*Chapter 196: A Difficult Woman*

Soon, Andy replied, confirming that everything would be ready by tomorrow.

After putting down his phone, Richard continued eating. The crew’s meals were quite good, with a variety of options like fruits, steak, fried chicken, burgers, and more, allowing for free choice.

“Hey, Richard!”

Sandra walked into the office with a lunch box, sat down across from him, and started eating with a casual, almost sloppy demeanor, while ruffling her messy hair.

Richard smiled slightly, “Sandra, how’s it feeling to be a producer?”

“What do you think?”

Sandra looked up, pointing at her eye bags.

“You look pretty exhausted. I was planning to switch to producing, but after seeing you like this, I think I’ll delay it for a few more years.”

Richard chuckled.

“You’re planning to become a producer?”

“Yeah, let me reintroduce myself. I’ve got a new job—producer at New Century Pictures.”

Richard handed over a business card.

“New Century? Is that your company?”

“It’s a startup I founded with some friends. We’re still in the early stages. Maybe we can work together sometime.”

“Sure.”

Sandra took the card and handed him one of hers, which read “Producer at Fortis Films.”

“Sandra, did you invest in this movie?”

Richard asked.

“Yes, I didn’t take a salary.”

Richard nodded. Not taking a salary meant she was investing her earnings into the movie, participating in the box office profits. This was typically a privilege reserved for top-tier stars, who could get a share of 25%, 20%, 15%, and so on.

For instance, that guy Reeves got a 15% share from “The Matrix” and ended up making $75 million, turning him into a billionaire overnight.

Richard wasn’t at that level yet—he still had a long way to go before he could start getting a share of the profits.

“Are you free this afternoon?”

Sandra asked.

“What’s up?”

“The fight scene between us is scheduled for the 13th. We need to rehearse it beforehand.”

“OK!”

After lunch, the crew continued filming.

Eric was initially planning to send a hot girl from the department undercover, but she was currently on maternity leave.

They then started playing a dress-up game on the computer, using technology to alter the female agents’ photos, putting them in bikinis. But they got too carried away and ended up putting the deputy director, Harry, in a bikini as well.

“Watch this, I’m going to pull off something amazing.”

Eric, with a lollipop in his mouth, sat down at the computer and pulled up a photo of Deputy Director Harry.

Harry was a burly black man, looking like a gorilla, and Eric dressed him in a white bikini with red flowers, which looked particularly ridiculous.

“Wow~”

Eric, still holding his lollipop, shouted loudly. Suddenly, he noticed it had gotten very quiet behind him, and his expression slowly stiffened.

“He’s standing right behind me, isn’t he?”

Eric asked cautiously.

“Mm-hmm~”

Gracie responded softly.

“This color doesn’t seem to suit me.”

Deputy Director Harry said with a grim face.

Eric forced a smile and slowly stood up.

“Sir, we were just trying to find the right candidate to go undercover in the beauty pageant.”

Eric said seriously.

“And I’m the best candidate? That’s just sad!”

Harry replied.

“Hahaha~”

Everyone on set burst into laughter.

“Cut!”

“Good job, next scene!”

The content of today's shoot was quite funny, and there were frequent bloopers during filming. With some stumbles, we managed to wrap up around 5 PM, and the crew finally called it a day.

In the afternoon, Richard arranged a rehearsal with Sandra for an action scene. This scene is about Eric asking Gracie to go undercover because she is the best at disguising herself.

However, Gracie refuses, not wanting to be a pretentious woman.

The two start sparring at the training ground.

"Hey, what do you think?"

Richard asked as he stood by a rubber training dummy.

"I’d rather die than agree."

Sandra, dressed in a tank top and tight pants with gloves on, was hitting the dummy with a series of punches. Thud, thud.

"Why?"

Richard asked, leaning his arm on the dummy.

"I don’t want to parade around in a swimsuit, looking like a brainless bimbo obsessed with world peace," Sandra scoffed.

Richard smiled lightly. "Don’t worry, it won't be like that. You’ll become the best undercover agent in the Bureau."

"Yeah, in a revealing bikini!" Sandra kicked the dummy. According to the choreography, she needed to kick the dummy in the head, but she accidentally hit Richard's head because her kick was too low.

"Let's do it again!"

They tried the scene again, and this time Sandra easily kicked the dummy's head.

"Hey!"

Richard rubbed his head where he'd been hit. "Wearing a bikini would make you look more stylish. You should also do some glute exercises to make your butt look perkier; it’ll increase your chances of success."

Smack! Richard slapped her butt.

"Richard, you can be a bit rougher. Eric doesn’t treat Gracie gently; he sees her as one of the guys," Sandra laughed.

"Alright, should we go again?"

"Let’s do it!"

Smack! Richard slapped her again.

"Ah!"

Sandra yelped and wrapped her arm around his neck, trying to take him down.

"Hey, you need to say your lines," Richard reminded her.

"Let’s fight first. I want to see how well I’ve been training these past few days."

Sandra tightened her grip around his neck and entwined her leg around his to trip him.

Richard chuckled. "Can I fight back?"

"Are you really going to hit a woman?"

Sandra mocked.

"Okay, fine!"

Richard grabbed her arm and leg, lifted her over his head, and spun her around.

"Ahh, what are you doing? Put me down!" Sandra shouted.

"Don’t worry, let me show you something fun."

Richard smiled and suddenly tossed her into the air.

Sandra screamed twice in shock. As she was about to fall, Richard spread his arms and caught her.

"Exciting, wasn’t it?" Richard laughed.

Sandra didn’t say a word and swung her fists at him.

Richard tilted his head, easily dodging her punches.

Sandra kept throwing punches, but he dodged them effortlessly, always a step ahead of her.

Thud!

Sandra, frustrated, elbowed him in the stomach.

Richard chuckled, releasing her.

Sandra fell onto the mat, lying flat on her back, gasping for breath.

"Hey, how about we call it a tie?" Richard reached out his hand with a smile.

Sandra quietly looked at him, her hair a mess and her forehead sweaty. Suddenly, she lifted her leg and hooked it around his.

Thud!

Richard also fell onto the mat, flat on his back.

Sandra swung her arm at him, but Richard quickly grabbed it.

"Want to keep training?" Richard asked, holding her arm.

"Sure!"

Sandra kicked at him again, but Richard caught her leg, just like in the scene.

Sandra lunged at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him, and they started wrestling.

"Richard, you have a call!" Mike entered with a phone, but the scene before him was a bit awkward. The two were tangled up together, limbs entwined.

"We’re rehearsing!" Richard said as he stood up.

Mike smirked, handed over the phone, and left.

Richard answered the call, which was from the production company, Copson. They talked about some company matters. The company was getting set up and ready for a new project, but they hadn’t found the right one yet. After a brief chat, Richard returned to Sandra.

"Do you want to keep rehearsing?"

"Let’s continue!"

Sandra kicked at him again.

(End of the chapter)