Actor in Hollywood

Chris's focus was entirely on the phone call, oblivious to the stillness around him. He had his left hand pressed against his ear, trying to catch every word from the other end of the line.

Then.

Suddenly, he slapped his left hand over his mouth, using all his strength to suppress a scream of joy. Yet, his body couldn't help but leap with excitement.

He nodded furiously, nodding as if his life depended on it.

The room was dead silent.

Anson quickly prompted him, "Chris, say something, say something."

Only then did Chris realize they were in the middle of a conversation. Nodding alone wouldn't cut it; the person on the other end couldn't understand him. He quickly dropped his hand and boomed into the phone, his voice echoing like a thunderclap, "Yes, no problem… Of course, yes, yes, yes, no problem!"

The excitement and joy on his face were so genuine, so vivid.

The call lasted less than twenty seconds.

Chris looked up, his eyes wide with disbelief and exhilaration, scanning the room full of expectant faces before finally landing on Anson.

"I got the part."

His voice was so strained with emotion that it almost cracked.

But who cared?

Anson was the first to pump his fist into the air, shouting, "Bullseye!"

Chris could no longer hold himself back. He jumped three feet into the air, letting every fiber of his being radiate joy. This was his first role in three years. After countless moments of self-doubt, sleepless nights, and times he wanted to give up, he had finally earned his breakthrough opportunity.

"Chris, Chris, what show?" James was already rubbing his hands together, his sly grin making him look like a fly scheming for its next meal. But everyone knew what was going on:

James was just looking for an excuse to turn tonight into a full-blown celebration, with no limits on how much they drank.

Chris blushed slightly and glanced at Anson—

Compared to "Friends," other shows paled in comparison.

But with a nod of encouragement from Anson, Chris didn't hesitate, "'The Fugitive,' a role in one of the first season's episodes."

"The Fugitive," originally an ABC TV series from 1963, was later adapted into a 1993 film starring Harrison Ford, earning seven Oscar nominations and becoming a classic, even being the first film ever imported into mainland China. This year, CBS was trying to reboot the show as a series.

Upon hearing this, James immediately perked up. "Oh wow, your first role is a villain? Chris, you have to treat us now! And of course, Anson too. There's no excuse tonight—we have to drink! Listen to me, we have to celebrate properly. We can't let such a beautiful day go to waste…"

Seth muttered quietly, "Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol. In the end, it's always about the alcohol, right?"

Anson added, "And for James, it's also about the women."

Boom!

The room exploded with laughter.

Amid the rolling waves of joy, Anson looked over at Chris and smiled. "Looks like Laura and Natalie couldn't resist your charm this time either."

"Haha." Chris burst into laughter, throwing his hands up in the air and jumping up and down, chanting, "Alcohol! Alcohol!"

Drink until we drop.

That's what youth is all about.

**Laugh Loudly, Cry Loudly**

Highs and lows, the roller coaster of life, grabbing hold of every moment with both hands, spending every ounce of energy enjoying and indulging.

Of course, the cost is—

A splitting headache.

The morning after a night of drinking feels like walking on blades, with every step a sharp reminder of chaos, as though experiencing the turmoil of Sun Wukong's havoc in the Dragon King's palace firsthand. Dizzying and turbulent.

But after a simple shower, both body and mind are refreshed, no longer burdened by the number of hours slept, still full of energy.

This is what being eighteen feels like.

It had been so long since Anson had been eighteen that he had forgotten what it was like. No wonder James and the others partied so wildly.

The revelry and the party? All left behind yesterday—or rather, in the early hours of today. As the sun rises, a new day begins, full of things to do.

From yesterday to today, event after event filled Anson's time with busyness, novelty, and energy, leaving him feeling rejuvenated, as if he were eighteen again.

The morning sky is a brilliant blue without a single cloud, the air clear and pure. The horizon stretches out endlessly, making the world feel vast and open, and along with it, his mood lifts.

Rolling down the car windows, a gentle breeze sweeps in, with tall palm trees and golden sunlight filling his view. The fatigue of the hangover quickly dissipates as if he had gotten a full twelve hours of sleep last night. Not a trace of dark circles under his eyes—youth really is a blessing.

One turn later, the car pulls into an underground parking lot, where he easily finds a spot. Anson steps out and heads for the elevator.

This was Anson's first time visiting the Screen Actors Guild.

Located on Wilshire Boulevard, not far from the Hayworth Theater where he had been yesterday afternoon, the building appeared just like any ordinary office building from the outside. On a normal day, you might pass by without even noticing it. In Los Angeles, among the countless plain buildings, it blended right in.

Yet this was the headquarters of the largest actors' union in North America and, in many ways, one of the hearts of Hollywood.

Not every actor had a personal agent, and not every actor wanted to join the union. But for newcomers, the union was crucial in ensuring their basic rights.

The union protected actors' interests and worked to prevent exploitation. It sent representatives to monitor casting sessions and provided public agents for actors without representation.

Though it couldn't entirely eliminate exploitation or stop the industry from being a breeding ground for misconduct, the power imbalances inherent in Hollywood couldn't be fully eradicated. Still, compared to thirty years ago, the industry had become much more regulated, striving to protect the rights of individual actors.

Darren Star admitted that David Crane's sudden decision had caught him off guard. Everything had happened so quickly, like a whirlwind.

Originally, Darren thought Anson was just trying his hand at acting and might lose interest after a single experience. So, he wasn't in any rush to set things up.

But what happened?

Before they knew it, they were whisked away to the Land of Oz.

Even though Darren had his lawyer review the contract, it was more convenient to finalize the deal through the union—

Of course, Darren could have immediately found Anson a top agent, maybe even his own, to step in temporarily.

However, the top five agencies in Hollywood charged a standard commission of ten percent—no exceptions, not even for his own agent. Business is business, as they say.

Plus, hastily finding an agent might not result in someone who was fully dedicated to Anson's career.

So, Darren decided it was best for Anson to sign this guest-star contract through the union first. After the role was done, they could reevaluate, depending on whether Anson wanted to pursue more acting gigs or just continue exploring the industry.

And so, Anson found himself here.

Despite only falling asleep around four or five in the morning, by 9:30 a.m., Anson was already at the Screen Actors Guild—

Here to sign his contract.