Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 252: A Major Headache

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the late return. I accidentally spilled water on my pc and had to take it to the service center. I believe the best apology is more content, so I will do a mass release on Sunday. The number of Chapters depends on how many I will write till that day, after all, I haven't replenished my stock.

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Renly knew Nathan didn't believe him. In fact, before experiencing it himself, Renly hadn't known that being an actor could be so expensive. The more glamorous the life, the higher the expenses to maintain it. Nathan seemed to be new to the industry, so it was understandable that he was unaware of the actual situation.

However, Renly had no intention of explaining. He wasn't in the habit of showing his bank account to strangers.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer. After a long flight, you must be very tired, and you need to adjust to the time difference," Nathan quickly said. Clearly, he didn't know that Renly had slept the entire way, so jet lag wasn't an issue.

Just before leaving, Nathan remembered something. He opened his backpack and took out a pile of items, placing them on the coffee table. "By the way, this is the script for 'Fast & Furious 5.' You'll be playing Hobbs. You can look at it after 'Crazy in Love' wraps up."

Nathan didn't really know Renly's personal habits—what if Renly just wanted to sleep now? What if Renly didn't read the script before filming? What if Renly refused to get distracted before 'Crazy in Love' was finished? So, his words were a bit hesitant, pausing for a moment to ensure Renly wasn't angry before continuing.

"This is my phone number. You can contact me anytime you need anything. The car outside is arranged by Andy for your exclusive use, available 24/7, including weekends," Nathan said seriously, then continued.

"The hot water and gas are connected, and the internet is up and running. The username and password are on the desk in the bedroom. I'll go to the supermarket later to buy some basic necessities. Don't worry, I'll be quiet and won't disturb your rest. Do you need anything special? Food? Drinks? Anything else? Or any avoidances, like allergies?"

Nathan considered every detail. But Renly was always indifferent to these matters. In London, there was someone to take care of the shopping, and in New York, his roommate handled it. So, Renly smiled and shook his head.

Nathan, slightly relieved, rubbed his hands nervously, walked towards the door, but then stopped, looking hesitant. After hesitating twice, he looked up at Renly and saw a faint smile in Renly's eyes, making him scratch his head awkwardly.

Gritting his teeth, Nathan opened his backpack again, took out a beautifully packaged flat rectangular box wrapped in dark blue striped paper, and said, "Uh, this is a small gift I prepared. I hope you like it."

Renly reached out to take it, but Nathan carefully placed it on the coffee table instead, as if worried Renly might refuse, making Renly chuckle.

After putting down the gift, Nathan quickly walked towards the door, but Renly's voice came from behind, "Mate." Nathan stopped but didn't dare turn around, standing stiffly. "Your lunch is still on the bar. I think the fries might be soggy. Do you need to heat them up in the microwave?"

Nathan exhaled in relief. Thankfully, it wasn't a scolding. He quickly turned around, ran to the bar, grabbed his "In-N-Out" burger bag, flashed an apologetic smile at Renly, then hurried out. Just before closing the door, he remembered something important.

"Oh, by the way, Andy said I'll be your personal assistant for the foreseeable future. So..." Nathan shrugged awkwardly, not knowing what to say, finally adding, "I'll do my best." Then he quickly left.

Assistant. Andy had mentioned it twice before, so Renly wasn't surprised, just a bit taken aback that the assistant was Nathan. Was this fate?

Bending down, he picked up the gift and unwrapped it to find a book, Haruki Murakami's "1Q84," released last year.

They had only met once and hadn't talked much, which made choosing a gift more challenging. Nathan not only chose a book but carefully picked the author, style, and subject matter. At least "1Q84" was very different from "Harry Potter," showing that Nathan had put a lot of thought into the gift.

It was a pleasant surprise. He had just finished the Mo Yan book in his backpack, so this book would be perfect for his next airport wait.

Renly smiled, walked to the master bedroom, placed the book on the desk, and looked at the suitcase beside it. He had no desire to unpack. Thinking for a moment, Renly decided to take a shower. Although he wasn't jet-lagged, he could wash away the fatigue of the journey and test the bed here. The bed was important.

Nathan, now outside, quickly got into the car and finally calmed his racing heart.

In the past year, he had changed jobs four times, with the longest lasting six months and the shortest only two weeks. His nervousness always affected his work, creating a vicious cycle of worsening anxiety. But just now, his second meeting with Renly, and his first task as an assistant, had gone somewhat smoothly, and the result was positive. This gave him some relief. Renly had called him "mate," the British term, instead of the American "bro" or "buddy," which felt more intimate, bringing a smile to Nathan's face.

It was a good start, wasn't it? Maybe this job would be different.

Returning from London to Los Angeles, the filming of "Crazy in Love" was nearing its end. But the final phase was the hardest, not because of the actors' performances fluctuating but because both had experienced the long lives of Jacob and Anna, leaving them exhausted.

Everything felt so real, as if it were their own lives, slowly leading to a point of utter exhaustion: outwardly normal, but inwardly desolate, without the strength even for anger or arguments.

This affected the entire crew's mood, making the atmosphere heavy and stifling. When Drake announced the wrap, no one felt like celebrating. Bryan's attempts to lighten the mood fell flat, the stillness like dead water pressing on everyone's chest.

Later, Drake reportedly fell seriously ill during post-production, with a high fever landing him in the emergency room for two days. His condition lingered for over a month before improving, leaving him noticeably thinner and more haggard.

Even Renly felt the same.

After wrapping, he felt empty, his mind unclear, floating without a solid point, the persistent anxiety and restlessness weighing on him, making him feel perpetually tired as if on the brink of illness.

But this feeling was hard to describe and impossible to share. His heart felt dead, without even the strength to cry for help.

If he could, Renly would escape the city's clamor, seeking the vastness of the ocean, the heights of the mountains, and the endless sky, like after wrapping "Buried." But now he had no time to rest, needing to start filming "Fast & Furious 5" immediately.

So, Renly chose to run.

He ran through the streets of Los Angeles, discarding all his chaotic thoughts, focusing entirely on his steps, exploring the vibrant and lonely corners of this unfamiliar city.

Running until he was utterly exhausted, then taking a scalding hot shower to wash away the fatigue, he would fall into a deep sleep, his mind completely blank.

This intense exercise regime helped Renly avoid a severe emotional crash. As for "Fast & Furious 5," he didn't have time to think about it yet. He needed to adjust quickly. Fortunately, this project was more physically than mentally challenging, which was good news.

Meanwhile, Hollywood was buzzing with activity.

Gavin Hunter of "US Weekly" got an inside scoop from Universal Pictures: "Fast & Furious 5" was resuming production, and the previous disputes had been settled with a final decision:

Dwayne Johnson was out! Renly Hall was in, joining the cast as a major character!

Gavin was thrilled. Although he had seen Renly's potential in Toronto and the recent buzz had been loud, the confirmed news was still significant. This was sure to catch Hollywood's attention!

In just two months, Renly was in the spotlight for the fourth time, now linked not to an indie film but to a major blockbuster with a nine-figure budget. Suddenly, all eyes were on him!