America: My Time

Chapter 1441 Calculation
Chapter 1431 Schemes

If initially the old lady, and even John's family, were quite satisfied with Sophie Marceau, from this moment on, they felt no goodwill whatsoever. All affection vanished the instant Sophie Marceau appeared in Beijing, China. No matter how much she suffered or how much pressure she faced, no one would pity her; it was her own choice. Even though Sophie Marceau met the old lady, all affection had dissipated, and one wonders if she regretted it.

Just as John had predicted, with the reappearance of Sophie Marceau, his reputation as a playboy was brought up again, becoming a topic of conversation both in the United States and Europe. In contrast, things were not so complicated in Asia, and no one was willing to provoke John anymore. This was especially true in Hong Kong. Although the Asian financial crisis was coming to an end and Soros and his associates had already publicly withdrawn, no one dared to underestimate John's power.

The Europeans dared to use underhanded tactics because they knew John needed their help. Even if a deal had been made, they were certain John wouldn't retaliate. In the US, some oil-rich capitalists were causing trouble, but it didn't have a significant impact, or rather, it was just an attempt to annoy John. Everyone clearly saw what happened to South Korea in Asia; they didn't even have the ability to resist and were utterly crushed. Da Xiong Pharmaceutical quickly changed hands—that's a demonstration of power. As for Japan, they knew when to advance and retreat and wouldn't follow in South Korea's footsteps. And Taiwan, needless to say...

Knowing full well that someone is plotting against John, it would be foolish to jump out and cause trouble at this time. One stick would be enough. No one wants to face John's wrath, and no one will believe that John has already invested all his funds.

Sophie Marceau made a bad start, but then got everything she wanted—how could this not tempt others? Soon, someone else came to see John, and that person was Xiao Qiang! Having enjoyed the benefits of fame and fortune, no one wanted to remain in obscurity; they would seize any opportunity to climb higher. Even the proud Xiao Qiang was no exception. After leaving John and gradually losing access to his vast resources, no one took her seriously anymore. The dramatic fall from grace had a significant impact on her. Seeing Sophie Marceau's 'success,' how could she not be tempted?

Of course, Xiao Qiang was fully aware of the consequences of doing this; it would deplete their last bit of goodwill and completely lose her protection. Yet, tempted by the potential benefits, she still did it. Having tasted the sweetness of fame and fortune, how could she bear to give it up? The concepts of fame and fortune are not easily understood by everyone, let alone by ambitious individuals!
Xiao Qiang certainly had ambition, especially given her background in the entertainment industry. However, she was too arrogant and overconfident back then, believing she could still obtain the resources and achieve both fame and fortune even after leaving John. In reality, she was mistaken. The cruelty of the entertainment industry was far more terrifying than she imagined. Without John's help, her career suffered, otherwise she wouldn't be in her current state. Like Sophie Marceau, without the protection of a powerful figure like John, the resources she could obtain dwindled. Favors eventually run out.

They were once successful and famous, but now they have fallen from grace. Such a gap is terrifying for those who once enjoyed the benefits of fame and fortune. It is impossible for them to turn things around on their own, which is why all this happened, and why Sophie Marceau made her scheme!

However, compared to Sophie Marceau, Xiao Qiang was smarter. She knew to find a 'friend' who could speak up for her and help her without being influenced. Yes, she found Zhang Yuyan again. In her view, this was the safest way, and it might even bring some unexpected gains.

Although she understood Xiao Qiang's scheming, their friendship did not end with Xiao Qiang leaving John. It was precisely because of this friendship that Xiao Qiang still had resources that ordinary people did not have. It's just that she wanted too much, which is why she had more ideas and such expectations.

Is it a case of insatiable greed? No, Xiao Qiang isn't that foolish. A beautiful woman from a scholarly family naturally understands the pros and cons. Although she made a mistake, she won't make a second. Compared to Sophie Marceau's 'madness,' she's more cautious and careful, not putting herself first. With Zhang Yuyan by her side, everyone's attention will be on her, not on Xiao Qiang. This little trick may seem insignificant, but it's quite helpful to Xiao Qiang, shielding her from a lot of trouble!
Sitting on the private jet, feeling the stark contrast, Xiao Qiang felt a pang of regret. Her arrogance was utterly insignificant in the eyes of true big shots; in their eyes, she was nothing more than a dispensable plaything. While this might sound harsh, it was the truth. The more one understood the circles of the powerful, the more acutely one grasped the cruelty within. But by the time she truly understood, it was too late; she had already taken that foolish step!
A woman as intelligent and proud as Xiao Qiang is particularly vulnerable to such a dramatic fall from grace! If Xiao Qiang could let go of fame and fortune, she wouldn't have any regrets. But having enjoyed the benefits of fame and fortune, the glamour and wealth, how could she truly give it all up? In the circles of powerful figures, in their eyes, her arrogance is a joke, and even her actions are seen as foolish.

Xiao Qiang's fame and fortune came not only from her beauty but also from John. However, she didn't see through it all back then, thinking she could have a better future. In fact, she was wrong, terribly wrong. Without experiencing the harsh realities of society, she rose to the top in one step. Only after leaving John did she realize that everything wasn't as wonderful as she had imagined. She discovered that all those who had surrounded her had left, and that they hadn't come for her.

That's how the world of fame and fortune works: when you have value, you become the object of everyone's admiration; when you lose value, you're simply discarded. The harsh realities of society made Xiao Qiang realize he wasn't as popular as he'd imagined, and his arrogance had cost him dearly. It was fortunate that his relationship with Zhang Yuyan hadn't ended for other reasons; otherwise, her situation would have been even more difficult.

"Why are you here? Did something happen in Taiwan?" When John saw Zhang Yuyan, his first thought was that something had happened in Taiwan. As for his own family, John didn't care!
"There's no problem in Taiwan, but Xiuxia has some issues concerning the ATV production crew. I can't interfere with that!" Zhang Yuyan didn't try to hide the reason for her trip, as concealing such matters would only create bigger problems and could even lead to misunderstandings, which would be a serious matter!

Upon hearing this, John immediately became alert, remembering that Sophie Marceau had only been gone a short while. John's expression hardened, and he said in a deep voice, "Is this your own idea, or did someone remind you of it?"

Seeing John's change, Xiao Qiang, with her quick wit, instantly understood the meaning behind it. Her heart sank, and she even pondered the matter carefully for a moment. This was no small matter; if she said the wrong thing, the consequences would be unimaginable. Moreover, she couldn't lie; the consequences were beyond her ability to bear!
After a moment, Xiao Qiang shook his head and said, "No one mentioned this to me. It was my own idea. I only had this thought after seeing the report!" At this moment, Xiao Qiang's words made John's expression even more serious. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I see. It seems that those guys in Taiwan couldn't help but jump out and use the power of the media to scheme against me and test me. I'm afraid this is not their idea, but the work of those old guys. Only they can make those guys in Taiwan scheme against me."

John quickly understood the reason behind this. The White House was one of the few companies that could instruct these guys in Taiwan to use the power of the media to scheme against him. The old guys in the US also had this ability. In comparison, the possibility of oil capital was much smaller. The White House could be ruled out. No matter how crazy Richard Lamb was, he wouldn't dare to do such a thing unless he wanted to fight him to the death. Morgan could also be ruled out. Therefore, Rockefeller became John's suspect.

To call it suspicion was practically an assertion, only John lacked concrete evidence. However, for these financial tycoons, evidence was unnecessary; mere suspicion was enough. Evidence was only needed by the weak, and held no value for a powerful figure like John.

"Your matter is nothing. Just have Yuyan put in a good word. As for today, don't tell anyone. Just pretend you know nothing to avoid unnecessary trouble. If anyone asks you, just put the blame on Yuyan. She's the one who put in a good word for you!"

John wasn't heartless, and he still spoke up to remind Xiao Qiang that what he had said today was no small matter; if it got out, it would be a serious problem. For John, it was nothing; after all, he didn't need any evidence, just suspicion was enough. But for Xiao Qiang, it would be a disaster. Those guys in Taiwan would take action, and it wasn't impossible that they would actually take action.

For those guys, eliminating one or two people is no big deal to ensure their own safety and interests. As for so-called beautiful women, they are even less important to them. Given their status and position, beautiful women are commonplace. As long as there is no evidence and someone mediates, there won't be any major problems!

If Xiao Qiang were to die, killed by those guys, would John avenge her? Impossible. They have no relationship left, only a sliver of affection remains. Considering his own interests, John would never take action. Even if he were to target those guys from Taiwan, it would only be for his own benefit. That's the reality!

Hearing John's words, Xiao Qiang felt a chill run down her spine. The intelligent girl naturally understood the danger behind it, and her face instantly turned pale. Unfortunately, it was too late. If she had already realized her mistake of arrogance before, she now understood even more clearly that without John's protection, she was nothing more than an ant in the eyes of those powerful figures. No one had targeted her before because of John and because of her relationship with Zhang Yuyan. But when it came to their interests, or even their lives, wiping out an ant like her would be incredibly easy.

At this moment, Xiao Qiang understood why John had placed so many people around Zhang Yuyan and the others. She herself had once had such people, but her arrogance had cost her everything. She also understood the meaning of "a wise man avoids dangerous situations." Looking at John's past arrangements and reflecting on her own arrogance, the difference was immediately apparent!

Beauty is fleeting, and arrogance has led me into this predicament. If I hadn't chosen to leave back then, things would be different now. Even if someone dared to plot against me, I wouldn't be in mortal danger. But now everything is different. Only through experience can one understand the true meaning behind all this.

Unfortunately, it's all too late now. Even if Xiao Qiang wanted to go back to John's side, it would be impossible because no one was there to help her. Taiwan isn't as crazy as Japan. Although they are making some calculations, they won't put themselves in the open for her sake. They won't take such a risk.

Those guys in Japan are acting in their own self-interest. After all, they're all eyeing the benefits John offered. For the sake of profit, these guys don't care about any danger, and they're prepared to send a few people to take the fall. But the Taiwanese don't have that kind of resolve. They're unwilling to face such danger and unwilling to place their hopes on Xiao Qiang. In their view, Xiao Qiang simply doesn't have the necessary conditions.

Having seen through the schemes of those Taiwanese, John didn't intend to deal with them. There was no need. If those guys wanted to scheme against him, then he'd give them the chance. He'd see how many would willingly step forward. If any of them did, John wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson, letting them know how serious the consequences of scheming against him could be! Kindness is often taken advantage of, and even if now wasn't the best time to act, John didn't want to show weakness or let those guys continue to be arrogant!
(End of this chapter)