"Is the movie promotion done?"
At the dining table, Ms. Theron asked while eating bread.
"The promotion isn't over, but I don't have to attend anymore. My reputation's been a bit shaky lately, so the distributor is worried I might affect the box office, and they've voluntarily reduced my appearances," Richard chuckled. The distributor for this movie was 20th Century Fox. They had a two-film deal with Drew, and *One Kiss* was the first. The box office was good, and 20th Century Fox could make a substantial profit.
"Your role was indeed a bit awkward. A violent maniac pretending to be a gentleman—stick to action movies in the future," Ms. Theron said as she peeled an egg and popped it into his mouth.
Richard shook his head, "You've finished your last film. How long can you rest?"
"I don't know. I have two scripts in hand, and both roles are good. I don't know which one to take," Ms. Theron shrugged.
"If you have the chance, take them both."
"Can't do that. The filming schedules clash. How about you help me decide?"
"Sure, I can give you some advice."
Ms. Theron pulled out two scripts, one for *Reindeer Games* and the other for *Charlie's Angels*.
"How did you end up with this script?" Richard picked up the *Charlie's Angels* script.
"Do you have it too?" Ms. Theron asked in surprise.
"No, but Drew mentioned it to me. She got one of the lead roles and even suggested I audition for the second male villain. From what I heard, the producers are looking to work with the newly crowned Best Actress, Cameron Diaz, with an investment of over $100 million. Are they planning to cast the three of you as the leads?"
"No, when the project was initiated last year, Columbia Pictures initially chose Cameron Diaz. But after she won the Oscar, her pay doubled, and the budget would have to increase significantly. The two sides couldn't agree on her pay, so they started looking for new actresses. My agency secured an audition for me," Richard nodded and flipped through the scripts.
"*Reindeer Games* is still a male-led film, and your role is similar to what you've done before, with limited room for development. *Charlie's Angels* is an action movie with three female leads. If you play it well, the benefits could surpass those of *Reindeer Games*. I lean more toward *Charlie's Angels*."
"I know action movies are cool, and doing one could help me shed the 'pretty face' image. But I've never done this kind of role before; it seems really challenging," Ms. Theron said with concern.
Richard smiled gently, "What's so difficult about it? The action? Don't forget the guy in front of you is a true expert, proficient in various martial arts. I heard the action team for this movie is coming from Hong Kong. I also know Chinese Kung Fu. With my guidance, what are you worried about?"
Ms. Theron nodded slightly, "That makes sense. I'll give it a try!"
"Go for it. I'm rooting for you!" Richard said, raising his glass of juice.
"I will."
Ding~ After leaving Ms. Theron's apartment, Richard went downstairs and got into the car that Mike had driven over.
"Did anyone call the villa last night?" Richard asked.
"No!" Mike grinned. "Richard, you can't keep doing this. If you're going to cheat, do it boldly. You're cheating, but still worried about being caught—how long do you think you can keep this up?"
"Before I came to Los Angeles, I had decided to stay clean, but I couldn't resist the temptation," Richard sighed. At night, to prevent Ms. Bündchen from making surprise visits or calls, he had Mike stay at home. If something happened, Mike would call him so he could rush back.
Mike chuckled, "Cheating is normal for men, especially for celebrities. Not cheating is what's abnormal. You don't need to feel guilty... Oh, I get it—you haven't cheated enough times to get used to it. I suggest you cheat more often. Once you get used to it, you won't need to bother me anymore."
"How am I bothering you? Living in my mansion isn't enjoyable?" Richard joked.
"Not enjoyable at all. You don't let me bring women over. It's such a big mansion, and I'm all alone. I'd rather live in a public restroom by the roadside; at least that would be livelier," Mike said with a laugh.
"Haha, my house has night views, wine, and a home theater—aren't those interesting enough?"
"I'm bored of them!" Mike laughed. "Richard, I don't think you need to be so careful. Women are sensitive creatures, especially when it comes to those close to them. Do you think Bündchen doesn't already know about your cheating? She's just not calling you out on it."
Richard stroked his chin, "Whether she knows or not, I don't want her to. I'll be more careful in the future. And you, Mike—you're my assistant and my friend. It's your responsibility and duty to advise me and remind me to be a good man. You haven't done that, which is your failure, so no bonus for you this month."
"What?! You cheat, and I lose my bonus? Richard, can you be any more shameless?" Mike protested.
"Shameless? Hmph, someone told me you've been using my name to pick up girls and even help others find hookups. You're quite the businessperson, making deals in Hollywood," Richard sneered.
"Uh, Richard, I can explain. I didn't use your name to pick up girls. I'm only interested in money, not women. And it's not exactly 'finding hookups'... It's just that I know a lot of girls. If a friend wants to organize a party, they ask me to invite people—like Norman, for example. Oh, wait, did that bastard talk nonsense in front of you? Don't listen to him. I'm with you every day; where would I find time for anything else? I just do it occasionally to make a little extra cash," Mike explained.
"Even occasionally isn't good. You're my assistant, and people might think it's my business. From now on, focus more on your job. I'll raise your salary by 20%. And as for a side job, since you're good with girls, you could moonlight as a talent scout for BAA. If you discover a promising talent, I'll reward you with $10,000 or more. That's much better than what you're doing now."
"Are you serious?"
Mike blinked.
"Yes, we can sign a contract."
Richard smiled.
"Alright, it's settled. I need a hundred of them, one for ten thousand each. Wouldn't that make me a millionaire?"
Mike laughed.
"Don't get too ahead of yourself. The good ones are chosen by Anthony and me, not just anyone you pick."
"Haha, I get it."
---
Half an hour later, the car arrived at 'Century City' where the "X-Men" crew was filming. Today, they were shooting an outdoor scene. As they arrived, the crew's prop masters were setting up the scene, preparing to create artificial snow.
"Hey, Richard!"
Hugh Jackman walked over with his Wolverine claws.
"Hugh, how's everything going?"
Richard shook hands with him.
"Not too well. Last week's explosion scene had too much impact and injured a camera assistant, so the crew stopped working for a day."
"Are you okay?"
"Thanks, I'm fine!"
Since Wolverine had the most scenes, the crew started filming his parts first. After finishing those, they would move on to group scenes. Soon, the other actors in the cast, like Jean Grey, Storm, and Rogue, also arrived.
"Richard, congratulations on the success of your new movie."
Famke Janssen smiled.
"Haha, thanks, but let's not talk about it. The critics tore me apart, and I'm almost depressed."
Richard shrugged.
"Why be depressed? If that many people are criticizing me, I would be thrilled. It means I'm very popular."
Halle Berry laughed.
"Ms. Berry, I hope you always think that way."
Richard smiled.
After changing into their costumes, the three of them headed to the set. Today's first scene was an action sequence. Wolverine was escorting a mutant girl, Rogue, who could absorb others' memories and abilities. On their way, they encountered Magneto's men, who tried to ambush them. Cyclops, led by Storm, came to their rescue. There were no lines, just a few action scenes.
The crew began by shooting Wolverine's scenes. Wolverine and Sabretooth had a fierce battle in the snow, with Wolverine getting knocked onto the car's hood. Just as Sabretooth was about to capture Rogue, Cyclops and Storm made their entrance.
Richard and Halle Berry, dressed in black leather, stood in the snowstorm with a large wind machine blowing behind them, creating a stormy effect for Storm's power.
To capture the shot well, Richard and Halle Berry stood on set for over an hour. The weather was hot, and they were sweating inside their leather outfits.
"Richard, get ready to unleash your powers!"
Stunt coordinator John Meyer shouted.
Richard kept a serious face, looked straight ahead, and adjusted his sunglasses with his right hand, imagining a red beam shooting from his eyes.
"Cut, perfect!"
Director Bryan Singer called out.
They shot another take, where Cyclops and Storm rushed to the truck and rescued Wolverine and Rogue just before the truck exploded.
"Richard, in the next take, drag Hugh out carefully. Cyclops isn't a strength-based mutant, so don't be too rough."
John Meyer explained with gestures.
"Got it, I understand!"
The second take began, and Richard rushed to the burning truck, pulling Hugh Jackman down from the truck's hood.
"Cut, Richard, move a bit faster and make it feel more urgent."
The director called out.
"OK!"
"Richard, just pull away. Don't worry about hurting me."
Jackman climbed back onto the truck hood with a smile.
"Alright, bear with it!"
The second take started, and Richard pulled Hugh Jackman off the truck hood and quickly dragged him away. Since the snow was fake and the ground wasn't slippery, Richard needed to use force to simulate the sensation of slipping.
"Cut, one more time. Makeup, fix the snow on their bodies."
The director called out.
Richard and Jackman returned to their positions and ran through the scene again. A single action scene took the whole day to shoot.
Compared to action scenes, Richard found filming movies like "Murder," "Dangerous Game," and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" more interesting. These films offered more opportunities for actors to showcase their talent, while action scenes made them feel like the director's tools.
"Cut, next scene!"
---
In the evening, after returning to the hillside villa, Richard ate a portion of roast meat prepared by Mrs. Fatima and went to the boxing training room to practice. The first round of the WBA Challenge had already ended, and the second round semifinals were underway.
Six boxers were competing for the 'interim gold belt.' The 'WBA interim gold belt' and the 'WBC world silver belt' granted the holder the right to challenge the 'world gold belt' champion.
Soon, a new challenger would emerge.
Bang, bang, bang~
In the training room, Richard wore a vest and punched the target pads repeatedly.
Whenever he practiced boxing, he felt particularly calm, with no thoughts or distractions, focusing all his energy on his punches. He practiced for two to three hours a day, working up a sweat.
Sometimes he wondered if this was a kind of addiction.
After finishing his evening training, he dove into the pool for a few laps, then lay on a deck chair, exhausted, and called Paul and Alvin to invite them to vacation in Los Angeles.
With its mild year-round climate, Los Angeles was a good place to practice boxing.
If they agreed to come, he planned to open a boxing club in Beverly Hills to meet other boxing enthusiasts.
Over the phone, Alvin declined his invitation, much like Susan. He felt too old to travel anymore.
Especially since Richard had won the WBA gold belt, Alvin was even more reluctant to move.
He was now the coach of a world champion, and because of this title, his boxing gym had become more popular.
In just over a month, the number of applicants had exceeded one hundred. After rigorous testing, Alvin had accepted three new apprentices, all said to be promising talents.
Every day, Alvin trained the young people at the gym, occasionally going to the casino or watching a strip show with old friends like Dr. Tom. Life was good.
But Paul was intrigued by Richard's suggestion. This year, Paul planned to train hard for another year and aim for the WBC gold belt again at the end of the year.
During this time, he stayed in the Bronx, practicing boxing and occasionally participating in professional or private matches with Andy, earning some extra cash.
His professional record was now 19 wins and 17 losses, ranking 65th in the WBC heavyweight division, just two steps away from the international championship. In the WBA organization, he ranked 110th.
"Richard, Mike says your villa is huge. Where will I stay when I get there?"
Paul asked.
Richard smiled lightly. "I have plenty of rooms here. If you don't mind the quiet, you can stay as long as you want."
"Haha, then I'll come in a couple of days. The new sparring partner you found isn't good enough, and training doesn't feel as satisfying. I still enjoy sparring with you the most."
Paul laughed.
"OK, training alone isn't much fun either."
Richard chuckled.
Three days later, while Richard was filming on set, Paul arrived, along with Andy. Richard arranged for Mike to pick them up at the airport.
When he returned to the villa in the afternoon, he heard a lot of noise coming from the backyard.
When he went to the backyard, he found a lot of people there—Paul, Norman, Andy, Mike, and seven or eight women in swimsuits. The table was filled with fruits, drinks, alcohol, and barbecue, with music playing. It was a full-blown party.
"Richard, this wasn't my idea. It was Norman's. He said your place was too quiet, so he called a few girls and said he'd explain when you got back."
Mike came over to explain.
"It's okay; this is fine."
Richard smiled lightly, looking around. "Since I moved, I haven't hosted a party. Maybe I should throw one."
"Haha, Richard, you do know about moving parties? I thought you'd forgotten because you were too busy."
Here's the translation of the passage:
---
"Haha, Richard, you know how to throw a moving party? I thought you were too busy to remember."
Norman, holding a glass of wine and with a woman in his arms, walked over.
Richard glanced at him, "Did you change girlfriends again?"
"No, but forget it, I'm not explaining myself to someone like you. Finding women in secret—pathetic."
Norman scoffed.
Richard smirked. There was no way to argue with that.
"Hey, Richard, this place is amazing! Sunshine, beautiful women, a pool, and a view of Los Angeles in the distance—I love it here."
Paul shouted from the pool.
"Haha, I'm glad you like it. You're welcome anytime, brother. Stay as long as you want if you like it here."
Richard walked over to the pool and pulled him by the arm, laughing.
"Really? Then I'll stay for a few more months."
Paul grinned.
"Haha, Paul, I'll bet you that if you can stay here for a week, I'll introduce you to a beautiful Black woman."
Mike laughed.
"Yes, and if you can stay for a month, I'll give you a sports car."
Norman smiled.
"Why? This place is great, why would you think I can't stay long?"
Paul asked, puzzled.
"Haha, do you even know Richard? This guy doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, doesn't play video games, and has a cleanliness obsession. He doesn't allow women in the house and doesn't like hosting wild parties here. I stayed for two nights and almost died of boredom."
Mike shook his head and sighed.
"Yeah, this place is good for retirement, but I'm not a fan of it."
Norman said, holding his woman closer.
"Paul, don't listen to them. My place is great. You'll see after a few days."
Richard said.
"Paul, are you betting or not?"
"Alright, I guarantee I can stay for a month. You two better not back out."
Paul extended his fist.
"Haha, no problem!"
The three of them bumped fists, sealing the deal.
Richard shook his head and walked over to sit beside Andy.
"Andy, welcome. How do you like my place?"
"It's pretty nice."
Andy leaned back on the deck chair, watching the setting sun. "Norman and Mike can't understand you, but I do. At our age, you start appreciating places like this."
"Hey, speak for yourself, not us."
Richard reminded.
"Haha, okay, I almost forgot."
Andy shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. "Have you been following the news about the recent boxing matches?"
"You mean the WBA semifinals? Doesn't seem like there are any big names."
Richard replied, reclining.
"Yeah, there aren't any fighters as strong as you or Vasily this time—just average performances. I was talking about the IBF title fight."
"Oh, I know. Roy Jones beat the IBF champion Reggie Johnson. Is he planning to challenge me?"
Richard chuckled.
"You need to update your news. Last week, he faced a challenge from Antonio Tarver and lost his title again.
Since his debut, he's fought in over thirty matches. Before facing you, he never lost. After meeting you, he suffered three consecutive defeats. Many say you broke him."
Richard shook his head, "Roy Jones is still pretty strong. If he can bounce back, he can still dominate the light heavyweight division after I retire."
"Yeah, but it's a pity he met you. By the way, the company has received several international challenges for you.
There's the British light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods, the Polish champion Dariusz Michalczewski, and the WBO world champion 'Destroyer' Richard Hall. Are you interested?"
"The WBO champion challenged me? Doesn't he know how good I am?"
Richard asked, puzzled.
"Haha, of course, he knows. But you're a boxing star. Even losing to you means a lot of money. Why wouldn't he challenge you? And if he wins?"
Andy laughed.
"Fine, anyone can come, but my appearance fee has to be at least a million."
"No problem, I'll arrange it. But there are rumors that you're so into acting that you can't pull away. Are your fists still as strong?"
Andy frowned.
Richard smirked, "So you're here to keep an eye on me?"
"Haha, something like that."
Andy laughed.
"Don't worry. I won't soften my fists until I've beaten all the top fighters in the ring."
Richard said, clenching his fist.
"Good. I'm planning to open a boxing bar in Los Angeles. Want to invest?"
Andy asked.
Richard thought for a moment, "Not a bad idea. How about bringing Norman and Mike in too?"
"Sure, the more, the merrier. Whether it makes money or not, it'll be a convenient place for you and Paul to train."
Andy replied.
Richard chuckled, "Thanks, big guy. I didn't expect that after all this time, I'd still end up working with you."
"Haha, don't talk nonsense. I'm the one following your lead. We're all revolving around you."
Andy laughed, clinking his glass with Richard's.
Richard smiled, thinking back to their past together. It was pretty amusing.
"Mr. Brad, Mr. O'Neal is here."
Ms. Fatima walked in and said.
"Is he?"
Richard got up and walked out, seeing O'Neal stride in with a basketball under his arm, dressed in a hip-hop T-shirt, a baseball cap tilted to the side, looking quite cool.
"Hey, Richard, it's lively here. Is this a party?"
"Yes, it's just starting. Why don't you join in?"
Richard invited.
"Sure, a party is more fun than practicing."
O'Neal tossed aside the basketball and smiled.
"Hey, everyone, look who's here!"
Richard shouted.
"Wow, it's Shaq O'Neal!!"
Paul suddenly yelled, running over to O'Neal and shaking his hand enthusiastically.
"Shaq, you're my idol! I love watching you play. I can't believe I'm seeing you in person—it's awesome."
"Haha, nice to meet you!"
O'Neal grinned, his hand hurting. These boxing guys are brutal, even to their idols.
Richard laughed and, seeing the lively yard, decided to expand the party. He called over Ms. Theron, Anthony, and a few others.
Thinking of some other friends and colleagues from the company, he considered throwing an even bigger party later, as a belated housewarming party.
"Haha, Richard, now this is more like it! We're still young; we should party hard. Mike, get some more girls!"
Norman laughed.
"Richard, should we?"
Mike asked.
"Go ahead. Just make sure there's plenty of food, and as long as there are no drugs, it's fine."
"OK!"
Mike and Ms. Fatima started making preparations. Not long after, Ms. Theron arrived, and Anthony brought a few company agents, making the yard even more lively.
Richard shrugged. This wasn't bad at all.
(End of Chapter)