Chapter 9 Persuasion

  Due to Ryan's demonstrated intelligence and maturity, Nicole rarely intervened in his affairs unless necessary, and this was the first time she had directly refused on his behalf.

  Harvey Weinstein didn't cling to it, after all, this is Hollywood, anyone can play without him, and of course, he didn't give up, leaving a sentence before leaving, "Feel free to contact me if you change your mind".

  No matter what, Nicole was his guardian and Ryan knew that as long as she opposed it, there was almost no room for maneuvering. And he also deeply understood that Nicole did this only to better protect him, give him a complete childhood, and let him grow up happily.

  However, I have been planning for more than three years, and I have almost paid all my time and energy for this. Now the opportunity is in front of me, if I miss it, I should go to Southampton to take the Titanic.

  "Ryan, what are you thinking?" asked the agent lady, unlike Nicole who was a bit oblivious, she could somewhat guess Ryan's thoughts.

  Ryan didn't respond and instead went back to his room, took out the envelope containing the manuscript, and handed it to Jin Silie. "Pate, this is my latest work, and..."

  He glanced at Nicole who was sitting on the other side without saying a word, and leaned into her ear to say, "Why don't you go back first? I want to have a private talk with Nicole."

  "Alright then." Despite wanting to say a few more words, Jin Silie thought for a moment before leaving.

  The living room fell silent again, the boy and girl sitting opposite each other had no intention of speaking up, just like that, you looked at me, I looked at you, but the two pairs of blue eyes stared tightly at each other's pupils, as if they were communicating in a way that only they could understand.

  "Ryan, do you really want to be an actor?" Maybe it was after a few minutes, or maybe it was after a long time, Nicole Kidman spoke first, "Don't deny it, I can feel that your heart is racing."

  After all, they had been relying on each other for life and death for several years, so it was not surprising that Nee could see his thoughts in a short time. Ryan first smiled, then nodded slowly and firmly.

  Isn't it unnecessary to deny? This script was carefully selected by him, not just for himself, but also for Nicole. Since another Australian woman could gain recognition at the age of 26 with this role in her past life, why couldn't Nicole Kidman, who is no less outstanding in his eyes, achieve the same thing?

  Yes, Nikki is younger than that woman and has a standard flower vase look, but through makeup and post-production, her appearance can be made less attractive, and crossing the age to play a strong and independent single mother, once successful, the praise can be imagined.

  As for failure, of course there is that possibility, but Ryan deeply believes that as long as he stands in front of Nicole, the emotions this role wants to express will still be a problem?

  In some ways, Ryan is still a man with a conscience. Since Nicole took him in and spoiled him during his darkest days, he naturally wants to repay her. Perhaps he can't help her much in other ways, or even just gets in the way, but there's still a chance that he can push her to an even higher position than before in a faster way.

  "Ryan, you know what? When I saw the stories you wrote, I thought you would become an excellent writer in the future. When you can speak Chinese and French fluently, I think it's also great if you become a diplomat one day. Last year when you composed your first piece of music independently, I told myself that Ryan might become a musician."

  Nico sighed and began to analyze Ryan, "You're precocious, intelligent, far more sensible than ordinary kids, although you have a somewhat introverted personality, rarely interacting with peers of the same age, and occasionally causing some trouble, but in my heart, you've always been the most outstanding one."

  "Yes, as you write more and more works, it's inevitable that they will be exposed under the spotlight, but that absolutely shouldn't be now. You have to know, being an actor and a writer are two completely different professions. Even if you just become an ordinary actor, with your achievements in writing, those reporters and paparazzi will definitely dig up every single thing from your past and put it under a magnifying glass for scrutiny. Public figures don't have private lives."

  "I may not be able to give you a complete home or enough love, but at least I can still give you a complete childhood. Hollywood is not as simple as you think it is, and becoming famous at a young age is not necessarily a good thing."

  "I understand what you're saying, Nicole." Since it was an equal conversation, Ryan certainly had the right to express his own opinion. "In Hollywood, being young often means a **beginning**, but here there's not only **Drew Barrymore** but also role models like Jodie Foster, and not everyone gets lost in this world of fame and fortune."

  "Alright, I'll ask you, Ryan," Nicole thought for a moment before asking, "Can you handle the pursuit of big and small reporters and paparazzi, facing their bottomless harassment and questions without getting angry? Can you adapt to a life with no privacy and lack of security? Can you handle complex interpersonal relationships and be diplomatic in this circle? Can you remain calm when faced with overwhelming criticism and blame?"

  "Maybe I can't do it all now, but after a period of adaptation, these are not problems for me." Ryan seemed extremely confident. "You should know that I have enough ability and wisdom to face all this."

  Although such conversations had occurred many times before, Nicole Kidman had an extremely strong illusion this time. She felt that she was not talking to a child or a child with independent thoughts, but was having a debate with a peer.

  "My God, I must be seeing a ghost. Maybe I should go give Ryan an IQ test." Nicole thought subconsciously, but still said, "Yes, Ryan, I've never doubted your intelligence, and in fact, I even doubt that I'm having a conversation with a thirty-year-old, but these can't be the reasons for me to put you on that stage of fame and fortune."

  Ryan imperceptibly curled his lip, of course he wouldn't think that Nicole was suspicious of him. Anyway, his erratic thinking seemed normal to Nicole, but Nicole's words revealed a hint of relaxation, and he naturally wanted to take advantage of the situation to attack.

  "Nico, don't you think that in life we should keep trying new things, constantly break through ourselves, and pursue our own sky and ideals?"

  "Ideals? Ideals are often a great distance from reality."

  "But if a person has no ideals, what's the difference between him and a salted fish?" Ryan blurted out without thinking, causing Nicole to pause in surprise, "What does an ideal have to do with a salted fish?"

  "Never mind that, Nicole. I know what you're most worried about, so if I were to encounter setbacks and failures, would you still provide me with a warm bosom like now?"

  "Of course."

  "Do you think setbacks or blows can make someone like me collapse?"

  "I won't."

  "Do you think that after I achieve success, I'll become someone who is reckless and arrogant, partying all night and ignoring you? Or will I become a drunkard and drug addict?"

  "No! I never thought that way." Nicole's face darkened without realizing it, "God. Ryan, where did you learn all this nonsense from? Don't tell me it was school."

  "Alright, alright, Nicole," Ryan said with a wave of his hand, knowing he had been showing off a bit too much. "It's not like it's ancient times or anything, TV, newspapers, magazines are all full of this stuff. Don't forget the Sun you used to subscribe to in London, it was practically all gossip and scandals."

  Can't help but say that Ryan's reversal is quite good, Nikki was blocked by the sentence behind him and couldn't ask again.

  "Alright, Nicole, it's no big deal." Seeing Nicole's face getting darker and darker, Ryan quickly comforted her.

  "Ryan, why do I feel like I'm not your sister, but you're more like my brother?" Nicole Kidman looked up in puzzlement.

  It's not, is it? Adding up past and present lives, I'm more than qualified to be your older brother. Ruien muttered to himself for a moment before quickly changing the subject, "So, Nicole, do you agree with me taking on this role? The mother and child in the script have an extraordinary significance to me."

  To strengthen the persuasive power, Ryan had to start talking again. Niekole just couldn't help but be moved whenever she thought of the content of that script, thinking of a strong and independent mother and a lonely and helpless boy.

  Maybe things won't be as bad as I imagined, using this film to commemorate the deep bond between Ryan and me should be a wise choice.

  "Alright, Ryan, I agree, but..." Before she could finish, the excited guy directly pounced into Nicole's arms and gave her a big kiss on that pale, cold face. "I knew it, I knew it, Nicole, you're the best for me."

  Nicole Kidman helplessly pulled Ryan into her arms, and the unspoken warning still came out, "Ryan, remember what you said earlier. If one day you become a bad egg, I will never forgive you."

  "Of course, of course." Ryan nodded hastily, patting his chest to guarantee it, "The future Ryan Jenkins will definitely be a good young man!"

  It was thus settled that the two would co-star in "The Sixth Sense", and the specifics were naturally left to Mrs. Goldsmith and the lawyers to discuss with M. Night Shyamalan, all they had to do was wait.