1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 620 "Rain Man"

In Los Angeles in 1988, sunshine was usually a right, not a gift. But today, it's absent.

The leaden clouds hung low, brewing an untimely, cold downpour.

Kenneth, dressed in a sharp suit, sat in a gleaming black Rolls-Royce Silver Spur with an excessively long body.

He was wearing white gloves, his fingers tapping anxiously on the steering wheel, raindrops dancing wildly on the windshield, almost blurring the view of the international arrivals exit at Los Angeles International Airport.

His heart was pounding.

Today is the most important day in his two years with "Today Pictures"—he is going to pick up Mr. Jiang Xian, the company's chairman who has never appeared before.

Yesterday, Operations Director Richard solemnly instructed him, "Mr. Jiang is the soul and glory of our company. This reception must be perfect, worthy of his upcoming achievements, and also demonstrate the vision we possess 'today'."

There are many legends about this Chinese chairman in the company.

He is a famous writer.

People privately speculated that he must be a serious, profound, and unsmiling person, perhaps who liked to wear an elegant Zhongshan suit, accompanied by a secretary and assistant, with a writer's unique aloofness and scrutiny in his eyes. In short, he must be a powerful and unapproachable figure.

After all, he was able to write such famous works throughout the United States and also build the company he is today.

It's important to understand that businesses are now an indispensable force in the American media industry.

Today magazine, published by Today Enterprises, is a relatively new publication, but it has already become a shining jewel in the American intellectual and cultural circles, and an influential comprehensive cultural magazine.

Critics often hailed it as "the little New Yorker".

As for "Today Pictures", although it was established not long ago, it is like a new seedling that has been grown too fast by capital and ambition. It is graceful but its foundation is not yet stable.

The company was doing well, with several low-budget horror and teen films performing well in the videotape market. However, everyone knew that the company needed a real breakthrough, an opportunity that would allow them to leap out of the B-movie quagmire and leave their mark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

This opportunity came quickly. With the release of "The Last Emperor," Today Pictures has already entered Hollywood and become a rising star that cannot be ignored.

Kennett is a leaf on this big tree, a young production assistant who, with a dream of film, squeezed into this "booming" circle from the University of Southern California.

Today, he will lead the team to receive Chairman Jiang Xian, this mysterious Chinese man, this legendary figure whom we have never met before.

Kenneth couldn't help feeling nervous.

Since receiving the notification that Mr. Jiang Xian would be coming to Los Angeles to participate in the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony, the entire company has been immersed in a sense of pride and excitement, and the reception has been upgraded to the highest level.

The operations director repeatedly reminded me to be mindful of etiquette, as he might not appreciate the casual American style.

At this moment, a steady voice came from the walkie-talkie:

"Hey Kennett, Mr. Jiang Xian's flight has landed. Have you arrived? Did you get to the right place?"

Kenneth took a deep breath and once again sketched out the image of the dignified and reserved chairman in his mind.

"Don't worry, I won't make a mistake."

My heart started beating faster.

Kenneth gave the car a final check—Dutch tulips were placed on the seats, Dom Pérignon champagne was chilled in the ice bucket, and Montecristo premium cigars were in the cigar box; every detail was meticulously crafted for perfection.

The Rolls-Royce came to a silent stop.

Kenneth glanced at his colleagues getting out of the cars behind him and stood alongside them at the exit, his eyes fixed on the inside of the passageway.

As the crowd thinned out, finally, a Chinese figure appeared.

He wore a fine light gray cashmere cardigan over a simple white cotton shirt, paired with well-fitted dark casual trousers. He looked slender and upright.

He was carrying only a classic-looking, smooth leather carry-on suitcase. His face showed some fatigue from the long flight, but his eyes were calm, and there was even a faint, gentle smile on his lips.

"Which one of you is Kenneth?"

Although he had seen the photos, the image was different from the imposing and dignified one that Kenneth had imagined. It was more like a reclusive scholar, an introverted and unassuming ordinary person.

Kenneth immediately stepped forward and bowed slightly: "Hello! Mr. Jiang Xian, I am Kenneth from Today Films. On behalf of the company, I welcome you to Los Angeles!"

Jiang Xian's gaze fell on Kenneth, and he extended his hand to shake Kenneth's hand, his grip gentle and steady.
"Kennett, thank you for your hard work. Just call me Jiang Xian, no need to be so polite."

In Kennett's view, Jiang Xian's English was clear, his tone was steady, and it carried a reassuring power.

"The weather's not good today, let's talk in the car."

Kenneth quickly went over to take Jiang Xian's suitcase, and then noticed the woman next to Jiang Xian, who was obviously Empress Wanrong from "The Last Emperor". He immediately bowed slightly.

"Hello, Ms. Zhu Lin."

"Hey, hello."

Zhu Lin smiled at him as well.

"Su Cong, let's come together." Jiang Xian organized several members of the creative team of "The Last Emperor" who had come from China together.

Su Cong and the others were all stunned.

Is this a receptionist sent by the film crew?
I've never seen it when they were filming the movie.

And judging from the scale of the operation, it seems quite formidable!

“This is the North American distribution company for the film,” Jiang Xianchong explained to them. “They are in charge of the North American release of ‘The Last Emperor’ this time. Today Pictures.”

"So that's it."

"Then let's go together."

The group realized what was happening and followed Kenneth out of the airport, where they immediately spotted the gleaming Rolls-Royce.

"This"

Su Cong and the others were immediately stunned.

Jiang Xian glanced at the imposing Rolls-Royce beside him, then looked at Kenneth and said gently, "This is too much of a show."

Zhu Lin also looked surprised.

She's been abroad several times, so of course she knows about Rolls-Royce.

"This is a small token of our company's appreciation, and we hope it will make your journey more comfortable."

Kenneth quickly said this and gestured for his other colleagues to take the suitcases.

Jiang Xian waved his hand gently, handed the box over himself, and nodded to the driver, saying, "Thank you for your trouble."

The car's interior was quiet and luxurious, with the leather seats exuding a subtle fragrance. Jiang Xian leaned back in the back seat, his gaze fixed on the fleeting Los Angeles street scenes outside the window, showing little curiosity about the car's luxurious features.

"How's the company doing lately? How are Zhao Zhenkai, Zhu Lin, and Zhong Acheng doing?" He asked, speaking as if they were having a casual chat.

“Everything is fine! Manager Zhao and the others are in New York and can’t come over in time, but everyone in Los Angeles is very excited and proud that you’re coming, and that it’s for the Oscars!” Kenneth replied, still with respect.

Jiang Xian smiled, a smile that softened the distance that came with his calm demeanor: "Winning an Oscar was a stroke of luck, and I'm also very happy to see everyone this time. The company's development depends on everyone's hard work." His composure and humility subtly dissipated some of the tension that Kenneth had anticipated.

The convoy arrived at the Westin Suites Bonaventure, a 22-story building with a distinctive cylindrical glass facade.

Jiang Xian was also familiar with this place. Because of its high-tech feel, the hotel had appeared in many movies in later years, such as "Interstellar" and "Flash Point".
“We’ve arranged for you to rest here,” Kenneth said.

"You stay here?"

Zhu Lin glanced at it.

Isn't this a bit too much of a luxury?

Jiang Xian seemed to know what she was thinking, and he held her hand and smiled at her.

He hadn't expected that Los Angeles would arrange such a luxurious stay for him this time.

If it were him, it wouldn't fit his low-key personality.

But this time he brought his wife along, so he was quite satisfied.

After all, he usually keeps a low profile in front of his wife.

Having finally come all the way to America, shouldn't he show off his muscles in front of his wife?
Hotel staff personally greeted us at the door and guided us to the presidential suite on the top floor. The huge living room overlooked the city view of Los Angeles, and sunlight streamed in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, making everything look magnificent.

Jiang Xian entered the suite, his gaze sweeping over the expensive decorations and flowers, finally settling on Kennett, his tone filled with sincere gratitude:
"Thank you so much for the company and for your thoughtful arrangements. I am truly flattered."

He spoke calmly, as if he were talking about something very ordinary, without any arrogance of someone who had achieved great success.

"You're too kind." Kenneth's initial caution gradually dissipated.

Jiang Xian took the initiative to ask about the company's situation, how his colleagues were doing, and how the recent projects were progressing. His tone was full of concern. When Kenneth mentioned that Cindy, the company's receptionist, was a fan of his, Jiang Xian laughed and said, "Then I'll have to sign an autograph for her. I hope she won't be disappointed. I'm just an ordinary scribe."

He even chatted with Kenneth about the Los Angeles weather and complained about the in-flight meals. His words were full of everyday life and so approachable that Kenneth almost forgot that the mysterious chairman of his company was sitting next to him.

“You should rest for a bit, and I’ll pick you up from work tomorrow,” Kenneth said.

"No need."

Jiang Xian glanced at his watch. It was a Swiss-made Tudor watch that Zhu Lin had picked out for him when they first got married. It was quite valuable, but it looked very understated on Kenneth's wrist.

Kennett was certain that any white-collar worker in any company would own a watch worth more than Jiang Xian's.

This is one of the reasons why he sometimes forgets Jiang Xian's identity, because he looks so ordinary and approachable, without showing any flaunting of his own assets.

"I'll go say hello to everyone now," Jiang Xian said.

"Huh?" Kenneth was again caught off guard. "Now?"

"Isn't it okay?"

Jiang Xian smiled. "In our country, schools give students special instructions in preparation for inspections from higher authorities. Is it the same in the United States?"

"no no"

Kennett understood the implication in Jiang Xian's words, "Of course you can go see it now."

So he immediately got into the car, and Jiang Xian, dressed in an ordinary jacket, appeared at Today Film Studio's Los Angeles office with a warm smile on his face.

"Hey friends, please take a break from what you're doing."

Kenneth called out into the office area, then coughed:
"Please allow me to introduce our boss, Mr. Jiang Xian."

All the employees who were on high alert showed the same astonished expression as Kenneth had when they saw him.

There was none of the imposing aura or elite demeanor I had imagined; instead, there was only a warm-smiling Chinese face that took the initiative to shake hands and exchange pleasantries with everyone.

"Hello everyone, I'm Jiang Xian. It's great to meet you all."

He called out the names he had memorized beforehand, and when shaking hands with Richard, he said, "Richard, you've worked hard. I know it's not easy to run a company."

This flattered Richard.

The two had never met in person, only exchanging a few phone calls during meetings in the past.

"Is Ang Lee's film finished? I'd like to see one of his movies," Jiang Xian asked after his tour.

“Of course, that’s part of our plan,” Smith immediately replied, leading Jiang Xian to watch a film that Ang Lee had just finished shooting and producing.

—Rain Man

It's more of a story about brotherhood.

Charlie is a young car dealer in Los Angeles who, with his shrewd mind and shrewd skills, has made his business thrive.

One day he received a phone call informing him that his father had just passed away.

Charlie appeared indifferent, but he still decided to go to Cincinnati for his father's funeral.

It turns out that Charlie's mother died when he was two years old, and his father was very strict with him. Later, due to some issues, the father and son turned against each other, and Charlie ran away from home in anger, refusing to contact his father in any form afterward.

After attending the funeral, Charlie soon discovered that his father's three million dollar estate had been handed over to someone else.

Charlie was greatly disappointed and extremely angry.

He originally thought he was his father's only heir, but unexpected complications arose.

However, Charlie was not going to give up. He prepared to fight a battle to defend his rights in the inheritance and soon found out that the trustee of the three million dollar estate was the director of a nursing home.

The beneficiary of the estate was Raymond Babbitt, who had long resided in the nursing home.

Raymond has autism; he cannot interact with people in a normal way and cannot adapt to social life in the usual sense.

In addition, he is Charlie's brother, a brother Charlie never knew, a brother with autism.

Charlie was furious at his brother, who had no concept of money but had inherited a three million dollar fortune, and felt that his father was deliberately fooling him.

A three million inheritance was given to an idiot!
He channeled his resentment towards his father onto this suddenly appearing "brother," feeling both jealousy and contempt for his mentally challenged and foolish older brother.

However, because Raymond seemed very easy to manipulate, Charlie decided to take back the half of the inheritance that was rightfully his.

After that, Charlie was moved by his brother Raymond's actions. Blood is thicker than water, after all, so in the end, he made a plate of dumplings.

Overall, it was a very heartwarming story.

This film ranked second at the box office that year.

It is also a film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

I wonder what level of quality Ang Lee will achieve when he makes the film.

(End of this chapter)