Actor in Hollywood

The jingling sound of bells rang out as an ice cream truck appeared, with a clown inside calling out for customers. Childhood memories surged up instantly for everyone around.

Benjamin walked confidently beside the truck, full of spirit, his eyes brimming with laughter. He exchanged a glance with Anson.

Anson gave him a smile, confirming with his eyes:

The timing was perfect.

A hint of a smile flickered in Benjamin's eyes, and he joyfully skipped along, his steps becoming even more lighthearted.

Throughout the entire scene, Benjamin's attention was fixed on Anson, completely oblivious to the expression on Brian's face.

Behind them, a coffee truck also slowly entered the set, parking gently in the schoolyard. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and powdered sugar. Even without getting too close, everyone could already feel their mouths watering, as if the mood had instantly lifted, becoming as fluffy as cotton candy.

In a flash, Brian understood what was happening. He looked at Anson with a smile in his eyes—

Just moments ago, the atmosphere on set had been tense, with no one willing to step in and diffuse the situation for Brian. His position was a bit awkward, stuck in limbo, unable to move forward or back. With the film needing to continue shooting, the director's authority was at risk. Anson's timely arrival cleverly resolved Brian's crisis.

And now, there was afternoon tea to boot.

Perfect!

Brian looked at Anson and said, "Your visit was already a surprise, but I didn't expect there'd be an extra surprise too."

Though Brian didn't say it outright, his words were layered with meaning. Essentially, he was claiming credit for Anson's visit, implying that Anson had come specifically to visit him on set.

With this one sentence, Brian not only took credit for the afternoon tea but also subtly suggested that he and Anson were close friends—two birds with one stone.

No wonder he was such a social expert.

Anson wasn't surprised at all. It was now clear why Brian, despite not having any noteworthy films, with all his work receiving mediocre box office, critical reception, and awards, could still remain active in Hollywood, with one project after another. Someone like this was leagues ahead of McGee and Eric.

So, would Anson expose Brian's ruse?

Of course not.

Anson had come to visit the set as a favor to Chris and Scarlett; there was no need, nor would it be wise, to offend the director.

Moreover, in a place like Hollywood, real power plays didn't need to be spoken aloud. The words that could be openly said had no real value. A smart person would observe the things that were left unsaid, the things hidden beneath the surface.

Who Anson was really doing a favor for by visiting the set wasn't something that could be twisted by mere words.

Under Brian's gaze, Anson placed his right hand on his left shoulder and gave a slight bow in response. He said nothing.

This small gesture was enough. Brian was pleased, and so were the surrounding crew members. Just then, a thin ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, casting light over the set and completely lifting the atmosphere.

Anson exchanged a few more pleasantries with Brian. Despite it being their first meeting, they hit it off quite well.

Brian, being a smart man, knew when to stop. He found an excuse, gave the crew a 30-minute break to enjoy the afternoon tea, and then turned to head back to his trailer.

As soon as the "tyrant" left, the heavy stone that had been pressing on everyone's chests was lifted, and the crew finally felt a genuine sense of relief. Their faces relaxed.

Anson didn't hurry to leave. Instead, he walked over to the staircase where the extras, still visibly nervous and shaken, were gathered. Though no one said a word, their tension and fear were palpable—

In Hollywood, actors had little voice, and extras were even less than ants. A single word from the director could decide their fate, potentially costing them a job.

In his previous life, Anson had worked on various odd jobs in film crews, frequently interacting with extras.

"Tough day?"

The extras hadn't expected Anson to approach, and they stirred in surprise. When they looked up, they saw a relaxed smile on Anson's face.

When Chris Evans finally arrived at the set, panting heavily, this was the scene he saw—

Laughter.

Anson was standing with the extras, holding donuts or ice cream, with coffee at their feet, as if they were having a tea party, all laughing together.

The atmosphere was so light and happy that even some of the crew members had quietly snuck over, blending in without a sound.

The sight made Chris feel a pang of longing.

Taking a quick glance around, Chris noticed that all the crew members scattered around the set were visibly more relaxed. The shooting atmosphere was completely different from before.

But Chris wasn't surprised at all. That was just the effect Anson had—wherever he went, the mood lightened.

"Hey, buddy, you actually came!"

From a distance, Chris called out, sprinting over with open arms and giving Anson a big, hearty hug.

Anson made a pretend choking motion, signaling to the others nearby for help with exaggerated eye movements, "Help. Help."

Everyone around burst into laughter.

But Chris didn't care. He let go and saw Anson dramatically gasping for breath, then gave him two heavy pats on the shoulder, "Why did you really come? What about work? Are you sure it's okay? Last time we talked, you said you were heading into production this week."

"Ah, we're filming in Vancouver too, so I thought I'd drop by since it's on the way," Anson replied simply.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the crew members around them subtly straining to listen—

Not long ago, after Anson had filmed "The Elephant," the entertainment media had been abuzz, debating heatedly about Anson's choices, with some seemingly critical of his decisions.

Now, just like that, Anson was about to start a new project?

Yet Hollywood hadn't caught wind of it!

So, what was this new project? A blockbuster or an indie film?

Chris, being straightforward, might have blurted it out without thinking, but Anson didn't mind. He also didn't plan to elaborate.

He shifted the conversation, "How's the shoot going? I thought you guys were close to wrapping up."

In fact, Anson could tell that the filming of "The Perfect Score" wasn't going smoothly. Otherwise, Brian wouldn't have blown up at the extras over a simple transition scene. The outburst was just a pretext; the real target of his anger was probably someone else.

Also, with no lead actors in sight, it was reasonable to suspect that Brian's frustration was directed at the main cast.

But Chris's expression was even more troubled, "We're trying our best."

His face clouded over.

Anson had known Chris long enough to understand immediately. He gave a slight nod and didn't press further. He simply patted Chris on the shoulder, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your co-stars?"

It was clear to anyone paying attention that unlike the earlier interaction with Brian, Anson and Chris were truly friends. Anson had come to visit the set, bringing gifts specifically to do Chris a favor, so it was Anson who took the initiative to ask to meet the other actors.

The difference in their relationships was obvious.

But Chris didn't overthink it. With his usual enthusiasm, he grabbed Anson and led him away, talking animatedly, "You know, when I first heard that Anson was visiting the set, my first thought was that it was a prank. I was ready to bust in and call them out, and I ended up leaving everyone else behind…"

All the while, Anson listened attentively, his face serious.

Meanwhile, the onlookers in the crew, seeing this, quietly shifted their perception of Chris.