Pushing open the restroom door, the long queue outside showed no sign of diminishing. Glancing left and right, he couldn't spot Scarlett anymore. The encounter with the two bikini-clad women who recognized Scarlett had attracted attention. To avoid further attention, Scarlett needed to stay hidden.
"Hey, buddy, aren't you the rich young heir from "Buried"?" A man in his thirties at the front of the line, his gaze lifting from his phone screen, recognized Renly in front of him.
At this mixed appellation, Renly chuckled and gestured with a "six" sign, the most famous Hawaiian greeting gesture. Almost everyone here greeted each other like this, saying "aloha" along with the hand gesture. "I guess I was quite wealthy in the movie," Renly responded playfully.
The man understood the implication and burst into laughter. "You're an interesting guy."
After the greeting, Renly continued his strides toward where André and Paul were. The people in line waved merrily, extending greetings with the "six" gesture. However, the atmosphere remained controlled; they didn't rush over zealously. After all, this was a surfing competition, not the Toronto International Film Festival.
Leaving the queue, a figure dashed out from behind a parked motorcycle. Taking several large strides, the figure caught up with Renly, and they walked side by side.
With a sidelong glance, Renly recognized the newcomer as Scarlett Johansson.
She was dressed casually today, wearing an oversized white T-shirt that completely hid her figure's curves. Paired with denim shorts and sky-blue flip-flops, she looked like an ordinary passerby on the street, concealing all her strengths.
Yet, she exuded a unique aura. Her long hair was tied up in a messy bun, held together by a black hairband. Loose strands of hair fell casually, adding a sense of laziness to her simplicity. A pair of plain black-framed glasses covered her beautiful eyes, eliminating any sensuality but contributing an air of bookishness. Only a touch of sakura-colored lipstick graced her lips, outlining a subtle charm.
To compare the West Lake to Xi Shi, light makeup or heavy makeup are both suitable.
Noticing Renly's gaze, Scarlett wore an unaffected expression and asked, "What's the matter?"
Renly hadn't even had a chance to inquire why Scarlett was walking beside him when Scarlett preempted him. This caused a smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. He didn't reply, just halted his steps and stood in place.
Scarlett took two more steps forward before realizing Renly's pause. She quickly stopped and turned to give him a curious look. Then, she nervously looked around and asked again, "What's wrong?"
The same words, repeated twice, but the meaning and tone were entirely different. Renly could clearly sense Scarlett's irritation. Today, Scarlett seemed more restless, her emotions less stable compared to their previous encounter.
However, Renly seemed oblivious to Scarlett's unease. He casually crossed his hands behind his back and nodded, motioning for her to go ahead, "I'm just avoiding some misunderstandings. I hope you won't think I'm following you."
Scarlett hesitated for a moment, then ground her teeth in frustration. Damn Renly!
Though she didn't know the specific reason, the fact remained: the paparazzo had diverted his path upon seeing Renly. Today, Scarlett least wanted to encounter paparazzi. She had thought that by coming to the surf competition, she'd be far from their radar. Yet, here she was, being pursued in such an embarrassing manner. She hoped that, with Renly's help, she could shake off the paparazzo.
She hadn't expected Renly to turn the tables! Beneath that suave and gentlemanly exterior lay an absolute demon!
"And what if I allow you to follow me?" Scarlett didn't play by the rules either, raising her chin and narrowing her eyes slightly as she cryptically remarked.
Renly raised an eyebrow slightly, a trace of amusement glinting in his eyes. Lowering his head, he chuckled softly, "Heh."
That magnetic voice trembled gently in his throat. The momentary gleam that passed over his lips was as pure and fleeting as moonlight, momentarily intense and then gone. Scarlett was momentarily taken aback by this unique man before her. Consequently, she decided to stop beating around the bush and took the initiative, "I'm evading paparazzi. I need your help."
Renly raised his head, a hint of surprise showing, and with a playful inflection, he added, "Is that a compliment or an insult?"
Scarlett hesitated for a moment, then realized the ambiguity in her words: was she implying that Renly lacked presence and wasn't appealing to paparazzi? After all, Renly was also an actor, and quite a hot one lately.
Scarlett lightly bit her lower lip, contemplating how to explain her unintentional rudeness. But she soon caught the glint in Renly's eyes, like ripples spreading through a pond, and she immediately grasped that Renly was intentionally teasing her. She ground her teeth in annoyance, "So, what's your answer? Good or not?"
"Not good," Renly's response was equally direct.
Scarlett was genuinely taken aback, to the point of being caught off guard. She paused briefly and then, ironically, began to laugh. "Aren't you a gentleman?"
"Being a gent doesn't mean being a yesman," Renly maintained his smile without a hint of fluster.
Observing Renly's composed demeanor, Scarlett's mood inexplicably lifted. He was indeed a cunning man; she suspected that many had been deceived by his appearance, including herself. "Heh heh," she chuckled, her laughter echoing her realization of their conversation's amusing undertones. "Heh heh," she laughed again.
It was the happiest she had felt in the past few days.
Renly politely nodded to Scarlett, signaling his intent, and resumed walking. But after just a couple of steps, Scarlett unexpectedly followed suit, matching his pace. Renly was somewhat surprised, casting her a quizzical look.
Scarlett, however, remained silent. She simply walked alongside him, neither too close nor too far, her previous annoyance and frustration now entirely gone. Her steps even grew lighter.
With no other option, Renly finally asked, "What's going on?"
Fortunes change, and the same question was now voiced by a different person. Scarlett shrugged nonchalantly and said, "I'm following you."
A smile danced in Renly's eyes. "So, does that mean you're treating me as a man?" The topic had circled back to its starting point.
Scarlett pouted, adopting an air of bargaining as she appraised him from head to toe with great interest. "At the very least, you're not a woman." This made Renly chuckle soundlessly. "Otherwise, let's make a deal. How about it?" Scarlett took the initiative once again, suggesting with a playful smile.
While Renly didn't agree, he didn't disagree either.
After a slight pause, Scarlett continued, "You help me shake off those paparazzi, and I'll treat you to dinner tonight. You can pick the location."
"I already have dinner plans, madam," Renly responded, polite yet carrying a hint of mockery, tossing a soft pin at Scarlett.
However, Scarlett wasn't bothered. "Then let's make a different deal. You help me evade the paparazzi, or I'll tell them I'm on a date with you. Oh, and by the way, I've just come out of a marriage. Those paparazzi never give me any peace; they're always eager to uncover some scandal and create some Colombian soap opera drama."
Her words were straightforward, lacking significant emotional fluctuations, but the threat in her words was crystal clear, intertwined with a touch of self-deprecating humor.
Scarlett had initially thought that the topic of her divorce would be hard to bring up, at least for now. Unexpectedly, the words had come out so naturally, and the feeling was rather liberating.
"In fact, I have a third option," Renly raised a shoulder and stated solemnly, "I'll continue hanging out with my friends and then I'll call the paparazzi myself to report your whereabouts. What do you think?"
Scarlett's lips involuntarily curled up once again. Renly was undeniably an intriguing fellow. If he was trying to play hard to get, he had certainly left a lasting impression. "But you wouldn't do that, right? Because you're a gentleman."
"Is that a compliment or a truth?" A hint of a smile gleamed in Renly's eyes as he continued to probe. Was this flattery to achieve a purpose? Or did Scarlett truly believe it?
Surprisingly, Scarlett didn't respond immediately. She pondered for a moment before saying, "Well, which type of answer would serve the purpose?" Their banter carried a playful undertone, evoking smiles on both their lips.
Renly didn't add anything further. He turned around and resumed walking for the third time. Scarlett followed closely behind. No more words were needed; the understanding between them had grown enough.
"Do you prefer fancy restaurants, or the local Hawaiian eateries?" Scarlett curiously inquired, "Honestly, all there seems to be here is sushi, and I'm getting a bit tired of it."
Hawaii's largest population of immigrants is Japanese, a unique phenomenon. Besides the Japanese, many other ethnic groups also reside here, creating a melting pot of cultures on the island. However, Japanese tourists are the main source of income for Hawaii's tourism industry, so Japanese cuisine, and even the local Hawaiian cuisine, has been infused with Japanese flavors.
"I thought udon was the most common... Last time I was on the street behind Waikiki Beach, I tried a bowl of udon from a shop. I queued for a whopping ninety minutes, only to be utterly disappointed. I can't believe why so many people like that place."
"Ah, you went to that place too! It's right next to the main street, isn't it? I went there too. That place really lacks any uniqueness. I wonder if the tourists are being deceived into going there?"
"So, we're both deceived tourists?"
"Yes."