The Box Office King of Hollywood

As Matthew left in large strides, apart from Maurice, including the previous director and producer, the crew hardly paid him any attention. It seemed they were accustomed to such situations, not finding it strange at all.

Stepping out of the temporary set, Matthew saw the blue sky and the wide, quiet road, exhaling a long breath. He felt a sense of relief as if he had survived a calamity. This feeling wasn't just from the bizarre experience of his spirit crossing the Pacific, but also from escaping a potentially scandalous trap.

Without a car and having been transported by Maurice's vehicle earlier, Matthew knew Maurice would not offer a ride back. Based on his memory, he began walking along the broad road.

The temperature in Los Angeles in January wasn't low, and after walking a short distance, Matthew took off his jacket, enjoying the comfort of the breeze through his long-sleeved shirt.

Tall palm trees lined both sides of the road, and Matthew looked up at each as he passed. Previously stuck in the north, busy scrambling for daily meals, he never had the chance to travel south.

Now, although he no longer had to swing a hammer, he was still troubled about his livelihood.

The memories left behind by his predecessor reminded him that a few dollars and a second-hand phone were all his possessions now.

Moreover, the production crew and Maurice would not let him off easily. A $50,000 breach of contract fee might not seem much in Hollywood, but it was significant in the industry. It wouldn't be long before he received legal notices or court summons. Even settling out of court would likely cost him a substantial amount.

Such a sum was astronomical for his current situation.

Just arrived, and he might already be deeply in debt, perhaps unable to repay it in the short term...

Would they force him into debt bondage? Compel him to continue filming romantic action movies?

Considering the attitude of the production crew, it seemed unlikely, but Maurice probably wouldn't let him go easily.

"Ah…" Matthew lamented, "Different place, same hard luck."

Although worried, he didn't blame anyone else, accustomed to a life of hardship.

A bench sat under a palm tree ahead. Matthew walked over and sat down without minding the dust, leaning back against the wooden backrest, looking up at the sky, pondering his future.

Was he to struggle at the bottom as before, aiming merely to survive?

"Don't you like money and beautiful women?"

Maurice's words flashed through his mind, reminding him of the blonde beauty. Though her face wasn't as enticing as her figure, it had left him restless.

Was he to live an aimless life at the bottom of society, or should he strive to climb higher? Was there really a choice?

Matthew clenched his fists: "I want a better life! I want to roll in money! I want to party with a bunch of beautiful women!"

His aspirations were plain and realistic, shaped by a life of bottom-tier struggles without high education or refined manners.

Now that he had a goal, how could he achieve it? Matthew looked down the wide road. Goals could be sky-high, but reaching them required finding the right path step by step.

For example, becoming the President of the United States could achieve his goals, but clearly, he wasn't cut out for that.

Finding that path wasn't easy. His tough life had taught him about the rigidity of societal classes, where climbing to a higher tier was always challenging.

Though unfamiliar with American society, the highly informational society he knew from before meant Matthew understood that breaking into such circles would be even harder in the U.S.

Opportunities were for those prepared and capable, not for someone without skills like him.

Matthew wasn't undervaluing himself; he knew from hard experience that while goals could be lofty, the path to them must be walked step by step.

After sitting for a while, Matthew stood and continued walking, analyzing himself to identify his strengths—holding memories of two lives might reveal something useful.

High tech? He was clueless.

Finance? An impossibility for someone who worried about daily meals.

Writing novels adapted into Hollywood movies for royalties? He had only a junior high education, and the previous Matthew didn't finish high school, struggling with complex texts.

Apart from his strong body and driving skills, he seemed to have no other talents.

After a full analysis, Matthew sadly realized that even combining two lifetimes of learning, he wasn't fit for any high-paying intellectual job.

That moment, he felt the truth in the saying, "A youth not spent in hard work leads to a disappointing old age."

Matthew stopped under a palm tree, realizing that the previous soul's pursuit of a Hollywood dream wasn't just a whim. Given his abilities and circumstances, perhaps Hollywood did offer slightly better chances than other high-end fields!

Importantly, Hollywood had relatively low entry barriers. In the data collected by his predecessor, celebrities like Jim Carrey had worked as

 janitors, Madonna as a fast food salesperson, Brad Pitt as a promotional mascot for McDonald's, Johnny Depp as a pen salesman, Harrison Ford as a carpenter, and even the renowned James Cameron had been a truck driver…

These now-famous figures had been losers, true underdogs, before making it big.

Such examples were numerous, suggesting Hollywood might indeed be the best industry for an underdog's transformation.

But he suspected it wasn't as simple as it appeared.

After much thought, Matthew realized Hollywood might be the most realistic path with the highest success probability.

One's position determines their perspective, and from the bottom, Matthew could only see the ladder that was Hollywood.

"Hollywood…" Matthew looked towards the direction of the Hollywood Hills, "it's you!"

Imagining Hollywood, he envisioned a scene of success: living in a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills, driving limited edition cars, surrounded by dozens of naked blondes in his pool, with countless journalists queued up for interviews...

That was the life he wanted!

Lacking other opportunities to change his fate, Matthew decided to continue chasing the Hollywood dream to see if he could also transform from a loser to a successful man.

With a goal and a path to it, he felt much lighter, striding forward with long steps.

"I want to make lots and lots of money!" Matthew suddenly shouted, "I want to be a big star!"

His shout caught the attention of two young cyclists passing by, who gave him a look as if he were insane, shook their heads, and moved on.

After shouting, Matthew felt a release from his pent-up emotions, ready to face the tough road ahead.

His predecessor, after arriving in Los Angeles, had signed up at an agency for extras but never got the chance to participate in a Hollywood film. Instead, he worked part-time as a driver for a party service company, lured by another agent into what seemed a promising opportunity but turned out to be a bitter ordeal.

Recalling all memories related to Hollywood, Matthew knew he wouldn't find an opportunity right away and would need to secure a job in Los Angeles first, then seek any chance that came his way.

Thinking of jobs, Matthew felt the driver role he had resigned from was suitable. It involved evening shifts driving people around, with days free—perfect for an aspiring actor.

This job could also potentially connect him to industry insiders. His predecessor just had bad luck and gave up too soon.

After weighing his options, Matthew decided it was worth continuing with the driving job. Pulling out his second-hand phone, he searched for a moment and dialed a number.

"Hello…"

A humble male voice answered, "This is Red Penguin Company, how can I help you?"

"Hello, Mr. List," Matthew said, knowing what to say, his voice carrying a hint of flattery, "It's Matthew, Matthew Horner. I've come back to you."

The voice on the other end turned proud, "You, kid? What do you want? I'm hanging up if it's nothing."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Matthew hurriedly interjected, "I was just looking to get back to work with you."

"You resigned, didn't you?" The voice was unforgiving, "Weren't you off to be a big star and make big money?"

Matthew continued humbly, "That was me being foolish, tricked by others. You saw right through that scam."

"Ha, I knew it, kid." The person on the phone seemed pleased, "You lack experience, you need to learn more from me."

"That's why I plan to keep learning from you," Matthew quickly agreed, "If it weren't for being fooled, I wouldn't know how good you've been to me, Mr. List."

"Enough of that," the voice softened, "You want to come back to work, is that it? Get here in half an hour. If you make it, you start tonight!"

Matthew assured quickly, "I'll definitely make it!"