Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 71: Liu Yifei is scolded by Jiang Yu

At 3:55 p.m., Lin Xiaoxiao, the receptionist, was organizing the visitor registration forms for the afternoon when the elevator dinged.

She looked up and her eyes lit up when she saw who it was.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Liu."

Liu Yifei was wearing a light-colored shirt with white casual pants today, her long hair simply tied up, and a gentle smile on her face: "Hello, is President Jiang here? We have an appointment to discuss some work."

"Yes, Mr. Jiang has no plans to go out this afternoon." Lin Xiaoxiao stood up. "Would you like me to take you there?"

"No need to trouble yourself, I can go by myself." Liu Yifei nodded and walked towards the office area with ease.

After sitting down, Lin Xiaoxiao quickly sent a message on the company's internal messaging app: "Ms. Liu Yifei has arrived and gone to President Jiang's office."

In the office area, a few young employees looked up for a moment, then continued to bury themselves in their work.

Everyone was already used to it. Liu Yifei is now the female lead in the company's key project, "Black Swan," and it's common for her to come to the company to discuss work.

Despite some rumors circulating outside, those within the company know that the way General Manager Jiang and Ms. Liu interact has always been professional.

In Jiang Yu's office, he was reviewing the preliminary plans for "Gravity".

Although the film will not be officially launched for several years, the preliminary preparations must be done now.

He plans to assemble a top-notch scientific advisory group to ensure that every detail in the film is rigorously examined.

"Knock knock." A knock sounded on the door.

"Please come in."

The door opened, and Liu Yifei walked in: "President Jiang, I'm sorry to bother you."

"Yifei's here." Jiang Yu looked up, put down the documents in his hand, and said, "Have a seat. Is it about the progress of preparations for 'Black Swan'?"

"Not entirely." Liu Yifei sat down in the chair opposite the desk, took a folder out of her bag, and said, "Actually, there's something else I'd like to hear your professional opinion on."

She pushed the folder in front of Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu opened it and saw a brief introduction to a film project and a script outline.

Project Title: Love. Director: Wang Erge.

Investors: China Film Group Corporation, Shanshui International Entertainment Company. Budget: 3000 million RMB. Asked salary for Liu Yifei: 800 million RMB.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yu frowned slightly.

"Is this the offer your management team received?" he asked.

"Yes." Liu Yifei nodded. "They had someone hand it over, saying the role was tailor-made for me. Although the director is a newcomer, China Film Group invested in it, so the production team is fairly well-established. The salary they offered was also quite good..."

Jiang Yu looked up at her calmly: "Are you that lacking in opportunities?"

Liu Yifei paused for a moment, then shook her head: "No. It's my team... They're worried that if 'Black Swan' doesn't perform as well as expected after its release next year, I need a backup project. This film starts shooting next May, so the timing is perfect."

Jiang Yu stared at her for a few seconds, then softly uttered two words.

"Rubbish."

Liu Yifei's eyes widened; this was the first time she had ever heard Jiang Yu swear.

"The script is garbage, the character design is garbage, and the overall planning of this project is garbage too." Jiang Yu closed the folder and pushed it aside. "Your team is even more unprofessional. People who are about to play a Hollywood leading lady are lowering their standards by taking on this kind of project."

"What level of project is 'Black Swan'? What level of director is Darren Aronofsky? What level of production companies are Light Chaser Animations and Fox Searchlight Pictures?"

Jiang Yu stood up and walked to the window. "After acting in a movie like this, you're going to take on a romance film directed by a singer? Is 800 million a lot of money?"

He turned around, his gaze landing on Liu Yifei: "Let me tell you, even if 'Black Swan' fails, your starting price in the international market is at least $200 million. By taking on this kind of project now, you're telling the entire industry: Liu Yifei is only worth this much."

Liu Yifei's face paled slightly. She had considered these issues, but her team kept emphasizing that "having more options is safer," "the pay is indeed considerable," and "investment from a large company is guaranteed."

Now that Jiang Yu has analyzed it so bluntly, she realizes the seriousness of the problem.

"Should I refuse?" she asked softly.

"It's not 'should,' it's 'must.'" Jiang Yu walked back to his desk. "You need to clearly tell your team: from now on, don't even bother sending projects of this caliber to you. You should be working with directors of Nolan's, Cameron's, and Zhang Yimou's caliber, on projects like 'Inception.' Not just anyone can try to take advantage of you."

He paused, his tone softening slightly: "Liu Yifei, you are now at a crucial juncture in your career. At this time, every choice must be made with utmost care."

Liu Yifei looked down at her hands. She knew Jiang Yu was right, but...

"My team has been with me for many years," she said softly, "starting from 'The Story of a Noble Family.' Perhaps their vision is outdated, but..."

Jiang Yu looked at her and said, "This is your career, not a charity project for your team. If their abilities can't keep up with your pace of development, either let them learn and improve, or make personnel adjustments. This isn't heartless; it's professional."

He sat back in his chair, his tone serious: "I suggest you go back and have a meeting to clarify your positioning and development plan. If needed, I can have David introduce you to a professional international agent, a Hollywood-level one."

Liu Yifei looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "Why... are you helping me like this?"

Jiang Yu smiled: "Because I have faith in you. And also because 'Black Swan' is an important project for our company, your success will benefit us as well. It's a win-win situation."

These words seemed frank and practical, but only Jiang Yu knew his true intentions.

Liu Yifei quickly recovered and said, "I understand."

She took a deep breath. "I'll handle it when we get back."

..........

Just then, the landline on Jiang Yu's desk rang.

He answered, "Feed?"

"Xiaoyu, are you still at the company?" It was his mother Zhou Huiwen's voice.

"Yes, Mom. What's up?"

"Is Yifei with you?" Zhou Huiwen's voice was tinged with laughter. "I just spoke to Xiaoli on the phone, and she said Yifei went to your company to discuss work. Perfect timing, why don't you bring her back for dinner? Xiaoli is already at our house; I prepared quite a few dishes today."

Jiang Yu was taken aback: "Mom, what's wrong...?"

Zhou Huiwen smiled even more broadly, "Hurry back, the food is almost ready. Let Yifei come too, consider it a casual after-work meal."

The phone hangs up.

Jiang Yu put down the receiver, somewhat helpless.

My mother is incredibly proactive. She just moved into his apartment in Yintai Center last night, and today she invited Liu Xiaoli over. Now she wants him to bring Liu Yifei back with him too.

His intentions couldn't be clearer.

"What's wrong?" Liu Yifei asked.

"My mother," Jiang Yu said, "she and your mother are at my house. Please come over for dinner."

Liu Yifei was also stunned: "My mom is at your house?"

"It seems so." Jiang Yu smiled. "The two elders got along very well at the Olympic opening ceremony yesterday, so they made plans to meet today. My mother just moved in with me, saying she wanted to 'warm up the house,' but really she just wanted to see more people."

Liu Yifei's face flushed slightly: "Then... would it be appropriate for me to go? Wouldn't it be too much of a disturbance?"

"Since it's an invitation from an elder, let's go together." Jiang Yu stood up, picked up his car keys, and said, "Perfect, you can continue thinking about the team adjustments on the way."

The two walked out of the office one after the other.

As they passed through the office area, some employees looked up briefly before continuing their work.

The atmosphere inside the elevator was subtly quiet.

Standing next to Jiang Yu, Liu Yifei could smell his faint, refreshing scent.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was intently looking at the elevator floor numbers, his profile clean and sharp.

"Mr. Jiang," she said softly, "thank you for your suggestions earlier... They were direct, but very helpful."

"Of course," Jiang Yu said. "At this stage, you need professional advice, not just polite words. If you have any uncertainties in the future, feel free to ask me anytime."

"Really?" Liu Yifei's eyes lit up. "Won't it take up too much of your time?"

"No." The elevator reached the underground parking garage, and Jiang Yu gestured for it to proceed. "For work-related matters, anytime is fine."

Liu Yifei's initial excitement faded, and she quickly adjusted her mindset.

In the car, Jiang Yu turned on some soothing background music.

Liu Yifei sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window at the evening street scene of Beijing.

"Actually, I noticed the team's problems a while ago," she suddenly said. "Ever since 'The Forbidden Kingdom,' they've fallen behind. They simply can't get in touch with Hollywood projects unless you take the initiative to contact them."

Jiang Yu focused on driving and didn't interrupt.

"I haven't been able to make the decision to make changes," Liu Yifei continued. "I always felt a connection with them after all these years. Besides, changing teams is troublesome; it requires rebuilding team cohesion and trust..."

"Professional matters should be handled professionally," Jiang Yu said.

Liu Yifei nodded with a wry smile: "You're right. I was too emotional."

"It's not about completely disregarding relationships," Jiang Yu said. "You can give them opportunities to improve and learn. If they really can't keep up, adjustments should be made. You could consider splitting the brokerage contract, handing over domestic business to the existing team and entrusting international business to a professional team. This way, you can take care of the old team while also ensuring your own development."

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! How come I didn't think of that?"

"Because you're in the thick of it," Jiang Yu glanced at her, "Sometimes you need advice from an outsider."

........

Jiang Yu's apartment is on the top floor, a large single-level apartment of over 700 square meters with an excellent view.

The elevator goes directly to the apartment floor.

As soon as the door opened, the aroma of food wafted in.

"You're back?" Zhou Huiwen, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen and smiled warmly when she saw Liu Yifei. "Yifei's here, come in quickly. Xiaoli, the children are back."

Liu Xiaoli also came over from the living room. Seeing her daughter and Jiang Yu return together, she smiled and said, "Yifei, I hope I didn't take up too much of Mr. Jiang's time?"

"No, Mom," Liu Yifei said. "It's about work, I need to ask President Jiang for advice."

"We can talk about work later, let's eat first." Zhou Huiwen took Liu Yifei's hand and walked towards the restaurant. "Auntie made a few home-style dishes today, I don't know if they'll suit your taste."

Jiang Jianguo was setting the table when he saw his son return and nodded to him.

Jiang Yu went to the bathroom to wash his hands and heard his two mothers talking and laughing quietly as he passed by the kitchen.

Inside the restaurant, eight dishes and a soup were laid out on a round table, clearly prepared with great care.

"Auntie, you're too kind," Liu Yifei said, looking at the dishes on the table.

"You're welcome, these are just some home-style dishes." Zhou Huiwen served Liu Yifei a bowl of soup. "Try this lotus root and pork rib soup, I simmered it for two hours."

Liu Xiaoli also said with a smile, "Sister Zhou's cooking skills are really good. I came over this afternoon to try to help, but I couldn't get a word in edgewise."

"No way, your side dishes are cut much neater than mine," Zhou Huiwen said modestly.

The two elders exchanged pleasantries, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

During the meal, the conversation naturally revolved around work and life.

Liu Yifei was then asked about her training for "Black Swan".

"The training went quite smoothly," she said. "It's just that I need to pick up the basics of ballet again, and it takes time to get used to it."

"Then you must take care of yourself," Zhou Huiwen said with concern. "Dancers are most afraid of getting injured. Eat more fish to supplement your protein intake."

"Thank you, Auntie," Liu Yifei said politely.

At the dinner table, Zhou Huiwen took extra care of Liu Yifei, behaving very appropriately and never saying anything inappropriate.

Jiang Yu saw this and knew that although his mother had her own ideas, she also knew how to respect her child's choices.

After dinner, Liu Yifei offered to help clear the dishes, but Zhou Huiwen stopped her, saying, "No need, no need. You guys go sit in the living room. Your mother and I will clean up here."

The two elders invited the two young people into the living room, while they themselves chatted quietly in the kitchen while washing dishes.

In the living room, Jiang Yu and Liu Yifei sat on the sofa, and the atmosphere was much more natural than before.

"Your mother is a very good cook," Liu Yifei said.

"Yes, she enjoys studying cooking." Jiang Yu smiled. "She even got all the kitchen equipment ready when she came last time."

"I can tell that Auntie is someone who loves life very much," Liu Yifei said softly. "Eating here today reminded me of the scenes of my family sitting around the table to eat when I was a child. It's very heartwarming."

Jiang Yu looked at her; the girl's profile was soft under the light.

He knew about Liu Yifei's parents' divorce and could understand her longing for the warmth of a family.

"If we need to discuss anything at work in the future, we can meet here," he said. "It's quieter here, which is suitable for talking things out."

Liu Yifei's heart skipped a beat, and she nodded with a smile: "Okay, thank you, President Jiang."

The two chatted for a while about work and the development of the film market.

Liu Yifei found that she could always learn a lot from chatting with Jiang Yu; his insights into the industry, his understanding of technology, and his judgment of the market far exceeded his age.

"Actually, I've always wanted to ask," she said, "why did you choose to make movies? With your abilities, you could probably make more money in financial investments."

Jiang Yu remained silent for a moment.

"What can movies leave behind?" He looked at the city lights outside the window. "Money is important, but money is just a tool. Movies are different. A good movie can influence many people, convey ideas, and record an era."

Liu Yifei was deeply moved by these words, and she suddenly understood even more why she had developed feelings for the person in front of her.

"I will do my best to play this role well," she said solemnly.

"Perform your performance well," Jiang Yu corrected. "This is your work, your career. You have to be responsible for yourself."

At 8:30 p.m., Liu Xiaoli and Liu Yifei said goodbye.

Zhou Huiwen escorted them to the elevator and said gently to Liu Yifei, "Come often in the future. You can talk to Xiaoyu more about work-related matters."

"Okay, Auntie," Liu Yifei replied obediently. "Thank you for your hospitality today."

After the elevator doors closed, Zhou Huiwen turned to look at her son: "Yifei is indeed a good girl, down-to-earth and serious."

"Mom, we're just working together for now," Jiang Yu emphasized.

"Mom knows." Zhou Huiwen smiled. "Mom just thinks this girl is quite nice, and it won't hurt to get to know her better. Okay, that's all for now, you go about your business."

Jiang Yu knew what his mother was thinking, so he didn't say anything more.