America: My Time

Chapter 493 The Anxiety of the Mind

Chapter 493 The Anxiety of the Mind
"That's it?" After leaving the Phoenix Group building, Xiang Huaqiang couldn't help but sigh softly, a faint look of doubt flashing in his eyes. Everything had gone too smoothly, making him somewhat unable to believe it.

"Tenth Brother, it really worked. It seems Mr. John isn't as domineering as outsiders say. This is different from what we thought. He didn't care too much at all!"

"Yes, it was indeed a huge surprise. It seems we made the right move. What we consider a big deal is nothing to them. They only had a little understanding of it and they got us to sign a distribution agreement with Phoenix Cinemas. It's unbelievable. We thought we would have to make several more trips, but it seems we were overthinking it."

"Tenth Brother, we've incurred a considerable favor this time. Although the other party doesn't seem to mind, we can't just leave without doing anything in return. How are we going to repay this favor?"

"We can talk about personal relationships later. Besides, with this favor, we can better leverage the power of the Phoenix Group to develop ourselves. If it weren't for this integration of the Phoenix Group and the establishment of a tribe in Hong Kong, who would have known that its power was so great, and who would have believed that the Phoenix Group also had absolute power in Europe and America? If we want to go further in the future, we will need more cooperation. Sometimes, the Madam's diplomacy is easier than ours."

“That’s true. If it weren’t for this relationship, we really wouldn’t have had the opportunity to cooperate with Phoenix Group. But now we need to get moving quickly. With the cooperation of Phoenix Cinemas, we don’t have to worry about distribution issues, and we won’t be exploited too much. Phoenix Cinemas’ revenue sharing is much better than Golden Harvest’s. At least they don’t cheat people on overseas revenue sharing. This is a consensus in the Hong Kong film industry.”

"Golden Harvest doesn't have a good reputation. You know what D&B is like. Hung has been ripped off by them countless times. The box office in Hong Kong is okay, they didn't rip us off too badly, but the overseas box office was ripped off. They rip off their own people so badly, how could Hung be willing to work hard for them? Originally, D&B wanted to take over Shaw Brothers' cinemas, but now there is no chance at all. Their situation will only get worse and worse. Without cinemas, they will have a hard time standing up."

"That's true. I wonder how long Fatty Hong's Debao can hold on. The overseas box office revenue is no small amount, and we signed a revenue-sharing agreement, not a buyout, which makes it even more valuable. To be honest, I really didn't expect everything to go so smoothly. All of this was accomplished with just a brief exchange!"

“They are different from us. They do big business. They can even acquire British-owned Standard Chartered and force British companies to hand over their properties in Hong Kong. Their methods and capabilities are beyond our reach. They even forced the Hong Kong government to make concessions. We are not on the same level as them at all. Now that we have officially landed, we must put aside all those old methods and do business properly. We must also pass on Mr. John’s words. There can be absolutely no mistakes in this.”

"That's right. This matter absolutely cannot go wrong. After all, his reputation for womanizing is no secret. Who knows what kind of trouble those fools might cause for us? It's best to give them a warning to prevent things from getting out of hand!"

Upon arriving at the new company address, Wang Zuxian and Sunny overheard many people around them discussing gossip about the entertainment industry and the company itself—who had powerful connections, who had found a sugar daddy, and so on. The internal company gossip was particularly abundant. This time, the Phoenix Group's consolidation included talent agencies, creating independent management departments. Many of these departments housed artists signed to Legendary Entertainment, further fueling the internal gossip.

The reason the two were able to get together was because they were both from Taiwan and were natural friends in the company. They naturally stuck together for mutual support and to guard against being plotted against by others. The entertainment industry is full of scheming, and you can easily be taken advantage of if you're not careful.

These gossips in the entertainment industry have become the talk of the company. When Wang Zuxian heard these gossips, she couldn't help but despise these guys. She said to Sunny in a low voice, "They're so stupid. Even if they want to find a backer or a background, they should at least find one that can help them rise to the top in one step. These silly women are too stupid. If they're going to do something, they should be like Sister Qianwen and Sister Chuhong!"

Upon hearing these words, Sunny was thunderstruck, but quickly fell silent. Having survived in this industry for quite some time, she knew how terrifying it was, far from the idyllic image she had once imagined. Without connections or a powerful backer, one couldn't obtain good resources. To become famous, one could only constantly be a kept man, and many young people were exploited by most of the directors and bigwigs in the industry. Although ATV's situation was relatively good within the industry, such cases were still common, as far as too many people desired fame. Fame brings fortune, and few could resist the allure of fame and fortune, especially young and beautiful women, who were even more unable to resist this temptation. She had thought Taiwan was already quite ruthless, but Hong Kong was even more so, its entertainment industry more terrifying and darker. Countless naive young girls were deceived and manipulated. The most well-known example was Xue Li, who was deceived and manipulated by Xu Shaoqiang, even her sister Mi Xue couldn't persuade her to turn back. However, this guy was already on Phoenix Group's blacklist for a simple reason: he stood up ATV. The problems this bastard caused while filming The Legend of the Condor Heroes have been a source of resentment for ATV ever since, and he has a terrible reputation in the industry.

Soon, Wang Zuxian sighed and said softly, "Entering the entertainment industry, perhaps no one can escape this hurdle, it's just a matter of time. Seeing the people around you change so rapidly, no matter how high-minded you are, you will not be able to resist such temptations, right, Cuiyu!"

Sonny pondered for a moment before muttering, "Some things are beyond our control. If it means losing my dignity, I might choose to refuse. Those guys are too crazy. This industry is far more complex than you think. What you know is only the surface. Many things are more terrifying than you imagine!"

Although Sunny was mentally prepared for the dark side of this industry when she learned about it—that often you can't simply refuse or avoid things as you wish—she knew very well that the darkness within the industry was more insane and terrifying than she imagined, a fact she had even heard from her senior, Misery. However, she would never give up if she could earn money with her own two hands. But now, everything was beyond her control. The Sunny of today was not the Sunny of tomorrow; she was still a young girl with beautiful aspirations, and having not experienced too many setbacks and hardships, she didn't yet have those extreme thoughts.

Many female celebrities in this industry are frequently invited to dinner parties, even if it's just to accompany others. However, Sunny has always refused, which is why she isn't very popular within the company and doesn't have many friends. Being too aloof naturally leads to being ostracized, especially in this industry where aloofness is often the most enviable trait.

Competition in Hong Kong is fierce, and the industry is even more ruthless, leaving Sunny physically and mentally exhausted and under unprecedented pressure. Resources are limited, and securing them requires sacrifice; if you don't pay the price, someone else will. Sunny doesn't have the same connections as Michelle Yim at ATV, and even with Michelle's help, things are fraught with difficulties. Although she has the support of Sally Yeh, she's an ATV artist, and there are many things she can't be helped with.

Wang Zuxian's situation is slightly better than Sunny's, but not by much. She chose to work in film, but the pressure is considerable. After all, her goal is to develop her career in Hong Kong, so she inevitably has to compete with Hong Kong artists for resources. All of this requires connections. Without connections, there will be a price to pay. However, once you take that step, there is no turning back, and it may even make your situation more dangerous. After all, this industry is so dark.

"Do I really have to take this step?" Wang Zuxian couldn't help but ask herself. Although Ye Qianwen's protection ensured her and Sunny's safety, she knew that without effort, she wouldn't get good resources. The road to fame was long, and she had waited so long. If she grew old and faded, she might gain nothing. Without comparison, there was no harm; Ye Qianwen was the best example. It would be a lie to say she wasn't tempted.

Sunny felt the same way. Her situation was even more difficult than Wang Zuxian's because she had to consider the livelihood of her family and her parents. Most importantly, she accidentally learned that her senior, Mi Xue, had also given herself to the big boss. So no matter how the Phoenix Group changed, she would not be affected at all.

Although the big boss is a womanizer, he has his principles and treats the women around him very well and respectfully. He doesn't force them to give up their careers, and the fact that Mi Xue has now moved to a new residence in a luxury mansion in Deep Water Bay is the best proof of that.

In fact, the entertainment industry is just as dark in any country. It is the same in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, and even more so in Hollywood. As soon as you step into this circle, you will face all kinds of problems and oppressions, and pay a price that you never dared to imagine. Some people can rise to the top in one step, while others face danger at every step. They give everything but end up with nothing.

Now, Wang Zuxian and Sunny are facing a life-or-death decision: whether or not to take this step. It's a difficult question for both of them. They both understand that once they take this step, there will be no turning back, and their lives may be tied to this man. Is such a sacrifice worth it? This is a question that they keep asking themselves.
(End of this chapter)