章 343: Rise of a new star

Tessa involuntarily held her breath, freezing in place.

The Toronto International Film Festival was where she first became acquainted with this unknown figure. She loved the movie "Buried" and admired Renly, the actor. She never denied her lack of resistance to handsome guys. The primary reason she liked Renly was his demeanor. He was her type.

At the Sundance Film Festival, she saw this emerging newcomer for the second time. She was highly anticipating the film "Like Crazy" because it was a romance movie. Watching a handsome guy express love on the big screen was the most wonderful thing in the world.

But Tessa hadn't anticipated this turn of events. One accident, two accidents, three accidents—when they all compounded, she found herself just a stone's throw away from locking eyes with Renly. Even she herself wasn't aware of it; she completely forgot to breathe, simply staring at the man before her.

Similar to the image in her mind, yet fundamentally different. That indescribable aura firmly gripped her heart. Contracting, contracting again.

"Young lady, are you okay? Or have you been injured? Do you need to find a doctor?"

"No." After uttering that single word, Tessa finally managed to regain her breath. She quickly averted her gaze, fearing that her flushed cheeks would betray her true emotions. "I'm fine, really." It was the only thought in Tessa's mind, squeezed out like squeezing toothpaste.

Pattering footsteps approached from afar, growing louder as they neared. Officials from the Sundance Festival staff came over, working to restore order. "Renly, are you okay?" "Are you alright?"... A series of concerned inquiries reached them.

Tessa clapped her hands, about to stand up on her own, when she saw a right hand enter her line of sight. A broad palm, long fingers, faint calluses and scars visible on the fingertips, powerful and sturdy. Reflexively, she raised her head, only to see a face with a warm smile at the corner of the mouth. She extended her right hand in a daze, and when her fingers felt the warmth of his skin, her heart suddenly stopped beating. How had she managed to stand up? Her mind went blank.

"I'm fine. Go take care of the other audience members here." Tessa could hear Renly's voice. "Young lady, are you sure you're okay? If you feel uncomfortable or have any minor injuries, it's better to visit the medical room."

Tessa couldn't manage to speak. She could only lower her head and nod, indicating her understanding.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Renly turn and leave. Following his footsteps, she realized that she wasn't the only one who had fallen. At least six or seven people around her had also fallen. Renly was helping the staff lift everyone up. Then, he stepped in front of the disarrayed crowd and spoke out.

"It's best for everyone to be cautious. The weather in Park City these past two days hasn't been very friendly. Taking care of your health is the most important thing. I don't want anyone to get hurt before my movie premiere ends. Otherwise, the audience turnout would certainly be a headache."

Low chuckles emanated from the audience. The previous chaos gradually dissipated, and the atmosphere became lively once again. "Well then, see you after the screening is over."

Tessa's gaze followed Renly as he moved towards the journalists' passage. Accidentally, she caught sight of the dampness under his chin. "Renly!" Tessa urgently exclaimed. Today, Renly was wearing a navy blue trench coat. When he had squatted down to help the audience, it had fallen onto the ground, getting wet. "Your coat..."

Renly glanced down at his coat, then smiled, waved his hand dismissively, and continued walking without concern. On the other side of the red carpet, journalists pressed the shutters of their cameras, and in a flash, Renly was engulfed by silver flashes. The bustling questions were everywhere, completely separating Renly from them.

Tessa stared at Renly's back in a daze. It wasn't until a staff member came over to inquire again that she snapped back to reality. Turning around, she walked toward the queue.

The recent unexpected incident had disrupted their line for purchasing tickets. However, everyone was highly civilized and had resumed their orderly queue. They chatted away merrily about this small interruption, their faces brimming with excitement. Especially when they finally saw the words on the support signs, laughter became even more incessant.

"Are you alright?" a concerned voice came. Tessa looked up and saw a girl around her age with a caring smile on her face.

Tessa quickly nodded, indicating that she was fine. The girl breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. The scene just now was so chaotic. If it weren't for Heir, it's really hard to imagine what might have happened. I mean, Renly."

"I know Renly's nickname is Heir," Tessa replied with a wide smile. The events of a moment ago replayed in her mind, and her mood couldn't help but become uplifted.

"You know? You actually know?" The young girl excitedly waved her hands. "I thought only a small group of people knew. By the way, I'm Hope, this is William, and this is Graham. We're all Heir's most devoted fans."

"I'm Tessa," She introduced herself as well. "I saw it on the Yahoo community. Don't you think his demeanor really resembles that of an aristocratic young master? So, when I first heard this nickname, I immediately accepted it."

Hope, William, and Graham exchanged a glance, then burst into laughter, leaving Tessa puzzled.

Hope explained, "Actually, this nickname originated from Heir's first work, "The Pacific". At that time, no one knew his name; we all just called him Heir. Later, we realized, as you said, he really does resemble an aristocratic young master. That's why this nickname gradually caught on."

Tessa suddenly understood, and Graham continued, "But during the Golden Globe Awards, we spent a full two weeks rallying on the Yahoo community, hoping that everyone could come to the venue to support Heir. In the end, fewer than twenty people showed up. We felt very regretful about it. But today, so many fans suddenly appeared, and they're all shouting "Heir". What's going on?"

Amidst their confusion, Graham struggled to conceal his excitement and exclaimed fervently, "Don't you know? His fame in the indie film circle has grown significantly."

Another middle-aged man with a beard and curly hair chimed in from the side, "Is it because of "Buried"?"

"Partly, yes," the middle-aged man shrugged. "His performance in that movie was indeed good, but not to the extent of admiration. This statement earned angry glances from Hope and Tessa, causing him to chuckle. "Currently, many actors are willing to do independent films. Even many A-list stars are willing to take on indie films to vie for Oscars. But actors like the Coen Brothers, who truly have their own ideas, are nearly nonexistent."

"There aren't many actors like that to begin with, right?" William stated matter-of-factly.

"Exactly. That's why Renly's uniqueness is so precious," the middle-aged man's expression revealed a hint of excitement. "Have you seen his street performance video after the Emmy Awards? Honestly, that rendition of "Ophelia" was stunning, truly captivating. It allowed people to see Renly's determination. Exceptional actors are abundant in Hollywood, but actors who can persevere and stay true to themselves are few and far between."

"In his singing, I can hear his dreams and persistence. That's the most charming aspect of music, as it reflects a person's soul," the middle-aged man said with animated gestures. Then his expression hesitated slightly, and he added with some regret, "However, many people suspect that the street performance was planned. If that's the case, it's truly disappointing."

"Of course not," Hope immediately answered.

William quickly added, "The video circulating on YouTube was filmed by us. We witnessed the entire process on-site. We're the best proof." William turned his head, looking intently at Graham. "Him, it's him. He still has that video on his phone."

"Really?" a glimmer of excitement flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes once more. "Actually, I also thought it couldn't be fake. Which agent would take such a big risk, letting their actor skip the Emmy Awards celebration and perform on the street? It would be too foolish! Moreover, Renly's choice of a work like "Like Crazy" is the best evidence. Because of his connection, I'm now somewhat looking forward to "Fast 5"."

"That video was shot by you guys?" Tessa's voice trembled slightly as well. "Can I see it?"

"And me! And me!" ... A chorus of voices continuously echoed around, radiant faces expressing their exhilaration, propelling the commotion at the cinema entrance to a new peak.

Just five days prior on the Golden Globe Awards red carpet, Renly had been overshadowed by Justin Bieber. Of course, the day's biggest winner had still been Robert Pattinson; even the host was taken aback by the fans' zealous roars. For an up-and-coming actor with limited activity, this kind of situation was only normal for Renly.

But who could have anticipated that at the Sundance Film Festival, Renly would be met with enthusiastic fanfare? Considering that "Like Crazy" was only his second work, this was incredibly precious. Surprisingly, folk music played a significant role in this. Now, for "Renly Hall", a devoted fan of independent films, he was indeed a unique presence, prompting even higher expectations.

If "Like Crazy" could continue its momentum at Sundance, its influence would double; however, if the opposite happened, the faint momentum accumulated up to now would quickly collapse. The rise and fall of a newcomer were always so effortlessly light, like a rootless duckweed, floating from peak to valley in the blink of an eye.

"Hurry, hurry up and catch up! It's our turn to buy tickets!" Seeing the quickly dwindling queue in front of them, Hope shouted, paying no attention to the video. She pursued it while shouting. William quickly followed suit.

Graham found himself surrounded by a large group of people, akin to a cotton candy cloud. He extended his right hand helplessly and called out, "Wait for me!"