Reborn in Hollywood

Chapter 56: Favor from Wall Street Tycoons

July 7, South Shore of Long Island, New York.

As the car drove out of Manhattan, Li Rui leaned back in his seat, watching the scenery outside the window change little by little.

High-rise buildings are decreasing, greenery is increasing, and the shade of trees along the highway is becoming denser.

Jennifer sat next to him, wearing a dark blue dress, her hair up, revealing her long, slender neck.

She didn't say much today, just quietly looked out the window.

Li Rui glanced at her.

"nervous?"

Jennifer turned her head away.

"I'm not nervous, just curious."

"What are you curious about?"

"I wonder why someone like Paulson would invite a Hollywood newcomer to a private party."

She paused, then continued, "I've been in this industry for over a decade and have seen his attitude towards other celebrities—limited politeness, but keeping his distance. But you're different."

Li Rui shook his head.

"I'm also very curious as to why a big shot who wields considerable influence on Wall Street would be interested in me."

The car continued forward.

After passing through a wrought iron gate, the scenery on both sides of the road completely changed.

Neatly trimmed lawns, villas scattered in a pleasing arrangement, and the occasional glimpse of tennis courts and swimming pools peeking through the shadows of the trees.

Each house is separated by tens of meters, ensuring a high degree of privacy.

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Mr. Li, we have entered the South Shore. This area is one of the most expensive areas on Long Island, where tech elites, financial tycoons, and top Hollywood stars live."

Li Rui nodded.

He had indeed heard of the north and south divisions of Long Island.

The North Shore is the territory of traditional old-money families whose wealth can be traced back to the last century or even earlier; while the South Shore is the gathering place for new money—entrepreneurs who made their fortunes during the dot-com bubble, investment bankers who climbed up Wall Street, and Hollywood stars who earn tens of millions in film fees.

These two types of people often meet in the same places.

The car stopped in front of a white villa.

The house isn't extravagant—three stories, modern style, large floor-to-ceiling windows, and a circular fountain in front.

Compared to the castle-like mansion that Li Rui had imagined, this house was rather understated.

But being low-key doesn't mean being cheap.

When Li Rui got out of the car, he glanced at the several cars parked on the side of the road—a Bentley, a Rolls-Royce, and a Pagani.

Each one is enough for an average person to live on for a lifetime.

Jennifer took his arm.

The two walked towards the gate.

Two security guards in black suits stood at the entrance. After checking the invitation, they stepped aside.

Inside the door was a huge living room with a ceiling at least five meters high. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire space in a magnificent golden light.

Dozens of people stood in twos and threes, holding champagne glasses and talking in hushed tones.

The moment Li Rui stepped inside, he clearly felt countless gazes falling upon him.

There was no malice in those gazes, but there was an undisguised scrutiny—like looking at a newly listed item for auction.

Jennifer's arms tightened slightly.

Li Rui patted the back of her hand to indicate that she was alright.

A waiter came over with a tray, and Li Rui and Jennifer each took a glass of champagne—no one cared whether the people who could appear at such an occasion were of legal drinking age.

"Raphael Lee".

A voice came from the side.

Li Rui turned his head.

A man in his fifties stood three steps away, with silver-gray hair, a bespoke suit, and a limited-edition Patek Philippe watch on his wrist.

He had a smile on his face, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"My name is Thomas Carson, and I work at Bridgewater Associates."

He extended his hand. "I've heard so much about you."

Li Rui grasped his hand.

"Hello there."

Thomas's gaze lingered on his face for two seconds before shifting to Jennifer.

"Miss Connery, I didn't expect to see you here."

Jennifer smiled.

"Mr. Carson."

Thomas's gaze lingered on her face for only a second before returning to Li Rui.

"Mr. Li, Mr. Paulson mentioned you. He said you're a very interesting young man."

Li Rui raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

Thomas took a sip of champagne. "He said you did some... very interesting things at the World Cup."

He spoke softly, but something flashed in his eyes.

Li Rui remained unfazed.

"Just lucky."

Thomas smiled and didn't press the matter.

Have a great time tonight.

He turned and left, disappearing into the crowd.

Jennifer leaned close to Li Rui's ear.

He's testing you.

"I know."

The two continued walking forward.

Li Rui observed as he walked.

There were about fifty or sixty people in the living room, with an equal ratio of men and women. The women were dressed in jewels, while the men were all wearing custom-made suits.

They gathered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing, but their smiles all seemed a bit formulaic.

Li Rui recognized several faces—one was the founder of Google, another was the donkey-faced boss of Oracle, and even two Hollywood producers.

But he had never met the vast majority of them.

These people are likely high-net-worth clients of Goldman Sachs.

Nine figures?

Ten digits?

Li Rui recalled his 13.8 billion yuan, which was an astronomical figure in the eyes of ordinary people.

But in this living room, he could probably only be considered below average.

Several people kept their eyes on him, whispering among themselves.

Jennifer was also being looked at, but the way she was being looked at was completely different from how she looked at Li Rui—indifferent, casual, as if she were looking at an ornament.

Li Rui suddenly realized something.

In this living room, Jennifer Connelly was not an "Oscar-winning actress," nor a "double academic star from Yale and Stanford," she was simply "Li Rui's female companion."

A vase.

That's it.

Jennifer clearly sensed the gaze, but she said nothing and simply stood quietly beside Li Rui.

A woman in a red dress walked by, glanced at Jennifer, and looked at her with a hint of disdain.

Jennifer met her gaze and smiled slightly.

The woman paused for a moment, then looked away.

Li Rui looked down at Jennifer.

"You don't seem to care much."

Jennifer shrugged.

"What do you care about? Do you care that they think I'm just a pretty face?"

She took a sip of champagne. "These people probably earn more in a year than I do in a lifetime. In their eyes, Hollywood is just a source of consumer goods—movies are consumer goods, and so are celebrities."

She paused.

"If I couldn't even understand this, I would have been unable to survive in this industry long ago."

Li Rui looked at her and suddenly felt a sense of admiration.

The two walked around the living room, greeted a few people, and exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries.

Everyone showed interest in Li Rui, but they mostly just gave Jennifer a polite glance and moved on.

At 7:30, the living room suddenly fell silent.

Li Rui followed everyone's gaze and looked over.

A man is walking down the stairs.

He was around sixty years old, with gray hair, wearing a dark gray three-piece suit, and had an upright posture.

He wore a smile, but there was an undeniable air of authority about him.

Henry M. Paulson.

Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs.

The people in the living room nodded to him.

Paulson smiled and responded, continuing his walk through the crowd, heading straight for Li Rui.

All eyes followed him.

Paulson stopped in front of Li Rui and extended his hand.

"Raphael Lee, welcome."

Li Rui grasped his hand.

"Mr. Paulson, thank you for the invitation."

Paulson's gaze lingered on his face for two seconds before shifting to Jennifer.

"Miss Connery, I've seen 'A Beautiful Mind,' and your performance was superb."

Jennifer smiled.

"Thanks."

Paulson's gaze lingered on her for less than three seconds before returning to Li Rui.

"Mr. Li, would it be convenient for us to talk privately for a few minutes?"

The atmosphere in the living room subtly shifted.

Those who had been talking in hushed tones fell silent, their gazes drifting towards this direction almost imperceptibly.

Li Rui nodded.

"certainly."

He turned to Jennifer.

"Wait for me a moment."

Jennifer smiled.

"Go."

Li Rui followed Paulson upstairs.

Behind me, whispers began to rise again in the living room, but there was an inexplicable meaning in those whispers.

The study is on the third floor.

Pushing open the door, you'll find a room that isn't large, but is decorated very elegantly.

Three walls are lined with bookshelves filled with books, and in the very center is a walnut desk with a green lamp on it.

Paulson sat down behind his desk and gestured for Li Rui to sit opposite him.

"What would you like to drink?"

"No, thank you."

Paulson nodded and leaned back in his chair.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

Paulson spoke first.

"Mr. Li, I've had someone check your records."

Li Rui didn't say anything.

Paulson continued.

Born in 1982, he debuted at the age of 19, and won the lead role in his first movie, "Fast & Furious". Then he went on to star in Star Wars prequels, The Matrix, and became a CK spokesperson. His career has been smooth sailing ever since.

He paused, then added, "But your real talent isn't in acting."

Li Rui met his gaze.

"How so?"

Paulson smiled.

"Last September, when Nasdaq was at its lowest point, you invested $15 million in Amazon. This February, you invested another $20 million. Now, these two investments combined are worth approximately $56 million."

His voice was calm, but every word was like a nail.

"This can be explained by good foresight, after all, Amazon was indeed at its lowest point at that time."

He paused.

"But what about the World Cup?"

Li Rui didn't say anything.

Paulson leaned forward.

"13.8 billion, 1,000 accounts, and the result of every game is exactly the same as the direction you bet."

He stared into Li Rui's eyes.

"Mr. Li, if sports lottery were really that easy to predict, Goldman Sachs would have already monopolized the global gambling industry."

Li Rui shrugged upon hearing this.

"Mr. Paulson, would you believe me if I said it was all luck?"

Paulson looked at him.