Roy nodded somewhat helplessly, "Don't worry, the attention will definitely be high. The game is broadcast nationwide, and the Lakers are having a fantastic season this year. Many people will be glued to their TVs. You see, lots of celebrities love to sit in VIP seats and watch the game. When the game stops, the cameras specifically seek out the noteworthy faces in those areas."
"Alright, let's go then," Laila replied without hesitation. Even though watching a game might make her feel sleepy, she believed she could endure one match.
The next evening, after dinner, Roy drove Laila to the stadium. It was the Lakers' home game, and many people in the stadium were wearing Lakers jerseys, including Roy himself.
Their seats were excellent, the crème de la crème of VIP seating, and Laila had inquired earlier and found out that a ticket like that could cost tens of thousands of dollars. Some highly sought-after games might even be impossible to buy no matter how much money you have. It was truly remarkable that he managed to obtain these tickets.
As Roy had mentioned, the VIP area was indeed filled with familiar faces. Laila could only name the Hollywood celebrities among them, and the rest of the people she recognized from the financial or other sections were, at most, vaguely familiar to her.
When Laila and Roy arrived, the people around them displayed surprise and joy. Especially the Hollywood celebrities greeted the two of them warmly. After all, one was a rising male movie star, and the other was a renowned Hollywood director. Developing a good relationship with either of them would be beneficial in the future!
Not only actors but also singers came over to say hello, and their smiles were even more radiant when they faced Laila. Everyone knew that she had casually written three songs, with two of them ranking in the top ten on the Billboard charts for an extended period. One of them had even held the top position, resisting all efforts from other major stars to dethrone it.
What did singers value the most? Undoubtedly, it was great songs! Didn't Kelly Clarkson's career prove it? A great song could turn a girl handing out flyers into one of America's most popular young singers.
For a genius like Laila, whose fingertips could produce a hit song, how could people not treat her well?
After some pleasantries, the game finally began.
Laila shifted her attention to the court, pretending to be genuinely interested in the game.
"That's Kobe. I love his style of play; he's simply dazzling!" Roy pointed excitedly at an African-American man on the court.
Laila had indeed heard that name before. In her previous life, she seemed to recall hearing about his retirement. At the time, some people in the crew had shed tears over his retirement, leaving a lasting impression on her.
However, when she looked at the person on the court, she just couldn't connect him to the person she had seen in the future. She couldn't help but think, "Is this a joke? The afro? Wasn't Kobe bald?"
Of course, Laila kept these thoughts to herself. Roy and the people around her were fully absorbed in the game. While other celebrities might act more composed and dignified when cheering for goals, Roy, who was genuinely excited, was different. He cheered when they scored and cursed when they didn't. The biggest issue was that even in this state, he remained the most handsome and charming person there, which made the VIP guests who hoped to shine next to him feel quite frustrated.
During the game, the cameras indeed passed over the celebrities in the VIP section several times. When they spotted Laila and Roy, they lingered on their faces and the hands they held for several seconds. This even garnered some extra whistles from the audience.
During halftime, one of the commentators said with a smile to his colleague, "Guess what we've discovered? Turns out Roy is also a Lakers fan. Could his famous director girlfriend be making a basketball movie?"
"Roy playing basketball? Let's not entertain such terrifying thoughts! There are already enough girls crazy about him, and if he becomes a handsome guy who plays basketball, do you think you can compete with him for a girlfriend?"
Their banter amused the fans at the scene and those watching on TV. Roy, facing the camera, also revealed a sexy and charming smile. Wearing the Lakers' jersey, he exuded a different, sporty charisma.
Laila wasn't as flirtatious, merely giving a ladylike wave to the camera with a smile, which was the best she could do. Sometimes she envied Roy's personality, the ability to be himself wherever he went, as if he were destined to be someone the world would take notice of.
The game ended, and Roy and Laila, hand in hand, were immediately surrounded by reporters who had been informed. Other celebrities who had hoped for the spotlight could only bite their handkerchiefs in frustration. They wondered how these two managed to have reporters chase them every day.
"Roy, are you a Lakers fan?" one reporter couldn't wait to ask.
Roy laughed, "Of course, I really like them."
"Who's your favorite player?"
"Kobe! I love him. Oh, and Shaquille O 'Neal too. Their offense is spectacular," Roy enthusiastically rattled off about basketball.
However, the reporters weren't here to hear his thoughts on basketball; they were more interested in his relationship!
"Why did you choose to have a date at the basketball game? Are you trying to get more attention?" one reporter asked sharply. It was clear that he belonged to the group of people who didn't believe Roy and Laila were really in love. Like many conspiracy theorists, he suspected they were using the rumors to promote their movie.
Roy chuckled and lifted Laila's hand, which he had been holding the whole time, and gave it a hearty kiss. "Say whatever you want."
With that, he didn't give other people a chance to ask more questions and, still holding Laila's hand, squeezed through the crowd.
The reporters wanted to follow, but the bodyguards hidden nearby had already intervened. By the time they finally broke through the bodyguards' blockade, the two had already disappeared from the parking lot.
Laila looked at Roy, who was driving and grinning, with some curiosity. "You seem to be in a really good mood."
"Yeah," Roy replied without concealing his happiness.
"Because the team won?"
Roy's expression suddenly deflated. "Laila, sometimes you really know how to kill the mood."
"?" Laila was puzzled.