King of Hollywood
Chapter 321 - Chapter 321 Chapter 48 Suffered a Small Loss

Chapter 321: Chapter 48: Suffered a Small Loss Chapter 321: Chapter 48: Suffered a Small Loss Emma sat in a chair, cupping her cheeks with round eyes fixed on the filming occurring before her. Although she appeared to be focused and serious, the occasional kick of her dangling legs betrayed her inner world.

In two more months, the little tyke would be five years old. Don’t be fooled by her small size; emotionally, she was already at the level of a 6 or 7-year-old. Being quite bright, she could more or less fluently read the newspaper. Don’t underestimate this skill of fluently reading the newspaper, as English is not like Chinese, where new things can be understood just by combining two or a few characters together. In English, you either explain with a long string of words or outright create a new word. This is something not just children struggle with, but even adults need to consult a dictionary to understand, which is why it’s common for kids to only become fluent in reading newspapers around the age of eleven or twelve.

“So boring…” the young girl murmured listlessly, feeling secretly angry at Adrian. He had promised to spend a couple of days with her, but in less than one day, he had resumed work, and once he started, he left her here without a word, and it had already been several days.

Thinking resentfully about this, Emma couldn’t help but glance at Charlize, who was observing the shoot from not far away, and her little mouth suddenly pouted even higher. Well, it wasn’t so bad, since he had work to do, but he could at least spend the evenings with her, right? Instead, he often went off with Charli for God knows what. He thought he was being secretive, always saying he wanted to sleep alone, but how could she not know what he was up to?

What on earth were those two doing together? The little one let out a soft huff before her thoughts turned to this again. Even though Ed spent more time with her, he always found opportunities to sneak off somewhere with Charli, and even though he would take a shower each time before returning, her sensitive nose could still pick up a certain scent from him.

Emma didn’t know what it was, but it smelled nice, similar to after he had done something with Kate. At this thought, the little one’s mouth puckered up even more. When she first met Charli, she thought she posed no threat, so they got along quite well, but to her dismay, Charli eventually started getting entangled with Ed as well–how infuriating.

Although the little one was growing up day by day and understanding more and more, even managing to remain calm when faced with her foster parents paying more attention to their own children–of course, this was also because Rodlin’s partiality was not obvious–her feelings for Adrian had never changed. She was still so attached and fond of him, clinging to him every time they met, which was undeniably an interesting phenomenon.

“Hey, what are you doing sitting here?” A voice suddenly reached Emma’s ears, somewhat shrill but at the same time crisp, like the chirping of a bird.

Emma turned her head to size up the speaker with curiosity. The person was probably under ten years old and about four feet four inches tall, dressed in simple dark winter clothes, wearing a pink scarf, with a pretty face, though the features were a bit sharp, and thick eyebrows, almost boyish if it weren’t for those lively eyes and long hair.

Of course, these weren’t details that a little girl like Emma would pick up on her, so she just looked displeased and replied arrogantly, “Aren’t you a little one too?”

The other girl raised her eyebrows, evidently not expecting such a reply, and her interest in the little one increased.

“My dad is shooting a movie here,” she pointed at the central area of the set full of actors. “What about you?”

“Shooting a movie?” Emma initially didn’t want to engage further, but her curiosity was piqued by the statement. Just as she was about to respond, she heard the other girl exclaim in shock, “Oh my God, he actually shaved his head?! So ugly!”

Her voice was a bit loud, drawing the attention of some crew members. One young woman even frowned and put her finger to her lips, making a “shh” gesture, prompting the girl to quickly cover her mouth.

Seeing all of this, the little one couldn’t help but giggle lightly, suddenly feeling quite fond of her.

“Do you think that’s funny?” The girl turned around with a fierce look upon hearing the laughter.

“Yeah, it’s really funny.” Emma stuck out her tongue and made a goofy face.

The girl huffed lightly and then introduced herself, “I’m Keira, k-e-i-r-a, Keira.”

“Emma, e-m-m-a, nice to meet you,” the little one replied imitating Adrian’s tone, even extending her hand.

“Me too.” The girl smiled and shook hands with her, then pointed at the woman previously shushing her, “That’s my mom; she brought me here. She’s a playwright.”

Following the direction to the actor with the shiny head standing next to a young man whose magnificent fur coat couldn’t hide his neatly trimmed beard stubble was a middle-aged man, “That’s my dad–frankly, he looks pretty awful like that.”

Emma couldn’t help but giggle again, then pointed to Adrian and said, “That’s… my uncle.”

“Your uncle is a director?” Keira asked with surprise in her voice.

“Yeah, he’s always got so much work, and hardly has any time for me,” Emma sighed, conveniently overlooking the fact that Adrian always came to see her whenever he was in London and took her to the United States for vacations every year.

“What about your mom and dad?” Keira immediately sensed that something was amiss.

“They… went to Heaven,” Emma’s small face suddenly turned a shade sadder. Caught off guard by the reply, Keira became flustered, stuttering with her hands, “I’m… I’m sorry… I didn’t… ”

“It’s okay,” the little one smiled again, “They went to Heaven when I was very small, but luckily I still have my grandparents, and lots of uncles and aunts, and Ed.”

“Ed?” Keira blinked, apparently thinking it might be some kind of pet.

“That’s him,” Emma pointed at Adrian, who was talking with the photographer, “I never call him uncle, except just now, because… it makes me feel like he’s very far away.”

“Really…” Keira paused and thought, “Oh, do you know any finger games?”

“Finger games? You mean…” Emma thought for a moment and then began making shapes with her hands clasped together.

“Yeah, that’s it, I have a new game…” Keira started to teach her.

The two girls began playing and frolicking around. Although both were smart, one being nine and the other only four, they were still quite young, and soon they became immersed in their fun, forgetting everything around them–until a voice rang out, “Hey, little ones, you look like you’re having a great time, can I join in too?”

The chatterbox Emma suddenly shut her mouth, nervously glanced around, and noticed that filming had already stopped; most people were resting, and many were smiling and looking their way. The little one, feeling a bit anxious, stuck out her tongue at the man in front of her, then shyly asked, “Did I… did I speak too loudly and disturb you?”

“Sometimes they can’t even hear when I call ‘Action’,” Adrian raised an eyebrow.

“How could that be! Our voices are so soft, how could they be louder than yours?!” Keira immediately stood with her hands on her hips, puffing up as if to demand justice for Emma.

But then her father’s voice came from behind Adrian: “Be polite, Keira.”

“That’s not how a lady should behave,” followed her mother’s voice.

Though a bit aggrieved, Keira closed her mouth, but Adrian didn’t seem to mind and waved, “No worries, Will, Shawen, what’s your daughter’s name?”

“Keira, my name is Keira.” The girl began introducing herself without waiting for her parents, puffing out her chest proudly like a little peacock, leaving one to wonder why she was so proud.

“Keira?” Adrian flashed a hint of inexplicable light, “That’s a pretty name.”

As he spoke, he lifted Emma into his arms and affectionately pinched her little cheek: “You two seem to get along very well.”

“Keira is very smart, she’s told me lots of interesting things.” Emma bobbed her head like a pecking chicken.

“Well, then…” Adrian, holding her, looked towards Will and Shawen, who were coming over to talk to Keira, “Hey, Will, the shooting’s wrapped up, got any plans for tonight?”

“Plans?” the man who had shaved his head for the movie was somewhat surprised, “Nothing special.”

“Then, if you don’t mind, let’s go have dinner together,” Adrian suggested, lifting the little girl in his arms a bit.

Though the invitation was a bit abrupt, Will, who had noticed his gesture, quickly caught on and, after exchanging a glance with his wife, nodded: “It would be an honor, Ed.”

In Wandsworth District, there’s a famous food street that, while not as luxurious as the star-rated restaurants in downtown London, does offer decent service and food with character. Considering that both children would probably not enjoy the ambiance of a high-end restaurant, and since it wasn’t far from the soundstage, Adrian had chosen this spot to invite Will and his wife to dinner.

“Anyway, after that disaster, Emma has recovered well, but rarely finds friends who click with her,” Adrian sighed, looking at Emma, who was playing games with Keira and giggling from time to time.

“We understand.” After hearing the little one’s story, Shawen’s gaze towards Emma was filled with pity.

“Yes, Keira also lacked friends when she was young. She struggled with dyslexia from the age of six but thankfully, it didn’t affect her learning or personality,” Will began to share about Keira.

“She is a strong kid,” Adrian mused and nodded, storing Will’s words in his memory.

“By the way, Shawen is a playwright?” he asked instantly.

“Yes, I’ve written scripts for stage plays, TV shows, and movies, but I can’t compare with the famous Hollywood screenwriters,” Shawen answered with a smile.

“You’re too modest. Even I just provide the concept and then let other screenwriters complete it,” Adrian shook his head and then, as if struck by a thought, said, “If you don’t mind, Shawen, could you take a look at the script for my next movie?”

“The next movie?”

“Yes, as soon as I finish this one, I’m going to start on a new movie, right here in London,” said Adrian, with an easy tone as if he were commenting on a tasty dish.

“A new movie?” The couple went from puzzlement to visibly surprised.

“You mean… right after ‘Braveheart’ you’re going to…” Will gestured.

“Of course, you should know that I have a reputation as a workaholic,” Adrian said with a shrug and then looked towards Shawen, “This movie will be an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. As I said before, I mostly provide the ideas, and then other screenwriters flesh them out. You know, Shawen, while American screenwriters are excellent, not all of them have a fine understanding of British literature. Originally, due to time constraints, we had to write it up early, so I need a British screenwriter who can offer me insights in this area. Would you be willing to help me?”

Shawen pursed her lips and quickly agreed, “I’d be happy to, Ed.”

The dinner ended shortly after, and after saying goodbye to the couple, Adrian took Emma to the car that had come to pick them up.

“How was tonight, little guy?” he asked, holding Emma in his arms, making sure to keep her happy by not bringing along Charlize, who usually never left his side, even in such situations.

“I’m very happy.” Emma, who had already started yawning, suddenly perked up and nodded vigorously, then snuggled into Adrian’s arms and began to act coquettishly, “Will I be able to see her again, Ed?”

“You will,” Adrian said, stroking her head and looking through the car window at the distant street scene, “It’s a good name, Keira Knightley.”

The early February snow did not last too long nor was it too heavy, after all, it was a warm winter. So when the weather cleared up and the outdoor scenes were confirmed to be viable for shooting, Adrian immediately left the studio work and headed to a small town in Scotland.

Shooting in the studio was easy, but the real scenes were subject to many restrictions, plus there was the unpredictability of more snowfall, which is why he had to work so tightly. However, this also alerted the reporters who had been steadily gathering outside the studio, and they followed him to Scotland.

British reporters, or rather the British tabloid reporters, had a sense of smell that was more than just a bit sharper than their American colleagues. Adrian did not encounter much trouble in the small Scottish town, but as soon as he returned to London, these guys found out about it. Of course, the popularity of “Forrest Gump” in the United Kingdom was also a reason.

Just like in the United States, the movie had caused an unprecedented response. Although it had been released in late January, even now, lines for “Forrest Gump” could occasionally be seen outside cinemas. Even the British media, which usually loved to mock Hollywood, heaps praise on the film.

“‘Forrest Gump’ can be described as an authoritative American film.” — The Times

“Excellent editing, a tension-filled plot, and a thought-provoking story – Adrian Cowell and Tom Hanks have created a masterpiece.” — The Guardian

But the UK was not the US, so the voices of irony and criticism were a little louder than on American soil.

“The story is fascinating, but it is permeated with an American self-righteousness,” stated the Daily Telegraph.

“The combination of fiction and reality truly was a mistake; while it may make the film seem more real, the overwhelming sense of fakeness that hits you at the end of the movie is particularly strong,” scoffed The Independent without mercy.

These were the voices of the major newspapers. As for the tabloids, there were all sorts of interpretations, some of which were so outlandish they left one speechless. However, considering they were designed to attract readers with sensationalism, exaggeration, and erotic content, one could come to terms with it. And so, discovering that the Miracle Director had come to the UK and seemed to have begun shooting a new film, they treasured this chance and converged near the studio, hoping to scoop an interview.

After all, “Forrest Gump” was still in theatres, not only achieving astonishing box office success but also a very high reputation; it was already a hot contender for this year’s Oscars. Even though the British usually scorned Hollywood and the Oscars, when it came to that time of year, they would still follow American media in analyzing and predicting the Oscars. If a British film was nominated, they would sing its praises as if all awards should go to that movie. It’s hard to describe their attitude.

In any case, the reporters were eager to find out what new film the Miracle Director had come to the UK to shoot while his own work was still in theatres. Based on the tidbits of information revealed, they could tentatively surmise that it was a film about the Middle Ages in England, which excited them even more. Speculation about the Miracle Director’s new film had not ceased in the British newspapers during this time, and the vibrant descriptions attracted a lot of American media attention.

Adrian, however, never took it to heart. Years of experience had helped him come up with numerous ways to deal with paparazzi, who were not omnipotent. British tabloid reporters found it challenging to catch him off guard. Moreover, the more informed paparazzi were aware of the Miracle Director’s other status and naturally knew the boundaries. Sometimes they might overstep slightly but would quickly retract. So even as speculation about the new film was rampant outside, Adrian never revealed anything. Since the paparazzi understood the unspoken rules, he obliged to adhere to them. He wasn’t the ‘King of the World’ to do as he pleased.

As for their following him all the way to Scotland, there was no concern. Even ten years later, when methods of obtaining sneak peeks would be more advanced, reporters still couldn’t infiltrate the content of the actual set. Thus, if they enjoyed keeping vigil outside, let them stay. Eventually, their patience would run thin, and they would leave.

Therefore, Adrian continued the location filming with peace of mind, entrusting the majority of affairs outside to Charlize and staying in touch with Claude without concerning himself with external matters. However, AC Media, which had set its sights on ABC, had recently fallen on some difficulties, facing a minor setback from Eisner.

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (NovelFire.net) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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