Hollywood starts with a broker

Just as Aaron was soaking in a hot spring in Tokyo, Japan, enjoying the snowy scenery, a sudden obituary appeared in Hollywood: Steve Ross, CEO and Chairman of Time Warner, passed away due to complications from prostate cancer!

Gerald Levin was officially elected as Chairman and CEO of Time Warner.

After backstabbing N.J. Nicholas and outliving Steve Ross, Gerald Levin finally became the helmsman of Time Warner.

As the nominations for the 50th Golden Globe Awards were announced, Dawn Pictures' "Scent of a Woman" and "The Crying Game" were nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

"Sleepless in Seattle" was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

New films such as "The Bodyguard," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," "Aladdin," and "A Few Good Men" were all competing fiercely at the box office.

Dawn Pictures' "The Crying Game" and "Scent of a Woman" were gradually increasing their theater count as word-of-mouth spread, and another film, "Schindler's List," began its limited release.

In mid-December, Aaron brought Norika Fujiwara to Beijing!

At Beijing Capital International Airport, Aaron took a deep breath as he stepped off the plane, the cold air rushing straight into his lungs.

Aaron, of course, had never seen Beijing in the 1990s. On the way from the airport to the hotel, Aaron stared out the window, seeing fewer tall buildings and fewer cars everywhere.

Who would have thought there would be such a chance to witness all of this?

After checking into the Kempinski Hotel at the Lufthansa Center, which had just opened this year, Aaron took out some foreign exchange certificates and sighed.

These were exchanged at the airport. The supply of goods in China is not yet sufficient, and there are many things that cannot be bought with RMB. Foreign exchange certificates can be used to buy things at Friendship Stores or Overseas Chinese Stores.

"Aaron, are you here to scout the market for your film company?"

After hanging up Aaron's coat, Norika Fujiwara assumed he had come to China for film-related business.

Aaron smiled and shook his head. "It's not about scouting the market. I just came to take a look. We'll be going to Hong Kong soon!"

The current Chinese film model is still a planned economy system. Film studios are state-owned, and they only have film production rights. Distribution and screening are uniformly managed by the government.

It's still a system of unified purchase and sales. There are no private film companies here yet.

For imported foreign films, they are mainly dubbed films. If you want to watch foreign movies here, you mainly go to video halls to watch pirated copies!

Dawn Pictures did acquire the North American distribution rights to a Chinese-language film, "Farewell My Concubine," from Tomson Films this year, which will be released in Hong Kong during the New Year.

Currently, there is no concept of imported films in China. Most Hollywood movies enter China through pirated videotapes!

In the evening, Aaron and Norika Fujiwara were led by a waiter to the hotel's internal gathering bar for entertainment.

"This is it, you two. Have a good time!"

The beautiful etiquette lady politely acted as a guide.

"Thank you!" Aaron casually handed over three more 100-yuan foreign exchange certificates!

Since arriving from the airport, Aaron had already given out tens of thousands of yuan in foreign exchange certificates to the service staff he encountered.

The reward was that everyone greeted him with a smile and provided meticulous service.

The etiquette lady was very excited to receive a 300-yuan foreign exchange certificate tip and bowed in thanks!

"By the way, if I want to buy something, where should I go?"

Aaron suddenly asked.

"Ah, guests can go to the nearby Lufthansa Friendship Shopping Center or the Scitech Shopping Center. They are both newly opened shopping malls in the past two years, and they have a wide variety of goods!"

Aaron nodded. Lufthansa Friendship Shopping Center?

It seems they are all shopping malls that only accept foreign exchange certificates…

The next day, Aaron took Norika Fujiwara to the nearby Lufthansa Friendship Shopping Center. After all, Aaron had always been curious about this product of the times, the Friendship Store.

"The things here are really expensive!"

Norika Fujiwara did not come from a wealthy family. After seeing the prices of the goods in the Friendship Store and converting them, they were ridiculously expensive.

"Many Japanese products are at least three times the price in Japan."

Aaron wasn't surprised. After all, they were here to earn foreign exchange, and China's foreign exchange reserves weren't very large right now.

However, when Aaron saw Rolex watches selling for 155,000 yuan and a Montblanc fountain pen for 7,900 yuan, he was also a little speechless.

The exchange rate between the US dollar and RMB is about 5.5 now, and foreign exchange certificates can be directly exchanged, but the equivalent value of foreign exchange certificates is at least 30% more expensive than RMB!

"It's quite expensive. A box of imported chewing gum sells for more than 20 yuan," Aaron smiled. The annual consumption of urban residents in Beijing is only more than 2,000 yuan now.

After staying in Beijing for two days and satisfying his curiosity, Aaron took Norika Fujiwara to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong, the title of "Hollywood of the East," is not for nothing. The entertainment industry is extremely developed!

At night, in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel suite in Central, Hong Kong Island, Aaron, who was lying on top of Norika Fujiwara, heard the ringtone of the mobile phone next to him, turned over and answered the call from across the ocean.

"Hmm, Clinton's inauguration ceremony? Isn't that next year?"

（Missing text - This seems like a placeholder or error in the original text, so I'll skip translating it directly.)

"Don't worry, I'll be there," Aaron said, patting Norika Fujiwara in his arms while answering the phone…

After an unknown amount of time, Aaron exhaled. Norika Fujiwara, her hair disheveled, crawled into Aaron's arms, leaned against the man's chest, and gasped, "Aaron, are you going back to the United States?"

"Soon, before Christmas," Aaron reached out and stroked her body. "You should be going back to Japan, right?"

"Yes, going back to Japan."

"Well, you can have a good time in Hong Kong these few days and enjoy shopping!"

Norika Fujiwara had served him very comfortably during this period, and Aaron certainly couldn't treat her badly.

When she returns to Japan, Aaron will also give her a sum of money to improve her life.

"Then, in the future, will you still come to Japan, or ask me to accompany you?"

Being with Aaron Anderson, Norika Fujiwara enjoyed what a rich man's life was like. What woman wouldn't like that?

Aaron looked at the sexy woman in his arms, reached out and brushed her long hair, and smiled, "Are you reluctant to part?"

Norika Fujiwara nodded, definitely.

"Do you want to be my woman in Japan? When I come to Japan, you can be with me!"

Norika Fujiwara quickly agreed, "Can I? I would be very willing."

"I can let you enjoy life and help you develop your career, but there are conditions. I don't like my woman being ambiguous with other men. You should understand what I mean, right?"

"I understand. I will be your exclusive woman!"

"That's good. When the time comes, if you have someone you like, or want to get married, just tell me in advance."