The Best Director

“Hi, sir,” a stunning and charming blonde leaned against the wall in the hotel corridor. With her lips painted bright red and dark eye shadow, her voice lazily asked, “Need any services?”

Wang Yang glanced at her, the shapely figure with curves in all the right places revealed by her shiny tight top and short skirt, along with her black stockings. He shook his head with a smile, “No, thank you.” He continued walking to his room, fishing for his key while he stole a glance at the distant blonde. Her eyes looked desolate and unhappy, perhaps not long before this, she had come to New York full of passion and hope for the future. But as reality struck, she couldn’t hold up anymore, and she didn’t want to go home, so she became a call girl…

He watched the blonde and sighed inwardly. He thought of these because he was suddenly reminded of a girl named Annie…

Seeing him staring at her in a daze, the blonde on the other side got a mocking smile on her face and made a suggestive gesture, saying, “Sir, want to?”

“No, thank you,” Wang Yang shook his head again, grinned, quickly opened his room door, and went inside, exhaling deeply.

After a relaxing hot shower and dressed in his pajamas, Wang Yang sat in front of his laptop at the work desk. He logged into the company’s email and found replies from several talent agencies in New York, which piqued his interest. He opened them eagerly and started browsing.

Amongst the recommended candidates in the replies were not only actors but also some models. Wang Yang flipped through the photos, propped his chin, and muttered with a tinge of gloom, “No good… not handsome enough… not sunny enough…” The images on the screen kept changing; suddenly, he paused, scrolling back a few photos. He looked at a handsome face on the screen and exclaimed with surprise, “Oh my god! This guy looks perfect!”

He eagerly looked up this handsome man’s details. Tom Willing, born April 26, 1977> now 21 years old, 191 cm tall, had been a member of his high school football team. After graduating, instead of going to college, Tom Willing chose to work at a construction company but soon switched to modeling and hoped to become an actor.

In the photos, Tom Willing had a tall and robust physique, muscles that looked powerful, a sharply chiseled face, with two straight eyebrows and light green pupils that appeared mystical and profound. When he smiled, he had a very sunny aura, precisely the sporty type of handsome man!

“Perfect,” Wang Yang couldn’t help but exclaim. He was almost certain, it had to be Tom Willing! He kept looking at the handsome man’s photos, becoming more and more sure with each look. Tom Willing’s appearance and temperament fit perfectly; he was the most suitable candidate he had found after searching Los Angeles and New York.

After such a long search, he finally had a promising lead. Wang Yang was a bit too eager; he searched his memory and recalled a comedy movie called ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ featuring Tom Willing, and a TV series ‘Smallville’ where he played the lead role. Wang Yang played the movie to see Tom Willing’s screen presence and his acting skills, which were quite good.

However, Tom Willing was only a somewhat famous model at the moment, he hadn’t acted in any movies or TV shows yet, so what his acting was like still needed to be seen during the audition.

After watching for a while, Wang Yang picked up his cell phone and called Tom Willing’s agent, Larry Johnson. The call was quickly connected, and he laughed, “Hello Mr. Johnson, this is Wang Yang… Yes, Tom has the right look for the male lead in ‘High School Musical’…” Larry Johnson was very excited; he seemed even more eager than Wang Yang and immediately said that Tom was available for an audition tomorrow.

So, they quickly arranged the time and place for the audition, tomorrow morning at ten, in a coffee shop.

It seemed that the male lead could be finalized, and Wang Yang couldn’t help but burst with joy. He sang and danced his way to the balcony, looking out at the streetscape, laughing loudly.

Although the sky was dark, the streetlights brought light. Wang Yang lived on a not-so-high floor, and he could almost see the faces of the people on the street clearly. He leaned on the balcony railing, looking down at the street below, but suddenly frowned with a bit of confusion. There was a blonde man in a long coat wandering below; he would sit on the bench at the curb for a while, then look up at the hotel, his hands buried in his coat pockets in a familiar posture… “Michael Pitt?” Wang Yang couldn’t help but murmur to himself, as he leaned over the balcony trying to get a better look, but the blonde man had walked further away. Wang Yang shook his head feeling a bit amused; it might just be an illusion—Michael Pitt should be at New York University, why would he be under the hotel on Park Street? Probably overthinking it!

At that moment, the cell phone in the room rang. Wang Yang took another glance at the receding figure of the blonde man before heading back into the room to pick up the phone on the desk. With a smile, he answered, “Hey, is that you, Jessica?” Jessica’s voice came through, and she laughed, “Hey, Yang, how’s New York treating you?” Sitting on the edge of the bed, Wang Yang replied with a smile, “Oh, not bad! I’ve visited a lot of tourist attractions, you know, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square… Yes, very beautiful, but I prefer Los Angeles. Why? The air here seems to be whispering in your ear ‘breathe faster, breathe faster,’ so if you don’t hurry up, you feel like you’re going to suffocate…”

Jessica immediately burst into laughter. After Wang Yang was done talking about himself, he laughingly asked, “How about you, how are your singing lessons going? Is Mrs. Robert strict?” Jessica seemed energized, speaking enthusiastically, “Mrs. Robert is really nice, she’s very patient and teaches well. We’re starting by learning how to control our breath and doing some exercises to increase lung capacity…”

“Hmm… Oh… That’s good.” Wang Yang listened to her unceasing talk about the training, everything from how she and Rachel were praised for having talent, to Zachary stepping on and breaking a dance mat… When she finally paused, Wang Yang found the chance to say what he’d been wanting to announce excitedly, “Hey, Jessica, I think I’ve found your other half.”

There was a pause from Jessica, her voice soft, “What do you mean?” Wang Yang smiled into the phone, “The candidate for Troy Bolton, a really sunny and handsome guy, he’s got a great look and presence, and although the audition is tomorrow, I think he’s the one.” Jessica let out an “Oh,” then seemingly half- jokingly and half-seriously said, “Yang, that’s Gabriela’s other half, not mine.” “Sorry, my mistake.” Wang Yang also felt his previous statement was a bit silly. There was a sudden silence from Jessica’s side, making the atmosphere slightly awkward when there was a knock on the room door. Wang Yang walked over while speaking into the phone, “Hold on, Jessica.” He went to open the door and instantly froze in shock, seeing the stunning and provocative blonde woman standing outside, her left hand cradling her ample chest, her right hand holding a lit cigarette.

Wang Yang held the phone case, looked at the blonde woman, and said earnestly, “Ma’am, I’m not in need of any services.”

I know,” the golden-haired woman smiled, extending her left hand with an item in it, and said, “You dropped this.”

Ill her hand was a brown wallet, his wallet. Wang Yang couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, “Oh my God!” He must have been too distracted by the sight of the golden-haired woman while fishing for his keys that he didn’t even notice when his wallet fell out. He gratefully took the wallet and said, “Thank you, thank you so much.” The money inside was secondary, but there were some important documents and other things inside that could cause a lot of trouble if lost.

Check it,” the golden-haired woman took a drag from her cigarette, exhaling rings of smoke and shrugged. “I did open it to look, but I didn’t take anything.”

By now, a long time had passed since he walked into the room, and this golden-haired woman must have seen the wallet fall the moment it happened. Initially, she might have considered keeping it for herself, but in the end, she decided to return it. Would she have taken anything? Wang Yang shook his head with a smile and said, “No need to check.”

But the golden-haired woman insisted impatiently, “Just check it, will you?”

OK, OK,” Wang Yang opened the wallet and looked inside. The money and documents were all there; nothing was missing. He said, “It’s all good.”

The golden-haired woman nodded, said “Bye,” and then turned to walk away with a catwalk stride. Her black high heels clicking “clack clack clack” on the floor.

Wang Yang watched her lonely figure leaving, inhaling the faint mix of perfume and smoke in the air, and sighed inwardly before murmuring a quiet, “Goodbye.”

Jessica, are you still there?” Wang Yang picked up his phone again and put it to his ear, immediately hearing Jessica’s puzzled voice, “Yang, I think I heard a girl’s voice, did I?”

Damn sensitive cell phone microphones! As Wang Yang walked into the room, he explained honestly, “I think so, umm… Jessica, my wallet fell in the corridor, and a call girl picked it up. She just came to return it to me.” Jessica exclaimed in shock, “A call girl!?” Wang Yang clarified, “No, don’t get me wrong, she was just returning the wallet!”

Hearing his hurried explanation, Jessica chuckled softly, seemingly pleased, and teased, “Yang, you could have said she was a waitress, why did you tell me she was a call girl?”

Why say call girl?” Wang Yang repeated Jessica’s question with a puzzled look on his face, then fell silent and said, “Maybe I just wanted to tell the truth; maybe she was a call girl.”

?

The next day, Wang Yang woke up early in the morning, practiced boxing and exercised, worked up a big sweat, had breakfast, played on the computer for a while, and when it was about time, he left the hotel, walked to the parking lot to get his car, and prepared to head to the cafe he had arranged to meet Tom Willing.

Just as he had left the hotel and taken a few steps onto the street, he suddenly heard someone shouting from behind, “Mr. Wang!” The voice made Wang Yang freeze. He turned around and saw a blonde Caucasian in a gray trench coat running towards him; it was Michael Pitt. He was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, his complexion even more haggard and pale, with dark circles under his eyes clearly indicating he hadn’t slept well.

Wang Yang, in disbelief, said, “Is it really you? Were you here last night?” He noticed that Michael Pitt’s trench coat was somewhat wet, his hair a mess, and his body trembling slightly. He asked in astonishment, “You didn’t spend the whole night out here, did you?” Michael Pitt nodded indifferently and said, “Yes, but it’s no big deal.”

Damn!” Wang Yang frowned tightly and cursed. It had rained heavily in New York last night, and this guy had been on the street the entire time? He asked with confusion, “How did you find me?” Michael Pitt shook with a chill and said, “Your car had the hotel’s name and logo on it.” Wang Yang covered his forehead and, seeing Michael Pitt’s lips turning black, couldn’t help but get a bit angry and asked loudly, “Michael, what’s wrong with you? What are you doing like this?”

Michael Pitt gritted his teeth and said seriously, “Mr. Wang, I mean no harm, I just thought you should see my performance before making a decision.” He paused for a moment, ran his hands through his disheveled hair, and added, “Mr. Wang, I’m not a student at New York University. I was just hanging around there. But before, I did study for a while at the School of Drama and Film.” The so-called Drama and Film School was one of those places where anyone could enter with money.

I guessed as much,” Wang Yang nodded. Michael Pitt must be a young man trying to make his way in New York, and it looked like he was having a really tough time—so much so that he didn’t even have a place to live. Wang Yang felt helpless because “High School Musical” indeed had no roles suitable for Michael Pitt. He couldn’t just agree out of sympathy; otherwise, everyone would come asking for a role, and he couldn’t help everyone. Wang Yang said gravely, “Michael, there really are no roles left. You better change out of those clothes, don’t catch a cold. Why don’t you go up and take a warm bath?” He gestured towards the hotel behind him.

No, Mr. Wang, please watch my performance first!” Michael Pitt, with a face full of urgency, yes, he was a struggler. He had been in New York for over a year; at first, he got a job as a bicycle courier, scrimping and saving, sharing a small apartment with nine others, barely affording his living expenses, and after nearly a year of saving, he managed to study at the Drama and Film School for a few months. But after losing his job and falling ill, not only could he no longer afford to continue his studies, he couldn’t even pay his rent. He spent his nights sleeping on the streets by New York University and sneaking in to attend classes during the day.

But he couldn’t hold on anymore, he didn’t have a penny to his name. A few days ago, he even snatched a loaf of bread from a bakery. He didn’t know what to do; he loved acting, he wanted to be an actor, he had dreamed of it since he was ten…

He had watched the episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” featuring Wang Yang; Wang Yang’s success story was one of the reasons that kept him going. Yesterday, when he saw Wang Yang at the movie school of New York University, he followed this director who was only a year older than himself, all the way from New York University to this place. He didn’t know what he was doing, he was just helpless and confused, like he had grabbed onto a lifeline and was unwilling to let go.

Without waiting for Wang Yang to speak, Michael Pitt began his own performance, his expression constantly changing: a happy smile that swept away the air of decay; an angry, gritted-teeth rage; and expressions of sadness and discouragement. Wang Yang watched his performance in silence, not interrupting him. Michael Pitt performed for a long time before stopping, his eyes wide and bloodshot, and he asked, “How was it, Mr. Wang?”

Michael, the performance was good. But…” Wang Yang felt terrible inside, but he could only harden his heart and say, “There are no roles.”

God… damn it!” Michael Pitt covered his face with his hands in pain, his shoulders trembling, gasping for breath, “Why, why are there no roles!?”

Wang Yang gasped for breath, his heart clenching as if it were gripped fiercely, bringing waves of suffocating sensation. Now he was rejecting Michael Pitt just as those film companies had once rejected him; he knew how painful it must be, but what could he do!? Wang Yang gritted his teeth and said, “Sorry, Michael, I’m really sorry.”

No, Mr. Wang, I understand…” Michael Pitt lowered his hands, revealing his bloodshot eyes. He stepped back several paces and turned to leave, wiping his nose, when suddenly his emotions spun out of control and he started crying out hysterically, “Fuck, fuck! Motherfucker! Fuck—!” As he retreated, he looked at Wang Yang with tears streaming down his face, and cried out in despair, “I won’t give up! Mr. Wang! I will become an actor! I definitely will!”

Passersby on the street turned their heads, curiously watching the unraveled Michael Pitt. Wang Yang clenched his fists tightly; watching Michael Pitt recede further away, his heart felt as if it were being incessantly hammered. How could he be so cruel? He was simply a bastard! But… damn it! He cursed under his breath, ultimately unable to resist calling out, “Michael!”

Michael Pitt’s body trembled, he stopped and glanced back at Wang Yang, about to say something, but then he suddenly saw a policeman approaching from not far away, his gaze seemingly on him. Panic instantly surged in Michael Pitt’s heart, and he took off running in the opposite direction from the policeman.

Hey, Michael! Buddy!” Wang Yang shouted after the retreating figure of Michael Pitt, only to see the young man quickly vanish around the street corner. Had this guy done something wrong!? Wang Yang looked at the policeman, who walked on as usual, paying no attention to Michael Pitt. Wang Yang cradled his head in his hands and let out a helpless sigh.

After standing there for a while and Michael Pitt not returning, Wang Yang, aware he would be late if he didn’t get going, hurried to the parking lot, got his car, and head toward the audition site.

When Wang Yang arrived at the designated coffee shop, it was almost 10 o’clock, and Tom Willing and his agent, Larry Johnson, were already there. Larry Johnson, seeing Wang Yang enter, stood up and waved at him, smiling, “Mr. Wang, over here.” Tom Willing also stood up and nodded at Wang Yang with a smile.

Wang Yang walked over and shook hands with the two men; after introductions, he took a seat and ordered a coffee. He looked at Tom Willing and smiled, “Wow, great muscles!”

Tom Willing was wearing a tight T-shirt, which emphasized his bulging pectorals and, combined with his handsome face, pleased Wang Yang greatly. Hearing this, Tom Willing grinned and said, “Thanks.” He shrugged his shoulders and added, “Mr. Wang, you’re not too bad yourself.”

Hey, just call me Yang,” Wang Yang smiled, then he began sizing up Tom Willing seriously, “Tom, if it’s okay, could you stand up so I can have a proper look?” Tom Willing nodded and stood. Wang Yang motioned with his hand, “OK, give me a side view, turn around…” He had seen Tom Willing in “Cheaper by the Dozen,” but since that was a 2003 film, he needed to assess the screen presence of the now 21-year-old Tom Willing.

Very good, the appearance was excellent, the facial structure was very defined, and he had a sunny disposition… Wang Yang evaluated internally. He then said, “Tom, give me the most charming, sunny smile you can muster.” As he spoke, Tom Willing flashed a charming smile, exuding a bit of the captain-of-the- basketball-team vibe and the boy-next-door feel, very sunny and pure. Wang Yang couldn’t help but praise, “Nice!” He took the coffee from the server, took a sip, and smiled, “Tom, it’s time to show your acting chops.”

Tom Willing sat down and nodded, “OK, what do I need to do?

Then Wang Yang made Tom Willing perform a few scenarios to evaluate his acting. Tom Willing was currently just a fashion model; although he liked the performing arts, he had never had any acting experience, and his acting skills were all self-taught. Naturally, they weren’t very refined and were quite green, but his appearance and temperament were perfect for the role. When it came to acting cool and smiling, he was naturally a “Troy Bolton”.

Even though his acting was amateurish, it wasn’t a complete disaster. They would just need a bit more patience and more film… But more importantly, right now, besides Tom, there wasn’t even one slightly suitable candidate… He also didn’t consider Tom Willing’s singing ability. In fact, before coming to New York, he hadn’t planned to—having a singing background was good, of course, but if not, they could just send him for training, or if that didn’t work out, they could use a playback singer.

Thinking about this, Wang Yang looked at Tom Willing and smiled, “Tom, I think before long, a lot of girls are going to fall for you.”

Upon hearing this, both Tom Willing and Larry Johnson were delighted. Larry Johnson extended his hand towards Wang Yang with a smile, “Mr. Wang, we’re very happy you’ve given us this opportunity.” Tom Willing exclaimed excitedly, “Oh, Yang, thank you!” Wang Yang reached out and shook hands with Larry Johnson, the agent joked, “You know what? Jamie is going to kill me; I’ve turned her boyfriend into a designer handbag.” Tom Willing immediately burst into laughter, his smile like that of a boy in first love.

Seeing his expression, Wang Yang’s eyes lit up. Troy Bolton had many scenes that required this kind of subdued, embarrassed demeanor—some even required blushing—and Tom Willing’s current expression was perfect! He couldn’t help but praise, “Wow, I really want to capture this moment on camera!”

Although Wang Yang was very satisfied with Tom Willing, when he left the cafe, he did not say he would definitely choose Tom—instead, he was currently top of the list. He still wanted to see responses from the actors’ union’s New York branch and several other agencies before making the final decision, but it was very likely going to be Tom Willing. He was very suitable in every aspect, including the salary.

After the audition, Wang Yang visited some places, not returning to his hotel until night had fallen.

Just like the day before, he took a warm-up bath, went out to the balcony to look at the street scene outside, and then he saw that familiar figure again—the figure huddled inside a trench coat, hands buried in the pockets, wandering on the street.

Fuck!” Seeing that figure, Wang Yang let out a sigh of relief and cursed, then hurried back to his room to get dressed and ran down to the hotel lobby.

Soon, Wang Yang was out on the street, sprinting towards a bench not far ahead, calling out to the blond man on the bench, “Michael, is that you?!”

The man sitting on the bench, Michael Pitt, turned his head. Seeing it was Wang Yang, he stood up with a face full of struggle and confusion. His haggard face looked like that of a man on the verge of death.

Michael.” Wang Yang slowed his pace and walked up to Michael Pitt, frowning, “Are you planning to spend another night here?” Michael Pitt didn’t respond, causing Wang Yang’s frown to deepen, “Have you had dinner?”

Michael Pitt’s lips moved slightly as he pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, struggled to draw one out for a while, then put it back in his coat pocket, shaking his head, “Mr. Wang, I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me.”

You’re telling me not to worry about you?” Wang Yang laughed, suddenly swinging a fist in Michael Pitt’s direction, cursing angrily, “You expect me to watch you soak in the rain and starve and do nothing? Damn it, then disappear from my sight right now! Don’t provoke me to beat you!” After cursing a few times and seeing Michael Pitt’s pale face, Wang Yang sighed again, his voice softening, “Come with me, the weather forecast said it’s going to rain again tonight.”

He took a few steps toward the hotel entrance, but saw that Michael Pitt was still hesitating on the spot. Wang Yang waved him over, shouting, “Come on! I’m not gay, relax!”

Michael Pitt smiled and followed Wang Yang into the hotel. Back in the room, he took a hot shower, changed into a set of Wang Yang’s clothes, and now was wolfing down a plate of food, occasionally struggling to swallow the food that got stuck in his throat.

Buddy, slowdown,” Wang Yang sat to the side, watching Michael Pitt’s famished ways, certain the guy must’ve been hungry for days. A thought struck him, and he searched his mental database of films for “Michael Pitt,” but no movies showed up, nor any information. Of course, he knew that his mental film database didn’t have all movies, like none of the documentaries and only biopics of historical figures. Maybe his database just happened to be missing Michael Pitt’s work.

Wang Yang exhaled deeply, remembering the morning’s events, and asked, “Michael, what’s with your fear of the police? Did you do something wrong?

Oh.” Michael Pitt suddenly stopped eating, his face awkwardly shifting, “A few days ago I was so hungry, I… I stole a loaf of bread from a bakery…”

Stole bread!? Wang Yang smiled upon hearing this, but he felt a pang of discomfort. He understood the bitterness, he too had been in a place where he had only a few US dollars left in his pocket, living on half-meals every day; he knew the taste of hunger. He knew Michael Pitt was downplaying it now, but at the time, the guy must have been in agony, driven to a breaking point to steal bread.

Wang Yang stood up and patted Michael Pitt’s shoulder, reassuringly saying, “Buddy, don’t worry. I think the bakery’s owner didn’t call the police, and the cop this morning didn’t even pay attention to you; he was just passing by.”

Really!?” Seeing Wang Yang nod, Michael Pitt let out a long sigh of relief, his whole body relaxing as he exclaimed with eyes closed, “Oh, thank God!” Then he continued attacking the food on his plate, his words muffled, “Because of this, I’ve been living in fear every day, seeing cops on the street and thinking they were after me… I don’t want to go to jail, I was losing my mind!” He swallowed the morsel in his mouth and chuckled in praise, “Damn, this is so good!”

From yesterday till now, this was the first time Wang Yang heard him speak so freely and say so much—seemed like a heavy weight had been lifted off his heart. Stole bread, huh? Wang Yang felt a complex emotion inside, looking at Michael Pitt; he suddenly remembered Annie, the blonde he had met the day before, and himself. Why did it have to be this way? Leaning against the wall, he suddenly asked, “Michael, why don’t you go home? I mean, go home where there’s a warm bed, mom’s cooking… why not return?” He shrugged and laughed, “Don’t tell me, you’re an orphan.”

No, I have three older brothers,” Michael Pitt raised his head, holding a half-eaten burger, and said with a look of surprise, “Isn’t that what you told me? You said on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ that you asked yourself once, is your dream still there? What do you want to do? You said you wanted to make movies, and I said I wanted to be an actor. So now, even if I sleep on the streets, I won’t give up.”

Oh, have I said that?” Wang Yang furrowed his brows and then laughed, “Yes, I did say that. So, it’s my fault you’re homeless?”

Michael Pitt laughed a few times, his expression slowly blanking before he said earnestly, “Why go home? At the age of ten, I made up my mind to become an actor. I came to New York, worked hard to attend art school, and everything was getting better! I was moving toward my goal; I just need a chance, why should I go home?”

Yes, why go home?” Wang Yang smiled, feeling happy and blessed, all because he had touched what he had been pursuing. If he had given up at the start, went home, got the warm bed, the tasty food, but would that have been true gain? His soul would remain cold and hungry, since he would have lost the thing his soul relied on. He spoke softly, “It’s for the dream, isn’t it?”

Michael Pitt nodded silently, “For the dream.

The room fell silent for a while, until Wang Yang, supporting his chin with one hand, sized up Michael Pitt’s gaunt face and suddenly said, “Hey, Michael, originally ‘High School Musical’ didn’t have any roles that suited you, but my crew needs an assistant, and I’ve just thought of adding a minor character that’s perfect for you. It’s a few seconds of a close-up shot, with lines. Are you in?”

Michael Pitt looked up at him, his voice earnest as he asked, “Is this out of pity?”

No.” Wang Yang shook his head, a sincere smile on his face, “It’s not pity, just a little help for someone chasing their dream.” He couldn’t help everyone, but he could do this; it was within his power. He chuckled, “All for the dream. So, are you in?”

Michael Pitt gazed at Wang Yang, unblinking, then suddenly took another bite of his burger, his haggard face breaking into a radiant smile, his voice trembling, “I’m in!”

SC-

PS: The update is a bit late; it seems like a break, but it’s not… Please forgive me, and keep the votes coming…