America: Child stars start with The Shining

The next day, Charles encountered an unfortunate event.

He had a fever and was feeling dizzy and disoriented. He could only rest in the hotel bed and couldn't go anywhere.

Fortunately, he didn't have any scenes today, and "The Shining" is about to wrap up filming and has entered the final stage, so the filming pace of the entire crew is not as intense as before.

Charles couldn't quite remember what happened after last night, only that John was taken to the police station and would be facing trial.

Furthermore, Judy will definitely not let John off easily. She will use her influence to put pressure on the court and will not allow this crazy man who drives with a gun to be released without charge.

Furthermore, this matter cannot be kept secret from the media. The commotion yesterday was too great, and now Charles just hopes that no reporters will bother him.

When he returned last night, he was surrounded by the crew. Kubrick gave Jack a severe scolding, accusing him of being too busy having fun and not taking care of Shire. Jack could only smile wryly and apologize.

But then again, if it weren't for Jack last night, I really don't know how we would have escaped. That guy used to be a firefighter, and he really showed Ciel what it means to have a baseball bat that's fast and accurate within seven steps.

But it was only thanks to the fact that John was already somewhat delirious at that time that he was able to be taken down by Jack so easily.

Ciel swore he would never do anything so dangerous again, but...

If there really is a next time, he would probably still rush forward without hesitation.

Another noteworthy thing is that the special mission issued by the system has been completed. The reward is to upgrade the grade and attributes of the equipment he obtained from Judy, and to add a new affix effect.

【Title: The Child Star's Lost Ray-Ban Sunglasses (Epic)】

[Original owner: Jodie Foster]

[Source: The Silence of the Lambs]

[Attributes: Expressiveness +50%, Temperament +30%, Charm +30%]

[Original entry: Misaligned Gaze (Passive) can be turned on or off at any time after being equipped.]

[Unlock new term: Superstar charisma (Active)]

[Effect Description: Significantly enhances your presence and attention in a short period, causing those around you to unconsciously focus their attention on you and be more likely to agree with and respond to your words and actions. Lasts for about half an hour, with a cooldown period of one day.]

This is the first time that Xiaer has obtained an attribute with an active effect. If there is a chance, I can try it out and see how it works.

Boom boom boom!

"Please come in."

Charles looked up and saw Jack walking in carrying a bag of fruit. This time, unlike last time, he didn't just push the door open without saying hello, probably because he felt a little embarrassed.

Immediately afterwards, he saw that there was another person following behind Jack, it was Judy.

Okay, so it wasn't that she had a change of heart, but rather Judy who knocked on the door.

Charles struggled to get out of bed, but Jack pushed him back down, yelling:

"Hey, you're a patient now, just lie there quietly. Fuck, it's all John's fault, that lunatic. If I had known he was that kind of person, I should have punched him the first time I saw him on set."

Judy was also standing to the side, looking rather unwell. She must have been so frightened last night that she probably didn't sleep a wink.

She looked at Charles and said earnestly:

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this yesterday, Ciel. It's all my fault."

Looking at the other person standing sincerely in front of him, Charles felt a little embarrassed and quickly said:

"Uh, no, it's not your fault..."

"As compensation, Ciel, please accept this money."

Judy slipped a bank check into Charles's hand, and after he saw the amount on it, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

"WTF!?"

He looked at it carefully again before finally confirming the number: thirty thousand US dollars.

It's important to understand that even though Jodie Foster is now a well-known child star in Hollywood, it doesn't mean that her income fully matches her fame, and she is still far from reaching the level of a top-tier star.

Thirty thousand US dollars is roughly equivalent to one-tenth of her annual income. Even after working hard for more than half a year to film "The Shining," her salary barely reached that amount.

Charles swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the check in his hand was too hot to handle. He really wanted to accept it, because the loan was still haunting him, but if he actually accepted it...

He looked up at Judy and saw that she was still staring at him.

Charles sighed, but ultimately kept the check in his hand and did not return it.

Because he had just realized something: for Judy, there were things that were more important than the number on the check.

Charles thought for a moment, then continued to ask:

"Have you thought about... what we discussed at the restaurant earlier?"

He was referring, of course, to the matter of whether Judy had decided to go to college and postpone filming.

Because for the current timeline, John's problem has been temporarily resolved, and the Reagan assassination attempt, which had a huge impact on Judy in later years, is unlikely to happen again.

Therefore, if Judy continues to act in Hollywood, her career will definitely be smooth sailing, and she will no longer encounter any public opinion that would have a huge negative impact on her.

Seeing the atmosphere, Jack, who was standing to the side, tactfully left the room, leaving the two of them with a chance to talk alone.

Judy was silent for a moment, then spoke softly:

"Charles, I don't dislike Hollywood, but sometimes, like I said before, we are forced to make certain choices."

"For me, going to college is probably one of the few things I can decide for myself, so I will start preparing as soon as possible, and I think I won't regret making this decision."

Upon hearing this answer, Charles breathed a sigh of relief. In his mind, Judy was just that kind of person; this was the real her, and she would never let external things change her mind.

"Also, Charles, I don't want to go back to Hollywood and never hear from you again. I hope that by then, you'll have become a superstar that I have to look up to."

Having said that, she stood up and left without giving Charles a chance to speak.

As she reached the door, she suddenly said:

"Did you understand what I just said? If you did, don't rush to give me an answer."

Charles was stunned for a moment, watching helplessly as the other person left the room, leaving him with only their back view.

What's going on? What did Judy mean by her last words?

Wasn't she just telling me about going to college? How could I not understand anything...?

Charles scratched his head, a little confused. Just then, Jack suddenly pushed the door open and looked at him with a disappointed expression, even shaking his head.

"F*** you! Jack, I told you last time, don't just barge into my room!"

......

Over the next few days, Charles gradually recovered from his fever and regained his health.

Judy had left long ago; the two hadn't seen each other since Charles last met her in the room.

Therefore, he never had a chance to ask her clearly. He always felt that Judy was implying something, but he didn't know what she meant.

However, Jack had been giving him strange looks every now and then these past few days, which made Ciel feel a little depressed.

Following that, today, The Shining officially wrapped up its final scene.