Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter One: My Favorite
A few months of calm and tranquility...
All of this proves one thing—as Martin said, "No one can stop the Rothschild family's business; otherwise, they are the family's enemy."
This statement may not be entirely accurate, because I believe there are definitely forces in this world qualified to challenge the Rothschild family... but at least one thing is certain: it is definitely not the Gambino family.
The film was shot smoothly. I spent a symbolic ten dollars to rent the Torch Building as an exterior location, and also hired Los Angeles Police Department Officer Louis as a consultant for the film. These were undoubtedly just gimmicks, but you have to do them for the sake of film promotion.
James Cameron certainly lived up to his reputation for "spending lavishly" to find actors. I had suspected it from the start—his initiative to revise the script and reduce the budget—had he changed his ways? As it turned out, the initial budget of $100 million was increased three times at his insistence, and filming was repeatedly delayed, finally wrapping up in the sweltering heat of July. Looking at the final cost, I was speechless: $160 million.
However, several invited film experts who had seen the sample footage unanimously agreed that the film was good. Although an action film may not have profound artistic value, it was definitely a success as a commercial action film.
What followed was a series of promotional campaigns before the film's theatrical release.
This time, completely unexpectedly, the media broke a news story:
Is rising action star Tiger dating the stunning Jessica?!
When I first saw this news in the Los Angeles Times, I thought it was a publicity stunt by the company's PR team. But after inquiring, I found out that wasn't the case.
I couldn't help but smile wryly. Could it be that Xiao Hu has really been hooked up with Jessica?
I immediately summoned Xiao Hu. After nearly six months in Hollywood, he had shed his former naive and impetuous youth. The company's image consultants had designed his clothing, hairstyle, and demeanor to best showcase his charm. Now, Xiao Hu possessed a tanned bronze complexion reminiscent of a California beach, wore a tailored shirt that deliberately revealed a section of his chest muscle below his neck, and a specially designed minimalist pendant around his neck that accentuated a touch of carefree and untamed wildness.
Of course, under my protection, Xiao Hu didn't go astray during the glamorous entertainment month. At least he still persisted in practicing his skills every day.
"You... what's written here isn't true, is it?" I smiled wryly, pointing to the newspaper in front of me, which contained a series of photos. Some were blurry, clearly snapshots taken by a reporter. The first photo showed Lei Xiaohu driving an Audi Q7, with Jessica sitting beside him. The second photo showed the two walking side-by-side into a nightclub, their expressions intimate.
Lei Xiaohu glanced at the newspaper, his expression somewhat awkward, but he still admitted it: "Yeah, the night before last, Jessica asked me out... sigh, we still got photographed by these reporters. I drove for six blocks but couldn't shake them off."
I asked him, "Do you really like Jessica?"
Lei Xiaohu rolled his eyes and thought for a while: "I don't know. She's very pretty, and she seems to like me a lot. I don't know if I like her or not."
I sighed: "So you don't like it." I looked at the young man in front of me.
Then he remembered that he was almost twenty years old. But under his senior brother's traditional, high-pressure education… well, in his senior brother's martial arts school, there wasn't a woman, not even a hen. This kid was really quite pitiful. And let alone in America, even in some cities in China, handsome young men his age would already have girlfriends.
"If you had to choose, would you prefer a Chinese girl or Jessica?" I asked him again.
Lei Xiaohu thought for a moment and said without hesitation, "I like Chinese girls."
I'm certain again that Xiao Hu isn't dating Jessica. He seems to be just a hot-blooded young man, driven by instinct to be near beautiful women. However… Jessica's initiative in approaching Xiao Hu is probably not so simple. This woman has worked in Hollywood; she's a master of all sorts of publicity stunts. With the movie about to be released, creating some buzz at this time would naturally benefit her.
It's all just the rules of the industry. As long as she doesn't go too far, I won't bother with her.
However, I still gave Xiaohu a few words of advice, since he had no experience in the ways of the world and might get sold out without even realizing it. But it seemed I didn't need to remind him. Lei Xiaohu thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I didn't like the place she took me to the other night. It was too noisy. And everyone there was so pretentious. Sigh, but she really has a great figure, and she dances beautifully."
I smiled and said nothing more.
Well, to put it simply... this is a feeling every virgin going through puberty will experience. Just let nature take its course.
Afterwards, I gave him a few instructions, called the company secretary, and took care of some things... Around noon, Yang Wei knocked on the door and came in. She stood at the door looking at me: "Are you ready? Can we go now?"
My expression wasn't relaxed, but I forced a smile and glanced at Yang Wei: "Alright, let's go."
I will be flying back to Vancouver in two hours...
I've been in Los Angeles for over half a year now, and I've been leaving the Vancouver business to Ciro. This time, I have two things to take care of when I get back. The first is the quarterly smuggling spoils distribution meeting. I still need to be there for these meetings; otherwise, Ciro alone probably won't be able to keep those underworld bosses in check.
The second thing I need to deal with is... my engagement with Yan Di.
In the six months or so I've been away, Yan Di only came to Los Angeles to spend a week with me in the first two months. And perhaps to avoid awkwardness, Yang Wei made up an excuse to go back to Las Vegas that week, saying she was going back to handle some family matters. We both knew the truth behind that excuse.
However, the problem still needs to be faced. I promised Yan Di I would marry her... and I truly cherish this girl, and I have never broken my engagement. The problem at hand is... Yang Wei is with me.
We had deliberately avoided talking about this issue before, focusing on our work at the company. Even though we lived in the same house, we never mentioned it. But we can't stay in Los Angeles forever. I, and perhaps she, both knew very well that once things were over here, when I went back, I would face my wedding.
I made no secret of my feelings for Yang Wei.
But at the same time, Yan Di's place in my heart is unshakeable. Sometimes I even think, should I become an Arab citizen? I've heard that Arabs can marry four wives… or maybe I should just immigrate to Africa, since the legal system there isn't very sound either.
Of course. These are all rather naive thoughts. One night, out of sheer boredom, I called Wood again to bother him… By the way, I've been in touch with Wood more lately. Because I've strangely noticed that this guy is becoming less and less like "Wood."
Although he's still that medical fanatic who loves reading comics, and his speech is still sharp and eccentric, he's much better than before, when he couldn't utter a single word even after being beaten ten times.
That night, Wood mercilessly shattered my naive dreams, telling me bluntly:
"Do you think your women are all fools? Let me tell you, a woman's intuition can be more terrifying than anything else. Yan Di already knew you had more than one woman. The others, whether it's Yang Wei or Qiao Qiao, understand this very well. They haven't said anything, they're just waiting for you to make your statement."
What stance should be taken?
“Choose one of them as your legal wife, a public title. As for the other, at least I can assure you that Jojo won't leave you. That woman is crazy; last time she actually told me she thinks being a mistress is much more fun than being a wife. And she also said she's not the type to be a good wife. Do you know what she said to me when we had dinner last time?”
"What?"
She said, "At worst, we can play the game of having an affair every day for thirty days a month; that's what's exciting."
I sighed: "What's your suggestion?"
“You have to do something, there’s no point in dragging this out… You have to marry one of them eventually. I don’t think these girls seem to mind if you have several women, but you’d better not dream of changing your nationality and marrying them all. Even if they were willing, their families wouldn’t allow it.” Wood added, “Finally, I’ll give you a classic quote!”
"What?"
"The red flag at home never falls, while colorful flags flutter outside," Mu Tou said to me shamelessly.
"Damn it."
Sitting on the plane, I was still feeling a bit down. I'd already figured out Qiaoqiao's attitude through Mu Tou. This woman had never considered marrying me? Marriage wasn't for her. And Yang Wei? I was certain that Yang Wei would actually love to be my wife.
Looking at Yang Wei, who was sitting next to me pretending to be asleep, I sighed.
Just then, Yang Wei suddenly opened her eyes and put a small box into my palm.
"What?" I looked at her.
"This is for you..." Yang smiled as if it were a light breeze: "A wedding gift."
I opened my mouth, but couldn't say anything; I didn't know what to say.
Yang Wei said softly, "She was the first one to follow you, and from the time you lost your job and had nothing, to when you were being chased and on the run, she waited for you the whole time. If it were an ordinary woman, she would have kicked you out long ago. I can't compare to that kind of affection. I know I can't compete with her, and I've never even thought about competing with her. You're a man, and in your heart, whether you're with me or with... Qiao Qiao, her position has never changed. That's enough to prove something. Although I'm sometimes incredibly jealous, I know that these are things I can't change."
I still didn't say anything. Yang Wei continued, "You are Chen Yang. You are Xiao Wu. I know very well, the Xiao Wu I know, would never abandon his wife who has shared his hardships. This is your principle, and also your way of doing things. I won't force you. Nor can I force you."
After saying this, Yang Wei looked at my speechless expression and suddenly smiled: "When you get back, remember to tell Yan Di thank you for me."
"..." I looked at Yang Wei with a puzzled expression.
Yang Wei sighed, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice, "Actually, I have already met Yan Di."
"What?!" I almost jumped out of my seat!
Because Yan Di had never met Yang Wei before, I had always kept my relationship with Yang Wei a secret.
"Do you remember a few months ago when I said I was going to Vancouver to get an advance on my share of the profits to exchange for the family's support?" Yang Wei's gaze was somewhat profound. "That time, I just couldn't resist. I wanted to see your fiancée... Actually, the reason I brought you to Los Angeles to start a film company, why not earlier or later, but precisely when you were preparing for your wedding? I think you should understand that."
I smiled. Actually, everyone already knew this. Yang Wei dragged me out to America to do business at that exact time, neither too early nor too late; I had long suspected she was doing it on purpose.
Yang Wei smiled slightly, a little embarrassed. Then her expression changed, and she said in a low voice, "That time when I went to Vancouver, while you were away, I wanted to get to know this Miss Yan Di. Although I already knew about her and that she was your first girlfriend, I was very curious why, out of all the women around you, you only had the thought of marrying her. To be honest, I was quite unconvinced at the time."
I frowned... This was Yang Wei's own idea again.
Seeing my frown, Yang Wei immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry. I won't act recklessly. I just made an excuse to go to your house." But then she sighed, her expression becoming somewhat complicated: "After meeting her, I understood why none of us could shake her position in your heart. Actually, Chen Yang, do you know? Yan Di is the smartest girl I've ever met."
"...Smart?" I was a little confused. In any case, the word "smart" should best describe Yang Wei, not Yan Di.
Yang Wei thought for a moment, then turned her head and said, "Perhaps 'smart' isn't the right word. What I want to say is that although she's a very innocent girl, the only person I've ever met who's completely without guile, it's precisely because of this that she gives me a feeling of being unable to compete with her. There's an old saying, 'Not competing is better than competing.' Yan Di is that kind of 'non-competitive' person. Precisely because she doesn't 'compete' for anything, miraculously, in the end, she gained everything. What I can't understand even more is that these qualities aren't feigned; they're purely a genuine kindness and purity..."
I was a little confused by what I heard.
Yang Wei continued, "Moreover... she's not the kind of stupid girl. She may not be smart, but she's very perceptive. For example, when I came to her house, the moment she saw me, I had a feeling that I couldn't pretend. Perhaps she already knew my true identity then. In fact, I could even see it in her eyes... she clearly knew about our relationship."
I was very curious about what Yang Wei was hiding, so I couldn't help but ask her about it.
"That day... when she invited me in, it was so natural, as if I were just an ordinary visitor. Actually, I sensed that this girl understood everything. It's just that she didn't seem to care about any of it? Well, not that she didn't care, but rather that she kept it all to herself. She acted as if nothing had happened, politely inviting me in, pouring me tea, and then even inviting me to stay for lunch..."
...
…………
A few months ago, at my home in Vancouver.
"Did you make all of this?" Yang Wei looked at the simple yet exquisite four dishes and soup in front of her, standard Chinese food, and very suitable for the tastes of southerners. She picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, put them down, and smiled, "Chen Yang is really lucky."
Yan Di smiled gently. She wore a casual cotton T-shirt, her hair was tied up loosely, and her face was as plain as a noodle dish. She wore no makeup whatsoever, yet she looked exceptionally comfortable.
The dishes weren't elaborate. Yang Wei had initially wondered if she had seen through her intentions and was deliberately showing off her cooking skills to provoke her. But looking at the simple dishes in front of her—purely the most ordinary home-cooked meals—Yang Wei dismissed her suspicions.
She took another bite of the eggplant in front of her and smiled, praising it twice.
Yan Di's eyes were clean and clear. She simply smiled and said, "Well, actually, Xiao Wu hasn't tried this dish yet. Because before, we couldn't buy some of the seasonings needed for Chinese food here... But it's much better now. I've learned to drive, and I recently found a store that sells authentic Chinese seasonings. So, these dishes can be considered to have the real taste."
Yang Wei casually asked, only to discover that the store Yan Di mentioned was actually dozens of kilometers away. She couldn't help but say, "But... wouldn't you have to drive back and forth for hours every day just to cook?"
Yan Di smiled gently and said naturally, "Anyway, I don't have much to do at home... and Xiao Wu is actually a very picky eater. If the food doesn't suit his taste, he won't say anything, but he'll eat very little. I went to great lengths to find that store so that he could eat well."
Yang Wei remained silent. She picked up a piece of food from the plate in front of her, put it in her mouth, and chewed it a couple of times. She couldn't help but ask, "What is this? Hmm, is it lettuce?"
Yan Di couldn't help but reveal a genuine smile of joy, and she suddenly laughed as if she were very happy. She excitedly asked, "Miss Yang, you really can't tell what this is?"
"Hmm...?" Yang Wei looked puzzled.
With a hint of pride and relief, Yan Di patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness, it seems I finally succeeded." Her smile was so innocent, and that genuine joy left Yang Wei bewildered. However, Yan Di then explained it to Yang Wei.
"This isn't lettuce, it's carrot," Yan Di said earnestly. "Carotene is good for Chen Yang's health. But Chen Yang hates carrots more than anything. And once he gets stubborn, there's nothing I can do. I can only try to coax him to eat. The first time, I deliberately cooked a whole table of dishes with carrots. Although he didn't say anything, he ate very little that day, barely touching any vegetables. I was worried, so the second time I tried to cook carrots with other vegetables, but Chen Yang picked them out with his chopsticks. The third time, I mixed several vegetables of similar colors together, trying to trick him into thinking there were no carrots in it, but he could tell as soon as he tasted it. Later, I thought of many ways to make it taste so good that he couldn't tell the difference."
At this point, Yan Di winked at Yang Wei.
“But you can persuade him to eat it,” Yang Wei couldn’t help but laugh. “I think he loves you so much, if you insist that he eat it, he won’t refuse such a small thing.”
Yan Di's answer completely shocked Yang Wei!
“I don’t want him to feel wronged.” Yan Di sighed softly. “I know that if I begged him, he might be willing to do anything for me. But I just don’t want him to be unhappy. I just want him to be happy and have a smooth day every day. If even something as simple as eating requires him to be forced to do it, and if he has to be unhappy, then… I know he works very hard and is very tired outside. So when he comes home, I absolutely don’t want him to suffer even the slightest grievance. Just seeing him frown makes my heart ache.”
Yang Wei was intelligent her whole life, yet she never imagined that she would one day go to great lengths because the man she loved didn't like to eat something. Perhaps in Yang Wei's mind, these were all trivial matters, insignificant things, or even a waste of time.
But there was one girl who valued everything about her lover, even the smallest details, more than anything else.
Perhaps, that's the difference... Yang Wei thought to herself.
At least, although Yang Wei loved that man in her heart, she never thought of driving for several hours every day to buy him special seasonings (in fact, Yang Wei probably didn't even know the difference between peanut oil and vegetable oil), or trying different things to coax him to eat every day.
Thinking of this, Yang Wei suddenly felt an indescribable hostility towards the girl in front of her who was smiling so innocently. She couldn't help but want to see if this girl was truly so open and honest, or if she was just pretending.
So, under these particular emotional circumstances, she couldn't help but say the worst thing she could have said.