After finishing the cleaning, the three of them went to the Straw Hat Music Bar on Santa Monica Beach. The bar was next to Ocean Park, filled with loud music and a smoky haze. Many young men and women, dressed in minimal clothing, danced energetically in the dance floor.
"Hey, Richard, I love this place. It's so much better than up in the hills. I should have moved here earlier."
Paul swayed his arms and wiggled his hips as he spoke.
"You've only been here for three days, alright?"
Richard said helplessly.
"Haha, Richard, you should come here more often. We're still young, aren't we?"
Mike laughed.
Richard shrugged. Even though he was dressed in a sky-blue beach shirt and shorts, with a straw hat on his head, looking similar to the young people around, he still couldn't blend into the crowd.
They found a corner seat, and Mike brought over three large glasses of golden ice-cold beer. Richard downed half of his in one go, feeling refreshingly cool all over.
"Richard, Lisa will be here soon. Let's wait a bit."
"OK."
"You guys wait here; I'm going to dance."
Paul grinned and squeezed into the crowd.
Richard watched Paul weaving through the people and thought that he was indeed suited for this kind of place.
"Hey, Lisa, over here!"
Mike waved his hand.
Richard looked over and saw a girl with decent features, tall and sexy, with a bright smile. She looked photogenic but didn't seem familiar to him.
"Her name is Lisa Perabo, 23 years old. She played a small role in the movie 'White Boy' that was released in March. What do you think of her?"
Mike introduced.
Richard stroked his chin, about to speak when he noticed another girl beside Lisa. She was slightly shorter, with golden curly hair, a petite and slender frame, and looked somewhat familiar.
"Who's the girl next to her?"
"Uh, why are you interested in her? She's not suitable. She's Australian, has been in Hollywood for six years, and has acted in a few movies as both supporting and leading roles, all of which were flops. She can't get any roles now and was kicked out by her landlord in March. She's currently sharing a place with Lisa. Do you know how old she is?"
Mike chuckled, "She looks like a young girl, but she's actually 33."
"What's her name?"
Richard frowned.
"Naomi Watts. Hey, Lisa, guess who this is?"
Mike stood up and smiled.
"You said you were a talent scout for Brad's agency. Is this your boss?"
The tall girl looked at Richard, smiling warmly but with a hint of caution in her eyes.
"Hello, I'm Richard Brad."
Richard took off his straw hat and smiled.
"Richard?!"
"The boxing champion Richard?"
Both girls recognized him.
"Shh!"
Mike gestured, "Let's sit and talk."
"Hello, Mr. Brad. I'm Lisa Perabo. I've watched your movies 'Dangerous Game', 'Murder Case', and 'One Kiss'. They're all great. I'm also a fan of your boxing."
Lisa said excitedly.
"Hello, thank you for your support."
Richard shook her hand.
"Hello, Mr. Brad. I'm Naomi Watts, an actress."
Naomi's voice was moderate, with a slight bow of her head. Her fair cheeks blushed, making her look a bit reserved, not at all like a woman in her thirties.
"Hello, Naomi. I've seen your movie 'Tank Girl'. You did a great job."
Richard also shook her hand.
"Thank you."
Naomi smiled slightly.
After the two girls sat down, the table became lively.
Lisa seemed to cherish this opportunity, seizing every moment to talk about her acting experience, from school to being an extra in film sets, describing how hard she worked and how excellent her performances were.
Naomi also shared a bit about her journey from Australia to Hollywood, with a calm expression.
Richard listened quietly, giving both of them his full attention and respect.
After listening for a while, Richard felt that both women were impressive. Naomi had a wealth of acting experience and was destined to become a top actress, though she was a late bloomer. Lisa, on the other hand, had less experience but possessed a great look and an enthusiastic smile, making her a promising talent.
When both had finished speaking, Richard explained the situation at BAA and asked if they were interested in joining. He offered to take them to the company if they were willing. Lisa immediately expressed her willingness, as she was still a bit player and relied entirely on luck for roles. Having an agency's support would be like giving wings to her dreams of becoming a full-fledged actress.
Naomi was silent, constantly looking at him with something unspoken on her mind. Richard didn't push further. As it was nearing five o'clock, he needed to start his boxing training. He stood up, putting on his hat, and bid farewell.
"Mr. Brad!"
Naomi chased after him.
"Naomi, is there something else you need?"
Richard asked, opening his car door.
"Mr. Brad, as you know, I'm not young anymore and can't afford to waste time. I want to know, if I join BAA, how much support can you provide?"
Naomi asked.
Richard smiled gently. "That depends on your ability. BAA has no shortage of resources. Last month, the company helped a newcomer, Jessica, land the lead role in James Cameron's new series 'Dark Angel'. If you have enough talent, the company will help you get lead roles too."
Naomi nodded slightly, then suddenly lifted her chin and asked, "Mr. Brad, to get a lead role, do I have to sleep with you?"
Richard was taken aback. Do I look like a pervert? He regretted coming to the interview personally, as it was too easy to be misunderstood.
"Naomi, what do you think of my looks? My physique? My status?"
Richard smiled.
Naomi blinked, "Mr. Brad, you're very handsome, have a great physique, and are a boxing champion. You're also the youngest millionaire. You are indeed very outstanding."
"Thanks for the compliment. So do you think I need to use such means to get girls?"
Richard spread his hands and smiled.
Naomi lowered her head and smiled, "Mr. Brad, I meant no offense. It's just that because I refused to follow unspoken rules before, two agencies dropped me. So I wanted to ask directly. If I offended you, I apologize."
"Understandable."
Richard took out a private business card. "This is my number. If you encounter any coercion at the company or elsewhere, you can call me. I'm happy to help."
"Thank you, Mr. Brad."
Naomi smiled slightly.
"You're welcome."
Richard smiled lightly, got in his car, and drove away.
Naomi watched the car disappear, touched her warm cheeks, smiled slightly, and turned back to the bar.
"Hey, Naomi, how did your talk with Richard go?"
Lisa asked, blinking.
"Not bad. Lisa, you know I don't like unspoken rules, so I just asked him directly."
"Uh, Naomi, were you worried about Richard using unspoken rules?"
Mike grinned.
"I just wanted to ask. After all, it's quite common in this industry."
"Haha, yes, it's common. But you don't have to worry; that kind of thing absolutely won't happen with Richard."
Mike laughed.
"Why not?"
"Is he gay?"
The two girls were curious.
"Uh, don't guess wildly. Richard is very normal; he just has a bit of a cleanliness obsession, both psychologically and physically. He gets very uncomfortable if a girl is dressed too provocatively or has a bad reputation, to the point where he doesn't even want to be near her."
"How can someone have such a cleanliness obsession?"
The girls were surprised.
"Yes, and besides, Richard is a bit narcissistic. Because he's handsome and has a great physique, he doesn't see sleeping with girls as anything special. Instead, he thinks the girls are taking advantage of him."
"(⊙o⊙)…"
The two girls were stunned.
"So, do you think he would use unspoken rules on you?"
Mike laughed.
The girls shook their heads. If this was true, then Richard's unspoken rules would not be unspoken rules but benefits for the female subordinates.
"Haha, Richard is quite interesting."
Lisa laughed.
Naomi smiled and touched the business card in her pocket, thinking Richard was indeed an interesting young man.
"Let me tell you about the company structure. BAA has three bosses: Norman Holliday, Richard Brad, and Anthony Vogt. Norman Holliday is from a billionaire family and owns 40% of BAA. The Knight Cap advertisement is from their family. Anthony is Richard's good friend of over ten years, graduated from NYU, and is the real manager of the company. He and Richard each own 30%. Richard has the most say in the company and is the core figure. When the company was founded, he established a rule: no harassment of female artists, or you'll be expelled."
"Norman likes to have fun with girls, but he doesn't touch any of the company girls. He's very strict about this, so you don't have to worry at all."
Mike explained.
"No unspoken rules?"
Lisa frowned, "What if I want Richard to use unspoken rules on me?"
"Not a bad idea; you can try."
Mike laughed.
Naomi smiled, "I heard Richard's girlfriend is a model. How's their relationship?"
"Very good and stable."
Mike said.
"Lisa, you have no chance."
"That's okay. Aren't there still Norman and Anthony?"
"Haha, go for it!"
---
Richard returned home and continued his boxing practice.
From the lively bar to the quiet training room, he initially felt a bit uncomfortable, missing the lively atmosphere. Both mentally and physically, he wanted to play more.
But as he punched repeatedly, those desires gradually faded away. It was like when he was a child; others went to amusement parks, he wanted to go too. Others ate delicious food, he wanted to eat too. Others bought new clothes, he wanted them too. Others chased girls, he had the desire too.
Whenever he had such thoughts, he would go to the gym or training ground, putting all his energy into training. Boom, boom, boom~ Then the desires would slowly fade, and he would become more focused.
Sometimes he thought, boxing was a form of cultivation.
The next day, Richard continued filming on set and helping in the action group.
Around noon, Anthony called, saying two girls, Naomi Watts and Lisa Perabo, had come to the company and asked how to arrange them.
"What do you think of them?"
Richard asked.
"Lisa looks good, better than the ones I've chosen. But Naomi is 33; why did you choose her?"
Anthony laughed.
"I've seen her acting; she's great but just lacks opportunities. If you don't believe me, you can ask Old Hall and Stephen. They should be able to give some opinions."
"Alright, I trust your judgment."
Anthony laughed.
"By the way, I heard Naomi is having financial difficulties. If she has any requests, try to accommodate them. You can charge it to my account."
"Hey, Richard, did you really fall for her? Since when do you like older women? Tell me, I promise I won't laugh, haha~"
"Don't make wild guesses, okay? I just think highly of her."
Richard said helplessly.
"Alright, alright, I understand. By the way, there's a new movie project perfect for you. It's an action film. We're trying to get the lead role. I'll let you know when we have news."
"OK."
Richard hung up the phone and walked onto the set to continue shooting.
Chapter 159: Call Me Daddy
"Is the movie finished?"
"It's done. I didn't have many scenes, so it took just half a month. How's your new role?"
Richard put down his coffee cup and asked.
Ms. Theron gave an 'OK' gesture, "At first, the producers had two choices: me and Angelina Jolie. Apparently, Jolie wanted to change the script to make Natalie the main character and the other two angels secondary. The producers didn't agree, so Jolie walked away."
Richard smiled lightly, "Congratulations. Did you use the few fighting moves I taught you during the audition?"
"Yes, during the audition, I performed a few moves. The Hong Kong action director said I looked very cool and powerful. He even mentioned wanting to meet my coach."
Ms. Theron winked and smiled, "They're now casting for the male supporting role. Want to give it a try?"
Richard thought for a moment and shook his head, "The lead role for Charlie isn't suitable for my age, and the supporting role doesn't have many scenes. I'd rather spend that time fighting more matches and earning more money."
"Are you quitting the film industry?"
Ms. Theron held her coffee cup with both hands, her nails sparkling.
"No, I'll only take lead roles or particularly exciting supporting roles. Ordinary supporting roles don't mean much to me."
Richard shook his head. After learning about Weinstein's experiences, he became more interested in acquiring and producing low-budget films. Based on his memory, acquiring some potential low-budget films and distributing them through channels would be a faster way to make money. He just didn't have the funds for that yet.
"Richard, there's a rumor that you have a conflict with Weinstein, causing many production companies to be unwilling to hire you. Is that true?"
"Even you've heard about it? It seems this has spread widely."
Richard smiled lightly.
"How did you end up in conflict with him?"
"Last time, I attended his party, and that fat guy wanted me to get in the ring with Ben Affleck for everyone's entertainment. I refused."
Richard shrugged.
"Alright, that's something you'd do. But offending him will make it more difficult for you to achieve anything in the film industry."
Richard smiled slightly, "You're right, but I don't care. I'm a boxer, and I love challenging strong opponents. Weinstein might be a formidable heavyweight, but I'm no weakling either. Sally, believe me, I can beat him."
Ms. Theron blinked her long eyelashes and smiled gently, "You're younger and more talented. Of course, I believe in you. But right now, your opponent is me. Let's continue!"
"OK!"
Richard grabbed his racket and walked to the tennis court. The court was in the front yard of the hillside villa, a red plastic surface.
Ms. Theron also took her racket and walked to the other side. She had her golden-brown hair tied up, wearing a white sports bra and black leggings that accentuated her tall and fit figure, making her look both sexy and athletic.
"Hey, I'm going to serve!"
In the sunlight, Ms. Theron held up her racket, balancing a light green ball on her fingertips, her sexy figure slightly straightening, with a stretch of green lawn behind her.
"OK, I'm ready!"
Richard crouched, holding his racket horizontally.
"Richard, I bet you can't return this serve."
Ms. Theron suddenly smiled.
"How is that possible? I won the last round."
"Winning once doesn't mean always winning. How about we make a bet?"
Ms. Theron smiled mischievously.
"Alright, what are we betting?"
"If you return the serve, I'll cook ten meals for you. If you don't, you'll do ten chores for me. How about that?"
"OK, serve!"
Richard crouched, eyeing the green ball in her hand like a leopard.
"Alright, here comes the ball!"
Ms. Theron tossed the ball up, raised her chest, and swung her racket forcefully at the ball.
Bang!
The ball flew over quickly with a very high arc.
Richard watched the ball, backing up quickly. Suddenly, a blinding light shot into his eyes. The midday sun was exceptionally strong.
He instinctively blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, everything was a blur, with double images. One ball became two.
Bang! The ball hit the ground.
He quickly lunged at it, but the ball brushed past his racket and bounced away.
"Haha, I won!"
Ms. Theron jumped up in excitement.
Richard patted the court, "So you knew the light was too strong on this side, and that's why you asked to switch sides?"
"Haha, yes. That's strategy. Aren't you known as the master of strategy? Didn't think of this one?"
Ms. Theron teased.
Richard smirked, "How about we go again? If I lose this time, I'll do twenty chores for you."
"No need, just one bet. Are you trying to back out?!"
Ms. Theron said discontentedly.
"I'm not backing out. Alright, ten it is. Anyway, every time I go to your place, I end up doing chores. Ten times or a hundred times, there's no difference."
Richard shrugged.
"It's different. Before, you would always call me lazy when you did the chores. Now, you can't say that anymore because you lost to me."
Ms. Theron smiled.
"Alright, I won't say it anymore. Let's continue playing!"
Richard tossed the ball and gently hit it back.
Bang! The two of them swung their rackets and started running around the court.
After finishing the game, they took a shower and, around two in the afternoon, headed to the Holmby Hills, where Keanu Reeves lived.
Since it wasn't far, Richard often visited the area to check on little Ava, who was gradually growing up.
Ava was almost seven months old, chubby, with big, dark eyes that sparkled just like Keanu's. She even had two baby teeth and made a delightful gurgling sound when she laughed.
"Oh, Ava, you're such a pretty little angel!"
Richard gently rocked the little one in his arms. The baby grabbed his collar, laughing giddily.
"Haha, Richard, Ava seems to really like you."
Ava's mother, Jennifer, smiled.
"Yes, I also like little Ava very much. She's just too adorable, isn't she?"
Richard gazed at the little one, smiling.
"Richard, since you love kids so much, why don't you have Bundchen give you one? It's not like you can't afford to raise a child."
Ms. Theron laughed as she pushed the empty stroller.
"Bundchen still has dreams to fulfill and doesn't have time for kids right now."
Richard smiled lightly and glanced at Ms. Theron's stomach.
"What are you looking at?!"
Ms. Theron glared at him.
"Just appreciating your beauty. Is that not allowed?"
Richard rocked the baby gently.
Jennifer, standing nearby, smiled without saying anything.
"Jennifer, did Keanu manage to teach Ava to call him daddy?"
Richard asked.
"No, Ava is only six months old and can only babble. She can't say mommy or daddy yet."
Jennifer laughed.
"That's a shame. I was hoping to hear Ava call me daddy."
Richard smiled.
"Pa-pa~"
Suddenly, the little one gurgled, her dark eyes fixed on him.
The three adults were stunned.
"Is Ava calling me daddy?"
Richard held the baby, astonished.
"Oh, my God!"
Jennifer covered her mouth in surprise. Keanu had spent a week trying with no success, yet Richard casually mentioned it, and Ava immediately picked it up. It was incredible.
"Richard, try calling Ava daddy again."
Ms. Theron laughed.
"Alright! Ava, say daddy again. Call daddy."
Richard held the little one, speaking gently.
The little one blinked her dark eyes and, after a moment, lazily said "pa-pa."
"Wow, Ava can really talk now. This is amazing."
Jennifer hugged the little one, tears of joy streaming down her face.
"Richard, you've stolen Keanu's hard work."
Ms. Theron laughed.
"No, Keanu couldn't get Ava to say daddy, but I did. It means Ava likes me more. Haha, this is wonderful."
Richard laughed proudly.
"Proud of what? You're Ava's Godfather, not her papa, so she's not calling you."
"So what? It's still daddy."
Richard held Ava's little hand, smiling.
"We should tell Keanu about this. He'll be thrilled."
Jennifer smiled.
"Is Keanu home?"
"Yes, he stayed home today knowing you were coming. But he had guests earlier; they should be in the living room. Let's go to the living room."
Jennifer joyfully led the way with the little one.
Richard smiled, pushing the stroller as he and Ms. Theron followed her into the villa.
It was also a large estate, with a vast front lawn, a motorbike track, and a black Norton Commando motorcycle on the track, much like the one in The Matrix, looking very cool.
"Richard, how did you get Ava to call you daddy just now?"
Ms. Theron asked.
"I have magic."
Richard smiled.
"Wrong, you're a gypsy. It must be sorcery. Besides, I'm getting more and more suspicious of your relationship with Ava. You two look more alike."
Ms. Theron teased.
"What do you mean?"
Richard frowned.
"I mean you're a fraud. You once painted a picture for me, saying we'd be very close, and you succeeded. To fulfill your prophecy to Keanu, haha, did you do something to betray Keanu?"
Boing! Richard flicked her forehead, "Stop talking nonsense, or I'll predict that you'll have five kids with me."
"What?! Jerk, take that back!"
Ms. Theron shouted angrily.
"Haha, no way. Once it's said, it can't be taken back."
"Bastard, I'll kill you! Five kids? Do you think of me as a baby-making machine?"
Ms. Theron swung her fists, hitting him as she walked, until they reached the living room where she finally calmed down.
"Haha, Jennifer, is it true? Did Ava really call him 'Daddy'?"
Keanu's excited laughter came from the living room.
"Yes, Richard was holding Ava and said he wanted to hear her call him 'Daddy'. Then Ava actually did it. Sally and I both heard it."
Jennifer laughed.
"What? Ava called Richard 'Daddy' first?!"
Keanu's voice was full of grief and indignation.
"Yes, then Richard taught her a few more times, and Ava said it again very clearly."
Jennifer laughed.
"Why did this happen? I've been teaching Ava for so many days, but she never called me. Why did she call Richard immediately? That guy..."
"Hey, Keanu, what about me?"
Richard walked into the living room, laughing.
"You... You're really a remarkable guy!"
Keanu Reeves, with a jealous and envious look, punched him lightly.
Richard laughed heartily and looked at the guests in the living room: two men and a woman. He recognized one of them, Ms. Cate Blanchett, who was wearing a plain sleeveless long dress and had a gentle smile.
"Cate, long time no see!"
Richard extended his hand with a smile.
"Richard, what have you been up to lately?"
Cate Blanchett smiled slightly.
"Training for a boxing match in two weeks."
Richard shrugged, then introduced Ms. Theron beside him and met the two middle-aged men.
The slightly chubby one was director Sam Raimi, known for the "Evil Dead" series and several other quality films.
The thin one was Billy Bob Thornton, a famous screenwriter and actor, known for "Armageddon," "U-Turn," and the yet-to-be-released "Pushing Tin."
Richard was a bit surprised to see him. According to Julie's information, he and Julie sparked a romance while filming "Pushing Tin" and planned to marry next year. There was no news about it now; maybe it wasn't public yet?
Richard was puzzled.
"Hey, Richard, come over here. Why isn't Ava calling 'Daddy' again?"
Keanu called out.
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm more handsome than you."
"Heh."
Keanu Reeves walked over, holding Ava.
"I don't believe it. Show me again!"
"Alright!"
Richard took Ava, held her and made her laugh, then taught her to say 'Daddy.'
"Papa~"
"Haha, did you hear that? Ava is truly my little angel."
Richard laughed triumphantly.
Keanu covered his forehead and collapsed on the sofa, full of resentment.
"Keanu, maybe Ava doesn't like the smell of smoke on you. Richard doesn't smoke."
Jennifer laughed.
"Alright, to make Ava call me 'Daddy' sooner, I've decided to quit smoking for a week."
Keanu said.
"A week? How noble!"
Richard scoffed, carrying the little one out.
"Richard, don't leave. We were just talking about you."
Keanu called out.
"Talking about what?"
Richard asked, puzzled.
"About the movie. Billy Bob Thornton wrote a script called 'The Eye of Fear,' based on his mother, Mrs. Thornton, who, like you, has a magical eye that can see people's fates. We were discussing the plot.
Cate is the lead actress and wants to understand this better. You're good at this; can you tell us about it?"
Keanu Reeves asked.
"Keanu, did you just say that magical Gypsy wizard is Richard?"
Cate was surprised.
"Cate, please don't misunderstand. In '97, I played a joke on Keanu, telling him he'd have a child. Ava was born last year, and Keanu now treats me like a psychic, asking me to predict the weather. It's really too much."
The women in the room laughed.
"Alright, if you don't want to talk, that's fine. Do you have any roles coming up? There's a supporting role in the movie; do you want to play it?"
Keanu asked.
"No thanks. If you're willing to give me the lead role, I might consider it."
Richard joked.
"Then you might as well leave. Trying to steal my lead role as soon as you arrive? Look at your acting skills first."
Keanu Reeves stroked his beard and laughed.
"My acting is fine. If I hadn't started so late, that handsome guy in black leather in 'The Matrix' would have been me."
Richard joked.
"Haha, so you're jealous of me?"
Keanu Reeves laughed.
"Do I need to be?"
Richard hugged Ava and laughed.
Keanu's face darkened.
"Richard, stop using Ava to provoke Keanu."
Ms. Theron took the little one with a smile.
"Alright!"
Richard smiled, pushing the stroller out of the living room. He decided to spend more time with Ava so she wouldn't recognize Keanu as her dad in the future.