novellhall Chapter 71 My Connection to the Mafia?
Chapter 71 My Connection to the Mafia?
In late July, Beijing was experiencing the Great Heat.
The ground at the Capital Airport, which had just experienced a thorough rain, was scorching hot, and the air was thick with a dry heat mixed with the scorching smell of dirt and asphalt.
Lin Ruiyang, wearing a thin shirt and carrying only a retro leather travel bag, walked out of the VIP passage.
Even though he tried to keep a low profile and even wore sunglasses that almost covered half his face, the moment he stepped out of the passage, the long-waiting cameras and microphones still swarmed around him like sharks smelling blood.
"Director Lin! Does the early wrap-up of 'The Devil Wears Prada' in New York mean that Fox is completely satisfied with your filming efficiency?"
"Director Lin, there are rumors circulating in China that Huayi Brothers has offered you an exorbitant salary to join their team. Would you consider filming your next movie in China?"
"Director Lin, the rumors that you used the iron fist of capital to suppress Hollywood stars have sparked a great deal of discussion in China. What would you like to say to the Chinese audience about this?"
Lin Ruiyang kept walking, maintaining a perfect distance from the microphone that was almost poking his face.
"Thank you for your concern. The Queen crew has only completed filming in New York so far. In October, we will be heading to Paris to film the main scenes for Fashion Week."
As for domestic cooperation, everything is still in the process of being negotiated. Personally, I'd rather use this downtime to get some rest.
Under the strict control of airport security personnel, Lin Ruiyang successfully got into the car.
The car door slammed shut, completely isolating the nearly frenzied entertainment reporters and flashing lights outside into another world.
Outside the car window, Beijing in 2005 was a bustling construction site for Olympic venues, with huge cranes rising from the ground, showcasing the country's burgeoning vitality.
"Tap—tap—tap—"
Lin Ruiyang gently knocked on the slightly ajar red lacquered wooden door.
"Come in."
"Teacher, I'm back." Lin Ruiyang closed the door behind him and took off his sunglasses with a smile.
Liu Yibing suddenly raised his head, put on his glasses, and carefully examined Lin Ruiyang.
"You brat, you finally decided to come back? I thought you'd forgotten where you came from in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood!" Liu Yibing said with a laugh.
"How could that be? The hamburgers and steaks in Los Angeles can't compare to the aroma of your Da Hong Pao tea. Besides, I'm going to Paris in October, so I just took a break from my busy schedule to come back and visit you."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yibing's usually serious face showed a rare hint of genuine relief.
"You little rascal, you've been doing really well in Hollywood, and now you're back with an even smoother tongue."
You didn't just come back to China after filming wrapped up to sneak away for tea, did you? What are your plans for the future?
As he spoke, Liu Yibing refilled Lin Ruiyang's teacup.
Boiling water was poured into the Yixing teapot, causing the tea leaves to swirl and quickly filling the office with a rich aroma of Wuyi rock tea.
Lin Ruiyang leaned back on the sofa, finally able to truly relax.
"My plans... I'll take a few days off to adjust to the time difference. Although filming in New York wrapped up ahead of schedule, Paris is where the real action begins."
Liu Yibing nodded.
"Isn't the Fashion Week part difficult to photograph?"
"It's not that it's hard to film, it's just very troublesome." Lin Ruiyang rubbed his temples.
"New York can close off streets and rely on Fox News for coordination. But Paris Fashion Week is the most media-intensive event in the world. You set up a camera and there are probably a dozen brands holding shows around you at the same time."
Liu Yibing was delighted to hear this.
"You're really acting like an international director now, always talking about Paris Fashion Week."
"Teacher, please don't laugh at me." Lin Ruiyang waved his hand helplessly.
"Those Frenchmen are even more difficult to deal with than the capitalists in New York. Especially in the fashion industry, they all seem to have 'I'm the best in the world' written all over their heads."
Liu Yibing laughed twice.
He didn't really understand fashion or luxury goods. But he could sense that Lin Ruiyang's aura was completely different from what it had been six months ago.
It's not impetuousness, but a composure born from having truly seen the big stage.
"But you've made quite a stir this time; the whole school is talking about you these past few days. Some students from the Central Academy of Drama and the Beijing Film Academy are practically praising you as a national hero."
Lin Ruiyang nearly choked on his tea: "Is it really that exaggerated?"
"It's more exaggerated than you think."
Liu Yibing pondered for a moment, just about to explain in detail, when he heard a series of hurried and light footsteps outside the door.
"Knock knock knock!"
The red lacquered wooden door was gently pushed open a crack, and a mischievous little head peeked in.
"Uncle Liu! I heard from the teachers in the department that senior student Lin Ruiyang came back to visit you. I just received my admission notice and happened to come to the school to see you! I hope I haven't bothered you?"
The person who arrived was Yang Mi. At this moment, she had just received her admission notice for the 05 class of the Performance Department of Yanjing Film Academy, and there was still more than a month before the official start of classes in September.
Liu Yibing glared at her, annoyed.
"You silly girl, what are you doing here? It's not even September yet, and school officially starts, and you're always hanging around school. You have no manners! At school, you have to call the teacher! What are you doing here?"
Yang Mi chuckled, completely unfazed by Liu Yibing's dark expression, and strode into the room, heading straight for the sofa.
Her fox-like eyes darted around a few times, revealing a shrewdness and a flattering quality characteristic of girls from Beijing.
"At school, I call you Teacher Liu, but in private, you're still like my uncle. Besides, I just got my acceptance letter and came to share the good news!"
Yang Mi immediately took out the notice, which still smelled of ink, from her bag and waved it in front of Liu Yibing.
"Announcing good news? I know what you're up to. Keep it to yourself, don't show it off like it's a treasure." Liu Yibing was sarcastic, but the smile lines at the corners of his eyes betrayed him.
Yang Mi stuck out her tongue, then her gaze quietly fell on Lin Ruiyang.
"Senior, I've heard quite a few of your legendary stories lately," Yang Mi said, blinking.
"Now the school's online forum and Tianya are full of your posts."
"What kind of rumors have they spread?" Lin Ruiyang asked with a smile. He had just returned and was also curious about the public opinion in China.
"There are so many versions!" Yang Mi perked up immediately, counting on her fingers.
"Some say that when you were filming in New York, a single sentence from you made the chairman of an insurance company fly over overnight to apologize."
"There are also rumors that Fox executives specially reserved a seat for you during meetings, a seat even bigger than that of the vice president."
"The most outrageous thing is that some people say you have ties to the Mafia in the United States."
I could accept the earlier parts about Lin Ruiyang, but how did the last one get out?
Liu Yibing was amused: "These students don't practice their basic skills properly all day long, they just spread nonsense."
Yang Mi, however, said in a serious tone: "There are actually people who believe that."
"Yesterday I saw two senior students from the directing department online giving a very insightful analysis, saying that what you're doing in the US isn't making movies, it's a war of capital. They also said that Wall Street and Hollywood are one and the same."
Lin Ruiyang was both amused and exasperated.
The Chinese internet in 2005 already carried a wild, untamed spirit. News stories involving "Chinese people beating up foreigners" were especially prone to being exaggerated and mythologized.
Coupled with the media frenzy from the New York Post and Fox News, many Chinese netizens were completely unable to distinguish between truth and falsehood. All they knew was that Lin Ruiyang had a major fight in the United States and won.
As a result, the story became increasingly bizarre.
"Don't listen to their nonsense." Lin Ruiyang shook his head and chuckled. "If it were that amazing, I wouldn't be sitting here drinking tea right now."
"Where should we sit?"
"White House."
The office erupted in laughter.
Yang Mi's eyes crinkled with laughter.
She suddenly realized that this senior, who was now being touted as a god by the domestic media, was not as difficult to approach as she had imagined when they first met.
It's even a little... fun?
"Senior."
"Um?"
She hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and asked, "If there's a chance in the future, could I come to your film crew to learn from you?"
After saying that, her ears turned red.
She knew that she was just a freshman who had just been admitted to the Beijing Film Academy. If it weren't for Liu Yibing's connection, she might not have been able to cross paths with this senior in Hollywood.
She's currently just a minor actress in TV dramas, and given the current discrimination against television in the film industry, the gap between the two is ridiculously large.
But for some reason, she really wanted to seize this opportunity.
"Okay, but first you need to master the basics. What actors fear most is not not having opportunities, but not being able to seize them when they come."
Yang Mi nodded vigorously: "I've got it."