Chapter 5

The night in Los Angeles, though lit by the lights of skyscrapers, was eerily silent, as if the city were under a curse. Eddie heated up the leftover pizza and beef from the morning in the microwave, then took a bottle of white ice wine from the wine cabinet, not really knowing its value.

To be honest, Eddie had no real concept of wine and couldn't tell the difference between good and bad. Red wine didn't really suit his taste, but the sweet white ice wine was his favorite from his previous life, even though a bottle could cost around 800 to 900 yuan. In China, ice wine priced below 500 yuan was mostly fake. Over time, he had stockpiled about a dozen bottles.

The white ice wine, crafted at -8°C, had an amber color, a naturally balanced sweet and sour taste, and a rich, smooth texture with a unique and charming fruity aroma, earning it the nickname "liquid gold."

After filling his stomach, Eddie picked up a wine glass and the ice wine and walked into the study. He sat down in front of the computer, and as his fingers tapped the keyboard, the blank document on the screen displayed "Dark Fairy Tale" - Act 1: "The Sleeping Curse."

Images of Angelina Jolie's bizarre makeup in the movie "Maleficent" popped into his mind, making him want to comment on how truly ugly it was!

The movie "Maleficent" is based on "Sleeping Beauty." In the peaceful and serene kingdom of Moors, the innocent young fairy Maleficent meets the human boy Stefan. They become close friends and fall in love. However, as they grow older, Stefan loses his innocence and is drawn to human greed, while Maleficent grows into a powerful fairy. The foolish humans wage war on the Moors, and Stefan, to become the heir to the throne, cruelly cuts off Maleficent's wings.

The physical pain and emotional trauma transform Maleficent into a cold and vengeful witch. To exact her revenge, she casts a sleeping curse on Stefan's daughter, Princess Aurora.

The scenes from the movie played out in his mind, and Eddie tried his best to describe every detail, character, and dialogue with the most fitting words.

He could only write the story this way first and then revise and polish it later. After all, this was Eddie's first time writing, and he had to use this clumsy method.

Time flew by, and the days passed quickly. In the following days, besides meeting with his lawyer and accountant to handle the mortgage, and dealing with his parents' phone calls and his agent's incessant chatter, Eddie spent most of his time in the study, writing.

Writing a novel seemed easy, but it was actually very difficult. While it seemed simple to recreate the movie's plot, describing the scenes in detail with words was a different matter. After a few days, Eddie had only managed to describe a third of the plot.

Fortunately, with the fusion of his previous soul, his use of vocabulary and descriptions were very fitting. Sometimes, he even came up with new ideas to enrich the story, making the writing process smoother and more exciting.

During these days, Eddie ate mostly takeout from nearby high-end restaurants. To be honest, he didn't really like American burgers. To maintain his health, he mostly ate steak, not just because Americans are known for their beef and milk, but also because he enjoyed steak with pizza, ice wine, and various fruit salads.

Surprisingly, after a few days of indulging, although his body didn't visibly gain much weight, his pale complexion became rosier, and his gaunt face became fuller. His blue eyes became brighter, and his overall energy and vitality improved.

On a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles, Eddie lay on a lounge chair in the small garden of the villa, filled with various plants and flowers. He wore a pair of large sunglasses, basked in the warm sunlight, and sipped coffee and nibbled on pastries on the small table beside him, feeling very relaxed and content.

Listening to the subtle chirping of birds from the tall trees around him, Eddie's lips curled into a satisfied smile. Recently, his mind had become increasingly active, and his memory had become exceptional. His vision and hearing were far superior to those of ordinary people, and his strength was growing.

Every morning when he woke up, he felt sticky, with sweat and black dirt all over the sheets, which was quite disgusting. However, after a hot bath, he felt much lighter and more comfortable.

Unable to explain these changes reasonably and not wanting anyone else to know, he attributed them to the benefits of his穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越" in English, but in this context, it means "time travel" or "穿越" in a more general sense). The nosebleeds that had worried him a few days ago no longer troubled him. As his body recovered, entering the memory tunnel no longer caused him to faint or have nosebleeds, which greatly reassured the now very afraid of death Eddie.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."

The phone on the table buzzed. Lazily reaching out, he picked it up and saw it was his agent. He answered reluctantly, "Hey, Carl, can you let me rest in peace for a while?"

"No, no, dear Eddie, you've rested long enough. Did you know that because of what you've been writing on your blog, 'Seventeen' magazine is now willing to pay 300,000 dollars to have you write for them? Isn't that great news?" Carl shouted excitedly, his words coming out like a machine gun.

"Damn, Carl, you're a bloodsucker, you know that?" Eddie held the phone between his shoulder and head, sitting up on the lounge chair, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

"No, Eddie, you know I'm doing this for you. I used to wish every call that could make money was for you. Okay, I love dollars, but I care about you more. I brought you from New York to Hollywood, so I have to take responsibility for you," Carl argued shamelessly.

"You're really shameless, I wish I could fire you!" Eddie had no way to deal with his agent's shamelessness.

"Hehe, you've already fired me four times, and you can't threaten me anymore, dear little Eddie. The stuff you write on your blog is just cool, you know? I've always said you're a genius..."

"Okay, okay, your flattery makes me sick. Save it for your big-buttocked secretary with the ring in her nose!" Eddie took a sip of coffee and smirked.

"Damn, fuck, how did you know she had a ring? Did you sleep with her? That little bitch, I'll show her when I get back..." Carl cursed furiously.

"Don't worry, I haven't slept with her. Can't I just guess? You better be careful, or your office affairs might be exposed!"

Carl's face changed slightly at Eddie's words, and he laughed awkwardly, "No, no, it's all consensual."

"Hehe, as a friend, I've warned you. Listen or not, it's up to you, but be careful." Eddie rolled his eyes and shrugged, "By the way, find me a nanny who can cook Chinese food and a fitness trainer, as soon as possible."

"Thanks for the concern, I'll be careful. The big-buttocked one is just too good. Hehe, a nanny and a trainer? One who can cook Chinese food? That's not easy to find. You need someone who can cook well and speak the language."

"Stop it. Just someone who can cook Chinese home-style food and do housework. Are you an idiot? Don't you remember I can speak Chinese? Age doesn't matter, but they must have a legal background," Eddie said irritably.

"No problem, I'll take care of it as soon as possible. In America, with money, there's nothing that can't be solved. Also, the deputy editor of 'Seventeen' magazine wants to meet you to discuss and sign a contract."

Eddie reluctantly agreed to a time with Carl and hung up. Carl's fat face broke into a relieved smile, hoping this was a good start. He recalled how he had convinced Eddie to let him be his agent, encouraging him to move to Hollywood to seek greater opportunities in the entertainment capital. At first, things went well. The movie rights were sold, and he signed with a good publishing house. He even joined the largest agency, CCA, thanks to Eddie's success. Everything seemed perfect.

However, Eddie hadn't written anything for over a year, and his fame was fading. In Hollywood, if you lost your fame, you were quickly forgotten. Watching Eddie sink into alcohol and women, Carl felt helpless.

Each argument over Eddie's behavior strained their relationship. Although Carl loved money and was shameless, he trusted his instincts. Eddie was a genius, and he believed Eddie would rise again. He didn't listen to his secretary's advice to abandon Eddie, who no longer brought in money, but instead helped Eddie find suitable work to help him through this tough period.

Especially recently, the troublesome Eddie had stopped going out and was updating his blog to maintain his readership, writing many texts that made people laugh and cry but were widely loved. His persistence had been justified.

Carl laughed triumphantly, feeling a surge of excitement. He pressed a button on the phone, and a moment later, a blonde woman in a black OL suit swayed into the room, closing the door behind her. Carl, with a lecherous smile, beckoned her over.

"Baby, come here, to Daddy Carl. Yes, get down, and start with a big blow..."

The office was filled with the sounds of rustling and heavy breathing.