366-370

Chapter 366: Encountering the Cold

“Luca, we just saw you on TV!”

As soon as Miranda got home that evening, she jumped out and shouted.

“How was it? Was I the most handsome guy on the screen or what?”

Luca asked as he hung up his coat.

“Psh~ Whether you were the most handsome, I’m not sure, but you definitely had the thickest skin in the room,”

Miranda teased, poking her cheek and revealing her adorable dimples.

“That’s not thick skin, it’s called confidence, alright?”

Luca changed his shoes and walked into the living room. Lima was lying on the couch watching TV, and Kate was busy in the kitchen.

“Luca, when are you going to win an Oscar?”

Lima asked with a smile.

“Winning an award, you mean?”

Luca sat down and collapsed onto her lap, saying, “If it’s just a regular award, like Best Original Screenplay, Best Song, or even Best Picture, I might win one soon. But if we’re talking about an acting award, that might take me seven or eight more years.”

“Seven or eight years?”

Miranda wrinkled her nose as she nibbled on a plate of nuts, then quipped, “Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio have been trying for like twenty years and haven’t won one. You think you can get one in seven or eight years? I feel like it’d be great if you could just snag a Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“...”

Luca frowned at her, then patted Lima’s leg. “Honey, I’d really love to beat her up right now, but I’m a guy, and hitting women isn’t cool. Could you do it for me?”

“Haha, Miranda’s just messing with you, don’t take it seriously. With how hard you’re working, I’m sure you’ll win Best Actor at the Oscars someday.”

Lima chuckled lightly.

“Alright, I’ll spare her.”

“Spare me? Hmph,”

Miranda wrinkled her nose in disdain.

Luca grabbed a throw pillow and tossed it at her, hitting her right in the face, making her nose scrunch up like a pig’s.

“Ah! You dare hit me?!”

Miranda was furious. She grabbed a pillow and rushed over, whacking him a few times and scattering feathers all over the place like snow.

“Miranda, that’s enough! You’ve wrecked the pillow. Are you going to clean up this mess?”

Lima held the pillow, looking at her.

“Me? No way. It’s Luca’s fault for starting it.”

Miranda threw the pillow down and kicked Luca. “Don’t play dead, get up and clean this up.”

“You expect me to clean after getting hit? Do I look like I’m easy to push around?”

Luca lay on the couch, refusing to move.

“Really not getting up? I’ll call Kate, then, and tell her you hit me.”

Miranda folded her arms and shouted towards the kitchen, “Kate!”

“Alright, alright, no need to yell,”

Luca shook his head and reluctantly got up.

“You stay put, I’ll do it.”

Lima pressed him back onto the couch and grabbed the vacuum, sucking up all the feathers.

“Lima, you shouldn’t spoil him so much. If you do, he’ll only get worse, turning into a full-blown jerk,”

Miranda said with a smirk.

“Does it really matter? How much worse could he possibly get?”

“Ugh~ hahaha, true. Luca’s already as bad as it gets; there’s no room for him to get worse.”

Miranda slapped her thigh and laughed.

Luca’s face darkened, making a mental note to teach her a lesson she’d never forget when Kate and Lima weren’t around.

“What are you all laughing about?”

Kate came out with a tray of fruit platters and fresh juice.

“Lima was saying Luca’s already bad to the core, so she’s no longer worried about him getting worse.”

Miranda stood up, took the tray from Kate, and helped her take off her apron.

“Is that so? Looks like Lima really sees things clearly.”

Kate teased.

“It’s not about seeing clearly, maybe Lima’s just too numb from being hurt by bad boys,”

Miranda said with a grin.

“That’s enough, you two,”

Luca shook his head and sat up. “I was worried Minnesota would be too cold, but after hearing your icy remarks, I think it’ll feel warmer there.”

“Haha, wounded!”

Kate ruffled his hair, “Did you pack enough warm clothes? I heard northern Minnesota’s been hit with extreme weather, breaking low-temperature records. It’s going to be really cold, so you’d better be careful.”

“I’m prepared. I packed the thickest clothes and several sweaters, so I should be fine.”

Luca had even bought several sets of thermal underwear for extra protection against the cold.

“Well, I wish you the best of luck!”

Kate raised her glass of juice.

“Thanks!”

“And here’s to you winning Best Actor soon,”

Miranda added, clinking her glass.

“And here’s to a smooth shoot for you, stay warm and come back soon,”

Lima said with a smile.

“Thanks! With all your well wishes, I’m sure everything will go smoothly.”

“Cheers!”

The four glasses clinked together.

---

The airplane door opened with a clink, and a blast of cold air rushed in.

“Brr~ It’s freezing!”

At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, even though Luca was wearing thermal underwear and a padded down jacket, he immediately felt the biting cold as soon as he stepped outside.

Minneapolis, located in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River and not far from the Great Lakes, is known for its harsh and dry winters. It often gets hit by cold Arctic air masses during the winter, with record lows reaching as cold as -40.6°C.

December, January, and February are the coldest months, with average temperatures around -7°C. Now that it was already March, Luca thought it’d be warmer, but it was still bitterly cold.

“Achoo~”

Tony sneezed. “Man, it’s freezing here. Filming in L.A. was so much more comfortable.”

“It’s not that bad; you’ll get used to it.”

The temperature was around three to four degrees, which wasn’t too terrible, but considering they were basking in the L.A. sun just a few hours ago, the sudden cold was a shock to their systems.

After a day of exploring the scenic Minneapolis, with its 22 lakes and 156 parks, the city’s beauty was undeniable. By the second day, Luca was getting used to the cold, and the rest of the crew had arrived, meaning it was time to head to the film set.

“Hey~ Sally, why didn’t you stay in L.A. for a few more days? I saw pictures of you shopping with Mr. Townsend yesterday, so I thought you’d be hanging out a bit longer.”

Charlize Theron glanced at him and slammed the car door.

“Get in the car!”

“OK!”

Everyone hopped aboard a train, heading north.

Minnesota is rich in iron ore, with 70% of the U.S.'s iron ore coming from here, and it’s home to the country’s largest open-pit iron mine, the Mesabi Mine. The set for North Country was located at a smaller open-pit mine, the Bigfork Mine.

The mine was located in northern Minnesota, not far from the Canadian border. The further north they traveled, the colder it got. Luca could feel the icy air even in the train cabin.

He looked out the window at the afternoon sky, where snowflakes drifted down. The ground was blanketed in white, except for the dark, exposed areas of the mines, where black smoke billowed from the earth.

“Luca, do you think it’s beautiful?”

Charlize leaned over and asked.

“Very beautiful,”

Luca replied, gazing at her face.

“I meant outside!”

Charlize glared at him.

“Oh, well, it’s nice. I actually really like snow,”

Luca said, watching the flakes fall outside the window.

“Is that so? I hope you have a wonderful experience here.”

“Thanks! Please take good care of me.”

“I will. I’ll make sure to take very good care of you,”

Charlize said, mimicking a finger gun aimed at him.

Clang, clang~

Choo, choo~

The train picked up speed!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 367: I Forgot You're Still a Female Assassin*

In the afternoon, Luca arrived at Bigfork Iron Square.

The scenes for the next few days were all being shot here, and the crew members were also staying nearby.

"Luca, your dorm is over here," a crew member pointed to a building from the '70s or '80s.

"Thanks, Lorne!" Luca shook hands and made his way upstairs.

"Haha, Luca, welcome to the crew!" As soon as he reached the steps, a pile of snow was dumped on his head. Chris laughed out loud.

"Luca, welcome!" Beckley, Tom, and the rest of the guys from New Mexico all surrounded him, each throwing a handful of snow at him. In the blink of an eye, Luca was nearly a snowman.

"Haha, you handsome gentlemen—tell me, is this a custom in Minnesota?" Luca laughed as he shook the snow off himself.

"Oh no, this is something special we arranged for you! Last week, when we arrived, it was freezing cold. We thought we were going to die! But you didn’t show up, so we decided to prepare this little welcoming ceremony so you could experience both the weather and our warmth," one of them explained.

"Thank you, thank you all. Your welcome has left a lasting impression," Luca said with a smile, arranging to have drinks with them later. He took his luggage and entered the crew dorm.

The accommodations weren’t communal but rather individual apartments. These were originally the apartments for the mine's leadership, but when the mine reduced production, most of the people left, and a few of the buildings were now vacant, serving as temporary housing for the crew.

From the outside, the building looked old and covered in black grime, but the interior was nice. There was even an elevator, making it quite modern. Luca’s apartment was on the second floor—a spacious one-bedroom unit with a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The heating was very efficient, so he took off his coat and started tidying up the place, changing the sheets and unpacking.

*Knock knock knock—*

The door was knocked on.

"Hey, Sally!" Ms. Theron stood in the doorway with a cup of hot coffee, arms crossed. She had short, chin-length blonde hair and was wearing a knit sweater and a shawl, looking sharp and capable, much like her character in the movie—a feminist fighter.

"How's it going?" she asked, staying at the door, watching him clean up the apartment.

"Pretty good. It’s more comfortable here than in a hotel, and the heating is great," Luca said as he continued cleaning.

"I meant the welcome ceremony."

"Haha, that was great too. I thought they’d dump a bucket of ice water on me, but they were gentle and just sprinkled snow. No big deal."

"Ice bucket?" Theron raised an eyebrow. "Maybe I can make that happen for you."

"Uh, I was kidding!" Luca shrugged and offered her a basket of fruit—apples, pears, grapes, and mangoes.

Ms. Theron picked a red apple. "You seem pretty domestic. Do you do this often at home?"

"Yeah, I’m not really into socializing, so I spend a lot of time at home reading, surfing the internet, or writing scripts. I like to keep my place tidy and comfortable."

"Really?" she said, slicing into the apple and looking at him. "You’d make a great stay-at-home husband."

"Uh, is that a compliment?"

"Of course!" she said with a mysterious smile.

"Well, thanks for the compliment!" Luca laughed. "Sally, are you going to just stand in the doorway?"

"Yep. You’ve got way too many scandals, and it's safer to keep my distance," she said casually.

"Okay, fair enough," Luca nodded. They both knew he had a reputation, and with so many people around, rumors could easily start.

After finishing her apple, Ms. Theron was ready to leave.

"Sally, what floor are you staying on?" he asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"So I can drop by for coffee?"

"Nope!" she said firmly. "In the movie, we're enemies. I need to maintain my hatred for you to deliver a better performance. So, no coffee for you. Unless it's laced with cyanide. Want some?"

"Alright, alright. I forgot you’re still a female assassin," Luca said, raising his hands in surrender.

"As long as you remember!" she replied, mimicking a gun with her fingers before striding off with flair.

Luca chuckled, resumed tidying up, and later asked Tony to get some more essentials for him.

By five in the evening, the crew had wrapped up for the day, and Luca, carrying a basket of fruit, went to visit the main production team. He chatted with producer Doug Claban, screenwriter Michael Schertzman, and co-stars Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sean Bean.

"David, when do my scenes start? I need to prepare," Luca asked assistant director David House.

"Mr. Kelly, your first scene is the day after tomorrow, in the control room with Josie," David replied after checking the schedule.

"Got it."

In North Country, Luca played the third male lead, Bobby Sharp. Bobby had dated the lead, Josie, in high school. One day, Josie’s teacher raped her in front of Bobby. Terrified, Bobby ran away, ignoring her cries for help.

When they meet again, it’s in the mine’s control room. Both are now in their thirties, with their own lives. Josie has returned home to escape an abusive marriage and is now working as a miner. Bobby has become a sleazy veteran miner who harasses her, not even recognizing her at first.

Luca was confident he could play the scumbag role well.

Before nightfall, director Niki Caro returned to her apartment, and Luca went to discuss the character with her. An actor needs to understand the director's vision to deliver a strong performance.

"Luca, you’re too clean right now. Before we start shooting, I need you to get grimy, greasy. Remember, you're playing a sleazy old creep who bullies women. Your appearance and performance should make people hate you, not like you," Niki said.

"I understand!"

The next day, Luca officially joined the crew. Though he didn’t have scenes to shoot that day, he put on a miner's uniform and grabbed a shovel, working in the mine alongside real miners. He shoveled coal, operated machinery, and fixed equipment.

"Hey, Mr. Kelly, have you operated mining equipment before?" an old miner shouted.

"Yeah, I trained for a couple of days in New Mexico."

"Two days and you're already this good? Haha, Mr. Kelly, I have to say, you're cut out for mining."

"Oh, thanks!" Luca smiled as he stepped out of the machine.

By the end of the day, he was filthy, with oil stains that wouldn’t wash off, and he carried a bit of the weariness that comes with age.

The next morning, he clocked in again, just like any other miner.

At noon, while he was hard at work, Niki Caro came by to check on him.

"Good. You’re greasy enough. We can start shooting this afternoon," she said.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 368: No One Plays the Role of a Jerk Better Than Me*

In 1975, iron mines across northern Minnesota began hiring their first-ever group of female workers.

By 1989, the gender gap in the mines was still huge, with female miners frequently facing sexual harassment, bullying, and verbal abuse from their male colleagues.

The movie North Country was inspired by the non-fiction book Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law.

The movie tells the story of a female miner, Josie, who, fed up with the harassment from her male coworkers, initiates the first-ever class-action sexual harassment lawsuit in the U.S., with the help of a lawyer.

Luca plays one of the jerks who harass the female lead, and his character is the most despicable man in the film.

Today’s scene involved the female lead and other women miners being harassed as they entered the mine, with Luca being one of the harassers.

"Mr. Kelly, are you ready?"

A little after 3 PM, the crew began shooting.

"Ready!"

Luca, in full makeup, wearing a miner's uniform and a safety helmet, looking grimy all over, waited for the signal. As soon as he got the cue, he walked down the passage towards the group of female miners, including the lead.

"Hey, Allen, which one of these broads is my b*tch?"

Luca clapped his hands, sporting a cocky smile as he boldly scanned the women.

“Ladies, this is Bobby Sharp. He’s in charge of the ‘makeup room.’ He’s looking for a helper,” said the actor playing the lead foreman.

Luca eyed the group of women, grinned mischievously, and said to the foreman, “I’ll take the one on the right.”

He then winked at Charlize Theron, who was playing the female lead.

“Cut!”

Director Niki Caro reviewed the footage. “Luca, you need to make it even sleazier.”

“Even sleazier?”

Luca walked over to ask.

“Yeah, you’re not coming off as creepy enough. It feels like you’re just flirting with the lead instead.”

Director Caro explained seriously.

“Really?”

Luca rubbed his chin. The way he acted was based on the original interpretation they'd discussed.

During rehearsals, he had explored different approaches with the director. Caro had thought his interpretation was fine, so he stuck to it.

But after watching the footage, she felt it wasn’t slimy enough.

Luca pondered over how to make the character more loathsome. Being too handsome sometimes made it difficult to act like a proper villain.

Who knew being good-looking could be such a problem?

“Luca, you don’t have to force it. Just be yourself, and it’ll come naturally. Why don’t you give that a try?” Charlize Theron teased as she walked over.

“Heh, fair enough.”

Luca smirked, thought for a moment, and came up with a new approach.

“Director Caro, how about I try it this way?”

He explained his new idea.

After listening, the director nodded.

“Give it a shot!”

The second take began.

“Hey, Allen, which one of these broads is my b*tch?”

Luca whistled from afar, his eyes scanning the women up and down. His hands were in his pockets, fiddling with something, as he flashed a sleazy grin.

“Uh, is this a bit too much?”

Director Caro cringed slightly at the footage, but she had to admit this take was an improvement.

“Okay, let’s do one more!”

She called Luca and the camera crew over for a quick discussion before deciding to continue shooting in the same style.

Twenty minutes later, Luca’s first scene was successfully wrapped up.

“Luca, I told you just to be yourself! When I recommended you for this role, it was because I knew you’d be perfect for it,” Charlize Theron joked.

“Alright, thanks, Charlize. How about I buy you a coffee tonight?” Luca smiled slyly.

“Hmph!”

Charlize gave him the finger and flicked her hair as she strutted back to the set.

Luca chuckled lightly, then sat down to watch Charlize's performance.

Her acting was top-notch, easily one of the best among female actors. What set her apart was the powerful, strong-willed aura she had, like a real-life feminist warrior.

That’s why, when North Country was being developed, she was the first actress that came to mind. Her star power, acting chops, and beauty made her perfect for the role.

“Cut!”

“Alright, next scene!”

Around 5 PM, the crew wrapped up for the day.

In northern Minnesota, winter days are short, so they always finished early.

After work, Luca went back to his apartment to read through the script and practice his lines in front of the mirror. Later, he called home and then his company.

Recently, The Devil Wears Prada had begun shooting. Kate had a supporting role as a supermodel. The set was in New York, so commuting was easy for her.

However, after just two days, Kate started complaining about the lack of respect for actors on set. She was a famous writer, a top designer, and a multimillionaire.

But on set, she faced cold indifference. Sometimes, the director wouldn’t even say what she did wrong but would just keep calling for retakes, making the whole crew watch her perform. A few times, she almost quit. It was exhausting to repeat the same lines and scenes over and over.

She swore that after this role, she’d never act again. She couldn’t understand how Luca had put up with this as an actor for so long.

Luca simply replied that after getting beaten up and humiliated enough times at home, you stop caring about your dignity, which made Kate laugh. She even threatened to beat him when she got back.

Lima was also busy preparing for fashion week, working on new designs and getting ready to hit the runway. She was determined to carry on her modeling career and become a cornerstone of the supermodel world.

Luca advised her not to push herself too hard, reminding her they didn’t need the money.

But Lima shot back, saying that someone she knew gave up modeling after a while and quit halfway through.

Kate had a bright future in modeling, but once she became a famous author, she stopped taking it seriously. Now, she was not only publishing books and designing clothes, but she was also trying her hand at acting. She was spreading herself thin, and it was all Luca’s fault.

Once, they had three supermodels in the family. Now, he had quit, and Kate was only half-committed. Lima declared she would carry on for all three of them.

Luca could only applaud her determination.

After talking to Lima, he called Britney and Aniston.

Britney was working on her new album and hitting the gym, getting ready to become a mom. She urged him to hurry home, saying it was the perfect season to get pregnant, and even threatened to find someone else to have kids with if he didn’t return soon. That scared Luca a little.

Aniston was nearly eight months pregnant. Heavily pregnant, she was staying at their New York villa, waiting to give birth. Meanwhile, her divorce from Brad Pitt was reaching its final stages, with their assets divided and only the court's final ruling pending to end their marriage.

Now, all Aniston could talk about was the baby—everything from prenatal education to breastfeeding and early childhood development. Luca’s head spun from all the information, but he had to take it seriously.

Any sign that he was just going along with it, and Aniston would immediately get upset. Her emotions were all over the place, leaving Luca a bit overwhelmed.

After finishing his calls to family, Luca phoned Mr. Ross.

Little Miss Sunshine had entered the casting phase, and they asked if he had time to play the second male lead.

Luca agreed.

The film was set to begin filming next month, and he happened to be available.

After the call, Luca went back to practicing his lines. Life in the mining town was dull, with nothing but bars for entertainment nearby.

In this kind of environment, he had nothing else to do but work on his craft. He figured that if someone spent a year filming here, even a newbie could turn into an award-winning actor.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 369: Have I Ever Hurt You?*

"Oh-ho~ Hahaha~"

At the cafeteria set, the crew was filming. Today was a group scene where Luca, playing Bobby, and his gang were messing with a female miner.

They placed a strange object in the female miner's lunchbox, and when she opened it, she screamed in shock.

Luca stood on a chair, laughing loudly, celebrating the success of the prank, looking like a bully who deserved a good punch.

As the female miner picked up the strange item, he shouted loudly,

"Hey, ladies, please don’t use that here."

The actors playing male miners burst into laughter.

"Hmph, this thing doesn’t take up bathroom space, and it doesn’t fart in bed. Marrying it wouldn’t be a bad idea," Mrs. Theron quipped, holding the strange object.

"Hahaha~"

A group of female miners also burst into laughter.

"Cut!"

The group scene was completed, and the crew quickly moved on to the next shot.

It had been almost two weeks since Luca joined the crew. He had filmed over ten scenes, sometimes two in a day, other times one every two days. Most of his scenes were trivial—he would briefly show his despicable side in group scenes, say a few shameless lines for a few seconds, and then it would be over.

These scenes were simple and didn’t require much acting skill. In the beginning, he was still a bit awkward playing the scumbag role, but over time, he became more adept. As soon as he saw the script, he knew what expressions and actions to use, portraying the scumbag vividly.

Mrs. Theron would often tease him, saying he could play the role naturally.

But Luca would often look in the mirror and say, “I’m not a scumbag. I’m not a scumbag, scumbag, scumbag…”

After several days of short, insignificant scenes, Luca finally got a more substantial scene on the 10th. It had over 20 lines and more than a dozen shots.

In this scene, his character Bobby tricks Josie into walking on the iron ore conveyor bridge and takes the opportunity to have someone start the conveyor belt, scaring Josie.

"Luca, are you ready?"

"OK!"

Three minutes later, filming began. The only actors in the scene were Luca and Mrs. Theron.

"Josie, I know I haven’t been very kind to you in the past, but I’ve talked to everyone, and now I want to give it a try?"

Bobby brought Josie to the safety gate of the conveyor belt.

"What are you trying to do?" Josie asked.

"Try to be nicer to you, or something like that."

Bobby opened the safety gate and said as they walked, "Look, the conveyor belt here is broken, and now I need someone to go up and check if something is blocking it. If the pipe is clear, you can come back. Can you do it?"

Josie nodded.

"OK!"

Bobby opened the conveyor belt passage, tilted his head, signaling Josie to go up.

Josie hesitated for a moment, then walked along the passageway beside the conveyor belt. After a few steps, she stopped and looked back at him.

"Go ahead, you can do it," Bobby shouted from the doorway.

"Cut!"

After this shot, Director Carlo checked the footage, found a few problems, and reshot it.

After finishing the first shot, they moved on to the second. Bobby, while Josie was up, pulled out a walkie-talkie and reported to the control center that the conveyor belt area was clear.

The control center activated the conveyor belt, and iron ore started moving, transported from underground to over 200 meters in the air, where it cascaded into the iron ore pile like a waterfall.

Josie was startled and hurried to the top of the conveyor bridge.

Bobby followed her to the top of the bridge, standing behind her like Jack and Rose on the Titanic, grabbing the railing and pulling Josie into his arms.

"Cut!"

"Sally, what’s wrong?"

Director Carlo called for a pause, noticing that Mrs. Theron’s expression was a bit off.

"Nikki, I’m a bit afraid of heights," Mrs. Theron said, squinting her eyes, afraid to look down.

"Afraid of heights?"

Hearing her heavy breathing, Luca initially thought she was just tired from filming the uphill scene.

"Sally, you can look up at the sky. It’s normal for girls to be afraid of heights. Josie’s character could also be written as someone with acrophobia. Adding that detail would make her experience even worse."

"Alright! I’ll try to manage," Mrs. Theron said, taking a deep breath.

"OK, let’s do that. When we start shooting again, just look up at the sky."

Director Carlo and the writer discussed the camera angles, and the crew prepared for the next shot.

"Sally, is there anything I can do to help you?" Luca asked as he led her aside, his hands on her shoulders.

"No need. Actually, yes—if you nail this shot in one take so I can get down quicker, that would really help."

Mrs. Theron smiled.

"Alright, I think I can do that. You know, I’ve been practicing playing the scumbag this whole time, and now I’ve got it down. So for me, this scene of bullying a girl isn’t hard at all."

"Haha, alright, let’s see what you’ve got."

Mrs. Theron laughed.

"Ready!"

"Scene 5, take 2, action!"

Filming started. Luca stood behind Mrs. Theron, his hands gripping the railing as he pulled her into his arms.

"Josie, can you imagine what would happen if you fell from here?"

Bobby shouted over the sound of the iron ore cascading 200 meters below.

"In just two minutes, you’d be buried under five tons of iron ore. No one would ever find you."

"Ahhh!"

Bobby screamed into the sky, exhilarated.

Terrified, Josie closed her eyes, trying to turn around and leave, but he blocked her path.

"Josie, I remember how I felt the first few times I came here. I hated it. But then I realized, I was all alone here. I could do anything I wanted. Nothing beats that feeling.

"What I mean is, it's just the two of us here. Aren’t you going to say anything? Josie, don’t you want to kiss me?"

He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Come on, just one kiss."

"No, I’m going back," Mrs. Theron panted.

"Hey, Josie, what’s your problem? Have I ever hurt you? Have I done anything to you?"

Bobby stared at Josie, annoyed. After a moment, he raised his arm.

"Fine, go ahead, leave!"

Mrs. Theron stumbled off the bridge.

Bobby stood at the top, disappointed, spitting into the mine below.

"Cut!"

With this scene finished, Luca only had a few more scenes left in the mine. Sometimes he’d shoot once every two days, sometimes every three. In his downtime, besides honing his acting skills, he learned to ice fish, ride sleds, and play ice hockey with the crew and the locals.

Initially, his skating skills were mediocre, but after over ten days of playing hockey, he could now rush across the ice rink wearing skates and holding a hockey stick.

Now, whenever the crew wanted to play hockey, they would call him along.

While filming a hockey game scene, he even made a cameo, wearing a helmet and face mask, though he was so bundled up in protective gear that no one could tell it was him.

"Hey, Luca, want to play some hockey? We need you!"

"Yeah, Luca, come on!"

"OK!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 370: Is It Really Necessary to Be This Hardcore?*

"You're quite popular around here lately!"

In the evening, inside a bar in the mining area, Mrs. Theron swirled a glass of cocktail.

"Not bad, after spending some time here, people are getting to know me."

Luca chuckled. When he walked in earlier, a lot of people greeted him—mostly miners and people from the film crew.

Mrs. Theron laughed, "We’re here to shoot a movie, but you seem to be on vacation, fishing every day, playing ice hockey, and coming to the bar for drinks. Have you considered finding a woman on the mine? It would complete your vacation."

"A woman?"

Luca chuckled and stared at her, "Do I really need to find one?"

Mrs. Theron splashed her empty glass at him. Luca flinched and quickly blocked it with his hand, making Mrs. Theron laugh heartily.

Luca shook his head, "Honestly, I don’t want to be vacationing here either. It’s just that my scenes are so scattered. I have to stay with the crew and be ready for when Director Caro needs me, or I’d already be back in New York."

Mrs. Theron smiled, "How many scenes do you have left?"

"Not many. The small bits are done, just the union hall speech and the courtroom scene where the lawyer ruthlessly belittles me."

Luca spread his hands.

Mrs. Theron swirled her glass again, "Those two scenes are scheduled for next week. So, you're leaving the crew next week?"

"Yep, that's the plan."

Luca raised his glass and clinked it with hers, "Congratulate me, Sally!"

"Congratulations!"

Mrs. Theron took a sip of her drink and stared at him unblinkingly, her blue-gray eyes shimmering with a mysterious light.

"Uh, Sally, could you stop looking at me like that?"

"Why?"

Mrs. Theron propped her chin on her hand, still staring at him.

"I feel a little malice in your eyes, as if you're up to something."

Luca joked.

"Yes, I am up to something. I’ve been telling myself to stay away from you this whole time, to keep a safe distance and remain cautious. I even put your picture on the toilet seat to maintain my disgust, so whenever I see you, I..."

"Uh, do you really have to be so hardcore? With your acting skills, you don’t need to go to such lengths to get into character."

Luca said, forcing a smile.

"Of course it’s necessary. If I’m going to do it, I’ll do it right, using every method to nail Josie’s role."

"Alright!"

Luca shook his head, "You really put my picture on the toilet?"

"Haha, yes!"

Mrs. Theron gestured with her hands, "It’s on the toilet lid. Lift it up and there you are. Put it down, and you’re gone."

"…"

Luca covered his forehead, "You’re ruthless, doing that to me?"

"All for the sake of the role, sacrificing your picture. You don’t mind, right?"

"Fine, I guess I don’t mind. But I’d like to see this toilet of yours. When do you have time?"

Luca grinned mischievously.

Mrs. Theron smiled softly, shaking a bottle of liquor, "How about tonight? Wanna come?"

"No way!"

Luca immediately backed down.

"You coward."

Mrs. Theron downed her drink in one go.

"Let’s go, let’s dance!"

"Alright!"

Luca took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

In the bar, the music played softly, the lights dimmed with a romantic touch. Dozens of couples embraced tightly, swaying slowly, more like dreamers sleepwalking than dancers.

Luca held Theron, gently swaying.

"Sally, I might have a way to make you hate me."

He whispered in her ear.

"Oh? How?"

Theron asked, her voice raspy.

Luca smirked. As they slowly retreated to the dimly lit edge of the room, he pressed his hand against the wall and lowered his head, kissing her firmly.

"Mm~"

"Ouch! Why did you hit me?"

"How dare you kiss me! You deserve it!"

Mrs. Theron grabbed his collar, flipped him against the wall, and kissed him back forcefully.

The night deepened.

Five days later, the film crew entered the courtroom set.

This part of the story covers Josie’s lawsuit against the Pearson Mining Company. The mining company hired a powerful team of lawyers, trying to quash the case and create public pressure for Josie to withdraw her suit.

Despite the obstacles, Josie perseveres, and with the help of her lawyer and friends, she wins the case—justice triumphing over evil.

On set, the courtroom scene was being filmed, where the mining company’s lawyer accuses Josie of being morally corrupt, promiscuous, and unworthy of her harassment claims. They bring in Bobby Sharp as a witness, alleging she had an affair with a high school teacher and even had a child.

If her character is proven questionable, the sexual harassment case would collapse.

At this point, Josie is forced to reveal personal details, explaining that she had been assaulted by the teacher and got pregnant. Her boyfriend at the time, Bobby Sharp, ran away, behaving nothing like a man.

All eyes in the courtroom turned toward Bobby Sharp.

"Mr. Sharp, do you know the difference between consensual sex and rape?"

Woody Harrelson, playing the lawyer, asked.

"Of course!"

Luca shrugged, leaning back in the witness stand, looking relaxed. "If she looks like she’s enjoying it, it’s not rape."

"Are you a virgin?"

The lawyer asked again.

"No, of course not!"

Luca shook his head, smiling.

"Objection!"

The defendant’s lawyer stood up, "Your Honor, this question has nothing to do with the case."

"Oh, so you can ask about my client’s sexual history, but I can’t ask this witness?"

Josie’s lawyer shot back.

"You cannot. Objection sustained!"

The judge banged the gavel.

Josie’s lawyer switched tactics, "When you saw Josie being assaulted, why didn’t you help her?"

"Don’t bluff me. I’m not afraid of a lawyer like you."

Luca shrugged, "I didn’t see any assault. I wasn’t even there."

"Oh really, Bobby? Look around. According to your colleagues, you’re a weak man."

The lawyer pressed.

"But they never say it to my face."

Luca scoffed.

"Does that mean you’re willing to shed blood on the hockey rink to win?"

"What do you mean?"

"My coach often said, win or lose, you’ve got to bleed on the ice."

"He’s a good coach."

Luca replied.

"Yes, but your coach also said you’re the kind of guy who wets himself in key moments. She was your friend, and when she needed you, you just stood by and watched, then ran away."

The lawyer said loudly.

"No, Your Honor, that’s not true."

Luca shook his head, glancing to the side, looking helpless.

"I’ve heard that miners are as tough as steel, but not this one. He’s made of butter."

The lawyer leaned in, "Bobby, are you going to keep lying to your friends, or stand up like a man?"

"I didn’t lie!"

Luca forced a serious expression.

"Are you running away again?"

"Screw you, I didn’t run."

Luca snapped.

"Oh really? So, on the rink, are you going to leave behind red blood or yellow piss? Red or yellow?"

The lawyer leaned on the table, yelling the question.

Luca’s eyes darted away, swallowing hard.

"Red or yellow? Red or yellow?!"

The lawyer pressed relentlessly.

"What could I have done?"

Luca yelled in frustration, "What could I have done? What could I have done?"

"So, he raped her, didn’t he?"

"Yes!"

Luca hung his head low.

"Cut!"

This scene had been rehearsed over a dozen times, and when it was filmed, both Luca and Woody Harrelson performed excellently.

It only took three takes to get it right.

After filming, Luca’s role was officially wrapped up.

"Congratulations, you’re free to go back to L.A. and enjoy the sunshine."

Mrs. Theron smiled.

Luca smiled back, "Before I leave, there’s one last thing I want to do. Will you help me?"

"A wish? What is it?"

Mrs. Theron asked, puzzled.

"I want to see if your toilet seat really has my picture on it."

"Haha~"

Mrs. Theron covered her mouth, laughing as she flipped him off and walked away.

Luca shook his head, realizing that wish might never come true.

But that night, as he returned to his apartment...

Mrs. Theron sent him a message, inviting him for coffee—laced with cyanide.

"Dare to come?"

"Why not?"

(End of Chapter)