hollywood billionaire

Chapter 416 Joining the Secret
"Is this when you started working with him?"

On the stage, Eminem's hit song ignited the whole audience. This was the climax of Mad City tonight. Even though 50 Cent had not appeared yet, everyone knew that the middle-aged man on the big screens on both sides, who was still as thin as ever after more than ten years of debut and became more and more serious over time, was the leader of the West Coast Hall of Fame and the core of the all-star lineup.

Therefore, from left to right, from front to back, from the ordinary dance floor area to the VIP booths, everyone gave their remaining energy without reservation. The spotlight swept across the left side of the stage, and every celebrity face familiar to the public was immersed in the powerful and shocking bass drum beats, enjoying themselves.

Barbara Palvin and Cara Delevingne are the most tomboyish and the most relaxed. They stand close together, swinging their slender, long, but muscular arms up and down in an exaggerated manner, deliberately lowering their voices, imitating Eminem's accent, and repeating each sentence to the rhythm.

It doesn't always hit the beat, but at least the tone is there.

Madison Beer still prefers to hang out with her musician friends. Nervo, Migos, Lil Yachty, Holshey, and Mad City's nominal co-founder Diplo... Han Music is a small society, with all kinds of signed artists, with different personalities, backgrounds and pursuits. It would not be surprising if fellow artists turned against each other one day. However, at least on the Halloween celebration day when the company was established less than a year ago, they were united and harmonious.

These stars who are now emerging were all unknown ordinary people 20 years ago. Therefore, in front of the three OGs on the main stage, everyone sang along and worshiped them like fans.

Even the Migos trio, who were putting on the most airs and had to wear sunglasses late at night, had their brows furrowed, swaying to the rhythm of the music, and muttering to themselves - of course, they were reciting Eminem's lyrics.

Of course, the most enthusiastic and supportive group is still Taylor Swift and her girlfriends. Whether it is an award ceremony broadcast live around the world or an offline music festival without cameras, as long as it is in public, Taylor always shows absolute enthusiasm for other people's performances.

“My name is…my name is…my name is…

Slim Shady!

Although she didn't have the AEW-T4100 microphone that was essential for her performance, Taylor still sang along until she was hoarse, as if she was the guest performing on the main stage.

The core figures of the social circle are fully committed, and those who surround her and greedily suck the energy of the spotlight naturally have to follow suit. After all, in this world-famous group of girlfriends, Taylor Swift is the absolute leader, her preferences must be remembered, her behavior must be imitated, and her wishes must be followed.

This is definitely not the hallmark of a healthy friendship, but Taylor is rarely surrounded by people who truly want to treat her as a friend.

why?
Just look at Karlie Kloss who is clinging closely to her. A fashion model who has little connection with Hollywood, she has gained exposure and traffic far beyond ordinary stars just by the title of "Taylor Swift's best friend".

And who wouldn’t want to step onto such a ladder to heaven, soar straight up, and rise to prominence in the world of fame and fortune?
So, we can see Stella Maxwell, Martha Hunt, Hailee Steinfeld and Lily Aldridge twisting their bodies more exaggeratedly than each other, attracting the attention of the entire booth area and creating a warm party atmosphere for Taylor.

However, if Selena Gomez was not there, none of these marginal members of the girlfriends group could compete with Karlie Kloss. The latter has observed Taylor for too long, figured out for too long, got along with her for too long, and worked with her for too long. Today, Karlie has been able to control her emotions freely, cheering when she should be excited, and keeping silent when she should be quiet, following Taylor's mood and giving the maximum emotional value.

Being considerate and gentle is Karlie Kloss's best way of dealing with things, and it is also the secret of her success in both love and career, and her ability to find the right partner and close friend. She began to carefully carve and polish this method as soon as she debuted, and it has become perfect today.

Therefore, Taylor, who was already drunk, enjoyed the emotional value provided by Carly, but did not notice anything unusual about her best friend tonight.

Yes, on this Halloween night in Las Vegas, Taylor Swift is no longer the one that Carly is focusing 100% of her attention on.

Not because her boyfriend Joshua Kushner was here, but because she had found a more valuable target to associate with.

Xu Yiru.

Carly, who is very observant, can keenly notice that there are always several people of the opposite sex walking on the edge of safe social distance around Han Yi. The one who finds her most abnormal is a Chinese girl named Grace.

Zhao Youzhen is a manager working for Han Yi, Madison Beal is Han Yi's contracted artist, Barbara Paven...Based on Carly's understanding of the Hungarian supermodel, she and Han Yi had at best a fleeting romance after a friendly match. It feels like a fantasy to expect this extremely energetic lioness, who thinks about how to conquer the world as soon as she opens her eyes every day, to calm down.

There were few who were richer than Han Yi, but there were plenty who were more famous than him, and there were countless who were prettier than him. Carly didn't think that Barbie would favor the former, as those people racked their brains to get her.

At least this is her own logic in choosing a partner.

Therefore, this cute and lovely Asian pearl in his arms naturally became the winner selected by the Klaus-style elimination method. Her interaction with Han Yi was close enough, her eyes looking at the latter were sticky enough, and her identity was also enough to make people imagine.

How could a girl of the same ethnicity who was not well-known, had no connection with Hollywood, and whose alma mater was the University of Southern California, have the privilege to squeeze into this star-studded box area?

The answer is self-evident.

As a social strategy after finding the correct answer, Karlie Kloss put most of her attention on Xu Yiru tonight. She introduced her to celebrities she knew, used all kinds of witty words to quickly get closer to her, and even brought her directly to the core of the social circle, to Taylor Swift, to enjoy the atmosphere of being the center of attention... All of this was Karlie Kloss's trick to help her boyfriend lock on to Han Yi, the big money sponsor.

Carly's sense of business is as sharp as her Jewish boyfriend's. In other words, several years of life in the Upper East Side have successfully tempered her into a sophisticated and calm investor - investing not only in business projects, but also in business partners.

This young billionaire who emerged out of nowhere and began to rapidly expand his territory has the potential to become the next tycoon who shakes up the existing situation, and also has the hope of helping Joshua Kushner go further in the investment field.

Carly firmly believed that her judgment was correct, just as she firmly believed that the man next to her would be a good husband. Therefore, within her ability, she would do her best to help her boyfriend successfully implement the cooperation projects they had discussed before.

In Carly's opinion, Xu Yiru will play a very important role in whether this budding cooperative relationship can flourish.

Don't underestimate the power of your partner. Sometimes, thousands of carefully crafted business plans are not as good as a casual reminder from your lover.

Carly, with a spark in her eyes and a fire in her heart, was particularly enthusiastic, but this made the main character, Xiaoru, complain bitterly. Xu Yiru was originally a quiet girl. She could stand out in social occasions, but that didn't mean she liked the noise of drinking and toasting, especially this kind of party that had no meaning to her and was purely for entertainment.

She had listened to most of Eminem's classic singles, but she was far from being as fond of them as the white girls around her. She sometimes secretly practiced popular dances, but she definitely didn't have the courage to show off her beautiful figure like the supermodels.

The most important thing is that her alcohol tolerance is enough for her to have a small drink, but if she wants to pour tequila down her throat one glass after another like Kara, she will have to be sent to the hospital for gastric lavage.

In short, Xu Yiru, who had studied at USC for several years and had never even touched the door of a fraternity, was completely unable to adapt to the circle that Carly wanted to bring her into. Of course, she herself had never thought of forcing her way in.

Moreover, Xiaoru still has a crucial task to complete tonight. Before that, she must not allow herself to lose her mind in alcohol and music.

Therefore, Xu Yiru, who was hugged tightly by Carly and stood in the middle of the group of girlfriends, looked quite embarrassed. Her facial muscles showed an undisguised tension, and her fingers unconsciously squeezed the wine glass in her hand, as if this could give her a sense of security. However, Xiaoru had to admit that the excitement that gradually permeated her heart was an emotion too strong to ignore. She was not a vain person, but no girl of her age could remain indifferent to the grand scene tonight.

The face that she had only seen in magazines, billboards, and computer screens was now right beside her. The arms that had gracefully extended with golden wings at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show were now wrapped around her shoulders. The voice that had made 1 spectators cheer in unison at the F Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, a week ago, was just a few minutes ago, softly asking about her well-being.

There are many aspects of the family education that Xu Yiru received since childhood that she does not agree with, but on this point, she agrees with her parents.

You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with.

The people around you determine how good you are.

Continuously climbing up, entering a more competitive environment, and associating with more outstanding people has always been Xiaoru's goal.

But tonight, she suddenly realized that the altitude she had reached now was far beyond the goal she had set for herself at this age.

Of course, Xiaoru is a very self-aware person. She knows that the reason why she can stand on the high platform and look at the scenery that was previously unimaginable has almost nothing to do with her own efforts.

It was he who built this platform, and she was just an invited guest.

And he wasn't the only guest.

The feeling of insecurity that had been lingering in her heart for a long time became stronger again. She would glance in Han Yi's direction every one or two minutes, and at this moment, all her attention was on him.

Fortunately, the crazy Hungarian woman did not sneak up on him.

Fortunately, the little New York girl stopped sticking to him.

Fortunately...the most formidable competitor must have gone to deal with some urgent matter again, and there was no sign of her in the entire booth area.

At this moment, standing next to him was a red-haired woman wearing a black women's suit, who looked a little bloated but had a strong aura.

Kara Lewis.

Xu Yiru was not familiar with her. She just said hello briefly to her when she arrived today, along with Han Yi. Although she seemed friendly and enthusiastic on the surface, she always maintained a certain distance, which was an East Coast style of alienation that made Xiaoru feel a little strange.

It is hard to find such a character in the scorching sun of Los Angeles. No matter how cold-hearted people are, they force themselves to put on a friendly and social mask.

However, Xiaoru didn't mind Kara's thriftiness. In fact, she felt more at ease to have such a resolute and straightforward person assisting Han Yi.

After listening carefully to other people's whispers and doing her own "due diligence", Xu Yiru came up with an insightful evaluation of Kara Lewis in a short period of time.

This is a legendary woman who was born for success.

An iron lady who can't be defeated no matter what kind of danger she faces.

"at this time?"

Hearing Han Yi's question, Kara Lewis turned her head, her face still as calm as water, as if all the noisy carnival around her had nothing to do with her.

"You mean?" "When the song came out."

"Yeah, I've worked with Em since day one. Day one of his career."

Kara crossed her arms and gave Han Yi an unnatural smile - not because she had any problem with her new boss, but because she was not used to smiling. Except for when magazines interviewed her and needed to take a few photos, she would deal with it. In her daily work and life, Kara would never put any unnecessary expressions on her face.

Because her time is so valuable, both to herself and to her clients.

Therefore, those meaningless interpersonal etiquettes were not worthy of taking up even a second of her life.

"That must have been a very unforgettable moment, right? Looking back now." Han Yi also responded with a smile, "To be able to witness the birth of one of the greatest stars in history, and most of his achievements are thanks to you."

"Unforgettable? Yes... and no." Without even thinking, Kara Lewis raised her eyebrows and said calmly, "Before him, I was used to dealing with so-called superstars... To me, he is just a kid. A kid from Detroit who pretends to know everything but actually knows nothing."

"Have you gotten used to it before?" Han Yi nodded thoughtfully, "For example, which people?"

"For example, Dr. Dre."

"Really?" Han Yi raised his voice in surprise, "Before Eminem...you were Dr. Dre's manager?"

"Didn't he tell you?"

"We haven't talked about that."

"Then he is really cold and heartless."

"I believe Andre is not cold and heartless." Han Yi defended his future music group CEO, "We just never talked about that aspect, you know, interpersonal relationships and so on."

"I know he's a kind and warm-hearted guy, I was just joking." Kara Lewis is obviously not a person with a sense of humor. Her joking voice is exactly the same as her normal speaking voice, and she doesn't even have any expression changes. The content is dry and direct, and it doesn't have the effect of making people laugh.

This further deepened Han Yi's stereotype of her.

This iron lady, whom he had spent a huge amount of money to recruit, seemed to be not good at anything other than making money.

"Of course, Dre wasn't the first superstar I dealt with. There were some before him."

"I know one of the groups is Run DMC." Han Yi knew this part of Kara-Lewis' career by heart. "They are the first hip-hop singers in the world to hold a concert in Madison Square Garden, and the first hip-hop singers to hold a concert in any stadium - together with the Beastie Boys. This is the opportunity you helped them to fight for."

"Since you know this, why don't you know about my collaboration with Dr. Dre?"

"Because there is no report about you on the Internet that mentions Dr. Dre, and I have read every one of them, believe me." Han Yi pursed his lips and smiled, "I hope this is not because there is some deep conflict between you and Andre that cannot be resolved."

"Since I can show up here today and tell you this story, it means that there is nothing going on between Andre and I. It starts and ends with cooperation, a very simple Hollywood relationship." Raising eyebrows is Kara's most comfortable habitual action. The eyebrow arch that rises and falls with the rhythm of the conversation seems to serve as punctuation. "To be honest, I just don't like to mention his name all the time. Outsiders will think I am deliberately showing off."

“Is he any different from your other clients?”

"You should know clearly how he is different from my other clients, Yi." Kara took a sip of whiskey and returned her gaze to the legendary West Coast trio on the main stage.

"Ah." Han Yi thought for a moment and suddenly realized, "Because his identity has undergone a complete change. From a musician standing in front of the stage, he has become a capitalist hidden behind the scenes... You don't want to use his name to show off and gain benefits from your former close partner without the other party knowing. This will cause a lot of misunderstandings, right?"

"I'm not as selfless as you say, Yi. Like most people in our industry, I only want the biggest and fattest offer on the table, no matter what the cost." Hearing Han Yi's question, Kara chuckled hoarsely twice, "I just don't need to throw out his name. Any name bigger than mine - and there aren't many of them - can't help me accomplish what I'm doing."

"That's the most confident statement I've heard in a long time."

"You mean arrogant, right? Or conceited?"

"No, it's confidence." Han Yi emphasized with a smile, "Thinking that you can accomplish things that are beyond your ability is called arrogance. Honestly telling people that you can accomplish what you have been doing for decades is called confidence."

“There aren’t many people I can enjoy talking to these days, and you’re definitely one of them.” The crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes, eroded by time and forcibly smoothed out by Botox, deepened a little, but Kara’s eyes were still on the main stage. “Yes, I think this is actually one of my strongest qualities... It’s not about helping artists book performances, but knowing who I am and accepting this calmly. I’m a performance agent, that’s all. I don’t dream of being anyone else, and this makes me feel calm and comfortable.”

"It's not easy to cultivate such a mentality. On the one hand, you have to explore your inner self and find your true self and what you really want..."

"What about the other side?"

Han Yi's deliberate pause aroused Kara Lewis' curiosity. She turned her gaze back and asked.

"On the other hand, you have to be really, really good at what you do. I mean really master it, understand every part of it, and accomplish every achievable milestone, so that you can be content to dig deep in one area without having to branch out for more excitement, satisfaction, and recognition. This is indeed a difficult thing, and few people can do it, and you are one of the few I have met in real life."

"See, this is why I keep telling UTA, you should be the one leading the negotiations. If they could talk as movingly as you do, they wouldn't have to spend so much money to acquire my artist list."

“That would be beyond my responsibility… I am just a shareholder, not a decision maker.”

“Everyone knows that you are the real decision maker.”

"Even so, I hope you can get the best offer we can afford. This is good for you and for me." Han Yi extended his index finger and tapped his chest. "When you get to know me better, you will find that I am a goal-driven person. Money is like fuel. If you want to get somewhere, don't be stingy and fill up your car with gas."

"Yes, this is what I know... or rather, what I was told." Kara tilted her head slightly to the left. "Mr. Yang thinks very highly of you in this regard."

"Have you talked to Andre about this?"

Following Kara's gaze, he looked towards the main stage in front of him. Dr. Dre, who was still performing on the stage but gave all the spotlight to Eminem, raised his glass towards Han Yi. As if he already knew what the two were talking about, the black man directly smiled at Han Yi and said "you're welcome".

"You do your due diligence on me, and I do your due diligence on you, that's fair." Kara also nodded in the direction of Dr. Dre. "This is the only industry I'm in, the only industry I'm good at, and therefore the only industry I care about. Before I decided to bring CLG into UTA, I consulted many people. Dre was the most important one among them, perhaps the only one. He didn't tell me that he would be the CEO of this new music group, but I can see that he is closely involved in your plan."

"How did you know that?" Han Yi asked with interest.

"I just called him and asked about your situation briefly. I didn't tell him that UTA was talking to me about joining, nor did I mention any information related to it..." Kara Lewis paused, "Andre acted normal on the phone, but the next day, I received a call from him."

Han Yi glanced at the main stage, then turned back to look at Kara who was pointing at the main stage.

"He means...Eminem?"

"Yes. He called me straight up and said, 'Look, Kara, I don't care what agency I sign with, I just want you to know that I'm ready to make a change with you. I'm going to support you with all my strength.'"

Kara took a deep breath and emphasized her tone.

"The call came from Eminem himself, not Paul... Of course, Paul called me right after that, and for more than an hour, he analyzed the pros and cons of UTA in detail, and also focused on your appearance. You know, since 05, he has never been so concerned about performances. Every time we talked about performance arrangements, or the renewal and signing of performance contracts, he would only say, 'You can arrange it, I trust you, Kara'."

"And this... makes you feel a little offended, right?" Han Yi asked tentatively, "With a personality like yours, you should hate it when others use this method... to influence and interfere with your decisions."

"At first, yes, I won't lie," Carla Lewis admitted frankly, "I knew he knew you well, but I didn't know he was willing to...cross the line to help you. Now of course I know why he did this, because he had already reached an agreement with you to serve as the CEO of your group, and of course he hoped that the connections he once had would converge here. But at least at the time, I couldn't understand it. I didn't want to be manipulated like this, especially behind my back. So, as you may know, I suspended the negotiations for a few months, just to give UTA and Dre a cold shoulder and let them know that I was the one who made the final decision."

"What finally made you change your mind?"

"It was still a phone call. It was a phone call from Dre."

"On the phone, he explained to me in detail why he was doing this... and promised me that he was not only helping you, but also helping me. He would help me solve all the troubles I had caused and all the feuds I had with WME and CAA..."

“Get every client I lost back from these two behemoths.”

“Every customer you lose?”

Hearing these words, a meteor flashed in the depths of Han Yi's eyes.

"It means that he will help you find a way to win back..."

“Kanye.”

Kara gave a straightforward answer.

"besides……"

"Travis Scott."

(End of this chapter)