Chapter 5 Reality

Sean frowned with a confused look, wondering, "What do I think?"

Frederick placed his hands on the edge of the round table and clarified, "That's right, what do you think? Or, let me make it clearer, do you truly desire this role or not?"

Sean half-closed his eyes and furrowed his brow even more, saying, "Of course... You mean... you mean if I want this role, I have to..."

"No, not necessarily," Frederick replied calmly. "Many times, even if you want it, you may not be able to secure it 100%. That's why I asked you how you feel about it. Think about whether to decline or seize this opportunity."

Sean exclaimed, "Jesus Christ!"

Frederick looks at him, and said in a heavy voice, "It's all about the chance," pressing his hands lightly on the table, "For actors, the opportunity is more important than anything else."

"Are you trying to manipulate me?" Sean narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

"No, I'm telling you the reality, Sean," the agent leaned forward and spoke frankly. "Do you know how many official Hollywood actors there are? Do you know how many of them become famous? Do you know what they do to get a chance?"

"But..." Sean tried to argue but was interrupted by Frederick.

"I hope you understand, Sean, there are two things that any actor aspiring to be famous in Hollywood must keep in mind," Frederick explained, gazing at him with a somber aura and raising two fingers to emphasize. "First, the role makes the actor, not the other way around. Second, no one is irreplaceable! From this, another saying emerges: if you want to become famous here, don't let any opportunity slip away."

"Is this an unspoken rule?" Sean asked after a brief silence.

"No," replied the agent firmly. "This is a clear rule. While it might not be visible in other companies, groups, or government departments where some may resort to personal favors for promotions, here, everything is transparent. Even well-known magazines like 'Voice of Youth suggest that if you want an opportunity, 'you can do certain things privately to please someone.' There's no profession more desperate for opportunities than acting because one chance can transform your life. It brings far greater gains than losses, and nobody is coerced into it. Everyone willingly pursues it." After saying all that Frederick picks up his coffee and takes a sip giving Sean the time to digest.

Sean pinched the bridge of his nose, unable to accept it. Frederick put his coffee down paused for a moment before tapping his fingers on the table and continued, "Of course, not everyone is like this. Some persist for a long time and finally shine in independent films. Others are lucky enough to avoid encountering people with ulterior motives. And then, there are those with family backgrounds and connections, which can serve as bargaining chips. But the percentage of these individuals, compared to the vast number of actors in Hollywood, is almost negligible."

The agent leans in his chair, staring at Sean without blinking. "I won't tell you what to do because that's not my duty. I'll simply tell you how things are and present you with some paths to choose from. Either give it your all to seize an opportunity, or wait patiently, hoping that luck will come your way, or consider a career change."

He then spread his hands and fell silent.

"This is garbage!" Sean exclaimed after a while, stood up abruptly, and left without saying a word.

Frederick didn't stop him. After Sean left, he finished his coffee, shook his head, and muttered under his breath, "That's why I detest idealists."

**********

Is Sean an idealist? of course not. He has experienced life in two incarnations and knows better than to be idealistic.

He may have some idealistic tendencies in certain aspects, but he understands reality. However, he didn't want to lose his dignity, even though that dignity didn't bring him any money or benefit but still, he doesn't want to be a cheap whore for something, especially in this case. A shudder ran through his spine thinking about it and disturbing his mind even further than it already is.

His grips tighten around the steering wheel.

The mention of a student seducing a teacher for a better grade is unrelated and seems out of place in the context. However, such things are never acceptable or openly acknowledged. When did they start to become discussed openly and considered reasonable?

Sean briefly contemplated if Frederick was lying to him, pressuring him to fight for the role solely for his commission. However, he realized that this was unnecessary since Frederick represents other clients as well, and Sean has not yet proven his worth. The agent wouldn't risk his reputation on a gamble.

In any case, Sean has his own set of life principles, and Frederick's words today were beyond what he could accept.

**********

"Can you imagine? Can you imagine!" Sean exclaimed, grabbing the front legs of his pet and holding it up in front of him, questioning fiercely. The pet, Polk, whimpered and looked at Sean with innocent eyes.

Sighing, Sean dismissed his playful demeanor and put the pet down. If possible, he would have liked to talk to someone, like his wise mother who always had a knack for handling problems perfectly.

Among his family members in this life, Sean is closest to his mother, followed by his sister. His relationship with his father, as evident from the nagging during phone calls, is strained.

Alice Tang, his mother, is a capable and nurturing woman who never resorts to force when teaching her children.

"I know I can't stop you, Sean, but I want you to remember that we all love and support you. So when you encounter difficulties you can't solve on your own, make sure to reach out. Don't push yourself unnecessarily for the sake of pride, okay?" she had told him when he mentioned his plans to leave San Francisco after high school.

For Sean, who lacked maternal love in his past life, the attraction was strong, and the philosophical question of "Who am I?" held a deeper meaning for him compared to others. Thus, after his rebirth, he quickly integrated into his family.

However, it doesn't mean that he has forgotten his past life and soul.

Just two years ago, at the age of 16, Sean took a trip to China with a few friends. Unfortunately, despite searching, there were no traces of his previous life family, as if they didn't exist in this world.

Sometimes he visits San Francisco's Chinatown, using it as an excuse to improve his Chinese language skills for the cover-up of his Chinese proficiency. His current life is completely different from his previous one, making him no different from an ordinary American in many aspects.

Sean enjoyed playing sports, making friends, reading, playing music, participating in school activities, and trying everything he can. As a reincarnated individual, he is eager to explore new things.

However, due to his independent nature shaped by his community life in his previous life, conflicts with his father are inevitable. Additionally, his father, Tony Tang, is somewhat traditional in his thinking. While their relationship was better when Sean was younger, conflicts escalated as he grew older.

Although his mother is skilled at reconciliation, and Sean and his father hold her in high regard, conflicts between Sean and his father began to surface privately. It became more intense with each passing day. When Sean turned 18 and graduated from high school, he made the decisive decision to buy a used car and leave for Los Angeles alone, utilizing his savings.

**********

After contemplating for a while, Sean decided against calling his mother. This matter was difficult to explain over the phone. Rubbing his face in frustration, he wondered what he should do next. At that moment, Polk, noticing his master's distress, ran over and obediently rubbed against Sean's leg before bringing a rubber ball and placing it in Sean's lap.

"Do you want to play with this?" Sean asked, rubbing Polk's head. He smiled, picked up the rubber ball, tossed it into the air, and watched as Polk eagerly chased after it.

The lively puppy managed to make Sean laugh again, but he quickly furrowed his brow, realizing that the outside situation hadn't been resolved yet.

"This is not a charity, ma'am. This is the second time the bank has returned the check. If you can't pay the rent, find a cheaper place," a stern voice echoed through the door. It was clear that it belonged to the Mexican-born landlady.

The voice belonged to a woman in her forties, resembling the average Mexican American with a sweet tooth. She had broad shoulders, a round waist, and a bit of weight. Normally, she was kind, but when it came to rent, she became aggressive, as evident in her current demeanor.

"Trust me, Ms. Waters, it's just a minor delay. The check will clear by tomorrow," the woman from the diagonally opposite of his room spoke in a hushed tone.

"You said the same thing last time, and I had to wait for nearly a week!" the landlady retorted brusquely.

"But... the check did clear eventually, didn't it?" the woman defended herself cautiously.

Probably thinking she had said enough, and knowing that the woman in front of her was usually submissive, the landlady scrutinized her for a moment before finally nodding. "Fine, I'll allow a one-week extension at most."

After speaking, the landlady turned around and left, leaving the woman standing at the door with a dejected expression.

"Are you okay?" Sean couldn't help but approach and ask, albeit reluctantly.

The woman appeared to be around thirty years old with blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore light makeup and dressed modestly, radiating a unique beauty. Standing at the door, she had a petite figure, around 5 feet 4 inches tall, with outstanding looks that invoked a sense of desire.

"I... I'm fine..." the woman replied, raising her head and revealing red eyes. She quickly averted her gaze, seemingly not wanting anyone to see her in such a state. However, she soon realized her rudeness and added a "thank you."

"Although Ms. Waters can be difficult about the rent, she is ultimately a good person. Don't... take it too seriously," Sean added a few words, unable to resist. "By the way, my name is Sean, Sean Tang. I live just across from you."

The woman expressed gratitude but didn't say much. She nodded apologetically and closed the door.

Sean scratched his head and surveyed the surroundings. No one emerged from the neighboring rooms, which relieved him. He returned to his room.

Engaging in such a conversation was rather impolite, and he wasn't a young boy anymore, so why did he say those things? He pondered sadly. Nevertheless, she's truly attractive, and Sean had noticed it since he moved in two months ago. However, he was preoccupied with his life struggles, and then he got... well, the job as an extra. He had very little free time, and the woman was also occupied, often leaving early and returning late, preventing any opportunity for conversation until today.

What a missed opportunity, Sean thought as he sat back in his chair, retrieved the rubber ball from Pork's mouth, and threw it again.