Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

The time I spent at home with my parents felt like a brief pause in the high-speed gears of a machine.

The respite was ultimately short-lived. In mid-August, Jiang Yu embarked on his journey home again, this time heading to Beijing.

When the plane landed at Beijing Capital International Airport, August in Beijing was the hottest and most humid time of the year.

Yang Siwei came to pick her up from the airport. As soon as she got into the car, she began to report on the progress of the past month, speaking faster than usual and displaying her efficiency and competence.

"Mr. Jiang, as per your instructions, we have found a suitable old factory building in the 798 Art District. It has an area of ​​about 5,000 square meters, with sufficient ceiling height and a sturdy structure, offering a lot of room for renovation. We have already acquired the property rights, hired a top-notch design team in China, and the plan has been approved. We have already started basic renovations and structural reinforcement this month."

As Yang Siwei spoke, she pulled up design renderings and construction progress photos on her computer. "We expect to complete the main renovation and equipment installation and commissioning by the end of the year. Director Zhou has already started planning the team's relocation and local recruitment. The first batch of core technical personnel is expected to arrive in Beijing in early December."

Jiang Yu looked at the design drawings on the screen, which combined industrial style with modern aesthetics, and nodded.

Relocating part of the core technology team and R&D center of Light & Shadow Digital back to China was a key step in his strategic plan.

It aims not only to undertake high-end special effects productions from Hollywood and China, but also to become a base for technology incubation and talent cultivation.

"Director Wu has returned to Los Angeles with all the pre-production materials and scanning data for 'The Forbidden Kingdom,' and the team is now fully engaged in production."

Yang Siwei continued her report, "The filming of 'Twilight' has entered its most critical stage, and David communicates with me about the progress every day. In addition, David sent word that he and Chen Wei have met about the script outline for 'Taken 2' and have proposed several directions, awaiting your final decision."

As Jiang Yu listened to the report, his gaze drifted to the rapidly passing streets of Beijing outside the car window.

The city is making its final push for next year's Olympics, with construction fences and brand-new cityscapes visible everywhere.

"There's one more thing," Yang Siwei lowered her voice slightly, "The office of Chairman Han Sanping of China Film Group officially sent an invitation yesterday, hoping to invite you over for a chat tomorrow afternoon, the 18th. As you requested, I replied that I would be there on time and would accompany you."

What's meant to happen will happen, Jiang Yu knew in his heart.

The last time he returned to China, it was just a brief visit. This time, with the box office results of "Taken" finalized, it ultimately grossed $2.68 million worldwide, becoming the dark horse of the year.

Light Chaser Pictures' domestic strategy is becoming increasingly clear, especially with its major move to acquire the 798 Art Zone, which has obviously attracted the substantial attention of this leader of the Chinese film industry.

"Understood. Prepare detailed information about our company, especially the cooperation model for Hollywood projects, our technological advantages, and our long-term development plans in China. Keep it simple and practical, not too fancy," Jiang Yu instructed.

"Understood." Yang Siwei replied, then added, "In addition, the pre-production team for Director Lu Yang's 'The Witch' has been assembled. They heard that you are back and hope to give you a progress report as soon as possible."

"Let's schedule it for the day after tomorrow." Jiang Yu rubbed his temples, returning to Beijing, where the familiar rhythm instantly returned.

.......

The headquarters building of China Film Group stands on the North Third Ring Road. At 3 p.m., Jiang Yu arrived on time, accompanied by Yang Siwei.

After the announcement, a secretary-like person politely led them to a meeting room with a great view.

The interior is simply furnished with a few sofas, a coffee table, and Chinese ink paintings hanging on the wall.

The secretary poured two cups of tea and then left.

A moment later, the door was pushed open, and Han Sanping walked in alone.

He looked more slender than in the public images, and his eyes held a sharpness that came from long-standing authority.

"Comrade Jiang Yu, hello. I am Han Sanping." He extended his hand, his voice low and carrying a barely perceptible Sichuan accent.

"Chairman Han, hello. I've heard so much about you. I'm Jiang Yu, and this is Yang Siwei, the head of our Light Chaser Pictures China region."

Jiang Yu stepped forward and grasped Han Sanping's hand, his attitude respectful but not subservient. Yang Siwei also quickly greeted him.

"Sit down." Han Sanping sat down on the main sofa and gestured for Jiang Yu and Yang Siwei to sit down as well.

He didn't exchange pleasantries immediately, but his gaze lingered on Jiang Yu's face for a few seconds.

"The tea is this year's Longjing, have a taste." He pointed to the teacup on the coffee table and picked it up himself first.

Jiang Yu thanked him and picked up his teacup.

"Comrade Jiang Yu is very young!"

Han Sanping put down his teacup and got straight to the point, "But what you're doing isn't something for someone young. I've seen you and your company in some internal briefings and industry news. A film like 'Taken' achieving success in Hollywood in that way is no easy feat. What's even more remarkable is being able to participate in a project like 'Avatar,' and in both an investment and technical capacity."

His tone was calm, as if he were stating a fact, clearly indicating that he had done his homework and knew more than just the surface box office figures.

"Chairman Han, you flatter me. There was an element of luck involved, but it was also the result of the team's hard work," Jiang Yu replied cautiously.

"Luck is also a part of strength." Han Sanping nodded slightly. "What interests me more is, now that you've turned back to China, especially with such a big operation in 798, what are you trying to achieve? Are you simply bringing back the Hollywood formula, unchanged?"

His questions went straight to the heart of the matter; this wasn't a business negotiation, but more like a high-level casual conversation.

Jiang Yu sat up straight, knowing that every word he said needed to be carefully considered.

"Chairman Han, we're not simply copying Hollywood's assembly line. Hollywood's industrial system has its advantages, especially in its process management, quality control, and technological research and development. But its cultural core and market logic are based on the Western context."

He paused, and seeing that Han Sanping was listening attentively, continued, "What we want to do is graft. We want to bring back some advanced industrial tools, process management experience, and some underlying technology research and development capabilities that have been validated by top Hollywood projects. We want to use these tools to serve our own stories, our own cultural expression, and our own market. The ultimate goal is to explore a path that allows Chinese-language films, especially those big-budget productions that require strong visual support, to have a level of craftsmanship that is no less than the world's top standards, while also being deeply rooted in our own cultural soil and aesthetic system."

Han Sanping tapped his fingers lightly on the sofa armrest. "Tools...culture...grafting. That's an interesting analogy."

He said slowly, "So, you want to be a technological bridge and a process improver, not just an outsourcing visual effects company?"

"That's a fair assessment," Jiang Yu affirmed. "We hope to collaborate with China Film Group and other outstanding domestic production companies, directors, and creators to provide end-to-end solutions for key projects, from pre-production visual planning to mid-production technical solutions and high-quality post-production. We are also willing to do some foundational work in technical training and process standardization, if possible."

He extended an olive branch for cooperation at the opportune moment, displaying a very proper attitude.

It's about collaboration to provide solutions, not me giving you instructions.

After listening, Han Sanping remained silent for a moment. He picked up the slightly cooled tea, took a sip, and then looked at Jiang Yu, a smile that was almost imperceptible on his face for the first time.

"Young man, you have a clear mind and set high goals."

His tone softened somewhat. "Chinese cinema doesn't lack money, nor does it entirely lack ideas. What it lacks is the hard power to realize good ideas using high-level industrial methods, and professional teams that have both an international perspective and an understanding of the Chinese market. You've proven your technical and capital operation capabilities in Hollywood, and now you're willing to come back and put down roots, which is a good thing. If you encounter any specific difficulties, you can report them according to procedures. For promising key projects, China Film Group can also consider participating in cooperation in an appropriate manner."

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