Bab 101: ### Chapter 101: She Wants to Sleep with Me?
Under the pressure from Ms. Theron, Richard met with Keanu Reeves and chatted briefly.
Reeves was very concerned about his child, worried that something bad might happen to the child. He sought Richard's advice on how to protect the child and even handed him a check for $100,000.
Richard refused.
First, he didn't want to be a charlatan; accepting this money would lead to endless troubles in the future, as Ms. Theron had demonstrated.
Secondly, he wasn't confident he could help the child. The root of the child's problems lay with Reeves and his girlfriend, and no amount of advice from others could change that.
"Keanu, you don't have to do this. I'm just an ordinary person with no special abilities. The reason I said those things last time, you know, was to get Sally's contact information."
Richard pushed the check back and said.
Keanu Reeves shook his head. "Richard, do you believe in fate?"
"No."
Believing in fate would complicate things further.
"I do."
Reeves poured himself a drink. "Before meeting you, I didn't feel anything unusual. But over the past six months, I found my situation was very similar to what you said, and I'm very anxious."
"Keanu, those are just psychological suggestions, a common trick. Don't take it too seriously. As for your anxiety, I know a Chinese saying that translates to, 'Good or bad fortune has no door; it's invited by people themselves. Change your ways, and you can alter your fate.'
If you feel there are problems in your life, actively look for the cause within yourself. If you don't want to experience bad things, pay attention to your words and actions and change bad habits while you still can.
You said you care about your family, so spend more time with them. If you care about your child, spend more time with Jennifer and the baby. There's nothing more I can say because I haven't managed my own life well, so how can I expect others to do so?"
Richard sighed lightly, holding his glass.
Reeves was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "You're right. All problems should be addressed by looking within oneself. Most unexpected misfortunes are related to people. I'll keep that in mind. But thank you anyway; your advice is valuable."
"No need to thank me. I heard those motivational speeches on the radio. If you're interested, you can turn it on and listen; you'll hear them twenty-four hours a day."
Richard smiled and clinked glasses with him.
——
"Hey, Richard, how did your chat with Keanu go?"
Ms. Theron called to ask afterward.
"It went well. Keanu asked me how to protect his unborn child. I recommended a great gynecology hospital. He said he's been under a lot of stress lately, so I also recommended a psychologist."
"Are you a middleman now? Keanu came to you for fortune-telling, and you told him to trust science. Aren't you an unqualified fortune-teller?"
Ms. Theron joked.
"I'll never do fortune-telling again. If I'm wrong, people think I'm a fraud; if I'm right, it's even more troublesome. I need to be careful with my words and actions and be a firm materialist from now on."
Richard said seriously.
"That's great to hear. By the way, what are you doing? Why are you out of breath? Is Bündchen in Los Angeles?"
"I'm running."
Richard said while running on the treadmill.
"Okay, I thought you were doing something perverted while calling me."
"Something perverted?"
Richard smirked. "Sally, do you have time this afternoon? Let's have lunch together."
"Hmm, let's not meet for now."
Ms. Theron said lazily.
"Why?"
"I don't want our relationship to become too complicated. It's better if we just stay friends."
"If I want to eat your cooking, can I bring my own ingredients to your place?"
"No!"
Click~ Ms. Theron hung up the phone.
Phew~
Richard exhaled and started running harder.
——
On Friday, June 5, *A Perfect Murder* was released in 2,336 theaters in North America.
Over the weekend, it had a 70% occupancy rate, grossing $13.5 million—a decent result, ranking third in its opening weekend behind two blockbusters, *Godzilla* and *Doctor Dolittle*.
As an art film, this box office performance was quite good.
After the movie's release, Richard gained some fame due to his boxer identity and his acting skills.
"Surprisingly good. It's hard to imagine he's a muscle-bound boxer." —*Total Film* reviewed.
"Richard's character is as powerful as his real-life identity. While watching the movie, it's hard to believe this artistically inclined guy is a boxer. Maybe Tyson was right; his stage should be in Hollywood." —*The Hollywood Reporter* commented.
"Before watching the movie, I didn't know who Richard Brad was. I heard the actor playing the second male lead, David Shawn, was a newcomer, and I had doubts about the casting.
It's well-known that *A Perfect Murder* is adapted from Hitchcock's *Dial M for Murder*. This movie has been remade many times, and the role of David Shawn is crucial. Can a newcomer do it justice?
With doubts, I went to the cinema. When I saw the new David Shawn, I was stunned. Who is this young actor? He's handsome and well-built, but that's not the most important thing.
What amazed me was the way he embodied the character of David Shawn perfectly—an artist's aura, a cunning look, emotions fluctuating between brightness and gloom—all portrayed vividly.
Despite some flaws in his acting, it didn't overshadow the brilliance of his character. Even when facing Gwyneth and Douglas, his charisma was undeniable. When I found out this young man was a boxer, I could only say, oh my God, you're in the wrong profession."
—*Time Out* reviewed.
Richard smiled and put down the newspaper. "Isn't the praise a bit too much? This is just my first movie; no need to hype it up so much. Over-praising might lead to audience backlash."
Behind his desk, Anthony shrugged. "Do you think it's me? No, the company just started, and we're still hiring staff. I don't have time to do PR for you.
From what I understand, part of it is the distributor's hype, and partly because your performance was truly outstanding. Facing Douglas and Gwyneth, you, a newcomer, not only held your own but also added a lot of highlights to the movie. That's rare. That's why many critics are praising you."
"Heh, was my acting that good? Sigh, with everyone praising my acting, I feel a lot of pressure."
Richard flipped through the newspaper, grinning widely.
"Don't get too happy. Praise always comes with criticism. Look at this stack of newspapers; it's all criticism. You can read it to balance things out."
Anthony grinned.
"Really?"
Richard flipped through the stack and indeed found criticism. "Great, if it were all praise, it would only mean one thing: something is wrong, or someone is out to get me. Seeing criticism makes me feel relieved."
Anthony chuckled and rummaged through the papers again.
"You're quite popular now. The company has received several scripts. I looked through them and found a few roles suitable for you. Do you want to try out for them?"
Anthony placed five scripts on the table.
"Any action movies?"
"Yes, *Deep Blue Sea*. It's a big production."
Anthony pulled out a script.
"Only one?"
"Yes, the role you played as David Shawn is an artist. The studios appreciated your performance and sent similar scripts."
"Alright!"
Richard looked through the scripts, and two caught his attention. One was *The Talented Mr. Ripley*, mentioned by Gwyneth, and the other was *The Cider House Rules*, where Ms. Theron was the female lead.
"The lead role is already set, Tobey Maguire. Your role is the fourth male lead, a lieutenant officer and the female lead's boyfriend."
Anthony explained.
"Alright, I'll keep this script."
Acting alongside Ms. Theron seemed like a good experience. He put aside *The Cider House Rules* and started reading *The Talented Mr. Ripley*.
An hour later, he finished reading the script and felt intrigued.
The protagonist, Ripley, came from a lower-class background, smart, handsome, and ruthless in killing. Except for the implausible homosexual inclination, the character was appealing.
Should he try out for it?
"And this one, *Never Been Kissed*. It's the first film by Drew Barrymore's new company, Flower Films. She's the executive producer and star. They've sent an invitation; maybe it's her idea. Hehe, do you want to try it?"
Anthony squinted and smiled suggestively.
"You mean she wants to sleep with me?"
Richard raised an eyebrow.
"It's not impossible!"
Anthony laughed.
Richard shook his head and skimmed through the script. It was a teen comedy with a good story.
"Sure, I'll give it a try!"
"Hehe, good luck, and take care of your kidneys!"
——
(End of chapter)
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