Looking at the hundreds of employees seated below, Eric spoke eloquently.
Zhou Wenqiong had already reported to him in the car that more than half of the original theater staff had been fired, though she claimed they were all incompetent and superfluous.
However, Eric felt there must have been some retaliation and promotion of cronies involved.
After all, she hadn't had an easy time in the theater, and a major clear-out after taking power was only natural. At least those who were fired didn't cause trouble, and that was enough.
As for promoting cronies, if she didn't promote cronies, should she promote strangers? That's ridiculous, isn't it?
Initially, it was essential to promote trusted people to stabilize the situation, and then recruit talent. Eric had done the same when he took over MGM.
"Starting today, we are comrades in the same trench. We will fight together, work hard together, and together, we will run the theater better."
"I know that everyone who dedicates themselves to the stage play industry harbors dreams, and I also have a dream: to build the Hudson Grand Theater into a world center for drama and stage art."
"I want everyone who comes to Broadway to develop an awareness that Hudson is the first choice, a must-visit. It will be a loss in life not to experience our theater at least once."
"Of course, the realization of dreams requires real-world support. I will not let my soldiers fight on an empty stomach."
"Starting next month, all employees' salaries will increase by 10%. This is the first benefit."
Clap clap clap clap!
Instantly, the grand theater erupted in thunderous applause.
Dreams are indeed important, but money's importance is no less than dreams, especially for many of those present who have families to support.
"The second benefit depends on everyone's efforts. By the end of this year, I hope the theater's overall occupancy rate can return to 50%."
"If the target is met, each person will receive a bonus of 10,000 US dollars. For every 5 percentage points higher, an additional 10,000 US dollars will be added."
"If it reaches 70%, an additional 20,000 US dollars will be issued. How much you can get depends on yourselves."
According to the market in 2004, Broadway theaters were still quite popular. Audiences and tourists alike were much stronger than they would be more than a decade later.
For example, at neighboring Disney, whether it was The Lion King or the princess series, the attendance rates were very high, and tickets sold very well every day.
50% was a challenging goal, but not impossible. The key lay in the choice of plays.
In addition to adaptations of MGM copyrights, the theater had also purchased the rights to world-renowned plays such as "Cats," "Mamma Mia!," and "Don Juan."
The plan was to revitalize in the first year, catch up in the second, and strive to surpass Disney in the third year.
The employee meeting did not last long. Eric disliked long speeches; no matter how much was said, it couldn't motivate workers as much as a salary increase.
After the meeting, Zhou Wenqiong invited the three to her home for dinner.
More accurately, she invited Eric alone; Liu Xiaoli and Liu Yifei usually stayed at her place when they came to New York.
Only then did Eric learn that Zhou Wenqiong's husband had passed away from illness several years ago, and they were DINKs, so Zhou Wenqiong lived alone.
"Why don't we go to a restaurant instead? I know a place with really good food. Cooking at home is too much trouble," Liu Xiaoli said.
"No trouble at all, no trouble. It's not often Eric comes, so please try my cooking. Besides, the ingredients are already prepared, so it'll be quick to cook."
Liu Yifei glanced at her watch: "Mom, it's not even 5 o'clock yet, there's still plenty of time."
"It's so much more comfortable to eat at home. If we run into paparazzi at a restaurant, it'll definitely end up in the gossip news again. They can make up stories from just one photo."
"Besides, I haven't had Auntie's cooking in a long time. Do you have sauerkraut soup? And I'm really craving shrimp with eggs."
Liu Xiaoli poked her daughter's forehead: "Aren't you on a diet? Yesterday you said you'd only eat fruit salad for dinner."
"Oh, sis, what's there to lose about Xixi's weight? Any more and it won't be healthy. Let her eat if she wants to, Eric, what do you say?"
Eric's mind was already wandering.
"Alright, stop arguing. Let's eat at home. I don't want to be bothered by paparazzi either."
When he spoke, Liu Xiaoli hummed softly, not daring to say anything more.
Half an hour later, the car stopped in a middle-class neighborhood. Eric got out and looked around; the environment was quite nice and very clean.
"This community is mostly inhabited by Chinese, with a small portion of Caucasians."
"As long as there aren't too many Black people, it's fine."
"Don't worry, for several years there haven't been any serious crimes in the community, because the police chief in charge of this district is Chinese, so the public security is quite good."
Connections are the same everywhere, especially in countries with electoral politics, where skin color is an important tool for gathering support.
Entering Room, the space was quite large, but the decor looked a bit outdated, probably because it had been a while.
"Eric, what would you like to drink? Tea? Coffee? As for alcohol, perhaps it's better to drink it with dinner."
"Tea is fine. You go ahead and get busy; let Xixi pour it for me."
Liu Yifei took off her coat: "Auntie, you go cook. I'll entertain Eric."
"Alright, you know where the snacks and fruit are. I'm not bothering with it."
Zhou Wenqiong said, then went into the kitchen. Liu Yifei scurried off to get things.
She didn't know why, but she felt happy and excited that Eric was visiting.
Perhaps it was because this was her second home in America, or perhaps it was bringing him to meet her most beloved family, giving her a feeling that their relationship had deepened.
Once the two left, only Eric and Liu Xiaoli remained in the living room.
"Where's the remote? I'll turn on the news channel for you."
"Why didn't you want me to come to your house?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? How could I not want you to come!"
"No, you did. Don't try to lie to me. These eyes can clearly see into your heart, including what you're thinking."
"Then you tell me what I'm thinking?" Liu Xiaoli retorted, unwilling to be outdone.
"You must be thinking that I slept with you, and Xixi also slept with me. What if I get handsy during dinner and it's noticed, how embarrassing would that be?"
"If we were at a restaurant, this guy definitely wouldn't dare to act out. You're worried about losing face in front of your sister, right?"
Hit in her soft spot, Liu Xiaoli was momentarily speechless.
"Nonsense! These are all your own thoughts. Some people, being dirty themselves, see everyone else as dirty as they are. Eric Cooper, you are the epitome of such a person!"
"I'm dirty? If you think I'm dirty, why did you sleep with me so many times?"
"I was forced. You forced me."
Eric chuckled: "'Forced' isn't quite accurate, is it? Don't forget, back at Fengze Garden, you came to find me in the middle of the night and willingly climbed into my bed."
"You... you..." Liu Xiaoli was instantly speechless, unable to retort.
"And there's something else you seem to have forgotten. If I wanted to, it wouldn't matter if we were in a restaurant. Don't you remember seeing it before?"
Hearing this, Liu Xiaoli suddenly remembered. Last year, they had an unexpected encounter at a restaurant in New York, where a white woman was under the table performing oral sex on him.
Damn it, this guy is a brazen pervert who has no qualms about anything.
"Come here!"
"Huh? What do you want to do? Don't mess around!"
"I said, come here!"
"Xixi and Wenqiong are right next door. If you mess around, I won't have the face to live!"
"Last chance, come here!"
Eric's undeniable tone echoed in her ears. Her many experiences of being 'trained' flashed through her mind. Liu Xiaoli was silent for a moment, then finally obediently sat beside him.
Immediately after, her mouth was blocked, and his large hand reached into her top, kneading forcefully.
In an instant, a tense emotion filled her heart. She desperately wanted to escape, but also felt a hint of excitement, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably.
Tap tap tap.
Suddenly, hearing the sound of shoes on the floor, Liu Xiaoli snapped back to reality, struggled to push Eric away, and quickly tidied her clothes.
"Eric, green tea is inside."
Eric sniffed it with a normal expression: "Very good, it smells fragrant. Pour a cup for your mom too."
"My mom doesn't drink tea."
"Drink. I suddenly want to drink some too. I've been having some insomnia lately, and I heard drinking tea helps with sleep. Let's try it."
"Oh, then wait, I'll brew it for you."
As Little Liu turned to leave, Eric had already pulled Liu Xiaoli back into his embrace.
"Why aren't you resisting suddenly? And you're even taking the initiative?"
"Don't say anything more. Anyway, you won't be satisfied until you've utterly ruined my reputation."
His large hand explored inside as Eric gently nibbled on her earlobe: "But you're very willing. Listen, there's a splashing sound."
Liu Xiaoli's face instantly turned crimson to her earlobes. At this moment, she felt utterly debased.
He was Xixi's man; what was she, her mother, doing?
She wanted to resist, but couldn't.
She wanted to refuse, but couldn't.
This man was too detestable. He used his power to threaten her, and she was utterly unable to resist.
That's right, it was all Eric's fault. She was purely forced.
"What are you thinking? Are you cursing me?"
"No, no, mmmph!"
"But I seem to have heard it, so I must punish you!"
Tap tap tap.
The sound echoed again. Liu Xiaoli's face was full of pleading: "Eric, please let me go, I beg you. If Xixi sees me, I truly won't have the face to live."
"Alright, I can let you go now, but I'll be staying tonight, so remember to come to my room."
"No!"
"Hmm? She's coming right now."
"I promise, I promise you, quick, let go."
Pop!
Putting down the tea, Little Liu looked at her mother: "Mom, your face is so red."
"Hot, it's hot. The air conditioning hasn't cooled down yet, it'll be fine in a bit."
Eric pointed to the side, and Liu Yifei obediently sat down. The three of them watched TV together.
When dinner was ready, Zhou Wenqiong emerged from the kitchen and saw Eric and her niece looking affectionate, her expression immediately changed slightly.
"Are you two, perhaps...?"
Eric kissed Liu Yifei's face: "We're dating, didn't you know?"
Recalling how Eric had seemingly raped her that day, Zhou Wenqiong looked embarrassed: "They didn't say, but now I know."
"Anyway, anyway, let's eat first. It won't taste good if it gets cold."
"Yeah! I can already smell the sauerkraut soup."
Placing the dishes on the table, Zhou Wenqiong was definitely prepared today, having made eight dishes and a soup.
With so many dishes, let alone the four of them, even if four more people came, they might not be able to finish it all.
"Auntie, you made too much. Can we finish it all?"
"We have Eric, he's so young, he must have a good appetite. Just eat a bit more, it'll be fine. Would you like some wine?"
"When I used to go on inspection tours in China, they would offer me baijiu, saying that Chinese food must be paired with Chinese baijiu to truly taste good. Do you have any at home?"
"Yes, my husband used to drink it too. It's been stored for several years. I'll get it for you."
Soon, a bottle of white wine and a bottle of red wine were added to the table.
It was already an intimate family dinner, and Eric had slept with all three women.
He didn't consider himself an outsider at all, and coupled with Zhou Wenqiong's excellent cooking, he ate very happily.
He had to eat more, as there was a big battle tonight, and he needed to replenish his energy.
As the saying goes, rest and recuperate, prepare for battle.
As long as he was uninhibited, the three women naturally cared even less. Before long, two taels of baijiu were consumed, and the Liu sisters each drank a glass of red wine. Little Liu, being a light drinker, only had a small half-glass.
And as the alcohol went to their heads, though their hands were still dutifully picking up food, their legs under the table were already getting restless.
First, Eric brushed against Liu Xiaoli and Liu Yifei's feet, and they, too, instinctively responded.
Then, somehow, Zhou Wenqiong seemed to join in, though it might have been his imagination, as the 'eye' below could only prod, not see.
By around 9 PM, everyone had finally eaten and drunk their fill.
Eric had finished over half a catty of baijiu, and the red wine was completely gone.
By this time, it was usually time to say goodbye, but Eric had a reason for drinking baijiu.
He pretended to be overwhelmed by the alcohol, drowsily collapsing onto the sofa, while secretly listening to the three women's conversation.
"Eric, Eric..."
Liu Yifei gently shook him a few times: "He looks drunk, he's asleep."
Zhou Wenqiong sighed: "He's probably not used to drinking baijiu. What should we do?"
"Why don't we help him out? There's a hotel on the next street."
"No, it's not safe. He's a billionaire worth tens of billions; it would be troublesome if anything happened. I think we should just let Eric rest here for the night." Remembering Eric's instructions, Liu Xiaoli said.
"Sis, you're right. If something happened, we couldn't bear the responsibility. Let him sleep in my bed, we'll squeeze together."
"Auntie, why don't my mom and I squeeze together and let Eric sleep in my room."
"Let's go with what Xixi said. After all, they're dating."
"Mhm."
The three women struggled to carry Eric into the bedroom. Once they left, Eric pondered what would be best for tonight.
Little Liu came to check on him a few times in between, and he continued to feign sleep.
Only when there was no more movement outside did Eric quietly get up.
He went to the hallway, picked up his phone, and called Zhou Wenqiong, then used the ringing sound to pinpoint her room.
Click!
Zhou Wenqiong hadn't fallen asleep yet. Seeing the caller ID, she was confused when the door was pushed open, and a colossal figure burst in like a storm.
The night was still long.