Bab 36: Chapter 35 : The Joker
Manhattan, New York, Night
At the entrance of the Rockefeller Building, Xu Can and Swift stood in the cold wind, waiting for their assistant to retrieve the car from the parking lot.
"How about I take a taxi myself?" Swift suggested.
"It's too late for that. Be patient, I'll see you home," Xu Can replied in a mock authoritative tone, which made Swift stop insisting.
The atmosphere between them was a bit tense. Both had their own thoughts and nothing much to say. After getting in the car, the silence was almost oppressive.
Vanessa, the assistant, couldn't stand it anymore and turned on the radio, hoping to break the awkward silence. The DJ on the radio was discussing country music and happened to play Taylor Swift's song, Teardrops on My Guitar.
"When I'm with him, I only see him
He said he fell in love and finally found the one he was meant for
Does he know that he is always on my mind?
Every time I make a wish on a shooting star, it's because of him…"
Taylor Swift's tearful, melodic voice filled the car, just as she sat less than ten centimeters away from Xu Can. It would have been so easy for him to reach out and hold her.
But Xu Can held back. He was still thinking about what had happened on the SNL stage earlier that night. While dressed as Spider-Man, Xu Can had spontaneously kissed Swift on the lips. It was a quick, reflexive act, and as soon as he did it, he knew it was a mistake.
A kiss was one thing, but it wasn't supposed to be like that—especially not on live television. European and American girls might be more open-minded, but that didn't mean this kind of behavior was acceptable without clear boundaries. They weren't even dating, and kissing her so suddenly was undeniably forward. Swift had pushed him away immediately, her face shocked.
None of this was in the script. The cameras and crew didn't catch it, thanks to Swift's position blocking the view. Only she knew what had happened, and now, the 17-year-old singer was sitting quietly next to Xu Can, gazing out at the New York City night.
"She probably thinks I'm a creep now," Xu Can thought bitterly.
The car soon arrived at Swift's apartment. The ride had been quiet, except for the sound of the radio playing softly in the background. The assistant pulled up to the curb.
"Xu, thank you for dropping me off. Go home and get some rest," Swift said, forcing a smile. She looked at Xu Can for a moment, then got out of the car.
She had barely taken two steps when Xu Can called after her.
"Taylor, wait."
Swift turned around, surprised. "What's wrong?"
"You forgot your bag," Xu Can said, handing it to her.
"Oh... right," she replied, laughing awkwardly. "I was so out of it I didn't even notice."
"That kiss… I didn't mean to," Xu Can began, unsure how to phrase his apology.
Swift blinked. "Eh?"
"No, what I mean is... I'm going to Berlin tomorrow. But when I get back, how about we grab a drink together?"
Swift tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "Are you asking me out?"
"Yes, I am," Xu Can admitted, too tired to dance around the subject.
"Alright," Swift said, her smile growing brighter. "It's a date then. I'll wait for you to come back."
Xu Can was taken aback by her easy agreement. It meant she was willing to explore the possibility of a relationship with him, despite the awkwardness earlier.
"See you then. Good night, Taylor."
"Good night, Xu," Swift replied, stepping forward to give him a light hug before quickly retreating into her apartment.
Xu Can stood there for a few moments, watching her disappear into the building. Then he returned to the car.
Vanessa, his assistant, cleared her throat and started the engine. "Enjoying the gossip?"
"Yeah, very much..." Vanessa paused, realizing she might have said too much. "I mean, I was just looking at my phone, I didn't see anything."
"Sure, sure, just focus on driving," Xu Can replied with a wry smile.
The night could have easily turned into a headline if any paparazzi had been lurking around. But Vanessa was reliable, and Xu Can trusted she wouldn't spill anything about what had happened.
After the successful run of Spider-Man in theaters, the film was extended for nearly ten days before finally being removed from the North American market. It was still playing in some parts of the world, where demand remained high.
The film became the most successful live-action comic book adaptation of the 21st century, winning over not just moviegoers but also comic book fans, who turned out in droves. According to media reports, the average Marvel fan watched Spider-Man three times, with some hardcore fans setting records with over 26 viewings in a month.
By now, the global box office for Spider-Man had surpassed $1.08 billion, with estimates suggesting it would finish at over $1.1 billion, officially surpassing The Lion King to become the third highest-grossing film of all time.
Amateur actor Xu Can's debut film had achieved an unparalleled level of success, catapulting him into stardom. His fan base on social media skyrocketed, with followers nearing the ten million mark. He even graced the cover of Time magazine.
His agent, Happy, was swamped with calls from film producers, program teams, and advertisers, to the point where he had to hire an assistant just to manage the influx.
But Xu Can wasn't interested in appearing in random films. His focus was on wrapping up the filming of John Wick. The Berlin scenes were complete, marking the official end of Xu Can's involvement in the project.
It was now Lunar New Year's Eve in 2007, and Xu Can found himself spending it in Europe. He received calls from his family, as well as from actress friends like Emma Stone, Taylor Swift, Emma Roberts, and Avril Lavigne, all wishing him well.
"You've got quite the lineup of calls. Must be nice to be a hot actor," Christopher Nolan teased.
"Give me a break, Christopher," Xu Can replied, sipping his tea.
Xu Can was in a high-end apartment in London's Kensington district, having afternoon tea with Jonathan and Christopher Nolan—the masterminds behind films like Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight, and Tenet.
He had been invited by Warner Bros. to discuss a potential Batman reboot.
"We've sketched out a trilogy of scripts," Christopher Nolan explained. "The first covers Batman's origins, the second is a showdown with the Joker, and the third is based on The Dark Knight Rises."
Jonathan Nolan, the quieter of the two brothers, let Christopher do most of the talking.
"Warner Bros. wants you to play Bruce Wayne. What do you think of the scripts?" Christopher asked, his tone indicating genuine interest in Xu Can's opinion.
Rumors had circulated throughout Hollywood that the success of Spider-Man was closely tied to Xu Can's performance. Nolan clearly valued his input.
Xu Can picked up his tea and took a measured sip before responding. "I do have a bold idea—it might deviate from your original plan."
Nolan leaned forward, intrigued. "We're open to suggestions. The script can always be revised."
"You see, I've started my own production company and plan to invest in my own films. My main focus will be on my own projects," Xu Can explained, smiling.
Nolan's curiosity piqued. "So, what's your proposal?"
"I'm afraid I won't have the time to star in all three films, but I would be interested in playing one of the roles—and perhaps serving as a producer on the other two."
"Which role?" Nolan asked, sensing that Xu Can had something specific in mind.
"The Joker," Xu Can replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Batman's role doesn't offer much in the way of a challenge. After all, he spends most of his time behind a mask. But the Joker... now that's a character I'd love to sink my teeth into."
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