My teacher is Bruce Lee, who dominated Hollywood.

Chapter 12 Shaw Brothers' Actions

Even though he was over sixty, Run Run Shaw was still upright in his dark long gown.

Time seems to have been exceptionally kind to him; apart from a few strands of silver at his temples, his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, remain sharp and show no signs of aging.

Shaw Studios, this massively expensive "Hollywood of the East," under his leadership, tirelessly nurtured the dreams of countless young people day and night.

However, the telegram in his hand still stirred some waves in his heart.

He casually handed the telegram to his assistant sitting opposite him, a young man with a scholarly air: "Alan, what do you think?"

This man was none other than Cai Lan, who later became known as one of the "Four Great Talents of Hong Kong" along with Jin Yong, Ni Kuang, and Huang Zhan.

At that time, he was serving as the production manager of Shaw Brothers and was Run Run Shaw's right-hand man.

Cai Lan took the telegram and glanced at the few words on it: "Zou has arrived in Los Angeles, his whereabouts are mysterious, and Li Xian has arrived."

His heart skipped a beat, and he sighed silently.

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

As a witness who personally experienced Raymond Chow's departure, Cai Lan's feelings were very complicated.

He had tried his best to reconcile the conflict between the two, but it was destined to be in vain.

In Uncle Six's eyes, movies are just industrial products, like canned goods on an assembly line.

Only by establishing strict on-set regulations, controlling costs, and adhering to the principle of "a permanent base with ever-changing personnel" can we ensure that the giant ship of Shaw Brothers will never sink.

In Raymond Chow's view, filmmaking is both art and a gamble; it requires pursuing high-quality productions and cultivating true superstars, even at a high cost.

This truly shows that those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.

This difference was most evident in Bruce Lee.

When this kung fu master first returned to Hong Kong, he immediately extended an olive branch to Shaw Brothers.

The "cross-river dragon" who returned with a Hollywood resume asked for $10,000 per film.

The results of it?

Uncle Six simply replied, "At Shaw Brothers, there are no exceptions for newcomers. Two thousand US dollars per film is the rule for entering the industry."

Even worse, the production department required Bruce Lee to live in the multi-person dormitory at the Clearwater Bay film set along with other extras.

This arrogance directly led Bruce Lee to join Golden Harvest, a newly established company that was struggling to make ends meet.

Raymond Chow not only offered a salary of $7,500, but also promised a great deal of creative freedom.

The ending is clear to everyone.

"The Big Boss" was a smash hit, "Fist of Fury" drew massive audiences, and now "Enter the Dragon" is unstoppable, poised to break box office records again.

Despite being on the verge of collapse, Golden Harvest managed to carve out a bloody path through Shaw Brothers' ironclad empire by relying on this one true dragon.

"Sixth Uncle," Cai Lan said thoughtfully, pulling himself out of his thoughts, "Zou Sheng's trip to America this time must mean something big."

"Bruce Lee fooled all the paparazzi; we didn't even know where he was going."

He pointed to the date on the telegram: "Combined with the sudden visit by Warner yesterday, without even an appointment... the two things coming together are definitely not a coincidence."

Run Run Shaw took a cigar from his cigarette case, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it gently: "You mean, that traitor Raymond Chow has already piqued Warner's interest?"

"Very likely," Cai Lan nodded. "Although Golden Harvest has established a firm foothold in Hong Kong, we still completely suppress its overseas distribution capabilities."

"Zou is a smart man. He knows he can't outlast you on this small piece of land, so he wants to find another way."

Run Run Shaw chuckled and lit his cigar: "Those who are too eager to make a living are not businessmen."

Even so, a hint of worry still flashed in his eyes.

Warner Bros.' interest in "The World's Number One Fist" made this veteran detect something unusual.

Is Hollywood really about to change direction?

"Sixth Uncle, cut the Gordian knot!" Cai Lan appeared refined and gentle, but in crucial moments, he was a very decisive person.

"Since Warner Bros. is interested in our film, let's not haggle over the price. Make a small concession and sign the contract as soon as possible!"

"We want to make Shaw Brothers' films the first kung fu movies to be released in North America. Only by securing this first place will time become our friend."

While listening quietly, Run Run Shaw took two puffs of his cigar and exhaled a large smoke ring.

"Not only do we need to be fast," the old man decided, "we also need to be chaotic."

"chaos?"

"That's right, release the news that Bruce Lee is in America." Run Run Shaw stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the row of film studios outside:

"Notify all newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong that Bruce Lee is dissatisfied with Golden Harvest's profit sharing and has gone to the United States on his own to find a new owner, and that Golden Harvest is facing disintegration."

"This..." Cai Lan was secretly alarmed. Regardless of whether it was true or false, once this news broke, it would inevitably cause turmoil within Jiahe.

Raymond Chow's negotiations in the United States may be affected.

"Also, tell the Warner Bros. representatives that if they sign the contract this week, I can reduce the overseas distribution price of 'World's Number One Fist' to $20,000."

"Understood, I'll take care of it right away." Cai Lan put away the telegram, bowed, and turned to leave.

In the huge office, only Run Run Shaw remained.

The image of Raymond Chow's smiling face and Bruce Lee's chilling screams on the silver screen kept flashing through his mind, making him somewhat irritated.

"Celebrity system...revenue sharing system..."

The old man murmured softly, a hint of melancholy in his voice: "Am I really getting old? Can't keep up with the ideas of these young people anymore?"

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I forcibly suppressed it.

He straightened his back, adjusted the collar of his long gown, took a large puff of his cigar, and his eyes regained their composure.

I am Run Run Shaw, the emperor of this Eastern film empire.

The emperor is never wrong.

……

On the other side of the world, Los Angeles.

The midday sun shone through the off-white gauze curtains, casting dappled light and shadow on the carpet.

A lingering, ambiguous feeling hung in the air.

Qin Han woke up from the soft bed and tried to do a somersault, but he gasped for breath the moment he exerted force in his waist and abdomen.

"Ouch—" It's too sour.

He slumped back onto the pillow, looked at the exquisite crystal chandelier on the ceiling, and gave a wry smile.

Last night's celebration was less a tender affair and more a fierce, evenly matched battle.

"If my master finds out, he'll definitely scold me for neglecting my martial arts and indulging in beautiful women."

He rubbed his lower back, silently admonishing himself.

These past few days I've been busy negotiating, strategizing, and dealing with the "Hollywood lioness," so I've definitely neglected my physical conditioning.

We need to quickly pick up where we left off.

The bed beside her was already cold; Rona had obviously left long ago.

As a gossip queen, her diligence is no less than that of any top star.

There was a sticky note on the bedside table with a bright red lipstick mark on it: "Breakfast is in the fridge. Also, don't forget to get my car back."

Just then, a pale blue light screen popped up in front of them.

Today's intelligence has been updated.

[A pet store called "Old Jack" officially opened for business today at the intersection of 46th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan, New York.]

New York? A pet store?

It seems this message is just useless "junk text".

However, out of habit, he still copied it onto a sticky note and stuffed it into his pocket.