521-525

### Chapter 521: Spring Festival Gala

The capital city in the twelfth lunar month is much colder than New York. As the New Year approaches, heavy snow begins to fall, and the outdoor temperature drops to minus five or six degrees. Link, who has lived in Los Angeles for many years, finds this weather even colder.

"Why are you outside?"

In the courtyard of Houhai, Link steps out of the gym and sees Chris Liu standing under the eaves, watching the snow with her pregnant belly, her long black hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a long down jacket, and accompanied by two Filipino maids.

"It's too stuffy inside, I came out for some fresh air."

Chris Liu smiles, supporting her waist.

"It's too slippery when it snows, stand further inside."

Link walks over and supports her shoulder, standing under the eaves together to watch the snow.

The snow falls all night, covering the originally black roof tiles with snow, and long icicles hang from the eaves. The white snow, black eaves, and red pillars and doors create an ancient and charming scene.

"I haven't seen such heavy snow in a long time. How about we take a walk in the snow?"

Chris Liu grabs his arm and asks.

"Don't be silly. Who goes for a walk in the snow while pregnant?"

Link half-holds her in his arms, preventing her from whimsically walking in the snow.

"I can sit in a wheelchair, and you can push me like a sled. It will be fun. Go get the wheelchair."

Chris Liu suggests.

"It's not safe even in a wheelchair. It's easy to slip. Just focus on your pregnancy. After the baby is born, we'll go skiing in Switzerland. I have a vacation villa there. You can play as long as you want."

Link persuades her.

Chris Liu pouts her pink lips and blinks her beautiful phoenix eyes, a bit unhappy.

Link is helpless. Chris Liu has become more capricious since becoming pregnant, sometimes getting angry for no reason, making him a bit puzzled.

"How about we drive around? The snow scenery in Houhai is also nice."

Link touches her cold, smooth cheek and says.

Chris Liu blinks her long eyelashes and nods, "Okay."

"What are you two planning to do?"

Before they can leave, Shu Chang comes out from the opposite room, holding the newly awakened little Shu Nan.

"We're going out to stroll around and see if there's any place selling pea jelly. Want to join us?"

Chris Liu asks.

"Pea jelly on a snowy day? Aren't you afraid of stomach troubles?"

"Not afraid, we can eat it hot. Let's go, join us."

Link holds little Shu Nan, Chris Liu holds Shu Chang's arm, and they all get into the minivan.

The group slowly drives through the snowy streets.

In China, there's an advantage: the media is mostly controlled by government departments. As long as you have a good relationship with them, you can avoid all negative news. The freedom is greater than in America.

The car circles Houhai and stops at a private restaurant to eat some pea jelly and charcoal-grilled venison. Chris Liu is satisfied, and they return to the courtyard.

As soon as they enter, they encounter Liu's mother, who glares at them and asks where they went.

"To eat spicy pea jelly. We brought you a portion."

Chris Liu replies.

"Are you crazy? The snow outside is so heavy. What if you slip?"

Liu's mother scolds.

"We didn't slip, don't worry."

Chris Liu smiles.

Shu Chang also says they were very careful on the road. The car drove slowly, and they went straight into the restaurant without walking in the snow.

Liu's mother glares at the two of them and looks even more displeased with Link.

Link shrugs helplessly. If it's an ill-tempered man, he can knock him out with a punch. But with an ill-tempered woman, he has no solution. Women are much harder to deal with than men.

After Liu's mother arrives, she discusses some company matters with him. Last year, Wanda Pictures invested in shooting eight movies and distributed twelve foreign movies, with a total box office of 3.85 billion.

Last year, the total box office in China was 16.8 billion RMB, and Wanda Pictures' market share reached 23%, making it the top cinema line in mainland China.

Chris Liu and Shu Chang's film studio invested in two movies and one TV drama last year, with a net profit of about 12 million RMB.

Liu's mother asks if he has any plans.

Link says no. The money earned by the studio is managed by the three of them. The dividends from Wanda Pictures are handled by Golden Baker Investment Company for secondary investment. He doesn't want to get involved too much and has no time for it.

"Mom, it's New Year's Eve. Let's not talk about work. How about we sit and chat, eating sunflower seeds?"

Chris Liu suggests.

Liu's mother takes off her glasses and rolls her eyes at her, "All you think about is eating. You've gained a lot of weight."

"You're right. I'll go exercise."

Chris Liu stands up.

"Stop it."

Link pulls her to sit down, "It's okay to gain some weight now. You'll lose it in two or three months after the baby is born. Look at Jennifer, her figure is better than before."

"That's because she works out every day. I don't like exercising. What if I stay fat? Will you still like me?"

Chris Liu asks.

"Of course. I like you better with some weight. Other actresses are too thin; it's not healthy."

Link reassures her.

Chris Liu rolls her eyes at him and leans on his shoulder, dozing off.

Liu's mother drapes a blanket over her lap.

On New Year's Eve, Link arrives backstage at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala at around 5 PM, meeting many celebrities like Phoenix Legend, Wang Leehom, Yu Quan, Jane Zhang, Song Zuying, Gong Li, Guo Degang and his apprentice, Happy Mahua, and international stars including himself and Celine Dion.

Celine Dion has two songs this year: "My Heart Will Go On" and a duet with Song Zuying of "Jasmine Flower."

To balance the performances, Link's setlist also includes two songs: "Unstoppable" and a duet with Wang Fei of "When You Are Old." If Chris Liu weren't pregnant, she might have joined him on stage.

When Link appears backstage, many actors eye him, and a few familiar faces come up to greet him.

A CCTV reporter grabs him for a brief interview, teaching him how to say New Year greetings in Mandarin, like "Happy Year of the Snake" and "Wish You Prosperity," which is amusing.

Link's performance is scheduled for 9:15 PM. He first takes the stage with Wang Fei to sing "When You Are Old" in both Chinese and English. They had rehearsed several times, and their performance goes well, generating a lively atmosphere.

After Wang Fei leaves the stage, Link performs "Unstoppable" solo, creating a small climax.

After the show, Link returns to the courtyard to enjoy a New Year's Eve dinner with Chris Liu, her mother, Shu Chang, and Shu Chang's family, totaling over ten people. It's a lively scene. He prepares red envelopes for the elders and juniors and gifts for his peers.

"You seem very familiar with New Year customs. You know exactly what to do without me teaching you."

Chris Liu remarks.

"I did my homework before coming, to avoid making any mistakes."

"Well done. I'm impressed."

Chris Liu feeds him a spring roll.

Link chuckles and wraps an arm around her, "I thought you'd kiss me."

"Not in front of everyone. Who wants to kiss you?"

Chris Liu blushes and whispers, "I'll kiss you tonight."

Link nods, holding her soft hand under the table.

After dinner, the kids run to the courtyard to set off firecrackers, the popping sounds filling the air.

Link listens to the firecrackers and looks at the row of red lanterns hanging from the eaves, feeling a strong sense of familiarity. Since leaving China for underground boxing in Thailand, he hadn't celebrated a proper Spring Festival.

Now, hearing the lively firecrackers, seeing the festive red lanterns, and enjoying a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner with a bustling family, he feels great.

He decides to celebrate Spring Festival in China every year, gaining an extra holiday.

After New Year's Eve, Chris Liu and Shu Chang are reluctant for him to leave, so he stays for a few more days.

His duet with Wang Fei on the Spring Festival Gala is voted the second most popular program by the audience and has the highest viewership rating of the night, peaking at 42.1087%.

Due to the star power of Link and Celine Dion, this year's Spring Festival Gala's overseas viewership increases by 55%, achieving the director's goal of promoting the event internationally.

Yang Mi, Zhao Liying, Ni Ni, and Li Yifeng call him to wish him a happy New Year and invite him to dinner.

Link declines, explaining that with Chris Liu's pregnancy and emotional instability, he can't be seen with other women during his time in China, except for Jennifer and Shu Chang.

After celebrating until the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Link flies to Tokyo to witness Xi-chan giving birth to a daughter named Sasaki Kokomi, with the English name Lola, making her Link's seventh child.

Seeing the beautiful baby, Yui-chan also expresses a desire to have a child.

Link doesn't agree for now. With so many children already, it's hard to manage. He plans to wait until this batch of children grows up, perhaps in another seven to ten years, when he will be in his thirties, wealthy,

 and can consider having more.

The newly born Sasaki Kokomi has curly hair and long eyelashes, much cuter than other newborns.

Link flies to Los Angeles on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year to film "The Dark Knight Rises."

Before leaving, he advises Chris Liu to rest at home. If she misses him, she can fly over.

Chris Liu complains about her figure and expresses reluctance to go out in her current state.

He suggests she hire a professional fitness trainer for post-pregnancy weight loss.

Chris Liu pouts and says she wants to stay home, relying on him for comfort.

Link is helpless, with three children and three families to support, plus the newly born Sasaki Kokomi and Yui-chan, all demanding his presence. It's a bit of a hassle.

At the Spring Festival Gala, Link meets the president of Penguin Group, who invites him to develop a business relationship, offering opportunities for promoting his music and movies in China.

Link finds it interesting and promises to arrange a meeting with his team.

Returning to Los Angeles, he resumes his dual life of filming and parenting. Jennifer informs him of another change in Warner Bros.' plans, with only two movies scheduled for 2022, mainly to give actors more rest.

Though Link enjoys his current life, he can't help but think about his days as a special forces soldier, especially on this snowy New Year's Eve, where memories of his past mix with the warmth of family and the excitement of new beginnings.

Chapter 522: The Oscars

At 8 PM on the 24th, the 85th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Link, Ivanka, and Katherine were invited to attend the awards ceremony that evening.

Link would also be presenting the Best Original Song Award with Taylor.

From this, it seemed likely that Adele would win the Best Original Song Award. The Academy hoped to see these three music superstars together to generate buzz and ratings for the live broadcast.

This year’s Oscar host was the famous director and comedian Seth MacFarlane.

MacFarlane directed and wrote the hit movie "Ted," which last year grossed $540 million worldwide on a budget of $50 million, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

Seth MacFarlane performed the cheeky song "We Saw Your Boobs," listing more than a dozen actresses who had exposed themselves in movies.

This included Naomi Watts in "Mulholland Drive," Angelina Jolie in "Taking Lives," Anne Hathaway in "Brokeback Mountain," Halle Berry in "Monster's Ball," Nicole Kidman in "Eyes Wide Shut," Kristen Stewart in "On the Road," Charlize Theron in "Monster," Helen Hunt in "The Sessions," Jessica Chastain in "Lawless," and Jodie Foster in "The Accused," among others.

Kate Winslet was mentioned the most, ten times, and Nicole Kidman eight times.

The content of the song was quite bold, and the actresses mentioned all appeared visibly embarrassed on camera.

“Is this kind of song interesting?” Taylor asked, moving her lips.

“Very interesting. I didn't know there were so many revealing scenes in those movies. I'll have to watch them sometime,” Link said.

“Pervert!” Taylor snorted softly, bumping Ivanka beside her. “He’s so lewd. Aren’t you going to control him?”

“It’s quite funny. I’ll watch them with Link when we have time,” Ivanka said, smiling.

Taylor rolled her eyes. She finally understood why she had lost to Ivanka—because Ivanka was too lenient with Link, while she always wanted to control him. She realized her own control issues were quite strong.

“Aren't you afraid he’ll turn bad?”

“No, his self-control is very strong. He can't go too bad,” Ivanka smiled.

Taylor wrinkled her nose and secretly pinched Link from behind, but before she could withdraw her hand, Link grabbed it firmly, not letting her pull away.

Clap, clap, clap!

Seth MacFarlane and the Los Angeles Gay Men's Choir finished their song to enthusiastic applause.

The opening performance ended, and the awards ceremony began.

The first award presented was Best Supporting Actor, which unsurprisingly went to Christoph Waltz for "Django Unchained."

He also received the highest number of votes for this award on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

Next came the technical awards.

These included Best Cinematography, Visual Effects, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, Best Documentary Feature/Short Subject, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Original Score and Song.

Lionsgate's films won three awards: "Argo" for Best Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay, and "Zero Dark Thirty" for Best Sound Editing.

Anne Hathaway won Best Supporting Actress for her excellent performance in "Les Misérables," beating out Amy Adams, Helen Hunt, and others.

This was Anne Hathaway’s first Oscar win, and she was very emotional on stage.

For Best Actor, Daniel Day-Lewis won for his "obsessive" performance in "Lincoln," beating Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington, and John Hawkes.

This was his third Best Actor Oscar, having previously won in 1990 for "My Left Foot" and in 2008 for "There Will Be Blood," making him the only actor in Oscar history to achieve this.

Best Actress went to Jessica Chastain for her role in "Zero Dark Thirty."

Her competition included Emmanuelle Riva for "Amour," Quvenzhané Wallis for "Beasts of the Southern Wild," Naomi Watts for "The Impossible," and Helen Mirren for "Hitchcock."

On the Rotten Tomatoes website, French veteran actress Emmanuelle Riva had the highest support rate of 38.27%, with Jessica Chastain in second at 33.82%.

But with strong lobbying from Lionsgate, Jessica won the award.

When last year’s Best Actor Jean Dujardin read out Jessica’s name, many in the audience turned to look at Link with complicated expressions.

“Damn it, what’s wrong with the Oscar judges? They know Link is using this award to pick up girls, yet they still gave their votes to Jessica Chastain?” Harvey Weinstein muttered angrily in the "Django Unchained" section.

Though Weinstein's films didn’t get nominated for this award, he had stirred up media coverage of Jessica Chastain’s unfilial behavior during the second round of voting to disgust Link and prevent him from succeeding.

The Oscar Academy judges were mostly 'old white men,' and Jessica’s biological father was also an old white man. Stirring up such issues could provoke empathy from the judges and turn them against Jessica.

But unexpectedly, Jessica Chastain still won the award.

“Jessica clarified that her biological father abandoned the family when she was seven or eight, leading to her sister’s death. He was an irresponsible man, and she has a good relationship with her stepfather,” Bob said beside him.

Harvey snorted. He knew this, but Jessica winning the award still displeased him.

He used to be known as the "Oscar Kingmaker" in the media, but now, for two consecutive years, the Best Actress award had gone to Lionsgate’s lobbying department.

Perhaps starting tomorrow, the media would call Link the "Oscar Queenmaker."

Then all the Hollywood actresses would flock to Link, treating him like a prized commodity, while he would be left unnoticed.

The thought made him furious.

Harvey stared daggers at the back of Link’s head, wishing he could shoot him.

In the audience, Jessica Chastain, hearing her name, looked incredulous, hugging director Kathryn Bigelow excitedly before heading to the stage.

With tears, she thanked many people, including Bigelow, producers Megan Ellison and Kathryn, her agent Susan Kower, and even Ivanka and Link, praising them as the perfect couple and repeatedly expressing her gratitude.

“Have you slept with her?” Taylor asked, clapping.

“Of course not.”

“Really? Why would you lobby for her Best Actress award if you hadn’t?” Taylor asked, skeptical.

Link rubbed his forehead. “We lobbied for Jessica because she performed well and deserved it. Also, a successful campaign can increase box office revenue, earning us millions more. It’s a worthwhile investment and has nothing to do with sleeping with her. The same goes for Jennifer Lawrence.”

“Heh, I might believe Jessica, but not Jennifer Lawrence,” Taylor said, wrinkling her nose.

Link shrugged, not arguing further.

“Who are you planning to lobby for Best Actress at the next Oscars?” Taylor asked.

“You! How about that?”

“Not interested. I’m satisfied with my Grammy awards,” Taylor said, raising her chin slightly.

At the recent Grammy Awards, Taylor won two more Grammys for her fifth album, "Red," bringing her total to eight.

She had reason to be proud.

“Pervert, you’re so good, why didn’t you get a Best Actor nomination?” Taylor asked, smirking.

Link didn’t answer, instead lightly squeezing her buttocks through her thin dress.

Taylor’s face turned red, her pale fists clenching tightly.

The ceremony neared its end, with Ang Lee winning Best Director for "Life of Pi," his second win and the first for a 3D film.

“The Best Picture award goes to…”

On stage, presenters Jack Nicholson and Michelle Obama looked at the card in the envelope and announced, “Argo!”

“Yes!!!”

The "Argo" team erupted in cheers.

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Life of Pi" had the highest support rate at 39.4%.

"Argo" was second at 22.7%. Although "Lincoln" also fit the main theme, Spielberg’s direction had many issues, resulting in only 10.3% support.

The other seven films had less than 10% support each.

Originally, "Life of Pi" was considered the frontrunner for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, but when the award was announced, it went to "Argo," making Ben Affleck and others very excited.

Link also clapped his hands appreciatively. With "Argo" winning this award, its global box office would increase by tens of millions. As the distributor and producer of the film, Lionsgate would also earn more money.

“Damn it!! How did they win this award?”

Harvey said angrily.

“Lionsgate is becoming more skilled at Oscar PR.”

Bob said.

“Shut up! Many of Lionsgate's PR methods were copied from me, mine! 'Argo' winning means that bastard Link can earn tens of millions more. Damn it, it's all your fault. If you hadn’t stupidly invested in 'The Master,' we would be celebrating victory with them instead of watching Link gloat. Bob, this is all your fault.”

Harvey scolded harshly.

Bob didn’t argue back.

On stage, "Argo" producer Ben Affleck, Lionsgate producer Stacey Snyder, and two other producers gave their acceptance speeches, thanking the Academy and also expressing their gratitude to Link and Ivanka.

Link and Ivanka received three thank-yous tonight.

Applause!

Finally, host Seth MacFarlane and soprano Kristin Chenoweth performed "Here's To The Losers."

The 85th Academy Awards successfully concluded.

Considering there were still children at home, Link, Ivanka, and Taylor did not attend the Oscar party and drove directly back to the mid-levels villa.

On the way, Taylor accused Link of molesting her in front of Ivanka and even punched Link a few times.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 523: Forbes Rich List

After the awards ceremony, the winning movies and actors were widely discussed by the media and netizens.

Some fans complained that their favorite movies didn't win, believing that "Life of Pi" and "Lincoln" deserved Best Picture more. There were also media and netizens who questioned the Best Actress award, implying a relationship between Link and Jessica Chastain.

Some malicious media outlets called Link an "Oscar-winning actress maker," claiming that any actress favored by Link had a chance to win an Oscar.

They said that in the past, actresses needed to have a good relationship with Harvey Weinstein to win an Oscar, but now they need to collaborate with Link.

Other media continued to speculate about Link and Jennifer Lawrence's relationship, hinting at an improper relationship between Link and Jessica to confuse the public and sway Oscar voters away from supporting Lionsgate actresses.

As a result, Lionsgate's legal department issued more than ten lawyer's letters.

Although there was dissatisfaction with this year's Oscars, it was much less than the controversy over Jennifer Lawrence's Best Actress win last year.

Amid media hype and discussion, movies like "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty," and "Beasts of the Southern Wild" gained significant attention, increasing their exposure and seeing notable box office gains in the week following the Oscars.

After being in theaters for more than three months, "Argo" had a current North American box office of $148 million and an overseas box office of $103 million, totaling $250 million. The production, marketing, and PR costs of the film were $68 million, and Lionsgate's profit on the project was no less than $80 million.

"Zero Dark Thirty," which had been in theaters for over two months, had a current North American box office of $112 million and an overseas box office of $42 million. The film's total cost was $48 million, and Palm Beach, Lionsgate, and Annapurna Pictures expected a profit of around $65 million.

"Beasts of the Southern Wild," in theaters for nearly four months, had a North American box office of $20.77 million and an overseas box office of $8.19 million. With a total cost of only $3 million, the profit margin was even higher.

Additionally, these films received both critical and commercial success, earning Lionsgate significant industry acclaim as the distributor.

Despite Lionsgate's strong performance at the Oscars, since Link took over in 2011, Lionsgate had shifted from producing low-budget trash films to releasing over ten high-quality indie films, becoming a leader and trendsetter in the film industry.

Link and Ivanka also graced the covers of magazines like "Time," "People," "Vanity Fair," and "The Hollywood Reporter."

"The Hollywood Reporter" named them the most influential people in the film industry for 2012, stating that under their leadership, Lionsgate was changing the landscape of Hollywood and the global film industry.

Lionsgate's market value was raised to $2.8-3 billion by Wall Street after acquiring Summit Entertainment last year.

Although it was still not comparable to MGM before its bankruptcy, the media believed it was only a matter of time before Lionsgate replaced the former MGM as one of Hollywood's "Big Seven."

Palm Beach Pictures' market value was also raised to $100-120 million, ranking among the top twenty in the independent film production field.

Meanwhile, Weinstein Company and Relativity Media saw a decrease in market value from the previous year.

Weinstein Company's value dropped to around $360 million due to poor box office performance last year, while Relativity Media's value fell to $450 million after media exposure of its creditors' issues.

In terms of film output and box office performance, neither company was a match for Lionsgate, which aimed to remain in the top five in Hollywood.

"The Hollywood Reporter" commented that the competition between Link and Harvey in the film industry was initially expected to last four or five years, ending with Lionsgate's bankruptcy and Harvey, the "insider," emerging victorious.

Instead, the "outsider" Link managed to leave Harvey and Weinstein Company far behind in just two years.

In response, several shareholders behind Weinstein Company called Harvey to express their disappointment with the company's performance last year. They had initially believed that the industry elite Harvey would easily win this competition, but the results were unexpected.

The board demanded that Harvey improve Weinstein Company's situation within the next two years, or they would consider withdrawing their investment.

"Damn it!!"

Harvey put down the phone, his face contorted with anger, the fat on his face trembling slightly.

He used to be an industry elite, a top producer, courted by Wall Street capital, allowing him to freely choose his collaborators.

Now, due to poor box office performance last year, the board was dissatisfied with him, and he couldn't afford to fall out with them. Without their support, the company wouldn't have the funds to invest in more films.

"Damn it, damn it all!"

Harvey clenched his fists, glaring at the cover of "Time" magazine featuring Link and Ivanka. Link was in a white suit, Ivanka in a black dress, a handsome couple, with the Lionsgate logo and the headline questioning who the true leader of Lionsgate was.

Harvey glared at Link's infuriatingly handsome face, grabbing a pen and viciously stabbing the cover several times.

His luck in the film industry had been excellent until he encountered Link, after which nothing seemed to go his way, and the company's performance continued to decline, even missing out on Oscar wins.

It was all Link's fault!!

Ring, ring!

The phone on his desk rang. Harvey glanced at it irritably; it was from major shareholder Aviv Nevo. He had to suppress his anger, answer the call, and ask Aviv what he wanted.

Aviv Nevo informed Harvey that Warner Bros. had agreed to support him in limiting Lionsgate's growth and would invest $300 million to support Weinstein Company's film production.

They would also support him in media publicity.

Aviv hoped Harvey could seize the opportunity, produce more high-grossing films, and capture Lionsgate's market share.

Harvey was instantly excited. Lionsgate's success was largely due to its ample funding, with annual production costs of $600-700 million exceeding the market value of some other film companies. Weinstein Company, Relativity, and Legendary Pictures couldn't compare in this aspect.

With Warner Bros.' financial support and media backing, Harvey was confident he could surpass Link and Lionsgate in the coming years and reclaim his throne as Hollywood's king.

This was not self-promotion but genuine confidence.

Moreover, from 2011 to 2012, Lionsgate had developed rapidly, with increasing box office revenues, surpassing Warner, Universal, 20th Century Fox, and Paramount last year to become the industry's third-largest, capturing a significant market share from the "Big Six."

Lionsgate was encroaching on the Big Six's territory.

Naturally, the Big Six wouldn't sit idly by as Lionsgate grew stronger. They would suppress Lionsgate's growth in various ways, including publicity, distribution, film project collaborations, and partnerships with directors and actors.

In such favorable circumstances, Harvey didn't believe he would lose.

"Hmph, Link, our battle is far from over. Just you wait."

Harvey said coldly, looking at the shredded magazine cover.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Harvey, here's this year's Lionsgate film project list. Do you want to take a look?"

Bob walked in with a folder.

Harvey glanced at it, "Why do only two films have production costs over $100 million? I told you last time to find a way to use blockbusters to bankrupt Lionsgate. Why is Lionsgate's investment becoming more conservative?"

"This is Lionsgate's internal decision. At the beginning of the year, the head of the production department proposed making more big-budget films due to last year's good box office performance. Ivanka rejected this proposal.

She told the production department to stick to last year's budget: two or three big-budget films plus several low-budget and horror films, at least for the next three years. I couldn't change Ivanka's decision."

Bob shrugged.

Harvey's eye twitched. With Lionsgate's current size, it could easily invest in more than five big-budget films each year. But now, it only invested in two or three big-budget films annually.

With this approach, when would Lionsgate ever go bankrupt due to failed investments?

Harvey thought for a moment and told Bob to continue finding ways to encourage Lionsgate to invest in big-budget films or urge Summit Entertainment to do so. The goal was to bankrupt Lionsgate by any means necessary.

"Okay, okay!"

Bob didn't know how to do this, but seeing the shredded magazine on Harvey's desk, he wisely chose not to argue at this time.

——

In March, "Forbes" magazine released its various lists.

Link remained the highest earner in the sports and music fields, with annual incomes of $950 million and $220 million, respectively. The sports earnings included boxing match prizes and over $500 million from post-Olympic endorsements and gold medal bonuses.

In the film field, he only made two movies last year, "The Expendables 2" and "Rust and Bone," earning $25 million, ranking eighth.

However, on the "Forbes Global Rich List," his net worth reached $9.6 billion, ranking 114th, over a hundred places higher than last year.

His current assets were divided into three main parts.

The first part was shares controlled by Goldbeck Investments, including 15.5% of Nvidia, 17.2% of Tesla, 5.7% of SpaceX, 1.3% of News Corp, 8.6% of Netflix, and small stakes in Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and Apple.

Nvidia, after over two years of downturn, recovered to around $10 billion last October, currently valued

 at $12.2 billion. Link's Nvidia shares were worth $1.91 billion.

Tesla's valuation reached $12 billion, and Link's shares were worth $2.06 billion.

SpaceX was worth $10.5 billion, Link's shares worth $598 million.

News Corp's market value remained stable at $75 billion, Link's shares worth $975 million.

Netflix's valuation reached $5 billion, Link's shares worth $430 million.

Goldbeck Investments' stock holdings totaled $6.6 billion, and with the board's approval, Link sold 15% of his Apple shares this year for $900 million in cash, leaving him with $7.5 billion in stock and cash.

The second part was Palm Beach Investment Co., mainly engaged in venture capital, with investments in over twenty companies, holding 5% of Twitter, 4.1% of Uber, 10% of Airbnb, and others. Total market value: $200 million.

The third part was Palm Beach Pictures, with a market value of $120 million.

Ivanka's net worth was $1.5 billion, making her the richest woman in the world.

This attracted media attention, with Forbes, Time, and others covering the topic.

"Time" magazine published a report on the Palm Beach Investment Co., stating that it invested in twenty-four companies, eight of which were worth over $100 million, and two worth over $1 billion.

The report concluded that with Ivanka's unique investment insights, the Palm Beach Investment Co. had the potential to become the leading company in the venture capital field within five years.

In the entertainment field, Palm Beach Pictures' market value was second only to Lionsgate and Legendary Pictures, ranked among the top five independent production companies.

With Link and Ivanka's leadership, the company had great development potential and was likely to become one of the leading independent production companies in the film industry.

"Time" magazine described Ivanka as having unparalleled insights in business, finance, and entertainment, making her the richest woman in the world, as well as an indispensable right-hand partner to Link.

Chapter 524: Movie Investment Arrangements

Additionally, Forbes magazine published a list of the highest-earning singers in the United States over the past year.

Link ranked first with a total income of $220 million.

24-year-old country music princess Taylor Swift ranked second with an annual income of $69.7 million.

Her income includes royalties from two albums and earnings from her global tour "Red Tour." The 42 concerts over six months brought her about $40 million, including sales of concert memorabilia and numerous brand placement advertisements.

Third place went to veteran country music singer Kenny Chesney, with an annual income of $32.96 million.

Beyoncé ranked fifth with an annual income of $28 million.

Lana Del Rey ranked eighth with $22.5 million, including album royalties, concert income, and link music dividends.

Justin Bieber ranked 11th with $18.8 million.

Bruno Mars ranked 12th with $16.8 million.

Wiz Khalifa ranked 22nd with $9.5 million.

Selena Gomez ranked 25th with an annual income of $8 million.

Last year, singers under Link Music did very well.

Additionally, Jennifer Lawrence, an actress signed with Palm Bay Agency, ranked second on the actress income list with a total income of $34.5 million. Her income includes earnings from "The Hunger Games 2," "X-Men," "American Hustle," "August: Osage County," and a Dior perfume endorsement.

First place went to Sandra Bullock, with an annual income of $51 million, while Jennifer Aniston ranked third with $31 million.

Emma Stone ranked fourth with an annual income of $26.5 million.

Amy Adams ranked eighth with $13 million.

Kristen Stewart ranked tenth with $12 million.

Alexandra Daddario starred in Lionsgate's "Cabin in the Woods," "The Conjuring," and "Texas Chainsaw 3D" last year, becoming a near A-list Hollywood star with an annual income of $8.5 million, ranking 13th.

"Not bad, everyone made money last year."

Link said as he looked at the magazine.

"Not as much as you. You made over a billion dollars in a year. Now everyone calls you the wealth god."

Selena lounged on the sofa with little Margarita, Alexander, and Cynthia by her side.

Link shrugged. Last year was special; winning 12 gold medals at the Olympics brought him a lot of exposure and endorsements. He earned over $600 million just from advertisements, unmatched by anyone else.

"Bro, you're almost worth a billion now. How do you feel?"

"Not much, money is just a number to me, it doesn't matter how much."

Link smiled.

"Hmph, then give me some. I don't want much, just ten billion. How about it?"

"What do you need that much money for?"

"To spend, of course! Buy a big villa, a big yacht, a big plane, fill my closet with all the pretty clothes, bags, and high heels in the world, and perfumes, and all kinds of cosmetics. Ten billion isn't even enough for me."

Selena waved her small hand as she spoke.

"Sounds great. I'm also planning to buy a private jet recently, just haven't decided on the model yet. And in terms of luxury goods, the Louis Vuitton Group and Hermes Group have been doing well in recent years. They have investment value. If there's a chance, I might consider buying some shares."

Link touched his chin.

"Buying a private jet is a good idea, but why buy shares in LV and Hermes? Can you wear shares?"

Selena rolled her eyes at him.

"Being a shareholder in both companies means you can wear limited edition bags and clothes as you like. If you're interested, you can even participate in fashion design. Isn't that cool?"

"Sounds really good."

Selena's eyes sparkled.

Link smiled gently. Selena would be a small boss in the future too. Her created Rare Beauty cosmetics brand would be worth over a billion dollars, becoming an entry-level luxury product, a successful venture.

If she plans to start a business in the future, Link wouldn't mind helping her.

At that time, everyone around him, including Ivanka, Taylor, Selena, Katherine, Mrs. Mandy, Mrs. Cathie Wood, Jennifer Lawrence, and others, would be billionaires. It would be a nice thing.

"Ah! Margarita, let go, my hair is falling out."

Future billionaire Selena suddenly cried out in pain.

Little Margarita had climbed onto her shoulder, grabbing her black hair with her little hands, drooling at the corner of her mouth.

"Does it hurt that much? The little one isn't even a year old, how strong can she be?"

"Hmph, why don't you try it?"

Selena rolled her eyes at him.

Link smiled, went over, and picked up the little one. She was nearly a year old, holding two small tufts of hair, her big eyes and small mouth sparkling, looking cute and adorable.

"Alexander, Cynthia, it's time for your piano lesson."

"Oh! Dad!"

Alexander and Cynthia climbed down from the sofa.

Link held little Margarita, took the two kids to the piano room to play piano for them. They also had small electronic pianos. Taylor said this could cultivate their interest in music, and they might become musicians when they grow up.

Link didn't oppose, as opposing would be useless.

"I'm coming too."

Selena dragged her shoes and followed.

---

In the afternoon, Ivanka returned from the company and told Link about something related to the investment in "Ender's Game" with Summit Entertainment. This movie was greenlit last year with a production budget of $100 million, one of Lionsgate's two films with a budget over $100 million this year.

Originally, this movie was developed by Summit Entertainment, with six production companies, including Warner Bros., Ling Tong Entertainment, and Digital Domain VFX Studio.

Now, Warner Bros. has withdrawn its investment for no reason, leaving the project with a $25 million funding gap.

Summit Entertainment submitted a proposal to Lionsgate's production department, hoping for support from Lionsgate.

However, after assessment, Lionsgate's production department found the project's investment too large and difficult to recoup costs. Additionally, Lionsgate's film production schedule for this year is full, and the production department has no extra money to support this film.

Summit Entertainment's president, Robert Friedman, called Ivanka about this matter, hoping to convince her.

Ivanka chose to support Lionsgate's production department's opinion, requiring Summit Entertainment to either seek new investors, reduce production costs, or put the project on hold.

"You did the right thing, I support you."

Link stirred his soup.

"Ender's Game" is based on a bestselling novel by sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card, released in 1985. It's about a group of people selected to a space station's battle school for training after Earth is attacked by a bug race, eventually fighting the monsters together.

The male and female protagonists are teenagers training at a space school, similar to the "Harry Potter" model.

This movie was also a major project for Summit Entertainment after the "Twilight" series ended, hoping to continue the success of "Twilight."

However, Link remembered the box office performance of this movie was mediocre, and there was no sequel after the first one.

But considering it was a project Summit Entertainment had decided on before being acquired by Lionsgate, with Summit Entertainment already investing, he didn't interfere after reviewing the project.

Now that Warner Bros. has withdrawn, causing the project to stall, Link didn't want to intervene.

"You can suggest to Robert to lower the cost for the first novel adaptation as a trial, like the first "Twilight" and "Hunger Games," with a cost of only $70-80 million. Even if the adaptation fails, it won't affect the company's operations."

"I think so too."

Ivanka nodded.

Speaking of sci-fi movies, Link thought of several future films with good box office and reviews, such as "Interstellar," "The Martian," "Ready Player One," and the already greenlit "Edge of Tomorrow" and "Gravity," which are all good.

Additionally, China's "The Wandering Earth" series is excellent. During the Chinese New Year, he inquired about "The Wandering Earth" and "Three-Body Problem." "The Wandering Earth" rights had been sold but not yet greenlit, and "Three-Body Problem" was greenlit but progressing slowly.

If there's a chance, they could collaborate with mainland film companies. Hollywood is slightly ahead in movie special effects.

A joint effort would produce better movies.

At the dinner table, Link and Ivanka also discussed recently released movies.

In January and February, Lionsgate released five movies: "Texas Chainsaw 3D," "Warm Bodies," "Snitch," and distributed movies for other companies, "Stand Up Guys" and "The Last Stand."

In terms of box office, "Warm Bodies" performed best. It has grossed $66.38 million in North America and $50.6 million overseas after over two months of release. The film's production and marketing cost was $35 million, and the company could net $20-30 million from it.

Daddario's "Texas Chainsaw 3D" was released in mid-January, grossing $36.41 million in North America and $14.99 million overseas. With a production cost of $22 million, it is expected to earn a few million.

The Rock's "Snitch," released in late February, grossed $26.75 million in North America after two weeks. With a production cost of $21 million, it has already broken even.

The other two movies performed poorly at the box office. "Stand Up Guys," starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Alan Arkin, received good

 reviews but only grossed a few million.

"The Last Stand," Arnold Schwarzenegger's second action film post-governorship, grossed less than $40 million worldwide after more than a month of release, confirming it won't break even.

Apart from Arnold Schwarzenegger, action films starring Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Russell Crowe, and other action stars also performed poorly, causing Lionsgate to worry about "The Expendables 2."

### Chapter 525: The Expendables 2 Premieres

"Action movies seem to be losing their appeal," Eva commented, spearing a piece of pineapple at the dinner table.

"The traditional muscle-bound action films have lost their market. Spy thrillers, sci-fi, and comedies are doing well. For instance, Tom Cruise's 'Mission: Impossible' series, Marvel and DC movies, and even teen action films like 'Twilight' and 'The Hunger Games' are performing well," Link responded.

"Recent action films haven't done well. Do you think 'The Expendables 2' will suffer the same fate?" Eva asked.

"No worries, with me in it, the North American box office will gross at least $100 million," Link said confidently.

Eva smiled, "Yes, you are the best."

"Ugh, can you two stop being so lovey-dovey? I can't eat," Selena pouted, glaring at them.

"Alright, I almost forgot you were here. How's your new album coming along, Selena?" Eva asked with a smile.

Selena had focused on acting last year and hadn't released a new album. This year, she shifted her focus back to music, preparing her fourth solo album.

"Still recording," Selena said, her eyes twinkling as she turned to Link. "It's been a while since you wrote me a song. How about writing one for me?"

"I'm too busy training and filming," Link replied with a smile.

"You're the one with the most free time, playing house dad all day. You have to write me a song, or I'll cry," Selena pouted.

"Alright, you're an actress. If you can cry in three minutes, I'll write you a song," Link teased.

"Darn it!" Selena puffed her cheeks and tried hard to cry but failed. She then threw herself onto Eva's shoulder, whining, "Eva, look, he's bullying me. Help me teach him a lesson."

Eva stroked her hair and smiled at Link. "Taylor often says you write songs quickly. If you get inspired, write one for Selena."

"Yes, Taylor always says you can write a chart-topping single in two hours and shoot a music video with over a billion views. You can write me a song in two hours," Selena said, pretending to wipe her eyes.

Link thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, but you said you were also writing songs. Let me hear them for some inspiration."

"My songs?" Selena hesitated but eventually agreed.

After dinner, Selena quickly left, making Link suspect her real purpose was to ask him to write a song, not to visit the kids.

---

After discussing with Eva, Link decided to buy a Gulfstream G650 private jet, the most popular among the wealthy. Gulfstream is the leading luxury private jet manufacturer, with over 3,000 jets sold since the 1970s. The G650 has a maximum speed of 0.925 Mach, almost the speed of sound, and a flight altitude of about 13,000 meters. It includes advanced safety features, making it one of the safest jets with minimal accidents.

The plane is 38 meters long, featuring a bedroom, kitchen, bar, entertainment room, and customizable interior, accommodating 32 passengers, including crew members. The price is $85 million.

Eva's father also bought a Boeing 757 for $100 million in 2010, seating 150 people. While they could borrow it, Link and Eva preferred the convenience of owning their jet.

After choosing the model, Link arranged for a representative to contact Gulfstream Aerospace to discuss the purchase, checking if any planes were available for immediate delivery or if they had to wait for a new one.

Owning a private jet would make visiting Chris Liu, Nozomi Sasaki, and Taeyeon more convenient. To ensure safety, Link decided to learn piloting and parachuting.

---

By mid-March, "The Expendables 2," starring Link, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Alice Lee, premiered worldwide.

Before its release, several action films starring veteran actors performed poorly at the box office. Sylvester Stallone's "Bullet to the Head" grossed less than $10 million in North America and only $21.94 million worldwide, resulting in a loss of over $50 million for the producers.

In January, Schwarzenegger's "The Last Stand" grossed only $45 million globally, losing over $30 million.

Another January release, "Broken City," starring Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg, grossed just $34.73 million worldwide, with losses expected to exceed $30 million.

With these poor performances, the media were pessimistic about "The Expendables 2," predicting it would flop and cause Lionsgate to suffer a major loss.

"Please flop," Link's competitors silently prayed as they read the newspapers.

Despite the skepticism, "The Expendables 2" premiered, earning $57.35 million in its first three days across 3,887 North American theaters, topping the box office for the week.

While this wasn't an explosive opening, it wasn't bad either. The overseas box office was promising, grossing $96.8 million in its first week across 45 countries and regions. The global box office was projected to reach $400 million.

With a production and marketing cost of $115 million, Lionsgate, as one of the distributors and producers, expected to earn around $100 million.

The film received mixed reviews, with a 73% media score, a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (46 positive, 23 negative), and a B+ rating from Yahoo viewers.

Fans praised Link's performance, noting his impressive fight scenes and significant improvement from the previous film, making him a standout in the cast.

However, fans criticized Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis for their aging performances, cheesy lines, and outdated jokes, finding them uninteresting.

Fans suggested that Link should be the lead, Jason Statham the second lead, and Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Willis should be supporting actors.

The movie's ending teaser intrigued audiences. Schwarzenegger's character, Trench, was injured and announced his retirement from the team, introducing his daughter as a new member. Scarlett Johansson played the new team member, Jessica, who was strong, cold, and formidable.

Audiences loved this and cheered during the scene. The filmmakers later confirmed that Scarlett Johansson would be the female lead in the next film.

After twelve days, the North American box office surpassed $100 million, making it Lionsgate's first film of 2013 to reach this milestone. The overseas box office reached $185 million in twelve days, with $32 million from China alone, where Wanda Pictures was responsible for distribution.

Given Jet Li and Alice Lee's popularity in China, Lionsgate considered keeping one or two Chinese actors for the sequel.

In mid-March, Link visited China to promote the film and stayed at a Hong Kong hospital where Chris Liu gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

Chris Liu wanted to name her Liu Ruonan or Liu Tienan, but her mother disagreed and insisted on finding a more elegant name. They finally named her Liu Jianni, a name they believed symbolized beauty and goodness, though her grandmother decided it would be her nickname, not her formal name.

After three days in Hong Kong, Link continued the film's promotional tour.

---

By late March, Link returned to the U.S. for the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship fight against Andre Berto, an old rival. In the 2008 Golden Gloves National Championship finals, Link and Andre represented the East and West regions, respectively.

Andre turned professional in 2010, with a record of 15 wins and 1 loss, losing to IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson last year. He earned the right to challenge Link by defeating four opponents in the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship qualifier.

Given their history, the fight garnered significant attention from boxing fans. The match took place at Gila River Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, a popular boxing venue with a large local fan base.

On the day of the fight, 38,000 spectators filled the arena, mostly Link's fans and familiar faces from amateur competitions like Andrzej Fonfara, Jonathon Banks, and Mario Morales.

Fans wondered if Andre could surprise everyone by defeating Link and becoming the new light heavyweight champion. But that was unlikely.

Link and Andre's fight lasted two rounds, with Link knocking Andre down four times, showcasing his superiority and winning the title defense match.

"Andrzej, Link is getting stronger. Who can beat him?" Fonfara marveled.

"Time," Morales replied.

"What?" Fonfara asked.

"Time will beat Link. In twenty or thirty years, when he's old, my son will beat him," Morales joked.

"Good idea," Fonfara laughed.

"Are you saying Link will dominate boxing for over twenty years? I think he'll retire in a few years," Banks speculated.

"Impossible. He's the richest boxer ever, worth over $10 billion. If he wanted to retire, he'd have done it already," Morales argued.

"$10 billion? That's insane. If I had that money, I'd never stay in the ring," Fonfara said.

"You lack the skill. Link is so strong, he's the one doing the hitting. It's the best job, earning money while beating people up," Morales sighed.

In the ring, the referee counted down, and Link helped Andre up. "How are you feeling?" Link asked.

"I'm okay," Andre said, wiping sweat from his face. "Link, you've improved so much. In 2008, you needed tactics to beat me. Now your strength and speed overwhelm me. I'm no match for you."

"You've improved too. When I relinquish the light heavyweight titles, you'll have a shot at becoming a world champion," Link assured him.

"Hope so,"

 Andre said, glancing at the media and fans who swarmed the ring, eager to interview Link.

Link returned to the locker room for post-fight interviews. "Link, you've been dominating the light heavyweight division for three years. Will you retire soon?" a reporter asked.

"Not yet. I've just started. I plan to keep fighting for at least ten more years," Link replied.

"You plan to fight until you're 34?" another reporter asked.

"Yes," Link nodded.

"But aren't you afraid of injuries or declining performance with age?"

Link shook his head. "I'm confident in my abilities and training. As long as I stay in top form, I'll keep fighting."

After the interviews, Link showered and changed. He watched the recording of his fight, analyzing his performance.

Eva and Selena entered the locker room, beaming with pride. "You were amazing, as always," Eva said, hugging him.

"Thanks. How was the audience?" Link asked.

"They were ecstatic. You're a superstar, Link," Selena said, hugging him too.

Link smiled, feeling grateful for their support. "Let's go celebrate," he said, leading them out.

---

Link's next title defense match was scheduled for June. In the meantime, he focused on training, acting, and songwriting.

Eva, meanwhile, continued managing their investments and philanthropic activities. She also supported Selena in her music career, helping her release her new album.

In April, Link and Eva attended the Cannes Film Festival, where "The Expendables 2" received positive reviews. They also visited Paris, enjoying a romantic getaway.

---

By May, Link received an offer to star in a new sci-fi action film directed by James Cameron. The project excited him, and he eagerly accepted, looking forward to working with the renowned director.

As summer approached, Link balanced his busy schedule with family time, cherishing moments with Eva and their children. Despite his demanding career, he always prioritized his loved ones.

Link's journey continued, filled with challenges, triumphs, and unwavering determination. His legacy as a boxer, actor, and family man grew, inspiring many around the world.