Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 538 She's not quite as good as me in one way.

As of September 2009, the global internet is no longer just a highway for information; it has evolved into a vast, complex, and highly interconnected nervous system that connects every corner of the earth in real time.

Domestic netizens are now able to stay more closely in sync with the world, commenting on events both in China and abroad with great interest, using them as topics of conversation.

The United States is deeply mired in the aftermath of the financial crisis. The Obama administration’s healthcare reform has caused domestic divisions. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s 4 trillion yen plan has stimulated the economy and become a rare growth pole in the global economy.
Iran's election riots sparked a "Green Revolution" through social media, making it the first major battleground for political maneuvering; the H1N1 influenza pandemic swept across multiple countries, prompting the WHO to declare it a global pandemic...

People scroll through Weibo discussing conspiracy theories surrounding Michael Jackson's sudden death in August, then marvel at the 3D effects in promotional trailers for highly anticipated sci-fi films like Avatar and Ball Lightning, only to be briefly drawn to news of Somali pirates hijacking an oil tanker the next second.

The world's diversity is flattened by algorithms into an endless absurd drama, an era where everyone watches the spectacle but collectively loses focus.

Because in the vast sea of ​​information, you never know which piece of information is relevant to you, or to what extent it will affect your current and future work and life.

For example, on September 16th, many customers of the newly released "OPhone O1" from Lenovo might simultaneously see two seemingly unrelated messages that are actually highly related.

Caijing: H-share listed company Lianxiang Holdings suspended trading and issued a major event announcement, announcing that its mobile communications segment has completed the handover process and has been officially taken over by Xiangjiang Hongmeng Technology Co., Ltd., with a transaction price equivalent to RMB 12.5 billion.

The original Linksys mobile phone business's global channels, R&D team, and Beiping Yizhuang production base are all included, especially the related patents acquired in recent years.

The CMMB encrypted digital TV chip supports real-time high-definition TV playback and features a built-in telescopic antenna to enhance signal stability. This is the first smartphone technology in China to deeply integrate the CMMB standard.
Equipped with a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen and patented interactive design, supporting multi-touch and full-screen handwriting input;

Other features include a 500-megapixel autofocus main camera, a 30-pixel front-facing camera that supports 3G video calls, and a deeply customized OMS system.

Attentive media and netizens can easily spot the connection between "Hongmeng Technology" and "Hongmeng Capital," which acquired a stake in Linklogis last month through mixed ownership reform, but there hasn't been much concrete information available yet.

However, even users who wanted the new phone were quite upset, as they all received calls from customer service informing them that after-sales service, repairs, and other consumer rights would be transferred to the new company.

Among them are messages that Lianxiang mobile phone users, as netizens, might encounter online—messages with connections they never imagined existed.

The Wall Street Journal: Former Goldman Sachs CEO Henry Paulson has been arrested on multiple charges.

It is reported that former Treasury Secretary and former CEO of Goldman Sachs, Henry Paulson, was arrested by the FBI a few days ago.

The Department of Justice has charged him with more than ten counts, including "financial fraud," "international money laundering," and "abuse of financial intelligence authority." The court has rejected his bail application on the grounds that "there is a risk of destroying evidence and fleeing."

According to sources within the U.S. Department of Justice, Paulson is suspected of using his positions at Goldman Sachs and the Treasury Department during the 2008 financial crisis to transfer high-risk financial derivatives assets through offshore shell companies and conceal the true counterparties, causing additional losses to U.S. taxpayers.

During the raid on his residence, the FBI seized multiple encrypted transaction records involving Cayman Islands and offshore accounts. They also used his private channels to access the "Financial Security Office" he had established during his tenure, attempting to obtain undisclosed tax records and bank statements of several fund controllers.

Based on the circumstances surrounding another Asian suspect arrested at the scene, it is speculated that Paulson may have stolen financial secrets from U.S. government personnel for use in transactions with overseas business interest groups in Asia.

Under the Patriot Act, any unauthorized access to information constitutes a breach of the national security architecture and may be considered "providing intelligence support to foreign powers." If convicted of this crime, the perpetrator could face up to 20 years in prison, and their international money laundering activities would also result in the freezing of their global assets.

Paulson's legal team recently issued a statement claiming that "the investigation was a compliant commercial due diligence operation" and accused the Department of Justice of "political persecution."

A Goldman Sachs spokesperson stated today that Paulson has had "no business dealings with the company" since leaving in 2006, and that his personal conduct "violated Goldman Sachs' compliance guidelines." However, Goldman Sachs has not yet officially responded to questions from reporters regarding another Goldman Sachs Asia employee who was arrested on the spot.

Domestic netizens generally skimmed over the news, showing indifference and unable to imagine any connection between it and the sale of the Lenovo mobile phone division.

Paulson, whose key information has yet to be uncovered, has managed to avoid being shot in the back and committing suicide thanks to his experience and connections in the US political and business circles since 1974. He only faces a long prison sentence and a fine of tens of millions of dollars.

On the Chinese internet, this relatively unknown Western political and business figure has successfully earned the title of "traitor to the United States."

An injustice that will go down in history!
-

"What a great injustice!" Liu Yifei exclaimed, looking at the news on her computer screen. She then got up to change her clothes. "This guy is the American Yue Fei. He could have exposed your true colors, but he drowned in the Black Sea."

Mr. Lu smiled and said, "This is the worst Yue Fei has ever been portrayed."

Xiao Liu laughed and walked into the dressing room, simply selecting a clean and neat set of casual clothes to change into. After all, she would need to get her makeup done and change into a formal dress later.

Today is the premiere of "The Founding of a Republic," and it is also her first official appearance in front of the media since giving birth in May.

Last month, when I went to the Beijing Stock Exchange, I wore a mask and hat the whole time to avoid interviews; I was just there to watch the excitement.

Liu Yifei looked at herself in the mirror while wearing her underwear, then turned to her husband and raised an eyebrow triumphantly: "My figure has recovered pretty well during this time, hasn't it?"

Then she lifted Yukiko up with both hands and said, "This thing is gone again. It was never meant to be yours. There's no point in forcing it. Sigh!"

She sounded slightly regretful, but mainly for the washing machine. She herself felt that the slightly larger size of her clothes compared to before pregnancy made her look better and made her feel more relaxed.

For the first two months after giving birth, I felt like I was doing a weighted long march every day, but now it's finally like a light off-road race.

When his wife invited him to comment on his figure, the washing machine naturally rushed to answer. He got up with great enthusiasm and walked into the walk-in closet, which was over 100 square meters, and then gently closed the door behind him.

He leaned against the door frame, his gaze wandering over the graceful curves. Her waist, recovered from childbirth, was slender as a willow, yet suddenly blossomed into a full curve at her hips.

Two peach-shaped hips, stretched taut by the tight jeans, created a breathtaking silhouette. They swayed and rose naturally with each step, exuding a natural and understated sex appeal. It was a perfect combination of suppleness and fullness.

"That's the biochemical benefit that Youyou and Tiedan brought you," Boss Lu laughed. "From now on, I'll have to rely on my physical methods."

"Who cares!" Xiao Liu chuckled and pouted, glancing at the lecherous washing machine as she hurriedly put on her clothes to prevent certain people from turning into beasts again. Otherwise, why would she close the door to the walk-in closet?
The washing machine wasn't about to let her get away with it. He leaned in and embraced his startled wife, just as he was about to take a tender look at her, when suddenly a faint, almost imperceptible sobbing sound came from inside.

"It's crying, it's crying! Let's see if Grandma is home?" The young mother, who already had a tacit understanding with her two babies, hurriedly pulled up her pants and walked quickly to the nursery next door.

Mr. Lu had no choice but to follow. When he entered the room, he saw his daughter sleeping peacefully, undisturbed by her brother's crying. Only Tie Dan's loud voice made his eardrums hurt.

The richest man was furious: "You son! You've ruined your old father's plans!"

"Don't you dare say bad things about our son to his face. Do you think he doesn't understand? He'll pull out your oxygen tube when he's old!" Xiao Liu rolled her eyes at him, then expertly checked the diaper. The moment her fingertip touched her son's bottom, she was met with a warm, parabolic spray, which seemed to have painted a map on her white T-shirt that she had just changed into before heading out.

Liu Xiaolv was also furious: "You son! You made your old mother have to go change clothes again!"

Suddenly, a series of loud footsteps sounded, and Liu Xiaoli appeared at the door with a look of anxiety. She glanced at the situation inside the room and was equally furious!
"What are you doing? Tiedan is crying like this, and you're still busy flirting here?"

"It's mainly Xiao Liu's fault." Lu Kuan chuckled as he was about to change his son's diaper. "I told her to just wear whatever she wanted when she went out, and she spent about ten minutes admiring herself in the mirror."

Liu Yifei remained silent, only giving her husband a death stare.

Even though he's not usually home, Mr. Lu still took on the task willingly, with the richest man in mainland China personally changing his son's diapers.

The richest man's eldest son, who had just "harmed three wise men with one scheme," was no pushover. Accompanied by rhythmic crying, another stream of urine gushed out, ruining his father's shirt.

"Wow! That's powerful! No wonder I chose such a good nickname."

It's just that it's inconvenient for my mother-in-law to be here, otherwise I would definitely say that he has the same style as his father.

Grandma, beaming with joy at the sight of her eldest grandson, patted her son-in-law's arm: "Go, go, you two hurry up and change your clothes and go out. I'll take care of it."

When the two good-for-nothings in Liu Xiaoli's eyes changed their clothes and came back, Lu Youyou and Liu Tiedan were placed side by side on the big bed, which made Liu Yifei very happy.

Yoyo was also awakened by the commotion, but she didn't cry or fuss. Together with her younger brother, who had calmed down, she was curiously looking at the world with her grape-like eyes.

The four-month-old baby can already lift his head briefly. The older sister, Youyou, is turning her face to the side and biting her little hand, while the younger brother, Luping, is kicking his swaddle blanket hard, kicking away one of the little socks that his grandmother just put on.

What was most touching for the three adults to see was the adorable interaction between the siblings. Their two small, chubby hands naturally reached out to each other, their fingertips gently exploring before finally clasping together – a tacit understanding unique to twins.

Liu Yifei's heart melted at the sight, and she gently hugged the two babies. "Lu Kuan, take a picture of us quickly, I need to change my phone's screen saver!"

Boss Lu did as instructed, but the already nearly 20GB of photos clearly needed to be expanded.

After taking the photos, the elderly father knelt down by the bed with deep emotion, gently stroking the cheeks of his two babies with his fingertips. Last month, after everything seemed to have settled down, he flew away. It had only been half a month since he last saw them, and it seemed that the two children had changed again.

When he left home last time, he seemed to only grasp unconsciously, but now his son can hold onto his fingers and habitually put them in his mouth.

Four months of growth have passed like they've been fast-forwarded. The last time they left home, they could only make single "ah-woo" sounds, but now they can converse with "ee-ee-ya-ya". Their once hazy eyes now follow the rattle, and they are all very clever and lively.

"Who researched this little thing? It's so adorable!"

Liu Yifei said irritably, "You did the research, I produced it, so stop talking nonsense!"

Liu Xiaoli smiled and said, "Qianqian will be going back to work in a few months. Xiaolu, you're not usually idle, but you still need to spend more time with the baby."

Grandma's still beautiful face was filled with emotion: "What I am most grateful for is that when Xixi was little, no matter what my relationship with her father's family was like, she was always by my side."

"Whether in Jiangcheng or in the United States, before she turned eighteen, my daughter and I probably never spent more than three days apart."

"Your careers are very successful, but you should still come back to spend time with your babies and watch them grow up whenever you have time. It's a very heartwarming and precious experience."

Xiao Liu hugged Youyou and Tiedan and laughed, "Mom, stop talking. If you keep talking, I'm really going to post on Weibo that I'm retiring from the entertainment industry. I can't stand not seeing them for a day now, I miss them terribly!"

Lu Kuan ruthlessly exposed her: "That's because you're cute and adorable now. Let's see if you'll still be so optimistic when they find you annoying and disgusting."

"I can tolerate how annoying you are, but I can't tolerate them?" Liu Yifei said disdainfully. "Youyou looks like someone who's easy to take care of. Only Tiedan is good. I just hope he's not as bad as you."

"That's not necessarily true." Xi Jing still held her daughter with affection. She looked at her somewhat unfamiliar father and reached out to grab him. "Youyou has never liked to cry since she was little. Maybe she's a cold and aloof queen. She'll give you a liver pain from her cold violence."

"Hmph, I bet you're just hoping she'll make me angry!"

Children are always the softest bond in a family. No matter if they are powerful business tycoons or dazzling movie stars outside, they only have one identity at home.

The couple laughed and joked for a while before leaving, heading straight for the Beijing Olympic Sports Center. The Olympic Sports Center was already brightly lit, with spotlights on both sides of the red carpet illuminating the night sky as if it were daytime.

Outside the security cordon, thousands of fans held up different light boards, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the main and supporting actors of "The Founding of a Republic".

Judging from the star-studded lineup alone, this may be the grandest premiere ever held for a Chinese-language film.

Han Shanping and director Huang Jianxin made their first appearance, followed by Tang Guoqiang, Liu Jin and other actors who portrayed various great figures. Zhang Guoli, who played Chiang Kai-shek, and Wang Xueqi, who played Li Zongren, also recreated their "historic handshake" in front of the autograph board.
Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars are more active in such events. Even Jackie Chan, who only has one line, and Leung Ka-fai, who plays the military representative, elicited screams.

The most popular were definitely the young actresses and actors. Bingbing, who can no longer be called a simple actress, was almost killed by the flashes of the reporters' cameras. She also happily cooperated with the photos and interviews, doing a lot of publicity for "My Love from the Star" which is still being filmed.

If time permits, it may be successfully integrated into mobile phones and WeChat business.

Around 7:30, a black Maybach with a Beijing license plate (京A) slowly drove in, and the scene instantly erupted with a deafening roar.

Lu Kuan got out of the car first, wearing a well-tailored dark suit, with a tall and neat figure.

Instead of rushing to the red carpet, he calmly walked around to the other side and gentlemanly opened the car door for his wife.

It is often said that a man's public image is given by his wife, but the actions of this billionaire husband undoubtedly reinforce fans' belief in Liu Yifei's happy life after marriage and childbirth. The two have always joked with each other in front of the camera, as well as treating each other with utmost respect.

Liu Yifei gently placed her hand in Lu Kuan's hand and gracefully got out of the car.

Today, Xiao Liu is wearing a pure white satin deep V-neck dress designed by Alexander Wang. The retro puff sleeve design adds a touch of elegance to the overall look.

The dress's clean lines perfectly accentuated her postpartum figure, which had returned to its former glory. Her diamond tassel earrings swayed gently with her steps, refracting a dazzling light under the flashing lights.

The top female star in the Chinese entertainment industry has a perfectly timed smile on her lips, maintaining a just-right level of reserve while exuding a gentle and elegant charm.

The moment she naturally took her husband's arm and they smiled at each other showed their perfect understanding.

"Ah!!! Sisi!"

"Look here, okay? It's been so long, Sisi!"

"Can you sign an autograph? We miss you so much!"

The scene erupted in deafening screams as fans waved their support signs and glow sticks wildly, the cheers rising in waves.

Fans in the front row stretched their arms out desperately, trying to get closer to their idols; those in the back row stood on tiptoe, holding up their phones to take pictures like crazy.

"Wait for me a moment."

Liu Yifei, who has barely made a public appearance since participating in CCTV's "Art Life" at the beginning of this year, felt the enthusiasm of her fans and was reluctant to leave directly. She walked to the cordon and tried her best to fulfill everyone's wishes for autographs and photos.

Afei was originally going to enter through the staff entrance, but now he followed her closely, handing over and returning the photos. This delay took about ten minutes. When they returned to the autograph wall, Lu Kuan was already being interviewed by reporters.

"Mr. Lu, when is Yifei planning to resume work? We see that many fans came here today specifically for her."

As Lu Kuan watched his wife approach, he said, "Perfect timing, she's here. You can ask the person involved."

Xiao Liu, still holding a pen, smiled as he took the microphone: "I've already returned to work. I started showing up at the Beijing People's Art Theatre last week."

"Attending the premiere today is also work. I hope everyone will go to the cinema to support 'The Founding of a Republic' and celebrate the 60th birthday of our motherland!"

The reporter from the Movie Channel had met her many times before, so the questions were a bit more personal: "How is it for Yi Fei to take care of her child now? Does she miss her glory on the big screen? Which role is more challenging, being a mother or an actress?"

"Taking care of a child feels great, haha." Xiao Liu smiled, revealing her sweet dimples. "My elders in the family work much harder than I do, so I can have an easier time. Otherwise, I would definitely be complaining."

"As for the roles of mother and actress, I think the former is more difficult. After all, parents have a huge influence on their children's growth. This is a movie that will take decades to film and cannot be reshot."

The female reporter laughed and said, "Your child with Director Lu is definitely good-looking. Netizens have been urging the little fairy to follow in her mother's footsteps. Do you two have any plans for that now?"

Xiao Liu first handed the microphone to Lu Kuan, who casually said, "It mainly depends on them. Of course, since both their parents are in this industry, they can try it if they are interested. We respect their own choice."

"Where's Princess Yi?"

"Me? Actually, I don't want them to go into this industry." Liu Yifei explained, "I myself entered the industry when I was 14 or 15 years old. Sometimes it's still very tiring, and having to leave my parents so early to perform and film in various places is quite hard to bear, haha!"

Reporter from the Beijing Evening News: "Yi Fei just mentioned returning to the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Does she plan to continue to focus on drama? What other works does she have in the near future after Chen Bailu?"

"Right now, my main focus is on getting back into shape and taking care of my child. At the Beijing People's Art Theatre, I'm just participating in rehearsals and exercising. I don't expect to officially return to work until next year. My child can't be without me for long."

"The focus will be on movies, there's no doubt about that."

A reporter from the Beijing Entertainment News quickly interjected: "If she resumes work after the New Year, Yi Fei will have been out of the public eye for almost a year. Among the so-called 'Four Little Actresses,' Yang Mi's career is developing very well. Her previous collaboration with the Penguin Ranch game also went well. Has Yi Fei ever worried that her status might be threatened?"

Xiao Liu frowned: "What position?"

"The term 'gawei' in internet slang refers to the level, class, and status of a celebrity."

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "I'm on a diet recently, and the black coffee I drink before swimming is all instant. Let whoever wants to compete for coffee status do so; it's pretty boring."

The reporters came with the intention of creating buzz, especially in May when "Penguin Ranch" and "Wenjie Farm" were competing, and Yang Mi endorsed ranch props. LeTV Culture spent a lot of money buying articles to hype up the competition between the young actresses, especially since Yang Mi was the top star.

It was from that time that Yang Mi's fans began to mock Liu, who had become rounder due to pregnancy, calling her "Fat Fairy," a term that has become a common tactic used by many online haters.

Even if Xiao Liu reappears in front of everyone today and is still the same graceful lady, the blind man's brain has already been tattooed with those two words, and they will not recognize her.

The reporter persisted: "Yang Mi was officially announced as the brand ambassador for LV beauty products last month. Currently, she is the second highest-level ambassador among domestic female stars after Fan Bingbing. This is actually a manifestation of her status. Has Yifei not considered these competitive situations?"

When this question was raised, the surrounding reporters, staff, and fans couldn't help but look over with some surprise.

The first question is fairly normal and fits the theme of the "Beiping Entertainment News". These entertainment newspapers, in order to increase sales, spend all day focusing on boring rankings and hype-up combinations.

However, this second question seemed to come with a mission from LeEco Culture and Yang Mi's PR team.

During today's highly anticipated red carpet event and interviews for "The Founding of a Republic," this interview was essentially an advertisement for Yang Mi.

Moreover, no matter how Liu Yifei answered, she wasn't going to get a good response—

A casual compliment to Yang Mi, echoing the reporter's words, would be quite nice for her.
If they get angry and make sarcastic or sarcastic remarks, even better.

That's not entirely impossible, is it? What female celebrity doesn't compete and strive for excellence? Especially after Yang Mi secured an endorsement of this caliber, facing Liu Yifei, who had been staying home taking care of her child for a year.

Even though there is a huge gap in their main professions as actors, at least they are relatively equal in terms of fashion resources and endorsement status.

The reason for this is that Xiao Liu is really not interested in fashion. She usually dresses quite casually, and hearing the reporter speak so bluntly, she was speechless, which is why she became famous.

The experienced host, Jin Wei, said in front of the autograph wall, "Yi Fei, Director Lu, the next group of actors will be coming soon. Would you please move inside first?"

Mr. Lu smiled at his wife, never interfering or interrupting.

These are all minor incidents. Given Liu Yifei's current status in the Chinese entertainment industry, no one dares to directly confront her. However, she will inevitably face backstabbing and harassment from petty people.

It looks annoying, but it's not worth picking up a machete and beheading it.

Yang Mi, who was "expelled" from her WeChat Moments, is a prime example.

Even now, she frequently posts photos with Liu Yifei on social media to commemorate anniversaries, such as the fourth anniversary of the premiere of "The Condor Heroes" and intimate scenes of past dinners with her best friends, dutifully playing the role of a "devoted best friend".

However, the coal bosses and LeEco Culture behind the scenes have been sparing no effort in engaging in some small hype-making activities, such as the aggressive reporter today.

Liu Yifei smiled at Jin Wei, who had kindly come to her rescue, and turned to the reporter with an unchanged expression: "Thank you for telling me a new word. First of all, my main job is still acting, and that will never waver."

“I’m not a very talented actor. In order to be responsible for my work, I have to spend a lot of time and energy preparing for it. Other commercial projects have to be put on hold. Now that I have a baby, I undoubtedly spend even more time on my family.”

"As for Yang Mi, whom you mentioned..." Xiao Liu habitually raised his eyebrows, looking at the reporter with a mischievous grin: "I think Yang Mi is better than me in many ways, except for one thing in which I think I am much better than Yang Mi."

The reporter was about to give up after hearing the usual platitudes, but the sudden competition between the two women brightened her up again. Sure enough, she was still in a bad mood.

"What point does Consort Yi want to make?"

She chuckled and put her arm around the washing machine next to her: "Of course it's because I have a good husband! Don't even mention Yang Mi, in my heart no one can compare to me in this respect!"

The reporter was dumbfounded, while the fans were furious.

You damn reporter, asking these unnecessary questions only gave her another chance to show off her love and shower her with affection. What started as a full-screen attack on Weibo has now become a targeted attack on the spot.

She cleverly used Lu Kuan's tactics to counter the old party's "issue setting," using the phrase "in many ways she is better than me" to eliminate the reporter's topic of "female celebrities vying for status," and then subtly shifted the topic off-topic with a display of affection.

As for the statement from Xiao Liu that "Yang Mi is better than her in many ways," who would believe it if they weren't blind?

When such a sentence came from the mouth of the beautiful and lovely Liu Yifei in front of the camera, the audience just laughed it off.

The reporter's question wasn't even worth a few words of discussion for them. As soon as Lu Kuan and his wife entered the inner room, Han Shanping and others immediately came over with smiles.

(End of this chapter)