บท 79: Chapter 79: The Chubby Guy
The cool night breeze blew in from the west, extinguishing the previous heat from the three men's faces. It also helped sober up their alcohol-fueled minds a bit. Standing on the sidewalk outside the bar, James Franco stared intently at the chubby guy ten feet away, seeming eager for another fight. However, the body hidden behind Murphy revealed his inner vulnerability.
The chubby guy shook his head vigorously, still feeling a bit dazed from Murphy's punch, which hadn't completely worn off yet.
Murphy gently patted James Franco's arm from behind, and strangely, Franco, who had been tense, unconsciously relaxed.
In the light of the streetlamp, Murphy examined the chubby guy's cheek, swollen from the blow. He shook his head; since leaving prison, he hadn't been in any fights and didn't believe violence solved anything. The brawls in prison were purely for self-preservation.
If it weren't for the chubby guy trying to hit James Franco with a bottle, Murphy wouldn't have punched him.
Seemingly coming to his senses, the chubby guy looked back at Murphy, different from his enraged state in the bar. Now, he appeared somewhat simple-minded.
Seeing the situation calm down, Murphy nodded at the chubby guy.
Feeling embarrassed, the chubby guy rubbed the back of his head and took a couple of steps forward. At a moderate distance, he apologized to Murphy, "I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. I was too impulsive."
Hearing this, Murphy glanced at James Franco. Franco seemed surprised by the chubby guy's apology, momentarily unsure how to respond.
"It's okay." Murphy wasn't unreasonable, especially since the chubby guy had apologized. "I also want to apologize to you."
The chubby guy instinctively touched his still-swollen cheek.
"Are you alright?" James Franco stepped out from behind Murphy. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"
"No, no." The chubby guy waved his hand hastily. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Looking at James Franco, he added, "I was just too impulsive after drinking."
James Franco, eccentric as he was, wasn't a bad person. "My voice was too loud."
He shot Murphy a glare. Would he have raised his voice so much if it weren't for this guy?
Several onlookers had been watching the scene, including a few who had followed them out from the bar, apparently hoping for some drama. Seeing that there was no fight and that they had reconciled, a murmur of disappointment rose among them.
Seeing that the chubby guy and James Franco were still awkwardly apologizing to each other, Murphy approached them, interrupting their conversation. He suggested, "Let's not give them a show. Let's talk somewhere else."
He looked at James Franco, realizing his original goal hadn't been achieved yet, and proposed, "Let's go. I'll treat you guys to a late-night snack."
"Together." He glanced at the chubby guy's somewhat familiar face and pointed to Mr. Zhou's restaurant nearby. "Right here. You have to give me a chance to apologize for what happened just now, right?"
The chubby guy hesitated, but seeing that they were going to Mr. Zhou's restaurant, not some remote place, he finally nodded. "Alright... alright, I'll go."
Five minutes later, the three of them were seated at a table by the window in Mr. Zhou's restaurant.
"I'm James Franco..." Franco took the initiative to introduce himself, then gestured to Murphy. "He's Murphy Stanton."
The chubby guy hadn't found his glasses, so he squinted as he looked at them. "I'm Seth Rogen."
"From your accent," Murphy inquired cautiously, "you seem to be Canadian."
"I just arrived from Vancouver to Los Angeles not long ago." Seth Rogen felt a bit embarrassed as he touched the back of his head. "I came here to see if there are any opportunities for development."
"Opportunities?" James Franco was puzzled.
"I'm a comedian."
As the waiter brought cold towels, Seth Rogen took one and placed it on his face, continuing in a muffled voice, "I want to try my luck in Hollywood."
"Oh, I see..." James Franco suddenly extended his hand. "Nice to meet you again. I'm James Franco, you can call me Jim. I'm also an actor and have starred in several low-budget films."
Seth Rogen looked at him in surprise, mechanically shaking his hand.
James Franco continued, "And this is Murphy Stanton, he's a director, and... "
He raised his right hand, pinching his index finger and thumb together in a very small gesture, with an exaggerated tone, "This guy is also the owner of a very, very small film company."
"Hello." Murphy shook hands with Seth Rogen. "Nice to meet you."
Seemingly unused to such formal greetings, Seth Rogen nodded awkwardly. "Seth Rogen, from Vancouver. I got second place in the amateur comedy competition in Vancouver."
At this point, the waiter brought the dishes they had ordered—Western-style Chinese cuisine—and they used knives and forks to eat.
"I've been in Los Angeles for a while now, but I can't find a suitable role," Seth Rogen explained as they chatted over dinner. "Today, I just met with an agent who made some disgusting demands. I had an argument with him, so I'm not in a good mood..."
He shrugged.
Glancing at Murphy, James Franco muttered, "I spoke so loudly because of this guy. He insisted I act in his movie."
"Hey! Hey! Jim!" Murphy tapped the table, reminding him, "We argued not because of that."
He looked at James Franco, who immediately remembered Murphy's words and felt a bit embarrassed.
"You guys..." Seth Rogen was confused.
"Ignore him." James Franco took a piece of broccoli and chewed it, muttering, "This guy is stingy."
"Jim, that's not fair of you." Murphy put down his utensils, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and picked up his glass. "Did I say I wouldn't pay you? Did I say I would deliberately lowball your salary?"
Seth Rogen looked at Murphy, then at James Franco, completely puzzled.
Taking a sip from his glass, Murphy brought up an old issue, "You're just ungrateful."
James Franco straightened his neck, about to say something, but seeing Seth Rogen next to him and recalling what happened at the bar, he swallowed his retort and remained silent for about ten seconds before saying in a mosquito-like voice, "Is she... is she also in the cast?"
Raising an eyebrow, Murphy asked, "What do you think?"
"That..." James Franco clenched his fist and coughed lightly, "I... I don't want to act opposite her."
Murphy raised his eyebrows, "Really?"
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