Janet was at a loss for words. She had given birth to Laila at the age of 18; who could say her daughter wasn't intelligent?
Seeing her mother struggling to respond, Laila shrugged and said, "See, the timing of childbirth doesn't necessarily reflect a child's intelligence. It mainly depends on genetics. With my genes, my child will undoubtedly be very smart."
Roy anxiously signaled to Janet again, begging her to help change Laila's mind. Thirty years old! That was another 8 years! He might wither away before that due to the lack of the "Laila" nutrient!
He made one mistake, though. Even with Janet's eloquence, 100 of her combined wouldn't match up to Laila. If she used her mother's authority at this moment, there might be a chance Laila would listen.
After being nagged for quite a while, Laila finally couldn't take it anymore and said, "Okay, I take back what I said about marrying after 30."
"That's more like it!" Janet sighed in relief, casting a triumphant look at Roy. See, it had to be her intervention to make her obedient.
Roy was also relieved as long as she didn't insist on that condition anymore. He believed that with a bit more effort on his part, he would be able to convince her to go to the church within the next few years. Wait, why did he use the word "convince"?
"Let's consider getting married after I've won the Best Director Oscar." Just when they thought everything was settled and both were feeling satisfied, Laila dropped a bombshell, leaving them stunned.
Roy felt like crying. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "I remember you said Oscars don't favor young people. How many people have won the Best Director Oscar before the age of 30?"
Laila blinked innocently. Would he cry if she told him that none had won it before the age of 30?
"It seems like none, right?" Janet spoke for her. She hadn't noticed Roy's desolate expression. "I've looked it up before. The youngest was a director named Norman in 1931, and he was 32 when he won. But my clever Laila certainly won't take that long!"
Roy had already stopped paying attention to what she was saying. When she mentioned the dreaded age of 32, he felt like his vision was darkening...
Can we go back to the previous condition?
Actually, Laila was intentionally teasing them. She wasn't the kind of person who would set a specific date for herself. She believed in adapting to changing circumstances. She knew that plans might not always work out, and she didn't want to constrain herself.
However, her previous statement wasn't entirely baseless. She genuinely intended to win an Oscar for Best Director before turning 30. She knew many great directors who had never received that award throughout their lives, but she wasn't like them. She had access to future memories, which allowed her to know the tastes of the future Oscar judges and cater to them.
Perhaps they wouldn't give her the award once or twice, but if it happened three or five times, she was confident that she could create a new record as the youngest director to win the Oscar.
After returning from New York to the film set, Laila immersed herself in work once more. This time, she didn't have much time to work and had to temporarily set aside her duties to reunite with Roy because the Oscars night was approaching.
In her past life, Laila had only watched the Oscars ceremony through online broadcasts. She could see all the familiar faces and feel their excitement when they received the award. But this time, she was able to walk on the red carpet herself, entering a dreamlike stage she had only seen in dreams.
Today, not only Laila and Roy, but Janet also walked alongside them. The other people who came with them didn't fit well with such occasions, so they entered from different entrances.
Roy wore a suit specially tailored for him by Burberry for this Oscar trip. This kind of solemn and formal occasion was perfect for Burberry's style. To be more precise, it was a blend of Burberry's classic style with a touch of contemporary elements. Checks were always a timeless love of Burberry, and they were used as accents on the collar, cuffs, and other areas.
The well-tailored suit complemented Roy's carefree style, especially after he had recently grown some stubble for a movie role. This facial hair added a touch of sexiness to his appearance.
Laila's dress also incorporated some elements of checks. Janet matched the Burberry style and used a combination of checks and a retro vibe to prevent the black gown from appearing too dull due to its color.
When it came to dressing, Janet was the expert. She had a preference for vibrant colors. A deep V-neck, gold, fishtail gown not only showcased her graceful figure but also made her stand out among the conservative and formal gowns worn by others. Additionally, she had learned to mimic the model's walk, so her appearance on the red carpet was exceptionally stunning, drawing all the attention away from Roy and Laila within a few steps.
Laila was quite satisfied with this arrangement. She was a director, and it wasn't ideal to be treated as a star all the time. As she had always said, if people wanted to know her, they should watch her movies; that was where she created her world.
But when she needed to promote her movies, she could temporarily set those thoughts aside. She was someone who loved her company and, for the sake of promoting her work, cooperating with public relations efforts was only natural, right? It had nothing to do with making money for herself!
The three of them entered the venue, chatting with people they met along the way. As they made their way to the location where the "Pirates of the Caribbean" crew was seated, they received some special attention due to Laila's six Oscar nominations.
Oscar judges might not favor young talents, but the Oscar ceremony was a different story, especially for figures like Laila and Roy, who carried a lot of weight among young people. They naturally received some special treatment. Keep in mind that the awards ceremony would feature many big and small stars, and it was possible that some might not even be captured by the cameras throughout the entire event.
However, for Laila and Roy, things were different, and they were fortunate. After all, the audience loved them. Looking at the significantly increased ratings compared to the previous year, even the most clueless person could tell who the extra attendees were there for.