Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Oscar (1)

On March 30th, outside the Los Angeles Music Center, the crowd was teeming. The lengthy red carpet had already been laid out, and the huge Oscar statuettes meant for decoration were also erected. Reporters from various media outlets across different regions had long been waiting here, surrounding the area layers deep, all in the hope of capturing a photo with high news value. For this reason, disputes among them were constant.

“Hey, kid, this is my spot! You should go over there!”

“Sorry, there’s no sign here saying it’s your spot. So, it’s actually you who should go over there!”

“Are you new here? Do you even know where you are? Do you know the rules here?!”

“I don’t care about any rules. All I know is that I’m at the Oscar scene, and I’m here to scoop the news.”

Situations like this, with people quarreling over a good position, were common, but there was no need to worry about them coming to blows–after all, this was the Oscar scene. Even if they did lose their heads, those around would step in to calm things down right away.

Beyond these people, in the outer perimeter, there were countless movie fans. Holding cameras and waving signs and banners supporting their favorite film stars, they hoped to snap a photo or even exchange a word–of course, the latter was nearly impossible, given the distance from the red carpet. But the fans were still happy and undeterred, their relentless devotion a testament to the grand spectacle of the teeming scene and the fame of the Oscar event.

The car jolted slightly and stopped at the entrance. Dennis, lost in thought, instantly came back to reality, straightened his suit, and stepped onto the Oscar red carpet when the attendant opened the door for him.

The flashbulbs clicked and flashed incessantly from the moment the car door opened. Although Dennis had grown accustomed to being photographed by the press, the intensity of the flashes was still something he had never experienced before.

A feeling of unreality suddenly rose within him. Was this the Oscar scene? Was this the spotlight of the Oscar event that everyone looked forward to? Dennis took a deep breath. Who could have known that just two years ago, he was an obscure waiter at a cafe, and now, he had become a fairly famous actor in Hollywood and was stepping onto the Oscar red carpet–even without any nominations.

All of this felt like a dream. Dennis could still remember the excitement when he first arrived in Hollywood, full of dreams and expectations, as if by just being here, he would instantly become a star. But reality had harshly dashed his hopes, pouring cold water over his head. Without connections, without a pedigree, and not coming from an official academy, he could only run around taking background roles as an extra, earning meager wages to sustain himself and keep going. He didn’t know what else he could do.

Though four years wasn’t a particularly long or short time, it was enough for Dennis to experience the warmth and chill of human relations. Indeed, opportunities had come his way. Once, during an audition for a supporting role in a moderately budgeted film, a male assistant director had hinted at him privately, “There’s a party with the crew tonight, maybe you’d like to come.”

Dennis, who had come to understand this place, knew full well what that meant. For a few seconds, he truly wanted to grit his teeth and accept the offer. It was just a party–no big deal. But after hesitating for a long while, he ultimately chose to refuse and then ended up working at the cafe, living day by day. Without a miracle, his life might have quietly passed by, unnoticed by all, like a stone thrown into a pond, barely causing a ripple.

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However, it seemed God hadn’t given up on Dennis. It was as if by divine intervention that he asked Adrian, who was drawing a storyboard, and then by some fluke accepted his invitation. And with that, his fate transformed completely! He became famous, he received a salary he could hardly dream of before, he owned a villa and had an agent who could really help him. He could boldly pursue the girl he had always wanted, and now, he was stepping onto the Oscar red carpet again!

Even today, when Dennis woke up in the morning, he still occasionally felt a sense of unreality, almost afraid that a beautiful dream would suddenly end. Fortunately, that had never happened, and he remained the highly-anticipated newcomer actor.

Dennis knew why he had everything now, although he didn’t understand why Adrian had chosen him in the first place, and why he had invested so much in nurturing him–Adrian was certainly not gay, Dennis was clear on this point–but that didn’t stop him from seizing this opportunity that was entirely his own.

But what worried Dennis was that to maintain this long-term, there had to be a basic equality between what both sides put in and got out, and right now, he obviously couldn’t give Adrian anything more. Fortunately, there was something Adrian definitely needed, and Dennis could give it–loyalty!

“Hey, Dan!” A voice suddenly entered his ears. Dennis, snapped back to reality, looked over to see a guy with glasses waving at him from among a bunch of reporters outside the fence.

“How’re you doing, Randy?” Dennis smiled, waved back, and walked over.

He knew the man, a reporter from a medium-sized newspaper company, who had interviewed him before, and they had a fairly good relationship.

“How does it feel to walk the red carpet for the first time?” Randy asked as Dennis approached, immediately handing him a small recording device; after all, he was a reporter first and foremost.

“You just said it’s my first time, what kind of feelings do you think I’d have?” Dennis shrugged, the gesture adding an amusing note and prompting laughter from the surrounding reporters.

“Alright, alright, then do you think ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ can win Best Picture?” Randy followed up with the question.

“If you’re expecting me to give an analysis of the merits and demerits of the movies nominated for Best Picture, or to praise other films, then you’re sorely mistaken,” Dennis shook his head, “I believe ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ can win Best Picture. I love this film, I love the belief it conveys about the relentless pursuit of freedom with hope in one’s heart. Isn’t that what our country stands for?”

“You seem very confident. So, do you think Adrian will win Best Director?” a reporter beside Randy suddenly asked.

Dennis glanced at him, but still answered: “From my personal perspective, I hope Ed will win. After all, he has already done quite a few surprising things, maybe the judges will consider giving him another surprise.”

Always with a smile on his face, composed and confident, giving apt responses–these were all things Adrian had taught him, and he had been mimicking them. The effect seemed quite good.

“So how many awards do you think ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ can win?” Randy immediately asked another question.

“Still from my personal perspective, I think…”