Apart from the public two-day itinerary, Simon's trip to China this time was planned to last two weeks. After Yangshuo, the original plan was to visit other places, but the breathtaking scenery here made further sightseeing unnecessary after experiencing such stunning views.
So, they stayed for five days in total.
Each day was filled with boating, watching performances, hiking, and tea-tasting… It was hard to leave.
The final stop before leaving was set at the South Sichuan Bamboo Sea.
This was mainly because Janet wanted to visit.
During the filming of Eat Drink Man Woman in 1993, Ang Lee had already started conceptualizing the script for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. However, due to various factors, the project had been shelved until recently. After their last meeting, Ang Lee paused his preparations for The Ice Storm and turned his attention to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Since many of the details had been brewing for a long time, he completed the first draft of the script in just over a week and sent it over to Simon.
While Simon and Janet were reading the script on the terrace, Janet noticed the man sketching out the iconic bamboo forest fight scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on the manuscript. When Simon mentioned the vast and beautiful bamboo forests, Janet became interested in seeing them herself.
It's worth noting that thanks to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, China's bamboo forest landscapes became world-famous for a time, attracting both domestic and international tourists and eventually becoming one of the country's iconic tourist attractions. However, the exact location of the bamboo forest fight scenes in the movie remains a topic of debate.
After all, China has many bamboo forests, and the South Sichuan Bamboo Sea is just one of them.
Simon didn't have time to debate this.
Since they were already in the South Sichuan Bamboo Sea, he made the decision.
This vast bamboo forest, covering over 120 square kilometers, not only featured natural bamboo landscapes but also had awe-inspiring cliffs, streams, and tranquil lakes shaped by nature. Additionally, it was home to ancient temples, mountain retreats, and pavilions, all of which perfectly met the filming requirements for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as Simon remembered.
Upon arrival, Simon had a batch of photos taken and sent to Ang Lee.
In fact, other details, like personally selecting the actress to play Yu Jiaolong, were handled early to save time during production. With these tasks off his plate, Ang Lee could focus on perfecting the film.
May 4th, Saturday.
After exploring the bamboo sea, Simon's trip to China finally came to an end.
He came full of excitement, and he left just the same.
At 2 PM, the Westeros family's private Boeing 767 took off from Chengdu, heading straight across the Pacific to Los Angeles without any stops. Chen Qing and others who had accompanied Simon during the trip stayed behind in China to handle follow-up matters. Meanwhile, the core Westeros System team, which had visited China with Simon last week, had already returned, including the U.S. government delegation led by the Secretary of Commerce.
Onboard the Boeing 767.
Having recharged his energy over the past two weeks, Simon returned to work mode during the expected 15-hour flight.
"The partnership between Leviston Group and Hilton Hotels has been finalized, and the signing is set for Monday. In recent days, Walmart has also contacted Leviston Group to discuss opening a branch at Leviston International Center in Beijing. However, there's some debate within Leviston Group about this. Walmart's presence could attract significant foot traffic but might also lower the center's prestige. I've also attached a list of companies that have confirmed their intent to move in."
"China has largely agreed to Mr. Mickey Kantor's three conditions regarding the film industry. The changes are expected to be implemented alongside China's new Film Management Regulations by the end of the month. I've obtained an internal draft of the regulations, and I've highlighted several key clauses that require attention."
"Verizon's first draft IPO prospectus is scheduled to be submitted to the SEC next week. I've marked the relevant documents."
"Emanuel Brandt has completed negotiations with the residents surrounding the FusionTimes headquarters site, and construction planning can begin. Additionally, I've gathered resumes from the latest round of job candidates for the final interviews. I've scheduled a personal interview day for you next Wednesday."
"Kevin Watson, an engineer at SpaceX, has proposed a plan to build a simulated rocket launch system. The system would consolidate all the hardware and software components needed for rocket launches into a simulation that can perform thousands of virtual launches, allowing for low-cost component testing. Watson had proposed this idea during his time at NASA, but it was repeatedly rejected. However, the SpaceX team believes the idea is highly practical and can help test most of SpaceX's in-house components. They've even managed to reduce the initial budget from $7 million to… $1.2 million. Watson has already developed a spaceflight control software that passed NASA's protocol tests, which can be used in this simulation system and for future real rocket launches. I checked, and similar NASA projects in the past had a minimum budget of $10 million."
"Here's a report from Victor Meresis regarding the coffee plantation in Angola. As of the end of April, they've completed the planting of 50,000 acres of coffee seedlings at a cost of $7.35 million. They expect to plant the remaining 100,000 acres next year. Since they've already established a foundation in machinery acquisition and workforce training this year, Meresis estimates that only $10 million will be needed to complete the remaining land development. Additionally, $5 million annually will be required until the first coffee harvest in 1999."
"Anthony Johnston has sent over a tender document for the privatization of Vale in Brazil. Japan seems very determined to secure this bid and will likely be a major competitor for Johnston Holdings. I suggest you leverage your connections in Washington. Given the current trade tensions between the U.S. and Japan, Washington wouldn't want to see a Japanese company take control of a major mining giant."
"Egret has reached a YouTube agreement with the International Olympic Committee for the playback of past Olympic events. YouTube won't pay for the content but has promised promotional resources and long-term ad revenue sharing. Additionally, Egret has recently signed over 150 top athletes across various fields to join YouTube."
"Finally, there's an email from the White House, once again asking for your thoughts on the recent Nasdaq trends. This seems to be a follow-up to the call from the President a few days ago. As of yesterday's close, the Nasdaq was at 3,925 points, approaching 4,000. The White House seems very concerned."
"…"
"…"
"And lastly, there's an update from Hollywood. Emmerich's Independence Day is set to start filming next week. There's a pre-production party in Los Angeles tonight, hosted by MGM, mainly to entertain the investors behind the initial batch of package projects. Ms. Lansing hopes you can attend tonight."
"The Twister crew has already moved into Iowa, with shooting set to begin next week."
"The set for Titanic in Australia's Gold Coast has been completed, but Cameron has come up with additional special effects ideas. He's currently experimenting with the Daenerys FX team, so filming has been postponed until next month."
"And here's the summer movie release schedule for this year."
Sitting at the desk in the front cabin of the plane, Simon listened as A-Girl (Alison) quickly went over the list of files that needed his review. Meanwhile, two large stacks of documents lay in front of him, the paperwork piling up during his travels.
When Alison finally finished her report, Simon had already reviewed the first document, a list of companies moving into the Leviston International Center. He made a few notes on it before handing it back to Alison. "Tell Leviston Group to secure the Walmart deal. We don't need to compete with the China World Trade Center over something as superficial as prestige."
Alison nodded but added, "Boss, I think we can strike a balance by placing Walmart in the basement level. New York and London both have underground superstores, which efficiently use space while offering affordable rent. Walmart would likely appreciate that, and the above-ground sections can still maintain the Leviston International Center's high-end standards."
Simon had just opened the second document, the Film Management Regulations, but looked up to appraise Alison, smiling. "I think you should be in charge of this project. Those guys are a bunch of idiots."
Alison smiled slightly but didn't comment further.
Leviston International Center was still in the preliminary planning stages. The detailed design would begin once potential tenants were roughly finalized, with actual construction not starting for another two years. Adding an underground supermarket to the plan would be easy. After considering it for a moment, Simon nodded. "Let's go with that. Tell them I came up with the idea so they can reflect on their incompetence. That's why I'm the super-rich guy."
"Got it, boss."
"And about that party tonight, I'll make an appearance."
With the West Coast being 15 hours behind China, Simon would still have time to attend the party after arriving in Los Angeles that evening.
Alison quickly jotted it down in her notes.
Simon thought for a moment and then added, "Regarding the further reforms in China's film industry, it's likely that China Film Group will lead the formation of the first cinema chain. Have Amy reach out to China Film Group and invite them to the U.S. to visit. Our Odeon chain under Daenerys Entertainment can host them. We can also offer them cinema management software."
Alison didn't immediately
nod this time. Instead, she suggested, "Boss, we could go a step further by inviting high-level officials from China's Broadcasting and Television Ministry to visit. This would help push for a nationwide ticketing system in Chinese cinemas. From my research, most of the cinemas are state-owned, so this could be implemented without relying on the cinema chain system. Additionally, China's nationwide telecommunications network is already in place, and the soon-to-be-opened Shanghai Data Center could provide data storage and processing support for this project. There would be no hardware or software obstacles. Completing this project would be a significant achievement for the officials in charge, which would help drive it forward."
"It'll also make a lot of enemies," Simon thought about the local cinemas that would grind their teeth in frustration if a networked ticketing system prevented them from skimming profits. But, as long as the backlash wasn't directed at him, he agreed. "Go ahead. And make sure to tell them it was my idea. That's why I'm the super-rich guy."
Alison gave Simon a playful look before writing it down.
Simon was already skimming through the Film Management Regulations, noting clauses highlighted in red, like the one stating "domestic films must account for no less than two-thirds of annual screening time." He sensed Alison glancing at him again, so he smiled and said, "So, what do you think about the White House email?"
Alison shook her head this time. "The Nasdaq is already in a runaway state. The best course of action is to not intervene. Any misstep could trigger a crash, and no one would want to take responsibility for that."
"Then just send a polite reply to the President," Simon said, "Tell him I'm optimistic about the Nasdaq's future. After all, he only wants it to last until November. As long as the Republicans don't cause trouble, it should be fine."
"Boss, just say the first part. The rest is unnecessary."
"Of course. Do I need to remind you of that? Silly girl. No wonder you're stuck being an assistant to a super-rich guy like me."
Alison pretended to pout in annoyance but continued taking notes.
Simon returned to the documents. "That's all for now. I'll review the rest after going through these files."
Alison acknowledged and quietly left the study.
Once Simon started working, it was hard to stop. At some point, he had a meal (some sort of airplane food), and Janet came by after taking a nap to find him still at his desk. With 10 hours of the flight behind them, she forced him to take a break and go to bed.
When Janet woke him again, they were flying over the U.S. West Coast.
After a quick wash and some grooming, Simon buckled into a seat as the Boeing 767 began its descent. A few minutes later, the plane landed smoothly on the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.
Having been away for two weeks, Simon didn't feel a sense of homecoming. In fact, there was a slight feeling of displacement, like a stranger returning to a foreign land.
The security team and female attendants who had accompanied them on this two-week journey were given a break, while a new team from Zuma Beach Estate took over. Jennifer had also come to pick them up. Janet cheerfully linked arms with Jennifer, enthusiastically sharing stories about their time in China, while Simon asked casually about the five little ones at home.
Of course, they were fine.
Veronica had been watching them at home. She had flown in from Australia to help out while Simon and Janet were away.
Sophia had also stayed at the estate for a few days.
Since it was a Saturday, everyone was home.
Melbourne was still glued to Veronica's side.
Seattle, as aloof as ever, sat reading an encyclopedia far beyond her age.
Nick was still prone to testing anything and everything with his little teeth.
The twins, however, remembered their father. When Simon picked them up, they even called out to him, demonstrating that their intelligence seemed a bit higher than their older brothers', but still not as high as their big sister's. That was just fine.
The family spent a cozy afternoon together, unwrapping gifts, chatting with Jennifer about recent happenings, and Simon even inspected his eldest son's schoolwork like a responsible father. The evening was filled with laughter as they shared dinner.
At 8 PM, Alison arrived to remind Simon about the party. Only then did he remember.
Reluctantly, he made his way to Century City.
After all, this party was for the investors behind the package project designed to regain confidence after Cutthroat Island's box office failure. As the mastermind, he had to show his face.
Out of the five projects, Species 2 was already filming, set for release next Easter. Roland Emmerich's Independence Day would be the centerpiece of next summer's lineup, followed by Robert Zemeckis's Contact, scheduled for the end of the year.
These were three of the five films in the first batch of package projects.
According to the plan, the remaining two films would be selected next year and slated for release in 1998.
They were expected to be blockbusters.
This entire package was one of MGM's key focuses over the next few years, alongside its spy movie universe. If successful, MGM would not only recover from the struggles of the 1980s but might even surpass Disney, Sony, and other competitors.
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