America: My Time

Chapter 877 Calculation
Chapter 847 Schemes

"Damn it, this guy is a greedy bastard who won't act until he sees the benefits. It's impossible for us to get any promises from him unless we can offer something in return. Otherwise, we can only keep dragging it out. The big plane isn't too much of a problem, but the Bentley Motors Group issue is much more difficult. We simply can't give him any promises!"

"Even the Governor of Hong Kong hasn't intervened, so this is all we can do. Unless we can offer him something that satisfies him, but that's not a promise we can make. Let's wait and see what happens!"

"That's right. At this point, we really have no choice but to wait and see. Look at this guy's domineering attitude; it's obvious he won't give up his own interests. Only an exchange of interests is possible!"

That's an interesting point. These guys have the nerve to talk about John. They're even more insane when it comes to profit. If it weren't for their greed, things wouldn't be like this. They're the ones who caused all of this.

"Okay, we just need to do our best. The final result is not that important to us."

John sensed the hostility from these British guys, but he ignored it. He didn't need to care about their thoughts; they wouldn't affect the overall situation, and he wouldn't focus his energy on Hong Kong. Once everything here was over, he would leave, and he wouldn't have any further dealings with them, nor did he need to. After all, these guys no longer had any assets worth his attention.

"Mr. John, the influx of quick money is now affecting the normal development of Hong Kong's film industry. Actors are all on edge. If this continues, the Hong Kong film and television industry will be in danger. Does Phoenix Group have any solutions?"

Upon hearing Zou Daheng's words, John couldn't help but smile. He knew the situation in Hong Kong perfectly well, but he had no way to deal with it. Although those guys were all very arrogant, they didn't have the strength to fight against the Phoenix Group, and if they dared to make a move, they should be prepared to have their hands chopped off.

“Mr. Zou, you shouldn’t be looking for me. Phoenix Group doesn’t need to react. Even if someone has some ideas, they should consider whether they can withstand Phoenix Group’s counterattack. At least so far, Phoenix Group has not been affected. Under these circumstances, what am I supposed to do?”

Upon hearing John's words, Zou Daheng couldn't help but sigh. This was already a testament to their strength. Although a lot of quick money had poured into Hong Kong's film industry, those guys all chose to avoid artists under Phoenix Media Group. Phoenix Media Group was a global media conglomerate, far beyond the reach of other Hong Kong film and television companies. Not to mention that Phoenix Media Group also had Legendary Entertainment as an ally, so those guys naturally wouldn't dare to have any crazy ideas.

"I was overthinking it. Phoenix Group really doesn't need to care about what those people think. Those people from Taiwan won't even try to take advantage of Phoenix Group, let alone those from Hong Kong!"

John nodded and said, "It's good that Mr. Zou understands. They've given me a lot of face, so naturally I should give them face in return! If you have any concerns, you should approach the Governor of Hong Kong, not an outsider like me!"

It's impossible for these Hong Kong filmmakers to get Phoenix Media to pull chestnuts out of the fire for them. John is unlikely to stand with them, and with such an imbalance of power, cooperation is out of the question.

After exchanging greetings with the Hong Kong bigwigs, John didn't linger and left immediately. Seeing John leave, many people sighed. Only a few years had passed, and John's power had grown to this extent, allowing him to disregard the British and act so domineeringly.

"Are you puzzled as to why I would do this, disrespect the British, and leave early?" John smiled calmly when he saw the confusion in Lee Boo-jin's eyes, speaking nonchalantly with a faint smile in his eyes.

On this issue, Lee Boo-jin didn't hide her thoughts, nodding and saying, "I do have some doubts. Hong Kong is, after all, British territory. Isn't this going a bit too far? Could it be detrimental to future development?" "No, the British wouldn't do that. They understand that such a thing is unacceptable. If they really did, I would be very happy, having an excuse to demand more benefits from Britain. Unfortunately, that's impossible. Didn't you see that the Governor of Hong Kong only showed up briefly and didn't say anything? This was a charity reception held in his name, and Chu Hong stayed behind, along with Zu Xian and the others. That's enough. Don't take them too seriously. Although the headquarters is in Hong Kong, it doesn't mean we have to be subservient to them. If these guys make a move, the headquarters withdrawing from Hong Kong isn't a big deal; there might even be unexpected gains!"

Bentley Motors' withdrawal has already taught the British a lesson, and they have suffered considerable losses because of it. Therefore, they will not do it again and will not give John another chance. If John were to pull another withdrawal, the British credibility would be completely ruined, and no one would dare to trust them anymore.

Although John placed the group's headquarters in Hong Kong, it wasn't out of concern that the British would hold him back. Rather, it was a strategic move for the future. If the British insisted on causing trouble, he could simply leave without any pressure.

What kind of gains? Lee Boo-jin didn't ask. By this point, she naturally understood that everything was under John's control. Although the headquarters was in Hong Kong, they didn't need to consider the British's feelings. This relieved Lee Boo-jin. If the British caused trouble, she would have the opportunity to move the headquarters and wouldn't have to worry about being in a very passive position.

At this point, Lee Boo-jin also understood her own position and the group's development strategy. It wasn't primarily focused on Hong Kong, but rather on leveraging its advantages. Other matters were insignificant, and there was no need to be overly restrictive. Regarding the Hong Kong strategy, John didn't intend to compete with the Hong Kong tycoons for profits. After all, his focus was different from theirs. Even now, the Hong Kong tycoons weren't primarily focused on China, but John's development focus was on China. As long as Hong Kong's own interests weren't affected, there was little conflict of interest between John and the Hong Kong tycoons.

Before Lee Boo-jin took over, the focus of development had already shifted to Southeast Asia and China, rather than Hong Kong. In terms of revenue, Taiwan was better than Hong Kong, not to mention the entire Southeast Asia region and the profits from Japan. Now that Japan's economy is in trouble, this presents an opportunity—an opportunity to restructure.

Chung Chor-hung's reaction to John's departure was remarkably calm, seemingly unaffected. However, it had a significant impact on Mi Xue and the others. Deeply influenced by the British, they felt this was a bit too reckless and would invite repercussions from the British, causing them to appear slightly uneasy. Although they knew John was a tycoon of an American conglomerate, they didn't realize the extent of his power. Chung Chor-hung, with her connections to the Phoenix Group, was far better off than them. Some things you need to understand and grasp for yourself; if you don't engage with them and only rely on external commentary, you won't truly understand the situation.

In short, those outside the industry naturally wouldn't know many of its secrets. While celebrities are certainly attractive, their knowledge is limited, not to mention that these women were so focused on entertainment that they hadn't delved deeper into the matter and were unaware of the terrifying power of top conglomerates. As a member of an American conglomerate, John was under American protection, and the British would have to think twice before acting, given the formidable influence of the United States.

John's actions were not merely a calculated move; they were also a way of expressing his attitude towards the British. John didn't want to cultivate an overly close relationship with the British and invite unnecessary trouble, especially since they were already being watched. Making a statement as soon as possible was the best option.

John's actions naturally caught the attention of those who were interested, and soon all of this would be known to the old guys in the US, even the British, and the Chinese. As one of the top financial groups in the US, John's every move would be analyzed, and people would try to understand the secrets hidden behind it, as well as John's opinions.

John had left, but Cherie Chung and her companions remained at the party, surrounded by many people. Chung was mingling with Hong Kong socialites; after all, she had been out of the entertainment industry for a long time, and she had represented John in Hong Kong for quite some time, naturally having connections with these figures. It's well known that in Hong Kong, she often represented John in liaising with the tycoons. Her status and position were clearly different, and even though she didn't leave with John this time, it wouldn't shake her status and position.

In contrast, Mi Xue and her friends are mostly surrounded by people in the entertainment industry and have virtually no contact with Hong Kong's high society. It's not that they haven't had any affairs, but it's all their own choice. In their pursuit of fame and fortune, they naturally have to give up some things. It can be said that they have always had a sense of unease in their hearts, which is why they have always insisted on their 'career ambition'. So, there are gains and losses. In the eyes of Hong Kong's bigwigs, they don't have Chung Chu-hung's body and status.

It's just unknown whether they will come to their senses after tonight's party and make some decisions. After all, sometimes it's necessary to make a clean break and not keep going down the wrong path. Mi Xue has already noticed something, but it's hard to say whether Wang Zuxian and the others will be able to react.

(End of this chapter)