Model to Holywood

"Luca, I'm here!"

It was a sunny morning with birds fluttering around.

Luca had only just woken up around 8 AM.

After just 30 minutes of exercise, he was drenched in sweat.

So weak!

Miranda laughed at him for a while, and Kate's teasing made Lima blush.

After breakfast, Luca was lying on the grass recovering when suddenly he heard the chirping of a lark.

He saw little Eve jump out of a car, rushing toward him like a butterfly.

"Haha, Eve! Long time no see, you've gotten prettier," Luca smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Giggle~ Luca, I think I look pretty too."

The little girl was wearing a cartoon t-shirt and blue short overalls with adorable bubble pigtails. Her big blue eyes sparkled, making her look cute and mischievous.

"Hey~ Luca, what happened to your hand?" she asked, blinking her big eyes while holding his hand.

"I accidentally got my finger caught in a door, and this is the result," Luca said casually.

"Haha, I got my finger caught in a door when I was little too. But it hasn't happened since I grew up. Luca, you're so clumsy!" she laughed heartlessly.

"Not everyone is as clever, smart, and adorable as you, Eve."

"Hmm, maybe not. Hey, Luca, what's that on your face? Did someone hit you?"

The little girl noticed the bruises on his face like she'd discovered something new and poked at the corner of his mouth and eyes.

"Ow, stop!" Luca winced and swatted her hand away.

"Does it hurt, Luca?" Eve's big eyes filled with tears.

"No, not at all!" Luca forced a smile.

Getting beaten up wasn't a big deal for him—his thick skin helped. But when this little girl pitied him and gave him that look, he started feeling sorry for himself.

Suddenly, he felt really pitiful. What kind of man gets beaten at home every day?

Sigh~

How long must I endure this before I can stand up for myself again?

Nina and Ed walked over from the parking area.

"Mom, Dad, Luca got beaten up. You need to help him get revenge!" Eve shouted, turning to her parents.

Nina glanced at him, then said calmly, "Serves him right."

"…"

"Haha, Luca, did you get beat up again?" Ed approached, looking him up and down. 

"Looks pretty serious. Was it Kate or Lima? Or did they team up on you?"

"…"

Luca lowered his head in shame.

"Luca, was it Kate and Lima who beat you up?" Eve asked, finally understanding and shrugging her shoulders.

"Luca, if anyone else had hit you, I'd help you get revenge. But Kate and Lima are really nice to me, so I can't help you this time!"

"Don't worry about him. Men like him deserve to be beaten. He's lucky it was just a dislocated finger this time," Nina said, pulling Eve along.

"Why does Luca deserve to be beaten?" Eve asked curiously.

"He cheated!" Nina said bluntly.

"Is that really so bad?"

Eve didn't quite understand.

"Of course! Imagine if your desk buddy had not just you but three or four other buddies too. He sits with Lucy one moment, then with Linda the next, and then comes back to sit with you. Would that make you happy?"

Nina explained plainly.

Eve frowned, twisting her small face in thought before sighing, "Luca, you really messed up this time!"

"Haha, Eve, Luca doesn't deserve any sympathy. It's hot outside; let's go in," Kate and Lima came out to greet them.

"Luca isn't coming in?"

"No, I'm staying outside to soak up some vitamin D."

"Oh~"

Eve nodded and ran off with the group of women, leaving Luca outside to "soak up the sun."

"Hahaha~"

Ed chuckled, his bright teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

"Does my injury make you happy? If I can't work, it means you'll lose income too, you know?" Luca reminded him, displeased.

"No worries. It's just a dislocated finger. You'll be back in a week, so it won't affect work much," Ed shrugged, sitting down cross-legged beside him.

"Luca, I've told you before—don't cheat, don't fool around. Be a good man who stays loyal. Now look what's happened."

Luca rolled his eyes, "Loyal? That sounds easy enough, but do you even know the kind of temptations I faced before cheating?"

Ed was stunned for a moment. "Are you seriously expecting sympathy for cheating?!"

"No, no, I'm just saying it wasn't easy for me either."

"Yeah, sure. A man who gets beaten up three times a month definitely has it rough."

"..."

Luca pursed his lips. "Ed, let's get serious now."

"Alright." 

Ed opened his work bag and took out the script for *Brokeback Mountain*, explaining, 

"This project has been in the works since 2001. It's controversial due to the subject matter, has a narrow audience, and requires a big investment. Many directors were interested but turned it down over concerns about recovering costs. Recently, director Ang Lee got the script, and the project is now moving forward, entering the casting phase.

A lot of people have the script, but they're hesitating. The project carries a lot of risks. Some conservative and religious groups even published an open letter in the *Los Angeles Times* opposing it. So, it's up to you whether to take the role or not."

Luca flipped through the script. The screenplay was written by Annie Proulx, the author of the original novel, who had won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize.

Overall, the script was even better than the novel, but it still didn't quite match the depth of a film. After the movie came out, Proulx even criticized Ang Lee for making it too good and emotional, causing her a lot of pressure.

It showed how brilliant Ang Lee was. Working with him would be a great opportunity to gain experience.

Luca hadn't gotten much experience lately, and he kind of missed being pushed to his limits by a director.

But this script felt dangerous.

Should he take the role?

Luca frowned, hesitating.

"Why do you look so torn?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"I only suggested auditioning. Do you think you'll automatically get cast? Honestly, your acting is pretty average. You'd need four or five more years of practice to land a role like this."

"Uh…" 

Luca was taken aback. That made a lot of sense.

Setting aside his acting skills, based on the conversation he'd had on that flight, he had made it clear he wasn't a fan of the whole male-on-male theme. Why would Ang Lee cast him?

There was no need to stress over it—he wasn't even in the running.

He glared at Ed, "You're just a manager. What do you know about acting? Plenty of directors say I'm talented, with great instincts and explosive potential. What if I suddenly nail it during the audition?"

Ed glanced at him. "Not likely."

"..."

Luca shook his head. He was already thinking about getting a new manager. Working with someone so brutally honest was really killing his motivation.

"Besides *Brokeback Mountain*, there are a few other options: 

*A Detective in Hell*, a minor role, 

*Phone Booth*, a supporting role, 

and *Fantastic Four*, a secondary lead.

All these projects are currently casting for shoots starting next year. You can give them a try, but don't get your hopes up. You don't have any work released yet, and your acting hasn't been recognized. So just take it easy," Ed kindly reminded him.

Luca shook his head. He wasn't stressing, just weighing the options—they all sounded pretty good.

But Ed had a point.

Given his current situation, landing any role would be a win.

"Alright, let's try them all. Whichever sticks, sticks. Which one should we start with?"

"*Brokeback Mountain*—its casting process is the longest due to the difficulty."

"Okay, let's go tomorrow!"

"You can't go tomorrow."

"You just said we could go anytime!"

Luca was confused.

Ed didn't reply. He just pointed to Luca's face and hand.

"Ah~ fine…"

(End of Chapter)