Chapter 180: Having No Background is the Biggest Background

[Chapter 180: Having No Background is the Biggest Background]

Taylor and Jennifer Aniston stood in the room, feeling a bit uneasy.

John Mayer had one eye swollen shut and a busted lip, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, with one cheek puffed up. As a graduate of a music school, he might have secretly regretted that they hadn't taught self-defense techniques in class. Although he had the age advantage, he was outmatched by Ryan's physique. The outcome was inevitable -- the beatdown was one-sided.

"Enough!" Jennifer felt a pang of sympathy and stepped in to ask Ryan to stop.

Ryan released his grip on John's collar, and John simply slid down to the floor.

Ryan slowly crouched down to meet John's gaze. "If I see you bothering other girls again, it won't just be a few broken fingers, understood?"

"Look at me," Ryan said calmly.

John turned his one good eye toward Ryan and slowly nodded, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes from the intense pain in his fingers.

"I swear, I'll avoid you guys from now on!" John said, his voice cracking.

Ryan got up, signaling that he could leave.

John struggled to stand, stumbling away.

"He wouldn't dare do anything to me, but what about the media...? That shouldn't be an issue," Jennifer pondered, concerned Ryan might get dragged into something since he was defending her. But then, she thought, Ryan was the one she didn't need to worry about the least, given the rumors that had already been swirling.

"Thanks, I feel much better now... I admit, I'm a bit... Taylor, Ryan is such a stud, so you understand what I'm saying," Jennifer nodded.

"I totally get it," Taylor replied with a laugh.

"How long are you two staying in Los Angeles? I think I could show you around a little, consider it a welcome for friends who came from far away. What do you think?" Jennifer asked.

"We might be leaving soon. I need to prepare for my tour, and Ryan's coming with me. We've already discussed it," Taylor said.

Given the sensational performance at the Grammy ceremony, Ryan had decided to let Taylor strike while the iron was hot and launch her tour right away. The first stop was confirmed to be at the Roberts Municipal Stadium in Evansville, Indiana. It was neither close nor a major city, but the choice was more about testing the waters early in the tour and getting the team to gel.

"Well, I wish you a successful tour. When you get to Los Angeles, I'll buy some front row tickets and give them to friends," Jennifer said.

"Provided I make it to Los Angeles," Taylor chuckled. Even with her massive fan base, it was her first tour, and whether the fans would show up was anyone's guess. Getting fans in the door was different from selling albums, and she couldn't get too ahead of herself.

"Not a problem at all. I've got my bets on you, baby," Jennifer said, hugging Taylor.

Jennifer's career had been remarkably smooth. During the years Friends was airing, she consistently ranked as the highest-paid actress. After Friends ended, her acting offers hadn't stopped.

However, her love life had seen better days. Her publicized relationship with Brad Pitt had ended when Angelina Jolie swooped in, stirring up quite a media frenzy back in the day. Then there was John Mayer -- enough said. She had a brief marriage to writer Justin Theroux, which also came to a hasty end. After several unsuccessful attempts at having children through IVF, her divorce at 47 left her feeling like a lone wolf.

"Jennifer, I doubt Taylor has trouble selling tickets for her tour, but as for me... you know I invested in a sitcom," Ryan suddenly said.

If Jennifer could make a guest appearance, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost. The executives at CW would probably be dreaming about it.

"Exactly, Jennifer, if you could guest star, it would be incredible. We're filming at Warner Bros. Studio's Stage 25, and it's not far from your place. They'd probably only need you for an afternoon," Taylor chimed in, urging Jennifer to join.

"Well... you both know I might be a bit busy," Jennifer laughed lightly. She wouldn't agree to guest star easily; it was a simple principle that once she said yes to one sitcom, there would be an endless stream of requests from friends. She had built her career on sitcoms, and there were just too many projects to juggle.

"However, I did receive an offer for a movie a few days ago, set to premiere next Valentine's Day. It's an ensemble film called Valentine's Day, and they wanted me to take a role, but I turned it down. I didn't want to go toe-to-toe with Julia Roberts. But I think you two would be perfect for the roles, and I could recommend both of you to the producers," Jennifer said, glancing at them both.

"Good-looking couple, a match made in heaven, and you're young. No one is better suited to play high school sweethearts! The director is already on board. It's a big production, directed by Garry Marshall -- he did Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries, and it features big names like Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, and Jamie Foxx..." Jennifer sounded like a pitching agent.

Taylor turned to Ryan, thinking it was a great idea. "We'll consider it and get back to you within three days."

"Great, let's head back to the party! I want to see if there are any other cute guys around," Jennifer took Taylor's hand, leading her back.

Jennifer had just turned 40, and being in her middle age without children, she felt a semblance of older sisterly affection towards Taylor and Ryan.

...

That evening, Taylor and Ryan returned to the room after the party.

"What do you think? I believe this is a good idea. You should diversify. This is a great opportunity to break into the film industry. I heard Justin took a role from a big director," Taylor mentioned while enjoying her time with Ryan.

"If it's just shooting a small segment, it shouldn't take too long," Ryan added.

The film had nearly ten couples, meaning he and Taylor would hardly occupy more than ten minutes of screen time.

As for the show 2 Broke Girls, Jennifer Aniston's starring in a guest role was just the icing on the cake; the quality of the show was assured.

In contrast, the movie opportunity was like a golden ticket, especially with an all-star cast -- it couldn't be more perfect.

"Then it's settled. I'll call Jennifer tomorrow and let her know we're both onboard," Taylor confirmed.

...

Ryan got up and opened his laptop.

[Someone monopolizes two songs, is the rookie of the year, and it's announced Ryan is the industry's designated star of tomorrow. Based on past events, this guy likely comes from an impressive background.]

[What background does he actually have?]

[Who knows? That's the odd part. Countless people have been activated but can't find a single lead.]

[How could they not understand this simple truth? Having no background is the biggest background.]

Ryan shook his head, chuckling. What's the difference between this and the fashion world?

Taylor leaned over, amused by it all.

"I have a feeling the next one to be scrutinized should be me. They'll say I'm some mysterious aristocrat while you're the spokesperson for the Freemasons," Taylor laughed.

"Don't underestimate the imagination of internet users; this is an old story," Ryan said, stroking her hair.

As they scrolled on, someone indeed mentioned Taylor.

[Looking at it now, their pairing is definitely not a coincidence. Taylor's background is very mysterious; her father is confirmed to be a titan in the finance sector.]

[In other words, is this a Wall Street invasion of the music industry?]

[Oh, I get it now. No wonder, it explains everything -- like the countless funds Ryan used to acquire Big Machine.]

[No, Ryan doesn't belong to any conglomerate. Their union must be some sort of strategic marriage to maximize benefits.]

[That makes sense.]

[Agreed.]

"What did I say? Your idea is outdated. This is in line with the current popular narrative."

*****

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