Peninsula Hotel, Banquet Hall.
"Yuanyuan, I haven't seen you in over a month, and you've become even more radiant!"
A familiar voice rang out from behind her.
Gao Yuanyuan stopped in her tracks, a flash of annoyance crossing her calm, beautiful face.
She couldn't understand where Alyssa Chia got the nerve to speak to her with such sarcasm now.
Wasn't this woman afraid of her man?
Or did she have other motives?
Having spent so much time by Luo Zheng's side, Gao Yuanyuan had seen much of the world and had grown quite a bit more savvy.
Suppressing her irritation, she turned around and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect Sister Jingwen to have the time to attend a cocktail party. Did Director Yang grant you leave?"
Her words were laced with sarcasm and barbs.
Alyssa Chia's brow furrowed as she listened, but she couldn't truly have a falling out.
She was making a living in the mainland now, and she couldn't afford to offend Luo Zheng, the man behind Gao Yuanyuan.
A sarcastic remark in private was already the limit of what she dared.
Even knowing the other party would snap back, Alyssa Chia still couldn't help but indulge her sharp tongue.
It was simply because she was unwilling to accept it.
Why was it that Gao Yuanyuan, whom she had always suppressed in every way, could reach the heavens in a single step?
And now she was lording it over her.
If beauty could allow Gao Yuanyuan to rise to the top...
Then why couldn't she?
Alyssa Chia's heart was in a turmoil, but her face remained smiling. "Didn't you know, Yuanyuan? The entire crew has the day off today. Director Yang personally led the team here to show support."
She continued with a smile.
"Oh?"
Gao Yuanyuan shook her head, unconcerned. Since returning from Venice, her horizons had broadened significantly.
Originally, she had been sulking because Luo Zheng hadn't given her the female lead in the heaven sword and dragon saber.
Now, she no longer cared about television dramas at all.
The big screen was her stage.
Whether in Hollywood or domestically, film actors would always be a step above television actors.
Seeing Gao Yuanyuan's indifferent attitude, Alyssa Chia also guessed the other woman's thoughts.
She grew even more anxious, but her expression remained calm.
She had entered the entertainment industry in 1990 and had been struggling in it for over a decade now.
She had seen all sorts of strange things.
Gao Yuanyuan might look infinitely glorious now, but it wasn't impossible that Luo Zheng would get tired of her one day and kick her to the curb.
But that was for later; for now, she had to plan her own rise.
Alyssa Chia held up her wine glass and lightly clinked it against Gao Yuanyuan's, and both women tilted their heads back to finish their drinks.
Even while drinking, their eyes never left the man standing by the main table.
Luo Zheng was currently holding Fan Bingbing's hand, chatting with Wang Zhongjun and Zhang Weiping.
It was mostly Zhang Weiping talking, with the other two listening to him pour out his grievances.
Wang Zhongjun looked surprised after listening; he hadn't expected that there was such a special condition behind Luo Zheng's purchase of the overseas rights for Hero.
But on second thought, it made sense.
After all, there was no such thing as a free lunch, and no benefits were given for no reason.
It was only right that there were extra conditions.
"President Zhang, after all that talk, you just mean you didn't manage to negotiate the rights, correct?"
Luo Zheng couldn't stand Zhang Weiping's rambling and interrupted him to ask directly.
Zhang Weiping nodded awkwardly. "That's right!"
This embarrassing display made Fan Bingbing cover her mouth and chuckle on the side.
She thought to herself: Only Luo Zheng could make this big boss of New Pictures, who usually criticized everyone in the entertainment industry, show such a pathetic side.
As expected, in the entertainment industry, having resources without money just wouldn't work.
Zhang Weiping had Zhang Yimou, an international double-gold director, but in the end, didn't he still have to bow to Luo Zheng for ten million us dollars?
Thinking of this, Fan Bingbing tightened her grip on Luo Zheng's arm.
This scene fell into the eyes of Gao Yuanyuan and Alyssa Chia, who were 'chatting happily' nearby, and the former couldn't help but clench her fist.
"President Luo is a hot commodity in the entertainment industry right now. You'd better keep a close eye on him, Yuanyuan."
Alyssa Chia took it all in, a faint, mocking smile on her lips.
Gao Yuanyuan glanced at her and said coldly:
"He's my man. You don't need to worry about him, Sister Jingwen."
Alyssa Chia wasn't angry; instead, she said persuasively:
"You should think it over. President Luo isn't Zhang Wuji. A single Zhou Zhiruo like you won't be enough to tie him down."
Gao Yuanyuan turned to meet her gaze and sneered, "And you think adding a Zhao Min will do the trick?"
"Adding me might not work, but having only you definitely won't!"
Seeing Gao Yuanyuan waver, Alyssa Chia's tone became much more sincere.
But the slight curve of her lips and the glint of joy in her eyes betrayed her inner thoughts.
"Hmph!"
Gao Yuanyuan snorted coldly and stepped away from her.
Just as Alyssa Chia thought she was about to achieve her goal, a voice rang out: "Sister Jingwen, thank you for the kind offer, but I still understand the idiom about 'inviting a wolf into the house'."
The sound of high heels gradually faded away.
Alyssa Chia's expression turned increasingly ugly.
Gao Yuanyuan's last sentence had already made her stance clear. If she wanted to get close to Luo Zheng, she would have to find another way.
Since the shortcut was blocked, she would have to take the side path!
On the other side of the banquet.
Luo Zheng gave Zhang Weiping a final ultimatum.
If the rights to jade goddess of mercy couldn't be negotiated, then New Pictures wouldn't get a single cent of the remaining 6 million us dollars.
Seeing Luo Zheng's firm attitude and that no amount of bowing would sway him, Zhang Weiping gave up his illusions.
He hurriedly left the banquet.
To him, giving up that 6 million us dollars was more painful than being killed.
He could only go back to Hairen to continue negotiating terms with Liu Yanming.
Zhang Weiping felt that he was going to take a huge hit again this time!
In this three-way game, he always seemed to be the unluckiest one.
Thinking this, Zhang Weiping's resentment towards Luo Zheng deepened.
Yet he failed to reflect that all these consequences were entirely due to his own insatiable greed.
At the main table, besides the company bosses Luo Zheng and Wang Zhongjun, the others seated were all top leaders from China Film Group, CCTV, and the Beijing Film Academy.
Among the main cast and crew, only Andy Lau was at the table.
Even Feng Xiaogang hadn't managed to get a seat there.
Let alone the two women, Xu Jinglei and Fan Bingbing.
However, they weren't disappointed. They sat at a nearby table, chatting, laughing, and toasting each other.
At least on the surface, that was indeed the case.
There was a significant age gap between the two women, and both were clear about their own positions.
Especially Fan Bingbing; she knew that in Luo Zheng's eyes, Xu Jinglei would at most be ranked in the second category.
She was a short-term girlfriend!
Once her prime passed, hmph!
If Xu Jinglei knew Fan Bingbing's thoughts right now, she wouldn't just be giving her a look; a slap would be inevitable.
After another clink of glasses, Fan Bingbing stood up and walked toward Sister Hua and the Li Shuangbing sisters, who had just entered.
With Huayi Brothers holding such a large promotional event, she wondered how this former competitor of hers could be missing.
That's right, in Fan Bingbing's eyes, Li Shuangbing no longer posed any threat to her.
Her position as the 'First Sister' of Huayi Brothers was rock solid.
As time passed, more stars slowly entered the venue.
Guided by the staff, they took their seats one after another.
Liu Yifei brought Huang Shengyi, Jiang Yiyan, and Huang Bo's friends to sit together.
As soon as they sat down, everyone unanimously began to flatter Liu Yifei.
Huang Bo didn't get angry at being ignored and instead competed with Wang Baoqiang for the delicious food on the table.
Ma Yili's seat was next to the three girls, Liu Yifei and the others.
The youthful aura radiating from the three women made her lose her appetite completely.
It was a similar feeling to the last banquet!
Ma Yili felt a stir in her heart.
She just didn't know if it could be like last time.
Could her relationship with President Luo take another step forward?
She looked toward the main table, her eyes shining with light.