Chapter 628: Chapter 628 - Luck
After returning from her outing, Laila received a call from Yao Yingxia, inviting her to a special private restaurant for a welcome banquet.
Upon hearing about authentic Eastern cuisine, Laila, who was initially thinking of making excuses, immediately changed her mind. She graciously accepted the invitation for the next evening.
Fortunately, Demi and the others couldn't understand the local language or Laila's esteemed boss's image would have been completely ruined.
"BOSS, I just confirmed the time and location for the speeches with the people from the East," Demi handed over a neatly arranged schedule.
Laila glanced at it, seeing two scheduled speeches—one at the top-ranked Eastern academic institution and another at the leading art school.
"Alright, this works," Laila nodded. Demi incorporated the schedule into the itinerary, asking, "Shall I arrange your itinerary to Zhangjiajie now?"
"Not for now. I think Yao's side will send over a few guides. It'll be more convenient to have them around, and we can discuss and finalize the plans with them later," Laila explained. Her intention wasn't just to have them guide her; it was also to let them handle any potential troubles along the way.
Even with a group of bodyguards, if they encountered roadblocks or troublemakers, it would be their problem. She couldn't simply pull out a gun and shoot; it could turn a minor incident into an international affair. Laila came here to do something meaningful for the country, not to gain fame through dubious means.
The next evening, Laila was personally picked up by Yao Yingxia for the promised banquet at the private restaurant.
"The owner of this place comes from a family of royal chefs, with several traditional dishes passed down through generations. I'm confident you'll get a taste of authentic Eastern flavors," Yao Yingxia introduced as they entered the courtyard where the restaurant was located.
"That's wonderful. I love Eastern cuisine. Unfortunately, in the United States, it's always some strange flavors," Laila couldn't help but cringe at the thought of the weirdly modified dishes.
Americans tended to prefer sweet and sour flavors and Eastern dishes were often adapted to suit their tastes. Moreover, they didn't like dishes with bones or spines that required spitting them out. So, Laila found it difficult to find a place in the US where she could enjoy freshwater fish.
Amused by her comment, Yao Yingxia laughed. It was during such moments that she could sense a playful side in the girl, similar to her actual age. Most of the time, she tended to treat her as a more mature person, completely forgetting that she was not even 24 yet.
"You won't be disappointed tonight," Yao Yingxia assured, confident in the dishes passed down from their ancestors.
The restaurant was beautifully decorated with an ancient flavor, making it feel like accidentally stepping back in time to ancient China. Even the electric lights were encased in lanterns, resembling candles if one didn't look closely.
Even if the food wasn't great, the ambiance alone made it worth the visit.
A girl dressed as a palace maid led them into a private room. As soon as they entered, several people sitting inside stood up. Among them, the lead figure was none other than Director Zhang Yimou.
Laila knew this wouldn't be an ordinary welcome banquet, so she didn't show any displeasure. Instead, she was genuinely happy to see these people.
"Director Zhang, hello."
"Director Moran, I'm delighted you could come!" Zhang Yimou shook hands with her and then introduced the people in the room.
Actually, there was no need for introductions; she was already familiar with most of them, being well-known figures in the future. There were directors and actors, all of whom would become heavyweight figures in a few years!
Some of the more established stars had already met Laila during her time in Hollywood. So, they behaved less restrained, but the younger actors were a bit more cautious.
Laila sensed their nervousness but just smiled and said nothing. In her past life, if she saw these people, she would keep her distance because she knew they were not in the same league. With her being a small TV director, she wouldn't even have the qualifications to talk to them. Who could have expected the magical arrangements of fate, showing her a more innocent side of these future famous actors?
Following Eastern customs, the theme would begin after three rounds of toasts.
"Sorry, my health is not very good, and I can't drink these stimulating things," Laila regretfully declined their toasts.
At this point, some people remembered the details of her life that were almost being overexposed by the media, including her childhood struggles with illness and near-death experiences.
"In that case, have some juice," Yao Yingxia, responsible for taking care of her, didn't allow any issues to arise in her presence.
Laila smiled and nodded, lifting a glass of juice to take a sip.
She could actually handle a bit of alcohol, but she knew how enthusiastic Eastern people could be. If she started, they would ensure she drank a lot. She didn't want to expose herself while drunk, revealing any embarrassing sides. You never knew what unsightly things could happen when intoxicated.
After a few rounds of drinks, some of the initially reserved people began to reveal their true selves.
"Director Moran, your 'Chicago' this time is truly remarkable."
Laila looked at the future Best Actor, still a newcomer, and replied, "Thank you. It's mostly good luck."
Director Zhang Yimou shook his head, "Winning an award can be luck, but this was a clean sweep! Thirteen nominations, eight awards. It almost took all the acting awards. If this is luck, it must be extraordinary luck!"
"Actually, it is a bit of luck," Laila smiled, "In the last two years, there has been a strong anti-war sentiment in the United States. Films like 'Chicago' perfectly fit the market's demand."
The entire country was immersed in anti-war sentiment, making it challenging to choose a film that wasn't too dark or too pro-war. So, a film like 'Chicago,' with singing, dancing, and hidden metaphors, was more readily accepted by both critics and audiences.
Of course, this also had to do with Laila's own talent. Otherwise, it could have ended up like the original version in her past life, known as the "worst Best Picture in Oscar history." After all, luck was also a part of one's abilities, not to mention the fact that this lucky person had a reincarnation advantage.
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