Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 177 The Pig-Slaughtering Ranking: Is It Enough to Support You?

On Saturday morning, November 7th, the tranquility of Beijing Yintai Apartments was shattered by an exaggerated scream.

"Ah, in the bedroom, Liu Yifei jumped up from the bed with her iPad in hand, her eyes wide open, as if she had seen some incredible alien creature."

She covered her mouth with one hand and shook Jiang Yu, who was still asleep beside her, with the other.

"Jiang Yu! Jiang Yu, wake up! Something terrible has happened!"

Jiang Yu groggily opened his eyes. The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten, and the clock showed 8:40 a.m.

He had a video conference with his North American team until 3 a.m. last night, and his brain is still in standby mode.

"What's wrong—an earthquake?" he asked hoarsely, rubbing his eyes.

"It's scarier than an earthquake!" Liu Yifei shoved the iPad in front of his eyes, the screen almost touching his nose. "Look!"

Hurun Rich List! Asia Rich List! You—you're on the list!

Jiang Yu squinted at the screen, where a bolded title stood out.

The 2009 Hurun Asia Rich List was released, and Jiang Yu, born in the 80s, became the richest man in mainland China with a net worth of US$105 billion.

He blinked and looked at it carefully again.

US$105 billion. Fourth in Asia. First in mainland China.

The list details the top ten in Asia: Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries of India with $195 billion, steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal with $193 billion, Li Ka-shing of Hong Kong with $162 billion, and then there's him with $105 billion. Following him are the Kwok brothers and the Lee Shau Kee family of Hong Kong.

"Oh," he replied, turning over to continue sleeping.

"Oh? You only have one 'oh'?!" Liu Yifei was furious. She straddled him, cupped his face in her hands, and shook him violently. "Jiang Yu! $105 billion! Fourth in Asia! Richest man in mainland China! And this is your reaction?!"

Jiang Yu was completely sobered up by her shaking. Helplessly, he sat up, took the iPad, and carefully looked at the list.

In addition to the overall Asian rich list, there is also a detailed list of mainland China's richest people. He is at the top of the list, followed by Wang Chuanfu of BYD with 58 billion yuan, Liu Yongxing of East Hope Group with 55 billion yuan, and Zong Qinghou of Wahaha with 48 billion yuan.

Tencent's Ma Huateng ranks eighth with 38 billion yuan, which is only a little over one-third of his.

"Hurun's list of pig slaughterers" — He frowned. "How was the data calculated? It's clearly overestimated."

"That's not important!" Liu Yifei exclaimed excitedly, her face flushed. She jumped up and down on the bed a couple of times. "The important thing is that you're on the list! And so high up! My god, my boyfriend is the richest man in China! And the youngest one at that! Born in the 80s!"

Suddenly remembering something, she grabbed her phone to take a picture: "I have to post this on Weibo! I absolutely have to! I want everyone to know!"

"No, no, no!" Jiang Yu quickly grabbed her. "Teacher Liu, calm down, calm down. This is the 'Slaughter List,' being on it is no good."

"Why isn't it a good thing?" Liu Yifei blinked her big eyes. "So much money, isn't that a good thing?"

"The bigger the tree, the more the wind blows," Jiang Yu sighed, his expression turning serious. "This list is also known as the 'Pig Slaughtering List.' Many of the wealthy people on the list later ran into trouble. Having too much money and attracting attention isn't a good thing."

Liu Yifei was stunned for a moment, then slowly calmed down.

She recalled the news reports of many wealthy individuals who had made the rich list being investigated, bankrupt, or even imprisoned over the years, and her expression gradually changed: "Then—what can we do? Can we get them to remove you from the list?"

"It's already up and running, there's no going back." Jiang Yu remained calm, putting his iPad aside. "But we can ask them to lower the figures as much as possible. I'll have Wang Wei contact Hurun later."

He glanced at the gradually brightening sky outside the window and said with a wry smile, "But starting today, our house is probably going to be lively."

The two exchanged a glance. Jiang Yu walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked down. Good heavens, seven or eight interview vehicles were already parked at the entrance of the community, with cameras and microphones pointed at the Yintai gate. Several reporters were also trying to negotiate with the security guards to enter the community.

"Here it comes," he said.

Liu Yifei also came over to look, and gasped: "So many reporters—how did they know we lived here?"

"The paparazzi have their channels." Jiang Yu lowered the curtains. "Reporters, financial reporters, entertainment reporters, and those who want to discuss cooperation or attract investment—don't even think about leaving the house today."

Just then, Jiang Yu's phone rang.

It was Wang Wei, Wang Wei's assistant, calling. The background noise was as loud as a vegetable market.

"Mr. Jiang, have you seen the news?" Wang Wei's voice sounded both excited and nervous. "The Hurun Rich List was just released half an hour ago, and our office phones have been ringing off the hook! Financial reporters, entertainment reporters, overseas media, and all sorts of investment institutions and partners—my hands are sore from answering so many calls!"

Jiang Yu rubbed his temples: "I saw it. Contact Hurun and ask them to correct the data, saying that their calculation method is wrong and the actual assets are not that much."

"But Mr. Jiang, even with a discount, you'll definitely still be on the list—" Wang Wei said cautiously. "And right now the whole internet is talking about it. Six out of the top ten trending topics on Weibo are related to you. It's getting out of control."

"Then let them postpone their appointments as much as possible," Jiang Yu said. "Also, inform all senior executives that starting today, they will not accept any interviews regarding my personal wealth. If reporters ask, the unified response is 'no comment.'"

"Understood. And—what about Teacher Liu?"

Jiang Yu glanced at Liu Yifei, who was listening intently beside him: "She won't give any interviews either. We'll just stay home. Also, have the security department send a few people over to maintain order outside the community and prevent reporters from harassing other residents."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Yifei muttered, "I had an appointment with a designer today to look at dress styles—"

"Let's do it another day." Jiang Yu flicked her forehead. "If you go out today, you'll be surrounded by reporters in no time. Stay home and I'll have the housekeeper buy more groceries so we can cook for ourselves."

"Alright then." Although Liu Yifei was disappointed, she knew the importance of the matter.

She picked up her iPad again to browse the news, her eyes widening with each page: "Jiang Yu, look! The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times have both reported on it! Bloomberg even did a special program on it!"

Jiang Yu leaned over to take a look, and sure enough, mainstream international financial media were reporting on this matter.

The Wall Street Journal's headline was "Filmmakers' Capital Game: How Chinese Filmmakers Build a Tech Investment Empire."

1

The Financial Times headline was more direct: “From Post-Production Studio to Wall Street: The Investment Myth of a Chinese Special Effects Founder.”

报导里详细列出了追光资本的投资版图：亚马逊3.3%、苹果0.9%、英伟达7.2%、奈飞11.8%，还有腾讯8.57%、特斯拉、韩国游戏公司、芬兰的Rovio————

"How do they know so much?" Liu Yifei asked in surprise.

"These are listed or publicly traded companies, and they must disclose their shareholding if it exceeds a certain percentage," Jiang Yu explained. "However, they also included the valuation of unlisted companies, and calculated it using the highest valuation, so the figures are inflated."

"So you're not that rich?" Liu Yifei blinked.

"That's not true." Jiang Yu smiled, pinching her cheek. "I can support you for a lifetime. You can buy whatever dress you want."

"Who wants you to support me!" Liu Yifei blushed, but felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

She suddenly remembered something: "Wait, these investments—when did you make them? How come I had no idea?"

"It was done slowly, starting in 2005," Jiang Yu said casually. "Back then, you were busy filming 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' and we didn't even know each other. You didn't have time to care about these things."

Liu Yifei stared at him blankly, then suddenly rushed forward and hugged him: "Jiang Yu, you're amazing—how can you be so amazing—"

Jiang Yu put his arm around her and smiled gently, "Now you know you've struck gold?"

"I've always known," Liu Yifei snuggled against him, "but I especially know today."

On the morning the Hurun Rich List was released, the entire Chinese media circle went into a frenzy.

The headlines in financial media are getting more and more sensational:

.

"Post-80s Special Effects Artist Becomes China's Richest Man! Unveiling Jiang Yu's Billion-Dollar Investment Empire"

From Special Effects Artist to Billionaire: Jiang Yu's Capital Magic

The biggest dark horse on the Hurun Rich List: An investment genius emerging from the film and television industry.

$105 billion! The world's youngest richest person is born.

Entertainment media outlets weren't to be outdone, after all, the main characters were people from the entertainment industry:

Liu Yifei's boyfriend's net worth revealed: $105 billion!

The Most Perfect Couple Gets an Upgrade: Best Actress + Richest Man = ?

Jiang Yu's Wealth Secret: Earning Billions While Making Movies

A New Definition of Marrying into a Wealthy Family: Marrying into a Wealthy Family Created by Your Boyfriend

Social media exploded. Six of the top ten trending topics on Weibo were related to this topic.

#Jiang Yu is China's Richest Man# (Breaking News)

#Post-80s billionaire# (Breaking News)

#How rich is Liu Yifei's boyfriend?# (Trending)

#LightChasingCapitalInvestmentMap# (Hot)

#From Special Effects Master to Investment Tycoon# (Trending)

#OtherPeople'sBoyfriends# (Hot)

Under each topic were netizens' creative comments: "I declare, Jiang Yu is my new husband! Liu Yifei, I'm sorry!"

"Wake up, upstairs. He already has a Venice Film Festival Best Actress award, he wouldn't even look at you."

"So 'Black Swan' is a movie a billionaire made for his girlfriend? What kind of idol drama plot is this?"

"What's most infuriating is that he has excellent foresight, makes great investments, and is handsome too—what window did God close for him?"

"It may have closed the windows for ordinary people, but opened the skylight."

"I did the math: $105 billion is approximately 735 billion RMB. If I earn 5,000 RMB a month, I'd have to work for 122500 years without eating or drinking to earn that much—"

"Stop calculating upstairs, the more you calculate, the more hopeless you'll become."

"Did Liu Yifei save the galaxy in her past life?"

"Didn't Jiang Yu save the galaxy to find Liu Yifei? She's a Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner!"

"So this is a two-way street between top-tier good looks? I'm so jealous."

An executive at a film and television company posted: "We were having tea and discussing projects together last year, and this year he's become the richest man in China. The world changes so fast—" The accompanying photo was a picture of him and Jiang Yu at an industry forum last year.

Huang Xiaoming commented below: "President Jiang has always been very low-key, but this time he was exposed by Hurun."

Fan Binbin replied: "So Yifei is the real winner in life!"

Li Binbin liked and commented: "Congratulations to Yifei, congratulations to President Jiang."

At this moment, Liu Yifei, the "winner in life," is curled up on the sofa, scrolling through Weibo, laughing as she scrolls, and occasionally reading it to Jiang Yu.

"Look at this comment," she nudged Jiang Yu, who was looking at a financial report next to her, "Liu Yifei must have saved the galaxy in her past life, hahaha—"

Jiang Yu didn't even look up: "Didn't I find you because I saved the galaxy?"

"Narcissistic!" Liu Yifei said, but then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "But you're right, I'm the one who came out on top."

She scrolled through the comments for a while, then suddenly frowned: "What's going on with this comment? Isn't Liu Yifei just pretty?"

"Why is he so lucky?" — Who is this person?!

Jiang Yu finally looked up from the documents, took the phone and glanced at it; it was a fake account with no ID, no phone number, and no contact information.

He smiled and said, "There are all kinds of people in the online world, don't worry about it."

"I don't care what she says about me, but what she said about you—" Liu Yifei said angrily, "You're so amazing, is she blind?!"

Jiang Yu felt a warmth in his heart and pulled her into his arms: "Teacher Liu, whether I have money or not, no matter how much money I have, it won't affect the fact that I like you. You know that, right?"

"I know." Liu Yifei leaned on his shoulder. "I liked you even when you were poor, although you didn't seem poor back then—oh well, whatever, I like you as a person, not your money."

"What if I go bankrupt one day?"

"I'll support you," Liu Yifei answered without hesitation. "My acting fees have gone up, and my endorsement fees have gone up too. It's enough to support you. Besides, I can take on more roles and endorsements—"

Seeing her serious expression, Jiang Yu lowered his head and kissed the top of her head: "Okay, it's settled then."

The release of the Hurun Rich List caused a much greater stir in the film and television, internet, and investment circles than Huayi Brothers' IPO.

When Huayi went public, what everyone saw was the capital value of a film and television company.

Jiang Yu's inclusion on the list reveals that this young filmmaker has quietly built a multi-billion dollar empire.

In the conference room of Light Chaser Pictures, several executives looked at the news, exchanging glances in a subtle atmosphere.

"I always knew President Jiang was rich, but I never imagined he was this rich—" Production Director Zhang Lei murmured, forgetting to drink his coffee. "105 billion US dollars, how much money is that?"

"What's our BJ Company's valuation?" Marketing Director Li Na smiled wryly. "Black Swan grossed over $4 million worldwide, but the North American company only got a little over $1 million. President Jiang's personal wealth is more than 20 times the film's box office revenue—"

"So there's a reason why Mr. Jiang is usually so calm," said Wang Jianguo, the CFO, adjusting his glasses with a complex tone. "Our business is probably just a hobby for him in the grand scheme of things. He makes movies out of interest, not to make money."

These words evoked mixed feelings in everyone. On the one hand, they were proud to have chosen the right boss, but on the other hand, they felt immense pressure. If their boss was so great, wouldn't it be incredibly embarrassing if they didn't perform well?

"But it's a good thing too," Zhang Lei suddenly said. "With President Jiang being so wealthy, he wouldn't make bad movies just to make money. We can focus on creating quality content without worrying about funding."

"Yes!" Li Na's eyes lit up. "And with this background, future collaborations, film scheduling, and promotional negotiations will be much smoother. Who wouldn't want to work with the richest man's company?"

Equally complicated is the situation of Wang Zhongjun of Huayi Brothers. While watching the news in his office, he said to his younger brother Wang Zhonglei, "When they exchanged 1200 million shares for a role in 'Inception' last year, I thought it was a good deal. Now it seems—they don't care about those shares at all."

"Brother, how exactly did Jiang Yu make so much money?" Wang Zhonglei asked curiously. "Even if he has a good eye for investment, he still needs capital. Where did he get so much start-up capital from working in special effects?"

"I heard he was already investing in the US back in 2006, and he caught the financial crisis, buying at the bottom and making a fortune," Wang Zhongjun sighed. "That's fate. Some people are destined for greatness. But—"

He paused for a moment, then said, "This is a good thing. Having such a super-rich person in the film and television industry will attract more capital and expand the market. We can all benefit from it."

Wang Changtian, from Enlight Media, frowned as he looked at the list.

"Mr. Wang, this Jiang Yu—" the assistant hesitated before speaking.

"I know what you're trying to say." Wang Changtian waved his hand. "With Light Chaser Pictures having a boss like this, the competition will be even fiercer in the future. But—that's a good thing too."

"Good news?"

"That shows the film and television industry has potential," Wang Changtian smiled, a complex smile on his face. "Even billionaires are coming to participate, which means our industry has a bright future. Pass the word down to accelerate the IPO process; we need to hurry too. Also—"

He thought for a moment: "Find an opportunity to invite President Jiang to dinner. Let's not talk about competition, just exchange ideas. It can't hurt to get to know someone of his caliber."

Bona's Yu Dong reacted more directly; he made a phone call to Jiang Yu.

"Mr. Jiang, congratulations! You've become China's richest man without making a sound. You've kept it all under wraps!" Yu Dong's loud voice came through the microphone.

On the other end of the phone, Jiang Yu smiled wryly: "President Yu, please don't make fun of me. Being the richest man or not is just an empty title."

"A hollow reputation? $105 billion is just a hollow reputation?" Yu Dong laughed. "Alright, I know you're modest. But seriously, if you come across any good projects in the future, remember to include your brothers. Even a little bit of what you manage to squeeze out is enough to feed us for a year."

"Mr. Yu, you're too kind. We'll definitely cooperate if the opportunity arises."

After hanging up the phone, Yu Dong said to the vice president beside him, "See? This is a real big shot. He's rich, he has resources, and he's low-key. We need to stick close to him. Even if he leaks a little bit of resources from us, it'll be enough to make us rich."

The reaction in the internet community was equally intense, with the QQ groups of influential figures becoming lively as early as 7 a.m.

Ma Huateng posted a message in the "Internet World" group: "@Everyone, did you see today's trending topics? Jiang Yu 105"

A hundred million dollars—we outsiders have outdone us.

Someone replied quickly:

Ding Lei: "After seeing it, I can't believe it. A filmmaker, making such good investments."

Zhang Chaoyang: "He invested 11.8% in Netflix, that's amazing foresight. I also considered investing in streaming media, but I didn't dare to."

Robin Li: "His light and shadow video gained 1500 million users in just one month. It's gaining momentum. We need to be careful."

Lei Jun: "What I'm curious about is his investment team, with fewer than 50 people, how did they manage to be so precise?"

Ma Huateng sent Jiang Yu a private text message: "Mr. Jiang, you're truly a hidden talent. I knew Light Chaser Investment was impressive, but I didn't realize you were this good. Next time you come to Shenzhen, I'll have to ask you for your investment insights."

Jiang Yu replied, "Mr. Ma, you're too kind. I was just lucky."

Soon after, Jack Ma called: "Mr. Jiang, you're amazing! No wonder Guangying Video wasn't in a hurry to raise funds; it turns out you're the big investor yourself!"

"Teacher Ma, please stop teasing me."

"I'm not joking, I'm really impressed," Jack Ma said earnestly. "You're good at film and television, and you're good at investment too. Your crossover is enviable. So, when are you coming to Hangzhou so we can have a proper chat? There's a lot of potential for cooperation between Alibaba and Light Chaser Animation Studios."

"Definitely, I'll go once this storm has passed."

If the upheaval in the entertainment industry was somewhat of a spectacle, then the upheaval in the internet industry was real and tangible.

Alibaba headquarters, Hangzhou.

Looking at the Hurun Report in his hand, Jack Ma smiled and said to Joseph Tsai beside him, "This kid has been keeping a low profile. The last time we met, he was complaining to me about being broke, saying that Guangying Video was burning through money too fast."

Joseph Tsai also laughed: "He's really not short of money. Look at this investment portfolio—Amazon, Apple, Nvidia, Tencent, all high-quality assets. And the timing of his entry is frighteningly precise."

"That's why I say he has good foresight." Jack Ma took a sip of tea. "If he had wanted to, he could have easily started his own e-commerce business, but he chose to invest in JD.com. What does that show? It shows that he knows his boundaries, what he should and shouldn't do. This kind of clear-headedness is something many seasoned veterans don't have."

"The financing for that light and shadow video platform—"

"Let's continue the discussion," Jack Ma said. "Once we miss out on a partner of this caliber, it's gone forever. And the more money he has, the more we should cooperate with him, at least we don't have to worry about his funding running out halfway through."

Robin Li, CEO of Baidu, is also paying attention to this matter at the Baidu Building in Beijing.

"Robin, it seems that Baidu isn't part of Jiang Yu's investment portfolio," an executive said cautiously.

"So?" Robin Li raised an eyebrow.

"Does this mean—he might not be optimistic about our future?"

Robin Li laughed: "You're overthinking it. Investing is a very personal matter. He might not buy Baidu stock simply because he understands the entertainment and social media sectors better. Besides—"

He paused for a moment, then said, "We don't need everyone's approval. We just need to do our own thing."

Despite saying that, the executives privately discussed: "Why don't you think Jiang Yu invest in Baidu?"

"They probably felt that the search engine market had already taken shape."

"But he invested in Tencent, and the social networking model is already established, isn't it?"

"That's different; Tencent's ecosystem is more complete —"

"Ultimately, it's a matter of vision. There's a reason why they became the richest person in the world."

The atmosphere was even more delicate in the companies that Jiang Yu had invested in.

At JD.com headquarters, Liu Qiangdong, watching the news, said to the vice president beside him, "No wonder he was so quick to invest back then; he really wasn't short of money."

"Mr. Liu, should we take the initiative to contact him? After all, he's a major shareholder—"

"Of course," Liu Qiangdong said. "Let's set a time, and I'll visit them in person. We must maintain a good relationship with investors of this caliber."

DJI Innovations prompted Wang Tao to react more directly.

He sent Jiang Yu a text message: "Mr. Jiang, you're quite the expert. Next time you come to Shenzhen, you must treat me to a meal."

Jiang Yu quickly replied, "Definitely. DJI's latest products are amazing, keep it up."

These two short sentences are both friendly and tactful.

The investment community was even more shaken, with partners from major VC and PE firms studying Jiang Yu's investment portfolio in an attempt to find patterns.

The discussion ultimately reached a consensus: Jiang Yu's success cannot be replicated, but his investment approach is worth learning from.

At the end of the meeting, the partner half-jokingly said, "Why don't we invest in a few movies? Maybe we can meet some celebrity shareholders?"

The crowd laughed.

What shocked the investment community the most was Buffett's speech at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting a few days later.

November 12, Omaha, Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting.

When a reporter asked Buffett for his opinion on the Chinese market, the investment guru unexpectedly mentioned Jiang Yu's name.

.

"China is a dynamic market. But today I want to specifically mention a young Chinese man named Jiang Yu."

The audience fell silent instantly, everyone perking up their ears.

"During the worst of the 2008 financial crisis," Buffett pushed up his classic glasses, "Munger and I decided to invest in BYD. At the time, many people didn't understand and thought we were crazy. At the same time, a Chinese investment fund also heavily invested in BYD. Their founder was Jiang Yu."

A low murmur arose from the audience, and the reporters quickly searched for the name on their computers.

"We exchanged emails a few times after that," Buffett said with admiration. "His judgment on technology trends is very accurate, and his investment style is both steady and bold. I heard that he's a film special effects artist by profession? That's interesting. Perhaps it's precisely because he's not formally trained that he sees things from a different perspective than us old guys."

A reporter followed up, asking, "So you think Jiang Yu is an investor worth paying attention to?"

"Without a doubt," Buffett nodded. "His achievements in the investment world are probably even more dazzling than in Hollywood. And he's only 27? 28? In short, very young. His future is limitless."

This conversation was broadcast live and quickly spread around the world.

CNBC, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal—all the financial media outlets are reporting on this.

Warren Buffett Praises Young Chinese Investors

"Endorsement by the Oracle of Omaha: China's Post-80s Investment Genius"

From Hollywood to Wall Street: Jiang Yu's Double Life

Bloomberg even produced a special program titled "Decoding Light Capital".

The program provided a detailed overview of Jiang Yu's investment portfolio and included interviews with several industry professionals.

"According to our estimates," the host said during the program, "the value of these disclosed publicly traded company holdings alone exceeds tens of billions of dollars. And this may only be the tip of the iceberg. What's even more surprising is that the core team of this vast empire consists of fewer than 50 people. Their investment strategies are extremely forward-looking, always precisely positioning themselves before market turning points."

At the end of the program, the host remarked, "Jiang Yu's story tells us that in this era, crossing boundaries isn't a problem, nor is youth. The key lies in vision, courage, and a bit of good luck. Oh, and by the way, his girlfriend is Liu Yifei, the Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner. That's probably what they call a winner in life."

The program was translated and reprinted by domestic media, sparking a new round of heated discussions.

One netizen commented: "A man even Buffett approves of —"

"So Jiang Yu is the richest man certified by the stock market guru?"

"Now I believe he earns his money through his own abilities."

"Liu Yifei has such a sharp eye! She picked this promising stock years ago!"

"I suggest Liu Yifei open a boyfriend-selection training course; I'd be the first to sign up!"

If the investment community is analyzing Jiang Yu's strategy and the internet community is assessing the threat, then the entertainment industry, especially female celebrities, has much more complicated feelings.

Envy, jealousy, surprise, regret—various emotions surged within me.

In a VIP room of a high-end beauty salon, three A-list actresses were receiving treatments, and the conversation naturally turned to today's breaking news.

"Did you see the news? Jiang Yu is worth $105 billion, the richest man in China." The first to speak was actress L, known for her sex appeal, her tone full of envy. "Liu Yifei has such a lucky life—"

"I saw it." Another actress, Z, who takes an intellectual approach, said sourly, "I also auditioned when they were casting for 'Black Swan.' If I had known Jiang Yu was so rich, I should have worked harder back then."

The third was actress Q, who takes a pure and innocent route. She scoffed, "What's the use of trying? They've already decided on her. Jiang Yu made 'Black Swan' just to promote Liu Yifei. We're just there to make up the numbers."

"But seriously," Actress L lowered her voice, "Liu Yifei is really lucky. She's beautiful, has a successful career, and now she's found a billionaire boyfriend. If I were her, I'd be laughing in my sleep."

"You think she wasn't smiling?" Actress Z pursed her lips. "I heard she walks with a swagger now, and she's all smiles when she sees anyone."

""

"Wouldn't you laugh if you were in her shoes?" Actress Q rolled her eyes. "His boyfriend is a billionaire, young and handsome, and treats her so well. How many men like that are there in the entertainment industry?"

The three remained silent for a while as the beautician gently massaged their faces; the only sound in the room was the soft hum of the equipment.

"You tell me—" Actress L suddenly spoke up, "Does Jiang Yu have any friends like that? Single, wealthy, and young?"

"What are you thinking about?" Actress Z laughed. "How many billionaires of this caliber are there in all of China? And still single? They'd all be snapped up long ago."

"But seriously," Actress Q sat up straight, "we need to raise our standards for choosing a partner. Before, we thought it would be good enough to find a rich second-generation or an entrepreneur, but now we see—we need to aim for the same standard as Jiang Yu."

"You wish," actress L laughed and scolded. "There's only one Jiang Yu in all of China, and he was snatched away by Liu Yifei."

"That's why I'm envious—" Actress Q sighed and lay back down.

On another occasion, at the shooting location of a fashion magazine, several models and second- or third-tier actresses were also gossiping.

"Liu Yifei must be ecstatic!" a model said while touching up her makeup.

"It's not just about being happy; if I were her, I would announce my retirement from acting and go home to be a wealthy housewife," another model chimed in.

"Retire? She'd never do that." A somewhat famous actress interjected, "She's a Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner right now, at the peak of her career, how could she possibly retire? Besides, with Jiang Yu as her boyfriend, her opportunities will only get better."

"That's true. I heard that Luc Besson's 'Lucy' was tailor-made for her by Jiang Yu."

"It's not just 'Lucy,' I've heard that Light Chaser Pictures has several big projects coming up, and Liu Yifei is the lead actress in all of them."

"So lucky!"

"But have you noticed?" the first model suddenly said, "Liu Yifei and Jiang Yu have been together for a year, back when Jiang Yu hadn't been revealed to be so rich. So she really likes him, not just his money."

These words silenced the room for a few seconds.

"That's true." Someone whispered, "Back then, Jiang Yu was a fairly well-off boss, and Liu Yifei's family was also a scholarly family."

"So this is true love—"

"What should I do if I'm even more jealous now?!"

A week after being listed, Jiang Yu's life underwent a visible change.

First, going out has become extremely difficult.

Wherever he goes, he is always recognized by reporters or passersby.

Once, he and Liu Yifei secretly went to the cinema to watch "The Message". As soon as they sat down, the little girl next to them recognized them.

The little girl screamed, and everyone in the theater looked over.

As a result, they didn't get to watch the movie and were surrounded for half an hour. In the end, the theater manager had to escort them out through the back door.

Secondly, there are changes in social circles.

Previously, only people in the film and television industry sought to collaborate with him; now, people from all walks of life want to get to know him.

Investment forums invited him to be a guest speaker, business schools invited him to give lectures, and charity galas invited him to be the honorary chairman—the invitations piled up like mountains, and Wang Wei had to deal with dozens of them every day.

Finally, there's the attitude of those around him. Company employees look at him with more awe, business partners speak to him more politely, and even the community security guards stand at attention and greet him with "Hello, General Manager Jiang."

When Jiang Yu went to a restaurant, the manager would personally come out to greet him and insist on giving him a free meal, but Jiang Yu always insisted on paying.

"I don't like this." One evening, Jiang Yu said to Liu Yifei, his voice weary. "It feels like everyone treats me like the richest man, not Jiang Yu. They talk to me so carefully, they even have to watch my expression when they're joking."

Liu Yifei, who was wearing a face mask, turned around upon hearing this. Her voice sounded a little strange due to the mask's restrictive effect: "Then just be yourself. Say what you want to say, joke what you want to say. People will get used to it eventually."

"Easier said than done," Jiang Yu said with a wry smile. "Now, even when I make a joke, people have to think for a long time about whether there's some deeper meaning behind it. Last time in the meeting, I said this plan wasn't quite right," and the team ended up working overtime all night to revise it, going through ten versions. Actually, what I meant was that there were some minor issues, and a slight adjustment would have been enough."

"7

Liu Yifei peeled off her face mask and looked at him seriously: "Jiang Yu, don't let this title hold you back. You're still you. You'll frown when my cooking is bad, be happy when a movie does well at the box office, and stay up all night for a project meeting—none of that has changed."

She walked over, cupped his face, and forced him to look into her eyes: "And in my eyes, you've never been a billionaire. You're still Jiang Yu, the Jiang Yu who would cook instant noodles for me in the middle of the night, who would get angry when I got injured while filming, and who would be happier than me when I won an award. None of that will change, right?"

Looking into her bright eyes, Jiang Yu's slight irritation vanished.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head: "Teacher Liu, when did you become so eloquent?"

"I always would, but I usually give in to you." Liu Yifei raised her chin smugly. "So, Mr. Richest Man, could you cook me a bowl of instant noodles? I'm hungry."

Jiang Yu chuckled: "Yes, Your Excellency, Movie Queen."

While the two were cooking instant noodles in the kitchen, Liu Yifei suddenly said, "Jiang Yu, let's move."

"Um?

""

"The reporters have explored this place thoroughly; there's no privacy left."

Liu Yifei stirred the noodles in the pot. "I'd like to find a quiet place with a big yard where I can grow flowers, walk the dog, and not be disturbed. Ideally, it would also have a private cinema so we wouldn't have to go outside to watch movies."

Jiang Yu thought for a moment: "I have a villa in Xishan that's been empty. It covers three acres, has a garden, a swimming pool, and the basement can be converted into a home theater. How about we move there?"

"Great!" Liu Yifei's eyes lit up. "But I want a complete renovation! There needs to be a big kitchen, a walk-in closet, and a special room for trophies—your investment trophy and my film trophy together!"

"Alright, alright, whatever you say." Jiang Yu shook his head with a smile, "Anyway, it's the richest man's money, might as well spend it."

"You said it yourself!" Liu Yifei smiled triumphantly. "I want to expand the walk-in closet five times! No, ten times!"

""

"Sure, twenty times is fine too." Jiang Yu turned off the stove, ladled the noodles into a bowl, "As long as Teacher Liu is happy."

The steaming hot instant noodles were ready, and the two of them sat at the kitchen counter, enjoying their meal immensely.

It was late autumn in Beijing outside the window, but inside it was warm as spring.

"Jiang Yu".

"Um?

""

"Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for letting me know that money is important, but not the most important thing," Liu Yifei said softly, her tone earnest. "The most important thing is for two people to be together, eat a simple bowl of instant noodles, say some silly things, and live an ordinary life. These are much more precious than $105 billion."

Jiang Yu held her hand; it was small and soft. "That's what I wanted to say too. Teacher Liu, no matter how things change outside, no matter how much money I have, our lives will remain the same. We'll still cook instant noodles at home, we'll still argue about scripts, and we'll still pick out dresses together—"

"Speaking of dresses," Liu Yifei's eyes lit up again, "the designer sent a new catalog. Shall we look at them together after we finish our noodles?"

"it is good."

Two hands clasped together under the warm yellow light, the steam from the instant noodle box rising and blurring the city lights outside the window.