Dream Chaser

The girl politely said, "I'm sorry." Just then, the food was served.

Henry didn't say anything more, but instead pointed to the large pile of food on the table. The girl then began to eat without hesitation.

Seeing the person opposite him eating with relish, Henry slowly and methodically cut his steak and put the meat into his mouth.

The food at this restaurant is simply amazing. While it may not have an overpowering aroma, the meat is perfectly cooked. The high heat of the grill locks in the juices and flavors, resulting in a slightly charred exterior that offers a variety of tastes in every bite.

During the meal, the two exchanged a few words here and there, but mainly talked about eating and the girl asking Henry about his Hollywood experiences.

Henry shared some of the experiences that old Gary had taught him when he first arrived with the young girl.

Forget about suggestions like doing special effects or playing character types. If you want to act in serious dramas, you can't get too involved in those kinds of jobs, or you'll easily get typecast.

In today's Hollywood, where roles are clearly defined, once you're typecast, it's difficult to move into other fields.

Neither of them talked much about their personal lives, but they exchanged experiences about their careers as actors.

However, the girl was a complete novice who hadn't even crossed the threshold yet, so naturally she listened more and spoke less.

Henry had only played a few minor roles. Although he had been on the set of a big-budget production like "Demon Fighter," he was fired midway through. So this matter was simply not mentioned at all, to avoid explaining any messy things.

In short, this was a stalemate. Even though Henry had played a few minor roles, he couldn't offer much advice. Most importantly, Henry didn't have much experience working with an agent.

To make it in Hollywood, an agent's skills are half the battle. Whether an agent has news of new movies or can get in touch with producers, it's no exaggeration to say that an actor's connections and abilities determine how wide their career path can be.

Of course, actors also need to be capable of handling the roles they've fought for, and then receive a good response in the market before they can have further opportunities.

It can be said that an actor's potential ceiling is limited by the fact that both the actor and their agent are each other's weaknesses.

Henry couldn't offer much advice on this, as he didn't even have anyone to recommend him.

This reminded Henry of Qian Ning Williams, the unreliable head of the stunt team. He hadn't been in touch with Williams for a long time, and after being tricked into working as a bodyguard at a banquet by Williams, he decided not to count on him.

After they finished their meal, Henry ordered coffee for both of them and then took out his sketchbook.

The girl asked with slight concern, "What kind of pose should I strike?"

"Just relax and be comfortable. This isn't a fashion magazine photoshoot with all the angles and shadows. It's just a simple sketch."

"OK."

The completely inexperienced girl chose to stare directly at Henry, which made the man being stared at chuckle.

The girl complained, "Is there a problem?"

Henry, his face hardening, said seriously, "Yes, it's very big. When you're filming, you can't stare straight at the camera like that, or the director will yell at you. And this isn't a passport photo, so you don't need to be so serious."

"But I don't know what to do, you just don't say anything." Her chubby face, flushed after eating and drinking her fill, was slightly unhappy as she puffed out her round cheeks.

Henry, having no other choice, asked in a suggestive manner, "Are you United States?"

"No." The girl shook her head. "I didn't enter illegally, don't misunderstand."

"No." Henry thought for a moment and then said, "In that case, think back to some fun experiences and happy things from your childhood. Don't focus on anything specific. What If...? you feel like you can't find a focal point..."

Henry looked around, then at the lighting in the dining room, picked up the salt shaker from the table, placed it in a fixed spot, and said, "Then we'll just keep an eye on the salt shaker."

With a change in perspective and angle, the midday sun shone through the restaurant's large windows, illuminating the girl's profile and creating two distinct areas of light and shadow.

Henry adjusted his angle, mainly turning towards the window to reduce the shadows on her face. Thanks to the deep contours of her face, the light was layered and nuanced, making the young girl's skin appear to shimmer in the sunlight.

Henry turned to a blank page in his sketchbook and picked up a pencil. Unlike most people, he didn't need to hold the pencil and trace around to find the correct scale before drawing it into the sketchbook.

With the Kryptonian ' keen observation and control, drawing simple lines and outlines and making them look like photographs is not a big problem.

What truly captivated Henry was the subtle variations in shadow, which gave the sketch a sense of three-dimensionality, and the delicate feel of the skin.

The girl also noticed that the man who was drawing was mostly staring at her, not looking at the sketchbook, just scribbling away.

Is this some kind of random scribbling?

But the other person's previous sketches were quite good; they didn't look like doodles.

So, does this sketchbook belong to someone else? Or is it just that I drew all over it?

Filled with unease, the joys of childhood lost their appeal. This wasn't entirely her fault; after all, a girl's childhood rarely holds many memorable moments. Most of it was spent hiding in her mother's arms, escaping the violence from her father...

You have to work really hard to make yourself happy. Especially now that things haven't been going well—I can't dance my favorite ballet anymore, and my Hollywood acting career isn't going smoothly either—how can I possibly be happy?

Upon reflection, the girl suddenly realized that the other person's desire for her to be happy was a form of self-torture and deliberate revenge.

Ugh, that damn jerk!

His expression, filled with such intense hatred, caused the girl's demeanor to change drastically, and even her eyes sharpened.

Henry captured the essence of that moment and began adjusting the portrait in his sketchbook. The eyes, the corners of the mouth—everything had taken on a resemblance to the Central America his memory.

Although Henry said he would have five to ten minutes, everyone took ten minutes as the standard. But in fact, he finished the sketch in about five minutes.

Henry exclaimed happily, "All done!" and then examined his painting with satisfaction.

The girl also craned her neck and asked, "Can I take a look?"

"Of course." Henry handed over the sketchbook, saying, "I didn't draw you ugly, so don't tear my drawing up."

Looking at her own reflection in the painting, which held a hint of sharpness, the girl asked with a complicated expression, "Is this my expression?"

Henry chuckled and said, "I bet you're thinking about hitting me right now, or figuring out how many punches to land on me."

As if her secret had been exposed, the girl turned her head away guiltily and said, "No, I didn't."

"Could you sign your name for me?" Henry handed her the pen. Seeing the girl's puzzled expression, he added, "I didn't steal this drawing."

"I need to know the girl's name in the painting. Unless you don't mind a hundred or two years from now, a bunch of strangers calling her by some random name like Mona Lisa."

The girl who took the pen muttered, "You're not Leonardo da Vinci," but still signed her name, "Shar-LEEZ_THERR-n."