Chapter 205: Traces of Time
Although the running time of the movie vaguely suggests that it is impossible for the male protagonist to successfully complete the bet in less than half the time, the ending of spending more and more time is really not something that people in this era can think of all at once.
"We helped him make so much money, why does he act like we lost most of his fortune?" Facing Brewster's dark face, Spike and the other two were so confused that they almost discussed hiring a psychiatrist for him...
Perhaps only the audience who knew the inside story could burst out laughing at this scene.
After deciding to sell all his shares, clear all his stocks and never challenge any more gambling games under the increasingly incredulous gazes of the three, Brewster slumped in his chair, "Are there any investments I can consider recently?"
"Let me think..." Although Assistant Woods had some doubts, he still did his job responsibly to calculate the accounts. The investment expert was angry about Brewster's decision just now and went out to calm down. Therefore, only Spike was left in the room. "I talked to the investment expert before. He said that antiques, precious metals, artworks, stamps and other things can resist inflation to a certain extent and maintain or appreciate in value..."
The speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously. After this movie was translated and broadcasted in mainland China, some smart people paid attention to the deeper meaning mentioned in this plot.
In the movie, the protagonist Brewster rushed to the collectibles store after hearing these words and spent a million dollars to buy a misprinted stamp "Jenny the Upside Down".
After the news was reported in the newspapers, the two heads of the law firm who were keeping a close eye on Brewster's words and actions immediately laughed secretly: buying collectibles is also a kind of investment. With this misprinted stamp worth millions in hand, even if Brewster spent all his other money, he would still have lost this bet.
Then, before the person in charge had finished laughing, they received a greeting card from Brewster inviting them to see the show. The stamp on the card looked 9.999% similar to the image that took up most of the front page of the newspaper...
"Is this guy crazy?!" The two responsible persons were also in a panic when they saw the postmark that destroyed most of the collection value of the stamp: a rare and misprinted stamp worth millions of dollars was mailed out as if it were an ordinary stamp by this wasteful guy!
But this really doesn’t violate the rules—the rules state that “the value of the artwork cannot be intentionally destroyed”…
But stamps are originally used to send letters. Even if a stamp appreciates in value from a few cents to millions of dollars, after it is used for its original purpose of sending letters, its value is the price it represents!
It just so happened that at the beginning of last year, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in mainland China issued the first set of stamps in the first round of zodiac series stamps - "Gengshen Year" - on the day before the first day of the Lunar New Year in order to commemorate the Gengshen Year.
This set of special stamps, numbered T.46, is commonly known as the "Monkey Stamps" in the stamp collecting world in later generations.
In later generations, there were people who got rich because their elders bought monkey stamps. When they were interviewed by reporters, they answered: "My grandfather saw Su Yun's movie that made him a billionaire, and then he wanted to collect stamps. God, thanks to him for thinking about it for a moment, I have saved myself a lot of struggle in my life!"
Perhaps Su Yun could not have imagined that such an unintentional act would become more and more evident after various Hong Kong gambling movies used her photo to pray for blessings and various examples of her accidentally leading the audience to make a fortune through investment. Her reputation as a "wealthy woman" became more and more real, so much so that even after more than half a century, there are still superstitious people who put her photo on the altar at home to worship her...
Let's get back to the plot of the movie. After realizing that he spent 30 million dollars at a time and ended up spending 50 million dollars, Brewster learned his lesson and began to pay attention to other money-burning projects.
When people heard that Brewster was going to run for mayor of New York City, except for his good friend Spike and assistant Woods, almost everyone else thought he was crazy: A Chinese wanted to run for mayor?!
However, in a country where capital is paramount, he spent 50 million... maybe, possibly, probably, perhaps, it could really create a miracle?
"He never figured out what he wanted to do before, but now he has finally set a real goal." Unlike others, Spike was very pleased.
"I finally understand why he said that before." After spending a large sum of money, the whole of New York was covered with promotional posters with Brewster's headshot. Woods' assistant was also amazed: she had always believed that Brewster was a nouveau riche who had inherited a huge inheritance and squandered it, but she didn't expect that he really had a dream and really wanted to work hard for the people.
However, before the people around him began to try their best to canvass votes for his decision, Brewster was already standing on the podium.
"Why would an actor run for mayor of New York City?" In the face of doubt, Brewster used his years of hard-learned stage drama skills to shock the audience with his voice, "Wasn't your current president an actor before?!"
Hearing this, the audience laughed out loud: President Reagan, who took office last year, was indeed an actor who worked in Hollywood for many years and acted in nearly 50 films before being elected as the Governor of California and the current President.
Just like after the Watergate scandal, there were still people who dared to hold up signs to mock Nixon at the Oscars live broadcast. The contemporary American people, who are protected by the banner of freedom of speech, have never felt the restrictions on what they dare not say.
I am not afraid that you dare not speak, I am only afraid that you cannot speak.
The more he criticizes current politics and is cynical, the more he is loved and admired by the American people who feel uncomfortable if they don't criticize current politics a few times a day...
"Is it reasonable for my two opponents to spend more than tens of millions of dollars to compete for a job that only pays $60,000 a year?"
"Why would they be willing to be like me, a person with a lot of money but nowhere to spend it, without caring about making or losing money?"
"Unless, this job can make them gain more than they put in!"
During an election campaign, the most common and most frequently used tactic is to find every possible way to expose the opponent's black spots and attack them with all your might. But surprisingly, after Brewster finished talking about the corruption of his two opponents, he suddenly changed the subject and said that he was running for the election just to buy votes...
"I am standing here today to appeal to you not to vote for anyone!" After announcing that he would spare no effort to get the other two candidates elected, he became more and more excited, "Please do not support anyone in this election, including me!"
"Who invited you to dinner?"
"Brewster!"
"Who gave you the advantage?"
"Brewster!"
"Who are you going to elect in this election?"
"No one! None of the above!"
"Great!" Brewster walked down the podium with satisfaction.
After realizing that Brewster's continuous nonsense had caused his approval rating to drop, the two opponents, who were once mortal enemies, were finally forced to unite and publicly announced that they would sue him for a series of crimes including defamation and insulting the candidate.
So, after receiving the lawyer's letter, Brewster was ecstatic and paid them 4 million in mental damages.
The one-month deadline was approaching, and the two law firm executives began to get anxious when they discovered that Brewster was really about to spend the nearly doubled 50 million.
In order to ensure that they could get the 300 million inheritance, the two responsible persons secretly called lawyer Warren, who was doing interior decoration for Brewster, and told him the content of the bet. Before this man changed his job for the high salary, he was also one of the new generation of elite lawyers in this law firm.
After making a promise that would allow him to become the third partner of the law firm, Lawyer Warren gritted his teeth and nodded when the two principals suggested that "only a small receipt that was accidentally left behind would be needed in the huge expense details."
Amid the audience's tense anticipation, Brewster, who was about to spend all his money, was very relaxed: the money was almost gone, and his most important task next was to show all the talents he had learned on this grandest stage.
The previous performances were all very successful.
After receiving the best treatment and encouragement, his bandmates also performed their talents beyond their expectations on this stage.
The last act is a one-man show by the male lead, who uses a long, mysterious monologue to denounce the world's deception and cruelty to people. Therefore, the requirements for the male lead actor are extremely high. As of now, there are not many male actors in Broadway-level theaters who can perfectly perform this last one-man show.
But Brewster practiced hard countless times in the middle of the night when no one was around.
But what’s the point? No matter how outstanding their skills are, no theater company will let a Chinese actor play the leading male role, which is not restricted by race.
Fortunately, he had this unexpected fortune, which enabled him to fulfill his dream which seemed so far away and unattainable.
But when he was about to step onto the stage, he heard another piece of news: after being successfully elected as mayor, he would have an annual salary of 60,000 US dollars - this is also wealth that can be counted as assets.
心随意轉，在盡全力去表演完這一場難度極高的獨角戲之後，看着臺下的笑臉，聽着臺下的掌聲，布魯斯特忽然明白了他現在所做的一切，不過只是一場笑話。
“原來，你們大多數人，都不是為了我的演出而來，只是為了‘我’而來罷了。”
“但我想展現給你們的，是戲裏的男主角，而不是‘布魯斯特’這個人……”
“這些日子裏，我受夠了名利的束縛！也受夠了這個金錢至上的社會！”他的目光梭巡着臺下神情各異的觀衆們，“所以我決定，退出這次競選！”
誰能料到？
當在幾個看起來都很正确的答案之中，突然出現了一個看起來就很離譜很胡鬧的、仿佛是來搞笑的選擇時，其實也是會有不少人忍不住想要手賤地選擇一下它的……
被這個瘋狂的氛圍感染，他的支持率竟然是三人之中最高的！
摔，說好的誰都不選呢？！
被布魯斯特這個清新脫俗不做作的終極操作震驚到，當晚的實時新聞追蹤報道也是專門為此而做了一期：“倘若布魯斯特真的就此退出競選的話，按照統計，他将會在今晚過後直接破産……”
大概真的是財散人安樂，被不知真相的所有人認定他明天就會破産的時候，沒了那些死命纏上來向他要錢的人，布魯斯特反而覺得自己獲得了這一個月來難得的一晚安寧。
雖然伍茲助理極力勸阻甚至已經違反了職業禮儀痛罵他，但那最後的幾萬美元，還是被他拿來在酒店的自助餐大廳裏開了一個派對。
這一次的視角下，他看到了昔日那些人的另一面：從前遠遠看到他就撐着笑臉迎上來的商人仿佛沒看到他一般匆匆走過；斯派克和投資專家在場內發起了募捐行動，想要幫一時糊塗走錯了路的他東山再起；以往一直對他表忠心兼且彩虹屁不斷的私家偵探捂着他付的高額薪水死死不肯放手、一美分也懶得捐；昔日禮貌的老門衛依然禮貌地對他敬禮，并告訴他“我非常惦念你對政客的直率批評，原本是很想看看你能為我們帶來一個怎樣的全新局面，但是，我更希望尊重你的意願，所以我最後還是投了‘以上皆非’一票”……
人情冷暖，世态炎涼，仿佛都在他與世人眼裏即将要一無所有的前一晚，統統毫無保留地來到了他的面前。
布魯斯特忽然間似乎明白了，舅公在視頻裏那一句不經意的碎碎念，說他沒有什麽朋友、一輩子都是一個人的時候的孤寂……
“你不是訂好了今晚要開演唱會的嗎？”突然想起斯派克本來是打算今晚開一場超級豪華的演唱會的舊事，看着在場內不斷奔走的好友，布魯斯特忍不住問了一句。
“別擔心，演唱會我已經取消了，那些錢我們可以拿來買一間小屋，一邊釣魚、一邊享受生活……”斯派克話還沒說完，就被感動不已的布魯斯特一把抱住。
這來自亡者的一課，在這個風光時想盡辦法幫你延續風光、落難時又竭盡所能幫你渡過難關的好友面前，終于是剖析出了其中最深的含義。
茍富貴，莫相忘；而人生得一知己，足矣。
這個布魯斯特“有錢”的最後一晚裏，斯派克就坐在自助餐大廳的長桌上，把他原本準備拿來當演唱會終曲的《Honey take my hand》，給現場表演了出來。
低沉的男聲唱着悠揚的樂韻，治愈的旋律和嗓音仿佛把那些對平靜美好生活的向往娓娓道來，看似情歌，但卻又不止于愛情這個單調的主題。
在這個前期瘋狂、中期癫狂、無所不用極其地諷刺了資本和政治的喜劇劇情的最後，那來自友情的光輝，竟是如此的溫暖而動人。
因為明了到這個殘忍的世界裏依然有人相伴而行，所以，第二天孤身一人穿着當初那套花襯衫前往律師行的布魯斯特，很是平靜而淡然。
但似乎有人并不願看到他如此平靜淡然。
看着急匆匆地趕過來，一邊道歉、一邊解釋說是當初裝修時忘記還給他家具押金的收據，所以現在硬是要把這張2萬的收據塞到他襯衫口袋裏的沃倫律師，布魯斯特又感動又氣惱。
感動的，自然是覺得這個自己一直認定是渣男的律師居然那麽正直地交還收據；氣惱的，自然就是在這距離約定時間還有不到5分鐘的時候，這個好心辦壞事的家夥居然讓原本勝券在握的自己無緣無故地多了2萬美元的額度！
就在布魯斯特已經打算接受現實，簽訂下放棄遺産繼承的那份合約時，之前被他氣走的伍茲助理突然沖了進來：“沃倫是故意沒把收據交給我核算的，因為他和律師行的兩個負責人有約，把你的3億遺産弄到手之後，就會讓他作為律師行的第三個合夥人！”
“他剛才就在外面等着你簽名，我好奇過去詢問一下，才知道了事情的所有真相……”她離開之後去查詢了未婚夫沃倫的消息，發現這個未婚夫真的是如布魯斯特所說的那樣，一邊哄着她訂婚一邊還和前妻有染之後，便匆匆趕了回來。
正逢得意忘形的沃倫在外暗喜，好奇地上前詢問後，這個表裏不一的渣男就故作親熱地攬住她，解說出了布魯斯特這一個月為什麽瘋狂揮霍遺産的真相。
渣男以為她胸大無腦随便哄哄就好，殊不知，她雖然還沒能考到律師執照，但卻是絕不容許這種肮髒黑暗的事情在自己眼前發生！
瞬息之間感動全無，發現渣男始終都還是真正的人渣後，控制不住憤怒的布魯斯特當場就給了這個沃倫一拳。
他倒好，跌在地上還敢叫嚣：“你打啊，看我不告到你以後永遠都欠我的錢……”
“我現在需要一名律師！”布魯斯特轉頭沖伍茲助理喊了一聲。
“她只不過是一個沒有執照的律師助理，根本不能給你打官司！”律師行的兩個負責人嘲笑道。
“那你拿着這錢去考律師執照！”布魯斯特才不理會他們的嘲笑：反正官司什麽時候打都無所謂，重要的是錢得花出去。
伍茲助理會意：“我馬上給你開收據！”
争分奪秒之下，這被有意遺留下來的2萬美元額度，最終還是被成功地清空。
負責裁判遺産去向事宜的金融精英公證人在确認了布魯斯特的挑戰成功之後，轉身又看向了那兩個已經傻眼律師行負責人：“我将會申請相關部門的人來徹查這次挑戰的一切細節……”
以這兩個律師行負責人癱倒在地的身影作為這一段的結束，片尾曲過後，蘇韻客串的彩蛋便在場內的歡呼聲裏如約而至。
“聽說伍茲助理在你的資助下，成功考到了律師執照？”斯派克依然還是那個樂觀多話的性子，一邊走一邊和布魯斯特說着話，“你這次過來，是為了和你祖國那邊的研究所商談投資的問題？”
“是的，這次商談的負責人，就是我在老家那邊的青梅竹馬……”布魯斯特正想要介紹的時候，前面那個穿着白大褂的倩影已經翩然轉身。
“你好，我是負責這次研究經費投資商談的總負責人，現任北航學院飛行器設計與工程研究所的第一組組長，蘇雲雲。”蘇韻微笑着自我介紹道，“或者你們可以叫我的英文名，瑪麗·蘇。”
“斯派克……你這是什麽表情？！”布魯斯特眼角餘光不經意瞄到旁邊的好友的癡呆樣，頓時就嚷了起來，“你之前還抨擊過我不準觊觎別人的未婚妻的！”
“我有這樣說過嗎？”斯派克一臉的平靜，“沒有吧，況且這只是你的青梅竹馬，也不是你的未婚妻。”
這一副“為兄弟我可以兩肋插刀”然後“為瑪麗蘇我也可以插兄弟兩刀”的終極轉變，實在是不得不讓人感嘆：原來之前的患難與共深切感情，并不是經得住考驗……
只是，那時的考驗力度還不夠重而已。
“嘿，已經散場了，你怎麽還不走？”看到小萊昂還在盯着已經黑下去的屏幕，亞當不明所以地叫了一聲。
“她可真迷人，不是麽？”小萊昂回話道。
看着這個便宜弟弟愣是以稚嫩的童聲說出了他們男人都懂的話語，亞當頓時也深有所感地點了點頭：“是的，演伍茲助理那個女演員真的是太美麗了……”
“你們都喜歡這樣的嗎？”小萊昂一臉的嫌棄，“我說的是最後出現的那個瑪麗·蘇。”
"Oh, brother - you have to understand one thing, not everyone can pursue an Oriental beauty like Mary Sue, so we need to choose some pretty girls who also meet our aesthetic standards but look easier to pursue." Adam also pretended to be a mature man with the appearance of a teenager, thinking that he was mature and stable, but in fact it was quite funny. "So, when facing the unique Oriental beauty, we still need easy-to-find blond sweethearts."
Although he felt that what Adam said made sense, compared to the monotonous beauty, when he encountered the most stunning uniqueness at the age when he first knew the beauty of the world... he was completely led astray and fell in love with the charm of uniqueness even more.
"I'm not the type to give up when I encounter difficulties." Little Leon pursed his lips, then counted on his fingers, "I started filming TV series when I was five years old, and I will continue to develop in the future - by then, I will definitely catch up and get to the position next to Mary Sue..."