286-290

*Chapter 286: Liv Tyler's Date*

Bang, bang, bang~

In the backyard boxing gym of the Punch Bar, the spacious gym was well-lit, with doors and windows wide open. The small garden outside was lush with greenery, dotted with white flowers, creating a unique view.

However, the owner of the place was busy training and had no time to appreciate the scenery outside.

Richard, wearing a T-shirt and shorts with several weight bands strapped on, was continuously practicing jabs, straight punches, and hooks in front of the punching bag, his feet moving agilely as he shifted back and forth.

After practicing for half a day, he was drenched in sweat.

Knock, knock, knock~

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

Richard stopped his training and turned to look at the door. Liv Tyler entered, glancing around at the training setup as she walked down the aisle.

Her cherry-red hair flowed down her back, and she wore a light green strappy dress that hugged her tall, sexy figure. She walked in T-strap high heels, her long hair floating as she moved, creating a striking image.

When she saw him, Liv Tyler slightly curled her lips into a sweet smile.

"Hi, Richard!"

"Liv, welcome to the tour."

Richard wiped his hands with a towel and shook her hand.

Liv Tyler smiled slightly, "Richard, you look really cool like this!"

"I was just training, so I'm pretty sweaty. If you mind, I can change clothes before we talk."

"No worries, back in Wellington, you were often drenched in sweat like this. You smell fresh; I actually like it."

Liv Tyler laughed as she held his hand.

"Alright, please wait a moment."

Richard took off his gear, showered in the bathroom, changed into dry clothes, and walked over to the small tea room in the gym.

Liv was sitting on a fabric sofa by the window, holding a cup of tea, quietly gazing at the scenery outside. A few parrots and warblers were hopping around the treetops, chirping noisily.

"Liv, sorry to keep you waiting."

Richard said as he walked over.

"No problem."

Liv Tyler smiled as she turned around.

Richard poured himself a cup of tea, "Liv, is there something you need to talk to me about?"

Liv Tyler smiled, "Can't I come to see you without a reason? Remember, you once said I could come to you whenever I missed you."

"Yes, but you haven’t come to see me in a long time. I wasn’t sure if you still missed me."

Richard replied with a smile.

"You can be more confident. In every way, you are the most outstanding and powerful man in the world and the most special person in my life. The feeling you give me is a deep, bone-chilling thrill. I can't forget you, either in my heart or in my body, maybe never."

Liv Tyler said, staring at him.

"Is it a good memory?"

Richard smiled.

"Yes, an unparalleled one."

Liv Tyler confirmed.

Richard smiled slightly, "I enjoy every moment with you, but let's get down to business first; we’ll have more time to spend together afterward."

"Alright!"

Liv Tyler smiled, cupping her face in her hands, "I’ll be direct then. I want to play the lead role of Helen in 'Troy.' Is there a chance? If not, it’s okay—I'm actually more excited about what’s coming next than the role."

"Hold on!"

Richard took out his phone and directly called producer Colin Wilson.

Since they were currently collaborating, they communicated often, so Richard asked directly about the lead actress role, mentioning Liv Tyler.

In "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," Liv played an elven princess who stunned the world. She was considered one of the most beautiful in period costumes, making her a fitting choice for Helen.

Colin Wilson said they could consider it, but he also pointed out that Liv Tyler’s chances weren’t great.

They were planning to cast Orlando Bloom as Prince Paris of Troy. If Liv Tyler were also cast as Princess Helen, it might give the impression that "Troy" was a sequel to "The Lord of the Rings."

"Alright, I understand, Colin. Let me know if there are any updates."

Richard hung up the phone.

"They want to cast Orlando as Prince of Troy?"

"Yes, maybe it's fate that I'm playing my brother. Orlando and I have already worked together twice, and both times as teammates."

Richard laughed and said, "It's such a pity. With you and Orlando around, I'm definitely not suitable to play Helen."

In The Lord of the Rings, she and Richard played a couple, and if she were to get involved with Orlando again in Troy, it would feel out of place to the audience.

"It's okay, there's no chance this time, but there will be a next time. Recently, Buena Vista Pictures has started a new project, National Treasure, with an investment of about 100 million dollars. The female lead is a beautiful doctor studying the Declaration of Independence. If you're interested, I can recommend you to the production team."

"That sounds great. Are you the male lead?" Liv Tyler asked.

"Mr. Jerry Bruckheimer has extended an invitation to me, but I have two big projects next year: Troy and the sequel to The Bourne Identity. If I have time, I might take it on because the script is really good, and Mr. Bruckheimer's films are generally of high quality. Whether I take this role or not, I'll recommend you to Bruckheimer. If you have time, next time I play golf with him, you can join us."

"Okay, thank you. So, how should I repay you?" Liv Tyler asked with a smile, biting her red lip.

"Haha, how do you want to repay me?"

Richard pulled her onto his lap.

"Today, I'll do whatever you say."

Liv Tyler guided his hand to her chest.

——

"Frank Arnold, is there something you wanted to see me about?"

The next day, Richard arrived at New Century Pictures. He poured himself a cup of tea and leaned back on the sofa, sipping it leisurely.

"Yes, after giving up on the collaboration with Warner Bros., our company currently has three movies in production. Lost in Translation has finished shooting and is in post-production. Monster and The Butterfly Effect are also progressing smoothly. Our company still has the capacity to start another small project," Frank Marshall said with a smile.

"Do you have any projects in mind?" Richard asked.

"Yes, there are two. The box office from Crash has been recovered, and our company made a lot of money. Many people know this, so many directors and independent producers have sent us scripts hoping to collaborate with us. The production department has selected two scripts. We can choose one, and you can decide."

Producer Copposon took out two scripts.

"One is a movie related to boxing, and the other is a low-budget horror film. In recent years, horror movies have had a big market, often making hundreds of millions at the box office with a very small budget. Scream and Scary Movie series, Deep Rising, Final Destination, and others have all been successful films that hit big with small budgets. We started with low-budget films, so we shouldn't forget about horror movies. This could be a fresh attempt."

"Alright!"

Richard picked up the boxing movie Cinderella Man and glanced through it. It was well-written, telling the story of a New York man during the Great Depression in the United States who participated in boxing matches to make a living and eventually became a champion.

Many of the scenes were similar to his own experiences, though the story was based on the life of a working-class boxing champion from the 1930s. However, for him, a super champion, to play a not-so-great working-class champion, felt too awkward.

He put down the script and picked up the one titled Saw.

——

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 287: Do I Still Have a Chance?*

The script for Saw was solid, with a storyline accompanied by some simple sketches, depicting a particularly gruesome story. Richard rarely watched horror movies and wasn't particularly interested in them, but this project had a small budget of only $1.5 million.

Since the investment was small and it was a project recommended by the production department, he didn't reject it.

The market for horror films was indeed promising at the moment, with low-budget films often becoming big hits. Moreover, the sales of horror movie videotapes usually outperformed those of other genres.

Additionally, this project was recommended by Frank and producer Copposon. Richard had previously mentioned that for productions with budgets below $10 million, they both had decision-making power, and they sought his approval as a formality.

"The script for Cinderella Man is pretty good, and if you want to invest, that's fine. But don't ask me to play the lead role. I can play other roles, but I just can't immerse myself in the role of a boxer. As for Saw, the investment is small, so do as you see fit. If it fails, it's okay—consider it a new experiment. We've succeeded with two films, and it's okay to fail a few times," Richard said, putting down the script.

"It might not necessarily fail. Horror films are like telling scary stories—if you can scare people, there will be an audience. Even if the box office isn't great, DVD sales can still recoup some of the costs. That's why many independent production companies like to invest in horror films," Frank said with a smile.

"Alright, if Saw succeeds, we can continue making horror films."

At the moment, the most successful companies in producing horror films were Lionsgate and Dimension Films, run by the Weinstein brothers. These two companies made a fortune with low-budget horror movies.

Especially in recent years, Dimension Films had launched the Scream and Scary Movie series, each costing around $20-30 million to produce, but grossing over $100 million at the box office. This success had led other production companies to follow suit.

Richard had no issue with making money, so he decided to try his hand at a few horror films to test the waters.

After discussing the new project, Richard left Frank's office and went to Gwyneth's office next door.

"So, how did the discussion go?" Gwyneth asked, looking up from her desk.

"Not much discussion—they're just trying to set me up," Richard said with a smile as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down in the chair opposite.

"Set you up?" Gwyneth laughed. "How are they setting you up?"

"Everyone in the industry knows that I have strong box office appeal, so they want to work with me on a movie. Frank and Arnold are no different. In the last project, Troy, Frank tried to pull me in, and just now they tempted me with some script called Cinderella Man. They think that because I'm a boxer, I would like this type of movie. But I actually find boxing films awkward to watch," Richard said, shrugging with a smile.

"You can collaborate with other companies, so why not work with your own? We founded this company to serve us, yet we haven't even starred in any of our own films," Gwyneth said, moving behind him to massage his shoulders.

"There haven't been any suitable roles. My salary is quite high at the moment—even for an art film, it's around $7-8 million. It's not really suitable for me. Plus, being both the investor and the lead in a New Century film would be quite stressful. But if you don't mind, you could give it a try, like Charlize Theron did. Find a good script and act as both the producer and the lead. Maybe you'll have another shot at the Oscars," Richard said, taking her hand.

"Sally's script was really good, with elements that align perfectly with the tastes of Oscar voters. If done well, it has a great chance at the Oscars. But finding such a good script is not easy. Since coming to the company, I've been reading scripts every day, trying to find a suitable female-centered story, but it's been tough," Gwyneth said, leaning on his shoulder.

"It's okay, take your time. How's the preparation for The Butterfly Effect coming along?"

Producer Copposon was getting older, so the production work for the last few films had been handed over to younger members of the production department. Gwyneth had also joined the production team for The Butterfly Effect, primarily responsible for casting and finances.

"Everything is going smoothly. Director Eric Bress has chosen James Franco to play the male lead, and the crew has already headed to Canada to prepare for shooting. I'll be heading there in a few days."

"Franco?" Richard stroked his chin. He had hoped to find the original lead through auditions, but since Director Bress chose Franco, it meant he couldn't predict the movie's box office performance anymore. The future box office was now an unknown.

"So, does that mean we won't see each other for a while?" Richard asked, wrapping his arms around her waist with a smile.

"Yes, at least a month. Can you give me a month's worth of love all at once?" Gwyneth whispered in his ear as she entwined her arms around his neck.

"Of course. Don't worry, even a year's worth wouldn't be a problem," Richard said as he pulled up her skirt.

——

After a busy day at the office, Richard returned to Fist Bar for training, where Paul was also training hard.

Last weekend, the company arranged for Paul to fight WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, but he was knocked out in the 7th round.

Since getting engaged to Venus, Paul had participated in three matches, with two losses and one draw. His record now stood at 32 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, indicating a significant decline in performance. At 29 years old, if he didn't push himself harder, his future prospects would be dim.

*Bang, bang, bang*—Paul threw a few punches and then stopped to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Richard, do you think I still have a chance?"

"A chance for what?" Richard asked, skipping rope to relax his body.

"A chance to go for the championship belt," Paul said, panting.

"Of course, you have all the necessary qualities. Why wouldn't you have a chance? Look at James Toney. Even though he lost to me twice, I still admire him. He entered the professional boxing scene in '88 and has been fighting for 14 years, moving from middleweight to heavyweight and winning belts in five different weight classes."

---

In order to win the heavyweight championship belt, he lost many times but still kept going. His passion for boxing exceeds that of anyone else.

You are younger and stronger than him, with better physical conditions, and you have also defeated him before. Seeing a defeated opponent persistently striving for the championship belt, what reason do you have not to keep going?"

Richard exhaled and said.

"That makes sense, Richard. If you lost several times, would you still persist?"

"Of course not. If someone could beat me, I'd first get my revenge, then retire from boxing."

"So decisive?"

Paul frowned.

"Yes, boxing is just a part-time job for me. I have more work to do besides boxing, so why hang myself on a single tree?"

Richard chuckled.

"Alright, you're different from us. You're a freak."

Paul said irritably.

This bastard treats boxing as a side job, yet he has won so many championship belts. Others treat boxing as their entire life, yet end up with nothing. The world is indeed unfair.

"Stop complaining. Spend more time practicing boxing. At 29, you're at the peak of a boxer's career. If you don't give it your all now, there won't be another chance in the future.

Just a heads-up, I plan to win all the heavyweight championship belts within the next three years. If you can't get even one within that time, you'll never have a chance."

"Three years?"

Paul clenched his fists. If this bastard sweeps all the championship belts from various organizations within three years, who else could take them away from him in the future?

Thinking of this, he suddenly felt time was running out.

"Richard, after you win all the belts, will you abandon them like you did in the light heavyweight division?"

"No, our plan is to win the four most prestigious belts within three years, and along the way, also win six secondary organization belts. By that time, I'll be 27, still very young.

After achieving the Grand Slam, I will dominate the boxing world, waiting for all the heavyweight masters worldwide to challenge me. After defeating all the veterans and newcomers and finding it boring, I might consider giving up the belts. The second phase would last about five years, at which point I'll be 32, and you'll be nearly 40, so you won't have a chance."

Richard said with a smile while shaking his jump rope.

"Richard, you shameless bastard."

Paul shouted, angrily hitting the punching bag as if it were Richard.

Richard smiled and continued jumping rope.

"Richard, let's have a match. Give it your all. I want to know how big the gap is between us."

Paul said, pounding his chest with his fists.

"Are you sure?"

Richard smiled.

"Sure, bring it on!"

Paul bared his white teeth ferociously, looking quite intimidating.

Richard put on his boxing gloves and stepped into the ring for a match with him, but he didn't go all out. Paul's current mindset was quite fragile. If Richard had used his full strength, Paul's confidence might have been shattered instantly, and he might have even questioned his life, which wouldn't be a good thing.

Boom boom boom~

"Richard, use more strength! Is that all you've got? Come on, hit me!"

Paul shouted furiously.

BANG!!!!!!!

Paul fell to the ground.

After the afternoon training, Richard went to spend the night at Ms. Theron’s house.

---

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 288: How About Having a Baby?*

In recent years, Ms. Theron has made great strides in her career. With the success of two "Charlie's Angels" films, she successfully ascended to the ranks of A-list actresses. For her last movie, "The Italian Job," she earned a salary of $15 million. She has both fame and status, and her next goal is to aim for an Oscar.

Richard, of course, supports her unconditionally.

He arrived at the upscale Bel-Air neighborhood in Beverly Hills, where Ms. Theron's new residence is located—a Gothic-style, pointed-roofed detached villa with a unique artistic charm.

When they first bought the house, Richard intended to pay for it, but Ms. Theron refused, saying she wanted to be an independent woman.

So, Richard took care of the villa's renovation and bought the furniture, also gifting two luxury cars and a small winery.

As he arrived at the villa, two Labradors and a Golden Retriever were chasing squirrels on the lawn. When they saw his car pull in, they barked at him twice before diving back into the bushes.

Richard smelled something delicious as he walked into the living room.

"It smells great. What are you cooking?"

"All you think about is food. Do you think this is a restaurant?"

Ms. Theron sat cross-legged on the sofa, holding a magazine. Compared to the tall and sexy Ms. Theron of the past, she had gained a bit of weight and looked very full-figured. This was in preparation for the role in "Monster."

In truth, even with the extra weight, she was still very beautiful. At 5'10" (178 cm), she could easily gain several dozen pounds without any problem; in fact, it added a certain curvy beauty.

However, Ms. Theron wasn't happy with her current state, and her temper had become more irritable, especially when she saw Richard. A small spark could set her off, so Richard had been very careful when visiting her lately.

"Dear Charlize, it must be Lina who's cooking, right? Her steaks and chicken bites are better than any Michelin chef's."

Richard hugged Ms. Theron and kissed her until she pushed him away angrily.

"She's the reason I've gained 18 pounds this month."

Ms. Theron frowned.

"Eighteen pounds isn't much. With your figure, you could gain another 40 pounds and still be incredibly sexy."

"Liar. You don't think I look bad like this?"

Ms. Theron asked, pinching her small belly.

"Never. Even if you turned into a 200-pound woman, you'd still be a beauty in my eyes. Actually, I really like you with a bit more weight—softer and more comfortable. Remember how you used to surrender after just an hour when we played games? Now you can last an hour and a half. Isn't that great?"

"Ugh, you shameless man. How can you turn everything into that?"

Ms. Theron elbowed him.

"I can't help it; you're too beautiful. I can't resist your allure."

Richard smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they watched the shopping channel on TV, where Ms. Theron was currently starring in a Chanel No. 1 perfume commercial. She wore a stunning gold gown, looking both fierce and beautiful.

"Look at that, such a gorgeous woman!"

"Am I not beautiful now?"

Ms. Theron demanded.

"Of course, you are. So, is everything set for 'Monster'?"

Richard quickly changed the subject.

"It's in the works. Patty is in Florida with the crew making preparations. Once they're ready, I'll head over. My current task is to eat—to eat until I become a 180-pound big girl."

Patty is Patty Jenkins, the director of "Monster," a newcomer female director.

Back when Ms. Theron was researching the story of the female serial killer Aileen Wuornos, Patty Jenkins was also collecting information. She had become interested in Wuornos's case after reading about it in the newspaper and wanted to write a script to adapt it into a film.

While gathering information, Jenkins found that many primary sources had already been taken, and she traced it back through archives to Ms. Theron, discovering that she was also interested in the case.

The two of them talked several times and found that they got along well, so they decided to collaborate, with one as the director and the other as the actress. They didn't need to worry about funding, and their partnership fell into place naturally.

"Does the crew have enough funding? Don't skimp on the budget. If spending a few extra million can improve the film's quality, it's worth it."

Richard asked.

"Tsk, listen to you. You're talking like money's nothing. A few million like it's no big deal.

Oh, by the way, the financial magazines say you've made over a hundred million again. With BAA, New Century, and all your other investments, your net worth is approaching a billion. Is that true?"

Ms. Theron asked with interest, sitting cross-legged.

"Making over a hundred million is true, but I'm still a bit shy of a billion."

Richard smiled.

---

*At the end of last year, Ellie recommended a stock—an online payment platform called PayPal. At the time, she mentioned that the platform was set to go public in the first half of the year.*

One of the co-founders of this platform is none other than the future richest man in the world, Elon Musk. Richard wasn't sure if the other party made any money from this deal, but he decided to take a gamble and invested $70 million to acquire a 5.2% stake.

In April, PayPal went public on NASDAQ, and the shares Richard held surged by 80%.

By September, the world's largest online auction and shopping platform, eBay, acquired a 60% stake in PayPal for $1.5 billion in stock. Richard's shares quadrupled in value, reaching a peak worth of $170 million. The media reported that he had made over $100 million, which wasn't much of an exaggeration.

Of course, the success of this deal was mainly due to Ellie's maneuvering and the connections of Stralem & Company.

After this successful transaction, Ellie and the company earned a hefty commission, and Ellie became the new investment queen of Wall Street, comparable to her legendary grandmother, Irene Adler.

"Ten billion, that's a lot of money. Richard, what do you plan to do now that you've made so much money?" Ms. Theron asked with a smile.

Richard thought for a moment. "I haven't thought about it. Before 1999, I didn't have much money, so I worked hard to make as much as I could, hoping to live a life of extravagance.

Now that I'm a billionaire, I've realized that having more money doesn't change much. For me, money is just a number. If it weren't for the newspapers making wild guesses, I wouldn't even know how much money I have."

Since his investment in Google was transferred to an offshore investment company, the media couldn't get accurate information, so they made rough estimates. If they knew the truth, they would find out that his net worth was much higher than reported.

"Sally, do you have any dreams? You can tell me, and I'll help you achieve them."

"Me?"

Ms. Theron thought for a moment, then smiled softly, "How about having a child?"

"Are you serious? I love kids, you know that. If you want to have one, I'm fully committed. Why not start right now?"

"No, not now. I still have to shoot a movie. How can I film if I'm pregnant?" Ms. Theron pushed his chin playfully.

"The film crew is ours. We can shoot whenever we want. Come on, having a baby is the most important thing."

Richard pulled her onto the sofa, enjoying the feel of her soft, curvy figure.

"No, I've been preparing for this movie for over a year. I can't mess up the plan."

Ms. Theron laughed breathlessly.

"There's nothing you can't do. I say we can, and we can. Besides, you need to gain weight for the role. There's nothing that will help you gain weight faster than being pregnant. Come on, my dear Sally!"

"Ah, you bastard, if you keep moving, I'll bite you!"

Ms. Theron burst into laughter.

"Ahem~"

Suddenly, someone else was in the living room. Lina, the cook, hesitated as she looked at the two of them.

"Richard, Sally, dinner is ready. Shall we eat now or wait a bit?"

"Now!" Ms. Theron kicked him off, ran barefoot into the dining room, her light nightgown clinging to her voluptuous figure, making her look even more stunning.

"You pervert, come eat!"

"Coming! Do you still want your bra?"

"Forget it, you scoundrel!"

Richard chuckled, picked up her slippers, and walked into the dining room.

---

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 289: What is Professionalism?*

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

"O'Neal catches the ball!"

A community event is taking place at the Beverly Hills Gymnasium, where Richard, Shaquille O'Neal, and Derek Fisher have teamed up to take on three streetball experts.

Richard is playing as a small forward, O'Neal as the center, and Fisher as the point guard, forming a seamless trio.

With his superior jumping ability and powerful physique, Richard charges through the paint, frequently executing alley-oops with Fisher and O'Neal. The three of them perform spectacular dunks in various styles, each one more explosive than the last, causing the crowd of hundreds to erupt in cheers.

"Roar!"

O'Neal catches the ball, lets out a loud roar, and pushes past the defense, slamming the ball into the hoop.

The crowd goes wild with applause.

"Richard, you should do one too!"

Fisher, dribbling outside the three-point line, calls out.

"Alright!"

Richard screens his defender and makes a run for the paint.

Fisher drives past his opponent and, after a quick dribble around the perimeter, lobs the ball high to O'Neal, who then passes it back. Seeing Richard in position, Fisher bounces the ball off the backboard.

However, as he releases the pass, he is bumped by a defender, causing the ball to veer slightly off course. As Richard leaps, two defenders also jump to challenge him.

Richard shouts loudly, springs up with a powerful leap, and pushes past his opponents, grabbing the ball tightly in his hands.

Using the momentum from the collision, he spins 360 degrees in mid-air and, half a meter from the hoop, completes a massive windmill dunk, slamming the ball into the basket.

"Wow!!!"

The crowd goes into a frenzy, cheering loudly enough to nearly blow the roof off.

"Hey~ buddy, that was awesome!"

O'Neal shouts, pounding his fist on Richard's chest.

"Haha, you guys did great."

Richard, O'Neal, and Fisher pat each other's shoulders in celebration.

"Richard, how about something even more exciting?" Fisher asks, bouncing the ball.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Your jumping ability is incredible. How about trying to dunk over O'Neal's head?"

Fisher suggests.

"O'Neal is too tall. It's difficult to clear him in one try, and it's dangerous."

O'Neal is a full head taller than Richard, making it a challenging and risky move.

"If you can't do it in one try, you can keep trying. Come on, it's all for fun."

Fisher laughs.

"Hey, you two are going too far. You want to jump over my head? Did you ask me first?" O'Neal rolls his eyes dramatically.

"Don't you want to see if Richard can pull it off?"

Fisher grins.

"I don't think he can do it."

O'Neal rises onto his tiptoes, looking down at Richard.

"I'll bet $50 that Richard can."

"I'll bet $100 that he can't."

O'Neal replies.

"Deal! We'll try 10 times. If he makes it, I win. If not, you win."

"Deal!"

O'Neal and Fisher bump fists a few times to seal the bet.

"Hey, Richard, are you ready?"

"Alright, let's give it a shot!"

Richard moves to the center of the court, running a few practice sprints and testing his vertical leap.

Seeing that something exciting is about to happen, the other players and spectators gather around.

"Richard, what are you guys doing?" Scarlett asks.

"A dunk contest!"

Richard smiles, stretching his wrists and ankles. "O'Neal, Fisher, are you ready?"

"Richard, if you manage to jump over me, you'll be the first in the NBA to do it. I doubt you can pull it off."

O'Neal pats his bald head.

"Let's try. You're too close to the backboard—I’m worried I'll hit my head."

Richard pulls O'Neal back a step, checking the distance and running a few more practice sprints before returning to the center of the court.

"Fisher, I'm ready."

"Alright!"

Fisher lifts the ball.

---Richard quickly dashed toward the basket. At that moment, Fisher tossed the ball over O'Neal's head. Richard used O'Neal's shoulder to propel himself into the air, grabbed the ball, and soared over O'Neal's bald head. In mid-air, he switched the ball to his right hand and slammed it into the basket with force.

"Wow~ He did it!"

"He succeeded on the first try."

The crowd went wild, cheering loudly. Scarlett and a few young fans rushed in, hugging him and jumping around in excitement.

"Great job, Richard!" Fisher shouted, pumping his fist. He had expected Richard to need a few tries to succeed, but he nailed it on the first attempt. Richard's jumping ability and upper-body strength were impressive.

Everyone was cheering when Fisher noticed that O'Neal had a strange, unpleasant expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" Fisher asked, curious.

O'Neal touched his bald head, his face darkening. "I'm really sensitive to snakes. I just felt something weird slide over here. It was a really odd and uncomfortable feeling."

"Uh..." Fisher's mouth twitched as he held back a laugh. "Richard was wearing shorts, so it must have been your imagination."

"No way! That damn punk made me feel like I needed a new head," O'Neal glared at Richard.

"Hey, Fisher, O'Neal, you two make a great team," Richard said with a smile as he walked over. If O'Neal hadn't ducked his head earlier, Richard might not have been able to clear him.

"Richard, you did a great job, succeeding on the first try. How about doing it again?" Fisher smiled, but then noticed the look in O'Neal's eyes. He shrugged, "Okay, once is enough. No need to keep jumping; it's dangerous."

"Yeah, Richard, let's keep playing," O'Neal said with a cheerful smile.

Fisher glanced at O'Neal in surprise, sensing something was up.

The game resumed. Fisher passed the ball into the paint, and O'Neal yelled, "Richard, grab it!"

Richard, suspecting nothing, went up on his toes to catch the ball. Just as he was about to go up for the dunk, someone suddenly yanked down his shorts. He quickly threw the ball and grabbed his waistband, almost revealing everything.

"Whoa~" A large crowd around them shouted in surprise.

Richard was furious and grabbed O'Neal, ready to beat him up, but O'Neal dropped to the ground, clutching his stomach and groaning as if he had appendicitis.

Richard gave him a kick on the butt and walked off the court.

"Hahaha! Richard's butt is so white!" O'Neal laughed, slapping the floor.

Richard stumbled, clenched his fists, and wanted to teach him a lesson. But O'Neal was slippery like an eel, quickly getting up and disappearing into the crowd.

Richard flipped him off and returned to the bench to drink some water.

"Hey, Richard, my bad. I apologize. How about you pull my shorts down to make it even?" O'Neal said, wiggling his big butt.

"Get lost!" Richard said with a dark expression. Two grown men pulling each other's shorts down—how ridiculous, especially when one of them looked like a gorilla.

"Hey, Richard, it was just a joke. You're not mad, are you?" O'Neal laughed.

Richard shook his head. "I'm really disappointed in you. You're supposed to be a professional basketball player, but you have no professionalism at all."

"Professionalism only matters in professional games. Outside of that, who cares? Just have fun," O'Neal replied shamelessly.

"You're something else!" Richard said, not wanting to talk to him anymore.

"Richard, want to keep playing?" Scarlett asked, holding a basketball.

"I need to head back. I've got something to do later."

"Alright, let's go," Scarlett said with a smile, carrying his sports bag.

"Player!" O'Neal muttered, glancing at the delicate Scarlett and then at the burly Richard. He secretly smirked, thinking, "When it comes to fighting, I can't beat him, but when it comes to decency, he's got nothing on me."

---

(End of the chapter)

Chapter 290: Not Even a Recording

"Richard, you seem to be quite free lately, how about I find you something to do?" Anthony put down his teacup and said in the living room of the villa.

Richard took a shower, changed his clothes, and walked downstairs, wiping his hair and saying, "Which eye of yours saw that I'm free? I'm busy with New Century after training every day, I'm almost exhausted."

"What I mean is that from now until March next year, you don't have any specific work arrangements. How about you take on another role to fill in the gap? Look! This is a script we've carefully selected, it's definitely a good role, if you play it well, you have a great chance of winning an Oscar." Anthony squinted and smiled.

Richard twitched the corner of his mouth, "Anthony, I've noticed that you're becoming more and more like a big capitalist. I've been busy from start to finish these past two years, and this year I finally have some time to rest, but you, on the other hand, come over every other day to deliver scripts. You're really something. What script is it this time?"

"Crime action movie 'Collateral', a new big production from DreamWorks, directed by Michael Mann. He's good at action crime movies, having directed more than ten successful films like 'Heat' and 'The Insider'. This time he's taken on this new project, and many talented male actors like Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Colin Farrell, and Edward Norton are competing for the lead role. The film crew also sent you a script, they think you're suitable, so I brought it for you to take a look. You mentioned last time that you want to win a major film award sooner. We've carefully considered it, and currently, the films you've starred in have performed well at the box office, but it's very difficult to win awards. If you want to win an award sooner, it's necessary to try this kind of film role." Anthony pointed to the script on the table and said.

"Alright, it's hard on you guys too." Richard put down the towel and opened the script to read it carefully.

The script is about a professional killer Vincent who is hired by a transnational criminal group to kill five witnesses in Los Angeles. On the way, he meets a taxi driver Max. In the end, due to Max's interference, Vincent misses the mission by accident and is killed.

The male lead is well-designed, in a suit, handsome and cold, killing cleanly, never looking back at explosions, quite in line with his taste.

It's just that there are many obvious loopholes in the script. The protagonist is a top professional killer who can't even remember the simple information of the five target characters. In the end, he has a shootout with the taxi driver and is shot by the other party. From a professional point of view, he is not worthy of the title of top professional killer at all.

This is probably the film crew's requirement, in order to please the audience, deliberately designed the plot, let the bad guys die, let the kind taxi driver save the beauty and win the beauty.

"I think the role of the taxi driver is good, there are many scenes, and it's more in-depth." Richard touched his chin and said.

Anthony scratched his face, "Richard, the driver's character is kind and cowardly, he doesn't even dare to confess to a woman, do you think you're suitable? You're a boxing champion, the audience will think you're an agent on a mission when they see you driving a taxi, and you happen to pick up a professional killer. Well, it seems more dramatic, but this is not the design of 'Collateral'."

"The killer is not bad either, but with so many talented actors competing, do I have a chance?" Richard asked, flipping through the script.

"Opportunities are earned. As long as you're willing to take it, I'll do my best to fight for it. Of course, you also need to work hard. This is not a commercial film, the director pays more attention to acting skills and suitability for the role when casting."

"I know, but..." Richard shook his head and sighed, "I have three movies next year, all of which are big productions. If I take on this one, I'll have to work all year round next year. Don't you think it's cruel?"

"Cruel?" Anthony chuckled, "For an actor, not getting a role is the cruelest thing, okay?"

"That makes sense, then I'll give it a try."

"Okay, I'll go talk to the film crew and see what their requirements are. I'll contact you as soon as I have any news."

"Okay!" Richard nodded.

Anthony left, and Richard took the script upstairs.

"What did Anthony want with you?" Gisele leaned against the headboard and flipped through a magazine, a blanket covering her chest, her chestnut hair draped over her smooth shoulders.

"He's here to arrange work for me again. He thinks I'm too free these days and insists on finding something for me to do. Sigh, I used to say two movies a year, but he got me four, plus the company's four movie projects, three movie promotions, three boxing matches, oh well, let me work myself to death." Richard buried his face in Gisele's arms.

Gisele laughed and combed his hair, saying, "It's good to be busy, so you don't run around."

"Where else can I run to? Aren't I always in your arms? Anthony came at the wrong time just now, let's continue." Richard reached into the blanket and said.

"Stop it, it's not even dark yet, and you're already making a fuss. Do you want me to stay in bed all the time?" Gisele pinched his nose and said.

"Alright, I'll let you off for now." Richard took the script and leaned against the headboard too. "Your work is done too, just stay here for the second half of the year. I'll be in Los Angeles for the next few months, with 'The Lord of the Rings 2' release promotion and the Christmas boxing match, it's quite troublesome to run back and forth."

"The manor over there will be empty then?"

"What's there to be afraid of? With the housekeeper and servants there, the manor won't grow legs and run away, will it?"

"Alright, Angela and the others said they want to have a party at the manor, is that okay?" Gisele leaned against him and asked.

"You still need to ask me about such a small matter? 115 Manor is your home, you're the owner, you make the decisions about the house, don't ask me about such trivial matters in the future." Richard patted her butt.

"Am I the owner? I don't feel like it." Gisele stroked her hair and hummed softly.

Richard laughed, put down the script, and kissed her. "Wait a minute!"

"What?"

"Wait!"

Richard got out of bed, went to the study next door, opened the safe, took a red rose from the vase, and returned to the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Gisele smiled, looking at the flower.

Richard smiled slightly, walked to the bedside, knelt down on one knee, and took out a delicate small box. A dazzling platinum diamond ring appeared before her eyes, a Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring with a 15-carat diamond, exquisite and elegant.

"Oh~" Gisele covered her mouth.

"Gisele, we've been together for six years, from a chance encounter on the street to friends, from friends to lovers, and now, you've become the most important person in my life, a family member I can't lose. I wanted to propose to you on a more romantic occasion, but at that moment just now, I couldn't wait to have you sooner. I love you, Gisele, will you marry me?" Richard said affectionately, holding the red rose and the ring.

"Are you serious?" Gisele blinked her long eyelashes, tears streaming down her face.

"Of course, my dear, I'm very serious. Was it too sudden? Maybe I should find a better place next time?" Richard asked, touching the tears on her cheek.

Gisele gave him a look, "You know it was sudden. We're like this, without even any clothes on, do you think it's appropriate?"

"Then I'll put it away first. I was originally going to propose on Christmas Day, but I couldn't help myself and failed. I'm so embarrassed."

"Pfft, what nonsense are you talking about?!" Gisele glared at him, amused and annoyed, biting her lower lip and extending her finger.

"Darling, you said yes, this is wonderful." Richard carefully put the ring on her ring finger. He had secretly measured Gisele's finger before ordering it, and it fit perfectly.

"The ceremony is complete, the groom can kiss his bride now." Richard wrapped his arms around Gisele's waist, kissed her passionately, and fell onto the bed.

---

In the evening, the two were leaning on the sofa in their pajamas. The yard was full of blooming roses, the lampposts and fairy lights were lit up, and melodious piano music surrounded the yard. The air suddenly became romantic.

"Darling, when did you order the ring?" Gisele leaned in his arms, her eyes fixated on the diamond ring on her finger, unable to look away.

"I went to order it after returning from Brazil. I wanted to find a more romantic place to propose, but I couldn't find a satisfactory one after looking around. Just now, seeing your aggrieved look, I couldn't bear it and took out the ring early."

"Who's aggrieved? I'm not aggrieved at all." Gisele bumped her forehead against his.

"No? Then it's my fault. Should I propose again at Christmas?"

"Hmph, whatever!" Gisele laughed.

"Then it's settled. I'll propose again on Christmas Day in a grand way. Today's proposal is just a rehearsal. In the future, when we're on a show or talking to the kids, you can't say that I proposed too casually, like proposing before getting out of bed and washing my face, or with only one rose. That would be too embarrassing for me."

"Hahaha, you know it's embarrassing, huh? Hmph, I'll tell everyone in the future, not just the media, but also our kids, so the whole world knows what kind of person you are." Gisele pursed her lips and said.

"Go ahead, say whatever you want, but only if we have kids." Richard touched her belly and said.

Gisele blinked, "Can we not use contraception in the future?"

"Are you sure? You still have such a big career, you haven't become a fashion queen yet, are you sure you want to have children and affect your work?" Richard held her and asked.

"You're annoying!" Gisele bit his chin. "I never said I wanted to be a career woman, nor did I say that work is important. I've been waiting for you to propose. If you don't propose, I don't feel secure. Without a sense of security, I can only work hard to make myself better, so as not to be too far away from you. If you had proposed earlier, we would have had children already. Compared to children and you, what does work matter?"

"Darling, I'm sorry, it's my fault." Richard wiped away her tears and kissed her again.

Boom, boom, boom~ Suddenly, fireworks lit up at the foot of the mountain in front of them. Huge meteor shower fireworks instantly illuminated the sky, along with many small red heart fireworks and rose fireworks, blooming one by one, creating a breathtaking scene.

"So beautiful!" Gisele exclaimed.

Richard put his arm around her shoulders, leaned back on the lounge chair, and quietly watched the fireworks shoot up from the mountain one by one.

Boom, boom, boom~ The sky in front of the mountain was filled with light.

Bang~ The fireworks lasted for ten minutes. The last giant firework shot up into the sky and turned into a huge heart shape, slowly blooming in the air. In the center, a line of words appeared: "Marry me, Gisele Gisele."

"Wow~, did you do this?" Gisele covered her mouth and asked in a daze.

"Of course, do you think someone would be so kind as to set off fireworks for us? I ordered the fireworks a long time ago, originally planning to set them off at Christmas. Since the proposal was moved up, it's the same to set them off now."

"The same? It's not the same! So many fireworks, only the two of us are watching, and there's not even a recording?" Gisele punched him a few times in frustration.

"What's the rush? Didn't I say there's another proposal at Christmas? Next time we'll find many people to come together and set off fireworks again. It's not that expensive." Richard grabbed her hand and said.

"Hmph, all you know is money, you're such a jerk."

"Okay, I'm a jerk, and you're the jerk's wife."

"Jerk, jerk!"

"Haha, how about we have a bunch of little jerks?"

"No, I want to dance!"

"Okay!" Richard changed the music and danced with her in the flowers.

(End of Chapter)