Global Best Actor: Starting with Picking Up Attributes in America

Chapter 428 Returning to USC

Half an hour later, four dishes and a soup were served.

To be fair, Lee So-yeon, being a Korean woman, is really good at cooking Chinese food.

It's clear they've put in a lot of hard work.

Stir-fried pork with chili peppers, stir-fried eggs with tomatoes, braised pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup.

Although it was the most ordinary home-style dish, it made Chen Xun's mouth water.

He picked up a piece of stir-fried pork with chili peppers and put it in his mouth. The pork belly was fatty but not greasy, and the spiciness of the chili peppers was just right.

It bears the mark of his craftsmanship.

Even because Chen Chang rarely cooks, he himself can't replicate the taste!

good to eat!

"How is it?"

Lee So-yeon proudly raised her chin and served herself a bowl of rice.

"It tastes even better than in restaurants."

Chen Xun nodded and began to eat heartily.

This was the most delicious meal he had recently.

They travel back and forth so much that they can't get to eat authentic Chinese food.

The food in Los Angeles is mostly sweet, or it's mostly white food. I'm tired of it!

The two ate and chatted.

Lee So-yeon's personality is still the same as when she was in school—full of energy, and it seems that very few things trouble her.

"Back then, I thought you were really going to be blacklisted, and I was so worried that I couldn't sleep for several days."

Lee So-yeon took a sip of soup, her face still showing lingering fear: "I didn't expect you to be so amazing. Not only were you not blacklisted, but you also became the world's highest-grossing star."

"It's all just good luck."

Chen Xun smiled.

"It's not luck."

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 20 ...

Lee So-yeon looked at him earnestly: "I know how hard you work. Even for the smallest roles, you can perform them to the best of your ability. You deserve everything you have achieved today."

Also.

Back when Lee So-yeon and he were roommates, he was still working as an extra, and the two even acted in extra roles together.

Lee So-yeon also enthusiastically served as his assistant every day.

After dinner, Li Suyan insisted on dragging Chen Xun to visit the school.

Chen Xun also wanted to relax, so he readily agreed.

Li Suyan drove her secondhand Toyota, humming a song as she turned into the gates of USC.

As soon as the car stopped, she eagerly pushed open the door, pointed to the wall of honor not far away, and tugged at Chen Xun's arm, exclaiming, "Look, look! Your plaque!"

Chen Xun looked in the direction she pointed.

His photo is prominently displayed at the front of the wall of honorary alumni at the entrance of the drama academy.

The accompanying text reads: "Chen Xun, Oscar-nominated actor, global box office record holder, founder of Xunxing Entertainment, best known for his role in 'Joker'."

Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man —

The photo was taken when he returned to school for an event.

"Did you see that? Did you see that?!"

Lee So-yeon tilted her head back, even more proud than if she herself were on the wall of honor: "In the entire drama academy, you are the youngest alumnus with honors. Those who were extras with you back then are still struggling at the bottom of Hollywood. You've become a legend!"

She patted her chest and boasted, "Back then, I had such good taste! I could tell at a glance you weren't ordinary, so I decisively chose to share an apartment with you. Now I'm the roommate and employee of the world's highest-grossing film. Who wouldn't envy me!"

Chen Xun couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle her hair: "Yes, yes, Director Li has the best eye."

The two walked along the stone path in the campus, and the students on the way stopped in their tracks the moment they saw Chen Xun.

"Holy crap? Is that Chen Xun?!"

"It really is him! I can't believe my eyes! Why is he back at school?"

"OMG! I actually ran into Chen Xun at USC! He's even more handsome than in the movies!"

The students screamed excitedly, but no one dared to step forward rashly; they simply held up their phones from a distance to take pictures.

Social media and forums were instantly flooded with posts: "I bumped into Chen Xun at the library entrance! Alive!"

"The senior who skipped classes to work as an extra back then is now an honorary alumnus returning to school. I'm so envious."

"Does anyone know what he's doing here? Will he even attend class? Is it too late for me to drop out and go to drama school?"

"Forget about it, upstairs. His classes are already sold out. Last time he was a temporary lecturer, the course selection system crashed!"

Looking at the students secretly taking pictures around them, Li Suyan said to Chen Xun with a smug look, "See? You're a legend at USC now! When freshmen arrive, the first person the upperclassmen introduce is you. They all treat you as an inspirational idol."

"How come I didn't know I was so famous?"

"You're busy making movies and doing publicity every day, you don't have time to worry about these things."

Li Suyan pouted: "Professor Anderson likes to use you as an example now. He always says in class that if you had half the effort of Chen Xun, you wouldn't be unable to find a job after graduation."

The two chatted and laughed as they walked to the drama academy's office building.

Professor Anderson's office is on the third floor.

The door was ajar.

The sound of typing could be heard from inside.

Lee So-yeon knocked on the door, and a familiar voice came from inside: "Come in."

Professor Anderson sat behind his desk, his hair a bit whiter than it had been a few years ago, wearing reading glasses, and looking at a document.

Upon seeing Chen Xun and Li Suyan enter, he immediately took off his glasses, a delighted smile spreading across his face. He stood up and strode over, exclaiming, "Chen! It really is you! I thought Suyan was joking with me!"

He hugged Chen Xun tightly, patted him on the back, and said with great relief, "That's wonderful! I see you on the news every day. 'The Wandering Earth' is amazing; it brought tears to my eyes!"

"Professor, it's been a long time."

Chen Xun smiled and hugged him back, looking at the familiar furnishings in the office.

The same old coffee cup with its peeling paint, the students' graduation photos on the wall, and the stack of scripts in the corner—nothing has changed.

"Congratulations, you're now the vice dean."

"Hey, it's all fake."

Professor Anderson waved his hand, pulled him to sit on the sofa, and poured coffee for the two of them: "If it weren't for your hard work back then, I would have had a hard time being the vice dean. I remember when you wanted to drop out of school to make movies, I almost fell out with you. Now it seems that you were farsighted."

Li Suyan chimed in from the side, "Professor, he's more than just visionary! StarSeeking Entertainment is about to become the seventh largest distribution company in the world!"

"I know."

Professor Anderson grinned from ear to ear: "I brag to my colleagues every day that Chen Xun is one of my students, and they're all incredibly envious. The college even put you on the wall of honor—you're the first Chinese alumnus to be on that wall!"

Chen Xun felt a warmth in his heart.

Back then, he was embroiled in a scandal involving his academic credentials, and the entire internet was criticizing him. It was the University of Southern California and Professor Anderson who immediately issued a statement clarifying that his academic process was completely compliant and that he had delayed graduation due to filming, but had later completed his studies by deducting credits.

Without the school's support at that time, he would have taken many more detours.

"Thank you, Professor. If it weren't for you helping me deduct credits back then, I might not have been able to graduate."

"No need to thank me, you deserve it."

Professor Anderson waved his hand: "You have proven with your abilities that academic qualifications are not the only standard for measuring an actor. Your current achievements are the best gift you can give to the school."

He paused, looking at Chen Xun with expectant eyes: "The school has an outstanding graduate forum and would like to invite you back as a keynote speaker to share your experiences with the younger students. The students at the drama academy are constantly asking you to teach a few more classes of their 'Acting in Front of the Camera' course. Do you have the time?"

"no problem!"

Chen Xun agreed without hesitation: "I'm on vacation right now, and I don't have anything to do, so I can come anytime."