America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 148. For Your Future

"Does the Hudson Theatre need a new owner?" What does that mean?

Eric stared intently at Zhou Wenqiong.

Zhou Wenqiong stared intently at him as well: "That's exactly what I meant. The Hudson Theatre has been poorly managed for a long time, and after changing hands several times, it is still operating at a loss."

"Without an injection of funds, the theater would definitely go out of business within a year or two. My boss has actually been looking for someone willing to take over."

After listening to Zhou Wenqiong's explanation, Eric asked curiously, "Why is the theater's business so bad? What are the reasons?"

"If it's due to unavoidable factors, then it's useless for anyone to take over; it's just throwing money down the drain."

Zhou Wenqiong organized her thoughts: "There are three main reasons, and I don't think they are force majeure factors."

"First of all, the current owner is Mrs. Valence. Originally, the theater was run by her husband, but two years ago, Mr. Valence died in an accident, so the theater came under her name."

"It might be a bit harsh to say this, but Mrs. Valence is really not a very business-minded person; she really doesn't know much about doing business."

"Secondly, the Hudson Theatre's equipment is quite old. Its long history has given it depth and richness, but it has also made it older and more decayed."

"The tables, chairs, interior decorations, and electronic equipment in theaters are all outdated. Guests won't compromise their personal experience just because of the theater's historical significance."

"Then there's the genre. The lack of funding makes it impossible for the Hudson Theatre to afford those popular shows, and the current repertoire is mostly older."

"Although we are also trying new stage plays, and are even willing to support the creations of many newcomers for free, we hope to find a few gems among them."

"But as it turns out, not everyone is a master. Many newcomers just act on impulse, and the plays they create are completely unsuitable for the stage."

"Over time, this vicious cycle has brought the Hudson Theatre to the brink of bankruptcy."

"Mr. Eric, my sister and Fifi both say you are a very capable person. Your vision and courage are second to none in the entire Hollywood."

"Wait, hold on a minute, don't flatter me, Qiong. While compliments from beautiful women can be very pleasing to men, they're only effective if they're genuine and unbiased." Eric interrupted Zhou Wenqiong's flattery.

"No, this is not flattery. I am just stating the facts. Being able to decisively invest in mainland China and establish Oriental MGM is something that the other six companies dare not do."

"Eric, and you, a young man of only 22, have taken the lead and been the first to enter China. This is a testament to your courage and vision."

"China has joined the WTO, and its economy will soon take off. This economic boom will inevitably drive the prosperity of the film market."

"Perhaps in just a few years, MGM, with its pioneering spirit, will be able to enjoy this piece of the pie ahead of time."

"The same goes for the Hudson Theatre; what it lacks is funding and resources, which MGM has all of."

"Now that Disney owns New Amsterdam, why doesn't MGM take over Hudson?"

"As one of the seven major Hollywood film studios, I don't think MGM should be inferior to Disney."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Eric burst out laughing. This woman was not only flattering him, but she was even using reverse psychology.

However, her haste, clumsy methods, and overly obvious purpose made it hard not to suspect that she had ulterior motives.

"Eric, what are you laughing at?" Liu Yifei asked, her eyes wide open.

"It's nothing, I just never expected that a chance encounter and a meal would lead to a business deal."

"Joan, there's something I don't understand. Whether the theater goes bankrupt or not is the owner's concern. Why are you so concerned? Do you own any shares?"

Zhou Wenqiong shook her head: "No, it's just that I finally got to this position. It's very difficult for Chinese people to get promoted in the United States, and I think Eric, you know that too."

"If I had to say what my goal is, it would be to keep me as the program manager after you take over the Hudson Theatre. I have no other requests."

Zhou Wenqiong's answer was not satisfactory, and Eric was still confused.

Because there are hundreds of theaters on Broadway, if Zhou Wenqiong is truly exceptionally capable, she could easily find another theater even if she leaves the Hudson Theatre.

After all, according to her, she climbed to this position with great difficulty, which means she is quite capable.

Truly capable people never worry about their company going bankrupt.

Therefore, Zhou Wenqiong's explanation was somewhat contradictory and could not convince Eric. His intuition told him that there must be something fishy going on.

It's impossible that this woman has developed feelings for the theater; that would be too fantastical.

"Joan, your suggestion is excellent. Broadway is indeed an area that MGM is willing to enter. However, buying a theater requires a large sum of money, which is not something I can decide on my own."

"Eric, you don't actually need to buy the theater outright. You can also choose to invest and become a shareholder of the Hudson Theatre."

"Heh. It's pointless if it's not a complete controlling stake. MGM needs to seriously consider this before making a decision."

Perhaps realizing she had been too hasty, Zhou Wenqiong stopped insisting and changed her tune, saying, "How about this? You can send someone to the Hassend Theater to take a look, and then decide if it's worth it."

"no problem."

"Then I'll be waiting for your arrival on Broadway!"

Seeing that the two had almost finished discussing their matters, Liu Xiaoli quickly said, "Alright, alright, let's eat something first, or it'll get cold."

"That's right, Leonard's food is quite delicious, even people from the East can eat it."

"It's expensive too," Liu Yifei said, sticking out her tongue.

"The price is high because of its privacy. Besides, you're a big star, do you really need that little bit of money?"

"Of course I'm short of money. Who says I'm a big star? My pay is very low."

"Bai Xiuzhu in 'The Story of a Noble Family' made you famous all over the country. I remember you also had 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,' right? If that doesn't make you a big star, then what are the other actors?" Eric continued to tease Liu Yifei.

"But 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils' hasn't even started airing yet. I heard from the director that it won't air until December this year. It's still a long way from being a big star."

"You guys are still traveling in the US, while the special period in China is over, right? Why don't you hurry back to filming?"

"I can't just take any role. My mom said that if I'm going to act, I should act in something influential, preferably a big-budget production by a famous director."

"Yes, the roles that are coming to Feifei now aren't very good. We don't care about the pay, the key is that the scripts are bad and the roles aren't outstanding. Instead of wasting time filming these roles, we should study hard."

"Eric, now Fifi and I have followed your advice and hired a martial arts teacher and a private acting coach to improve our skills so we can break into Hollywood in the future."

As she spoke, Liu Xiaoli raised her glass: "Come on, let me toast you."

They each took a sip, and Liu Xiaoli continued, "I told you in New York last time that Feifei has been practicing for over two months and has a solid foundation now. I wonder if you could give her a role?"

Upon hearing this, Eric was startled, surprised that the other party actually dared to make such a request.

It took Jackie Chan and Jet Li twenty years to break into Hollywood. You think you can get in after just two months? Do you think you can get in through a public toilet?

Unexpectedly, Liu Xiaoli added, "I didn't mean to make Feifei the lead actress. She's too young and inexperienced to be a lead actress."

"Small roles or cameos are fine; we're willing to start from the bottom. Everything has to have a beginning, right?"

Eric nodded slightly, indicating that Eric knew his place.

Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, each tap seeming to strike the hearts of Liu and her daughter.

After a while, Eric finally spoke up: "The MGM projects have all started filming recently, and the cast is mostly finalized."

"How about this, I'll go back and look through the script. If there's a suitable one, it's fine to let Crystal play the role."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaoli immediately smiled happily. "I've caught you three times now. I've finally gotten something useful."

"Feifei, you should also toast Eric."

"Forget it, Crystal is still young. Try to stay away from drinking culture. Too many people have already fallen into this trap. I hope you won't be corrupted by those bad trends."

"Yes, I will!" Liu Yifei said emphatically.

"Don't worry, I will protect Feifei at all costs!"

The meal was eaten quickly, ending around 8 PM. Being a gentleman, Eric called a car for them to return to their hotel before heading home.

I was also exhausted after a long day, especially after the big battle with the Olsen sisters in the morning, which took a lot of energy out of me.

After taking a shower, Eric went to bed early.

When I woke up in the middle of the night needing to urinate, I glanced at the bathroom and saw a text message from Liu Xiaoli. The message contained only one short line.

"We're staying at the Rupert Hotel. I'll be waiting for you tonight."

However, the text message was sent more than an hour ago, and it's already past 1 a.m. now. I don't know if this slut is asleep or not.

The memory of that slutty woman seducing him at the shopping mall, along with the images of two rabbits and a big white sheep, kept popping into Eric's mind, making him daydream.

I've been eating Western food lately, it's nice to change things up.

Moreover, after a good night's sleep, my energy has been restored considerably, and I can easily perform the eight-style night battle again.

After thinking for a moment, Eric replied to Liu Xiaoli with a text message: "I just woke up, are you asleep?"

I didn't have high hopes, but the message came back quickly, and it was still very brief.

Let me know when you arrive.

"Damn it, let's fight until dawn!"

After getting dressed and going downstairs, I found that the health-preserving wine that Han Sanping had mailed had arrived. I decided to have a drink first.

He took out the disgusting green liquid Sergei had given him from the refrigerator and downed another glass.

He turned and walked out of the house, heading straight for the hotel. He arrived at his destination twenty minutes later, his body already burning up.

Drinking the two liquids together makes the effect exceptionally strong; it's a fusion of East and West.

Eric's family doctor couldn't figure out the cause, so he went to the hospital for a checkup and found that it hadn't affected his health at all; on the contrary, it had made his sperm motility even stronger.

The doctors at the hospital also didn't know the underlying principle, but they still advised him not to overdo it, preferably no more than twice a week, and to come to the hospital for regular check-ups.

After checking into the room, I went straight to the fifth floor.

"514, come here quickly!"

After sending the text message, a moment later there was a knock on the door.

dong dong dong...

Click!

The moment the knock sounded, Eric, who was waiting at the door, opened the handle and pulled Liu Xiaoli inside.

"Eric... ugh!"

Before Liu Xiaoli could finish her sentence, she was pressed to the ground with tremendous force, and her legs went down to her knees.

A few minutes later, she mustered all her strength and shoved Eric away, glaring at him and yelling, "You bastard, couldn't you have given me a break?"

"Is it really that exaggerated?" Eric chuckled.

"rogue!"

Liu Xiaoli was so angry that she raised her hand to hit him, but she didn't have much strength. Eric caught her immediately, turned around, and carried her into the bedroom.

boom!

With a muffled thud, the woman was violently thrown onto the bed.

Meanwhile, in another room, Zhou Wenqiong opened her eyes and looked at the doorway.

Although Liu Xiaoli's departure was very quiet, it still woke her up. She watched her cousin walk out of the room in silence.

If a woman goes out in the middle of the night, and does so stealthily, it's pretty easy to guess what she's up to.

Zhou Wenqiong is shrewd and immediately thought of Eric.

She got up and went to the suite next door where the Liu mother and daughter were staying. She found Liu Yifei still fast asleep and shook her head helplessly.

"Oh, Feifei, you have no idea that for your future, your mother is being taken advantage of."

"But Eric Cooper is so handsome, so from another perspective, it's actually your mother who's getting the better deal. Maybe she's enjoying it."

At this moment, seeing the cell phone on the bedside table, Zhou Wenqiong hesitated for a moment, but still quietly walked over and picked it up.

She quickly found the text messages after opening them, which confirmed her suspicions.

Sure enough, my cousin got involved with that young man.

"514, should I go check it out?"

He muttered to himself, then turned away from the strange thought, but another idea immediately popped into his head.

"If my cousin can help Feifei get a good role by dedicating herself to this, could we ask her for a favor?"

"Perhaps if she just needs to win over the other party a few more times, and MGM provides some resources, she can really become the director of theater."

Zhou Wenqiong's mind raced, with various thoughts constantly emerging and intertwining.

Today is the end of the day. The old lady was 92 years old, so it can be considered a happy funeral. These past few days have exhausted me.

(End of this chapter)