Dumbfounding

Returning to the hotel, night had once again descended. This afternoon, Renly had watched two more movies and spent over an hour by the bonfire outside the small town, drinking two bottles of beer and engaging in heated debates with fellow film enthusiasts. If it hadn't been for someone accidentally spilling barbecue sauce on his clothes, he wouldn't have planned to return so soon.

Pushing open the door to his hotel room after two days away, he felt no sense of unfamiliarity. Compared to the orderly and sterile decor of the hotel, he found the tents and lawns outside the small town more welcoming. He changed out of his soiled clothes in the bathroom, took a brief shower, and donned a fresh outfit. He felt refreshed, as if fatigue was nonexistent.

As he opened the bathroom door, Renly spotted Andy Rogers sitting on the sofa. "Hey," Renly greeted, waving his hand and tossing his dirty clothes into the laundry basket. From the closet, he retrieved a suitable outfit, contemplating which movie to watch tonight.

Seeing Renly's contented demeanor, as though Andy himself barely existed, Andy felt somewhat helpless and initiated a conversation. "How was it? The Telluride?"

"Absolutely fantastic!" Renly responded without hesitation, giving a straightforward yet definite evaluation. This was the film festival he had long dreamed of, where all film enthusiasts gathered regardless of social status or wealth, where intellectual disparities were irrelevant, and where pure exchanges of opinions and viewpoints took place. Everything was about the movies.

Telluride truly lived up to its reputation as the sanctum of film enthusiasts.

Andy could sense the excitement in Renly's words, prompting a smile. "That's great to hear. I was a bit concerned before, you seemed quite tired after Toronto."

"Of course not," Renly selected a deep blue tracksuit and a light blue pair of jeans. "Do you have any special plans for tonight? The reception for "Certified Copy" has had mixed reviews these past couple of days, and I can't quite figure out what's going on. I'm planning to see it for myself tonight."

On this trip to Telluride, he had thought it would be similar to Toronto, so he brought five suits and only two sets of casual wear. The reality, however, had proven otherwise; there weren't many people in formal attire walking the town's streets.

"I don't have any plans for tonight," Andy maintained his Buddha-like demeanor, sitting comfortably on the sofa with an affable and sunny disposition. "I was actually considering inviting you to dinner…" He didn't need to finish the sentence; the meaning was clear.

Renly chuckled, "You're always welcome to join me for a movie. I heard there's a barbecue party happening outside town later, though I'm not sure if it's dinner or a late-night snack. How about it? Are you interested?"

Andy smiled and waved his hand lightly. "I think I'll pass on the festivities. That's more for the younger crowd." His self-deprecating remark earned a direct laugh from Renly. "Aren't you curious why I suddenly appeared in your room?" Seeing Renly's reluctance to speak, Andy had to steer the conversation.

"If there's something, you'll eventually speak up, won't you?" After changing his clothes, Renly, now wearing white socks, walked barefoot on the deep-colored carpet of the hotel room, holding a pair of ginger-yellow work boots that were placed at the door. He sat down to put on his shoes, his candid and straightforward demeanor leaving Andy without a retort. "By the way, I have something to tell you before I forget. I've confirmed my next project. I've discussed it with the director, and the contract... It should be sent over tonight or tomorrow. Take a look when it arrives."

Andy felt a sudden tightness in his chest, as if a wad of cotton had been lodged in his throat. Even his smile froze slightly. "When did this happen?" This was the only question Andy could muster.

"This morning," Renly slid his boots on and added, "today."

Andy's temples began to throb, and his forehead throbbed with a slight ache. "Renly, do you understand what a manager's role is? Or better yet, do you comprehend the extent of my capabilities?" He believed it was necessary to have a formal conversation with Renly.

As Renly's manager, Andy had hardly fulfilled his role; he seemed more like a decoration. The recent promotional efforts for "Buried" weren't his responsibilities, and even though the upcoming awards season's PR was part of his duties, that moment hadn't arrived yet. Andy had let "Buried" go previously since he had missed out on the process of selecting that work. But this time, the situation was the same, which left Andy feeling quite defeated.

"My job is to select projects for you, recommend worthwhile scripts, find collaborators that you'd like to work with, and pave the way for you to become a top-tier superstar. My network extends to the six major film companies and all the notable independent studios you can think of." Andy summarized as succinctly as possible, his understated power and dominance underlying his words, giving Renly a taste of a top-tier agent's confidence.

"But now, you've bypassed my role and directly found the next project. What about me? Shouldn't I be fully utilized? I'm your manager and your representative. It's my responsibility to choose projects for you." The urgency in Andy's demeanor was evident, along with a hint of frustration. Despite his continuing smile, it was a far cry from his usual composure.

Renly, having put on his boots, stopped his movements on the carpet and regarded Andy seriously. "Your job is to find suitable projects for me, right?" Andy nodded affirmatively. "Your job is to identify projects worth investing in, right? Your job is to secure more benefits for me and create more room for development, right?" Andy nodded again.

"So, I've found the perfect project, and I'm entrusting the contract negotiations to you. Isn't this the perfect outcome?" Renly's confident expression made Andy's headache even worse.

Taking a deep breath, Andy calmed himself. "Renly, I'm not saying it's wrong for you to find suitable projects. The problem isn't that. It's about having faith in my work and my abilities. Otherwise, why did you sign with a manager in the first place?"

Renly's eyebrow raised slightly, finally understanding Andy's point.

Since his rebirth, Renly had always walked the path to his dreams alone. Even with Matthew Dunlop, he hadn't said much. It wasn't because he didn't believe in others, but rather because he didn't know how to explain the miracle of his second chance at life or how to navigate it. In the process of exploration, he had grown accustomed to holding the reins firmly in his hands. Coupled with George and Elizabeth's strong objections, he had unconsciously grown accustomed to fighting alone.

Renly let out a soft sigh and flashed a warm smile. "Sorry, I was overly confident."

Without any detours or hesitations, Renly candidly admitted his mistake. Andy blinked, the smile at the corners of his mouth reaching his eyes, and his surging emotions once again settled into his usual composure. "So, what kind of project is it exactly? Why were you in such a rush to take on something else?"

From Andy's perspective, before Telluride, Renly had shown no sign of activity. Today, he had suddenly confirmed a project. If Andy wasn't mistaken, it was likely an opportunity he had encountered at the film festival these past couple of days.

"A work that combines "Before Sunrise" and "Blue Valentine". Renly searched for the appropriate description, then thought earnestly for a moment. He couldn't come up with more accurate terms for the time being, so he nodded in affirmation. "It's something like that. The title is "Like Crazy"."

Andy's eyes subtly lit up. From "The Pacific" to "Buried", it was clear that Renly's eye for selecting projects was highly reliable.

"Before Sunrise" and "Blue Valentine" were both artful romance films. To summarize, they belonged to the awards season genre. Unlike dramatic films, the promotion of romance films was distinct, straddling the line between art and commerce. It emphasized the actors' visual appeal and probed their commercial market value. In other words, it could serve as a bridge for an actor to transition from artistry to commercial success.

Even if Renly hadn't taken on this project, Andy had been contemplating finding a romantic comedy similar to "500 Days of Summer" next year to lay the groundwork for Renly's acting career. Unexpectedly, Renly had accomplished this in one go, which was a small surprise.

However, Andy didn't become overly ecstatic. After all, Renly was still too young. The excellent selection of these two projects might just be attributed to luck and might not necessarily indicate Renly's depth of understanding. "What about the script? Can I read it in advance?"

"It hasn't been sent yet." Renly's nonchalant expression caused a twinge of unease in Andy. Did he just agree without seeing the script? "I think it'll be sent along with the contract later."

"Mm." Andy pondered meaningfully, his voice carrying a hint of deep thought. "Who's the scriptwriter? Did you talk directly with the director or the producer? Is the production company confirmed?"

A rapid succession of questions poured out like a machine gun, and Renly could sense Andy's concern and urgency. He couldn't help but smile. "I spoke directly with the director, Drake Doremus. Have you heard of his name?"

Renly knew that Andy would be disappointed. He wasn't a famous director, the production company wasn't confirmed, and they hadn't even seen the script yet. And yet, Renly had agreed. From another perspective, Renly also felt that this decision was rash and impulsive. After all, the advantages of being reborn were incomprehensible, weren't they?

Since it was already out in the open, Renly decided to detonate the bomb all at once. "Also, the pay for this role might not be very high. The production budget is only $250,000. Plus, I won't be the only actor. The director said the pay might be a maximum of $20,000. However, you'll have to discuss the specific terms yourself. He did say that there wouldn't be a problem with sharing in the box office revenue."

Andy wore a stunned expression. He felt like he was about to have a heart attack.