In Los Angeles, USA, a used Ford sedan was speeding west along Highway 6, and the young man driving seemed a bit high, his face flushed with the redness of intoxication.
Suddenly, a pedestrian walked by, and the young man, swerving sharply to avoid him, crashed into a roadside flowerbed, slumping motionless over the steering wheel, his face covered in blood.
Bystanders quickly called the police, and when they arrived, they pulled out the still-breathing young man.
The young man's eyes changed; Wang Yinuo stared blankly at the traffic police officer who was handcuffing him, then he was sent to the hospital for examination.
He was confused and at a loss the entire way. Wang Yinuo was just an office worker in Nancheng, China, involved in self-media operations and planning web drama productions.
But he tried his hand at stock trading, not only losing years of savings but also mortgaging his house. In a moment of despair, he was distracted while crossing the road and was hit by a car.
Then, he arrived here, in the body of a 19-year-old Los Angeles youth, Charles Capet. This unlucky fellow had a crash while drunk driving and ended himself.
"Damn it, I told you not to drink and drive, serves you right!" Wang Yinuo, half-lying on the hospital bed, cursed in his heart. Another confused youth ruined by American 'happy learning'.
All he knew was dating girlfriends and messing around. He just broke up, and he had to drown his sorrows in alcohol? Drowning his sorrows was one thing, but then he had to drink and drive? And drinking and driving was one thing, but then he had to crash and end himself!
After he was sent to the hospital, the doctor quickly gave Charles a full body check, and thankfully, they were all just external injuries.
Then, the family was notified. Charles was also arranged into a ward to rest. Charles, whose mind was still in a chaotic state, began to calm down.
One could only say that two unlucky people had met!
Outside the ward, Charles Capet's mother, single mother Evelyn Cape, was communicating with the police.
"Madam, he was drunk driving. Although it was to avoid a pedestrian, punishment is necessary."
"My son wasn't like this before. It seems he broke up with his girlfriend today and had a few too many drinks. This is his first Time in California; shouldn't he be eligible for educational punishment?"
The police spoke a few words with Mrs. Capet, and in the end, it was a $300 fine, a verbal warning, and 100 hours of community service.
As dusk fell, Charles Capet, leaning on the hospital bed and quietly contemplating, heard the sound of high heels walking outside the door.
Evelyn Cape, dressed in a women's suit, was under forty, well-preserved, with a few wrinkles on her face, seemingly indicating she was a beauty in her youth.
"Are you alright? The doctor said there's nothing serious with your body, perhaps a slight concussion. You'll stay for two more days for observation," Evelyn said with a frown after entering the room.
This son was a handful. As an unknown Agent at ETA (Endeavor Talent Agency), Evelyn's income was not high.
Charles Capet didn't go to university; he started working odd jobs on various sets in Los Angeles during high school, acting as an assistant or an extra in the background.
He was a handsome young man, with blond hair and brown eyes, and made for a good human background.
"I'm fine, I feel great!" Charles didn't know what to say; having a mother felt a bit strange.
Aren't transmigrators always orphans? Moreover, this mother was just a small figure, a minor Agent, without money or connections!
"Then you rest first. Mom will come to pick you up when you're discharged," Evelyn said before leaving the ward.
It was May 2001. Charles Capet shook his head; he needed to calm down and sort out his thoughts first.
After staying in the hospital for two days, Charles Capet, having no serious injuries, was discharged and went home.
Evelyn Cape was ambitious. In her youth, she, like countless other girls, had dreams, otherwise she wouldn't have given birth to Charles Capet and become a single mother.
As for Charles's nominal father, according to Evelyn, he drank himself to death and went to meet God in a corner of some street.
Evelyn lived in North Hollywood, which was slightly better than downtown Los Angeles, as the city center was a chaotic slum, and areas like East and West Los Angeles were even more disorderly.
North Hollywood was a working-class area, and because it was close to Hollywood, there were many film and television-related companies, a large number of independent film production companies, recording, subtitling, post-production companies, and so on.
ETA (Endeavor Talent Agency) was considered the fifth-largest entertainment agency in Hollywood at the Time, though it still couldn't compare to the likes of CAA and ICA.
Especially compared to the leader, CAA, the difference was even greater.
For two consecutive weeks, Charles performed community service while familiarizing himself with the information of this era.
Of course, he also focused on understanding the Hollywood situation. There were many blockbuster movies and TV shows in his memory. However, they all lacked an opportunity, as Charles was not a screenwriter or director. Based on his previous work experience, he could barely be considered a web drama producer, and one without much real power.
"Sigh, this guy was such a scoundrel; he really didn't have any savings at all, even though he had been working for two years," Charles walked home after his last day of 8 hours of community service.
He had only $220 on him. Luckily, he lived with his mother, otherwise, he would have been sleeping on the streets.
After returning home, he found several resumes on the living room table, probably from some aspiring actors or dreamers with star ambitions.
As an Agent, Evelyn's job was to discover stars; her most famous actress was only a supporting actress in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."