Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 238: The so-called Affection

The night scenery of London flowed outside the car window like a winding river. The cool, desolate early autumn scenery traversed the ancient buildings, historic streets, and misty drizzle, exuding a sense of grandeur and elegance. The sediment of time had given this city a unique charm.

The hustle and bustle of Notting Hill had quieted down at this hour, and the streets were almost deserted, resembling a countryside retreat from urban noise.

Philip accurately parked the car by the roadside, then turned off the engine. Warm, quiet air slowly filled the cabin as he glanced at Renly and Matthew in the back seat through the rearview mirror. After a moment of silence, he said nothing, got out of the car, and opened the door for them.

Matthew got out first, followed by Renly.

Philip shut the door, opened the trunk, took out Renly's luggage, and followed Renly to the door. They stood in silence, waiting for Matthew to take out the keys from his briefcase. The quiet stillness felt somewhat oppressive, making the night air even chillier with the light drizzle.

Matthew unlocked the sky-blue door on the first floor, and Philip brought the luggage inside, placing it near the entrance before turning to leave. As he reached the doorway, he paused and looked back at Renly.

Renly hadn't moved, nor had he taken off his overcoat. With a slight smile, as if he had expected Philip to turn around, Renly's expression warmed Philip's otherwise stern face. "Are you alright, Master Renly?"

This wasn't just a casual greeting. Renly knew Philip was asking if he had been well over the past eighteen months, if his efforts in pursuing his dreams were going well, if he had adapted to being back in London, and if he was alright after being away from his family's constraints.

"I'm fine, Philip," Renly nodded, a warm current softening his smile.

Philip quietly observed Renly for a moment, then said nothing. He returned a slight smile, bowed respectfully to Renly, nodded to Matthew, and left without further delay. Soon, the sound of the engine starting was heard again, gradually fading into the distance.

After eighteen months, Renly was back home. He was greeted not only by a cold, empty house but also by indifferent detachment and caution. They didn't care about his dreams, achievements, efforts, or struggles. What mattered was whether he was presentable, maintained the family's noble lineage, and didn't tarnish the family name. They drew a clear line, separating them into different worlds, like isolating a contagious source in another space.

There was no angry confrontation, no furious yelling, no violent clash. Everything was suppressed beneath a refined and noble mask, cold and cutting, even their arguments were eerily calm.

The only person who genuinely cared for him was Philip.

Ironically, as a butler, the first lesson Philip learned was emotional restraint: ignore gossip, don't easily show your feelings, and avoid getting too emotionally involved because objectivity was essential.

Turning around, Renly saw the worried look on Matthew's face, a touch of bitterness between his brows adding some warmth to his cool demeanor. Hesitantly, he asked, "Are you alright?"

The same question, yet with a different meaning. Renly couldn't help but laugh. Turning away, Matthew stepped forward to help him remove his overcoat and hung it on the nearby coat rack. "I'm fine, never been better." This wasn't his first time facing his family's coldness. "I'm here for work. I need to focus on that. That's my plan. It's quiet enough here, right? If not, I can stay in a hotel."

"You can leave right now if you want. Need me to call a cab?" Matthew retorted calmly.

If Renly stayed in a hotel, it would surely become the talk of the town within two hours. The entire upper class would be buzzing, and some gossip enthusiasts might even flock to the hotel to see Renly.

Renly shot Matthew a glance and lightly retorted, "Or are you planning to move to Knightsbridge and leave me the keys?"

He seemed ready to take over and kick out the host. Matthew shook his head, exasperated. "Don't worry, even if George shows up at the door, I won't let them in."

"Oh, no, if he does show up, you better let him in. Otherwise, this scandal will last at least two months, and you'll be taking quite a bit of flak." Renly's teasing words made Matthew chuckle. "By the way, do you remember Andre Hamilton? I ran into him in France recently and exchanged cards. The last time I saw him in social circles felt like it was ages ago."

"Andre? Of course, he's now London's one and only Casanova. Many noblewomen are smitten by him. This Christmas season, there'll be plenty of families hoping to marry him off."

"Hey, what's the deal? He's drifting around, I'm drifting around. Why is he the great lover, and I'm Don Quixote?"

"Maybe because he's more handsome and charming than you?"

"Well, I can't deny that."

...

After living in New York for so long, Renly thought he had gradually adapted to life in a foreign land. After all, strictly speaking, he wasn't a Londoner; his soul was Chinese, having lived in that land for a full thirty-two years. Comparatively, every day of this life was spent in a foreign country.

But returning to London made Renly realize that this rainy, cool, ancient, and heavy city was still an indispensable part of his life. Its influence far exceeded his imagination, awakening every cell in his body as if he had never left.

It didn't take much effort for Renly to adjust to London's lousy weather, which was a good thing for his upcoming performances.

However, it wasn't as fortunate for Drake. On his first day in London, he suffered a blow from the cold, rainy weather, catching a severe cold. His voice became so hoarse he could barely speak, and every day on set was filled with the sound of him blowing his nose, almost like a dissonant symphony.

Fortunately, despite his nasal congestion and sore throat, Drake's directing wasn't too affected. His mind remained clear, and the filming proceeded as planned. Meanwhile, Renly and Felicity, both native Brits, maintained their excellent acting states, pushing the entire crew into high gear.

For some reason—perhaps because Felicity had watched Renly and Jennifer's filming in Los Angeles, which diluted the ambiguous sparks, or maybe because returning to London subtly affected Renly's psyche despite his outward calm—the bond between them seemed to have been severed. The chemistry quietly disappeared, and the budding sparks gradually faded away. It felt as if they were no longer in sync, disrupting the seamless flow of their interactions.

This was good for "Like Crazy."

Anna had started her new life in London but couldn't suppress her longing. She broke down during a phone call, leading Jacob to abandon everything in Los Angeles and fly across the Atlantic to reunite with her. However, Jacob found himself an outsider. Their once synchronized pace was no longer on the same wavelength.

This inexpressible feeling of drifting apart despite loving each other, the struggle yet helplessness, was the most challenging part of the "Like Crazy" script. For Felicity and Renly, this was the most challenging aspect of their performances, relying entirely on their acting skills without any dialogue.

Unexpectedly, they effortlessly portrayed this feeling, especially the oppressive sense of struggle—both trying hard yet unsure of why or how. This confusion and bewilderment were vividly expressed through their gestures and exchanged glances, filling the script's gaps perfectly. Every scene was a challenge, yet each one was spectacular, making acting a true pleasure!

Despite his cold, Drake couldn't have been more thrilled. Though his throat was almost too sore to speak, he couldn't help but celebrate with all his might, expressing his admiration for the two actors.

In just five days, "Like Crazy" completed eighty percent of its shooting. However, the crew couldn't relax yet because they still had one crucial scene left. This scene was so important that Drake, worried about his poor condition, delayed it, hoping his cold would improve before shooting it.

But even if they kept postponing, they could only delay by a day or two at most due to their limited time and budget. Moreover, they still needed to return to Los Angeles for the final scenes.

Eventually, the time for the crucial scene arrived.