Chapter 2

But the director didn't have time to think about this, because his actor had already been provoked and started yelling at Ernest.

“Oh? Then who the heck are you? Are you a famous actor who won an Oscar? Or the honored lecturer working in the National Film Academy? You are just a kid trying to draw our attention!”

“Listen, kid. The word ‘experienced’ is not for such an innocent teenager like you. I graduated from The National Film Academy, and I know what I'm doing! Just getta of here and let us adults work, okay?”

All those bad words slapped Ernest at an incredible speed, and it's fast to the point he couldn't hear exactly what this handsome man was yelling about. However, even the dumbest man could realize that this man was humiliating Ernest.

And Ernest was not dumb.

He looked at the actor, slowly telling him with a disdainful smirk.

“As far as I know, your character is a beggar struggling to find food on the street, right? Then your actions are absolutely wrong.”

Ernest pointed at Kelvin's sleeves. “First you have to clean your hands by your sleeves, no matter how dirty they're. It was a common action showing how precious the food is, which beggars usually do. Of course they know that they have to wash first, but the poor have no time to clean their newly found food by water—the other beggars will come and take it away.”

“Second, the way you eat the bread is inappropriate.” Ernest raised his eyebrows while looking at the food given as edible props. “Eating fast doesn't mean that you're a beggar. You have to eat with both your bare, dirty hands, holding the bread tight to the point it doesn't look like bread anymore, because you are scared of other beggars.”

“Your mouth has to open as wide as possible, and you are not eating—just literally cramming everything into your mouth, and you don't even care if you can be choked.”

The more Ernest said, the more attracted the others were. All the film crew slowly paid attention to the young man, his calm voice, and his finger pointing at Kelvin, including Kelvin himself. Ernest's voice seemed to be a magical spell, and even the director realized those flaws in acting, which he never thought about.

“And finally, you have to lick your fingers, even though they're really, really dirty.” Ernest didn't know about the crew's attention, just raising his left hand. “You are a beggar, which means it's very hard to get something to fill your hungry stomach. You don't know when you will get another piece of bread, so you want to consume everything at once—including the wonderful taste left on your dirty hand.”

“But I don't see the poverty in your actions.” Ernest smiled, but it looked like an elegant smirk in other people's eyes. “You eat like the elite do, and I guess this scene will be better with a butler in a tuxedo standing aside.”

The final sentence mde all the film crew laugh. They couldn't hold back laughing, and suddenly all the studio was filled with laughter.

Till this moment did Kelvin escape from Ernest's words. As a good student graduating from the National Film Academy, he couldn't deny that all the things Ernest said are true. Some are even more obvious than what he had learnt at school, which made him confused for a moment.

Who was this guy, exactly?

He couldn't be a poor man like he seemed to be, that's what the actor was sure about. An ordinary poor guy would never come here telling a film crew that they're doing wrong then teaching them again. He couldn't remain calm even though he was yelled at badly either. Last but not least, Ernest's behavior made him think deeper.

As what the director was guessing, Kelvin also found that the way Ernest behaved with elegance and politeness was the most obvious evidence showing that he was not a penniless guy. Who the heck would teach their children to behave like the elite did while they had nothing to eat?

Suddenly Kelvin chilled to the bone.

This man was hiding his true identity.

He started remembering those young people coming from wealthy families. Thanks to his family, he had actually joined their fancy parties, meeting lots of them. But he didn't remember anyone having this significant style like this young man, who would surely be in his mind.

Could he be… some mysterious young master returning home from abroad?

While Kelvin was thinking about the ‘true identity’, his assistant had already been furious. Ashley didn't listen to all Ernest's words since he had just come back bringing beverages for Kelvin. But how unlucky Ashley was, he just heard the last sentence.

Then Ashley stepped to Ernest while shouting at him.

“Then what? Who the hell are you? This is the professional style which you the amateurs, no, idiots, will never be taught! Kelvin knows what he is gonna do! Getta out of there! Right now!”

Now Ernest didn't even glance at Ashley. Rude behavior? He had been treated this way too many times. Ernest was penniless, so it's just inevitable on the way to grow up. He was unhappy at first—when he had been a kid—but now he looked down on this terrible deportment.

With disdain, of course.

Then all the film crew saw Ernest smile slightly, bowing down his head for a second and apologizing to the assistant as if he was standing in a royal ball.

“It's my fault to express such rude behavior this way. And I'm going to leave now. Please don't be angry, mister.”

Ernest turned at the bewildered actor. “I didn't mean to interrupt your work or try to be someone superior, though it seems that I've actually caused interruption. Please accept my apology for annoying you, sir. I'll leave. Hope your work will be successful in the future, and sorry for what I caused.”

Then Ernest left right in front of those people's shocked look, including the rude assistant.

Ashley couldn't believe that there would be someone still calm when someone yelled at him that way. Couldn't this man feel offended?

Ernest was satisfied with this.

Ernest was not the guy who didn't know how to be angry. He did, actually, and he also knew that what he had just said to the actor was useful. Who the heck would be calm after being scolded for helping a person with courteous language?

But Ernest didn't argue. Oh, come on, it's the twenty-first century already, who would spend their precious time arguing (or even fighting) like kids while they could do something more efficient? In Ernest's opinion, the best way to fight back against an arrogant guy was to behave even more politely.

“What defeats you is not my words but your own education”, that's why Ernest spent years learning how to behave exactly like the well-educated do, though he was as poor as a church mouse.

Ernest glanced back at the young assistant.

You lost. Just stood there with your stupid anger, kid, haha.

“No, no, please stop!” At the moment Ernest was about to go across the road, the director chased after him and called him back with a hurried voice.