Chapter 162: A Significant Investment

Butterfly, after a period in Hong Kong, had ventured to the United States with Lan Yan's confidant. Despite her earlier dissatisfaction in Hong Kong, she was drawn to Hollywood, the epicenter of the film industry. 

In Los Angeles, Butterfly, whose blue-faced confidant was a friend of Tang Zheng, was warmly received. Tang Zheng arranged for her stay in Chinatown and introduced her to Hardy Pictures.

During this period, Hardy was busy with the hotel's promotion and preparing for the movie casting. As Butterfly circulated various major film companies, she expressed her interest in acting. Tang Zheng, aware of Hardy's search for a female lead in her 30s or 40s, suggested Butterfly as a potential candidate.

Butterfly, eager to seize this opportunity, put extra effort into her appearance before heading to HD Pictures with her friends and a few young men sent by Tang Zheng.

Hardy, accompanied by Han Yezhen and Irina, arrived at the film company for lunch. Upon arrival, they learned that someone was already waiting. Hardy instructed the staff to notify Director Nolan and Miss Heidi Ramah to interview the actors.

In the casting room, Hardy observed Butterfly, a woman in her 30s with a dignified beauty. Her performance was impressive—her English was fluent, and her acting was natural.

Director Nolan asked Hardy for his opinion after the performance. Hardy nodded in approval, and Butterfly was offered the role of the psychic. Surprised and delighted, she did not expect the process to go so smoothly.

Han Yezhen and Butterfly, both Mandarin speakers, connected instantly and took a few photos together before Butterfly went on to discuss details with Director Nolan. Han Yezhen and Butterfly parted ways reluctantly.

Back at Hardy's office, Hardy made coffee for Han Yezhen and Irina. He turned to Irina, asking about her knowledge of broadcasting talent, as he planned to acquire a broadcasting company to save on advertising costs and to leverage radio and television in the future.

Irina explained that acquiring a nationwide TV network would be challenging and costly. She mentioned that major broadcasters like CBS and NBC had extensive networks of affiliated stations to cover the entire U.S. Renting a channel from a big broadcast company was an option but posed risks of price hikes and monopolistic practices.

Irina recalled a case involving the National Broadcasting Corporation's split, where Edward Noble bought the Blue Network, transforming it into ABC. Despite ABC's extensive reach, Noble's lack of investment in programming left the station struggling. This historical context sparked Hardy's interest.

Realizing the potential in acquiring ABC, Hardy saw an opportunity to invest in a major network with significant influence. He asked Irina to help him obtain a list of faculty and graduates from the University of Southern California's School of Communication, known for its broadcasting talent.

Irina was surprised but agreed to assist, acknowledging the potential costs involved. Hardy, aware that ABC would likely cost more than the $8 million Noble paid, thanked Irina and left to investigate further.

Hardy met with Henry from security, instructing him to gather detailed information on ABC and Edward Noble. He then approached Andy to assess his financial capacity for such a significant purchase.

Andy, understanding the complexity of buying ABC, began evaluating Hardy's finances to determine how much he could feasibly invest.