The Best Director

Wang Yang’s going to jail?” Will Smith exclaimed in surprise as he watched the news report on the television screen, “Best Director sentenced to 150 days in prison, must start serving immediately…” Beside him, Terry furrowed his brows high, looking anxious as he said, “Dad, Dad, what do we do?!” Will laughed dryly, rubbing his son’s head, “Hey, Man! It’s no big deal, I’m sure Wang Yang will be out tomorrow after we win the appeal, and then we can continue to go to the Oscars together.”

Zachary spat out his drink with a “pfft”, staring at his girlfriend Eileen Ellis, coughing uncontrollably, “Really?” Eileen nodded sadly, and he suddenly sprung up from the sofa, cursing loudly, “Bullshit!”

Annie leaned weakly on the sofa, staring blankly at the TV screen, how could this happen, director…

Harry George screamed loudly, the fat on his face quivering as if he had seen a ghost, and he was suddenly out of breath, yelling, “What the hell is wrong with that judge?!”

The judge stated that Best Director’s attitude was bad, even contempt of court, and he needs to learn a lesson…” The TV host’s voice sounded very indifferent, Rachel stared blankly at the screen, looking at Wang Yang’s mugshot. He was wearing a light blue prison uniform, his expression calm and natural. She felt a sharp pain in her heart, and suddenly tears streamed down her face, “Wang Yang, you fool…”

Michael Pitt exhaled rings of smoke from his mouth, remaining silent and ignoring his girlfriend’s yelling from upstairs. He clutched the cigarette in his mouth and inhaled deeply, the tip of the cigarette burned rapidly, smoke enveloping his angry face.

In Boston, at Harvard University’s library, Natalie frowned as she looked at the latest headline from Yahoo Entertainment. It exposed what Wang Yang had said in court: “…but you won’t have that chance anymore, you can only take this regret with you to heaven.” She stroked her chin, pondering deeply, before saying softly, “Wow, wow! This dumb guy is making me like him even more, it feels so good.”

Then, a bizarre thought crossed her mind, he’s not trying to get away from me by deliberately going to jail, right? She shrugged and laughed softly, “OK, the meeting place isn’t Los Angeles now, um, New York, my turf, very convenient for a jailbreak… FUCK!” She pounded the table hard, then stood up, grasped a chair, and slammed it on the floor with a “bang”, repeatedly smashing it down several times.

The students nearby looked in astonishment at this woman who had suddenly gone mad; her face seemed angry and sad, and she appeared very distraught as she brushed her hair. This… could she have been dumped? However, she seemed somewhat familiar, that movie star from the university?

Phew! I’m very sorry,” Natalie said, closing her eyes hard before apologizing to the surrounding students. She quickly shut her laptop, picked it up along with a book, and hurried outside, saying, “I’m sorry! I’ve gone mad! I’m sorry!

The news of Wang Yang’s imprisonment was rapidly spreading online, and fans who had been following the case were incredulous. The judge’s sentencing seemed too harsh! But for contempt of court? They all found Best Director’s “fighting declaration”, and then felt “no wonder”! Best Director had sent himself to jail.

The fans had mixed opinions, with many young people saying “Cool!” and “Such character!”, protesting against the judge’s ruling; there were also many older fans who said, “Stupid!” and “He’s too arrogant.” showing understanding for the judge’s decision.

But no matter which side, this “prison stain” wouldn’t affect Best Director’s status in their hearts, because their idol wasn’t jailed over a scandal, but merely for playing the hero fighting the villain. Yet, in reality, irrespective of heroes or villains, both are governed by the law.

What mattered more to them was, when could they see Wang Yang’s new movie on the big screen? This year? Next year? And what kind of impact would going to jail have on their idol? After “Paranormal Activity,” Wang Yang’s movies had become almost synonymous with sunshine. Film critic Roger Ebert called them the “Sunshine Trilogy,” representing the sun in summer, autumn, and winter. In his words, they were all waiting for a warm spring sun! Would they still be able to bask in it?

The topic also became the focus of the entertainment media. The following day, entertainment newspapers all published the news. The New York Times gave it a huge cover, with Wang Yang’s mugshot: “Best Director Sentenced to 150 Days in Prison!” The Los Angeles Times: “Wang Yang Pays a Stubborn Price.” The San Francisco Chronicle: “Disappointment! A Bullied Good Kid.”

The Cinema News commented: “Wang Yang, who usually produces films at high speed, now has to serve 150 days in jail. Although he might get parole after one month, it will likely take some time before we can see his next work. We’ve seen too many talented stars, young and successful, fall into decline after incarceration, struggling for years to bounce back. That was the actors, but a director? We have no idea. Will he take a few years off?”

Gossip paper Daily Entertainment showed a lot of sympathy for Wang Yang this time, stating, “Recently Wang Yang seems to have offended Lady Luck. Not only did he miss out on the Oscar race for Best Director, but ‘Juno’ also suffered from negative exposure, and now he’s bound for jail. The Oscars are just a few days away. Will we see him there? It depends on whether the appeals court grants approval.”

So I’ll have to stay put after all,” in the lawyer-designed visiting room, clad in prison garb, Wang Yang leaned into his hands and let out a long sigh.

Across the table, Vincent Grant showed a helpless expression and said, “Such an outcome is surprising, but… their reason is that you acted like a spoiled child in court, extremely disrespectful of the law, and deserved severe punishment.” He spread his hands, adding, “In this situation, your celebrity status backfired. You didn’t compromise, and they were even less likely to. I’m sorry, but I’ll continue to appeal for you.”

No, Vincent, I’m sorry,” Wang Yang bitterly smiled while shaking his head, self-deprecatingly adding, “I’ve ruined your reputation.” He didn’t blame Vincent Grant; Vincent had done his best, and the strategy was viable, but he hadn’t cooperated, ruining everything. Sometimes he thought about just admitting guilt, putting on a pitiful act before the judge and the jury to end it all; but when standing in court, he couldn’t do it. Just like when he’d talked back to the principal and refused to apologize, he realized that after all these years, in this regard, he was still an “idiot.”

Wang Yang, your stubbornness will cost you!” Old Man Wu’s stern face emerged vaguely before him. Back then, he had defiantly given a thumbs up, mimicking Old Man Wu’s tone, “Master, that’s why I’m ‘bullying’!”

That’s nothing,” Vincent Grant interrupted Wang Yang’s reminiscence as he noticed the guard signaling that time was up. He then said, “Mr. Wang and Mrs. Wang both asked me to tell you they’re doing fine and not to worry. They’ll visit you on next week’s visiting day.” Wang Yang nodded with a warm smile, “Sure, tell them I’m fine too! Heh, no need. I’ll tell them myself during yard time.”

Vincent Grant stood up, watching as Wang Yang was handcuffed by the guard and led away, he said, “Wang, take care!”

With a bang, the iron door of the small cell closed. Wang Yang awkwardly rubbed his wrists and stretched out his hands as he walked towards the table and chair—this was where he was to spend 21 hours a day. The remaining two hours were allocated for meals in the canteen, showering, and one hour of yard time each day. Having been in Rek Island Prison since yesterday afternoon, it was now nearly 20 hours, and it seemed like he would be staying for at least another half a month.

So the appeal was unsuccessful?” Robert Downey Jr. lay languidly on the bottom bunk, hands under his head, one foot shaking as he saw Wang Yang nod. He chuckled, “That’s truly surprising news.”

Yeah.” Wang Yang was in a rather foul mood, sitting on the chair without a word as he glanced at Downey and the bit of data in his mind resurfaced.

Robert Downey Jr., born in New York on April 4,1965, worked as a restaurant waiter and other jobs for his acting career when he was young. Finally spotted by a talent scout, he embarked on his acting career. In 1992, he starred as the lead in “Chaplin,” garnering an Oscar nomination for Best Actor the following year and reaching a career peak. But it was then he lost himself to drug addiction, starting with possession and consumption in ’96, which led to speeding, home invasion, illegal weapons possession, and a cycle of court appearances, probation, and prison sentences… until now, totaling 16 months behind bars on two previous sentences. Now, he was in for another 7 months for drug possession.

However, in Wang Yang’s mind, it showed that his future would be as the protagonist of movies like “Iron Man”, “Sherlock Holmes”, and others, being able to regain the trust of film producers and directors meant he could leave the mire of drugs behind and start over as a good man. After spending half a day together, even though Wang Yang knew that Downey would change someday, he still found him annoying; more so because of his current state, which in his own words was “a loser,” an annoying loser at that.

But after that, Downey didn’t say much, just humming a song to himself that only he could understand clearly; Wang Yang silently closed his eyes, his mind a blank, feeling the passage of time, quietly waiting for the yard time to arrive.

It was as if there was a pendulum clock ticking away, second by second passing by when suddenly a broadcast rang out in the prison: “Yard time! Fellas, please follow the rules…” The cell doors clacked open, and Wang Yang abruptly opened his eyes, looking at Downey who was leisurely standing up on the other side, he asked, “Buddy, where can I make a phone call? Somewhere not too crowded, do you mind showing me the way there?”

Huh?” Downey stretched lazily, looked back at the approaching Wang Yang, and said disinterestedly, “There’s a phone booth out on the yard, just go there yourself, I need to take a walk.” As he walked out of the cell, he added with a laugh, “If I were you, I’d run for it now, or it’ll be too late.”

Thanks!” Wang Yang said flatly as he walked out of the cell at a fast pace. The inmates on both sides were gathered in groups; he didn’t run out to the yard because he knew there were phones inside the building, he just wanted to know where the best spot was from Downey.

Because he thought he wouldn’t be incarcerated and to avoid dealing with paparazzi, Wang Yang had not asked his parents to come to New York to accompany him to court; and because the next prison visitation day was scheduled for next week, he would have to wait several days more before he could smile and tell his parents face-to-face, “I’m fine”. But thankfully, there were phones, he came to a wall-mounted public phone, where a black man was chatting next to it, and quickly dialed a number. After a few rings, it connected, and he said with a laugh, “Dad, Mom! It’s me. Um… sorry to have worried you, haha, I’m fine, really, it’s nothing…”

Though the bed isn’t big, I’ve been sleeping quite well…” Wang Yang leaned against the wall and spoke. In truth, he had hardly slept at all last night, barely dozing off. Between the hard bed and Downey’s snoring from the bunk below… Listening to his parents’ voices on the phone, their words of concern and comfort, his eyes suddenly reddened, and he choked up uncontrollably, “Mom, Dad, I’ve been too stubborn, I’m sorry!”

He wiped his eyes and tried to calm his emotions, laughing again, “No, you really shouldn’t worry about me! It’s quite good here, not as bad as you’d think, I can handle it…”

After a long chat and many mutual admonitions, Wang Yang reluctantly ended the call, hanging up the phone. He exhaled deeply, apologizing inwardly: “Sorry, Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, Master…” He was feeling some regret now. How could he have been so stubborn and hurt these people who loved him? Yet, if it was about playing the repentant and pitiful for scum… he had no regrets.

Wang Yang was silent for a moment, thinking it over. What a mess! He sighed and immediately picked up the phone again. Time was limited! As soon as the call connected, he said, “Mark, it’s me. How’s everything at the company?” After speaking with Mark Grant and others, making sure certain things were clear, he then called Jessica, letting himself speak with a relaxed laugh, “Hey, Sweetheart!” On the other end, Jessica exclaimed, “Yang! Baby, are you okay? Wang Yang laughed, “Very well, very well! It’s like being on vacation…”

Kid, you’ve been on for quite a while now, haven’t you?” At this moment, a middle-aged white man came up, frowning, apparently asking him to give up his spot. Wang Yang covered the receiver and said, “This is my first time out, I need it.” The white man laughed, “What’s that to me? I need it too!” Wang Yang said softly to Jessica, “Wait a second,” then glared coldly at the man, “I’m talking here, you can wait; or walk away.”

AMKC was not a maximum-security prison, so although the inmates there were not saintly, they were far from being extremely vicious. They were all serving sentences of less than a year and wouldn’t readily cause trouble.

The white man clenched his teeth, pointed his index finger at Wang Yang, and walked toward another phone booth. Wang Yang ignored him, guarded the receiver, and continued chatting, “Hey, do you know who my cellmate is? Little Robert Downey Jr., yeah, that guy, no, no, no, he’s easy to get along with, we’ve had good conversations, about movies, acting, producing… I’d almost forgotten that I’m in prison.”

He talked until yard time was almost over, and only then did Wang Yang hang up the phone. He stamped his numb feet, exhaled a breath, and ran back to the cell block.

In the evening, within the cell, Robert Downey Jr. was still lazily lying on the bed; Wang Yang paced around the tiny space in boredom, relentlessly practicing free-fighting moves, throwing punches and occasionally landing a kick against the wall, cursing, “Damn it!” Tonight was the NCAA Sweet 16 game, USC versus the University of Kentucky, and he should’ve been there, shouting, caught up in the game, but now… USC had taken forty years to return to the Sweet 16, and he’d missed it! If USC made it to the Elite Eight, he’d still miss it, all because he was stuck in this goddamn place!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became—damn it, how could this happen! This damned cell, damned everything! No basketball, no computer, no phone, no girlfriend, no life… nothing! Fuck! He kicked at the fixed table and chair again with a loud bang.

Robert Downey Jr. over there stood up whistling, pulling up his pants as he walked to the toilet to take a piss, he turned his head to look at the infuriated Wang Yang and laughed, “Annoyed much? Can’t handle a single night, can you? Wahaha, that’s the price for screwing up!”

FUCK-YOU!” Wang Yang waved his fists furiously, continually throwing left and right hooks, and shouted, “What did I do wrong? Not apologizing to a piece of shit?! I’m pissed that I didn’t hit him hard enough! You’re the one who fucked up! Fuck, just keep on doing drugs, Downey, spend the rest of your days trapped in this damn little house!” He unleashed a whirlwind of side kicks, cursing, “And when you’re old, crawl out from there, from that ridiculous toilet, covered in shit, and kneel screaming, ‘Yay! ‘The Redemption of Rek Island’! I’m out, I, Robert Downey Jr., am out…”‘

You don’t really wanna FUCK me, do you?” Downey listened silently to his rant, and then after a long pause, suddenly threw a flirtatious look. Wang Yang froze, really wanting to kick the guy into the toilet. He sighed lengthily and waved his hand, “Fuck off, old man.” Downey shrugged and said, “Miracle Yang, I wish I could, but where would I roll off to? This toilet?” With that, he took a cigarette out of his pocket and was about to light it with a match when Wang Yang immediately yelled, “Don’t smoke!”

Without pausing, Downey lit the cigarette, took a deep drag, flicked the ash, and said with smoke trailing from his mouth, “The room is half mine, I can smoke in my half, no problem.”

It’s time to set some rules. Who knows how long we’ll be stuck in this hellhole?” Wang Yang said seriously. If the few square feet of this place were constantly filled with smoke, how would he survive? Downey looked puzzled and asked, “What do you suggest?” Wang Yang spread his hands and said, “Simple. A competition to determine a BOSS, and everything goes by what he says. If he says YES, then it’s YES; if he says NO, then it’s NO. OK?”

What kind of competition?” Downey looked both interested and not at the same time. Wang Yang thought for a moment and then said amusingly, “What else can we compete in here? Arm-wrestling, I guess.” Downey burst into laughter. Although he wasn’t as tall or as muscular as the young director, arm-wrestling was not about size; it was about technique, and he was the “Arm- Wrestle King”, undefeated ever since he was a kid. Still holding his cigarette, he laughed and said, “Why not? Let’s do it!”

The two went to the desk, each placing one hand on the table, ready to arm- wrestle, and said, “Three, two, one!” Before the sound had dissipated, they both strained their muscles. Wang Yang saw Downey clenching his teeth and chuckled inwardly. With a faint exertion of force from his waist, he slammed Downey’s hand down with a thud, proclaiming, “Done, from now on I’m the BOSS here! What I say goes. First rule, no smoking; second, I’ll make up the rest later.”

Speaking, he took the cigarette dangling from the corner of Downey’s mouth, crushed it against the wall to put out the ember, then stuck it back in Downey’s mouth.

Downey looked stunned – defeated, just like that? How could it be possible?! Wang Yang patted him on the shoulder, his tone dripping with disdain as he mocked, “Robert, look at your belly, look at yourself—you think you still got it?” With that, he ignored the dazed Downey, sat down on the chair, and looking around the cramped room cursed again, “This fucking place!”

Phew, relax,” Wang Yang covered his forehead, realizing he needed to find something to do, or else he’d lose his mind. He glanced at the pen and paper on the desk and blinked—’The Redemption of Rek Island’? He chuckled to himself, I’m getting out of here! He picked up the pen, pondered for a bit, and then boldly wrote down a large “Prison-Break” on the paper.