176-180

*Chapter 176: The Mermaid in the Pool*

In the morning, sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows of Kelly's second-floor bedroom.

The off-white walls, white sconces, and light yellow teak floors framed a large bed in the center of the room. It was comfortable for one person, just right for two, better for three, and quite alluring for four.

On the bed, Luca slowly opened his eyes. He glanced at his watch—nearly eight o’clock.

He gently touched Britney’s cheek, slowly withdrawing his arm.

“Mmm~”

Britney fluttered her eyelashes and slowly opened her eyes.

“Good morning, Luca!”

Her voice was sweet and soft, tinged with a raspy sensuality.

“Good morning, Britney!”

Luca leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s 7:45. Want to get up?”

“You go ahead. I want to sleep a bit more,”

Britney said lazily, curled up in the blanket.

“Alright, you rest. I’ll make breakfast!”

Luca got out of bed and walked out to the balcony.

The sunlight outside was bright, with lush green woods nearby and a vast blue sea in the distance—a luxurious and picturesque scene.

Below the large balcony was a curved swimming pool. Sunlight reflected off the water, which was crystal clear, sparkling with blue waves.

Feeling too lazy to take the stairs, Luca opened the glass railing and jumped off the balcony.

Splash!

In the azure pool, he swam gracefully, moving like a fish as he glided through the water.

After a few laps, he got dressed, headed into the kitchen, and made a simple breakfast: two fried eggs, skim milk, two portions of black pepper steak, and some slices of orange with a few grapes.

With breakfast ready, he carried the plates to the poolside, where Britney was swimming. She was gliding through the water, sometimes surfacing, sometimes diving, like a joyful mermaid.

“Britney, come up for breakfast!”

He called out twice, holding a towel on the shore.

Britney surfaced, pulled herself out of the pool, dripping wet.

Luca wrapped the towel around her and helped dry her hair.

“I love it here!”

Britney looked up at the sunlight and said.

“You can come stay anytime,”

Luca smiled gently.

“I will!”

Britney smirked. “I’m going to drain you dry during this time.”

“Haha, don’t talk big. Come on, let’s have breakfast,”

Luca tousled her hair, leading her to the gazebo.

“Are you shooting today?”

At the table, Britney asked while poking at her eggs.

“Yes, Along Came Polly. I’m doing a small cameo.”

“The one Jennifer Aniston recommended?”

Britney asked.

“Yeah! Did I tell you about it?”

Luca remembered mentioning it on the phone.

Britney nodded, then asked, “Luca, did you sleep with Aniston?”

“Of course not! She’s Brad Pitt’s wife. What are you thinking?”

Luca chuckled.

“Okay then,”

Britney shrugged. “But if you didn’t sleep with her, why do you accept her help but refuse mine? She offers you roles, you take them. She gives you endorsements, you accept them. I get you a deal, you reject it. I introduce you to producers, you turn them down. Do you two have a closer relationship?”

“Of course not,”

Luca laughed. “Because we didn’t sleep together, I can accept her help. If we were just ordinary friends, I’d try to use you, leverage your fame to make money. But we’re not ordinary friends!”

Britney smiled subtly, pursing her lips. “Are you worried people will say you’re only famous because of me?”

“Yes.”

Luca paused, then said, “Britney, I’m a man. I think I’m pretty decent, so I believe I can get what I want through my own effort.”

Britney stared at him for a moment, then silently continued eating her breakfast.

Around 10 a.m., Luca left the estate, driving to Santa Monica Beach for filming. Britney, still feeling lazy, took the morning off and stayed at the villa to rest.

It was less than 50 kilometers from Malibu to Santa Monica Beach, and Luca arrived in under half an hour.

The set was on a small island with light green waters, white sand beaches, and tall palm trees swaying in the breeze. The scenery was stunning. A few yachts and sailboats were lined up on the shore as part of the set.

“Hey, good morning, John!”

Luca waved from a distance, removing his hat as he stepped onto the set.

John was John Hamburg, the film’s director. He was a balding young director, known for Meet the Parents and The Fockers.

The two had met once before in New York, so they were familiar with each other.

“Hey, Luca, how’s the tan coming along?”

John was checking the set with his assistant when he noticed Luca.

“Take a look!”

Luca took off his T-shirt, revealing his bronzed skin, muscular arms, firm pecs, and a chiseled six-pack.

“Not bad, but the lower half is still a bit pale. You’ll need to get more color there.”

“Got it.”

Luca’s character was a diving instructor and a proud nudist, often sunbathing on the beach. His entire body had to have an even tan.

“Hey, John! Luca!”

Just then, Jennifer Aniston, wearing sunglasses and a black dress, walked over.

“Hey, Jen!”

Luca waved.

“Jen, why are you here so early? Your scenes aren’t until the afternoon,”

John asked.

“Isn’t the scenery beautiful here?”

Aniston brushed a strand of golden hair aside.

“It is,”

John chuckled, continuing his inspection of the set.

“Luca, feeling nervous?”

Aniston smiled teasingly.

“A little.”

“Don’t be. It’s just a nude scene. Plenty of big stars have done it,”

Aniston said nonchalantly.

Luca chuckled to himself. It’s easy to talk when you’re fully dressed, but what about when the clothes come off?

By noon, everyone on set was ready.

The male lead, Ben Stiller, a famous comedic actor, played Ruben. He was 38, known for Night at the Museum and Meet the Parents, and was the film’s lead.

The female supporting role, Deborah Messing, was in her thirties and had been named one of the 50 most beautiful people by People magazine in 2002. She played Ruben’s wife, Lisa.

The first scene involved Ruben and Lisa on their honeymoon.

On their first day, they meet Luca’s character, Claude, a diving instructor who’s naked on the beach.

He’s tall, muscular, and especially “well-endowed.”

Lisa instantly falls for him.

Things escalate quickly, and they get caught by Ruben.

Ruben’s heartbreak leads him to meet Jennifer Aniston’s character, Polly.

“Actors, get ready! We’ll start in ten minutes!”

“Luca, you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Luca, wearing nothing but a towel, suddenly felt nervous, glancing at the crowd of over 100 people on set. What now?

“Come on, Luca, don’t embarrass me. You’re my fellow alum,”

Aniston teased.

"..."

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 177: The Shameless Guy*

At noon, on the beach set, the crew was filming a scene with the male lead, Ruben, and the supporting actress, Lisa, chatting while lying on a blanket. Luca, wearing glasses and a wig, sat on the sidelines, waiting for his cue.

“Mr. Kelly, it's your turn to enter!”

After a while, the assistant director came to call him.

Luca nodded and loosened the blanket around his waist.

“Whoa~”

A collective gasp came from the crowd. Many people widened their eyes, expecting him to be fully exposed, but were surprised to see that he was wearing a protective garment in front, ruining the moment and leaving them disappointed.

“Haha, what is he wearing?”

“Tsk, I thought he’d be fully naked! What a letdown.”

“No way, Luca's body is pretty good, though.”

A group of female staff members and extras whispered on the sidelines.

A group of female perverts?

Luca took a deep breath and blocked out the noise around him. When the clapperboard signaled the start, he slowly walked over to Ruben and Lisa.

“Hello~ How’s your time on the island so far?”

He mimicked a French accent as he greeted them.

“Wow~”

Ruben and Lisa turned their heads, pretending to be surprised. Lisa stared straight at him, her eyes full of admiration and hunger.

“Great, thank you!” Ruben said with a gentle smile.

“You just arrived on the island, right? I’d like to invite you to see my boat.”

He raised his hand and pointed to a sailboat on the ocean, “That’s my boat.”

“It’s huge!” Ruben glanced at the boat.

“It sure is, very big!” Lisa swallowed and stared at his body in admiration.

“So, would you like to dive? I’m the island’s diving instructor. If you want to dive, I can take you to the boat, show you the coral reefs, and later, there’s a diving party.”

Luca gestured as he spoke.

“Sounds good, but we don’t have a diving certificate, so unfortunately, we can’t,” Ruben shrugged.

“No worries, I can get you one quickly. Would you like to give it a try?” Luca asked.

“I’d love to!” Lisa said excitedly.

“Great, I’m Claude. What are your names?”

“My name is Ruben, and this is my wife, Lisa,” Ruben introduced.

“Ruben, I’m here every afternoon, so if you decide to come, you can find me.” Luca said.

Ruben nodded.

“OK, goodbye Ruben, goodbye Lisa!” Luca waved, blew them a kiss, and walked away bare-bottomed.

“Cut!”

Director John walked over and said, “Luca, your performance was too serious just now. Your actions and expressions were too deliberate, which made the whole scene not funny enough. Remember, this is a comedy!”

“Sorry, director, I was too nervous. I need to adjust,” Luca shrugged.

“Alright, we’ll restart in ten minutes,” John said.

Luca nodded and returned to his seat, covering himself with the blanket.

It was his first time filming a bare-bottom scene with so many people watching, so he felt stiff. He believed that with a second take, things would improve, and if not, there was always a third. With enough takes, he’d get used to it.

“Luca, what are you wearing?” Aniston walked over, pointing at the blanket.

Luca looked down and laughed, “Elephant trunk briefs. The prop department got them. Ben Stiller and I each have one.”

The male lead also had to show his butt.

“Why does something like this even exist?” Aniston lifted the blanket to take a peek.

“Movie props can be all kinds of strange. Elephant trunk briefs are pretty common,” Luca said.

“I know, but didn’t we agree on full nudity? Why are you wearing that?” Aniston asked, a bit dissatisfied.

“Uh, isn’t it better this way? There are a lot of women around, and full nudity would be offensive.”

“Alright, fine~ But since you have protection, why were you still acting all nervous?”

“With so many people staring at my butt, of course, I’d be nervous.”

Aniston shook her head and muttered under her breath, “What a waste.”

“What did you say?” Luca didn’t catch it.

“Nothing,” Aniston brushed her hair back, “You looked really tense during your performance.”

“You noticed too?” Luca asked.

“Yes, your expressions and movements were very unnatural. You need to relax more,” she said.

“You’re right, I’m working on it,” Luca said, patting his face.

“How does patting your face help? It doesn’t. You’re nervous because you’re not used to nudity. Once you get used to it, you won’t feel nervous anymore,” she said.

“How do I get used to it?” Luca asked, confused.

“I have a suggestion. Want to hear it?”

“Go ahead!”

“It’s simple. Just keep wearing that and dance in front of everyone. How about it?” Aniston suggested with a smile.

“Dance?”

“Are you scared?”

Luca didn’t answer right away. He touched his chin and thought for a moment, “Alright, your suggestion is pretty good. I’ll do it!”

“OK!”

Aniston clapped her hands and shouted, “Everyone pause for a moment. Luca’s going to dance for us! Let’s give him a round of applause!”

The crew stopped what they were doing and looked over.

“Hi, everyone!”

Luca took a deep breath and slowly walked to the center of the set, wearing only his elephant trunk briefs. The sea breeze hit his face like a slap, and his cheeks felt a little hot.

Although he had mentally prepared himself, standing in the middle with everyone watching still made him feel a bit embarrassed.

“Luca, hurry up!” Aniston urged loudly.

“Alright!”

Luca spread his hands and smiled, “Hi everyone, I’m Luca. How about I dance for you all?”

“Yeah!”

Led by Aniston, the people around started cheering.

Director John stood on the side, arms crossed, with a faint smile on his face.

“Thank you, everyone!”

Luca wiggled his hips and waist, performing a rather mild square dance.

The response from the crowd was lukewarm. The men went back to work, while the women pointed and whispered.

“Luca, that’s not going to cut it. You need to be bolder. The bolder the dance, the better the effect!” Aniston shouted.

Does it really have to be like this?

Luca scratched his head and suddenly remembered what his teacher, Ross, had said: Acting is about freeing yourself step by step. When you act, you need to let go of everything—your family, job, and relationships. Once you let go of everything, you won’t be so afraid of losing anything.

The reason he was nervous now was entirely due to shame, meaning his skin wasn’t thick enough. To become shameless, he’d have to do something even more outrageous—what’s called "lowering your standards."

What could be even more outrageous?

He sighed softly. At this point, it was time to bring out his trump card.

“Are you ready?”

Suddenly, he started twisting his muscular body, shouting like a woman.

Everyone was stunned. What was he about to do? Just then, Luca started moving.

“I want nobody nobody but you

I want nobody nobody but you

How can I be with another

I don't want any other”

Luca sang in a high-pitched voice while shaking his hips, hands sliding sensually over his waist and hips from bottom to top. He was incredibly flamboyant and seductive.

Everyone on set was dumbfounded, mouths agape. This was beyond shameless.

“Hahaha~”

Aniston burst into laughter and fell onto the sand.

Director John smiled. Shameless enough—this guy had potential for comedy.

At that moment, a mishap occurred. Luca’s movements were too big, and his elephant trunk briefs fell off.

“Whoa!!!”

(End of chapter)

Chapter 178: A Favor from a Superstar

"Hahaha~"

By dusk, Saint Monica Beach was shrouded in twilight. The crowd on the beach had dwindled, and the bar became the new playground where men and women gathered. Under the influence of alcohol and music, they sought fun and flirted in close quarters.

In the upscale Anchor Bar, a music bar, the crew of Along Came Polly had just wrapped filming today and was hosting a simple wrap party.

Luca had coincidentally arrived just as they wrapped, joining in the festivities. However, today’s celebration was awkward for him to join.

"Luca, you were just too funny today, hahaha~"

At a booth, Jennifer Aniston wiped away the tears from laughing so hard, barely able to catch her breath.

Luca wiped his forehead, where awkward sweat had formed. Honestly, having his pants fall down wasn’t that embarrassing.

When it comes to nudity, the smaller party feels the embarrassment.

But after his pants dropped, Ms. Aniston seemed to have been struck by a laughing spell. Every time she looked at him, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing, making him feel incredibly awkward.

"Was it really that funny, Ms. Aniston?" Luca shook his head helplessly.

"Of course! I haven’t encountered anything funnier than that in years. Hahaha~ Oh my, I’ve been laughing all day—my facial muscles are stiff!"

Aniston propped her hand on her cheek, worried about wrinkles.

"Then stop laughing. Come on, have a drink!" Luca poured her a glass of whiskey and pushed it over.

"Yes, maybe if I get drunk, I’ll forget about it. Haha, Luca, you have no idea—when your elephant trunk pants fell down, the whole room was shocked. Your, uh... well, no wonder they call you Mr. Big," Aniston teased, blinking mischievously.

Luca’s lips twitched. "Jen, doesn’t it feel a little weird, the two of us sitting here talking about this?"

"Weird?" Aniston looked puzzled. "Why weird?"

Luca was speechless. "You’re a woman, I’m a man. Us sitting here discussing that... isn’t that weird?"

"Of course not! I’m in my thirties; you’re just a 21-year-old kid. If I had married early, I could’ve had a child your age by now. Why would it be weird for us to talk about that?"

"..."

Luca thought it over but still couldn’t figure out the logic. He stared at Aniston. "You seem a little, um, fuller than on TV."

Smack—before he could finish, he got flicked on the forehead.

"Why’d you hit me?" Luca rubbed his head, confused.

"I can say things about you, but you can’t say things about me," Aniston said with a grin.

"Equality between men and women!"

"I’m older than you. I’m your elder, and elders deserve respect."

Respect?

Luca spread his hands. "Alright, Aunt Jennifer. You’re the elder; you make the rules."

"Auntie? Haha~ You wanna get smacked, kid?" Aniston threatened with a banana.

Luca waved his hand, deciding it was best not to argue with a woman.

Jennifer chuckled softly, watching him for a moment before adding with a smile, "I’m wearing a padded bra, that’s why I look fuller. It’s for the role—understand?"

"Got it!"

"Anything else you want to know?" Aniston teased.

Luca glanced at her eyes, lips, hair, and neck, then noticed her tightly clenched fists. He quickly shook his head. "Nope, nothing else for now."

"Hmph!"

Aniston unclenched her fists. "Let’s talk business."

"What business?" Luca refilled her glass.

"The script deal is settled. I’m ready to move forward with the project and begin filming next year," Aniston said.

"Next year? So soon?"

Once they secured the rights, the project could’ve been done this year, the next, or even in 2008—but not next year.

That’s because next year, Brad Pitt would start filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith and go public with Angelina Jolie. Aniston would be busy trying to save her marriage, crying her heart out. She wouldn’t have time to make a movie, let alone produce one.

"It’s not that fast. We’re just getting started now—budgeting, securing investments, choosing a director, and so on. Filming will likely begin in the latter half of next year," Aniston explained.

Luca didn’t know much about those processes and, given his minor role, felt it best not to comment.

"Jen, why are you telling me all this? I’m just a screenwriter," he said, puzzled.

"You’re not just a screenwriter!" Aniston smiled. "After I got home, I reread the script several times and realized it was much more detailed than most scripts. You’d thought through everything—scenes, costumes, music, even camera movements. It’s more like a director’s script."

"I later showed it to some director friends, hoping they could help. You know what they said?"

Aniston smiled broadly.

"What did they say?"

"Haha~ They said, 'Why hire us when the scriptwriter’s already done it all? There’s no room for us to shine!'"

Aniston laughed.

Luca smirked. "You’re not asking me to direct, are you? I can’t handle that—I’m just a screenwriter."

"No, you might become a great director one day. But this film has a budget of over $40 million—not suitable for a newbie. I want you as my assistant producer. I think you’ll be a huge help," she said.

"...Next year?"

Luca hesitated. It felt like she was offering him another favor, and it was hard to refuse a favor from a superstar.

"Thank you, Jen. I’ll be your soldier from now on. Please guide me well."

"No, we’re partners. Cheers to that!" Aniston raised her glass with a smile.

"Cheers!"

Later that night, on the highway leading to Villa 117, Luca drove slowly back home.

As he made his way, only the sound of the ocean waves and the night breeze blowing through the mountains could be heard. Compared to the lively noise of Los Angeles, the quiet here was almost too much for him.

Luca wasn’t quite used to it.

He pulled the car into the gate. The bedroom light on the second floor was on. He smiled to himself—it was nice to have someone waiting for him, making the night less lonely.

After a quick shower, he walked into the bedroom in shorts and a t-shirt.

The TV was playing Season 9 of Friends, where Rachel and Ross still hadn’t gotten together.

Britney was curled up on the bed, her white nightgown and blonde hair making her look like a sleeping princess.

Luca sat down and gently stroked her cheek.

"You're back," Britney murmured, fluttering her eyelashes as she opened her eyes.

"Sorry, the crew had a party tonight, so I got back late."

"It’s okay," Britney said, stretching lazily as she sat up.

"Let’s go to bed."

"No!" Britney pointed to the sky outside the window. "The night’s beautiful. How about we go upstairs and watch the stars?"

"You’ve been rehearsing all day—aren’t you tired?"

"I’d rather lean against you and talk."

"Alright."

Luca grabbed a blanket and draped it over her shoulders.

"You're such a pain!" Britney gave him a mock-annoyed glance before pulling the blanket tight and heading upstairs.

"Luca, hurry up! Don’t forget to bring the wine—red wine!"

"OK!"

---

Thank you to the reader 'Demon Jie' for the reward. Thank you! (〃'▽'〃)

---

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 179: Tom Hanks VS Britney*

"Ed, welcome, welcome."

In the morning, at the villa's entrance, Luca greeted a guest.

"Wow, what a beautiful estate."

Ed got out of the car and admired the villa.

"Thank you!"

Luca smiled lightly and invited Ed to take a look around.

"Are you home alone? No girls over?"

"Of course, I'm a respectable man."

"Oh, really?"

Ed suddenly grinned, "Such sexy lingerie... is that yours?"

Following Ed's gaze, Luca saw two blue lingerie pieces hanging in front of the laundry room.

"..."

Inside the living room, Luca poured two cups of coffee. "Ed, is there something going on this time?"

"Yes."

Ed pulled out a document. "Luca, Sweetheart Dance is about to be released and entering the promotion phase. You're the lead actor, and quite famous now. The promoters hope you'll participate in the film's publicity."

Luca glanced at the document. "Do I have to? I'm about to start filming another project and won't have much time."

"It's no problem, it won't interfere."

Ed paused and smiled, "Plus, you'll get paid for it."

Luca raised an eyebrow. After buying the house, he still owed the bank several million and had to pay the mortgage each month. He really needed to make more money.

"How much?"

"Haha, not sure yet. I'm here to discuss that. I'll try to negotiate more for you. Besides, participating in the promotion can help your fame, like having your picture on the movie poster, and your name mentioned in newspapers and TV. That kind of publicity increases your exposure."

Ed explained.

Luca thought for a moment. "Alright, go ahead and arrange it. Just make sure it doesn't clash with filming."

"No problem!"

After chatting for a bit, Ed prepared to leave.

"Ed, whenever you're in Los Angeles, you're welcome to stay here."

Luca said.

"No need, I'm usually here for business trips, so it's more convenient to stay downtown."

Ed explained.

Luca nodded and didn't push further. Even though they were close, it was better to keep work and personal matters separate for professionalism's sake.

After Ed left, Luca returned to his study and continued uploading the fourth part of Twilight: Breaking Dawn.

Once he was done with that series, he planned to copy something else to make Kate the writer more deserving of the title.

"Childhood isn't from birth to a certain age, nor is it when a child grows up and abandons childish things. In the kingdom of childhood, no one ever dies..."

Ding dong, ding dong~

In the afternoon, as he was intensely typing at his computer, the doorbell rang.

He slid his chair to check the surveillance and saw a little boy hopping and stretching to press the doorbell. Not far behind him, a chubby middle-aged man held a soccer ball, laughing without offering any help.

Luca smiled softly. That morning, he'd run into Tom Hanks while jogging on the road, and Tom had invited him to play tennis.

"Mr. Hanks, little Theodore, welcome!"

He changed into sportswear and went downstairs to greet them.

"Luca, sorry for the intrusion!"

Tom Hanks laughed.

"Mr. Kelly, you said you'd teach me to play soccer. That was our deal, right?"

The little guy clutched the soccer ball and shouted loudly.

"Haha, of course!"

Luca smirked. What could a seven-year-old learn? Probably nothing but rolling around with the ball.

He began explaining some basic skills and exercises, but the boy wasn't listening, only wanting to kick the ball as high and far as possible before chasing it across the lawn.

"Haha, let him play by himself. Let's play tennis."

Tom Hanks suggested, holding a tennis racket.

"Alright!"

Luca took a racket. He much preferred playing tennis with an adult over chasing a kid around the field. Too exhausting.

"Nooo~, you're all bad people!"

The little one was running while shouting loudly.

Luca chuckled softly, then turned around and continued watching the event nearby.

The match between the two grew more intense, with neither gaining a clear advantage.

In terms of skill, Mr. Tom Hanks had a slight edge, but Britney had the upper hand with her youth and stamina, managing to resist his advances with determination.

By the time the sun set, they had played nine rounds. Britney won five to four, claiming a victory over Tom Hanks and avenging him.

"Luca, I still enjoy playing tennis with you. It’s so much fun! Let's do this again next time!"

As he was leaving, Tom Hanks patted Luca on the shoulder with a smile.

"Sure!" Luca replied with a smile.

Secretly, he made up his mind to improve his tennis skills—he couldn’t afford to lose so badly again.

"No, Dad, I want to practice soccer with Mr. Kelly, so I can stop the ball on my head and shoulders!" young Theodore protested.

"Alright, next time we'll invite Mr. Kelly to teach you."

"You promise, next time no tennis!"

"I got it!" Tom Hanks laughed and said goodbye, pulling the little one away.

"Luca, come help me, I can’t move anymore!" Britney called from the lawn.

Luca chuckled. Earlier, she had been running and jumping all over the court, almost like she was possessed by Li Na—a fierce competitor—but now she was completely worn out.

"You should’ve gone easy on Hanks."

He walked over to help her up.

"Why?"

"Because Mr. Hanks is getting older."

"So, you’re saying you got beaten by an old man?"

"…"

Luca shook his head. "Come on, let's go back and soak in warm water. I’ll give you a massage afterward, or you won’t be able to get up tomorrow."

"Alright, what’s a massage?"

"You'll find out soon."

Luca smiled lightly, then carried the sweaty and exhausted Britney into the villa.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 180: Rachel's Joke

In the morning, at the USC School of Visual Arts, Luca got out of the car and walked towards the school entrance.

This was a performance school, and most of the scenes for Mean Girls were filmed here.

The school had excellent facilities, and many acting students could serve as extras, so a lot of teen movies chose to collaborate with this school.

"Hey~ Luca, over here!"

Tony waved at him from the entrance.

"Hi~ Tony!"

After finishing the ad shoot a while ago, Luca came to Los Angeles first, while Tony stayed in New York for professional training, arriving yesterday with Ed.

"Tony, how’s the training going?"

"It’s terrible! The instructor said assistants can't smoke or drink, can't dress flashier than the stars, and our voices can't be louder than theirs. These rules are insane, almost inhuman."

Tony complained.

Luca smirked, “You can always quit. It’s been so long, those rumors have probably died down by now.”

“Nope, the rumors are still there, but I’ve grown to like this job.”

Tony replied.

“But you were just complaining.”

“Haha, every job comes with complaints, doesn’t it? Compared to being a makeup artist, this assistant gig is more stable. No early mornings, no staying up late, no dealing with different employers every day. Do you notice anything different about me?”

Tony tipped his hat and spun around.

Luca rubbed his chin and took a quick look. Tony was still wearing gender-neutral clothes, with heavy makeup, though his face was no longer as pale. His belly was also sticking out, probably because the clothes were too tight.

“You look like you’ve gained some weight.”

“Yep, I’ve put on twelve pounds in the last two months.”

Tony chuckled as he patted his belly.

“Should I congratulate you?”

“Thanks!”

Tony laughed and then suddenly straightened up and pulled out a folder. “Luca, it’s work time now. Let’s get to it!”

“Alright.”

“Next up, we need to talk about your scenes. The crew is shooting in the restaurant today. You’ve got two scenes in the restaurant with Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams. You’ll need to change into two outfits: a t-shirt, a shirt, and jeans. You have four lines. Do you need help running lines?”

“No thanks!”

He didn’t have many scenes in this movie. Most of his scenes were in the classroom, with minimal lines, mainly chatting with the female lead, Lindsay Lohan. The acting challenge was pretty low.

He used to think this film was okay, but after The Notebook, his interest in this role had waned. The only upside was that he was familiar with the director and the three leads, so the work should be pleasant.

“Hey, Ryan! Ryan!”

As he walked towards the set, he suddenly heard someone calling. It seemed to be directed at him, but since they were calling “Ryan,” he didn’t stop.

“Ryan! Why are you ignoring me?”

A petite girl stood in front of him, hands on her hips. She had flowing blonde hair and wore an orange-red lace dress. She was small, sexy, and very pretty, though her annoyed expression didn’t match.

“Wow~ Amanda, is that you? Are you Amanda Seyfried?”

Luca exclaimed dramatically.

Amanda blinked, “Yeah, it’s me. What’s up?”

“Amanda, you’re so much more beautiful than last time! You’re sexier too. What happened over these past two months? How did you get so stunning? It’s unbelievable.”

Luca praised her while looking her up and down.

“Really?”

Amanda touched her face with a smile, “It’s probably the makeup. And this dress was custom-made for the movie to make us look more attractive.”

“You look great in it. Youthful, fashionable, sexy, with a bit of sweetness. When the movie comes out, I bet a lot of girls will copy your style. You’ll be a trendsetter.”

“Haha, thanks, Luca.”

“Lindsay! Amanda’s been KO’d. Your turn!”

Not far away, Rachel McAdams saw the two chatting intensely and shook her head helplessly. Amanda was too inexperienced, no match for Luca at all.

“Okay, watch me!”

Lindsay Lohan wiped her nose and confidently marched over.

“Hey~ Drool Boy! Long time no see. Still drooling?”

Rachel smiled slightly when she heard Lindsay’s taunt. Lindsay might only be seventeen, but she was famous, bold, and much more difficult to deal with than Amanda. She was curious how Luca would handle her.

“Hm?”

Rachel raised an eyebrow.

Just as Lindsay was about to strike, Luca pulled out a photo from his wallet. As soon as Lindsay took the card, her face turned red, a little embarrassed, and she suddenly fell silent.

Rachel shook her head. Too young. Guess it’s time for the veteran.

“Hi~ Luca, long time no see. How have you been?”

Rachel walked up to him.

“Not bad, Rachel. How about you?”

Luca smiled and hugged her.

“I’m good. I just heard a joke this morning that had me laughing so hard my stomach hurts. I couldn’t even eat breakfast.”

Rachel rubbed her flat belly, laughing.

“What joke? Is it really that funny?”

Amanda asked curiously.

“It happened a few days ago. Everyone in the circle knows about it now.”

“Really? Tell us, Rachel!”

Lindsay was even more curious.

“Luca, do you want to hear it?”

Rachel winked at him.

Luca sensed something off but braced himself, “What joke?”

“Ahem. Rumor has it a famous actor’s underwear suddenly fell off during a shoot the other day, leaving him completely naked.”

“…”

Lindsay and Amanda exchanged glances, “Rachel, what’s the punchline?”

“It’s right there!”

Rachel bit her lip and pointed at Luca’s face, which was turning red and white, with beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead.

“…”

Lindsay and Amanda blinked. “Wait, that famous actor… wasn’t Luca, was it?”

“What do you think?”

“Was it really Luca?!”

“Hahaha~”

The two girls burst into laughter.

“You know who was on set that day?”

Rachel asked casually.

“Who?”

“Jennifer Aniston.”

“Haha!”

“Do you know Luca’s nickname?”

Rachel asked again.

“What?”

“Mr. Big.”

“What does that mean?”

“Ahem!”

Luca quickly interrupted, putting his arm around Rachel and pulling her aside, asking seriously, “Rachel, how did you find out about that?”

The director told everyone to keep it quiet.

“You think anything in a movie set stays secret?”

Rachel laughed.

“Do a lot of people know?”

“If even a second-rate Canadian actor like me knows, what do you think?”

“…”

“Haha. Luca, I’ve got a question I’m really curious about. Mind if I ask?”

“What is it?”

“Emmm~ Is it true you’re a meter long?”

“... Why don’t you just say I have three legs?”

“Hahaha~”

(End of Chapter)