Chapter 12: A Deeper Connection

"Martin, here you go. You wouldn't refuse me, would you?" Jessica said, giving her waist a little twist, her cute belly button flashing in front of Martin's eyes.

"Of course not—it'd be cruel to turn down such a lovely girl, especially for something as simple as a signature." With that, Martin headed toward his trailer. "Come in. I left my pen inside."

Jessica's heart leapt with excitement, though she maintained a shy, demure expression, giving Martin a small, bashful nod as she followed him inside.

Martin's private rating for Jessica's acting in this moment: passable!

Once inside, Martin poured Jessica a glass of juice and went to fetch his pen.

Jessica looked around, her face lighting up with curiosity as she took in the luxurious trailer.

"It has a fridge, a TV—so fancy! And wow, there's a shower in here! Where does the water come from? So convenient. And that bed looks huge—it must be so comfy… I want one of these someday."

Jessica quietly set a small goal for herself.

After a moment, Martin returned with a pen. As he took the book Jessica handed him, a faint fragrance floated over.

"What's that? Her shampoo smells pretty good!"

He sniffed subtly, then opened the book to the title page and wrote: "To the beautiful Jessica, future star of the screen—Martin."

"How's that?" he asked, handing the book back.

"It's perfect! I love it!"

In her excitement, Jessica gave a little hop and then, taking the chance, planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Then, as if realizing what she'd done, she widened her eyes and covered her mouth. "Oh no, Martin, I—I got carried away. I'm so sorry."

Martin found the situation amusing but responded smoothly, "No worries—it was a lovely kiss."

Jessica's cheeks flushed a deep red, though she wasn't eager to leave just yet. "Martin, your acting is incredible. Do you think we could chat about it sometime, if I need advice?"

"Of course."

"Would it be alright if we exchanged numbers?"

"Sure, no problem!"

Thrilled to have reached her goal, Jessica began chatting with Martin.

The more she talked, the more Jessica realized just how much Martin knew. He could speak with ease about everything from Heraclitus to Pythagoras, Socrates to Plato, Hegel to Schopenhauer, Shakespeare to Tagore. He even knew Chinese philosophers like Confucius, Mencius, and Laozi, explaining their ideas with clarity.

[TL/N: After reading this conversation please go and check something at the end of the chapters.]

"Jessica, did you know there's a sculpture of a Asian philosopher on the U.S. Supreme Court frieze? The lineup from left to right includes Confucius, Moses, and Solon." [1]

"Really? The Supreme Court has a Asian philosopher on it? I had no idea!"

"It's true. It symbolizes the influence of Eastern laws and moral teachings. Confucius, Moses, and Solon represent three of the world's greatest civilizations, their statues forming a symbolic triangle in the center."

"Confucian philosophy profoundly influenced America's early intellectual development."

"In America's early days, during the foundation of modern democracy and science, people regarded Confucius as a secular saint of the Enlightenment."

"The Founding Fathers—Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and John Adams—were all interested in and praised Confucian thought."

"They saw Confucius's ideas as providing a comprehensive system for government and society, with an emphasis on personal commitment to virtues like family loyalty, frugality, and hard work—principles they thought could help address social issues."

"One of Confucius's sayings was even considered a 'Golden Rule': 'Do not inflict upon others that which you would not want for yourself.'"

"Wow, Martin, you really know so much!"

Jessica was captivated by Martin's knowledge, thoroughly impressed—a reaction not just based on charm but on the intellectual depth he displayed.

There's a saying that everyone knows: attractive faces are common, but interesting souls are rare.

What makes someone "interesting"? An interesting soul is someone with a much richer base of knowledge and experience than your own, who's willing to lower themselves to listen to your small talk and share new perspectives that expand your worldview.

Think of it this way: when you say something, this person can respond in a thousand different ways.

If they agree with you sincerely, responding with understanding, they're empathetic.

If they deconstruct and expand on your words with humor, you find them witty and fun.

Or, if they clearly lay out new concepts you didn't understand before, explaining them in a way that's easy to grasp and fascinating, then you find them wise and knowledgeable.

These are qualities that make a soul interesting.

Pretty faces are everywhere; they're either born beautiful or crafted to be. But a mind that's deep and cultivated? That takes years of study, learning, and growth. Only knowledge can give the soul that distinct sparkle.

And right now, Jessica felt that Martin had a fascinating, wise soul. She found herself wanting to learn more about him, to understand him better.

And that curiosity took root in her mind, growing stronger, becoming an unshakable presence.

Soon, ten minutes had flown by.

The next scene was ready, and a slightly dazed Jessica bid farewell to Martin, only to be pulled aside by her agent, Holton.

"Well? How'd it go?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, how did it go between you two?"

"Oh, right—it went well! We had a great chat, but…"

Jessica hesitated.

"But what?"

Holton's face, which had been lit with excitement, grew tense.

"Well, Martin's just so… smart. I felt like a total dork next to him."

"Hey now, don't sell yourself short. You've got your own unique charm; otherwise, I wouldn't have signed you. You need more confidence. Think about it—if Martin was willing to chat with you for that long, he obviously doesn't dislike you."

"Really?"

"Really. I wouldn't lie to you. By the way, did you get his contact info?"

Jessica giggled. "Yep, I got it!"

"Perfect! That's a good sign. Keep his contact info safe—you'll need it down the line."

"Can I call him when I have free time?" Jessica asked a little nervously.

Holton considered this for a moment. "You can, but don't overdo it at first. Find topics that interest him, keep it natural. And if you can get close to him here on set, become friends, then it'll feel more natural to call him whenever you want."

"Got it! I'll work on it," Jessica said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

•———•———•

Footnote [1]:

It's true that Confucian philosophy had some influence on early American thought, but the extent of that influence is often overstated.

• "Confucian philosophy profoundly influenced America's early intellectual development." While not exactly profound, there was definite interest in Confucian ideas. Thinkers like Jefferson and Franklin were curious about Chinese culture and governance. However, it wasn't a primary force shaping the nation's founding.

• "In America's early days...people regarded Confucius as a secular saint of the Enlightenment." This is a bit of an exaggeration. While some admired Confucius, he wasn't elevated to sainthood. Enlightenment thinkers were drawn to his emphasis on reason and morality, but they also had critiques of his ideas on hierarchy and tradition.

• "The Founding Fathers...were all interested in and praised Confucian thought." Some Founding Fathers, particularly Jefferson, expressed interest in Confucianism. They saw parallels between Confucian emphasis on virtue and their own republican ideals. However, it's inaccurate to say they all praised it extensively.

• "They saw Confucius's ideas as providing a comprehensive system for government and society..." This is partially true. The Founding Fathers were intrigued by Confucian ideas on social order and moral leadership. But they ultimately drew more heavily from European Enlightenment thinkers like Locke and Montesquieu when designing the American system.

• "One of Confucius's sayings was even considered a 'Golden Rule'..." This is accurate. The principle of reciprocity ("Do not do unto others...") is a core tenet in Confucianism and resonates with similar ideas in many cultures, including Christianity.

In summary:

The author is spouting nonsense and exaggerations, which is typical for a Chinese author with a brain filled with nationalism.