MGM Building, Harry Cooper's office.
Eric walked to the door and then stopped.
"Dad, there's one more thing I need your help with. Facebook is launching in a few days, right? I want to do some celebrity marketing."
"Can you persuade some celebrities you know to help out, open accounts, try posting an update or something, to attract a wave of traffic to the website?"
Harry Cooper hadn't attended the meeting with the tech team a few days ago. As a middle-aged man nearing 50, he still didn't understand the purpose of Facebook.
However, he still nodded in agreement: "No problem, I'll ask the people I know to help. But it'll just be for show; don't expect them to clock in and post updates like it's a job."
Eric chuckled: "Dad, new things always take time to get used to. Once these people realize the role social media plays in boosting their fame and exposure, they'll be more active than clocking in."
"Is this Facebook really that magical?" Harry Cooper couldn't believe it.
"Let's wait and see. The results will be revealed very soon. Also, we need to increase investment over there. 10 million dollars won't last long. I want to allocate another sum of money."
"How much?"
"The second quarter's accounts are almost due, right? I plan to transfer 20 million dollars first, but honestly, I'm not sure if this money will last until the end of the year."
Hearing this, his dad frowned. He sighed and said, "Eric, can these three internet platforms you're developing really..."
He stopped mid-sentence and waved his hand: "Never mind, go ahead and do it. It's already started anyway. We'll see how it goes after Facebook launches."
He knew his dad was a bit reluctant, mainly because no one would willingly keep throwing money into a bottomless pit with an uncertain future!
Zuckerberg's first round of angel investment back then was only 500,000 dollars. Compared to that, you can see how big a game Eric is playing.
Back downstairs, outside the office, in Chen Xing's workstation, he was chatting with a woman.
Seeing Eric return, he immediately stood up and said, "Ms. Jones, this is my boss, your employer."
Eric and the other person exchanged glances: "Come in and talk."
Chen Xing brought in the coffee he had just brewed, while Eric observed the woman in front of him.
Dan Jones, a woman in her thirties, a private investigator by profession.
Some time ago, Eric asked his dad if he knew any good private investigators, and his dad recommended her.
He said she was very well-known in the private investigator circle, top-notch in Los Angeles, and had helped many wealthy people solve difficult problems.
The woman was tall, with a beautiful face and a very good figure. It was obvious she took good care of herself.
And from her exposed forearms, her muscle lines were very distinct, which was a bit like Judy. She probably also exercised regularly.
After all, for a woman to make a name for herself in the private investigator circle, she must definitely have some tricks up her sleeve, possessing both strength and good looks, using whichever method was needed.
Noticing Eric staring at her, Dan Jones smiled: "Every employer I meet behaves pretty much the same as you, but when they get what they want, that look turns into respect."
"I apologize, madam, I was being presumptuous."
"It's alright, I'm used to it. It's inherently more difficult for women in this field."
"Please, have a seat."
Dan Jones pulled out a chair and sat down, tossing her hair and crossing her legs, smiling as she looked at Eric: "I know that for wealthy people like you, time is precious, so let's not waste it and get straight to business."
Eric nodded slightly. He liked this decisive and efficient way of doing things.
"Alright, let's get straight to the point. Do you know about Michael Jackson's child molestation case?"
"Of course, I know. This is a hot topic. Probably no one in the United States doesn't know about it. I remember you were on Jackson's side; the newspapers reported it, right?"
"Ms. Jones, you remember very clearly. This is what I want you to investigate. Your targets are Gavin Avizo and his mother, Janet Avizo, primarily the latter."
"I heard Janet Avizo is a repeat offender, so it would be best to get her past criminal record. Then, keep a close eye on her and her lawyer's actions. It would be great if you could get evidence like recordings."
Dan Jones narrowed her eyes: "Boss, this is not an easy task. Getting Janet Avizo's criminal record might not be difficult, but recordings will be hard to obtain."
"I understand. If it were easy, I wouldn't be looking for you. Your reputation and abilities led me to this decision."
Dan Jones clicked her tongue a few times: "Then you should also know that my fees are not cheap, especially for such high-difficulty work."
"Name your price."
"This much, no bargaining!" Dan Jones held out one hand with five fingers spread.
"No problem, I can pay an additional 10% deposit. However, I also need you to investigate one more thing for me."
Dan Jones chuckled: "Boss, that's not how business is done. One more thing means paying for one more thing. That's the rule."
"No, it could be two things, but it could also be one thing."
"What do you mean?" Dan Jones asked, a bit puzzled.
"I said it was to investigate Michael Jackson's child molestation case. This year is the second one, but don't forget 1993 was the first. The lawyers and psychologists Janet is using this time are the same two from 1993. I hope you can simultaneously obtain evidence of them framing Jackson in 1993."
After a moment of thought, Dan Jones hesitated: "Will they still have evidence from 10 years ago? Are you sure? I can't investigate something that doesn't exist."
"Ms. Jones, you must understand this was a major case involving a big star. Jackson paid a whopping 23 million dollars back then. Think about how much money that is."
"For such a big event, let alone 10 years, even after 50 years, evidence from back then will definitely be preserved, after all, no one knows if it will be needed in the future."
"And there's this guy Evan Chandler. He was the biggest beneficiary of the 1993 incident. I heard he's a dentist whose license was revoked, and he's living a miserable life now."
Dan Jones shook her head: "Cases older than 10 years are too difficult to investigate. And how are you so sure Michael Jackson was definitely framed? I'm not his fan, but what if it's true?"
"No, there's no 'what if.' Jackson was definitely wronged!"
"Mr. Cooper, why are you so certain?"
Eric looked at the other person carefully, at Dan Jones's slightly upturned lips, and calmly said: "Arguing about this issue is meaningless. Everything will naturally come to light when the evidence emerges."
"How about this, if you can find evidence of that old case from those three, I'm willing to pay an additional bonus."
Dan Jones lightly tapped the table, stood up, and extended her hand, saying, "Deal!"
"Ms. Jones, Jackson's case is about to go to trial. I hope you can complete the investigation as soon as possible."
"Mr. Cooper, the fact that you sought me out shows you trust my abilities. Outsiders might not know this, but a private investigator doesn't work alone. I have dozens of people working under me."
After seeing Dan Jones off, all he could do was wait for news, doing his best and leaving the rest to fate.
After handling some company matters, and informing his dad, Eric instructed Chen Xing not to disturb him for the next few days unless it was urgent, and then went straight home.
As soon as he walked out of the company gate, the familiar scene played out again. Now, whenever there was news about MJ, reporters would definitely be waiting for him.
By now, everyone in the United States knew Eric was a staunch supporter of Michael. Eminem had already been disgusting, so he certainly wouldn't believe he wouldn't retaliate.
Let alone him, yesterday, as soon as Eminem's new song was released, Quán Bǎo was the first to jump out and criticize it, harshly mocking him.
Slightly twisting his stiff neck, Eric stood still, looking at the media surrounding him. Damn it, Truth Daily was there again.
"Mr. Cooper, have you heard Eminem's new song 'Just Lose It'? What do you think of it?"
"Mr. Cooper, please comment on 'Just Lose It.' Everyone wants to know your opinion."
Other reporters were about to ask questions, but Eric directly interrupted them with a raised hand.
"Alright, alright, you don't need to ask. I know your intentions, and I was already prepared to be interviewed."
"Every word I'm about to say, you can report it verbatim. Feel free to elaborate, I won't sue anyone this time."
Hearing his statement, the reporters present's eyes lit up. It seemed this person was about to unleash a barrage today.
"Eminem, well, let's call him by his real name, Eminem, or perhaps a more fitting name, Mad Dog Eminem."
"Why do I call him a mad dog? Because obedient dogs are friendly, while mad dogs bite randomly."
"The MJ incident is clearly a frame-up. We should all await the court's judgment, but Eminem took the opportunity to hype this matter and release a new song. His purpose is very clear: to use MJ's fame to attract attention and thus sell more albums."
"But even if his single and future album sales increase, the credit should go to MJ. What does it have to do with Eminem?"
"He's nothing more than a mad dog that bites indiscriminately, and a pathetic child who always uses his tragic childhood experiences as bragging rights and conversation fodder."
"He always says how terrible my original family was, how bad my mother was to me, so I'm going to curse those people!"
"I don't know if Eminem's experiences are true or false, after all, it's his one-sided story from beginning to end."
"But if what he says is true, I mean, if, then shouldn't Eminem understand MJ even more?"
"The whole world knows MJ had an unfortunate childhood, living in poverty and displacement. Michael's boxer father often beat and scolded his children, even hitting Michael's head with an iron."
"And what did Michael do? The world kissed me with pain, but I responded with a song!"
"Does Eminem know how many charitable organizations Michael established? Does Eminem know how much money he donated to children's charities?"
"Does Eminem know he is a UN Goodwill Ambassador? Does Eminem know he is the only singer nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?"
"Eminem knows nothing. He is just an immature problem child who portrays himself as a suffering victim."
"Aside from writing songs to curse people and waving chainsaws to corrupt children, has he ever done anything truly useful for children? As far as I know, he hasn't even donated a penny."
"One is a show-off mad dog who only knows how to talk big, and the other is a true giant who silently endured and donated over 300 million dollars. The public should know who is right and who is wrong."
Eric's rapid-fire accusations caused the reporters present to reach a state of euphoria. Here was the news!
Quán Bǎo also cursed, of course, but his words were far less intense than Eric's, and his language was relatively restrained, not directly calling Eminem a mad dog.
But some people still weren't satisfied. A reporter from Truth Daily asked again: "Mr. Cooper, Eminem is a rapper. Diss culture is inherently a form of rap. Many people feel Eminem's approach is not inappropriate; he's merely expressing his views."
Eric glared at the other person: "Is that so? You think this is just expressing a viewpoint? You think diss culture can be used as an excuse?"
"Then let's trace it back to its roots. Rap belongs to hip-hop culture, am I right?"
The reporters present nodded in agreement.
"So what is the spirit of hip-hop culture? It's authenticity, courage, spontaneity, freedom, uncompromising, and being yourself!"
"If you only look at these, Eminem seems to fit, but don't forget this is only part of the core of hip-hop spirit. The other part advocates respect, love, and peace. Don't you know the word 'respect'?"
"Eminem uses half of the core to package himself, making himself look like a rapper. To put it bluntly, he just wants to use this as a cover to hide behind and vent his emotions and insult others."
"Such a person is simply not worthy of being a rapper. I even suspect he might be a racist. He should go back to his underground!"
After saying this, Eric motioned for the reporters to move aside. This time, no one blocked him. As he reached the car door, Eric suddenly turned back and said.
"I'll say one more thing; you can use it as a headline."
"The longer I interact with people, the more I like dogs. Dogs are always dogs, but sometimes people are not people!"
The car drove all the way back to Beverly Hills. Eric changed his clothes. He told his mom to just send his meals up to him at scheduled times every day, then, under Joshua's strange gaze, he went upstairs, locked his room door, and shut himself in the room.
He opened his computer, created a new script document, and typed in the title "house of cards."
To launch this project in a short time, he had to personally take charge and write a detailed script himself, which would maximize the reduction of preparation and filming time.
He had already read the original novel of house of cards. He read it in Chinese before transmigration and in English after transmigration.
He had also thoroughly studied and watched David Fincher's TV series several times, and even watched the British version of "house of cards" when he had nothing to do.
After comparing them, he found that perhaps due to different eras, the audience's tastes also differed.
The British drama's male lead was more introverted and steady, and older.
The American drama's male lead was more domineering and sinister, and younger.
Although both works were political thrillers, they certainly couldn't be viewed as real events; they must have incorporated a large amount of dramatic conflict and artistic embellishment.
In this regard, the British drama was probably limited by its length and era, especially in the hasty handling of the ending, while the American drama was relatively better.
Finally, there was the male protagonist's unique technique of breaking the fourth wall and communicating with the audience. Both the British and American versions maintained this, and Eric also felt that this was indeed a major feature that should be preserved.
After some deliberation, he closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then his fingers quickly tapped on the keyboard.
"Come on, keyboard!"
Thanks to student Lao Ma for a 500-coin reward.