In America, the Best Actor award starts with stereotypes.

End of 1997.

There are still three months until the Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony.

In the living room of a cabin in the Hollywood Hills, a thick stack of white papers sits on the sofa.

The villa's windows were covered by dark curtains. Outside, the cold rain of the Los Angeles rainy season fell, while inside, the atmosphere was even more oppressive, like a training ground in hell.

"Unqualified".

The cold, icy voice cruelly shattered the glimmer of hope that Alicia had just begun to harbor.

Chen Zhuo sat on the sofa, holding a slightly wrinkled piece of paper covered with words, his pen constantly poking at a single word—composure.

"I've said it many times: you're going to receive an award, to accept criticism, not to fight a war!"

"No matter what sharp or harsh questions the reporters ask you, no matter how the judges boo you, you must not frown. You must accept them with a smile, like an elegant aristocrat."

"Look what I did."

Chen Zhuo raised his eyebrows slightly, a very subtle smile appearing in his eyes.

"Don't use your mouth, use your eyebrows and eyes to smile, making the person attacking you feel powerless, as if their punch hit cotton, having no effect on you at all."

Alicia stood in the center of the living room, her mouth slightly agape as she stared incredulously at Chen Zhuo's subtle expression.

"George, your facial expressions are amazing. You're better at acting than any other male actor I've ever worked with."

"Is this the time to be surprised?"

Chen Zhuo stood up, his face stern, and picked up the alarm clock he used for keeping track of time.

"Every action and expression has a time limit. If you fail to meet my requirements within the time limit, I will leave immediately and never see you again."

"what?"

Alicia's body stiffened for a moment. She pouted, her brows furrowed, and a tear welled up in her eyes.

"George, how can you bear to abandon such a poor, vulnerable woman?"

"Cry? Crying counts as time."

Chen Zhuo stared into her eyes, his finger pointing to the moving second hand.

"Three more seconds have passed."

"It seems all your determination is just talk; you're not really prepared at all."

Chen Zhuo sighed, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Alicia froze, suppressing the tears welling in her eyes.

She took a deep breath, picked up a hair tie and tied her hair up, staring fiercely at Chen Zhuo like a wildcat with its fur standing on end.

"I'm Alicia Silverstone, who became a sensation in North America at the age of eighteen!"

"George, I won't lose!"

"Then prove it to me. Twenty seconds have passed."

Chen Zhuo patted the alarm clock.

Alicia rubbed her face and began to smile with her eyes and eyebrows, just like Chen Zhuo did.

As Alicia gradually got into the zone, Chen Zhuo's lips curled up slightly.

This kind of love-struck little devil needs to be disciplined properly!

"Okay, that's enough. Next step."

……

"Listen, Alicia."

Chen Zhuo held a brand new sheet of white paper, his voice somewhat low, "Since the 'Fat Lycia' incident broke out, you have never given any media interviews and have always kept quiet about it. While this has prevented the media from continuing to exploit the issue, it has also allowed them to build up their desire to attack."

"So the day you go to receive the Golden Raspberry Award will definitely be an unprecedented spectacle, with hundreds of reporters trying their best to attack you and induce you to give certain answers."

"When faced with a barrage of cameras and microphones, how do you plan to respond?"

Alicia thought for a moment, then tentatively replied, "Ignore them?"

"This is the worst possible solution."

Chen Zhuo shook his head. "These reporters are like sharks that have smelled blood. They won't give up until they get an answer."

"Remember, no matter what they ask, don't worry about the questions, just give your opinion."

"For example, if they asked you, 'Miss Alicia, you disappeared after the "Fat Alicia" incident because you were too fat to be seen in public and had to lose weight,'"

"Just say you're very happy to be here at the Golden Raspberry Awards. I heard I'm the first actress to receive an award. I wonder if the organizers will make a special trophy for me today?"

"You need to steer all the conversation toward the Golden Raspberry Awards, so that everyone knows you are the brave, beautiful, and composed Alicia, not some 'Fat Alicia'."

Alicia blinked, seemingly lost in thought.

"What if they bring up that issue again?"

"Then say 'that's not the problem,' and then give your opinion."

……

"Finally, the most important moment is lifting the trophy."

Chen Zhuo took a sip of coffee, and even with the "Stamina Monster (White)" tag, his eyes still looked somewhat tired.

The training has been going on for several days. From the moment he opened his eyes in the morning until he was exhausted late at night, Chen Zhuo personally simulated everything that would happen at the awards ceremony. He wrote down how to deal with each situation and what kind of expression to make, and then demonstrated it one by one.

Now, the final moment has finally arrived.

"You've already expressed your guilt towards your fans and shown just the right amount of self-reproach. Now, how should you accept the Golden Raspberry Award trophy?"

Chen Zhuo's voice was a little hoarse.

Alicia's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Firm, confident, and sincere, she announces to all viewers that the most beautiful sweetheart girl, Alicia, is back."

This time, she didn't let Chen Zhuo demonstrate; instead, she took the initiative to simulate it herself.

Her lowered eyelids gradually lifted, her pupils dilated slightly, a faint smile appeared on her lips, her brows relaxed, and her facial expression inexplicably carried a sense of warmth.

Her gaze wasn't looking up or down, but rather scanning the surroundings at eye level, as if she were telling her closest friend about her determination.

She bowed deeply, and when she looked up, her face was already covered in tears.

"Thank you, Chen Zhuo."

This time, she didn't call Chen Zhuo by his English name, but instead called him by his name in slightly broken Chinese.

Chen Zhuo was stunned. Before he could react, he felt a soft body rush into his arms.

He opened his arms and gently stroked Alicia.

At that moment, the two seemed to be connected on a spiritual level, and naturally embraced and kissed.

Their bodies intertwined, and their clothes gradually disappeared until they were completely naked.

A few hours later, the resounding bells echoed throughout the Hollywood Hills.

That was the New Year's bell.

The sofa in the cabin in the woods still bore the traces of the chaos after the battle, and the air was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere.

Alicia hooked her arm around Chen Zhuo's neck and looked up at him.

In the dim light, those captivating blue eyes seemed veiled in a misty haze, so alluring they almost seemed to be overflowing with moisture.

Happy New Year, Chen Zhuo.

Happy New Year, Alicia.