制霸好莱坞

Jenny had become a dog walker. Yes, she was now Cesare Vigeri's dog walker, with an exceptional salary—one that she felt could be the envy of dog walkers everywhere.

First of all, most dog walkers handle multiple dogs at once—usually over ten. Some walk at least five or six, but Jenny only walked one dog. And yet, her pay was comparable to or even higher than what other dog walkers earned.

Secondly, Cesare had provided her with a car… an Audi A8.

This was a new model from Audi, launched in 1999. In 2001, before the A8L was released, it was one of the most sought-after luxury cars. Cesare had driven her home in this car before. Beverly Hills, being an upscale community with an underdeveloped public transportation system, made commuting by car essential. Cesare authorized her to temporarily use the car through Jim, as he'd be in Europe for the next month and wouldn't need it.

Jenny almost asked, "Is there a second car I could borrow?" But the answer was clear: the second car was a Bugatti Veyron 98 Limited Edition.

Both Jenny and Chen Zhen could drive, but the Audi A8 wasn't likely to make her feel inferior. After all, Chen Zhen had driven Lamborghinis and Lotuses in her past life.

So, every day, Jenny drove the A8. First, she attended classes arranged by CAA—acting, pronunciation, accent, and body classes. In the afternoons, she would walk the dog at Virgilio's house, and again in the evenings after class. Then, she'd go home to sleep. With such a packed schedule, it was clear Cesare had asked her to quit her job. It was impossible to maintain a full-time job with such a dense schedule of classes.

The job Cesare offered her, though, had an added sense of relief. When Jenny inquired about the pay, Jim reassured her, "It'll be the same as your last job."

And that was amazing. Walking Washington the dog twice a day and earning over $4,000, with an A8 to drive and gas money included—her life seemed enviable to many Americans.

However, Jenny's life wasn't exactly easier. If anything, it had become more tiring. While her job at the fast food restaurant had been straightforward, now she had to focus intently in every class, especially acting. It wasn't just about showing up or having space to perform; it required quick memorization of lines, impromptu acting, and a lot of small exercises. It was about developing basic skills—something Jenny had some foundation in, likely from her past life.

The only class Jenny didn't feel much pressure in was the body shape class. After all, in her previous life, she had relied on her looks to draw attention, so she couldn't afford to slack off here. Plus, her figure was slim and her presence wasn't too vulgar. The body shape teacher frequently used her as a model to demonstrate exercises.

The pronunciation class, on the other hand, was difficult for Jenny. While her accent was clear, it still had a Southern touch, which wasn't good enough for Cesare. The goal was to teach her a pure New York Upper East Side accent. The accent class itself was even broader, covering everything from Southern to Irish and British accents. Unlike Chinese TV dramas, which focus on erasing dialects, the Western entertainment industry places a premium on correct pronunciation. If an actor used a typical American accent to play a British aristocrat, it would be met with scorn from critics and audiences alike.

Jenny found herself mentally exhausted by these daily classes. She became so tired that she reduced her exercise routine to just one hour, taking Washington for a few laps in the park to meet her fitness needs. And despite still practicing her acting skills in the performance space, she found herself studying at least 20 hours a day. While she managed to get enough sleep, the mental exhaustion and emotional instability from chronic hunger lingered.

One evening, as Jenny prepared for her walk with Washington, she muttered, "Honestly, what kind of person names their dog Washington?"

She had never imagined Cesare would own a dog. She expected his home to be sterile and cold, full of modern, minimalist design—no living creatures other than him. But in reality, his home had an authentic American leisure style, with a tropical fish tank and, of course, Washington.

Despite the pristine condition of his home—thanks to a cleaner who visited daily—Jenny took care of Washington in the evenings. After his dinner, Washington would go to the yard to relieve himself, and Jenny would clean up afterward.

One night, after running four laps around the community, Washington, a German shepherd, was panting but still in high spirits. Jenny, however, was exhausted. She hadn't slept well the previous night, and today had been another demanding day.

"Do you want to go home, Washington?" she asked, but the dog gave her an expectant look.

"Okay, okay," Jenny said, finally giving in and running two more laps before taking Washington home. She prepared his dinner and fresh water, giving him a five-minute break before he ate.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Jenny turned on the TV and absentmindedly flipped through the channels as Washington enjoyed his meal in the yard. It was typically during this time that Jenny would either relax or get some exercise in the performance space.

But tonight, she was exhausted. She leaned back and dozed off, telling herself she'd take a short nap before Washington's call would wake her.

The next thing Jenny knew, it was dawn. She shot up in alarm as Washington barked in the yard.

"Oh no," Jenny muttered, checking the time. There was barely over an hour before her first class.

She scrambled to gather her things, only to realize the blanket she had been wrapped in wasn't from the living room. She had never seen it on the couch before, and there was no way she had covered herself with it.

Walking to the back porch, she found Washington's dog toilet had been cleaned and a new diaper had been placed. That didn't make sense; the cleaner came at 10 a.m., and it was only 7:50 a.m.

Confused, she glanced out the front window. To her surprise, a red BMW Mini Cooper was parked in the driveway, alongside Cesare's Audi A8.

"Good morning," came a voice from the stairs, followed by a young woman in pajamas. "You're awake—great. I called Jim and he said you had morning classes, so I wanted to make sure you got up."

The woman walked over and extended her hand. "I'm Lillian Swenson, Cesare's girlfriend. You must be Jenny?"

Jenny shook her hand, still in a daze. "Uh, I didn't know anyone else lived here."

"I've been working the night shift lately," Lillian explained with a friendly smile. "I work afternoons and get off early in the morning, so we haven't had a chance to meet. When I came back last night, you were sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to wake you up. Do you want breakfast? There's also a guest room upstairs if you want to shower. I'm about the same size as you, so you can borrow some of my clothes until you get home."

Jenny, caught off guard by the kindness, stammered, "Thank you, that's really thoughtful. I could use a quick shower and some breakfast before class."

Lillian led her to the guest room, where Jenny found a fresh change of clothes waiting for her, along with the smell of coffee wafting from downstairs.

"I'm not a great cook," Lillian said as Jenny came downstairs. "I packed some salad and mashed potatoes yesterday, and I made eggs, toast, milk, and orange juice."

"Wow, this is plenty," Jenny replied, glancing at her watch. "Thank you, I'll take my time, but I shouldn't be late."

"You're welcome," Lillian said cheerfully, sitting across from her. "I've wanted to meet you for a while. Cesare talks about you all the time. He says you have more potential than the other Jennifer."

As they ate, Jenny learned that Lillian was an intern at a local hospital. She and Cesare had known each other since childhood and had become a couple when they both moved to Los Angeles.

Lillian was sweet and easy to talk to—certainly not the type Jenny had imagined Cesare would be with. She had expected a cold, aloof partner, but Lillian was warm and approachable. It made Jenny realize that Cesare was capable of loving someone so different from himself.

Their conversation continued as they ate, and Lillian casually mentioned that Cesare had wanted Jenny to stay with her for a while. Lillian even insisted Jenny move in for a bit, telling her it was more convenient for her classes.

Jenny hesitated but finally agreed, though she felt a little awkward about living in Lillian's house. Still, Lillian's hospitality was impossible to resist, and she stayed for a few days. It wasn't long before Jenny found herself growing fond of her new roommate, who quickly became like a mother figure.

Eventually, under Lillian's encouragement—and Cesare's apparent support—Jenny semi-officially moved in.

Shortly afterward, Jim contacted her with some exciting news: Cesare had secured an audition for her.

"Can you guess what it's for?" Jim asked.

Jenny's heart skipped a beat when he revealed, "It's a musical starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger, directed by Rob Marshall—adapted from the Broadway hit Chicago."

The movie would go on to win multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Jenny was stunned. Just a month ago, she was begging for a guest role on a TV show, and now, she was auditioning for a future Oscar-winning film.

She couldn't help but think—being signed by Cesare Vigeri had been the best decision of her life.

Note: Chicago received 13 Oscar nominations, winning Best Picture. Highly recommended!