Eric needed to buy a gift for Nicole, whose birthday was on June 20th, just a few days away.
The beautiful girl didn't say anything, but he couldn't forget it.
If he didn't show any gesture on that day, he would definitely be in for it.
So, being a playboy isn't that easy; to juggle multiple women, you at least need to clearly remember each woman's preferences, birthday, measurements, height, anniversary, and other information.
Not only information about his women, but also about their families.
This task seems simple, but experienced people know it's actually very difficult. How many people don't even know their parents' and wives' birthdays? Certainly not a few.
One or two women are fine, five or six are manageable, but when it comes to a dozen or twenty, see if your CPU crashes.
What if you can't remember them all? Then you can only discard some.
While this might not be entirely correct, people are divided into different classes, and women are the same.
My mind can only hold ten positions. When an eleventh person tries to squeeze in, I can only say goodbye to the weakest one.
Everyone can still be good friends when they meet again, and Eric would be willing to entertain a "friendship shot," but a relationship is out of the question.
Love is simple, but getting along is too difficult. If she's not yours, don't force it!
Getting out of the car and walking into Beverly Shopping Center, it had been over a year since Eric transmigrated, and this was his first time stepping into this large mall near his home.
Men, by nature, don't like shopping, and now that Eric's clothes were handled by Gadot and Nicole, there seemed to be even less reason to go to the mall.
The only time he went was recently to New York, accompanying that resentful, seductive woman Elena for some shopping, but that was also over a month ago.
Entering this large mall, the decor was excellent. In Eric's estimation, it could rival the standards of post-2010.
With several circular levels, various stores lined the view.
Eric walked and looked, and after some consideration, decided to just buy something valuable.
Instead of racking his brains for new ideas, which would be time-consuming and laborious, it was simplest to just throw money at it. While it might not be a huge surprise, no one would dislike it.
Standing in the middle of the corridor, to his left was a Tiffany store, and to his right was a Bvlgari store.
After looking left and right, he still walked into the Tiffany store.
The reason was simple: Eric felt that the Tiffany brand sounded better, and Audrey Hepburn had starred in the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
As for Bvlgari, it always gave him a feeling of Bollywood in India when he read it, and he really disliked Indians.
As a customer entered, the sales associate immediately approached with a smile to greet him.
"Sir, welcome to Tiffany & Co. jewelry. Are you just browsing or do you have a specific item in mind?"
"I guess I have a target," Eric said casually.
"Then what exactly are you looking for? A necklace? Ring? Earrings? Bracelet? Or an ornament?"
"I'm not too sure. How about this: introduce me to items worth over 500,000 US dollars."
"Ah?"
The sales associate was stunned, staring at Eric with wide eyes. She had served all kinds of customers, but this was the first time she had heard such a strange filtering request.
Instantly, her keen senses were activated. She realized she might have hit the jackpot and encountered a wealthy client.
"Please follow me, sir."
Leading Eric to a display case, the sales associate pointed to a diamond ring: "This diamond ring is from the first collection of Master Liv Ferren, using—"
"No rings. I'm not proposing!"
"Alright, then how about this necklace? It's set with a total of 128 diamonds of various sizes, the largest being 5 carats."
Eric glanced at it: "Not bad. How much is it?"
"With the current promotion, the discounted price is 870,000 US dollars, which meets your requirements."
Eric hummed in acknowledgment and said, "Let's tentatively set that aside. But I want to know if there's anything more special. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and such are too common. Is there any jewelry that, once worn, would immediately make someone the center of attention?"
The sales associate looked around, led Eric to another counter, and took out a box containing an orchid brooch.
"Sir, this orchid brooch is from the hand of Master Finney Hamm. It uses enamel to encase the orchid, with gold for the connections and stem."
"The petals are set with a total of 112 sapphires. Its style and design are classical, exuding an oriental charm."
"Wearing it will instantly allow any woman to captivate the entire room, and the woman who possesses it will become the happiest person."
Eric took it in his hand and examined it carefully for a while: "I'll take this one. How much is it?"
"Sir, this brooch is not part of the promotional items. It is valued at 1.45 million US dollars. Would you like to purchase it?"
The sales associate asked cautiously. If this deal went through, her commission would be higher than her annual salary.
"Yes, please wrap it up for me. I'll pay by card."
His simple words almost made the other person faint with happiness.
The sales associate barely maintained her smile: "Apologies, sir, the one you are holding is actually a sample. The genuine article is stored elsewhere."
"As long as you pay the deposit, Tiffany will provide door-to-door delivery within three days."
After filling out the information and walking out of Tiffany's, Eric didn't have the brooch in hand, but he did acquire a set of accessories.
It included a navel ring, a pair of bracelets, and a pair of anklets, each inlaid with several rubies. The bracelets and anklets also had small bells attached, which could produce clear and pleasant sounds.
These items were priced at over ten thousand US dollars, very playful little trinkets that the sales associate proactively applied to give as a gift.
It seemed she understood what wealthy people enjoyed.
Eric's mind was already picturing Nicole wearing them. He walked to the elevator, entered it, and prepared to leave.
With his status in Hollywood, regardless of whether they were major or minor stars, they would all greet him politely.
But unfortunately, the few people in the elevator didn't recognize him. In the public eye, apart from his handsome face, he was just a passerby.
Ding!
The elevator stopped on the third floor, and three women—two adults and one child—walked in.
"Eric!"
The leading woman suddenly exclaimed loudly, looking surprised.
"Liu Xiaoli!"
Eric was equally surprised. He never imagined he would run into this mother-daughter pair here. It felt a bit like they were haunting him, always unintentionally circling around him. Was this fate?
Coincidentally, a couple was getting off, and the three women took the opportunity to step in and stand next to Eric.
"Eric, it's great to see you here. I think this is what you call destiny!"
Liu Xiaoli proactively opened her arms. Eric smiled; after all, they had a one-night stand, so he could only hug her.
It was summer, and everyone was dressed lightly. This woman intentionally pushed against him with force, and Eric's mind immediately recalled the two large white rabbits from that night.
Liu Yifei also smiled faintly, her slightly chubby, baby-faced cheeks pouting: "Hello, Eric."
"Hello, Crystal. And this lady is?"
Eric looked at the third woman. She appeared to be in her thirties, with fair skin and a beautiful face, even more striking than Liu Xiaoli. She exuded a mature woman's charm.
As for Liu Yifei, East Asians tend to develop later. Although she was 16 this year and very pretty, it would still take some time for her to fully blossom and exude her charm.
Or perhaps she needed a man to prematurely ripen her. In any case, she was still a bit lacking compared to the lady beside her.
Ding!
The elevator arrived on the first floor, and the four people exited.
Liu Xiaoli, afraid Eric would run off again, directly reached out and grabbed him.
"Eric, let me introduce you. She's my younger sister, Zhou Wenqiong, Feifei's maternal aunt."
As soon as Liu Xiaoli spoke, Eric had an epiphany.
As an insider, he naturally knew Zhou Wenqiong, one of the Twelve Golden Flowers of the Zhuying Film Studio in the past. After going abroad, she hadn't appeared in China.
He had heard of her but never seen her. It was always rumored that Liu Yifei was the ugliest in the family, and the women of the previous generation were all stunning beauties.
Now that the real person was standing in front of him, he had to admit that this statement was quite reliable.
Zhou Wenqiong extended her hand and said with a smile, "Hello, Mr. Cooper, I am Zhou Wenqiong. You can also call me Qiong. I'm also half a person in the film and television industry."
Eric shook her hand; it was very soft, like a ball of cotton.
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Zhou. Are you an actress as well?"
Zhou Wenqiong shook her head: "I rarely perform on stage anymore. I'm mainly responsible for backstage management, and currently, I work at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway."
Hearing Broadway, Eric immediately became interested. As an organization closely linked to Hollywood, it constantly provided excellent actors and stage plays to Hollywood.
Broadway, so-called, does not refer to a single theater named Broadway, but rather a league of dozens or even hundreds of theaters.
Since these theaters are almost all concentrated on Broadway Street, they acquired this designation.
Some Hollywood companies have very close ties with some Broadway theaters, the most representative of which is Disney.
Because many of Disney's movies are very suitable for adaptation into stage plays, such as "Snow White," "Sleeping Beauty," "Beauty and the Beast," etc.
The movies themselves are filled with singing and ballads, naturally suited for the big stage.
Therefore, Disney earns tens of millions of US dollars annually from Broadway in copyright fees, ticket sales, and other income.
Economic income is one aspect, and the influence it brings is another. Disney continuously strengthens its IP influence through various similar methods, making it a classic in the hearts of generations.
MGM, on the other hand, had little success on Broadway, as many of its films were not suitable for the stage.
For example, "hannibal," can you imagine performing live dissection on stage?
But not all of them are unsuitable; "legally blonde" is very good, and "Rain Man" is also not bad.
And the upcoming "house of cards" could also work, but the best and most suitable is undoubtedly "frozen."
"Developing in Broadway might also be a good option."
Thinking this, Eric's attention fell on Zhou Wenqiong: "Broadway, that's a stage many actors aspire to. Actors who can secure a place on Broadway often find smooth sailing in Hollywood."
"Mr. Cooper is right. Many Hollywood stars have emerged from the Hudson Theatre."
"You work at the Hudson Theatre. I seem to have heard that name before; it sounds like a quite old theater."
Zhou Wenqiong nodded: "Yes, the Hudson Theatre is the second oldest cinema in Hollywood, and this year marks its centennial."
"One hundred years, it's been that long. MGM, founded in 1924, can only be considered a junior in front of it."
Liu Yifei asked curiously, "Auntie, then which is the oldest theater?"
"The New Amsterdam Theatre. Although it was completed only a few months before the Hudson Theatre, it was the first, and now it's been taken over by Disney. It can be said to be the best-developing theater on Broadway."
"Disney, hehe, this is Mickey Mouse's usual trick," Eric said with a forced smile.
Liu Xiaoli looked at the time: "It's almost seven. Let's not stand here. How about we have dinner together? You two can chat while we eat."
Although it was only a few minutes of conversation, Liu Xiaoli had already noticed that Eric was clearly more interested in her cousin.
She just didn't know if he was interested in Broadway or in her cousin herself.
But who cares, as long as he's interested.
More than half an hour later, the four of them arrived at Leonard's restaurant and, as usual, requested a private room.
"Would you like some wine?" Eric asked politely.
"A glass of brandy," Liu Xiaoli said.
"Just a glass of port wine for me."
"I suppose I can only have juice."
Eric, on the other hand, ordered a glass of Madeira wine.
After some small talk, Zhou Wenqiong asked, "Eric, you're the Vice President of MGM. Many film and television companies are now entering Broadway. Does MGM not have this idea?"
"Broadway is a good option, especially for enhancing brand value, but MGM also has its own problems."
"Although MGM's film library is still abundant, the most widely known film copyrights are not in its own hands. There aren't many good movies left, and they may not be suitable for the Broadway stage."
Zhou Wenqiong chuckled: "Eric, whether it's suitable or not is decided by the market; neither you nor I can say for sure. Aren't there many inexplicably popular movies in Hollywood too? Without trying, no one will know what the next chocolate will taste like."
After a moment of thought, he felt that this woman was constantly instigating him, and she must have an ulterior motive.
Eric couldn't help but scrutinize her: "Qiong, if I may ask, what is your position at the Hudson Theatre?"
Zhou Wenqiong's heart skipped a beat, but she had already considered how to answer this question.
After so many years at the Hudson Theatre, she had always been at a middle level, and further advancement was extremely difficult. Given this, she might as well take a gamble.
She answered without blushing or a racing heart: "I hold the position of Drama Supervisor. I have the power to review most of the plays that the theater plans to stage."
Eric nodded. A Drama Supervisor is a position of real power, especially in a theater; it's considered a top-tier role with significant influence.
"So, can I understand this to mean that the Hudson Theatre wants to collaborate with MGM? Which movie's adaptation rights do you want? Or are you looking to establish a talent exchange channel?"
Zhou Wenqiong said seriously, "Eric, you're right about one aspect, but there's also a better option, and that is that the Hudson Theatre needs a new owner."