Echoes of Hollywood

"What a coincidence, Murphy."

Sitting at the same table, Catherine Zeta-Jones greeted Murphy proactively. They had known each other since Miramax's production of "Chicago."

"Yes, Kate," Murphy smiled and nodded at her, "Long time no see. You look even more beautiful."

"Thank you."

She introduced the man beside her, "This is my husband..."

"Oh, I know," Murphy stood up and extended his hand to Michael Douglas, "Hello, Michael. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Michael Douglas forced a smile on his long face, "Nice to meet you too, Murphy."

His smile was only skin-deep. Old Robert Downey was annoying, and young Robert Downey was even more annoying. His close friend, Murphy Stanton, was just as annoying.

Murphy kept a warm smile on his face, but his calm eyes hid a sharpness that was hard to detect. Looking at the equally warm smile on Michael Douglas's face, Murphy could only think of two things: drugs and Robert Downey Jr. in prison.

However, Murphy knew that the Douglas family was deeply entrenched in Hollywood and couldn't be easily shaken. If he wanted to do something, he would need to carefully plan with Downey.

"Michael, I greatly admire Kirk Douglas," Murphy said sincerely, "May I visit him sometime?"

Michael Douglas's eyebrows furrowed slightly before he relaxed and responded politely, "Of course. My father is very hospitable. He's a big fan of your noir films and would be thrilled to meet you."

Murphy feigned delight, "It would be an honor."

Meanwhile, his mind raced, recalling everything about the father and son duo, trying to find something he could exploit. The conclusion remained the same: drugs.

Throughout the banquet, Murphy and the Douglas couple chatted amicably, though Murphy was always calculating how to deal with the Douglas family.

Although Robert Downey Jr. didn't have concrete evidence to prove that they were behind his troubles, such matters didn't really need evidence.

After the banquet, because of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Murphy and Michael Douglas left the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel together.

Outside the hotel, paparazzi and reporters were still lurking. Seeing an English rose, an Oscar-winning actor, and a newly-promoted top director walking out together, they swarmed like flies smelling blood, bombarding them with questions.

Murphy answered seriously, "Yes, Michael and I are very good friends."

Standing beside him, Michael Douglas had no choice but to smile for the reporters and paparazzi.

Murphy put his arm around Michael Douglas's shoulder and answered another reporter's question, "Of course, I would love to work with an Oscar-winning actor. Collaborating with someone as talented as Michael would be a real pleasure."

Catherine Zeta-Jones looked at Murphy and then at Michael Douglas, feeling that something was off. How could these two get along so quickly? Could they really be that compatible?

Meeting a top director wasn't bad either! She glanced at Murphy, realizing that both she and her husband were on the decline. Befriending a director who had managed to resurrect someone as troubled as Robert Downey Jr. surely had more advantages than disadvantages.

Facing the media, Michael Douglas's acting was no worse than anyone else's. He firmly patted Murphy's shoulder and told the reporters, "Hollywood movies are becoming more homogenized. There are too few directors like Murphy with a unique style. Working with such a director is every actor's dream."

Murphy and Michael Douglas exchanged a look and both broke into hearty laughter.

At midnight, Murphy returned to Beverly Hills. The next morning, he called Robert Downey Jr. to set a time, then contacted Ross to arrange a meeting in the old Chinatown area in the afternoon.

After lunch, Murphy drove away from Beverly Hills and returned to the familiar downtown slum, which still displayed the grim reality of America.

His black SUV navigated the narrow streets of old Chinatown. The Chinese signs were fewer than before. Murphy had heard that old Chinatown had become dominated by Vietnamese people.

"Vietnamese people are ambitious and don't follow the rules."

In the old bar, Murphy met Ross again, who talked about the situation downtown, "The Vietnamese also want to get involved in the underground arms and cocaine trade here. There have been several clashes with my people."

Murphy listened without commenting, wondering why his friend's words seemed more plentiful than before.

Suddenly, the bar's door was pushed open from the outside, and a bald black man walked in. He smiled at Murphy, then said, "That foul-mouthed Wade Wilson is here."

Ross looked puzzled at the bald black man, clearly not understanding who he meant.

Murphy reminded him, "Downey is here."

Hearing this, the black man chuckled and rubbed his shiny bald head.

"He won't be Wade Wilson anymore," Murphy joked with the black man, "He'll soon be Tony Stark."

As they spoke, someone walked in. Robert Downey Jr. entered, dressed in a fitted suit, wearing sunglasses, his hair meticulously styled. His formal attire always seemed a bit flamboyant on him.

Standing under the bar's main light, he spread his arms wide like a movie star, saying loudly, "Hey, you two gloomy guys, were you waiting for me? I actually arrived early but didn't want to sit here waiting, so I took a tour of old Chinatown and met a Vietnamese..."

"Shut up, Downey." Murphy, uninterested in whom Downey had met, interrupted him directly, pointing at Ross, "Don't you recognize him?"

"Of course I do." Robert Downey Jr. looked at Ross, his playful smile fading, "How could I forget Ross? We were known as the three heroes of state prison."

"Hey, Ross," he waved at Ross, "You look as tough as ever. How many heads have you busted lately? I think your story could be made into a movie. Murphy directs, I star. We won't charge you a penny. Can you find a better deal in Hollywood?"

Ross didn't interrupt Robert Downey Jr., instead looking at him deeply. He stood up, walked over, and hugged him tightly. Robert Downey Jr., though a bit surprised, returned the hug.

The bald black man watched Ross and Robert Downey Jr. hugging, constantly rubbing his shiny head. He'd heard people say that his boss's true love was Downey.

Now it seemed there might be some truth to it.

"Alright, you two can catch up later," Murphy interrupted Ross and Robert Downey Jr., "We need to talk business now."

Ross and Robert Downey Jr. sat at the bar with Murphy. Murphy had the bartender pour them two pints of dark beer, then said, "Downey found out who was behind framing him for drug possession and trafficking."

Robert Downey Jr.'s playful and carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of ruthlessness and resentment, "I won't let those bastards go! I want to ruin them!"

He then recounted the details of his investigation to Ross, who nodded slightly and said, "I always thought your imprisonment was suspicious. Nine out of ten Hollywood stars use and hide drugs. Why did the LAPD target you? With your connections, it shouldn't have been a big deal, yet the prosecution kept pursuing you until you were jailed. Someone was definitely pulling the strings."

"My father and Kirk Douglas did have some conflicts," Robert Downey Jr. said grimly, "That old fox targeted me..."

He shook his head, knowing that if he hadn't given them an opening, none of this would have happened.

In hindsight, being sentenced to prison wasn't entirely a bad thing. In there, he met Murphy, which changed his life completely. The old Robert Downey Jr. disappeared, and a new one was born.

Without this unique experience, who knows what might have happened to him? He might have drowned in drugs, unable to escape...

Ross thought for a moment, then asked, "How do you want to resolve this?"

He didn't say much but had decided to get involved. Although this wasn't Murphy's fight, he had a deep friendship with Robert Downey Jr. as well.

"At last night's Oscar party," Murphy said calmly, "I met the Douglas couple and had a chat with Michael Douglas."

Robert Downey Jr. chimed in, "Your photos with him are already in the papers."

"To defeat someone, you must first understand them," Murphy suddenly smiled, "Michael Douglas is quite the actor."

With that brief comment, he returned to the main topic, "Michael Douglas has a son from his previous marriage, disliked by Catherine Zeta-Jones but cherished by him and Kirk Douglas..."

Murphy didn't elaborate, but Ross and Robert Downey Jr. understood.

They sent the bald black man and the bar staff away and had a long discussion. Two hours later, Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. left the bar and went their separate ways.

After spending another day in Los Angeles, Murphy returned to Paris to continue his filming work.

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