Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 81 I understand now that it's long-winded (Seeking first subscription for 11 chapters)

My two days in San Francisco felt like an unreal dream.

They ate crabs at Fisherman's Wharf and watched sea lions sunbathing on wooden planks; they rode the tram up the steep streets and looked down at the city and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance from the top of the hill.

While browsing the brightly colored shops in the Castro district, Liu Yifei bought an exaggerated rainbow-colored woolen hat, which she wore and laughed like a child.

At Jiang Yu's urging, she hobbled along the winding flower street, leaning on a crutch she had bought temporarily, though her ankle swelled up again afterward.

At this moment, a subtle atmosphere filled the car on the way back.

Unlike on the way there, the deliberate politeness and sense of distance had disappeared.

Liu Yifei no longer carefully maintained her proper image. She took off her shoes and put her feet directly on the dashboard, this time citing "the doctor said it was to promote blood circulation."

She even pulled out a bag of spicy strips from her backpack and ate them with relish.

"You actually eat this?" Jiang Yu glanced at the bright red bag of snacks. "Shouldn't female celebrities be eating salads and drinking sparkling water?"

"That was during work hours." Liu Yifei pulled out another cigarette. "Now I'm on vacation. This is the last pack I brought from China, a collector's edition."

She held a spicy snack to Jiang Yu's lips: "Try it? It's delicious."

Jiang Yu hesitated for a second, then opened his mouth to take it.

The spicy flavor exploded in my mouth, mixed with a kind of indescribable sweetness and rich spice flavor.

"How was it?" Liu Yifei looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"—It's alright." Jiang Yu took a sip of water. "It's just a bit too spicy."

"You don't understand. The essence of spicy strips is the spiciness." She took another bite, her eyes squinting with satisfaction. "When I was little, my mom wouldn't let me eat these, saying they were all made with gutter oil. So I would secretly buy them and hide them in my schoolbag to eat on my way home from school. One time she found out and punished me by not letting me eat any snacks for a month."

When she said these things, she had no celebrity airs at all; she was just an ordinary girl sharing embarrassing childhood stories.

Jiang Yu discovered that Liu Yifei in private was completely different from her on-screen and public persona.

She talks a lot, has a jumpy mind, and sometimes she'll suddenly come up with a really lame joke, then laugh at herself for ages.

She would directly complain about how bad the food was at a restaurant, complain that the hotel pillows were too high, and say to the mechanical female voice in the navigation system, "You've taken the wrong road."

This contrast is unexpectedly—adorable.

"Oh, right." Liu Yifei suddenly remembered something, and pulled a paper bag out of her backpack. "This is for you."

"What?"

"A souvenir." She handed me the paper bag. "I bought it at the craft shop at Fisherman's Wharf. You seemed to really like that little wooden seagull, but you looked a bit shy about buying it."

Jiang Yu opened the paper bag, inside was a hand-carved wooden seagull, about the size of a palm, with its wings spread as if in flight.

The wood grain is clear, and it has been varnished, giving it a warm luster in the sunlight.

He did glance at that stall a few times, but he didn't expect her to notice.

"Thank you." He placed the little seagull on the center console. "It's beautiful."

"You're welcome." Liu Yifei turned her head to look out the window, and Jiang Yu noticed that her ears were a little red.

The car quieted down again, this time a comfortable quiet.

A few minutes later, Liu Yifei said softly, "Jiang Yu, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Everything." Her voice was soft. "Thank you for coming to the hotel to find me, thank you for taking me to San Francisco, thank you for these past few days—"

take care of."

She paused, then added, "Thank you for treating me like an ordinary person."

Jiang Yu knew what she was talking about.

As a celebrity, she is always surrounded by staff, fans, and the media, and everyone has certain expectations of her.

I expect her to be beautiful and poised, I expect her to be perfect forever, I expect her to fit a certain image of myself.

During her two days in San Francisco, she could eat ice cream on the street wearing a loose sweatshirt, stick out her tongue because the spicy snacks were too spicy, and say "I will never climb mountains again" when she was panting from exhaustion on Lombard Street.

That's the real Liu Yifei, not the "Fairy Sister," not the "Nation's First Love," just a 22-year-old girl.

"You're just an ordinary person," Jiang Yu said. "You get hurt, you get tired, you crave junk food, and you throw tantrums. There's nothing wrong with that."

Liu Yifei laughed, a relaxed laugh: "You know, sometimes I feel like you're more of a parent than my mom. You always say things like, 'This isn't bad,' 'That's fine too,' 'It's okay,' 'It's alright.'"

"That's because I really don't think it's okay," Jiang Yu said. "People don't have to be perfect or right all the time. Making mistakes occasionally, being willful sometimes, and doing things you shouldn't sometimes are proof that you're alive."

These words were a bit harsh, but Liu Yifei understood.

She was silent for a moment, then said, "Sometimes I'm scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid—if I'm not perfect, if I'm not good enough, will people stop liking me?"

Her voice was soft, as if she were speaking of a deeply hidden secret: "From the very beginning of my career, I've been placed on a very high pedestal. 'Fairy Sister,' 'Heavenly Fairy,' these titles sound beautiful, but they're also like a glass house. I have to always be perfect, without any flaws, otherwise the house will shatter."

She turned to look at Jiang Yu: "When I'm with you, I'm not afraid. Because you know I'm not perfect, you know I get hurt, I make mistakes, I eat spicy snacks—but you don't seem to mind."

Jiang Yu's heart was gently bumped.

He took a deep breath and said, "Liu Yifei, listen to me. I like the real you, not that perfect image. The real you cries, laughs, gets angry, gets tired, feels pain, and acts spoiled. That's normal, that's good. If anyone dislikes you because of that, that's their problem, not yours."

He was stunned for a moment after he finished speaking.

The word "like" just slipped out of my mouth.

Liu Yifei was also stunned. She looked at Jiang Yu, her eyes slowly widening.

Time seemed to stand still inside the car, with only the faint sound of air conditioning vents.

A few seconds later, Liu Yifei looked away, her ears turning completely red.

"Okay," she said softly, "I understand."

Then she quickly changed the subject: "Um—how much longer until we arrive?"

Jiang Yu glanced at the navigation: "About an hour and a half. It might take two hours if there's traffic."

"Okay." She folded the spicy snack packaging and stuffed it back into her backpack. "I'm going to sleep for a while. Wake me up when we get there."

She closed her eyes after she finished speaking, and Jiang Yu could see that her eyelashes were trembling slightly, clearly indicating that she was not asleep at all.

Jiang Yu didn't expose her.

He stared intently at the road ahead, his mind a jumbled mess.

He was too blunt with what he just said.

Although the relatively mild word "like" is used, the meaning is already quite clear.

She understood, but didn't respond; instead, she shyly changed the subject.

What does this mean? Is it tacit agreement? Avoidance? Or simply needing time to process?

Jiang Yu suddenly realized that dealing with investment deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars was simpler than dealing with relationship problems.

At least business negotiations have clear rules and leverage, while emotions—that's a completely different logic.

The car continued driving in silence.

As the sun sets, the sky gradually changes from orange-red to deep purple.

Liu Yifei seemed to have really fallen asleep, her breathing becoming even and long.

Jiang Yu switched the music to soft jazz and turned the volume down.

An hour and a half later, the car entered downtown Los Angeles.

As the city lights begin to twinkle, the night is just beginning.

.

The white lettering on the Hollywood Hills lit up in the twilight, like a dream that never fades.

"Liu Yifei, we've arrived." Jiang Yu gently patted her shoulder.

She groggily opened her eyes, blinked, and adjusted to the light from the window: "Have we arrived?"

"Yes, your hotel."

The car stopped in front of the hotel, and the doorman quickly stepped forward to open the door.

Liu Yifei slowly got out of the car. She turned around and said to Jiang Yu inside the car, "These past few days—I've been very happy."

Her eyes shone brightly in the night, carrying a smile as well as some indescribable emotion.

"Me too," Jiang Yu said. "Get some rest. I'll be there for the opening ceremony tomorrow."

"Mm." She nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Then—goodnight."

"Good night."

She turned around and slowly walked into the hotel lobby.

Jiang Yu kept watching her back until she disappeared behind the revolving door.

David appeared outside the car window at some point and knocked on the glass.

Jiang Yu lowered the car window.

"Boss, are you having fun?" David asked with a gossipy expression.

"It's alright." Jiang Yu replied without changing his expression. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes." David opened the car door and got into the passenger seat. "Two things. First, the opening ceremony for 'Black Swan' tomorrow. The schedule has been sent to your email. It starts at 10 a.m. at Burbank Studios. The director, the lead actors, and executives from Searchlight Pictures will all be there. You will be speaking as the investor's representative."

"And the second thing?"

"Secondly," David's expression turned serious, "there's news from Universal. Richard has basically agreed to our plan after his internal meeting: Jackie Chan and Gong Li will play Jackson and Kate, and the scientists will be played by white actors. He has three conditions."

"explain."

"First, Jackie Chan and Gong Li must pass an acting test. Director Roland needs to personally confirm that they can portray an ordinary American couple well, rather than 'Jackie Chan and Gong Li playing an American couple.'"

"Reasonable."

"Secondly, the budget must be strictly controlled. The 1000 million yuan saved by Jackie Chan and Gong Li taking pay cuts must be invested entirely in the scenes of the Christ the Redeemer statue collapsing and the Tokyo Tower being destroyed. Light Chaser Pictures will bear half of the cost overrun."

"Acceptable."

"Third," David paused, "Richard wants Light Chaser to guarantee '2012's' box office performance in Asia. Specifically, he wants us to promise that the film will gross no less than $8000 million in mainland China and no less than $2 million across Asia."

Jiang Yu frowned: "That can't be guaranteed. Box office revenue is affected by too many factors, and we can't make a promise."

"That's what I said too," David shrugged. "Richard is adamant. He said that if Jackie Chan and Gong Li starred in the film, the box office performance in Asia would be significantly higher, and as the recommender and investor, we should be responsible for that expectation."

Jiang Yu remained silent for a while.

He knew what Richard was up to: using this condition to lower the price and gain more profit.

If Light Chaser Animation doesn't dare to make a commitment, he can take the initiative in the negotiations.

“Tell him,” Jiang Yu said, “we can sign a performance-based agreement. If the Asian box office is less than 1.5 million, Light Chaser Animation will give up 1% of its global box office revenue share for '2012' to Universal. If it's more than 2.5 million, Universal will give up 1% of its global box office revenue share to us.”

David's eyes lit up: "That works! It allows us to have options, showing our confidence without taking too much risk. I'll talk to them tomorrow."

"Okay." Jiang Yu started the car. "Take me back to the hotel. I have to get up early tomorrow."

The car drove into the night.

Jiang Yu leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

That girl who laughed like a child on the streets of San Francisco, that girl who was talkative and funny in private, that girl who would blush and run away because of a single word like "I like you".

He realized that some things had changed.

He no longer saw her merely as a business partner who needed care, or a blind date he had met once in a past life.

She became a concrete person, someone who would occupy an important place in his life.

This is dangerous, and — unavoidable.

Burbank, 9:30 a.m., on the 28th.

The film set was set up as a makeshift press conference venue.

The background is a huge concept poster for "Black Swan," with the white swan and the black swan back to back, and Liu Yifei's face in the middle, half pure and half alluring.

The film title and cast list are written in elegant font below.

The media area was already full of reporters, their cameras and microphones pointed at the podium in front.

That's how Hollywood is; even a small-to-medium budget art film's opening ceremony can attract so much attention if it has even a little bit of appeal.

When Jiang Yu and David arrived, the scene was already quite lively.

Director Darren Aronofsky is discussing something with the director of photography. Both are wearing their signature black T-shirts and jeans, and they look more like brothers than superiors and subordinates.

Liu Yifei had arrived and was sitting in the dressing room, where the makeup artist was making final adjustments.

Today she wore a beige knit sweater and dark trousers, with light makeup and her hair loosely tied back.

Upon seeing Jiang Yu, she nodded slightly, a restrained smile appearing on her lips.

The moment their eyes met, something seemed to move through the air.

Soon, Jiang Yu was pulled away by David. Steve Giruba, the president of Searchlight Pictures, had arrived and needed to be greeted.

"Mr. Jiang, it's nice to see you again." Steve was a middle-aged man in his fifties, slightly overweight, with a kind smile. "I heard you've been busy with casting for '2012' lately?"

"Yes." Jiang Yu shook hands with him. "Regarding 'Black Swan,' we also want to thank Searchlight for their support."

"Good projects should be supported, of course." Steve patted him on the shoulder. "Darren is a genius, and Liu is a pleasant surprise. I've seen her audition footage; she has great potential. If this movie is successful, it will open up a path for her in Hollywood."

"I hope so."

At 10:00 AM sharp, the opening ceremony officially began.

After a brief introduction by the host, Darren Aronofsky was the first to speak.

He spoke briefly and directly, without much formality: "Black Swan is a story about art, madness, and self. We tried to explore what price a person can pay for perfection. Thank you to all the investors for their trust, and thank you to all the actors for their dedication. I hope we can make a real, brutal, but beautiful film."

Then it was Jiang Yu's turn.

As a representative of Light Chaser Animation, his remarks leaned more towards an industry perspective: "We invested in 'Black Swan' not only because it's a good story, but also because it represents a possibility—the possibility of Asian actors playing leading roles in mainstream Hollywood art films. We believe that good performances transcend borders, and good stories can move all audiences. Light Chaser Animation will continue to support such ambitious and artistically valuable projects."

As he said this, his gaze swept over Liu Yifei in the audience.

She was looking at him intently, her eyes filled with something complex.

Gratitude? Trust? Or something else entirely?

The highlight of the opening ceremony was the traditional "clapperboard striking" segment.

Director Darren stood in the center of the set, which had been set up as a ballet rehearsal hall, holding a clapperboard. Liu Yifei and the other lead actors stood around him.

"Black Swan, Scene 1, Shot 1, First Take!" the script supervisor shouted.

"Action!" Darren shouted.

The camera started running.

Liu Yifei took a deep breath and instantly got into character.

She straightened her back, raised her chin slightly, and her eyes became focused and sharp.

She is no longer the girl eating spicy snacks in San Francisco, but Lin Xin, a ballerina, an artist struggling with perfectionism.

"Cut!" Darren shouted a few seconds later, "Okay, power on!"

Applause erupted from the audience.

The staff began distributing champagne, and the atmosphere became more relaxed.

Jiang Yu stood on the periphery of the crowd, holding a glass of champagne, watching Liu Yifei being surrounded by reporters.

She answered the questions calmly, speaking fluent English with poise, showing no trace of the girl who was eating spicy snacks in the car just two days ago.

This is her expertise, her talent—the ability to seamlessly switch between different identities.

"She has great potential," a voice said from the side.

Jiang Yu turned around and saw Director Darren.

He walked over at some point, holding a glass of champagne.

"Thank you to the director for giving her this opportunity," Jiang Yu said.

"She earned it herself." Darren took a sip of his drink. "During the audition, she danced a selection from Swan Lake. The technique wasn't perfect, but the emotion—that suppressed madness, that desperate desire to be seen—really moved me."

He paused, looking at Jiang Yu: "But Jiang, I need to remind you of something. This role is very demanding, and I'm worried she might get too immersed in it. During filming, you'd better—pay close attention to her."

Jiang Yu understood the implied meaning: "What does the director mean?"

“What I mean is,” Darren said bluntly, “the way she looks at you is different. And in this film crew, having someone who helps her remember who she is, instead of completely becoming Lin Xin, is good for her mental health.”

These words were so direct that Jiang Yu didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Darren patted him on the shoulder: "Don't get me wrong, I'm not interfering in your private affairs. I'm just a director who cares about my actors. This role—it's destructive. Liu Yifei is a good actress, but good actors are often the most vulnerable."

He left after saying that, leaving Jiang Yu to ponder alone.

The opening ceremony concluded before noon.

As the media gradually left, the film crew began preparing for the afternoon's actual filming.

Liu Yifei finally managed to escape from the crowd of reporters and walked up to Jiang Yu: "I'm starting to film my first scene this afternoon."

"Are you nervous?" Jiang Yu asked.

"A little," she admitted honestly, "but mostly I'm excited. It's finally about to begin."

She looked at him and suddenly said, "Thank you for your remarks just now."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for putting me on the level of 'the possibilities for Asian actors in Hollywood.'" Her eyes were serious. "It makes me feel like I'm carrying more than just my own dreams."

Jiang Yu understood what he hadn't said: this was more than just a movie; it was a signal, a beginning.

"Perform well," he said. "Prove with your talent that this choice was right."

"I will." Liu Yifei nodded, then hesitated for a moment, "Then—will you come to the set tomorrow?"

"I have something to do tomorrow," Jiang Yu said. "I might come back in a few days."

"Oh." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice, but she quickly smiled again. "Then when you have time, I'll treat you to dinner to thank you for your trip to San Francisco."

"it is good."

The two chatted for a few more minutes before the assistant came over and called Liu Yifei to the dressing room to prepare for the afternoon's shoot.

Before she left, she glanced back at Jiang Yu.

That look was complex, as if it contained a lot to say, but in the end it all turned into a smile.

Jiang Yu stood there until her figure disappeared into the depths of the film set.

David walked over: "Boss, it's time to go. The conference call with people back home starts at 1 PM."

"Um."

On the way back, Jiang Yu remained silent.

David glanced at him in the rearview mirror several times, finally unable to resist asking, "Boss, you and Liu—?"

"What?" Jiang Yu raised his eyelids.

"It's nothing," David wisely shut up, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

The car drove out of Burbank and rejoined the never-ending traffic of Los Angeles.

As Jiang Yu looked at the scenery rushing past the window, he thought of those two days in San Francisco, of her eating spicy snacks in the car, and of her saying, "I'm not afraid when I'm with you."

I also recalled director Darren's warning.

This character has a devouring nature.

She is actively stepping into that dark world.

All he could do was hold her hand in the darkness and remind her that the real world still existed.

This means that he also needs to enter her world.

This means that those originally clear boundaries will become increasingly blurred.

This means that the carefully planned life blueprint after rebirth may have to be subject to some unexpected variables.

The car stopped at the red light.

Jiang Yu took out his phone and sent Liu Yifei a text message: "Good luck on your first scene. Remember, you are Liu Yifei, not Lin Xin. Come out when you're done filming."

A few seconds later, the reply came: "Got it. Stop nagging."

It was followed by a smiley face emoji.

Jiang Yu looked at the smiling face and smiled too.

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