Taking advantage of the situation! He was indeed taking advantage of the situation!
If that guy were to appear before him right now, he could tear that guy into countless pieces with his bare hands! Just thinking about his own performance a moment ago, not only did he show up at the Landmark Cinema, but he also spoke highly during the interview, promoting "Buried" from beginning to end! He felt like flipping over the entire ticket counter!
He was the one who felt stifled! He was the one who felt defeated! He was the one who felt neglected! He was the one who needed consolation! He was the one who had a heart full of anger but had to swallow it down! He was the one whose teeth were broken but had to put on a smile!
But now, he not only couldn't complain, but he also had to actively promote "Buried"?
Every word he had just spoken made him nauseous, every smile made him wish for death, every compliment felt like being engulfed in flames. Vin was genuinely too angry, to the extent that his whole body trembled uncontrollably. Ludacris, who stood by his side, watched with apprehension, fearing that in the next second, Vin would vent all his anger on him.
Ludacris tightly sealed his lips. Although he wanted to offer some comfort, he didn't know how to speak without making things worse. So, it was probably better for him to remain silent.
After the ticket usher left, Vin looked at the empty screening room. His rage had finally spiraled out of control. "Ah ah ah!" He vented his anger on the wall with fists and feet, completely ignoring his own pain. He just used the most primal way to unleash the torrential fury within his chest.
However, Vin didn't know that every screening room in the cinema was under surveillance, accurately recording every movement of the audience.
First, there were the two hundred attendees, and then the appearance of the "Fast 5" crew. Bradley had never been more grateful for his decision tonight. Now, he was beginning to anticipate the feedback from critics and audiences after the weekend's screenings of "Buried".
Hope patted William on the shoulder. "It's our turn now." She then grabbed Graham and followed him closely. They had waited in line with difficulty and finally reached their turn. They promptly approached the ticket counter. William pointed to the three of them and asked the ticket attendant, "Three tickets for "Buried". Are there any left?"
"There are still some." The ticket attendant smiled. "However, they're selling out quickly." This was the first time she had seen the Landmark Cinema's midnight screening tickets completely sold out. It was unlikely that this record would be broken for many years to come.
The Landmark Cinema still used the traditional ticketing method—no computer-printed tickets, just old-style paper tickets like those for buses. The attendant would indicate the hall number on the ticket. The seating capacity in each screening room was fixed, with no specific seat numbers indicated on the tickets. After entering, you could just find a seat anywhere.
The attendant tore off three tickets and handed them to William. "Hall 5. Is there a special event today? Why did so many people come specifically to watch this movie?"
"Yeah, I'm curious too." A deep voice from behind chimed in, tinged with a faint smile. Even without turning around, you could envision the elegant curve of the corners of the mouth.
Hope, William, and Graham faced the ticket counter. They saw the ticket attendant before them, wearing an expression of astonishment mixed with terror. Nearby, an uncontrolled scream erupted, "Ah ah ah!" But before the scream could fully resonate, it was muffled by hands and sounded muffled upon collision.
However, this wasn't the only sound. Others nearby let out gasps of cold air, and hushed whispers surrounded them. A clamor surged from all directions, agitating the entire screening room. The exuberant cheers and joyous excitement couldn't be suppressed, spreading through the air.
William and Graham reacted faster, turning around quickly. Their eyes widened, and their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably, a bit comical in appearance, resembling seizures. Hope took the movie tickets from the attendant, still confirming the details. When she looked up, she saw everyone's strange reactions and chuckled, "What's wrong with you guys..."
As she spoke, she turned around, and then all remaining sounds stuck in her throat. Hope froze in place, turning into a statue of ice. She couldn't muster any reaction at all.
The man before her had a tall and lean figure, wearing a lime-green shirt paired with black jeans. A few buttons on his shirt were casually unbuttoned. His attire didn't seem overly elaborate, but he wore a light brown windbreaker over it all. His entire aura leaked out through the relaxed and casual lines.
The gentle curve of his smiling lips exuded a warm glow in his eyes. His close-cropped haircut carried a touch of youthful freshness and sunshine, mingling within the noble air of an elegant gentleman. His every expression gathered the attention of everyone around him.
Thud, thud.
Hope could clearly hear the sound of her heart pounding against her chest. The cacophony of noise and screams continued intermittently in her ears. Yet, she couldn't make any response. Her entire brain, every drop of blood, froze into ice. She could only stare like a fool, her gaze fixed, quietly and dumbly watching, doubting whether this was a dream or reality.
The man, only a step away from her, seemed to derive amusement from her embarrassment. The corners of his mouth curved upward slightly, like a spring breeze ruffling a pond, generating ripples that unsettled the whole world. "So, are you saying you also don't know what the event is about? Or, why a completely unrelated stranger is asking you questions? In that case, should I take a step back and create some distance?"
"No, don't!" Hope blurted out anxiously. Her flustered demeanor amused the man, causing him to burst into laughter. Only now did Hope's brain catch up. His previous comment had been a small jest, but her response had seemed so... eager. This immediately turned Hope's cheeks burning hot.
However, at this moment, Hope couldn't be concerned about that. Standing before her was Renly Hall, actually Renly Hall!
It was as if the most incredible thing in the world had happened. They had come specifically to watch the midnight screening of "Buried", and they ran into the film's only male lead. Even Hollywood films wouldn't dare to orchestrate something like this! Yet, reality had unfolded exactly this way. Renly Hall was truly standing before her, so real yet so dreamlike, making it impossible to discern whether it was a dream or reality.
"How did you end up here?" This was the only question swirling in her mind.
"Just like you, to watch the movie." Renly Hall gestured to the companions behind him. It was only now that Hope noticed that Paul Walker, Gal Gadot, and a few others were standing behind him. Each of them was dressed casually, no deliberate styling. Even Gal wasn't wearing makeup, looking completely like a group of friends attending a movie screening.
Paul waved a hand toward Hope, flashing a radiant smile and greeting her. Other people also turned their gazes.
Hope couldn't help but freeze for a moment. Then she saw Graham stepping forward, "Renly, may I... um, shake hands with your friends? Of course, also with you, and you."
Renly laughed heartily, "Of course, no problem."
The entire scene immediately grew lively. Other audience members around also came forward, shaking hands and greeting with Paul, Gal, and the others. The atmosphere in the hall seemed to be turning into a fan meet.
Unexpectedly, the crowd around Renly gathered the most people. Bradley tried several times to squeeze in and interview Renly, but there was no space at all. Enthusiastic fans crowded around, and the place was congested, nearly exhausting the oxygen.
Originally, Renly had been the most talked-about newcomer actor in the past two months. Despite this, he had never appeared publicly, busy filming both "Like Crazy" and "Fast 5". For the general public, curiosity and attention, shrouded unintentionally in mystique, had reached a new peak.
And it all erupted tonight.
Renly felt a bit flustered. He hadn't expected the midnight screening to be so lively, nor did he anticipate everyone's interest in him. He had even assumed that Paul would be the main focus.
Though Renly had encountered similar situations at the Toronto Film Festival before, today felt different. The narrower space accommodated more people, and every direction was filled with heads. The myriad of calling voices came from all directions, making it impossible to discern the source. It felt like being caught in a kaleidoscope, with each viewpoint completely different yet indistinguishable.
Fortunately, there were only around two hundred people at the scene, and they were relatively orderly. After the gathering, the crowd eventually dispersed without fanatical reluctance.
Even so, Renly couldn't help but start sweating. Interacting with the audience was something he had little experience in. Compared to that, dealing with journalists seemed simpler.
Staff had come forward to maintain order. Renly had wanted to communicate more, but he could only smile at Hope and say, "I hope you'll enjoy the movie, just like "Ophelia"." After speaking, he quickly followed the staff and left.
Hope didn't hide her disappointment. She had hoped to chat with Renly a bit longer but got interrupted. However, in the next second, she was ecstatic. "He remembers! He remembers!" Hope exclaimed, her whole body trembling. Only William and Graham understood what she meant.
Renly actually remembered them, he remembered their encounter on the streets during the Emmy Awards night! This was too incredible!
In this moment, they were the happiest people in the world!
"He remembers!" William and Graham couldn't help but shout as well, their excited emotions bouncing within their chests.