightest chance, I would do everything I could to seize it!" Her own circumstances did not allow Li Bingbing to give up. After all, her family's financial situation was not very good. Only after truly understanding this industry did she realize that everything was not as simple as she had thought. Without connections, resources, or a powerful backer, how could she possibly become famous?

In fact, before attending the celebration party, she had received a reminder from Wang Jinhua, and not only her, but Fan Bingbing had as well. It would be naive to think that joining the company would guarantee endless resources. While the company did indeed lack key personnel and was actively cultivating them, resources varied in quality; what kind of resources one could obtain depended on individual ability, and the company's resources couldn't be provided indefinitely. Li Bingbing was well aware that if she remained mediocre, the company wouldn't continue to waste resources on her.

Smart people understand this: the importance of resources, and the benefits of establishing a reputation early in a company's development. This is precisely when competition is fiercest; a slight delay can lead to a permanent setback. If you fall behind from the start, catching up becomes incredibly difficult. Once someone becomes a pillar of the company, resources will undoubtedly flow to them! The market is only so big, which inevitably makes them feel a bit nervous.

Unfortunately, these people were completely unaware of John's plan, and didn't understand that Phoenix Group was not as simple as it seemed on the surface. Their current attempts to compete were premature. However, John didn't see anything wrong with this situation and didn't pay it any mind. Understanding the ruthlessness of this industry sooner rather than later was beneficial for them. It was much better than realizing it later, when it would be too late. Early fame is not just a casual saying!
A little fame comes from promotion, but great fame comes from fate. When you're just starting out, you need resources. The sooner you become famous, the more opportunities you'll have. Now that the opportunity is in front of Li Bingbing, even if she can't win over the big boss, she still needs to become a familiar face and get the resources she wants. And having an opportunity now will help her in the future.

She wasn't foolish enough to talk about feelings with a big shot like John. Besides, she knew that a big shot like John was never short of beautiful women around him, and countless women would throw themselves at him if given the chance. Most importantly, she also knew John's reputation as a playboy. Compared to so-called feelings, it was better to secure benefits first! If she hadn't reacted quickly this time, she would have fallen behind the others. Fan Bingbing and Zhang Ziyi were both eager to make their move.

Is Li Bingbing too driven by ambition? No, John doesn't see anything wrong with it. Without ambition, one can't survive in this industry. Whether it's due to others' guidance or her own understanding, making such a decision isn't something everyone can do. Going forward, with the influx of Hong Kong people north and the rapid development of the Chinese entertainment industry, this circle will become even darker and more insane. All sorts of underhanded tactics will emerge; it will be a scene of utter chaos.

After saying those words, Li Bingbing seemed to have used up all her courage, lowering her head deeply, waiting for John's answer. Under the lamplight, her bare feet and jade-white legs were pressed tightly together, making her appear uneasy; the invisible pressure caused her chest to rise and fall. Perhaps due to excessive nervousness and shyness, Li Bingbing's skin had a faint blush, and even from a distance, one could feel her rising body temperature. Setting aside all dignity, just for the temptation of fame, still held a certain pressure for her!
At this moment, John naturally understood what she meant. In fact, this was not the first time John had encountered such a situation. After transmigrating and being reborn, he had encountered too many similar situations. It was the same in Hollywood, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In the entertainment industry, transactions were a perfectly normal thing.

China has changed; it's no longer what it used to be. With the liberalization of social norms, such transactions are common in these circles. If it were Wang Shuo, he wouldn't have gotten together with Xu Jinglei, nor would he have asked Feng Xiaogang to intervene. With the opening up of society, people's hearts have become frenzied, and society has become restless. Money and profit are everyone's pursuit. Opportunities are useless if you can't seize them.

When Li Bingbing appeared in his room on her own initiative, wearing only a jacket with nothing underneath, it was enough to prove her determination. He'd be a fool to hesitate. Although he'd seen plenty of beautiful women, men are like that—they don't refuse a beautiful woman throwing herself at them. Hearing Li Bingbing's explanation, John's heart burned with desire!
He suddenly grabbed Li Bingbing's wrist and pulled her into his arms. He had already said everything he needed to say, so now he didn't need words, but actions, which would put the beauty at ease.

At this moment, Li Bingbing seemed not to have expected John to make such a bold move. She let out a soft moan, and the next moment she found herself with her legs off the ground, being lifted up. Her delicate body trembled and she instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around John's neck! At this moment, she smelled the man's heavy and powerful breathing, and her heart trembled!

The next day, everyone left, and Li Bingbing followed suit, not staying with John. She knew when to advance and when to retreat, not believing that a night of pleasure would change her status. She simply realized she had caught the boss's eye and been remembered. Of course, she understood that the resources she wanted would follow; in the short term, it was a transaction. As for the long term, that depended on her management skills and whether she could take it a step further! Time would tell. Without the test of time, all her thoughts were useless, just wishful thinking!

As Li Bingbing left, she could feel the intense gazes from Fan Bingbing and her daughter; it was clear they knew everything that had happened the night before. In fact, anyone paying a little attention would have noticed something. After one night, Li Bingbing was noticeably different. A smart person would naturally know what had happened, but no one would say anything. At least openly, no one discussed it; things might be different in private, but the boss couldn't find out.

Of course, General Manager Wang Jinhua was well aware that she would make arrangements herself, even without John's directives, and she would do so openly and honestly. Li Bingbing's decisiveness earned her higher regard; at least she was a smart person who understood the importance of opportunity and knew when to advance and retreat. She hadn't become arrogant or unruly just because she had found a powerful patron!
Countless people change drastically after gaining powerful connections or influential backers, becoming arrogant and conceited. Such people don't go far. Powerful figures dislike such ignorant individuals, and they will soon be abandoned, fading into obscurity, or even expelled from the circle altogether.

For powerful figures like John, getting themselves into unnecessary trouble for a woman is unthinkable. While beautiful women are alluring, the trouble they cause is something they're unwilling to accept. John, in particular, wouldn't tolerate someone who lacks self-awareness and doesn't know their place; such a person would only bring endless trouble.

A big shot like John has no shortage of women, especially beautiful ones. A smart and tactful woman will gain recognition and be able to leverage her influence to go further, or even secure a place in the industry. However, if she is tactless, foolish, and arrogant, she will only go further and further down the wrong path, eventually reaching the end of her road and disappearing from the circle. No big shot wants to associate with such a woman, as she would become a hidden danger!
(End of this chapter)