*Chapter 14: Preparations *

After submitting the script for the first episode of Modern Family to Universal, Allen found his involvement largely at a standstill.

The follow-up for the show would be handled by Universal's television distribution department. This included negotiating with networks and other related matters, as Universal had its own in-house attorneys to manage the script's copyright.

For now, all Allen could do was wait patiently.

Only after Universal's TV distribution team reached an agreement with a network would production of the show move forward.

However, Thanksgiving was just around the corner.

In America, Thanksgiving is considered a significant holiday, even if the object of thanks has long since passed into history.

That didn’t stop Americans from placing great importance on the holiday.

As a public holiday, even major Hollywood corporations like Universal had to adhere to the rules and give employees time off. Allen figured it would be a few more days before Modern Family even began to be pitched to the networks.

Even if a network expressed interest in the script, assembling a production team, filming the pilot episode, getting it approved, and conducting market research would likely stretch the timeline to next spring or summer. This meant Allen was facing at least six months of waiting before Modern Family officially entered production.

The entire process was tedious and complex.

The only good news was that if the script was selected, the network would pay the writer a fee to purchase the pilot script. This fee typically depended on the writer’s reputation and their lawyer’s negotiating skills. Based on Allen's past experience, his compensation could range anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000—the more famous the writer, the higher the payout.

While the amount might seem substantial, it was the product of a year’s worth of effort writing and revising the script.

Moreover, the network's payment was contingent on the script being selected for pilot production. If it wasn’t chosen, it would mean a year of effort wasted.

Even if a show’s first season succeeded and was renewed, it wasn’t uncommon for low ratings to lead to cancellation later.

For example, Allen’s previous life took a downward spiral after the sitcom he worked on was canceled. This left him destitute and mentally shattered—circumstances that eventually led to his current reincarnation.

Despite the brutal and uncertain nature of the TV market, Allen had unshakable confidence in his “original” script.

A show that ran for 11 successful seasons clearly wasn’t ordinary.

Not to mention, the string of awards Modern Family racked up gave Allen even more courage and confidence.

Of course, even if Modern Family stumbled under his stewardship, it would be a blow that ordinary writers might not recover from. For Allen, however, it would merely be a minor deviation—another ripple caused by the butterfly effect in this parallel world. Compared to the average writer, his greatest advantage was the wealth of ideas he could draw from in his “previous life.”

And if the worst happened?

Well, he still had the system.

---

By day, the district in Compton, Los Angeles, was livelier than usual.

The chaotic streets were filled with loitering African and Latino immigrants. Groups idled about, and provocatively dressed women crossing the road elicited raucous catcalls resembling those of howling baboons.

Passing through this hub of activity, Allen kept his guard up, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Even in broad daylight, Compton was far from safe.

The idea of “law-abiding, hardworking citizens” seemed to exist only in news reports. Most of the individuals here were aimless and potentially dangerous.

“Maybe I should move out of here sooner.”

Every time he experienced the “rustic” charm of Compton, Allen’s resolve to leave grew stronger.

However, two things kept him from moving: first, his rental agreement still had two weeks left, and his miserly landlord would never refund the unused rent. Second, he felt that Compton’s chaotic environment made it the perfect setting for developing new script ideas.

After days of casual observation, Allen had more or less settled on the locations he wanted to use for his next script.

Now, all that remained was creating the new script and gathering the necessary materials.

Thanks to the experience he’d gained from writing Loop, his first script, Allen was confident he’d be able to handle everything smoothly this time, avoiding the panic and disorganization of his earlier efforts.

Lost in thought about his next project, Allen walked through graffiti-covered neighborhoods until he stopped briefly at a restaurant called "Ke Lai Le."

After passing the restaurant and walking another hundred meters, he saw a dilapidated 1970s-style apartment building looming ahead.

Seeing the familiar building, Allen let out a quiet sigh of relief, his nerves relaxing slightly.

*Beep! Beep!*

Before he could reach the apartment, a car horn blared sharply from behind him.

Turning, he saw a car just four or five meters away. Allen instinctively stepped aside to let it pass.

The car pulled up in front of the apartment and stopped.

The door opened, and a young Black woman with a voluminous afro and revealing outfit stepped out.

“Pick me up tomorrow, babe…”

She reached into the driver’s window to grab a few bills, blew a kiss to the man inside, then glanced disdainfully at Allen before rolling her eyes and strutting up the stairs.

“As expected, old enough to be her grandfather.”

Allen didn’t take the woman’s disdain personally.

Instead, his gaze lingered on the driver—a graying man behind the wheel. Allen nodded slightly to himself.

---

“...F** you, you b***, hooking up with that old man again…”

As Allen climbed the stairs, he passed an apartment door from which a heated argument spilled into the hallway. The shouting was loud enough to be clear even through the closed door.

Ignoring the daily drama, Allen stopped in front of his rental unit.

He opened the door and stepped inside, shutting out most of the noise.

His gaze fell on several items he’d prepared for his next script.

“Finally, everything is ready.”

Looking at the materials laid out before him, Allen’s face lit up with eager anticipation.

---

(End of Chapter)