Vin Diesel was in a good mood today. The golden sunlight, blue sky, green palm trees, fresh air, and even the chirping of birds in the garden—the whole world had brightened up. Moreover, today there would be someone who would fall flat on their face, a harsh tumble.
He knew that today would be an incredibly wonderful day.
Vin didn't like Renly. He wouldn't conceal his aversion and repulsion. He even complained and opposed directly in front of Neal. But later, he heard that Renly's addition to the project was a decision made from above, and his protests had no effect whatsoever. This only made him feel more disgusted.
A parachute dropping from the sky, a clean-cut scholar, someone with no real skills who relied on his mouth and backside to climb up the ladder, was actually going to become a member of "Fast 5"? And he would be an important character in opposition to him? This was an insult.
After Renly joined the crew, he tried to appear mature and generous. After all, he was a real man who didn't sweat the small stuff. Moreover, he was the producer of the project, and compared to these trivial matters, he valued the unity of the crew and the success of the work more.
However, it wasn't an easy thing to do.
During the shoot, Renly watched every move on the set like a rustic Texan who had never seen the world. He seemed to forget that he was just a small-town kid, who until now had only acted in an independent film, a low-budget film with only one scene throughout. Naturally, he hadn't experienced such grandiose scenes before.
What was even more exasperating was that during breaks in shooting, Renly sat by himself, completely absorbed in reading the script. He didn't interact with others, didn't smoke with others, and didn't even have lunch with others. His haughty and aloof demeanor made others itch with irritation. God, this was just "Fast 5", not "Death of a Salesman". To study the script so earnestly, was it not just putting on a show?
Vin knew that he had made an effort, he had tried. But evidently, Renly was a thorough and nauseating megalomaniac. Such a person couldn't reform himself. So, he planned to teach Renly a lesson, to make him learn humility, cooperation, compromise, and most importantly, respect.
In a film crew, there were countless ways to make things difficult for another actor. It was a matter of a few words. Renly would suffer deeply.
This time, it was just a minor lesson. If Renly knew what was good for him, he should understand that there were things he could do and things he absolutely shouldn't do. Similarly, there were people he should never offend. But if Renly remained stubborn, then he shouldn't blame Vin for using force to give him a proper lesson.
In truth, deep down, Vin hoped Renly would explode completely. It would be even better if he blew things completely out of proportion. That would make things much more interesting.
The crew members loved to see these melodramatic scenarios unfold. A lively event like this could give them something to talk about for ten days or even half a month. Of course, what the crew members disliked the most was this kind of favoritism and diva behavior. Just because he arrived a few hours early, he was already throwing a tantrum. It could be imagined that no one would give him a friendly look throughout the entire shooting period.
What was even more crucial was that after the rumors spread, Renly, as a newcomer who hadn't achieved much yet, was already becoming arrogant and conceited. For seasoned crew members, for top-tier producers, a bad first impression could very well doom Renly's career before it even began.
Of course, Vin could naturally take this opportunity to give Renly a good lesson. A direct method like using his fists. Vin was getting a bit impatient, eager to try it out.
Vin decided to arrive at the set an hour early today. He wanted to witness Renly's miserable and indignant state on the scene. This would undoubtedly be the perfect finishing touch to such a wonderful day.
As his agent drove into Universal Studios and slowly headed towards the soundstage, Vin rolled down the window glass, feeling the cool breeze blowing in, light and refreshing. Yet, in his mind, he pictured Renly drenched in sweat, his face red and flushed.
Although it was already October, the Los Angeles sun was still scorching. People on the streets were still wearing short sleeves and shorts as they walked around. It was already past eleven o'clock, and the sun directly above cast its unobstructed rays. Imagine standing under the sun for a few hours. Even if you didn't peel like a layer of skin, you'd probably look like you just stepped out of a tanning salon. Your face would be shiny, and you'd be disheveled.
Thinking of this, Vin almost couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Realizing that he could enjoy himself all day today, he suppressed his smile. He looked at the monotonous exterior walls of the boring soundstage outside the car window. There wasn't much variation. However, his fingers resting on the window began to tap uncontrollably. It was as if he was playing the piano, humming an off-key tune softly. He anticipated the moment when they would officially meet, contemplating how he should behave, how he should ridicule, and how he should teach...
They had arrived.
Leaning out of the car window, he could clearly see the empty lanes. Only about three or four cars were parked on either side. There was still an hour to go before the official start time, and the crew members who were here for the preliminary preparations were arriving one after another. However, the number of people was still not high.
And what about Renly?
Vin stretched his neck, carefully scanning the scene within his line of sight. He hadn't seen Renly yet, but he unexpectedly saw Paul's figure. This was truly an unexpected situation. His eyebrows couldn't help but furrow. Why was Paul here?
About thirty yards away, Paul was dancing and frolicking around. His elusive laughter echoed under the sun. Vin patted the passenger seat, gesturing for his agent to park the car. Then he got out of the car, tiptoed, and circled around Paul. However, he didn't see any other figure except Paul's.
Wait a minute, why did Paul come an hour early to the set? And where was that guy, Renly? Why couldn't he see a trace of him? Did he really ignore everything and go back to rest? Or did he sneak off to Universal Studios' amusement facilities to escape the heat? That damned guy!
Vin strode forward, gradually getting a clear view of Paul's actions. He was imitating a surfing pose on flat ground. He was saying,
"... I thought I had control of the balance and could ride the wave all the way to the end. So, I started enjoying this exhilarating feeling. But who knew that suddenly a wave would crash in from behind. I'm not sure how big that wave was, but I believe it wasn't small, because I lost my body's balance, and I began to lunge forward..."
Paul's vivid words came with a cheerful smile. Halfway through, he stopped his actions and kept explaining, "I'm serious, come on, I'm serious! You've never surfed, you've never been in my position. You can't possibly understand how I felt. I'm telling you, seriously, those waves were definitely heavy and powerful."
Vin noticed Paul's gaze, directed towards a black SUV on his left. It was entirely unremarkable and had no distinctive features or logos. Vin turned his head as well, looking past the car's roof, and then he saw a figure seated on the car's hood. That figure had a faint smile on his face, nodding earnestly, lips slightly pursed. "I believe you," he said, nodding again and repeating, "I'm serious, I believe you."
But the mockery and teasing in his words were laced with pretense, clearly implying "I don't believe you." This made Paul break into a wide grin. With his hands on his hips, he looked helplessly resigned. "Let's make a bet. I guarantee my surfing skills are way better than yours! After we wrap up, let's go to the east coast of Oahu together. What do you say? We'll have a real showdown, and then you'll know!"
The figure sitting on the car hood raised his right hand, making a polite inviting gesture to show agreement.
Why? Why did Renly look so content sitting there?
There was no furious eruption, no steam coming out of his ears, and no sweating profusely, face flushed red. He seemed to be on a Caribbean vacation, bathing in the sunlight, savoring the rare leisure of summer. There were two cups of coffee by his side, an open script, and even a half-eaten pizza not far away. What was this laid-back vacation-like ambiance all about?
Why? Why was Paul here? Why was Paul having such a delightful conversation with Renly, looking so pleased?
Why didn't the scenario he anticipated unfold at all? Why did their easygoing playfulness seem like he was the one who arrived late? Why didn't his carefully set trap achieve the expected result? Why, oh why was this happening?
Vin felt his cheeks burning, as if invisible hands were choking his throat, trapping all his words in his chest. It was a mix of confusion, bewilderment, shame, and embarrassment. His mind was filled with question marks, but he couldn't ask them out loud. He was stifled, truly stifled, to the point of exploding!
"Good afternoon. Looks like you arrived quite early today."
Initiating the greeting was Renly, not Paul. The courteous hello showed no flaws, as if arriving at eleven o'clock to the set was the most normal thing in the world. This made Vin suddenly feel embarrassed.
Vin noticed that Paul cast his gaze downward, not acknowledging him. His aloof and awkward posture seemed to be silently protesting. So, what should he do now? How should he respond? Should he pretend that nothing had happened? Should he pretend that arriving at eleven was completely normal? Should he pretend that the prank never occurred?
A smack, a slap that left Vin dizzy, his blood boiling. He had to grit his teeth to contain it, forcing a curve into his lips, his voice calm and composed as he said, "Good afternoon."