Don't take it too seriously

Chicago, a city located in the state of Illinois, is one of the world-renowned international financial centers. It is also the third-largest city in the United States, following only New York and Los Angeles.

This city is the home of the Bulls basketball team and the headquarters of Harpo Productions, which produces The Oprah Winfrey Show.

After getting off the plane, arranged by Paramount Pictures, Lyman and his team checked into a hotel in the city center. After settling their luggage and finding their rooms, the group disbanded.

Now they could go wherever they wanted because the taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show would not take place until Wednesday afternoon, and it was only Tuesday, giving them plenty of time to explore the city. Unfortunately, none of them were familiar with the city, so they had no idea where to go for sightseeing.

In the end, George stepped forward. Having been to Chicago before, he knew some of the places worth visiting. So, the group followed George to the Navy Pier.

Although the name Navy Pier might sound unimpressive, don't let appearances deceive you. It is not just a simple pier; it also has a series of facilities such as parks, shops, bars, and museums for sightseeing and entertainment.

After walking for most of the day, they were a bit tired. Lyman leaned on the railing of the Navy Pier, feeling the gentle breeze from Lake Michigan, gazing at the distant blue sky and clear water. Everything was so beautiful, and it made him feel inexplicably relaxed.

"The view is mesmerizing. A few months ago, I couldn't have imagined that I would be here now," René walked over and said, expressing his emotions.

"Yeah, I never thought about it either," Lyman replied.

René glanced at Lyman with a strange look and asked, "So, are we successful? Are we considered successful?"

"That depends on how you define success."

"Yesterday, George said that the box office in France had already exceeded €30M. Adding up the box office results from the United States, the UK, Germany, and other places, it should be easy to reach €100M," René looked at the sky with drifting clouds and shook his head in disbelief. He continued, "We were even invited to participate in The Oprah Winfrey Show. Doesn't that prove our success? Breaking the hundred-million mark in the movie industry is truly incredible."

"What are you worried about?" Lyman noted that René's current state was unlike his usual self.

"It just feels surreal, unreal," René tried to explain. "These past few days, I haven't been able to sleep well. I constantly feel like I'm floating high up in the air, lacking a sense of grounding."

Luman turned to look at René, smiled teasingly, and said, "Could it be that this sudden wealth has dazzled your eyes? Honestly, René, it's not like you."

"I've seen money before, how is that possible," René's face turned red, and he hurriedly retorted. Being touched on a sensitive topic made him a little embarrassed. Late at night, when he thought about their movie breaking the hundred-million mark, it felt like a dream.

"Have you ever witnessed the scene of someone throwing money around in a casino? It's a moment of heaven and a moment of hell. I feel that making movies is like gambling. The future is unknown, and no one knows whether the next moment will bring heaven or hell. So, don't think too much about it. We've just luckily won once, and it's not a big deal."

"Do you remember the symbol of our studio? The butterfly breaking out of the cocoon. It's beautiful, so beautiful that it captivates everyone with its flawless grace. If such a butterfly truly existed in the real world, I think many people would admire it. If it had thoughts, it would believe itself to be unique and cherished by the whole world."

"But if it becomes obsessed with this feeling, it will lose sight of its own situation, become lost, and eventually be devoured by the spotlight."

"Occasionally, someone would remember and say, "There used to be a butterfly that danced beautifully. But where is it now?" or something like that."

"This is the cruelty of reality. There are so many beautiful things in the world, they come and go in a flash. We are like that butterfly right now, praised and soaring high, but if we don't have self-awareness, our fate won't be any better than that of the butterfly."

"René, don't get caught up in the past. The past is already gone." Watching René deep in thought, Lyman sighed quietly in his heart. He never expected that there would come a time when he would be the one comforting others.

Recalling the time when he worked as a production assistant on a TV drama, the show had aired on television and had good ratings, ranking third in its time slot. He was excited, thinking that he had gained enough experience and would soon make a breakthrough. However, the reality was that he spent three years honing his skills on set before finally getting a chance as an assistant director, with the authority to direct the camera crew.

People are often prone to losing themselves in the admiration of others, without realizing that there are always greater talents and individuals beyond them.

They were still nothing special.

The group spent most of the afternoon exploring the Navy Pier until late evening when they had a delicious dinner together before returning to the hotel to rest. Since this episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show didn't require Lyman and his team to shoot any outdoor footage, they could directly go to the studio for recording on Wednesday afternoon.

"Lyman, let's go in."

George led the group to the central reception desk on the first floor and politely said, "Lyman Lattes, here to participate in The Oprah Winfrey Show as a guest."

The receptionist did not recognize Lyman. To him, these people were just ordinary individuals among the many who came in and out of the building, nothing special. He lowered his head to check the information, then nodded. "The program recording is scheduled for 3 p.m. Here is your visitor pass. Please carry it with you. The studio for The Oprah Winfrey Show is on the 6th floor, and you can see it as soon as you step out of the elevator."

The receptionist was skilled at his job, swiftly proceeding with the process after confirming the reservation details. He reminded them, "There are studios everywhere, and many tasks are being carried out simultaneously. So please do not wander around or enter other spaces. If you have mobile phones, remember to set them to vibrate or silent mode. Thank you for your cooperation."

George nodded with a smile as a sign of acknowledgement, then took the visitor passes and led everyone towards the entrance beside them.

It was only when they stepped into the elevator that Lyman jokingly remarked, "See, no one revolves around our lives. Otherwise, those media reports wouldn't even spare us a glance. "Buried" is the best example."

Objectively speaking, Lyman was still not well-known, so it was normal for others not to pay much attention to him. He wasn't a globally acclaimed commercial director like James Cameron, nor did he possess the image of an established filmmaker like Steven Spielberg. He couldn't expect many people to care about him. He had confidence in making good films, but he didn't have an egotistical belief that the Earth revolved around him.

René opened his mouth, wanting to argue that he had already realized all of this, but in the end, he stayed silent.

"3 Idiots" had attracted a lot of attention and generated considerable discussion in recent times. Film critics praised it, but all of that was just superficial. In the real world, especially in Hollywood culture, there were countless actors, celebrities, singers, directors, and other figures with much higher popularity than them. They weren't anything special.

Even the opportunity to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show felt more like a reward. Perhaps it was precisely because they were unknowns, carrying some level of novelty, that they caught the attention of the show's producers.

That was the reality.

The elevator stopped on the 6th floor, and the group stepped out. Lyman looked at the well-arranged studio scene in front of him and couldn't help but feel curious. Honestly, he had only heard of the show but never seen the recording studio before.

What appeared before Lyman now was an open space resembling office cubicles. In the center were several wooden partitions with desks cluttered with various materials, cameras, props, and more. The chaotic visual experience gave the impression of being in a large warehouse.

Behind the open space was a huge wooden wall that extended further inward, creating a dimly lit corridor. On both sides of the corridor, there were several room doors, resembling independent offices. At the end of the corridor, it branched off into two directions, and there were two more corridors extending further; on the left side was an open space that vaguely revealed stepped seating for the audience and a large area behind it with camera supports and prop placements.

This was the recording studio for The Oprah Winfrey Show, and once you had seen it, there was nothing particularly extraordinary about it.

At this moment, many staff members were busy. Photographers and lighting technicians were diligently adjusting their equipment, while the floor director was briefing a group of audience members on the recording process and the desired reactions for the show.

Although Lyman couldn't see the entire studio scene, just this glimpse made him sense the compactness of the television industry. It was completely different from shooting a film, and it seemed quite interesting.

"Um... Are you the guest for the recording?" a man holding a folder noticed their presence and hurriedly walked over.

After giving them a once-over, confirming their identities, he said, "Oh, you must be Lyman Lattes. Follow me, please."

There were no formal greetings or self-introductions. He simply led the group towards the corridor on the right.