Chapter 2: Video Tape

Upon entering a McDonald's self-service restaurant, Ronnie opened the storage box, pulled out a stack of coupons, selected a Big Mac meal, and attached one dollar, two quarters, and a dime to the cashier's window. 

The value-for-money Big Mac meal, originally priced at $2.59, cost only $1.60 with the coupon. 

Ronald took the food package wrapped in a paper bag and drove to his apartment. 

People living in Venice Beach are not wealthy, and most residents have middle or low incomes. It's mainly a white neighborhood, so security is quite good. 

Ronald was a little hungry, so when he got home, he ate the Big Mac and drank Coca-Cola. 

The apartment has one bedroom and a living room. Venice is relatively remote, and the rent is low—less than $200 a month. 

Aside from being far from the city, there are no downsides. Ronald owns a car and commutes to work every day, spending more than half an hour each way. He has no complaints. 

After tossing the finished meal into the trash, Ronald grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom to shower. 

He remembered he had to wake up early the next morning, so after showering and brushing his teeth, he went to bed early. Wiping the fog from the mirror several times, he revealed a handsome face. His sunken eye sockets, high nose, and well-proportioned body reflected years of physical exercise. From any angle, he was undeniably good-looking. 

Since the premiere of *Superman*, adapted from the comic book last year, people said he resembled Christopher Reeve, the actor who played Superman. 

It was somewhat true—Ronald was also tall, standing at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters). However, Superman had black hair, while Ronald's hair was a dirty blonde, with roots almost black and blonde tips. His eyes were amber, with the inner ring near the pupils dark brown and the outer ring golden. 

His hair and eyes weren't solid in color. He embodied a typical American blend of various ancestries. But Ronald lacked the strong body odor that many white people had—something he'd observed about Chinese people in his previous life. He was grateful not to need deodorant every day like his high school wrestling teammates. 

After changing clothes, Ronald lay down in bed, briefly thinking about his Aunt Karen in New York. 

Since his time-travel incident, Ronald discovered, to his dismay, that he had lost all memories of his previous life, retaining only some skills—like driving, drawing comics, and Chinese wrestling. There was also his mute English: he could write it but not speak it. At first, he pretended he couldn't talk. 

Aunt Karen was worried and took him to the doctor. After some tests, the doctor concluded that a brain injury had caused rare aphasia, requiring Ronald to relearn speech like a child. 

Ronald found the Chinese manual *New Concept English* to learn English. After half a year of intensive study, combined with recording himself and immersing in an English-speaking environment, he finally regained the ability to speak. 

Later, he joined the high school wrestling team. Unfortunately, his old habit from Chinese wrestling—grabbing opponents' clothes—didn't fit with American wrestling, where gripping the neck was essential. He failed the inter-school competition and missed out on a sports scholarship. 

One day, he accidentally picked up a classmate's camera from the wrestling team and discovered his most useful skill from his previous life: photography. 

He knew how to measure light, set up lighting, and pose without thinking—it was as if he had been a photographer before. This skill could now help him make money. 

Aunt Karen saved up $200 to buy him a used car, a tradition in American middle-class families. When a child earns their driver's license, parents usually buy them a second-hand car. 

Instead of a car, Ronald used the money to buy a second-hand Nikon F2 SLR camera and some film rolls. From then on, he became a photographer, taking portraits to earn money. 

After graduating from high school, Ronald didn't have enough money for college, so he took a gap year to work part-time and save tuition. With a "whopping" sum of over $500, he bid farewell to Aunt Karen and his cousin Donna. It took him 12 days to drive along Interstate 40 from New York to Los Angeles. 

Taking a gap year was tough. At 18, clients doubted his photography skills. He couldn't earn enough as a portrait photographer, and in rural Staten Island, there weren't many fast-food restaurants hiring young workers. 

Ronald soon realized the easiest way to make money with portrait photography was by taking headshots for actors. It was simple and profitable—two A4-sized portraits could fetch over $100. But since New York didn't have a booming film industry, Ronald moved to Hollywood in search of opportunities. 

In Hollywood, he shot several portraits and gradually built a reputation. However, clients still doubted his abilities due to his young age, so he could only charge between $30 and $50 per set for aspiring actors. 

Ronald aspired to join a film crew and get his name in the credits to boost his credibility. That way, clients would see him as "well-known," allowing him to charge higher fees and save enough for tuition, books, and accommodation. 

Eventually, he applied for a screenwriting job at New World Production Company. Although hired, he didn't write a single page. Instead, he spent months as a script reader. Two weeks ago, his boss assigned him to assist on the set of *Rock of Ages.* His primary job: making coffee... 

Feeling sleepy, Ronald set his alarm for 4:30 AM and drifted off to sleep. 

… 

In the dark, Ronald heard voices outside. He opened the door and stepped out into the open space in the middle of the apartment. A white screen stood there, as if someone was projecting a movie. 

In the dim light, Ronald noticed rows of people seated before the screen. Was this a party? 

"Sit down!" someone shouted. 

Ronald sat in an aisle seat in the back row, next to the projector. 

Something felt off. The person who had just spoken seemed to be speaking in Chinese. Ronald wanted to find the speaker—there weren't many Mandarin speakers in Los Angeles. Maybe he could ask about China. 

Suddenly, the screen lit up. Ronald was stunned. English words appeared on the screen in bold red letters: 

"FBI WARNING." 

Below it, smaller text read: 

"Under federal law, any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or public exhibition of copyrighted motion pictures may result in severe civil and criminal penalties (Title 17 of the United States Code, Sections 501 and 508). The FBI investigates allegations of copyright infringement (17 U.S.C. 506)." 

It was a copyright warning. 

"Why hasn't it started yet? What movie are we watching today?" the man asked in Chinese. 

After several seconds, an image appeared on the screen, and the audience fell silent. 

A white, three-story building came into view, bathed in soft sunlight. There was no one in sight, just a few crickets chirping, emphasizing the tranquil atmosphere. 

After a moment, red text appeared at the bottom of the screen: 

"A film produced by New World Production, Copyright © 1979."

Huh? 

It was a movie produced by New World, where Ronald worked. But why was the copyright dated next year? 

The scene cut to a green sign: "Vince Lombardi High School." Beneath it, a quote read: "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." 

Wait a minute... Vince Lombardi High School? That's the fictional school in the *Rock of Ages* script. Isn't this the movie they're currently filming? 

Just then, the projector whirred, spitting out a black cassette tape. On the white label, four Chinese characters were scrawled in red ink: 

"Rock 'n' Roll High School."

"Change the movie!" someone shouted. 

"Yeah, play one with a martial arts scene!" 

Before Ronald could react, the dream abruptly ended. 

"Ah!" he shouted, waking up in his bed. 

End of chapter