Marvel: Making a Superman Movie to Acquire the Man of Steel
Chapter 51: The Prettier the Woman, the Better She Deceives?
Night fell.
Li Chen and the White Queen emerged from the small room.
Today, there were no ordinary members at the Hellfire Club; all the high-ranking Mutants were present.
Even the Black Queen, whom he had met only once, made an appearance.
Only the mysterious Black King was still nowhere to be seen.
The party atmosphere was already lively, but when Li Chen and the White Queen walked out, a hush fell over the crowd.
In their minds, the White Queen, Emma Frost, was an iceberg of a beauty who had never given them a warm expression, always carrying herself with supreme arrogance.
Yet now, she walked behind Li Chen, subtly giving the impression that she followed his lead.
It was precisely this unspoken backing that prompted many to re-evaluate the newly appointed White Rook.
Meanwhile, Li Chen immediately caught sight of a crowd surrounding an older man whose handsome youthful looks were still faintly discernable.
Moreover, even inside the Hellfire Club, he still cautiously wore an Adamantium helmet...
Without asking, it was obvious this was Magneto.
Only he would be so paranoid as to wear a helmet wherever he went.
After all, the White Queen also possessed Telepathy, so he had to guard against her.
Magneto took the initiative to walk over. "White Rook?"
Li Chen nodded. "Hello, Magneto."
He did not address him as the White King, causing Magneto's eyes to narrow slightly.
Erik then remarked with deep meaning, "Young man, do not aim too high too fast. Furthermore, the prettier a woman is, the better she deceives."
Neither queen of the Hellfire Club was an easy target.
Both of these women were calculating to the bone, each more scheming than the other.
Li Chen smiled and replied, "It's not that prettier women are better at deceiving; it's that when ugly women lie, no one believes them."
The moment those words were spoken, several women present rolled their eyes at him.
Hah, men!
Li Chen didn't care about what the White Queen thought; screwing her into submission would be enough.
Unless she truly turned into diamond, she could never withstand Li Chen's Body of Steel.
Even Gwen would give a thumbs-up to that.
Afterward, Magneto said no more. He had a waitress bring two glasses of wine, shared a drink with Li Chen, and then stepped aside.
The people around him, however, looked at Li Chen with clear hostility.
Li Chen took a look and saw that the Mutants beside Magneto were remarkably capable.
Magneto was a man who focused strictly on power; other factors, such as character, did not matter to him at all.
Meanwhile, small factions had formed around both the White Queen and the Black Queen as well, though raw strength was not their specialty.
This was what Li Chen found amusing: it was clearly a single Hellfire Club, yet several distinct cliques operated inside.
As expected, conflict was omnipresent.
In fact, Li Chen also had a few people around him.
Namely, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, and Dazzler.
With eyes as innocent as fresh college graduates, they didn't know where to go, so they simply clustered around Li Chen.
It ended up looking like a small clique of their own.
And so, the party went on in such a bizarre atmosphere.
Magneto, the White Queen, and the Black Queen each gave brief speeches.
Just as Li Chen had anticipated, Magneto preached his theory of Mutant supremacy, asserting that Mutants should rule humans rather than be ruled by them.
This elicited cheers from his supporters.
Jubilee and the others frowned and asked, "Boss, is that even possible?"
"Impossible."
Li Chen shook his head. "How many Mutants are there compared to humans?"
"If every human spat once, they'd drown all of you."
Having come from the X-Mansion and been nurtured under Professor X's ideology, they naturally weren't sold on such rhetoric.
Hearing Li Chen put it this way, it truly made a lot of sense.
"Doing that will only worsen relations between humans and us,"
Dazzler, Alison, remarked at this moment.
Once all three finished their remarks, the party officially commenced.
There was nothing extraordinary, just alcohol and food, far more restrained than an ordinary party.
Still, it was significantly wilder; one female Mutant, after having too much to drink, tossed off her shirt, revealing scales sprouting across her body.
Other Mutants unfurled their wings.
Their abilities were truly diverse.
"Alison, care to give a performance?"
Li Chen asked.
"Yeah, Alison, I want to hear you sing!"
Both Kitty Pryde and Jubilee chimed in with support.
Back at the X-Mansion, they had loved listening to Dazzlersing.
Her voice was enchanting, and she possessed genuine talent.
Dazzler had no stage fright and stepped up immediately.
Shortly after, she began to sing.
As a woman destined to become a pop diva, how could she possibly be intimidated by such a minor gathering?
The moment she opened her mouth, her heavenly voice drew everyone's attention.
"Where did this girl come from?"
"She came from the X-Mansion. Now she's with the White Rook."
"The X-Mansion? A bunch of naive do-gooders."
"..."
Whispers broke out across the room, and without hesitation, they branded Dazzler as one of Li Chen's people.
Li Chen now understood why there had been so many 'factions' throughout history.
Because people not only loved forming cliques themselves, but they also loved pigeonholing others into factions.
Huddling together for warmth was simply human nature.
When the song ended, Kitty Pryde and Jubilee applauded enthusiastically, and Li Chen was quite satisfied as well.
This was his first time hearing Dazzler sing, and she had even incorporated her Mutant ability, emitting a sphere of light to create a stunning stage effect.
Unfortunately, such an ability couldn't be used in front of ordinary people, or she would surely become an overnight sensation.
Who could compete with a woman who brought her own stage lighting effects?
Besides, her singing truly was magnificent.
While Li Chen wasn't a professional, he could easily tell whether a performance was good or not.
It was just like beauty and ugliness: although everyone had their own aesthetic tastes, you couldn't deny that while you might lie to yourself, you could never lie to your little brother down below.
You could claim that someone hideous was gorgeous, but your body wouldn't get excited about it.
Everyone had different ideas of who was attractive, but they would never consider an ugly person beautiful—that was the universal truth.
Li Chen was referring to the LGBTQ movement; Hollywood hadn't been impacted by it yet.
Unlike later years, when every movie had to feature Black actors, and even female leads were turned Black.
And the result? They deliberately avoided gorgeous Black pearls; the uglier the actors were, the more satisfied they seemed...
Were there really no gorgeous Black pearls? Of course not. Look at Iman Bowie, Tyra Banks, and Naomi Campbell—they were all renowned Black pearls and supermodels whose beauty had stunned the world.
Yet those Hollywood types acted as if they were blind, stubbornly picking people who were overweight and possessed grotesque features.
This trend had even infected the gaming industry, causing female video game protagonists to appear aged and ugly, deliberately disgusting the players so that looking at those hideous faces left them thoroughly put off.
Yet when looking at the real face models for those defaced characters, they were actually extraordinarily attractive.
Still, some people insisted on forcibly warping perceptions, compelling everyone to view ugly as beautiful.
Chapter 52: Mystique? Monster Girl!
As the party continued, the Black Queen found Li Chenand chatted for a while, having Jubilee and the others disperse.
After the Black Queen left, an attractive woman walked over.
She was blonde, blue-eyed, and had long legs, but Li Chenknew that this wasn't her original appearance.
"You're... Mystique Raven?"
Li Chen looked her over; she truly was a stunner.
Of course, that referred to her ability.
Mystique's power was just like that of a monster girl, able to transform into anyone she wished to become.
Having her was practically equivalent to having the entire world.
Take right now, for example: whoever she had turned into, she was a blonde, blue-eyed stunner, looking even more gorgeous than a Hollywood star.
As it turned out, Hollywood stars weren't necessarily the most beautiful women on the planet.
However, judging beauty didn't solely come down to looks.
It was actually tied to presence, status, and various other aspects.
They might not be the most gorgeous, but carrying a celebrity aura gave people a desire to conquer.
Meanwhile, even if some ordinary women were drop-dead gorgeous, they often lacked a noble demeanor, or even slouched and had poor posture, which naturally detracted from their beauty.
Just like in certain industries, everyone liked watching distinctive beauties—take 'Sweetie Fox', for example, who had held the TOP 1 spot for years.
Yet her looks weren't exceptionally outstanding; she was just unique, with a face that looked like a vixen.
Among all the amateur performers, were there really none prettier than her?
In truth, there were countless women prettier than her, yet they failed to leave a lasting impression.
It left people with the feeling that while they were indeed pretty, no one really wanted to watch them.
On the other hand, Sweetie Fox might not have been breathtaking, but everyone was eager to watch her.
Being distinctive was more important than anything else.
Therefore, Li Chen suspected that the original woman wasn't even as attractive as Mystique's imitation.
Because Mystique Raven had spent a long time in high positions, she carried an innate aura that ordinary people simply lacked.
"Hello, Li."
Mystique Raven nodded at Li Chen. She had sought him out on purpose, so she had transformed into a beauty she had seen not long ago.
She was certain that men were visual creatures who all favored beauty.
No one was an exception.
Sure enough, Li Chen immediately praised, "You're truly beautiful."
This made Mystique smile. "This isn't really me."
"I know. I meant the real you is beautiful—there's no need to turn into someone else."
Li Chen said, his tone suddenly filled with deep affection.
After all, he was known as the most devoted romantic in Marvel, unmatched in his display of passion.
Even an old-timer like Mystique could barely hold up against it at this moment.
Li Chen's words might not have worked on anyone else, but for Mystique, they struck right at the core of her heart.
She could only quickly take a sip of wine to suppress the urge surging within her.
"Thank you."
"I mean it, Raven. You yourself are the most beautiful."
Li Chen pressed his advantage.
For no other reason than wanting to win over Mystique, thereby weakening Magneto's strength.
A big reason Magneto wielded such great power was because of Mystique's support.
Yet he never truly valued Mystique, readily discarding her once her usefulness was exhausted.
And conveniently, Li Chen knew Mystique Raven's weakness and the deepest thoughts of her heart.
Even among Mutants, Mystique Raven was a 'monster.'
Because to other humans, her true form was a hideous monster; she had blue skin all over her body and red hair.
One had to realize this was a world with color discrimination, and Mystique Raven was the only one with blue skin.
That was why ever since she was a child, she had never dared to let anyone see her true appearance.
This was the softest spot in her heart.
She yearned for someone to accept her real appearance!
But to Li Chen, blue skin—what was so bad about that?
He only found it novel, holding no prejudice whatsoever.
There were so many aliens in the Marvel World, even green-skinned ones...
Li Chen's words were sincere and devoid of pretense, touching Mystique Raven deeply.
And so, the two began chatting happily.
Magneto Erik glanced over and smiled immediately.
With Mystique Raven around, his strategies had always been unfailingly successful.
Because Raven could turn into anyone, naturally suited for all sorts of tasks.
Moreover, as long as she transformed into the world's most gorgeous beauty, no one could resist her.
In Magneto's eyes, she was his sharpest tool.
It wasn't that he felt no affection, but before his grand objective, nothing was more important.
However, Magneto had no idea what the two were talking about.
At first, Mystique Raven had indeed been preaching Magneto's doctrine to Li Chen.
However, Li Chen asked without hesitation, "Raven, do you really think that's possible?"
This question left even Mystique Raven lacking confidence.
She desperately wanted to answer affirmatively with full confidence, but after all these years, both Professor X and Magneto had grown old, and none of it had succeeded.
So, Li Chen continued, "I can tell you right now, it's one hundred percent impossible."
"Why?"
Hearing the 'cause' she had pursued for so long dismissed like this, Mystique Raven felt a bit irritated.
It was only because she had a favorable impression of Li Chen; otherwise, she would have simply walked away in a huff.
Li Chen said solemnly, "The number of Mutants is far too small, while humanity counts in the billions—how could you possibly overthrow them?"
"Right now, it's only because Mutants keep a low profile that high-ranking humans haven't moved against you, and the presence of the Hellfire Club serves as a buffer."
"If this tacit understanding is broken, do you think humans will still let you roam freely in society?"
Mystique Raven knew what he said was true, and her expression turned grim.
Li Chen knew that shattering her illusions and driving her to despair was easy, but he also had to offer her hope.
"I want things to get better for Mutants too."
Li Chen's tone softened.
He took a sip of his drink and saw the searching look in Mystique Raven's eyes.
Mystique Raven was undoubtedly a woman fragile at heart; she needed to attach herself to someone else to realize her self-worth.
In the past, she had attached herself to Magneto Erik.
But now, Li Chen wanted to win her over and make her his own.
"I have an idea—one that's far better than overthrowing human rule."
"Tell me."
Mystique's tone wasn't as cold as she had thought it would be.
In fact, she was also very curious about Li Chen's plan.
Li Chen smiled and said, "I have a Kingdom Plan. Humans and Mutants can't stand the sight of each other, so why not simply stay out of each other's way?"
"I want to establish a Mutant Kingdom where all Mutants live, learn, and grow together, with their own society. That way, they won't be bullied by humans. This is far better than simply trying to overthrow humanity."
"Raven, this will avoid human hatred and allow Mutants to live freely."
As he spoke, Li Chen took Raven's hand and said sincerely, "Raven, fight alongside me."
Chapter 53: Poaching
Listening to Li Chen, Mystique Raven showed no outward reaction. Internally, however, she was rational enough to know that his approach was far better than Magneto Erik's.
In truth, many Mutants also believed that Magneto was too radical.
This was rooted in Magneto's past experiences.
In reality, other Mutants harbored little actual hatred toward humans.
Humans were simply afraid of them.
"If it's just you, I can't agree,"
Mystique Raven said.
She had weighed the situation; Li Chen's strength was still too weak.
Not in terms of combat power or anything like that.
Fists were of little use in certain situations; what mattered was the power and backing behind him.
And the supporters by Li Chen's side?
Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, Jubilee... they were all mere kittens; you might as well say they didn't exist.
Li Chen wasn't surprised; Mystique was the rational type.
So he said, "The White Queen is with me too. Is that enough?"
Hearing Emma Frost's name, Mystique glanced at him.
She had thought Levi was the only one running this project.
If he had the White Queen's backing... that would indeed be enough.
"I'm in,"
Mystique Raven nodded.
"Welcome."
Li Chen clinked glasses with her, then took her hand and led her outside. "I still need to arrange an initiation ceremony for you."
He wanted to make Mystique truly one of 'his own.'
Mystique knew what was coming next, yet she still let Li Chen lead her to a nearby five-star hotel.
Only those paying attention noticed this scene, while the rest were partying wildly.
...
Inside the hotel room, Li Chen pressed Mystique Ravenagainst the wall and kissed her directly.
Raven tried to dodge at first, but soon began responding passionately.
Before long, her gaze grew hazy.
Truth be told, the blonde beauty she had transformed into was truly top-tier—her features blended together perfectly, neither overly aggressive nor too soft.
Everything felt just right.
However, because Li Chen didn't know who this woman was, it lacked a certain immersion for him.
He preferred faces he recognized; that was where the true thrill lay.
So he spoke up, "Raven, turn back into yourself. I like the real you."
Hearing Li Chen say such striking words in such a gentle tone sent a jolt through Raven's heart.
She looked at Li Chen trembling; no one had ever treated her like this before.
Even Professor X and Magneto, whom she had known for so long, were unwilling to see her true form.
"Really?"
"Truer than diamonds,"
Li Chen nodded.
Mystique Raven made up her mind, and her body began shifting from below.
Her clothes and skin alike turned blue, spreading until her entire form was completely blue.
She closed her eyes, but Li Chen looked at her as if gazing upon a work of art.
"Truly beautiful,"
Li Chen exclaimed from the bottom of his heart.
Raven's skin was exceptionally smooth, and the blue hue was far from repulsive—instead, it imparted an exhilarating sensation.
Combined with her vibrant red hair, the visual contrast in tone was pushed to the absolute extreme.
Moreover, her transformation could even manifest clothing, which was rather intriguing.
Hearing Li Chen's praise, Raven finally opened her eyes and saw that he was genuinely admiring her.
This broke whatever restraint Raven had left, and she threw herself straight into Li Chen's embrace.
"Dear Li, please!"
She was overcome with passion, and Li Chen didn't hesitate either.
Just like eating, when you were used to Chinese cuisine, having a burger once in a while was quite nice.
Besides, Raven was far more precious than simple Western food.
Then, he witnessed Raven's wild passion, as if repressed for countless years, pouring out completely onto him.
...
Nashville was widely regarded as the sacred land of America's country music.
Scott Borchetta had once thought he wanted freedom, which was why he resigned from Universal Music Group to start Big Machine Records on his own.
Yet now, with Starlight Pictures' offer right before his eyes, he had to admit he was sorely tempted.
As it turned out, he hadn't wanted freedom; he had simply lacked power.
Starlight Pictures could give him what he desired—not only acquiring Big Machine Records, but also making him the head of Starlight Music.
Starlight Pictures had acquired MGM, after all.
Although MGM and Columbia Pictures had sat at the bottom among Hollywood majors since the 1990s,
an emaciated camel was still bigger than a horse, and second- or third-rate studios couldn't even compare.
Furthermore, the recent bidding war had proven its worth.
Regardless, even after being acquired, MGM remained a Hollywood major.
The position of the Hollywood majors was difficult to shake, primarily due to the rating system, where only the major studios held a seat at the table.
In other words, they had the sway to slap an R-rating on your film and dictate its fate.
Such power was monopolized by the majors, completely out of reach for smaller companies.
This was precisely why the majors maintained such ironclad dominance.
They throttled competition from the very top, retaining absolute authority and status.
This was also why DreamWorks had failed in its bid to become a new major—both the rating system and distribution channels were choked off by the other majors colluding together.
And when a company needed a single movie to save itself, it was already rotten at its core.
Now, the opportunity to become part of a major lay right before him.
Throughout the morning, Scott Borchetta smoked several packs of cigarettes before finally making up his mind.
"Let's do it!"
At this point, Big Machine Records had few resources, and the only rising star he could proudly showcase was Taylor Swift.
Without a doubt, she was a star in the making whom he had discovered back when Taylor Swift was only fourteen years old.
While he was certain Taylor had enormous potential, how could that compare to becoming part of a major?
Besides, Starlight Music was acquiring Big Machine Records anyway, meaning all employees and singers would naturally be packaged together.
"Mr. Sloan, I accept your offer,"
Scott Borchetta called back enthusiastically right away.
"That will prove to be the right choice. I'll be waiting for you in Hollywood,"
Harry Sloan said, relieved.
Although to Li Chen the most important asset was the girl named Taylor,
Scott Borchetta, who had discovered Taylor, was certainly capable in his own right.
Furthermore, what Starlight Music lacked most was experienced music professionals.
"Alright, I'll be there right away."
To showcase his capabilities, Scott Borchetta even called out Taylor Swift, who was recording in the studio, having her accompany him to Los Angeles.
Taylor had been reluctant at first, but upon hearing they were going to Los Angeles, she agreed immediately.
Born in Pennsylvania and raised on a farm in Wyomissing, she naturally yearned for the big city.
Nashville, located in Tennessee, was likewise a relatively quiet place; her young heart was already restless with anticipation.
And so, they soon boarded a flight bound for Los Angeles.
Chapter 54: Let You Be King
Early in the morning, Mystique woke up from her sleep.
She still maintained her original appearance, and she had never felt so relaxed before.
Instead of minding the strange gazes of others, Li Chen's appreciative look seemed to possess some kind of magic...
She confirmed that Li Chen genuinely liked her true appearance.
"So tired."
Mystique Raven checked her body, feeling as if it no longer belonged to her.
She originally thought that Li Chen definitely wouldn't be able to hold out against her madness, but who would have thought that the one defeated in the end was actually herself.
And what about Li Chen?
She sensed around; the warmth beside her had dissipated, and Li Chen was long gone.
"Li?"
A sudden sense of loss overwhelmed her heart. Forcing herself to prop up her body, she felt a sense of being abandoned.
This feeling was just like returning to her childhood when her parents discovered she was a monster and abandoned her without hesitation.
That coldness and darkness caused her endless pain.
Now she recalled this feeling once again.
Fortunately, Li Chen had not abandoned her.
Mystique had good physical fitness and wasn't a rookie, so naturally Li Chen wouldn't let her go.
"Raven, are you up?"
Li Chen opened the door and said, "I've already had someone bring up breakfast. Can you get up?"
Mystique, who had still been somewhat angry a moment ago, immediately relaxed her brows and said coquettishly, "I can't get up. Help me."
Li Chen didn't mind and went over to pick her up. "Want to wash up?"
"Mn."
Mystique nodded immediately.
Fun fact: there are still many places around the world in a state of severe water shortage, especially places like Africa, where some people even have to dig into mud pits just to get drinking water.
Therefore, so as not to waste Water, Li Chen didn't come out after going in.
By the time they sat down to eat breakfast, an hour had already passed.
Mystique Raven had managed to regain a little strength, only to collapse on the sofa again now.
While eating breakfast, she asked, "What should we do?"
Her pair of eyes stared fixedly at Li Chen, as if there was only him in her eyes.
Li Chen had already conquered the majority of her; at least she wouldn't betray Li Chen anymore.
This was something others couldn't accomplish.
Li Chen spoke, "You stay at Magneto's place first. See who doesn't agree with him, and try to win over more Mutants who don't agree with him."
What needs to be done now is naturally to expand one's own team.
Moreover, he also needed to test whether she was loyal.
Mystique Raven nodded without hesitation, "I know who is dissatisfied with him."
Her relationship with Magneto had become increasingly ordinary, and now it had dropped to freezing point.
Therefore, she wouldn't hesitate when it came to selling out Magneto.
She was already Li Chen's person.
"Very well. When we have enough manpower, we can establish our own kingdom."
Li Chen said with a smile.
He almost forgot that he wasn't a Mutant...
But so what?
Who said that the one who becomes king must be a Mutant?
Mystique Raven then said, "At that time, you will be the king, and all female Mutants will be yours."
Looking at her serious expression, Li Chen felt as if he had grasped something incredible...
Suffice it to say, as expected of Mystique, her worldview wasn't that of a normal person.
But he liked it very much.
"Actually, having you is enough."
Li Chen spoke, yet he hadn't experienced Mystique's ability yet.
Mystique, however, grew scared, "Let me rest for a bit."
If Li Chen weren't such a beast, she wouldn't possibly have been so generous.
She suspected that even if all Mutants were added together, they wouldn't be Li Chen's match.
Suffice it to say, Louise's gold content was still rising.
No wonder everyone called her Journalist-Hero.
...
Not long after, Mystique Raven limped back to Magneto's base.
Magneto didn't like staying in the Hellfire Club, believing that he, as the White King, hadn't received respect.
Whether it was White Queen Emma Frost or Black QueenSelene, neither of them actually listened to him.
Moreover, he didn't have the ability to conquer these two women.
The Black Queen's ability made even him extremely wary, and Black King Shaw didn't dare to make a move against her either.
"Raven, how did it go?"
Magneto looked at Raven and asked.
Mystique Raven had already turned into that pretty white girl, and at this moment she smiled and said, "He has already been conquered by me."
In reality, her inner thoughts were the exact opposite.
She had to thank Magneto; if Magneto hadn't asked her last night to go chat with Li Chen and see if she could win him over, how could she possibly have known Li Chen?
If she hadn't known Li Chen, Raven felt she wouldn't have been so happy.
Only Li Chen didn't repel her, but genuinely liked her appearance.
This was already enough.
She played along superficially with Magneto. Magnetoactually didn't care about her, so he didn't notice her abnormality.
Furthermore, every woman is a born actress; Ravenperformed very well, which naturally made it less easy for him to notice.
For a normal man, it is very difficult to detect when a pretty woman is lying to him.
This was also the reason why Raven liked to transform into a beauty.
This would lower most people's guard.
On the contrary, if she turned into an ugly woman, most people would be on guard.
Just as Li Chen said, it's not that pretty women lie, but rather that when ugly ones lie, nobody believes them...
The world is just that cruel.
Having dealt with Magneto, Mystique Raven immediately went to find several Mutants who had originally been dissatisfied with Magneto.
She wasn't too direct, but instead contacted them first.
When needed later, she would give Magneto a 'backstab'.
...
Li Chen rinsed off again, made a phone call to Ram, and only then had Jubilee come to pick him up.
Home was very safe, but he didn't plan on going back right now.
Once Jubilee arrived, Li Chen went straight to the company.
Because Taylor Swift and the others had arrived.
Li Chen was still quite looking forward to Taylor Swift.
In his past life, although he had never gone to a live concert in person, he had watched quite a few videos.
By that increasingly competitive era, female singers didn't dress normally anymore. A concert's standard outfit was basically a set of Kirby-style clothes, followed by a few pairs of stockings and shiny high-heeled boots.
It was as if concerts weren't meant for listening, but for 'watching'.
Without a doubt, they were just displaying their bodies to attract people.
Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa were both outstanding representatives among them.
They were tall with long legs, and their figures were also very plump, maximizing the visual impact effect.
Li Chen was already looking forward to it fiercely.
However, he noticed at this moment that Jubilee was very silent today, lacking her usual liveliness.
"Do you have something on your mind?"
Jubilee immediately replied, "Nothing."
"Then why are you so quiet today?"
Li Chen was somewhat surprised.
Although they hadn't been in contact for long, Jubilee was still doing quite well.
Mainly because she was a Mutant, so even if she witnessed some secrets, she wouldn't blab them out.
Jubilee said plaintively, "Boss, when you took Mystiqueaway yesterday, you didn't even call me."
"?"
Call you for what? Could it be...
Chapter 55: Taylor's Heartbeat
That afternoon, Li Chen met Scott Borchetta and Taylor Swift, who had rushed over from Tennessee, in his office.
The moment he saw the famous 'Taylor Swift', Li Chenfroze for a second.
It wasn't because she was too pretty, but rather because she looked a bit ordinary.
Whether judging by her looks, temperament, or attire, she looked just like an ordinary country girl, with the only commendable traits being her 1.8-meter height and large frame.
She looked like a natural clothes hanger...
At this moment, who could have imagined that she would later become a country music diva popular all over the world?
In the internet era, perhaps no other female singer could ever match her Fire.
But at this moment, she was indeed very reserved, looking at Li Chen with curiosity.
"I will just call you by your names, Scott, Taylor, hello."
Li Chen shook hands with them.
Scott was fine, but Taylor Swift was overjoyed. She held onto Li Chen's soft little hand and wouldn't let go, saying, "Mr. Li, I really like the movies and comics produced by your company."
Whether it was Superman or several of the comics, they were absolute hits for someone in her age group.
Even girls loved reading them.
"Taylor, my dear, it will soon be our company, and you are also a member of the company. You will be one of the only two singers in the company, and we will make you a star."
Li Chen patted her hand.
"Thank you."
Taylor's face flushed as she said excitedly.
Afterwards, what Li Chen discussed with Scott were their upcoming goals.
As for the acquisition, there was a dedicated team handling those negotiations.
"I have only one requirement: make it bigger and stronger, and create brilliance."
Li Chen quickly began to say, "Our company previously only had one singer, Alison. I guarantee that she is very talented and has great physical conditions."
In the eyes of Li Chen now, Dazzler's conditions were much better than Taylor Swift's. At least visually, Dazzlerpossessed the potential for Fire.
Dazzler was tall with long legs, pretty features, and blonde hair and blue eyes...
This was an authentic America sweetheart.
On the other hand, Taylor Swift was still dressed like a country girl, appearing slightly pure.
Therefore, she had to be given a makeover.
"As for Taylor... you are very talented. I have listened to your music, and I like it very much."
So-called country music was a genre of popular music that originated in the southern America in the 1920s, with roots traceable to British folk songs and traditional music of the Appalachian Mountains.
However, with the development of the times, it was also constantly progressing, and by Taylor Swift's generation, countless subgenres had evolved.
But its main audience remained the blue-collar class, and its thematic content covered rural lifestyles, family ethics, and religious beliefs.
Taylor Swift's songs, even later on, were mostly about romance and love.
Therefore, she also had a running gag: crazily dating, using that to provide emotions, and writing all her ex-boyfriends into her songs...
Naturally, she wasn't this crazy yet at present; she was still innocent.
"But you must accept a makeover. The company will arrange a stylist for you to make you prettier."
Li Chen spoke about the changes for Taylor.
To become a massive hit, she couldn't keep looking like this country girl.
She had to be breathtakingly beautiful.
In modern times, music was no longer just about the music itself, especially these female singers, who all pursued beauty and maintained their figures.
Moreover, listeners cared a lot about this; they liked pretty women singing, and both appearance and figure were extremely important.
Because beautiful things simply made people feel happy and pleasant.
Listening to all this, Taylor thanked him sincerely, "Thank you."
No woman dislikes becoming prettier, and now that the company was going to put in the effort, she was naturally grateful.
Scott thought the same. He found that Li Chen was very capable and not undeserving of his reputation.
No wonder even the bankrupt MGM could be pulled back by him.
Even in music, a field he hadn't dabbled in, he knew what people loved to see and hear.
Taylor's image indeed needed to be changed.
"You must also work hard yourself and maintain a good figure."
Li Chen said with a smile.
Taylor blushed a little under his gaze. "I understand, sir."
What young maiden's heart doesn't turn to love?
Li Chen was young and accomplished, multi-talented, handsome, and possessed exotic charm to Taylor, naturally making her heart flutter.
There were two kinds of handsome in this world: one was having a very handsome face, and the other was handsome backed by capital...
And often, the latter was even more heart-fluttering.
Taylor herself was the type of person with rich emotions, and her youthful heart was instantly stirred.
While Li Chen was chatting with Scott, she would occasionally peek at Li Chen, and then her face would turn a bit redder.
"Taylor, let's leave first, Taylor."
After finishing their chat, Scott prepared to call Taylor away, only to find that she was spacing out, and her face was flushed red.
"Oh, oh."
Taylor snapped back to her senses, making Scott find it amusing.
Leaving the office, he asked, "Do you like Mr. Li?"
"Yes... No, I don't."
Taylor answered instinctively, then immediately denied it flatly.
"He is so young and accomplished, it's normal for you to like him."
Scott said, "But your focus should be on music. Only when you become famous and can bring value to the company is it possible to win Mr. Li's favor."
Taylor didn't answer, only nodding silently.
In fact, her family had quite a strong background. Her father was a stockbroker working at Merrill Lynch, and her mother had served as the marketing director of a fund company before becoming a full-time housewife.
Therefore, her father also bought a 3% stake in Big Machine Records as a shareholder.
This was also to protect Taylor's career.
And now, Big Machine Records was about to be acquired, and her father would also make a tidy profit.
Soon, she followed Scott to meet the company's other singer, Alison Blaire.
Taylor was instantly stunned. Alison had beautiful blonde hair and a height of 1.73 meters. Although she was a bit shorter than Taylor, her proportions were fantastic.
Especially her temperament, which Taylor couldn't compare to at all, giving her the feeling of an ugly duckling meeting a White swan.
"You must be Taylor. I'm Alison, you can call me Dazzler."
Alison's outfit was also very pretty, making her radiantly beautiful and sparkling.
Looking back at her own country attire, Taylor felt inferior.
Thus, she said in a very small voice, "Hello, I'm Taylor. Dazzler, you are so pretty."
"Thank you, you are very pretty too, and so tall."
Dazzler was quite surprised by her height. Such a large beauty was not something an ordinary person could tame.
Perhaps this was also why Taylor Swift kept changing boyfriends later on, until she married a football player...
Only athletes would have the stamina to tame her, and without having to worry about wearing him out.
After all, with such a massive physique, ordinary people really couldn't handle it; they might surrender in just a few seconds.
Only a Body of Steel could completely tame this monster of hers.
Chapter 56: Holding the Rope of Destiny
The resolution of the music department put Li Chen in a pleasant mood.
However, he also realized that there were still too few singers right now.
Katy Perry was out of the question; she was at Universal Music, and it was impossible for her to jump ship over here.
People always move to higher places; it was impossible for someone to move down.
But Li Chen had a future list.
Even though someone like Dua Lipa was only in her teens, it was precisely the right time to discover and secure her while she was young.
Fortunately, the company had plenty of people, so someone could be sent to scout.
Thus, Li Chen handed down the list and had them go look for them.
Music was actually like this; don't look at how many people only started releasing albums and singles after reaching adulthood.
But in reality, they had already begun training when they were still young.
And they had long been bound by companies, carrying exorbitant liquidated damages.
Therefore, if they didn't make a move early, it would be difficult to handle later.
The good news was that someone quickly found Dua Lipa.
"Boss, this girl named Dua Lipa posted a cover video on YouTube. Take a look and see if it is her?"
Li Chen opened the link and took a look; although she hadn't fully blossomed yet, it was indeed her.
Although a girl changes eighteen times as she grows, there is also the saying that you can see what someone will look like from a young age.
Young Dua already possessed striking beauty, mainly because her features were quite distinctive and carried a sense of aggression.
"It is her, contact her for signing."
Li Chen smiled.
Others like Sabrina Carpenter weren't as easy to find, perhaps because they were too young, but getting results was what mattered.
"That is about it, time to go home."
Li Chen thought to himself that he still needed to replenish mana for Rem when he got back.
...
After establishing the music department, Starlight Group officially began rapid development.
However, the only department bringing in prestige value for the time being was still the animation department.
Li Chen was not in a rush either, and began enjoying life, playing video games with Saitama every day, or taking Ram and Rem out to play, and whenever he got bored, he would go to the company to check on the progress.
Especially the music department.
Sometimes when pop stars became wildly popular, they could make much more money than Hollywood stars.
Making money meant 'heat'.
Music was something everyone listened to, from children a few years old to elderly people in their decades; music brought the distance between people very close.
Therefore, it was no surprise why heavenly kings and queens who exploded in popularity worldwide were much more scorching hot than Hollywood superstars.
To make a comparison, as the last superstar of Hollywood, Tom Cruise, no matter how hard he tried, could not compare in fame to the true heavenly king, Michael Jackson.
Was Tom Cruise popular enough? During the period from the 1990s to the beginning of the century, as long as a movie featured him, the box office could exceed 100 million.
Although there were a few times he 'bought' the box office himself, meaning he bought the box office up to 100 million to maintain his persona.
But this was already not easy.
With him, there was a box office guarantee.
Therefore, he was considered the last superstar of Hollywood. After Tom Cruise, Hollywood never had such a superstar again.
There was no longer any existence that could summon fans to the cinema just by hearing their name.
One had to say, this was a kind of regret for Hollywood.
Of course, this was also an inevitability of the times. Today, with the highly developed internet, dirt on any star could fly all over the sky, and an existence like Tom Cruise could no longer be shaped.
Dazzler's progress was very fast. Under the escort of top-tier music producers, her single had already been recorded and she was ready to hit the charts.
Taylor Swift, on the other hand, was undergoing remodeling, learning about posture and such to make her a glamorous woman.
Time seemed to have pressed the fast-forward button.
The year 2008 hurried past just like that.
Coming to the year 2009, after spending Christmas in Los Angeles, Li Chen made an appointment with Gwen to go to New York to visit and hang out with her for a while.
For Gwen, after all, this was her boyfriend, and having not met for such a long time, she had long harbored some 'dissatisfaction'.
This was also the reason why long-distance relationships were hard to maintain. Although distance produces beauty, it couldn't span across the East and West Coasts...
That way, no matter how deep the feelings were, they would inevitably fade in the end.
Li Chen had no other choice; relationships needed to be maintained.
However, before heading to New York, he still had to finish handling matters.
The most important matter was naturally that Transformers had wrapped up filming.
The difficulty of this movie did not lie in the filming, but in the post-production special effects.
Li Chen had no other demands, only requiring Michael Bayto serve it up during the 2009 summer box office season.
I do not know when it started, but the summer season had become the most important time in Hollywood.
Those commercial movies and major productions, as long as they had confidence, would all be released during the summer season to squeeze dry the wallets of the audience.
Transformers had an investment of over 100 million. Although it wasn't Li Chen's money, it was naturally a major production and naturally had to be released during the summer season.
Michael Bay also knew this point and naturally nodded in guarantee.
As for Li Chen, he made an appointment with Megan Fox.
This was no longer the first time; Megan had already clung onto him, and she even found the taste addictive.
Only for Li Chen, these ordinary people were a bit unfulfilling.
But unexpectedly, Megan Fox made him very satisfied.
Because she possessed certain 'attributes' on her, which was being extremely obedient.
She would do whatever she was told, and after a session of training and conditioning, it went very smoothly.
Just on this point alone, she was stronger than Scarlett.
Even though Scarlett was very submissive to him, she never accepted certain other games.
But Megan Fox had a very high acceptance level, looked very flirtatious, and constantly showed this.
For example, when Li Chen brought over Psylocke's game, she adapted very quickly and would cooperate.
This level of cooperation was what satisfied Li Chen.
In fact, this was not surprising, because in Li Chen's past life, Megan Fox in her thirties had been trained into a mess by a singer.
With the kind of act she had going on right now, she could still swagger in front of the media holding hands, instantly being bitterly cursed by the internet.
The once high-and-mighty goddess turned out like this, and who knows how many of Megan Fox's fans had their mental defenses broken.
There was also Zooey, an album of hers was also like this.
It wasn't that people couldn't accept these things, but rather they hated that they weren't the ones holding the rope.
And right now, Li Chen was the one holding the rope.
He didn't even know when he started liking this feeling; he only felt that he had grasped the rope of destiny.
Just like Psylocke, just like Megan Fox at this moment, the moment you hold their rope of destiny, you could feel that their body and mind belonged solely to you.
You could train and toy with them as you pleased; this feeling of controlling the life and death of others was what made people feel intoxicated.
Chapter 57 America Has Its Own National Conditions
After several months, Li Chen flew from Los Angeles to New York once again.
However, this time he directly took the private jet of the Hellfire Club.
He originally wanted to buy a plane himself, but as the White Rook of the Hellfire Club, holding a high position, he could freely mobilize these resources, so he did not need to waste his own money.
A plane was just like a car, meant simply for riding, and he had no plans to collect them.
So much so that what he was riding in right now was still a Mercedes-Benz.
It is just that this time there were quite a few people on the plane.
Because Li Chen promised Gwen to go and stay for a while longer.
So he had no choice but to bring Ram along, because only he could replenish mana for Ram, otherwise Ram would become unstable.
And since Ram was brought along, he simply brought Remas well.
That way no one could be left behind at home, so Psylockecame along too, and it would not be good to leave Saitamabehind, so he was brought along as well.
Outside, Li Chen still did not expose the identity of Psylocke.
After all, he did not issue any tasks for the Master, and he also liked this kind of contrast.
The aloof female ninja in front of outsiders showed a completely different side in front of him, and that made it interesting.
Therefore, Psylocke temporarily took back her rights as a human.
Thus, the group took a private jet to New York.
As for the Metropolis of New York, they had been looking forward to it for a long time.
Saitama and the others stayed in Los Angeles every day, seeing the prosperity of New York on TV, and had wanted to come for a long time.
After landing, they let out a series of exclamations.
There were simply too many high-rises in New York, which Los Angeles indeed could not compare to.
Li Chen did not feel like it was anything special. Was this what they called having many high-rises?
That was just because they had not seen places like Shanghai, otherwise they would be able to feel the gap.
New York looked glamorous on the outside, but in places where the light could not reach, it was actually filled with filth.
Before long, Ram and Rem stopped talking.
Because sitting in the car, they saw the homeless vagrants outside.
They were lining up in front of a medical vehicle to sell their blood.
In America, selling blood was an industry.
Of course, medical companies would also use this matter to match blood types.
If you had a rare blood type, like some panda blood, then congratulations, you would be targeted and spend the second half of your life becoming a blood bag.
Those without special blood types would die a few years later.
Because the average lifespan of the homeless in Americadid not exceed five years, this was something they could never turn around from.
Li Chen indifferently swept his gaze across the place without lingering at all.
America has its own unique national conditions here, what did it have to do with him?
However, at this moment, he saw an extremely charming woman distributing food at the entrance of a shelter, and could not help taking an extra glance.
Afterwards, he withdrew his gaze, and Psylocke asked: "Master, where are we going?"
"To Long Island Hampton."
Considering that they would be living there for a long time, Li Chen simply bought a piece of real estate in New York.
It was located in Hampton on Long Island.
At this time, housing prices were dropping, making it a good time to buy, so it did not cost much money.
In fact, the tycoons of America were the same; once they had money, they liked to invest in real estate because this was something tangible and visible.
However, once the economic crisis struck, they had to sell these properties at a low price to weather the crisis.
Li Chen seized the opportunity to acquire a seaside Villawith a private beach.
When Psylocke followed his route and arrived at the Villa, she immediately relaxed.
Saitama chose a remote room and went straight to play games.
The games in this world were a lot of fun and got him hooked.
Moreover, there was not any major danger that forced him to make a move.
Psylocke was very practiced, and directly went down on all fours on the ground again.
Li Chen nodded with satisfaction; this was what truly bringing someone in line meant.
"Alright, you all rest well, I am going out for a bit."
He had not told Gwen this good news yet.
Empire State University.
Gwen and her good best friend Mary Jane were walking on campus.
They had been good friends since high school and had even formed the band "Mary Janes" together, with Gwenserving as the drummer.
It was precisely because of their shared hobbies that they were able to become good friends.
This was also one of the few good friends of the somewhat reclusive Gwen.
Mary Jane had red wavy hair and looked passionate as fire.
She was a standard American girl, cheerful and generous, liking to showcase herself, and very much enjoying the gaze of others.
"Gwen, are you going to Los Angeles then?"
"I do not know."
Gwen shook her head: "I have not talked to Li today yet."
"Oh my god..."
Mary Jane shook her head and exclaimed: "I have not heard you talk about the stories of Li for a whole day."
This made Gwen unable to help chuckling slightly: "MJ, do not be like that."
She could not help thinking for a moment, did she really talk that much?
Regarding the joy of dating Li Chen, Gwen naturally could only tell Mary Jane, to the point where the ears of Mary Jane were getting calloused from listening.
Gwen kept talking about how outstanding and handsome Li Chen was, but Mary Jane just considered it beauty in the eye of the beholder.
After all, Gwen had never been in a relationship since she was a child.
And she also wanted to screen things for Gwen so she would not get scammed by someone.
The two walked to the school gate and headed towards home, when a Rolls-Royce drove over and honked twice beside them.
Mary Jane pulled Gwen and walked away: "Do not worry about it. I do not know which narcissist thinks he is great just because he has a little money? This lady does not think much of him."
Gwen smiled; that was because having a friend like Harry Osborn had raised the horizons of Mary Jane.
She could never look down on a Rolls-Royce.
But people were always afraid of comparison; the background of Harry Osborn was too good, which indirectly helped them.
However, just as the two of them were walking forward proudly, the Rolls-Royce still followed and honked twice.
"Shit, can you stop following us? This is harassment!"
The personality of Mary Jane was indeed fiery; she directly and angrily flipped the middle finger at the Rolls-Royceand gave it a thorough scolding.
"If you keep following us, we will call the police..."
Mary Jane was still cursing when Li Chen lowered the window and called out: "Gwen."
Seeing Li Chen, the expression of Gwen instantly changed, and she ran over happily: "Dear, why are you here?"
This truly was a surprise; Li Chen had not told her he would come right now.
Seeing the appearance of Gwen, the expression of Mary Jane also changed instantly, knowing that this was the boyfriend of Gwen.
She was not embarrassed at all and followed Gwen over.
Seeing the smile on the Face of Gwen, she knew that Gwen truly liked Li Chen.
And Li Chen...
Although sitting inside the car, his handsome Face could still be seen.
And she had checked up on Li Chen long ago, knowing that he was a prominent character in Hollywood, and at a glance, his temperament was indeed different.
It seemed even different from Harry Osborn.
After all, Harry was just a second-generation rich kid, while Li Chen was a bona fide first-generation rich man.
The temperament he carried naturally was not the same.
Chapter 58 Mary Jane
Gwen greeted Li Chen before introducing the two to each other.
She was full of smiles, loving the surprise Li Chen brought.
"Li, this is my best friend, Mary Jane."
"MJ, this is Li, my boyfriend."
After Gwen finished the introduction, Li Chen waved and said, "Hello, MJ."
He had already asked Gwen; Gwen did not know Peter Parker, but she had grown up with Mary Jane since childhood.
Needless to say, Harry Osborn, Oscorp was still quite well-known in New York.
Although it couldn't compare to Stark Industries, of course.
"Hello, Li."
The two exchanged greetings.
Li Chen spoke up, "Hop in, beauties."
"Alright, Driver Li!"
Gwen chuckled and immediately pulled open the front passenger door to get in.
Mary Jane didn't hesitate either, getting into the back seat.
Many students seeing this scene secretly resented not being rich themselves, otherwise they could also take away these two goddesses.
Whether it was Gwen or Mary Jane, both were goddess-level existences at Empire State University, having long been secretly adored by many boys.
However, the presence of Harry Osborn made everyone else lose confidence.
Moreover, both Mary Jane and Gwen were cold and aloof to everyone else.
Now it seemed that they just weren't rich enough.
With money, why fear failing to win over a goddess?
The Rolls-Royce sped away, and Gwen was very excited inside the car: "Honey, when did you arrive?"
"I just arrived in New York and came straight to find you."
"Mwah, a reward for you."
"Traveling all the way from Los Angeles, and this is the only reward?"
Li Chen teased.
"Ahem."
Seeing the two getting more and more out of hand, likely about to start a match right then and there, Mary Janeimmediately coughed twice.
Only then did Gwen remember that her good girlfriend was still in the back.
Don't make her angry.
"MJ, there's nobody at your house, why not come have dinner with us?"
Gwen extended an invitation.
Mary Jane smiled and said, "Aren't you afraid I'll interrupt your romance?"
"Not at all."
Gwen blushed slightly and looked at Li Chen.
Li Chen naturally nodded and said, "Of course not, MJ, come along."
Thinking that nobody would be home anyway, Mary Janesimply nodded.
Afterward, Li Chen took the two towards the Empire State Building.
The Empire State Building had many well-known restaurants, and this was a landmark building after all.
Parking the car in the garage, veteran driver Li Chendirectly led the two beauties out of the car.
Gwen was in the middle, Mary Jane was on the right, and Li Chen was on Gwen's left.
Actually, he wanted to be in the middle...
Having a beauty on each arm was a man's ultimate goal.
But for now, he could only let Gwen enjoy it first.
Gwen was wearing a short school skirt uniform, while Mary Jane was dressed in fiery red, burning with passion.
Li Chen still attracted quite a few gazes, but he didn't mind.
He first took the two women to Starbucks to buy drinks, then headed to a famous American barbecue bar inside the Empire State Building.
It provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner services, and the prices were not low.
The three came to a booth and sat down, and Li Chenasked the two to order.
"Order whatever you like to eat."
After ordering, Li Chen first had the waiter bring up some wine.
Mary Jane was actually very interested in him. Not feeling embarrassed to ask before, after taking a sip of red wine, she finally opened up.
"Li, you're a Hollywood heavyweight, have you been to a movie set?"
Gwen was also very curious about this and looked at Li Chen.
No girl hadn't dreamed of becoming a star herself.
They all liked the feeling of having a bunch of simps around them and being sought after.
Li Chen also smiled and said, "Of course."
Afterward, he began telling some interesting anecdotes from the set.
Such personal experiences of a Hollywood heavyweight made Mary Jane listen extremely attentively, her face full of envy.
Mary Jane's appearance was definitely not bad, with a head of beautiful red hair, a very nice figure, and a height even a little taller than Gwen's, around 1.73 meters, with two dimples on her face when she smiled.
"MJ, what do you want to do after graduation?"
Li Chen suddenly asked.
Gwen also looked over.
Recovering her senses, Mary Jane spoke up, "I might become a journalist."
Her personality was resilient, mainly because she experienced domestic violence since childhood.
Everyone's personality is related to their upbringing.
"That's really a pity."
Li Chen said.
"What's a pity?"
Mary Jane was somewhat puzzled.
"Your conditions are very good. If you go to Hollywood, you'll become a star."
Li Chen's words were very certain, because in the comics, Mary Jane was an independent star from the beginning, not clinging to Spider-Man or anyone else.
Not to mention anything else, in this world, Mary Jane had previously been the lead singer in a band, so she wasn't afraid of the stage at all.
"Really?"
If it were anyone else, Mary Jane wouldn't be this excited, but Li Chen was different; he was a Hollywood heavyweight and had seen far more stars than she ever had.
Now that a heavyweight said she had the potential to become a star, who wouldn't be excited?
This was probably why many women harboring 'dreams' were always being deceived.
They thought that as long as the heavyweights devoured them, they would get what they wanted.
Little did they know, many people would run away right after eating.
Gwen also said at this time, "Really, MJ, I've always thought you're very pretty. Many stars aren't as pretty as you."
This was true, especially in Hollywood nowadays, where many stars started out as child stars.
And for child stars, the most important thing was connections, not anything else.
Besides, how many children look ugly?
As long as children look cute, that's enough, which was also the reason why many child stars became quite ugly when they grew up.
Very few could remain beautiful from childhood all the way up.
Unlike old Hollywood, many who came to Hollywood back then were truly beautiful, and many of them didn't get their chance until their twenties or thirties.
Being told this by her good girlfriend, Mary Jane also gained a lot of confidence.
"Of course."
Li Chen smiled and said, "And Gwen is coming to Los Angeles to find me then. If you also go to Hollywood, you good sisters won't have to separate."
Li Chen's words moved the two good girlfriends deeply.
Gwen looked at Mary Jane and said, "MJ, we agreed, good girlfriends for a lifetime."
Li Chen secretly gave Gwen a thumbs up. Good girlfriends for a lifetime, very true.
Mary Jane was immediately persuaded.
Her dream was originally to become a star; surely nobody actually wanted to be a minor journalist, right?
Although she could become a journalist hero, she wanted even more to become a rising star.
Thus, she gracefully extended her hand toward Li Chen: "Li, I'll count on you then."
"No problem."
Li Chen shook her hand.
Mary Jane even stroked his palm lightly.
This made Li Chen somewhat surprised. It seemed this good girlfriend was truly not simple.
Sure enough, guard against fire, theft, and your best friend.
Once a woman made up her mind, she really would do anything.
However, Gwen hadn't noticed yet. She smiled and said, "Honey, you have to arrange a good role for MJ then."
"Sure, Gwen, do you want to try it?"
"Me? No thanks."
Gwen was tempted for a moment, but immediately declined.
Chapter 59: Best Friends for Life
The three of them enjoyed the meal very much.
Especially after Mary Jane made up her mind, the way she looked at Li Chen was completely different.
"I'm going to the restroom."
Not long after Li Chen stood up, Mary Jane also said, "Gwen, my stomach hurts."
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Gwen was drinking her wine and didn't suspect a thing.
Mary Jane, who had come up behind Li Chen, directly and suddenly hugged him from behind.
"MJ, this isn't good. You're Gwen's best friend."
Li Chen said this deliberately.
Seeing Li Chen act like this, Mary Jane silently cursed him as a'scum bag'.
Then she said bashfully, "Li, I'm not trying to steal a man from Gwen. I just want to be with her together."
"Is that what being best friends for life means?"
Li Chen asked intentionally.
He turned around and wrapped his arms around Mary Janein return.
Mary Jane was stunned for a moment, not expecting Li Chen to be so good at reading between the lines.
"You're right."
She had no choice but to nod and look up at Li Chen.
At such a close distance, both of them could smell each other's scent.
Mary Jane was obviously wearing perfume, but it wasn't overpowering, and her striking red hair seemed to be inviting him to make a move.
So Li Chen didn't hesitate and kissed her directly.
To avoid any accidents, he also maxed out his perception.
Fortunately, no one came over.
"Whoa!"
Mary Jane didn't react at first, but quickly began to respond.
However, just as she was sinking into it, Li Chen spoke up, "I'll go back first, or Gwen will get suspicious."
Gwen was no ordinary person.
Without winning Gwen over, it would still be very difficult to share a quilt with both best friends.
He had to rely on Mary Jane to slowly plot it out step by step.
Li Chen told Mary Jane this idea, which made her blush and glare at him.
He was dreaming pretty prettily, but... how thrilling.
Mary Jane rolled her eyes and already had an idea.
Li Chen dissipated the scent of perfume on his body before walking back.
"Have you seen MJ?"
Gwen still cared a lot about her best friend.
"I saw her. She should be coming out soon."
Li Chen said calmly.
Saying he hadn't seen her might arouse suspicion.
On the contrary, the calmer he was, the less Gwen would suspect.
Sure enough, Gwen nodded and said, "Then let's leave once she comes back."
"Okay."
Li Chen nodded.
Before long, Mary Jane also returned with a calm expression.
From her face, you couldn't tell anything was wrong.
No wonder they say women are born actresses.
"Let's go. Want to catch a movie?"
Li Chen suggested.
"Sure."
Neither Gwen nor Mary Jane refused.
"Are there any movies from your company?"
Li Chen thought about it and said, "There actually are, but they're horror movies."
Although Hollywood giants all love big productions, in reality, the classics that win big with small budgets in Hollywood are always horror movies.
Therefore, after taking control of MGM, Li Chen pushed forward the production of quite a few horror films.
"Awesome."
Mary Jane said immediately.
Gwen didn't mind either; both of them were quite bold.
Leaving the restaurant, Gwen and Mary Jane walked arm in arm, instead leaving Li Chen to the side.
But Li Chen didn't mind, purposely lagging a step behind and watching their backs.
From behind, Mary Jane looked a bit taller and more voluptuous.
However, Gwen also had her own characteristics, which was her well-proportioned figure.
What if both of them were together with him?
Li Chen thought to himself.
As for Gwen, she actually wanted to walk with Li Chen, but her best friend looked like she didn't want to let go of her at all, leaving her with no other choice.
She didn't know what was wrong with Mary Jane today.
But at this moment, rather than neglecting her best friend, she had to neglect her boyfriend.
She apologetically looked back at Li Chen, only to find him staring intently at their backs.
This made Gwen glare at him.
She was mentally prepared for Li Chen's possible promiscuity.
As a big shot mingling in Hollywood, did she expect him to be a pure white lotus?
Probably only fans wearing rose-colored filters would think that.
Gwen was prepared for his philandering ways, but she didn't want him to make a move on her best friend.
Yeah, absolutely not!
With each harboring their own hidden thoughts, the three of them took Li Chen's car to a nearby movie theater.
The movie theater experience in America was top-notch, with fully equipped facilities.
This was also an important reason why watching movies became one of the top entertainment choices for people over a long period.
Movie ticket prices weren't actually expensive; for a long time, a ticket cost only a few dollars.
But it had a lot of peripheral merchandise around it, such as popcorn, cola, merchandise stores, and a series of things existing to make money around movies.
Just like now, Li Chen bought three tickets for less than twenty dollars.
But all three of them bought cola and two buckets of popcorn, so the expense wasn't small anymore.
In America, many survived by relying on Hollywood, and movie theaters were no exception.
"obsession? The reviews seem really high."
Mary Jane searched it up and said immediately.
In Li Chen's memory, there were quite a few classic horror movies.
But this movie obsession was one of the prime examples of making a huge fortune.
There were quite a few such examples in Hollywood of winning big with small budgets, like Witch Blair" from the last century.
But that was a victory of marketing and distribution, not a victory of the film itself.
You couldn't even call that a movie; it was simply a piece of...
However, relying on successful marketing and distribution, the film company was willing to spend money, literally 'tricking' quite a few people into entering the movie theater.
Although this earned box office revenue, the word-of-mouth reputation went down the drain.
So sure enough, Witch Blair" later released a second installment, bombing so hard that not even a splash was made.
But horror movies were different; if a horror movie wanted to make money, first of all, its movie quality had to pass muster.
Just like since its release around Christmas, the box office of obsession in North America had already reached tens of millions, and its quality was very solid.
Even if it was released more than ten years early, it could still hold its own.
Furthermore, it would subsequently head toward the entire world.
The truth of Hollywood movies was that the higher the North American box office, the more popular it would be in the world.
Only very few movies would encounter a cold reception in North America, but have a pretty good word-of-mouth reputation worldwide.
For instance, the renowned "Pacific Rim".
The box office of "Pacific Rim" in North America just barely crossed 100 million, but the global box office exceeded 300 million, which counted as making money, so a second installment was released.
And the result was a bloody bomb.
Facts proved that North American audiences simply didn't care about this kind of movie; they didn't like the culture of other places, nor did they like that kind of knowledge.
The ones able to succeed on this land of North Americawere probably just 'Godzilla'.
And even Godzilla couldn't be considered too popular; in the hearts of North American movie fans, their eternal love was always things like planet Wars".
The root cause was simply because there wasn't much history here, so naturally they weren't interested in history.
And because North America was far away from other continents, it made them uninterested in things from other places as well.
Chapter 60: Sharing Everything
The subsequent movie plot left Gwen and Mary Janethoroughly thrilled.
The plot of obsession was not complicated; it was simply about a male protagonist with a secret crush on a female colleague, who then bought a wish-granting prop called 'One-Wish Willow' and wished for the female lead to fall in love with him.
After the wish came true, Nikki developed a strong and out-of-control sense of possession, dragging the two of them and their friends into a nightmare.
To put it bluntly, yandere stuff was the most interesting.
Of course, that was just how it looked.
If he really had a yandere girlfriend, Li Chen would definitely keep his distance.
The existence of yandere types was simply harmful to others and oneself.
But the movie was indeed a good one, making the previously unknown female lead famous.
Of course, it also made a fortune for Starlight Pictures.
In the original timeline, obsession achieved over 500 million in global box office earnings with a budget of less than one million dollars, becoming the highest-grossing low-budget movie in history.
Other horror films certainly hadn't reached that level.
Of course, one million was just the production cost; in reality, publicity and distribution had to be added, and those were the major expenses.
However, while the publicity and distribution looked terrifying, there was actually a lot of strategy behind it.
Take Warner, for example; ever since it was acquired by Time Inc., there was a media giant above Warner
This kind of publicity and distribution cost was completely an operation of transferring from the 'left hand' to the 'right hand', but after just one spin, the numbers could become huge.
Moreover, inflating the movie's cost could not only serve as a gimmick but also fool investors.
Many investors were outsiders who joyfully thought that investing in Warner's movies would make them money.
Thus, bundles of cash were poured in.
When they saw the movie's high box office and were blissfully thinking they could make a fortune, Warner gave them a rude awakening.
With such a high box office, could the accounting books still show a loss?
Hollywood showed no mercy when screwing people over; even if you were a business tycoon from Wall Street, they would screw you just the same.
This was also the reason why Wall Street personally stepped into the arena later on—they were truly scared of being scammed.
Li Chen waited all night, but unexpectedly didn't wait for Gwen to throw herself into his arms; the two best friends were whispering together and completely forgot about him.
It wasn't until they walked out of the movie theater that Gwen snapped back to reality.
That was a horror movie just now, shouldn't she have pretended to be very scared and then leaned into Li Chen's arms?
But Li Chen probably wouldn't care anyway, because he knew she was Ghost Spider.
How could Ghost Spider possibly be afraid of ghosts?
Gwen rationalized to herself in her heart.
At this moment, Mary Jane said, "Gwen, then I'll head home first. Have a good time."
"Okay."
"Then MJ, see you tomorrow."
Li Chen and Gwen waved goodbye to her.
Afterwards, Mary Jane took a taxi home by herself, leaving the night to Li Chen and Gwen.
"Phew!"
Gwen let out a breath of relief, then linked her arm through Li Chen's.
"Where are we going next?"
"To a hotel, of course."
Li Chen had long been unable to wait.
Especially after being teased by Mary Jane.
She had to admit, Mary Jane was indeed not a proper woman.
But Li Chen never treated her as a white lotus anyway, and for someone so proactive, of course he had to have some good fun with her.
Just as the saying goes, do not fail a good woman, and do not waste a bad one.
Gwen blushed for a moment, letting Li Chen pull her into the hotel.
It was still the familiar hotel. After entering the room, Li Chen eagerly asked, "Gwen, did you bring your suit?"
"Who brings a suit when they go out on a date?"
Gwen couldn't help glaring at him.
But having no way with him, she could only say, "Wait for me a moment."
Although she didn't have her suit on her, she had'stored' one nearby.
This was why Spider-Man could 'transform' at any time all over New York.
She had long taken precautions and placed suits in many hidden corners; she could just put one on once she found it.
Thus, she climbed out through the window, clinging to the glass like a gecko, and then leaped over to the side.
Although she wasn't carrying her suit with her, she did bring her spider silk shooters.
Gwen was soon seen disappearing into the night.
Li Chen wasn't in a rush either and went straight to take a shower.
When he finished washing and came out, he happened to see Gwen wearing her suit coming in from outside the window.
"You look so pretty, my Ghost Spider."
Seeing Gwen, Li Chen let out a whistle.
Gwen pulled down her mask and glared at him.
Ignoring her, Li Chen directly pressed her down.
"It's time to check your study progress."
...
The next day, sunlight shone into the hotel room, as if the whole environment was finally seeing the light.
Shredded black-and-white striped fabric was scattered all over the room, and Gwen's smooth, flawless back was illuminated by the sunlight, causing her to wake up deeply.
Thinking back on what happened last night, Gwen blushed a little.
Not only did she showcase what she had recently learned, but her suit was also torn to shreds.
This meant she had to quickly go make a new one.
Fortunately, her handicraft skills were very strong, and making a suit wasn't difficult.
At this moment, the door was pushed open, and Li Chensaid, "You're up? Come have a meal quickly, MJ called."
Hearing Li Chen's words, Gwen didn't think too deeply about MJ's matter.
She sighed with emotion that fortunately her physique was unusual; otherwise, she would have died yesterday.
She really almost died, feeling a sense of suffocation.
While this gave Gwen palpitations, it also made her feel a bit relieved.
Even she couldn't withstand it, let alone ordinary people, so she could rest assured that Li Chen at least wouldn't be snatched away by an ordinary person.
Gwen washed up and came out; sure enough, the breakfast was very lavish.
"You must be tired from yesterday, eat more."
Li Chen looked at Gwen and smiled as he said.
He did it on purpose, wanting to let Gwen know fear, to let her know that she alone couldn't defeat him.
Only in this way would Mary Jane likely join forces with her.
Gwen gave Li Chen a glare, then began to wolf down her food.
She couldn't care about elegance anymore and stuffed whatever tasted good into her mouth.
"Oh no."
Suddenly, Gwen paused. "I forgot to tell George."
She flurriedly tried to find her phone.
Li Chen immediately pacified her, "Don't worry, I told George."
"Phew!"
This made Gwen breathe a sigh of relief, though she could imagine George's fury after seeing the message.
A little blonde punk sent him a message saying his daughter wasn't coming back.
This would make any father furious to death.
Gwen took out her phone and checked; sure enough, Mary Jane had sent her a message, and it was very private.
Asking her if it felt great yesterday.
This caused Gwen's face to flush slightly, though she was already used to it.
Women loved this kind of 'heart-to-heart talk', especially good girlfriends who practically talked about everything without holding anything back.
Even if they did something bad, they would share it with their best friend.
Li Chen couldn't understand this point at all; if he did something bad, he would definitely keep it secret and not tell anyone.
But women simply didn't take it seriously...
This was why there were so many news stories nowadays about best friends stabbing each other in the back—it was simply because the other party knew too many secrets.
When they wanted to take you down, they could just casually release dirt on you.