America: My Time

Chapter 1259 A Beauty Throws Herself into My Arms
Chapter 1249 A Beauty Throws Herself into My Arms
"Sit down, don't be so reserved, just say what you want to say!" Although John is now fading from everyone's sight and living a secluded life, and being in China, it is not easy for many people to see John even if they want to. But there are exceptions, and the beautiful woman in front of us is one of them.

After much deliberation, Zeng Li finally decided to take the plunge. Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, she understood that it was impossible to survive without compromise, especially without connections. Her trip to Hong Kong had left a deep impression on her and significantly influenced the others who had accompanied her. They had truly witnessed Hong Kong's exclusionary practices, even after John had intervened, demonstrating the utter helplessness of someone without status or influence.

Soon, Zeng Li revealed her needs. To John's surprise, this beautiful woman wasn't there for her own future, but for her family—for her younger sister's studies abroad. She understood the price she would pay for doing this, as he had seen far too many similar cases.

In my short time in this industry, I've witnessed far too many of these unspoken rules and practices, and it's become the norm. Most importantly, this has even infiltrated schools; such deals exist even in prestigious institutions like the Central Academy of Drama. Times are changing, and the biggest change isn't in other industries, but in the entertainment industry itself.

"How did you know I have this ability?" John was surprised that Zeng Li knew about his abilities. Since the obstacles to studying in China and the US had decreased, he hadn't encountered anything like this before, and it wasn't something Zeng Li could access. Perhaps it wasn't a secret abroad, but not many people in China knew about it, and no one would easily bother someone as influential as John. After all, it wasn't worth incurring a favor over such a small matter; favors have to be repaid!
"I found out from Sister Yu by accident!"

John understood now. Yu Feihong had studied in the United States and had been in contact with the circle of international students. There were quite a few international students in the United States who did not return to China after completing their studies, but stayed in the United States. So their past experiences had spread in the circle of international students, and later international students were very envious. After all, back then, these international students could work at John's company during their holidays, but now all of that was no longer possible.

With Nvidia and Dreamworld now publicly listed, the path of working for international students has come to an end. John can no longer influence the company's decisions, because if he did, it would give the shareholders a handle to attack him or even damage his reputation.

Despite being a major figure in the American financial world, John is not immune to certain things. Once a company goes public, it gradually slips out of his control. This is why John has not interfered much with the development of Dreamworld and Nvidia over the years, and has been making other preparations.

There is a fundamental difference between a company going public and one not going public. After going public, John must also abide by this rule: he cannot give enemies a reason to target him, nor can he leave any hidden dangers for himself. This is why John gradually faded out of Dreamworld and Nvidia, and even though he knew that some people were no longer reliable, he did not rush to take action.

All of this was within John's expectations, and he didn't see anything wrong with the situation. On the contrary, he accelerated his plans. Whether it was Nvidia or Dreamworld, a lot of shares were sold. Although John didn't release his shares quickly, the number of shares he held had shrunk considerably.

"I see. You realize that once you take this step, there's no going back. I hope you think it through and don't regret it later. It's not that I'm being kind; no man dislikes a beautiful woman, especially a stunning beauty like you. No one can resist you. I'm no exception, but I don't want this to be a result of a momentary impulse. That wouldn't be good for either of us! You should also know that I'm not a good man!" John was well aware of how bad his reputation was, and he had his own calculations in mind.

Being lustful is a mistake all men make; the saying "men with money go bad" isn't just a joke, it's a fact. Although John wasn't short of beautiful women around him, as a man, he naturally couldn't refuse a beautiful woman who came to him, especially a stunning beauty like Zeng Li. However, he was even more unwilling to leave himself with any potential problems, after all, he had experienced this more than once or twice, and more than one or two beautiful women had left him.

John didn't want to create trouble for himself by acting on impulse, especially since this beautiful woman wasn't there for her own 'future,' but for her family. This made John even more cautious. For their own 'future,' they were willing to pay any price, but for family, it was different. People's hearts can change, and relationships can falter. "I've thought it through clearly. I know what I'm doing!"

Upon hearing this, a faint bitterness appeared on John's face. Did this beautiful woman really know what she was doing? John didn't believe she understood the consequences of taking this step, nor did she understand what he needed her to do!
"I'm afraid you don't understand, and you're not an ambitious or opportunistic person. You know some things from your trip to Hong Kong. If you really take this step, there will be no turning back. Even if you want to leave, it's impossible. It will involve too many interests. Do you understand? This is not a simple deal as you think. You should think it over carefully and not rush into a decision! Even if you insist on doing this, there's no need to rush. There's still a long time before the start of next school season."

It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted or had any thoughts. And as a man, it's impossible not to be tempted by such a beautiful woman offering herself up. However, from a long-term perspective, John didn't need to rush into accepting. Zeng Li was different from Li Bingbing; if he accepted, he would need to make more arrangements, especially given John's extensive network in China, which required advance planning and preparation.

Unfortunately, Zeng Li did not accept John's "good intentions". Although she did not have great ambitions, she was not without ambition. If she really did not, she would not have embarked on this path, would not have entered the Central Academy of Drama, and would not have entered the entertainment industry. It's just that she was too easygoing.

If she truly had no ambition or desire for fame or fortune, she would have left the industry immediately. In reality, everyone who enters this circle desires fame and fortune. John is well aware of this, and everyone who survives in this circle has their own agendas and ambitions. This industry has ruined countless beautiful women, but is it really that simple that Zeng Li has managed to avoid infamy?
"I stand by my decision!" No one knows what Zeng Li was thinking, but at this moment she took off her coat, revealing her exquisite figure perfectly. John was also excited by the sight of such a beautiful woman throwing herself into his arms.

At this moment, Zeng Li's persistence shocked John, and he was also somewhat unable to understand it. Perhaps it was because he didn't really understand her; after all, his knowledge of her was only superficial, based on what he had seen online. In truth, John didn't understand enough about this era. In the 1990s, studying abroad was incredibly prestigious, and the allure for many was immense. This was something John didn't understand, as he hadn't experienced it firsthand. Naturally, he couldn't comprehend the feelings of those who yearned to study abroad at that time, and therefore, he couldn't understand Zeng Li's persistence.

John didn't suspect any scheming or conspiracy behind Zeng Li's persistence; there was no need for it, and China wasn't Japan. Most importantly, he knew Zeng Li's true identity. It would be a lie to say he had no feelings for her, but John hadn't expected things to happen so quickly. Before he could even make a move, a beautiful woman had practically offered herself to him!

"Fine, I accept. Even if you want to back out later, it's too late. I won't accept it!" The beautiful woman had gone to such lengths; if he still refused or tried to persuade her, he'd be a saint. Clearly, John wasn't a saint; he was just a mortal, a flesh-and-blood man with desires and wants. Faced with such a beautiful woman, it was impossible for him to refuse her. If he actually did, there was definitely something wrong with him, something seriously wrong with him!

Holding the beauty in his arms, John could sense her unease. This was the entertainment industry; the so-called innocent and pure girls were all fake, nonexistent. Without connections or powerful backers, there was no future in this circle. In fact, of all the circles, the entertainment industry was the most chaotic, the darkest, and the most insane. All sorts of people existed in this industry, and under pressure, they would do all sorts of crazy things—nothing you could imagine that they wouldn't do.

If it weren't for the internet in later generations, how would we know about the darkness within this industry? Who would believe that some people would dare to engage in things like raising ghosts or using corpse oil lipstick just to become famous? And what about that master who could manipulate celebrities so easily, performing things like nude blessing rituals? It shows how insane this industry is!
(End of this chapter)