"David's Hollywood Launchpad."

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After breakfast, Elizabeth drove David over to Marvel Studios.

As they walked into the company, plenty of people along the way greeted Elizabeth. As one of the "Four Big Actresses," her presence was undeniable.

Elizabeth led David all the way to an office on the top floor.

"This is Jonny's office. Want me to go in with you?" she asked.

"Is Jonny really gonna make me sell my ass?" David joked.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Behave yourself in there. I'll wait for you on the couch outside. Wrap it up quickly—we still gotta get you signed."

After saying that, she plopped herself down on a nearby sofa.

David smiled a little. Even though they hadn't known each other long, he and Elizabeth really clicked, like old friends who regretted not meeting sooner.

He could tell Elizabeth was looking out for him, and he quietly made a note of it in his heart.

After knocking twice, David pushed the door open and walked in.

There sat one of the Jonny brothers who ran Marvel Studios—Jonny.

"Hello, Jonny. I'm David, disciple of Dean," he said politely.

"Oh, David, right? Come, have a seat," Jonny said, barely glancing at him while dealing with some paperwork. Then he slid an investment contract across the desk toward David.

Though he smiled, it was obvious he wasn't interested in chatting.It was clear he was only doing this out of respect for Dean, not because he thought much of David.

David didn't mind. It's normal for newcomers to be treated this way.And Jonny was a top boss in the entertainment world—it was already good enough just to get a meeting.

No point asking for the moon.

David picked up the contract and skimmed through it: Marvel Studios would invest five million exclusively, taking a 60% share.

As director and screenwriter, David would get 40%.

He raised an eyebrow. That percentage was surprisingly generous. He glanced up at the busy Jonny.

Clearly, Jonny didn't think much of Lost in Journey's script.

Fair enough. A few million yuan for a rookie director wasn't exactly a hot deal.If it weren't for Dean's sake, Marvel Studios probably wouldn't have invested at all.

Giving David such a big share was basically a favor for Dean.

After all, Dean almost never asked anyone for favors, so this was a big deal.

By giving David a generous contract and personally meeting him, Jonny was making sure the favor was properly handled.

Even if he gave David the entire project, he wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

"Jonny, the contract looks good. Here's to a great partnership," David said with a smile.

"Good, head downstairs to sign the paperwork. You're Dean's star student—bright future ahead!" Jonny said casually.

"Thanks for the kind words, Jonny."

A secretary was already waiting outside. As David stepped out, he gave Elizabeth a subtle "all done" look.

Then he followed the secretary to sign the contract.

The moment David got the signed copy in hand, Elizabeth rushed over, practically snatching it to take a look.

"Marvel Studiosi's handling production and distribution… and you're getting 40%?!"She was genuinely shocked.

But then she quickly pieced it together, looking at David with a little envy.

"Your mentor's influence is insane. Jonny isn't stupid—this favor isn't gonna be easy to repay."

David shrugged. "Not my problem. It's not my favor to return. He can go bug Dean if he wants."

Elizabeth shot him a middle finger, chuckling.Having a student like David, Dean's heart probably ached a little, huh?

David wasn't bothered. Once the movie made money,who owed who a favor might not be so clear.

The two headed to the talent management department.

"Leo, this is David," Elizabeth introduced him to Leo, a manager."

Leo gave David a cheerful look. "Handsome guy like you—kind of a waste to be a director. Wanna act instead?"

David smiled. "Directing's my dream."

Ken didn't argue. Lots of newbies had dreams. Most woke up once they hit a wall.

"Elizabeth, the kid's not bad. Let's sign him to Talent Group One?" Leo asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "Thanks for taking care of him, Leo."

Leo waved it off and handed David a contract.

"Take a good look. If there's anything you don't understand, don't be shy. We're all family here."

David took the contract and read it carefully.

Marvel Studios was just a stepping stone for him. He needed to use them to break into the industry, meet people, and build his network.

Jumping straight into freelancing and relying on a big company to build connections first—those were two totally different strategies.

The contract was a pretty standard rookie deal:One-year term, breach penalty only a few hundred thousand.

All that stuff about artist training and providing opportunities? Barely worth a glance. He knew better.

They offered dorms, a 2,000 yuan monthly base salary, and a 60/40 earnings split—Marvel Studios taking 60%.

All reasonable for a newcomer.

No exploitation, no special treatment. Elizabeth's influence was there, but not that strong.

David threw a sidelong glance at Elizabeth. So even with her title as one of the Four Big Actresses, she wasn't that valued here?

Guess the "Four Big Actresses" label didn't carry that much weight after all.

"Alright, Leo. I'll be counting on you from now on."

David signed his name with a flourish—officially becoming part of Marvel Studios.

Leo wrapped up the paperwork and handed him a copy. Smiling, he said,"Come on, let's introduce you to the rest of Group One."

Elizabeth waved a hand. "Leo, no need. I'll take him around myself."

Leo squinted slightly, clearly trying to figure out the relationship between the two.He obviously assumed David was Elizabeth's newly-kept boy toy.

"Still, Leo just nodded and said with a grin, "Alright, you two go ahead."

After saying goodbye to Leo, Elizabeth led David to the artist lounge.

"Group One's got the oldest, biggest names in Marvel Studios.Not many people, but they're all heavyweights."

Elizabeth started counting on her fingers:"Me, Tom, Lana, Melody…"

"Hmm… what about Bianca?" David asked.

Elizabeth's expression instantly turned dangerous. "You like her?"

"Yeah, I'm her Bianca," David said cheerfully.

"She's my rival. Stay the hell away from her, or I'll crush you!"Elizabeth headbutted David in the chest—she was too short to reach higher.

David narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

Now he got it.

No wonder Elizabeth's position at Marvel Studios felt weird—high-ranking but awkward.

Turns out Marvel Studios had someone else they were favoring.

The whole "Four Big Actresses and Two Bingbings" stunt? Total PR.

The "Four Big Actresses" were Elizabeth, Wendy, Melanie, and Cindy.

The "Two Bingbings" were Bianca and Vivian.

The Four Big Actresses dominated the 2000s with their incredible film, TV, and fashion achievements.

"But Bianca and Vivian were nowhere near their level yet."

Marvel Studios cooked up the "Four Actresses, Two Bingbings" gimmick to elevate Bianca and Li by riding the Four's coattails.

No wonder Elizabeth was pissed.

"....."