Chapter 26: A Date and Some Advice
The BBC's Diana Rigg pressed him. "William, the BBC can arrange everything for the demonstration. All you have to do is show up. Or are you afraid you'll have to come up with some excuse, like your family forbidding it?"
William looked at Diana, taking in her impressive figure, and thought with a smirk, *If you tried to block my way, maybe something else entirely would happen.*
"Okay, we'll set a time," William nodded and agreed.
"Hey, William, don't think you can use this as an excuse to get a date with Diana," a reporter joked loudly. "She's a London press corps treasure. We'll definitely stop you from getting close to her!"
His words caused a roar of laughter from the room.
"Yes, yes, Robert's right!" another reporter chimed in. "We'll all protect Diana. We won't give William a chance!"
William knew these guys were just looking for an excuse to get access to the event. They were afraid the BBC would try to make it an exclusive and not let them bring their own cameras to the archery field. They wouldn't let such a good news story slip away.
"To hell with you, Robert! When did I become your ward?" Diana shot back boldly. Then she turned to William. "If William wants to ask me on a date, I'll accept right now. So, William," she said, striking a pose, "do you want to ask me out? I'm single, but this is your only chance." She looked at him expectantly, as if to say the ball was in his court.
William felt a little flustered. Diana Rigg was a true beauty, with a figure that could stop traffic. For William, who had little experience with women, the offer was tantalizing. He'd never even been on a date with a woman as stunning as Diana.
Meanwhile, many young women watching on television were cursing at the screen. "Shameless! An old cow eating tender grass!" "William is ours! Get lost, you old hag!"
To these fifteen-year-old girls, Diana, who was in her late twenties, was practically an old woman.
With so many people watching, William was still a bit embarrassed. He didn't agree directly. "Perhaps," he said, "we could have a meal after the press conference."
"Of course, I'd love to," Diana said with a beautiful smile. "You have to keep your word, William. Otherwise, I'll come and camp outside your house." To her, William was the ultimate prize: talented, famous, handsome, and most importantly, incredibly rich. He was the hottest ticket in town.
If she really became William's girlfriend, her own fame would skyrocket. Besides, she thought, a handsome young billionaire like him was hardly a loss.
A chorus of boos and jeers erupted from the male reporters in the room.
"Oh, God, no! Diana, you can't promise him!" "That guy will swallow you whole!" "Diana, you belong to all of us!" many of them complained with theatrical sighs.
Many of the male reporters at the scene had a crush on Diana. Now, watching the goddess of their hearts about to fall into another man's arms, they were very unhappy.
"Okay, we'll get in touch later," William said, his face flushing slightly. It was the first time he'd ever been booed over a girl, and he was embarrassed.
"Get on with it, Devinshire!" some reporters shouted, dissatisfied. "We don't want to watch you pick up women on a live broadcast!" By now, many of them were itching for a chance to take William down a peg.
William cleared his throat, embarrassed. "Okay, let's get back to it. I have two suggestions for my peers. First, have a firm will. Don't worry about what others think. When you decide to do something, you must believe in yourself. Challenge yourself, push yourself, and toughen up your nerves. Nerves that are too delicate will keep you in a state of comfortable anxiety. When we build a powerful will, our choice when we encounter challenges in life should be to face them head-on, not to avoid them."
The reporters nodded, agreeing with what William said.
"Second, on the premise that you can ensure your own survival, read as much as possible. If we want to change our situation, or change the world, knowledge is the only foundation."
William added in his heart, *...the premise is that you have a system.*
"Even a child can use learning to become more articulate, to seem cuter or more pathetic when they want a toy, to play on the weaknesses of their parents and convince them. In that spirit, I want to solemnly recommend a book to the children of England: *An Actor Prepares*. By studying this book, perhaps twenty years from now, when you have children of your own, you will easily see through their little performances. You'll be able to say, 'Child, I was practicing my acting skills when I was your age. Dad solemnly recommends you read *An Actor Prepares*. Once you've learned it, you'll be able to act so well that I won't be able to tell you're faking it when you cry.'"
Hahahahaha! A loud laugh erupted from the audience. Everyone was charmed by William's humor.
Some reporters even deliberately asked where the book could be bought, saying they must recommend it to their own children.
The audience in front of their TVs also laughed. Many children asked their parents where they could buy the book William mentioned. They were interested in learning. If they learned, wouldn't they be able to get whatever toys they wanted?
A ten-year-old boy from England named Daniel heard William's advice, bought *An Actor Prepares*, and studied it seriously. One year later, he was successfully cast in a blockbuster film series that would last for a decade.
"I want to thank William Devinshire," the famous Daniel would later say in a media interview. "He taught me how to act. And now, I want to follow in my idol's footsteps and recommend *An Actor Prepares* to children all over England. Maybe you'll be the next magician."
After that day, children all over England who were interested in acting sought out *An Actor Prepares*. Before long, adults around the world became interested in the book as well. After all, no matter what you do, sometimes being able to deceive the other party is the first step toward victory.
In this way, William cultivated a large reserve of talent for the global entertainment industry and also gave it a massive, free advertisement. The author of the book and his family would go on to thank William in the media more than once, because he had made them a great deal of money.
For reasons unknown, the "Rose of France," Sophie, suddenly mentioned William to the media, calling him the most handsome and charming young man she had seen and expressing her hope for a chance to meet and exchange acting experiences.
Sophie, though in her thirties, was still beautiful enough to make one's head spin. William was, of course, willing to "communicate" with her, but the age difference was a bit large, and he was afraid of being hyped up by the media.
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