Marvel Salted Fish Kryptonian

"It's because of your oversight, and the careful inquiry into the children's treatment wherever you go, that the supplies sent by the UN are finally delivered to the children, rather than being misappropriated. Your usefulness is more important than you might imagine."

"But we still have to leave," said Ms. Hepburn disappointedly.

"Only with a healthy body can you do things better. Otherwise, if you continue to act half-heartedly like this, you will only cause trouble to others and won't help many people."

Audrey Hepburn pretended to be depressed and said, "My child, don't you think I need comfort more now than such heart-piercing words."

"Then, boss, you're fine, you're in great shape! Then you can just follow my lead and insist on going on the next leg of your journey. Stop making a fuss."

"There's really no space left." Audrey Hepburn picked up the spoon and ate the porridge slowly.

Henry waved his hands and said, "There's nothing I can do. I'm beginning to suspect that your health is ruined because I've done too much for you. That's why you've been able to schedule more trips, visit more places, and make yourself even more tired.

"If I don't help and you do everything yourself, maybe the work will be less scheduled, less intensive, and less tiring. So I'm going to give up now, don't count on me for everything."

Looking at the older boy sitting beside the bed, looking sad and self-blaming, Audrey Hepburn wanted to rub his head. Unfortunately, the boy seemed to see through her intentions and sat far away, not giving her any chance.

So Audrey Hepburn could only say: "Good boy, you don't really want me to take on so much work alone. I am a patient."

"Oh, now you admit you're a patient again. Since you know you're a patient, then eat something. An empty stomach hurts your stomach. When we get back to Switzerland tomorrow and see the doctor, you'll have a lot of work to do."

"Protest, I am your employer, the boss."

"Yeah, so I'm trying to save your life so I can collect my salary for a few more years." Henry pouted and muttered, "Dead people don't get paid."

Realizing she couldn't win the argument, Audrey Hepburn simply stopped talking. But he still had to eat the bowl of porridge, because his irregular diet during this period was definitely one of the factors affecting his health.

If you want to recover your health as soon as possible, regular diet and regular rest are essential.

After finishing a small bowl of porridge, she felt her body regained a lot of strength. Audrey Hepburn said, "Child, give me some more. Just now it's not enough."

"it is good."

This time, Henry served less of the liquidy part and more of the soft rice and egg yolk. Ms. Hepburn finished it all without asking for more.

After Henry finished tidying up, he asked, "Do you want to meet other people? Or take a rest?"

"Please ask the person in charge to come over. I want to confirm things with him."

"Okay, please wait." Henry left with the pots, pans and other tableware, and then brought back the head of the UN team.

He was an African American, also very young, less than 40 years old, a dreamer eager to do more for his hometown.

As soon as he entered the room, he greeted her, "Ms. Hepburn, are you feeling well?"

"I'm sorry, it seems I have to leave the team temporarily." When facing outsiders, Audrey Hepburn did not speak in a coquettish tone like when she faced Henry, but clearly stated her situation.

"I've listened to Henry and the doctor's instructions. Your health is the most important thing. Please take care of yourself."

"Thank you." Ms. Hepburn said with a smile, and then asked, "So, are you all ready for the next arrangements?"

"Yes." Lao Hei talked about the plan for subsequent changes.

Although he was the team leader, the person before him was a living poster boy, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. When he had to make a decision, it was ideal for both sides to speak with one voice.

So when the lady asked, he answered with all his heart. Especially the distribution of supplies. If no one is monitoring them, who knows where they'll end up and who'll end up in their pockets. This is the biggest challenge in aid operations.

The night that belongs to Africa and also to this half of the world quietly covers the sky outside the window.

Chapter 179 Seeking Medical Treatment

“I walked into a nightmare. I’d seen famine in Ethiopia and Bangladesh, but nothing like this. It was far worse than I could have imagined, and I was not prepared for it.

“As we enter the 21st century, there is much to reflect on. We look around and see that the promises of the past have not been fulfilled. People are still living in abject poverty, people are still hungry, people are still struggling to survive.

"Among these people, we see children, always children. Their swollen bellies, their sad eyes, their faces that should be innocent but reveal pain. They have suffered all kinds of hardships in their short lives."

This is part of the speech Audrey Hepburn gave at the United Nations Children's Fund during her visit to the war-torn region of Somalia after she underwent preliminary medical tests in Switzerland but received no results.

After finishing her speech, Ms. Hepburn was helped off the podium by Robert to applause. Henry, the young assistant, followed behind her and was led by UNICEF staff to another small conference room.

The person in charge who was in contact with Audrey Hepburn said respectfully, "Ma'am, we have received your application to suspend your activities due to illness. We sincerely hope that you can recover soon."

"Thank you. Please also convey my gratitude to all the staff at UNICEF for their cooperation and hard work during this period. I hope we'll have another opportunity to work together after I recover."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll pass it on to you. I'm sure everyone will be looking forward to your return."

Being chosen as a UN Goodwill Ambassador isn't just about having a fancy title. Whenever there's a promotional event going on, these ambassadors, who are little more than advertising billboards, have to attend and endorse it. That's the price of that fancy title.

Not to mention Ms. Audrey Hepburn's almost uninterrupted travel schedule, which was planned and operated by several teams behind the scenes.

If a woman takes sick leave, she should of course inform these people and let them know that they can slow down their work or join other people's projects.

Of course, it's possible to just be a figurehead and get paid for nothing, but such people are a minority in the UN. They are just a figurehead and never attend any meetings.

For those who do practical work, all parties are vying for positions, so it's almost impossible for them to take a break. This is because this is the United Nations, a place that can control everything, but also can't control anything.

After leaving the UN building, Henry drove Ms. Hepburn and Robert to a New York public hospital. Public hospitals like these provide low-cost medical services to low-income households or undocumented immigrants, so it's no surprise that the quality of the hospital isn't very good.

This doesn't mean that such hospitals don't have excellent doctors and advanced equipment. However, the huge demand for medical care will inevitably lead to a decline in medical quality.

Although Ms. Hepburn also received VIP treatment here, the expressions of the two people who walked out of the clinic were hard to describe.

Audrey Hepburn remained calm as usual, as if nothing had changed. Robert Wolders, however, was slightly annoyed and said:

"This kind of public hospital is full of quacks. They couldn't even diagnose what Audrey's illness was. They just gave us a bunch of suspected, possible, and probable symptoms, and then asked us to do a bunch of tests."

Helping the woman sit down on a chair in the lounge area, Henry casually replied, "If it were that simple, the Swiss hospital would have already diagnosed it. We wouldn't have to travel all the way to the United States."

Robert asked, "What about those medical centers or private hospitals? Did you manage to get an appointment?"

Henry replied, "I've called every top-ranked medical center in the United States, or any hospital with renowned thoracic and abdominal surgeons. The one that can get me an appointment the fastest is Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. But that's not until November."

These private hospitals or advanced medical centers cannot be admitted even if you want to queue up, unless you have financial resources or special medical conditions.

Even with Audrey Hepburn's fame, she still had to wait over a month, nearly two months, to get an appointment. It can only be said that the world's wealthy, life-conscious people are converging on the US, so it's impossible for top-tier medical resources like this not to be in short supply.

Ms. Hepburn was not of such status that she could just jump the queue, so she could only register and wait in line.

Compared to Robert's indignation, the woman herself was much calmer. He said in a rather nonchalant tone, "So, should we go back to Switzerland? I feel like this trip back and forth is a waste of time." There was a hint of understanding in his tone.

"Do you think I can leave anything for this world?" asked Audrey Hepburn.

Robert held the woman's hand tightly and said, "Audrey, you have already left countless cultural treasures to the world. Why worry so much?"

"What about you, Henry? Do you think there's anything else I can do?"

Considering the woman's health, it's impossible for him to star in movies again. Moreover, his condition is sometimes good and sometimes bad, so flying around the world like before would be even more risky.

Henry, who was named, thought for a moment and said, "How about reading a story to the children?"

"That's a good idea. Should we find an orphanage or school?"

Henry, whose thoughts and ideas became clearer and clearer, said, "No, how about finding a publishing house and a recording studio? We can record your voice reciting the story so that more people can hear it.

"If you go to an orphanage or school, not all the children there will like to hear stories. And you'll have to bother the teachers and the children. As for the happy expressions on the children's faces after hearing the stories, you can only imagine them. After all, you're not face to face."

"Audiobooks. I didn't think of that." The lady's eyes lit up, as if she had found something interesting. "Ha, kid, you always come up with some good ideas."

Instead of looking for an orphanage or school willing to cooperate and running around just to read stories to the children, finding a fixed recording studio to record the recitation can avoid the trouble of running around.

This was the easiest job Henry could think of for the lady.

Audrey Hepburn, always quick to act, dug her address book out of her handbag and looked on her list to see if there was anyone related to publishing who could ask about audiobooks.

Although Robert was somewhat dissatisfied with Henry, his assistant, for helping Audrey find work.

But considering the nature of the job, it actually allows Audrey to stay in one place and not fly around the world. It's hard to say that this isn't a good thing.

Returning home to Switzerland is certainly an option, but if I stay in the United States for this period of time, there may be other medical opportunities.

I have to say, although this damned America isn't suitable for a leisurely retirement life, if you want to do something, there's no place more convenient than here.

Chapter 180 Preparation for the Audiobook

As soon as word got out to the publishing industry that Audrey Hepburn was interested in voicing an audiobook, Henry, the assistant, didn't even have to check which publishing houses were willing to do it; they came knocking on his door.

Even the agencies that had long worked with Audrey Hepburn had a wide selection of options for her to choose from. Even the agencies had carefully sorted out all the factors, including the pros and cons, without Henry needing to help with the research; these agencies had already compiled the data.

The reason for such enthusiasm is simple: among the many audiobook categories, children's books are the best-sellers. Add to that the golden sign of Audrey Hepburn. It's clear to anyone with a discerning eye that this is a sure-win venture.

However, the veterans who had worked so well with Audrey Hepburn had generally either retired or relegated to the back burner. The newcomers were now in charge of all the data. The veterans were merely there to help with the project, not to handle the actual work.

So the information presented to her was detailed enough, but it did not emphasize the key points in line with women's habits, which made Audrey Hepburn dazzled.

Audrey Hepburn took off her reading glasses and put down the publishing company information in her hand. The young man from the agency sitting in front of her asked hurriedly, "Ms. Hepburn, do you have any publishing company in mind?"

"Sorry, I haven't thought about it yet." Audrey Hepburn smiled apologetically and called to the man who was busy with other things. "Henry, come and help me take a look and give me some advice."

The young man who had been introduced as the assistant walked over. Although this made the young man from the agency feel a little competitive, he was not willing to show off too much in front of the client.

After all, there is no conflict of interest between the two of them, they just don't think the other has any qualifications to interfere in their preparations.

Henry's original intention was to give people a chance to show their skills since they had done the preparation work, but since the boss had called on him, there was no reason for him not to help.

Henry picked up the stack of information from the publishing company and skimmed through it at a controlled pace, but in the eyes of others it seemed as if he had just glanced at it hastily.

After coming up with an idea, Henry said, "Boss, these audiobook publishers are all quite strong. Their capital, structure, and market performance are similar. So I suggest we look at it from another angle."

Audrey asked curiously, "What kind of angle?"

"It's about what stories you want to tell, what kind of stories you want to tell, and how these publishing companies can help."

Seeing everyone's puzzled expressions, Henry continued to explain, "Because I'm not familiar with how the publishing industry works, I'm just sharing my thoughts. Just use it as a reference.

"After all, audiobooks are not like ordinary literary works. We are just reciting existing stories. If we simply select some children's stories to recite, are there any copyright issues with these stories?

"You have to know that the original Grimm's or Andersen's fairy tales are not really suitable as children's literature. So the fairy tales nowadays have been adapted and polished. Will the copyright issues in this part cause trouble?

"Once you've chosen a publisher, how much of their copyright library will be available? Do we have to choose from what the publishing company has, or can the publishing company handle the copyright issues if we're interested in a particular story?"

"Of course, the best scenario is if the publishing company itself has a rich library of copyrights. And besides classic children's stories, can we consider some modern works?

"But these are probably at the production stage, and the editors at any publishing company will be able to handle them. So just treat it as some nonsense. I'm not familiar with the publishing business process."

Does the knowledge in the library include everything in the world?

Are you kidding me? It’s not that thorough, okay.

There are many things that are simply impossible for people outside the circle to know. Even within the same circle, different companies may have their own corporate culture and ways of doing things.

Unless there are old hands in the industry, who would bother writing a book to announce these things to the world? Even if everyone who needs the books has bought them, they may not be able to afford the printing costs, unless each book sells for an exorbitant price.

So even if Henry had searched the entire library, he would still be blind to this kind of thing. He could only speak based on his own thoughts.

But Henry didn't wait for anyone else to comment. He continued, "And don't forget, boss, your greatest strength isn't your voice. You're an actress, an Oscar-winning actress."

Audrey Hepburn was a bit confused when she heard this. This made him laugh in anger, and he said, "I'm an actress, so what? Am I supposed to act in a radio play?"

This statement made Ms. Hepburn herself feel the same way. He thought for a moment and asked, "Can we do this?"

Henry smiled and said, "Just because no one has done it before doesn't mean it can't be done. But I don't recommend that you handle everything yourself. It's like making a movie; your only skill is being an actor."

"So we also need a director, cinematographer, composer, and other creative personnel, as well as a good script. So the question is, are there any publishing companies willing to propose a similar plan?

"Some might be interested, while others might withdraw. For publishing companies willing to cooperate, we'll just review their production plans, just like we used to review scripts. So, boss, you should know who to work with better than anyone else."

"Is it okay to do this?" This time Audrey Hepburn asked the young man from the agency.

Noticing the gaze and question, the young man hurriedly said, "If this is your request, Ms. Hepburn, I will convey it to the publishing company on your behalf and select those willing to cooperate."

Although Audrey Hepburn's box office appeal was far less than his in his heyday, her status allowed her to make demands on the producers.

Therefore, the agent can only negotiate with the publishers on his behalf, rather than the other way around, demanding the artist's cooperation from the publisher, just to complete the work and get the commission.

Ms. Hepburn no longer hesitated and said, "Well, please discuss this with the publishing company."

Audrey Hepburn was also familiar with this kind of tug-of-war negotiation and certainly didn't want to reach a conclusion in one go. So the matter was handed over to the people at the agency to negotiate. After all, they were responsible for handling such matters in exchange for a commission.

The response came faster than expected. The next afternoon, the agency brought the two of them to meet Audrey Hepburn at the coffee shop attached to the hotel where she was staying.

The other party seemed to have prepared a lot of information and was not just talking about ideals in vain.

Chapter 181 Self-recommended Collaborator

The agent introduced her, "Ms. Hepburn, this is Michael Weiner, originally a film and record producer. In 85, he founded Dove Audio Books, a very successful new company in the audiobook industry."

"This Ms. Deborah Raffin is Mr. Weiner's wife. He is also a Hollywood actor and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for his role in The Invisible Man in 81."

Ms. Hepburn warmly shook hands with Mr. Weiner and even kissed fellow actress Deborah Raffin on the cheek, showing her intimacy.

By the time both parties were seated, the coffee Henry had ordered was served. Michael Weiner, however, was impatient to pull out the documents from his briefcase, filling the entire table with them.