While chatting and playing chess, time flew by, and it was already past 10 AM. The morning mist gradually dispersed, revealing a clear sky. The gentle autumn sun bathed the observation terrace in warmth. Without the surrounding clouds, the sky appeared a vivid blue, the towering peaks stood majestically, and the clear, slow-moving Li River completed a new, breathtaking landscape painting.
Lin Su watched Chen Qing, who had been almost glued to Simon Westeros, whisper something to him before she got up and returned to the courtyard.
She was somewhat puzzled.
About ten minutes later, Chen Qing returned, now dressed in a light green Hanfu and holding a bamboo flute.
She certainly came well-prepared, Lin Su thought to herself.
She couldn't help but wonder if her slight jealousy was appropriate.
This time, Chen Qing did not sit back beside Simon but chose to sit gracefully on the edge of the cliffside. She said to the man beside her, "I'll play 'Gusu Xing' for Mr. Westeros."
A moment later, the sound of the flute began to drift through the mountains.
It was light and distant.
Adding an ethereal touch to the already otherworldly scenery.
Even though she didn't like Chen Qing's cunning, Lin Su had to admit that the woman's talent surpassed her own.
Of course.
After all, since she was chosen to host Simon Westeros, how could she be ordinary?
Although she had always shown the necessary humility in public, deep down, Lin Su had always believed she was a truly deserving daughter of the heavens. Now, as she watched the woman playing the flute, Lin Su couldn't help but feel a slight sense of defeat, and even her resentment toward Chen Qing faded significantly.
This was a woman who clearly knew what she wanted.
And she was actively pursuing it.
But what about herself?
Thinking about it, Lin Su suddenly felt a vague sense of panic.
Already in her thirties, her life had been smooth sailing since childhood, and she had never encountered any real setbacks. However, suddenly, Lin Su realized that her life had been like the river at the foot of the mountain, drifting along without direction, never seriously considering where she wanted to go in the future.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the man across from her, who began reciting poetry along with the flute music.
Putting aside her thoughts for now, Lin Su listened attentively.
"In the red sleeves of the painting hall, we lean back and sip lightly, hair turned white, unable to hold the pins. How many times I've stayed late at the Golden Throne Hall, the east wind soft, halting the chariot among the flowers. The edict permits the passing of the palace candle, lightly clad, I try the morning robe for the first time."
"The imperial canal thaws, the water laps at the blue waves, and the swallows chirp softly. The layers of curtains still hold the cold, and who will send a silver-lettered letter? It is reported that the gentleman has returned, apricot flowers and spring rain in Jiangnan."
This was a poem.
Lin Su vaguely remembered it, but couldn't recall the author.
However.
Apricot flowers and spring rain in Jiangnan.
What a beautiful scene.
It was no longer surprising to Lin Su that a Western man would recite such an ancient poem. After all, this was a man who, at 26, had built a fortune of $300 billion from scratch. Nothing about him seemed surprising anymore.
However, noticing the admiring gaze of Girl A and the affectionate glances Chen Qing was giving as she played, Lin Su couldn't help but feel a bit sarcastic.
It's autumn now.
But the poem just recited was clearly a poem about early spring.
The imagery didn't match at all.
As she was thinking this, Chen Qing finished playing "Gusu Xing" and stopped, holding the bamboo flute politely. She gave a slight bow to Simon and Allison, who were lightly clapping on either side. Accepting the teacup handed to her by Simon, she thanked him, took a sip, and said, "Mr. Westeros, I'm truly surprised that you know this poem, 'Wind Through the Pines' by Yuan Dynasty poet Yu Ji. It's quite amazing."
Simon casually held a teacup, smiling slightly as he glanced at Lin Su and said, "Miss Lin might be secretly criticizing me for using a poem about early spring during the autumn."
Lin Su almost dropped the teacup she had just picked up and hastily shook her head, "No, Mr. Westeros, I wasn't."
Chen Qing glanced at the flustered Lin Su and said, "Sister Lin probably doesn't understand these things. Yu Ji's 'Wind Through the Pines' is more about expressing a desire to retreat from the world and return to a simpler life. The poem's connection to the season is not significant. Mr. Westeros must be very busy in his daily life and occasionally feels like Yu Ji, wishing to escape the mundane world for a while. That's why this poem fits your current mood perfectly."
Simon smiled after hearing Chen Qing's explanation and said, "You're very eloquent."
"Thank you," Chen Qing said with a sweet smile. "Speaking of retreating from the world, Mr. Westeros, do you know Tao Yuanming?"
"Plucking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I leisurely see the southern mountain."
"Exactly," Chen Qing nodded. "Tao Yuanming has a famous work, 'Peach Blossom Spring,' which tells the story of a fisherman who accidentally discovers a utopian community of people. Most research suggests that the fisherman's experience was fabricated by Tao Yuanming. However, many places in China claim to be the 'Peach Blossom Spring' described by him. There's one here in Yangshuo as well. It's beautiful. Mr. Westeros, would you like to visit this afternoon?"
"Sure."
As Lin Su listened to Chen Qing and Simon Westeros chat away, she suddenly felt like she was the third wheel.
She even felt a bit of resentment.
She remembered how Chen Qing had spoken ill of her to their superiors yesterday. Maybe she should do the same.
After all, she was here with Simon Westeros with a specific task in mind, but now, due to Chen Qing's interruptions, many topics were difficult to discuss.
As expected, they visited the Peach Blossom Spring on the western side of Yangshuo in the afternoon.
Everything was well-prepared, as they had informed the locals in advance. They enjoyed themselves until dusk before returning.
That evening, a cultural performance was organized in the small town. The county government sent an invitation, and Simon, without questioning whether it was arranged deliberately, accepted it gladly.
Yangshuo was one of the earliest domestic tourist attractions in China to open to foreigners. Since the 1970s, it had been used to host foreign guests, gaining fame, and by the 1980s, more and more Western tourists came, enchanted by the scenery, with many staying for extended periods, some even marrying and starting families locally. Because of this, Yangshuo earned the nickname 'Global Village.'
The evening's cultural performance featured some international friends.
However, Simon had no desire to mingle with outsiders, not even some "countrymen" from the USA. After watching the performance, he returned to the courtyard on the top of Dongling Mountain. It was already past 10 PM.
Inside the main bedroom of the inner courtyard.
After bathing together, Girl A did some additional bedtime grooming for herself before leaving the bathroom.
On the large bed, Simon leaned against the headboard, holding a sketchpad and drawing something.
Allison climbed into bed, curling up like a cat next to him, and glanced at the drawing.
It was a detailed storyboard sketch, seemingly depicting a restaurant, the surroundings in disarray. At the center stood a cool-looking woman in a tight outfit, her expression cold and eyes sharp. She held a porcelain plate in each hand, one for blocking, and the other slashing toward a man's neck, with blood splattering.
After deciding on MGM's "Spy Movie Universe" project, Simon had been using his spare time to personally draft the script for one of the series, "Charlie's Angels," and occasionally sketched some storyboard ideas.
Allison, knowing what Simon was working on, patiently waited for him to finish the drawing before saying, "That's really cool, but it seems a bit bloody. Won't that cause trouble with the rating?"
The storyboard was inspired by a scene from Luc Besson's spy movie *Anna*. Despite being a rather mediocre work from Besson, the scene where Anna is sent on her first mission in a restaurant was impressively choreographed, so Simon planned to borrow it for the first *Charlie's Angels* movie.
Writing a note below the finished sketch, Simon said, "As long as we shoot it without showing blood, it'll be fine."
In many cases, the difference between an R-rated movie and a PG-13 movie in Hollywood often comes down to whether or not the fight scenes show blood. As long as there's no visible blood, no matter how intense or destructive the action scenes are, they won't be rated R.
For the "Spy Movie Universe" series, Simon wasn't aiming for a G or PG rating. The series was intended to be PG-13. Achieving that without compromising the appeal of an action movie wasn't too difficult. In fact, for an experienced Hollywood studio, there's often a lot of leeway between PG-13 and R ratings.
Allison nodded in agreement but then noticed something else and pointed at the woman in the drawing. "Boss, is that Natasha Henstridge?"
"Yeah."
"Natasha isn't a good fit. Her acting is too poor, and her height is also an issue. She's almost six feet tall, so unless you cast
all Victoria's Secret Angels as the leads, it'll be hard to find suitable co-stars for her."
Simon replied, "Natasha really isn't suitable. I just used her as a model for the sketch."
An actor's height often plays a crucial role in casting a movie.
For example, actors like Tom Cruise or Dustin Hoffman, who are on the shorter side, have stricter height requirements for their female co-stars. To appear taller and more imposing, Tom Cruise has often resorted to standing on apple boxes or having trenches dug for his co-stars.
Natasha Henstridge, a former model, is nearly six feet tall.
At such a height, even men can feel pressure when acting alongside her. While she might be fine for a solo lead role, she wouldn't work well in an ensemble cast like *Charlie's Angels*.
Moreover, her acting… well, she really can't act.
Initially, Simon had considered casting Natasha Henstridge for one of the roles, but he quickly abandoned the idea. Even though she was a personal favorite, Simon wasn't willing to take risks with a crucial blockbuster for MGM's revival.
The role originally intended for Natasha, named Sabrina Duncan, was to be the group's combat expert, a classic "emotionless girl" type, similar to Rei Ayanami.
At first, Simon thought that Natasha Henstridge, with her lack of acting skills and minimal dialogue in *Species*, might be perfect for the role. But after some thought, he realized that portraying an emotionless character actually requires more acting skills. The actor must establish the character through subtle expressions and limited dialogue, rather than truly being emotionless.
As Allison and Simon chatted, she noticed herself inching closer to him. Simon smiled, set the sketchpad on the bedside table, and casually turned off the lamp.
"Boss."
"Hmm?"
"We can leave the light on."
"That seems a bit reversed, doesn't it? Usually, it's the man who makes such requests."
"Hehe."
"You're making me lose face. Looks like you need a lesson."
A new day, a new week.
It was October 24.
According to the original schedule, they were supposed to arrive in China yesterday and enjoy crab in Suzhou today.
Moreover, there were plans to visit other places. However, the stunning landscapes of Guilin were too captivating, so Simon decided to cancel the rest of the itinerary and spend the remaining time here.
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