From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

"But friends are friends, and work is work, right?" Anson said.

Always calm, always frank, always composed.

Kristen shook her head repeatedly, her knees weakening, her whole body limp, "No, I still can't do it. It makes me feel like we're lifeless robots."

"But we're not, right?"

"Anson, why aren't you angry? Are you some kind of Virgin Mary?"

Anson chuckled directly, "Haha, let me state, I'm not. But..." He let out a long breath, "Maybe it's because I didn't harbor any hope."

"Only with expectation comes disappointment, and with disappointment comes despair, but without it, you won't get hurt."

A little bitterness, a little sigh.

Anson thought that after experiencing his previous life and so many things, he should now be as tough as steel and not be easily hurt, but obviously, he still couldn't control it.

Kristen also felt a bitter taste on the tip of her tongue, "If it were you, what would you do?"

Anson had already composed himself and looked at Kristen again, "An opportunity to take a role by replacing a friend, oh, an opportunity to become a villain, how could I miss it?"

Kristen looked helpless, "Anson, I'm serious."

Anson, "I'm serious too. I will fight for it, with all my strength."

Kristen couldn't believe her ears.

Anson, "But, I will tell my friend. I got this opportunity, and I don't want to miss it. I know how important this opportunity is to him, but it's just as important to me. I'm also eager to build an acting career. So, since the producer gave me an opportunity, I won't turn it down for my friend. I'm not that great or that kind."

"Next, we will compete fairly, and hopefully, the one who performs better will get the role and skyrocket, starting an acting career."

Kristen was dumbfounded. Obviously, she had never thought of such a choice.

Anson shrugged lightly, "Then, you will be condemned by your friend as a white lotus, self-righteous, speaking such shameless words in a dignified manner."

"Some things don't become grand just because they are said. Putting personal interests before friendship is a fact, and the result is still packaging yourself with beautiful words. You really take all the advantages."

"Extremely immoral."

Kristen couldn't help but chuckle.

Back then, when Anson and James competed for the role of "Spider-Man," they also spoke frankly and competed openly, even joining the crew together as partners; but such situations are ultimately rare, just ideal situations.

There was no way around it, Hollywood was a circle filled with bones. Behind every person's glamorous success, there were countless corpses and blood. In the face of interests, whether it was a conspiracy or a scheme, whether it was open competition or stabbing in the back, the injury to personal feelings was still inevitable.

The contradiction was still there, unresolved.

But Kristen understood a little better. She could righteously refuse similar opportunities, but she couldn't condemn Jack for trying to seize such an opportunity.

Anson, "No."

The answer was straightforward, and Kristen was very surprised.

Anson, "You can also be like Keanu Reeves. Despite having the opportunity to become a superstar, he always sticks to himself, even staying away from the spotlight of Hollywood, living his own way, not caring about money, fame, or glory. He has always been losing and always parting, so he has learned to stick to himself."

"The point is that we all need to be responsible for our choices and bear the consequences."

"We can climb to the top of the pyramid unscrupulously, then we should have the courage to face the consequences of being abandoned by everyone; we can also choose to stick to our original intentions, learn to accept what we have and enjoy what we have."

"Hey, dear Kristen, everything in the world has a price. We get some, we must give some. And the confusion of reality often lies in the fact that we are too greedy, wanting this and wanting that, wanting both career and friendship, wanting both success and fame, so we are trapped in our desires. Unable to extricate ourselves."

Little by little, the smile on Kristen's lips slowly rose—

Her mood brightened.

Even Kristen herself couldn't believe that she was actually happy.

Because it was only at this time that Kristen realized that those "assumptions" just now were just Anson's jokes, "So, you won't fight for such an opportunity, right?"

Anson, "I just said that I would. The role of Peter Parker was obtained after my competition with James."

Kristen shook her head, "It's not the same. That was an open competition role, where everyone competed fairly; but this is taking away a friend's role, especially when the friend is still injured."

Sure enough, Kristen was a smart girl. Although she had always been used as a vase, she was always thinking about her career.

Anson didn't deny it anymore, "There are so many roles, countless; but friends are really rare in Hollywood."

Kristen, "Real friends."

There are countless so-called friends in Hollywood. Meeting once can also become friends, and you don't even need to be drinking buddies to claim "I know so-and-so."

There is also a difference between friends and friends.

Anson laughed directly, "Okay, real friends."

Now, Kristen finally sorted out her thoughts, and her mood gradually brightened, "I know that many people praise your handsome appearance, but has anyone ever praised you for being smarter than you look?"

Anson thought seriously, "So, are you planning to confess? Sorry, Kristen, although I'm very honored, you're not my type."

Kristen didn't answer, just made a gesture: the middle finger of her right hand stood up.

Kristen thought seriously, said "Oh," and then stood up the middle finger of her left hand.

And, showed a bright smile.

"Haha, hahaha." Anson couldn't control it anymore and burst out laughing.

Lucas had been waiting outside, not eavesdropping, but he could vaguely guess that it should have something to do with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Maybe tomorrow, at most the day after tomorrow, the news that Sony Columbia is looking for Anson's replacement should come out—

There is no need for revelations at all, because Sony Columbia is racing against time, and their every move is under the surveillance of the media and paparazzi; plus, they are in contact with different brokerage companies and different actors, and there are many people talking, so the news has already leaked out.

It hasn't been made public yet, just because the media is still collecting information to see which actors are on Sony Columbia's successor list.

Eve was also slightly surprised to hear Jake Gyllenhaal's name. She thought it was Kristen who recommended him to the crew, so she told Lucas to remind Anson to be careful, as the taste of being stabbed in the back by a friend is the worst.

Lucas had also been thinking about how to tell Anson, but he never knew how to start.

But now it seems that maybe Lucas doesn't need to worry for the time being.