The Greatest Showman

Fischer sized up the newcomer before him, who had quietly risen to prominence. Although he sported a full beard, his handsome face still showed a hint of youthful naivety. The exuberance and recklessness of youth radiated from his features, yet his eyes were calm as water, exuding a composure and elegance beyond his years. It seemed as if all his brilliance had settled down, permeating every cell of his being. Such a paradoxical yet harmonious presence—he may not be a dazzling focal point like Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, but his intriguing aura always makes him stand out in a crowd.

It was only when his Emmy nomination was announced that the gleam in his eyes betrayed the fact that he wasn’t yet twenty-one this year—or, in other words, revealed the fact that he was merely a Hollywood rookie.

Fischer was confident that Renly could create miracles and even become a top superstar under his guidance. But now, he was even more curious about something else: does Renly have such ambition?

“That’s just ‘not bad’.” Fischer’s tone shifted subtly as he continued, “Far from the end. The real question now is: how far do you want to go in this Hollywood Vanity Fair?”

With just that one sentence, Fischer calmly regained control of the conversation.

Renly almost blurted out an honest response, but just as the words were on the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back, curiously eyeing Fischer. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that question? If I choose you as my agent, just how high can you take me?”

Understanding who is in the buyer’s market and who is in the seller’s market is crucial. Now that Fischer had approached him, Renly wasn’t about to easily give up this advantage. He is different from other typical newcomers; he isn’t overly fixated on finding an agent. Besides, his bargaining power is increasing, doesn’t it?

Fischer raised his eyebrows slightly. He wasn’t opposed to Renly’s assertiveness — after all, to survive in Hollywood, humility and caution would leave you with nothing. Without enough aggression, it meant there was no ambition, and therefore, no value in nurturing.

What surprised Fischer, however, was that based on Renly’s appearance and his performance in ‘The Pacific‘, all signs pointed to him being a gentle type. But now, it seemed that the saying “You can’t judge a book by its cover” had been proven true once again.

“The sky is the only limit for me.” For the first time, Fischer displayed his aggressive and domineering side — the same attitude that had brought him to where he is. Clearly, he wasn’t content with just that. “The 20 million club, $55 million, an Oscar for Best Actor, leading roles in $300 million blockbusters, self-produced projects, collaborations with James Cameron, with Meryl Streep… anything you can name, I can make it happen. The question is, do you have the ability to match that?”

Fischer’s body slowly leaned back as he crossed his legs. The way he sat, calm and composed like someone firmly in control, made it impossible to doubt his words, let alone refuse his invitation. Even though his tone didn’t intentionally rise in emphasis, his casual manner came down with the weight of a mountain, delivering an even greater impact.

“Hah, you almost had me convinced,” Renly said. If he hadn’t been reborn, maybe Renly would have actually been so overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude that he would have just signed a contract with Fischer on the spot.

But he knew very well that Hollywood didn’t work like that. The rise of any top-tier superstar was the result of the right timing, the right place, and the right people. An agent was just one part of the equation, not the most important one—luck and timing were what truly mattered. Fischer was just bluffing, though considering his smooth success over the past few years, his words were indeed quite persuasive.

The humorous remarks carried a subtle trace of sarcasm, which served as a wake-up call for Fischer—being strong-willed was one thing, but being rebellious was another. For a newcomer without any foundation, arrogance without understanding one’s limitations would only lead to self-destruction. Moreover, no agent would appreciate a rookie who constantly opposes them. Not a single one.

“However, what you mentioned is not what I’m after. I want to reach a higher level.” Indeed, what Fischer had described was something everyone currently dreamed of, and Renly was no exception. The brightest stage of the Vanity Fair—whether it was a trap or not—was always alluring to those on the outside, eager to experience it for themselves. But as Renly said, the limits he truly pursued went beyond that. “I hope to genuinely integrate business with art. If that’s my goal, what abilities do you think I need?”

In an instant, the initiative shifted again, returning to Renly’s hands.

Fischer thought he had been arrogant enough, but upon hearing Renly’s words, he felt an urge to laugh. Throughout history, countless great artists have tried to perfectly combine commerce and art, searching for that golden balance point. Yet even masters like Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, and James Cameron would not easily claim that they had found the key to success, and now, a fledgling rookie dares to boast so boldly. It’s as if a baby was waving a pencil-sharpening knife and declaring it wanted to defeat Sauron from ‘The Lord of the Rings’. “This is an excellent joke, the best I’ve heard all year,” Fischer chuckled, starting to find the little guy in front of him interesting.

However, Renly did not laugh.

Fischer’s laughter echoed in the car for a while, but after receiving no response, it gradually became awkward, and the corners of his mouth stiffened a little. Suddenly, Nathan, sitting in the front passenger seat, burst into laughter without warning, breaking the tense atmosphere in the car. The mood shifted from awkward to strange, and this time it was Renly who couldn’t help but smile.

Nathan had originally wanted to ease the tension by going along with Fischer, but he mistimed it, unintentionally making things worse. When he turned his head, he was met with Fischer’s icy, frost gaze, causing his heart to skip a beat. He shrank back into his seat and sat quietly, not daring to move.

Fischer felt that Renly was deliberately making fun of him, mocking him, which was clearly not a good thing. The anger inside him began to burn fiercely. Over the past few years, with his career soaring, Fischer had not felt this kind of humiliation for a long time. His smile faded, his gaze darkened, and then he said, “Do you know what the words you said meant”

“That’s the reason I said it, isn’t it?” Renly countered calmly but confidently.

He didn’t like Fischer’s condescending attitude, always carrying a sense of superiority in his words. It was as if Fischer was constantly implying, “I’ve chosen you, this is your honour, and you should hurry to express your loyalty.” What Renly wanted was an equal partnership. Even though he is a newcomer, the relationship between an actor and an agent never should be about hierarchy; it should be a partnership of equality and mutual benefit. Therefore, he disliked Fischer’s patronizing tone.

Moreover, in this lifetime, Renly was born into an aristocratic family, so when it came to “superiority” and “looking down on others,” he was no stranger to it. How could he possibly be intimidated by Fischer?

“Are you serious?” Fischer paused and asked in a deep voice. Renly didn’t answer; instead, he pressed his lips together, letting silence say everything. This made Fischer’s expression darken even more. “Do you know what the perfect balance between commerce and art truly means?”

Renly, on the other hand, smiled. “I thought you could give me the answer.”

Fischer let out a muffled grunt, feeling as if his chest had been stomped on. He didn’t like Renly’s arrogance and lofty attitude. Maybe Johnny Depp could act like this, maybe Tom Cruise could too, and Fischer would have to bite his tongue no matter how dissatisfied he was. But Renly? A nobody just starting out?

In Hollywood, countless actors have received an Academy Award nomination, but only a fraction of them truly manage to establish themselves in the industry—perhaps not even one in ten. It’s not just about an Emmy nomination; even an Oscar nomination, or even winning an Oscar, is not that significant in Hollywood’s vast commercial system. The distance from being unknown to gaining some recognition pales in comparison to the distance from fame to legendary status. It’s like an ant looking up at a giant.

To Fischer, Renly’s boastful words were nothing but a joke, so Fischer chuckled softly, with mockery and disdain. “I think before you take another step, you should go to the Union and find a public agent to give you a proper lesson. Hollywood is a brutal arena. Not just anyone can play here. In fact, even getting a ticket to enter is something not everyone can obtain.”

In Fischer’s view, Renly was merely standing at the entrance, without even having secured a ticket to the show.

“I think that’s it for today’s conversation. As for our cooperation, we’ll have to wait for another opportunity in the future.” Fischer maintained a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, but a cold indifference, as if keeping people at a great distance, had already seeped through. That polite detachment appropriate for these kinds of social situations was all too obvious.

“Frank, stop the car.” Without waiting for Renly to respond, Fischer gave the order on his own.

Nathan was startled, quickly turning around and exclaiming in shock, “But this is the highway!”

Compared to Nathan’s panic, Renly remained calm. He merely raised an eyebrow slightly, then smiled at Fischer. “I think we can forget about cooperating. Both you and I know that perhaps we’ll never cross paths again in the future, right?” With that, Renly pushed open the car door and stepped out directly. (T/N – Perfect response!)

Decisive and straightforward, and without any hesitation.

Fischer was once again mocked, so his mouth twitched uncontrollably. Just as he was about to say something, the door slammed with a “bang,” and Fischer reflexively closed his eyes. Realizing his own awkwardness, he pounded the sofa angrily, making his chest boiling with fury easing a little.

“And you, Nathan, get out too,” Fischer said again. “You’re fired.”

After getting out of the car, Renly surveyed his surroundings. He didn’t expect to see Nathan’s awkward and uneasy expression when he turned around. For a moment, he didn’t react, as the car next to him sped away, leaving only a cloud of exhaust.

Nathan gave a shy smile and awkwardly waved his right hand. “Hi.”

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