On the plane, Chen Xing, seeing his boss looking listless, ordered a cup of tea.
"Boss, is the alcohol from yesterday still affecting you? Have some tea. My elders at home say that tea is very useful for sobering up."
Eric took a sip of tea and said, "Go get a pillow or something. I twisted my back last night and need something to prop it up."
Sitting by the window, Eric rubbed his aching back and couldn't help but sigh, cursing the saying, "thirty like a wolf, forty like a tiger." He had truly experienced it last night.
When Liu Xiaoli undressed, he knew what kind of business she wanted to discuss. Although not entirely accurate, it was indeed worth hundreds of millions.
He had been a bit tipsy last night, and coupled with his past life's experience in the Chinese entertainment industry, he had to admit that this woman truly aroused his desire.
Moreover, not having released himself for a week was immense pressure for a young man.
Look at those high school and college students; many do it once a day.
In short, the bottom line was that Eric couldn't resist Liu Xiaoli's temptation.
And this somewhat older woman did not disappoint him.
Her professional skills were excellent, and her years of dance training gave her exceptional flexibility.
She performed various difficult moves, and some of her techniques even amazed Eric, a seasoned player.
The two battled until past six in the morning. This woman's skill was even better than Eileenah Olsen's.
Eric felt uncomfortably swollen, yet when she left, she even threw him a flirtatious look, saying there would be a next time.
At that moment, he felt used.
Then, after sleeping for less than an hour, he woke up. How could Eric not be tired? His eyelids were drooping, and he absolutely needed a good sleep on the plane.
As for Liu Yifei's issue, Eric remained firm. Don't think that just because you slept with me, I owe you something. Whether I give it to you or not is still up to me.
Hollywood is an option, but the prerequisite remains: find a reliable teacher to learn acting and train diligently.
Two years later, when Liu Yifei turns 18, if she meets these two conditions and has gained some fame in China, MGM can sign a project contract with her.
As for the level of the project and the type of role, that will depend on her skill at the time, and perhaps her mother's level of dedication.
It was essentially a verbal promise, serving as a form of insurance for Liu Yifei's future.
After all, it was just one night. Seeing Liu Xiaoli's satisfied expression when she left, who truly lost out is still unknown.
Los Angeles International Airport.
Eric, who had slept the entire flight, finally regained his energy. He hadn't eaten anything during the half-day flight, and now his stomach was rumbling.
The driver, Peter, pulled over and helped Chen Xing load the numerous small gifts from China into the trunk.
"Boss, where do you want to go?"
He checked the time; it was not yet 7:30. He had originally planned to go to the set first upon his return.
The filming of transformers had been ongoing for two months. Under Eric's direction, progress was very fast. All the outdoor scenes were completed, and now only the studio scenes remained, so the crew had returned to Los Angeles.
In his plan before returning, he would get off the plane, go to the set to comfort the beautiful Gadot, and then battle with Sevi until late at night.
He just didn't expect to be preempted by Liu Xiaoli, so naturally, he wasn't in a hurry to go to the set. He thought it would be better to go home and see his mother, the woman who loved him most in this world.
The car drove all the way to Beverly Hills. With the specially selected gifts in hand, Eric suddenly burst through the door.
"Surprise!"
In the living room, his father was watching TV, while the young nanny and his mother were preparing dinner.
Hearing Eric's voice, the three of them jumped in surprise, but once they saw his face, they immediately smiled happily.
His mother put down the plate and quickly walked over to hug Eric.
A week ago, she was still furious with her son for getting involved with a divorced woman more than a decade older than him. Even if she was a big star, it was unacceptable; the Cooper Family didn't lack women of that status.
However, after learning that Eric had gone to China, only worry remained in her heart.
Although her son called every day to report his safety, as a mother, she was still deeply concerned, and perhaps all she could do was pray.
"My darling, I am so happy to see you return safely. Thank God!"
"Yes, thank God!"
Kissing his mother, Eric placed the gifts on the table: "Not only have I returned safely, but I've also brought you exquisite gifts. Now I'm going to shower. You can open them yourselves and tell me your thoughts later."
After speaking, he went upstairs to the bathroom. After showering, he changed into loungewear and came downstairs.
In the living room, his mother was holding a silk scarf, tying it around her neck.
"Eric, this scarf is wonderful. The color is so beautiful, and it feels great against the skin, not gritty at all."
Eric walked over and personally tied a knot for his mother: "Mom, this is the correct way to wear it. It's made of the finest silk. Wear it to a party, and you'll be the center of attention."
His mother chuckled non-stop: "I love this silk scarf, Eric, you're always the most thoughtful. That Joshua, not only does he not come home, but he hasn't brought us any gifts after being in San Francisco for so long!"
"Yes, Joshua is truly terrible, Mom. I heard that the team's conduct is not very good, especially the relationships between cheerleaders and players are very complicated. You must be careful."
Speaking of Joshua, Eric naturally seized the opportunity to retaliate for the previous mockery.
His father held a bottle of baijiu, examining it carefully under the light: "Look at these little things, why are there so many things steeped in the wine, Eric, what are they?"
Eric showed a mysterious smile: "I can't explain it, but they are all good things. Drink a glass with dinner, and you will experience the effects tonight."
"Effects? What effects?" his father asked curiously.
"I can't tell you that; you'll have to experience it yourself."
"Alright, let me see what good stuff you've brought me after all." His father laughed heartily.
This bottle of liquor was naturally a good thing, specially given by Han Sanping when he left, who said it was a unique secret recipe, nourishing yin and tonifying kidney, most suitable for high-ranking individuals in the entertainment industry like them.
No choice, this industry indeed consumed a lot of his energy.
Even the sexy young nanny sweetly said thank you. Eric had brought her a set of traditional Chinese collectible dolls, including the Great Sage, Nezha, Erlang Shen, etc., all exquisitely designed and very popular with young people.
At the dinner table, the two father and son talked about what had happened at MGM during the past week.
"Eric, that whale rider you bought from the Sundance Film Festival has officially finished its run. Its final global box office was 52.3 million US dollars."
"It actually broke 50 million US dollars? That's a pleasant surprise, big or small. I thought 40 million was its limit."
"Then you should thank New Zealand and Australia. The box office in those two countries actually surpassed Europe, which is quite rare. In short, it will allow us to make a small profit." His father laughed heartily.
"Also, HBO has already aired the pilot episode of the walking dead. Zack Thomas called me, and to use that old man's words, it was quite explosive."
"According to user feedback collected by HBO, 87% of subscribers gave it an 'anticipated' rating. However, a small portion also thought the show was too scary, especially for children, so they suggested airing it after 10 PM, once the children are asleep."
"What's Thomas's attitude?" Eric asked.
His father, with wide eyes and a grin, chuckled, "What kind of attitude could that old dog have? He begged me to make sure the subsequent episodes were well-produced. As for the broadcast time, it's set for April 15th, and of course, it'll be in prime time."
"HBO isn't stupid; how could they abandon 90% of users for 10%? And even if some children are scared by zombies, that's the family's responsibility. Everyone in America knows that explicit content is HBO's trademark."
"Eric, you've been in the industry for a relatively short time, so you don't know that Zack Thomas and I have known each other for many years. This is the first time he's actively sought me out. Thinking about that call now, I'm still incredibly excited, hahahaha."
Across the table, his mother gently cut a piece of bread: "This isn't about how long you've been in the industry. Your father and Zack Thomas were high school classmates, but he was on the school team, and your father was responsible for bringing water."
Pfft.
Eric burst out laughing. He guessed his father must have been bullied by him in high school, perhaps even subjected to American bullying. Otherwise, what was there to be so excited about a phone call?
His father glared at his mother, seemingly blaming her for talking too much, then quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, the production side reported that get out has started casting. Regarding the Black male lead, I have a recommendation."
Eric, who was eating a chicken drumstick, looked up. His father spread his hands: "No choice, this young man's agent is an old friend of mine. He recommended him during the transformers audition last time. I told him that was nonsense, but you can't refuse a person twice."
"What's the actor's name? How old is he? What works has he appeared in?"
"This actor is Anthony Mackie, not yet 25 years old this year. He hasn't been in the industry for too long, but he won an Obie Award last year."
Eric's eyes lit up: "He's won an Obie Award, so at least his acting skills are guaranteed. Let him audition for James Wan. If it comes down to a difficult choice, he can be given priority."
"Anthony Mackie."
"Yes, Anthony Mackie. Strange, I always feel like that name sounds familiar, but I can't quite recall it right now."
"Perhaps you've seen him in a small role."
"Maybe so."
Regarding the film get out, the only confirmed cast member was Chloë Sevigny, who would play the female lead.
Sevi is 27 this year, and playing opposite a 25-year-old male lead wouldn't be out of place.
After dinner, the father and son went to the balcony. What was discussed at the dinner table didn't need to be kept secret, but what they were about to discuss now couldn't be overheard by others.
His father drank the last sip of baijiu from his glass. The spicy taste made him involuntarily frown, his eyes almost squeezed into slits.
"Eric, if this weren't a gift you specifically brought back, I would never drink a drop of it. This taste is going to kill me!"
Seeing his troubled expression, Eric chuckled.
"Dad, you'll soon experience its benefits. By the way, how's the progress on Robert Thorne's shares?"
After drinking some water to ease the burning, his father's face still looked unpleasant: "Everything is going smoothly. That guy has indeed started selling his Dual Star Entertainment shares. I've already sent people to contact him, valuing it at 1.5 billion US dollars."
"Only just over 300 million US dollars? I thought he would at least ask for 400 million US dollars or more." Eric was a bit surprised.
He was quite satisfied with this price, which basically matched the value of Dual Star Entertainment. Even if there was a premium, it wasn't much and was within an acceptable range.
"Yes, Robert Thorne isn't as foolish as we thought. Initially, he asked for 500 million US dollars."
"However, as I had the private equity fund apply pressure, he suddenly had several more competitors. Under pressure, Thorne eventually lowered the price to 1.5 billion."
"Although there's still some room for negotiation, I'm worried that others might step in. Rather than creating complications, it's better to secure the deal."
"Once the contract is signed in the next few days, Thorne will effectively bid farewell to Dual Star Entertainment."
Eric nodded. He always trusted his father's steady approach to things.
At this point, Harry Cooper changed the subject: "However, although this acquisition proceeded relatively smoothly, it also significantly depleted the company's liquid funds. Coupled with your investment in China, the initial capital was only 20 million US dollars, but according to the plan, the investment will need to be increased to 50 million US dollars by October."
"Furthermore, the company currently has projects awaiting launch and those already underway, including transformers, legally blonde 2, barbershop 2, saw 2, a quiet place, happy death day, Don't Breathe, the hangover, blue is the warmest color, get out, the walking dead, frozen, and so on, as well as la vie en rose, which you mentioned before you left."
"And then there's that young fellow Billy. Although he's always flying around, as long as he achieves results, it's satisfying. The copyright fees for works like house of cards, American Gods, and Game of Thrones have so far cost over 13 million US dollars."
"Also, some time ago you wanted to set up an online film and television platform, and a dating network, right? I'm really not very proficient in young people's affairs. In short, 10 million US dollars was allocated to those people in Silicon Valley."
"Although I don't know when the project will launch, it already needs 10 million US dollars before it even starts. Once it really gets going, it will surely be a money-burning machine."
After his father reviewed the situation, Eric realized that MGM had so many projects ongoing simultaneously, and Hasbro still had a lot of money tied up.
He was primarily responsible for production and planning, while his father mainly oversaw financial matters. And he truly was a good father; with so many accounts weighing on his head, he never complained to him.
If it were an ordinary partner, they would have long since stopped Eric's actions. Leaving aside other things, a film and television company getting involved in the internet—that alone would be unacceptable to many.
Eric scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "Is the pressure very high? AK Films has already received the box office share for sharknado. Let's transfer a portion over first."
Speaking it out seemed to make him feel a bit better. Harry Cooper smiled: "Don't misunderstand, son, I'm not complaining. At least for now, we can manage."
"It just means I need to spend more time haggling with those people to get them to pay in advance."
"And once the walking dead airs on April 15th, as long as the effect is explosive enough, I'll immediately press that old man Zack Thomas for the final payment. I doubt he'd dare not listen to me."
"Strange, why do I feel warm inside, like there's a fire burning?"
"Harry, come quickly and take a bath. I've already prepared the water."
Inside, his mother called out.
That sudden call made his father a little flustered, and his thoughts seemed to drift back to his youth.
"I'm coming, my dear!"