Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

That evening, Wang Zhonglei hosted a welcome banquet at the most upscale antique-style garden hotel near the film and television city.

The pavilions, terraces, and winding streams create a magnificent yet deliberately antique atmosphere.

The phone call with his brother Wang Zhongjun that afternoon transformed Wang Zhonglei's attitude from enthusiasm to almost obsequious attentiveness.

Wang Zhongjun's tone was grave on the other end of the phone: "Zhong Lei, this Jiang Yu has a deeper background than we thought. It's not just about 'Taken' and 'Avatar.' I had someone inquire about him, and he's not just an ordinary film upstart; he's a capital hunter with a mountain of gold in his hands. Those old foxes in Hollywood are shrewd, but this Jiang Yu is one of our own, at least it seems so. Cooperating with him might be more cost-effective than dealing with those foreigners. Tonight, we must go all out with the highest level of protocol, let him feel our sincerity and strength, and also probe his bottom line."

The highest level of sophistication naturally involves more than just delicacies and fine wines.

Wang Zhonglei utilized Huayi's top resources, not only inviting the core members of the production team, but also specially summoning Huo Siyan, who was filming another drama near Hengdian.

Within Huayi Brothers and even in the entertainment industry at the time, Huo Siyan was known for her good looks and social skills, making her a highlight at many of Huayi's banquets and dinners.

Wang Zhonglei's calculations were straightforward: even heroes find it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman, let alone a young and ambitious talent like Jiang Yu.

With a charming and witty beauty like Huo Siyan enlivening the atmosphere, and other female stars like Li Binbin providing contrast, how could the atmosphere at the dinner table be anything but lively? How could you not get to know each other?

As the guest of honor, Jiang Yu was naturally invited to the most prestigious seat to the left of the main seat.

To his left, in order, are Rafira, director Minkoff, and the white lead actor from Hollywood, Michael Angarano.

To his right was a pair specially arranged by Wang Zhonglei: next to Jiang Yu was Huo Siyan, dressed in a beautiful dress and smiling charmingly. She wore a fitted, modified cheongsam that accentuated her figure and exuded elegance.

Next was Li Binbin, dressed elegantly and appropriately; then came Cheng Long and Jet Li.

Liu Yifei and her mother Liu Xiaoli were seated at the opposite edge of the round table, separated from the main seats by more than half a table.

Everyone in the entertainment industry knows the meaning behind this seating arrangement; the relationships between close and distant people are immediately apparent.

Liu Yifei seemed to have no objection to this, or perhaps she was already used to it.

She changed out of her costume and into a simple black sundress, with light makeup on her face, and sat quietly beside her mother.

After several rounds of drinks, five dishes were served.

With Wang Zhonglei's deliberate guidance and Huo Siyan's lively interaction, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up.

Wang Zhonglei, beaming, frequently raised his glass and made polite remarks, talking about the bright future of Chinese films, Huayi Brothers' ambitions, and then indirectly expressing his desire for "overseas talents" like Jiang Yu to return to China to support them.

Huo Siyan went all out. She was naturally talkative and knew how to flatter, often letting out a clear laugh, her eyes seemingly hooked, and repeatedly offered Jiang Yu a toast.

"Mr. Jiang, I heard you studied at USC? That's the mecca of movies! I really envy you for making such a name for yourself in Hollywood. I'd like to toast you, and I'll be counting on you to mentor me in the future!" Huo Siyan picked up her exquisite white wine cup, her eyes sparkling, her voice sweet and charming.

All eyes at the table turned to her, and Wang Zhonglei chimed in with a smile, "Yes, President Jiang, Siyan is our Huayi's leading lady. She's beautiful and a great actress. If there are any suitable projects in the future, don't forget about our own people."

Jiang Yu maintained a faint smile, his eyes clear, showing no signs of intoxication.

The glass in front of him was filled with tea poured by the waiter the entire time.

At this moment, he raised his hand and gently blocked the wine cup that Huo Siyan handed him, his gesture polite but leaving no room for doubt.

"Ms. Huo, Mr. Wang, thank you for your kind offer." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried across most of the table. "I'm allergic to alcohol, so I always drink tea instead. Please forgive me. As for mentorship, Huayi is full of talented people, and Mr. Wang is a leader in the industry. I should be the one learning from you all."

After speaking, he picked up his teacup, gestured towards Huo Siyan and Wang Zhonglei, and took a small sip.

A clean and decisive refusal, leaving no room for maneuver.

Huo Siyan's smile froze for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. She drank the wine herself and said with a charming smile, "President Jiang is truly self-disciplined; no wonder you've achieved so much. Then I'll toast you with tea instead of wine!"

A barely perceptible shadow crossed Wang Zhonglei's eyes, but his smile remained unchanged: "I understand, I understand. Health is the most important thing! Mr. Jiang, drinking tea is good for your health!"

He chuckled, but his heart skipped a beat.

This Jiang Yu is far more difficult to deal with than he imagined.

Not only was she unmoved by the allure of beauty, but she also easily deflated any attempt to seduce him with alcohol. Her words were so succinct that it was impossible to discern her true intentions.

For the rest of the time, Jiang Yu's attention was clearly focused on only a few people.

He had in-depth discussions in English with Rafira and director Minkoff about the specific timelines for the post-production special effects of "The Forbidden Kingdom" and the potential technical challenges.

I chatted with Jackie Chan and Jet Li about the changes in the global action film market, listening to the two veterans' experiences with humility and seriousness.

When Wang Zhonglei occasionally throws out probing questions about the possibility of future cooperation, he always glosses over them with phrases like "we'll explore this further when the opportunity arises" or "the company's current focus is on existing projects," neither explicitly refusing nor making any promises, leaving Wang Zhonglei feeling like he's punching cotton.

He barely made any interaction with Li Bingbing and Huo Siyan, who were sitting on the other side, or Liu Yifei and her daughter, who were further away.

Occasionally, their gazes would sweep over them, but they would only give a polite nod, as if they were merely necessary background figures in this business banquet.

Liu Yifei sat on the edge, quietly eating the dishes in front of her that she had barely touched, while her mother, Liu Xiaoli, muttered in a low voice.

"...See that? That's a truly capable person. He doesn't make a sound, yet everyone respects him. What's the point of that Huo Siyan trying to get close to him? He doesn't buy into that at all. You're just too quiet. Find an opportunity later to offer him a drink, say a few words, just to leave an impression..."

Liu Yifei frowned slightly but did not respond.

Looking at Jiang Yu, who was sitting in the main seat, chatting with Chinese and foreign filmmakers with ease, she felt that he was like a finely tuned machine—calm, efficient, and with a clear goal.

He seemed completely out of place at the dinner party, a place filled with clinking glasses, insincerity, and scheming, yet strangely, he controlled the rhythm of his own part of the event.

In her view, his rejection of Huo Siyan was not due to a lack of understanding of romance, but rather more like...disdain?

Or rather, it's a higher level of avoidance.

This aroused her curiosity about him, but more so a sense of distance; they were not from the same world, at least not now.

Halfway through the banquet, the atmosphere remained outwardly warm under Wang Zhonglei's best efforts, but undercurrents were swirling beneath the surface.

Jiang Yu excused himself, saying he needed to take an important overseas work call, and politely left the room temporarily.

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