The meeting with Mickey Kantor ended at 7:00 p.m.
After seeing him off, Simon didn't go upstairs immediately. Instead, he turned and made his way to the large hall on that floor, a space used for hosting receptions and parties. He chose a spot by the glass window and sat on a sofa.
From here, he could look out over most of New York.
The city was already lit up.
The densely packed buildings glittered with a sea of lights, like an inverted galaxy.
Suddenly, Simon felt like a fish.
A fish that had made it ashore.
Like in the novel he once read in his previous life, a fish that comes ashore is no longer a fish.
These days, whenever Simon met with people, the most frequent question he was asked was, "Why are you going to China?" Or more precisely, "Why are you bringing so many high-level executives from the Westeros system to China?"
Because everyone understood that by doing this, Simon was essentially endorsing the Chinese economy. A super-rich individual who stood at the pinnacle of global wealth, clearly signaling his confidence in China's economic prospects, would have an effect far more significant than the Chinese government announcing reform and opening up a hundred times.
If Simon Westeros was optimistic about China and was investing heavily, what reason would others have not to follow? Who would dare think they were better at making money than Westeros?
It was easy to imagine that Simon's trip to China could mark a new chapter for the Chinese economy.
However, in the minds of most Western elites, China should not be allowed to rise, much like Japan was not permitted to ascend. Everyone understood that the world's resources were finite. If someone else gained power, it meant weakening yourself. Moreover, deeper issues of race and nationality played a role.
So, many people genuinely didn't understand.
Even if Simon was optimistic about China's economic future, he could have kept his investments low-key. There was no need to make such a bold move. Given the current scale of the Westeros system, the concessions China offered for Simon's visit were merely small favors. If a true Westerner were in Simon's position, they might not even glance at those concessions.
A maid approached quietly, bringing a cup of coffee. She hesitated for a moment, but seeing that her boss didn't react, she retreated silently.
Simon held the warm coffee cup in his hands, still gazing out the window, but his thoughts drifted back to the book he had read.
The protagonist, who had endured a life of hardship, was like a fish that had made it ashore.
Before he departed, he refused to pledge allegiance to humanity because his short life had been devoid of happiness, love, or joy, and so he didn't feel responsible for humanity. Yet in the end, he took a great risk to leave behind three fairy tales that hinted at a path forward for Earth.
In comparison, Simon had directly provided a "curvature engine."
While he could have demanded more, Simon didn't. The reforms he had directed Kantor to negotiate with China—particularly those related to the film industry—would benefit the struggling Chinese film industry far more than they would him. In finance and technology, Simon hadn't even mentioned anything, merely having Kantor make a statement to exert some pressure.
Pressure creates motivation.
Otherwise, with China's fragile financial and technological sectors at this time, even opening a small crack could lead to a flood in the future.
But that was the extent of it.
After all, Simon's stance had shifted—not as an American but as a "Westerosian." From this perspective, whether it was China, the U.S., or any other country on this planet, they were all part of Simon's hunting ground.
Because Simon was the most unique fish that had made it ashore.
He had not only crossed space but also time.
Other fish that crossed space had their peers, but Simon was, as far as he knew, the only one who had crossed time. Perhaps, if he ever discovered another, it wouldn't bring him joy but instead prompt him to ensure his own uniqueness—ruthlessly.
Just like how a lion king would never allow another male lion into its territory.
A-girl entered the hall from the doorway and immediately spotted her boss, lost in thought by the window. She paused in her steps. The man sitting there wasn't feeling any sense of emptiness, loneliness, or boredom because she knew he always enjoyed this feeling—as if he were a god looking down indifferently upon the world.
After being by his side for so long, A-girl knew her judgment was accurate.
And he indeed had the right to look down upon the world. Whenever A-girl saw her boss in this state, she couldn't help but be captivated by it.
Suddenly, she realized how many years had passed without her noticing.
At the very beginning, she had applied for this job simply because it offered better pay. Then, she became attracted to him, but it wasn't entirely pure. It was like how a man might be drawn to a beautiful woman, especially a super-wealthy one. While a man's instinct in such situations was often to conquer, a woman was more likely to be on the receiving end.
He, however, seemed to naturally possess everything, and he had enough wealth, power, and even charm to make women fall into his web, unable to extricate themselves.
Except for love, they could get anything they wanted from him.
At first, A-girl had considered leaving him, like some of the other "letter girls," to create her own life. He never forced anyone to stay.
But when had her mindset changed?
Perhaps it was that night two years ago at Sundance. Or maybe that was just the culmination of a long process, a tipping point, and it had been her who initiated it. Since then, the thought of leaving had never crossed her mind again. All she wanted was to stay by his side, like a small vine entwined around him, sharing in his experience of the world's seasons.
She had gradually come to understand the concept of Stockholm Syndrome over the years.
But she didn't mind.
In her view, most people in the world experienced some form of it. Whether they were tied down by family, interests, or life itself, no one was truly free. According to his frequent references to evolutionary theory, perhaps this was a survival instinct—the weak attaching themselves to the strong to ensure the survival of their genes.
She couldn't help but smile softly at the thought.
In this world, it seemed like there wasn't anything his theory of genetic instincts couldn't explain.
She walked over quietly and sat next to him. Simon casually handed her the coffee cup, which she placed on the side table. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his embrace. She kicked off her high heels, snuggled into him, and kissed him lightly on the chin. She knew he liked women in this position, and she liked looking up at him in this way.
Simon withdrew his gaze from the city lights outside and looked down at the woman in his arms. "A, you've been mischievous today."
A-girl nuzzled her cheek against Simon's chin. "Yes, but there's still plenty of time to punish little Alison tonight. However, Mrs. Hilton mentioned she needs to be home by nine. Boss, are you going up?"
"What do you think?"
"Whatever you want, boss."
Simon smiled, pulling the girl in his arms closer as he looked back out the window. "A, have you ever thought about leaving?"
"Boss, are you thinking about getting a new assistant?"
"I was just wondering if you'd feel like staying with a man like me, knowing there's no real future here. Maybe you'd be better off leaving and finding the life you truly want."
Alison rested her head on Simon's shoulder, also gazing at the glowing city. "Boss, what kind of life do you want?"
"This one."
"How interesting. I want the same thing."
Simon chuckled.
A-girl leaned in to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Boss, you'd better head up."
"Yeah." Simon stood, picking up Alison as he did. "You're coming with me."
…
The next morning.
Ang Lee drove from his home to the Upper East Side, arriving at 7 a.m.
Inside a café on East 62nd Street, Simon was already waiting. Apart from the bodyguards stationed inside and outside, the usually busy café was empty, leaving Simon alone.
After a greeting, Ang Lee sat across from Simon, feeling a little awkward. Though he hadn't had breakfast yet, he only ordered a coffee.
He quickly noticed the book Simon had been reading when he walked in: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
It immediately became clear why Simon had asked to meet him.
Seeing Lee's gaze, Simon spoke. "It seems you've already guessed. Lee, I saw from a memo at Highgate Pictures that you're interested in this novel. Long story short, Highgate Pictures is prepared to provide everything you need. I'd like you to put aside The Ice Storm and start work on this project first."
Since The Wedding Banquet, Ang Lee's collaborations with Daenerys Entertainment had been very smooth. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't mind switching the order of his projects if the boss of Daenerys Entertainment personally requested it.
But this time was different.
Ang Lee had noticed that Simon was about to visit China, so he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Simon, I am interested in the novel, but I currently have no concrete plans for it. The Ice Storm is already in the casting phase. Could I perhaps start working on this project next year?"
Simon, looking at the reserved middle-aged director in front of him, replied
, "Lee, let's be honest. You're probably aware that I'm about to visit China."
Ang Lee nodded earnestly.
"I suspect you're concerned that this project might become politically charged, am I right?"
After a brief pause, Ang Lee nodded again.
Although he had been living in the U.S. for many years and had won numerous prestigious film awards, Lee had never taken American citizenship. This, in Simon's eyes, was far more admirable than those who secretly changed their nationality while loudly proclaiming their loyalty to China.
In fact, Simon had never underestimated the ripple effect of his presence. A significant event that was supposed to take place across the ocean this March hadn't happened, though the relationship between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait had remained frosty in recent years.
In short, Ang Lee didn't want to get dragged into any political entanglements.
Simon understood his concerns and said, "Lee, I won't deny that this project is somewhat related to my trip to China, but you can rest assured—there are no political elements involved. Also, even if we start prepping now—writing the script, scouting locations, casting actors, and finalizing the shooting plan—we probably won't begin filming until the end of the year. I'd like the movie to be released in next year's summer season, so there will be at least a year between my trip and the film's release. During that time, Daenerys Entertainment won't make any public statements linking the two events, so you have nothing to worry about."
The explanation sounded reasonable.
But how could he not worry?
Ang Lee thought for a moment and asked, "Simon, in that case, why are you so insistent on shooting this film first?"
Simon looked at the man across from him and replied earnestly, "First, Lee, I believe in your talent. I'm confident this film will turn out at least as good as Sense and Sensibility. Secondly, I want this film's success in next year's North American market to help indirectly promote China's film industry."
These were all truths.
In a way, this was another "fairy tale" Simon was gifting to China.
At this point, China's domestic film industry was in a state of near-collapse. In terms of ticket sales, China reported 29.3 billion cinema admissions in the 1980s. By the 1990s, this number had plummeted to around 300 million. Even if the earlier figure included free screenings in rural areas and the latter was heavily underreported due to rampant box office fraud, the nearly hundredfold decline was shocking.
In 1995, even with the introduction of several Hollywood blockbusters, China's total box office revenue was a paltry 970 million yuan.
Television proliferation and rampant piracy were partly to blame, but the underlying issue was the Chinese government's lack of attention to the film industry.
So how did things change?
In the original timeline, Titanic was a turning point. With a global box office of over $1.8 billion, equivalent to nearly 15 billion yuan, one film earned more than ten times the annual box office revenue of China in the 1990s. This made China realize how profitable films could be. Then, in 2000, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon showed that Chinese-language films could make money on a global scale.
Thus, around the turn of the millennium, the Chinese government finally decided to revitalize the film industry.
They swiftly implemented measures like cinema chain reform, ticketing system upgrades, and the introduction of foreign investment in cinemas. The success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon also triggered the era of big-budget Chinese films like Hero, The Promise, and The Banquet.
This time, with the staggering global box office success of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, China had already been given a wake-up call. Simon's plan was to bring forward the "medicine" of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Coupled with the series of film industry reforms Simon had instructed Kantor to negotiate with the Chinese government, this would likely accelerate the revival of the Chinese film industry by about five years.
Of course, Simon couldn't explain all of this, so Ang Lee still seemed unsure and lacked confidence. "Simon, I'm not sure Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will have that much impact."
Simon reassured him. "Lee, all you need to do is give it your best. Daenerys Entertainment will handle the rest. And besides, this isn't the only option."
Hearing Simon's last statement, Ang Lee relaxed a little. He knew he didn't have much room to negotiate with the young mogul, so he nodded. "But Simon, to do this film justice, I think it would be best to shoot on location in mainland China."
"If you feel it's necessary, everything will remain confidential until the film wraps, including your trip to the mainland for filming. In short, Lee, I just want you to make a film that showcases Chinese culture. I'm sure you'd be happy to see that too. So, do you have any other concerns?"
Ang Lee was about to say no when he remembered something and hesitated. "Simon, don't you think my project would be better suited for an end-of-year release? It would stand a better chance during awards season."
"Lee, release dates are important, but they're never the deciding factor. Besides, this film is more commercial in nature. A summer release would reach a larger audience."
The real reason was that Titanic was set to be released at the end of next year.
In the face of such a massive film, any other project would be crushed. Titanic was initially slated for next summer, but Simon didn't believe James Cameron would finish the film on time, so he had mentally moved the release to late 1997.
Simon had also considered the awards factor.
Even though Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had already made a big splash at the Oscars this year, if Titanic achieved the same level of success as it did in the original timeline, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon wouldn't stand much of a chance. It would likely end up with a string of nominations, just like in the original timeline.
That being the case, whether it was released at the end of next year didn't really matter.
While awards season could boost box office performance, Daenerys Entertainment could compensate with marketing. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon would succeed primarily because of its quality and its appeal to Western audiences. Awards season nominations would enhance its success but were ultimately just the cherry on top.
Ang Lee calculated the timeline again and said, "In that case, the production schedule might be a bit tight."
"Late July or early August next year. There's plenty of time. Even though it's not quite the prime June-July window, you know that films with strong word-of-mouth often perform well in the later part of the summer. Many box office hits emerge in that period."
After mentally organizing everything, Ang Lee finally nodded. "Then I have no more concerns."
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