Chapter Thirty: Small Sells Small

  Apart from filming and rehearsing his role, Ryan also had to endure the torture of home-schooling. This wasn't a time for outdoor excursions, and with his growing fame, he naturally became the focus of attention for child protection associations. Almost every week, they would send someone over to check on him, and if the crew didn't want any trouble, they could only follow their regulations.

  Fortunately, the home tutor was not a rigid person. Although she maintained the three-hour teaching time every day according to the regulations, after Ryan asked her some questions, it was like in a school classroom, she taught hers, and Ryan did what he should do.

  When will such days come to an end! Changing into costume, Rui En looked at herself in the mirror and let out a sigh.

  To think of it, in more than half a year, he has grown a lot taller. Even when sleeping, he feels his body making cracking and creaking sounds as it grows.

  Moreover, after being adopted by Nikki, nutrition was no longer a problem, and after last year, his frail body had improved significantly, not only becoming stronger but also taller than his peers.

  But even so, Ryan was still complaining about growing up too slowly, he really wished he could become an adult overnight.

  Out of the studio, seeing no electric trams passing by, Ryan walked towards the gate of the filming location. The 19th studio rented by the crew was not far from the gate, but halfway through, he suddenly remembered that he had left early today and forgot to inform Jin Silie.

  Ryan glanced at the distance between the studio entrance and the shooting location, too lazy to turn around, continuing forward. However, he thought to himself that he should get a mobile phone or find an assistant, otherwise, always letting Jin Silie act as both his agent and nanny would affect her business.

  It's okay if she only has herself under her name, but as Nicole's agent, it's not good to affect Nicole with these small things for the sake of picking up and dropping off herself.

  "Hey Pete? It's Ryan, yeah, we wrapped up shooting early today, forgot to let you know, I just grabbed a taxi back myself, alright, I'll wait for you at the studio gate."

  Borrowing a phone from the film set, Ryan called Jin Silie to inform her, then turned to the middle-aged security guard at the door and said, "Thanks, Wood."

  "No need to be polite." Wood's face showed a slightly embarrassed expression, "Ryan, can you reveal when the third volume of Harry Potter will be released? Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm being asked by reporters, my son and daughter both love this book, they know I work on set, so..."

  "Sorry, Wood," Ryan said with a helpless smile, "it's probably impossible this year."

  "This is really not good news." Wood laughed similarly.

  As the news of his starring in "Home Alone" was exposed by the media, topics about him gradually filled the newspapers again, which also made the sales of the two Harry Potter books that had just started to gain momentum increase a lot. Not to mention the calls from the publisher of "Alien Body", many parents also called for the publication of the next volume as soon as possible.

  Let's talk about it later. Ryan thought to himself as he walked out of the studio, but just as he was lost in thought, several flashes of light suddenly appeared before his eyes, followed by the sound of camera shutters clicking away. Before he could even turn around, several microphones and small recorders were thrust into his face.

  "Ryan, it's said that you personally wrote the script for 'Home Alone', is the story the same as the original?"

  When Ryan heard what the reporter said, he really wanted to ask him if he was an idiot. The adapted movie is like saying the same thing as that story, isn't it seeking death?

  "Sixth Sense" earned $290 million at the North American box office. Do you think "Home Alone" can achieve this result?

  "It's said that Disney scheduled this movie for Thanksgiving to Christmas, can a great film really be made in such a short time?"

  "That's something you should ask the people at Tryout Film, not me," Ryan said, trying to retreat back onto the set, but these guys weren't going to let him off that easily.

  "I'm Cowell from World News Weekly. You've never returned to the Norton Orphanage since you became famous, can't it be understood that you lack the most basic gratitude? And was Miss Nicole Kidman's adoption of you because your works could bring in huge profits?"

  Ryan really wanted to spit starlight on his face, and it's no wonder that he's the world's most conscientious paparazzi dog, who uses the most vicious, most despicable, and most shameless gaze to look at others. For such a boring question, the boy didn't even bother to respond, turned around and wanted to walk away.

  But he was just a minor, and these reporters, though keeping a certain distance from him, formed a circle around him, with an air of "you won't leave until you answer".

  In his previous life, Ryan had also seen such situations on the internet where those child stars would often be scared out of their wits, speaking nonsense, and thus being taken advantage of by these people who would interpret even a small issue into a huge problem.

  Ryan didn't mind; he now had the age advantage, and these guys wouldn't dare go too far, no matter how crazy they were. After all, in America, messing with a minor was a serious crime.

  "Ryan, you're not answering because you're guilty, aren't you?" The paparazzo shouted unwillingly. "You've written so many works in four years, is someone ghostwriting for you?"

  He took out a pair of earphones and put them on his ears at a moderate pace, then under the gaze of these reporter paparazzi, he pulled out a silver-white portable music player from his backpack. With slow motion, he turned it on, inserted the earbuds, and slowly turned up the volume to its maximum.

  "I'm still young and I've already sold out today!"

  Ryan muttered a sentence, his voice wasn't particularly soft, but unfortunately no one present could understand him, he was speaking in standard Chinese.

  Those reporters were all stunned, they had interviewed many child stars, even the acknowledged most intelligent Jodie Foster, who at that time when facing the media, would not be so relaxed and casual, that guy completely treated them as air.

  Yes! If it were an adult star, they would definitely put the microphone to his mouth and give him a saliva bath with stars, but the other party is only ten years old. In front of so many people, if this really happened, losing one's job would be a small matter, and if things went wrong, one might even end up going in for a few months.

  "Midnight weekend don't wander, come to Apple Park, welcome wandering kids..."

  Then, something even more astonishing happened. The little guy suddenly started singing a song in a language they couldn't understand, and the sound was even more unpleasant than the howling of wolves on the Montana prairie.

  Ryan didn't know that he had to get along with the media now, but what he did was because he saw the name tags of these reporters early on, and almost none of them were from major newspapers, to be exact, they should be called paparazzi.

  Will paparazzi have a conscience? If you treat them well, will they remember and be grateful? Don't kid yourself, if that were the case, China's men's football team would have won the World Cup long ago.

  Moreover, since the day he became famous, these tabloids have not stopped attacking him, especially those notorious ones like New York Post and World News Weekly. He is not the kind of person who would turn the other cheek after being slapped on the left face.

  He also knew that behind the most outrageous tabloid in the United States stood a giant - News Corp, which was not something he could afford to mess with. Since that's the case, then non-violent non-cooperation would be best, and one day he would reap back his investment with interest. In front of that future old couple, he would recite a good poem: "One tree of pear blossoms suppresses the sea of peach blossoms".

  The two sides were at a stalemate for nearly five minutes, until Woods finally realized who was being surrounded by the paparazzi at the entrance of the set. He hastily called out to several colleagues and forced his way in, escorting Ryan back onto the set. However, amidst all the commotion, someone's hat had been knocked askew, someone else's shoe had fallen off, and yet another person's hair had become a bird's nest.

  The most ruthless was Woods, who took advantage of the chaos to deliberately knock down several paparazzi's microphones to the ground. Ryan was quick and nimble, trampling those devices as he rushed out. It wasn't like later years when cameras were everywhere, flying around. In this chaotic scene, it was impossible to tell who had stepped on what.

  "My tape recorder!" "My microphone!"

  Just as they entered the scene, the paparazzi's urgent and exasperated shouts were heard from behind, but unfortunately, the scene was guarded against fire, theft, and reporters, and it wasn't easy for them to sneak in.

  "Thank you everyone, I'll treat you all to afternoon tea!"

  It's precisely because he never puts on airs in front of people, and often greets those at the entrance, that they are so willing to help him. If it were someone like Ah Tong Ge, even if he was beaten by a pack of paparazzi, these people would absolutely not lift a finger, and would instead actively leak the story to the media the next day.

  It didn't cost much, just a cup of coffee per person. It has to be said that the education Ryan received in his past life has been quite helpful for him in dealing with people and getting along with others in this life. After all, arrogant people are not welcome anywhere.

  When Ryan got into Jinsili's car, those guys who were about to go crazy almost stuck to the glass on the car door to take pictures, unfortunately, the car's sticker had been specially treated and nothing could be taken from the outside.

  "What's wrong with them? Aren't they afraid that I'll go to court and apply for an injunction?" Jin Silie found it somewhat strange.

  "There's nothing, just some minor losses. Ryan simply and clearly stated what had happened. "I still have an age advantage now, in a few more years, these guys will be even more lawless."

  Jin Silai couldn't help but laugh, although she didn't quite approve of the boy's methods. However, there was no denying that he had made the most of his current advantage and knew how to win people over. She really couldn't treat him like a child anymore.

  "Don't worry, Patrick. I know what I'm doing. These are all just paparazzi from the tabloids. Even if I treat them well, will they say anything good about me?"

  "Alright, Ryan."

  "Patrick, I think I need an assistant now, preferably one who can double as a driver and bodyguard." Ryan started daydreaming again.

  "I'll take note of it."

  Collecting votes~~ Collecting tickets~~