Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 36: An Unexpected Guest

Andy-Rogers pushed open the gates of Pioneer Village. No one awaited him on the porch, so he entered the bar. The warmth inside made him break into a light sweat. He pulled out a deep blue striped handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his forehead, and then began to survey the interior decor.

The green decorations caught his attention, and he gently closed his jaw. He didn't like St. Patrick's Day because it wasn't profitable like Christmas, nor could it deceive women like Valentine's Day. He couldn't see the necessity of the holiday.

"Sir," a smiling woman approached from his right, holding a stack of disposable paper plates. "We won't open until five today."

Hearing her voice, Andy's lips curved up naturally, his small eyes narrowing into slits. His chubby cheeks had a faint pink hue, making him look amiable like Santa Claus. "I know, Happy St. Patrick's Day!" Andy's friendly demeanor elicited a big smile from her, who also returned the greeting, "Happy holiday." "I'm here looking for a young man named Renly Hall. Is he working today?"

"Oh, Renly!" The woman's expression lit up at the mention, catching Andy's eye. "He's right there."

Following her gesture, Andy spotted two people in the corner of the bar. Next to them, a man dressed in elf attire was joyfully jumping around. "Haha! I knew it! I knew it!" Then he began spinning in place, shouting to others, "I won, I won! I knew Renly would be convinced by Stanley, hahaha! What about the bet? What about the bet?"

The scene of joy erupted in the bar, and others joined in the celebration. "So, you came to find Renly for...?" The questioning voice brought Andy's attention back. He still wore the same kindly smile on his face. "An old friend, I'm an old friend."

"Oh, I see." The woman's face lit up with understanding, then she said, "We're having a party tonight. Everyone is welcome to join. If you don't have plans, you're welcome to join us too."

Andy maintained his warm smile. "People always tell me New York is a cold city, but now it seems my perspective was wrong." Without giving a direct answer, he successfully made the other person smile. Gentlemanly, concise, and subtly charming.

"Renly!" She turned her head, calling out loudly. "An old friend is here!" Then, she turned back to Andy, releasing another warm gesture, "Hope you have a pleasant time in New York." She walked away towards the party table.

Andy placed his hands behind him, carefully inspecting Renly standing before him. A fitting green suit, and slightly messy short hair, resembling a character straight out of a fairy tale. However, the tall stature bore no resemblance to a dwarf. Despite the humorous contrast, his bright eyes sparkled with mischief, like ripples on a pond stirred by a gentle breeze.

"Afternoon," Renly's steps stopped three steps away. He politely glanced over, searching his memory, but found no match. "I suppose this is our first meeting?"

The man before him looked about forty, slightly chubby, wearing a neat three-piece suit. Renly could tell it was a handmade suit, not as high-end as those on Savile Row in London but definitely starting at two thousand dollars. The vest buttons were all buttoned up but couldn't conceal the slight beer belly. However, the precise tailoring, rigorous lines, and dignified design exuded an elite aura, easily overshadowing the slight disharmony of the belly.

"This is indeed our first meeting, Andy Rogers." Andy extended his right hand, initiating the friendly gesture.

Renly shook his hand, gentlemanly and politely. With a rosy complexion and a smile, Renly couldn't help but picture a Buddha-like figure, suppressing the urge to burst out laughing. This sense of incongruity made Renly grit his teeth, preventing himself from laughing out loud. "Nice to meet you. Are you here to attend the party tonight?"

Though it was their first meeting, Renly behaved very decently, not aggressive but polite.

Andy still smiled. "I can feel that the whole city is celebrating tonight." Instead of a direct answer, he looked around. "Shall we sit down? My heart needs a rest." His self-deprecating remark relaxed the atmosphere between them.

Renly led Andy to a nearby seat. In this short time, Andy had sweated a bit again, not due to exertion but because of the high indoor temperature. He hadn't taken off his suit jacket, so it was easy to sweat. "Neil, can we have a soda here?" Renly called out.

"If it's cola, that would be perfect." Andy was slightly surprised by Renly's attentiveness and thoughtfulness. However, all his thoughts were hidden behind that genial smile. Instead of thanking Renly, he made a casual request - a harmless one.

Renly couldn't help but smile. "Forgive my rudeness." He turned back, "Neil, a cola."

Neil brought out a can of cola and a glass, skillfully added a few ice cubes, and placed it in front of Andy. Andy nodded with a smile, expressing his gratitude. After Neil left, he poured the cola and took a big sip, finally relaxing.

Throughout the process, neither of them spoke. Andy wasn't in a hurry, and Renly seemed even less so.

Andy found it quite interesting. From what he had gathered, Renly had just turned twenty this year, the age of impatience and impulsivity. Yet the young man in front of him showed a calmness and composure beyond his years. The image Andy had heard about Renly gradually matched the real person.

"Aren't you curious about who I am?" Andy asked with a smile, resembling Santa Claus asking children what gifts they wanted, but not too childish, easily gaining favor.

Renly raised an eyebrow slightly. "As far as I know, you're not my admirer."

"Haha." This little humor genuinely amused Andy. "Actually, you can say that. I am an admirer." As expected, Andy saw a trace of surprise and doubt in Renly's eyes.

Andy took out a silver tin box from the inner pocket of his suit. Though small, it was exquisite, seeming like a valuable antique. With his clumsy fingers, Andy awkwardly opened the box and took out a business card, handing it to Renly. "Allow me to introduce myself formally. I'm Andy Rogers, a broker."

Renly looked down at the business card, a pearl white card with delicate patterns that could be felt with fingertips. The elegant black font exuded elegance and charm, succinctly and appropriately marking all the information, making each detail a work of art.

But Renly noticed a small detail. Andy's self-introduction was very simple - "Broker," without any adjectives.

However, from the business card, it could be known that he was a senior broker at Innovative Artist Agency - not only one of the top five agencies in the industry but also a leader in the industry, dominating Hollywood's brokerage business for over twenty years. It was enduring and was an absolute overlord in the industry.

For those lacking confidence, they would often embellish themselves with grandiose words to intimidate others, hoping to impress them. But for truly strong individuals, they would choose to speak with their strength. The confidence emanating from within was completely different.

With just one meeting, Renly had a deep understanding of Andy.

"A broker?" Renly raised an eyebrow, seemingly unaware of how rare it was for Andy to visit in person, as if he didn't notice that Andy was backed by the Innovative Artist Agency. "Why?"

This question caught Andy off guard, then he chuckled softly. "I mean, why me? I don't recall posting a personal video on YouTube."

The teasing remark widened Andy's smile a bit more.

Almost every young person with dreams of stardom would tirelessly upload videos on YouTube or brave the rain to participate in "American Idol" auditions, all aiming to attract the industry's attention. Being noticed by a broker was a huge deal, worthy of grand celebrations. And this broker was not just anyone; it was the Innovative Artist Agency - Andy believed Renly noticed the details on the business card, and even if he wasn't ecstatic, he shouldn't be so calm.

"So, you're not interested in standing under the spotlight?" Andy didn't directly answer but instead asked back.

Renly raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried about my personal information being leaked?" He asked back.

"Haha." Andy was genuinely amused this time. In just this short exchange, the twenty-year-old in front of him had brought him quite a surprise. After suppressing his smile, Andy finally revealed the answer, "I know you starred in 'The Pacific,' and I watched the internal screening."